NFL notebook: Dolphins give CB McCain record extension

[June 02, 2018]  --The Miami Dolphins inked cornerback Bobby McCain to a four-year extension on Friday in a deal worth $27 million, including $13 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports, that makes McCain the highest-paid nickel back in the NFL.

McCain, 24, had career highs of two interceptions and seven passes defensed last season. He has played 16 games in each of his three NFL seasons, totaling three interceptions and 17 passes defensed. McCain was a fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft.

The Dolphins also inked their first-round pick in this year's draft, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, to a four-year deal worth $16.4 million. Fitzpatrick, a two-time consensus All-American at Alabama and the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, received a $10 million signing bonus and, as is customary for first-round draft picks, the Dolphins hold a team option for a fifth year.

Miami also inked sixth-round cornerback Cornell Armstrong, seventh-round linebacker Quentin Poling and seventh-round kicker Jason Sanders to their rookie deals.

--San Francisco 49ers receiver/returner Victor Bolden has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2018 season due to a violation of the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Bolden will be eligible to return to the roster on Oct. 1, one day following a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. San Francisco general manager John Lynch termed the situation as an "unintentional mistake" for Bolden and a "lesson" for him and his teammates.

Bolden didn't catch a pass last season as a rookie. He averaged 20.8 yards on 19 kickoff returns and 5.8 yards on four punt returns.

--A friendly game of charity kickball instead turned into the next chapter of the Julio Jones-Atlanta Falcons saga, complete with an NFC South rival taking a jab at the Falcons, then deleting the tweet and perhaps flirting with tampering.

Jones, the Falcons' All-Pro wide receiver who has been noticeably absent from team OTAs, attended Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's charity kickball game in Charlotte, N.C. The appearance raised eyebrows as Jones has spent the offseason avoiding Falcons facilities and activities, deleting all references to the team from his social media accounts and denying any bad blood for his team. All this while he reportedly desires a new contract.

The Panthers made sure the Falcons knew where their star receiver was, posting a tweet that was soon deleted. The tweet, which reportedly showed Jones and Newton posing together in T-shirts that read "Kicking It with Cam" (the name of the tournament), included the caption "Julio says hi" and tweeted at the Falcons' official Twitter feed. The Falcons have yet to publicly respond to the tweet.

--Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins underwent surgery for a torn quadriceps, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported.

Hawkins suffered the injury on Wednesday during an OTA session. The 24-year-old Hawkins is expected to be placed on injured reserve, according to multiple reports.

The reserve played in five games last season with one start. Hawkins, a fourth-round pick out of LSU in 2016, spent his first year on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury.

--Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, pop singer Ciara, are joining a group looking to bring Major League Baseball to Portland, Ore.

The Portland Diamond Project announced that the pair had signed on to the effort. The Seahawks star confirmed in his own Twitter post as well. Wilson and Ciara join former Nike executive Craig Cheek, who launched the project last month, and others as investors in the project. The group is reportedly focused on procuring land and beginning to build a stadium.

Wilson is no stranger to baseball, having been drafted in both 2007 and 2010 and spending two years in the low minors, though electing to stick with football as a professional. He's also appeared in spring training games with the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.

--Field Level Media

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