FLORES CASE CAN PROCEED, JUDGE SAYS
NFL coach Brian Flores can press discrimination claims against the league and three teams after a federal judge on Wednesday rejected the option of arbitration, presumably before Commissioner Roger Goodell, and offered some stinging observations about the status of racial bias in the sport.
The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan clearing the way for Flores to bring his claims to trial also required two other coaches who joined the lawsuit to submit to arbitration. The league had tried to move the Flores claims to arbitration, citing contracts that coaches had signed.
Flores sued the league and three teams a year ago, saying the league was “rife with racism,” particularly in its hiring and promotion of Black coaches.
Caproni wrote that the descriptions by the coaches of their experiences of racial discrimination in a league with a “long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers — are incredibly troubling.”
The judge said it was “difficult to understand” how there was only one Black head coach at the time Flores filed his lawsuit in a league of 32 teams with Black players making up about 70 percent of the rosters.
The judge said Flores can let a jury decide the merits of his discrimination claims against the league, the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans, but he must pursue his claims against the Miami Dolphins through arbitration.
GM: Allen not going anywhere
In January, Tom Telesco said he had no interest in parting ways with receiver Keenan Allen as the Chargers work to become salary cap compliant.
The general manager reiterated that opinion Wednesday at the NFL combine as the team remains more than $20 million over the cap.
“Keenan Allen isn’t going anywhere,” Telesco said, squelching speculation that cutting the veteran wide receiver is an option being considered.
NFL teams have until the new league year begins March 15 to get under the cap. The Chargers are one of 13 teams that still need to make moves to align with the league’s financial parameters for the 2023 season.
Ravens mull Jackson tag
Baltimore General Manager Eric DeCosta said the Ravens have not decided which type of franchise tag they would use on quarterback Lamar Jackson if the team can’t sign him to a long-term contract before the start of free agency.
Jackson has played to the end of his rookie deal, and the deadline for teams to apply a franchise tag is Tuesday. Baltimore could use the non-exclusive tag, which carries a salary of $32,416,000 for next season. But then Jackson could negotiate with other teams, and if he got an offer the Ravens didn’t match, they could lose him for two first-round draft picks.
The exclusive franchise tag would prevent another team from signing the star quarterback, but the cost could be a good bit higher.
“They’re big numbers,” DeCosta said. “We’ve known they’re big numbers, we’re prepared for that, and we have four, five or six different plans based on what happens over the next 10 days.”
Panthers mull QB options
The Panthers have made no secret about their plans to address their unstable quarterback situation again this offseason.
Team officials have already met with free agent quarterback Derek Carr and six draft eligible QBs — Alabama’s Bryce Young, Kentucky’s Will Levis, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, TCU’s Max Duggan and Florida’s Anthony Richardson — this week in Indianapolis. The Panthers have the ninth pick in the draft.
“We have to see if this is the right fit, if this is an answer,” Panthers first-year coach Frank Reich said of Carr. “Part of that is, yes, this is a good option. But we have to look at all our options and this is the time of the year that we do that.”