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The Atlanta Braves have had a busy offseason to this point, but were dealt tough news before the season has eveb started with the news that Ha-Seong Kim will miss 4-5 months with a hand injury. Injuries have plagued the Braves for the last two seasons, and GM Alex Anthopoulos has been adamant this offseason about adding another impact arm, which should be a starter. Atlanta has made ample additions to their bullpen, but it might not mean much if the rotation falters again. However, if the Braves can add one more durable starter to the current rotation, many fans and analysts would feel more comfortable with the roster heading into the upcoming season. As of now, the Braves have two strong frontline starters in Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach. After Sale and Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider appears to be the third option, and Hurston Waldrep, Joey Wentz, and Grant Holmes follow behind Strider with hopes of having a 4th/5th option role. Here are three starting pitchers the Braves could target this offseason to cap a busy offseason: Lucas Giolito Among the top available starters in free agency, Lucas Giolito is probably the fourth or fifth name on the market, but he would be a really valuable addition to the Braves. After missing all of 2024, Giolito enjoyed a nice campaign in 2025 by being able to make 25+ starts. In 26 starts, Lucas Giolito posted an ERA of 3.41 over 145 innings and struck out 121 batters. His market value projects him to earn somewhere between a $45 million and $60 million contract over three-four years. More MLB on Heavy: Four Low-Cost Free Agent Infield Options Braves Could Target After Ha-Seong Kim Injury Chris Bassitt A lot of teams are being linked to Chris Bassitt, and for the right reason. Â The 36-year-old starter has made 30+ starts and posted 170+ innings in four straight seasons. This is the type of durable arm that the Braves need to ensure some stability in the rotation. As great as Sale and Schwellenbach have been when healthy, Bassitt would add another layer of depth and could firmly slot in ahead of Strider on Atlanta’s depth chart. GettyCould the Braves end up signing Chris Bassitt? In 2025, Bassitt posted a 3.96 ERA over 170.1 innings. His market value projects him to receive an AAV deal of around $20 million, so Atlanta could opt to sign him to a one-year deal if they pleased. More MLB on Heavy: Braves-Rays Trade Pitch Offloads $73 Million All-Star For Griffin Jax Zack Littell The last option, and probably the most affordable option for the Braves among this group if Zack Littell. Littell has made 61 starts over the last two seasons and posted a sub-4.00 ERA in both seasons. 2024 was really the first time Zack Littell transitioned into a full-time starter, and he’s proved his value, similar to the other two names on this list, by being able to take the ball every fifth day. According to Spotrac, Zack Littell is projected to earn a three-year, $38 million deal. That’s a price the Braves can more realistically afford, but it would be looked at as a good signing if Atlanta ultimately did strike a deal with Littell. Other external options the Braves might target during the last four weeks of this MLB offseason include Patrick Corbin, Justin Verlander, Chris Paddack, and Nick Martinez. More MLB on Heavy: Mets Predicted to Land Former All-Star, 220-Strikeout Pitcher in Free Agency More MLB on Heavy: Mets-Pirates Trade Idea Sends $77 Million All-Star Starter to Queens for Top Prospect More MLB on Heavy: Braves Urged to Sign $61 Million Projected Starter in Free Agency Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Three Starters the Braves Could Target to Cap Off Busy Offseason appeared first on Heavy Sports.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has known only one head coach since entering the league in 2021, and that is Sean McDermott. McDermott took a chance on the sixth-round draft pick out of the University of Pittsburgh. He made Hamlin a full-time starter in just his second season in the league. He stuck by him after the traumatic cardiac arrest in 2023, which led to him becoming a 2024 Comeback Player of the Year finalist. And under his leadership, Hamlin signed a $2 million extension this offseason, going into his fifth year with the Bills. McDermott was fired early Monday morning after leading Buffalo to seven playoff appearances in eight years, and Hamlin, like many Bills players, was caught off guard by the news. “A True Leader Of Men,” Hamlin posted on X to his 724k followers. “Thank You For Everything! On & Beyond The Field. We Love You Coach.” A True Leader Of Men. Thank You For Everything! On & Beyond The Field. We Love You Coach. 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 pic.twitter.com/3EFaeybgVU — 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 19, 2026 This was Hamlin’s second post after the McDermott news dropped. His first was simply three broken heart emojis shared immediately after the story circulated. 💔💔💔. — 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 19, 2026 Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Bills Damar Hamlin Issues Heart-Felt Message After Sean McDermott Firing appeared first on Heavy Sports.

The Chicago Bears will not play any more meaningful football games until September, but there is a great deal to which fans can look forward in the interim.The first will be free agency, which begins when the new league year does in March. But roughly six weeks after the opening barrage of free-agent signings and probably a handful of meaningful trades across the NFL, the draft will take place in late April.Chicago’s exact position in that process was unclear until the team lost the final playoff game of the Divisional Round on Sunday night, January 18.The Bears (11-6) are now locked into the No. 25 spot, which is the highest available for teams that fell in the second round of the postseason. The Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans all finished 12-5 and will select at Nos. 26-28, respectively.Chicago owns a total of seven picks in the upcoming draft, including Nos. 25, 57, 89, 129 (via the Los Angeles Rams), 163, 239 (via the Philadelphia Eagles) and 241.Bears Likely to Focus on Edge-Rusher in Offseason, as Big Pickups in 2025 Failed to Pay Dividends GettyChicago Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. The Bears are likely to focus on the defensive side of the football after using the first three selections of Ben Johnson’s tenure as head coach on tight end Colston Loveland (No. 10 overall), wide receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39 overall) and offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (No. 56 overall) in 2025.Specifically, Chicago needs help on the defensive front. The pass rush is probably the area of greatest need, as the Bears finished the year with the 29th-ranked defense and tallied just 35 sacks in 17 regular season games while producing among the lowest pass rush win rates in the NFL (31st).“The Bears’ inability to pressure opposing quarterbacks was a glaring weakness all season,” according to ESPN. “Despite spending big last free agency on defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo (one sack in eight games before a season-ending injury) and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (two sacks), the Bears got very little return on investment. The No. 1 focus must be a big swing on an edge rusher in free agency or the draft.”Bears Predicted to Select DE or DT With First-Round Pick in NFL Draft GettyClemson defensive end TJ Parker. Jordan Reid of ESPN suggested a player like defensive end TJ Parker out of Clemson in the first round.“In Round 1, TJ Parker (Clemson) would fit the prototype of the team’s defensive scheme, as he’s a power rusher who is also an NFL-ready run defender,” Reid wrote Monday.However, Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus predicted on Monday that Chicago will use the No. 25 pick to select defensive tackle Christen Miller out of Georgia.“The Bears could benefit from some reinforcements against the run, and Miller should be able to make an impact in that regard from day one,” McGuinness wrote. “He earned a 90.2 PFF run-defense grade in 2025. While his 70.0 PFF pass-rush grade is far from bad, he will likely be most valuable in the run game as an NFL player.”Chicago may look to trade for an edge-rusher like Maxx Crosby or sign a free agent like Jaelan Phillips even if the team drafts a high-end defensive lineman in the first round, given how great the need is on that side of the football. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Bears First-Round Draft Pick Revealed After Playoff Exit appeared first on Heavy Sports.

Just when the vacant head coach jobs were shrinking, another one opened up.The Buffalo Bills announced that they will be parting ways with head coach Sean McDermott after nine seasons with the organization.McDermott’s dismissal comes after the Bills lost to the Denver Broncos, 30-33, marking the eighth time the Buffalo Bills have fallen out of the playoffs without reaching the Super Bowl in the nine seasons McDermott has been with the team.Looking forward, the Bills will need someone with big shoes to fill in for the former head coach.Rams Coordinator Top Option For New HC Job GettyA trust member of the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff may be on his way out It would be a lot of pressure to replace Sean McDermott in Buffalo.The Bills only had one losing season during his nine-year tenure and made it to the playoffs 8 of times at the helm of the team. The former AFC East head coach accrued an overall coaching record of 98 wins and 50 losses.To replace someone of his caliber, the Bills would need someone who has the winning experience to fill his role.CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani released a list of the top five options who could be a good option to replace McDermott, naming Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Chris Shula as one of the options.“The grandson of NFL legend Don Shula is one of the hottest candidates this coaching cycle, and someone Buffalo should take a look at as well. Chris Shula has been on Sean McVay’s staff since his first season as the Rams’ lead man back in 2017, working in multiple capacities such as linebackers coach, pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach before receiving the promotion to defensive coordinator,” Dajani wrote.“Last year, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner combined for 226 pressures — which ranked second-most among any foursome in the NFL… The Rams also recorded 16 sacks in the playoffs that year, which were the most in a two-game span in NFL postseason history. In 2025, Shula’s unit recorded the third-most pressures (274) and fourth-highest pressure percentage (41.7%).”The Rams’ defense was one of the best this season, with Chris Shula calling the plays, only allowing 20.4 points per game, the 10th-lowest in the NFL.As an upcoming coach, leading a playoff-experienced Bills would be a good first landing spot for Shula.The Rams’ DC has been receiving serious head coaching options around the league, meaning the Bills would have to swoop in quickly to get their guy.Top Option Could Be Familiar Face For Buffalo GettyThe Buffalo Bills could have a frontrunner for their vacant head coaching job With no time to waste in finding a new head coach, the Buffalo Bills may have a frontrunner who has a history with the team.According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, a name that keeps popping up for the next HC for the Bills is former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, holding the role from 2018 to the 2021 seasons. According to Russini, Josh Allen “loves” Daboll and pairing them up again would see the Bills’ offense be one of the best in the league.In his last two seasons as offensive coordinator with the Bills, before taking the New York Giants head coaching job, the Buffalo offense had the second (31.3) and third-highest (28.4) points per game.The 2020 season was also Allen’s best passing season as a professional, throwing for 4,544 yards and 37 pass touchdowns, both career highs in a season.If the Bills were to bring Daboll as head coach, or even as offensive coordinator, it wouldn’t take much time for Josh Allen to get accustomed to the playbook.Like Chris Shula, Daboll has been receiving head coaching and offensive coordinator interest, forcing Buffalo to move fast. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Longtime Rams Coach Named Top Option For Bills Head Coach Job appeared first on Heavy Sports.