NFL training camp roundup: Brian Hoyer named starter, Jadeveon Clowney leaves practice
Clowney left with what appeared to be a minor neck injury. The news isn’t as good in New York, where Giants rookie Odell Beckham is still limited by his ongoing hamstring problem. Then there are the Bills, who were slinging around some good ole fashioned murder threats during a practice fight.
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Jadeveon Clowney leaves practice
The draft's top pick has been impressive during joint practices against the Denver Broncos this week, but his day ended prematurely on Wednesday. Clowney didn't return after being taken to the medical tent for evaluation, where trainers removed his shoulder pads and examined the left side of his neck, according to Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today Sports.
Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien offered little information to the media after practice, but Jones points out that the fact Clowney received no treatment while in the tent could mean this is nothing serious.
Odell Beckham Jr. still not practicing
The New York Giants were careful to stress that Beckham didn't suffer a setback on Monday and that his absence from practice on Tuesday was just a rest day. Well, Beckham sat out again on Wednesday and has been ruled out for Friday's preseason game. That sure sounds like a setback.
Beckham, the team’s first-round draft pick, has been hampered with a hamstring injury dating back to OTAs. He hasn’t been a full participant in any of the team’s 29 training camp practices and will be missing his fourth preseason game on Friday.
Stevenson Sylvester placed on IR
Sylvester's first season in Buffalo is officially over before it ever started. The Bills have placed the veteran linebacker -- who spent the last four years in Pittsburgh -- on the injured reserve with a torn patella. His loss is a significant blow to the Bills, who are thin at linebacker after the season-ending injury to Kiko Alonso and the one-game suspension of Nigel Bradham.
Rams waive Isaiah Pead
Pead tore his ACL last Saturday, and now the St. Louis Rams have placed him on waivers, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. There’s still a chance that the reserve running back stays in St. Louis: he’ll revert to the Rams roster if he clears waivers without being claimed by another team. In that case he would either be placed on injured reserve or reach an injury settlement that makes him a free agent.
Position battles
Brian Hoyer will start for Browns
In case you've been under a rock all day, we finally have a starting quarterback in Cleveland. It will be Hoyer under center, not Johnny Manziel, when the Browns take the field in Week 1, the team announced on Wednesday morning.
That decision comes two days after a terrible outing from both players in Monday night’s preseason game against Washington, where Hoyer went just 2-of-6 for 16 yards. With neither guy being able to distance themselves in exhibitions nor training camp, this seems like a default move to the veteran.
“He was the clear leader from the beginning,” Pettine told Vic Carucci. “We’ve maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player. Brian has done a great job in the meeting rooms and with his teammates on the practice field and in the locker room.”
Brandon LaFell might have 'big' role with Patriots
LaFell has been playing catchup at New England Patriots camp since coming over from Carolina this offseason, but Bill Belichick suggested he’s beginning to catch on.
“I think he’ll be able to carve out a role for himself here,” Belichick told the Boston Herald. “Might be a big one. He’s finding different ways to contribute, whether it’s blocking, receiving or special teams. He’s done whatever we’ve asked of him, and he’s done it well. He’s gotten better at it.”
LaFell was buried on the third team in the latest depth chart and admitted earlier this week that he’s been “shell-shocked” at camp, but it seems he’s beginning to get his feet underneath him.
Byron Bell named Panthers' starting LT
Ron Rivera dusted off his French on Wednesday, using the term fait accompli when talking about Bell’s grip on the starting left tackle job, according to Black and Blue Review. If you dozed off during your high school language classes, that roughly translates to “accomplished fact.”
That spot opened up with the retirement of Jordan Gross, who had been a rock over the past decade. Bell signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and signed a one-year, $2.187 million contract in May.
Bills brawl, sling murder threats
Meanwhile, at Bills camp...
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