华盛顿指挥官队无法逃避上赛季丢球的事实。虽然伤病是一个主要因素，但健康的球员并没有达到 2024 年华盛顿队夺得 NFC 分区冠军时设定的标准。

好消息是，指挥官队糟糕的赛季让他们在 2026 年 NFL 选秀首轮第七顺位中获得了一位蓝筹新秀。大约两周后，指挥官们将在名单中添加一位潜在的明星人才。那么，指挥官们可以添加谁呢？

最近，Essentially Sports 的 NFL 内部人士托尼·波林 (Tony Pauline) 使用他的情报来预测指挥官们可能会如何处理他们的首轮选秀权。在这样做的同时，他表示路易斯安那州立大学的角卫曼苏尔·德莱恩“最终可能会在第七顺位被选中。”

不过，宝琳也警告说，德莱恩可能会成为堪萨斯城酋长队的目标，堪萨斯城酋长队在第一轮中拥有第九顺位选秀权。当然，如果德莱恩真的是指挥官的首要目标，酋长队就必须超越华盛顿队，但堪萨斯城也有29顺位选秀权可以用作弹药。

德莱恩被认为是选秀班上最有前途的角卫，他在 NFL 联合侦察队中以 4.38 秒的速度冲刺 40 码后巩固了这一地位。他被认为是一个可能的前15顺位选秀权，所以华盛顿选择他第七名肯定会发挥作用，正如波林暗示的那样。

相关：华盛顿指挥官敦促以全职业后卫为目标

专门的 NFL 文案/编辑。我的作品出现在《Sportsnaut》、《体育画报》、《体育新闻》、MSN、雅虎和《明尼苏达体育》上……有关安德鲁·布勒-拉斯的更多信息

The Washington Commanders can’t run away from the fact that they gave up the ball last season. While injuries played a major factor, the players who were healthy did not live up to the standard set in 2024, when Washington reached the NFC Conference Championship.

The good news is that the Commander’s poor season made them a blue-chip prospect with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. In about two weeks, the Commanders will add a potential star talent to the roster. So, who can Commander add?

Recently, Essential Sports’ NFL insider Tony Pauline used his intelligence to predict what the Commanders might do with their first-round selection. In doing so, he said that LSU cornerback Mansur Delaney “could be drafted as soon as the seventh pick.”

However, Pauline also warned that Delaney could be a target of the Kansas City Chiefs, who have the ninth overall pick in the first round. Of course, if DeLeon is truly the Commander’s top target, the Chiefs will have to leapfrog Washington, but Kansas City also has the 29th overall pick to use as ammunition.

Delaney is viewed as the best cornerback prospect in the draft class, and he solidified his position after completing a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s viewed as a potential top-15 pick, so Washington selecting him at seventh could certainly be in play, as Poulin hinted at.

RELATED: Washington commanders urged to target All-Pro defender

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

The signing of six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans by the San Francisco 49ers this offseason has received mixed reviews from rival executives.

After finishing 12-5 in the 2025 season, the 49ers have been very active in the first few weeks of the NFL offseason. Several proven veterans were signed to improve the roster to better compete with division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams and defending champion Seattle Seahawks.

The most notable contributor they made last month was future Hall of Famer Mike Evans. The 32-year-old will be instrumental in giving Brock Purdy a much-needed receiver and filling the WR1 void. However, rival executives have differing opinions on how impactful Evans could be in 2026. First, okay.

“At a $14 million, one-year deal, it’s low risk,” one executive told Mike Sandow of The Athletic. “It gives them a bigger body. You get a vet in the locker room at that position. I don’t mind a year’s rental.”

Another NFL decision maker lauded the move saying Evans could make a huge difference in the 49ers redzone attack. “They’re going for it, man,” the executive said. “Red zone production is going to increase even more. Now you have a backside X that can win one-on-ones.”

NFL officials criticized the signing of Mike Evans by the San Francisco 49ers

While some NFL officials liked Evans’ signing, others did not like it at all. One mocked his fit with San Francisco’s current offense.

The executive said, “This guy runs 19 miles an hour.” “He’s a back-shoulder, possession

Another investigated the team’s recent investigation into a substation near their practice facility that led to their injury problems, claiming that the 49ers continue to add players who have trouble staying healthy.

“Everyone starts talking about substations and, ‘Why do we always get hurt?'” the executive said. “That’s because you sign injured players. Mike Evans is going to miss 4-6 games this year, Dre Greenlaw is going to miss eight games, and you have to wonder why your players always get injured.”

Evans and the 49ers will have a chance to prove those officials wrong in a few months.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

On Saturday evening, the New York Knicks got back into the win column with a thrilling win over the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden. Despite falling behind by 18 points in the fourth quarter, the Knicks came back and ultimately won the game, shutting down Houston’s offensive attack.

It was a strong game for Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 points with seven rebounds in the win.

After the game, Towns joined ESPN’s Inside the NBA for an interview, and Shaquille O’Neal had an interesting conversation with the Knicks’ big man.

“If you guys win the chip, sure they’ll talk about Brunson, but it’s you and your game. You have to be dominant. You played well,” O’Neal said, according to Hoopsship.

“As long as we get a ring they can talk to anybody about, that’s the most important thing,” Towns said.

“No, you have to play well. You’re part of that 1-2 punch,” countered Shaq.

Towns responded, “Yes, but the main goal is to win, no matter who gets the credit.”

“No, you have to play well to get credit,” Schock said.

O’Neal has long been known to be a critic of centers in today’s NBA, with some fans speculating that jealousy or malice may play a role in his disdain.

Perhaps O’Neal’s ‘me-first’ attitude was part of what made him so effective, but also why he is considered a relative underachiever in recent NBA history, given his natural talent.

Towns, meanwhile, has faced accusations of being “soft” earlier in his career, but he has always put the team before himself, which has continued into his time with the Knicks.

When New York next takes the field against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, it will try to register two consecutive wins.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Stephen Curry went viral with his now-famous “Night Night” celebration. Fast forward to 2026 at Milan-Cortina, and Italian speed skaters are following suit.

On Tuesday, the trio of Davide Ghiotto, Michele Malfatti and Andrea Giovannini scored an upset victory over Americans Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Sepura, according to NBC Sports. They won the men’s team pursuit in 3 minutes, 39.20 seconds. This was 4.5 seconds better than the Americans.

After crossing the finish line, they joined in a “Night of the Night” celebration to troll the American team.

Steph Curry celebrates ‘Night Night’ after Italy upsets Team USA for the gold medal in the men’s team pursuit in speed skating at the Winter Olympics 🥇😴

(via @NBCSports)pic.twitter.com/fi0wY9jxVl

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 17 February 2026

The Italian trio not only won the gold medal, but did so in front of their hometown crowd. Furthermore, they defeated the American team that had previously set the world record time.

“Night Night” festival started in 2022. At the time, Curry and the Warriors were playing against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA playoffs. In Game 3 of the first round, the Warriors took the lead in the fourth quarter as Curry came off the bench after suffering an injury.

After scoring a layup over Nikola Jokic, Curry celebrated “Night of the Night”.

From there, it took on a life of its own, especially after the Paris Olympics. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the moment was one of the greatest moments in basketball history. Additionally, Kerr ended her speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago with the sentiment “night’s the night.”

Additionally, Buffalo Bills running back James Cook celebrated in the same fashion during the first half of the Bills’ game against the Cleveland Browns on December 21.