Regeln » ment about the players impending arrival and a

METAIRIE, La. -- Drew Brees top three receiving targets this season range in age from 23 to 24. None has played more than two NFL seasons and one is a rookie.They way theyve been playing is helping the Saints 37-year-old quarterback continue accumulating elite passing numbers.Now in his 16th season, Brees said one benefit to having such a young receiver group is that they dont know any other way of playing receiver in the NFL except the way that we are molding them and teaching them.I love that, Brees added. That is perfect.Of course, young players still have to be talented and have good instincts -- and it has become apparent that Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas and Willie Snead all do.All those guys ... are good football players and the guy pulling the trigger -- hes big-time, said Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose club hosts the Saints on Sunday. He knows how to utilize all of those guys.Brees said that when all of your regular receivers havent played in another teams scheme, it can be easier for a veteran QB to say, This is how it needs to be done, and this is what I am expecting. I can also tell you that this is when the ball is going to be there and that is when you need to be there.And they have been in the right place, at the right time, routinely. Brees 346.8 yards per game this season is the most of any NFL QB who has played at least five games.Cooks, a former first-round draft choice now in his third season, had an 87-yard touchdown catch in last Sundays 41-38 victory over Carolina , and it wasnt even Cooks longest reception of the young season. He had a 98-yard touchdown catch in a 35-34 loss to Oakland to open the regular season. Having just turned 23 last month, Cooks leads the Saints with 428 yards receiving with 11 games to play.Thomas, a second-round draft pick last spring out of Ohio State, leads the Saints with 26 receptions. Thomas also has a TD catch in each of his past three games, tying him with Cooks for the team lead at three.Coach Sean Payton, who designs the offense, has credited the 23-year-old Thomas for his ability to correct mistakes within minimal repetitions in practice.Cooks noted that Thomas is working hard and asking questions. That is what you like to see from a rookie.Hes always in the meetings, being attentive and asking a lot of questions, Cooks continued. I feel like those questions that hes asking are showing up on the film. Now, hes being more consistent.Thomas, whose talent has been evident in the way he holds on to difficult catches, said he also puts a premium on studying the scheme and his role in it.If you know what you need to know about the game plan and the plays, it slows down the game tremendously, Thomas said.Snead, an undrafted free agent out of Ball State in 2014, did not play in his first regular-season game until last season, when he nearly reached 1,000 yards receiving.This season, the 24-year-old is third on the club in yards receiving with 296 -- 11 behind Thomas -- and has caught two touchdown passes despite missing a game last month with a toe injury.The fact that all three receivers are thriving, said Chiefs safety Eric Berry, means you have to be aware that anybody could get the ball at any given time and just be aware that everyones a threat.Snead said the key to the quick maturity of New Orleans young receiver group has been the ability to learn from and practice with a record-setting veteran quarterback such as Brees, who encourages receivers to work extra with him after practice and even during the offseason.Brees also has a leadership role on the club and is known to be an effective communicator.Its us matching his intensity and how serious he is about the game and preparation, Snead said. All of us young guys understand who he is and what he does are very important and vital to our success.Game notes Starting LT Terron Armstead, who has missed the past two games with knee soreness, completed a second straight practice on Thursday and said he is hoping to play Sunday. ... DE Paul Kruger also has practiced this week after missing last Sundays game and said he is optimistic about playing against the Chiefs. ... LB Dannell Ellerbe, who has not yet played this season, practiced on a limited basis on Thursday, raising prospects for his return. However, he was not available to speak with reporters. ... Missing practice on Thursday were OT Andrus Peat (groin), CB Delvin Breaux (fibula), CB Sterling Moore (abdomen), RB Daniel Lasco (hamstring) and DT Nick Fairley (non-injury related).---Online: AP NFL coverage: pro32.ap.org and (at)AP-NFL J. R. Richard Jersey . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Mike Cuellar Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. http://www.customastrosjersey.com/custom-roberto-osuna-jersey-large-1336y.html . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Don Larsen Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey Large . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a deal to bring China star Yi Jianlian back to the NBA, according to league sources.Sources told ESPN that the Lakers and Yi have agreed to terms and are in the latter stages of cementing a one-year deal in the $8 million range for the veteran forward to return to the NBA for the first time since the 2011-12 season.The Lakers, sources said, tried in the summer of 2015 to sign Yi and this year renewed those efforts in the wake of the former lottery picks strong play in Rio on his fourth trip to the Olympics as a cornerstone player for China.Although the Lakers have not yet made an official announcement about the players impending arrival and a few details are still outstanding, Yis club team in China is operating as though the deal is done.The Guangdong Southern Tiigers, in a statement issued Wednesday, said: In order to help Yi seize this opportunity to play at the highest stage of [the basketball] world and unfold his capability, in order to help Yi fulfill his dream and goal, we are offering our unconditional support and cooperation to Yi to make sure he joins Lakers.dddddddddddd Best wishes to Yi for his bright future in NBA.The 7-footer, now 28, has spent the past four seasons with Guangdong and averaged 20.4 points and 6.6 rebounds for China in its five games in Rio.Yi was the sixth overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2007 draft and also had stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks in parts of five seasons. ' ' '