Last year Buccaneers' head coach Greg Schiano defended himself against charges he was "dirty" by telling his players to blitz on kneel downs. Now Schiano is under scrutiny again, this time for reports that his own players believe the coach rigged the team's captaincy voting to ensure quarterback Josh Freeman did not receive the 'C'.
NFL news roundup: Greg Schiano denies vote rigging, Menelik Watson has surgery
Week 2 of the NFL kicks off with allegations of rigged votes, player injury and more off-field drama for Von Miller.
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James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Buccaneers a laughing stock?
Bucs Nation examines the events of the last 24 hours and explains why the team has become the a point of ridicule for NFL fans. Motive behind denying Freeman the honor is fairly clear. The fifth-year quarterback is in a tenuous position as he tries to hold onto the starting job, while rookie Mike Glennon is waiting in the wings. Freeman is in a contract year and it would be bad for appearances to see the team's offensive captain sitting on the bench. The reasons behind denying him captaincy are clear, but Schiano is denying reports.
“I know there’s a story out there,” Schiano said. “It’s 100 percent false. If there was such a thing as 102 percent, this would be it.”
Schiano told members of the media Thursday that he has a good relationship with Freeman. He also refuted reports the quarterback skipped a team photo, as the coach said Freeman simply overslept and the issue would be dealt with internally.
The Oakland Raiders finally appear to be turning around their franchise, but life will be more difficult for quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Left tackle Menelik Watson had knee surgery Thursday and is expected to miss one month while recovering from a torn meniscus.
Watson was the 42nd overall pick in the 2013 draft, as the Raiders looked to rebuild their offensive line with their second-round pick. The offseason has been unkind to Oakland's offensive line, as both Watson and starter Jared Veldheer are sidelined with injury.
When it rains, it pours. Thankfully Von Miller found some shelter with news emerging that no arrest warrant has been issued in California for the Broncos' linebacker.
Early reports indicated that Miller was wanted by the state for failure to appear in court; however, this was inaccurate. He owes an unpaid speeding ticket, but nothing more. Miller is currently serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The former Baltimore Ravens and 2012 Super Bowl champ was pegged to be the last piece in the Texans' defensive puzzle, but that hasn't been able to happen yet. Injury has sidelined the 35-year-old safety and he has been unable to contribute this offseason.
That delay looks to be coming to an end, provided Houston is willing to make him available. Head coach Gary Kubiak will not start Reed, but has said the veteran could come off the bench if needed.
It didn't take long for the Pittsburgh rookie to make an impact, as it's expected Jarvis Jones will get the nod this week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Jones split reps last week with Jason Worilds, but played very well in limited time.
Jones recorded two tackles in last week's game against the Tennessee Titans, including an impressive stop of star running back Chris Johnson.
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