The Houston Texans have spent part of the offseason reshaping their offensive line, and have now brought in an option at left tackle for the 2025 campaign. The club has agreed to a one-year deal with veteran tackle Cam Robinson, according to The Athletic. The deal is reportedly worth $12 million, but can be reach up to $14.5 million.
This deal comes after the Texans made one of the more surprising trades of the offseason thus far, shipping starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders in exchange for an array of draft picks. That trade left a noticeable hole on the blindside and Robinson is now an option to fill it at least in the short term.
player headshot team logo Cam Robinson MIN • OT • #74 View Profile Robinson, 29, entered the league as a second-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017 out of Alabama. The former All-American started in all 91 of his games played for the organization before he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings last season. In Minnesota, Robinson came in and filled the shoes of left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who had gone down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.
Robinson started all 10 games played for the Vikings during the regular season along with their lone playoff game. Throughout his entire season stretched between Jacksonville and Minnesota (999 offensive snaps), he allowed seven sacks and amassed 13 penalties. For reference, Tunsil allowed two sacks but was called for 19 penalties (league-high at the position) over 1,026 offensive snaps played last season.
2025 NFL free agency tracker: Updates on top 100 free agents; Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs among best available Cody Benjamin 2025 NFL free agency tracker: Updates on top 100 free agents; Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs among best available Houston is looking to rebound after a lackluster 2024 season on offense, which was largely due to poor play along the line. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times on the year, up dramatically from the 38 sacks he took during his rookie season. Stroud was also sacked 11 times during the Texans two playoff games last postseason.
In response to that, the team fired offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, traded away Tunsil and starting guard Kenyon Green, and released veteran guard Shaq Mason. Now, Robinson is looked at as a rebuilding piece to this unit.
When someone is chosen as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, the team that selects them typically envisions that player at least reaching a second contract with them at the end of their rookie deal.
That didn’t happen with Payton Turner and the New Orleans Saints, who picked him 28th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Houston. New Orleans opted to decline his fifth-year option after Turner only played in 15 games in his first three seasons and recorded just three total sacks in that span from 2021 to 2023. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound edge rusher dealt with a litany of injuries ranging from issues with his chest, shoulder, toe and calf.
Turner, 26, figured things out regarding his health in 2024, appearing in a career-high 16 games and tying his single-season career-high in sacks with two. He feels like playing in new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme alongside All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa can help him reach his untapped potential. He’s never had better running mates in his career, and he believes a more practical approach schematically in Dallas, instead of former Saints head coach Dennis Allen’s scheme, can help free him up to attack even more off the line of scrimmage.
“[The Cowboys] got these different types of bodies and different guys who can do a few different things. I can kind of do a little bit of everything at a high level,” Turner said Tuesday on a conference call. “In New Orleans, where I see the difference is … this defense with coach Eberflus is a lot about penetrating and getting vertical and then react. As opposed to New Orleans, we [were] really detailed with our technique as far as you need to hold this gap. It wasn’t so much about getting knockback, getting vertical. They both have their advantages, they’re both different. I’m excited to switch it up a little bit and get back to get off the ball and set the edge vertically and getting back to it.”
Grading each Cowboys move in 2025 free agency: Dallas goes bargain bin shopping despite plenty of cap space Garrett Podell Grading each Cowboys move in 2025 free agency: Dallas goes bargain bin shopping despite plenty of cap space Eberflus made sure to keep his message to Turner direct and to the point.
“Get off the ball, set the edge, and be violent,” Turner said of what Eberflus’ told him his role is going to be. “Those are three things that I really enjoy doing, that I can highlight in my game with the Cowboys.”
As for the injuries, Turner is putting in the work to make sure his 16-game season in 2024 becomes the norm for himself, not an outlier. Changes in his routine and body maintenance, essentially becoming more of a pro’s pro, are the drivers behind his enhanced durability.
“I feel like [the injuries] impeded my progress,” Turner. “But stringing 16 games together more so proved to myself that I can do this. I can stay healthy. I’ve got a new routine. I’m sticking to that routine. … To start the season healthy and finish the season healthy [was] big for me, my confidence and continuity to progress as a football player. I thought that was big-time for me last year. I’m looking forward to building on that this year.”
Turner hired a personal allergist and a trainer as he’s placed more of an emphasis on his recovery and diet across the last calendar year. He credits his allergist for aiding him in cutting out foods that caused him to suffer from inflammation while also introducing him to regularly eating his vitamins. He’s also unofficially following the tenets of Tom Brady’s “TB12 method” by emphasizing the importance of mobility and pliability workouts with his trainer, a new workout staple of his. Turner incorporating yoga and Pilates into his training have provided a release of sorts to his muscles as he has shifted away from exclusively strength and weight training, his previous training approach earlier in his career.
“Finding a routine helped me to be available. That was the biggest thing I think I struggled with in New Orleans,” Turner said. “We get so focused on getting so big and strong, I think sometimes, younger guys think, ‘You’ve just got to lift super heavy all the time, get as strong as you can get.’ Sometimes you neglect the mobility stuff that got you to that point. As you get older and play more games and put more years on your body, [it’s evolved] to taking care of the little stuff for me. …Keeping that mobility. Trying to stay young, getting my sleep right, tracking my sleep. I’ve put together a good program that works for me.”
The Cowboys will find out in the 2025 season whether or not the one-year, $2.5 million deal they signed Turner to will turn into a winning lottery ticket of sorts, and the former first-round pick feels ready to prove them right.
The Dallas Cowboys are going on their third defensive coordinator in as many years entering 2025. Dan Quinn departed Dallas to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders after the 2023 season, Mike Zimmer held the role in 2024, and now former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus will assume the title on new Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s inaugural staff in 2025.
Naturally, Eberflus brought some of his Bears staff with him including linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, which led to the Cowboys prioritizing signing linebacker Jack Sanborn to a one-year deal this offseason.
Sanborn was scooped up as undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2022, and he developed into a regular part of Eberflus’ game plan, playing in 48 games the last three seasons with 19 starts. Sanborn, who will turn 25 years old on July 29, has produced 164 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, five passes defended, 4.5 sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery in his three-year NFL career.
“I’ve obviously been with Coach Eberflus and then Coach Borgonzi and really some of the other guys on the staff too for the past three years, and I think a lot of it, a lot of it does excite me as I’ve gotten a lot of experience in [that defense],” Sanborn said on a conference call Tuesday. “I’ve played multiple positions in it, too, and just kind of what he’s about and what he wants to accomplish. He’s aggressive, he wants to stop the run, he wants to get up to the quarterback and he wants to make game-changing plays and get the ball back for the offense, help us overall win games. I’m excited to be with him and everyone else with the staff as well.”
player headshot team logo Jack Sanborn DAL • LB • #57 View Profile Across the last two seasons of Eberflus’ and Sanborn’s time with the Bears in 2023 and 2024, Chicago surrendered 111.3 rushing yards per game, the 11th-fewest in the NFL in that span. That’s notable for a Cowboys squad that has struggled mightily in that same area across the last two seasons. Dallas allowed an average of 124.7 rushing yards per game in that time, which ranked 24th in the league — and stands as the ninth-most in the NFL since 2023.
“It’s definitely for sure about flying around and having an aggressive mindset and being downhill. Just making and causing problems for the offense, but at the same time, everybody’s got a job,” Sanborn said. “He’s [Eberflus] really big into that: Making sure that you not only know your job, but why you’re doing your job and by doing your job that leads to other people making plays or vice versa. So very much do your job, but at the same time, make plays, be aggressive and make sure to tackle.”
Given how much he saw the field with the Bears since 2022, Sanborn was a little surprised he wasn’t tendered and maintained as a restricted free agent in Chicago, but he’s excited to continue his NFL career in Dallas.
“I don’t know. It was my first time going around with stuff like that, going into free agency. As a player you always think the best of yourself, and obviously would love to have been tendered but at the same time … I didn’t really know what to expect by what was going to come out it. All I can say is that I’m really excited for the future and to be in Dallas and have this opportunity and win a lot of football games as a Cowboy.”
Sanborn called playing for his hometown Bears “definitely a dream come true.” At the same time, he’s now ready to take the next step away from home and make a name for himself, something Sanborn envisioned for his career before it even began.
“Originally from Chicago, so just having the opportunity to be a part of the organization, the team I grew up around the most, definitely a dream come true, but at the same time, I never expected to be playing for the Chicago Bears,” Sanborn said. “I always thought I would be away playing somewhere else, and I can’t help but kind of be excited to go branch out. Leave my hometown and make a name for myself somewhere else. Once again, I’m going to reiterate it, I can’t be more excited to join Brian Schottenheimer and everybody in Dallas and to be a part of this great organization.”
Sanborn felt it was fair to categorize the Bears letting him walk as a “wake-up call” of sorts, but he maintains he feels level-headed about it all. Shortly after he was allowed to test the open market, Eberflus made contact and got his guy in Sanborn. Eberflus heading to Dallas was on his radar as an immediate fallback option, and the Cowboys made it clear the feeling was mutual, contacting him early the first week of free agency.
Now, Sanborn will compete with newly acquired, 2020 first-round pick Kenneth Murray to start at linebacker alongside Marist Liufau, a 2024 third-round pick, in the injured DeMarvion Overshown’s absence. Overshown tore his ACL for the second time in as many seasons in 2024. Despite an open competition for play time with the Cowboys, Sanborn plans to be an open book in teaching his fellow Dallas linebackers what they need to know about Eberflus’ scheme.
“I’m pretty much an open book, easy to talk to, very approachable, I’m willing to do anything to help everyone else learn,” Sanborn said. “Relatively we have kind of decently young (linebackers) room, so just doing whatever to help Dallas, the defense, right now. Help guys get up to speed and help each other because at the end of the day we’re all in this together as one.”
Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton will undergo ACL surgery that will keep him out for the remainder of the season, the team announced on Wednesday. Melton had missed Golden State’s last two games with a sprained left ACL, but further testing showed that “it is in De’Anthony’s best interest to proceed with ACL surgery.”
Melton had appeared in six games for the Warriors and started two, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists for Golden State. He signed a one-year mid-level exception contract with the Warriors after two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. This will be his second consecutive season that has been seriously altered by an injury. Melton played in only 38 games last year in Philadelphia because of a back injury, and while he did return toward the end of the season, he barely played down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Melton was an ideal fit in the starting lineup for Golden State at shooting guard because of his 3-and-D skill set. The starting lineup of him, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis had an impressive net rating of plus- 22 in limited minutes. Melton can comfortably fit within almost any lineup structure, but without him, the Warriors will have to decide how best to manage its remaining guards. Buddy Hield has thrived in a bench role, and Brandin Podziemski’s ball-handling has more value with the reserves because the Warriors lack a traditional backup point guard. In Golden State’s last two games, Steve Kerr has started Lindy Waters III at shooting guard, but he hasn’t exactly run away with the job. Ace defender Gary Payton II and explosive forward Jonathan Kuminga would also figure to be candidates for starting roles as well.
The Warriors are arguably the NBA’s deepest team, and Kerr has frequently used 11- and 12-man rotations this season. Nobody wants to lose a key player to a season-ending injury, but the Warriors are as equipped to handle one as any team in basketball.
Welcome to the NBA Hater Report: A breakdown of some of the players, teams and trends around the league that are drawing the ire of yours truly. If you’re not a fellow pessimist, proceed with caution.
Early Paul George returns are horrific The Sixers are a certified mess. They lost again on Wednesday, this time to a Grizzlies team playing without its best player, to fall to 2-12. This is not Paul George’s fault. Tyrese Maxey has been hurt. Joel Embiid has played in four games and been trash in three of them. But George isn’t getting off the hook here.
In seven games this season, George has only cracked the 20-point barrier once. He’s shooting under 40% overall and 27% from 3. Throw out one game in which he went 7-of-11 from deep against the Knicks and his numbers are flat out abysmal. On Wednesday he had two points on 1-of-6 shooting in 17 minutes. Oh, yeah — he also hyperextended his knee and didn’t return.
Nick Nurse said George was close to returning but the knee stiffened up at the last second, so perhaps it’s not too serious. It better not be, because the Sixers are in a serious hole and they’re not going to dig out of it unless George starts producing at a level that comes a lot closer to justifying his max contract than what he’s currently doing.
Yes, there was sort of a built-in understanding that George didn’t have to be “the guy” when he signed with Philadelphia this summer, but making $212 million over the next four years when you’ll be 35 in March and are shooting like Russell Westbrook is a bust. Plain and simple. Everyone understand it’s early and George can certainly change the narrative on his season and the value of his contract overall, but until he does, this looks downright awful.
KAT is canceling out his own brilliance I played college baseball with a guy who affectionately came to be known as “Even Steven” because he would hit a home run and then give the run back with an error the next inning. It was all in good fun. The guy was a great hitter. But yes, there was a bit of an offense-defense tradeoff baked into his very talented equation.
With Karl-Anthony Towns, the tradeoff is extreme. You could actually make a case that he’s been the league’s most valuable offensive player while at the same time qualifying as the least valuable, or, put another way, most harmful, defensive player.
The Knicks are the 22nd-ranked offense in the league, per Cleaning the Glass, and they get four points worse per 100 possessions when Towns is on the floor. Teams are also shooting 14% better at the rim against the Knicks when Towns is on the court as opposed to off. That literally puts him in the lowest percentile among all defenders. It’s rough stuff.
Towns is having to guard centers far more often this season than he did last year when he had the cover of four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. It’s allowing him to feast on offense as most opposing bigs are equipped to credibly defend his shooting and ability to create off the dribble, and when teams go small he punishes you in the post.
But defensively, he’s getting worked at the rim and not getting out to fellow shooting bigs. The Knicks can, and have tried to, hide him on the least threatening offensive player, but that puts an enormous stress on OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges to guard way above their weight class, and Towns isn’t much of a helper in these scenarios, either.
Perhaps when Mitchell Robinson comes back the Knicks can mitigate some of this with two-big lineups in which Towns stretches the floor offensively and Mitchell protects the rim defensively. But until then, Towns needs to up his defensively level to at least passable.
Warriors free throw shooting The Golden State Warriors are atop the Western Conference with a 10-3 record and a top-five offense and defense, so yes, in a sense, I’m nitpicking when I point out that their free-throw shooting has been terrible. But don’t be fooled by the record. This is not a team with much margin for error, at least not against good teams, and shooting 69.7% as a team from the stripe, the worst mark in the league, is absolutely going to bite them if it continues.
It already burned them against the Clippers on Monday, when they lost by three points and missed 10 free throws (9 of 19). Throw out Stephen Curry’s 94.3% clip and Buddy Hield’s 85.7%, and these percentages are brutal.
MILWAUKEE — What’s going on with Khris Middleton? That’s been the big question in Milwaukee this season with the Bucks off to a sluggish start amid their third-best player’s absence. Middleton has yet to play after undergoing surgery on both ankles during the offseason, despite having been medically cleared for a “period of time,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Here’s a quick timeline of how things have progressed since the offseason, and when Middleton might take the court again.
Optimism after offseason surgery Initial reports back in the summer were positive about his chances of being ready for the season. Middleton himself told The Athletic that “having a successful season out there is playing damn near 82 games.” He continued, “Anything below 70, 75 games, no, I do not consider that a successful season for me.”
While he had not been cleared for 5-on-5 action when training camp opened, the Bucks, as a whole, were speaking as if his return was imminent.
“Khris is doing really well,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said at media day. “It’s just a normal offseason clean-up procedure. He literally is on the court right now as we’re talking. He’ll be a very active participant in camp, so Khris is also healthy.”
Middleton, for his part, said that day that he felt “great.” A week later, coach Doc Rivers indicated he was hopeful that Middleton would suit up during the preseason: “I do think maybe the last two (games), but there’s no guarantee there.”
Ambiguous absences Middleton did not play in the preseason, and was soon ruled out for the team’s season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. Rivers said that Middleton had not suffered a setback and added, “if this is a playoff game, he’d probably be playing or close to it.”
Nearly a week later, Rivers told reporters ahead of the Bucks’ loss to the Brooklyn Nets that Middleton was “getting closer” and had progressed to playing 3-on-3.
On Oct. 31, Middleton spoke to the media for the first time all season
“I feel good, just not good enough to play that’s all,” Middleton said. “That’s really all I can say at this point. And just working to get back on the court. I’m feeling better and better each day, just not good enough to play yet.
“There’s been no setbacks, no concerning things that had me saying I need to take some days off or whatever. There’s just every day, every day trying to make the next step without blowing this thing up and doing it smartly. Just for myself, for the team, for the everything, for the long term, for the health of my career.”
In early November, with Middleton still stuck on the sideline, Rivers said, “I don’t know the answer” when asked if Middleton’s status was day-to-day or week-to-week. He added that there was no frustration with Middleton’s continued absence.
“Some people heal [faster] and everybody’s different,” Rivers said. “And Khris has had a lot of injuries and surgical stuff, so it’s just not as fast as we thought it was going to be and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
More of the same Rivers still had no answers on Nov. 13 ahead of the Bucks’ dramatic overtime win over the Detroit Pistons, though he reconfirmed that there was no setback.
“He’s just progressing and going along,” Rivers said. “I mean, I don’t know what the return date was or that there was one set, so what we’re doing is get him healthy so that when he’s ready to play, he’s ready to play.
“As I’ve jokingly said a million times, Doc’s a nickname. I don’t really know [what progressing looks like]. I just check in with the medical team and they tell me the same stuff. He’s getting there, he’s getting closer, and basically I relay the same stuff to you. … I check in with Khris and guys that are injured about how they’re feeling, more human stuff, because Khris wants to play and he’s frustrated that he’s not.”
It was more of the same before the Bucks took care of the Bulls on Wednesday. Rivers said that Middleton had still not progressed to playing 5-on-5, but had looked “really good” in 3-on-3 sessions: “He’s working his but off. You know, listen, I think he’s close. I think I’ve said that before, but he is, and he’s just going to keep working. This is the best I’ve seen him, I will say that.”
When will Middleton play again? Charania’s report on Wednesday indicates that someone, or multiple people, within the organization are getting tired with Middleton’s lack of progress. Putting public pressure on a player, particularly one of Middleton’s standing, is a rare occurrence in Milwaukee.
At this point, there is still no timeline for Middleton’s return, though the leak suggests that the Bucks hope it will be sooner rather than later. While they’ve won four of five to improve to 6-9 on the season, they need Middleton back in the lineup, and playing at his best, to seriously contend in the Eastern Conference.
