Cards' Hopkins banned six games for PED use
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins received a sixgame suspension on Monday for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Hopkins tested positive for a prohibited substance plus a diuretic or masking agent. He will be eligible to participate in training camp and pre-season practices and games, and he can return to regular-season competition for the Cardinals' seventh game of the season.
Hopkins, 29, set career lows with 42 catches for 574 yards in his second season with the Cardinals in 2021. He did catch eight touchdown passes.
A three-time All-Pro and fivetime Pro Bowl selection, Hopkins missed Arizona's last four regular-season games and the playoff loss due to a knee injury.
The Cardinals, who lost receiver Christian Kirk to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, made a draft-day trade last week to acquire Baltimore Ravens wideout Marquise Brown.
Hopkins signed a two-year, US$54.5-million contract extension with the Cardinals on Sept. 8, 2020. He carries a cap hit of $17.95 million in 2022 with a dead cap value of $33.8 million, per Spotrac.
He was acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans on March 16, 2020.
Hopkins has 789 catches for 10,581 yards and 68 touchdowns in 136 career games (all starts) with the Cardinals and the Texans (2013-19), who drafted him 27th overall in 2019.
REVIEW FINDS NO PROOF BROWNS REWARDED LOSING
The NFL said an independent review could not substantiate former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson's claims that the team provided incentives to lose games.
Jackson said in February he was offered incentives to lose during his tenure in Cleveland from 20162018. He was fired midway through the 2018 season with a 3-36-1 record during his time with the team.
The NFL said on Monday the 60day independent review showed “no evidence” that team owners or personnel incentivized losses in order to secure a better position in the annual draft.
The league said Jackson initially agreed to meet with investigators but ultimately did not.
Reuters was unable to reach him for comment.
The Browns previously denied allegations they encouraged their coaches to lose games.
STEELERS DECLINE 5TH-YEAR OPTION ON LB
The Pittsburgh Steelers declined to pick up the fifth-year option on linebacker Devin Bush, ESPN reported Monday.
The Steelers traded up in the 2019 NFL draft to select Bush, from Michigan, with the 10th overall pick. He now will play the 2022 season on the final year of the fouryear, $18.9-million rookie deal he signed.
The fifth-year option would have paid him about $10.8 million in 2023.
As a rookie, Bush made 109 tackles and had two interceptions to go with four fumble recoveries and a sack. But in 2020, he sustained an ACL tear in a Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns and missed the rest of the season.
In 2021, he started 14 games, but didn't have the same speed as in his rookie season, making 70 tackles with two sacks and a fumble recovery.
CHARGERS DECLINING OPTION ON TILLERY
The Los Angeles Chargers are declining the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, NFL Network reported Monday.
Tillery, who would have been guaranteed a $10.753-million salary for the 2023 season, remains firmly in the team's long-term plans, per the report.
Tillery, 25, set career highs with 51 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 16 games (15 starts) last season.
He has 98 tackles, 31 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 47 games (29 starts) since the Chargers drafted him in the first round (28th overall) in 2019.
COMMANDERS, TURNER AGREE TO TERMS
The Washington Commanders are signing free-agent guard Trai Turner to a one-year contract worth $3 million, ESPN reported Monday.
Turner, 28, was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers, where he played for current Commanders coach Ron Rivera. He went to five straight Pro Bowls with the Panthers before being traded to the Los Angeles Chargers prior to the 2020 season.
In 2021, he signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers and started all 17 games.
Over eight NFL seasons, Turner has played in 110 games (106 starts).