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Afternoon Edition

February 24, 2025

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Shedeur Sanders is one of the top prospects available in April’s NFL Draft. He won’t throw at this week’s combine, but the event will revolve around him regardless.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Shedeur Sanders Buzz Highlights QB Conversations at 2025 NFL Combine [[link removed]]

Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis with quarterbacks drawing the most buzz—both incoming rookies and veterans in the league.

Signal-Callers

Shedeur Sanders, a potential No. 1 pick, is charting his own unique rookie path in two different ways.

The former Colorado standout and son of Deion Sanders won’t throw or work out at the combine, opting to save his on-field showcase for Colorado’s pro day later this spring. Sanders will be in Indianapolis to speak with the media and, more importantly, interview with interested NFL teams.

Many top prospects in recent years have chosen not to participate in drills at the combine. This year, fellow top quarterback Cam Ward may also opt out of workouts [[link removed]], but others like Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, and Riley Leonard are expected to participate.

Meanwhile, Sanders and his brother Shilo haven’t hired agents [[link removed]] for on-field contract representation. Rookie deals are largely predetermined by what slot a player is drafted in. Last year’s No. 1 pick, Caleb Williams, also doesn’t have an agent.

Both Sanders brothers are repped by SMAC Entertainment for off-field marketing deals, though. SMAC also works with Travis Hunter, who is signed with Lil Wayne’s Young Money APAA Sports [[link removed]] for on-field representation.

Musical Chairs?

Potential new homes for several NFL quarterbacks will also be a hot topic as coaches and GMs speak with the media at the combine.

Sam Darnold’s impending free agency, with the Vikings opting not to place the franchise tag on him, could see the quarterback land a new contract worth well over $100 million [[link removed]] after playing the 2024 season on a $10 million deal.

Matthew Stafford’s future in Los Angeles is also uncertain after multiple reports that the Rams granted the quarterback’s agent permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade. Stafford is set to earn $27 million in 2025 but is seeking a raise.

Around the League

The Browns enter the combine with uncertainty in their QB room, as Deshaun Watson still has $172 million on the books and will likely miss all of next season. They’re also facing a decision around star pass rusher Myles Garrett, who requested a trade earlier this month [[link removed]], with a big contract extension looming.

The Jaguars finally closed this year’s hiring cycle over the weekend, naming former Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone as the team’s new GM. Jacksonville hired Liam Coen [[link removed]] as its new head coach roughly a month ago, and it has since brought on former offensive lineman and Hall of Famer Tony Boselli as VP of football operations.

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As Ovechkin Nears Gretzky Goals Record, How Will NHL Capitalize? [[link removed]]

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

March traditionally has been all about college basketball, but next month, hockey will also be taking center stage thanks to the GR8 Chase.

The pursuit of the NHL’s all-time goals scored record by Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin, already a key late-season storyline for the league [[link removed]], took another big step forward Sunday with the Russian netting a hat trick against the Oilers—last year’s Western Conference champion and again a Stanley Cup contender. Ovechkin is now just 13 goals away from breaking the career mark of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky and long thought to be untouchable.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin, however, continues to find new levels of consistency and excellence—especially given his age and the fact he missed five weeks earlier this season with a broken fibula.

“You can’t write this stuff,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery. “You can’t write a story and a book of what he’s doing right now. The goals he’s scoring … massive goals against the Stanley Cup finalists from last year, as good a team as there is in the league. It’s just incredible.”

Betting odds currently point to Ovechkin breaking the record in early April, in the final games of the regular season. His accelerating pace with seven goals in his last seven games, however, has made the Capitals’ two remaining February games and 14 more in March of heightened interest.

Several of the team’s final regular-season games are already set for national broadcast on ESPN or TNT, but further adjustments could happen as the record approaches. TNT Sports also said it is collaborating with the NHL to feature Ovechkin during the chase on a variety of its linear and digital properties, including Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.

Ovechkin trademarked “The GR8 Chase” back in 2022 [[link removed]], and has been working on marketing around the chase since then with the NHL, NHL Players’ Association, and the Capitals. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Gretzky, meanwhile, plan to start attending each Capitals game in person once Ovechkin gets within about five goals of the record.

Monumental Juxtaposition

The on-ice surge by Ovechkin and the Capitals, meanwhile, created a rather unique situation involving two of the teams owned by the Ted Leonsis–led Monumental Sports & Entertainment.

The Capitals are currently the NHL’s top team with 84 standings points, one ahead of Winnipeg, and are now the leader for the Presidents’ Trophy. The Wizards are at the exact opposite end of the scale, with the team’s nine wins this season amounting to five fewer than any other NBA team.

The difference in success between the two teams is certainly not new, as the Wizards have reached the playoffs just once since 2019, while the Capitals have missed the postseason just once since 2014. Never before, however, has disparity been quite so stark.

How a Blockbuster WNBA Trade Highlights Potential Chaos in 2026 [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The WNBA offseason has featured a ton of movement [[link removed]] but has quieted down in recent weeks. That was until Sunday night when the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics executed a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins to Chicago in exchange for the No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft as well as 2027 pick swaps in the first and second rounds.

The trade signaled a full rebuild for the Mystics—as Atkins was the remaining piece of the team’s 2019 championship roster—while the Sky’s acquisition of the 28-year-old showed its desire to mount a playoff push this year.

While Atkins is a proven player, Chicago’s move seems questionable on the surface, as the team gave up significant draft capital. With its young core led by Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago does not look ready to compete with the star power of teams like the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces.

But the Sky are not the only team that missed the playoffs last season and gave up a high draft pick to invest in a win-now player. Last month, the Los Angeles Sparks, who finished with the worst record in the WNBA last season, traded the No. 2 pick for 30-year-old Kelsey Plum [[link removed]].

Making Sense of a Win-Now Move

Mortgaging young assets is normally a risky recipe, but in the WNBA, these win-now moves are an indication of the uncertainty surrounding the league next offseason. The 2026 free-agency class will feature virtually every WNBA player who isn’t on a rookie deal, meaning the league could completely flip on its head.

For instance, all four Aces All-Stars—A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and Jewell Loyd—will be free agents next season. The team could, theoretically, go from contender to cellar dweller in one year. Broadly, 21 of the league’s 24 All-Stars are slated to be free agents [[link removed]], and the other three are on rookie deals.

So for teams like the Sky and Sparks, a chance to compete this year could provide the financial benefit of bringing fans to seats while also complementing their young stars (Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson for Los Angeles) with competent veterans to aid their development.

The 2026 season is also when a new CBA is expected to drastically change player salaries and potentially significantly raise the league’s salary cap. This could mean cap space for all teams, so teams would have to set themselves apart with their recruiting pitch.

Both Chicago and Los Angeles are attractive markets, and the franchises are set to open new practice facilities—an important component in recruiting free agents in the WNBA. The Sky’s $38 million facility [[link removed]] is expected to open in December, while the Sparks announced plans for a practice facility in November [[link removed]], though no timeline has been released.

“I know that this franchise is extremely, extremely valuing the opportunity to support players in the way that they can, and I’ve seen that firsthand,” Plum said in her introductory press conference with the Sparks [[link removed]] earlier this month.

The potential 2026 free-agency chaos doesn’t completely justify the Sky also trading a first-round pick swap in 2027—the year USC star JuJu Watkins will be draft-eligible. But it is another indication of how teams are operating amid the uncertainty in the WNBA.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Twins ⬆⬇ The MLB club, put up for sale last fall by the Pohlad family [[link removed]], will almost certainly not have a new owner identified by Opening Day, as had been widely expected. A report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press [[link removed]] even went a step further, suggesting “there is a scenario that [the Pohlads] retain ownership of the club.” Such a reversal would mirror aborted sales efforts previously conducted by the Nationals [[link removed]] and Angels [[link removed]]. Partially at issue is a move by Justin Ishbia, brother of Suns owner Mat Ishbia and thought of as a likely Twins bidder, to instead increase his equity stake in the White Sox, according to The Athletic [[link removed]].

Richard Jefferson ⬆ The ESPN analyst will join the network’s lead NBA broadcast team alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and color commentator Doris Burke. The former 17-year NBA veteran joined ESPN in 2018. Jefferson fills the hole left by JJ Redick, who joined the Lakers as head coach this past offseason.

New Orleans ⬆ The Caesars Superdome will host WWE’s WrestleMania 42 on April 11–12, 2026, a year after hosting Super Bowl LIX. The news was first announced Friday by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson [[link removed]] on SmackDown held at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Caesars Superdome hosted WrestleMania XXX in 2014 and WrestleMania 34 in 2018.

Tennessee-Nebraska ⬇ A home-and-home football series scheduled for 2026 and 2027 between the schools has been canceled. Tennessee AD Danny White said it was Nebraska that chose to cancel the series [[link removed]], with ESPN reporting the Cornhuskers are eyeing eight home games in 2027 when they expect reduced stadium capacity amid renovations.

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Conversation Starters Alex Rodriguez hit a half-court shot to win $10,000 for a Bucknell University student. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Stephen A. Smith has the fourth-best gambling odds to be the Democratic presidential nominee [[link removed]], according to prediction market Kalshi. Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford asked J.J. Watt in December to come out of retirement to play for the Bengals, his favorite team. Watt said he’d do it if Trafford didn’t concede another goal for the rest of the season. Trafford has not allowed a goal since [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks NFL May Alter Kickoff Rules Again This Year [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The spot after a touchback could be moved to the 35-yard line. Eagles Have Not Been Invited to White House Yet, Have Not Declined [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]] and Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Trump canceled the team’s last planned Super Bowl visit in 2018. [[link removed]] Cult Hockey TV Hit ‘Shoresy’ Is an Industry On Screen and On Ice [[link removed]]by Meredith Turits [[link removed]]The show’s wild fandom has turned it into big business. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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