exchange

The Rams believe cornerback Trent McDuffie can help them win another Super Bowl title.

And they are willing to pay the price.

On Sunday, less than a week after agreeing to a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for McDuffie, the Rams and McDuffie agreed to terms on a contract extension that will make him the NFL’s highest-paid player at his position, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person requested anonymity because the trade and extension will not become official until Wednesday when the NFL’s new league year begins.

But McDuffie’s four-year deal is worth $124 million, with $100 million guaranteed, according to ESPN, making McDuffie the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

The Rams are no strangers to making record-setting deals. Quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley, defensive lineman Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey all made history with deals they signed as Rams.

McDuffie, 25, is entering the final year of his rookie contract after being selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 2022 draft. The former Anaheim Servite and Bellflower St. John Bosco high star was an 2023 All-Pro who helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowls.

The Rams are sending a first-round pick — the 29th overall — and fifth- and sixth-round picks in this year’s draft and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for McDuffie.

The Rams have made multiple moves to retain and add players to a secondary that will be key next season and beyond for an organization that has gone all in to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium next February.

The Rams gave safety Quentin Lake an extension in January, traded for McDuffie and agreed to terms with safety Kam Curl on an extension.

On Saturday, the Rams put cornerback Darious Williams on the reserve/retired list.

Cornerbacks Cobie Durant, Roger McCreary, Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick are pending free agents.

The negotiating period for representatives of unrestricted free agents to speak with other teams begins Monday.

The Ducks bolstered their blueline Thursday night in anticipation of ending their long playoff drought, acquiring veteran defenseman John Carlson in a trade with the Washington Capitals.

In exchange for Carlson, the Ducks will send a conditional first-round pick (2026 or 2027 draft) and a third-round pick (2027) to Washington.

Carlson, who played an integral part of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup win and is a former Norris Trophy runner-up for the NHL’s top defenseman, should bring a veteran presence to a young Ducks team that is on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“John Carlson brings leadership, character, a high hockey IQ and a presence to our lineup,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “We are very excited to add a Stanley Cup winner to complement our group and make a big push down the stretch.”

Set to become a free agent this offseason, Carlson had 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games with the Capitals this season. He led all Washington skaters in ice time, averaging more than 23 minutes per game.

Carlson, however, has not played since Feb. 5 because of a lower-body injury. It’s unclear when he might make his Ducks debut, but was practicing with the Capitals before the trade. When he does get into the lineup, he’ll join Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas as part of a formidable right-side defensive trio for the Ducks.

In 1,143 career games over 17 seasons entirely with Washington, Carlson recorded 771 points (166 goals, 605 assists) — ranking him 24th all-time among NHL defensemen. He also had 78 points in 137 playoff games. A two-time All-Star, Carlson played for the U.S. at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games and in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He also scored the winning goal for the U.S. in the 2010 World Junior Championship.

The Ducks are second in the Pacific Division and have won 13 of their last 16 games. They face the Montreal Canadiens on Friday and the St. Louis Blues on Sunday before embarking on a four-game Canadian road trip.

The Carlson deal was finalized roughly 14 hours before Friday’s NHL trade deadline at noon PST.

Les Snead, no stranger to blockbuster trades involving first-round picks, might be on the verge of doing it again.

On Wednesday, the Rams general manager appeared to be getting closer to addressing his team’s most pressing need by nearing a possible agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs to trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person requested anonymity because an agreement had not been finalized.

According to multiple reports, the Rams would send a first-round pick — the 29th overall — and fifth- and sixth-round picks in this year’s draft and 2027 seventh-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for McDuffie.

McDuffie, 25, is a former Anaheim Servite and Bellflower St. John Bosco High star who was a first-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022. He was an All-Pro in 2023 and has three career interceptions. He is due to earn $13.6 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract.

On Tuesday, during a videoconference with reporters, Snead was asked about the secondary.

“At that point it’s figuring out, is there an All-Pro that you could add?” Snead said. “That could be nice, but if there’s not an All-Pro, is there a player out there that adds an edge based on what we’re trying to accomplish?”

The last time Snead traded a first-round pick for a cornerback was in 2019, when he sent two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick for Jalen Ramsey. Two years later — after trading Jared Goff and two-first round picks to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford, the Rams won Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

In 2018, Snead traded a fourth-round pick and a second-round pick in 2019 for Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters, one of several major moves that helped the Rams advance to Super Bowl LIII.

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie plays against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 27.

(Matt Patterson / Associated Press)

The acquisition of McDuffie would strengthen a cornerback group that was often a liability last season. During four seasons with the Chiefs, McDuffie forced eight fumbles, three interceptions and broke up 34 passes.

Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is under contract, and the Rams must make a decision by May 1 whether to exercise a fifth-year option on the former 2023 first-round pick by the Washington Commanders.

Cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Roger McCreary and pending free agents, as are Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick.

If terms are finalized, the trade would not become official until the start of the new league year on March 11. In addition, the Rams would have nine picks in this year’s draft, including the 13th overall selection they acquired in a 2025 draft-day trade with the Atlanta Falcons.

THIS is the moment Katie Price’s marriage to Lee Andrews was finally legalised – after weeks of rumours.

The new couple got hitched again in a secret ceremony just five days ago.

Katie and Lee could be seen holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes as they repeated their wedding vows.

Towards the end of the ceremony, instead of sealing the marriage with a kiss Lee leaned and embraced the mum-of-five.

It seems it was a very casual second ceremony with the pair opting to wear jeans, jumpers and trainers.

Katie and Lee faced have faced concerns about the legitimacy of their wedding last month, but The Sun can now reveal Katie and her fourth husband’s real marriage certificate.

I DO… AGAIN

Katie Price’s marriage made legal FIVE days ago in 2nd ceremony despite fears

BABY BUZZ

Katie Price’s husband says he’s ‘blessed’ as he places hand on her stomach

The 47-year-old officially said “I do” again inside Abu Dhabi’s judicial department despite her family and friends voicing their fears over Lee.

Self-proclaimed businessman Lee, 41, and former glamour model Katie signed on the dotted line to formally register their marriage on February 17.

Katie’s whirlwind marriage to the Dubai-based Lee marks the fourth time she has walked down the aisle after her marriages to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler.

In the exclusive snaps obtained by The Sun, Katie and Lee appear to be the only ones present for the ceremony – no one attended their first wedding either.

It’s believed that podcaster Katie wanted the official marriage documents ahead of her return to the UK for a shock third ceremony.

Reality TV star Katie married Lee in a quickie ceremony last month after shocking the world with her unexpected engagement that came just weeks after she split from her long-term boyfriend JJ Slater.

Katie been spending time in the UAE on honeymoon following a brief return to the UK since their wedding – despite warnings from her pals.

And it’s been far from smooth sailing for the ex-glamour model.

After meeting up with close pal Kerry Katona and her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione in Dubai, the day descended into chaos following a row.

It led to Lee punching Paolo in a shock bust-up.

Katie was then seen slurring in a video hours after claiming she’s having Lee’s baby .

It triggered a reaction from her sister Sophie Price who shared an emotional post about “pain” and “coming to your senses” amid Katie’s out of the blue marriage.

The video dived into the complexities of family relationships, following claims their once close relationship is strained.

After the dramatic Dubai trip, which saw Kerry and Paolo leave early, Katie and Kerry’s friendship is also said to be on thin ice.

Katie’s pals say they are deeply worried for the mother of five who launched a verbal attack on Lee’s ex-fiancee Alana Percival in a damning Instagram statement.

In the aftermath, Katie’s partnership with domestic abuse charity Woman’s Trust was terminated – despite those close to her insisting she did not write it.

Another of Lee’s exes, Crystal Janke, claimed he took £123,000 from her as an investment, but had failed to give her any money back.

He said he denied all the claims made by the women.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in an interview Monday that she does not want embattled mogul Casey Wasserman running the 2028 Summer Games.

Bass told CNN’s Dana Bass that it was “unfortunate” that the organizers of the Los Angeles Olympics are supporting Wasserman amid revelations that he exchanged flirty emails with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell two decades ago.

Bass initially declined to take a position on the drama surrounding Wasserman, saying two weeks ago that it was up to the board of the LA28 Olympics — the nonprofit behind the Games — to decide whether to keep him.

But Monday, Bass offered a new take on Wasserman’s fate.

“My opinion is that he should step down,” Bass said. “That’s not the opinion of the board.”

She said that “we need to look at the leadership” of LA28 and that her job is to make sure that the city is “completely prepared” for the Games.

Wasserman has previously apologized for his correspondence with Maxwell and expressed regret for having any association with both her and Jeffrey Epstein. The exchanges took place before Maxwell’s crimes became known and before she was sentenced to prison for luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by financier Epstein.

Wasserman announced last week that he would sell his sports and entertainment company because of backlash over the email exchanges.

The executive committee of the LA28 board announced Wednesday that it reviewed the mogul’s past conduct and determined that based on the facts and his “strong leadership” of the Games, he should continue to serve as chair of LA28.

The LA28 executive committee — a subset of its broader, 35-member board — said it took “allegations of misconduct seriously.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, carrying the Olympic flag, LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman, front right, and Team USA Olympians skateboarder Tate Carew, second from left, diver Delaney Schnell, rear right, and volleyball player Micah Ma’a, top right, arrive in Los Angeles on Aug. 12, 2024.

(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

It met Wednesday after hiring outside counsel O’Melveny & Myers LLP to assist reviewing Wasserman’s interactions with Epstein and Maxwell. Wasserman, it said, fully cooperated with the review.

L.A.’s Olympic leaders have yet to reveal who is on the committee. Bass’ office last week said her appointees on the executive committee include entertainment attorney Matt Johnson, real estate developer Jaime Lee and union leader Yvonne Wheeler.

At least 10 L.A.-area politicians, including a third of the 15-member Los Angeles City Council, have called on Wasserman to resign from leading the Olympics, with many arguing the exchanges are a distraction.

City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is challenging Bass in the upcoming mayor’s race is among those calling for Wasserman to step away. Raman previously worked at a women’s rights organization formed in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement before becoming a council member.

Even before revelations about the emails, there were tensions between Wasserman and some Los Angeles politicians concerned that financial shortfalls in staging the $7-billion Summer Games will need to be covered by local taxpayers.

The relationship between the city and LA28 was further strained when the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, published allegations in 2024 that Wasserman was a “serial cheater” who’d carried on affairs with young female staff members. Wasserman, who separated from his wife, Laura, in 2021, has denied the allegations.

Former Mayor Eric Garcetti picked Wasserman, a close friend, more than a decade ago to run the Olympics.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi repeatedly sparred with lawmakers on Wednesday as she was pressed over the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and faced demands for greater transparency in the high-profile case.

Bondi accused Democrats and at least one Republican on the House Judiciary Committee of engaging in “theatrics” as she fielded questions about redaction errors made by the Justice Department when it released millions of files related to the Epstein case last month.

The attorney general at one point acknowledged that mistakes had been made as the Justice Department tried to comply with a federal law that required it to review, redact and publicize millions of files within a 30-day period. Given the tremendous task at hand, she said the “error rate was very low” and that fixes were made when issues were encountered.

Her testimony on the Epstein files, however, was mostly punctuated by dramatic clashes with lawmakers — exchanges that occurred as eight Epstein survivors attended the hearing.

In one instance, Bondi refused to apologize to Epstein victims in the room, saying she would not “get into the gutter” with partisan requests from Democrats.

In another exchange, Bondi declined to say how many perpetrators tied to the Epstein case are being investigated by the Justice Department. And at one point, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said the Trump administration was engaging in a “cover-up,” prompting Bondi to tell him that he was suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.”

The episodes underscore the extent to which the Epstein saga has roiled members of Congress. It has long been a political cudgel for Democrats, but after millions of files were released last month, offering the most detail yet of Epstein’s crimes, Republicans once unwilling to criticize Trump administration officials are growing more testy, as was put on full display during Wednesday’s hearing.

Among the details uncovered in the files is information that showed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had closer ties to Epstein than he had initially led on.

Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) asked Bondi if federal prosecutors have talked to Lutnick about Epstein. Bondi said only that he has “addressed those ties himself.”

Lutnick said at a congressional hearing Tuesday that he visited Epstein’s island, an admission that is at odds with previous statements in which he said he had cut off contact with the disgraced financier after initially meeting him in 2005.

“I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation,” Lutnick told a Senate panel about a trip he took to the island in 2012.

As Balint peppered Bondi about senior administration officials’ ties to Epstein, the back and forth between them got increasingly heated as Bondi declined to answer her questions.

“This is not a game, secretary,” Balint told Bondi.

“I’m attorney general,” Bondi responded.

“My apologies,” Balint said. “I couldn’t tell.”

In another testy exchange, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) pressed Bondi on whether the Justice Department has evidence tying Donald Trump to the sex-trafficking crimes of Jeffrey Epstein.

Bondi dismissed the line of questioning as politically motivated and said there was “no evidence” Trump committed a crime.

Lieu then accused her of misleading Congress, citing a witness statement to the FBI alleging that Trump attended Epstein gatherings with underage girls and describing secondhand claims from a limo driver who claimed that Trump sexually assaulted an underage girl who committed suicide shortly after.

He demanded Bondi’s resignation for failing to interview the witness or hold co-conspirators to account. Other Democrats have floated the possibility of impeaching Bondi over the handling of the Epstein files.

Beyond the Epstein files, Democrats raised broad concerns about the Justice Department increasingly investigating and prosecuting the president’s political foes.

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said Bondi has turned the agency into “Trump’s instrument of revenge.”

“Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza and you deliver every time,” Raskin said.

As an example, Raskin pointed to the Justice Department’s failed attempt to indict six Democratic lawmakers who urged service members to not comply with unlawful orders in a video posted in November.

“You tried to get a grand jury to indict six members of Congress who are veterans of our armed forces on charges of seditious conspiracy, simply for exercising their 1st Amendment rights,” he said.

During the hearing, Democrats criticized the Justice Department’s prosecution of journalist Don Lemon, who was arrested by federal agents last month after he covered an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a Minnesota church.

Bondi defended Lemon’s prosecution, and called him a “blogger.”

“They were gearing for a resistance,” Bondi testified. “They met in a parking lot and they caravanned to a church on a Sunday morning when people were worshipping.”

The protest took place after federal immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis.

Six federal prosecutors resigned last month after Bondi directed them to investigate Good’s widow. Bondi later stated on Fox News that she “fired them all” for being part of the “resistance.” Lemon then hired one of those prosecutors, former U.S. Atty. Joe Thompson, to represent him in the case.

Bondi also faced questions about a Justice Department memo that directed the FBI to “compile a list of groups or entities engaged in acts that may constitute domestic terrorism” by Jan. 30, and to establish a “cash reward system” that incentivizes individuals to report on their fellow Americans.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, (D-Pa.) asked Bondi if the list of groups had been compiled yet.

“I’m not going to answer it yes or no, but I will say, I know that Antifa is part of that,” Bondi said.

Asked by Scanlon if she would share such a list with Congress, Bondi said she “not going to commit anything to you because you won’t let me answer questions.”

Scanlon said she worried that if such a list exists, there is no way for individuals or groups who are included in it to dispute any charge of being a domestic terrorists — and warned Bondi that this was a dangerous move by the federal government.

“Americans have never tolerated political demagogues who use the government to punish people on an enemy’s list,” Scanlon said. “It brought down McCarthy, Nixon and it will bring down this administration as well.”