Raiders hit market again, find help in secondary
The Raiders wasted little time in utlilizing their newfound salary cap space after a previously agreed upon deal with Eli Apple failed to materialize, coming to terms with defensive back Damarious Randall on Friday.
The deal was reported by both ESPN and NFL Media as worth up to $3.25 million for one year, was confirmed by a team source but is not official.
Randall played the last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns after being a first-round pick from Arizona State by Green Bay in 2015. The Packers traded Randall to the Browns in exchange for quarterback DeShone Kizer and a swap of fourth and fifth-round draft picks before the 2018 season. Kizer is now with the Raiders, signed after the Packers released him last season.
In 11 starts for the Browns last season, Randall had his first season where he didn’t record an interception. He has 14 for his career. Randall (5-foot-11, 196 pounds) played safety for Cleveland after being after starting 39 games at both left and right corner for the Packers. He could conceivably help the Raiders in both areas.
The Raiders also added more depth to their interior offensive line Thursday by re-signing guard Jordan Devey, according to the transactions page on the club’s website. REX RYAN CALLS WR COOPER OVERPAID BUT APOLOGIZES FOR WORD CHOICE >> Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan ripped Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, saying the Pro Bowl free agent was a “turd” undeserving of his recently signed $100 million deal in Dallas.
Ryan later apologized for his word choice.
The blustery Ryan, never one to hold his tongue, said Cooper didn’t deserve a big payday on ESPN’s “Get Up” program.
“I wouldn’t have paid this turd,” Ryan said of Cooper. Later Friday, Ryan appeared on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and said, “I can’t believe I used that word. Obviously it was a poor choice by me to say what I said about Amari. Quite honestly, I think the world of every player and have a great deal of respect for every player in the National Football League, including Amari Cooper.” ANTONIO BROWN REPORTEDLY CHARGED IN ALLEGED ASSAULT >> Free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown is facing three criminal charges related to an alleged assault of a moving truck driver in January.
A Broward County (Florida) court document obtained by ESPN revealed that Brown is charged with felony burglary conveyance, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.
CHIEFS’ WATKINS RESTRUCTURES DEAL TO STAY IN KANSAS CITY >> Sammy Watkins restructured his contract to receive $7 million of the $16 million he’s owed from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020 as incentives.
According to multiple reports, Watkins helped create $5 million in salary-cap space for the Chiefs, who had $171 left under the cap before the move.
Basketball
WNBA DELAYS START OF SEASON >> The WNBA has postponed the start of its season because of the coronavirus pandemic, with no indication when play would begin. The league was scheduled to open training camps April 26 and the regular season was set to begin May 15. The WNBA will still hold a “virtual” draft April 17.
TOPPIN, IONESCU WIN NAISMITH AWARDS >> Dayton’s Obi Toppin and Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu won the 2019-20 Naismith Trophy awards, continuing their run on postseason prizes.
GENE BROWN, FORMER USF STAR, DIES >> Eugene “Gene” Brown, a former USF basketball star and teammate of Bill Russell and K.C. Jones on the 1956 national championship team, died March 22, the school announced.
Horse racing
NEW PREAKNESS DATE UNCERTAIN BUT INFIELD PARTY CANCELED >> The Preakness is looking for a new date this year and has decided to cancel the infield party that is a staple of the Triple Crown race normally held on the third Saturday in May.
The owners of Pimlico Race Course and the Maryland Jockey Club said in a statement that the outbreak of the coronavirus around the country has caused officials to delay the race and cancel InfieldFest 2020.
The Preakness was scheduled to be held on May 16. The Kentucky Derby has already been moved from May 2 to Sept. 5, and it’s possible the Preakness could follow suit and be held in mid-September.
Golf
U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN IN HOUSTON POSTPONED UNTIL DECEMBER >> The U.S. Women’s Open in Houston is moving from the end of spring to the middle of December.
The USGA said Friday the rapid developments of COVID-19 has led the Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club to be postponed. Instead of being held June 4-7, the new date is Dec. 10-13.
NHL
HACKER POSTS RACIAL SLUR ON FAN CHAT >> A hacker posted a racial slur hundreds of times in an online fan video chat Friday with a black New York Rangers prospect.
The NHL team scrambled to disable the hacker on the Zoom chat with K’Andre Miller, the 20-year-old former Wisconsin defenseman drafted No. 22 overall in 2018.
“A vile individual hijacked the chat to post racial slurs, which we disabled as soon as possible,” the Rangers said in a statement. “We were incredibly appalled by this behavior, which has no place online, on the ice, or anywhere, and we are investigating the matter.”
The hacker repeatedly posted the one-word slur in all capital letters on the Rangers’ “Future Fridays” series on Twitter.
Miller signed a three-year, $3,825,000 contract a day before the league announced it was suspending the season because of the coronavirus.
Soccer
PREMIER LEAGUE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY, TEAMS GET WARNING >> The Premier League was suspended indefinitely following a meeting of the 20 soccer clubs where a series of financial measures were discussed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The English league had given a tentative return date of April 30, but that was pushed back with a statement saying the “2019-20 season will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so” and only with the full support of government and medical guidance.”
Teams still have nine or 10 games left to play, with Liverpool — the leader by 25 points — still needing two more wins to clinch its first title since 1990.
UEFA, in a letter signed by the European Club Association and the European Leagues, has urged members not to abandon their competitions. Halting leagues without approval from UEFA could see teams blocked from qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League as they are determined based on final positions in domestic standings.