SI:AM | The Most Interesting Non–Aaron Rodgers NFL Moves

Plus, what a 96-team March Madness field would look like.

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. Can Aaron Rodgers please just find a new team already?

In today’s SI:AM:

📝 NFL free-agency grades

🏀 An expanded NCAA tournament field?

🇺🇸 The opportunity Mike Trout has been waiting for

If you're reading this on SI.com, you can sign up to get this free newsletter in your inbox each weekday at SI.com/newsletters.

Still waiting on Rodgers

With free agency underway, the NFL world is still waiting to hear where Aaron Rodgers will be playing next season. Former ESPN anchor Trey Wingo reported yesterday a trade sending Rodgers to the Jets was “done,” but more reliable NFL insiders, like NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, were quick to shoot that down. According to Schefter, the Jets are “cautiously optimistic” that they’ll get the deal done.

The Rodgers situation has put the Jets’ and Packers’ offseasons on hold as they wait to learn how much cap space they’ll have available, but the rest of the league was fairly active when the legal tampering period began yesterday. Players still can’t officially sign new contracts until the new league year begins tomorrow, but many have already reached agreements to do so. Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano are grading all the noteworthy deals. Here are some of the most intriguing:

The quarterbacks

You can take the Raiders off the list of potential destinations for Rodgers. They agreed to a deal with Jimmy Garoppolo that is reportedly worth $67.5 million, including $34 million guaranteed, over three years. Verderame gave Las Vegas a C-minus for the move, arguing that “the biggest problem is this deal taking away the possibility of Las Vegas being cheap at quarterback for the next few years.” Conor Orr likes the move, though, since it reunites Jimmy G with his former offensive coordinator, current Raiders coach Josh McDaniels. Garoppolo should adjust nicely to his new home, given that he’s already familiar with the offense. And while he and Derek Carr may be close to identical from a talent perspective, Orr thinks both players’ new coaches will maximize their strengths. Furthermore, Albert Breer reports that the Raiders view Garoppolo as a better culture fit than Carr.

Garoppolo’s old team, the 49ers, also agreed to sign another veteran QB, adding Sam Darnold on a one-year deal. San Francisco appears poised to turn the keys over to Trey Lance, but Darnold will be there to put pressure on Lance in training camp as Brock Purdy recovers from offseason elbow surgery.

A couple of the other quarterbacks who found new teams yesterday were former Jets backup Mike White, who’s headed to the Dolphins on a two-year deal worth up to $16 million, and former Raiders QB Jarrett Stidham, who’s going to the Broncos. White looked good last season in New York and will be a solid backup behind Tua Tagovailoa, who has struggled to stay on the field. Manzano gave the deal an A, writing that $8 million per year is a good bargain for a respectable backup.

The Bears’ new linebackers

Chicago entered free agency with more cap space than any other team and wasted no time putting it to good use. Its biggest move was adding two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds from the Bills. Edmunds agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract that includes $50 million guaranteed. Earlier in the day, the Bears agreed to sign former Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards for $19.5 million over three years. It’s been a busy offseason already for the Bears, who on Friday traded away the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft. Conor Orr is impressed with what general manager Ryan Poles has done thus far.

The Chiefs’ offensive line shuffle

Orlando Brown Jr., who spent the past two seasons protecting Patrick Mahomes’s blind side, is the top offensive lineman on the market this offseason. But he’ll be headed elsewhere after the Chiefs spent big money on another tackle. Former Jaguars right tackle Jawaan Taylor has agreed to sign with Kansas City for $80 million over four years ($60 million guaranteed). He’s reportedly expected to shift to left tackle. But the Chiefs have another hole to fill on the offensive line after Andrew Wylie, last year’s starter at right tackle, agreed to sign with the Commanders (three years, $24 million). We’ll see what they do over the rest of the offseason to try to keep Mahomes upright as they seek to defend their championship.

The best of Sports Illustrated

Illustration by Sinelab

• As reports swirl that the men’s NCAA tournament could be expanding to as many as 96 teams, Kevin Sweeney reveals what an expanded bracket would look like this year for today’s Daily Cover.
• Sweeney also warns that these men’s teams are most in danger of an NCAA tournament upset.
• Albert Breer goes inside the Giants’ negotiations with Daniel Jones, which hinged on a pinkie swear.
• With the World Baseball Classic, Mike Trout is finally getting an opportunity to play meaningful games, Tom Verducci writes.
• Here are Pat Forde’s picks for every game in the men’s tournament.
• Trevor Bauer is reportedly signing with a team in Japan.
• Ja Morant has reportedly entered a counseling program.
• Nicaragua pitcher Duque Hebbert struck out three of the best hitters in baseball and was immediately offered a contract by the Tigers.
• U.S. Soccer announced its findings from its investigation into the saga between Gregg Berhalter and the Reyna family.

The top five...

… things I saw last night:

5. Maple Leafs fans singing the U.S. national anthem after the singer’s microphone stopped working.

4. Klay Thompson’s 33-point first half.

3. Bam Adebayo’s game-winning block against the Jazz.

2. Team USA’s nine-run first inning against Canada.

1. Puerto Rico’s eight-inning mercy-rule perfect game against Israel.

SIQ

On this day in 1978, the NFL announced it would be adding a seventh on-field official—the side judge—to monitor plays deep in the defensive backfield. The change was at least partially inspired by an infamous ’76 hit on Lynn Swann by which Raiders player?

• Jack Tatum
• George Atkinson
• Ted Hendricks
• Willie Brown

Yesterday’s SIQ: On March 13, 1954, which Braves player broke his ankle in a spring training game, clearing the way for Henry Aaron to make the team?

• Eddie Mathews
• Joe Adcock
• Bobby Thomson
• Andy Pafko

Answer: Bobby Thomson. That’s right, the same Bobby Thomson who hit the famous “Shot Heard ’Round the World” for the Giants off Ralph Branca in 1951.

Milwaukee acquired Thomson in a big trade just over a month earlier, sending four players and $50,000 cash (the equivalent of over $500,000 today) for the outfielder and backup catcher Sam Calderone. The Braves had won 92 games the year before and were already expected to contend for the NL pennant before they added Thomson, a three-time All-Star. But before he could slot into the lineup behind the great Eddie Mathews, Thomson broke his ankle while sliding into second base during a spring training game against the Yankees.

As a result of the injury, the Braves decided to give Aaron a shot in left field. He had just turned 20 years old but, despite having knocked the cover off the ball (.988 OPS) at Class A Jacksonville the year before, the team wasn’t convinced Aaron was ready for the big leagues. After hitting a home run in his first spring training start the day after Thomson’s injury, though, the Braves offered Aaron a major league contract. He made the team when camp broke and was the Opening Day left fielder.