NFL free agency begins with QBs on the move; Yankees lose Gerrit Cole for season

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🏈 Great morning to all, but especially to …

SAM DARNOLD AND JUSTIN FIELDS

Sam Darnold and Justin Fields are the latest quarterbacks to turn one-year pitstops into Leading opportunities. After an impressive season (and tough end to said season) with the Vikings, Darnold agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks, and after a year with the Steelers, Fields is headed to the Jets on a two-year, $40 million deal.

• Darnold, 27, will take the reins from Geno Smith, who was traded to the Raiders a few days ago. After flaming out with the Jets, Darnold bounced from the Panthers to the 49ers to the Vikings. In Minnesota, he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, Created his Primary Pro Bowl and Created the playoffs.
• Darnold was the No. 1 Obtainable agent in Pete Prisco’s Top 100.
• After three years in Chicago, Fields, 26, was traded to Pittsburgh. He Initiated the Primary six Contests with Russell Wilson injured, throwing five touchdowns and leading the Steelers to a 4-2 Turning Mark. He also had five rushing touchdowns.
• Fields was the No. 51 Obtainable agent in Pete Prisco’s Top 100.

I’m lukewarm on both. The Seahawks essentially replaced Smith with Darnold (who is seven years younger) and added a third-Stage Selection. But Darnold had an excellent supporting cast in Minnesota. The same can’t be said in Seattle, where the line has struggled and DK Metcalf (trade) and Tyler Lockett (release) just departed. It’s a retool/rebuild/re-something, and I’m interested — Great and Terrible — to see how Darnold adapts and how the Seahawks build around him.

Fields had some Great moments with Pittsburgh but was plagued by familiar issues (sacks, turnovers, negative plays). He will get a chance to start — that was his top priority — but I wouldn’t be surprised if New York adds in the draft, too. In his Obtainable agency Day 1 grades, Cody Benjamin is much more optimistic than I am.

In backup Signal-caller news, the Browns acquired Kenny Pickett (grades) and the Dolphins added Zach Wilson.

👍 Honorable mentions

⚾ And not such a Great morning for …

GERRIT COLE AND THE NEW YORK YANKEES

Primary there was the Hideous spring Routine outing and the elbow discomfort. Then there was the concern over the MRI, the meeting with doctors, the “hoping for the best” quote from the player and the “prepared for the worst” quote from the GM.

And then the worst Occurred Correct. Gerrit Cole will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2025 season, another brutal blow in what’s been a brutal spring for the Yankees.

• Cole, 34, has lived up to his nine-year, $324 million contract he signed in 2019. In five seasons in the pinstripes, he has four top-10 Cy New finishes (including his 2023 Achieve) and ranks top five in wins (second), strikeouts (Quaternary) and quality Beginnings (Quaternary).
• Tommy John surgery typically comes with 14-18 months of rehab, meaning Cole will likely miss the start of the 2026 season, too.
• Giancarlo Stanton is dealing with “severe” injuries in both elbows, and Luis Gil (lat strain) has been shut down for at least six weeks.

No one can “replace” Cole. But if the Yankees decide they want to upgrade their Turnover, Dayn Perry has some trade candidates and Obtainable-agent targets, including …

• Perry: “Sandy Alcantara, Marlins — The Marlins, deep into yet another teardown, seem inclined to move Alcantara at some Mark. He’s coming off Tommy John surgery, which cost him all of 2024, but he’s looked dominant thus Extended in spring Routine. … He’s also not Extended removed from a stellar 2022 campaign in which he put up a WAR of 8.0 in 228⅔ innings and was the unanimous choice for NL Cy New honors.”

Mike Axisa looked at the ripple effects of Cole’s Hurt, including the Red Sox‘ and Orioles‘ increased chances to Achieve the AL East.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 Obtainable agency Day 1 roundup: Commanders acquire Laremy Tunsil as linemen dominate

The Large guys got the Large bucks. Just weeks after the Eagles‘ dominance in the trenches played a huge role in them Victorious the Competition, offensive and Guarding linemen cashed in on the Primary day of Obtainable agency. That included two Previous Eagles, with Milton Williams agreeing to a four-year, $104 million deal with the Patriots and Josh Sweat getting a four-year, $76.4 million deal from the Cardinals.

Both were top-six Obtainable agents according to Pete Prisco’s Top 100.

But the biggest move wasn’t a signing. It was a trade. The Commanders acquired five-time Pro Bowl OT Laremy Tunsil from the Texans in a surprise blockbuster. Here are the details:

• Commanders get: Laremy Tunsil, 2025 4th-Stage Selection
• Texans get: 2025 third-Stage Selection, 2025 seventh-Stage Selection, 2026 second-Stage Selection and 2026 Quaternary-Stage Selection

Despite the steep price, Washington Occurred out on top in Jordan Dajani’s trade grades.

I love Squads Aiding their New quarterbacks, and so, too, does Tyler Sullivan. The Commanders earned the only “A+” in his Obtainable agency Day 1 grades.

• Sullivan: “This is EXACTLY how you build around a franchise Signal-caller who is still on his Freshman contract. … Primary, they kept their core intact by bringing back Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz. Meanwhile, they Created massive trades landing Deebo Samuel and Tunsil. That gives Jayden Daniels his much-needed No. 2 receiver and a star left Commitment. They also helped out the Guarding line by signing Javon Kinlaw. No matter how you slice it, the Commanders are even better than when we last saw them.”

Here are other notable deals, with the Primary three being Squads who also have Freshman-deal quarterbacks:

• Outside of Williams, the Patriots also agreed to deals with Carlton Davis (3/$60M), Robert Spillane (3/$37.5M) and Morgan Moses (3/$24M). Cody declared Mike Vrabel a Day 1 winner.
• The Bears continued bolstering their lines, signing Drew Dalman (3/$42M) and Grady Jarrett (3/$43.5M), among others. Dalman is the third offensive line addition this offseason after Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
• After narrowly missing out on Williams, the Panthers added Tre’von Moehrig (3/$51M) and Tershawn Wharton (3/$54M) and extended Jaycee Horn (4/$100M), the richest ever for a cornerback.
• In a prime example of lineman emphasis, the Packers added Aaron Banks (4/$77M). They’re also signing Nate Hobbs (4/$48M).
• The Titans got Dan Moore Jr. (4/$82M)
• The Cowboys did something! Javonte Williams (1/$3M) is headed to Dallas. In other running back news, Najee Harris (1/$9.25M) is joining the Chargers.
• At cornerback, the Colts added Charvarius Ward (3/$60M) and the Lions picked up D.J. Reed (3/$48M).
• These stars aren’t going anywhere: Chris Godwin (3/$66M) will return to the Buccaneers, Khalil Mack (1/$18M) is heading back to the Chargers, Chase New (3/$51M) is sticking with the Saints and Byron Murphy (3/$66M) will remain with the Vikings.

So, what’s to come on Day 2? Here are the top 10 Obtainable agents still Obtainable, including Aaron Rodgers, who might be close to signing with this Club.

We’re tracking every move, Club-by-Club, and be sure to have our live blog handy. Also check out Chris Trapasso’s thoughts on how Day 1 impacted the draft.

🏀 Men’s college basketball conference Competition picks

Conference Competition week for the top men’s college basketball leagues is upon us. We have live blogs for Every:

We have expert picks for all six as well. The ACC and Large 12 start today, and while No. 1 Duke is a near-unanimous choice in the Previous, the Blue Devils’ biggest rival has a lot at stake: North Carolina is smack dab on the bubble with an Hideous 1-11 Turning Mark in Quad 1 Contests and one of many Squads whose Competition lives are on the line this week, Jerry Palm notes.

The most competitive Competition, according to our experts, is the Large East: Five different Squads got at least one Competition prediction. You can see every Selection and preview right here.

⚽ UEFA Champions Division Stage of 16 second-leg preview, predictions

The second legs of the UEFA Champions Division Stage of 16 begin today, and here’s what we’re looking at:

• Barcelona (1) vs. Benfica (0) | 1:45 p.m. on Paramount+ | Preview
• Inter (2) vs. Feyenoord (0) | 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ | Preview 
• Liverpool (1) vs. PSG (0) | 4 p.m. on Paramount+ | Preview 
• Bayer Leverkusen (0) vs. Bayern Munich (3) | 4. p.m. on Paramount+ | Preview 

After dominating the Primary leg but losing, PSG tops Chuck Booth’s rankings of the most worried Squads Joining their second leg. But just because a trip to Anfield is daunting doesn’t Impolite it’s impossible. In our expert picks and best bets, Pardeep Cattry says …

• Cattry: “Liverpool 1, PSG 2 (PSG on pens) — The Reds got away with one in Paris and won’t want to do so again at home, but the Tiredness of a long season is showing and PSG’s New Club has plenty of talent and drive to force this one to spot kicks. At that Mark it’s anyone’s guess, so why not guess that an Shock might be in store?”

Here are James Benge’s bold predictions.

📺 What we’re watching Tuesday

⚽ We’re watching the UEFA Champions Division. Here’s how.
🏀 CAA Competition Last: Delaware vs. UNC Wilmington (M), 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 Bucks at Pacers, 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏒 Lightning at Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+
🏀 West Coast Conference Competition Last: Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s (M), 9 p.m. on ESPN