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Falcons' Kirk Cousins makes alarming comments about health amid trade desires
It's hardly a secret that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins wants the Atlanta Falcons to cut or trade him as soon as possible now that the club is moving forward with 2024 first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. as its starter.
While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Cousins indicated he still hasn't fully returned to how he felt before he suffered a torn Achilles in October 2023.
"When the season ended last year, I started getting into working on my body and having the time to do that," Cousins explained, as shared by Rick Farlow of the Associated Press. "I thought I was much better than I was. On (a scale) of one to 10, I thought I was at an eight, but I was really back at a three or four and now I'm getting back to that six, seven (or) eight. You start to realize that you weren't as far along as you thought. (There was) a lot of learning this offseason to get there."
Cousins recovered from the Achilles setback in time to serve as Atlanta's Week 1 starter last September, and he guided the team to a 6-3 record. However, he then looked "out of gas" and seemed to have a "dead" arm as he dealt with elbow, shoulder and ankle issues during what became a four-game losing streak. The Falcons ultimately turned to Penix after they ended Week 15 at 7-7, and he remained in the lineup through Atlanta's regular-season finale.
"The Achilles healed great," Cousins noted. "What ended up happening was the ankle was just very tight. Everything was (about building) strength, so that's what I focused on. What I realized this offseason was the strength was there. It was a mobility issue. You have to have both, and I really didn't have the mobility. So now it's been (about) mobility."
Also on Tuesday, head coach Raheem Morris strongly suggested the Falcons will hold onto Cousins as their QB2 if no team trades for the 36-year-old this summer. The Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers were linked with Cousins earlier this offseason but have since filled their quarterback rooms via other transactions.
Cousins' comments on Tuesday likely won't do him any favors regarding a possible trade considering it was already believed that "he needs to get his whole body into the throws" at this stage of his career. Even if a team loses a starter to an injury this summer, that club may pass on trading for the version of Cousins that exists coming off his Achilles injury.
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Browns may not be prepared for one thing with Shedeur Sanders
During a recent edition of the "Orange and Brown Talk Podcast," Cleveland Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock of the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggested that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski may not be prepared for the "potential fan backlash" that could arise regarding the team's handling of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Stefanski seemed to say plenty about the subject when it was learned on Monday that Sanders remains fourth on the club's unofficial depth chart even though he enjoyed a solid NFL debut in the club's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. Also on Monday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer made it known that Stefanski won't be in a rush to play Sanders or fellow first-year pro Dillon Gabriel ahead of schedule. "Stefanski and the other offensive coaches have a plan for the rookie QBs, and they’re not about to be swayed by public opinion and the Sanders-mania that’s sweeping the nation," Cabot wrote. "Yes, it was a great debut against the Panthers with two beautiful touchdown passes to first-year receiver Kaden Davis. But Stefanski always keeps things simple for his rookie quarterbacks in preseason games, and most have looked excellent in their outings under him. Therefore, he wasn’t ready Monday to start handing over those precious starting reps to Sanders when he’s unlikely to start Week 1 and doesn’t necessarily need that valuable time with the ones — yet." Neither Gabriel nor presumed backup Kenny Pickett played against the Panthers after they were slowed by hamstring injuries during training camp. Meanwhile, Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in Cleveland's 30-10 victory over Carolina. Gabriel returned to the practice field on Monday, but Pickett reportedly could be sidelined "for a couple more weeks." It's unclear if either signal-caller will play in Cleveland's preseason matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles this coming Saturday. "They have had a process with Shedeur all the way through," Cabot added during the latest episode of the podcast. "And even when they were taking heat nationally from all kinds of pundits and experts saying that they were setting Shedeur up to fail, they stuck to their guns. And even after his really, really nice debut, they really haven’t changed the process." As recently as Tuesday morning, Zac Jackson of The Athletic mentioned that veteran Joe Flacco is still "the clear leader" to be Cleveland's Week 1 starter over Sanders, Gabriel and Pickett. As of Tuesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as a -310 betting favorite to get the nod for the Browns' regular-season opener versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Previous whispers indicated Stefanski will want to name his Week 1 QB1 before Cleveland wraps the preseason up with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 23. It certainly sounds like Stefanski won't lose any sleep over disappointing members of a passionate fan base who want to see what Sanders can do against live defenses in meaningful contests.
Perhaps Superman Paul Skenes has found his kryptonite
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes may continue to be one of the top contenders for the National League Cy Young Award, but there is one place where he has appeared mortal this season. On Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Brewers did to Skenes what they have done to plenty of MLB pitchers in 2025 ... put up big offensive numbers. For the second time this season, Skenes also pitched in Milwaukee on June 25, the Brewers forced him from the game after just 4.0 innings on Tuesday night, logging six hits and four runs during his time on the mound. Both of those performances came at Milwaukee's home stadium (American Family Field) and both are now Skenes' shortest outings of the season. While another NL Central team has put up more runs against Skenes this season (the St. Louis Cardinals nicked him for five runs in 6.0 innings on April 8), no other team has had the same kind of success over multiple starts by Skenes in 2025 as have the Brewers inside their home stadium. In all this season, Skenes has given up 10 hits and eight runs in 8.0 innings in Milwaukee. It was his third career outing on the road against the Brewers, with his lone 2024 start representing arguably the best outing of his rookie season. On July 11, 2024, Skenes struck out 11 and didn't allow a hit over 7.0 innings as the Pirates would eventually post a 1-0 victory. Tuesday's short outing was highlighted by a pair of Milwaukee home runs, including a leadoff solo shot by Sal Frelick that quickly set the tone for the Brewers. While Milwaukee's hit parade helped raise Skenes' ERA on the season to 2.13, it's hardly any reason for concern in a season where the 23-year-old right-hander is still a heavy favorite (-600) to win the NL Cy Young Award, per BetMGM. Skenes struggling in Milwaukee is likely more yet another stamp of approval on the Brewers' potential to be a threat once the postseason arrives. With an 18-4 record since the All-Star break entering Tuesday, Milwaukee has taken over the NL Central race from the Chicago Cubs. So what's the good news for Skenes? This is Pittsburgh's last trip to Milwaukee this season and the next-to-last series for the Pirates against the red-hot Brewers. Milwaukee will visit PNC Park for a three-game series on Sept. 5-7 and, if Skenes gets a chance for revenge against Milwaukee, there couldn't be a better place for him to take the mound. This season, in 11 starts covering 68.2 innings, Skenes has a 1.70 ERA in the Steel City.
Astros' playoff push dealt significant blow
The Houston Astros' playoff push received a devastating blow on Tuesday. The Astros announced that closer Josh Hader was placed on the injured list with a strained left shoulder. Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reported that Hader will undergo further tests to determine the severity of the strain. Hader has been utterly dominant for the Astros in 2025. He had posted a 2.05 ERA and a 0.854 WHIP over his 52.2 innings, striking out 76 batters with 16 walks. Hader had notched 28 saves in 29 attempts as he continued to make a case as the best closer in the game. As the July 31 trade deadline has passed, the Astros may have no option but to cobble the ninth inning together out of what they already have. Reliever Bennett Sousa recorded the one-out save on Monday and is second on the team with four saves. Fellow relievers Bryan Abreu, Bryan King and Steven Okert have impressed this season. The Astros, on paper at least, have plenty of depth in the bullpen. Despite that depth, the ninth inning is now a question mark. Abreu has notched nine saves in his career, the most of any of the Astros' other late-inning options. A reunion with reliever Ryan Pressly, who was designated for assignment and subsequently released by the Cubs, could be a possibility. Pressly does have closing experience but struggled to a 4.35 ERA and a 1.524 WHIP over his 41.1 innings in Chicago. Meanwhile, the Mariners have been white-hot since the trade deadline, winning nine of their last 10 games, including seven in a row heading into Tuesday. That surge has the Mariners just a game behind the Astros in a suddenly competitive AL West. The Guardians and Rangers are within 6.5 games of Houston, well within striking distance should the Astros falter. If Hader is on the injured list for an extended period, the Astros may be fighting for a playoff berth by the end of the season.
Cowboys Release New Depth Chart As 'Difficult Decisions' at Receiver Loom
The Dallas Cowboys receiver room right now is giving head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the personnel department a lot of headaches - but in a good way, if there is such a thing. Yes, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are top of the pile, but behind them, it is rather jumbled. KaVontae Turpin could easily be seen as the third receiver, so too Jalen Tolbert. But behind them are Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, and Traeshon Holden. Will the Cowboys carry five receivers? Or six? Either way, players are going to miss out and might even land on the practice squad. You can see the crowd in the new depth chart released on Tuesday ... And for offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, he is loving the competition. ... at receiver (and beyond) ... “It's been fun to watch that group," Adams said. "That's really what you're trying to build in every room is a lot of really difficult decisions for the personnel guys and the coaching staff and incredible amounts of competition. So that being what we want this team and organization to be 100% about is competition, that's our calling card, is what the receiving room is doing right now, and making it very difficult for people to figure out who's going to be what number, whatever. I love it, I think it's great." For most, it is Turpin and Tolbert occupying the third and fourth receiver spot (in any order), with Mingo and then possibly Brooks making up the group as part of special teams. Still, that will mean Flournoy and Holden will be the ones to miss out, which is why the next two weeks of practice and the preseason games are going to be vital to the final outcome of the room. Who will see their stock rise and who will fall? Schottenheimer wanted competition, and when it comes to the receiver room, boy, he got it.
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