Seattle Seahawks News, Scores, and Stats
Pro Football Focus highlights the Seattle Seahawks' best move of the offseason, and it's not what you think.
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Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Michael Penix Jr. believes Falcons offense 'should be unstoppable,' emphasizes getting ball to Kyle Pitts
After the first practice of Atlanta Falcons training camp, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. delivered a message before fielding his first question. "See we got KP the ball today," Penix said unprompted, referencing the involvement of tight end Kyle Pitts in the offense Thursday. Penix smirked, then added: "There's gonna be a lot of that." Pitts is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, Pitts hasn't lived up to the perhaps fantastical expectations he faced when he was drafted No. 4 overall in 2021. As a rookie, the former Florida star recorded the third-most receiving yards (1,026) of any tight end in the league that season. But he found the end zone only once. In each of the three seasons since, Pitts hasn't even come close to returning to the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Plus, he's averaged just 74.3 targets per season in that span, finally reaching 10 career receiving touchdowns in 2024. Pitts has been underutilized in the Falcons' offense, particularly over the past three years. Penix indicated that won't happen again in 2025. Entering his first training camp as Altanta's QB1, the now-second-year signal-caller has big plans for a unit coordinated by Zac Robinson that's stacked with a deck of intriguing playmakers. Pitts is one of them. Running back Bijan Robinson, who recorded the NFL's third-most rushing yards last season but was similarly underused as a rookie in 2023, is another. Not only did Penix spend extra time throwing to Pitts this offseason, but he also did the same with wide receiver Drake London, who is coming off a 100-reception, 1,271-yard and 9-touchdown campaign. 'We should be the best in the league with the guys we've got around us,' a confident Penix said, per The Associated Press. 'We should be unstoppable. So that's that's our goal. We want to be No. 1 in all categories.' In addition to London, the Falcons' wide receiving corps includes a shifty Darnell Mooney and a slippery Ray-Ray McCloud III. London ranked second in the league with 22 contested catches in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus, which had McCloud down for the most yards after the catch (342) of any Falcons wideout last season. As for Mooney, his 992 receiving yards were his most in a single season since 2021. Mooney did, however, leave Thursday's practice after diving for a deep ball and taking a hard fall, according to multiple reports. Still, the potential is clearly there for the kind of prolific offensive firepower that Penix surgically facilitated during his final season at Washington, where he became a Heisman Trophy finalist and national runner-up. Penix backed up then-newly-signed Kirk Cousins last season after the Falcons surprisingly drafted him No. 8 overall. Cousins was ultimately benched after struggling in the second half of the season while battling pain in his right arm. Penix started the final three games. Although his Falcons went 1-2 and missed the playoffs at 8-9, he showed enough promise to earn the opportunity to start full-time this season. Those games were critical to Penix's development. 'Yeah, it's very important,' Penix said Thursday, via the AP. 'Just knowing, just being able to go out there and get those games with full-speed reps — it instills confidence, knowing I can go out there and do the same thing that you saw in college and all my life. "So, you know, just I would say biggest thing is confidence." Penix signaled plenty of that the first day of Falcons training camp.
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Where the Dolphins' offensive line stands, with insight from several. And an early problem
The Dolphins' shuffling along the offensive line can be viewed through two different prisms. The glass half full perspective: They have a skilled pass-blocking left tackle (Patrick Paul) who's mammoth (6-7, 326 pounds), had Pro Football Focus' highest pass-blocking grade among all FBS tackles in 2023 and permitted just two sacks in 1,053 pass-block snaps over his final two years at the University of Houston. They have a right tackle, Austin Jackson, who blossomed in 2023 before a knee injury torpedoed his 2024 season after eight games. They have center Aaron Brewer, who was PFF's seventh highest-rated at his position last season and much improved in pass protection. They have a supreme left guard in James Daniels, who permitted just two sacks in three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, covering 39 games and 1,367 pass-blocking snaps. And they have rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea who 'looked like an All-Pro in the Alamo Bowl,' according to ESPN's Louis Riddick. There's also the glass half empty perspective: Jackson is coming off knee surgery last November and Daniels is back from a Week 4 torn Achilles. (Both are healthy.) Paul, replacing former Pro Bowler Terron Armstead, has been beaten some early in camp, and PFF ranked him 79th of 81 tackles last season. Savaiinaea permitted four sacks at Arizona last season and 'can be knocked off balance at times,' according to Mel Kiper Jr. Brewer wasn't as effective in the running game late in the 2024 season as he was earlier in the year. The Dolphins must hope that 2025 reflects more of the former than the latter. Jackson, the longest-tenured member of the line, cites reasons for optimism, including the athleticism of Daniels and Savaiinaea, who are good fits for this system, and Paul's skill set. 'We are young in the interior and really athletic,' Jackson said of Daniels (27) and Savaiinaea (21). 'You can expect a lot of speed, strength. We have the stamina to be fast the entire game. 'Mike McDaniel was talking today; we want to finish our games faster, with more intensity, more urgency to finish the games. You can expect the same kind of thing from our interior linemen.' Defensive lineman Zach Sieler said Thursday that Savaiinaea 'has all the talent in the world. His frame is great. He has good feet. I'm excited to see him grow as a player.' Last year's guard combo, Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg, wasn't good enough, particularly with runs up the gut. Eichenberg, who is out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury, was PFF's 69th-ranked guard out of 77 and allowed 29 pressures, while Jones (who signed with Dallas in March) had the line's worst run-blocking grade (per PFF) and permitted five sacks and 28 pressures. Daniels participated in multiple sets of team drills on Thursday and seems fully recovered from the Achilles. He was PFF's second-rated guard last season before his Achilles tear. One overriding objective: Improve a running game that had the highest percentage of runs stuffed for no gain in short-yardage situations (44%, tied with New England) and ranked 28th in the league in yards per carry (4.0). 'You are going to see all types of blocking,' Jackson said. 'I'm excited for our run game as well as our pass game, but mostly our run game because that's what we hang our hat on this system.' Paul's play will be critical in how the Dolphins' season plays out. Filling in for Armstead last season, Paul permitted three sacks and 15 pressures in 229 pass blocking chances, and PFF rated him 81st (worst) among tackles as a run blocker. 'In college you can just body people [and get away with] lack of technique,' Paul said late last season. 'When I went back and watched my college tape in the predraft process, it was like I was beating people on sheer size. In the NFL, they're technicians. These people are paid to rush the passer. They're not going to stop once you get your hands on them. They're going to counter a second time and get there whatever way is possible. It's a big change.' On Thursday, Paul said he studied every one of his 337 offensive snaps last season 'to see where I can improve. I also studied other tackles throughout the league to pick games from them and see how they can be successful in different situations. I watched everyone, watched every single tackle for 31 teams. I'm a real film junkie, so that's what I do. I really like watching [the 49ers'] Trent Williams.' He values the mentorship offered by Armstead in the past year: 'He's getting into his media aspect of life. When I see him, I see him.' He also appreciates the blossoming relationship with Savaiinaea: 'Me and Jonah, we hang out all the time. Through the offseason, me and him were here in this building every single day working. So naturally, when you spend that much time together, you're gelled like one.' Dolphins linemen committed far too many presnap penalties during the first two days of camp, and they're self-imposing a penalty: running post-practice laps. Jackson said it was players — not coaches — who came up with the idea to run laps after practice. 'We have presnap penalties, we are going to punish ourselves for that,' he said. 'Things we can control, if we make a mistake in practice, we're going to self-correct ourselves with a little disciplinary action.'
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Puka Nacua explains why he's deferred to Davante Adams as Rams' leader in WR drills
Nacua praised Adams' veteran presence and explained why he asked the All-Pro to take the lead during drills Just days into the start of Los Angeles Rams training camp, Puka Nacua is already embracing the presence and leadership of his All-Pro teammate Devante Adams. Right from the start, Adams isn't just participating; he's influencing everything that comes to mind, from drills to pacing to leadership, similar to the way Cooper Kupp did. While the Rams will look for their young star wideout to embrace more of a leadership role in Year 3 himself, Nacua didn't hesitate one bit when he asked Adams to take the lead in position drills, signaling the respect that the future Hall of Famer has earned over his 11-year career. 'I've asked Davante to lead our position group, to lead our position group drills,' Nacua said. 'There is a respect for him to come in saying, 'I don't want to push you out of the way or take your spot and be like, oh, I should be up there number one.' But it's something that I have a huge amount of respect for his game and I'm blessed to be around great people like Coop and Davante.' While in the presence of a route-running wizard, Nacua – who has also showcased himself as one of the league's best route runners over his first two seasons – has continued to play as a student of the game and watching Adams up close during live reps is having a great impact. "When I was in the front, I'm trying to sprint as fast as I can so I can turn around and watch him,' Nacua added. "So, I was like, 'Hey, I think it'll make my job a little bit easier if you just go first.' Today I was right there in the back and I'm just standing like this because I'm going to watch the tape again, but I'm like, there's nothing better than seeing him with my own two eyes." The Rams signed Adams in March to help fill the void left by Kupp, who joined the division-rival Seahawks and will face his former team twice this season. Adams' arrival not only adds a proven playmaker to the offense but also continues the mentorship pipeline for the rising star Nacua. His eagerness to learn and willingness to defer to the 32-year-old veteran speak volumes about the leadership presence Adams brings to the Rams' wide receiver room. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
