NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Andrew Hawkins to sign one-year deal with Patriots

The New England Patriots added more speed to their deep receiving corps.

Former Cleveland Browns wideout Andrew Hawkins announced Wednesday he's joining the reigning Super Bowl champs.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it's a one-year deal for Hawkins. The wideout turned down more lucrative offers elsewhere to join New England.

"It was never really about the money." Hawkins said. "And to be honest, I passed up on deals that were probably double the compensation. But like I said, it was all about winning for me at this point and putting myself in the best position to do so."

Hawkins admitted he has his "work cut out" to make a deep Patriots roster. New England added Brandin Cooks this offseason to a receiving corps that includes Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and Danny Amendola.

Hawkins, who excels as a slot receiver, spent the past three seasons with the Browns. In 2016 he earned 33 receptions for 324 yards and three touchdowns.

If the 31-year-old makes the Patriots' roster, he'll likely work as a reserve from the slot position.

 

Cowboys denying he suffered a concussion in the accident, which is good news. Bad news is, this hasn't been a stellar 2017 for Elliott thus far: two car accidents, and an incident where he pulled down a woman's top at a St. Paddy's Day party.

 

What's next? Getting into an accident while pulling down a woman's top?

 

That's ... an entirely plausible scenario.

 

trouble just seems to find these Cowboy players doesn't it? I'm not wishing any harm on them, but damn can't they stay out of trouble or incidents?

 

trouble just seems to find these Cowboy players doesn't it? I'm not wishing any harm on them, but damn can't they stay out of trouble or incidents?
This certainly hasn't been the off-season I was looking forward to - since the season ended Dallas has had one car accident for Zeke, one incident where Zeke pulled down a woman's top, and a 4-game suspension for DE David Irving (PED violation).

Nothing "devastating" ... but could be a lot better.

 

I wonder if you could dig up dirt on football players from any NFL team? Maybe Dallas just gets put under the micro-scope a bit more than others.

Those accidents may be just that... accidents and Zeke gets more scrutiny. The top pulling is a head scratcher tho, but how much inappropriate behavior goes on unreported my the main-stream sports media?

I'm not sticking up or minimizing the things Zeke and other Cowboys have done... I'm just saying that this stuff is probably on every football team. Just a hunch.

 

Have you ever seen the movie North Dallas Forty? The Cowboys of nowadays seem much more tame than yesterday's. Football players used to just float the cops some tickets or autographed items and things would magically go away. Now a days cops don't seem to want to do those things so more players are getting arrested.

 

They actually are. No doubt the team has made some ill-conceived moves (Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory), but in recent years they've also been among leaders in terms of fewest arrests.

 

I see the mistake I made. when I said nowadays they just get arrested I was referring to the league as a whole, but I didn't context it properly so it reads as though I meant the Cowboys. Could you imagine if a player in the league now was shooting at a police helicopter like Larry Holmes of the Steelers did in the 70's? I don't even think that he was charged for that. I believe the only thing a player could do to get suspended or banned permanently, more likely, was to bet on football.

 

Victor Cruz agrees to one-year contract with Bears

The Chicago Bears continue to add to their collection of veteran wide receivers.

Former Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz has agreed to terms with the team on a one-year deal, the Bears announced.

Cruz is the fourth notable wide receiver to join the Bears this offseason. Chicago has signed former Steelers wideout Markus Wheaton, former Titans receiver Kendall Wright and Cruz's ex-teammate Rueben Randle to complement Kevin White and Cameron Meredith.

There's no telling whether Cruz will find his footing in Chicago's deep but competitive receiving corps; that's for a spicy training camp battle to decide. But his signing in the Windy City allows for the wide receiver to rewrite his career with a rebuilding unit after multiple injury-addled seasons with the Giants. (NFL.com)

 

Free-agent CB Justin Gilbert suspended four games

Justin Gilbert's potential road to salvage his career just hit another snag.

Gilbert has been suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for the first four weeks of the 2017 season, a source informed told NFL Network's Courtney Fallon. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it was due to violating the NFL's Substances of Abuse policy.

The former No. 8 overall selection is currently a free agent. The Browns cut ties with the disappointing cornerback after two seasons by shipping him to Pittsburgh for a 2018 sixth-round pick this past preseason.

Gilbert played 12 games for the Steelers in 2016, then the team released him in February. Only 25 years old, it will be interesting to see if another team is willing to take a gamble on him with this latest setback. (NFL.com)

 

any news as to why he was suspended..... Maryjane or destroying his cell phone perhaps?

 

Its very vague. PFT reports there was no reason given or made public and NFL.com reports it was substance abuse.

My money is on Mary Jane.

 

Talent fraud.

He suckered half the AFCN into thinking he could play.

 

Will, I got it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/upshot/what-the-numbers-show-about-nfl-player-arrests.html?_r=0

My apologies to Axe and the Cowboys, from 2000-2014 they are alter boys compared to others on the list. The 'Boys were one of the lowest teams with players in trouble in that span of 2000-2014. Since then, their number has risen, but for the span in the link, the Vikings are the worst of the worst.

 

Fat Kelvin Benjamin is fun, he's "disappointed" though. Rumors had him tipping the scales at a svelte 280.

 

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkF55gscbGM[/video]

 

Despite impending move, Raiders sell out season?tickets

Oakland fans may not be happy that the Raiders are leaving, but the team remains popular enough that the fans will support the team while it?s still there.

That became clear with the news from the San Francisco Chronicle that the Raiders have sold out their season tickets.
That hasn?t always been the case in Oakland, but this year the Raiders are coming off a playoff season, they have plenty of young talent and they?ve added a popular hometown hero in Marshawn Lynch. It would be surprising if they?re not able to fill the Oakland Coliseum this year and next year.

The big remaining question is whether the Raiders will be gone after next year, or whether they?ll stay for 2019 as well. The Raiders? lease in Oakland runs through 2018, and their new stadium in Las Vegas won?t be ready until 2020. That leaves them in limbo for 2019, but if they keep selling tickets, the most sensible decision would seem to be a one-year extension of the lease, and one last year in Oakland for the Silver and Black. (PFT)
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Good deal for the Raiders... they are still being supported and that's cool. A little surprising, but they are really putting together a good team. Will be fun to see how they do this season.

 

Cowboys CB Nolan Carroll charged with DWI

Cowboys cornerback Nolan Carroll was charged with Driving While Intoxicated early Monday morning in Dallas.

According to the Dallas Police Department, an officer stopped Carroll for driving down the wrong side of the road in the 2200 block of McKinney Avenue. He was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. He refused to do a breathalyzer at jail and was charged with misdemeanor DWI.

He was released Monday afternoon by the Dallas County Sheriff's Department on a $500 bond.
The Cowboys issued this statement Monday evening: "We're aware of the situation and are in the process of gathering information at this time."

The Cowboys signed Carroll in March to a three-year, $10 million deal. He previously played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. (NFL.com)