NFL Suspends Bucs QB Jameis Winston
The NFL has suspended Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston for the first three games of the 2018 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This was the expected outcome after the league wrapped its investigation earlier this month. 
Winston was alleged to have groped an Uber driver back in March 2016. The QB long denied any wrongdoing, but he took at least some responsibility for his actions in a statement issued on Thursday.
“The NFL informed me today that I will be suspended for the first three games of the season. First and foremost, I would like to say I’m sorry to the Uber driver for the position I put you in,” Winston said. “It is uncharacteristic of me and I genuinely apologize. In the past two-and-a-half years, my life has been filled with experiences, opportunities and events that have helped me grow, mature and learn, including the fact that I have eliminated alcohol from my life. I know I have to hold myself to a higher standard on and off the field and that I have a responsibility to my family, community, and teammates to live above the platform with which God has blessed me.
“I apologize to my teammates, the Buccaneers organization and fans for letting them down and for not being able to be out there for the first three games of the season. Although I am disappointed in the NFL’s decision, I understand the NFL’s process, and I embrace this as an opportunity to take advantage of the resources available to help me achieve the goals that I have for myself. I now look forward to putting this behind me and I will continue to work hard every day to be a positive influence in my community and be the best person, teammate and leader I can be.”
The suspension was the result of the settlement talks between the NFL, NFLPA, and his Winston’s representatives, Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter) hears. That means there will be no appeal on Winston’s behalf. Per league rules, Winston will be able to participate in team activities, including the preseason, until the suspension begins in September.
The three-game ban will keep Winston off of the field as the Buccaneers start the season against the Saints, Eagles, and Steelers. Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will try to navigate the team through those difficult games before Winston is eligible to return in Week 4 against the Bears.
Tamba Hali Likely To Retire
Former Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali sounds like he’s ready to retire. In an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Hali indicated that he might be ready to move on. 
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“I just need to continue to work out and do my music,” Hali said. “I don’t want to focus too much on football. I don’t see myself getting back into football. I see myself being involved with the Chiefs somehow, maybe as a specialist being able to teach the guys. I don’t want to lie to myself. I think the time has come.”
Hali has not finalized his decision and admitted that he wants to continue playing “at times.” However, at other times, he has found himself far more interested in his family and his other hobbies.
The Chiefs released Hali in March after a season that began on the PUP list and ended with little playing time overall. Hali appeared in just five games, starting none, and did not record a sack.
Hali left the Chiefs as the team’s No. 2 all-time sacker — behind only Derrick Thomas. The former 2006 first-round pick re-signed twice with the Chiefs and earned five straight Pro Bowl invites, from 2011-15, recording 89.5 sacks after his 11th season. He finished with three double-digit sack seasons, the last of which coming in 2013. Unfortunately, injuries plagued him for years and he has not been in top form for a while.
Hali confessed that he would like to rack up another 10.5 sacks to hit 100 for his career, but he is also content knowing that he gave it his all over 12 NFL seasons.
Vikings, Danielle Hunter Agree To Extension
The Vikings have agreed to terms on a contract extension with pass rusher Danielle Hunter, sources tell Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a five-year deal worth $72MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The deal includes $40MM in guarantees, Rapoport hears, though it’s not immediately clear whether that represents the contract’s full guarantee at signing. Hunter’s deal includes a $15MM signing bonus, so his full guarantee is worth no less than that amount.
Hunter will earn $48MM over the first three years of his deal, Rapoport tweets. He can also earn another $6MM in incentives, which could push the maximum value of the deal to $78M.
Hunter’s new deal gives him a $14.4MM average annual value, which gives him just a bit less than that of teammate Everson Griffen. Last summer, Griffin inked a four-year, $58MM extension with $18.8MM fully guaranteed at signing. That pact gave Griffen an AAV of $14.5MM.
The Vikings have been aggressive in locking up their core players, but there’s still more work to be done in that area. They’ll have to address linebacker Anthony Barr‘s contract, since he is set for free agency after he plays out his fifth-year option this year. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is also slated to hit the open market when his rookie deal expires at the end of the 2018 season.
Hunter, a third-round pick in 2015, has registered 25.5 sacks in three NFL seasons. That stat ranks first among all players who entered the league in 2015, which is to say that he has outperformed Vic Beasley, Leonard Williams, and other notables who were taken ahead of him. In that span, Hunter and Griffen have combined for 57 combined sacks, the second most of any duo in the league from 2015-17. Only Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap of the Bengals (58) have had more over that stretch.
Hunter, who graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 29 ranked edge defender in the NFL last year, may have been able to earn even more on the open market next year. However, the 23-year-old (24 in October) has opted for security over upside. It’s hard to find fault with Hunter playing it safe here, however, given the aggressive cash flow he has secured in the early part of the contract.
The Vikings now have most of their most important players locked up through at least 2020. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook, wide receiver Adam Thielen, offensive tackle Riley Reiff, center Pat Elflein, linebacker Erik Kendricks, safety Harrison Smith, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, Griffen, and Hunter are all under contract for the next three seasons or more.
Hunter is represented by agent Zeke Sandhu, who will turn his attention to extension talks for Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. next.
Witness: Jameis Winston Was In Uber Vehicle Alone With Accuser
Another revelation came out of the Jameis Winston saga on Friday, and it could be viewed as damaging for the Buccaneers quarterback.
Mark Scruggs, attorney for a friend of Winston’s, Brandon Banks, said Winston did get into the car alone with the unnamed Uber driver that night in March 2016, when the accuser said Winston groped her. This came after the then-22-year-old quarterback was directed by friends to the Uber after being “unruly” at a Scottsdale, Ariz., nightclub. Scruggs said Banks saw an “intoxicated” Winston get into the car alone, which contradicts Ronald Darby‘s account that Winston was never alone with the driver, ESPN.com’s Paula Lavigne reports.
Banks, Winston and Darby were at the Scottsdale nightclub that night. This is the first time Banks, a former Vanderbilt football player, has been identified as being at the scene, Lavigne reports. Banks is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence after being found guilty of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual assault in June 2017 for an incident that occurred at Vanderbilt in 2013. Banks was awaiting trial in March of 2016.
Scruggs told ESPN that Winston, Darby and Banks were in a separate Uber that night, but that the driver who made the accusation against Winston was the one who picked him up from the nightclub. Banks did not confirm the driver’s account, though, since he was not in that particular Uber car. The driver said she and Winston were the only passengers.
“It appeared that Winston was trying to lay this on Brandon,” Scruggs said, via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, regarding his client’s reason for coming forward. “They were together that night. They took an Uber to a club, the three of them did, and Brandon said nothing whatsoever happened while the three of them were in the Uber. … For whatever reason, they felt they needed to put (Winston), escort him into an Uber so he could go home on his own. There’s two different Uber rides is what we’re talking about.”
Winston’s camp said the Uber driver was confused as to the number of people in the vehicle, and Darby said last year that he and Winston were in the backseat. The NFL is expected to suspend Winston for at least three games and did not view Darby’s account as entirely credible.
Some with the Buccaneers, and some close to Winston outside of the team, are “struggling to fathom” that he groped an Uber driver, Mike Jones of USA Today notes. But considering Winston’s past, most notably the 2012 rape accusation, the new information coming out about the March 2016 night makes it more likely Winston will serve at least a three-game suspension. And it could cloud his future with the Bucs.
Tampa Bay picked up the 24-year-old passer’s fifth-year option in May, but that $20.9MM 2019 salary is guaranteed for injury only. Now that he’s expected to miss the Bucs’ first three games, there will be immense pressure on the former No. 1 overall pick to shake the on-field inconsistency and while obviously avoid any additional off-field trouble.
49ers Sign OL Laken Tomlinson To Extension
The 49ers agree to three-year extension with offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal is worth a maximum of $18MM with $10MM in guarantees. 
Earlier this year, the Niners declined Tomlinson’s fifth-year option for 2019, which would have cost the team $9.6MM (guaranteed for injury only). Instead, the Niners have opted to extend their period of control over Tomlinson while giving him a guarantee that is roughly in the same range.
The new deal is an indication that Tomlinson has performed well in practice this spring. In all likelihood, he’ll be starting at left guard in September, between left tackle Joe Staley and high-priced center Weston Richburg. First-round pick Mike McGlinchey will hold down the right tackle job while Joshua Garnett, Jonathan Cooper, and Mike Person battle for the top right guard spot.
Tomlinson, 26, was made the No. 28 overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Lions. He started the first two years of his career at left guard for the Lions and served in the same capacity for the Niners after coming over in a trade last summer. Tomlinson missed the 2017 season opener, but played in the next 15 games.
Last year, Tomlinson earned the best marks of his career from Pro Football Focus. He graded out as the league’s No. 32 ranked guard, per PFF, which shows that he is clearly a starting caliber player. Still, the Niners opted to turn down his fifth-year option in order to lock him up at a lesser rate going forward.
NFL Planning To Suspend QB Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston will indeed be disciplined for allegedly groping an Uber driver back in 2016. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the NFL is planning on suspending the Buccaneers quarterback for three games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that Winston won’t appeal the suspension.
We heard back in November that the NFL was investigating the former first-overall pick. A female Uber driver alleged that Winston inapporopriately touched her while the two were waiting in a fast food drive-thru. At the time, both Winston and his representative, Russ Spielman, denied the allegations.
We heard last night that the 24-year-old was bracing for some kind of discipline (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). Those reports indicated that Winston might not necessarily be disciplined for the incident; rather, he’d face a punishment for failing to “make a timely report of the allegation.” However, Stroud tweets that the quarterback will indeed be suspended for “violating the NFL’s player conduct policy.”
A three-game ban would be a tough blow for a Buccaneers squad that’s looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2007. While Tampa Bay finished an underwhelming 5-11 last season, Winston still had a standout campaign. He completed a career-high 63.8-percent of his passes for 3,504 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 13 games. He missed three games due to a shoulder injury.
Fortunately for Tampa Bay, they do have a capable backup in Ryan Fitzpatrick. The 35-year-old appeared in six games (three starts) for the team last season, compiling 1,103 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. The team is also rostering former Saints backup Ryan Griffin.
Cowboys’ David Irving Suspended By NFL
Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving is being suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Unfortunately, this isn’t Irving’s first time running afoul of league rules. Last June, he was hit with a four game suspension for a PED violation.
Irving will miss the team’s first four games of the year against the Panthers, Giants, Seahawks, and Lions. He’ll be eligible to return for the club’s Week 5 contest against the Texans.
The Cowboys could be at a serious disadvantage to start the year between Irving’s four-game ban and the foot injury plaguing defensive tackle Maliek Collins. The Cowboys did not draft a defensive tackle this year, so they’ll use some combination of Brian Price, Richard Ash, Jihad Ward, and Datone Jones to fill the void.
The suspension may affect Irving’s bank account on multiple levels. For starters, he’ll lose out on four game checks from his a one-year, $2.9MM restricted tender. The four-game suspension – his second in two years – may also hurt his stock as he approaches unrestricted free agency.
Irving emerged as a playmaker in limited action in 2016 by logging four sacks and four forced fumbles. His 2017 season was cut short due to a concussion and a four-game suspension at the season’s outset, but he still managed seven sacks in eight games. That was good for the second-highest total on the team, trailing only Demarcus Lawrence.
On paper, the Cowboys boast one of the better defensive line units in the NFL, but suspensions and injuries have put everything in flux. The Cowboys are still waiting to hear about the status of former second-round pick Randy Gregory, who formally applied for reinstatement earlier this month.
Texans Extend LB Benardrick McKinney
Benardrick McKinney is about to be a whole lot richer. Mark Berman of Fox26 in Houston reports (via Twitter) that the Texans have signed the linebacker to a five-year, $50MM deal ($21MM guaranteed). The 25-year-old’s contract was set to expire at the end of the 2018 campaign.
“Bernardrick plays a key role in our defense and has been highly productive, but more importantly he is a core player who has developed into a team leader within our program,” said general manager Brian Gaine (via HoustonTexans.com) “We are excited to have him a part of our long term future here at the Texans.”
The 2015 second-round pick out of Mississippi State has emerged as one of the Texans’ top defenders over the past two seasons. Following a solid rookie campaign in 2015, McKinney earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2016 after compiling 129 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble.
This past season, the linebacker finished with 95 tackles and three sacks, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 24th among qualifying linebackers. For 2018, he’ll presumably start alongside Jadeveon Clowney, Zach Cunningham, and Whitney Mercilus.
While signing McKinney was surely a priority for the organization, the Texans are still trying to ink at least one of his teammates to a long-term deal. We heard back in April that a long-term deal with Clowney was inevitable but not imminent.
Chargers Reach Out To Antonio Gates
Could Antonio Gates return to the Chargers? It’s at least a consideration in L.A. as the Bolts have reached out to the tight end’s camp. 
“Obviously, Antonio would be a natural fit,” GM Ted Telesco said on 97.3 FM (via Jack Wang of the L.A. Daily News). “He’s someone that we have talked to. We’ve talked to his representatives. Sometimes, it’s not just as easy as saying, ‘Hey, let’s just bring him back. Let’s go.’”
Gates, who will celebrate his 38th birthday on Monday, earned $5MM last season. It’s not clear whether he’s expecting a similar offer this time around. The Chargers, in theory, would have the flexibility to accommodate a similar deal with about $8.8MM in cap room and all of their rookies under contract. Still, the Bolts may be looking for Gates to take less.
In April, the Chargers announced that Gates would not be re-signed. However, the Chargers have a clear need at tight end following Hunter Henry‘s season-ending injury. Virgil Green is the only tight end of note currently on the roster and he is much more of a blocking specialist than a pass-catcher. None of the other tight ends of the roster have ever recorded a regular season catch in the NFL.
No one would expect Gates to reprise his excellence of, say, 2009, but he was still productive as recently as two years ago when he caught 53 passes for 548 yards and seven scores.
Taylor Lewan Skipping Titans’ Minicamp
The Titans’ mandatory minicamp is underway, but Taylor Lewan is not on the practice field. The offensive tackle is staying away from the team as he pushes for a new contract. 
“As we start the mandatory veteran minicamp, we were informed by the representatives for Taylor Lewan that he would not be attending the camp,” GM Jon Robinson said in a statement. “We have had several constructive conversations over the last 5-6 weeks about his contract status. He is currently under contract, and we are working to keep Taylor as part of this organization for a long time.”
Lewan previously indicated that he would not hold out this summer, but his plans have clearly changed. Lewan may be looking for a deal that puts him near top of the heap for all left tackles, and he specifically referenced Nate Solder‘s new contract when discussing his own situation in late May.
“I’m a professional athlete. Obviously you’re going to see those things,” Lewan said in reference to lucrative deals for other offensive tackles. “I see Nate Solder getting the contract he did. That’s awesome.”
Lewan, the former No. 11 overall pick in the 2014 draft, will earn $9.341MM in 2018. He graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the NFL in 2016 and placed 16th last year, according to Pro Football Focus.