NFL news: Around the league in 32 plays
By Ben Almquist
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FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!! Well, sorta. I mean, it was really just the least important of the already non-important preseason games. To be honest, I’ve always kind of wondered why they don’t play the Pro Bowl for the Hall of Fame Game. What better way to kick off the season than with your superstars? And let’s face it, the games are about on the same level in terms of quality.
More from Kansas City Chiefs News
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- Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
- KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator
- Creed Humphrey lands on PFF’s Top 25 Under 25 list
But, with the start of the preseason comes a whole new round of NFL news and rumors. As we start to get closer to the beginning of the season, expect to see more injury news and trade rumors. It’s just what happens this time of year. So let’s get to it…
One of the best WRs of our time will be calling it quits after this season. Ice up, son! Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Baltimore Ravens: Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith has announced that this will be the last season in his career. Smith has been one of the best wide receivers of his generation, and currently sits only 638 yards away from being in the top 10 all-time for receiving yards. And don’t ever forget…”Ice up, son! Ice up!”
Buffalo Bills: The Bills have claimed the former Jets linebacker responsible for breaking Geno Smith’s jaw, IK Enemkpali. Many thought Enemkpali might be done in the NFL, but the truth is that this move makes way too much sense to not have happened. Ryan drafted and coached Enemkpali in his rookie season in New York, and the fact the guy just broke the jaw of the starting quarterback for a rival had to be appealing to Rexy.
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts have re-signed T.Y. Hilton to a six-year extension (new five-year deal). Hilton has emerged as the top target for quarterback Andrew Luck, who will have his own contract negotiation coming up soon. The Colts’ success is built around the Luck–Hilton connection, which makes both of these re-signings important.
Kansas City Chiefs: Safety Eric Berry is taking an important step on his road back from cancer as he is expected to play in this weekend’s preseason game against the Cardinals. Calling Berry’s recovery “ahead of schedule” wouldn’t be doing it justice since reports indicate he is already capable of keeping pace in practice. To not only be cancer-free and completely healthy, but also be able to compete at the NFL level is just beyond belief.
New England Patriots: The Patriots have cut quarterback Matt Flynn. Flynn was signed as partial insurance for Tom Brady’s suspension. The release of the veteran backup indicates that the Patriots either feel very comfortable with Jimmy Garoppolo, or believe that Brady will not be suspended. To replace Flynn, the Patriots are signing former Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley who will likely not challenge Garoppolo at all for snaps.
New York Jets: The Jets continue to have the most bizarre stories when it comes to their quarterbacks. Projected — but under fire — starter Geno Smith will miss the next six to 10 weeks with a broken jaw after being punched by his teammate over $600. Smith had owed IK Enemptali money for skipping the rookie linebacker’s offseason youth football camp. Apparently he didn’t pay it back quickly enough for Enemptali. To add to this, sources from within the team are apparently saying that Smith “deserved” it.
Oakland Raiders: Noted Raiders fan Ice Cube gave a special screening of “Straight Outta Compton” to the Oakland football team. The Raiders may be playing their home games much closer to Compton as the latest attempts at a new stadium deal in the Oakland area appear to be going absolutely nowhere.
- Chiefs’ take: At this point, it seems almost a guarantee that the Chiefs will have at least one opponent based out of LA. All three potential teams (Chargers, Raiders, and Rams) seem to be moving closer to a new home every day.
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