Yankees’ latest addition is a bad sign for Jasson Dominguez
The New York Yankees shored up their outfield depth this week, which may come at the expense of Jasson Dominguez.
The Yankees on Wednesday signed veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk, per the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. Grichuk, a 12-year MLB veteran, provides New York with a reliable veteran bat with some decent power.
While Grichuk is no longer the slugger capable of hitting 31 home runs that he once was, the Yankees may need his right-handed power to balance out their lefty-heavy starting outfield that includes Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham.
A few fans and media members saw the addition of Grichuk as a vote of minimal confidence in Dominguez, who could potentially fill a similar role. Some believe the signing signals Dominguez will likely end up in AAA to start the season.
Addition of righty hitting OF is more evidence Jason Dominguez may be ticketed to AAA to start season https://t.co/xiJAkT5bRA
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 26, 2026
The Yankees adding outfield depth right now is roster language for Dominguez not being ready for Opening Day. Front offices rarely say it directly but the transactions always tell the real story before any announcement does.
— GREENCODE (@greencode12) February 26, 2026
This means Dominguez starts in AAA
— Samshottakes (@Samshottakes) February 26, 2026
Dominguez can start looking for housing in Scranton https://t.co/sbXzR0eg5p
— CJ Kaltenbach (@TheSeigeDFS) February 26, 2026
While Dominguez is a switch-hitter, the Dominican has performed much better in the majors as a left-handed batter.
He has a career batting average of .269 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs in 394 plate appearances batting lefty. The average drops to below the Mendoza line with just 1 home run in 134 right-handed plate appearances.
Until Dominguez can reliably hit from both sides of the plate, the Yankees may want to develop him further in the minors rather than have him serve as a backup in the big leagues.
Glen Kuiper lands his first broadcasting gig since firing for racial slur
Glen Kuiper is about to return to the airwaves.
The former Athletics broadcaster Kuiper will provide the local radio call for the San Francisco Giants’ exhibition game against Team USA on March 3, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday. Slusser adds that the door is also open for Kuiper to potentially call regular season games for the Giants on local radio in 2026 as well.
This marks the first broadcasting gig that Kuiper has landed ever since his 2023 firing by the Athletics. Kuiper was on the air for NBC Sports California before an A’s game and was recapping a trip that he took to the Negro League Museum but accidentally uttered a racial slur instead.
You can see the video of Kuiper’s misspeak here.
Kuiper promptly apologized for his error during the game. The president of the Negro League Museum even made a statement at the time publicly calling for Kuiper to be forgiven.
However, NBC Sports still decided to suspend and then ultimately fire Kuiper, who had been an announcer for the Athletics since 2004. Now Kuiper will be getting his very first broadcasting opportunity ever since then with the Giants, who notably employ Kuiper’s older brother Duane (a former San Francisco player) as a broadcaster.
7-year NFL veteran retires at 30
Seasoned NFL veteran Will Clapp is walking away from the sport at age 30.
The 6’5″ center announced on Wednesday that he was retiring from the sport after seven active seasons. Clapp shared the news via an Instagram post thanking his wife, Lizzie, for being by his side at every stage of his career.
“From the first to the last and all the ones in between thank you for being my rock! Grateful for an amazing career and excited for our next chapter!” Clapp captioned a post showing a gallery of their photos together over the past 15 years.
The news comes six months after Clapp suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot that required him to undergo season-ending surgery. He sustained the injury while playing for the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of the 2025 preseason.
The Saints selected Clapp in the seventh round of the 2018 draft. The LSU product spent his first four NFL seasons in New Orleans, then went on to have brief stints with the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills. Clapp, a career backup, became the Chargers’ starting center in 2023 after starter Corey Linsley was ruled out for the season in Week 4.
Clapp re-signed with the Saints in March 2025, inadvertently allowing him to end his career where it began.
St. John’s had one of the most embarrassing halves ever against UConn
To say that St. John’s had a second half to forget on Wednesday against UConn would be the understatement of the season.
No. 15 St. John’s fell behind 41-26 at halftime of the team’s ranked matchup against No. 6 UConn at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn. Things went from bad to much, much worse after the break.
Red Storm senior Zuby Ejiofor scored a pair of baskets over the first few minutes of the second half. His second field goal came with 17:28 left in the contest. That turned out to be St. John’s last field goal of the game, as the Red Storm missed their final 24 (!!) shots in a 72-40 drubbing at the hands of the Huskies.
St. John's missed 24-straight field goals to end their game vs. UConn, with their last coming at 17:28 in the second half 😬
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) February 26, 2026
That is the longest streak of missed FG by an AP-ranked team in the last eight seasons 😯 pic.twitter.com/jaZ0r8VoTv
The streak of missed shots was the longest by an AP-ranked team in the last eight seasons and the longest by any Division I team since 2022.
St. John’s went scoreless for nearly 10 full minutes after Ejiofor’s final basket, before a free throw ended a 16-0 UConn run.
“That’s probably only happened to me two times in my career,” St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino said after the game.
“It’s all on me. I’m very disappointed in our performance on offense, especially. … But we’ll get ready for Villanova. We’re still playing for a league championship. Doesn’t matter if you lose by one or 40.”
St. John’s entered Wednesday’s game on a 13-game winning streak with an average margin of victory of 13.6 during that span. One of those wins came against UConn, which got its revenge in a big way less than three weeks later.
Alek Manoah roasted for his tone-deaf comments about the Blue Jays
Alek Manoah has a very high opinion of his contributions to the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Los Angeles Angels pitcher Manoah sparked backlash this week with his comments about his former team, the Blue Jays. Manoah told Sam Blum of The Athletic that he believes he played a major part in Toronto’s run to the World Series in 2025.
“I was a very big piece of that process, getting to that World Series run,” said Manoah. “[But] I wasn’t able to be there like I wanted to.”
Manoah was quickly roasted for his seemingly tone-deaf remarks by social media. Take a look at a sampling.
— Robbie Hyde (@gingersnaphyde) February 25, 2026
Did he even pitch a single inning in 2025?
— Red Cornhustle (@cornhustle37871) February 25, 2026
https://t.co/HEt9No2D5N pic.twitter.com/09tm4mciKa
— KutterIsKing (@KutterIsKing) February 25, 2026
What did he even do https://t.co/9XjegzqboC
— Trang (@traaang) February 25, 2026
The 28-year-old Manoah had a superb year for the Blue Jays in 2022, going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA and finishing third in AL Cy Young voting. But that was [checks notes] three full seasons removed from Toronto’s 2025 World Series run, and Manoah did not even make it onto the MLB roster in 2025 after undergoing UCL surgery on his throwing elbow in 2024.
Along the way, Manoah also had horrific and negative WAR seasons in 2023 and 2024, and even at one point pouted and failed to report to Triple-A after being sent down by the Blue Jays. As such, it is probably safe to say that Manoah was not at all “a very big piece” of Toronto’s World Series run as he … was not even a piece at all.
Mike McDaniel’s latest comments prove Jim Harbaugh has already rubbed off on him
Mike McDaniel sounds like he’s completely buying into his new situation with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The former Miami Dolphins head coach appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday alongside Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. McDaniel, who signed on to be the Chargers’ offensive coordinator last month, was asked how the early days with his new team have gone.
“I’m invigorated. I’m juiced up,” McDaniel said. “I’m firmly aware that nobody, nobody has it better than us. And I’m living that way every day.”
Chargers OC Mike McDaniel: “I’m firmly aware that nobody, nobody has it better than us. And I’m living that way everyday.” pic.twitter.com/PwZvzNM0dC
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) February 25, 2026
The broadcast did fans a disservice by not showing Harbaugh’s reaction to McDaniel adopting his mannerisms, at least for a brief moment.
Harbaugh’s quotes about life and football have become the stuff of legend. The man was ecstatic about “coming out of the womb” for Chargers training camp in 2024. He was also bummed out when he wasn’t with his Chargers players that time they got stuck in an elevator.
McDaniel has dropped some pretty memorable quotes of his own over the years, most recently when he explained why he joined the Chargers.
The two coaches have clearly been picking each other’s brains since McDaniel joined the team. The duo was together for this week’s NFL draft combine and has spent a lot of time together over the past few weeks.
It remains to be seen whether the Harbaugh-McDaniel pairing will lead to success for the Chargers. What’s more certain is that they’ll have the most entertaining press conferences in the NFL.
LeBron James is being linked to 1 new team in free agency
It may be the summer of 2010 all over again for LeBron James.
The New York Knicks are a team thought to appeal to the Los Angeles Lakers star James in free agency this summer, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reported on Wednesday. Pincus does add though that the Knicks would have to reduce their payroll in order to sign James and would likely be out of the running if James and the Lakers pull off a sign-and-trade this offseason sending him elsewhere.
New York is one of the NBA’s top contenders this season at 37-22 (third in the Eastern Conference). They also have a long and well-documented history of interest in the four-time NBA champion James, including in 2010 before he signed with the Miami Heat and in 2018 before he signed with the Lakers.
Now 41 years old, James is playing out the final year of his contract in Los Angeles at $52.6 million. His season averages still look fairly LeBron-like overall at 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.
Of course, the Knicks do have a dicey financial situation right now and have the fifth-highest payroll already on their books for the 2026-27 season at $205.5 million. But recently, we did hear of the possibility of James maybe playing out next season on a veteran’s minimum contract and then recouping the lost money through the media streaming rights to his anticipated grand farewell tour.
That said, there have been some suggestions in the past claiming that James would never play for the Knicks. As such, perhaps one of the four other teams that James has already been linked to in free agency would make more sense instead.
Jontay Porter lands a new basketball opportunity after being banned by the NBA
Jontay Porter is banned for life from the NBA, so he is trying his luck in another pro basketball league instead.
The notorious former Toronto Raptors big man Porter is planning to play next month in the United States Basketball League (USBL) for the Seattle Superhawks, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported Wednesday. The resurrected USBL is set to begin its new season on March 7.
“I am just trying to do what I can to provide for my family,” Porter was quoted as saying by The Athletic.
Still only 26 years old, Porter played in the NBA and the NBA G League from 2020-24. But he received a lifetime ban from the NBA in Apr. 2024 amid an illegal gambling scandal in which Porter allegedly provided confidential information about his own health to bettors so that they could cash in on his prop bets for particular games.
Porter also faced federal criminal charges over the scandal and ended up pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is still currently awaiting sentencing, and some stunning texts that Porter supposedly sent to bettors have since emerged.
Meanwhile, the USBL is about to embark on its second iteration after first launching in 1985 and ceasing operations in 2008. Porter is alleged to have committed the one cardinal sin of sports betting while he was playing in the NBA, but now apparently he will be trying his luck with playing in the USBL.
Umpire Laz Diaz gets booed over his stunt during Spring Training
Laz Diaz still is not doing his PR any favors.
The veteran MLB umpire Diaz was working first base for Wednesday’s Spring Training game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. During the fifth inning, Diaz tracked down a foul ball off the bat of Yankees catcher J.C. Escarra that had landed in his area.
Diaz pretended like he was going to throw the ball into the crowd to give a souvenir to a fan … but instead just pocketed the foul ball. As a result, Diaz was booed heavily by the fans whom he had just faked out.
The boos got so loud at one point that Diaz dramatically put his hands over his ears. Here is the video.
Umpire Laz Diaz pumpfaked a throw into the crowd and fans booed him so he covered his ears pic.twitter.com/BLmswSupLC
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) February 26, 2026
Diaz, 62, is one of MLB’s longest-tenured umpires and has been working games since 1995 (including as a full-time umpire in both leagues since 2000). But needless to say, Diaz is not exactly Mr. Popular in the baseball world.
Among his other points of notoriety, Diaz is known for having one of the worst strike zones in the game. In Diaz’s defense though, perhaps he was indeed better off keeping the foul ball considering that a fan once threw one at him during a 2024 game.
Pete Crow-Armstrong makes more inflammatory comments about Dodgers fans
Pete Crow-Armstrong said what he said about his dislike of Los Angeles Dodgers fans.
The Chicago Cubs star outfielder Crow-Armstrong went viral a few days ago over his swipe at the Dodgers’ fanbase during a magazine feature. PCA essentially ripped Dodgers fans for not actually caring about the game (read his full remarks here).
On Wednesday, Crow-Armstrong was interviewed by “Foul Territory.” During the interview, Crow-Armstrong got asked about his comments and proceeded to double down.
“I grew up going to Dodgers games when they weren’t always good,” said Crow-Armstrong. “When they had Mannywood. But it’s like [Dodgers fans] go in phases … Putting the Giants fan in the coma stuck with me as a kid.
“Just little things,” Crow-Armstrong added. “Sitting in the stands, just nasty stuff goes on. I didn’t always experience that at other ballparks.”
Crow-Armstrong is a Sherman Oaks, Calif. native who was born in 2002 and thus grew up in an era when the Dodgers were not consistently winning. Meanwhile, he was apparently referencing San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who was critically injured and placed into a coma when he was viciously beaten by two Dodgers fans (Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood) in the Dodger Stadium parking lot after a 2011 game. Both Sanchez and Norwood were eventually given sizable prison sentences (while Stow was also later awarded $18 million in damages in a separate civil suit against Sanchez, Norwood, and the Dodgers organization).
It is pretty clear that Crow-Armstrong’s animosity towards the Dodgers fanbase is not related to the team’s back-to-back World Series titles but rather based on his personal experiences from over a decade ago. The Cubs will first head to Dodger Stadium to face the Dodgers on Apr. 24, marking an opportunity for the local fans to get Crow-Armstrong back.
Report: Hall of Fame NBC analyst ‘likely out’ next season
NBC plans to trim its roster of on-air talent next season, with a seasoned analyst potentially among those on the chopping block.
Longtime NBC analyst Tony Dungy is “likely out” as a regular on “Football Night in America,” according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. The move is considered a precursor to a few more cuts as the network aims to revamp its “Sunday Night Football” pregame show.
Per the report, Dungy has yet to be “fully informed” of the decision, which is not yet considered final. NBC could also opt to give the Hall of Famer an emeritus role, which would keep him as a part of the program, albeit with a diminished role.
Dungy has been a fixture on NBC’s “Football Night in America” for nearly two decades, joining the program alongside Rodney Harrison in 2009. Dungy has also been tapped to serve as an analyst for “Sunday Night Football,” sharing his thoughts from both the studio and the broadcast booth.
Dungy made headlines earlier this month for his involvement in Bill Belichick getting snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dungy, who was part of the committee that voted on the 2026 class, was confronted by Harrison after the former refused to disclose whether or not he voted for Belichick.
Derek Carr ‘very serious’ about coming out of retirement
The return of Philip Rivers last season may have inspired another former quarterback to want to do the same.
4-time Pro Bowl QB Derek Carr is reportedly “very serious” about making an NFL comeback. According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, there is a “strong belief” among NFL teams that Carr is interested in coming out of retirement for the right team. Per the report, there is “real interest” in Carr’s services.
Sources: In talking to teams in the QB market, there’s a strong belief former #Saints QB Derek Carr is very serious about unretiring and returning to the NFL in 2026.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 25, 2026
Carr’s rights belong to the Saints, but teams with winning aspirations have real interest in the former 4x Pro… pic.twitter.com/bWlho5qMrE
Carr’s rights still belong to the New Orleans Saints, meaning any team that wants to acquire Carr would likely have to give up some draft compensation to do so.
There were rumblings earlier this month about Carr’s desire to play again. He later qualified those reports, indicating that he would only do so under two conditions: that he was 100% healthy and that the team signing him had serious Super Bowl aspirations.
The 34-year-old QB made the stunning decision to retire last offseason after it was revealed that he needed season-ending shoulder surgery. Carr stated that he did not want to “just take the Saints’ money” while sitting out the entire season.
After a year of recovery, Carr may finally be ready to take a Super Bowl contender’s team’s money.
Mike Vrabel’s comment about a blockbuster trade will excite Patriots fans
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is not exactly lowering expectations for the team’s offseason.
Vrabel was specifically asked about a potential trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown on Wednesday. While he largely dodged the question, he made it clear that the Patriots were eager to improve their roster by any means possible.
“Well, I think that we’ll look at everything that we can possibly look at to add to our roster. There’s a lot of things that go into trades. There’s a lot of back and forth,” Vrabel said, via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Vrabel coached Brown when the two were together on the Tennessee Titans. The coach recently said he still has a strong relationship with Brown and that the two still trade texts, though it apparently was not always that way.
Mike Vrabel was asked about his existing relationship with A.J. Brown, who the Patriots coach drafted when he was with the Titans. The #Eagles WR recently spoke about his bond with Vrabel on the Julian Edelman-Rob Gronkowski podcast.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) February 25, 2026
The Patriots, for reasons other than the… pic.twitter.com/tVgIcelwK5
Brown’s name has come up consistently in trade rumors since before the season ended amid speculation about his displeasure with the Eagles’ offense. While he has been cordial toward the team this offseason, he has still dropped some hints about perhaps wanting to be dealt to New England.
Brown, 28, caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns last season despite what was viewed as a down year. He would be a clear No. 1 receiver for the Patriots and would be coached by someone he has been successful with before.
Pat McAfee covered US hockey team’s $150,000 bar tab
Pat McAfee went all-out to give the gold medal-winning United States men’s hockey team a memorable night celebrating their victory.
The team celebrated their victory Monday night at the E11EVEN nightclub in Miami, Fla., with a number of fans in attendance. During the evening, the attendees were treated to a video from McAfee congratulating Team USA on their success and revealing that he would be covering their tab.
Pat McAfee surprised Team USA by paying for their entire tab 🇺🇸🔥
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) February 25, 2026
“Thank you for representing the United States of America in such a great way, it was an honor to watch you win, enjoy the hell out of it, tonight all of your drinks are on me.”
The tab was ~$150,000
Legend!!! 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/HjYMOgFWnH
The athletes and fans took full advantage of the offer. A report from Eileen Reslen and Max Winters of the Daily Mail, the bill wound up surpassing $150,000, with much of it spent on vodka, champagne, and tequila.
The celebration was part of a whirlwind 48 hours for the American players. The next day they met President Trump at the White House, but will now be going their separate ways as they prepare for the resumption of the NHL season.
As for McAfee, as hefty as the bar tab was, we know based on what he makes at ESPN that he can certainly afford it.
Ex-Virginia coach Tony Bennett hired for an NBA job
Former Virginia Cavaliers basketball coach Tony Bennett has a new job, and it’s with an NBA team.
Bennett has been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers to serve as an NBA Draft advisor. The team made the announcement via social media on Tuesday.
The Lakers welcome Tony Bennett as NBA Draft Advisor. pic.twitter.com/OKA0PslGoY
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 25, 2026
“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Lakers executive Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”
Bennett said that what attracted him was the opportunity to work for a storied franchise and help them out.
Bennett, 56, is the son of former Wisconsin and Washington State basketball coach, Dick Bennett. Tony won an NCAA championship as the head coach at Virginia, and is a two-time AP National Coach of the Year. His teams were known for their tough defense, and Bennett regularly had professional-quality players in his program.
Jayson Tatum takes significant step toward returning
The chances of Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum playing this season appear to be on the rise.
ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed on “NBA Today” Wednesday that Tatum has been a “full go” in five-on-five scrimmages as he continues to rehab from his torn Achilles. While Charania did not give any solid return date for Tatum, the implication is that he has a real chance to play soon.
Shams on ESPN right now:
— jb (@lockedupjb) February 25, 2026
“Jayson Tatum has been a full go in 5-on-5 scrimmages with the Celtics.” pic.twitter.com/WXLtZLx0uk
The buzz around Tatum has been positive for a while, even though the Celtics are being quite tight-lipped about his status and progress. This latest report will give Celtics fans even more encouragement that Tatum’s return might be in the cards.
Part of the reason Tatum might have any incentive to return at all is how well the Celtics have done despite his absence. They enter play Wednesday at 38-19, good enough for second in the Eastern Conference. The team was expected to struggle this season without Tatum, but they suddenly look capable of a deep playoff run, even without him.
The NBA’s television schedule has led some to wonder if the Celtics — or even the league — might have a specific return date in mind for the six-time All-Star to make his season debut.
Malik Willis expected to receive $30 million per season in free agency
NFL teams appear ready to pay quarterback Malik Willis like a starter when he hits the free agent market.
Willis is expected to be targeted by multiple teams once his contract expires, with several viewing him as a potential starter. NFL reporter Jordan Schultz said it is seen as a “foregone conclusion” that Willis will receive $30 million a year in free agency.
#Packers free agent QB Malik Willis is in demand, as expected, and interested teams I’ve spoken to at the Combine in Indianapolis believe him getting at least $30M per year is a foregone conclusion. pic.twitter.com/FzB8GaaNPw
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 25, 2026
As high as that number is, it would put Willis in the lower half of quarterbacks in terms of starting salary. He has only made six career starts, so it would be a huge investment in a quarterback who is not a sure thing, especially on a multi-year deal.
Willis has certainly flashed the talent to be a starter. He threw for three touchdowns without an interception in four appearances last season, all in relief of starter Jordan Love.
The big question will be which teams are bold enough to invest in Willis as a possible starter. There are thought to be two teams that could be at the front of the line for him.
Chris Bosh shares details about his frightening health incident
Former Miami Heat star Chris Bosh relayed details about a major health scare he dealt with recently.
In a video posted to social media, Bosh revealed that he was getting ready for dinner when he felt a numbing sensation in his leg. He proceeded to pass out, and when he woke up, he was “covered in my own blood.”
“I’m lucky. I came back. It was just darkness. It wasn’t anything else,” Bosh said. “I have no recollection. I have no memory other than coming back here.”
Bosh was sporting a visible black eye in the video, which he said he did not attempt to cover intentionally to drive home how serious the situation was.
“It was a scary thing, and it came fast,” Bosh said. “It made me really have a different outlook on life, and how things go, what we do for ourselves, what we do for our family, and how we live our lives.”
Some things change you overnight. I wrote about my experience. pic.twitter.com/d8tYNsnvx5
— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) February 25, 2026
Bosh’s NBA career was ended prematurely and against his wishes by a blood clotting condition. The former Miami Heat star did not explicitly reveal what the connection was between this health scare and his history of clotting problems.
Bosh played 13 NBA seasons and won two titles with the Heat alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for his career in 2021.
Bears allow ex-Pro Bowl player to seek a trade
The Chicago Bears are ready to move on from a former Pro Bowl member of their defense.
The Bears have given linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade, according to multiple reports. Edmunds carries a $15 million salary, which is the primary reason the Bears are ready to move on.
The #Bears have granted permission for LB Tremaine Edmunds to seek a trade, according to a league source. He's under contract for the '26 season at $15M. Still young and was Pro Bowl-caliber player thru first 10 games before minor injury. Finished year healthy. Led D in tackles.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) February 25, 2026
Edmunds has been a core part of Chicago’s defense for the last three seasons. Even though injuries limited him to 13 games in 2025, he still collected 112 tackles to lead the team. Prior to his time in Chicago, he played for the Buffalo Bills, where he was selected to two Pro Bowls.
Edmunds immediately becomes one of the best linebackers available this offseason. He is a steady, experienced tackler who has primarily played in the middle, and would serve as an upgrade for a number of teams.
The Bears entered the offseason over the salary cap, necessitating the need to make tough decisions like this one. They also have to consider the possibility of an eventual contract extension for quarterback Caleb Williams. All that means the Bears might have a few more high-profile cap casualties this offseason.
Brian Thomas Jr. could be an offseason trade target
Just one year after being one of the NFL’s standout rookies, Brian Thomas Jr. could find himself traded.
Multiple teams are monitoring Thomas’ situation with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Ben Solak of ESPN. The Jaguars are not actively trying to trade Thomas, but would at least consider a strong offer if they were to receive one.
Despite Thomas’ talent, he has fallen down the depth chart in Jacksonville. The team traded for Jakobi Meyers last year and saw Parker Washington emerge as a real option, and still intends to have Travis Hunter contribute at least somewhat on offense. That leaves Thomas’ future role uncertain.
Thomas struggled with drops and inconsistency last year and seemed to have a hard time developing a strong rapport with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. He caught a modest 48 passes for 707 yards with two touchdowns. That is a far cry from what he did as a rookie, when he racked up 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 scores.
The Jaguars would be taking a risk by moving on from a talent like Thomas, who has already shown he can be a major contributor at the NFL level. A quality offer from a needy team might prove too tempting to pass up, however.
