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Position battles to watch in Ravens training camp
The Baltimore Ravens lost several key players on both sides of the ball this offseason, meaning they have multiple jobs up for grabs in the coming months.
Here are three key positions battles to watch when training camp opens.
Right tackle
Projected starter: Roger Rosengarten
Players to watch: Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari
The Ravens lost starting guards John Simpson (Jets) and Kevin Zeitler (Lions) in free agency and traded right tackle Morgan Moses to the Jets. That means they will have three new starters along their offensive line in 2024, but no position may be more of a toss-up than right tackle.
Baltimore has options in Mekari, Faalele and Rosengarten, but all have much to prove.
Last season, Mekari allowed five sacks in 580 snaps, while Faalele, a fourth-round pick in 2022, allowed three sacks in even more limited action (186 snaps).
So it's not difficult to imagine Rosengarten, the team's 2024 second-round pick, finding his way into the starting lineup if he can find similar success as he did at Washington the past two seasons, allowing zero sacks.
Cornerback
Projected starters: Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins
Players to watch: Brandon Stephens and T.J. Tampa
Humphrey, a three-time Pro Bowler, is locked in as the Ravens' No. 1 cornerback, but who will play opposite him remains up for debate.
Stephens played well in 2023, registering a career-high 74 tackles, two interceptions and 11 passes defensed, but Baltimore added two talented corners in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The team used its first-round pick (No. 30) on Wiggins and fourth-round pick (No. 130) on Tampa. Both will be given the chance to make their case in July, but the Ravens have been very high on Wiggins since landing him in April.
"We're very, very excited to draft Nate Wiggins, in my opinion, the best cover corner in the draft," general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters. "Highly athletic, fantastic feet. Really, in our opinion, a guy that can grow into being a true shutdown-type corner. Ecstatic that he fell to us."
Edge rusher
Projected starters: Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy
Players to watch: David Ojabo and Adisa Isaac
Baltimore has been searching for its next dominant edge rusher for some time now, using several high draft picks on the position.
In 2021, the Ravens used their first-round pick on Oweh. Then in 2022, they used their second-round pick on Ojabo, and they used a third-round pick on Isaac this year.
Van Noy will likely be one of the starters after finishing with a career-high nine sacks in 2023 that earned him a new two-year, $10M deal.
However, there is a lot of unknown after him since Oweh and Ojabo have combined for just 10 sacks the past two seasons and Isaac is, of course, a rookie.
More must-reads:
- Ravens QB 'not being stubborn' in switch to WR
- Patrick Queen, Marlon Humphrey adding fuel to Steelers-Ravens rivalry
- The 'Baltimore Ravens head coaches' quiz
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Jerry Jones is getting exactly what he wants with Micah Parsons drama
Do not let any of the noise and drama fool you. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is getting exactly what he wants with the Micah Parsons contract negotiation, even as it reached a boiling point on Friday with the star edge-rusher declaring a public trade demand. It's the perfect storm for Jones because all of this is doing the one thing that he loves more than anything in the world. It is keeping his team, his beloved Dallas Cowboys, as the top story in the NFL and the top headliner maker in the league. His team, his player and his story are the one thing that everybody is talking about. It's the top headline on every sports website. It's the top story on "SportsCenter" and ESPN. It's dominating the radio waves. It's put a spotlight on the Cowboys star and driven all of the NFL's discussions toward them. It doesn't matter if it's overly dramatic — or even bad press. It's still press. It's still focus on them. In Jones' world, the motto of "no press is bad press" is very much a way of life. He isn't worried about getting the best deal for the Cowboys or their salary-cap situation, and he might not even be concerned with putting the best possible team on the field. He is simply concerned with the Cowboys being the league's biggest newsmaker. There is a reason all of these big-time contract negotiations play out this way for the Cowboys. Whether it was Zack Martin, Ezekiel Elliott, Dez Bryant, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb or Parsons, they have all played out the same way. The Cowboys dragged their feet, a holdout was either threatened or started, the bridges seemed to be burning between the player and team, the negotiations would dominate the news cycle and then eventually a new, more expensive deal would eventually emerge. That is almost certainly how this process is going to play out. Trade demands get made all the time in the NFL, and they do not guarantee a trade will get made. It is often a last-ditch negotiating tactic to speed things along. They usually work in that context. By the time the regular season rolls around, the Cowboys and Parsons will likely come to terms on a contract, and all of this will be forgotten. It will probably end up costing Jones and the organization more than it would have had they agreed to a deal sooner, but again, that wouldn't have given the Cowboys the headlines they want. It is almost as if Jones likes having to pay top dollar because then he can talk about how he negotiated and paid out the most expensive deal. It's about glitz and glamour as opposed to dollars and cents. All of this fits in with Jones' overall mindset and approach when it comes to running the Cowboys. He is the decision-maker. He is the football guy. He is the only owner who does weekly news conferences after every game as if he's the coach, and he is the only owner who does a weekly radio show discussing the X's and O's of the team. It's all about satisfying his own ego, and nothing satisfies his ego more than seeing his team and his name in the news. A drawn-out contract negotiation is the best way to do that when there are no games being played. In terms of on-field success, the Cowboys have mostly been an afterthought over the past 30 years. No Super Bowls, no NFC Championship Game appearances (the longest current drought in the NFC) and mostly mediocre finishes. Any other franchise with that sort of track record would be an afterthought in the NFL. But not the Cowboys. Not Jerry Jones. It is all by design. It's the only thing they want and care about.
'Most likely scenario' for Terry McLaurin revealed
A recent report indicated that teams potentially interested in acquiring Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin learned that the club is "not trading" him before the 2025 season begins. The 29-year-old, who is in the final year of his current contract, may have responded to this news by requesting a trade on Thursday. However, ESPN's Bill Barnwell shared Friday that he doesn't "think there's a strong chance McLaurin gets traded" before September. "There's been no suggestion from the Commanders' side that they're looking to deal him, even after his request," Barnwell wrote. "Trading him now would likely result in landing 2026 draft picks, which won't help the Commanders in a season in which they're hoping to compete. And there just aren't many teams with the cap space or cash budget at this point of the offseason to give him the sort of deal he appears to want." McLaurin allegedly does not want to accept less money than DK Metcalf, who received a five-year, $150M deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March. Whether or not McLaurin "deserves" such an extension is irrelevant as it pertains to his importance to Washington and the market for players at his position. McLaurin finished the 2024 campaign with team highs of 82 receptions and 1,096 receiving yards as quarterback Jayden Daniels guided Washington to the NFC Championship Game and earned Offensive Rookie of the Year Award honors. Additionally, McLaurin was second in the NFL with 13 touchdown catches. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Washington sixth among the betting favorites at +1800 odds to win Super Bowl LX in February 2026. That shows why Barnwell and others are convinced that acquiring future draft assets for McLaurin makes little sense for the win-now Commanders. "The logical thing is for McLaurin to stay with the Commanders, for the two sides to come to terms on a new deal or some sort of raise, and for Daniels to have his best pass catcher on the field in Week 1," Barnwell concluded. "It's still the most likely scenario." On Thursday, Nicki Jhabvala and Dianna Russini of The Athletic noted that "several teams that called Washington about [McLaurin] before his trade request on Thursday were told the team will not trade him." Commanders general manager Adam Peters seems to understand he still has plenty of time to work something out with McLaurin before Washington opens the regular season against the New York Giants on Sept. 7.
‘Concerns’ Emerging for Matt LaFleur, Packers Coaching Staff
Matt LaFleur and the Packers coaching staff remain one of the most respected across the NFL, but some are beginning to wonder if this group is capable of bringing a Lombardi back to Green Bay. While the Packers made the postseason in each of quarterback Jordan Love’s first two seasons as the starter, Green Bay regressed last fall and there are some significant questions at cornerback, pass rush, and along the offensive line as the 2025 season nears. If Green Bay makes big strides this season, and Love makes a leap, it could turn out to be one of LaFleur’s most impressive coaching jobs to date in his career. Is it Time to Worry About Matt LaFleur, Packers Coaching Staff? There’s real optimism about Jordan Love taking the next step and the Packers making noise in the NFC North, but not everything in Green Bay is trending in the right direction — especially on the coaching side. ESPN’s Ben Solak sees some red flags developing if 2025 plays out similarly to 2024. “Two key coaching points give me pause in Green Bay,” Solak writes of LaFleur and staff, for ESPN. “It ended the season dead last in defensive success rate against dropbacks but second in EPA per dropback faced. How? Tons of interceptions. The Packers ripped off 17 picks, tied for third most in football, and recovered 14 fumbles. They finished third in defensive EPA on takeaways (behind Denver and Buffalo), and though I don’t think their defense was poorly coached by any stretch, it probably punched above its weight last season. “The second is Green Bay’s performance against elite teams. It ended the season 1-5 in its division (beating only Chicago on a game-ending field goal block) and lost to the Eagles twice, including in the playoffs. The best defensive coordinators — Vic Fangio, Brian Flores and Aaron Glenn — were able to flummox Love and expose that opportunistic defense. Green Bay’s staff never found a solution as the season went on.” If the Packers are going to take that next step, LaFleur and his coordinators will need to prove they can scheme consistently — not just rely on turnovers or hot streaks. Defensive volatility and an offense that falters against elite play-callers isn’t a recipe for sustainable success. Follow Matt Lombardo on Threads at @MattLombardoNFL. To read more of our articles and in-depth NFL coverage, click here.
How Aaron Rodgers has been 'frustrating' Steelers teammates during training camp
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers only officially joined the Pittsburgh Steelers shortly before their three-day mandatory minicamp in June and, thus, is still learning about his new teammates in the early days of training camp. Rodgers is also using summer practices as a way to introduce himself to members of the Steelers defense. During a Wednesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Steelers star pass-rusher T.J. Watt detailed what it's been like to go against a Rodgers-led offense on the practice field. "Frustrating, because he talks a lot of smack," Watt said about Rodgers, as shared by Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated. "He really does. A lot of the no-look passes are things that we're getting used to. I like to bat down a lot of passes at the line of scrimmage. He's able to manipulate the defense good, so that's been very frustrating. Hopefully, one day we get the better of him." Steelers reporter Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently gushed over the arm talent Rodgers flashed during his first handful of training camp practices with the club. This past Tuesday, Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith mentioned that Rodgers' "release and how he generates power" is still "unbelievable" even though the future Hall of Famer will turn 42 years old this coming December. Their words support rumors about how Steelers players feel about Rodgers. Meanwhile, head coach Mike Tomlin is having a "bromance" with the QB. Multiple injury issues slowed Rodgers last fall when he was with the New York Jets. Current Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams was Rodgers' teammate last season and is convinced the veteran signal-caller can still be among the top half of the quarterbacks in the NFL if he's able to stay healthy through a grueling campaign. "His cadence is deadly," longtime Steelers defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward added about Rodgers during the show segment. "The thing he does best is he knows how to abuse the play clock. It's ridiculous, but it's gonna make us better." It remains to be seen if Rodgers will take even a handful of snaps in Pittsburgh's preseason opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 9. History shows he could give Steelers fans a highlight-reel moment or two if he participates in that exhibition contest.
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