Rashawn Slater averts disaster, keeps Chargers’ season on rails

SAN DIEGO — Rashawn Slater was back on the field Wednesday as the Chargers held their second training camp practice in their former home city, and the collective sigh of relief stretched from Coronado Beach to Los Angeles.

Disaster averted. Crisis avoided. Everyone could exhale.

For now.

The Chargers’ Rashawn Slater avoided serious injury during practice Tuesday. Getty Images

Slater sent a jolt through the organization a day earlier when he retreated to the medical tent with an undisclosed injury during an 11-on-11 period. Though he returned a short while later, he spent the rest of practice watching from the sideline.

To say hearts were in throats would be an understatement. The memory of last year’s ruptured left patellar tendon injury, and an entire season spent navigating life without him, remains fresh. So when Slater walked off Tuesday, you could feel the panic ripple through everyone from the locker room to the stands.

“Here we go again” was the polite version. The unfiltered reaction ranged from disbelief to outright anger at the football gods.

All of it justified.

There are countless variables that will determine the Chargers’ fate this season, from the obvious to the subtle. But one reality stands above the rest: They need their left tackle on the field. And just as importantly, they need his right-side counterpart, Joe Alt, there with him.

Between Slater’s injury and the high ankle sprain that limited Alt to just six games, the Chargers never once fielded what many believe is the NFL’s best tackle tandem.

The consequences showed up everywhere.

The run game suffered. The pocket collapsed far too often. And quarterback Justin Herbert paid the price, absorbing a staggering 54 sacks.

An offense that ranked 11th in scoring in 2024 (23.6 points per game) slipped to 20th in 2025 at 20.6.

The season ended the way it too often felt, with Herbert getting dropped six times in a 16-3 playoff loss to the Patriots.

Slater (70) is tasked with protecting Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. The team breathed a huge sigh of relief when Slater avoided serious injury Tuesday. Getty Images

You don’t need to be Bill Walsh to connect the dots. Without Slater and Alt, everything else becomes exponentially harder. With them, everything the Chargers want to accomplish suddenly feels possible.

“Unfinished business” is how Alt described it.

So, yes, there was a sense of panic Tuesday when Slater left practice.

By Wednesday, that anxiety had given way to relief. Slater was back at left tackle. Alt was anchored on the right side. And Herbert operated with a visible sense of ease, knowing his two perimeter bodyguards were once again in place.

Now comes the hard part: keeping it that way.

A big piece of that falls on the calculated approach Jim Harbaugh is taking with the Chargers’ training camp workload.

What was billed as the team’s first fully padded practice Tuesday quickly turned into something more measured. Players took the field in helmets and shoulder pads, but without the usual leg pads. Many wore shorts. Contact was limited.

Rather than fully unleashing his team, Harbaugh is choosing to ramp things up deliberately.

Wednesday followed much the same script.

The Chargers are scheduled to return to their El Segundo facility on Thursday for what is expected to be a fully padded practice. Whether that means true, full-contact work or a more measured version like Tuesday remains to be seen.

Either way, it feels intentional.

After enduring the kind of debilitating injuries that derailed last season, a calculated approach isn’t just understandable; it’s necessary.

As Harbaugh put it, the Chargers are like a car merging onto the freeway. But instead of flooring it, they’re easing into traffic, gradually building speed as they move from the right lane toward the fast lane.

If that approach helps keep their most important pieces intact, it’s more than justified.

Because if Slater and Alt aren’t in that fast lane in January, it won’t just be about missed opportunities, it’ll be about Herbert back on the ground again and a season going with him.

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Tyler Nickel situation emerges as Knicks shape 2026-27 roster

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: (Editors Note: Tonal effects have been applied to this image) Tyler Nickel #55 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The New York Knicks found a couple of promising young players in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft one day after moving entirely out of the first round to preserve some cap space and avoid stepping into second-apron territory.

Both Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel topped expectations last month during the Summer League, potentially giving the Knicks two inexpensive prospects (one likely bound for a standard contract, the other for a two-way deal) while the franchise operates under owner James Dolan’s second-apron mandate.

Obviously, with the roster still needing to be fully filled before the start of the regular season and the limitations imposed by beloved Dolan, both rookies’ immediate NBA futures were always uncertain, to say the least. New York could offer either or both players two-way contracts to preserve the roster spot and save some money, and on top of that, it’s always been reported that while Kayil wants to remain in America, he’s likely going to be stashed overseas in Germany for another season.

Now, however, the Knicks might have a Tyler Nickel situation right when the rookie looked like a lock for one of the final roster spots and off-the-bench, deep-rotation minutes.

According to CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter, the No. 47 overall pick is “expected to explore” returning to college rather than beginning his professional career with the Knicks during the 2026-27 season. Emphasis mine:

“Former Purdue All-American Braden Smith is not considering a return to college basketball in the fallout of Friday’s injunction that cleared a path for a fifth year of collegiate eligibility for the Class of 2022, his representatives at Priority Sports told CBS Sports.

“Smith was the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, who traded his draft rights to the Indiana Pacers. He is one of five second-round picks who have not signed a rookie contract yet, joining BYU’s Richie Saunders (No. 32 to the Memphis Grizzlies), Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel (No. 47 to the New York Knicks), St. John’s Dillon Mitchell (No. 40 to the Boston Celtics) and Florida State’s Lajae Jones (No. 54 to the Golden State Warriors). Nickel and Mitchell are expected to explore their college options, but Smith’s record-setting career is over.”

Hours before Trotter’s report emerged, Nickel already did something intriguing by posting (now deleted, captured below) a single thinking emoji on X.

The possibility follows a recent legal ruling allowing players to compete for five college seasons. Nickel already entered the NCAA’s transfer portal in April and could reportedly earn more through name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities back in college than he would on a two-way contract.

The Nashville Post estimates Nickel’s NIL valuation between $1 million and $1.4 million, and it’s fair to say that Nickel strengthened his case to either get a bigger NIL deal or snatch a roster spot with the Knicks following his performances at the Las Vegas Summer League. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while making 41.3% of his three-point attempts.

Nickel’s quick release and shooting ability gave him a clearer path toward an NBA role than many second-round selections, and he showcased exactly that skill set in Vegas to the surprise of no one, seemingly paving his way to the pros if all went (it could still go) according to plan. The fact that Nickel performed better than expected defensively during those hot exhibition games also helped his case.

While a return to college would not cost New York his rights (the Knicks have a year to negotiate with the player and sign him, starting to count from draft day), it could leave the Knicks without one of their two latest draft picks next season, or two if Kayil indeed returns to Germany.

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Surviving Camp with Markel Bell, Part 1: Feeling nervous … but not on the field

Surviving Camp with Markel Bell, Part 1: Feeling nervous … but not on the field originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Over the next several weeks of Eagles training camp, we’ll be catching up weekly with third-round offensive tackle Markel Bell from Miami. We’ll be tracking his progress as Bell acclimates to life in the NFL.

Markel Bell sang just two words before the boos began.

In front of the entire team, the Eagles’ third-round pick from Miami began to sing the hit song “Tennessee Whisky” for his rookie performance. Unfortunately, second-round pick Eli Stowers also decided to sing the Chris Stapleton song and got to go first. So Bell got booed for a lack of originality.

“It was unfortunate because it wasn’t planned,” Bell said on Monday. “I had to do another song later.”

Bell’s second song went better. He luckily got through his rendition of “Knee Deep” unscathed, surviving one of the first rites of passage at Eagles training camp. There are plenty of other tests to follow.

Bell, 22, considers himself an “all right” singer but admitted he was nervous for his performance — way more nervous than he is on a football field.

When it comes to his first NFL training camp, the mammoth 6-foot-9, 346-pound Bell has actually kept pretty calm. He didn’t even feel very nervous entering his rookie camp.

How has he been able to remain so calm?

“It’s football,” Bell explained. “It’s football, man. There’s no reason to overcomplicate it. Football is already hard as it is. The only thing I can do is go out there and work and put my best foot forward.”

Of course, Bell felt prepared too. He spent the break between spring practices and training camp in Philadelphia. That gave him extra opportunities to spend time with his new veteran teammates who were around the facility. He mentioned Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson specifically.

Mailata is the Eagles’ starting left tackle and considered to be one of the best in the NFL. At 6-foot-8, there aren’t many players taller than Mailata, but Bell at 6-foot-9 is one of them.

That’s probably why Mailata was a bit incredulous when asked about Bell during OTAs.

“I don’t know where we found him,” Mailata said. “They said they found him out of Miami. That’s a lie. He’s not of this planet.”

Bell on Monday smiled wide and chuckled a bit when asked if he knew what Mailata said about him this spring. He did.

And now he’s just trying to spend as much time around him as possible.

“He’s a good guy and he’s very good to learn from,” Bell said. “Good background and his work ethic and his character as well. And obviously he’s a great football player too. He got it all.”

It’s early in training camp, but with Lane Johnson missing a couple days for non-football reasons, the Eagles actually got Bell some first-team reps at practice on Monday at right tackle. Those are extremely valuable.

While Bell did get some practice reps on the right side of the line at Miami, he played only left tackle in games. Protecting the blindside has always been Bell’s job, but the Eagles are cross-training him on the right side. That is taking some getting used to.

But the Eagles’ resident future Hall of Famer is pushing him.

“I was literally just talking to Lane,” Bell said. “He was in the same predicament (when he was a rookie). There’s going to be some growing pains. Now, Lane is a first-ballot. The rest is history.”

Training camp isn’t easy, but Bell said he expected it to be hard. He’s happy to put in the work.

What he might not have expected was how tough it would be to get in front of his new teammates and belt out a song. If you’re wondering, Bell said the best rookie performances belonged to Cole Payton and Micah Morris. Morris performed a Lil Wayne song, while Payton went with Drake.

Maybe Bell’s performance wasn’t the very best, but he got through it. And sometimes that’s what training camp is all about.

Goal for next week: “Nothing in particular. I’m trying to contribute. I’m trying to get on the field and do what’s best for this team. I’m trying to put myself in the best position. I’m already in the best position. I’m trying to take advantage of the opportunity I got.”

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Cleveland Browns news: Reunion quelled, a legend talks, and more QB silliness

CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 30: Quarterback Mike Phipps #15 and wide receiver Paul Warfield #42 of the Cleveland Browns talk on the sideline during a preseason game against the New England Patriots at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on September 30, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won 30-27. (Photo by Ron Kuntz Collection/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Dawgs By Nature

• Browns history: A rare Paul Warfield interview, catching up with the 1964 champion (Barry Shuck) – “If there is a single athlete who can be pointed out as having an excellent athletic career, it has to be receiver Paul Warfield.”
• NFL free agency: Jadeveon Clowney spurns the Browns (Jared Mueller) – “Jadeveon Clowney has had a bit of a resurgence as a pass rusher, which would have helped offset the loss of Myles Garrett after he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. But Clowney decided on Sunday that a reunion in Cleveland was not as tempting as a reunion with the Houston Texans, the team that selected him first overall in the 2014 NFL draft.”
• Browns QB battle: What if Watson or Sanders are not the best options? (Thomas Moore) – “The Cleveland Browns are just four days into their latest, but far from greatest, quarterback training camp battle with no clear winner at the moment. And the “word in the locker room” is that the best quarterback on the Browns right now is not named Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders.”
• Which Browns’ rookie will have the best year in 2026? 4 more share their picks (Barry Shuck) – “We asked several Browns experts to pick a rookie player and then describe why they thought that new guy could become the best of his class. For this upcoming season, when it’s all said and done, which player will be this year’s best rookie?”

The Feed

What do you think? Share your thoughts in Dawgs By Nature’s Feed in the comment section or by following this link to the Feed post.

Cleveland Browns

• By rejecting Browns narrative, Jimmy Haslam reveals real plan (Beacon Journal) – “Are you sitting down, Browns fans? You should be because it’s time for a candid conversation about the big-picture state of the franchise with Jimmy Haslam.”
• ‘The ball is oxygen:’ Browns defense embracing DC Mike Rutenberg’s philosophy early in camp (cleveland.com) – “Throughout the spring, new Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg was teaching one main philosophy. “The ball is oxygen.” Through four days of training camp, it’s evidently taking hold for this defense amid Cleveland’s quarterback battle.”
• Todd Monken says QB competition won’t be decided until offensive installation is complete, preseason games begin (Browns Zone) – “The incessant quarterback talk isn’t going away anytime soon. Todd Monken reiterated Saturday he will take his time in naming a starting quarterback. In fact, in his eyes, the competition between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson won’t really get going until the eight days of offensive installations are complete next week. He amended an earlier claim that he wasn’t even evaluating the quarterbacks.”
• Browns being patient in naming a starting QB as Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders split reps (The Athletic) – “The first week of training camp for the Cleveland Browns ended with both players who are competing for the starting quarterback job, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, throwing interceptions in a late-game situational drill. And though there are multiple reasons that new coach Todd Monken isn’t ready to name a starter, a flurry of turnovers in the back half of a fast-paced Saturday practice reinforces the uncomfortable state of affairs.

NFL

• Rams hold Garrett out as deals with ‘a little soreness’ (ESPN) – “Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett is dealing with “a little soreness in his lower half,” coach Sean McVay said on Sunday, keeping the pass rusher out of practice for the third consecutive day.”
• Packers tackle Zach Tom changes name to honor father’s Nigerian ancestry (postcrescent.com) – “Since he was drafted in 2022, Zach Tom became one of the NFL’s best right tackles wearing his birth name on the back of his Green Bay Packers jersey, but he always had another name in mind.”
• Bucs guard Cody Mauch has Baker Mayfield’s back amid contract fallout (Tampa Bay Times) – “The day after Baker Mayfield publicly expressed his disappointment with Bucs ownership over contract negotiations, he appeared to honor his vow to focus on football. Mayfield spent the fourth day of training camp slinging darts to his usual targets, at one point making an impressive connection with top receiver Emeka Egbuka. Cody Mauch, a member of the Bucs’ tight-knit offensive line, defended the quarterback after camp wrapped up for the morning.”

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Kam Williams believes Kentucky can reach the goal of 30 3s per game this season

When Mark Pope arrived at Kentucky, he wanted his teams to attempt at least 30 3-pointers per game, but that has not happened through his first two seasons.

During the 2024-25 season, Kentucky averaged 25.3 3-point attempts per game, which ranked No. 78 nationally. This past season, the Wildcats averaged just 23.9 3-point attempts per game, ranking No. 154 in the country.

Now, with Pope essentially having a brand-new team in Year 3, the goal remains the same: attempt 30 or more 3-pointers per game. With the roster he has assembled, that goal could finally become a reality, thanks to shooters such as Milan Momcilovic, Kam Williams, and Trent Noah.

Last season, Momcilovic shot a blistering 48.7% from 3-point range while averaging 7.5 3-point attempts per game. Meanwhile, Williams had a bit of a down year, shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc on 3.3 attempts per game, largely because of the transition from the AAC at Tulane to the SEC at Kentucky. Another factor was his foot injury, which limited him before he returned late in the season.

As for Noah, he shot 33.3% from 3-point range, the same percentage he posted as a freshman. Although it appeared to be a down shooting season, it really wasn’t, and he looks poised for a breakout junior campaign.

Previously, Pope told Momcilovic that he has the green light to shoot, even if his 3-point percentage drops, because he wants him taking more shots than he did at Iowa State.

The same approach applies to Williams and Noah, who should not be afraid to let it fly.

“He kind of tells us that, me and (Milan Momcilovic), pretty much every day. And Trent as well,” Williams told reporters last week. “He’s kind of telling us all the time, you want our percentages to look differently. If our percentage is too high, then that’s a problem. Just different things like that.”

While Kentucky has yet to average more than 30 3-point attempts per game under Pope, Williams believes this year’s roster has the talent to accomplish that goal.

“I’m pretty sure,” he said when asked about hitting that mark. “I feel like we have a great shooting team and there’s definitely a strong emphasis that we can use this year and take advantage of this year, because we have a lot more shooters on this year’s team than last year’s team. We can make a lot of noise, for sure.”

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Ben Johnson: Luther Burden competes like Amon-Ra St. Brown, wants to be the best

Bears coach Ben Johnson says wide receiver Luther Burden is poised to build off his promising rookie season in 2025 and become one of the best receivers in the NFL. Maybe the very best.

Asked on Fox 32 in Chicago about saying Burden is destined to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, Johnson says he recognizes that Burden is among an elite group of players who are special in the way they compete.

"They kind of flip a switch when they go on the field and they feel like they're invincible and they're the best players out there," Johnson said.

Johnson was the Dolphins' wide receivers coach when Jarvis Landry was one of the NFL's best receivers in Miami, and more recently coached Amon-Ra St. Brown with the Lions. Johnson said both of those players are like Burden in the way they compete on every single down.

"St. Brown in Detroit, who I have a strong affinity for, he plays the game the same way. I feel that from Luther," Johnson said. "He wasn't a full-time starter for us a year ago, but the snaps that he did have, he's got that competitive edge and desire to be great, and it's carried over into the spring and summer as well. He's been a regular in our building, working with our strength staff. He wants to be the most conditioned player on the team. wants to be one of the strongest receivers on the team and just continues to soak in all the knowledge."

Last year Burden caught 47 passes as a rookie, finishing second among the Bears' wide receivers in receptions behind D.J. Moore. This year Moore has been traded away, and the plan is for Burden to get more passes thrown his way. Johnson thinks Burden is more than ready.

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The time is now for DJ Ivey to prove he belongs

After overcoming a devastating knee injury, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Ivey enters the biggest season of his NFL career with an opportunity to earn a permanent role in the secondary.

DJ Ivey

• Height: 6-foot-1
• Weight: 192 pounds
• Age: 26
• College: Miami (FL)
• Hometown: Homestead, Florida
• Experience: 3 years

Cap Status

Ivey is entering the final season of his four-year rookie contract after the Bengals selected him in the seventh round (246th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.145 million while carrying a cap hit of approximately $1.17 million. He will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2026 season.

Background

Seventh-round draft picks rarely enjoy long NFL careers. Many never make a 53-man roster. Ivey has already beaten those odds.

A five-year starter at Miami, Ivey entered the NFL with the size, length, and athleticism teams covet in an outside cornerback. The Bengals believed he was worth developing, and he rewarded that faith by making the roster as a rookie.

Unfortunately, just as his role began to expand during the 2023 season, Ivey suffered a torn ACL that ended his rookie campaign and forced him to spend much of the following year working his way back to full strength.

Rather than allowing the injury to define him, though, Ivey quietly continued developing.

He appeared in every game during the 2025 season, providing valuable depth in the secondary while becoming an important contributor on special teams. Although he played only limited defensive snaps, he finished the year with 12 tackles and three passes defended, showing encouraging progress whenever his number was called.

Outlook on the 2026 Season and Beyond

Cornerback may be one of the deepest positions on Cincinnati’s roster, but that doesn’t mean opportunities won’t come. In today’s NFL, injuries are inevitable, and teams often rely on four, five, or even six cornerbacks over the course of a season.

When an opportunity arrives, the Bengals need someone they can count on. That is where Ivey comes in. While he has already proven he can overcome adversity, now he must prove he can become more than just quality depth.

The Bengals have invested heavily in rebuilding their defense, and competition throughout the secondary will be fierce. If Ivey continues the steady development he has shown since returning from injury, he has every opportunity to carve out a meaningful defensive role while remaining one of the club’s most valuable special teams players.

But with guys like Ceyair Wright, Bralyn Lux, and Ja’Sir Taylor also vying for roster spots, Ivey needs a good showing in camp and the preseason just to ensure he keeps his spot on the Bengals’ 53-man roster.

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