data-mm-id=”_ipsq1cbch”>The Los Angeles Rams had such a horrific season in 2022 that it nearly killed Sean McVay but everyone is back and ready for more in 2023. Except maybe not Matthew Stafford? The Super Bowl-winning QB suffered an elbow injury in training camp last summer and didn't look right throughout the season, eventually hitting IR with a few injuries. Now rumors are popping up that the franchise is trying to move him, the most public of which coming from former NFL staffer Mike Lombardi on the Pat McAfee Show today. "I know that the Rams have called teams trying to move Matthew Stafford" @mlombardiNFL #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/44aPLbIP6K— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 9, 2023As noted in the segment, Stafford's contract makes a trade mighty difficult. He's owed a bunch of guaranteed money starting soon after the beginning of the new year and his cap hit will get as high as $50 million over the next few years. Between that and his continually-growing list of injuries suffered, it's a tough sell, even for a guy who was a top-10 (at worst) quarterback in 2021. It also makes no sense that the Rams would even try to ditch him unless they really think Baker Mayfield is that guy. Which… feels unlikely. But never say never! Here are a few possible landing spots for Stafford if Los Angeles does decide to move on and manage to find a trade partner. New York Jets If Aaron Rodgers doesn't work out they may as well try for another over-30 quarterback with one Super Bowl ring under his belt. At least Stafford won recently. He's the type of upgrade the Jets entered the offseason looking for– a QB good enough to capitalize upon the advantages granted by an elite defense and, above all, is not Zach Wilson. Stafford would cost less than Rodgers and has an equal chance of staying on the field past next year. A pretty decent Plan B. Carolina Panthers The Panthers were in the running for Stafford when he was last on the trade block and while much has changed Carolina is still in dire need of a quarterback. With Frank Reich taking the reins it's obvious they'll get one this offseason one way or another. Stafford is obviously not a long-term answer but it's easy to see how the Panthers could talk themselves into him being the right answer because the division is wide-open. The roster is not ready for Super Bowl contention but a playoff appearance is definitely within reach with some decent offensive production and Stafford could provide that. Indianapolis Colts The Colts have recently made a living as the team where QB careers come to die so it wouldn't be super encouraging for Stafford to end up there. But they certainly belong on the shortlist of candidates. Jim Irsay is not a fan of losing and acquiring a veteran gives the team a better chance of being competitive immediatley than whatever rookie might be available at No. 4 in the draft. If they did land Stafford they can use that pick on an elite defensive talent or trade down for more assets to bolster areas of need, like the offensive line. If it weren't for the fact that the Colts have been burned several times in recent history by a move like this it would actually feel like a smart decision. But decisions do not need to be smart to be approved by Irsay, so it needs to be considered a realistic path.
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With the Europa League stealing centre stage on Thursday night, we are treated to a bumper schedule from across the continent.
With both Liverpool and Brighton looking to lay down their own respective markers on Thursday night, we have found a pair of Europa League markets that are worth keeping an eye out for.
20:00 Liverpool vs Toulouse
Suffering real frustration last season as they eventually missed out on the chance to book a top-four finish, Liverpool certainly haven’t shown any signs of a hangover this time around. Enjoying what has been an eye-catching start to the 2023/24 campaign and looking to lay down another marker on Thursday night, it is no secret that Jurgen Klopp’s side are tipped as a leading Europa League contender.
Marking their …
Gillingham handed a lifetime stadium ban to a supporter who appeared to racially abuse Omar Bogle during the side’s 2-0 home defeat to Newport, in which the striker scored twice from the penalty spot.
Bogle won County’s first spot-kick in the 20th minute when he was fouled by Gills goalkeeper Jake Turner after capitalising on Cheye Alexander’s miscued back-pass.
Having beaten Turner from 12 yards, Bogle appeared to be racially abused by a Gillingham fan as he celebrated his team’s opener. The club promptly issued a lifetime stadium ban to the fan, with a social media post from director of operations Joe Comper confirming the individual had been arrested.
Disgusting from one individual in the Rainham End. Arrested, and a lifetime ban from Priestfield issue…
Newcastle United are interested in signing Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz, according to . Diaz is out of contact at Championship club Blackburn at the end of the season, and Premier League outfit Newcastle are keen on securing the services of the 22-year-old.
Brereton has been on the books of Blackburn since 2019 when he moved to Rovers after leaving Nottingham Forest. The 22-year-old striker has scored 16 goals and provided one assist in 19 Championship starts so far this season. The Blackburn no. 22 scored seven goals and gave four assists in 30 Championship starts last season.
Newcastle are among the clubs who have scouted Brereton. However, the Magpies will face stiff competition if they are to make a move for the Chile international striker. Sevilla, Le…
Best Odds: 11/10
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Hoping to extend their stay at the top of the Serie A standings on Saturday evening, Inter Milan will travel to Bergamo when they meet local rivals Atalanta.
Atalanta
Starting with the hosts, while Atalanta might have missed out on the chance to punch a lucrative Champions League ticket last season, La Dea are dreaming of the chance to mount another genuine top-four charge. Last seen earlier in the week putting in another rampant performance as they cruised their way to a 3-0 victory away at Empoli, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side should find the mood in their camp at a real high. Marking their return from October’s international break with a 2-0 win at home against Genoa, the Bergamo-based outfit have lost just one of their previous…
France edged out Croatia 2-1 thanks to Kylian Mbappe s late effort in an end-to-end Nations League encounter.
Buoyed on by a limited, albeit raucous, home crowd in Zagreb, Croatia looked well placed to push on when Nikola Vlasic cancelled out Antoine Griezmann s stunning eighth-minute opener.
Mbappe failed to convert a gilt-edged chance soon after the world champions broke the deadlock, and Croatia could have made France pay earlier if not for an excellent stop from Hugo Lloris, who was then beaten by Vlasic after the break.
Despite a superb stop from Dominik Livakovic to deny Paul Pogba, France had their winner when Lucas Digne brilliantly teed up Mbappe with 11 minutes remaining.
16 Kylian Mbappé has scored 16 goals with France since his debut on 25 M…
Watford manager Javi Gracia praised Troy Deeney s influence after the skipper hit the winner over West Brom in his 300th league appearance for the club.
The 29-year-old coolly converted a one-on-one in the 77th minute to secure his side a 1-0 home victory, their second in as many Premier League matches.
Deeney, who joined from Walsall in 2010, looked set to swap Vicarage Road for the Hawthorns in January before Baggies boss Alan Pardew switched his attention to Daniel Sturridge.
Instead, the striker has netted three goals in four appearances for Watford to help make Gracia s appointment an immediate success.
I am very happy with him. I do not know what happened with him in the past, I do not want to know, Gracia told reporters.
I see him working…
Juventus launched their Coppa Italia title defence with a commanding 4-1 victory over Sampdoria at the Allianz Stadium.
A free-kick from Juan Cuadrado gave the reigning champions a 25th-minute lead, while Daniele Rugani s first Bianconeri goal in almost three years doubled the advantage after the break.
Andrea Conti replied for Sampdoria, whose fortunes were overseen by Felice Tufano following the sacking of coach Roberto D’Aversa on Monday.
But substitute Paulo Dybala put the hosts back in control, before Alvaro Morata s penalty sealed their place in the quarter-finals.
Juventus had won eight of their nine previous Coppa Italia meetings with Sampdoria, while they had not been eliminated from this stage of the competition since 2005.
The Bianc…
Rio Ferdinand has questioned whether Manchester United can be considered serious Premier League title contenders with Harry Maguire starting regularly at centre-back.
Maguire, a reported £80million signing from Leicester City in 2018, has struggled for consistency in his third season at Old Trafford.
He has started 27 games for United this term – a tally bettered only by Bruno Fernandes (32) among outfield players – but was benched for Saturday s stalemate with Watford.
Interim boss Ralf Rangnick put that down to fitness reasons, but Ferdinand does not believe the United captain s strengths are suited to the German s style of play.
Speaking on his Vibe with Five YouTube show, Ferdinand said: Is Maguire going to enable you to win the league? That s a…
As Jofra Archer proved in the second Ashes Test, pace changes everything.
Senses are sharper, adrenaline pumps and numerous elements thought to be under control escape it.
Monday s Premier League showdown between Wolves and Manchester United at Molineux – which ended with the spoils fairly shared in a 1-1 draw – was similarly a contest at its best when clattering along without a thought for the consequences.
Only with a full pre-season under his belt can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer truly be considered at the United wheel. And his is a team built for speed.
As in their 4-0 thumping of Chelsea on the opening weekend, plenty of United s early work was scruffy and without structure – they completed only 70.7 per cent of their first-half passes – but they …
Antoine Griezmann declared he will give everything in his limited minutes after playing the role of super sub in Atletico Madrid s remarkable 2-1 Champions League win over Porto on Wednesday.
After 100 minutes and 21 seconds, Griezmann nodded home the latest Champions League goal on record (excluding extra-time) to guide Los Colchoneros to a dramatic victory.
Mario Hermoso had broken the deadlock in the 91st minute before conceding a penalty that was scored by Matheus Uribe, meaning Atleti s win over Porto is just the second Champions League match to ever feature three goals scored after the 90th minute (excluding extra-time).
In a remarkable turn of fate, the previous instance was when these two sides met last December, when Diego Simeone s men ran out 3-1 wi…