Welcome to the Thursday version of the Decide Six e-newsletter!
The countdown is formally on: As of at this time, we’re precisely two weeks away from the beginning of the 2025 season, which jogs my memory, in the event you’re in a Fantasy league, meaning you’ve gotten simply 14 days to get your draft achieved. I am in 4 completely different leagues and I’ve achieved precisely zero drafts, as a result of they have not been scheduled but. The commissioner in every of my leagues has fallen asleep on the wheel. I have to go wake them up. Whereas I try this, you may learn at this time’s e-newsletter.
As all the time, here is your every day reminder to inform all your mates to join the e-newsletter. To get them signed up, all you must do is click on right here. Let’s get to the rundown.
1. Two preseason video games are occurring tonight: Listed below are two causes to look at every one
The ultimate week of the preseason shall be kicking off tonight with two video games and I am right here to offer you two the explanation why you need to watch every sport.
Steelers at Panthers (7 p.m. ET, NFL Community)
- Panthers: We have now a kicking battle. Matthew Wright and rookie Ryan Fitzgerald are duking it out to win the kicking job in Carolina. Fitzgerald, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, has hit two discipline objectives in the course of the preseason with a protracted of 52. Wright is 0-for-1 in the course of the preseason with a miss from 55. Wright has kicked in 29 NFL video games in his profession, so he undoubtedly has the expertise edge over Fitzgerald, however that will not assist him if he cannot put the ball by way of the uprights.
- Steelers: Jalen Ramsey and the beginning secondary will play. Aaron Rodgers will NOT be enjoying tonight, however Mike Tomlin may have a number of defensive starters on the sphere, together with Ramsey. The Steelers acquired Ramsey in a June 30 commerce and tonight will mark his preseason debut with the crew.
Patriots at Giants (8 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime)
- Patriots: One other kicking battle. The Patriots have had two kickers in coaching camp this 12 months and it appears to be like just like the battle between Andy Borregales vs. John Parker Romo goes all the way down to the wire. Parker Romo has made all 5 of his kicks in the course of the preseason (two discipline objectives and three further factors), together with a protracted of 57. As for Borregales, he is 5 of 6 together with his solely miss coming from 57. If both kicker struggles tonight, that would find yourself being sufficient to value them the job. Borregales was taken with a sixth-round decide this 12 months, so if the competitors finally ends up being too near name, it looks like he’ll most likely get the job.
- Giants: Cornerback battle is getting good. Deonte Banks has been locked in as a beginning nook since two years in the past when the Giants made him a first-round decide, however there isn’t any assure he wins the job this 12 months. He is been battling Cor’Dale Flott, who additionally has been a starter for the previous two years. The Giants added Paulson Adebo in free company this 12 months and he’ll be the starter on one facet with the winner of this battle beginning on the other facet. Flott performed fairly properly towards Garrett Wilson final week and if he performs like that once more on Thursday, that may give the Giants one thing severe to consider. Flott was extra of an inside nook for his first three years, however he appears to be getting increasingly more snug on the surface.
If you wish to try the total preseason schedule for the weekend, we have got that right here.
2. 4 trades went down on Wednesday: Skyy Moore shipped out West, Jets make two offers
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It has been fairly quiet on the commerce entrance over the previous few weeks, however the floodgates opened on Wednesday with 4 trades in a span of simply hours. Let’s try the 4 offers that went down.
CHIEFS-49ERS
The 49ers did not have to surrender very a lot compensation to amass Moore and he’ll solely value them $1.5 million in base wage in 2025, so it is a low-risk gamble with a shot at a excessive reward. We really graded the Moore commerce and you may try our grades right here.
BRONCOS-SAINTS
Properly, take a look at what we’ve right here: Sean Payton buying and selling together with his previous crew.
At 6-foot-5, Vele offers the Saints a tall weapon that their receiving room is missing proper now. As a rookie in Denver final 12 months, he caught 41 passes for for 475 yards and three touchdowns. Though Vele would not but know who shall be throwing him the ball, he needs to be a strong pink zone goal for the one that finally ends up profitable the QB job.
In different commerce information, the Jets obtained extraordinarily busy on Wednesday by making TWO TRADES.
JETS-VIKINGS
JETS-BROWNS
Buying Phillips was the large transfer right here as a result of he’ll nearly definitely find yourself beginning in Week 1 for the Jets. Phillips, who began 51 video games at defensive sort out for the Vikings over the previous three seasons, hasn’t missed a sport since 2021.
3. QB2 matchmaker: Discovering touchdown spots for Jameis Winston and different expendable backups
With the NFL preseason nearly over, it is develop into fairly clear that there are a number of QB rooms across the NFL the place there’s going to be an odd man out. As an illustration, the Giants at present have Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston and it will not be stunning in the event that they solely hold two of these guys (Wilson and Dart). If that occurs, we might see Winston get traded, even when the Giants are insisting that he will not be traded.
With that in thoughts, Tyler Sullivan took a take a look at a number of backup quarterbacks who might get dealt and the place they could find yourself:
- Giants QB Jameis Winston to the Vikings. Minnesota is about handy the keys to the franchise over to 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy, and do not have a lot behind him in the meanwhile. Sam Howell is the highest backup, however he is put collectively a lackluster preseason which included finishing simply one among his 5 passes for 13 yards and an interception towards New England. If the Vikings are nervous about their depth behind a first-year starter, Winston offers them somebody who has 87 regular-season begins beneath his belt.
- Browns QB Kenny Pickett to the Cowboys. Joe Flacco is formally QB1 in Cleveland. That now leaves Pickett together with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in reserve roles behind him. In concept, the Browns might elect to maintain all 4 quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, however that is a lofty quantity. If they do not need to try this and need to proceed growing each Gabriel (a third-round decide) and Sanders (fifth), Pickett immediately turns into the odd man out. … The Cowboys might be within the QB2 market after Joe Milton III has endured a hot-and-cold preseason the place he is thrown interceptions in each exhibitions.
Sullivan additionally got here up with some touchdown spots for Kirk Cousins and Taylor Heinicke and you may test these out right here.
4. Anthony Richardson touchdown spots: The place QB might find yourself if Colts resolve to maneuver on
Sure, we simply coated some quarterback touchdown spots, however we determined to offer Anthony Richardson his personal part after he went down in flames towards Daniel Jones within the Colts’ QB battle. Richardson was the fourth general decide within the NFL Draft simply two years in the past, however now, his future is up within the air.
So the place might he find yourself if the Colts resolve to maneuver on? Jordan Dajani got here up with a number of touchdown spots and we will try two of them.
- Ravens. The Ravens have a historical past of being intrigued by dual-threat quarterbacks to position behind Lamar Jackson. They signed Robert Griffin III to again up Joe Flacco and Jackson in 2018, and added Tyler Huntley as an undrafted free agent in 2020 — who ended up being chosen to the Professional Bowl in 2022. Baltimore additionally drafted Hint McSorley out of Penn State the 12 months after choosing Jackson, and drafted Kentucky’s Devin Leary within the sixth spherical in 2024. Richardson is clearly a a lot greater title than Huntley, McSorley or Leary, however he could be a really intriguing backup plan for Jackson.
- Rams. The Rams might commerce for Richardson this upcoming offseason, and have him be taught beneath Stafford earlier than giving him a bump in pay to be the starter in 2027 — when he turns 27. Sean McVay is an offensive mastermind that has gotten probably the most out of all his quarterbacks. Richardson might be the following one.
Dajani got here up with a complete of 5 touchdown spots and you may try all of them right here.
5. Bullet was fired into Andy Reid’s workplace in Might 2024
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Chiefs coach Andy Reid went by way of a daunting scenario in 2024 when a bullet was shot into his workplace, and by some means, the information in regards to the incident did not come out till this week when the story was reported by the Kansas Metropolis Star. The incident occurred simply three months have Reid led the Chiefs to a Tremendous Bowl LVIII win over the 49ers.
Here is what you have to know in regards to the scenario:
- A bullet missed hitting Andy Reid by about 15 toes. Throughout the early morning hours of Might 4, 2024, somebody fired three pictures on the Chiefs’ apply facility. One of many pictures broke by way of the glass in Reid’s workplace and ended up going by way of a wall that was roughly 15 toes from his desk. The scary half is that Reid was sitting at his desk on the time, so this might have been a severe tragedy. As for the 2 different bullets, one landed on the third flooring and the opposite one hit an air con unit.
- No arrests have been made. A Police Division spokesperson instructed the Star that no arrests have been made for the incident. If a suspect does get arrested, she or he shall be charged with aggravated assault “as a result of the constructing was occupied on the time of the bullet coming by way of the window.”
- Reid now has bulletproof glass in his workplace. Though the Chiefs did not publicize the scenario, they did ramp up safety at their apply facility. Reid’s workplace is now protected by bulletproof glass in order that he would not have to fret about something like this sooner or later.
It is a fairly wild story and we have obtained extra particulars right here.
6. Further factors: Former NFL coach needs to see Jim Harbaugh suspended
It was a busy 24 hours within the NFL, and because it’s almost unattainable to maintain monitor of all the pieces that occurred, I went forward and put collectively a roundup for you.
- City Meyer needs to see the NFL droop Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers head coach obtained hit with a hefty punishment by the NCAA final week for infractions that he dedicated whereas at Michigan. Former Jaguars coach City Meyer thinks the NFL ought to droop Harbaugh over this example. To make his level, Meyer, who as soon as coached at Ohio State, alluded to the truth that former OSU coach Jim Tressell and former QB Terrelle Pryor have been each punished by the NFL for infractions they dedicated whereas in school. The NFL has but to touch upon the Harbaugh scenario.
- Buccaneers set to burn roster spot for Chris Godwin. The Bucs’ star receiver probably will not be capable to play till October, however the crew is planning to maintain him on their 53-man roster till then. The Bucs might have positioned Godwin on the PUP checklist to begin the season, which might have induced him to overlook the primary 4 video games, however the crew is clearly hoping he may be obtainable earlier than that. Godwin continues to be recovering from a fractured ankle he suffered final season in Week 7.
- Cowboys coach expects to have Micah Parsons in Week 1. New Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer says he “feels good” in regards to the probabilities of Parsons enjoying in Week 1 towards the Eagles. This information comes even if Jerry Jones nonetheless hasn’t talked to Parsons’ agent at any level lately. Both Schottenheimer is aware of one thing we do not or he is establishing everybody in Dallas for lots of disappointment. You’ll be able to try his full feedback right here.
- Texans starter going through civil lawsuit. Two months after being arrested on a cost of felony home violence, Jimmie Ward is now being sued by the girl he allegedly assaulted. Within the lawsuit, which was obtained by ABC 13 in Texas, the alleged sufferer believes that Ward “was beneath the affect of methamphetamines, particularly, crystal meth.” That might spell much more hassle for Ward, who’s accused of bodily and sexually assaulting the girl, who’s the mom of his youngster. We have got extra particulars on the case right here.
