The New England Patriots need wide receivers and offensive linemen more than anything else on the offensive side of the ball, but that does not mean they are entirely set at every other position.
For example, the Patriots could definitely use an upgrade at running back, as the tandem of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson was not exactly impressive in 2024.
More specifically, Stevenson struggled, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry while fumbling seven times. And that came after signing a four-year contract extension.
As a result, New England may look to pick up a halfback in the NFL Draft, and Michael DeVito of Musket Fire sees the Pats landing an explosive threat in the third round: Ohio State Buckeyes star Quinshon Judkins.
"Judkins adds solid depth and allows [Mike] Vrabel to fill another hole by trading a player or two, e.g., Rhamondre Stevenson," DeVito wrote. "At worst, Judkins adds depth to a decent backfield that is in dire need of reinforcements."
The chances of the Patriots being able to trade Stevenson seem rather slim after the contract they just handed him, but that doesn't mean they can't actively look for his replacement.
Judkins could certainly represent that for New England, as he just racked up 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry en route to helping Ohio State win a national championship. He also logged 22 catches for 161 yards and a couple of scores.
Drake Maye needs all the help he can get, and having an electrifying weapon like Judkins in the backfield would certainly make his life easier.
New England could also look to pursue a running back in free agency, but it would probably be wise for the Pats to allocate that money elsewhere and simply pluck one in the draft this April.
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The Green Bay Packers have a logjam at wide receiver. Adding rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams to quarterback Jordan Love’s arsenal infuses a big-play element to head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense, while Mecole Hardman is a veteran presence at an otherwise young position group with untapped potential but limited big-game experience. As the 2025 regular season approaches, the Packers might be a popular phone call for general managers of teams aiming to bolster their receiving corps and upgrade the offense. Could Packers’ Romeo Doubs be a Top Trade Candidate? With training camp underway, Romeo Doubs sits atop the depth chart but could quickly be pushed by Golden for the top spot. In addition to Hardman, Golden, Williams, and Doubs, playmakers like Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed will also be pushing for snaps and a consistent role in the passing game. According to Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Bradley Locker, the competition and infusion of talent at receiver could make Doubs one of the top trade candidates across the NFL. “Since being taken in the fourth round in 2022,” Locker writes for PFF. “Doubs has become a solid option for Green Bay. Last season, he turned in a 71.0 PFF receiving grade with 1.62 yards per route run. However, his drop rate has sat above 9% in two of his three seasons, and health has also been an issue, with Doubs logging less than 700 snaps in two of three campaigns. “Golden figures to be Jordan Love’s WR1, especially with Christian Watson sidelined yet again. Green Bay also added rookie Savion Williams to the mix, which suggests that the team wasn’t satisfied with its receiver play from a year ago. Will the Packers finally move on from one of Doubs, Jayden Reed or Dontayvion Wicks, each of whom has shown flashes but not developed in full? The most likely would figure to be Doubs, who is effectively playing on a one-year deal in 2025.” If Golden makes the immediate leap and flashes like a No. 1 wide receiver, GM Brian Gutekunst and the Packers could bit sitting on one of the most coveted receivers for contending teams aiming to fill a need. Doubs has caught 147 passes for 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns through his first three seasons as one of Love’s top targets. If he’s supplanted by Golden, his next catch may come from elsewhere.
Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Callan Foote, Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton have been found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario, according to reporting from The Athletic, after being charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving the 2018 Canadian men’s national junior team. Carroccia said that she did not find E.M.’s [the alleged victim] evidence “credible or reliable,” in explaining her reasoning. “Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,” Carroccia said. The allegations against Dube, Foote, Formenton, Hart and McLeod first became public in May of 2022, when reports emerged that Hockey Canada had paid to settle a lawsuit with a woman, known in court documents as E.M., who said she was sexually assaulted by eight players “over several hours” in a London hotel room on July 18, 2018. No charges were levied as a result of the initial investigation by local police, which was closed in February 2019, but the case was reopened after the 2022 report. Formal charges were then brought against the five defendants on Jan. 30, 2024. The trial began on April 22, 2025, and the verdicts were reached solely by Justice Carroccia after two mistrials influenced her to dismiss the jury. The NHL does not have a formal policy for players accused of or charged with domestic violence, sexual assault or similar crimes. Instead, the four players who were under NHL contracts at the time – Dube, Foote, Hart and McLeod – were granted indefinite leaves of absence by their clubs shortly before the charges were announced. All of them were pending restricted free agents on expiring contracts and were not extended qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents as of July 1, 2024. When asked about the playing eligibility of the defendants, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continually deferred action until after a verdict was reached. While none of the players are formally suspended by the league, similar situations have routinely required some sort of permission from league offices for them to play in or return to the NHL. If teams approach any of them with a contract offer, they will presumably wait for that guidance before registering the deal.
The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard sparked even more Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors on social media. There were already reports that Antetokounmpo was considering his options and potentially forcing his way out of Milwaukee, and the Lillard move did little to alleviate the situation. Nevertheless, the weeks have gone by, and Antetokounmpo is still a Buck. More importantly, the team believes that's not going to change any time soon. "We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world," a Bucks front office executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith. "We rebuilt on the fly, in a really challenging situation, but we think we did it as well as it could be done." Antetokounmpo trade rumors have cooled off around the league, and while anything can happen in the NBA, that doesn't seem likely at this point. "Do I think the star guys like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or LeBron (James) are going to go anywhere? Nope. Is it possible? Sure is," said a Western Conference executive. Giannis chose to stay in Milwaukee with one of the most lucrative contract extensions in NBA history. He was overly critical of the team's effort last season, and another early playoff exit may have driven him to the edge. Even so, he's talked about how he wants to win "the right way," as opposed to chasing rings. That said, with head coach Doc Rivers' long list of questionable postseason performances and a championship window that could be closing right before their eyes, Giannis trade rumors will flood social media again if the Bucks get off to a slow start during the 2026-26 campaign.
New York Yankees top prospect Spencer Jones is absolutely scorching hot at the plate right now, as he's hit three home runs in the first five innings on Thursday for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders. With 29 home runs, Jones now has the minor league lead in home runs. He's played only 67 games this season between Double-A and Triple-A, making his season even more impressive. He's hitting .308 for the season. SPENCER JONES THREE-HOMER GAME! and it's only the 5th lol The @Yankees prospect ties, takes and extends the MiLB HR lead with a big day for the @swbrailriders. He has 29 this season. Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline, Jones is an interesting conversation point for the Yankees right now. Do they bring him up to the big leagues and let him try to help a team that has fallen to four games back in the American League East? Do they let him stay in Triple-A, where he's only played 18 games, and continue to develop? Do they include him in a trade at the deadline in order to go get help for the MLB roster? Or, do they make him off-limits in any talks? It's all part of the calculus for general manager Brian Cashman as the deadline looms on July 31. The Yankees are off on Thursday but they will resume play on Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies at home. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET as Ranger Suarez (PHI) pitches against Will Warren (NYY). Related MLB Stories DOMINANT OUTING: Cristopher Sanchez threw a complete-game against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, making rare history among Phillies lefties. CLICK HERE: 20/30 ONCE AGAIN: Jose Ramirez just keeps doing things that no player in Cleveland history has ever done. CLICK HERE: TURNING DOWN AN OFFER: According to reports, D-backs star Corbin Carroll will not play for Taiwan at the World Baseball Classic. CLICK HERE:
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