Lamar Jackson got paid on Thursday like no one else in NFL history, ending a months-long stalemate between the star quarterback and the Ravens. And if that wasn’t enough Baltimore gave him his Flowers too. Isn’t $185 million in guaranteed money enough recognition? Not exactly, as the Ravens used the No. 22 pick in this year’s NFL Draft to select former Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers. Talk about the dog house to the penthouse for Baltimore’s outlook on the 2023 season in a matter of six hours. Flowers was in the top group of wide receivers in the draft and was a two-time All-American for the Eagles in 2020 and 2022. Oddly enough, the year in between is when I got to watch Flowers play live when Missouri traveled to Chestnut Hill to face BC. Dude can flat-out play. He wasn’t the best wideout in the draft but he’s not far behind. Playing alongside Odell Beckham Jr. will only make both of them better. And with the trend of NFL franchises prioritizing wide receivers as the second-most-important position on the field, Flowers moving to Baltimore greatly improves the outside weapons for the Ravens. Most importantly, it gives Jackson a tremendous security blankety when he can’t solely win a game with his legs. A run of WRs in the later part of Round 1 No wide receiver was selected until No. 20, but then four straight were chosen with all three wideouts selected around Flowers all coming into the NFL Draft having more notoriety, mainly due to the other trio playing for better teams. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston, and Jordan Addison all played for teams chasing a College Football Playoff spot last season or won a CFP semifinal before getting smacked by Georgia. And Boston College didn’t beat an FBS team last season by more than a single point. Coming from that adversity should give Flowers an edge entering the NFL. He won’t take any success for granted as he comes from a program where making a bowl game is seen as a major success. Flowers has as much chance to succeed in his first year in the NFL as any other wide receiver in the draft and enters the best situation of any of the four taken in the first round. Sure, Addison is going to Minnesota and Kirk Cousins has to throw the ball at least 40 times a game because the Vikings already have the best receiver in the league in Justin Jefferson, which will give Addison plenty of reps. Then you have to remember Cousins is throwing him the ball. The Ravens’ playbook is curtailed to highlight Jackson and lift up everyone around him. And that will mean chances for Flowers, as Beckham isn’t a sure bet to have a monopoly on targets like Jefferson. While at the NFL Draft itself, the Ravens weren’t the biggest winners, Baltimore had the best week of any team by far and that includes the Jets, who finally have a reputable quarterback. And Aaron Rodgers will lead New York to the playoffs, and that’s it. A motivated, healthy Jackson with a solid offensive line and multiple threats on the outside is a phenomenal site in Baltimore. The addition of Flowers was the best cherry on top Jackson could have hoped for on the best day of his career. Relatedbetting odds calculatorparlay calculatormoneyline bet calculationshalf point odds calculatorkelly criterion betting calculatorhedge calculator for sports bettingspread betting sportswhat is the over under in bettingwhats a parlay in bettingwhat does round robin mean in bettingoptimal ev bettinghedging bets
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With the January transfer window set to open on Monday, speculation has resurfaced that the runaway leaders could come back in for the Northern Ireland international.
In a week that saw Liverpool spend a reported £75million on Southampton s Virgil van Dijk, Pardew believes his player is on a par with the Dutchman and admits he may have to cash in on the defender as the Baggies look to improve on a run of no wins and just two goals in six matches under their new head coach.
Thanks for your suppo…
Karim Benzema is back in the Real Madrid starting XI to face Shakhtar Donetsk as one of four changes made by Zinedine Zidane.
The influential French centre-forward has six goals in 11 appearances across all competitions this season, but he has not featured since netting in a 4-1 LaLiga defeat to Valencia on November 8.
In his absence due to a muscular issue, Benzema s team-mates have fared little better, following a 1-1 draw at Villarreal with a 2-1 defeat at home to Deportivo Alaves.
They did at least manage a 2-0 win against Inter in between those domestic disappointments, leaving them second in Champions League Group B.
Madrid are on seven points, one shy of Borussia Monchengladbach and three ahead of a Shakhtar side who claimed a shock 3-2 win in the …
You have to love Everton striker Oumar Niasse. The Senegalese striker’s story is now a well-documented one of not having a locker at Everton to actually going through a decent run of games and scoring goals for the Merseysiders.
Niasse is not the greatest striker in the world. In fact, he is not even the greatest at Everton. However, the guy’s attitude cannot be faulted.
Even during those dark days when he was frozen out at the club, there never seemed to be any complaints from the striker. He did one interview with the Guardian and even then, he was not that scathing of then-boss Ronald Koeman.
He may well have got back into the Toffees squad, but according to , the striker may well be on the move in the near future with Brighton, Crystal Palace and West Br…
Eden Hazard will miss El Clasico on December 18 after Real Madrid confirmed he has suffered a small fracture in his ankle.
Hazard was forced off in the 2-2 Champions League draw with Paris Saint-Germain late last month and required help as he hobbled off the pitch.
Coach Zinedine Zidane expressed concern after the match, convinced it was more than a simple blow , only for initial scans to suggest Hazard had just suffered bruising.
But media reports suggested there was growing concern with Hazard s condition as he was still requiring the use of crutches to walk.
0 Real Madrid have not lost any of their eight games with Eden Hazard (W6 D2), winning 75% of them (6/8), compared to 50% without him (3/6). Injury.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose)
Madr…
Canada remain winless since October 2012 after they drew 1-1 with Bulgaria in Friday s friendly in Ritzing.
Benito Floro s side have plummeted down the FIFA rankings to 110th after a terrible stretch of form that has seen them fail to win any of their last 15 games.
They did at least break one unwanted record in front of a sparse crowd in Austria, though, as Atiba Hutchinson s goal was the nation s first in 11 matches.
Bulgaria entered the match as favourites and took the lead in the 19th minute through Andrey Galabinov.
The Avellino forward showed good strength to hold off the challenge of Canada s Adam Straith and produced a composed finish to open the scoring.
But Canada hit back just eight minutes later through Hutchinson from the penalty spot.
Sv…
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High-flying Capital One Cup finalists Swansea City entered the race for Ince earlier this month, but now Premier League newboys Reading have submitted a bid of around £8 million for the in-demand attacker.
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Southgate has named a 25-man squad, with Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling the high-profile absentees and Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eze the only uncapped player in the group.
Here we go.
Your squad for June!
…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was not particularly concerned about the injury suffered by Alejandro Garnacho on Sunday despite him requiring crutches as he left Old Trafford.
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Erik ten Hag provided a…
Ever Banega was thrilled to reward Sevilla for their faith in him by helping the club to a third straight Europa League title and refused to discuss his potential move to Inter.
The 27-year-old started the match in Basle as Unai Emery s men made history with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool and was only replaced deep into stoppage time.
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´Sex-masochism´, ´fat man´ and ´Mr Mike Smalling´ – Van Gaal´s best quotes as Manchester United mana
Louis van Gaal was sacked as Manchester United manager on Monday just two days after lifting the FA Cup at Wembley.
While his side too often have produced some forgettable football during his two years in charge, the inimitable Dutchman s remarks in the media will live a little longer in the memory.
From horny players and fat journalists to sex-masochism and Mr Mike Smalling, here are some of Van Gaal s best one-liners during his time at OId Trafford
The most important difference is that I am training the players, not in the legs, but in the brain, in brain power. Van Gaal explains part of his philosophy (July 26, 2014)
I have never had an experience when you lose or draw at home when they are applauding you. They were very important…