All articles tagged with #roster management
The Los Angeles Lakers are navigating a crowded roster following LeBron James’s departure, leaving veteran shooter Dalton Knecht without a clear role. With 16 guaranteed players and a 15-player limit, the team must decide whether to trade, waive, or retain Knecht. Simultaneously, the Buss family continues its legal battle over team ownership, while new acquisitions like Quentin Grimes and Ziaire Williams compete for minutes.
The Green Bay Packers have ruled out four players for their Sunday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, creating significant depth issues on the defensive line. Jonathan Ford, Javon Hargrave, Skyy Moore, and Benjamin St-Juste are confirmed out, while five others remain questionable. The team faces a potential crisis at defensive tackle, with only three healthy starters available, forcing likely roster moves involving practice squad elevations and injured reserve activations to field a competitive 48-man roster.
The Philadelphia Eagles will retain retired right tackle Lane Johnson on their 53-man roster for the remainder of the 2026 season. This decision allows the team to delay processing his retirement until June 2027, preserving his current salary cap structure and deferring significant dead money charges to 2027 and 2028. While Johnson has officially ended his 14-year career citing mental health and family priorities, keeping him active on paper maintains the option for a potential return, though this is considered unlikely.
The Green Bay Packers have finalized most of their Week 3 game-day roster against the Atlanta Falcons, with the primary uncertainty centered on defensive line availability. Four players are ruled out, and two are listed as questionable. The team’s depth at other positions allows for straightforward decisions, leaving only the final inactive spot as a variable.
The Green Bay Packers face a critical injury report for Week 2 against the New York Jets, with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave ruled out and edge rusher Lukas Van Ness clearing concussion protocol. While Van Ness’s return stabilizes the pass rush, the absence of Hargrave and the questionable status of offensive linemen Aaron Banks and Zach Bako-Bewele force the team to rely on rookie Jager Burton and second-year guard Donovan Jennings. The Packers’ decision to keep four tight ends active in Week 1 suggests a continued emphasis on personnel packages, though this strategy may be unsustainable as injuries accumulate. The Jets, meanwhile, are missing safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and have questionable status for defensive end Will McDonald, while rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds is set to make his NFL debut.
The Atlanta Braves designated right-hander Elieser Hernández for assignment for the third time in seven weeks, replacing him with lefty Bailey Falter. This move follows the placement of Bryce Elder on the 15-day injured list for knee surgery and the activation of Reynaldo López. Hernández, who has a 2.45 ERA in four major league appearances, is part of a recurring strategy where veterans cycle between the majors and Triple-A to provide bullpen depth. Falter, acquired from the Kansas City Royals, has pitched effectively in Triple-A Gwinnett since his trade, posting a sharp strikeout-to-walk ratio despite a poor career average.
The San Francisco 49ers arrived in Melbourne for their Week 1 opener against the Los Angeles Rams, bringing star players Nick Bosa and George Kittle despite ongoing injury concerns. While both veterans are expected to play, they will likely face strict snap limits to protect their recoveries from knee and Achilles injuries. The team’s early arrival allows for an extended acclimation period, though questions remain regarding the depth of the receiving corps and defensive line.
The Los Angeles Rams are likely to delay Aaron Donald's return from retirement until Week 2 or 3, rather than the season opener in Australia. ESPN's Dan Granziano reports that Donald is being eased into practice, with the Rams prioritizing long-term health over immediate impact. While 49ers GM John Lynch prepares for a potential matchup, the Rams' depth allows them to manage Donald's workload carefully.
Jonathan Kuminga signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, rejecting larger offers from the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers, now facing a crowded roster, are expected to pursue trades or cuts involving Dalton Knecht or Jaden Hardy to fit new players. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves must move veteran Josh Green to stay under the second apron, while the Lakers focus on defensive improvements under coach JJ Redick.
Seattle Mariners infielder Colt Emerson will undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist, delaying his major league development until 2027. The injury, which had been bothering him for months, ends a disappointing debut season where he hit .190 with a 34.4% strikeout rate. The club, still in a division race, must rely on Brock Rodden and Leo Rivas at shortstop while facing uncertainty about Emerson’s future role and potential CBA lockout complications.
A federal injunction could allow high school Class of 2022 players who did not redshirt to play a fifth season, aligning with NCAA’s five-year eligibility rule, prompting teams to decide whether to add these veterans with preseason camps starting soon. Rosters are tight under the 105-player limit, budgets are uneven, and concerns about readiness and team chemistry linger as the NCAA plans to appeal and questions about how the market for these players will unfold remain.
With knee soreness persisting, the Dodgers have resisted putting Shohei Ohtani on the injured list and are letting him decide his playing time, a stance critics say risks his long-term health and October readiness.
The Penguins have 39 contracts locked in for 2026-27 as of July 2, with room to reach roughly the mid-to-upper 40s (potentially about 47) as RFAs, ELCs and other signings count toward the 50-contract limit. They bid farewell to several veterans (Acciari, Mantha, Hayes, Skinner, Clifton, Wotherspoon, among others) and added a mix of new players (Kuzmenko, van Riemsdyk, Carlile, Calvert) plus trades (Korczak, Okuliar, Gustafsson) and RFAs/ELCs (Lapierre, Robertson, Brunicke, D’Aigle, Zonnon, Fernstrom), signaling a balance of NHL depth and burgeoning AHL talent. The goaltending shift leans younger, and the team could still trade or sign a few more to finalize a 46–49 player core before the season starts.
Ohio State’s 90 scholarship players are affected by the NCAA’s new five-year, age-based eligibility model: the 2026 class now starts with five years of eligibility, redshirts are effectively obsolete under the new rules, and teams can use more players without worrying about long-term eligibility. Fourth-year seniors who would have exhausted in 2027 can return for 2027, and players who hadn’t redshirted gain a fifth year. The article groups remaining eligibility by bucket (seniors, two-year seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen). Justyn Martin could still seek a sixth year for a pre-rule injury, though hardship waivers are no longer granted, and several players across buckets may choose to extend their careers into 2027, boosting depth for Ohio State.
With the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline passing, On3 releases a way-too-early Top 25 for the 2026-27 college basketball season, highlighting returning cores and key new additions for frontrunners like Florida, Michigan, UConn, Duke and Michigan State, while noting that eligibility waivers, transfers and ongoing decisions will keep rosters fluid throughout the offseason.