‘Jalen Hurts Is on Notice’
Craig EllenportWed, July 1, 2026 at 6:53 PM UTC·3 min readPhiladelphia Eagles rookies and veterans formally open training camp on July 28. While it’s an opportunity to work on all three phases of the game ahead of the 2026 NFL season, fans and media alike will be hyper-focused on the offense — and quarterback Jalen Hurts in particular.
There’s a real glass half-full/half-empty feel to this team. On the plus side, the Eagles are the first team to win back-to-back NFC East titles in two decades. On the minus side, after going 11-6 and losing in the first round of the playoffs, this team looked nothing like the 2024 version that went 14-3 before destroying the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAfter lingering speculation about a toxic on-field relationship between Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown, the Eagles finally pulled the trigger last month and traded Brown to the New England Patriots.
Now that Hurts won’t be feeling the pressure to keep Brown happy with targets, will that outweigh the loss of having such a productive player in the lineup?
Time will tell. In five seasons as Philly’s starting quarterback, Hurts has consistently played well, yet his penchant to go off-script has occasionally frustrated head coach Nick Sirianni, and there remains a good-sized contingent of NFL analysts who are not ready to call Hurts an elite QB.
He’ll be closely watched in 2026.
“Jalen Hurts is on notice: Do it their way,” said one rival scout. “The Eagles have sent several unsubtle messages to Hurts through the media. They want him to play within their system and not freelance. He has taken the high road so far.”
Those comments appear in the Athlon Sports 2026 NFL Preview magazine, which is available online and at newsstands nationwide.
Hurts completed 64.8% of his passes last season for 3,224 yards, 25 touchdown passes, six interceptions and a passer rating of 98.5, adding 421 yards and eight more touchdowns on the ground.
Hurts already has 63 career rushing touchdowns, third on the all-time list behind Josh Allen (79) and Cam Newton (75). Hurts has 10 career rushing touchdowns in the postseason, most among all active players.
Despite the success, it will be fascinating to see how he does this season without Brown. With DeVonta Smith still in the picture, he’s got a reliable No. 1 target. The receiving room was bolstered this offseason with additions of first-round draft pick Makai Lemon and veteran acquisitions Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown.
AdvertisementAdvertisementPerhaps the most important addition is the hiring of new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, who will be the team’s sixth offensive coordinator in Hurts’ now seven seasons as an Eagle (including 2020, when head coach Doug Pederson was the de facto OC).
Mannion has worked under three of the most respected offensive head coaches in the NFL for the last nine years; he was the quarterbacks coach the last two years for Matt LaFleur with the Green Bay Packers. Over the previous seven seasons, Mannion was a backup quarterback playing for Kevin O’Connell’s Minnesota Vikings and Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams.
Even with all the attention on Mannion and Hurts, true success for the Eagles might come down to the performance of running back Saquon Barkley. After rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024, those numbers were nearly cut in half last season — 1,140 yards and seven rushing TDs.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“Saquon Barkley is a true impact runner,” the rival scout said. “They need a huge year from him.”
Related: Athlon Sports 2026 NFL Preview Magazine Now Available
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Twins top prospect Walker Jenkins carries young fan off field after collapse during national anthem
Story by
Jack BaerStaff writerThu, July 2, 2026 at 12:37 AM UTC·1 min readMinnesota Twins minor leaguer Walker Jenkins stepped up before Tuesday's St. Paul Saints game in a way that had nothing to do with his top prospect status.
Jenkins, the No. 14 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, went viral on Wednesday via a video that showed him taking care of a young fan who collapsed while standing with the players during the national anthem.
AdvertisementAdvertisementJenkins noticed the fan wobbling and was soon carrying him off the field, eventually giving him to a staff member at the dugout.
The Saints, the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, confirmed Wednesday morning that the boy, named Lincoln, is doing well and has received some team merchandise.
After helping Lincoln, Jenkins proceeded to go 3-for-5 with a double, triple and three runs scored in a 12-6 win over the Buffalo Bisons. He was a home run shy of the cycle.
The Twins selected Jenkins fifth overall out of South Brunswick High School in North Carolina in the 2023 MLB Draft. He quickly developed into one of the best prospects in the minors, showcasing five-tool talent while playing well above his age at each level.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThis season, Jenkins, 21, is slashing .273/.394/.436 in 30 games with the Saints.
Philadelphia 76ers among teams expressing interest in LeBron James: Source
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6 Potential Landing SpotsBest Place To Sign?Record 24th SeasonLA LegacyWarriors Make SensePhiladelphia 76ers among teams expressing interest in LeBron James: Source
LeBron James and Joel Embiid shake hands after a February game between the Lakers and Sixers. Adam Pantozzi / Getty Images
By Tony JonesJuly 1, 2026 8:39 pm EDT UpdatedThe Philadelphia 76ers have expressed interest in acquiring free agent forward LeBron James, a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations told The Athletic.
On the heels of Wednesday night’s blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown — which sent Paul George and multiple draft picks to the Boston Celtics — the Sixers have thrown their hat into the proverbial ring for the star forward, who became an unrestricted free agent after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Philadelphia makes sense from a basketball perspective. The 76ers have enough scoring, depth and ballhandling at the top of the roster to allow James to ease into a role. And with James — or even without him — Philadelphia projects as a championship contender. The Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are also considered among the frontrunners for James’ services.
James, 41, remains an All-Star-caliber player and one of the league’s most impactful talents. The 76ers were eliminated in the second round of last season’s playoffs by the New York Knicks, who went on to win the NBA championship.
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Tagged To: NBAPhiladelphia 76ersPacers' Ivica Zubac Trade Looks Even Better After Lakers Acquire Walker Kessler
Pacers' Ivica Zubac Trade Looks Even Better After Lakers Acquire Walker Kessler
Indiana was heavily linked to Walker Kessler before the trade deadline, but acquiring Ivica Zubac instead may have been one of the franchise's smartest decisions.Alex Golden|
In this story:
Indiana PacersLos Angeles LakersUtah JazzLos Angeles ClippersOn Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to a lucrative four-year, $130M deal with Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler. Los Angeles and Utah have agreed to complete a sign-and-trade that will send Kessler to the Lakers for two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and two first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
This is a massive haul that the Lakers are paying to solidify the now and future of their center position, going after the best five man on the open market. Indiana was once rumored to have interest in the Jazz's big man during the NBA Trade Deadline period, but Utah reportedly declined the Pacers offer. This was the exact same offer that Indiana ended up sending the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac.
While there are reasons to believe that trading for Kessler would have been the better move for Indiana, there is no denying that Indiana in retrospect made the right move in February. While Kessler is a solid young player with plenty of room to grow, he is making an average annual value of $32.5M. Indiana's big man, Ivica Zubac is making $20.3M this season, and $21.7M the folliwing season according to SpoTrac.com.
Being able to acquire a center that is just as good, or slightly even better for $11M less this season is a steal in itself, and it allowed the Pacers more financial flexibility to sign another free agent in the offseason.
If the Pacers had acquired Kessler at the trade deadline and agreed to the same exact deal the Lakers agreed to, Indiana would have been a first-apron team, and would not have been able to inked Kelly Oubre Jr. to the two-year, $17M contract they signed him to -- unless they elected to move off of Jarace Walker's $8.4M contract.
Nobody knew exactly how much Kessler would demand on the open market, and maybe the Lakers had to overpay to keep the Jazz from matching the offer, but for a Pacers team that is trying to win a championship next season, adding Zubac and Oubre Jr. for almost $4M less than what the Lakers will be paying Kessler in his first season was a no-brainer decision.
At the end of the day, the Pacers feel the best way to build a roster is with depth. By focusing in on acquiring a player at the Trade Deadline who fits perfectly into their budget, fills a hole on their roster, and has the skillset to elevate this team's ceiling, Indiana was not only able to address their starting center need, but their backup wing depth.
The Pacers front office of Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan, and Ted Wu have done a terrific job of targeting the right players with the right skillset to ensure that this team is strong enough to compete in the improved Eastern Conference. There would have been other holes to fill had Indiana tied itself to an overpay for Walker Kessler, especially when it can get similar -- if not better-- production from Ivica Zubac for $11M less per season.
You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.
Published 22 minutes ago
ALEX GOLDENI was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and I am the host and creator of Setting The Pace: A Pacers Podcast. I have been covering the team since 2015, and talking about them on the podcast since 2018. I have been a credentialed media member since 2023.
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