The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Broncos go back to Osweiler
Browns wideout Gordon reinstated on conditional basis.
Brock Osweiler knows just how to turn the Denver Broncos’ quarterback switch into more than a temporary gig.
“Ball security is job security,” Osweiler said.
Doesn’t Trevor Siemian know it.
Siemian’s half dozen turnovers during Denver’s threegame losing streak cost him his starting job 48 hours after his three ugly interceptions wasted a strong defensive effffffffffffort in a 29-19 loss at Kansas City.
“It came down to what’s best for our football teamand frankly, what’s best for Trevor’s future,” coach Vance Joseph said Wednesday after naming his starter for Sunday, when the Broncos (3-4) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2). “The team was OK with it. They trust Brock. He’s been here before.”
Osweiler started seven games in place of an injured Peyton Manning two years ago, going 5-2 in helping the Broncos secure home- fifield advantage in the AFC playoffs on their way to their Super Bowl 50 title.
In bolting two months later for $37 million in guarantees from the Houston Texans, Osweiler embarked on an 18-month odyssey that included a playoff win, a benching, a blow-up, a trade, the birth of his daughter, his release from Cleveland and ultimately are turn to Denver, where backup Paxton Lynch had sprained his throwing shoulder in the preseason.
Bengals: AJMc Carron was getting his son ready for Halloween when his agent called with shocking news: The Bengals were trading the quarterback to the Browns. Then came another jolt: The trade fell through because paperwork wasn’t fifiled with the NFL offiffice in time.
McCarron was still processing the whirlwind events Wednesday, a day after a paperwork snafu mean the’d stay in Cincinnati as Andy Dalton’s backup. The AFC North rivals agreed to the trade shortly before the 4 p.m. deadline. The Bengals say they fifiled their paperwork on the deal, holding up their end of the bargain.
“All youhave to do is notify the league offiffice you’re making a deal and that’s an easy thing, which we spoke to a person in there,” coach Marvin Lewis said Wednesday.
McCarron doesn’t understand how the trade was botched.
“There’s no telling,” McCarron said. “I’m lost like everybody else.”
Browns: Josh Gordon is getting yet another chance to resurrect his football career and life. Cleveland’s suspended wide receiver was conditionally reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who met with the Browns’ former Pro Bowler on Wednesday in New York.
Gordon, who hasn’t played since the 2014 season, can immediately join the team for meetings, engage in conditioning work and individual workouts. Hehas to comply with requirements set forth by Goodell and can begin practicing with the team Nov. 20.
The 26-year-old will be eligible at the team’s discretion to return to active status Nov. 27 or remain on the commissioner’s exempt list for an additional week.
Gordon has been in and out of rehab over the past year. He had been suspended indefifinitely since 2016 for multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Ravens: Quarterback Joe Flacco cleared the concussion protocol, joined the team for practice and is expected to start Sunday against the Titans.
Flacco sustained a concussion last Thursday night in Baltimore’s40-0 victory over Miami. He missed the second half of the game and was in the concussion protocol at the beginning of this week.
Patriots: Tom Brady didn’t go without a backup for long. The Patriots signed former 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer a day after Hoyer was released by San Francisco following its acquisition of Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade with New England.
Hoyer began his career as Brady’s backup in New England in 2009 and has spent time with seven NFL teams during his nine-year career. Hoyer, 32, has played in 55 games with 37 starts and has completed 833 of 1,404 passes for 9,853 yards with 48 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.
Panthers: Coach Ron Rivera said the club traded No. 1 receiver Kelvin Benjamin so they could get younger, faster players on the fifield.
Rivera said Benjamin and fellow receiver Devin Funchess had “similar skill sets,” and the Panthers wanted players who are vertical threats in the game because “we haven’t stretched the fifield this year.”
The Panthers traded the 26-year-old Benjamin, a fifirstround draft pick in 2014, to Buffffffffffffalo in exchange for third- and seventh-round draft picks in 2018.
Lions: Offensive tackle Taylor Decker returned to practice and was taken offff the physically unable to perform list. Decker hurt his right shoulder during an offffffffffff season workout with the team and had surgery in June.