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Former Green Bay Packers RB to miss entire 2025 NFL season due to injury
The Green Bay Packers are dealing with some concerning injuries to significant members of their roster. As their fans are well aware, the Packers have seen multiple wide receivers projected to be at the top of the depth cart go down during training camp with various injuries. Christian Watson, of course, has not been practicing all offseason as he is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears. In addition to him, the Packers also played their previous preseason game without Romeo Doubs (back), Jayden Reed (foot) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf). And while Doubs returned to practice this week, Reed and Wicks remain out. Elsewhere around the NFL, other teams are dealing with injuries of their own, and some involve players that are former Packers. Former Green Bay Packers running back Patrick Taylor is out for the 2025-26 NFL season One of these players is former Packers running back Patrick Taylor, who played in Green Bay from 2021-2023. An undrafted free agent who often filled in as Green Bay’s third running back, he accumulated 261 rushing yards and a touchdown in his three seasons with the Packers. He found himself out of a job when the Packers revamped their running back room before the 2024 NFL season. Taylor ended up with the San Francisco 49ers last season and had the best year of his career with 183 rushing yards and a touchdown while appearing in 13 games. He will not be playing any games this season as San Francisco just put him on season-ending injured reserve: NFL teams can only have so many players on an injured reserve list. Interestingly, Taylor’s injury led to the 49ers to release another former Packer, wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who was placed on injured reserve last week. In order to release an injured player, teams and that player must come to an injury settlement, which St. Brown received. He is now free to sign with any team in the NFL should he be able to pass a physical.
Steelers undrafted rookie reportedly upset Mike Tomlin before being cut
The Pittsburgh Steelers surprisingly had a few quality undrafted free agents during 2025 training camp and preseason, as many of them have put up an actual fight to make it to the 53-man roster. Unfortunately, there is very little room on the team, so some very tough decisions will have to be made on that front. Guys like Max Hurleman and JJ Galbreath have been stating their case throughout camp and into gameday, giving the coaching staff a good problem. One decision was surprisingly easy, however. During his weekly Q A chat, insider Ray Fittipaldo was asked about undrafted rookie Roc Taylor and why he was let go right after the preseason Week 2 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spoke about something that happened right before that contest. "[Roc Taylor] actually got in Tomlin's doghouse at the joint practice," Fittipaldo said. "Not sure if that's the sole reason he was cut, but maybe part of it." Fittipaldo would not expand on what happened, but head coach Mike Tomlin saw enough of the rookie before gameday. It looked like Taylor would at least get first dibs on a practice-squad spot if he was released on roster cutdown day, but now, it seems like his chance of developing in Pittsburgh is gone entirely. Now, he is just hoping someone gives him a call for a chance to be on a practice squad elsewhere. It seemed like Taylor's stock was rising after preseason Week 2. Hurleman had a very rough game, and the former Memphis Tigers standout had three receptions for 39 yards against the Bucs. He was the second-leading receiver on the team, only behind Roman Wilson. It looked like he was forcing himself onto a roster spot, but apparently, Tomlin might have just been waiting until after the game to tell him to pack his bags and try again somewhere else. Steelers' Recent Receiver Issues Make Taylor Cut Even More Concerning What makes this decision even more rough is the fact that the Steelers have three receivers who are not healthy at all. Calvin Austin III is trying to return after missing multiple weeks of practice with an injury, Ben Skowronek recently developed a toe issue and utility man Jonnu Smith has barely participated in practice since July. Spots were opening up for undrafted rookies to take, but Taylor may have said or done something inexcusable enough to lose that chance. The Steelers entered training camp with questionable wide receiver depth, and now it's only more concerning. Wilson's recent development has been the bright spot of the preseason at that position, as Scotty Miller has been taking over the role of WR3 since the game against Tampa Bay. That's why they brought in another possibly injured veteran, Gabe Davis, for a visit, and now they may be hoping that he does not sign elsewhere. Instead of Taylor taking the opportunity to push for a roster spot, guys like Hurleman and Brandon Johnson will be looking to make the team and stick around as numerous players recover from their injuries. With Davis having another visit on Wednesday and the Steelers playing in the preseason finale on Thursday, he most likely will not be signed until after that game. That means the bubble players can prove to the team that they don't need him. It's not public in regards to what Taylor did to get himself in trouble, but he could have had this prime opportunity to be on an active roster as an undrafted rookie. He could have easily been above Hurleman and Johnson on the depth chart. Instead, he is just hoping he makes any team's practice squad now.
Tigers' age-defying Charlie Morton takes aim at Astros
The Detroit Tigers completed a deal for the second-oldest player in the majors just before the trade deadline. Thus far, Charlie Morton has given the rotation a boost. Morton, who will start the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon, has delivered two quality starts in three outings for his new team. On paper, Morton produced his best start of the season on Friday. The 41-year-old right-hander tossed six scoreless innings while allowing just two hits against the Minnesota Twins. However, Morton had to deal with a rain delay and an extended first inning as his teammates staked him to a 5-0 lead. The Tigers won the game 7-0. "We were talking through the first three innings, like, we really weren't on the same page," catcher Dillon Dingler said. "He was trying to find a feel for his curveball but we were able to mix in the other pitches. He's got so many great pitches that move so much." Once Morton was able to control his celebrated curveball, Minnesota batters had no chance. "I need my breaking ball," Morton said. "So whatever we've got to do, whatever we've got to do to get it going. I know we had a lead, but you still have to get through some innings. My glove-side breaking ball, even when I hit guys or if I'm yanking a couple, it's not the end of the world. But (Friday) early, it was trying to get it going for strikes." He will face a Houston offense mired in a deep slump. The Astros were shut out four of the past five games. They haven't scored in 28 innings, including 10 empty frames on Tuesday as the Tigers pulled out a 1-0 win. Morton (8-10, 5.20 ERA) has a 4-6 record and 5.97 ERA in 12 career starts against the Astros. He was also a key member of the Astros during their 2017 championship run, including his four-inning relief stint for the win in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Framber Valdez (11-6, 3.01 ERA), Morton's mound opponent on Wednesday, cruised through the first four months of the season. It's been a different story in August, during which he is 0-2 with a 5.89 ERA in three starts. Valdez lasted 6 2/3 innings in his most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The 31-year-old left-hander gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits while recording six strikeouts and walking one. His pitching opponent that night, Brandon Young, had a perfect game going until there were two outs in the eighth. "I would say 100 percent it affected me," Valdez said. "I felt like I couldn't even sit down and I was already walking up to get out there. Sometimes that's just the game of baseball. Sometimes a pitcher is going to have a better game. Sometimes they're going to throw a perfect game. ... I felt like I couldn't get a drink of water in and I was already out there." Valdez is 2-2 with a 2.49 ERA in eight career outings against the Tigers, including seven starts.
Bryce Harper is first player to accomplish this in 2025 as Phillies remain hot
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper delivered a vintage performance at the plate on Monday night against the Seattle Mariners. His two-homer game carried the Phillies to a 12-7 win over Seattle, giving them back-to-back games with 11 or more runs. Both of Harper's home runs traveled at least 440 feet, making him the first player this season with multiple homers of that distance in the same game. His first homer came in the sixth inning off an 83-mph sweeper from Mariners pitcher Casey Legumina to give Philadelphia a 7-0 lead. Harper topped that with a 448-foot shot in the seventh, hitting an 86-mph changeup for his second homer of the game to extend Philadelphia's lead to 11-4. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, Harper is the first Phillies player with multiple home runs of 440 feet or more in a game under Statcast (since 2015). It is the second time Harper has accomplished the feat, joining Yordan Alvarez, Willson Contreras, Joey Gallo and Jorge Soler as the only five players to do so. It was a complete team effort for the Phillies, who recorded 21 hits, 12 runs and four home runs one day after plating 11 against the Washington Nationals. Starting pitcher Ranger Suarez was equally impressive with a career-high 10 strikeouts across 6.2 innings of two-run ball. While Harper only had four home runs so far this month, Monday was a reminder of how lethal he can still be at the plate with three hits in six at-bats, two home runs, three RBI and two runs. He missed 22 games earlier this season due to inflammation in his right wrist, but seems to be returning to form during the stretch run. The 11 runs against the Nationals, who are in last place in the NL East standings, was not exactly eye-opening, but putting up 12 against a Mariners team that is battling with the Houston Astros for first-place in the AL West is certainly encouraging. Philadelphia (72-53) currently holds a 5.5 game lead on the New York Mets for the NL East lead. With three wins in its last four games, the Phillies are taking care of business on both sides of the plate and giving themselves a shot at another division crown.
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