In one of his first moves after his Maryland career abruptly ended, Anthony Cowan Jr. launched a podcast called One Stop with Anthony Cowan Jr.

Cowan and his co-host, former Maryland basketball walk-on Andrew Terrell,debuted the show last week with former Michigan State star Cassius Winston as the first guest. The trio mainly focused on Winstons career at Michigan State during the episode, but Cowan did open up about some topics relevant to his Maryland career, most notably his strong relationship with Terps assistant coach Deandre Haynes.

For me, it was Deandre Haynes, who came over from Michigan, Cowan said on his podcast in regards to his go-to assistant coach. He was my guy. In the beginning of the season, me and Turge were just butting heads. I felt like in practice whenever there would be a bad stint in practice, he would call me out like Ant, youre not loud enough. You not this, you not that... It was to the point where I always had to go holler at him [Haynes] like look I get Im the leader, but I cant control somebody else missing a layup, not being in help, not digging or not switching on the screen."

Cowan continued to say that Haynes helped put Turgeons criticism in perspective.

There were times when he [Haynes] would be like, You know how it be, just like when you are the quarterback of the football team no matter how things run, how the offense runs, if youre not making a play, it's going to be on you. People dont understand just how important that assistant that you can really click in with is, Cowan explained.

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In addition to talking about assistant coaches that were meaningful to them in their college careers, Cowan and Winston also discussed some of the games the two played against each other, most notably from this past season when the two teams matched up on ESPNs College GameDay twice.

During the first meeting between the two teams during the 2019-20 season, Cowan and the Terps traveled to East Lansing and picked up a win that would not have been possible without Cowans efforts. The star point guard went on a personal 11-0 run to close out the game and win after Maryland had been down seven with just over three minutes to play.

That was my game for me and my career, Cowan said of the big win. When times get tough and the game is on the line, I can take it over.

As two of the best point guards in the Big Ten over the last few seasons, and two of the best in each of their programs history, Cowan and Winston are both prime candidates to have their jerseys retired by their respective schools. Cowan said he was shocked when he heard the idea floated to him by coach Mark Turgeon.

What We're Hearing: Hoop Rivalry Renewed? | Not ready | QB Scoop

The first time I ever heard it being considered, my name being in the rafters, it was our last meeting, Cowan recalled. Turgeon was like I cant promise you, but youre going to have an opportunity for your jersey to be in the rafters. When he said that I was like my jersey, that is something you dont even think of. That is something you look at everyday at those jerseys.

In addition to both Cowan and Winston both potentially having their jerseys retired, the two also hope to have their names called in the 2020 NBA Draft. With the pre-draft process being so up in the air due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cowan is still trying to make the most of it.

In terms of the whole pre-draft process, its so weird. We got to do the zoom calls with teams and stuff. For me it's crazy because I always thought for me it was going to be in the workouts and me going against those top point guards to show why Im one of the best, Cowan said. Now, the whole process is a little different. Im actually enjoying it because Im also well spoken and like to get to know different people in different organizations. It sucks but its also a blessing.

One of the most memorable games for Cowan and the Terps last season was the teams late comeback win at Indiana. While Maryland won the game in thrilling fashion 77-76, the celebrations were short-lived because during the game, news had broke that Kobe Bryant had passed away.

On the podcast, Cowan described the scene in the Terps locker room after the team had found out about the tragic accident.

I remember for us, we just beat Indiana. It was off a game-winner and the dude [Trayce Jackson-Davis] just missed a layup. We had no business winning the game and it was a crazy feeling, Cowan recalled. We got to the locker room, we were all hype and Deandre Haynes, the assistant Im close with, was like did you know Kobe just died After that it was crazy how the whole energy in the locker room changed. We went from jumping and throwing water to everybody sitting with their shirt over their face.

Read this article:
Cowan on butting heads with Turgeon, rafters induction and more - 247Sports

GOGGLEBOX star Helena Worthington appears on the infamous TV show with her parents new baby.

Yet while fans are all to used to hearing her views on the latest telly offerings, behind the scenes of the programme fans can get a glimpse of her bold and striking home decor, too.

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The TV star gave birth to little boy Erwin in August 2019, the latest addition to their Gogglebox clan, with fans praising the new mum for her decision to breastfeed on-screen.

The family are often seen snuggling on their sofas adorned with handmade crochet blankets and Helena's own Manchester home is no different, with patterned covers all around.

In one image posted to her Instagram, the tot can be seen fast asleep on a cot covered with a crochet blanket in their orange living room.

The bright walls add a summery feel to the space, which has a rustic white table as a centrepiece.

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Clearly a green-fingered home-owner, the table is covered with potted plants, as well as some on the floor.

Helena's partner, whom she prefers to stay private on, can be seen sitting on a sofa in the room in another image.

The walls are covered with quirky paintings and artwork, some of which Helena has created.

In one Instagram shot of the room, showing a painting and a larger sketch, she wrote: "Print by me and #oilpainting by @dwaggett along with carved ET watermelon."

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An image showing the entrance to the room captured a wooden shelf cabinet complete with rustic crate storage, and brightly coloured bags.

The door led to another room which gave a glimpse of a long mirror and white panelled cabinets.

Helena's love of colour and eye-catching prints is clear in another room featuring a red and gold rug, on which her cat was seen playing.

Erwin will no doubt inherit such a passion, as he was seen snuggled up in a patterned nest lying on top of a spot print rug laid out on the floor.

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His snap was taken in a bright yellow room, featuring cute toys on a shelf, which hints it is his play room or bedroom.

Helena, who joined Gogglebox in 2017, has previously spoken out about her baby's father not featuring in the series.

She wrote: FYI not that this should matter! I am not 18 I am 29 and my baby does have a father, but I wish to keep that side of my life private.

"If a young woman has children from an accidental pregnancy, they do not deserve to be sl*t-shamed by anyone especially other women!

Here is the original post:
Inside Gogglebox star Helena Worthingtons quirky home and the bits you dont see on TV - The Sun

The esports world is a big place. Any given weekend, there can be more than a dozen competitions taking place worldwide, from massive events such as Dota 2's The International to League of Legends domestic play and regionals in Smash. Each week, we're going to take a look at the big picture and decide who had the biggest weekend, in terms of impact on the esports scene, dominance of their game or making the most of a moment.

Here's who we think won the weekend going into June.

While the League of Legends Mid-Season Cup was hardly a major tournament, there's little to no doubt that the South Korean and Chinese teams in attendance took it seriously (yes, even in light of some of the LoL Pro League teams' drafts). It shouldn't be counted with a similar weight to the canceled Mid-Season Invitational, especially without the conclusion of European spring champions G2 Esports, but MSC still carried its own weight, especially when the finals featured two LPL teams in FunPlus Phoenix and Top Esports.

Despite being the top region for at least two years, Chinese teams are still scrutinized because of their collapse at the 2015 League of Legends World Championship. Since most LPL teams have hyper-focused playstyles, it's also difficult to judge their drafts from an objective standpoint. South Korea's T1 Esports were an easy pick to take it all this weekend due to their dominant win over Gen.G in the LoL Champions Korea finals, especially when compared to the back-and-forth, five-game monstrosity that was JD Gaming beating Top Esports 3-2 in the LPL finals. Yet, Top Esports were arguably poised to take it all this weekend due to natural strengths in the current metagame and a few more weeks of practice with recent bot lane addition Yu "JackeyLove" Wen-bo.

Prior to this tournament, Top Esports were well-known in China but had little-to-no footprint in Western League of Legends fandom.

That changed this weekend courtesy of Top Esports' Mid-Season Cup victory and their mid laner Zhuo "Knight" Ding.

Knight has been on a lot of analysts' radars since his debut with Suning Gaming in 2018 after impressive performances in the LoL Development League with Young Miracles. Knight was undeniably the star of the Mid-Season Cup, stunning international audiences with mechanical outplays. There's enough tape on Knight just from this weekend to make a formidable highlight reel.

More: What we thought of the Mid-Season Cup | Can Riot Games strike gold twice with VALORANT? | May Melee proves a better fix for Overwatch League than hero pools

That said, what I want to leave people with regarding Top Esports is just how much more room they have to grow to become a potential LPL champion and even a world championship contender. For most of the split, Knight struggled to synergize with his new jungler, Hung "Karsa" Hao-Hsuan, to the point that the two frequently, if unintentionally, undermined each other's efforts on the Rift. This has changed with the addition of JackeyLove, who has given Top Esports another strong voice and united communication across all five members.

After a strong rookie season last year, top laner Bai "369" Jia-Hao used the MSC stage to prove that he too is world-class in his position. Rookie support Liang "yuyanjia" Jia-Yuan made myriad mistakes in Top Esports' playoff run but has looked stronger in each further outing with his new laning partner, JackeyLove.

This weekend was a win for Top Esports since it marks their first-ever championship victory, but it's also a harbinger of what could be to come from a remarkably strong, world-class League of Legends team.

-- Emily Rand

This one hit different.

Don't get me wrong, the Overwatch League's May Melee was a lot of fun. It really breathed life into a league that many were starting to write off (premature or not). But this showmatch gave old-school Overwatch APEX viewers all the feels, from the way fans were integrated into the broadcast, to the show-stopping plays from the star players turning back the clock to wear their old threads, the nostalgic presentation (shoutout to OGN) -- everything was a home run. The players were happy, relaxed and seemed to be having a ton of fun. They even went to dinner together afterward. The vibe was just perfect for this whole thing.

Afterwards, there was a lot of talk online about how Overwatch is best presented, too: Bans were selected by the players. Role lock was removed. It aired on multiple platforms rather than the usual YouTube exclusive broadcasts for OWL.

That said, this was a special moment -- right place, right time. The Overwatch League doesn't have the luxury of being able to wrangle multiple platforms and put together old-time fan-favorites every week

Tournaments like the May Melee are a step in the right direction. Though the league has taken some L's this season, the last couple weeks have been positive, with Lunatic-Hai and RunAway reviving their rivalry as one shining example.

-- Arda Ocal

Link:
Who Won the Weekend - Top Esports claim Mid-Season Cup - ESPN

Not sure you'll enjoy this new, spicy twist on Popeyes' traditional chicken tenders? Foodsided reviewed the Popeyes Buffalo Ranch Sauce, which is the primary flavor change to the familiar menu item. They describe the sauce as being tangy, with balanced heat and a creamy texture. The outlet praises Popeyes' version of the kicked-up dipping sauce for it's subtle spice, and state that they would like to see the Buffalo Ranch flavor become a permanent part of the menu and available as an option for other items in addition to the chicken tenders.

What else makes these tenders and all of Popeyes' chicken so good?It's all about the marinade.Amy Alarcon,head of culinary innovation, told Forbes in April, "One of the hallmarks of Popeyes chicken is the amount of flavor we get from marination, whether it's a sandwich fillet, a piece of fried chicken, or a tender. It's all been seasoned and allowed to sit for at least 12 hours to add maximum flavor."

If Popeyes' new Buffalo Ranch Tenders seem right up your alley and you can't wait to try them, good news! The limited time menu item is available at select Popeyes locations now, and Delish states that the promotion currently has no end date announced.

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The new Popeyes menu item that has everyone talking - Mashed

People who love flowers tend to have indoor flower plants in their home. These plants are amazing, and when you know what their needs are to thrive in the home, they will not disappoint you. Studies have also been done for many of these house plants, and their amazing benefits will make you want to add more of them. There are many reasons to love indoor plants, such as lilies that come in all sorts of varieties. The peace lily stands out, not only for its low maintenance, but it is a showy plant as well. In this article, you will learn of more reasons you need to add a peace lily to your home.

1. It purifies the air

One of the many benefits it provides to human health is it purifies the air. The home is known to have many pollutants present that causes a lot of health issues. Although many people are not aware of this as they cannot directly breathe these chemicals. Just as outdoor air, indoor air can be noxious. Therefore, by removing any sources of these pollutants and proper ventilation, you can control these harmful gases and VOCs. House plants such as peace lilys also known as cobra plants, can be of help as well in aiding to reduce them. According to a NASA experiment, pollutants like benzene, xylene, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde are some that a peace lily plant can absorb. Therefore, by eliminating 60% of the pollutants, in return, it makes the air suitable for breathing by adding moisture to it.

2. Its a low maintenance house plant

As you opt for home dcor as many people are now turning to, especially indoor plants. Everyone wants one that is low maintenance that can accommodate their busy schedules. The peace lily is one amazing house plant you can choose as it still thrives even when you forget watering them. Besides, it can survive without sunlight and use just bright indoor light from the indirect sunlight. In addition to its good looks of the glossy green leaves and big white bracts, a peace lily is an amazing indoor plant due to its low requirements. Hence, most indoor plant growers pick it as an obvious choice.

3. Absorbs acetone vapors

Other than the pollutants that come from outside as mentioned above that the peace lily plant protects as from. It also helps protect you from harmful vapors of the products you use in the home. This is from acetone and alcohol that have harmful effects on your health. Varnishes, paints, rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, among others contain acetone and alcohol. The more you get exposure to these vapors, it can cause headaches, lack of coordination, low blood pressure, acetone poisoning, and lethargy. Hence, when you have a peace lily in your home, it helps keep the surrounding air in your home free from these vapors making it a healthy place for you.

4. Promotes restful sleep

In the world, almost everyone is suffering from insomnia and poor sleep. These indoor plants provide an amazing benefit that promotes restful sleep. For this reason, it is an amazing plant for your bedroom and it is a beautiful sight as well. It helps filter the indoor air, increase the levels of humidity, helping you breathe better. Plus, it also aids in good sleep as it absorbs airborne mold spores that are common allergens. Additionally, the beauty of these plants is known to bring calmness by alleviating feelings of stress in the mind and body. It is the best bedroom plant, according to Feng Shui, as it brings positive energy and peaceful touch to the room.

5. Perfect to spruce up home dcor

Even though you are not familiar with the many health benefits of this indoor plant. Add it to your space for the beauty it adds to a room. It is a perfect inclusion to home dcor. The enchanting beauty of the curved bract white flowers and its green foliage are a sight that stands out in the room. Choose a decorative pot to plant it in and make your home dcor look appealing and sophisticated in every way possible. The decorative pot enhances its beauty. Place them on tables, shelves, or at a corner depending on the space in your home.

6. Prevents formation of mildew

Due to the high moisture content in washrooms, bathrooms, and the kitchen. It is possible to have mildew formation. This is visible on tile grout, bathroom curtains, among other places. Having a peace lily in such an environment will not only thrive, but it will prevent further mildew formation by absorbing excess moisture from the surrounding. Eventually, because of this, the dampness on the walls and the curtains reduces, and it hampers the growth of mold spores and mildew. This is amazing considering how damaging and harmful mildew and spores can be in a home.

7. Removes mold spores from the air

In addition to removing the mildew present in high moisture rooms. The peace lily helps eliminate the mold spores in the air. It is beneficial, especially to people who are sensitive to these mold spores. For instance, the exposure to mold spores leads to eye irritation, coughing, sneezing, throat irritation, skin irritation, among others. Those with asthma, chronic lung illness have severe symptoms with this mold exposure. Fortunately, if you have a peace lily, it helps reduce mold spores in the air by eliminating them.

To sum up, the peace lily is one great flower plant among the lily family. Other than the above reasons to have it in your home. People use it as an ornamental plant for the office as well. They believe it brings good fortune, peace, hope, and prosperity that everyone seeks. Also, it is known to eliminate harmful radiation from computers and television. Hence, it is a perfect gift to someone for their space, and also for your home as well.

Excerpt from:
7 reasons you need a peace lily plant in your home - THE WEEK

We thought we had it all figured out.For maximum flavour, tomatoes shouldnot go in the fridge with other fruit. It's what the science seemed to show. Except now, it seems there's a juicy alternative.

A contentious new study suggests it might not matter where we put this fruit so long as it's picked when ripe. Whether in a fridge or a bowl, the data seem to show the tomato will taste the same.

Bringing together a panel of experienced tomato tasters, researchers had the experts assess several breeds and cross-breeds of tomatoes, each of which was stored for four days at room temperature, or four days in the fridge at 7 C (44F).

During this process,the panel was trained to objectively score slices of tomato against a list of eight attributes, including colour, sweetness, sourness, aftertaste, and juiciness.

Contrary to what you'd expect, in the end the panel could not detect any flavour difference between tomatoes kept in the fridge and those left at room temperature.

In addition to the tongues of a dozen human experts, the team put the tomatoes through a run of other lab tests to measure volatiles, carotenoid levels, and sugar concentrations. They even used a fancy ASTREE Electronic Tongue for good measure.

"The shorter the storage period, the better it is for the flavour and related attributes," says crop scientist Elke Pawelzik from the University of Gttingen in Germany.

"However, we were able to show that, taking into account the entire post-harvest chain, short-term storage of ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator did not affect the flavour."

Unlike previous studies, which found refrigeration had a negative impact on a tomato's flavour, the fruits used in Pawelzik's research were tracked throughout the post-harvest process.

This means the tomatoes were harvested ripe, spent one day at the distributor and then two days at the retailer before finding their way to the kitchen (or in this case, the lab).

This could be a reason why the new study has found such different results to previous data. It could also be that the tomatoes in this updated research were not kept in the fridge for as long as other studies, which lasted a week or so.

But there is another explanation. The fact that refrigerated tomatoes didn't taste any different may also have something to do with the actual variety of tomato.

"Our results indicate that the behaviour of the fruit during cold storage (7C) is also strongly dependent on the cultivar/breeding line," the authors write.

"For example, the up- or down-regulation and restoration of volatiles... underlines the great impact of the cultivar on the flavor of the fruits and the acceptance by the consumer."

These volatile compounds are what's thought to contribute to a tomato's flavour, and in the past,studies have suggested refrigeration dramatically reducestheir presence.

But perhaps that's more the genes talking. People say they've noticed tomatoes have gotten less flavourful and juicy over the years, and research has shown modern cultivars are not well liked, even when they are harvested fully ripe and transported under ideal conditions. So, essentially, perhaps the fridge is not to blame at all.

It's an interesting idea, but further research needs to be done to figure out exactly how to store tomatoes best. Perhaps cold storage is a good thing, but only for a few days. Or maybe it doesn't matter at all and what we should really be doing is coming up with a better tomato itself.

"We showed that flavor is severely dependent on the cultivar and that crossing cultivars with enhanced flavor perception is a valuable step to improve flavor perception," the authors write.

"The next step is to look on the entire transportation route from the producer to the consumer, finding a way to preserve the flavor of the tomato fruits."

The study was published in Frontiers in Plant Science.

Read more:
A New Study May Have Just Changed The Advice on Storing Tomatoes in The Fridge - ScienceAlert

We love ice in our drinks for that matter, any sort of drinks. However, there are a few workplaces that you would find lacking in ice. While many office break rooms install a wide range of drinks and water dispensers in the office break room.

The ice machine should be one of the excellent options for providing access to an enhanced experience in terms of a true office break. What are the benefits of installing an ice machine, and why would we recommend installing ice machines in your office break room.

Well, there are multiple reasons we would consider it extremely important and practical to install Ice Machines in your break room. Let us analyse just a few of them.

Using an ice machine can prove to be handy enough in letting you save money. Choosing other traditional option to get access to ice can prove to be quite costly. In sharp contrast, you would find that ice machines would be one of the excellent options to get your share of ice in your office break room.

It can definitely be the most convenient option of getting the ice for your break room consumption. You can find a host of options for an ice machine. You can choose a wide range of options depending on the space and exact dcor you want in your office break room. You can opt for a freestanding ice machine or even go with a countertop and under the counter machine. Ultimately, you can choose what appeals to you.

An ice machine would definitely be something that can assure you a healthy consumption of ice. In sharp contrast to the open bin ice machines, these machines can prove to be one of the best options for those who are conscious of their health needs. The ice machine can help avoid a host of unhygienic practices and habits of the employees. In times of epidemics or pandemics, it can be one of the excellent options to safeguard yourself from contamination.

People can get extremely uncomfortable when they are experiencing a hot climate. They can even feel miserable, and this can further decrease the productivity of the employees. It should be quite apparent that when you are under stress under any circumstance, or for whatever reason your productivity can severely be affected. Installing an ice machine can be one of the excellent and cost-effective options that can be utilised for improving the productivity of your employees.

Well, ice machines are an excellent option for a wide range of reasons. We have touched only a few important aspects of the concept in the above discussion. We would definitely assume these reasons would indeed help you get access to an improved and enhanced experience in terms of ice machines and their installation.

Installing an ice machine in your office break room can introduce a genuinely refreshing change in the break room. It does bring in a refreshing change that is much needed, and you can indeed make the best use of the machine to enhance the working conditions at your organisation.

Read the rest here:
Is an ice machine a worthy addition to your office break room - NextRankers

Despite a brief dalliance with Devonta Freeman, Carlos Hyde became the latest addition to the Seattle Seahawks backfield on Friday. Was Hyde the right running back for the Seahawks, or will they regret failing to land Freeman?

Although Seattle racked up 2,700 rushing yards in 2019, by the end of last year the Seahawks backfield was a mess. With injuries to Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and C.J. Prosise, the roster more closely resembled the University of Washington Medical Center emergency room than the Seahawks running back room.

Marshawn Lynch made a return to Seattle late last year and general manager John Schneider hasnt ruled out a return in 2020 for the Seahawks legend.

However, the Seahawks backfield remained devoid of veteran leadership ahead of training camp. Before Friday, the Seahawks running back room consisted of three rookies, second-year back Travis Homer, plus Carson and Penny.

With the latter two both recovering from injury, and with Penny looking doubtful to be ready for the start of the season, the Seahawks swooped to add another piece to the backfield.

After talks with Freeman collapsed, Hyde signed a one-year deal worth $4 million. The Seahawks had offered the same deal to the former Atlanta Falcons running back, but Freeman seems happy to sit for a season in order to negotiate a deal that he feels fits his worth.

The Seahawks looked destined to sign Freeman for the longest time, but does Hyde represent the better option?

Using a combination of Pro Football Networks Offensive Share Metric (OSM) and NFL Next Gen Stats we can show that although it is a close-fought battle, Hyde is the better option for the Seahawks backfield heading into 2020.

OSM helps us to break through the usual barometers for success on the football field to see how much a play contributes individually to a teams offensive results. For the running back position, that barometer would be rushing yards and touchdowns. However, having high numbers of either doesnt tell the full story of a single players production.

Hyde and Freeman had similar overall OSM grades for the 2019 season. Hyde was our 29th ranked running back with a grade of 13.05 with Freeman coming in just behind him with a grade of 12.50 as our RB30. Both players were below the average running back overall grade of 14.39.

Although their grades were extremely close, there was a large disparity between their production in 2019. Hyde secured his first 1,000-yard season on a career-high 245 carries. Freeman struggled to 656 yards and a career-low 3.6 yards per carry.

Hyde was more consistent throughout the season whereas Freeman had multiple games where his OSM grade was below 10, indicating that his performance was detrimental to the overall success of the Falcons offense.

The NFL is a league of recency bias. From a rushing yards and OSM perspective the 2019 season shows that Hyde is the better option for the Seahawks backfield than Freeman. What does a broader look show us?

Related OSM Back to the Future: Chester Rogers top-ranked performance from 2017

We can use Next Gen Stats and OSM going back to the 2016 season to paint a bigger picture.

Freeman put up 1,079 rushing yards in 2016, at 4.8 yards per carry, for 11 touchdowns in 2016. His OSM grade that year was 19.77 making him our RB8 and scoring well above the league average of 15.64. His yards per carry saw him ranked 11th out of 53 qualifying running backs.

Since then, Freeman has shown a decline in every season. He lost a season to injury in 2018 but his decline had already begun in 2017. His OSM grade slipped to 16.13, below the league average and his yards per carry fell to 4.4, ranking him 11th out of 50. This trend continued in 2019 where his 3.6 YPC left him ranked 46thout of 48 running backs.

The same decline is seen in his running back efficiency. Efficiency is measured by how many yards a player travels to gain a yard on the field. Freeman has never been the most efficient back in the NFL but has dropped from 4.05 yards to 4.59 yards between 2016 and 2019. Last season, he was the least efficient running back in the NFL.

By contrast, Hyde ranked 10th in running back efficiency in 2019, higher than in 2016 when his 3.84 yards saw him ranked 13th. His yards per carry of 4.4 was the second-highest of his career, with a high of 4.6 in 2016. Like Freeman, he too had shown year on year decline since 2016 in both metrics, and in 2018 he had ranked 50thout of 55 in running back efficiency.

Unlike Freeman, Hydes OSM grade had been below the league average in 2016 at 12.55. In 2017 and 2018, however, he was above the league average. Hyde ranked as our RB15 in 2017. Despite a torrid year split between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018, he still ranked as our RB24 with an OSM grade of 15.30.

Hyde would have led the Seahawks backfield by OSM in both 2018 and 2016. Seattle led the NFL in rushing yards in 2018 but Carson (15.25), Mike Davis (13.20), and Penny (10.35) all received lower OSM grades than Hyde, as did Thomas Rawls (12.46) in 2016.

No one is expecting Hyde to come in and lead the Seahawks backfield, but he represents better value as a rotational piece than Freeman. Despite having the best deep passer in the NFL in Russell Wilson, the Seahawks are a team committed to running the ball under Pete Carroll and as such could well be the perfect fit for Hyde to prove himself on a one-year prove it deal.

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Was Carlos Hyde the right addition to the Seahawks backfield? | PFN - Pro Football Network

Each offseason, all 32 NFL clubs go through their own form of changes on way or another. Whether it be widespread changes along the locker room, coaching staff, or front office, or more subtle adjustments to a team's current direction, change is inevitable.

For the AFC South, the 2020 offseason representing several major moves for each team. Whether it be the addition of a new coach, star player, or a change in operations, there were more than a few changes. But the question is, which offseason moves will be the most impactful?

In an effort to get a feel for each of the best movies in the Jaguars' division, we have gathered information from each of the AFC South's Maven team sites as part of a new weekly series where we will go through a different topic each week.

Indianapolis

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard stepped out of his trade-back-for-more-picks comfort zone when he parted with his first-round selection, 13th overall, to acquire defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from San Francisco in March. Eyebrows raised because the Colts dont usually make big splashes in free agency and Ballard, in four drafts, has traded back in nine of 12 deals.

What made Buckner the exception? Or as Ballard said of the decision, a no-brainer. Turn on the last Super Bowl and watch how the 2019 All-Pro second-teamer was throwing around Kansas City blockers. Buckner plays the three-technique on the defensive line, which is the engine for the Colts defense. Lately, that engine has kept running on spare parts. Buckner, who for his 6-7 and 300-pound size is a bit of a freak in his ability to rush the passer and stop the run, more than qualifies as a major upgrade. Its an entirely new engine.

Thats also why Ballard did something else unusual he gave Buckner a four-year, $84-million extension. So this 26-year-old defender is signed through 2024. That means weakside linebacker Darius Leonard, a tackle machine with 284 total stops in two seasons, will get to play more like his Maniac nickname because Buckner should keep blockers off his All-Pro teammate.

Why would the 49ers trade Buckner? On a loaded defense with young talent, including 2019 NFL Rookie of the Year defensive end Nick Bosa, general manager John Lynch decided to give defensive tackle Arik Armstead a five-year contract that could reach $85 million. Lynch didnt think he could afford two lucrative deals, and with Buckner due to get paid in a year on his rookie contract, it made sense for the 49ers to get what they could for him now. Lynch then pulled a Ballard by trading back one spot from No. 13 which basically equated to a later-round pick improving from the seventh round to the fourth and selected South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 14.

-- Phillip B. Wilson, AllColts

Houston

The Texans' best move is head coach Bill O'Brien unplugging from the offensive side of the football and turning the keys and play-calling duties to first-year coordinator Tim Kelly. Add in new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. The Texans have two new coordinators for the first time during the O'Brien Era.

It will only be the second time during O'Brien's tenure that he will not call plays. The last time was during the 2015 season. The change will allow O'Brien to be a head coach and keep a pulse on the team by letting his coordinators and position coaches do their jobs with the players.

Last season, there were times when O'Brien looked flustered on the sideline dealing with the offense and trying to be a head coach at the same time. Game days will be the most significant help for O'Brien, allowing him to monitor the game and steer the ship in terms of game flow with his coordinators.

O'Brien had so much on his plate last season with the start of his general manager duties, head coach, and running the offense, now with him no longer calling plays. It will no doubt help the Texans have a clearer picture when the regular season arrives.

--State of the Texans

Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a lot of major moves this offseason, though most came at the expense of overhauling the roster and attempting to reshape the locker room and draft capital moving forward. With that said, there is one addition the Jaguars made which could pay off in a big way early on: hiring Jay Gruden as offensive coordinator.

Just in terms of his experience and track record, Gruden is a massive upgrade at play-caller compared to John DeFilippo, Nate Hackett, Greg Olson, and Jedd Fisch, each of the Jaguars coordinators before him. Gruden has worked extensively with young quarterbacks in the past, helping mold Andy Dalton in his first three seasons in Cincinnati and then aiding Kirk Cousins in his development as a starter in Washington. Quarterback Gardner Minshew has a similar skill set to both of these passers, so realistically Gruden is a good match for what he brings to the table as a passer.

Too often in 2019, Minshew and the Jaguars' offense weren't set up for success. DeFilippo's approach to play-calling simply didn't get the job done, and it was clear Minshew would need a more established coordinator to thrive in his second season. With the Jaguars' entire 2020 relying on Minshew's performance, it was critical for the Jaguars to find a play-caller who could help guide him through the murky waters of the NFL. In Gruden, they did just that.

-- John Shipley, JaguarReport

Tennessee

The Titans had some difficult decisions to make this offseason, including whether or not to get involved in the Tom Brady free agency saga (they did not). Without question, though, their best move was to use the franchise tag to retain running back Derrick Henry.

General manager Jon Robinson chose not to (or did not need to) use a franchise or transition tag in any of his first four years on the job. Henry forced him to do something different because A) Tennessee cannot afford to be without the fifth-year running back and B) no one can say for sure what is his actual value following a season in which he led the NFL rushing (1,540 yards) and was a dominant figure throughout the first two weeks of the postseason.

Henry is atypical of the modern running back because he does not figure prominently in the passing game (57 receptions in four seasons). So, you cant exactly use Christian McCaffrey, LeVeon Bell, or Melvin Gordon for comparison. Ezekiel Elliott is the most similar, but Henry has only performed for the last 20 weeks of regular-season play at the sort of elite level Elliott has for four years.

The tag (the Titans chose a non-exclusive franchise tender) set a price for 2020. Even more important, it did not alienate Henry, who signed the deal in early April. Thus, the move took pressure off all involved, who now have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal or they get another full season to evaluate.

-- David Boclair, AllTitans

Excerpt from:
Inside AFC South: What Were the Best Offseason Moves? - Sports Illustrated

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