NFL:
The Pittsburgh Steelers have put the exclusive franchise tag on All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell to gain some time in working out a lifetime deal for 25-year-old star. The Steelers have until July 15 to reach an agreement with Bell on a new contract. If not, he will make the average salary of the top five running backs in the league in 2017.
A person with knowledge of the details says the New York Giants have told defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul that he will be made a franchise player. The league source with direct knowledge of the move spoke on condition of anonymity because the Giants had not announced the decision.
Elsewhere:
— Carolina's Panthers have re-signed defensive end Wes Horton to a two-year contract. The move came less than a day after the Panthers re-signed defensive end Mario Addison to a three-year contract. The 27-year-old Horton started 10 games last season and had 11 tackles with 2 ½ sacks. Horton, who has started 27 games since joining the Panthers in 2013 as an undrafted rookie, has 8 ½ career sacks.
— The Panthers have also applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to defensive tackle Kawann Short. If he signs the one-year tender Short would make an estimated $14.77 million. A four-year NFL veteran, Short has 17 sacks in the past two seasons, third-most among NFL defensive tackles.
— The Los Angeles Chargers placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on outside linebacker Melvin Ingram. Ingram is a pass-rushing dynamo with 18½ sacks over the past two seasons.
— The Arizona Cardinals have placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on outside linebacker Chandler Jones after failing to reach a long-term deal with him. The non-exclusive tag allows the Cardinals to continue negotiating with Jones through July 15. If another team makes him an offer, Arizona can either match it or receive two first-round draft picks.
— A person with knowledge of the details said the New York Giants have told defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul that he, too, will get the franchise tag. The person with direct knowledge of the move spoke on condition of anonymity because the Giants didn't announce the decision. The Giants have to designate Pierre-Paul a franchise player by 4 p.m. (Eastern time) on Wednesday. He will earn roughly $17 million this season unless the team reaches a long-term agreement by July 15.
— The Cleveland Browns have released wide receiver Andrew Hawkins after three seasons. He had 33 catches for 324 yards and three touchdowns last season for the 1-15 Browns.
NHL:
In the NHL, Montreal beat New Jersey in overtime 4-3, Tampa Bay topped Ottawa 5-1, and it was Minnesota over Los Angeles in overtime 5-4.
With their championship window in danger of closing, the Washington Capitals made a strong move Monday to try to win the Stanley Cup this spring by acquiring defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. Shattenkirk is a pending unrestricted free agent, but was considered the top rental player available ahead of the NHL's Wednesday trade deadline. Washington traded a 2017 first-round pick, forward Zach Sanford, a conditional 2019 draft pick and minor league forward Brad Malone to St. Louis for Shattenkirk and goaltender Pheonix Copley.
In other trades:
— The Montreal Canadiens acquired Jordie Benn from the Dallas Stars for Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft in an exchange of defensemen. This comes a month after the Canadiens picked up Nikita Nestorov from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a sixth-round pick. The move was made two days before the NHL trade deadline.
— Ottawa has gotten forward Alex Burrows from Vancouver for prospect Jonathan Dahlen. The 35-year old Burrows has logged 1,066 penalty minutes in his career and will bring an edge to the Senators as they make a playoff push. He had four straight seasons of at least 25 goals through 2012, but has nine goals in 55 games this season
— The Arizona Coyotes have acquired forward Teemu Pulkkinen from Minnesota for future considerations. The 25-year-old had a goal in nine games with the Wild this season. He also had 18 goals and 18 assists with the minor league Iowa Wild, earning a spot in the 2017 AHL All-Star Game.
NBA:
In the NBA, Toronto squeaked by New York 92-91, Atlanta topped Boston 114-98, Golden State beat Philadelphia 119-108, Cleveland bested Milwaukee 102-95, Indiana won against Houston 117-108, Minnesota topped Sacramento 102-88, and it was Dallas over Miami 96-89.
Deron Williams, an Olympian and three-time All-Star who has never made it to the NBA Finals, signed as a free agent with the Cavs. That gives the defending NBA champions the backup point guard they've coveted and another playmaker to help them defend their title.
The Philadelphia 76ers say center Joel Embiid is out indefinitely with a left knee injury. The team updated Embiid's status yesterday after he experienced swelling and soreness following recent training sessions. Embiid, the Number 3 overall pick in 2014, missed his first two seasons while recovering from foot surgery.
The Toronto Raptors say All-Star guard Kyle Lowry will have surgery on his right wrist and hopes to return for the playoffs. The team says the procedure scheduled for Tuesday will be to remove loose bodies from his wrist.
MLB:
During baseball’s spring training, a split squad St. Louis beat Boston 7-2, the Yankees topped Baltimore 4-1, and Houston won against the Mets 5-2.
The end may be in sight for Josh Hamilton. He has left spring training with Texas for another surgery on his left knee. The 2010 American League MVP has undergone 11 knee procedures and this is the third since the 35-year old last played in the majors in 2015. Hamilton, in camp on a minor league contract, faces six weeks of rehabilitation before he will be able to start running again.
NCAA:
UConn completed its ninth undefeated regular season and moved within one victory having 12 consecutive 30-win seasons. The four-time defending national champions beat South Florida 96-68 last night. They won an earlier meeting against South Florida by 65.
For the first time in America East history a team has swept all five awards including Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Defense Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Coach of the Year. All of the conference’s 2016-17 major awards went to Vermont. The Catamounts will take on Maine at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the America East Quarterfinals. Meanwhile UAlbany will take on Hartford at 7:30 p.m.
WNBA:
Six-time WNBA All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin has been named an assistant coach for the Dallas Wings. McWilliams-Franklin was head women's coach at Post University in Connecticut the last two years. The Eagles finished 3-24 this season.
Youth Hockey:
Prosecutors are looking at former NHL player Andrew Peters' role in an on-ice brawl involving the youth hockey team he coaches in Buffalo. A video posted on YouTube shows Saturday's fight escalating into the Buffalo Junior Sabres' bench and Peters appearing to shove a player from the opposing Ontario team backward onto the ice. After the game, the 36-year-old Peters was suspended from coaching Buffalo's 15-and-under team. A spokeswoman for Erie County District Attorney John Flynn says the office is conferring with Buffalo police, who were called to investigate. Spokeswoman Joanna Pasceri says no complaint has been filed. On his radio show Monday, Peters said he couldn't discuss the altercation but that fighting in youth sports is unacceptable. He said he didn't do a good job communicating that to his team.
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