Roundup

Odell Beckham Jr. and the other new Giants receivers got one-year min…

Odell Beckham Jr. and the other new Giants receivers got one-year minimum deals

The Giants added a trio of veteran receivers on Monday, at a very minimal investment. mieszalniakolorado.pl

Via Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Braxton Berrios each signed one-year contracts for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million.

It makes the situation an extended tryout. It costs the Giants only the 90-man roster spot and the per diem for the offseason program and training camp (if they last that long).

The contracts also show that the Giants don't expect any of them to be starters or key contributors. They necessarily accepted that by taking the financial terms that were offered.

The overriding question is this — can any of them land high enough on the depth chart to avoid the expectation to play special teams? That raises the stakes for both Beckham and Smith-Schuster; older receivers usually aren't gunners on the punt team.

For now, the stakes are low for the Giants. They can see what the new receivers will do, in relation to the players on the roster.

And (perhaps as importantly) the Giants can turn the page on the recent non-football dustup that created obvious issues for the locker room and consternation within the fan base.

Mariners Win 7th Straight with Second Consecutive Walk-Off

The Seattle Mariners secured their seventh consecutive victory on Monday, downing the Mets with their sixth walk-off win of the season. After Josh Naylor tied the game with a home run in the seventh inning, the matchup stretched into extras. In the bottom of the 10th, Cole Young delivered a walk-off bloop single to left field, scoring Randy Arozarena to secure the win. The victory marks Seattle's second consecutive walk-off win, maintaining their division lead over the Rangers.

Elsewhere in the league, the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Colorado Rockies. The Angels overcame an early deficit with a massive five-run third inning, highlighted by a grand slam from left fielder Jose Siri.

What's Next: Why Myles Garrett Can Now Become the GOAT Pass-Rusher

The Los Angeles Rams’ blockbuster trade will allow the football world to see the NFL’s best pass-rusher on the league’s biggest and brightest stage. By luring Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett to Hollywood to help the reigning MVP make a final run at the Lombardi Trophy, the Rams are giving the seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time Defensive Player of the Year a stage that will not only cement his credentials as a future gold jacket wearer, but he could attain "G.O.A.T" status as the most talented pass-rusher to ever don the pads. As a former NFL player who played with Hall of Famers Bruce Smith, Reggie White and Derrick Thomas, and worked with the Carolina Panthers when a young Julius Peppers embarked on his Hall of Fame career, I am uniquely qualified to make that assessment based on watching and benefiting from their dominance and destruction at the point of attack. Considering three members of the aforementioned quartet rank among the top four in sacks all time (No. 1: Smith, 200.0; No. 2: White, 198.0; No. 4: Peppers, 159.5), the comparisons for Garrett are warranted based on his performance and production through his first nine seasons. Garrett, the NFL’s single-season record holder (23), has totaled 125.5 career sacks in 134 games. He has been the model of consistency, with eight seasons with at least 10 sacks and 149 tackles for loss, including a whopping 55 since 2024 alone. There's only one real blemish on his playing résumé, and it's beyond his control: He's appeared in just three playoff games. As the featured playmaker for former Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the 6-foot-4, 272-pounder attacked offensive guards and tackles like an NBA small forward running an isolation play on the wing. Garrett’s first-step quickness and wide array of hesitation fakes and spin moves make him impossible to block without using a double team or a "chip" block from a running back or tight end. Additionally, the freakishly athletic sack artist can win with power, utilizing a bull rush or two-hand swipe to slip past blockers at the point of attack. Garrett’s clever use of finesse moves and old-school power maneuvers are complemented by his relentless motor. He is the rare superstar who plays with the energy and enthusiasm of a practice squad member trying to earn a permanent roster spot. Garrett’s competitiveness, stamina and effort jump off the tape, and it is one of his superpowers when evaluating his game. Reflecting back on my time with Smith and White, the Hall of Fame inductees also took tremendous pride in their conditioning. They were able to combine their skill with a nonstop motor that enabled them to outwork and outlast opponents on the edges. With Smith and White also capable of knocking blockers around with arm-overs and "hump" maneuvers, their ability to win with either finesse or force set them apart from others at the position. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year not only shares the explosive strength and power traits of the NFL’s all-time sack leader and the runner-up, but he also flashes the electric athleticism that helped Peppers terrorize opponents off the edge. The explosive first-step quickness and slippery maneuvers (dip-and-rip and stutter swim moves) are straight from the former two-sport athlete’s playbook. With Garrett capable of single-handedly destroying game plans like the three-time All-Pro and 2000s and 2010s NFL All-Decade Teams member, the Rams are adding a generational talent to the defense who will tilt the field in their favor whenever he steps between the lines. Considering the Super Bowl LVI blueprint that produced Sean McVay’s first Super Bowl win, the Rams have recreated a defensive lineup with similar star power. Garrett steps into the role previously occupied by three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, as the disruptive force at the line of scrimmage. Although No. 99 did his damage on the interior, the attention he commanded created big-play opportunities for others on the frontline. Kobie Turner and Byron Young will undoubtedly benefit from Garrett’s presence, as they will see their one-on-one opportunities increase with teams sending two and three blockers in the sack leader’s direction. Given Young’s win rate (14%), per ESPN Analytics, which ranked fifth among defensive tackles in 2025 without the All-Pro in the lineup, the fourth-year pro could see his sack numbers explode this season after tallying 24 in 51 career games. Young quietly recorded 12 sacks a season ago, with a 16.8% Pass-Rush Win Rate that ranked among the top 20 edge defenders in the league, per PFF. As teams are forced to make tough decisions in pass protection with three credible pass-rushers on the field, Garrett’s arrival could transform a good pass rush into a great one by season’s end. General manager Les Snead and McVay have found a way to operate in "Super Bowl-or-bust" mode, while planning for a future with a young franchise quarterback in the bullpen. While the Rams’ acquisitions have cost them multiple first-round picks, the opportunity to add Garrett to a lineup that features an All-Pro defensive back (Trent McDuffie) and another playmaking cover corner (Jaylen Watkins) should create a dèjá vu moment that brings back memories of Super Bowl LVI when another G.O.A.T led a title run with defensive backs Jalen Ramsey and Eric Weddle cast in supporting roles. With all eyes on the Rams, Stafford and Garrett attempting to create a storybook ending in Hollywood, the football world might finally see the game's preeminent pass-rusher on the super stage.

Everton interested in £15m Hayden Hackney but face stiff competition

  • 23-year-old expected to leave Middlesbrough this month

  • Brighton, Spurs, Forest and Leeds also interested

Everton are attempting to sign the Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney but face strong competition for the Championship’s player of the season.

David Moyes wants to strengthen in central midfield, as well as at right-back, and has reignited interest in a player he considered 12 months ago.

Continue reading...

Commanders sign TE Anthony Firkser

Veteran tight end Anthony Firkser has found a new team.

The Commanders announced that they have signed Firkser to their 90-man roster on Tuesday. They waived wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks in a corresponding move.

Firkser had eight catches for 53 yards in seven games with the Lions last season. He also played two games for the Lions in 2023 and split the 2024 season between the Jets and the Chiefs. He had nine catches for 100 yards in 11 games for the Falcons in 2022.

Firkser spent his first four NFL seasons with the Titans and had 106 catches for 1,107 yards and five touchdowns.

Brooks signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and spent the season on the practice squad.

In brief

Liverpool closing on deal to make Andoni Iraola head coach after holding talks Spaniard is clear frontrunner to replace Arne SlotLiverpool want to make a hire before World Cup startsLiverpool are closing in on the appointment of Andoni Iraola as their head coach having opened talks with Arne Slot’s preferred successor.Iraola is the clear frontrunner for the Anfield vacancy with his style of

Seahawks, Derick Hall agree to three-year contract extension The Seahawks have reached a new deal with one of their key defensive players.

Andrew Berry: Way too premature to think about drafting a QB in 2027 After Browns General Manager Andrew Berry shared insight into why the team traded Myles Garrett during a Tuesday press conference, he shifted to fielding questions about his plans for the 2027 first-round pick that the team acquired in the deal.