All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners took on the New York Mets in the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, Aug. 17.

Raleigh had a custom chest protector made for the game, featuring pictures of all of his teammates during their respective times playing at the youth baseball level.

The custom gear falls in line with the theme at the game’s location.

Many are in Williamsport for the Little League World Series baseball tournament that began earlier in the week.

The Little League Classic has become an annual event played in Williamsport, in conjunction with the Little League World Series. Many of the Little League participants and their respective families can attend the game.

The game is played at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, which is the second-oldest minor league ballpark. The ballpark opened in 1926.

Raleigh didn’t have the opportunity to play in the Little League World Series, making his first appearance in Williamsport on Sunday night.

Raleigh told MLB Network that he looked forward to the opportunity to talk with the Little League players and learn more about them and offer any advice.

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Moore was asked following New Orleans’ 17-all tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars whether he planned to announce the team’s Week 1 starter ahead of preseason Week 3. His response?

‘We’ll see,’ Moore replied. ‘Obviously, I got first sight here, but film will be an important aspect of this thing, and we’ll just see how everything progresses leading into this week.’

The Saints currently have three quarterbacks on their roster: Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough and Jake Haener. Moore has spoken well of all three throughout the offseason and praised them after Sunday’s game.

‘All these QBs aren’t making this easy,’ Moore said of New Orleans’ quarterback battle. ‘They’re all doing a really good job and they’re all having their days and they’re taking advantage of their opportunities. So, you know, it’s an evaluation and we’ll take it where it needs to go.’

That said, the Saints appear to be choosing between Rattler and Shough two for the starting job. Haener was the third quarterback off the bench in the team’s preseason opener before failing to play against the Jaguars.

Shough outperformed Rattler in preseason Week 1, completing 15 of 22 passes for 165 yards, one touchdown and one interception in New Orleans’ 27-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The tables turned against the Jaguars, when Rattler completed 18 of 24 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception while throwing the game-tying touchdown to Dante Pettis with 20 seconds left in regulation.

As such, Moore has not yet made up his mind about who will start in Week 1. Still, he told reporters he doesn’t necessarily view that as a bad thing.

‘Sooner is always better, but these guys are competing and they’re giving us everything that we can ask,’ Moore said of the Saints’ quarterback competition. ‘So, we’ll continue to evaluate.’

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Sunday he expects to pick the team’s Week 1 starting quarterback by the end of the week.

‘I want to get through the next couple days but certainly, that’s something that we’re gonna do here sooner than later,’ Stefanski said.

But choosing a starter isn’t the only key determination the Browns have to make. The team also has to decide how many quarterbacks to keep on its roster with cut day looming.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has indicated Cleveland could decide to keep four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster. After all, the team did that in 2024 before eventually releasing Tyler Huntley. Stefanski, however, wasn’t as sure whether keeping four quarterbacks would be practical.

‘I think we’ll let it play out as we get closer to the cut down,’ Stefanski said. ‘Those are all conversations that we are always having, but those are tough decisions. You know, I’d like to keep everybody, but [it’s] not realistic.’

Stefanski’s assertion will put several intriguing quarterbacks on the roster bubble. It could also make some of the team’s banged-up signal-callers candidates to be placed on injured reserve (IR) to start the season, with the potential to be activated later.

Here’s a look at the most likely scenarios for Cleveland’s quarterback depth chart as the 2025 NFL season draws nearer:

Browns QB depth chart

The Browns presently have five healthy quarterbacks listed on their depth chart. Below is a look at the current pecking order among the group:

1. Joe Flacco
2. Kenny Pickett
3. Dillon Gabriel
4. Shedeur Sanders
5. Tyler Huntley

Cleveland also has Deshaun Watson on its 90-man roster, but the veteran signal-caller isn’t expected to play in 2025 after tearing his Achilles twice in a less than three months.

Browns QB depth chart projections

There are several different ways the Browns could choose to structure their quarterback room in 2025. Below is a look at the three most likely scenarios:

Browns keep 4 QBs

1. Joe Flacco
2. Kenny Pickett
3. Dillon Gabriel
4. Shedeur Sanders

If the Browns decide to keep four quarterbacks, this will be the quartet they keep. The 41-year-old Flacco would serve as a bridge to the young trio of Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders, all of whom Cleveland acquired using 2025 NFL Draft capital.

The main drawback to this approach? Carrying four quarterbacks will cost the Browns depth at another spot on their 53-man roster. That could still be worth it, considering the upside of the team’s young quarterbacks along with Cleveland’s lengthy search for a franchise quarterback.

Browns keep both rookies

1. Joe Flacco
2. Dillon Gabriel
3. Shedeur Sanders

Could the Browns keep two rookie quarterbacks behind their starter? It’s possible. Gabriel and Sanders have each started one of the team’s two postseason games and both flashed during their outings.

If Cleveland is impressed enough with Gabriel and Sanders, it may make Pickett — who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and at 27 years old — expendable. He hasn’t been able to practice much because of a nagging hamstring injury, so perhaps the Browns could try to stash him on IR if they deem him to be the odd man out.

Browns say goodbye to Shedeur Sanders

1. Joe Flacco
2. Kenny Pickett
3. Dillon Gabriel

If the Browns want to keep just three quarterbacks and aren’t willing to keep two rookies, they will face a difficult decision: Should they keep Gabriel or Sanders as their third-stringer?

A case can be made for either quarterback, but the fact remains Cleveland selected Gabriel in the third round, 50 picks ahead of Sanders. That would likely make Sanders the odd man out in this scenario.

Like Pickett, the Browns could try to stash Sanders on IR to keep him in the organization. Sanders is dealing with an oblique injury that kept him out of the team’s second preseason game. That may be Cleveland’s best course of action if it wants to keep all four quarterbacks in the organization but just three on the 53-man roster.

• The All-Pro pass rusher was given permission to seek a trade earlier this year and is now reportedly back on the block.
• Hendrickson is due $16 million in 2025, the final year of his contract with Cincinnati.

The inability of Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals to strike a new deal … may lead to an entirely different type of deal.

Hendrickson is due $16 million in 2025, his contract set to expire next March. However the financial market for top-tier defensive ends and outside linebackers has changed drastically, T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter and Maxx Crosby all signing extensions averaging at least $35 million annually over the past six months. Watt and Garrett are both at a $40 million-plus-per-year threshold, and Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons is expected to exceed that at some point in the near future.

Hendrickson, 30, hasn’t expressed a desire to reset his positional compensation scale but does want long-term security and a raise commensurate with his performance – Bengals owner Mike Brown even admitting last month that the four-time Pro Bowler has earned one.

Hendrickson led the NFL with 17½ sacks last season, and the 35 he’s racked up since 2023 also pace the league over that period. According to Pro Football Reference, his 54 pressures were seven more than any other player in 2024 – that production occurring for a decidedly subpar Bengals defense that ranked 25th overall last season, when Cincinnati came up one win short of the playoffs.

After a brief holdout to start training camp, Hendrickson reported July 30 but has been holding in as his standoff with the team continues.

‘I can’t do any more at this time to rush the passer on Sundays,’ he said last month. ‘The hay is in the barn. It’s just whether we agree or not.

‘Moving forward, we’ll see what transpires.’

And maybe that’s a trade. Hendrickson was given permission to pursue one last March – which happens to be when Bengals wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins got massive extensions – but nothing materialized before the draft. Notably, per Over The Cap, the team has more than $80 million in projected cap space between this year and next, which would seemingly be more than enough to find some middle ground with Hendrickson.

Moving forward, it remains to be seen if Cincinnati blinks at the negotiating table with its lone defensive star or potentially lower its asking price on the trade market, especially since most teams in the league have much less flexibility in August than springtime to consummate what is effectively a trade-and-sign, which would presumably require both draft compensation ahead of actual compensation for Hendrickson.

But let’s play along anyway as this saga continues to unfold. Here are seven potential teams to monitor that might have the need and wherewithal to make a move for Hendrickson:

Detroit Lions

The NFC’s failed No. 1 playoff seed last season, the Lions were undermined by a defense that was crippled by the loss of DE Aidan Hutchinson in Week 6 and never recovered. Pairing Hendrickson and Hutchinson would instantly give Detroit the league’s best couplet of quarterback hunters – the similarity of their last names would surely launch a nickname and marketing campaign, too – and at a time when the team could use a boost given the murderers’ row the NFC North currently is and as this organization tries to recover from the loss of coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to head coaching jobs elsewhere. But is pursuing Hendrickson truly realistic? He might just be the player who could finally get this club over the Lombardi hump. However GM Brad Holmes’ 2026 budget is already underwater, and his most pressing roster issue for the immediate future should be extending Hutchinson, whose rookie contract balloons to fifth-year option paychecks 13 months from now.

Houston Texans

Do they need a player like Hendrickson? He’d surely be a luxury given the presence of Hunter and fellow DE Will Anderson, who combined for 23 sacks in 2024. But no one else on this roster had more than five last season and deepening the rotation – both Hunter and Hendrickson are 30 – is an option any defensive coordinator wants, not to mention the ability to have such a talented trio on the field during obvious passing downs. The Texans would have to move some money around in all likelihood to make it work, but GM Nick Caserio has been especially aggressive over the past 18 months in a bid to optimize his roster while QB C.J. Stroud remains on his rookie contract. Caserio also owns an extra second- and fourth-round pick in next year’s draft, giving him extra wiggle room to consummate a deal with Cincinnati that few other teams have.

Indianapolis Colts

They ranked near the bottom of the NFL with 36 sacks last season (among many other major defensive deficiencies) and hired a new coordinator, Lou Anarumo, this offseason – and he just happens to be the same guy under whom Hendrickson flourished over the past four years in Cincy. Indy has ample financial bandwidth to make an offer that would approximate what Crosby and Hunter are making. The Colts also have several young edge players – notably Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu – who might greatly benefit from watching a master craftsman like Hendrickson. And while he doesn’t play quarterback, perhaps supercharging the defense is an appropriate way to ease some pressure on whomever the Colts tab to be their QB1 in 2025.

Los Angeles Chargers

They have $116 million in projected cap room between this year and next, most in the league. Khalil Mack, 34, is the Bolts’ best pass rusher, and the team hopes Tuli Tuipulotu can fill the void after Joey Bosa became a cap casualty in March. Hendrickson would certainly add what’s probably a needed shot of adrenaline to this defense – especially if the Chargers hope to compete for a divisional throne that’s long been the property of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Philadelphia Eagles

Never discount EVP/GM Howie Roseman, who’s built three Super Bowl rosters over the past eight seasons – two of them earning rings – and may have another on his hands with or without Hendrickson. Roseman was rumored as a suitor for Garrett when the Browns superstar requested a trade earlier this year before taking a pile of money to remain in Cleveland. While Philly doesn’t seem to be in desperate need of another defensive weapon, it did lose Josh Sweat and Milton Williams to free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement during the offseason. Youngsters Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt are projected to start on the edge, and both have flashed the promise that led Roseman to draft them. But neither has the production or experience of Hendrickson, who’d probably be a more realistic potential target here anyway than Garrett ever was.

Seattle Seahawks

The NFC West is shaping up to perhaps be the most tightly packed division in the league, so a major acquisition would figure to make a difference for any of its members. The Seahawks are projected to have nearly $90 million in cap space (counting 2026) and haven’t been shy about overhauling their roster despite a 10-7 finish in 2024 that fell a tiebreaker short of postseason qualification. Yet the ‘Hawks are also hoping to apply pressure with players like DeMarcus Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall – a group pockmarked with injury and inconsistency concerns that have never been an issue for Hendrickson over the past five seasons. And if anyone knows what he brings to the table, it’s HC Mike Macdonald, who saw Hendrickson wreck shop frequently while serving as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hendrickson would have to adapt to a base 3-4 scheme but standing up isn’t a huge ask of a veteran. Meanwhile, GM Jason Licht would have to deviate from the draft, develop and extend philosophy that’s worked so well for this organization. But the perennial NFC South champs could certainly use more production off the edge as they try to hold off would-be challengers like the Falcons and Panthers, and Licht has the funds to fit Hendrickson under the cap – even after taking a $14 million flier on soon-to-be 31-year-old Haason Reddick for the upcoming campaign. Tampa would also represent something of a homecoming for Hendrickson, who hails from nearby Apopka, Florida.

• Brewers didn’t make any big moves but won 14 games in a row after the trade deadline.
• Mets and Yankees overhauled their bullpens but new additions have been a bust.
• Cubs failed to upgrade and have completely fallen out of the NL Central race in recent weeks.

The frenzied MLB trade deadline, with 63 trades involving 179 players – including 50 trades in the last 31 hours –  was supposed to be a magical elixir for playoff contenders trying to be the last ones still standing in November.

The New York Mets and New York Yankees were declared the overwhelming winners of the deadline, remember, grabbing three relievers apiece, that were going to be invaluable in the postseason.

The Milwaukee Brewers barely did a thing, and were ridiculed again for their lack of activity.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were going to be just fine even though they did nothing more than grab a middle reliever and an extra outfielder.

The Chicago Cubs’ offense, ranked first in the major leagues through the first three months, didn’t need to do anything major, right, believing they had the firepower to hold off the Brewers while adding an injury-prone pitcher who broke down after two innings,

And the Detroit Tigers, who had the best record in baseball at the All-Star break, could afford to sit this one out, picking up a couple of relievers and a veteran starter who cost them virtually nothing as they were going to cruise into the postseason.

Well, here we are, nearly three weeks since the July 31 deadline, and a whole lot of folks would love to have re-do’s.

You don’t think the Boston Red Sox wish they had coughed up one of their surplus outfielders to acquire Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan, making them as powerful as any team in the American League?

You don’t think David Stearns, Mets president of baseball operations, is having sleepless nights kicking himself for not getting a starting pitcher who could at least pitch six innings, or maybe have picked a few different relievers?

The Cubs, who are choking on the Brewers’ vapor trail, wish they had done something more than simply acquiring reliever Andrew Kittredge and injury-prone starter Mike Soroka without doing anything for their offense that ranks third-worst in baseball over the last month.

You don’t think the Dodgers are asking themselves why they didn’t steal at least a paragraph out of Padres chief A.J. Preller’s playbook and grabbed more than spare parts?

Oh, how just a few weeks have dramatically altered the way we view that trade deadline now:

Milwaukee Brewers

Has there ever been a team emulating Muhammad Ali’s rope-a-dope strategy than the Brewers?

These guys not only lost the first four games of the season, but were absolutely humiliated, outscored, 47-15. My god, they even had the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox feeling sorry for them.

These days, well, they’re the best team in baseball – by a longshot – even though their trade deadline was an absolute snoozer.

The Brewers didn’t really do anything until the final minute, deciding that Diamondbacks closer Shelby Miller was too good of a bargain to pass up. They didn’t have to give up a single player, getting him only for hard cold cash: $2 million.

Well, since the trade deadline, the Brewers have lost only one a game, setting a franchise-record with 14 consecutive victories while going 29-4, boat-racing the Cubs and everyone else in the NL Central. They don’t have to worry about being bounced in the first round because they’ll be enjoying a first-round bye with a 7 ½-game lead for the NL’s best record.

Who knew that their June 13 trade with the White Sox for struggling first baseman Andrew Vaughn for starter Aaron Civale would turn out to deal of the year?

Vaughn has been a savior replacing injured first baseman Rhys Hoskins, hitting .343 with a 1.051 OPS and nine homers and 35 RBIs in his first 29 games.

So, yes, go ahead and make fun of the Brewers all you want, but they’re the ones who understood just what they had, refusing to break up their nucleus, and getting the last laugh.

Trade deadline grade: D

Midterm grade: A+

San Diego Padres

No one pushed their chips in more at the deadline than Preller, who was completely fearless, making five trades, involving 22 players. He has watched the newcomers turn a contender into one of the scariest teams in baseball.

The bullpen has been insane, yielding an MLB-best 2.05 ERA the past six weeks, including a 2.97 ERA for the season, and now has another lethal weapon in 102-mph reliever Mason Miller. It’s the best bullpen in the game.

The Padres’ offense has broken out, too, scoring 5.33 runs a game since the trade deadline after acquiring Ramon Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn and Freddy Fermin. Laureano has been one of the best pickups in baseball at the deadline, hitting .327 with a 1.032 OPS since his arrival.

Entering Saturday, the Padres were 23-12 since July 4 and for the first time since 2010, have had at least a share of first place in the month of August.

The last time the Padres won the NL West? Would you believe 2006 with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts batting leadoff for the Padres the final day of the season?

Trade deadline grade: A.

Midterm grade: A+

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have the best starting rotation in baseball, though they’re now without ace Zack Wheeler who went on the IL Saturday with a blood clot in his pitching arm.

They have one of the most powerful offenses in baseball.

And they made sure they can also have one of the best closers in baseball, too, acquiring Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins to go along with the signing of free agent David Robertson.

Duran, who had an injury scare when he was hit by a line drive Friday but is ok, has proceeded to be the first closer in Phillies’ history with three consecutive 1-2-3 saves.

He has given up only one hit in four appearances.

Trade deadline grade: A-

Midterm grade: A

Seattle Mariners

Yes, the Mariners decided this time around that it would be awfully stupid to squander another year of having a fabulous pitching staff, knowing that if they simply get into the postseason, they have as good as chance as anyone to run the table.

So, what do they do? Get some valuable offense with third baseman Eugenio Suarez and first baseman Josh Naylor. Neither one has yet to make a huge difference, but they certainly are threats, and the Mariners’ offense has picked up since the acquisitions.

They have gained seven games in the standings on the Houston Astros, and are establishing themselves as perhaps the team to beat in the American League, with visions of their first World Series dancing in their heads.

Trade deadline grade: A-

Midterm grade: B+

Houston Astros

The Astros, refusing to let third baseman Isaac Paredes’ injury derail their hopes for another AL West title, reached into their bank account and shelled out $70 million to bring back shortstop Carlos Correa and move him to third base.

They also acquired outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins along with infielder Ramon Urias from the Baltimore Orioles. They nearly grabbed Padres starter Dylan Cease, too, until the asking price shifted towards the end of negotiations.

Correa appears rejuvenated now that he’s back home in Houston, and looks better defensively at third base than shortstop, scouts say. He’s badly needed if the Astros are going to stave off the sizzling Mariners.

The trouble is that just when everything was going smooth, All-Star closer Josh Hader went down, and he may not be getting back up unless the Astros make the postseason.

Trade deadline grade: B

Midterm grade: B

New York Yankees

This is a team that was cruising towards the AL East title on June 12 with a 42-25 record, leading the pack by 4 ½ games.

Now, here they are, hanging on for dear life in the wild-card race.

They are since 23-32 since their high-water mark, and have lost eight of 13 games since the trade deadline.

They acquired seven new players, including utility players Amed Rosario, Austin Slater and Jose Caballero who have since gone on the IL. They grabbed third baseman Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies. They also acquired relievers David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird.

Who would have imagined their new bullpen would self-destruct?

Trade deadline grade: A

Midterm grade: C-

Boston Red Sox

They had a chance to go for the gusto and acquire Twins ace Joe Ryan, but instead refused to push in their chips, acquiring only starter Dustin May and lefty Steven Matz from the Cardinals.

They badly could have used another starter, and a right-handed reliever, too, but passed.

This is a team that hasn’t had a winning record after the trade deadline since 2018, and must monitor ace Garrett Crochet. Crochet has already pitched 152 ⅓ innings this season, six innings more than his career high, with about eight more starts remaining. He has a career 5.26 ERA in the month of August.

Well, so far, so good, the Red Sox are 8-5 since the deadline and will be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

Trade deadline grade: D

Midterm grade: D+

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers had the best record in baseball at the All-Star break without a care in the world. They had clearly established themselves as the team to beat in the American League.

Well, they acquired seven pitchers but went the conservative route, refusing to part with any of their top prospects. They landed starters Chris Paddack, Charlie Morton and Randy Dobnak, along with relievers Kyle Finnegan, Paul Sewald, Rafael Montero and Codi Heuer.

Dobnak and Heuer were immediately sent to the minors and Sewald went on the 60-day IL. Finnegan was considered the only pitcher who could be play an integral role in the postseason with his 20 saves with the Nationals.

They also passed on landing an impact bat in Eugenio Suarez or Josh Naylor, who now are on the Mariners, a team they may have to deal with in the playoffs.

Morton, 41, will certainly give them innings in the regular season, but would he even be starting a playoff game?

Trade deadline trade: D

Midterm grade: D

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs, who had been running away with the NL Central, believed they would be just fine with a couple of minor moves, with GM Carter Hawkins saying they have to be just as concerned about the 2032 Cubs team as the current team.

So, how’s that working out with the Cubs scoring the third-fewest runs in baseball over the last month?

Let’s see, Seiya Suzuki, who had an MLB-leading 77 RBIs at the All-Star break, has since produced only nine.

Pete Crow Armstrong was hitting .073 (3-for-41) in August before producing three hits Friday.

Kyle Tucker is hitting .190 with one homer and four extra-base hits since July 1.

Their offense has been so putrid that until Saturday, they had gone a franchise-record 35 games without a comeback victory.

And the Cubs desperately needed a starter, but instead of grabbing one of the big fish like Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins or Mitch Keller of the Pirates, they chose Soroka, who lasted all of two innings before going back on the IL.

Remember, when former Cubs boss Theo Epstein uttered the phrase in 2016 after acquiring closer Aroldis Chapman at the trade deadline, “If not now, when?’

Well, apparently the answer is 2032.

Trade deadline grade: C-

Midterm grade: D

Los Angeles Dodgers

They put a lot of effort trying to acquire outfielder Steven Kwan from the Cleveland Guardians, only for him to stay put, and wound up only getting only reliever Brock Stewart (who’s already hurt) and outfielder Alex Call.

They had no way of knowing that third baseman Max Muncy would go down with a strained oblique, resorting to journeyman Buddy Kennedy, a career .193 hitter, off waivers, but they sure could have used a bat like Eugenio Suarez.

They just blew a nine-game division lead in 41 days, and were 13-21 since July 4 entering Saturday. In that stretch, the Dodgers’ bullpen pitched 135 of the 299 innings, yielding a 4.09 ERA. The Dodgers’ starting rotation has pitched an MLB-low 565 ⅔ innings – 133 innings less than the Phillies.

They have the cavalry returning with starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow already back, and soon relievers Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech.

They have six weeks to get their pitching straightened out to avoid a living nightmare in October.

Trade deadline: C-

Midterm grade: D

New York Mets

Remember back in the days of June they were 45-24 with the best record in baseball, and had the best ERA (2.79) of any starting rotation in baseball with Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Griffin Canning?

Well, they have since gone 20-34, with only the Washington Nationals worse at 20-35.

That starting rotation has since pitched the fewest innings (227) in baseball, averaging 4.45 innings per start, with an ugly 5.35 ERA – ranking fourth-worst in MLB.

They have been so bad that they have lost 14 of their last 16 games, with their only two victories coming when they scored 12 and 13 runs.

They believed that their paper-thin starting rotation would be fine, with reinforcements from the minor leagues – Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong – available to help if things went awry. So they passed up the chance to get any starters and bolstered their bullpen with the acquisitions of Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Brooks Raley.

The trio coughed up six runs in just 1 ⅔ innings Friday, and just like that, they blew a lead in their seventh consecutive game, losing six of them.

They are in trouble.

Maybe the bullpen will be fine in time, but their pitching is a mess – though McLean pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings in his MLB debut on Saturday

Trade deadline grade: A

Midterm grade: F

Texas Rangers

Rangers GM Chris Young refused to give up at the trade deadline despite their underachieving offensive, wanting to give future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy one final shot if he indeed is going to mosey home after the season.

Well, while the offense finally has perked up, the Rangers’ moves to shore up the bullpen have been disastrous.

They acquired Phil Maton and Danny Coulombe at the deadline, and they’ve proceeded to throw gasoline on the fire. Coulombe, who had a 1.16 ERA with the Minnesota Twins, has a 6.35 ERA with the Rangers. Maton, who had a 2.35 ERA with the Cardinals, has a 7.36 ERA with the Rangers. They have a 6.41 ERA in the Rangers’ last eight games, and are directly responsible for three of the losses.

The Rangers’ postseason hopes are now on life support, losing eight of their last nine games.

Trade deadline grade: C

Midterm grade: F

Around the basepaths

– The worst-kept secret in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization is out: They will listen to offers on All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte this winter, knowing that while Marte is extremely talented, he can be a diva in the clubhouse, agitating his teammates and coaching staff. His detractors are still angry that he took a day off the final week of last season when they were fighting for their playoff lives. Though Marte’s house in Arizona was robbed the night of the All-Star Game, he took a vacation after the break, leaving the D-backs seething. The team put him on the restricted list and refused to pay him during his absence, and aired frustrations in a private meeting upon his return. Still, there was no discipline and he was back in the lineup the following day.

The D-backs won’t trade their three-time All-Star and NLCS MVP who has $92.5 million left on his contract after this season without getting fair value in return, but they’re also aware that he’ll become a 10-and-5 player early next season that gives him full no-trade rights.

Certainly, the phone lines will be open.

– Just six weeks after San Francisco Giants boss Buster Posey thought it was time to pick up manager Bob Melvin’s $4 million option, he now must decide in these next six weeks whether to fire him.

The Giants, who were all in when they jumped the deadline and acquired Rafael Devers and his remaining $232 million from the Boston Red Sox, have become baseball’s most underachieving team. They have gone 18-31 since the Devers trade, and entered Saturday having lost 14 of their last 15 home games – last accomplished in 1901.

Their performance, barring a dramatic turnaround, could cost Melvin his job.

San Francisco would become another potential destination spot for former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who will be the hottest free-agent managerial candidate this winter.

– The Mariners believed they were on the verge of acquiring Jhoan Duran until the Phillies swooped in and upped their offer to Minnesota.

– Now that the Pohlad family decided to hang onto the club after no one met their asking price of $1.7 billion, the baseball industry is curious to whether they’ll continue to dump payroll by trading starters Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober this winter, further infuriating the fanbase.

– Just when you thought this could be Clayton Kershaw’s final year of a Hall of Fame career, he becomes the best pitcher on the Dodgers’ staff.

In his last three starts, he has pitched at least six innings while permitting one or no runs.

The last time he achieved the feat in four consecutive starts in a full season?

Aug. 12-Sept. 14, 2015, in seven consecutive starts.

– It’s a shame that the Padres and Dodgers, the best rivalry in baseball right now, won’t play another game against each other after next week in the regular season.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs also don’t play against one another after this week.

– The Minnesota Twins are the New York Yankees’ version of a high school homecoming game.

The Yankees are 125-45 against the Twins since 2002.

That’s a .280 winning percentage for the Twins against the Yankees compared to a .515 winning percentage against everyone else.

– Dodgers All-Star catcher Will Smith, who’s hitting a league-leading .308, is bidding to become only the fifth catcher to win a batting title in MLB history.

Yet, his biggest obstacle may be getting enough plate appearances to qualify for the title, needing 502, while on pace for 500. If Smith falls short, he could still win the title but those plate appearances would count as hitless at-bats.

But as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Los Angeles Times: “He’s going to qualify. No matter what, I’ll make sure of that. I’m going to make sure he gets enough at-bats.

– While Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners is getting all the attention for catchers this season with his MLB-leading 46 homers, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has quietly put together another marvelous season.

He just set a franchise record with his ninth season hitting at least 20 homers, and now has 293 in his career, third-most for a catcher with a single franchise, trailing only Hall of Famers Johnny Bench (389) and Yogi Berra (358).

– Since becoming the Padres GM in 2014, A.J. Preller has made at least one trade with every team except the Arizona Diamondbacks, and all but only three teams since 2020 – Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals and Diamondbacks.

– The Diamdondbacks, who saved $17 million in salary at the trade deadline, and have $70 million coming off the books after the season, are planning to cut payroll in 2026 after having a franchise-record $190 million payroll this season.

– The Colorado Rockies’ payroll for their active roster is just $41 million – which is $5 million less than Mets outfielder Juan Soto will earn this year with the Mets.

– If history repeats itself, the Red Sox could be in serious trouble making the postseason with seven games remaining against the Yankees.

The Red Sox are 5-14 at Fenway Park and 4-20 at Yankee Stadium in August and September since the 2019 season.

However, the Red Sox don’t play another first-place team against until the final week of the season.

– The 31st annual Oldtime Baseball Game, Aug. 20, in Cambridge, Mass., will honor Gus Quattlebaum, the Red Sox’s vice president of scouting, development and integration, who was diagnosed with primary multiple sclerosis in 2021.

– Hall of Famer John Smoltz echoed what fellow Hall of Fame catcher Ted Simmons has said for years.

Former Cardinals great Yadier Molina is the best defensive catcher either has seen and should easily be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Molina won nine Gold Glove awards in his brilliant 19-year Cardinals’ career.

“The presentation (framing) at the plate, I would argue that he was the best all time,” Smoltz said on a FOX broadcast. “The one thing you knew, first of all, he could watch film forever. He was totally prepared. Every pitch was pretty much called with a purpose. He understood the game and watched hitters, understood hitting, and he exposed it. He was the threat. You talk about a (defensive back) in football where he takes away the left side of the field for a quarterback. Quarterback won’t even look over there.

“He took away the running game. He sat behind the plate with a presence that affected the other team and their strategy. There were things that other teams knew they couldn’t do when they came to play the St. Louis Cardinals.”

– The Tampa Bay Rays have yet to approach Rays All-Star infielder Junior Caminero about a long-term contract extension, but the price continues to rise. Caminero, the youngest Rays player to hit 30 homers in a season, will definitely seek in excess of Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony’s $130 million recent contract extension.

– The Dodgers can only hope their offense doesn’t melt down with the absence of third baseman Max Muncy like earlier this season. The Dodgers averaged an MLB-low 3.5 runs a game, hitting .217 while going 10-15 in the 25 games Muncy missed.

– The Mets may stink these days, but their attendance has increased by 33.1% from a year ago, averaging 39,242 compared to 29,484 of a year ago, ranking fifth in MLB.

– Considering Blue Jays rookie reliever Mason Fluharty struck out three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and induced a gamer-ending grounder by MVP Mookie Betts for his first career save, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be ready for big moments in October.

– Congratulations to Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson, who should play in his 746th consecutive game on Tuesday, passing Pete Rose for the fourth-longest consecutive game streak since 1969 behind Cal Ripken Jr. (2,632), Steve Garvey (1,207) and Miguel Tejada (1,152).

“You owe it to the team, the fans, your teammates, everybody,’ Olson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “They’re paying you this money to go out and play. If you’re able to do it, if you don’t feel bad, if it’s something you can play through, you go out and do it. Nobody is 100% except for the first week of spring training. You owe it to everybody to grind it out.”

Amen.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Following an offseason full of turmoil, Tennessee football has named its starting quarterback for its 2025 season opener.

Joey Aguilar will earn the start for the No. 18 Vols when they open the season against Syracuse on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in the Aflac Kickoff Game. UT football announced coach Josh Heupel’s decision on X, formerly Twitter, on Aug. 17.

‘At the helm,’ the post said, along with a photo of Aguilar in Neyland Stadium.

Aguilar beat out redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre for the starting gig. The UCLA transfer and former Appalachian State standout was the 2023 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year. He threw for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in two seasons for the Mountaineers.

He transferred to UCLA over the offseason, but then transferred again to the Vols following Nico Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA in April.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Antioch, California, walked on at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, in 2021, and proceeded to throw for almost 3,000 yards in two seasons before finally earning his long-awaited Division I scholarship at Appalachian State.

Joey Aguilar stats

Here’s a look at Aguilar’s stats during his two seasons with Appalachian State:

• 2023 (App State): 293-for-460 passing (63.7%) for 3,757 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions; 81 rushes for 249 yards and three touchdowns
• 2024 (App State): 218-for-390 passing (55.9%) for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions; 59 rushes for 207 yards and two touchdowns

Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose are among the 30 golfers that have qualified for the Tour Championship – the third and final leg of the 2025 FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Here’s a look at the top 30 golfers in FedEx Cup points who will contest the season-ending Tour Championship, beginning Aug. 21:

FedEx Cup standings: Tour Championship qualifiers

Here are the 30 players who qualified for the 2025 Tour Championship and their FedEx Cup points following the BMW Championship, won by Scottie Scheffler:

1. Scottie Scheffler: 7,456 points
2. Rory McIlroy: 3,687 points
3. J.J. Spaun: 3,493 points
4. Justin Rose: 3,326 points
5. Tommy Fleetwood: 2,923 points
6. Ben Griffin: 2,798 points
7. Russell Henley: 2,795 points
8. Sepp Straka: 2,783 points
9. Robert MacIntyre: 2,750 points
10. Maverick McNealy: 2,547 points
11. Harris English: 2,512 points
12. Justin Thomas: 2,477 points
13. Cameron Young: 2,185 points
14. Ludvig Aberg: 2,179 points
15. Andrew Novak: 2,030 points
16. Keegan Bradley: 1,993 points
17. Sam Burns: 1,871 points
18. Brian Harman: 1,735 points
19. Corey Conners: 1,719 points
20. Patrick Cantlay: 1,661 points
21. Collin Morikawa: 1,656 points
22. Viktor Hovland: 1,637 points
23. Hideki Matsuyama: 1,630 points
24. Shane Lowry: 1,607 points
25. Nick Taylor: 1,564 points
26. Harry Hall: 1,475 points
27. Jacob Bridgeman: 1,475 points
28. Sungjae Im: 1,422 points
29. Chris Gotterup: 1,414 points
30. Akshay Bhatia: 1,409 points

Tour Championship 2025: What to know, how to watch

• Dates: Aug. 21-24
• Location: East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta
• TV: NBC and Golf Channel
• Streaming: ESPN+, Peacock, Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)
• Purse: $40,000,000
• 2024 champion: Scottie Scheffler

Mo Vaughn doesn’t allow himself to drive his son home from baseball games.

It’s because he hears his own father’s voice.

“I know what it is to have that parent that’s just constantly leaning on you,” the Boston Red Sox icon says. He chuckles.

“I’m walking out of 1995 when I’m hitting .300, running for the MVP, and he’s still lecturing me,’ he tells USA TODAY Sports. “And I just promised myself I wasn’t gonna do that to my son.

“I would sit in the clubhouse because I would take an 0-for-4. I just didn’t want to go through that conversation with him.”

So much about the major leagues is fresh in his mind – the good, the bad, the painful. At one point, like his left-handed moon shots bound for the Fenway Park seats, his career seemed to be hurtling toward the Hall of Fame.

Then it was curtailed by injury-plagued stints with the Angels and Mets. He had a distaste for baseball until he became a baseball dad to his son, Lee.

He now had a reason to think about how much he loved and missed the game.

“All the things I’ve done, the trials and tribulations, the ups and downs and things that happened, all those thoughts and things about the past fell off,” he says.

Since 2017, he has run Vaughn Sports Academy out of Boca Raton, Florida. About 100 youth teams, stretching up to New Jersey, play under its umbrella.

He coaches Lee, 13, as well as the varsity at a local high school (Olympic Heights).

On Aug. 17, Vaughn, 57, will also be a coach at the Perfect Game All-American Classic (8 p.m. ET, PerfectGame.TV). It’s a showcase of some of the country’s best prep players at San Diego’s Petco Park.

“I’ve had so many people put their mouth on me from college,” he says. “Everybody’s always telling you what you can’t do. The minor leagues telling you what you can’t do. The major leagues are telling you what you can’t do. And sometimes people don’t even have the credentials to make those decisions.

“I look up and I say, man, thank God I ran into one or two guys that really helped me get on the path and be successful. … I know how it feels to struggle, but I also know how to fix it, too.”

Here are his hard rules for success for young athletes:

Being a sports parent starts with putting yourself in position to be ‘productive,’ especially after a game

Vaughn can still see those steps at Edison Field, as the Angels’ home ballpark was known in 1999. It was his first game after signing a six-year, $80 million deal with the Angels. He chased a foul ball toward the first base dugout and tumbled down them, damaging his ankle and knee.

“I’m the guy that never wanted to hang on too long,” he says. “I never wanted to go out as someone said, ‘Man, this guy played too long. He should have left.’ When I knew I couldn’t be Mo Vaughn anymore, it was time to go and it was a tough decision.

“I fell in the dugout after I left the Red Sox. That hurt, too. All of a sudden, five years later, I was out of the game. And that hurt, too.”

He played his last big-league game at 35.  

“I never retired. I walked out,” Vaughn says. “I was going to get the hell away from baseball.”

He ran a trucking company. He got into the affordable real estate business and was highly successful.

“People talk about, ‘What do you do in retirement?’” he says. “Man, we don’t know what the hell we’re doing. All we knew is what we wanted to be. So I had no answers.”

All athletic careers come to an end at some point. But we carry the intensity of them, especially if you’ve won an American League MVP.

It’s why Lee rides with his mother, Gail, after her husband is done coaching the team.

“I need to cool down,” Mo Vaughn says. “When we lose, I don’t want to be talking to him about the game. At certain times, I gotta wait, give myself 24 hours, so I can be productive in his path moving forward.”

COACH STEVE: Tips for the postgame car ride. (Hint: Don’t be like Andre Agassi’s dad)

Be present when your kids play, but when you get home, put out a ‘soft landing pad’

Leroy and Shirley Vaughn, who were schoolteachers, were at all of their son’s baseball, football and basketball games, even when Mo attended a boarding high school in upstate New York.

“Having him around, I think about it now, you’ll get involved with some young people and they’ll tell you, ‘Yeah, my parents had to work, they can’t come to the game.’ And I was so lucky,’ he says.

“I think it was important for me and helped me. Now, the whole football coach mentality, I’m not so sure that helped me, but just him being there and showing up … I think having that father-son connection, it’s a great thing.”

Leroy had an imposing frame – 6-3, 220 pounds – that followed Vaughn like shadow. He had been a football coach at a high school in Norwalk, Connecticut, where Vaughn grew up.

When we become parents, we embrace the positive things our moms or dads did for us, but we are allowed to make adjustments.

“My son, what makes my relationship with him successful is that I do actually realize how hard it is to hit a baseball,” he says. “Listen, my dad meant well. My dad always thought that he was helping me, but in the game of baseball, you gotta give people time and the ability to be in a place that when you start talking and making adjustments and doing things that they are fully open to what happened so they receive the information in the right way.”

Vaughn’s parents were around in Boston, New York and California, too, when he became a professional.

We love to look into the stands and see our parents, no matter how old we are. But there’s also a moment when they need to hold back. We feel their support from their presence alone.

“Give space, give time, realize that, ‘Do you think this kid wanted to strike out with the bases loaded and lose the game?’” Vaughn says. “Absolutely not. They already know. You don’t have to reiterate it. You don’t have to make them feel worse.

“Home should be an environment of positivity. You shouldn’t have your son or your daughter playing softball, coming home feeling like, ‘I can’t be myself because I didn’t have a good day today. I didn’t have a good game, or I didn’t get any hits, or I made an error.’ Don’t provide that. Provide a soft landing pad. The game is hard enough as it is.”

‘You don’t have to do this’: We put ourselves out there for our kids’ sports careers, but we also need to adjust with them

When Grace – Vaughn and Gail’s oldest child – took a heavy interest in tennis, the family relocated to Florida, where she could train with a world-class coach. But with the move, Vaughn learned an important lesson about parenting: We have to be able to pull back.

“I used to ask her, ‘Do you want to do this?’” he recalls. “I don’t ever want my kids to feel the pressure they gotta live up to me and I tell them all the time: I’ve already played, I’ve already had my time. I played as well as I could for as long as I can. You are my kids. You don’t have to do this.’

“But you always gotta ask those questions because you never know.”

He found out she didn’t want the everyday grind of becoming an elite athlete. She stopped playing tennis and is now in her third year at Barry University in Miami, studying sports management.

 We get to know our kids better when we allow ourselves to understand what they want.

“We’re trying to figure out what are the right words, what are the right buttons,” Vaughn says. “There’s certain ways I gotta talk to my daughter to get the best out of her. There are certain ways I gotta talk to my son to get the best out of him. We’re constantly playing like this shell game of what those words are as a parent.

“If you think that’s hard, then you shouldn’t be a parent, because that’s what we’re here to do is figure out what makes our kids tick and be successful.”

Fortunately, he feels he doesn’t have to push Lee with baseball.

Even when you’re talented, ‘the magic is in the work’

Vaughn was a 6-1, 250-plus pound first baseman. Lee, who also bats left-handed, plays the middle infield and is lean and quick. His father says he’s gaining confidence and the ability to affect the game with his arm, speed and athleticism.

“I didn’t work as hard as him,” Vaughn says, “and damn sure didn’t look like him.”

Since he was about seven, Lee has done two days per week of strength and conditioning, two days of skill work and two days of hitting with his dad.

“It takes years to develop into a good baseball player,” Vaughn says. “You’re growing, your feet are getting bigger, you’re getting taller. You gotta maintain your motor skills. You gotta get stronger. …

“He’s put in the time and there’s still much more wood to chop but I would tell parents that’s it’s a six- to seven-day-a-week thing.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids take at least one day off a week and two months off from a sport per year.

Games especially can wear down young bodies. Vaughn believes their impact for kids is minimal. It’s the repetition that builds familiarity with many things we do every day, even when it doesn’t produce immediate results.

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen with my son,” Vaughn says. “But I know one thing: He will have worked. And I think when you teach them that at a young age, they can go off and do anything and be successful.

“That’s the thing in your life: How hard we gotta work each day. You know, we’re working, we’re running, we’re lifting, we’re hitting, and all of a sudden we (attain) that one thing, and we’re like, man, it was all worth it. … The magic is in the work. There’s no secret button for success. You gotta work, and know how to work. …

“When you’re coaching young kids, you only got about 20 minutes, then you gotta move on because their mind’s on something else. My little guys, it takes me 3-4 months for them to understand. Those same drills I do with high school kids they get it in a week.”  

COACH STEVE: When can teenagers start lifting weights? What about a private coach?

‘Open your mind up to listening’: That means you, too, Coach

Vaughn likes to have coaches on his team who are dedicated to specific areas like pitching, catching and middle infield.

“I’ve always known that’s the only way to do it right,” he says. “You can never be a master of everything. I’ve had my own struggles at the big-league level, had to make changes, had to open my mind up to listening.”

A lot of successful adults don’t like to be wrong, especially if they’re corrected by teenagers. But the best coaches, Vaughn says, will pay attention to what you’re saying if they see a player is dedicated to getting better.

If we don’t know the answer as coaches, we can always consult others and get back to kids and their parents.

“Challenge your coaches,” Vaughn says. “If you know something is being done wrong, you gotta challenge it. If you’re having success, you gotta challenge it. And if there’s a coach out there that’s not able to bring you into a practice facility and show you what they’re teaching, the reason why they won’t do is because they don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Don’t rely on slivers of yourself on social media; provide a full picture to coaches

Near the end of his career, Vaughn said he injected his knee with human growth hormone. According to former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell’s report on peformance-enhancing drug use in baseball, which was released in 2007, former Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski said he sold HGH to Vaughn.

HGH was added to Major League Baseball’s list of banned substances in 2005 but MLB prohibited the use of any prescription medication without a valid prescription in 1971.

“I haven’t said a word to them about (the HGH use) but also they haven’t asked me,” Vaughn says about his players. “I would do anything to get back on the field. I don’t even consider it really anything factual that it’s a testament to what I did in the game, do for the game and in the game. It’s just a part of time, in my opinion.”

What we do consistently throughout our experiences, he believes, provides a full picture of who someone is.

“Anybody can make a reel of greatness,” he says about athletes promoting themselves on social media. “We can show our home runs, we can show off our diving plays, we could look like Ken Griffey Jr. What people want to see is: How do you react when things are going wrong? What type of teammate are you? Do you support your people? Those are the things that coaches are looking for.

“It’s easy to do things when everything’s going right … When it’s hard tells all about you.”

The All-American Classic – where Vaughn is coaching along with other former All-Stars, including fellow baseball dads Ryan Klesko and Tom Gordon – provides another chance this weekend. Maybe your son or daughter has a big sports tournament somewhere, too.

Vaughn loves the Red Sox, but like all of us, he roots for his kids first.

“I get to sit around these guys that are trying to get to where I was and give ’em information and talk and encouragement and knowledge and those things,” he says. “And I don’t think (there’s) a better opportunity.”

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

Brian Robinson has been a key part of the Washington Commanders’ rushing attack since the team selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. That could change ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports the Commanders are ‘shopping’ Robinson to teams around the league.

Robinson (6-1, 228 pounds) is coming off a season that saw him post career-highs in rushing yards (799), rushing touchdowns (8) and yards per carry (4.3). The big-bodied bruiser served as the leader of Washington’s backfield-by-committee approach, which also featured Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr.

The Commanders retained all four of those backs for 2025 and also added seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to the mix. Robinson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, worth a base value of just over $3.4 million, so Washington might be attempting to trade him to thin a crowded running back room and retain value for the free agent-to-be.

Will the Commanders be able to find a taker for Robinson? Here’s a look at a few teams that could hold interest in the 26-year-old running back.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers have a great lead back in Christian McCaffrey, but they could use depth behind the 29-year-old star. Projected backup Isaac Guerendo and fifth-round rookie Jordan James are both dealing with injuries that could impact their early season availability.

Robinson’s mix of size and power would complement McCaffrey – a more elusive runner – well. Commanders general manager Adam Peters also used to work in the 49ers’ front office, so perhaps that could help get a deal done.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are projected to rely on a committee of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders at running back early in the season. The two combined for 718 yards and six touchdowns on 194 carries last season; by comparison, Robinson totaled 799 yards and eight touchdowns himself on 187 carries.

As such, Robinson would represent a big upgrade for the Cowboys. But would Washington be willing to trade one of its leading rushers to a divisional rival? The Commanders would probably like to send Robinson somewhere else if they trade him, but if Dallas has the best offer, they could consider it.

Houston Texans

Joe Mixon’s status for Week 1 is uncertain as he deals with a foot injury. Houston signed Nick Chubb in free agency, but it isn’t clear whether he will be able to handle a full workload as he continues to come back from a catastrophic knee injury that limited him to a career-worst 3.3 yards per carry last season.

The Texans could rely on Dameon Pierce and rookie fourth-round pick Woody Marks to help support Chubb, but acquiring a proven runner to support C.J. Stroud might be the better move.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl last season despite Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt averaging 3.7 and 3.6 yards per carry, respectively, during the season. Pacheco might bounce back as he gets further removed from a broken leg, but adding Robinson as insurance wouldn’t be a bad move for the Chiefs.

Robinson’s hard-nosed running style would fit the mold the Chiefs have sought in running backs in recent seasons. He’s also bigger than both Pacheco and Hunt and could help keep the more explosive Pacheco fresh as part of a rotation.

Los Angeles Chargers

Is Najee Harris healthy after he suffered an eye injury in a fireworks accident? Are Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman willing to trust Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins to play in tandem with first-round rookie Omarion Hampton until Harris can return?

If the answer to either of those questions is no, the Chargers might look to add a veteran running back to provide extra depth in their run-heavy offense. Robinson would be a great, like-for-like replacement for his former Alabama teammate Harris and could allow Los Angeles to slow-play the 2021 first-round pick’s return.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t have much to say a day after the NCAA announced Michigan’s sign-steal punishment.

Following the Chargers’ preseason matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, Harbaugh was asked about the punishment and his reaction. He declined to entertain the questions.

‘Like I said to you last year, not engaging. Not engaging,’ he said.

The NCAA fined Michigan $50,000, in addition to 10% of the football program’s budget, handed Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore a two-year show cause order and suspended him the first game of the 2026 season, and put Michigan on four years probation, the NCAA announced on Aug. 15.

Michigan already self-imposed a two-game suspension for Moore for the 2025 season.

The fine for the Wolverines also includes a sum equivalent to the anticipated loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing from the 2025 and 2026 seasons, as well as 10% of the cost of scholarships awarded in the football program during the 2025-26 academic year. According to ESPN, the total from all of the fines is expected to exceed $20 million.

The NCAA gave Harbaugh, who coached the Wolverines from 2015-2023, a 10-year show cause, which will take effect Aug. 7, 2028, when the four-year show cause he was given from a separate NCAA investigation ends.

‘The scouting scheme and recruiting violations in the football program demonstrate that Harbaugh violated the principles of head coach responsibility. Harbaugh did not embrace or enforce a culture of compliance during his tenure, and his program had a contentious relationship with Michigan’s compliance office, leading coaches and staff to disregard NCAA rules,’ the NCAA said in its infractions decision. ‘For the scouting violations that occurred during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Harbaugh failed to demonstrate that he adequately promoted compliance or monitored his program. Harbaugh is also automatically responsible for the scouting and recruiting violations that occurred after Jan. 1, 2023.’

The announcement also said Harbaugh ‘failed to cooperate’ during the investigation.

Connor Stalions, the former Michigan staffer at the center of the sign-stealing scandal, was levied an eight-year show cause. Stalions resigned from his position at Michigan in November 2023 and has been out of college athletics in an official capacity since.