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Patriots add playmaking wide receiver Javon Baker in 2024 NFL Draft

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Patriots add playmaking wide receiver Javon Baker in 2024 NFL Draft


The Patriots selected UCF wide receiver Javon Baker 110th overall in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Baker, 22, is the second wide receiver the Patriots have taken in this draft. They also selected Washington wideout Ja’Lynn Polk 37th overall.

Baker, who’s 6-foot-1, 202 pounds, can compete for snaps at the Patriots’ “X” and “Z” roles in the offense. He was very productive as a senior in 2023, racking up 1,139 yards on 52 receptions with seven touchdowns.

From a scout, Baker is a “really good route runner. Not explosive but is deceptive and changes speeds well. Highly competitive for the ball with a big catch radius.”

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The four-star recruit transferred from Alabama after the 2021 season. One scout called him a fun but inconsistent player who has some special traits.

He dropped 14 passes over his last two college seasons.

Baker ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 37-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump.

His 3.21 yards per route run ranked ninth among FBS wide receivers in 2023. He ranked second in yards per reception with 21.9.

He earned a 99.9 PFF grade on deep balls, catching 15-of-30 targets of 20-plus yards for 574 yards with four touchdowns.

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Baker was coming off of a 56-catch, 796-yard, five-touchdown season in 2022 at UCF.

The big wideout also has some experience playing in the slot, where 27.1% of his snaps came last season.

He’s a potential steal if he can put everything together at the NFL level.

Baker joins Polk, Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn, DeMario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, Kawaan Baker and T.J. Luther in the Patriots’ wide receiver room.



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What a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026

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What a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026


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The FIFA World Cup is coming to Massachusetts, and when it comes to having a place for people to hang out together, there will be a free fan zone where everyone can celebrate the big event.

Seven World Cup matches will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA this summer, and the first one is right around the corner, to be played on June 13, with Scotland taking on Haiti.

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Fan Zones are a public space to watch the game for people who don’t have tickets to the actual game. Held in public places, they broadcast the mach on giant screens to offer an immersive experience to watch the game, according to FIFA>

“At the heart of FIFA Fan Festival Boston, (a) Cultural Showcase will ignite the stage with a vibrant celebration of the spirit, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of Boston and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” FIFA said.

Where will the fan zone be located when the World Cup games start in just 11 days?

Where is the World Cup fan zone going to be in Massachusetts?

The official FIFA Fan Festival for the 2026 World Cup in Boston will be located at Boston City Hall Plaza at 1 City Hall Sq. Boston, MA.

“The festival will run daily from June 12 through June 27, offering live match broadcasts, cultural showcases, food vendors, and entertainment,” according to FIFA.

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The fan zone will open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will stay open until after dark, between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. according to reports.

Activities at the fan zone

Here are some of the offerings at the fan zone in Boston, according to the FIFA website:

  • Live broadcasts: Giant outdoor screens that broadcast tournament matches in high-definition.
  • Entertainment & music: Live concerts, DJ sets, and performances celebrating global culture.
  • Interactive activations: Skills challenges, mini-pitches, inflatable games, and sponsor booths.
  • Food & merch: International food stalls, local beverage offerings, and official tournament merchandise.

How to go to the fan zone

While the game is free, you do need to register in advance.

“You can select which days and matches you plan to attend through the FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 website or the Meet Boston events page. Up to six people can register on a single application,” the World Cup Boston website says.

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Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core?

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Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core?


The Boston Bruins increasingly relied on a new wave of young players in the 2025-26 season. Their speed and energy became an intrinsic part of the team’s structure, complementing a more experienced core. Boston entered the offseason on May 2 after a 4-1 loss to Buffalo in Game 6 of the first round. Despite this, […] The post Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core? appeared first on The Lead.



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Updating Red Sox’s Playoff Chances: Numbers Never Lie | NESN

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Updating Red Sox’s Playoff Chances: Numbers Never Lie | NESN


So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.

Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.

Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.

But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.

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“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.

“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.

“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.

So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”

More MLB: Red Sox Legend Backs ‘Worried’ John Henry

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