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There is a whole lot of deliberation ongoing about what the New England Patriots will do with the No. 4 overall pick of the NFL Draft, especially if both Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are off the board by the time the Patriots are on the clock.
Despite a huge free-agent spending spree, New England still has plenty of holes to fill, so the Pats won't be able to find a be-all-end-all solution with their one first-round draft choice.
However, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated is not ruling out the possibility of the Patriots making a trade to acquire an extra first-round selection, but mainly if New England doesn't select an offensive tackle with the fourth overall pick.
"I think if they don’t take [Will] Campbell or Missouri’s Armand Membou, I could see the Patriots trading back into the first round to get someone such as [Josh] Conerly or [Josh] Simmons," Breer wrote.
Both Conerly and Simmons are projected to be late first-round picks, so it stands to reason that the Patriots can address a different position at No. 4 and then trade back into the first round in order to solve their issue at left tackle.
New England laid claim to what was probably the worst offensive line in football this past season, and the only thing the Pats have really done to help repair it thus far was sign right tackle Morgan Moses.
Moses is definitely a solid piece, but the Patriots need more answers, and based on their inability to land anyone else via free agency or trade, you have to figure that New England will look to rectify the glaring problem in the draft later this month.
The Pats could just take Campbell at No. 4 and call it a day, but if they end up having the opportunity to snatch Hunter or Carter, they could do that and then try to move back up in the draft order to select another tackle later on Day 1.
More must-reads:
- Significant concern emerges for Bengals, Joe Burrow
- Cowboys' Jerry Jones seems poised for long standoff with Micah Parsons
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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Steelers Fans Watch As Stephen A. Smith Destroys George Pickens In Epic Rant: 'Pick Up A Book'
Now, the Steelers’ wide receiver room is in an interesting spot. With Pickens gone, Metcalf is the clear number one option, but there are questions about who will step up behind him. Meanwhile, Pickens seems to be enjoying his time in Dallas. He has taken a few subtle jabs at the Steelers, suggesting he is in a better place and even praising the Cowboys for their Super Bowl history. His comments have raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. One person who wasn’t impressed was ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. During a passionate segment on First Take, Smith ripped into Pickens for his remarks about the Cowboys being a Super Bowl team. He reminded Pickens that the Steelers are the more successful franchise and questioned whether the receiver understood what he was saying. Smith didn’t hold back, calling on Pickens to "pick up a book" and making it clear that he found the comments not only disrespectful, but uninformed. "Let me pause for a second and look in the camera for a second at George Pickens," Smith said. "I like George Pickens. He can ball, and I am sorry that he is gone from the Steelers and has now been contaminated by that Dallas Cowboys fan base." Pickens’ comments were very interesting. It’s no secret he feels a certain way about how the Steelers traded him. He’s been trying to keep a positive mindset about his new situation in Dallas, but it’s clear he’s made it a priority to throw in a few subtle jabs. Pickens said he understands the camaraderie in Dallas more than he ever did with the Steelers. He also claimed the Cowboys are synonymous with Super Bowls, which was a controversial statement considering the Steelers have more championships all-time than Dallas. "Here’s the deal," Smith said. "George Pickens, do you have any idea? When you talk about the Super Bowl and the Cowboys, you do understand that the Steelers are the more successful franchise. Did you know that? Did you know that? Do you understand what the he** you are saying? I mean, my God, you talk about a brother who needs to pick up a book. I am sorry, but I just have to call him out on that." Smith made it very clear that he thinks Pickens is a great football player and that he’s still a fan of his, even though he’s no longer on the Steelers. When you consider what Pickens was able to accomplish during his three seasons in Pittsburgh, it’s impressive. He played in one of the worst offenses in the NFL, yet he still managed to produce and deliver some truly exciting moments despite the team’s struggles. Steelers Fans Still Curious About George Pickens Now he finds himself in a much better offensive situation in Dallas, but from a franchise and team standpoint, the Cowboys are in a worse position than the Steelers. That’s why Pickens’ recent comments didn’t make much sense and why Smith felt the need to call him out during his epic rant. Many Steelers fans remain divided on the Pickens trade. Although he’s no longer in Pittsburgh, a lot of fans will continue to keep tabs on how he performs with the Cowboys. Whether out of frustration, curiosity, or lingering support, Pickens' journey in Dallas will be closely watched by Steeler Nation.
Patriots Giving Up On Second-Round Bust, Could Seek Trade Partners
New England Patriots second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk had a rookie season to forget, and he may not have an opportunity to redeem himself in 2025. Selected with the 37th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington product joined a wide-open depth chart with the opportunity to establish an immediate rapport with short-term starter Jacoby Brissett and fellow rookie Drake Maye. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do much of anything, catching just 12 of his 33 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns while finishing with a 43.1 PFF grade, the worst mark out of 133 eligible receivers. A lot can change between now and the regular season, but ESPN’s Mike Reiss suggests that Ja’Lynn Polk is facing an uphill battle to earn a job. In a recent article, the beat reporter said Polk is “not on the current radar” for the organization and is not receiving reps with the first- or second-team offense. If this trend continues, first-year head coach Mike Vrabel and the Patriots could cut their losses and trade the second-round pick for whatever they can get. While it probably won’t be anything more than a conditional late-round pick swap, the following four teams could roll the dice on Polk. REPORT: Patriots Likely to Seek Trade Partner For Ja’Lynn Polk Top Destinations Los Angeles Chargers As of this writing, the Los Angeles Chargers have not yet signed old friend Keenan Allen to a new contract. However, even if they reunite with the former third-round pick, this team could use more young blood at the position. Ladd McConkey has a bright future in this league, but Quentin Johnston is nothing more than a role player, and nobody knows what second-round pick Tre Harris brings to the table. Ja’Lynn Polk may have had an ugly tenure with the Patriots, but head coach Jim Harbaugh is excels at bringing out the best in his players. Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers spent the offseason adding veteran talent in hopes of finally making a deep playoff run. While guys like D.K. Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers offer short-term stability at their respective positions, Pittsburgh must find more young talent. Mike Tomlin has an extensive history of developing wide receivers, so perhaps a change of scenery could bring out the best in Ja’Lynn Polk. New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints have one of the least talented rosters in football, but don’t have the resources to add proven commodities. With this in mind, they might as well take a low-risk, medium-reward move and see if the Patriots will part ways with Ja’Lynn Polk for a conditional pick. Chris Olave’s extensive injury history means he might not play a full season, so somebody must step up for rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. Baltimore Ravens Do the Baltimore Ravens need another wide receiver? Not at the moment. However, would Jim Harbaugh and Eric DeCosta turn down the opportunity to add a former top-40 pick for next to nothing? Perhaps Ja’Lynn Polk doesn’t work out, but it can’t hurt to bring him in and see what he can do. While Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman are firmly entrenched atop the depth chart, DeAndre Hopkins is near the end of his career, and Polk could compete with him, DeVontez Walker, and Tylan Wallace for one of the final spots on the roster.
Vancouver Canucks Top Prospect Braeden Cootes Injured at World Junior Summer Showcase
Vancouver Canucks top prospect Braeden Cootes has been injured during the World Junior Summer Showcase, which was revealed by Team Canada coach Dale Hunter. The 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase came to a close this past Saturday after a week of competition among some of hockey's brightest young stars, such as Vancouver Canucks first-rounder top prospect Braeden Cootes, who represented Team Canada. Team Canada had a tough time in the event, dropping their opening two games to Team Finland and Sweden by a 14-7 total score. Injuries added to the problems, with some key players out of the lineup, and it hit the Canucks especially hard. Braeden Cootes suited up for Canada's split-squad contest on Tuesday as well as their game versus Finland on Wednesday. He was scheduled to dress against Sweden on Friday, but was suddenly not in the lineup. After the 8-4 blowout loss, head coach Dale Hunter informed the media that Braeden Cootes, Michael Misa, and Henry Mews were all battling injuries and were going to be game-time decisions for Saturday's final game against the U.S. Michael Misa and Henry Mews were back for that game, but Cootes was still out, which meant he was sitting out his second consecutive game. The Injury to Cootes is Expected to be a Short-Term One Luckily, the injury is not viewed as serious and is not of a long-term nature, which can allow Vancouver and their fans an opportunity to take a sigh of relief. 'Light stuff, not heavy stuff.' - Dale Hunter on Braeden Cootes' injury Though Cootes is going to be okay, missing those games was certainly a disappointment, especially since he was hoping to make an impression on Canada's World Junior staff before the final cuts are due in December. Cootes should be good to go for training camp with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds in a few weeks, as the club is set to begin its preseason on September 2 vs. the Prince Albert Raiders.
‘I Don’t Care’: Shedeur Sanders Gets Blunt on Browns as Positive Injury Update Emerges
The Cleveland Browns remain one of the few teams yet to name a starting quarterback ahead of Week 1. Their current quarterback room consists of veteran Joe Flacco, 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders, all competing for the role. On Saturday, which marked Day 9 of training camp for the team, Sanders reported soreness in his throwing arm during individual drills and was shut down for the remainder of the practice. Sanders said on Monday that it was due to his arm and body adjusting to "starting and stopping," assuring that he's feeling better and will to return to practice. Meanwhile, Sanders shared his take on the team mixing players into drills during camp, explaining whether he is with the first team or not, he's going out there to prove his skills. "Truthfully, I don't care what line I go out there with. It could be ones, twos, threes, whatever the situation is. I know Friday when the game is, if I'm with twos or I'm with threes, it don't matter to me," said Sanders. "I'm just ready to get down and get to, you know, doing what I can do." Cleveland is scheduled to partake in joint practices with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, with their first preseason game set to take place on Friday against Carolina. This will be the clearest opportunity yet for the Browns' QBs to showcase their skills and prove why they should be under center come Week 1.
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