Rams release veteran center Allen
The Rams began their roster overhaul Wednesday by releasing veteran center Brian Allen.
Allen, 28, signed an extension after the 2021 season and was due to carry a salary-cap number of about $8 million next season, according to overthecap.com. Allen, a fourth-round draft pick in 2018, was a key player for the Rams in his first few seasons but has been hampered by injuries and lost his starting job to Coleman Shelton in 2022.
Allen’s release, which saves the Rams about $4.9 million against the cap, is the first move for a team that is coming off a 10-7 season and a playoff appearance.
Last year the NFL salary cap was $224.8 million. That figure is expected to rise when this year’s cap is announced in the next few weeks. The Rams did not spend last offseason, but before Allen’s release they had about $28 million in cap space, according to overthecap.com.
It remains to be seen how the Rams handle the contract situation of another lineman: Joe Noteboom.
Noteboom, 28, is due to earn $10 million in salary and carry a cap number of $20 million, according to overthecap.com. Noteboom was projected as the heir apparent to Andrew Whitworth at left tackle when Noteboom was drafted in the third round in 2018 and when he signed an extension after the 2021 season. But he has mainly been a valuable reserve who has started at both tackle spots and guard.
— Gary Klein Chris Beatty, who was wide receivers coach for the Chargers the last three seasons, is taking the same job in Chicago, which also named former Rams assistant Thomas Brown the offensive passing game coordinator . ... Former running back Marshawn Lynch resolved a drunken driving case in Las Vegas without a trial or conviction.
Woods’ son aims at PGA qualifier
Charlie Woods, the 15year-old son of Tiger Woods, is taking the first step toward playing on the PGA Tour, as he’s entered in a prequalifier for the Cognizant Classic in Florida.
The prequalifier for Woods is Thursday at Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla. The top 25 and ties advance to the Monday qualifier, where four players earn a spot in the field. The PGA Tour said on its website Woods will play alongside Olin Browne Jr., 35, and Ireland’s Ruaidhri McGee, 33. Browne, whose father is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, played in the U.S. Open last year at Los Angeles Country Club.
Woods is no stranger to the stage. He has played with his dad four times in the PNC Championship.
Tiger Woods, who withdrew from the Genesis Invitational last week because of the flu, has never won the Cognizant Classic in four tries. He has not said when he will play next.
Zach Hicks made three free throws after being fouled on a three-pointer with three seconds left to give Penn State a 90-89 victory over No. 12 Illinois . ... Grant Nelson had 22 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots and No. 13 Alabama started fast in overtime to beat No. 24 Florida 98-93 . ... Baraka Okojie scored all of his career-high 19 points in the second half, and George Mason rallied past No. 16 Dayton 71-67 for the first win over a ranked foe in program history.
Coco Gauff rallied from a slow start to beat Karolina Pliskova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 and reach the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships. Gauff will face Anna Kalinskaya, who beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-5. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek advanced by beating two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-4 . ... Francisco Cerúndolo advanced to the Rio Open quarterfinals by beating Albert Ramos-Viñolas 6-2, 6-1 . ... Ivo Karlovic, the towering Croatian known for his booming serve, announced his retirement more than two years after his last match.
Lionel Messi had an assist, and Inter Miami opened the MLS season with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake.
The New York Rangers and forward Jonny Brodzinski agreed on a two-year contract extension.
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff is staying with the Milwaukee Brewers on a two-year deal worth $17.5 million . ... Eric Hosmer, a first baseman who was an All-Star and World Series champion with Kansas City, is retiring at 34.
Freestyle motocross rider Jayden “Jayo” Archer, a two-time X Games medalist and the first to perform a triple backflip in competition, died practicing the trick in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia. He was 27.