It’s NFL draft week, and you know where the Takeaways are starting … let’s go!
I think the Aaron Rodgers deal will get done, probably Thursday. As we’ve said before, this thing has been too close to being done, and there’s too much on the line for everyone involved, for it not to happen. And while there is breathing room to take the negotiation all the way into Friday night, my guess is Rodgers will be a Jet before then.
Author: Michael
Picture this potential scenario in the Southeastern Conference this fall: On Sept. 30 in Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn takes down undefeated, No. 1–ranked, two-time reigning national champion Georgia. Tigers fans celebrate their first victory over the rival Bulldogs since 2017 by storming the field.
And in response, the SEC moves Auburn’s next home game against Georgia, in 2025, to Athens. The Tigers would play the Bulldogs between the hedges three straight seasons, 2024 to ’26. That would be the price for storming the field.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to return to his team’s lineup for Monday night’s Game 4 against the Heat in the first round of the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 with a lower back contusion but barring any major setback, Milwaukee will get its unquestioned leader back in a pivotal game.
Antetokounmpo suffered the injury in the first quarter of Game 1 when he fell hard on his back after attacking the basket. The Heat won that game, but the Bucks won Game 2.
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
Recapping all the latest NFL Draft rumors
We are now just a few nights away from the official start to the 2023 NFL Draft. By this point the teams have finalized their draft boards, taken one last pass through potential scenarios, and are — like us — just waiting for the games to begin.
Of course, that will not stop the rumors from flying in the final hours before it all kicks off. Let’s take a look at the buzz from around the NFL media world this Monday of draft week.
It seems that the first round of the NFL draft Thursday may well begin with the Texans’ selection at No. 2.
With each passing day, it looks more like a foregone conclusion that the Panthers will land Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick. He’s currently -2000 to go No. 1 at SI Sportsbook. Meanwhile, what Houston will do with the second pick remains something of a mystery.
Conventional wisdom might indicate the Texans, who have an NFL-worst seven wins over the last two seasons, would opt to address their need at quarterback.
If journeyman outfielder Ryan LaMarre is going to make it back to the big leagues, plays like the one he made on Sunday afternoon will help get him there.
LaMarre is currently playing for the Twins’ Triple A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints. In Sunday afternoon’s game against the Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders (the Yankees’ affiliate), he scored a run on one of the best displays of heads-up baserunning you’ll ever see.
After reaching base on a single and advancing to third on a double steal, LaMarre was 90 feet from home with one out.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
This mock has more twists than an M. Night Shyamalan movie.
We’ve hit the week of the NFL Draft, and everything in draft season has shifted. Up to this point so much of the process has been about independent evaluation and not falling for the smokescreen. Now connections take over, and we see mock drafts align with what teams will actually do on Thursday night.
Make no mistake: There will be some big surprises, but veteran NFL heads at least have a pretty good idea about the tendencies of the first picks in the draft and what teams are thinking right now.
In the latest round of layoffs at ESPN, the company’s second-longest tenured executive was let go Monday morning, according to Sports Business Journal. Vice president of corporate communications Mike Soltys had been with the company for 43 years.
Soltys, who started with ESPN in 1980 as an unpaid intern, will leave the company in late June. The layoffs mark the beginning of Disney CEO Bob Iger’s plan to cut Disney’s workforce by about 7,000 jobs.
Have a ratings problem? Bring back your most popular driver AND go to the wildest, most unpredictable track on your schedule. NASCAR did both in back-to-back weeks and I have a feeling the payoff will be worth it.
Hell, did anyone see that Talladega crowd on Sunday? What is this, 1998? Unlike Bud Light’s sales, I think NASCAR should be in the green when the numbers come out. Just a hunch.
And hey — it doesn’t hurt to have arguably the two biggest villains in the sport battling it out on the final lap.
Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I was totally right about Dillon Brooks coming to regret his trash talk.
In today’s SI:AM:
🐻 The Grizzlies’ embarrassing Game 3
🗽 The Knicks’ home court advantage
🏈 Every team’s biggest needs in the NFL draft
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They’ve done plenty of talking
After cruising to a comfortable victory Saturday, the Lakers have a chance to push the Grizzlies to the brink of elimination tonight in Los Angeles.