Burke Sports Talk

NFL Bills sign RB James Cook to four-year, $48 million contract extension The situation between the Bills and Cook this summer had been sloppy, with the running back vacillating between practicing and holding in. Cook’s actions were becoming a distraction, but as always, money fixes everything. I’ve harped on franchises for not being proactive and…

NFL Chargers OT Rashawn Slater out for season with torn patellar tendon The Chargers just inked Slater to a mammoth extension, penciling him in as the team’s left tackle for the foreseeable future. Los Angeles’ future at the position is still the same, but in the most important term — the present — the club…

NFL Rams sign RB Kyren Williams to three-year, $33 million contract extension Williams is an important — or at least highly-used — part of the Rams offense, so it’s no surprise he’s being rewarded with an extension. Last season, the 24-year-old carried the ball 316 times — third in the NFL — for 1,299 yards.…

NFL Falcons sign OT Kaleb McGary to two-year, $30 million contract extension It’s that time of year for contract extensions, and McGary is the latest. For the Falcons, it’s a great one. McGary is one of the better right tackles in the league, so securing him at $15 million per season is a bargain. He’s…

NFL Dolphins sign DT Zach Sieler to three-year, $67.75 million contract extension The Dolphins previously inked Sieler to a contract extension in August 2023. Why am I relaying that information? Well, I didn’t give the decision high marks. I graded it a ‘C’, referring to Sieler as a solid rotational defensive lineman. Therefore, I didn’t…

NFL Broncos sign DT Zach Allen to four-year, $102 million contract extension Several bad organizations are currently dealing with trade requests and holdouts. The Denver Broncos are not one of those organizations. A model franchise, the Broncos win and take care of their own. As a result, this season’s outlook for Denver is rosy. Allen…

NBA Timberwolves sign PF Enrique Freeman to two-way contract Freeman is already 25, but I’m still a fan of this signing. The Akron product is a high-level energy guy, which makes him one of the better rebounders in the league. He does need to reign it in at times, however, as his foul rate last…

MLB Athletics receive:SS Leo De VriesSP Braden NettSP Henry BaezRP Eduarniel Nunez Padres receive:RP Mason MillerSP JP Sears Whoa! There were murmurs that Miller could be dealt, but this overall transaction is stunning. The Athletics are receiving a massive boost to their minor-league system, while the Padres are seemingly going all-in with pitching. Let’s start…

NFL Browns CB Martin Emerson out for season with torn Achilles tendon Emerson’s play was curiously poor last season, leading to questions as the 24-year-old entered the final year of his rookie contract. Those inquiries will have to wait. Missing a whole season is difficult; it’s even worse when the player is an impending free…

My family is what some would affectionately refer to as a pet family. Four dogs and four cats have come in and out of our home, some staying longer than others. Each and every one, however, was loved with all of our being. I’m writing this because one of our cats passed away. Ziggy was…

NFL Broncos sign WR Courtland Sutton to four-year, $92 million contract extension Sutton is the perfect encapsulation of simply a good NFL player. The wideout has never been elite — he’s failed to post more than 1,112 receiving yards in a season — but he’s also a clear-cut No. 1 option. For the Broncos, he’s…

NFL Chargers sign OT Rashawn Slater to four-year, $114 million contract extension Upon Jim Harbaugh’s arrival in Los Angeles, the Chargers vowed a commitment to building the offensive line. Slater was already in place, and now he’s slated (no pun intended) to play for the franchise through 2029. It’s a hefty sum — the most…

NFL Vikings sign S Josh Metellus to three-year, $36 million contract extension Credit to Metellus. The safety wanted — and deserved — a new deal, but still showed up to training camp and worked, waiting for an agreement to come to fruition. Things have a way of working themselves out, and now the 27-year-old will…

MLB Rockies receive:SP Griffin HerringSP Josh Grosz Yankees receive:3B Ryan McMahon A number of contenders, including the Yankees, were pursuing help at third base. This agreement checks that box for New York. Colorado is tracking to have one of the worst seasons in MLB history, so it’s only right that it subtracts veterans in favor…

NBA Hornets sign SG Antonio Reeves to two-way contract Charlotte is waiving Damion Baugh to make room for Reeves. The Pelicans waived Reeves earlier this month, prior to his minimum salary becoming guaranteed. That was surprising, but little that Joe Dumars has done in New Orleans has made sense. Reeves, 24, is one of the…

NBA Rockets sign SF Josh Okogie to one-year, $3.1 million contract Good teams can always use specialists — players that make their mark with one elite skill. For the Rockets, Josh Okogie fits the bill. The 26-year-old’s offense has never been up to par, and almost certainly never will be. No big deal. Okogie is…

NFL Titans QB Will Levis out for season with right shoulder injury A reset year of learning and watching from the sidelines might not be the worst thing in the world for Levis. The 26-year-old suffered this injury early last season, and it hadn’t healed as hoped. In the end, the Titans and Levis opted…

NFL Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike out for season with torn ACL Detroit was one of the most injury-ravaged teams in 2024, potentially costing the Lions a shot at the Super Bowl. The hope obviously was that the luck would balance out this season, but that notion is off to a poor start. Onwuzurike had a…

NFL Commanders sign EDGE Von Miller to one-year, $6.1 million contract This agreement was announced several days ago, but contract details arrived just yesterday. It’s kind of a steal for Washington, assuming it gets the 2024 version of Miller instead of the 2023 one. Last season was a solid one for the grizzled veteran, as…

NCAAB Tennessee State hires Nolan Smith as head coach Smith has had stints at Duke, Louisville and Memphis as an assistant coach, but he must’ve decided it was time to accept a head coaching position. I’m not sure he chose wisely. Tennessee State is a hard job, so it won’t be a walk in the…