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Player News
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Deshaun Watson CLE QBBrowns' Deshaun Watson: Making 40-yard throws
21m agoBrowns GM Andrew Berry said Thursday that Watson (shoulder) has been making throws of up to 40 yards, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
While not quite willing to guarantee that Watson will be ready for the regular-season opener, Berry did confirm that's the expectation and said the Browns are "pretty optimistic" about the QB's rehab process so far. Watson spoke with reporters Tuesday, mentioning that the team medical staff favors a cautious approach that would see him wait until training camp before returning to full practice participation. The 28-year-old thus figures to be limited during OTAs, giving free-agent additions Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley more chances to throw to the team's top receivers. The Browns traded for WR Jerry Jeudy in March and still have WRs Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore as well as TE David Njoku. There's also a strong chance of improved blocking this season, after 2023 saw the Browns lose their top three OTs to season-ending knee injuries. Watson is the biggest variable though, perhaps more so because of his disappointing 2022-23 performance than the ongoing rehab from Nov. 21 surgery to repair a displaced glenoid fracture in his right shoulder.
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Nick Chubb CLE RBBrowns' Nick Chubb: Running on land again
1h agoChubb (knee) resumed running on land within the last week, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Chubb took his rehab to the next level shortly after agreeing last Thursday to a contract alteration that converted a large portion of his scheduled $11.75 million base salary into incentives. He's entering the final season of a three-year extension and still faces a long path to complete his rehab from surgeries in September and November to address ACL, MCL and meniscus injuries in his left knee. It's the same knee in which he suffered a major injury Oct. 2015 -- his sophomore season at Georgia -- and he later had an MCL sprain in the knee Oct. 2020. The Browns hope the 28-year-old is ready for Week 1, but they're also preparing for the possibility of missed time, having added RBs D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines (knee) to a roster that still has Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong.
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Cam Brown NYG LBDolphins' Cam Brown: Inks deal in Miami
14h agoBrown agreed to a contract with the Dolphins on Wednesday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Brown appeared in 60 career games as a special-teams ace during his first four seasons with the Giants, tallying 24 tackles over that span. The 26-year-old played exclusively on special teams in 16 games during the 2023 campaign, so he'll more than likely fulfill a similar role for Miami in 2024.
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Justin Murray CLE OTJustin Murray: Hangs it up
15h agoThe Browns placed Murray on the retired/reserve list Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Murray played for the Raiders, Cardinals, Bills and Titans during his six-year NFL career, appearing in 41 games with 20 starts during his professional tenure. The soon-to-be 31-year-old joined Cleveland's practice squad last November and then signed a futures contract in January, but he never played in any games for the team.
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J.K. Dobbins BAL RBChargers' J.K. Dobbins: Slated to join Chargers
16h agoDobbins (Achilles) is in line to sign a one-contract with the Chargers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A second-round pick of the Ravens in 2020, Dobbins had two of his first four pro seasons cut short due to an ACL tear in 2021 and then a torn left Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 campaign. In his 24 career appearances, he's averaged a robust 5.8 yards on 234 carries, gathered in 27 of 35 targets for 177 yards and scored 13 total touchdowns. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache penned a letter to NFL teams in late March that Dobbins had received medical clearance to participate in football activities, but his new contract will be contingent on a physical. Once the move west to L.A. becomes official, Dobbins will join forces with former teammate Gus Edwards at the top of the RB depth chart, giving him some sway in fantasy working alongside QB Justin Herbert.
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Darius Slayton NYG WRGiants' Darius Slayton: Seeking new deal
19h agoSlayton (thumb) hasn't reported to the Giants' voluntary workouts while he seeks a contract extension, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Slayton, who led the team with 770 receiving yards in 17 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 in 2024, but Slayton is evidently looking to amend those terms. At this stage, Slayton -- who is recovering from an offseason procedure on his right thumb -- is poised to retain a key role in a Giants wideout corps that currently includes Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt.
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Calvin Ziegler NYM SPMets' Calvin Ziegler: Will undergo Tommy John surgery
1m agoZiegler is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.
Ziegler has had a terrible time with injuries since the Mets took him in the second round of the 2021 Draft. He's flashed plenty of promise when on the mound, including this season when he had a 13:2 K:BB over six hitless innings with High-A Brooklyn. However, the 21-year-old is now looking at a second straight lost season after elbow and quad injuries limited him to just one start in 2023.
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Edwin Diaz NYM RPMets' Edwin Diaz: Working on mechanics
2m agoDiaz attributes his early-season velocity drop to his mechanics being a little off after he missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury, Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic report.
The right-hander has averaged 96.6 mph with his four-seam fastball through his first seven appearances this season, down from the 99.1 mph he averaged in 2022 and even the 98.1 mph he averaged in April 2022. Diaz indicated Monday that he was pulling a bit to the first-base side with his delivery, something that seems like he should be able to correct fairly quickly. The velocity drop hasn't impacted his performance, as Diaz has converted all four of his save chances with an impressive 1.29 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 10:2 K:BB through seven innings.
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Bryan De La Cruz MIA LFMarlins' Bryan De La Cruz: Swats third homer
9m agoDe La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to the Giants.
The 27-year-old outfielder accounted for the Marlins' only run of the game with his sixth-inning shot off Keaton Winn. De La Cruz has been one of the few bright spots for Miami in the early going, slashing .288/.296/.450 through 19 games with three homers, a steal, eight runs and 10 RBI, and he currently sports a six-game hitting streak and a five-game RBI streak.
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Kevin Kiermaier TOR CFBlue Jays' Kevin Kiermaier: On base four times Wednesday
13m agoKiermaier went 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Wednesday's loss to the Yankees.
The veteran center fielder kept flipping the lineup over from the ninth slot in the order as he produced just his second multi-hit performance of the season. Kiermaier's had a slow start to the season at the plate but he's begun to come around, batting .296 (8-for-27) over his last 10 games with a double, a steal, an RBI and four runs scored. His strong-side platoon role and his spot at the bottom of the batting order limit his fantasy appeal, but Kiermaier still has some value in AL-only formats.
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Orelvis Martinez TOR SSBlue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Could be nearing promotion
18m agoMartinez crushed a 10th-inning grand slam Wednesday to give Triple-A Buffalo a 12-9 win over Columbus.
The ball traveled an estimated 469 feet and left Huntington Park completely, landing onto a second-floor patio in a building behind the left-field bleachers. Martinez has had a strong start to the season, slashing .296/.356/.519 over 14 games with six doubles, two homers and 10 RBI, and his 20.3 percent strikeout rate is a significant step forward from the 27.0 percent mark he posted with Buffalo in 2023. The Blue Jays have used four different players at second base already this season, rotating Cavan Biggio, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement through the keystone, but none of them offer the upside of the 22-year-old Martinez. If the front office deems him ready for the next challenge, his big-league debut could come at any time, but his bat may not be the thing holding him back -- Martinez has committed five errors already this season in his 13 starts at second base.
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Romy Gonzalez BOS SSRed Sox's Romy Gonzalez: MRI comes back negative
35m agoAn MRI on Gonzalez's left wrist came back negative, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
Gonzalez felt pain while taking swings Wednesday, but it appears he's avoided a serious setback. The Red Sox still figure to shut him down for a bit to let the wrist calm down. Gonzalez had been hoping for a return from the injured list when his 10 days are up, but that's unlikely now.
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Nicolas Batum PHI PF76ers' Nicolas Batum: Shines off bench Wednesday
1h agoBatum provided 20 points (7-12 FG, 6-10 3Pt), five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.
It was widely known that Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were going to carry the Sixers in this matchup against the Heat, but the truth is that Philadelphia wouldn't have gotten the win hadn't it been for Batum's impressive effort off the bench. The 20-point output was a season-high mark for the veteran, and even though his role is not going to change drastically in the first-round matchup against New York, he should continue to see decent minutes on a regular basis. Perhaps surprisingly, he went scoreless in the four times he faced the Knicks during the regular season.
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Joel Embiid PHI C76ers' Joel Embiid: Plays big minutes in Play-In win
1h agoEmbiid logged 23 points (6-17 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 15 rebounds, five assists and one steal over 38 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over Miami.
Embiid had a complicated matchup against Bam Adebayo, arguably one of the best defensive centers in The Association, and even though his efficiency was subpar, he still led Philadephia in scoring while coming through with a clutch performance from the charity stripe. Embiid should be in line for a productive first-round series against the Knicks, and even though he only faced them once in the regular season, he delivered a 30-point, 10-rebound, three-block performance on Jan. 5.
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Tyrese Maxey PHI PG76ers' Tyrese Maxey: Scores 19 in win over Miami
1h agoMaxey accumulated 19 points (6-16 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 6-6 FT), three rebounds and six assists across 44 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.
Maxey had a rough night from three-point range, but he still salvaged his stat line by sniffing the 20-point mark and dishing out six assists. Maxey is expected to play a prominent role on offense in the first-round matchup against the Knicks, and it's worth noting he averaged 26.3 points per game in three games vs. New York during the regular season.
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Jaime Jaquez Jr. MIA SFHeat's Jaime Jaquez: Decent stat line in loss
2h agoJaquez closed Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers with 15 points (6-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal across 22 minutes.
Jaquez looked good despite coming off the bench and was one of Miami's top contributors on offense. He's widely expected to move into the starting lineup for Friday's matchup against the Bulls due to the absence of Jimmy Butler (knee), and that would translate into an uptick in his usage rate.
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Bam Adebayo MIA CHeat's Bam Adebayo: Double-double in loss Wednesday
2h agoAdebayo posted 10 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt), 12 rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers.
Adebayo wasn't as involved as expected on the offensive end of the court, as he had to deal with a tough matchup against Joel Embiid, but he still found a way to finish with a double-double even if the Heat came up short of winning. Knowing the Heat will be without Jimmy Butler (knee) for Friday's game against the Bulls, Adebayo should experience an uptick in usage rate and volume while dealing with the matchup of Nikola Vucevic, who's nowhere near as good as Embiid on the defensive end of the court.
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Tyler Herro MIA PGHeat's Tyler Herro: Paces team in scoring in loss
2h agoHerro registered 25 points (9-27 FG, 4-14 3Pt, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and nine assists over 41 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to Philadelphia.
Herro might have needed 27 shots to score 25 shots, but the uptick in usage rate happened since Jimmy Butler suffered a knee injury in the first quarter, which limited him considerably, and Bam Adebayo had a rough matchup with Joel Embiid. Herro has reached the 20-point mark in four of his last six outings, and considering Butler will miss Friday's win-or-go-home matchup against the Bulls, he should be in line for another heavy usage rate vs. Chicago.
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Frederik Andersen CAR GHurricanes' Frederik Andersen: Ready for postseason
7m agoAndersen was back on the ice in the lead-up to Saturday's Game 1 matchup with the Islanders, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Andersen was in the starter's crease at Thursday's practice session, an indication that he'll get the starting nod for Saturday's home clash. The backstop had been splitting the workload with Pyotr Kochetkov down the stretch but it seems unlikely that trend will continue into the postseason.
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Sebastian Aho CAR LWHurricanes' Sebastian Aho: Back at practice
15m agoAho (rest) returned to practice ahead of Saturday's clash with the Islanders, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Aho was on a heater in his last 15 outings, racking up 11 goals and 10 assists, including seven power-play points. After sitting out one game to prepare for the playoffs, Aho will rejoin Jake Guentzel and Seth Jarvis on the first line in addition to linking up with the No. 1 power-play unit.
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Thomas Chabot OTT DSenators' Thomas Chabot: Surgery not necessary?
25m agoChabot (upper body) most likely won't need surgery in the offseason, per Wayne Scanlan of Sportsnet.
Chabot battled injuries most of the year, ultimately playing in only 51 games. The 27-year-old recorded nine goals and 21 assists to go along with 118 shots on goal over that stretch. Another update on Chabot's status should surface if it's decided surgery will be necessary.
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Marc-Andre Fleury MIN GWild's Marc-Andre Fleury: Starting Thursday
31m agoFleury will start Thursday at home against Seattle, per Jessi Pierce of NHL.com.
Fleury struggled in his last start against one of his former teams, surrendering seven goals on just 30 shots in a 7-2 loss to Vegas on Saturday. The 39-year-old has recorded an .895 save percentage and a 17-14-5 record in 39 appearances this year. He will have a favorable matchup against Seattle, who ranks 29th in goals per game at 2.59.
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Brock Boeser VAN RWCanucks' Brock Boeser: Not playing Thursday
35m agoBoeser (undisclosed) will not be in the lineup in Winnipeg on Thursday, per Irfaan Gaffar of The Fourth Period.
Boeser has been dealing with an undisclosed injury and did not travel with the team to Winnipeg. He should be fine for Game 1 of the playoffs. Boeser ends the regular season with 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games -- including 16 goals and nine assists on the power play. Phil Di Giuseppe could enter the lineup on the fourth line Thursday.
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Mats Zuccarello MIN RWWild's Mats Zuccarello: Returning to action Thursday
1h agoZuccarello (personal) will be back in the lineup Thursday versus Seattle, according to Jessi Pierce of NHL.com.
Zuccarello missed the last three games, but he will get into the final game of the season as the Wild are out of the playoffs. Zuccarello has 11 goals and 62 points in 68 appearances this season. He is expected to return to the top line with Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek, as well as see time on the top power play.
