Burke Sports Talk

MLB Reds 4, Brewers 3 The Reds, with Matt McLain returning from injury at some point, could be faced with an infield logjam. The most likely man to move because of it, at least due to reports, is Jonathan India. To me, that wouldn’t be wise. India, a steady presence in Cincinnati’s lineup, went 3-for-4…

NFL Chargers sign K Cameron Dicker to four-year, $22.04 million contract extension Dicker doesn’t even have two full seasons of work yet, but he’s already established himself as one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers. Last season, the 24-year-old connected on 93.9 percent of field goals, so the Chargers are wisely locking in their exceptional…

NFL 49ers sign WR Brandon Aiyuk to four-year, $120 million contract extension This saga had to end at some point. I’ve said before that the top of the wide receiver market is overinflated, and this deal for Aiyuk further highlights the issue. That’s not Aiyuk’s fault, though, as the 26-year-old was excellent in 2023, grabbing…

NFL Steelers name Russell Wilson starting quarterback Pittsburgh, after whiffing on Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 draft, opted to go cheap at quarterback this season, adding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for under $5 million combined in 2024. It’s certainly a risk — the Steelers likely won’t benefit from great quarterbacking…

NFL Rams receive: 2026 fifth-round pick Titans receive: LB Ernest Jones and 2026 sixth-round pick The moment Los Angeles decided against giving Jones a long-term contract, a trade seemed likely. It’s been a questionable series of decisions by the Rams, and now the franchise only has a 2026 fifth-round pick to show for losing the…

NFL Bears receive: EDGE Darrell Taylor Seahawks receive: 2025 sixth-round pick Chicago was thin at defensive end behind Montez Sweat, so Taylor, who recorded 5.5 sacks a season ago, should help the Bears up front. This is a fair price to pay for a decent pass rusher in his prime. Taylor, a 2020 second-round selection,…

NFL Commanders receive: 2025 third-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick and 2025 seventh-round pick Eagles receive: WR Jahan Dotson and 2025 fifth-round pick Over the past few weeks, it became apparent the Commanders were losing faith in Dotson, the No. 16 overall selection in 2022. It’s hard to figure out why — the 24-year-old has recorded…

NFL Cardinals sign C Hjalte Froholdt to two-year, $12 million contract extension Froholdt finally emerged in 2023, starting all 17 games for the Cardinals. The 28-year-old will probably never be better than an average starting center, so this is a slight overpay. Grade: C-

NFL Steelers C Nate Herbig out for season with torn rotator cuff Herbig was no lock to start at center for Pittsburgh, but his injury makes it a certainty that second-round rookie Zach Frazier will. Frazier is a violent blocker, so Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren could thrive running behind the West Virginia product. MLB…

NFL Vikings sign CB Stephon Gilmore to one-year, $10 million contract At 33, Gilmore isn’t close to the player he was in 2019 when he won Defensive Player of the Year, but he had a strong season with the Cowboys a year ago. That performance should carry over to 2024, as Gilmore will help anchor…

Serbia almost did it. In the end, the USA just had more firepower — it’s tough to outgun Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. France versus USA should be electric, especially with the game being played in Paris, but yesterday was the game to beat the Americans, not tomorrow. USA by double…

NFL Colts WR Josh Downs out for four to six weeks with high ankle sprain Anthony Richardson will need Downs on the field in order to thrive this season, but if last year’s third-round pick doesn’t miss any games, this injury is no big deal. In fact, more practice and preseason reps with the first-team…

NFL Lions CB Emmanuel Moseley out indefinitely with torn pectoral Lions general manager Brad Holmes invested heavily at the cornerback position this offseason, both through the draft and in free agency. Thus, replacing the oft-injured Moseley shouldn’t be too hard, as he was already running behind fellow free agent acquisition Amik Robertson as Detroit’s nickel…

NFL Chiefs sign K Harrison Butker to four-year, $25.6 million contract extension This extension makes Butker the highest-paid kicker in the NFL on a per-year basis — a fair deal considering the 29-year-old is one of the league’s top players at the position. Last season, Butker converted 94.3 percent of his field goal attempts, including…

NFL Cardinals sign EDGE Zaven Collins to two-year, $14 million contract extension The Cardinals declined Collins’ fifth-year option earlier this offseason, creating some questions whether the 25-year-old would be with the organization long term. Those questions can be put to rest — Arizona’s new regime values Collins and wants him around for years to come.…

NBA Suns sign PG TyTy Washington to two-way contract Washington, a 2022 first-round pick, has seen his career get off to a rough start. The Kentucky product has been shipped around the league and has struggled when on the court, shooting just 35.6 percent from the floor in 42 games. The 22-year-old is still worth…

NFL It’s nice to have football back, isn’t it? Even if it’s just the Hall of Fame Game. Buccaneers sign OT Tristan Wirfs to five-year, $140.6 million contract extension Wirfs isn’t quite the NFL’s best tackle — that honor goes to either Penei Sewell or Trent Williams — but the 25-year-old basically had the right…

NFL Patriots sign DT Davon Godchaux to two-year, $21 million contract extension Godchaux is a quality nose tackle, but this extension will keep him in New England past his 32nd birthday. For a rebuilding club like the Patriots, that’s too much of a commitment for a player that’s too old. This pact also contains $16.5…

NBA Hawks sign PF Dominick Barlow to two-way contract I was surprised when the Spurs declined to give Barlow a qualifying offer this summer. The big flashed his athleticism in 33 games with San Antonio last season, averaging 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. The 21-year-old is worthy of a look with the Hawks.…

NFL Lions sign OT Taylor Decker to three-year, $60 million contract extension Smart organizations lock in good players, and that’s what Detroit is doing here. Good might be an understatement when describing Decker — the left tackle was borderline elite last season — as the 29-year-old and Penei Sewell combine to form arguably the league’s…