The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
FLAGS FOR HELMET HITS LIKELY TO BE REVIEWED
Goodell: Replay will provide ‘more confidence’ in calls.
The NFL’s new rule outlawing a player from lowering his head to initially make any sort of hit with his helmet likely will be included in replay reviews for officials.
That has not been decided yet, but Commissioner Roger Goodell and competition committee chairman Rich McKay made it clear Wednesday that video reviews probably will be part of the process.
“If we’re able to have replay confirm one of these fouls and also confirms a player be ejected,” Goodell said as the league meetings concluded, “I think there is more confidence among the coaches it will be called accurately.”
Late Tuesday, the owners rewrote the rule on using the helmet, making it a 15-yard penalty for any player to lower his head to initiate any hit with the helmet. McKay called it “a significant change,” noting that it was a “technique too dangerous for the player doing it and the player being hit.”
While the offender could be disqualified, owners did not call for an automatic ejection on such a play — at least not yet. In college football, when a player is penalized for targeting and a replay review affirms it, he is ejected.
Giants: Amid swirling speculation that star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. could be on his way out of New York in a megadeal with a winnow organization, co-owner John Mara said the team is far from that point and would rather it not happen at all.
“I don’t know how much more clearly I can say it: I don’t want (Beckham) to be traded,” Mara said. “I want him to be a Giant. But I can’t sit here and say it’s a 100 percent guarantee that will happen. I can’t say that about any player.”
Jets: It seems the Jets have concerns about the health of newly signed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. His oneyear, incentive-laden contract worth $15 million is only guaranteed a $500,000 signing bonus and a $500,000 workout bonus. His 2018 base salary is $5 million, but that’s not guaranteed.
Bridgewater is coming off a severe knee injury that cost him nearly two seasons with the Vikings.
Broncos: Safety Su’a Cravens, who contemplated retirement last season, was acquired by Denver in a trade with the Redskins. The Broncos and Redskins flipped fourth- and fifth-round picks from this year’s draft. In addition, Denver sends a fifthrounder to Washington — also from this year — and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2020.
Browns: Traded quarterback Cody Kessler, who started eight games as a rookie in 2016, to the Jaguars. In exchange, the Browns will receive a conditional 2019 seventh-round draft pick from the Jaguars, who were in the market to find a backup for Blake Bortles.
Saints: Veteran tight end Benjamin Watson is returning to New Orleans after two seasons in Baltimore. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Watson has agreed to a one-year contract with the Saints.
Legal: Former Seahawks quarterback Trevone Boykin has been arrested on an aggravated assault charge after his girlfriend accused him of beating her severely at his home in North Texas.
A police statement says Boykin was arrested at his home Wednesday after Mansfield police reviewed footage of a March 21 incident captured by Boykin’s security video system.
Seattle released the 24-year-old Boykin, a former TCU star, from its practice squad Tuesday after the allegations surfaced.