Tag: Workout

Cowboys work out former first-round WR Laquon Treadwell

Treadwell was compared to DeAndre Hopkins coming out of Ole Miss, but hasn’t lived up to expectations over 7 seasons with 4 NFL teams. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys held their annual “Dallas Day” workout on Friday, and among the local prospects to audition for the team were a few veteran players who are also looking for a new opportunity in the league.

Former first-round draft pick Laquon Treadwell laced up his cleats and did some work with the team, as first reported by 105.3 The Fan’s Cowboys insider Bobby Belt. ESPN’s Field Yates confirmed the news later in the day.

The 27-year-old wide receiver was selected 23rd overall in 2016 and played for four seasons in Minnesota, though he never lived up to high expectations that saw him compared to DeAndre Hopkins prior to the draft.

After a single season in Atlanta, scoring two touchdowns in 2020, the Ole Miss product moved on to Jacksonville, where he logged a career-high 434 receiving yards in 2021. Treadwell spent last season in Seattle, appearing in just six games.

Dallas is still searching for additional wide receiver depth, even after trading for free agent Brandin Cooks earlier this month. While Cooks is expected to form a talented trio with CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, the list of names behind them on the Cowboys depth chart is largely untested.

Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko, and return specialist KaVontae Turpin make up the main backups at receiver; Antonio Callaway, Dontario Drummond, and Dennis Houston have been practice-squad players. Longtime Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton is currently a free agent whose status for 2023 is technically unknown.

Despite Treadwell’s availability and first-round pedigree, Dallas is apparently in no hurry to add him to the 2023 roster. NFL insider Josina Anderson tweeted Friday afternoon that the Cowboys “don’t have imminent plans to sign” Treadwell, citing a source.

The team is expected to also consider several wide receivers in next month’s draft.

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Saints send heavy contingent to Tulane pro day, RB coach works out Tyjae Spears

The Saints sent a heavy contingent to Tulane’s pro day, with RB coach Joel Thomas putting Tyjae Spears through his paces:

Tulane held its pro day for prospects in the 2023 NFL draft on Thursday, and the New Orleans Saints were well-represented. The Saints sent a heavy contingent to Yulman Stadium to observe workouts and, at least in one case, direct them.

All eyes were on star running back prospect Tyjae Spears, who helped power the Green Wave to the best season in school history and a stunning upset of USC in the Cotton Bowl. The Saints got an up-close-and-personal look at him during Thursday’s pro day workout. Check the sights and sounds from the scene we’ve gathered below:

Saints skip Odell Beckham Jr.’s free agent workout, could still be in the mix

The Saints skipped Odell Beckham Jr.’s workout, but they could still be in the mix. CBS Sports reports ‘at least one team very interested’ in him didn’t make the trip:

Odell Beckham Jr. is 13 months removed from ACL surgery and finally ready to play again, but will the New Orleans Saints make another run at him? The three-time Pro Bowler and very proud former LSU Tiger recently hit the field in front of interested teams ahead of free agency.

A dozen teams showed up, but the Saints weren’t among them — CBS Sports reported that the Panthers, Patriots, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Chiefs, Vikings, Ravens, and Jets were joined by Beckham’s three former teams (the Giants, Browns, and Rams) at his Arizona workout, where he was said to be moving well and caught everything thrown his way.

That’s not to say the Saints aren’t interested; we don’t know that one way or another. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that “at least one team very interested” in Beckham chose to not make the trip because they were comfortable in their evaluation of him. Maybe that’s the Saints. Maybe it’s one of the other 20 teams who weren’t spotted in attendance.

Regardless, the Saints have their own issues to work out internally at receiver before they can start adding to the group. They need to put a dot on their in-the-works extension with Michael Thomas and consider whether to re-sign free agents like Jarvis Landry, Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harty, and Kevin White. There’s been a lot of smoke linking him to New Orleans in the past — some of it sparked by Beckham himself — but it remains to be seen if it’s legitimate interest or just a negotiating tactic with other serious bidders.

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Cowboys skip Beckham’s workout; does it mean anything?

12 teams attended Odell Beckham Jr.’s private workout. The Cowboys were not among them, but it may be because they’ve already decided. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Odell Beckham Jr. was on a football field once again, running routes and catching passes for an assembled collection of 12 NFL team scouts and representatives as the free agent wide receiver looks to sign with a new squad following his 13-month recovery from ACL surgery.

But despite the very public courting that went nowhere between the two sides last fall, the Cowboys were not in attendance at an Arizona Sun Devils’ practice field Friday.

According to CBS Sports, the Panthers, Patriots, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Chiefs, Vikings, Ravens, and Jets were present at Beckham’s private workout, along with all three of Beckham’s previous teams: the Giants, Browns, and Rams.

The Cowboys’ absence leaves fans to wonder if the team has decided against pursuing the three-time Pro Bowler whose last game appearance was Super Bowl LVI with the Rams.

The Cowboys met with Beckham in December, as did the Giants, and Bills. He did not work out for teams at that time.

Several Cowboys players made a very public play for Beckham to join the team leading up to and then during a two-day visit. The Dallas front office had suggested that they were interested in signing him to help the team’s air attack during the regular season but ultimately chose not to add him to the roster and signed T.Y. Hilton instead.

The Dallas Morning News reported this past week that a person close to the situation claimed the Cowboys “would be comfortable” signing Beckham “if the money and health were right.”

Reports from Friday’s workout state that Beckham showed great hands and looked “noticeably muscular.” He still looks like a receiver who can help a receiver-needy offense, even if he may have lost a slight step at 30 years old and with multiple knee injuries in his past.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted that he’s done his own research on the talented wide receiver, telling the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he had reached out to Beckham’s mother, and that the pair had “a very impressive conversation.”

Maybe the club has elected to go a different route, perhaps looking at another free agent like the just-released Adam Thielen or a trade target such as DeAndre Hopkins.

Or maybe that chat was enough to convince the Cowboys that a trip to the desert wasn’t necessary.

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How does Justin Rose treat his body like a temple? He bought his own gym on wheels with hot and cold plunges, steam room and infrared saunas that travels the PGA Tour

“It’s made a massive difference, I think.”

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Justin Rose treats his body like a temple.

The 42-year-old Rose has battled nagging back injuries in recent years, including having to pull out of the British Open at St. Andrews in July. It has led him to take extreme measures to keep his body healthy enough to perform at the highest level.

But Rose isn’t just eating a salad instead of a burger and fries. He purchased his own traveling gym that travels from tournament to tournament and allows him to work out and recover. It’s no stretch to say that it played an integral role in his victory two weeks ago at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his 11th career PGA Tour victory and 23rd title worldwide. It also snapped a winless drought that had stretched back to the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open

“It’s made a massive difference, I think,” Rose said. “It’s a stripped-down RV with hot and cold plunges, steamed shower and infrared sauna and all those other modalities. It’s a place for me to go. It has a coffee machine and all the creature comforts.”

Rose has returned to living full-time in London with his family and his kids are attending schools there. But this isn’t a RV that he lives in on the road as other players such as Jason Day and more recently Jordan Spieth do. Rose believes he’s the only player on Tour with his own gym on wheels, something he invested in and began using on Tour in June 2021.

“I realize there are certain things I’ve done in my life that don’t make my professional career easier so how do I combat that?” he said. “Those are steps I’ve taken to continue to fight the curve. The RV has everything to do with health and wellness. I’m not getting any younger.”

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Cold, blustery conditions forced the Pebble Beach tournament into a Monday finish. When play was suspended, Rose retreated to his personal gym.

“The ice bath after a 50-degree day is less appealing,” he said. “There are days when I feel a little banged up.”

In addition to monitoring his health and wellness on the road, Rose has benefited from the wisdom of swing instructor Mark Blackburn. They started working together in November when Rose became fed up with a run of middling performances far below his standards.

“I figured there had to be something I’m missing,” said Rose, who worked with Sean Foley for the bulk of his career, including when he won the 2013 U.S. Open, 2016 Olympic gold medal and won the 2018 FedEx Cup as World No. 1. “I was very aware that I didn’t want to be a player that goes from coach to coach to coach. The most important thing is he’s given me clear boundaries in which to operate. … My brain likes to know the whys and the hows and he does that through metrics and through some technology and makes it very believable for me. He hasn’t tried to change my pattern so much as re-introduce some things that have worked well for me in the past.”

“All I’ve done is given him a pattern that works based on his body designed to protect his back,” Blackburn said. “He was just a little lost and I’ve given him some clarity. Here’s what you’re doing, here’s what you need to do to fix it and holding him to task.”

As for Rose’s one-of-a-kind gym, Blackburn said, “He’s taking care of himself, his body and where it needs to be. That’s huge.”

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Broncos tried out 3 players this week, including 2 from the CFL

The Broncos appear to be scouting the CFL for reserve/future contract candidates.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton continues scouting Canada for diamonds in the rough.

The Broncos worked out three players on Tuesday, including two from the Canadian Football League: wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker and defensive back Tyrell Ford.

Schaffer-Baker (6-4, 195 pounds) spent the last two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, catching 115 passes for 1,523 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

Ford (5-11, 194 pounds) was a special teams player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this spring, totaling 10 tackles.

In addition to those two CFL players, Denver also tried out defensive back Delonte Hood (5-11, 192 pounds). The rookie out of Peru State signed with the practice squad after Tuesday’s workout.

Schaffer-Baker and Ford are the fifth and sixth CFL players to work out for the team over the last two months, joining quarterback Nathan Rourke, tight end Jevon Cottoy, and wide receivers Jaelon Acklin and Kaion Julien-Grant.

NFL teams can sign players who are not on an active roster to reserve/future contracts once the season ends. Those players officially join the 90-man offseason roster when the NFL’s new league year begins in March.

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Rookie OT Blaise Andries among 6 to workout for Packers

Blaise Andries, a rookie OL from Minnesota, was one of six players to work out for the Packers on Tuesday.

The Green Bay Packers worked out offensive linemen Blaise Andries, Myron Cunningham and Ryan Hunter and linebackers DQ Thomas, Clarence Hicks and Joel Iyiegbuniwe on Tuesday, according to the league’s daily transaction report.

Of the six, the Packers signed Thomas to the team’s practice squad.

Andries, an undrafted rookie from Minnesota, was with the Miami Dolphins until final cutdowns. He started 46 games for the Golden Gophers, with starts at every position along the offensive line except for center. Brennen Rupp of Packers Wire wrote about Andries in his draft series “Unpacking Future Packers.”

Cunningham is an undrafted free agent from Arkansas. He started 13 games at left tackle and was a team captain in 2021. Overall, Cunningham started 33 games.

Hunter, a first-round pick in the CFL draft in 2018, has spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, playing in three regular season games. At Bowling Green, he started games at left and right tackle but is labeled a guard at the NFL level.

While the Packers have 11 offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, there isn’t one on the practice squad currently. Rookie Caleb Jones was signed from the practice squad last week.

Thomas signed with the Packers on Tuesday. He set the school record at Middle Tennessee State for career tackle for losses. He’ll join Ray Wilborn as the two inside linebackers on the team’s practice squad.

Two others worked out. One is an edge rusher, the other is an inside backer.

Hicks is an undrafted free agent from UT-San Antonio. He started 21 games over his final two collegiate seasons. As a senior, he set the school record with 10.5 sacks while adding 16.5 tackles for loss.

Iyiegbuniwe (6-1, 235) was a fourth-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2018. He played in 58 games over four seasons in Chicago, tallying 29 tackles, one pass breakup and one forced fumble.

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Former Jaguars OL KC McDermott worked out for Buffalo Bills on Friday

McDermott had been with the #Jaguars since 2018 before getting cut last week.

After getting the short end of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster cuts last week, offensive lineman KC McDermott is moving on from Duval County in search of his next contract. According to the NFL’s transactions wire, he worked out for the Buffalo Bills on Friday after playing in the preseason with other Jaguars backups. He looked to be in contention for a 53-man roster spot in Jacksonville before the team waived him last Monday.

McDermott had been with the Jaguars since 2018 when he joined the team as an undrafted free agent. After starting one game last season, his outlook for 2022 seemed to be heading in a positive direction, but after his termination, he’ll need to catch on somewhere with a big need on the offensive line to have the chance to see any action this season.

At 26 years old, McDermott has never played professionally outside of Duval County and is a relative unknown to general managers around the league. He played capably at the collegiate level at the University of Miami but wasn’t considered a top-flight prospect when he declared for the NFL draft in 2018. Any team that picks him up will consider McDermott to be a work in progress, though if his presence on Jacksonville’s roster has been any indication, he remains a worthy project for any offensive line coach.

It wouldn’t be out of the question for the Jaguars to make a move to bring McDermott back later this year. As offensive line depth is a key factor to a quarterback’s long-term protection over the course of a season, McDermott could effectively become an extra backup for Jacksonville as a free agent if he is unable to secure a spot with another team. He will be familiar with the system head coach Doug Pederson has in place and should be hungry for a shot to make a good impression should his number ever be called for an opportunity to play.

Packers workout 5 running backs, including Dexter Williams

The Packers worked out RBs Dexter Williams, Jaylen Samuels, Kalen Ballage, Stevie Scott and Calvin Turner on Tuesday.

The Green Bay Packers took a closer look at a few free agent running backs on Tuesday, working out five players at the position including 2019 draft pick Dexter Williams.

Matt LaFleur’s roster may need an addition at running back before Friday’s preseason opener.

According to the league’s daily transaction report, the Packers worked out Williams (Notre Dame), Jaylen Samuels (NC State), Kalen Ballage (Arizona State), Stevie Scott (Indiana) and Calvin Turner (Hawaii).

Overall, the Packers worked out 17 players on Tuesday, including the five running backs and eight different specialists.

Williams spent two seasons with the Packers but was released last August. He was last seen producing 102 total yards for the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL final.

Samuels was a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018. He’s played in 45 career games, including three with the Houston Texans last season. For his career, Samuels has 1,032 total yards and seven touchdowns.

Ballage was a fourth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2018. He has 665 career rushing yards on 213 attempts and in 52 career games.

Scott, an undrafted free agent, rushed for 310 yards and three touchdowns on 99 attempts for the Michigan Panthers of the USFL. He finished 12th in the league in rushing yards.

Turner went undrafted in the 2022 draft. He also played quarterback and wide receiver at Hawaii.

The Packers are without Kylin Hill, who remains on the PUP list, and Patrick Taylor only just returned to practice after dealing with a groin injury. Undrafted rookies BJ Baylor and Tyler Goodson are the only other running backs on the roster after Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, who won’t play during Friday’s preseason opener against the 49ers.

In addition to the five running backs and eight specialists, the Packers also worked out offensive tackles Drew Himmelman (Illinois State) and Airon Servais (Syracuse) and defensive backs Micah Abernathy (Tennessee) and Brendon White (Rutgers).

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Packers to host workout for RB Dexter Williams

The Packers are hosting a workout for running back Dexter Williams, a 2019 draft pick of the team.

Possibly in need of depth at running back, the Green Bay Packers will take another look at a familiar face at the position. According to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the Packers are hosting a workout for Dexter Williams, a sixth-round pick of the team in 2019.

Williams, 194th overall pick in the draft four years ago, played in seven games for the Packers over two seasons, carrying seven times for 19 yards.

The Packers waived Williams on Aug. 31 of 2021. He spent time with the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins in 2021 before signing with the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL. He played in one game for the Stars, producing 102 total yards on 12 touches in the USFL title game earlier this year.

The Packers may need the help at running back. Kylin Hill remains on the PUP list, Patrick Taylor just returned to practice from a groin injury, and the only depth behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon (if Taylor isn’t available) is undrafted rookies Tyler Goodson and BJ Baylor.

Williams, with experience in the offense and in Green Bay, could be a quick fix.

The Packers open the preseason on Friday in San Francisco.

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