News

The latest player and team news and analysis affecting your draft and season.

Falcons traded up with the Rams to select Tennessee EDGE James Pearce, Jr. with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2 weeks ago

The Falcons must have wanted Pearce badly. They moved back into the first round of the draft by trading Houston their first round pick in 2026 along with later-round picks. Pearce Jr. (6’5/245) was considered the 11th ranked high school player from the class of 2022, according to On3. The Charlotte, NC native came of age as a sophomore in 2023, accruing 52 pressures with the second-highest PFF pass rush grade (91.9) among Power Five Edge defenders despite starting just three games on the year. He followed that up with another sensational campaign posting 55 pressures, 13.0 TFL and 7.5 sacks en route to receiving First Team All-SEC accolades for a second consecutive season. Averaged a scorching 22.6% pressure rate with an 89th% pass rush grade in addition to an 84th percentile grade in run support. His prodigious athleticism was verified at the Combine with Pearce Jr. running a blazing 4.47s 40-yard dash and 1.58s 10-yard split which are both 99th percentile marks among historical Edge defenders. Pearce Jr. accelerates around the hoop with blinding speed which puts blockers at an immediate disadvantage off the snap. He’s elusive in run defense and gets off on the snap like a rocket. While Pearce Jr. is extremely quick, he’s a little light for his 6’5” height at 245 pounds which can cause him to get overpowered when blockers manage to get a firm grasp of him. In Atlanta, he’ll join a defensive line Pro Football Focus graded as last year’s third worst pass rushing unit.

2025-04-24 11:05:33 (ET)

Yandy Díaz will miss a three-game series against the Blue Jays due to a passport issue.

9 minutes ago

Díaz was placed on the restricted list ahead of Tuesday’s series opener in Canada after there was a delay in the renewal process for his passport that was not able to be expedited. It’ll be Jonathan Aranda taking over at the cold corner in his absence. The 33-year-old veteran will return for Friday’s contest against the Marlins at loanDepot park.

2025-05-13 4:36:24 (ET)

Jose Quintana (shoulder) will start on Saturday against the Twins.

13 minutes ago

The Brewers have opted to give Quintana an additional day of rest as he deals with some shoulder soreness. It’ll be Chad Patrick taking the ball for Friday’s series opener. No word yet on how Milwaukee will handle Wednesday’s series finale against the Guardians, but it figures to be pitching prospect Logan Henderson, who struck out nine and allowed one run over six innings during his big-league debut back on April 20. The major surprise would be if the club opts to promote top pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski, but that doesn’t appear likely at the moment.

2025-05-13 4:32:01 (ET)

Luke Jackson is day-to-day with a right hand contusion.

17 minutes ago

Jackson is dealing with some swelling after being hit by a 111-mph line drive on the right hand during Monday’s save opportunity against the Rockies. Initial X-rays came back negative for any fractures and the 33-year-old righty expressed optimism on Tuesday that he’ll avoid a trip to the injured list. He’s unlikely to pitch for a couple days, which means some combination of Chris Martin and Robert Garcia will handle any save opportunities in his absence.

2025-05-13 4:27:41 (ET)

Guardians recalled RHP Zak Kent from Triple-A Columbus.

20 minutes ago

Kent returns to Cleveland’s relief mix as extra depth in the wake of starter Ben Lively hitting the injured list with a flexor tendon strain. The 27-year-old righty has pitched extremely well this season at the Triple-A level and has allowed just one run over four innings in a pair of relief appearances this year at the highest level.

2025-05-13 4:24:50 (ET)

Guardians placed RHP Ben Lively on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor tendon strain.

22 minutes ago

No word yet on how much time Lively is going to miss, but it figures to be an extended absence given the nature of the injury, which can offer be a precursor to more significant elbow issues. The 33-year-old made an early exit from Monday’s start against the Brewers after three scoreless innings. It’ll be Zak Kent coming up to take his spot on Cleveland’s active roster as extra relief depth. No word on how the Guardians plan to fill his rotation spot.

2025-05-13 4:22:52 (ET)

Matthew Judon said he “probably” won’t return to the Falcons in 2025.

23 minutes ago

The Falcons, of course, drafted both Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round. In an exclusive interview with CardPlayer.com — not to be confused with our PokerNews.com James Cook scoop a few days ago — Judon said that his sack total was down because “I dropped (into coverage) on 60 percent of the plays. It’s hard to get a pick and a sack on the same play.” Judon also told Kyle Odegard that “a couple” teams had expressed interest in him but he was in no rush to sign.

2025-05-13 4:21:35 (ET)
(Page 1 of 164343)

Search News