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The Indianapolis Colts have fought hard during the early stages of the offseason to add much-needed talent in areas of the roster where voids were present. The most visible were at cornerback and safety on the defense, which Chris Ballard has filled with immensely talented players.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum will change the mold of Lou Anarumo's secondary and bring more consistency to a pass defense that lacked it in 2024. CBS Sports recently graded the free agency for all 32 teams, and the Colts finished strong in the ranks.
Jordan Dajani gave Indianapolis a strong B+ and with good reason despite key departures.
"I'm actually a fan of what the Colts have done in free agency. The secondary absolutely had to be upgraded, and Camryn Bynum, plus Charvarius Ward do that immediately. Daniel Jones is an interesting addition to the quarterback room, but after watching Sam Darnold resurrect his career, let's reserve judgment on Danny Dimes."
Ward brings All-Pro, Pro Bowl, and Super Bowl pedigree to cornerback, while Bynum has seemingly improved every one of his four NFL seasons. As for Daniel Jones, he was signed to give the utmost competition to Anthony Richardson after a massive regression in 2024.
Dajani continued.
"The Colts' losses of Ryan Kelly and Will Fries automatically make the offensive line a point of emphasis in the draft, and I'd like to see the Colts draft a tight end as well."
Losing four-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly and young talent Will Fries is tough. Kelly had the center position on lock for nine seasons and Fries was hitting a serious stride, showing out as one of the best guards in football during his short five-game 2024 campaign.
Tanor Bortolini (center) and Matt Goncalves (tackle) figure to step into those respective roles to fill the gap left behind by two key players now with the Minnesota Vikings. Finally, at tight end, the Colts desperately need more talent in that room.
After a lackluster performance from the group in 2024 that saw four top names not eclipse 40 catches as a unit, look for Indy to possibly use their first-round selection on players like Penn State's Tyler Warren or Michigan's Colston Loveland.
Currently, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, and Jelani Woods occupy the position group; none have shown they can lead it into 2025 yet.
The Colts are at a crossroads of the franchise's future and are showing they know that. Ballard is going against the grain as a general manager from what he typically sees as a successful approach to free agency, so it's encouraging to witness that.
However, more is still needed to take this team over the hump and push for an AFC South crown while also securing a playoff spot for the first time since 2020. Look for Ballard to continue pushing harder for sure-fire talents as the NFL draft starts in a month.
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Lions Trade Pitch Gives Up First Rounder to Land an All-Pro Solution to Their Pass Rush Problem
It's time for another hypothetical Detroit Lions trade. Throughout the offseason, there has been quite a bit of prognostication about what trades the Lions could potentially make to upgrade their roster. Three weeks into free agency, they haven't just not made trades, they also haven't been all that active bringing in free agents. Despite the strong cap situation they found themselves in to start the offseason, D.J. Reed is the only player they've added who will have a spot in their starting lineup. The latest trade pitch for the Lions would change that in a big way. On March 31, ESPN's Bill Barnwell released a mock draft proposing a first round trade for each NFL team. The Lions' trade would see them send the 28th and 130th overall picks in this year's NFL Draft to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for pick 49 and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. I know there will be people out there who don't like that this deal gives up the Lions' first-round pick for this year. The franchise's front office might be among those people. Simply put, that would be the wrong way to look at this hypothetical situation. The Lions are on the cusp of a Super Bowl. They were up by 17 at one point in the 2023 NFC Championship Game. Then they won 15 games last season. They have a lineup that is loaded with elite talent right now. The one thing missing is a second edge rusher they can depend on to get to opposing QBs. If all it costs to fix that problem and turn your defense into a unit opponents are afraid of is a first round and a fourth rounder, I think you pull the trigger on that every time. Yes, there will be consequences in the future. Those consequences don't matter. If the Lions don't win their first Super Bowl while their window is open with their current roster, nobody is going to care what that first rounder got them. It's time to push all the chips in and Hendrickson would be the right guy to do that for. He has had at least 13.5 in four of the last five seasons, been to four consecutive Pro Bowls, and was First Team All-Pro this past season after racking up 17.5 sacks. If the Lions added Hendrickson, they would be the most talented and well-rounded roster in the NFL. This trade is hypothetical, but Hendrickson's contract situation is real. If the Lions get the chance, they should make sure a deal for Hendrickson happens, even if it costs them their first-round pick.
RJ Davis Sends Four-Word Message To Elliot Cadeau After Transfer Portal Decision
After making it to the Sweet 16 in last season's NCAA Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels barely squeaked into this year's field of 68, becoming one of the last four teams in. The Tar Heels, led by their guard duo of RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeau, looked the best they had all season in the First Four win over San Diego State. However, UNC's season ended a few days later, falling to Ole Miss in the first round. Now, the Tar Heels will be moving forward without their two starting guards. Davis, who spent five years in Chapel Hill, will likely take his talents to the pros, while Cadeau, a sophomore, elected to enter the transfer portal. On Monday, On3's Joe Tipton reported that Cadeau will be taking his talents to the Michigan Wolverines for the 2025-26 college basketball season. Michigan had a Sweet 16 run of their own this season but fell to the Auburn Tigers. Shortly after the news broke, Davis, who spent two seasons with Cadeau, posted a four-word message to his former teammate on his Instagram Story, appearing to be excited for his former teammate. "rock out brudda man," Davis captioned his Instagram Story. Cadeau came to North Carolina in 2023 and instantly became one of the ACC's best playmakers. In his freshman season, he averaged 4.1 assists, but that number jumped to 6.2 in his sophomore year. Cadeau's scoring efficiency also improved as well from year one to year two. He averaged 7.3 points on 41.7% shooting and 18.9% from distance in 2023-24 but climbed to 9.4 points on 44.5% shooting and 33.7% from distance this season.
Rick Pitino, St. John's land star player in transfer portal
Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm are moving on quickly from their early NCAA Tournament exit and adding new talent to the squad. Former Providence star Bryce Hopkins confirmed Monday that he will transfer to St. John’s for next season. Hopkins joins after playing just three games for Providence last season due to a knee injury. Pitino confirmed Hopkins’ decision on X, writing that the forward “epitomizes everything I love in a basketball player; Passionate, Hungry, and Driven.” Hopkins was an All-Big East selection in 2023 with Providence and averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game that season. He missed large portions of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons with knee problems. Originally, Hopkins had committed to Kentucky as a four-star recruit in 2020. He will have one season of eligibility remaining. Pitino is trying to keep St. John’s at the top of the Big East after a successful season but an early second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. Presumably, Hopkins will help replace RJ Luis, who is in the transfer portal after a controversial ending to his season.
NFL insider compares Jaxson Dart to MVP amid Shedeur Sanders rumors
Multiple noteworthy NFL reporters said throughout the second half of March that some teams view Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and not Colorado's Shedeur Sanders as the second-best quarterback in this year's draft class behind Miami's Cam Ward. On Monday, well-known analyst Todd McShay of The Ringer addressed the rise of Dart's draft stock this spring. "I actually have the same grade on Dart as I have on Shedeur Sanders," McShay wrote, "and I think Dart could provide massive value to any team with a quarterback need — especially one in the top three, which may be best served taking one of the blue-chip players with its top pick and then grabbing a QB elsewhere in the draft." Specifically, McShay suggested that New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen should select either Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter with the third pick of this year's draft if the Cleveland Browns take Sanders at No. 2. Schoen could then possibly either target Dart in the second round or trade back up into the first round for the young signal-caller. The Giants currently have Russell Wilson on track to serve as their Week 1 starter this coming September. Meanwhile, McShay compared Dart to a certain Buffalo Bills star who happens to be the league's reigning regular-season Most Valuable Player. "Maybe it’s because (head coach) Lane Kiffin’s system at Ole Miss featured too many predetermined reads," McShay continued, "obscuring how Dart’s game will transfer to the NFL. I do think he will need a year to adjust to the intricacies of the pro game. But I’ve said before that Dart has some Josh Allen in his game, and I’ve meant it — his suddenness in the pocket and ability to make throws under pressure could make him special." NFL Media's Eric Edholm is among those who believe that Sanders could slide into the teens of the draft's first round. ESPN's Matt Miller thinks the Los Angeles Rams could grab Dart with the No. 26 choice if Sanders is off the board by then. "The real X-factor actually may be who Dart is," NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote for a piece published Monday. "The people at Ole Miss rave about him, believing he’s got the 'it' factor a guy needs to lead an NFL team, and the drive and determination to earn the right to do just that. He’d been something of a pied piper for the Rebels the past couple of years, building bonds with players in every corner of the locker room (one coach there for pro day noted how he addressed all the equipment guys shagging balls for him by name), and using those relationships to bring the team with him." The New York Jets hold the draft's seventh pick and reportedly are "enamored with Dart." Breer hinted that a New Orleans Saints team that could be ready to move on from Derek Carr next offseason could grab Dart at selection No. 9, depending on how things play out on April 24.
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