NFL Fires Warning To Raiders’ Antonio Brown
It doesn’t sound like the NFL will cave on their helmet battle with Raiders star Antonio Brown. The NFL’s public relations czar sent out a reminder on social media that players cannot practice or play in games with equipment that’s not approved (Twitter link). Furthermore, if a player in that scenario does not play or practice, said player (read: Brown) will be in breach of his contract and will not get paid. 
The NFL’s policy mandates that every helmet used must be certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOSCAE). The NOSCAE does not certify equipment that is older than ten years, which means that Brown’s favorite helmet is not kosher in the eyes of the league.
Brown, meanwhile, has threatened to retire if he is not permitted to play with the helmet that he has used throughout his career. For their part, the Raiders expect Brown to report to the club soon. And, over the weekend, Jon Gruden offered some public support for the mercurial wide receiver.
Buccaneers Work Out S Marcus Gilchrist
Former Texans and Raiders safety Marcus Gilchrist will visit and work out for the Bucs on Monday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Gilchrist may be able to provide some veteran help late in training camp and make a push for the final cut.
[RELATED: Former Bucs K Chandler Catanzaro Retires]
Last year, Gilchrist joined the Raiders on a one-year, $4MM with $3.85MM guaranteed. This time around, Gilchrist didn’t find as strong of a market for his services and may be looking at a lower-cost deal, if he draws an offer from Tampa Bay.
In 2018, Gilchrist started in all 16 of the Raiders’ regular season games and finished out with 58 tackles, six passes defensed, and three interceptions. For his work, Pro Football Focus gave him a weak 54.5 overall score, placing him as just the No. 86 safety in the NFL out of 95 qualified players.
Falcons Trade TE Eric Saubert To Patriots
The Patriots have yet another tight end. On Monday, the Falcons shipped Eric Saubert to the Pats in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. 
Saubert, a fifth-round pick in the 2017 draft, has just five catches to his credit over the last two seasons. However, he’s known for his blocking ability and has been a special teams regular for the Falcons. Last year, Saubert appeared in 66% of the club’s special teams plays, and he could fill a similar role with New England.
It’s also possible that bigger things could be in store for Saubert as he joins the Rob Gronkowski-less Patriots. The Pats will be without Ben Watson, their would-be Gronk replacement, for the first four weeks of the season, so there’s a clear opportunity for Saubert to make the cut and see the field.
For the Pats, it’s an extremely low-cost opportunity to bolster a weakened position. Sitting dead last in waiver priority, they might not have landed the third-year pro out of Drake if they waited for him to be released.
49ers To Sign Sam Young
Former Dolphins offensive tackle Sam Young will sign with the 49ers on Monday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Niners just lost fellow tackle Shon Coleman to injured reserve, so Young should be able to step in and fill a major need for the team. 
[RELATED: Jerick McKinnon’s Week 1 Availability In Question]
Young spent the last three seasons with the Dolphins and has also played for the Bills and Jaguars. Over the years, the 2010 Cowboys sixth-round pick has appeared in 88 games with 21 starts in those contests. Prior to joining Miami, Young also drew attention from the Saints, Jets, and Bills.
The 49ers project to start Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey on the outside of the line with sixth-round rookie Justin Skule, Willie Beavers, Najee Toran, and Ross Reynolds also in the mix for reserve roles.
Raiders’ Antonio Brown Threatens To Retire
The Antonio Brown saga has reached new heights. On Friday, Brown informed Raiders officials that he will not play football again, unless he is permitted to wear his old helmet again (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). 
Brown filed a grievance against the league this week in order to get permission to wear his preferred headgear. The wide receiver, who recently suffered a foot injury while receiving cryotherapy treatment, has been staying away from team practices after being barred from wearing the helmet that he has used throughout his career.
Other players – such as Packers star Aaron Rodgers – have complied with the league’s mandate to wear an updated helmet that has been cleared for safety. However, Brown is bucking the system.
Brown, one of the most talented wide receivers in the game, was an absolute headache for the Steelers in 2018. After clashing with head coach Mike Tomlin and other key figures throughout the year, the Steelers shipped him to the Raiders in March for a pair of mid-round draft picks. In an effort to keep the mercurial star happy, the Raiders also gave Brown a new deal worth $50.125MM over the next three seasons with $30.125MM in guarantees.
Brown finished last season with 104 receptions for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. The campaign marked his sixth straight season with at least 1,200 receiving yards and 100 receptions.
This year, the Raiders were hoping for seven in a row. Now, they’re just hoping he’ll play.
Bucs’ Vita Vea Out 6-8 Weeks
Buccaneers defensive tackle Tevita Tuli’aki’ono Tuipulotu Mosese Va’hae Fehoko Faletau Vea (also known as Vita Vea) has a sprained LCL that could sideline him 6-to-8 weeks, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Still, the good news is that Vea is said to already be making progress, so the Bucs are not ready to rule him out for the season opener against the 49ers on Sept. 8. 
[RELATED: Buccaneers OL Mike Liedtke Done For Season]
Vea, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2018 draft, notched three sacks and 28 total tackles last season from the interior. This year, the Bucs are expecting big things from him, especially after he had a productive training camp up until the LCL sprain.
Vea has been here before – he missed all of training camp and the first three games of the 2018 season due to a strained calf. Once he’s back, he should form a strong 1-2 duo with new addition Ndamukong Suh.
Latest On Raiders’ Antonio Brown
Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has filed a grievance against the NFL to be permitted to wear his preferred helmet, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. There was some recent scuttlebutt that Brown was skipping Raiders camp in response to the cryotherapy treatment that damaged his foot. Rather, it seems that Brown is staying away as he fights the league for his right to wear the headgear that he wants.
It’s yet another strange twist for Brown, who spent the 2018 season clashing with teammates, coaches, and executives in Pittsburgh. The former Steelers star could be primed for big things in Oakland, but he’s presently in a holding pattern.
On the helmet front – Brown is expected to have a hearing in the coming days, and an arbitrator will decide whether or not he gets to wear the helmet he wants. Meanwhile, Brown continues to meet with specialists to solve his foot issue.
The Raiders are “aware and supportive of Antonio Brown, but [have] no further comment,” the team told Schefter.
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NFL Suspends Browns’ Antonio Callaway
The NFL has suspended Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway for violating the league’s policy and program on substances of abuse. He’ll miss the first four games of the season, leaving the Browns without one of their most intriguing weapons until mid-October. 
“I take full responsibility for my actions. I made a mistake and I own that,” Callaway said in a statement. “I have taken steps to make myself better and I appreciate the Browns standing by me and supporting me during this time. I know there’s nothing I can say to regain trust; it will all be about my actions.”
Callaway has been talking a big game all offseason, and the Browns were excited to see what he could do in his sophomore season. The 2018 fourth-round pick hauled in 43 passes for 586 yards and five touchdowns last year and seemed to have a strong rapport with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Unfortunately, his off-the-field issues date back to college and have reared themselves once again.
“We’re disappointed in Antonio,” Browns GM John Dorsey said in a press release. “Freddie and I have had a direct conversation with him about where we stand. He understands our expectations of him. We will continue to support him as long as he remains committed to taking advantage of the resources made available to him by our club and the league to help him become the best version of himself as a person first and foremost.”
Eagles QB Nate Sudfeld Suffers Injury
Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld underwent surgery on Friday morning for a broken bone above his left wrist, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) hears. The QB is expected to be out for six weeks, creative some uncertainty for the Eagles as they head into the season.
In light of Carson Wentz‘s own injury history, the No. 2 QB spot in Philly is an important one. Sudfeld was being counted upon as a quality safety net, but the club will be be forced to turn to the well-traveled Cody Kessler or potentially, undrafted rookie Clayton Thorson, if Sudfeld misses regular season games (then again, after Thorson’s awful performance last night in Sudfeld’s absence, he might not be long for the team.)
After signing his restricted free agent tender in April, Sudfeld is set to earn $3.095MM for the season. A 2016 sixth-round pick of the Redskins, the QB joined the Eagles via waiver claim in 2017. In two seasons with Philadelphia, the 25-year-old (26 in October) has appeared in four games, including playoff contests.
Sudfeld got an extended look during the 2017 regular season finale, completing 19 of his 23 pass attempts for 134 passing yards. Last season, however, he managed only two pass attempts.