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Two current Cup drivers held the keys to the NASCAR silly season, and one of them is staying put … for one more year. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) was the most high-profile driver who was not signed for next year. HMS announced on July 23 that Bowman would return next season and that 2027 would be his final year before retiring from full-time competition. The other driver who is key is Connor Zilisch, who is signed through next season. He’s one of the most heralded prospects and Trackhouse is struggling. Could he sign early with another team — much like Tyler Reddick did a few years ago, a move that eventually led to him leaving a year early at season’s end? It’s possible although, the most likely landing spot would have been to replace Bowman. Obviously, there are things that can’t be predicted. The devastating death on May 21 of Kyle Busch leaves a much bigger void beyond a seat in the Cup Series. It will likely take some time for Richard Childress Racing to determine how it will move forward for 2027. Here is how things look at each organization, in order of owner points following the July 21 race at North Wilkesboro. Joe Gibbs Racing It would be a surprise if JGR has any changes for next year. Ty Gibbs (fourth) isn’t expected to be going anywhere and Denny Hamlin (first), Chase Briscoe (eighth) and Christopher Bell (10th) are signed beyond this season. The one thing that JGR might need to anticipate is Hamlin retiring from full-time racing after 2027 then having to fill that ride. Brent Crews, who drives for JGR in the O’Reilly Series, is the team’s focus on the development driver side who could be Cup ready. 23XI Racing Corey Heim has been announced as a full-time driver, replacing Riley Herbst (25th in the standings). Tyler Reddick (second in the standings) signed a contract extension earlier this year. Bubba Wallace (13th) is in an option year and is expected to be back. Team Penske With Ryan Blaney (third) having recently signed a contract extension, Team Penske has its former champions Blaney and Joey Logano (15th) under contact. Austin Cindric doesn’t have a deal yet for next year. He’s 16th in the points, and it appears all those ahead of them could very well return to their same rides next year. Hendrick Motorsports Chase Elliott (fifth), Kyle Larson (sixth), William Byron (12th) and Alex Bowman (29th) are all now signed for next year. If you want to look ahead to the 2027 silly season, Zilisch and HMS O’Reilly Series driver Corey Day are the top candidates to replace Bowman for 2028. Spire Motorsports Spire Motorsports has Carson Hocevar (seventh) locked in long-term, while Michael McDowell and Daniel Suárez are not. Spire has shown the willingness to eat a year of a contract to get a driver it wants. But who would that be at this point? Suárez is 11th in the standings and McDowell is 20th. Now that Bowman is set to return at Hendrick next season, it appears that the Spire lineup likely will be the same for 2027. RFK Racing Ryan Preece, at 18th in the standings, is a driver whose future appears mildly unclear althought he and RFK leadership said they expect he will be back. RFK likely will have just two charters for next season (it is leasing one that will go to Legacy Motor Club next year) but it also has strong sponsorship from Kroger and its vendors to the point where running Preece as an open car next year appears to be the plan. Chris Buescher (ninth) has signed a contract extension (announced June 16). Brad Keselowski (19th) will race at RFK until he is ready to retire, which he says won’t be for several more years. Trackhouse Racing All three Trackhouse drivers — Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen and Zilisch — are signed at least through next season. Zilisch is the one who could be on the move if there is enough money that money talks. Only van Gisbergen (14th in the standings) is having a season to be happy about as Chastain is 21st and Zilisch is 34th. Legacy Motor Club Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek could very well return next year as some improved performance since April (Jones is now 17th in the standings; Nemechek is 26th) is an indication of progress at the organization. Legacy will add a third chartered car next year as well and that is the expected landing spot for Riley Herbst. Kaulig Racing Neither AJ Allmendinger nor Ty Dillon are locked in at Kaulig next year although Allmendinger has the option to race as long as he wants. The organization is in a tough spot without manufacturer support. It would be a huge scramble for Dodge to enter Cup in 2027 although that is their hope, and if they do so, whether that could impact DIllon is to be determined. Allmendinger is 22ndt in the standings; Dillon is 30th. If Kaulig does make a change, Josh Berry could be a candidate, but he currently doesn’t bring sponsorship. Front Row Motorsports Todd Gilliland (23rd in the standings) signed a contract extension earlier this month and Zane Smith (24th) signed a contract extension last year that has him solid at FRM. Noah Gragson? He’s a strong personality but hasn’t had the results that would wow many, as he sits 31st in the standings. Would FRM move Layne Riggs or Chandler Smith to Cup? That depends on sponsorship most likely and the team has indicated they are working on a contract extension for Gragson. Hyak Motorsports Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (27th in the standings) signed a contract extension in May and is set to remain with the organization. Richard Childress Racing Austin Dillon is expected to return in 2027 as he sits 28th in the standings. Who will fill the open seat is still to be determined. Austin Hill has been the driver of the renumbered No. 33 car, and he appears to be the leading candidate for the ride for 2027. Josh Berry and Noah Gragson are longshots. Haas Factory Team Cole Custer hasn’t had a good year (he’s 32nd in the standings) but whether a change is made is debatable as the team appears to be still trying to find its footing. He did have a respectable month of May. Wood Brothers Josh Berry (33rd) will be replaced next season by defending O’Reilly Series champion Jesse Love, who turns 22 next January. Wood Brothers Racing President Jon Wood, in a news release, said: “Jesse has accomplished a lot at a young age. He’s demonstrated the ability to win races, compete for championships and handle the expectations that come with racing at a high level.” Rick Ware Racing As long as RWR doesn’t sell, this should remain Cody Ware’s ride.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES — After appearing grumpy following the Los Angeles Rams’ first-round selection of backup quarterback Ty Simpson on draft night, head coach Sean McVay was back to his chippy, enthusiastic self after his team consummated one of the biggest trades in NFL history, securing the league’s best defensive player in former Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett. Garrett sat sandwiched between jovial Rams general manager Les Snead and McVay during the opening moments of his introductory press conference. And then the duo got down to the nitty-gritty of a franchise-altering move that had been in the works for months, according to Snead. The Rams went from slight favorites over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks to the overwhelming pick to win the Super Bowl with Garrett in the fold. But Garrett isn’t getting too far ahead of himself, acknowledging his new team still must go out and do it on game days. Garrett said he found out a week ago about the possibility of landing in Los Angeles via trade. “On paper, I’m sure things look great, but we got to go out there and put the work in,” Garrett said at the podium. “It starts in the field, starts in the classroom, and we’re not going to take a single day for granted. We’re not going to be looking at any odds or favorites. We’re going to win each game day-by-day.” Those wise words from Garrett were music to McVay’s ears. “It’s one day at a time and I love everything that he said because I couldn’t be more in agreement,” McVay said. “We’re not going to let the outside narratives affect our ability to be courageous every single day and go swing and see what the hell happens.” Garrett has had four head coaches, 16 starting quarterbacks and just one playoff win during his time with the Browns. He’s finished with double-digit sacks for eight consecutive seasons in Cleveland, won the Defensive Player of the Year twice and is third among active leaders in the NFL with 125.5 sacks. An eight-time captain and five-time All-Pro, Garrett is the only player in league history to record at least 14.0 sacks in five consecutive seasons (2021-25). With the move to the bright lights of L.A., Garrett finally has a transformative head coach in McVay that matches his superstar talent. During that same time Garrett has been in the league, McVay has led the Rams to seven playoff berths and two Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. The Rams have had eight winning seasons with four NFC West titles under McVay’s guidance. At 40 years old, McVay is currently the fifth-youngest coach in the NFL, but he’s also the second-longest tenured coach behind only Andy Reid. By moving to Los Angeles, Garrett gets the stability and sustainable success he coveted in Cleveland. “They love playing the game and they love playing the game for this guy,” Garrett said, motioning toward McVay during the press conference. “That means a lot, having a player’s coach lead you onto that field and wanting to give the extra effort and go the extra mile for him and for each other. That’s what you feel going on to that field now. These guys are going to war, not just as individuals but as a team. That’s how you end up playing those games later into the year.” McVay already has proof of concept that he can coax the most out of extremely talented, high-maintenance athletes. Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller, Eric Weddle, Odell Beckham Jr. and Matthew Stafford are all players brought in by McVay who performed to their full potential in helping to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory. Garrett now joins that group as a hired gun for the Rams in a move made to help put this franchise over the top in winning a Super Bowl in their home stadium for the second time in league history. Yes, I previously stated the Rams would miss the playoffs as one of my five bold predictions earlier this offseason. But I must amend my prediction after this seismic move in securing the services of a future Hall of Famer in Garrett. And that move could lead to the return of another future Hall of Famer, as former Ram Aaron Donald is considering coming out of retirement. McVay was asked about the possibility during the press conference. “Aaron’s a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect that he has for Myles,” McVay said. “I talked to him about the opportunity to be able to bring [Garrett] on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.” Garrett said he watched highlights of the Rams’ fabled “Fearsome Foursome,” led by Hall of Famers Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen during the Rams’ heyday in the 1960s when he was a high schooler. Garrett is now in a position to chase that high bar set by those four and others like Donald. “I see a position to solidify myself here as well among the greats,” Garrett said. “I still have plenty of great years in front of me and being able to cement that legacy not only as a football city here in L.A., but as an individual [winning Defensive Player of the Year] for a Super Bowl and more. Those things are definitely pressing on my mind, and I have a bit of urgency to do it and do it right away.” The Rams need Garrett at his best, and they might have to make sure he’s playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level right away. They have one of the toughest schedules in the league, starting with a season opener in Australia against their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. That’s just the beginning of a five-game stretch that includes games at the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles, plus a home game against the Buffalo Bills. Garrett will have some help around him, at least, even as the Rams decided to let go of promising edge rusher Jared Verse. Byron Young, who led the team in sacks last season, will complement Garrett along the edge, while Los Angeles has a few other formidable players in the defensive interior (Kobie Turner, Poona Ford). Of course, the Rams also made a major swing to improve their secondary this offseason, giving up a handful of draft picks (including a first-rounder) for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie before signing his Kansas City Chiefs teammate, Jaylen Watson. Still, Garrett will be the catalyst of the Rams’ defense, and McVay’s pleased to have the two-time Defensive Player of the Year leading that side of the ball. “He’s a pain in the ass to game plan against and I’m glad we don’t have to do that anymore,” McVay said. “He makes other guys around him better and I know he’s excited to come in and be a big part of this culture and we can’t wait to get to work.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Thanks to a rain delay and an already late start, the NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway didn’t end until well past midnight on the East Coast. Is that a problem? A little bit on a Sunday night. Night races can be electric, and sometimes for programming and scheduling purposes, the best time for a race. In Nashville, the later the start meant a better chance to beat the heat and allow for a typical afternoon summer storm to pass through. But the biggest question at Nashville — the race ended when Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag at 12:25 a.m. ET — and the lateness of the race goes beyond the 80-minute rain delay: Is the Nashville race too long? It is a 300-lap, 400-mile race, relatively normal, but with the Next Gen car it seems to be a long event. Without red flags, the Nashville race this year was 3 hours, 44 minutes; while it was 3:05 in 2025, 4:03 in 2024 (five overtimes!), 3:00 in 2023 and 3:35 in 2022. NASCAR has done a good job in making some of its races shorter. NASCAR cut the length of races at Dover from 500 miles to 400 in 1997 and at Pocono from 500 miles to 400 in 2012 (and they were 325 and 350 in the 2020 and 2021 doubleheader weekends). Martinsville had one of its races cut from 500 laps to 400 laps in 2022. The fall Charlotte race that is back on the oval will be 400 miles, not 500 miles — it was 500 miles before the track went to its road course for the fall race in 2018. [NASCAR POWER RANKINGS: New No. 1 Tops List After Nashville] The key time for a race, with a few exceptions (Daytona 500 and Coke 600 most notably) should be 2 hours, 45 minutes to 3 hours, 15 minutes. Nashville has shown that it can have 400-mile races in that time frame, but also three in the last five that have exceeded it, all by at least 20 minutes. Certainly fans travel long distances and want a race that delivers enough action for that travel commitment. NASCAR will always balance the will of ticket buyers versus those who are watching at home. NASCAR even added laps to a race this year, making Watkins Glen a 100-lap race instead of 90, as the drivers seem to have fewer wrecks and those races were ending closer to the 2-hour mark than NASCAR wanted. But there are races that could be shorter, and Nashville appears to be one of them. Could it hurt to try a 350-mile race next year and see if it changes anything? And while NASCAR is at it, here are a couple more that could use changing: –Change one of the Talladega races to a 400-mile event instead of both being 500 miles. Daytona has a 500-mile and 400-mile event. Why not Talladega? Maybe cut the race on the date has less sunlight in order to get in the full race. –Cut one of the Bristol races from 500 laps to 400 or 450. Martinsville already had one of its races cut and that doesn’t seem to impact the quality of the event. Why not do that with the spring race to give it a little bit of a different vibe than the fall? Part of NASCAR’s roots is that Cup races often were marathons, ultimate tests of man and machine. But to get some of the “hell yeah” moments with cars that rarely fail (granted, the Nashville issues were because of brake rotor issues), urgency is needed. Nashville was saved by a late caution; without it, that spectacular finish doesn’t happen. A few more “sprint” races wouldn’t be a bad thing. As NASCAR continues to look to liven up its schedule, race lengths belong in the conversation. In Second Thoughts, Bob Pockrass offers his opinion on a burning motorsports topic.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

A flurry of deals happened Monday, though they didn’t really do much to shake up the NFL landscape. The Rams were on a Super Bowl track long before they got Myles Garrett. The Browns were plummeting with or without him. The A.J. Brown trade had been baked in for some time. And Odell Beckham’s return to New York didn’t move the needle at all. By now it’s clear who the real contenders are, which teams are on the cusp, and which ones are just fooling themselves and their fans. But in case it’s not, here’s a look at the real and fake contenders, broken down by tiers. *Super Bowl odds according to DraftKings (listed in parentheses) Tier 8: The race to the top of the 2027 Draft Las Vegas Raiders (+15000)New York Jets (+15000)Miami Dolphins (+30000)Cleveland Browns (+15000)Arizona Cardinals (+40000) It is a good bet that these five teams will own the first five picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. That’s great news for them because four of them desperately need a franchise quarterback, and next year’s draft should be full of them. The Raiders are the ones that don’t need a franchise QB anymore after drafting Fernando Mendoza No. 1 in April. They even improved their team around him — at least a little. In fact, if they weren’t in the AFC, and in particular the AFC West, they might have a shot at being in the playoff race most of the season. But the road is too tough. And at some point they’ll hand Mendoza the keys, which almost always means an initial step backward. But the other four teams really do need a franchise quarterback and the race for the No. 1 pick — maybe Texas QB Arch Manning — could be fascinating (or disgraceful, depending on how obvious the tanking becomes). None of these teams have a realistic shot at the playoffs, and that should be obvious to even the most optimistic of them by no later than Halloween. The Jets might actually be the best team in this sad bunch. They have a good offensive line, a couple of good skill players and an adequately rebuilt defense. And Geno Smith might actually improve their QB play, too. But given his penchant for throwing interceptions the past two years, that might not be saying much. The Dolphins don’t seem to think they’re in the tank yet. Why else would they sign the top free agent QB (Malik Willis) and keep RB De’Von Achane? But look at the rest of their team. They’ll see it eventually, too. It stinks. And yet they still might be better than both the Browns and the Cardinals, who are both redefining Quarterback Hell. The Cards have some impressive skill players (WR Marvin Harrison Jr., TE Trey McBride, RB Jeremiyah Love), but their quarterback will either be an unhappy Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew, or maybe third-round rookie Carson Beck. With a still-terrible defense, that won’t lead to a lot of wins, especially against a brutal schedule that could easily lead them to an 0-13 start. As for the Browns, their decision to trade Myles Garrett to the Rams tells you all you need to know about what they’re thinking this season. And the fact that they’re trying to squeeze whatever’s left out of QB Deshaun Watson says everything about what new coach Todd Monken thinks of the other young quarterbacks on his team. They are all-out on 2026, whether they admit it or not. They just need to hope that whatever QB they fall in love with in next year’s draft doesn’t choose to go back to school just to avoid playing in Cleveland. Tier 7: The playoff fringe New Orleans Saints (+8000)Tennessee Titans (+12000) This is a special category for two improving teams that will be average, at best, but could have a shot at making the playoffs if everything goes right. The best chance belongs to the Saints, who played really well behind rookie QB Tyler Shough down the stretch last season and then got him a couple of big weapons in RB Travis Etienne and rookie WR Jordyn Tyson this offseason. The biggest factor for them, though, is that the NFC South still stinks. The Saints were 6-11 last season and missed the division title by two games. It’s a short walk to .500 and playoff contention. Life won’t be nearly as easy for the Titans, who almost certainly will miss the playoffs in the stacked AFC and top-heavy AFC South. But they are improving, with a better coaching staff and better cast around young QB Cam Ward. They might double their win total from three to six and could still be in the playoff chase in December. But real contention is more likely a year away. Tier 6: Need some help (and some health) Pittsburgh Steelers (+5000)Indianapolis Colts (+6500)New York Giants (+7000)Washington Commanders (+6500) I know, I know. The Steelers are the defending AFC North champions and probably deserve a better tier than this. That’s a reasonable argument, except that they had one of the NFL’s worst offenses (25th) and one of the NFL’s worst defenses (26th) last season, despite going 10-7. They also lost their longtime head coach (though Mike McCarthy is a pretty good replacement for Mike Tomlin), didn’t add a lot to their defense and are still relying on a 42-year-old quarterback. RB Rico Dowdle and WR Michael Pittman make them better. But the revived Ravens and Bengals make the division better, too. Still, the Steelers aren’t quite the same as the other teams in this group, who really need some breaks and health to rise a tier. The Colts are a strong team, for example, but only if QB Daniel Jones is healthy enough to start. And even then, he has to prove he can still play at his 2025 level. After he suffered a serious injury with the Giants, he wasn’t the same the following season. And speaking of the Giants, they are overflowing with optimism after landing head coach John Harbaugh. But there are questions about when their top WR (Malik Nabers) and RB (Cam Skattebo) will be healthy. Their defensive front was thinned out, too, by the Dexter Lawrence trade and several injuries. They are an improved team, but thin in a lot of areas. The thinnest team in this group, though, might be the Commanders, who seem to be betting everything on the healthy return of QB Jayden Daniels and a first-year coordinator (David Blough) — so much so that they didn’t bring in much offensive help. They did rebuild their defense with mostly solid but unspectacular players, and a stronger defense will help. But they really need Daniels to be the star he was as a rookie two years ago. Otherwise, they’ve got no shot. Tier 5: Playoff contenders, but nothing more Los Angeles Chargers (+1700)Dallas Cowboys (+2500)Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+5000)Atlanta Falcons (+12000)Carolina Panthers (+8000)Minnesota Vikings (+5000) This group comprises the teams on the playoff bubble who’ll need some help along the way to get in. Also, if they do get in, don’t expect them to win more than one game, if that. These are not Super Bowl contenders. The best team in this tier is the Chargers, who are also in a category that could be titled “Fool me once …” (you know the rest). It’s easy to want to trust a team coached by Jim Harbaugh and quarterbacked by Justin Herbert, but at this point we all know better. Their offensive line is still a liability, and with this franchise, something always goes wrong in the end. The same could be said of the Cowboys, who still have what might be the NFL’s best offense, but are still lacking on defense. The latter unit has improved, but enough to make them a Super Bowl contender? That would be a surprise. Those two at least have a slim chance of rising up a tier. The same can’t be said of the three teams in the NFC South: the Buccaneers, the Falcons, and the Panthers, who won the worst division in football last season via a tie-breaker after all three of these teams finished 8-9. They all have more questions than answers at the moment. The Bucs can be prolific, but they lost their best receiver to free agency. The Falcons seem loaded at every offensive position except quarterback. And the Panthers probably have the most promise, but are still waiting for QB Bryce Young to play like the No. 1 pick he once was. And speaking of first-round quarterbacks, that’s why the Vikings are in this group, too. They have an elite defense and plenty of offensive weapons. But the QB will either be J.J. McCarthy or a revived Kyler Murray, and neither inspire much confidence right now. Tier 4: Dangerous teams Kansas City Chiefs (+1500)Green Bay Packers (+1700)Detroit Lions (+1900)San Francisco 49ers (+1800) All four of these teams fall into an interesting gray area. None of them jump off the page as an immediate and obvious Super Bowl contender. But they all could be. And it would be foolish to rule any of them out. Take the Chiefs. Everyone’s down on them for the way they played last season, even before QB Patrick Mahomes got hurt. And no one is sure when he’ll be back. But if he’s back to form, do you really believe their dynasty is dead? The Chiefs also added RB Kenneth Walker III and they still have Andy Reid. If they can get into the playoffs, no one will want to play them. The same is true of the Packers and the Lions. Both teams can be dangerous and have good, experienced quarterbacks. The Lions are loaded on offense, assuming they’ve fixed their offensive line. They just need their defense to play better. And the Packers are strong on both sides of the ball, assuming they’re not hurt by the loss of defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. If QB Jordan Love and linebacker Micah Parsons stay healthy all season, Green Bay will be a tough out, too. The most interesting team in this category is the 49ers. I love what they’ve done this offseason on both offense and defense, and the additions and some better health will make them a really dangerous team. The one thing to worry about, though, is their ridiculous travel schedule — 38,000 miles across 58 time zones, which are both NFL records. For a team that’s getting older and deals with a lot of injuries, that might be too tough to survive. But if they do survive the torturous regular season, move them up at least one tier, maybe two, when the postseason starts. Tier 3: Playoffs locks Cincinnati Bengals (+2000)Houston Texans (+1800)Chicago Bears (+2500)Jacksonville Jaguars (+3000) The biggest wild-card team in the NFL is probably the Bengals. Obviously, the healthy return of QB Joe Burrow makes them dangerous. They are loaded on offense and can outscore anyone. But did they do enough to fix an atrocious defense? Maybe, if DT Dexter Lawrence is a lot better than he was last year. Imagine if they had a defense like the Texans do, though. Or imagine if the Texans had the Bengals’ offense. That’s Houston’s problem. They might have the best defense in football. It’s championship-worthy. But they’re carrying an erratic offense, unless QB C.J. Stroud magically rediscovers his rookie form. The other two teams in this category are here because of their offense, too. The Bears have run Ben Johnson’s scheme to perfection, and if WR Rome Odunze can become elite, they might be unstoppable. Their defense, though, was ranked 29th last season. It remains to be seen if they did enough to fix it. As for the Jaguars, they went on an epic offensive run at the end of last season, and coach Liam Coen seems to be an offensive genius. But letting lead rusher RB Travis Etienne go was certainly a choice. It’ll take a committee to replace him, if they even can. Tier 2: Title contenders New England Patriots (+1600)Buffalo Bills (+1000)Baltimore Ravens (+1000)Philadelphia Eagles (+1600) All four of the teams in this category are good enough to make a Super Bowl run, though they’ll head into the season with enough unanswered questions to prompt at least a little pause. For example, there’s no reason to think the Patriots won’t be as good as they were last year, especially now that QB Drake Maye has his No. 1 WR in A.J. Brown. But they were the beneficiaries of a remarkably soft schedule last season that propelled them through the playoffs. The slate won’t be as easy this time around. There’s also a lot of competition in the still-stacked AFC. The Bills will be serious contenders as long as QB Josh Allen is healthy. But can D.J. Moore find his old form and be the No. 1 WR Allen so desperately needs? And the Ravens are dangerous again, as long as QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry are healthy. But belief in them requires a lot of faith in a first-year head coach (Jesse Minter). Over in the NFC, the Eagles are still as loaded as ever, though they did just trade their best WR (Brown). The real question, though, is whether first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion can fix what has sometimes been a dysfunctional offense — especially in the passing game — with QB Jalen Hurts. Tier 1: The front-runners Los Angeles Rams (+600)Seattle Seahawks (+1100)Denver Broncos (+2000) If you weren’t sure before, now you know: The Rams are going for it all, future be damned. That was clear by their offseason deals to fortify their secondary (with CBs Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie), and now it’s painfully obvious after their “F— them picks” deal for Myles Garrett, the reigning defensive player of the year. The one caveat to their chances is that their biggest threat comes from inside the division, with the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Seattle should be just as dangerous, even after losing RB Kenneth Walker III in free agency. Meanwhile, in the AFC, the Broncos would have made the Super Bowl last season if they hadn’t been playing with a backup quarterback in the AFC Championship Game. A healthy Bo Nix, plus the addition of WR Jaylen Waddle, makes them the team to beat, especially if they can navigate a difficult schedule and emerge with home-field advantage.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports