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NFL notebook: Browns send Gordon to Pats

[September 18, 2018] The Cleveland Browns traded talented but troubled wide receiver Josh Gordon to the New England Patriots on Monday.

According to multiple reports, the compensation is a fifth-round pick. ESPN added the Patriots will receive a late-round pick in return if Gordon isn't active for at least 10 games this season. Coincidentally, the Patriots released former Browns wideout Corey Coleman -- who was signed last week -- to make room for Gordon on the 53-man roster.

Gordon, who was ruled out of Sunday's game at New Orleans because of a hamstring injury, is healthy enough to play for the Patriots on Sunday night against the Detroit Lions, according to multiple reports.

Gordon reportedly injured his hamstring during a promotional shoot between Friday's practice and Saturday's walkthrough session. The injury worsened an already weak level of trust between the player and the team, leading the team to announce its plans to move on from Gordon.

--Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz received full medical clearance for the first time since his knee injury in December 2017 and will start Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts, coach Doug Pederson announced.

"He has been cleared," Pederson said. "We're all excited about that. Medically, from the date of surgery to where he's at today, all his rehab, 11-on-11, everything about it was a big part of getting to this point."

Wentz has participated in non-contact drills and most football activities since training camp began. The Eagles scaled him back to "controlled" drills and workout environments only as pre season wrapped up, prompting concerns Wentz might not be ready to go until October, but Pederson said the QB now has no limitations.

--Pederson also said wide receiver Mike Wallace broke his fibula Sunday against the Buccaneers, while Alshon Jeffery remains week-to-week in his recovery from off season shoulder surgery.

For now, Wallace will not be placed on injured reserve. Jeffery and running back Darren Sproles (hamstring) are expected to miss Week 3.

--Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel told reporters quarterback Marcus Mariota's situation has not changed, and the team will not rush him back into the starting lineup.

Vrabel said the status of Mariota, who has had trouble gripping a football since injuring his elbow in the season opener, "is probably the same as it was Friday or Saturday," which is when the team decided Blaine Gabbert would start Week 2 against the Houston Texans. Gabbert finished 13 of 20 for just 117 yards and a touchdown but led a game-winning field goal drive in the final minutes.

"There's some things (Mariota) can do, and there's some throws that he can't really comfortably make," Vrabel said. "It could be something that actually ... gets better overnight, and it gets better tomorrow. So that's kind of where we're at. We're waiting to see, and every day is a new day."

--Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee, multiple reports confirmed.

Robinson, who started 15 games as a rookie second-round pick in 2017, left Sunday's win over the New England Patriots in the first quarter after getting rolled up on.

Josh Wells replaced Robinson in the lineup on Sunday, when the Jaguars piled up 481 yards and manhandled the Patriots, 31-20.

--Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy sustained cracked rib cartilage Sunday in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to an ESPN report.

NFL Network reported McCoy had multiple fractured ribs, but later clarified to say McCoy believed Sunday night he had fractures before finding out Monday morning he did not.

ESPN reported McCoy won't miss more than one game, if that, as it is an injury he has had before. NFL Network added McCoy will attempt to play through the issue against the Minnesota Vikings this week.

--Buffalo coach Sean McDermott told reporters that the Bills are putting cornerback Vontae Davis' sudden retirement during Sunday's game behind them.

"His actions have spoken," McDermott said of Davis, who started Sunday before deciding to retire at halftime and leaving the stadium. "He's retired."

McDermott added Davis has "had a heckuva career" and wished the 30-year-old the best, but also said the team will soldier on without distraction.

--Bills running back Taiwan Jones avoided a concussion after a brutal hit Sunday in which his bare head was struck by an opponent's helmet. "No concussion, he's bruised, cut up a bit there," McDermott told reporters, adding that Jones needed stitches.

Jones was hurt after he scooped up a loose ball in his own end zone following a muffed punt by teammate Marcus Murphy. Jones was hit once, causing his helmet to come off, then was struck again, this time by Chargers linebacker Uchenna Nwosu in a helmet-to-head blow.

Jones went down in the end zone and was treated by trainers. He then walked off the field with the training staff, and the front of his white headband was clearly bloodied.

--Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry could return to practice this week, NFL Network reported.

A right heel injury kept Berry out the first two games of the 2018 season. He is the league's highest-paid safety.

Kansas City ranks first in the NFL in points per game but is dead last at No. 32 in total defense through two games. CBS reported during Sunday's telecast of the Chiefs-Steelers shootout in Pittsburgh that Berry likely would practice during the next two weeks.

--First-year Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks said personnel changes are being considered in light of the woeful 0-2 start.

"I'm not going to sit here and say right after the game what we're going to do from a personnel standpoint," Wilks told ESPN. "But I will say this: Everybody will be evaluated."

The Cardinals have been outscored 58-6, losing 34-0 Sunday in Los Angeles to the Rams. Arizona lost to the Washington Redskins in Week 1. Veteran quarterback Sam Bradford, signed to bridge the gap between the retired Carson Palmer and first-round draft pick Josh Rosen, has thrown for just 243 yards in two games, with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon (12) celebrates with quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) and defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence (99) after catching a touchdown during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

--The Vikings waived rookie kicker Daniel Carlson after his disastrous day in Green Bay and reportedly agreed to sign former Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey to take the job.

Carlson missed three field goal attempts Sunday, one in regulation and two in overtime, in a 29-29 tie with the Packers. He pushed all three attempts wide right from distances of 48, 49 and 35 yards.

Coach Mike Zimmer said Monday that Bailey was in town to take a physical, which is a precursor to an NFL contract. Bailey, the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history, has been unemployed since Dallas released him in a surprising cost-saving move before the season.

--The Browns agreed to a deal with Greg Joseph to replace embattled placekicker Zane Gonzalez.

According to multiple reports, Joseph signed after the Browns worked out kickers on Monday, the day after Gonzalez missed two field goals and two extra points in a 21-18 loss in New Orleans. ESPN reported Gonzalez was playing through a groin injury.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported veterans Blair Walsh and Cairo Santos were part of the audition for the Browns. Cleveland.com reported Bailey declined an invitation to work out with the Browns.

--New York Giants center Jon Halapio sustained fractures to his lower right leg and ankle in a Sunday night loss to the Dallas Cowboys and will miss the rest of the season.

Halapio, 27, started the first two games for the Giants, but he was carted off the field in the third quarter Sunday with his leg immobilized. He will undergo surgery to repair the injuries, the team said.

A former practice-squad member, Halapio won the starting job during the pre season, prompting the Giants to trade center Brett Jones to the Vikings on Aug. 27 for a 2019 seventh-round draft pick. John Greco, an 11-year veteran, replaced Halapio on Sunday.

--The Baltimore Ravens re-signed veteran linebacker Albert McClellan and placed cornerback Maurice Canady on injured reserve due to a thigh injury.

McClellan, 32, played in 90 games for the Ravens from 2011-16 and was with the team throughout the pre season before being released on Sept. 1 during the 53-man roster cuts.

His return became a priority after three-time Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley was injured last Thursday in a loss to Cincinnati. Mosley has a bone bruise in his left knee, and his status for Sunday's game against Denver is uncertain.

--Washington Redskins running back Rob Kelley might need surgery for an injured toe and could miss at least a month, coach Jay Gruden confirmed to NBC Sports.

Kelley, 25, had only one carry in Sunday's loss to Indianapolis after rushing three times for 7 yards in the season-opening win at Arizona.

In three seasons with the Redskins, Kelley has appeared in 24 games and rushed for 906 yards and nine touchdowns.

--The Redskins agreed to sign wide receivers Breshad Perriman and Michael Floyd, according to multiple reports.

The team announced it waived wideout Jehu Chesson, who was promoted from the practice squad last week after wideouts Trey Quinn and Cam Sims were placed on injured reserve.

Floyd, 28, spent the second half of training camp with the New Orleans Saints but failed to make the team. Perriman, 25, was among the Ravens' final cuts and had since worked out for the New York Jets, Bills and Eagles without signing a deal.

--Aaron Neary, a practice-squad center for the Rams, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Sunday, just a couple of hours after his team defeated the Cardinals.

Arrest records show Neary, 25, was arrested by the Simi Valley Police Department after multiple calls came in at 6:27 p.m. reporting a person who seemed to be driving under the influence. Callers to 911 said the car collided with multiple objects, including mailboxes, a trash can and a bus stop sign.

The car did not stop after the collisions, but police were able to locate the vehicle. Police said Neary registered a 0.17 blood alcohol content on a breathalyzer test, more than double the legal state limit of 0.08 percent.

--The Rams signed kicker Sam Ficken to fill in for Greg Zuerlein, after the latter injured his groin in pre game warm ups on Sunday.

Ficken, the former Penn State kicker, filled in for Zuerlein late last season and into the playoffs. Zuerlein is not expected to be placed on injured reserve, per NFL Network.

According to reports, the Rams were one of several teams who reached out to Bailey.

--The Chiefs hosted former Oakland Raiders and Jets tight end Clive Walford for a visit, per an NFL Network report.

A third-round pick in 2015, Walford has 70 catches for 768 yards and six touchdowns in 44 career games, but just nine catches for 80 yards since the start of 2017.

--Adding drama to the Pittsburgh Steelers' winless start, wide receiver Antonio Brown followed up his Sunday sideline outburst with an intriguing reply Monday to a Twitter critic.

"Trade me let's find out," Brown tweeted in response to former Steelers public relations employee Ryan Scarpino, who had written after Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, "AB needs to thank his lucky stars, because he was drafted by a team that had Ben. And Ben got AB paid. You know darn well he wouldn't put up those numbers for other teams."

--Field Level Media

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