NFL - NEWS & NOTES

67 is not nearly old enough.

 

NFL suspends Colts defensive lineman Art Jones for 4 games​

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Arthur Jones has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Jones has struggled to stay on the field since signing a five-year, $33 million contract in 2014. He missed seven games in his first season with Indy with an injured right ankle. He missed all of last season with an injured left ankle he sustained during the preseason.

Jones won't be eligible to return to the team until Oct. 3 but will be allowed to participate in training camp and preseason games.

His brother, Jon, a UFC fighter, also has run afoul of that league's anti-drug policies.

 

Dallas Cowboys staffers' bus involved in fatal Arizona crash​

PHOENIX (AP) ? A van collided with a bus carrying Dallas Cowboys staffers but no players on an Arizona highway, leaving four dead in the van, authorities said.

The bus occupants emerged uninjured from Sunday's crash, Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Quentin Mehr said.

"All on the bus came through OK with some bumps and bruises," Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple (DAHL'-rimp-ul) said in an email.

Dalrymple said the bus was only carrying members of the franchise's staff but would not say how many. There were no players on board.

Footage following the crash shows the two vehicles in a field on the side of the road ? the bus seemingly intact and sitting upright while the van appearing demolished and reduced to wreckage.

Mickey Spagnola, a columnist for the team's website, has been writing for the past week about traveling on a Cowboys bus with a driver, the team mascot and videographer. On his Twitter page, Spagnola tweeted before 2 p.m. that the bus was 80 miles outside of Vegas.

The two vehicles collided in the afternoon on U.S. 93, about 30 miles north of the city of Kingman or 180 miles northeast of Phoenix, according to DPS.

The crash shut down at least one lane of the highway that serves as the main route between Las Vegas and Phoenix.

The bus was on its way to a Dallas Cowboys fan event in Las Vegas. Charles Cooper, manager of GameWorks entertainment center in Vegas, said the session with 50 to 75 fans was scheduled for 3 p.m. PDT. People were already waiting when the president of a Las Vegas Cowboys fan club called to relay news of the accident. The event was subsequently canceled. Cooper says the team mascot was supposed to appear.

 

Sad that the entire article is Cowboys related and no condolences to the perished families were included..

 

Thats interesting, Dawg. I checked all the earlier AP reports and nothing was mentioned as far as condolences. That is a bit odd and one sided.

I had about 4 AP reports to choose from and just picked the most recent. After I read your comment, I checked the other reports and got a lot of the same.

In fairness, it was just the AP wire that I checked. Maybe NFL.com has added something else... at this time I dont know.

 

...and nothing from NFL.com either. They used the AP report as well.

 

Greg Jennings retired today...

Greg Jennings has decided to hang up his cleats.

The veteran wide receiver announced his retirement Monday in a video posted on YouTube.

Jennings spent 10 seasons in the league, with stops in Green Bay, Minnesota and Miami. He made two Pro Bowl squads, and won Super Bowl XLV with the Packers. In his final season, he caught 19 passes for 208 yards and a score with the Dolphins.

 

Three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Darnell Dockett is bowing out after a stellar 10-year career that featured 459 tackles, 40.5 sacks and a shared record for the most quarterback takedowns in a Super Bowl.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Dockett is set to announce his retirement Monday, per a source with knowledge of the situation.

The outspoken pass rusher and Twitter raconteur, known as much for his brutal honesty and insight as his effective pass rushing techniques, was a former third-round pick out of Florida State and will go down as one of the best defensive players in Cardinals history. Dockett will end his career at No. 7 on Arizona's all-time sack leaders list, No. 10 all-time in fumble recoveries and No. 13 in tackles.

 

NFL looking into video allegedly featuring Aldon Smith​

Aldon Smith is back in the news for the wrong reasons.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the NFL is looking into a video clip that allegedly shows a man who could be the suspended Raiders pass rusher smoking a hand-rolled cigarette.

The footage was posted to a Periscope account that features Smith in many of its 32 posted videos. The clip in question -- titled "Fire up session" -- does not show Smith's face but does include a voice referencing himself as Aldon Smith.

When a female companion suggests not posting the video, a man says: "You're stupid. You're tripping. (Expletive deleted), they don't know it's me. It's not like I put 'Aldon Smith.'"

If it's him in the clip, chalk it up as an untimely piece of social media for Smith, who is currently serving his one-year suspension for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

Smith isn't guaranteed reinstatement into the NFL. He must apply, and will first be eligible around mid-November at the earliest. It's anybody's guess if we'll see him play this season for the Raiders, who showed their support of Smith when he was banned in November.

"Aldon has been a positive addition to the Raiders," the team said at the time. "He remains prominently in our long-term plans and we will continue to support this member of our family as he gets the help that he needs."

Before his punishment, Smith was an effective pass rusher for Oakland, teaming with All-Pro Khalil Mack for 62 hurries, nine sacks and eight quarterback hits in 2015.

Staying out of trouble has been the issue for Smith, though, with the talented edge rusher enduring a string of high-profile, off-the-field problems during his five-year NFL career. (NFL.com)

 

Josh Gordon was reinstated and suspended for the first 4 games this season.

 

I will just add...he "remains" suspended for the first 4 games. He is eligible to participate in all training camp and pre-season activities. Then can return to full duty week 5.

 

Peyton Manning Cleared of HGH Accusations.

 

Retired RT Anthony Davis applies for reinstatement​

Anthony Davis is officially ready to make his return to the field.

After announcing his temporary retirement last June, the 49ers offensive tackle tweeted Monday that he has sent in the necessary paper work to rejoin the NFL:

Davis has been expected to seek reinstatement for months, but as recently as last week his future was in doubt. His intentions to play are a major boost for a San Francisco line that needs all the help it can get. Assuming Davis is in football shape, he would immediately replace Erik Pears at the right tackle spot he occupied for five seasons before walking away from the game after the 2014 campaign.

That season was an injury-plagued affair that prompted Davis to retire after enduring a concussion that limited him to just seven starts.

For a team that has seen a flood of players hang up the cleats and depart through free agency over the past two years, seeing Davis return to the fold would serve as a welcome sight for the 49ers.

 

Packers WR Jordy Nelson to start camp on PUP list​

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) ? Receiver Jordy Nelson won't practice when the Green Bay Packers begin training camp on Tuesday.

Nelson was one of six Packers placed on the physically unable to perform list on Monday. Nelson is coming back from a torn right ACL injury that kept him out for the 2015 season.

The Packers have said that they might be cautious with Nelson as he comes back from injury. The Packers also have five preseason games this year since they play in the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 7.

Other Packers starting on the PUP list include linebacker Sam Barrington and tight end Jared Cook; receiver Ty Montgomery (ankle); guard T.J. Lang (shoulder) and center Corey Linsley.

 

Redskins' Junior Galette tears Achilles, out for season​

It looks as though Junior Galette's long-awaited debut with the Washington Redskins will again be put on hold.

Galette has torn his right Achilles tendon and is out for the season, NFL Media's Rand Getlin reported per a source familiar with injury. Galette suffered the injury while working out, Getlin added.

Galette missed the 2015 season with the same injury to the opposite leg, suffered during practice in August 2015. He's still yet to play a meaningful down with the Redskins after signing a one-year deal in 2015, following a falling out with the New Orleans Saints that resulted in his release. Despite the injury, Galette re-upped with the Redskins in March on another one-year deal that could be worth up to $4.1 million.

 

Chargers GM: 'We'll see' if Joey Bosa reports to camp​

Will we see the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft on the field anytime soon?

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco doesn't have an answer as to when the team will sign Joey Bosa.

"I don't know," Telesco said on 1090 AM San Diego on Monday, via ESPN.com. "I guess we'll see. I really don't know if he'll (show up). We're still working on it. Hopefully we'll get something done, but I don't know."

He added: "We've never really had an issue signing draft picks since I've been here. We've actually been one of the quicker teams in getting guys done. Especially when it's not really over money -- or guaranteed money -- I know people get puzzled by it.

"But it really just comes down to generally this -- there's some things that are negotiable, and money always is negotiable, obviously -- but there's certain things in contracts language-wise, whether you're picked third, 33rd or 203rd, there's certain things of consistency and doing things the same way for everyone on the team. And we're far from uncommon with how we work. I know a lot of other teams probably operate the same way. We try to keep some things constant in everyone's contract, whether you're Philip Rivers or the 85th guy on the football team."

The most boring contract standoff in the NFL remains at a standstill for two reasons: Cash flow and offset money. Bosa's people want more of the bonus money sooner, and they want the ability to double-dip on salary should the Chargers let him go before the expiration of his contract. The Chargers do not want to break precedent and give it to him. (NFL.com)

 

@AdamSchefter

Former 49ers, Ravens and Cardinals' WR Anquan Boldin plans to sign a 1-year deal with Lions, per sources. Two sides now finalizing deal.


Ravens and former No. 1 overall pick Jake Long reached agreement on a 1-year deal, per sources. Long flying to Baltimore tonight to sign.