LDN - Sports

NFL notebook: Beckham signs megadeal with Giants

[August 28, 2018] The New York Giants signed Odell Beckham Jr. to a five-year extension, the team announced Monday, reportedly making him the highest-paid wideout in NFL history.

According to multiple reports, the deal has a base value of $90 million, with an additional $5 million available through incentives. The contract includes $65 million guaranteed for injury and $41 million fully guaranteed at signing. According to NFL Network, the deal averages $20 million over the first three seasons.

The annual average ($19 million) and guaranteed money are both records among wide receivers, eclipsing the contracts of Antonio Brown ($17 million annually) and Mike Evans ($55 million guarantee).

--Coach Sean McVay chose not to push his starters in preseason, but the Los Angeles Rams are making it known the time is now for defensive tackle Aaron Donald to end his holdout and report to the team to begin preparing for Week 1.

McVay said he would not place a hard deadline on Donald's arrival, but he spelled out the reality of the situation.

"I think in an ideal situation, you get a week and a half, two weeks of preparation," McVay said, adding, "I'd say you'd like to have him by the end of this week."

--One day after the team's third preseason game, Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters he has yet to make a decision on who will be his starting quarterback.

The candidates are rookie Josh Allen, the No. 7 overall pick, and veterans AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman. McCarron did not play Sunday as he recovers from a shoulder injury that was initially thought to be a broken collarbone. McDermott told reporters Monday that McCarron will again participate in practice this week.

McDermott also indicated he hasn't decided who will start Thursday's preseason finale, or whether any starters will play alongside whichever quarterback starts.

--Soon after being asked questions about trainer Alex Guerrero traveling with the New England Patriots to Charlotte, N.C., last week, quarterback Tom Brady ended the chat with WEEI.

During the opening of the Monday morning radio interview, Brady made it clear the topic of Guerrero wasn't one he planned to discuss. When co-host Kirk Minihane went back to that well a fifth time without shifting gears, Brady responded by signing off.

Brady's relationship with Guerrero came to light in Brady's book, "TB12 Method," which included joint marketing efforts. Their pact and whether it sits well with coach Bill Belichick became a narrative when ESPN broke a story last season about friction between Guerrero and the team.

--Browns coach Hue Jackson went well out of his way to state that wideout Josh Gordon, who missed practice with a hamstring injury, will not start Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jackson said Gordon -- assuming his hamstring is healthy -- will play in the regular-season opener, but indicated the wideout has work to do to earn the opportunity to start again.

Gordon left the team prior to the start of training camp and entered a treatment program at the University of Florida. He said the visit was more a "mental break" than anything else.

--Andrew Luck missed practice with a "minor" foot injury, but Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich said it shouldn't be an issue.

Reich said his quarterback could play this week if it were the start of the regular season. Luck is set to return to practice on Tuesday if his foot feels better in the morning. He was not scheduled to play Thursday in the preseason finale and has nearly two weeks to get ready for the Sept. 9 season opener against Cincinnati.

Luck was injured on a sack Saturday in the preseason game against San Francisco. The Colts played without starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo, while starting right tackle Austin Howard saw just three snaps.

--Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee is out for the 2018 season with a knee injury, coach Doug Marrone said.

Lee sustained ligament damage in Saturday's preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons and will be placed on the reserve/injured list. Marrone said Lee would have surgery, likely this week, and begin rehab.

Signed to a four-year, $34 million deal in the offseason, Lee was expected to start and play a major role in the offense. The Jaguars lost Allen Robinson in free agency to the Chicago Bears, as well as Allen Hurns, who joined the Dallas Cowboys.

--Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker told reporters he remains "very confident" he'll be ready for the Sept. 9 season opener despite likely sitting out the whole preseason.

Walker has not practiced since limping off the field on Aug. 16 with what's believed to be a foot or toe injury. The Titans, who have been extremely tight-lipped about injuries under new coach Mike Vrabel, have said only that Walker was evaluated for a lower-body injury.

The 13-year veteran told reporters "it hurts that I am not out there," but added he doesn't feel the need to play in the preseason at this stage in his career.

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Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. looks on during training camp in East Rutherford. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY NETWORK

--New England Patriots right guard Shaq Mason signed a five-year, $50 million extension with the team, according to multiple published reports.

Mason reportedly will receive $23.5 million in guaranteed money. He is now signed through the 2023 season. The extension makes Mason one of the highest-paid right guards in the NFL. Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys reportedly is the highest with a $14 million average (six years, $84 million).

Mason, who turns 25 on Tuesday, is slated to earn $1.9 million in base salary this season during the fourth season of his rookie contract.

--Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is having his knee scoped and could be out for the Sept. 9 season opener, coach Pete Carroll told reporters.

Carroll said Wright felt that "maybe something wasn't quite right" in his knee after Friday's preseason game, prompting the medical procedure. Wright is expected to return quickly, but there is no timeline yet for his return, and his availability for the opener is in doubt. Carroll said fifth-round rookie Shaquem Griffin must be ready to start against the Denver Broncos in Week 1 if needed.

--On Aug. 27, 2017, Houston defensive end J.J. Watt launched an online fundraising campaign to raise money for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

On Monday, the one-year anniversary of the start of the drive, Watt's foundation revealed that the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund raised $41.6 million to become the largest fundraiser conducted by crowdsourcing in history.

The foundation also announced the funds had been distributed to eight nonprofit groups: All Hands and Hearts, Americares, Boys & Girls Clubs, BakerRipley, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children and SBP.

--Wide receiver Ryan Switzer was traded for the second time in less than five months, this time from the Oakland Raiders to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Raiders will receive a fifth-round 2019 draft pick, and the Steelers also will receive a sixth-round pick.

Oakland acquired Switzer from Dallas during the 2018 NFL Draft for veteran defensive lineman Jihad Ward. In Oakland, Switzer caught one pass for 7 yards in the preseason.

--The Raiders released tackle Breno Giacomini and placed wideout Griff Whalen on injured reserve.

Both players were signed as free agents in March, and Giacomini was expected to compete for the starting job at right tackle. Incumbent left tackle Donald Penn has moved over to the right side with rookie first-round pick Kolton Miller working on Derek Carr's blind side.

The team filled its roster spots by signing cornerback Jarell Carter and defensive tackle Connor Flagel, both former undrafted free agents.

--The Detroit Lions signed veteran defensive end Robert Ayers to a one-year contract.

Ayers, who turns 33 on Sept. 6, is entering his 10th NFL season. He has 35 sacks and nine forced fumbles in 120 career NFL games (59 starts).

--Arizona Cardinals running back D.J. Foster tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral in his left knee on Sunday and will miss the season, coach Steve Wilks said.

A former undrafted rookie out of Arizona State, Foster was pushing for a roster spot before the injury. Wilks also said defensive end Arthur Moats -- a ninth-year veteran battling for a spot -- sprained his MCL and will likely miss two to four weeks.

--Members of the NFL executive committee and NFL Players Association met in East Rutherford, N.J., to resume discussions designed to establish a policy or universal protocol for the national anthem.

"Today, we continued our productive dialog on the issues that players have raised awareness about and we remain committed to working together on solutions," the sides said in a joint statement released Monday afternoon. "In the spirit of our ongoing collaboration and progress, we will continue the confidentiality of our discussions."

--Field Level Media

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