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Steelers are growing concerned over Aaron Rodgers' alarming performance
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot to work on after the first couple of weeks of training camp have concluded and they prepare for a preseason game. The offense has not played well throughout these early practices. Even though they have to go against the highest-paid defense every day, it's not a good sign when the third-team offense has consistently been the most exciting and inspiring unit on that side of the ball. There are lots of things that need to be fixed before Week 1 kicks off — or else it will be a long season. As usual, these problems start with the quarterback position. Insider Mike DeFabo reported on a big problem that Aaron Rodgers has had with his receiving core. "While Rodgers’ quick release has married well with DK Metcalf’s ability to win on slants, the QB hasn’t been able to unlock his big-play threat downfield," DeFabo said. "During Sunday’s practice, Rodgers did find Metcalf on a deep cross thanks to some blown coverage. But that touchdown is the outlier in an offense that’s relied overwhelmingly on short, quick passes or checkdowns. During a 7-on-7 period, Rodgers overthrew Metcalf on a pair of vertical routes. This comes days after Rodgers and Metcalf failed to connect on a go route during the two-minute drill to end 'Friday Night Lights.' The only other memorable deep ball between the two in team periods also fell incomplete about a week ago, when Rodgers’ pass fluttered out of bounds as Joey Porter Jr. stayed in Metcalf’s hip pocket." While DK Metcalf has never been a polished route-runner, he was still brought in to make life easier on the quarterback. Multiple reports from training camp continue to express similar analysis, indicating that the connection between Metcalf and Rodgers, especially downfield, has been far from perfect. If the chemistry between Metcalf and Rodgers continues to stall, someone else will have to step up. As DeFabo also reports, no one else has been able to take an alpha role in this receiver room thus far. "On Sunday, Rodgers looked for [Roman] Wilson on a corner route. The uncatchable ball skipped well in front of the receiver," DeFabo said. "Either the throw was errant or they weren’t on the same page. It was a similar story last week, when Rodgers looked for Wilson along the sideline and threw it well out of bounds. After that misfire, Rodgers walked Wilson through how to run his route the way the QB wants. Meanwhile, [Calvin] Austin missed his second consecutive practice with an injury." After essentially being redshirted due to injury in his rookie year, Roman Wilson has been given multiple opportunities to run with the first-team offense and prove that he belongs on the field. So far, he appears to have absolutely zero chemistry with his new quarterback, which could cause him to lose reps as time goes on. The injury to Calvin Austin III has not helped at all, either, as he was named WR2 earlier in the offseason. While Rodgers wants everyone to thrive, he is known for being very particular and demanding of his receivers. With Metcalf not being a great route-runner and Wilson still trying to learn the system, the veteran quarterback is having a hard time getting what he wants out of them. Wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni was also brought in to be a no-nonsense type of coach who forces his players to be the best that they can be. He'll need to earn his keep this offseason as he continues to prepare his unit for the regular season. If 2025 is as much of a struggle as training camp is so far, the whole position could see a massive overhaul.
Vikings offense has sizable hole following first-round WR's NFL ruling
The Minnesota Vikings will be without one of their top wide receivers for the start of the regular season. On Tuesday, wideout Jordan Addison was suspended without pay for the season's first three games after pleading no contest earlier this offseason to a "wet reckless" charge. He was initially charged with DUI on July 12, 2024 and pleaded not guilty to those counts on Dec. 3, 2024. In July 2023, he was also cited for speeding a reckless driving when going 140 mph in a 55 mph zone. During his first two seasons, Addison, a 2023 first-round pick (No. 23 overall), has 133 receptions, 1,786 receiving yards (13.4 yards per reception) and 19 touchdowns. During that span, only Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown have more receiving touchdowns. His absence is a blow to the Vikings offense, entering its first season with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback. While McCarthy will still have arguably the NFL's best wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, to throw to during the season's first three weeks, Addison's suspension severely compromises the team's depth. Jalen Nailor, a 2022 sixth-rounder, should be in line for an increase in playing time. Last season, he played a career-high 51 percent of his available offensive snaps, via Pro Football Reference. Offseason free-agent signings Rondale Moore and Tim Jones, 2025 third-round pick Tai Felton and undrafted free agents Lucky Jackson and Silas Bolden could also be forced into more prominent roles. Last season, Moore missed the entire year after suffering a training-camp knee injury with the Atlanta Falcons, while Jones had just three receptions on five targets for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Felton and Bolden are rookies and might not be ready for heavy workloads, while Jackson is possibly having the best training camp of the group, recently making impressive plays on back-to-back days. Regardless of who takes Addison's snaps, the Vikings offense won't be at full strength to begin the season. Opponents will be able to focus their attention on Jefferson with double-teams and force Minnesota's unproven secondary and tertiary options to beat them. It's not an ideal set of circumstances for McCarthy as he preps for his regular-season debut, but the Vikings have no other choice than to make it work.
Celtics' moves suggest new guard will be traded — eventually
The Boston Celtics got under the second luxury-tax apron by trading Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz Tuesday. The move also gives them a huge incentive to deal their most expensive new player. The Celtics have dramatically reduced their payroll in the wake of Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury. With their superstar unlikely to play in 2025-26, the Celtics traded away starters Jrue Holiday ($94.4M for three years, plus a $37.2M player option in 2027-28) and Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7M next season). They also let Luke Kornet ($2.8M) leave as a free agent, and Al Horford ($9.5M) is almost certainly gone as well. They received Georges Niang ($8.2M) in the Porzingis deal, but traded him Tuesday for undrafted R.J. Luis Jr., a rookie on a two-way deal. That effectively takes Niang's full salary of their books and gets them under the second luxury-tax apron, freeing them from the penalties and restrictions that go along with second-apron status. According to cap expert Yossi Gozlan, the Celtics have saved a whopping $286M in salary and taxes with their moves. Still, the team can reap a larger long-term reward by dropping below the luxury tax entirely, which requires reducing their payroll by just over $12M more. The Celtics don't seem inclined to trade Jaylen Brown, Derrick White or Payton Pritchard, wanting to keep some core members of their 2024 title team together for Tatum's return. Sam Hauser is on an affordable four-year, $45M deal, but losing his $10M salary wouldn't get them under the tax line. That's why Anfernee Simons, acquired in the Holiday trade, is likely not long for Boston. The 26-year-old guard makes $27.7M in the last year of his contract, making him the perfect trade piece to get Boston under the luxury tax. Not only would getting under the tax line free the Celtics of their tax obligations and save them as much as $40M, but it would make them eligible to share in the money from tax-paying teams. The Celtics would also be able to avoid the dreaded repeater tax penalties, which make every dollar over the luxury-tax number progressively more expensive every year a team stays over the tax line. This doesn't mean Simons is going to be traded this summer. Boston has until the Feb. 5 trade deadline to move Simons, since luxury tax is calculated on the team's total payroll the last day of the season. But given the massive savings they'd get back from losing Simons' salary, it seems inevitable. The Celtics have lost a lot of talent this summer, but they've saved a tremendous amount of money in the process. They might have to attach draft capital to get off Simons' deal, but if he plays well in Boston, he might even bring back something in a trade next season. Tatum's injury threw a huge wrench in the Celtics' plans. If they can use this season to get under the luxury tax, they'll have the flexibility to reload and contend again when their star is back in a year.
D’Angelo Russell Shades Lakers While Praising Nets: 'They Taught Me How To Be a Professional'
D’Angelo Russell isn’t holding back when it comes to his early NBA journey, and he’s putting the Lakers on notice. In a recent appearance on the Wy Network, the veteran guard reflected on his time with the Brooklyn Nets and credited the franchise for instilling the habits that saved his career, contrasting it sharply with his first stint in Los Angeles. “The organization of Brooklyn is different,” said Russell. “It’s unlike any other. The performance, team, coach — everything about Brooklyn is different than what you would expect. And I’ve been around the league, where I came from the Lakers, where the structure is not the same.” Russell went on to explain how his time with the Nets transformed his mindset and work ethic, saying the team taught him how to train, recover, and prepare like a professional, habits he didn’t develop during his early years with the Lakers. “Then I got to Brooklyn, where it’s all structure, and it taught me how to be a professional," Russell continued. "I always approach the game to where I was nonchalant and I felt like I could just wing it… they taught me how to be a professional, how to sleep, how to eat, how to recover.” Unlike many of today’s athletic point guards, Russell has never relied on elite speed or explosiveness to impact the game. Russell thrives on the perimeter, whether it's working as a playmaker, spotting up for threes, or simply helping his team find an open look. It wasn't until he joined the Nets that he learned to maximize his game and put in the work required to keep his game in the best condition. “That’s why I’m still playing to this day," said Russell. "I’m not a guy that’s athletic, I had to take care of my body, I had to recover, I had to eat the best way. I couldn’t just show up. And that’s what Brooklyn really taught me.” Drafted second overall in 2015, Russell began his NBA journey as a member of the Lakers. He was given major expectations from the very start, but he struggled to live up to expectations in Los Angeles, underperforming in his first two years before he was traded to the Nets in 2017. During his second season in Brooklyn, Russell made his first All-Star team in a breakout campaign, where he averaged 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game on 43.4% shooting. To this day, it's his only All-Star appearance, but his game has never been the same since. According to Russell, he learned how to make the most of his career in Brooklyn, and he experienced more structure and order there than he ever did in Los Angeles. That's true for his first stint there (which involved a falling out with Nick Young) as well as his more recent return to L.A., where he played two seasons alongside LeBron James before ultimately being pushed out. He never felt appreciated or comfortable on the Lakers, a reminder that Russell never found his rhythm in Los Angeles. Fortunately, he's in a better place now with the Mavericks. After averaging 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 36.7% shooting in 2024-25, he's hoping to deliver his best season yet alongside Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and young star Cooper Flagg. While D’Angelo Russell’s time with the Lakers was filled with growing pains, his journey has come full circle as he prepares for the next chapter in Dallas. Now equipped with the discipline and perspective he lacked as a young player, Russell has the chance to redefine his career on a team built to compete in the West. His comments on the Lakers may sting for fans in L.A., but for Russell, they reflect a hard-earned evolution and a reminder of where he truly found his footing in the NBA.
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