LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[August 16, 2016] Aug 15 (The Sports Xchange) - New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski pulled up with a possible injury while running a route during a joint practice with the Chicago Bears on Monday.

According to ESPN.com, Gronkowski took himself out after going for a pass from quarterback Tom Brady in 7-on-7 drills along the sideline. The severity of the injury was unknown.

Gronkowski, 27, walked to the sideline after the play and met with a trainer before heading to the lower practice field. After about 10 minutes there, he retreated to the locker room, ESPN reported.

- - -

New Orleans Saints rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, the team's first-round pick, was carted off the field with an apparent broken fibula.

Rankins, who was drafted with the 12th overall pick out of Louisville, was injured during goal-line drills at training camp.

- - -

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was activated from the non-football injury list and returned to practice.

Gordon's participation in practice was his first since December 2014. The 25-year-old had been reinstated from a one-year suspension on July 25, but a quad injury kept him on the sideline for an additional two weeks.

Gordon has run afoul from the NFL due to multiple violations of the league's substance-abuse policy. He also will sit out the first four games of the upcoming season, although coach Hue Jackson told reporters that he has yet to decide if Gordon will play against Atlanta in Thursday's preseason contest.

- - -

Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting right tackle Demar Dotson received a three-year contract extension.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported the deal for the 30-year-old Dotson is worth approximately $6 million per season and runs through the 2019 season.

- - -

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that former Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley has been selected as a senior finalist for the Class of 2017.

The Seniors Committee gathered in Canton, Ohio, on Monday and named its finalist in Easley, who was selected with a first-round pick by Seattle in 1981 and played in seven seasons with the club.

- - -

Cincinnati Bengals rookie defensive tackle Andrew Billings underwent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus and could miss the entire season, according to multiple reports.

- - -

[to top of second column]

Denver Broncos defensive end Vance Walker was carted off the field with a right leg injury.

Walker, who had just returned to practice from an ailing back, sustained an injury to his right leg during 7-on-7 drills and remained on the ground for several minutes as he was tended to by team trainers. The 29-year-old is expected to undergo an MRI exam to determine the severity of the injury.
- - -

Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who tore his left Achilles in the 2015 opener, was activated off the physically unable to perform list and participated in practice for the first time since the season-ending injury.

- - -

The Detroit Lions signed free agent Andrew Quarless despite the tight end facing a two-game suspension for firing a gun in public.

Quarless, who played the previous six seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2010-15), was suspended under the league's personal-conduct policy as a result of the incident in Miami Beach on July 4, 2015. He was sentenced to one year of probation and given a $1,000 fine after pleading no contest in November.

- - -

The Buffalo Bills activated Karlos Williams from the active/non-football illness list after the second-year running back passed his physical.

Williams, who showed up for offseason workouts 20-25 pounds overweight, has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

- - -

The Bills signed veteran outside linebacker Kroy Biermann after IK Enemkpali tore his right ACL in Saturday night's preseason opener.

- - -

Quarterback Thad Lewis is out for the season with a torn ACL, San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly said.

Lewis, a college free agent out of Duke in 2010, was hurt on a 1-yard run in the third quarter of Saturday's preseason opener against the Houston Texans.

- - -

The Arizona Cardinals addressed their secondary by re-signing Tyrequek Zimmerman to a contract and waiving fellow safety Durell Eskridge.

- - -

The Indianapolis Colts claimed guard Donovan Williams off waivers from the Chicago Bears.

Williams, an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana-Lafayette, was signed by Chicago in mid-May and waived on Saturday.

To clear a roster spot for Williams, the Colts waived punter Michael Palardy. (Editing by Andrew Both)

Back to top