Lions are staring down the perfect Riq Woolen trade they can’t deny
While the Detroit Lions left Ford Field in Week 4 with a huge win over the Cleveland Browns and their formidable defense, they suffered some significant losses to their defense. Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed, both typically starting cornerbacks, went down with injuries during the win.
While Arnold's shoulder injury apparently doesn't look too serious, Reed may be missing some time due to a hamstring injury.
Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters after the Browns game, "I don't know how -- I don't know what that's going to be or how long. I mean, certainly, I cannot imagine (Reed) playing next week at a minimum 'til we get more tests done. And I don't think (Arnold's) a major, is a major thing. I don't know. Then again, I don't know about him next week, but it's certainly not as significant as what, you know, is what Reed had."
With Reed's status up in the air, it could be time to start taking a peek at defenders about to become available for trade this early in the year. One target for Detroit to consider is Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, who is apparently about to see his role diminish due to the return of Devon Witherspoon.
Lions should poke around on Woolen amidst Reed injury
Witherspoon, who returned from an MCL bruise in Week 4, might see another ramp up in usage in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He recorded nine total tackles and a half sack against the Arizona Cardinals in his return, while Woolen had just one tackle. He is, however, only allowing a quarterback rating of 71.9 in his very young career.
Woolen could likely be dealt for a late round pick, something the Lions are probably willing to spend considering they got an extra late rounder in the Tim Patrick trade executed prior to the start of the season.
Reed has been a bit injury riddled over the last few years, having missed three games last year with the New York Jets. With Reed likely out for Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and no guarantee that he'd be back ahead of Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, it might be smart for Detroit to add some insurance to the CB room.
With Arnold's struggles to begin this year, too, it wouldn't hurt to create some competition while giving Reed time to recover from this hamstring issue.
Dodgers reveal controversial hero as ceremonial first pitch for Game 1 vs. Reds
The Dodgers could have any number of people throw out their ceremonial first pitch in every game they play this postseason. This year alone, they've had world-famous athletes, K-pop stars, LA icon Kobe Bryant's daughter Bianka, players' kids, and so on. An untold number of celebrities have been spotted at Dodger Stadium throughout the season.
But instead of any of the diehard celebrity Dodgers fans out there, the team will instead have...former middle reliever Joe Kelly throw out the first pitch for Game 1 against the Cincinnati Reds.
The Dodgers have a fondness for Kelly that some fans just can't make sense of. Sure, he spent five years with the club and a pretty good 2021 season, and he technically won two World Series with LA, but he sat out of the entire 2024 run and posted a 4.78 ERA in the regular season. He was also reportedly working up toward a major league tryout with LA this season (he insisted that he would only sign with the Dodgers) that clearly didn't work out, because he's still contract-less.
Sounds like the Dodgers said, "Thanks, but no thanks. Would you prefer to throw a single, meaningless, and probably not televised ceremonial pitch instead?"
Dodgers tab former reliever Joe Kelly to throw out ceremonial first pitch in Wild Card Game 1 vs. Reds
Maybe Kelly's viral shenanigans against Carlos Correa and the Astros in 2020 really were all that was needed to turn a player into a folk hero?
It's been sort of a nostalgia-tinged year for the Dodgers overall. They've welcomed multiple players who left in the offseason (or were traded away) back to Dodger Stadium to present their World Series rings, they're saying goodbye to Clayton Kershaw, and so on. Maybe they just want to give Dodgers fans one last and very obvious reminder of their recent glories ahead of their long trek back to the Fall Classic (even though Kelly didn't pitch in October 2024).
Maybe they're keeping their heavy hitters in the chamber for a possible NLDS, NLCS, and World Series. We guess you can't get Ice Cube to do a pregame show at every postseason game.
