With the new year about to begin, the PGA Tour is ready to get back to work as 34 winners from 2019 gather in Hawaii for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Here's a look at some of the featured pairings for Thursday's opening round at Kapalua, with players re-paired for the final 54 holes based on score (all times ET):

4:40 p.m.: Dustin Johnson, J.T. Poston

Johnson teed it up in the Presidents Cup, but this will mark his first stroke-play start since the Tour Championship as he missed the fall portion of the wraparound season recovering from knee surgery. He's a two-time champ in Maui, including an eight-shot romp in 2018, so this should be a good place for him to knock off any lingering rust. Poston qualified for the field with his maiden PGA Tour win at the Wyndham Championship in August when he went 72 holes without making a single bogey.

5:10 p.m.: Jon Rahm, Gary Woodland

With Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy both staying home this week, Rahm headlines the limited field as the highest-ranked player after three victories in Europe and a team title at the Zurich Classic alongside Ryan Palmer. Woodland qualified thanks to his breakthrough major win at Pebble Beach, and last year he was a hard-luck runner-up at this event when he had four rounds of 68 or better but still came up one shot short.

5:20 p.m.: Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed

This is an intriguing combination for tournament officials to have concocted, given Kisner's fiery comments about Reed a year ago. Kisner's path to Kapalua included a run through the match-play bracket in Austin back in March, while Reed gained entry thanks to his victory at The Northern Trust and now returns to the Plantation Course five years after a playoff win over Jimmy Walker.

5:40 p.m.: Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas

The final pairing of the day brings together two of the three most recent winners of the event. Schauffele blitzed the field last year with a final-round 62 that tied the course record and erased a five-shot deficit. Thomas held on for victory here back in 2017 and might rival Rahm as the hottest player entering the week, with two wins and five top-10 finishes over his six most recent stroke-play starts dating back to the BMW Championship in August.

Julian Weigl has agreed to join Portuguese champions Benfica, leaving Borussia Dortmund after four-and-a-half-years at the club.

"I would like to thank my teammates, the Dortmund staff and all the fans of this great club for a great time and I will always have Borussia Dortmund at heart," Weigl told the club's website.

The midfielder made 171 appearances for Dortmund and won the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup during his spell at the Westfalenstadion.

Borussia Dortmund and @SLBenfica have agreed to terms on the transfer of Julian Weigl.

We thank Julian for his dedication and wish him the best of luck in Portugal! pic.twitter.com/TS7E0WGUSR

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) December 31, 2019

"Julian came to us with this wish, and we agreed -- also because of his services to the club," Dortmund's sports director Michael Zorc said. "We wish him all the best for his future!"

Weigl leaves Dortmund just two days after the club announced the signing of Erling Haaland from Austrian side FC Salzburg.

Dortmund are in fourth place in the Bundesliga table, while Benfica sit at the top of the Portuguese league with a four-point lead.

Barcelona have made an official approach to Dinamo Zagreb with regards to a summer move for Spain international Dani Olmo, multiple sources have told ESPN.

The Spanish champions have informed Zagreb that they are interested in signing the versatile forward and enquired about a possible price, although they have not made an official bid at this stage.

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Olmo, who came through Barca's La Masia academy before leaving for Croatia in 2014 aged 16, has a contract with Zagreb until 2021.

Barca have been following him intensely in recent months, especially in the Champions League, where he scored two goals in six group games.

Reports in Mundo Deportivo and Diario Sport on Tuesday said a first offer had already been tabled but sources inside the club insisted to ESPN that the first approach was just to ask about the state of play.

Olmo, 21, shone at last summer's U21 European Championship for Spain and has since gone on to make his senior debut. Zagreb placed a €40 million price tag on his head at the time following interest from Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham.

A few days ago, while back in Catalonia on holiday, Olmo himself suggested his time in Croatia was coming to an end, opening the door to a summer transfer.

ESPN reported in September that Olmo, along with Real Betis right-back Emerson and Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz, was one of three players being closely followed by Barca.

However, despite stepping up that interest in recent weeks, Barca's next move may depend on Zagreb's pretentions when it comes to the price.

Barca are well covered in attacking positions. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann are the starting trio, with Ousmane Dembele, Ansu Fati and Carles Perez providing competition -- although Olmo's age and potential is a major plus.

In addition, Barca continue to monitor Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar's situation with the view to a summer move, with sources telling ESPN last week the club still view the Brazilian as Messi's long-term heir.

The transfer window opens on Jan. 1 and clubs across Europe have a month-long chance to add to their squads before it slams shut again.

But with many clubs preferring to wait until the summer to do their business, which players might move in January? Who could be a bargain because of their contract or playing situation? And who will have to wait six months?

*All transfer valuations estimated

Ready to sign right now

They're in form, are ready to roll and will improve any team immediately. What's the hold up?

MOUSSA DEMBELE
Position: Striker
Team: Lyon
Value: £40m

Dembele was tipped for the top when he was a teenager at Fulham and his subsequent moves to Celtic and then Lyon have not elevated him to where he was expected to be. That could change now as Chelsea seek a replacement for Olivier Giroud, Arsenal (potentially) for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette) and Man United, well, they just need a good young striker.

Teams linked: Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal.

NATHAN AKE
Position: Defender
Team: Bournemouth
Value: £40m

The Dutchman moved to Bournemouth in 2017 having struggled to claim a first-team place at Chelsea, but the Blues put a buyback clause of £40m in his contract and reportedly lead the race for him. The 24-year-old has proven himself in the Premier League and there are plenty of clubs who need a good, young centre-back now.

Teams linked: Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal.

DAYOT UPAMECANO
Position: Defender
Team: RB Leipzig
Value: £68m

One of the most highly-regarded defensive prospects in Europe, the 21-year-old has impressed in the Bundesliga and could be the latest Frenchman to land at Arsenal if the Gunners can stump up his release clause. Top centre-backs will be in demand, so whichever team gets him will have to pay his reported release clause of £68m.

Teams linked: Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham, AC Milan.

TIMO WERNER
Position: Striker
Team: RB Leipzig
Value: £27m

The Germany striker only recently signed a new contract at Leipzig but with a reported £27m release clause included, the big clubs will circle. It's impossible to find a young striker of Werner's quality for that price, so he will have options -- however, many of them will want him to play backup to an already established striker like Tammy Abraham. Roberto Firmino or Robert Lewandowski.

Teams linked: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Bayern.

WILFRIED ZAHA
Position: Forward
Team: Crystal Palace
Value: £75m

Having seen a transfer to boyhood club Arsenal fall apart in the summer, and Palace also rejecting a massive offer from Everton, Zaha could push for a move in January. Chelsea have now entered the race for the winger, who has shown himself to be one of the best in the league.

Teams linked: Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Dortmund.

Take a gamble?

For whatever reason, these players are struggling at their clubs and may be offloaded on the cheap.

GRANIT XHAKA
Position: Midfielder
Team: Arsenal
Value: £20m

Arteta might also give Xhaka a chance to prove himself after he lost the captaincy for a petulant display towards some jeering fans after being substituted. However, his days at the club also look numbered and Jurgen Klinsmann's Hertha are favourites to land themselves a bargain.

Teams linked: Newcastle, Hertha Berlin, Gladbach, Inter Milan.

MESUT OZIL
Position: Midfielder
Team: Arsenal
Value: £25m

New Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta might be willing to give Ozil a fresh start, but the German's future at the club has been thrown into fresh doubt with his political comments about China. Fenerbahce would love him on loan for the rest of the season but any team coming in for him would have to persuade him to drop his £350,000-a-week wages.

Teams linked: Fenerbahce, LA Galaxy, AC Milan.

EMRE CAN
Position: Midfielder
Team: Juventus
Value: £35m

It's hard to understand why things haven't worked out for Can in Turin, but the German was left out of the club's Champions League squad and has played only a handful of games. At 25, he's still young and his next move will be key. But, as a former Liverpool player, if it's to United then you can expect fireworks.

Teams linked: Man United, Bayern, PSG

GARETH BALE
Position: Forward
Team: Real Madrid
Value: £60m

"Wales. Golf. Real Madrid. In that order." Bale can't be too shocked by the Madrid reaction to his obvious lack of interest in staying at the club. He has won everything at the Bernabeu, but if Real can find a buyer for him then they'll let him go. A lucrative move to China fell through in the summer, but Tottenham boss Mourinho is a big fan of the Welsh winger and could bring him back to north London.

Teams linked: Bayern, Tottenham, PSG, Jiangsu Suning

IVAN RAKITIC
Position: Midfielder
Team: Barcelona
Value: £25m

The summer arrival of Frenkie de Jong has pushed Rakitic down the pecking order and Barcelona are ready to listen to offers for the 31-year-old. A classy midfielder, Rakitic would improve many clubs but he has only a few more years left at the top so could go cheaply. Or he might be included in a swap deal for one of Barca's targets.

Teams linked: Man United, Juventus, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid.

A bargain to be had?

With their contracts expiring in the summer, clubs can move for these guys now on the cheap or wait to get them for nothing in six months.

CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN
Position: Midfielder
Team: Tottenham
Value: £30m

Eriksen seems to have made it clear that he won't be signing a new contract at Tottenham, but will any club snap him up before the summer? The Denmark midfielder is a quality player and his price (previously £100m) has plummeted. Real are at odds as manager Zinedine Zidane prefers Paul Pogba, but the sharks will be circling.

Teams linked: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man United, Juventus.

EDINSON CAVANI
Position: Striker
Team: PSG
Value: £10m

It looks as if Cavani has already agreed to a summer move to Atletico, with a three-year deal on the table. Nothing is confirmed yet though, so clubs still have some negotiating time, though the wages he expects are likely to count all but the biggest clubs out.

Teams linked: Atletico Madrid, Inter Miami, LA Galaxy, Chelsea

NEMANJA MATIC
Position: Midfielder
Team: Man United
Value: £20m

The Serbian midfielder has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford and looks set to move on. It would be funny if he followed Mourinho to Tottenham, having moved from Chelsea to Man United to be with the manager, but it looks more likely that he'll head abroad. Perhaps a reunion with Antonio Conte in Milan instead?

Teams interested: Atletico Madrid, Tottenham, Inter Milan.

OLIVIER GIROUD
Position: Striker
Team: Chelsea
Value: £5m

Giroud has been frustrated at Chelsea, having been unable to oust Abraham from the starting spot and has barely played. Another to eye a move to Inter, a return to France is also on the cards for the 33-year-old as he seeks more game time.

Teams linked: Inter Milan, Vancouver Whitecaps, Nice, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon.

DRIES MERTENS
Position: Forward
Team: Napoli
Value: £10m

With over 100 goals for Napoli in seven years, the 32-year-old looks set for a change of scenery and won't sign a new deal at the club. There are plenty of top clubs being linked with the Belgian though, as his quality is far higher than his price tag.

Teams linked: Arsenal, Bayern, Dortmund, NYCFC, Inter Milan.

Wait until the summer

These guys are going to cost a lot of money and there's some serious negotiating to do. Better hold off for now.

JADON SANCHO
Position: Forward
Team: Dortmund
Value: £120m

Sancho left Man City in 2017 for a measly sum of £8m to get first-team football in Germany and boy, did it pay off. Now one of the most exciting attackers in the game, the 19-year-old can have his pick of clubs and with Erling Haaland arriving at Dortmund, will have a target to aim for unless he's sold in January.

Teams linked: Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern, PSG, Juventus

KALIDOU KOULIBALY
Position: Defender
Team: Napoli
Value: £90m

One of the best centre-backs in the world. it's not hard to see why clubs are circling for Koulibaly's signature. However, Napoli won't let him go without a massive offer that would make him the world's most expensive defender.

Teams linked: Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, PSG.

KAI HAVERTZ
Position: Midfielder
Team: Bayer Leverkusen
Value: £120m

The 'new Ozil' won't move in January, despite all the noise around him, but he won't stay at Leverkusen beyond the summer. At only 20, Havertz has the world at his feet and it's most likely that he'll head to Bayern or Barcelona.

Teams linked: Bayern, Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Real Madrid.

JAMES MADDISON
Position: Midfielder
Team: Leicester
Value: £80m

This season has been a revelation for the former Norwich midfielder and Leicester will want to get as much as Man United paid for Harry Maguire if they sell him. Maddison is clearly well suited to the Premier League, so United or Chelsea would be getting proven quality.

Teams linked: Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham.

DONNY VAN DE BEEK
Position: Midfielder
Team: Ajax
Value: £40m

When Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong moved on from Ajax, everyone assumed that Van de Beek would be next. A skilful attacking midfielder, the 22-year-old has plenty of suitors but has already gone on record as saying he won't move until the summer as he doesn't like to change teams midseason.

Teams linked: Borussia Dortmund, Man United, Everton, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich.

MARTIN ODEGAARD
Position: Midfielder
Team: Real Sociedad (on loan from Real Madrid)
Value: £60m

Having joined Real Madrid at age 16, Odegaard has spent years on loan and is only now showing his true potential at Real Sociedad. The Norwegian midfielder told ESPN he wants to stay at the club for another few years before heading back to Real, but the Premier League could be tempting.

Teams linked: Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid.

England are "cautiously" backing an ICC proposal to scrap five-day Tests from 2023.

The ICC's cricket committee are expected to formally consider a proposal in 2020 to make four-day Tests mandatory as part of the World Test Championship in a bid to ease pressure in an increasingly crowded international schedule.

"We're definite proponents of the four-day Test concept, but cautiously so, as we understand it's an emotive topic for players, fans and others who have concerns about challenging the heritage of Test cricket, "an ECB spokesperson said. "We believe it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads we face as a global sport."

The world's cricketers pose the most likely source of opposition to the plan, with many viewing the step up from four-day first-class games to five-day Tests as a critical point of difference at the top end of the long-form game.

However, the ICC's increasing demand for event windows, the proliferation of domestic T20 leagues, the BCCI's demands for its own sizeable share of bilateral calendar space, and the costs of staging Test series are all factors contributing to the move, which would shave off a significant amount of time from the calendar for the 2023 to 2031 cycle.

A reduction in the number of Test matches going to five days has also made administrators open to the idea, with more than 60 percent of matches played since the start of 2018 ending in four days or fewer.

"One of our top priorities is to underpin a healthy future for Test cricket while we continue to build accessible ways for new fans to enjoy our sport," the ECB spokesperson said. "We are strongly behind a thorough and considered consultation where all opinions are explored."

As early as 2015, the ECB and chairmen of the English counties were engaged in discussions about proposing four-day Tests to the ICC as part of a wide-ranging review into the future of English cricket domestically and internationally.

Last week, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said mandatory four-day Tests were "something that we have got to seriously consider".

Since 2017, the ICC has permitted certain Tests to be played over four days, but only those outside the World Test Championship, such as England's match against Ireland in July, which ended inside three days.

Matches played over four days would likely see an increase of the minimum overs in a day from 90 to 98, meaning that over four days only 58 scheduled overs would be lost.

Australia captain Tim Paine expressed his opposition to the proposal after his side's 247-run victory over New Zealand in Melbourne.

"We might not have got a result if we'd done that in the Ashes, I think every game went to a fifth day," Paine said. "That's the point of difference with Test cricket, it is five days, it's harder mentally, it's harder physically, and it tests players more than the four-day first-class fixtures do. I think that's what it's designed to do, so I hope it stays that way."

Tony Irish, the head of the international players' body FICA, expressed concern that "they would simply plug in more cricket into the gaps" reducing the benefits of a lighter international schedule.

Ollie Pope knows how suddenly opportunity can come knocking... then turn around and slam the door in your face.

So, rather than panic when illness robbed him of a fifth Test appearance for England at Centurion last week, he just rolled with it. Pope has learned a lot over the past 18 months or so, you see.

Having played two home Tests against India in 2018, Pope was bumped from England's tour of Sri Lanka to make way for Ben Foakes, who scored a century on debut in the first Test at Galle. Pope was then overlooked for England's Caribbean campaign at the start of 2019 and a dislocated shoulder injury then curtailed his English summer before he found himself on Ashes standby and playing a further two Tests in New Zealand. All that and he is still just two days shy of his 22nd birthday.

Now, having declared himself "pretty much 100 percent back to normal now" ahead of the second Test against South Africa starting in Cape Town on Friday after succumbing on Christmas Day to the illness doing the rounds of the England camp, Pope can be forgiven for yearning for a touch of normality in his burgeoning international career.

"Absolutely," Pope said. "It's been a bit of a weird start to my career ... I think the weirdest time for me was after I got told I was leaving that Sri Lanka tour, which was completely understandable with Foakesy coming in, scoring that hundred just put me one down. I wasn't going to play.

"Hoping I'd be on that West Indies trip, not being on that, not really hearing much and then doing my shoulder. I had no idea how far away from it all I was. That was a pretty frustrating time and I had a lot of time to think, overthink things.

"As soon as I found out I was the next batter in for the Ashes, that concussion replacement, that was a massive boost for me. Then coming back - last week sums it up. I'm very rarely ill as well so that was annoying. If I do get a go at Newlands… I don't overthink it really. I try to just take it in my stride... If I do get a run - brilliant - then hopefully I can take that and make it my own. "

Also read: We 'won't be afraid' to leave out Broad or Anderson - Silverwood

Pope made his debut batting in the unfamiliar position of No. 4, scoring 54 runs in three innings against India. Initially included as the spare middle-order batsman in Sri Lanka, Foakes' performance, combined with the presence of Joe Denly in the squad and Jonny Bairstow making his way back from injury, made him surplus to requirements. In a twist, it was Bairstow's omission that handed Pope a chance in New Zealand - where he scored 29, 6 and 75 - and it is Bairstow who could make way again in Cape Town if Dom Sibley also recovers from illness in time.

How things can turn in an instant.

"I was looking at the county scores while I wasn't playing and I was thinking about all these players that are probably ahead of me, in line, just purely because I wasn't really sure even how I'd come back from the injury," said Pope of his recovery from shoulder surgery which culminated in a double-hundred for for Surrey against Hampshire and a call-up as a potential, but ultimately unused, concussion substitute for Jason Roy, who was hit on the helmet in the nets in the lead-up to the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

"Next thing you know I'm nearly playing a Test in the Ashes. That week was a good way for me to gain my confidence back and know where I'm at with this England side. And, having put a score under the belt, that was a massive boost for me as well. That was a strange week but that week hopefully set it all up."

Making Pope's illness setback over this past week more frustrating was the fact he had scored 132 off 145 balls in an innings full of the attractive stroke play that is a distinctive feature of his game during the warm-up against South Africa A. But it has him straining at the leash to taste South African Test conditions for which he feels prepared, having faced down county team-mate Morne Morkel in the nets at Surrey.

"Obviously these pitches will be a different challenge to what I'm used to," Pope said. "But we've come across some quick bowlers in the county circuit, we've faced a lot of Morne in the nets - someone who is tall and gets a lot of bounce like a lot of their bowlers do.

"In the warm-up games, felt good with it, they had some nice pace and in the nets when I get them to ramp it up on the bouncier decks, then same really. I feel confident in my game to deal with their pace and bounce.

"I've gained the confidence in myself and my game over the last, probably - and it sounds stupid because I was injured for so much - but over this season and the back-end of last season. There's no need to put myself under any more pressure.

"I definitely don't see it as 'I definitely have to score runs in this game' because I understand how cricket works. If you just stay pretty level across it all then I'm sure the good will come with the bad."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears are committing to quarterback Mitchell Trubisky for at least one more season, but there will be changes on offense.

Bears general manager Ryan Pace announced Tuesday that Trubisky will enter 2020 as the team's unquestioned starting quarterback but stopped short of saying whether the organization plans to exercise his fifth-year option for 2021.

"Yes, we do [feel comfortable with Trubisky as the starter]," Pace said. "I think with Mitch, as we go through it, we need more time in the coming months to evaluate everything, but the first thing that comes to mind for me is just consistency. You see moments, you see games, but for him [the issue is] stringing together better consistency. So you have the peaks and valleys. We just need to flatten that out.

"... Mitch is our starter. We believe in Mitch, and we believe in the progress that he's gonna continue to make."

While Trubisky gets a vote of confidence, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride and assistant special teams coach Brock Olivo have been fired.

Helfrich was in his second season as an NFL offensive coordinator, after serving as head coach at Oregon. Head coach Matt Nagy has handled the play-calling in Chicago, howerver.

The Bears have until May to exercise Trubisky's option year, which is expected to exceed $20 million.

"We're not at that point right now with the season ending just two days ago, so we're not at that point right now, and when we will, we'll let you guys know," Pace said.

Pace added that the 25-year-old quarterback could undergo offseason surgery on his left shoulder. Trubisky played the majority of the year with a partially torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The second overall pick of the 2017 draft, Trubisky finished 27th in total QBR (40.0), tied for 27th in touchdown passes (17) and 21st in passing yards (3,138) in 2019. He entered Week 17 -- with Chicago already eliminated from playoff contention -- ranked 32nd in yards per completion and average yards per pass attempt, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Chicago's offense wrapped up the regular season 29th in points scored per game (17.5) and total yards per game (296.8), 25th in passing yards per game (205.7) and 27th in rushing yards per game (91.1).

Last year, Trubisky passed for 3,223 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as the Bears won the NFC North with a 12-4 record.

"We go through this, and I don't think it's one person's fault as we go through this whole thing, there's a lot of factors in play we can talk about," Pace said. "But I think with Mitch, you know, especially with a young quarterback, in a lot of cases it's never going to be a straight line, it's never going to be linear. There are going to be ups and downs. And you see moments this year, you see games, you see him responding to adverse situations within a game, those are signs of positive improvement. We just need to smooth out those inconsistencies.

"I think it's just growth as a young quarterback. I think there's things happening around him, it's not just him. And he knows he needs to get better in those areas. We knew his experience coming out of college, switching schemes after Year 1, all those things, there's just a growth process we're watching take place."

Bears coach Matt Nagy -- the playcaller on offense -- said he already has specific goals set for Trubisky in 2020.

"No. 1 is going to be -- we talked about decision-making, but I want him to be a master at understanding coverages," Nagy said. "So when these defensive coordinators, they have different ways of showing different coverages, and they're good at it. Our first year here, I thought Mitch did a really good job of understanding the importance of getting in and out of the huddle with the verbiage that we have. We've also learned, not just with him but with our players, how to use that. The next step, we talked about it last year, was level 202, right?"

Pace and Nagy's confidence in Trubisky notwithstanding, the Bears could explore signing a proven quarterback in the offseason.

Current backups Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray are both scheduled to be free agents. The Bears paid Daniel, who played under Nagy in Kansas City, $6 million in 2019, but the veteran was no threat to overtake Trubisky, even when the third-year quarterback bottomed out during the Bears' four-game losing streak. Daniel appeared in five games for the Bears over the past two seasons but almost exclusively when Trubisky was injured.

"As we look at that [quarterback] room, we know that room is important, and really two of three quarterbacks in the room are free agents with Chase and Tyler both being out of contract," Pace said. "So that's something we'll look at this offseason. We always try to increase competition everywhere, especially in the backup roles, so it's something we'll look at."

METAIRIE, La. -- Antonio Brown said he thinks his workout with the New Orleans Saints was a "publicity stunt" during an Instagram video he posted on Monday night.

The Saints brought Brown in for a workout last Friday -- his first visit with a team since he was released by the New England Patriots on Sept. 20.

It's unclear when Brown will be eligible to play again since he is still being investigated by the NFL under its personal conduct policy for allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

"I really am at peace. I just don't like the lack of respect in the world," Brown said in the video, which he filmed while working out on an exercise machine. "Everyone has deadlines. But I guess the NFL don't have a deadline for me. So I appreciate [Saints coach] Sean Payton and them guys for supporting me to bring me out to work out. But I think it was a publicity stunt for them. Sean Payton knows the film that's being left behind.

"But it is what it is. ... I'm not gonna make excuses. I'm just gonna keep competing to be the difference, 'cuz I know I'm the difference."

Brown has continued to take shots at the NFL and various teams and players via social media this season, including recent jabs at former Steelers teammates JuJu Smith-Schuster and Derek Carr.

Boo Boo Shoester was ready under 500 U Bum learn some Respect

— AB (@AB84) December 30, 2019

Tell Derek Carr I'll buy his house in Vegas ??

— AB (@AB84) December 30, 2019

Saints sources both on and off the record described the Brown workout as "due diligence" in updating their "ready list" in case a need arises at the wide receiver position. Brown was one of six receivers to work out for the Saints on Friday, and they wound up signing former Baltimore Ravens receiver Tim White to their practice squad.

"We're doing our homework," Payton said after the workout, adding that it was the first chance he ever really got to meet Brown. "Obviously there's a little bit more attention drawn to [Brown] because of his career. But right now, it was more or less us having a chance to get to know these guys and seeing what kind of shape they're all in.

"There would be a number of players that we've signed or drafted over the years past -- some that have worked out, some that haven't. The process is something that we take seriously and it's important relative to the makeup of the team."

Brown brought a handful of associates with him to his Saints workout -- including someone who was documenting his visit with a video camera. And he posted clips of his visit on social media throughout the day, including a picture of the waiver the Saints made him sign.

It's unclear if that affected New Orleans' decision on whether or not to sign Brown.

Brown, 31, is being investigated by the NFL after a lawsuit was filed by his former trainer, Britney Taylor, that alleges she was sexually assaulted by Brown on multiple occasions. Brown also was accused of sexual misconduct at his home by an artist who was working there in 2017.

Brown, who has denied the allegations, met with the NFL for eight hours last month in Florida as part of the investigation, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.

The NFL has not concluded that investigation and it is uncertain when it will. Even after it wraps, Brown could face additional league-imposed discipline.

On Sept. 20, the NFL released a statement that said Brown would not be placed on the commissioner's exempt list while he is a free agent, but it warned, "If he is signed by a club, such placement may become appropriate at any time depending on the status of the investigation. ... Upon the conclusion of the investigation, he may also be subject to discipline if the investigation finds that he has violated the law or league policies."

Brown has been with three different teams in 2019. He was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders in March. Then he was released by both the Raiders and Patriots in September. He has played in only one game this season -- Week 2 for the Patriots. The Patriots released Brown after it was made known that he sent text messages to the artist who had accused him of misconduct.

Two days later, Brown called out Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, comparing their legal issues to his own.

Brown has filed eight grievances against the Raiders and Patriots, a source told ESPN's Dan Graziano. Brown is seeking $39.775 million in lost salary, bonuses and guaranteed money.

NEW ORLEANS -- Baylor coach Matt Rhule, expected to be a leading candidate for head-coaching vacancies with the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, said Tuesday he expects to be back with the Bears next season.

"I plan on that," Rhule said. "I certainly think I will be."

Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter earlier Tuesday that Rhule had declined the chance to interview for the Cleveland Browns' head-coaching vacancy.

Rhule, who signed a contract extension in September that runs through the 2027 season, told reporters he has not been in contact with any NFL teams.

The Giants were making Rhule a focus of their coaching search, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Monday.

Rhule on Tuesday lamented the NFL speculation surrounding him, calling it a distraction for his players. He said he is happy at Baylor and believes the program could become a perennial College Football Playoff contender but acknowledged that any move he makes has to be in the best interest of his family.

"One thing people don't realize is coaches, we pick up our families," Rhule said. "We rip them out of their homes. We rip them out of the places that they are. Sometimes you do that until you get to a point where you find happy. You shouldn't mess with happy.

"There's a lot to accomplish at Baylor. And most importantly, it's just each and every year, I want to put together a championship-caliber team. And I think we have a chance to be even better next year than we are this year. ... More than money, it's about the situation for my family."

Baylor, who went from 1-11 two years ago to 11-2 this season, will play Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Wednesday.

"I'm always looking three, four, five years down the line," Rhule said. "I think we have a chance to be a perennial national contender, to be in the top 10 and be in the top five and go to College Football Playoff and play in New Year's Six bowls."

Golden State Warriors guard D'Angelo Russell will miss Tuesday's game against the Spurs because of a left shoulder contusion.

Russell suffered the injury in Saturday's loss to the Mavericks. He also is battling a virus that has affected multiple members of the team.

Center Willie Cauley-Stein also is dealing with the illness and is listed as doubtful, although coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Cauley-Stein had not yet joined the team in San Antonio as of Monday afternoon.

Backup big man Kevon Looney also is out Tuesday because of abdominal soreness.