Matthew Schmidt Articles - Page 117

The New York Knicks were one of Anthony Davis’ top two preferred trade destinations, but the Knicks still were not all that confident that Davis would re-sign with the team next summer. As a result, New York did not offer young forward Kevin Knox or young big man Mitchell Robinson in any of its packages […]

Golden State Warriors big man DeMarcus Cousins is set to become a free agent this summer, but unlike many of his contemporaries, he probably won’t have a very long list of suitors. Cousins tore his Achilles while with the New Orleans Pelicans in January 2018, and as a result, he generated virtually no interest on […]

The Brooklyn Nets apparently aren’t even going to try to bring back Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, as they will decline his qualifying offer and make him an unrestricted free agent as a result, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Hollis-Jefferson is coming off of a 2018-19 campaign in which he played 59 games and made 21 starts, […]

With Kyrie Irving seeming primed to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks’ longstanding dream of signing both Irving and Kevin Durant in free agency this summer appears to be dying. Of course, Durant’s torn Achilles alone was a major hit, as it means that even if the Knicks sign Durant, they won’t […]

Several teams are considering making a multi-year offer to big man Ed Davis, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Davis spent the 2018-19 campaign with the Brooklyn Nets, playing in 81 games and averaging 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.6 percent from the floor and 61.6 percent from the free-throw […]

The Los Angeles Lakers have already landed their big fish in superstar big man Anthony Davis, but the Lakers are surely not going to stop there. With cap room to make other moves, Los Angeles will unquestionably peruse the free agent market for another big name, and while guys like Jimmy Butler and Kemba Walker […]

The Utah Jazz attempted to acquire Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley at the trade deadline, and they are apparently trying to get him again. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Jazz are the front-runners to acquire Conley during draft week. Charania notes that the Grizzlies are “intensifying talks” to potentially move Conley. […]

It’s not often Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James find himself in a situation where he might not even be the best player on his own team. As a matter of fact, aside from his first year with the Miami Heat during the 2010-11 campaign when Dwyane Wade had an argument, that has never happened. […]

The Oakland Raiders have had a big offseason, making one of the biggest splashes in football by trading for Antonio Brown as well as making numerous other significant moves up and down their roster. But, the question is, do the Raiders have enough to make a playoff push? The problem for Oakland is that it […]

The Tennessee Titans are coming off of a 2018 campaign in which they won nine games and narrowly missed the playoffs after losing a winner-take-all game to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. Now, heading into 2019, the Titans have playoff hopes, but there are a whole lot of question marks surrounding the team and […]

For the first time in what feels like forever, the Pittsburgh Steelers are finding themselves in the underdog role heading into 2019. Gone is Antonio Brown. Gone is Le’Veon Bell. Gone is the feeling that the Steelers are a shoo-in to make the playoffs in an AFC North division that may end up ruled by […]

The New York Jets have had a very busy offseason, improving on both sides of the ball enough to the point where some are actually wondering if they can make the playoffs in 2019. Of course, even taking into consideration the fact that the Jets have gotten better, making the playoffs will be a tall […]

The last two years have been rough for Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, as he has battled injuries and inconsistency which has led some to wonder whether or not he is truly the Titans’ signal-caller of the future. Well, Mariota has a future Hall-of-Famer in his corner, as Peyton Manning is rooting for the youngster […]

The Atlanta Falcons are coming off of a disappointing 2018 campaign in which they won just seven games and missed the playoffs, but there is a lot of hope for the Falcons heading into 2019. With a high-powered offense and a healthier defense, Atlanta could very well be a playoff contender this coming season, especially […]

The Carolina Panthers are coming off of a disappointing 2018 campaign in which they won just seven games and missed the playoffs, but their 7-9 record was a bit misleading. The Panthers actually got off to a 6-2 start this past season and looked primed to contend in the NFC before quarterback Cam Newton began […]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones may have had a very rough rookie season, but he is prepared to put that behind in and move forward with what he hopes is a successful second year in the league: “Last year, it was definitely disappointing for me for myself and from a team standpoint,” Jones […]

It has been a topsy-turvy offseason for Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph. First, there were rumors he would be traded. Then, he and the Vikings began extension talks. Then, he was going to get traded again. Finally, Rudolph agreed to a four-year contract extension with Minnesota last week, and he is happy that things […]

This past year has been a roller-coaster ride for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He went from leading the Steelers to a 7-2-1 start to seeing his team finish 9-6-1 and miss the playoffs largely as a result of a chasm in the locker room centered around his tenuous relationship with now-former wide receiver Antonio […]

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took the league by storm during his rookie campaign, displaying the type of athleticism that we haven’t seen from the quarterback position since Michael Vick in the early 2000’s. However, in spite of his ability to run the ball like a running back, Jackson has taken his fair share of […]

Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Michael Pierce was pulled from his team’s mandatory minicamp last week, and Pierce is taking full responsibility for the incident: “Throughout the offseason, I tend to lift more than run,” Pierce told WNSP-FM radio in Alabama on Friday (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). “Being a noseguard, I want to be strong […]

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams is coming off of a breakout 2018 campaign in which he played all 16 games and hauled in 43 receptions for 664 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he is expecting even bigger things this coming season: “Well, this is my third year going into the offense,” said Williams, […]

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley spent the first seven years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, so it’s probably safe to assume that he knows a thing or two about the Cowboys’ offense. Beasley, who left Dallas to sign with the Bills via free agency earlier this offseason, said that he expects to […]

The Buffalo Bills are coming off of a 2018 campaign in which they won just six games, one year after making the playoffs for the first time since the 1999-00 season. Of course, the Bills’ struggles this past season did not come as much of a surprise even with their 2017 postseason appearance, and going […]

Legendary Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen passed away this week at the age of 75, ending a 35-year reign in Denver. Peyton Manning offered his appreciation to the late owner. Peyton Manning spent four years playing for Bowlen from 2012 through 2015, capping off his tenure with the Broncos by winning a Super Bowl championship, […]

Earlier this offseason, the Buffalo Bills seemed to be closing in on a trade for then-Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. The Steelers seemed ready to send Brown to the Bills, until Brown reportedly killed the deal because he had no desire to play in Buffalo. Apparently, that wasn’t the first time Brown shot down […]

One of the only moves the Dallas Cowboys have made this offseason is signing wide receiver Randall Cobb, and while he may not be the same player he was a few years back, he is still expected to be a key cog in the Cowboys’ offense. Obviously, it’s important for Cobb to develop a strong […]

Toronto Raptors guard Jeremy Lin may not have played a significant role in the Raptors’ run to an NBA championship this season, but he gets a ring either way, and it’s something he predicted back in 2013: “I always told myself my progression is gonna be become a rotation player, become a starting point guard […]

The Carolina Panthers are coming off of a disappointing 2018 campaign in which they won just seven games and missed the playoffs in spite of getting off to a 6-2 start. Of course, the biggest reason for the Panthers’ second-half collapse was because of a shoulder issue plaguing Cam Newton, an injury that became so […]

When DeMarcus Cousins signed a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, it was with the intention of rehabbing from his torn Achilles and then eventually having the opportunity to compete for a championship. Well, that is exactly what happened, as Cousins returned to the floor in January and got a chance to play in […]

The New York Knicks plan on waiving Lance Thomas’ partially-guaranteed contract before his June 30 guarantee date, according to Ian Begley of SNY. However, the Knicks are open to bringing him back afterward. Should the Knicks not waive Thomas before that date, he would earn $1 million of his $7.6 million salary for next season. […]

It’s no secret that the Kawhi Leonard is set to be free agent this summer. Everyone and their dog knows that. Everyone also knows that the Toronto Raptors are going to do whatever they can to re-sign Leonard. But let’s forget about Leonard for a second and focus on another free agent that the Raptors […]

The Los Angeles Chargers are considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl heading into 2019, but defensive lineman Melvin Ingram thinks that they are the favorites. “We’re definitely going to win the Super Bowl,” Ingram said earlier this week, according to Jeff Miller of The Los Angeles Times. “Still ASAP — Any […]

Masai Ujiri just won the first NBA championship of his executive career, as the Toronto Raptors that he built defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games to capture their first title in franchise history. Ujiri has been general manager of the Raptors since 2013, and ever since he was hired, the Raptors have gradually […]

Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, an incident that brought back unfortunate memories for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Robert Griffin III. Why? Well, because Durant took a huge risk by attempting to come back for that Game 5, as he had […]

Last month, the New England Patriots decided to bring back linebacker Jamie Collins, signing him to a one-year deal. Well, apparently, Collins has been so impressive since arriving back in New England that Mike Reiss of ESPN.com has named him the biggest offseason standout for the Patriots. Reiss notes that it was initially assumed that […]

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton may be looking for a new deal, but he isn’t about to hold out for it and is putting the team above his own personal needs and wants: “That hasn’t even crossed my mind,” Hilton said earlier this week, according to Joe Rutter of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I’m here for […]

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee has seen his career absolutely ravaged by injuries, and this past season, he played in just seven games. However, after considering retirement, he elected to come back for another season in 2019, and now, he is ready for his new role: “The situations, some of them are very similar to […]

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett may be coming off of a torn Achilles, but he expects to be ready for training camp next month, according to Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. “It’s been good,” Verrett said. “Training staff and strength coaches are all doing well. I feel like I’m on track […]

The Green Bay Packers have cut running back Kapri Bibbs, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The Packers originally acquired Bibbs off waivers from the Washington Redskins back in December. He proceeded to play in two games for Green Bay this past season, carrying the ball just once. In 2018 overall, Bibbs appeared in 12 […]