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Steelers Urged To Respond to Jaire Alexander Signing
Steelers Urged To Respond to Jaire Alexander Signing

Yahoo

time20 minutes ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Steelers Urged To Respond to Jaire Alexander Signing

Steelers Urged To Respond to Jaire Alexander Signing originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It sometimes seems like the Pittsburgh Steelers' rivals are trying harder to win than they are. The Baltimore Ravens have drafted draft picks for stars, signed high-profile extensions, and done everything possible to put quarterback Lamar Jackson in a position to find success. They identify needs, address them, and have made a habit of making the playoffs. Advertisement The Steelers, to their credit, traded significant draft capital for receiver DK Metcalf and have a playoff-ready roster. But after trading receiver George Pickens away and keeping themselves in quarterback purgatory lent itself to frustration. On Wednesday, the Ravens took another step to distance themselves from the pack, signing corner Jaire Alexander to be their second boundary corner opposite Nate Wiggins. It's a move that pushes them towards a Super Bowl and adds another high-level talent for opponents to deal with. It also, according to Loyal Ricks Jr., demands Pittsburgh responds. The Steelers were urged to make a splash after Alexander's signing, namely by trading for Miami Dolphins corner Jalen Ramsey. Advertisement 'At 29 years old, Ramsey has a chip on his shoulder and the talent to match,' Loyal Ricks Jr. wrote. 'His 24 interceptions in 135 games speak to his instincts and ball skills — qualities the Steelers value in their physical, aggressive style of defense. 'Ramsey would cost $9.9 million in cap space to acquire, and yes, the Miami Dolphins would need to be open to a trade. But Pittsburgh has the resources to make it happen. They have plenty of cap flexibility, and they own a league-high 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.' The veteran corner has long been considered available for the right price. Pittsburgh has the capital to make that happen, whether the package be headlined by a Day 2 or multiple Day 3 selections. He's certainly a fit, too. The Steelers' biggest weakness in the secondary is in the slot, where Ramsey has done his best work. He'd be an upgrade over both Darius Slay Jr. and Joey Porter Jr. in base personnel, too. Ramsey hasn't lost his athleticism just yet and is willing to get his hands dirty in the run, which Pittsburgh hoped to improve upon in the offseason. Advertisement 'With Alexander now a Raven, there's no time to hesitate,' Ricks said. 'If the Steelers want to remain competitive in the AFC North, they need to make the call. Jalen Ramsey is the last big move on the board — and Pittsburgh should make it.' The biggest obstacle for this transaction is Pittsburgh's approach to this season. In trading Pickens, the front office admitted that 2026 picks were more valuable than a strong second receiver. But that doesn't mean the Steelers are going to spend those picks, at least not yet. Ramsey makes sense on paper. However, Pittsburgh is much more likely to use its surplus in search of a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft than a veteran corner who might not play for the next great Steelers team. Perhaps an Aaron Rodgers renaissance changes things before the trade deadline. Until then, expecting Pittsburgh to spend doesn't seem fruitful. Advertisement Related: Steelers Coach Reveals Keys to Porter Jr.'s Development Related: Steelers' Beanie Bishop Explains Why He Disgraced Pittsburgh Panthers' Logo This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley announces retirement after 11 years in NFL
Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley announces retirement after 11 years in NFL

CBS News

time4 hours ago

  • Sport
  • CBS News

Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley announces retirement after 11 years in NFL

C.J. Mosley is ready to tackle life beyond playing football. A five-time Pro Bowl selection during an 11-year NFL career with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens, Mosley announced Thursday, his 33rd birthday, that he's retiring. Talks of a possible Baltimore reunion Mosley was released by the Jets in March after playing in just four games last season because of a toe injury and later a herniated disk in his neck. A source told WJZ there was mutual interest in a Baltimore reunion, hoping to chase a championship this upcoming season, but Mosley couldn't get cleared with his neck injury. I'm told C.J. Mosley was hoping for a reunion in Baltimore to chase a championship. There was mutual interest there but unfortunately, he couldn't get cleared with his neck injury @wjz @WJZ13sports @CBSSports — Rick Ritter (@RickRitterWJZ) June 19, 2025 Mosley announces retirement on social media A popular playmaker and leader during his career, Mosley made his announcement with a 2-minute, 10-second video post on his Instagram page titled "Once upon a time ..." that included highlights of his playing career. "Today, it is time to wake up from my childhood dream and share it with the next generation," Mosley said. "I spent my whole life and career building my legacy. Now it's time to start a new chapter with new dreams. It won't be easy, but I'm here to tell you every sacrifice is worth it. "When you wake up, what will your legacy look like?" Stellar NFL career Mosley, the 17th overall pick by Baltimore in the 2014 draft out of Alabama, had nearly 1,100 tackles with 12 sacks, 12 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, and three touchdowns. He played five standout seasons with the Ravens before signing a five-year, $85 million contract with the Jets in 2019 and was the heartbeat of New York's defense during his tenure as one of the NFL's top tacklers. Ravens send their praise Both the Jets and Ravens posted congratulatory messages for Mosley on social media. "Captain! Thankful for the memories we couldn't have asked for a better leader!" former Jets teammate and current Broncos defensive end John Franklin-Myers commented on Mosley's post. An iconic moment in Ravens history. Congratulations on your career and retirement, C.J. — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 19, 2025 "Half-Man Half-Amazing congrats on a great career bro," former Ravens teammate and current Baltimore assistant special teams coach Anthony Levine wrote.

Ravens WRs Poised To 'Flip That Narrative' After Major Signings
Ravens WRs Poised To 'Flip That Narrative' After Major Signings

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Ravens WRs Poised To 'Flip That Narrative' After Major Signings

Ravens WRs Poised To 'Flip That Narrative' After Major Signings originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season, Zay Flowers became the first Baltimore Ravens wide receiver ever to be selected to the Pro Bowl. The honor was rightfully deserved as the second-year pro surpassed 1,000 receiving yards as quarterback Lamar Jackson's top target. Advertisement Flowers is joined by a collection of impactful receivers on the Ravens' offense. Rashod Bateman and veteran DeAndre Hopkins each signed new contracts this offseason. There's also versatile tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely for Jackson to turn to in the pass game ... oh, and not to mention Derrick Henry out of the backfield. Bateman, who is entering his fifth year with the Ravens after his 2021 first-round selection, is out to prove that Baltimore's pass game should be feared around the league. "There's a lot of love and respect that comes with a team that drafted you and I wanted to flip that narrative of receivers here, and I definitely think we're on the right track of doing that," Bateman said via "Not really looking for nobody else's validation but it feels good, somewhat, to be in the midst now headed down that right track." While the pass game was outshined by Baltimore's league-leading rushing attack, the team still finished seventh in passing offense, averaging 237.4 yards per game. Advertisement Bateman believes the addition of former All-Pro Hopkins, who signed a one-year $5 million free agent deal, will do wonders for the unit on and off the field. "You could just definitely tell that he's been in the game a while and done a lot of great things," Bateman said of Hopkins. "A lot of people respect what he's done and what he brings to the table. "He's done great things, so hopefully we can take that, add it to our game, add it to our personalities to go help this team. He's been good for us and I know he's going to be big for us this season." Bateman is the most tenured wide receiver of the bunch, and he's excited to keep it that way. He signed an extension with the Ravens worth $36.7 million over the next three years. Advertisement Last season was among the best of his career, finishing with career highs in yards (756) and touchdowns (9). Pro Bowl or not, the Ravens are equipped with plenty of weapons for Jackson through the air. At mandatory minicamp, reporters noticed something in their first glimpses of the All-Pro QB. "He does look skinnier, quicker and faster," Bateman said. "The league is in trouble, per usual." But don't tell Lamar that ... at least not the "skinny" part. He joked with with media when a reporter asked about his body maintenance and pointed to his slim physique. "Just eat food. Push ups, sit ups. That's all. Just stay in shape," Jackson said. Advertisement "Don't say 'skinny'. Say 'stay in shape'. Fit. That sounds better. Because skinny sounds like 'puny'. I don't think I'm puny. I'm still 200!" Bateman is right, with these receivers, the league will be watching out for the Ravens' offense. Per usual. Related: Ravens Making Case for Best Roster in Franchise History Related: Could DeAndre Hopkins Someday Own an NFL Team? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.

NFL mandatory minicamps: Wrapping up biggest storylines of past couple weeks
NFL mandatory minicamps: Wrapping up biggest storylines of past couple weeks

Yahoo

time11 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

NFL mandatory minicamps: Wrapping up biggest storylines of past couple weeks

NFL mandatory minicamps have come and gone, and now all 32 teams break until meeting again for training camp in July. The news cycle will ratchet back up then, but it's not like these past couple weeks were quiet. Here's your guide to everything of significance that happened. Click on the storyline to jump to that section. What do you get for the Ravens who have everything? Jaire Alexander Advertisement Travis Kelce's decision to return 'wasn't very tough' Brian Daboll: 'No' concern Malik Nabers will be ready for training camp Shedeur Sanders' next Browns reps will come at training camp Micah Parsons dishes on Cowboys waiting to sign him Shemar Stewart brings messy Bengals negotiation public Bengals, Trey Hendrickson are talking again Aaron Rodgers practices with Steelers as T.J. Watt holds out Anthony Richardson dealing with injury, uncertain Colts future Terry McLaurin among high-profile minicamp holdouts Will Dolphins trade Jalen Ramsey and/or Jonnu Smith? NFL training camp schedule Ravens add Jaire Alexander to stacked roster There's not a lot of significant player movement left to be done this offseason, but Baltimore pounced when the Packers released two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander. Lamar Jackson played with Alexander at Louisville and stumped for the team to sign him. There aren't many weaknesses on this Ravens roster, and it's one of the early favorites to win the Super Bowl. Adding Alexander to an already talented secondary only helped. Travis Kelce: 'I just felt like I failed my guys' The Chiefs mostly went about their business at mandatory minicamp, but Travis Kelce did talk to the media about his decision to return for another season, which he said "wasn't a very tough one." Kelce is 35 and in his 13th season, and he's coming off a down year. Almost every NFL tight end ever has had a significant dropoff when they enter the same career stage. "I just didn't make the plays I feel like I should have made," the future Hall of Famer said. "I didn't get open in certain situations. ... Motivating my guys to get the energy and the focus and the confidence we needed during that game. In that area, I just felt like I failed my guys." Kelce decided to try to rectify it. Advertisement Malik Nabers expected to be ready for Giants camp despite toe injury A toe injury could seriously hinder a player, especially a speedy receiver like Malik Nabers, who burst onto the scene as a rookie last season. Giants head coach Brian Daboll, however, told the media there's no concern over Nabers being ready for training camp with the toe injury, even though he didn't participate on field at OTAs or mandatory minis. Good news for a budding star. Shedeur Sanders, Browns QB battle will reconvene in July "Everybody's got to earn their keep," Browns general manager Andrew Berry told Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein this month Berea. That includes all four quarterbacks competing for the starting job, from current favorite Joe Flacco to much-discussed fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders, from veteran presumptive backup Kenny Pickett to third-round pick Dillon Gabriel. The next look we'll get here is at training camp, and while Sanders' chances of starting Week 1 still seem very slim, the path does exist. Though they probably weren't helped by a reported speeding ticket for driving over 100 miles an hour. Micah Parsons: Waiting 'is going to cost (Cowboys) more' After participating in mandatory minicamp and speaking diplomatically about his quest for a mammoth contract extension, Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons said "it's going to cost them more eventually," according to Clarence Hill of DLLS. It's not exactly a controversial comment, but it does mark a slight departure from how cordial both sides were being. Let's see how it further unfolds, and when the Cowboys — who notoriously slow-play retaining in-house talent — finally get the extension done. Bengals making mess of Shemar Stewart rookie contract Cincinnati and its first-round pick are at an impasse, and Shemar Stewart decided he's done letting it mostly play out in private. "I'm 100 percent right. I'm not asking for nothing y'all have never done before,' Stewart said. 'But in y'all case, y'all just want to win arguments (more) than winning more games." Stewart took other pointed shots at the Bengals before leaving minicamp early, and is reportedly asking for the same first-round rookie contract past Bengals picks have received. The team, for whatever reason, is unwilling to agree. Unless there's something else going on, it's time for the Bengals to stop this ridiculous haggling. Bengals resume talks with Trey Hendrickson After taking care of the Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins deals early in the offseason, the Bengals have let their next big contract situation linger. Pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is the reigning NFL sack king and one of the few reliable pieces on Cincinnati's defense. Hendrickson sat out of mandatory minis, but he and the Bengals are at least talking again, according to reports, so there's that. Will an extension get done? Aaron Rodgers debuts with Steelers as T.J. Watt doesn't report Aaron Rodgers has officially practiced with the Steelers, and even revealed he's a married man. And while T.J. Watt missed mandatory minicamp in search of a new contract, the Steelers that Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee talked to while in Pittsburgh didn't sound too concerned. All's well and good in Western PA. In mid-June, at least. How bad is Anthony Richardson's shoulder injury? Richardson still has no clear timetable to return from a sore AC joint in his throwing shoulder. And then news broke that he visited renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles about it. ElAttrache operated on that same shoulder in 2023, which sidelined Richardson for most of his rookie season. Richardson needs to beat out Daniel Jones for the starting job and show progress this season, or his time with the Colts could come to an early end. Terry McLaurin holds out of Commanders minicamp over contract Washington's top wide receiver is entering the final year of his deal and looking for a long-term extension. He caught 13 touchdowns last season and developed great chemistry with Jayden Daniels, and while McLaurin does turn 30 in September, there's no reason to think he'll slow down anytime soon. There doesn't seem to be much that could derail the Commanders' forward momentum, but if this contract situation doesn't get resolved, it might. Will Dolphins find trade partners for Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith? Both Ramsey and Smith missed minicamp, and Ramsey's absence was excused, per head coach Mike McDaniel. Ramsey turns 31 this season but also a seven-time Pro Bowler who has the game and versatility to age well. Smith, meanwhile, turns 30 in August and made his first Pro Bowl last season after either tying or setting career highs with 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. So far, there doesn't seem to be much of a market for either player, at least at Miami's asking price. Will that change this summer? NFL training camp schedule Rookies start reporting on July 12, and the first full-squad reports are the Chargers on Thursday, July 17 and Lions on Saturday, July 19. Most teams report on Tuesday, July 22. Check out the full schedule of NFL training camp report dates for rookies and veterans, plus team locations, right here.

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