FOOTBALL
Grant signs extension
Miami Dolphins receiver Jakeem Grant signed a four-year extension Wednesday for up to $24 million through the 2023 season. One of the NFL's smallest (5-foot-6) and fastest players, Grant has three career touchdowns on returns, which ties the franchise record. He has only 34 career receptions for 471 yards and four touchdowns, but is expected to play a significant role in first-year Coach Brian Flores' offense this season. Grant missed the final six games last year with a calf injury that required surgery but has fully recovered. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract and could have become a free agent in March.
Harrison, Lions agree
Defensive tackle Damon Harrison and the Detroit Lions have agreed to an $11 million, one-year extension, giving him three years left under contract with the franchise, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement had not been announced. The Lions acquired Harrison from the New York Giants in the middle of last season for a draft pick. Harrison, who turns 31 in November, was a 2016 All-Pro selection. Harrison is entering his eighth season. He's started 16 games in six consecutive seasons while playing for the Jets, Giants and Lions.
Copeland suspended
New York Jets linebacker Brandon Copeland has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Copeland can still participate in the team's preseason practices and games. He's eligible to return to the active roster on Oct. 7. Copeland, 28, was a key contributor on defense and special teams last year, his first with the Jets. He had a career-high five sacks while starting 10 games. Copeland was signed by Baltimore as an undrafted free agent out of Penn in 2013. He has also spent time with Tennessee and Detroit. Copeland is the second Jets player who'll miss the start of the season because of league discipline. Tight end Chris Herndon was also suspended four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Former Texan arrested
Former Texans star Mario Williams has been arrested on a misdemeanor charge accusing him of trespassing at a woman's Houston-area home. Harris County court records show Williams was arrested Tuesday and freed on $100 bond. Online records don't list an attorney to speak for Williams, the No. 1 draft pick in 2006 who spent six seasons with the Texans before joining Buffalo and then Miami in 2016. Deputy Thomas Gilliland said sheriff's deputies around 1 a.m. Tuesday responded to a report from a woman wanting someone removed from her home in Katy. Gilliland had no information on whether Williams, who lives in Houston, knows the woman. Court records show Williams has been ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. A motion for an emergency protective order was also filed Tuesday.
Mayfield makes amends
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield reached out to Giants rookie QB Daniel Jones after making some biting comments about the first-round pick in an interview. Mayfield acknowledged Wednesday that he told GQ he was surprised New York selected Jones -- "blows my mind" -- but that he didn't mean any disrespect toward Jones and that some of his comments were taken out of context. Mayfield said he sent text messages to Jones on Tuesday to "clear the air with him." He said Jones appreciated the gesture and told him "no worries, man." Cleveland's brash second-year QB said he was bothered most that the comments distorted his character. He said: "I don't care if you like me or not, but that looked like my character was way out of line." Mayfield said he didn't feel blindsided by the story, but was "pretty confused about it" because he didn't recall much of what he said four months ago.
TENNIS
Qiang advances
Top-seeded Wang Qiang advanced to the quarterfinals of the Bronx Open with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Fiona Ferro on Wednesday. The Chinese player, who will be the No. 18 seed in next week's U.S. Open, will next face Anna Blinkova, who had to wait out a third-set rain delay before outlasting Mihaela Buzarnescu 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted 2 hours, 6 minutes. No. 10 seed Karolina Muchova also reached the quarterfinals by beating Kristie Ahn 6-3, 6-1, moving on to play Magda Linette. Linette knocked off ninth-seeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-4.
HOF candidates named
Goran Ivanisevic, Sergi Bruguera, Conchita Martinez and Jonas Bjorkman are the four candidates for the International Tennis Hall of Fame's class of 2020. The four players announced Wednesday, all former Grand Slam tournament champions, are in their second year of a three-year possible candidacy in the player category. Ivanisevic won the 2001 Wimbledon title and reached the final three other times. The hard-serving Croatian, who reached No. 2 in the world rankings, is now working with top-ranked Novak Djokovic. Bruguera won back-to-back French Open titles in 1993 and 1994, while fellow Spaniard Martinez won the 1994 Wimbledon championship among her 33 singles titles. She also helped Spain win five Fed Cup titles. Bjorkman won the career Grand Slam in doubles and reached No. 1 in the doubles rankings. He won 54 doubles titles and helped Sweden win three Davis Cup championships. The 2020 class will be announced in January. Induction is set for July 18.
BASEBALL
Cubs' Morrow out
Chicago Cubs closer Brandon Morrow is out for the year following another setback in his recovery from right elbow surgery, according to team President Theo Epstein. Morrow, who hasn't pitched in a game since July 2018, had the arthroscopic procedure last November. "He certainly worked really hard in an attempt to come back and tried a lot of different techniques and procedures, and just wasn't able to get over the hump," Epstein said Wednesday before the Cubs played the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs signed Morrow to a two-year, $21 million deal in December 2017. He had 22 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 35 appearances in the first half of the 2018 season before the elbow issue flared up. The team holds a $12 million option for 2020 (with a $3 million buyout), so it's unlikely the 35-year-old will return next season even if healthy.
Gray on 60-day IL
The Colorado Rockies on Wednesday placed starting pitcher Jon Gray on the 60-day injured list because of a left foot fracture, ending his season. Gray, 27, is 11-8 with a 3.84 ERA this season. The right-hander was scheduled to start the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. He was coming off eight scoreless innings of five-hit ball in his last start on Aug. 16 against Miami. Gray made 25 starts and struck out 150 batters in 150 innings this season. The Rockies called up Tim Melville from Class AAA Albuquerque to make the start Wednesday in Arizona.
Canning back on IL
Los Angeles Angels rookie starting pitcher Griffin Canning will return to the injured list. Manager Brad Ausmus said Wednesday that the right-hander, who has been the brightest spot in a rotation ravaged by injuries and the death of Tyler Skaggs, experienced a recurrence of the elbow inflammation that sidelined him earlier this month. Canning, the Angels' second-round pick of the 2017 draft, returned to Southern California for testing. Canning has a 4.58 earned-run average in 901/3 innings over 18 outings, but he has pitched better of late. After giving up 16 earned runs in four starts from July 4-25, he has surrendered 4 earned runs and held opponents to a .238 average in 17 innings over his last 3 starts.
Sports on 08/22/2019