Falcons' latest move could have dire consequences for struggling Younghoe Koo
The Tennessee Titans went into their season opener hoping that the playmakers around Cam Ward would lead the team to a big win over the Denver Broncos.
That ended up being anything but the case, and much of the blame lands on the shoulders of former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who struggled to do the most basic part of his job description: catch the ball.
The veteran receiver left his rookie quarterback hanging out to dry with numerous ugly drops that changed the outcome of the game.
Meanwhile, the Falcons are still happy with their decision to trade the former first-round pick.
The Falcons clearly made the right decision trading Calvin Ridley when they did
Back in 2022, the Falcons were hit with terrible news that their top receiver, Calvin Ridley, would be suspended the entire season for betting on games.
The team decided to trade him before November's trade deadline, shipping him to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a couple of conditional draft picks.
The Jags ended up losing him in free agency after one season to their division rival, the Titans, who signed him to a four-year, $92-million deal.
His first season with his third team was decent, considering the awful quarterback. He caught 64 passes for 1,067 yards and four touchdowns.
However, he belly flopped with the No. 1 pick throwing him the football. He finished with four catches for 27 yards on eight targets, with a few critical drops.
Ridley's drops weren't inconsequential; you could argue the Titans would've either won the game or at least forced overtime.
One in particular came on the Titans' final drive. Cam Ward rifled a pass to him down the seam, and it bounced right off his hands, leading toward an eventual turnover on downs.
Drops are something you can trace back to his days at Alabama. It followed him to the Falcons, Jaguars, and now the Titans.
Trading him continues to look like a brilliant decision by the Falcons' front office. While he might be a good receiver, his inconsistencies keep him from being one of the NFL's elite.
Yankees' MVP outfielder has one wish with next contract in free agency
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger has enjoyed quite the career resurgence since signing with the team this past offseason.
He's not the same Bellinger that smacked 47 home runs and 115 runs batted in on his way to winning the 2019 NL MVP with the Dodgers, but he has been nothing short of an asset on a team that fields four former MVP players.
However, as the power-hitting lefty hits free agency after this season, he does have one requirement for wherever he lands, be it with the Yankees or elsewhere.
Bellinger Says He Wants to Play for a "Winner"
In an interview with MLB insider Jon Heyman, the former MVP was very clear about what he was looking for as he tests the waters of free agency.
"Bellinger told me the other day that he wants to play for a winner, that's his only prerequisite," Heyman said on MLB Network. "
"Bellinger has had a terrific year in the Bronx, in fact one Yankees person told me 'he's our best player,' " Heyman said. "That's obviously an exaggeration, but he has been really good in four spots. I do think he would stay in a big market, whether it's the Yankees, or the Mets would be a fit too."
The Yankees likely wouldn't want to see another power-hitting lefty jump ship to the other New York team after Juan Soto did the exact same thing last season, but with how loved Belli is in the Bronx, and especially with how well he's done, retaining him should be high on their to-do list, keeping him with Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton.
And as you can guess, free agency decisions are far from the outfielder's mind.
“As cliche as it is, as cliche as it sounds, I don’t even want to think about it,” Bellinger said. “I don’t think about it because we have 40-some games left."
Bellinger is hitting .277 with 27 homers and 88 runs batted in through 133 games played in the 2025 season.
