GLENDALE Brent Burns Jersey , Ariz. (AP) Josh Rosen is a smart young man and in the early stages of Arizona Cardinals training camp he’s doing a lot of thinking.

The rookie from UCLA is looking forward to the day where the pro offense he is trying so hard to master is second nature and he can play with pure reaction. Because he’s had a few decision-making errors lately, including an ill-advised interception on Saturday.

Asked Sunday about the rookie quarterback’s first training camp so far, Arizona coach Steve Wilks mixed praise with a bit of criticism.

”Throughout practice you could see again the accuracy,” Wilks said. ”He threw one ball right down on the seam that was on-point. I showed that in the team meeting. Again, his decision-making sometimes, we’ve got to make sure we can shore that up.”

It’s a valid point, Rosen said.

”I absolutely understand what he’s saying,” Rosen said before Sunday’s practice. ”I turned the ball over a little bit last practice and at a couple of OTAs. He has a goal and I have a process in which to go about it and my process is I have to own the playbook.”

Once he has mastered the plays, he reasons, he will not have to think so much but simply react, and that will lead to the right decisions on the field. All the while not losing his trademark aggressiveness.

”I’m focusing so much on getting lined up and get everyone doing the right thing and trying to give it to the right guy,” Rosen said. ”When all that stuff is second nature you can focus on other things, but you can never give the ball to the other team. That’s the biggest thing that most every coach presses in football is just take care of the ball.

”I’m not going to play overly conservative and not play who I am, but you just have to feel that soft spot. I’m definitely am aggressive and take shots but after to be very aware of situations and not make it too easy for the other team to get the ball, hand them the ball.”

The Cardinals got Rosen Tomas Tatar Jersey , the man they consider their future franchise quarterback, by pulling off a trade to draft him 10th overall out of UCLA.

This isn’t Rosen’s team yet.

Wilks said Saturday that the starter’s job is Sam Bradford’s to lose. For now, Rosen fights against Mike Glennon for the No. 2 job.

Bradford has impressed Rosen.

”I think people forget how good he is,” Rosen said. ”He’s just unbelievably quick and decisive with everything he does and the ball doesn’t touch the ground. It’s his first year in this offense, too, and it seems like it’s been his fourth. … He’s unbelievable and I’m going to try and top that. Whether now, later, whenever.”

The easygoing Bradford says he is glad to help Rosen all he can.

”He’s a good kid,” Bradford said. ”He’s eager to learn, he wants to learn. He wants to be great. I think he’s got the right attitude and the right mindset for this position and this league. I’m going to continue to do everything I can to help and make him the player that he’s capable of being.”

Rosen’s confidence and ability have won over Larry Fitzgerald, one of the game’s greatest receivers.

”Obviously, watching him through offseason, training camp, practice yesterday, he’s got a wealth of talent Tim Schaller Jersey ,” 14-year NFL veteran receiver said. ”The guy’s got just an unbelievable skillset. He can make all the throws. He really picks up on things well, communicates real well with his teammates.”

And the professionalism required to succeed at this level seems to suit Rosen.

”It’s still very teammate oriented, there’s a lot of chemistry things that you have to take into account,” he said, ”but it’s like `Go out on the field and do your job.’ You’re not worrying about anything else.”

Right now, he said, his job is ”owning” the playbook and showing he can implement it at a high level in practice and the preseason.

Bradford has a history of injuries. Rosen’s big chance could come at any time.

—

Zack Greinke grinned as he stepped to the plate in the sixth inning Thursday afternoon, and then swung at the first pitch for another hit.

The Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander pitched seven innings and was an offensive dynamo , too, helping to beat the Miami Marlins 4-0.

Greinke singled twice, drove in a run, stole a base and scored. No wonder he looked to be enjoying himself.

”It’s more fun when you’re doing good,” Greinke said. ”Today was a lot of good results, so it was a fun day.”

His offensive feats were impressive, but maybe not that surprising. He leads Arizona pitchers this year with four RBIs and four runs Womens Josh Anderson Jersey , raised his season average to .300, and is now 7 for 7 lifetime in steal attempts.

Greinke became the first pitcher since Bob Gibson in 1969 to have a hit, an RBI and a stolen base in at least two games in a season.

”He’s a baseball player, and I don’t say that about a lot of pitchers,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ”He probably has a better swing than 70 percent of the guys in the big leagues, and I’m serious about that.”

As for pitching, Greinke (8-5) won for the fifth time in his past six starts. He allowed seven hits – all singles – but walked none and benefited from several good defensive plays. The outing matched his longest this year.

”As the game goes, you kind of get that flat feeling,” Mattingly said. ”He was just a handful. He’s able to do some different things with the ball and change gears on you.”

Three relievers completed a 10-hitter for Arizona’s fourth shutout of the season.

Paul Goldschmidt continued his recent tear with three hits, and Nick Ahmed added two hits. Each scored and drove in a run.

The Diamondbacks (47-34) finished 8-2 on a three-city trip

”I can’t think of a day where we played bad really,” Greinke said. ”The defense was good, pitching was good, hitting was good, baserunning was good. It was just a lot of good things, and we never beat ourselves.”

The Diamondbacks matched their season high by climbing 13 games above .500. They won the season series against Miami 6-1.

The finale started at 9:10 a.m. Phoenix time Tom Kuhnhackl Jersey , but the Diamondbacks were ready to go and led 3-0 by the second inning.

”The biggest thing was being ready to go on the first pitch and not sleepwalking into it,” Goldschmidt said.

Greinke helped get his teammates going. In the second he singled, easily stole second and scored on Goldschmidt’s two-out single. He added a two-out opposite-field RBI single in the sixth to make it 4-0.

Greinke improved to 7-0 in 12 games against the Marlins. At Marlins Park, he’s 6-0 in six starts with a 1.48 ERA.

Trevor Richards (2-5) allowed three runs in four innings. Miami rookie Brian Anderson went 0 for 4, ending his 24-game on-base streak, the longest active string in the National League.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Greinke on matching Gibson’s offensive feats: ”There’s a record every game. You’ve just got to look hard enough for it.”

D-BACKS’ D

With runners at the corners in the second, Goldschmidt charged Bryan Holaday’s grounder to first and started a nifty ending-inning double play. Right fielder Jon Jay made a catch as he slid into the wall in foul territory to rob Anderson. Second baseman Daniel Descalso committed an error in the third but made amends later in the inning by lunging to snare Starlin Castro’s sharp grounder and save a run.

STREAK ENDS

Miami backup catcher Holaday had thrown out a team record nine consecutive runners attempting to steal, but Greinke got a huge jump to end the streak.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: C J.T. Realmuto (wrist) missed his third consecutive game but expects to play Friday. Miami is 26-29 when he starts and 6-21 when he doesn’t start.

ROSTER

After the game, Marlins RHP Nick Wittgren was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (6-3, 3.24) is scheduled to start Friday when Arizona returns home to begin a weekend series against the Giants.

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami’s top pitching prospect, will be recalled from New Orleans to start Friday against the Mets. Alcantara, acquired in the trade that sent OF Marcell Ozuna to the Cardinals, will make his Marlins debut. He’s 5-3 with a 3.71 ERA in 14 starts for New Orleans this year.

—

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A sixth-round pick in 2015 Womens Paul Byron Jersey , Telfer is the sixth veteran dealt by new Browns general manager John Dorsey, who continues to remold a team that has just one victory over the past two seasons.

Telfer started 19 games for Cleveland and was used primarily as a blocker. He caught five passes for 40 yards. After he was selected in 2015, Telfer sat out his rookie season while recovering from a foot injury.

Nicolas has history with Dorsey, who was Kansas City’s GM from 2013-16. He selected the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Nicolas in the 2016 sixth round.

The 25-year-old Nicolas appeared in 11 games as a rookie, but injured his knee in the regular-season finale and sat out 2017.

Since joining the Browns in December, Dorsey has traded quarterbacks DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler, cornerback Jason McCourty and defensive tackle Danny Shelton.

The Browns also claimed linebacker Jermaine Grace off waivers from Indianapolis on Wednesday. The 6-1 Marcus Foligno Jersey , 225-pounder signed with Atlanta last year as an undrafted free agent.

He appeared in five games on special teams with the Falcons and six with the Colts.

—

A slimmed-down Rob Kelley is likely to remain Washington’s top running back even though Adrian Peterson is joining the Redskins.

Amid four injuries in their backfield, the Redskins signed the 33-year-old four-time All-Pro running back on Monday. But Kelley, the former “Fat Rob” who lost weight and added speed to his repertoire, should still be considered the front-runner to start Week 1 at the Arizona Cardinals.

Washington lost second-round pick Derrius Guice to a season-ending torn ACL, won’t have Samaje Perine and Byron Marshall for an extended period of time because of lower-leg injuries and waived undrafted free agent Martez Carter with an injury designation. That necessitated signing Peterson —a former standout at Oklahoma who played the majority of his career with the Vikings — and fellow running back De’Veon Smith, though coach Jay Gruden gave Kelley a vote of confidence on Sunday.

“We’re not looking for a starter right now,” Gruden said. “We’ve got Rob in-house, obviously Chris Thompson, Kapri Bibbs has done a good job Brandon Montour Jersey Kids , Samaje I don’t think is going to be very long at all. So we’ve got four backs right there.”

On the first day of camp, Gruden was only sure of one thing: that third-down back Chris Thompson would be on the roster and figure prominently in his return from a broken fibula. Kelley, a 2016 undrafted free agent who emerged as Washington’s No. 1 running back during his rookie year and started 2017 on top of the depth chart, cut his hair short, added more muscle and looks quicker to Gruden at a svelte 222 pounds.

“It was time for a change,” Kelley said of trimming his dreadlocks. “It was like a bold statement showing that I’m ready to change, rather than just coming in and talking about it how much I’m going to change and stuff like that. Just change within and the hair was just like a statement.”

Kelley got the first chance with the first-team offense in the Redskins’ second preseason game and is trying to focus on showing his best and not the competition for the starting role.

“Early on I thought about it a lot, but now I try not to think about it,” Kelley said. “I don’t try and put too much on myself that potentially distracts me from actually getting better.”

When Guice looked like the starter Connor Brown Jersey , Kelley fielded questions about taking snaps at fullback and helping out on special teams. He was willing to do whatever it took to make the team, though the 25-year-old Tulane product didn’t rule out winning back the starting job he lost last season because of injuries.

“There’s competition whether you think it or not,” Kelley said. “I just make sure I go out there and I make a few plays that the catch the coaches’ eyes and stuff like that and put myself in a great position.”

He’s in a great position now by default, though Gruden also said Kelley has had a great training camp. Kelley ran for just 17 yards on seven carries last week against the Jets and the bevvy of injuries created a need to bring in another running back.

“If something else happens, we’re going to be really, really, really thin, so we just want to make sure we’re covering all our bases right now,” Gruden said.

Kelley will have to keep competing to fend off Peterson for a bulk of the carries Sonny Milano Jersey , but that’s a big step up from being on the roster bubble a month ago. More competition is for the best for Kelley, who is no stranger to overcoming odds and winning a competition as an underdog.

“I think the hurdles just make me a better player,” Kelley said. “It’s the team’s job to keep on getting competition, to keep pushing the envelope, so it doesn’t make a difference (and I’ve) still got to work as hard as I can.”

Baltimore linebacker Lewis and Chicago LB Urlacher will enter the hall on Aug. 4.

The league's preseason schedule was announced Wednesday and features eight nationally televised games. In Week 2 of the preseason Phil Kessel Jersey , the Jets will visit the Redskins for a Thursday night game Aug. 16, and the Ravens will be at Indianapolis on Aug. 20.

Week 3 will have five national telecasts, beginning Aug. 23 with Super Bowl champion Philadelphia at Cleveland. The next night will see Detroit at Tampa Bay. On Saturday, Aug. 25, New Orleans visits the Los Angeles Chargers Womens Connor Hellebuyck Jersey , and the following day, Cincinnati is at Buffalo for an afternoon match, with Arizona at Dallas in a night game.

The preseason will end Aug. 30-31, and the regular season will begin Sept. 6 in Philadelphia.

Regular season schedules will be announced at a later date.

An intriguing, albeit far-fetched Jay Beagle Jersey , report emerged over the weekend indicating that certain unnamed “star” players are “considering sitting out the season” until quarterback Colin Kaepernick and safety Eric Reid have jobs. A prior item explained the significant expenses that would arise from such a strategy, especially in relation to what would be a far cheaper decision to boycott OTAs.

Here’s another reality: If some “star” players decide not to play football, they wouldn’t be missed.

Every year, star players suffer serious injury. And other players become stars. The most extreme example unfolded in Philadelphia, where leading MVP candidate Carson Wentz suffered a torn ACL in December and backup Nick Foles was holding up a Lombardi Trophy in February.

With a supply of willing participants that still far exceeds the available roster spots Olli Maatta Jersey , an exodus of stars would give non-stars the reps they need to emerge. And those non-stars would happily fill the void.

Look at the list of serious NFL injuries from 2017. Odell Beckham, Jr. Aaron Rodgers. David Johnson. J.J. Watt. Andrew Luck. Deshaun Watson.聽And the football world kept spinning.

It would keep spinning if star players choose not to play, fueled by fantasy football participants who would rush to fill their rosters with the guys who will be getting the opportunities to play, to gain yards, and to score points.

So if it’s true (and many think it isn’t) that “star” players are thinking about pausing temporarily their careers for two men whose careers have been permanently derailed Jake Allen Jersey , it most likely wouldn’t have the desired effect. Because football would go on, as it always does when star players retire or suffer injury.

Kansas City also waived backup running back Akeem Hunt with a failed physical designation; signed rookie free agents Step Durham Mark Scheifele Jersey , Tejan Koroma, Robert McCray, Malik Reaves and Jordan Smallward; and waived Prince Charles Iworah, Devondre Seymour Womens Deryk Engelland Jersey , Brandon Shippen and Nelson Spruce.

The Chiefs have been searching for a blocking tight end to complement Travis Kelce. Ellis made the league as an undrafted free agent with Jacksonville before spending part of last season with the Saints.

Hunt appeared in 15 games last season, primarily as a kick returner, before going on injured reserve with an ankle injury in January. He also had eight carries for 23 yards.

Last November, an Uber driver alleged that Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston had engaged in inappropriate conduct during March of the prior year. Nearly seven months later Authentic Oscar Lindberg Jersey , the NFL’s investigation of the situation has not yet been resolved.

“This remains under review,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

The league has no clear procedures or deadlines for concluding situations like this, and the league rarely if ever provides substantive updates, citing confidentiality concerns. Basically Nate Schmidt Jersey , the investigation lasts until it ends, and there’s no way to know how much longer an investigation will last, or what the outcome will be.

Presumably, the league will close the books on this one before the start of the regular season Yanni Gourde Jersey , giving Winston enough time to pursue his appeal rights. Of course, litigation remains a possibility if Winston ultimately is suspended, but the Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott cases have proven that it’s virtually impossible for a player to beat a league-imposed suspension in court.

The Los Angeles Angels were 4 1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners when they opened a three-game series three weeks ago. When the Angels return to Seattle on Tuesday to begin another three-game set Morgan Rielly Jersey , they’ll be 11 games behind the Mariners for the second wild card from the American League.

The Mariners (54-31) swept the Angels the last time they were in town, and Seattle expanded that cushion by going 7-0 last week for their longest winning streak of the season.

The Angels (43-42) are 6-14 since pulling within 3 1/2 games of the Mariners on June 9. They lost to the Minnesota Twins the following day before getting swept June 11-13 in Seattle. Los Angeles has already played six games at Safeco Field this season but has yet to host the Mariners in Anaheim.

If the Angels drop the series opener, they’ll own a .500 record for the first time since the second game of the season.

The scheduled starting pitchers for Tuesday were also matched up on June 11.

Los Angeles left-hander Andrew Heaney (4-5, 3-95 ERA) gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings of the 5-3 loss.

Seattle left-hander Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 3.38) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings in his only career appearance against Seattle.

LeBlanc, who made 10 appearances for the Angels in 2014, including three starts Braydon Coburn Jersey , hasn’t experienced a defeat in 11 starts this season, and the Mariners are 8-3 in those games.

The Mariners have also found something special in closer Edwin Diaz, who became the second pitcher in major league history with at least 30 saves and 70 strikeouts before the All-Star break. The other is former Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne.

“We’ve had a lot of valuable players on our team,” Seattle manager Scott Servais told reporters after a 1-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. “But winning the close games, it creates the type of atmosphere that’s going on at Safeco Field right now and the city and getting our fan base psyched again.”

Heaney also struggled in his most recent outing, allowing six runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings of a 9-6 loss on Wednesday at the Boston Red Sox, but he did not absorb the loss.

He’s 1-2 in four career starts against the Mariners with a 4.42 ERA.

The Angels lost two more pitchers to injury on their current road trip.

Jake Jewell sustained a broken right fibula against the Red Sox on Wednesday. The rookie right-hander was making his third major-league appearance when he fell awkwardly while trying to cover home plate on a wild pitch. He had surgery on Friday in Los Angeles.

On Saturday Anton Stralman Jersey , the Angels announced left-hander John Lamb would undergo Tommy John surgery, the fourth pitcher for Los Angeles to have the season-ending surgery this year.

Los Angeles could soon be adding some offensive punch, however.

Shohei Ohtani, the rookie two-way player who is also out with an elbow injury, has been taking live batting practice and running the bases recently, putting him on pace to resume designated hitter duties this week.

“He’s starting to do get through that progression,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told FOX Sports West on Sunday.

Angels first baseman/designated hitter Jefry Marte is also close to returning from a left wrist injury.

The NFL said Foster will also be fined for violations from a weapons offense and misdemeanor drug charge that were resolved earlier this offseason.

Foster will miss San Francisco’s games against Minnesota and Detroit before being allowed to return on Sept. 17 before the Niners play Kansas City.

”I accept the League’s decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team Authentic Blake Wheeler Jersey ,” Foster said in a statement. ”I have a responsibility to the 49ers, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted.”

Foster was charged in January in Alabama with second-degree marijuana possession. That charge was eventually dismissed after he completed a first-time offender diversion course.

Foster then faced more serious charges for an incident in California in February. He was initially charged in April with felonies for domestic violence, making criminal threats and weapons possession after being accused of beating up his ex-girlfriend.

A judge ruled there was no probable cause on the first two charges after the ex-girlfriend recanted the allegations and the judge found no other evidence to support the charges. The weapons charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and Foster pleaded no-contest to that in June.

He was sentenced to two years’ probation, 232 hours of community service, and $235 in fines. He will not be allowed to own guns while he’s on probation.

The 49ers initially told Foster to stay away from the offseason program after the felony charges were filed in the domestic violence case before welcoming him back after that was resolved in May.

”Our organization understands and supports the League’s decision Authentic Conor Sheary Jersey ,” general manager John Lynch said. ”Although we are disappointed that Reuben will not be with our team for the first two games of the season, we will continue to work with him on making better decisions and eliminating unnecessary distractions. We are encouraged to see Reuben take responsibility for his mistakes, and hopeful that he has learned from them as well.”

The 49ers drafted Foster 31st overall last year after questions about his health and character caused him to drop from being a possible top 10 pick.

Foster delivered on the field, ranking second on the team with 72 tackles in 10 games as a rookie and looking like a key part of San Francisco’s defensive future.

—

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The big-play, fling it down the field offense of Bruce Arians has been replaced by a run-oriented game that features toughness up front, and a stout defense emphasizing physical play, especially in the secondary.

At least that's the way first-year coach Steve Wilks envisions it.

Whether that results in success in the standings is an open question, especially with a passing game that's still a work in progress, and a brutal road schedule.

Las Vegas odds make Arizona a 120-1 long shot to win the Super Bowl and has his team's over-under victory total at just six games.

"That's great," Wilks said to a room full of reporters. "From Day 1, April 3, I talked to the guys about our vision and expectations. Outside of that team meeting room a lot of people aren't giving us a chance. I'm probably looking at quite a few of them. That's fine as well. But we're going to continue to emphasize the fundamentals and technique and going about our business each and every day and put ourselves in position to hopefully Ryan Callahan Jersey , No. 1, win our division, and then from there we'll talk about everything else."

Wilks believes he has some star power to build around: David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Sam Bradford, Patrick Peterson and 2017 NFL sacks leader Chandler Jones.

And expect to see a lot of Johnson, who is out to remind people he's one of the NFL's best running backs (and earn a nice contract in the process).

"I definitely feel like people seem to have forgotten about me," Johnson said. "You hear people talking about Todd Gurley, Zeke Elliott and Le'v Bell -- and they're great backs. But then you notice that you're not hearing your name or people are not talking about you."

Johnson led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns two seasons ago Youth Christian Djoos Jersey , but fractured his left wrist in the opener last year and didn't play again.

Wilks, defensive coordinator at Carolina last year, has emphasized toughness and physical play from the get-go. Some practices start with a one-on-one drill between a top defensive and offensive player. The first had defensive end Jones against left tackle D.J. Humphries.

He also took the team outside of air-conditioned University of Phoenix Stadium for a handful of practices during training camp in the sizzling desert sun. The idea is to develop a mental edge, he said.

Here are some things to consider about Wilks' Cardinals:

O-LINE MAKEOVER: The Cardinals rebuilt the offensive line and Wilks calls it the strength of the team.

Humphries and guard Mike Iupati, who has had a strong preseason, are on the left side, with free agent acquisitions Justin Pugh at right guard and Andre Smith at right tackle. Center A.Q. Shipley went down with a season-ending knee injury, so rookie Mason Cole, a third-round pick out of Michigan Josh Morrissey Jersey , is his replacement.

BRADFORD'S KNEE: Bradford's history of injuries led the Cardinals to bring the quarterback along slowly. He didn't begin taking regular first-team reps until minicamp and got regular days off during training camp.

Bradford said the results have been great. He completed his first seven passes in the preseason before having a couple dropped in the third game against Dallas, but Arizona really hasn't amped up the passing game yet.

"I feel good right now," he said. "My body's in a good place and I think now we'll see the benefits of the plan we had throughout OTAs and throughout the spring."

ROOKIES GALORE: Rookies figure to fill prominent roles.

Dynamic second-round pick Christian Kirk will return punts and might win the No. 2 receiver job. Cole is the center. And fourth-round pick Chase Edmonds has shown to be a powerful backup to Johnson.

And that's not counting quarterback Josh Rosen. Arizona moved up in the draft to pick Rosen 10th overall and he's impressed his teammates and coaches by absorbing the offense so quickly, and incessantly asking questions.

Rosen gets his chance if Bradford goes down.

DEPTH ISSUES: Depth seems to be the biggest question mark for the Cardinals, particularly at linebacker and wide receiver.

Arizona has one of the best receivers to play the game in Larry Fitzgerald, who returns for his 15th season. But the pecking order after that is in flux.

The Cardinals have a talented trio of linebackers in Deone Bucannon, Haason Reddick and Josh Bynes, but the numbers are thin behind them. There's also a big drop-off after the first-team offensive line.

TURNOVER AVALANCHE: Arizona opponents had 16 turnovers in its first three preseason games, a whopping eight by the Cowboys.

The Cardinals were plus-15 in takeaways through three preseason games. Can that continue at even a close pace in the games that count?

The Pirates made the move Friday night just before the start of their game with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Rookie catcher Jacob Stallings was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Cervelli left the June 9 game against the Cubs at Chicago in the fourth inning after being struck on the helmet and left of his jaw by a foul tip off the bat of Jason Heyward. Cervelli passed the concussion protocol and played in six more games Melker Karlsson Jersey , but began feeling symptoms Thursday night late in the Pirates’ 9-3 loss to the Diamondbacks.

An 11-year veteran, Cervelli has already hit a career-high nine home runs this season, with 36 RBIs in 55 games while batting .247. His previous high for homers was seven in 2015, his first season with Pittsburgh after spending seven years with the New York Yankees.

Stallings played in five games with the Pirates earlier this month and went 5 for 14 (.357).

Nike has touched off a furor by wading into football's national anthem debate with an ad featuring Colin Kaepernick Tom Kuhnhackl Jersey , the former 49ers quarterback who was the first athlete to kneel during "The Star-Spangled Banner" to protest police brutality against blacks and hasn't played a game since 2016.

The ad copy reads: "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."

The ad, part of Nike's 30th anniversary "Just Do it" campaign, has outraged many. Online, people threatened boycotts and posted videos and photos of shoes set on fire, Nike gear thrown in the trash, and swoosh logos cut out of products.

Most big corporations steer clear of politics, and marketing experts disagreed Tuesday over whether the Kaepernick campaign is good business.

But some noted approvingly that it made a big splash and set Nike apart. And they said it could solidify Nike's bond with athletes, especially black ones, an important consideration for a company that relies heavily on sports stars to endorse its products.

Brian Gordon, CEO of Engine Shop, a sports and entertainment marketing agency, said the ad is provocative but "authentic to who they are and the communities they represent and speak to," including the athletes.

"Even in the face of potential backlash, they support their athlete partners, and that's an incredibly powerful statement to the athlete community," Gordon said.

Other athletes in the campaign include tennis star Serena Williams, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Shaquem Griffin, a linebacker whose left hand was amputated when he was 4. But the Kaepernick ad struck a nerve, timed just before the NFL season kicks off on Thursday.

Nike did not return a request for comment about its strategy. Its stock closed down more than 3 percent Tuesday.

Neil Saunders Lars Eller Jersey , managing director of the data and analytics firm GlobalData, called the Kaepernick strategy "commercially imprudent."

"Nike's campaign will generate both attention and discussion which is, arguably, one of its central aims," he said. "However, it is also a risky strategy in that it addresses, and appears to take sides on, a highly politicized issue. This means it could ultimately alienate and lose customers, which is not the purpose of a marketing campaign."

But other experts think the strength of Nike's brand will help it weather the storm and perhaps benefit from it, too. Nike is one of the world's largest sports apparel companies, with $34.5 billion in revenue last year.

"What you stand for is almost as important as what you make," said Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing firm Metaforce. "It's a polarized marketplace. No matter what you do, you offend some people. They're focused on what they stand for, and if that upsets some users, so be it."

Robert Passikoff, founder of marketing consultancy Brand Keys, said an ad like Nike's will divide people, but the outrage won't last.

"My guess is that the audience that is reacting so badly to this aren't buying a lot of Nikes anyway," he said. "They'll move on to the next thing. Welcome to the 21st century."

Nike Womens Evander Kane Jersey , based in Beaverton, Oregon, has made waves before. An ad for the company's sport hijab went viral in 2017. And a 2010 commercial featuring a voiceover by Tiger Woods' late father when the golfer was trying to recover from a sex scandal drew mixed reviews.

In August, Nike made news when the French Open banned Williams' Nike-branded black catsuit. Nike responded by posting an image of her on social media with the line "You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers."

Brands run the risk of a backlash in taking a political stand in their advertising.

Starbucks was mocked in 2015 for trying to start a discussion about race by writing the slogan "Race Together" on its cups. Pepsi ended up pulling a commercial that showed Kendall Jenner giving a Pepsi to a police officer; some said the ad trivialized the "Black Lives Matter" protests.

John Sweeney, sports communication professor at the University of North Carolina, said the Kaepernick ad was created to provoke people, and in that respect, it succeeded.

"You may have a negative reaction or a positive reaction, but you have a reaction," he said. "They wanted something that would stop the presses and stop people in their places."

For some, the ad has made them bigger fans of the brand.

"I think what Nike did was a tremendous step in fighting against the people who misunderstand the protests by Kaep and players," said Seth Buchwalter, of Portland, Oregon, a lifelong Nike customer.

But Wesley Callaway, of Omaha, Nebraska, said he doesn't agree with kneeling during the national anthem and thinks it is unfortunate Nike is featuring Kaepernick, though he said he doesn't buy many Nike products and won't make any changes in his shopping habits.

"I don't mind them protesting brutality Authentic David Perron Jersey ," he said. "I just wish they wouldn't do it during the anthem."

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis and Green Bay didn’t wait for this week’s roster moves to start filling holes.

Instead, they cut a deal Sunday.

The Colts traded inside linebacker Antonio Morrison to the Packers for cornerback Lenzy Pipkins, giving each veteran a chance to impress their new coaches in this week’s preseason finales — and a better chance of making the 53-man active roster.

Green Bay already was thin at inside linebacker after incumbent starter Jake Ryan suffered a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during training camp. The Packers suffered another blow when Ryan’s replacement, rookie Oren Burks, hurt his shoulder during Friday’s pregame warmups and missed the game against Oakland.

Burks was a third-round draft pick in the spring, but coach Mike McCarthy said Sunday the injury was less severe than initially feared and that the injury would not be long term.

Still, they made the move.

“Antonio is obviously an experienced linebacker, and if you look at the youth of the group, that’s something we felt we needed to add,” McCarthy said. “Lenzy’s a good young corner, did some really good things for us at the end of the year. But we’re very young at that position.”

Getting Morrison could fill one of Green Bay’s most glaring needs.

The 6-foot-1, 241-pound Morrison played in 31 games with the Colts, made 19 starts including 15 last season. He finished among the league’s top 20 in tackles in 2017, leading the Colts with 109.

Morrison was originally the Colts’ fourth-round draft pick in 2016.

But Morrison started sliding down the Colts’ depth chart after new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus switched from a 3-4 defensive front to the more traditional 4-3, a scheme that requires only one starting inside linebacker. In contrast, Green Bay will continue to use a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.

Morrison’s experience also could make him an immediate contributor with starter Blake Martinez, who had 144 tackles last season and finished with a share of the league lead. Martinez started next to undrafted rookie Greer Martini when Burks sat out Friday.

Burks said nobody has given him a timeline for his return and he’s not sure if he’ll be ready for Green Bay’s season opener Sept. 9 against Chicago.

“Shoulder just popped out. It’s unfortunate but it’s part of the game,” Burks said. “Knew something was wrong Womens Devante Smith-Pelly Jersey , obviously, but I’ve never had any shoulder issues before so I didn’t really know what I was feeling or any kinds of things like that. Good evaluation, good feedback from the MRI and things like that.”

Pipkins played in 12 games, mostly on special teams, after making the Packers as an undrafted rookie last season.

He also moved down the depth chart after Green Bay selected cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson with its top two picks in this year’s draft and re-signed free agent Tramon Williams, who played for Pettine in Cleveland after leaving Green Bay in free agency following the 2014 season.

“Our two rookies played well in the game,” McCarthy said. “But I think it’s just a product of a number of things. It (linebacker) is a position that we wanted to add experience to, and definitely some young guys there that we feel good about.”

With an already young secondary, the Colts figured they’d take a look at the 6-foot, 196-pound Pipkins in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Cincinnati.

Second-year cornerbacks Quincy Wilson and Nate Hairston both missed the Colts’ game with injuries.

Pierre Desir, a fifth-year player who made five of his 12 career starts last season in Indy, and Kenny Moore II, a second-year player who has impressed coaches, have been the starters this preseason.

But Pipkins could help the Colts in nickel or dime packages if Wilson or Hairston are out any significant amount of time.

“We feel like it’s a good fit,” coach Frank Reich said. “He’s a guy that our guys had their eyes on. It’s tough with Antonio because I loved Antonio, I loved the toughness he brought. But I think this was a move that was best for the team.”

Liuget, who is suspended for the first four games of the upcoming season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, did not participate in the first day of the team's mandatory minicamp Tuesday.

"We're waiting for his foot to feel better. He had the surgery, he's coming along fine Braden Holtby Jersey ," Lynn said.

Liuget was limited to 12 games last season because of a toe injury, finishing with 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Liuget also missed the final five games of the 2015 season because of a foot injury.

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The Giants already knew Saquon Barkley is fast on his feet. The running back also proved he has a quick wit.

The No. 2 overall choice was asked for his response to teammate Damon “Snacks” Harrison, who said he can’t wait for training camp to line up against Barkley and “hit his ass and see what he’s made of.”

“My response to that is I am happy we are on the same team,” Barkley said Markus Granlund Jersey , via quotes distributed by the team. “He only gets to hit me maybe once or twice a year rather than a full game. Snacks is arguably one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL. I definitely have a lot of respect for him and how he carries himself as a vet. You could just watch him on the field. I am going to say I am going to run away from that. I am happy he is on my team and my side.”

Barkley is “positive” he doesn’t want an opportunity to try to run over the 341-pound Harrison.

“I don鈥檛 know anyone in this league that could run over Snacks,” Barkley said. “His name is Snacks for a reason. Just happy he is on my team and fortunate that I get to play with him.

Barkley, though, isn’t afraid of contact. He spent Wednesday morning watching film of Le'Veon Bell‘s blocking as he attempts to become a running back able to do it all.

“What Stew [Jonathan Stewart] has been teaching me is how to set up your blocks Frederik Andersen Jersey ,” Barkley said. “For me, I did it so natural in college that I didn鈥檛 even notice I was doing it. Now, understanding and seeing the play before it develops and seeing the linebacker overflowing, that is how you set up cutback lanes. A guy who does it the best is Le鈥橵eon Bell. I was watching him this morning and how he was picking up blocks. I think you have to be versatile as a running back. Catch the ball in the backfield and be able to block. Be able to run in between tackles and outside of tackles. If you really think if the three backs Auston Matthews Jersey , the top five backs, that is what they are able to do. They block, catch the ball in the backfield and are able to run the ball. Just the way they set up their blocks. That is what it takes to be a top back in the NFL.”

The timeline remained unclear whether Paul might be fine to play a possible Game 7 if the Rockets lost Saturday night’s Game 6 and had to return to Houston to face the Golden State Warriors again Monday night. Eric Gordon started in Paul’s place Saturday at Oracle Arena.

”I think he’ll play as soon as he can Marcus Mariota Jersey Big ,” D’Antoni said before the game Saturday. ”It’s just not a question of trying to outsmart. He’s going to play. As soon as he’s able to walk and run, he’ll do it. There was no shot at it today.”

Golden State forward Andre Iguodala was out for a third straight game this series after he sustained a bone bruise in his left knee during Game 3. Coach Steve Kerr said Iguodala continues to have pain when running, so he’s still listed as day to day.

”It’s a bone bruise, and those are hard to predict,” Kerr said. ”Until he’s able to really run without pain, then he can’t play.”

Paul’s presence at Oracle Arena still meant plenty.

”He’s devastated. He has to be. We’re all devastated for him. At the same time, we’ll rally and do what’s right,” D’Antoni said. ”He’s so integral in what we do and the spirit of the team. And him being here is a big deal, and him being on the bench is a big deal. He’ll will us through, if he can.”

Kerr felt terribly for Paul – and others who have gone down.

”More than anything Womens Alejandro Villanueva Jersey , I feel bad for Chris. The guy is a phenomenal player and competitor, and pretty much willed his team the last two games. He’s just been haunted by these types of injuries in his career, and it’s a shame,” Kerr said.

”I hate when anybody gets hurt. I hate when Andre got hurt. I hate to see Kevin Love last night, Kyrie (Irving). These guys train so hard and they’re here and they’re competing, and you want everybody to be healthy, but just the reality is it usually doesn’t work out that way. So you’ve just got to keep playing with whoever’s there and keep going.”

Second-year Golden State guard Patrick McCaw, who had been out since a scary back injury at Sacramento on March 31 when undercut by Vince Carter, was available to play after earlier being upgraded to questionable. He wasn’t expected to contribute key minutes given the injury and time missed.

”It would be a tough spot to put him in, in the meat of the game Youth Joe Flacco Jersey , with not having played for a long time. But at this point, it’s all hands on deck, obviously,” Kerr said. ”You never know how the game’s going to play out. I had teammates who literally played one play in a playoff game and made a play and helped us win a game. So you just never know.”

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Billy Cannon, a legendary Heisman Trophy winner at LSU who would later become an all-star in the American Football League, has died at the age of 80.

Cannon is best remembered for his career at LSU, where he led the Tigers to the national championship in 1958 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1959. His all-around contributions to the team were almost impossible for fans of today’s brand of football to comprehend: He was the team’s top runner, receiver, defensive back, punter Womens Ben Roethlisberger Jersey , kicker, punt returner and kickoff returner. On Halloween in 1959, with LSU trailing 3-0, Cannon returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 7-3 lead in the fourth quarter. He then made the game-saving tackle on defense at the 1-yard line to preserve the victory.

Cannon was the undisputed top player in college football and coveted by both the NFL and the upstart AFL, and he signed contracts with both the NFL’s Rams and the AFL’s Houston Oilers. A legal battle ensued, and he persuaded a judge that Rams General Manager Pete Rozelle had tricked him into signing a contract he didn’t understand, freeing him to play in the AFL and give that league some newfound legitimacy.

With the Oilers Cannon made an instant impact, helping the Oilers get to the first AFL championship game and gaining 259 all-purpose yards in that game to become the game’s MVP. In 1961 Cannon led the AFL with 948 rushing yards and 2,043 all-purpose yards. Cannon would spend four years with the Oilers, six with the Raiders and one final season with the Chiefs.

For all his success on the field Womens Luke Kuechly Jersey , Cannon had plenty of problems off the field. He was convicted of theft in high school, and after retiring from football he went to prison for counterfeiting.

Despite those off-field issues, however, Cannon was a beloved figure particularly in Louisiana, where he remains considered by many the greatest player ever to play at LSU. And his Halloween punt return will live as an LSU legend forever.

The NFL’s new rules designed to reduce the impacts on kickoffs represent a last-gasp effort to keep the play in the sport.

That’s the word from former head of officiating Mike Pereira Womens James Conner Jersey , who believes that if this year’s rule changes don’t result in the desired reduction in kickoffs, the NFL will just abolish the play entirely.

“If at the end of this year there are more concussions on kickoffs, forget it. It’s gone,” Pereira said this morning on PFT Live.

The flip side is Womens Alejandro Villanueva Jersey , the new rules have the potential to save the kickoff and keep it in the sport for good.

“If we have more returns and less concussions then the kickoff is here to stay, maybe forever,” Pereira said.

Pereira believes that if the NFL scraps kickoffs, the most likely replacement would be the “Greg Schiano rule Authentic Stefon Diggs Jersey ,” in which teams would face a fourth-and-15 from their own 35-yard line and could either punt the ball as the new equivalent of a kickoff, or go for it as the new equivalent of an onside kick.

Tickets for the Jan. 17 game at the O2 Arena go on sale in the fall.

It will be the NBA’s ninth regular-season game in London, all sellouts. The Knicks have played there twice, facing the Detroit Pistons in 2013 and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2015. This will be the Wizards’ debut in London.

International players on the rosters include Wizards center Marcin Gortat of Poland Womens C.J. Mosley Jersey , Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia and Knicks point guard Frank Ntilikina, who was born in Belgium to Rwandan parents and grew up in France.

The game will be shown by the NBA’s broadcast partners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and on NBA League Pass International.

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