It has already been confirmed that Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott won’t face charges for a May incident with a security guard at a Las Vegas music festival.
After being briefly cuffed and detained after pushing over security guard Kyle Johnson, Elliott apologized and hugged him. The two took a picture together and Johnson said he would not press charges. The NFL investigated and decided Elliott did not violate the league’s personal conduct policy. Shortly after the incident, Johnson had a change of heart and decided to file a criminal complaint with the Los Angeles Police Department. The situation was vetted and prosecutors declined to pursue charges. Elliott’s attorneys had accused Johnson and his father Kelly Johnson of extortion. And now the details of the demands have been obtained by TMZ, via police documents. Kelly emailed Zeke’s attorneys just days after the altercation with at least 14 things he wanted to stay quiet about the incident, including $500,000 in cash. Among the list of demands were a public apology from Elliott, a press conference with Elliott and Kyle, $25,000 for the junior college football team Kyle played for, signed jerseys from Elliott, receiver Amari Cooper and Dak Prescott, tickets to Cowboys games (both home and road), Ohio State games and a meet and greet with owner Jerry Jones and his son, according to TMZ. Kelly admitted in the documents that Elliott’s attorney told him “what [he] was doing was extortion.” Kyle also acknowledged that Elliott not only apologized to him after shoving him during the May incident, he gave him a hug and took a picture with him. Elliott said the same thing in police document, saying, “I had no intention to push and/or harm or intimidate Kyle Johnson. “After Kyle Johnson fell and I was finished speaking with the officers nearby, I immediately apologized to Kyle and he indicated to me that he was not hurt.” Elliott added, “We gave each other a hug and he asked me to take a picture with him, which I was happy to do as there was never any intention to harm or hurt Kyle.” Elliott remains away from the Cowboys in a contract dispute. He has returned home Cabo San Lucas but plans to return to continue training there soon, according to a source. He has missed all of training camp and the first two preseason games.
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Raiders General Manager Mike Mayock has had just about enough of Antonio Brown and his helmet.
Mayock told reporters today that Brown is not at practice because he’s still angry the NFL won’t let him wear the helmet of his choice, and Mayock left little doubt that it’s beginning to wear on the team that everyone else is working hard while Brown is not. “AB is not here today,” Mayock said. “Here’s the bottom line: He’s upset about the helmet issue. We have supported that, we appreciate that. But at this point, we’ve pretty much exhausted all avenues of relief. So from our perspective, it’s time for him to be all in or all out. We’re hoping he’s back soon. We’ve got 89 guys busting their tails. We are really excited about where this franchise is going, and we’re hoping AB is going to be a big part of it, starting Week One against Denver. End of story, no questions.” Although the Raiders have been publicly supportive of Brown, there’s a limit to their patience with the star wide receiver who has spent training camp dealing with frostbitten feet and helmet drama. Mayock seems to have reached his limit. The Raiders brought this on themselves by going after Brown. Very few players start behaving better after they get paid then before they got paid. Jason Licht and Bruce Arians were first aligned in Arizona. Reunited in Tampa Bay, their contracts are in sync as well.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Saturday via sources that the Buccaneers signed their general manager to a five-year extension through 2023. The deal was forged back in January, Garafolo added, just after Tampa Bay tabbed its new head coach, and it matches the length of Arians' term. Licht has been the Bucs' GM since 2014, joining the organization shortly after Lovie Smith was hired. Two years later, he replaced Smith with Dirk Koetter, who produced a winning record in his first season but followed it up with consecutive five-win campaigns. Tampa Bay hasn't made the playoffs since 2007 under Jon Gruden. The Bucs brass is banking on that drought ending with this Licht-Arians arrangement. The latter guided the Cardinals to a 49-30-1 mark over five seasons (2013-17), which included just one losing year. Arians' first in the desert coincided with Licht's promotion to vice president of player personnel and manifested in a 10-win season. Will their history repeat itself in Tampa Bay? Standout Chargers safety Derwin James, one of the brightest young defensive stars in the game, was not practicing Friday and had a boot on his right foot.
The second-year safety was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot and will continue to be evaluated, the team announced. James will be out a significant amount of time, but how much remains to be determined, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn told reporters Friday there is no timetable for James to return and that he expects him to play in 2019, but he can't say for sure. Lynn didn't rule out surgery or a trip to injured reserve for James, who suffered the injury Thursday at practice. "We're going to miss him a lot," Lynn told reporters. "But we're a team. We have a good team and we have guys that will step up, and we'll be fine." After just one season in the NFL, James has established himself as one of the most highly regarded safeties in football. As a rookie, he earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl distinctions, notching 105 tackles (75 solo) to go with three interceptions, 13 passes defended and 3.5 sacks, building a reputation for standout play against the run, in coverage and even rushing the quarterback. James is one of just eight rookie defenders named first-team All-Pro since the 1970 merger, per NFL Research. The Chargers finished just behind the Chiefs in the AFC West last season and advanced to the AFC Divisional Round, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. Expectations were sky high for Los Angeles, but it has endured quite a tumultuous summer. Starting left tackle Russell Okung announced in July that he suffered a pulmonary embolism and his return is uncertain. The team's No. 1 receiver, Keenan Allen, has an ankle injury and could miss all of the preseason. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon is still holding out. The loss of James coupled with the previous hardships could mean the Chargers' status as Super Bowlcontenders might well have limped away. Most unfortunate news has found inside linebacker Avery Williamson and the New York Jets.
Williamson is likely lost for the 2019 season with a torn ACL, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per a source. Williamson had an MRI Friday. The five-season pro was injured in New York's preseason game Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons. Following four seasons with the Titans to begin his NFL career, Williams' first season with the Jets in 2018 saw him tally a team-leading 120 tackles to go along with three sacks, six passes defended and two forced fumbles. Williamson was set to start next to C.J. Mosley this season. Now, it's likely Neville Hewitt or Anthony Wint will step into a starting role for the time being. Now that we are no longer under the Disqus community banner, do we maybe want to think about revising our posting rules? Any rules we should tighten or loosen up on? Are there any of the current posting rules you absolutely despise?
Then, once we have figured that out, we should post the rules on the side to all of the sister sites, so that people understand the expectations. Baltimore could enter, and conclude, the season without its star slot cornerback.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters after Baltimore's win Thursday night that nickelback Tavon Young could miss the 2019 campaign with a neck injury. "Tavon [Young] has a more serious issue than we thought. He has a neck issue," Harbaugh said. "The doctors can explain it but it's a disc issue so that's a serious injury. He could be out for the remainder of the season. We'll know soon but it doesn't look good for Tavon." Young suffered the injury in practice and did not play in Baltimore's preseason opener, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. The cornerback returned to practice on Saturday and Sunday, but had not participated in Baltimore's last two practices. The setback is unfortunate for the 25-year-old pro, who in February signed a three-year extension with the Ravens through 2022. Baltimore drafted Young in the fourth round of the 2016 draft out of Temple. Young has played in 31 games for Baltimore, starting in 17, recorded three interceptions, recovered four fumbles and scored two defensive touchdowns over his three-year career. Young missed the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL. Baltimore will miss its newly inked defensive back for however long he is out, but luckily for the Ravens, they are stacked in the secondary. Baltimoree could slide in Cyrus Jones or Brandon Carr into Young's vacancy. Young is not assuredly out for the season until he undergoes surgery on his injured neck. The Ravensnickelback has not decided to do so, but Harbaugh said that is the recommendation. "There is an outside chance that you'd opt to try to see if it'll heal. But I don't think we're recommending that right now," Harbaugh said. "If he gets the procedure done, he'll be fine and good to go. That's probably the best thing to do." Will Andrew Luck and his injured calf-slash-ankle be available to start for the Indianapolis Colts come Week 1 of the regular season? We should get an answer by next weekend.
Colts coach Frank Reich told reporters Wednesday night that he would like to make a decision on Indy's Week 1 starting QB "by the end of third preseason game" on Saturday, Aug. 24. "You have to be able to make a call and move from there," Reich told reporters, per 1070TheFan's Kevin Bowen, "whether we're full speed with Andrew after that third preseason game or if at that point we are going with Jacoby (Brissett)." Luck, who has been dealing with a calf strain since the spring, was revealed Tuesday night to also be dealing with a high-ankle injury, Colts general manager Chris Ballard told reporters. The quarterback is expected to miss the remainder of Indy's preseason games. Regarding Luck's availability for Indy's opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, Ballard was not confident that the QB would be fit to start. If Luck cannot go, Indy will hand the reins to backup QB Jacoby Brissett, who took over for the injured Luck in 2017, starting 15 regular-season games and leading the Colts to a 4-11 record. Brissett will get starting snaps in Indy's preseason clash with the Cleveland Browns on Saturday afternoon on NFL Network. What would have to happen in Luck's rehab and recovery in the next 10 days for the Colts QB to start Week 1 after having barely practiced all offseason is not clear. As NFL Network's Mike Garafolo put it on NFL Total Access, "Unless Luck makes some miraculous recovery, you could be looking at Jacoby Brissett in Week 1." Ballard insisted Tuesday night that this situation is not like that from 2017, when Luck's recovery from offseason shoulder surgery lingered into the regular season, the QB was eventually shut down and Indy fell in the standings. But if Indy fails to find clarity with Luck's new injury before the season begins, it will be time once again to worry about Luck's durability and the Colts' viability as a playoff contender. The Jets did not play running back Le'Veon Bell in their first preseason game and it doesn’t sound like there’s tremendous urgency to play him against the Falcons this Thursday either.
Head coach Adam Gase said this week that experiencing the “flow of the game” might be beneficial for Bell ahead of the regular season, but balances that with need for Bell “to be good for Week One” when it comes to making plans for exhibition games. Gase said it is something he’ll talk about with Bell, who seems to be on a similar wavelength as the head coach. Bell said he is “definitely ready” to play, but knows the team is “going to protect me from myself” and believes it won’t take much for him to be back up to speed after his extended hiatus from game action. “I don’t really necessarily need [preseason reps],” Bell said, via the New York Daily News. “If I get them, they’ll help. But I don’t think I’ll need them. I think once we get out there . . . football is football. I’ve been playing for so long. It naturally will come back to me. I’ll get adjusted to the game . . . in a couple plays and I’m ready to go.” Bell could get those couple of plays in the team’s third preseason game, but it doesn’t sound like anyone should be surprised if the wait to see Bell in the Jets lineup extends into September. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/08/14/leveon-bell-i-dont-necessarily-need-preseason-reps/ |
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