THE JETS CONNECTION: INSIDE THE AARON GLENN PLAN TO POACH ALEX ANZALONE FOR NEW YORK
Alex Anzalone is frustrated with Detroit! Analyse his social media spat and the Jets' plan to poach the veteran linebacker.
The Detroit Lions just watched two big pieces of their defence, Alex Anzalone and DJ Reader, hit free agency. Their contracts were officially voided this week, and now the team’s dealing with a bigger cap headache.
It’s not just a little setback, either. SI.com’s John Maakaron pointed out that the voided deals for Anzalone and Reader tack on another $4.9 million in dead cap for 2026. Altogether, the Lions are staring down $9.2 million in dead money for this upcoming season. That’s a tough pill to swallow, and it definitely makes the team’s decisions about both players a lot more complicated.
Even with the cap hit already locked in, the Lions could still try to bring Anzalone and Reader back. Starting March 9, during the legal tampering period, both guys can sit down with GM Brad Holmes and talk about new deals, assuming everyone’s interested.
But honestly, it’s starting to look like Alex Anzalone’s time in Detroit might be over. Greg Auman at Fox Sports thinks he’ll follow former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets. Anzalone’s been a staple in the middle of Detroit’s defence for five years, usually racking up around 14 starts and 98 tackles a season, and he’s done it for a pretty reasonable $6 million a year. But if Glenn really wants his old guys, and the Jets are calling, that might be all she wrote for Anzalone in Detroit.
There’s more. Zack Rosenblatt from The Athletic said on “Jets Final Drive” that the Jets are “actively” looking for players who already get Aaron Glenn’s style, guys like Anzalone and cornerback Amik Robertson. So that’s another sign the Jets are circling.
And things got even messier this week when Anzalone got into it with the Lions’ social media team. SI.com’s Christian Booher said Anzalone called out the team for leaving out his career-high nine pass breakups in a Valentine’s Day video that highlighted defensive plays, but none of his made the cut. He even pointed out that other free agents got featured, while he didn’t. He posted about it, then ended up deleting the comment, but you get the sense he wasn’t thrilled.
All signs are pointing to some big changes for Detroit’s defence and possibly a new home for Anzalone.
CHRIS WEIDMAN DELIVERS HARSH REALITY CHECK AHEAD OF CONOR MCGREGOR’S POTENTIAL RETURN
Chris Weidman warns McGregor of the mental and physical challenges of returning from a leg break ahead of a rumoured UFC 329 comeback.
Chris Weidman has quite a unique perspective when it comes to broken legs.
Not only has he been on the receiving end, but he’s also dealt them out himself. That experience shapes his expectations for Conor McGregor as the former two-division UFC champ prepares for a comeback, rumoured to be at UFC 329 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas this summer.
“He’s currently in the drug-testing pool,” Weidman mentioned on UFC on Paramount’s YouTube channel. “If you’re coming off a break, re-entering that pool, it makes sense to fight. Otherwise, you risk feeling worse than before for no real reason. So yeah, I think he’ll be fighting. The leg break happened in 2021, so there’s been some time to heal, but I will say this: the first fight back, and I speak from a similar injury, it’s tough to be the guy you used to be.”
Weidman’s leg snapped in two at UFC 261 in April 2021, just a few months before McGregor suffered a similar injury at UFC 264. Now 41, Weidman made a comeback in 2023, fought three more times, and then retired, though he later tried to work with some other fighters.
McGregor, who is 37, hasn’t competed since breaking his leg, despite rattling off a few more injuries along the way.
“I hope things go well for him,” Weidman said. “When I was in camp, throwing kicks aggressively to get comfortable again, I felt fine. But in my first fight back, after taking kicks, when it came time to throw a kick in return, which was instinctive before, my body just wouldn’t let me. When you go through something traumatic like that, it really messes with your mind.”
As a reminder, McGregor is 22-6 and last fought in back-to-back defeats to longtime rival Dustin Poirier.
WHY TIMBERWOLVES' JULIUS RANDLE IS MAKING NIKOLA JOKIC’S LIFE DIFFICULT THIS SERIES
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets head to Minnesota tied 1-1. We analyse the shooting woes, defensive battles, and Game 3 predictions.
Nikola Jokic faced a variety of defensive looks during the first two games of Denver’s opening-round series against Minnesota.
One moment that stuck out was captured in a video on X, showing Jokic absorbing repeated pokes to his torso from Timberwolves forward Julius Randle while trying to post him up.
Despite the physicality of Jokic taking some pretty hard pokes, he managed to stay composed. It’s hard not to question the referees’ decisions, though, especially since no fouls were called on that sequence. The Timberwolves ended the game with 30 fouls called against them, whereas the Nuggets had only 24.
In Game 2, Jokic shot 8-for-20 from the field, ending with 24 points, 15 boards, and eight assists, plus a flawless 7-for-7 at the free throw line.
On the defensive side, Jokic gave credit to Rudy Gobert for his strong showing against him in Game 2. While many struggled to contain Jokic, Gobert seemed to turn it into a fairly straightforward task, forcing the three-time MVP into difficult shots throughout.
Jokic praised Gobert’s defence, describing him as a “big log” who can reach the ball from almost any angle, making his presence felt everywhere on the court. Jokic also mentioned how Gobert’s defence extended all the way to the three-point line, which was evident since Jokic made just one out of seven attempts from beyond the arc.
It’s worth noting that Gobert’s solid defensive game came on a day when he was overlooked for Defensive Player of the Year honours, finishing fourth behind the likes of Victor Wembanyama and others.
For most of the second half, Gobert dealt with foul trouble, leading Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid to rotate on guarding Jokic, each with varying degrees of success.
In the end, Minnesota managed to close out the game, with Jokic unable to find his rhythm late, missing his usual floaters, which kept the series tied heading into Game 3.
Now, with the win under their belt, the Timberwolves head back to Minnesota carrying some momentum as the series shifts back home for Games 3 and 4.
The next chapter kicks off on Thursday, April 26, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, live on Amazon Prime. The Target Centre is expected to be rocking, with a passionate crowd eager to see how the battle unfolds.
