Don’t mess with IMS!

That was the message sent by Indianapolis Motor Speedway to ESPN and Formula One over the weekend following the network’s promotional advertisement for the upcoming F1 season. The ad co-opted a phrase that is so synonymous with the Indianapolis 500 – ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ – that the historic racing venue trademarked it.

Now, ESPN is apologizing and has tweaked the promo for F1’s season opener that included ‘the greatest spectacle’ line, saying in a statement Tuesday, ‘We revised the ad and apologize for the unintentional error.’ The revised ad began airing Tuesday.

Prior to the apology, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles lambasted the ad and delivered a warning about violating trademarks – something Formula One has come close to doing more than once with the use of ‘the greatest spectacle’ phrase.

In a statement provided to the Indianapolis Star before the ad was pulled, Boles stopped short of promising to send Liberty Media, which owns Formula One, and its partners a cease-and-desist letter, but his patience had clearly reached its limit.

“We are aware of the use of our mark in what appears to be a broadcast promotional spot. We will once again address it with the appropriate people and are prepared to take every measure possible to protect our brand’s intellectual property,” Boles said in the statement.

“It continues to be disappointing that others can’t create their own brand identity without infringing upon ours.”

The latest incident caps a trio of seemingly blatant instances over the last year of Formula 1 and Liberty Media co-opting the iconic Indy 500 phrase, which was first trademarked by Hulman and Company in 1986.

In an advertisement for the upcoming F1 season on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Saturday, an announcer’s voice can be heard in the background calling the racing series “the greatest spectacle in motorsports.” This follows in the wake of an incident F1’s Miami Grand Prix last May when entertainer LL Cool J announced the drivers with: “Let me introduce you to the 20 best drivers in the world. This is the greatest spectacle in motorsports. This is Formula 1.”

Days later, Penske Entertainment Corp. president and CEO Mark Miles called it “a crock of (expletive.)” Penske is the owner of IMS and the IndyCar Series.

LL Cool J’s scripted remarks came two months after the social media account promoting F1’s then-upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix touted the future event to be “the greatest racing spectacle on the planet” and noted the event would be taking place in the “sports and entertainment capital of the world” – a riff off IMS’s trademark of the “Racing Capital of the World.”

ESPN will televise Formula One’s season-opening Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET kicking off a full slate of F1 coverage on the network through December’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The 2024 IndyCar season begins on March 10 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at noon ET on NBC. The 2024 Indy 500 scheduled for May 26, with NBC’s broadcast beginning at 11 a.m. ET.

First and foremost, LeBron James is a dad.

First. And. Foremost.

It’s been that way for some time now, if you’ve been paying attention.

So, it wasn’t a surprise when James responded to a mock draft that has Bronny, James’ oldest son and a freshman basketball player at Southern California who sustained a sudden cardiac arrest in the summer, out of the first round and a projected second-round pick in 2025.

He added: ‘And to all the other kids out there striving to be great just keep your head down, blinders on and keep grinding. These Mock Drafts doesn’t matter one bit! I promise you! Only the WORK MATTERS!! Let’s talk REAL BASKETBALL PEOPLE!’

He later deleted the posts but he can’t make it disappear and the sentiment remains.

James wields enormous influence, and what he says and does carries significance. For at least six years, James has answered questions about the idea of playing in the NBA at the same time as his son and has embraced the idea.

Father-son NBA connections are not uncommon and the trend isn’t going away with the sons of former NBA players projected in future drafts. But no father-son combo has played in the NBA simultaneously, and that would be special, a testament to James’ incredible longevity and all-time greatness and his son’s basketball ability.

It’s a cool story.

A year ago, Bronny began entering the discussion as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 draft. As his senior year progressed, he improved, and others in the draft class of 2024 were not making dramatic improvements.

Based on what the elder James had said in the past, teams also considered the idea of drafting Bronny with the idea that James spends a season on the same team – a boon for basketball and business operations.

But circumstances change. Goals change.

Life changes.

In July, Bronny sustained a sudden cardiac arrest while working on USC’s campus, and he could’ve died. For a parent, nothing is more important than the health of a child. Everything else is secondary.

It took time for Bronny to recover, regain strength and stamina and eventually obtain clearance from doctors to play basketball again. In December as Bronny neared his first college game, James said he would miss a Lakers game if it meant seeing that game in person.

Few understand what it’s like to be James and how to manage expectations, and now James is helping his son navigate expectations that are out of their control. It is unavoidable and sometimes unfair. That’s why he stepped in – to help manage that pressure without a negative impact. There might not be anyone better to both understand and guide.

Now, James also said in January that Bronny could play for the Lakers “right now. Easy,” and that carries significant weight, too. If anyone knows who is and isn’t an NBA player, it’s James, and that alters expectations, too.

It’s easy to throw that back at James even it was a line uttered during a spell in which the Lakers were not playing well. But separate from that and in light of the mock draft report, James felt the paternal instinct to protect his son. Nothing wrong with that.

(James has a point about mock drafts. They are useful and entertaining but they are not perfect. That goes for NBA executives and their projections, too, or players such as Nikola Jokic and Draymond Green would’ve been drafted in the first round).

James has said the family will go through the process of figuring out what’s best and what’s next and that it’s Bronny’s decision. Maybe that’s the 2024 draft. Maybe it’s another year at USC. And whether the NBA is part of Bronny’s future will play out in time.

While he might not be a kid in the technical definition (he’s 19), he’s still a young person trying to figure out life after a near-death experience. It’s OK for the elder James to step in with perspective – a dad, first and foremost.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The preeminent storyline surrounding the Chicago Bears is whether they should keep or trade quarterback Justin Fields. Chicago owns the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft by virtue of a 2023 trade with Carolina Panthers. The Bears are in prime position to land the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft, Caleb Williams, but selecting a quarterback may mark the end to the Fields era in Chicago.

Fields is entering the final year of his rookie contract and Chicago has until May to exercise the quarterback’s his fifth-year option. However, the Bears will likely make a decision on Fields’ future before the May deadline. General Manager Ryan Poles said he wants to ‘do right’ by Fields and understands ‘no one wants to live in the gray’ area.

Multiple people connected to the NFL believe the Bears are probably going to keep the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. If the Bears stay put at No. 1, they’ll presumably use the pick on a quarterback. So, what does that mean for Fields’ fate?

A person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports that the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders have expressed some level of interest in Fields. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

USA TODAY Sports explores each of the three possible landing spots for Fields:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Justin Fields landing spots

Atlanta Falcons

Lackluster quarterback play hindered the Falcons as they finished the 2023 campaign 7-10, which is one of the reasons the franchise made significant coaching changes.

New Falcons coach Raheem Morris recently hired Zac Robinson as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator, and Morris and Robinson both worked under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams. Coaches customarily like to bring in ‘their guy’ at quarterback instead of inheriting a QB already on the roster.

Atlanta has a lot of untapped potential on offense with the likes of RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts. Each of the three had over 600 yards from scrimmage last season, but there is still meat on the bone in Atlanta.

“They have a lot of playmakers,” Fields said about the Falcons on the ‘St. Brown brothers’ podcast.’

Fields and Robinson running the read option would cause opposing defenses fits. Fields is only the third quarterback in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in his first three seasons and Robinson had 30 carries of at least 10 yards in his rookie campaign playing without a mobile QB.

Fields is from nearby Kennesaw, Ga., so a potential transition to the Atlanta area would be rather seamless.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers hired former ex-Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator. Smith has familiarity coaching mobile quarterbacks. When Smith was the Titans offensive coordinator, he coached Ryan Tannehill to his lone Pro Bowl season, and Tannehill set a career high in rushing TDs in 2020 (seven).

Kenny Pickett is the only Steelers QB under contract in 2024. The Steelers are likely to search externally for additional quarterback options. Fields’ 82.3 career passer rating is more superior than Pickett’s 78.8 career passer rating. Fields would also bring a rushing element at QB.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he expects the team to have competition atop the quarterback depth chart next season.

‘There will be competition there,’ Tomlin said at his end-of-year press conference. ‘There’s always competition in this thing. We don’t anoint anyone.”

Pittsburgh had the worst offense in the AFC North last season and ranked 28th in the NFL in scoring.

Fields mobility and ability to create oft-scripts plays would work well in Smith’s offense. The threat of Fields running, would also open the field up more for pass catchers Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth.

Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas appears ready to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo, who is suspended for the first two games in 2024 for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy.

The Raiders started three different quarterbacks in 2023. The offense had an AFC West-high 18 interceptions and finished as the third worst rushing attack in the NFL.

Aidan O’Connell showed some promise in 10 starts last season and finished the year at the top of the depth chart, but leaves a lot to be desired at the position.

The Raiders have the No. 13 pick in the first round of the 2024 draft, which will likely take them out of the running of the top three quarterbacks available in this year’s draft class.

A trade for a quarterback like Fields could be a viable option.

“The wildcard is the quarterback,’ Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said recently on ‘The Pivot Podcast.’

‘What are we going to do? Well, we’ve got to put a plan together.’

Like Atlanta, Pierce and new general manager Tom Telesco might want a fresh start at quarterback, especially in a division with three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes and the likes of Justin Herbert.

Fields has never played with a wide receivers who runs routes as crisp and creates separation like Davante Adams. Opposing defenses would have a difficult time covering Adams while Fields buys more time with his legs.

Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has familiarity with Fields. Getsy was Fields’ offensive coordinator in Chicago from 2022-2023. The experience between the two should make it a seamless transition in Las Vegas.

Could Justin Fields remain in Chicago?

Fields caused a stir when he unfollowed the Bears on social media. Was he anticipating a move? The quarterback recently downplayed the notion that he wants to leave Chicago.

“Of course, I want to stay,” Fields said on the St. Brown brothers’ podcast. “I can’t see myself playing in another place. If it were up to me, I would want to stay in Chicago. I love the city. The city is lit, the fans there they are great. It’s a business. I don’t have no control over it.”

Fields has a 10-28 record in three seasons with the Bears. Fields is eligible to have his fifth-year option picked up and a contract extension if he stays in Chicago.

The Bears haven’t had a winning record since the 2018 season, when Fields was a true freshman at Georgia.

Other NFL rumors: Justin Jefferson, the Chargers’ cap and more

Chiefs DT Chris Jones

Chris Jones agreed to a one-year, incentive-laden deal after a holdout in 2023. There’s motivation and a desire for Jones and the Chiefs to get a deal worked out long before it gets to the point of another holdout if he gets placed under the franchise tag. The franchise tag window is open now and ends March 5.

“For those that want Chris Jones gone, I ain’t going nowhere, baby. I will be here next year and the year after,’ Jones said at Kansas City’s Super Bowl 58 parade.

Ravens DL Justin Madubuike

Justin Madubuike is on an expiring deal. The rumor is the Ravens are going to keep Madubuike in Baltimore after he posted a career-high 13 sacks, the most among interior lineman, in 2023. The bigger question is whether the Ravens are going to place him under the franchise tag or sign him to a long-term extension. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said at the NFL scouting combine that the team will place Madubuike under the franchise tag if they don’t reach agreement on a long-term contract by the March 5 deadline.

Justin Jefferson staying in Minnesota?

The expectation of many NFL insiders is that the Vikings and star wide receiver Justin Jefferson will get a long-term deal done at some point.

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah underscored that belief at the NFL scouting combine.

‘We think he’s the best wide receiver in the league and should be compensated as such. We think he’s one of the best non-quarterbacks in the league. I think he should be compensated as such. We’ll continue to have those dialogues and conversations,” Adofo-Mensah said of Jefferson. “We are excited to have him and we’ll continue those conversations because he’s somebody we want around for a long time.”

Jefferson is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He’s slated to make over $19.7 million in 2024. Jefferson’s next contract could make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.

Chargers likely to part ways with at least one key player

The Chargers are currently around $25 million over cap, per Over The Cap. Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack could become cap casualties. The Chargers will likely have to trade or cut one or two of the four prominent players because each of them carry cap numbers that exceed $30 million in 2024.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

As hundreds of 2024 NFL draft prospects descend on Indianapolis for this week’s scouting combine, there’s a little more at stake for some players than others.

A few of the top prospects are already dropping out of drills and testing, preferring instead to wait for the friendlier confines of their pro days. But many more will spend the coming days trying to make the strongest case for themselves to teams, whether that’s via their on-field work at Lucas Oil Stadium or in interviews with coaches and personnel decision-makers. And while the combine is just one piece of a much larger draft evaluation picture, for some players, there are lingering questions that need to be answered.

Here are 10 NFL draft prospects with the most to prove at this year’s scouting combine:

Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina

The former five-star recruit was once a staple of way-too-early mock drafts after a 2020 redshirt freshman season at Oklahoma in which he flashed his promise as a dynamic playmaker who readily attacks defenses downfield. The following fall, however, he lost his starting role for good after being benched for Caleb Williams midway through the Sooners’ game against Texas. He transferred to South Carolina after the season and has shown glimpses of his potential, particularly with his crisp release and nice touch. But NFL coaching staffs might grill him in interviews about his inconsistency and suspect decision-making. The on-field session, however, should be a good platform for him to showcase his abilities as he tries to convince teams he can be a potential starter rather than a mere developmental option.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin

Allen took the Big Ten by storm as a 17-year-old in 2021 after graduating a year early from high school, joining Ron Dayne, James White and Jonathan Taylor as the only true freshmen in Wisconsin history to run for more than 1,000 yards. But the arrival of Luke Fickell and the Air Raid offense made for a rocky transition for the running back last season, as he had career lows in carries (181) and rushing yards (984) while not meaningfully expanding his skill set as a receiver. At 6-2 and 245 pounds, his size will be a talking point this week, especially if he can’t demonstrate improved agility to make defenders miss or the initial burst to shoot through holes. If he ends up being pigeonholed as a battering ram, his draft outlook could take a significant hit.

Blake Corum, RB, Michigan

What made Corum a special runner for the Wolverines can’t easily be put on display at the combine. The 5-8, 213-pound back had a way of subtly shifting around oncoming defenders, piling up 45 rushing touchdowns in the last two years. But his goal-line and short-yardage opportunities will likely be severely curtailed at the next level given his subpar size and power, and he doesn’t offer much as a breakaway threat. Corum still could end up a highly productive ball carrier thanks to his instincts as a runner, but a solid testing profile could help assuage concerns about how his game translates to the NFL.

Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina

On downfield routes, Walker has little trouble racing past overmatched cornerbacks to break open for long gains, as evidenced by his 17.0 yards per catch average last season. But the Kent State transfer is overly reliant on that linear explosiveness, as he has struggled with getting in and out of his breaks as well as being sufficiently physical in multiple phases of the game. Keep a close eye on how he fares in the three-cone drill. Presenting a more polished product will also be an important step of the pre-draft process after some sloppy play throughout his Senior Bowl work.

Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State

Can Wilson convince teams his outlier build is an asset rather than a detriment? His overall athleticism isn’t in question, as the 6-7, 237-pound target should wow with his massive frame, build-up speed and leaping ability. But his singular size also has its drawbacks, as he is limited in many of his movements and might have a hard time finding consistent opportunities outside of downfield throws. With his workout, Wilson will have to sell teams on the notion that separation won’t be a consistent problem and that he can regularly create mismatches rather than be stuck as a tweener.

Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Worthy’s combine likely will be shaped by the moment he steps on the scale, as teams will want to see if the 6-1 speedster has bulked up from his rail-thin, 172-pound frame. Play strength is a serious problem, with defensive backs too often outmuscling him at the line of scrimmage or on contested catches. If he can beat press coverage, however, Worthy can be a major weapon as a deep threat who also is capable of taking quick hits for long gains. Teams also will want to see how he handles drills after drops and inconsistent effort hampered his production at Texas.

Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

In a loaded offensive tackle class that could feature at least seven players at the position taken in the first round, Suamataia still has the chance to stand out in Indianapolis thanks to his rare athletic traits. The Oregon transfer will face unfair comparisons to his cousin, All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions, but he has a chance to set himself apart from some of his plodding peers in movement drills. The on-field work will be an important reminder of his ceiling, as Suamataia still lacks polish and was far from a consistently dominant blocker at BYU.

Bralen Trice, DE, Washington

No offensive tackle is likely to be eager to block Trice, a burly edge threat who seems to take joy in knocking back his opponents. With his relentless rushes and array of moves, he can consistently blow plays up – he was credited for an astonishing 14 pressures against Stanford, according to Pro Football Focus. But as he prepares to face a more athletic and refined set of linemen, Trice might have a hard time racking up sacks or finding a finishing touch given he’ll seldom win on the outside with his limited bend. Showing even a little bit of improvement in his flexibility might go a long way toward helping his stock.

Maason Smith, DT, LSU

A freshman All-American in 2021, Smith saw his development thrown off by a torn ACL that knocked him out for almost all of his follow-up campaign. In declaring for the draft after a relatively ho-hum season, however, he has posed a dilemma for teams. Do they bet on the upside of a 6-6, 315-pound defensive tackle with the rapid burst to be a disruptive force? Or is it too much of a risk to use an early draft pick on a player whose inexperience and inconsistency make him somewhat of an unknown? Smith should be one of the top testers in his group, and that performance might be a vital reminder of his untapped potential.

Kalen King, CB, Penn State

Last season was a significant letdown for King, a preseason All-American who never fully recaptured his previous year’s form in coverage. While Marvin Harrison Jr. has made plenty of cornerbacks look overmatched during his run at Ohio State, the wide receiver’s dominant display against King – 11 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown – ignited concerns that the 5-11, 190-pound cornerback might be ill-suited to handle the NFL given the rash of bigger, more athletic opponents awaiting him. If he is to make it into Day 2 of the draft, King likely has to show he has the makeup to stick with receivers downfield in man coverage – and that likely starts with answering any questions about his speed.

March is upon us and it’s sure to be mad.

Last year’s national championship game between Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers and Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes drew a record 9.9 million viewers, marking the most-watched NCAA women’s basketball game of all-time.

The No. 7 Tigers got the best of the No. 6 Hawkeyes last year, but will we get a rematch of Reese and Clark, who broke the women’s all-time NCAA scoring record and is closing in on Pete Maravich’s record?

Not if South Carolina has a say. The No. 1 Gamecocks remain undefeated as the women’s college basketball season winds down. The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll’s top five is rounded out by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Virginia Tech and No. 5 Stanford.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 March Madness women’s basketball tournament:

OPINION: Women’s NCAA tournament and Caitlin Clark will outshine the men in March

When is 2024 March Madness women’s basketball tournament?

The women’s basketball tournament will run from March 20-April 7, with Selection Sunday set to take place three days before the women’s tournament tips off. Here is the full schedule:

All times Eastern

Selection Sunday: March 17 (8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN)
First Four: March 20-21
First round: March 22-23
Second round: March 24-25
Sweet 16: March 29-30
Elite Eight: March 31-April 1
Final Four: April 5 (7:30 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
NCAA championship game: April 7 (3 p.m. ET on ABC)

When is the Final Four?

The Women’s Final Four will be held in Cleveland at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Friday, April 5. The national semifinal games, which will be played at 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET, will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

When is the national championship game?

The women’s title game will be held on Sunday, April 7 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ABC.

Who won 2023 March Madness?

Angel Reese led the LSU Tigers to the program’s first-ever national championship with a 102–85 win over Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the title game. With the win, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey became the first coach in the women’s game to lead two schools to national championships after winning three at Baylor.

LSU is looking to become the first team to go back-to-back since the Connecticut Huskies, who won four consecutive titles from 2013-2016.

2024 March Madness championship odds

The Gamecocks are the favorites to hoist a trophy, according to BetMGM:

South Carolina (+110)
Iowa (+650)
LSU (+700)
Connecticut (+1800)
Stanford (+1800)
Ohio State (+2000)

March Madness champions, by year

Here is every national champion and their record since the March Madness women’s basketball tournament began in 1982:

2023: LSU (34-2)
2022: South Carolina (35-2)
2021: Stanford (31-2)
2020:The tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2019: Baylor (37-1)
2018: Notre Dame (34-3)
2017: South Carolina (33-4)
2016: Connecticut (38-0)
2015: Connecticut (38-1)
2014: Connecticut (40-0)
2013: Connecticut (35-4)
2012: Baylor (40-0)
2011: Texas A&M (33-5)
2010: Connecticut (39-0)
2009: Connecticut (39-0)
2008: Tennessee (36-2)
2007: Tennessee (34-3)
2006: Maryland (34-4)
2005: Baylor (33-3)
2004: Connecticut (31-4)
2003: Connecticut (37-1)
2002: Connecticut (39-0)
2001: Notre Dame (34-2)
2000: Connecticut (36-1)
1999: Purdue (34-1)
1998: Tennessee (39-0)
1997: Tennessee (29-10)
1996: Tennessee (32-4)
1995: Connecticut (35-0)
1994: North Carolina (33-2)
1993: Texas Tech (31-3)
1992: Stanford (30-3)
1991: Tennessee (30-5)
1990: Stanford (32-1)
1989: Tennessee (35-2)
1988: Louisiana Tech (32-2)
1987: Tennessee (28-6)
1986: Texas (34-0)
1985: Old Dominion (31-3)
1984: Southern California (29-4)
1983: Southern California (31-2)
1982: Louisiana Tech (35-1)

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The Buc stops here.

Per reports, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to move on from pass rusher Shaquil Barrett after five seasons with the team. Barrett was an integral piece to the Bucs’ Super Bowl 55 win, when Tampa Bay downed the Kansas City Chiefs for Tom Brady’s seventh and final Super Bowl ring.

Now, their time together has apparently reached its end. Here’s where both sides go from here:

Shaquil Barrett landing spots

Barrett, 31, is coming off a season where he notched 56 total pressures and five sacks (per PFF), certainly a still-productive year, even coming off an Achilles tear. Barrett could fit a number of teams looking for edge rush help, but three stand out:

All things Buccaneers: Latest Tampa Bay Buccaneers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Denver Broncos

A reunion with the Broncos would make sense for Barrett, who is entering the Back 9 of his career. Denver’s edge rush room has a decent amount of young talent. Having Barrett in the room could certainly add depth, but also a veteran leader for a blossoming group of rushers, namely Baron Browning. The Broncos are in a bit of a salary-cap bind, but a few cuts could put them in a much better cap situation prior to the start of free agency.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens graded out as one of the better pass-rushing teams in the league this past offseason, but with Jadeveon Clowney a free agent and the majority of their pressures coming from defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (also a free agent), the Ravens will look to free agent options to fit the room. Barrett, who was born in Baltimore, may look to head home. New defensive coordinator Zach Orr may also appreciate having another veteran presence in the room.

Washington Commanders

This past season, the Commanders completely disbanded their edge room; Washington shipped off both Chase Young and Montez Sweat at the trade deadline, and other pieces of their room are free agents. Washington’s brass will certainly opt to target a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and adding Barrett to a room that desperately needs warm bodies may help tide over the immediate need for edge rushers entering the draft.

What this means for the Buccaneers

Barrett was set to earn a reported $15.04 million roster bonus from Tampa Bay in March, but by cutting him, they save just $5 million against their salary cap. They also designated Barrett as a post-June 1 cut, meaning his dead cap will be spread out across two seasons instead of taking it all on this upcoming season.

It also means that the Buccaneers will have to find a way to replace Barrett’s sack production as well as his pressure numbers. Edge rushers Yaya Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka combined for 60 pressures to Barrett’s 56.

The Bucs currently hold the No. 26 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft, but this year is light on true, Round 1, top-end pass rushers. Expect Tampa Bay to scour the free agent market for a cost-effective starter ahead of the draft: They have the 10th most cap space in the NFL, but are also rumored to want to pay Baker Mayfield a big-money extension. That may lop up their space relatively quickly.

Tennessee has played its way on to the No. 1 seed line in our latest NCAA men’s basketball tournament projection. Staying there over the last few weeks of the season, however, could be a challenge.

For now, the Volunteers join Connecticut, Houston and Purdue as regional top seeds, as Arizona slips to the No. 2 line after a loss to Washington State. All four of Tennessee’s remaining regular-season opponents, however, are ranked. They include home dates with Auburn and Kentucky and road trips to Alabama and South Carolina, but the opportunities are there for Tennessee to solidify its place.

The news wasn’t all good for the SEC on this projection though, as Texas A&M joins Mississippi on the outside the bubble after its fourth loss in a row. That leaves the conference with just seven teams in the field, as the Big 12 continues to lead the way with nine. Tournament regulars North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky are back to trending in a positive direction, and Gonzaga is back in the field as well, though a tough finish to the regular season awaits.

Last four in

Gonzaga, Nevada, Wake Forest, Nebraska.

First four out

Colorado, Villanova, Butler, Pittsburgh.

Next four out

Utah, Cincinnati, Oregon, Mississippi.

Conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big 12 (9), SEC (7), Big Ten (6), Mountain West (6), Big East (5), ACC (5), American Athletic (2), Atlantic 10 (2), Pac-12 (2), West Coast Conference (2).