Nick Caserio might not be ready to give C.J. Stroud a brand new extension, but the Houston Texans general manager gave high praise to the quarterback going into Year 4. Caserio told reporters early Wednesday morning that Stroud had one of the best offseasons he's seen in quite some time. More notably, Caserio was pleased with how Stroud handled the outside critcism from the public following an abysmal postseason. When youre not in a building, when you are not with an individual on a day-to-day basis, you really dont have all the information,Caserio said. So you can make judgments and cast aspersions and say whatever you are going to say, but sometimes its out of context.For the majority of last season. Stroud played up to a standard, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns. He helped Houston reach the postseason for the third straight year and even won another wild-card round game over the Pittsburgh Steelers. More on a potential CJ Stroud extension from Nick Caserio:We have an understanding of what the market is (feels a lot of people are looking at this imo), the dynamics, not necessarily about what other teams are doing (history has shown this in the NFL & young QB contracts), https://t.co/MOLhHIhobHpic.twitter.com/xFcqVE536X Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) July 29, 2026But the struggles in the postseason remain a concern as to whether Stroud can be the long-term answer at quarterback. He tossed seven interceptions, including four in the divisional round loss to the New England Patriots, a game that could have clinched Houston a spot in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. Stroud said he changed several things about his offseason workouts to be in the best shape of his life. The Texans have taken notice and are pleased with the results. We love having C.J. here. We are glad hes our quarterback and we are going to support him like we support our other players and do whatever we can to help them and make them the best version of themselves," Caserio said. The next conversation for Houston to have is getting a deal done that works for both parties. According to several reports, Stroud could receive up to $60 million annually, which would make him a top-three paid quarterback going into the season, slotting him just above Cincinnatis Joe Burrow and below Dallas' Dak Prescott. For now, Stroud is worried about his on-field play rather than his off-field contract conversations.What Ive done is what Ive done on the field, Stroud said. And what I will do, well see. Ive had some success and I think Ill continue to have some success as a quarterback in this league. Im excited for the future. Past all the contract stuff, I love playing football.The Texans return to practice on Thursday morning. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans GM Nick Caserio gives high praise to C.J. Stroud amid criticism

The Packers made three moves on Wednesday.They activated left guard Aaron Banks and defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse from the active/physically unable to perform list. The team also placed wide receiver Brenden Rice on the non-football injury list.Banks' stay on PUP did not last long as he passed his physical. He appeared in 15 games last season, starting 14, despite dealing with a back injury in training camp and ankle problems and a stinger last season.The Packers claimed Rice off waivers from the Raiders in May. The son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice joined Las Vegas' practice squad late last season after also spending time on the practice squads of the Seahawks and Patriots.He was with the Chargers in training camp last summer.

Since 2019, the 49ers have won 10 games or more five times, reaching the Super Bowl twice and the NFC Championship Game four times in that span. However, the name of the game for San Francisco, for a few consecutive seasons, has been injuries. How healthy will it be going into this season? And if healthy, can it overcome the two juggernauts in-division? Let's check out the 49ers' Over/Under win total odds for the 2026 season. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. San Francisco 49ers Over 9.5: -146 (bet $10 to win $16.85 total)Under 9.5: +120 (bet $10 to win $22 total) What to know: Health. That was the one word that plagued the San Francisco 49ers last season. The Niners led the NFL by losing over $95 million in salary cap value to players on the injured list throughout the year. Remarkably, they still won 12 games in 2025 despite dealing with a plethora of injuries to several key players. Brock Purdy missed eight games, while Fred Warner and Nick Bosa both suffered season-ending injuries. George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall and Talanoa Hufanga also missed a significant portion of the season and Brandon Aiyuk never even saw the field. Even after overcoming those injuries and exceeding expectations, San Franciscos projected win total has dropped entering 2026. Last year, the Niners won those 12 games in the toughest division in football. The Seahawks won 14 games and beat the Rams, winners of 12 games, in the NFC title game. San Francisco fell to Seattle in the divisional round. Odds: This upcoming season, San Francisco is the +305 third choice to win the NFC West, the +960 sixth choice to win the AFC and the +1900 11th choice to win the Super Bowl.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) TCU coach Sonny Dykes felt the Horned Frogs got off to a clean start in their opening practice Wednesday, exactly a month before an early season opener in Ireland. Even with a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback, Dykes said there were no turnovers, no false starts or offside calls and only one bad snap with the third team toward the end of practice. All that work done by the team during spring drills and summer workouts seemed to carry over into the start of fall camp. "You did spend a lot of early practices back in the day trying to knock the dust off and get the guys to kind of get where they were in the spring, Dykes said. And now its almost like they get where they are in the spring and the improvement that takes place in (the summer), and then you start pretty quickly and you just kind of pick up where you left off. And I thought there was a lot of that today.The Frogs play a Week 0 game against North Carolina on Aug. 29, when the Aer Lingus College Football Classic is the first game to kick off that day. Those teams played last year in Chapel Hill for the Tar Heels' debut with coach Bill Belichick in a 48-14 loss on Labor Day to wrap up Week 1. TCU has a new OC and new QB leading the offenseTransfer quarterback Jaden Craig started 24 games at Harvard the past three seasons, and last year set single-season school passing records with 208 completions, 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns. Craig is the expected successor for Josh Hoover, who left TCU after 9,627 yards and 71 TDs passing the past three seasons. Hoover went to replace Heisman Trophy winner and NFL No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza for reigning national champion Indiana.Just for what I saw today, decision-making is faster. The ball is getting out on time more than it used to. I think theres a pretty noticeable difference really even from the spring to what I saw, Dykes said. I think he's ahead of schedule quite frankly. I feel good about where he is."Gordon Sammis took over as TCU's offensive coordinator after three seasons in the same position at UConn. Kendal Briles left TCU to be South Carolina's OC.Being able to come in and learn with everybody I think helped a lot because we had some of those conversations about where guys are supposed to be, how theyre supposed to run certain routes and stuff like that, Craig said.Dykes and the Frogs aren't satisfied with being goodTCU has had consecutive nine-win seasons, but is now three full seasons removed from the Big 12 championship game, the four-team College Football Playoff and national championship game in Dykes' debut as their coach in 2022. You get a taste for that and you want to go back and do it again, Dykes said. The Frogs finished last season with a three-game winning streak, but that came after a 44-13 loss at BYU in mid-November.Dykes believes changes in the program have made the Frogs tougher, more disciplined and hopefully more physical. Those are the three kind of pillars that we talk about all the time that weve got to do if we want to be great. And the way I view it, I think weve been pretty good, he said. Being great really is about reaching your potential as a team, and I dont think weve done that in the last three years. And I think we probably exceeded our potential in Year 1.___AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Barcelona stars Premier League links rubbishedSpeculation linking Barcelona star Jules Kound with a potential summer transfer to England has on Wednesday been put firmly to bed.The name of defender Kound reemerged as a prominent one in the media across Europe over the course of the last 24 hours. This came after claims surfaced that the France international had made his way onto the summer wishlist of Tottenham Hotspur.Amid an ongoing search for versatile reinforcements at the back, Roberto De Zerbi and co. were rumoured to have circled Kounds name in red.As alluded to above, however, just as quickly as these links came to the fore, they have since been rubbished. As confirmed in a report on the part of transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano:Theres nothing between Jules Kound and Tottenham despite the links in the recent hours. No interest, no negotiations.Despite a somewhat hit-and-miss campaign at the Spotify Camp Nou last season, it is considered highly likely that Kound will still be a Barcelona player upon the summer window slamming shut.Conor Laird GSFN

John Harbaugh | Getty ImagesWHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.VA. The New York Giants know they are definitely not in East Rutherford, N.J. anymore. They have noticed the beauty of their surroundings, nestled snugly into the Allegheny Mountains. They have noticed the comfort of their accommodations at the ritzy Greenbrier Performance Center.They know, though, that they are not in West Virginia to sightsee. They are not on vacation. They are on a business trip. The business of preparing to be the best football team they can be in 2026.New head coach John Harbaugh made that clear on Wednesday, the first day of training camp. He noted the beautiful setting and thanked everyone who made it happen. Harbaugh, though, quickly turned to the business at hand when asked what he was evaluating in the early practices.Were chasing execution, Harbaugh said. Were at a stage now, were getting ready for the games. I mean, thats what practice is for. Were not here to practice. Its not a training camp exercise. Were here to prepare for the games that were going to play. What plays we call, how we practice, all those things. Were not just running plays out here to run plays. Thats why we want to keep our plays to ourselves when were doing them out here. So, thats what were evaluating, is our execution.Here are some of the things we saw from the sidelines on the first day of training camp.Differences for DartIt is clear watching the Giants practice that there are some differences in what is being required of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. He acknowledged as much Wednesday by saying Theres reps of things that I havent really had a ton of experience doing.One of those differences is the amount of work Dart is being asked to do under center. Roughly half of his 11-on-11 work Wednesday came from under center.Theres a few things mechanically that are different, Dart said.Probably just like the biggest thing is a little bit of footwork, landmarks in the pocket, but weve repped the hell out of it.Im feeling really good with the track that were on, and Im feeling comfortable.Its not something out there when Im on the field that I have to think extra about when Im having a rep at a certain play.Its more obviously just about readingthe rep from a conceptual standpoint, getting on time with all the guys, so, its been something that weve really, you know, pushed and really got a ton of reps out of this offseason.Malik Nabers dayNabers did individual drills and ran a few pass routes on air at the beginning of practice. He played a few minutes of catch with Dart when practice ended.Dominic Zvada is humanThe placekicking competition, where undrafted free agent rookie Dominic Zvada was 13 of 13 in two practices witnessed by reporters and Ben Sauls struggled mightily, was a big story during the spring.Both kickers got opportunities on Wednesday.Sauls made 4 of 5 kicks from 33 to 51 yards, missing a 43-yarder. Sauls also missed a 61-yarder wide right, a ball that had plenty of distance. Zvada was 4 of 6 on the day, missing an extra point and a 43-yarder.Practice highlightsDart threw a beautiful short out to tight end Chris Manhertz, floating it nicely over a trailing Abdul Carter.Cornerback Tae Banks got his hands on two passes. He broke up a throw across the middle from quarterback Brandon Allen that was intended for Xavier Gipson. He also got a hand on an off-target sideline pass intended for rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields.Jameis Winston hit Braxton Berrios for a 40-ish-yard touchdown. Berrios was well behind Nic Jones, the closest defender.Kayvon Thibodeaux, working with the second unit, broke the line and batted down a Winston pass. During a two-minute end-of-game drill, Fields had a leaping 15-yard catch that put the offense into field goal position.The defense missed chances for two interceptions of Dart. Safety Jevon Holland dropped an overthrown ball across the middle. Paulson Adebo had a pass down the middle go right through his hands into the arms of tight end Isaiah Likely for a big play.The defense also missed an interception when linebacker Tremaine Edmunds batted a pass into the air, and Arvell Reese and ArDarius Washington collided trying to bring the ball in.Take me home, country roadsHere are a handful of quotes from players and coaches about their West Virginia home away from home:Dart:This is like old school.Its like what you see in the movies, so I was stoked just to come out here with the team,and its a cool experience because in the league,theres so many external factors a lot of guys have families and things that theyve got to take care of off the field,so I think that us just being able to come here for extended daysand just being with one another, growing our personal relationships,but also having great communication from the football side,theres not a ton of things to do around here,so it forces us to be together, and we love each other as a team,so Im really excited about it.GM Joe Schoen:Talked to several general managers and head coaches that have been here, and its everything they said it would be. I mean, its beautiful. I think it was 60 degrees this morning when we woke up and came over here. So yeah, its a beautiful setting and again, they were ready for us and Im thoroughly impressed with the facilities.Brian Burns:NOTE: A railroad train was chugging by during most of Burns press conference, making it virtually impossible to hear him. Or, be heard by him.Its peaceful, a lot of mountains, trees, wildlife. So, you know what Im saying, its a peaceful view, but theres a lot of chaos on the field its beautiful out here. Theres a couple cribs up there [in the mountains], its nice. I notice quite a bit of things, were trying to figure out something to do on the off day, maybe well go fishing or something. Its (not) a lot to do out here.Injury notesTight end Thomas Fidone and defensive tackle Sam Roberts, who were initially on the PUP list, passed their physicals on Tuesday. They were both removed from PUP and took part in Wednesdays workout.Remaining Greenbrier practice scheduleThe fans are coming! The next three practices will be open to the public. The remaining schedule at the Greenbrier is below.Thursday, July 30 1:30-3:15 p.m. (Open to the public)Friday, July 31 1:30-3:30 p.m. (Open to the public)Saturday, August 1 1:30-3:30 p.m. (Open to the public)Sunday, August 2 Players day offMonday, August 3 1:30-3:15 p.m.Tuesday, August 4 1:30-3:30 p.m.Wednesday, August 5 1:30-4 p.m. (Open to the public)Thursday, August 6 1:30-4 p.m. (Open to the public)Friday, August 7 1:30-4 p.m. (Open to the public)Saturday, August 8 10 a.m. 12:30 p.m.

Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper didnt take part in the team's minicamp after being arrested twice on domestic violence charges, but he is back with the team and participated in their first practice of training camp on Wednesday. Head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that he, General Manager George Paton and team owner Greg Penner all met with Cooper after the arrests and that Cooper completed a counseling program that the team made part of his path to returning. Payton said he is "proud" of the work that Cooper has done since the arrest and that the team will "see where it goes."Were staying the course with league protocol, we're staying the course with club protocol, relative to what were advised to do, Payton said, via Denver Sports 104.3. Hes been fantastic working away from the building, and well continue to do that, and monitor it. Were supportive, and very much aware of the seriousness of these types of things.Cooper faces an August 31 arraignment on multiple charges, including second-degree count assault by strangulation. In addition to his legal case, Cooper faces potential league discipline under the Personal Conduct Policy.

The Curtis Mead experience has halted, just as it was getting started.The Red Sox traded for Mead Saturday night, adding a key infielder and right-handed bat to the lineup. In his debut Monday against the As, Mead took a 95-mph fastball to the wrist in his second at-bat for Boston.Super disappointing, you know, it kind of doesnt feel real that its the first game and you know, there will be a break in between the next one," Mead said to the media following the game.Initial X-rays were negative, and the Sox say he had a left wrist contusion.After Mondays game, Interim manager Chad Tracy gave this update.Hes sore; were just going to take it day to day and see how he feels coming in, Tracy said. But little sore, but at least right now it looks like we dodged a bullet, maybe.Turns out they did not dodge a bullet. The following night, the Sox announced Mead is heading to the injured list with a broken wrist.No, its challenging, definitely mentally challenging, Mead said. I came here to play and be with the group down the stretch. So yeah, its definitely disappointing, but Im hopeful I can be back soon.As of now, Mead will be sidelined until further notice. The earliest Boston can activate him is August sixth.Tough, especially for the kid, Tracy added. Got here, a player we like. You could tell he was excited to be here, you could tell the guys embraced him, and we were ready to kind of live life with him in the lineup. And then that happens to him, so more than anything you feel for him.When asked if hell play again this season, Mead added that he hopes so.Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

After a dominant stretch in the AFC East, winning five straight division crowns, the Bills finished second last season, with the arrival of Drake Maye's Patriots. Will a new trend begin this season or will the Bills regain their place atop the hierarchy? Let's check out the Bills' Over/Under win total odds for the 2026 season. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Buffalo Bills Over 10.5: -120 (bet $10 to win $18.33 total)Under 10.5: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total) What to know: The Bills have gone over their win total of 10.5 in each of the last six seasons. After firing Sean McDermott this offseason, Buffalo promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach while also trading for DJ Moore and signing Bradley Chubb. So, will it be enough to take Josh Allen to the promised land? Despite being one of the game's best quarterbacks for years, Allen has never made it to a Super Bowl. He's made it to two AFC title games, falling to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in both. Last season, the Bills fell in overtime to Denver in the divisional round. Odds: This upcoming season, Buffalo is the -136 favorite to win the AFC East, the +510 second choice to win the AFC, and the +1000 second choice to win the Super Bowl.