Sports
What we learned at NFL combine: Stafford trade talks a reflection on shaky QB draft class
INDIANAPOLIS — After speaking with numerous teams and league sources throughout last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, here’s a rundown of some notable things we’re hearing about the upcoming NFL Draft and free agency, which begins next week:
The Stafford tell
Quarterback Matthew Stafford’s return to the Los Angeles Rams didn’t come as a surprise to many around the league who didn’t understand the logic behind the rumored trades, but the development was nonetheless important.
It spotlighted some QB-needy teams’ preference for a proven veteran quarterback over what seems to be a shaky draft class. League evaluators are down on the QB class to the point where many high-ranking personnel executives have top prospects Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders ranked below all six first-round quarterbacks picked in 2024.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, what will be minority owner Tom Brady’s tolerance for substandard QB play? And for the New York Giants, the job security of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll likely hinges on finding a solution at quarterback and subsequently maximizing that player’s performance on the field immediately.
Stafford, even at 37, represented that quick solution, and he’s more of a sure thing right now than available veterans such as Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson. Plus, there’s a hidden danger in whiffing on a first-round QB in April — it also may take teams out of the running from a more highly coveted class in 2026.
To the root of it, though, teams strongly believed Stafford wanted to explore his market to gain leverage in his negotiations with the Rams — far more than wanting out. Obviously, the leverage play worked. But short of finding an offer of $60 million from another team, why would he want to join a rebuild at this stage of his career, especially after it took him so long to experience postseason success?
After getting back to the playoffs, why would the Rams opt to start over at quarterback? It would make sense if they could’ve turned Stafford into a first-round pick — either a top-10 selection this year or a first-rounder in 2026 — but it’s hard to believe a rebuilding team would pay such a price, on top of the contractual cost, for a QB at that age.
While having these barroom-style debates with coaches and executives, there simply wasn’t a scenario where Stafford, the Rams and the acquiring team would’ve all felt like winners in such a trade, which is why Stafford isn’t going anywhere.
So, what’s next?
It still sounds like Ward has an edge as the top QB in the class, and has believers within the Tennessee Titans, who have the No. 1 pick.
There’s still a cloudy forecast with how this will play out, though, because there’s so much QB desperation with teams at the top of the draft. Teams could be more motivated to trade up if they don’t find their answer in free agency. Conversely, one team near the top of the draft noted that while it is in the QB market, that doesn’t mean it won’t be more comfortable with the wave of players who will be available in the second round.
Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is a name to watch. Teams believed Dart solidified himself as a first-rounder during his week at the Senior Bowl. And last week at the combine, two teams strongly believed Dart would be taken in the top half of the opening round.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Ohio State’s Will Howard and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel all have intriguing qualities. Teams have varying opinions over each, but there’s a project prospect for everyone in the market.
Milroe appears to have the highest ceiling among that tier. When he plays with confidence, he makes quicker decisions — as a passer and runner — and pops on tape. His performance against Georgia tantalized evaluators. But there were too many occasions when Milroe was too sped up, sometimes getting himself stuck in the pocket, and looking like a longer-developing project.
But if there’s a team that gets it right with the Milroe plan, he’s viewed as the prospect who would make teams want to kick themselves years from now.
Big Buff Hunter
Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter is the most electric prospect in the class, and teams are still split on how to use him.
The most popular opinion has been to play him as a full-time cornerback who can be used as a part-time wideout, perhaps up to 15 plays per game. Hunter can be a true No. 1 option at either position, but it’s not feasible to give him a full workload on both sides of the ball — even if that’s what he wants.
Teams recognize it’s more difficult for a cornerback to get into the rhythm of the game while being used on a rotational basis. Top corners need to get a feel for tendencies and the offense’s attack strategy to be at their best. All the while, it’s easier to practice a handful of packages at receiver throughout the week before making an impact on Sundays.
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That’s the other thing. It’s not just a grind of game day but the workload during practices. On a related note, a couple of teams thought Hunter was still only scratching the surface with his development because Colorado had to preserve him at practice throughout the season to keep him as fresh as possible for games.
To Hunter’s credit, he hasn’t made any positional demands with teams. He’s told them to simply draft him, and he’ll do whatever they need.
“Just get him in the building,” an evaluator said. “If you can’t figure out how to use him … ”
Consider the financial impact of Hunter’s approach. The five highest-earning receivers are playing on contracts worth $32.2 million per year, while the five top-earning corners are at $21.9 million.
Hunter is talented enough that he could justify sticking to offense and having a far more lucrative career, but he’s committed to being a two-way player, regardless of how teams choose to divvy up his snap count. That aligns with the scouting report on Hunter, who has a rock-solid reputation as a leader and person off the field.
If Hunter isn’t the first pick, he’ll draw serious consideration from the Cleveland Browns at No. 2, according to league sources.
Financial gymnastics
A common question from teams at the combine: What are the Bengals doing?
Wide receiver Tee Higgins would almost certainly be worth at least $30 million annually in free agency, and the Bengals have until Tuesday to determine whether they’ll use the franchise tag on him for a second consecutive year. That would be worth $26.2 million.
All the while, of course, superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase will eventually leapfrog Justin Jefferson’s $35 million benchmark, perhaps even becoming the first to crack the $40 million barrier. And, oh by the way, they also have quarterback Joe Burrow earning $55 million per year, and pass rusher Trey Hendrickson wants a new deal.
It would be an unprecedented move to pay both Chase and Higgins.
The Philadelphia Eagles (A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith) and Miami Dolphins (Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle) are the only teams with two receivers earning at least $25 million annually. It’s worked out splendidly for the Eagles, whose front office is universally lauded for its cap management, but the Dolphins have yet to win a playoff game with this model.
Reduce the benchmark to $20 million annually, and the San Francisco 49ers (Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel), Chicago Bears (D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen), Houston Texans (Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) were the only other teams that went through 2024 with that roster dynamic. They combined for one playoff win.
The Niners just traded Samuel to the Washington Commanders (who will form a highly priced duo with Terry McLaurin) because they needed a cap reset. Diggs and Allen, about to hit free agency, were acquired last year, so we’re about to find out how the Texans and Bears felt about that financial setup. And keep in mind, the 49ers, Bears, Texans and Commanders have QBs on rookie contracts, while Baker Mayfield has greatly outperformed his deal.
So again, what are the Bengals doing? They just got a Herculean season out of Burrow — with the help of Chase and Higgins — but missed the playoffs because their offensive line and defense had major issues. It will take a monumental performance in the draft to fix those problems while doling out historic receiver contracts.
There’s a lot of attention on Cincinnati from around the league.
Receiver options dwindling
It doesn’t sound likely the Seattle Seahawks would make wideout DK Metcalf available in a trade.
Metcalf is entering the final season of his three-year, $72 million pact, so there’s been speculation he could be dealt. But the Seahawks have had a winning record in three consecutive seasons, albeit with an 0-1 mark in the playoffs during that stretch. It doesn’t make sense to trim one of their best players.
Now, things could always change during contract negotiations. But, at the moment, the New England Patriots and others who are trying to get creative at wideout will have to focus their attention elsewhere.
Star clone
Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter has drawn obvious comparisons to former Nittany Lions star Micah Parsons, who went 12th to the Dallas Cowboys in 2021.
Carter, a candidate for the No. 1 pick, has some subtle differences in his evaluation. Carter is viewed as the more instinctive player, according to evaluators, though he isn’t as explosive as Parsons.
Parsons sat out the 2020 season, so there was some risk with his evaluation. Carter has been the more consistent on-field performer, and one coach thought Carter’s upward trajectory could lead to an incredible NFL career, assuming the trend continues.
There are subtle differences to their styles, but there’s a strong belief Carter can join Parsons among the list of the league’s elite defenders in short order.
(Photo: Joe Scarnici / Getty Images)
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All eyes were on Caitlin Clark on Wednesday night as she made her anticipated return from injury in a road matchup in Los Angeles.
But instead of a triumphant comeback, the Fever spent the entire night chasing the Sparks as Clark’s rough return fueled a 106-92 rout.
The superstar never found a groove, looking completely out of sync in her return from a back injury.
STEPHANIE WHITE GIVES CAITLIN CLARK STATUS UPDATE AHEAD OF FEVER-SPARKS, BUT HER NEXT MOVE RAISES QUESTIONS
Caitlin Clark huddles with teammates as the Indiana Fever battle the Sparks. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ((Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images))
Much of that disjointed performance falls squarely on head coach Stephanie White, who kept Clark on a ridiculously tight leash by limiting her to just 16 minutes. The stop-and-go approach could have sabotaged any chance for the phenom to establish a rhythm.
Clark finished with just 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Her minus-16 plus-minus told the story.
The Los Angeles Sparks were severely shorthanded, taking the floor without stars Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink.
MERCURY’S NOW-DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POST MOCKING CAITLIN CLARK DRAWS SCRUTINY AFTER STAR’S INJURY
Yet while a depleted Sparks roster played to win, Indiana spent the night over-managing its biggest asset.
With Clark on a minutes restriction and Aliyah Boston out of the lineup, Kelsey Mitchell was forced to shoulder the entire offensive burden.
Mitchell did her part, pouring in 29 points while shooting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Caitlin Clark orchestrates the Fever offense as Indiana battles the Los Angeles Sparks in primetime action. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ((Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images))
But one hot hand couldn’t stop an efficient LA squad.
The Sparks shot 45% from three-point range, going 9-of-20 from deep to cruise to the 106-92 victory.
White’s next move is to sit Clark against the Mercury on Thursday while Boston returns.
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After Wednesday’s loss to a shorthanded Sparks team, it’s fair to question whether Indiana’s cautious approach is working. The Fever dropped to 12-9.
Caitlin Clark and Dearica Hamby face off as Fever and Sparks battle at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images))
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Mookie Betts’ first hit this series against the Rockies couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. With the crack of the ball against his bat, Tommy Edman scored from third, giving the Dodgers the lead.
And as Betts reached first, he pointed to Freddie Freeman, whose single put Edman in scoring position. It had taken a team effort to overcome another middling start from Roki Sasaki, and Betts, who had little to show before his game-winning hit, took the chance to highlight the joint contribution in the Dodgers’ 4-3 rubber-match win over Colorado (38-56).
“It feels great,” Betts said of his nine-pitch battle. “Helping the boys win, that’s really all it is. We play the game to win, and coming through in a big moment is kind of what, when you’re a kid, playing in the backyard, getting that hit is what you always strive to do, and fortunately, I was able to do it.”
Given a three-run lead in the first inning, brought to the Dodgers by a wild pitch and Kyle Tucker’s two-run, line-drive single to left field, Sasaki seemed set up for success.
Still, he gave away the lead as quickly as it came. In the second inning, he left a fastball too far over the plate, and third baseman Kyle Karros drove the ball over the left-center wall. The slider he dealt two batters later to second baseman Edouard Julien also crossed the zone too far over the plate, and Julien rounded the bases with another homer. In the third, a sacrifice fly by Mickey Moniak evened the scored, 3-3.
Sasaki’s troubles this season have been hard to pin down since his last win on May 23, as Sasaki tries to claw back the triple-digit velocity that’s escaped him as of late.
Against the Rockies, his fastball topped out at 99.1 miles per hour before steadily dropping to 98. He had managed five strikeouts in his six innings when manager Dave Roberts replaced him with Jack Dreyer, though the three earned runs couldn’t be ignored.
But Roberts also acknowledged the possibility that the pitcher had been tipping his pitches, possibly since he was playing in Japan, and Sasaki has tried to address it after a three-inning, six-run start last week. Even if he had fully self-corrected, his control issues remain. In the third inning, he walked the tying runner, Brett Sullivan.
“I’ve been working on a lot of things like the tipping stuff,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo. “Also, I need to make quality pitches.”
Sasaki regained some of his confidence in the fourth when he worked out of a two-base jam with two strikeouts and a flyball to right, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Roberts.
“You can see the demeanor walking off the mound, the confidence,” Roberts said. “For me, it was more of let him end on a high note, feeling good about his outing, and then go from there.”
The Dodgers’ problems were compounded by Alex Call wasting the team’s two challenges in his at-bat in the first inning when the team had already taken the lead. And maybe it would’ve been excusable if Call had driven in the runners on first and second, but instead he ended the inning on a strikeout, stranding both. Roberts called the situation an “outlier” and didn’t feel as though he needed to have a conversation with Call regarding the situation.
After the three-run first, the Dodgers (61-33) remained hitless until Max Muncy laced a double down the right-field line in the sixth, though to little avail. As the innings ticked forward, Colorado’s chances seemed to increase. The Rockies hold the best league batting average (.297) in the eighth and ninth innings (the Dodgers are fourth with .268). And the Dodgers relievers, within the same constraints, have a 3.83 ERA — not bad, but not in the top 10 either.
Third baseman Max Muncy can’t get his glove on a line-drive double by Kyle Karros in the fourth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
So when Alex Vesia struggled against the Rockies in the eighth inning and Muncy suffered a throwing error, Colorado seemed in position to score with the bases loaded and one out. Vesia struck out TJ Rumfield and Edgardo Henriquez (4-0), his replacement, retired Karros on a fly ball to right.
After Betts’ single allowed the Dodgers to take the lead, Tanner Scott (13) shut down the Rockies with back-to-back strikeouts, avoiding the team’s eighth series loss of the season.
“Didn’t feel great,” Roberts said. “Fortunately, we won a series, but that’s not the kind of way you want to do it.”
Sports
Justin Verlander announces he will retire after this season: ‘I’ve realized that time has come’
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One of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball will be hanging up his cleats after this season.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander announced on Wednesday that the 2026 season will be his last.
Amid an injury-riddled season with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander decided it’s time to go.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander watches from the dugout during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit June 21, 2026. (David Rodriguez-Munoz/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally. I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I’d keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come,” Verlander said in a social media post.
“While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last. It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started – with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity.”
Verlander inked a one-year deal with the Tigers, with whom he spent his first 12½ seasons before being traded to the Houston Astros, in the offseason. In Houston, he returned to dominance, winning both of his World Series titles and two of his Cy Young Awards.
“Baseball has given me more than I could have imagined. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of continuing to adapt and evolve. I’ve been fortunate to play with and against incredible players, for outstanding organizations, and compete in-front of fans who deeply appreciate the game,” Verlander added in his announcement.
Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros celebrates after the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston, Texas. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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“To every teammate, coach, player, clubhouse attendant, and fan who has been part of this journey – thank you. It’s been a privilege to share the field with you. To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, every rehab, and every high and low. I couldn’t have done this without you. It’s time for the next chapter. But first, I’m excited to finish this season the only way I know how – with everything I’ve got.”
Verlander is the active leader with 3,554 strikeouts, which is good for eighth all-time. He needs 21 to surpass Don Sutton and 87 to pass Tom Seaver.
The 43-year-old made his MLB debut in 2005 and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award the following season in what was just a small glimpse of what was to come.
Verlander was a Cy Young Award finalist on four other occasions, consistently near the top of the leaderboard in just about every pitching stat. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred gave Verlander a legend’s exemption to this year’s Midsummer Classic, making him a 10-time All-Star.
One could argue that Verlander should have at least one more Cy Young Award on his mantle, but he is on the fast track to Cooperstown and very much in the conversation to join Mariano Rivera as the only player unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame.
Verlander’s best season came in 2022, when he pitched to a career-best 1.75 ERA along with a 0.829 WHIP. However, that came after he missed the entire 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery for an injury he suffered after pitching just one inning in the abbreviated 2020 season.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning Aug. 22, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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He won his first Cy Young Award in 2011, when he was also awarded the MVP Award, and his second in 2019. Verlander’s 11 seasons between his first and final Cy Young Awards are the second-most behind Roger Clemens, who had 18 seasons between his first and seventh.
Verlander led the majors in innings and WHIP four times while recording the most strikeouts in three seasons.
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