The Tennessee Titans find themselves with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft for the first time in nine years.
The Titans had the top selection in 2016, but they traded it to the Los Angeles Rams, who took California's Jared Goff at No. 1 overall.
The Titans were able to utilize the haul of picks acquired in that trade, coupled with other shrewd moves to build a team that made it to the AFC Championship in 2019 and the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2021. Since then, the Titans have yet to have a winning season due to poor draft picks from the previous two general managers.
The Athletic insider Nick Baumgardner believes that those decisions have haunted the Titans over the past few years.
"The Titans are not a quarterback away from being a playoff team. Three of Tennessee’s last five first-round picks (Isaiah Wilson, Caleb Farley, Treylon Burks) have been busts; two of them (Wilson, Farley) are gone. This team needs a complete teardown, right to the studs. If you start that process with a rookie quarterback — generational prospect or not — it will be very hard on that player and, eventually, on the first-year GM who made the pick," Baumgardner writes.
"It’s going to be difficult for Tennessee to trade this pick, but I’d still be on the phone trying to get a deal done until the very last second. If I couldn’t find one, I’d take the best player on my board. Objectively, Travis Hunter and/or Abdul Carter are going to rank higher than Ward every single time.
"Start your rebuild with a smaller margin for error. That’s my suggestion."
The NFL Draft is set for April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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The Dallas Cowboys just revealed their first injury report of Week 6 on Wednesday and it's a long one. The team listed 18 players on it ahead of their matchup against the Carolina Panthers, five of which were non-participants while 10 were limited. The remaining three players on the report were listed as full participants. Two of latter stole the spotlight amid the bitter updates as their "full" participation means they're close to making their 2025 debut very soon: Cornerback Caelen Carson and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo. Neither of the them are currently on the 53-man roster but the Cowboys activated their 21-day practice window last week. Carson and Mingo were limited participants in each of last week's practices. To be upgraded to full on the first practice of the week is a promising sign for their chances of playing against the Panthers. The coaching staff would need to open up roster spots to place them on the 53-man roster. Other notes on Cowboys' initial injury report for Week 6 CeeDee Lamb was a non-participant once again as his chances of playing Week 6 remain up in the air. KaVontae Turpin also missed practice and told reporters he wasn't expecting to play. Right guard Tyler Booker also missed practice. The new additions to the non-participants were LB Jack Sanborn (concussion) and S Donovan Wilson (elbow/knee). Safety is starting to look like a serious concern. Malik Hooker was placed on Injured Reserve last weekend and now Wilson missed practice while Juanyeh Thomas popped up on the injury report as a limited participant. Other starters that were limited participants: CB Trevon Diggs, CB DaRon Bland, OT Tyler Guyton, LG Tyler Smith. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer suggested Guyton will start at left tackle if cleared. Thursday's full Cowboys' injury report window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
Jesús Montero failed to develop into the baseball star that some thought he might, despite repeatedly appearing on preseason top prospect rankings. The former New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners catcher failed to capitalize on that potential and turn it into a long career. Once viewed as New York's "catcher of the future," Montero played in just 226 games during his five-year MLB career. His last professional appearance came during the 2020-21 Venezuelan Winter League, where he went 0-for-17 at the plate with six strikeouts. Montero, according to Spanish-language reports out of Venezuela, has been hospitalized in his home country following a traffic accident. The now 35-year-old was reportedly riding his motorcycle when a suspected drunk driver hit him. Montero is in critical condition after suffering multiple leg fractures, broken ribs and lung damage. Jesus Montero's Yankees stint lasted 18 games New York originally signed Montero as an international amateur free agent in 2006. The power-hitting prospect, one of the best bats available in the free agent class, was given a $2 million signing bonus. By 2009, Montero was appearing on preseason prospect rankings — landing on Baseball America's Top 100 list in four consecutive seasons. The Yankees called Montero up for his MLB debut when rosters expanded in September 2011. He'd appear in 18 games, hitting .328/.406/.590 with four home runs in 69 PA. Jesus Montero traded to Mariners in January 2012 Montero was traded, along with right-hander Héctor Noesí, to the Mariners the following offseason for right-handers Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. Over parts of four seasons, he batted .247/.285/.383 over 796 PA with 24 home runs. Seattle ultimately sent him down to Triple-A due to his defensive limitations with the hope that he'd learn to play first base. His Seattle tenure was marred by constant rumblings about his physical shape and attitude, including a 2014 incident where he threw an ice cream sandwich at a scout while on a rehab assignment.
The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off one of their worst losses of the season after the Denver Broncos scored 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter last Sunday to win 21-17. The Eagles have a short week due to playing their divisional opponent, the New York Giants, on “Thursday Night Football.” They have the opportunity to fix the problems on offense, as the Giants are one of the worst defenses (26th, 377.2 yards) in the NFL. However, the Eagles could struggle on defense, as they may also be down one of their better defensive linemen, Jalen Carter. The Eagles received one positive and one negative piece of injury news for two key players Being a short week, the Eagles have a limited amount of time to practice and formulate a game plan, but also have a limited amount of time for their players to heal after a few came out of the Eagles' loss to the Broncos battered and bruised. Running back Saquon Barkley was one of those players who wasn't 100% healthy following the loss, as he found himself on Monday's injury report and did not practice with the team due to a knee injury. Barkley taking time to rest seems to have paid off, as he was a full participant in practice as of Wednesday’s injury report. Defensive linemen Jalen Carter was a new addition to the report, as he was limited in practice due to a heel injury. Carter is currently listed as "questionable" for Thursday night's game. Eagles need both Saquon Barkley and Jalen Carter to win against the Giants Even without Carter and Barkley, the Eagles have a better roster than the Giants, but having both makes the gap even wider. Saquon is one of the best running backs in the league and has extra motivation to play the Giants, as they're his former team. In one career game against them since signing with the Eagles, Barkley ran for 176 yards on 17 carries and scored one touchdown in their matchup last October, per StatMuse. Not having a game with over 100+ yards rushing this season, Saquon could have his first one of the season against his former team, as the Giants have the 26th-ranked defense (140.0 yards) against the rush. Hopefully, Carter is available, as he is the glue that holds the Eagles' defense together. Carter is credited with playing in every game, except he was disqualified from the Eagles' season opener against the Dallas Cowboys after he spat on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Carter has three solo tackles, seven assists and has not recorded a sack. If Carter can't play, the Eagles will need to rely on Jordan Davis to step up and fill in for Carter. Davis has 11 solo tackles, eight assists and a sack in five games this season. Davis will also need to pick up the slack for Carter on special teams, as the two have a blocked kick on their stat sheet against the Los Angeles Rams, which Davis ran back for a touchdown.
The Las Vegas Raiders announced they have signed LB Jon Rhattigan from the Steelers practice squad and also added LB Jamin Davis to the practice squad. The Raiders cut QB Jeff Driskel to make room on the practice squad. Davis, 26, is a former first-round pick of the Commanders back in 2021 out of Kentucky. He was in the final year of his four-year rookie contract after having the team decline his fifth-year option when Washington elected to waive him in October 2024. Davis then caught on with the Packers’ practice squad a few weeks later. The Vikings signed him to their active roster before waiving him in December when he was claimed by the Jets. The Jets cut Davis loose coming out of the preseason this year. In 2024, Davis appeared in nine games for the Commanders and Vikings, recording 18 total tackles and a sack.
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