Welcome back to Young Horn's Sports Minute, we have a lot to discuss today with the start of NFL Free Agency, but first we will start with the breaking news surrounding the Yankees.
I was trying to enjoy the warm NY weather and was out doing my hot boy walk, when I got the ESPN alert from Jeff Passan. Gerrit Cole will not throw a pitch in 2025 for a Yankees team that has been dealt a monumental blow. The ace received the news that was feared: He will need Tommy John surgery. I knew once we got the initial news on Friday that he was seeking a second opinion it was all but official he would be out for the year.
Last year, Cole made it one Grapefruit League start before his elbow barked, resulting in a diagnosis of elbow nerve inflammation and edema. This year, Cole lasted two spring starts before the same elbow grew “alarming,” Cole said. After his opt-out saga this winter, Cole is owed $144 million for the final four years of his contract, one of which is already finished.
Let's move to upstate NY, where no one circles the wagons like the #BuffaloBills:
In the last 100 days, Josh Allen got engaged to a smoke show, won NFL MVP and on Sunday he was rewarded with a new record-breaking contract. Allen and the Bills agreed to a new six-year, $330 million contract that includes $250 million guaranteed making it the largest guaranteed money handed to a player in NFL history, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last night. The $250 mil guaranteed is more than Lamar Jackson's entire contract.....sheesh.
The deal, which was officially announced by the Bills shortly after reports started to surface, keeps the 28-year-old quarterback in Western New York through 2030. Allen still had four years left on his current deal.
The Bills QB has had a massive impact on the organization during his time in Buffalo and has led the franchise to six straight AFC East titles and helped the organization twice reach the AFC title game. Allen has also been said to look very similar to myself.
Bills coach Sean McDermott had the following to say regarding Allen's new deal, and this time he stayed away from comparing it to 9/11 or a terrorist attack. “It validates everything that he’s been doing for years,” McDermott said, per NFL Network. “It validates his leadership this year, the way he’s played on the field this season, the way he’s matured off the field, on the field. His decision making and how that’s improved. All these areas that were perceived — call it, gaps — Josh has answered those gaps and he’s closed those gaps. When you do that at the level that he did it at on a consistent basis, the result was the MVP. So, to me, as I said during the year, later in the year in particular, he deserved that.”
The #NewYorkJets started Free agency by making sure they locked up a QB before they miss out.
One month after saying goodbye to Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets addressed the quarterback position on the first day of free agent negotiating period, agreeing to terms Monday with former Pittsburgh Steelers backup Justin Fields. Fields, 26, will sign a two-year, $40 million contract that includes $30 million in guarantees, the sources said. The former Chicago Bears first-round pick is expected to be the Jets' opening-day starter, ahead of holdover backup Tyrod Taylor, but this isn't a long-term commitment. The Jets, who also could add a quarterback in the draft, can reevaluate the position after the 2025 season.
Knowing the Jets, and obviously having to end my fandom for them many moons ago based on how they attack the draft, they will probably use their first round pick to draft a QB to sit behind Fields and "learn".
Fields will be reunited with wide receiver Garrett Wilson. They were teammates for two seasons at Ohio State (2019-20). Fields was drafted 11th overall in 2021, nine spots after the Jets selected quarterback Zach Wilson, who was replaced by Rodgers and traded last offseason.
Despite acquiring Fields, the Jets had some key additional losses to free agency. They lost four major contributors on Monday -- right tackle Morgan Moses (New England Patriots), cornerback D.J. Reed (Detroit Lions), defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (Washington Commanders) and linebacker Haason Reddick (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Moving quickly to replace Reed, the Jets agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract with free agent cornerback Brandon Stephens that includes $23 million fully guaranteed.
Jets do what they always do during the offseason, build enough hype around some big names, get a flashy running QB and will finish 4-13 next year.
Here is a quote from my former co-worker Jim, life long Jet fan, "Justin Fields is the Geno Smith of Kyler Murrays" You heard it here first.
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