FOOTBALL
Eagles sign Flacco
The Philadelphia Eagles have signed veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, made the announcement on Twitter on Tuesday. The Eagles only had Jalen Hurts under contract before the move. Flacco, the 2012 Super Bowl MVP, started four games for the Jets last season and eight games for the Broncos in 2019. He spent his first 11 seasons with Baltimore, leading the Ravens to six playoff appearances and one Super Bowl title. Flacco is 98-77 as a starter in the regular season, 10-5 in the playoffs. He has completed 61.7% of his passes for 40,931 yards, 224 touchdowns and 144 interceptions with an 84.1 passer rating. Hurts, a second-round pick last year, started the final four games for the Eagles, who were 4-11-1. He's expected to be the starter following the trade of Carson Wentz to Indianapolis.
King remains a Packer
Cornerback Kevin King is staying with the Green Bay Packers after agreeing to a one-year deal worth $6 million. King's agent, Chad Speck, confirmed the agreement on Tuesday. The move enables the Packers to keep both their starting cornerbacks from last season with Pro Bowl selection Jaire Alexander entrenched at the other spot. King, who turns 26 on May 5, has made 36 starts in his four-year career and 25 over the last two seasons. The Packers drafted him in the second round with the 33rd overall pick in 2017. King made 57 tackles and started all 11 regular-season games in which he appeared last season, though he missed five games with a quadriceps injury. He had no interceptions last year but picked off five passes in 2019.
Bengals land Apple
The Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday signed free agent cornerback Eli Apple to a one-year contract. Apple, a former Ohio State star, was a first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2016 and went to the New Orleans Saints via trade in 2018. He played for the Carolina Panthers on a one-year contract last season but injuries limited him to two games. He has played in 57 career NFL games, with 219 tackles and three interceptions.
Mariota takes pay cut
Marcus Mariota agreed to take a pay cut Tuesday to remain as the backup quarterback for a second season for the Las Vegas Raiders. Mariota had been due to be paid $10.5 million in the second year of his contract with the team after making $7.5 million last year. The Raiders were unwilling to pay that much for Mariota to be Derek Carr's backup and reached agreement to bring him back on a cheaper deal. NFL Network reported that Mariota will be paid $3.5 million this season with a chance to increase the deal to $8 million with incentives. The 27-year-old Mariota was the second overall pick by Tennessee in the 2015 draft but lost his starting job with the Titans to Ryan Tannehill midway through the 2019 season. He then signed with the Raiders last offseason but only ended up playing in one game.
BASEBALL
Gallen has forearm fracture
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen has a hairline fracture in his right forearm, casting more doubt on his ability to open the season on the active roster. The 25-year-old Gallen hurt his forearm after getting jammed while taking batting practice nearly two weeks ago. Gallen said the injury doesn't affect most of his pitches, but he feels some discomfort when throwing his curveball. Arizona Manager Torey Lovullo said he wasn't sure how much time Gallen will miss. The right-hander is still allowed to play catch, and the injury will continue to be evaluated. He received two different medical opinions and both diagnosed the injury as a fracture.
Yates' season likely over
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Kirby Yates is expected to have season-ending surgery on his right elbow, General Manager Ross Atkins said Tuesday. Yates was expected to be Toronto's closer after signing a $5.5 million, one-year deal in the offseason. On Monday, the team said Yates would miss several weeks because of a strained muscle in his forearm. Yates last pitched Saturday against Philadelphia, striking out two in one scoreless inning. It was his second outing of the spring and his first since March 11. The 33-year-old Yates was an All-Star with San Diego in 2019, when he posted a 1.19 ERA and led the NL with 41 saves. He pitched in six games for the Padres last season and had a 12.46 ERA before surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.
TENNIS
Venus ousted in Miami
It has been 20 years since Venus Williams won her home tournament, and her stay at the 2021 Miami Open was brief. Williams was eliminated on the first day of play Tuesday by 89th-ranked Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, 6-2, 7-6 (10). The 40-year-old Williams, ranked 79th, was making her 21st appearance in the tournament, now held 75 minutes from her residence in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Williams' most recent title in the event came in 2001, when she beat Jennifer Capriati in the final. She also won the 1998 and 1999 titles. Seeded players have first-round byes, including No. 1 Ash Barty, who can use the extra time to adjust her body clock. She arrived in Miami after a 45-hour trip from her native Australia. Missing from the tournament are Serena Williams and the three players who have dominated men's tennis for years -- Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic decided against making the trip from Serbia, and the others cited health issues.