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Trump taps former acting AG Matthew Whitaker as NATO ambassador

President-elect Trump on Wednesday tapped former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to become U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in his new administration. 

Trump described Whitaker, who is from Iowa, as ‘a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.’

‘Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability – He will put AMERICA FIRST,’ Trump said in a statement. ‘I have full confidence in Matt’s ability to represent the United States with Strength, Integrity, and unwavering Dedication. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to promote PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, Freedom, and Prosperity around the World.’

‘Matt is also the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, and is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.A., MBA and J.D., where he played football, and received the Big Ten Medal of Honor,’ Trump added. 

The appointment Wednesday comes at a significant juncture for the alliance. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered the threshold for the Kremlin’s use of its nuclear weapons, a move that follows President Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russian territory with American-supplied long-range missiles.

The new doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles early Tuesday at a military facility in Russia’s Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, adding that air defenses shot down five of them and damaged one more. Ukraine’s military claimed the strike hit a Russian ammunition depot.

Putin first announced changes in the nuclear doctrine in September, when he chaired a meeting discussing the proposed revisions. He has previously warned the U.S. and other NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied longer-range weapons to hit Russian territory would mean that Russia and NATO are at war.

Whitaker served as Acting Attorney General from November 2018 to February 2019.

That was after Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at Trump’s request amid Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian collusion by the Trump campaign. Whitaker was Sessions’ chief of staff and was critical of the probe. 

Trump later nominated Bill Barr as the permanent replacement to head the Justice Department following Sessions’ departure.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Zelenskyy answers whether he’s willing to cede Crimea, other territory in peace deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News that his country ‘cannot legally acknowledge any occupied territory of Ukraine as Russian,’ when asked if he was willing to cede land as part of a peace deal. 

Zelenskyy made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst before the Pentagon announced Wednesday an additional $275 million in military assistance for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. 

‘Have you accepted that under any sort of cease-fire agreement or peace deal that some Ukrainian territory may remain in Russian hands?’ Yingst asked Zelenskyy. 

‘We cannot legally acknowledge any occupied territory of Ukraine as Russian. That is about those territories… occupied by Putin before the full-scale invasion, since 2014,’ Zelenskyy responded. ‘Legally, we are not acknowledging that, we are not adopting that.’ 

Yingst then asked Zelenskyy about the Russian annexation of the Crimea region in 2014, saying, ‘President Vladimir Putin has been very clear Crimea will never return to Ukrainian hands. Are you willing to give up Crimea in pursuit of a peace deal to end this war and stop the bloodshed in Europe?’ 

‘I was already mentioning that we are ready to bring Crimea back diplomatically,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘We cannot spend dozens of thousands of our people so that they perish for the sake of Crimea coming back… we understand that Crimea can be brought back diplomatically.’ 

Yingst also reported Wednesday that Zelenskyy told Fox News his country will keep fighting without the support of the U.S., but believes his side will ultimately lose the war if the U.S. withdraws its military funding. 

‘As part of the surge in security assistance that President Biden announced on September 26 to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, the Department of Defense today announced additional security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs,’ the Pentagon said Wednesday. 

‘This announcement is the Biden Administration’s seventieth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021,’ it added. ‘This Presidential Drawdown Authority package, which has an estimated value of $275 million, will provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including: munitions for rocket systems and artillery and anti-tank weapons.’ 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Sprint to confirm Trump nominees kicks off in January

How many? And how fast? That’s the question for the Senate in early January as it will sprint to confirm as many of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees as possible. Senators cannot do much right now for a couple of reasons: Republicans are not in charge of the Senate, and Trump does not take office until noon EST on Jan. 20. However, there will be a flurry of action in January.

First the mechanics.

The incoming president was caught flat-footed in 2016 when he won. Trump lacked the personnel and political infrastructure to quickly develop a Cabinet, so he relied on the Republican National Committee and other ‘establishment’ Republicans to assemble his slate of nominees. Many of the nominees were not ‘Trump people.’ They struggled to build chemistry with the new president. Thus, Trump canned many when they rejected his wishes.

This time around, the incoming president is certainly tapping nominees who are aligned with his movement and are Trump loyalists. They may outrage the left – and, frankly, some on the right. However, they are his picks. That alone might smooth the confirmation process in some respects.

And frankly, it creates simultaneous headaches.

In late 2016, Republicans controlled the Senate. That enabled them to prepare prompt confirmation hearings for early January 2017. The confirmation hearing for former Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to serve as attorney general came on Jan. 10-11. Future Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly appeared before senators for his hearing on Jan. 10. The hearing for Rex Tillerson to become secretary of state was Jan. 11. The Senate Armed Services Committee heard from Defense secretary nominee James Mattis on Jan. 12.

However, the Senate could not vote to confirm those nominees until the new president took office on Jan. 20. In the waning hours of Jan. 20, the Senate confirmed Mattis and Kelly.

For instance, the Senate did not confirm then-Transportation Secretary Elain Chao – and the wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. – until Jan. 31.

The Senate will have a rocket docket in early 2025.

As soon as senators brave the January chill and return from the viewing stand on the West Front of the Capitol on Jan. 20, they will warm their hands. Maybe sip a hot coffee or a scotch. It is then likely the Senate will vote on a comprehensive slate of Trump’s nominees into the evening.

‘I want to see us ready and poised to put President Trump’s nominees into the job on day one,’ said Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. ‘We should be ready with his many Cabinet positions to confirm on the 21st of January as we possibly can.’

However, Democrats intend to erect roadblocks.

‘What are Democrats prepared to do in response? Whatever it takes,’ Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said on MSNBC. ‘Donald Trump is way beyond making a mockery of what an incoming president should be doing, regardless of who’s in the majority of Congress.’

Others want to at least conduct due diligence on the nominees. They are especially leery of the Senate circumventing the conventional confirmation process and installing some nominees without a vote during a recess of both the House and Senate.

‘That’s why we have to have hearings. That’s why this commotion about recess appointments in which Trump would get some of his cabinet picks in place without hearings and confirmation votes is incredibly disturbing because there are some really serious financial questions about his team. Especially his national security team,’ said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., on CNN.

Trump has signaled – and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has indicated a willingness – to potentially put some flailing nominees in place via recess appointments.

‘Recess appointments go back to the beginning of our republic,’ said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Fox, arguing their legitimacy.

However, Cotton suggested it was only liberals who were exercised about the possibility of recess appointments.

‘Once again, the left doesn’t seem to have learned anything from the campaign or really the last eight years. Hyperventilating about a supposedly anti-constitutional practice, which is in the Constitution itself.,’ said Cotton. ‘But I don’t foresee a need for recess appointments because I expect the Senate to work promptly and efficiently to process all of these nominations and to put Donald Trump’s Cabinet in place.’

Republicans are willing to blame Democrats for potential holdups on various nominees – potentially necessitating recess appointments. Ironically though, the issue would lie with the GOP.

Senate Republicans will have 53 seats next year. It only takes 51 ‘yeas’ to overcome a filibuster on a nominee for an administration post. Also, a simple majority to confirm. That is why some Republicans are keeping an eye on senators who they believe could defect – depending on the nominee.

It starts with McConnell. The Kentucky Republican suffered from polio as a child. Watch to see how he might vote when it comes to Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Of course, McConnell will no longer lead Senate Republicans, so it is unclear how much sway he still commands around the Senate.

‘When he speaks, people will listen,’ said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to Al Weaver of The Hill.

Also in play is Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., along with Rep. and Sen.-elect John Curtis, R-Utah.

Then there are Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine. Both periodically bucked Trump during his previous term.

‘It would be a mistake in most cases to curtail the investigative process and the public hearings, because that is the Senate’s constitutional responsibility,’ said Collins.

The Maine Republican noted it is OK to short-circuit the process for ‘minor roles in the administration,’ but nothing else.

‘Certainly, when we’re talking about the Cabinet positions, we need to go through the normal process,’ said Collins.

Do not think for a moment that the new president and his enforcers on Capitol Hill will not be tracking potential defectors.

‘We’ve got the numbers to do it ourselves,’ said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. ‘We don’t need any Democrats to help us.’

There is a reason Trump dispatched Vice President-elect JD Vance to Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators and nominees.

Left-wing Democrats are appalled by some of the president-elect’s picks for his Cabinet, and some of them will follow what colleagues on their side of the aisle do, too.

‘I’m going to be watching every single Senate confirmation hearing because that will be the opportunity for our Senate colleagues to tell the truth. To tell the story. To shame the devil,’ Rep.-elect Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., warned on MSNBC.

So in January, get out your speed gun to clock the pace of confirmations. Also, observe the willingness of Republicans to either go along with the president-elect or stand on principle if they hold substantial opposition to a nominee. That could tell us a great deal about the nature of the Senate under incoming President Trump. The next thing to watch? Whether there will be retribution for those who buck him.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Sector Rotation Suggests Offense Over Defense

Institutional investors tend to focus heavily on relative strength, as this is essentially how they are evaluated in their performance as money managers!  Let’s review three ways to analyze relative strength, what these charts are telling us about sector rotation as we progress through Q4.

Relative Strength Trends Show Clear Winners in Q4

I like to group the 11 S&P 500 sectors into three important buckets based on their general tendencies: growth sectors, value sectors, and defensive sectors.  Let’s focus in on the relative performance of the value sectors, with each line representing the ratio of the sector ETF vs. the S&P 500 ETF (SPY).

Two of these four sectors stand out as strengthening in the month of November, specifically the financial and energy sectors.  Both of these sectors are expected to benefit from a Trump administration, with banks facing less regulatory pressure and also a steepening yield curve.  For energy, it’s the assumption that with less support for renewable energy policies, oil and gas companies could stand to thrive going forward.

As my friend and fellow StockCharts commentator Tom Bowley once explained, “If you want to outperform the S&P 500, you need to own things that are outperforming the S&P 500.”  So by focusing on sectors that are showing stronger relative strength, we have the opportunity to outperform our passive benchmarks.

Offense vs. Defense Ratio Still Favoring Offense

I also love to use ratio analysis to compare sectors to each other, as we can then start to infer what big institutions are doing with their capital as they rotate between the 11 economic sectors.  Let’s look at one of my favorite ratios which I call the “offense vs. defense” ratio.

The top panel is the ratio of Consumer Discretionary (XLY) versus Consumer Staples (XLP), while the bottom panel uses equal-weighted ETFs for those same sectors (RSPD and RSPS).  This analysis was inspired from conversations years ago with Bill Doane, my Fidelity predecessor who ran the Technical Research team in the 1970s.  We are basically comparing “things you want” vs. “things you need”, with the idea that when conditions are good, consumers tend to spend more money on discretionary purchases.

We can see in this chart that offense is outperforming defense fairly consistently since early August.  And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in 24 years of analyzing charts, it’s to assume that a trend is continuing until it doesn’t!  So this chart certainly suggests broad market strength going into year-end 2024.

Relative Rotation Graph Indicates Resurgence in Key Sectors

No discussion of sector rotation would be complete without a nod to the GOAT of visualizing sector rotation, Julius de Kempenaer.  His RRG charts have been an essential part of my toolkit for many years, and I’m thrilled that we now have an upgraded version on the StockCharts platform with which to continue our analysis.

I’ve highlighted the two consumer sectors, which we can see support our earlier comments on offense over defense.  The XLY is trending up and to the right in the Leading quadrant, and the XLP is moving down and to the left within the Lagging quadrant.  

I’ve also selected one other comparison, which is one I’ll be watching closely as we head into 2025.  Technology, driven by the strength of software and semiconductors, is currently in the Improving quadrant.  Utilities, which has traditionally been considered as a defensive sector, sits in the Weakening quadrant.  

If and when these relative trends would begin to reverse, that could indicate more defensive positioning than we’ve seen at all in 2024.  But until and unless we see that sort of defensive rotation, my sector analysis tells me this market is poised for further strength.

RR#6,

Dave

PS- Ready to upgrade your investment process?  Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.  The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.  

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication.    Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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Comcast to announce the spinoff of cable networks, including MSNBC, CNBC and USA, sources say

Comcast is expected to announce a plan Wednesday to spin off its cable networks into a separate company, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

The split would cleave off some of NBCUniversal’s best-known brands, including MSNBC, E!, Syfy, Golf Channel, USA, CNBC and Oxygen, which now face the same cord-cutting challenges as many other major cable channels.

The spinoff plan was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Comcast had announced during its quarterly earnings call in October that it was considering spinning off its cable networks.

President Mike Cavanagh said at the time that the company was exploring creating “a new, well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks.” He added that NBCUniversal’s broadcast network NBC and the streaming service Peacock would remain with Comcast.

Comcast owns NBCUniversal, which is the parent company of NBC News. A spokesperson for Comcast declined to comment.

An employee walk past signage inside Comcast Corp. headquarters in Philadelphia on Oct. 24, 2016.Charles Mostoller / Bloomberg via Getty Images file

Comcast is moving forward with the decision as millions of customers exit the traditional pay TV bundle in favor of streaming. The company has been beefing up Peacock in recent years. Comcast said last month that Peacock’s paid-subscriber count jumped nearly 30% to 36 million year over year.

Bravo will remain part of Comcast’s NBCUniversal because its content is heavily featured on Peacock, CNBC reported.

Traditional broadcast networks remain cash cows. Comcast reported in October that third-quarter revenue for its media segment, which mainly comprises TV networks, was up nearly 37% to $8.23 billion, largely because of the Paris Olympics. Without the Summer Games, revenue was up almost 5%.

Comcast shares were up more than 2% in after-hours trading.

The spinoff will take roughly a year as the company figures out whether licensing agreements need to be put in place and whether MSNBC and CNBC will continue to work with NBC News, CNBC reported.

Mark Lazarus, the current chairman of NBCUniversal’s media group, will lead the new company, CNBC reported, while NBCUniversal’s chief financial officer, Anand Kini, will be the CFO and operating chief.

Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts will have a voting position in the new entity, but he won’t be on the board of directors, CNBC reported.

At NBCUniversal, Donna Langley, the current chief content officer, will become chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and Studios. Matt Strauss, the current head of the direct-to-consumer unit, which includes Peacock, will be chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, overseeing sports, ad sales and distribution, CNBC reported.

Cesar Conde will continue to lead the NBCUniversal News Group as chairman — which includes oversight of NBC News, Telemundo and local TV stations — and will advise the company on areas of business growth. Executive Vice President Adam Miller will become NBCUniversal’s chief operating officer, CNBC reported.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Jaguar reveals glossy rebrand that features no cars and confuses the internet

It’s certainly eye-catching: A group of multiracial, gender-bending models emerge from an elevator in cutting-edge makeup and bright-colored clothing to a techno-industrial beat into an austere, prismatic landscape.

But one thing is missing from the storied British carmaker Jaguar’s new rebrand: cars.

The spot has drawn some reactions online that range from puzzled to dismayed, with several commentators comparing the potential fallout to Bud Light’s use of a trans influencer in straying far afield from its core demographic.

One communications professional on X called the advertisement ‘disastrous’ for being overly focused on branding and not on the product itself.

‘Jaguar should be saying … some version of ‘our cars are engineered to the gills and go very very fast,” wrote Lulu Cheng Meservey, co-founder of Rostra PR group. ‘Art school grads simply aren’t associated with elite engineering ability, I’m sorry.’

In a press release accompanying its rebrand, Jaguar’s chief creative officer, Sir Gerry McGovern, explained the thinking behind the rollout.

‘New Jaguar is a brand built around exuberant modernism,’ he said. ‘It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint. It is unique and fearless.’

Jaguar sold fewer than 67,000 cars in the entire world last year, approximately half the number it sold in the fiscal year incorporating the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Today there are just 122 Jaguar dealerships in the U.S., down from a peak of around 200, according to Car and Driver magazine.

The revamp is designed to turn things around, in part by introducing new emblems that will be featured on future Jaguar vehicles.

In the lead-up to the campaign’s debut, Jaguar announced it was discontinuing five models with “close to zero profitability,” CEO Adrian Mardell told investors this year, as it developed three new ultra-luxury electric vehicles, one of which is set to be unveiled at Miami’s Art Basel event next month.

In response to other X users asking why the ad didn’t feature any cars, Jaguar’s X account responded, “The story is unfolding. Stay tuned,” and “Think of this as a declaration of intent.”

A spokesperson for Jaguar Land Rover, today a unit of India-based Tata Motors, did not respond to a request for comment.

‘To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless,’ Rawdon Glober, Jaguar’s managing director, said in the release. ‘Jaguar was always at its best when challenging convention. That ethos is seen in our new brand identity today and will be further revealed over the coming months. This is a complete reset. Jaguar is transformed to reclaim its originality and inspire a new generation. I am excited for the world to finally see Jaguar.’

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Mike Tyson, Jake Paul fight was the most streamed sporting event ever, Netflix says

Friday’s anticipated boxing match between former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul will be remembered for more than its unique card.

The bout shown on Netflix was the most streamed global sporting event ever with 65 million live concurrent streams and 108 million total live viewers around the world, according to a Netflix release. The Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor fight before the Tyson-Paul match averaged 74 million live global viewers, the most watched professional women’s sporting event ever in the U.S. with 47 million viewers, the company said.

The event notched several other wins, including being the biggest boxing gate in history outside of Nevada.

Both Tyson and Paul made 10-figure paydays, according to Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, whose company promoted the fight. Serrano and Taylor received record pay for women’s boxing, he said.

This event was crucial for Netflix as it prepares for its Christmas Day stream of NFL games — its first time showing the most popular sport in the U.S. live. Viewers complained of buffering issues, but Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said she is not concerned about the company’s ability to stream the NFL games.

Netflix is not the first streamer to wade into live sports. Amazon has carried Thursday Night Football games since 2022, and NBCUniversal’s Peacock streamed an NFL playoff game last season.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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ESPN pundit suggests Indiana sit QB vs. Ohio State

And a big part of the Hoosiers’ success this season — including its first 10-0 start in program history, a top five ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll and a projected top seven seeding in the latest CFP rankings — is Indiana starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke.

Even so, ESPN college football analyst Joey Galloway suggested on Tuesday’s CFP rankings show that Indiana should bench Rourke vs. No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday.

‘If we believe in what our metrics are saying, if I’m Indiana, I don’t know if I’m playing Rourke against Ohio State. We’ve seen what happened to Florida State last year with Jordan Travis,’ Galloway said Tuesday. ‘What could keep Indiana out of this (CFP)? Getting their quarterback hurt. We’ve seen it happen to Florida State last year, having not played anybody.’

Galloway, who played at Ohio State from 1991-1994, was alluding to undefeated Florida State being snubbed from the College Football Playoff last year after Jordan Travis went down with a season-ending injury in Week 12 against North Alabama.

Saturday’s game for Indiana is not only an important one not only for the Hoosiers’ odds to make CFP (in which they are currently slated as a No. 7 seed), but also for their path to the Big Ten championship game. A win against Ohio State on Saturday will likely give Indiana a spot in the Big Ten title game against No. 1 Oregon, where the winner receives an automatic bid and first-round bye in the CFP.

But Galloway’s statement of sitting Rourke didn’t end there, as he brought it back up later in the show when he stood at the big board alongside Rece Davis, Booger McFarland and Greg McElroy.

‘If I’m Indiana, I am protecting my quarterback,’ Galloway said.

Galloway’s suggestion immediately drew pushback from his colleagues, as McElroy said it would be a ‘culture killer’ if Indiana first-year coach Curt Cignetti decided to sit his starting quarterback in his team’s biggest game of the season.

Indiana is set to kick off against Ohio State at noon ET on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, where Fox’s ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ and ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ will be set up for their Week 13 pregame shows.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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What should Jets’ next move be? Let Aaron Rodgers go free – now

As the New York Jets finish leveling their latest and greatest rebuild, they might as well take this thing just about all the way down to the studs – and we’ll get to them later.

But in the interim, naturally, interim general manager Phil Savage – he replaced exiled Joe Douglas on Tuesday – might bring an organization that’s long been adrift a little extra currency by continuing to clean a house that’s perpetually less than the sum of its parts.

How does a temporary caretaker with no guarantee of remaining employed here himself do that exactly? Here’s a three-part plan for Savage – and, far more importantly, owner Woody Johnson – to begin getting the Jets air-worthy even before their next set of controllers arrive on site:

Step 1: Let Aaron Rodgers go now

It doesn’t need to be nasty or awkward. In fact, it should be classy and grateful – ‘a quasi-appreciative Jets Nation thanks you for your service’ – anything that suggests Florham Park, N.J., is a desired destination for personnel executives, coaches and players in the future would be a good start.

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

But the Rodgers experiment clearly hasn’t worked. Why continue to let a soon-to-be 41-year-old be consistently abused mentally and physically on a 26th-ranked offense? Why keep him into the 2025 season given he clearly won’t be part of the long-term vision for the team’s next general manager and coach? Why let him go on as the franchise’s unofficial mouthpiece every week on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’? Why not just take that $66 million-plus cap hit over the next two seasons, which is essentially the cost of doing business anymore at the quarterback position at a time when the salary cap continues to expand?

Yet it just hasn’t worked with Rodgers, and there’s plenty of blame to go around on that front – the four-time league MVP certainly with a deserving share – and plenty of well-intentioned effort that simply didn’t pay off. But if he really wants to keep playing in 2025, let Rodgers move on now. Allow him to heal. Permit him get a jump on his offseason travels, meditation, ayahuasca ingestion and whatever else. Aside from pursuing his 500th regular-season touchdown pass – Rodgers is eight away from the milestone – there’s no upside for him, his teammates or the club to move ahead over the final six games of this season. Let Tyrod Taylor or UFL MVP Adrian Martinez or even rookie and former Florida State star Jordan Travis – if he’s physically able – take snaps while Rodgers takes the next red line out of town. It’s truly in the best interests of all parties.

Step 2: Grant releases to other veterans who want them

The deadline to trade players like wideout Davante Adams, left tackle Tyron Smith, linebacker Haason Reddick and others expired earlier this month.

So why not reach out to them, too, and see what they want – which might be their own head starts on fresh starts.

Think Reddick, who’s only played 120 snaps this season and might just be rounding into form physically after a lengthy holdout following his offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles, wouldn’t draw interest from a contender in the short term before he goes into the 2025 free agent pool?

What about Adams, who’s due base salaries in excess of $35 million in both 2025 and ’26? Is the next regime really going to pay that to a wideout who turns 32 in December, especially if Rodgers exits the picture? Why not do right by Adams, who’s never played in a Super Bowl, and let him be a hired gun for the San Francisco 49ers or Arizona Cardinals or Buffalo Bills – maybe he’d even return to the Green Bay Packers. But surely someone would love to at least rent his talent and work ethic and attitude, which didn’t have sufficient time to fix the Jets. (And perhaps the same goes for Allen Lazard, one of Adams’ and Rodgers’ teammates with the Pack, if he becomes healthy enough to play again in 2024. But New York likely isn’t going to pay him eight-figure base salaries in 2025 and ’26 to be a WR2 … at best.)

Smith missed Sunday’s game with a neck problem and – at 33 and with a history of injuries – he might be done regardless. But why not let him decide, especially when the prudent move is to pull him from the lineup so rookie Olu Fashanu, this year’s first-rounder, can begin to settle into the position the Jets hope he’ll anchor the way Smith did for so long with the Dallas Cowboys.

Sure, prematurely parting with a player like Reddick might eventually cost the Jets a decent compensatory draft pick. But – despite the fact the team’s next leaders have yet to be identified – the long game for Johnson could be signaling to veterans around the NFL that the Jets care about their players and want to do right by them while also giving younger ones valuable playing time. Preemptive divorces also spare the incoming decision-makers some of the inevitable dirty work that awaits.

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Step 3: Rebuild bridges to the young stars

Douglas’ lasting gift to the Jets should be the 2022 draft class, one that netted rookies of the year and All-Pro-level talents in cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, a Pro Bowl pass rusher in (currently injured) Jermaine Johnson II and running back Breece Hall, who’s shown he can be among the best at his position even if the Jets have too often failed to showcase his multi-dimensional abilities. Brothers Quinnen and Quincy Williams and edge rusher Will McDonald IV also seem worthy of remaining long-term defensive building blocks.

Of course, Douglas’ successor must evaluate whether to keep all or some of these players, decisions sure to be complicated by the fact that those drafted in 2022 will be extension-eligible for the first after this season.

But in the meantime, why not begin laying the groundwork to a foundation with those youngsters? Why not let them start to lead from the front without Rodgers’ shadow cast over the whole operation? Why not see what they can do when allowed to play unshackled from the pressure of unrealistic expectations, or schemes that haven’t worked, or stuck in a formula that hasn’t produced the desired chemistry?

There’s no spackling over what a mess the Jets are. But they can at least begin working on their curbside appeal before the next tenants move in and attempt to redecorate this into a home finally worthy of champions.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Georgia, BYU lead College Football Playoff rankings winners and losers

Tuesday night’s College Football Playoff rankings reflect the calm before the storm.

With No. 2 Ohio State set to host No. 5 Indiana, No. 19 Army meeting No. 6 Notre Dame and several other impactful games involving ranked teams in the Power Four, this Saturday’s schedule will help clarify what has been an uncertain and unsettled race for the 12-team field.

By this time next week, we should have a better picture of how things could play out in the Bowl Subdivision, especially in determining which teams will meet in conference championship games.

For now, the latest rankings are notable for the drop of two teams formerly in the top seven: No. 14 Brigham Young and No. 11 Tennessee. The Cougars fell eight spots after losing to Kansas, while the Volunteers dropped four after falling to No. 10 Georgia.

Both teams have the runway to climb back into the hypothetical playoff bracket, though Tennessee’s path will likely travel the at-large route. BYU is still tied for the first place in the Big 12 and can book a trip to the championship game with a win on Saturday against No. 21 Arizona State.

This pair along with Georgia and the Big Ten lead the winners and losers from Tuesday night:

Winners

Georgia

The Bulldogs are back in the hypothetical bracket after beating the Volunteers and certain to stay there with wins against Massachusetts and Georgia Tech. In the end, missing the SEC championship game and avoiding the chance at a third loss will help Georgia stay in the field. Saturday’s win reinforced Georgia’s strongest qualities as a playoff contender: strong wins, strong losses and the toughest schedule of any Power Four team still in the mix. The Bulldogs have wins against Tennessee, No. 3 Texas and No. 17 Clemson.

Big Ten

Look at these rankings as a snapshot of this moment: While at least one of these four teams will drop out after Saturday, to have four of the top five teams shows that not even the SEC can match the top quarter of the Big Ten. The rankings are again led by unbeaten Oregon, which has already clinched a spot in the conference championship game. There’s also No. 4 Penn State, which clung to a spot ahead of the Hoosiers after adding a ranked win against No. 25 Illinois. The Nittany Lions have a chance to add another solid but unspectacular win on Saturday against Minnesota.

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Losers

Brigham Young

To be behind No. 12 Boise State at this point seems to ignore wins against No. 13 SMU and Kansas State, which top the Broncos’ wins against No. 24 UNLV and Washington State. The Broncos do have a very good loss to Oregon, though, and good losses have carried major weight with the committee through the playoff era. There’s clearly a focus on the Cougars’ close wins against Utah and Oklahoma State along with only three victories against teams currently holding a winning record. BYU also hasn’t always aced the eye test, which matters.

But the current pecking order won’t last if BYU wins the Big 12, which matters when you begin to think of which conference winner will get the opening-round bye alongside the SEC, Big Ten and ACC. The Cougars have the chance to add ranked wins against the Sun Devils and No. 16 Colorado while the Broncos wrap up with Wyoming, Oregon State and either Colorado State or a rematch with UNLV. Winning out would eventually push BYU back in front. In fact, the Cougars could move ahead of Boise next week with a win against Arizona State.

Tennessee

To be fifth among SEC teams at this moment speaks to the diminished odds the Volunteers have of earning an at-large bid. Tennessee isn’t catching up with No. 7 Alabama despite beating the Crimson Tide. Nor are the Volunteers every going to get ahead of Georgia due to Saturday’s loss. They are also going to have a hard time getting back ahead of No. 9 Mississippi because of the common-opponent result with the Bulldogs. Based on Tuesday’s ranking, what Tennessee needs is simple: No. 3 Texas to lose to No. 15 Texas A&M in the season finale and then for the Aggies to lose the SEC championship. If the SEC does take four teams in this case, which seems highly likely, the Volunteers would be the fourth in the line.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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