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When the Rams announced they were bringing back Tutu Atwell, it was honestly one of the most shocking decisions of the offseason. If we had to circle the names of players who would be guaranteed not to return in 2025, Atwell's name would be circled in bright red Sharpie.
Considering the fact that Atwell has shown his worth and despite producing, has not been rewarded with continuous targets, it came as a surprise that not only did the Rams want Atwell back but were giving him an eight-figure deal to do so.
Considering the moves made by the Rams, it is highly likely that Atwell will be based primarily in the slot, and if Sean McVay continues to use three receivers in the way that he does, Atwell could be on the verge of a career-changing season.
Atwell has such a low center of gravity that he can put linebackers in a precarious position, he's small so McVay can hide him behind the offensive line, and considering the frames of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, expect Atwell to be used in the red zone, sneaking underneath with Adams or Nacua clearing out the defenders in front of them.
In 2024, Atwell was targeted 62 times. He caught 42 passes, thus he had a catch rate of 67 percent. He hauled in 562 receiving yards. That's 13.3 yards per catch.
For argument's sake, Atwell averaged 3.6 targets per game. Let's say that with a new starting role, that goes up to five targets per game.
That would be 85 targets per season. Since a bunch of Atwell's targets came when he was the WR1 or WR2 while Nacua and Cooper Kupp dealt with injuries, let's bump that up to 70 percent due to more advantageous matchups.
Thus Atwell could see about 60 catches per season. At 13.3 YPC, that's 798 yards per game. In Atwell's new role, he'll have more opportunities to run fade routes, screen plays, and he'll have more opportunities to get yards after the catch.
Considering he is playing for his future and now the team has a vision for him with the financial commitment to back it up, it's officially Tutu Atwell season and my money is on him having a career-defining year.
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'Does everything the right way' One Vikings player is taking advantage of Justin Jefferson missing practice
The Minnesota Vikings are without superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson during training camp due to a minor hamstring strain. That in itself is a tough spot to be in for the Vikings, but it does create other opportunities for players on the roster. It's an unintended bright side for the offense and J.J. McCarthy, as they continue to build toward the start of the 2025 season. There are plenty of players who can benefit from Jefferson not being on the practice field, and one player has been stepping up in a big way. https://www.youtube.com/live/sMBr3o5qveY?si=IBWdjVrnycm5FXWA Lucky Jackson taking advantage of WR3 opportunities The Vikings ended up signing Jackson going into training camp of 2023. He was an XFL all-star on the runner up D.C. Defenders team and was their deep ball specialist. Jackson was getting a lot of opportunities with the first team as the wide receiver three with Jefferson out, and he was taking advantage of those. During his press conference on Tuesday, head coach Kevin O'Connell was asked about Jackson and raved about I think it shows a lot that he can step in for in many ways, and take the, you know, the positional reps that Justin will be taken. I think it says a lot about Key (Keenan McCardell) and Tony's (Sorrentino) trust in him, Wes and myself, but this is a guy that does everything the right way. Doing everything in his control to become the best player he can become. Just happens to be in a very deep receiver room, but he's getting some opportunity right now. I think Jalen Nailor's having a great camp. I showed the team three or four clips last night that can sometimes go unnoticed, guys just doing their job in that inside position that you know many, many cast of characters over the years have made real famous by just doing their job from the slot in this system. Speedy is having a great camp, picking up right where he left off in the spring. But, yeah, Lucky, (along with) Jeshaun Jones, is off to a really good start. We're seeing our young guys all taking strides, not making the same mistake twice. And Rondale is getting his legs underneath him and continues to do some things that really impressed. Really fired up about that group as a whole." This is a really good sign for the Vikings as we get closer to the first preseason game. The more opportunities that players have to make an impact, the better chances they have of getting what they want. Jackson hasn't done much over the last two seasons with the Vikings, but he's stuck around nearly every week on the practice squad, even making it to the active roster for a short time at the end of 2023. He's developing into a well rounded player, which is exactly what the Vikings like in their wide receivers. If he does throughout all of training camp as well as he's played to start, Jackson could end up not just making the roster, but earning real playing time.
Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
Jonathan Kuminga could be a qualifying offer candidate after rejecting Warriors deal
The NBA offseason has been in full swing for nearly a month now, but Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors don't appear any closer to reaching an agreement on a new contract. Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein shared that the Dubs' best offer to the restricted free agent's camp maxed out around two years, $40M. While this proposed extension would mark a substantial pay increase from Kuminga's rookie deal, the fourth-year forward and his camp are unmoved by the offer. Kuminga showed flashes of star potential over his last two seasons with Golden State, but he has proven to be a difficult talent to consistently utilize. When Draymond Green was healthy, Kuminga was nearly unplayable due to his inconsistent offensive contributions. As a result, he was limited to just 47 games and 10 starts in 2024-25, both career lows. It appears that the Warriors understand the untapped potential of Kuminga, but aren't willing to mortgage their future to watch his unfold. With three aging All-Stars in Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State's top priority is winning while they're still around. Kuminga simply doesn't fit the archetype or timeline of what the Warriors need right now. Stein also reported that Kuminga's camp is still adamantly searching for sign-and-trade possibilities, but the Warriors have maintained a steep asking price of a future first-round pick. Considering a team has yet to give Kuminga a competitive offer sheet, though, it seems unlikely that a team will agree to Golden State's demands. At this point, it seems to be in Kuminga's best interest to ride out one last season with the Warriors via a qualifying offer. This way, the multi-faceted forward can hand-pick his next destination as a restricted free agent in the offseason. Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists last year, proving he can provide a bit of everything in limited minutes, so there are undoubtedly suitors that will be curious to see Kuminga in a larger role. As a former lottery pick who has taken advantage of his inconsistent opportunities, he shouldn't have an issue latching on with a team that gives him the starting role he's searching for. But he may have to endure one last season under Steve Kerr's tight leash to get there.
Jordan Love causes teammate to get yanked from drill
It appears that Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is getting better at one area, particularly when it comes to the hard count. He had success last week with his hard count when he got both Nate Hobbs and Edgerrin Cooper jumping on separate occasions. Love, who is entering his third season as the Packers’ full-time starting quarterback, continues to work on his game and polish areas where improvements can be made, and mastering the hard count seems like one of the items he is focused on in the training camp. It can also be recalled that he talked about the hard count during 2023 OTAs as an “emphasis that I’ve been trying to just build and keep working.” Green Bay offense takes friendly fire over Love’s hard count On Monday, Love drew another offside because of his hard count, but not at the expense of the defense. “Love got Hobbs to jump with his hard count last week. On Monday, Love got another Packers newcomer to jump on the hard count. The only problem for Love is that it was his own left guard. Banks flinched right before defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt and was booted from the drill for Jacob Monk,” Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported. Getting familiar with Love’s cadence is a challenge for the Packers’ offensive line, as the team definitely doesn’t want to see the QBs hard counts resulting in penalties for the offense instead of for the defense.
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