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Only a few weeks ago, there was a big gap between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals on the points table. While Knight Riders were riding on one big knock after another from Andre Russell, Royals were losing one match after the other. All that has changed. They are now placed alongside each other on the table, with Knight Riders placed sixth and Royals seventh, with eight and six points respectively.

Knight Riders' journey has been very disappointing, chiefly because of their initial tempo. They have lost five consecutive matches now - they have failed to take early wickets, they are dropping catches, and they have leaked runs at the worst rate for any team this season (9.10). As for the reliance on Russell, his knocks of 65 off 25 balls, 45 off 21, and 50 not out off 44 have also resulted in losses, and there is a lot of back and forth about his batting position, especially after the loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Knight Riders know they have to get their act together before the qualification train leaves them behind.

Time is running out for Royals too, as it's a must-win for them. To add to that, they have learnt that individual centuries don't necessarily win you T20s, and their foreign contingent is shrinking rapidly, not to mention Ashton Turner's three ducks in a row in the IPL (and five in all T20s). Royals were already without Jos Buttler, who left early because of the birth of his child, and will lose Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer too after Thursday. How they will balance the XI for their last three games is another headache, but for now they need to ensure they at least beat Knight Riders with a near full-strength squad.

Royals also need to up their batting game in the death overs; they have the third-lowest scoring rate in the period this IPL and need their big hitters to step up.

In the news

Stokes has been far from impressive this season, but Buttler is Royals' second-highest scorer so far and Archer is their second-highest wicket-taker as well as their most economical bowler among those who have bowled more than five overs. Royals' best hope will be if Stokes and Archer fire together before they are forced to change the combination.

For Knight Riders, Joe Denly, a part of England's World Cup squad, has flown back home early. He even played a one-day match after reaching England, scoring a half-century for Kent on Tuesday.

Previous meeting

These two teams met just over two weeks ago in Jaipur, and Knight Riders thrashed Royals - without Russell having to bat. Hosts this time, Knight Riders will draw confidence from that match as they look to notch up the wins again.

Likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Shubman Gill, 6 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Harry Gurney, 11 Prasidh Krishna

Rajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Sanju Samson (wk), 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Stuart Binny, 7 Riyan Parag, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Shreyas Gopal, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Dhawal Kulkarni

Strategy Punt

• Royals could think of getting Ish Sodhi back in the XI. In all T20s, he has conceded only 30 runs off 29 balls against Lynn, and 17 off 23 against Karthik (including a dismissal).

• Make Sunil Narine open the bowling, not just the batting. He has dismissed Rahane thrice in 52 balls in T20s, while conceding only 69 runs.

• Despite being an occasional wristspinner himself, Steven Smith doesn't have a great record against the breed in the IPL since 2015. He has managed only 214 runs against them off 191 balls, and been dismissed four times.

• Royals should look to bowl Archer to Shubman Gill as soon as the batsman comes out to bat. Four of Gill's five dismissals this season have come against fast bowlers and he has scored only 74 runs off 73 balls against them, with a dot-ball percentage of 37.

Stats that matter

• The last time Royals beat Knight Riders was way back in 2015. Of course, Royals didn't play in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, but they have lost their last four clashes against Knight Riders. Worse, they have won only one of their eight matches in Kolkata in all these years of the IPL.

• Karthik's average of 16.70 is his second-worst in any IPL season and his worst since IPL 2016. It's a steep fall after averaging nearly 50 in 2018.

• Rahane is 87 runs away from the 5000 mark in T20s and Stokes needs two sixes to reach 100 in the format.

• Gurney needs one more wicket and Sodhi needs three more to reach 150 in T20s.

• Steven Smith needs two more runs to get to 2000 in the IPL.

• Knight Riders' next win will be their 100th in T20s.

• Knight Riders and Royals have leaked runs at the same rate during the middle phase (overs seven to 15) this IPL: 8.8.

Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das, both talked up as among the most talented top-order batsmen in Bangladesh, have been frustratingly inconsistent in their international careers so far. With the World Cup coming up, Tamim Iqbal, the senior opening batsman, is hoping the two youngsters grab their chances as best as they can, first in the tri-series in Ireland and then at the showpiece event.

The only time Liton has really shown his ability was at last year's Asia Cup final, in which he dominated India's bowling to make 121 as Bangladesh went down off the last ball. Soumya made a sound start in 2015 but has had to mostly fight for his place in the ODI team since 2016. Earlier this year, he made a maiden Test hundred, against New Zealand in Hamilton, and yesterday, he became the first Bangladeshi to score a List A double-hundred.

Tamim said that a score like the unbeaten 208, which came in a crucial Dhaka Premier League game for Abahani Limited on Tuesday, was bound to give Soumya confidence ahead of the bigger challenges. The batsman was having an ordinary time in the league, having scored just 197 runs in 11 innings, but hit 106 and then the record double-ton in Abahani's last two matches.

"Liton and Soumya have enough chances, and I am sure this is the right time to show the world how good they are" TAMIM IQBAL

"It is a great achievement to become the first Bangladeshi to score a (List A) double-hundred," Tamim said on Wednesday. "Although we will play in completely different conditions and against vastly different bowling attacks (when on tour), scoring runs is still a positive. It will give him confidence, regardless of where he has scored these runs. If he had made 10 and 5 in his last two innings, it would have left a percentage of doubt in his mind.

"But now he knows he has scored the runs, and how he has done it. When you are in bad form, you forget how to score runs. Therefore, it is very positive for him that he has two big knocks before going to Ireland."

Since the 2015 World Cup, Tamim has had five different opening partners in ODIs: Soumya, Liton, Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque and Mohammad Mithun. When Tamim was out with injuries occasionally in the last two years, Bangladesh used five different opening pairs. There is currently no word on who should open with Tamim in a best-case scenario, but it will be one of Soumya and Liton, the only other openers in the World Cup squad.

But while Soumya has shown that he has some form on his side, Liton followed up his poor New Zealand tour with only two fifties in eight DPL outings for Mohammedan Sporting Club. Tamim, however, felt that both batsmen could fulfil their potential in the coming months.

"A regular opening partnership means that the two know each other's game quite well," he said. "For example, if I am hitting the fielder, he needs to take that extra chance. I can do the same if the other batsman is struggling.

"But if somebody is not settled at the crease or in the team, it's very unfair to go and tell him, 'brother, now you take the risks'. But I am confident that Liton and Soumya have enough chances, and I am sure this is the right time to show the world how good they are." Tamim agreed that Bangladesh were still waiting to identify their ideal opening pair, which every successful cricket team must possess.

"It happens in every profession where your colleague of 20 years, for example, will know how you operate, and what you like and dislike. There was always understanding between some of the best opening pairs in the world like Hayden-Gilchrist, Ganguly-Tendulkar or Sehwag-Tendulkar," Tamim said. "If you look back at those games, they seem to be having fun in the middle and they each knew what the other wants.

"We haven't had that opportunity yet but those two who have been picked in the World Cup squad, I am sure they can represent Bangladesh for the next 10-15 years. I feel this is the best time for them to perform."

Toss: Kings XI Punjab chose to bowl against Royal Challengers Bangalore

Kings XI Punjab have opted to field in Bengaluru after winning the toss against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Royal Challengers have been on an upswing with two wins on the bounce after just one in their first eight games, and need to continue that streak at their M Chinnaswamy Stadium home to keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Kings XI, meanwhile, have had an up-and-down season, and are split down the middle after ten games, sitting just outside the top four on net run-rate.

Both teams made two changes to their XIs. Royal Challengers have been set back by an injury to Dale Steyn, who has a shoulder niggle, and Tim Southee has taken his place. The other change has brought Washington Sundar into the side for his season debut at the expense of Pawan Negi.

Kings XI have replaced Sam Curran with Nicholas Pooran, while Ankit Rajpoot has come in for Harpreet Brar.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Virat Kohli (capt), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Akshdeep Nath, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Umesh Yadav, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Navdeep Saini, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Kings XI Punjab: 1 KL Rahul, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Mayank Agarwal, 4 David Miller, 5 Mandeep Singh, 6 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 7 R Ashwin (capt), 8 Ankit Rajpoot 9 Hardus Viljoen, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 M Ashwin

Former West Indies women captain Merissa Aguilleira has retired from international cricket. Aguilleira, 33, was one of the senior-most players in the West Indies team, having played 112 ODIs and 95 T20Is in an international career that started in 2008.

Aguilleira, a wicketkeeper-batsman, had been captain from 2009 to 2015, including in the final of the 2013 World Cup and the semi-finals of the World T20 in 2010, 2012 and 2014. She was also part of the West Indies team that won the World T20 in 2016 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

As a wicketkeeper, Aguilleira was involved in 104 dismissals in ODIs, the most for West Indies and fifth overall, and 72 in T20Is. She scored six half-centuries in ODIs in a total of 1752 runs at an average of 20.61. In T20Is, she scored 768 runs at an average of 14.49 with a best of 39 not out.

"I wish to thank all members of the team with which I worked and that worked with me to secure success in our endeavors to bring pleasure, pride, happiness and inspiration to West Indian people everywhere," Aguilleira said in a Cricket West Indies statement. "It is an absolute honor to have been of service to West Indies cricket. My continued goal is to assist CWI to build and develop women's cricket and help others like me to achieve their dreams."

Aguilleira's last international series was the T20I tour of Pakistan in February, in which she also led the side in regular captain Stafanie Taylor's absence. Her last ODI was in September last year against South Africa, a series in which she brought off her 100th ODI dismissal. Aguilleira, however, had been left out of the squad for the upcoming tour of Ireland and England in May-June.

"From my own experience this cannot be the easiest of times for Merissa," CWI's director of cricket Jimmy Adams said. "However, her dignity and candor in communicating this decision has been exceptional. The highest of accolades are due to her for a career spanning more than 10 years which included over 100 ODIs. Far exceeding the statistics, Merissa has been the epitome of professionalism throughout her career whilst consistently upholding the highest possible standards on and off the field.

"Personally I am very grateful to Merissa for all her help and assistance she gave me since I became Director of Cricket, and I have no doubt that she will continue to add value to the game in the region in the future. I wish her all the very best as she begins a new chapter in her life."

"The Process" never ends for Alabama's Nick Saban -- not even two days after the 67-year-old coach had hip replacement surgery.

Alabama athletic department spokesman Josh Maxson confirmed that Saban was back in his office at the Moore Athletic Facility early Wednesday morning, less than 48 hours after he had hip replacement surgery.

Saban took Tuesday off to recover.

"I did some rehab at home (on Tuesday) and threw away the walker after one day," Saban told ESPN. "I've got a cane, and I'm rolling now."

Dr. Lyle Cain, an orthopedic consultant with the athletic department, said in a release earlier this week that Saban's robotic-assisted procedure was a success, and that he anticipated Saban being back at work in the "very near future."

"She was glad to get rid of me," Saban said of his wife, Terry. "She had to take care of me for one day and that was enough. She said, 'Go for it.'

"I was home for six hours (Tuesday), and I was ready to jump off a bridge. Doing nothing was like torture. I don't know how people do it."

Saban is not expected to attend the start of the NFL draft in Nashville on Thursday night. As many as three former Alabama players -- defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, offensive lineman Jonah Williams and tight end Irv Smith Jr. -- are projected to be selected in the first round.

Saban, an avid golfer, also withdrew from next week's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge at the Reynolds Lake Oconee resort in Greensboro, Georgia. He had competed in the charity event every year since 2007.

Saban said his hip started bothering him this spring and he wanted to get it fixed before the condition became worse.

"I want to get it fixed because I don't want to coach for one more year -- I want to coach for a lot of more years," he told reporters following the spring game two weeks ago. "So whenever things like this come up, I want to be aggressive and proactive to try and get it taken care of. We'll certainly do that, and we've got really good people to do it."

Saban will have about three months to recover before the Crimson Tide open preseason camp in early August. They open the 2019 season against Duke in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Aug. 31.

The Baltimore Ravens and kicker Justin Tucker have reached a four-year extension, it was announced Wednesday.

The extension makes him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. The extension is worth $20.45 million, bringing the total of the five-year deal to $23.05 million, and includes $12.5 million fully guaranteed in the first two years and an $8 million signing bonus, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Mr. AutomaTuck. ? pic.twitter.com/B4SP9Onz6h

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 24, 2019

Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, had been scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. This deal keeps Tucker with the Ravens through the 2023 season.

The 29-year-old Tucker has put himself in a class by himself among kickers, converting 90.1 percent of his field goal attempts. No other kicker has hit over 88 percent for a career.

Known for his strong leg and big personality, Tucker is the first kicker in league history to make at least 30 field goals in six different seasons. Excluding blocked kicks, he hasn't missed a field goal from inside 50 yards since 2015.

He made 35 of his 39 field goal attempts last season, including five of 50 yards or longer, and finished with 141 points.

Tucker joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent and tryout player in 2012. He beat out Billy Cundiff for the job and quickly established himself as one of the top kickers in the game.

He was named a first-team All-Pro for the third time last season, however Tucker has not made the Pro Bowl the past two seasons despite missing a combined seven field goals in 2017 and 2018. In those seasons, Tucker is 69-for-76 for a 90.8 percent success rate.

Tucker has spent his entire seven-year NFL career with the Ravens, making 237 of his 263 attempts and missing only one PAT in 242 regular-season attempts for a total of 952 points.

With Tucker signed, other Ravens in line for extensions are outside linebacker Matthew Judon, inside linebacker Patrick Onwuasor and defensive tackle Michael Pierce.

Kyler Murray remains a heavy favorite at sportsbooks to be the No. 1 overall pick, but his odds were on the move as Thursday's NFL draft approached.

The odds of the Oklahoma quarterback to be taken first overall by the Arizona Cardinals had been listed at -1,200 in previous weeks at FanDuel's New Jersey sportsbook, but were down to -400 as of Wednesday morning.

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa is next at +350, followed by Alabama defensive end Quinnen Williams at +500.

The odds on Murray being the first overall pick have shifted wildly over the past two months as bookmakers tried to keep up with the latest news and mock drafts. On March 5 -- the day after the scouting combine concluded -- the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas installed Murray as a -140 favorite to be the No. 1 pick and took instant action on the favorite. As speculation grew that Murray would be the Cardinals' pick at No. 1, his odds improved all the way to -2,500 before the SuperBook eventually took the wager off the board this week.

This will be the third year Nevada sportsbooks have taken bets on the NFL draft. Nevada Gaming Control regulations require books to halt betting on the draft 24 hours prior to the event. New Jersey sportsbooks, like FanDuel and DraftKings, are planning to take bets up until the first round kicks off Thursday.

As of Wednesday morning, Bosa had attracted more bets than any other player at multiple sportsbooks. More money had been wagered on Murray, though.

Overall, the NFL draft is not a heavily bet market, bookmakers say, and doesn't draw much interest from public bettors. The abundance of news leading up to the draft -- and separating fact from fiction -- makes it a difficult market to book, and the odds are often more reflective of the public's perception than true probabilities. Oddsmakers simply monitor the news and move their odds to coincide with the betting at their sportsbooks.

"It's basically mock drafts ... that's your starting point," Johnny Avello, director of sportsbook operations for DraftKings, told ESPN. "Then, really stay on top of it, because things change really fast with this."

Among dozens of props of the draft, DraftKings is offering wagers on whom the New York Jets and New York Giants will take with their first picks.

Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver (+200) and Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen (+250) are the favorites to be the Jets' selection with the No. 3 pick. Williams, the Alabama defensive end, is next at +350.

Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Duke quarterback Daniel Jones are co-favorites at +300 to be taken by the Giants with the sixth pick in the first round.

PITTSBURGH -- The last Killer B left will guide the Steelers into a new era.

The Steelers are giving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger a new two-year extension to go along with the one year he had left on his contract, tying him to Pittsburgh through the 2021 season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Pittsburgh announced the signing Wednesday.

The extension all but guarantees Big Ben ends his career with the same franchise that drafted him in 2004.

"I am grateful to the Rooneys and the Steelers organization for continuing to believe in me," Roethlisberger said in a statement announcing the deal. "It has always been a goal to play my entire career in Pittsburgh. This is home for me and my family, and we love this city. I am as excited to be a Steeler in year 16 as I was when they drafted me. They will get my absolute best."

Roethlisberger, who turned 37 on March 2, had one year left on a four-year, $87.6 million extension he signed in 2015. That deal included a $12 million base salary for 2019, which the Steelers have reworked as part of the new extension. Roethlisberger also earned a $5 million roster bonus on March 15.

With Le'Veon Bell leaving in free agency after a yearlong holdout and Antonio Brown forcing a trade to the Oakland Raiders, Roethlisberger is essential in guiding Pittsburgh past a drama-filled offseason.

The Steelers began discussing a new deal for Roethlisberger after the 2018 season, but the sides hadn't agreed to terms in time for the new league year. Complicating matters is a ballooning quarterback market: Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson became the highest-paid player in the NFL when he signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension last week.

Since the Steelers typically don't guarantee their contracts beyond the signing bonus, Roethlisberger's deal is likely to include multiple roster bonuses.

Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl victories and ranks sixth all time in passing yards (56,194) and seventh in touchdowns (363). He led the NFL in passing yards in 2018 with 5,129. The Steelers never have had a losing season with him at quarterback, and he is among the franchise leaders in career games played, with 216.

The quarterback has been the subject of public criticism for his dealings with Brown, who had six straight 100-catch seasons before leaving Pittsburgh. Brown wasn't happy when Roethlisberger criticized the receiver's route running on a radio show after a Week 12 loss to the Denver Broncos. Brown later tweeted that Roethlisberger has an "owner mentality" by calling out coaches and teammates who are afraid to question him.

Brown later told ESPN's Jeff Darlington in an on-camera interview that he got mixed messages from his quarterback.

"If I'm your guy, make me know I'm your guy, but don't say I'm your guy and point fingers," Brown said. "Don't say I'm your guy and then don't throw me the ball the whole first quarter."

General manager Kevin Colbert defended Roethlisberger during a media session in mid-February but created more heat when he said the QB had "52 kids" under him. Colbert later specified on NFL Network that he was trying to convey that Roethlisberger has more experience than his teammates, along with a Super Bowl pedigree.

"Ben is the unquestioned leader of this group," Colbert said Feb. 20. "He's the elder statesmen and the [only] Super Bowl winner [remaining on the roster]. If our players were smart, they'd listen to him because he's been there, he's done it. He can tell them, 'No, guys, what you're doing is or is not good enough.' And I honestly believe that can be a burden on him more often than he may like to admit, because he has to ... he's got 52 kids under him, quite honestly. I want them to step up and say, 'Hey, Ben, what do I have to do? Can I do this better? What do we have to do to win a Super Bowl?'

"I think that once you win it, you've got 53 guys who can say what it took, but right now, he's the only one, so I have no problem with him. He can call me out, and that's fine."

In 2019, Roethlisberger will be tasked with leading an increasingly young locker room and lifting a passing game that lost two major talents in as many years. The team is giving him multiple years to do just that.

Some teams are angling to move up. Even more are angling to move down.

The 2019 NFL draft is almost here, and NFL Nation reporters are making one prediction for every team.

Scan through all 32 teams by division, or jump ahead to your team by clicking on its logo here:

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

Good draft depth leads Bills to trade down

General manager Brandon Beane made his mark trading up in the 2018 draft, but circumstances are different in 2019. There seems to be good depth at the top of the draft at positions of need for Buffalo -- offensive tackle and defensive line. By trading down in the first round, the Bills could still tap into the talent at those positions while picking up extra picks to address other areas. Unlike last year, the Bills enter the draft without any extra selections until the fourth round. -- Mike Rodak

Miami Dolphins

Dolphins will pass on QB, trade down and pick DL

Miami is probably the NFL's most quarterback-needy team, but there is reason to believe the Dolphins aren't in love with this year's QB crop and are willing to wait until 2020 to take a shot at that position while building along the offensive and defensive lines in 2019. Miami general manager Chris Grier learned a lot from Bill Parcells, and he's hesitant to select quarterbacks with little college starting experience such as Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins. That, combined with the fact that the strengths of this draft (DL and OL) line up with some of Miami's biggest needs, makes the decision easier for Grier. The Dolphins have prioritized collecting 2020 picks throughout the offseason, so look for them to try to trade back to get more picks in each of the next two years. -- Cameron Wolfe

New England Patriots

Patriots will double dip at wide receiver

The Patriots' top pick at wide receiver will come in the second round. The team has had some notable success by taking multiple players at the same position in a draft, and it makes sense to think receiver is the spot that could happen this year, as it is a top need. Ideally, one of those receivers -- such as Georgia's Mecole Hardman -- will have punt-return experience and thus would fill multiple roles. -- Mike Reiss

New York Jets

Jets will be active traders, but not in first round

Despite a desire to move down, they will stay put at No. 3 overall. But look for them to be active on Days 2 and 3. With two third-round picks and linebacker Darron Lee on the trading block, they have the ammunition to get into the second round. GM Mike Maccagnan is "on a mission" to regain a second-round pick, an opposing personnel source said. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

Ravens won't try to find C.J. Mosley's replacement in draft

The loss of Baltimore's leading tackler in free agency doesn't necessarily mean the team will take an inside linebacker in the first couple of rounds. The Ravens have young talent in Patrick Onwuasor and Kenny Young on the inside. What Baltimore lacks in the middle is experience. The more likely play for the Ravens is signing a veteran such as Zach Brown or Josh Bynes after the draft. -- Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals will focus on upgrading both sides of line

While linebacker is the most obvious need, it's unlikely Devin White is going to fall into the Bengals' lap. That means they will look elsewhere instead of reaching for a pick. While the right side of the offensive line still needs help, don't rule out an early defensive lineman, either. If the right one is there, that is certainly in play with the 11th overall pick. -- Katherine Terrell

Cleveland Browns

Browns won't move back into first round

Much as John Dorsey might like to get back up and get a player he likes late in the first round, the odds do not favor that happening. The Browns will wind up looking at Odell Beckham Jr. as their first-round pick and they will take the best player available, likely on defense, with their second-round choice. -- Pat McManamon

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers will try to strike second-round WR gold again

The Steelers will draft a receiver in the second round for the third consecutive year. The franchise has had too much success finding receiver talent outside of the first round not to take a swing on Day 2. Pittsburgh has the do-it-all playmaker in JuJu Smith-Schuster, a still-developing deep threat in James Washington and needs an infusion of open-field quickness and speed with Antonio Brown gone. South Carolina's Deebo Samuel could be the ideal fit. -- Jeremy Fowler

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

Texans will give Deshaun Watson another target

On paper, Houston has a dynamic offense ... when its receivers can stay healthy. While the Texans have been able to count on star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, wideouts Will Fuller and Keke Coutee have had problems staying on the field. Fuller is still recovering from a torn ACL and Coutee's hamstrings bothered him throughout his rookie season, so Houston will provide quarterback Deshaun Watson some insurance and add another receiver. -- Sarah Barshop

Indianapolis Colts

Colts will use a second-round pick on a receiver

The Colts signed veteran Devin Funchess in free agency to possibly be the second receiver to go with T.Y. Hilton. Signing Funchess eases the pressure to use their first-round pick on a wideout, but receiver is still a position of need for the Colts, who have two second-round picks. Deon Cain will basically be a rookie in 2019 after his real rookie season ended because of a torn ACL in the first preseason game. Daurice Fountain, also a rookie in 2018, spent most of the season on the practice squad. -- Mike Wells

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars will draft two tight ends

The team signed Geoff Swaim in free agency, but he had only 26 catches in 10 weeks before a wrist injury ended his 2018 season. The other two tight ends on the roster are James O'Shaughnessy and Ben Koyack. That's not exactly a feared group of pass-catchers. The Jaguars could take one in the first round (T.J. Hockenson at No. 7), but it's a deep group of tight ends and there will still be good players available if they wait until the middle rounds. Getting help for Nick Foles is a priority. -- Michael DiRocco

Tennessee Titans

Titans will attack the middle of the line

Tennessee has been linked to the top centers and guards during the draft process. The Titans have also done extensive homework on a lot of the top interior defensive linemen. Under coach Mike Vrabel, the Titans are focused on establishing a physical presence. Adding beef on the interior on both sides of the ball would be a big step. -- Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Broncos will be forced into taking another tight end

The Broncos have used three draft picks in the past four years on tight ends -- Jeff Heuerman (2015), Jake Butt (2017) and Troy Fumagali (2018) -- and all three have missed at least one season with injuries. Butt has now missed most of his first two NFL seasons after being held out of his rookie season recovering from an ACL tear in his final college game, and then he suffered another ACL tear in 2018. Offenses are exploiting tight-end matchups throughout the league, and Denver would like to join that production party. So if the Broncos don't dive in with the No. 10 pick -- and Iowa's T.J. Hockenson is the only TE on the board worth that pick -- look for them to take a look later on at prospects such as San Diego State's Kahale Warring, Mississippi's Dawson Knox or Texas A&M's Jace Sternberger. -- Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs won't ignore offense this year

The Chiefs will have a more balanced draft than last year, when they took defensive players with their top five picks. They have too many needs, now and in the future, on the offensive side of the ball. The Chiefs can use help at wide receiver, running back, tight end and on the offensive line. -- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers will free up their pass-rushers by picking a DT

The Bolts have only three defensive tackles on the roster -- Brandon Mebane, Justin Jones and T.Y. McGill -- so it should be a position they target early in the draft. They need an interior pass-rusher with a profile similar to Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs -- a player who can push the pocket, helping talented edge rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram get to the quarterback more consistently. -- Eric D. Williams

Oakland Raiders

Raiders will hit their favorite fishin' hole

The Raiders will trade back to acquire more picks. The question is when. Because while they do have four picks among the top 35 selections, the Raiders are shut out between No. 36 and No. 105. New general manager Mike Mayock lamented that fact recently, essentially saying his favorite stretch is from No. 20 to No. 60. "I'd love to get a couple more picks in there," he said. "I just think we have a lot of holes that need to be filled. I think that's a really good place to go fishing." -- Paul Gutierrez

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys will pick an RB to back up Elliott

The Cowboys will pick a running back in the draft, but it won't come in the second round. One of the holes Dallas has not filled in the offseason is finding a backup to Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys had three running backs to The Star on national visits, with Alabama's Damien Harris the highest-rated. But with Elliott expected to get almost all of the significant work, using a second-round pick on a runner would not be the most economical use of the team's top pick. From the third round on, however, a runner is more palatable, and two names to keep an eye on are Texas A&M's Trayveon Williams and Ohio State's Mike Weber. -- Todd Archer

New York Giants

Giants will trade up into the second round

The Giants will add either a second- or third-round pick in this draft. They currently have 12 selections, but general manager Dave Gettleman will use some of that draft capital to move up at some time in the 58 picks between their current second- and third-round selections. -- Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles will trade out of the No. 25 spot

Executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman has stayed put in the first round in just three of the eight drafts he has overseen. If a top-end pass-rusher falls into the Eagles' orbit, it wouldn't be a shock if they slide up a few spots to snare him. -- Tim McManus

Washington Redskins

Daniel Jones will be a first-round QB target

If the Redskins draft a quarterback in the first round, it'll be Daniel Jones. That also assumes Dwayne Haskins will be gone by the time they pick at 15. Jones is more consistent than Drew Lock with his mechanics and therefore the Redskins would know more about what they'd be getting. He operates well in the quick-game concepts Washington likes to use. There's no guarantee by any means that the Redskins take Jones; they also will be aggressive in looking for playmakers, whether via trades or drafting an impact defensive player. -- John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Bears will draft a running back

Chicago signed veteran Mike Davis in free agency, but the Bears still need more depth at the position after losing Jordan Howard (traded to Philadelphia) and Benny Cunningham (signed with Jacksonville) in the offseason. The Bears don't currently have a pick until the third round, but general manager Ryan Pace is adept at finding running backs later in the draft. Tarik Cohen (2017), Jeremy Langford (2015) and Howard (2016) were all Day 3 RB picks under Pace. -- Jeff Dickerson

Detroit Lions

Lions will make a trade, but probably not on Day 1

Lions general manager Bob Quinn has been pretty open about saying he's willing to listen to trade offers, and if the right one comes up at No. 8 (unless, say, Josh Allen or Quinnen Williams were on the board), he'd at least consider it. But at some point during the three-day draft, he'll make a move. He's been aggressive throughout his career as a general manager, including trading up last year for Kerryon Johnson and Da'Shawn Hand in separate deals. Keep an eye on the second round, where the Lions historically make moves (although it hasn't always gone so well -- with Kyle Van Noy and Mikel Leshoure being recent non-Quinn examples). -- Michael Rothstein

Green Bay Packers

Almost a Lock that Packers won't pick QB on first two days

The Packers won't take a quarterback with any of their first three picks. That means no Drew Lock, the Missouri star they had in for a pre-draft visit. Not at No. 12, not at No. 30 and not even at No. 44, if he were somehow to slip that far. Any quarterback taken in 2019 would probably hit free agency before Aaron Rodgers is done, so it's not the time to select his heir apparent. The Lock visit was subterfuge, to borrow a word from GM Brian Gutekunst. -- Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings

Vikings won't take an offensive lineman at No. 18

This isn't that bold in theory, especially if general manager Rick Spielman thinks the team would be reaching to draft someone they could possibly trade back for and land late in the first round. But if Minnesota doesn't take an offensive lineman early, I predict the first-round pick will be used on a tight end. While it feels unlikely that T.J. Hockenson would fall to 18, if Noah Fant is available, the Vikings could look to draft him as a replacement for Kyle Rudolph, especially if they move the 29-year-old on Thursday to acquire more draft capital and relieve their salary-cap situation. -- Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

Falcons will move up, but not in first round

The Falcons will use one or more of their nine draft picks to move up in the draft. Not saying this will happen in the first round with the 14th overall selection, but general manager Thomas Dimitroff has been willing to trade up or back throughout the years. There might be a player in the second or third rounds worth moving up for. -- Vaughn McClure

Carolina Panthers

Panthers will pick a quarterback on Day 2

The Panthers haven't selected a quarterback in any round since making Cam Newton the first pick of the 2011 draft. It is time, with Newton rehabbing from shoulder surgery and his contract up for renewal after the 2020 season. It's time to get insurance for the short term and potentially long term. -- David Newton

New Orleans Saints

Saints will replenish on the offensive line

The Saints have had one of the NFL's best offensive lines for the past two seasons. But they need to start replenishing because Pro Bowl center Max Unger just retired and Pro Bowl guards Andrus Peat and Larry Warford are scheduled to become free agents in the next two years. Look for a versatile Round 2 prospect, such as Kansas State's Dalton Risner or Mississippi State's Elgton Jenkins, who could start out as a swing backup. -- Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs will pick a pass-rusher early

The Bucs will select a defensive lineman/edge rusher in either of the first two rounds, possibly with their first-round pick. The quality of the talent is simply too good to pass up. Gerald McCoy could be finished with the Bucs, and who knows how many more double-digit sack seasons Jason Pierre-Paul can produce? They'll absolutely jump at the chance to grab Quinnen Williams or Josh Allen if either falls to them at No. 5, and they'll strongly consider Ed Oliver, even if Devin White is still on the board. Players such as Montez Sweat, Jeffery Simmons, Rashan Gary, Dexter Lawrence and Jaylon Ferguson are also options should the Bucs trade down from No. 5 or opt to address the position in Round 2. -- Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals won't pause at a good offer for No. 1 pick

The Cardinals will try to trade out of the first pick -- and just might succeed. If the Cardinals can get what they want for the No. 1 overall selection, I don't think they'll hesitate to make the trade, stockpile picks and try to improve on their 3-13 record with depth. Trading for picks would make sense because Arizona has needs at wide receiver, offensive line, tight end and on the defensive line. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams

Rams will try to add picks to address both lines

The Rams will attempt to trade down, out of the 31st overall selection, to collect more picks later in the draft. They must find a young offensive lineman who is capable of contributing immediately after losing left guard Rodger Saffold in free agency and declining the option on center John Sullivan's contract. They also have a need on the defensive line, with tackle Ndamukong Suh a free agent and unlikely to return, and must find a player also capable of contributing early. Last year, general manager Les Snead showed a knack for trading down and collecting picks as the Rams finished 2018 with 11 selections. They'll start Thursday's draft with seven picks, but don't be surprised if they add a few more. The Rams also have needs at linebacker and in the secondary. -- Lindsey Thiry

San Francisco 49ers

49ers will draft a receiver on Day 2

The Niners missed on a trade for Odell Beckham Jr. and followed by signing veteran Jordan Matthews, but they still have serious work to do at wideout. In 2018, Niners receivers combined for 152 receptions (28th in the NFL) for 1,990 yards (29th). This draft is lacking in terms of top receivers, so it's hard to imagine San Francisco taking one in the first round, barring a trade down or two from their perch at No. 2. But there appears to be no shortage of options who could be available in the second and third rounds. The 49ers have done their homework on most of the players expected to go in that range, bringing in many of them for pre-draft visits. With pick Nos. 36 and 67 on Friday, the Niners should be well positioned to get one of their favorite pass-catchers, even if they look to move back and acquire more picks before grabbing their guy. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks will take an edge rusher with their first pick

That position went from one of their top needs to by far their top need after they traded Frank Clark, who was their only edge player with double-digit-sack ability. It's a good thing this draft is loaded with defensive linemen. The Seahawks could even move back from No. 21 in order to add to their pick total if they believe a blue-chip edge rusher would still be there a few selections later. Either way, there's an excellent chance they address that need in the first round. -- Brady Henderson

DENVER -- Jamal Murray glided undetected from the right side of the court to the left before making a leaping interception on a San Antonio Spurs long pass like a stealthy cornerback. Gary Harris later flew in from behind and swatted away a Patty Mills layup before landing in the stands, standing and posing for a few seconds.

The Denver Nuggets finally played their best and most complete game of the postseason, and now the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is on the verge of eliminating the Spurs. The Nuggets, who came into this postseason without much playoff experience, beat the Spurs 108-90 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Nuggets have won two straight and are beginning to look like the regular-season force they were when they won 54 games. Perhaps even worse for the Spurs, the Nuggets look as if they are beginning to see and believe in their playoff potential.

"Just a glimpse of knowing what we can do," Murray said of what Denver displayed Tuesday night. "We're having a lot of fun right now. Learning through mistakes, ups and downs, there's been injuries all season and all that but playoff experience or not, we are having a lot of fun and we're getting the job done."

The Nuggets raced to their first first-quarter lead of the series and never looked back. They turned a four-point game into a 15-point lead just before the end of the first half with a 14-3 run. Murray ignited the run with 5 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 block during that span.

Denver then had the Pepsi Center rocking by opening the third quarter with a 16-4 run that pushed San Antonio 23 down with 7:44 left in the third.

Denver coach Michael Malone challenged Murray to be more consistent in this series. Murray was up-and-down in the first three games, and also was outplayed by San Antonio point guard Derrick White, especially in Game 3, when White had a career-high 36 points.

Since then, though, Murray scored 24 points in the Nuggets' Game 4 win in San Antonio and then followed with 23 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block while making 9-of-16 shots overall in 28 minutes Tuesday.

Meanwhile, White has been held to a total of 20 points and 8-of-19 shooting since Game 3 after Malone switched Harris onto White to start while inserting Torrey Craig into the starting lineup for Will Barton and putting Craig on DeMar DeRozan.

Harris was a two-way nuisance for the Spurs, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the first half to help the Nuggets get the raucous crowd into the game while also playing physical defense on White and DeRozan, who finished with 17 points but shot 6-of-15 from the field.

Though Malone called San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich "the Bobby Fischer" of the NBA chess match between coaches, Popovich tried all he could to stop the bleeding in Game 5 without any success.

Popovich managed to keep his dry sense of humor despite watching his team shoot 20-of-46 inside the paint, several of the missed shots coming on easy layups the Spurs normally make. The 26 missed shots inside are tied for their second most in a game this season, including playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"That was my best Bobby Fischer, tell Mikey that," Popovich deadpanned after seeing his team fall behind by as much as 30.

What the Spurs have yet to solve has been how to slow down Denver All-Star center Nikola Jokic. Jokic continues to be a nightly triple-double threat, collecting 16 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in three quarters in Game 5.

Jokic buried two 3-pointers in the final 39.6 seconds of the third quarter that basically served as the 1-2 knockout combination that finished the Spurs. Jokic is now averaging 19.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.0 assists in his first playoff series.

"What Nikola is doing in his playoff debut has not happened very often in the history of this game," Malone said. "... I hope in this playoff crowd, national TV audience, that people are tuning in and watching us and saying, man, this kid Nikola Jokic is for real."

If the Nuggets can play in Game 6 in San Antonio on Thursday the way they did when they shot 50 percent and smothered the Spurs at times Tuesday night, the NBA will get an opportunity to see what Denver can do in the second round against Damian Lillard and Portland.

"This whole series is so many firsts for all our players," Malone said of his team's lack of experience. "First home playoff game. First road playoff game. Now this will be our first opportunity to close out a series. Most of our guys haven't been in this situation.

"All I told them was this: This will be the hardest game of your career. Closing out an opponent like San Antonio in their home gym is going to be one of the hardest things we've ever tried to do."