The was a notable absence at the inaugural 40 Yards of Gold tournament Saturday night.New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who said in May that he would race anyone for $10,000 or more, didn't show up despite being listed on the event website as a participant. Oddsmakers also pegged him as the favorite to win the offensive division.Event organizers received enough advance notice to replace Ginn with Denver Broncos running back Khalfani Muhammad, but according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, it's unclear if any effort was made to let people know he wouldn't be racing.San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin beat Carolina Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson by 0.05 seconds in the final to win the $1-million prize.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin beat other NFL speedsters in the first-ever 40 Yards of Gold tournament on Saturday night.Goodwin topped Carolina Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson by 0.05 seconds in the final to win the $1-million prize.

Washington State safety Jalen Thompson will enter the NFL supplemental draft, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Thompson lost his eligibility for 2019 due to an NCAA violation, spurring his decision to enter the draft, Rapoport added. The safety confirmed on Twitter that he won't be returning to Washington State next season.In his three seasons with the Cougars, Thompson totaled 121 tackles, six interceptions, and 17 pass breakups.The supplemental draft will only feature a few prospects who have left their programs following the initial regular pre-draft process.The NFL is yet to announce the date of the supplemental draft, but it is typically in early July. Teams that select a player will forfeit the corresponding pick in next year's regular draft.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula will consider the financial strain on local fans as he decides whether to renovate New Era Field or build a new stadium."Whatever we're going to do stadium-wise is going to be in the best interest of our fans," Pegula told John Wawrow of The Associated Press. "We have the interest of our fans at heart, and what we do will be heavily weighted - whatever the plan is - toward the benefit of our fans."Stadium issues have surrounded the Bills since before Pegula purchased the franchise in 2014. New Era Field has housed the Bills since 1973, making it one of the oldest venues in the league.The NFL prefers a new stadium for the Bills, one that would compare to the several state-of-the-art creations the league has overseen throughout the last decade. But a new stadium would be significantly more expensive than renovating the current one.The Bills are awaiting the results of a feasibility study from a private firm to help determine their next stadium steps."As far as professional sports teams go, Buffalo's the biggest little city in the country," Pegula said. "And our fans need their due as far as whatever we do with venues for them to attend our games."Pegula has a net worth of $5.56 billion, according to Bloomberg. He is also exploring the feasibility of a new arena for his NHL franchise, the Buffalo Sabres.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a difference a year makes.Last season, Patrick Mahomes' odds to win NFL MVP honors opened at 100-1. After throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and reigning MVP opened as a 4-1 favorite to repeat at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.However, bettors aren't jumping all over him like they did a year ago. Sharp money came in on him throughout the summer of 2018, shortening his odds to 30-1 at many sportsbooks by the start of the season.Sharp bettors are eyeing another young quarterback to win the 2019 award. The Bears' Mitchell Trubisky opened at a distant 200-1 but was quickly bet down to 50-1. SuperBook race and sports manager Derek Wilkinson said Trubisky was the only player to see significant money come in on him during the first three days the lines were posted.There's a reason why quarterbacks dominate the top of the MVP odds board: Betting a non-quarterback to win the award hasn't been a profitable strategy over the last decade.Since 2000, only four non-quarterbacks (Marshall Faulk, Shaun Alexander, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Adrian Peterson) have been named NFL MVP. Peterson (2012) is the only non-quarterback to win the award in the last 12 years. A wide receiver hasn't won it since Jerry Rice in 1987. Ezekiel Elliott (60-1), Saquon Barkley (80-1), Alvin Kamara (80-1), and Christian McCaffrey (80-1) are currently the only non-quarterbacks with odds shorter than 100-1.The complete MVP odds are below:Player OddsPatrick Mahomes4-1Andrew Luck8-1Aaron Rodgers8-1Carson Wentz10-1Drew Brees10-1Tom Brady12-1Philip Rivers14-1Russell Wilson14-1Ben Roethlisberger25-1Matt Ryan25-1Baker Mayfield25-1Mitchell Trubisky50-1Jared Goff60-1Cam Newton60-1Deshaun Watson60-1Ezekiel Elliott60-1Saquon Barkley80-1Matthew Stafford80-1Kirk Cousins80-1Alvin Kamara80-1Christian McCaffrey80-1Jimmy Garoppolo80-1Dak Prescott100-1Best Bets Andrew Luck, QB, Colts (8-1)I'm all in the Colts this year. I have future bets on them to win the AFC South, AFC, and Super Bowl. I expect Indianapolis to be the Patriots' biggest threat in the AFC, and if I'm right, Luck will be a serious contender to win his first MVP award.The only downside is that their odds have lost some value. Indianapolis opened 20-1 to win the Super Bowl and is down to 10-1 at the SuperBook. The same holds true with Luck. I got him at 12-1 to win the MVP when his odds first came out in late May, but the Westgate opened him as the second favorite at 8-1, along with Aaron Rodgers.However, Luck still remains my favorite bet to win MVP. Mahomes overshadowed him, but Luck is coming off a year where he threw for 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns while leading the Colts to a playoff berth. With more weapons in receivers Devin Funchess and Parris Campbell, Luck is primed for another big season leading a team that's ready to make a Super Bowl run.Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks (14-1)Wilson didn't put up monster stats last year like Mahomes and Luck but he quietly had one of his best NFL seasons, throwing for 3,448 yards, 35 touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions. What's even more impressive is that he put up those numbers on just 427 pass attempts. Wilson threw the ball 553 and 546 times the two prior seasons with fewer touchdowns and more interceptions.The reason Wilson attempted over 100 fewer passes is Seattle led the NFL in rushing attempts. The Seahawks hired Brian Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator and he's never met a running play he didn't like. To Schottenheimer's credit, though, Wilson became a more efficient passer with the help of an improved ground game.Wilson gets the most out of his supporting cast and led a young Seattle team to the postseason in 2018. If the passing game takes a small step forward in 2019, Wilson will be right in the MVP hunt.Value PicksJared Goff, QB, Rams (60-1)Goff is the best value on the board at 60-1. I was surprised to see him open at that number, since I figured he would come in around 30-1 after throwing for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns last year.This number feels like it was based on the last time we saw Goff. He was in the MVP conversation for much of last season but struggled mightily in the Super Bowl, completing just 50 percent of his passes. While Goff flopped on the biggest stage, it's hard to ignore the numbers he's put up in the two years since Sean McVay took over the Rams' offense: 8,492 yards and 60 touchdowns.Some will argue Goff is a product of McVay's system, but that's irrelevant for betting purposes. The system works, and that puts Goff in line for another highly productive season. Grab this number while it's hot because Goff's odds won't stay here for long.Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans (60-1)Like Goff, Watson is one of the best value bets at 60-1. Last year, Watson was 15-1 to win the MVP. He wasn't in the running, but he did put up 4,716 total yards and 31 touchdowns. While it seems like an over-adjustment to open Watson at 60-1, oddsmakers don't appear to be high on the Texans this season.Houston is 15-1 to win the AFC, putting it behind the Chiefs, Patriots, Colts, Browns, Chargers, and Steelers. Oddsmakers were much higher on the Texans heading into last season when Houston had the third-shortest odds to win the AFC at 8-1.I'm not a big fan of Bill O'Brien (who is?) but the bottom line is that the Texans went 11-5 in 2018 and O'Brien has won the AFC South three times in five years. With receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, and Keke Coutee, Houston will have one of the most explosive passing attacks in the NFL. The offensive line is still an issue, but Watson's value is too good to pass up at 60-1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata has been handed a one-game suspension for violating the league's substances abuse policy, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Onyemata was cited for marijuana possession in February, The Associated Press reported at the time.The 26-year-old has totaled 73 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in his last two seasons with the club. The Saints selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sorry, New England Patriots fans, it doesn't look like Rob Gronkowski will be coming out of retirement - at least not anytime soon.Gronkowski debuted a slimmer figure as he walked the red carpet at the premiere of former teammate Julian Edelman's Showtime documentary, "100%: Julian Edelman," on Thursday night.

The New York Giants have laid the groundwork for a quarterback battle between two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning and rookie Daniel Jones.Manning, 38, is entering his 16th season after consecutive disappointing campaigns, while the 22-year-old Jones was the Giants' first selection in the draft, going No. 6 overall.Head coach Pat Shurmur hinted earlier in June at an open competition when he said he'll "play the very best player." However, Manning doesn't see it that way."I mean, no, I don't feel like it's a competition," the veteran said to NFL Network's Rhett Lewis at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday."I feel like I've got to do my job and I've got to compete every day and try to get better every day. That's the way I've been my whole life and that's just the way I've always approached practice every day to improve, to earn my place on the team, to earn the respect of the teammates and do it each year."Manning added that he has no problem helping Jones through his rookie campaign."We've got new guys and I'm trying to build a relationship with them and get them up to speed and so I'm trying to do my job in the quarterback room," he said. "I've always been good with young quarterbacks, whoever's been in there, trying to get them up to speed, teaching them about defenses or styles or what our defense plays."So I'm doing the same thing with Daniel and I'm going to be a good teammate, I'm going to do the best that I can do and help everybody on the Giants be successful."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and other NFL players will put their speed to the test Saturday at the first-ever 40 Yards of Gold tournament at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.Ginn declared in May that he's the fastest wide receiver in the league, and oddsmakers seem to agree with that assertion, as he's listed as the favorite to win the offensive division.

There may be a scenario in which wide receiver Tyreek Hill returns to the Kansas City Chiefs and the two sides re-engage in discussions on a contract extension, according to Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports.Hill spoke with NFL investigators on Wednesday in a meeting that reportedly lasted eight hours. The meeting centered around the child abuse investigation surrounding the player and the audio recordings released in April in which Hill was heard threatening his fiancee and discussing circumstances that resulted in their 3-year-old son suffering a broken arm.Those with knowledge of the meeting believe there is optimism that it was a "positive" one for Hill, Paylor reported. The Chiefs are reportedly hopeful that the league will hand down its ruling on the matter in time for Hill to attend training camp, which opens July 26.If Hill is present for the beginning of training camp and if the investigation ends positively for him, the Chiefs and Hill's camp could "potentially re-engage in contract negotiations for an extension in the not-too-distant future," Paylor reported, citing a league source.The Chiefs told Hill to stay away from team-related activities in April when the audio recordings emerged. Prior to that, in March, the team had reportedly begun negotiations with Hill on a potentially record-setting deal.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite having a long road of rehabilitation ahead of him, Ryan Shazier has big plans regarding his NFL future."I still want to make the Hall of Fame, still want to be the best linebacker in the NFL," Shazier told David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "I'm not giving up on my goals, and the doctors said don't give up on my goals, so there's no problem with me doing that. I'm just going to keep working, and hopefully I'm going to be back as soon as I can."The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker suffered a spinal contusion against the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2017 season and later underwent spinal stabilization surgery.Shazier missed the entire 2018 season while recovering from the injury and has been ruled out for 2019 as well. He's recently progressed to a walk without the use of a cane and various light back exercises.His trainer and former high school teammate Jerome Howard credits the 26-year-old's resiliency for already defying the odds after the devastating injury."With his injury being so different, the biggest thing for us was just understanding where he was in his current place, (reaching a) few milestones along the way and then celebrating every win," Howard said."With someone with a work ethic like Ryan's, it’s not very hard. Anyone that's met him understands his optimism, his positivity, and he's never afraid to go above and beyond. We had our tough moments. We had our ups and downs, but with our relationship together, we were able to be 100 percent honest with each other, reflect."This isn't the first time Shazier expressed optimism in making a full recovery, telling reporters in January he intends to continue rehabbing his back with hopes of playing football in the future.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.Accurately identifying which players will improve from year to year remains one of the most important skills in fantasy football.We've looked at the quarterbacks and running backs who are being undervalued. Now, let's turn our attention outside the hash marks to determine which receivers will outperform their ADPs.Who will exceed expectations?

Former Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Malik McDowell is facing charges for assault, resisting arrest, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, stemming from a February incident where he allegedly fought with two officers, according to a police report obtained by ESPN's Brady Henderson.The incident occurred after McDowell was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving in Michigan. He also faces a separate charge of receiving and concealing stolen property from April, per court records.According to the February report, the police officer attempted to arrest McDowell when he walked into the gas station, where the 23-year-old "began actively fighting" him.The Michigan State product never got a chance to start his NFL career as he suffered multiple injuries - including a concussion and facial injuries - in an ATV accident a few weeks before his rookie camp in 2017. Seattle released him this past March.McDowell was the Seahawks' first selection in the 2017 draft, going off the board 35th overall.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Coming off back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards and leading the NFL in sacks during the 2018 season, there's little doubt Aaron Donald is one of the league's premier players.The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle was immediately dominant in the NFL, but former teammate Chris Long saw something special before Donald's rookie campaign even began."I would like to credit myself with being the first person to know he was going to be amazing," Long jokingly told Gus Frerotte on the "Huddle Up with Gus" podcast. "When he got to St. Louis, it was very clear that he was going to be special. We used to joke his rookie camp that he was going to be in the Hall of Fame, but I kind of wasn't joking."Long also called Donald "the best football player in the world."Donald has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his five NFL seasons, and he was selected as a First-Team All-Pro in his last four.Long, who recently retired after 11 seasons, acknowledged Donald's natural talent, but he also credited a stellar work ethic for the 28-year-old's NFL success."I've never seen anybody work so hard, who had so much talent and play so violent and play with such tenacity," he said. "This guy would fight you on the field at the drop of a hat, and I respect that about him, and (he) outworks everybody."I would be the last person in the film room usually at the end of camp, and I would go in there and watch tape once everybody was at home. I started going in there and opening the door and turning the lights on to find my pen or notebook, and he was in there every night."- With h/t to TribLIVECopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson has pledged to pay for the funeral of an 11-year-old girl from South Carolina who died after a shooting, according to Nikie Mayo of The Greenville News.Ja'Naiya Scott was fatally wounded when someone shot at her home in Anderson more than 35 times early Sunday, according to police. Her 18-year-old sister and her 11-year-old cousin were also wounded and remain hospitalized.Lawson, who played for Clemson in college, also grew up in South Carolina and lived about 20 miles north of Anderson."It could have been my little sister," Lawson said Wednesday. "I've got a little sister around that age, and it could have been one of my family members."Ja'Naiya's uncle announced at a vigil Wednesday evening that Lawson would cover the funeral costs.No suspects have been named in the case.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Peyton Manning was never known for his athleticism, but the former quarterback knows a thing or two about elite athletes after playing alongside some of the NFL's most physically dominant players during his 18-year career.From Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison to DeMarcus Ware and Demaryius Thomas, Manning got a close-up look at every kind of top athlete that football has to offer. But according to Manning, Denver Broncos pass-rusher Von Miller is in a class of his own."We come to all the Broncos games, so I enjoy some of the guys that I've played with, like Von Miller," Manning told Ben Swanson of the Broncos' official website. "I still enjoy watching him compete. … Maybe this tells you how special he is that I'm maybe not looking at quarterbacks now. I'm watching outside linebackers and pass-rushers. People ask me a lot of times, 'Who's the best athlete you've ever played with?' And I say, 'Von Miller.'"Just some of the things he can do physically is special. So when you come to a Broncos game and they're on defense, you find yourself kind of locked in, seeing this might be the game-changing sack-fumble play, or interception - some kind of game-changing play he can make. I like the way he handles his business and like the way he competes out there."Miller's freakish athleticism was obvious before he was taken second overall in the 2011 draft. At the combine, the linebacker ranked in the 91st percentile or better in the 20-yard shuttle, three-cone drill, board jump, and 40-yard dash, according to mockdraftable.com.The 30-year-old's rare explosion and speed have been a nightmare for opposing offensive tackles ever since he entered the NFL, and he's yet to show any signs of slowing down. Miller's 98 sacks are the most in the league since 2011, and only J.J. Watt has more tackles for loss. Last season, Miller posted the second-best sack total of his career with 14.5 (he had 18.5 in 2012).In the 2015 campaign, Miller was pivotal in helping Manning get his second Lombardi Trophy - recording five combined sacks in the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl - so it's no surprise that the five-time MVP holds him in such high regard.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray knows it will take time to mesh with his new teammates under first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury's system."Everybody is not on the same page like I was with my guys in college right now," Murray said Tuesday on Fox Sports Arizona. "I've only been here for a couple of months so it's going to take time, it's going to take reps. But I'm prepared for the ups and the downs, but so far for me, it's been great. The guys have been very accepting of me and I can't wait to get the season started."Murray has been praised throughout offseason workouts by his teammates, including Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson.Arizona's offense, which was ranked 32nd in yards last year, could be revamped this season under Kingsbury. The former Texas Tech coach's Air Raid system should give the rookie quarterback an opportunity to shine in a pass-heavy offense, but Murray knows he has more to learn before the season kicks off."I think it will all be an adjustment," Murray said. "Just for all of us rookies, it'll be an adjustment. But I've always been confident in myself, just trust in my abilities, and trust what I can do on the football field along with coach Kingsbury's coaching, teaching me. I think us together, along with the players that we have can be very dangerous."The 2018 Heisman winner threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns in his final year at Oklahoma. He added another 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Unless you're a superstar, it can be difficult to earn a big-money deal in the NFL. It's a wonder these players, who either benefited from a great season or as free agents on the market, were able to nab a contract well beyond their value.Here are the top 10 most overpaid NFL players:Kirk Cousins, QB, VikingsAbbie Parr / Getty Images Sport / GettyAverage salary: $28M (6th among QBs)

The New England Patriots may have lost several key players from their Super Bowl-winning squad, but linebacker Kyle Van Noy believes the team's culture will help it sustain success in 2019."Bill (Belichick) does a really good job of the culture being set with the players that have been there for their tenures," Van Noy told NFL Network's "Total Access" this week when speaking to former Patriots star Willie McGinnest, via NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "Like Patrick Chung, Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty, Tom (Brady), they've been there for a while, Matthew Slater. Those guys have already been passed on from your generation, the standard. And we're just trying to keep that legacy going."When that culture is set, it doesn't matter, we all have the same goal in mind and that's just to win."New England lost star tight end Rob Gronkowski to retirement this offseason, along with multiple starters from 2018, including Trent Brown, Trey Flowers, Malcom Brown, and Chris Hogan.The Patriots also lost their defensive coordinator for a second straight year when Brian Flores was hired as the Miami Dolphins' new head coach.Van Noy is now excited for Belichick to lead the defense."I think for me, anytime you get to learn from one of the best ever to do it - to me, he's the best - to learn from him each and every day, to have that mindset in your meetings all the time, getting you information and things that you normally don't see, you get in his mind a little bit, it's the best," he said.Belichick's squad has captured the AFC East title in each of the last 10 campaigns, and in 15 of the last 16.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill met with NFL investigators on Wednesday but there is no timetable for a ruling on his case, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The meeting was "very thorough" and lasted eight hours, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. It was Hill's first opportunity to combat allegations of child abuse toward his 3-year-old son. The receiver was also expected to be asked about the audio recording released by a local TV station on April 26 in which he was heard threatening his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, and discussing the use of a belt to discipline his son.The Chiefs suspended the 25-year-old from all team-related activities in April as a result of the investigation, but prosecutors confirmed earlier in June they are no longer working the case. He could, however, still be subject to a suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy.While there's no active criminal probe, Hill and Espinal are still part of an ongoing case with the Kansas Department for Children and Families. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently said the league would not interfere until that investigation has closed.With no ruling on the horizon, Hill is expected to join Kansas City for training camp July 26 barring a significant development in the case.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, Boone goes over the latest injury news and identifies the key position battles fantasy owners need to monitor.Topics include:

Heading into his second NFL campaign, Josh Allen's improvement has caught the eye of his Buffalo Bills teammates."He looks better," running back LeSean McCoy told The Buffalo News, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I think he looks more confident. I think last year he just played off of talent. Sometimes, when quarterbacks are really talented, you overlook how smart they really are. Josh is smart."Though he excelled scrambling outside the pocket, Allen took time to find his rhythm as a passer in Year 1. The young signal-caller completed 52.8 percent of his passes for 2,074 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions across 11 starts.Despite Allen's up-and-down rookie year, McCoy believes his expected progression as a passer in his sophomore season can significantly boost last season's 30th-ranked offense."Your second and third years pretty much are always (better than the first)," McCoy said. "Maybe not with numbers, but just like with confidence, knowing what to expect, knowing what to look forward to, those type of things. So, I'm all excited to see how he plays this year."The Bills' front office acquired a number of offensive players this offseason to help Allen in 2019. Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon were free-agent signees at running back, while veterans John Brown, Cole Beasley, and Tyler Kroft were added as pass-catching options.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Del Rio wasn't in the room when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Blaine Gabbert in 2011.Del Rio was the Jaguars' head coach from 2003-11, and coming off an 8-8 campaign in 2010, he was blindsided by the pick."I had no idea we were going to draft Blaine Gabbert. No idea," Del Rio told ESPN Jacksonville 690 on Tuesday.The Jaguars had the No. 16 overall selection that year before dealing it and a second-round selection to move up to No. 10 overall."In fact, I left to go get something to eat because our pick wasn't for much longer in the draft. I'm sitting there filling my plate thinking, 'Oh great, we've got a couple more hours before we pick' .... and I see, 'The Jaguars are on the clock.' And I'm like, 'What the blank is going on?'" Del Rio said.Upon walking back into the draft room, Del Rio said he could read on people's faces that they knew it had been "wrong" to leave him out of the process."My son and I had ranked all the quarterbacks and we liked Blaine," Del Rio said. "... We liked him, he was in the Nick Foles range - like third, fourth round. He wasn't a first rounder, he wasn't a guy to trade your draft and go up to get him at No. (10). So that was not part of coaching, that was not part of me. That was my first indication that my time in J'Ville was running short."Del Rio said he had hoped to save that tidbit for a book some day.However, he was not forced to play Gabbert in his rookie year. The Jaguars went 5-11 in 2011 and Del Rio was fired after Week 12.Gabbert lasted just three years in Jacksonville, where he went 5-22 as a starter.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Westgate Las Vegas Superbook released its opening odds for the winner of the 2019 NFL MVP award Tuesday and Patrick Mahomes is the odds-on favorite to repeat as the league's Most Valuable Player.The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback enters with 4-1 odds to win, followed closely by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Indianapolis Colts pivot Andrew Luck, who each have 8-1 odds.PlayerOddsPatrick Mahomes4-1Aaron Rodgers8-1Andrew Luck8-1Carson Wentz10-1Drew Brees10-1Tom Brady12-1Philip Rivers14-1Russell Wilson14-1Ben Roethlisberger25-1Matt Ryan25-1Baker Mayfield25-1Jared Goff60-1Cam Newton60-1Ezekiel Elliott60-1Deshaun Watson60-1Matthew Stafford80-1Alvin Kamara80-1Christian McCaffrey80-1Saquon Barkley80-1Peyton Manning was the last player to win back-to-back MVP awards, accomplishing the feat in 2008 and 2009 after doing so in 2003 and 2004.Brett Favre, Joe Montana, and Jim Brown are the only other NFLers to win the award in consecutive seasons.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.Running back is the most volatile fantasy position from year to year, as injuries and ineffectiveness can turn early-round picks into instant regrets, while stars emerge from the deepest spots on your roster.Let's take a look at the ball carriers who are currently undervalued, and will continue to be until public perception catches up to the reality of their situations.Who will exceed expectations?

Before Julian Edelman captured the Super Bowl LIII MVP award, he endured the toughest spell of his career.The New England Patriots wide receiver was suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season after violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing substances."It was a low time," Edelman said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. "You're already battling mentally if you can do it like you did it. And then all of a sudden you have this, you're dealing with this, and then you're dealing with everyone outside of your life and what people are saying and dealing with and you can't really get too involved into because you're ultimately trying to get yourself back to playing football."It's not like you're 100 percent going out here and dealing with all these things, and you're fine. You still have a task at hand, and that was one of the biggest parts of my journey back - one of the toughest times where I really had to compartmentalize with how to deal with my injury, my suspension, with being a balanced family member and getting back from my injury. And that was a very tough time ... it was probably the toughest time of my life at that point."Edelman has refused to discuss what led to his suspension, but apologized to fans and promised it would never happen again.The Patriots recently signed the veteran receiver to a two-year, $18-million extension. He'll also be the subject of a documentary film called "100% Julian Edelman" airing June 28 on Showtime.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers and kicker Robbie Gould remain at an impasse regarding his 2019 playing status.Yet to sign the one-year, $4.971-million franchise tag tender, Gould is currently in Chicago with his family and made it clear Tuesday that's what will drive his football decisions going forward."It's a complicated situation," Gould told NBC Sports Chicago. "I think the way I've kind of approached it is, I want to spend time with my family. And I let my agent handle it, and if anything comes up that I have to make a decision or be in the know, then he'll call me and let me know."I'm at a point in my career where my family is what's going to dictate the decisions that I make," he continued, according to NBC's Matt Maiocco.Gould requested a trade from San Francisco in April after he was given the franchise tag. The two parties have until July 15 to work out a long-term contract, but the veteran kicker told the team he won't be negotiating a new deal.The 36-year-old has spent the last two seasons with the 49ers following a one-year stint with the New York Giants in 2016 and an 11-year tenure with the Chicago Bears before that.Chicago has a major need at kicker, but Gould didn't confirm whether he'd prefer to reunite with the NFC North club.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick Jonah Williams underwent left shoulder surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum and will likely miss the entire 2019 season, the team announced.Williams suffered the injury a week before mandatory minicamp, which began June 11."We look forward to Jonah being a major contributor in the future, and know that he won't let this injury deter him from still being an important part of this team," head coach Zac Taylor said in a statement."We're confident in our offensive line personnel as we head into training camp, and we believe they can do their part in helping this team achieve its goals."Williams was the first offensive lineman taken in this April's draft. Coming out of Alabama, he was viewed as the best left-tackle prospect. Veteran Cordy Glenn, whom Cincinnati acquired via trade last March, was expected to move to left guard to accommodate Williams. He'll likely remain at his natural position while the rookie is sidelined.Of the Bengals' last four first-round picks, including Williams, 2016 pick William Jackson missed his entire rookie season with an injury, and 2017 pick John Ross played in just three games his first year. Last year's first-rounder, Billy Price, played in and started 10 games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans has been Drew Brees' city ever since the Saints quarterback helped it recover from Hurricane Katrina and then gave it its only Super Bowl championship in the 2009 season.But the future Hall of Famer is 40 years old and apparently ready for New Orleans' newest star to take over as the face of the city.Brees gifted Zion Williamson - the Pelicans' recent pick at the top of the NBA draft - a signed jersey with a message that read, "To Zion - Passing the torch to you! Who dat!"

Tom Dundon has made a legal filing against the now-defunct Alliance of American Football seeking the $70 million he invested into the league, as relayed by Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic.Dundon, the majority owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, joined the AAF in February after making the financial investment into the league. He now claims he was induced into doing so by "misrepresentations."The league suspended operations on April 2, before the completion of its first season, and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy weeks later.A legal filing made Monday reads: "Even though AAF executives told DCP (Dundon Capital Partners) its contribution would get the AAF through the first season, those executives knew at the time of the execution of the term sheet that the AAF would likely need an additional $50,000,000 (including league revenue) on top of DCP's investment of up to $70,000,000 to get through the first season. The AAF and its executives never disclosed this information to DCP."The AAF was founded by Charlie Ebersol. His company, Legendary Field Exhibitions, is the primary debtor in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, according to Kaplan. The league reportedly claimed assets of $11 million and owns liabilities of $48 million.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Teddy Bridgewater turned down the chance at a starting job with the Miami Dolphins and reportedly more money this offseason to remain the New Orleans Saints' backup quarterback and the potential successor to Drew Brees.However, Brees is coming off a season in which he finished second in MVP voting to Patrick Mahomes (the fourth second-place finish of his career) and is unlikely to retire as long as the Saints remain Super Bowl contenders.Even if he's not the man to replace the future Hall of Famer in New Orleans, Bridgewater believes he couldn't be in a better place for his development."This is the best opportunity for me to grow as a player," Bridgewater told Luke Johnson of The Times-Picayune at the end of minicamp.Bridgewater's long-term approach to his decision is likely motivated by the career-threatening knee injury he suffered in training camp before the 2016 season while he was the starter for the Minnesota Vikings.He ultimately made a full recovery after missing the entire campaign and received his first start since the injury last year when the Saints opted to rest Brees in the regular-season finale."As a competitor, you want to be out there starting and competing," Bridgewater said. "But I just sat back and I weighed my options and thought about what would be best for me."This is an opportunity for me to grow, continue to learn and expand my mental capacity as a football player."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins legend Joe Theismann gave Dwayne Haskins his blessing to wear his former jersey number, but he's not as supportive of the quarterback starting during his rookie season.Speaking on 106.7 The Fan's "Pollin and Loverro" radio show, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback cautioned the Redskins against starting Haskins right away considering he only has one year of college experience."I would definitely say he shouldn't start. Our first five games are in Philly, Dallas at home, Chicago on a Monday night, then we get the Giants, and then we get New England. The young man's played 13 football games. What in that whole entire description makes any sense or convinces you he should play?" Theismann said.Haskins will have to beat out a pair of veterans for the starting position. Colt McCoy is returning from a broken leg suffered late last season and Washington traded for Case Keenum a month before the draft.Theismann believes the Redskins are in a position in which they can bring the rookie passer along slowly."To me, the best scenario for Dwayne would be this: Is to sit this year, Case plays, Colt comes back, is healthy enough to be able to be in competition and/or a part of the ball club ... and give Dwayne a chance to process everything."I think the young man is our future and let's protect the future instead of throwing it out there right now and saying, 'Go get em.'"- With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the run-up to this year's NFL draft, Rich Calabrese and his team of social-media auditors discovered a curious piece of intel about a possible high pick: The player had once "liked" tweets that criticized an NBA star.The finding wasn't necessarily a red flag, but something Calabrese, the executive vice-president of social research at Turnkey Intelligence, would term a "yellow light." To put it finely, it might disturb front-office execs in the city where the NBA star plied his trade, including the NFL franchise that had asked Calabrese's firm to scrutinize the prospect's online past."If that team's fan base saw that your No. 1 draft pick had liked negative, hating comments on the city's basketball team and their star player, that's not how you want to start the first interview after you draft this guy," Calabrese said.The episode is a striking indicator of just how much time, energy, and brainpower sports organizations now devote to combing the annals of social media.Had a software program, rather than a human, been trained to spot incriminating keywords deep in the prospect's timeline, the likes wouldn't have provoked any alarm. Until recently, the activity might have seemed innocuous - the basketball player would never be a future opponent or teammate, after all - or gone unseen for the duration of his pro career.Instead, teams now hire independent advisers to probe every inch of a prospect's Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Agents try to scrub any post that could be considered offensive. Experts warn student-athletes about the financial and reputational consequences of writing something derogatory or thoughtless on a public profile.Josh Allen (left). Tom Pennington / Getty ImagesAll of this legwork is done to avoid what befell Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the eve of the 2018 NFL Draft."I was like, 'And, this is never happening to us,'" said Alyssa Romano, vice-president of communications at the Octagon sports agency, describing how the discovery of tweets in which Allen used the N-word as a high schooler convinced her that social-media review should be a paramount element of draft prep."I think I shared that story across our agency," Romano said, "just reminding people this could happen to anybody."Plenty of athletes have indeed been in Allen's shoes in the past year. Thrust into the spotlight when they won the Heisman Trophy, clinched a national title, appeared in an all-star game, or powered an unlikely playoff run, Kyler Murray, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hader, and Jordan Binnington were all denounced on the occasion of their star turn because someone found the homophobic, racist, or culturally insensitive messages they tweeted as teenagers.The array of posts that prospects have belatedly walked back runs the gamut from embarrassing to plainly unacceptable. When the Chicago Bulls drafted Bobby Portis in 2015, he offered to buy doughnuts for Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol, new teammates he'd slammed in tweets at age 16. At the opposite extreme is Colorado Rockies prospect Ryan Rolison, who was 15 when he suggested in a tweet that Barack Obama should be shot.As athletes are called to account for all sorts of youthful utterances, they and their handlers are taking stock of their social-media history with greater urgency.Nick Bosa (left). Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesBy analyzing the profiles of 100 of this year's best NFL prospects, Turnkey Intelligence found that 23 percent had deleted at least 100 posts, including one projected second-rounder who got rid of more than 11,000. The No. 2 overall pick, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, deleted pro-Donald Trump and anti-Colin Kaepernick tweets before - as he suspected might happen - he was selected by Kaepernick's former team.With this year's NBA and NHL drafts freshly in the books, theScore spoke to several people who work at the intersection of sports and social media about the behind-the-scenes efforts to chronicle or cleanse past online behavior, stretching all the way back to a prospect's early adolescence."To be able to leverage (social media), you have to make sure that it aligns with who you are," said Lauren Walsh, a publicist who works in image control with football and baseball players."People will have a skewed view of you even if you said one thing 10 years ago."How the review process worksRomano, whose agency is among the biggest in sports, often turns to social media to familiarize herself with new clients before they ever speak in person. Some, she learns, like to tweet about their pets or favorite music. If a player professes his love for Sour Patch Kids, she'll have a pack on hand at their introductory meeting to break the ice.Studying a client's social accounts serves another purpose, too: Players and their camps can figure out which posts they'd be smart to delete.Equipped with a player's login credentials, someone - be it the agent, an agency communications staffer, or a consultant such as Walsh - will scroll back years to the player's first posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and spend the next several hours painstakingly reading every word, searching for content, either original or shared, that doesn't reflect his present-day character.Bobby Portis (left) and Derrick Rose (right). Jason Miller / Getty Images"A lot of the clients that we work with are 21, 22 years old. When they got a Facebook account, they were 13 or 14 years old," said Walsh, the founder of the Chicago-based firm LW Branding."We all mature over the years. The person who are we when we're 13 and who we are today is different. In order to have a level playing ground, and to have it be fair, it makes sense to go back through and say, 'Oh, wow, maybe I was just young and dumb. Let me see if I can go ahead and take that down so that people don't want to use that against me.'"To Romano, this exercise is especially pressing for NFL and NBA prospects, since they're usually older when they're drafted - meaning their digital footprint is more extensive - and they become prominent pros sooner than their baseball and hockey counterparts.Regardless of which sport a client plays, this review work must be done manually, Romano and Walsh maintain, no matter the tedium and time commitment. Technology designed to flag profanity and other objectionable phrases can miss messages that look bad in contexts only humans would understand.Portis' anti-Bulls tweet from 2011 - "Fxck D-Rose and tha bulls! #teamHeat over here" - is a prime example. Prospects often enter their draft year as fans of a particular team, and any rival they deprecate publicly may wind up employing them."If you're a diehard Bruins fan and you're shit-talking the Blues this whole series, how does that look if now you're a member of the Blues?" Romano said, citing a hypothetical inspired by this year's Stanley Cup Final."That stuff's not going to get picked up by a robot," she said. "(Social media review is) also (done) to protect your soon-to-be fan base, or the organization that's drafting you."Jordan Binnington. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesOn the other side of the draft table, some franchises solicit help to glean insights of their own from social-media behavior. Calabrese said Turnkey Intelligence provided prospect reports to five teams this year and has spoken with half the NFL and NBA about possible future collaborations.Human judgment is as essential to Turnkey's auditing practices as it is to Romano's and Walsh's. Operating out of Los Angeles, Nashville, and Indianapolis, the company's analysts study a prospect's social media activity by reviewing all of the athlete's posts and documenting any they think a team might care to see. That includes market-specific references that an algorithm would overlook."There might just be a picture of a Crying Jordan and a Buffalo Sabres logo, and there could be no keyword," Calabrese said.As Turnkey analyzed the accounts of scores of prospects eligible for this year's NFL and NBA drafts, Calabrese said it found the basketball cohort was generally more polished than the football players, possibly because NBA prospects tend to garner national attention at a younger age.Many more NFLers start out as unheralded recruits; Allen, for instance, didn't even get a Division I scholarship offer out of high school. By the time their stock swells, it may be too late to conceal past indiscretions."Between being a two-star freshman or sophomore in high school to being an NFL draft pick, you might have seven years of social posts where you were trashing teams, because you're a Browns fan. You might have liked some inappropriate photos of women," Calabrese said."They're unaware or maybe they've forgotten about this stuff," he added. "There are guys like Josh Allen all over the place."Laremy Tunsil. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesIn rare cases, players' draft ambitions have been undone by content that didn't originate from them. The go-to cautionary tale in this genre belongs to Laremy Tunsil, the Miami Dolphins lineman who fell to 13th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft - reducing the value of his rookie contract by millions - after someone hacked his Twitter account and posted a video of him smoking a bong through a gas mask.Kevin DeShazo, an Oklahoma City-based social media educator who has spoken to collegiate athletes at close to 200 U.S. schools, often brings up Tunsil's monetary loss to impress upon them that social media "isn't a game." He said many of his listeners think the Tunsil story and other anecdotes he relates are funny until they understand the ramifications.In these meetings, DeShazo tells audience members that the material they publicize on their accounts should exhibit the values for which they want to be known. He said athletes typically depart the session with a better grasp of how far their social platforms reach - and, consequently, the resolve to stop retweeting obscene lyrics and inane videos."Nobody's ever had that conversation with them: 'Hey, our culture, for better or worse, overvalues sports, so there are a significant amount of eyeballs on you,'" DeShazo said. "That doesn't have to be a negative. That can be a really good thing, if you use that to your advantage."Turnkey Intelligence's experience working with teams at the pro level seems to validate this sentiment. In conversations Calabrese has with front-office executives, he'll often hear that the vast amount of research at their disposal is never sufficient; they're always looking for one more metric to gauge a player's potential fit.Ryan Rolison. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesIf two prospects are deadlocked on a draft board, a team seeking to ward off future headaches might consider social-media use a worthwhile tiebreaker."More and more in today's world," Calabrese said, "someone who is well-behaved, someone who understands the power of social media and uses it to their benefit, is going to be an attractive prospect over someone who uses it maybe immaturely."Any prospect who hasn't internalized that lesson late into their draft season may be best off investing faith in the review process - if they think to undertake it in time. In the past couple of years, Walsh said her company has managed to sanitize the accounts of some high-profile NFL first-rounders, but only because the players' agents contacted her prior to the combine.Calabrese echoes the conviction that forethought is crucial. Remember the projected NFL second-rounder who removed more than 11,000 posts from his accounts? He did so about a month ahead of draft day - too late to evade the notice of Calabrese's auditors, who had started digging already and were able to measure the scope of his cleanup effort."We were capturing things before people got a chance to say, 'Oh, the season's over. Time to go do this,'" Calabrese said.Kyler Murray. Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesShould players be held accountable?No look at the ins and outs of the practice of reviewing social media content would be complete without addressing the trend that has helped make it prevalent.Allen, Murray, DiVincenzo, Hader, Binnington, and many other athletes who posted offensive messages as teenagers were only shown to have written those messages when internet users unearthed them several years later and alerted a mass audience.It raises an important question: To what extent should athletes be held accountable for the loathsome words of their youth?We asked three people for their opinions: DeShazo; Jimmy Sanderson, a Texas Tech sport management professor who studies social media's influence on sports; and Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of the LGBTQ sports website Outsports.Kevin DeShazo"I think (the phenomenon of unearthing old posts is) pretty ridiculous. Almost all of these situations, it's been things they said when they were 13 or 14. Now they're 21, 22 on draft night. Look, people change. That's not to excuse what they did, but talking about what they did as 13-year-olds, that's not relevant to who they are now, unless they're tweeting the same type of things," DeShazo said."If they've shown that their character hasn't changed, then sure, let's have a conversation. But if they show up to class, they show up to practice, they're a great friend, great teammate, great student - if we're going to judge them, let's judge them off of who they are today, not something they did seven years ago, when they had no supervision, didn't realize the internet was public, all these different things. We have to give people permission to grow and evolve and mature, especially at that age."Josh Hader. Patrick Smith / Getty ImagesJimmy Sanderson"How ethical is it for us to be going back into these athletes' histories, looking for things to try to expose them? I'm not really sure about the ethics of it being done in the first place, but that is also the reality of the world we live in," Sanderson said.The issue, as Sanderson sees it, is that young teenagers with a limited social media following can't foresee a future moment when they reach an MLB All-Star Game (like Hader) or shine in the Final Four (a la DiVincenzo) and someone spotlights the distasteful post they're about to type."It's something I'm actually still wrestling with and trying to really think through," Sanderson said. "It's a public forum, so anything any of us puts out there, it's fair, I think, to be called to account for it. But I'm still not sure that's the right thing for us to be doing - going back and saying, 'Well, gee, when this guy was 14, look at what he said.'"If we're kind of being candid, a lot of 14- or 15-year-olds talk like that. It doesn't make it right, but I'm just saying, that's not abnormal behavior."Donte DiVincenzo (right). Brett Wilhelm / NCAA Photos / Getty ImagesCyd ZeiglerIn stories he has written for Outsports about draft prospects and pro athletes who tweeted gay slurs when they were younger, Zeigler has argued that these players have a duty to own up to the language they used and to act to ameliorate the situation."Even though we can dismiss these things as the foolish words of a teenager, once they get into the public eye, their words have greater power and meaning. While I don't think athletes should be tarred and feathered for things they did while they were in high school, I also think it is their responsibility to make amends," Zeigler said.Rather than ignoring or dismissing these past offenses, Zeigler wishes more athletes would engage in conversations about why the use of gay slurs is so harmful - perhaps by talking to high schoolers, working with LGBTQ charities, or customizing their shoes (as NFL players, for example, are allowed to do once per season) to show support for an LGBTQ cause."The language athletes use - including, maybe most importantly, the words 'f-----' and 'sissy,' or 'no homo' was very popular years ago - it carries a lot of weight in the locker room," Zeigler said."This is a big problem. This kind of language eats at the heart of LGBTQ athletes. This language forces many of them out of sports. It demeans them. I wish more of these athletes would do more than just dismiss it as, 'Oh, that was when I was a teenager, and I don't feel that way anymore.'"Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shocking moves have transpired in the NFL since the New England Patriots captured Super Bowl LIII in February - some more justifiable than others.Here are the five most head-scratching decisions of the offseason:Jets fire GM Mike Maccagnan 2 weeks after draftJoe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / GettyPerhaps the most stunning change in the NFL offseason came when the Jets fired general manager Mike Maccagnan. Not that it wasn't warranted, but it came two months after they allowed him to give out $122 million in guaranteed money in free agency and not even three weeks after they let him run the draft.The shock firing brought to light many of the Jets' internal problems, and the move to install head coach Adam Gase as the interim general manager confirmed he won the power struggle.It was believed Gase opposed the decision to hand Le'Veon Bell a four-year, $52.5-million contract, and he didn't exactly dispute the rumor when questioned."Discussions are had and whether or not we disagreed on anything whether it was financially, that's a completely different story than the person or the player," Gase said a week after the firing, preferring to compliment Bell the human being rather than discuss the running back's contract."Me and Mike had disagreements on a few things, but there was no personal rift," Gase admitted about his relationship with his former GM.It's just business, it's not personal. The man Maccagnan had a hand in hiring as the Jets' new head coach overthrew him in a matter of four months.Raiders sign Richie IncognitoBrett Carlsen / Getty Images Sport / GettyIf there's one thing the Raiders didn't need more of, it's temperamental players.After trading for Antonio Brown and adding Vontaze Burfict, Oakland signed Incognito despite the fact he hadn't played in the NFL since 2017. Erratic off-field behavior played a major role in his absence from the game.Incognito was arrested last August for threatening to shoot employees at a funeral home, which happened after he was sent to undergo psychiatric examination following an incident at a Florida gym three months prior.New general manager Mike Mayock defended the move, stating, "you can't have all boy scouts." Although it's only a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, it's an unnecessary risk. The Raiders were just 4-12 last season - losing and volatile personalities often don't mix.Incognito has a strong on-field resume, though. He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and in the two years prior to that. But, he's also prone to penalties and could begin the year serving a suspension for the August arrest.Giants let Landon Collins walkBrad Penner / USA TODAY SportsThis is not to say the Giants should have made Collins the highest-paid safety of all time, as the Washington Redskins did when they signed him to a six-year, $84-million deal in free agency. But why did general manager Dave Gettleman allow Collins to become a free agent at all?Collins, a former All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler at just 25 years of age, would have commanded plenty of interest on the trade market. In fact, it was reported the Giants received multiple offers for the strong safety going as far back as October.New York had already begun the teardown after trading away Damon Harrison and Eli Apple before the Oct. 30 deadline, but dealing Collins would have been a step too far, according to Gettleman."It was a touchy situation. That was when we were at our nadir. We were just so low. I know that every decision that comes out of the GM and head coach's office sends a message downstairs. I just felt the message that would be sent by trading would be a bad message," Gettleman explained to Mike Francesca of WFAN.The Giants didn't use their franchise tag to keep Collins after the season and they didn't broach a long-term deal with the tackling machine. Instead, they let Collins leave for nothing and watched as he signed with their division rival, ensuring they'll have to see him two times for the next six years.It didn't have to end that way.Steelers sell low on Antonio BrownTom Szczerbowski / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Steelers had to deal Brown, and that certainly hurt the return they got for him.But a third- and a fifth-round pick for the four-time All-Pro and 2018 leader in touchdown catches?The team had little to no leverage in negotiations, but surely they could have done better for a superstar not yet done with the prime years of his career.In the end, the Steelers ate $21 million to get rid of a nagging headache. Trying to replace Brown's production may be just as painful.Giants use No. 6 pick on Daniel JonesIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyNot to pick on Gettleman, but he's had an offseason to forget.Armed with the No. 6 and No. 17 overall picks, the Giants were in prime position to add a defensive prospect and get their quarterback of the future - in that order. Gettleman opted for the opposite.He reached for Jones with the sixth overall pick and appeared to be bidding against himself. When it comes to quarterbacks, front offices tend to go out and get their guy. The problem is, the Giants were the only ones touting Jones as their future.After Kyler Murray went first overall, the Redskins were always linked to Dwayne Haskins at No. 15. There were no other teams between picks two and 16 expected to take Jones, but Gettleman was adamant there were two willing to move ahead of the Giants at No. 17 for the Duke passer."It wasn't easy for me to pass up Josh Allen. For me, my background, that was very, very difficult. But I think that much of Daniel Jones and his future as an NFL quarterback," Gettleman said.He thinks so highly of the pick he believes Jones could sit for three years behind Eli Manning before he gets a chance to prove worthy of his draft slot.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 Darrell Henderson may be obvious, there are many handcuffs who aren't getting the respect they deserve in fantasy drafts.Here's a look at nine 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 was the RB11 in PPR formats.Rams StarterHandcuffTodd GurleyDarrell HendersonGurley'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 in one of the league's top offenses. If Gurley's knee causes him to miss time, Henderson would vault into the top 10 in my weekly fantasy rankings.ChiefsStarterHandcuffDamien WilliamsCarlos HydeHyde's effectiveness has declined over his last few stops, but the Chiefs' running back-friendly system is a fantasy star-maker. 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, Hyde could have a similar second-half surge.BengalsStarterHandcuffJoe MixonGiovani BernardBernard is one of the most reliable replacements in the league, delivering borderline RB1 numbers whenever Cincy's lead back has missed time. In his two lone starts last season, Bernard racked up 182 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. Heading into a contract year, this could be his final run with the Bengals.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 suggests he's under the impression that 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 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.PatriotsStarterHandcuffSony MichelDamien HarrisHarris' landing spot and draft capital make him very intriguing. An offseason knee scope kept Michel out of OTAs and has 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.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 Todd 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

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill will meet with NFL investigators this week, sources told Yahoo Sports' Terez Paylor.ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the meeting will take place Wednesday in Kansas City.The Chiefs suspended Hill from all team-related activities in April as a result of an ongoing child abuse investigation, but prosecutors confirmed earlier in June that they are no longer working the case.While there's no active criminal probe, Hill and fiancee Crystal Espinal are still part of an ongoing case with the Kansas Department for Children and Families. Commissioner Roger Goodell recently said the NFL would not interfere until that investigation has closed.With a potential ruling on the horizon, the receiver is expected to return to the Chiefs for training camp in July. However, the league has disciplined players in the past even when they were not charged criminally.Hill's son reportedly suffered a broken arm and was removed from the custody of his parents. The wideout has denied being involved in any abuse.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints could make Michael Thomas the NFL's highest-paid wide receiver this year, and one of his teammates is on board with the plan.Star defensive end Cameron Jordan joined NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" on Monday and stated that Thomas deserves every cent of a potential extension."Pay the man," Jordan said, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I mean, nobody's done what he's done in his first three years. Highest paid.""More receptions? Who's had more in their first three years?" he continued. "His catch rate speaks for itself."The Saints are targeting training camp to reach an agreement with the talented wideout, but the two parties appear far apart in negotiations.Thomas's camp is reportedly asking for $22 million in average annual value on his new contract, while New Orleans' offer currently sits around $18 million per year.Thomas is entering the final campaign of his four-year rookie deal after racking up career highs in yards (1,405) and catches (125) in 2018 while tying his personal mark for touchdowns (nine). His 321 career receptions are the most in league history through three seasons.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants' passing attack lost its key cog from the past five seasons when Odell Beckham Jr. was traded to the Cleveland Browns in March.The Giants subsequently invested heavily in their receiving group, inking free agent Golden Tate to a big-money deal, extending slot weapon Sterling Shepard, and re-signing Cody Latimer.With tight end Evan Engram also primed for a larger role following Beckham's exit, Latimer believes New York has the depth and ability to be an elite group rather than relying on a single, transcendent talent."Anybody can get the ball," Latimer said, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. "You're open, you don't get it, that means somebody else is getting it and you're hoping they make a play. We got an unselfish room in there. We don't really care or actually don't talk about it at all, who's getting the ball."It's a group effort. The group can be dominant, period."Beckham led the Giants in receiving yards (1,052), touchdowns (six), and targets (124) last season despite only playing in 12 games; then-rookie running back Saquon Barkley was the team's receptions leader with 91 catches and had the second-most targets. Shepard's 872 yards and 66 catches were second and third on the team, respectively.The Giants will probably depend the most on Shepard to fill the void left by Beckham.The 2016 second-round pick has developed into one of the league's best slot receivers, but with Tate - who spent 69 percent of his 2018 snaps in the slot while playing for the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, per Next Gen Stats - joining the team, one of the two wideouts will need to move outside.Shepard appears likely to be the one on the move, but it remains to be seen if he's ready for defenses to view him as New York's No. 1 receiving threat.In the four games Beckham missed at the end of the season, Shepard had an unremarkable 14 grabs for 234 yards and a touchdown on 31 targets for a catch rate of 45.2 percent. With Beckham on the field in 2018, Shepard caught 68.1 percent of the passes thrown his way.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey established himself as one of the NFL's biggest trash-talkers when he ripped into a host of quarterbacks last offseason.Ramsey described Josh Allen as "trash," said Joe Flacco "sucks," called Ben Roethlisberger "decent at best," and more in an interview with GQ.When asked during "The Adam Schefter Podcast" for his thoughts on the signal-callers he'd face in 2019, Ramsey opted this time to take the uncontroversial route."You want to do this again, huh?" Ramsey said. "I'm not going to do this again. But, we do play some good quarterbacks this year, of course, but probably the quarterback I'm most excited about is Nick Foles. I don't have to play against him, of course."He is my teammate; he is a great teammate, the few interactions we've had has been great. Great man, great player as well. He has nothing to prove to anybody. He's a Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP. So, I hope he comes out here and he plays free and knows he has the support of everybody."Ramsey revealed recently that he doesn't expect to receive a new contract this offseason based on conversations with Jacksonville, but the Jaguars should expect him to ask for an "ungodly" amount of money whenever the two sides do enter negotiations.With a record-setting extension potentially within his grasp after the 2019 campaign, Ramsey is apparently ready to prove wrong those who consider his off-field antics to be a sign of immaturity."I'm growing, man," said Ramsey. "It's Year 4 for me, man. It's a different me. A lot of people think they know me, they don't really know me."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to pay $7.2 million in fees to the attorneys of former personal seat license (PSL) holders in St. Louis over the team's move to California in 2016, reports Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic.The Rams settled a class-action lawsuit against them in January, agreeing to pay up to $24 million - a third of the cost of the seat licenses - to the fans behind the legal action, according to David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The attorneys' fees, among other costs, were to be paid by the Rams separately from the $24-million settlement.PSL holders are expected to begin receiving payouts in December and have until late August to file for a refund, Hunn adds. Those license holders will receive a refund of 30 percent of their original purchase price. That amount accounts for the nine years remaining on the 30-year license when the Rams left for L.A.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys will eventually need to hand over mammoth deals to two members of their star-studded trio if they hope to secure the long-term future of the offense.Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper are both entering contract years, and while some question whether the quarterback is worth a hefty extension, his No. 1 target believes he's worth every cent of a deal that could pay the signal-caller more than $30 million per year."Most quarterbacks don't have the best bodies or probably really don't care much about the weight room because they're more on the cerebral side of the game," Cooper said Monday on ESPN's "First Take." "But this guy takes every rep seriously. He doesn't miss a rep and I think that's a big part of who he is. He's just a competitor, he wants to do everything the right way."I haven't played with too many guys like Dak Prescott, so I think he definitely deserves everything that's coming to him. He definitely deserves to be paid amongst the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league."

LeSean McCoy will turn 31 years old in July, a time when most running backs are either in the twilight of their NFL careers or have already been forced to hang up their cleats.But the Buffalo Bills star, who recorded the lowest rushing yards total of his career in 2018, is using the doubters as motivation to buck conventional wisdom about his position's shelf life."I use age and that type of thing to motivate me," McCoy told PennLive's Aaron Carr on Saturday at his mini football camp. "My whole life I've kind of been the underdog. Is he big enough? Is he tough enough? Can he play in the pros? I feel like guys like myself come around every once in a while and I want to stick to that. I'm up for it."McCoy only needs to look at his backfield partner, Frank Gore, for extra inspiration. The Bills signed the 36-year-old after a season in which he rushed for over 700 yards for the Miami Dolphins, recording his highest yards per carry average (4.6) since the 2012 season."Every day I see (Gore) playing hard," McCoy said. "I see his growth, his smarts, his ability. That shows me that anything is possible."Buffalo also brought in T.J. Yeldon in free agency, signaling that it intends to ease McCoy's workload with a committee-like approach to its rushing attack. But McCoy, who's just two years removed from a 1,138-yard, six-touchdown campaign, isn't ready to give up on being a featured back just yet."It's hard to replace a guy like me," he said.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Rodgers has known only one head coach and one offensive system throughout his entire 14-year NFL career, and how the Green Bay Packers' star quarterback adapts to Matt LaFleur's scheme is one of the most intriguing storylines for this upcoming season.LaFleur's offense is designed to limit the need for its quarterback to make changes at the line of scrimmage. While Rodgers has expressed excitement about playing under his new head coach, he recently said the Packers would be unwise to ask him to "turn off 11 years (of recognizing defenses)."Rodgers' propensity to freelance plays is similar to that of his predecessor, Brett Favre, who believes Green Bay would be best served by granting its signal-caller whatever freedoms he covets."Aaron will be fine," Favre said at the American Family Insurance Championship on Saturday, according to James Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I think that the thing is he needs to remain the same. And I don't have to give him any advice. You know, he'll handle it well."The question is, how will they handle it with him. And obviously, that's very important. I mean, there's more to the team than Aaron but we all have to admit that when he's playing and playing well, which generally when he's playing he is playing well, you don't want to change what's working. There's other factors that you have to work on."LaFleur's philosophy was learned from the likes of San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan and Los Angeles Rams bench boss Sean McVay, widely recognized as two of the best play-callers and offensive strategists in the NFL.However, Rodgers has won two MVPs and a Super Bowl ring playing his style of football.For Favre, Green Bay's best shot at another Lombardi Trophy is through unleashing Rodgers, not stifling his skill set with a scheme that could limit his impact."I think you let him play his game and not disturb that very much," Favre said. "And it's going to be interesting to see if that happens."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Tom Brady's relationship with suspended receiver Josh Gordon goes beyond the game of football.The New England Patriots quarterback posted a video to Instagram earlier this week in which he's seen tossing passes to Gordon. However, the 14-time Pro Bowler has reportedly been attempting to aid the receiver off the field just as much as he has on it."(Brady) recognized that Josh Gordon made the team better and he recognized that he was going to need some attention," ESPN's Jeff Darlington said on NFL Live. "Josh Gordon was going out to dinner with Tom Brady and Gisele (Bundchen) at times because Tom recognized that he needs to bring this guy in, foster him, make him feel like he is at home, recognizing some of the issues that Josh Gordon goes through."

Tarik Cohen recently told reporters that head coach Matt Nagy plays the final seconds of the Chicago Bears' wild-card loss during meetings, and Jeff Fisher has some thoughts on the motivational tactic.The former Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams coach believes it's up to Nagy to decide how to spark his squad, but replaying Cody Parkey's missed field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles increases the pressure on the kickers currently on Chicago's roster."You know, none of us are in his locker room. We don't know the chemistry of his team," Fisher said on "NFL Total Access" on Friday. "It's his team and it's his choice. ... I don't think I'd want to be a place kicker on his team right now. That's a hard job right there, because you're gonna watch (the missed kick) every day. ..."This is Coach Nagy's - it's his prerogative to do what he wants," he continued. "At some point, he's gonna let it go. Some point they need to go ahead and win a football game, you know, it's months away from now."Though Parkey is no longer with the Bears, Nagy has ramped up the pressure on his team's kicker competition this offseason by routinely making the group attempt field goals from roughly the distance of the now-infamous miss.Following a number of transactions during the spring, Eddy Pineiro and Elliott Fry are the only two kickers on the Bears' roster as the team heads into July training camp.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Trends are not predictive in the betting markets. They tell us what has happened, not what will. But if the 2019 NFL season plays out as it has in recent years, you can expect some shake-up in the divisional races.In 15 of the last 16 seasons, at least one team that finished last or tied for last in its division won it the following year. Underdogs continue to be the main theme of NFL division futures based on the early action at Caesars in Las Vegas."We pretty much have exposure on all the big 'dogs in division (futures bets)," oddsmaker Matt Lindeman told theScore. "We need to fade the Giants, Cardinals, Buccaneers, Broncos, and Dolphins."Three of those five teams - Arizona, Tampa Bay, and New York - finished 2018 in the basement of their respective divisions. The list of bottom-feeders from last season also includes the Raiders, Bengals, Lions, Jaguars, and Jets.Though the Broncos and Dolphins don't fit the mold as potential worst-to-firsts -- Denver finished third in the AFC West, Miami second in the AFC East - they're still two long shots with plenty of work to do to unseat the true contenders in their divisions.While Caesars has a fair share of action on the longer underdogs, there's one realistic contender that would be a liability for the shop if it took the division."Our one big exposure with an actual contender is the Browns," Lindeman noted.Cleveland has morphed from laughingstock to public darling in a hurry. Featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks" in 2018, the revamped franchise, led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, won seven games last year. The Browns also added Odell Beckham Jr. to a roster that now boasts the highest over/under win total in the AFC North with nine projected victories in 2019.Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 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.

Odell Beckham Jr. has been a member of the Cleveland Browns for several months but he isn't done talking about his time with the New York Giants.Beckham asserted that he was unable to be his best self while playing for the Giants as his former organization held him back from growing as a person."I just felt with the Giants I was just stuck at a place that wasn't working for me anymore," he told Jacob Davey of Complex. "I felt like I wasn't going to be able to reach my full potential there; mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing, I just couldn't see it happening there."So I think allowing me to be in an environment (with the Browns) where I can be myself and give it a different approach, I feel like my football will benefit. I'm just excited about being able to play football again and not have to deal with all the other stuff and politics that came with my previous role."Cleveland acquired the star receiver in March in a blockbuster deal, and the 26-year-old is looking forward to his off-field strides paying dividends on the field with his new club."I'm trying to achieve growth," Beckham said. "I want to release myself from my past and have a fresh start. I've been waiting to explode in games, and I've been working extremely hard to take my game to the next level. That's exactly what I think I can do at the Browns."This isn't the first time Beckham has taken a jab at his old team. Earlier in June, he alluded to Eli Manning's arm strength - or lack thereof - by saying he had to adjust to Baker Mayfield's throwing speed during practices. In April, he implied that the Giants are "OK (with) losing."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Brees won $6 million Friday in his civil lawsuit against a California jeweler who misled the New Orleans Saints quarterback on the value of diamonds, according to the San Diego Tribune's Jeff McDonald.The 40-year-old and his wife, Brittany, who both testified during the two-week trial, purchased $15 million worth of diamond jewelry from Vihad Moradi of CJ Charles Jewelers last year. However, the couple later learned from another jeweler that the diamonds were worth only $9 million."It was our position that Mr. Moradi breached his fiduciary duty, and that’s essentially what the jury said," Brees' attorney, Andrew Kim, said. "They saw Mr. Moradi for exactly what he is: a grifter and a confidence man."The jeweler denied the allegations in court. A statement from Moradi's attorney said he did not deceive the couple and believed Brees was purchasing the diamonds as a gift to his wife, rather than an investment.Brees was not in court when the verdict was presented.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New England Patriots running back Kenjon Barner wasn't expecting to receive a Super Bowl LIII ring from the team, but that's exactly what came in the mail this week.Barner - now a member of the Atlanta Falcons - was released three times during his two months with the Patriots last season, with the final cut coming in November. Although the rusher wasn't part of the playoff run, team owner Robert Kraft decided to send Barner a championship ring anyway.The 29-year-old took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a photo of the letter and ring he received from Kraft.

Despite reports that the New Orleans Saints are willing to make Michael Thomas the NFL's highest-paid wide receiver, the two sides still appear pretty far apart in negotiations.Thomas's camp is asking for $22 million in average annual value on a potential contract extension, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com reported, which is $4 million more per season than Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract with the Cleveland Browns.The Saints' current offer to Thomas is around $18 million per year, according to Duncan, meaning the two parties are roughly $4 million apart.Reports earlier this week indicated the star wideout was expected to ink a new deal before training camp, but Duncan added that nothing is imminent with the 26-year-old currently in Europe.Thomas is entering the final season of his four-year rookie deal after racking up career highs in yards (1,405) and catches (125) in 2018 while tying his personal mark for touchdowns (nine).Meanwhile, the division rival Atlanta Falcons are also looking to extend their top receiver, Julio Jones, and are reportedly confident they can reach an agreement before camp in July.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.