Tag: 2020 offseason

Watch: Andrew Wiggins shows off highlight-reel dunk at offseason workout

During an offseason workout, Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins showed off his athleticism with a highlight-reel slam dunk.

With the start of the 2021-22 NBA schedule officially on the calendar, Andrew Wiggins is putting the final touches on his extended offseason with the Golden State Warriors.

During Golden State’s lengthy layoff from game action, the former Rookie of the Year has been active in the gym. His camp has displayed a behind the scenes look at Wiggins working on his long-distance shooting, layups and handles. At a recent offseason workout with a group of fellow NBA players in Los Angeles, Wiggins looked impressive in a 1-on-1 training session.

With the NBA season approaching, Wiggins may have saved his best offseason exercise for last. On Monday, the Andrew Wiggins Enterprises Instagram account posted a video of the Golden State wing throwing down a highlight-worthy dunk.

Watch Wiggins’ explosive behind the back dunk via @wigginsenterprise on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHTQBYcFiz7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

If Wiggins can carry over his offseason dunking talent to the start of Golden State’s 2020-21 campaign, the 25-year old could provide a new dynamic to Steve Kerr’s rotation that needs a jolt of athleticism.

Following a trade to the Warriors from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the deadline, Wiggins’ first stint in the Bay Area was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During his 12-game run in Golden State, Wiggins averaged 19.4 points on 45.7% shooting from the field with 4.6 boards, 3.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest.

After working on different areas of his game throughout the offseason, Wiggins will finally get the chance to join Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the rest of his teammates at Chase Center when preseason training camp opens on Dec. 1.

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Report: League set to delay 2020 edition of the NBA Draft back till November

With the NBA and NBPA agreeing to delay the 2020 Draft and Free Agency, the Golden State Warriors will get an extension on their offseason prep.

With the league’s worst record at 15-50, the Golden State Warriors have turned their attention to the 2020 edition of the NBA Draft. While playoff action continues at the league’s Orlando Bubble, the Warriors have been waiting to make their highly-anticipated draft-day decision.

Bob Myers and Steve Kerr might be waiting a little longer to ink their place on the draft board.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the NBA and NBPA have agreed to push back “key dates” like October’s draft and free agency. Along with the two offseason fixtures, the start of the 2020-21 season could also be moved back.

Via @ShamsCharania on Twitter:

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the league could potentially reschedule the draft on November 18. According to Wojnarowski, the new draft date could be finalized “soon.”

Via @wojespn on Twitter:

Postponing the draft until November would add another month towards Golden State’s draft prep.

With a limited college basketball season due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s still mystery surrounding some of the top prospects in the 2020 pool. Although the Warriors have had an early start to their extended offseason, extra time to study the upcoming draft class could come in handy when Kerr and Myers are on the clock.

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Pittsburgh Steelers bring in 6’4 Gamecock TE for tryout

The Pittsburgh Steelers tried out a tight end from South Carolina on Wednesday.

Per usual during training camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a revolving door of tryouts. A lineman here, a wide receiver there.

On Wednesday, the Steelers brought in Kyle Markway, a 6’4 tight end out of South Carolina. In his final season as a Gamecock, Markway ranked third on the team with 31 receptions for 349 yards and two scores.

What does this mean? In the long term, probably nothing. As common as you and I waking up and going to sleep, it’s just something NFL teams do to evaluate free agents in the offseason.

In the interim, the Steelers need bodies at camp. Steelers tight end Dax Raymond came out of practice on Tuesday with an ankle injury that Tomlin said Wednesday seems to be “short term”.

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All Texans DE J.J. Watt has done during the COVID-19 pandemic is workout

Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt has spent his entire offseason working out now that COVID-19 has caused people to stay at home and avoid large gatherings.

Houston Texans defensive end has been like everyone else during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has spent most of his time at home.

Watt hasn’t left his Houston home much, and it has given him nothing to do but workout.

“There’s nothing else you can do,” Watt told reporters Aug. 1. “You can’t go out, you can’t go to the movies, you can’t go to eat, so the workout program for me this offseason has been awesome because I’ve had a full offseason to do my workouts exactly how I need to do them. I’ve been able to focus on my nutrition every single day. I’ve counted every single calorie the whole way and basically tried to fully transform my body from the beginning of the offseason until now.”

Watt says that the 2020 offseason has been “one of the best offseasons from a workout standpoint,” and that he is very pleased with the results.

“My body feels as good as it’s felt since probably 2014, 2015, somewhere around there,” said Watt. “I’m really looking forward to getting into camp and just getting to work.”

Watt missed the final eight games of the 2019 season with a torn pectoral muscle, collecting 4.0 sacks during the regular season. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was able to return for the Texans’ playoff run, and produced 1.0 sack through Houston’s two-game run.

If the Texans are able to get a 2014-15 type of Watt in 2020, it could help them win the AFC South for the third straight year.

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ESPN panel tabs Dolphins as NFL’s most improved team this offseason

ESPN panel tabs Dolphins as NFL’s most improved team this offseason

Ask just about anyone and they’ll tell you that the Miami Dolphins have gotten better this offseason. But how much better? How much of a difference can Miami’s reinforcements make for the upcoming season — especially considering that there were some concerns on whether or not the Dolphins picked the right players overall for their grand overhaul under the watch of general manager Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores.

According to a panel of ESPN analysts, the Dolphins didn’t just improve this offseason, they improved the most out of any team in the league this offseason. The roundtable featured Dan Graziano, Kevin Seifert, Jeremy Fowler and Mike Clay to weigh out which teams improved at what rate — and lo and behold the Dolphins checked in with the No. 1 spot.

Here’s what ESPN had to say about the Dolphins’ 2020 improvements:

“When you have three first-round draft picks and spend close to $200 million in free agency, you’d better be at or near the top of this list. There were some big spends on defense, including the top prize on the cornerback market in Byron Jones and a former Patriot in Van Noy to help lead former Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense. But all of that pales in comparison to Tua mania, which gives Dolphins fans hope for the future as the team builds a roster around the former Alabama superstar QB.” — Dan Graziano, ESPN.com

Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones is tabbed as the Dolphins’ only significant loss this offseason — which is an accurate assessment of Miami’s roster but also doesn’t even take into account Jones has been a shell of himself for the past year and a half, so even his loss feels like a minimal one. Not every acquisition for the Dolphins this offseason will go down as a hit. But even when taking into account the inevitable busts, Miami brought in so much talent this offseason that they’re bound to live up to the expectations set by ESPN as one of the most improved teams in the league.

Offseason NFC West Roundup: Catching up on the Los Angeles Rams

In part two of this three-part series, we review an opponent that will compete with the Seahawks for the 2020 NFC West title – the LA Rams.

As the Seattle Seahawks look to make another playoff run in the 2020 season, they face stiff competition in what could be the NFL’s toughest division next year. In the second entry of this three-part series, we review the team that finished third in the NFC West in 2019 – the Los Angeles Rams.

Los Angeles Rams

2019 record: 9-7, 3-3 NFC West

Against Seattle: 1-1

Key additions: LB Leonard Floyd, DT A’Shawn Robinson

Key losses: WR Brandin Cooks, EDGE Dante Fowler, RB Todd Gurley, LB Cory Littleton, EDGE Clay Matthews, S Eric Weddle, K Greg Zuerlein

After winning the NFC in 2018, the Rams surprised many in the 2019 season by missing the playoffs entirely (albeit with a winning record). This season, coach Sean McVay and his team look to return to their former glory in their brand-new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA., but will have to overcome the hurdle of fielding one of the thinnest rosters in the league after the departure of several key players in free agency.

The 2020 NFL Draft class could prove key to the Rams’ success this year. Second-round pick Cam Akers will immediately compete with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown to replace the void left by Todd Gurley at the RB1 position. A quick and explosive back who accumulated 3,361 yards from scrimmage and 34 touchdowns in three seasons at Florida State, Akers has plenty of experience producing big numbers behind a subpar offensive line. This bodes well for the Rams, who had the No. 26-ranked rushing attack in the league in 2019.

Their other second-round pick, wide receiver Van Jefferson, is a “vicious” route-runner who will be a strong contender to take over Brandon Cooks’ former starting spot alongside Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.

Other intriguing names from this year’s class include edge-rusher Terrell Lewis (a first-round talent and physical specimen at 6-foot-5, 262 pounds with a worrying history of injuries) and safety Terrell Burgess, who should bolster the Rams’ young safety corps with his backfield presence to balance out the strong-safety skillsets of John Johnson III and Taylor Rapp.

After receiving a substantial extension (four years, $134 million) in September of 2019 that set an NFL record for guaranteed money, quarterback Jared Goff has plenty to prove in 2020 after a disappointing post-Super Bowl campaign in which he passed for just 22 touchdowns while also throwing 16 interceptions.

He is not fully to blame, Gurley’s regression essentially took away the Rams’ rushing threat and put more pressure on the passing attack, while several key injuries ravaged the offensive line, which frequently sent Goff running for his life. In December, he showed signs of returning to 2018 form, throwing 11 TDs and four picks with a 66.2 completion percentage.

New offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell certainly has faith in Goff, announcing an intention to give the fifth-year quarterback “some ownership” of the offense. However, the jury is out on how much of an impact O’Connell will have on gamedays, as McVay has previously stated that he is unlikely to ever give up playcalling. Still, the hire of O’Connell, who worked with McVay under former coach Jay Gruden in Washington, indicates that McVay might be ready to relinquish some control of the offense.

(Part one: Arizona Cardinals)

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Dwayne Haskins is playing chess to improve decision-making ahead of 2020 season

We’ve seen the physical transformation Haskins is going through in the 2020 offseason, but he’s also working hard to improve his mental game.

We’ve seen the workout videos and the bombs that Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins has been letting loose on the field this offseason, and nearly every fan of the team is hoping that it leads to success in the regular season and beyond.

However, it’s important to note that not all of Haskins’ struggles were physical in 2019 — a lot had to to with mental decisions on third downs, and even some maturity questions off the field. So while we can’t see how that side of his game is improving, we are at least getting more information on what the young QB is doing in order to build up his mental fortitude.

He’s been playing a lot of chess.

While working with QB trainer Quincy Avery, Haskins has been joining up with other NFL players to improve an intangible skill: brainpower.

“I got each of my quarterbacks with a chess pro, Seth Makowsky,” Avery said on The MMQB Podcast. “So I got them all playing chess to that we can start coming up with procedures that we can go through not only in chess but at the line of scrimmage.

“So the same way we go to a chessboard, I look left to right, identify my threats, where am I under attack, how can I attack them… those are the same sort of steps that I need to take when I approach the line of scrimmage.”

It may not result in more accurate passes or a few extra scrambling yards, but being able to dissect schemes at the line of scrimmage should directly result in fewer sacks and better blitz pick-ups.

“What’s the front, which way are the safeties rotating, who can bring me pressure, how do I protect myself from that pressure, how do I attack the defense,” Avery said, drawing a parallel from the chess board to the gridiron. “”It’s having a checklist of things that you ned to do every time you come to the line of scrimmage so you’re not wasting mental energy trying to figure things out at the last minute, so you’re not getting beat by blitzes because you just didn’t check something that you should’ve checked and you would’ve if you had the same process every time you came to the line of scrimmage.

“If I get my guys doing this and each one of them has really bought in… I think that it’s going to pay real dividends and these guys are going to reap the benefits this upcoming season.

Later in the interview, Avery went on to commend Haskins for his growth in 2019 despite being in a tough situation, and he even said that he believes the Redskins QB has one of the better Football IQs that he’s been around. Based on the physical improvements we’ve seen from Haskins this offseason, we can only hope that all of this work will start to show itself on the field in 2020 and that it will result in more successes and wins.

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WATCH: Mitchell Trubisky works with Bears skill position players in on-field workout

This offseason, QB Mitchell Trubisky has been leading on-field workouts with Bears skill position players in the area. See highlights here.

This offseason, NFL players have had to find unique ways to stay in shape and get some work in due to an entirely virtual offseason amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Bears head coach Matt Nagy ended the team’s offseason program a week and a half early so that players could take the time to train between now and the start of training camp next month.

This offseason, we’ve heard about Mitchell Trubisky leading on-field workouts with Bears skill position players that are in the Chicago area, including receiver Allen Robinson, running backs David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen and tight ends Demetrius Harris and Cole Kmet.

Following a disappointing outing on offense, these sessions have been focusing on perfecting routes and fine-tuning things before they can hit the field and practice against their defense in camp.

One of Montgomery’s friends George Gaza shared a video of one of those workout sessions, which featured Trubisky, Robinson, Montgomery, Kmet, center Cody Whitehair and tight end Eric Saubert.

Take a look at what Trubisky, Robinson, Montgomery, Kmet, Saubert and more have been up to during this offseason.

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Where is each AFC East team’s biggest weakness in 2020?

Where is each AFC East team’s biggest weakness in 2020?

The AFC East landscape looks drastically different than it did 18 months ago when the Dolphins embraced the idea of a rebuild. And this looming shift appears to be a part of Miami’s plans, too — because when all the young talent comes of age for the Miami Dolphins, the continued evolution of the East will have Miami square in the thick of things.

That’s the plan, anyway. As we brace for the 2020 season, where is each AFC East team weakest? Can the Dolphins capitalize?

Buffalo Bills

Biggest weakness: Consistent QB play

If Josh Allen could play the Dolphins every week, he’d be an All-Pro. But alas, he does not. Instead, Allen struggles greatly against opponents elsewhere in the league, which prevents Buffalo from having needed clarity on just how good he actually is — and what the team’s ceiling is with him behind center.

Miami Dolphins

Biggest weakness: Experience

Miami is talented — which is something that couldn’t have been said 12 months ago. But Miami is also young. And that youth will inevitably need some time to incubate and come around. Miami may overcome their general inexperience to be a competitor in 2020; but a lack of chemistry and a lack of experience seems to be the biggest barrier for now. As the team develops, more defined areas of needed improvement will declare themselves.

New England Patriots

Biggest weakness: Long-term quarterback outlook

Tom Brady isn’t a member of the New England Patriots anymore. Has that really sunk in yet? It feels surreal to think about — even though we’ve known it to be true for three months now. The Patriots’ quarterback room is comprised of Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer. And the team isn’t supposed to be brutally bad in 2020, meaning they aren’t likely to sniff a top QB prospect in next year’s draft, either.

New York Jets

Biggest weakness: Coaching

The Jets continue to remain committed to head coach Adam Gase. The team plucked hollow wins in the second half of the year, which has apparently instilled some confidence that Gase is the right man for the job. But Dolphins fans have seen this song and dance up close and personal before — and Gase hasn’t changed his stripes. His team still struggles offensively, he still struggles with player relations and his team is undisciplined on the field.

Where did each AFC East team improve the most in 2020?

Where did each AFC East team improve the most in 2020?

The AFC East landscape looks drastically different than it did 18 months ago when the Dolphins embraced the idea of a rebuild. And this looming shift appears to be a part of Miami’s plans, too — because when all the young talent comes of age for the Miami Dolphins, the continued evolution of the East will have Miami square in the thick of things.

That’s the plan, anyway. As we brace for the 2020 season, where has each team most improved?

Buffalo Bills

Most Improved: Big play potential

Adding WR Stefon Diggs to an already promising supporting cast is going to leave QB Josh Allen with very few excuses this season. Allen has surprised with his team success — and although he’s still a very high variance quarterback, he’s found more success than his doubters seemed to embrace back in 2018. Diggs was an expensive purchase for the Bills — but the team thinks they are “close” to a big breakthrough. If they are, and if Diggs brings the explosive plays needed to push them over the edge, he’ll be worth it.

Miami Dolphins

Most Improved: Secondary

Miami was playing good football at the end of the year while effectively playing street free agents in the secondary. Getting Xavien Howard and Bobby McCain healthy will help the cause. So, too, will the additions of Byron Jones and Noah Igbinoghene this offseason as prized add-ons. The Dolphins’ blueprint for coverage is clear — they’re going to press you and bring the heat.

New England Patriots

Most Improved: Offensive scheme diversity

The Patriots were one of the first teams to make multiple tight ends a staple of their personnel groupings. It’s a strategy that, when featuring competent players, will stress opposing defenses to match the run/pass versatility a team can bring to the field. The Patriots’ tight end group was in sorry shape last season — so the Patriots went out and added two 3rd-round pass catching targets to the mix to help bolster the diversity of the offense; which was key in life after Tom Brady.

New York Jets

Most Improved: Offensive line

The Jets’ offensive line still shouldn’t be considered “good”, but adding a promising mauler in Mekhi Becton to the mix while also tacking on center Connor McGovern in free agency should help. The Jets’ offense was in sorry shape last season under the direction of Adam Gase — although if Miami’s experiences are any indication, we’re not sure the help up front is going to bring different results.