Tag: Edge

Broncos select pass rusher in new 2025 NFL mock draft

Draft Wire’s recent 2025 NFL mock draft has the Broncos selecting pass rusher James Pearce.

The Denver Broncos sit at 5-5 through the first 10 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, and they’re in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. As a result, in Draft Wire’s newest mock draft, the Broncos are projected to pick 19th overall.

According to author Curt Popejoy, the Broncos are going to bolster their top-5 defense with another pass-rusher in the form of Tennessee EDGE James Pearce.

Pearce (6-5, 243 pounds) is a massive body Denver could use to stop the likes of AFC heavyweights Derrick Henry in the rush game and be a formidable foe for quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson off the edge.

In 2023, as a sophomore, Pearce led the SEC with 10 sacks. In 2024, Pearce found himself on several preseason collegiate watch lists, and is a semi-finalist for several individual awards.

Pearce would be a huge addition to an already-stout Broncos defense that is in the top three in quarterback pressures, blitz rates, sacks and yards-per-dropback in 2024. The unit has proved to be one of the best in the NFL, but Denver could look to add more depth and competition next spring.

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Steelers’ T.J. Watt named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

T.J. Watt conquered the Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 8. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his elite play.

T.J. Watt is inevitable.  Opposing quarterbacks can hope and pray to contain him, but there is no stopping the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year.  QB Daniel Jones found this out the hard way when he was on the receiving end of two-sacks and a forced fumble from Watt in Week 8.

For his efforts in the Steelers’ victory over the Giants—compiling seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery—Watt has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Pittsburgh fans have enjoyed a plethora of elite pass-rushers in the Steel City, but T.J. personifies a hard-working attitude both on and off the field, arguably more than any Steelers player before him. 

In earning what is now his eighth-AFC Defensive Player of the Week award, Watt’s accomplishments continue to further cement his place among the all-time great defenders to ever play in the NFL.

While Watt is playing at an elite level, his pursuit of another D.P.O.Y award in 2024 is not his ultimate goal, but is instead to bring his team their seventh Super Bowl championship.

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HC Mike Tomlin offers inspirational wisdom to practice squad

Mike Tomlin is doing his best scouting within his own team’s practice squad—looking for the next batch of elevations to rush the passer.

Injuries have hit both sides of the ball hard for Pittsburgh. With Alex Highsmith out with a groin injury until at least Week 7, and Nick Herbig recently suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5, the depth at outside linebacker/edge rusher is looking grim.

While some free agency signings are expected, Mike Tomlin is more focused on inspiring the next group of practice squad members who can earn their way onto the game day roster.

One such practice squad member, outside linebacker Adetokunbo Ogundeji, shared that Tomlin has offered motivating words to the group: “We’re not just here to stay on the practice squad. We’re here to try and get up and play.”

https://twitter.com/Aaron_M_Becker/status/1844119538700517513

A team that preaches accountability from its practice squad to its starters is a team fans can take pride in. However, Tomlin’s ‘encouraging’ words will need to carry more weight, as the Steelers, coming off back-to-back losses, cannot afford to lose a third game with the AFC North race tightening.

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ESPN NFL draft analyst calls Dallas Turner to the Vikings ‘his favorite pick in the draft’

Vikings Dallas Turner named one of the favorite picks from the 2024 NFL draft

The 2024 NFL draft was another massive success for the Alabama Crimson Tide as the program had 10 players drafted with three being selected in the first round.

Offensive tackle [autotag]JC Latham[/autotag] was the first Nick Saban-produced player off the board as the Tennessee Titans used the No. 7 overall pick on their left tackle of the future. EDGE [autotag]Dallas Turner[/autotag] was the third defensive player taken in the draft at No. 17 overall to the Minnesota Vikings who traded back up in the draft to go get him. CB [autotag]Terrion Arnold[/autotag] was the final Alabama player selected in the first round as the Detroit Lions used the No. 24 pick on him. All three former Crimson Tide standouts will be day-one starters with chances to be massive impact players immediately.

Part of it is probably because they played together in college, but many people have compared Turner to the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, [autotag]Will Anderson[/autotag]. So, there are a lot of expectations for Turner to be one of the better players on the defensive side of the ball from day one.

Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst for ESPN, also shares high regards for Turner. Reid listed Turner as his favorite pick in the entire draft saying, “Minnesota hasn’t drafted an edge rusher in the first two rounds since 2005. The team needed to replenish its talent off of the edge after losing Danielle Hunter in free agency. While the team signed Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel during free agency, Turner provides a high upside as a pass-rusher in Brian Flores’ defense. Turner led Alabama with 10 sacks and 45 pressures last season.”

The NFC North is loaded with offensive talent between the Packers and Jordan Love, the Lions and Jared Goff, the Bears, and Caleb Williams. With elite QB play like this in the division, Minnesota knows it will be a top priority to rush the passer in the coming years.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

20 best players available for Ravens on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft

Day One of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was a historic night. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, and 23 offensive players were selected, the most ever. Baltimore was able to land one of the top cornerbacks on the …

Day One of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was a historic night. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, and 23 offensive players were selected, the most ever.

Baltimore was able to land one of the top cornerbacks on the board without trading up.

Rounds two and three will play out on Friday night, and the Eagles will have two picks in Round 2 and none in Round 3.

Here is our list of the best players on the board during day two of the NFL draft.

WWE Money in the Bank winners — Every briefcase winner and how they fared when cashing in

Check out the complete history of WWE Money in the Bank winners, including every briefcase winner and how they fared when cashing in.

Originally the brainchild of Chris Jericho, the Money in the Bank Ladder Match has gone from being an entertaining gimmick match to one of the most anticipated subplots of any WWE calendar year. It’s changed and expanded to multiple brands and the women’s division, and become the focus of its own event, joining the likes of WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam as one of the most important that WWE puts on.

At its core, however, is a simple and compelling idea: Whoever outfights and outwits a group of hungry competitors and grabs the namesake briefcase has a guaranteed title shot they can use any time, any place, for one year. It’s the WWE’s equivalent of a golden ticket, and the anticipation for when a briefcase might get cashed in has become drama in its own right.

As Money in the Bank has risen in prominence, its history has grown as well. Let’s take a look at a complete history of WWE Money in the Bank winners, including how the winners fared when they eventually cashed in their contracts.

Last updated on April 7, 2024.

Elimination Chamber winners: Every WWE wrestler to win an Elimination Chamber match

Check out our Elimination Chamber winners list, with details on every WWE wrestler to enter and win Elimination Chamber matches since 2002.

The Elimination Chamber is the answer to a question many wrestling fans probably never thought they’d ask: What’s more formidable than a match inside a steel cage?

WWE came up with it anyway in 2002. Said to be the brainchild of Triple H and Eric Bischoff, the Elimination Chamber combines the brutality of a steel cage match with the chaos and “who’s next” suspense of the Royal Rumble. And the structure itself is a key component, with its roofed cage and four pods — which have become central to some of the match’s most creative spots over the years.

Like the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber has gone on to become the star of its own series of premium live events, with men’s and women’s versions of its namesake match. Not bad for a gimmick match that was originally a brand-only affair.

After the 2023 Elimination Chamber event in Montreal, WWE will be past 30 total Elimination Chamber matches, with no end in sight. Let’s take a look back at every winner since the first one was held in 1992.

Dallas Turner considered the consensus top edge rusher in 2024 NFL draft

Dallas Turner departs from Alabama to The NFL draft, and he ranks unbelievably high.

Former Alabama standout player Dallas Turner is preparing for the upcoming 2024 NFL draft. Experts believe that he is the top edge rusher in the class, so it’s his spot to lose in the draft process.

Recently, ESPN draft experts got together to reveal their positional rankings for the upcoming draft. When it came to the edge rusher position, all four experts had Turner at No. 1.

In his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, Turner posted strong numbers as an underclassman at Alabama. As a freshman, he had 30 tackles, 8.5 sacks and a single fumble recovery. In his sophomore season, he totaled 37 tackles, four sacks, one fumble recovery and a defensive touchdown.

However, his numbers significantly improved as a junior in 2023, which can be attributed to the fact that Will Anderson Jr. had left the program for the NFL. Last season, Turner had 53 tackles, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. He was a force to be reckoned with.

There is still some time before the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, and Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the process as key dates approach.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Royal Rumble winners list: Every wrestler to win a WWE Royal Rumble

Check out a full list of WWE Royal Rumble winners over the years, plus fun stats on entry number, most eliminations and more.

There’s nothing in pro wrestling quite like the Royal Rumble. While there have been and always will be other battle royals, WWE has distilled the over-the-top extravaganza into something that has withstood the test of time.

Since 1988, the promotion has had at least one Royal Rumble a year, with one for men and women held annually since 2018. Not only have fans fallen in love with the core concept, to the point that they enthusiastically count down from 10 each time a new wrestler enters the fray, they’ve also come to expect legends and surprises — which WWE generally delivers.

Another great aspect that has become part of the Royal Rumble’s DNA over time is the prize: an opportunity to challenge for a world championship at WrestleMania, making the Rumble the official kickoff on the road to WWE’s biggest show of each calendar year.

Naturally, that means it’s quite an honor to win a Rumble match. Even with the event heading toward its 40th anniversary later this decade, the list of Royal Rumble winners is still a pretty exclusive club.

Let’s take a look at every Royal Rumble winner ever, year by year.

Adam Copeland on his Judgment Day run not working: Fans wanted to ‘cheer for this guy they didn’t get for 9 years’

While he created The Judgment Day, Adam Copeland understands why this character didn’t work for him in WWE.

The long, final chapter of Adam Copeland‘s WWE career as Edge was his involvement with The Judgment Day. He created the group, only to be turned on as Finn Balor joined the group, prompting a feud between the WWE Hall of Famer and his former stablemates.

Nobody anticipated how quickly Judgment Day’s evolution would occur. Copeland formed the group and was turned on seemingly overnight, jumping from beginning to end of a longer story. It seemed fast, and apparently, the plans called him to stay with this group for a longer period of time, with the same conclusion.

Copeland discussed on Talk is Jericho what was meant to happen with Judgment Day, explaining the original plans fell through to prolong his involvement with the stable (h/t Fightful for transcription).

“When we were doing Judgment Day, the plan was that Balor joins and about a year later, they all turn on me. Well, then I got to Hell in a Cell and it was like, no, we’re changing everything and we’re speeding up that year long process and he’s joining tomorrow and turning tomorrow, and it was just starting to find some legs, but it was going to be swimming upstream with me in it. It really was. I started to have that realization. It’s like, I don’t think they’re gonna get where they need to get to with me in this thing. People know the real story and that was an instance where I did try and flip everything, change it all overnight, cut my hair off, change the music, and start coming out in suits. I tried changing everything and I realized at this stage, it’s not what they want, at least for me. They wanted to be able to cheer for this guy that they didn’t get for nine years.”

Once COVID-19 crowd restrictions lifted, fans were eager to cheer Copeland, whom they had followed and grown to love since the Attitude Era. No one could see him for a chunk of his full-time WWE return — a comeback once seemingly impossible to happen due to neck injuries. So instead of forcing jeers, WWE logically reverted the Rated-R Superstar to a face.

Copeland has started off with AEW as a face, but it won’t be shocking if he tries with his heel chops again later on. In a different pro wrestling company, he might have a different experience as a heel once the honeymoon phase of his debut wears off.