Browns’ Tretter gets extension
BEREA, Ohio — The Browns may have major issues at several positions. Center isn’t one of them.
Steady JC Tretter, who endeared himself to teammates by playing much of last season with a severely sprained ankle, has agreed with Cleveland on a threeyear, $32.5 million contract extension, a person told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Tretter will receive $23 million guaranteed, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized. An announcement could come Friday, the person said.
With Tretter in the middle, Cleveland’s offensive line did not allow quarterback Baker Mayfield to be sacked in five of the team’s final seven games in 2018.
The 28-year-old Tretter has been a steady presence up front for the Browns, who signed him as a free agent in 2017. He started all 16 games last season and played every snap.
Tretter was drafted by Green Bay in the fourth round in 2013 out of Cornell.
Washington ends Williams’ season
Washington placed left tackle Trent Williams on the NFL’s reserve nonfootball injury list, eliminating any chance the seven-time Pro Bowl selection will play for them this season.
League rules allow teams to decide if they want to pay players on the non-football injury list. Considering Williams held out for five months before returning to the team last week and has essentially vowed to never play for Washington again, the team could select not to pay him, keeping him from collecting any of his $10.8 million base salary for 2019.
The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Williams should still get credit for this season toward fulfilling his contractual obligation to Washington. That’s an important consideration because the primary reason he came back right before the Oct. 29 trade deadline was to ensure this year would be counted under his contract. It means he will have one year left under the deal after this season, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020 season.
Odds and ends
Jets running back Le’Veon Bell (knee) was a limited participant in practice, an improvement after not taking part in team drills Wednesday. … Giants receiver Sterling Shepard remains in the concussion protocol and will likely miss his fifth straight game and sixth overall.