RAIDERS MOVED OFF SUNDAY NIGHT DUE TO COVID-19
The NFL on Thursday juggled its Week 7 schedule because of coronavirus-related issues with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The league moved the Raiders’ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from “Sunday Night Football” to earlier in the day. The game between the Seahawks and Cardinals was moved from the late afternoon on the East Coast to the Sunday night slot.
“These decisions were made out of an abundance of caution to ensure that a game would be available for fans on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ ” the NFL said in a written announcement. “We expect the Buccaneers
Raiders game to be played on Sunday afternoon. Scheduling decisions are made to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts.”
The Buccaneers-Raiders game in Las Vegas now is to be played at 1:05 p.m. and will be televised by Fox, according to the league’s announcement.
The Raiders placed four starting offensive linemen and safety Johnathan Abram on the reserve/ COVID-19 list after they were determined to be close contacts with a teammate who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Abram, Kolton Miller, Denzelle Good, Rodney
Hudson and Gabe Jackson were all placed on the list Thursday because of highrisk contact with right tackle Trent Brown, who was placed on the COVID-19 list Wednesday following a positive test for the virus.
If those players remain asymptomatic they must wait five days from their last contact with Brown on Monday and test negative each day before they will be allowed to return.
That gives them enough time to return to play on Sunday against Tampa Bay if they don’t test positive or develop symptoms before then.
Ravens may sign Bryant
Dez Bryant could be getting a do-over.
The former All-Pro wide receiver is planning to work out for the Ravens, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed, and if he impresses and passes a physical, he’s expected to join the team’s practice squad.
Bryant, 31, who hasn’t played since 2017, worked out for the Ravens in August, but the team decided not to sign him, partly out of conditioning concerns, a source said.
Adding Bryant to the practice squad would give him time to learn the Ravens’ playbook and get in game shape.
Bryant missed all of last season while rehabilitating, and the coronavirus pandemic forced him to wait out the NFL’s lockdown.
Ravens get Ngakoue
For the second straight year, the Ravens have struck a midseason deal to upgrade their defense.
Baltimore agreed to terms on a trade for Vikings defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, the team announced.
Entering this season, the former Maryland standout ranked 12th in sacks, eighth in quarterback hits and fourth in forced fumbles over the past four years.
According to ESPN, the Ravens are sending Minnesota a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifthround pick.
The Vikings originally acquired Ngakoue, named to the Pro Bowl in 2017, before this season from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2021 second-round pick and 2022 conditional fifth-round pick.
Browns’ Landry hurting
One of Jar vis Landry’s ribs is broken. The Browns wide receiver’s playing and receiving streaks are still unharmed.
Landry revealed that he played the past two weeks with a broken rib, an injury he sustained early in the Browns’ 32-23 win over Indianapolis on Oct. 11 and one that didn’t keep him out of last week’s game in Pittsburgh.
Landry, who has 24 receptions for 319 yeards, said he’s never dealt with a broken rib before and that “normal stuff ” such as sleeping and breathing have been affected.