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Rashaad Penny PHI RB
Rashaad Penny: Intends to sign in Carolina
16m agoPenny plans to sign with the Panthers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Penny's signing is expected to become official after the conclusion of Carolina's rookie minicamp, which ends May 12. The 2018 first-rounder is coming off a forgettable season with Philadelphia, where he was a healthy scratch for all but three contests and spent most of the year operating as the team's fourth running back. With the Panthers, Penny is in line to join a crowded backfield including rookie second-round pick Jonathon Brooks (ACL), who is expected to be ready for training camp, along with veterans Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.
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Nathan Rourke NE QB
Nathan Rourke: Being let go by Patriots
44m agoThe Patriots plan to waive Rourke, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.
Given that the Patriots took two quarterbacks (Drake Maye and Joe Milton) in last month's NFL draft and also roster Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe, it's not surprising that the team elected to part ways with Rourke. The 25-year-old has yet to appear in an NFL regular season game, but Rourke did draw 11 starts over two campaigns (2021 and 2022) with the CFL's BC Lions.
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Chris Olave NO WR
Saints' Chris Olave: Set as WR1 in Big Easy
17h agoOlave once again is in line to serve as the focal point of New Orleans' passing attack after the team added just one wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting Bub Means at No. 170 overall.
Olave is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. The 2022 first-round pick has provided much-needed juice to an otherwise stale Saints offense. In fact, he's the only receiver to put up more than 720 yards in either of the past two seasons, as the team relied largely on aging veterans like Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry to buoy the passing game. New Orleans then moved on from Landry during the 2023 offseason before cutting Thomas in March. Meanwhile, the team went cheap with its additions at the position, signing free agents Cedrick Wilson and Equanimeous St. Brown and waiting until the fifth round to draft Means. As a result, the Saints will more than likely enter the 2024 campaign with three pass catchers who have recorded more than 500 yards in a single season: Olave, No.2 wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and tight end Juwan Johnson. A.T. Perry, a 2023 sixth-round pick, will likely round out this receiving room, which Olave should clearly lead this season.
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Alvin Kamara NO RB
Saints' Alvin Kamara: Role safe following NFL Draft
18h agoKamara (ankle) is in a strong position to maintain his role in New Orleans' offense after the team did not pick a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft, instead signing Jacob Kibodi as an undrafted free agent.
The Saints added two running backs by this point of last offseason, bringing in veteran free agent Jamaal Williams and third-round pick Kendre Miller for depth behind Kamara. The latter running back still shouldered the majority of work out of the backfield with 180 carries for 694 yards and five touchdowns. He also played a significant role in the passing game with 75 receptions for 466 yards. This versatility speaks to Kamara's importance in what was an extremely limited offense. Williams unsurprisingly played much more sparingly as a short-yardage back, and he should function in a similar role in 2024. Taysom Hill has always been used as a Swiss Army Knife who, at times, operates as a rushing quarterback out of the shotgun. However, Hill's usage has never threatened Kamara's production in the past. Instead, his biggest obstacles to seeing another heavy workload in 2024 would be whether or not Miller starts to see more opportunities or if Kamara continues to struggle with injuries, as he did miss the 2023 season finale with a sprained ankle. The Saints added offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which could help keep defenders off of Kamara while improving the team's ground game as a whole.
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Brandon Aiyuk SF WR
49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Likely staying in Bay Area
21h ago49ers GM John Lynch recently told ESPN's Pat McAfee Show that he doesn't want to trade Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel despite taking Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Trade rumors earlier in the offseason centered on Aiyuk, who is scheduled to play out 2024 under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. After the Niners drafted Pearsall, a few reporters suggested Samuel was actually more likely to be moved, in which case the Niners presumably would place greater emphasis on signing Aiyuk to a long-term deal. It now appears both will stay with the team this season, as will returning No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings. That's not a guarantee, but it at least seems more likely that spring 2025 will be the break-up date for San Francisco's veteran WR corps. Aiyuk and Jennings are only under contract through 2024, while Samuel has two more years on his deal but no guaranteed money after this season.
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Izaiah Gathings KC WR
Izaiah Gathings: Cut by Kansas City
2d agoThe Chiefs waived Gathings on Saturday, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.
Gathings inked a reserve/future deal with Kansas City back in February after being part of the team's practice squad for nearly two months to close out the 2023 campaign. He's yet to play in a regular-season game.
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Nolan Jones COL LF
Rockies' Nolan Jones: Resumes drills
4m agoJones (back) did throwing and running drills ahead of Saturday's game against the Pirates, MLB.com reports.
Jones had been shut down for a few days since landing on the injured list Tuesday. Manager Bud Black acknowledged that Jones is progressing each day, and the current expectation is that he will be able to return by mid-May.
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Marco Gonzales PIT SP
Pirates' Marco Gonzales: Expected to avoid surgery
10m agoGeneral manager Ben Cherington said he expects Gonzales (forearm) to pitch again this season, MLB.com reports.
Gonzales received a second opinion during the final week of April. The Pirates haven't disclosed the exact diagnosis, but Cherington said "conservative treatment" is currently the right path for Gonzales. He has yet to begin throwing and will likely be sidelined for at least the first half of the campaign.
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Jonathan Singleton HOU 1B
Astros' Jon Singleton: Showing power in regular role
14m agoSingleton went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run Sunday against the Mariners.
Singleton has started six straight games since Jose Abreu was optioned to the minors and has tallied all three of his home runs for the season in that span. He's gone 6-for-20 overall across those six contests while striking out at just an 8.7 percent clip. With Abreu out of the picture and Joey Loperfido getting his playing time in the outfield, Singleton appears to have the first base job to himself for the foreseeable future.
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Josh Hader HOU RP
Astros' Josh Hader: Takes loss against Mariners
19m agoHader (1-3) allowed a solo home run and struck out one to take the loss Sunday against the Mariners.
Hader entered the game in the ninth inning with the score tied 4-4. He retired the first batter he faced but then served up the go-ahead homer to Cal Raleigh. Hader had turned in three consecutive appearances without giving up an earned run prior to Sunday, though he's now been charged with at least one run in six of his 15 appearances.
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Colin Poche TB RP
Rays' Colin Poche: Resumes throwing
22m agoPoche (back) threw on flat ground Sunday and is expected to throw a bullpen session Monday, MLB.com reports.
Poche had been shut down since hitting the injured list April 26, after receiving an injection in his back and resting for several days. He's projected to return in mid-May barring any setbacks, suggesting he may not need a rehab assignment.
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Blake Treinen LAD RP
Dodgers' Blake Treinen: Faces high leverage situation
23m agoTreinen pitched a clean eighth inning while striking out a batter to secure a hold in Sunday's 5-1 win over Atlanta.
Treinen entered to begin the eighth with the Dodgers holding onto a 4-1 lead and retired Jarred Kelenic, Ronald Acuna & Ozzie Albies in order, needing just 11 pitches to get through the frame. It's clear right off the bat that Treinen has the trust of manager Dave Roberts in high leverage situations and could be in the mix for the Dodgers' closer committee while Evan Phillips (hamstring) is sidelined with a hamstring strain.
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Evan Mobley CLE PF
Cavaliers' Evan Mobley: Pulls down 16 boards in Game 7
4h agoMobley supplied 11 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 FT), 16 rebounds, one assist and five blocks over 41 minutes during Sunday's 106-94 victory over the Magic in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Mobley was forced to move to center due to the absence of Jarrett Allen (ribs), but the former delivered another solid performance down low, showing energy on the glass and an accurate touch near the rim. Mobley posted three double-doubles in the series against the Magic while scoring in double digits in all but one of his appearances. He should continue as Cleveland's starting center as long as Allen remains sidelined.
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Donovan Mitchell CLE SG
Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell: Carries Cleveland to Game 7 win
4h agoMitchell finished Sunday's 106-94 win over the Magic in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 39 points (11-27 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 15-17 FT), nine rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal across 45 minutes.
The Cavaliers needed Mitchell to step up and deliver a superstar performance in Game 7 against a rising Orlando team, and that's exactly what he accomplished with this outing. Mitchell had some ups and downs in the series but often stepped his game up when the Cavaliers needed him, something that will be even more noticeable against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Mitchell averaged 28.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in the first round while putting up at least 28 points in each of the last three contests.
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Wendell Carter Jr. ORL C
Magic's Wendell Carter: Close to double-double in Game 7
4h agoCarter produced 13 points (5-10 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-1 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and three steals across 35 minutes during Sunday's 106-94 loss to Cleveland in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Carter started each of Orlando's final five games of the series and scored in double digits in three of those starts, so it's safe to say he was an upgrade over Jonathan Isaac, who started at center in the first two contests. Across his five starts in the series, Carter averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
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Paolo Banchero ORL PF
Magic's Paolo Banchero: Explodes for 38 points Sunday
4h agoBanchero had 38 points (10-28 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 15-18 FT), 16 rebounds, two assists, one block and three steals in 42 minutes during Sunday's 106-94 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Banchero did everything in his power to keep the Magic alive in the playoffs, but even though his stat line was magnificent, the struggles of Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner were too much for Orlando to overcome, meaning Banchero couldn't carry the team to the next round on his own. Despite the early playoff exit, the series against the Cavaliers fully established Banchero as one of the league's up-and-coming superstars. He averaged 27.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals across 37.4 minutes per game.
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Darius Garland CLE PG
Cavaliers' Darius Garland: Stuffs stat sheet in Game 7 win
4h agoGarland finished with 12 points (3-13 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), three rebounds, four assists and three steals across 30 minutes during Sunday's 106-94 victory over the Magic in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Garland struggled badly from the floor and finished with more field-goal attempts than points scored. However, the speedy point guard salvaged his fantasy performance by delivering decent numbers in other categories. The Cavaliers need Garland to play a more prominent role on offense during the Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Celtics, as he averaged only 14.9 points per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor in the first round.
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Jalen Suggs ORL SG
Magic's Jalen Suggs: Awful shooting in playoff exit
4h agoSuggs closed Sunday's 106-94 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 10 points (2-13 FG, 2-10 3Pt, 4-5 FT), nine rebounds, four assists and one steal across 40 minutes.
Suggs didn't have a good series against the Cavaliers and failed to operate as the third scoring option the Magic desperately needed at times. He reached the 15-point mark in just two of the seven games and averaged 14.7 points on a mere 40.2 percent mark from the floor. Despite the playoff woes, Suggs' role as a starter for the Magic next season shouldn't be in question.
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Jeremy Swayman BOS G
Bruins' Jeremy Swayman: Tending twine in Game 1
9m agoSwayman will guard the road goal Monday in Game 1 against Florida, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.
Swayman was excellent in the first round of the postseason against Toronto, stopping 172 of 181 shots en route to a 4-2 record. Florida ranks third in the playoffs with 4.00 goals per contest.
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Danton Heinen BOS C
Bruins' Danton Heinen: Unavailable for Game 1
16m agoHeinen (undisclosed) won't be in the lineup for Game 1 versus Florida on Monday, according to Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald.
Heinen, who is considered day-to-day, will miss his third straight contest. He has one assist, five shots on goal and nine hits in five outings this postseason.
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Brandon Carlo BOS D
Bruins' Brandon Carlo: Game-time decision
23m agoCarlo (personal) will be a game-time decision for Game 1 versus Florida on Monday.
Head coach Jim Montgomery is "very hopeful" that Carlo will be able to join the team ahead of Monday's second-round opener. The 27-year-old blueliner was with his wife, Mayson, to welcome their baby boy, Crew, into the world Monday morning. Carlo has one goal, one assist, 11 shots on net, 16 blocked shots and 16 hits in seven outings this postseason. If Carlo is unavailable to play in Monday's contest, Derek Forbort could be in the lineup for the first time since March 2 after recovering from an undisclosed injury.
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Sergei Bobrovsky FLA G
Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky: First off ahead of Game 1
1h agoBobrovsky was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports, indicating he will patrol the home crease in Game 1 against Boston on Monday.
Bobrovsky surrendered 14 goals on 135 shots to the Lightning en route to a 4-1 record in the first round of the playoffs. He went 0-2-2 against Boston during the 2023-24 regular season, allowing 13 goals on 101 shots. The Bruins rank ninth overall with 2.57 goals per contest this postseason. Boston also sits fourth in power-play percentage after scoring six times on 17 opportunities in the opening round versus Toronto.
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Michael Amadio LV C
Golden Knights' Michael Amadio: Sends assist in loss
12h agoAmadio notched an assist and two hits in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Stars in Game 7.
Amadio played the final four games of the series after being scratched in favor of Pavel Dorofeyev early on. Amadio had two points, four shots on net, two hits and a plus-2 rating. The 27-year-old is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer after posting back-to-back 27-point campaigns for Vegas.
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William Karlsson LV C
Golden Knights' William Karlsson: Plays through injury
12h agoKarlsson played through a lower-body injury during the Golden Knights' first-round playoff series versus the Stars, which concluded with a 2-1 loss in Game 7 on Sunday, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
The injury wasn't bad enough to keep Karlsson off the ice, but it was obvious he was struggling, as he was limited to two helpers over seven games. He added nine shots on net, eight hits, five blocked shots and a plus-4 rating from a third-line role. Karlsson was a 60-point contributor in the regular season, and he should fill a middle-six role again in 2024-25.