Latest On Antonio Brown
The NFL’s meeting with Antonio Brown accuser Britney Taylor spanned 10 hours Tuesday, but the league does not have a timeline on potential discipline for the Patriots wide receiver, Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports.
Taylor has accused Brown of multiple instances of sexual assault and filed a civil suit against the 31-year-old wideout. Brown has denied the allegations. Brown made his Patriots debut Sunday and remains on New England’s active roster.
Since Taylor’s suit, another woman has come forward accusing Brown of sexual misconduct. An unidentified artist Brown commissioned to paint a portrait of him at his Pittsburgh-area home said the then-Steeler approached her from behind while she was painting and did so with only a towel covering his genitals, Robert Klemko of SI.com reports. The artist said she met Brown at a National Youth Foundation charity auction. NYF co-founder Sophia Hanson told Maske she has not been contacted by the league and, to her knowledge, neither has the artist.
The second accuser is not pressing charges, Klemko adds. Brown’s attorney tweeted his client denies this accusation as well. Brown has not been charged with a crime.
Were Brown to be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, he would still be paid but would be ineligible to join Patriots teammates for practices or games. The NFL has used this tactic during pending cases, though this matter is somewhat different given that it’s a civil case and not a criminal investigation.
The league’s investigation is expected to take months, per The Athletic’s Daniel Wallach (subscription required). So an exempt list decision could well be a defining moment for Brown’s 2019 season. Ultimately, Taylor’s testimony helps lead the legal reporter to the conclusion that Roger Goodell will place Brown on the exempt list soon.
Patriots To Place T Isaiah Wynn On IR
For the second straight year, Isaiah Wynn will end up on IR. The Patriots will shut down their left tackle starter for the time being, with Field Yates reporting (via Twitter) the foot injury he suffered in Week 2 will result in an IR stay.
Wynn, who missed all of his rookie season, will be out at least eight weeks. The Pats signed former Buccaneers starter Caleb Benenoch earlier Tuesday, and he will end up taking Wynn’s roster spot.
The 2018 first-round pick left New England’s Week 2 shutout in Miami due to turf toe. Benenoch is the latest new face on the Pats’ front. They made three preseason trades for offensive linemen and turned to newcomers Korey Cunningham and Marshall Newhouse in place of Wynn. The Pats lost Marcus Cannon to a Week 1 injury; he missed Week 2. Now they’ll have to get by without Wynn. The defending Super Bowl champions are already without center David Andrews for the season.
Even though they won Super Bowl LIII without Wynn’s services, the Pats no longer have Trent Brown as an insurance policy. Some lower-profile veterans will now be charged with protecting Tom Brady‘s blind side. While offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia has proven repeatedly to be able to construct high-end blocking groups, this will be his latest challenge.
Patriots Sign Caleb Benenoch
Former Bucs offensive tackle Caleb Benenoch will sign with the Patriots on Tuesday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Nine NFL teams requested workouts with Benenoch, but Rapoport hears the veteran ultimately wanted to play for Pats offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. 
The Patriots could really use the help. They were without right tackle Marcus Cannon for Sunday’s win over the Dolphins and, during the game, Isaiah Wynn exited with a toe injury. They’re still awaiting word on the status of both linemen, but they’re unlikely to be at full strength up front for Week 3 against the Jets. (Then again, do they need to be anywhere near full strength to face the Jets?)
Benenoch started every game of the 2018 season at right guard for the Bucs last season but also boasts experience on the outside. There apparently wasn’t a place for him on the Bucs, but the Pats are happy to bring him on board for reinforcement.
Antonio Brown Notes: 9/15/19
Another day, another batch of Antonio Brown news. We learned a few days ago that the NFL would meet with Brown’s accuser, Britney Taylor, this coming week, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the summit will actually take place Monday. Rapoport says the league wants to conduct the investigation as quickly as possible given that the regular season is now underway, so even if the legal side of this matter drags on for a bit, the football side of things may be resolved soon.
- Rapoport says that another football player, currently in his first year in the league, was in the house with Taylor and Brown when one of the incidents detailed in Taylor’s lawsuit allegedly took place. As such, that as-yet-unnamed rookie will also be required to speak with league investigators.
- Although the NFL’s meeting with Taylor could lead to a number of outcomes for Brown — including a stint on the commissioner’s exempt list, a release from the Patriots, etc. — New England is expected to feed him the ball for however long he is on the field. Rapoport notes that Brown has stayed at the team facility until 10pm or later most days during the week to catch passes from backup QB Jarrett Stidham and to continue learning the offense.
- RapSheet also writes that Brown and Taylor had been engaged in settlement talks for months, but Taylor filed a lawsuit when the two sides could not come to a settlement agreement.
- ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports that neither Brown nor anyone on his behalf will attend the NFL’s meeting with Taylor (Twitter link). Taylor will ultimately release a statement to the media, but there will be no ETA on that statement until her meeting with the league — which may last several days — is over.
- We knew that the Patriots were interested in Brown as soon as it became clear that the Steelers might move on from him, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that New England was prepared to part with a first-round pick and another pick or player of significance before learning that the Steelers were unwilling to deal AB to the Pats.
- Reports on Friday suggested that neither the Patriots nor the Raiders were aware of Taylor’s allegations against Brown before the lawsuit was filed, and a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicates that the Steelers were not aware either.
AFC Notes: Jaguars, Patriots, Randall
The Jaguars will be without several players on Sunday against the Texans, Michael DiRocco of ESPN recaps on Twitter. S Ronnie Harrison is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. CB A.J. Bouye, WR Marqise Lee, DE Yannick Ngakoue and LT Cam Robinson have all already been ruled out of the contest.
Last week, Jacksonville lost starting QB Nick Foles, who suffered a broken left clavicle in Week 1 and has been placed on injured reserve. The franchise’s collective health has put a damper on what should have been a bounceback year for the Jags. As the team carries on in Houston, let’s take a look around the AFC:
- The Patriots worked out several players ahead of their game against the Dolphins, a source tells Nick Underhill of The Athletic (Twitter link). OT Caleb Benenoch, NT Carl Davis, DT Willie Henry, DB Josh Jones and DB Adarius Pickett worked out for New England.
- Browns S Damarious Randall has been ruled out of Monday’s game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Randall showed up to Cleveland’s facility with a concussion and was placed in the concussion protocol.
- A.J. Green, who injured his ankle during the Bengals‘ training camp, is out of his walking boot and feels like is he ahead of schedule in his recovery, as Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer relays. “I’m only six weeks out and I’m already walking,” Green said. “You never know what the next two weeks or three weeks are going to bring to where I can start back putting on shoes and actually running and doing some on the field stuff. You never know.”
AB Expected To Play Sunday
It sounds like Antonio Brown will indeed be playing for the Patriots tomorrow. Michael Giardi of the NFL Network tweets that the star wide receiver is making the trip to Miami.
- Following the trade request from Dolphins cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick, Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston writes that the Patriots should go after the former first-rounder. Perry notes that Fitzpatrick offers many of the skills that the Patriots seek from defensive backs, and he points to recent trades with the Jets and Bills as reasons why New England wouldn’t be afraid of trading within the division.
Patriots Worked Out S Josh Jones
The Patriots recently gave a look at a former second-rounder. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that New England recently worked out safety Josh Jones.
The NC State product was selected by the Packers late in the second round of the 2017 draft, but he struggled to establish himself in Green Bay. Jones started 12 of his 29 regular-season appearances, compiling 126 tackles, three sacks, and seven passes defended. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 70th among 93 eligible safeties last season.
He was waived with a non-football illness designation in late August, and he’s been busy with workouts over the past few weeks. The 24-year-old has had reported auditions with the Bills, Vikings and Lions.
The Patriots safety depth chart seems pretty much set, with Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon leading the way. New England did re-sign safety Obi Melifonwu to their practice squad earlier this week.
NFL Will Not Place Antonio Brown On Exempt List Before Sunday
Antonio Brown will play against the Dolphins on Sunday as the NFL will not place him on the commissioner’s exempt list before the contest, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
There is no criminal investigation involving Antonio Brown and his accuser, Britney Taylor. As of this writing, it remains a civil matter and with the NFL not conducting interviews with the duo until next week, the league won’t rush to judgement. However, it remains possible that Brown could be placed on the list in the future.
As we passed along earlier today, the Patriots were not aware of the civil lawsuit when they signed Brown. Neither were the Raiders. NFL players are under no obligation to disclose civil matters to teams before they sign contracts as free agents.
The Patriots have been preparing as if Brown will suit up in Miami. It’s unclear if the wide receiver will be limited in snap counts as he only joined the team last weekend.
“Long way to go, obviously. Not familiar with our offense,” Belichick said of Brown (via Schefter in a full-length piece). “The systems he’s been in have been quite different. He’s working hard to pick it up and we’re working hard to get it to him.”
Dolphins Give Minkah Fitzpatrick Permission To Seek Trade
Minkah Fitzpatrick has received permission from the Dolphins to seek a trade, multiple sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
Fitzpatrick, who projected to be a cornerback/safety coming into the league, is unhappy with how the organization making him play multiple positions on defense. During training camp, Fitzpatrick’s mother tweeted that he was being used incorrectly and Fitzpatrick confirmed that he agreed with her assessment.
“She feels very strongly. She’s not wrong,” Fitzpatrick said. “Coach has asked me to do something right now. I got to do what they ask me to do. If we have to have some discussions in the future, we’ll have those discussions.
“I’m not 215 pounds, 220 pounds. So playing in the box isn’t best suited for me, but that’s what Coach is asking me to do.”
The Dolphins are not actively shopping Fitzpatrick, according to Mortensen. If a deal gets done, it’ll be on Fitzpatrick’s camp to find a suitor. Fitzpatrick’s agent, Joel Segal, has been in contact with several teams and Miami’s asking price appears to be high, as it involves a first-round pick.
Mortensen spoke with a personnel man from a rival team who said it would be surprising if the Dolphins netted a first-rounder for Fitzpatrick. The source was high on Fitzpatrick’s skills, though the pessimism had to do with the 22-year-old’s projected position. He told Mortensen that Fitzpatrick was an “ideal slot corner who can cover, blitz off the edge, [is] intelligent, a good tackler and a good special-teams player.” Another rival GM told Mortensen that Miami is being unrealistic about what their players will get in trades after coming away with two first-rounders in the Laremy Tunsil deal.
The former No. 11 overall pick is expected to play against the Patriots this week.
Neither Patriots Nor Raiders Were Aware Of Antonio Brown’s Civil Lawsuit
The Patriots were unaware that Antonio Brown was involved in the civil lawsuit, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. The Raiders, who released Brown last weekend, were also not aware of the allegations.
Brown and his accuser, Britney Taylor, were in discussions about the allegations over the past few months but agreed their conversations would remain confidential until Taylor filed the civil lawsuit. Fowler writes that this is common practice in settlement talks.
Fowler hears that players are not obligated to notify teams of civil matters before signing a free agent contract. However, once a case rises to a criminal matter, then there is more onus on the player.
Taylor is scheduled to meet with the NFL next week. The league is contemplating whether or not to place Brown on the commissioner’s exempt list. Such as move would keep Brown off the field but allow him to collect his salary.
A decision isn’t expect to be made before New England’s game in Miami and the Patriots are preparing to have Brown on the field.