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There isn’t a lot of joy to be derived from anything to do with the Washington Commanders this season, which has been 3 months of misery preceded by 6 months of what seemed like boundless hope.The Commanders were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders. They were supposed to be playing important games at this time of the year, not contemplating whether or not they should put oft-injured quarterback Jayden Daniels on ice until 2026The only hope that remains would be from an improbably series of events that would see the 3-8 Commanders reel off 6 consecutive wins to end the regular season and sneak into the playoffs. That would match the 6 consecutive games they just lost.The latest injury update from the Commanders at least keeps those incredibly dim hopes alive, with starting wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown all practicing together.“Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote with a picture of the 3 players at practice on his X account on Wednesday, November 26. “First time all 3 WRs have been on the practice field together since Week 2.”Brown hasn’t played since injuring his groin in a Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. McLaurin, an NFL All-Pro in 2024, has missed 7 games due to a quad/hip flexor injury and hasn’t played since a Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.Samuel’s Role in Offense Drastically ChangedSamuel has been the one steady piece of the group, having played in 10 out of 11 games. He also leads the Commanders with 53 receptions for 470 yards and 6 total touchdowns while his role drastically changed from the WR2/X-Factor the Commanders envisioned before the year.“Without reliable, productive receivers around him, Samuel has turned into a possession receiver,” Riggo’s Rag’s Jonathan Eig wrote on November 26. “It is possible this would have happened even if everyone had been healthy, but the eye test suggests that he can still make plays. The wideout needs complementary talent around him so that the Commanders can take advantage of all he can do. As players, including quarterback Jayden Daniels, return, that chance could be coming soon. A little too late to save the season, but it should be fun to watch regardless.”Daniels, last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has missed games due to 3 different injuries this season — 5 games in total — and hasn’t played since he dislocated his left elbow in a Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.McLaurin Biggest Disappointment of TrioIf we are putting together an All-Disappointment Team for the 2025 season, you can pencil Daniels in at quarterback and McLaurin in at one of the wide receiver spots.McLaurin’s lengthy contract hold out in the preseason and offseason kept him away from working with his team and cost him a critical offseason working with Daniels, which showed when he returned after signing a 3-year, $97 million contract extension on August 25.In the time he has been in the lineup, McLaurin just hasn’t been very productive with 13 reception for 203 yards and 1 touchdown in 4 games.McLaurin was coming off the best season of his career in 2024 with 82 receptions for 1,096 yards and a franchise record 13 touchdowns to go with 14 receptions for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns in 3 playoff games. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Commanders Get Surprising Injury Update on WR Trio Before Facing Broncos appeared first on Heavy Sports.

The Montreal Canadiens are widely expected to strengthen their offensive group in the coming months. This comes even after the team signed forward Alexandre Texier on November 23. Texier is a natural winger, and Montreal is still looking to add a quality center to the lineup.One particular player who would improve the Canadiens in the middle of the ice is Nashville Predators star Ryan O’Reilly. Nashville is struggling once again in the standings and is likely headed towards a rebuild. As a result, the Preds may look to swap multiple veterans for young players and/or high draft picks. O’Reilly could very well top this particular list.“The name that has the most interest is Ryan O’Reilly, which isn’t surprising – there are teams that called on him last year as well,” TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports. “The Predators decided to keep him at the time. He’s got a year and a half left on his contract at $4.5 million (which is) very appealing to teams looking for a center who’s a Stanley Cup champion.”Reporter Reveals Nashville Predators GM’s Asking price for Ryan O’Reilly GettyRyan O’Reilly would bring a veteran presence to a young Montreal Canadiens team. LeBrun went on to claim that the Canadiens are specifically interested in O’Reilly. The reporter also suggested a potential asking price for the veteran. As expected, Nashville is looking for a lot in return for the star.“The Montreal Canadiens are among the teams, I’m told, that have interest,” continued LeBrun. “What is the price tag for O’Reilly? I’m told, if and when the Predators are ready to go down that route, it’ll likely be a first-round pick and an A-level prospect to get into the conversation on O’Reilly.”It remains to be seen if Montreal, or any other team, would meet this steep price tag. After all, O’Reilly is now 34 and potentially winding down his illustrious career. Nevertheless, the center still puts up points (13 in 22 games) and remains a top face-off winner (57.3%). The Canadiens are also the youngest team in the entire NHL and could use a veteran presence such as O’Reilly.Canadiens Could Hold Advantage in Competitive Chase for O’ReillyIf the Canadiens are willing to negotiate the aforementioned costly price tag for O’Reilly, they could have an edge over other teams. According to Puckpedia.com, Montreal has a current cap space of just over $3.5 million. The figure, compared to the center’s cap hit of just $4.5 million, suggests that the Canadiens should be able to work out a deal relatively easily.On top of this, Montreal also has one of the most talented prospect pools in the league. ESPN recently rated the club fifth out of all 32 teams in their November 6 rankings. The outlet specifically named Jacob Fowler, David Reinbacher, Michael Hage, and Alexander Zharovsky as the top prospects in the organization.After a strong start to the season, the Canadiens have faltered in recent weeks. This includes winning just three of their last 10 games as of November 26. As a result, Montreal has slipped down to fifth in the Atlantic Division. Potentially grabbing O’Reilly ahead of the March 6 trade deadline would give the club a major boost heading towards the playoffs. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Canadiens Interested in Acquiring Three-Time All-Star appeared first on Heavy Sports.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel indicated on Wednesday, November 26, that “all players on the active roster will participate in practice.” The Dolphins were nearly injury-free in their last contest as only De’Von Achane and Juju Brents had to leave the game. Unfortunately for Brents, he was placed on Injured Reserve, meaning he’s not one of the players on the active roster who will participate in practice. Achane was able to re-enter the game after his injury and should be good to go for this upcoming Sunday.Returning Dolphins Players GettyDarren Waller The two biggest names who have a chance of making their return to the Dolphins lineup are Darren Waller and Austin Jackson. Waller suffered a pectoral injury in the first half of Week 7 against the Browns. He had previously missed time with a hip injury earlier in the season. The tight end, who retired in 2024, has only played in four games this season. In those four games, he’s been highly effective as he scored four touchdowns. Despite playing in just over 100 snaps this year he still ranks second on the Dolphins in receiving touchdowns. In the three games Waller started and finished the Dolphins have averaged 26 points per game, in the other eight games the Dolphins have averaged 18.5 points per game. His availability for Sunday remains in question as he just had his 21-day practice window opened up. Jackson, on the other hand, has participated in only one game this season. He suffered a toe injury in Week 1, and was placed on Injured Reserve shortly thereafter. The veteran right tackle dealt with that injury all throughout the preseason, but decided to play through it in Week 1 before re-aggravating it. He was able to practice before the Dolphins Week 11 game against the Commanders, but the team opted not to elevate him to the active roster. While having his practice window opened up doesn’t make it a certainty, it does make it increasingly likely. Regarding Jackson’s return, fellow Dolphins’ teammate Patrick Paul said “It gives us a spark. He’s definitely a very loud and great leader for us, someone who’s very impactful in the game.”Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas is also among the names who are set to practice this week. He went down with a toe injury in the Dolphins’ 28-6 loss against the Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The 31-year-old cornerback had been a bright spot for the team. He signed one week before the regular season, and emerged as a starting cornerback in Week 2 after Storm Duck went down with an injury in Miami’s season opener.Dolphins Players Who Won’t returnWhile McDaniel’s update is positive news for the Miami Dolphins. Not everyone on the opening roster will suit up for the team again this year. Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill is out for the remainder of the year after his Week 4 injury. Previously mentioned cornerback Storm Duck is also out for the remainder of the year. Duck missed time with an ankle injury earlier in the year, returned in Week 9, and then suffered a knee injury. Top free-agent addition James Daniels is still on Injured Reserve and Mike McDaniel gave a “disappointing” update regarding his future availability. Former All-Pro kicker Jason Sanders has also not returned from his hip injury, despite avoiding surgery before the season. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel Gives Promising Update on Team appeared first on Heavy Sports.

It’s only been two weeks, but there’s little doubt that the difference is obvious. The Cowboys defense came back from the bye week with two new weapons–lineman Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson–on hand, as well as a raft of players returning from injuries. the defensive backfield has been reset. The linebackers are completely new. The defensive front added an All-Pro.The Cowboys allowed just 37 points combined in the past two weeks, after allowing 30.8 per game in the first nine weeks of the season.It’s been a more aggressive bunch all around, and for the Cowboys next critical showdown–they are all critical at this point–the opponent happens to be the Chiefs, the AFC’s Super Bowl team for five of the past six seasons. And Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who grew up a Cowboys fan in Texas, has taken notice.Patrick Mahomes: Cowboys ‘Playing at a Higher Level’Speaking to Kansas City media this week, Mahomes made clear that he will need to be on his toes on Thursday. Mahomes and the Chiefs–like the Cowboys–are coming off an emotionally draining comeback win on Sunday, rallying from a 20-9 fourth-quarter deficit to seal a 23-20 overtime win over the Colts. The Cowboys rallied from 21-0 down in the first half to win their game against the Eagles.Mahomes even praised defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who was nearly run out of town on rails early in the year.“Obviously, they’ve been in the scheme a little bit longer and then they’ve gotten, they’ve added players, they’ve also gotten players healthy,” Mahomes said. “You see that they’re playing at a higher level than they were playing at the beginning of the year. That comes with being more comfortable with the scheme that you’re in. And so, they’re coached really well by coach Eberflus.“They fly around to the football and they’re kind of in the same situation as us, it’s kind of all on the line. You have to go out there every single week and play your best football. And they’ve responded these last few weeks and played really good football, so it will be a great challenge for us.”Both Teams Badly Need a WinIndeed, the Chiefs will come in at 6-5, and like the 5-5-1 Cowboys, a disappointment. But Kansas City’s road to the AFC playoffs is a lot easier than the road shapes up for the Cowboys in the NFC, where seven teams are 7-4 or better. Whether they can do that will depend largely on Mahomes, who has had his struggles but is playing better lately.He managed a season-high 352 yards on Sunday. And he’ll have a little extra inspiration this week, because he will be at AT&T Stadium, where he used to watch games as a kid growing up in East Texas.Patrick Mahomes Grew Up a Cowboys FanMahomes talked about the Cowboys fandom of his youth before Thursday’s game.“I went a good amount,” he said. “Once to the old stadium when I was really young. And then the new stadium, once it was built, my dad could get us into the bottom area where the Cowboys would come out. So, we’d get the nosebleed seats and just go down there the whole game. I don’t know if that is allowed. But it was really cool, making memories with my dad, my brother and stuff like that. Got to go probably three or four games growing up.“It’s definitely going to be surreal being able to play them at the stadium I used to watch them at.” Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Patrick Mahomes Makes Strong Statement on Cowboys Revamped Defense appeared first on Heavy Sports.