Sound the trumpets.The Los Angeles Dodgers activated star closer Edwin Daz from the 60-day injured list, the team announced in a press release on Wednesday afternoon. The 32-year-old flamethrower had been sidelined since April 20 with loose bodies in his right elbow.Left-handed pitcher Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment in the corresponding move.Daz underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on April 22 to remove five loose bodies, or fragments of bone and cartilage that break off inside the joint. It's a condition that Daz has said he's had to manage since 2012, but the discomfort reached a tipping point early this season when he struggled to a 10.50 ERA with seven earned runs allowed in six innings pitched; an abominable 2.33 WHIP indicated he was battling through some kind of issue with his mechanics or health.His most recent appearance for the Dodgers came on April 19, where he gave up three runs on three hits to the Colorado Rockies and was promptly pulled by manager Dave Roberts."I was feeling good," Daz told reporters after his successful surgery. "But on Sunday in Colorado, I didnt feel comfortable throwing. So I told them, 'Hey, I feel weird. I can keep throwing, but my arm doesnt feel good. I feel tired.' And they sent me to get some images. And the loose body was there. So the decision was, just take the loose body out and rehab and be ready for the second half."Three months later, after seven rehab appearances across the Arizona Complex League, Low-A Ontario and Triple-A Oklahoma City, it looks like Daz has found the kind of rhythm that earned the three-time All-Star a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason. He's allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts, an encouraging sign that he can return and be the centerpiece in the bullpen that the Andrew Friedman and Co. envisioned last winter.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers activate Edwin Daz from IL: What it means for LA

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has one specific area that he wants quarterback Drake Maye to improve on heading into the 2026 season. Maye was one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL last season. He threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He placed second in NFL MVP voting behind Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. His sophomore campaign could not have gone any better. However, he did have his struggles along the way, especially as the competition got tougher."More urgent and get everybody functioning just a little bit quicker," Vrabel said of Maye, when speaking with reporters. Vrabel says one area of emphasis for Drake Maye is to operate faster: "More urgent and get everybody functioning just a little bit quicker."The #Patriots were 28th in seconds per play last season. Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) July 25, 2026There have been clear indicators that the Patriots have been helping Maye along the way throughout the spring practices. They were speeding up the process and allowing the third-year quarterback to figure things out at the line of scrimmage. A second year under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, along with Maye's own personal improvements, has put him in a position to work with more urgency and efficiency when commanding the offense. That can only mean good things for the Patriots moving forward. FollowPatriotsWire onTwitterandFacebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Mike Vrabel wants Drake Maye to improve in one specific area

LOS ANGELES (AP) Puka Nacua says he never considered holding out of training camp as he enters the final year of his rookie contract with the Los Angeles Rams.The All-Pro receiver loves and needs the day-to-day grind of football too much to step away from it, even for financial purposes.Nacua also realizes his standing with the Rams isn't quite as rock-solid as it was a year ago, and the best way to repair it after a winter of missteps is with a good summer.I think the game of football is a safe place for me, and I enjoy that, Nacua said Wednesday after showing off his connection with Matthew Stafford repeatedly during the Rams' fourth practice at Loyola Marymount.Nacua says he has taken responsibility for the distractions he created last winter for the Rams, who advanced to the NFC championship game while he led the league in receptions.After Nacua issued a public apology last December for unwittingly performing a gesture that plays upon antisemitic tropes while appearing on an internet livestream, he was subsequently sued in March by a woman who claims he made an antisemitic statement and bit her on the shoulder while partying on New Year's Eve.Nacua could face a league suspension in the upcoming season, but he says his conversations with the Rams and the NFL have been nothing compared to the tough talks with his family.There have been things that happened this offseason that havent been the truest reflection of the person I feel like I am, and how my mother raised me, Nacua said. Theres definitely been conversations with her to apologize, but also for her to say that she supports me. Also, my brothers are, I think, my biggest critics as well, so there were some intense conversations, but also loving conversations in order to see improvement.Nacua's public mistakes occurred at an inopportune time for somebody in line to become one of the NFL's highest-paid position players after three prolific seasons with the Rams. His upcoming payday will be the first contract for Nacua, whose four-year rookie deal was worth just over $4 million as a fifth-round pick in 2023.But that's only one reason Nacua rejected any notion of a holdout.Coming out here and seeing that jersey, No. 12, hung up in my locker is something that I dont take for granted, Nacua said. Being around this group of guys, I think of all the guys that have reached out in this offseason to be there by my side, and then when were here in the meeting rooms, the level of connection I feel like I have with the guys out there, it never crossed my mind that I dont want to be out there with those guys.Nacua says the Rams and his camp havent had too many conversations about the current state of negotiations for a new deal. Coach Sean McVay refused to make a connection between Nacua's future behavior and the ultimate contract talks.I dont think you want to dangle a carrot that way, McVay said. I think hes inspired to do right because his heart is right, and then I think the contract will take care of itself because hes an incredible player, and hes continuing to mature as a man. I love him. I love his heart, and I love the growth that hes had, and were with him every step of the way.The Rams have been publicly vague about their urgency to get a deal done with Nacua or their four additional starters from the 2023 draft class pass rusher Byron Young, nose tackle Kobie Turner, left guard Steve Avila and right tackle Warren McClendon who have all showed up to camp instead of holding out.We'll see what the future holds, but I would love to be able to keep all of them, McVay said. I've been really impressed with how they've handled it, and I love this team and I'm grateful that those guys have taken this approach.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami quarterback Darian Mensah speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectOn Wednesday, the ACC released the preseason Player of the Year and All-Conference teams. In another expected result, Miami Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah was voted preseason ACC Player of the Year. Introducing the 2026 ACC Preseason Player of the Year, Darian Mensah pic.twitter.com/OqtolGAFHW ACC Football (@ACCFootball) July 29, 2026A transfer from Duke and previously Tulane, Mensah is one of the top returning players in the country. He led the ACC in passing yards and touchdowns en route to leading Duke to winning the ACC Championship Game in 2025. Mensah, who was also voted preseason 1st team All-Conference Quarterback, earned 97 first-place votes from the 185 member ACC media member panel. SMU QB Kevin Jennings, Louisville RB Isaac Brown, and North Carolina State QB C.J. Bailey round out the top 4 in preseason Player of the Year voting. For the preseason All-Conference teams, several Miami players joined Mensah on the list. RB Mark Fletcher Jr., WR Malachi Toney (at WR and All-Purpose), and OG Samson Okunlola join Mensah on Offense. DT Ahmad Moten Sr., LB Mohamed Toure, and S Bryce Fitzgerald were placed on the preseason All-Defense team. P Dylan Joyce and return specialist Malachi Toney were on the Special Teams unit. So, QB leading the way overall, with 7 other players on the list, including one player placed on preseason all-conference team in THREE different places. Oh. And that player is an 18 year old sophomore. Pretty incredible, if you ask me. For the whole release from The ACC, click this link right here.Which players are you looking forward to watching? Any Canes snubbed from preseason All-ACC? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Go Canes

Bournemouth's plans for the new season have been dealt a blow after forward Junior Kroupi was ruled out for around three months with a foot injury.Kroupi, who has been chased by a number of clubs this summer, sustained the problem during the Cherries' ongoing pre-season tour of Austria and underwent successful surgery on Wednesday after he returned to England, the Press Association understands.The highly-rated French prospect is expected to be sidelined for three to four months, which will rule him out of the start of the club's maiden Europa League campaign.Bournemouth finished sixth last season to secure continental football for the first time after Kroupi struck 13 goals during an outstanding individual campaign.A host of clubs around the world and the Cherries' Premier League rivals Tottenham had reportedly placed the 20-year-old attacker high on their wish list.However, Bournemouth's stance had always been that Kroupi was not for sale this summer along with midfielder Alex Scott and Brazilian winger Rayan.Even with this unexpected injury problem, the south-coast club remain determined to keep hold of Kroupi to boost new boss Marco Rose in his first campaign at Vitality Stadium.

Jul. 29GRAND FORKS For the first time in his UND career, Jerry Kaminski went through fall practice wearing jersey No. 1 on Wednesday.It was a fitting number assignment for the junior, who went through fall camp last season as perhaps an underdog in a deep quarterback battle for the starting job.Kaminski emerged a year ago as the starter, set the school's single-season regular season touchdown record and now has the Day 1 role at fall camp as the unquestioned QB1 and leader of the offense."Love it," Kaminski said of the number change from No. 11. "Feels like high school again."Kaminski wore No. 1 as a prep in Sun Prairie, Wis."I felt honored to have the guys look at me in a way where I would be able to represent 701," Kaminski said. "It was a blessing to have this opportunity."The No. 1 jersey change was a result of second-year head coach Eric Schmidt's emphasis on the Nos. 7, 0 and 1 being handed out to team leaders. Lance Rucker wears 0, while starting linebacker Michael Devereaux has 7."I think you can see it from Day 1," Schmidt said of his evaluation of Kaminski. "We talk about starting fast. There's a lot of confidence that he has in himself, a lot of confidence he has in the offense, and then I think the guys around him ... just the belief that they have. That's how you create belief ... the guys coming out here every single day and how you do anything is how you do everything. He's one of those guys that is not afraid to lead from the front. He's really confident in his own skin."Although Kaminski returns most of his starting offensive line from last season, the Fighting Hawks will have many new faces at the skill positions on offense."It has been great," Kaminski said. "With the new rule where you only get one transfer portal window, we had all of spring and summer building those relationships with guys, staying after workouts, throwing extra, hanging out with the guys more. I think the guys we brought in are high-character guys and guys that you want to be around, so that makes it easy."In addition to handing out 7, 0 and 1 jersey assignments, Schmidt also stresses any single-digit jersey should be earned.On the opening day Wednesday, UND's single-digit wide receivers were some of the most productive during 11-on-11 situations.Four Winds product Deng Deng returns wearing No. 2, while Bowling Green transfer Caleb Goodloe is wearing No. 3 and Korey Tai has changed from No. 15 to No. 5.Tai had one of the longest plays of the opening day when he hauled in a long bomb from Kaminski."Offensively, a huge point of emphasis for us was to be able to be more explosive and skilled," Schmidt said. "I think we have the opportunity to be able to do that. A year ago, we ran the ball pretty effectively. Maybe not as well as we wanted to late in the season. That put a little bit more stress on Jerry and on our skill guys. I think (we needed) to go out and find some skill guys to open up some things in the box when teams are taking away the run game. We need to be dynamic enough to be able to make teams pay for doing that when we get one-on-one situations on the perimeter."

Jul. 29GRAND FORKS Mac Swanson has ditched his sling. He's back on the ice with his UND hockey teammates.UND head coach Dane Jackson says the junior winger from Anchorage is progressing well after having offseason shoulder surgery."He's ahead of schedule on everything," Jackson said. "He's done a great job on his rehab. He's had no setbacks."Swanson attended development camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month, but he did not participate in on-ice activities.Pittsburgh selected Swanson in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas.Jackson said there's still a road to go in Swanson's recovery, though.UND does not expect Swanson to be cleared for physical contact until September.The Fighting Hawks have preseason exhibitions on Oct. 3 (vs. Augustana) and Oct. 4 (vs. Manitoba).UND opens the regular season Oct. 9 at Bemidji State."We think there's a high likelihood he'll be ready to play for our first game," Jackson said.Swanson was playing through an injury at the end of the season. After consultation with medical personnel, Swanson opted for surgery to fix it.Swanson had a strong sophomore campaign, tallying 11 goals and 28 points in 40 games.The dynamic setup man figures to be one of UND's top offensive players in 2026-27."He was playing so well last year," Jackson said. "What's interesting about Mac is that everyone thinks about him as a high-end offensive thinker and playmaker, but he's got really good habits and details. I thought his pace of play really improved. He was playing fast. He was a reliable two-way guy with high-end offensive instincts. To have him healthy and playing at his best will be a huge factor for our team."All 26 players on UND's roster have been in Grand Forks this summer now that goaltender Jan punar has arrived.punar spent two extra weeks in his native Czechia, because he's unable to go home in August when most of his teammates do.Four UND players are currently at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ont.Forward Cole Reschny, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff and defenseman Carson Carels are with Team Canada. They were all members of Canada's bronze-medal team last winter.UND freshman forward Cooper Simpson is with Team USA. Carter Sanderson, a 2027 forward commit, is with Team USA, too.

Jul. 29GRAND FORKS The UND men's basketball team will play international games for the first time since 2024 this November.The Fighting Hawks are one of eight men's teams that will participate in this year's Cancun Challenge. The Hawks will open tournament play against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 24 at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico.UND will play either Northern Colorado or Southeastern Louisiana in the same venue on Nov. 25. The Hawks will wrap up the challenge against UTEP on Dec. 5 in El Paso, Texas.All games played in Mexico during the tournament will be streamed on FloHoops.There are two separate divisions for the participating teams. UND, Detroit Mercy, Northern Colorado and Southeastern Louisiana make up the Mayan Division, while the Riviera Division includes Charleston, Eastern Michigan, Kennesaw State and UTEP.This will be the Hawks' second appearance at the Cancun Challenge. UND beat Loyola Marymount and suffered losses to Bethune-Cookman and Southeastern Louisiana in 2024.Detroit Mercy and UTEP will be first-time opponents for the Hawks. If they face Northern Colorado, it'll be the program's 72nd meeting.The Cancun Challenge was established in 2005 and featured only women's teams. The men's tournament was introduced in 2008.Previous editions of the tournament have featured some of the top programs in the nation, including Kentucky, Purdue, Auburn and Illinois.UND has yet to release its full 2026-27 schedule.This year's Summit League slate will look a bit different, though. Denver left the conference this offseason to join the West Coast Conference.The Hawks will enter this season with an overhauled roster. Guard Zach Kraft, center Josh Jones and Karson Ouse are the only players returning from the 2025-26 season.UND's offseason attrition includes its top three scorers. Breakout redshirt freshman guard Greyson Uelmen transferred to Northern Iowa, while Eli King and Garrett Anderson both graduated.Forward George Natsvlishvili and guard Anthony Smith III, both strong contributors off the bench, transferred to Winthrop.UND added six players through the transfer portal in the offseason. The Hawks will also bring in four freshmen and an international player, Andrija Radojevic of Kruevac, Serbia.

Jul. 29GRAND FORKS The UND football program opened fall practices Wednesday morning for the start of Year 2 under head coach Eric Schmidt.Here are five takeaways from opening day.1. Wiltshire and Scott remain outThe two UND defensive backs Jonnie Wiltshire and Avery Scott pursuing a legal battle for an additional year of eligibility were in attendance on Day 1 but not in practice uniform.Schmidt said he thinks both will begin practice soon."There's obviously an NCAA process they're working through, then there's also some things institutionally that they've got to work through," he said. "We do think we'll get them out here to practice in the next few days."Wiltshire and Scott are awaiting late summer court dates in hopes of a preliminary injunction on their eligibility waivers."There's Hurdle 1, Hurdle 2 and Hurdle 3," Schmidt said. "I think we're through Hurdle 1 here and really close to Hurdle 2. It'll be Hurdle 3 sometime here in August, and we'll go from there."2. A new look for the DLUND's defensive line passed the eye test on Day 1, with the help of some big true freshmen.UND's rookie class on the defensive line includes Eden Prairie's Braden Minta (6-foot-4, 245 pounds), twins Isaac (6-2, 285) and Mason (6-2, 280) Beaver of Kearney, Mo., and Cold Spring's Brody Woods (6-6, 230).UND's 11-on-11 drills opened with returning starter Logyn Eckheart at one defensive tackle spot and the other tackle was Albany transfer Kylyn Macklin, who's 6-3, 276. The starting edges were preaseason All-Americans Lance Rucker and Kaden Vig.3. OL testing new bloodThe UND offensive line is a deep, experienced unit as the only starter gone from 2025 is Seth Anderson, who graduated.But there was a still a new face in the starting mix during the opener of fall camp. Sophomore Alton Williams (6-8, 305) was taking snaps at starting right tackle.It appears UND will start camp with Trace Thaden at left tackle, Isaac Cariveau or Caleb Olson at one guard spot, Liam Becher at opposite guard, Ben Buxa at center and Williams at right tackle. Ayden Teeter is a top option to fill in, as well.Williams is from Sun Prairie, Wis., the same hometown as UND starting quarterback Jerry Kaminski. Kaminski's dad, Brian Kaminski, is the head high school football coach at Sun Prairie.Sun Prairie has also produced current safety Sam Ostrenga and alums Kadon Kauppinen and Caden White.4. Length at CBIt has been awhile since UND was tall at cornerback but that appears to have arrived in 2026.UND started 11-on-11 situations with returning starter Grant Noland on one side, with Akron transfer Ben Kamara, who's 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, as the other starting corner.Kamara will be pushed for playing time by sophomore Evan Kludt, who's up to 6-3 and 189 pounds in his second season on campus.Kamara totaled 27 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in 10 games last season for the Zips.5. Competition at kickerUND is expected to have a competition for kicking roles this season.Brainerd true freshman Sawyer Riffle practiced for the first time at UND on Wednesday.Riffle, who's 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, has a reputation for a powerful leg.Riffle will be challenged for roles by Kenten Laughman, a sophomore from Kansas who handled kicking duties a year ago after an injury to C.J. Elrichs midseason.Laughman was 7-for-11 on field goals in 2025 with a long of 40 yards. He also had 24 touchbacks on 78 kickoff attempts. He was 24-for-24 on extra points.

The long wait is finally over. The Dallas Cowboys have not only reported to Oxnard, California for training camp, but have now officially kicked things off with their first practice Wednesday afternoon. And for all of us starving for some clarity on some unanswered questions about this years team, Day 1 of training camp didnt disappoint.Among some of the things we learned from Day 1 in training camp is Caleb Downs will play an important, versatile role as a rookie, the RB2 competition is heating up, how the secondary might line up, and Tyler Booker looks primed for a big year. The biggest remaining unanswered question though revolves around Quinnen Williams.The Dallas Cowboys paid a hefty price to acquire Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets a season ago and hes expected to be the foundational centerpiece Dallas defense continues to build around. He was just named to the leadership council in this year, and as we recently learned is at the top of the Cowboys list for a contract extension.Stephen Jones made it very clear in Tuesdays press conference they are not only open, but want, Quinnen Williams for the long haul. In fact, theyve apparently already reached out to his agent.Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said DT Quinnen Williams is at the top of the list of players they want to get signed long term.Absolutely. Were very open to that. We want Quinnen here for the long haul. Theyve already had talks with his agent. Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 28, 2026Even though Williams claims hes more focused on training camp, his first with the Cowboys, and building the defense than he is in extension talk, there seems to be mutual interest between both parties. Addressing the media after practice Wednesday, he even confirmed he wanted to be with the Cowboys for the long haul.Cowboys DT Quinnen Williams said Dallas is for sure where he wants to be long term. I definitely want to be here for the long haul. I want to win. pic.twitter.com/4UnJE0pj4D Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 29, 2026Of the players next in line to earn a potential long-term extension from the Cowboys, Williams should be at the top of the list. He is not only one of the best interior defensive lineman in the entire league, but someone they can continue to build around for years to come. But, what makes this so interesting is the bombshell Jerry Jones dropped yesterday hinting a substantive trade could possibly be in the works in the not-too-distant future.Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he talked with an owner of another team yesterday about a substantive deal. He says he sees value in bargaining future assets to improve this team. pic.twitter.com/9HO0vZTw1C Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 28, 2026If the Cowboys are once again circling back to Maxx Crosby to potentially acquire him via trade like many believe, the Cowboys would have to do some serious salary-cap finagling to extend Williams and absorb Crosbys contract as well. Thats not even mentioning anyone else they could be considering locking up long-term at the end of the 2026 season.As training camp continues to progress and we continue to learn more and more about the Dallas Cowboys, the Quinnen Williams long-term contract situation will remain a big unanswered question. Thankfully, theres no need to worry about his on the field production or how hell fit in Christian Parkers new 3-4 defense. His contract situation though is interesting.