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The stretch to the finish has begun. And everyone continues to chase Alex Palou. The reigning champion earned his sixth victory of the season Sunday at Portland International Raceway. Kyle Kirkwood and Christian Lundgaard are two of the drivers chasing him and they both moved up these rankings. Lundgaard had a hybrid issue in qualifying and started 25th before working his way to ninth in the race. Now, the series heads to Markham, the new Ontario (Canada) stop that takes the place of Toronto. Here are my power rankings with four weekends (five races) left in the season. Dropped out: Pato O’Ward (Last Week: 6) On the verge: Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel, Kyffin Simpson Power finished third in a strong performance at Portland. He has four top 10s (with a pair of thirds) in his last five starts. McLaughlin had a workman-like Portland weekend with a disappointing qualifying. He started 13th but was able to gain spots and finish seventh in the race. It was his fifth top 10 in his last seven starts. Armed with a newly announced contract extension, Ericsson’s rebound season continued with a sixth-place finish at Portland. It was his fourth top 10 in his last six starts. For the third time in the last six races, VeeKay earned a fourth-place finish. These aren’t flukes; he made the Fast Six at Portland and at Mid-Ohio last month. Rosenqvist won the pole and finished second at Portland for his first podium and fourth top 10 since he won the Indianapolis 500. Malukas, saddled by a six-spot grid penalty for exceeding the engine limits, had just his third finish of the season where he placed outside the top 10 as he ended up 12th at Portland. No longer needing crutches to get around, Newgarden salvaged a decent day after starting 14th and finishing eighth at Portland. Kirkwood placed fifth at Portland, a place where he qualified 19th and finished 20th a year ago. So he was happy with that even though he lost ground to Palou in the championship race. A ninth-place finish typically doesn’t result in moving up in the top five of the rankings. But the fact he caboosed the field at the start shows just how strong Lundgaard was at Portland. After his sixth win, Palou has a 110-point lead in the standings. He can be average the rest of the season and win the championship. And there is nothing average about Palou.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Christopher Bell has finished second in four of the last five races. That string of solid performances puts him at the top of this subjective power ranking list. I know, I know, he hasn’t won. And Ty Gibbs has a win, a third and two fourths over the last six races. But Bell’s run over the last five races shows that he’s right there challenging for the win every single week. Here are my NASCAR power rankings heading into the Saturday night race at Richmond Raceway: Dropped out: Ryan Preece (Last Week: 9), Carson Hocevar (Last Week: 10) On the verge: Josh Berry, Chase Elliott, Carson Hocevar, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Ryan Preece Buescher finished 13th but slips into the top 10 — thanks to a 10th, an 11th and a 13th in his last four races. With so much parity, three top 10s in four races puts him on this list. Maybe I just don’t have the heart to drop Reddick off the list. He has a series-high five wins and that has to mean something. But Reddick is trying his best to fall off this list with four finishes of 30th or worse in his last six starts. Welcome back on the list, Willy B! A ninth-place finish might be what’s expected for someone from Hendrick, but as the best Hendrick car at Iowa, it shows he is doing something right. Logano finished second in both stages at Iowa but a loose wheel when he started to drive away on a pit stop forced him to put the car in reverse to return to his pit stall and lose valuable spots. With no cautions in the final stage, he never recovered. A speeding penalty hurt Wallace, but he still placed 12th at Iowa. In a feast-or-famine season, this was closer to feast for Wallace. Briscoe overcame brake issues over the weekend to place sixth. It was his fifth top-six finish in his last six races. Blaney jumped a couple of spots after winning the pole and placing third at Iowa, where he led a race-high 129 laps. It was his first top 10 in three weeks and his series-high 16th of the season. Gibbs earned his second victory of the season with the triumph at Iowa. He is more consistently running in the top five, and if he does that, this won’t be his last win of the year. Hamlin rallied to finish fifth despite not having confidence in his brakes throughout the race at Iowa. He has a big lead in the point standings and has four top fives in the seven races since his last win. Some would say he should remain atop this list. It’s rare to have a non-winner atop the list this late in the season. But Bell has seven second-place finishes this year, including four in the last five races and six of the last 11. Some would say he’s the first loser, but he won’t be a loser much longer if he keeps knocking on the door.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The start of training camp has prompted a flurry of big extensions. But the most impactful moves, the ones most likely to affect the bottom line this season, were made months ago. Given some time to examine free agency, here are my five riskiest deals and five best bets of the offseason. Best Bets Contract terms: 1 year, $1.3 million (zero guaranteed) The Vikings were able to secure the services of a former No. 1 overall pick with an Offensive Rookie of the Year award (2019) and a pair of Pro Bowl berths on his résumé for the veteran’s minimum. Although the end of Murray’s tenure in Arizona raises some concerns about his game and leadership skills, the veteran is the most talented quarterback that Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has worked with in Minnesota, potentially leading to the most dynamic and explosive offense yet during KOC’s tenure. With Murray still in his prime and fueled by the skeptics dismissing his return to prominence as a QB1, the diminutive playmaker can rewrite the narrative surrounding his name with a bounce-back performance in 2026. Contract terms: 1 year, $12 million ($12 million guaranteed) The rangy cornerback joins a defensive backfield loaded with All-Pro-caliber playmakers in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Woolen adds a dimension to the unit with his size, length and speed, making him nearly impossible to throw over on the perimeter. As defensive coordinator Vic Fangio tweaks his scheme to accommodate the newcomer’s talents as a sticky man-to-man defender, the Eagles’ man-match scheme will frustrate passers and playmakers unable to find room in the passing game. Moreover, the marriage between Woolen and a scheme that is perfectly suited to his talents will make his contract look like the best bargain on the market when we review the offseason transactions at season’s end. Contract terms: 2 years, $20 million ($13.5 million guaranteed) After watching C.J. Stroud struggle behind a makeshift offensive line that could not keep defenders out of the backfield, the Texans invested heavily in the trenches with free-agent signees and draft picks coming on board throughout the offseason. Smith’s signing did not garner major headlines, but the former division rival will provide much-needed protection on Stroud’s frontside, while blowing holes open for David Montgomery and Co. at the line of scrimmage. If the veteran can avoid the injury bug that sidetracked him in 2023 and 2024, Smith’s arrival on a bargain-basement deal could help stabilize an offense that for the past two years has kept the Texans, with their star-studded defense, from being serious Super Bowl contenders. Contract terms: 3 years, $43.05 million ($28.7 million guaranteed) Ignore the chatter from the running back haters who have diminished the value of RB1s around the league, and look at how Walker’s arrival will make it easier for Patrick Mahomes to reclaim his crown as the NFL’s undisputed QB1. The lack of an efficient and explosive running game allowed defenses to sit in various two-high shells to take away the deep ball and force the two-time MVP into a “dink-and-dunk” game that featured few big plays. With Walker flashing “take over the game” potential as a lead runner during the Seahawks’ title run, defensive coordinators must pay closer attention to the Chiefs’ running game or run the risk of Andy Reid controlling the action with a creative ground attack that punishes opponents for aligning in “light boxes” with smaller defenders all over the field. Although the reigning Super Bowl MVP’s hefty price tag created a stir in the marketplace, Walker’s impact in Kansas City could actually help restore the value of running backs in the minds of team builders across the league. Contract terms: 3 years, $30 million ($20 million guaranteed) The Chargers needed to improve the frontline to maximize Justin Herbert’s potential as a pocket playmaker. After watching the superstar QB take a beating throughout 2025, the club acquired an underrated pivot to fill a hole created by Bradley Bozeman’s surprise retirement. Although Biadasz is not a blue-chip talent, he adds some physicality, toughness and competitiveness to an offensive line that was bullied at times last season. Moreover, he gives Herbert an experienced “trench warrior” with the identification and communication skills to handle the protections and adjustments at the line of scrimmage. Given how the Chargers desperately needed help at the point of attack, adding Biadasz should help them remain a viable contender this season. Riskiest Deals Contract terms: 3 years, $67.5 million ($45 million guaranteed) Despite the familiarity between general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, head coach Jeff Hafley and Willis from their time together in Green Bay, the Dolphins might have drastically overpaid a fifth-year signal-caller with only six pro starts to his name. The spectacular flashes with the Packers have given off some franchise quarterback vibes, but recreating that magic in South Florida could be a challenge for a team in the midst of a rebuild. With Willis also struggling during his initial stint as a QB1 with the Tennessee Titans, the hefty contract and lofty expectations could doom this marriage before it starts. While no one expects the marquee free agent to play like Dan Marino in Miami, the Hall of Fame inductee’s performance and production have set the standard for a city and franchise that demands a lot from its starting QB. Contract terms: 4 years, $114 million ($84 million guaranteed) It is rare for a WR2 to seamlessly transition to the WR1 role. Pierce is attempting to defy the odds after inking a lucrative extension to be the No. 1 option in the Colts’ passing game. Although the fifth-year pro has averaged 20-plus yards per catch in each of the past two seasons, the speedster must put up monster numbers against defenses that will be focused on limiting his impact with “traveling” corners and loaded zones. Considering the daunting challenge Pierce faces as an unproven go-to receiver, all while taking on the opponent’s top corner and creative tactics, the Colts might experience some buyer’s remorse if their primary pass-catcher fails to dominate on the perimeter in his new role. Contract terms: 3 years, $42 million ($25 million guaranteed) The Panthers signed the big-play specialist to a multiyear deal after watching him record five interceptions, one fumble recovery, seven pass breakups, 10 quarterback hits and 81 tackles in 2025 with the Jaguars. Lloyd’s spectacular final season in Jacksonville overshadowed a topsy-turvy tenure that resulted in the former first-rounder being benched multiple times and the team declining his fifth-year option before his breakout season. While a new scheme and coaching staff found a way to unlock his talents, the fifth-year pro must make a similar transition in Carolina while playing up to lofty expectations and a big contract. With Lloyd earning Pro Bowl honors in 2025 as a part-time player — he typically came off the field on third downs with the Jaguars — the Panthers are hoping that more playing time will result in more splash plays. They’ll need them to justify this deal. Contract terms: 4 years, $96 million ($68 million guaranteed) The Commanders’ need for a consistent pass rush prompted general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn to gamble on a “boom-or-bust” sack artist with 30.5 career sacks over five seasons. Although he has amassed 22.5 sacks since 2023, Oweh entered the league as a developmental player with a limited toolbox, leading to some pass rushing droughts that impacted his stat line, particularly his final five games in Baltimore, where he failed to register a sack. With former Chargers DC Jesse Minter finding various ways to create sack chances for Oweh through clever scheming during a partial season in Los Angeles, the Commanders’ marquee free agent will need defensive coordinator Daronte Jones to tap into his exotic pressures to help the sixth-year pro take advantage of winnable matchups on the edges. Contract terms: 3 years, $58 million ($42 million guaranteed) The Titans’ porous pass defense desperately needed a top-notch cover corner to improve under the direction of new head coach/defensive playcaller Robert Saleh. Taylor was a hot commodity on the free-agent market after enjoying a banner year as the New Orleans Saints’ slot corner; the fifth-year pro is expected to handle the CB1 role in Tennessee, aligning primarily on the outside to neutralize opposing No. 1 receivers. Although the Titans will utilize him occasionally at nickel, the 6-foot-1, 199-pound Taylor will have a chance to show the football world that he can go toe-to-toe with the premier playmakers in the game. Considering the talented pass-catchers within the division alone (see: the Texans’ Nico Collins, the Colts’ Alec Pierce and the Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington), the upgrade in competition will quickly reveal if Taylor is the man for the job as a newly minted $20 million corner.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

OXNARD, Calif — New Dallas Cowboys cornerback Cobie Durant knows what a winning culture looks like. Durant, who spent the last four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, nearly helped his old team play in their third Super Bowl over the course of a decade this past year. Now, the fifth-year pro is being tasked with helping turn around a Cowboys’ defense that was statistically the worst in football last season — and he’s already making an impact in trying to turn things around. During an intense, fully padded practice on Sunday, Durant and other Cowboys defensive players celebrated every pass deflection and forced turnover by rushing the field before aggressively trash-talking in the faces of Dallas stars Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. “Every day we come out here, we want to compete at a high level and do your one-eleventh,” Durant told me. “And it’s on display every day we come out here. High energy, everybody doing their part and bringing what we do in the classroom and make it come to life on the field.” While Durant has brought an energy to the Cowboys’ defense so far in training camp, he’s not the key person who joined Dallas this offseason to revitalize that unit. Defensive whiz and new coordinator Christian Parker has been the heart of the reenergized unit. Parker was hired by the Cowboys to run their defense after serving as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive backs coach over the last couple of seasons, working under Vic Fangio in Philadelphia and Denver. And what has helped Parker form such a quick connection with his unit (which features eight new starters) is his age. The 34-year-old has brought a culture shift, wearing a pair of Jordan 11s, navy blue sweats and a cut-off hoodie with white sleeves while calling plays on a radio along the sideline during practice. “That’s dead,” Parker screamed, high-fiving coaches and players nearby as his defense stuffed a red-zone run. Durant said not only is Parker detailed, but his youthful energy is infectious. “He’s a real players’ coach who’s willing to listen and see what our thoughts are,” Durant, who is only five years younger than Parker, told me. “And also helping us as defensive vets and as a unit. It’s good to have a coach pour into you and allow you to just be you when you’re on the grass.” “He’s very direct. He knows what he wants out of his guys, and he does a really good job of teaching and communicating,” edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku added about Parker, who is also the youngest defensive coordinator in Cowboys history. “But he’s a cool guy at the same time. He’s very chill, very relatable. He’s got some swag to him.” And as the Cowboys’ defense has been fired up and ready to fight back at the offense, Lamb has taken notice. “It’s fire, man,” Lamb said. “I embrace it. I love it. It’s good to see your defense come out with that type of energy, that type of fire, that type of aggression early on. And for our offense, they leave us no choice to either bow down or fight back and to get back on top. “And I know one thing about us: We won’t bow down to anybody.” However, Parker had some bumps in his early days at training camp. Parker said he’s not a fan of the flood of access available to fans and media at training camp practices, which includes live streams and videos from 11-on-11 team drills posted on social media by folks in attendance. Parker noted that he picked up things as a coach for other teams watching those same videos. But owner Jerry Jones isn’t changing his training camp policy — the more eyeballs on his team, the better, and Parker is learning to adjust to the constant attention on “America’s Team.” But as for on-field matters, one of the key chess pieces for Parker’s defense is first-round pick Caleb Downs, who provides the versatility Pro Bowl defensive back Cooper DeJean offered for the Eagles. The Ohio State product is working at safety and slot cornerback, showing up in pass coverage over the two days I watched practice, including breaking up two passes intended for Lamb. A physical presence who provides leadership and playmaking ability, Downs is expected to thrive in Parker’s scheme. “He’s a guy who’s not afraid to fail and is not going to make the same mistake [twice],” Durant told me. “And that’s what you want in this league. When you come in, and you see all these big names, with some guys that could mess with your confidence. With him, it doesn’t faze him.” And while Parker might not like the amount of access outsiders have at Cowboys camp, the team’s practices have been all about football this year, which is a big change from last year. Gone are the constant headlines generated by the contentious Micah Parsons contract negotiations and eventual trade to the Green Bay Packers. That’s allowed Brian Schottenheimer to take an old-school approach to practice as he enters his second season as head coach. On Saturday, Schottenheimer lit into coaches and players for what he deemed a lackadaisical approach to the start of practice. “I just felt like the energy was a little bit off,” Schottenheimer said. “I felt like we broke stretch in bag (drills) and went to circuit drills, and the coaches weren’t as organized as I thought they should be. And so, I’m always going to point out what I feel. And I think they got the message and ended up putting together a hell of a practice.” Schottenheimer also has players run gassers at the end of practice for extra conditioning. “It’s probably painful because you just did a whole practice,” receiver George Pickens said about the end-of-practice conditioning. “But definitely conditioning is another component of the game that can definitely give you an edge over guys.” Obviously, the Cowboys hope that those conditioning drills will be part of what gets them over the hump as they seek their first Super Bowl title in over three decades. Prescott has made it clear in the opening weeks of training camp that he and the team have the Lombardi Trophy in their sights, going as far as to say he’s “manifesting” it to happen. Parker, Schottenheimer and Prescott will get a good test of where those dreams stand during a joint practice against the Rams at Los Angeles’ Woodland Hills headquarters on Tuesday. Last year, the Cowboys were overwhelmed by the Rams’ bevy of playmakers, with Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams going up and down the field for scores in a foreshadowing of what was to come in 2025. Durant is hoping for a different result against his former team this year. “I’m overly excited,” Durant told me. “I went up against that offense for four years. It’s a high-powered offense. You got Matthew Stafford, the running backs in the backfield and the wide receiver core — it’s a sight to see when you’re in practice going up against it. “But now I’m here with the Dallas Cowboys, running a new defense with new guys on this defense. And now you’ll actually get to see what the guy next to you is really about, going against another offense.” And Schottenheimer is highly anticipating Tuesday’s practice, too. “I want to see these guys play,” Schottenheimer said. “I want to see the same passion and play style that they do against our guys. I want to see them do it against them. But it’s a building block, another ramp-up.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Preseason officially kicks off for 30 of 32 teams across the NFL this week, but contract matters continue to dominate the news. Monday featured a major contract agreement for Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and an extension for New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry. Aaron Rodgers also did something relatively unusual at Pittsburgh Steelers practice, while there’s another update to share on Aaron Donald’s potential return to play. Here is the latest news from around the league. Star defensive lineman Quinnen Williams has agreed to a three-year, $105.9 million extension with the Cowboys, NFL Network reported Monday. The deal for Williams reportedly includes $101 million guaranteed with $63.35 million due at signing. Williams is entering year two in Dallas after arriving at last year’s trade deadline. With a wave of massive contracts hitting the defensive line market this summer, all eyes now shift to the ripple effect on the rest of the league. “Usually, if you have two people wanting to get something done, it can get done. … Every deal is different,” Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones told reporters, via The Athletic. “You just hit certain bumps in the road where things don’t. It’s not because we don’t want to. … We’re always in the mode if it’s the right situation to do a deal.” Next in line for a payday at defensive tackle is Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout Vita Vea, who requested a trade at the start of training camp. Maybe a new contract for Williams could reignite negotiations between Vea and the Buccaneers? Vea is entering the final year of his contract, which holds a $17 million base salary. The Cowboys put quite the investment into Williams before the extension. At last year’s trade deadline, they traded defensive lineman Mazi Smith, a 2026 second-round pick and the more favorable of their two 2027 first-round picks for Williams. The New England Patriots agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension with tight end Hunter Henry on Monday, ESPN reported Monday. The extension reportedly carries a base value of $16 million with incentives that could raise the total value to $20 million, including $14.5 million guaranteed. The 31-year-old tight end had one year remaining on his previous contract and is now locked in through the 2027 season. Henry served as a primary target for quarterback Drake Maye last season, hauling in 60 receptions for 768 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers took an unconventional turn during practice on Monday, lining up as an edge defender against his team’s second-string offense. Video captured the veteran quarterback working on defensive reps during team drills. The moment offered a lighthearted break during competitive practice sessions as Rodgers continues his training camp workload. As the 42-year-old Rodgers returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers for one more season, the quarterback made news over the weekend when he credited Mike Tomlin for helping him get his spark back last year. “I’m thankful for last year with Coach Tomlin, because he helped me get that love back, that deep love back for the game,” Rodgers told SiriusXM Radio. “That, you know, tearing my Achilles and going through a year of rehab, and just never feeling like myself, it just kind of beats you up a little bit, and I didn’t want that to be my ending in the game that I love so much, and Mike and being around the guys, got me that love back, and I was content in walking away.” While Tomlin left the Steelers this offseason, Rodgers nearly followed him until the team decided to hire one of his former coaches with the Green Bay Packers, Mike McCarthy, to replace him. “They hired Mike McCarthy, and I was like, ‘OK, maybe we need a full circle here, me and Mike need a full circle here,'” Rodgers said. Aaron Donald is continuing to spark rumors of his return. His trainer shared a video of Donald training alongside Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske. The video came a few days after Donald had an official workout with the Rams, only heightening the speculation that he’ll return. It’s been rumored that his decision could come soon, with Rams head coach Sean McVay saying in late July that Donald would likely make a decision later in August. Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time First-Team All-Pro selection, has maintained an active training regimen following his retirement from professional football in 2024.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Even John Harbaugh can’t say for sure whether the Giants are going to be good this season after 12 mostly miserable years. But one thing their new coach is very clear about is that they’re going to be prepared. That’s a big reason why his practices are so long — 2.5 hours on Monday in 90-degree heat and stifling humidity, in what was the team’s first practice after their 10-day camp-opening trip to West Virginia. Harbaugh’s practices are crisp, too. There isn’t a lot of standing around, and there is a purpose to every drill they do from the moment they hit the field. That is … different than what it was under Brian Daboll … and Joe Judge … and Pat Shurmur … and, to an extent, even Tom Coughlin, who drilled his players hard but not often for as long. Still, the early reviews from the players have been nothing but positive. Or, at the very least, they’re not complaining. There’s been too much losing around here for too long for anyone to be upset about an accomplished coach who wants to push them. And Harbaugh has been thrilled to learn that these Giants are ready to work. “I see it, in this organization and this team, with the players especially,” Harbaugh told me shortly after practice. “These players are determined to do what is required to become good enough, to earn the right to have a chance to win a football game. “I feel like I see that. I see it every day in what they do and how they carry themselves and how hard they work. And I know they look back and they say, ‘Man, we’re getting better. We see it.'” That alone could go a long way toward changing the culture of an organization that has had double-digit losses 10 times in the past 12 years, including the 4-13 season last year that got Daboll fired and led the Giants to lure Harbaugh with a five-year, $100 million deal. How many wins it translates to, though, will probably be determined by the growth of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart and the health of key players like receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo. But the big expectation is that no matter what happens, no matter who is on the field, Harbaugh — who was fired after 18 seasons in Baltimore despite a 180-113 record, a Super Bowl championship, and 12 trips to the playoffs — will have this team ready to be way more competitive than it has been in the recent past. And if that ramps up the expectations and puts more pressure on the head coach, that’s OK. He understands it. “Heck yeah,” Harbaugh told me. “People want to win.” Nabers is recovering from a torn ACL and a torn meniscus in his right knee after surgery to repair the damage in October and another cleanup procedure in the spring. He did only individual drills on Monday, which was basically what he did during the Giants’ trip to West Virginia. The reports from there were generally good, but it’s clear the Giants are being cautious with him. And they should be, because he’s the one elite talent they have in that spot. They’re deep at that position. Rookie Malachi Fields is both big (6-foot-4, 222) and fast. They have solid veterans in Darnell Mooney and Darius Slayton, a potentially good slot receiver in Calvin Austin, and a couple of long-shot veterans in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham. But Nabers is the difference-maker. He showed that as a rookie in 2024 when he caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in just 15 games. His second season ended in Week 4 — in the second quarter of Dart’s first NFL start. “We’ve been begging him to do that for a while now.” — Giants edge rusher Brian Burns on why everyone cheered so loudly when quarterback Jaxson Dart finally slid along the sidelines. Improved, But Maybe Not Good Enough To Contend So much has changed about the Giants, it’s hard to get a real feel for how things will go in Harbaugh’s first season. There is no doubt they will be better. Their quarterback should be improved. They have more talent. They will be a much, much better-coached team. That should be good for another three to four wins, which could put them on the edge of playoff contention. But will Nabers be at full strength and back to his old self early in the season? What about Skattebo, who has been practicing fully but still needs to test his knee in a game? If those two can pick up right where they left off, the Giants could be a surprise playoff contender if they stay healthy. If they don’t, their path is much more difficult. My guess is it’ll be somewhere in the middle. Figure the Giants to win around six to eight games, depending on their health, but expect that they will improve as the season goes along. For this year, that might just mean more competitive football and even an important game or two in December. Then they can set themselves up nicely to be a real contender in 2027. I’m headed to Florham Park, New Jersey, where the New York Jets will be hosting the first of two joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday morning. Bucs coach Todd Bowles will be making his return to the Jets’ suburban practice facility, where he ran the drills as their head coach from 2015-18.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

NASCAR didn’t get to see its new end-of-stage policy in action last weekend at Iowa Speedway. Stages ending naturally is a good thing. But NASCAR is now prepared to be flexible when it comes to the length of the stages. Responding to feedback from fans and criticism that caution periods are too long, NASCAR decided that, if a caution comes out with 10 laps or fewer left in the stage, the stage would end at the time of caution. That would eliminate either running extra laps under caution until the stage ends or running caution laps, then coming back to green for a lap (or two) dash to the stage finish and then throwing the caution again. “It stems from what happened in Indy, where we’ve seen all too often [that] the caution comes out before the stage break, we run a number of caution laps, trying to get back green. Stage break comes and we’re back to caution. Long periods of caution laps, not enough green-flag racing,” NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell said in a video to fans. “No more back-to-back cautions, no more elongated caution laps. More green-flag racing, more action for you, the fans.” The stage breaks are designed to bunch up the field and give the broadcaster four guaranteed times when they can run full-screen commercials under yellow. So at the end of the stage, laps are run under yellow for commercials, the pits are then open and then a couple more laps are run. Those final few laps allow for more commercials, as well as for NASCAR to get the lineup in order, so drivers can choose their lane on the restart. The choose rule added a lap to every caution on ovals when it was implemented several years ago. NASCAR potentially could move the “choose area” to the backstretch on ovals (like it does on road courses where it is often near the end of the lap) in hopes of potentially eliminating another full caution lap. Obviously, the balance of having the stage breaks and getting back to racing can be frustrating. “It sucks for all of us when you get a caution with five to go to the end of the stage and they’re going to try to do a one-lap shootout and then it takes 15 minutes [for the stage break]. Like just roll on with it,” two-time Cup champion Kyle Larson told The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck and others at Iowa Speedway. “This is a step in the right direction.” Another former Cup champion, Ryan Blaney, also liked the new rule. “That’s no fun for anybody,” Blaney said about the extra laps under caution when the stage break comes right after another caution during a news conference. “That’s no fun for anybody watching. That’s not fun for us either. … That’s progress on that side and trying to limit the time of caution, time of yellow and things like that.” Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar thinks it could impact strategy. “Ultimately, [it will] just make the race not predictable and hopefully, it just allows for mistakes on the box,” Hocevar said at a news conference at Iowa. “I feel like mistakes from either the box or the car tend to kind of always make the racing better.  It’s good. I think it’s an improvement. It’s less caution laps, which is good.” Ryan Preece said he’s all for it but did see some irony in the decision. “It seems like a lot of fans are talking about more green-flag racing, and we put stage breaks in to break the races up because everybody was talking about the long green-flag runs,” Preece said during an Iowa news conference. “Me, personally, this will never happen, but I wish there were no stages and we’d race.” If the caution does impact the length of a stage, the length of the ensuing stage would change as far as distance and will still end at the original designated lap. For instance, if the stages are designed to end on Lap 50 and Lap 100 and the race ends on Lap 200 and the caution comes out on Lap 45, the second stage would still end at Lap 100 (and not Lap 95) and would end up being 55 laps in length. O’Donnell credited fans for being vocal about wanting change. “You helped push this,” O’Donnell said. “Your passion for the sport has helped us make changes more quickly.” In The News — Haas Factory Team added Dean Thompson to its O’Reilly Series roster as part of a multiyear deal. HFT will increase to three cars for O’Reilly with the drivers of the other two cars to be announced. The organization’s current drivers are Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer. Thompson has spent the last couple of years at Sam Hunt Racing. — Joe Gibbs Racing announced that William Sawalich has signed a contract extension to continue driving in the O’Reilly Series for the organization. — Iowa Speedway will repave its entire seventh-eighths-mile racing oval during the offseason. Clinching Drivers No drivers in Cup clinched a spot in the Chase at Iowa, but Sammy Smith did clinch a spot in the O’Reilly Series postseason. Social Spotlight They Said It “Without sounding salty, I don’t think I would have won the race anyway, but I think it’s kind of time for us as a series to grow up and not have the lapped car situation. I think it makes us all look stupid.”— Felix Rosenqvist on INDYCAR not ordering lapped cars to move over for the leaders​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Is this a good time to provide a reminder that last July the Dodgers lost seven games in a row, 10 out of 12 and finished the month 10-14? Well, they’re floundering again and don’t exactly look like the infallible force everyone expected after acquiring the best player available at the deadline. They’re 1-6 since supposedly breaking the game by trading for Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, the Tigers are 5-2 in their first seven games without Skubal and Casey Mize. Small sample size, of course, but the Dodgers haven’t been playing well for a while. They’ve lost eight of their last nine games and 17 of their last 28, and for the first time in a long time no longer occupy the top spot in the power rankings. Of course, that can change quickly. But it serves as a good reminder that even the teams who appeared to be winners at the deadline (Dodgers, Pirates) still have to play the games. Meanwhile, some of the biggest deadline losers (Brewers, Braves, Diamondbacks, Tigers) keep winning. As we wait to see how the players in new places pan out over the season’s last couple months, this week’s power rankings include one reason to watch every team in the second half. The Angels aren’t likely to reap many of the rewards of their deadline sell-off until the years to come, but they can at least get a look at new catcher Moisés Ballesteros, who should have an everyday job in Anaheim. We’ve already seen a number of first-round selections from the exceptional 2024 draft class make their MLB debuts. Charlie Condon, the third overall pick from that draft, is an exception, but he has 22 homers at Triple-A and could be a late-season call-up. Meanwhile, the Rockies continue to enjoy the terrific debut seasons of TJ Rumfield and Cole Carrigg. This has been a horrendous year in Sacramento. You know what could provide some excitement? Calling up one of the top prospects in baseball. Leo De Vries is still at Double-A, and the A’s might not want to start the clock for the 19-year-old shortstop in this lost season, but he would give the fans a reason to watch. Marcelo Mayer appears close to starting a rehab assignment. Maybe the former Red Sox top prospect can realize his potential after a change of scenery. Jac Caglianone is an oasis in a Kansas City desert, and his strides in year two are providing more optimism for the Royals’ future if they can be a healthier team in 2027. Sal Stewart could make the NL Rookie of the Year race interesting. I wish I had more for you, Cincinnati fans. Rookies Carson Benge, AJ Ewing and Nolan McLean have been a (very small) silver lining in an otherwise miserable (horrible, awful, dreadful) season in Queens. Maybe they work their way into the Rookie of the Year conversation. Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson were supposed to lead the Orioles into the promised land. Now, Rutschman is gone and Henderson is inexplicably enduring the worst year of his five-year career. Henderson obviously remains a vital cog for the future success of this franchise, and it’s worth watching if he can start to turn a corner before season’s end. Can the addition of Taylor Ward spark a sputtering offense? … Not yet, at least. The Mariners scored four runs total over their last four games and have lost five of their last six series to fall even further behind in both the AL West and wild-card races. This might be the start of the annual big Julio Rodriguez month, though. Will the bullpen additions catalyze a playoff push in Minnesota? The Twins decided not to buy at the deadline, and while that decision is not looking great yet, they remain firmly in the wild-card race. More sparks could be ahead. They just called up prospect Kaelen Culpepper, and their other top prospect, outfielder Walker Jenkins, could also play a role by season’s end. We are nearing mid-August, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still doesn’t have a home run at the Rogers Centre. It is almost unfathomable. Can he get on a roll at some point in the second half? If he does, the last-place Blue Jays — who threaded the needle at the deadline by trading away Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho and Jeff Hoffman but also adding Jose Soriano, Spencer Arrighetti and Jameson Taillon — still have a chance to contend. Well, this isn’t the direction they’re supposed to be going. The Pirates patched up their bullpen at the deadline and then promptly dropped a series in Milwaukee and a series in Queens to fall 5.5 games back in the division. The offense is hurting with Ryan O’Hearn, Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin out, but Pittsburgh also needs Paul Skenes to get right. He has an ERA over 6.00 over his last eight starts. Will he look like an ace again in time to save the Pirates’ season? The Marlins didn’t do anything to help their 2026 cause at the deadline (unless you love some Victor Vodnik), but could their decision to keep Sandy Alcantara help them stun the baseball world and sneak into a playoff spot? They’re only three games out of a playoff spot. The Guardians have now dropped 13 of their last 17 games. Even after the additions of Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe, there’s a lot riding on their rookies to lift the offense. The latest call-up is top prospect and infielder Angel Genao. What kind of impact can he make alongside the current crop of standout rookies on the team? Which of the pitchers acquired by the Nationals at the deadline could be helpful pieces for the next contending Washington team? Jake Bird, Will Dion and Yovanny Cruz are already assisting a bullpen that needed …a ton of help. Hopefully, Connelly Early’s forearm tightness isn’t too serious, and he can contribute before season’s end. In the meantime, enjoy CJ Abrams, who stayed put despite rumors at the deadline. Dautlon Varsho went deep for his first home run as an Astro on Sunday. What kind of difference can he make to an Astros outfield that ranks among the league’s least productive groups offensively this season? They were 45-45, 50-50, 55-55, and are now 59-59. I have little doubt this team will finish the season 81-81, but could a healthier Corey Seager in the second half put them on the right side of .500? If he can turn it on down the stretch, that could be the difference in winning the division. One Cardinals player already had a memorable moment this year when Jordan Walker left the crowd at Citizens Bank Park stunned by winning the Home Run Derby. By season’s end, another Cardinals player could be in the national spotlight as JJ Wetherholt tries to hold off the competition for Rookie of the Year. How does the team respond to the losses of Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize? So far, so good. They just wrapped up a 7-2 West Coast road trip, are inching closer to .500 and a playoff spot, and somehow have the best run differential in the American League. How different will this pitching staff look after call-ups and additions? The White Sox rank 13th in ERA, but they added veteran Luis Castillo hoping to stabilize the rotation, and now top pitching prospects Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal have arrived to help. They’ll need Castillo to find another gear down the stretch. What kind of impact will Luis Arráez make? This might be the most fascinating team to watch the rest of the way, considering how much Arráez is needed offensively (the Phillies are a bottom-five team in on-base percentage and a bottom-10 team in OPS) and also how his introduction to the Philadelphia lineup has forced a bevy of defensive changes, including Bryce Harper moving back to the outfield. The bats are hot — the Padres have the highest batting average in baseball since the break — and while the San Diego debuts for Casey Mize and Robbie Ray didn’t go to plan, those acquisitions provide reason to believe this Padres team might now have just enough starting pitching to sneak into a playoff spot. How many injured D-backs pitchers return over the next two months? Michael Soroka, Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Justin Martinez and Ryne Nelson are all among the prominent D-backs pitchers on the injured list whose return could be the difference in making the postseason. When do Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton come back? And how much can deadline additions Luis Garcia Jr. and Heliot Ramos boost the offense until that time comes? There’s a world in which the Yankees’ offense is back at full strength in time for the postseason, but it’s worth watching not only when their injured stars get back but also if those players can find their rhythm ahead of October. What kind of impact does Adley Rutschman have the rest of the way once healthy? Even with all the winning the Red Sox are doing, their catchers rank 24th in wRC+. Another boost from Rutschman could be the difference between a promising season and a championship one. The Dodgers are playing poorly. Their offense is in a funk. Edwin Díaz is flailing. Maybe these are reasons for Dodgers fans to worry. History tells us they should not. Also, you might have heard they acquired a guy named Tarik Skubal. He’ll make his first home start at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, and he’ll be followed by Blake Snell one day later. The rotation is becoming more whole, and they will probably zoom back up the rankings in short order. Can Pete Crow-Armstrong challenge Shohei Ohtani for MVP? Both players put on a heck of a show this week in Chicago, with the Cubs’ center fielder getting the last laugh in a series sweep capped off by two PCA homers in the finale. If he keeps this offensive pace up, he’ll make a strong case for MLB’s top individual honor. Whatever happens over the final couple months, this has been a tremendous bounceback season for Atlanta. But while Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes and Martin Perez continue to be effective and new addition Tyler Mahle looked great in his Braves debut, questions linger about the team’s October arms after a disappointing deadline failed to bring in another impact starter. Will one of their injured starters get back in time to contribute down the stretch and beyond, or can the group in place inspire the confidence that they have enough arms to make a deep run? Can the Rays hold off both the Yankees and red-hot Red Sox? The new acquisitions should help. Beyond just Freddy Peralta and Liam Hicks, the addition of reliever Tyler Wells might be one of the most underrated moves of the deadline, and the Rays’ pitching has been exceptional lately. Even after Boston’s surge, the Rays lead the Yankees by 5.5 games and the Red Sox by seven games as they track toward their first division title since 2021. Which starters step up behind Jacob Misiorowski? The Brewers ace leads all qualified MLB starters in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and opponents’ batting average and looks like the clear Cy Young Award winner right now, but there has been some deserved heat on this team for not adding more star power behind him. Kyle Harrison’s first start back from the IL was encouraging, and maybe Dustin May develops into a clear October starter over the next two months, but there’s some sorting out to do down the stretch about the playoff pecking order.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

There’s a lot of corn between Minneapolis and Detroit. And a lot of good football. I’ve been happily racking up miles on my rental car to traverse five states and watch each of the NFC North teams. The division is the deepest in the NFL, with a real shot of producing a Super Bowl team. It’s not hyperbolic to say that any one of the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers or Minnesota Vikings could chase a title. So here’s what I learned along the way — with a few thoughts on other happenings around the league. This is Sound Smart, where I try to spin forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines. EAGAN, Minn. — Vikings quarterbacks Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy dropped back next to each other — feet apart — and ripped passes downfield at the exact same moment. There’s something unique and aesthetically pleasing about two quarterbacks competing for one spot. Their warm-ups are like watching INDYCAR teammates trying to pass each other — careful and synchronized but not always cordial. The Vikings are doing everything they can not to pick a favorite, in what they say and in what they do. But fair is never fair. Not really. Even if head coach Kevin O’Connell and passing game coordinator/QB coach Josh McCown aren’t picking favorites, Murray is the betting favorite to win the job. He’s the better and more experienced player. And it’s hard to imagine O’Connell picking McCarthy after the young QB face-planted in his first NFL action last year. The practice I saw last Monday didn’t exactly make the case for McCarthy. The QBs were evenly matched all practice until the 2-minute drive, which concluded the session. The simulation set up the offense with 75 seconds remaining in the second quarter, with the Vikings down 13-10. The drive started from Minnesota’s 25-yard line. It stands to reason that the Vikings wanted to score, but not at the cost of a turnover. Since 2022, the Vikings are 20-2 when winning the turnover battle, per FOX Sports Research. They rank fifth among all teams in that span. Chew on that stat as you read what comes next. Murray’s drive was ugly — with a throwaway and another pass that went to no one, an apparent miscommunication with his receiver (or a miscue by the QB). The end result would’ve been a punt to the opposing offense with less than a minute left on the clock. On McCarthy’s drive, he nearly threw an interception on his first pass, only to toss the ball to cornerback Byron Murphy on the drive’s third play. It was a turnover — and a mistake likely worth between three and seven points. That play felt emblematic of what’s to come with this QB competition. It’s only nominally close. For those watching intently, the winner is already obvious. It’s going to be Murray. And when he wins, it’s going to be exciting to see the way this offense shapes itself to him. “Kyler is a unique athlete,” McCown told me last week. “It’s just making sure that we’re buttoned up on where we’re supposed to be when [he] gets outside the pocket and giving him opportunities to maximize his skill set when he does move around. “But obviously, it starts with being in the pocket and playing within rhythm and within our scheme, too. So you balance those things accordingly, but also want to give way to a guy who does have a unique skill set.” The beauty of this offense is that it’s like an expensive golf club. If the golfer (Murray or McCarthy) can let the club do the work, then that’ll be enough. Receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, tight end T.J. Hockenson and running backs Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are all very good players. “Every throw you make, we want you to believe in that throw and feel great about it and trust your eyes and all that. But at the same time, don’t feel like you have to put your Superman cape on and win this specific down for us with one throw,” McCown told me. “You’re not going to win one game with one throw.” It’ll be a mindset shift for Murray, who had to carry the offense, year after year, with the Arizona Cardinals. But if he can cut out the hero ball (and the untimely turnovers) and let the skill players do the work for the offense, the Vikings will make the playoffs. So far, so good. “I think mentally, he’s definitely ahead of where I thought,” O’Connell told reporters this weekend. And just because Murray has always been the likely winner, that doesn’t mean the QB competition was a sham. It’s almost inevitable that both Murray and McCarthy play for the Vikings in 2026. The Cardinals essentially benched Murray last year, so that’s always possible in Minnesota. But more likely, it’ll be an injury, considering Murray has missed at least three games in four of the past five seasons. McCarthy will likely have to play, and when he does, these training camp reps will serve the Vikings well. “He is showing that improvement, and everybody’s arc is different,” McCown said of McCarthy, who missed his rookie year of 2024 with a knee injury. “We’ll continue to develop him into the player we think he can be.” If the Vikings do, in fact, make the playoffs (whether by playing multiple quarterbacks or just one), then O’Connell should retain his crown as the NFL’s Top QB Guru. If the Vikings and their QBs struggle, well, we can cross that bridge if we get there. ALLEN PARK, Mich. — It’s not exactly a gilded age for running backs. But it’s safe to say they matter again, both schematically and financially. Just ask Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who signed a three-year extension worth $67.5 million, with a record $22.5 million average for a running back. As is the nature of a market-setting deal, Gibbs’ contract will echo across the NFL’s financial landscape. Just like Bijan Robinson’s recent deal, which was a three-year, $66.5 million extension with the Atlanta Falcons, Gibbs’ contract advances the market — meaning more money for running backs at every level, particularly at the top. That’s, no doubt, why Gibbs’ phone was blowing up with texts from superstars across the NFL. Gibbs said that Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, David Montgomery and De’Von Achane reached out to “show love.” “We’re all in this together,” Gibbs said. Looking at the fine details of Gibbs’ deal, the good news is that $51.5 million is guaranteed. It’s just that he won’t see $22.3 million until 2029 (in salary) and the remaining $21.3 million until 2030. I’m not saying it’s a bad deal by any means, but it’s backloaded — which makes it more team-friendly than the numbers originally revealed. It’s a big step in the right direction, however, that 1) two running backs (Gibbs and Robinson) successfully conducted hold-ins and 2) Gibbs was able to cash in about $16 million in new money in 2026 and Robinson will get $18.7 million this season. It’s worth noting that, while at Lions camp, I saw how badly the Lions need Gibbs’ explosiveness. There simply wasn’t the same level of offensive threat without Gibbs leading the run game (especially after David Montgomery was traded to the Houston Texans this offseason). All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was a superstar, as usual, and speedster Jameson Williams popped for big plays. But the offense, as a whole, didn’t look consistent. At times, it looked lost. That’s because Detroit’s identity starts with the run game, which is to say that it starts with Gibbs. He used that leverage. And his value was very real. “This process was extremely stressful, because I just wanted to play ball,” Gibbs said on Friday after practice, during which he was limited, still ramping up to full participation. “I missed being out there with my teammates and coaches. It’s just fun being out there right now with my pads and stuff on. It just feels a lot better.” I was one of many who didn’t like the Cardinals drafting running back Jeremiyah Love at the top of Round 1. I still don’t love it. The problem is that a rookie’s contract (even a top-five pick) can provide teams with rare value at a premium position like QB, edge, left tackle, receiver or even cornerback. A top-five rookie running back, however, isn’t going to be a bargain. After all these deals, Love now ranks 10th among running backs in average annual value. That’s better. And when adding up Love’s high draft selection and salary alongside extensions for Achane, Gibbs and Robinson this offseason, it’s clear: Running backs matter again. Money talks. Teams care about RBs again. GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers star edge Micah Parsons said he’s still sometimes using crutches following his late December surgery to repair his ACL and meniscus. He’s not yet in the change-of-direction phase of his rehab. He’s just working through plyometric exercises. But he was clear: Don’t worry for him. Worry about him. “I think when you come out of these situations, you’re either going to be better or you’re worse. And for me, I’ve done everything I possibly can to be better,” Parsons said at Lambeau Field last Tuesday. “People are worried about the knee. They should be worried about how I’m going to play when I get back. The anger, the frustration — the things that I’m going to have to let out because of how long it’s been since I played. “I think that’s what people should really worry about: How great is Micah going to be when he gets back? Not about when I get back because that’s the short term. It’s about how great I’m going to be, how I can help my teammates, and how far we’re going to go into a playoff run.” The Packers traded for Parsons ahead of the 2025 season. It was one of the biggest trades for a defender in NFL history. And it preceded the biggest contract for a non-quarterback — ever. He played 14 games and logged 12.5 sacks before suffering the injury, which can take years for a full recovery, even if players tend to return to the field after nine months. But Parsons didn’t sound like Eeyore. Not in the slightest. “I feel like a much better player in the sense of how I feel. I feel more stable. I feel stronger. You know, I probably was blind to a lot of things that I probably should have been working on that I got a chance to correct and get stronger during this process,” Parsons said. He seems to have taken on a new attention to detail around his body, his strength-building, his stretching and his recovery. He said he’s focused on the process — not upon the timetable for his return. He wouldn’t give an exact week of the NFL season when he wanted to play. That said, there is one game that everyone (except for those in Dallas) would like to see Parsons on the field. And that’s for Packers-Cowboys in Week 6 on Oct. 18. “I think it’s very realistic,” Parsons said. “Me and the staff, we’ve got to put the work in. We’ve got to get to the point where I’m feeling great, and we say, ‘Micah, you’ll be in a really good phase.’ Is it possible? Yes.” Normally, the Hall of Fame Game doesn’t move me. It’s not a big deal when a quarterback converts a clutch third down — not when it’s the first preseason matchup. But Cardinals third-round pick Carson Beck did something impressive with what is normally a throwaway opportunity. This throw exemplified a sharp performance from Beck. And it revealed the QB competition that is quietly brewing in Arizona. And there wasn’t really supposed to be a QB competition. When the Cardinals drafted Beck in Round 3, it wasn’t a pick that screamed: This guy’s our starter! And to that point, Jacoby Brissett decided to hold out, knowing that he should be QB1. He managed to get a reworked, one-year deal worth $15.5 million. But unintentionally, Brissett also seems to have opened the door to lose his starting job. It’s oh-so early in training camp (and preseason), but Beck lit up his first preseason performance. (And now he’s going viral for no-look passes at padded practice?!) Now is when everyone says: Oh, but the Panthers only played vanilla defenses! Oh, but the backups were in! Oh, but Carson Beck is just the reincarnation of Kenny Pickett! That might all be true. But Beck only did what he could, playing a sensational game that no doubt left the Cardinals wanting to see more. If he can keep this up — and his game looks polished as they throw him into higher-difficulty situations — then he could earn the starting job. We were already likely to see him this season. Now I’m wondering if we’ll see him in Week 1. If there’s one thing I’ve observed about Bears coach Ben Johnson, it’s that he takes things personally. He doesn’t suppress his emotions. He works with them. Take, for example, the widespread conversation about how the Bears might regress. In a sit-down with him earlier this offseason, he needled me for bringing up the historical trend of teams regressing after playing as many close victories as the Bears did in 2025. Johnson later went out of his way to bring that topic up at a press conference: “We’re the No. 1 candidate for regression.” In terms of his boiling emotions, Johnson has also clearly enjoyed provoking a WWE-level rivalry with the Packers. So maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, when I asked Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for his best story about Ben Johnson, Detroit’s former offensive coordinator, he shared this. “It’s always funny watching Ben on game days,” St. Brown told me. “He got super amped up when he was here, especially when he was calling plays. He would talk s— to the opposing defensive coordinators, but he’s so far away they can’t hear him. But we can see him on the sideline talking s—.” That’s the love of the game right there. Just a coach, talking smack to an opponent that can’t even hear him. “He’s a competitor, man. He loves winning, and I think we see similarities in each other. I think that’s why we got along so well,” St. Brown told me. “When he first got the OC job, I went up to his office a few times. … We’ve had some deep conversations. We both felt like we could be better. He’s kind of like me — he wants to be the best every time. He’s a perfectionist.” Every single current and former player will attest to Johnson’s character and coaching. “I love Ben, man. That’s my dog,” St. Brown said. That makes the story, and the NFC North rivalry, all the more enjoyable.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’re only two weeks into the start of NFL training camp, but we’re starting to get a glimpse at the potential impact new additions might make on certain teams in 2026. That includes the Philadelphia Eagles, who are navigating an almost entirely new wide receiver room after trading A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots this offseason. How is quarterback Jalen Hurts acclimating to his new targets? Elsewhere, there’s a new head coach who is already making a strong impact on his team’s new culture, and another NFC East team made a much-needed move at wide receiver. Here are our takeaways from Week 2 of training camp. Ralph Vacchiano: Trading an elite receiver like A.J. Brown for future draft picks was always a big risk for this year’s Eagles, and they planned to lean hard on veteran DeVonta Smith and rookie first-rounder Makai Lemon to pick up all the slack. So it was quite a problem this past week when both Smith and Lemon missed multiple training camp practices in Philadelphia with hamstring injuries. They still have depth there with veterans Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown, but they were clearly missing something dynamic with Smith and Lemon on the sidelines. That was really evident on Tuesday morning when they seemed to be working hard on deep passes — passes that quarterback Jalen Hurts struggled to complete without his top two targets. He was out of sync with both Brown and Wicks on the deep routes, overthrowing each of them and getting picked off several times. It’s early in camp and no cause for alarm, but it’s hard to overstate how much they need Smith, in particular. He’s put up No. 1 WR-type numbers each of the past four seasons and his presence is the reason why general manager Howie Roseman felt comfortable trading Brown. Lemon was a bonus, but a necessary one. They loved Lemon’s explosiveness out of the slot so much they traded up in the first round to get him. Both players will be huge components of the scheme new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is running that will feature a lot more play-action passes and over-the-middle routes. And with more than a month to go before Opening Day, it’s a good bet that both players will be more than fine then. But it’s worth noting that hamstring injuries do tend to linger and even small strains can sometimes turn into season-long issues. That’s especially true with rookie receivers. So their status is worth watching, now that everyone has been reminded how important they both are to the Eagles as they try to carry on without Brown. Henry McKenna: The hype around Caleb Williams is significant. And perhaps it’s even justified. In my time in Lake Forest (Illinois), I saw the Chicago Bears quarterback generate countless big plays in team drills and 1-on-1s. But I also witnessed no shortage of operational errors and pre-snap miscues from the quarterback and the Bears offense. Apparently, the mistakes were not limited to Thursday’s practice. Bears coach Ben Johnson was upset about how Tuesday’s practice went, too. “These padded practices are so valuable, and that’s why I get upset when the offense is — they’re sabotaging practice a little bit, because our defensive players need these reps as much as anybody else,” Johnson said during a press conference. That was Johnson’s second instance where he brought up the team’s shortcomings as a non-sequitur. No one asked him about it. In fact, he first referenced his upset when he was asked about Williams’ presence on the cover of “Madden NFL 27” and the general optimism surrounding the team this offseason. “We tell them the truth in the meetings,” Johnson said, explaining how he cuts out the noise. “When it’s good, we let them know that it’s good. When it’s not good enough. We let them know. Two days ago, practice was not good enough as a whole team, and certainly not as an offense. When you have false starts, delay games, drop passes, center-quarterback exchange, it’s really not a good practice. You can’t evaluate the defense either. “So we have a long way to go. Appreciate all the flowery comments there, but they understand that we’re just getting started here in camp, and hard work is really what we’re doing every single day.” Earlier this offseason, Johnson said he and Williams will focus on improving all things post-snap — given that they spent most of last season focusing on the important elements of pre-snap operation. But it seems maybe they’re moving backward, given how many penalties and problems popped up last week. This isn’t a reason to panic. But it is a reality check. The Bears are building a strong foundation. But they’re still building from the ground level. Greg Auman: The wild run of lucrative new contracts for the NFL’s top running backs — with Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor all getting more than $20 million a year — has shifted the position market value so quickly that deals that have not even started yet are looking woefully low. Last August, James Cook signed a four-year deal with the Bills, paying him $46 million over four years. It was added to his rookie contract to start with the 2026 season, and tied him for the sixth-highest contract for a running back at the time. Cook led the NFL in rushing in 2025 with 1,621 yards and made his third straight Pro Bowl. But before his new deal even begins, Cook has dropped to 13th in average salary at his position. How long before he can ask for a new one? Teams are normally hesitant to tear up a deal with more than two years left on it, so that would mean after the 2027 season. Cook’s deal has limited incentives, so no matter how well he plays, he won’t earn more than an extra $2 million. Cook’s deal has less than two years fully guaranteed, and it’s a reminder why players are choosing shorter deals — Gibbs and Robinson went with three years in new money after their rookie contract and fifth-year options are done. For Cook, the third and fourth years aren’t guaranteed, so he could be cut if he underperforms, and he’s capped his value by locking himself in at a dated and much lower salary. He isn’t the only one feeling the financial wrath of signing too soon in the latest running back extension cycle. Miami extended De’Von Achane in May with a four-year deal averaging $16 million a year, but that doesn’t start until 2027 and has barely more than one year fully guaranteed. He’d have to play three years before he’d have two years left on his deal. The Bills did well to lock up much of their young nucleus to long-term deals as soon as they could, and that allows them to extend their playoff window longer than if they gambled and waited. For players like Cook, it means feeling undervalued, though, before a new deal has even begun. Vacchiano: It wasn’t much of a mystery to the Commanders that they had a glaring need at wide receiver. The mystery was only why they didn’t sign one in free agency or select one until the third round of the draft. But they took a big step towards fixing that issue last week when they signed veteran receiver Stefon Diggs to a one-year deal worth up to $12 million. Diggs is 32, but he showed last season that he’s still capable of being a No. 1 receiver. He had 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns while playing only about half of the offensive snaps for the New England Patriots. That was also his first year back after recovering from a torn ACL. Even if he just comes close to matching those numbers in 2026, he’ll be a boon to a team that puts few good weapons around electric quarterback Jayden Daniels. Their best option was the ever-reliable Terry McLaurin, but he’s going to be 31 in September and coming off an injury-plagued season. Beyond him, all they had at receiver was the disappointing duo of Luke McCaffrey and Treylon Burks, and third-round pick Antonio Williams. Now, at least, they have a potential 1-2 punch — at least if McLaurin and Diggs can manage to stay healthy at their age. It’s a big “if,” of course, but adding Diggs to the mix was a necessary move for general manager Adam Peters, given the lack of other options available. Washington tried in the free-agent market, targeting Alec Pierce before he re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts and making a push for Romeo Doubs before he signed with New England, but they failed to land any help for their offense. Diggs will more than make up for that big miss if he’s anything close to what he was last year. Ben Arthur: The Titans’ Jeffery Simmons, arguably the best defensive tackle in football, is a fiery player. He’s a big-time trash talker who backs it up with superstar-caliber play. He crossed a line at Tuesday’s training camp practice, though. After an early play in team drills, he scuffled with center Austin Schlottman and threw a punch at right tackle JC Latham. Assistant defensive line coach Tanzel Smart needed to grab and tackle Simmons to separate him from the O-line. Simmons didn’t practice with his teammates for the rest of the day. He was banished to individual work on a side field with a strength coach. “Our policy is if you throw a punch, you’re ejected in the game. Same thing with practice,” Saleh explained. “But rather than going to the locker room, [Simmons] went to the other fields. He still got his work in. So the projected reps and the work that he would have got in, he got in off to the side.” Saleh’s decision to kick Simmons out of practice is significant. When the All-Pro defensive tackle got in a similar skirmish in training camp under previous coach Brian Callahan, it went unpunished (at least publicly). In a small way, Saleh has shown that he has an uncompromising standard that even Simmons — the Titans’ best player — must adhere to. That goes a long way toward establishing a culture of accountability that Tennessee will need to turn around its franchise, which has won just six games over the past two seasons combined. Saleh’s decision is one that can gain the respect of players, too. It’s fair to wonder if respect for last season’s coaching staff waned. Left tackle Dan Moore Jr. alluded to it last week, saying Saleh’s staff is professional and organized. “We’re always going to toe the line of violence, we’re always going to toe the line of being aggressive and call it instigating if you want, it’s just the nature of who we are going to be,” Saleh said. “But we’ve got to be disciplined enough to make sure that we always find our way back to the huddle without giving the other team freebies.” If it means kicking the team’s best player out of practice to enforce that point, so be it. Eric D. Williams: Omarion Hampton didn’t get to show his first-round potential for a good portion of his rookie year, missing seven games due to a severe left high-ankle sprain he suffered in Week 5. And while he ran for 545 yards on a respectable 4.4 yards per carry, Hampton was pretty ineffective in the Los Angeles Chargers’ playoff loss to the New England Patriots, putting up minus-1 rushing yards due to a Week 17 ankle injury. Now fully healthy and entering his second season, Hampton should be a key piece of L.A.’s running game with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who had a lot of success with speedy back De’Von Achane while with the Miami Dolphins. McDaniel said that you could argue that Hampton has had the most growth of any player from offseason work through the first days of training camp. “This guy is completely obsessed and focused,” McDaniel said. “His [running] tracks and the urgency to which we’re trying to get him to start the play at the beginning of the play has been phenomenal. He came back from the spring, and with the five weeks he had off, you could tell he was really focused on that. “And in and around contact, something we’ve been working on with ball carriers is how they approach tacklers. And for him and his skill set, nobody wants to tackle that guy. That is a massive human moving very fast. So, the less we can get him to stop his feet and do what we call ‘slash,’ which is pick edges of defenders and shoulder punch them, the better.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports