The Oakland Raiders are trying to get offensive tackle Donald Penn to agree to a small pay cut less than one year after signing him to a two-year, $21-million extension, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Penn is set to carry a cap hit of approximately $8.3 million in 2018, per Over The Cap. That number will increase to $10.4 million in 2019.The three-time Pro Bowler is currently on the Raiders' physically unable to perform (PUP) list while recovering from Lisfranc surgery.Penn started the first 14 games of the 2017 campaign after a holdout that lasted most of training camp and two preseason contests. He underwent season-ending surgery ahead of Week 16.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway had bullets and part of a Glock handgun in his car when he was cited for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license Sunday in Strongsville, Ohio, according to The Associated Press.Related: Browns rookie Callaway cited for marijuana possessionWhen asked about the gun strap, Callaway said he has a gun in Florida.Police reports show Callaway was pulled over for a traffic violation and a small amount of marijuana was found in the car. There's no mention of the bullets or gun part, according to The Associated Press.The 21-year-old was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft and is expected to play in Thursday's preseason game against the New York Giants.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.It can be dangerous to look at a player's fantasy production from the previous season and gauge draft value based on cumulative stats.A big day in a skewed matchup can inflate season totals and make fantasy managers ignore poor performances.Here's a look at six players who, although may seem like intriguing late-round options, are most likely to regress and find themselves on the waiver wire.All rankings and statistics apply to 12-team leagues with standard scoring.Jared Goff, QB, RamsWeekFantasy Pts.% of year total323.589.2928.4411.11026.510.41625.4410.0The biggest concern with Goff is a staggeringly low floor. He had more outings with fewer than 11 fantasy points (five) than he had games with more than 20 points (four).Though he did finish with the 12th-best season at his position, over 40 percent of his fantasy production came in just four games.Goff doesn't have the safety net of gaining yards or touchdowns on the ground - he has just one rushing touchdown in each of his first two seasons - and the Rams' plethora of offensive weapons may limit the team's need to air the ball out downfield. It was a strategy with which they had plenty of success in head coach Sean McVay's first season, and helped prop up Goff's fantasy totals.The third-year signal-caller is best left for DFS and is a bye-week streamer against only the most appealing opponents.Nelson Agholor, WR, EaglesWeekFantasy Pts.% of year total515.311.61215.211.61320.115.3The opening for extra targets following the trade of Torrey Smith to the Carolina Panthers quickly closed with the free-agent addition of Mike Wallace.While Agholor averaged 8.2 points per game, he finished below that number on nine occasions and twice caught just a single pass. But the 25-year-old still finished as the No. 22 receiver last season.He led the Eagles with 19 red-zone targets and caught 13 of those, with five going for touchdowns, and his 68.42 percent catch rate was well above the league average. Agholor's other three touchdowns on the season came on big plays of 24, 58, and 72 yards.Agholor set career highs across the board in his third season. But, he won't have the volume necessary to account for the incoming regression as he battles for the role of No. 2 receiver.Ted Ginn, WR, SaintsWeekFantasy Pts.% of year total311.911.2612.912.1714.113.2911.911.21615.014.1Ginn and his owners enjoyed the third-best fantasy season of his career in 2017. He finished as the position's No. 35 option, even though he received 25 fewer targets than he did in either of his last two seasons with the Panthers.Despite the end-of-year ranking, Ginn topped 10 points just five times and finished below five points in six of his active games. Three of his four touchdowns on the season came on plays of more than 35 yards, and he had another two receptions exceed that figure.Ginn has always been a big-play threat, and although quarterback Drew Brees is fully capable of utilizing his skills, those plays don't come with enough frequency for him to be a consideration on draft day. He lacks the volume required to accurately project his production and start him in lineups.Bilal Powell, RB, JetsWeekFantasy Pts.% of year total425.020.51620.516.8Powell finished as the RB26 and RB22 in each of the past two seasons, respectively, and relied on big plays and big games to accomplish the rank in each year.He set a career high with 772 rushing yards in 2017, but 308 of those yards came in just two games. His combined 45.5 fantasy points in those outings represented 37.2 percent of his season total.Moreover, Powell faces added competition for touches in the Jets' backfield this season with the additions of Isaiah Crowell and Thomas Rawls. He'll lose the stable workload that aided his success the past two seasons.Chris Thompson, RB, RedskinsWeekFantasy Pts.% of year total222.620.1324.822.1Thompson finished as last season's RB31 despite being limited to 10 games. His 112.4 fantasy points were more than he had in each of his previous two campaigns.His two rushing touchdowns on the season came in the same game against the Los Angeles Rams, who allowed the fourth-most touchdowns on the ground last year. The contest also included his longest run of the season at 61 yards.His longest reception of the year came the following week on a 74-yard catch.Those two games were his best fantasy performances of the season, and he'd total just 27 yards on eight touches a week later.Rookie Derrius Guice has been drawing praise from training camp and is likely to earn an early shot at the lion's share on the ground, removing all safety from starting Thompson in fantasy lineups.Cameron Brate, TE, BuccaneersWeekFantasy Pts.% of year total39.39.8414.014.7512.913.6613.614.31315.916.7All five of Brate's red-zone receptions last season went for touchdowns, even though he caught just 35.71 percent of his 14 targets in that area of the field. He had just one touchdown catch longer than 20 yards.Brate didn't exceed 6.4 points in any of the 11 games in which he didn't cross the goal line. While he's likely to retain his significant edge over O.J. Howard in red-zone work, Brate lacks the insurance that comes with consistent targets over the rest of the field.He could be worthy of streaming in certain matchups later in the season, but he should be left alone on draft day with the Buccaneers opening the campaign without quarterback Jameis Winston.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)(Fantasy points courtesy: Fantasy Data and Fantasy Pros)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Oakland Raiders took a few calculated risks this offseason, and it appears one of them may not be paying off.Oakland acquired wide receiver Martavis Bryant in an April trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third-round pick. Bryant was expected to bolster the Raiders' receiving corps after catching 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns last season. However, he appears to be struggling to adapt to his new surroundings, said the NFL Network's James Jones, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith."I just had a chance to speak with Coach Olson and he said ... there’s probably nobody that can compete with [Bryant] talent-wise," Jones said. "But they said he’s not picking up the playbook, and that’s the reason of a little frustration right now, because they want to get him on the field but he’s not able to grasp the playbook yet."They’ve only got him lining up in one spot to try to slow it down and help him out. They need him to pick it up."Jones played for the Raiders in 2014, in between two separate stints with the Green Bay Packers.Bryant also drew criticism from Raiders head coach Jon Gruden earlier this month."He's got to get out here and play better," Gruden said Saturday, according to the Raiders' official website. "He's got to get out here. He's in a competitive situation, and right now, a lot of the other receivers have had a nice camp."He's just got to learn the offense. He's got to stay out here. He's had some illnesses. He's got to get on the field. He's got to master the offense and become more versatile, and that's the key to making this team better."Bryant has the potential to be a potent red-zone threat for the Raiders, but for the time being, he has his work cut out for him.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers will honor the late Dwight Clark in a number of ways during the 2018 campaign.San Francisco will host a tribute in Clark's memory during its Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 21. The celebration will be highlighted by the unveiling of a statue depicting "The Catch" - Clark's iconic game-winning touchdown in the 1981 NFC Championship Game - outside Levi's Stadium.

Warning: this story contains course languageRunning back Alvin Kamara is still trying to process one of the crazier plays of last season, when his New Orleans Saints were eliminated by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC divisional round on a Hail Mary touchdown by receiver Stefon Diggs.In an extensive profile with Bleacher Report's Master Tesfatsion, Kamara gave his take on the play, since dubbed the Minneapolis Miracle, which erased an incredible comeback by the Saints that had them poised to advance."It's a certain point where you f---ing just do everything could do, and sh-- still don't go your way," Kamara said. "That's how I felt about that game. I felt like we did everything. We came all the way back (from 17 down at halftime), and then sh-- just happened like that. That's like some one-in-a-million-type sh--."I couldn't even be mad. I was mad, of course, but it was like how does that even f---ing happen? That's not even real. It's almost not realistic, like what the f---?"Kamara also believes the Saints would've knocked off the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles, who ended up crushing the Vikings in the next round."We'd beat the sh-- out of (the Eagles) cause we was rolling," Kamara said. "If we won (versus Minnesota), I knew nobody was gonna stop us cause we came all the way back."And the 23-year-old is just as confident about the upcoming season."We know what the standard is," Kamara said before pausing. "So, yeah, f--- Minnesota."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The University of Phoenix Stadium's new burger is not for the faint of heart.The Arizona Cardinals unveiled several new menu items for the 2018 season Tuesday, including the 7-pound Gridiron Burger, priced at $75. Those who can finish the burger in under an hour will win a Cardinals jersey and have their photo shown on the scoreboard.

When it comes to Instagram, no NFL player is more popular than New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.A new study by OnlineGambling.ca compiled Instagram follower counts of some of the NFL's biggest stars, and found that Beckham leads the league by a landslide. Cam Newton and Tom Brady were tied for second place, followed by Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt, and Rob Gronkowski.Beckham's follower count has increased to 11.2 million since the numbers were pulled in May, while Brady has added 300,000 followers. Newton's total remains at 4 million.The study also broke down the most followed players based on division and team.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Noah Spence seems to have spent the majority of his offseason eating.Spence arrived at training camp 35 pounds heavier thanks to a diet regimen that saw him consume nine meals and approximately 9,000 calories per day, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine."Today was the heaviest I've ever been and I felt great. I was 263 today," the 24-year-old said. "I kind of just started playing with (his diet in the offseason) to see what works. I felt like if I just don't stop eating or drinking, I won't lose weight."Here's what a typical day of meals looks like for Spence during training camp, as summarized by Laine:

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who bought a minority stake in the Milwaukee Bucks in April, wants the NFL to take a closer look at how the NBA handles salary caps."(The NFL) have sort of a tough situation," Rodgers told Kevin Clark of The Ringer. "I think one thing you could definitely look at that would influence the way contracts are done is a hard cap versus a non-hard cap - like the NBA, where there's a cap, then there's luxury tax."I would allow teams to go over the cap knowing (that) if they do, since there's not a hard cap, they are going to be faced with some luxury-tax issues and they'd change their strategy. It's not like we're hurting - just like the NBA, we're not hurting for revenue. We're doing excellent in the NFL and the NBA is doing fantastic as well."The star quarterback would also eliminate franchise tags, which he believes would benefit both players and teams in the long run."Because I think (the franchise tag) gives the team a lot of power over your future, and they can tag you a couple of times," Rodgers said. "That, obviously, restricts player movement."I think if you didn't have it, it would encourage teams to get deals done earlier, and in the long run, it actually might save them money. Because you're doing a guy's deal a year before he's ready to play, especially young guys. Maybe they get him for cheap and, if he has a huge season his last year, cheaper than they would have gotten him after that season, if you sign him early."Rodgers is currently negotiating a contract extension of his own, and there's optimism a deal could be reached before the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Video contains coarse languageThe Cleveland Browns didn't win a single game last season and new wide receiver Jarvis Landry doesn't plan on allowing it to happen again.Landry recently delivered an impassioned, profane, and scene-stealing motivational speech to his teammates that aired Tuesday during the season premiere of HBO's "Hard Knocks."

Free-agent offensive lineman Richie Incognito has apologized after directing a Twitter rant toward Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer on Tuesday.

New York Jets safety Jamal Adams has noticed significant cultural improvements surrounding his team after making some disparaging comments in May regarding his 2017 teammates.Adams conducted an interview with Bleacher Report in May that was published Tuesday, in which he talked about a "vibe" in the Jets locker room upon his arrival wherein everyone "wanted to do the bare minimum" and were "used to losing."The sophomore spoke to reporters after practice Tuesday and emphasized that there has been a shift in locker-room attitude and that he and the team have moved on from his harsh remarks."To be honest with you man, none of the comments that were said - it shouldn't matter because we've moved on as a team," Adams said, according to Matt Stypulkoski of NJ.com. "It's never going to be about me, it's always going to be about the team. We built this culture and last year to this year, I see a big improvement just as a team and we're just going to keep building it each and every day."Adams, 22, also noted that none of the players to whom his comments were directed are still on the team.The sixth overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft stressed he never intended to throw his teammates under the bus and he had the best interests of the team in mind."I never want to bash any of my teammates, that's not what I'm here for," Adams said. "Those guys know that. Again, it's never going to be about me. It's always going to be about this team and what we can do to build this culture up each and every day."Adams started all 16 games in his rookie season and finished with two fumble recoveries, two sacks, and six passes defensed.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't as jovial as he once was as he takes part in training camp ahead of his 14th NFL season."I'm getting older and grumpier," Rodgers said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "I've been at this for a long time. I'm tired, too; we're all a little tired. When you get a little tired, the fuse gets a little shorter."The six-time Pro Bowler will turn 35 years old before the end of the upcoming campaign. He says his age may be a factor in his frustration with the young players vying to make the team this season.Rodgers recently took issue with the performances of some of his teammates during a practice drill in which receivers are to read a card illustrating the play that coaches want to be run."It was one of the worst cards sessions we've had," Rodgers said. "I don't know how you can make it any simpler. You literally have what the play would be in our terminology on the card, and the effort level was very low. Especially with what I'm accustomed to."I've been running that period for a number of years. So it's not a good start for us on the card period for the young guys. I think (DeAngelo) Yancey has really progressed, G-Mo (Geronimo Allison). Obviously, 16 (Jake Kumerow). But everybody else was kind of piss poor," said Rodgers.Rodgers didn't call out any of the young receivers by name, but J'Mon Moore, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling - the Packers' three wide receiver draft picks - were notable omissions from those he praised.The Packers open their preseason against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The compelling rivalry between Aqib Talib and Michael Crabtree has seemingly come to an end.Talib and Crabtree fought each other in consecutive seasons while playing for the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders, respectively. Talib snatched Crabtree's chain in both instances, and the pair were issued one-game suspensions in November.Talib was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in March, while Crabtree signed a three-year, $21-million contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Los Angeles and Baltimore are now holding joint practices, and it appears that Talib and Crabtree have put their differences behind them."Yeah, that s---'s dead, bro. S---'s dead, bro," Talib told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Below is the 2017 incident:

Free agent Richie Incognito went on another Twitter rant Tuesday, this time setting his sights on the Minnesota Vikings' Mike Zimmer after the head coach declared he had no interest in signing the former Buffalo Bills guard.Incognito recently told TMZ he fielded interest from the Vikings and Seattle Seahawks and was mulling his options, but Zimmer declared this to be categorically false."No interest, and totally false. Tweet that," Zimmer said to Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune.Incognito didn't take kindly to the suggestion he was lying and responded with a series of tweets Tuesday.

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Antonio Callaway was cited for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license Sunday in Strongsville, Ohio, according to police reports obtained by ESPN.According to the police reports, Callaway was pulled over for a traffic violation at 2:59 a.m. Sunday, and the arresting officer discovered "a small amount" of marijuana under the driver's seat.The amount of marijuana found was small enough to be regarded as a minor misdemeanor under Ohio law, according to deputy chief John Janowski.As NFL Network's Ian Rapoport notes, Callaway was on the field Tuesday at the team's facility in Berea."We are aware of the citation (and) are in the process of gathering more information and will comment further at the appropriate time,'' the Browns said in a statement, via Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.Callaway, Cleveland's fourth-round draft choice in 2018, came with a number of off-field red flags from his time at Florida. The receiver was suspended before his final season with the Gators for involvement in a credit card fraud case. He sat out the entire 2017 campaign.After declaring for the NFL draft, Callaway tested positive for marijuana at the NFL scouting combine.The young pass-catcher was set to play a key role for the Browns as a rookie after the team traded Corey Coleman to the Buffalo Bills.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown has been ruled out of the team's preseason opener Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles due to a reported quad strain."He won't be playing in the game. He is getting closer to return in terms of his health," said head coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. "But he won't be playing in the game ... look forward to getting him back out there when we get back from Philadelphia."Tomlin listed Brown as day to day last week but refused to specify the nature of his injury.Pittsburgh's next preseason contest is Aug. 16 against the Green Bay Packers, so Brown should be able to participate in several practice sessions in preparation for his potential first action of the 2018 campaign.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who's expected to play in his team's preseason opener Thursday after working his way back from shoulder surgery, admitted to having doubts during his recovery process."There were one or two moments where I wondered if I am ever going to be able to do this again," Luck said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Mike Wells. "Certainly this (preseason opener) isn't what I've been working toward the whole time, but sort of in the same vein it is another step in this journey and one that is sort of about the next one right now. That's really exciting and that's fun."The three-time Pro Bowler, who missed the entire 2017 season after several setbacks, is expected to play in Thursday's game against the Seahawks after featuring in nine of 11 team practices this summer. He hasn't played since the final week of the 2016 season and is eager to get back on the field."I probably struggle hiding how I feel at times," Luck said. "Whether that's a positive or negative thing, whatever. I think I'm happier with myself. The crux of the matter (is that) I think that really allows me to enjoy football and it does feel like a game to me instead of a job or a profession. I don't want to ever lose that feeling. I sort of get it when you hear guys in their late 30s and 40s, and they're talking about it's like playing a kid's game. I think I semi-understand what they feel in their hearts now."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday that wide receiver Doug Baldwin should be ready to go for the regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos, barring a setback according to ESPN's Brady Henderson.Baldwin is reportedly set to miss the entire preseason with a knee injury.However, Carroll was less optimistic about the status of defensive end Dion Jordan, who's set to start alongside Frank Clark but is currently on the physically unable to perform list with a stress issue in his leg.Following the free-agent departures of Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson this offseason, Baldwin is expected to carry an even greater workload as the top option in the passing game. Wideouts Tyler Lockett and 34-year-old Brandon Marshall would likely start if Baldwin is forced to miss time.Baldwin has led Seattle in catches in each of the last four seasons while developing a strong bond with quarterback Russell Wilson.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints will become the first two NFL teams to have men in their cheerleading squads this season.Napoleon Jinnies, who will be featuring for the Rams' cheerleading team, posted a photo of the entire squad in March.

When the Chiefs traded up in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft to select Patrick Mahomes, it signaled to many that the Alex Smith era in Kansas City was coming to an end. Still, with the rookie gunslinger watching from the sidelines, Smith posted a career season, including career highs in passing yardage (4,042), adjusted yards per attempt (8.6), passer rating (104.7), and interception percentage (1.0 percent). The end did finally come this spring, as the Chiefs traded Smith to the Washington Redskins to make way for Mahomes.One reason for Smith's successful campaign was coach Andy Reid's willingness to dive into his quarterback's playbooks from the University of Utah. On opening night, the Chiefs throttled the New England Patriots 42-27, and in doing so, they rolled out a number of designs fans are more used to seeing on Saturday afternoons than in an NFL game: a dizzying array of motions, formations, shifting, options, read-option plays, and even the shovel pass/inverted veer look. After the game, Reid explained: "One of the things we did when Alex came here was we went back and kind of looked at some of the stuff he had done in college and was familiar with."Smith now finds himself in Washington, learning a new system under Jay Gruden. However, it may not be a completely unfamiliar setup - and if Gruden is wise, it won't be, though he may not have to look all the way back to Smith's college career. Not only does Gruden's offensive system thrive on the use of play-action passing concepts, as well as boot-action concepts that roll the quarterback to one side of the field or the other, Smith is one of the league's best play-action passers, and has lots of experience with boot action from his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers.Washington only ran play action on 21 percent of passing plays, but the statistics suggest Gruden should have gone to it more often. Washington averaged 8.7 yards per play-action passing attempt in 2017, fourth-best in the NFL, and it made quarterback Kirk Cousins a totally different passer, going from an average 7.1 yards per attempt on other types of plays to 9.4 yards per attempt on play action. Football Outsiders determined that Washington improved its defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) by 48.7 percent on passing plays when they used play action.Gruden has a particular affection for the boot-action game, which makes sense considering the team's running attack is heavy on outside-zone and stretch-run concepts. An offense can run that over and over at a defense, and then have the quarterback keep the ball and boot, or roll, to the other side of the formation and scan for receivers downfield. Here's one of the more common boot-action concepts (we'll even see Smith in a similar situation later):Cousins begins the play under center, and the offense fakes a stretch run to the left edge. Cousins then reverses field to the right and rolls in that direction. He has a receiver in the flat, a deep comeback route, and a crossing route coming from the left to choose from. Washington also incorporates a deep post route from the left side, which can occupy the safety and free up the crossing route underneath.So that's a glimpse of Gruden's boot-action playbook with Cousins. Now, the coach has Smith instead. Last season, the veteran completed 75 percent of his passes on play-action plays - the best mark in the league. His passer rating on play-action passes was 103.8, up from an already impressive 92.4 on other throws.Before the emergence of Colin Kaepernick, and before pulling on a Chiefs jersey, Smith enjoyed a great deal of success as San Francisco's starting quarterback. In 2012, head coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers got out to a 6-2 start, and Smith was playing at an extremely high level. Looking at some of those games to get a feel for his play and San Francisco's schemes, it's clear the team used boot-action concepts to get Smith on the move and create options for him on the edge as a runner or downfield as a passer.On this play against the Detroit Lions from Week 2 of that season, Smith aligns under center with two receivers split to the right and two backs in the backfield. The 49ers show a running play to the left edge, but Smith keeps the ball and rolls back to the right, where he has three routes to choose from: a deep corner route, an intermediate out route, and his fullback in the flat. All three are open, but Smith takes the intermediate route for an easy gain. He's an athletic quarterback who throws well on the move, so designs like this play to some of his strengths as a passer.Later in the contest, the 49ers dialed up another boot concept, and Vernon Davis iced the game on this 23-yard catch-and-run touchdown.Here, San Francisco again faked a run to the left and relied on Smith and his athleticism to get the edge. He evaded a defender in the backfield before floating a pass to Davis, who did the rest.A week later, the 49ers traveled to Minnesota to take on the Vikings, and boot-action concepts remained a big part of the game plan. In this example, Smith again rolls to his right with a deep corner route and a flat route to choose from. The 49ers give him a third option by bringing a crossing route from left to right.This play closely mirrors the first boot-action example we saw here from Gruden and Cousins in 2017. The design stresses the defense with lateral movement that stretches it from sideline to sideline, plus the fake and misdirection. Smith could have thrown any of the three routes available to him, but he opted for the safe, easy throw in the flat.Later in the game, the Niners opened a drive with another boot-action design that ended in another easy throw to the flat:Cousins and Smith show that this design isn't limited to throws to the flats. Here is Cousins rolling to his left last season to throw a deep corner route under tremendous duress (the receiver, coincidentally, is Vernon Davis):And here's Smith delivering on a deep comeback route in a 2012 blowout victory over the Buffalo Bills:The timing of this play and throw is perfect. Smith releases the pass well before wide receiver Kyle Williams makes his break, so the ball arrives just as Williams comes out of his cut. That enables him to put a move on the defender, evade the tackle attempt, and dance into the end zone with six points.Coming off a career season, Smith arrives in Washington to work with a coach whose offense has already succeeded with boot-action concepts - schemes that play to some of Smith's existing strengths. Gruden and his staff would be well-served by looking through Smith's 49ers playbooks to incorporate some of these boot-action designs in 2018, setting Smith up for a second straight campaign where revisiting the past leads to success in the present.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle is not a fan of the run-pass option.Increasingly popular in the NFL, RPOs allow quarterbacks to make quick decisions by targeting a key defender and taking him out of the play based on where that defender attacks the offense.Though they may be trendy - and were a staple of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles' offense - Weddle does not believe they'll continue to make an impact."I think in five years, it's going to be out (of the league)," Weddle said, according to Jared Dubin of CBS Sports. "I think it's just another phase."The two-time All-Pro defender also sees similarities between the NFL's latest fad and other plays that were popular earlier in his career."It's just like the Wildcat, and the quarterback run game, yada yada yada," Weddle said. "Teams that run the ball and take shots are usually the hard teams to beat."It appears Weddle's coaches agree with their veteran safety. The Ravens ran 11 RPO plays last season, according to Pro Football Focus - the fewest in the league. The Eagles, meanwhile, led the NFL with 181 RPOs.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When it comes to naming his Week 1 starting quarterback, New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles is holding his cards as close to his chest as possible.With Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Darnold contending for the job, the competition will be fierce, and Bowles doesn't plan on revealing his starter prior to the team's season opener against the Detroit Lions."I'm not pinpointing any decision," Bowles told reporters, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. "(When) the guy runs out on the field (Monday night) in Week 1, you'll see who the starter is."Bowles said he wants to see his players, especially his rookie, in actual football games before making the call."You got to play preseason games," Bowles said. "I'm not into hypotheticals and nothing that hasn't happened yet, but we are going to let (Darnold) play, then after the fourth preseason (game), sometime that week I'll make my decision and go from there."Darnold reportedly has a "very fair shot" to claim the Week 1 starting job in New York, but he has a tough fight ahead of him.McCown started 13 games for the Jets in 2017, setting career highs in passing yards and touchdowns, while Bridgewater was signed to a one-year contract in March and will be looking to prove himself.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thirty-five-year-old Miami Dolphins running back Frank Gore understands that a key part of his role this season will be mentoring third-year rusher Kenyan Drake and rookie Kalen Ballage.Related: Dolphins' Gase lists 'Drake or Gore' as starting RB 'just to be an a------'Gore thinks his 13 seasons in the NFL have him well equipped to teach his younger teammates, and he's glad the Dolphins viewed him as the proper candidate for the job when they signed him to a one-year, $1.1-million contract this offseason."I feel like they should ... especially with the things I’ve been through in my career," Gore said, according to Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post. "People said that I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t (last) more than three years, and I’ve been blessed going into my 14th year. Now I want to go out here and be successful, have fun and do whatever it takes with my team and try to get some wins."Gore still proved to be a valuable rusher in his own right with the Indianapolis Colts last season. He rushed for 961 yards and three touchdowns on 261 carries over a full 16 games. It was his seventh consecutive season playing all 16 contests and 12th straight campaign with a total of at least 1,200 yards from scrimmage.The quality production has Gore remaining open to the idea of playing a 15th season in 2019."If I feel good and the Dolphins want me back, I’ll come back. It’s all on how I feel, but I just take it one year at a time, one day at a time," Gore said.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Teddy Bridgewater seems happy with where he's at in his first full training camp since suffering a knee injury in 2016 with the Minnesota Vikings."Right now, I'm doing everything I dreamed of doing - and that's waking up and continuing to play football," Bridgewater said, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. "It's a wonderful feeling. It gives me chills right now to think about it, knowing how the previous two years were."Bridgewater, the 32nd overall pick of the Vikings in the 2014 NFL Draft, missed the entire 2016 campaign and would attempt just two passes in a late-game appearance in 2017.The 25-year-old is expected to receive plenty of playing time in the Jets' preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday.Related - Report: Darnold has 'very fair shot' to win Jets' starting QB jobHe'll be competing with incumbent starter Josh McCown and rookie Sam Darnold to open the 2018 season under center.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Donald has held strong thus far in a contractual holdout that is expected to keep him off the field entirely until he's presented a new deal that meets his standards.Rams head coach Sean McVay doesn't expect the star defensive lineman to back down anytime soon."I don’t think anything’s going to change with that in the near future," McVay said Monday, according to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. "I’ve had a little bit of dialogue with Aaron and we’re hopeful that we’ll get something done."There is an Aug. 7 deadline for Donald to report to training camp in order to accrue a full season of service time toward free agency. McVay says that deadline doesn't carry much importance to the team."I don’t think there’s any realistic deal to kind of that Aug. 7 being a date that changes really anything. But you never know. And things remain the same," McVay added.Donald has no plans to rejoin the team by that deadline, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. A hold out beyond Tuesday could limit Donald to restricted free agent status next offseason.The three-time All-Pro is set to play the 2018 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. His cap hit of just under $6.9 million ranks 12th among Rams players, according to Over The Cap.With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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The Cleveland Browns have undergone a major overhaul but Jarvis Landry is anticipating one move that would potentially put them over the top.Landry, who was acquired by the Browns in a March trade with the Miami Dolphins, believes his friend and New York Giants superstar Odell Beckham Jr. would be willing to play for Cleveland."If things like that are able to happen and the team can make it happen, then why not?'' Landry said to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "He definitely would be (up for it). He would be.''Beckham and Landry were teammates at LSU and have remained in close contact during their NFL careers.The Giants and Beckham are negotiating a contract extension, with the three-time Pro Bowler in the final year of his rookie deal. Beckham's agent, Zeke Sandhu, reportedly met with the Giants' front office last week during training camp but no deal came to fruition. New York is reportedly willing to make Beckham the highest-paid receiver in the NFL."We've had talks, but at the end of the day, I want him to be happy. I want him to get what he deserves and you can't put nothing on that regardless of where it's at," Landry said of Beckham.It's merely an entertaining notion for now, but few could blame Browns fans of dreaming of a group featuring Beckham, Landry, and Josh Gordon.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Atlanta Falcons announced the signing of safety Ricardo Allen to a three-year contract extension.Allen's new deal is worth $19.5 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Atlanta had been working toward a deal with Allen since he was tendered at the second-round level as a restricted free agent in March. It's a good bargain for the team, as the 26-year-old becomes the league's 15th highest-paid safety (in a tie) in terms of average annual value.Atlanta continues to lock up their young core, with Allen following left tackle Jake Matthews and quarterback Matt Ryan who inked extensions this summer. The team also gave head coach Dan Quinn a new contract in July.The Falcons drafted Allen in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The safety has played a key role on the team's defense over the last three seasons, proving to be an excellent schematic complement to strong safety Keanu Neal.The versatile defensive back accumulated 54 tackles and one interception in 2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots released wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell Monday.Mitchell did not play last season after battling a recurring knee injury, and it appears the Patriots did not feel comfortable with his health. The team attempted to trade the young pass-catcher this offseason, but ultimately failed, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The former Georgia standout was placed on injured reserve list prior to Week 1 in 2017, but was only recently cleared to return to training camp. He underwent a procedure on his knee last month.New England selected Mitchell in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He had a strong rookie season when he caught 32 passes for 401 yards and a touchdown, helping the Patriots win Super Bowl LI.Mitchell's release also comes shortly after the signing of veteran receiver Eric Decker, who could see significant snaps alongside Chris Hogan while Julian Edelman serves his four-game suspension.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos punter Marquette King confronted a local radio host Sunday after practice, before a media relations member stepped in to remove him from the situation.Hostility between King and Darren McKee began bubbling on Friday when former Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley and Zach Bye of 104.3 The Fan ended an interview with an uninterested King after 90 seconds.McKee, who also hosts a show on the network, appeared to draw the ire of King the next day when he tweeted that the entire Broncos team except King was signing autographs. King then tweeted a sexually suggestive message at McKee, and McKee replied by telling the punter he should apologize to Bye and Stokley for his interview.In the post-practice exchange Sunday, King asked McKee, "Do we have a problem?" and told him to "keep my name out of your mouth," according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.McKee replied, "Or what?"King signed with the Broncos as a free agent following his release from the Oakland Raiders after five seasons. On top of being one of the most prolific punters in the NFL, King is known for having a strong personality off the field.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageMiami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase appears to enjoy toying with fans and reporters alike as the regular season inches closer.Gase refused to commit to just one starting running back, naming Kenyan Drake "or" Frank Gore as the team's first option on the depth chart.When asked about his decision, Gase seemed to be amused."Just to be an asshole," he said while laughing, when asked to explain the decision, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. "I mean both of those guys, they deserve to be on the field. Every game is different. I like what both of those guys bring to the table and they work well together."Drake rushed for 644 yards and three touchdowns on 133 carries in 2017, and many expect the 24-year-old to emerge as the starter. Gore signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in March, running for 961 yards and three touchdowns on 261 carries with the Indianapolis Colts last season.With the Dolphins preparing for their first preseason game, it seems Gase's decision to name a starter will have to wait.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Terrell Owens appears to be forcing the Pro Football Hall of Fame to rethink its current rules.The Hall of Fame is considering a new requirement that candidates must commit to attending the enshrinement ceremony before the selection committee makes its final choices, a source told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.The potential change stems from 2018 inductee Terrell Owens, who chose not to attend the ceremony and instead celebrated at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. It was a major talking point among Hall of Fame members during an annual luncheon Friday, with Florio adding that most strongly disagreed with Owens' decision, while some supported him.Related: Owens on Hall of Fame: 'There is a flaw in that system'Under the potential new requirement, the 25 semifinalists would sign an agreement stating they would attend the enshrinement ceremony if selected.Owens took issue with the Hall of Fame selection process, claiming the sportswriters who vote are not aligned with the mission and the core values of the Hall of Fame.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At 36 years old, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers can see the light at the end of the tunnel.While Rivers, who turns 37 in December, doesn't have a specific age he plans on retiring at, he's looking forward to the next stage of his career."I'm super excited about a handful more years (left playing in the NFL)," Rivers told MMQB's Albert Breer. "I don't have a number in my head."Quarterback has become somewhat of an old man's position, with some of the league's brightest stars creeping towards the end of their careers. Tom Brady is 41, Drew Brees is 39, and 34-year-old Aaron Rodgers recently said his "minimum is 40."Rivers, unlike his peers, says he doesn't envision himself playing well into his 40s, even though a handful more years would mean just that."I laugh when I hear Drew, Brady's already 41, when I hear them say mid-40s, I go, 'Y'all can have that,'" Rivers said. "I have no desire to get there. One thing I am thankful about is I know what I'm gonna be doing when I'm done. I'm gonna be coaching high school football somewhere, maybe the very next season."Rivers is signed through the 2020 season. He was excellent in 2017, and claims his level of play will dictate when he walks away from the game."It could be two, my contract's up in two, but I'd like to get in that new stadium," Rivers said. "Could it be four, five? I don't know. I feel good. I don't want to hang on, but I don't feel like I'm there by any means right now. I want to stay aware, so when it does become that, I'll know. And it's a two-sided deal - they have to want me to still be here when it gets to that."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After two unfulfilling years with the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane hopes new stomping grounds will ignite wide receiver Corey Coleman's career."It hadn't worked out in Cleveland probably the way he thought when he was drafted or the way they thought when they drafted him in the first round," Beane said Monday. "So it's a fresh start for him to come in here and compete. He's not going to automatically get anything. He's going to come in here and compete."Beane and the Bills landed Coleman in a trade Sunday night, sending a 2020 seventh-round pick back to Cleveland. Coleman still needs to pass a physical for the trade to become official.Coleman struggled to live up to the hype that accompanied him to Cleveland as the 15th overall pick in 2016. He hauled in just 56 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns in 19 games split between two seasons, and was hampered by injuries."I don't know all what went right or wrong with Corey in Cleveland, but again, we view it as a fresh start here to earn and compete," Beane said. "There is nothing guaranteed here. He's got to come in and earn it, whether it's a starting job or just a job on the (53-man roster)."What Coleman does bring to the table - and what the Bills lack - is a deep threat at receiver. Beane acknowledged that the trait made Coleman an attractive trade target given the low acquisition cost."Definitely, always looking to add speed - both sides of the ball," Beane said. "You can't coach speed. And we're always looking to add it. So that was one of the attractive things of him coming out (of Baylor), and he's still got that."The Bills boast a shallow crop of receivers, with Kelvin Benjamin being the only established wideout of the group.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fifth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition.Scroll down to see his 2018 rankings for both standard and PPR leagues.Standard

Contrary to an earlier report, the New York Giants are willing to make Odell Beckham Jr. the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.A report from ESPN's Josina Anderson on Monday morning claimed the Giants were valuing Beckham below an annual average salary of $16 million, which is what the Kansas City Chiefs gave Sammy Watkins in free agency.Giants brass met with Beckham's agent, Zeke Sandhu, at training camp last week, but the latter reportedly left town with no deal in place. The two sides were said to have been negotiating in good faith.Beckham said Saturday he's "optimistic" that contract talks with Big Blue are trending in the right direction. However, he's previously indicated he wants to be the highest-paid receiver - if not player - in the NFL.The 25-year-old was limited to just four contests last year because of a fractured ankle, but posted at least 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in all three of his prior campaigns. Beckham is entering the final year of his rookie contract.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rookie Sam Darnold has a "very fair shot" to win the New York Jets' starting quarterback job out of training camp, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Jets have maintained all offseason that Darnold, who's still just 21 years old, would be given a legitimate chance to claim the starting gig before the start of the regular season.Darnold, who missed a few practices at the beginning of training camp because of a holdup in signing his contract, is battling veterans Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the top spot on the depth chart. He has reportedly impressed Jets brass so far, showing more development than the team expected.The Jets selected Darnold third overall in the 2018 draft, anointing the USC product their quarterback of the future.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Terrell Owens worked out for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders one day after his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame."I know I'm truly blessed and I can still play the game," Owens told Stephen Hargis of the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Sunday. "What I did out there today is just a small little snippet of what I can do. I just appreciate coach (Chris Jones) for the opportunity. I guess he wanted to assess and see where I am physically."It's been eight years since Owens last appeared in a regular-season game in the NFL, but the 44-year-old has never officially retired. He's been adamant, in fact, about his desire to keep playing pro football, and works out with various NFLers during the offseason."It's key when you're trying out to put your best foot forward, and I'm very pleased with what they saw and what I did out there," Owens said of his workout with the Roughriders. "To be inducted into the Hall of Fame and come back and play, why not me? I know I can do it; it's just a matter of someone giving me the opportunity."Owens was recently dropped from the Edmonton Eskimos' exclusive negations list, making him eligible to sign with any CFL team. He ranks second in NFL history in career receiving yardage and third in career receiving touchdowns.The six-time Pro Bowler controversially snubbed Canton for his enshrinement into the Hall of Fame, instead choosing to celebrate the accomplishment at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott doesn't intend to waver from his stance that the national anthem isn't "the time or the venue" for protests, despite criticisms from around the league."I made my statements. I stand by what I said," Prescott said on Sunday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "Some people might have misunderstood or whatever, but I know what I said, and I feel strongly about what I said. It is what it is."Prescott made his comments Friday after being asked about Jerry Jones' insistence that Cowboys players "stand for the anthem, toe on the line," even though the NFL's new anthem rule allows players to remain in the locker room."It has no effect to me because I do exactly what I'm doing and what I've said and what I stand by, whether I'm wearing the star or not, playing for Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, or any other owner," Prescott said. "I believe in what I believe in and that's that."One example of the backlash toward Prescott is a mural depicting him as the main character in the movie "Get Out."

The Cleveland Browns have traded 2016 first-round pick Corey Coleman to the Buffalo Bills, the Browns announced on Sunday.Bills GM Brandon Brane confirmed that Coleman was shipped off for a seventh-round pick in 2020.Buffalo desperately needed more pass-catching talent, as Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones, and Jeremy Kerley sat atop the team's wide receiver depth chart prior to the trade.Meanwhile, Cleveland is giving up on Coleman after just two seasons in which he appeared in 19 games, catching 56 passes for 718 yards and five touchdowns. He missed significant time in each of his first two campaigns due to hand injuries.Coleman was lauded for his game-breaking speed coming out of Baylor, but he didn't become a consistent deep threat in Cleveland, averaging only 12.8 yards per catch.However, considering Buffalo's lack of established playmakers, the 24-year-old will likely fight for a starting job on his new team.Cleveland will go into the 2018 season with Jarvis Landry and Josh Gordon as its top two targets. Gordon has been receiving counseling and away from the team since the start of training camp, but he's reportedly "getting closer to returning."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has been Cam Newton's security blanket for the past seven seasons, catching over 400 passes from the star quarterback.So, arguably, no one else is better placed to evaluate Newton's skill set.In response to former Panthers wideout Kelvin Benjamin ripping Newton for an apparent lack of football knowledge and accuracy, Olsen said on Sunday the 2016 NFL MVP was "the best thing that's ever happened to my career.""It's kind of weird," Olson said of Benjamin's criticism, according to NFL.com's Austin Knoblauch. "I think we all felt the same way. We all wish Kelvin the best. Obviously, things change, but, again, we've talked at length about how guys around here feel about Cam. Obviously, you don't like people going after your quarterback, but I think Cam knows how the guys around here feel about him."Related: Bills' McDermott unhappy with Benjamin over Panthers bashingOlsen added that Benjamin was "a good teammate" when in Carolina, but hopes that the Buffalo Bills receiver will "embrace his new opportunity rather than go personal on it."The Panthers selected Benjamin in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, hoping he could form a productive long-term relationship with Newton following the departure of franchise legend Steve Smith.However, after a promising 1,008-yard rookie campaign, Benjamin struggled to establish himself as the Panthers' No. 1 receiving threat and was shipped off to Buffalo at last season's trade deadline.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles have rewarded head coach Doug Pederson and executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman for their Super Bowl victory by extending both their contracts through the 2022 season, the team announced Sunday."We are thrilled to solidify continuity in our organization’s leadership with the extensions of Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman, whose collaborative partnership helped deliver our city its first Super Bowl Championship," said chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie."Doug and Howie are committed to the success of our franchise by ensuring that we remain competitive, both in the short and long term. That unified vision for the future of our team is what gives us the best chance to win moving forward."In his second season in charge of the Eagles, Pederson led his team to a 13-3 record - tied for a franchise record - despite losing key players such as Carson Wentz, Jason Peters, and Darren Sproles.The Eagles were able to survive in large part due to the depth of talent on the roster that was masterminded by Roseman, who regained his role as the front-office leader following the departure of Chip Kelly.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.No fantasy owner's draft plan should rigidly classify any player as a "must-own," but it's wise to enter yours with a short list of names to target. Below are seven players we believe will be key to winning a fantasy title this season.You shouldn't expect to get them all - that's probably impossible - but if you build your draft plan around selecting at least a few players on this list, you'll greatly increase your odds of achieving fantasy glory this season.Average draft position (ADP) data is courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator and is based on 12-team leagues with standard scoring.More from this series

Mike Singletary's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ring has found a new home.The ring, which Singletary received as part of the 1998 Hall of Fame class, was auctioned off Thursday night for over $34,000, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin may have landed in his coach's doghouse for ripping into the Carolina Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton."There's a time and a place for (comments) like that and this was not one of them," head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Sunday, courtesy WKBW's Matthew Bove.Benjamin ranted against his former club and quarterback in an interview published Saturday. He lamented the fact he was drafted by the Panthers to begin with, and knocked Newton for being inaccurate and less knowledgeable than other accomplished pivots.Benjamin and McDermott both came to Buffalo via Carolina. Benjamin was a first-round pick of the Panthers in 2014, while McDermott served as the club's defensive coordinator from 2011-16. Benjamin was traded to the Bills last season."That's not how I want us to handle things like that," McDermott said. "We'll move forward as a team and I'm hoping we've already done that."The second-year coach added that he's already spoken to Benjamin about the way he chose to air his grievances."Our focus needs to be on what we're doing," he noted.In six contests for the Bills last season, Benjamin put up 16 receptions for 217 yards and one touchdown.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt told reporters Sunday he hopes to get some snaps in during the preseason as he returns from a broken leg."It doesn't need to be a lot but I think that it's important to at least see some live bullets before you go out there and have guys flying at you for real," he said, courtesy ABC13's David Nuno.The Houston Texans star defensive end has played just eight regular-season games over the past two years because of back and leg injuries, collecting a mere 1.5 sacks over that span. The 29-year-old had 17.5 sacks in 2015, his last full season, and 20.5 sacks the year prior.Watt saw action in three preseason games last year while returning from back surgery.He looked to be in midseason form - and then some - during Sunday morning's practice:

The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed defensive back Corey Graham to a one-year contract, the club announced Sunday.The 11-year veteran posted 38 tackles and two interceptions for the Eagles last year while receiving snaps on defense as a third safety and on special teams. He played 64 snaps in Philadelphia's Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.Graham, who was also signed during training camp in 2017, spent three campaigns with the Buffalo Bills, two with the Baltimore Ravens, and five with the Chicago Bears prior to his arrival in the City of Brotherly Love.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wide receiver Josh Gordon is "getting closer to returning" to the Cleveland Browns, a source told Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.Gordon stepped away from the Browns days before training camp opened, announcing he was taking a leave of absence to work on maintaining his overall health. The 26-year-old has battled issues with substance abuse in the past, limiting him to just 10 games over the past four years.Even if he doesn't report to Cleveland in time to accrue the necessary amount of service, the Browns reportedly intend to grant him restricted free agency in March 2019, according to Cabot. By rule, Cleveland could deny him free agency if he's not with the club 30 days before the start of the regular season.Related: Browns GM Dorsey reiterates Josh Gordon will rejoin teamOne of the most electric receivers in the game when he's on the field, Gordon posted 335 yards and a touchdown in five contests last season. He led the league with 1,646 yards, to go with nine touchdowns, across 14 outings in 2013.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.