All Sports

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah ranked Miami quarterback Cam Ward just ahead of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in his first big board for the 2025 NFL draft on Tuesday.

Jeremiah ranked Ward as his No. 10 overall prospect and Sanders as his No. 11 prospective draftee, which speaks to the razor-thin margin between them.

Ward and Sanders are the only quarterbacks who Jeremiah has given a first-round grade, as the next highest-ranked signal-caller on his big board is Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart at No. 41.

Ward and Sanders took somewhat similar paths to establish themselves as likely high picks in the 2025 NFL draft, as they both started out at FCS schools.

After beginning his playing career at Incarnate Word, Ward transferred to Washington State and spent two seasons with the Cougars.

He played his final collegiate season at Miami and took his game to the next level, completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions en route to a fourth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Sanders followed his father, Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, from Jackson State to Colorado when Deion was hired to be the Buffaloes' new head coach.

Shedeur played two seasons at Colorado, first putting himself on the map in 2023 by completing 69.3 percent of his passing attempts for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

The Buffs went just 4-8 in Sanders' first season, but they took a big leap forward in 2024 to the tune of a 9-4 record.

Shedeur also enjoyed a better individual campaign, completing 74.0 percent of his passes for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 picks, as he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Last year, quarterbacks came off the board with the first three picks in the 2024 NFL draft and with six of the first 12 selections.

The 2025 draft does not appear to be anywhere near 2024 in terms of high-end quarterback talent, but both Ward and Sanders have a strong chance to be among the top six picks given the importance of the quarterback position.

Picking Nos. 1 through 3 overall are the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, all of whom need a quarterback.

If one or both of Ward or Sanders fall out of the top three, the next team with a glaring need under center is the Las Vegas Raiders, who will pick sixth overall.

Jeremiah has Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter as the top two players in the draft. It may be tough for teams picking near the top to pass them up, but the chance to take a potential franchise quarterback doesn't come around too often.

Because of that, Ward and Sanders are strong candidates to be top-six picks, and there likely won't be much separating them, as is the case with Jeremiah's rankings.

The Phoenix Suns are "exploring" packaging Jusuf Nurkić and a first-round pick in a trade at next week's deadline, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

The Suns would be looking for "a starting-caliber or high-level rotation player" in return, per Scotto.

Nurkić, who is averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds through 25 games this season, got bumped out of the starting lineup when the Suns acquired Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets. He currently sits behind Richards and Mason Plumlee in the rotation.

That makes Nurkić's salary a steep cost for the cap-strapped Suns, who are currently one of four NBA teams above the second apron. Nurkić is set to make $18.1 million this season and $19.4 million next campaign, per Spotrac.

Scotto wrote that the Suns don't see Nurkić "as a salary dump since he will have more value on the trade market this summer when he becomes an expiring contract."

But given that the Suns can't use a traded player exception or send out cash in a trade thanks to their position above the apron, per Spotrac, adding a first-round pick to a Nurkić trade could make taking on his contract more attractive to other teams.

Phoenix is in position to deal high draft picks after recently acquiring three first-rounders by trading their 2031 first-rounder to the Utah Jazz. The Suns now hold tradable first-round selections in 2025, 2027 and 2029, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

With a 24-21 record, the Suns are currently on track to enter the play-in round this spring despite efforts to build a title contender around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

Bradley Beal is reportedly on the trade block, but the Suns could find difficulty moving him thanks to his $50 million salary, no-trade clause and reportedly limited trade market.

Given the difficulties in moving Beal and Nurkić's slide down the depth chart, it would make sense for the Suns to prioritize a Nurkić trade ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.

San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama has assured the French Federation of Basketball that he'll represent his home country at EuroBasket 2025.

FFBB president Jean-Pierre Hunckler revealed the news to Romain Brusc of Le Progrès (translation via BasketNews).

"He assured me that unless there is a physical problem, he would be there for Euro 2025," Hunckler said.

He also added this remark about Wembanyama, who most recently helped guide France to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"The luck we have is that he is a young man with a good head and who thinks about French basketball and its development," Hunckler noted.

This year's EuroBasket competition will feature 24 European countries competing in a tournament scheduled from Aug. 27-Sept. 14. Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia will serve as the host countries.

Wembanyama, last year's Rookie of the Year, is averaging 24.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and an NBA-high 3.9 blocks. He's a lock to be named as an All-Star reserve when announcements drop on Thursday evening after nearly making it as a starter.

His presence at EuroBasket assuredly makes France one of (if not the) favorites. He excelled for France at the Olympics, averaging 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Wembanyama notably saved his best for last in the gold medal game against the United States, dropping 26 points and seven rebounds in a 98-87 loss.

Now he'll look to get France atop the podium at EuroBasket 2025. In the meantime, he's trying to get the much-improved Spurs, whose 20 wins already are just two short of last year's total, to the playoffs.

The New Orleans Pelicans are "going to make a major trade" amid questions regarding Brandon Ingram's future with the team, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.

The Pelicans are all but out of playoff contention while sitting more than $2 million above the luxury tax, per Spotrac.

As Marks put it: "They have not finished a season over the tax in franchise history and will not do so this year, especially in the lottery."

Marks named Daniel Theis, Javonte Green and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl as trade candidates whose outgoing salary would lower the Pelicans below the tax.

The Pelicans could alternatively deal Ingram, who is making $36 million on an expiring contract this season, and take back $34 million or less in return in order to dip below the tax, Marks noted.

Ingram's future with the Pelicans "continues to be in flux," per Marks, as he prepares to miss a 23rd straight game since suffering a left ankle sprain on Dec. 7.

Marks and Tim MacMahon reported for ESPN in December that the Pelicans were prioritizing finding a trade destination for Ingram after extension talks "repeatedly fizzled" in New Orleans.

However, Jake Fischer recently reported for The Stein Line that the Pelicans "still remain open to re-signing Ingram this summer."

Even if the Pelicans do not believe they will be able to find common ground with Ingram's camp this summer, however, his potentially limited trade market could get in the way of New Orleans landing on a deal.

As ESPN's NBA insiders reported earlier this month: "If another team had been motivated to offer equivalent talent that better fits the Pelicans' roster and payroll, they would have already made that trade."

Even if Ingram sticks around in New Orleans past the trade deadline, the Pelicans will likely be making another move in order to dip below the tax and the associated penalties. The team is down to just nine more days to figure out exactly what that deal will look like.

With just one game remaining in the 2024 NFL season, a majority of the league has shifted its focus to the 2025 draft and who will be the top pick for the Tennessee Titans.

In his first big board of draft season, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah has Penn State's Abdul Carter ranked as the best overall player in the class.

Chasing Carter for the No. 1 overall spot is Heisman winner Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty rounding out the top three.

In a draft class that has been defined by the lack of consensus about who the top player is, it's not a surprise to see arguably the two biggest stars in college football from 2024 (Hunter, Jeanty) and a pass-rusher coming off a breakout season (Carter) getting a lot of attention.

Jeremiah's explanation for Carter getting the nod at No. 1 over Hunter and Jeanty is his "ELITE" burst off the line that gives him the potential to "completely wreck an offensive game plan."

Hunter is a bit of a difficult evaluation because it would seem impossible he can play the volume of snaps in the NFL that he did in college and hope to hold up physically. There are differing opinions on whether he's better as a cornerback or wide receiver as a pro prospect.

B/R scouts Dame Parson and Cory Giddings noted cornerback is the position Hunter has the ability to reach elite-level status. Jeremiah wrote his preference would be for the 2024 Heisman winner to "prioritize offense and moonlight on defense."

Hunter improved his receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, pass breakups and interceptions from 2023 to 2024. He seems like a player with a limitless ceiling because of what he can do at two positions that few people can do at either one.

Jeanty is a difference-maker at a position that has reverted back to being the coolest on the field the past few seasons with stars like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry being difference-makers for Super Bowl contenders.

It doesn't hurt that Jeanty came as close as anyone in FBS has to catching Barry Sanders' record of 2,628 rushing yards in 1988. The Boise State standout racked up 2,601 yards this season.

Jeremiah described Jeanty as a combination of Dalvin Cook and J.K. Dobbins as a runner. It's a safe bet Jeanty will be selected in the top half of the first round. He will look to become the sixth running back to be selected in the top 10 since 2017.

Pittsburgh Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II said in his end-of-season press conference that wide receiver George Pickens has both "talent" and "room to grow" ahead of his contract year in 2025.

Rooney also said the Steelers have not yet discussed an extension with Pickens, Bob Labriola reported for the team's website.

Here's Rooney's answer when asked about Pickens, per Labriola:

I think wide receiver is an area we've got to look at improving. George is a very talented player who has room to grow. We'd like to see him grow and hopefully he realizes the potential that he has, but definitely room for growth there.

Every team seems to have one or two guys in that room who you have to manage correctly. I still think George has enough talent that we've got to try to work and see if we can get him to fulfill the talent that he really has. Who knows if we can get there? We'll see.

But when you have guys who are as talented as some of the guys you're probably thinking of, you try to work with them and have them help you be successful.

Pickens led Steelers receivers with 900 receiving yards in 14 games this season.

He also took multiple costly penalties in a season during which he received more than $90,000 in fines reported publicly by the NFL.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after Pickens netted two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals that the receiver "has just got to grow up."

When asked again about Pickens after the Steelers' season ended with a Wild Card round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Tomlin answered only that the Steelers had not yet discussed any player extensions and that the team was "still assessing" the results of the 2024 season.

Pickens, the No. 2 selection of the 2022 NFL draft, has one year and an estimated $3.25 million remaining on his rookie contract, per Spotrac.

Given that neither Russell Wilson nor Justin Fields are signed for next season, and the possibility that Pickens could be a trade candidate if the Steelers decide not to re-sign him, both the QB1 and WR1 positions in Pittsburgh seem currently undecided heading into the 2025 season.

The Detroit Lions hired John Morton as their new offensive coordinator on Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Morton, who was the Denver Broncos' pass game coordinator the past two seasons, will replace Ben Johnson, who was recently named the new head coach of the Chicago Bears.

The 55-year-old Morton previously coached with the Lions in 2022, serving as the senior offensive assistant.

Morton was born in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and played his college football at Western Michigan, so taking the Lions' OC job will be a homecoming of sorts for him.

While Morton has somewhat limited experience in the OC role, and has been coaching at the NFL and collegiate levels in various positions since 1998.

Morton spent time with the Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers in roles such as offensive assistant, offensive quality control coach, tight ends coach, wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator.

He was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at USC from 2007 to 2008 before getting promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Morton's only opportunity as an offensive coordinator in the NFL came in 2017 with the New York Jets. The Jets ranked 28th in total offense and 24th in scoring in his one season at the helm.

Offensive guru Sean Payton had Morton on his staff multiple times, as Morton was the Saints' passing game coordinator and offensive assistant in 2006, and their wide receivers coach from 2015 to 2016.

More recently, Morton was the pass game coordinator under Payton in Denver from 2023 to 2024, and he helped oversee a significant turnaround.

Denver ranked 10th in the NFL in scoring this season and reached the playoffs with a 10-7 record, marking the Broncos' first postseason appearance since 2015.

Most impressively, the Broncos did it with a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix, who far exceeded expectations by completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while also rushing for 430 yards and four scores.

As well as Nix performed during his rookie campaign, Morton will have far more to work with offensively in Detroit.

Over the past three seasons under head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions have consistently boasted the most dynamic offense in the league.

Detroit ranked fourth in total offense and fifth in scoring in 2022, third in total offense and fifth in scoring in 2023, and second in total offense and first in scoring this season.

The Lions had an MVP finalist in quarterback Jared Goff, two highly productive running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, and two 1,000-yard receivers in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

Detroit is set to return nearly all of its key contributors on offense in 2025, and that type of continuity should help Morton hit the ground running as the OC for a team that went 15-2 in 2024.

As Pete Alonso continues his wait to find a home for the 2025 season and beyond, the New York Mets may find themselves strongly in the mix amid recent rumors about the Toronto Blue Jays looking at the four-time All-Star.

Per SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets' final offer to Alonso was for $70 million for three years that contained some deferred money:

"The final Mets offer that Alonso turned down—that's gonna be tough for him to beat with the Blue Jays. That could've been a real win probably in what the ultimate dollar figure would've looked like for Alonso. Given what the Blue Jays gave [Anthony] Santander—it was in the 60s after the deferred money—they're probably not gonna get as good an offer from Toronto as they've already gotten from the Mets, and turned down from the Mets."

Joel Sherman and Dan Martin first reported on Jan. 16 the Mets' made a "last-ditch effort" to sign Alonso, but they pivoted away from him when that offer was rejected. The team announced the following day they signed Jesse Winker to a one-year, $8 million contract.

There's still the ability for the Mets to shuffle their lineup if they were able to coax Alonso back to Queens on a team-friendly deal. Mark Vientos is likely set to start the season at first base, with Brett Baty at third. Vientos could shift back to the hot corner for Alonso to play first.

Mets owner Steve Cohen didn't sound optimistic about a reunion with Alonso when speaking to fans at the team's fanfest event on Saturday.

The Blue Jays have been trying to entice Alonso to make Canada his home. Robert Murray of FanSided noted on Jan. 23 they were still showing interest in the 30-year-old slugger.

Murray's report came out after Toronto officially signed Anthony Santander, so there seems to be some money still floating around for the organization to use.

Alonso's market has been very limited, at least publicly, so far this offseason. He seems almost certain at this point to end up with a shorter-term contract than he was expecting in November.

Some of the lukewarm response to Alonso as a free agent is understandable. He's likely to end up as a DH-only player sooner than later given his defensive issues at first base. His on-base percentage has been sub-.330 in each of the past two seasons.

One thing Alonso does that makes him extremely valuable is his ability to hit for power. He has hit at least 34 homers in five of his first six seasons. The only time he didn't was in 2020 when he finished with 16 in the season that was shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The only player with more homers since 2019 than Alonso's 226 is Aaron Judge (232).