Hot Button: Ward mega-contract to lower Browns cap in 2022? ... All-Pro Samuels wants out of San Francisco ... Wimbledon bands all players from Russia and Belarus

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Hot Button is a 'round-the-clock feature that covers anything across the scope of sports. We're here to bring you everything hot: News items, highlights, takes — everything but hot meals — whether local, national or international. Better yet, it’s interactive. Share your thoughts in comments, and even post your own links to interesting, safe-for-work sports stories.

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WARD'S RECORD CONTRACT 
BACKLOADED, HELPS 2022 CAP

Wednesday, April 20: The Browns made 24-year-old Denzel Ward the highest paid cornerback in National Football League history when it announced a five-year, $100,500,000 contract extension Monday, with $70.1 million guaranteed.

Though the contract's structure has yet to be announced officially, two sources say that Ward's deal will lower his 2022 cap hit by $8 million to just over $5 million, while counting over $100 million against the cap toward the end of his deal:

My take: By backloading, the Browns are counting on dramatic increases in the salary cap expected from the new lucrative television contract taking effect this year, with some projecting the cap at $250 million by 2024. That said, with the current roster and contracts, the Browns would have $200 million committed to that 2024 cap on the contracts of just 20 players. More changes in Cleveland will have to be afoot in the coming seasons. — Bob

SAMUEL WANTS OUT OF SAN 
FRAN, NO REASON GIVEN 

Wednesday, April 20: It was confirmed Wednesday that All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel has formally asked the 49ers for a trade. The 26-year-old has not spoken publicly on why he wants out and the franchise has said it wants to keep him long-term.

The former first-round pick out of South Carolina is entering the last season of his rookie deal and the 49ers have picked up his fifth-year option. Samuel had a dynamic season in 2022, catching 77 passes for 1,405 yards (an NFC-leading 18.2 yards per catch) with six touchdowns and 51 first downs through the air, while rushing for 365 yards on 59 carries, adding eight touchdowns and 21 first downs. He finished third in the NFL in total yards, behind Jonathan Taylor and Cooper Kupp. (Najee Harris finished fourth, just 103 yards behind Samuel).

Samuel's move comes as receives have gotten record contracts this offseason, including Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Stefan Diggs. Only Adams was in the top 10 in total yards in 2022, over 200 yards behind Samuel in the same number of games.  

My take: Samuel is one of the top weapons in football with the ability to line up in the backfield as a runner or an H-back, plus in the slot and out wide as a receiver. Terrific runner, tons of yards after contact, and great route runner. I'm not sure what the Niners are thinking. He's the whole offense and they're making a transition to Trey Lance this year, so it would make the most sense to keep him. Trade Garoppolo, even if it's to the Seahawks, eating half the money and put the rest into a signing bonus on a big extension for Deebo. — Bob

WIMBLEDON BAN LATEST PENALTY
OVER UKRAINE INVASION

Wednesday, April 20: The All England Club, host of the annual Wimbledon Grand Slam event, announced Wednesday that no players from Russia or Belarus will be able allowed to participate ninth 2022 event because of Russia's "unjustified" invasion of Ukraine, citing "it is our responsibility to play our part in the widespread efforts of Government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to limit Russia's global influence through the strongest means possible." It reserved the right to reverse its decision should things change between now and the time Wimbledon begins on June 27. Belarus is included because it is providing material support to the Russian invasion, thought has not invaded Ukraine from its own border.

Last month, the United Kingdom announced that it would not allow men's world no. 1 player Daniil Medvedev to enter Great Britain unless he publicly denounced Russian president Vladimir Putin. 

Ranked players in the Top 30 affected are Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachenov and Aslan Karetsev on the men's side, and for the women's draw Aryna Sabalenka, Anastasia Pavlyunchenko, Victoria Azarenka, Daria Kasetkina and Veronica Kudermetova will be excluded.

My take: What about China? This stuff is so arbitrary, it's infuriating. China not only is providing financial support to Russia as it is increasingly cut off from the global market due to sanctions, but it also still has not allowed the ATP to independently interview Peng Shuai, a Chinese player who alleged on social media that she was raped by a Chinese Communist Party member. But the Chinese players get waved into Wimbledon like Joey Cora's their third base coach. Got it. — Bob

COLE PULLED EARLY, 
STRUGGLING TO GET OUTS

Tuesday, April 19: One of the biggest questions entering the 2022 season was whether Gerrit Cole would finally win his first Cy Young Award, having finished in the top five in each of the last four seasons, including second place twice. But Cole is pitching more like Quad-A hanger-on over his first three starts than the dominant pitcher people have come to expect.

Cole was taken out after two outs in the second inning Tuesday night against the Tigers, sitting on 68 pitches, five walks and two earned runs. The Yankees bailed him out in a 4-2 win, but the franchise has to be concerned that their ace has managed only 11.1 innings over three starts, giving up eight runs, three home runs and a 1.410 WHIP. The offense has bailed him out to date, still sitting with a 0-0 record.

My take: All the peripherals don't indicate a physical problem. His spin rate and velocity on the four-seamer is a tick up over 2021 and the other pitches are all very close to nominal for him. He's just not locating and he's getting hit hard. He'll have some work to do during his sides ... maybe he's not sharp after the short spring training? — Bob

OOPS! DARNOLD NOT
STARTER AFTER ALL

Tuesday, April 19: It was a tough day for Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. During press questioning, McAdoo said, "Yes" when asked if he believed Sam Darnold was the Panthers starter, then hours later had to retract it, saying, "One of the things I've been working on is being better talking to you people (the media), so, announcing the starting quarterback here, I just put my foot in my mouth. That wasn't something I should have said." 

Darnold was acquired by Carolina last offseason and started 11 games, winnings first three before going 1-7 in his next eight starts, throwing for a combine 2,527 yards, 9 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

My take: Uhh ... what's wrong with what McAdoo said. His depth chart at quarterback is Darnold and former XFL star P.J. Walker, who had one touchdown pass and three picks in parts of five games. Pretty clear neither one of those guys is QB1 come September, but Darnold, unbelievably, is the No.1 right now. No need for McAdoo to have to walk that back. — Bob

LIFELESS OFFENSE, TIMID
COACHING DOOMS MAULERS

Monday, April 18: Playing before dozens of fans, the Pittsburgh Maulers lost their United States Football League debut Monday night, 17-3, to Todd Haley and the Tampa Bay Bandits at Protection Field in Birmingham, Alabama, a makeup game for one postponed Sunday night due to inclement weather.

Maulers head coach and former Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson debuted a run-heavy offense, which featured up to nine players tight on the line of scrimmage in a single-back set. The result was just 89 yards on 32 carries. Perhaps the team would have had better success if top running back De'Veon Smith wasn't cut ahead of the first game because of a disagreement over pizza and chicken salad, breaking Wilson's team rule No. 46:

The passing game seemed to have three plays, including one called "58 freedom," picked up frequently on the huddle microphones. The play was used several times — one corner and one out route to one side of the field. Lacking any rhythm, Maulers quarterbacks Josh Love and former Giants draft pick Kyle Lauletta combined to go 11 of 26 for 129 yards.

Pittsburgh showed some life on defense, intercepting former Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu twice, but the offense managed just one field goal in the second half after trailing 17-0 at the midway point. Wilson had one option in the red zone to go for a score on fourth down, but opted for a field goal, still trailing by two scores when a touchdown and two-point conversion could have gotten the team to within one score to tie.

My take: That video is unbelievable. I get trying to set some standards, but that's a side conversation and it's over, not bringing a guy in to cut him over alleged disrespect regarding pizza and chicken salad. Wilson's offense was right out the 1950s. Looks like the current version is picking up right where the 1980s version left off. Also, the weekend was a huge disappointment overall. With the alternatives to onside kicks and extra point plays, all coaches played traditional football. Few risks, if any, were taken in the action I watched. — Bob

EX-BUCCO LEFTY WATSON CALLS
IT QUITS AFTER 11 MLB SEASONS

Monday, April 18: Former Pirates all-star reliever Tony Watson announced his retirement from Major League Baseball Monday after 11 seasons, citing a shoulder injury that prevents him from continuing.

Watson, 36, was a ninth-round draft pick of the Pirates in 2007, and the tough lefty made his debut in Pittsburgh's bullpen in 2011, eventually playing a critical role as setup man on the Pirates' playoff teams from 2013-15, making the National League All-Star team in 2014. He moved to a hybrid closer role during 2016 and parts of 2017 before he was dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline in exchange for 18-year-old Oneil Cruz and pitcher Angel German. Watson made an immediate impact on the Dodgers, winning two World Series games in 2017, but the Dodgers lost to the trash-can-banging Astros in seven games.

Watson pitched for the Giants in 2021 to close out his career, making stops with San Francisco and the Angels. He finished with a 47-29 record in 689 relief appearances, with 32 saves, a 2.90 ERA (3.59 FIP), 1.083 WHIP and 570 strikeouts in 648.1 innings.

My take: Watson was flat-out unhittable for those wildcard Pirates teams and ends up being an important part of the franchise's future by bringing back Cruz in return (Neil Huntington didn't screw up all the trades). Best to him in his future endeavors. — Bob

MAYWEATHER PROPOSES A
'YOU PAY/WE PAY' DEAL FOR AB

Monday, April 18: Pro boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. proposed an interesting contract idea for Antonio Brown, should a team be interested in signing the troubled receiver, telling "The Pivot," 

"We'll make them a deal: If they sign AB and AB goes throughthe whole season, no problems at all, then they gotta give us $20 million. But if he mess up, then we've gotta give them $20 million. So if any team wants to match that, you know, reach out to us."

Brown remains a free agent and has received no offers since quitting mid-game on the Buccaneers January 2. He was released on January 4.

My take: Mayweather clearly is no capologist. If a team commits $20 million to AB, it's on the cap, whether or not he pays them back should he get cut for causing trouble. So, commit 10 percent of your salary cap to a guy who's quit on his last three teams and we'll issue you a refund if he freaks out again. The fact that an idea like this has to be floated proves the problem with the player. — Bob

NEW SIX-TEAM WOMEN'S PRO
HOCKEY LEAGUE SET FOR 2023

Sunday, April 17: Jeff Marek reported on Hockey Night in Canada that the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association has agreed to a new, six-team league that will begin play on a 32-game schedule in January 2023 and run through April. The PWHPA could not reach an agreement with the Premier Hockey Federation and the National Hockey League in recent negotiations to merge.

The new league, which will have a new name, is expected to have teams in Canada and the United States. No franchise cities have been announced at this time.

Rosters will be set at 23 players and the minimum salary will be $35,000; the average league salary will be $55,000.

My take: It's about time the women figure out a pro league that works, instead of two leagues working at cross purposes. Put the teams in the right cities and they'll draw, then they can grow organically. — Bob

YOUNG STAR SASAKI HAS
PERFECT INNINGS STREAK

Sunday, April 17: Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Roki Sasaki is building quite the resume. After pitching a complete game Tuesday, he threw eight more perfect innings Sunday before Tadahito Iguchi, the Japanese Dave Roberts, pulled Sasaki when he eclipsed 100 pitches. Sasaki finished strong, striking out the side in the eighth, registering 14 total strikeouts while using 100+ miles-per-hour heat and an elite forkball (rated 70 out of 80 on the scouting scale).

Sasaki is in his second season in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. In 14 career appearances, he has a 5-2 record, 2.08 ERA, 0.880 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 86.1 innings.

My take: Iguchi should have let him go for it. This isn't the Clayton Kershaw situation from last week. Iguchi needed just three outs and was pumping 100+ heat in the eighth. Still, I'll never fully object to a manager protecting a young, promising arm. Sasaki proves why MLB economics is broken — he could play for Roberts real soon. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Dodgers, Angels ... maybe Astros ... are the only teams which can offer this young flame-thrower enough to move to the U.S. The Pirates would be out there with a $15-million-per-year offer and a Primanti's gift card, while the others mentioned could chuck $30M at him without blinking ... and can afford it if he's a bust in the U.S. — Bob

GREENE THROWS HARD
IN LOSS TO DODGERS

Sunday, April 17: Reds rookie starter Hunter Greene threw 40 fastballs registered over 100 miles per hour Saturday night — a Major League Baseball record — but took the loss in a 5-2 Dodgers win.

Of the 57 four-seam fastballs he threw, none were below 98 miles per hour, but those first came in the pivotal sixth inning, when Trae Turner hit a two-run homer with no outs and another run was later charged to Greene — unearned — on a dropped third strike and wild throw by catcher Tyler Stephenson. 

While Greene was draining the batteries on radar guns, Julio Urias countered with five scoreless innings, earning the win for the 6-2 Dodgers.

My take: This is the difference between throwing and pitching. Greene could not locate enough offspeed stuff to get L.A. to look off heaters in the zone. Greene, of course, deserves to be in the rotation because he gives Cincy their best chance to win — such as it is after a 2-7 start — he's just going to have to learn to pitch at the big-league level. He's got quite a weapon to lean on until he gets there. — Bob

USFL WEEK 1 STARTS
SATURDAY NIGHT

Saturday, April 16: The last time the United States Football League teed up a football was 1985. Now, 37 years later, the second iteration kicks off Saturday night with the New Jersey Generals taking on the Birmingham Stallions at 7:30 p.m. ET on Fox, NBC and Peacock. Sunday will see a tripleheader with the Houston Gamblers facing the Michigan Panthers at noon on NBC and Peacock, the Philadelphia Stars at the New Orleans Breakers at 4 p.m. on USA Network, and the Tampa Bay Bandits playing the Pittsburgh Maulers Sunday night, 8 p.m. on FS1.

• It will be a 10-game regular season, ending the weekend of June 18-19, all played in Birmingham, Alabama at Protective Stadium — home of the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers. The top two teams in each of the two divisions qualify for the playoffs. The semifinals and final will be played the next two weekends in Canton, Ohio.

• Players all make the same salary, receive meal stipends, and bonuses for winning regular-season, playoff and championship games.

• There are three extra-point options: the regular one-point kick, a two-point conversion from the two yard line and a three-point conversion play from the 10.

• After a team score, that team can kickoff, opt for an onside kick, or attempt a 4th-and-12 play from its own 33 yard line. All kickoffs are from the 25 yard line.

• Shootout format in overtime: Each team gets three tries from the 2-yard line, best of three wins the game. If tied, it becomes sudden-death plays from the 2.

• Two or more forward passes are allowed, as long as they occur behind the line of scrimmage.

• Tracker-chip technology will be used inside the ball to indicate if the ball reached the first down barrier and the goal line.

• Drone cams and helmet cams will be deployed, including in huddles, and players and coaches will be mic'ed up to provide an immersive viewing experience.

For those interested, here is a look at the Maulers roster.

My take: It's worth a look. This will be college-level play at minimum with some veteran NFL guys sprinkled in. Will you be tuning in for some Easter football? — Bob

MADDON DIPS INTO OL' BAG
OF TRICKS VS. RANGERS

Saturday, April 16: Angels coach John Maddon became the first manager in Major League Baseball history to twice order a bases-loaded walk, and the first ever to do so while trailing in the game.

It happened in the fourth inning Friday night, when Rangers shortstop Corey Seager came to bat against reliever Austin Warren with the Angels trailing 3-2. The move backfired as the walk forced in a run, a sacrifice fly scored another and a balk scored the last of the inning, putting Los Angeles behind 6-2.

Maddon said postgame that it had nothing to do with Seager's matchup, he just wanted to "shake up" his team a bit.

Maddon's club bailed him out immediately putting up five runs in the next half inning, sparked by homers from Kurt Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani, and a double by Mike Trout factoring into a run.

Maddon previously did it against former Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton in 2008 — also a win — and then-Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter did the same thing to Barry Bonds in a win over the Giants in 2002. There are no other instances after 1950, three prior to that.

My take: Maddon's not the most loved character in the game, but he's always thinking. Was he lucky or did he spark his club? — Bob