Month: April 2018

Chris Doleman fights brain cancer with positive outlook

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The tumor removed from Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman’s brain turned out to be cancerous, and the surgery revealed two other tumors currently being treated with radiation. He nevertheless maintains a positive outlook.

“I feel great, man,” Doleman recently told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “God has blessed me for the last month just waking up every day, one day at a time. That’s how I look at it.”

The Bills paying AJ McCarron backup-type money and trading into this spot while also holding the No. 22 overall pick suggests they are making a strong play for franchise quarterback early, either by trading up again or staying put. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott from their days in Carolina should be well aware of how far a defense, a running game and a dual-threat QB can take a team. Mayfield has the “it” factor to finally give Buffalo a long-term solution.

The Redskins’ interior line took a hit with Spencer Long leaving in free agency (Jets), and guard Shawn Lauvao is unsigned. They should think defense with this pick if the player is right (Smith or Vea), but Daniels would be a fine player to line up in front of Alex Smith and also upgrade the run-blocking.

In one of his six games as a rookie, Rademacher intercepted George Blanda.

He played 31 games in his Jets career, including all 14 regular-season games during the team’s 1968 Super Bowl season. He had two receptions for 11 yards that season and played special teams and in the secondary. Rademacher had three tackles in the AFC Championship Game against Oakland.

“One of Weeb Ewbank’s favorite quotes was ‘the more things you can do helps you get a spot on the team,’” Jets longtime public relations director Frank Ramos said, via a team press release. “Rad, like John Dockery, was one of those good athletes who could help out on offense and defense in a pinch and also proved to be a very good special teams player.”

Rademacher spent his final two seasons with Boston after the Jets cut him during the 1969 preseason.

During his career, he played 58 games and made 24 catches for 282 yards and three touchdowns.

Rademacher returned to his alma mater and served as NMU’s head coach for five seasons.bills_121

Rams already interested in extending Brandin Cooks

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By sending their first-rounder to the Patriots for Brandin Cooks, the Rams added a high-end wide receiver and another big-ticket item on their to-do list.

And it appears they may be ready to do something about this one.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Rams “have already expressed interest” in extending Cooks’ contract. He’s currently working on the option year of his rookie deal, and will make $8.5 million this season.

Even if the Panthers bring back Derek Anderson as Newton’s backup, they’ll be relying on a 34-year-old who’s started four games in seven years to keep the offense afloat if needed — and Anderson’s familiarity with the offense is no longer a factor with Norv Turner taking over as coordinator. As for Newton, he is flirting with age 30 and is entering his eighth NFL season. With injuries being a perpetual concern connected to Newton’s style of play, Carolina, from now until the end of No. 1’s career, will be a threat to draft a quarterback.

Wilson, 29, will be the Seahawks’ starter as long as health permits, and chances are he’ll get a contract extension soon. So with this being about depth and not a potential replacement for Wilson, Seattle could turn back to free agency for an experienced backup. If the Seahawks look to the draft for a QB, it will come in the later rounds.

Peter King of SI.com said on PFT Live that the Patriots are more likely to take one of the second-tier quarterbacks, after the run has happened on guys like Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Lamar Jackson. In a separate appearance on PFT Live, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston suggested the Belichick may be eyeballing Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta.

However it plays out, the Patriots need a young quarterback who can be groomed to take over for Tom Brady. The idea that Brady will play until he’s 45 very well may be aimed at avoiding a farewell tour, with Brady instead simply walking away without advance warning or fanfare after 2018 or 2019, for example.

The conclusion to his Tom vs. Time series has prompted increased speculation that the end is near for Brady. The Patriots need to be ready for it, while also being ready to compete in 2018. Using one of their five picks in the first three rounds could make more sense than giving up draft capital to get one of the top options in the draftbills_066

Former NFLer donates everything to travel across country with a van and his dog

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Former Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Joe Hawley earned over $13 million during his eight-year career. After being released by Tampa Bay back in February, Hawley decided enough was enough. He retired at the young age of 29 due to the game taking a physical toll on him. He no longer had the passion for football. So why not just call it quits?

McGinn polled 21 scouts about his future, and the anonymous ones mostly got it right — 16 said he wouldn’t turn into an NFL starter, but eight of them suggested they would consider taking Tebow in one of the first two rounds of the draft.

“Things aren’t going well,” Stanton said softly at his locker 45 minutes after he ended the game by striking out with the tying run on third and winning run at second.

Things aren’t going well for the Yankees, who are 5-5 heading into a series in Boston that begins Tuesday night, and things are going horribly for Stanton, who was traded last December by the Miami Marlins following a 59-homer season.

Stanton made a big splash on Opening Day with a two-homer game in a Yankees’ win in Toronto, but there’s been a lot of failure since. In 10 games, he’s hitting.167 with three homers, seven RBIs and 20 strikeouts in 42 at-bats.

His first six home games have been a nightmare excluding his first-inning homer against Tampa Bay last Wednesday. In 28 at-bats, he managed three hits and struck out 16 times.

“You’ve just got to look at it as a bad week,” said Stanton, who was booed by Yankees fans during the home opener and booed more loudly on Sunday. “The season’s much longer than a week. A couple good games… I can turn it around and help us win.”

What are Stanton’s problem at the plate?

Poor hitting mechanics? Timing’s off?bills_049

Carolina Panthers Sweepstakes Enters Its Home Stretch

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The sale of the Carolina Panthers appears to be near.

N.F.L. owners were told at their annual meeting last month that a winning bid could be selected by the end of April. Assuming the N.F.L. finds no red flags when it performs due diligence on the winning bidder, the owners could vote on the sale of the team at their next meeting, in Atlanta in late May. At least 24 owners must approve any team transactions.

Steve Greenberg, who is running the auction for the current Panthers owner, Jerry Richardson, had no comment.

The sale of the Panthers is being widely watched in the league because the final price will become a benchmark for other team sales. Sports bankers said the Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans could change hands in the next few years. The patriarchs of each of those teams has died in recent years or are in failing health.

Lewis went on to say he and Beckham talked back and forth earlier in his career but that the three-time Pro Bowler “started to distance himself a little more, a little more and a little more.” Because of that, Lewis contends Beckham’s commitment level has waned.

It’s not the first time the former linebacker has been critical of Beckham. Lewis was among many who called out Beckham after the infamous boat trip ahead of the Giants’ 2017 NFC Wild Card Round defeat to the Green Bay Packers:

Out since the start of April with an upper-body injury, No. 1 goalie John Gibson is loosely expected to return for Game 1. If not, veteran Ryan Miller will look to build off this past weekend’s 31-save shutout in Arizona. Honestly, despite Gibson’s solid play all season, the injury remains a worry. There appear to be surer bets in net elsewhere.bills_017

Cowboys Rumors: Jeremy Maclin Drew ‘Preliminary’ Interest from Dallas, Eagles

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The Dallas Cowboys signed free agents Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson at receiver this season, but they were reportedly also looking into Jeremy Maclin.

According to Josina Anderson of ESPN, both the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles had “preliminary inquiries” regarding the receiver, although he appears to no longer be an option after they each filled their need at the position elsewhere.

Dez Bryant had been a superstar at receiver in the past, but he isn’t living up to the $16.5 million cap hit he is owed in each of the next two seasons, per Spotrac. The team could potentially try to renegotiate the current deal or release the receiver outright.

“We’re going to be grinding it out and trying to determine what is in the best interest of our business,” executive vice president Stephon Jones said of Bryant in February, per Todd Archer of ESPN.

In the meantime, the Cowboys will try to upgrade the receiving corps with or without Bryant. Hurns will help slightly, but he also only has 961 yards in the last two years combined. It seemed the Cowboys were more confident the former Jacksonville Jaguars star would be more likely to contribute in 2018 than Maclin.

During the meeting, the Cowboys could ask Bryant to take a pay cut or be released.

Jerry Jones has consistently backed Bryant this offseason, but comments by other members of the Cowboys ‘ brass, including EVP Stephen Jones, kept the wideout’s future in question.

The Cowboys signed Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson in free agency and have contemplated selecting a receiver high in the draft later this month.

Hopefully Friday’s meeting will bring some finality to Bryant’s lingering situation.

Rapoport noted that first-year Bears coach Matt Nagy and team general manager Ryan Pace sat down to meet with the 25-year-old pass-catcher on Wednesday.

Meredith’s deal with New Orleans comes packed with $5.4 million in guaranteed loot, a price tag too rich for the Bears , who spent money on Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel in free agency.rams_091

Khalil Mack Reportedly Not at Raiders Workouts; Contract Talks ‘Weren’t Close’

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The Oakland Raiders and defensive star Khalil Mack have reportedly been discussing a contract extension and “hoped to move quickly on it,” but “early talks weren’t close,” per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday.

Mack also hasn’t reported to the team’s offseason conditioning program, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who added that was unusual for him.

It’s still far too early to draw any conclusions about this class, but it does seem likely that the person who submitted a first-place vote for Kizer probably won’t be bragging about it publicly anytime soon.

On Tuesday, we’ll try to figure out why teams struggle to evaluate quarterbacks, figure out whether the problems are fixable, and apply what we know (and don’t know) to the Class of 2018.

Jon Gruden’s first game back on the sideline after a nine-year sabbatical in the TV booth will be met with the gusto of a rock band returning to tour. Placing Gruden’s return in Oakland will make the hoopla even more grandiose. Sure, the first preseason game will tell us little to nothing about what the future holds for the 2018 Raiders , but having Chucky back in action will boost hope for a new beginning.

The NFL released the 2018 NFL preseason schedule on Wednesday. The 65-game slate features eight nationally televised games, including a tilt between the Eagles and the Browns at FirstEngery Stadium in Cleveland on Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

The 2018 preseason will kick off Thursday, Aug. 2 (NBC, 8 p.m. ET), in Canton, Ohio, when the Chicago Bears take on the Baltimore Ravens in the annual Hall of Fame Game. All preseason games will be shown on NFL Network. Specific dates and times for every game will be released later this offseason.

The Giants might be without star safety Landon Collins until training camp.rams_034

ESPN hires former Bears coach John Fox as studio analyst, reports say

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Nets: F Dante Cunningham (back spasms) returned after missing Thursday’s win against Milwaukee. … F DeMarre Carroll (left hip) and C Jahlil Okafor (right ankle) were held out for the second straight game, although Atkinson said Okafor was available to play.

Bulls: Rookie F Lauri Markkanen was held out of the game as he has not been playing back-to-back games recently due to back and elbow injuries. Markkanen scored 20 points in 23 minutes in Friday’s loss to Boston, his third consecutive game with at least 20 points, all of which were achieved in 25 minutes or less. … F Noah Vonleh (calf strain) missed his second straight game and C Robin Lopez (rest) was held out of his third straight game.

“We recognize that this has been a trying season for you as fans,” Pera wrote. “That serves to reinforce our dedication to continue building a successful NBA franchise. We have made significant investment in our organization in recent years and considerable strides towards our goal of sustained success. We will continue to do so and are confident that you will see the results of those investments in coming seasons.”

Pera, who is the founder and CEO of the Ubiquiti Networks, purchased the Grizzlies in 2012.

STILL UNBEATEN: Anibal Sanchez is unbeaten in six career starts against the Rockies. He allowed two runs and seven hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked a pair of batters before leaving with Atlanta trailing 2-0 after five innings.

Ebron, not known as a blocker, never lived up to his full potential in Detroit, but he started gaining consistency over the last two years.

The Clippers never got closer than 12 points after that.

The victory was Denver’s first this season over the Clippers, who won the first two meetings, 109-104 at Staples Center on Jan. 17, and 122-120 in Denver on Feb. 27.

Nuggets: Opened the game making 10 of 12 shots for a 21-13 lead with 4:41 left in the first quarter, finishing the quarter 15 of 21 for a 33-26 advantage.

Clippers: Lou Williams, the team’s leading scorer, was 0 for 7 in the first half, scoring eight points on free throws. His first basket, a 3-pointer, came with 7:04 left in the third with the Clippers down 80-66.buccaneers_088

NFL investigating reported leak of Titans’ new uniform design

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The Tennessee Titans will unveil their new uniform and helmet design at a street festival Wednesday night, but the NFL is investigating a social media post from Monday claiming to show the new design.

The Tennessean reports that the league is investigating the post, which shows a No. 8 Marcus Mariota jersey with a slightly modified design.

ESPN reports that if the league’s investigation discovers the source of the leaked photo, which may have come from someone with ties to an apparel company, “there likely would be some form of punishment.”

Of course, there’s the possibility some prankster pulled a late April Fool’s Day hoax with a little photo-editing software. Either way, Titans fans can see the real deal Wednesday on Lower Broadway in Nashville. The program begins at 6 p.m. local time, with the uniform unveiling at 7:30 p.m., followed with a concert by Florida Georgia Line.

Magic: Asked for his memories at the Bradley Center, Vogel recalled a time when then-Celtics coach Rick Pitino got into an argument with guard Dee Brown off the court while Vogel was Boston’s video coordinator. “Not a … fight but just a (verbal) flare-up,” Vogel said.

Gray, who allowed seven runs and 10 hits in five innings, said he felt he pitched pretty well overall, though he wished he could have the pitch back that he threw to Richard.

“Just a pitch up. That’s all I can say,” he said. “If it would’ve been down, it would’ve been fine. That’s all I had to do was throw a fastball down but didn’t get it there. It cost me.”

Padres: Placed RHP Kirby Yates on the 10-day disabled list with right ankle tendinitis, retroactive to Sunday. LHP Buddy Baumann was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to shore up the bullpen. “We were looking at three, four, maybe five days before he felt comfortable going out there again, and coming out here to Colorado, we didn’t want to run into it with a short bullpen,” Green said.buccaneers_072

Bills WR Zay Jones arrested after naked, bloody fight

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Bills receiver Zay Jones was arrested Monday in Los Angeles after a bizarre incident involving his brother, Vikings receiver Cayleb Jones.

According to TMZ Sports, Zay was arrested at an apartment building naked and bloody after attempting to smash through a glass window on the 30th floor.

Davis shot 13 for 24, while Nikola Mirotic made four quick 3-pointers and six in all on the way to 28 points. Jrue Holiday scored 25 and Rajon Rondo dished out 17 assists.

Durant tied the game on a layup just before halftime but Davis scored again to give him 19 points on 9-for-14 shooting in the first half. New Orleans led 67-65 after sizzling shooting by both teams — 59.6 by the Pelicans to 57.4 for Golden State and seven 3-pointers apiece.

Draymond Green just missed a triple-double for the Warriors, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. He had seven of Golden State’s 17 turnovers.

Pelicans: New Orleans had 39 assists, Moore adding seven. … G Ian Clark missed his second straight game — this one against his former team — because of a sprained right ankle. … New Orleans has given up 110 or more points in each of the last 11 regular-season meetings vs. the Warriors.

Sources told ESPN earlier this week that Casspi has inflammation as well as a bone bruise on the side of his right foot that is preventing him from running or jumping.

Cook is close to finalizing a two-year deal with Golden State. He has been an admirable fill-in for the injured Stephen Curry since being promoted from the G League, and on Saturday he scored 21 points with five 3-pointers in the 126-120 loss to the Pelicans.

In 30 games with Golden State, Cook is averaging nine points. He has made 15 starts.

Apparently it wasn’t Marquette King’s kicking that cost him his job.buccaneers_012

NFL Competition Committee may consider eliminating kickoffs

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Kickoffs may be the next NFL stalwart to go out the window in the name of player safety.

Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy, a member of the NFL Competition Committee, said that if nobody can find a way to reduce injuries on kickoffs, the committee will strongly consider eliminating them altogether.

A temporary change (made permanent this week) moving touchbacks to the 25-yard line — increasing the incentive to kneel in the end zone instead of bringing it out — has cut down on the number of returns, but hasn’t reduced the likelihood of players suffering concussions on the play. And this is after the league moved the kickoff location up five yards with the intention of shortening the distance so as to lower the top speeds of players running downfield on kickoff coverage.

I think the schedulers have treated us pretty fair the past couple of years, Wood said Monday, at the league’s annual meetings.

So when Wood ran into the league’s head scheduler, Howard Katz, this weekend, he did have one small request. The Lions have a pair of West Coast trips this year, against Arizona and San Francisco. If the league decides to put them back-to-back, Wood is asking that those games take place in the second half of the season.

That would open up the possibility of the Lions staying out west the full week, instead a pair of lengthy, round-trip flights in the short span.

It’s a possibility, Wood said. We probably wouldn’t do that if they were scheduled back-to-back too early in the year, because it’s kind of too close to training camp. But if we could get those in the second half of the season, and they were back-to-back, we might stay out there and have kind of a midseason, mini training camp.

Wood also offered some thoughts on the annual Thanksgiving game, which many have speculated would be against coach Matt Patricia’s former team, the New England Patriots. Wood would prefer a divisional opponent for the holiday matchup.patriots_106-223x223