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Darius Slayton NYG WR
Giants' Darius Slayton: Seeking new deal
1h agoSlayton (thumb) -- who is reportedly seeking a contract extension -- hasn't reported to the Giants' voluntary workouts, Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports.
The report notes that Slayton, who led the team with 770 receiving yards (on 50 catches) in 17-regular season games in 2023, has attended the Giants' voluntary offseason program in the past. The 27-year-old wideout is in line to earn $6.2 million in the final year of his contract with New York this coming season, but evidently Slayton is looking to amend those terms. At this stage, the 2019 fifth-rounder -- who is bouncing back from an offseason procedure on his right thumb -- is poised to retain a key role in a Giants' WR corps that also currently includes Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, with further depth likely to arrive via the upcoming NFL draft.
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Jaelan Phillips MIA LB
Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips: Set for fifth-year option
5h agoThe Dolphins plan to pick up the fifth-year contract option of Phillips (Achilles) before May's deadline, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN reports.
General manager Chris Grier said Tuesday that Miami intends to pick up the fifth-year options of both Phillips and Jaylen Waddle. A right Achilles tear limited Phillips to just eight games last season, but he's reportedly on track to be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 campaign. He's been one of the Dolphins' more impactful pass rushers over the past three seasons, and the team will be more in need of those talents than ever with Christian Wilkins having moved on to Las Vegas.
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De'Von Achane MIA RB
Dolphins' De'Von Achane: Bulks up during offseason
6h agoAchane looks more muscular after working out this offseason, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports.
A photo of Achane showing up for OTAs went viral, with some saying he looks much larger than he did during his rookie campaign. It's his second offseason bulking up for football without also considering track and field, though at this point it's unclear how much he's added relative to his weight from the 2023 NFL Combine (where he ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at 188 pounds). Achane averaged 7.8 yards per carry and scored a TD per game last season, albeit with injuries (six missed games) and Raheem Mostert's presence (209 carries) limiting the rookie to 103 carries and 27 catches in his 11 appearances. The Dolphins still have Mostert under contract -- along with backups Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed (foot) and Chris Brooks -- but they'll presumably task Achane with more of the backfield work in his second pro season.
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Royce Freeman LAR RB
Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Picked up by Dallas
21h agoFreeman signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys on Tuesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Freeman spent his first three seasons with the Broncos before stops with the Panthers, Texans and Rams the last three years. The journeyman tallied 319 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Los Angeles last year across 14 games. Dallas lost Tony Pollard to free agency, so its running back room currently consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn (ankle), Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Freeman. Freeman could get an opportunity to carve out a role for himself, but the Cowboys still seem likely to invest in the position during the 2024 Draft.
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Trent Taylor CHI WR
49ers' Trent Taylor: Returns to Bay Area
1d agoTaylor signed a one-year contract with the 49ers on Tuesday, Lindsey Pallares of the team's official site reports.
Taylor started his career in San Francisco before a two-year stay with the Bengals, and he spent the 2023 campaign with the Bears. The 29-year-old will have the opportunity to earn a role in the return game with the Niners after the departure of Ray-Ray McCloud in free agency this offseason.
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Trent Taylor CHI WR
Trent Taylor: Could return to Bay Area
1d agoTaylor has talked to the 49ers about a potential return to the team, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Taylor was selected by San Francisco in the fifth round of the 2017 Draft and spent three seasons there before stops in Cincinnati and Chicago. The 49ers do currently have a void in their return game, with Ray-Ray McCloud now in Atlanta, which is likely where the interest in Taylor lies.
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Nelson Velazquez KC DH
Royals' Nelson Velazquez: Sitting for Game 2
14m agoVelazquez is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the White Sox.
Velazquez went 1-for-4 with a double and a run in Game 1, but he'll take a seat in the nightcap after making 12 straight starts. Salvador Perez will serve as the designated hitter while Freddy Fermin starts behind the plate.
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Kyle Isbel KC CF
Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not starting nightcap
17m agoIsbel isn't in the Royals' lineup for the final game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the White Sox, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
An 0-for-4 performance during Game 1 will send Isbel to the bench for the second contest, giving Garrett Hampson a chance to start in center field while batting in the leadoff spot.
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Andrew Benintendi CHW LF
White Sox's Andrew Benintendi: Not starting in second matchup
17m agoBenintendi is not listed amongst the starters for Wednesday's second game against the Royals.
Benintendi started in the first doubleheader matchup against the Royals, but will get a break for the second. The 29-year-old outfielder recorded one hit on four plate appearances in the first game where the White Sox lost 4-2, and currently holds a .175 average on the year.
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Maikel Garcia KC 3B
Royals' Maikel Garcia: Gets breather for Game 2
19m agoGarcia isn't in the Royals' lineup for the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the White Sox, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Garcia turned in an 0-for-4 performance during Wednesday's early game, so he'll remain in the dugout for the nightcap. Nick Loftin will fill in at the hot corner and bat sixth.
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Martin Maldonado CHW C
White Sox's Martin Maldonado: Sitting for nightcap
24m agoMaldonado isn't in the White Sox's lineup for the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Royals.
Maldonado went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts during Game 1, lowering his batting average down to .061. He'll be replaced behind the dish by Korey Lee, who will bat eighth.
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Ramon Laureano CLE RF
Guardians' Ramon Laureano: Moves to bench Wednesday
25m agoLaureano is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Laureano will hit the bench for the second time in three games while Cleveland runs out a starting outfield of Steven Kwan, Gabriel Arias and Estevan Florial from left to right. Through nine games in April thus far, Laureano is hitting just .125 with two stolen bases.
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Eric Gordon PHO SF
Suns' Eric Gordon: Returns to practice
13m agoGordon (migraine) participated in Tuesday's and Wednesday's practices, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Gordon missed Phoenix's regular-season finale due to a migraine. However, the veteran guard's return to practice is a good sign of his availability for Saturday's Game 1 against Minnesota.
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Dean Wade CLE PF
Cavaliers' Dean Wade: Doesn't practice, unlikely to play
2h agoCoach J.B. Bickerstaff said Wade (knee) didn't practice Wednesday and is unlikely to play in Saturday's Game 1 against the Magic, Evan Dammarell of FearTheSword.com reports.
Wade carved out a substantial role when the Cavaliers dealt with multiple injuries, mainly to Evan Mobley, earlier in the season, but he hasn't played since March 8 due to a knee injury. In Wade's likely absence, Georges Niang and Marcus Morris are candidates for a few extra minutes off the bench.
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Damian Lillard MIL PG
Bucks' Damian Lillard: Still not practicing, status TBD
2h agoLillard didn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday due to lingering groin and abductor injuries, Jamal Collier of ESPN.com reports.
Lillard has been dealing with the injuries for the last three weeks and missed four of the Bucks' final nine regular-season games. The superstar sharpshooter said Tuesday he won't be 100 percent for the postseason but added that no one is at this point in the campaign. Coach Doc Rivers said tests on Lillard's lower body returned clean but added that he still wanted to give his point guard "a little more rest."
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Kawhi Leonard LAC SF
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard: Not cleared for 5-on-5
2h agoCoach Tyronn Lue said Wednesday that Leonard (knee) is progressing but hasn't been cleared for 5-on-5 drills yet, Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games due to right knee inflammation but returned to practice Monday, albeit in a limited fashion. His official status for Sunday's Game 1 against the Mavericks won't be known until Saturday afternoon, but Lue said he's preparing as if Leonard will be available to start the postseason.
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Zion Williamson NO PF
Pelicans' Zion Williamson: Out at least two weeks
3h agoThe Pelicans announced Wednesday that Williamson was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.
Williamson suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Play-In Tournament loss to the Lakers and was already ruled out for the win-or-go-home matchup versus the Kings on Friday. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick's career has been defined by injuries, but he showed off his unique skill set when healthy this season and was dominant before leaving Tuesday's game, posting 40 points (17-27 FG) and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes. If Williamson is cleared right at the two-week mark, he could return late in a potential first-round series versus the Thunder, but the Pelicans must defeat Sacramento first to keep their season alive.
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Sam Merrill CLE SG
Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Participates in practice
3h agoMerrill (neck) went through Wednesday's practice without issue, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merrill missed the final three games of the regular season due to a neck strain. However, Merrill's participation in practice is a good sign of his availability for Saturday's Game 1 against the Magic.
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Martin Jones TOR G
Maple Leafs' Martin Jones: Slated to start Wednesday
12m agoJones is expected to start on the road against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, Mark Masters of TSN reports.
Jones is making his first appearance since March 23. He has an 11-7-1 record, 2.70 GAA and .908 save percentage in 21 contests this season. The Lightning, who rank fifth offensively with 3.48 goals per game, figure to be a challenging adversary for the netminder.
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Jake McCabe TOR D
Maple Leafs' Jake McCabe: Resting Wednesday
15m agoMcCabe will be a healthy scratch Wednesday against Tampa Bay, per Luke Fox of Sportsnet.
McCabe will finish the regular season with eight goals, 28 points, 56 PIM, 219 hits and 129 blocks in 73 outings. The 30-year-old defenseman is just getting a breather and should serve in a top-four capacity in Game 1 of the playoffs.
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Morgan Rielly TOR D
Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly: Healthy scratch Wednesday
18m agoRielly is set to be a healthy scratch Wednesday against the Lightning, Luke Fox of Sportsnet reports.
Rielly is concluding the campaign with seven goals and 58 points in 72 outings. After getting the season finale versus Tampa Bay off, he figures to draw back into the lineup as a member of the top pairing for Game 1 of the playoffs.
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Joel Edmundson TOR D
Maple Leafs' Joel Edmundson: Out Wednesday
22m agoEdmundson (rest) will miss Wednesday's tilt versus Tampa Bay, per Luke Fox of Sportsnet.
Edmundson will finish the regular season with a goal and six points in 53 contests. He missed nine of 10 outings from March 26-April 13 because of injury, so it makes sense to give Edmundson some more time off before what's sure the be a grueling playoff series against Boston.
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Adam Ginning PHI D
Flyers' Adam Ginning: Moved to minors
36m agoGinning will report to AHL Lehigh Valley, the team announced Wednesday.
Ginning scored a goal in nine appearances with the Flyers in 2023-24. He also has two goals, 13 points and 82 PIM in 56 contests with Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old forward will fight for a bottom-six roster spot with the Flyers during training camp.
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Ronnie Attard PHI D
Flyers' Ronnie Attard: Will report to AHL
39m agoAttard was moved to AHL Lehigh Valley on Wednesday.
Attard registered two assists in 12 appearances with the Flyers this year. He also has appeared in 46 outings with Lehigh Valley, collecting 10 goals and 25 points in that span. The 25-year-old might not be able to make the 2024-25 NHL roster out of training camp, but even if he falls short of that mark, Attard is likely to see time with the Flyers at various points during the campaign as an injury replacement.