The Yankees might have something unexpected up their sleeve.

Lately, they’ve been chasing Cody Bellinger, and it’s no secret he’s got plenty of teams after him. If he signs somewhere else, that’s a real gut punch for the Yankees this offseason.

Yankees insider Bryan Hoch from MLB.com thinks if Bellinger walks, the team won’t just sit around—they’ll look to make a big trade. Hoch said the Yankees have been pretty vocal about wanting Bellinger back, but the market’s crowded, and even the Mets across town want him. With owner Hal Steinbrenner talking about trimming the payroll, you have to wonder if the Yankees will actually put up the highest bid for Bellinger, no matter how good a fit he seems. Sure, they’ve got Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones in-house, but don’t be surprised if they swing for a big trade if Bellinger slips away.

Nobody really knows who that trade might be for, but it’d have to be a big bat to fill Bellinger’s shoes. Last season, in what could end up being his only year in the Bronx, Bellinger hit. 272 with 29 homers and 98 RBIs. Not easy numbers to replace.

Right now, the Yankees are laser-focused on bringing Bellinger back. According to Joel Sherman at The New York Post, they’ve already made a second offer to him. Sherman wrote that the Yankees’ sleepy offseason might finally be waking up—he and Jon Heyman both heard New York talking to the Marlins about pitcher Edward Cabrera, confirming a report from The Athletic. Sherman also learned about the second offer to Bellinger, and he thinks these two things are probably connected. If Bellinger comes back to play left field, with Trent Grisham in centre and Aaron Judge in right, moving either Domínguez or Jones in a trade suddenly makes a lot more sense.

We don’t know the exact terms of New York’s offer, but it’s obvious they want Bellinger back, and if they get him, it might mean Domínguez or Jones is on the move.

The Yankees haven’t made much noise this winter, hinting at a smaller payroll. Still, insiders Ken Rosenthal and Chris Kirschner from The Athletic say the Yankees are talking to the Marlins about a trade for Edward Cabrera. He’s 27, under team control through 2028, and is set to make $3.7 million in arbitration this year. As of Sunday morning, though, nothing’s close yet.

Cabrera would give the Yankees’ rotation a real boost, but for now, it’s just talk.

The Las Vegas Raiders made a big move in January 2025, bringing in Pete Carroll on a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. He was about to turn 74, but the team was desperate for some stability after churning through four head or interim coaches since 2021. They were drawn to Carroll’s track record with the Seahawks—237 wins, a Super Bowl in 2013, and a reputation for leadership and culture-building. The hope was he’d reset the vibe and steady the ship as a sort of bridge coach.

Things didn’t go as planned. The Raiders limped to a 3-14 finish, grabbed the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the wheels just kept coming off. Veterans wanted out. Young players barely saw the field. There were fights over how to handle injuries. Carroll brought in some of his old Seahawks guys, but they looked past their prime. Two coordinators got fired along the way. It was a mess.

Mark Davis made it official that X: Pete Carroll was out after just one disappointing season. Now, general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady are running the coaching search. Their top priority? Find someone who gets leadership and culture and can actually steer the team toward the long-term vision.

Word is, Tom Brady already has a favourite. Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk says Brady wants Brian Flores as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. Both guys have New England ties and a reputation for building a winning culture—the whole “Patriot Way” thing. Flores ran the Dolphins from 2019 to 2021, got let go in 2022, and has been the Vikings’ defensive coordinator since 2023. He’s also in the middle of a lawsuit against the NFL and several teams over discrimination and hiring practices. Daboll led the Giants from 2022 until halfway through 2025. If Brady gets his way, those two could be calling the shots in Vegas soon.