Lions place Ansah on unable-to-perform list
The Detroit Lions have put defensive end Ziggy Ansah on the physically unable to perform list.
The Lions also announced Tuesday that they have placed fullback Nick Badwen on injured reserve with a knee injury, signed linebacker Freddie Bishop and put wide receiver Andy Jones on the PUP list.
Ansah, who is back with the Lions on the franchise tag after having knee surgery in the off-season, hasn’t played a full 16 games since the 2015 season.
Bishop spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets. He appeared in five games in 2017.
BENGALS OWNER: TRUMP TWEETS HAVE INFLAMED ANTHEM ISSUE
Bengals owner Mike Brown said President Donald Trump’s numerous tweets attacking NFL players for kneeling during the national anthem have prolonged the issue, which he sees as one of the league’s biggest distractions. Brown said he has never met Trump and doesn’t think he should offer the president advice. The Bengals owner noted at the team’s annual pre-season luncheon Tuesday that the NFL and the players association are trying to develop an anthem policy that would hopefully please not only owners and players, but the fans and the president, too.
Brown said Trump’s tweets have worked against finding a resolution to the issue. He said the president has “stirred the pot” for political reasons, putting the league in an unfavourable light.
GURLEY GETS $60-MILLION EXTENSION FROM RAMS
Todd Gurley was the key to the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive transformation last season and the Rams have rewarded their star running back with a gamechanging contract.
The NFL’s offensive player of the year agreed Tuesday to a four-year, $60-million contract extension through 2023 with the Rams. A person with knowledge of the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity because the terms weren’t publicly announced, confirmed to The Associated Press that Gurley ’s contract extension contains $45 million in guaranteed money, a $20-million signing bonus and the NFL’s largest average annual value for a running back. ESPN first reported the terms. General manager Les Snead said the Rams wanted “to get ahead of the curve” by signing Gurley two years before his rookie contract expires. They’ve also set a new benchmark for running back salaries to secure a cornerstone of a team with Super Bowl aspirations. “He’s a big part of who we are and where we’re going,” Snead said. “It’s not only Todd, but a lot of guys we want to make Rams for a long time and be part of our core.” Gurley was a league standout in his third NFL season while playing in first-year coach Sean McVay’s explosive offence.
He finished second in the NFL with 1,305 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns, while catching 64 passes for 788 yards and six more TDs.
“What a special player he is,” McVay said. “I think last year’s production isn’t really a (complete) reflection of the value he provides because he did such a great job, but he’s so much more than that to our team — the way that he competes in protection, the way that he works and the way that rubs off on his teammates.”