NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Josh will miss todays practice, but is expected to return for Saturdays...

 

Bengals cut Brandon LaFell...

Last year Brandon LaFell was the Bengals’ No. 2 receiver. This year he’s out.

The Bengals released LaFell this morning, a move his agent said he had requested.

“We have been lobbying for his release for some time now and appreciate the Bengals granting our request,” agent Jonathan Feinsod told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis had hinted this offseason that the 31-year-old LaFell was no lock to make the roster, and LaFell may have figured that he’s better off getting a jump on finding a new team now, rather than waiting and getting cut a month from now.

Last year LaFell caught 52 passes for 548 yards and three touchdowns, and he looked like he may have lost a step, averaging a career-low 10.5 yards per catch. For his career LaFell has 394 catches for 5,263 yards, 29 touchdowns and a 13.4-yard average.

Now LaFell, who has previously played for the Patriots and Panthers, will try to find a new team.

 

Im sure NE is on LaFell’s short list.

 

NE signs Eric Decker.

 

The Titans are down a starting safety for the entire 2018 season.

Johnathan Cyprien left practice with trainers on Wednesday and coach Mike Vrabel announced on Thursday that Cyprien has been diagnosed with a torn ACL.

Cyprien joined the Titans as a free agent in 2017 after four years with the Jaguars. He missed time with a hamstring injury early in the season, but wound up starting 10 regular season games and both playoff contests. He had 57 tackles and a sack in the regular season and added 11 tackles in the postseason.

The Titans have Kevin Byard at their other safety spot. Kendrick Lewis and Brynden Trawick are the experienced in-house options they can consider to replace Cyprien on the first team.

 

The Titans have just lost safety Jonathan Cyprien for the season to a torn ACL, and now they’re seeking a replacement.

Fortunately for Tennessee, this year there are still good safeties on the market after the start of training camp. One of those good safeties is Kenny Vaccaro, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Vaccaro will visit the Titans tomorrow.

The 27-year-old Vaccaro started 12 games for the Saints last season. He has played his entire five-year career in New Orleans.

Tyvon Branch and Eric Reid are among the other safeties still available. It is unknown whether the Titans plan to take a look at any other potential replacements for Cyprien.

 

Seahawks kicking the tires on some veteran defenders...



The Seahawks spent much of the offseason getting rid of veterans on defense, but now they’re looking to bring some in.

Seattle has scheduled visits with former Titans linebacker Erik Walden, former Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, former Bears outside linebacker Lamarr Houston and former Cowboys defensive end Damontre Moore, according to ESPN and NFL Network.

The 32-year-old Walden played in all 16 games, with two starts, for the Titans last year. He has previously played for the Colts, Packers, Dolphins and Chiefs.

The 32-year-old Rodgers-Cromartie played in 15 games for the Giants last year, with five starts. He has also played for the Broncos, Eagles and Cardinals.

The 31-year-old Houston played in five games for the Texans and five games for the Bears last season. He has also played for the Raiders.

The 25-year-old Moore played in three games for the Cowboys last season. He has previously played for the Seahawks, Dolphins and Giants. (PFT)

 

John Dorsey reiterates that Josh Gordon will be back...

The Browns started training camp nine days ago. Receiver Josh Gordon still hasn’t joined the team. On Friday, G.M. John Dorsey reiterated that Gordon will be back.

Via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Dorsey told 92.3 The Fan regarding Gordon, “I told you all he would be here, and he will be here.” Dorsey added that there’s still “no timetable for his return.”

Teammate Rashard Higgins said that he has been in regular contact with Gordon.

“We were texting yesterday and he’s in good spirits and we don’t talk about anything about the field or anything,” Higgins said, according to Cabot. “We just talk about, ‘Hey, what’s up bro, how ya doing?’ Family, just little things like that, but we’re not too concerned. We know Josh is handling his business off the field and when he comes back, he’ll be ready to go.”

The Browns placed Gordon on the reserve/did not report list, which by rule means that he’ll have to apply to the team to be removed from that categorization, and that the Commissioner will have to approve his return to the roster. That’s a different mechanism than the substance-abuse policy, to which Gordon remains subject given his return from an extended suspension.

Although the initial statements from the player, the team, and the league seemed ominous, there’s still no specific reason to believe that Gordon is facing another banishment from the league, with the ability to apply for reinstatement after one year. That said, he’s missing valuable reps in training camp as he reportedly seeks assistance in dealing with the stress of life in the NFL, without the ability to resort to alcohol or marijuana, like many others do when faced with the pressures of being subject to constant scrutiny, analysis, and criticism on TV, radio, the Internet, and social media. (pft)

 

Sony Michel out at least 10 days with knee procedure...

Patriots first-round running back Sony Michel has been out of practice since Wednesday, and he’s not going to be back any time soon.

Michel underwent a procedure to drain fluid from his knee after leaving Wednesday’s practice, and he’ll miss at least another 10 days, Mike Reis of ESPN reports.

The Patriots do expect Michel ready for the start of the regular season, but given that teams are usually cautious about a running back’s knees, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him miss the whole preseason.

Less work for Michel would mean more work for running backs Rex Burkhead and James White. Those three are expected to share backfield duties in New England this season. (PFT)

 

Ryan Shazier walks across the field unassisted at Steelers camp...

Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier‘s impressive recovery from a serious spinal cord injury continues.

Shazier posted a video on Twitter of himself walking across the field at Steelers training camp, not using a cane and not getting any assistance from anyone. Although he walked slowly and deliberately, he appears to have made progress even since last week, when he was walking at Steelers camp with the help of a cane.

“Today was a great day,” Shazier wrote. “The team had a wonderful practice. But I also got to enjoy the fans! If you were able to make it to the stadium, here is a little bit of what happened! I promise you the lord is not done working yet! Keep Shalieving #shalieve.”

When the 25-year-old Shazier was stretchered off the field in Cincinnati on December 4, there were fears that he might never walk again. Eight months later, he doesn’t even need help to walk. Shazier has said he’s still hoping he can recover well enough to play football again, but at the very least he has recovered well enough to live a normal life. (PFT)

 

Randy Moss pays tribute to those killed via police violence with tie at Hall of Fame
Jason Owens,Yahoo Sports 11 hours ago

Randy Moss had a message for families of people killed by police violence after his Hall of Fame induction on Saturday. (AP)
Randy Moss focused on faith, family and football during his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

After the ceremony he had a different message of social justice, explaining the tie he wore bearing the names of several people who were killed via police violence as well as Sandra Bland, a woman who was found hanged in a Texas jail cell in 2015.


Randy Moss’ message for families of those killed by police
“What I wanted to be able to express with my tie is to let these families know they’re not alone,” Moss said. “By these names on my tie and a big platform as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there’s a lot of stuff going on in our country. I just want to let these family members know that they’re not alone.”

The names listed on Moss’ tie are Gregg Gunn, Tamir Rice, Akai Gurley, Paul O’Neal, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Sandra Bland, Akiel Denkins and Alton Sterling.

All are dead, and most were killed during conflicts with police officers.


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NIce, classy move by the 2nd GOAT WR in NFL history.

 

Randy Rocks !

 

Was always a Randy fan. He attended Marshall U (with Chad Pennington), the college situated in my hometown. He broke the NCAA single season TD record in MU's first season a D-1 team. I wasn't there when he played, but I kept tabs on him and his career. He went on to break Rice's NFL single-season TD record, and anything you can do better than Rice, is remarkable. The Vikings scored big when they stole him with the 20-something pick.

Randy seems like he is just that guy who is always gonna do what Randy wants to do... he don't give two fucks.

Fun Fact: when Randy was in high school, he excelled at football, basketball, baseball and track... and he was on the debate team.

One more FF: Michael Irvin's off-field problems kept Jerrah from drafting Randy, who was life-long Cowboys fan. Dallas even sent a scout to Charleston WV to watch the draft with the Moss family. Irvin later called Randy to apologize for the inadvertent interference.

 

This was also brought up when a few of us suggested drafting Quentin Nelson with the 4th pick.

 

Eagles sign Doug Pederson, Howie Roseman through 2022 season...

Winning the Super Bowl has improved the job security of Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman.

The Eagles announced on Sunday that they have extended the contracts of Pederson and Roseman through the 2022 season.

“We are thrilled to solidify continuity in our organization’s leadership with the extensions of Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman, whose collaborative partnership helped deliver our city its first Super Bowl Championship,” team owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “Doug and Howie are committed to the success of our franchise by ensuring that we remain competitive, both in the short and long term. That unified vision for the future of our team is what gives us the best chance to win moving forward.”

Pederson came to the Eagles in 2016 after Roseman, who began working for the team in 2000, was restored to power following Chip Kelly’s dismissal late in the 2015 season. The team went 7-9 after drafting quarterback Carson Wentz that year and then added the likes of Alshon Jeffery, Chris Long, Tim Jernigan and LeGarrette Blount in the offseason. They also signed Nick Foles, which came in handy when Pederson needed a quarterback to take over the offense following Wentz’s torn ACL.

You know where it went from there and the Eagles will have the same duo running the show for several more years. (PFT)

 

Cleveland Browns trade WR Corey Coleman, the 1st round pick (15) in the 2016 draft (that Corey Coleman)
Buffalo trades a late round pick.

None of the Browns 1st rounders 2012-2016 (6) are still with the team.

 

I don't get this move. Maybe he was a problem teammate or something. Short of that the Browns picked the absolute worse time to trade him.

 

1st rounders not with Cleveland - Trent Richardson, Brandon Weeden, Barkevious Mingo, Justin Gilbert, Johnny Manziel, Danny Shelton, Cameron Erving and Corey Coleman...

Its a headscratcher to me too. Browns are pretty thin at the WR spot as it stands right now. Rookie Callaway must like this move and maybe the Browns know Dez Bryant is coming in, I don't know.

 

7th round pick in 2020. What was the rush?

 

Gotta make you feel good knowing you were a 1st Rd draft pick but you’re now only worth a 7th Rd future. <sips coffee>