NFL notebook: Rams' Gurley unsure
how knee will hold up
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[July 11, 2019]
Todd Gurley, the Los Angeles
Rams' primary ballcarrier, said he isn't certain how his arthritic
knee will hold up over the long haul. An "arthritic component" in
his knee became problematic in the playoffs last season, when the
team attempted to manage his workload on the fly.
"I'm just like, hey, we're going to find out in training camp, you
know? Once training camp comes, you've got the preseason, but you
don't have a lot in preseason," Gurley told NFL Network.
Gurley said the lingering issue won't cause him to change his
playing style. However, NFL Network's Terrell Davis, who retired in
his prime because of knee issues, said the joint will eventually
wear out.
The Rams drafted Darrell Henderson in the third round and matched an
offer sheet to retain restricted free agent Malcolm Brown. Both will
get more use as Gurley eases into the season.
--The Houston Texans will not hire a general manager for the 2019
season, instead opting to divide responsibilities among current
front-office members, ESPN reported.
Going without a GM was reported as a possibility in mid-June, after
the team stopped pursuing New England Patriots director of player
personnel Nick Caserio. The Texans are widely expected to renew
their pursuit of Caserio when his contract expires next offseason,
an endeavor that would be more difficult if the team hired a GM in
the interim.
According to ESPN, Houston will divide the duties of fired GM Brian
Gaine among several people for the 2019 season, including director
of player personnel Matt Bazirgan, director of college scouting
James Liipfert, senior vice president of football administration
Chris Olsen and newly hired executive vice president of team
development Jack Easterby.
--The Arizona Cardinals selected Washington State safety Jalen
Thompson in the fifth round of the NFL supplemental draft, giving up
their fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft.
Thompson was ruled ineligible for his senior season at Washington
State due to a violation of NCAA rules, the school announced late
last month.
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Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley attends the Gatorade
Athlete of the Year Awards at Ritz-Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Kirby
Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Thompson had 191 career tackles (11.5 for loss) and six
interceptions in 39 games with the Cougars. He earned second-team
All-Pac-12 honors in 2017 and was an honorable mention
all-conference pick last season. He worked out in front of NFL
scouts on Monday in Los Angeles, with reported times of 4.47 and
4.56 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
--Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ryan Smith has been suspended
without pay for the first four games of the regular season for
violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Smith, 25, made 38 tackles, one interception and six pass breakups
for Tampa Bay last season, when he had six starts among his 16 games
played. Smith started 10 of 15 games in 2017, when he posted 62
tackles and five pass breakups. He was a fourth-round pick of the
Bucs in 2016.
Smith can participate in all offseason and preseason practices and
games. He will be eligible to play in Tampa Bay's game at the New
Orleans Saints on Oct. 6.
--Monday's deadline for franchise-tagged placekicker Robbie Gould to
sign a new contract with the San Francisco 49ers appears unlikely to
produce a deal.
Gould told the San Jose Mercury News that he remains uncertain if
he'll report to the team for training camp or even the regular
season, let alone come to terms on a long-term agreement by Monday.
Gould, a former Bears kicker, still lives in Chicago, and the Bears
are stuck in the process of finding a reliable kicker, a tailspin
that began late last season and continued into the last-second
playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
--Field Level Media
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