The Columbus Dispatch

Report: Peppers tests positive for diluted sample

- From wire reports

Jabrill Peppers’ firstround draft projection has seemed shaky much of the month.

It would seem to be in a tougher spot now.

ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported Monday afternoon Peppers had a problem with his drug test at the NFL scouting combine in early March.

“NFL notified teams that Michigan’s Jabril Peppers tested positive for a dilute sample at the combine, league sources tell ESPN,” Schefter tweeted.

A diluted sample means Peppers provided a urine sample that was too watered down.

The NFL treats diluted samples as positive tests, which means Peppers will enter the NFL in Stage 1 of the league’s interventi­on program. As such, he’ll be subject to further random drug testing plus fines and suspension­s for future positive tests.

Peppers’ agency, Creative Artists Agency, offered a quick response to Schefter.

“Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego. He has a history of cramping. Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance.”

Peterson close to deal with Saints

Who says Adrian Peterson won’t open the 2017 season at U.S. Bank Stadium on Monday Night Football?

The former Vikings great very well could be there. As a member of the New Orleans Saints.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Peterson and the Saints are closing in on a one-year, $3 million deal for what would be Peterson’s 11th NFL season and the first outside of Minnesota.

The seventh overall pick of the Vikings 10 years ago, Peterson has racked up seven Pro Bowls, four firstteam All-Pro honors, three rushing titles and the 2012 league MVP, when he rushed for 2,097 yards, the second-most in NFL history.

Jake Long retires after 9 seasons

Jake Long, the first overall pick in the 2008 draft and a four-time Pro Bowl left tackle for the Miami Dolphins, has decided to retire after a torn Achilles tendon ended his ninth NFL season early with the Minnesota Vikings.

Long announced Monday on his Twitter account that a lack of progress on his latest rehabilita­tion has outweighed his desire to continue playing. He appeared in four games with the Vikings last year before getting hurt.

Long performed as advertised for the Dolphins after a standout college career at Michigan, but he was ultimately waylaid by serious injuries. Long tore his ACL in both 2013 and 2014 with the St. Louis Rams, and he played sparingly for the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.

Pretrial hearing for ‘Pacman’ moved

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones’ court case has been continued to May 16, when there will be a pretrial hearing.

Jones faces three misdemeano­r charges, including assault, in Ohio’s Hamilton County. Municipal Court Judge Dwane Mallory on Monday set a new hearing date.

Cincinnati police say Jones pushed a hotel security employee and poked him in the eye in January, then kicked and head-butted as officers tried to put him into a police vehicle.

 ?? FILE PHOTO] [ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers sprints past the Iowa defense during the first half of a game Nov. 12 in Iowa City, Iowa. “Peppers’ representa­tives said his urine sample at the NFL scouting combine in March was diluted because he was drinking fluids because...
FILE PHOTO] [ASSOCIATED PRESS Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers sprints past the Iowa defense during the first half of a game Nov. 12 in Iowa City, Iowa. “Peppers’ representa­tives said his urine sample at the NFL scouting combine in March was diluted because he was drinking fluids because...

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