There were several interesting headlines around the NFL this week as rookie minicamps got going for a number of players picked in the 2025 draft. Most notably, one Shedeur Sanders.
How did Sanders fare in his first practice with the Browns?
The rookie quarterback from Colorado was the talk of the draft because of how far he fell before being picked. Generally considered a first- or second-round prospect, he wasn’t selected until the third day, when he went to the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. He wasn’t even the first quarterback taken by the Browns in the draft.
Friday, May 9, beat reporters in Berea, Ohio, say he shared time with fellow rookie draft pick Dillon Gabriel of Oregon, and for the most part looked on time and accurate with his throws. Sanders wore number 12 instead of the familiar no. 2 he wore at Colorado. Both quarterbacks are expected to speak with the media on Saturday, May 10. Browns head coach, Kevin Stefanski, downplayed any controversy over which rookie got more snaps on the first day.
“So, they were as advertised,” Stefanski said. “I thought both guys did a really nice job, and there’s so much to work on. And it’s the minutiae of the position, it’s some technique things, it’s the operation needs to get better, all those things. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re going to work really hard over the next few days to get these guys ready for when they join the veterans on Monday. We’re focused more on the totality of this competition, if you will, at every position, not just the quarterbacks.”
Why did the Steelers trade receiver George Pickens?
In Pittsburgh, general manager Omar Kahn spoke to reporters Friday, explaining the somewhat surprising trade on Wednesday. May 7, that sent star wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers got a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder in exchange for Pickens. Khan said they had some ‘exciting times’ in the three years with Pickens, but the trade made sense for both sides. When asked about the receiver depth on the roster now with DK Metcalf as the headliner, Kahn tried to convince reporters it was adequate.
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The NFL will announce its International Games on Tuesday, May 13, on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. In 2025, seven regular-season games will be played overseas, including for the first time in Madrid, Dublin and Berlin.
“We wouldn’t have done this if we didn’t feel good about the receiver situation, about our depth here. I know people make the comparison to last year. It’s not even close to being the same. Obviously, we made the investment with DK. We’ve got another with some of the young guys, getting to know them, watching them develop. We’ve added Robert Woods.”
Woods is 33 years old and coming off a 203-yard, 0-TD season in 15 games last year. Calvin Austin III and 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson will be key to the Steelers’ success if they don’t add another veteran. A bigger question might be, who will throw to those receivers? There is still no update from the Steelers on whether they’ll sign free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but it appears Pittsburgh is the four-time MVP’s only landing spot if he decides to keep playing.
Who signed a historic NFL contract this week?
In Houston, rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins made NFL history. The Texans and Higgins agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million contract. Higgins is the first second-round pick to have a fully guaranteed contract in the league, usually reserved for first-rounders. The Texans selected Higgins with the No. 34 overall pick out of Iowa State.
Which team has the toughest ‘strength of schedule’?
Also, on Friday, May 9, the NFL’s strength of schedule list was released. It’s calculated based on the winning percentage of a team’s opponents from the previous year. A lot can change in an offseason, but it’s a good baseline for fans.
The New York Giants, with an opponent winning percentage of .574, could have the toughest schedule this coming season. The Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys follow them. The team with the easiest schedule is the San Francisco 49ers, with an opponent winning percentage of .471.
Teams that will face multiple playoff teams from a year ago generally rank high on the list. The NFC North had three teams make the postseason. The league will announce the full schedule on Wednesday evening, May 14, covering when, where, and on what TV network each game will be played.
contributed to this report.
