BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-7)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: WRs Mike Wallace and Michael Campanaro; TEs Benjamin Watson and Crockett Gillmore; Cs Ryan Jensen and Luke Bowanko; QB Ryan Mallett; RB Terrance West; CB Brandon Boykin; LB Steven Johnson.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
NEEDS: Even if they retain Wallace and Campanaro
Derek Watt Jersey , Ravens are going after big-play wide receiver. Baltimore appears ready to give up on 2015 first-round pick Breshad Perriman, who has thus far been bust. Baltimore also needs pass rusher to help out 35-year-old Terrell Suggs and could use more depth on offensive line, especially if Hurst and Jensen end up elsewhere. Tight end is also trouble spot, given that Watson is 37 and Gillmore has struggled to stay healthy.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): $4.3 million.
BUFFALO BILLS (9-8)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: WRs Jordan Matthews, Deonte Thompson, Brandon Tate, and Jeremy Butler; CBs E.J. Gaines, Leonard Johnson, and Shareece Wright; LBs Preston Brown and Ramon Humber; DT Cedric Thornton; Ss Colt Anderson and Shamarko Thomas; RBs Travaris Cadet and Taiwan Jones; FB Mike Tolbert; OT Seantrel Henderson; QB Joe Webb.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
NEEDS: Quarterback moved to the top of the list after Buffalo traded three-year starter Tyrod Taylor to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a third-round pick. The deal leaves Nathan Peterman – a fifth-round draft pick last year – as the only quarterback on the roster. Aside from free agency, the Bills are anticipated to select a quarterback in the draft. The defensive front seven could be in store for major overhaul
Walt Aikens Jersey , though Williams re-signed. Starters Brown and Humber are eligible for free agency. Unanticipated hole to fill is center after Eric Woods was diagnosed with career-ending neck injury in January. Bills already addressed needs by signing nine-year veteran CB Vontae Davis and running back Chris Ivory, who is expected to take over as LeSean McCoy’s primary backup.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): $37 million.
CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-9)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: QB AJ McCarron; C Russell Bodine; TE Tyler Eifert; RBs Jeremy Hill and Cedric Peerman; P Kevin Huber; LB Kevin Minter; OTs Andre Smith and Eric Winston; DT Pat Sims.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
NEEDS: McCarron won grievance against Bengals, making him free agent and giving team unexpected task of finding backup for Andy Dalton. Bodine has started every game in past four seasons and team would like to keep him. Offensive line is priority after struggling to protect Dalton and open holes for running backs. Eifert has been injury-prone TE but when healthy is one of Dalton’s favorite targets near goal line. Offense finished last in league and needs major all-around upgrade.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): $32.4 million.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-16)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: RB Isaiah Crowell; LB Tank Carder.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: DL Jamie Meder.
NEEDS: S, maybe LT. Cleveland figured to be in market for veteran quarterback, but that changed Friday when team acquired Tyrod Taylor in trade with Buffalo. Arrival of dynamic Taylor would seem to rule out Browns making run at AJ McCarron or any other free agent QBs. Still, team is expected to use No. 1 overall draft pick on a young QB to compete with Taylor or maybe start at some point in 2018. Browns also added wide receiver Jarvis Landry via trade, but would like to add depth at what has been troublesome position. Star left tackle Joe Thomas still hasn’t told team if he plans to keep playing or retire. If Thomas is done, team will need to address replacing future Hall of Famer. Browns have been league’s youngest team past two seasons and need infusion of both talent and experience in free agency.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): $113 million.
DENVER BRONCOS (5-11)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: ILBs Todd Davis and Corey Nelson; DEs Jared Crick and Billy Wynn; QB Brock Osweiler; WR Cody Latimer; TE Virgil Green; RB Jamaal Charles; OL Allen Barbre; OT Donald Stephenson; G Billy Turner.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: G Shaquil Barrett; WR Bennie Fowler; C Matt Paradis.
NEEDS: After last year’s deflating draft class produced so little, Broncos need upgrades throughout roster but especially on offense. GM John Elway said high-priced WRs Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, both of whom underperformed last season
Aldrick Rosas Jersey , will be back. That would make for attractive draw for veteran QB. They need to bolster running backs corps and do usual O-line fix, which has become annual rite of spring in Denver. Even with Jake Butt back from ACL surgery, they could use some more tight end prowess. On defense, they’re no longer elite unit that carried them to Super Bowl 50 title, but still very good behind Von Miller, MVP of Pro Bowl. They could use some jolts at linebacker and even in secondary, which for years was among league’s best.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE: $24 million.
HOUSTON TEXANS (4-12)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: CBs Johnathan Joseph and Marcus Williams; RBs Alfred Blue, Andre Ellington and Jordan Todman; OTs Chris Clark and Breno Giacomini; Ss Marcus Gilchrist and Eddie Pleasant; G Xavier Su’a-Filo; QBs Tom Savage, Josh Johnson and T.J. Yates; OLB Jelani Jenkins; WR Bruce Ellington.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: ILBs Ben Heeney and Brian Peters; DE Angelo Blackson; WR Cobi Hamilton; C Greg Mancz.
NEEDS: Texans look to have finally found franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson. Now they need to upgrade offensive line to keep him protected when he returns from knee injury this season. They’ll likely let Clark and Su’a-Filo go in attempt to improve with better t When Vince Velasquez is calm and composed, he’s tough to beat.
Velasquez took a no-hitter two outs into the seventh inning
Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey , Rhys Hoskins and Nick Williams hit solo homers, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3 Thursday.
Trevor Story lined Velasquez’s 105th pitch – a curve – to left for an RBI double, ending Velasquez’s bid for the fourth no-hitter in the majors this season.
”That was as confident as I’ve ever seen him,” manager Gabe Kapler said. ”His demeanor was calm and relaxed.”
Velasquez (5-7) got a standing ovation as he walked off the mound after the hit. The hard-throwing righty looked nothing like the pitcher who allowed 10 runs against the Brewers last Friday. He dominated the Rockies, giving up one hit and two runs with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
”I was comfortable all the way through,” he said. ”I just wanted to have a solid bounce-back.”
Velasquez retired 20 of the first 21 batters. He walked Gerardo Parra in the second and picked him off. Velasquez walked Carlos Gonzalez before Story’s double. Tommy Hunter entered and allowed an RBI single to Parra to cut Philadelphia’s lead to one run before getting the final out of the inning.
”That can be him every time out. He has that stuff,” Hoskins said of Velasquez.
The Phillies won a series for the first time since taking two of three from Atlanta on May 21-23. They’re 7-12 since.
Colorado has lost 10 of 13.
Rockies starter German Marquez (4-7) gave up six runs and seven hits in six-plus innings. Rockies manager Bud Black finally pulled Marquez with the bases loaded after 112 pitches.
”It’s a shame that Marquez got tagged with as many runs that he did,” Black said. ”He threw the ball pretty well.”
Hoskins drove a first-pitch fastball into the left-field seats to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the first. It was his eighth homer and second since returning last Saturday from a fractured jaw.
Williams lined his eighth homer out to right in the second for a 2-0 lead. He hit an opposite-field RBI double to left on an 0-2 pitch in the sixth to make it 3-0.
After the Rockies cut it to 3-2, the Phillies broke open the game with four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Hoskins had an RBI double and Odubel Herrera and Carlos Santana followed with run-scoring singles. Hoskins added an RBI single in the eighth, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
ROOKIE GOES DEEP
Colorado’s Ryan McMahon hit his first major league home run in the eighth off reliever Hector Neris.
STORY’S STREAKING
Story drove in his 50th run in his 68th game. He leads the NL in RBIs. Since June 1
Trey Flowers Jersey , Story is batting .388 (19-49) with seven doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs.
HONORING THOME
Jim Thome, who will enter the Hall of Fame in July, was honored before the game on the 14th anniversary of hitting his 400th homer in the first season of Citizens Bank Park.
OWNING THE SERIES
The Phillies are 44-25 against the Rockies since 2008.
HIT PARADE
The Phillies had 13 hits, most since 13 on April 13 at Tampa Bay. Five players had multi-hit games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: Reliever Adam Ottavino (oblique) was activated from the 10-day disabled list. Lefty Jerry Vasto was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Phillies: Reliever Pat Neshek (shoulder, forearm) and righty Jerad Eickhoff (numbness in fingers) were scheduled to throw bullpen sessions.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (4-1, 4.40 ERA) takes the mound in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Texas. LHP Yohander Mendez starts for the Rangers.
Phillies: RHP Jake Arrieta (5-4, 2.97 ERA) makes his second start against the Brewers in six days. Arrieta allowed five runs – four earned – in 5 1/3 innings in a 12-3 loss last Saturday.
—
Womens Albert Wilson Jersey
