Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette stepped up to help a student from his alma mater pay for her final year of college.On Monday, Jhane Lowsoo, a fifth-year senior at LSU, tweeted a link to a GoFundMe page she started to raise money to help cover half of the $10,000 she owes in tuition (she has since made her Twitter account private). Lowsoo is no longer eligible for TOPS, a financial aid program for Louisiana students, and has been working two jobs to pay for the other half.Fournette saw Lowsoo's tweet, and said he'd cover the rest:

On July Fourth, NFL players' social feeds are usually filled with pics and vids of fireworks, food, and vacations.Not this year.Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was grilling what can only be described as some strange-looking buns.

Michael Vick is, once again, his sport’s most dangerous weapon. He’s a ramblin’, scramblin’, swashbuckler who's ready to cause nightmares for defenses.So what if he’s 38 years old and almost three years removed from playing in his last NFL game?Vick, who made four Pro Bowls during his 13-year NFL career, is the star and captain of the Roadrunners of the American Flag Football League, a new summer league competing for the attention of fans who can’t wait until September for their football fix.Vick and several other former NFL stars, along with other well-known athletes, are competing in a nationally televised tournament this summer that pits a team of former professional athletes against amateurs for the chance to win $1 million. It’s called the U.S. Open of Football Tournament.“It’s not going to be easy by any stretch,” Vick told theScore. “At the same time, I’ll tell everybody this: I made four Pro Bowls. I’m still a professional. I’m not washed up. I’m not a bum - not yet.”Vick’s Roadrunners will battle Ocho, a team captained by former NFL receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Saturday night in Atlanta in the semifinals of the professional bracket.Other professional sports standouts involved with the AFFL are four-time Olympic gold-medal sprinter Michael Johnson, 14-year NBA veteran and three-time Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson, two-time NBA All-Star forward Carlos Boozer, and Pro Bowl running back Justin Forsett.There are four teams composed of former professional athletes. The team that emerges as the professional champion will compete against the amateur champs July 19 in Houston, an event dubbed the Ultimate Final. Eleven games will air on NFL Network, including the final.It’s the NFL’s version of “Pros v. Joes,” except the AFFL offers a different twist from the television show, and from virtually any sporting event featuring amateurs competing against All-Stars. This time, the professionals are actually underdogs.“Some different facets you’re not used to as a football player,” said former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith, who made the Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl title in his four seasons with the New York Giants.“When I played in my first game, in Irvine (California), my team lost. We had a sick team. This (amateur) team from Arizona beat us, and they had no business beating us, but that’s just the game you’re playing.”Because of the game’s speed, safety, relaxed format, pace, and creativity, league officials and players believe the potential for the sport’s growth and popularity is limitless.Flag football has already seen increased levels of participation among the nation’s youth. The Associated Press, citing research from the Physical Activity Council and Sports Marketing Surveys USA, reported that flag football participation saw the largest rise from 2014 to 2015 among kids between the ages of six and 14.Without fear of head trauma, without helmets to conceal faces and personalities, and with the NFL’s own television network broadcasting games, there’s an avenue for both athletes and fans to gravitate quickly toward the sport.“It’s fun, man. You talk about playing flag football, that’s what you grew up doing,” said Ocho star Brandon Boykin, a former NFL cornerback whose six interceptions in 2013 tied for the league lead.“You can play the game in its truest form and have fun and compete with people all over the world, not have a helmet on and just enjoy the game. That’s what players want. That’s what’s so enticing about it. You can still make money playing a game that’s truly a game.”Flag football’s simple rules are conducive to a fast-paced, action-packed game that caters to the instant-gratification crowd. The game is played 7-on-7 over 60 minutes and split into 30-minute halves on a 100-yard field divided into four 25-yard zones, with fresh downs awarded by reaching a new zone. The clock doesn’t stop until the final two minutes of each half. Blitzing is regulated and more points are awarded for lengthier touchdowns.The former NFL players seem particularly enthused about the rules permitting laterals and the freedom to play more than one position.“First game, I didn’t even play wide receiver. I played mostly corner,” Smith said. “I did so many years of playing receiver, it’s just not that fun to me anymore. Now, I’m living my corner dream.”Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in 2001, holds the NFL’s records for most career rushing yards by a quarterback and most single-season rushing yards by a passer. But don’t be shocked to see the former Madden cover star playing somewhere other than his natural position.“I’m gonna play multiple positions,” said Vick. “Man, it’s going to be so fun. It’s like playing in the backyard again.”Fun, yes. A walk in the park? Not exactly.The most difficult adjustment for former NFL players, they said, is the transition from tackling to pulling out the flag from the ball carrier’s hip belt.Amateurs who have been training for years hold an advantage over the professionals, who are just learning how to position their bodies to either grab flags or prevent defenders from yanking out theirs.Smith recalled a rude awakening when his team lost to an amateur squad.“My team had former NFL players. Their team had guys from [the University of] Arizona, USC,” he said. “Besides that, it was some scientists and librarians, I don’t know. They were working us. Crazy kick plays, just a bunch of creative plays that really pissed us off.”The U.S. Open of Football concept began in 2017 with a launch game in June featuring Vick. Jimmy Clausen, a former NFL quarterback and first-round pick, and Terrell Owens, who will be inducted into Hall of Fame this summer, also participated in the inaugural game.This year, with a tournament spanning June and July, the AFFL is the latest alternative sports league trying to capitalize on the downtime between the end of the NBA postseason and the start of the NFL season, when Major League Baseball is the only major American sport holding its regular season.The AFFL is competing with another alternative sports league - the BIG3, a 3-on-3 basketball league made up of former NBA stars - for attention and exposure during the slow days of summer. Both those leagues will likely compete in the future with the American Football Alliance and the XFL, two more football leagues expected to get off the ground in the next year or two.“Flag football is going to become relevant as time continues to go on,” Vick said. “There are some families and parents and guardians who don’t want their kid to play contact football. I think this is a platform where you see it grow and you see more people get involved, whether it’s retired players or guys who just enjoy playing the game of football.“They can be pioneers and trailblazers for flag football for years to come.”Geoff Mosher is an award-winning sports reporter, radio host, and TV personality with more than 20 years of experience covering all major sports and leagues. He also hosts regularly on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia and co-hosts "The Sports Shop" on Facebook. You can find him on Twitter @GeoffMosherNFL.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jason Pierre-Paul nearly lost his right hand in a fireworks accident three years ago, and is using that as a reminder for others to be careful this Fourth of July.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end shared extremely graphic photos on Instagram of what his hand looked like in the immediate aftermath of the accident, along with a warning to fans to be cautious when using fireworks.The message reads:

The Pittsburgh Steelers and their star running back, Le'Veon Bell, have less than two weeks left to work out a long-term deal before the July 16 deadline, and former Steelers great Jerome Bettis believes doing so is in the interests of both parties."Neither one of you are as good by yourself as you are together," Bettis told TMZ Sports. "You're (Bell) not going to be as good going somewhere else because they're not going to have the offensive line, they're not going to have the quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger), the receivers (led by Antonio Brown) that they have in Pittsburgh."The Steelers hit Bell with the franchise tag for the second year in a row earlier this offseason. The running back ultimately played the 2017 campaign under the tag after failing to sign a long-term deal, and has skipped all offseason workouts this year in hopes of coming to an agreement.As far as Bettis is concerned, the team shouldn't have any trepidation about inking a long-term contract with arguably the best all-around back in the league."I don't think a four- or five-year contract is anything the Steelers need to worry about in terms of his age because he's going to be able to produce into his early 30s," the Hall of Famer said.So far, it doesn't appear Bell is slowing down with age, as the 26-year-old rushed for 1,291 yards last season while adding 85 catches for 655 yards through the air. Whether or not he'll stick around with the Steelers for years to come could be decided in the coming days.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite its many controversies, football remains as popular as ever, and the sport is inherently American.While the other three major sports leagues import a significant portion of their workforce from other countries, much of the talent in the NFL is born and bred in the USA.Here's our list of the top NFL players to ever come out of the 50 states (and D.C.).*Titles signify Super Bowl wins and NFL championships. All-Pro denotes first-team All-Pro selections. Stats for tackles were unavailable prior to 2001, and sacks were unavailable prior to 1982.Alabama - Bart Starr, QBSeasonsPass YdsTDs MVPs Titles162471815217We kick off this list with the pride of Montgomery, Ala. Hundreds of NFLers have hailed from Alabama, but Starr is the only Hall of Famer with two Super Bowl rings (I and II), five NFL championships, and an MVP to his name.Honorable Mention: Terrell Owens, DeMarcus WareAlaska - Mark Schlereth, GSeasonsGames PlayedPro BowlsTitles1215623Not only is he the most experienced player from America's largest state, he's a three-time Super Bowl champion, beating out receiver Steve Smith's single championship ring.Honorable Mention: Steve Smith, Daryn ColledgeArizona - Randall McDaniel, GSeasonsGames PlayedPro BowlsAll-Pro14222127Of the two Hall of Famers from the Grand Canyon State, McDaniel made a grander impact than Culp, starting 202 consecutive games and appearing in 12 straight Pro Bowls.Honorable Mention: Curley Culp, Darren WoodsonArkansas - Don Hutson, WRReceptionsRec YdsTDsMVPs Titles48879919923Hutson is credited with revolutionizing the receiver position and creating many of the routes still used today. He led the NFL in receiving in eight of his 11 seasons and won back-to-back MVP honors in 1941 and 1942.Honorable Mention: Cortez Kennedy, Willie RoafCalifornia - Tom Brady, QBSeasons Pass YdsTDsMVPsTitles186615948835The Golden State has the second-most active players, but none are as big as the Golden Boy. San Mateo produced a sixth-round pick that went on to become the greatest player of all time.Honorable Mention: Marcus Allen, Junior SeauColorado - Earl Clark, TBRush YdsTDsPass YdsTitlesAll-Pro277236150716"Dutch" Clark is Colorado's lone Pro Football Hall of Famer. He was a triple threat as a tailback, passer, and kicker for the Detroit Lions in the '30s. He remains the state's best export to the NFL, followed closely by the still-active Calais Campbell.Honorable Mention: Calais Campbell, Vincent JacksonConnecticut - Dwight Freeney, DESeasonsTacklesSacksTitlesAll-Pro16283125.513For one of the smallest states in the U.S. by total area, a significant amount of NFL talent has come out of Connecticut. Floyd Little, Bill Romanowski, Eugene Robinson, and John Carney all had notable careers, but not like Freeney. The pass-rusher retired in April after collecting 125.5 sacks over a 16-year career.Honorable Mention: Floyd Little, Andy RobustelliDelaware - Luke Petitgout, TSeasonsGames PlayedPro Bowls All-Pro1011700Delaware is half the size of Connecticut, and has produced significantly fewer NFLers. Petitgout, an offensive lineman for 10 seasons, is the state's longest-tenured player by games played.Honorable Mention: Paul Worrilow, Jamie DuncanDistrict of Columbia - Jonathan Ogden, TSeasonsGames PlayedTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro121771114Andrew Luck has designs on this slot, but it's currently occupied by the Baltimore Ravens' monstrous former left tackle. Ogden was selected to the Pro Bowl in 11 consecutive seasons and won a championship with the Ravens in 2000.Honorable Mention: Brian Westbrook, Andrew LuckFlorida - Deion Sanders, CBSeasonsINTsTDsTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro145319286In a loaded state that boasts the most active players, "Primetime" gets the nod for his unquestioned status as the most influential and best athlete to come out of Florida. Emmitt Smith is the league's all-time leading rusher, but Sanders' influence on the game has been felt for decades. He's one of the best to ever do it.Honorable Mention: Emmitt Smith, Ray LewisGeorgia - Jim Brown, RBRush YdsTDsMVPsTitlesAll-Pro12312106318He posted at least 1,250 rushing yards in seven of his nine seasons in an era of 12-to-14-game campaigns. Brown was the GOAT before that conversation even started.Honorable Mention: Herschel Walker, Cam NewtonHawaii - Olin Kreutz, CSeasonsGames PlayedPro BowlsAll-Pro1419561The island state is a developing hotbed for football. The sport has never been as popular at the Pop Warner and high school levels, and native son Tua Tagovailoa is a college icon after rescuing Alabama in the national championship game. At the NFL level, most of Hawaii's best products played in the trenches.Honorable Mention: Dominic Raiola, Marcus MariotaIdaho - Larry Wilson, DBSeasonsINTsTDsPro BowlsAll-Pro1352785The Gem State has unearthed just one Hall of Famer. While Jake Plummer may be the most popular player to come from Idaho, his credentials (one Pro Bowl) don't equal Wilson's.Honorable Mention: Jake Plummer, Merril HogeIllinois - Otto Graham, QBPass YdsTDsTitlesPro Bowls All-Pro23584174757Some of the NFL's most intimidating figures came from rough and tumble Illinois - Ray Nitschke, George Halas, Dick Butkus. Graham, however, remains the state's flag bearer.Honorable Mention: Dick Butkus, Shannon SharpeIndiana - Rod Woodson, SSeasons INTs TDs Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro1771171116The Hoosier State is known for hooping, but Indiana can take pride in the wealth of NFL talent it has birthed. Bob Griese deserves plaudits for his role in the Miami Dolphins' two Super Bowl titles, though Woodson and Chris Doleman were superior athletes.Honorable Mention: Chris Doleman, Bob GrieseIowa - Kurt Warner, QBPass YdsTDsMVPsTitlesAll-Pro32344208212Warner put Iowa on the map - including the Hy-Vee where he famously bagged groceries before his star turn. He's the lone Hall of Famer from the Hawkeye State, though Darren Sproles and David Johnson may someday join him.Honorable Mention: Darren Sproles, David JohnsonKansas - Barry Sanders, RBRush YdsTDsMVPsPro BowlAll-Pro15269991106Kansas, particularly Wichita, is a breeding ground for some of the best running backs to ever play in the NFL. Sanders and Gale Sayers may have gone down as the best to ever play if not for their shortened careers.Honorable Mention: Gale Sayers, John RigginsKentucky - Champ Bailey, CBSeasons INTs TDs Pro Bowls All-Pro16524123A true shutdown corner, Bailey is a cinch to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when he's eligible in 2019. Though he was raised in Georgia and spent his collegiate career there, he was born in Fort Campbell, Ky.Honorable Mention: Shaun Alexander, Phil SimmsLouisiana - Peyton Manning, QBPass Yds TDs MVPs Titles All-Pro71940539527The Sheriff owns many of the NFL's most hallowed records, including the most passing yards, passing touchdowns, and MVP trophies won. An all-time great if there ever was one.Honorable Mention: Marshall Faulk, Terry BradshawMaine - Al Harris, DESeasons Games Played Pro Bowls All-Pro1114900Only 26 pros have come from the Northeastern state, the most notable being an 11-year vet who featured for the Bears in the '80s.Honorable Mention: John Bunting, Will MontgomeryMaryland - NaVorro Bowman, LBSeasons Tackles Pro Bowls All-Pro879834Todd Gurley has won league awards in two of his first three seasons, putting him on pace to become the best NFL player from Maryland. For now, that title still rests with Bowman, a four-time All-Pro.Honorable Mention: Todd Gurley, Antonio FreemanMassachusetts - Howie Long, DESeasons Sacks Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro1384182Long and Nick Buoniconti are both legends of the sport, but the former gets the nod for his sheer physical dominance.Honorable Mention: Nick Buoniconti, Matt HasselbeckMichigan - Antonio Gates, TESeasons Rec Yds TDs Pro Bowls All-Pro151150811483Though Jerome Bettis is Detroit's favorite native son, Gates is the best talent to come out of Michigan. Currently sixth in all-time touchdown receptions, Gates will likely eventually join Bettis in Canton.Honorable Mention: Jerome Bettis, Paul KrauseMinnesota - Larry Fitzgerald, WRSeasonsRec YdsTDsPro BowlsAll-Pro1515545110111The pride and joy of Minneapolis, Minn., Fitz famously first set foot on an NFL field as a Vikings ballboy. He'll soon trail only Jerry Rice in career receptions. They're already working on his Hall of Fame bust.Honorable Mention: Dave Casper, Terrell SuggsMississippi - Jerry Rice, WRSeasonsRec YdsTDsTitlesAll-Pro2022895197310Many of the NFL's all-time greats are products of the Magnolia State, which has given us the game's best receiver, arguably the best running back, and one of the most popular quarterbacks. Thank you, Mississippi.Honorable Mention: Walter Payton, Brett FavreMissouri - Kellen Winslow, TESeasons Rec Yds TDs Pro Bowls All-Pro967414553Winslow and Ozzie Newsome are credited with revolutionizing the tight end position, turning it from a blocking role to that of a pass-catcher and the focus of an offense. He benefited from Don Coryell's aerial attack to become one of just eight tight ends from the modern era with a bust in Canton.Honorable Mention: Roger Wehrli, Lawyer MilloyMontana - Jerry Kramer, GSeasonsGames PlayedTitles Pro BowlsAll-Pro11130735Ryan Leaf was the state's most highly touted prospect. While his tenure is fodder for the hall of shame, Kramer will be inducted with the league's best in August.Honorable Mention: Wayne Hawkins, Pat DonovanNebraska - Mick Tingelhoff, CSeasonsGames PlayedTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro17240165Nebraska is better-known for its college football than its pro talent. Tingelhoff is far and away the best and most decorated NFLer to come from the Cornhusker State.Honorable Mention: Tom Rathman, Ahman GreenNevada - Max McGee, WRSeasons Rec Yds TDs Titles Pro Bowls1263465071The Packers legend did right by his native state of Nevada, hitting the town the night before Super Bowl I. He went on to score the first touchdown in Super Bowl history.Honorable Mention: Steven Jackson, DeMarco MurrayNew Hampshire - Greg Landry, QBSeasons Pass Yds TDs Pro Bowls1516052981The NFL talent from New Hampshire is sparse. Of the 24 players to come from the small New England state, John Bosa arguably made the biggest contribution to the game ... when he sired Joey and Nick Bosa.Honorable Mention: Don Macek, Sherman WhiteNew Jersey - Franco Harris, RBRush Yds TDs Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro1212091491Jersey's best export has his fingerprints all over the NFL's history books.Honorable Mention: Troy Vincent, Joe TheismannNew Mexico - Ronnie Lott, STacklesINTsTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro1113634106Albuquerque has produced its fair share of NFLers, none more famous and talented than Lott. The do-it-all defensive back played a central role in four Super Bowl championships.Honorable Mention: Tommy McDonald, Joe KappNew York - Rob Gronkowski, TERec YdsTDsTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro717976254Of all the accomplished quarterbacks, running backs, and other position players to come from New York, Gronk looms largest. His credentials would be even more impressive if he hadn't suffered serious injuries in the prime of his career.Honorable Mention: Sid Luckman, Kevin GreeneNorth Carolina - Julius Peppers, DESeasonsTacklesSacksPro BowlsAll-Pro17693154.593This title has long been held by Bruce Matthews, but Peppers has featured for his home state's team for the majority of his career. He's the active leader in career sacks. He'd need to play well into his 40s to challenge Bruce Smith's 200 mark, though.Honorable Mention: Bruce Matthews, Carl EllerNorth Dakota - Pete Retzlaff, WRRec YdsTDsTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro741247151One of the most sparsely populated states in the country hasn't produced many players who have thrived in the NFL. Retzlaff, a receiver, had the most accomplished career.Honorable Mention: Gary Larsen, Phil HansenOhio - Jack Lambert, LBSeasons Games Played Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro11146496Ohioans are well represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In a debate that involves 27 members, Lambert's trophy case gives him the edge.Honorable Mention: Charles Woodson, Len DawsonOklahoma - Steve Largent, WRSeasons Rec Yds TDs Pro Bowls All-Pro141308910071For a state that produced the likes of (Bill) Goldberg, the least physically imposing player stands up as the best from Oklahoma. When he retired in 1989, Largent held the records for most receptions, reception yards, receiving touchdowns, and consecutive games with a catch.Honorable Mention: Lee Roy Selmon, Wes WelkerOregon - Ndamukong Suh, DTSeasons Tackles Sacks Pro Bowls All-Pro942051.553Terrifying defenders appear to be an Oregon staple. In a discussion about the state's best, the contenders are Suh and "The Intimidator" Dave Wilcox. Suh earns the distinction by a foot.Honorable Mention: Dave Wilcox, Neil LomaxPennsylvania - Joe Montana, QBPass YdsTDsMVPsTitlesAll-Pro40551273243Pennsylvania has produced the most Pro Football Hall of Famers with 33 enshrinees, including legendary quarterbacks Montana, Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly, and George Blanda.Honorable Mention: Dan Marino, Johnny UnitasRhode Island - Gerry Philbin, DESeasons Games Played Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro10123222The smallest state in the U.S. has made a tiny imprint on America's game. Rhode Island developed 39 NFLers. Philbin's 10-year career was the best among them.Honorable Mention: Al Del Greco, Tom MitchellSouth Carolina - Art Shell, TSeasons Games Played Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro15207282The Southern state is stocked with current NFL talent. Among the stars in today's game, A.J. Green, DeAndre Hopkins, and Josh Norman hail from South Carolina, though none of their careers equal Shell's or Harry Carson's yet.Honorable Mention: Harry Carson, A.J. GreenSouth Dakota - Norm Van Brocklin, QBPass Yds TDs MVPs Titles All-Pro23611173121Van Brocklin, the 1960 NFL MVP, is currently the only Hall of Famer from South Dakota, but he'll be joined by Vinatieri, five years after the kicker finally retires.Honorable Mention: Adam Vinatieri, Jay NovacekTennessee - Reggie White, DESeasonsSacksTitlesPro BowlsAll-Pro151981138There's no discussion here. The Minister of Defense holds this title for the foreseeable future.Honorable Mention: Lynn Swann, Jason WittenTexas - Eric Dickerson, RBSeasonsRush YdsTDsPro BowlsAll-Pro11132599065Texas has produced the largest contingent of pro football players. Nearly 2,500 athletes have come from the Lone Star State, making for a lively debate about the best player. Dickerson remains the standard-bearer that an all-time great like Adrian Peterson continues to chase.Honorable Mention: Adrian Peterson, Mike SingletaryUtah - Steve Young, QBPass Yds TDs MVPs Titles All-Pro33124232233Young's path to the NFL from Salt Lake City was anything but straight. The two-time MVP is the best football player that Utah has produced.Honorable Mention: Merlin Olsen, Carnell LakeVermont - Steve Wisniewski, GSeasonsGames PlayedPro BowlsAll-Pro1320682Only 10 NFL players have come out of America's second-smallest state in population. One who did emerge from the mountains was Wisniewski, an eight-time Pro Bowler.Honorable Mention: Bob Yates, Bob LarabaVirginia - Lawrence Taylor, LBSacks MVPs Titles Pro Bowls All-Pro132.512108Virginia should be regarded as one of the NFL's most talent-rich states. It isn't among the leaders in pros produced (460 - 16th), but the players that did make the league left an indelible mark. Michael Vick, Charles Haley, the Barber twins, and Willie Lanier are among the stars who didn't make the cut to be considered Virginia's best.Honorable Mention: Fran Tarkenton, Bruce SmithWashington - John Elway, QBPass YdsTDsMVPsTitlesPro Bowls51475300129One of the best to ever throw a football, Elway is unquestionably tops among NFL players from Washington.Honorable Mention: Brian Urlacher, Karl MecklenburgWest Virginia - Randy Moss, WRSeasonsRec YdsTDsPro BowlsAll-Pro141529215664You'd be excused if you had never heard of an NFLer from West Virginia until Moss emerged. An athletic freak (6-foot-4 with the stride of a gazelle), Moss set receiving records from his rookie season onward.Honorable Mention: Gino Marchetti, Sam HuffWisconsin - J.J. Watt, DESeasons Tackles Sacks Pro Bowls All-Pro83947644Watt could retire right now and go down as one of the best defensive players to ever grace the gridiron. Five years into his career, he'd already collected three Defensive Player of the Year awards and two seasons of 20-plus sacks.Honorable Mention: Mike Webster, Jim OttoWyoming - Brett Keisel, DETacklesSacksTitlesPro Bowls2543021We wrap this list up with Wyoming, which has produced 38 NFLers but lacks a Hall of Fame enshrinee.Honorable Mention: Chris Cooley, Brady Poppinga(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots will, in fact, begin the 2018 season without wide receiver Julian Edelman.The star wideout had the appeal of his four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy denied Tuesday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Edelman tested positive for an unrecognizable substance last month, but planned to "mount a vigorous defense." However, he and his defense team never argued the positive test but instead focused on paperwork, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.The 32-year-old missed the entirety of the 2017 season due to a torn ACL but was expected to make a full return for the beginning of this coming campaign.He'll miss the Patriots' first four games against the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's NFL Top 10 is a two-week series in which editors take a look at football's best, worst, and most interesting, highlighting everything from the overpaid to the most versatile and marketable.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TDOverpaidRingless vetsBorn outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small-school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)Many Hall of Famers have retired without having won a Super Bowl. These 10 current players are in danger of joining them.The only criteria for making this list of the best players without a Super Bowl ring is to have played a minimum of eight seasons.10. DeSean Jackson, WR, Buccaneers10 seasonsIn the blink of an eye, a decade has past in Jackson's career. He starred as an Eagle then suited up for the rival Redskins and now he's going into Year 2 with the Buccaneers. It must have been hard for him to watch Philadelphia capture its first Super Bowl in franchise history without him.9. LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills8 seasonsWhere did the time go? It seems like yesterday when Shady was reversing field while playing with the likes of Jackson and Michael Vick in Philly. Now, he has more than 10,000 yards on his tires as he trudges through the snow in Buffalo. Like Jackson, McCoy may forever pine missing out on a championship with the Eagles.8. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers8 seasonsFor all the individual and team success Brown has enjoyed, he's yet to lead the Steelers to Super Bowl glory. His only appearance in the big game came in his rookie season, and he recorded just one catch for 1 yard in a losing effort.7. Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers14 seasonsIn 14 fiery seasons, Rivers has played in nine total playoff contests and just one conference championship game. The gunslinger is still chucking 'em, but he's running out of time. Luckily for him, the Chargers are stocked for a surprise run in the AFC in 2018.6. Calais Campbell, DE, Jaguars10 seasonsCampbell seems to be getting better with age, and he's getting closer to reaching the mountaintop as well. The Jaguars took the Patriots to the limit in the 2017 AFC Championship Game, but that's now two conference title games Campbell has lost in his last two trips to the playoffs. He's still only 31 years old, however, so he may get a few more cracks at it.5. Frank Gore, RB, Dolphins13 seasonsGore is one of the few players on this list who has played in a Super Bowl. He toiled for eight seasons with the 49ers before reaching Super Bowl XLVII, only to lose to the Ravens by three points. In the five seasons since, he's climbed to No. 5 on the all-time rushing list, but hasn't gotten any closer to capturing the elusive Lombardi Trophy.4. Antonio Gates, TE, Free agent15 seasonsAfter 15 seasons, Gates is currently without a team, but he remains an active player and therefore deserves inclusion on this list. His credentials are worthy of the Hall of Fame. Perhaps he will sign with a Super Bowl favorite to finally get his shot at a ring.3. Julius Peppers, DE, Panthers16 seasonsPeppers is the longest-tenured member of this list. The active leader in sacks (No. 4 all-time) has been chasing a Super Bowl ring for some time now. His first eight seasons in Carolina were fruitless, as was his four-year stint in Chicago. A move to Green Bay resulted in more playoff disappointment. He can only hope his search will end back home with the Panthers.2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Free agent11 seasonsPeterson is also currently without a team, but he's yet to give up on the dream. The former NFL MVP, four-time All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowler has played in just five career playoff games. His postseason resume is severely lacking for a player who will go down as one of the best running backs to play the game.1. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals14 seasonsFitzgerald has done it all. He's won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award and has been named to All-Pro teams and Pro Bowls. He's third on the all-time receptions list and will pass Tony Gonzalez for second with another 92 catches. Larry's first appearance in a Super Bowl was the stuff legends are made of. The only thing missing on his resume is a Lombardi Trophy.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TDOverpaid Ringless vetsBorn outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small-school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Julian Edelman isn't taking his four-game suspension from the NFL lying down.The New England Patriots wide receiver will make his appeal Monday after being found in violation of the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy. He'll reportedly "mount a vigorous defense" accusing the NFL of mishandling his case, sources told ESPN's Dan Graziano.As part of his defense, and with the assistance of New York-based attorney Alex Spiro, Edelman will reportedly argue that the NFL made mistakes when it came to the handling and delivery of his test results.Should the suspension stick, however, the 32-year-old would lose approximately $1 million in salary while missing games against the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins.Edelman sat out the entire 2017 campaign after completely tearing his ACL in a preseason matchup with the Lions. He totaled 1,106 receiving yards and three touchdowns the year prior while winning the second Super Bowl of his career.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys have been a subject of much discussion this offseason, particularly regarding their 2018 outlook after releasing star receiver Dez Bryant and losing veteran tight end Jason Witten to retirement.Quarterback Dak Prescott, however, claims the negative media attention is only helping to fuel his team."It's hard to (surprise) people with the Dallas Cowboys; our standards are high," Prescott told reporters at his annual youth football camp Sunday, via Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Clarence E. Hill Jr. "But when you hear talk, 'We don't have this player, we don’t have that player. We don’t have a lot of well-known guys.' But that only makes the guys we have hungrier."The Cowboys added receiver Allen Hurns via free agency while drafting wideout Michael Gallup and tight end Dalton Schultz to help offset their offseason subtractions. Prescott has said he isn't sure if any team "needs a No. 1 receiver," and believes the team has the right attitude heading into training camp."I like where we are headed," Prescott said. "I like the way we finished OTAs and minicamp. I like our attitude as a team, our hunger, the youthfulness, the energy. You can see guys excited to get back. And what’s good, the last day of an OTA or minicamp, guys weren’t sprinting out the door. That was exciting to see. And knowing that guys want to get back together in this off time to not only just hang out but to work and get better at ball. That is exactly what we need in a young team."The Cowboys missed the playoffs last year after finishing 9-7. They captured the NFC East division crown in 2016.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite his recent public backing of Julio Jones' desire for a new contract, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green will not follow in his fellow 2011 first-round draftee's footsteps.When Green signed his contract extension with Cincinnati in 2015, he became the NFL's highest-paid receiver. He's now sits at sixth highest but insists he's not looking for a new deal."I think the biggest thing for me, I'm always comfortable with stuff I'm doing - I signed a deal and I'm comfortable with the deal and I just live with it," Green told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "After that's up, we go back to the board. I don't really get caught up in what’s the money like because I signed my deal and it was the highest paid at that point. It's going to always go up. So you can't keep up with that.""At the end of the day, I just want to play football. I got my contract. I'm set for life. Now I can just go out there and play."The seven-time Pro-Bowler will turn 30 years old in July, and his current contract is set to expire in 2019. Green caught 75 passes for 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017, the sixth time he's eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in seven seasons.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In an effort to repair the tattered relationship between the New York Giants and one of its all-time great players, first-year head coach Pat Shurmur reached out to former running back Tiki Barber earlier in the offseason."When he called me out of the blue, it was shocking in a sense but it was welcome," Barber told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. "We had a great conversation. I was taken by how calm he is and how measured and thoughtful he is, which resonates really well with me, because that's how I am."Barber spent all 10 seasons of his NFL career with the Giants, but wasn't always known as the most popular person in the organization. The relationship between Barber and Giants worsened post-retirement, when Barber would criticize the franchise and coach Tom Coughlin while working for NBC."I wasn't here for all that," Shurmur said of the turmoil. "I'm walking into this thing with fresh eyes. He was an outstanding player. I remember he found a way, he kind of had the fumbling thing going and he found a way to fix it, which I was impressed by."Shurmur, who's made a conscious effort to reach out to former Giants players since his hiring, spoke with Barber over the phone for about 20 minutes.Barber made three Pro Bowls with the Giants, and was one of the game's premier three-down tailbacks throughout his career. He retired following the 2006 season after rushing for 1,662 yards."I appreciate the fact he cared to reach out," Barber, now 43 years of age, said. "It was kind of cool. Like a new relationship that was developing and I'm looking forward to furthering it."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LiAngelo Ball is free to sign with any NBA team after going unselected in the 2018 draft, but Hall of Fame tight end and "Undisputed" host Shannon Sharpe thinks he should consider pursuing a football career instead.Sharpe suggested in May that the middle Ball brother would be a good fit for the Los Angeles Chargers, and said he'd even be willing to train him. On Friday's episode of "Undisputed," Sharpe made it known that his offer is still on the table."Offer still stands. I can make him a tight end," Sharpe said. "And they (Chargers) gonna need one too. Anthony Lynn, my former teammate, is the head coach. I can get it right."(Ball's) 6-4, 6-5, lucky about 235 (pounds) right now. I put 20 pounds on him - Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez reincarnated."Related: Lakers tell LiAngelo Ball he's not invited to summer leagueBall's father, LaVar, had a brief stint in the NFL in the 1990s, spending time with the New York Jets during training camp and signing with the Carolina Panthers as a member of their practice squad.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steve Spurrier opened the door for Tim Tebow to resurrect his football career, but the New York Mets' farmhand and former NFL quarterback closed it.Upon being named the head coach of Orlando's Alliance of American Football team in April - the league is scheduled to launch in February 2019 - Spurrier reached out to Tebow to gauge his interest in a return to the gridiron."He said, 'Coach, I'm gonna keep swinging the bat and see what happens,'" Spurrier said recently on "The Paul Finebaum Show," according to Saturday Down South. "I told him we'd have a No. 15 down in Orlando waiting for him."Though Spurrier never coached Tebow, they're both legends at the University of Florida.The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner began his professional baseball career last year, and is hitting .256/.336/.400 with five homers and 24 RBIs in Double-A this season."Certainly we'd love to have him," Spurrier said of Tebow.The former Denver Broncos signal-caller hasn't removed himself from the football world entirely, contributing as an analyst to the SEC Network during college football season. The 30-year-old played in the NFL from 2010-15, but last appeared in a regular-season game in 2012 with the New York Jets.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is a competitive league. A team celebrating a playoff berth one year can see its fortunes quickly come crashing down the next.Luckily for other teams, however, that trend also works the opposite way.Recently we've seen a number of last-place clubs earn a postseason spot the following year. The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles finished at the bottom of the NFC East standings in 2016. The Jacksonville Jaguars accomplished a similar feat, claiming the AFC South title one year after finishing in the division's cellar. The same happened to the 2016 Dallas Cowboys (4-12 in 2015), and 2015 Washington Redskins (4-12 in 2014).Let's turn our attention to the upcoming season. We've already discussed which playoff teams are in danger of not returning to the postseason, so here are top worst-to-first contenders for 2018.8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFC South2017 record: 5-11

It appears the NFL won't allow Kansas City Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to add to his already lengthy last name on game days.The league rejected Duvernay-Tardif's request to add "M.D." to his jersey, according to Andy Mailly-Pressoir of TVA Sports.The Chiefs lineman, who officially became a doctor this offseason, said he began conversations with the league in February before completing his medical degree at Montreal's McGill University.Here's what Duvernay-Tardif's jersey would've looked like had his request been approved:

Coby Fleener's NFL career may be in jeopardy.The unemployed 29-year-old is still experiencing symptoms of a concussion seven months after being hit in the head in a game versus the Los Angeles Rams."It's still there, unfortunately," he told Don Banks of The Athletic. "I'm just hoping it heals and gets better from time, I guess. I'd still like to play, but I have to get healthy first before I can even make that decision, really. That's the frustrating aspect of it. The doctors aren't able to say, 'Oh, in four-to-six weeks, he'll be right as rain.' That's just not the reality with concussions. It's a frustration for every athlete and every doctor who treats them and every coach who has to coach them."Fleener was released by the New Orleans Saints in early May, two seasons into the five-year, $36-million contract he signed ahead of the 2016 campaign.The tight end had 22 receptions for 295 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games last year before being hit by Rams safety Blake Countess on Nov. 26. Though he didn't exit the game immediately, Fleener was eventually removed from the field and hasn't played since."If you would have asked me the day after my concussion, I would have said, 'Oh, yeah, I imagine I'll be fine in a week,'" said Fleener. "I don't think anyone foresaw this happening."The former Stanford star added that he hopes to resume his NFL career, but admitted he's uncertain if that will happen."That's a really hard question to answer, because, like I said, if you'd asked me a day or two after it happened, I would have said of course. But now I'm kind of taking it, as the cliche goes, one day at a time. Tomorrow if I wake up and there are no symptoms, then we approach things differently."Fleener piled up 631 yards and three touchdowns for New Orleans in 2016. His most productive season came in 2014, when he posted 774 yards and eight touchdowns for the Indianapolis Colts.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tre Boston is without a job as training camps approach, and he's not the only established safety who can say that."It's kinda rough, man," the four-year veteran said Friday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "They got us where they think they want us. For us, we have to communicate with each other so we don't take this minimum wage."Boston spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers and is now one of many established safeties struggling to generate interest on the free-agent market - a group that also includes Kenny Vaccaro, Mike Mitchell, Tyvon Branch, Eric Reid, and Ron Parker. None of them have been reported to be in high demand at any point during the offseason.Boston said he's had visits with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, but neither, evidently, produced a contract. In Indy, he said, his meeting didn't involve the Colts general manager, head coach, or defensive coordinator, suggesting a lack of legitimate interest. The Cardinals "rolled out the red carpet" for him, only to later submit an offer he considered "very, very disrespectful.""None of us are getting close to what we want," he said. "A couple of us have no offers, a couple of us have a couple offers. And the rest, we're just trying to hear what the rest will do. But if I told you the guys that you named off are only worth a million dollars, what would you tell me? It's that kind of predicament we're truly in. You're talking about guys who made $6 million, $5 million, now being offered $1 million. Why do you do that? You do that to keep the cattle where they're at."Boston registered 79 tackles and five interceptions for the Chargers last season, both career highs, while playing on a one-year deal worth $900,000. He ranked in the top five for safeties in both categories. Boston spent the previous three campaigns with the Carolina Panthers."People, they're acting oblivious to something that they truly couldn't put a hand on," Boston said of the stagnant market for safeties. "For me, it's just kind of hard to see this foolishness go around for this long. There's never been a market that's gone on this way."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees needs just 1,495 passing yards and 52 touchdowns to break Peyton Manning's NFL records. Manning believes it is only a matter of time before he is unseated."Yeah, I don't think it’s a matter of if," Manning told NOLA.com. "It's just a matter of when. He deserves it. He's been a great player for a long time."Manning and Brees will be remembered as two of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but the former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos signal-caller knows that records are not at the forefront of Brees' thoughts."Drew has been the ultimate team player, Manning said. "It's all about helping your team win. I know when he breaks any of these records, it's not going to mean as much to him if the Saints don't win the game that day. But he certainly deserves it."Brees could certainly surpass Manning's passing yardage mark (71,940) in 2018 but may need a bit more time to best his touchdown total (539). He currently ranks fourth on the all-time list (488), tied with Tom Brady. The duo's battle to eclipse the touchdown record will be an exciting storyline to watch in the coming seasons.The longtime Saint also ranks second in NFL history with 6,222 completions, behind only Brett Favre.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New information has emerged regarding Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston and the 2016 Uber incident which will reportedly result in a three-game suspension.Brandon Banks, a former Vanderbilt football player, was identified Friday as the third man with the Buccaneers pivot and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby in March 2016 when a female Uber driver said Winston sexually abused her in the car. Banks is currently in prison after being found guilty of rape in an unrelated incident.Banks' attorney, Mark Scruggs, told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" program, via Paula Lavigne, that his client was with Winston and Darby in a different Uber earlier in the evening, but that Winston entered the car alone with the driver, identified as "Kate.""What happened after that," Scruggs said, "they cannot say."Scruggs had never come forward to comment until Friday but did claim the NFL attempted to interview Banks in prison during its investigation of Winston. Banks would not comment on the incident without his lawyer present, whom the league never contacted.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers signed offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson to a three-year extension Friday, a source told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.The deal is reportedly worth a maximum of $18 million and includes $10 million in guaranteed money.Tomlinson was selected 28th overall in the 2015 draft by the Detroit Lions. He started 24 games and played all 32 over two years in Detroit, but was traded to the 49ers last August for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft.The 26-year-old started all 15 games he played last season at left guard, and finished the season as Pro Football Focus' No. 32-ranked player at his position.He'll bolster the left side of the 49ers' offensive line between tackle Joe Staley and center Weston Richburg.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's almost impossible for Bengals second-year wide receiver John Ross to perform any worse in 2018 than he did last year as a rookie.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green is coming to the defense of the receiver who went two spots behind him in the 2011 NFL Draft.Green said he understands why Julio Jones stayed away from the Atlanta Falcons during organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp while reportedly seeking a new contract."He gotta do what he gotta do, man," Green told TMZ Sports."The NFL stands for 'Not For Long,' so you gotta get it while it lasts."Green signed a four-year, $60-million extension with the Bengals in 2015, and ranks as the league's sixth highest-paid receiver with an average annual value of $15 million. Jones ranks eighth at $14.25 million and was surpassed this offseason by Sammy Watkins and Jarvis Landry.Jones has been training with soon-to-be Hall of Famer Terrell Owens rather than working out with his NFL employer. Team management is reportedly "uneasy" about Jones' decision, but quarterback Matt Ryan expressed a lack of concern.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jameis Winston's future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was uncertain even before reports that the quarterback is about to be suspended for three games.The Bucs chose Winston over Marcus Mariota with the first pick of the 2015 draft, and while Mariota has since led the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs, Winston's been inconsistent in his three seasons.He set franchise passing records and threw for more than 4,000 yards in his first two campaigns, but he's also been intercepted 44 times and lost 15 fumbles.The Bucs exercised the fifth-year option in his rookie contract in April, locking Winston up for the 2019 season. The 2018 campaign is make-or-break for the 24-year-old. If he proves himself a franchise quarterback and finds a way to steer Tampa Bay to the playoffs, he'll likely land an extension - but a possible suspension only gives the team's brass more misgivings about making that commitment.Off-field incidents are nothing new for Winston. A woman said he sexually assaulted her during his time at Florida State, and he was also suspended for one half of a game for shouting an obscene sexual phrase on campus. He was never charged in the sexual assault case, but it made national headlines during his final college season and throughout the draft process. He reached a settlement with the woman in 2016.Between the time the Bucs picked Winston and November 2017, his behavior away from the field didn't draw much negative attention beyond an incident last offseason when his remarks to a group of school children were criticized as sexist. He later admitted "poor word choice."But now the NFL is reportedly planning to suspend Winston because a female Uber driver says he grabbed her crotch in March 2016. Her account of their interaction wasn't reported publicly until November, and by then, the league was investigating.Winston denies making any inappropriate contact with her. Uber confirmed to ESPN and Buzzfeed that it revoked his riding privileges after the driver filed a formal complaint against him with the company, though Winston didn't report the complaint to the league.Related - Report: NFL investigation found Darby wasn't with Winston for entire Uber rideIf the quarterback is suspended for the first three games of the season, he would miss difficult matchups against the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Pittsburgh Steelers - a Monday nighter that's the Bucs' lone prime-time game.The Buccaneers already own one of the league's toughest schedules. Their division produced three playoff teams last year, and they draw the NFC East in 2018. If Tampa Bay struggles, with and without Winston, the franchise will likely make significant changes.Head coach Dirk Koetter enters the season on the hot seat. After the Bucs disappointed in 2017 - they were tabbed as playoff contenders and instead finished 5-11 - most observers were surprised the team retained him. He can't afford another sub-.500 season, and any new coach would presumably want their own guy at the most important position on the field.Tampa Bay could also move on from Winston if the poor results and negative press simply prove to be too much. His 2019 option is only guaranteed for injury, so the Bucs could cut him before the first day of the 2019 league year and avoid having to pay his $20.9-million salary.The Buccaneers received discouraging 80-1 odds to make the Super Bowl from the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. If their starting quarterback is suspended, those odds will only get longer, and Winston's and Koetter's chances of staying in Tampa Bay beyond this season will keep shrinking.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of the men who allegedly broke into Rob Gronkowski's Foxboro house the day after Super Bowl LII made an interesting shirt choice for his arraignment hearing on Wednesday.Shane Denn, 26, showed up to court wearing a New England Patriots T-shirt, according to Jim Hand of the Sun Chronicle. Bail was set at $100,000, and Denn was ordered to stay away from Gronkowski and wear a GPS monitoring device.Among the items stolen from Gronkowski's home were three handguns, Rolex and Appeal watches, and two antique coins.Anthony Almedia and Eric Tyrell have also been charged in connection with the break-in.- With h/t to Extra MustardCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly continues to make progress in his recovery from oral cancer.

"Numbers have life; they're not just symbols on paper," said Shakuntala Devi, known as the human computer.Devi wasn't referring to NFL jersey numbers, but she might as well have been. Jersey number aesthetics are real, and those who care about them - like us - take them very seriously (some might say too seriously).To the uninitiated, there's no difference between a receiver wearing No. 82 (yuck) or 88 (drools). But the right choice of digits can make a player's career, while a bad one can doom them to be a bust. Hey, we don't make the rules - the football gods do.So buckle in: Here's every NFL team's current best and worst jersey number.Arizona CardinalsBest: Sam Bradford - #9There are lots of great numbers on Arizona's roster - like Larry Fitzgerald's beautifully unique No. 11 - but the generally mediocre Bradford gets the nod for significantly upgrading his look as he dons No. 9 for the first time this season. It's even better with the black jersey.Worst: David Johnson - #31One of the most versatile and entertaining running backs in the league chooses No. 31? Is he trying to be Jim Taylor or some other glorified fullback?Atlanta FalconsBest: Deion Jones - #45Jones is a new breed of linebacker - a fast, fluid athlete with strong coverage skills who likely would have played safety 10-15 years ago. His unconventional number works, highlighting the difference between his role and a thumping, downhill-style 'backer.Worst: Vic Beasley - #44Does a difference of one really matter that much? Yes. Yes, it does. Beasley could be an elite defensive end, but not without switching to a beautiful pass-rusher number in the 90s.Baltimore RavensBest: Terrell Suggs - #55As we've established, pass-rushers look best sporting a number in the 90s; however, T-Sizzle has always marched to the beat of his own drum. He's one of the first true rush linebackers, and his No. 55 helps accentuate that important positional distinction.Worst: Breshad Perriman - #11Perriman practically ensured his bust status when he picked such a forgettable receiver number. To add insult to (literal) injury, he didn't even manage to exceed 11 catches last season.Buffalo BillsBest: Tre'Davious White - #27It's not your typical top cornerback number, but White's more than just the Bills' top shutdown defensive back - he's an all-around playmaker who appeared to mark the beginning of a new, more intelligent era in Buffalo when he was drafted in 2017. It's not his fault the Bills traded all those picks for an iffy-at-best quarterback.Worst: Kelvin Benjamin - #13Some guys have no self-awareness. If he wants to be considered a No. 1 receiver who flourishes in the red zone, Benjamin has to beef up his number. A No. 88 would be nice.Carolina PanthersBest: Cam Newton - #1No other player - let alone quarterback - can pull off No. 1 and make it look so good.Worst: Luke Kuechly - #59Really, man? You're Luke Kuechly! You could demand any number you want and you go with No. 59? You could have been one of the world's great 55s or 52s.Chicago BearsBest: Kyle Long - #75The Longs are one of the NFL's top footballing families. Kyle carrying on the legacy of his Hall of Fame father by wearing Howie's number (despite playing at a different position) makes this an easy choice.Worst: Pat O'Donnell - #16The only thing worse to look at than a punter is a punter trying to rock a backup quarterback's number.Cincinnati BengalsBest: Andy Dalton - #14Under most circumstances, this is a terrible choice at his position, but it's only right that the most "meh" quarterback in the league wears the most "meh" number.Worst: Carl Lawson - #58On one hand, Lawson still isn't very well known and is harder to notice as a pass-rusher wearing a non-traditional number in that role. On the other hand, Von Miller has become one of the league's most popular pass-rushers while wearing No. 58, setting unreasonably high expectations for anyone else using his digits.Cleveland BrownsBest: No oneIn these uniforms, no number can make any player look good.Worst: EveryoneThe only things uglier than these...... are these.Dallas CowboysBest: Sean Lee - #50It's a shame that the linebacker's lost so much time to injuries, because Lee's classic linebacker number of 50 in iconic Cowboys colors is a sight to behold.Worst: Connor Williams - #52It's not an awful choice for an interior offensive lineman, but the rookie guard botched his chance to ensure all five members of Dallas' projected starting unit would be wearing numbers in the 70s.Denver BroncosBest: Demaryius Thomas - #88A classic No. 1 receiver number that's best worn by a big, physical player like Thomas, whose size is accentuated by its width.Worst: Paxton Lynch - #12If you pick No. 12 as a quarterback, you'd better be damn sure you're going to be good.Detroit LionsBest: Golden Tate - #15A unique look for a unique receiver, it's also a major upgrade over the forgettable No. 81 he wore early in his career with Seattle. It makes Tate look a little more like the running back he was recruited as in college.Worst: Taylor Decker - #68Decker doesn't get the credit he deserves as an athletic, 6-foot-7 mauler protecting Matt Stafford's blind side. One explanation: He's wearing a backup's number.Green Bay PackersBest: Too many to pickFrom Aaron Rodgers' No. 12 to Kevin King's No. 20 to Blake Martinez's No. 50 (never mind David Bakhtiari, Davante Adams, Jaire Alexander, Brett Hundley, and a dozen more), there are simply too many great-looking jerseys in Green Bay to single one out.Worst: Nick Perry - #53How did he mess this up? That's not a pass-rusher number. Just pick a pass-rusher number and it'll look great.Houston TexansBest: J.J. Watt - #99There is no scarier sight for NFL quarterbacks than No. 99 bearing down on them. It's a classic choice for dominant defensive linemen, including Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, but it will go down in history as Watt's number - and it brings an added air of greatness as the highest number a player can wear.Worst: Vyncint Smith #17You may not know Smith, but you probably do know why no player should try to rock No. 17 in Houston ever again.Indianapolis ColtsBest: Malik Hooker - #29True center fielders are rare in the NFL. Hooker, the natural successor to Earl Thomas, looks just as good wearing the Seahawks safety's number.Worst: Quincy Wilson - #31At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Wilson could have picked No. 25 and looked like Richard Sherman. Instead, he chose No. 31 and looks more like Antonio Cromartie. Ugh.Jacksonville JaguarsBest: Jalen Ramsey - #20Ramsey is a shutdown corner, but he's also an unreal playmaker and gambler - just like Barry Sanders, the most famous No. 20 in NFL history. Thank goodness Ramsey quickly ditched No. 38.Worst: Blake Bortles - #5Though Bortles can't throw, he's strangely dominant - but no one looks fast or cool while running in a No. 5 jersey. A No. 7 or 9 would have been so much better.Kansas City ChiefsBest: Travis Kelce - #87Gronk made it cool. Kelce made it cooler (runs away from angry Patriots fans).Worst: Patrick Mahomes - #15Look at Mahomes at Texas Tech: gorgeous. But put a 1 in front of it, and Mahomes' elite size is suddenly obscured. Meanwhile, who's wearing No. 5 on the Chiefs? Matt freakin' McGloin. What a waste.Los Angeles ChargersBest: Philip Rivers - #17This will forever be Rivers' number. He built it. It's his now.Worst: Keenan Allen - #13We should have known Allen was going to mess up his jersey number when he wore No. 21 in college. Is he a No. 1 receiver or a slot guy? What's going on?Los Angeles RamsBest: Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, & Nickell Robey-Coleman - #21, #22, #23Sure, assembling one of the best cornerback groups in the league is nice, but you know what's even better? Getting them to wear consecutive numbers.Worst: Jared Goff - #16Other first overall picks have gone on to lengthy careers as game-managers, but choosing a number that sets that expectation is getting off on the wrong foot.Miami DolphinsBest: Frank Gore - #21Gore never looked quite right in No. 23. It's fitting that the legendary running back will likely finish his career in his hometown, sporting the number he wore in college and with the 49ers.Worst: Stephone Anthony - #44If you're already playing for a team where linebackers go to die, at least pick a good linebacker number.Minnesota VikingsBest: Adam Thielen - #19This is a great look for a receiver who can line up out wide or in the slot, and he likely didn't have much to choose from when he made the team as an undrafted free agent after a tryout in 2013.Worst: Stefon Diggs - #14Thielen took the number in the teens, so Diggs should be in the 80s. That's how good receiver duos work.New England PatriotsBest: Tom Brady - #12Jim Kelly, Roger Staubach, and Joe Namath all sported the legendary quarterback number before him, so it's a testament to Brady's greatness that he's become synonymous with No. 12.Worst: Danny Shelton - #71Shelton, a defensive tackle, has worn No. 55 and 71 during his brief NFL career. He doesn't deserve the inevitable Super Bowl ring he'll win in New England.New Orleans SaintsBest: Drew Brees - #9Like a striker in the beautiful game, Brees just looks proper in his golden No. 9, and has established himself as the premier player to don the digit.Worst: Alvin Kamara - #41Everything about watching Kamara's rookie season was fantastic - except the fact he was wearing a backup safety's number.New York GiantsBest: Odell Beckham Jr. - #13It takes a special receiver to make No. 13 look effortless and cool, and OBJ is nothing if not special.Worst: B.J Goodson - #93A middle linebacker trying to look like a defensive lineman is basically a nerd trying to sit at the cool kids' lunch table.New York JetsBest: Jamal Adams - #33Repeating digits doesn't always work for jersey numbers, but No. 33 is perfect for a hard-hitting safety like Adams.Worst: Leonard Williams - #92Though we're normally fans of talented defensive linemen wearing 90s, the Jets have had so many over the last decade that Williams gets a bit lost in the crowd.Oakland RaidersBest: Amari Cooper - #89It's clean, the bigger numbers give the impression of a bigger frame, and the silver and black looks great - full marks.Worst: Jordy Nelson - #82Put your No. 87 jersey on, Jordy! Why are you letting Jared Cook walk around in it?Philadelphia EaglesBest: Darren Sproles - #43Sproles is one of the most unique and dangerous players in NFL history, and he's made No. 43 his own. Watching that number, regardless of the jersey, scamper down the sidelines is pure football joy.Worst: Jay Ajayi - #36Ajayi looked great in No. 23 in Miami. His No. 36 with the Eagles, on the other hand, not only makes him look slower, it serves as a constant reminder that he was traded midseason and had to take whatever was available.Pittsburgh SteelersBest: JuJu Smith-Schuster - #19After briefly wearing No. 13 in his rookie minicamp, Smith-Schuster opted for something more like the No. 9 he wore at USC, then led first-year players in receiving yards. Good call.Worst: Le'Veon Bell & Antonio Brown - #26 & #84Arguably the league's best running back and receiver both play in the same offense, and they both have terrible numbers. While Brown's main mistake is being boring, Bell could have taken any other number in the 20s and looked much better. Dynamic playmakers don't wear a six on their jersey unless they're Hines Ward.San Francisco 49ersBest: Jimmy Garoppolo - #10Garoppolo looks like the NFL's next stud quarterback, so it's a relief he's picked a clean, crisp quarterback number that makes him look every bit a franchise passer. Trolling Brady with No. 12 would've been awesome, though.Worst: C.J. Beathard - #3It's hard enough to look good next to Garoppolo without wearing such a goofy number.Seattle SeahawksBest: Bobby Wagner - #54Doesn't he just look right? Fifty-four in those colors fits his build so well.Worst: Tyler Lockett - #16Sixteen looked good in purple and white at Kansas State, but with the Seahawks, it sparks more confusion. As Lockett tries to figure out whether he's a returner, slot specialist, deep threat, or gadget player in the pros, his number suggests he's just some backup.Tampa Bay BuccaneersBest: O.J. Howard - #80Not many players can make the Bucs' god-awful number font look good. However, not only does Howard's No. 80 signal that he's more a receiver than a true tight end, it's one of the few selections that benefits from the blocky design.Worst: Vita Vea - #50Continuity between college and NFL numbers is a big plus for us ... unless you're a boring first-round defensive tackle who looks like a center.Tennessee TitansBest: Marcus Mariota - #8It may not look nearly as good as it did during Mariota's Oregon days, but it's a constant reminder of how fun he can be when he isn't being coached by Mike Mularkey.Worst: Derrick Henry - #22At 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, Henry should be the heir apparent to Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch. No. 22 doesn't suit a power back. No defender is scared of it. Switch to No. 32.Washington RedskinsBest: Alex Smith - #11Just a little extra reminder of who got drafted with the No. 1 pick in Round 1 in 2005. Rodgers didn't dare rock 11 - he hasn't earned it like Smitty.Worst: Jordan Reed - #86If Reed wore No. 87 or 88, he might actually get the credit he deserves as Washington's best pass-catching weapon. It worked for Gronkowski, Kelce, Greg Olsen, and the retired Tony Gonzalez, none of whom would have considered donning a six.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL's investigation into Jameis Winston's reported violation of the league's personal conduct policy found that Ronald Darby, a key witness, wasn't present the whole time, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is reportedly facing a three-game suspension relating to an incident in Scottsdale, Ariz. on March 16, in which a female Uber driver said Winston groped her after she picked him up.Darby had previously claimed to be in the car and said "Jameis did not have any physical contact with the Uber driver. The accusations are just not true." But the investigation found that Darby, a former teammate of Winston's at Florida State, wasn't in the car for the entire ride.Related: Attorney for Uber driver asks NFL to investigate DarbyJohn Clune, the attorney for the driver, had previously asked the NFL to investigate Darby, demanding he turn his phone over to have the GPS history examined.

theScore's NFL Top 10 is a two-week series in which editors take a look at football's best, worst, and most interesting, highlighting everything from the overpaid to the most versatile and marketable.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TDOverpaidRingless vets (Jun. 25)Born outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small-school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)In a sport in which the best players have to fight to be paid what they're worth, it's a wonder that these 10 have such inflated deals. Here is our list of the 10 most overpaid active players.10. Alec Ogletree, LB, GiantsAverage salary: $10.68M (3rd among ILBs)

The NFL's mission for parity doesn't often reach teams who make it to - and win - the Super Bowl, but you can't fault the league for ensuring a radically different playoff field year in and year out.From 1991-2017, the average number of returning teams is under 6.4 per season - and last season saw even greater turnover. Out of the 12 teams that made the playoffs in 2016, only four - the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, and Kansas City Chiefs - were able to repeat the feat the following year.Here's a ranking of the 12 teams who made the 2017 postseason, from the least in danger of watching from home in January to the most:12. New England PatriotsNotable moves: Retained OC Josh McDaniels; traded WR Brandin Cooks to Rams; drafted RB Sony Michel; signed DE Adrian Clayborn in FA, lost LT Nate Solder, WR Danny Amendola, RB Dion LewisThey're the Patriots. Done. Moving on. Oh, you need more? Well, the last non-Tom Brady-led New England team to miss the playoffs was an NFL-record 15 seasons ago. Death, taxes, and a first-round bye for The Empire.And if we were to imagine a scenario in which the Patriots regressed back toward the rest of the division, who in the AFC East is ready to step up and finally slay the beast? The Buffalo Bills will be led by either Nathan Peterman, AJ McCarron, or Josh Allen; the New York Jets are in the midst of yet another rebuild, and the Miami Dolphins are arguably less talented than they were a year ago. So, yeah, book the Patriots in for a 16th straight year.11. Pittsburgh Steelers Notable moves: franchise tagged RB Le'Veon Bell; drafted S Terrell Edmunds, QB Mason Rudolph; signed S Morgan Burnett, LB Jon Bostic in FA, lost OT Chris HubbardThe Steelers aren't anywhere near the Patriots in terms of year-to-year consistency, but Mike Tomlin's team has made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, producing double-digit wins in all. And with Ben Roethlisberger's retirement conveniently now on hold after the addition of rookie passer Rudolph, Pittsburgh can remain all-in for winning right now.The rest of the AFC North isn't bad, but it's far from the top-tier division it was several years ago. The Baltimore Ravens, as ever, will be the Steelers' biggest threat and could take advantage if Pittsburgh's defense falters without Ryan Shazier. But the rest of the AFC is so weak that it's hard to see a team as talented and experienced as Pittsburgh missing out on at least a wild-card spot.10. Philadelphia EaglesNotable moves: lost OC Frank Reich; traded for DE Michael Bennett; revised QB Nick Foles' 2018 contract; signed WR Mike Wallace in FA, lost CB Patrick Robinson ​​​​​The reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles are arguably more talented than their two AFC counterparts above, but face far stiffer competition - both within their division and the NFC as a whole. Furthermore, no NFC East team has won back-to-back divisional crowns since Philadelphia won four straight from 2001-04.Still, by retaining Nick Foles instead of trading him, the Eagles safeguarded themselves against another Carson Wentz injury, or if the young quarterback is unable to go by Week 1. Expecting Foles to guide Philly to another Super Bowl win is unrealistic, but the veteran can keep Doug Pederson's lauded offensive system rolling enough to ensure another postseason appearance. If the Eagles can continue to maximize their talent, it might be a long time before we see an NFC playoff field without them.9. New Orleans SaintsNotable moves: re-signed QB Drew Brees; RB Mark Ingram suspended 4 games; drafted DE Marcus Davenport; signed CB Patrick Robinson, TE Ben Watson in FA; OT Zach Strief retiredAfter three long seasons on the outside of the playoff picture, the Saints re-emerged as Super Bowl contenders in 2017, mostly thanks to the dynamic running back duo of Mark Ingram and then-rookie Alvin Kamara. The infusion of youth, on both sides of the ball, should ensure Drew Brees will have several more cracks at a second title run. The veteran certainly looks as good as ever.Working against the Saints, however, is a division that's routinely three teams deep each year. The Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers aren't going anywhere, and New Orleans bet big on rookie pass-rusher Marcus Davenport by trading next year's first-rounder to move up and get him. Nevertheless, it's unlikely Brees and Sean Payton let any more seasons go to waste.8. Jacksonville JaguarsNotable moves: drafted DT Taven Bryan; signed G Andrew Norwell, WR Donte Moncrief in FA, lost WR Allen RobinsonWhat a difference a year makes. Prior to 2017, the Jaguars had missed the playoffs in nine straight seasons, with six years of double-digit losses since 2011. Jacksonville had previously seemed on the precipice of becoming a solid team, which is likely why some people still don't believe this team is as good as advertised.We aren't "some people," however. The Jaguars' ridiculous, NFL-best pass-rush isn't going anywhere, and the upgraded offensive line should give Leonard Fournette more room to dominate. Regression back to the mean is possible, but in a conference stocked with teams still finding their feet, the Jaguars are too well-rounded to fall below .500 - even with a much healthier AFC South looking threatening.7. Minnesota VikingsNotable moves: hired OC John DeFilippo; drafted CB Mike Hughes; re-signed CB Terence Newman; signed QB Kirk Cousins, DT Sheldon Richardson in FA, lost DT Tom JohnsonKirk Cousins finally has his contract, and the Vikings finally - hopefully? - have their franchise quarterback. On paper, Minnesota is arguably the closest team to the Eagles in terms of sheer talent. Cousins won't be asked to carry the offense, not with Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and the returning Dalvin Cook to lean on, and the top-ranked defense has stayed intact.But the Vikings don't have everything going for them. Firstly, the aforementioned defense looked nothing like the regular-season iteration during the playoffs, giving up 62 points in just two games after averaging 15.8 during the prior 16 games. Was it a blip, or it the defense not as talented as once thought? Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the return of a certain Green Bay Packers quarterback. A healthy Aaron Rodgers ensures elite competition for the division, and the strength of the NFC means a potential wild-card fight will be brutal.6. Atlanta FalconsNotable moves: drafted WR Calvin Ridley; re-signed K Matt Bryant; lost DE Adrian Clayborn, DT Dontari Poe in FAThe Falcons have regained their consistency under head coach Dann Quinn over the last two years, winning the division in 2016 and earning a wild-card spot last year. Atlanta made the postseason in four of the first five seasons of the Matt Ryan era, before hitting a slump from 2013-2015. So, while the Falcons are one of the stronger NFC teams, it's fair to question what version of the team will show itself in 2018.Furthermore, the issues on offense, primarily coordinator Steve Sarkisian's bland play-calling, remain following a relatively quiet offseason. Rookie Calvin Ridley should help, but he alone can't help make up the 11.8 points per game lost between 2016 and 2017. While the up-and-coming, athletically gifted defense should ease the pressure off Ryan's shoulders somewhat, the NFC South is always a gauntlet; the Falcons can't afford even the slightest regression.5. Kansas City ChiefsNotable moves: lost OC Matt Nagy; traded QB Alex Smith to Redskins, CB Marcus Peters to Rams; acquired CB Kendall Fuller; signed WR Sammy Watkins, LB Anthony Hitchens in FA, lost WR Albert WilsonThe Chiefs have made the postseason in all but one of head coach Andy Reid's five seasons in charge and still won nine games in the single year they missed out. However, that was with a seasoned veteran under center, not a gunslinger who, while talented, has 35 regular-season attempts to his name.Patrick Mahomes is set to take over from Alex Smith, and he's arguably the biggest wild card in the league. If he hits the ground running, the Chiefs have enough talent on offense to fight for a first-round bye. But if he struggles, and running back Kareem Hunt is unable to carry the offense with defenses zeroing in on him, Kansas City could be the surprise team to drop out of the AFC playoff field. The 28th-ranked defense certainly isn't strong enough to power a postseason push. The Chiefs' chances could come down to whether any other AFC West team is ready to step up.4. Los Angeles RamsNotable moves: acquired CB Marcus Peters, WR Brandin Cooks, CB Aqib Talib; signed DT Ndamukong Suh in FA, lost WR Sammy WatkinsNo team has made more noise this offseason than the Rams, who came out of nowhere last season to win the NFC West in spectacular fashion. Los Angeles is clearly, and smartly, taking advantage of having Jared Goff and Todd Gurley on rookie deals by loading up on talented vets who can help the team win now. But, as history has proven, "winning" the offseason doesn't necessarily translate into real Ws.Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib all improve the Rams' defense, but they're strong personalities for a second-year head coach to deal with, though Sean McVay does have defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to rely on. Moreover, the Falcons' offensive regression after leading the league in scoring - just as the Rams did in 2017 - shows how hard it is to remain at such a high level on that side of the ball. The Rams are rightfully the NFC West favorites, but the San Francisco 49ers look dangerous and counting out the Seattle Seahawks has proven to be foolish in the past.3. Tennessee TitansNotable moves: fired HC Mike Mularkey, hired Mike Vrabel; drafted LB Rashaan Evans, LB Harold Landry; signed RB Dion Lewis, CB Malcolm Butler in FAThe Titans squeezed into the playoffs on the final day of the season and managed to win their first postseason game since 2008 campaign. It wasn't enough to save Mike Mularkey's job, however, as he was replaced by Mike Vrabel, who should help boost the team by simply moving away from the offense's archaic scheme.Still, the Titans finished just above .500 for a reason. They're a young team still finding its groove, especially the middle-of-the-road defense. And while the change of scheme should unleash Marcus Mariota, the rest of the AFC South should be much improved, meaning Tennessee needs significant leaps on both sides of the ball to be in contention for the divisional title.2. Carolina PanthersNotable moves: hired OC Norv Turner; drafted WR D.J. Moore; acquired WR Torrey Smith; re-signed DE Julius Peppers; signed DT Dontari Poe in FA, lost RB Jonathan Stewart, G Andrew Norwell, DT Star LotuleleiCarolina has seemingly been one the NFC's most consistent teams since 2013, making the playoffs four times and winning three NFC South titles. But when you dig a little deeper, the cracks appear in their recent success. Last year's 11-win season was proceeded by a highly disappointing 6-10 finish following the loss in Super Bowl 50. The Panthers won 15 regular-season games on their way to the big show during the 2015 campaign but took the division the year prior with only seven victories.In short, the Panthers are a top-heavy team who rely on their stars too much, leading to down years like 2016. It doesn't help that after years of watching the offense stagnate around Cam Newton, Carolina opted to make offensive coordinator Norv Turner the team's savior. How he fits with the former NFL MVP is a huge question mark. The unit should be more explosive, though, with D.J. Moore aboard and no Jonathan Stewart to take touches away from Christian McCaffrey - but the historical volatility of this team, along with a stacked NFC South, means it's the NFC squad most feeling the heat.1. Buffalo BillsNotable moves: drafted QB Josh Allen; traded QB Tyrod Taylor to Browns, LT Cordy Glenn to Bengals; signed DT Star Lotulelei, QB AJ McCarron in FA; G Richie Incognito retiredThe Bills fan base doesn't deserve this, but the football gods care not for the feelings of mere mortals. After finally snapping their 17-year streak without a playoff appearance, the Bills are easily the team most in danger of being booted from postseason contention.As mentioned previously, the AFC East isn't exactly stacked with talent, but the Patriots' presence means everyone else is automatically playing for second. Moreover, the Bills' offense is not only lacking established talent all over the field, it will be led by either an underwhelming veteran (McCarron), a second-year passer with five interceptions in one half (Peterman), or a raw rookie who's definitely not ready for primetime (Allen).A new drought begins.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is planning to suspend Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston for three games due to a violation of the league's personal conduct policy, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The league has yet to notify Winston, added Schefter, so his suspension could still be changed. The ban stems from an Uber ride in March 2016. A female driver said Winston groped her after she picked him up in the party district of Scottsdale, Ariz."He reached over and he just grabbed my crotch," the woman told BuzzFeed in November 2017. The driver said he kept his hand there for three-to-five seconds until she said, "What's up with that?"If Winston's ban stands, he'll miss games against the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick would likely move into the starting lineup.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Oakland Raiders may not have anything to worry about when it comes to new wide receiver Martavis Bryant after all.A report last week indicated team officials were waiting to hear from the NFL about another potential suspension for Bryant under the league's substance abuse policy. He was previously suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season and the entirety of the 2016 campaign.As of Wednesday, the league hasn't notified Bryant of anything, reports Vic Tafur of The Athletic. Sources told Tafur that Bryant didn't fail or miss a drug test.Bryant was conditionally reinstated from his year-long suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell last summer. The Raiders acquired Bryant from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third-round pick in April, but his status remains conditional."I've had my difficulties in my past, but I've come a long way from that. It's all about keeping the right resources around me and continuing to stay on the right path. I'm going to make sure I get that done," Bryant said following the trade.The 26-year-old has caught 126 of 225 targets for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns over 36 games played.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Johnny Manziel has made a very positive first impression on June Jones, head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats."I've been pleasantly surprised the last three weeks what a good teammate he is, how smart he is, how he sees the game,'' Jones told David Newton of ESPN. "He should be playing in the National Football League and I believe he will when he gets through with us.''Manziel reignited his career in May by signing a two-year contract with the Tiger-Cats after spending the last couple of years addressing his well-documented issues off the gridiron.The former Heisman Trophy winner and Cleveland Browns first-round pick impressed in the preseason, but served as the backup quarterback for Jeremiah Masoli in Hamilton's opening contest of the regular season."It'll take two years,'' Jones said of Manziel's desired return to the NFL. "They're (NFL executives, coaches) waiting to see that he's taken care of his off-the-field problems.''Jones also described Manziel as "humble," and added that "he's growing up every day."The 25-year-old Manziel is expected to be Masoli's backup again Friday when the 0-1 Tiger-Cats take on the Edmonton Eskimos.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson pleaded no contest to reckless driving charges on Wednesday, according to his attorney Ed O'Donnell, via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.Adjudication was withheld and Anderson will receive six months of non-reporting probation. All the charges from Anderson's two offseason arrests have been addressed.The league will continue reviewing the cases, according to an NFL spokesman.Anderson was arrested in Florida in January for allegedly failing to yield during a traffic stop. Though he faced nine charges, they were later dropped by the Broward County State Attorney's Office.Charges stemming from an incident in May 2017, when Anderson was arrested for violence and obstruction of a police officer at the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami, were dropped last month.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane all but acknowledged that former first-round pick Shaq Lawson, who was drafted by a different regime, has been a bust throughout his first two seasons."Shaq is a guy that this franchise put a lot of stock in with a first-round pick," Beane told The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn. "It's no secret he hasn't lived up to that. (Head coach) Sean (McDermott) and I are very frank. We try not to be rude, but we don't beat around the bush. We laid out the expectations for Shaq."Though he's battled various injuries, Lawson has only posted six sacks in 21 career games. He was expected to provide the Bills with a ferocious edge presence when former GM Doug Whaley and former head coach Rex Ryan selected him 19th overall out of Clemson in 2016.Beane noted he's been more impressed with Lawson's work habits this offseason than he was a year ago. Still, the former collegiate star has plenty of work to do if he hopes to enjoy a long career in Buffalo."We're off for five weeks," Beane added. "What's he going to do in these next five weeks? Is he going to take the next step from where he left off or is he going to regress? That's the conversation we had."I think he wants it. I think he is more focused this year than what I saw last year. The sky is the limit. The guy is talented. It's just what he makes of it and how bad he wants it. It's hard. Some of these guys don't know what it means to be a pro every day and that was part of the thing for him. I think he's now getting that. It is a big summer. Training camp will tell a lot about where his career in Buffalo is headed."Lawson, 24, is expected to compete for a starting role during the preseason.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.Getting bored with fantasy football? Or maybe you play in several different leagues and want to differentiate one?There's no reason you have to stick with the default rules offered by your provider. Using FAAB instead of rolling waivers, adding a superflex slot, or even eliminating kickers can all improve your league. But there's no reason you have to stop there.Below, we outline five significant rule changes that can help reinvigorate a dying league or take a thriving one to another level.1. Live draft with lottery and tradesThe draft is everyone's favorite part of the fantasy season, but it's better when it functions more like a real-life event rather than a dozen owners staring at laptop screens and clicking on the next player on the pre-rankings list. Get everyone in the same room, maybe get some alcohol, and get ready for fireworks.Start by holding a draft lottery. You can figure out rules that work for you, but something where the worst teams from the previous season have the highest chance of earning the No. 1 pick works best.During the draft, allow owners to trade picks. This mimics the drama of the NFL draft, with teams negotiating to move up and down the board while targeting specific players.If every owner can't get in the same room at the same time, hold the draft over email and input the picks to your league site when it's done. Just make sure to set a draft clock or it could take more than a week to complete.2. Keepers with a costFull dynasty leagues can be enjoyable, but are too time-consuming for most fantasy owners (and, let's face it, the patience required for a multi-year tank-and-rebuild process isn't exactly everyone's idea of fun).The best solution for most leagues is to add a few keepers. Stick to simple rules: Two or three keepers maximum, and it should cost something to keep a player.There are a few ways to go about this. You can either force an owner to surrender next year's draft pick in the same round (or a round earlier) that the player was originally drafted in order to keep him, or make the owner pay real money (something like $10 for the first keeper and $20 for every subsequent keeper) that goes into the champion's pot.Keepers make every waiver and trade decision that much more important. They also give owners who are out of title contention a reason to keep paying attention. At some point, it becomes a smart strategy to stash an injured player on your roster as a keeper.3. Multiple trophies on the lineTake a page from European soccer, where a team like Liverpool competes not only to win the Premiership, but also the FA Cup and the Champions League, and create a second trophy (and/or a cash prize) that teams can chase. This shouldn't come at the expense of your league's primary fantasy title, which should remain every team's top goal, but it can give the lesser teams something to strive for.Get creative with it. You can award a trophy to the team whose bench players scored the most points over the season, or who made the best trade according to league vote, or for whoever eliminated that one owner you all hate.4. Steal a playerOnce or twice during the season, hold a draft where the bad teams get the chance to steal a player from the good teams.The goal here isn't to turn the league completely on its head, so every team should be allowed to protect its most important players. If your roster size is 15 players, eight to 10 players is a good number to protect. If you want, set a limit so no team can have more than two or three players stolen.Give the last-place team the first pick in the steal-a-player draft and then watch the drama unfold.5. Punishment for losersThere are a few ways you can go about this one, depending on how much of an appetite you have for humiliating your league's worst owners.The standard model is to force the owner who finishes in last place to stand somewhere in public wearing something embarrassing.Some leagues take it to another level and force the last-place team to get pelted by paintballs, retake the ACT, or even get a tattoo. That sort of risk will certainly keep every owner engaged all the way through Week 16.If this all sounds a little too intense for you, a lighter punishment like allowing whoever has the biggest win each week to rename the loser's team works, too.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A group of four NFL players - and members of the Players Coalition advocacy group - responded to President Donald Trump's request for a list of people who should be considered for criminal pardons.In a New York Times op-ed published Thursday, Doug Baldwin, Anquan Boldin, Malcolm Jenkins, and Benjamin Watson wrote that the president still isn't listening.Trump responded to the NFL's new anthem policy - which allows for players to remain in the locker room if they so choose - by offering to meet with those who protest during the anthem and ask for a list of those unfairly treated by the justice system for possible pardons."A handful of pardons will not address the sort of systemic injustice that NFL players have been protesting," the players wrote.Baldwin, Boldin, Jenkins, and Watson listed police brutality, unnecessary incarceration, excessive criminal sentencing, residential segregation, and educational inequality as examples of the injustices NFL players have protested during the national anthem in recent seasons. Those protests - kneeling or demonstrating during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" - have drawn the ire of the president."Our being professional athletes has nothing to do with our commitment to fighting injustice," the players wrote. "We are citizens who embrace the values of empathy, integrity, and justice, and we will fight for what we believe is right. We weren't elected to do this. We do it because we love this country, our communities, and the people in them. This is our America, our right."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While he would like to get paid, quarterback Dak Prescott won't necessarily try to break the bank when he negotiates a contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys."That's all good money, and that's all big money, honestly," Prescott told Lorenzo Reyes of USA TODAY Sports. "I haven't decided, or haven't even talked about whether it's a fully guaranteed deal, all up front, or whatever, short-term deal, or make it long term. I've got to take care of myself and take care of my family. But at the same time, I want to do what's best to get good players around me and keep good players around me, because that's how you win."There's no indication that contract talks between Dallas and Prescott, who has two years remaining on his rookie deal and is set to make a meager $630,000 in 2018, have already begun.However, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged in May that the team is already budgeting for a Prescott extension in its future payroll projections."Personally, it's about winning, man," Prescott said. "When it comes to the contract, we know this is a year where it's going to happen in some form or fashion. For me, it's just about focusing on being the best I can. Being the best quarterback I can to make sure we win a lot of games so that I can show this organization what I can do and what I can do for many years to come. I know if I do that and win a bunch of games, go out there and win a Super Bowl, that money will take care of itself."Prescott enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign but regressed slightly last season, throwing for 3,324 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 62.9 percent of his passes.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's NFL Top 10 is a two-week series in which editors take a look at football's best, worst, and most interesting players, highlighting everything from the overpaid to the most versatile and marketable.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TDOverpaid (Jun. 22)Ringless vets (Jun. 25)Born outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small-school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)Scoring a touchdown in the NFL is next to impossible, but many players cross the plane at least once in their career due to sheer luck or circumstance.Some veterans have yet to put their teams on the board, however. Below, we rank the top 10 players who have never scored a touchdown.10. Keith Smith, FB, RaidersIn a league full of specialists, Smith excels as a blocking back with limited utility as a running back; he has rushed just twice in the NFL entering his fifth season. Smith is a converted linebacker who switched to fullback to improve his odds of sticking in the league, and he's an underrated component of the offense, tasked with making room for Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott during the 2017 season. After signing a two-year deal with the Raiders, it's on him to continue to prove his worth.9. Jurrell Casey, DT, TitansCasey has played all but two games - starting all but three - over a seven-year career. A third-round pick in the 2011 draft, he has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons. He's recorded 39 sacks but has forced just five fumbles with a single recovery. Both a strong pass-rusher and great run-stopper, it's surprising the 6-foot-1, 305-pound Casey is yet to stumble on a loose ball near the goal line.8. Damon Harrison, DT, GiantsHarrison, best known to his teammates and opponents as "Snacks," has eaten up his competition in recent years, serving as the NFL's premier run-stopping tackle. Although he's a bonafide star, he hasn't been able to rumble into the end zone, despite his reputation for blowing up ball-carriers at the line of scrimmage. There's always something to aspire to, and perhaps the Giants could use the 6-foot-4, 350-pound tackle in red-zone formations in 2018.7. D.J. Swearinger, S, RedskinsSwearinger has picked off 10 passes over his first five years in the NFL, recording his longest return to date in 2017 at 32 yards. He has also totaled 29 passes defensed and three fumble recoveries, and has the speed to break for the end zone whenever he happens upon a loose ball, running a 4.67 in the 40 at his rookie combine.6. Ronald Darby, CB, EaglesDarby is on the cusp of stardom and played a major role for the Eagles in their Super Bowl victory over the Patriots in February. Although he's still approaching his prime, it's shocking that the lockdown cornerback hasn't scored in his career. A former track star, Darby has the speed to burn his opposition en route to the end zone. It's only a matter of time.5. Prince Amukamara, CB, BearsAmukamara's hands may be the main reason he's been kept out of the end zone through seven seasons. The 6-foot corner has 58 passes defensed, but he's grabbed control of just seven interceptions over 83 games. He has focused largely on coverage and didn't play even a single pass-rush snap last season, according to Pro Football Focus.4. Cameron Wake, DE, DolphinsSince joining the NFL in 2009, Wake has been one of the NFL's most disruptive talents, earning five Pro Bowl selections while wreaking havoc on tackles and quarterbacks everywhere. With 92 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, and an interception during nine seasons with the Dolphins, he has yet to convert any of these opportunities into touchdowns. It merely seems like Wake has yet to benefit from the law of averages.3. Matthew Slater, WR, PatriotsThe Patriots' special teams specialist, Slater has won two Super Bowls and has been named to seven Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team over a 10-year career. He has caught just one pass off eight career targets for 46 yards and rushed twice for 11 yards in sparse offensive usage. He's returned a total of 35 kickoffs in 141 career games, but he hasn't returned 10 or more in a single season since 2009. The 32-year-old was signed to a two-year contract by the Patriots earlier this offseason and seems the perfect candidate to be used in a trick-play situation near an opponent's goal line.2. Darius Slay, CB, LionsSlay earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career during the 2017 season and has been a top-tier cornerback since entering the league in 2013. With 14 career interceptions - including a league-best eight in 2017 - it's shocking that Slay has never taken the ball all the way to the house. Entering his sixth season, he's probably frothing at the chance to shut down his opponent and put points on the board.1. Derek Carr, QB, RaidersQuarterbacks technically need to either carry the ball over the goal line or catch a pass in the end zone to be credited with a touchdown scored, something that's happened with surprising frequency for many of the league's certified starters. While Carr has thrown for 103 career touchdowns and rushed 124 times for 366 yards over 62 games, he remains without an official score. We'll need to wait and see if new head coach Jon Gruden will be able to change that early in the 2018 season.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TDOverpaid (Jun. 22)Ringless vets (Jun. 25)Born outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small-school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Everyone wants a piece of the NFL's supposed next great running back.New York Giants rookie Saquon Barkley's jersey is the No. 1 seller among all players in the NFL at DICK's Sporting Goods, edging out fellow NFC East rivals Carson Wentz, Ezekiel Elliott, and Dak Prescott.The No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft broke records before even setting foot on an NFL field, selling more jerseys than any player on draft night in the history of Fanatics, which runs the official NFL online shop.Barkley's early success was predicted by his teammate, Odell Beckham Jr.

Former NFL referee Jeff Triplette will join ESPN's Monday Night Football as a rules analyst, Cameron Filipe of Football Zebras reports.The NFL pushed ESPN to hire Triplette, according to Filipe.Triplette, who joined the league in 1996, retired from refereeing after the 2017 season, with the Titans-Chiefs playoff game serving as his final contest. He worked during 11 playoff games and was the alternate referee for Super Bowl XLI.He may be best known, though, for accidentally hitting Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Orlando Brown with a weighted penalty flag during a December 1999 game. Brown pushed Triplette and was suspended as a result.Triplette also served as the president of the NFL Referees Association from 2013-2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Terrell Owens is to be believed, then the Atlanta Falcons have nothing to worry about in regards to star wide receiver Julio Jones spending the early part of his offseason training with the soon-to-be Hall of Famer.A report surfaced earlier this week that Falcons management was "uneasy" about their star spending time with the often outspoken Owens amid a reported contract dispute."I have no idea where all of this is coming from," Owens told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report this week. "I have nothing to do with Julio except training. This is the media trying (to) create something that's not even there. It's very unfortunate. What possible reason would they have to create that narrative?"Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has expressed a lack of concern over Jones' whereabouts during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Coming off a stunningly disappointing 6-10 season in which no other AFC team took a further step backward, the Oakland Raiders demonstrated this offseason why they'll be the perfect marriage for Las Vegas when the franchise moves to Sin City in 2019.Raiders owner Mark Davis gambled big in January and perhaps mortgaged his team's future through a series of transactions that started - but certainly didn’t end - with the luring of Jon Gruden out of the broadcast booth for an outlandish $100-million coaching contract over 10 years. It's an unprecedented payout that alone guarantees Gruden more power than most NFL bench bosses enjoy.Nine years had passed since the wide-eyed, cartoonish Monday Night Football analyst last coached in the NFL, and 12 since Gruden led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to double-digit wins.Sure, Gruden isn't the first coach to return from a long respite, and some have found success.Dick Vermeil took a 15-year break after leaving the Eagles in 1982, citing burnout at just 45 years old, and returned at 61 to coach the St. Louis Rams, whom he guided to a Super Bowl title three years later.Bill Parcells took four years off after the leaving the Jets in 1999 and resurfaced in Dallas to coach the Cowboys at 62, winning 34 games in four seasons (but no playoff contests) before retiring after the owner had forced Terrell Owens upon him in 2006.Pete Carroll spent 10 years away from the NFL after the Patriots fired him in 1999 before the Seahawks hired him in 2010, but at least Carroll spent most of those years rebuilding USC into a national college powerhouse.In the Raiders' case, the full-court press on Gruden felt like a desperate attempt by Davis to spark his team by wrangling the hottest "name" on the market - which Gruden has been every year since the Bucs fired him in January 2009 - instead of following the league's trend of going young and player-friendly.For years, Gruden had rebuffed offers, determining that analyzing from the comfy confines of ESPN's booth for a hefty paycheck beat the stress and anxiety of coaching in a league where everyone other than Bill Belichick is perpetually on the hot seat.It wasn't until widespread layoffs at ESPN - resulting in hundreds of marquee industry names on the unemployment line - that Gruden suddenly, and conveniently, said the pull of the locker room was too great to ignore.Davis doling out $100 million to make sure he landed his man smacks of the New York Knicks unabashedly upping their ante several times to Phil Jackson until finally convincing the Zen Master to come out retirement and lead basketball operations – with an eye-popping contract that paid $12 million annually.How'd that work out?You don’t pay an NFL head coach $10 million to merely handle Xs and Os, so it’s no surprise that reports quickly surfaced after Gruden's hiring that Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie would see his power diminish under the new sheriff.Meanwhile, several of the team’s decisions since Gruden's hiring indicate an aimless franchise that isn’t rock-solid from top to bottom despite the supposed change in culture he was expected to bring. They include:

A 28-member coalition of civil rights groups and activists penned a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday, blasting the league for implementing a rule that requires players to stand for the national anthem if they're on the sidelines prior to a game.The coalition, which includes the NAACP, ACLU, and prominent activists DeRay McKesson and Al Sharpton, begun their letter by chastising the NFL for repressing "peaceful, non-disruptive protest":

Free-agent wide receiver Eric Decker hasn't received much reported interest this offseason, but there is a potential landing spot that intrigues him."I think the Patriots would be a good fit and being drafted by Josh McDaniels in Denver. I talked with New England last year during the free-agency process in June. That is always an option that I would definitely love to entertain," Decker said, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio.McDaniels, the Patriots' offensive coordinator, was part of the staff that selected Decker with the 87th overall pick of the 2010 draft during his brief stint as the Broncos' head coach.Decker spent the 2017 season with Tennessee Titans, but said that at this point in his career he wants to go somewhere he can compete for a Super Bowl.The 31-year-old played all 16 regular-season games and both playoff games last season. He totaled 54 receptions for 563 yards and a single touchdown in the regular season, adding eight postseason catches for 106 yards and another score.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Although the Denver Broncos are in the midst of acquiring a new naming rights sponsor for their stadium, the venue has landed a temporary title for 2018.Sports Authority Field at Mile High will be renamed Broncos Stadium at Mile High, the team announced, until another sponsor is secured."We've had many productive conversations and are confident we'll identify the right partner, which is critical for ongoing improvements to our stadium. In this interim period, we'll continue to provide all the necessary resources to ensure our stadium remains a great place for fans and one of the top facilities in all of sports," Broncos chief commercial officer Mac Freeman said in a statement.Sports Authority, a now-bankrupt sporting goods store, had its signage removed from the exterior of the stadium in January.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith isn't expecting anyone to take it easy on him and his level of play in his first year with the team."I don't think you can rely on the fact that, 'Oh, it's the first year here.' Nobody cares," Smith said, according to Rich Tandler of NBC Sports. "It's not like in the fall, you guys are going to be like, 'Ah, well, this is his first year here. We'll give him a break.' It just doesn’t work that way."Smith was acquired via trade from the Kansas City Chiefs during this offseason.The 34-year-old led the Chiefs to three consecutive playoff appearances. He'll now be charged with turning around a Washington team that went 7-9 and finished third in the NFC East last season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFLPA announced Doug Whaley as its new director of college scouting on Wednesday."We are thrilled to have Doug join our team," said Teri Smith, NFLPA Collegiate Bowl director and deputy managing director of the NFLPA. "His knowledge of the scouting landscape, along with his vast NFL resume, will help continue the Collegiate Bowl's growth and benefit the game's participants as they learn the business of football."Whaley will head recruitment, evaluation, and the selection process of draft-eligible players for the annual Collegiate Bowl.The 45-year-old spent 22 years in the NFL working with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, and Buffalo Bills in various personnel roles.He served as the Bills' general manager from 2013-17."I'm grateful to the NFLPA for entrusting me with this opportunity to work with a marquee collegiate showcase," Whaley said. "We are an organization that will be with the players for their entire careers both on and off the field. I'm thrilled to serve in this capacity of introducing them to the union, our partners and the many great programs available to help them make the most of their experience."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The famously strained relationship between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers seems to have gotten better with age.While appearing on ESPN 540's "Wilde and Tausch on Monday, Favre talked about a recent phone call he shared with Rodgers, in which the younger quarterback expressed appreciation for Favre's treatment of him as his eventual replacement under center with the Green Bay Packers."He (Rodgers) said, 'I get it now. I get what you were saying, or how you carried yourself,'" Favre said."There is no clause that says, 'You groom the next guy who's going to take your job, or else.' It doesn't work that way."Favre infamously distanced himself from a young Rodgers, whom the Packers drafted 24th overall in 2005 while he was still performing at a high level at the age of 35."My contract doesn't say I have to get Aaron Rodgers ready to play. Now hopefully he watches me and gets something from that," Favre said in an ESPN interview at the time, according to Aaron Nagler of the Journal Sentinel.Rodgers will turn 35 in early December and is awaiting a contract extension (he's signed through the end of 2019) that's expected to make him the league's highest-paid quarterback.Coming off an injury-derailed 2017 campaign, the Packers upgraded their backup-quarterback position this offseason by acquiring 2017 second-round pick DeShone Kizer from the Cleveland Browns.It will be interesting to see how Rodgers handles the relationship with his own young backup.With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's NFL Top 10 is a two-week series in which editors take a look at football's best, worst, and most interesting players, highlighting everything from the overpaid to the most versatile and marketable.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TD (Jun. 21)Overpaid (Jun. 22)Ringless vets (Jun. 25)Born outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)The NFL will generally have a home for any player who can do at least one thing extremely well. However, a select few are able to do whatever is asked of them - in any system, and in any matchup. Here's a look at the 10 most versatile players in the NFL ahead of the 2018 season:10. Lane Johnson, OT, EaglesAfter missing 10 games due to suspension in 2016, Johnson earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in his first full season protecting the mobile Carson Wentz. The 6-foot-6, 317-pound lineman ranked as one of the top offensive tackles in both run and pass blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. His athleticism and ability to move around while typically matching up against the opposition's best edge rusher gave Wentz and the running backs time to escape while rushing to the outside.9. Matt Stafford, QB, LionsWhen it comes to quarterbacks, versatility can have a different meaning as none of the NFL's passers line up and contribute at other positions. Russell Wilson and Cam Newton may come to mind due to their running ability, but if versatility is defined as the ability to adapt, there's no quarterback who fits the bill more than Stafford. While cycling through different targets, protectors, and coaches without ever having a dependable rushing attack to lean on, Stafford's ability to constantly change his throwing angle while operating within the pocket or on the run has kept the Lions in the hunt each year. And if he really needed to, he could probably line up as a receiver, too.8. Adoree' Jackson, CB, TitansAn excellent returner of both punts and kickoffs, Jackson also gained 55 yards on five rushing attempts when used on offense in 2017. Meanwhile, the rookie corner was quick to the ball all over the field on defense, forcing three fumbles with 17 passes defensed, and leading all Titans defensive backs with 1,258 snaps played, according to Football Outsiders.7. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots"Complete" may be the better word to describe Gronkowski, but given the lack of tight ends who can block as well as they can catch, he deserves credit for being versatile. When the 29-year-old hauls in a one-handed catch between a safety and a linebacker it's easy to forget that he's also perhaps the most feared skill-position blocker in the NFL. Gronkowski loves getting physical as a receiver and a blocker while possessing an absurd combination of size and strength that makes him a nightmare to defend.6. Alvin Kamara, RB, SaintsUnlike most change-of-pace or receiving backs, Kamara kept defenses guessing when it came to his usage on the field last season. The Offensive Rookie of the Year led the league with 6.1 yards per attempt on 120 carries and caught 81 of 100 targets. Kamara's range of skills and his lack of a weakness helped keep the Saints' offense perfectly balanced.5. Fletcher Cox, DT, EaglesA man that big is not supposed to move like Cox does. The 310-pound Pro Bowler flies around the backfield like a much lighter defensive end while bull-rushing offensive linemen into quarterback's laps. He's the leader of the Eagles' defensive line, which posted top marks in rushing defense and quarterback pressures in 2017 as Cox amassed 5.5 sacks and 50 pressures.4. David Johnson, RB, CardinalsJohnson's 2017 season came to an end after just 11 carries and six receptions in Week 1. However, his pre-injury workload seemed to be following suit of his league-leading 2,118 yards from scrimmage and 20 combined receiving and rushing touchdowns from his sophomore 2016 campaign. Johnson could be asked to take on an even bigger role for the Cardinals in 2018, as he'll likely be asked to help lessen the load for either Sam Bradford or Josh Rosen as the team's best option on the ground and through the air.3. Aaron Donald, DT, RamsAt 6-foot-1, Donald often has a natural leverage advantage over anyone who tries to put hands on him, but that's not the first thing that jumps out about his game. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year can do everything and has a rare combination of speed, power, and technique. He could play as an edge rusher if that position didn't move him 3 yards further from the quarterback's face, but why bother when he can get pressure straight up the middle, anyway?2. Tyrann Mathieu, S, TexansTexans head coach Bill O'Brien took many by surprise when he said he wanted the team's marquee free-agent addition to focus on playing safety. Mathieu had been used all over the defensive side of the ball with the Cardinals, often playing a hybrid safety-corner-linebacker role. His speed and awareness allowed him to rack up 307 tackles, 11 interceptions, 41 passes defensed, four sacks, and four forced fumbles over five years in the desert.1. Le'Veon Bell, RB, SteelersLast season, Bell became the second running back to rank among the top 10 players in the league in catches (85) since 2011. And after he averaged 5.93 catches per game over the last two seasons, it feels odd to even call Bell a running back at this point. He plays in every situation for the Steelers, with only Ben Roethlisberger and three linemen racking up more offensive snaps last year than Bell, who skipped the season finale. Aside from his prowess as a pass-catcher and a blocker, Bell can adapt any running play to best suit his patient style, waiting for holes to open behind blockers or bursting toward daylight.Top 10 NFL SeriesJourneymenUnder 6-feet tallVersatileNever scored TD (Jun. 21)Overpaid (Jun. 22)Ringless vets (Jun. 25)Born outside U.S. (Jun. 26)Small school (Jun. 27)Undrafted (Jun. 28)Marketable (Jun. 29)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.