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Already owning one of the strongest defensive lines in the league Youth Breeland Speaks Jersey , the Minnesota Vikings have made another addition to their front four this summer.

He even was a former first-round draft pick.

Anthony Barr has established his place as the strong side linebacker, an integral part of coach Mike Zimmer's pressure-driven scheme. This switch is not by any means complete or permanent, considering the value Barr has given the Vikings while rarely missing a snap in the middle of the defense with former college teammate Eric Kendricks. With Brian Robison capably spelling Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter at the defensive end spots, there's not a glaring need for one.

Sliding Barr and his athleticism and speed to the front, though, provides yet another way Zimmer and the Vikings can attack an offense.

"Definitely, it could be a change-up for us," Barr said. "Hopefully I can get a couple more opportunities to do that, and we'll see where it goes. It's something I'm going to continue to work on and get better at. I'm excited for it."

The Vikings have used passing-situation packages this offseason that include cornerback Terence Newman at safety while making Harrison Smith a hybrid linebacker. Put Barr at defensive end, and Everson Griffen can move inside. Or Barr could simply line up as a fifth down lineman. Either way, that's the potential for quite the fierce pass rush.

"We are just trying to utilize our guys the best way we can," Zimmer said. "If a guy has a skill set of being possibly a pass rusher, then we're going to look at him and see if he can be a pass rusher. If a guy's a great inside cover guy Blake Martinez Packers Jersey , then we're going to try and look at him there."

Barr has taken plenty of turns with the defensive linemen during individual drills in training camp so far, evidence that this is more than just a token experiment.

"It's a conscious effort in getting him into rush situations where he knows what to do," Zimmer said. "I really don't have any concerns when he's rushing on a back, but sometimes when he gets on a bigger stronger guy and gets in certain positions, he has to know what to do."

Barr was the first player the Vikings drafted after hiring Zimmer in 2014, the ninth overall selection out of UCLA who spent only two years with the Bruins on defense after beginning his college career as a running back. With 10陆 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one interception over four seasons, Barr has left himself plenty of room to improve on such modest statistics. There are many more ways to contribute than those basic measurements, of course, but Zimmer's matter-of-fact assessment in 2016 that Barr "has a tendency to coast a little bit" still hovers over his trajectory.

Across the NFL, Barr is known mostly for his hit on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the sixth game of the year that led to a broken collarbone and set the NFC North rivals on opposite courses in 2017. Interestingly, referee Pete Morelli told reporters at Minnesota's practice facility on Thursday that the league's stricter rules about targeting defenseless players would now make that play a 15-yard penalty.

Barr is the only core player left on an expiring contract Authentic Cassius Marsh Jersey , with extensions recently signed by wide receiver Stefon Diggs, defensive end Danielle Hunter and Kendricks. Barr's salary for 2018 is a little more than $12.3 million, and he hinted at disappointment when spring practices began without a new deal. He didn't address the subject in his first remarks to reporters at training camp.

"My focus is here at camp, getting better with the team, and we'll let that figure itself out," he said.

If this defensive end thing works well, Barr's price will only go higher.

"I'll never talk business out in the open or in public," general manager Rick Spielman said. "I'll just tell you he fits everything that we want as a Minnesota Viking."

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says proposed rules changes to speed pace of play will be in place by the start of big league exhibition games on Feb. 23.

The commissioner has hoped for an agreement with the players’ association but has the right to implement last offseason’s proposal to install 20-second pitch clocks and institute stricter limits on mound visits.

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MLB made a proposal to the union last month to abandon a pitch clock for this season as part of a three-year phase-in of new rules.

Under baseball’s labor contract, unilateral playing rules changes can be made with one offseason of advance notice. That means only the stricter rules could be put in place absent an agreement.

While MLB could decide to implement just a pitch clock or harsher mound visit limits and not both, severing part of the proposal could trigger a grievance by the union that would leave a decision to an arbitrator.

PHOENIX (AP) – Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer, Houston’s Collin McHugh and Tampa Bay’s Jake Odorizzi won their salary arbitration cases, and Toronto’s Marcus Stroman and Minnesota’s Kyle Gibson lost.

Decisions for all five pitchers had been held for simultaneous announcement to prevent any of the cases from being affected by the rulings.

Players have an 11-8 advantage over teams with three more cases possible. The 22 decisions would be the most since players went 14-10 in 1990.

McHugh and Odorizzi became the first players to win hearings in consecutive years since Minnesota pitcher Kyle Lohse in 2005 and `06. Stroman lost after winning last winter.

Miami pitcher Dan Straily and Kansas City pitcher Brandon Maurer argued their cases Thursday, and Cincinnati second baseman Scooter Gennett awaits a hearing.

SARASOTA Steelers Game Jerseys , Fla. (AP) – The Baltimore Orioles signed right-hander Andrew Cashner to a two-year, $16 million contract after searching for starting pitching all offseason.

The 31-year-old Cashner is 42-64 with a 3.80 ERA in eight major league seasons with the Chicago Cubs, San Diego, Miami and Texas, including 11-11 with a 3.40 ERA for the Rangers last year. The deal with the Orioles has an option for 2020.

He’ll join right-handers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman in the rotation.

GOLF

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Patrick Cantlay returned to what amounts to his home course on the PGA Tour and shot a 5-under 66 to share the lead at the Genesis Open.

It sounds like a plot that belongs to Tiger Woods, who also grew up 40 miles away and returned to Riviera for the first time in 12 years. Woods lost a ball in a eucalyptus tree, recovered from a rugged start and shot 72.

Cantlay shared the lead with Tony Finau, who had four birdies in his opening five holes.

Cantlay grew up in Long Beach and played at UCLA, where he was the No. 1 amateur in the world. Because of back problems that kept him out of golf for three years, this was his first time playing Riviera in five years.

AUTO RACING

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Roger Penske has a car capable of winning the Daytona 500.

Maybe even three of them.

Penske again went 1-2 at Daytona International Speedway for its second sweep of Speedweeks. This time, Ryan Blaney went to victory lane after winning the first of two night qualifying races that are used to set the Daytona 500 field.

Chase Elliott won the second race in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to put a temporary halt on the Team Penske dominance.

Joey Logano finished second to Penske teammate Blaney for the Ford sweep in the first race. Kevin Harvick was second to Elliott in the second race and Harvick was also in a Ford – proving the automaker has the same speed it did a year ago when it swept all four restrictor-plate races.

NFL

NEW YORK (AP) – The NFL has named five sites as finalists to host the NFL draft in either 2019 or 2020.

Finalists to host either the 2019 or 2020 draft include Denver; Kansas City, Missouri; Las Vegas; Nashville Kolton Miller Jersey Raiders , Tennessee; as well as a combined entry of Cleveland and Canton, Ohio. Canton is the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Representatives for each site will offer presentations before the final selections are made in May at the NFL spring meetings in Atlanta.

The draft historically had taken place in New York each year, but the league plans to move it around since it went to Chicago in 2015 and 2016 before moving to Philadelphia last year.

This year’s draft is taking place April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

CINCINNATI (AP) – AJ McCarron won his grievance against the Cincinnati Bengals and will become an unrestricted free agent next month, making him one of the more attractive quarterbacks on the market.

McCarron challenged the Bengals’ decision to put him on a non-football injury list as a rookie in 2014, when the fifth-round pick had a sore passing shoulder. The move meant that the season wouldn’t count toward free agency and McCarron would have to stick around as Andy Dalton’s backup for one more year in 2018.

Instead, an independent arbitrator ruled in McCarron’s favor, a decision announced by the NFL players’ association.

The Bengals could keep him for one more season by applying a transition or franchise tag, which is highly unlikely given the cost. Instead, the 27-year-old McCarron is set to find a place where he can start.

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