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Jaylen Wright steps into the spotlight

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Jaylen Wright steps into the spotlight


The Miami Dolphins have failed to develop an effective ground game in two of Mike McDaniel’s three seasons as head coach. Miami’s rushing attack ranked seventh in 2023 but struggled in McDaniel’s first season, averaging fewer than 100 yards per game in 2022. The unit took a step back again in 2024, finishing 21st with an average of 105 rushing yards per game.

De’Von Achane is a dynamic playmaker out of the backfield, but relying on him for nearly 300 touches isn’t a sustainable strategy. The Dolphins ranked No. 22 in points per game, and their inability to sustain drives on the ground contributed to their offensive inconsistency.

As a rookie, Achane rushed for 800 yards, averaging 7.8 yards per carry, and scored ten total touchdowns after Miami selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The following year, Miami used another third-round pick on a running back.

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The Dolphins traded a 2025 third-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to select Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright. While no one expected Wright to match Achane’s explosive rookie season, he struggled to find a role in Miami’s offense. Wright averaged roughly 17 yards per game and 3.7 yards per attempt. He failed to reach the end zone and ranked third in carries (68) behind Achane and Mostert, who had 85.

A dynamic back in college, Wright was Tennessee’s leading rusher for back-to-back seasons. He was named All-SEC as a junior after rushing for 1,013 yards and catching 22 passes for 141 yards.

Miami released Mostert, and Jeff Wilson Jr. will become a free agent next month, leaving Achane and Wright as the only backs currently on the roster. The Dolphins may add another back through the draft or free agency, but the spotlight turns to Wright as he prepares for his second season.

Wright’s rookie year ended on a sour note, carrying the ball six times for -4 yards on Jan. 5 against the New York Jets. His final four games included nine carries for six yards, reflecting Miami’s offensive struggles down the stretch. His lone game with double-digit carries came in Week 4 against the New England Patriots, when he rushed for 86 yards on 13 attempts.

The Dolphins’ offensive line struggled, ranking 26th in block win rate, which made it difficult for the rushing attack to find consistency. Despite his rocky rookie season, Miami has invested too much in Wright to leave him sidelined in 2025.

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At its best, McDaniel’s rushing attack can translate to Mostert’s league-leading 18 rushing touchdowns and Achane’s eight yards per carry in 2023. Miami invested significant draft capital to build the backfield to fit McDaniel’s vision, and a retooled offensive line should help unlock its potential in 2025.



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Pair arrested in connection with armed home invasion robbery in Miami, cops say

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Pair arrested in connection with armed home invasion robbery in Miami, cops say


MIAMI — Two men have been arrested in connection with an armed home invasion robbery in Miami last month in which investigators say masked suspects entered a home, pointed a gun at a victim and repeatedly demanded money before searching the residence.

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Miami police identified the suspects as 25-year-old Earl Gerry Baldwin and 21-year-old Zakis Kawone James, both of Miami-Dade.

According to arrest reports, officers responded to the home on April 4 after the victim reported that two masked men had entered the residence and robbed him at gunpoint.

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The report states that he victim told investigators he was in the kitchen when two men wearing ski masks entered through an unlocked front door.

Police said shortly after, one of the intruders allegedly pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded cash, repeatedly asking, “Where’s the money?” as the two men searched the home.

Investigators said the gunman took the victim’s iPhone 16 Pro Max while both suspects searched bedrooms for money. The victim told police the suspects also asked about his younger brother before continuing their search.

According to the reports, the gunman kept the victim at gunpoint while the other suspect ransacked rooms throughout the home. After failing to find any money, the men left the victim inside his mother’s bedroom, closed the door and fled, investigators said.

Authorities said the victim then ran to a neighbor’s home and called police.

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Detectives said surveillance footage obtained from nearby locations showed a silver Chevrolet Trailblazer parked near the home before the robbery.

According to the reports, video showed two suspects exiting the SUV and walking toward the residence before entering the home. Minutes later, the pair were seen running from the property and getting back into the vehicle, which drove away.

Investigators said license plate reader data identified the SUV and showed it traveling through Miami shortly after the robbery. Historical reader data and GPS records linked the vehicle to a residence in the 700 block of Northwest 65th Street, according to the reports.

Detectives said additional surveillance footage later captured Baldwin inside the SUV while wearing clothing matching what was seen during the robbery.

Investigators said they also identified him during a separate contact on May 15 and later obtained cellphone records and location data that allegedly placed his phone in the area of the robbery and traveling with the SUV before and after the crime.

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According to James’ arrest report, detectives identified him through surveillance footage, a resident database search and facial recognition software.

Investigators also obtained surveillance footage showing James making a purchase at a Walmart in Miami Gardens after the robbery using a debit card in his name, the report states.

Police said cellphone data associated with James’ phone also placed him at the robbery scene and traveling with the SUV throughout the day.

On Thursday, detectives executed a search warrant at the Northwest 65th Street residence and took both men into custody, according to the reports.

Baldwin was transported to the Miami Police Department’s robbery office, where he was advised of his Miranda rights and invoked them, according to his arrest report.

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James waived his Miranda rights and provided a statement to detectives, according to his arrest report. Details of the statement were redacted from the publicly released report.

Jail records show both men are each facing one count of armed robbery with home invasion.

As of Friday, both were being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where their bonds were listed as “to be set.”

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

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Ex-Miami Heat player Terry Rozier facing additional bribery charges in sports gambling sting

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Ex-Miami Heat player Terry Rozier facing additional bribery charges in sports gambling sting


Federal prosecutors have indicted ex-Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier on additional charges in connection with a sports gambling sting, alleging he took a hefty bribe to exit a game early in March 2023.

Rozier, 32, was charged Thursday in a superseding indictment in Brooklyn federal court with bribery in sporting contests and honest services wire fraud conspiracy. Superseding indictments are used when prosecutors want to change or add new charges to an existing criminal case.

Rozier has denied participating in the gambling scheme, and has been fighting to have the case dismissed after pleading not guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges in December. His attorneys argue in part that the government’s theory of the case — that he prevented sportsbooks from making informed decisions about accepting certain bets — runs afoul of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the federal wire fraud statute.

The new indictment “just confirms that our motion to dismiss was righteous — new charges, new theories, but all just an effort to make something stick,” Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

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Rozier was arrested in October along with former NBA player Damon Jones, who pleaded guilty last month for his role in schemes to defraud major sportsbooks including DraftKings and FanDuel. Others charged in the case include sports bettor and influencer Marves Fairley, who pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy, bribery and other federal charges in connection with gambling schemes targeting basketball games in the U.S. and China.

Rozier remains free on $3 million bond. The case has kept him off the court this season.

The new indictment alleges that Rozier not only defrauded sportsbooks, but also the NBA and the team he was playing for at the time, the Charlotte Hornets.

Rozier is accused of conspiring with gamblers to leave a game early, citing a lingering lower leg injury, so they could cash in on more than $250,000 in bets that his points, assists and other totals would be lower than what the sportsbooks had set as betting lines.

Not all of the bets were successful because Rozier collected four rebounds, which was more than the betting line, the superseding indictment said. As a result, after the game, Rozier and his co-conspirators negotiated a discount on his bribe, cutting it from $100,000 to about $70,000, the superseding indictment said.

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The new indictment against Rozier was filed within hours of the guilty pleas by Fairley, who goes by the name “Vezino Locks” on Instagram. As part of his plea, Fairley admitted to prosecutors’ allegations that he used insider information to get an edge when betting on NBA, NCAA and Chinese Professional Basketball League games — including paying Rozier’s longtime friend $100,000 in exchange for a tip that Rozier was going to leave a game early.”

Fairley’s attorney Eric Siegle said his client “deeply regrets and is ashamed of his conduct.”

“By publicly acknowledging his guilt and conduct today, Marves is taking the first step toward atoning for his wrongful conduct and to starting his ‘second half’ on the right foot,” Siegle said. ____ Associated Press reporter Michael R. Sisak contributed from New York. Boone reported from Boise, Idaho.



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Miami’s Jai Lucas Tackles Year Two With A New Roster and New Goal

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Miami’s Jai Lucas Tackles Year Two With A New Roster and New Goal


One good season can set the standard of what the Miami Hurricanes can be for the future under Jai Lucas.

Lucas nearly broke many single-season records as a first-year head coach, but that didn’t stop him from learning from mistakes that could have helped him improve the following season. However, he has three returning players, so it is a brand new team for the upstart head coach.

Yeah, for me it’s like coaching a whole new team,” Lucas said on an appearance on the “Hoops HQ” basketball podcast. “I think something that goes into the past is you have something that fits, and you just try to rinse and repeat. That’s kind of how a lot of programs are built. But now with this portal era, you don’t know what you’re going to get every year. My team looks completely different than before, so I had to build it differently.”

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Lucas dove into some of his transfer targets and why they fit well with the Canes, starting with his new star point guard, Acaden Lewis.

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“It started with being able to get a really good point guard,” Lucas said. “We had one last year in Tre Donaldson, and that’s where Acaden came into play. Having somebody you feel can run the team, but also has the ability to take over games. Watching his stuff in the portal and doing the analytics, he’s one of the best point guards in the country pound for pound with what he’s able to do and how he’s able to create.

“Like I talked about earlier, we had a prior relationship that went back to when I was at Duke and we recruited him there. So it was kind of an easy recruitment once the portal opened and I was able to talk to him.”

Lewis is complemented with the Canes new star defensive anchor Somto Cyril.

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Mar 3, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs center Somto Cyril (2) on the court against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

“Then I wanted a big, and that’s where Somto came in,” Lucas continued. “He played for a coach who is on staff now, Eric Pastrana, at Georgia, so that was kind of the relationship built there.

However, the biggest missing link from last season was shooting and depth. Lucas got that and loves how his team feels and looks heading into the summer.

“Once we got those two pieces along with Shelton and Dante, who we had coming back, the one thing I knew we missed last year and needed this year was shooting. That’s where Nick Dorn, Brent Bland, DeShawn Goode, and some of these other guys who will be high level complementary pieces came into play with our foundational pieces like Acaden, Shelton, Dante, Somto, those guys.

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“Then we wanted to get more depth than we had last year where we played about six or seven. I wanted to be able to play eight plus, maybe nine this year. So we focused on that, focused on the shooting, but also wanted to have size. Nick’s size at 6 foot 7 and his ability to shoot, and what he did at Elon and then having it transfer over to what he was able to do in a Power Five conference, I felt was a fit for what we want to do here.”


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