2 Browns fined for altercation
Beckham, Tretter sanctioned for exchange with Humphrey
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and offensive lineman JC Tretter were fined for their involvement in Sunday’s altercation with Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, according to multiple reports Friday.
Beckham plans to appeal the according to ESPN’s Jake Trotter.
There is no word whether Humphrey and linebacker Kenny Young, who also drew penalties for the exchange, have received fines.
In the third quarter of Sunday’s game in Baltimore, Beckham tried to punch Humphrey, who then appeared to have his arm around Beckham’s neck. No one was ejected but both teams drew unnecessary roughness penalties.
“I didn’t see the TV copy,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after the game Sunday. “I was told that Beckham took a swing at him. So that’s supposed to be a penalty.”
Browns coach Freddie Kitchens told reporters Monday that he had planned to reach out to the league about the situation.
“I don’t like seeing our player on the field and someone’s hands around his throat,” Kitchens said.
The Ravens team website posted closeup video and a story several days later that said despite Kitchens’ allegations, Humphrey did not choke or have his hand around Beckham’s neck.
Dropkick fallout
fine,
Harbaugh said the team was in full contact with the NFL regarding its drop kick attempt against the Kansas City Chiefs, which the league later ruled was illegal.
“We were in contact with the league officiating office all the way through,” Harbaugh said Friday. “We didn’t just pull it out and decide to try it and sneak it past them.”
The failed attempt, which occurred during the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 3 loss to the Chiefs, was deemed illegal because kicker Justin Tucker failed to kick the ball as it hit the ground.
“A drop kick is defined the way it’s defined,” Harbaugh said. “We talked to them. We explained exactly what we were doing and how it was going to go, and they said it was legal, we could do it. We talked to the officials before the game. They called the league office again. They had been in contact with the league office, the officiating office, and they said it was legal.
“Probably, the competition committee decided they didn’t want to see it, someone on the competition committee — probably the chairman [Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay] — decided with [senior vice president of officiating] Alberto [Riveron] he didn’t want to see it. So now, it’s not legal.”
Injury report
Harbaugh said center Matt Skura is expected to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury.
Skura, along with defensive tackle Brandon Williams (knee) and cornerback/punt returner Cyrus Jones (foot), are listed as questionable.
“He had something happen in practice,” Harbaugh said of Skura’s injury. “I think he has a real good chance to play. [I’m] very encouraged, so we’ll just have to see. If not, we’ll go with the guys we have.”
If Skura is unable to play, the team could start reserve lineman Patrick Mekari in his place, or slide over left guard Bradley Bozeman, who started two years at center in college.
“In the NFL, everybody plays every position,” Bozeman said. “That’s kind of where you get your value, being versatile. No matter what happens, we have guys who can fill those roles. Hopefully [Skura] can do it. Whatever [Harbaugh] says, that’s pretty much how it goes. It’s always a good opportunity to showcase what you can do.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith (knee) has been ruled out and will miss his fourth straight game.
The Steelers listed wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster (toe), tight end Vance McDonald (shoulder) and linebacker Vince Williams (hamstring) as questionable.
Linebacker Anthony Chickillo (foot) and running back Roosevelt Nix (knee) have been ruled out.
Collins plea
Former Ravens running back Alex Collins pleaded guilty Thursday to misdemeanor charges of possession of more than 10 grams of marijuana and possession of a handgun in a vehicle.
Collins, 25, will serve 18 months of unsupervised probation. He was given probation before judgment, which is not a conviction under Maryland law. Felony charges of intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime were dropped.
“It’s an outstanding outcome,” said Collins’ attorney, Andrew I. Alperstein, noting that supervised probation would’ve been difficult because “we don’t know what state he’s going to live in because he’s going to hopefully sign with another team.”
The Ravens waived Collins on March 1, hours after his car crashed about a mile from the team’s Owings Mills facility. Collins was driving a friend home in his Chevrolet Corvette, which had expired tags, when the car slid off the road in the 10000 block of Dolfield Road and into a tree, according to charging documents. An odor of marijuana at the scene of the crash prompted police to search Collins’ car, where they said they found a clear glass jar containing about 5 ounces of marijuana as well as a black revolver.
Alperstein said Collins had a license to carry in Washington state, where he previously played for the Seattle Seahawks, but not Maryland.
Collins started the Ravens’ first 12 games of 2018 before being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury in early December. He finished with 411 rushing yards and was set to become a restricted free agent before his release. In Week 5 of the 2019 NFL regular season, he remains unsigned after breaking his leg over the summer.
Extra points
Harbaugh said the team is expected to make an additional roster move ahead of Sunday after placing safety/special teams ace Brynden Trawick on injured reservedesignated to return with an elbow injury.
“It’s just a move we decided to make,” Harbaugh said. “It’s kind of the way it worked out. It’s not really as much medical. I mean, he’s not ready to play yet.”
Newly signed inside linebacker L.J. Fort said it was a “no-brainer” to sign with the Ravens following his release from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Harbaugh said Fort, who was signed Monday, is expected to be in the mix to contribute Sunday on defense and special teams.