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Player News
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Zach Wilson DEN QB
Broncos' Zach Wilson: Won't have option picked up
22m agoThe Broncos don't plan to pick up the fifth-year option in Wilson's contract, Jeff Legwold of ESPN reports.
Wilson, who the Jets took with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, joined the Broncos in a trade with New York leading up to this year's draft. With his new team not in line to pick up his fifth-year option -- which would have been for a guaranteed $22.4 million -- the 24 year-old is in a position to become a free agent next March. For now, Wilson is slated to compete with first-round rookie Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham -- who started Denver's final two games of the 2023 regular season -- for the Week 1 starting assignment. While Nix is presumably viewed as the franchise's long-term answer at QB, in the short term, slotting at the position is up for grabs in advance of training camp.
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Anthony Richardson IND QB
Colts' Anthony Richardson: Throwing at practice
35m agoRichardson (shoulder) is throwing at spring practices and looks to be healthy, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Coach Shane Steichen said in March that he expected Richardson to be ready for OTAs in May and June. It looks like that's coming to fruition, though the QB won't necessarily be a full participant in all activities, having undergone surgery on his throwing shoulder in October. He resumed throwing in February and is the unquestioned QB1 for an offense that just added WR Adonai Mitchell in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Ezekiel Elliott DAL RB
Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Gets $1.75 million guaranteed
2h agoElliott's one-year, $2 million contract with the Cowboys includes $1.75 million guaranteed, and he can earn up to $1 million more via incentives, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
All of the incentives require Dallas making the playoffs, with the other parts entailing Elliott playing more than half the team's snaps ($500k), scoring 10 touchdowns ($250k) or reaching 1,100 yards from scrimmage ($250k). He did all three of those things in 2021, and two of the three in his most recent season with the Cowboys (2022). A one-year sojourn to New England proved less productive, though Elliott handled some huge workloads late in the season after Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high-ankle injury, averaging 14.8 carries and 5.2 catches over the Patriots' final six games. The Cowboys probably won't call on him that often, even with their other backfield options -- Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner -- being less than stellar. The Cowboys didn't draft a running back in April, and none of their veterans besides Elliott has ever run for more than 521 yards in a season.
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Khalil Shakir BUF WR
Bills' Khalil Shakir: New teammate in WR room
10h agoShakir gained competition for snaps and targets after the Bills took Keon Coleman out of Florida State with the first pick of the second round Friday.
This may not end up being a terrible thing for Shakir's 2024 outlook, as it was doubtful the Bills were going to enter the season with such a thin wideout crew, and a big target like Coleman could draw defensive attention away from Shakir. The latter is coming off a 39-611-2 season in 17 regular-season games, but with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis off to new locales, Shakir has room to grow his production in his third NFL season. For now, he and Coleman project as starters, while Curtis Samuel is more of a hybrid No. 3.
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Zaven Collins ARI LB
Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Option not picked up
16h agoThe Cardinals have opted not to pick up Collins' fifth-year option, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.
This move is somewhat of a surprise, as Collins' started all 33 games he has played the previous two seasons, and he projects to continue starting at defensive end in 2024. He did see his production decrease this past year in the tackle department, dropping from 100 (63) in 2022 to 41 (27 solo) in 2023. The 24-year-old is now heading into a contract year and will look to prove his value accordingly.
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Boston Scott PHI RB
Rams' Boston Scott: Fresh start in L.A.
16h agoScott agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Rams on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Scott spent his first six seasons in Philadelphia, but he will now get a fresh start in Los Angeles. While he was never a major part of the Eagles' offense during his tenure, he saw his role as a third-down back shrink during the 2023 campaign. The 29-year-old will presumably be behind Kyren Williams and rookie Blake Corum on the Rams' depth chart, and Scott will compete with Ronnie Rivers and Zach Evans for the No. 3 role.
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Nicky Lopez CHW 2B
White Sox's Nicky Lopez: Gets breather Wednesday
2m agoLopez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
Lopez's streak of six consecutive starts will come to an end Wednesday as White Sox manager Pedro Grifol gives the second baseman the afternoon off in a day game after a night game. Braden Shewmake will spell Lopez at the keystone, while designated hitter Robbie Grossman takes over as the White Sox's leadoff hitter.
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Jackson Chourio MIL RF
Brewers' Jackson Chourio: Takes seat Wednesday
6m agoChourio is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.
The rookie will bow out of the lineup for the series finale while Jake Bauers picks up a start in left field alongside Blake Perkins and Sal Frelick. After opening his big-league career by producing hits in 11 of his first 13 games, Chourio has fallen into a massive slump since mid-April. Over his subsequent 14 games, Chourio has gone 6-for-43 (.140) while getting on base at a .196 clip.
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Joseph Ortiz MIL 3B
Brewers' Joey Ortiz: Heads to bench Wednesday
8m agoOrtiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.
Ortiz looks to be getting some routine maintenance for the day game after a night game, with Oliver Dunn spelling him at third base. The rookie had started at third base or second base in each of the past five games, reaching base at a .476 clip while recording four extra-base hits (one home run, three doubles) and a stolen base during that stretch.
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Kyle Farmer MIN 3B
Twins' Kyle Farmer: Returns to bench role
17m agoFarmer is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox.
Farmer will hit the bench for Wednesday's series finale after he had started in each of the last five games (three at second base, two at third base). The platoon-happy Twins should continue to find room for the righty-hitting Farmer in the lineup when southpaws are on the mound for the opposition, but Farmer's opportunities at third base will likely become more scarce moving forward. Carlos Correa returned from the 10-day injured list Monday to take back an everyday role at shortstop, and Edouard Julien and Willi Castro look first in line to start at second and third base, respectively, when the Twins oppose righties.
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Jose Miranda MIN 3B
Twins' Jose Miranda: On bench in second straight
20m agoMiranda is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox.
Miranda and Kyle Farmer had recently been part of a timeshare at third base, but both could see their playing time against right-handed pitching take a hit moving forward after shortstop Carlos Correa (intercostal) was reinstated from the injured list Monday. With Correa back in the fold, Willi Castro -- who had been serving as the primary shortstop while Correa was on the shelf -- could end up seeing the bulk of the starts at the hot corner until Royce Lewis (quadricep) is ready to return from the 10-day IL.
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Harold Ramirez TB DH
Rays' Harold Ramirez: On bench again Wednesday
26m agoRamirez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
After serving as the Rays' primary designated hitter for most of the season, Ramirez could be moving into a part-time role. He's on the bench for the third time in five games, and playing time could be even more difficult to come by once Jonathan Aranda (finger) is activated from the 10-day injured list, perhaps as soon as this weekend.
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Caris LeVert CLE SG
Cavaliers' Caris LeVert: Held to three points
40m agoLeVert posted three points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3Pt), one rebound, one assist, one block and two steals in 19 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 win over Orlando in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
LeVert is in the midst of a tough series, and although the Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs), the team opted to turn to Isaac Okoro and Marcus Morris rather than LeVert. Through five games, the guard is averaging just 7.2 points, 2.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 three-pointers on 33.3 percent shooting.
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Marcus Morris CLE PF
Cavaliers' Marcus Morris: Steps up for Cleveland
41m agoMorris finished Tuesday's 104-103 victory over Orlando in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes.
The Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs), and while Isaac Okoro drew the start, Morris stepped into the rotation and made a massive impact. Morris had a total of 15 minutes in this series prior to Tuesday, so credit to him for staying ready. For now, it remains unclear if Allen will be ready to return for Game 6 in Orlando on Friday.
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Evan Mobley CLE PF
Cavaliers' Evan Mobley: Clutch in Game 5 win
45m agoMobley accumulated 14 points (7-11 FG, 0-2 FT), 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in 39 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 victory over the Magic in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs) for this game, so Mobley shifted to center and produced a masterclass on the defensive end. In fact, his emphatic block on Franz Wagner's game-tying layup attempt at the end of regulation secured the win for Cleveland, giving the team a 3-2 series lead.
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Wendell Carter Jr. ORL C
Magic's Wendell Carter: Productive across the board
1h agoCarter closed Tuesday's 104-103 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with seven points (3-6 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal across 33 minutes.
Despite a quiet night offensively, Carter still had a big impact on the game, particularly on the boards and on the defensive end. He's had a tough series overall, however, as he's averaging just 5.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists through the first five games.
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Jalen Suggs ORL SG
Magic's Jalen Suggs: Sees 39 minutes in loss
1h agoSuggs registered 13 points (5-14 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five rebounds, one block and two steals across 39 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 loss to Cleveland in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Suggs wasn't able to generate much on the offensive end, and he has the unenviable task of trying to slow Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in this series. Despite some solid counting stats, Suggs hasn't played to his full potential just yet, as he's hitting just 24.0 percent from beyond the arc in his last five games.
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Paolo Banchero ORL PF
Magic's Paolo Banchero: Pours in 39 points
1h agoBanchero supplied 39 points (14-24 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 7-8 FT), eight rebounds and four assists over 38 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Banchero's 39 points mark a new career high in the postseason, and this was a terrific bounce-back performance after he was held to nine points in Game 4 on Saturday. Banchero has been terrific in his first ever playoff series, posting averages of 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 three-pointers through five games.
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Tony DeAngelo CAR D
Hurricanes' Tony DeAngelo: Questionable for Game 1
1m agoDeAngelo (undisclosed) is questionable for the start of the second round, per Luke DeCock of The Raleigh News & Observer on Wednesday.
DeAngelo was injured after absorbing a slash during Tuesday's 6-3 victory over the Islanders. That Game 5 win clinched the series for Carolina, so DeAngelo and the rest of the Hurricanes have some time to rest before their quest for the Stanley Cup resumes. If DeAngelo is available, then he might serve on the third pairing, but if Brett Pesce (lower body) is healthy as well, then DeAngelo is more likely to be scratched.
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Brandon Carlo BOS D
Bruins' Brandon Carlo: Missing from practice
15m agoCarlo was not on the ice for practice Wednesday after having missed overtime against Toronto in Game 5 on Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury, Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe reports.
Carlo still managed to log 21:39 of ice time in Game 5 while recording one shot, two blocks and two PIM. Even if Carlo does suit up against the Leafs on Thursday, he is unlikely to offer much in the way of offensive production considering he has managed just one point in his last 21 outings.
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Vasily Podkolzin VAN RW
Canucks' Vasily Podkolzin: Reassigned to minors
37m agoPodkolzin was sent down to AHL Abbotsford on Wednesday.
Podkolzin figures to suit up with the minor-league club for their Calder Cup matchup with AHL Ontario on Wednesday before likely being recalled ahead of Vancouver's Game 6 clash with the Predators on Friday. The move will allow Podkolzin to get some minutes after serving as a healthy scratch for the first five playoff games.
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Evgeny Kuznetsov CAR C
Hurricanes' Evgeny Kuznetsov: Two-point effort Tuesday
1h agoKuznetsov collected a goal and an assist Tuesday in a 6-3 win over the Islanders in Game 5.
The 31-year-old center scored on a penalty shot midway through the first period, then helped set up a Stefan Noesen tally early in the third. Kuznetsov was productive against the Isles, producing two two-point performances in five games despite a bottom-six role, but his main value to the Hurricanes came at the faceoff dot -- he won nine of his 12 draws Tuesday.
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Jani Hakanpaa DAL D
Stars' Jani Hakanpaa: Won't play Wednesday
1h agoHakanpaa (lower body) isn't available for Game 5 versus Vegas on Wednesday, according to Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine.
Hakanpaa hasn't been in the lineup since March 16. He had two goals, 12 points, 33 PIM, 196 hits and 123 blocks in 64 regular-season outings. His absence has resulted in Nils Lundkvist playing regularly.
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Seth Jarvis CAR C
Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis: Three points to finish off Isles
1h agoJarvis scored a goal and added two assists, one on the power play, in a 6-3 win over the Islanders on Tuesday in Game 5.
The 22-year-old helped set up Carolina's first two tallies as the team grabbed a 2-0 lead inside the first four minutes of the first period, then iced things late with an empty-netter. Jarvis piled up three goals and seven points in five games against the Isles, giving him plenty of momentum heading into the Hurricanes' second-round clash with the Rangers.