A Jim Harbaugh team wants to be characterized by their size, strength, and physical nature. That was on display in regards to the team’s defense in 2025 but the offense fell woefully short after losing their best two offensive lineman and the ones who stayed healthy (comparatively) underperforming didn’t help, either.

In a new two-round mock draft by ESPN’s Matt Miller, he has the Chargers doubling up on trench players — both of whom own tremendous size — in order to help reinforce that Harbaugh style of football.

With the 22nd-overall pick, Miller has the Chargers selecting Senior Bowl standout Caleb Banks, a monolithic defensive tackle who stands at 6’6 and 339 pounds.

“The run on edge rushers before this pick leaves the Chargers with some interesting decisions. Do they add to an offensive line that was marred by injury in 2025 or try to fix a D-line that still needs a true anchor to help defend the run? With the talent that’s left on the board, Banks would be very enticing as the nose tackle Los Angeles is missing. The 6-foot-6 339-pounder is an aggressive bull rusher with rare first-step quickness for his size. Think Vita Vea, but with better length. Banks missed all but two games last season due to a foot injury, but his Senior Bowl performance was well-received by scouts, who saw the explosive play in the trenches that excited them entering the 2025 season.”

Banks would be a heck of a third player to add to the nucleus already consisting of 2024 third-rounder Jamaree Caldwell and the recently-extened Teair Tart. Both Tart and Caldwell are more run-stuffers than pass rushers, so Banks would fit in nicely as a complementary skillset to round out the room.

As for the team’s second-round pick, Miller has the Bolts using No. 55 on Oregon offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon, one of the top players along the offensive line that makes it this far down thanks to a lack of position value.

“Injuries decimated the Chargers’ offensive line in 2025, highlighting the lack of overall depth and long-term answers on the interior,” says Miller. “Pregnon would be a plug-and-play starter at either guard spot.”

Pregnon has had a lengthy college career that took him from Wyoming, to USC, and finally to Oregon for his sixth and final year of eligibility. He’s been an impact player everywhere he’s been, which is only supported by the fact he kept transferring up to the better and better program.

To cap his career off, Pregnon earned First-Team All-Big Ten and First-Team All-American honors after helping lead the Ducks to yet another CFP appearance.

This might be one of the best mocks I’ve seen for the Chargers thus far. Banks looks like he has the potential to be a massive steal for a team willing to take the chance with his recent injury history, while Pregnon looks the part for a plug-and-play starter up front.

We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at edge defender David Bailey from Texas Tech.

EDGE
Texas Tech
Senior
4-star recruit
6’3”
250 lbs

David Bailey was a national recruit at Mater Dei High School, where he helped lead an undefeated season and a win in California’s Open Division state championship while the team finished first nationally in 2021. He was named Cal-Hi Sports’ 2021 California Defensive Player of the Year, and was selected to the All-American Bowl. He would be given a four-star recruit rating and enroll with Stanford in 2022.

His first college season at Stanford, he played 10 games with nine starts and immediately looked like a high-floor disruptive edge. He registered 46 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, plus 13 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. The standout moments include a big day at UCLA where he posted 10 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He followed that a week later against Washington State with nine total tackles and two tackles for loss. He earned True Freshman All-America recognition along with Stanford’s Outstanding Freshman award.

In his second year at Stanford, he played 10 games and led the team in sacks (five) and tackles for loss (six) while totaling 34 tackles. His defining performance that year was the opener at Hawai’i where he posted six tackles, four TFL and three sacks. He was named Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week for the monstrous performance that Stanford called the best defensive individual effort since 2014.

In his third year Stanford, Bailey was even more of a splash-play engine. He ended the year with 31 tackles with eight TFL and seven sacks, plus five forced fumbles and eight hurries. His season sack total was Stanford’s best since 2019 and he would also register 39 pressures on 364 defensive snaps, and his final game at Stanford against San Jose State he would create 10 pressures with one sack.

For his final year, Bailey transferred to Texas Tech as one of the headline portal additions in an aggressive roster build. On the field, he delivered a true blue-chip stat year. He had 52 tackles, 19.5 TFL, and 14.5 sacks across 14 games, plus three forced fumbles, 23 QB hurries and three pass breakups. He had a crazy three week period of the season where he notched up seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 16 total tackles. His massive season for the Red Raiders earned him first-team All-America, Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, and first-team All-Big 12.

623 Defensive Snaps
81 Total Pressures
23 QB Hits
52 Total Tackles
19.5 TFL
14.5 Sack
3 PBU
3 FF
1 FR
7 Penalties

B-Gap- 1%
C-Gap- 9%
OLB- 89%

N/A

2022- True Freshman All-American
2022- Outstanding Freshman award
2024- All-ACC Academic Team
2025- Defensive Lineman of the Year
2025- All-Big 12 First Team
2025- First-team All-American
2025- Pony Express Award winner

Overall– 91.4
Speed- 93
Acceleration- 95
Agility- 90
Strength- 78
Tackling- 81
Run Defense- 74
Pass Rush- 97
Coverage- 81
Discipline- 84

Bailey projects best as a rush-first edge defender in an aggressive, pressure-oriented front that lets him attack from wide alignments and uses simulated pressures to keep him in advantageous situations. Ideally he’s best used as a 3-4 OLB or sub-package rusher who can win with burst and speed-to-power.

David Bailey is a pass rusher first and foremost. His job is to get to the quarterback, and that’s what he does best. He’s quick off the snap, he closes fast, and he has a good mix of moves that helps him create pressure even when opponents know he’s coming. That’s why he piles up sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. It’s simple, he’s disruptive and he finishes plays.

Where he’s still a work in progress is the dirty work parts of playing on the edge every snap. He isn’t the biggest or longest edge defender for the NFL, so bigger tackles can sometimes lock onto him and push him around in the run game. He can also get a bit too aggressive chasing the big play and losing his lane, which can open running or scrambling lanes if he isn’t careful.

Overall, he looks like a player who can be a very good NFL pass rusher early, especially on obvious passing downs, and if he improves his strength and consistency against the run, he has a path to becoming a full-time starter who produces sacks year after year.

Chop Robinson

9th

8th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors might be getting older, but that doesn’t mean his legendary skills are dwindling. One thing is always certain: Curry can shoot the ball better than just about anyone.

On Tuesday night, Curry earned another place in league history. He officially passed Vince Carter for the 22nd most points in all of NBA history.

Climbing the ladder ?️

Stephen Curry passes Vince Carter for 22nd most points in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/yZEd6uQOR0

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 19, 2025

Curry achieved this massive accomplishment during his team’s game versus the Orlando Magic, when he put up 34 points and nine assists on 12-of-23 from the field and 7-of-15 from the three-point line. Unfortunately for Curry and his Warriors, that wasn’t enough to get past the Magic, and Golden State fell 121-113.

But even with that loss, Curry was still looking wonderful, and he was reminding all Warriors fans why they are so happy he’s still in the league. He has been playing for 16 seasons, but there is still no one else quite like him.

He already has the most three-pointers of all time, but Curry is also in the record books for other things, too. And as he continues to play, he will keep climbing up the historic rankings.

As great as all that is, Curry has made no secret of his desire to win at least one more championship before he hangs up his jersey for good. So far this season, the Warriors have had their fair share of ups and downs, so claiming another title this year is in doubt, but this should never be counted out entirely, especially when Curry is playing so well.

NEXT: Insider Links Warriors To 2 Big Man Targets At Trade Deadline

The Detroit Pistons are giving Jaden Ivey a fresh start, sending the beleaguered guard to the Chicago Bulls in a multi-team trade that will net the Pistons Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric from the Chicago Bulls.

The full details of the trade are as follows, according to Shams Charania of ESPN:

Minnesota Timberwolves receive:

It’s a relatively sad end to the brief tenure of Jaden Ivey, which also must have felt interminably long from his point of view. The Purdue product was thrust into primary playmaking duties in Year 1 after Cade went down early in the season. Year 2 was the Monty Williams torture chamber. Year 3 was a brief breakout campaign cut short by a gruesome leg injury. Year 4 has been Ivey, finally healthy enough to play, while his young teammates have all gelled in his absence. He’s also clearly not 100% back, and might not be for another season.

Ivey was clearly not 100%, clearly on the outside looking in on how this young team was establishing its identity, and clearly not in the long-term plans entering what will be restricted free agency this summer. The Pistons didn’t need a great return and, well, they certainly didn’t get one.

Kevin Heurter is a career 37% three-point shooter, and he’s three inches taller than Ivey. That is about the long and short of Detroit’s motivations for this deal. But he’s down to 31% on the Bulls this season, shot 30% in 43 games with Sacramento last season before rebounding in a short stint with the Bulls after the trade deadline.

Dario Saric is just salary ballast and might never actually play for the Pistons, and likely gets waived if still on the roster by the end of NBA Trade Deadline day.

Trajan Langdon needed to trade for a shooter, and he’s banking on Heurter being that guy, provided he’s getting clean looks courtesy of Cade Cunningham and not a Bulls team whose only point guard (Josh Giddy) has missed huge chunks of the season.

Then there is the pick swap. Because of the absolute buzzsaw out West and Detroit’s comfortable position in the East, it is likely this is a pick swap that actually conveys. As of today, it would allow Detroit to move up six spots from 29 to 23 in the NBA Draft. We will see where is lands by the end of the season.

If this move by Minnesota is a precursor to a huge Giannis or Giannis-like move, then both these teams could find themselves picking in the low 20s by season’s end.

As with most deals near the NBA trade deadline, this could morph into something bigger. With huge salaries and three teams already involved, it’s the kind that can grow pretty easily and suck more teams into its orbit. As of now, the Pistons would need to cut a player to execute the trade.

They could cut or ship out Isaac Jones easily, and then cut Saric in an effort to create a permanent roster spot for two-way player Daniss Jenkins, which is near the top of Detroit’s priority list this week. We will have more if the story develops.

Wilt Chamberlain remains one of the most physically dominant players in NBA history relative to his era. Nikola Jokic does not fit that same mold in terms of athleticism or explosiveness.

The Denver Nuggets center lacks elite speed and is not considered particularly explosive by modern standards. His career accomplishments have placed him on a Hall of Fame path regardless of those physical limitations.

Jokic delivered another historic stat line in Denver’s recent 130-127 loss to the Chicago Bulls with 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists. The performance added to his growing list of statistically rare achievements.

“He passes Wilt Chamberlain for second-most regular season games with 30+ PTS, 15+ REB & 10+ AST in NBA history, trailing only Oscar Robertson,” the NBA shared on X.

Joker did Joker things tonight for Denver!

? 36 PTS
? 18 REB
? 13 AST

He passes Wilt Chamberlain for second-most regular season games with 30+ PTS, 15+ REB & 10+ AST in NBA history, trailing only Oscar Robertson ? pic.twitter.com/sKiF5CLyyU

— NBA (@NBA) November 18, 2025

Chamberlain’s statistical output across his career has never been matched in league history. The modern NBA features more advanced defensive schemes and a higher level of overall talent, which makes replicating those numbers nearly impossible.

Jokic is still reaching territory few players have ever approached despite those differences. He is building a case to be considered among the greatest centers to ever play.

Jokic is currently averaging nearly 30 points per game while adding 13.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists for Denver. His shooting percentages stand at 64.8 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Jokic entered the week leading the Kia Race to the MVP Award. His résumé already includes three Kia MVP honors and two runner-up finishes over the past several seasons.

His production this year aligns closely with the consistent output he has maintained over the previous five campaigns. Jokic remains recognized as an elite passer at his position while also ranking among the best scorers and rebounders. His footwork, hand coordination, and court vision drive his effectiveness alongside sustained competitive focus.

NEXT: Nikola Jokic Reveals Biggest Difference With Nuggets This Season

By Darragh McDonald | January 26, 2026 at 1:25pm CDT

The Braves have claimed left-hander José Suarez off waivers from the Orioles, according to announcements from both clubs. The southpaw was designated for assignment by Baltimore last week when they claimed infielder Weston Wilson. Atlanta designated right-hander George Soriano for assignment today as a corresponding move for this claim.

It was less than two weeks ago that Atlanta put Suarez on waivers, which is when Baltimore claimed him. It might seem odd for a team to put a player on waivers and then claim him right back shortly thereafter. Simultaneously, it might be strange to see a club claim a guy and then put him right back on the wire so quickly. In these instances, the teams are hoping to be the one to get the player through waivers unclaimed, which would allow them to keep him in a non-roster capacity. Atlanta and Baltimore are two of the most aggressive clubs at attempting this manoeuver.

This appears to be the sixth time in this offseason that one club has claimed a player from the other. Atlanta claimed both Carson Ragsdale and Josh Walker from the Orioles in November, though Ragsdale was later non-tendered and signed in Japan. Walker was put back on waivers in December, when the Orioles reclaimed him. Baltimore passed him through waivers unclaimed in January. Atlanta then claimed Soriano from Baltimore, before Baltimore claimed Suarez from Atlanta. Now Atlanta has claimed Suarez back again.

Suarez, 28, has appeared in the past seven big leagues seasons. He spent most of that time as a swingman for the Angels but also appeared with Atlanta in 2025. For his career, he has thrown 396 big league innings, allowing 5.30 earned runs per nine.

His 2025 season was mostly spent in the minors. He only made seven big league appearances for Atlanta. He had a strong 1.86 ERA but that was in a small sample with strong indications it would not be sustainable. His 51.9% ground ball rate was good but his 19.8% strikeout rate and 12.3% walk rate were both subpar. He was fortunate to allow a .259 batting average on balls in play while posting an 84.7% strand rate.

His Triple-A results were more impressive, despite the fact that his 3.53 ERA was higher. He struck out 27.6% of batters faced at that level while only giving out walks 5% of the time. He averaged around 93 miles per hour with both his four-seamer and sinker last year, while also featuring a slider, curveball and changeup.

At the end of the season, he and Atlanta avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $900K salary for the 2026 season. He is out of options and but it seems the club was hoping to get him to the minors by passing him through waivers. Baltimore intervened in their first attempt but Atlanta has snagged him back. He has a roster spot for now but perhaps Atlanta will make another attempt to get him through waivers in the future.

Soriano, 27 in March, is in a somewhat similar position. He pitched for the Marlins over the past three years but exhausted his options in the process. Now that he’s out of options, it seems there’s a small battle as these clubs hope to be the one to pass him through waivers unclaimed, therefore keeping him as non-roster depth in the minors. The Marlins put him on the wire in November, when he was claimed by the Orioles. Baltimore put him back on waivers about three weeks ago but Atlanta claimed him.

He hasn’t yet found major league success but is coming off a good year on the farm. He has a 5.95 ERA in 118 major league innings. He tossed 42 2/3 innings in Triple-A last year with a 2.32 ERA, 28.8% strikeout rate, 8.8% walk rate and 55.7% ground ball rate. He averages about 96 mph with his four-seamer and sinker while also featuring a slider and a changeup.

Now that he has been designated for assignment again, he is in DFA limbo and can be there for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the club could hold him for the next five days while exploring trade interest, but they could also put him back on the wire sooner if they so choose.

Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 – 7:30 PM ET
Nationwide Arena – Columbus, Ohio
TV: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max; Radio: 97.1 FM

Philadelphia Flyers (24-18-9, 57 points, 4th Metro, 10th East)

at

Columbus Blue Jackets (24-20-7, 55 points, 7th Metro, 14th East)

Notes

Big roster shakeup as Denton Mateychuk AND Miles Wood will both return tonight. To make room, yesterday Zach Aston-Reese and Brendan Gaunce were placed on waivers. If they clear by noon today, they will be assigned to Cleveland.

Elvis Merzlikins will start in net, as he was slated to do on Monday before that game was postponed.

The Flyers recently had a 6 game losing streak, but have points in 3 of their last 4 games, including big road regulation wins over Vegas and Colorado.

Stats

Philadelphia		Columbus
2.92 (21)	GPG	3.00 (20)
3.12 (21)	GAPG	3.29 (25)
15.6 (30)	PP%	19.8 (18)
78.0 (20)	PK%	75.4 (28)
47.9 (25)	5v5 Shot Attempt %	50.4 (15)
48.9 (20)	5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt %	49.8 (18)
10.3 (9)	5v5 Shooting %	9.1 (18)
89.5 (26)	5v5 Save %	91.1 (12)
Trevor Zegras (19)	G Leader	Zach Werenski (19)
Travis Konecny (28)	A Leader	Zach Werenski (36)
Trevor Zegras (46)	P Leader	Zach Werenski (55)
Garnet Hathaway (50)	PIM Leader	Mathieu Olivier (62)
12-9-4	Home/Road	13-8-4
2-6-2	Last 10	6-4-0

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets

Mason Marchment	Adam Fantilli	Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner	Sean Monahan	Kent Johnson
Cole Sillinger	Charlie Coyle	Mathieu Olivier
Dmitri Voronkov	Isac Lundestrom	Miles Wood

Zach Werenski	Damon Severson
Denton Mateychuk	Ivan Provorov
Egor Zamula	Erik Gudbranson

Elvis Merzlikins

Jet Greaves

Philadelphia Flyers

Trevor Zegras	Christian Dvorak	Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey	Sean Couturier	Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov	Noah Cates	Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin	Lane Pederson	Carl Grundstrom

Travis Sanheim	Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York	Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler	Noah Juulsen

Samuel Ersson

Dan Vladar