Odell Beckham might be finished volunteering his practice time.
Beckham did not show up Monday for the Giants ‘ seventh of 10 voluntary organized team activities, marking the fourth straight practice he has missed. He attended the first three OTAs as well as the three days of a voluntary pre-draft minicamp.
In a parallel universe, Cook’s knee doesn’t blow out last October, and he and Alvin Kamara are battling for Offensive Rookie Of The Year honors down the stretch. It didn’t work out that way, of course, but Cook was on pace for Kamara-like greatness before disaster struck. All reports are overwhelmingly positive about Cook’s rehab, and he enters 2018 as the clear No. 1 option in the backfield for a Vikings team that will rely plenty on the ground game, even after paying Kirk Cousins funny money to be the final piece on offense.
Even before Mark Ingram ‘s four-game suspension for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances, reports swirled that the Saints were prepared to make Kamara a bigger part of their offense after he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2017. Kamara — like Ingram — went over 1,500 total yards last season, piling up 728 rushing yards, 826 receiving yards (on 81 catches) and 14 total touchdowns. He also led the NFL with 6.1 yards per carry. Expect his touch count on carries to increase significantly this season. When Kamara thrives in Ingram’s absence in September, Ingram might find it difficult to work his way back into the mix.
That message hasn’t exactly remained consistent, especially as the league announced a new national anthem policy recently aimed at curbing the protests all together and giving teams the option to fine any players who wish to defy the new policy.
This is a time of optimism around the Bears, who might actually be — gasp! — fun to watch this season. Much of that has to do with an emerging young core on offense shepherded by first-year coach Matt Nagy, fresh off a stint building the Chiefs into a powerful attack under Andy Reid. Robinson was Chicago’s centerpiece signing in free agency, and the hope is that the wideout and second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky will be the town’s biggest power couple since Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari (OK, bad example).
Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is appealing a four-game ban that would cause him to sit out games against the Texans, Jaguars, Lions and Dolphins, league sources told ESPN.