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The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of OTAs with one rookie still unsigned. The Raiders had an extensive draft class in 2025, taking 11 players. Up to this point in the offseason, Las Vegas has signed 10 of those picks, with wide receiver Jack Bech being the odd man out.
The Raiders selected the 6-foot-1, 214-pound wideout with the No. 26th overall pick in the draft. The 22-year-old is coming off a strong 2024 campaign, recording 1,034 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for TCU.
Bech isn’t alone in being a second-round pick still unsigned before mandatory minicamp in June. Only the first two picks in the second round, linebacker Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland Browns) and wide receiver Jayden Higgins (Houston Texans), have agreed to deals with their respective teams.
Second-round picks are holding out for better deals
Higgins and Schwesinger became the first ever NFL players to sign fully guaranteed contracts in the second round. Per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, there is a belief that fully guaranteed deals are the holdup for Bech and other second-round players.
“But only two of the 32 second-round picks have signed, likely because of disputes between teams and agents about fully guaranteed contracts…Since then, no second-round picks have signed,” Smith wrote. “That’s likely because other teams don’t want to follow the Browns’ and Texans’ lead and give fully guaranteed contracts to second-round picks.
“And agents are asking those teams, If other second-round picks are getting fully guaranteed contracts, why should my player take anything less?”
What would the Raiders likely offer Bech?
The total value for Bech’s contract cannot change, per the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He’s set to sign a four-year deal worth $16.8M.
What might the Raiders want to give Bech in guaranteed money?
Las Vegas has fully guaranteed $6.8M of the four-year, $8.8M contract for 2024 second-round pick, offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson.
More must-reads:
- Jackson Powers-Johnson revealed his ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment
- Why extending punter AJ Cole makes sense for the Raiders
- The '2024-25 NFL first-team All-Pro' quiz
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Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Makes Direct Statement About Mason Rudolph's Spot On QB Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have quite an interesting quarterback room for the 2025 season. Of course, all the focus is truly on Aaron Rodgers and what he can bring to the team at this stage in his career. Behind him, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph serving as the primary backup. Skylar Thompson and Will Howard are competing for the third spot on the depth chart, but unfortunately for Howard, an injury has slowed his progress. Thompson took advantage of the opportunity, performing well in the first preseason game and possibly reclaiming the QB3 role. Before his injury, Howard had previously moved ahead of Thompson in the competition. Former teammate of Rudolph, Ben Roethlisberger, recently shared his honest thoughts about the veteran quarterback’s performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Roethlisberger, who spent years with Rudolph during his time in Pittsburgh, had a unique perspective on how his former understudy handled the game. While Roethlisberger acknowledged there were some areas where Rudolph could improve, he also praised his composure, decision-making, and ability to move the offense when needed. Roethlisberger discussed Rudolph’s performance on his Footbahlin podcast, noting that the veteran looked confident and in control despite limited opportunities. "You know I thought Mason [Rudolph] played really well," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "I thought he did exactly what you would hope to see from your backup quarterback. He went out there I think, he solidified himself… as the two." He pointed out that Rudolph’s familiarity with the Steelers’ system allows him to step in without disrupting the flow of the offense. With Rodgers leading the way, Rudolph providing a steady backup presence, and the QB3 competition between Thompson and Howard continuing, the Steelers’ quarterback depth will be a storyline worth following as the 2025 season approaches. "Let’s see how he does this week and the next week," Roethlisberger said. "I thought he played really well. I thought he was efficient with the ball. He threw the ball down the field. As a team, you like seeing that because that gives you confidence going into the season that if something were to happen one game for Aaron… you have a guy that you feel confident who could go in there. Same thing when we had Charlie Batch, you had Bruce Gradkowski, you had Byron Leftwich, you had Dennis Dixon and Josh Dobbs. Any of those guys. You just feel confident he can go in and just get it done for you." Roethlisberger had high praise for Rudolph, and hearing him mention him alongside names like Charlie Batch shows he has faith in Rudolph’s ability to be a reliable backup in Pittsburgh. There is a strong argument that Rudolph is one of the most dependable backup quarterbacks in the NFL, which is a significant asset for the Steelers in the 2025 season. Steelers' Mason Rudolph Has Great Preseason Game Versus Jaguars Rudolph only attempted 10 passes on Saturday night against the Jaguars, but completed 90 percent of them. He threw for 84 yards and one touchdown. While preseason football can be difficult to evaluate, he performed well in roughly a quarter and some change of action. His efficiency and composure reinforced the notion that the Steelers have one of the league’s most steady and trustworthy backup quarterbacks heading into the regular season. Roethlisberger is confident Rudolph has now locked up his spot as QB2 for the 2025 season. Steelers fans are now super eager to get updates on when Howard will be back from his injury. Howard and Thompson will fight for the QB3 spot. What grade would you give Rudolph for his preseason outing against the Jaguars?
King of New York: Pete Alonso breaks major Mets all-time record
Pete Alonso is now the New York Mets' all-time home run king. With his opposite-field, two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night, Alonso clubbed the 253rd and 254th home runs of his Mets career, moving him into sole possession of first place on the team's all-time list. He moved two home runs ahead of the previous record-holder, Darryl Strawberry, who hit 252 home runs with the team between the 1983 and 1990 seasons. Here is a look at his record-setting home run. Later in the bottom of the sixth inning, Alonso hit his 254th home run: Along with the all-time Mets home run lead, Alonso is also the Mets' single-season home run leader with 53 home runs during the 2019 season. Strawberry congratulated Alonso on breaking his record: His home runs on Tuesday were his 27th and 28th of the season. It is a big deal for Alonso because there was some doubt this past offseason if he would have a chance to actually set this record. Even though he was close, the uncertainty around his future given his free-agent status created a lot of questions about where he would play. Ultimately, the Mets re-signed him to a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out clause following the 2025 season. That opt-out will again create some uncertainty about his future, but it is pretty clear Alonso still has a lot of power left in his bat. Whether he returns to the Mets or goes somewhere else, he will remain the franchise's greatest home run hitter for the foreseeable future. He is now on top of the record books for the single season and career.
2 Steelers first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2025 NFL season
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a different look and a different feel coming into the 2025 season after bringing in Aaron Rodgers as their new starting quarterback. Poor QB play has haunted Mike Tomlin and company throughout the last few years ever since Ben Roethlisberger left his prime, and they are hoping that Rodgers helps fix that issue. While the future Hall-of-Famer is firmly cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, there are some other positions on the roster that are still up for grabs as the preseason rages on and Tomlin finalizes what his lineup for Week 1. The Steelers also brought in DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, giving Rodgers a true No. 1 option to throw the ball to. They also offloaded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in a separate trade, leaving that second wide receiver spot there for the taking. The Steelers also lost Najee Harris this offseason, making Jaylen Warren the presumed featured back. However, that spot could be in jeopardy as well if the returning running back isn’t careful. Earlier in training camp, the Steelers released their first unofficial depth chart of the season. Here are two players who showed up as starters in that release that could get caught for those spots in the coming weeks. RB Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren has been splitting carries and touches with Najee Harris over the last couple of years, but with Harris gone he seemed destined to be the featured back for Tomlin and company. Not so fast. Insert former Iowa superstar Kaleb Johnson, who the Steelers drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That was maybe a bit later than many expected Johnson to be selected after his spectacular 2024 season with the Hawkeyes, but that also means there is a chance that the Steelers got a steal. It won’t be easy to take the job from Warren, who does a lot of things well and can positively impact the offense both in the running game and as a receiver. In his three seasons in Pittsburgh, Warren has amassed 2,568 yards and six touchdowns. He has great burst but also solid power in between the tackles and runs very low to the ground, making it difficult to bring him down. However, Warren’s size makes it somewhat difficult to envision him being a true workhorse back, which could open the door for Johnson to become a bellcow on early downs. At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, the rookie is a much bigger back who is built to withstand the rigors of getting a lot of touches every week. That was on full display at Iowa last season, when Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading the Big Ten in both categories despite playing in an offense that offered no threat through the air. If it weren’t for the spectacular season of Ashton Jeanty at Boise State, Johnson could have garnered more recognition for awards at the end of the season. Johnson looked a step slow in his preseason debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he still has the ability to become the main back on early downs for Tomlin and company before too long. WR Calvin Austin III This comes with a bit of a caveat that the Steelers list just two starting wide receivers on their depth chart along with two tight ends, which leaves room for a third wideout that could be a potential “starter” in Arthur Smith’s offense. Austin is listed as the second starter alongside DK Metcalf, but Smith could opt to go with veteran Robert Woods in certain situations and make Austin more of a third slot wide receiver. The primary reason for this is that Woods has built a reputation as one of the best run blockers in football at his position. Smith loves to run the football, and the Steelers project to have one of the highest run rates in the league this coming season. Woods doesn’t have the same juice as a receiver that he once did, but he could see the field more one early downs and in neutral situations while Smith looks to get the most he can out of his run game. Austin is also dealing with an injury during the preseason that has held him out of practice, which could hurt him in getting to 100% by the time the regular season starts. Still, Austin will be a big part of the offense when he does get healthy. He is one of the most explosive players on the team and gives the Steelers a big-play threat that can take the top off the defense at any time. Now that Pittsburgh should have its best quarterback play during Austin’s career, he could have a lot more big plays coming his way in the near future.
Short-lived Memphis-Arkansas Speedway was a tragic piece of NASCAR history
In a time well before NASCAR’s period of westward expansion saw a plethora of 1.5-mile tracks be built across the United States, the Memphis-Arkansas Speedway in Crittenden County, Arkansas was an oddity. The track was a high-speed, mile-and-a-half dirt track that featured some of the highest speeds on the NASCAR calendar in its time. Perhaps the most normal aspect of the track was the fact that, like many tracks of the time, it was built in the middle of nowhere. The track sat in Lehi, Arkansas — hardly a hotbed for anything, much less big-league stock car racing. Nevertheless, track owners Nat Epstein, Clarence Camp and Harold Woolridge somehow drew Bill France and 28 NASCAR Cup Series entries to northeastern Arkansas for the first time in October 1954 for the inaugural Mid-South 250. For a period of the sport’s history that featured some of the best stock-car driver to ever compete, the entry list for the track’s first race was relatively sparse in terms of star power. Three-time Cup champion and 1959 Daytona 500 winner Lee Petty led 150 of 167 laps in the first race at the new venue, but an axle issue relegated him to a third-place effort and gave Buck Baker the win. The second race at the track in 1955 showcased the appeal of racing on the high-speed, high-banked dirt track. Fonty Flock led 88 laps and won the race with an average speed of 89.982 miles per hour, a solid pace for the time. A reported crowd of 15,000 was on hand to witness the race. It was in 1956 that the track became infamous. A pair of fatalities among drivers Thomas ‘Cotton’ Priddy, 27, and Clint McHugh, 28, during the 1956 Mid-South 250 weekend solidified its place in NASCAR lore. McHugh’s accident occurred in qualifying on June 9. In his first attempt at qualifying for a Grand National Race, McHugh’s Oldsmobile flipped over a guardrail in Turn 3 and tumbled into a lake. While he was pulled back to land by fans, McHugh died at an area hospital from his injuries. During the race itself on June 10, Priddy was thrown from his vehicle on Lap 39 after contact with another car. Unlike McHugh, Priddy died instantly. “I knew what it was going to be like to be married to Thomas,” Priddy’s widow told the Louisville, Ky. Courier-Journal on June 11, 1956. “I went into the constant worry and pain with my eyes wide open, but I never told him to stop (racing). I expected him to be killed.” At that point, the writing was on the wall for the Memphis-Arkansas Speedway. Epstein, Woolridge and Camp knew that if the track was going to continue to attract NASCAR races in the coming years, it would have to be paved. The problem? Even in 1957, paving a 1.5-mile superspeedway cost $100K, an impossible sum of money for the track’s owners. Land such as that taken up by the speedway is a hot commodity in the Delta region. A farmer purchased the property in 1958 and flooded the infield in an effort to grow catfish. Eventually, the track that once served as a ring for NASCAR’s early gladiators was leveled and used as farmland for soybeans and rice. In a way, the Memphis-Arkansas Speedway encapsulated the unintended arrogance with which many tracks and sanctioning bodies in the early years of professional racing conducted themselves. A track that was once a fascinating venue quickly turned into the site of two incredibly tragic deaths and, after less than five years of racing, was both literally and figuratively leveled.
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