Torrential rains and flooding caused postponement of Los Angeles FC's opening game last weekend, but the 2023 outlook for the defending MLS champion remains bright.
"We are in a good spot," head coach Steve Cherundolo told the media recently. "We got out of the preseason what we wanted to get out of it."
Cherundolo's LAFC will belatedly kick off its title defense Saturday at home against the Portland Timbers. While the Black and Gold are favored by many to challenge for another MLS title, questions remain about their depth -- especially given the congested fixture list that LAFC will face.
"I don't think we have the depth necessarily that we had last year," Cherundolo admitted, per the MLS website. "We chose to add key pieces that add versatility. We intentionally went younger and wanted to get a more robust profile of player, players that we think can play three games a week without issue."
Two of those players -- Germany's Timothy Tillman and Croatia's Stipe Biuk -- will make their LAFC debuts against Portland. The attackers will aim to support captain Carlos Vela in the final third, especially after the departures of Chico Arango, Latif Blessing and Gareth Bale.
While LAFC hopes to maintain last season's high standard, the Timbers aim for a full turnaround from last season's eighth-place finish.
New right back signing Juan David Mosquera looks to be a shrewd bargain for Portland for a reported $1.9 million transfer fee. He scored with confidence during his first game in Portland plaid.
"We believe that [Mosquera] will give us depth and strength, while we also will provide him with the right environment to develop as a player and as a person," coach Giovanni Savarese said of the 20-year-old star, per the Timbers website. "His talent and skillset will make us a more competitive team."
This early season clash could have implications for the playoff race in the Western Conference. Philadelphia is favored to win the East, but the West remains wide open, with several teams capable of snatching the top spots.
"The West, you never know," LAFC midfielder Ilie Sanchez said, laughing. "The West is just crazy."
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The Washington Commanders have an open door of opportunities when it comes to the wide receiver room especially with Terry McLaurin absent from practice as he continues his contract holdout. In the meantime, somebody needs to step up during training camp and earn the trust from quarterback Jayden Daniels and hopefully become an option for the offense during the season. The first player to impress as practice kicked off in Ashburn, Virginia today happened to be undrafted rookie wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks and that shouldn't surprise anyone. Ja'Corey Brooks is wasting no time fighting for a roster spot I know it's only been one practice, but that's all it took for fan-favorite undrafted rookie Brooks to hear his name mentioned on many occasions from the local media on site. Washington has a lot of questions on who can contribute this season when it comes to depth and a hungry Brooks can show his ability to track the ball and become a reliable target. Today he gained some extra respect from both Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota by catching a touchdown from the two quarterbacks during team drills. There will be plenty of opportunities for Brooks to continue to impress the coaching staff and build a connection with the quarterbacks as training camp progresses. Training camp will only ramp up from here on out, and he can continue to develop and learn the systems the coaching staff has implemented. The Commanders will add pads to practice starting July 29 and then compete against the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens in joint practices. The unsung hero of the WR room in Washington Practice prepares you for the moments that matter the most and we saw many rookies contribute last season and exceed expectations. A couple big plays in the Commanders' three preseason games can help boost Brooks into the final cuts before the season. Washington is the oldest team in the league and desperately needs to find key players to mold the young core of the team as well, so Brooks can put himself in the conversation as a piece for the future as well. Training camp may have just started, but it's never too early for an undrafted rookie to catch the attention of the coaching staff and media while Terry McLaurin continues to hold out for a new contract. Brooks has already been on my radar and will be a player worth keeping a close eye on throughout the rest of the offseason.
The Milwaukee Brewers might surprise people at the deadline, but not in the way that you expect. A splash trade for a star like Eugenio Suárez is what a lot of Brewers fans want to see, but Milwaukee might be wiser to prioritize bullpen reinforcements between now and July 31. In discussing potential moves for the Brew Crew, Brewer Fanatic’s Jason Wang emphasized the bullpen and named a target that no one’s talking about. “The bullpen … is one place where there could be real upgrades made,” Wang wrote. “The Brewers already have Trevor Megill, so it’s unlikely they’ll be willing to match the bids of other teams for high-leverage talent like Emmanuel Clase or Jhoan Duran.” Wang is accurate on that point, which is also why the Brewers are highly unlikely to land a guy like St. Louis Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley. That shouldn’t stop Milwaukee’s general manager, Matt Arnold, from shopping for arms, however, as Wang noted. “If anything, the organization’s M.O. is to find a funky guy with an unassuming profile but one or two knockout qualities, and shape him in their own image,” Wang continued. "If Milwaukee wanted to get really spicy, they could go for someone like the (Tampa Bay) Rays’ Mason Montgomery … his Stuff+ metrics are outstanding, with top-notch grades on his four-seam fastball and slider. He was shaky enough at the big-league level to get optioned in early July, but he could be exactly the type of project the Brewers excel at developing.” Could Montgomery become the next hurler to improve dramatically after getting traded to the Brewers? We’ve seen that happen with Quinn Priester this season. Still only 25, Montgomery was selected at No. 191 overall in the 2021 MLB draft by Tampa Bay. He’s 1-2 this season with a 5.74 ERA and 1.66 WHIP to go along with 41 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings pitched for the Rays.
Quarterback Joe Burrow has clearly grown exasperated with the way the Cincinnati Bengals do business. The Bengals started training camp Wednesday, but Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart were absent. Hendrickson is seeking an extension, while Stewart is the only first-round pick who remains unsigned. Burrow wishes the edge-rushers were at camp. "Obviously disappointing," he told the media Wednesday. "You'd like to have all your guys out there Day 1 to try to build that cohesion that I was talking about earlier, but that's not how it usually works out. "You know it's a business," the QB continued before sighing. "And that is how it is gone." Tense contract disputes are nothing new in Cincinnati. Last offseason, Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase held in for most of training camp. He didn't sign a deal before the start of the regular season but still played 17 games. Unlike Chase, Hendrickson has made it clear he won't play without a deal. He won't even work out in Cincinnati. The 30-year-old posted he's training in Jacksonville on his Instagram story Tuesday. Hendrickson has revealed the Bengals aren't committing any guaranteed money past the first year of an extension. This has been featured in deals for other edge-rushers, including that of Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt. Stewart, meanwhile, is dissatisfied with the language in his deal. The Bengals included clauses that would void guarantees for the rookie. Burrow understands the perspectives of Stewart and Hendrickson. "Nobody's ever gonna fault the player for doing business for how he feels he needs to," the quarterback said. "It's cutthroat business, you gotta fight for everything you can get. That's how it goes." However, he hopes Stewart and Hendrickson reach agreements with the club soon. "The sooner you get things done, the better," Burrow said. The Bengals' inability to sign the pass-rushers creates a distraction and wastes time. That's something the team doesn't need after missing the playoffs for two straight seasons. Not making the postseason again would make Burrow even more unhappy.
It seems like it might be a little longer before Deion Sanders can join the rest of his Colorado coaching staff. In a video recently posted by his son, Deion Sanders Jr, the NFL legend admitted that he's not yet fully recovered from his undisclosed health issue. “You know I’m still going through something,” the head coach said. “I ain’t all the way recovered.” Almost two weeks ago, Sanders took the stage at Big 12 media day, but he didn't want to address his health issues. “I’m not here to talk about my health,” Sanders said. “I’m here to talk about my team.” According to the Athletic, Sanders, who's recovering in his home in Texas, has been in close contact with his coaching staff. Colorado athletic director Rick George also said that Sanders would "probably" report to campus within the next two weeks, per the Athletic. The former Super Bowl winner has a long history of health concerns. He had two toes amputated in 2021 because of blood clots, and he went under the knife again in 2023 after reportedly dealing with some excruciating pain. The Buffaloes are transitioning into the post-Shedeur Sanders/Travis Hunter era and looking to build from last year's 9-4 record and big win at the Alamo Bowl.
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