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  • Dawuane Smoot JAC LB
    Jaguars' Dawuane Smoot: Will return to practice
    4m ago

    Smoot (Achilles) was designated to return from the reserve/PUP list Wednesday.

    Smoot will now have 21 days to practice with the team before being added to the active roster. The 28-year-old suffered a partially torn Achilles last December and hasn't been able to practice with the team since, so he'll likely need most, if not all, of that three-week window to be ready to join the 53-man roster.

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  • Deshaun Watson CLE QB
    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Should be ready after bye week
    12m ago

    General manager Andrew Berry reiterated Wednesday that Watson's bruised right shoulder isn't a long-term concern, and the quarterback is expected to be ready to play Oct. 15 against the 49ers following the Browns' Week 5 bye, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

    Berry's assessment of Watson's health essentially matches what Kevin Stefanski said on Monday, when the head coach noted that Watson had been medically cleared in advance of this past Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Ravens. Watson, however, made the decision to hold himself out of the contest after testing out his shoulder in pregame warmups and determining that he didn't think he could play at a winning level, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson ended up getting the start in Watson's stead but struggled mightily, as the Browns generated just 166 yards of offense across 65 plays. The bye week comes at a convenient time for Watson, with Berry noting that the shoulder injury "will heal in the short term" and isn't expected to be a factor when the Browns return to action Week 6, per Jake Trotter of ESPN.com.

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  • Christian Gonzalez NE CB
    Patriots' Christian Gonzalez: Likely done for season
    34m ago

    Gonzalez will undergo surgery in the near future to address the torn labrum and dislocated right shoulder he sustained in Sunday's loss to the Cowboys and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

    The shoulder injury is a brutal blow for the Patriots, as Gonzalez, the No. 17 overall pick in April's draft, had already gotten off to a strong start to his career with 17 tackles, one sack, three pass breakups and an interception through his first four games. In the coming days, Gonzalez will likely become the fourth Patriots cornerback to hit injured reserve, joining Marcus Jones (shoulder), Jack Jones (hamstring) and Isaiah Bolden (concussion). To address their depleted depth in the secondary, the Patriots struck a deal with the Chargers on Wednesday to acquire veteran J.C. Jackson, who recorded 25 interceptions with New England from 2018 through 2021 but struggled during his one-plus seasons in Los Angeles.

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  • J.C. Jackson LAC DB
    Patriots' J.C. Jackson: Returning to New England
    1h ago

    The Patriots acquired Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round draft pick from the Chargers on Wednesday in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

    Jackson will be kicking off his second stint in New England, where he began his career as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He emerged as one of the game's top cornerbacks during his time with the Patriots, recording 25 interceptions in four seasons before bolting for Los Angeles in free agency following the season on a five-year, $82.5 million deal. He never appeared to be a good fit with the Chargers, however, as he missed extensive time with a ruptured patellar tendon in 2022 and struggled in coverage in the first two games of 2023 before being a healthy inactive the past two weeks. Since Jackson's deal contains no guaranteed money beyond this season, the Patriots won't take on much risk by bringing him aboard, and the return to a familiar scheme could help rejuvenate the 27-year-old. Jackson may even be a candidate to move into a starting role right away with rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez expected to miss multiple weeks with a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder.

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  • Sean Tucker TB RB
    Buccaneers' Sean Tucker: Gets no work on offense Week 4
    1h ago

    Tucker didn't play any snaps on offense Sunday in the Buccaneers' 26-9 win over the Saints.

    Among Tampa Bay running backs, Tucker had logged the second-most snaps behind starter Rachaad White in each of the first three weeks but did little with his playing time, mustering just 23 yards on 15 carries and nine yards on two receptions. Tucker dropped to third on the depth chart Sunday, allowing Ke'Shawn Vaughn (nine carries for 16 yards, one reception for three yards) to see 20 snaps as the No. 2 back, with much of his production coming in garbage time. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, offensive coordinator Dave Canales said Monday that the Buccaneers felt more comfortable with Vaughn as their No. 2 back in Week 4 due to his familiarity with the Saints' pressure packages and defensive scheme, so Vaughn may not be necessarily locked in as White's top backup moving forward.

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  • Trent Sherfield BUF WR
    Bills' Trent Sherfield: Two catches in win
    1h ago

    Sherfield caught two of his three targets for 18 yards in Sunday's 48-20 win over the Dolphins.

    Sherfield had an underwhelming performance Sunday despite playing the third-most widsnaps (27) behind Stefon Diggs (44) and Gabe Davis (42). Playing ahead of Khalil Shakir and Deonte Harty, the veteran wideout was unable to make the most of his opportunities. With so many mouths to feed on a talented offense in Buffalo, Sherfield will likely continue to find it difficult to consistently produce for fantasy purposes. The Bills are set to square off against the Jaguars in Week 5.

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  • Josh Bell MIA 1B
    Marlins' Josh Bell: Cracks three hits in loss
    10h ago

    Bell went 3-for-4 with two doubles and one run in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Phillies in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.

    Bell has been known to do damage against the Phillies in the regular season, slashing .357/.455/.536 in eight games with one home run, three runs and four RBI. He continued that trend into the postseason Tuesday with his two doubles, one against Zack Wheeler in the seventh that would allow him to score the only run for the Marlins, and one against Craig Kimbrel in the ninth where he would be left stranded in the loss.

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  • Trea Turner PHI SS
    Phillies' Trea Turner: Nabs two bags in win
    10h ago

    Turner went 2-for-3 with one walk and two stolen bases in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Marlins in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.

    Turner entered the contest with 30 stolen bases across 155 games in the regular season and Tuesday marked his sixth multi-steal game of the year. He has now gone a perfect eight-for-eight on the basepaths for his career in the postseason, working to a cumulative .245/.289/.346 slash line with 23 runs and eight RBI in the process.

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  • Craig Kimbrel PHI RP
    Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Locks down postseason save
    11h ago

    Kimbrel allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of work to finish out the save in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Marlins in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.

    Kimbrel gave up a double to Josh Bell to put a run in scoring position, but managed to close the door on the Marlin's hopes of coming back in Game 1. In September, Kimbrel had blown two of four save opportunities in 12 innings of work, in spite of his low 1.50 ERA in that stretch. However, the veteran right-hander is now a perfect eight-for-eight in save chances in the postseason, with a 3.96 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with 27 strikeouts across 25 career innings.

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  • Jesus Luzardo MIA SP
    Marlins' Jesus Luzardo: Cedes three runs in loss
    11h ago

    Luzardo allowed three runs on eight hits across four innings, taking the loss in Tuesday's 4-1 defeat against the Phillies in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. He struck out five.

    Luzardo was knocked around by the Phillies lineup early and often, giving up a hit to every batter besides Harper at some point in his four innings of work. The pressure of the home crowd may have gotten to him since he allowed two wild pitches in the contest, one of which set up an RBI single by Christian Pache in the fifth inning. After Tuesday's outing, Luzardo is up to a 6.75 ERA and 1.64 WHIP with 16 strikeouts across 14.2 career postseason innings.

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  • Zack Wheeler PHI SP
    Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Fans eight to earn win
    11h ago

    Wheeler allowed one run on five hits across 6.2 innings to secure the win in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Marlins in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. He struck out eight.

    Wheeler was dominant in this outing as he made quick work of the Marlins lineup, racking up eighteen whiffs in the process. His sole mistake was allowing an RBI single to Bryan de la Cruz in the seventh inning that was set up by a defensive miscue as Wheeler forgot to cover first base. The right-hander thrives under pressure as he now has a mint 2.55 ERA and 0.73 WHIP with 41 strikeouts across 42.1 career postseason innings.

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  • Freddy Peralta MIL SP
    Brewers' Freddy Peralta: Officially starting Game 2
    12h ago

    Peralta will start Game 2 of the Brewers' NL Wild Card Series matchup against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

    With Brandon Woodruff nursing a shoulder injury and out indefinitely, Peralta will be bumped up to start Wednesday. Peralta put up a 3.38 ERA and 0.83 WHIP through 26.2 innings across his final five starts of the regular season, though he surrendered four runs in just three frames during his most recent outing.

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  • James Harden PHI PG
    76ers' James Harden: Arrives at camp
    4m ago

    Harden (not injury related) arrived in Colorado for the 76ers' training camp Tuesday night, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

    Harden wasn't at the 76ers' media day and missed the first day of practice Tuesday, but the hope is that he'll be in attendance for Wednesday's training camp session. However, the 34-year-old is still "upset" that he wasn't traded this summer after opting into his $35.6 million player option for this season. Despite his presence at training camp, Harden is still expected to attempt to force a trade in the coming days and weeks, Sam Amico of HoopsWire.com reports.

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  • Franz Wagner ORL SG
    Magic's Franz Wagner: Team option picked up
    36m ago

    Wagner had his fourth-year team option exercised by the Magic on Wednesday, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reports.

    This is simply a formality for one of the most exciting young forwards in the NBA. Wagner will be coming into his third season with some momentum after winning a gold medal for Germany at the FIBA World Cup.

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  • Jalen Suggs ORL SG
    Magic's Jalen Suggs: Team option picked up
    38m ago

    The Magic exercised Suggs' fourth-year team option Wednesday.

    Suggs' production took a slight step back last season, as he averaged 9.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 23.5 minutes per game over 53 appearances. Although he's had some trouble staying healthy early in his NBA career, it's still unsurprising to see the Magic pick up his fourth-year option.

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  • Paolo Banchero ORL PF
    Magic's Paolo Banchero: Team option exercised
    41m ago

    The Magic exercised Banchero's third-year team option Wednesday.

    Banchero established himself as an integral part of Orlando's system during his rookie season last year, so it isn't surprising to see the team pick up his third-year option. He averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 33.8 minutes per game while making 72 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign.

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  • Chris Paul GS PG
    Warriors' Chris Paul: Hits ground running
    16h ago

    Paul (groin) was a full participant at the Warriors' first day of training camp Tuesday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reports.

    In addition to practicing and scrimmaging, Paul and Stephen Curry stayed late for drill work. Paul's spry activity and extra reps with Curry bodes well for acclimating effectively, and it appears his groin injury from May is entirely behind him.

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  • Jae'Sean Tate HOU SF
    Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate: No restrictions to start camp
    17h ago

    Tate (knee) was a full participant at Houston's first training camp practice Tuesday, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports.

    Tate was limited to 31 appearances last season due to ankle and knee injuries, although Houston's rebuild was not conducive to re-incorporating the 27-year-old down the stretch. The Rockets have revamped their wing cast with Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore and Reggie Bullock, but Tate impressed in Tuesday's practice and is candidate to retain a rotation role.

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  • Matthew Savoie BUF C
    Sabres' Matthew Savoie: Misses Wednesday's practice
    43m ago

    Savoie (shoulder) didn't participate in Wednesday's morning skate, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.

    Savoie hasn't practiced with the Sabres at all during training camp due to a shoulder injury. He had 38 goals and 95 points in 62 contests with WHL Winnipeg in 2022-23.

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  • Juraj Slafkovsky MON LW
    Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: Lines up with Dach
    2h ago

    Slafkovsky has been on the same line with Kirby Dach three times during preseason action, Arpon Basu of The Athletic reports.

    It appears head coach Martin St. Louis sees something about the combination of Slafkovsky and Dach, whose ability to create scoring chances could help elevate the 19-year-old Slovak. St. Louis believes an ideal linemate for Dach is a shooter and goal scorer, which is what the Canadiens drafted Slafkovsky to do. The coach wants to give Slafkovsky more minutes this season along with a stable role and line, something he did not have during his rookie 2022-23 season.

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  • Sean Monahan MON C
    Canadiens' Sean Monahan: Looks like top-line winger
    3h ago

    Monahan had been scheduled to play on the top line in Monday's preseason game against Toronto but was needed to fill in as the third-line center with Alex Newhook (upper body) unavailable, Arpon Basu of The Athletic reports.

    Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis adjusted the projected lineup and moved Josh Anderson from third-line winger to the top line. St. Louis immediately responded to questions about Anderson being paired with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, a combination the didn't work despite numerous attempts in 2022-23. "I need Mony at center because Newhook can't play," the coach said, "so it was a bit of juggling." From that comment, it appears Monahan will be on the top line to start the season, and St. Louis sees him as a good fit, as he can adapt to linemates. In the coach's words, Monahan will do "what the game needs him to do."

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  • Mattias Norlinder MON D
    Canadiens' Mattias Norlinder: Seizes opportunity
    3h ago

    Norlinder remains in the mix for a roster spot, Arpon Basu of The Athletic reports.

    Norlinder is coming off what may have been his best game in Monday's preseason overtime win against Toronto. He was on the ice in the final moments and made a couple of plays leading up to Josh Anderson's game-tying goal with 42 seconds left. He also partnered with David Savard against a heavy dose of Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner at five-on-five. Perhaps most importantly, the Canadiens are in need of a defenseman to quarterback the second-unit power play, and the Swede led Montreal's blueliners with 2:24 of PPTOI while scoring the game's first goal on the power play.

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  • Justus Annunen COL G
    Avalanche's Justus Annunen: Plays full game Tuesday
    3h ago

    Annunen stopped 27 of 29 shots faced in Tuesday's 3-1 preseason loss to Dallas.

    Annunen made his fourth appearance in five preseason games and played his second full game. The Avalanche are giving him a lot of exposure, as the club is expected to be without projected backup goalie Pavel Francouz (groin) to start the regular season. Colorado head coach Jared Bednar will decide if Annunen, who has a .915 save percentage during preseason action, has done enough to earn the backup job early in the regular season.

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  • Valeri Nichushkin COL RW
    Avalanche's Valeri Nichushkin: Makes preseason debut
    3h ago

    Nichushkin had one shot, one hit and a two-minute minor penalty over 19:35 of ice time in Tuesday's 3-1 preseason loss to Dallas.

    Nichushkin made his preseason debut Tuesday. He should see ample TOI as a top-six forward that plays all three zones. Nichushkin, if healthy, can give Colorado depth scoring it needs to take pressure off Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.

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