Michigan football's QB room overhauled for spring ball: early outlook
In just three weeks, Michigan football will conclude its winter conditioning regimen to begin its first spring football in earnest under new head coach Kyle Whittingham. And the engine for the team, regardless of coach or staff, will always be the quarterbacks room.
The quarterback is the most important and pivotal position on the football field at all times, and the Wolverines have a budding star in former No. 1 overall recruit in Bryce Underwood. But could a challenger emerge? Also, with new coaches at coordinator and position coach, there are a lot of changes this offseason.
Here’s a primer on where the maize and blue sit as spring ball fast approaches.
Roster
Sophomore Bryce Underwood (returning starter)Fifth-year Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi (former starter at Colorado State)Junior Colin Hurley (transfer from LSU)Redshirt freshman Chase HerbstreitTrue freshman Brady SmigielTrue freshman Tommy Carr
Departing players
Davis Warren (Stanford)Jadyn Davis (East Tennessee State)Mikey Keene (Arizona State)Jake Garcia (uncommitted)
Outlook
The room has been effectively overhauled with the four departures and the four additions to the room. With Fowler-Nicolosi joining the team, the Wolverines have an established and dynamic backup similar to what they hoped to get with Mikey Keene. The addition of Hurley could also provide some competition, as he has experience in college football, albeit not practically in games.
However, it would be something of a surprise if Bryce Underwood isn’t the runaway starter, and barring injury, that should be the case. Having other players who are more likely to challenge him should raise his ceiling, but the floor for Underwood is still higher than the ceiling for most.
Aside from offensive coordinator Jason Beck and QB coach Koy Detmer Jr. arriving in Ann Arbor, Underwood hired premier coach Jordan Palmer this offseason to help his development. Palmer primarily works with NFL talent, including Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and others. That could pay dividends for his mechanics before even getting to spring ball.
Expectation
Underwood will still be the starting quarterback, and he was the only player mentioned individually by Kyle Whittingham in his introductory press conference. He’s a spring captain and part of Whittingham’s new leadership council initiative. So long as he remains healthy, the position is his, and the corps is in an advantageous position to take a step forward in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football QB room: Bryce Underwood, spring ball outlook
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/michigan-footballs-qb-room-overhauled-184442892.html
Shrewsbury CEO announces fall in club's losses
Shrewsbury Town have been up for sale since Septemnber 2024 [Getty Images]
Shrewsbury Town chief executive Liam Dooley has said the League Two club has cut their financial losses by more than half.
In his latest quarterly open letter to supporters, Dooley said the side was continuing to recover financially after posting losses of £1.55m.
“Accounts to be published next week show another significant step forward, with losses reduced from £3.2m to £1.55m last year, and now tracking well below £1m – closer to £500,000,” he said.
“This progress reflects disciplined financial management and long-term planning.”
Dooley said there was “no new news” regarding the club’s long-running takeover after November’s announcement that Shrewsbury had reached agreements “in principle” with more than one prospective buyer.
Shrews’ chairman Roland Wycherley put the club up for sale in September 2024 but two takeover bids collapsed last year.
“Although there is no takeover news at present, the progress on and off the pitch reflects a club determined to move forward together,” Dooley said.
“Unity remains our greatest strength and we thank every supporter for playing their part in that journey.”
Shrewsbury still in “multiple” takeover talksAccrington Stanley 0-2 Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury’s form under Cowan ‘incredible’ – Edwards
Dooley also highlighted progress on the pitch under Gavin Cowan who replaced Michael Appleton as head coach at the end of January.
Shrewsbury have picked up 13 points from six matches under Cowan and are now nine points clear of the relegation zone, in 18th, after extending their winning run to four matches by beating Accrington on Saturday.
“While this season has presented its challenges, the last few weeks have brought more than mere green shoots – we are seeing real momentum build,” he said.
“The impact of our new management team, the renewed togetherness across the club and the hard work of every department all point clearly to the direction we are heading in.”
Dooley and Cowan are set to answer questions at the club’s Supporters’ Parliament meeting on Thursday.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/shrewsbury-ceo-announces-fall-clubs-184344567.html
Cubs reportedly sign OF Michael Conforto to minor-league deal
Veteran outfielder Michael Conforto will try to revive his career after reportedly signing a minor-league contract with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports.
Conforto, who will turn 33 in March, played last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He appeared in 138 games, batting a career-worst .199/.305/.333 with 12 home runs, 20 doubles and 36 RBI in 486 plate appearances. But he wasn’t a factor in the Dodgers repeating as World Series champions, as the team left him off its postseason roster.
Looking at the Cubs’ roster, it’s difficult to see where Conforto would fit in.
[Get more Cubs news: Chicago team feed]
Taking over in right field for the departed Kyle Tucker might seem like a possibility, but the Cubs have Seiya Suzuki and his 32 home runs to play there. Ian Happ will likely play left field and hits right-handed pitching (.791 OPS, 18 homers in 2025 ) as well as Conforto (career .811 OPS). At designated hitter, Moisés Ballesteros (.309/.387/.491) is probably the preferred choice, though Conforto could provide more power.
Additionally, Conforto hasn’t regularly played center field since 2019 so he likely wouldn’t be a defensive replacement or substitute when Pete Crow-Armstrong needs a day off.
The hope is that Conforto could find something close to his 2019 form when he hit 33 homers and 29 doubles for the New York Mets. But the 10-year MLB veteran hasn’t approached those numbers since, failing to register an OPS above .759 in four of his five seasons since then. (He missed the entire 2022 campaign with a shoulder injury.)
Otherwise, if the expectation is for a left-handed bat who can play both corner outfield positions (and maybe center field) and provide depth to the lineup, Conforto could be a nice addition. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said as much to reporters.
“At this point, we’re looking to bring in candidates to just strengthen the roster,” Counsell said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “And it’s a sign of just continuing to do that. Michael had a down year last year, but has been a good player in this league for quite a while.”
Why Rangers retool ‘doesn’t feel like quick process’ despite trade deadline
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
After celebrating the United States’ epic overtime win in the men’s hockey Olympic gold medal game over Canada on Sunday in Milan, it’s back to his day job for Chris Drury. Not that the New York Rangers were ever far from their general manager’s thoughts, of course.
Drury was part of the management team for the United States men’s hockey team at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. He didn’t receive a medal for his efforts helping put this team together — only the players got them — but Drury did land in the on-ice team photo and get to enjoy one of the true high points of his career.
It wasn’t a dream 🥇
Congrats to our #NYR players and staff on bringing home the gold! pic.twitter.com/OBrf1dZoSV
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 23, 2026
But the reality for Drury is that he’s judged and remembered far more as the chief decision maker for the floundering Rangers than he is for his role working on Bill Guerin’s management team for the Olympic champs.
So, he’s got some serious work to do. The NHL roster freeze is over, and the March 6 trade deadline is pretty much right around the corner, less than two weeks away. Drury’s already revealed his intentions to retool the roster, and followed through by trading Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings, and dealing Carson Soucy to the Islanders.
But there’s so much more work to be done. The prospect pool is dry. Organizational depth, especially at the NHL and AHL levels, is embarrassingly lacking. And for the second straight season, the Rangers (22-29-6) won’t make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A burst of moves before the trade deadline isn’t going to cure all that ails this franchise.
“To me, it certainly doesn’t feel like a quick process,” The Athletic’s Peter Baugh told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast. “I’m sure the Rangers would like for it to be quick, but just looking at it realistically this is a team where it’s core is getting older, it’s young players and prospects aren’t overly skilled — it’s not a very deep organization.”
Drury stated that he seeks young NHL talent, or NHL-ready players not yet in the League, as key parts of any trade he makes moving forward. Such was the case with the Panarin trade, when the Rangers landed the Kings’ top prospect, forward Liam Greentree, and nothing higher than a conditional third-round draft pick that can become a second-rounder if L.A. wins a playoff round this spring.
The underlying message from the Rangers GM is that a retool is more of a quick process than a complete rebuild. Likely, Drury nor Rangers owner James Dolan has the stomach for an extended rebuild just eight years after the organization first publicly announced plans to re-set in such fashion.
So if, say, the Rangers move freshly-minted gold medalist Vincent Trocheck — who’s got three years left on a contract that pays him $5.625 million annually — ahead of the deadline, what do they seek in return?
“The next few weeks will be very telling,” Baugh stated. “Is it stock up on draft picks? Or is it get younger NHL players or players that are in college or are NHL prospects that you expect to be debuting in the not too distant future?”
Rangers in ‘tricky spot,’ trying to retool quickly
Liam Greentree — Photo courtesy OHL Images
Either way, Baugh contends that this retool is going to take a while because there are so many organizational holes to fill. No matter whom they bring back in trades now or eventually add in free agency during the offseason, the Rangers must also draft better players and do a better job of developing their prospects.
Those aren’t exactly areas that the Rangers excelled in the past decade or more, as evidenced by the complete freefall the past two seasons.
“The starting point has to be the draft,” Baugh explained. “They’re going to have two first-round picks this year, including one that’s going to be really high. If you look at the successful teams, they nail their high draft picks. And you can call it bad luck or you can call it bad scouting or you can call it bad development, but the Rangers really haven’t done that … and that’s really tough to come back from.”
You need not be reminded about top-10 busts like Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov. Nor that Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko became good NHL players, just not great ones. And not even how stocking up on multiple first-rounders didn’t quite reap the expected benefits with Nils Lundkvist, and even K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider.
Acquiring Greentree feels like a good start. He’s 20 and expected to turn pro perhaps as soon as this spring, after a productive OHL junior career. The Rangers must hope Greentree is more Will Cuylle, and less Brennan Othmann.
Baugh also mentioned Malcolm Spence, New York’s top pick (second round, No. 43 overall) in the 2025 draft. The rugged forward has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 32 games as a freshman at the University of Michigan, and projects (like Greentree) as more of a middle-six staple in the NHL.
“These guys are certainly prospects, but you’re not looking at them as franchise-saving, high-octane players.,” Baugh noted. “They’re gonna have to find that somewhere, and that’s probably going to take some time and development. But the Rangers are going to have to show that they’re able to do it.”
As Baugh also added, “It’s a tricky spot to be in” for the Rangers. And don’t think for a second that a successful trade or two ahead of the deadline is all the Rangers need to turn things around.
It looks like it’s going to take awhile.
Related Headlines
New York Rangers report cards: Grading 3 stars at 2026 Winter OlympicsHow Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck increased his trade value at OlympicsRangers stars ‘pretty f*****g proud’ to help United States win Olympic goldJonathan Quick exits Rangers practice early in latest injury concern
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-rangers-retool-doesn-t-184310451.html
Tarik Skubal video highlights in Tigers spring training start vs Twins
LAKELAND, FL – Here is a video of Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Public Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Monday, Feb. 23.
Skubal, the two-time Cy Young Award winner, gave up two hits and finished with two strikeouts, stranding a pair of runners in the first inning.
Skubal seemed to find his groove in the second inning, getting a pair of groundouts and a strikeout.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal video highlights in Tigers spring training start vs Twins
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/tarik-skubal-video-highlights-tigers-184258096.html
Tarik Skubal video highlights in Tigers spring training start vs Twins
LAKELAND, FL – Here is a video of Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Public Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Monday, Feb. 23.
Skubal, the two-time Cy Young Award winner, gave up two hits and finished with two strikeouts, stranding a pair of runners in the first inning.
Skubal seemed to find his groove in the second inning, getting a pair of groundouts and a strikeout.
Watch the video of each at-bat Skubal faced in the first inning against the Twins:
Austin Martin, single to left
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal video highlights in Tigers spring training start vs Twins
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/tarik-skubal-video-highlights-tigers-184258764.html
Wrexham duo Rathbone and Dobson sign new deals
Wrexham midfielders Ollie Rathbone (left) and George Dobson both played pivotal roles in the club’s promotion from League One in 2024-25 [Getty Images]
Midfielder pair Ollie Rathbone and George Dobson have signed new deals with Wrexham.
Rathbone’s previous deal at Stok Cae Ras was due to expire in the summer of 2027, but he has put pen to paper on a fresh contract that runs through until 2028.
Dobson has also extended his stay with the Red Dragons until 2028.
“They’re both really good lads, and good players, who’ve made significant contributions for us last year and this season,” said boss Phil Parkinson.
“Ollie has been phenomenal for us, he really has, and George has adapted well to Championship level.
“They both typify what we want at the club – they play with real heart and commitment every single game, and it’s great that they’ve got new deals.”
Latest Wrexham news, analysis and fan views
Rathbone joined the Red Dragons from Rotherham United in the summer of 2024 and was a pivotal figure in the club’s promotion from League One last season.
He netted eight goals in 42 league appearances in his debut campaign at the club and scooped Wrexham’s Player of the Season award for 2024-25.
The 29-year-old suffered a serious ankle injury during his side’s pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia.
He made his long-awaited return to league action against Watford on 13 December and scored within two minutes of coming off the bench to earn his side a 2-2 draw with the Hornets.
Rathbone has scored six times in 16 appearances across all competitions since returning from injury.
“I’m absolutely delighted to sign a new contract. It’s a special day for me and my family. I’m over the moon,” said Rathbone.
“My time here has been great so far. It’s probably the best football I’ve played in my career. I want to keep playing, keep improving, and create more special moments for this club.”
His fellow midfielder Dobson also joined Wrexham during the 2024 summer transfer window.
The 28-year-old featured 48 times across all competitions in his debut season under Phil Parkinson, scoring two goals.
Having had nine successive seasons in League One, Dobson has continued to be a mainstay in the Championship – featuring in all but three of his side’s 33 league matches so far this term.
“I’m delighted to sign a new contract with the club,” said Dobson.
“It’s been an amazing 19 months. I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s been a fantastic journey so far. I’m delighted to extend, and hopefully we can create many more special memories.”
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wrexham-duo-rathbone-dobson-sign-184241287.html
Colts reportedly in contract negotiations with QB Daniel Jones, WR Alec Pierce, but are they progressing?
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) celebrates with wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) after Jones scores a touchdown during a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
According to FOX59/CBS4’s Mike Chappell, the Indianapolis Colts are reportedly holding ongoing contract negotiations with both pending free agents: starting quarterback Daniel Jones and top wide receiver Alec Pierce—with this year’s free agency period officially kicking off on March 11 at 4 PM EST:
With a number of other internal key free agents, including, starting right tackle Braden Smith, safety Nick Cross, defensive ends Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam, and linebacker Germaine Pratt, it’s Jones and Pierce who are clearly this class’s priority free agents for Indianapolis to hopefully re-sign before they reach the open market.
However, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the Colts contract negotiation talks with both Jones and Pierce haven’t recently progressed too far—as each side appears to remain rather far apart respectively.
Still, there’s some time left for the sides to strike multi-year deals before the clock strikes midnight.
In particular, Pierce is expected to have a number of interested suitors, and the Colts 2025 leading wideout, after a breakout campaign and blossoming into a premier NFL deep threat, could be poised to receive a huge pay day—if he hits the market as an unrestricted free agent.
Right now, it would behoove the Colts, armed with a projected $35.7M of available team salary cap space (*but with the clear flexibility to free up more), to at least re-sign one of Jones or Pierce here early on.
That way, they could save the franchise tag for the other priority free agent player, in case contract negotiations ultimately break down with that remaining unsigned player.
While Jones next deal could surpass Pierce in average annual value, he also would have less likely suitors with immediate starting quarterback openings, whereas Pierce has so far been connected to nearly every team who could use a potential wideout upgrade this early offseason.
It would make sense to at least save the tag for Pierce because if a contract cannot be reached between him and the Colts before free agency formally kicks off, that heated bidding could get highly excessive—with Indianapolis potentially being priced out for Pierce (i.e., see Dayo Odeyingbo last offseason).
Point being that free agency can be unpredictable, meaning if the Colts are really hoping to retain either of these two players—especially Pierce, they should ink a lucrative, multi-year contract extension with him sooner rather than later.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/colts-reportedly-contract-negotiations-qb-184238402.html
Maxx Crosby’s future is the only story worth caring about from NFL combine
With all due respect to the NFL’s annual underwear Olympics, er, the NFL Scouting Combine, nothing that will happen in Indianapolis this week matters all that much in the grand scheme of things. Sorry to admit the truth to all of you diehard football heads out there who love tracking 40-yard dash times and three-cone results in a meticulously curated environment that doesn’t always translate to on-field action.
Well, that is, unless you count talks concerning Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby’s NFL future.
It’s starting to become more realistic that the 28-year-old perennial All-Pro pass-rusher finds a new home in the coming weeks. If a win-now player like Crosby and the rebuilding Raiders can’t mend fences soon — Crosby was clearly irked by the Raiders’ decision to shut him down during the stretch run of the 2025 season, among other things — then it becomes likely that Las Vegas will eventually make the hard decision to trade Crosby off. And if a trade does manifest, its genesis will likely happen behind the scenes in private, negotiative conversations between the Raiders and any NFL front offices interested in dealing for Crosby before the start of the 2026 league year in mid-March.
THE BEAR NECESSITIES: Crosby and Caleb Williams enter podcast stage of trade rumors
On Monday, NFL media’s Tom Pelissero addressed the Crosby Raiders situation and a possible trade as the pro football world descends on The Hoosier State:
It’s a big week for Maxx Crosby and the Raiders, who continue to discuss his future, as well as Daniel Jones and the Colts, who have eight days to strike a deal or potentially tag him. @gmfb@nflnetworkpic.twitter.com/EfztRoorlh
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 23, 2026
Hmm. Interesting. Here’s the key segment of Pelissero’s report in text:
“If there is a time to discuss a [Crosby] trade, it is this week here in Indianapolis. It is no secret that [Maxx] Crosby has been frustrated by the constant turnover and change in Las Vegas. Also, he is frustrated by the way last season ended when the Raiders shut him down with two games to go. … There are fences to be mended here, and everybody has to decide what the proper course of action moving forward. … I would expect Crosby’s representatives and the Raiders to meet. But also there could be a variety of different conversations with other teams about what a trade would look like.”
The mere fact that a Raiders trade of Crosby is posited by a prominent reporter affiliated with the NFL just made a deal here that much more feasible. By no means does this say that Crosby will definitely no longer be wearing silver and black come next September. You’d be surprised at how an NFL franchise and a star player can find ways to reconnect even when they’re not on good terms. But Pelissero’s picture of Crosby’s frustration with the Raiders sounds more complicated than that.
To me, with it being noted that Crosby is specifically bothered by the Raiders starting over again, on top of his feeling that they tanked by sitting him at the end of 2025, this paints the picture of him trying to leave the Raiders. Someone close to Crosby almost certainly fed this line of thinking to Pelissero for a reason. You don’t put that sort of information out there if you’re keen on a long-term future with your current team.
We’ll see whether another NFL team actually pulls the trigger with an attractive enough trade package for the star Raiders defender. And remember, if they do, it’ll probably begin at the combine.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Maxx Crosby trade talks are only relevant story from 2026 NFL Combine
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/maxx-crosby-future-only-story-184237490.html
Barcelona sign Norwich prospect Tavares
Ajay Tavares has been playing for Norwich’s under-18 team this season [Getty Images]
Spanish giants Barcelona have signed Norwich City academy prospect Ajay Tavares.
The 16-year-old had reportedly attracted interest from a number of European clubs and Norwich will be entitled to compensation, although the Canaries have not confirmed the financial aspects of the deal.
Tavares, who first joined Norwich at under-12 level, was sent on as a substitute in a first-team pre-season friendly against Dutch club Volendam last summer when only 15, but he has not appeared in a competitive fixture at senior level.
“Whilst we are incredibly sad to be losing a young academy player of Ajay’s talent, our overriding sense is one of immense pride,” said Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper.
“Ajay’s progress has been a testament to the fantastic work of everyone connected with our academy, who have impacted his journey and contributed to this wonderful achievement… and we couldn’t be prouder to see him take this step to one of the most iconic football clubs and academies in world football.”
Tavares made his most recent appearance for Norwich’s under-18 team against Chelsea at Colney on 31 January.
“On an international level, he has represented England at under-15, under-16 and under-17 levels, and we’ve no doubt he’ll continue to make great steps for both club and country in the years to come,” Knapper added.
He is not the first 16-year-old to be signed by Barcelona from English football.
In 2019, Louie Barry joined them from West Bromwich Albion, but he returned the following year when Aston Villa paid a fee of about 1m euros (£880,000) for the young forward.
That was a year after Barcelona signed 18-year-old Marcus McGuane from Arsenal, with the midfielder joining their B side.
McGuane returned to England in 2020 to sign for Nottingham Forest and has since played for Oxford United, Bristol City and Huddersfield Town.
Latest Norwich City news and analysisListen to BBC Radio Norfolk’s The Scrimmage podcast
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/barcelona-sign-norwich-prospect-tavares-183156722.html
| |
