Henne bumps Bortles
Chad Henne will start Jacksonville’s preseason game against Carolina tonight, a change that could signal the end of Blake Bortles’ career with the Jaguars.
Coach Doug Marrone made the announcement yesterday, nearly a week after he created a quarterback competition in Jacksonville for the first time since 2013. Marrone said both quarterbacks will get time with the first-team offense tonight.
Henne, a 10-year veteran whose last start came in 2014, outperformed Bortles during training camp and through two preseason games. If Henne plays well against the Panthers, he likely will start the Sept.10 season opener at Houston.
It’s unclear what that would mean for Bortles, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The Jaguars exercised a fifth-year option in Bortles’ deal in May that would pay him $19 million in 2018. His salary is guaranteed only for injury, meaning the Jaguars could end up on the hook for a huge payout.
So keeping Bortles is a financial risk.
Browns tab Kizer
Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson has elected to go with rookie DeShone Kizer as his starting quarterback ahead of veterans Brock Osweiler and Cody Kessler. A second-round pick from Notre Dame, Kizer has been the most consistent of the three during training camp and led the Browns to three touchdowns during his two exhibition appearances.
Jackson said Kizer will start Saturday’s exhibition at Tampa Bay, and unless he flops or gets hurt, he will start the Browns’ Sept. 10 opener vs. Pittsburgh.
Penn ends holdout
Pro Bowl left tackle Donald Penn ended his holdout with the Oakland Raiders.
Penn reported for practice, ending his 26-day holdout. He was looking for an improved contract but general manager Reggie McKenzie said earlier in training camp that he would not negotiate a new deal with Penn until he arrived at camp.
The Raiders could have fined Penn $40,000 for each day of camp he missed but the team is not expected to do that.
Penn is entering the final year of an $11.9 million, twoyear contract. He is scheduled to earn $5.8 million in base salary this season with another $1.3 million in incentives and bonuses . . . .
Steelers holdout Le’Veon Bell, meanwhile, suggested on Twitter that he will return to the team on Sept. 1, the day after Pittsburgh’s final preseason game.
Bell hasn’t signed his franchise tender and has been holding out through training camp. Responding to a fan Tuesday night asking when he plans to end his holdout, Bell wrote: “91-17” and added a wink.
Famers back Mehri
Pro Football Hall of Famers Kellen Winslow and Harry Carson are supporting Cyrus Mehri’s candidacy for executive director of the players’ union.
The civil rights attorney who co-wrote the league’s Rooney Rule announced Tuesday that he intends to challenge DeMaurice Smith for the top job at the NFL Players Association. Yesterday, Winslow, Carson and John Wooten backed Mehri, though they no longer are voting members of the union.
Wooten, Carson and Winslow were instrumental in the creation of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an affinity group of NFL minority coaches, scouts and front-office personnel that advocates for policy changes in the NFL hiring practices.
Giants waive Bowie
The New York Giants waived Michael Bowie days after finding out that the offensive lineman had been charged with assault and battery in Oklahoma.
The team learned of the charges on Saturday and did not allow the 25-yearold free agent to make the trip to Cleveland for a preseason game against the Browns on Monday night.
Bowie is accused of grabbing his girlfriend by the neck during a fight at her home in Bixby, Okla., then broke two televisions and punched a hole in the wall.