NFL NOTEBOOK
Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill reinjures left knee in practice
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill reinjured his left knee in practice Thursday when it buckled as he scrambled and fell without being hit. Tannehill walked slowly off the field accompanied by trainers. He underwent an MRI, and the Dolphins were awaiting results. “You see your quarterback go down, you think the worst,” tight end MarQueis Gray said. “He’s in all of our prayers, and we hope he’s back on the field.” Tannehill missed last season’s final four games, including a playoff loss at Pittsburgh, after spraining two ligaments in his left knee. He decided against surgery and took part in all offseason drills. Matt Moore, an 11th-year veteran, went 2-2 as a starter replacing Tannehill last year and remains the backup.
Goodell: Kaepernick isn’t being blackballed
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says teams aren’t blackballing Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem last year. “No, teams make decisions (based) on what’s in the best interest of their team ... and they make those decisions individually,” Goodell said Thursday following his appearance at a forum with about 200 fans at the Denver Broncos’ indoor practice facility. Kaepernick, who opted out of his contract with the 49ers on March 3, has drawn interest from Seattle and Baltimore but remains unemployed a year after throwing for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in 11 games. Several teams have signed lesser backups without giving Kaepernick a call. Goodell demurred when asked if he thought Kaepernick should be in the league based strictly on his talent. “There are other people who make those evaluations and that’s a decision that those teams all make individually,” Goodell said. “It’s not one that I would make as a commissioner.”
Jets rookie Jamal Adams sprains ankle during practice
New York Jets rookie safety Jamal Adams sprained an ankle during practice and the severity of the injury was not immediately known — although it doesn’t appear serious. Coach Todd Bowles says Thursday that Adams, the team’s first-round draft pick out of LSU, was hurt during 7-on-7 drills and held out for the remainder of practice. Adams remained on the field for the rest of the session and Bowles does not think the safety will need to have an MRI exam on the ankle. About an hour after practice concluded, Adams wrote on Twitter : “I’m okay. God is good.” Adams is expected to start at safety along with second-rounder Marcus Maye, giving the Jets two rookie starters in the secondary.
Panthers QB Newton doesn’t throw for 3rd straight day
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was held out of passing drills for the third straight day while battling soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder. Coach Ron Rivera was vague on if this is part of the team’s plan for Newton or if he’s had a setback. Rivera said after practice Thursday, “We are going to do what the doctors and trainers tell us.” Rivera said it’s unclear if the league’s 2015 MVP will participate in Fan Fest in Charlotte stadium on Friday night. Newton underwent surgery in March to repair a partially torn rotator cuff. He participated in the first five training camp practices at Wofford College, but was held out of the second half of practice Sunday with shoulder soreness. He’s only thrown two warmup passes since then.