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Giants players clap back at doubters amid preseason predictions
The New York Giants are coming off a 6-11 2023 season and could be roughly six months away from team co-owner John Mara hitting a figurative reset button.
Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton knows what many are saying about the club during the early days of training camp.
"I don’t think people’s expectations are very high outside of this building," Slayton acknowledged during a recent chat with Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. "Because of what our record was last year, people probably aren’t expecting it to be much different this year. But I don’t really put too much stock in what people expect from us. Whether people are saying we’re the best team in the NFL or the worst team, you have to overcome that. Either way, you have to stay level-headed and have your own expectations inside the building and try to live up to those."
The 2022 Giants surprised many by finishing the regular season with a 9-7-1 record before they earned a 31-24 playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Of course, much has changed since New York players celebrated that postseason win.
Star running back Saquon Barkley left the Giants via free agency and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles this past March. Starting quarterback Daniel Jones has reportedly struggled throughout training camp as he continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in November of last year.
As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Giants at +115 betting odds to win over 6.5 games this coming season.
"Of course, there’s outside noise online and on social media," Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger told Cannizzaro. "We see it. We’re aware of it. But for me and for us, it’s being able to block all that out and focusing on what we can control inside. As a team collectively, if we don’t reach our highest goals, we’ve got to do something about it."
Through at least the remainder of the summer, the Giants likely will continue to be linked with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Belichick earned his first two of eight career Super Bowl rings serving as an assistant and defensive coordinator with the Giants from 1979 through the 1990 season, and he reportedly "intends to coach in 2025."
New York wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson seemingly ignores such rumors and focuses on the task at hand.
"We just expect to win," Robinson told Cannizzaro. "About as simple as that."
More must-reads:
- NFL insider sounds alarm about Giants' Daniel Jones
- NFC: One potential fast riser on every team's depth chart
- The 'Running backs taken in the first round' quiz
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Titans may have tipped NFL Draft hand with Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter decisions
The Tennessee Titans own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they may have dropped a big hit on who they are going select in that spot. Or perhaps more accurately, who they are not going to select. According to Jim Wyatt of the Titans' website, the team and quarterback Shedeur Sanders have mutually agreed to cancel a private workout following Friday's pro day at Colorado. The Ringer’s Todd McShay also reported that the Titans canceled their private workout with Travis Hunter. While it is true that the Titans have all of that game-film and had a chance to see him — and talk to him — at the pro day, there is still something to be said for a private workout and a private visit. That is when the Titans could get serious one-on-one time with a prospect to speak to him, put him through their own drills and get a unique glimpse at a player that no other team would get. Or be there to share time with. The Titans also already had a private visit with Miami quarterback Cam Ward. Following his pro day on Friday, Sanders had a very bold statement for teams entering the draft: You would be a fool to not take him. Ward has been regarded as the favorite to go No. 1 overall, but this is not a draft class where there is a slam-dunk, can't-miss prospect at the top. The best overall player in the draft probably isn't even a quarterback. (Colorado's two-way standout Hunter or Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter are where that discussion starts.) But because quarterback is the position that drives success in the NFL, teams will always make them a priority. The Titans might very well be doing the same. Their decision this weekend might offer a window into which quarterback they really like and have their eyes on.
Wild get mammoth Kirill Kaprizov injury update
The Minnesota Wild are on the verge of getting a massive piece back in the lineup ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs later this month. Kirill Kaprizov, who has been sidelined for 25 games after suffering a lower-body injury, could return as soon as next Wednesday after being cleared for contact. Via The Athletic: “While both players returned to the Twin Cities from New York to resume skating with Andy Ness and get better treatments than on the road, it’s starting to feel like Kaprizov could return as soon as next Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks. Coach John Hynes said Kaprizov had a positive checkup with his New York surgeon on Tuesday and has been cleared for contact. Hynes wasn’t ready to pinpoint when Kaprizov could play for the first time since Jan. 26, but it’s clearly on the horizon.” This is a huge update for the Wild. Yes, they hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but Kaprizov is arguably their best player. Despite playing just 37 games in 2024-25, he’s still third on the team in points with 52. The Russian has scored 23 goals and tallied 29 helpers. When healthy, Kaprizov is an electrifying player for the Wild, and he’ll be a major addition just in time for the playoffs. Minnesota has a five-point lead over the Calgary Flames in the wild-card race but has lost four of its last five games. They need to turn it around in a hurry and inserting Kaprizov back in the lineup could certainly add a spark. As noted in The Athletic piece, Joel Eriksson Ek is also trending toward a return. The 28-year-old hasn’t suited up since Feb. 22 due to injury, but he was a full participant in practice earlier in the week. Eriksson Ek has 24 points in 42 outings in 2024-25. The Wild are getting healthy at just the right time.
Mike Trout sends strong message after trade speculation
Two things are guaranteed when Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is healthy: home runs and trade speculation. Trout took care of the former this week, mashing his first homer in nearly a year during Wednesday’s 12-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Outside of avoiding injury on the six-game road trip, the solo homer marked Trout’s only true highlight; the three-time AL MVP enters Friday’s home opener hitting .143 with five RBI and a .564 OPS. As for the trade speculation, what would be a baseball season without people wondering if the Angels will eventually deal Trout? On Tuesday, Trout sparked trade speculation after he praised playing in St. Louis. He even admitted he circled the game on his calendar. Trout referenced Cardinals legend and longtime Angels teammate Albert Pujols, who constantly raved about Busch Stadium and St. Louis as a whole. Although the baseball world seems highly interested in Trout’s future, the future Hall of Famer is focused on the here and now. “Great stretch on the road, see you in Anaheim,” Trout wrote on Instagram. The Angels won four of six against the Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox. Trout and teammates entered Friday only half a game behind the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West. Yes, we’re only a week into the season. Yes, the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners will likely turn things around before April ends. The Angels are also fresh off a club-record 99 losses, so you take the positives where you can get them. It’ll likely be some time before we see any potential Trout trade. Not only does he have six seasons remaining on a 12-year, $462.5 million extension he signed in 2019, but Trout’s contract contains a full no-trade clause. There haven’t been any credible reports about a Trout trade, even after injuries limited him to 111 games over the last two seasons. Whether or not the Angels would have dealt a healthy Trout is another conversation entirely. For now, though, Trout is healthy and ready to crush homers at Angel Stadium. Let’s see if the Angels maintain their 4-2 start and, against all odds, somehow get Trout his first playoff plate appearance in over a decade.
Yankees continue historic HR pace to open 2025 season
Maybe it is the torpedo bats. Or maybe it is the fact they are the New York Yankees and just simply have a lot of good, high-priced players. Or perhaps it is just a small sample size in the early part of the season. It could be a combination of all three factors. Whatever it is, the Yankees are clubbing home runs at a pace to open this season that has never been seen before in Major League Baseball. With two more home runs on Saturday — both by outfielder Trent Grisham — in a 10-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, they are now up to 25 home runs through their first eight games. That is not only the most home runs ever hit by a team through the first eight games of the season, it is two more than the next closest team. The previous high-mark through eight games belonged to the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals with 23 home runs. Only seven teams in Major League history (going back to 1901) have hit at least 20 through their first eight games. Entering play on Saturday, the team with the second-most home runs in the league this season is the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers who had hit 19 home runs but had also already played in nine games. The Chicago Cubs, having played in 10 games, were third with 14 home runs. Reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge is leading the way having already hit six home runs, but it is not just him hitting the ball out of the park. Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm — two players using the torpedo bats — both have four, while Grisham is already up to three. Judge's six home runs were more than seven entire teams entering play on Saturday, and as many as three others. There are two teams in the league — Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays — that entered the day having only hit three home runs for the season. Their 72 runs through Saturday are also — by far — the most in baseball and nine more than the next closest team. That second-place team is the aforementioned Cubs team that has already played two additional games. It is going to be a fascinating season to watch unfold. The Yankees were obviously disappointed to lose out on re-signing Juan Soto, and it is still a reality that stings the fans. But the Yankees were able to spread that money around the roster and the early returns through the first three series have been extremely promising.
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