Sports
Tennessee Titans Weigh Options as No. 1 NFL Draft Pick Becomes Trade Bait
For the first time in three years, the Chicago Bears are not on the clock with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and general manager Ryan Poles is privately thanking his lucky stars not to be in his former co-worker’s shoes.
Mike Borgonzi took over as GM of the Titans after 10 years with the Chiefs, where Poles was trained in scouting, and walked into a turnaround project in Tennessee that includes the grand prize in the 2025 draft.
Open to debate is whether the No. 1 pick has much value in a draft with a limited number of blue-chip prospects.
The power position of controlling the draft is for sale in Nashville.
Tennessee would love to move down—a sentiment Borgonzi repeated multiple times. One team we talked to in Indianapolis last week suggested the player the Titans want is Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. If a team wants to move up for a quarterback—hello, Browns and Giants—Borgonzi is all ears.
The rub here is Cleveland’s GM, Andrew Berry, and the Giants’ front office, led by Joe Schoen, are fully aware the Titans are not in love with the QB class. Tennessee could show its hand this week by luring a veteran in free agency. If the Titans don’t chase QBs, Borgonzi is bluffing, and you can pencil in Cam Ward of Miami as the No. 1 pick.
Opportunity cost, value and need intersect with the QB pick for each of the teams in the top three this year.
Consider 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams’ four-year rookie deal was worth a total of $39 million before the fifth-year option. To sign the top quarterback in free agency last spring, the Atlanta Falcons forked over a $50 million signing bonus on a four-year deal with an annual average value more than 4.5 times the Williams contract.
There is not a soul buying the Titans’ pledge to let Will Levis compete for the starting job. He was handed the opportunity in 2024 and fumbled his way to the bench behind Mason Rudolph, tossing in a pick-six here and there for good measure.
The multiplier in the entire scenario is job security. If you were ranking the GM-coach combos of the Titans, Browns and Giants by win-now pressure, New York is the frontrunner by a considerable distance. Borgonzi and second-year coach Brian Callahan have at least another year before they should sweat. The Browns signed Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski to new contracts before the 2024 season. Brian Daboll and Schoen are candidates to be shown the door if the Giants fail to compete again in 2025.
Their draft direction also depends on a pass-fail grade in free agency. Can they fix the QB position short-term and long-term? Do they have enough on the offensive line and at the skill positions to make it work with a veteran such as Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers?
After going hard after Matthew Stafford in February—the Giants had permission to negotiate with the Rams’ starter, who opted to stay in Los Angeles—New York’s cards are on the table.
If they whiff again when free agency starts, Schoen is the one GM in this draft who’ll pay prime-rib prices for a smash burger.
Tennessee’s motive, for now, is gathering “as many picks in the top 100 as possible,” as Borgonzi said.
If he can unload the top pick for top-shelf prices and still nab Hunter—widely believed to be his top target—the Titans are immediately on track for a turnaround. But that still leaves Nashville with a big band and no lead singer.
Which brings us back to value.
The QB options in the draft are not of the stock of Williams or other top picks in recent memory. Callahan could have his eye on a second-tier option to compete with Levis, which makes acquiring extra picks from the Giants or another suitor even more important.
A trade back into the first round to throw a few (Jaxson) Darts? Gamble on a perceived game manager with Dillon Gabriel or Quinn Ewers? Take a swing at the modern-day Brandon Weeden with Louisville’s closer-to-30-than-20 Brandon Shough?
Need could change before the draft kicks off in Green Bay. The supply will stay the same.
In Nashville, the decision all comes down to opportunity cost. In New York, there might be no choice but to overpay to gain control of the draft.
Sports
Seeking elusive win, Austin FC tasked with slowing Quakes
Apr 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Jose Earthquakes forward Ousseni Bouda (7) runs with the ball against Los Angeles Football Club defender Eddie Segura (4) during the first period at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images The San Jose Earthquakes are enjoying the best eight-match start in franchise history and coach Bruce Arena doesn’t want to hear any chatter about a letdown.
The destructive Earthquakes (7-1-0, 21 points) have outscored opponents 17-3 and look to inflict more damage when they host Austin FC on Wednesday night.
Austin FC (1-3-4, 7 points) is winless in their past six MLS matches (0-3-3).
“There are no trap games in this league,” Arena told reporters. “Any team can beat you on a given day in this league. We understand that. It’s going to be a difficult game on Wednesday. We played Austin last year and I think we split with them. … It’s going to be a difficult game.”
The teams split two regular-season matches last season while Austin also won a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal matchup. San Jose is 3-2-6 in 11 all-time MLS matches against Austin.
The Earthquakes are fresh off Sunday’s 4-1 pummeling of host Los Angeles FC. Ousseni Bouda posted a brace and has a team-best four goals.
Bouda is in his fifth season with San Jose. He sees a definitive change in this season’s squad after the Quakes missed the playoffs last season.
“I think it’s the culture we set for ourselves this year,” Bouda said. “I think everybody is all bought in. We’re taking it one game at a time. It’s only about eight games in right now, so there’s a lot of games left and we want to stay consistent and continue to get better throughout the season as well.”
Austin certainly would like to collect a much-needed victory. The club led late on Saturday before host Toronto FC tallied in the 88th minute to gain a 3-3 tie.
Austin coach Nico Estevez said one key is making sure his players aren’t intimidated by San Jose.
“You can’t be afraid,” Estevez said. “You have to go and be aggressive and you have to attack them. You have to find their weaknesses that every team has and minimize their strengths.”
Austin is winless in four road matches (0-2-2) but one of those was a 2-2 tie against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi on April 4.
That showing has Austin players feeling they can give the Earthquakes a battle.
“We’ve had good performances and shown we can play against top teams in the league,” forward CJ Fodrey said. “It’s about being confident throughout 90 (minutes) and turning those good performances into results.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Landen Roupp, Giants claim first matchup of season with Dodgers
Apr 21, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images Landen Roupp outpitched Yoshinobu Yamamoto, San Francisco got RBI singles from Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee in a three-run first inning, and the Giants held off the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night.
Roupp (4-1) allowed just one run on one hit in five innings, then watched five relievers combine for four innings of shutout ball, helping the Giants open a six-game homestand with a win after a 4-5 trip.
Roupp struck out seven and walked five in his first career win over the Dodgers.
Seeking his first-ever victory over the Giants, Yamamoto (2-2) went seven innings, allowing six hits and three runs, all of which scored in the first. He walked two and fanned seven.
Willy Adames got the cold night rolling for San Francisco with an infield single, after which Luis Arraez singled and Matt Chapman walked to load the bases.
Each of the next three batters delivered single runs, with Devers’ single chasing home Adames, Casey Schmitt’s sacrifice fly scoring Arraez, and Lee’s single plating Chapman.
Roupp allowed a two-out single by Hyeseong Kim in the second but no other hits until a wild spate in the fourth. He walked four of the first five batters he faced that inning, including Kim with the bases loaded to force home Teoscar Hernandez.
The right-hander got out of the one-out jam by inducing a double play grounder off the bat of Alex Call.
The Dodgers got the potential tying run on the bases with two outs in the seventh before Erik Miller struck out Kyle Tucker to retain the 3-1 lead.
Ryan Walker worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save.
Ryan Borucki, Matt Gage and Keaton Winn also contributed to the three-hitter in the first meeting of the season between the longtime California rivals.
Lee was the only player in the game with multiple hits, a pair of singles. The Giants out-hit the visitors 6-3, with the Dodgers’ Hernandez stroking the game’s only extra-base hit, a double.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Logan Cooley lifts Mammoth past Knights for Utah's 1st playoff win
Apr 21, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi (50) attempts to deflect a shot attempt by Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) during the first period of game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Logan Cooley scored the go-ahead goal on a rebound with six minutes remaining to give the Utah Mammoth the first playoff win in franchise history, 3-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Cooley buried a rebound of a Dylan Guenther shot just inside the left post, even the best-of-seven series at one victory apiece. The scene now shifts to Salt Lake City for the next two contests, with Game 3 on Friday.
Guenther had a goal and an assist, Kailer Yamamoto had two assists and MacKenzie Weegar also scored for Utah. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves, including a close-in shot by Mark Stone from the left side of the net with five seconds left to seal the win.
Stone and Ivan Barbashev each a scored goal and Jack Eichel had two assists for Vegas, which lost for the first time in regulation in 10 games (8-1-1) under coach John Tortorella. Carter Hart finished with 26 saves.
The teams exchanged own goals during the first period, which ended with the score 1-1.
Vegas, which rallied for a 4-2 victory in Game 1, took a 1-0 lead at the 11:40 mark on a power-play goal. Stone’s cross-crease pass for Tomas Hertl near the right post caromed straight into the net off the skate of Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. It was Stone’s 43rd career playoff goal and his sixth in the past six games dating back to the regular season.
Utah tied it near the end of the period when Weegar’s shot from the right point deflected off the stick of Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin and then off the pads of Hart into the low slot toward Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who kicked the rebound into the net.
The Mammoth took a 2-1 lead in the second period on a one-timer from the top of the left circle by Guenther off a pass from Yamamoto.
The Golden Knights tied it 62 seconds later. Barbashev intercepted a clearing pass by Sergachev in the neutral zone and then skated in and split a pair of Utah defensemen before roofing a backhand shot into the top far corner for his second goal of the playoffs.
–Field Level Media
Seeking elusive win, Austin FC tasked with slowing Quakes
Landen Roupp, Giants claim first matchup of season with Dodgers
