An extra dose of DeVonta | Sports Daily Newsletter
Smith will return punts for the Eagles in the right spots.
Early in DeVonta Smith’s breakout performance for the Eagles on Sunday, the wide receiver took rookie Britain Covey’s place as a punt returner and sped upfield for 12 yards. Smith finished with a career-best eight catches for 169 yards and a touchdown in the walloping of Washington. Now he’s going to return punts, too?
Do the Eagles want to put the Slim Reaper at risk as a returner, going up against players barreling downfield for full-speed hits? Sometimes, yes.
“We’ll see how that goes, what that turns into,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “As of right now, it’s a spot thing. But who knows? We’ll see how that goes, continue to see how the season goes.”
The former Heisman Trophy winner is a phenomenal talent. Why not add him to the returning mix at times? “We’ve been talking about ... ‘How many different times can we get the football in DeVonta’s hands?’” Sirianni said.
Remember DeSean Jackson returning punts for the Eagles? (The Giants sure do.) This could get interesting.
— Jim Swan, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
❓ Do you like the idea of DeVonta Smith returning punts for the Eagles? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.
Battling a nagging hamstring injury, James Harden appeared to have lost a step in his 21-game debut with the 76ers last season. As the team began training camp Tuesday in Charleston, S.C., though, the Sixers said it looks as if Harden has regained some of his explosiveness.
“James is going to be James,” said new teammate De’Anthony Melton. “He’s always going to look very good. Nobody is too worried about him here.”
For a franchise that prides itself on being analytically driven, the Sixers aren’t hiding that they sought the intangible benefits that P.J. Tucker brings and were willing to pay a heavy price for them, Mike Sielski writes. What the Sixers want from Tucker, boiled down, is toughness.
Tucker impressed his teammates right at the start of training camp.
Amid the excitement of camp, though, there is some uncertainty for four players who had defined roles for the Sixers last season. David Murphy explains.
The Flyers’ decision to trade for Tony DeAngelo in July was met with much criticism, given some of the controversial incidents the defenseman had been involved in during his career.
DeAngelo recently talked with Giana Han about growing up in South Jersey as a Flyers fan, what he has learned from his past mistakes, and what he thinks he can bring to a Flyers team looking for a bounce-back season.
Goalie Carter Hart returned to training camp after missing Sunday’s practice with an undisclosed lower-body injury.
The Flyers were sluggish in their latest preseason game, a 2-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Zach Eflin spent 78 days rehabbing a right knee bruise — and envisioning how he might be able to come back and help the Phillies’ playoff push. The longtime starter has returned as an effective reliever, whose visualization of his success has come true.
The Phillies activated right fielder Nick Castellanos off the injured list in time for Tuesday’s game against the Cubs.
Castellanos had one of the Phillies’ five hits Tuesday night in a loss to the Cubs.
Next: The Phillies continue their series in Chicago at 7:40 p.m. Wednesday (NBCSP). Aaron Nola (10-12, 3.28 ERA) will be opposed by Cubs right-hander Hayden Wesneski (2-1, 2.45).
Sure, the GOAT Lionel Messi scored, but Jamaica (and Union) goalkeeper Andre Blake certainly made him work for it, saving multiple attempts before the famed Argentine midfielder got his goals. Jonathan Tannenwald was on the scene.
The scene in Spain for the USMNT was a far more somber one, with the final result a dour scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia.
Worth a look
Visiting Quakers: Penn men’s soccer is on the road, but that hasn’t slowed down their scoring.
Gun violence on the football field: The Roxborough High team had reportedly just wrapped up a scrimmage when a vehicle pulled up and gunshots rang out.
Trivia Tuesday answer
How many Sixers players have won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and who were they?
Answer: B) 2 Bobby Jones (1983) and Aaron McKie (2001). Irl S. was first with the correct response.
What you’re saying about the Sixers’ chances
As of now, the Sixers are a bunch of names on a piece of paper. Whether, as an aggregate, they can develop into a cohesive unit that is overpowering is yet to be determined. ... It is only when they take the court and play a game that we can determine if the outcome will justify the cost. Will Harden be the linchpin of a dynamic offense or is he really growing older and less capable? Can Embiid stay healthy because the plan is smoke and mirrors without him? Will Maxey continue to grow? Will the newcomers do in person what they are calculated to do on paper?
If this group jells, we are in for a great ride. If they don’t, it won’t be for lack of trying.... The only flaw in the plan is that people sometimes do not accomplish in reality what their potential is on paper. — Milton T.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Keith Pompey, Alex Coffey, Giana Han, Josh Tolentino, Mike Sielski, David Murphy, Olivia Reiner, Nicholas Belgrad, Ellie Rushing, Jonathan Tannenwald, Kristen A. Graham, The Associated Press and Robert Moran.