LDN - Sports

NFL notebook: Gronkowski definitely playing this fall

[April 25, 2018] New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is committed to playing the 2018 NFL season, he announced Tuesday on social media.

The decision ends speculation that Gronkowski, 28, could retire.

"I met with coach today and informed him I will be back for the 2018 season with the Pats," Gronkowski wrote on Instagram. "I have been working out, staying in shape and feel great. Looking forward to another championship run."

Gronkowski, who hasn't played a full season since 2011, caught 69 passes for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns last fall to earn All-Pro honors. He added 16 catches and three touchdowns in three postseason games.

--New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur maintains that wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will be part of the team next season.

Shurmur said during his pre-draft press conference that Beckham "absolutely" will be with the Giants in 2018. Reports last month had New York shopping the talented wide receiver in trade talks, with owner John Mara not ruling out the possibility of a trade entirely.

"We constantly communicate, we had a great conversation yesterday," Shurmur said of Beckham. "He came in and we sat down as we were getting ready for this minicamp so we could talk about what we were trying to get accomplished. We've spoken on the phone, we text, it's just like any relationship. We're very honest and open with one another and we communicate frequently."

--The Giants are engaged in trade talks centered around offensive tackle Ereck Flowers and are expected to trade the former first-rounder for draft compensation, according to NFL Network.

Flowers was the only player on the Giants' roster who did not attend the beginning of offseason activities April 9. The ninth overall pick in 2015, Flowers is expected to move to right tackle if he stays with New York after the team signed free-agent left tackle Nate Solder to a record-setting deal in the offseason.

Flowers, who turns 25 on Wednesday, has started all but two games at left tackle through three NFL seasons, but he has struggled, giving up 17.5 sacks and taking 23 penalties.

--Antonio Callaway saw his shaky draft stock take another hit Tuesday when his agent confirmed that the former Florida wide receiver failed a drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine.

According to Callaway's new agent, Malki Kawa, Callaway submitted a diluted drug test in Indianapolis. The NFL treats diluted tests the same as those found to include the presence of banned drugs.

Callaway, who is 5-foot-10 5/8 and 200 pounds, declared for the draft after a junior year in which he didn't play at all due to a team-issued suspension related to his involvement in an alleged credit-card fraud scheme.

--Dez Bryant is done in Dallas, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said while ruling out any chance of re-signing the Pro Bowl wide receiver, who became a free agent after the team cut him on April 13.

"We need to move on knowing that we don't have Dez," Jones said in a news conference two days before the beginning of the NFL draft.

Cutting Bryant saves the Cowboys $8.5 million against the salary cap. In 2015, Bryant signed a contract extension worth $70 million, and he was due to make $12.5 million this season.

--The Cleveland Browns will not rule out taking Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 pick in Thursday's NFL draft, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The report states the Browns might have already made up their mind on who they are taking first overall, and, if that's the case, Mayfield was at least in the conversation. Browns general manager John Dorsey hasn't tipped his hand regarding possibilities for the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks.

[to top of second column]

Most have considered USC quarterback Sam Darnold the favorite to go No. 1 for the last several weeks, but Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen's name has gained steam recently. Meanwhile, Browns head coach Hue Jackson told reporters last Tuesday that all four top quarterbacks -- Darnold, Allen, Mayfield and UCLA's Josh Rosen -- remain in play for Cleveland.

--Andrew Luck attended opening day for Indianapolis Colts' voluntary minicamp but the quarterback won't throw this week as he continues to rehab his right shoulder.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard told reporters last week that Luck has yet to throw regulation footballs. However, he noted the team remains confident its franchise quarterback will make a full recovery.

Luck, 28, hasn't played in a game since New Year's Day of 2017. After his initial surgery in January 2017, Luck suffered a setback two weeks after returning to practice in October and has since taken more gradual steps in preparing to return.

--The Tennessee Titans officially picked up the fifth-year option of quarterback Marcus Mariota's contract, according to published reports. General manager Jon Robinson indicated last Wednesday that the club would be exercising the option.

The transaction gives Mariota just over $20.9 million in salary in 2019. He is slated to make $3.73 million this season.

Mariota guided Tennessee to its first playoff victory since the 2003 campaign last season despite an uneven year in which he passed for 3,232 yards and 13 touchdowns against a career-worst 15 interceptions.

--The Los Angeles Rams exercised the fifth-year options on the contracts of running back Todd Gurley and cornerback Marcus Peters. Gurley will receive a 2019 salary of $9.63 million, while Peters will earn $9.07 million in 2019.

Gurley, 23, was NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season when he rushed for 1,305 yards, accumulated 788 receiving yards and had 19 combined touchdowns. He has rushed for 3,296 yards and 29 touchdowns in his three NFL seasons. He also has 128 receptions for 1,303 yards and six scores.

Peters was obtained in an offseason deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has 19 interceptions over his first three NFL seasons. The 25-year-old made five interceptions in 2017 -- the lowest output of his career.

--The Miami Dolphins have exercised the fifth-year option on wide receiver DeVante Parker.

Parker has played in 42 games with 24 starts over three seasons and totaled 139 receptions for 1,908 yards and eight touchdowns. He set career highs with 12 starts and 57 receptions in 2017.

The Dolphins will be without their leading receiver from last season, having traded Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns this offseason.

--Dalvon Cook, the rookie who rushed for 354 yards prior to being injured in Week 4 last season, participated in the Minnesota Vikings' strength and conditioning drills.

He said he is pushing ahead as much as possible six-plus months after having reconstructive knee surgery.

"You've got to trust yourself and know that you did everything in your power to get your knee back to where it's at," Cook told reporters. "I attacked this thing every day, and I did what I needed to do to get to this point, so I had no doubt when I first touched the field that it was where I wanted to be at."

--Field Level Media

Back to top