When it rains, it pours
How much longer will Tiger just making cut be worth it?
AUGUSTA, Ga. — For Tiger Woods, it’s come to this.
He’s no longer a factor at the top of the leaderboard.
Instead, the golfer who provided some of the game’s most electrifying moments can be found plodding along at the cut line, his primary goal simply to make it to the weekend.
He backed into another bit of Masters history on a cold, rainy Saturday morning at Augusta National, making his 23rd consecutive cut to tie the tournament record shared by Gary Player and Fred Couples.
Woods has never missed the Masters cut as a professional, a remarkable accomplishment in a career filled with them.
But it feels so un-Tiger-like.
He’s about winning green jackets, not surviving the cut.
Woods closed his weather-delayed second round with back-to-back bogeys for a 1-over round of 73. When he walked off the course after the second round, he was one shot above the projected cut of 2-over 146. But the line jumped to 3 over when Justin Thomas imploded down the stretch, earning Woods and several other golfers the chance to play on through the weekend. By the time the horn blew to halt play due to weather at 3:15 p.m., Woods was alone in last place at 9-over, 22 shots behind third-round leader Brooks Koepka A sixth green jacket is far out of reach. Despite a grim look on his face as he plodded around the soggy course, Woods insisted he was eager to keep going. It didn’t sound all that persuasive.
“I’ve always loved this golf course, and I love playing this event,” he said. “I’ve missed a couple with some injuries, but I’ve always wanted to play here. I’ve loved it.”
With a body that aches on every step, every swing, this might be the best he can muster. When asked about the pain, he replied, “It’s constant.”
How much longer will that be worth it to a guy who has claimed 15 major championships — five of them at this place?
Certainly, this isn’t the way he would want to be remembered, essentially a hobbling, part-time relic from a different era. He wouldn’t want the cacophony of cheers that still follow his every step to be tinged with charity instead of awe.
There have been plenty of great athletes who hung around far longer than they should have, from Muhammad Ali to
Willie Mays to Michael Jordan.
Analysts have knocked Johnston for his inability to use his size to create separation and outmuscle defenders at the catch point. Too often, he didn’t extend his arms or properly time his leap to meet the ball at its highest point on deep throws. His inconsistent hands and lackluster route running are also a concern, as he posted a poor 11.8% drop rate in 2022.
Even given his limitations, Johnston offers the elite athleticism and large catch radius the Ravens have lacked for years at wide receiver. While he might give fans flashbacks to Breshad Perriman, the disappointing 2015 first-round pick, he’s exactly the type of player general manager Eric DeCosta needs to keep taking swings at.
Middle: Mississippi’s Jonathan Mingo
For a quarterback who likes to throw over the middle of the field as much as Lamar Jackson, Mingo is an intriguing fit.
At 6-2 and 220 pounds, the 21-year-old is an imposing target who can work out of the slot and make tough catches in traffic. While he doesn’t offer the speed to be a dynamic deep threat, analysts say he’s an adept route runner who tracks the ball well and picks up yards after the catch.
The biggest question for Mingo is a lack of production, especially in Ole Miss’ passhappy offense under the direction of coach Lane Kiffin. He received his most playing time in 2022, catching 51 passes for 867 yards and five touchdowns to nearly surpass his totals from the previous two seasons combined.
However, his standout athletic testing scores suggest he might have untapped potential. With a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-9inch
broad jump and 22 bench press reps, Mingo ranked eighth among wide receivers in athleticism score at the scouting combine. He also impressed at the Senior Bowl, with senior director Jim Nagy saying that wide receiver coaches have Mingo graded higher than several projected first-round prospects.
If that isn’t enough, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compares Mingo to former Ravens star Anquan Boldin.
Late: BYU’s Puka Nacua
For a Ravens team that simply needs more playmakers on offense, the 6-2, 201-pound Nacua would be a worthy addition.
In his assessment, Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen wrote that Nacua’s “size, [yards-after-catch] skills and blocking prowess could make him a difference-maker sooner rather than later” while comparing the Cougars star to a “Discount Deebo Samuel.” That kind of player could be especially valuable to new coordinator Todd Monken in an offense Harbaugh has promised will be more up-tempo and pass more frequently. The 22-year-old Nacua also has a fair amount of experience carrying the ball, either on jet sweeps or lined up as a running back.
In his second season at BYU after transferring from Washington, the Utah native was one of the most efficient receivers in the country, averaging 3.53 yards per route run while earning the sixth-highest grade among wideouts, according to Pro Football Focus. In nine games, he caught 48 passes for 625 yards and five touchdowns — better than what Ravens leading wide receiver Damarcus Robinson accomplished in 17 contests in 2022 — and rushed 25 times for 209 yards and five scores.
Although he is raw when it comes to the finer points of playing wide receiver after being asked to run a limited route tree at BYU, Nacua’s athleticism and contested-catch skills offer tantalizing potential.