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
Late 6-run rally carries Guardians past Astros
Apr 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits an RBI double against the Cleveland Guardians during the fifth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Rookie Chase DeLauter delivered a go-ahead three-run triple and Kyle Manzardo added a two-RBI single in a six-run eighth inning, rallying the Cleveland Guardians to a 8-5 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
DeLauter’s sinking liner toward the foul line in left dropped just in front of Brice Matthews, who was attempting to make a sliding grab. Angel Martinez, Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan came around to put Cleveland ahead 6-4.
Manzardo, also facing reliever Bryan King, drove in Jose Ramirez and DeLauter two batters later. Rocchio began the comeback from a 4-2 deficit with an RBI single that chased Enyel De Los Santos (0-1).
Rule 5 Draft selection Peyton Pallette (1-1) tossed a scoreless eighth for his first career win. Closer Cade Smith gave up an RBI single in the ninth to major league homer and RBI leader Yordan Alvarez in a non-save situation.
Alvarez drove in three runs and had two hits for the Astros, who have split the first two games of the series. Carlos Correa and Matthews had two hits and an RBI apiece.
De Los Santos was charged with three runs in one-third of an inning, the final two scoring as inherited runners against King. The Astros, who have just three wins in the past 16 games, remain last in the American League West.
Houston trailed 2-0 before scoring three times in the fifth off Parker Messick, who entered the evening with the third-best ERA in the majors at 1.05. Matthews singled in Isaac Paredes before Alvarez drove in Yainer Diaz and Dustin Harris.
Correa extended the Astros’ lead to 4-2 in the seventh with a single against Tim Herrin, plating Cam Smith.
Messick, who came within three outs of a no-hitter in his last start April 16 against the Baltimore Orioles, gave up three runs on six hits over five innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked one.
The Guardians went up 2-0 in the second when Martinez hit a solo homer off Ryan Weiss, who made his second start as a major-leaguer. George Valera singled home Ramirez in the first to open the scoring.
Weiss went 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. The right-hander, who spent the last two years in the Korean Baseball Organization, walked four and struck out four.
Daniel Johnson was hit on the right wrist with the first pitch he saw in his Houston debut, thrown by Herrin in the seventh inning. He was signed as a free agent to a minor league contract two days earlier, then recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land before the game.
Johnson entered to replace left fielder Harris, who had been hit on the left hand with a fifth-inning pitch from Messick.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wild's Marcus Foligno: Stars 'can't hang with us 5-on-5' entering G3
Apr 9, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Nick Foligno (71) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game between the Stars and the Wild at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images As far as Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno is concerned, the key to regaining control of his team’s first-round playoff series is staying out of the penalty box.
That’s it. Simply keep the same number of players on the ice as the Dallas Stars.
“They’re looking to play 5-on-4,” Marcus Foligno said. “That’s their game. They can’t hang with us 5-on-5. So we’ve just got to be smarter, and myself included.
“But it’s a heated game out there.”
The heat figures to intensify when the Wild face off against the Stars on Wednesday night in Game 3 of their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals series in Saint Paul, Minn. The series is tied at 1-1 after the Wild took Game 1 and the Stars responded to win Game 2.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan heard about Marcus Foligno’s 5-on-5 comment, but he shrugged it off as Game 3 approached.
“He’s probably emotional or whatever,” Gulutzan said. “I don’t know if we need (bulletin-board material). We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing and grind this thing to where we need it to go.
“Obviously, I don’t agree with it.”
The pace of play increased dramatically in Game 2 as both teams traded high-quality scoring chances. One key difference was that the Wild committed eight penalties totaling 16 minutes, which paved the way for the Stars to capitalize on the power play.
Wild coach John Hynes said he felt better after rewatching film of Game 2. He never likes seeing his team lose, but he said the team’s mistakes were correctable and not a sign of a larger, more foundational problem.
“Going back through it, I thought we did a lot of good things,” Hynes said. “… The thing I love about our group is we’re extremely competitive. Even if you (compare) the two games, I think from a competitive aspect of the game, we were there, we didn’t take a step back in that area.
“I think now it’s just understanding that we have to play with emotion and not (be) emotional. There’s a difference in that. To me, that’s controllable.”
One thing the Wild cannot control is the health of injured forwards Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin. Zuccarello was a late scratch before Game 2 because of an upper-body injury, and Trenin left in the first period Monday after absorbing a crushing check from Stars forward Colin Blackwell.
Hynes said he was not sure whether either forward could play in Game 3. If not, he said, there is a chance that the team could dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen instead of the usual combination of 12 forwards and six defensemen.
“That is something that is on the table,” he said. “But also, you look at 12 and six, and you look at the intensity level of playoff games and things like that, I think you want to take that into consideration as well.”
The Stars’ Jake Oettinger and the Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt likely will start in net for the third straight game of the series. Oettinger is 1-1 with a 3.54 goals-against average and an .879 save percentage in the series, and Wallstedt is 1-1 with a 2.02 GAA and a .932 save percentage.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees shut out rival Red Sox to open trip
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the second inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo home run and collected three RBIs as the New York Yankees opened a three-game series with a 4-0 road victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.
Stanton’s home run came against Boston starter Connelly Early. It was his third home run of the season. He added a two-run double in the sixth.
Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Randal Grichuk each had two hits for the Yankees, who had 10 hits in the win. New York has won five of its last six games.
Luis Gil (1-1) pitched into the seventh to earn the win. He exited the mound with one out in the seventh after issuing back-to-back walks to Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela. Brent Headrick came on in relief and stranded both runners.
Gil gave up two hits, struck out two and threw 83 pitches.
The Red Sox have scored three runs or fewer in 12 of their 23 games. Boston has allowed at least four runs in 13 of those 23 contests.
Boston was limited to four hits, a double by Marcelo Mayer and singles by Willson Contreras, Carlos Narvaez and Rafaela.
Early (1-1) was pulled with one out in the sixth. He gave up three runs on five hits and struck out four. He was lifted after he walked three in the sixth.
Stanton’s leadoff home run in the top of the second opened the scoring, and the Yankees added two runs in the sixth. Following walks to Amed Rosario and Aaron Judge, Stanton drove in both runners with a two-run double to center.
It was 4-0 after Cody Bellinger singled in the eighth and scored on Grichuk’s one-out double.
Tuesday’s game was the start of a nine-game, three-city road trip for the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
