General manager Mitch Kupchak wants point guard Kemba Walker to end his NBA career right where it started – with the Charlotte Hornets.

Kupchak said Friday that Walker is ”revered” in the Charlotte community D'Onta Foreman Jersey , and that he and owner Michael Jordan look at the two-time All-Star as ”the focal point of this franchise going forward.”

The 28-year-old Walker has been the subject of possible NBA trade talks as he prepares to enter the final year of his contract with the Hornets. That speculation has amped up recently because it is a practical impossibility for Charlotte to sign Walker to an extension before he becomes a free agent in July of 2019 since the Hornets are so tight under the salary cap.

”I think everybody is aware of the situation, if you follow basketball a little bit, it is unique that he is on an extension that may make it a challenge going forward to figure out before he becomes a free agent,” Kupchak said.

At $12 million per year, Walker well underpaid when compared to the other top point guards in the league.

But that doesn’t mean Kupchak is giving up hope the team can keep Walker in Charlotte.

”I don’t think it is anybody’s goal to lose him in free agency Martinas Rankin Jersey ,” Kupchak said. ”But going forward, in the community, in the franchise, this is a player that we hope is with us – not only for the next couple of years, but ends his career here.”

The Hornets don’t have much experience behind Walker at point guard.

They have last year’s first-round draft pick Malik Monk and drafted Devonte Graham from Kansas in the second round on Thursday night.

Graham said he is excited to pick Walker’s brain when it comes to basketball.

”I have never met him Roger Staubach Jersey , but I remember watching him play when he was at UConn though,” Graham said. ”I’m just excited man to learn from someone like that and just be around someone like that who is winner, and knows how to win and compete. I am looking forward to being able to learn from him.”

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The Seattle Seahawks released quarterback Trevone Boykin on Tuesday shortly after his girlfriend alleged in a television interview that he physically assaulted her in Texas last week.

The practice squad player was released from the team after WFAA-TV in Dallas posted an interview with Boykin's girlfriend detailing an assault she alleges happened on March 20 in Mansfield, just southwest of Dallas. The woman said she refused to show Boykin a text message and an argument ensued, and that he broke her jaw and tried to strangle her.

Boykin Keke Coutee Jersey , 24, denied the allegations in a statement released Tuesday to NFL Media. He called the allegations false and said he wasn't involved in a physical fight.

"This woman has lied about me and it has cost me my job," he wrote. "I understand the Seahawks decision to release me. The story that was reported casts a bad light on the organization and on me."

Boykin's agent, Drew Pittman, also told WFAA that the allegations were false. A call to the agent's cellphone by The Associated Press went unanswered Tuesday.

Mansfield police spokesman Sgt. Michael Midkiff said the department is investigating the alleged assault. He said no charges had been filed as of Tuesday and that the investigation was in a very early stage.

The assault allegation is the latest off-field issue for Boykin Patrick DiMarco Jersey , who has spent his NFL career with Seattle.

He was arrested in Dallas last year when a vehicle he was a passenger in hit several people on a sidewalk. He fled the scene on foot but was later arrested on misdemeanor charges of public intoxication and possession of marijuana.

In 2015, Boykin was arrested for assaulting a police officer and public intoxication shortly before the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio during his senior season at TCU. Boykin, who was the team's quarterback, was suspended for the bowl game.

Associated Press Sports Writer Tim Booth contributed to this report from Seattle.


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Joe Thornton tested the free-agent market last summer before ending up back in San Jose on a one-year Su'a Cravens Jersey , $8 million deal.

If Thornton has his way this offseason, he’ll sign with the Sharks again before hitting the open market, even if it has to be on another short-term deal.

”It’s no secret I’m a Shark,” Thornton said Tuesday. ”I bleed teal and I want to come back and I know I’m going to be healthy when I come back. I’m sure we can figure something out, but I want to come back.”

Thornton spoke as the Sharks packed up for the summer following a second-round loss to Vegas. Thornton missed that series with a major right knee injury that had sidelined him since Jan. 23 but expects to be fully recovered by next season.

Thornton turns 39 in July but still was performing at a high level before tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee in January. Thornton had a similar injury to his left knee late last season and played four playoff games before offseason surgery but wasn’t able to make it back this year.

”I don’t think there’s a player that I’ve met in 40 years in this business that I respect more than Joe Thornton,” general manager Doug Wilson said. ”He’s incredible. … I look forward to sitting down with Joe and his agent very quickly. He’s an inspiring man, what he’s done to this organization. He was playing really well prior to getting hurt, and even his leadership after Marcus Cooper Jersey , being around the guys and what he does. He’s a special, special guy.”

Thornton said he’s willing to sign a one-year deal again and would be willing to take less money if it helped the team acquire other players.

While Thornton started slowly this season as he worked his way back from surgery in April 2017, he was back to his usual form by late November. He had 11 goals and 15 assists in his final 28 games before the injury.

Thornton has been a leader ever since arriving in San Jose in 2005 and is the greatest player in franchise history. He ranks 12th in NHL history with 1,030 assists and is 16th with 1,427 points. With seven more games, Thornton will become the 19th player to reach the 1,500-game mark for a career.

”I think we’re all blessed to play with a guy like that on the ice, off the ice Taven Bryan Jersey ,” defenseman Brent Burns said. ”He’s one of the legends of the game, statistically, on-ice talent and what he does for everybody off the ice. He’s definitely the best teammate I’ve ever played with. We’d be lucky to have him.”

Thornton’s pending free agency is just one of the key decisions the Sharks will have to make this offseason. Midseason acquisition Evander Kane also can hit the market this summer. If he signs, they owe Buffalo a first-round pick in 2019. If he leaves, that pick becomes a second-rounder.

Kane provided a major boost when he was acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline in February. He had nine goals and five assists in 17 games, providing needed speed and physicality on San Jose’s top line.

That carried over to the first round when he had three goals and an assist in a sweep against Anaheim but Kane wasn’t nearly as effective against Vegas as he played through injuries to his knee and shoulder.

”I think he’s a difference-maker,” Wilson said. ”He came in here, and I talk about our leadership and our culture John Elway Jersey , I think he really appreciated that. We appreciated him. I think it was a good fit for him, it was a good fit for us.”

Eric Fehr is another potential free agent who could be back, while forwards Joel Ward and Jannik Hansen are expected to leave this summer. San Jose also must reach deals with restricted free agents Tomas Hertl and Chris Tierney, and can begin negotiating extensions with captain Joe Pavelski and center Logan Couture in July.

The Sharks have plenty of projected salary cap room to make those moves and also could look to add a big-ticket player like John Tavares of the New York Islanders if he hits the open market.

”I’m excited for this team,” Thornton said. ”A lot of guys made big leaps this year. I’m sure teams are always adding new things or trying at least to add new things. But if you’re a Shark fan, you’ve got to be excited for this team still.”

—


The Bengals placed tight end Tyler Eifert on the physically unable to perform list this week in a move that probably didn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone.

Eifert has been physically unable to perform for much of his NFL career, including back problems that limited him to 10 games over the last two seasons. Eifert insists that this trip to the PUP list isn’t a sign of anything that will keep him from being on the field to start the season, though.

Eifert said he is “100 percent” sure he is going to be in the lineup against the Colts in Week 1.

“There is no setback Sam Acho Jersey ,” Eifert said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I’m feeling good. This is just the route we chose to take.”

Eifert’s confidence is better than the alternative, but his history will likely leave others waiting for further confirmation that he’ll be ready to go in September.

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The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a three-year contract extension with safety Ricardo Allen Keelan Cole Jersey , who could have become an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

Allen has a combined six interceptions the last three seasons. He had 54 tackles and one interception last season.

The agreement with Allen continues general manager Thomas Dimitroff's promise to reach extensions with key starters before they can become free agents. The Falcons agreed to a five-year, $75 million extension with left tackle Jake Matthews on July 27. Dimitroff also hopes to reach a new deal with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Allen, a fifth-round pick from Purdue in 2014, began his career as a cornerback on the Falcons' practice squad. He switched to safety in 2015, coach Dan Quinn's first season.

Details of the agreement with Allen were not immediately available.
Wearing a brace around his surgically repaired left knee, Carson Wentz participated in all of the Philadelphia Eagles' first training camp practice Thursday.

About seven months and two weeks removed from tearing two knee ligaments in a December game against the Rams Clark Harris Jersey , Wentz took a handful of reps, mainly leading the second-team offense.

"I thought he was comfortable," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. "He did some nice things today. It was very, very limited obviously, but we didn't do too much. I think we had 30 offensive plays. It was good. It was a good first start for everybody."

The Eagles practiced for about two hours and weren't in pads. None of their drills involved serious contact or tackling. The team doesn't usually practice in pads or tackle for the first three days of practice.

Nick Foles, who replaced Wentz and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl Shane Lechler Jersey , worked with the first offense Thursday in Wentz's place. Foles said he doesn't need any commitment at some point from the coaches that he is or isn't the starter for the Sept. 6 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field.

Wentz said he hasn't yet received medical clearance for contact. Pederson offered no timetable for when the team expects Wentz to be cleared for contact practices and also didn't say if Wentz would play in the preseason.

Also undetermined, or just unannounced: How far along Wentz is right now toward full recovery and whether Wentz can expect to be cleared to start on Sept. 6.

"I'm not going to push him or get him out there sooner than he has to," Pederson added. "I want to make sure that he's 100 percent. He looked good today, and we're just going to continue to progress."

Wentz said any decision to clear him for contact practice or a preseason game would be made in conjunction with Pederson and the team's medical staff. Wentz, who set the team record for touchdown passes in a season last year with 33, didn't specify if he believes it's necessary to play in the preseason.

"My goal is Sept. 6 John Miller Jersey ," he said. "We'll see what happens with all that. But when I'm ready, I'll be ready."

Pederson sidestepped questions about the long-term plan for Wentz, or even a plan for when Wentz would take snaps with the first-team offense.

Asked when he needed to switch from a rehab mindset to a season preparation approach for his quarterback, Pederson said that he wasn't in any hurry to make that decision.

"We got a lot of time," Pederson said, when asked about shifting from rehab mode to season preparation. "Six weeks is a lot of time. A lot time. We're still evaluating everybody. I can't tell you exactly when that's going to be during camp Joe Looney Jersey , but ... I'm not going to push him. He and I are married to this deal, you know what I'm saying?"
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Paul George can count.

That’s what we forgot.

Everyone knows that the lure of home is strong for George Zach Zenner Jersey , a Los Angeles kid who took countless jumpers as a youngster while pretending to be Kobe Bryant and wearing purple and gold. And players tend to go home: Paul Pierce played in LA toward the end of his career, Dwyane Wade briefly played in Chicago, Chauncey Billups had stints in Denver.

So while diving into the magnitude of the numbers in George’s soon-to-be-official deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder – four years at an average of $34 million a season, a contract that sure seems like it will help push the OKC payroll and luxury tax bills for next season alone to perhaps well over $200 million – there was one number that seems to have mattered most.

It is 28.

His age.

He’s still a young man, even by NBA standards. Consider this: George might not even be at his NBA peak yet. Barring an extension, which is possible, he could exercise his option to become a free agent again in the summer of 2021 – and even then he’ll just be 31. Los Angeles will still be there, calling, winking Will Fuller V Jersey , tugging at his heartstrings the way it clearly has for years.

That’s a sure thing.

Another sure thing: That the Thunder, while not a Super Team per se, have super pieces.

George shared the stage at a party in Oklahoma City on Saturday night with Russell Westbrook, which was fitting since they shared the basketball stage flawlessly in their first season together. All those questions – mostly variations of ”how will this work?” – got answered when the Thunder went 40-22 in the final 62 games of the regular season, George got his numbers (nearly 22 points per game) and Westbrook got his again as well (averaging a triple-double).

They speak with great respect for one another. They are not the same guy: Westbrook loves fashion and flash, George would rather go fishing. But it worked, on the court and off, and that bond is necessary if the Thunder are going to challenge Golden State and Houston for Western Conference supremacy anytime soon.

It’s not just those two. The Thunder have a good big man in Steven Adams. They’re getting Andre Roberson back, probably in time to start next season after this past season ended prematurely because of a ruptured patellar tendon. They’re keeping Jerami Grant for $27 million over three years Lamarcus Joyner Jersey , which in this NBA seems like a bargain. They have a good coach in Billy Donovan and by all accounts, it’s a happy locker room.

George kept dropping hints all spring. When asked about his future, he raved about how much he liked being in Oklahoma City. The more he said it, the more it seemed like he wasn’t just spewing the company line. It seemed real, and now, the realness has been proven.

The Thunder have some issues, mainly what to do with Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony doesn’t want to come off the bench, he’s going to cost the Thunder something like $70 million – the luxury tax is going to be incredibly punitive – if they keep him, and his best days are behind him. Having a high-priced deal isn’t Anthony’s fault; blame it on the New York Knicks and Phil Jackson Marshall Faulk Jersey , the ones who orchestrated that contract. But it’s now something that the Thunder will have to manage.

That’s as close as it gets to bad news in OKC right now.

George could have left, gone to the Lakers to join LeBron James, and no one would have complained. It would have been the easiest thing. Staying in OKC was the power move, though, both for George and Thunder general manager Sam Presti. George took the stage at that party, grabbed a microphone and delivered four words that shocked many.

”I’m here to stay,” he said.

Stay is a relative word in the NBA. Nothing is forever, except the lure of home.

LA will still be there in three or four years, if he wants to still play there. George was smart enough to see that. And the Thunder were smart enough to not let him get away.

—

Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at treynolds(at)ap.org

—


There was some chatter around the league at the end of the 2017 season that the Broncos were considering firing head coach Vance Joseph after his first year on the job Briean Boddy-Calhoun Jersey , but General Manager John Elway opted to bring Joseph back in hopes of better results in 2018.

One of the reasons Elway cited for bringing Joseph back is that he’ll have learned from what went wrong during a season that saw the Broncos start 3-1 before losing eight straight games. Joseph appears to agree, calling 2017 a “teaching moment for me” and explaining that the biggest lesson was that he has to act faster to stop bad results from piling up.

“You’re going to have adversity in this league,” Joseph said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. “Every team last year had adversity — even Philly, who won a championship. They lost their tackle, they lost their quarterback, so it’s my job and the coaches’ jobs to fix it quicker. That [is something] we have to do in this league. It’s going to be hard times. It’s not going to be all roses next year. Absolutely, it’s going to be hard times. It’s my job to fix it quicker.”

The Broncos will also be working to keep the hard times from developing in the first place with Joseph pointing to plans to “incorporate a situational period in practice so we can be a smart football team” as part of the plan. Stability at quarterback with Case Keenum and other roster changes are also seen as avenues to the improvement that may be necessary for Joseph to see a third season with the team.

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From the time James Bettcher was hired as defensive coordinator by Pat Shurmur Derek Wolfe Jersey , there has been speculation whether the New York Giants were switching from a four-man front to a three-man look.

After all, it's what the 39-year-old Bettcher ran with the Arizona Cardinals last season.

Bettcher dropped a hint Wednesday in his first interview since taking the job: He is not into labeling defensive schemes.

The Giants are going to use a lot of formations, including three- and four-man fronts. Sometimes, they are going to put five up front. They are going to keep offenses guessing, and they are going to attack.

"What it is about is playing relentless," Bettcher said. "The game is about playing hard. The game is about playing physical. The game is about playing smart. Those are things that our guys are going to do whether we are bringing five or six or dropping eight, whatever we are doing, whatever the field position is. The thing our fans are going to see, they are going to see a defense that is going to run around, that plays hard, plays fast and plays smarts and plays physical. That's what playing defense is about."

Bettcher will start laying the foundation for his defense Monday when players show up for organized team activities. The OTAs are a time that most coaches and coordinators begin discovering what they have, especially with a new team.

"Right now, if you asked me who we are on defense, I have no clue Tyrod Taylor Jersey ," Bettcher said, adding by the end of training camp he will know.

The Giants certainly will have a different look, at least based on personnel.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was released and fellow CB Ross Cockrell was signed by Carolina as a free agent. The Giants added Alec Ogletree in a trade with the Rams and signed fellow linebacker Kareem Martin as a free agent. LB Devon Kennard signed with Detroit as a free agent, while defensive captain Jonathan Casillas, also a linebacker, remains a free agent.

The mainstays up front will be tackles Damon Harrison and Dalvin Tomlinson along with end Olivier Vernon. Ogletree and Martin will be the core of the linebackers, and cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Landon Collins will anchor the secondary.

"This isn't going to be James Bettcher's defense," Bettcher said. "This is going to be our players' defense, this is going to be these assistant coaches' defense, this is going to be our defense."

The process of putting the defense together will be done over the next five-plus months, and a version of the final product will be rolled out in early September. Bettcher said everyone is starting with a clean slate. There are some who need that.

There was squabbling among the defensive backs last season, and 2016 first-round draft pick Eli Apple miffed some teammates with his attitude and play.

Defensive end Josh Mauro, who played for Bettcher in Arizona before signing with the Giants as a free agent, will sit out the first four games of the regular season for violating the league's policy on performance enhancers.

Bettcher called Apple a very talented player who can do everything expected of a cornerback.

"He's a guy that Rico Gathers Jersey , I think it's a guy that has expectations for himself and that's the most important thing," Bettcher said.

In his three years as Cardinals defensive coordinator, Bettcher's unit was consistently among the NFL's best in yardage allowed and run defense. Arizona led the league in sacks (48) in 2016, and Chandler Jones had a league-high 17 last season.

"I just love football, I love watching football, I love talking about it, I love being around it," Bettcher said. "I probably tire my wife out very much when we watch football. We're home and it's in-season and it's a Saturday afternoon when we have some time and we have college football in the house and we're watching ball. So it's an exciting time."

And a time to build a defense.

After winning 14 of 15 games and opening a 10-point lead in the Central Division, the Nashville Predators were due for a fall. Three games in four days against Toronto, Minnesota and Winnipeg — the last two on the road — provided the proper setup for a slump.

Three losses later, including Sunday night’s 5-4 shootout setback to Winnipeg, Nashville’s lead has been cut in half. That sets the stage for a little more drama in the regular season’s final two weeks as the Predators now lead hard-charging Jets by just five points with seven games left.

The schedule-maker provided Nashville with a providential three-game homestand, starting Tuesday night with Minnesota’s final visit of the regular season.

At 48-16-11, the Predators have 107 points William Perry Jersey , good for a one-point lead on Tampa Bay in the battle for the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. To hold onto that, Nashville will look to end its brief skid against Minnesota.

Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said the team should be encouraged by their performance in Winnipeg, where it managed a point on the second half of a back-to-back and came within a post — Kyle Turris beat Connor Hellebuyck but not the iron right before overtime ended — of two points.

“It’s not about Xs and Os so much,” Ellis said. “It’s about being on the puck first, hitting guys first and initiating stuff like that. Tonight, in a back-to-back versus that team, it was a good game for both sides.”

It was definitely a good game for Nashville’s backup goalie, Juuse Saros, who stopped 43 of 47 shots and gave his team a chance to leave Canada with two points. The rested Jets put 25 shots on Saros in the second period alone, and he made three clutch saves in overtime.

Pekka Rinne (40-11-4, 2.27 goals-against average, .928 save percentage), coming off consecutive losses for the first time since mid-December, should get the start in net against Minnesota. The Wild have beaten him all three times they’ve faced him this season Daryl Williams Jersey , including a 4-1 verdict Saturday night that featured the ejection of Predators coach Peter Laviolette late in the third period.

Minnesota (42-24-9) had a chance to cap its weekend with a stirring come-from-behind win over Boston on Sunday night but ceded a Brad Marchand goal 28 seconds into overtime and fell 2-1 despite 26 saves from backup goalie Alex Stalock.

“We hit a couple of posts and we had a goal called back,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We got three of four points this weekend against two of the best teams in the league, so we’re holding our own. This was a big point.”

Minnesota enters with 93 points, three more than Colorado, and stands third in the Central. The Wild are 3-0-2 in their last five games but play five of their last seven on the road.

Devan Dubnyk (32-14-6, 2.60, .916), who owns three wins against Nashville this season, should get the call in net. Minnesota will get a fresh face in the lineup with the signing of Boston University standout Jordan Greenway, who had 13 goals and 22 assists this season for the Terriers. He’s expected to make his NHL debut in Nashville.
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In a perfect world Demarcus Walker Jersey , Brian Orakpo would like to play 25 snaps a game for the Tennessee Titans.

That would mean the Titans have enough talented linebackers on the roster to keep the 10-year veteran fresh rotating between the field and the sideline. Fresher legs all around also would mean more sacks and pressure on quarterbacks for a dominant combination.

"That's how you stay fresh," Orakpo said. "Philly did it, New York back in the day with Osi (Umenyiora) and (Michael) Strahan and all of them did it. That's what it's all about. I don't want to be playing 90 snaps a game, who does? If that's what it takes, that's what it takes. But at the same time it's all about depth, and we need those guys to step up and I know they will."

Orakpo wants Tennessee to take a cue from the champion Philadelphia Eagles by building enough depth to survive when injuries hit and still be able to make a run at a championship. The Eagles had five key players miss the Super Bowl last February, including quarterback Carson Wentz.

The Titans are working to further strengthen the roster for a deeper playoff run this season with only two real holes to fill in their starting lineup after last year when they went 9-7 .

鈥?Running back Derrick Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, showed he can replace DeMarco Murray by running for 156 yards in a playoff win at Kansas City in January.

鈥?Inside linebacker Avery Williamson left for the Jets as a free agent , and the Titans have a handful of options there.

Tennessee signed inside veteran Will Compton Leonard Fournette Jersey , who started 33 of his 57 games over five seasons with Washington, and also traded up to draft Rashaan Evans of Alabama at No. 22 overall. The Titans also have Jayon Brown, who played extensively in passing downs as a rookie last season.

The Titans also drafted linebacker Harold Landry III at No. 41 overall, and he has gotten plenty of work with the first-team defense with Orakpo nursing a sore shoulder in camp.

Compton, who has been working with the first-team offense so far in camp, played only nine games last season before a Lisfranc injury ended his season. He said the Titans' depth, chemistry and leadership helped convince him to join the Titans.

"Coming into this locker room, it's definitely a player-led team, and those are the teams that can become great," Compton said. "We're not there yet. We have a long way to go Joe Looney Jersey , but the chemistry and the leadership is all there. And that's what you need: a lot of experienced, veteran guys and everybody plays a role and everybody wants the same thing."

The Titans also signed defensive lineman Bennie Logan to join three-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey, DaQuan Jones and Austin Johnson in the middle. Logan, who has started 63 of 74 career games with Philadelphia and Kansas City, was impressed by seeing the Titans in the AFC wild-card game Tennessee won last January against the Chiefs.

Even with Henry at running back, Titans general manager signed Dion Lewis away from New England as another option in the backfield. Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker says he loves looking around the offensive huddle in camp.

"It's beautiful," Walker said. "You're going to have to focus on a lot of other people other than just No 82, so I'm excited about it."

With all five starters back on the offensive line, general manager Jon Robinson still signed linemen with starting experience in Kevin Pamphile and Xavier Su'a-Filo . Robinson's best work came in the secondary, signing cornerback Malcolm Butler after adding Logan Ryan as a free agent in 2017. Adoree Jackson Darius Leonard Jersey , the 18th pick overall in 2017, started every game last year.

"We have depth no doubt," Ryan said. "I think everybody who is not starting right now wants to start, and I think the guys that won't make this team will make other teams."

NOTES: WR Rishard Matthews, recovering from an unspecified injury, was added to the physically unable to perform list. Orakpo (shoulder), Evans, TE Jonnu Smith, DL Claude Pelon (right knee) and TE Luke Stocker did not practice.

The NFL made some minor changes to the new kickoff rules, and they almost literally made them at the last minute.

According to聽Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com Cameron Artis-Payne Jersey , the league confirmed the final changes to the rule were given to officials for the first time on July 13, and sent to teams about 10 days ago.

The fact they had to circle back after the rules changes were approved in May indicates how big of a change this represents, because there was apparently some confusion about the specifics of the way the rules would be implemented.

“The referees like it to be cut and dried,” Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. “If there is gray area in the wording, the language, then they have a problem with that. They want to make it clear and concise how to officiate it. I think that’s really what came down right before we went to training camp. They changed some language and I think they got it cleaned up. I’m sure there are going to be some more tweaks along the way.”

The changes didn’t affect the spirit of the rule, which is designed to cut into the number of high-speed collisions in what they refer to as “the most dangerous play in the game.”
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Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Oscar De La Cruz has been suspended 80 games under Major League Baseball’s drug program.

The commissioner’s office said Friday that the 23-year-old right-hander tested positive for Furosemide Dominique Easley Jersey , a diuretic and masking agent.

De La Cruz is 6-7 with a 5.24 ERA in 16 starts this season at Double-A Tennessee, and is considered among the Cubs’ top prospects. He is covered under the major league drug program because he is on the 40-man major league roster and is on option to Tennessee.

The Cubs say that while they are ”disappointed” in De La Cruz, they ”will support him on his journey back.”

He is the ninth player suspended this year under the big league drug program. The others are Seattle All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano, Chicago White Sox catcher Welington Castillo, Houston pitcher Dean Deetz, Washington catcher Raudy Read, Pittsburgh pitcher Nik Turley, Kansas City outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, Toronto pitcher Thomas Pannone and Minnesota shortstop Jorge Polanco.

There have been 46 players suspended this year under the minor league drug program.

—

Donte Ingram hit a 3-pointer from the March Madness logo just before the buzzer, lifting Loyola-Chicago over Miami 64-62 in a thriller to celebrate its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 33 years.

Ingram’s long shot from well above the key came after Lonnie Walker IV missed a free throw with a chance to give the Hurricanes a three-point lead with 9 seconds remaining.

The 11th-seeded Ramblers (29-5) matched the school record for wins from their 1963 national championship team in their first NCAA trip since losing to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in the Sweet 16 in 1985. They advanced to face third-seeded Tennessee on Saturday.

NFL

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Tom Benson Jared Goff Jersey , a successful auto dealer and longtime owner of the New Orleans Saints who brought the franchise its only winning seasons and the ”Benson Boogie,” has died.

Benson also owned the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans since 2012, but the 90-year-old made his mark in pro sports with the Saints.

The teams announced Benson’s death. He had been hospitalized since Feb. 16 with flu symptoms.

Benson bought the Saints in 1985 when it appeared the club would be sold to out-of-state interests and perhaps moved out of Louisiana. He paid $70 million for the team, which is now worth close to $2 billion.

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) – The leverage of free agency in his prime brought Kirk Cousins the market-setting contract with Minnesota.

Now the Vikings have their latest franchise quarterback to try to secure that elusive first Super Bowl victory with.

The Vikings wrapped up their welcome party with an $84 million, three-year contract for Cousins, banking big time on the late-blooming former Washington Redskins prospect to finally stabilize a critical position that’s been infamously problematic.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) – As soon as Jordy Nelson was released by the Green Bay Packers, the Oakland Raiders put on a full-court press to acquire the former Pro Bowler.

His former position coach and coordinator in Green Bay, Edgar Bennett Ronald Leary Jersey , and new Raiders coach Jon Gruden immediately called to bring him out for a free-agent visit. Quarterback Derek Carr picked him up at the airport and gave him a tour of the Bay Area.

Then the Raiders offered a two-year deal worth a reported $15 million that persuaded him to cancel his other scheduled visits and sign with Oakland.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – The New York Giants have signed offensive tackle Nate Solder and added former Arizona Cardinals linebacker Kareem Martin.

The Giants announced the signings more than a day after free-agency opened.

Sources close to the team had confirmed on Wednesday the agreement with Solder, the former New England Patriots left tackle. The signing of Martin, who spent his first four seasons in Arizona, is new and reunites him with defensive coordinator James Bettcher, who ran the Cardinals’ defense last season and was hired by new Giants coach Pat Shurmur.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Donte Moncrief is gladly gambling on himself.

The former Indianapolis Colts receiver signed a one-year, $7 million contract with AFC South rival Jacksonville, believing he will prove he’s worth a more lucrative, long-term deal.

The Jaguars are counting on Moncrief to help offset the loss of former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson Justin Reid Jersey , who signed a three-year, $42 million deal in free agency with Chicago.

NEW YORK (AP) – The New York Jets have filled two big holes on offense and special teams.

The team announced the signings of running back Isaiah Crowell and kicker Cairo Santos.

Crowell, who had agreed to terms as free agency opened Wednesday, comes to the Jets on a contract for three years and $12 million. He will help replace veteran Matt Forte, who recently retired.

Santos signed a one-year contract with the Jets, who were in need of a kicker after Chandler Catanzaro signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent.

GOLF

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Henrik Stenson had a hot putter, a much quieter crowd and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

One week after Stenson returned from his winter break and spent two days with Tiger Woods and his raucous crowds, he made birdie on half of the holes at Bay Hill for an 8-under 64, his lowest round ever on the course the King built.

PGA Tour rookies Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch each had 65. Wise missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Woods again brought out big crowds in the unseasonable morning chill and gave them quite a show. He hit a tee shot that was out-of-bounds by inches. He atoned for that with a 70-foot birdie putt. And he wound up with a 68 Alex Erickson Jersey , his best opening round since he returned this year from a fourth back surgery.

TENNIS

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) – Roger Federer and Venus Williams won in straight sets to advance to the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open, extending the 36-year-old Swiss superstar’s bid for a record sixth title in the desert and the 37-year-old American’s attempt to win her first.

Federer defeated Chung Hyeon 7-5, 6-1 and equal his career-best start of 16-0 from 2006. Williams beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2 in the event where she first broke out as a 16-year-old qualifier in 1997.

Federer won the Australian Open in January and has regained the No. 1 ranking. Williams returned to the top 10 last year after being runner-up at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Next up for Federer is Borna Coric of Croatia, who upset No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his first win in four tries against the South African.

Williams will face 20-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, who has yet to drop a set in four matches at Indian Wells.< Jaren Jackson Jr. Jersey ,

Panthers coach Ron Rivera may have figured out the only way to avoid injuries to key players in training camp.

”Not practice Nick Martin Jersey ,” Rivera said after Wednesday’s practice.

The Panthers are less than a week into training camp but have already lost two key players to potential season-ending injuries.

Right tackle Daryl Williams, a second-team All-Pro last season, dislocated his patella and tore his medial collateral ligament during blocking drills on Saturday. Two days later, cornerback Ross Cockrell broke two bones in his leg while trying to break up a pass in the end zone during 11-on-11 team drills.

The Panthers aren’t the only team hurting.

The Green Bay Packers have lost inside linebacker Jake Ryan and safety Kentrell Brice to severe leg injuries, while Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett also went down. Other teams have lost important players to injuries, too.

It’s nothing new, of course.

Injuries happen every year in training camp, a reminder of the fine line coaches must walk between preparing their team for the physicality of the regular season and avoiding injuries to key players that can derail a season.

”If you look at what happened (with our injuries) the truth of the matter is there is nothing you can do about it,” Rivera said. ”That was a freak injury for Ross where the receiver was falling to the ground and he happened to step into it and got rolled up. Daryl was kick-sliding and turned his ankle and came down on it.”

Rivera said injuries are the ”unfortunate nature of this game.”

Still, as a coach he is always looking for ways to prevent them, constantly telling players to ”be smart” on the field.

He did that prior to Wednesday morning’s practice on a slick field at Wofford College following overnight rain.

”I told the defensive backs and the linebackers, `Hey, let’s be smart about the receivers crossing because we don’t want to catch anybody in a bad spot Carlos Henderson Jersey ,” Rivera said.

Some injuries can be prevented.

That’s why Rivera and his assistants were unhappy with rookie safety Rashaan Gaulden earlier this week he knocked wide receiver Jarius Wright to the ground in the back of the end zone with a vicious blow to the upper body – one that might have collected a fine from the league had it happened in a game situation. Wright remained on the ground for almost a minute before getting up.

He returned to practice a short while later.

Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess immediately yelled at Gaulden after the play, saying ”that’s what we talked about – you have to know better.”

Coaches later called Gaulden aside to reprimand him.

”Hey, that’s going to be very suspect because it falls right into the ram, butt and spear idea of using the helmet,” Rivera said. ”So we’ve got to make sure these young people understand it.”

Overall, Panthers left Matt Kalil said that ”sometimes you just can’t control” injuries.

”You want to play aggressive out here and you want to go full speed and get a game-time simulation,” Kalil said. ”We want to be smart. I think what we can do as veterans, and as players, is we have a guy who is about to fall we want to keep him up and keep him off the ground. But it’s hard because there are a lot of guys flying around out here.”

Panthers cornerback James Bradberry said there is a contact on every play.

”It’s very tough because one of the key components of making a Super Bowl run is having everybody healthy. And when you have prominent guys go down, it’s tough,” Bradberry said. ”You’ve just got to have that next-man-up mentality. And that’s what we have here.”

—

The only question about Tom Brady as quarterback in New England is when Father Time finally wins before the five-time Super Bowl champ decides he’s done with the NFL.

Same for Drew Brees in New Orleans or Philip Rivers with the Chargers.

Aaron Rodgers is expected back at his usual level returning from injury for Green Bay, and Deshaun Watson tantalized before his own injury cut short a very promising rookie season. Even though it’s been a while since Andrew Luck threw a pass in an NFL game, his resume gives him plenty of cushion as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

Not every quarterback has the same grip on a starting job as Brady Jared Veldheer Jersey , Brees or Rodgers, and a poor game or sloppy start can lead to a spot on the bench. Add a promising rookie into the mix, the leash can be even shorter.

Here’s a look at some quarterbacks who need to play well to remain starters as training camps open around the league:

JAMEIS WINSTON, BUCCANEERS

Yes, Marcus Mariota must prove he can play all 16 games in a season, but the Tennessee Titans already have picked up Mariota’s fifth-year option for 2019. Same for Tampa Bay for Jameis Winston, the quarterback taken a spot ahead of Mariota in 2015. Both are due $20.9 million in 2019 at what could be a bargain the way the market is booming for quarterbacks.

On the other hand, Winston will miss the first three games this season with the quarterback suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after a league investigation of an accusation that the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner groped a female Uber driver during a ride in Arizona in March 2016. That’s not a great combination when Bucs coach Dirk Koetter’s job security already is at risk after a 5-11 record last season. Tampa Bay brought back veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started three games in Winston’s place last season, for an experienced backup.

JIMMY GAROPPOLO, 49ERS

Jimmy G could do no wrong for the 49ers last season, winning five straight games after finally moving into the starting lineup. San Francisco wasted little time signing the young quarterback to a five-year contract worth $137.5 million at an average of $27.5 million per season. The 49ers also re-signed receiver Marquise Goodwin to keep a top target around.

As good as Garoppolo looked, there’s now plenty of game tape of him running coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Defensive coordinators John Timu Jersey , especially those in the NFC West, have had all offseason to figure out how to slow down Garoppolo.

TYROD TAYLOR, BROWNS

Helping the Bills stop a seemingly endless playoff drought wasn’t enough to keep Taylor on the job in Buffalo. The Cleveland Browns traded for Taylor on the eve of free agency, and that’s normally a sure sign a team is heavily invested in a player. Then the Browns went quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, selecting Baker Mayfield. Keeping Mayfield on the bench depends mostly on how long Taylor plays well.

JOE FLACCO, RAVENS

The 10-year veteran has missed a mere six games since being drafted by Baltimore in 2008, all in 2015, and led the Ravens to a Super Bowl in 2012. But the Ravens last reached the playoffs in 2014, and general manager Ozzie Newsome made sure to give himself options in his final year in charge. Not Robert Griffin III, who last started a game in 2016 with Cleveland.

Newsome traded to get the final pick of the first round in April to select Lamar Jackson . Yes, the Ravens insist they want to develop Jackson and be patient. If Flacco struggles, Jackson, who threw 57 touchdown passes over the past two seasons in college at Louisville and won a Heisman Trophy Da'Norris Searcy Jersey , could start looking really good much sooner.

CASE KEENUM, BRONCOS

Coming off the bench and leading Minnesota to the NFC championship game is one thing. Playing quarterback under the watchful eye of Hall of Famer John Elway in Denver is quite a different challenge. Keenum comes in as the starter after the best season of his career . He’ll need to pick up where he left off to stop the Broncos‘ quarterback carousel , with backup Paxton Lynch, the 26th pick overall in 2016, sitting on the bench and, thus far, showing little when he has played.

PATRICK MAHOMES II

With Alex Smith traded to Washington , all the pressure now is on Mahomes in Kansas City after he was the target of all those longing looks to the bench by fans during his rookie season. He looked good winning his first NFL start in last year’s regular-season finale . That won’t help with expectations remaining high for the Chiefs, who won the AFC West before blowing a wild-card game to the Titans at Arrowhead Stadium in the playoffs.

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Jalen Brunson Jersey ,

The Atlanta Falcons are used to focusing on one or two positions in the NFL draft.

Not this year.

After a Super Bowl appearance two years ago and another trip to the playoffs last season Marquis Haynes Jersey , the Falcons are fairly content with their roster.

Oh, sure, they've got needs like every other team.

But nothing that looks too pressing.

"This draft is different than most drafts I've been involved with," said Thomas Dimitroff, entering his second decade as the Falcons' general manager.

"This is an important draft and an interesting draft. There are a number of positions we're looking at, more than other years. Other years, we really homed in on one or two positions."

The Falcons have the No. 26 pick in Thursday night's opening round.

With a lot of attention on quarterbacks such as Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and the past two Heisman Trophy winners, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson, Dimitroff expects some top talent to slip all the way down to Atlanta's spot.

"There's some really legitimate contenders to help our team right away at No. 26 if we stay put," he said. "We'll always be aggressive if we see some interesting impact players who can take us to another level. But hopefully they'll get to 26."

Atlanta follows up over the final two days of the draft with selections in the second (58th overall), third (90th) Michael Roberts Jersey , fourth (126th), sixth (200th) and seventh (244th) rounds. In addition, the Falcons were awarded the final pick (No. 256) as compensation for losing five players in free agency, which means they have a chance to grab the player known as "Mr. Irrelevant."

Here's some things to watch from Atlanta heading into the draft:

BIG NEEDS

The Falcons will be looking for help on the interior of the defensive line after mammoth tackle Dontari Poe signed with NFC South rival Carolina during free agency.

The offensive line could get an upgrade, as well. Even though the Falcons signed guard Brandon Fusco in free agency, they are still looking for players to bolster their blocking around center Alex Mack.

OTHER OPENINGS

The Falcons don't have a fullback on the roster after deciding not to re-sign Derrick Coleman, so look for some help at that position in the later rounds.

Also keep an eye on receiver. If someone such as Alabama's Calvin Ridley becomes available, the Falcons might jump at the chance to land a potential star who could take some of the coverage pressure off Julio Jones.

TEAM EFFORT

Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn have formed an excellent working relationship after somewhat of a forced partnership.

The general manager was hired by the Falcons in 2008 and initially had total control over the draft, but he surrendered some of that power to Quinn when the coach was hired by owner Arthur Blank in 2015.

The arrangement has worked out just fine.

"It's nice for me from an experience standpoint to draft alongside one of the most tenured GMs in the league," Quinn said.

WHEELIN' AND DEALIN'

Dimitroff is always looking to make a deal on draft day.

Last year, the GM sent three picks to the Seahawks in order to move up to No. 26 鈥?the same spot the Falcons have this year 鈥?for UCLA defensive end Takkarist McKinley, feeling he would be a perfect fit in Quinn's attacking defense.

Dimitroff also traded up to get cornerback Desmond Trufant in 2013, and most notably pulled off a huge deal with Cleveland in 2011 to land Jones Aaron Lynch Jersey , who quickly developed into one of the league's top receivers and a cornerstone of the franchise. The Browns are still regretting that trade.

HITS, MISSES AND BARGAINS

QB Matt Ryan has started all but two games since Dimitroff, in his first draft, made him the No. 3 overall pick in 2008. That remains the most significant selection in franchise history.

CB Jalen Collins, a second-rounder out of LSU in 2015, continually ran afoul of drug-testing rules and wound up playing less than two full seasons for the Falcons, who released him last November after his second suspension.

DT Grady Jarrett has become a force on the defensive front since being picked in the fifth round out of Clemson in 2015. The dynamic RB duo of Devonta Freeman (fourth round, 2014) and Tevin Coleman (third round, 2013) were both bargains. LB De'Vondre Campbell was a fourth-round selection in 2016 who became an immediate starter on defense.
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at s://apnews/search/paul%20newberry
Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg isn’t sure how many more milestones he has left as he prepares to complete his 15th season in Detroit.

The 37-year-old is eager to find out.

”I hope so,” Zetterberg said after picking up his 954th career point to match Sergei Fedorov for fifth on the franchise list following 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. ”I think this is the one that was kind of in reach. The next big one in my point production, it’ll take a while. So we’ll see.”

Next on the list: Nicklas Lidstrom at 1,142.

Zetterberg earned the secondary assist on Danny DeKeyser’s goal that put Detroit up 5-3 with 9:50 remaining.

In closing a season in which Detroit will miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year, Zetterberg and his teammates finally had something to feel good about.

The Red Wings won on the road for the first time in more than a month by snapping an 0-10-1 skid – their worst since the 1981-82 season.

And they did it with a balanced attack Nick Vigil Jersey , while overcoming a 2-0 first-period deficit.

Though the Red Wings’ offensive production came mostly from their youngster, goalie Jimmy Howard said Zetterberg deserves the credit for being a role model.

”He’s awesome. He’s one of those leaders you can’t say enough about,” said Howard, who stopped 29 shots. ”It doesn’t matter what the situation is, whether we’re in the playoffs or not, he leads by example. And I think that’s what our young guys need right now.”

Anthony Mantha, with his team-leading 24th, scored the go-ahead goal by converting a rebound off a shot he deflected with 3:34 left in the second period.

Dylan Larkin and rookie first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov had a goal and assist each. Darren Helm, with a short-handed goal, and Andreas Athanasiou also scored for Detroit, which hadn’t won on the road since a 3-2 overtime victory against the New York Rangers 3-2 on Feb. 25.

The NHL’s last-place Sabres endured yet another familiar collapse at home, where they are now assured of finishing with the fewest wins in an 82-game season in franchise history. With an 11-24-5 home record, and one game at Buffalo left Deshaun Watson Jersey , the Sabres can’t match their previous low win total of 13 set in 2012-13.

Rookie Sabres coach Phil Housley blamed the loss on too many lapses.

Jack Eichel simply called it, ”frustrating.”

Added Eichel: ”You’re not going to win hockey games playing like we did.”

Eichel set a single-season career high by scoring his team-leading 25th goal. Ryan O’Reilly also scored, and center Casey Mittelstadt set up Evan Rodrigues‘ goal by winning a faceoff in the third period for his first career assist in his NHL debut.

Selected with the eighth pick in last year’s draft, Mittelstadt signed with Buffalo this week after electing to skip his final three college season at Minnesota.

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner did not return for the start of the third period after sustaining an undisclosed injury. He allowed three goals on 20 shots through two periods. Chad Johnson gave up three goals on 12 shots.

Mantha scored just after a faceoff violation penalty called against Mittelstadt expired. Mantha was allowed to stand alone in front, where he deflected Joe Hicketts‘ shot from the blue line. Lehner got a piece of the shot, though Mantha was still untouched while easily converting the rebound.

Athanasiou’s scored a 1:50 into the third period to put the Red Wings up 4-2 by capping an exceptional series of passes. Niklas Kronwall broke up the left wing and flipped a pass through the middle to Justin Abdelkader, who tapped the puck through his legs in setting up Athanasiou in the slot.

NOTES: Detroit won for the third time in 16 games (3-12-1). … Coming of a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the Red Wings 11 combined goals matched the total of their previous five games. … Rather than having the starting goalie lead the Sabres out for pre-game warm-ups, Mittelstadt got the honor in skating out on his own for 20 seconds before being joined by his teammates. The 19-year-old drew applause upon jumping the boards and hitting the ice for his first shift 1:27 into the game.

UP NEXT

Red Wings: Host Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Sabres: At Nashville on Saturday.

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More NHL hockey: Moritz Wagner Jersey ,

With the New Jersey Devils‘ first playoff appearance since 2012 starting to look like an early exit DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , Taylor Hall came up big – just like he has done all season.

Hall had a goal and two assists, setting up Stefan Noesen’s game-winner with 7:05 play, and Cory Schneider made 34 saves in shoring up the goaltending and leading the Devils to a 5-2 victory over the penalty-prone Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night in Game 3 of their best-of-7 first-round series.

The Devils scored four third-period goals in cutting Tampa Bay’s series lead to 2-1. Game 4 will also be played at the Prudential Center on Wednesday.

Hall, appearing in the playoffs for the first time since being the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, downplayed his role.

”It’s not my first playoff win, it’s ours as a group Devontae Booker Jersey ,” said Hall, who had a career year in goals, assists and points. ”We had some confidence coming back on home ice with how we played to finish the regular season. It’s a great feeling. We’re still down 2-1. We still have a lot of room to go but it’s a nice start.”

The Devils had a lot of contributors.

Rookie Will Butcher had a power-play goal earlier in the third to tie the score 2-all. Blake Coleman and Ben Lovejoy added empty net goals late. Schneider only gave up two power-play goals in taking over for Keith Kinkaid and giving the Devils a chance in this series.

”It’s huge. You could see there at the end it getting a little nasty similar to the last game,” Schneider said of the win. ”We’ve got the emotional involvement now. We’re on each other’s nerves. It’s going to a series.”

Alex Killorn and Steven Stamkos each had a power-play goal and an assist for the Lightning, who allowed the Devils to go on seven power plays. Nikita Kucherov added two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves in the game that had a major scrum with 23 seconds to go.

”At the end of the day you give them that many power play chances and then you give them a 5-on-3 Tyron Smith Jersey , it’s a good chance they are eventually going to get one,” Stamkos said. ”They got one and then they got momentum.”

Hall was the Devils’ MVP during their stunning run from the worst team in the Eastern Conference to the postseason in a year, and he didn’t disappoint in their biggest game of the season.

Hall skated down the right boards, avoided a check by Tyler Johnson in center ice and found Noesen in the left circle with a cross-ice pass that the forward one-timed past Vasilevskiy.

”He’s a good player and good players are going to make plays,” Lightning center Brayden Point said. ”He had a good night tonight. He is a guy we have to watch, know when he is out there and take away his space.”

Butcher had tied it at 4:03 of the period Glover Quin Jersey , just 24 seconds after the Lightning were penalized for having too many men on the ice during a penalty kill.

”We were our own worst nightmare tonight,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said.

The Lightning, who scored on 3 of 4 power plays in the first two games, converted on two more in Game 3.

Stamkos gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead just 38 seconds into the third with a shot from the left circle that squeezed between Schneider’s arm and body and dribbled into the net. It was his first goal of the series.

Tampa Bay, which never trailed in winning the first two games, took the lead again 42 seconds into the second period on Killorn’s third power-play goal of the series and fourth overall. Kucherov sent a pass from behind the goal line that Killorn redirected into the net before Schneider could move.

Hall tied the game 1-all with an unassisted goal at 12:24. Vasilevskiy made an excellent stop on a shot from near the blue line by Kyle Palmieri. The puck was misplayed by the Lightning and went to Hall between the circles and he ripped a shot past Vasilevskiy.

Hall could have had more. He hit the crossbar on a first-period breakaway.

NOTES: Center J.T. Miller of the Lightning had to leave the ice late in the second period after sustaining a facial cut. He returned for the third period. … Devils captain Andy Greene had assists on goals by Noesen and Lovejoy. … Killorn and Johnson each skated in their 50th career playoff game. … C Cory Conacher replaced the injured Ryan Callahan (upper body) in the Lightning lineup. … Devils F Michael Grabner Taylor Gabriel Jersey , who was acquired from the Rangers in February, was a healthy scratch after playing in the first two games. Mirco Mueller also sat as New Jersey dressed six defensemen instead of seven used in Game 2.

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The Green Bay Packers could be looking to make more deals on Day 2 of the NFL draft.

They got more help for the porous secondary in the first round Friday night by picking Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander. Now a defense led by new coordinator Mike Pettine could also use another playmaker on the edge to rush the passer.

Green Bay has just one pick for now on Friday, the 45th overall selection in the second round. With 10 picks for the third day of the draft on Saturday, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the tools needed to move up and make another pick or two in the second or third rounds.

The Packers could also use reinforcements at receiver after parting with Jordy Nelson, and on the offensive line.
Kevin Huerter Jersey ,

Working the phones and making shrewd picks that addressed the present and future needs of the Baltimore Ravens Darian Stewart Jersey , Ozzie Newsome conjured one final fascinating draft for a team that has relied on his intuition since its inception.

After making six trades and selecting 12 players, Newsome declared Saturday night: "The Baltimore Ravens are a better football team after the past three days."

Newsome is stepping down as general manager after this season. He has owned the final say in the Ravens' draft room since 1996, when he chose future Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis in the first round.

The 2018 draft may not turn out to be as successful, but coach John Harbaugh 鈥?who'd heading into his 11th year with Baltimore 鈥?wouldn't bet against it.

"I told Ozzie just as we finished this thing up, I feel like this is his best draft since I've been here," Harbaugh said. "Heck, maybe the best ever."

Denying last month that he was carrying any nostalgic feelings into the draft, Newsome insisted he was focused solely on filling holes on a team that's missed the postseason for three straight years.

He did just that. For trivia buffs out there, his final draft pick was at defensive end: Zach Sieler of Ferris State in the seventh round.

His work done, Newsome was about to hang up the phone when he realized the significance of the moment.

"Yes, it was emotional," he acknowledged. "The kid told me he was going to make me proud."

Newsome will be succeeded by assistant GM Eric DeCosta. This may have been Newsome's final draft, but his work is not done.

"Even though there's a finality with that, there's not finality for what I'm going to continue to do with the Baltimore Ravens," he said.

Newsome was at his finest this week. He moved back twice in the first round before selecting South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst at No. 25, providing quarterback Joe Flacco with a downfield threat from the slot.

Then, Newsome made a bold move that ultimately will determine the success of this draft. He swapped three picks to choose at No. 32 Aaron Lynch Jersey , where he snapped up Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, the multifaceted 2016 Heisman Trophy winner.

The Ravens insist Flacco will remain the starter this season, but it might be hard to resist for long the temptation of playing an athlete who accounted for 119 touchdowns in three college seasons.

On Day 2, after two more trades, Newsome turned his attention back to the 2018 Ravens by taking right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. 鈥攚hose father played with Baltimore 鈥?and tight end Mark Andrews of Oklahoma.

For his last day as Baltimore's draft guru, Newsome had eight choices. Each was made with intense consideration, as always.

"A lot of work has gone into this, starting back last June," Newsome said. "I really, really feel very good about this class and how it came to be."

Some items of note from the Ravens draft:

HERE'S THE CATCH: The theme of this offseason for Baltimore has been to overhaul the receiving corps, and Newsome continued the process in the draft.

After signing free agent receivers Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead in recent weeks, Newsome collared two tight ends in the draft and on Saturday used two straight picks on receivers: Jaleel Scott of New Mexico State in the fourth round and Jordan Lasley of UCLA in the fifth.

Scott and Lasley both topped 1,000 yards receiving last season and each scored nine TDs.

ON THE DEFENSIVE: After using the first two days of the draft to improve the Ravens' offense, Newsome turned his attention Saturday to the other side of the ball.

He selected Alabama cornerback Anthony Averett at 118th overall, UCLA inside linebacker Kenny Young at No. 122 and Texas safety DeShon Elliott at 190 and then, finally Marshall Faulk Jersey , Sieler.

HOLD THAT LINE: Extending his effort to make life easier for Flacco, Newsome attempted to shore up the offensive line in the draft.

After the Ravens lost right tackle Austin Howard and center Ryan Jensen during the offseason, they grabbed a few potential replacements.

In addition to Brown, the Ravens took tackle Greg Senat from Wagner, a 6-foot-6, 305-pounder who also played on the basketball team. In the seventh round, Newsome again tapped his alma mater, selecting Alabama center Bradley Bozeman.

STILL NEED: The Ravens are fine with running back Alex Collins but hoped to find at least one backup in the draft.

DeCosta said that just as Baltimore was ready to pounce, another team stepped in and took the Ravens' choice.

"There will be more opportunities for us," he said.

TORONTO — Mike Babcock was not sure how much difference his line adjustments made, but the Toronto coach did notice the Maple Leafs‘ improved approach Saturday night in their 4-3 over the Boston Bruins in Game 5.

“I don’t know how much the line changes paid off, I just know that the guys were engaged,” Babcock said after the game in Boston. “We got off to a really good start and our penalty kill, obviously, was great. We were short-handed six times, (including) a five-on-three. So that was great. Our goaltender was good. We got the early lead and we were able to hang on.”

Boston takes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series into Game 6 on Monday night in Toronto.

The Bruins can be expected to come out with a different attitude at the Air Canada Centre because their coach, Bruce Cassidy Peyton Manning Jersey , was not impressed by his team’s effort Saturday when only one more win was needed to clinch the series.

The Bruins started slowly, leaking on defense and in goal as the Maple Leafs led 2-0 in the first period and 4-1 in the second.

“It clearly wasn’t good enough,” Cassidy said after the game. “And then obviously you want a save mixed in with those, and that didn’t happen either. So the stuff we’ve done well lately — defend, get saves — that didn’t happen early on. The start wasn’t good enough.”

When the Maple Leafs took a 4-1 lead at 11:55 of the second period on their 13th shot of the game, Bruins No. 1 goaltender Tuukka Rask was replaced by Anton Khudobin.

In contrast, Toronto goaltender Frederik Andersen had a strong game, stopping 42 shots.

“Freddie was great,” said Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri, who had an assist on his return from a three-game suspension. “He was great when we needed him to be huge for us (Saturday). He made some incredible saves and ultimately gave us a chance.”

Rask will be in goal for the Bruins on Monday.

“Tuukka tomorrow, ready to roll,” Cassidy said Sunday. “I thought in Game 3 he was average, and he came back with a very good game in Game 4 in Toronto. So I guess I’ll take the immediate history and it is clear that we need that going in there.

“(Saturday) he was not at his best, so we made a move accordingly. But I don’t think our team was at its best defending in front of him in terms of killing rushes and we allowed them too much space and that goes hand in hand.”

Bruins left winger Brad Marchand said the loss was not all on Rask.

“He’s a competitor and always is,” Marchand said. “He holds himself accountable for (Saturday) night and it wasn’t just on him. We could have been better in front of him ourselves and collectively as a group we need to be better.”

The Maple Leafs got Kadri back after he was suspended for an illegal hit in Game 1. Another center, Leo Komarov, who suffered a lower-body injury Jeremiah George Jersey , does not appear ready to return.

“When he talked to our guys (training staff) yesterday, he was at 85 percent. Eighty-five percent doesn’t cut it at playoff time,” Babcock said Sunday. “So when you’re ready to play, you’ve got a chance to get in. In my opinion, I haven’t been told at all that he’s available. That’s how it is.”

Babcock said Kadri made an impact in his return.

“I thought Naz made a huge impact,” he said. “He ran over people, he was mean, he made good plays. … I thought Naz was real good in the game.”

The Bruins had center Patrice Bergeron back in the lineup Saturday after he was a late scratch with an upper-body injury for Game 4 on Thursday in Toronto.

Boston defenseman Kevan Miller said the Bruins cannot afford another slow start Monday and must be ready to play for the entire 60 minutes or more.

“Yeah, I think that’s playoff hockey,” Miller said. “That’s kind of the way things go sometimes. (Saturday) night we were pretty close. I think the first period got away from us, but you look at the whole game, after that, we did a pretty good job. It’s just something we’ve got to make sure we’re ready for 60 (Monday).”
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HOUSTON TEXANS (4-12)

OPEN CAMP: July 26 T. J. Carrie Jersey , Greenbrier, West Virginia

LAST YEAR: Texans had first losing record since 2013 as they dealt with numerous injuries, including to rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson and superstar defensive end J.J. Watt. Watson was bright spot in disappointing season for his play in seven games before he tore anterior cruciate ligament in right knee in practice. He threw for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns, giving Texans hope they've finally found franchise quarterback after years of misfires and disappointment. Another positive was continued improvement of 2014 top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. Defensive end finished second in NFL with career-high 21 tackles for losses and his 9 1/2 sacks Bryce Callahan Jersey , 21 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles were also career bests. He had career-high 59 tackles and started all 16 games for first time in career after struggling with injuries in first two NFL seasons before playing 14 games in 2016

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: S Tyrann Mathieu, G Senio Kelemete, G Zach Fulton, OT Seantrel Henderson, CB Aaron Colvin Todd Davis Jersey , QB Brandon Weeden.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: LB Brian Cushing, OT Jeff Allen, OL Xavier Su'a-Filo.

CAMP NEEDS: Texans will have eye on two of their biggest stars who are returning to field after sustaining season-ending injuries last season. Watson must show surgically repaired right knee has healed and that he still has same burst and playmaking ability he showed as rookie last season. After Watt played eight games over last two seasons because of injuries, including broken left leg last season, Houston must see if Watt can return to Defensive Player of Year form. Texans will also use camp to see how offensive line fits together and hope revamped group protects QB much better than last season Lamarcus Joyner Jersey , when team allowed second-most sacks in NFL.

EXPECTATIONS: If Watson is healthy and can build on limited work as rookie, Houston's offense will be much better. Defensive front will get boost if Watt can stay on field to play with Clowney, and secondary should be much improved with addition of Mathieu and Colvin. With Watson and Watt leading team, Texans should shake off last season's struggles to contend for third AFC South title in four years.
The New York Jets waived 2015 second-round draft pick Devin Smith and signed safety Brandon Bryant on Monday.

Smith, a wide receiver from Ohio State Jason Witten Jersey , couldn’t stay healthy or provide anything on the field for the team. He played in 14 games with only 10 receptions. Twice, Smith suffered major knee injuries.

Bryant struggled to concentrate on football after his father died in a 2015 motorcycle crash. Bryant was arrested for driving under the influence later on. Academically ineligible for next season, he declared for the NFL’s supplemental draft but was not chosen last week.

At Mississippi State, he had five interceptions and 157 tackles in three seasons while appearing in 37 games.

The Jets used their top two picks in the 2017 draft on safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye.

—

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鈥?A traveling nightclub that was designed to bring VIP experiences to the Minneapolis area during the Super Bowl has been cancelled.Club Nomadic had been building its venue in a parking lot at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake.A company owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community says that as the Super Bowl approached Carl Nassib Jersey , it determined it would be impossible to ensure that an event at Club Nomadic would meet the tribe’s “standards of quality.”Most of the headline acts, including Gwen Stefani, Florida Georgia Line, The Chainsmokers and DJ Kygo, will instead perform inside Mystic Lake.Dakota February Events, a limited liability company owned by the tribe, didn’t elaborate on the reason for the cancellation. Messages left with representatives for Nomadic Entertainment Group weren’t returned. Copyright ©2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published Daryl Johnston Jersey , broadcast, written or redistributed. Decades ago, the Los Angeles Rams' defense was fronted by the Fearsome Foursome.

With Ndamukong Suh playing alongside Aaron Donald for the Rams this fall, NFL offenses are about to experience a terrifying twosome.

Suh agreed to a one-year contract with Los Angeles on Monday, joining three-time All-Pro Donald in a remarkable defensive line pairing.

Suh was released by the Dolphins this month after three seasons in Miami. He examined several free-agent opportunities before choosing the defending NFC West champion Rams, who have revamped their already solid defense with several impressive offseason additions.

Suh's deal in Los Angeles is worth $14 million, according to the NFL Network and ESPN.

Suh was a five-time Pro Bowl selection during his eight-year career with Detroit and Miami. Despite a history of physical play on the edge of legality and sportsmanship Jerrell Freeman Jersey , he is considered one of the NFL's most impressive defensive linemen, with 51 1/2 career sacks and excellent run-stopping ability. He also has never missed a game due to injury.

With Suh and Donald playing side by side, the Rams will have a superb foundation for defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. Suh, who likely will play nose tackle, and steady veteran Michael Brockers are expected to start up front alongside Donald, the AP's Defensive Player of the Year and a four-time Pro Bowl selection.

The 31-year-old Suh has never played in a 3-4 alignment during his NFL career, but Phillips specializes in finding ways for outstanding players to shine. He is also much less likely to face double teams as a pass rusher while lining up with Donald in a partnership that will stretch most opponents' blocking abilities to the limit.

Suh visited New Orleans and Tennessee during his free agency tour Justin Reid Jersey , and he was scheduled to visit Oakland before canceling last week. He attracted serious interest from the New York Jets, but they publicly rescinded their contract offer Sunday.

Instead, the Rams won over Suh last week after a visit to their training complex and a dinner in Malibu with a front-office group including coach Sean McVay and owner Stan Kroenke.

Suh likely could have made more money with the Titans or Jets, but the Rams are widely considered a team on the rise 鈥?and Suh has never won a playoff game despite strong individual performances in each of his three postseason appearances.

With Suh's arrival on a lucrative one-year deal, the Rams have signaled their determination to compete for the Super Bowl immediately.

Los Angeles has revamped its defense with proven talent in an effort to raise its performance to the level of McVay's offense, which led the NFL with 478 points last season in a stunning worst-to-first transformation.

Earlier this month, Los Angeles added cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib Shelby Harris Jersey , who have been selected for a combined seven Pro Bowls, while retaining promising safety Lamarcus Joyner and slot cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman.

Suh is an Oregon native who starred at Nebraska before joining the Lions as the second overall pick in the 2010 draft. He became the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history at the time of his six-year, $114 million free-agent deal with the Dolphins.

Suh has repeatedly drawn the ire of opponents and officials with overaggressive play and dirty hits. He has paid numerous fines, yet his only NFL suspension was a two-game ban in 2011 during his second season for stomping on Packers lineman Evan Smith.

Talib and Peters also have been involved in their own scuffles with opponents or their own teammates and coaches. McVay's first Rams team had no significant issues in the locker room, with the young head coach and his veteran defensive coordinator presiding over a roster with solid chemistry.
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