Here's a good example: I am currently working on crafting a ring, and while I am doing it, I have up a page that lists all the values and modifiers the ring could roll. After 2000 hours, I'm still learning how to enhance the Path of Exile gameplay expertise. This continuing process of digesting information and sifting through it's one of those "love it or hate it" portions of Path of Exile.

To be honest, I can not blame the new Path of Exile player I spoke to for not knowing the different leagues Path of Exile has to offer. I was fortunate enough to begin just prior to the last set of leagues has been introduced, therefore it wasn't nearly as confusing for me.

There are now eight distinct leagues that you can play, each with its own economy and Path of Exile players. They're divided by 'league' and 'standard', as well as 'softcore' and 'hardcore.' Because it has existed for such a long time, all the items that you could ever path of exile review

want have been crafted, and so are very cheap due to demand and supply. Builds in Standard are, generally speaking, stronger and cheaper.

The Denver Broncos selected Michigan tight end Jake Butt in the fifth round of 2017 NFL Draft knowing that the torn ACL Butt sustained in his final college game could essentially amount to a redshirt year for his rookie season.

Butt progressed throughout last season but was never able to get healthy enough to come off injured reserve and contribute. Now a year and a half removed from his injury Danny Etling Jersey , Butt is able to finally participate fully in training camp practices with the Broncos.

“I kind of thought about it when I put on the pants. It was like, ‘Man, I haven’t put on the pads in almost two years Tyeler Davison Jersey ,'” Butt said, via Pat Graham of the Associated Press. “It was exciting. It felt good out there.”

Butt caught 138 passes for 1,646 yards and 11 touchdowns in his four seasons with the Wolverines. As a senior Durham Smythe Jersey , he compiled 46 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns. However, Butt injured his knee in an Orange Bowl loss to Florida State, The injury ultimately dropped him from a possible early round pick to the third day of the draft.

Butt was able to take part in Denver’s offseason program Landon Collins Jersey , but pads weren’t dusted off until this week.

“I had a year to observe how pro football really works,” Butt said. “Going back to the spring, I really got into the playbook so I can hit the ground running in camp.”

A person with direct knowledge of the move says the Washington Redskins have signed cornerback Orlando Scandrick to a two-year deal worth up to $10 million.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the team had not announced the deal.

The Dallas Cowboys released Scandrick over the weekend after he made 38 tackles in 11 starts last season. Scandrick started 69 games and appeared in 125 with Dallas since being taken in the fifth round of the 2008 draft.

The 31-year-old gives Washington some insurance at cornerback behind Josh Norman after trading Kendall Fuller to Kansas City in the deal for quarterback Alex Smith. Scandrick will be in the mix with Quinton Dunbar Trae Waynes Jersey , Fabian Moreau and Josh Holsey for playing time.

NFL Network first reported Scandrick signing with the Redskins.

—

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The Steelers survived one week without Le'Veon Bell.

Maybe they can do it again.

Making his first NFL start Bruce Irvin Jersey , James Conner helped Pittsburgh forget that Bell 鈥?the team's disgruntled star running back 鈥?isn't around and may not be back anytime soon.

Conner scored two touchdowns, rushed for 135 yards and added 57 more on five catches as the Steelers escaped Sunday with a 21-21 tie against the Cleveland Browns, who ended their 17-game losing streak without winning.

Conner was more than an adequate fill-in for Bell, who remains separated from the Steelers in an ugly contract dispute.

While his teammates slopped around in the rain at FirstEnergy Stadium, Bell continued his holdout in South Florida as his replacement gave the Steelers hope they'll be able to withstand not having one of their biggest stars.

Conner could be their newest one.

The anti-Bell.

"I'm so tired of Le'Veon," Steelers right guard David DeCastro told reporters. "I'm so tired of it. Let's just worry about the guys that are here. I know you guys have stories to write and what not. I love Le'Veon, but we have to worry about the guys that are here. That's the only people that matter."

Conner scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter and added a 22-yarder in the fourth as the Steelers opened a 21-7 lead that appeared safe.

However, as Pittsburgh appeared on the verge of putting the Browns away, Conner had his lone blemish on an otherwise stellar day.

Running right, Conner got stripped by Browns end Myles Garrett and his fumble led to the Browns quickly scoring two touchdowns in the final 7:32 to force overtime.

Cleveland had a chance to win it, but linebacker T.J. Watt added a blocked field goal to his four-sack game by getting a hand on Zane Gonzalez's 43-yard field-goal attempt with 9 seconds left.

Bell's messy situation cast a shadow over the Steelers all week, bringing a distraction to a team that usually avoids drama. The stand-off could last for a while, and if it does Kyzir White Jersey , Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, his staff and the Steelers have to feel better about what Conner can provide.

"He did some really great things," said superstar receiver Antonio Brown. "He ran well and brought great energy all day. I was excited to see him make some plays, not only in the run game, but in the pass game as well."

On a day when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggled throwing three interceptions and fumbling twice, Conner was solid and steady.

"Pressure is always there," said Conner, who survived a cancer scare while he was at Pitt. "You're either feeling pressure or applying pressure. I was trying to apply the pressure today. There were no nerves or nothing. Just playing football."

It looked that way. Conner patiently looked for running lanes, taking what Cleveland's defense gave him and never trying to do too much.

The 23-year-old finished with 192 total yards, matching Bell's best game from last season.

"I thought he played well," said Roethlisberger, who struggled from the outset. "Ran hard, caught the ball well. Made plays for us. I'm proud of the way he played for this team."

Conner took it all in stride. Following the game Sammy Watkins Jersey , he casually accepted congratulations while dressing and came across as composed off the field as he was on it.

"It is what I expect," he said of his performance. "It's the mentality of our offense. We feel like we're going to run the ball when we want to run the ball so I know the mentality of those guys up front. I knew the lanes were going to be there. I knew today was going to be a good day on the ground, just not enough to win.

"I have confidence in myself and the guys in front of me blocking, so it's what we expect to do."

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay has been more cautious than most of his peers in how he has used his starters during the preseason.

The starting offense, save for right guard Jamon Brown, will not play at all in the four exhibition games. The starting defense, save for outside linebacker Samson Ebukam, made a brief appearance in the third preseason game Saturday.

Whether that approach will cause problems once the season starts remains to be seen. It's worked out in at least one respect, as McVay said Monday the Rams are on track to be healthy for their season opener at Oakland on Sept. 10. And players have been happy with McVay's caution, with running back Todd Gurley saying he was living "everyone's dream" by not playing in the preseason.

McVay seemingly felt so comfortable about the strength of his team that he made an unprompted reference to defensive tackle Aaron Donald's ongoing holdout.

"We're right on track with guys like (linebacker) Mark Barron that we have talked about. Everybody else we anticipate that we're kind of projecting as a starter is ready to go. Obviously, the big question is will 99 (Donald) be a part of that thing or not? But we're in a good place right now. Certainly we've got a lot of work to do in the meantime," McVay said.

The Rams, who are seeking to defend their first NFC West title since 2003 Vinny Curry Jersey , will continue to hold out starters and key reserves for their preseason finale at New Orleans on Thursday.

McVay put defensive lineman Dominique Easley and outside linebacker Matt Longacre in that group. Easley did not play last season because of a torn ACL in his right knee, and Longacre missed most of training camp because of a biceps injury after undergoing back surgery last season.

Both Easley and Longacre are expected to play major roles this season with the Rams still unsettled on the edge opposite Ekubam in their 3-4 defense. McVay was glad to see both get on the field against Houston because it was a milestone in their recoveries.

"It was good for both those players to get some snaps, and now we'll implement a program that we feel like is going to be sustainable throughout the course of the season, but we won't expect to see them this week," McVay said.

Tight end Gerald Everett, who sustained the most notable injury of training camp when he hurt his shoulder, is in line to play against the Raiders. McVay said Everett is running routes again, and the second-year South Alabama product was able to maintain his conditioning despite being in a sling for several weeks.

The only lingering question in terms of health is the status of outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. McVay said the fifth-round pick from Oklahoma is likely to start the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list after sustaining a foot injury during offseason workouts that required surgery. Starting the season with that designation would prevent Okoronkwo from practicing or playing for the first six weeks.

"I would say not anything that he can control, but I think just the way the foot has responded hasn't been ideal. It doesn't have anything to do with the way that he has worked," McVay said.

Without major injury concerns, McVay has been able to focus on how to construct the 53-man roster and the 46-man game day roster. Putting together contingency plans in case of injury during the regular season is also a priority for McVay, whether that comes from the composition of the practice squad or from identifying players that could return as free agents.

"Unfortunately, like we've talked about K.J. Wright Jersey , injuries are an inevitable part of this thing and we've always got to have those contingency plans in place, but we feel good about a lot of the spots right now," McVay said.

While the Rams look to have their starting lineups set, McVay said many of his conversations with general manager Les Snead at this time of year center on players around the league that could be cut by other teams and how they might fit in.

"If they end up hitting the waiver wire, do they give us an upgrade or do we feel good about the spots? And, fortunately, most of the spots and situations and positions that we're in, we feel good about the guys that we have in our building," McVay said. "Hopefully we'll stay healthy and be able to work with those guys."

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Shin-Soo Choo didn’t play Saturday night for the Texas Rangers because of a sore right quad Jerome Baker Jersey , putting on hold his majors-best 41-game streak of reaching base.

Choo said before the 13-4 win over the Chicago White Sox that he has been dealing with quad soreness for at least 10 days, and that it had really bothered him the last couple of days.

”I don’t want to make it worse,” Choo said. ”I don’t think it’s serious.”

The outfielder/designated hitter said he had an MRI earlier Saturday to find out for sure what he was feeling in his upper leg.

Choo had a leadoff walk in the first inning of an 11-3 win Friday night to extend his career-best on-base streak and match the longest in the majors this season. He later hit one of the Rangers’ five home runs for a 12-game hitting streak that is the longest active streak in the majors.

”He’s battled with a tight quad and I felt like it was just an opportunity to get him off his legs Tyeler Davison Jersey , give him a day,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”He’s played through it for a while, so we’ll see how he feels.”

Banister hadn’t ruled out using Choo in a pinch-hitting role Donald Trump Jersey , and Choo had said he was willing if needed. The three-game series wraps up Sunday before the Rangers have a day off Monday.

”I know I have the streak going on, but my body and staying healthy is more important,” Choo said. ”And winning games is more important than records.”

Choo’s on-base streak is the longest for the Rangers since Otis Nixon’s 44-gamer in 1995; Julio Franco set the team record by reaching in 46 consecutive games in 1993. Choo matched Philadelphia’s Odubel Herrera for the longest in the majors this season. Herrera James Hurst Jersey , a former Rangers minor leaguer, reached base in the first 41 games for the Phillies this year.

In his 41-game streak, Choo has reached base 90 times. He has hit .333 (52 of 156) with 38 walks.

—

The Seattle Seahawks have signed former San Francisco cornerback Dontae Johnson to help with the depth in their overhauled secondary.

Johnson has a chance to step in as a starter immediately since Richard Sherman was cut and signed with the 49ers this offseason. The Seahawks are set with Shaquill Griffin at one cornerback spot but the other will be open to competition heading into Seattle's offseason program and training camp.

Johnson started all 16 games last season for San Francisco and finished with 77 tackles Emmanuel Lamur Jersey , seven passes defensed and one interception. Last year was the first time Johnson was a full-time starter after starting just six games in his first three seasons with San Francisco. Johnson was a fourth-round pick by the 49ers in 2014 out of North Carolina State.

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MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-10)

New faces: S Minkah Fitzpatrick Jack Tatum Jersey , G Josh Sitton, DE Robert Quinn, WR Danny Amendola, WR Albert Wilson, C Daniel Kilgore, TE Mike Gesicki, RB Frank Gore, RB Kalen Ballage Nathan Peterman Jersey , QB Brock Osweiler, DT Kendall Langford.

Key losses: DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Jarvis Landry, C Mike Pouncey, G Jermon Bushrod, K Cody Parkey, QB Jay Cutler, QB Matt Moore Durham Smythe Jersey , TE Julius Thomas, LB Lawrence Timmons.

Strengths: With addition of Sitton, OL could be best QB Ryan Tannehill has played behind, which helps chances of keeping him healthy. NFL active rushing leader Gore seems ageless at 35, and he and Kenyan Drake form potentially potent tandem at RB. Quinn and Cameron Wake lead deep group at DE that should be able to generate formidable pass rush.

Weaknesses: Doubts about durability of Tannehill, who returns after being sidelined since December 2016 because of two injuries to left knee. If he goes down again, unappealing options as replacement are Osweiler or David Fales. With Landry gone, there's no clear No. 1 receiver. Suh's departure left big hole at DT Kelvin Benjamin Jersey , and with inexperienced LB corps, run defense is major concern. Ditto CB spot opposite emerging star Xavien Howard. Miami will rely on rookie placekicker.

Fantasy Players To Watch: Gesicki is poor blocker, but Dolphins will try to hide that deficiency because he's rangy target and much-needed red- zone threat. Wilson played slot with Chiefs but will be used in multiple ways by Dolphins and should help make up for departure of Landry.

Vegas Says: Super Bowl 130-1. Over/under wins 6.5.

Expectations: If coach Adam Gase regains magic touch from surprising 2016 run to playoffs, and if Tannehill, Gore and Amendola stay healthy, and if run defense is improved without Suh, and if first-year starters Fitzpatrick, Gesicki and MLB Raekwon McMillan blossom into stars ... Dolphins could finish above .500. If none of those things happen Joe Barksdale Jersey , debate can begin regarding who they'll take with first overall pick in 2019 draft.

Federal authorities say they have intercepted a shipment of 108 phony replica Super Bowl rings representing many past champion teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say the rings were found in an express consignment parcel that arrived June 18 from Hong Kong marked as alloy rings.

Trade enforcement officers noted "poor craftsmanship" and detained the rings to verify their authenticity with the National Football League, the trademark holder.

Customs officials say the NFL confirmed that the rings were phony. Officials say an authorized replica of a Super Bowl ring can cost $10,000 but counterfeit ones are offered on the internet for $25.

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NASHVILLE Ricardo Allen Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have lost their three-time Pro Bowl tight end at least for a big chunk of the season.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota is being evaluated after hurting his throwing arm, and two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan is in the concussion protocol.

And that’s just the latest injuries for the Titans.

Now Tennessee has to see who’s healthy enough for the home opener Sunday against AFC South rival Houston (0-1) and adapt accordingly.

“What we’re going to do every week is try to figure out what gives us the best chance to win, personnel wise, who we have available, maybe who we’re playing obviously,” rookie coach Mike Vrabel said Monday.

“We’ll be flexible enough to use any personnel that we think will help us win. I don’t think we can commit to anything right now.”

The Titans already are down starting right tackle Jack Conklin, who was inactive against Miami as he recovers from a torn left ACL repaired in January.

On defense, starting linebacker Derrick Morgan played only 14 snaps in the Titans’ 27-20 loss in Miami as the Titans work the veteran back in after a preseason injury.

Tennessee’s top two draft picks also are linebackers, and Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry both missed the opener with injuries.

Add to that the Titans are recovering from the league’s longest game since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970 because of two lightning delays that made the matchup in Miami last 7 hours, 8 minutes from the opening kickoff to the final second ticked off.

Morgan said it wasn’t easy warming up, cooling down again and again, but thinks the Titans learned some mental toughness from the day that wouldn’t end.

“Hopefully it never happens again and we never have to play football for eight hours straight,” Morgan said.

Mariota is being evaluated after he lost sensation in his right hand after the game from his injured right elbow. He was intercepted twice — both after taking a hit from Dolphins defensive lineman William Hayes following a handoff. Vrabel said they’re hopeful of getting a good report back on Mariota’s arm needing everybody that’s healthy and available.

Blaine Gabbert Melvin Ingram Jersey , signed this offseason, replaced Mariota and threw for 117 yards with an interception. The Titans do have rookie Logan Woodside on the practice squad, but will wait for a report on Mariota before deciding whether to add another quarterback.

Vrabel did say he told defensive coordinator Dean Pees to take note of how officials are handling quarterbacks carrying out a fake on a run-pass option.

“If that’s legal, then we have to do it the same exact way,” Vrabel said.

Lewan was resting Monday. Asked about Dolphins lineman Andre Branch’s hit, Vrabel said it probably wasn’t dirty even if the coach thinks his left tackle “absolutely” was targeted.

The Titans put tight end Delanie Walker on injured reserve Monday and the tight end will have surgery on his right ankle in the next few days. Walker came into the season with the most catches in the NFL by a tight end between 2013 and 2017. He also has been Mariota’s favorite target, leading the team in receptions in two of the past three years.

Vrabel said the Titans will evaluate Walker’s potential to return this season after surgery. Jonnu Smith, a third-round pick out of Florida International in 2017, has 19 receptions and will be the first expected to fill in for Walker. Smith had talked to Walker and said the veteran was in good spirits.

“It is some big shoes to fill,” Smith said.

The journey from the tiny African nation of Togo to the Cologne Crocodiles of the German Football League to the Arizona Cardinals is a very long one.

Now, still learning English, Moubarak Djeri is trying to navigate the tough and often complicated world of the NFL and prove he belongs.

”This experience is really big,” he said after the Cardinals went through a voluntary workout Thursday. ”That was like a dream for me to be here. Now to see how it’s working James Develin Jersey , how you’ve got to work hard to make the team and be in the season, it’s a really big experience.”

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive end came to Arizona on a tryout basis but showed enough ability to sign a contract and earn a spot as one of the 90 players going through offseason drills.

Djeri speaks four languages – German, French, his mother’s native tongue of Kotokoli and ”just a little English.” He has been in the United States for three months.

”My English was not that good before I came here,” Djeri said. ”I just started learning better the time I was here, like speaking with my other teammates, watching movies. On the field, the coach is speaking English and you just keep understanding what they say.”

One of his best new friends is teammate Praise Martin-Oguike, also a defensive end, who was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States at age 10.

”The language barrier, he might not get the communications sometime,” Martin-Oguike said. ”It’s very difficult.”

There are other challenges. Martin-Oguike helped Djeri set up a bank account with a debit card to facilitate the automatic deposit of his paycheck. He showed him how to use an Uber app on his phone.

And he provides lots of on-the-job encouragement.

”If I have bad practices Chris Godwin Jersey , I just think about it and get myself really mad,” Djeri said. ”Praise says don’t think too much about it. Keep going, next play. Tomorrow you’re going to get better. It’s something to motivate me.”

Djeri was born in Lome, the capital city of Togo, a small west African nation sandwiched between Ghana and Benin. One of six children, Djeri is part of a very large extended family. He has 27 aunts and uncles.

At age 11, he moved with his family to Germany and in his late teens, he became interested in American-style football, first joining the Cologne junior team and then advancing to the senior team.

Combined, he played just four years of football. But Cologne assistant coach David Odenthal saw something special in Djeri and put together a highlight tape that eventually caught the attention of the Cardinals. He was one of many tryout players, but one of the few that made the initial cut to become an undrafted rookie.

At 22, he has a long way to go to master the game he loves.

”He’s still learning the game,” coach Steve Wilks said. ”He’s just got to continue to get better Alex Mack Jersey , keep putting the time in.”

The time required is so much different than what he had to do in Germany, Djeri said. He said players in Germany thought they knew what it takes to play in the NFL, but it’s much different once it’s experienced up close.

”To have it and to feel it is way different than you think,” he said. ”You’ve got to be every time on point. We’re done now with the practice. We do our lift in 30 minutes. After that, we’ve got meetings again. After that, you go to the hotel and you study and after that you’ve got to sleep to be ready for tomorrow.”

Djeri sees how the odds must be against him.

”I just ask why are they going to get someone from Europe if they’ve got a lot of guys from college,” he said. ”They’ve got a lot of guys with four years’ experience of college football. This is the difficulty to be here.”

But he is giving it his all.

”This is what I want to do every day,” he said. ”After the practice you feel like your body is sore but this is what you want to do. That’s why it don’t matter how you feel, you’ve got to keep at it every day to get better.”

—

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With Patriots quarterback Tom Brady Chris Conte Jersey , it’s fairly clear that something is bothering him. It’s still not clear what it is, or how it will affect his preparations for 2018.

With Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, there’s less mystery. And while he may not be present for Organized Team Activities as of Monday, a source with knowledge of the situation says that Gronkowski will be present at some point.

Gronkowski made it clear that last month, after weeks of uncertainty, that he’s committed for 2018. And a revised contract could soon be coming.

Possibly, Gronkowski will show up for OTAs once he gets that adjusted deal.

As to Brady, it’s unclear what it would take to make him happy and to get him to show up for OTAs. And if you hope to plug your fingers in your ears and cry “not listening” or simply shout “fake news!,” the truth is that Organized Team Activities have become the centerpiece of the offseason program, where important work gets done in advance of the work to be done in training camp. If Brady’s not there, he will be behind when he reports.

Whether he’s sufficiently skilled to overcome that isn’t the issue. His teammates (especially the new ones) need to commence the process of working with him. And the coaching staff will surely be less stressed about that adjustment if/when Brady is there.

Yes Lane Taylor Jersey , the workouts are voluntary. But quarterbacks occupy a different position as a practical matter, making them part player, part coach. If the quarterback isn’t all in, it becomes harder to get the most out of the team.

But this blurb is about Gronkowski. He’ll be there at some point, regardless of whether Brady joins him.

Derrick Johnson's tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs is coming to an end.

The franchise's career tackles leader and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, Johnson will become a free agent when his contract expires at the start of the new league year March 14. He intends to keep playing, it just won't be in the familiar red, yellow and white of the Chiefs.

"I love Kansas City and this fan base. They've always had my back," Johnson said in a statement put out by the Chiefs, who made the rare decision to announce publicly that Johnson would not be returning.

That in itself speaks volumes to how much Johnson has meant to the organization.

"I'm grateful I had the opportunity to spend 13 years in a place I love," he said. "I plan on playing for several more years because I love the game so much Dustin Colquitt Jersey , but I look forward to retiring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs when my career is over."

Johnson was the Chiefs' first-round pick in 2005, though his career got off to a rocky start. At one point early on, he found himself riding the bench, and was even labeled a bust.

But Johnson eventually earned his starting job back, and went on to appear in 182 games with 169 starts. He piled up 1,262 tackles to easily shatter the franchise record, had 27陆 sacks and picked off 14 passes, returning four of them for touchdowns.

He had a career-best 179 tackles in 2011, when he was voted the Chiefs' team MVP.

"Few players in recent history have meant more to the Chiefs franchise and the Kansas City community than Derrick Johnson," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said.

"His tireless work ethic and passion for the game made him one of the most productive defensive players to ever wear a Chiefs uniform and one of the most respected players both in our locker room and around the league.

"Over the last 13 seasons, Derrick represented himself and the Chiefs organization with integrity and class Bradley McDougald Jersey , and he will always be a part of our Chiefs family."

Johnson piled up his impressive stats despite missing part of two seasons with ruptured Achilles tendons. He returned from the first one as good as ever, earning his most recent Pro Bowl trip in 2015, but the second seemed to finally take a step out of his legs this past season.

He slowly lost playing time to younger teammates in the middle of the Kansas City defense.

"I'm grateful I had the opportunity to coach a player like Derrick," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "He's a passionate football player and a natural leader. I value the amount of quality work he put in every day for us, including teaching our younger players what it means to be a pro.

"I think he will make an incredible coach when he is done playing the game, if he chooses."

The Chiefs have been trying to get younger the past couple of seasons, particularly on defense, and Johnson is unlikely to be the last veteran to go. Fellow linebacker Tamba Hali has been dealing with bad knees for years, and the Chiefs are expected to release him in the coming weeks.

Johnson signed a three-year, $21 million contract extension in 2016, but he had restructured the deal a year ago to help the Chiefs free up salary cap space. In doing so Will Dissly Jersey , he voided the final year, and that made it simple for the Chiefs to move on.

His loss will be felt not only on the field, but in the locker room and community. Johnson often served as a team spokesman, always showing up at his locker to speak with reporters regardless of whether the team was winning or losing. And the role he played in mentoring young players, such as linebackers Reggie Ragland and Ukeme Eligwe, should help the organization for years to come.

"Letting go of a player like Derrick is particularly tough because of how much respect I have for him as a player and a person," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. "He's had a tremendous career in Kansas City and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward."

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All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald is not attending the Los Angeles Rams' mandatory minicamp while he continues his lengthy quest for a lucrative new contract.

Donald wasn't on the field with his teammates for the Rams' first minicamp workout Tuesday Deion Sanders Jersey , and he wasn't at their training complex for their off-field commitments Monday, either. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year also skipped the Rams' voluntary workout program over the previous two months.

"He's in a good place," Rams coach Sean McVay said Tuesday. "Would we want him to be here? Yeah, we'd love to have Aaron here. But it's kind of the same where it's been. We're just focusing on the guys that are here, but we're always in constant dialogue with Aaron and his group, and would like to come to a solution. When that's going to happen, it's hard to say."

Donald is home in Pittsburgh during the Rams' offseason work for the second straight year, but he reported to last season's mandatory minicamp to avoid a potential fine. This year, Donald doesn't appear to be concerned about losing money by missing minicamp while he strives to become one of the NFL's highest-paid players.

The defending NFC West champion Rams haven't indicated whether they intend to fine Donald for missing the camp, but his absence wasn't a surprise. The team could fine him more than $84,000 for missing this camp Devonta Freeman Jersey , but it waived much larger fines incurred by Donald last year when he skipped the entirety of training camp.

"When I spoke with him last week, I said, 'If there's not a solution to this by next week, will you be here?'" McVay said. "He said, 'I'm going to stay back at home, continue training.'"

Donald is due to make nearly $6.9 million this season in the fifth year of his rookie contract. The team agrees he deserves a raise after turning in four dominant seasons as the cornerstone of the Rams' defense, yet the Rams and Donald's representatives still haven't made a deal after many months of talking.

The 27-year-old Donald doesn't have extensive leverage in the negotiation because the Rams theoretically could keep him for another three seasons through 2021 under a franchise tag. Neither side has disclosed their contract proposals, but Donald is widely thought to be seeking a contract big enough to make him one of the top-paid players at any position, with a salary comparable to the wages of the NFL's better quarterbacks.

The Rams have managed to maintain a positive relationship with Donald even after he skipped training camp and the entire preseason schedule last summer. He reported to the team shortly before the regular season began, missing the first game.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection also skipped most of the Rams' offseason program and organized team activities last year. Although he showed up for last season's mandatory minicamp, he didn't participate in the team drills Peyton Barber Jersey , instead doing individual work and staying on the sidelines.

Donald is expected to be the foundation of a standout defensive line alongside Rams newcomer Ndamukong Suh, who agreed to a one-year, $14 million deal in the offseason.

Donald is missing several weeks of work with the Rams' revamped defense, which also added star cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters while losing three veteran leaders: Trumaine Johnson, Robert Quinn and captain Alec Ogletree.

The new Rams don't seem worried about missing these chances to build chemistry while establishing new leaders in the locker room.

"He's the MVP, so we know what he's going to do when he gets here," Talib said. "Everybody is just going to be themselves. If you're a leader, it's going to happen naturally. Nobody has to go out of their way to be a leader, go out of their way to hoorah and just yell stuff out. Everybody will just be themselves."

NOTES: Donald is the only player unaccounted for at minicamp, McVay confirmed. ... McVay is canceling Thursday's scheduled practice and taking his team on a tour of the franchise's under-construction stadium in Inglewood, California. The Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers will open the multibillion-dollar Hollywood Park stadium complex in 2020.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell still hasn't signed a long-term contract Lee Roy Selmon Jersey , and he seems to be willing to go great lengths if the front office doesn't step up with an offer that pleases the three-time Pro Bowler.Appearing on SiriusXM Radio, ESPN's Adam Schefter (h/t Ross Tucker), reported that Bell could be willing to sit out the first half of 2018 " if he doesn't get a long term deal done," because "the goal at that point would be to hit 2019 free agency healthy, not rack up another 400 touches."Bell is by far the most dominant and complete running back in the NFL, as he, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and star wide receiver Antonio Brown have formed the best offensive trio in the league. But Bell and the Steelers front office have often butted heads, as they continue to struggle in finding middle ground on a long-term contract.Bell would either play 2018 under the $14.5 million franchise tag, or else he could decide to hold out. The Steelers offense doesn't run the same engine without Bell, so he holds the leverage here as the front office tries to work on a deal that will entice him enough. The 26-year-old rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2014 Kerry Wynn Jersey , 2016 and 2017, (he was limited to six games in 2015) and even racked up over 600 receiving yards in those seasons as well. No running back in the NFL can change a game as quickly as Bell, so it's easy to understand why he's willing to hold out until he gets paid top dollar.Pittsburgh's championship window is only open for so many more years, as Roethlisberger (now 36) and Brown (30), have just a handful of prime years left. With the AFC having more parity in 2018 and beyond, the Steelers have to try and keep the core together. As such, signing Bell long-term may be their only option. Adidas Vincent Trocheck Jersey 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kirk Cousins took the third-and-5 shotgun snap with 3 minutes left and Minnesota holding an eight-point lead.

He decided to run for it.

The San Francisco defense converged as Cousins crossed his 40-yard line Matt Judon Jersey , so the most expensive player in Vikings history lowered his head as he tried to power his way past the first-down marker.

Cousins took a shoulder to the back from 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee as he tumbled to the turf and came up just short, a dangerous way for a franchise quarterback to try to move the chains, but his determination to experience victory in his Vikings debut on Sunday afternoon was not to be reasoned with.

“Hey, when the game’s on the line, we’re trying to get the first down. Go for it,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “I’m all in.”

Cousins passed for two touchdowns and the Vikings forced four turnovers, fueling a 24-16 win over the 49ers in the season opener that stuck Jimmy Garoppolo with his first loss in eight games as an NFL starting quarterback .

The Vikings actually kept that late drive alive by a 49ers neutral zone infraction penalty on fourth-and-1, before punting four plays later. Harrison Smith’s interception, the third by the Vikings against Garoppolo in the second half, sealed the game with 1:35 remaining.

Asked afterward about that head-first hustle, Cousins acknowledged the risk of such a play and said he might have been better served with a stutter-step or some kind of move to try to make Lee miss.

“We had played too hard at that point to just slide early and give up on that,” Cousins said.

Cousins completed 20 of 36 passes for 244 yards without a turnover. He faced plenty of pressure, highlighted by DeForest Buckner and his 2½ sacks Howie Long Jersey , and there were a handful of awkward-looking plays produced by the Vikings. Cousins was right on target at just the right times , though, delivering several clutch throws in traffic including the scoring passes to Stefon Diggs in the second quarter and Kyle Rudolph in the third quarter.

“That’s NFL football. I think that if you’re not really accurate and you don’t have that confidence to let it rip, you’re going to be holding the ball and getting sacked, you’re going to be spraying it everywhere,” Cousins said. “If you’re waiting for guys to be open, you’re going to be waiting a long time.”

Cousins, who signed a three-year, $84 million, fully guaranteed contract with the Vikings this spring, clearly savored his first regular season contest at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Vikings are 15-3, including the playoffs since it opened. The last player to emerge from the tunnel during pregame introductions Steve Grogan Jersey , Cousins said the honor was undeserved and should have been reserved for Diggs, wide receiver Adam Thielen, left tackle Riley Reiff or running back Dalvin Cook.

“It’s just an example of the team welcoming me with open arms, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity that I’ve been given,” Cousins said, “and I just want to make good on it with every chance I get.”

Here are some other key angles that emerged from the game:

GETTING TO GAROPPOLO: Garoppolo finished 15 for 33 for 261 yards and a touchdown pass to rookie Dante Pettis late in the third quarter, but the Vikings sacked him three times. Mike Hughes returned the first pick 28 yards for a score.

“There’s not one word to put on it. We went against a very good defense, and we all didn’t play as good as we could,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Lots of quarterbacks struggle against that defense. Jimmy did some good things, but by no means was he perfect.”

COMEBACK COMPLETE: Cook had 16 carries for 40 yards and six catches for 55 yards, a productive return to live action after tearing the ACL in his left knee about 11 months earlier. He lost a fumble at the San Francisco 29 after spinning and muscling his way through a crowd of defenders for a 15-yard gain.

Cook declared his knee and body fit for a full season, but his mind was also on his family. His uncle and childhood confidant, Anthony Jones Ryan Tannehill Jersey , a running back for Florida International University, was wounded in a drive-by shooting in Miami on Thursday. Cook’s grandmother raised him and Jones, her son.

“Just going out there, competing, playing my heart out, that’s what he wanted,” Cook said.

KITTLE’S DROP: Garoppolo and the 49ers had their hands full against the league’s leading defense of 2017, losing wide receiver Marquise Goodwin to a first-quarter quadriceps injury and two right guards to foot injuries. They had success rolling Garoppolo out on misdirection plays, and tight end George Kittle was the biggest beneficiary with five catches for 90 yards.

The one he didn’t make stood out. Wide open up the seam, Kittle had what would’ve been a 30-yard completion fall off his fingers at midfield. The third-down interception by Hughes came on the next play to give the Vikings a 17-3 lead.

“It didn’t end the way we wanted,” Kittle said, “but I feel like we definitely had some momentum going and if we can do that we’ll be a pretty good offense.”

DEFENSE DIGS IN: The 49ers gave Garoppolo an opportunity with three straight three-and-out possessions by the Vikings in the fourth quarter. Rookie Fred Warner, starting at middle linebacker with Reuben Foster suspended Ronnie Lott Jersey , led the team with 12 tackles, including one for loss. He also had one quarterback hurry, one pass breakup and the forced fumble on Cook.

“Middle linebacker is one of the toughest positions to come in as a rookie and play and be effective,” said cornerback Richard Sherman, who made his 49ers debut. “I think he d

Linebacker Arthur Moats went for a visit with the Cardinals on Wednesday and he’ll be staying around Arizona for a while.

PFT has learned, via a league source, that Moats has agreed to a one-year deal with the team.

Moats played in 14 games as a reserve for the Steelers last season and recorded eight tackles. He played in every game for the Steelers over the previous three seasons and spent the first four years of his career with the Bills.

Moats has 16.5 sacks over the course of his career and he’ll likely be trying for a rotational role off the bench in Arizona this season.

The Cardinals also met with Moats’ Steelers teammate Mike Mitchell on Wednesday, but there’s no word yet about whether he’ll be joining Moats in the desert this season.

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Tight end Temarrick Hemingway and linebacker Ejuan Price are among the players waived by the Los Angeles Rams in their final roster cutdown.

Backup running backs Justin Davis and John Kelly made the defending NFC West champions' roster Saturday.

Cornerback Sam Shields also made the roster. He hasn't played in the NFL since early in the 2016 season due to concussions.

Hemingway was a sixth-round pick in 2016 Raekwon McMillan Jersey , while Price was a seventh-rounder last season.

Davis kept a roster spot despite struggling with injuries in camp. Kelly, a rookie from Tennessee, shined in his absence.

The Rams have just three backup offensive linemen on their roster for the season opener. Starting right guard Jamon Brown is suspended for the first two games.

Jon Cooper’s Tampa Bay Lightning won Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final despite going the equivalent of more than a period without a shot on goal.

They won despite falling behind about 4 1/2 minutes into the game.

They won despite being called for three penalties – one right after the other – late in the first period, allowing Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington Capitals’ prolific power play to get all that time to operate.

And they did it, mainly, thanks to Andrei Vasilevskiy, who made 36 saves and kept things close until Alex Killorn scored the tiebreaker with about 8 minutes left, lifting Tampa Bay to a 4-2 victory over Washington on Thursday night, evening the series at two games apiece.

”When you don’t have your `A’ game Daniel Sorensen Jersey , you need your goalie to have his `A’ game,” Cooper said. ”And he sure did.”

Now the Lightning will host Game 5 on Saturday night, with Game 6 back in Washington on Monday.

The road team has won every game in the series so far.

”It’s pretty bizarre,” said Steven Stamkos, who took a puck of the face during the morning skate, then went out and scored a power-play goal that gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead after the first period. ”We’ve got to find a way to win one at home.”

The Capitals might be thinking the very same thing. After all, they fell to 3-5 in the nation’s capital this postseason, while they are 7-1 in away games.

On Thursday, they even got booed – yes Aaron Rodgers Jersey , a smattering of jeers rang out in the team’s first conference final in 20 years – late in the first period after failing to convert any of the trio of man-advantage chances.

That stretch was part of a chunk of nearly 21 full minutes of game time – the last 10:41 of the first period, followed by the initial 10:11 of the second – during which Tampa Bay never putt a single official shot on net.

”Our guys were gassed. That’s a lot of stress. Mental stress. The same guys are on the ice the whole time. Other guys aren’t playing,” Cooper said. ”You kind of lose your whole rhythm.”

And so it was vital that Vasilevskiy played just like the Vezina Trophy finalist he is.

He was spectacular at times, including stops against Chandler Stephenson on a breakaway and Nicklas Backstrom – who returned after missing four games with an injured right hand – from the doorstep in the second period. In the third, Vasilevskiy used his left glove to swat away a try from Brett Connolly.

Following one flubbed chance, Ovechkin threw his head back and looked up, the very picture of disappointment.

After allowing 10 goals in Games 1 and 2, Vasilevskiy has given up a total of four in Games 3 and 4.

”He didn’t play great in the first two. He played well in the second two. It’s our job to make him look like the goalie from the first two games,” Washington forward Tom Wilson said. ”We’ll make it hard on him.”

Capitals goalie Braden Holtby didn’t get a chance to make nearly as many saves P.J. Williams Jersey , given the shot discrepancy: Washington ended up with 38 to Tampa Bay’s 20. And Holtby allowed goals on two of the first five shots he faced, to Brayden Point and to Stamkos. Anthony Cirelli added an empty-netter with a second left.

The go-ahead goal came thanks to a defensive breakdown, when Killorn was left pretty much alone and scored 6 seconds after a Tampa Bay power play expired, putting in a pass from Ondrej Palat.

”Tonight was so important,” Killorn said. ”Going down 3-1 in a series is tremendously different from 2-2.”

After his score, Killorn said, ”We played our best hockey.”

That’s true.

Washington’s goals had come from Evgeny Kuznetsov – off an assist by Ovechkin – in the second period, and defenseman Dmitry Orlov in the early going. But late, the Capitals could not get the tying goal in Patrick Willis Jersey , even after pulling Holtby with a little more than 2 minutes to go so they could play 6-on-5.

”Of course,” Ovechkin said, ”it’s a missed opportunity.”

NOTES: Stamkos has one power-play goal in each game of the series. … The Lightning have produced 11 power-play goals over their last nine games, with at least one in each. … Lars Eller was whistled for both of Washington’s penalties and has five in the past two games. ”That was way too many,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. … Kuznetsov’s 21 points equaled Ovechkin (2009) for the most by a Capitals player in one postseason.

—

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She’s a pioneer and a trailblazer Philip Rivers Jersey , but more importantly she’s a really nice person who knows as much if not more about the NFL than anyone. Former Raiders president Amy Trask was the guest on Wednesday’s #PFTPM.

The extended discussion, covering a wide variety of topics, appears below. If you like #PFTPM, you’ll really like this episode. And if you’re intrigue by the way the NFL does business, you’ll learn plenty from her.

Thursday’s #PFTPM includes a visit with Peter King. On Friday, Florio Jr. makes a return visit to the program.

So with PFT Live on hiatus until late July Kentavius Street Jersey , take advantage of this opportunity to hear about your favorite sport. And keep checking PFT every day for all the latest news, information, and analysis.

WASHINGTON — A pair of old friends will reconnect when the Boston Red Sox visit the Washington Nationals on Monday night.

Former teammates Rick Porcello (9-2, 3.60) of the Red Sox and Max Scherzer (10-4, 2.04) square off for the first time in the opener of a three-game series.

Porcello and Scherzer spent five seasons together with the Detroit Tigers, reaching the 2012 World Series before losing to the San Francisco Giants.

Since leaving Detroit Jason Spriggs Jersey , Porcello won the 2016 American League Cy Young Award and Scherzer is making a strong case for his third straight National League Cy Young. Both have been aware this matchup was coming.

“Looking forward to it. We’ve been texting back and forth,” Porcello told the Boston Globe. “We’ve had a good time with it and I’m sure we’ll both get a kick about going against each other once the game starts.”

Scherzer is looking for his first win since June 5, though he’s pitched well enough to win each of his past four starts, allowing two earned runs or less in each outing. The Nationals are 1-3 in those starts and were shut out in each loss.

“I think everybody’s been punched in the face before of not having success,” Scherzer told The Washington Post after his last start, a 1-0 loss to the Marlins. “This is the big leagues; they are going to keep coming down your throat and keep attacking you.”

Scherzer Jarius Wright Jersey , Washington’s only dependable starter of late, is 4-4 with a 6.05 ERA in 10 starts versus Boston.

Porcello allowed four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings last time out in a no-decision against the Angels.

He’s 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his lone start against Washington, an eight-inning effort in April of 2015.

The Nationals (42-40) squandered an early 3-0 lead in Philadelphia on Sunday and fell 4-3 in 13 innings on Andrew Knapp’s pinch-hit walk-off home run as Washington dropped a second straight weekend series to their division rivals.

Washington managed only four hits in eight innings against the Philadelphia bullpen in the finale.

“Offensively, we’ve got to do more,” outfielder Adam Eaton told The Post. “That’s plain and simple. We score early and then we can’t coast. We can’t take our foot off the accelerator. We got to keep going.”

The Nationals are now 6-15 in their past 21 games and fell six games behind Atlanta in the NL East.

In each of their last nine losses, they’ve scored three or fewer runs.

“We’ve got to start striking out less Derrick Thomas Jersey ,” manager Dave Martinez told MASN, “putting the balls in play, driving in runs when we have the ability to drive in runs.”

Boston (56-29) finished a three-game series against the Yankees on a forgettable note Sunday night, getting routed 11-1 behind starter David Price as New York blasted six home runs, including three by Aaron Hicks.

Price allowed eight runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings.

The Red Sox dropped two of three and travel south percentage points behind the Yankees in the AL East.

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RENTON Stephen Hauschka Jersey , Wash. (AP) — There were so few competitions for starting roles when the Seattle Seahawks arrived for training camp that the daily assessment of where things stood with the kicker and punter became a major topic.

The competition ended as expected with veteran Sebastian Janikowski appearing to be a lock as Seattle’s kicker beating out Jason Myers and rookie Michael Dickson as the punter with Jon Ryan’s tenure coming to an end.

So much for any drama. And for Ryan it meant the end for the longest-tenured Seahawks player.

“First, let me say this: Jon Ryan has been a great Seahawk,” Carroll said. “We loved the time we spent together. He’s been here since the beginning, and I know everybody would understand that it’s a very difficult decision when you have to make one like this after all this time together. He was doing great.

“Michael was just kicking out of this world and was doing the things that we had hoped he could do. … It was the right time to help Jon get moving too. So he’s been a great player, been a great competitor, been a great team guy, community guy. We love him.”

Dickson was expected to land the punter job from the moment he was selected in the fifth round by Seattle. The Seahawks didn’t invest a draft pick like that without wanting Dickson to win the job. Ryan was kept around in case Dickson struggled or there was an injury, but Seattle was able to save money by letting go of the veteran and going with the rookie from Texas.

“There’s just a lot of things we’re excited about with him and we’re excited to get it going Derrick Thomas Jersey ,” Carroll said. “It’s good for him to feel the confidence in the program and that we’re behind him.”

Dickson has been impressive in the first two preseason games, averaging 51.7 yards per kick, with better hang time and directional control than what Ryan showed. Still, while Dickson was excited to win the job, finding out he had arrived with some bittersweet feelings about Ryan’s departure.

“It was something that I was battling for every day, and I wanted to win the spot more than anything,” Dickson said. “But it was surprisingly more bittersweet than anything, just because Jon was such a great mentor to me when he was here. He was probably one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. So Patrick DiMarco Jersey , yeah, it was a little bittersweet. But I’m super excited.”

Carroll said the decision to release Ryan with two weeks remaining in training camp was also to give him plenty of time to find a new opportunity. It didn’t take long. Ryan signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.

Janikowski said he’s fully recovered from the back injury that caused him to miss the entire 2017 season. It’s the first time in his career Janikowski has kicked anywhere but Oakland, where he played for 17 seasons and made more than 80 percent of his field goal attempts. He said there was some conversation with the Chargers, but he decided Seattle was the better opportunity.

“It’s a good change,” Janikowski said. “It’s like a start over again, but I feel great.”

Making the decision about the punter and kicker at this point also allows Seattle two weeks of having the duo work together in the kicking game. As simple as holding sounds, Dickson has limited experience in the job, only starting to do it his final year at Texas. After holding for Myers in the first preseason game Justin Vogel Jersey , Dickson held for Janikowski last weekend against the Chargers.

“It’s all about timing,” Janikowski said. “I mean, (Tyler Ott) is a great snapper, (Dickson’s a good) holder, it’s all about timing you just have to figure it out with time. And I think we got it down.”

NOTES: Seattle practiced indoors on Tuesday because of the unhealthy air quality in the Seattle area because of smoke from wildfires. … Carroll said WR Doug Baldwin remains on track to be ready for Week 1 at Denver. Baldwin has missed most of training camp with a knee injury, but has resumed running. “He’s really excited about coming back, he’s running. He’ll want to play next week, we’ll just get him back out here (at practice) and we’ll make that determination next week. But he’s going to be there for the opener Byron Maxwell Jersey ,” Carroll said. … RB Rashaad Penny was also doing running on the side on Tuesday after having surgery on a broken finger suffered last week in practice. Penny is also expected to be ready for Week 1.

Blue Jays fans gave New York Mets slugger Jose Bautista a standing ovation before his first at bat as a visiting player since leaving Toronto at the end of last season.

The two-time home run champion took off his helmet and acknowledged both the crowd and the Blue Jays dugout as fans rose for a prolonged ovation. Bautista drew a five-pitch walk and scored when Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a home run.

Before the game, Bautista drew another ovation at the end of a video tribute featuring highlights of his 10 seasons with the Blue Jays, including back-to-back ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016.

The six-time All-Star exchanged warm embraces with several former Blue Jays teammates during batting practice and signed autographs for fans alongside New York’s first base dugout. Fans in right field rose to applaud Bautista as he took his position in the bottom of the first.

Bautista played 12 games for Atlanta in May and joined the Mets on May 22. He’s batting .250 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 36 games with New York.

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In the latest round in a recurring fight Frank Gore Jersey , a Cincinnati-area high school whose teams have been called the Redskins for over 80 years will keep that mascot.

A committee heard heated debate and decided against recommending any change of the mascot name at Anderson High School.

People pushing to change the name argue it's offensive and inappropriate to use the racial reference. Advocates of keeping the name contend that it is part of school tradition and that changing the branding would be an unnecessary expense of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The clash echoes debate in professional sports over the NFL's Washington Redskins' moniker and the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo logo. The Indians' logo is being removed from players' uniforms but not from other merchandise.

Despite his decision to not attend Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, Terrell Owens will be ”honored” by the hall for his NFL career.

Hall President David Baker tells The Associated Press on Monday that the Canton, Ohio, shrine’s mission statement begins with the goal ”to honor the heroes of the game.”

So Owens, who instead will be making an appearance at the University of Chattanooga , where he played college football, will be part of the 2018 class exhibit that includes a glass locker for each new member; their pictures on the light standards of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium; a role in opening videos shown within the stadium; and mention in any reference to the 2018 class.

Baker said NFL Network and ESPN Vinny Curry Jersey , which both televise the inductions, will show a video of Owens’ career to the audience at home. That video will not be shown in the stadium.

”It’s difficult he will not be here to put on the jacket, unveil his bust, make a speech, and attend the parade,” Baker says. ”For those things, there’s nothing we can do.”

Owens has cited the fact it took three years of eligibility for him to make the hall Bo Jackson Jersey , claiming there were false representations of him as a teammate during the voting process. He also noted that no former players vote, ignoring that Hall of Famers James Lofton and Dan Fouts are among those on the committee.

The 44-year-old Owens had a mostly sensational 15-year career playing for San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati. He is second to Jerry Rice in receiving yards and third in touchdown catches behind Rice and Randy Moss, who is entering the hall this week and will attend the festivities.

But he also eventually wore out his welcome in those cities, and now Canton probably can be added to that list.

Though he will always be received properly at the hall Deion Sanders Jersey , Baker says.

”I told him I am very disappointed, it is unprecedented, and we’ve certainly been trying to persuade him to come,” Baker says. ”He has a whole city here, with 4,800 volunteers who do everything to honor these guys. For him, this could be the opportunity to be honored the way I believe he always felt he should be honored.

”We respect he has strong feelings of his own and I respect his right to make that decision. I invited him to the hall Virgil Green Jersey , even at the last moment he would be welcomed, and he is welcomed every day the rest of his life. Even though he is not here, we will honor him to the best of our ability.”

—

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Bill Lazor’s statistical study of the Bengals‘ offense during the offseason left him feeling the same as he did on all those discouraging game days. The numbers confirmed what his eyes had seen so many times.

Some mighty small numbers filled up the columns measuring big plays. The Bengals were one of the most inept teams in the league at getting the ball downfield Duron Harmon Jersey , the main factor in a second straight losing season.

”Statistically, it looks just like it felt,” the Bengals’ offensive coordinator said. ”You were there.”

The main emphasis in Lazor’s overhaul of the offense has been finding ways to get big plays out of an offense that finished last in total yards and near the bottom in big plays as well. It all begins with Andy Dalton, who is coming off one of his least-effective seasons.

The eighth-year quarterback completed 69.9 percent of his passes and averaged 6.69 yards per attempt, both figures his worst since his rookie season. Dalton repeatedly was off-target on long passes. He also was under constant pressure, which limited the time for receivers to get open downfield and contributed to the lack of long passes.

”This group’s been one of the best groups in the NFL – since Andy came into the league – on vertical passes,” coach Marvin Lewis said. ”And we weren’t very good. So that alone is the first thing.”

The 2015 season was Dalton’s best as he worked behind a veteran line. The Bengals had 63 pass plays of at least 20 yards, nine shy of the league high shared by the Saints and Jaguars. Last season Ryan Fitzpatrick Jersey , they managed only 34 such plays, a huge decline. The Saints led the league with 72 pass plays of 20 yards or more.

The passing game wasn’t the only failed area. The Bengals’ longest run was only 25 yards, the worst in the league.

Injuries played a role. Tight end Tyler Eifert hurt his back in the second game and was out for the rest of the season. Top draft pick John Ross was severely limited by two shoulder injuries and didn’t catch a pass.

By contrast, every part of the offense – receivers, tight ends, running backs – provided game-turning plays in 2015.

”Guys did a good job of making tough, contested catches,” Dalton said. ”I was being accurate with the ball Armani Watts Jersey , and guys were catching and running. I think there were probably some broken tackles in the run game and different things. It’s a big thing we want to do.”

The Bengals failed to score a touchdown in their first two games last season and fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese. Lazor took over as an interim coordinator, got the job after the season, and was given a lot of latitude to reinvent the offense.

The new playbook provides many opportunities to try for a big play.

”It’s not on everything, but there’s definitely chances to take shots down the field,” Dalton said.

The Bengals traded with the Bills for left tackle Cordy Glenn and drafted center Billy Price in the first round as part of their line overhaul. Ross is back and making impressive plays during camp. Eifert signed a one-year deal and was cleared to practice on Monday.

There was no thought of bringing in someone to challenge Dalton, who has the backing of Lewis and owner Mike Brown. They’re hoping a solid line will give Dalton the time he needs to perform more like he did in 2015.

”When Andy came to us in 2011 up to now, our winning percentage is eighth in the league,” said Duke Tobin Chris Conley Jersey , director of player personnel. ”We’re confident in him leading our team. We have to be better in front of him than last year. We’ve got to put a better run game with him.

”We feel like we’ve got weapons on the outside and he should be in the prime of his career, so he’s going to have to lead the charge.”

—

The Alliance of American Football has announced the name of another head coach for its inaugural season in 2019.

Rick Neuheisel will coach the Phoenix entry in the league, which plans to launch in February 2019. Neuheisel’s involvement has been expected for some time, although initial reports indicated that he would be coaching a team based in Southern California.

Neuheisel will instead take over the Phoenix entry and he will coach home games at Sun Devil Stadium. Neuheisel is familiar with the stadium as he coached against Arizona State when he was the head coach at the University of Washington and when he coached UCLA.

“The Alliance鈥檚 emphasis on building a dynamic relationship between players, fans and the game is what immediately grabbed my attention. There is nothing like experiencing the thrill of victory and agony of defeat together. We all invest so much into the game, and that鈥檚 something I鈥檝e missed over the years away from the sidelines,鈥?Neuheisel said in a statement. 鈥淭he combination of a passionate fan base and motivated, talented players looking to make a name for themselves on the professional level will result in exciting football at Sun Devil Stadium in the spring Taron Johnson Jersey , with the ultimate goal being to bring home the first ever Alliance Championship.”

Neuheisel also coached at the University of Colorado and spent time on the Ravens staff from 2005 to 2007. He joins Steve Spurrier, Brad Childress, Mike Singletary and Dennis Erickson as head coaches in the upstart league.

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