04 1 月

Cowboys $34 million 24-year-old predicted to ditch Dallas for Chargers

Lance was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and hasn’t really had an opportunity over the last few years. He got a four-year, $34 million rookie deal and will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The Cowboys acquired Lance as a player to help backup Dak Prescott but even with the star down due to an injury, he hasn’t even gotten an opportunity in Dallas yet. There’s one game left in the season and there’s a chance Lance could get some time, but it has been a weird stint with the team.

There doesn’t seem to be any chance that he is going to be returning in 2025. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin predicted he will end up signing with the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Trey Lance signs with the Chargers as Justin Herbert’s new backup,” Benjamin said.

Los Angeles clearly is set at quarterback with Herbert. Maybe Lance could be a solid backup behind him. It would be nice for Lance to get an opportunity with a team where he can actually show that he can play, but Los Angeles also would be a nice place to be.

04 1 月

Chiefs playoffs tickets 2025: See cheapest prices, best seats still available for Kansas City home games

Third time’s a charm, right? The Chiefs are ready to go in the 2025 NFL playoffs, trying to become the first team to win three straight titles in the Super Bowl era. If anyone can do it, it’s Kansas City.

The Chiefs enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, an advantage in a handful of ways, but most notably giving the team an automatic bye in the first week. Kansas City will sit out the Wild-card, awaiting the results to see who they will play in the Divisional Round.

Plus, this means every game up until the Super Bowl will be at Arrowhead Stadium. What could be better than that?

BUY NOW: Get tickets to Chiefs 2025 playoff games on StubHub

Somehow, this season may be one of the Chiefs’ best. They lost just once through the first 17 weeks of the season in a defeat on the road against the Bills. They’ve survived one overtime and nine more one-score games. It hasn’t always been pretty, but the two-time defending champs know how to get it done.

When it comes to the NFL playoffs, there’s no better place to be than Arrowhead Stadium. Here’s how to do just that with the best deals on tickets for Chiefs postseason games in 2025.

04 1 月

Steelers named potential landing spot for $40 million Pro Bowl cornerback

The Pittsburgh Steelers have hit a rough patch in the 2024 season, as Mike Tomlin’s squad has lost three straight games and lost their first-place lead in the AFC North after suffering a Week 16 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens and a Week 17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers will finish the regular season versus the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Saturday.

The Steelers’ defense has taken a massive step back over the last few weeks, primarily the secondary. Pittsburgh’s pass coverage was exceeding expectations through the first dozen weeks of the year, but they have allowed a ton of explosive plays in the past couple of games.

The ‘Mad Minute’ on Bengals-Steelers in Week 18 ‘GMFB’

General manager Omar Khan should make bolstering the cornerback room a priority this offseason. Joey Porter Jr. is a promising player who has performed well this season, but Donte Jackson isn’t a reliable CB2, and the rest of the position group is lackluster.

Pittsburgh could look to select a cornerback in April’s draft to address the pressing need, but Last Word On Sports’ Jack Aaron lists the Steelers as a potential landing spot for San Francisco 49ers veteran Charvarius Ward.

2024 has been a bumpy ride for the San Francisco 49ers and Charvarius Ward has certainly been a part of it. 2023 saw Ward enjoy his best season yet, as PFF ranked him as the third-best cornerback in the league, only behind Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie. In a 2023 season mired by secondary injuries in San Francisco, Ward stood out as the team’s biggest stopgap for opposing receivers. 2024 saw him face a personal tragedy in the loss of his child.

After a six-game hiatus, Ward didn’t look like the same guy, totally understandable with what he had on his mind. His coverage skills were lacking, which is concerning for a guy who’s 29. However, with just one year removed from an elite season, he’s someone who shouldn’t be slept on. Any team with a cornerback need should go after him, though it won’t be cheap.

As Aaron stated, Ward has gone through some personal tragedies this year and has had a rough 2024 campaign. But when the 28-year-old is playing to the best of his abilities, there aren’t many corners in the NFL better. During the 2023 season, Ward was elite, logging over 1,100 snaps and allowing just a 58.3% completion rate and a 63.7 passer rating when targeted.

Additionally, the former Kansas City Chief snagged five interceptions and led the league in passes defended last season with 23. Ward was selected to his first career Pro Bowl and was also a second-team All-Pro selection.

Though Ward will likely demand a sizeable contract in free agency and had a down year in 2024, the former Middle Tennessee State is still a capable starting corner with veteran and championship experience. The Steelers should look to sign the Super Bowl LIV champion in 2025 free agency and hope he returns to his 2023 form when he was one of the best defensive players in football.

04 1 月

Alex Anzalone has strong message for anyone doubting Lions’ defense

The Detroit Lions’ defense has been one of the most formidable units in the NFL this season, as the group is allowing 20.8 points per game and 97.0 rushing yards per game, both ranking in the top ten. Though Aaron Glenn’s defense has been exceptional for most of the year, they have struggled over the last few weeks, and the injuries the unit has endured in 2024 may be catching up to them.

Detroit’s defense has allowed over 31 points in three of the past four games, as the group is showing signs of weakness. The Lions have had multiple key defensive starters miss time due to injury this season, and the defense’s injuries and recent struggles have many doubting if the unit can be good enough to propel the team to a Super Bowl title.

Biggest takeaways from Lions Week 17 ‘MNF’ win vs. 49ers ‘GMFB’

Linebacker and team captain Alex Anzalone spoke to the media about the defense’s recent blunders and had a strong message for those who doubt them.

Anzalone called it “b*” for those who feel that Detroit’s defense isn’t good enough to win the Super Bowl, per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. The 30-year-old has all the confidence in the world in his group, and it sounds like Anzalone could also be on the brink of a return from injury.

Lions LB Alex Anzalone has a steel plate in his left forearm. Says he’s still unsure if he’ll play this week against Minnesota. He’s certainly not close to 100% but called it “bullsh*t” for those who feel that Detroit’s defense isn’t good enough to win the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/19xX8o4b93

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) January 2, 2025
Alex Anzalone injury update
Anzalone broke his forearm during the Lions’ Week 11 contest versus the Jacksonville Jaguars and was placed on Injured Reserve days after the game. But the former Florida standout was activated off IR on Wednesday and was a full participant in practice on Thursday.

Here is the full #Lions practice report.

Alex Anzalone (forearm) was a full participant today. pic.twitter.com/816Vd2QIQF

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) January 2, 2025
Though the 2017 third-round pick is nearing a highly anticipated return, Anzalone admitted on Thursday that he might not be ready to play on Sunday when the Lions square off against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18.

“Obviously, the doctors and the trainers they go through what the risks are: waiting a week, waiting two weeks, going through practice, maybe letting it spin next week or the week after that or this week,” Anzalone said Thursday. “So I think that for me personally, I think it’s like, ‘Okay, say if something did happen, would I be okay not playing in the Super Bowl?’ So I think that’s kind of the decision I have to make in my own head, and is it worth it? How do I feel going over these next few practices? And go from there, because I haven’t practiced in six weeks. So, I’m just using my arm and seeing how it goes.”

It’s safe to say that Anzalone is itching to return, but the veteran won’t rush things and wants to make sure that he is 100% ready before stepping back onto the field. As for the people who are doubting the Lions’ defense, Anzalone couldn’t be more motivated to prove them wrong.

04 1 月

AFC executive reveals why Vikings could cut bait with Sam Darnold, despite success story

Even with highly-touted rookie J.J. McCarthy in the mix as soon as the 2025 season, the prevailing theme surrounding Darnold and the Vikings is that the two sides will explore a resolution to his expiring contract, either by extension or the franchise tag.

MORE: Mike Greenberg has bold take for team that loses Lions-Vikings matchup in Week 18

NFL insider Jeremy Fowler dropped some interesting notes in his weekly NFL buzz column for ESPN. For starters, he wrote that not one NFL team he’s talked to thinks “Darnold gets top-10 quarterback money” in 2025 and beyond. That’s good news for Vikings fans looking for the team to sign Darnold to a multi-year extension.

Fowler also noted that some NFL executives still believe Darnold could leave Minnesota in free agency:

A separate AFC executive believes Minnesota lets him walk because “they have McCarthy but they also have Daniel Jones, who can be the next resurrection project for them — and both would be much cheaper.” (Jones is on the practice squad.) Deepening the intrigue: At least five teams picking in the top 10 of the draft need a QB, and the supply doesn’t meet the demand. That increases the chances of a team making Darnold an attractive offer.

It’s unclear how Daniel Jones fits in the Vikings’ future plans, but the team signed the former New York Giants starter for a reason. DJ could certainly be viewed as Darnold insurance, should contract negotiations go sideways this offseason.

To Darnold’s credit, the Vikings are 5-0 since Jones signed with the practice squad in late November. The offense is averaging 30 points per game over that stretch. Darnold’s let his play do the talking, and because of that, DJ’s arrival in Minnesota continues to be a non-story.

It all comes down to money: Are the Vikings comfortable with using the franchise tag on Darnold at close to $41 million? Do they have a limit to how high they would go for another shorter-term “bridge deal” to McCarthy? Are they really willing to let a Pro Bowl-level quarterback walk, just to hand the reins to either a first-year starter or another “resurrection project?”

The Vikings have had exactly two teams reach 14 wins in franchise history, this 2024 team, and the 1998 squad that lost to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game. In other words, 14-win seasons don’t exactly grow on trees, and it would take a bizarre twist at this point for the Vikings to cut bait with Darnold after the season he and this team has had.

04 1 月

Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy eyeing surprise team if he ditches Dallas

One person’s future who is up in the air right now is head coach Mike McCarthy. There have been rumblings about the Cowboys possibly choosing to go in a different direction after the season. But, could McCarthy actually decide to go somewhere else instead?

He’s not under contract beyond this season and will have a chance to leave if he wants. One team that he reportedly could have an interest in is the Chicago Bears, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

“I’ve talked to multiple people who believe McCarthy — should he leave Dallas — could set his sights on Chicago,” Fowler said.

There have been talks about Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as a target for the Bears but he surely won’t be the only one. McCarthy is a Super Bowl-winning head coach who is loved in the locker room. Maybe he could decide to cut ties with the Cowboys after the season.