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Since his first day in office, President Donald Trump has mismanaged negotiations over an end to the war in Ukraine. More than 100 days later, innocent Ukrainians are still dying while the president gets played by Russian President Vladimir Putin – illustrated starkly by the barrages of drones and missiles continually aimed at Ukrainian cities as Trump posts online. 

It’s good to hear Trump finally express some frustration toward Putin and admit that his negotiating tactics aren’t working, that, as he says, Putin is ‘just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently.’ The reasons for this aren’t complicated. Instead of increasing his leverage over Russa, Trump offered concession after concession before talks even began. 

Getting U.S. policy right in Ukraine matters. If we allow Russia to end these negotiations as the victor, our NATO allies in Poland and the Baltics could be next. China’s President Xi Jinping will draw clear lessons from our capitulation as China plots a takeover of Taiwan. And would-be aggressors the world over will see that the international order that — while imperfect — has created stability and prosperity in much of the world has ended.  

Sadly, Trump is unlikely to listen to me, to our allies, or even to reasonable voices within his own White House and administration. My hope, though, is that he will be guided by the concepts from his own playbook — ‘The Art of the Deal’ — to secure a just peace and end this war. 

Fight back 

Donald Trump says never let yourself be pushed around — but that’s exactly what Putin is doing to him. When Trump proposed an unconditional ceasefire, Putin delayed and then shot a missile at a playground full of children. When Trump threatened additional sanctions if Putin didn’t agree to a ceasefire, Putin blew past Trump’s demands without consequence. 

Instead of continuing to get pushed around, the president should heed his own words: ‘You do your thing, you hold your ground, you stand up tall, and whatever happens, happens.’ Backing down now by threatening to walk away from talks is incentivizing Putin. This weakness invites Russian and Chinese aggression because an easy deal today undermines security for Europe, Taiwan and the United States tomorrow.  

Trump should increase sanctions — not just threaten them — and provide continued security assistance and intelligence sharing to Ukraine to sustain its war efforts against Russia. We should also reconsider Ukraine’s interest in NATO membership to apply all points of pressure on Putin.  

Use your leverage 

Russia’s economy is in real trouble with hundreds of thousands of Russians having been killed or wounded on the front lines. Putin needs this war to end. I couldn’t agree more with Trump when he wrote: ‘The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it. That makes the other guy smell blood, and then you’re dead.’ 

Trump should not act as though Americans need this war to end more than the Russians do. While everyone wants to see an end to the bloodshed, America must approach these negotiations from a position of strength, so we can secure the best possible deal. Our economy and alliances dwarf those of Russia, which is poorer, more isolated and badly diminished by Putin’s war. 

Trump should also not give away our leverage for nothing and that includes the economic might and political unity of our European partners. Presenting a united front means implementing punishing collective sanctions that have damaged Russia’s economy and thrown sand in its war gears. Acting together with our allies undermines Putin’s agenda in Europe, inflicts the greatest pain on Russia’s economy and significantly limits Russia’s negotiating space. 

Deliver the goods 

Deeds matter more than words. As Trump wrote himself: ‘If you don’t deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on.’ He has deeply weakened decades of American leadership and credibility by abandoning our allies and the rules-based system that allowed for predictability, peace and prosperity for Americans and much of the world.  

The only way to fix America’s credibility is to be decisive and show American strength. An immediate ceasefire allows Trump to deliver on his commitment to the American people and test Russia’s willingness to seek peace. But he should make clear that a stiffer sanctions package, including secondary sanctions outlined in Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s legislation, will be imposed imminently. More than 80 senators of both parties have endorsed this bill. He must convince Putin — through bold and decisive action — that continued war is folly. Only then will there be a durable peace that restores deterrence in Europe and allows Ukraine to rebuild.  

Conclusion 

Ukraine’s signing of the mineral deal with the U.S. is a promising step, in contrast to Putin’s recent no-show in Ankara. Trump can re-start peace efforts on his own terms by imposing a stiffer sanctions package on Russia without delay. If he is indeed committed to securing Ukraine’s independent future, Trump must demonstrate that he is in the stronger position. 

But let me be clear: based on its history, the Kremlin is not interested in peace. Whether in Moldova, Georgia or Ukraine, Moscow has demonstrated strategic patience and abused others’ good faith to string out negotiations and then escalate when it sees fit. Simply put, when you give Putin an inch, he will take a mile. The only way to prevent this continued cycle is to secure a peace agreement that retains Ukraine’s national identity and that offers lasting security. Only then will President Trump prevent further aggression that threatens to draw America into future conflict.  

We are in a critical stage of negotiations and whether we get it right or wrong will reverberate for decades. 

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The Oklahoma City Thunder will make their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012. They punched their ticket in dominant fashion against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Thunder had a 65-32 halftime lead over the Timberwolves on Wednesday, marking the franchise’s largest halftime lead in the playoffs, according to ESPN. They held the Timberwolves to just nine points in the first quarter and 23 points in the second quarter.

The Thunder led by as many as 39 points and went on to win 124-94 to clinch the Western Conference title, 4-1. They will face either the New York Knicks or Indiana Pacers. (The Pacers have a 3-1 lead over the Knicks.)

There were plenty of other wild stats to come out of the Western Conference finals. Here’s a look at some others:

Thunder defeat Timberwolves by 30 points

The Thunder defeated the Timberwolves by 30 points to clinch the series, which marked Oklahoma City’s fourth playoff victory of 30 or more points during this postseason. That’s a record.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped career playoff high in Game 4

Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 40 points in the Thunder’s 128-126 win in Game 4, which marked a career playoff high. He added 10 assists and nine rebounds to his stat line, finishing just one rebound shy of a triple-double.

Thunder lose by 42 points in Game 3

The Thunder were on the receiving end of one thumping. The Timberwolves defeated the Thunder by 42 points in Game 3, which marked Oklahoma City’s worst loss of the season and the Timberwolves’ largest points total of the season. According to OptaStats, the Timberwolves’ 42-point victory marked ‘the largest margin of victory in NBA history (regular season or playoffs) against a team that won 65+ games in the regular season that year.’The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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When does the Stanley Cup Final start?

That depends on what happens in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night in Dallas.

The defending champion Florida Panthers have clinched a third consecutive trip to the championship round and are awaiting the winner of the Dallas Stars-Edmonton Oilers series.

If the Oilers (up 3-1) win Thursday and bring about a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final, the series would start on June 4, TNT announced Wednesday night.

If Dallas wins and forces a Game 6, the final would start on June 7. The last possible day has already been announced as June 23, but that would change if the series moves up.

TNT is broadcasting the Stanley Cup Final this year.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves could not overcome a slow start with their season on the line Wednesday night in Game 5 of the WesternConferencefinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Edwards scored six of Minnesota’s nine points in the opening quarter as Oklahoma City jumped out to a 26-9 lead. The Timberwolves were then outscored 39-23 in the second quarter. The Thunder cruised to a 124-94 victory and a spot in the NBA Finals.

Entering Wednesday, Edwards had averaged 25.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists through the first 14 games of the postseason.

Check out his full stat-line from Game 5:

Anthony Edwards stats vs. Thunder in Game 5

Points: 19
FG: 7-for-18
3PTs: 1-for-7
FT: 4-for-6
Rebounds: 6
Assists: 2
Blocks: 1
Steals: 0
Turnovers: 3
Fouls: 2
Minutes played: 38:30

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Joe Flacco made it clear Wednesday he wants to be known as more than a potential mentor to the Cleveland Browns’ young quarterback room.

Flacco, entering his 18th NFL season, said he doesn’t have any fundamental issues aiding 26-year-old Kenny Pickett, 24-year-old Dillon Gabriel and 23-year-old Shedeur Sanders as the young trio gets acclimated in Cleveland.

The 40-year-old simply wants to focus on playing at as high a level as possible after signing a one-year, $4 million deal with the Browns.

‘It’s not really about that. It’s just not the main focus,’ Flacco said at the second day of Cleveland’s OTAs Wednesday when asked about being a mentor. ‘I see myself as a guy that can play in this league. So, if your main focus was just like, ‘hey, but I’m going to get you ready,’ you’re just not taking care of business.’

How does Flacco envision his potential role as a mentor? He sees himself as more of a lead-by-example type who will benefit from being on the field.

‘The best way to be a mentor, honestly, is to show people how you go to work and like I said, hope that they pick up on that stuff, but not necessarily force them to pick up on the things that you do,’ Flacco said.

Flacco has been given an early opportunity to test that theory. He appears to have the early edge in the Browns’ starting quarterback battle after beginning OTAs as Cleveland’s first-team quarterback. Whether that lasts may depend on how Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders progress as the season draws near.

Flacco – the Super Bowl 47 MVP and 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year – is welcoming the competition. He also said he is enjoying the vibe in the team’s quarterback room and working with younger quarterbacks like Sanders.

‘Shedeur has been great. I mean, he’s a lot of fun to be around in those meeting rooms,’ Flacco said, per ESPN. ‘I think so far, there’s been at least once in the meeting room that he’s made me crack a smile, and that’s what it’s all about. You know, he’s a young guy trying to learn some football and come out here and practice well and do those things. And like I said, he’s been a lot of fun. I probably wasn’t too far away from playing against his dad, and now I’m playing with him.’

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – It took nearly a month, but Inter Miami has found itself in the win column once again following the most challenging stretch of its Lionel Messi era.

Messi and Luis Suarez each scored two goals and delivered an assist to one another, and Inter Miami beat CF Montreal 4-2 on Wednesday night at Chase Stadium for the club’s first win in 25 days.

Messi assisted the first goal of Suarez’s brace, while Suarez assisted Messi’s second goal of the match, helping Inter Miami win for the first time since May 3 – ending a five-game stretch between victories.

Overall, Inter Miami was amid a 10-match stretch where it lost five times, settled for three draws, and faced mounting pressure before next month’s FIFA Club World Cup.

“I think the most important thing to highlight is that we need to start winning again,” Suarez said in an interview with Apple TV after the match. “We were on a losing streak, and we had to take responsibility for the poor results. Now, it’s about correcting our mistakes, winning games to build confidence, and getting back to being the team we were.”

Added Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano: “We needed to break the negative dynamic.”

Despite the victory and offensive outburst from two of the greatest goal scorers in the sport’s history, the pressure is still relevant for Messi and his cast of former Barcelona teammates – including his first-year coach.

Inter Miami will host the Columbus Crew on Saturday night in the final match before it plays in the Club World Cup opener against Egyptian side Al Ahly at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on June 14.

Inter Miami will likely be without three defenders – standout leftback Jordi Alba, Gonzalo Luján and Toto Aviles – who each left the Montreal match after suffering lower-body injuries in the first half. Alba and Luján had hamstring injuries, while Aviles injured his right ankle, Mascherano said.

“I’m happy with the victory, happy because there were good moments in the game. The team went back to playing the way we’re used to,” Mascherano said. “Unfortunately, it was marred by the departures of Gonzalo, Jordi and Toto.” 

Messi fired a left boot from outside the penalty area, and found the back of the net in the 27th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. He was assisted by midfielder Sergio Busquets, who delivered the pass and even set a pick on a defender to free his former Barcelona teammate for the score.

Suarez scored goals in the 68th and 70th minutes, and Messi ended the night with his second goal in the 88th minute.

Messi became the first player in Inter Miami history to reach 50 goal contributions (29 goals, 21 assists) in regular season play, in just his 37th game, according to MLS. 

Messi has scored 13 goals in 19 games across all competitions for Inter Miami this season, while Suarez has seven goals in 20 games. It was a resurgent effort by both stars — Messi won MLS MVP last year, while Suarez was also a finalist for the award. 

“Hopefully, they can continue in this vein,” Mascherano said of Messi, 37, and Suarez, 38. “At the end of the day, they are two of the most important players on the team and you always want them to be at their best.” 

Inter Miami, however, was unable to secure a shutout: Montreal’s Dante Sealy (74’) and Victor Loturi (90’+2’) scored for the visitors – which entered the match in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference and second-to-last in the league.

It was Inter Miami’s first win since beating the New York Red Bulls 4-1 – also the last time Messi and Suarez each scored in a match before Wednesday.

Inter Miami vs. Montreal highlights

Lionel Messi scores second goal: Inter Miami 4, Montreal 1

Lionel Messi has scored his second goal of the match, taking a pass from Luis Suarez and tipping it over the Montreal goalkeeper in the 88th minute to increase Inter Miami’s lead to 4-1.

Montreal’s Dante Sealy scores goal: Inter Miami 3, Montreal 1

Inter Miami won’t secure its first shutout in 39 days: Montreal’s Dante Sealy has scored in the 74th minute to narrow the lead.

Luis Suarez scores second goal two minutes later: Inter Miami 3, Montreal 0

Luis Suarez has scored his second goal in a two-minute span, and Inter Miami leads 3-0 against Montreal. Suarez was in the right place at the right time, picking off a Montreal defender in the penalty area, and sending another right boot into the net.

Luis Suarez scores goal: Inter Miami 2, Montreal 0

Luis Suarez capitalized on an assist from Messi, sending his right boot into the back of the net to help Inter Miami increase its lead to 2-0 in the 68th minute.

Montreal’s Giacomo Vrioni misses shot on goal: Inter Miami 1, Montreal 0

Inter Miami found itself fortunate, but unlucky just before halftime. Montreal’s Giacomo Vrioni fired a left boot slightly outside the right post to remain scoreless – those types of opportunities late in halves have doomed Inter Miami recently. But Inter Miami defender Toto Aviles left the match with a lower body injury after the sequence, becoming the third injured defender for Messi’s side in this match.

Lionel Messi scores goal: Inter Miami 1, Montreal 0

Lionel Messi to the rescue. The Inter Miami captain fired a left boot from outside the penalty area, and found the back of the net in the 27th minute.

Messi’s goal was set up by midfielder Sergio Busquets, who delivered the pass and even set a pick on a defender to free his former Barcelona teammate for the score.

Inter Miami leads 1-0, but is playing without two defenders who left the match early due to leg injuries.

Jordi Alba leaves with injury: Inter Miami 0, Montreal 0

Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba has become the second player to leave this match with an injury in the first 20 minutes. Alba limped off on his own, but his injury is tough for a club that has struggled in the last 10 matches and has one more match Saturday vs. the Columbus Crew before the FIFA Club World Cup.

Messi attempts header, but to no avail: Inter Miami 0, Montreal 0

Messi left his feet to attempt a header, on a pass from Luis Suarez, but he was unable to properly connect on the opportunity in the 20th minute. About two minutes earlier, Luis Suarez was unable to put away a right boot in the 18th minute. His kick soared over the net and into the stands.

Messi gets up after three Montreal defenders converge: Inter Miami 0, Montreal 0

Call it a Messi sandwich if you will: Three Montreal defenders converged to defend Messi, and he fell to the pitch after a tackle. But he quickly got back on his feet and resumed playing.  

Inter Miami has an early substitute: Inter Miami 0, Montreal 0

Inter Miami is making an early change to the lineup: Toto Aviles will replace Gonzalo Lujan, who appeared to sustain a left hamstring injury about 10 minutes into the match.

As for Messi, the World Cup champion is engaged and nearly orchestrated an opening attempt in the fourth minute, but Inter Miami was unable to get a shot on goal during the sequence.  

When is the Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal match?

Inter Miami hosts CF Montreal at Chase Stadium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal live stream?

The match will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Is Messi playing vs. CF Montreal tonight? Inter Miami starting lineup

Messi is in the starting lineup for the Montreal match, Inter Miami announced before the match. Here’s Inter Miami’s starting 11:

Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal prediction

Inter Miami 4, Montreal 1: Expect Messi, Luis Suarez and Inter Miami to get back on track with a multi-goal performance at home. Montreal and Inter Miami enter their match ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in surrendering goals to their opponents. However, Montreal is tied with Austin as the lowest-scoring clubs in MLS with just 10 goals from 15 matches this season. –Safid Deen

Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal betting odds

Inter Miami is the favorite to win at home (-250), while a draw (+400) has better odds than a road win by Montreal (+550). The over/under is set at 3.5 goals, according to BETMGM.

Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule

May 28: Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS)
May 31: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS)
June 5: Chile vs. Argentina, 9 p.m. ET (World Cup qualifying)
June 10: Argentina vs. Colombia, 8 p.m. ET (World Cup qualifying)

Messi, Inter Miami schedule for Club World Cup

June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Alhy, 8 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)

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It’s do or die for the New York Knicks and the status of one of their stars is in question.

Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee contusion) is listed as questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals as the series shifts back to New York with the Knicks trialing the Indiana Pacers 3-1. Towns injured his left knee late in the Knicks’ 130-121 Game 4 loss to the Pacers after he bumped knees with Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Towns immediately went down and grabbed his left knee as he writhed in pain.

Towns gutted out the remainder of the game with a visible limp Tuesday and finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and three assists, which Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said was ‘a good sign.’ Thibodeau, however, said Towns’ status for Game 5 on Thursday will come down to an evaluation on his knee.

Here’s everything we know about Towns’ injury:

Karl-Anthony Towns injury update: Knicks center questionable

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee contusion) is listed as questionable ahead of Game 5 vs. the Indiana Pacers.

When asked about his knee on Tuesday, Towns shut down all talk of his injury and said he’s ‘only thinking about the loss.’ He added, ‘I’m not thinking about (my knee) right now. It’s disappointing when you don’t get a win and we didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.’

Towns injured the same knee that he suffered a torn meniscus in during the 2023-24 season while playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was forced to miss an entire month with the injury before returning for the 2024 playoffs.

The five-time All-Star has averaged 25.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists through four games of the Eastern Conference finals. He had a team-high 24 points in the Knicks’ Game 3 comeback win, when he scored 20 of his 24 in the fourth quarter as the Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit.

‘We’ve been a team that has kind of found a way to do the impossible when it seems impossible,’ Towns said on Tuesday. ‘We just keep fighting. This is going to be a testament to our whole playoff run. Now we have to be in the biggest fight of our life and of our season.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Tiger Woods’ 16-year-old son, Charlie Woods, won his first American Junior Golf Association event with a final-round score of 6-under on Wednesday.

Woods finished the Team TaylorMade Invitational with a 15-under 201 at the Streamsong Resort Black Course in Bowling Green, Florida, beating a field of 71 total players.

The younger Woods’ final round consisted of eight birdies and two bogeys for a three-shot victory over Phillip Dunham, Luke Colton, and Willie Gordon.

Woods, a junior at the Benjamin School, began the tournament ranked No. 606 in the AJGA rankings, with his best finish tying for 25th at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in March.

Woods began the day at 9-under and finished with four straight pars.

Earlier this month, Woods failed in his second attempt to qualify for the 2025 U.S. Open, set for June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.

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Tyreek Hill is ready to turn the page and begin a new chapter with the Miami Dolphins.

Hill’s 2024 season began with him being detained by police outside Hard Rock Stadium and ended with him ready to move on. But that trade never came and Hill is back in the fold for the upcoming season.

He has some fences to mend in advance of training camp.

The receiver is now singing a different tune at organized team activities (OTAs), saying on Wednesday that he needs to prove himself again as a receiver and a teammate.

‘That’s every day in this league,’ Hill told reporters, via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. ‘Every day, you’ve got to prove who you are, and it doesn’t matter how much you’ve earned or how much success you’ve had in this league. It’s always the next day mentality. That’s something that my grandparents raised me by and that’s something Mike (McDaniel) preaches here in this locker room.

‘Every day, I’m trying to prove myself as one of those guys that this team can depend on in crucial moments. I’m (going to) stand on that, too, though, just me as a person, as a player, as an individual. I try to carry myself in that way.’

Hill missed the playoffs for the first time in his nine-year career last season, which seemed to be a major source of frustration following a Week 18 loss to the New York Jets.

‘It was tough. Obviously, emotions were high then,’ Hill said. ‘At the end of the day, man, I’m just looking to move forward from that, hoping that I can prove to myself and prove to my teammates that I’m still one of them ones, man, who likes chasing 2K (receiving yards), still one of those ones chasing playoff dreams and all that great stuff.’

‘For one, … I’m going to church more and doing more therapy more,’ Hill said. ‘I’ve been finding that more of my side lately, just being more involved in that. Then, just understanding what coach is trying to do. I feel like when I first got here, I wouldn’t say that I wasn’t all the way bought in, but me having a better understanding of what he’s trying to push throughout the locker room, I feel like now I understand him better. I understand Tua (Tagovailoa) better, I understand Bev (offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell). Our new receiver coach (Robert Prince), me and him clicked immediately when he got here.

‘Everybody’s on the same page, man.’

When asked about his desire to be a team captain, Hill responded by saying he doesn’t deserve it.

‘I gotta prove myself,’ Hill said, via the Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly. ‘This OTAs, training camp, I gotta prove myself. I gotta show up different. The mindset gotta be different. I don’t feel like I deserve it, and if I didn’t get it, I wouldn’t dwell on it. I wouldn’t sweat it because I put myself in that position.’

A five-time All-Pro, Hill failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for just the third time in his career last season. His third year in Miami proved to be the worst after two 1,700-yard seasons following his arrival.

Hill battled a wrist injury all season long and dealt with the floundering Dolphins’ offense, which struggled to find the magic from years prior – dropping from the second-best scoring offense in 2023 to 22nd-ranked in 2024.

Fresh off surgery to repair that nagging injury, the 31-year-old will work to regain his form in 2025, in the hopes that Miami does, too.

If nothing else, this season is already off to a better start.

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Mike Vrabel is midway through his first offseason as head coach of the New England Patriots. He’s been tasked with helping the franchise improve on a 4-13 campaign in 2024.

New England invested significantly in free agency to enhance the roster with veteran talent, particularly at wide receiver. The Patriots agreed on a three-year contract with four-time Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs.

As offseason training activities (OTAs) begin this week for the Patriots, Vrabel is answering questions about their big-name wide receiver addition.

Diggs was not in attendance for OTAs – which are voluntary – on May 28. He was recently seen on a boat in a video circulating on social media, and Vrabel said the team is ‘aware of’ the viral post.

‘Obviously, we want to make great decisions on and off the field,’ Vrabel said when asked about the video. ‘We’re hoping that with our time here on the field today, that when we don’t have a script and we’re on the call periods, that we’re making great decisions. The message will be the same for all our players, that we’re trying to make great decisions. Any conversations that I’ve had with Stefon will remain between him, I and the club.’

When asked if he’s talked to Diggs since the video was posted on social media, Vrabel said he talks to the players every day, including the ones who are at OTAs and the ones who are not.

Vrabel reiterated that some players are in attendance for OTAs but others aren’t.

‘This is a voluntary part of our offseason program,’ he said. ‘Every player that’s not here, which there aren’t many, have been in communication with me and their position coaches.’

Diggs is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 of the 2024 season. He injured his knee while running a route in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts.

‘I think he’s doing everything like everybody else,’ said Vrabel. ‘He’s working hard; I think he’s excited about being here and being a Patriot. He’s a motivated player, he’s a hungry player, just like everybody else that’s here.’

Diggs is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2025 season, his 11th in the NFL.

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