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National Football League roundup

[May 08, 2017] May 6 (The Sports Exchange) - Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin won't be on the field for organized team activities later this month after undergoing wrist surgery.

Austin's surgery on Thursday was an arthroscopic procedure to repair ligament damage on his left wrist, according to ESPN. Austin is expected to be back in time for training camp and see how he will fit into an offense under new head coach Sean McVay.

The Rams, currently in the second phase of offseason workouts, begin organized team activities on May 23, while training camp starts in late July.

Austin, 26, signed a four-year, $42 million extension before the start of the 2016 season, but the speedster's production dipped to 668 yards from scrimmage (509 receiving, 159 rushing) in 2016. He caught 58 passes for three touchdowns last season and also rushed for a TD.

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Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said he is confident first-round pick Gareon Conley will be cleared of rape allegations, but the rookie cornerback is uncertain where the police investigation stands.

The Cleveland Police Department is investigating an allegation that Conley raped a woman in a hotel last month. He has not been charged or arrested and no warrant has been issued.

Conley, the former Ohio State cornerback who was drafted No. 24 overall by the Raiders last week, gave a DNA sample and a voluntary statement to police on Monday.

"I don't know where things stand, but I know the meeting went well," Conley told NFL Network on Friday.

A woman accused Conley, 21, of raping her at a downtown Cleveland hotel on April 9. He has vehemently denied the accusation.

The Raiders said they believe in Conley's innocence.

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Jay Cutler, the former Chicago Bears quarterback who announced his retirement Friday to join the number two NFL broadcast team at Fox as an analyst, has some advice for his old team about first-round pick Mitchell Trubisky.

Cutler advised against the Bears playing Trubisky, the second overall pick in last week's draft, if the team gets off to a slow start.

Instead, Cutler said the rookie quarterback should be brought along slowly, with veteran Mike Glennon keeping the starting job until Trubisky is ready.

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"If it's going downhill, there is no way I'm playing him," Cutler told ESPN Radio on Friday. "For what? So he can go out there and take a beating and get off to a rough start as an NFL quarterback?"

Glennon, who was the backup for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and hasn't started a game in more than two years, was signed by the Bears this offseason to a three-year deal worth $43.5 million after the team cut Cutler.

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Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen says the organization has not decided on the selection of the next general manager.

Allen told ESPN Radio on Friday that the Redskins are still looking and evaluating personnel to determine the front office structure.

The Redskins fired Scot McCloughan in March after two years as general manager and there have been reports that Allen may not hire a GM and instead reallocate the responsibilities of existing front office members.

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The Buffalo Bills interviewed their third candidate for the vacant general manager's post on Saturday, confirming Philadelphia Eagles director of college scouting Trey Brown as the latest to meet for the opening.

Brown met with Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula at their Florida home.

The Bills fired Doug Whaley as general manager last Sunday, one day after the NFL Draft ended.

Brown joins Carolina Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane and Houston Texans director of player personnel Brian Gaine as candidates who have interviewed.

(Editing by Gene Cherry)

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