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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Jets head coach Todd Bowles earns extension from Buccaneers
Former New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles did not enjoy a fruitful stint with the franchise. The current Tampa Bay Buccaneers head honcho was in charge of the Jets for four seasons (2015-18). After a dreamlike 10-6 debut campaign, Bowles never managed to repeat that success. He compiled a lackluster overall record of 24-40 in East Rutherford and was fired at the end of 2018. Bowles then became the Buccaneers' defensive coordinator and won Super Bowl LV in that role. Bowles was promoted to the lead job in 2022 following Bruce Arians' retirement. He's been significantly more successful at his latest stop. On Thursday, he and general manager Jason Licht signed multi-year contract extensions with the Bucs. The Buccaneers have captured three consecutive NFC South division titles under Bowles' tutelage. In 2024, Bowles arguably enjoyed his best season yet, leading the Bucs to a 10-7 season, their first double-digit win campaign on his watch. The one caveat is the Buccaneers are 0-3 in the postseason under Bowles. This past season, they were upset at home by the Washington Commanders in an NFC Wild Card game. If Bowles wants to see out the entire terms of his new contract, he'll have to win a playoff game at some point. Either way, Bowles left the Jets and found head coaching success.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Packers CB Jaire Alexander Predicted To Sign $16M Deal With NFC Contender
Former Packers CB Jaire Alexander Predicted To Sign $16M Deal With NFC Contender originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Green Bay Packers fans can imagine a few destinations they would not be pleased with if former two-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander were to sign elsewhere. The most obvious rival is the Minnesota Vikings, who have a history of signing former Packers players after their time in Green Bay. Notable examples include Aaron Jones, Brett Favre, Dean Lowry, Za'Darius Smith, Robert Tonyan, and many others. Advertisement On the AFC side, the team that makes the most sense to go after Alexander is probably the Baltimore Ravens. They are a Super Bowl contender, and Lamar Jackson is good friends with him. According to Over the Cap, Baltimore has over $18.5 million in cap space, so they have the money to sign him. If that happens, Packers fans would see Alexander again in Week 17, when the Ravens come to Green Bay. Alexander should have a strong market, and there should be no rush for him to pick a new team. Among the options out there, the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles could be a strong suitor. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin even predicts Alexander will sign a one-year, $16 million deal with Philly. Former Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander (23) celebrates with CB Keisean Nixon (25) after a play during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images "All offseason, Alexander and the Green Bay Packers braced for a split over the two-time second-team All-Pro cornerback's contract, which once looked reasonable but quickly became concerning as the cover man missed more and more time due to injuries," Benjamin said. "The divorce finally occurred prior to minicamp, with the Packers outright releasing the veteran to free agency. Advertisement "Joining the rival Minnesota Vikings would be spicy and smart for both sides, while the Rams and Baltimore Ravens also make sense as playoff-contending suitors. The Philadelphia Eagles are due for a splash, though, and Alexander, who just happened to be born in Philly, would give them a higher-upside rental for their title-winning secondary. Prediction: Signs one-year, $16 million deal with Philadelphia Eagles." It would not bode well for Green Bay's chances of making a serious Super Bowl run if Alexander ended up in Philadelphia — especially if he managed to stay healthy. Howie Roseman is known as one of the most aggressive General Managers in the league, and it is entirely plausible to imagine him pairing the two-time All-Pro with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell in an already stacked Eagles secondary. Green Bay and Philly went head-to-head twice last season — first in the NFL's first-ever regular season game in Brazil, then again in the NFC Wild Card round. The Eagles won both times. They are scheduled to meet again in Week 10 on Monday Night Football, and that game has the feel of a classic. If Alexander signs with the Eagles, it adds one more layer to an already loaded storyline. Related: Jaire Alexander's Father Has Strong Words After Packers Release This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dak Prescott Gets More Disrespect With Latest Rankings
Dak Prescott Gets More Disrespect With Latest Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO — There are some new items for fans to ponder as it pertains to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The veteran signal caller will have to show he can bounce back from another season-ending injury suffered last season and capitalize on having two elite wide receivers installed into his offense. Advertisement But the central question around Prescott, coming from his supporters and doubters alike, remains focused on one thing: when will he deliver big in the postseason. Granted, Prescott has come through for the Cowboys in key spots in January, most recently in the NFC Wild Card back in the 2022 season when Dallas torched Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Prescott is yet to lead the Cowboys to an NFC Championship Game in his tenure, an objective that has evaded the franchise as a whole since 1995. For that reason, Bleacher Report has come after Prescott, shaming him and the Cowboys for what Kristopher Knox labels the second-worst contract in the NFL. "Now, Prescott has performed better than other players on this list, when healthy, anyway. He's a three-time Pro Bowler who was a viable MVP candidate in 2023. However, he's also 31 years old, has just two career playoff wins and has missed substantial time in three of his past five seasons. Advertisement "Prescott is an above-average quarterback, but he has never been elite. There is no scenario, at this stage in his career, that he's worth $5 million per year more than any other player." Is that a fair assessment of the quarterback? Generally speaking the Cowboys have not yet seen a return on their investment, dealing with many of the same ills from years past. However, Prescott's contract has made him a target in a discussion that ignores a central truth of the NFL and the rest of professional sports for that matter: winning is extremely difficult. No matter how easy a franchise like the Kansas City Chiefs makes it look, reaching the promised land is grueling trial of a team in many categories. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, both MVP winners and heralded above Prescott in quarterback discourse, have yet to reach a Super Bowl in their careers. Advertisement This analysis of Prescott's massive contract completely fails to identify why the Cowboys made the deal in the first place. Prescott is their best chance to end this decade's long drought and there aren't better alternatives knocking on the door of the team headquarters. All teams make the same gamble on a quarterback and some never find that ultimate prize. But that does not make it a bad investment. As long as the Cowboys continue to fall short, people will continue to point back to this contract, blaming Prescott and the team for wasting away time and resources. Now that the quarterback has returned from his injury and the Cowboys have reloaded around him, Prescott stares down a prime opportunity to silence those critics and finally deliver some return on that investment. Advertisement Related: Jerry Jones To Be Played in Adult Swim TV Series Related: Cowboys 'Girl Dad' Dak Prescott Shares Emotional Father's Day Reflections This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dolphins among CBS' top landing spots for Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander
Dolphins among CBS' top landing spots for Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander On Monday, the Green Bay Packers released cornerback Jaire Alexander. The two-time Pro Bowler heads to free agency after a seven-year run with the Packers. With a likely trade of their own Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey looming, the Miami Dolphins have emerged as one of the trendy potential suitors for Alexander. CBS Sports' Jared Dubin quickly put two and two together in his top potential landing spots for Alexander. The Dolphins are trying to find a home for their own unhappy cornerback in Jalen Ramsey at the moment, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be interested in Alexander now that he's available. The secondary is already an issue for Miami's defense, and it will be even more of one if the Dolphins are able to come to an agreement on a Ramsey deal. Alexander would immediately become the top cornerback on their roster. - Jared Dubin, CBS Sports. The rationale for Miami being interested in Alexander's services and the urgency for the franchise to quickly address its secondary makes all the sense in the world. Miami's front office would need to be prepared to run the risk of adding a player who hasn't shown a great propensity to stay available if it did indeed pursue Alexander. The 28-year-old has played in just 34 of 68 possible games since 2021. Alexander has played in more than seven games in a season just once in that stretch, though the Louisville alum did earn one of his two Pro Bowl nods during that 2022 season. When healthy and at the height of his powers, Alexander is one of the top corners in the NFL. The 2018 NFL draft first-rounder has registered 287 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 12 interceptions, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his career to date. Alexander has appeared in seven postseason games throughout his NFL career and intercepted three passes in the postseason. Two came off Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady in the 2020 NFC Championship Game and another off Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in a 2023 NFC Wild Card contest.
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Vikings Linked as Possible Trade Suitor for Packers Star
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Looking ahead to the 2025 NFL season, the NFC North division once again looks to be the best in football. All four teams in the division will have a shot at making a run to the playoffs. Last year, the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Green Bay Packers all made it to the postseason. Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings are going to be an intriguing team to watch this year. They no longer have Sam Darnold under center, with second-year signal caller J.J. McCarthy set to take over the reigns at quarterback. There are also some questions marks on the defensive side of the football, especially at the cornerback position. Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings stands on the sidelines during the second half of an NFC Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Rams, at State Farm Stadium on January 13, 2025... Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings stands on the sidelines during the second half of an NFC Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Rams, at State Farm Stadium on January 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. More Photo byStephon Gilmore was a huge part of Brian Flores' defense in 2024. However, he is still a free agent it at this point there is no reason to think Minnesota is going to bring him back. Read more: Vikings Urged to Pursue Trade for Star Cornerback If the Vikings were planning to bring Gilmore back, it seems likely that they would have done so already. Minnesota should look into options to beef up its secondary. One possible option could be pursuing a trade with the arch-rival Packers. It would be a major shock, but it has been suggested by one NFL analyst. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports has suggested Minnesota as one of the possible trade destinations for Green Bay star cornerback Jaire Alexander. While he thinks Alexander will remain with the Packers when all is said and done, he name-dropped the Vikings as a possible landing spot. Alexander has been unable to stay on the field over the last two years. In both the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, he has played in just seven games. Read more: Packers Dealt Brutal Honesty About QB Jordan Love Despite that fact, the 28-year-old cornerback was very productive in seven games last season. He recorded 16 tackles, a fumble recovery, two interceptions, a defensive touchdown, and seven defended passes. More than likely, this possible option will not become a reality. Alexander would be a big step towards Super Bowl contention for Minnesota, but Green Bay seems ready to keep him. Even if the Packers were to trade him, would they really send him to the Vikings? Other possible options could include Jalen Ramsey or simply re-signing Gilmore. Either way, it would be best for the defense to add another proven cornerback for the upcoming 2025 season. For more Minnesota Vikings and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
