Odell Beckham Jr. had a scary moment in his first preseason game on Monday, but after further review, all is well.The New York Giants receiver was forced from the game after a hit by Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun left him with a sprained ankle. While others condemned the hit, Beckham and his coach didn't take issue with the low blow."It's just football in my opinion," Beckham told reporters after the game. "I think I'll be alright."Beckham was asked if he had been concerned about the injury and if he felt "relieved" with the diagnosis."That's a great word (to describe my feelings)," said Beckham.After the game, he sent out a tweet to convey his relief.

After Odell Beckham Jr. left Monday night's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns with an ankle injury, the NFL community was understandably upset.Related: Giants' Beckham escapes with ankle sprain after scary hit vs. BrownsBeckham was forced to the locker room after Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun hit him in the lower leg with the receiver's left foot planted in the turf. Given that the hit took place in a virtually meaningless game and that some perceived it to be dirty, several NFL players took to Twitter to express their dislike for the play.

New York Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. was on the receiving end of a scary looking hit Monday night that drew the ire of many from across the nation, but one person that isn't crying foul happens to be Beckham's own head coach.Beckham was forced from Monday's game after taking a low hit to his left leg from Cleveland Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun, and Twitter immediately exploded with opinions on whether the hit was dirty or clean.Despite the instant criticism and anger shown by many, Giants bench boss Ben McAdoo isn't spending much time worrying about it, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

Denver Broncos fans have yet to see Jamaal Charles appear in preseason action, but his absence will soon come to an end.The Broncos are set to take on the Green Bay Packers during Week 3 of the preseason Saturday, and head coach Vance Joseph confirmed the veteran will indeed see game action, according to Nick Kosmider of The Denver Post."Jamaal is going to play a lot," Joseph said. He also confirmed that Saturday's game will be the only time Charles sees the field prior to roster cuts on Sept. 2.The decision to hold Charles back brings about an interesting competition for spots behind C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker. Charles will be competing with the likes of Stevan Ridley, Juwan Thompson, and De'Angelo Henderson to crack the opening week roster.Charles has not been a relevant force in the NFL since suffering a torn ACL in his right knee during Week 5 of the 2015 season. Since then, he has appeared in just three games, rushing for 40 yards on 12 carries.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave President Donald Trump his own Super Bowl LI ring because the team was the first team to make a championship visit to the White House during his tenure, Tom E. Curran of CSN New England reports.Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci had previously said Kraft gave Trump one of his old Super Bowl rings, but Curran reports that it was a Super Bowl LI ring specifically for the president.Patriots vice president of media relations Stacey James said Trump hoped to put the ring on display. Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady have famously become known as friends of Trump.Trump hosted the Patriots on their championship visit on April 19 and appeared to have significantly fewer attendees than their previous visit in 2015.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Odell Beckham Jr. was forced to leave the New York Giants' preseason loss Monday night after taking a scary hit to his lower left leg. The team announced that Beckham was diagnosed with an ankle sprain.

A group of Cleveland Browns, which appeared to include Jamie Collins, Duke Johnson, Kenny Britt, Jabrill Peppers, and Seth DeValve, kneeled during the national anthem before Monday's preseason game against the New York Giants.

Brock Osweiler has become the clear-cut favorite to win the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports."I'm told that (head coach) Hue Jackson went to several different veterans over the past week or two and asked them for feedback on which quarterback is most ready," reported Rapoport. "Brock Osweiler was the No. 1 choice. ..."If Osweiler plays well (Monday night), I would not be surprised if he is shortly named the starter."Osweiler finished Monday night's game against the New York Giants completing six-of-eight passes for 25 yards with one interception.The veteran quarterback was traded to the Browns from the Houston Texans in March and was not even expected to stay on the roster at the time, though he has apparently out-performed Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer.The Browns may still be looking for a trade partner for Osweiler, but Rapoport's report backs up what veteran left tackle and captain Joe Thomas said last week."I think they're grooming Brock to be the starter in Week 1, based on what I've seen," said Thomas.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What are the chances Bill Belichick knew (or cared) about Monday's solar eclipse prior to being asked this question?The New England Patriots coach added some levity to his press conference with one of his typical unenthusiastic responses. While it wasn't much of an answer, Belichick certainly managed to be less of a buzzkill than his friend and Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Both of the Denver Broncos' top quarterbacks had respectable responses to the team naming Trevor Siemian starter over Paxton Lynch.The 23-year-old first-round pick lost the competition for the second year in a row, and while he would have liked a different outcome, he's not ready to give up hope."I am disappointed. I have to be prepared. I believe in myself to be a starter. But coaches made the decision," said Lynch, according to Troy Renck of Denver7. "I'm going to take every rep that I get obviously and value it even more at this point, but I just really want to continue to get better and not sit around and pout and be upset about this because that's not going to make anything better."After starting 14 games last season, Siemian will be the No. 1 quarterback for Denver once again. As a former seventh-round pick, he knows he can still improve parts of his game, but hopes to keep a hold of the starting job on a full-time basis."I've got a long way to go," Siemian said about being a long-term starter, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. "I know where I can get better. I also know some of the things I do well."For me, even getting to go back to when I came in the league, I've tried to do a good job of taking it one day at a time and one rep at a time, and at the end of the season, I'll go back and figure out where I'm at and go from there."Siemian says he wasn't offended at all when the team asked him to compete for his job again, and expects that he will need to earn the position on a weekly basis."Honestly, I think you have to compete for your job every day and every week, and that's one of the things when I was here and watched Peyton (Manning), that guy wasn't content," Siemian said. "He was a Hall of Famer. But every day, every week, I think you have to earn your job, and quarterback is no different certainly."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second season in a row since winning Super Bowl 50, Trevor Siemian has been named the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos, leaving 2015 first-round pick Paxton Lynch on the sidelines.Looking back to when the team first selected Lynch, this is not the ideal scenario. The lengthy, big-arm athlete was supposed to be developed as Peyton Manning's replacement, but after two straight training camps being outplayed by Siemian the plan has changed.Though Lynch has only one full NFL season under his belt, his value and his chance of supplanting Siemian is quickly deteriorating. For his sake and the Broncos', the faster he can move on to his next team the better.Lynch may be holding out hope that he could still win over the starting job, but based on new head coach Vance Joseph's comments from last week, he would likely need an injury to get that chance."If you name a start, he's the guy going forward. Injury can play into that but once a guy is named the starter, that's a huge decision and that's over time. So once that's made, that's pretty permanent."The 23-year-old also has competition coming up behind him in the form of seventh-round pick Chad Kelly, who may have also been a first-rounder if he kept himself out of trouble. Kelly will likely enter the quarterback competition next season if he can keep his head on straight. If Kelly surpasses Lynch next season, the former 26th overall pick won't be worth a lick and the Broncos will undoubtedly have another John Elway draft bust on their roster.Lynch still has the qualities that made him a first-round pick in 2015. He still has a strong arm. He's still 6-foot-7. He still has above average athleticism. But he is also still very raw. The Broncos don't really have time to continue developing Lynch with a Super Bowl-ready defense and a very good, but ageing set of receivers - but that's not to say he isn't appealing to other clubs.Actually negotiating a worthwhile trade may be tough for the Broncos to do at this point in the season following Lynch's second training camp loss to Siemian. However, a quarterback with Lynch's upside and youth will always attract interest from someone. A re-building team who has time to develop Lynch or at least put him in a battle with another struggling pass-thrower should at least pick up the phone and see what the Broncos would want for the Memphis product.Lynch likely wouldn't be too pleased about joining the New York Jets and their depleted roster, but his talents are just as good, if not better than Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. The Buffalo Bills don't seem too enamored by Tyrod Taylor and are not expecting to compete this season, so Lynch could have time to compete with Nathan Peterman there. The Jacksonville Jaguars handed Blake Bortles his fifth-year option this spring, and now they're looking for some sort of out to fix their mistake.Perhaps a team with even more time to develop and stability at quarterback could be interested, as well. The Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, and Pittsburgh Steelers will all start ageing quarterbacks this season without much of a starting prospect to build into a successor.If Lynch does have a chance to play on another team this season, the Broncos need to move him quickly so he has a chance to possibly get on the field with a new club by Week 4 of the preseason, and maybe he doesn't play at all. But the way things stand right now, he won't be playing in Denver at all and the longer he stays sidelined, the harder it will be for the Broncos to convince anyone it won't happen to them, too.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Damarious Randall had some advice for Bryce Treggs on Monday after the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver voiced his displeasure with a fine.Treggs tweeted that he was fined $25,000 by the NFL, presumably for his hit on Randall in the Eagles' preseason loss to the Packers on Aug. 10, which resulted in a concussion.

The turf war between the Chargers and Rams - as the franchises compete for the fans of Los Angeles - may be a battle for second place, at least according to Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis.As the Raiders faced the Rams last weekend, Davis was asked about the two new L.A. clubs' fight to be the most popular football team in town, but said local fans have instead chosen a third option on the ballot."You know, it’s kind of funny," Davis told Vincent Bonsignore of Los Angeles Daily News. "They’re talking about the fight for Los Angeles. And Raiders fans have been telling me we already won that fight, And that the Rams and Chargers are fighting for the No. 2 and 3 spots ..."I think we already won the battle."The Raiders resided in Los Angeles from 1982-94 and left a lasting impression on the area. Davis said that while "Raider Nation" exists all over the world, the fans in Southern California have always been very supportive and that the club wants to keep a strong relationship with the community."A good portion (of the Raiders' fans) have come from Los Angeles and Southern California," Davis added. "Without stepping on any toes, we’re going to market ourselves in Los Angeles area. And San Diego. We're reaching out to Raider Nation in Southern California. It's strong there."- with h/t to CBS SportsCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anquan Boldin shocked many with his decision to retire Sunday, including the Buffalo Bills.Just 13 days after signing with the team as a free agent, the veteran receiver announced he would be hanging up his cleats to focus on humanitarianism.Boldin was asked if the Bills were disappointed by his decision."I'm sure that they are," he said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, according to ESPN's Mike Rodak. "I wouldn't expect them to be anything less. But as (men), they respect it. They wished me nothing but the best, and I appreciate that."The Bills were hoping to have the sure-handed wideout as part of their inexperienced receiving corps this season. After the trade of Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams and the acquisition of Jordan Matthews, the Bills will now roll with Matthews, rookie Zay Jones, and unproven pass-catchers Andre Holmes, Rod Streater, Corey Brown, and Brandon Tate at the position.Boldin retired with 1,076 career catches, 13,779 receiving yards, and 82 touchdowns.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Jacksonville Jaguars continue to flip flop over Blake Bortles or Chad Henne for the starting quarterback role, they're now forgetting who'll be the No. 1 option for whichever passer wins the closely contested job.The Jaguars' Twitter account erroneously identified the pictured player as Allen Robinson when it is in fact undrafted free agent Jamal Robinson, who wears No. 19, not the former's No. 15.Bortles also seemed to forget A. Robinson's number last season, allowing his top receiver to rack up just 883 receiving yards, after going for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns the year prior.Robinson laughed off his team's mistake, and was quick to throw support behind his potential teammate.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Monday is a work day for most NFL teams and players, but many are setting aside some time to take in the solar eclipse that will cross significant portions of the U.S.Some teams rearranged their practice schedules in order to take in the once-in-a-lifetime experience.Related: Titans adjust practice schedule to watch solar eclipsePlayers and coaches will be observing the eclipse in different ways. Here's a snapshot of their preparations:

Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph named quarterback Trevor Siemian the team's starter for 2017.Second-year quarterback Paxton Lynch had been praised by teammates throughout training camp, but Joseph decided to stick with the Broncos' 2016 starter.Siemian started 14 games last season, completing 289 of 486 passes for 3,401 yards. He threw for 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, while adding 57 rushing yards but losing two fumbles.He finished his first year as the starter ranked 30th out of Pro Football Focus' 34 qualified quarterbacks with a grade of 56.2.Drafted 250th overall in the seventh round in 2015, Siemian is the oldest quarterback on the Broncos' depth chart at 25 years old (26 in December). The team used a first-round selection on Lynch in 2016, and another seventh-round pick on Chad Kelly in 2017. Undrafted quarterback Kyle Sloter is also with the team.Siemian started the 2016 season with three consecutive wins before suffering an injury in the Broncos' fourth game, but he sputtered down the stretch, dropping four straight games before a Week 17 victory over the playoff-bound Oakland Raiders. He topped 300 passing yards just thrice, with a season-high four touchdowns coming in a Week 3 road victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.Siemian is 14-for-18 with 144 passing yards and one touchdown through his first two preseason games. He can be expected to play the entire first half with most of the first-team offense in the Broncos' third game Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fourth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition.Scroll down to see his updated rankings for 2017, including PPR leagues.Standard

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler has been charged with three misdemeanors consisting of first-degree battery, criminal mischief, and petit theft, according to NFL.com.The charges stem from Fowler's July arrest in St. Petersburg, Fla.Fowler is subject to potential discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy and faces up to a year in prison for the incident in which he was seen punching a man after a brief verbal confrontation and stepping on the man's glasses, according to police reports obtained by NFL.com.Florida State prosecutor Bernie McCabe's office alleges Fowler "willfully and maliciously" damaged the man's property and intentionally caused bodily harm.Fowler was previously arrested on misdemeanor assault and resisting arrest charges in Miami Beach in March 2016. He entered a diversion program and the case was closed in December of last year.The third-overall choice in the 2015 NFL Draft had his rookie season erased due to a knee injury. He went on to post four sacks and 32 tackles in 2016, finishing the season ranked as Pro Football Focus' 75th edge rusher.Fowler issued an apology statement when training camp opened last month."I just wanted to let people know and everybody know that's not me as a person, I'm a better person than that and it won't happen again. Like I told (executive vice president) Tom (Coughlin), 'I'm very sorry.' I told him that I apologize and I can't make the organization look like that and put us in situations like that because that's not us, that's not how we are as a team, and that's not how we are as an organization."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh altered his team's busy practice schedule to give his players a day off Monday.The Ravens took a tour of the Pentagon, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, visiting John F. Kennedy's grave site at Arlington National Cemetery, and then having lunch at Fort Myer.

The Patrick Mahomes hype train is gaining steam in Kansas City.The flashy rookie quarterback has impressed during the preseason. In his latest outing for the Chiefs, he went 10-for-14 passing for 88 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He's completed 73 percent of his passes in the preseason and three touchdowns against zero interceptions.Related: Smith looks as good as ever, but Mahomes might be even betterNonetheless, Alex Smith need not worry. The starting quarterback's job isn't in jeopardy."It's Alex's job. There's no gray area," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.The Chiefs traded their first-round draft pick, their 2018 first-round pick, and a 2017 third-rounder in order to move up to No. 10 to select their quarterback of the future.The future appears still a little ways off for Mahomes as Reid intends to keep Smith as his conductor entering the 2017 season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The curse of crappy Monday Night Football matchups reaches the preseason as ESPN showcases the Browns hosting Odell Beckham and the Giants. The last Week 2 preseason games on the schedule should determine who will win the starting quarterback job in Cleveland.Find out how long each team plans to play its starters and which QBs will take the field after the first teamers are pulled.New York Giants at Cleveland Browns (+1, 38)About the GiantsIn his second year as Giants head coach, Ben McAdoo is sticking to his preseason plan from a year ago. His starters sat the first week of the preseason but will take the field against the Browns on Monday.“We’d like to give [Giants QB Eli Manning] a good chunk of playing time, into the second quarter,” McAdoo told reporters.Manning saw 19 snaps in Week 2 of the preseason last year before getting the hook. He played one series into the second quarter in what ended up being a 21-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills.Geno Smith and Josh Johnson are still battling for the No. 2 QB job behind Manning on the depth chart. Johnson started last week but Smith is expected to take the field immediately after Manning completes his cameo appearance. Johnson will take the final snaps of the game once Smith’s night is over.The Giants are now 2-3 straight up and 1-3-1 against the spread in the preseason under McAdoo.All G-Men starters are good to go with the exception of cornerback Eli Apple. The second year defensive back out of Ohio State has been ruled out because of a sore ankle.About the BrownsThe Cleveland Browns’ coaching staff is hungry for wins. The team went 1-15 in the regular season and 0-4 in the preseason a year ago. The Browns won and covered last week against the New Orleans Saints but that hasn’t quenched head coach Hue Jackson’s thirst for more victories.“…we are going there to win, there is no question about that,” Jackson told Cleveland reporters about Monday’s matchup with the Giants. “There is a score being kept and if there is, you want to win.”Cleveland will start Brock Osweiler at quarterback with rookie DeShone Kizer next in line. The Browns want Osweiler to win the job so that he’ll be the Week 1 starter but the veteran hasn’t been outperforming Kizer in the preseason.Osweiler completed just six of his 14 pass attempts last week against the Saints for 42 yards, whereas Kizer went 11-for-18 for 18 yards and one TD pass.Cody Kessler was the front-runner to win the starting job when training camp opened but he’s looked so shaky he’s fallen all the way to No. 3 on the depth chart. He’ll take the field after Kizer on Monday against the Giants.All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas will not play for the Browns on Monday.Line movesThe Browns opened as 1.5-point home favorites but now stand as 1-point underdogs. The total opened at 39.5 and now sits at 38.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ever heard of "solar eclipse" music? No? Have no fear. Green Bay Packers tight end Martellus Bennett has you covered for Monday's event.Bennett posted to Twitter a "song to listen to while you stare at the eclipse," featuring himself and Snoop Dogg.

Oakland Raiders corner Sean Smith was allowed to suit up for Saturday's preseason game despite being arrested and charged with assault Thursday.Smith was charged with beating up his sister's boyfriend and is said to have stomped on the man's head in an incident that occurred in July.After posting bond, Smith suited up for the exhibition game against the Los Angeles Rams and registered two tackles."I think we'll let him battle legally what issues he has. I don't really have anything to add to it," explained head coach Jack Del Rio, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle."I mean, I think you heard the story. He was defending his sister. Obviously, things occurred that were taken issue with, so he's having to defend himself right now."Smith has not been disciplined by the NFL. His arraignment is scheduled to be held on Sept. 29.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tencent Holdings Limited landed a three-year agreement to become the exclusive digital streaming media partner of the NFL in China, according to NFL.com.The deal covers the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. It will allow Tencent to air live and on-demand preseason, Thursday, Sunday, and Monday Night Football games, some Sunday afternoon games, as well as the playoffs, the Pro Bowl, and the Super Bowl.Tencent will also air the draft, combine, and NFL Game Day, as well as "NFL Hard Knocks" and "A Football Life."League content will be available on both mobile and desktop on 10 platforms. Tencent is the No. 1 digital sports provider in China, servicing hundreds of millions of users."We are very excited about the NFL's future in China and proud of our partnership with Tencent," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. "We are confident that this agreement will provide our growing number of Chinese fans with a better viewing experience and more opportunities for engagement with the NFL than ever before."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore, now 34 years old, hasn't missed a game in six seasons, recording no fewer than 250 carries in each campaign.The Colts may finally have an adequate option to help alleviate Gore's workload in rookie Marlon Mack, their fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft.“He’s going to be a heck of a football player, whether he’s running the football -- I think he averaged nine yards a carry, made a couple of nice catches," Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.Mack led the team with 45 yards on five rushing attempts in the second preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, with his three most impressive rushes going for 10, 13, and 23 yards. He also added two receptions for 14 yards.It was a strong debut after missing the first preseason game with a shoulder injury.“Anytime you’re out there on the field in a game showing people your talent is good for me,” Mack said. "You’re just trying to get over these injuries and get out there and perform. Hopefully I can show the coaches I can do a lot. I’m just trying to go out there and perform well.”Gore recorded yet another 1,000-yard season in 2016, but he was held under four yards per carry for the second consecutive campaign. They're his first two seasons being held below the mark.As he enters the final year of his contract, the Colts may finally choose to properly groom a viable replacement.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

So much for a perceived rift between NFL owners and its commissioner.Roger Goodell is closing in on a five-year extension that would see him remain NFL commissioner through 2024, Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal reports. His current contract is set to end in 2019.The contract would be similar to the extension he earned in 2012, which paid him north of $35 million annually, according to Kaplan.Goodell has recently drawn the ire of some of the league's most powerful owners. The four-game suspension he levied on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to begin the 2016 season led to a clash between he and owner Robert Kraft. Ahead of the upcoming season, the NFL has imposed a six-game suspension on Ezekiel Elliott, the star running back of Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys and Patriots were the two most valuable franchises in 2016, valued at $4.2 billion and $3.4 billion, respectively.The Patriots and Goodell famously remained at odds until the franchise won the Super Bowl in February. Jones has yet to issue a statement since Elliott was slapped with the suspension on Aug. 11.With his contract nearing its end and two of the world's most recognizable team owners angered, it was easy to draw a conclusion that Goodell's time as commissioner may be nearing its end. He does not require approval from all 32 owners to remain in the role, however, as the competition committee was given the authority to make such decisions.An extension would keep Goodell in power for next collective bargaining agreement negotiations. The current CBA expires in 2020.Goodell became commissioner in 2006, after the retirement of Paul Tagliabue.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL and its fans never got the chance to say a proper goodbye to receiver Anquan Boldin, as the 14-year veteran announced Sunday that he's hanging up his pads to focus on humanitarian work.While Boldin had every right to decide when his football career was over, the 36-year-old's surprise departure came before the football world could truly extend its collective appreciation for a player of his accomplishments and sacrifice.Boldin had a chip on his shoulder ever since entering the league with the Arizona Cardinals in 2003 - a playing style that set the tone for the rest of his career. Here's a look at what made him so great:Red-hot startNo receiver has ever begun their career like Boldin. On Sept. 7, 2003, the Detroit Lions became the first team to find out what the second-round pick was all about as he racked up 217 yards on 10 catches with two touchdowns against them, setting a record for the most receiving yards in a debut game.The Florida State product continued his torrid start by setting a rookie record for receptions in a season with 101 while piling up 1,377 yards and eight touchdowns. His team-leading campaign was enough to win the 2003 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and he didn't stop there.Career accomplishmentsBoldin kept up his rookie pace throughout the early years of his career, as he went on to set records for the fastest player to reach 200, 300, 400, and 500 receptions by the end of his sixth season. He made three Pro Bowls between 2003 and 2008, but undeservedly never made it back to the All-Star festivities again.As Boldin moved from Arizona to the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the 2010 season, he brought a level of toughness and consistency that meshed perfectly with the team's identity. In 2012, he led the Ravens in receiving and played a major role in their run to a Super Bowl title.Throughout Boldin's career, he steadily accumulated stats year in and year out, eventually landing near the top of every major category while never quite receiving the attention paid to other stars. He sits ninth all time in receptions (1,076), 14th in receiving yards (13,779), and 23rd in touchdowns (82). Hypothetically, if Boldin had produced a modest season in 2017 - with at least 27 catches, 567 yards, and seven touchdowns - he would have been fourth all time in catches, 10th in yards, and 13th in touchdowns.Off-field contributionsAs much as he's done on the field, Boldin's contributions off it may be the most important part of his legacy, as reflected by his recent decision to focus on human rights over football.Boldin started the Q81 Foundation in 2004 during his sophomore campaign. His charity has been "dedicated to expanding the educational and life opportunities of underprivileged children," which includes a summer enrichment program, a scholarship fund, holiday shopping sprees, thanksgiving dinners, and an annual event in Florida. He also went with former teammate Larry Fitzgerald to Ethiopia in 2012 to help create farmable land, and visited congress with fellow NFLers this spring to discuss police and community relations.Related: Boldin, 3 other NFLers write op-ed pushing for U.S. criminal justice reformIn 2015, Boldin was honored by the NFL and his peers with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his community service.Different places, same face (mostly)One of the biggest reasons that Boldin's success was difficult to appreciate for fans is that he moved around the league a bit. With five teams on his resume, Boldin made each stop shorter than the last, but his effort never dipped.Whether it was Josh McCown, Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Joe Flacco, Colin Kaepernick, or Matt Stafford throwing him the ball, Boldin gave his all in whatever role the team asked of him. He was toughness personified, never afraid to take a hit to make a play, even breaking his face in 2008 and returning three weeks later.Boldin's three Pro Bowl appearances, all coming in the first six seasons of his 14-year career, don't do justice to one of the most consistent receivers and respected players the NFL has seen over the last decade and a half.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.Every game night during the preseason, theScore gets you caught up on the most important fantasy performances from around the league.Should Bell be handcuffed?Fantasy owners who spend a top-two draft pick on Le'Veon Bell this season may be wise to forego adding a handcuff to serve as insurance for their investment.Making his preseason debut Sunday, James Conner was mildly impressive but also uneven in the Steelers' backfield, handling 20 carries and taking them for 98 yards but also dropping two passes. The Steelers' third-rounder was tabbed to serve as Bell's backup this season, but the rookie had been limited by injuries this summer and is only now showing what he's capable of.But should fantasy owners care?If Bell were to get hurt, it's unlikely Conner could replicate his production. It's also unlikely Pittsburgh would ask a rookie to step into such a crucial job. In the event of a long-term Bell injury, it's entirely possible the Steelers would look outside their roster to add a stabilizing veteran. DeAngelo Williams remains a free agent and is plenty familiar with the team, making him an obvious candidate.And if Bell stays healthy, it's unlikely the Steelers will take him off the field for more than a few snaps per game, which would completely kill any possible fantasy value for Conner.Perhaps the smart move for Bell's fantasy owners is not to bother trying to handcuff him at all and instead target high-upside running backs on other teams in the late rounds.Lights, Kamara, actionAlvin Kamara raced for a 50-yard touchdown on the Saints' first offensive play Sunday, setting Twitter alight with excitement and fantasy analysts scrambling for takes about a player who was considered the third wheel in the Saints' backfield.Now, with two highly impressive preseason games under his belt, the rookie is making the case that he - not Mark Ingram or Adrian Peterson - is not only the most valuable Saints tailback to own with respect to ADP, but could potentially end up being the most valuable of the trio outright.The receiving-back role in the Saints' offense has produced fantasy-relevant names like Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Darren Sproles over the years, among others, and Kamara isn't necessarily just a third-down scatback - he's also shown an ability to break tackles and pick up tough yards.Ingram and Peterson will probably split early-down work in the Bayou, but the former seems to have fallen out of favor with his coaches and the latter has never been much of a receiver - a skill that's essential in this offense.Kamara looks like a slam dunk to pay off his late-round ADP in PPR leagues and has a shot to become fantasy-viable in standard leagues, too. Mark him down as a target near the end of your draft.Instant Impressions

Veteran receiver Anquan Boldin left the Buffalo Bills and has decided to retire, according to a statement via ESPN's Jim Trotter.

The Pittsburgh Steelers may not need to shell out the big bucks for Le'Veon Bell after all.With Bell yet to report to the Steelers or sign his franchise tag, rookie James Conner carried the load in the running game Sunday, making a very impressive preseason debut against the Atlanta Falcons.The Pittsburgh native saw action throughout the game, setting up a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter with back-to-back run plays, gashing the Falcons defense.

The Washington Redskins have activated tight end Jordan Reed from the physically unable to perform list after he passed a physical, the team announced Sunday.Reed had been placed on the PUP list prior to training camp with a toe injury. He said earlier in August that he was "not at all" worried about missing the start of the season.The 27-year-old tight end will wear customised orthopedics in his cleats to help with the injury and does not expect the ailment to hinder him this season."It’s been working good," Reed said. "It's helped my toe out a lot and when I tried them out it felt really good."I don’t think it will be a problem during the season because it’s starting to heal up really good right now."Reed has had a slew of medical issues lately, missing four games last season with a concussion and a shoulder injury, though he still finished third in receiving on his team with 66 catches for 686 yards and six touchdowns.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As NFL commissioner, much of Roger Goodell's job includes answering the tough questions so league owners don't have to.However, Goodell has likely never faced such a grilling as he did from Joe Thomas during the Cleveland Browns left tackle's web series, "Joe Thomas Hour."Thomas asked Goodell how much money he was carrying, what his touchdown celebration would be under the NFL's new softened rules, and what's his go-to karaoke song.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While Le'Veon Bell will reportedly return to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the regular season begins, the running back is expected to stay away from the team for Week 3 of the preseason, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The source added to Fowler, however, they would be surprised if Bell didn't return shortly after that.Bell has yet to sign the $12.12-million franchise tag, so he isn't facing any fines for missing the preseason.The Steelers and Bell were unable to agree to a long-term deal this offseason, leading to the fifth-year runner staying away from all activities and training camp.Bell reportedly turned down a five-year contract worth $12 million annually and said he's looking to reinvigorate the running back market with his next deal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills receiver Jordan Matthews returned to practice Sunday after sustaining a chip fracture in his sternum in the final session of last week, according to Jay Skurski of buffalonews.com.Matthews only took part in individual drills, but it's a positive step considering he was declared week to week with the injury Monday.The newly acquired receiver missed Buffalo's second preseason game Thursday, but now has a shot at making his Bills debut in Saturday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No NFL team wants to hear the three letters that often spell doom for a player, but they're being forced to do so more than ever in 2017 with ACL injuries seemingly on the rise.There have been 20 ACL injuries that require surgery at this stage of the preseason, according to ACL Recovery Club, nearly exceeding the total amount from each of the last three years prior to Week 1, and on pace to surpass the 31 sustained in 2013.

Derek Carr says his decision to place his hand on Oakland Raiders teammate Khalil Mack's shoulder during the national anthem Saturday wasn't a protest but a display of unity intended to promote racial inclusiveness."Obviously, we're not protesting. You know, we're not doing anything like that," Carr said after the game, according to Mark Hinog of SBNation. "What we wanted to do is show all the kids that look up to me, look up to him, that white kids, black kids, brown kids, blue, green, doesn't matter, can all be loving to each other. And that's what me and Khalil are, we're best friends and we love one another."So, the only reason we did that is to unify people, and to unify the people that look up to us, because obviously, we see what's going on in the world, and obviously, everyone pays attention to the national anthem nowadays. And so, we just said, 'Well obviously, this is the best time to do it,' while still honoring our country, because I love this country more than anything."We're free to live here and play this game, but we're also free to show each other that we love one another, and I think that that's the message, and that's the only message we were trying to get out."Mack said he and Carr planned the display beforehand and echoed his pivot's sentiments about their motivation."Different races can get along, you know what I'm saying?" said Mack. "White, black, whatever you are ... we can get along and be friends and do all those different things, and just show unity. Show togetherness."Carr and Mack entered the league together in 2014, and have not only developed into close friends but are the crux of the Raiders' revival and future Super Bowl hopes.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For reasons unknown, the Jets didn't want Josh McCown to talk to the media after a preseason game Saturday against the Detroit Lions in which the veteran didn't play so New York could evaluate its young quarterbacks.McCown was "amenable to chatting" after the 16-6 loss, but was told "don't talk" by a member of the Jets' PR staff, according to Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News.The 38-year-old obliged, leaving the media to wonder what the Jets were worried he'd say. McCown is a 15-year veteran who is well-versed in avoiding controversy, as he's spent most of his career as a backup or a stopgap starter.Christian Hackenberg failed to impress in McCown's absence, while Bryce Petty fared a little better, though likely not well enough to push him into serious contention for the starting job.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Christian Hackenberg got the starting nod for the New York Jets' second preseason game Saturday against the Detroit Lions, but was unable to do anything to convince he's worthy of the job long term.The second-year quarterback went 2-for-6 for a paltry 14 yards, with his most notable play being the massive hit he took on his first dropback.Hackenberg's protection didn't get much better after that. He was pressured several more times, and head coach Todd Bowles said after the game that the poor play of the offensive line meant it was an unfair environment to judge Hackenberg's progress."They really didn't give him a chance," Bowles said, according to Eric Allen of the Jets' official site. "They had a lot of pressure on him and he couldn't get a couple balls off. I don't think anybody can have a chance when we're blocking like that."Hackenberg is a quarterback battle with veteran Josh McCown and third-year pro Bryce Petty, but none have been able to separate themselves from the pack through the first half of the preseason.Despite his struggles against Detroit, Hackenberg believes he took away some valuable insight."I thought it was a good learning experience," Hackenberg said. "I think Detroit did a really good job watching the tape from last week. They did a really good job mixing up looks. A lot of credit to them. Overall, I thought it was a really good experience."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.