Ben Watson suspended four games: The Patriots were already looking thin at tight end with Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement, and they took another blow at the position this week when Watson was slapped with a four-game suspension. Watson says he took a banned substance when he thought he was retiring, which triggered his positive test when he then decided to come back. New England was aware of the pending suspension when they signed him, so it won’t effect his status with the team. For at least the first month of the season, the Pats will have guys like Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Matt LaCosse atop the tight end depth chart.
Raiders sign Richie Incognito: The Raiders made a gamble when they decided to sign the controversial guard. It’s a one-year, minimum salary deal, so there isn’t much of a financial risk. That being said, Incognito is more well known for his numerous off-field incidents than his on-field contributions at this point. Just a couple of days after the signing, we got word Incognito had been arrested yet again for a previously undisclosed incident. Incognito, of course, was also at the center of the league’s bullying scandal years ago. Raiders GM Mike Mayock acknowledged he could be facing league discipline, while also saying you can’t have “all Boy Scouts” on a team.
Joe Douglas emerges as favorite for Jets GM job: Over the course of the week, the Eagles exec has emerged as a strong favorite for the Jets’ general manager opening. Douglas is reportedly Adam Gase’s preferred candidate, and recent reports indicate it would be a major shock if Douglas doesn’t end up getting the job. We’ve heard the Jets plan on making a formal decision sometime early in the week, so we should know a lot more soon. New York has one more interview set for Monday with Champ Kelly, and we’ve heard recently Kelly could accept a job under Douglas in New York.
Broncos, Chris Harris rework contract: One of the biggest storylines in the league the past couple of months has surrounded Harris’ contract. Harris at one point demanded a new contract or a trade, and at one point it looked imminent that he was going to be traded. Ultimately the two sides agreed on a compromise, with Harris receiving a significant raise on his 2019 salary. He didn’t get the longterm extension he wanted, and will now enter free agency next offseason. Harris is reportedly seeking $15MM-plus annually, and he said a few days ago that he wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the league this time next year. Harris is the last remaining member of Denver’s legendary ‘No Fly Zone’ secondary, and has made the Pro Bowl in four of the last five seasons.
Gerald McCoy takes visits: The biggest name on the free agent market has been drawing a lot of interest, and he’s seemingly narrowed down his list to three teams since being released by the Buccaneers on May 20th. McCoy is reportedly down to the Panthers, Browns, and Ravens, and took visits to all three teams. McCoy apparently wants to attend his new team’s mandatory minicamp, which would suggest he’ll be signing very soon. All three visits went well, and each team seems to think they have a good shot at landing him. We’ve heard McCoy could sign Monday or Tuesday of this upcoming week, so we should know more very soon.