The New Orleans Saints have added four undrafted rookie free agents Cheap Tre'Quan Smith Jersey , including former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett.

The roster moves have been posted on Thursday's NFL transactions list. They include the signings of 6-foot-4, 309-pound South Carolina guard Cory Helms; 6-foot Cincinnati defensive back Linden Stephens; and 6-4, 309-pound Minnesota tight end Nate Wozniak.

Barrett played in 14 games for Ohio State last season, completing 65 percent of his passes for 3,053 yards and 35 touchdowns. He also rushed for 798 yards and 12 TDs.

Stephens broke up a team-high eight passes and intercepted a pass as a Cincinnati senior last season.

Wozniak, a fifth-year Golden Gophers senior, had seven receptions for 104 yards in 2017.

Helms, a fifth-year Gamecocks senior Youth Fred Warner Jersey , played guard and center last season.

The Saints have now signed six rookie free agents since Saturday evening's conclusion of this year's NFL draft.

The Arizona Cardinals search for a starting quarterback didn't take long, as ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that they're expected to sign Sam Bradford on Wednesday:Sam Bradford intends to sign with Arizona, source tells ESPN.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018Sam Bradford to Arizona: 1-year for $20M, including $15M guaranteed; 1-year option for $20M, per source.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018Arizona was one of the original four candidates to land Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins (along with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings). However Josh Rosen Youth Jersey , Schefter reported that Cousins is set to sign a three-year deal worth Minny, taking the Cardinals out of the equation.With Carson Palmer retiring after the 2017 season, Arizona needed to find a No. 1 quarterback to complement wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and star running back, David Johnson.The quarterback market has dried up quickly, with Case Keenum (Bradford's former teammate in Minnesota), signing with the Denver Broncos. With Bradford off the market, Teddy Bridgewater and Josh McCown are the best signal-callers available. The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are probably the best fits.Bradford, 30 Cheap Customized Baltimore Ravens Jerseys , was drafted with the 1st pick by the Rams in 2010. But knee injuries have stalled much of his career, which saw Bradford miss half of 2013 plus the entire 2014 campaign. Knee injuries forced Bradford to play just two games in 2017, and he watched Keenum lead the Vikings for the rest of the season.But in Arizona, Bradford will not be devoid of weapons. Fitzgerald is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, and didn't show any signs of slowing down in his age-34 season. As for Johnson, he broke out in 2016 with 1,289 rushing yards and 879 receiving yards. But he suffered a wrist injury in the 2017 season opener, and didn't return.The NFC West now employs four quality quarterbacks in Bradford Authentic Mike McGlinchey Jersey , Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers), Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks), and Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams). If the Cardinals can get their core players (namely Bradford and Johnson), to stay healthy, they could make this a tight four-way horse race for the division..

Baker Mayfield's first win was beating the clock.

The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft signed his rookie contract on Tuesday with the Cleveland Browns Quenton Nelson Colts Jersey , who believe the quarterback from Oklahoma can lead them back to respectability and more.

Mayfield finalized his four-year, $32 million deal a day before Cleveland's players are scheduled to report to training camp and avoided being a holdout. Mayfield's contract includes a $22 million signing bonus.

Rookie cornerback Denzel Ward, selected with the No. 4 overall pick, remains unsigned. But the Browns are hopeful they can also get the former Ohio State star under contract before their first practice on Thursday.

One of college football's most popular and polarizing players, Mayfield is not expected to start in his first season for Cleveland. The Browns acquired former Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor during an offseason trade and coach Hue Jackson has made it clear that the veteran will play until Mayfield is ready.

That doesn't mean Mayfield won't try to beat out Taylor.

"I'm always competitive," he said during rookie camp. "It wouldn't matter what (Jackson) was saying in regards to the competition. I'm still going to compete and try and win that job."

Mayfield, who was a two-time walk-on in college, won the Heisman Trophy last season after he passed for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns. Despite some questions about his character after an off-field incident and some well-publicized antics during games, the Browns chose him over several other top-tier college QBs in April's draft.

Mayfield impressed coaches and teammates with his attitude and work ethic during spring workouts Authentic Quenton Nelson Jersey , but he still has a ways to go before he can unseat Taylor, who ended the Bills' long playoff drought last season.

Cleveland has spent nearly the past two decades searching for its franchise quarterback and hope Mayfield can finally end its quest.

The Browns are coming off a 0-16 season, but there is renewed optimism following an offseason roster overhaul that included the acquisition of Taylor, wide receiver Jarvis Landry and linebacker Mychal Kendricks.

After transferring from Texas Tech, Mayfield started 39 games for the Sooners. He finished his career with 14,607 yards passing and 131 touchdowns. He also ended ranked second in FBS history in passing efficiency rating (175.4), third in yards per attempt (9.7) and tied for fourth in touchdown passes.

Carson Wentz lunged to his right and then backpedaled to avoid a rush. After darting forward again, he quickly rolled to his right and took off down the sideline at full speed.

The only reminder Saturday that the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback was returning from knee surgery was the brace attached his left leg.

"Obviously he's got some of that Kobe Bryant (stuff) in his knee," defensive end Michael Bennett said with a smile, referring to the offseason knee treatment in Germany the NBA great used to receive. "He probably went to Germany or Switzerland or some (stuff) Giants Nate Solder Jersey , because he's looking really good out there."

How upbeat were the Eagles after Wentz went through 11-on-11 drills with the starters at the first padded practice of training camp? Coach Doug Peterson interrupted new offensive coordinator Mike Groh's press conference with the key question for the Super Bowl champions.

"I know you don't want to put a timetable on Carson, but what's your timetable?" Pederson asked, smirking.

"Great question," Groh said.

Wentz sure looked close to ready, if not already there, during a humid morning practice. Barely seven months removed from tearing the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee, Wentz participated in full team drills without limitations. While he tossed two interceptions, he drew rave reviews from his teammates and coaches for his arm strength, accuracy and mobility.

"He's in the right frame of mind. He's making some good throws," Groh said. "As you can see Derrick Nnadi Jersey Chiefs , we're pretty good on defense. Those guys are making it challenging for us on offense, particularly early, first day in pads."

Wentz dazzled in 13 games last season, throwing for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. The Eagles led the NFL in scoring and were 11-2 after Wentz went down on Dec. 10.

Behind backup Nick Foles, the Eagles went on to win their first NFL title. But it's clear that even though Foles was the Super Bowl MVP, Wentz will become the starter again when he's ready.

"When you're rehabbing something, it's not an exponential line. It's not you're slowly getting better and then you rapidly accelerate," tight end Zach Ertz said. "There's going to be times in training camp probably where he doesn't feel great or his knee doesn't feel great and they'll back him off."

Because of that, the Eagles remain tight-lipped about whether they expect Wentz under center for the season opener Sept. 6 against Atlanta. It's also uncertain if he'll appear in a preseason game. Wentz didn't speak to reporters after the 2 1/2-hour workout.

"To have everybody out there Eagles Paul Worrilow Jersey , Carson there, in some people's minds is ahead of schedule," Groh said. "But I know this was his target date. So we're happy to have him out there working. It's only going to make everybody better."

NOTES: With several receivers banged up and not practicing, including Alshon Jeffery and Bryce Treggs, the Eagles signed WR DeAndre Carter. The move gives the Eagles the maximum 90 players. ... The team displayed the Lombardi Trophy in a glass case outside the practice fields, allowing fans to snap pictures while standing next to it.

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The Tennessee Titans say they are releasing defensive lineman Karl Klug after seven years with the franchise.

General manager Jon Robinson said Friday that he appreciates all of Klug’s hard work with Tennessee.

A fifth-round pick in 2011 out of Iowa http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-sylvester-williams-jersey , Klug started eight of his 109 games played for the Titans. Klug had 178 tackles, 21 sacks, 67 quarterback pressures and forced five fumbles. He returned a recovered fumble for a touchdown in 2013 against the Jets.

Klug had 26 tackles and 1 sacks in 15 games last season in his return from a torn Achilles tendon at the end of the 2016 season. That earned him the Titans’ Ed Block Courage Award.

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Wendy Holdener won a World Cup combined race by a big margin on Friday and set herself up as the favorite for the Olympic gold medal next month.

First-run leader Lindsey Vonn led Holdener by 0.71 seconds after the opening super-G, but dropped back to finish fourth in a rare slalom run for the American star.

Holdener Cheap Michael Dickson Jersey , a Swiss slalom specialist, beat Marta Bassino of Italy by 1.55 seconds. Third-place Ana Bucik of Slovenia, who was 30th-fastest in the opening speed run, was 1.56 seconds behind.

Chasing her 80th World Cup race victory Chris Taylor Jersey , Vonn ended 1.88 back and shrugged her shoulders as home fans cheered to acclaim the winner.

Holdener’s third career World Cup win was her first top-level victory since taking gold in combined at the 2017 world championships in nearby St. Moritz.

Mikaela Shiffrin, the overall World Cup leader, skipped Friday’s race to focus on scheduled weekend events in giant slalom and slalom.

The combined replaced one abandoned in December because of poor weather, also at St. Moritz.

In the original race seven weeks ago Cheap Jeremy Kerley Jersey , an opening slalom run left Vonn with little chance of victory after placing 25th, 3.33 seconds behind Shiffrin. Holdener was poised in second that day.

The Pyeongchang Olympic title in Alpine combined on Feb. 23 could yet be a Shiffrin-Holdener duel to follow their rivalry in slalom, which is scheduled for Feb. 14.

Still, Vonn shapes as a contender for a combined medal having finished fifth in the worlds last year Authentic Martavis Bryant Jersey , less than a half-second from the podium.

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Sam Bradford has arrived in Arizona Cheap Kyle Lauletta Jersey , acknowledging his difficult history with injuries but saying he feels fine now as he prepares to start at quarterback for the Cardinals under new coach Steve Wilks.

”There has been, definitely, some dark times,” Bradford said at his introductory news conference Friday. ”You fight through that process and every time you turn that corner and you’re able to get yourself back on the field. I feel like I’ve come back mentally tougher and mentally stronger than I was the time before.”

The Cardinals called Bradford’s deal a two-year contract, although the second is a club option. He can earn up to $20 million next season, with $15 million guaranteed.

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, is known for his strong and accurate arm but he has struggled with injuries.

After being named NFL offensive rookie of the year in 2010, Bradford tore his left ACL in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He was traded to Philadelphia in 2015.

Bradford signed with Minnesota in 2016 and started 15 games, completing 71 percent of his passes for 3,877 yards and 20 touchdowns with five interceptions. But he missed most of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

”I feel good right now,” he said. ”Obviously, last year was difficult, but after the procedure I had in November I was able to rehab and get myself back in position to play and was able to suit up the two playoff games in Minnesota.”

When asked about Vikings coach Mike Zimmer’s statement that Bradford had a ”degenerative” knee condition, Bradford said, ”I’m not sure what that means, to be honest.”

”Look Michael Gallup Jersey Elite , obviously there’s some wear and tear on my knee,” he said. ”I’ve been through a lot with it, but all I can tell you is how I feel right now and really where it’s gone since I had the procedure in November. It’s done nothing but get better and I feel good at the moment.”

He has appeared in 80 games – all as a starter – for the St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia and Minnesota.

Last season’s injury was particularly devastating, Bradford said, because he was playing well on a team loaded with talent. In the season opener on a Monday night against New Orleans, Bradford completed 27 of 32 passes for 346 yards, three touchdowns and a career-best 143.0 passer rating, earning him NFC offensive player of the week honors. He was injured the following week.

”I think last year was definitely the hardest because I knew how special a group we had last year,” Bradford said. ”Going into the year, we all thought that we had an opportunity to do something. I felt like I played really well during training camp. … In week one, I played great, and I felt really good about where we were as a team. To not be able to do it again, yeah, it was tough.”

The 30-year-old quarterback acknowledged the injuries to wear on him.

”It seems like each time, it’s a little bit tougher mentally,” Bradford said. ”As you get older http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-oren-burks-jersey , you just realize how precious each game is and how few of these opportunities you are given. So each time it’s taken away from you, it’s a little bit harder because you realize what you’re missing out on. … To not be able to compete on Sundays, that’s the tough part about it.”

Before agreeing with Bradford, the Cardinals had no QBs on their roster after the retirement of Carson Palmer and the departure of free agents Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert. The Cardinals now have Bradford’s backup lined up after signing Mike Glennon following his release by the Chicago Bears. Glennon gets a two-year deal worth $8 million. The Cardinals probably will add a third quarterback in the draft.

Now, once again, Bradford has to learn a new offense. He said he really doesn’t know offensive coordinator Mike McCoy but talked to him this week. McCoy has said he would build an offense around the things his quarterback does best.

Bradford said he had other opportunities but chose Arizona because of the roster. He also likes that the Cardinals play on grass in front of perennial sellout crowds.

He mentioned the return of running back David Johnson, who missed all last season after breaking his wrist in the season opener. And, of course, there’s wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

”I’ve never played with a guy like that before,” Bradford said. ”Yeah, I’ve played with some good receivers, but when you talk about Fitz, he’s in a class that very few guys are in. To be a part of that and to get to play with him, it’s probably one of the best opportunities of my career.”

NOTES: In addition, the Cardinals signed ex-Cincinnati offensive tackle Andre Smith to a two-year contract and re-signed inside linebacker Josh Bynes to a three-year deal. Offensive lineman Vinston Painter re-signed for a one-year contract. … Arizona was awarded its waiver claim on linebacker Jeremy Cash and released defensive lineman Josh Mauro.

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>NFL owners will be presented 10 rules proposals at their meetings next week, including changes to the catch rule and to the length of defensive pass interference penalties, and allowing personal fouls to be reviewed by instant replay.The competition committee and several teams are bringing the proposals Connor Williams Cowboys Jersey , which will be reviewed by owners beginning Monday in Orlando.Other suggestions include making permanent spotting the ball at the 25-yard line following a kickoff; adding fouls for roughing the passer and penalties against players in a defenseless posture as reviewable in instant replay; designating a member of the officiating staff at New York headquarters to instruct on-field game officials to eject a player for a flagrant non-football act that drew a flag; and limiting the allowable time for a coach to throw a challenge flag.Included in a dozen bylaw proposals is allowing a player on injured reserve to be traded, and schedule adjustments for western teams playing in the East.Redefining the catch rule is the highest priority, according to Troy Vincent, the NFL’s football operations chief, and Rich McKay, who chairs the powerful competition committee.“We tried to simplify the rule with a three-step process,” McKay said Friday. “Control, two feet down or a body part, and then anything that is a football act. It could be like Jesse James reaching for the goal line .”The Steelers tight end had a likely winning touchdown catch overturned against New England, one of the most critical plays of last season. In 2018, if the new definition of a catch is passed, it would be a touchdown.“We got rid of ‘going to the ground,’ which was definitely causing some issues on these calls,” McKay added of the process of completing a catch that has caused so much consternation.Vincent noted that despite slight movement of the ball in a receiver’s hands, that is not loss of possession. Under the proposal, it would constitute a reception.“With movement (of the ball), you can still have control with movement Ender Inciarte Jersey ,” Vincent said. “That’s also addressed in the new proposal language.”Equally controversial has been the defensive pass interference call. The Jets are proposing a change from a spot foul to a 15-yard penalty 鈥?unless the foul is determined by officials to be intentional and egregious. That suggestion drew plenty of discussion among competition committee members; both Vincent and McKay said it had “momentum” heading into the owners meetings.Vincent was an outstanding defensive back in the NFL and has deep insight into pass interference.“The difference between college ball and professional defensive backs is the (pros) were too skilled and too smart, and you can play the play, you can be strategic about it,” he said. “You don’t want a defensive back being able to strategically grab a guy, eliminate the options (on a play).“As a former defensive back, on a professional level you can frankly bait a quarterback into doing whatever you want.”McKay noted there was one 50-yard or longer defensive pass interference call last season, three of 45 or longer, and seven of 40 or more.Allowing officiating director Al Riveron or designated staff members at New York headquarters to call for an ejection of a player is a proposal emanating from committee meetings with game officials.“They were quick to point out in these situations where a lot is going on 鈥?a fight or something else in dead ball situations 鈥?many times they are at a loss to capture exactly what happened and the right numbers (of offending players),” McKay said.Also proposed:f a team opens overtime with a field goal, then gets a turnover on the opponent’s next possession, that play will be run to conclusion. Previously, if the team that kicked the field goal fumbled the ball and it was run back for a touchdown by the opponent, that TD wouldn’t count because of a change of possession. Now, it would count.Such a situation has never occurred since the rule change allowing each team an OT series.wners will be asked to approve allowing video use on sideline and coaches’ box tablets. Now, only photos can be examined.oaches will have a set amount of time during a commercial break to throw a challenge flag.xtra points need not be converted at the end of regulation after a team scores the winning touchdown.McKay pointed to the end of the Saints-Vikings playoff game.eams seeking head coaches after the season be allowed to negotiate and sign a contract, though the coach would still be prohibited from doing any work for his new team until his club is done in the postseason..

Former Cowboys Pro Bowlers Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray find themselves united again Sean Newcomb Atlanta Braves Jersey , only now they are joined as one-time Fantasy football anchors who have not received a nibble from an NFL team.

Both will sign at some point between now and the start of the regular season, as injuries and/or depth issues arise in training camps. When it comes to whether Bryant and Murray still have any Fantasy value, drafters will have to proceed with caution.

Regardless of where he signs, the days of viewing Bryant as a WR1 are long over. Last season marked the third straight season he both failed to eclipse more than 838 yards and catch barely half of the passes targeted to him. After a 2014 season in which he caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and a league-high 16 touchdowns, Bryant's receptions and yardage per game have taken a dive. Since then, those numbers have dropped as low as 3.4 catches per game and 44.6 yards per contest, both in 2015.

A best-case scenario for Bryant would be to go to a pass-friendly team with a competent quarterback, which would offer some hope for him as a WR3/Flex option. At 29, there's a glimmer of optimism that he can be useful but, at least for now, Bryant is in "Hmm...he's still on the board?" stage of his career where he's a late-round play.

Murray has never been the same since the Cowboys gave him a whopping 457 total touches in 2014, the sixth-highest total in NFL history. He was woefully ineffective with the Eagles in 2015 before a revival with the Titans a year later when he accounted for 1,664 yards from scrimmage on 346 total touches Cheap Chukwuma Okorafor Jersey , sparking false hope. Murray fell to 925 yards last season on 223 total touches, his lowest since 2012.

At 30, Murray is probably at the stage of his career where he's more of a specialist. He remains a good receiver, so it's not hard to envision him being a third-down back with the potential of 45-50 catches a season. After 1,921 touches in his seven-year career, Murray no longer can be considered a workhorse back, but there can be a place for him on a Fantasy roster, especially in PPR formats.

BROOKLYN NETS D12

Dwight Howard has another jersey for his collection after being acquired by the Nets from the Hornets on Wednesday. No longer the monster he was in his prime for Fantasy basketball players, Howard still put up 16.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game last season, ending his 2017-18 campaign with 11 double-doubles in his last 12 games.

Howard will be 33 early next season and still can solid production. In an NBA deep with younger, more versatile centers, Howard will fall into the mid-to-late stages of most drafts yet will also have to be considered a strong Sell High candidate with the Nets set to give second-year center Jarrett Allen (who is a strong sleeper) more minutes.

BREAK ON THROUGH (To the Other Closer)

Giants closer Hunter Strickland slammed (or rather, punched) away his potential career year when he lost a one-round bout with a clubhouse door. Strickland Sam Darnold Jersey Youth , who had 13 saves, will now miss up to eight weeks.

Enter Sam Dyson, who now becomes San Francisco's stopper after rebounding from a horrific 2017 campaign. Dyson isn't a hard-throwing beast, but he did have 38 saves for the Rangers in 2016 and has the support of manager Bruce Bochy. That alone will raise his value in leagues where he currently sits on the waiver wire.

This column was provided to The Associated Press by the Fantasy Sports Network, ://FNTSY

Power got the Los Angeles Dodgers started. Patience gave them a win.

Max Muncy, Yasmani Grandal, Chris Taylor and Joc Pederson hit solo homers and Alex Verdugo scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning, lifting Los Angeles to a 7-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in a matchup of division leaders Monday night.

Maikel Franco hit a pair of solo homers and Rhys Hoskins and Odubel Herrera also went deep for the Phillies.

Verdugo led off the ninth with a walk against closer Seranthony Dominguez (1-3). Pederson followed with a single. After Manny Machado struck out, Muncy walked. Verdugo scored when catcher Jorge Alfaro couldn’t catch Dominguez’s outside pitch. Dominguez exited after walking Grandal. Matt Kemp greeted Luis Garcia with an RBI single to make it 7-5.

”We felt him out, looked at a lot of tough pitches, and came back with a big inning,” Kemp said of Dominguez.

Scott Alexander (2-0) tossed a scoreless inning for the win. Kenley Jansen finished for his 29th save in 32 chances. Franco hit Jansen’s first pitch out to left for his 15th homer.

Chase Utley, a six-time All-Star second baseman during Philadelphia’s glory days a decade ago, received two loud Frank Ragnow Jersey , standing ovations before the game and when he came to the plate for the first time. Utley recently announced he’s retiring after the season so this will likely be his final series playing in Philadelphia unless the Dodgers face the Phillies in the postseason. He went 0 for 4.

”It was a lot of fun, it was intense, it was emotional,” Utley said. ”Fans here mean a lot to me. The respect they’ve shown me the last three years is special.”

Down 4-1 in the fifth, the Phillies rallied against Ross Stripling. With two outs and runners on second and third, Hoskins ripped a 2-2 pitch out to left-center for his 17th homer.

Herrera followed with his 18th homer into Philadelphia’s bullpen to make it 5-4.

Machado lined an opposite-field triple to right off reliever Tommy Hunter in the seventh and scored on Muncy’s sacrifice fly.

Machado started at third base for the first time this season, replacing Justin Turner. The four-time All-Star was acquired from Baltimore last week. He switched to shortstop, his original position, at the start of this season.

Machado heard cheers from Phillies fans, who were disappointed he wasn’t traded to Philadelphia but remain hopeful the team signs him in free agency.

Muncy and Grandal hit back-to-back homers in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Taylor made it 3-0 in the third with an opposite-field homer to right. Pederson connected off Yacksel Rios in the fourth.

”Extremely tough loss but really proud of the tenacity of our club,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said.

STARTING TIME

Dodgers: Stripling gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Phillies: Zach Eflin lasted only 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits in his shortest outing this year.

MANAGER UTLEY?

Utley said he wants to spend more time with his wife and two sons, but he also wants to find a way to be around baseball.

”At the end of the year, I’d like to make my own schedule to be honest with you Will Dissly Jersey Elite ,” he said. ”But I feel like I can give back in a number of different ways. Yeah, I want to be involved. Managing, coaching, I’m not quite sure that’s the path, but you never know.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Turner went on the 10-day disabled because of a strained groin and Verdugo was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Phillies: Eflin was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list before the game.

UP NEXT

RHP Kenta Maeda (7-5, 3.12 ERA) goes against Phillies All-Star RHP Aaron Nola (12-3, 2.30) on Tuesday night. Maeda is 3-1, 4.37 in five career starts vs. Philadelphia. Nola, who struck out two batters in a scoreless inning in the All-Star game, is 2-0, 2.93 in two starts vs. Los Angeles.

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The Latest on the NFL combine (all times EST):

11 a.m.

Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott says cutting quarterback Tyrod Taylor is not part of the team's current plans Da'Ron Payne Jersey , though he won't rule out trading the three-year starter.

McDermott says it's too early to remove any option off the table "other than cutting him at this point," in answering a question as to whether the Bills would consider trading Taylor. "We're in a good position with some options out there, so that'll work itself out," he added at the NFL combine on Wednesday.

Taylor's future in Buffalo remains in question even though he helped lead the Bills to a 9-7 record and clinch the team's first playoff berth since 1999. Taylor has a 23-21 record with the Bills and went 8-6 last season while also being benched for one game in favor of rookie Nathan Peterman.

The Bills considered cutting Taylor last March before the quarterback agreed to restructure his contract by reducing it from a five-year to a two-year term.

Taylor enters the final year of his deal, and is due a $6 million bonus in two weeks. General manager Brandon Beane previously said the Bills could comfortably afford carrying Taylor's contract this year, which will count $18 million against the salary cap.

8:45 p.m.

Jon Gruden is back from the broadcast booth and the highest-paid coach in NFL history.

Unlike his colleague, Matt Patricia didn't balk at leaving Bill Belichick's brigade.

Andy Reid is in the midst of another major roster shake-up and his protege DJ Moore Youth Jersey , Doug Pederson, is basking in Philadelphia's first Super Bowl triumph.

All are in Indianapolis at the NFL combine this week hoping to better their chances of winning in 2018.

Top college prospects, including a group of quarterbacks that could produce five first-round draft picks, will spend four days getting poked and prodded, tested and timed.

GMs and coaches will do their best to get to know them off the field as well, either in formal 15-minute interviews or during a mixed zone after their physical assessments.

鈥?Nick Foles has a calling far greater than throwing touchdown passes.If Foles leads the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots, he’ll become a folk hero in a city that has desperately waited for a championship since 1960.But that won’t define Foles in the big picture. He has more important plans for his future.“I want to be a pastor in a high school Youth Will Hernandez Jersey ,” Foles said Thursday. “It’s on my heart. I took a leap of faith last year and signed up to take classes at seminary. I wanted to continue to learn and challenge my faith. It’s a challenge because you are writing papers that are biblically correct. You want to impact people’s hearts.”Foles is part of a team that has a strong Christian brotherhood. MVP contender Carson Wentz has been outspoken about his faith and many players spend a lot of time together in prayer, studying the Bible and sharing devotionals.Foles was one of the study leaders during his first stint in Philadelphia and has become a go-to source for younger guys. Left guard Stefen Wisniewksi also plans to become a pastor after his career ends.“Guys like Nick and Wis can spit out scripture all day and it’s awesome to take in that knowledge,” said special teams ace Kamu Grugier-Hill.Foles is passionate about helping students find their way and plans to use his experiences to inspire and encourage them.“When I speak to (students), that’s such a time of young men and young women’s lives that there’s a lot of things that are thrown at them. So much temptation in this world, so much going on with social media and the internet that you want to talk to them and address it and share all the weaknesses I have because I’ve fallen many times,” Foles said. “It’s something I want to do. I can’t play football forever. I’ve been blessed with an amazing platform and it’s just a door God has opened, but I still have a lot of school left and a long journey.”Foles http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-donte-jackson-jersey , who was offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl following the 2013 season, contemplated retirement after he asked the Rams to release him last year. He ended up going to Kansas City and reuniting with Andy Reid, who drafted him in the third round in Philadelphia in 2012.He says prayer helped him decide to stay in the NFL, and he returned to the Eagles to be Wentz’s backup. When Wentz tore his left ACL in Week 14, Wentz stepped in and led Philadelphia. He was spectacular against Minnesota in the NFC championship, tossing four touchdown passes in a 38-7 win.Foles 鈥?not Tom Brady 鈥?has the highest passer rating in postseason history for quarterbacks who’ve thrown at least 75 passes. Foles has completed 72 of 96 passes for 793 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions in three games for a 116.4 passer rating.“It took a lot more faith to come back and play than it would’ve to go in the other direction Redskins Pernell McPhee Jersey ,” Foles said. “Either way would’ve been fine. Either way, I would’ve trusted in God. I would’ve done something else and glorified God in that instance.“The reason I decided to come back is I’ve loved the game of football since I was a kid, I loved playing sports, I loved being part of a team, and I knew as a person that the more growth I’ve had and the more opportunity I would have to glorify God and trust in him would be to go back and play football.”AP NFL website: .

The Philadelphia Phillies won another one-run game to extend their winning streak to six games.

Nick Williams Youth Daryl Worley Jersey , Scott Kingery and Jorge Alfaro drove in runs on consecutive at-bats in the seventh inning to help Philadelphia win 3-2 on Saturday.

With two outs in the seventh, Williams sent a line drive down the right field line that took a funny hop off the fence and eluded Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco, who bobbled the ball. The relay throw still made it to third baseman Colin Moran ahead of Williams, but he able to avoid the tag for a triple.

Carlos Santana scored on the play. Kingery followed up with a single up the middle and then scored when Alfaro hit a double to right-center to give the Phillies all they’d need to clinch their third straight series win and improve to an MLB-best 19-7 in one-run games.

”Another win in a one-run game,” manager Gabe Kapler said. ”I think that’s something to really be proud of and something we continue to focus on.”

Jake Arrieta (6-6) worked around six hits with the help of eight strikeouts to hold the Pirates to two runs over seven innings. It was Arrieta’s first win in eight starts Authentic Mitchell Trubisky Jersey , though it didn’t look that way at first.

”There’s no perfect formula for how the game’s going to play out,” Arrieta said. ”Yeah, you want to score first. You want to score often. Sometimes that doesn’t happen.”

Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-7) was charged with all three runs. He struck out eight and walked none in his 77 pitches over 6 2/3 innings. He had allowed just two singles and hadn’t allowed a runner to even get into scoring position coming into the seventh inning. Reliever Edgar Santana allowed the go-ahead run to score with Alfaro’s double. The three runs were scored on three straight pitches.

”I was really excited and looking forward to being the guy to put an end to our tough streak here,” Taillon said. ”I’m at 68 pitches without a guy touching second base and someone’s warming up? That’s tough. So, I don’t know. I haven’t been pitching the greatest. I understand the trust isn’t there. “

Starling Marte singled and scored in the first and homered in the second as part of a three-hit afternoon to stake the Pirates to an early lead. Pittsburgh has lost five straight.

Victor Arano worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his second save.

ROSTER MOVES

The Pirates activated right-handed reliever Michael Feliz from the 10-day disabled list Youth Nick Nelson Jersey , selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Alex McRae from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned relievers Dovydas Neverauskas and Josh Smoker to Indianapolis.

Feliz had been on the disabled list since June 24 with a right shoulder strain. He has a 5.51 ERA in 33 appearances this season. It’s McRae’s first MLB call-up. He had a 4.61 ERA in 17 appearances – 16 starts – with Indianapolis. He’ll work out of the bullpen in Pittsburgh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: INF Cesar Hernandez did not start after fouling a ball off his foot on Friday. He flew out in the eighth as a pinch hitter.

Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli (concussion) returned from his rehab assignment and took batting practice before the game. He hopes to be activated from the disabled list on Sunday. . RHP Joe Musgrove (finger infection) threw a bullpen session. He expects to return from the disabled list on Tuesday. . RHP Chad Kuhl (right forearm strain) is getting a second opinion on his injury and expects to be out until after the All-Star Game.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Drew Anderson is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make his 2018 debut. Anderson was 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA. It will be his third career MLB appearance.

Pirates: Nick Kingham (2-4, 4.70 ERA) will try to shake off a career-worst appearance last time out against Los Angeles on July 2, when he gave up seven runs in three innings. The rookie is 0-4 over his last five starts.

The Boston Red Sox acquired veteran first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Dave Dombrowski, the Red Sox president of baseball operations, announced the deal after Boston’s 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Boston sent minor league infielder Santiago Espinal to Toronto.

Pearce’s cost to the Sox will be $1.5 million. The Blue Jays will give Boston $1 Ronald Jones II Youth Jersey ,658,602 to cover part of the $3,158,602 remaining in the $6.25 million salary of Pearce, who can become a free agent after the World Series.

The 35-year-old has hit .291 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 26 games for Toronto this season. Pearce has a career average of .255 and 83 career home runs and 268 RBIs. Boston manager Alex Cora said the Red Sox are adding a strong batter they can use against left-handed pitching.

”It’s one more weapon that we have. We got better tonight Brian Allen Color Rush Jersey ,” Cora said. ”It’s good to have him.”

Pearce could join the Red Sox this weekend in New York when they face the division-rival Yankees.

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Seattle didn’t make the playoffs Authentic Dalton Schultz Jersey , but its defense essentially did.

The scheme that carried the Seahawks to consecutive Super Bowls (2013-14) has become increasingly popular around the league. It helped Atlanta get to the big game last year and was the catalyst for Jacksonville’s stunning turnaround this season. It also got rave reviews down the stretch in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In a copycat league, this is the one being emulated right now.

And for good reason. The Seahawks rode the scheme to six straight playoff berths between 2012 and 2016, and as more of Pete Carroll’s defensive assistants moved on to become coordinators and head coaches elsewhere, they brought it with them.

Now, it spans coast to coast.

”It really takes on the flavor of the coaches that are doing it, so they have their uniqueness,” Carroll said. ”But there are a lot of similarities.”

Similar results, too.

The Jaguars ranked second in the NFL in yards and points allowed this season, relying on their defense to mask offensive deficiencies. The Chargers ranked third in scoring defense, allowing just two opponents to top 21 points in their final 11 games. The Falcons (eighth) and the injury-riddled Seahawks (13th) weren’t far behind. The 49ers finished 25th at 23.9 points a game, but were considerably better over the final five weeks of the regular season. They allowed 19.9 points during a five-game winning streak that included victories against three playoff teams.

Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Atlanta defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn and Jacksonville defensive coordinator Todd Wash all spent time in Seattle under Carroll.

Bradley Chris Iannetta Colorado Rockies Jersey , Manuel, Saleh and Wash were on the same staff in 2012. Former Oakland defensive coordinator Ken Norton also was there and had the Raiders playing the Seattle scheme until he was fired in late November.

”It’s good. It’s nice,” Carroll said. ”I love that the guys are getting the opportunities and they are doing stuff.”

Seattle players don’t seem as ready to credit anyone for doing it as well as they did while picking up the ”Legion of Boom” nickname in 2012.

”There is only one Seattle Seahawks,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said.

Maybe so. Seattle allowed the fewest points (14.4) and yards (273.6) in the NFL during the 2013 season and forced a league-high 39 turnovers. The Seahawks emphatically stated their case as a generational defense – right up there with the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2000 Baltimore Ravens – with a 43-8 drubbing of Denver in the Super Bowl. The Broncos shattered an NFL record with 606 points during the regular season but were overmatched on the NFL’s biggest stage.

That same season, thousands of miles away, Bradley and Wash were building the foundation for Jacksonville’s current defense.

Two years later, Quinn was implementing it in Atlanta with some help from Manuel. Quinn’s offensive coordinator at the time was Kyle Shanahan, who saw the defense every day in practice and knew he wanted it to be part of his rebuild with the 49ers this season. He hired Saleh. And former Jaguars head coach Bradley resurfaced with the Chargers.

”It’s a very sound scheme that starts with stopping the run,” Shanahan said. ”It makes you work all the way down the field, so it’s extremely tough to get explosives on. It’s tough to go against. They make you work for everything, and it’s something that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every week. It’s something that if you just do over and over and over again, it’s hard not to get better at it.”

The premise of the Seattle defense is that it uses an eight-man box to stop the run (one safety positioned close to the line of scrimmage) and a single-high safety who can get sideline to sideline in ”cover three” (a three-deep zone in which defensive backs split coverage areas into three sections). Cornerbacks play a lot of aggressive, bump-and-run coverage that works best when the four defensive linemen are pressuring quarterbacks. Linebackers are usually undersized and fast.

It’s a 4-3 base defense that incorporates many elements of the popular 3-4.

”We are all different in our own ways,” Manuel said. ”But … just the understanding of methodically making a team have to go 13 Customized Houston Texans Jerseys , 14 plays to score and play with great red-zone defense and understand that taking the ball away is the most important thing. Plays are going to happen that are big, but if you eliminate the ones that you know are about to happen, offenses have to do something else.

”You call plays that guys understand. You can get exotic (and create) paralysis by analysis; guys are overthinking on the field. That’s part of what you see in this defense. I guarantee you in each one of these (Seattle-influenced) defenses, guys are flying around and playing fast because they’re not thinking.”

Regardless of the schematics and subtleties, the common thread is solid – more like star – players.

Seattle has Wagner, cornerback Richard Sherman, free safety Earl Thomas and strong safety Kam Chancellor, among others.

The Chargers boast disruptive pass-rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, linebacker Denzel Perryman and cornerback Casey Hayward. They tied for fifth in the NFL with 43 sacks.

The Jaguars had the second-most sacks (55) in the league thanks partly to Pro Bowl defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Malik Jackson and budding star Yannick Ngak NFL owners approved a new policy aimed at quelling the firestorm over national anthem protests sparked by Colin Kaepernick and polarized by President Trump, permitting players to stay in the locker room during the ”The Star-Spangled Banner” but requiring them to stand if they come to the field.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said the change was approved unanimously by the owners at their spring meeting in Atlanta, but even that was up for debate.

The head of the San Francisco 49ers – Kaepernick’s former team – said his franchise abstained from the vote. CEO Jed York said he wasn’t comfortable with a process that didn’t directly involve the players.

”I want to work with my team to make sure everything we do is about promoting the right types of social justice reform and getting to a better America,” York said.

The NFL Players Association said it wasn’t consulted about the new policy and would challenge any changes that violate the collective bargaining agreement.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) – A Santa Clara County judge ruled that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster will not have to stand trial on domestic violence charges after determining there was no evidence that Foster ever hit his ex-girlfriend.

Judge Nona Klippen said prosecutors didn’t meet the burden of probable cause on charges of felony domestic violence and forcefully attempting to dissuade a witness.

Foster was also charged with felony possession of an assault weapon after officers found a Sig Sauer 516 short-barreled rifle in his home while investigating his ex-girlfriend’s domestic violence report. That charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.

The 49ers have not allowed Foster to take part in the offseason program while he dealt with these charges and general manager John Lynch had said he would be cut from the team if it was determined that he hit a woman. Foster will be allowed back Thursday now that the domestic violence charges have been dropped.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) – Richie Incognito Blake McLaughlin Ducks Jersey , the NFL offensive lineman who was once suspended for bullying a teammate, was taken into custody Wednesday for psychiatric examination after an incident at a Florida gym.

Boca Raton police spokeswoman Jessica Desir said officers received a call Wednesday morning from a patron at Life Time Gym about a disturbance involving Incognito. He was taken into custody under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows for involuntary psychiatric commitment for people seen as a danger to themselves or others. She did not have details about the disturbance.

The 34-year-old Incognito announced this year that he was retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL, the last three with the Buffalo Bills. The Bills released him from their reserved/retired list on Monday, leaving open the possibility he could sign with another team.

PRO BASKETBALL

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales has apologized to Bucks player Sterling Brown for a January arrest that started with a parking violation and escalated to include the use of a stun gun, and he said some officers were disciplined.

Brown, who is African-American, says the incident was ”an attempt at police intimidation” and that it ”shouldn’t happen to anybody.” Meanwhile, community groups in Milwaukee are weighing in, too – criticizing police for how they handled Brown.

Morales’ apology on Wednesday came as police released body-camera footage that showed how a simple interaction over an illegally parked car quickly escalated. The video represents another setback for a department that for years has tried to rebuild its image and relationship with Milwaukee’s black residents after several high-profile cases of police misconduct.

Police did not identify the races of the officers, but most of the officers in the video appeared to be white.

ATHLETE ABUSE

WASHINGTON (AP) – Lawmakers used an emotionally charged House subcommittee hearing to get answers about what they portrayed as the U.S. Olympic Committee’s slow-moving, underfunded response to a steadily widening sex-abuse scandal in Olympic sports.

CEO Shellie Pfohl of the U.S. Center for SafeSport spoke during a hearing that had one representative choking back tears and another screaming at the witnesses.

Pfohl told lawmakers that when the office opened in 2017, it received 20 to 30 calls a month. She said in the wake of the (hash)MeToo movement and the Larry Nassar sentencing, it’s increased to 20 to 30 per week.

Despite the widening workload Steelers Authentic Jerseys , the center has only 12 investigators and operates on an annual budget of $4.3 million.

Pfohl said she’s always in search of more money. The USOC’s acting CEO, Susanne Lyons, conceded seven years was too long to get the center up and running.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Sports coaches, the types of paid employees who allegedly learned Larry Nassar was molesting gymnasts and other athletes before the sexual abuse scandal broke, would still not be required to report such suspected abuse to the authorities under a watered-down proposal to expand Michigan’s mandatory reporting law.

A state House committee passed a bill that would add physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and – in a reversal from a day earlier – athletic trainers to the list of mandatory reporters. But it drew swift criticism for still backing away from Senate-passed legislation that also would require college employees, coaches and volunteers to report abuse, citing cost concerns, unintended consequences and other issues.

Sen. Rick Jones, a Grand Ledge Republican, said he would move to add paid coaches in his commit.