Tom Brady won't be trademarking "Tom Terrific."The United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected the New England Patriots quarterback's application to trademark the nickname due to its association with former New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver, according to Josh Gerben of Gerben Law Firm.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2019 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every game night during the preseason, theScore gets you caught up on the most important fantasy performances from around the league.Newton leaves with injuryMaddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe third week of exhibition action has long been viewed as the regular-season dress rehearsal. Though many teams now play it safe with their starters, some clubs still want their first-team offense to take the field.The Panthers might be rethinking that approach after Cam Newton left Thursday's game with what was initially described as a foot injury.

Following Thursday's preseason win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores addressed his recent actions toward wide receiver Kenny Stills.Flores defended his decision to play eight consecutive Jay-Z songs during Tuesday's practice, the day after Stills took issue with Roc Nation's NFL partnership."It was a challenge to Kenny to perform regardless of whatever is going on outside," Flores told reporters, according to ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "I would say, and I said this to him, he hasn't performed up to that level over the course of training camp, or as I've seen. So that was the challenge - to get open, catch the football, and make plays for this team, regardless of what's going on outside of this building."Stills believed Jay-Z "could have reached out to Colin (Kaepernick)" before finalizing the deal and stated the rapper could not relate to the protesting players.Surprised by the media attention the incident received, the first-year coach made sure his team understood he supports Stills and other players who choose to take action."Quite honestly, they're bringing attention to my story," Flores said. "I'm a son of immigrants. I'm black. I grew up poor. I grew up in New York during the stop-and-frisk era. So I've been stopped because I fit a description before. So everything that these guys protest, I've lived it, I've experienced it. So I applaud those guys' protest."So whether it's Kaepernick, or Eric Reid, or Kenny, I applaud those guys. I told Kenny that in our meeting in front of the entire team."The veteran receiver acknowledged the two handled the situation personally and insisted there were no hard feelings between him and his head coach."We talked about it in-house and he handled it in-house," Stills said. "For the most part, I think it was him seeing if I could handle if people were going to heckle me or play Jay-Z in another stadium if I could be mentally strong enough to handle that sort of treatment. I've been dealing with this since 2016 -- music, boos, racial slurs. So I don't think a little Jay-Z music is going to ruffle my feathers that bad."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban told reporters Thursday that former Rutgers and NFL running back Ray Rice is in town to speak with his team regarding interactions with women."Well, he's obviously going to talk about how to treat the opposite sex and having the proper respect for other people," Saban said, according to Michael Casagrande of AL.com. "And I think that's important to relationships. It's important as a person to be able to do those things in a very respectful manner."Rice was suspended indefinitely by the NFL and released by the Baltimore Ravens after a video surfaced of him striking his then-fiancee in an elevator in 2014.He's since shared his story as part of the league's domestic violence education program. The 32-year-old's objective is to help young athletes avoid the path he took."I think a lot of the players can relate to (Rice's) circumstance," Saban added. "And it will be interesting to hear a guy that has had issues that now has turned a corner and has really done everything he can to help other people not have the same problem that he has. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him doing that and we're certainly glad to have him here."Rice spent six seasons with the Ravens and never received a second NFL opportunity following his suspension.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones has impressed his head coach through three preseason games.Following Thursday's win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Pat Shurmur praised Jones' poise and toughness while challenging those who disputed drafting the former Duke passer."That's what we thought he was when we drafted him," Shurmur told reporters, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. "It's fun, about every six or seven days I've been able to tell you, 'That's what we saw when we drafted him.' He just has a feel for playing the position. He's steadily getting better every time he takes the field."Like I said, you can ask me all you want about why I like him," he continued. "I think it's time to start asking the people that didn't like him what they think, quite frankly."Plenty of evaluators questioned whether drafting Jones No. 6 overall was the correct move for the franchise, but the young quarterback has silenced his doubters thus far.Consistently impressing during practice, Jones has completed 25 of 30 passes for 369 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in three preseason contests.Despite the rookie's hot start, the coaching staff has yet to stray from their plan to start Eli Manning in at least the early portion of 2019."I've said it all along, Daniel, when it's his time to play, is gonna be ready and we're going to continue to get him ready," Shurmur said. "We got a couple of weeks left before we play Dallas."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's first appearance this preseason ended prematurely on Thursday when he suffered a foot injury during a sack, the team announced.Newton walked to the locker room with trainers after playing in three series against the New England Patriots. He was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the contest.After the game, head coach Ron Rivera said Newton is "in a walking boot, and that's all I can tell you," according to Bill Voth of Panthers.com.Newton's injury doesn't appear to be serious, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The star signal-caller was diagnosed with a left-foot sprain after an X-ray, and he'll undergo more tests on Friday, according to Albert Breer of MMQB.

The Washington Redskins placed tight end Jordan Reed in the concussion protocol after he took a big hit in Thursday's preseason win over the Atlanta Falcons.Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said Reed started developing concussion symptoms at halftime after initially being able to remain in the game, according to Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic.Reed has suffered six documented concussions during an injury-plagued career, according to Sports Injury Predictor. The veteran pass-catcher took a helmet-to-helmet shot from Falcons safety Keanu Neal while attempting to catch a pass from Case Keenum.

The Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders played their exhibition game Thursday on an 80-yard field amid concerns over turf conditions in Winnipeg, Manitoba.Team and league officials were concerned about the condition of the turf at Investors Group Field - home to the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers - after a goal-post relocation in one of the end zones. CFL goal posts are positioned at the front of the end zone, while NFL goal posts are placed at the back.

Hue Jackson says he became depressed after his firing from the Cleveland Browns last season. However, he credits close friend Marvin Lewis for helping him rebound by lending him a spot on the Cincinnati Bengals' staff."I needed that jolt," Jackson told Greg Bishop of The MMQB. "(Marvin) helped me. What he did wasn't about football. I don't know what would have happened had he not."Jackson was axed by the Browns following a 2-5-1 start to the 2018 campaign. He posted a 1-31 record the previous two seasons. Two weeks after Jackson was let go by Cleveland, he was named as an assistant to Lewis on the Bengals.The 53-year-old Jackson said he felt like a failure once the Browns terminated him. He resisted watching TV to avoid hearing criticism over his Browns tenure, only ate meals when his wife delivered them, and rebuffed friends who tried to remind him about his successes in other areas of life."Football is what made me feel like who I am," he said. "People might say that's too far. No, it's not. You can't be good at what you do if you don't pour all of yourself into it."Jackson also lost his brother and mother in July 2018, just a few months before he lost his job.The Bengals' new coaching regime didn't retain Jackson in the offseason, and he's not affiliated with an NFL team as the 2019 regular season approaches.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James will begin the season on injured reserve, and he'll miss at least the first eight weeks, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.James underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a stress fracture in his foot. He was given an initial recovery timetable of three months after suffering the injury last week.James finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 after accumulating 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions.The Chargers open the regular season on Sept. 8 against the Indianapolis Colts.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2019 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Given the rate at which injuries strike the running back position, knowing who's next in line for carries is critical for fantasy owners.Not all backups are created equal, and while the league-winning potential for players like Jaylen Samuels and Latavius Murray may be obvious, there are many handcuffs who aren't getting the respect they deserve in fantasy drafts.Here's a look at 14 backups who have top-15 upside if their team's starter is sidelined, with notes on all 32 backfields below.SteelersStarterHandcuffJames ConnerJaylen SamuelsWhile the Steelers have talked up a committee approach, beat writers aren't buying it. That makes Samuels an overqualified backup. In the three games where Samuels saw at least 15 touches last season, he placed as the RB11 in PPR formats.Saints StarterHandcuffAlvin KamaraLatavius MurrayMurray doesn't really qualify as a handcuff since he'll have standalone value even with Kamara on the field. He'll flirt with top-30 fantasy numbers in Mark Ingram's old role and would instantly vault into the top 12 if Kamara has to sit for any reason.ChiefsStarterHandcuffDamien WilliamsDarwin ThompsonThe Chiefs' running back-friendly system produces fantasy stars. It transformed Williams from career backup to late-season hero. Now, Williams enters the year as the clear starter, but if he struggles or is sidelined, Thompson could have a similar second-half surge. The rookie boasts a versatile skill set, which he's displayed in the preseason while catching passes, running between tackles, and powerfully taking on would-be tacklers.PatriotsStarterHandcuffSony MichelDamien HarrisHarris' landing spot and draft capital make him a very intriguing option. Michel's previous injuries have the fantasy community questioning his durability. It also might explain why New England used a third-round pick on Harris, just one year after drafting Michel in Round 1. The Patriots will continue to lean on the run as Tom Brady's career winds down, creating significant touchdown upside on the ground. Harris will be the next man up if Michel can't stay on the field, with James White handling passing-down duties.VikingsStarterHandcuffDalvin CookAlexander MattisonThe Vikings' shift toward a run-heavy approach began late last year and was further choreographed by offensive adviser Gary Kubiak upon his arrival. With Cook's injury history - he missed 17 games over two seasons - fantasy owners need to become familiar with his new backup. Mattison, a surprise pick at the end of the third round, stood out against weaker competition in college, and while he doesn't offer elite talent, he has enough in his toolbox to produce in this scheme.SeahawksStarterHandcuffChris CarsonRashaad PennyCarson and Penny are more of a one-two punch heading into their second season together. The Seahawks led the league in rushing attempts last year and will challenge for that honor again in 2019, which could make both backs fantasy starters. However, an injury to Carson would turn Penny into a top-10 option.49ersStarterHandcuffTevin ColemanMatt BreidaColeman is the lead back in Kyle Shanahan's system, but with Jerick McKinnon's availability up in the air, Breida is now entrenched as the immediate backup. Like Penny, Breida will offer weekly value while also providing massive upside if Coleman goes down. Though his ADP is rising, Breida is still a steal in the ninth or 10th rounds.RavensStarterHandcuffMark IngramJustice HillIngram is the man in Baltimore with the Hill set to spell him. The rookie has flashed in the preseason, showing a propensity to break tackles. No team rushed the ball more than the Ravens once Lamar Jackson took over at quarterback, so Hill will be in consideration as a flex. Last year's fantasy darling Gus Edwards will need an injury to Ingram to get back into the lineup.CowboysStarterHandcuffEzekiel ElliottTony PollardIf Elliott ends his holdout, Pollard is clearly the immediate backup in Dallas. Pollard has been the Cowboys' best bargaining chip with Zeke, as the rookie has racked up yards with the first-team offense all preseason. If Elliott continues to sit out, Pollard will be in the conversation as an RB2 in fantasy.RamsStarterHandcuffsTodd GurleyDarrell HendersonMalcolm BrownGurley's workload will be reduced in 2019, turning him into more of a low-end RB1 in fantasy while instantly creating a role for Henderson. If Gurley's knee causes him to miss time, Henderson and Brown would share duties in one of the league's top rushing attacks. Don't be afraid to draft either just to see how this situation plays out.BengalsStarterHandcuffJoe MixonGiovani BernardBernard is one of the league's most reliable replacements, delivering borderline RB1 numbers whenever Cincy's lead back has missed time. Bernard racked up 182 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in his two starts last season. This could be his final run with the Bengals as he heads into a contract year.CardinalsStarterHandcuffDavid JohnsonChase EdmondsEdmonds has impressed head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who said he expects a "really nice role" for the sophomore back. Still, it's unlikely Edmonds makes any real impact on Johnson's touches. Edmonds did show enough as a rookie for fantasy owners to stash him with confidence in the event he's thrust into a bigger role due to an injury. The Cardinals' new high-volume attack should benefit their running backs just as much as their receivers.BearsStarterHandcuffDavid MontgomeryMike DavisDavis' comments since signing in Chicago suggest he believes he'll get regular work with his new club. However, the Bears used a third-round selection on Montgomery, who profiles as a three-down option, and dynamic pass-catching threat Tarik Cohen isn't going to be completely phased out anytime soon. On the plus side for Davis, his all-around skill set allows him to serve as the backup to both Montgomery and Cohen, giving him two paths to fantasy relevance in 2019.LionsStarterHandcuffKerryon JohnsonC.J. AndersonSimilar to the division rival Vikings, Detroit has announced its intention to power the offense with the run, which started last season and progressed with the hiring of coordinator Darrell Bevell. Anderson proved he can still make a difference after the Rams signed him as Gurley insurance in December. The veteran had at least 123 rushing yards and a score in three straight games before Gurley returned to the lineup. The Lions' attack isn't nearly as prolific as Los Angeles' and their offensive line won't be opening the same kind of holes, but Anderson needs to be owned in case he's called upon again as an emergency starter.Other handcuffs to consider

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly offered Ezekiel Elliott a new deal that would make him the NFL's second-highest-paid running back behind only Todd Gurley, sources told ESPN's Ed Werder.Dallas' reported offer to Elliott would surpass the four-year, $52.5-million deal that the New York Jets' handed to Le'Veon Bell earlier this offseason. However, it was reported in early August that the 24-year-old Elliott was seeking an annual salary that would eclipse Gurley's $14.38 million.Elliott apparently told the Cowboys that he doesn't intend to play in 2019 without a new deal.The Cowboys are mulling contract extensions for numerous players, including Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and Byron Jones. The club was previously reported to have offered new deals to Prescott and Cooper that would place them among the top five earners at their respective positions.Dallas inked linebacker Jaylon Smith to a five-year, $64-million contract extension Tuesday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the start of the NFL season just over three weeks away, C Jackson Cowart, Alex Kolodziej, and Alex Moretto go over their favorite bets for MVP. Included are best bets, value plays, and players to avoid.Odds to win NFL MVPPLAYERPOSITIONODDSPatrick MahomesQB5-1Carson WentzQB9-1Aaron RodgersQB12-1Baker MayfieldQB12-1Drew BreesQB14-1Tom BradyQB14-1Philip RiversQB20-1Ben RoethlisbergerQB20-1Deshaun WatsonQB25-1Matt RyanQB25-1Russell WilsonQB25-1Cam NewtonQB25-1Jimmy GaroppoloQB25-1Mitchell TrubiskyQB28-1Jared GoffQB33-1Lamar JacksonQB33-1Kirk CousinsQB40-1Saquon BarkleyRB50-1Alvin KamaraRB50-1Christian McCaffreyRB50-1Ezekiel ElliottRB50-1Jameis WinstonQB50-1Kyler MurrayQB50-1Todd GurleyRB50-1Who's the best bet to win MVP?CJC: Baker Mayfield is too promising for 12-1 odds. I know, I know, the betting market has already sapped most of the value from his price, but he's still on the precipice of a truly elite season. Pro Football Focus touted him as an MVP breakout candidate this year after he ranked second in "big-time throw" percentage and sixth in accuracy in 2018. He's got the talent, and now he has the weapons to put up unfathomable numbers in Freddie Kitchens' offense.The other top options are aging, injury-prone, or competing against their own 2018 standards (looking at you, Patrick Mahomes). This already feels like the "Year of Baker," and a gaudy stat line would make it easy for voters to confirm it.AK: Mayfield's yards-per-attempt numbers under Kitchens are angelic compared to when Hue Jackson was coaching. I hope he throws for 74 touchdowns and that I see every one of them on "NFL RedZone."That being said, this is Matt Ryan's year. MVP is a quarterback's award and he's the front-runner to lead the league in passing. Steve Sarkisian's departure as offensive coordinator is addition by subtraction and Ryan chucked it in his first stint under Dirk Koetter, now back as OC with Atlanta. Count me firmly on the Falcons bandwagon. At 25-1? Yes, please.AM: Is Ryan even allowed to do well this year? His flip-flopping between good and bad seasons is almost a science at this point. You're right about it being a quarterback's award, though; only four non-quarterbacks have won MVP since 2000.But here's a scenario for you. Ezekiel Elliott misses Week 1 while Dak Prescott and the offense stumble through a 16-14 win over the Giants. A flustered Jerry Jones emerges from his ivory tower and hands Zeke a blank check. Finally being paid like the bell cow he is, Zeke lives up to his new deal and finishes the season with 2,200 total yards and 15 touchdowns. The Cowboys go 11-5, successfully defend their NFC East crown, and Jones rides off into the sunset on Zeke's back.I'll take 50-1 on that all day, thanks. By the way, those four non-quarterback MVPs since 2000? All running backs.Who's the top value play?CJC: How about Kirk Cousins at 40-1? He's not a name to excite many MVP bettors, but he's surrounded by elite playmakers in Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and Dalvin Cook, and he's got the arm talent to drive the Vikings' high-upside offense.Despite a coordinator change that shifted Minnesota to a run focus late last season, Cousins still put up 4,298 yards and 30 touchdowns with the NFL's second-highest adjusted completion percentage, according to PFF. New offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski has emphasized a commitment to more play-action, which is what originally helped make Cousins the richest QB in NFL history.If the Vikings are in the hunt for the No. 1 seed, I'm all over Cousins at 40-1.AK: Did we all of a sudden forget Jared Goff is playing in one of the league's easiest systems on a team that will probably make the postseason again? I understand there are some who think the Rams are in for severe regression, but I have value on Goff at 33-1. I'd put him somewhere between 22-1 and 25-1.AM: I'm going to stay in the 50-1 ballpark here because it's rather bleak after that - unless you're confident Marcus Mariota is finally going to break out. Spoiler: He isn't.Give me another workhorse in Alvin Kamara at 50-1. Mark Ingram is gone, Drew Brees is throwing the ball less, and Kamara is ready to shoulder the workload in the Big Easy. Latavius Murray will get his touches, but I see no reason Kamara can't end up with 2,000 combined yards rushing and receiving. I think 50-1 is far too high for one of the most talented players in football and the catalyst of an elite offense.Which players should bettors avoid?CJC: The obvious answer here is Mahomes, but he could shock us all again. Instead, I'm skeptical of second-favorite Carson Wentz, who's struggled to stay on the field and looked very un-MVP-like when he did play in 2018.Wentz was a legitimate MVP candidate in his injury-shortened 2017 campaign, but his stats were buoyed by a high TD percentage that will be hard to duplicate. I also think he benefited from that "Welcome to the Club" bump voters love to award young MVP candidates - the same bump I expect to help Mayfield's case this year.In his fourth year, Wentz needs to perform at a level too high for me to feel comfortable at 9-1.AK: I'm happy you said that because I had to fit this in somewhere: I loved Wentz before I looked at his price. At 9-1, I can't pull the trigger.Philip Rivers, meanwhile, is certainly capable of leading his team to a division crown, but 12-1 is too short. He had a surge in his age-36 season a year ago and still didn't get much love thanks to Brees' and Mahomes' performances. Tyrell Williams is gone, Melvin Gordon is on the back of a milk carton, and I don't feel Rivers' overall ceiling is high enough for an MVP win.AM: I won't argue with either of you here. The wrong quarterbacks are priced atop this list - aside from Mahomes, of course.Another overpriced signal-caller is Aaron Rodgers. After running Mike McCarthy out of Cheeseville, Rodgers has already written the introductory chapter of his power struggle with Matt LaFleur, offering some passive-aggressive remarks regarding his new coach's attempts to limit the quarterback's control at the line.Combine that with the fact that the Packers play in the NFL's toughest division featuring two of the league's best defenses, and I can't imagine backing Rodgers at 12-1 when you consider the names below him.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung was indicted on a cocaine possession charge on Aug. 8, a law enforcement source told Michael Mortensen of The Laconia Daily Sun.Chung is scheduled to be arraigned in Belknap Superior Court in New Hampshire next Wednesday, Mortensen adds.The 32-year-old was found to be in possession of cocaine on June 25 in Meredith, N.H., but he was not arrested at the time, local police chief Kevin Morrow told Mortensen."We are aware of the reports regarding Patrick Chung. We will not be commenting while his judicial proceedings take place," the Patriots said in a statement.A potential NFL suspension won't be handed out until the safety's legal situation is resolved, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, who adds that Chung may avoid any punishment this season since the trial isn't expected to begin until spring 2020.Chung has spent nine of his 10 NFL seasons with New England, during which he's won three Super Bowls.The veteran defensive back signed a one-year contract extension in April, keeping him with the club through 2021.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Redskins turned down a potential trade with the New England Patriots that would have sent offensive tackle Trent Williams to the defending Super Bowl champions for a 2020 first-round pick, Kevin Sheehan of Team 980 reports.It was reported last week that the Redskins turned down offers from multiple teams for Williams as they don't intend to part ways with the seven-time Pro Bowler.NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, however, has since denied the reported trade offer, citing a source.Williams hasn't attended any team activities throughout the summer and is apparently unhappy about the way Washington's staff handled a previous medical diagnosis. He underwent a procedure to remove a growth - initially feared to be malignant - from his head in the spring.The 31-year-old has become one of the league's top tackles since being drafted fourth overall in 2010, though injuries have plagued him over the past two years.New England lost Trent Brown in free agency. Isaiah Wynn, the team's 2018 first-round pick who missed his rookie season with a torn Achilles, appears poised to start at left tackle for the Patriots in 2019.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As Ezekiel Elliott's holdout continues in Dallas, someone in Philadelphia has decided to troll the Cowboys by putting up multiple billboards asking, "Zeke who?"Photos of the billboards surfaced Wednesday on social media and Reddit. They refer to a joke Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made Saturday when asked if rookie running back Tony Pollard was his "best negotiator with Zeke." Elliot's agent, Rocky Arceneaux, called the joke "disrespectful."

The Arizona Cardinals agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree, the team announced Wednesday.The deal is reportedly worth up to $5.5 million including incentives, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.Arizona worked out Crabtree earlier in August, but the two sides reportedly couldn't agree to terms despite the team extending an offer.The Baltimore Ravens released the 31-year-old in February, just one season into his three-year deal.Crabtree racked up 607 yards and three touchdowns on 54 receptions but saw his role diminish after the team installed Lamar Jackson as starting quarterback midseason.The veteran will now provide much-needed experience for Arizona's receiver corps.Larry Fitzgerald, who's entering his 16th season, leads a group that includes second-year pro Christian Kirk and rookies Andy Isabella, KeeSean Johnson, and Hakeem Butler.Arizona made room for Crabtree by releasing former Chicago Bears first-round pick Kevin White on Wednesday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay would rather not put his star players in harm's way during the preseason.As he did last year, McVay will sit most of his starters for the regular-season tune-up contests with the team coming off a Super Bowl berth."Not to say there's not an appreciation for what the preseason entails and playing real football," McVay said, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "I think there is a lot of merit to that. But when you look at some of the continuity now that we have on both sides of the ball coming back, and you say, 'If something were to happen, is it really worth that risk in our mind?' We just felt like that answer is no."That's the approach that we're taking, I totally understand if people don't agree with that, but we always make decisions that are in the best interests of our team. That's just really for this unit. Does that mean we'll always have that luxury? I think if you have a different number of returning players, then the narrative on that is a little different."A handful of Rams players are working their way back from various ailments, most notably running back Todd Gurley (knee issues) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (torn ACL in 2018).Los Angeles kicks off its season Sept. 8 on the road against the Carolina Panthers.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown is apparently still a hot topic in Pittsburgh.HBO announced on Wednesday the viewership for the third episode of "Hard Knocks," and it was revealed that ratings in Pittsburgh more than tripled the national average.The receiver took to Twitter shortly after the news, writing, "My ex still thinks of me."

The Detroit Lions announced the signing of defensive tackle Damon Harrison to a one-year contract extension Thursday.The add-on is worth $11 million, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Harrison reportedly now has $12 million guaranteed over 2019 and 2020. He previously had two years remaining on a contract he signed while a member of the New York Giants, but it had no guaranteed money remaining.The 2016 first-team All-Pro skipped organized team activities and minicamp in an effort to get a new deal.Harrison helped bolster Detroit's run defense last year after being acquired midseason from the Giants for a fifth-round pick.The 30-year-old racked up 50 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in 10 games with the Lions.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon's holdout is expected to continue into the regular season, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Contract talks haven't progressed as the running back had hoped, so he'll remain in Florida to train for the foreseeable future, Rapoport added.The news echoes a similar report from last week that said Los Angeles and Gordon weren't making progress on a new contract.The 26-year-old previously threatened to continue his holdout into the regular season if the Chargers don't extend or trade him. The team has yet to grant the tailback permission to seek out potential trade partners.Meanwhile, Gordon's already rejected an offer from Los Angeles that would have netted him an average annual salary of $10 million. He's reportedly seeking roughly $13 million per season.The two-time Pro Bowler is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract. Running backs Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson will lead Anthony Lynn's backfield for the time being.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Le'Veon Bell empathizes with Antonio Brown during his ongoing helmet issue, but the New York Jets' star running back believes his former Pittsburgh Steelers teammate has taken his grievance too far."As a skill player, it's kind of hard to change your helmet, especially when you've been playing so long with it," Bell told Newsday's Bob Glauber. "I understand where he's coming from, but at the same time, it's a rule, so you have to change the helmet."I changed my helmet my second year (with the Steelers), and I've been playing with a certain helmet my whole career. It was hard to do, but I knew this was coming eventually, so I might as well change my helmet now.""Him fighting for it, him not showing up for practice," Bell added, "I don't really agree with that."Brown has missed the majority of his first offseason with the Oakland Raiders following a trade from the Steelers.The All-Pro wideout's absence has stemmed from both his desire to wear a now-banned helmet and a cryotherapy chamber mishap that resulted in frostbite on both his feet.Brown has filed a second grievance in an attempt to keep wearing the helmet he's donned throughout his NFL career, and the hearing will reportedly take place on Friday.If the arbitrator again rules in the NFL's favor, Brown will likely need to take Bell's advice and concede defeat.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2019 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Pat Daugherty of Rotoworld joins Boone to discuss how to approach tight ends in this year's fantasy drafts, including which TEs will help lead you to a title.

The Chicago Bears have finally whittled down their kicker group to just Eddy Pineiro, but some of the players who took part in the team's months-long search have taken issue with how the process played out.In a story by Sports Illustrated's Kalyn Kahler on Wednesday, multiple kickers who attended the Bears' rookie minicamp in May criticized head coach Matt Nagy's fixation with Cody Parkey's 43-yard miss that cost the team a playoff game last season, and the perceived bias of kicker consultant Jamie Kohl.Nagy defended his team's actions when asked about the controversy."I understand - we brought in a lot of kickers that came in here," Nagy said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jeff Dickerson. "To me, I look at it as a positive, in the fact that we said we're going to turn over every stone to find whoever's out there. We felt like we, at that point in time, when we brought in a bunch of kickers, we're going to test them all out and see what they can do."And then, within that time frame, we also put in some situations with the Augusta silence early on to see how they could handle it. Is it exactly the perfect science? I don't know that, maybe not ... I just really like how we're going through this thing. (Bears general manager) Ryan (Pace) and I talk about no regrets, right?"Kahler quoted several of the Bears' nine kicker candidates - some anonymously - including Justin Yoon, who said the insistence that the kickers attempt field goals from Parkey's distance was counterproductive."It's not efficient for the team to continuously beat that one dead horse the whole time," Yoon said. "You have to build a system of confidence for your kicker. I don't think that's how the Bears are running it."An anonymous kicker called out Kohl for favoring the players he'd previously worked with at one of his camps."All of Jamie's guys, they could have shanked the kick, and it was like, 'Oh, you have really good rotation, your foot is wrapping around the ball,'" the kicker told Kahler. "I don't think this situation will be solved or will be what the team needs to be until Jamie Kohl is gone."The tryout kickers also took issue with Chicago's method for analyzing them and the overall negative mood in the special teams room.Pineiro was picked over Elliott Fry after the first two preseason games, but the Bears have said they're open to adding more competition. The NFC North club could look to do so when teams around the league cut down their rosters to 53 players Aug. 31.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The XFL and commissioner Oliver Luck announced Wednesday the eight team names and logos for the new league, which will debut in 2020.

The latest edition of "Dancing with the Stars" will feature two former athletes.Two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom and ex-NFL linebacker Ray Lewis will be among the celebrities competing on Season 28 of the show. The cast was unveiled Wednesday on "Good Morning America."

The third week of the NFL preseason - when exhibition football doesn't feel quite so meaningless - is finally upon us. Starters will log the majority of first-half snaps for most teams, though games will still ultimately be decided by backups and head coaches' various tendencies.We were profitable again last week, posting our second straight 2-1 record of the preseason. Here are our best bets for the all-important Week 3:New York Giants at Cincinnati Bengals (-3), total: 42Do you really want to bet against Daniel Jones? The ridiculed rookie QB has impressed in two straight performances for the Giants this preseason, most recently going 11-of-14 for 161 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over Chicago.Yet bettors are fading the pick, with the Bengals moving from -1 to -3 since Monday's opening lines. That movement comes even with Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor saying his starters won't play the full first half.Jones will have a golden opportunity to continue his torrid stretch against the Bengals' second-stringers. Grab the points.Pick: Giants +3New Orleans Saints (-3) at New York Jets, total: 42.5Sean Payton does not mess around in Week 3 of the preseason. The Saints coach is 10-3 straight-up in the third week of exhibition play, the best mark among active coaches. Adam Gase, meanwhile, is 1-2 in his three seasons as a head coach.The Jets will likely be without three starting linemen for most of Saturday's game, and star back Le'Veon Bell will probably sit, too. That puts the pressure on second-year quarterback Sam Darnold to match wits with the early drives of Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Co.Darnold may be enjoying a breakout preseason, but Payton's prowess combined with the Saints' early-game advantage should be worth more than three points here.Pick: Saints -3Seattle Seahawks (-3) at Los Angeles Chargers, total: 41This line opened at Los Angeles -1 on Monday, but questions about Philip Rivers' playing time and the rest of the Chargers' continued health woes flipped the number - and then some - by Wednesday.Bettors are onto something here. Seattle coach Pete Carroll, a strong proponent of the value of exhibition games, is 6-3 in Week 3 of the preseason and 23-15 overall. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn, on the other hand, has limited his starters' reps so far and looks likely to do so again Saturday.Los Angeles is already banged up, so running out backups from the first quarter onward means reaching a little too far down the depth chart for comfort. Trust Seattle's starters and Carroll's will in this one.Pick: Seahawks -3Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets linebacker Brandon Copeland has been suspended four games for use of performance-enhancing substances, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.He'll be eligible to return to the team in Week 5 as the Jets own a bye in Week 4.Copeland is entering his second season with New York. He played in all 16 contests last season, starting 10 of them, and compiled 35 tackles and five sacks.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills responded to head coach Brian Flores' apparent trolling with an interesting music choice of his own Wednesday.A day after Flores played eight straight Jay-Z songs at practice, Stills was heard listening to rapper Nas at his locker. Nas and Jay-Z have a long-standing beef that reportedly stems from the former failing to show up for a recording session for the latter's 1996 debut album, "Reasonable Doubt."

Every new NFL season brings with it changes and uncertainty. Some teams will pleasantly surprise, while others will disappoint. We know the New England Patriots will compete for a Super Bowl title until the end of time, but everything else is a mystery from year to year.Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs were 30-1 to win the Super Bowl and Patrick Mahomes was 40-1 to win MVP. The quarterback cashed for bettors and the Chiefs were a Dee Ford offsides away from a Super Bowl appearance. Meanwhile, the Steelers were 12-1 in the preseason to win the Super Bowl and didn't even make the playoffs. Just business as usual in the NFL.We know everything won't go as scripted, so here are our five bold betting predictions for the upcoming season.Baltimore Ravens to win the Super Bowl (40-1)The Ravens to win it all? You better believe it.Baltimore is being undervalued in the betting market. The Ravens opened 20-1 in January to win the Super Bowl but saw their odds move to 40-1. That's great value for a team likely to finish among the top five in both rushing offense and total defense.The X-factor is quarterback Lamar Jackson. Baltimore will make a serious run if he develops into an above-average passer. The Ravens are one of the most talented teams in the AFC but oddsmakers aren't buying into the sophomore signal-caller, which is why they're the seventh down the list to win the conference at 20-1.This bet really comes down to value. Even if you love the Cleveland Browns, how much better on paper are they than the Ravens? Cleveland is 9-1 to win the AFC and 18-1 to win the Super Bowl, and all that hype has created value with the Ravens in the futures market.Baltimore is a 5.5-point favorite over the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. If it wins that game easily and Jackson plays well, you can wave goodbye to that 40-1 number. Grab it now and ride the Ravens all the way to a Super Bowl title.Lamar Jackson to win MVP (55-1)Keeping with the Ravens, Jackson at 55-1 to win MVP is crazy. We're talking about a player who has a legitimate shot to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 more. Those sound like MVP numbers to us.Remember, Jackson opened last season as Joe Flacco's backup. He didn't make his first start until Week 10 and finished with 1,201 passing yards, 695 rushing yards, and 11 total touchdowns. Imagine the stats he'll put up in an offense designed to fit his talents? Scary.The Ravens will win the division and Jackson will become the second long shot in as many years to take home MVP honors.Detroit Lions to win the NFC North (12-1)There is being on an island and then there's picking the Lions to win the NFC North. Well, say hello to this year's surprise team.Stick with me here. The Lions finished 6-10 in Matt Patricia's first season and lost three games by three points or fewer. Patricia has built up the offensive and defensive lines since going to Detroit and has an established quarterback in Matthew Stafford. The Lions have enough talent to compete for a division title, so it comes down to whether Patricia is the right coach to get the most out of his personnel.The Chicago Bears are the favorites to win the NFC North, and rightfully so, but any of the other three teams can make a serious playoff push if things fall the right way. Look for the Lions to blow out the Arizona Cardinals in the opener and use that early momentum to capture the NFC North title.Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs (+325)The Bills have been to the playoffs only one time in the last 19 years (2017) and oddsmakers don't love Buffalo's chances to make the postseason this campaign. We disagree.Sean McDermott is 15-17 in two seasons as the head coach, and while that may not sound overly impressive, the 45-year-old led Buffalo to the playoffs two years ago with Tyrod Taylor under center and a 6-10 record last season despite some of the worst quarterback play you'll ever see. Sorry, Nathan Peterman.The New York Jets are the flavor of the month among fans, media, and analysts. However, people are overlooking a much-improved Bills team. The AFC East is interesting because the Patriots will likely win the division and the Miami Dolphins are projected to finish last. That leaves the Jets and Bills to potentially fight for a playoff spot.We'll call for McDermott to work his magic again and lead Buffalo to its second playoff appearance in three years.James Conner to lead the NFL in rushing yards (28-1)Oddsmakers don't appear to be all-in on Conner. That's a mistake bettors can exploit, as the 24-year-old is a serious threat to lead the league in rushing yards.Conner ran for 973 yards in his first season as a starter and should easily exceed that total in 2019. Despite averaging 4.5 yards per attempt and scoring 12 touchdowns, Conner received just 215 carries. He missed three games, and Pittsburgh fielded a young defense, which led to a lot of shootouts and Ben Roethlisberger topping the NFL in passing yards. The Steelers' defense should improve this season and the offense will be more balanced as a result.Don't buy into the Jaylen Samuels love. Conner will be a workhorse this year and run for 1,300-plus yards. Jump all over him at 28-1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield reached out to New York Giants rookie passer Daniel Jones after his recent interview with GQ magazine created a firestorm.Mayfield said he contacted Jones to "clear the air" after he was quoted saying he couldn't believe the Giants used their sixth overall pick to select Jones in this year's draft.

Dede Westbrook believes the Jacksonville Jaguars upgraded at quarterback with the addition of Nick Foles.The Jaguars released former No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles in March after five seasons, just one year into his $54-million contract extension. Though Bortles had his moments in Jacksonville, Foles' success with the Philadelphia Eagles is helping him win over his teammates."Nothing against Blake at all. I mean, Blake is a great friend of mine," Westbrook said, according to John Reid of The Florida Times-Union. "But to be out there with Nick, a Super Bowl MVP quarterback - obviously, that's what we've been lacking. For me to go out there and pretty much showcase my skill with one of the best quarterbacks in the league is going to be a huge thing. Not only for me, but the guys around me."Westbrook projects to be Foles' top receiver in 2019 and said they're developing a strong rapport."I really have high expectations not only for myself but for this team," he said. "With Nick, he makes it a lot easier. Whenever you are running routes, you're able to go into the ball and don't have to slow down to catch it in stride and go. That's a big thing. With Nick even when we miss, he's the type of person that reloads that play and does it over again to the point where he gets that timing down. You don't find many quarterback(s) like that."After dealing with injuries in 2017, Westbrook led the Jaguars in receptions (63), yards (707), and touchdowns (five) last season.Foles, meanwhile, took over for an injured Carson Wentz for the second straight campaign and led the Eagles to the NFC divisional round, where they lost to the New Orleans Saints.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While last week's episode of "Hard Knocks" focused on Antonio Brown's foot injury, Tuesday's installment addressed the Oakland Raiders wide receiver's helmet issue and grievance with the NFL.The Raiders have rarely spoken publicly on the matter, but head coach Jon Gruden commented on Brown's prolonged absence over the last few of weeks."We've known the whole time," Gruden said, according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "He had frostbite. He took four or five days to get checked out, and we knew about the (helmet) grievance since the first day of OTAs, which we did. I don't know what the story - what the f--- the story is around here."He's tried everything, really. I give the guy credit for standing up for what he believes in. Everybody else does it in this country."After being called out by general manager Mike Mayock late last week, the star wideout practiced in a certified helmet Tuesday, leaving Gruden to declare Brown is "all-in.""Hard Knocks" provided an inside look at a team workout, during which Brown and the head coach bonded over Oakland's support during his ongoing battle.

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has been taken off the NFL's committee on social justice, according to former NFL defensive end Chris Long.In an interview Tuesday with Sports Illustrated's Amy Campbell, Long defended the work of the Players Coalition - which he is a member of - and used the removal of Ross from the league's Working Group Committee as an example of the coalition's positive influence:

Warning: Story contains coarse languageAfter Kenny Stills criticized Jay-Z for partnering with the NFL, Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores appeared to troll his receiver by playing eight of the rapper's songs consecutively at practice Tuesday.ESPN's Cameron Wolfe was in attendance and detailed Flores' playlist, which began with "Show Me What You Got," followed by "Brooklyn Go Hard" (featuring Santigold), "N----s In Paris" (with Kanye West), and "Run This Town" (with Rihanna).

Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown practiced in a certified helmet Tuesday, head coach Jon Gruden confirmed afterward."He's all in. Ready to go," Gruden told reporters, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic.Brown donned a Schutt Vengeance Z10 LTD, which is among the NFL's 34 approved helmets, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.The development comes after Brown reportedly filed a second grievance against the league Monday in an effort to wear his preferred Schutt AiR Advantage helmet, which is banned by the NFL due to safety standards.The hearing in front of an arbitrator will likely take place Friday, according to Rapoport.Gruden added that he doesn't believe Brown's injured feet will be an issue going forward."I'm confident that he's going to be a heck of a player for us and be ready to roll," the coach said.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent wide receiver Dontrelle Inman is re-signing with the Los Angeles Chargers after asking for his release from the New England Patriots, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Inman spent 2014-17 with the Chargers before stints with the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts.More to come.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2019 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone breaks down the best ways to approach your draft depending on where you're selecting in the order.Draft Position

The Dallas Cowboys signed linebacker Jaylon Smith to a five-year, $64-million contract extension with $35.5 million in guarantees, executive vice president Stephen Jones announced Tuesday, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB.Smith's new annual average of $12.8 million is fourth among inside linebackers and his guaranteed money is third behind only Bobby Wagner and C.J. Mosley, per Over The Cap.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich announced Tuesday that ailing quarterback Andrew Luck will not practice this week as the team prepares for its third preseason game, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic.Reich stated the issue remains a matter of "full speed movement versus pain threshold."Though the club's brass reportedly holds "guarded optimism" that the passer will be ready for Week 1, Reich previously stated he wanted to name Indianapolis' opening-day starter by the end of its third preseason contest.Luck hasn't participated in any full practices since the beginning of training camp. He's dealt with a lingering calf issue for several months, and the Colts revealed during camp that he's also experiencing pain in his ankle.Indianapolis opens its season Sept. 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Jacoby Brissett will start the game under center if Luck isn't cleared to play.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper will likely miss Saturday's preseason game against the Houston Texans due to a foot injury, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.The Cowboys rest their starters for the fourth and final exhibition contest.Cooper hasn't practiced since Aug. 6, but he's hopeful he can return by the end of the week. The veteran wideout confirmed he's dealing with "a form of plantar fasciitis."Asked if he could be effective playing with the injury, Cooper was confident he could and cited his history of pushing through foot ailments."Real effective. I mean I played with a lot of foot injuries. High ankle sprains. All those things, so I'm pretty good at playing with foot injuries. But I don't think I'm going to have to play with it."The 25-year-old excelled in Dallas' offense after being acquired from the Oakland Raiders last October. In nine games with the Cowboys, Cooper caught 53 passes for 725 yards and six touchdowns.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our NFL betting record last season yielded a 32-16-2 record on top plays and an overall clip of 44-33-1 while betting more totals than spreads. I don't think it was a coincidence that the approach led to a profitable season.NFL totals are a great market to bet if you know what to look for. Here are a handful of tips as we near the start of the 2019 season.Buy low earlyPerceptions can shift quickly early in the season. Week 2, for example, is dubbed Overreaction Week, as the public tends to make impulsive adjustments based on four quarters from the opening slate. Did an offense struggle to move the ball on the road? You're ripping apart their coordinator from your couch. The team you bet didn't even come close to covering the spread? It's already on your no-bet list. When your projections go off the rails immediately, it's not easy to stick to your plan.Last season, when teams were still rounding into form, I decided to buy low on totals. For example, the Texans and Giants met in Week 3, with both clubs coming off consecutive, relatively low-scoring games. But it wasn't all on the offenses. Houston was coming off two tough road matchups against the Patriots and Titans; New York played the Jaguars and Cowboys, who finished No. 4 and 7 in scoring defense in 2018, respectively. Oddsmakers hung a soft opening number of 41 - vastly different than my projections - and the over wound up cashing (on the final play of the game).That's just one example, and it doesn't mean you should exclusively look to buck trends. There is, however, value in filtering results and asking why a particular offense or defense is either struggling or overachieving. While grabbing the over on two teams that played four combined games under the total didn't jump off the paper initially, it made sense - if you knew what you were looking for. Which leads to my second point.Disregard box scores and dig deeperIronically, point production is not the be-all and end-all when projecting totals, especially early on. Take these two scenarios:

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury announced Tuesday that rookie wide receiver Hakeem Butler recently suffered an avulsion fracture in his hand."He won't play anymore in the preseason and then we'll kind of take it from there," Kingsbury told reporters, according to Bob McManaman of The Arizona Republic.Butler is reportedly a candidate for injured reserve, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The first-year wideout missed the last two practices with the injury and had recently fallen behind Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and fellow rookie Andy Isabella in the Cardinals' wide receiver pecking order.Butler, who many considered to be an early-round prospect, slid to Arizona in the fourth round during April's draft.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baker Mayfield believes his comments regarding New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones were blown out of proportion.The Cleveland Browns signal-caller posted an Instagram story Tuesday to clarify his thoughts from a recent interview with GQ, during which he stated he was shocked the Giants selected Jones sixth overall and that teams "forget you've gotta win" when evaluating quarterbacks.

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur had to defend his organization against plenty of slings and arrows on Tuesday.The criticisms of the day came from Cleveland: Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield revealed he "cannot believe" New York took Daniel Jones sixth overall in this year's draft, while receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said the Giants traded him to Cleveland "to die."Shurmur addressed both remarks at his press conference."Quite frankly, on our list of issues of the day, it doesn't matter what Odell or Baker say," he said, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.Shurmur added Mayfield's comments on Jones aren't original commentary."He's in a long line of people that criticized that move," he said.As for Beckham, Schwartz noted Shurmur wished his former receiver well, but otherwise kept his rebuttal brief."It was a trade," said the head coach.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Odell Beckham Jr. continues to believe the New York Giants had ulterior motives for trading him to the Cleveland Browns in March.Beckham told Ben Baskin of Sports Illustrated that he thought the Giants would ship him out of town even after inking the receiver to a lucrative five-year, $95-million extension.When the Giants did move on from the star wideout, Beckham says the conversation with general manager Dave Gettleman was a short one. He claims that New York received better offers than what the Browns gave up - one first-round pick, one third-round pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers - but chose to send him to Cleveland, a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2002."This wasn't no business move. This was personal," Beckham said. "They thought they'd send me here to die."Instead, the Browns enter the 2019 season with 18-1 odds at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook to win the Super Bowl. The Giants, meanwhile, have the second-lowest odds at 200-1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don't play NFL player props? You should.Player props offer a change of pace from standard spreads and totals and provide plenty of opportunities to find softer numbers in a less efficient market. As the NFL regular season nears, here are some tips to keep in mind before dipping your toes.Get as specific as possibleOne of the most prevalent mistakes in the player prop market is getting too general. Just because a player is facing a poor defense doesn't necessarily mean it's an ideal matchup.Last season, the Arizona Cardinals, typically a defense-first franchise, ranked 26th in points allowed per game. Yet they were one of the best teams at limiting passing yards and one of the toughest matchups for both quarterbacks and wide receivers. Offenses were generally licking their chops against a team giving up 26.6 points a game, but it wasn't a great spot to back a WR1 facing a star cornerback like Patrick Peterson.The Philadelphia Eagles, on the other hand, were a top-10 scoring defense in 2018, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to notice a decimated secondary getting sliced up on a weekly basis. Still, not every opposing receiver was in an ideal situation - the Eagles were one of the best teams at limiting yards to slot receivers and one of the worst against receivers lined up wide.Filter as much as possible until you're at the core of a matchup. What specifically is resulting in a last-place ranking in a certain defensive category? How does a team fare against wide receivers in the slot compared to outside receivers? Which side of the field is a quarterback having the most success throwing to, and which cornerback will he draw that week?The deeper you dig, the clearer your answers become. They call it an "individual" player prop for a reason.Understand how (much) to adjust for home/road splitsPlay Drew Brees at home and fade him on the road, right? Not necessarily. Brees, like almost every quarterback, has night-and-day splits when throwing the ball inside a dome as opposed to outdoors. This is adjusted for in the market, so you're not exactly finding a gold mine by playing splits. It's important to understand how to weigh different quarterbacks and gauge the significance of individual drop-off in home/road splits.Someone like Brees or Andrew Luck might see a smaller number on a yard total when playing outdoors, but you can often play the matchup game instead of the overall conditions and buy low. (Also, did you know Russell Wilson has a better quarterback rating playing outdoors than he does in domes? Odd.)When it comes to skill players' home/road splits, there's significant variance. For example, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's struggles on the road in 2017 also affected Antonio Brown's numbers. Saints receiver Michael Thomas, meanwhile, was better on the road despite his quarterback's relative dip in production. That same year, Aaron Rodgers was above average on the road, but his top three wide receivers all saw declines in production compared to their numbers at home. Wrap your brain around all that.Understand who needs adjustment for home/road splits and, more importantly, by how much - if at all.Please, shop aroundThe market's pretty concrete when it comes to spreads and totals. In the player prop market, it's a different story.Searching for the best number is a given for every bettor, no matter the sport, but player prop numbers see particularly significant fluctuation between shops. If you're dealing with bigger totals such as quarterback yards, you can find some good off-market numbers. It might take an extra five seconds to grab Matt Ryan Over 303.5 passing yards at one shop instead of Over 316.5 at another, but remember who gave you this tip when Calvin Ridley drops a 15-yard crossing route on the final possession of the game.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In May, we suggested Nick Bosa, Devin White, Brian Burns, and Byron Murphy as some of the best bets to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Bosa and White look like safe picks to rack up serious production, while Burns and Murphy will be thrust into massive opportunities - with the latter looking like a breakout candidate for the injury-riddled Cardinals.After running through the offensive candidates on Monday, here are the updated odds for the defensive award, with a few more candidates to consider before the start of the NFL season.PLAYERPOSITIONODDSDevin BushLB11-2 (+550)Devin WhiteLB7-1Quinnen WilliamsDL9-1Nick BosaDL12-1Josh AllenLB12-1Brian BurnsLB12-1Ed OliverDL14-1Clelin FerrellDL25-1Montez SweatLB25-1Jahlani TavaiLB25-1Rashan GaryLB28-1Darnell SavageS28-1Rock Ya-SinCB33-1Deandre BakerCB33-1Byron MurphyCB33-1Greedy WilliamsCB33-1Chase WinovichDL33-1Jerry TilleryDL40-1Christian WilkinsDL40-1Johnathan AbramS40-1Nasir AdderleyS50-1Sean BuntingCB50-1L.J. CollierDL50-1Dexter LawrenceDL50-1Justin LayneCB50-1Juan ThornhillS50-1Joejuan WilliamsCB50-1Germaine PrattLB50-1Ben BanoguLB60-1Trayvon MullenCB60-1Dre'Mont JonesDL66-1Jachai PoliteDL66-1Taylor RappS66-1Oshane XiminesLB66-1Jeffery SimmonsDL80-1Nick Bosa, DL, 49ers (12-1)We already mentioned Bosa as a best bet in May and earlier in this piece. So why is he here again? Because his price is dropping, and that could leave some serious value on this year's No. 2 pick.An ankle sprain has kept Bosa sidelined the past two weeks, and it's questionable if he'll play in Week 1. Remember, though, that older brother Joey Bosa only played 12 games in his rookie year and still won Defensive Rookie of the Year with a monstrous 10.5-sack season.The younger Bosa has the potential to do something similar in San Francisco, so don't ignore anything above 10-1.Ed Oliver, DL, Bills (14-1)Oliver was an early pick for top defensive rookie after the draft, but he's faded from the conversation as the season nears. He's too talented to be the victim of such a mistake, and his potential sack totals give him a legitimate shot to win.The Houston product was a star in training camp and has turned heads in the preseason as a speed-and-strength monster from the defensive interior:

Add Baker Mayfield to the list of those who were surprised by the New York Giants' selection with the sixth overall pick in April's draft."I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones," the Cleveland Browns quarterback told Clay Skipper of GQ Magazine. "Blows my mind."Mayfield, the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, led Oklahoma to an impressive 34-6 record. Comparatively, Jones' college record with Duke was just 17-19."Some people overthink it," Mayfield said. "That's where people go wrong. They forget you've gotta win."He added, "Either you have a history of winning and being that guy for your team, or you don't."The Browns went 6-7 with Mayfield as their starter last season, finishing with an overall record of 7-8-1 after going a combined 1-31 in the two years prior. Cleveland has finished over .500 just twice since 2000.Jones, meanwhile, has impressed during his two preseason contests but will begin his first NFL campaign as Eli Manning's backup.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton believes third-string quarterback Taysom Hill has a bright future.Following Hill's big performance in Sunday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, during which he threw two touchdowns and ran for 53 yards, Payton referenced another BYU athlete who didn't start his career as a prototypical signal-caller."If you look back at (Steve Young's) career, people don't remember the time before he came to the NFL, you have a very athletic player that, I think, advanced when he got to San Francisco," Payton said, according to Nathan Brown of Nola.com. "He always had great ability with his legs, so you're trying to create visions for players."Hill will have to continue to wait for a starting opportunity behind a future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees - as well as second-string QB Teddy Bridgewater - just as Young did when he joined the Joe Montana-led San Francisco 49ers.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.