Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, Mar. 1

Mar. 1 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday: - - - - For any coverage questions, please contact us.general-news@thomsonreuters.com - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Evaluators split on NFL barring players with checkered past INDIANAPOLIS – Coaches and general managers offered different perspectives on whether prospects with character concerns should be barred from the NFL Scouting Combine. (FBN-DRAFT-CHARACTER-COMBINE, expect by 7 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 550 words) Browns GM listening to offers for No. 1 pick INDIANAPOLIS – Vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said the Cleveland Browns are willing to listen to offers for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. Cleveland has the first and 12th picks in the draft. (FBN-BROWNS-NEWS-TOPPICK, expect by 7 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 375 words) 10 things: NFL Scouting Combine INDIANAPOLIS – NFLDraftscout.com breaks down the quarterback-related moves that could impact the top of the draft and previews Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. (FBN-ANALYSIS-10THINGS-COMBINE, expect by 7:30 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, by Dane Brugler and Rob Rang, 650 words) Patriots plan to keep Garoppolo Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is not expected to be traded this offseason after months of speculation the New England Patriots could deal Tom Brady’s backup for a first- or second-round pick. (FBN-PATRIOTS-NEWS, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) Salary cup jump $12 million The 2017 salary cap is $167 million, up $12 million per team from last year. The Cleveland Browns could approach $100 million in salary cap space. (FBN-NEWS-SALARYCAP, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) Combine: Know the drills INDIANAPOLIS – On-field workouts begin at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday. NFLDraftScout.com analyst Dane Brugler breaks down the major athletic drills at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine and identifies players who could do well in each test. (FBN-DRAFT-COMBINE-DRILLS, expect by 4 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, by Dane Brugler, 900 words) Combine notebook: Franchise tag game ends INDIANAPOLIS – Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson was designated the team’s franchise player. (FBN-NOTEBOOK-COMBINE, expect by 7 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, by Howard Balzer, 700 words) 49ers QB Kaepernick opts out of contract INDIANAPOLIS – Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, as expected, will opt out of the final season of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers and become a free agent. (FBN-49ers-KAEPERNICK-NEWS, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) Fox, Bears coy on Cutler, Jeffery INDIANAPOLIS – Bears head coach John Fox might have said everything we need to know about the future of Alshon Jeffery and Jay Cutler without saying much at all. (FBN-BEARS-NEWS-JEFFFERY-CUTLER, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 625 words) Jaguars: Bortles in our QB INDIANAPOLIS – Head coach Doug Marrone doubled down on his commitment to quarterback Blake Bortles. (FBN-JAGUARS-NEWS-BORTLES, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 349 words) NFL notebook News and notes from around the NFL. (FBN-NOTEBOOK, expect by 8 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Big talent replaces big names for new MLS season MIAMI - The 2017 Major League Soccer season gets underway this week and in place of big name ‘marketing’ signings, the transfer window has seen the arrival of a new wave of talent, particularly from South America. (SOCCER-USA/MLS (PREVIEW), moved, by Simon Evans, 400 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Warriors’ Durant down four weeks Golden State Warriors star forward Kevin Durant will miss at least four weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprained MCL and a bone bruise on his left leg. (BKN-WARRIORS-NEWS-DURANT, moved, The Sports Xchange, 530 words) THE SPORTS XCHANGE covers all NBA games. Wednesday schedule: New York at Orlando 7:00 p.m. Washington at Toronto 7:30 p.m. Dallas at Atlanta 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Miami 7:30 p.m. Detroit at New Orleans 8:00 p.m. Denver at Milwaukee 8:00 p.m. Cleveland at Boston 8:00 p.m. Indiana at San Antonio 8:30 p.m. Minnesota at Utah 9:00 p.m. Brooklyn at Sacramento 10:30 p.m. Houston at L.A. Clippers 10:30 p.m. NBA notebook News and notes from around the NBA. (BKN-NOTEBOOK, expect by 7:30 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Kings land Iginla The Los Angeles Kings acquired veteran forward Jarome Iginla from the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday for a conditional pick in the 2018 draft, general manager Dean Lombardi announced. (HKN-KINGS-AVALANCHE-NEWS-TRADE, moved, The Sports Xchange, 335 words) Panthers pick up Vanek from Wings The Florida Panthers fortified their offense for a playoff run, acquiring veteran forward Thomas Vanek from the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. (HKN-PANTHERS-REDWINGS-TRADE, moved, The Sports Xchange, 385 words) THE SPORTS XCHANGE covers all NHL games. Wednesday schedule: Boston at Washington 8:00 p.m. Minnesota at Calgary 10:00 p.m. Colorado at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. NHL notebook News and notes from around the league. (HKN-NOTEBOOK, expect first version by 9:45 p.m. ET, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - - - COLLEGE BASKETBALL THE SPORTS XCHANGE covers all Top 25 games. Wednesday schedule: Arkansas at No. 13 Florida, 7:00 Boston College at No. 21 Notre Dame, 8:00 No. 7 Louisville at Wake Forest, 9:00 Washington at No. 5 UCLA, 11:00 Auburn at Georgia, 6:30 Tennessee at LSU, 7:00 Michigan at Northwestern, 7:00 North Carolina State at Clemson, 8:00 Ole Miss at Alabama, 8:30 Texas at Texas Tech, 9:00 Michigan State at Illinois, 9:00 Kansas State at TCU, 9:00 Marquette at Xavier, 9:00 Washington State at USC, 10:00 - - - - GOLF Ko keen for 2020 Olympic venue to allow women members SINGAPORE - Lydia Ko has undergone some major changes in the off-season in her quest to remain at the top of the world rankings and the New Zealander is also hoping that the golf venue for the next Olympics makes changes to its policy of barring female members. (GOLF-LPGA/KO, moved, by John O'Brien, 400 words) Also see GOLF-LPGA/JUTANUGARN New course adds to challenge at LPGA's HSBC Women's Champions The LPGA plays in Asia for the second consecutive week as a select field of 63 golfers, including the entire top 20 from the Rolex World Rankings, tackle a new course at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore. (GLF-LPGA-PREVIEW, The Sports Xchange, by Steve Habel, 488 words) WGC Mexico Championship Adam Scott returns as defending champion at WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City. (GLF-PGA-PREVIEW-WGCMEXICO, The Sports Xchange, by Steve Habel, 515 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL MLB roundup Capsule recaps of Wednesday’s spring training action. (MLB-ROUNDUP, expect by 8 p.m. ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) MLB notebook News and notes from around the league. (MLB-NOTEBOOK, expect by 8 p.m. ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - OLYMPICS Budapest withdraws bid to host 2024 Olympic Games BUDAPEST - Budapest ended its bid to host the 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, citing a lack of unity after a political movement opposing the move collected more than a quarter of a million signatures to force a referendum on the issue. (OLYMPICS-2024/BUDAPEST-VOTE, moved, by Marton Dunai, 400 words) - - - -