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A16 sports
Friday 22 april 2022
Record 8 teams head into NFL draft without 1st-round pick

By JOSH DUBOW years. Broncos coach Na-
AP Pro Football Writer thaniel Hackett said there’s
The Super Bowl champion never “too high of a price
Los Angeles Rams should on anybody that’s great”
have plenty of company — especially when it comes
sitting out the first round of to quarterbacks. Denver
the NFL draft next week. had been dealing with a
The franchise that hasn’t revolving door of medioc-
made a selection in round rity at the most important
one since taking Jared position ever since Pey-
Goff in 2016 and doesn’t ton Manning retired seven
currently have another first- years ago but now has Rus-
round pick until 2024, is set sell Wilson in place.
to be joined by a record Of the eight teams that
seven other teams that have given away their first-
have traded away their round picks this year, the
first-round picks in what has Broncos were one of six who
become a growing trend in did it in trades for quarter-
recent years. backs along with the Rams,
Whether it’s teams emu- Cleveland (Deshaun Wat-
lating the Rams’ model of son), San Francisco (Trey
flipping uncertain picks for Lance), Indianapolis (Car-
cost-controlled rookies for son Wentz) and Chicago
more proven veterans with Denver Broncos new starting quarterback Russell Wilson, center, is flanked by coach Nathaniel (Justin Fields).
more lucrative contracts Hackett, right, and general manager George Paton after a news conference March 16, 2022, in The other teams to do it
or others that followed the Englewood, Colo. were Las Vegas and Miami,
path Kansas City and Buf- Associated Press who both traded top picks
falo used by trading future power for players and GMs commodity, especially be- It added up to a Super away to add game-break-
first-round picks to move willing to take more risks cause some of these guys Bowl-winning roster last ing receivers they hope
up to take a future fran- have led to the change. are elite, is better than hav- season. can get more out of their
chise quarterback, teams “I think that’s the unique ing that first-round pick that “The model is working,” existing quarterbacks with
are opting out of the first thing is because players you’re hoping is what you Snead said. “It’s allowing us the Raiders getting Da-
round of the draft at a furi- are actually getting a little can be.” to consistently win games, vante Adams from Green
ous pace. bit more aggressive in their No one has been as ag- consistently contend for Bay and the Dolphins get-
This will mark the third time stance and clubs are willing gressive as the Rams. GM the NFC West. We’ll try to ting Tyreek Hill from Kansas
in four years that at least to do that,” Dominik said. Les Snead traded two first- use our picks in an inno- City.
seven teams won’t make “Twenty years ago, if you round picks to move up to vative, creative way, and After making 11 picks in
a pick in the first round bar- tried to cross (former Chiefs take quarterback Jared sometimes it will be pick- the top 100 of the past two
ring one of those teams GM) Carl Peterson you’d Goff in 2016, another first ing players in the draft and drafts to rebuild the roster,
trading back up, some- never play football again. for receiver Brandin Cooks sometimes it will be using Miami now is not sched-
thing that happened just ... That mentality has kind of in 2018, traded out of the them to go acquire play- uled to pick until No. 102
twice in the first 52 years of gone in the league. That’s first round in 2019 for more ers.” after using those picks to
the common draft. why you’ve seen more first- picks, dealt two more first- The aggressiveness by the move up in the draft last
Former Tampa Bay general round draft picks moved rounders to acquire All-Pro Rams has rubbed off on year to take receiver Jay-
manager and SiriusXM ana- and traded because clubs cornerback Jalen Ramsey other teams, looking to len Waddle and tackle
lyst Mark Dominik said the are willing to do that. and two more for quarter- match the success Los An- Liam Eichenberg and then
increased salary cap, more “Therefore, having a known back Matthew Stafford. geles has had in recent the deal for Hill.q

Lewis Hamilton, Serena Williams part of

bid to buy Chelsea

senal, Hamilton has seized be sold for 3 billion pounds NHL’s Maple Leafs and the
the opportunity to invest in ($4 billion) — a record in city’s MLS team. Peter Gu-
its London rival as three bid- world sports — given the ber, a part-owner of the
ders try to buy the Premier interest in the west London Los Angeles Dodgers, is also
League club from sanc- club. Representatives for backing in the group.
tioned Russian owner Ro- Hamilton said he planned A New York-based mer-
man Abramovich. to invest more than 10 mil- chant bank, the Raine
Williams and Hamilton are lion pounds ($13 million) in Group, has been over-
part of a consortium that the bid being fronted by seeing the sale process
features proposed invest- former Liverpool and British that was announced last
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain arrives in the paddock ment from Josh Harris and Airways chairman Martin month by Abramovich fol-
at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack, in Imola, Italy, Thursday, David Blitzer, the owners Broughton and World Ath- lowing Russia’s invasion of
April 21, 2022. of the NBA’s Philadelphia letics president Sebastian Ukraine. The oligarch has
Associated Press 76ers who would have to Coe. Another bid has seen been sanctioned by Britain
By ROB HARRIS Grand Slam winner Serena sell their stakes in Premier Boston Celtics co-owner and the European Union
AP Global Soccer Writer Williams and seven-time League club Crystal Pal- Steve Pagliuca partner with over his links to Russian
LONDON (AP) — The Formula One champion ace to buy Chelsea. Larry Tanenbaum, who has President Vladimir Putin
crowded field to buy Chel- Lewis Hamilton. The reigning world and Eu- ownership stakes in Toronto with assets frozen, including
sea now features 23-time A long-standing fan of Ar- ropean champions could with the NBA’s Raptors, the Chelsea.q