Panthers to pick No. 1 after deal with Bears
The Carolina Panthers are on the clock.
The Panthers have traded up to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the draft from the Chicago Bears in exchange for Carolina's No. 9 and No. 61 overall picks in 2023, a first-round pick in 2024, a second-round pick in 2025 and star wide receiver D.J. Moore, two people familiar with the deal said Friday.
The deal is expected to be announced Wednesday, when the NFL's free-agent signing period begins.
The move allows the Panthers to acquire a potential franchise quarterback — the sort of player the team has coveted for years — although it remains unclear which QB Carolina prefers. The Bears are committed to Justin Fields at quarterback and that gave them leverage to trade down.
Carolina has its choice of Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's CJ Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis or Florida's Anthony Richardson — the consensus top four quarterbacks in the draft. The Panthers are considering up to three quarterbacks, one of the sources said.
The Panthers may not have gotten the QB they wanted if they had stayed at No. 9.
“You go get the guy that you want, you know,” Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said last week at the scouting combine about potentially trading up for a quarterback. “If you have a conviction on a guy, you go get him.”
Moore gives the Bears a solid receiver to pair with Fields, who lacked reliable downfield options but leaned on his legs and playmaking ability during an electrifying second season. Fields ran for 1,143 yards and the Bears led the league in rushing, but finished at the bottom in passing.
Moore was considered a must-have by the Bears, one of the sources said, and without him, the deal would not have been completed.
Moore has caught 364 passes for 5,201 yards with 21 TDs in five seasons.
• Adam Thielen, who grew up in Minnesota, was released for salary-cap relief, nearly 10 years after he latched on with the Vikings as an undrafted underdog.
Thielen was carrying the second-largest cap hit on the club behind quarterback Kirk Cousins. The move will stick the Vikings with more than $13.5 million in dead money for 2023, but they created $6.4 million in additional space by cutting him.
Thielen has 55 TDs and 534 catches — both third most in franchise history.
• Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy confirmed that the team granted the Jets permission to talk with Aaron Rodgers and would honor a trade request if the four-time MVP quarterback makes one.
Rodgers, 39, has said since the end of the season that he's still deciding whether to return to the Packers, request a trade or retire. Rodgers also has noted the possibility the Packers might want to move on and hand the starting quarterback job to 2020 first-round draft pick Jordan Love.
• Devin McCourty has only known one home during his NFL career since being selected by the Patriots as a first-round draft pick out of Rutgers in 2010.
Three Super Bowl rings and 13 seasons later, he's walking away from the sport as one of the Patriots' most decorated and respected players on and off the field.
The 35-year-old veteran safety announced his retirement in an Instagram video, calling his career “a great ride.”
He was selected as a second-team All-Pro three times (2010, 2013, 2016) and garnered two Pro Bowl selections, finishing with 35 career interceptions, 938 tackles, three sacks, 110 pass breakups, 11 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.
• The Eagles signed veteran defensive end Brandon Graham to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million.
Graham, who was eligible to become a free agent next week, enters next season on the brink of setting Philadelphia's career record for games played. Graham has played in 178 games with the Eagles and is behind only kicker David Akers (188 games), safety Brian Dawkins (183) and wide receiver Harold Carmichael (180) for the record.
• The Titans continued the renovation of their offensive line, releasing 11-year veteran center Ben Jones a year after signing him to a two-year extension. He after he failed a physical.
In other news, the Titans signed five-time Pro Bowl long snapper Morgan Cox to a one-year extension.
• The Dolphins are picking up the fifth-year option on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's contract, according to a source.
Tagovailoa, drafted fifth overall in 2020, will enter the fourth year of his rookie deal this upcoming season and will be guaranteed $23.2 million.
Tagovailoa set careerhighs in passing touchdowns, passing yards and passer rating in a breakout 2022 season that included a couple of concussions. He led the Dolphins to an 9-8 record, a second-place finish in the AFC East and their first playoff berth since 2016.
Fury, Usyk agree to a heavyweight deal
Oleksandr Usyk took to social media to accept Tyson Fury's terms for a fight to become undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Time appeared to be running out to arrange a deal between the titleholders for a proposed April 29 fight in London, with Usyk's promoter, Alex Krassyuk, saying their latest offer — a 6040 split to the winner — was rejected by Fury and his camp.
That prompted Fury, the WBC champion, to publish a video on Instagram, saying he would fight only if there was a 70-30 split of earnings from the bout in his favor.
Usyk, a Ukrainian former cruiserweight champion who owns the WBA, IBF and WBO belts at heavyweight, responded with his own video on Twitter. He accepted that split and included a caveat about Fury making a donation of 1 million pounds ($1.2 million) to those affected by the war in Ukraine.
No 2 Tsitsipas upset at Indian Wells
Stefanos Tsitsipas was beaten 7-6 (0), 4-6, 7-6 (5) by Jordan Thompson in second-round play at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
The second-seeded Tsitsipas had his shoulder taped and the injury appeared to affect his backhand. Jordan took advantage and attacked the Greek's backhand while charging in on short balls to earn his second career win over a top10 player.
No. 3 Casper Ruud cruised past Diego Schwartzman 6-2, 6-3, and other winners included Cameron Norrie, Jason Kubler, Emil Ruusuvuori, Ilya Ivashka and qualifier Cristian Garin.
Women's play was highlighted by No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka'2 6-2. 6-0 win over Evgeniya Rodina.
No. 9 Belinda Bencic was upset by Jil Teichmann, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Other winners included Lesia Tsurenko, Veronika Kudermetova, Barbora Krejcikova, Jelena Ostapenko and Rebecca Peterson.
Lineker aims criticism at British government
Gary Lineker was temporarily removed from his role as presenter of the BBC's flagship soccer highlights show in the wake of his criticism of the British government's new asylum policy.
The “Match of the Day” program, which has been a national institution in Britain since the 1960s, will be aired today “without studio presentation or punditry,” the BBC said in an extraordinary development after a slew of Lineker's colleagues said they wouldn't appear on the show without him.
In a Twitter post Tuesday, Lineker — one of England's greatest soccer players and now among the U.K.'s most influential media figures — compared lawmakers' language about migrants to that used in Nazi Germany.
The BBC considers Lineker posting such views on social media as a breach of its guidelines.
MEN
TOURNAMENTS Atlantic 10
Today's semifinals
VCU vs. Saint Louis, 10 a.m. Dayton vs. Fordham, 12:30 p.m.
ACC
Friday's semifinals
Duke 85, Miami 78 Virginia 76, Clemson 56
Big 12
Friday's semifinals
Kansas 71, Iowa St. 58 Texas 66, TCU 60
Big East
Friday's semifinals
Marquette 70, UConn 68 Xavier 82, Creighton 60
Big Ten
Friday's quaterfinals
Purdue 70, Rutgers 65
Ohio St. 68, Michigan St. 58
Penn St. 67, Northwestern 65, OT Indiana 70, Maryland 60
Conference USA
Friday's semifinals
FAU 68, Middle Tennessee 65 UAB 76, North Texas 69
Mountain West
Friday's semifinals
San Diego St. 64, San Jose State 49 Boise St. vs. Utah St, late
Pac-12
Friday's semifinals
UCLA 75, Oregon 56
Arizona vs. Arizona St., late
Today's final
UCLA vs. Arizona-Arizona St.-winner, 7:30 p.m
SEC
Friday's quarterfinals
Alabama 72, Mississippi St. 49 Missouri 79, Tennessee 71 Texas A&M 67, Arkansas 61 Vanderbilt 80, Kentucky 73
WOMEN
TOURNAMENTS
Big West
Friday's semifinals
UC Santa Barbara 75, CS Bakersfield 66 Hawaii 67, Long Beach St. 62
Big 12
Friday's quarterfinals
Oklahoma St. 62, West Virginia 61 Texas 60, Kansas St. 42
Oklahoma 77, TCU 76
Today's first post:
RACE 1
1289 —
Horse, Jockey
Mitad Del Mundo, Dettori Derecho Dandy, Rispoli
Big Flint, Alsagoor El Potente, Bravo Circleofchampions,Gnzlez Goldeneye, Maldonado American Refugee, Hrndez Papa Tiger, Prat
Fireman Dan, Desormeaux
EL POTENTE
Longshot:
RACE 2
1290 —
Horse, Jockey
Daddysruby, Prat
Fun Money, Gutierrez
Hot Thoughts, Cedillo Cholly, Dettori
Night Party, J. Hernandez Lov U Mean It, Frey
NIGHT PARTY
Longshot:
RACE 3
1291 —
Horse, Jockey
Goldenspa, J. Hernandez Crowning Gold, H. Berrios Crypto Ride, Rispoli Mendez Mile, F. Rojas Chick's Dig It, Bravo Spiritist, R. Gonzalez Hialeah Hottie, Maldonado
CHICK'S DIG IT
Longshot:
RACE 4
1292 —
Horse, Jockey
Not Now, J. Hernandez 122 Irish Rose, A. Aguilar 115 Heart of the Night, Velazquez 122 Venganza, Prat 122 Annie's Joy, Kimura 122 Jennifer's d'Light, Dettori 122 Tiff With Jimmy, Frey 122 Lunar Impact, R. Vazquez 122 Saburo's Girl, D. Herrera 122
ANNIE'S JOY
Longshot:
RACE 5
1293 —
Horse, Jockey
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
Friday's results
Japan 13, South Korea 4 Taiwan 11, Italy 7 Australia 12, China 2 Panama at Italy, late
Today's games
Czech Republic at Japan, 2 a.m. Netherlands at Taiwan, 3 a.m.
Nicaragua at Puerto Rico, 9 a.m. Colombia at Mexico, 11:30 a.m. Dominican Republic at Venezuela, 4 p.m. Britain at United States, 6 p.m.
Czech Republic at South Korea, 7 p.m. Taiwan at Cuba, 8 p.m.
SPRING TRAINING
Friday's results
Dodgers 6, Angels 5
Kansas City 1, San Diego 0
Atlanta 3, Tampa Bay 2
Toronto 2, Boston 0
N.Y. Yankees 4, Detroit 3
Philadelphia 10, Pittsburgh 4
N.Y. Mets (ss) 7, Houston 2
Chicago White Sox 4, Chicago Cubs 3 Oakland 12, Texas 11
Seattle 11, Cincinnati (ss) 3 Milwaukee 12, Cleveland 3
Colorado 8, San Francisco 1
Miami 7, Washington 2
Minnesota 5, Baltimore 5
St. Louis 7, N.Y. Mets (ss) 5
Cincinnati 6, Arizona 5
Today's games
Boston vs. Minnesota at Fort Myers, Florida, 10:05 a.m.
Detroit vs. Atlanta at North Port, Florida, 10:05 a.m.
Philadelphia vs. N.Y. Yankees (ss) at Tampa, Florida, 10:05 a.m.
St. Louis vs. Houston at Palm Beach, Florida, 10:05 a.m.
N.Y. Yankees (ss) vs. Pittsburgh at Bradenton, Florida, 10:05 a.m.
Baltimore vs. Toronto at Dunedin, Florida, 10:07 a.m.
Chicago Cubs vs. L.A. Dodgers (ss) at Phoenix, Arizona, 12:05 p.m.
Cincinnati vs. Texas at Surprise, Arizona, 12:05 p.m.
Dodgers (ss) vs. San Francisco at Scottsdale, Arizona, 12:05 p.m.
Oakland vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Arizona, 12:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay vs. Miami at Sarasota, Florida, 12:10 p.m.
Arizona vs. L.A. Angels at Tempe, Arizona, 12:10 p.m.
Kansas City vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, Arizona, 12:10 p.m.
Seattle vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Arizona, 12:10 p.m.
Chicago White Sox vs. San Diego at Peoria, Arizona, 12:10 p.m.
N.Y. Mets vs. Washington at Palm Beach, Florida, 4:05 p.m.
1 Mile (Turf). Starter Optional Claiming. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $50,000. Purse $40,000.
Wt PP Comment
124 124 117 124 124 124 124 124 124
Bids for a repeat `Mathis won again Scored for rider Crushed `em in sprint Lone tally in 2021 Switches to grass Distant 3rd at 1-2 Sheds the blinkers Claimed for $16,000
6 Furlongs. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $50,000. State bred. Purse $72,000.
Wt PP Comment
120 120 120 120 120 120 8 3 7 9 1 2 5 6 4 1 2 4 6 5 3
Joins Miller barn Back to the dirt Blasted maidens 1:012/5 move on tab Returns from NoCal On comeback trail
6 Furlongs. Starter Optional Claiming. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $50,000. Purse $40,000.
Wt PP Comment
122 1 Outside to inside 122 2 New jock aboard 122 5 No more blinkers 122 6 Rang bell at 26-1 122 3 Makes 2023 debut 122 4 Disappointed at LA 119 7 Filly vs. the boys
6 Furlongs (Turf). Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 3 year olds. Purse $67,000.
Wt PP Comment
4 1 5 7 6 2 8 9 3 `Bullet won a stakes 5-2 Runner-up at 7-1 7-2 Threat if primed 9-2 Curlin's her dad 5-1 474/5 gate work 8-1 Barn entered two 10-1 Purchased for $185,000 15-1 Bumped at break 15-1 Moderate a.m. drills 20-1
7 Furlongs. `san Carlos Stakes presented by Fan Duel'. 4 year olds and up. Purse $200,000.
Wt PP Comment
Odds
7-2 5-2 9-2 5-1 10-1 15-1
6-1 15-1 20-1
Odds
8-5 5-2 4-1 9-2 8-1 12-1
Odds
3-1 5-2 7-2 6-1 10-1 10-1 15-1
Odds
Odds
Spirit of Makena, Bravo 120 3 Like way he won 3-1 Forbidden Kingdom, Hrndez124 2 No match for Taiba 9-5 Get Her Number, Prat 124 5 Prefers short game 7-2 Howbeit, Smith 124 6 Supplemented to this 9-2 Holden the Lute, Dettori 120 1 Easy score at 1-1 8-1 Clem Labine, Frey 120 4 Hoping for meltdown 12-1 Longshot: HOLDEN THE LUTE
RACE 6
1294 —
Nacho Elvira ................................ 67-65—132 Nick Bachem ............................... 66-67—133 Ryo Hisatsune ............................. 70-63—133 Jayden Trey Schaper ................ 68-65—133
11/16 Mile. Maiden Special Weight. 3 year olds. Purse $67,000.
Horse, Jockey
Partial second round (cut line is 145)
Ben Griffin ................................... 67-71—138 Will Gordon ................................. 73-67—140 Jason Day .................................... 70-70—140 Viktor Hovland ........................... 69-71—140 Justin Suh .................................... 68-73—141
At Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi, Kenya Purse: yardage: Par: Second round
Castle Island, J. Hernandez 123 4 Should relish route I Don't Get It, Gutierrez 123 6 Troubled as chalk Yellow Brick, Prat 123 3 Prepped in 1:002/5 Dazzlemsilver, Desormeaux 123 7 Chased top choice Excel Calculator, Rispoli 123 1 Puts on blinkers Big Hat Willie, R. Vazquez 123 3 `Q tallied in N.M. Riverboat Richie, Maldonado 123 5 Let's see an outing
DAZZLEMESILVER
Longshot:
RACE 7
1295 —
11/8 Mile (Turf). Maiden Claiming. 3 year olds. Claiming Prices $50,000-$45,000. Purse $39,000.
Horse, Jockey
Underdog
UMass-Lowell
Cornell St. Louis Pennsylvania
Fordham
Underdog
at Clippers 5 (Off) New York Miami 3 (Off) at Orlando Utah 31/2 (Off) at Charlotte Indiana 61/2 (Off) at Detroit Boston 51/2 (235) at Atlanta Chicago 7 (Off) at Houston at Memphis Off (Off) Dallas at New Orleans Off (Off) Oklahoma City at Golden St Off (Off) Milwaukee at Phoenix 3 (237) Sacramento
Underdog
-150/+127 Nashville -385/+300 Detroit -275/+220 Philadelphia -146/+122 at Buffalo -405/+320 Arizona -132/+113 Winnipeg -265/+215 at Montreal -196/+162 Vegas -500/+400 Chicago -113/-107 at Columbus -130/+108 Edmonton -140/+116 Washington -123/+103 at Seattle -128/+106 at Vancouver -184/+154 at San Jose
PGA TOURTHE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
At TPC Sawgrass-Stadium Course Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Purse: yardage:
Christian Bezuidenhout ................ -8 Adam Svensson .............................. -8 Ben Griffin ....................................... -6 Collin Morikawa ............................. -6
DP WORLD TOUR-MAGICAL KENYA OPEN
Fast Chad, Kimura
Shadow Creek, Dettori Russells Hustle, Prat
Ice Storm, R. Vazquez Keen to Go, Maldonado Glendale, Rispoli Bluegrass Ryder, D. Herrer Reign Over Me, Pereira Vortex, Desormeaux
Telos, Valdivia
Deep River, Pereira
Tapit Down, Cedillo
GLENDALE
Longshot:
RACE 8
1296 —
1 Mile. `Beholder Mile'. Stakes. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Purse $500,000.
Horse, Jockey
$25 million;
$2 million;
Wt PP Comment
Wt PP Comment
122 8 Has faced stronger 4-1 122 4 Steps in for tag 3-1 122 7 New rider, 1:011/5 work 9-2 122 3 Back to the grass 6-1 122 11 Stumbled at start 8-1 120 5 Best effort on turf 10-1 122 1 Big post switch 10-1 120 2 Looking elsewhere 15-1 122 6 Tries more yardage 15-1 122 9 Split field at GG 15-1 120 12 Tiago's 1st call 20-1 122 10 Hard to endorse 30-1
Wt PP Comment
Fun to Dream, J. Hernandez 120 8 Desert Dawn, Rispoli 122 7 A Mo Reay, Prat 122 5 Awake At Midnyte, Gutierrez 120 3 Midnight Memories, Vazquez 122 4 Pauline's Pearl, J. Velazquez122 2 Kirstenbosch, Kimura 122 1 Ganadora, Maldonado 120 6
MIDNIGHT MEMORIES
Longshot:
RACE 9
1297 —
Odds
5-2 2-1 7-2 6-1 10-1 10-1 15-1
Odds
Odds
Shown she can route 9-5 Sizzled in 58 flat 9-2 Invader for B. Cox 4-1 Completed exacta at 5-2 5-1 Rehearsed in 1:122/5 8-1 Clicked in Texas 10-1 Won by a whisker 15-1 Adds zip to race 15-1
11/8 Mile (Turf). Allowance. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Purse $72,000.
Horse, Jockey
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK
College Basketball
Favorite
at Vermont at Yale at VCU at Princeton at Dayton
NBA
Favorite
NHL
Favorite
at Kings at Boston at Pittsburgh New York at Colorado at Florida
New Jersey at Carolina at Tampa Bay St. Louis at Toronto at NY Islanders Dallas
Ottawa Minnesota
Leaderboard
Wt PP Comment
Annaghlasa, R. Vazquez 122
Queen Ofthe Temple, Hrnandez 122 Myfavoritedaughter, Bravo 122 Implosion, Prat 122
Very Scary, Desormeaux 122 Chloe's Crown, Kimura 122
Pop Pop's Dream, H. Berrios 122 Scarabea, Pereira 122 Barrister's Ride, Alsagoor 117 Rivendell, A. Aguilar 115 CHLOE'S CROWN DADDYSRUBY (2) DAZZLEMESILVER (6)
2 / 73;
Longshot:
Best bet:
Best chance bet:
Wins (previous day/meet): Money Won (previous day/ meet): Money Bet:
The SCNG is publishing the consensus box online at least 24 hours in advance of each day's racing. See sgvtribune.com/ sports/horse-racing before each racing day to get top three selections in each race, including best bets of the day, from our panel of handicapping experts Bob Mieszerski, Ed Wilson, Terry Turrell and Art Wilson.
$16.00/$407.40;
Line
5 51/2 4
3 51/2
Line (O/U)
Line
7,275;
7,228; 10 Benefit from last 4-1 2 Had lead, outfinished 5-2 8 Figures in the mix 7-2 9 1:003/5 spin on resume 6-1 3 Went all the way 8-1 6 Posted 11-1 upset 10-1 4 Some offer chance 15-1 1 Would be a surprise 15-1 7 Lacked a rally 15-1 5 Be among also rans 20-1
$526, 263 races.
Par:
72
14 11 18 11
71