🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

Ragnow retires; Saquon on Madden

Author

Wolf Sports
June 03, 2025

A question to start the day: Were coach fits from the 1990s better than today’s attire?

🫡 Veteran retirements

Lions All-Pro C Frank Ragnow has retired from the NFL, he announced yesterday.

  • The 29-year-old was not at the start of voluntary OTAs, and it’s because he was pondering his future.

  • Ragnow has been named a second-team All-Pro three times, including in each of the past two seasons.

  • The 2018 first-round pick was a stalwart for a Detroit team that’s become a legitimate Super Bowl contender, so this is a massive loss.

  • Second-round rookie Tate Ratledge is probably the favorite to take over at C, with veteran Graham Glasgow as another option.

“I thought I had more to give.” Ragnow said in his announcement that he’s given everything to the Lions and thought he had more to give, but his body is not responding and he simply doesn’t.

Longtime Patriots C David Andrews also made it official, with the two-time Super Bowl champion retiring after spending his entire career with New England.

Veteran CB Ronald Darby informed the Texans that he’s retiring after 10 seasons. Darby won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles and also played for the Bills, Commanders, Broncos, Ravens and Jaguars.

🏈 OTA highlights

OTAs (organized team activities) got underway last week. OTAs are voluntary (mandatory minicamps are June 10-12), so not everyone was in attendance. Among the absences:

  • Bills RB James Cook, seeking a new contract

  • Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, entering the final year of his contract

  • Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, with his future uncertain

  • Falcons TE Kyle Pitts, said to be due to injury rehab

Patriots WR Stefon Diggs did arrive and participate yesterday after a high-profile absence from the first week.

Among the on-field highlights from OTAs, another look at new Cowboys WR George Pickens:

Titans’ No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward getting in reps with his top weapon Calvin Ridley.

Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders is said to be off to an impressive start in practice, and he said out of respect he’d do anything for Joe Flacco including organize his locker.

49ers WR Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) is not expected to practice again until training camp, with the team likely to hold him out of this month’s minicamp as a precaution.

👀 Player moves include Huff trade

The 49ers are acquiring DE Bryce Huff from the Eagles for a mid-round pick.

  • It’s a somewhat surprising deal between NFC competitors in Philadelphia and San Francisco.

  • Huff signed a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Eagles last year but fell out of the rotation during the 2024 season.

  • The former Jet has restructured his deal and reunites with 49ers DC Robert Saleh.

Key player: Huff will play opposite superstar rusher Nick Bosa in pass rush situations, and it’s obvious that Saleh thinks highly of him for the Niners to make this deal.

Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith wants a new contract after a tremendous 88/884/8 campaign in Miami, and the Steelers reportedly had talks with the Dolphins last season but no deal was made.

Former Browns No. 10 overall pick OT Jedrick Wills is planning to sit out most or all of 2025 as he recovers from knee issues.

📰 More news: Saquon headlines Madden

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley as the cover star for Madden 26 comes as no surprise, with his insane reverse hurdle being recreated for the game the season after he ran for 2,000 yards and won the Super Bowl with Philadelphia. Barkley called it a dream come true to be on the cover.

The Vikings signed GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to a multi-year contract extension.

The Broncos are honoring the late WR Demaryius Thomas in the franchise’s Ring of Fame.

The 2025 preseason TV schedule has been released.

Recent notes from around the league:

Our 2025 fantasy football projections are now live for over 250 players. Full projections are available via Fantasy Consigliere, but this week’s Consigliere Corner dives into the top RBs in terms of projected point totals. It should be noted that projections are just another tool and are different than rankings (e.g., Saquon Barkley as the RB4 in projections but the RB1 in rankings; Ashton Jeanty outside of the top 10).

1. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs (343.7 points)
2. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (339.9 points)
3. Ravens RB Derrick Henry (327.3 points)
4. Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (325.8 points)
5. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (301.7 points)
6. Dolphins RB De’Von Achane (295.7 points)
7. Packers RB Josh Jacobs (260.3 points)
8. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (256.3 points)
9. Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving (247.7 points)
10. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III (234.6 points)

Other Sports Updates

🏒 Stanley Cup Final: The Panthers and the Oilers are meeting for the second consecutive year, with Edmonton looking for redemption. The series begins Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET.

❤️ Reds star Elly De La Cruz chose to play after learning about the death of his sister and hit a HR in her honor.

🎮 College Football 26: Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith and Alabama WR Ryan Williams headline the standard cover of the game, with a bunch of figures on the deluxe edition. Also, the first trailer for the game was released.

🐺 Found on wolfsports.com