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The NFL pre-season is underway and we’re getting our first look at the 2021 Draft Class in action. We already covered what brands some of these future superstars are signed with but now we’re going to dive into the specifics. We’ve researched what each of the 32 first round draft picks is wearing. This research provides us with valuable insight on what gear some of the worlds best are wearing on the field. In this article, we’ll be focusing on the most popular helmets, cleats and gloves.

Helmets

We’re gonna kick things off with helmets. Helmets are arguably the most crucial piece of equipment for a football player. During the game of football, players are going to get hit in the head, a lot. That’s just part of the game but the job of a helmet is to absorb that contact and protect your brain from both short term and long term injuries. Helmets are getting more and more innovative each year so let’s see what these guys are wearing.

Riddell | 78%

Riddell has been the leader in football helmets for a very long time and this year is no different. Twenty-five of the thirty-two First Round Picks are wearing Riddell, all 25 in the Speedflex. The Speedflex debuted in 2014 and has been the most popular helmet in the NFL since. It has top of the line safety ratings (check our Top 5 NFL & NFLPA Helmets article) and has a very sleek design. The Speedflex’s outer shell has a unique, hexagon panel that ‘flexes’ to absorb contact. For the inner padding of the helmet, Riddell has a couple different options for players; the diamond, the precision fit, the diamond precision fit, regular precision fit, and lastly the regular Riddell Speedflex. All versions score exceptionally well across multiple tests and are a great choice for any player. All QBs drafted in the first round (Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones), wear the Riddell Speedflex. You can purchase your own from Riddell.com for about $425.

Schutt | 22%

1st Round Rookies not wearing Riddell, are wearing Schutt. Seven of the thirty-two draft picks are wearing Schutt football helmets, most in the Schutt F7. The Schutt F7 is a personal favorite of mine because of it’s sharp looks and low-key profile. There appears to be a trend of “Skill” players gravitating towards the Schutt F7 and that’s because it’s much lighter than the Speedflex. The F7 weighs in at 4.1 pounds while the Speedflex is nearly 5 pounds. The F7 is also packed with advanced technology like their “Tektonic Plates”. These plates can be seen on the top of the shell and actually move independently from the rest of the helmet to disperse contact. While they do look a little strange, they are proven to work. The F7 is one of the top rated helmets across all testing and was also featured on our Top 5 Helmets rated by the NFL & NFLPA article. Some of the rookies wearing the Schutt F7 are Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts, and Najee Harris. The Schutt F7 is available from Schutt in different models ranging from $500-$1,000.

Cleats

Now, let’s move onto cleats. Football cleats come in all different shapes and sizes for different positions on the field. There are big, bulky ones built to support the lineman, lightweight, low-cut ones for the speedsters and then everything in between. Let’s take a look at what brands and models the Top 32 Draft Picks are wearing.

Nike | 75%

Nike remains King. Three quarters of the players drafted in the first round are wearing Nike cleats. Nike is one of the best in the game and one of the key factors is that they build cleats with the players in mind. They have three main lines of cleats, the Vapor line, built for “Skills”, the Alpha line, built for the “Big Skills” and the Savage line, built for the lineman. Let’s go through the most popular Nike cleat for each position group.

The most popular cleat among these thirty-two guys is the Nike Vapor Edge 360 Speed. This is Nike’s most affordable speed cleat and it’s very lightweight. The new “Edge” traction plate is one of the best in the biz. It features edge studs placed at the outermost points of your foot which allows guys to cut quickly and turn up field. These cleats are worn by Zach Wilson, Devonta Smith and you can grab a pair from Dicks for $95.

The 2nd most popular Nike cleat amongst these guys, to my surprise, is the Nike Alpha Menace Elite 1. The Alpha Menace Elite 1 was initially dropped in 2017, yet 4 years later, these rookies are choosing to wear them. These cleats feature a flyknit upper and were the first cleats with the Alpha traction plate. This plate has long, triangle studs that grip very well into both grass and turf. One of the most underrated cleats ever, the Alpha Menace Elite 1 is getting the respect it deserves. Micah Parsons, Kwity Paye and Payton Turner are all rocking these cleats. They are pretty tough to find so I recommend checking Ebay.

The 3rd most popular cleat is one for the lineman, the Nike Force Savage Pro 2. Four of the five offensive lineman taken in the first round are rocking this cleat. The Nike Force Savage Pro 2 is built for lineman. They are a high-top cleat with a strap, plenty of ankle support and a wide alpha traction plate. These are an amazing option for all lineman across all levels of football. Penei Sewell, Rashawn Slater, Alija Vera-Tucker and Christian Darrisaw all wear this cleat. You can purchase the Nike Force Savage Pro 2 from Eastbay for around $100.

Adidas | 19%

Adidas comes in second with 6 of the 32 first round draft picks wearing their cleats. All 6 players are officially signed with the Three Stripes and the 2 cleats worn by these are the Adidas Adizero 11.0 and the Adidas Freak Ultra 21.

The Adidas Adizero 11.0 is the most popular cleat among these Three Stripe athletes. The Adidas Adizero line is very light weight and catered towards skill players. For this years’ Adizero, Adidas updated the traction plate, using triangle studs instead of their usual circle studs. This helps players get in and out of cuts and get up field fast. Travis Eteinne, Kadarius Toney and Rashod Bateman are all wearing the Adidas Adizero 11.0. You can shop the Adizero 11.0 here.

The other Adidas cleat is the Adidas Freak Ultra 21. Trevor Lawrence is the only 2021 First Round pick to be wearing these cleats. They’re pretty sweet though – they have a primeknit upper, an updated Freak traction plate and a Boost midsole. Check out Trevor’s pair here. Overall a great option for QBs or any other “Big Skill” player. You can shop the Adidas Freak Ultra Primeknit at Dicks Sporting Goods.

Jordan | 6%

Only 2 first round draft picks are wearing Jordan cleats – Kyle Pitts and Alex Leatherwood. Pitts is an official Jordan Brand athlete so he’s been in some Jordan 5 PEs while Leatherwood (not a Jordan athlete) has been wearing some Jordan 10s. Jordan 10s are becoming a very popular cleat among lineman because of their wide base and supportive ankle. You think Michael Jordan ever expected his kicks to be on the feet on NFL lineman? Anyway, you can shop the Jordan 10 cleats on StockX.

Gloves

In 2021, football gloves are basically part of the uniform. It’s very rare to see a player (that’s not a QB) not wearing any gloves. Gloves help players catch the ball, protect their hands and they just look cool. Let’s take a look at what this years’ first rounders are wearing on their hands.

Nike | 62%

So not only is Nike the most common cleat brand amongst these guys, they’re also the most popular glove brand. Twenty of the thirty-two 1st round picks are wearing Nike football gloves. There are two Nike gloves that nearly all 20 are wearing so let’s talk about em.

The most popular glove is the Nike Vapor Jet. Of the 20 guys wearing Nike gloves, 12 of them are wearing either the Nike Vapor Jet 5.0 or the 6.0. The Vapor Jet line has been one of the most popular glove lines for over a decade. These gloves are affordable, comfortable and very sticky. When it comes to receiver gloves, these are top of the line. Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and Pat Surtain II are all wearing the Nike Vapor Jets. You can get your own in many colorways on DicksSportingGoods.com for $45.

The 2nd most popular glove is the Nike Superbad. These are Nike’s padded receiver glove and have been around just as long as the Vapor Jets. They offer amazing grip to help you catch passes and then little pads on the fingers to protect your hands. A super popular choice by wide receivers and lineman alike. Devonta Smith, Najee Harris and Penei Sewell all wear the Nike Superbad 5.0. You can shop for the Superbad 5.0 on Amazon or check out the new Superbad 6.0 at DicksSportingGoods.com.

No Gloves | 19%

As popular as gloves are in today’s NFL, not every player wears them. Of the thirty-two 1st rounders, 6 don’t wear any gloves – 5 of them QBs. The lone non-QB with no gloves is Cardinals LB, Zaven Collins. He wore gloves in college but hasn’t worn any so far through training camp. Maybe he’ll opt to wear them come gametime.

Adidas | 16%

Just like in the cleats section of this article, Adidas is second best. There are six first round draft picks wearing Adidas football gloves and each one is in the Adidas Adizero 11.0 (or a past model). These are Adidas’ main receiver glove line and this is the 10th version (They skipped the 9.0). They’re pretty lightweight, have solid grip and some of the best designs in the game. Kadarius Toney, Travis Etienne and Rashod Bateman are all wearing Adidas Adizeros. You can shop the Adidas Adizero 11.0 here.

Jordan | 3%

Of all thirty-two players, only 1 player wears Jordan football gloves; Kyle Pitts. Pitts is the only player (so far) to be signed with Jordan Brand. Jordan Brand athletes receive Nike football gloves, just rebranded with the Jumpman. Pretty simple technique but the swag is off the charts.

So there you have it, that is the most popular gear among the thirty-two 2021 first round draft picks. Just to recap, Riddell is dominating the helmet game and Nike is dominating both the cleat and glove game. We can’t wait to see what these rookies are capable of in the regular season!

The post What are the 2021 1st Round Draft Picks wearing? | Helmets, Cleats & Gloves appeared first on What Pros Wear.

It’s looming as one of the biggest stories in the NBA before the season has even started.

We’re less than three weeks away from opening night and Ben Simmons is yet to find a team to play for.

First came his off-season trade request.

Then came training camp — Simmons was a no-show.

The excessive fines for missing training — $7500 minimum — and games — $227,000 — hasn’t deterred Simmons from holding out either. ESPN also reportedthat Simmons is still under contract through 2024-25.

All this, on the eve of a brand new season, has not only held the 76ers back and disrupted their preparations, but Simmons has made it clear he doesn’t want to return to the city of brotherly love. And all signs indicate that Simmons’ relationship with Philadelphia — head coach Doc Rivers, Embiid, and fans — has disintegrated to a point of no return.

76er’s president Daryl Morey still believes that the relationship can be salvaged.

“I think there’s a lot of hope,” Morey said on Monday at media day.

“Look, every situation is different, but we have a lot of optimism that we can make it work here.”

And while Morey may hold the belief his team can get Simmons back playing ball in Philly, everything is up in the air and full of uncertainty.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the pairing of Simmons and Embiid “has run its course” because their playing styles clash.

“There’s nothing personal about this choice, it seems, but the 25-year-old Simmons has clearly decided that his career is better off without Embiid blocking the runways in the paint that he so badly needs to succeed,” Amick reported. “So while Embiid insisted to reporters on Monday that he wants Simmons back, this much is clear: The feeling is not mutual.”

Philly Inquirer reporter Keith Pompey asked Embiid about Simmons and Amick’s report and he called the situation “weird, disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful to other guys that are out here fighting for their lives.”

Embiid wants Simmons to return and believes Philly is a better team with Simmons in it, but said the 76ers’ fit is not just about him and Simmons. He also didn’t hold back, saying “Our teams have always been built around his needs, so it was kind of surprising to see what was said.”

The rift between the 76ers and Simmons showed signs of strains last year when the Harden trade was floated.

But when he failed to fire offensively in the playoffs series against Atlanta where he didn’t attempt any three point shots and scored under 10 in five of the seven games – 17, 4, 8, 11, 8, 6, 5 – it revived old feelings about Simmons inability to be a reliable scorer. For all his defensive grunt, and stops, Simmons was best remembered in that Atlanta series for passing on a critical play when he should have taken the shot which highlighted how the confidence in himself to shoot the ball seemed to hit an all-time low.

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

In his four years at Philly Simmons is 5-from-34 for threes. There’s always been some hope that Simmons would develop the long ball and score with freedom. But that hasn’t happened.

It’s worth considering too, that the 76ers have dug their own hole here, or at least played their part. At the completion of their playoff loss to Atlanta, Simmons’ coach Doc Rivers was asked if Ben can be the point guard for a championship team, and he replied, “I don’t know.”

If confidence is what Simmons’ needed, that sure would have felt like a dagger in the back. Simmons needed his coach to stand up for him but instead he created further uncertainty around his game.

Another low-key dagger that didn’t help: Rivers suggesting that Simmons was shying away from the rugged Sixers fans and their critical assessments of him.

So, are we all that surprised at the Simmons stalemate?

David Thorpe, author of baseball newsletter TrueHoop, pointed some of the blame at Embiid:

“Joel Embiid can do a lot of things on the basketball court, but he didn’t use his considerable size, leadership, and sway with Philadelphia fans to lead Simmons to greatness.”

A front-runner for Simmons hasn’t emerged as yet but there is definitely interest in the Australian. Teams like the Kings, Raptors, Timberwolves, and Warriors have interest in Simmons. Jake Fischer from Bleacher Report says the Spurs have made inquiries. Some still believe Simmons’ best is ahead of him and there’s a future — still — in Philly.

For that to work, both parties need to compromise. For coach Doc Rivers, he needs to create plays and a style that would get the Simmons seal of approval — and I can’t see that kind of upheaval happening.

For Simmons, he’d need to learn to live with Embiid, but also fix his shot and be the all-round player —elite defender and reliable scorer — people believe he can be. Both of those require Simmons to concede and from what we’ve seen so far it doesn’t look like he wants to do that. Simmons wants to do what Kawhi Leonard did when he left the Spurs: move forward, make a fresh start.

There’s a lot left to play out.

Simmons could very well be back playing alongside Embiid later this month, or he could be playing his home games in San Francisco, or some other city . And then there’s door number three: he could be sitting out the whole season not playing at all — which seems highly unlikely.

But whatever happens, it’s clear that Simmons, at 25, still has to figure out what his best basketball looks like and while he’s now considering his future, his next team and where he best fits, there’s still more to his game he needs to work on and unlock — something he hasn’t been able to do in Philadelphia.

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is expecting another “emotional” response from Argentina as Australia seek to win a fourth straight Rugby Championship game on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The opening game was won unconvincingly by the Aussies and featured several running battles. In the aftermath it was revealed the Argentinans felt “disrespected” over a photo snub and that followed onto the pitch.

As the touring squad has been rocked by the loss of six players who took an ill-advised trip over the state line into New South Wales and have been barred from the match, Hooper said his team was braced for another backlash.

“We are fully aware that every Test is a hard one,” Hooper said on Friday. “We’ve got to be on our game, whether it’s New Zealand, Argentina, anyone in this competition otherwise you get stung. We know it’s coming our way and we’ve got to understand that, be on our game, deliver what we can for 80 minutes and really build a performance that we’re proud of.

“It’s always an emotional game when we play any team in a Test match. We expected that and we expect more of the same this week.”

At his Captain’s Run press conference, Hooper was also asked about the impact that Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi have had on the team, the potential return of Will Skelton and the impact of Dave Rennie and his coaching staff. Here’s everything he had to say.

(Photo by Getty Images)

On coming to the end of a ‘challenging’ series and the Pumas’ border indiscretion

“We’ve had to get over some sore bodies, it’s our fifth game on the trot so we’ve had a really good balance this week of recovery and then getting the work in that we need to do,” said Hooper.

“We know Argentina will bounce back. There’s a little bit going on there, they’re full of emotion and they want to improve on their last game. The focus has been okay we’re playing the team the same team again but we can be a lot better this week.

“Staff and management are good terms of allowing certain things to happen around families and time off and trying to get us a mental refresh. It’s been challenge, as it has for every team, but we’re lucky we get to play rugby and to represent the country. We’re doing it in our own country, which is great.
Queensland, by and large, has been pretty unrestricted in terms of what we’ve been able to do and likewise in Perth. It’s great just to be playing and not having some of the dramas that we had last year.”

Hooper said he couldn’t tell how the quarantine issue would affect the Wallabies’ opponents.

“I guess we were as surprised as anyone but we had to knuckle back down and get on with our stuff,” he said of the news.

“That has been a focus for our team for a long time now, seeing what we can control.

“We know we left a lot out there on the weekend and can go up another level. We know there’s going to be a fair bit of emotion kicking off this game as we’ve seen in games like last year in a similar circumstance.”

He was asked if he felt for the tourists, who have been on the road for months and didn’t get to play a Test at home in the series.

“Absolutely. To make this competition work everyone’s having to make sacrifices and it’s them more than most,” Hooper said.

“I think everyone’s appreciative that the competition’s been able to run and we’ve been able to have it in our backyard. That’s a win for us I guess. But it’s certainly hard for everyone involved. It’s the state of play at the moment and we’ve got to get on with it.”

On how his year rates so far

Hooper was asked if this was his best season as a Wallabies player.

“Every year is great to represent the jersey and try to improve week to week, grow as a team and get some consistency down,” Hooper said.

“What has been pleasing is we’re starting to gain some momentum now. We’re talking about things during the week and executing them on the field.

“We’re still chasing that really solid 80 minute performance and being extra clinical with that. So there’s always a goal to work for.

“There’s a good looking team this week, with a couple of changes in there and some exciting stories in the mix as well. It’s always hard to rate against different years, different groups. We’ve been here for a long time now, which has been awesome. But it’s hard to judge on any one particular year.”

On how coaching changes have benefitted the team

“It’s a mixture of things,” Hopper said. “It’s not that things haven’t been there in the past. It’s just another year further that we’re understanding a new system and a new game plan.

“We had quite a short run up into last year’s campaign with a lot of new players, big squads, which was unfamiliar at the time, 40 odd people go across to New Zealand.

“Now we have a lot of similar faces, another year of exposure to a Wallaby environment and a long time together.

“We’ve been together now for three and a bit months on the trot. So a lot of rugby talk.

“We’re getting a good set up on a Monday in terms of what’s being delivered to us what we can expect from opposition teams, and then there’s been a good uptake from our players, particularly the last couple of weeks.

“But just four weeks ago, we were three losses on the trot so it hasn’t been a perfect run by any stretch and we’re not nailing things. There’s so much improvement and growth in us and we’ve got to stay focused on that there’s still there’s still some level ups we can we can attain. I think that’s exciting.”

On the promotion of Pete Samu to the starting team

“Not only can he cover all positions but on the ground, in turnover positions, he’s great, ball carry is excellent, good presence around the tackle as well,” Hooper said.

Samu had “aood engine on him to get through a lot of work,” he added. “There’s a lot to like about Pete. When he’s come off the pine in all his games he’s changed the pace. He’s done something in the form of a little line break or a sneaky pick or just a good bit of link play.

“That’s been really impressive. Now he’s got more minutes to do more of the same. It’s really good reward for someone who’s been adding a lot for us off the bench.”

On the return of Sean McMahon

Hooper said he was “stoked to play with Seany”.

“It’s not since 2017 we were playing together,” he said. “He was playing a lot of eight at the time I played seven and I enjoyed that combination with him.

“He brings a really good dynamic to the team in the form of real aggression and a super work rate. He’s been training really hard in the last couple of weeks being back and he’s a great character to have back in the team. His enthusiasm to be in the Wallaby gold has really been noticeable.”

On the Wallabies’ squad depth

“The selectors have a challenge every week,” said Hooper. “There are guys constantly performing on Saturday, and then on the training paddock as well which means there’s guys putting up their hands that unfortunately aren’t getting a run.

“Dave’s spoken about those guys as well. It’s a tough position to be in when you start to get to the ninth or 10th Test in the middle of the year and it’s your last game in Australia and you don’t get any minutes.

“But our guys have been putting up their hands each week, preparing the 23 to play the best they possibly can.

“It’s a challenge with a lot of players here, but our guys have taken to it really well and it’s something that we want to continue to grow, because if someone goes down we need that position to be filled and filled well.

“The great thing about competition and the depth that’s being created is we’ve got plenty of options and that’s going to do well for us in the next couple of years.”

On Will Skelton and talks he will play on the Spring Tour
Hooper said he had only seen his former Waratahs teammate play one game since heading overseas, a European Cup final for Saracens two years ago.

Asked to comment on Skleton’s attributes, Hooper said: “He’s got the ability to change a game, his size, he’s a great fella to have around the team, really good in terms of off field stuff.

“For the lack of rugby that I’ve seen him play I’ve heard a lot of good things in terms of when he’s been in shape, he’s made a real impact in the Premier League up there and now he’s up in France obviously and I’ve heard some great things around that.

“It’s been a long time since been in the jersey so it’s great to hear that he’s keen to be involved.”

Hooper said the older overseas guys had helped raise the group.

“Depth and experience allows stuff to transfer between players, ideas be shared,” Hooper said. “Everyone trains harder when you know you’ve got some direct competition there and some handing down of experience which is something that we want to keep growing as well.

“A lot of our guys who are in the team now grew up watching some of those guys play when they were still at school. To get the opportunity to play with them breeds a lot of excitement about the jersey in house as well.”

On how much of a difference Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi have made

“How can you hypothesize that?” said Hooper, when asked to assess the Cooper and Kerevi impact. “They’ve been really good for us, they brought a lot on and off the field and we’ve got some great centres as well who aren’t getting the time.

“Who knows what would have happened with the trajectory of our team?”

On the return of veteran prop Greg Holmes and his famous try from 2006

“Age is just a number, right?” said Hooper of the 38-year-old Holmes. “He’s been playing really well overseas for a long time.

“That was no secret to the people who have been around him. Nic White was in the same team with him at Exeter, and he wasvery valuable in terms of what he could do around a scrum and then just in terms of being a good bloke.

“He’s added that space since he’s been in here, and good experience. It’s guys like Angus Bell who get to scrum against him in training and that creates a good challenge for a young prop like that with a big future.”

Hooper was asked if he remembered seeing Holmes’ 50 metre try against Ireland in real time.

“You don’t know if it’s because you’ve seen it so many times that you think of it as a memory,” Hooper said. “I like to think that I watched it. He says it’s about 70 or 80 metres – but it’s a genuine 50-55.

“We’ve played it a couple of times and he shakes his head in the team room but he clearly loves it.

“We’ve just been asking for the same from [James Slipper] but I think Slips’ only Test try was half a metre at the World Cup two years ago. We’ll try and get Slips another one this weekend.”

TORONTO — Called up Tuesday and thrust into the most important series of the Toronto Blue Jays‘ season, the most important series Rogers Centre has seen in five years, a playoff series for all intents and purposes, Cavan Biggio doesn’t feel much has changed. He’s been playing playoff-style baseball with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons for weeks.

“Yeah, it’s been a lot of fun,” Biggio said Tuesday, standing in front of his sort-of new, sort-of old home dugout before the Blue Jays fell, 7-2, to the New York Yankees. “Down there everyone cares and pulls for each other just like they do up here. It’s definitely a similar feel.”

ROSTER MOVES:

INF Cavan Biggio reinstated from 10-day IL and will be active tonight

LHP Ryan Borucki optioned to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/PNBM8RJZzg

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 28, 2021

Similar in a couple ways. The Bisons began their season playing in Trenton, NJ while Buffalo’s Sahlen Field underwent a substantial renovation prior to hosting a portion of the Blue Jays’ home schedule in June and July. When the Blue Jays returned to Rogers Centre, the Bisons shifted home themselves and eventually won the franchise’s first division title since 2005, finishing the regular season with a 71-46 record and +144 run differential.

In non-pandemic times, that would have qualified Buffalo for a traditional postseason tournament culminating in a championship series. But this season’s playoffs are structured as a 10-game “Triple-A Final Stretch” in which each club plays a five-game home series and five-game road series. The team with the highest winning percentage over those 10 games is named champion.

So far, the Bisons are tied for second place with a 4-1 record through their first five-game series — three of the wins being walk-offs. And Biggio’s been right in the middle of it. Last Thursday, he walked to load the bases in the bottom of the 10th before Gregory Polanco won the game with a single. The next night he walked in the bottom of the ninth, this time ahead of Polanco’s walk-off homer. Sunday, he scored one of two runs on Christian Colon’s game-winning, ground-rule double.

“I can’t say enough about (Bisons manager) Casey Candaele and the rest of those players on that triple-A team,” Biggio said. “That clubhouse that they have down there, they keep it loose. … They have a lot of fun when they play the game. And the No. 1 thing down there is to win. And when you play like that, it just makes everything that much better.”

TD & Blue Jays MVP Spotlight

This season, TD and the Blue Jays celebrated off-the-field MVPs who embody the spirit of the game.

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Playing part in a pair of postseason pushes is a bright-side reward for Biggio at the end of a trying season, the toughest he’s had since turning professional in 2016. Over 290 plate appearances with the Blue Jays, Biggio’s hit .215/.316/.350, good for an 82 OPS+ that stands in stark contrast to the 122 he posted in 2020 and the 113 he put up a season prior as a rookie.

And his peripherals don’t play a nicer tune. His strikeout rate is up, his walk rate’s down. His .293 wOBA is higher than what would be expected (.278) based on the quality of contact he’s made. After featuring a patient, selective approach over his first two MLB seasons — Biggio swung at the lowest rate of pitches outside the zone of any qualified hitter in 2020 — his chase rate increased five percentage points in 2021. Pitches he once took on his way to walks became ones he whiffed at on his way to strikeouts.

Of course, context matters. Biggio’s 2021 began with multiple balls in play deflecting off his right hand during spring training, bending his pinkie finger “the way it shouldn’t bend” and causing a blood blister that had to be drained. He carried those hand injuries into the season, playing through pain until it became too much and sidelined him for several days in mid-April.

A month later, he took his first of two trips to the injured list due to neck and back issues — a cervical spine ligament sprain, officially — that plagued him throughout the summer. And while on a triple-A rehab assignment during the second IL stint, Biggio collided with Josh Palacios as the pair chased a sinking liner, suffering a Grade 1 UCL sprain in his left elbow.

It’s not so easy to rediscover an approach and find consistency at the plate when you’re spending that much time off the field and everything hurts when you’re on it. Biggio has tinkered with a few approach adjustments and mechanical tweaks throughout the season, as most players do. But he hasn’t had much of an opportunity to find something that works or let an adjustment take because his playing time’s been so sporadic.

“It’s definitely challenging. But that’s a big part of this game. And it’s a big part of this game that I’ve never really had to deal with before,” Biggio says. “If you want to look at the silver lining, I’m glad I went through it the way I did. I was able to learn a lot about myself and about my body. And I’m going to use that later on in my career as I go.

“I think the biggest thing was just finding a good routine — not only for my body, but also in the cage, as well. Making adjustments; the ability to make adjustments game-to-game. I feel like my routine that I developed down there has been pretty good. And I’m going to continue that here.”

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The good news is Biggio’s healthy enough to play and squeeze a few more afternoons of batting cage work out of his season. Although he hit .197/.308/.318 with 10 walks and 23 strikeouts over the 19-game rehab assignment he just completed with the Bisons, the Blue Jays have been encouraged by the quality of his plate appearances, particularly over his last four games when he walked four times and came up with a couple hits.

“He’s back physically healthy — I think that’s first and foremost. And he’s had really good at-bats. He’s continued to have better at-bats with the team in triple-A,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said. “His versatility, the handedness, the plate discipline — they’re good complements to us.”

For now, Biggio says he’s been told to expect to play the outfield if he gets into any of Toronto’s remaining games. That’s where he spent five of his final eight games with the Bisons before being called up. But this is late-September baseball, so it’s probably best not to expect anything. And Biggio’s ability to play any position on the diamond save for shortstop and catcher could make his a useful, late-game puzzle piece as manager Charlie Montoyo plays matchups and optimizes his defence.

“The expectation is to contribute in any way possible. And I could play pretty much every position out there,” Biggio said. “Anything can happen in this game and over the course of a game. In a big situation, whatever it calls for, I’ll be ready for it.”

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More than anything, Biggio’s merely happy to go from one playoff push to another. Toronto’s postseason chances may have taken a significant hit with Tuesday’s defeat to the Yankees. But they’re still alive. Still capable of landing one final, improbable punch at the end of a season of improbabilities. And if asked, Biggio will be ready to play his part in it.

“The past couple of months, it’s been tough. Whether I was here rehabbing, watching the games from the dugout. Or if I was watching from my bed in my hotel room in Buffalo. You can see the energy and the amount of fun that everyone’s having — and there’s a little bit of FOMO there,” Biggio said. “But this means a lot, just to be here, be a part of the team again. I’m just looking forward to contributing any way possible. We’ve got a special team here. And hopefully we can keep it going.”

WINNIPEG — Paul Maurice didn’t come right out and say it, but he didn’t have to.

If you read between the lines of the comments from the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets after his team earned a 5-1 decision on Wednesday night over an Edmonton Oilers team that was mostly made up of players ticketed to play for the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League, the message was abundantly clear.

If you’re a player on the bubble and in the running for a roster spot, the competition officially starts now.

That’s not to say you wouldn’t be able to bank some goodwill in the opening two games of the exhibition season, but those were nothing more than a dress rehearsal against inferior lineups.

The true tests are coming this weekend when the roles will be reversed and the Jets will be icing a mostly youthful lineup against the Oilers in a rematch on Saturday and then in a date against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

“It’s just so early,” said Maurice, whose squad improved to 1-0-1 in exhibition play. “The games will be a little different here, the next four than the first two for sure. You want them to play against a bigger defence and faster opponents. And then you can tell. We’re not getting too excited with what we got done here. We’re looking at the good pieces of our five-on-five game that we liked. But bigger tests come up.”

Given that the Jets are expected to be one of the contenders in the Central Division and Western Conference, it’s not surprising there aren’t a lot of jobs available on the roster.

With 2017 first-rounder Kristian Vesalainen getting the reps on the third line with Adam Lowry and Paul Stastny, it’s basically down to a battle for fourth-line roles — where the only player basically guaranteed a spot is veteran forward Riley Nash.

Although Nash could shift to the wing if necessary, the open competition is going to revolve around who plays on his left and his right.

“It’s (not) going to be easy calls… but usually, almost always, it gets sorted out by the final exhibition game,” said Maurice. “You find that they usually separate themselves.”

Two of the primary candidates in that battle made a strong impression on Wednesday, with Jansen Harkins (two goals, one assist) and Evgeny Svechnikov (one goal, two assists) pacing the offensive attack on a highly entertaining line with Cole Perfetti (one assist).

Both Harkins and Svechnikov showed good finish in the contest, with Harkins burying a pair of shots and Svechnikov delivering a deft redirection on his backhand side after a smart set up and a great scoring chance in tight that was stopped but led directly to the opening goal of the contest.

Harkins has the inside track on a job, but he’s taking nothing for granted after riding a roller coaster of emotions during the past two seasons.

During the 2019-20 campaign, Harkins made tremendous strides, working his way up the depth chart and earning a couple of cameo appearances on the second line with Jets captain Blake Wheeler.

But just when it looked he was on his way to becoming an NHL regular, Harkins suffered a lower-body injury during training camp and never really got into the groove as he had trouble getting into the lineup with regularity and managed only one goal and two points in 26 games last season while earning mostly fourth-line duty.

That wasn’t how Harkins envisioned things going and now he’s back to prove that he’s ready to take the next step in his development.

So far, so good.

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“Pretty tight, obviously. We’ve got a lot of young guys fighting for spots, a lot of good players,” said Harkins. “We’ve generally been a pretty veteran team the last few years so there’s a couple spots right now everyone’s really chasing for it. Competition is pretty good.”

Coupled with an assist in the 3-2 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, Harkins is feeling confident with the puck on his stick.

He’s shown an ability to make plays, but he’s also been responsible defensively — something Maurice was quick to point out when asked about Harkins.

“Right now, Jansen is going to get on the ice thinking about the next good thing that could happen, not ‘I hope I don’t make another mistake.’ And that’s a completely different perspective and mind shift,” said Maurice. “You see a different player when they’re confident and hopefully he can keep building on this as he has been from the start of camp. It’s not just about being able to score some goals, but he’s a little faster here, he’s got a little more jump on some plays because of that.

“He made a really, really good read in the defensive zone on the switch off down. We got the puck and out it went. So it goes into other parts of the game too. That, really for those guys, might be the most important thing. We’re not asking Jansen to score 30 this year to make the team. That can’t be the qualifier for him making the team. There are lots of other parts of the game that he has to do consistently.”

As for Svechnikov, he remains one of the most intriguing players in training camp and he’s basically forcing the coaching staff to take notice of him.

His powerful shot has stood out in practices and on Wednesday, he always seemed to be around the puck and was often making things happen for himself and his linemates.

There’s plenty of creativity to go along with his heavy shot and he also brings some size to the equation.

Although his offensive game hasn’t translated to the NHL level yet, Svechnikov is a player that Jets had on their radar going into the 2015 NHL Draft and it’s easy to see why he was chosen 19th overall by the Detroit Red Wings — four spots after Kyle Connor (who rounded out the scoring on Wednesday) ended up with Winnipeg.

Svechnikov falls into the low-risk, high-reward category of players — even if his most likely path to an NHL contract includes fourth-line duty, at least coming out of the gate.

This fresh start is treating Svechnikov well and it won’t take long to see if he can sustain that momentum against stiffer competition.

“Every day has been better. Go to the rink every day, see the guys and talk, get more comfortable,” said Svechnikov. “I’ve loved every single day here.”

On defence, the vacancies are also limited.

The top-six is mostly set and provided they can make the cap hit work with some LTIR relief, Nathan Beaulieu figures to be the seventh D-man.

With Dylan Samberg sidelined for six-to-eight weeks with a high-ankle sprain he sustained on the first day of training camp, Ville Heinola remains in the battle on the back end, but he’ll have to basically steal a job from one of the incumbents.

While it was a tough start for Heinola on Sunday — as he got beat on the Sens’ opening goal from Ridly Greig and then got caught chasing Greig and took a penalty during the first period — the Finnish blue-liner got more comfortable as the game went on.

He followed that up with a better showing in his second game, chipping in an assist with a smart outlet pass to Mikey Eyssimont on the goal from Austin Poganski.

Heinola also made a smart play at the offensive blue line on Harkins’ first goal, getting the puck into the quiet zone in the right-wing corner for Perfetti, who found Svechnikov alone in the slot for a glorious scoring chance.

But when it comes to Heinola making the jump, the offensive part of the game is not a concern. He’s already got the mobility, vision, passing ability and hockey sense.

How he defends and moves the puck this weekend while under duress is where he should be able to make his mark.

“That’s why we didn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about his first game,” said Maurice. “There are lots of layers to this young man and he’s going to keep getting better and better. I thought he was a little better tonight.

“There is a value to him playing against faster guys, against more skill, I think his game gets easier to play at that level. He’s going to keep playing. We’re going to play the heck out of him and see where he’s at.”

With the Jets planning to get down to much smaller numbers following the games on consecutive days, the pressure is about to ramp up for those players trying to stay in this competition.