On the day Cole Hamels announced he won't be ready for the season opener, the Philadelphia Phillies helped their ailing starting rotation. A person familiar with the deal said that A.J. Burnett agreed to a one-year contract with the Phillies on Wednesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Phillies haven't made an official announcement. If Hamels is healthy, he gives the Phillies a formidable top three along with Cliff Lee.

Gregg Williams is returning to the Rams as defensive coordinator, the first time he will lead a defense since he lost his job in New Orleans amid the fallout from the team's bounty scandal. The Rams announced the hiring Wednesday and a news conference introducing Williams was scheduled for Thursday. Williams has led five top-five defenses. He was defensive coordinator for the Saints when he was suspended for the entire 2012 season for the scandal.

John Elway led Denver to the Super Bowl faster as a front office executive than he did as a quarterback. On Wednesday, the Broncos extended his contract, which was set to expire after this year, through 2017 and added general manager to his title of executive vice president. Team President Joe Ellis lauded the work Elway has done so far, saying he's ''demonstrated great vision and leadership in his role, assembling a championship caliber team and positioning it for sustained success.'' Elway, who will speak publicly on Friday at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, said in a statement that he was grateful for the opportunity and ''we remain relentlessly committed to delivering a world championship'' to Denver. The Broncos are coming off their first AFC title in 15 years but they were blown out 43-8 by Seattle in the Super Bowl, a result that was eerily similar to the first three of Elway's five Super Bowls before he capped his Hall of Fame playing career with back-to-back titles in 1998 and '99.

Goalie Carey Price will start Canada's Olympic opener against Norway on Thursday, and Roberto Luongo will start Friday against Austria. Canada coach Mike Babcock announced his rotation Wednesday after practice in Sochi, but Babcock and both goalies attributed no significance to the order. The coach had previously said both goalies likely would start at least once in the preliminary round before he decides who will backstop Canada during its run at a third gold medal in the last four Olympics. ''Obviously I'm thrilled, and I'm just ready to go,'' said Price, the Montreal Canadiens' three-time All-Star.