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D.J. Moore CHI WR
Bears' DJ Moore: Returning to remade offense
15m agoMoore worked out in April with Bears QB Caleb Williams and fellow Bears WRs Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.
The workouts took place shortly before the draft, at which point Williams was all but locked in as the No. 1 overall pick for Chicago (and Odunze considered a strong candidate to join him at No. 9). The Bears ended up with both, completing their offseason makeover on offense after trading for Allen and signing RB D'Andre Swift and TE Gerald Everett. The crowded pass-catching corps means Moore is unlikely to match his career-high 28.8 percent target share from 2023, though there likely will be more overall targets, as the Bears figure to call pass plays at a higher rate and will no longer have sack/scramble-happy Justin Fields under center.
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D.J. Chark CAR WR
Chargers' DJ Chark: Joins forces with Bolts
12h agoChark and the Chargers agreed to terms on a one-year contract Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Per Rapoport, the deal is worth up to $5 million. Chark visited with the Chargers exactly one week before the 2024 NFL Draft, and his signing with the team comes exactly one week after its first round. With L.A., he'll be providing a veteran presence to a receiving corps that parted with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, meaning Chark will be vying with the likes of Joshua Palmer (knee), Quentin Johnston and second-round rookie Ladd McConkey for reps in the upcoming campaign. In 15 regular-season games with the Panthers in 2023, Chark hauled in 35 of 66 targets for 525 yards and five touchdowns.
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Keenan Allen CHI WR
Bears' Keenan Allen: Part of loaded offense in Chicago
13h agoAllen, DJ Moore and Rome Odunze all worked out with new Bears QB Caleb Williams in April, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.
Williams and Odunze weren't on the team at the time, though in Williams' case everyone knew he'd be going to Chicago with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 Draft. The Bears then took Odunze eight picks later, completing a fearsome WR trio with Allen and Moore. It's a situation that will make it nearly impossible for Allen to match his target volume from his years in San Diego and Los Angeles, even if Odunze needs some time to adjust to the pro game. Allen celebrated his 32nd birthday during the draft and is entering the final year of his contract, with GM Ryan Poles having said in March that he expected the veteran WR to sign an extension at some point. It's unclear if the Odunze selection changes the expectation for Allen to sign a multi-year deal, as the Bears have enough cap flexibility to keep all three WRs for the next few seasons if that's what they choose to prioritize.
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Darnell Mooney ATL WR
Falcons' Darnell Mooney: Locked in for key role
14h agoThe Falcons figure to be heavily reliant on Mooney and Drake London at wide receiver this coming season, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
The Falcons have sent multiple signals that they expect Mooney to bounce back from a quiet 2023 in Chicago, first giving him $26 million guaranteed on a three-year, $39 million contract and now waiting until the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft before taking a wide receiver (Casey Washington). There's no serious competition for the No. 2 WR job, though it is possible Mooney ends up a distant fourth behind London, RB Bijan Robinson and TE Kyle Pitts in terms of prioritization in Atlanta' offense. Still, it's not a bad spot to be in, especially for a thin, fast receiver who projects better as a deep threat than as a high-volume guy.
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Dameon Pierce HOU RB
Texans' Dameon Pierce: Expected to contribute this year
14h agoGM Nick Caserio said Tuesday that he expects Pierce to be "a big part" of the Houston offense this upcoming season, Tyler Milner of Sports Radio 610 reports.
The 2022 fourth-round pick ran for 939 yards in 13 games his rookie season but then managed just 416 yards in 14 games last year. Pierce nosedived from 4.3 YPC to 2.9, losing his starting job to Devin Singletary in the process. Singletary is with the Giants now, but Pierce nonetheless appear destined for a backup role after the Texans traded for Joe Mixon and gave him an extension. The team then waited until the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft to select a running back, taking a player (Louisville's Jawhar Jordan) who six months older than Pierce and might only be used as a kick return specialist. In other words, Pierce has a nice opportunity to keep the second spot on the depth chart despite his subpar performance last season, though Dare Ogunbowale remains a threat to get playing time in obvious pass situations.
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Kwity Paye IND DE
Colts' Kwity Paye: Gets fifth year
18h agoPaye had the fifth-year option on his contract exercised Thursday, Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star reports.
Paye had a successful third NFL season in 2023, recording career highs across the board, with 52 combined tackles, including 8.5 sacks. He also forced and recovered two fumbles. The Michigan product should now remain an integral part of the Colts' pass rush for the next two seasons.
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Matt Carpenter STL DH
Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Begins rehab assignment
1h agoCarpenter (oblique) has been sent to Double-A Springfield to begin a rehab assignment.
What would have been Carpenter's first rehab game was rained out Thursday, but he's been cleared for game action after missing the last month with a right oblique strain. It's not clear how many rehab at-bats the 38-year-old will need before being activated. Once he does return, he'll give the Cardinals another option at designated hitter.
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Seiya Suzuki CHC RF
Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Progresses to batting practice
1h agoSuzuki (oblique) took on-field batting practice Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro and LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune report.
It's the first time he's taken BP since he suffered a right oblique strain on April 14. Suzuki has estimated that he's 80 percent recovered from the injury and he could be in line to begin a rehab assignment next week if he continues trending in the right direction. A return to the Cubs' active roster by mid-May looks doable for the outfielder.
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Tyler O'Neill BOS RF
Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill: Double, RBI in loss
3h agoO'Neill went 1-for-2 with two walks, a double and an RBI in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Giants.
O'Neill had a terrific first month in a Boston uniform and continues to outperform his career standards. The outfielder, who is one plate appearance shy of qualifying, has a 1.096 OPS which ranks second in MLB behind only Mookie Betts.
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Garrett Cooper BOS 1B
Red Sox's Garrett Cooper: Returns to action
3h agoCooper started at designated hitter and went 1-for-4 in Thursday's 3-1 loss to San Francisco.
Cooper was back in action after missing one game due to a right wrist injury. He was plunked by a pitch during Tuesday's game -- his Red Sox debut -- and sat out Wednesday. Bobby Dalbec started at first base Thursday, but he's expected to be optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Friday, which will leave Cooper as the top righty-hitting option at first base going forward. The lefty-hitting Dominic Smith is also around to back up Cooper.
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Nick Pivetta BOS SP
Red Sox's Nick Pivetta: Makes rehab start
3h agoPivetta (elbow) allowed four runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five over three-plus innings for Triple-A Worcester on Thursday.
Pivetta threw 62 pitches in the first and possibly only start while on a rehab assignment. He ran into immediate trouble, walking the first two batters of the game then giving up three straight singles. He settled in after that, retiring the next nine batters, before he was pulled following another two walks to lead off the fourth inning. "Repertoire felt good, just wasn't throwing a ton of strikes," Pivetta told Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. "I have some mechanical adjustments to work on but we'll be fine." Red Sox manager Alex Cora previously indicated Pivetta would need just one rehab start, and if that's the case, the right-hander is on schedule for next week's two-game set against Atlanta on Tuesday or Wednesday.
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Evan Carter TEX LF
Rangers' Evan Carter: Starts against lefty
4h agoCarter started in center field and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's 6-0 win over Washington.
Carter got the rare start against a left-hander and produced his second hit in 16 at-bats against a southpaw. Texas manager Bruce Bochy has shied away from using Carter in these situations but gave him a shot Thursday with Leody Taveras getting the night off. Rangers general manager Chris Young explained to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com that Carter has not faced the quality of stuff that major-league lefties have at this point in his MLB career, suggesting they are bringing the 21-year-old along slowly in that regard. "I think [Bochy] is doing a very good job of giving him his fair share of at-bats against lefties knowing that there's only one way to develop, and that's to go through it," the GM said. Young also noted Carter's advanced aptitude and is confident he'll eventually succeed against all pitchers.
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Damian Lillard MIL PG
Bucks' Damian Lillard: Leads offense in return in Game 6
13h agoLillard tallied 28 points (7-16 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 10-10 FT), four assists and two rebounds over 35 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 loss to Indiana in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Lillard returned in Game 6 after missing the previous two games with an Achilles injury, doing all he could to help Milwaukee extend the series by leading all players in Thursday's series-ending contest in scoring and threes made while ending perfect from the free-throw line. Despite dealing with some injury issues during the first-round series against Indiana, Lillard posted 28 or more points in all four of his appearances while adding four or more threes in each of those contests.
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Bobby Portis MIL PF
Bucks' Bobby Portis: Owns glass in season-ending loss
13h agoPortis ended with 20 points (8-17 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-7 FT), 15 rebounds and two assists over 36 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 loss to Indiana in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Portis once again dominated the glass for Milwaukee in a season-ending loss Thursday, leading all players in the contest in rebounds while ending as one of three Bucks with 20 or more points in a double-double outing. Portis stepped up nicely in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in the first-round series, posting a double-double in five of the six contests while surpassing the 20-point mark in the final two games against Indiana.
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Khris Middleton MIL SF
Bucks' Khris Middleton: Held in check in Game 6 defeat
13h agoMiddleton recorded 14 points (6-15 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-1 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals over 38 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 loss to Indiana in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Middleton led Milwaukee seemingly on a nightly basis over the course of the first-round series against Indiana, but he was held in check in the series-ending contest Thursday while failing to record 15 points for the only time in the series. Middleton, who dealt with some foul trouble that seemed to impact his performance and aggressiveness in the first half, put together a strong opening-round series, scoring 20 or more points in four of the six contests.
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T.J. McConnell IND PG
Pacers' T.J. McConnell: Stellar off bench in Game 6 win
13h agoMcConnell tallied 20 points (7-9 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine assists, four steals and two rebounds over 23 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
McConnell was outstanding off the Pacers bench in the series-clinching victory, ending second on the team in scoring and assists while leading all players in steals and coming up one dime shy of a double-double to provide a much-needed spark on the second unit. McConnell put forth his best performance of the postseason thus far, scoring more than 10 points for the first time while handing out his highest assist total of the first round. Indiana will look for McConnell to continue to provide a spark off the bench in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
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Obi Toppin IND PF
Pacers' Obi Toppin: Top scorer off bench in Game 6
13h agoToppin posted 21 points (8-15 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and one block over 24 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Toppin gave Indiana a much-needed lift off the bench, leading all Pacers in scoring while connecting on a team-high-tying trio of threes and ending two rebounds shy of a double-double in just under 25 minutes on the second unit. Toppin has been stellar off the bench this postseason but posted his best outing of the playoffs thus far in the series-clinching victory. Toppin concluded the first-round series by surpassing the double-digit scoring mark in four straight outings.
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Tyrese Haliburton IND PG
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton: Top distributor in double-double
13h agoHaliburton finished with 17 points (7-16 FG, 2-10 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 10 assists and six rebounds over 32 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Haliburton once again provided an offensive lift for Indiana in a series-clinching victory, leading all players in Thursday's contest in assists while adding a half-dozen rebounds in a double-double performance. Haliburton recorded a double-double in three of the six games in the first round against Milwaukee, finishing with at least 15 points in four straight outings to round out the series.
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Charlie McAvoy BOS D
Bruins' Charlie McAvoy: Dishes out 11 hits
5m agoMcAvoy delivered 11 hits in a 2-1 Game 6 loss to Toronto on Thursday.
McAvoy may be adding some physicality to the lineup with his hits but is stuck in a nine-game goal drought. The defenseman did notch five helpers, including three with the man advantage, over that stretch. Still, the Bruins have managed just two goals in their last two games and will need more offensive output to come out on top in Game 7 on Saturday.
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Scott Mayfield NYI D
Islanders' Scott Mayfield: Expects to be ready for 2024-25
37m agoMayfield, who suffered a fractured ankle in the season opener, should be ready for the 2024-25 campaign, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports Friday.
Mayfield told reporters that his ankle injury never fully healed, which forced him to undergo surgery in February. Despite his ankle problem, the veteran blueliner still appeared in 41 games this year, recording five assists, 70 hits and 36 shots in 41 contests.
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Kevin Shattenkirk BOS D
Bruins' Kevin Shattenkirk: Pockets helpers
10h agoShattenkirk recorded an assist in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs in Game 6.
Shattenkirk was scratched for Game 5 on Tuesday, but he checked back in for Matt Grzelcyk in this contest. The helper was Shattenkirk's first point in the postseason, to go with three shots on net, six hits and two blocked shots over five appearances. The 35-year-old blueliner is stuck on the third pairing, so he shouldn't be counted on to make contributions on offense.
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James van Riemsdyk BOS LW
Bruins' James van Riemsdyk: Registers assist
10h agoVan Riemsdyk logged an assist and two hits in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs in Game 6.
Van Riemsdyk has earned two points, five shots on net, three hits and a plus-1 rating over four games since he entered the Bruins' lineup. The 34-year-old winger is still seeing limited usage in the bottom six, so he's unlikely to produce steady offense moving forward, though he also gets time on the second power-play unit.
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Morgan Geekie BOS C
Bruins' Morgan Geekie: Breaks up shutout late
10h agoGeekie scored a goal on three shots in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs in Game 6.
Geekie tallied in the final second of the game, but it only served to break up Joseph Woll's shutout. Through six playoff outings, Geekie has two goals, one assist, nine shots on net, 15 hits and an even plus-minus rating. The 25-year-old continues to feature in a top-six role, though his offense hasn't matched that usage.
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Jeremy Swayman BOS G
Bruins' Jeremy Swayman: Takes another loss
10h agoSwayman stopped 24 of 26 shots in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs in Game 6.
Swayman has lost back-to-back games, but he still hasn't given up more than two goals in any of his five first-round starts. William Nylander had both tallies Thursday, scoring in the final minute of the second period on a deflected shot and adding another goal late in the third. With the Bruins facing Game 7, it's unclear if head coach Jim Montgomery will stick with Swayman or switch to Linus Ullmark on Saturday.