|
 Frustrated by poor results and uneven performance by Brian Hoyer
and rookie Johnny Manziel, Pettine changed his mind Tuesday and will
take more time to weigh the decision.
"We want to decision right, It's the risk-reward thing," Pettine
said. "I don't want to rush it."
However, Pettine didn't rule out naming a starter before Saturday's
preseason game against the St. Louis Rams in Cleveland.
- - -
Practice squads will expand from eight to 10 players, effective Aug.
30, as NFL rosters are set at 53 players and practice squads can
then be established the next day.
The league and the NFL Players' Association reached agreement on the
expanded practice squad roster for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Until 2004, a practice squad was only five players.
- - -
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not deny a report that he was
physically restrained in the team draft room from turning in Texas
A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel as their first-round pick.
Responding Tuesday to a report that Jones was restrained by his son,
CEO Stephen Jones, who "snatched the Manziel card straight out of
his (Jerry Jones') hand" in May's draft, the longtime Cowboys owner
said there was truth to the report by Jim Dent.
"Figuratively speaking, it got close to that," said Jones on 105.3
FM in Dallas. "It certainly was a big debate going on, if no place
else other than my mind."
- - -
Former punter Chris Kluwe and the Minnesota Vikings reached a
settlement that calls for the team to donate to multiple groups that
support gay rights.
Kluwe will drop the threat of a lawsuit against the Vikings'
organization. No financial terms of the deal were made public, but
the team confirmed the two sides settled in a statement.
- - -
The Honey Badger is out of hibernation in Arizona. Cardinals safety
Tryann Mathieu was activated from the physically unable to perform
list Tuesday, returning from multiple knee ligament tears incurred
in December.
Mathieu overtook Rashad Johnson at safety and was a key contributor
as the nickel defensive back even before that. He participated in 88
percent of the defensive snaps for the season and in 99 percent of
snaps in his final five games before the injury.
- - -
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert to a
six-year contract through the 2019 season, the team announced.
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The Steelers did not release financial details, but NFL.com reported that
the deal is worth $30 million. Gilbert, a fourth-year pro who was
selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, has started 34
regular-season games and one postseason game for the Steelers.
- - -
The injuries keep on coming for Oakland Raiders cornerback DJ Hayden, who
appears headed to the regular-season physically unable to perform list
after foot surgery.
Hayden was the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft from Houston, where
he overcame a life-threatening injury to return to the field and catch
the eye of Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie. But he played in
only eight games last season and underwent foot surgery in late July. He
has not participated in preseason practice and remains on the physically
unable to perform list.
- - -
The Indianapolis Colts signed free agent guard Andre Cureton and waived
kicker Cody Parkey on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-5, 332-pound Cureton is an Indianapolis native who was signed
by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent on May 12 and then
waived on Aug. 12
- - -
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken a cautious approach with cornerback
Alterraun Verner, who has missed the first two preseason games while
recovering from a hamstring injury but did return to the practice field
Tuesday.
- - -
The first two weeks of the 2014 preseason has been dominated by
penalties. According to Peter King of theMMQB.com, the average
regular-season game in 2013 featured 12.2 penalties per game compared
with 17.7 per game during the first week of preseason this year and 20.2
in Week 2.
At the heart of the debate is the increased emphasis on defensive
holding. According to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com, there were 56 illegal
contact penalties called during the first two weeks of the preseason.
Only 54 were called during the entire 2013 regular season. (Editing by
Gene Cherry)
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