LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[July 20, 2016] July 19 (The Sports Xchange) - Embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel remains without a team as NFL training camps get set to open but he insists that he will return to pro football.

Manziel expressed to his fans and social-media followers that he will "be back." He was let go by the Cleveland Browns after two distraction-marred seasons and told his Instagram followers that his career isn't over.

The Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M has been plagued by a list of issues that include drinking and a pending domestic assault case.

He also received a four-game suspension from the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy and could be disciplined further depending on how the court case plays out regarding a January incident with his former girlfriend.

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Oakland Raiders cornerback David Amerson signed a four-year contract extension, the team announced.

Amerson was a standout last season in his first season with the franchise by setting a franchise-record with 26 passes defensed. He also recorded career bests for interceptions (four) and tackles (62).

Amerson spent his first two seasons with the Washington Redskins and was waived shortly before the start of the 2015 season. Oakland was awarded Amerson through a waiver claim.

He has six career interceptions in 47 NFL games.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins recently resumed running as he recovers from April surgery to repair a broken bone in his left foot, but is uncertain when he will be able to return to football activities.

Watkins, 23, posted a video of himself on Instagram earlier this month running with the words "back on top soon."

He reeled in 60 receptions to go along with career highs in both yards (1,047) and touchdowns (nine) last season. Watkins remained in Buffalo this offseason to work with the team's training staff as he rehabbed from the surgery.

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Cornerback Mike Jenkins signed with the Arizona Cardinals, who released cornerback Carrington Byndom. Financial terms were not disclosed for the eight-year veteran who spent the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jenkins, 31, entered the NFL as a first-round pick by Dallas in 2008 and spent his first five seasons with the Cowboys before playing one season for Oakland in 2013. He has started 68 of 101 career regular-season games, with 267 tackles and 10 picks. Half of those came in 2009, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl.

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When the Dallas Cowboys drafted Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, they knew there'd be a good chance he would not play this season after injuring his knee.

Smith suffered a devastating knee injury during his final college game at Notre Dame. Smith tore his ACL and LCL during the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. The injuries created nerve damage in his knee and ankle. Prior to the injury, Smith was viewed as a top-10 pick.

Even though Smith is likely to miss this season, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said the Cowboys would not place him on injured reserve in hopes he could return by the end of the year.

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The Atlanta Falcons reached an injury settlement with center James Stone, who started 10 of the 19 games he appeared in since being signed as an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee following the 2014 NFL Draft.

Stone suffered a season-ending knee injury last December and was placed on injured reserve. (Editing by Larry Fine) ))

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