Thursday NFL buzz: Robert Griffin III will start for Browns vs. Bengals
Check back throughout the day for all the latest quick-hit news:
Browns to start RG3
Robert Griffin III will make his return Sunday for the Cleveland Browns.
The team announced Thursday he will be the starting quarterback in Week 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"We have had a couple practices now. I am getting closer, but no decision today," Browns coach Hue Jackson said Wednesday. "We will keep watching the practice tape and see where we are and keep putting this gameplan together and kind of go from there.”
Griffin has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his shoulder during the season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jackson said he would not need to see Griffin go through a full week of work to start him.
"It is not so much gamesmanship," Jackson said. "We are talking about a young man that has not played much football this year. I need to be for sure about everything that could potentially go on. Before you stick him out there, you want to make sure you are putting guys in the right situation, give him the right opportunity. We will keep practicing and we will keep getting these guys ready to play.”
Said Griffin of his work ahead of his return: “Yeah, I had a couple slides here and there, but no 350-pounders have landed on me yet. It is just something you have to be ready for. Football is a very physical game, and they are not going to shy away from trying to hit me. I just have to make sure I protect myself. I know my line is going to protect me. That is the goal is to not get the quarterback hit. We are going to do things to try to be conducive to that and I just can’t worry about those things. It is football. You are going to get hit. That is why you put on your armor and go out to battle.”
Falcons WR Jones sits again
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones sat for a second consecutive day of practice Thursday as he deals with a turf toe ailment.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he hoped Jones would be available to practice Friday ahead of Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Rams.
"We're taking it step by step with Julio today and we're definitely hopeful for him," Quinn said.
Jets' Mangold out for year
New York Jets center Nick Mangold was placed on season-ending injured reserve Thursday with an ankle injury.
The seven-time Pro Bowl selection has one year remaining on his contract, but he turns 33 in January and could be a candidate to be cut or traded in the offseason.
Falcons extend DB
The Atlanta Falcons announced a four-year contract extension for cornerback Robert Alford on Thursday. According to multiple reports, the package is worth $38 million overall with $21 million guaranteed.
Alford has nine INTs and 47 pass break-ups in four seasons.
Von Miller adds mid-week sack
Von Miller’s lead-leading sack total jumped to 13½.
The NFL belatedly credited Miller with a strip-sack for his play late in the fourth quarter that sealed the Denver Broncos' 20-10 win at Jacksonville on Sunday.
Miller shoved tackle Kelvin Beachum into quarterback Blake Bortles, forcing the ball free. Linebacker Shane Ray recovered the fumble at the Jaguars 29 with 1:27 remaining.
— The Associated Press
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