Extra Points: DeVito, Claiborne, Goodwin, Browns

Mike DeVito would have given strong consideration to playing another season in 2016 were it not for his family’s concern, the former Chiefs and Jets defensive end said on a Sirius XM Radio appearance with Alex Marvez and Rick Neuheisel on Sunday (Facebook link). The increasing data emerging on concussions led to DeVito making the decision to retire after nine seasons in April.

DeVito’s third season with the Chiefs brought two concussions, with those coming after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 1 of the 2014 campaign.

You see the new data coming out. That really changes who you are as a person. So it was a tough sell to my wife and, obviously, she’s a higher priority to me than football is. It made the decision easy, but it still was difficult,” the 32-year-old DeVito said.

DeVito enjoyed a solid 2013 season but couldn’t recapture his starting position full-time after the emergence of Jaye Howard, whom the Chiefs chose to re-sign during an offseason when both he and DeVito resided as UFAs. Although the Chiefs were reportedly interested in retaining DeVito, they moved on after he retired and drafted Chris Jones in the second round.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

  • Prior to Morris Claiborne re-signing with the Cowboys, the Vikings were among the “handful of teams” that showed interest in the fifth-year cornerback, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. A week after Claiborne re-upped with Dallas for one year and $3MM, the Vikings re-signed Terence Newman before selecting Mackensie Alexander in the second round a month later. Given the deal Claiborne ended up signing, it’s unlikely the now-cornerback-rich Vikings were offering much for his services.
  • The Bills will have their full assortment of wide receivers in training camp after Marquise Goodwin failed to complete a return bid to the Olympics. A London Olympian during his senior year at Texas, the 25-year-old finished seventh in the long jump finals at the USA Olympic Trials on Sunday with a 27-foot, 3/4-inch mark. A two-time NCAA champion while with the Longhorns and 2012 U.S. champion, Goodwin is entering a contract year with the Bills.
  • Contrary to the Lions, who we heard are looking at potential UFAs as training camp nears, the Browns aren’t likely to make any such efforts, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. The rebuilding Browns jettisoned veterans like Donte Whitner, Karlos Dansby, Randy Starks and Brian Hartline and won’t be aiming to deprive their young contributors of reps, per Cabot.
  • After using Cecil Shorts and Jonathan Grimes in wildcat sets last season, the Texans have a better weapon for those looks this year in Braxton Miller, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle notes. Although Shorts rushed 10 times for 47 yards last season, Miller earned Big Ten offensive player of the year acclaim twice as a dual-threat quarterback before moving to wide receiver, so he fits this niche role well.
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