NFL

Cardinals sign EDGE Baron Browning to two-year, $15 million contract

Arizona shipped out a sixth-round pick for Browning prior to last season’s trade deadline, and the move delivered decent results. The 26-year-old managed to record two sacks with the Cardinals, but the team faded from the playoff picture following the transaction.

Bringing back Browning is a fine decision, but this deal is a bit costly. For it to bear fruit, the edge defender will need to improve, which is entirely possible, given his age.

Grade: C-

NCAAF

Bowling Green hires Eddie George as head coach

George is relatively new to the coaching industry, but the reward outweighs the risk with this hire. Amid difficult circumstances at Tennessee State, George compiled a 24-22 record across four seasons with the Tigers, culminating in a FCS postseason appearance last year. Bowling Green is a hard job, but George’s success at Tennessee State gives him a shot at thriving with the Falcons.

There’s more. George has familiarity with the state of Ohio, having won the Heisman Trophy playing for Ohio State in 1995. The MAC isn’t the Big Ten, and that’s probably a good thing for the former Buckeye, as the Bowling Green job is the next logical step of his coaching journey.

Grade: B+

NCAAB

NC State fires head coach Kevin Keatts

What a difference a year makes. Keatts led the Wolfpack to an improbable — and I mean improbable — Final Four run last season, but even at the time the success felt unsustainable. After all, Keatts and NC State tallied just two NCAA Tournament appearances in his prior six seasons with the program, so the trip to the Final Four felt like an outlier.

As it turns out, it was. NC State reverted to its worst form in 2025, finishing just 12-19. Sure, things can be better next season, but administration clearly believes there’s a better chance of improvement over the long haul with someone other than Keatts. That’s probably the correct assumption.

While competing with Duke and North Carolina in your own backyard is daunting, NC State is a solid power five job. Wolfpack fans should rightfully be upset every year the program misses the NCAA Tournament, and frankly, that’s too often been an occurrence since the Jim Valvano days. Herb Sendek and Mark Gottfried produced decent results in Raleigh, but there’s an expectation at NC State for more. The first step was moving on from Keatts.

Grade: A-