Monday, October 13, 2014
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National Football League roundup

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[October 13, 2014]  (The Sports Xchange) - Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson could still be suspended without pay even if he is found not guilty of felony child abuse, ESPN reported Sunday.

Peterson was charged in Texas stemming from the discipline of his 4-year-old son with a tree branch. He has been on the NFL's exempt/commissioner's permission list since Sept. 17 but is receiving his full $11.75 million salary.

He has been banned from all team activities until his case is resolved.

One area of agreement at last week's owners meetings is that discipline for violating workplace and personal conduct rules should not require a conviction, according to the report.

That reaffirms previous league decisions regarding discipline in which players were suspended for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy even after they were found not guilty. That includes past discipline handed to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.

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Some NFL owners urged commissioner Roger Goodell to take a much less substantial role in the discipline of players, according to CBS Sports.

Goodell reportedly has reached out to the NFLPA as he seeks to restructure the personal conduct policy and how it gets enforced.

Several owners praised Goodell for his overall work performance but asked him to delegate much of the disciplinary decisions to others.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is expected to miss two to three weeks with a shoulder sprain, NFL.com reported.

The Saints have a bye week. Graham sustained the injury during last Sunday's 37-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has 34 catches for 376 yards with three touchdowns through five games.

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The Carolina Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton have not had contract talks since the summer and none are planned, according to CBS Sports.

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When the two sides had discussions in the offseason, Newton reportedly told the team he did not want a contract structure similar to the deals given to Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton and San Francisco 49ers' Colin Kaepernick.

Those contracts included smaller signing bonuses and upfront money to give the teams more financial flexibility for the salary cap.

Newton is seeking a long-term deal that would guarantee him more than $50 million.

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Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack is believed to have suffered a broken leg in the first half of Sunday's game against Pittsburgh, head coach Mike Pettine said after the game.

Mack, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who has never missed a game in his six-year pro career, is expected to be out the rest of the season.

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New York Jets cornerback Dee Milliner suffered an Achilles injury that forced him to leave Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said after the game that Milliner injured his right Achilles, but the extent of the damage will not be known until tests are performed Monday. An Achilles injury likely would end Milliner's season.

(Editing by Gene Cherry)

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