49ers News: Salute to Jauan Jennings

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Jauan Jennings #15 of the San Francisco 49ers throws the ball to Christian McCaffrey #23 for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Former 49ers WR Jauan Jennings signs one-year deal with Vikings
“The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly signed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million.” 

What the 49ers saw in De’Zhaun Stribling to select him No. 33 overall
“OK, let’s go back to 2024 when Stribling was at Oklahoma State. In the video, I used Kansas State as an example because they had two NFL players in their secondary — one plays for the 49ers — and ran NFL coverages. 

When you take a player as early as the 49ers did, Stribling has to show far more than simply being an effective blocker, or gadget player, or even as a deep threat. We showed how useful he can be on a down-to-down basis. At Oklahoma State, you could see Stribling winning in isolated situations. 

When receivers create multiple yards of separation on underneath routes, your eyes should light up. Getting schemed open or running double moves isn’t impressive. Beating a cornerback on a slant and ending up multiple arm’s length away from them are the types of plays that should move the needle. 

Stribling has the defensive back hopping the other way on the play route above. It’s a clean route that leads to yards after the catch. 

Not every win a receiver has is when he’s targeted. Take this rep against the player the Chiefs traded up for, Mansoor Delane, for example. Stribling beats Delane instantaneously off the line and has him chasing for the entirety of the route.

When Stribling is progressing as a route runner forward and keeping his feet moving, he’s problematic to deal with. 

He can get stuck at the line of scrimmage when he tries to muscle his way through the cornerback. There are also times when Stribling will get his feet outside of his frame, leading to balance issues at the top of his route. Those are all coachable.”

49ers’ new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris can talk, but one topic is off-limits (paywall)
“Raheem Morris, 49, 23-year NFL coaching veteran, is known as a strong communicator who connects well with his players. And this is clear after the former Falcons and Buccaneers head coach had his introductory news conference with Bay Area reporters Thursday: The gifted speaker is also adept at saying plenty — and revealing little — with the media….. 

….Morris is well versed in multiple systems: He’s overseen both 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, and he’s increasingly used five-man fronts that have included three defensive linemen and two stand-up outside linebackers. On Thursday, Morris did stress the importance of mixing up fronts and coverages to keep offenses guessing. 

“You’ve got to have some multiplicity in your front,” Morris said. “You’ve got to have multiplicity in the back end. You’ve got to be able to do different things. You’d like to be able to do those things when you decide to do those things and use them as terms where you can dictate. … But (the 49ers) have been a four-down rush team, and we’ve done a nice job with it.”

49ers QB Brock Purdy is working on this key area ahead of training camp (paywall)
“Purdy has said before that former Niners quarterback coach Brian Griese helped him understand the importance of throwing blind and knowing route timing down to the exact number of steps. 

Pocket movement, Kubiak pointed out, is also a matter of timing. 

“He can make plays with his feet, but are you missing an opportunity to make a better play down the field,” Kubiak said. “Maybe because you decided to run, or you moved a certain way and you missed a guy down the field. So it’s just working on pocket movement, working on ways you can move in the pocket to find throwing lanes and being more consistent in that area.”

49ers coaches speak to reporters ahead of rookie minicamp
“So, like when Kyle came to Tampa fresh out of UCLA, all fired up and eager, we were stealing his dad’s zone scheme keeper game as much as he was stealing Tampa two and all different values that he wanted to bring to us. So when we did all the cross training where even when we were young, it was constantly, staff development within the building with some of the better coaches that we had been around in our lifetime, like Mike Tomlin was secondary coach and Monte Kiffin was the defensive coordinator along with Rod Marinelli, and what he was able to bring with the original a part of his attack front doing some of the different things, sort of the stuff that we have, very similar to that stuff. And he was running all the good coaches andJoe Barry, all those guys. But we shared a bunch of information, and then I got a chance to obviously work on defense in such a long time. When I was able to switch over to offense, with Kyle in Atlanta kind of having the outside-in version of what the offense looks like, what it means and what it’s going to do to really get into the deep weeds of it, watch him game plan and watch him go through the process of a week of preparing for a different team. And then even when he left, being able to stay on that side of the ball and really develop and grow as a person that can really go out there and formulate plays to go find open spaces and do different things that you want to do from an offensive standpoint was so much fun and a different perspective than you had just going out there coaching defense, right? You can actually speak in their language, understand what some of the quarterback reads are, being able to be detailed enough to go out there and try to stop those things. Being able to explain it to your players in a completely different way, which was my strength when I went from defense to offense.” 

Netflix to stream 49ers vs. Rams Week 1 international showdown in Australia
“The NFL’s full 2026 schedule is expected to be released soon, confirming dates, kickoff times, and broadcast assignments for the upcoming season.” 

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Uar Bernard: the ‘rarest physical specimen’ who exposes the NFL’s scouting flaws

Uar Bernard impressed scouts with his pre-draft workouts.Photograph: Michael Owens/Getty Images

Uar Bernard has become a source of borderline indecent fascination in the NFL – the kind of prospect who underscores how athletes are identified and the inherent limits of pro football scouting itself. A swole 6ft 4in and 306lbs, Uar (pronounced OO-ar) Bernard doesn’t just look the part of a fearsome defensive lineman; fans post his shirtless photos next to ones of Myles Garrett, the game-wrecking Cleveland Browns pass rusher who set the regular-season sack record last year. Veteran NFL analyst Lance Zierlein described Bernard as “one of the rarest of physical specimens I’ve seen in the sport”. Other people who have spent their lifetimes in football say Bernard looks like a Marvel creation.

George Whitfield – who has been a private coach to pros such as Andrew Luck and Cam Newton – likened Bernard to the NBA’s 7ft 4in Victor Wembanyama, another sports star whose physical traits seem alien even among other professional athletes. Bernard’s testing numbers bordered on otherworldly: a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical, the 10ft 10in broad jump – or 14in farther than the next-best defensive end prospect. Scouts were awestruck by Bernard’s 6% body fat – which would be considered low for a marathon runner – down from the 11% that he started with at the beginning of his draft training four months earlier.

Despite this hype, Bernard fell to the seventh round of this year’s draft, usually the preserve of players with only a longshot of carving out a long career in the NFL. And he fell that far for a simple reason: he had never played a down of football in his life. The game wasn’t available to him in Nigeria, where he grew up, and he only came to the United States for this rare opportunity.

Related: NFL draft 2026 winners and losers: Eagles’ aces, Rams’ damage control and a missing coach

He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, a team known for taking risks on untested players. “I’m the GM,” the Eagles’ Howie Roseman explained to Bernard before selecting him with the 251st pick. “We’re gonna get everything out of you that we can, and we’re gonna rally around you.” That support was on display at the Eagles’ rookie minicamp last week, when TJ Burke, a Lehigh University defensive tackle tryout, helped Bernard buckle his helmet chinstrap for his first practice in pads.

Bernard has been packaged as the feelgood story, a viral reminder that great athletes can come from anywhere. But if anything, he exposes just how blinkered the NFL still is. For all its talk of global reach and competitive balance, the NFL remains, at its core, scared to take chances, skeptical of anything that doesn’t fit the mold and slow to recognize talent that doesn’t come pre-certified.

The NFL didn’t find Bernard; he had to put himself on its radar – and in Nigeria, that signal is faint. There may well be no connection at all if not for the league’s International Player Pathway program (or IPP), a wider net shaped a decade ago by two London-born footballers: Osi Umenyiora, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, and Aden Durde, the former linebacker turned defensive coordinator of the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks.

Seeing no clear pathway into the NFL for players who had not gone to high school or college in the US, they pooled their contacts and resources to arrange training, meetings and tryouts for international prospects – who, to that point, had primarily been scouted via YouTube. Quickly, it emerged as a feeder system approaching the bygone NFL Europe – more of a holding pen for fringe domestic prospects than a genuine pipeline for international talent. “I’m the first person from my tribe and my state to be part of the IPP program,” Bernard said before the draft. “It’s a big opportunity to represent Nigeria and everyone back home.”

Since 2020, more than half of the NFL’s 32 teams have signed players through the program. Bernard makes three IPP alums for an Eagles team who also have Australia’s Jordan Mailata, the converted rugby player who helped anchor Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning offensive line two seasons ago, and another former rugby player, Kenya’s Joshua Weru, who trained with Bernard in the lead-up to the draft.

“He’s gonna love it,” Mailata, the IPP’s biggest success story to date, said of his teammate’s new NFL life. “Honestly, it’s just the start of the journey, the start of the story. But we’re gonna get him there, that’s for sure.” By there, Mailata meant something resembling a serviceable pro – if not as devastating as Garrett, then at least as impressive as he was when he lined up against a tree.

But even as the NFL broadens its scouting lens, the process still leans more toward waiting for talent to surface than actively digging for it. Bernard, after all, isn’t some off-the-beaten-path discovery. According to the Athletic, a basketball coach suggested he try American football after observing him on the court – effectively halting Bernard’s pursuit of a more traditional career in real estate. That chance meeting led to him signing up for American football camps in Africa before his eventual acceptance into the IPP.

It raises the question of how much more talent is out there for NFL teams to discover if only they expanded their global scouting network. How many more Bernards are there in Nigeria waiting to be discovered? Or Mailatas in Australia? Or Charlie Smyths in Ireland? In a league where slim advantages can be the difference between a losing season and the playoffs, smart teams should be looking further than the traditional player pipelines. They never find Bernard if Umenyiora and Durde, still outsiders in a sense, don’t bridge the gap.

Even Bernard’s workout breakout is emblematic of the NFL’s passive, centralized approach to scouting. The buzz didn’t come from team scouts tracking him down in the hinterland of Nigeria, in the farming village outside Abuja where he grew up. It came at a routine pre-draft stop in Ashburn, Virginia, where scouts gathered to evaluate prospects from historically Black colleges and universities (or HBCUs) – as opposed to visiting those campuses individually, as they regularly do with players from predominantly white Power Four programs. (In fact, the league recently folded the IPP showcase into the HBCU combine.) The dynamic recalls how Bill Nunn, the Black press icon turned NFL scout, helped build the Pittsburgh Steelers into a 1970s dynasty simply by mining Black colleges that other teams overlooked. Convenience, in the end, is king.

Bernard may seem like an unusual NFL player, but he fits an old script – one where religious faith, sacrifice and gratitude are prized. (“My biggest motivation is God and my family,” Bernard said.) That script keeps players reverent to a game that ultimately consumes them, and loyal to a system that controls talent more than it develops it. In a free market, they would call this forced labor, however well compensated. In football, they call it the dream – even as it’s defined from above, not experienced equally from within. Ain’t that America, where self-determination is a helluva lot easier to sell than secure.

For fans who indulge without reckoning with the costs, Bernard is an easy story to support. “My strength is my athleticism, my work ethic and my ability to adapt quickly,” he said before the draft. “But beyond that, I’ve learned that you have to truly love the game. That’s what pushes you to do more.”

To be sure, the NFL’s centralized scouting model has its efficiencies, but it’s not designed for discovery or innovation. That, ultimately, is what makes Bernard’s case so compelling. Time will tell what kind of pro he rounds into, and the Eagles appear committed to giving him a relatively long runway. (Under league rules, teams can stash one international prospect in a special exemption slot, giving long-shot talent room to develop without eating up precious roster space.) But what seems clear at this stage is that he was always going to become another cog in an NFL machine that’s much better at turning players into versions of itself than leaving room for rare finds to change much of anything at all.

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11 Takeaways from Cavs Game 1 loss to Pistons: James Harden’s turnovers point to larger issue

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 05: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walks off the court after the second quarter of a game against the Detroit Pistons in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 05, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

James Harden wasn’t concerned about the turnover issues when asked about the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 19 giveaways that led to their 111-110 Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

“You look at my turnovers, a lot of them were just on me and nothing they did,” Harden said afterward.
“That’s the game right there. … I gotta be better and will be better turning the basketball over.”

Harden is partially right. Several of those turnovers were sloppy. There’s a backcourt violation that shouldn’t have happened, once he correctly tried to take Duncan Robinson off the dribble but bounced it off his foot, and there were a couple he simply lost control. Things like that are just part of the game.

But there’s a bigger issue at play here. Turnovers have been a problem for the Cavs — particularly for Harden — during the postseason. This was the third time in eight playoff games that he’s had more giveaways (7) than made field goals (6). How often it’s happened shows that this is more than just a lack of focus.

Throughout his career, Harden has often operated in lineups that try to create perfect spacing. Ideally, all of his teammates are shooters so that the defense is forced to make a difficult decision. Do you try to send extra bodies to the basket to help on a Harden drive, or do you stay on the perimeter to prevent three-point shots?

That was a tough call when you were going up against the 2018 Houston Rockets. It isn’t going against Cleveland’s current starting lineup.

Neither Detroit nor the Toronto Raptors have respected three of the four Cavaliers starting alongside Harden. Teams are daring Dean Wade and Evan Mobley to shoot from the outside, and are willing to take their chances with Jarrett Allen inside.

Throw in Donovan Mitchell, who doesn’t move much off-ball, and you have a stagnant offense that is cheating into the lane to both cut off drives and lobs to the bigs. And if you try to force it inside, there’s a good chance that it’s going to wind up in a turnover.

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There’s a downstream effect to not having good spacing. Now, defenders can be physical and tight at the point of attack because they know that there’s more than enough help behind them if they get beat off the dribble.

That leads to more turnovers like this, where Cade Cunningham is giving Harden no room to breathe.

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The additional help inside also bleeds into the shot diet. Harden took seven threes and just two shots at the rim. If the defense is crowding the paint, your only choice left is to shoot over the top.

After Game 7 against Toronto, multiple players mentioned that winning that series was a big step because this group was so new together. That newness is seen in how they’re still figuring out how to space the floor.

Harden only played with Allen and Mobley together in nine regular-season games. That number drops to four if you throw Wade into that grouping. By contrast, they’ve played twice as many playoff games together, and it’s only eight. That simply isn’t a lot of experience for a player who’s spent the better part of a decade playing in a completely different environment.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, there isn’t an easy solution for this. They simply need at least two bigs on the court at all times, and matchups like this call for extended Wade minutes even when he isn’t providing much offensively.

Max Strus had an incredible game. His shooting got the Cavs back into this one as he poured in 19 points on 13 shots. But even with that, the Cavs lost the minutes he played by nine. Single-game plus/minus isn’t always the most useful stat, but it does point to him not being asked to play an ideal role on this team.

The Cavs don’t have enough defensively in lineups where Strus is asked to defend bigger threes and fours as he’s had to do in both playoff series. In Game 1, Cleveland had a dreadful 124.5 defensive rating with Strus on the court.

This has been a common occurrence. Coming into Game 1, the Cavs have had a 117.1 defensive rating with Strus on in the postseason and a 104 without him. Wade has been nearly the exact opposite.

This isn’t a criticism of Strus. He holds up as well as you can expect in these situations. Instead, it’s a shortcoming in the roster’s construction that he’s continually being asked to guard out of position.

This forces the Cavs to make a decision. Do you believe an undersized defense can work so you can have better spacing? Or, do you trust Harden and Mitchell to figure things out with a cramped half-court offense? Choosing that second option makes sense. You’re just putting a lot on a point guard who’s being asked to play in a completely different context.

Mitchell’s scoring struggles compound these issues.

Mitchell once again wasn’t able to get to the rim. Only one of his 19 shots came in the restricted area. And while he did a good job of finishing the midrange floater (5-7), not driving completely to the hoop limits his ability to get to the line.

Mitchell took just two free-throw attempts in Game 1. This has been a recent trend throughout the postseason. He’s only attempted over that many twice in eight playoff games. By contrast, he only registered two or fewer free-throw shots 16 times in his 70 regular-season games.

Afterward, Mitchell blamed the lack of free throws on the officiating, but made sure not to go over the line to get fined. And while there’s some reason for frustration on his part, if he’s not getting to the rim, he’s simply not going to get calls.

Mitchell has been forced to play in tight spaces before in the playoffs with the Cavs. However, Toronto and Detroit are easily the two best defenses he’s faced in that time — at least they are in terms of locking down the paint.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson made some head-scratching decisions.

Here’s a quick rundown of things you usually don’t see in a second-round playoff game:

• No Cavalier played 36 minutes or more, including the star guards.
• Allen saw just 18 minutes after picking up three fouls in the first quarter. He finished with four personals.
• The third center, Thomas Bryant, played 10 minutes, including at the start of the fourth.
• Atkinson went with a group that included Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and Bryant a minute into the fourth quarter of a six-point game. All three have already spent time this postseason out of the rotation.
• Cleveland played exaggerated drop coverage, making it easier for Detroit’s guards to attack.

I know this was a short turnaround, and we’re expecting this to be a long series, but this game was managed like it was a regular-season game, not a playoff series opener.

The Cavs didn’t let Cunningham beat them as a scorer. He had 23 points on 6-19 shooting in 42 minutes after racking up 32, 32, and 45 points to close out the Orlando Magic in the first round.

Cleveland was able to contain him by showing multiple bodies when he tried to finish at the rim. He went just 2-7 on shots in the restricted area and 3-11 on looks in the paint overall.

This was one of the few things the Cavs did well in Game 1.

Despite the many areas the Cavs need to clean up, they still had a chance of winning this game.

This one was there for the taking. If the Cavs committed a few less turnovers and grabbed a couple more defensive rebounds, they probably would’ve come away from Game 1 a winner.

On one hand, that’s encouraging. It shows that the Cavs still have a good chance of taking this series. However, it’s never ideal to lose a winnable away game, especially for a team that is now 4-12 on the road in the postseason since trading for Mitchell.

We’ll see if the Cavs can make the necessary adjustments and split the two road games before the series shifts to Cleveland.

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Position battles to watch – The Splash Zone 5/6/26

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 15: Tyrel Dodson #25 of the Miami Dolphins in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 15, 2025 in Pittsburgh, United States. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Miami Dolphins have added plenty of new players to their roster and Jeff Hafley has stressed how important competition is. With all these new faces, there are going to be plenty of position battles to watch over the summer. The Dolphins have plenty of bodies in the cornerbacks room, but who are going to be the top guys? Chris Johnson looks to be one of those guys after being drafted in the first round two weeks ago. While linebacker wasn’t a huge need, Jon-Eric Sullivan added two rookies in Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis. Rodriguez has the best shot of stealing a starting spot if he can outduel Tyrel Dodson.

You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.

These 5 Miami Dolphins position battles should be settled this summer
The Miami Dolphins signed Malik Willis to start and even though he hasn’t officially been declared a starting quarterback, it would be a monumental upset if he were somehow beaten out by Quinn Ewers.

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Dolphins 2026 Season

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Jeff Hafley

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What might allow new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley to be the best head coach he can be are his coordinator hires.

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Dolphins Tight Ends

One of the extra perks of a Miami Dolphins 2026 NFL Draft choice just kicked in
This draft choice is going to be a gift that keeps on giving this summer for the Miami Dolphins.

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Dolphins Linebackers

Examining the Texas Tech Reunion at Linebacker … And How Long It Might Last
New Miami Dolphins linebacker Jacob Rodriguez could line up next to Jordyn Brooks but also eventually replace him

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Phinsider News You May Have Missed

How the Dolphins and Cowboys draft day trade went down – The Splash Zone 5/5/26
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.

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The Dolphins have the 2nd-hardest schedule in the NFL in 2026.

Jeff Hafley confirms Dolphins would have taken Kadyn Proctor even if team hadn’t traded down
Miami Dolphins coach thinks fans will look back fondly on Kadyn Proctor selection during 2026 NFL Draft.

Miami Dolphins Discussion: 2026 Team Draft Expectations Edition
We ask Miami Dolphins fans for their expectations of this years draft class.

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How the Dolphins and Cowboys draft day trade went down – The Splash Zone 5/5/26

We got a behind the scenes look at how the trade between the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys went down during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Cowboys traded up one spot to select Caleb Downs while the Dolphins ended up with two fifth round picks. Initially it was only going to be one fifth round pick and the clip shows that Miami was going to stay put. The Dolphins ended up selecting Kadyn Proctor and it sounds like he was going to be the pick over Downs anyway. But Dallas coveted Downs enough to add that extra fifth to move and get their guy.

You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.

The Miami Dolphins’ draft-day poker face paid off in a big way amid new look at their trade with the Cowboys
The Miami Dolphins’ poker game helped them squeeze as much out of the 2026 NFL Draft as they possibly could.

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Dolphins Roster

Breaking Down the Dolphins Monday Roster Moves
The Miami Dolphins released seven players as they continue their offseason program

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Dolphins Running Backs

De’Von Achane’s best argument for a monster contract with the Miami Dolphins lies in one stat
The best argument De’Von Achane has for his big contract extension with the Miami Dolphins lies in his franchise-setting pace in one stat.

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Dolphins Defensive Line

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Like former Miami Dolphins standout Andrew Van Ginkel, rookie Max Llewellyn is a high-motor sack artist from the state of Iowa with a wicked spin move.

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Dolphins Secondary

Safety Dante Trader could be in spotlight for Dolphins secondary in his second year
When the Miami Dolphins’ offseason started and safeties Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu were free agents, it looked as if Dante Trader could be in line for a major role in his second season.

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Phinsider News You May Have Missed

Dolphins most significant offseason additions – The Splash Zone 5/4/26
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.

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Updating the Miami Dolphins’ 2026 depth chart with their rookie draft picks.

Miami Dolphins part with multiple players post NFL Draft
Dolphins move on from seven players ahead of rookie minicamp.

2025 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks You Said Will Surprise Everyone
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7 Takeaways from Cavs Game 7 win over Raptors: Jarrett Allen proves Cavaliers don’t need to be defined by previous failures

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 03: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

CLEVELAND — Reputations don’t change overnight, especially ones built through years of playoff failures.

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t alter how they were perceived with a gutsy 114-102 Game 7 win over the Toronto Raptors. They did, however, show that they don’t have to be defined by previous postseason letdowns.

Jarrett Allen was the exact opposite of the caricature he’s been made out to be. He was the toughest player on the court on Sunday with the way he thoroughly dominated the paint on both ends of the floor.

Defensively, Allen made it impossible for Toronto to finish inside.

He cut off both passing and driving lanes with his activity on defense, resulting in three blocks and two steals. Allen did this while grabbing 25% of missed shots himself when he was on the floor, translating to 19 rebounds.

This all added up to Cleveland having an impressive 101.4 defensive rating with him playing.

That impact carried to the other end of the floor as well.

Allen played with a forcefulness that Toronto couldn’t match. Every cut, screen, or drive to the hoop was made with an effort that we don’t always see from Allen, but when he has few can stop.

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Head coach Kenny Atkinson saw a game like this coming with the way Allen looked in pregame intros.

“He was flying around,” Atkinson said. “Normally, he’s enthusiastic, but it was like, ‘Man, what got into this guy?’ But he was ready for the moment.”

Allen’s game is momentum-based. When he starts to see a few go through, his energy and effort continue to rise. That’s what we saw, especially in the third quarter. He finished the evening with 22 points on 7-8 shooting in the restricted area with eight huge offensive rebounds.

There was a simple message still written on the Cavs’ whiteboard after Game 7: “Win the possession game again!” Underneath that was a box with +9 in it, signaling how much they won that category.

The guards did a good job of limiting turnovers, but the real difference maker was Allen’s offensive rebounding.

Allen’s lowest playoff moment came when he couldn’t keep Mitchell Robinson and the New York Knicks off the glass three years ago. That was one of the many reasons Cleveland lost that first-round series so convincingly. It’s also where Allen made the infamous reference to the lights being “brighter than expected.”

This game was the exact opposite.

Allen wasn’t the one getting pushed off his spots; he was the one moving defenders out of the way and breaking their spirit in the second half.

This one game doesn’t change who Allen is moving forward. In basketball and in life, you continually need to confront and overcome the same problems.

Allen conquering his previous challenges is emblematic of the team as a whole.

In this series, the Cavs repeatedly showed that they can meet the moment. RJ Barrett’s game-winning three in Game 6 that hung in the air for eternity before falling through might’ve broken previous versions of this team. It didn’t for this one.

Every time they had a chance to collapse after a bad break, they picked themselves back up and continued fighting. That’s something that we haven’t consistently seen before and will help them in the postseason.

“I’m proud of our group,” Max Strus said after an impressive game of his own.

“Overcoming adversity, losing, coming back from it, showing some toughness, showing some character, showing some resilience. I think it’s going to be awesome for us to go through that. Now that we’ve gone through it, we know what it takes to get over the hump. I think it’ll be better for us in the next rounds.”

That is undeniably true.

However, it’s also true that the Cavs proved their loudest critics right on multiple occasions over the last two weeks. Mental mistakes, such as struggling to get the ball over half court late in games, cost them both Game 4 and Game 6. Championship-level teams can’t afford to give away road games, especially not two in similar ways.

The Cavs are both the team that showed they don’t have to be defined by their postseason failures, and that what has led to them can pop up at any moment. The first option wasn’t there for previous groups. That, more than anything, is reason to be optimistic if you want to be.

Talent has never been the problem with the Cavs.

The pieces are in place for a deep postseason run. The issue, both individually and as a collective, lies in rising to the occasion in the biggest moments.

Allen isn’t the only one who’s earned the reputation as a playoff failure. He’s on the same team as James Harden — the modern superstar most known for falling short in the clutch — and Donovan Mitchell — someone who hasn’t gotten out of the second round in his previous eight postseason attempts. Both will have to defeat their demons if this team is going to get over the hump.

Luckily for them, Allen provided the roadmap for doing so.

“I always feel like in this league, when you get a certain label, it always sticks with you no matter what,” Allen said. “No matter how hard you try to change it, it’s always going to follow you around. I think that if I…want to change the narrative that was placed on me…that’s going to weaken my strengths going forward and always try to weigh me back.

“I’ve always been the guy that always just moves forward. Things happen in the past that go my way, that don’t go my way. It’s just part of playing basketball, being at the professional level. [All I can do is] just be my best going forward.”

If Harden, Mitchell, and the rest of the team can continue following Allen’s example and just be their best going forward, then maybe this group can accomplish something meaningful.

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Broncos home opener opponent will reveal how the NFL views them

DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 04: Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos and Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos speak in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field At Mile High on January 04, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The NFL doesn’t just release a schedule. It sends a message.

Every window. Every matchup. Every slot. The league sends a quiet statement about who matters and who still has something to prove.

For the Denver Broncos, the home opener is the loudest message of them all. After years of irrelevance, followed by a surge that thrust them back into the conversation, the Broncos are no longer a feel-good story. Bo Nix and Denver are now a test case.

Are the Broncos worth building around in prime time?

Or is Denver still a team the league wants to see it or confirm it first?

Who shows up at Mile High for the opener will answer that question. Whether it’s Week 1 or Week 2, you will know the answer to how the NFL feels about the Broncos based on the opponent and when they play.

Happy Schedule Release Month!

Drop your guesses for our home opener ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cpZBc0YSk7

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 1, 2026

“You’ve arrived” scenario

If Denver opens the season at home against a marquee opponent, that’s not an accident. Think elite quarterback, a recent contender, or a team the NFL can’t stop putting in the standalone windows.

That’s the NFL betting on the Broncos as a draw this season.

A prime-time slot paired with a high-profile opponent says Denver is no longer a curiosity; it’s part of the main stage. It shows that the expectations for the Broncos have shifted from “can they be good?” to “how far can they go?”

With that comes a new kind of pressure. In this scenario, Denver is no longer sneaking up on its opponents. It’s the game.

“We like you, but prove it” scenario

This is where things get interesting for the Broncos. And if we’re being honest, the most realistic.

This is where Denver gets a playoff-caliber opponent in either the prime second game window or the regional window. The former ties into the first section, but still not quite there … yet. The regional window is something competitive but not headline-grabbing.

The regional window scenario is the kind of game fans are excited about, but the NFL isn’t building its entire Sunday around. Both instances are the league hedging its bets.

It’s respect but with conditions. The Broncos are a good team, perhaps even dangerous, but not prime viewing just yet. Think strong supporting act waiting for that bigger role.

If Denver wins this game, the narrative may change quickly. The adverse happens if the Broncos lose.

“Show us first” scenario

Now comes the scenario Broncos Country won’t love, but should still pay attention to. This is the lower-tier opponent in a limited viewing window.

This is the NFL saying, “We’re not sold yet.” It doesn’t mean Denver is bad; it simply means it’s unproven in the eyes of the people who shape the biggest stages. This is the kind of opener where the schedule-makers are keeping their distance … for now.

It’s not disrespect, it’s a challenge. Prove to us last season wasn’t a fluke.

Why it matters

For most seasons, a home opener is a starting point. But for this season, it feels like a measuring stick.

The Broncos are no longer rebuilding. They’re no longer flying under the radar. They’re now in the uncomfortable middle ground where expectations exist, but certainty does not. This is where perception matters the most, especially from the NFL.

How the league views Denver will shape the narrative’s national exposure, how often the team is seen, how often it’s discussed, and how quickly it climbs from “interesting” to “legitimate contender.”

The Broncos won’t just be opening their season when the home opener is announced; they’ll be revealing exactly where they stand in the eyes of the NFL.

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