The New York Rangers hired Boston University’s David Quinn as their new head coach Wednesday Fozzy Whittaker Jersey , the second college coach hired by an NHL team this month and third in the past four years.

Quinn replaces Alain Vigneault, who was fired hours after the Rangers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010. An introductory news conference was scheduled for Thursday.

”In a coaching career that has spanned over two decades at the collegiate, pro, and international level, David has helped his teams achieve success while simultaneously teaching the game and helping his players develop on and off the ice,” general manager Jeff Gorton said. ”He is the ideal choice to bring our loyal and passionate fans the winning hockey they deserve.”

The 51-year-old Quinn coached Boston University to four NCAA Tournament appearances in five seasons, including a trip to the national title game in 2015. He spent the lockout-shortened 2013 NHL season as an assistant on Joe Sacco’s staff with the Colorado Avalanche.

”David brings a diverse and successful coaching resume that includes extensive work in developing young talent,” Rangers owner James Dolan said. ”I am confident he is an excellent fit for our team, and know he will work tirelessly with (team president Glen Sather), Jeff and our entire organization to execute our plan to build the next Rangers Stanley Cup-contending team.”

The Rangers made the playoffs in four of Vigneault’s five seasons as coach Tre'Davious White Jersey , including a 2014 trip to the Stanley Cup Final. They went 226-147-37 in the regular season under Vigneault, who is third in regular-season and playoff wins in franchise history.

The retooling Rangers are the latest team to dip into the college ranks for a coach after the Philadelphia Flyers hired Dave Hakstol from North Dakota in 2015 and the Dallas Stars hired Jim Montgomery from the University of Denver in early May. Before Hakstol, it had been 28 years since a coach made the jump from the NCAA to the NHL.

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More NHL hockey:

Jaren Jackson Jr.’s Summer League debut couldn’t have gone much better.

The same can’t be said for Trae Young.

Jackson, the fourth pick in the NBA draft, outshined No. 5 overall pick Young in their first NBA action. The 6-foot-10 Jackson had 29 points and shot 8 of 13 from 3-point range to help the Memphis Grizzlies beat Young’s Atlanta Hawks 103-88 on Monday night in Salt Lake City.

Jackson hit his first two 3-pointers and was 4 of 6 from beyond the arc in the first half, including a buzzer-beater from midcourt to give his team a 47-41 lead. The 18-year-old Jackson showed the shooting stroke that made him a 40 percent 3-point shooter in college and scored 12 straight points during one stretch in the fourth quarter to help the Grizzlies pull away.

”I definitely felt hot at different spots during the game. If kind of felt surreal a little bit,” said Jackson, the team’s highest-drafted player since Hasheem Thabeet, who was No. 2 in 2009.

While Jackson was doing just about everything right, Young was having a miserable debut.

Young D'Onta Foreman Jersey , who averaged 27.4 points last season for Oklahoma, missed all nine shot attempts in the first half, including six 3-pointers. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year, whose draft rights were swapped with Dallas for No. 3 pick Luka Doncic, struggled to recover after airballs on his first two shots and finished with 16 points on 4-of-20 shooting.

He was 1 of 11 from beyond the arc.

GRIZZLIES 103, HAWKS 88

Kobi Simmons had 19 of his 21 points in the first half and finished 8 of 13 from the field for Grizzlies, while second-round pick Jevon Carter chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.

Tyler Dorsey led the Hawks with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Omari Spellman, one of Atlanta’s three first-round draft picks, had a solid showing with 11 points and six rebounds. Their other first-round pick, Kevin Huerter Lamar Miller Jersey , did not play because of a wrist injury.

JAZZ 92, SPURS 76

Georges Niang scored 17 points, while first-round draft pick Grayson Allen had 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Jazz. Tony Bradley had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Derrick White led the Spurs with 22 points and seven rebounds.

San Antonio’s top draft pick, Lonnie Walker IV, struggled in his debut, limited to seven points while shooting 3 of 16 from the field.

WARRIORS 79, HEAT 68

Kendrick Nunn had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Warriors in a game played in Sacramento, California.

Warriors first-round draft pick Jacob Evans did not play because of a bruised toe sustained in practice last week.

Derrick Jones Jr. had a big game for Miami with 24 points and 11 rebounds, including a monster two-hand dunk after slashing down the lane. Bam Adebayo added 14 points and 14 rebounds.

KINGS 98 Andrew Norwell Jersey , LAKERS 93

Marvin Bagley III showed why he was the No. 2 pick, turning in a strong debut with 18 points and six rebounds on the Kings‘ home floor.

Harry Giles made a successful debut after being held out of last season with knee injuries. Giles, the 20th overall pick in 2017, was 6 of 10 from the field and finished with 13 points and three rebounds.

De’Aaron Fox had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Frank Mason had 16 points, including a key 3-pointer late to help seal the win.

Josh Hart had 23 points for the Lakers before being ejected from the game with 1:04 left and his team trailing by four after picking up his second technical for disputing a call. Rookie Moritz Wagner had 23 points and seven rebounds.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have announced a three-year contract extension for coach Brett Brown while team president Bryan Colangelo is embroiled in controversy.

Brown Jihad Ward Jersey , who took the 76ers from 10 wins to the third seed in the Eastern Conference in just two seasons, got a new deal Thursday that runs through the 2021-2022 season. On Wednesday, the team said it is investigating whether Colangelo used a variety of Twitter accounts to anonymously trash some of his own players and fellow executives and defend himself against criticism from fans and the sports media.

”Brett has done a terrific job over the past several years building and cultivating a program A.J. Bouye Jersey , but the substantially positive growth in the win column these past two seasons has proven he is the right man to continue leading this team in our quest for an NBA championship,” Colangelo said in a statement. ”I couldn’t be more thrilled for Brett, his family and the organization to be moving forward for several years to come.”

The Sixers won 52 games this season and beat Miami in the first round of the playoffs before they were eliminated in the conference semis by Boston.

Brown had one year left on his contract. Philadelphia hasn’t won an NBA title since Julius Erving and Moses Malone led the Sixers over the Los Angeles Lakers in 1983.

Under Brown’s watch Dominique Easley Jersey , Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have blossomed into two of the top young players in the league. Brown was hired as the Sixers were about to undergo their rebuilding process that became known as ”The Process.” The 76ers won 19, 18 and 10 games in each of Brown’s first three seasons. The Sixers won 28 games in 2016-17 and made the playoffs this season for the first time since 2012.

Even with two 26-game losing streaks on his resume, the front office has never wavered in its feeling that Brown is the right coach for the franchise. Brown is 127-283 (.310) with one winning record in five seasons.

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>As many as five playoff berths can be locked up Sunday Alex Erickson Jersey , and New England can clinch before taking the field Monday night.A Buffalo loss or tie against the Colts on Sunday clinches the AFC East for the Patriots, while New England can clinch Monday night by beating Miami if the Bills win.Pittsburgh clinches a berth with a Buffalo loss or tie, though the Steelers need to tie or beat Baltimore to win the AFC North.Philadelphia could clinch the NFC East if Dallas ties or loses to the Giants before the Eagles take the field in Los Angeles.Minnesota can win the NFC North by beating Carolina or if Detroit and Green Bay both tie.Even the Jaguars could clinch a berth with a win and other help. Elie Okobo Jersey 

The crew of castoffs that carried the expansion Vegas Golden Knights to a division title and two rounds of playoffs wins in a reality-defying season are more than just a feel-good story.

They’ve proven themselves to be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

Marc-Andre Fleury was his usual brilliant self with 28 saves in his fourth shutout of the postseason and Vegas benefited from a couple of fortunate bounces to advance to the Western Conference Final with a 3-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

”It’s a bit crazy thinking about it for sure Tyrod Taylor Jersey ,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. ”But we’re here to win. We’re not going to get caught up in we shouldn’t be here or whatever. We’re here to win.”

The Golden Knights have done that all season despite being thrown together at the expansion draft last June among players deemed expendable by their former teams. They won eight of nine games to open the season to take the league by a bit of shock, posted 109 points to win a Pacific Division filled with playoff-tested teams and then gone 8-2 in the playoffs with a first-round sweep against Los Angeles and a six-game series win over the Sharks.

They became just the third team in NHL history to win multiple series in its first season. The Toronto Arenas won the Stanley Cup in the first postseason in league history in 1918 and St. Louis won two rounds to win the all-expansion West Division in 1968.

Next up for Vegas is the Western Conference Final against either Winnipeg or Nashville. The Jets lead that series 3-2 heading into Game 6 at home on Monday night.

While the Golden Knights got help from a couple of shots that hit the iron and went out for San Jose and one that went off the post and into the net for a goal by Nate Schmidt that was only detectable on replay, the recipe for success has been speed, tenacity and depth more than luck.

”We made ourselves a good team,” Fleury said. ”We had great chemistry right from the start. We keep improving throughout the season. I feel like we’re using everybody in the lineup to get wins. That’s what’s made us successful.”

Fleury has been a big part of that Christian Covington Jersey , capped by his fourth career series-clinching shutout, one shy of Chris Osgood’s NHL record.

Fleury allowed just three goals in the sweep against the Kings, posted shutouts in the opening and closing games against San Jose and was brilliant in an overtime win in Game 3 over the Sharks.

But he has had plenty of help. William Karlsson scored 43 goals in the regular season and had the overtime winner in Game 3 of this series. Jonathan Marchessault is tied for the team lead with 11 points this postseason, including the first goal in the clincher against the Sharks. Even the fourth line played a big role Sunday by controlling the puck and hemming San Jose in the defensive zone.

”We’re having a lot of fun in this room,” Schmidt said. ””The guys have just been having a blast all year with each other. I think that we’ve done a lot more than we thought we were capable of Vincent Rey Jersey , but we continue to set the bar to new heights with our group. We continue to just set new expectations for yourself. This group believes in each other and that’s more than anything you can ask for.”

The Golden Knights took control of this game with some good fortune in the second period. It started when usually reliable Marc-Edouard Vlasic turned the puck over in his own zone. Reilly Smith took control near the blue line and found Marchessault alone in front for a goal that trickled between Martin Jones‘ pads.

The Golden Knights then added to the lead after an icing by Brent Burns led to an offensive zone faceoff. David Perron beat Tierney on the draw and Schmidt took a shot that appeared to deflect off the post and out.

Play went on for 25 more seconds before the buzzer rang, with the situation room in Toronto calling for a video review. That quickly showed that the puck bounced off the post, off a piece equipment inside the net and out.

Vegas then had a delayed celebration for the goal that made it 2-0.

That was the type of bounce the Sharks didn’t get early in the game when they hit the post or crossbar three times in the opening period and then again in the third when they tried to cut into Vegas’ lead.

”It’s a fine line,” coach Peter DeBoer said. ”I think we had a couple of those that didn’t go in. That’s hockey. But Vegas deserves to be moving on. They played great. They finished the chances when they needed to and got saves when they needed to.”

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In the AFC title game, the Jaguars had the Patriots on the ropes. But the Jags couldn’t punch the Pats through.

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey thinks the team lost because it failed to trust its quarterback to win the game.

“I think in crunch time moments Taylor Decker Jersey , like last year’s playoff game — not as a team, because we would have trusted him — but I think as an organization, we should have trusted him more to keep throwing it,” Ramsey told GQ as part of his rollicking this-guy-sucks-this-guy-is-good interview. “We kinda got complacent and conservative. And I think that’s why we lost. We started running it on first and second down, throwing it on third down Shaq Thompson Jersey , every single time we were out there. [The Patriots] caught on to that.”

The Jaguars definitely didn’t trust Bortles in that game. Whether it was taking a pair of knees with 55 seconds left in the first half while leading 14-10 or throwing short passes only during what could have been a knockout drive in the fourth quarter, when the Jags had extended their lead to 20-10 and had recovered a fumble with fewer than 14 minutes to play.

One way to prepare Bortles to succeed against opposing defenses would be to let him face Jacksonville’s starting defense. Ramsey said that doesn’t happen once the real games begin.

“We never go against him unless it’s training camp,” Ramsey said. “We never go against them in practice, during the season. . . . [W]e don’t wanna hurt his confidence. That’ll probably hurt his confidence.”

Not trusting him to win big games in January also may hurt his confidence. Especially the next time the Jaguars have a big game in January.

 Trae Young Jersey 

— Kenny Vaccaro says he believes fellow safety Eric Reid should be on a team playing in the NFL. Needing a job himself Sam Martin Jersey , the veteran is very happy that the Tennessee Titans signed him instead.

Vaccaro signed a one-year deal with the Titans on Saturday morning and was with them for individual drills at practice at Nissan Stadium hours later. He had been waiting for a team to sign him since his contract with New Orleans expired in March.

“This has been a long time coming for me,” Vaccaro said. “I was waiting on the right opportunity. I was fortunate that one opened up here and that we could get a deal done. I’m ready to work.”

The Titans also signed safety Jason Thompson after placing safety Johnathan Cyprien on injured reserve Friday with a torn left ACL.

Reid, who has been looking for a job since March himself, remains unsigned since his own rookie contract expired in March with the San Francisco 49ers. He filed a claim this spring after visiting with Cincinnati, arguing he was unsigned as a result of collusion by NFL owners over his protests of police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the national anthem.

“He’s a great man,” Vaccaro said of Reid. “He’s a good family man, and a great dude. He needs to be on a team. He’ll get on a team. I believe in him.”

Reid was headed to Nashville to work out for the Titans on Friday but reportedly had flight issues. Titans coach Mike Vrabel said he’d leave questions on what happened to Reid’s workout to Reid and his agent and general manager Jon Robinson.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see him,” Vrabel said. “So that’s really all I can comment on. I’ll let Eric and his camp comment, and I’ll let Jon take care of it on our end.”

The 6-foot Vaccaro spent the past five years as a starter with New Orleans, starting 67 games with eight interceptions D.J. Reader Jersey , 7 1/2 sacks and four forced fumbles. The Saints drafted him 15th overall in 2013 out of Texas. Vrabel said Vaccaro didn’t look at times last year like the safety had earlier in his career but had a great workout for the Titans.

“So what we expect is that he’s a pro, and he comes in and learns what to do quickly,” Vrabel said. “We’ll work him in there and see where he can help us. He’s made plays in the National Football League, and it seems like he’s starting off with a great attitude.”

Vaccaro said he’s a competitive person who knows he has to catch up with his new teammates in a secondary featuring All-Pro safety Kevin Byard and cornerbacks Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan and Adoree Jackson.

“There’s a lot of good players here,” Vaccaro said. “They’re loaded. Dean Pees’ defense, the stuff we’re going to run, it’s just a good fit. I’ve got a good feeling about it. I haven’t got to practice yet. I did a lot of different things at NOLA — nickel, dime, safety, back deep at some point Tre'Davious White Jersey , I’ve been in every situation.”

Thompson has spent time with New England, Chicago, Seattle and Dallas since coming into the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Utah in 2017.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (16-3)

OPEN CAMP: July 25, NovaCare Complex, Philadelphia

LAST YEAR: Won first Super Bowl title and franchise’s first NFL championship since 1960, defeating Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Patriots. Overcame losing several key players to injury, including QB Carson Wentz, LT Jason Peters, LB Jordan Hicks and others. Backup QB Nick Foles led way after Wentz tore ACL in Week 14, earning Super Bowl MVP honors. Coach Doug Pederson’s offense was balanced yet aggressive. Players bought into team-first attitudes. Defense thrived under coordinator Jim Schwartz. DT Fletcher Cox anchored deep line that included Super Bowl hero Brandon Graham. Special teams were solid despite losing PR Darren Sproles. Rookie K Jake Elliott showed strong leg.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: DE Michael Bennett Bryce Callahan Jersey , DT Haloti Ngata, WR Mike Wallace, LB Corey Nelson, TE Richard Rodgers, rookie TE Dallas Goedert.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: Offensive coordinator Frank Reich, QB coach John DeFilippo, TE Trey Burton, RB LeGarrette Blount, DE Vinny Curry, CB Patrick Robinson, LB Mychal Kendricks Josh Malone Jersey , WR Torrey Smith, DT Beau Allen, TE Brent Celek, P Donnie Jones.

CAMP NEEDS: Wentz will be closely monitored but there’s no urgency to rush him with Foles still on team. His rehab will be biggest story this summer. Other key players returning from injury include Peters, Hicks, Sproles, special teams ace Chris Maragos and DT Tim Jernigan. Defense needs LB to emerge as replacement for Kendricks and CB to replace Robinson at nickel spot. Both QBs need to build chemistry with new Nos. 2-3 TEs.

EXPECTATIONS: Trying to become first Super Bowl champs to repeat since 2003-04 Patriots, and anything less will be considered disappointment. Wentz, Peters and other star players who missed playoffs last year are determined to win it all and won’t let teammates get complacent. Overall, team improved on paper but it’ll be difficult to match unique bond last year’s group had.

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 LeBron James Jersey 

The idea began to percolate about 2陆 years ago Taylor Gabriel Jersey , in discussions between Kirk Cousins and agent Mike McCartney about his status with the Washington Redskins and his future in the NFL.

The goal was to get a fully guaranteed contract, the security players in this league of high turnover and short shelf lives have sought for decades, unlike their peers in professional baseball, basketball and hockey who are accustomed to guaranteed money.

This week, when Cousins finally reached free agency after two consecutive seasons playing on the franchise tag, the Minnesota Vikings made that once-unrealistic aspiration happen with an $84 million, three-year deal.

"It took a great player to come to the market, and it's not easy to get to the market with great players," McCartney said. "It's just the way it turned out. It's been an exciting several weeks in anticipation. We researched all fall, the different teams and potential options. At one point, we never thought that the Vikings would need a quarterback and yet still did our research and homework on them. As we got closer to free agency, I had a feeling we were going to have an opportunity."

As a low draft pick who was forced to work his way up the depth chart and has never won a postseason game, Cousins represented an unlikely candidate to set the precedent. The market always flows toward the demand, though, and because Washington was lukewarm on his long-term potential, Cousins was able to make about $44 million over the last two years and still hit free agency in his prime with no history of significant injury. The Redskins declined to use the franchise tag a third time and acquired Alex Smith in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs instead.

That allowed a player who topped 4,000 passing yards in three straight seasons to cash in on the volume of quarterback-needy teams in the NFL, where there's perpetually a short supply of true superstars at the most challenging of all positions.

"It would be great if this would be a game changer and started a trend. Hopefully, there are some high-profile guys who can build on this and go beyond Kirk's money but still have a fully guaranteed contract," McCartney said, adding: "It's time for it to happen."

The Vikings were the other critical part of this equation, of course. They drafted Teddy Bridgewater in the first round in 2014 with the expectation he'd become their franchise quarterback Yannick Ngakoue Jersey , but he wrecked his knee right before the 2016 season and has yet to start a game since then. His replacement, Sam Bradford, became a free agent. So did his super sub, Case Keenum. With a roster on the cusp of a Super Bowl, having lost to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game, the Vikings were more than willing to be as aggressive as they needed to acquire the quarterback they believed was the best available free agent.

"I don't know where it's going to go," Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said. "But I know when a player of this caliber gets out there on the market and he's been franchised two years in a row, and it's the quarterback position, you're going to have to do what you have to do. If we didn't, I know a lot of other teams out there would have."

The Vikings didn't offer Cousins the most overall money, McCartney said, but they were confident enough in Cousins to commit to not only the largest per-year average in NFL history (topping Jimmy Garoppolo) but the biggest guaranteed figure the league has seen (beating Matthew Stafford). Those benchmarks will be temporary, of course, with quarterbacks of greater ability and accomplishment like Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan in the queue for contract extensions with their clubs.

The ice has at least been chipped, though, if not broken wide open.

"It won't matter if other players after me choose to go a different route," Cousins said at his introductory news conference on Thursday. "It is what it is for my situation, but players after me have to decide what they want to do."

There are a number of complex reasons why NFL contracts have so rarely been guaranteed like those in MLB, the NBA or the NHL, with one being a decades-old clause in the collective bargaining agreement that requires teams to put deferred guaranteed money in escrow. That was devised before the league's revenue boom to ensure teams wouldn't run out of cash to pay players. Now, the rule can simply deter deep-pocketed owners from granting long-term, guaranteed deals that require cutting massive checks that won't be cashed for years.

"Now we have so much TV money that it's completely unnecessary from my vantage point Danny Trevathan Jersey ," McCartney said.

The key to making this a trend instead of a footnote will be more players willing to take shorter contracts. If Cousins asked for a five-year deal, the total value likely wouldn't have been much higher if at all. In so many contracts over the course of the modern NFL, the maximum value was never paid out because teams were able to cut an aged or underperforming players without being on the hook for much if any guaranteed money in the latter part of the deal.

McCartney acknowledged his confidence level of fulfilling this goal was relatively low when he first approached the Redskins about a new contract for his client. Cousins picked the Vikings for more than just the desirability of their offer. They provided him the best championship opportunity of all the suitors, and he raved about the culture and leadership he discovered through his research and initial visit to team headquarters.

"Just so grateful for the way things have played out," Cousins said. "I wouldn't change anything that has happened for the world. Now I'm just excited to look forward to all that is in store."

The football field was Tony Sparano’s element, just like the coaching peers he left behind.

Walking in the freshly cut, bright green grass on Wednesday while directing the Minnesota Vikings through their first practice of training camp was, naturally, the best place for Mike Zimmer to be.

”It takes a little bit of the sting away,” Zimmer said, pausing to recover from a crack in his voice, ”of losing a great friend, a great coach, a good man.”

The Vikings and the rest of the NFL were stunned on Sunday when Sparano, their tough-loving offensive line coach, died suddenly at age 56 of heart disease .

”It’ll be a hard few days, but we’ll get through it and we’ll get back to work and do the things that we do,” Zimmer said, ”and that’s what he’d want us to do.”

After two days of workouts for rookies and others selected for early duty either due to relative inexperience or a recent injury, the Vikings will take a break Friday to attend Sparano’s funeral in the Twin Cities area. Then the entire team will convene for the first full practice on Saturday.

”The most important thing is when you’re a family, the family is what helps you get through it,” said general manager Rick Spielman Alex Erickson Jersey , who like Zimmer had to stop for composure several times during an interview session with reporters.

As evidenced by and during the run last season to the NFC championship game, the Vikings from the top down have forged an environment as tightly knit as any point in their history. This is an organization that has seen plenty of dysfunction over 57 years. The solidarity comes in handy at a tragic time like the unexpected loss of life, but it can also intensify the grief.

”We had quite a relationship,” said Zimmer, who was on the same staff as Sparano for the last four of his 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. ”His wife, Jeanette, I told her the other day, she reminds me a lot of my wife. She’s the sweetest lady.”

Zimmer’s wife, Vikki, passed away in 2009. His father, Bill, died in 2015. So he’s had unfortunate experience in straddling the fine line between proper mourning and pressing on. What’s clear to the Vikings, at least, is that Sparano would pick the latter.

”If Tony knew we were having this talk about him, I could just hear him in his very endearing way what his opinion on this would be,” Spielman said.

With darkened sunglasses he wore since a teenage accident with hot oil from a deep fryer while working at a restaurant, Sparano had an intimidating presence. A significant portion of the screaming audible during a typical Vikings practice came from Sparano, who as a fellow understudy of former Cowboys head coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Bill Parcells came from the same hard-nosed mold as Zimmer.

”He was a lot like me, probably the only person in the building who was grumpier than I was,” Zimmer said. ”But he really cared about his players. I’ve sat in with him in offensive line rooms a lot, and he had a way of poking the stick at the guys and then putting his arms around him.”

Sparano’s daughter was married in Texas just 2 weeks ago. He told Zimmer last month he felt his health was the best it’d been. Since Zimmer hired Sparano in 2016 to help instill a tougher mentality in the offensive linemen, the two early-to-arrive-and-late-to-leave coaches spoke often Daryl Johnston Jersey , and not just about football. As a former NFL head coach, Sparano served as a sounding board for Zimmer, as was their shared mentor, Parcells, the source of many of Sparano’s customary colloquialisms.

”Instead of saying, `It’s one or the other,”’ Zimmer recalled, ”he’d say, `It’s a horse apiece.”’

That could’ve been applied, for example, to an assessment of a couple of potential draftees. Spielman fondly remembered Sparano’s thoroughness, taking the time to study video of a tackle prospect when he played guard in a years-old game.

”I’ve never been around a coach who put in so much time and energy into everything he did,” Spielman said.

There was a soft side to Sparano, too, when it came to his family, whether immediate or football. Zimmer smiled as he recounted playing in Spielman’s charity golf tournament on the course where Sparano’s house was, not far from the team’s old headquarters.

”We get to whatever hole he was on, and he’d have a big cooler out there with beer and wine,” Zimmer said. ”He gave me a bottle of wine so we could play the rest of the course. That’s Tony. He was a genuine person who cared an awful lot about a lot of people.”

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Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman earned accolades for making the boldest moves in improving Tampa Bay’s Stanley Cup aspirations at the NHL’s trade deadline in February.

Evander Kane Corey Moore Jersey , however, might have been the biggest beneficiary after being dealt by eventual last-place Buffalo to San Jose on Feb. 26. Kane couldn’t contain his glee on his Twitter account a week ago in posting a message which read : ”(hashtag)playoffmode it’s about time!”

It took him nine years and four cities – from Atlanta to Winnipeg, Buffalo and now San Jose – since being selected with the No. 4 pick by the then-Thrashers in the 2009 draft to finally prepare for his playoff debut. It will happen Thursday, when the Sharks open their Pacific Division first-round series at Anaheim.

”It makes it easy to come to the rink. It makes it easy to play with this group of guys,” Kane said. ”I’m having a lot of fun right now.”

The Sharks, who gave up a prospect and two conditional draft picks, including a potential first-rounder, might not be in this position without Kane. The 26-year-old picked up the offensive slack on a team that closed the season minus star Joe Thornton. Kane scored nine goals, including two game-winners Dan Bailey Jersey , and added five assists in 17 games.

In closing the season at 12-7-1, the Sharks’ 25 points ranked in a tie for 10th among NHL teams since the trade deadline.

”He’s a crucial part of our team,” center Chris Tierney said of Kane. ”Just gives us an extra layer of everything.”

Kane wasn’t the only late-season addition to provide his new team a boost.

Yzerman added offense, defense and leadership to an already elite team by acquiring New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller in one of the final trades completed. Miller led all players traded on Feb. 26 by scoring 10 goals and piling up 18 points in 19 games.

”When you add two players like that and give up what they did, it’s you know: They’re in it to win it,” former player and NBC hockey analyst Eddie Olczyk said of the Lightning.

Fellow analyst, Pierre McGuire looked to the moves made by Nashville.

The Predators gave up a first-round draft pick in adding size and versatility to acquire forward Ryan Hartman from Chicago. They welcomed back veteran Mike Fisher, who signed out of retirement. They also signed forward Eeli Tolvanen , after the rookie first-round pick’s Kontinental Hockey League season ended last month.

”You look at everything Nashville has done Frank Ragnow Jersey , they never messed with the roster integrity that was created at the beginning of the year by David Poile and Paul Fenton,” McGuire said, referring to Predators management. ”So I think Nashville quietly, whether it’s at the deadline or just before, did some amazing things.”

The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Predators (15-4-2), Winnipeg (15-4-1), Columbus (14-4-2) and Boston (13-5-4) led the NHL in points since Feb. 26.

Columbus jumped from 19th in the overall standings to 14th in a run that coincided with the additions of forward Thomas Vanek and defenseman Ian Cole.

Paul Stastny scored four goals and 13 points with playoff-bound Winnipeg, after being traded by St. Louis for a first-round pick. The Blues, by comparison Andrew Whitworth Jersey , closed 10-7-2 and missed the playoffs with a season-ending loss to Colorado. And don’t forget Patrick Maroon, who had three goals and 10 points in 17 games for New Jersey, which acquired him from Edmonton.

The Capitals filled secondary defensive needs by adding Michal Kempny and Jakub Jerabek just before the trade deadline.

”We had holes to fill this year and we filled them with guys that aren’t as high-profile, but are just steady, and provided the things we needed for our team,” Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said.

After appearing in just 31 games in Chicago, Kempny played 22 in Washington while securing a role alongside Norris Trophy-candidate John Carlson.

In Philadelphia, goalie Petr Mrazek held the fort in going 6-6-4 in place of injured starter Brian Elliott. Elliott returned in time to win the final two games including a 17-save shutout in a season-ending, playoff-clinching 5-0 win over the Rangers.

Not all the trades paid off down the stretch.

Rick Nash missed Boston’s final 12 games with an upper body injury after being acquired in a trade with the Rangers.

Tomas Plekanec managed just two assists in 17 games with Toronto after being acquired from Montreal.

Tomas Tatar had four goals and six points in 20 games with Vegas J.J. Watt Jersey , which landed him in a deal with Detroit.

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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno, in Washington, and sports writers Josh Dubow, in San Jose, and Teresa M. Walker, in Nashville, contributed to this report.

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More NHL hockey:

A report earlier this week indicated that FOX Sports was talking to former Titans and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher about joining their broadcast team and it seems those discussions have led to an agreement.

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that Fisher is scheduled to call the September 30 game between the Jaguars and Jets in Jacksonville. He will share the booth with play-by-play announcer Dan Hellie.

Marchand reports that Fisher is not scheduled to call any other games at this point, although there could be more opportunities for him to work more games or spend time in the studio.

Fisher was dismissed by the Rams with three games left in the 2016 season. He had a career record of 173-165-1 in the regular season and the 165 losses are tied for the most by any head coach in league history.

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The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms on deals with quarterback Blaine Gabbert and offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo.

Both deals were announced Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Gabbert is expected to replace Matt Cassel as Marcus Mariota's backup. The Titans announced March 9 they intend to release Cassel .

Gabbert Malik Jefferson Jersey , the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, started 27 games with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2011-13. He played the next three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, making eight starts in 2015 and five in 2016.

Gabbert spent 2017 with the Arizona Cardinals and started five games, including a 12-7 victory over the Titans . He went 95 of 171 for 1,086 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions.

He has completed 55.9 percent of his passes for 1,397 yards with 44 touchdowns and 43 interceptions during his career.

Su'a-Filo, an offensive guard Todd Davis Jersey , started 41 games for the Houston Texans over the last four seasons. The former second-round draft pick made 16 starts last season and 15 in 2016.

The Titans' addition of Su'a-Filo continues their efforts to boost their offensive line.

The Titans announced Thursday they had agreed to terms offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile , who had started 33 games over the last four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Titans also agreed this month on a new deal to keep right guard Josh Kline .

The surging San Francisco Giants have made the NL West a little more intriguing.

Brandon Belt and Joe Panik drove in two runs each, Hunter Pence had a pinch-hit, two-run double, and the Giants completed a three-game sweep with a 9-6 victory over the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. It was San Francisco’s seventh win in eight games and their first sweep of the Diamondbacks since September of 2016. San Francisco moved into a second-place tie at 2 1/2 games behind Arizona for the first time since June 10.

A four-run fifth inning highlighted by Pence’s double off reliever Silvino Bracho gave the Giants an 8-3 lead. Cory Gearrin (1-1) got one out in the fourth inning to earn the win in relief of starter Derek Holland.

Afterward, manager Bruce Bochy praised the veteran Pence – who is primarily a bench player at present – for accepting his role.

”He is our spiritual leader. I know his role has changed and he has handled it so well. This is a little bit of a change for him and it is not easy,” Bochy said. ”He has a great attitude and just wants to help the club win.”

The Giants tagged starter Zack Godley (9-6) for seven runs on nine hits in four-plus innings A.J. Green Jersey , ending his four-game winning streak. But Holland didn’t make it out of the fourth, chased after loading the bases with an intentional walk with San Francisco leading 4-3.

The Diamondbacks couldn’t take advantage, as Belt raced well beyond the first base bag into shallow right field to throw out Christian Walker at first and end the inning.

”We feel like we are in a good rhythm,” Pence said. ”It’s part of baseball and we feel like we are working on all cylinders and that is definitely momentum.”

Holland allowed three runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Godley’s five walks were the second most he’s issued in a start this season.

”I couldn’t locate certain pitches and they took advantage of that,” Godley said. ”They’re swinging the bat really well right now, one through nine.”

Arizona rallied with two runs in the seventh on Paul Goldschmidt’s 18th home run of the season, and Jarrod Dyson became the eighth player in team history to record at least two hits Michael Brockers Jersey , two RBIs and two stolen bases in a game.

The Diamondbacks brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth with two outs, but Will Smith struck out Jake Lamb for Smith’s second save.

”They kicked our butts. They came in here and beat us, straight up,” Lamb said.

WALKER IN LEFT

Walker, normally a first baseman, started Sunday in left field for the first time in his 44-game major league career.

FREQUENT FLIER

To help provide coverage for the bullpen amid a long stretch without a day off, Arizona called up Bracho from Triple-A Reno before Sunday’s game. Pitcher Jimmy Sherfy was sent back to Reno. Bracho has been recalled five times this season.

FIRST PITCH FOR FIRST PICK

Recently drafted Phoenix Suns big man Deandre Ayton Darius Slay Jersey , the first overall pick in June’s NBA Draft, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Sunday’s game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: 3B Pablo Sandoval was hit by a pitch in the right elbow in the third inning and left the game before the bottom of the inning. X-rays were negative and the injury was announced as a deep bruise, with Sandoval’s status day to day. … 3B Evan Longoria is about a week away from taking some swings as he works his way back from a broken left hand, Bochy said. … RHP Jeff Samardzija’s final rehab start for Triple- A Sacramento is set for Monday and he is expected to pitch five or six innings with around 90 pitches.

Diamondbacks: INF Ketel Marte was held out after suffering a right leg cramp in Saturday’s game. Manager Torey Lovullo said he felt the team ”dodged a bullet” as far a more serious injury.

UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (1-2) is set for his sixth start of the season in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies on Monday in Denver.

Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (3-0) is set to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the series opener at Chase Field on Monday.

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The Oakland Raiders have released former starting cornerback David Amerson in the first significant move since Jon Gruden took over as coach last month.

The Raiders announced the move to cut ties with Amerson on Monday before his $5.5 million salary for 2018 would have been fully guaranteed later this week.

Amerson was a revelation after being claimed off waivers from Washington by the Raiders early in the 2015 season. Amerson started 14 games for Oakland that year and set a franchise record with 26 passes defensed and added a career-high four interceptions.

That play earned Amerson a four-year contract extension the following summer worth up to $38 million Rigoberto Sanchez Jersey , but he never played to the level of that deal.

Amerson’s play regressed in 2016 and he struggled mightily this past season as part of a secondary that became the first to fail to record any interceptions in the first 10 games of the season in NFL history.

Amerson played only seven games before being sidelined by a foot injury for the rest of 2017. He allowed opponents to catch 23 of 31 passes thrown into his coverage area for 391 yards and four touchdowns. The 155.6 passer rating when targeting Amerson was the highest against any defender targeted at least 20 times, according to SportRadar.

Amerson was originally a second-round pick by Washington in 2013. He has eight interceptions and 63 passes defensed in 68 career games.

The Raiders still must make a decision on cornerback Sean Smith, who is owed $8.5 million for 2018 and might not be back. T.J. Carrie, who was the team’s most effective cornerback this past season Corey Coleman Jersey , is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next month.

Oakland is counting on 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley to be the starter next season at one cornerback spot. He played just two games as a rookie because of injuries.

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Todd Haley has experience calling plays, beating AFC North teams and working with star quarterbacks.

Just the kind of coach who could help the Browns win.

Haley, who was fired last week by Pittsburgh, has discussed Cleveland’s offensive coordinator position with Browns coach Hue Jackson Pat McAfee Jersey , according to a person who spoke Sunday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team is not confirming any interviews.

Haley spent six years with the Steelers before he was let go following a playoff loss to Jacksonville.

Jackson has handled offensive coordinator duties the past two seasons, but after going 0-16, he said he was open to hiring a coordinator. Jackson has previously interviewed Houston quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan and fired New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo about the job.

ESPN first reported the Browns were in ”serious talks” with Haley, whose contract expired after the Steelers were stunned 45-42 by the Jaguars.

Jackson is very familiar with the 50-year-old Haley after years spent facing each other as division foes.

Haley worked as Arizona’s coordinator and was Kansas City’s head coach for two years before joining Mike Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh.

He occasionally butted heads with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Andre Holmes Jersey , but Haley also oversaw one of the NFL’s most elite offenses spearheaded by wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell.

The Browns have struggled to score under Jackson, but Cleveland’s offense is set to get an infusion of talent. New general manager John Dorsey is likely to use either the No. 1 or No. 4 overall draft pick on a quarterback this year and the Browns are expected to be $100 million under the salary cap, money they can use for roster upgrades.

Jackson has overhauled his offensive staff this offseason.

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Longtime New York Rangers anthem singer John Amirante has died. He was 83.

His wife Kenny Golladay Jersey , Annie, told the Rangers he died of natural causes Tuesday in New York after about a week in the hospital.

The Rangers on Twitter mourned with ”great sadness” the loss of the ”legendary anthem singer” with the booming voice. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist says it was ”always special to hear his name, see him walk out and sing the way he did.”

The Bronx-born Amirante sang ”The Star-Spangled Banner” before Rangers games at Madison Square Garden from 1980 until he retired in 2015 and on special occasions afterward.

A memorable rendition came on June 14, 1994, when the Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the final to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940.

Amirante also sang before New York Knicks, Yankees and Mets games.

BOSTON — It is hard to imagine things going any better for the Boston Bruins in the first game of their 2018 playoff season Thursday night.

The opposite is true of Toronto, and things got worse for the Maple Leafs on Friday.

Much worse.

And much better for Boston.

Nazem Kadri, who took a run and then left his feet to hit a defenseless Tommy Wingels Marvin Harrison Jersey , on his knees against the boards, was suspended for three games by the NHL. He will be unavailable for Games 2 of the series Saturday night and then 3 and 4 in Toronto.

The Leafs, anticipating the suspension, which many felt would be one or perhaps two games, practiced in Boston without Kadri on Friday — Leo Komarov moving up to the top line. That is a significant drop in talent level from Kadri, a strong two-way center.

The word came down early Friday night that the Leafs would be missing a 32-goal scorer and key two-way player.

Even though the infraction appeared obvious, Kadri, who matched his career high with his second straight 32-goal season this year Luke Kuechly Jersey , defended the hit, which drew a major penalty and game misconduct, Thursday night.

“I certainly wasn’t trying to hit him while he was down like that,” he said. “I was already committed to the hit. If he’s still standing up, there isn’t anything wrong on that, but he fell.

“He was turning up the wall, so I was committed to the hit. He ended up falling. It happened pretty quick, and I think he was reaching for the puck. I don’t think I stuck my leg out or my arm out Tavon Austin Jersey , or whatever the case is, but it’s in the hands of the NHL at this point.”

The NHL Player Safety folks didn’t see it the same way.

“It is important to note that Kadri is in control of this hit at all times and while Wingels falling might not have been anticipated, Kadri has enough time to recognize Wingels is on his knees and in a defenseless position before committing to the hit,” player safety said in its video. “Instead of avoiding or minimizing this hit, Kadri drives his hip into Wingels’ upper body with enough force to cause Wingels to collide dangerously to the boards and cause himself to lift off the ice upon impact.

“…This is a forceful and illegal hit.”

Wingels wasn’t on the ice for practice Friday as he was being further evaluated. He is questionable for Saturday and it appeared Riley Nash (severely cut ear) would miss at least one more game.

After the game, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said, “I thought it was the appropriate call. I thought it was a five-minute major. Where it goes from there, out of my hands.”

The Bruins scored three power-play goals in Game 1 and their power play is clicking at a 36 percent clip (27 of 75) since March 1.

The home team also got a goal from Brad Marchand and is 14-1 when Marchand scores a goal in a playoff game. He has 18 goals and 45 points in 73 career playoff games.

Marchand also provided some levity in the opener when he licked — yes Cameron Meredith Jersey , licked — the face of Toronto’s Komarov after the two had tussled most of the night. It was a repeat of something Marchand had done during a regular-season game.

“I was trying to get into his head,” Marchand said Thursday. “He kept coming after me after whistles and stuff like that every time he was going to the bench. I just thought that if he wanted to keep touching me and that we were going to get a little closer, then he might want to.”

Getting little help from his teammate, Fredrick Andersen suffered only his second loss in 12 career decisions against the Bruins.

“We all know in this room that wasn’t our best game, so we’re excited to get back tomorrow,” Andersen said Friday.

That may well be more difficult with Kadri gone.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks staked Patrick Corbin to a five-run lead before he threw a pitch.

The left-hander easily made it stand up.

Paul Goldschmidt homered and Corbin pitched seven strong innings to pick up his first win in seven weeks Dawuane Smoot Jersey , leading Arizona to a 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

A.J. Pollack had two hits and Jeff Mathis added a two-run double as the Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in their last five games at Wrigley Field.

They sent nine batters to the plate while scoring five in the first.

”That’s always good when you get to bat in the first inning, even though I struck out,” Corbin said. ”The offense has been great putting up a lot of runs. If we just go out and do our jobs and minimize damage, we should look pretty good.”

Corbin (7-4) gave up just one run and six hits while striking out nine for his first win since June 5. He was 0-2 with a 3.98 ERA in seven starts since.

Goldschmidt’s homer, his 22nd of the season, made it 6-0 in the second. He was 2 for 5 after going 1 for 12 with nine strikeouts in three games since the All-Star break. Goldschmidt came in with a .361 career average (48 for 133) against the Cubs, including a three-homer game at Wrigley Field last Aug. 3.

”It doesn’t matter what park he’s in,” D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said. ”I get that same feeling every time he steps to the plate, no matter where he’s at.”

For the second time in four days, Chicago turned to position players to pitch at the end of a lopsided game. Backup catcher Victor Caratini threw one pitch to get the final out of the eighth. After giving up a lead-off single to Goldschmidt in the ninth, Caratini got David Peralta to hit into a double play. Anthony Rizzo then came on to get the final out of the inning in his first career appearance on the mound.

Rizzo had been lobbying manager Joe Maddon to pitch for years.

”That’s it Adam Shaheen Jersey ,” Rizzo said. ”I got to do what I want to do, lot of fun, and career zero ERA now.”

After playing five games in four days following the All-Star break, the Cubs turned to Luke Farrell (3-4) for a spot start. It didn’t go well from the outset.

Pollack opened the scoring by lining a one-out RBI single off Farrell’s left forearm and into center field, scoring Jon Jay from second base. Jake Lamb followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Ketel Marte then singled to drive in Pollack for a 3-0 lead. After Daniel Descalso singled, Mathis capped the big inning with a two-run double down the left-field line.

”I just left some sliders up in the zone,” Farrell said. ”The damage they really did was on the slider.”

Farrell allowed six runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings as his ERA jumped from 3.86 to 5.17.

The Cubs broke through against Corbin in the sixth on an RBI grounder by Rizzo, scoring Ian Happ who led off with a double.

Nick Ahmed drove in Arizona’s final run with a pinch-hit single in the eighth.

FUN AND GAMES

Lovullo admitted he was a little surprised when Maddon brought in Rizzo to pitch. Lovullo was asked if he’d ever bring in his first baseman to pitch.

”If I do, I’ll probably get fired,” he said. ”Paul Goldschmidt, I can tell you Ezekiel Elliott Jersey , will never pitch in a game.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: LHP T.J. McFarland (left neck tightness) was reinstated from the 10-day DL prior to the game. To make room on the active roster, RHP Silvino Bracho was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Sunday night.

UP NEXT

RHP Clay Buchholz (2-1, 2.56 ERA) is expected to be activated from the 10-day DL to start for the D-Backs on Tuesday night. Buchholz (strained left oblique) made one rehab start for Single-A Visalia, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings. RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 3.99) pitches for the Cubs.

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Rashad Greene has missed nearly twice as many games as he's played in three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, leaving the receiver with plenty to prove going into the final year of his rookie contract.

It's not an ideal position. It's also not one Greene seems concerned about.

"I'm a deep thinker and I'm aware that life is going to hit you sometimes," Greene said after minicamp Wednesday. "It's hitting me this way, and it's my job. You've got to be able to bounce back and be strong and show that you can overcome adversity. It builds character and makes you a better person."

He's counting on it making him a better player, too.

Just being healthy is a good start.

Greene missed seven games as a rookie in 2015 because of a broken thumb. He missed eight more the following year because of an Achilles injury. He sat out all of last season with an ailing back.

Even with the injuries mounting, his confidence never wavered.

So it didn't bother him when the Jaguars signed Donte Moncrief to a one-year, $9.6 million deal in free agency or when they selected DJ Chark in the second round of the NFL draft.

"I wasn't thinking Jared Veldheer Jersey , 'Oh, this is the end,' or getting agitated with what was going on," Greene said. "You've got to make plays. At the end of the day, it's a job, and if you don't make plays, you're not going to make the team. That's imperative.

"You can't have anxiety. You just got to relax, have fun and make plays."

Greene would have been considered a long shot to make Jacksonville's roster just a few weeks ago. But the former Florida State standout, a fifth-round draft pick in 2015, has made his share of plays during organized team activities.

He's been so impressive that he looks like a strong option to be part of a rotation that includes Marqise Lee, Moncrief Royce Freeman Jersey , Keelan Cole and Chark.

"A lot of times when you are injured, you do not have that ability to showcase what you can do," coach Doug Marrone said. "I think he went through that last year and right now he is healthy, performing well and looking a lot like the player that I first saw when he came here, making plays and doing things.

"I think that if he keeps continuing the way he does and continues to play this way during training camp and the preseason, he will be heavily involved in the mix of making this team."

Greene has 24 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He's been more dynamic on special teams, returning 39 punts for 432 yards and a score. He averaged 16.7 yards a punt return as a rookie.

But injuries have been his more prominent story line.

"He is definitely versatile," offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said. "He is a smooth wide receiver that has a lot of good quick shake and control of his body. He is a guy that we are excited to see as the pads come on and as training camp goes. We just want to keep seeing him. He is doing everything he can to put himself in position to get out on the field."

And maybe watch less and play more.

"All I can ask for is a chance," Greene said. "And the organization is giving me that. It feels great to be out there and competing. I'm having fun, and I can live with the results."

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As he maneuvered through the NFL draft on Saturday La'el Collins Jersey , Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman certainly had his eye on filling team needs.

Trusting his coaches to develop players, Spielman also had a specific focus on athleticism.

Minnesota, after trading out of the third round and holding the second pick in the fourth round, selected Ohio State defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes to start Saturday's third day of the draft. Later, the team added two former basketball players as part of a six-player, final day haul.

"Sticking with the athletic traits we're looking for and relying on this coaching staff to develop a lot of this young talent," Spielman said. "A lot of the traits that they have, you can't teach, you can't coach, but you can sure develop them."

Spielman continued to move around the board on Saturday. The Vikings then made a pair of trades with the New York Jets, adding tight end Tyler Conklin from Central Michigan and the first kicker taken in the draft in Auburn's Daniel Carlson in the fifth round.

Minnesota added guard Colby Gossett from Appalachian State, Tulane defensive end Ade Aruna and California linebacker Devante Downs.

Holmes, a 270-pound defensive end at Ohio State, likely will play inside for the Vikings. He ran 4.82 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, sixth among defensive ends.

Conklin and Aruna were both former basketball players.

Conklin left behind a scholarship at Northwood University as a basketball player to walk on to the football team at Central Michigan. Aruna came to the United States from Nigeria to play high school basketball before switching to football prior to his senior season.

Conklin had the second-best mark among tight ends in the vertical jump and 60-yard shuttle at the combine.

Aruna also flashed his traits at the combine. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound end was second among all defensive lineman in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.60 seconds and had the top vertical jump and broad jump.

"We'll have a hell of an intramural team Rigoberto Sanchez Jersey ," Spielman joked. "All these guys are long. All these guys can jump out of the gym. All these guys can run. When you have those traits, to me and to this coaching staff, our philosophy if we can get athletes in like that, it gives you a chance to hit on some guys that can be pretty special."

Spielman referenced the team's selection of defensive end Danielle Hunter in the third round in 2015 after Hunter had 1陆 sacks as a senior. He's developed into a starting end and has 25陆 sacks in three seasons.

Aruna's basketball background even included a matchup with NBA forward Andrew Wiggins where Aruna was responsible for defending the eventual Minnesota Timberwolves player.

"As soon as we got down to the stadium to play that game, my coach told me, 'Hey, I want you to guard Andrew Wiggins. He's going to be your assignment tonight,'" Aruna said. "I told him, 'No problem, if that's how you want it I will get it done, just like that.' I gave him one of the lowest scoring games of his high school career, that night."

EXTRA POINTS: Carlson could replace Kai Forbath as Minnesota's kicker after hearing his name selected in the fifth round. Carlson was a three-time finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the best kicker in college football, and was a second-team All-American the past two seasons.

Forbath re-signed with the Vikings in March on a one-year contract after an inconsistent season in which he led the NFL with five missed extra-point attempts and hit just 84.2 percent of his field-goal attempts.

In four years at Auburn, Carlson was perfect on 198 extra-point attempts.

"At this next level, extra points are backed up a little so it is going to take that much more focus and hopefully that can continue to keep that streak alive and take pride in making sure I am mentally locked in Marcus Cooper Jersey ," Carlson said.

He hit 80.7 percent of his field-goal attempts, including an 87.5 percent mark in 2016 before hitting 23 of 31 (74.2 percent) last season.

Spielman said Carlson and Forbath will compete for the job during the summer.

CURLING FOR PICKS: Minnesota's fourth-round pick was delivered via the St. Paul Curling Club from the U.S. Olympic men's gold medal-winning curling team. The team led by captain John Schuster, a Minnesota native, announced the pick of Holmes.

Holmes was selected 102nd overall, which was the same pick Washington used to get quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2012. In his first chance at free agency, Cousins signed a three-year contract worth $84 million in March.

STILL NEED: Minnesota went for need during the three days of the draft, hitting the most important spots along the lines and at cornerback. Perhaps more work is needed after the Vikings weren't able to come away with an expected immediate starter on the right side of the offensive line.

One spot Minnesota didn't address was safety, where it returns All-Pro Harrison Smith along with starter Andrew Sendejo. The top backups are Anthony Harris and Jayron Kearse.

Julio Jones remains in coach Dan Quinn's good graces even after missing the opening day of the Atlanta Falcons' mandatory minicamp.

Quinn said Tuesday he thought Jones, who missed voluntary offseason workouts , would participate in the minicamp. The coach said he found out Monday that Jones would skip the minicamp.

Quinn wouldn't share details of his conversation with Jones but said "Sometimes football and business intersect and that's OK and that happens a lot."

Jones has three years remaining on his five-year, $71.3 million deal with $47 million in guaranteed money but could soon have the deal tweaked. Quinn said the team is "right in the middle" of talks with Jones, a five-time Pro Bowl selection.

Quinn has emphasized "brotherhood" and making sure players do everything as a team. Players stood together as a team on the sideline during the national anthem for all games after two players kneeled in protest early in the 2017 season.

Could Jones' absence hurt the Falcons' unity?

"No," Quinn said. "I recognize the question, for sure. Do we want everybody here all the time? Hell yeah, like all the time. ... What I'd say is if you ask to a man, the guy is a hell of a teammate and the time he spends here D'Onta Foreman Jersey , the way he mentors people, how hard he plays, there is plenty of brotherhood in Julio."

Receiver Mohamed Sanu said he and other players were not impacted by Jones' absence.

"Whether he's present or not, we were just focused on what we have to do today," said Sanu, the team's No. 2 receiver behind Jones.

Jones, 29, remains one of the league's top receivers. He earned his fourth straight Pro Bowl berth last season when he had 88 catches for 1,444 yards. It was his fourth straight season with at least 80 receptions and 1,400 receiving yards.

Jones' salary cap figure of $12.9 million for 2018 ranks seventh among NFL receivers, well behind recent deals signed by Tampa Bay's Mike Evans ($18.252 million in 2018) and Cleveland's Jarvis Landry ($15.5 million).

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said Monday he has been in talks with Jones and Jones' agent, Jimmy Sexton.

Sexton did not return a message from The Associated Press.

Jones' holdout comes after the Falcons made quarterback Matt Ryan the league's top-paid player this offseason with a five-year extension that could be worth $150 million.

Quinn said he was not disappointed in Jones' decision to miss minicamp because Jones remained in constant communication and explained why his plans changed.

"Sometimes circumstances change and as long as players communicate with me on why circumstances change, then I never am disappointed as long as communication with me is very clear," Quinn said. "... The things that jam me up are when people don't communicate."

Quinn wouldn't say if Jones will be fined for missing the first day of the three-day minicamp.

Without Jones on the field, Ryan's top targets included Sanu, rookie first-round pick Calvin Ridley and Justin Hardy. Like Jones Doug Flutie Jersey , Ridley played at Alabama.

An undrafted rookie, Christian Blake, from Northern Illinois, reached up to make an impressive catch over the middle.

"All those guys, Calvin, Christian Blake, it was good to see those guys make plays and do what they do," Sanu said.

Quinn praised the rookies' speed and said the class "has a chance to be an excellent one."

NOTES: The team waived S Quincy Mauger, who spent his 2017 rookie season on injured reserve with a knee injury. He was an undrafted free agent from Georgia. ... RB Devonta Freeman, who was slowed by a sprained right knee late last season, appeared to be fully recovered on his runs with the first-team offense.

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The Bengals resolved their biggest offseason question when they gave coach Marvin Lewis a two-year extension through 2019 on Tuesday Cheap Sam Darnold Jersey , providing him yet another chance – a 16th, actually – to try to get a playoff win.

There are a lot of issues to work through before they can even think in those terms.

The contract extension came after two days of discussions between Lewis and owner Mike Brown about how the franchise has to change.

It’s unclear if Brown – a traditionalist who likes to stay with the familiar, including head coaches – will cede much control to Lewis.

Lewis has been the head coach for the past 15 seasons – the second-longest active tenure in the NFL to New England’s Bill Belichick – and was the key to changing Cincinnati from a down-and-out team to respectability.

He hasn’t been able to take it to that next step – win a playoff game. Lewis is 0-7 in the playoffs, the worst coaching mark in NFL history. He wanted to make sure that he and Brown were on the same page about making changes coming off a 7-9 season that ended with their stadium half-empty.

Players realized that a coaching change could ripple through everything.

”You’re going to be going with a new head coach, it could be a completely new staff … there’s just a lot of uncertainty with that,” quarterback Andy Dalton said. ”I think that’s the biggest thing is just the unknown.”

Instead Authentic Da'Ron Payne Jersey , Brown decided to stay with what’s familiar. And now, there are some big offseason challenges.

WHO’S COORDINATING? Lewis’ assistants are up for contract renewals, too. The biggest question is who will be the offensive coordinator next season. Dalton and the offense were best when Hue Jackson was the coordinator in 2015 – Dalton led the AFC in passer rating. Jackson went to Cleveland, and the offense became less creative and less productive under Ken Zampese, who was fired after an 0-2 start this season. Replacement Bill Lazor was confined by Zampese’s system, but got more out of it. Still Mitch Haniger Seattle Mariners Jersey , the Bengals finished last in the NFL in offense for only the second time in club history. They need a coordinator who can redesign and rejuvenate the offense.

WHAT ABOUT THE O-LINE? The Bengals knew that the offensive line was going to be a work in progress with two inexperienced tackles. It was far worse than they’d hoped, unable to protect Dalton or open holes for a running game that was the worst in club history. The offensive line is the first focus of the offseason.

DALTON’S BACKUP: The Bengals have been fortunate at quarterback, with Dalton avoiding significant injury over his career. The one time he got hurt – a broken thumb near the end of the 2015 season – AJ McCarron took over and led the team into the playoffs, giving them a sense of comfort should Dalton go down.

McCarron’s contract is up, and there’s a dispute over whether he’s a restricted free agent – which gives the club some control – or unrestricted, which means he can go wherever he wants. McCarron wants to start somewhere Mike Piazza Jersey , and he knows that it won’t be in Cincinnati. A ruling on his status will come down mid-February and set everything in motion.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT BURFICT? The Bengals’ most valuable defensive player was again one of its least dependable because of suspension, ejection and injuries.

Linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s no-holds-barred style of play got him another three-game suspension, an in-game ejection, and a series of injuries, limiting him to 10 games. He finished with only 1+ sacks. In 2016, he missed five games because of suspension and injury. He’s not going to change his style of play Cheap Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey , which means the defense is never sure how much it can count on him week to week.

THE FANS: Attendance dropped significantly at Paul Brown Stadium, which was half-empty for the final game. The Bengals aren’t going to sell tickets until fans are convinced that significant changes are on the way. How do the Bengals get them back while bringing back Lewis?

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Andrew Luck is throwing footballs again.

Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich said Tuesday that Luck has begun to throw as part of the rehab for his surgically repaired shoulder. Luck missed the entire 2017 season because of the injury.

Reich said he hasn't seen Luck in action yet Saquon Barkley Jersey Elite , but the franchise quarterback is clearly making progress after spending time in California working with quarterback mechanics gurus Tom House and Adam Dedeaux.

Luck led the Colts to 11 wins in each of his first three seasons and went to the Pro Bowl three times. He has missed 26 games in the past three seasons and Indianapolis hasn't reached the playoffs since losing the AFC championship "Deflategate" game to New England in January 2015.

Luck is expected to participate when the Colts begin their workout program April 9.

Reich was the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last season and helped Carson Wentz develop into an MVP candidate before he went down with a torn ACL. Backup Nick Foles stepped in and was sensational in the playoffs, earning Super Bowl MVP honors.

Reich, who got the Colts job when Josh McDaniels backed out to return to New England as offensive coordinator, is excited to work with Luck, one of the NFL's elite QBs when healthy. Reich spoke at his first league meetings as a head coach since replacing Chuck Pagano.

The Colts were 4-12 last season but Reich saw the Eagles go from last place in 2016 to Super Bowl champs.

"No one is playing for second place," Reich said. "We're not playing to just improve. We're playing for championships. I'm not being paid (for rebuilding). There's not one ounce of me that's being patient. There's not one ounce of me that thinks we're in a rebuilding project. Every ounce of me feels like we're winning this year. We were 4-12 last year. That can turn around with a few breaks, staying healthy, a few more players and we can get it done."

The Colts will need Luck healthy to compete in the AFC South.

Indianapolis made a big trade with the New York Jets to potentially add talented players who can contribute right away. The Colts moved down just three spots, from No. 3 to No. 6 overall in the draft Mike Gesicki Dolphins Jersey , and acquired two second-round picks this year and one in 2019.

Don't expect them to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the draft class: Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield.

"I think it's the best class I've ever seen," Reich joked. "They should go 1-2-3-4."

With the bases loaded and the game tied in the 10th inning, Brad Miller plotted his approach as he came to the plate.

”You just look like you’re going to swing and don’t swing,” Miller said.

Miller drew a bases-loaded walk with one out and the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers rallied past the Minnesota Twins, 6-5 on Monday night.

Nate Orf, playing in his first major league game, was hit by a pitch from Zack Littell (0-2) leading off the 10th. Manny Pina followed with a single and Keon Broxton walked.

Pinch-hitter Hernan Perez Seahawks Game Jerseys , hitting against five infielders, hit a grounder to the left side that shortstop Jorge Polanco fielded and fired to the plate to force Orf before Miller got his chance against Littell.

”It’s tough right now,” Littell said, trying to explain his lack of command in the 10th.

Corey Knebel (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th with a pair of strikeouts for the Brewers, who trailed 5-1 after Robbie Grossman blasted his first career grand slam with two outs in the fifth off Milwaukee starter Brent Suter.

Milwaukee has allowed grand slams in three consecutive games.

Four Brewers relievers combined on five shutout innings.

”Corey had a dynamite inning,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. ”It was an outing for the bullpen. They kept us alive in that game.”

The Brewers rallied against Twins closer Fernando Rodney in the ninth to tie it. After retiring pinch-hitter Eric Sogard, Rodney gave up three consecutive singles to load the bases for Travis Shaw, who tied it with a sacrifice fly. Rodney blew his fifth save opportunity this season.

The Twins tied it at 1 in the third on a one-out RBI groundout by Brian Dozier, one pitch after Dozier appeared to have struck out swinging. Plate umpire Doug Eddings ruled that Dozier had fouled off the pitch Jaguars Ronnie Harrison Jersey , a call argued by Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell.

Suter gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings.

Pina led off the Brewers’ fifth with a homer off Kyle Gibson to cut the Twins’ lead to three. Milwaukee added another run on Miller’s bloop single and pulled to 5-4 when Twins third baseman Willians Astudillo failed to cleanly field Ryan Braun’s grounder near the bag.

Gibson gave up eight hits and three earned runs over five innings.

ORF’S LONG JOURNEY

The undrafted Orf, 28, started at second base. He has been one of the top-producing players in the Brewers’ farm system for many years and fans have long been clamoring for him to be called up, even launching a (hash)FreeNateOrf campaign on Twitter.

”He is one of the more respected and revered players in our organization because of the way he treats people and because of the way he goes about his business,” Brewers general manager David Stearns said.

Orf, whose parents traveled from St. Louis for the game, narrowly missed hitting a grand slam in the fifth but Max Kepler hauled in the deep drive at the center-field wall.

”After I hit it, I was like this is it. This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” Orf said. ”Then he caught it.”

HITTING HURLERS

Gibson Cheap Jason McCourty Jersey , who had singles in his first two at-bats, entered the game with just a pair of career hits in 16 at-bats. His single leading off the third was his first hit since June 2015.

”I’d rather go 0 for 5 and go eight innings,” Gibson said.

Suter singled in his only at-bat and Milwaukee reliever Taylor Williams got his first career hit with a sixth-inning single.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Twins: Reinstated SS Jorge Polanco following an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. To make room for Polanco, OF Ryan LaMarre was designated for release or assignment. … Recalled RHP Zack Littell from Triple-A Rochester and sent LHP Adalberto Mejia to Rochester.

Brewers: OF Christian Yelich sat out for the fourth consecutive time since leaving Thursday’s game with lower back tightness. ..RHP Aaron Wilkerson was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs when Orf was recalled. …Transferred INF/OF Nick Franklin, who has been out since May with a quadriceps injury, to the 60-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Twins: Jake Odorizzi (3-5, 4.62 ERA) allowed one run and five hits with 10 strikeouts in a May 20 start against the Brewers but didn’t factor into the decision.

Brewers: Junior Guerra (4-5, 3.05) surrendered one run and four hits in 4 1/3 innings and received no decision in a 3-1 loss to the Twins in Minneapolis on May 20.

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Trevor Bauer is piling up the strikeouts. And Kendall Wright Color Rush Jersey , the Cleveland Indians are piling up the wins.

Bauer (7-5) struck out 11 over 6 1/3 innings to beat Detroit for the fourth time this season, leading Cleveland past the Tigers 4-1 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win overall.

The right-hander recorded his seventh double-figure strikeout game of the season, including five of his last six starts. Bauer has struck out 140 this season and is tied for the AL lead with Boston’s Chris Sale.

”I definitely take pride in it,” Bauer said. ”It’s what I enjoy doing most, punching guys out.”

Bauer’s consecutive games with double-digit strikeouts was interrupted Monday by a rain delay after he struck out eight in seven innings against the Chicago White Sox. He threw 100 pitches and didn’t return after the delay.

”I wish it hadn’t rained last game,” he said. ”It would have been six in a row, but I’ll start a new streak this time.”

Bauer allowed a run in the second inning on a wild pitch and was pulled after Dixon Machado’s one-out single in the seventh. He’s 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA in four starts against the Tigers.

”He’s got quality pitches across the board,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. ”That’s part of what’s making him so good.”

Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer in the fifth, and Jose Ramirez – who reached base in his 30th consecutive game – and Edwin Encarnacion had RBI singles in a three-run first.

Cody Allen struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 17 opportunities.

Francisco Liriano (3-3) Authentic Customized Patriots Jerseys , making his first start in a month, allowed three runs – two earned – in four innings. The left-hander, who strained his right hamstring against the White Sox on May 26, threw 40 pitches in the first.

”He was rushing and after the first inning we told him you got to slow down,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”Just make your pitches and don’t overthrow the ball. We had a chance to get out of there and we cost him some extra pitches in the first.”

Detroit lost its fourth straight and committed three errors. Catcher James McCann dropped a throw from center field that allowed a run to score in the first.

Bauer struck out the game’s first two hitters, but a walk, single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. McCann struck out, ending the 28-pitch inning. Bauer allowed five hits, walked two 49ers Dante Pettis Jersey , hit two batters and threw 112 pitches.

Cleveland’s first consisted of four hits, two walks, two wild pitches and McCann’s error. Ramirez singled in the first to score Lindor. Encarnacion followed with another single for a 2-0 lead.

Following a wild pitch, Brandon Guyer singled to center. Encarnacion would have been out by 10 feet, but scored on a slide when McCann couldn’t hang on to Leyonis Martin’s throw.

Liriano made his first start since straining his right hamstring against the Chicago White Sox on May 26.

Oliver Perez retired the final two batters in the seventh and Neil Ramirez worked a scoreless eighth.

CAUTIOUS APPROACH

The Indians aren’t going to rush left-hander Andrew Miller to come back from his sore right knee, an injury that has had him on the disabled list since May 26. He won’t throw off a mound for 10 days and there’s no timetable for his return.

”We saw the load he carried a couple years ago,” Francona said. ”For us to get where we want to go, and have the best chance to do that, he’s going to carry a big load. So we feel like being patient is the best chance to get there.”

BUT WHO’S COUNTING?

The first inning lasted 36 minutes and included five hits Youth Kerryon Johnson Jersey , three walks, a hit batter, two wild pitches, an error, nine baserunners and a combined 68 pitches.

QUICK CHANGE

Detroit started the week with a five-game winning streak, but lost twice in Cincinnati and has dropped the first two games of this series.

”You look at Cincinnati, they’re hot,” Gardenhire said. ”We come in here and this team is hot. It’s all part of the schedule. Right now, we are scuffling offensively and it all kind of molds together.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Johnny Barbato (rotator cuff tendinitis) is on the 10-day disabled list. He allowed five runs in one-third of an inning Friday.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (bruised elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday. He was struck on the elbow by a line drive hit by Minnesota’s Joe Mauer on June 16.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd (4-5 http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-isaac-yiadom-jersey , 3.63 ERA) is 1-2 with a 1.78 ERA in six career appearances – five starts – against Cleveland.

Indians: RHP Adam Plutko (3-1, 5.40) will make his fifth career start for Cleveland.

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The former NFL linebacker known as "Lights Out" will try to punch out an opponent's lights in a bare-knuckle boxing match.

Shawne Merriman has agreed to compete with the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation on a pay-per-view event in Casper, Wyoming, this fall, the promoters announced Wednesday.

The 34-year-old Merriman was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his eight-year NFL career with the Chargers and the Bills.

Merriman retired from the NFL in 2013, and he flirted with the idea of becoming a professional wrestler the next year. He has trained in mixed martial arts during his retirement, even considering a professional bout in Japan.

Several UFC veterans also have agreed to fight on the bare-knuckle show in Wyoming.

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While Kirk Cousins was on his way to visit http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brandon-parker-jersey , the Minnesota Vikings were moving swiftly toward securing a potential backup.

According to a person with knowledge of the negotiations, the Vikings were working on a trade Wednesday with the Denver Broncos to acquire quarterback Trevor Siemian. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by NFL Media, was not final.

Cousins, meanwhile, arrived on a private plane with his wife and infant son before heading downtown for dinner with team officials with all signs pointing to a deal as the new league year began.

Siemian would give the Vikings a capable backup who started 24 games for the Broncos over the last two seasons, with the free agent Cousins the team's primary target. As the Vikings watched quarterbacks Case Keenum (Denver), Sam Bradford (Arizona) and Teddy Bridgewater (New York) all join other teams as the new league year began, they were running out of options on a market that began with an unusually high amount of accomplished quarterbacks but quickly dried up amid the opening flurry. The Jets not only brought in Bridgewater, they re-signed veteran Josh McCown, too.

The Broncos juggled between Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch last season and split the position in 2016 between Siemian and Lynch. Siemian, who was drafted by Denver in 2015 in the seventh round out of Northwestern, has a 79.9 career passer rating with 30 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over the last two years. He was never the favored candidate, but he climbed his way to the top of the depth chart after Peyton Manning's retirement and gave the rebuilding club some decent performances despite some struggles.

The Vikings also still have Kyle Sloter Authentic Vita Vea Jersey , a prospect they signed last September after he was cut in training camp by the Broncos. They even elevated him to the active roster last season to make sure they could keep him, while Bradford was sidelined with a knee injury and Keenum was thriving as the unexpected starter.

Twin Cities television stations staked out the small airport where the Cousins family landed with Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and the restaurant for footage of Cousins, the 29-year-old who also pushed himself up the pecking order with Washington after being drafted in the fourth round in 2012 behind second overall pick Robert Griffin III. Cousins has topped 4,000 passing yards in each of the last three seasons and, despite not owning a single victory in the playoffs, became the most valuable player on this year's free agent market given his age, durability and accomplishments. ESPN reported Tuesday that Cousins will sign a fully guaranteed $84 million contract that spans three years, but his agent said no decision had been made yet.

If the deal gets done as expected and Cousins stays healthy through the preseason, he'll represent the sixth different quarterback start Minnesota's season opener in six years.

The Vikings also let versatile running back Jerick McKinnon leave Wednesday for San Francisco and backup cornerback Tramaine Brock sign with Denver. Nine more of their players became unrestricted free agents, with kicker Kai Forbath, cornerback Terence Newman and punt returner Marcus Sherels atop the list of players likely to return. Guard Joe Berger has not yet decided whether to continue his career for a 14th season or retire.

Solomon Thomas knows the pain of having a loved one take her own life after his older sister killed herself this offseason.

Thomas and his family now want to use the anguish from Ella Thomas’ death on Jan. 23 for a good cause by raising awareness about the dangers of depression and trying to prevent other suicides.

”It’s big to let people know it’s OK to be sad, it’s OK not to be perfect because you never are,” Thomas said. ”There are so many things that happen in life, good, bad Customized Indianapolis Colts Jerseys , stuff that you don’t know about, and it’s going to affect how you feel. That’s huge. It’s about changing the culture of how you’re supposed to feel or act.”

Thomas, a second-year defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, will return to his family’s home in the Dallas area this weekend to take part Saturday in The Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk, which benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Thomas has already raised more than $27,000 for the cause.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 44,000 suicides a year in the United States and it is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 34.

”That’s insane,” Solomon Thomas said. ”That’s a huge deal. That’s a lot of people who couldn’t get help – a lot of people who need help and a lot of people being affected. It’s more than that who are going through depression and going through all the sadness. That needs to be talked about. There needs to be help for everyone out there. I want people to know they can reach out and be loved.”

The 22-year-old Thomas got the news about Ella in a phone call from his father while working out back in Texas. He got plenty of support from the Niners right away with owner Jed York, general manager John Lynch, kicker Robbie Gould and former teammate Elvis Dumervil among the people who came to Texas for the funeral.

Others in the organization have been there with timely texts, cards and other good wishes that have helped Thomas get through this difficult time.

Ella Thomas had been dealing with depression for years and her family had tried to get her help. While Ella was open with her struggles, Thomas knows many others keep those thoughts hidden, sometimes out of fear of a stigma some put on mental illness.

That’s why he thinks it was so important that NBA stars like Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan have been open about their struggles with panic attacks and depression.

It’s also why he is taking part in the walk to let others know they aren’t alone in dealing with these issues.

”Mental health and suicide aren’t things people want to talk about,” Thomas said. ”Mental health Logan Paulsen Color Rush Jersey , depression, it’s a disease just like anything else. And when you talk about other diseases, people talk about them like, `We’ll get you through this,’ whatever. But, then, when you talk about depression or mental health or suicide, people kind of scare away because it’s such a serious topic. You don’t know how to handle it. You don’t want to say the wrong thing to push someone over the edge. But it’s such an important topic, such a serious topic, that people need to start talking about it.”

Like many siblings just two years apart in age, Ella and Solomon clashed at times as youngsters but started to grow extremely close when Solomon was in middle school and Ella started high school.

That friendship endured for the rest of Ella’s life. Thomas, who played football at Stanford, was drafted by the 49ers with the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. She came out to watch about six of Solomon’s games as a rookie last year.

”We finished each other’s sentences, all that kind of stuff. She was my best friend,” he said. ”We were always open with each other Authentic Tre'Quan Smith Jersey , never had anything bad, very transparent. If you couldn’t go to Mom or Dad, we were always there (for each other). She always lit up the room. You always knew Ella was there, whether she was just being loud or whether she was just in there trying to talk to people. She was so good with people. She worked in the restaurant industry and obviously she had to be good with people and she always was. She could make a crying baby smile. You always knew Ella was there. She just had this heart, and she loved everyone as hard as she could, whether they deserved her love or whether they didn’t deserve her trust or whether she just met them, she always loved them. That’ll always stick with me, Ella’s heart.”

Thomas keeps Ella’s memory close him with a purple wristband that reads Ella Elizabeth Thomas with a heart symbol and the date of her death. He also never forgets a lesson his sister taught him after she went through a difficult time in high school when her best friend’s brother died.

”She came up to me and she was like, `Solly, we never know when our last day is, I want us to make sure we take advantage of every day and be best friends and love each other as hard as we can for the rest of our lives,”’ he recalled. ”That always stuck home with me, and that’s a lesson I’ll pass along to other people.”

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