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NFL notebook: McNair recants apology for 'inmates' comment

[April 06, 2018] Houston Texans owner Bob McNair believes he shouldn't have had to apologize for his "we can't have the inmates running the prison" comment at a league meeting with fellow owners and NFL executives.

"The main thing I regret is apologizing," McNair told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Thursday. "I really didn't have anything to apologize for."

A week after he first made the comment in October of 2017, McNair issued an apology for his remarks, saying in a statement, "I regret that I used that expression. I never meant to offend anyone and I was not referring to our players. I used a figure of speech that was never intended to be taken literally. I would never characterize our players or our league that way and I apologize to anyone who was offended by it."

Now speaking nearly six months later, he once again reiterated that he used the word "inmates" to describe league executives, not players.

"We were talking about a number of things, but we were also washing some of our dirty linen, which you do internally. You don't do that publicly. That's what I was addressing: The relationship of owners and the league office," McNair said. "In business, it's a common expression. But the general public doesn't understand it, perhaps."

--The NFL announced the names of 22 prospects who have accepted invitations to the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, with quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Lamar Jackson headlining the list.

Darnold and Allen are widely considered the two most likely contenders to go No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns. Rosen is expected to go in the top five or top 10, and Jackson is expected to go in the first round, which gets underway April 26.

Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, also considered a possible top-10 pick, said in February that he would not attend the draft, choosing instead to be home in Austin, Texas, with family and friends. Appearing on SiriusXM's "Basketball and Beyond with Coach K" on Thursday, the Oklahoma quarterback said "there's pressure being put on that decision, for sure," but his decision has not changed.

--The New England Patriots will sign former Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews, according to ESPN and the NFL Network.

The deal is for one year, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The move comes two days after the Patriots traded top wideout Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams.

Matthews, 25, spent his first three seasons with the Eagles before being traded in August, along with a third-round pick, to the Bills for cornerback Ronald Darby. He battled injuries in 2017 and finished with 25 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown in 10 games (seven starts) with Buffalo.

--The Denver Broncos and free-agent punter Marquette King agreed to terms on a three-year contract.

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The deal is worth $7 million, according to multiple reports. King hit the open market when the Oakland Raiders surprisingly released him last week after five successful seasons with the team.

"I didn't get an exact reason, but it's all good," King told reporters when asked if the Raiders told him why he was being released. "Looking forward to seeing what I can do with Broncos. I just wanted to find the best place that I thought I would fit. I think there is somewhat of a revenge factor in there, too. It's a mixture of some of everything."

--The Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms with defensive end Kony Ealy, the team announced.

Selected by Carolina in the second round of the 2014 draft, Ealy spent his first three NFL seasons with the Panthers before being traded to the Patriots last year. The Patriots waived Ealy during training camp and the New York Jets added him to their roster for the season.

The 26-year-old has 15.0 sacks, two interceptions and six forced fumbles in 62 career games, including 19 starts. He had a sack and an interception in 15 games (four starts) last season.

--Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay signed with the New York Giants, the team announced.

Gay's agent, Jerrold Colton, announced Gay's intention to sign earlier Thursday, tweeting in part, "Thrilled that William Gay will be continuing his outstanding career as he signs w/ @Giants for what will be his 12th @NFL season!"

Gay was informed that he would be released by the Steelers in March just ahead of the start of the league year. The 33-year-old had spent 10 of his 11 NFL seasons in Pittsburgh, with two five-year stints split up by one year in Arizona in 2012. He tallied one interception and three passes defensed in 16 games in 2017.

--Backup quarterback Kevin Hogan received permission to seek a trade by the Browns, who already shipped Deshone Kizer and Cody Kessler out of town since general manager John Dorsey arrived.

Hogan was a backup last season as Kizer went 0-15 as the team's starter. Kizer was traded to the Green Bay Packers for free safety Damarious Randall. Kessler, also a backup, went to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a trade last month.

Dorsey acquired Bills starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the Browns are expected to draft a quarterback in the first round. Cleveland has the No. 1 overall pick for the second consecutive year and the Browns also pick fourth as a result of a draft-day trade with the Houston Texans in 2017. Drew Stanton also joined the Browns as a free agent.

--Field Level Media

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