Gruden says Redskins ‘discussed’ Kaepernick
WASHINGTON – Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden says the team “talked about and discussed” bringing in quarterback Colin Kaepernick for a tryout “but we will probably go in a different direction.”
Gruden told reporters during a conference call Tuesday that would there have been “a greater possibility” of considering Kaepernick if the Redskins were in need of a QB in Week 1 rather than at this stage of the season now.
Washington lost Colt McCoy to a broken right leg in a 28-13 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night that dropped the Redskins’ record to 6-6. McCoy had replaced Alex Smith as the starting quarterback after Smith broke his right leg last month.
Gruden said McCoy had surgery Tuesday but would not go on injured reserve immediately because there is a chance he might be able to return before the season ends.
Kaepernick hasn’t played since the 2016 season, when he began kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and social and racial injustice.
He filed a grievance against the NFL last year, saying team owners colluded to keep him off rosters.
Steelers RB James Conner out with sprained left ankle: Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner is out for Sunday’s game in Oakland because of a sprained left ankle.
Conner, who is second in the NFL with 12 rushing touchdowns, suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of a 3330 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL official on leave; accused of calling player vulgar name: The NFL has placed official Roy Ellison on administrative leave while it investigates an accusation that he called Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes a vulgar name during Buffalo’s game at Miami on Sunday.
The league confirmed Ellison’s status and the investigation Tuesday but provided no other details.
Hughes confronted Ellison in the tunnel near the locker room following Buffalo’s 21-17 loss, and video of the incident shows him accusing the umpire of using a derogatory term. Hughes waved his index finger and shouted “I’ll catch you. I’ll catch you, guaranteed,” before being pulled away by team officials. Hughes afterward declined to elaborate.
Buffalo Bills cut underperforming receiver Kelvin Benjamin: The Buffalo Bills have cut Kelvin Benjamin with four weeks left in the season in an indication of how poorly the receiver has underperformed during his 13 months with the team.
Benjamin had just 23 catches on 62 targets for 354 yards and one touchdown, and knocked for several drops as well as running poor routes this season. That wasn’t the type of production the Bills were expecting from the 2014 firstround draft pick they acquired in a trade with Carolina on Oct. 31, 2017.
Monday’s game: Carson Wentz tossed two touchdown passes, Darren Sproles ran for a score and the Philadelphia Eagles stayed in the hunt for the NFC East title with a 28-13 victory over the depleted Washington Redskins on Monday night.
The Eagles (6-6) won consecutive games for the first time since Nick Foles led them to a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots.