標籤: tipped

Most would agree that the Las Vegas Raiders have done a good job of rebuilding immediately and building a much stronger supporting cast for Kirk Cousins ​​and Fernando Mendoza than they did with Geno Smith last year.

While the offensive line has improved, questions remain at the pass-catcher position. Have the Raiders provided their new-look QB room with enough weapons?

Sports IllustratedEva Geitheim doesn’t think so, but she has a possible solution in mind. He believes the Raiders should try to sign free agent receiver Deebo Samuel.

Samuel, a one-time All-Pro receiver, is still only 30 years old. While Samuel only recorded 727 receiving yards last season, that’s 31 more than any Raiders player in 2025.

He may not fit the profile of a No. 1 receiver, but there’s no doubt that Samuel could help provide a spark for the Raiders as a complement to Brock Bowers. The question is whether there is mutual interest in it.

Although Samuel has not been linked to another team, it is possible he would welcome the opportunity the Raiders could provide. The Raiders signed Jalen Naylor to a three-year, $35 million contract this offseason and expect him to be one of their premier pass-catchers. He will compete for targets with 2025 second-round pick Jack Beech, 2025 fourth-round pick Donte Thornton and Trey Tucker.

The Raiders may prefer to roll the dice on a young man they are developing into reliable playmakers. If that’s the case, they probably wouldn’t call up a veteran like Samuel. Still, if Las Vegas goes into camp and realizes their prospects aren’t quite ready for primetime, Samuel could be just what the Raiders need.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

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When it comes to a wide receiver duo, the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best in the business. At his peak, Ja’Marr Chase is in the running for the NFL’s best receiver. Meanwhile, Tee Higgins is certainly one of the NFL’s best No. 2 receivers.

after this? The wide welcoming corps of the rest of the Bengalis leaves much to be desired. In other words, there is more room for an established playmaker.

recently, Sports IllustratedEva Geitheim had a suggestion that could potentially give the Bengals the third playmaker they are looking for. His idea was to sign three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Bengals.

The point is, Hopkins doesn’t have much left to offer. While the five-time Pro Bowler is one of the most accomplished receivers of this generation with over 13,000 receiving yards to his name, he only put up 330 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games with the Ravens last season.

Is he really the playwright Bengalis are looking for? They may feel like they would be better off continuing to take advantage of the better opportunities they already have on the roster.

Last year, the Bengals’ third receiver, Andrei Iosivas, recorded 435 yards and two touchdowns. Aside from Chase and Higgins, the Bengals did not have any other wide receiver over 150 yards. This year, the Bengals added fourth-round pick Colby Young to the mix, and Cincinnati may feel more inclined to take a chance on the youth on the roster before reaching out to someone like Hopkins.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

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

Overall, the Las Vegas Raiders are preparing to make Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He’s even reportedly already learning the offense from Brian Griese, who has overlap with first-year Raiders head coach Clint Kubiak on the 49ers in 2023.

Still, Mendoza is not expected to be the Raiders’ Week 1 starter. Las Vegas would love to find a bridge QB who can hold down the starting job until they determine the Heisman winner is ready for the job, no matter how long that takes.

recently, athleticSaad Youssef gave an idea of ​​who that QB could be. He plans to sign free agent Kirk Cousins ​​for the Raiders.

The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback wants an opportunity to play in 2025 after being limited to just eight starts. That opportunity could come in Vegas, where he would be an ideal veteran mentor for a rookie QB.

Cousins ​​not only has 14 seasons of NFL experience, but he spent the first three seasons of his career largely as a backup, starting only nine games in that time. Mendoza’s career certainly won’t start off the same way, but that doesn’t mean he can’t learn a lot from Cousins ​​early on.

Ultimately, Cousins ​​and the Raiders could be a perfect fit. He gets a chance to play (even if there’s no guarantee he’ll play for long), and they make sure a talented veteran who isn’t afraid to work can help coach their young franchise QB.

RELATED: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: End of March edition

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

Chelsea are being linked with a possible move for Inter Milan striker Lautaro MartinezAlthough Argentine newspaper Nation Summarize the claim within a comprehensive report regarding the player’s current injury status.

The Premier League club appears in the article while the outlet discusses the forward’s recovery and the uncertainty surrounding his availability for Argentina’s upcoming Finalsima clash with Spain.

According to the report, Chelsea could prepare an offer worth €100m (£85m) for Martínez for the 2026/27 season. However, the newspaper does not describe this claim as active negotiations.

There is no indication that Inter has received an offer, nor have negotiations begun between the parties. Instead, the mention appears as background speculation while the focus of the article remains on the striker’s physical condition.

Injury references surrounding the Inter striker

Martínez has been sidelined since February 18, when he suffered a calf injury during Inter’s 3–1 defeat to Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League playoff.

Medical tests confirmed a strain in the soleus muscle of his left foot. Initially, the recovery timeline was expected to be approximately 18 days.

However, the situation now appears less straightforward. Although Martínez was included on the bench for Inter’s recent derby defeat to AC Milan, he never warmed up and entered the pitch.

According to La Nación, Inter are now anticipating his return as early as April.

That timeline could also impress Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni. They hope the striker will be available for the Finalsima against Spain on March 27.

Key figures for club and country

Despite injury setbacks, Martínez remains an important player for both Inter and Argentina.

He currently leads the Serie A scoring charts with 14 goals. Also, he is the only player in the division to reach double figures this season.

For Argentina, he is the second-highest goalscorer of the Scaloni era with 36 goals in 75 matches. Only Lionel Messi is ahead of him.

Inter are reportedly taking a cautious approach towards the captain’s recovery. Italian media suggest the club may also avoid risking him in the match against Fiorentina on 22 March.

The priority is to get him fully fit for the latter stages of the season, including the April 4 match against Roma.

Meanwhile, reference to Chelsea is limited to a brief mention in the Argentine media rather than any concrete transfer developments at this stage.