LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[August 30, 2016] Aug 29 (The Sports Xchange) - The San Diego Chargers and first-round defensive end Joey Bosa finally have come to terms.

San Diego announced on Monday that it signed the third overall pick of the 2016 draft to a four-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Bosa, who was the last pick of the draft to sign after a lengthy impasse stemming from offset language and the timing of his signing bonus payments.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported the deal is worth $25.8 million and the fully guaranteed contract comes with a $17 million signing bonus.

"We look forward to having Joey join us and getting him prepared as quickly as possible for the 2016 season," Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said in a statement.

- - -

Philadelphia Eagles rookie linebacker Myke Tavarres initially said he would follow in the footsteps of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and sit out the national anthem.

Tavarres appears to have changed his stance later in the day, with his agent saying that he will stand for "The Star Spangled Banner".

"He plans on standing for the national anthem," Tavarres' agent, Corey Williams, said in a statement. "Myke does not want to be a distraction to the Philadelphia Eagles' organization. Myke's goal is and will always be to make the Eagles' 53-man roster and help the team win a Super Bowl."

When asked whether he advised Tavarres to change his stance, Williams replied: "Yes, I did."

- - -

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Mike Jenkins tore his ACL in Sunday night's third preseason game against the Houston Texans and was placed on injured reserve.

Jenkins suffered the injury in the first quarter and was carted off the field. He had an MRI after the team returned from Houston.

Jenkins, an eight-year veteran who played the last two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was signed by the Cardinals on July 19. The 31-year-old Jenkins missed part of training camp with a broken bone in his right hand.

- - -

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott described his visit to a legal marijuana shop in Seattle last week as a learning experience.

[to top of second column]

TMZ posted a video of Elliott at a marijuana dispensary just hours before he made his preseason debut against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night.

"You definitely have to think of the perception of things before you actually do certain things," Elliott said Monday. "It may not seem like it's a big deal to you yourself, but there's a bigger picture.

"It's definitely a learning experience about the scrutiny. You just have to be careful and not give anybody a chance to say anything."

- - -

The San Francisco 49ers acquired wide receiver Jeremy Kerley from the Detroit Lions for offensive lineman Brandon Thomas.

The 5-foot-9, 188-pound Kerley was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2011 draft by the New York Jets.

In five seasons with the Jets (2011-15), he played in 74 games (24 starts) and registered 182 receptions for 2,225 yards and nine touchdowns.

Kerley has returned 134 punts for 1,250 yards and one touchdown during his career. In 2015, he registered a career-high 411 punt return yards, which ranked second in the NFL.

- - -

The Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns traded punters as the Panthers acquired veteran Andy Lee and a 2017 seventh-round draft choice from the latter for Kasey Redfern and a 2018 fourth-round draft pick.

Lee came under fire on Friday from coach Hue Jackson after appearing to let up during a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown by Tampa Bay's Adam Humphries.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Lee recorded a 46.7-yard gross average and 40.1-yard net average last season to set franchise records for the Browns. The 34-year-old landed 25 of his 70 punts inside the 20-yard line.

- - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

Back to top