data-mm-id=”_rpqb9007v”>The New England Patriots' thin receiving core got thinner on Tuesday as top wideout Jakobi Meyers agreed to a $33 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Former Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers and the Raiders reached agreement on a 3-year, 33 million deal that includes $21 million guaranteed, as @RapSheet reported.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2023This is a rather significant problem for the Patriots. Meyers led the team in catches in two of the last three years. He had 67 receptions last season. It's not that he's a great talent who is irreplaceable, it's that New England has nobody on the roster right now ready to step up and take his target share. Free agency and the draft are not super strong at wide receiver. It's a bad time to bleed wideout talent, especially for a Patriots offense that has struggled for three or four years now to produce through the air. But there are options out there to replace Meyers' production. Here are a few possible replacements. DeAndre Hopkins A Hopkins trade to New England has always felt unlikely because he has a no-trade clause and the Pats hired Bill O'Brien to coach the offense. O'Brien is the guy who traded Hopkins to the Cardinals in the first place. Plus, Hopkins is owed $19 million next year with a cap hit of $30 million. Steep numbers, even if he still managed to record 64 catches in nine games last year. But with Meyers gone all possibilities must be considered. If Hopkins is willing to mend bridges with O'Brien and maybe willing to lower his cap hit with a contract renegotiation, he'd immediately become the best receiver the Pats have had in half a decade. It would present a great opportunity to ball out and prove he deserves one more big deal. It feels as though both sides would benefit if the bad blood is behind them. JuJu Smith-Schuster Smith-Schuster would be a tremendous replacement for Meyers in terms of his ability to move the chains. Of Smith-Schuster's 78 catches with the Chiefs in 2022, 47 went for first downs. It looked at times that he had star potential while in Pittsburgh but his year in Kansas City is probably the ideal role for him– a No. 2 or even No. 3 guy with reliable hands that a QB can look to on third down. In that light, the Pats would need to do more than just signing Smith-Schuster to replace Meyers' production but he would be a great start. Jaxon Smith-Njigba Despite Bill Belichick's exceptionally poor track record drafting receivers the Patriots may decide to go that direction anyway because they are well-positioned to land any of the top prospects. There are no receivers considered true top-10 talents which means the Pats should have their pick when the clock starts on No. 14. Smith-Njigba shares many similar physical traits to Meyers– both are on the skinnier side with slow 40 times but know how to get open. The primary difference is that JSN put up huge numbers at a top program in college. He can produce at a high level. He may not be a gamebreaker but if the Pats are going to the draft for receiver help he'll likely be the best option available.
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Iceland led most of the way thanks to an own goal after 14 minutes by Edson Alvarez, but Mexico finally found a rhythm in the second half.
Lozano came on in the 63rd minute and equalised 10 minutes later, sending a right-footed shot past Runar Alex Runarsson.
The Napoli forward netted the winner in the 78th minute, heading home Hector Herrera s cross from close range for the final margin.
¡EL CHUUUCKY LOZAAANO! |
— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx)
Lozano remains the only player to score for El Tri in 2021 after his 89th-minute goal beat Costa Rica 1-0 in a March friendly.
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Daniel Sturridge has returned to training with Liverpool as the end of his injury nightmare draws closer.
The England striker has not played for the Merseyside club since their 3-0 Premier League win at Tottenham in August due to thigh and calf problems.
Sturridge first sustained a thigh strain while on international duty at the start of September, before then injuring his calf while on the comeback trail last month.
However, the 25-year-old has handed Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers a much-needed boost by returning to training on Wednesday.
Sturridge tweeted: Training was class. Happy to be back. Thank you Jesus.
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Pep Guardiola s side won October s Premier League meeting between the two 3-0 and that gulf in class was certainly more apparent in the second half, in which Aguero struck a double blow, with Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva also scoring.
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The Scot has been without a managerial job since leaving Wigan in December 2013, but looks set to take over at the MLS side.
Dominic Kinnear resigned as Dynamo coach in October before being announced as the San Jose Earthquakes new boss.
Coyle told the Houston Chronicle there was nothing to confirm, but said he was in the city for talks.
We re going to have a chat again and see where we go from there, Coyle said.
There s nothing, as they say, confirmed in any respect. But there s no getting away that it s a wonderful opportunity for a coach to come into a wonderful club and try to move things on.
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Mena suffered a torn right hamstring during Monday s 2-1 loss to 2015 runners-up Argentina in Santa Clara, California, with CONMEBOL confirming a replacement cannot be called up as the 27-year-old already played in the centenary tournament.
The 44-cap veteran was taken from the field nine minutes into the second half.
Chile, who have lost five of their past six matches, face Bolivia in a must-win Group D clash on Friday.
Juan Antonio Pizzi s Chile then close out the group stage with a fixture against Panama on June 14.
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Bayern Munich s chairman of the board Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Wednesday he will fight to bring Germany striker Mario Gomez from VfB Stuttgart to the German giants.
The 23-year-old, who won the last of his 14 caps in last month s Euro 2008 final defeat to Spain in Vienna but was one of the big disappointments of the tournament failing to score, has been repeatedly targeted by Bayern although he is under contract at Stuttgart until June 2012.
But Rummenigge is not going to give up without a fight and says Gomez could be in Munich within the next 12 months.
There is a clause in his contract which gives us the possibility to bring him here, possibly within the next year, said Rummenigge.
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The strike duo formed an instant rapport and Torres was impressed by his new team-mate s contribution.
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We ve only been training together for a few days so it s not a lot of time, but the important thing for me is that he is always talking during games.
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It’s not a secret that Alexis Sanchez had a poor year in 2019. But let’s be honest. His whole 2018-19 campaign was well below the expectations.
The Chilean forward struggled to gain consistent playing time with both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and he also struggled with injuries far more than in other of his previous seasons in Europe. As a result, Manchester United fans are keen to let Alexis leave this summer. Even though the Chilean is good enough to play for a top club such as Manchester United, a change of scenery could do wonders for him.
Sometimes it’s best to take two steps back in order to take two forward. And with that in mind, Alexis should strongly consider a return to Italy. Both Inter Milan and Juventus are interested in him, and things …
Verdict: Lazio win
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The Rossoneri welcome their high-flying opponents to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza where they will hope to get their 10th league win of the season.
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The appointment of Gennaro Gattuso as a replacement for Vincenzo Montella in November was greeted with a widespread unease among many Milan fans and some of the early results, including a humiliating draw against bottom of the league Benevento, suggested that it was not misplaced. Despite being a shadow of the European giants that were once a consistent feature in the Champions League, AC Milan now have their sights set on securing a Europa League spot. After wins against bottom half sides, the Rossoneri find themselves sat in seventh spot and are already 12 …
Dortmund close in on Diouf
Borussia Dortmund are stepping up their efforts to sign Hannover striker Mame Biram Diouf, .
The Millionaires were believed to be lining up a move for the Senegalese striker as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, but Bild has learned that Diouf will be signed even if the Polish striker decides to stay on for another season.
BVB chiefs are convinced the 25-year-old has got what it takes to succeed at Signal-Iduna Park and do not want to miss a great opportunity to sign him in the summer transfer window.
Namely, the former Manchester United forward has a contract until June 2014 at Hannover and he has already rejected a contract extension.
With that in mind, Bild believes the player would only cost €8 million in the s…