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New Duke transfer commit still eyeing NBA
Just one player so far has decided to come to Duke via the transfer portal this offseason. That player is former Washington State wing Cedric Coward, who recently committed to Duke after taking an official visit.
Coward is a major get for head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils, but his commitment comes with a caveat. Alongside entering the transfer portal this offseason, he also entered his name in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Coward committed to Duke as a transfer player, but he's still looking at his options as far as the NBA is concerned. In that sense, Duke has no guarantees just yet that he'll be on the roster next season. He also has no timeline as to when that decision will come despite the fact that he just committed to the Blue Devils.
“There’s no set timetable on when the decision is going to be made but, as I gain more information, as I talk to the people close, close to me and that have the information in order for me to make that decision, and as I talk more to Coach Scheyer and the staff, we’ll come to a decision on what’s best for me," Coward told "The Field of 68" (h/t On3).
The draft is on June 25, so something is going to have to give here in the next two months. Coward relayed that he wants to make an informed decision, but he seemed rather pleased that Scheyer and the Blue Devils are giving him a chance to let it play out. That likely played a role in his decision to transfer to Duke.
"Something with Coach Scheyer and the staff that really, I really respected is that they respected my choices in terms of, like, still going along with this,” Coward explained.
If Coward stays at Duke, he'll likely be one of the top players in the nation. As a junior at WSU last season, he averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Notably, ESPN ranks Coward as the 52nd best prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft. One would imagine a great year at Duke in 2025 could help raise his profile, but it remains to be seen what he decides to do.
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Commanders looking to trade offensive star amid Terry McLaurin drama
The Washington Commanders have another offensive player on the radar for the preseason trade market. Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Commanders are shopping running back Brian Robinson Jr. in the final year of his rookie contract. "Sources: The Commanders have been shopping RB Brian Robinson Jr. to teams around the NFL," Schultz posted on X. "The former 3rd-round pick out of Alabama is entering the final year of his contract." Robinson's situation with the Commanders comes at a time when Terry McLaurin's future with the team is unclear. The star wide receiver requested a trade early during training camp amid an impasse in negotiations with the front office for a contract extension. On Saturday, the Commanders took McLaurin off the physically unable to perform list, but the move doesn't mean anything has changed on the stalemate front. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has been frustrated with injuries and McLaurin's contract situation making it hard on the staff to prepare and evaluate the unit for the regular season. Robinson's potential trade is another obstacle Kingsbury will have to think about in the preseason. Kinsbury recently praised Robinson for his performance last week against the New England Patriots. "He's a guy that when you put the pads on and you really practice full speed is when he really shows up," Kinsbury said, via JP Finlay of NBC Sports. "I thought he had his best practice against New England when we did the competition versus them before the game." Robinson has appeared in 41 games and started 37. He's rushed for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns during his first three years in the league. He's added 587 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the passing game. With one more preseason game remaining, the Commanders have their No. 1 receiver and running back attached to the trade market.
Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur Delivers Dire Update on Running Back Marshawn Lloyd
As is the case heading into training camp every year, the Green Bay Packers, along with every NFL team, hopes that they will get through the preseason schedule unscathed by injury. However, as is the nature of football, injuries do happen and teams/players hope that none of them are too serious. Unfortunately, though, it is not uncommon for teams to lose a player or two (or more) for significant amounts of time in the regular season due to injuries they suffered during training camp. Such was the case last year for two of the Packers’ first three draft picks. First round pick Jordan Morgan missed some significant time before and during the season due to a shoulder injury and only appeared in six games. Third round pick Marshawn Lloyd had an even worse time, missing part of training camp with multiple soft tissues injuries. Then, when he finally returned for Week Two, he hurt his ankle and was placed on the injured list, missing multiple weeks. And if those injuries were not bad enough, right before he was set to come off of the injured list, Lloyd needed to have his appendix removed, ending his season. Green Bay Packers Running Back Marshawn Lloyd Got Injured Again on Saturday The only game in which Lloyd appeared last season, the one in which he injured his ankle, was Green Bay’s Week Two contest with the Indianapolis Colts. In that game, he had six carries for 15 yards. On Saturday, in the Packers’ preseason game against the Colts, Lloyd once again had six carries for 15 yards, though he did have one reception for 33 yards as well. And it was after that long catch that he was pulled from the game with what the team said at the time was hamstring tightness. This was not great news for Green Bay or their fans, as Lloyd had already missed the Packers’ first preseason game with a groin injury. And it sounds like, once again, he will not be healthy to start the season. Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur Says Marshawn Lloyd Will Be Out for a While When Lloyd was pulled from the game, everyone hoped that it was as a precaution and that he would not miss any time. After all, when healthy, he has shown flashes of being the burst runner that the Packers knew they were getting when they made him a top-100 draft pick. But in his press conference today, head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters that Lloyd is going to “miss some time,” which likely means he will not be ready for the season opener (again). This is, of course, not the news anyone wanted, and had many people saying that the second-year running back should see the same soft tissue specialist Christian Watson and Eric Stokes saw to solve their injury issues. But according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, he already did: “Lloyd visited the same facility in Madison, Wis., this offseason that helped wide receiver Christian Watson and former Packers cornerback Eric Stokes with their recurring soft-tissue injuries. Yet Lloyd missed this year’s preseason opener after suffering a groin injury in practice and dropped out of Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury.” What this means, of course, is that Lloyd is not doing anything wrong. He has gone, and is going, through a terrible stretch of bad luck when it comes to these injuries. It really is an unfortunate situation.
Winners And Losers From Eagles Surprise Trade For John Metchie
It feels like there’s another shoe to drop after the Eagles acquired another receiver in a trade for John Metchie III with the Houston Texans. They dipped into their tight end depth and dealt Harrison Bryant in the deal, but did they really need another receiver? Well, they do if they trade what is now a surplus of them for something else – say another cornerback or maybe some defensive edge depth. And they certainly do if there is more to the injury that has followed A.J. Brown throughout most of training camp. It was general manager Howie Roseman’s second trade of summer. Last week, he on-boarded cornerback Jakorian Bennett in a deal that sent defensive tackle Thomas Booker to the Las Vegas Raiders. As of now, here are winners and loser from the somewhat surprise trade for a receiver: WINNERS John Metchie. The receiver leaves a crowded receiver room where playing time could have been scarce. Plus, he’s another product of the University of Alabama. He becomes the ninth player from the Crimson Tide program on the Eagles’ current 91-man roster, including Jalen Hurts, who spent three seasons at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma for his final collegiate season. Of course, Metchie could be a loser on this list, too, because he is leaving one deep receiver room and stepping into another – unless the Eagles trade one away. Kylen Granson and E.J. Jenkins. The two tight ends are in good position to stick around with Bryant gone. Granson probably will be the third tight end on the 53-man roster. Jenkins is likely ticketed for the practice squad, though the converted receiver has taken big steps this season in his transition to being a tight end and he is up to 255 pounds. Run game. Metchie is considered an above average blocker in the run game as a receiver. It was one of his strengths at Alabama and has only gotten better during his time in the league. Who Are Some Of The Losers From The Deal To Acquire John Metchie? LOSERS (pick a receiver, any receiver) Darius Cooper. After a breakout game in the preseason opener and a solid camp, Cooper was targeted only once against the Browns on Saturday. Of course, he played with a pair of quarterbacks who struggled in Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord. Perhaps the Eagles’ plan was to slow-play Cooper in the second preseason game and hope to stash him on the practice squad. Terrace Marshall. The receiver started camp strong but suffered an injury that cost him some time. He returned recently and played against the Browns, catching two passes for 15 yards on four targets. He will likely be cut now. Or traded. Jahan Dotson. The receiver has had a strong camp and has looked extremely confident in his first full season with the Eagles. Perhaps good enough to trade for something Roseman believes is a bigger need after three weeks of camp. Has his job as the No. 3 receiver been compromised? Bubble players. If the Eagles don’t trade another receiver, they will probably end up keeping six, which means a job for one less player on the roster bubble. Perhaps an offensive lineman, for instance, such as Trevor Keegan or Cam Williams or a linebacker like Lance Dixon. Last year’s draft picks, Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith, have done enough to make the roster. Wilson didn’t play on Saturday, which is a sure indication he has a spot sewn up. Smith has a pair of touchdown catches in the preseason, both on third-and-goal throws. Maybe one of them will be dangled in a deal.
Steelers' Rookie Defender Receives Strong Stamp Of Approval Following 2nd Preseason Game
The Pittsburgh Steelers are finding out a lot about their young players in the 2025 preseason, but there may be nobody who has surprised as much as rookie defensive end Yahya Black. A fifth-round pick out of Iowa, Black was touted as a stout, plugging run defender with not much else to offer. Through two preseason games, he's poised to prove everyone wrong. Black gained some notoriety in 2025 training camp from batting down passes at the line of scrimmage, something he likely learned from veteran defensive end Cameron Heyward. In his first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, his presence didn't go unnoticed among NFL analysts. While rushing the passer was supposed to be a weakness, Black hasn't shown it so far. Pro Football Focus gave him a pass rush grade of 82.3 in Week 1, logging a pressure, a hurry, and two tackles on only 11 total snaps. In addition, he had a respectable run defense grade of 72.6. Black was PFF's fourth highest graded rookie interior defensive lineman in Week 1 of the preseason. Playing only seven pass-rush snaps, he had an impressive 42.9% pass rush win rate. Brian Baldinger and PFF aren't the only ones taking notice of Black. Bob Labriola of the Steelers' official website, in his recent asked and answered segment, wrote that he believes that Black won't only make the roster, but will be a regular in the defensive line rotation. "With training camp and 1 preseason game under his belt, I believe Yayha Black is on the path to showing enough to be a part of the regular season gameday rotation along the defensive line." Those are certainly strong words towards day three draft pick, but they definitely aren't unwarranted. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin also had some encouraging remarks for the young lineman following the 2025 NFL Draft, comparing him to a Ford F-350. In a limited sample size, and coming off of a good camp, Black has proven that his supposed weaknesses may have been misguided, and that there's more to him than early scouting reports suggested. There's no longer a question of whether he will make the team, and now the focus moves onto how much he will contribute right away in a crowded defensive line room. If Black can continue to show some pass rush versatility in addition to his already promising run defense, it'll be hard to keep him off of the field. Steelers' Yahya Black Is Dealing With A Concerning Arm Injury While Black got off to an explosive start in his first preseason game, things quieted down on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At least part of his disappearance in Week 2 can be attributed to an arm injury that Black suffered between the two games, prompting him to wear an arm brace that undoubtedly limited mobility. Black's PFF grade in game 2 plummeted to 54.3, with only a 50.5 pass rush grade. These grades are reflected in the box score, where Black played over double the snaps from the previous week and failed to record a single stat. Nonetheless, Black is looking to build on his promising start in the final week of the 2025 preseason, when the Steelers travel to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers. Will Black continue to build on his promising first performance, over a week removed from injury, and make his case for the starting defensive line rotation? The Steelers certainly hope so.
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