HEADLINES

Jarrett Bush

Jarrett Bush, Three Others Suspended

August 22nd, 2015 at 8:35am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 22nd, 8:35am: Bush has been suspended an additional 10 games by the NFL, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). The free agent had originally been punished for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. In March, he was arrested in California for public intoxication, though no charges were filed (via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post).

JULY 13th, 1:06pm: According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, Bush’s four-game suspension was for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, and was unrelated to his March arrest.

8:57am: The NFL made headlines before the July 4th weekend earlier this month when it announced suspensions for four notable players, including Antonio Gates, Rolando McClain, and Sheldon Richardson. According to Howard Balzer of The Sports Xchange, the league has now confirmed four more suspensions, though the latest penalties won’t have quite the same impact on the coming season.

All four players who received suspensions from the league are currently free agents, according to Balzer, who reports that the most notable recipient is former Packers defensive back Jarrett Bush. Former Cowboys safety Jakar Hamilton, ex-Colts cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy, and former Patriots running back Quentin Hines have also been suspended for the start of the 2015 regular season.

Hamilton and Purifoy received the most significant suspensions, and will miss the first 10 weeks of the season, likely for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. It’s the second suspension for Hamilton, who was banned for four games last year. Purifoy, meanwhile, has a history of off-field red flags, and when the Colts cut him last year, head coach Chuck Pagano called it an “in-house deal.”

Bush’s suspension will be for four games, following an incident in March in which he was arrested – but not charged – for public intoxication. It’s not clear whether the former Green Bay cornerback, who initially failed to cooperate with officers, is being disciplined for that incident or for some other violation of a league policy, as Balzer took to Twitter to clarify.

Finally, Hines will be suspended for the first week of the 2015 season — the reason for his penalty isn’t known.

All four players are still eligible to sign with any NFL team, but they’ll have to serve their suspensions before seeing the field.

North Notes: Manziel, Erving, Barrett

May 8th, 2015 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Johnny Manziel‘s chances of claiming the Browns‘ starting quarterback job in his second season are already starting to fade. Josh McCown will take the first-team repetitions in minicamp, and coach Mike Pettine expects him to do so in training camp, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot.

Cabot added Manziel has little chance of pressing McCown, signed this offseason after a disappointing year with the Buccaneers, for the job in the foreseeable future. The second-year coach prefers to see Manziel work on becoming a professional quarterback, essentially. Pettine is not concerned with McCown’s 1-10 record in Tampa last year, calling it an “aberration.”

McCown completed just 56.3 percent of his passes last season, leaving the Browns with one of the league’s worst quarterback situations.

“We’re not going to start talking competition. Josh, like I said will more than likely be the starter going into camp and in the foreseeable future I don’t see that changing,” Pettine told Cabot.

Here is some other news from the North divisions.

  • Cameron Erving will begin his NFL career at right tackle, per Cabot, but will move around before the team slots him at a position. Although Erving was the No. 1 center in the draft, Cabot envisions the Florida State product starting his career on the right side, with Alex Mack locking down the snapping job this season. Mitchell Schwartz and John Greco occupy Cleveland’s top spots at right tackle and right guard, respectively.
  • Undrafted Ravens rookie safety Julian Wilson broke his leg in minicamp and will miss the season, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Aaron Wilson categorized Julian Wilson as one of the Ravens’ most heavily recruited rookies, snaring a $9K signing bonus.
  • Assigning rookie Quinten Rollins No. 24 doesn’t close the door on a Jarrett Bush return, coach Mike McCarthy told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The soon-to-be-31-year-old special teams stalwart remains an unrestricted free agent seemingly without a spot, considering the Packers matched Sean Richardson‘s Raiders offer to keep the younger safety in Green Bay.