LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[August 09, 2016] Aug 8 (The Sports Xchange) - Head coach Hue Jackson named Robert Griffin III the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, sweeping away any speculation that veteran Josh McCown might nail down the No. 1 job in training camp.

Jackson said at the outset of training camp that he would name a starter before the first preseason game Friday, but the first-year Browns coach made his decision well before that deadline.

"It's time. Robert has earned the right to be named the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns," Jackson said.

Griffin was released by the Washington Redskins, who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2012, in March rather than pay his 2016 salary of $15.6 million. That total can be recouped by Griffin over two years in Cleveland if he hits all incentive marks.

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Browns cornerback Joe Haden passed his physical and was activated from the physically unable to perform list. Haden, 27, had been sidelined following offseason ankle surgery.

The Browns also signed defensive lineman Chigbo Anunoby and waived defensive lineman Kyle Rose.

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Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron may have avoided a major injury, attending practice Monday but not participating after injuring his right ankle Saturday during the team's mock game.

Ebron, who had to be carted off the field after suffering the injury, walked with a slight limp but was not wearing a boot on Monday. The NFL Network initially reported that Ebron hurt his Achilles.

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Chicago Bears starting center Hroniss Grasu sustained a torn ACL in his right knee and is out for the season, coach John Fox said.

The second-year player attempted to block downfield on a screen pass before immediately clutching at his right knee. Grasu was placed on the trainer's cart and taken off the field.

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Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian are listed as co-starters on the Denver Broncos' depth chart released Monday ahead of the preseason opener at Chicago on Thursday night.

Sanchez and Siemian have been splitting first-team reps throughout training camp with rookie Paxton Lynch taking the third-team reps. Lynch is listed as the No. 3 quarterback.

Head coach Gary Kubiak said Saturday he was not ready to name a starter for the first preseason game against the Bears.

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Broncos veteran cornerback Aqib Talib returned to practice for the first time since suffering a gunshot wound to the leg in the offseason.

Talib, 30, is slightly over two months removed from being shot in a mysterious set of circumstances in Dallas. The bullet entered the rear of his right thigh and exited his right calf, according to police reports.

He admitted he was too intoxicated to remember the events of the incident on June 5, and declined to shed any additional light, citing the ongoing investigation by Dallas police.

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The New York Jets activated running back Khiry Robinson from the physically unable to perform list.

Robinson is recovering from a fractured tibia suffered on Nov. 1 that ended his 2015 season after just eight games.

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews is expected to be sidelined a couple of weeks with a sore knee, coach Doug Pederson announced.

Pederson told reporters that the third-year receiver did not suffer any structural damage following a low hit by rookie defensive back Jalen Mills during Friday's practice.

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The Buffalo Bills continued to evaluate the knee injury suffered by rookie Reggie Ragland.

Ragland, the team's second-round pick who has been penciled in to start inside next to Preston Brown, suffered a knee injury during Friday's practice.

Meanwhile, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, wide receiver Sammy Watkins and defensive tackle Kyle Williams all passed physicals and practiced for the first time during training camp.

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The New Orleans Saints released wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

They signed long snapper Chris Highland to fill the roster spot of Nicks, who had worked out with the club in May before inking a contract on July 27.

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Cornerback Al Louis-Jean was signed by the Miami Dolphins, who waived/injured Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

Louis-Jean entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie out of Boston College and was signed by the Chicago Bears in 2014.

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Veteran wide receiver Lance Moore retired, the Atlanta Falcons announced.

Moore, 33, signed with the Falcons Friday and participated in practice Sunday. He played 10 NFL seasons since joining Cleveland as an undrafted free agent out of Toledo in 2005.

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Second-year running back Jay Ajayi was listed above veteran Arian Foster atop the Miami Dolphins' first official depth chart.

Ajayi is working his way back from a knee injury while Foster signed with Miami in mid-July.

(Editing by Larry Fine) ))

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