NFL notebook: Bills' McCoy vows probe won't be distraction

Buffalo Bills running back Sean McCoy arrived at training camp Thursday and vowed that he will not be distracted by an investigation into an alleged home invasion that left his former girlfriend hospitalized. Earlier this month, McCoy's ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, told authorities she believed the football star had "something to do with" an unidentified person assaulting and robbing her on July 10 while she slept at her residence in Milton, Ga. Cordon, was bruised and bloodied in what Milton Police called a "targeted" home invasion. A friend of Cordon's accused McCoy on social media of being responsible, even though the running back was in South Florida training at the time of the incident. The 30-year-old McCoy vehemently denied accusations on social media hours after the incident, saying he hadn't been in "direct contact with any of the people involved in months." Speaking to reporters Thursday, McCoy declined to discuss the probe but said both Bills head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have been supportive of him since the incident came to light. --Odell Beckham Jr. was impressive during limited work as the New York Giants held their first practice of training camp on Thursday. Beckham had three receptions during the practice session, including two on back-to-back plays during 11-on-11 drills, according to multiple media outlets. The mercurial wide receiver is making his way back from a fractured ankle that limited him to only four games in the 2017 season. Earlier Thursday, Giants co-owner John Mara said the club will be sitting down with representatives of Beckham "sooner rather than later" to begin talks on a long-term contract extension. Beckham is scheduled to make $8.459 million in the final year of his rookie contract but the Giants wanted to see him back on the field before addressing his wishes for a new deal. --Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz participated in 11-on-11 drills at training camp and said he expects to be ready for the regular-season opener. "I like where we're at right now," Wentz told reporters on Thursday, per Philly.com. "We have a good plan." Wentz has yet to be cleared for contact but Thursday marked the first time he has been a part of 11-on-11 drills since he sustained a torn ACL and LCL against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 10. Wearing a brace on his left knee Thursday, Wentz did the same amount of work as the team's other quarterbacks while working primarily with the second-team offense. Eagles coach Doug Pederson told reporters that Wentz will be monitored on a daily basis and added that the team never considered putting him on the physically unable to perform list. --Julio Jones and the Atlanta Falcons have come to terms on a revised contract for 2018, paving the way for the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to report to training camp. Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff made the announcement late Wednesday night. "We have had continued dialogue all offseason with Julio and his representation," Dimitroff said in a statement. "We have come to an agreement with Julio, and we will re-address everything in 2019. I appreciate everyone's hard work and communication on this. ..." Jones, 29, was originally going to skip camp. The Falcons previously said that they would not adjust the deal for Jones. Jones was set to make $10.5 million in 2018 in the third season of a five-year, $71.25 million contract extension he signed in 2015. Terms of the new 2018 contract were not immediately known. --The Seattle Seahawks will place disgruntled safety Earl Thomas on the reserve/did not report list, the Seattle Times reported. On Thursday, the Seahawks also placed defensive end Dion Jordan and tight end Ed Dickson on the physically unable to perform list. Thomas, who has vowed to stay away from the club until he gets a new contract, is entering the final season of a four-year, $40 million deal he signed in 2014. "He's been here for a long time. We always expect him to be here," said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. "He should be here and he's not. ... We're expecting him back. He's under contract." --Washington Redskins backup quarterback Colt McCoy signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2019 season. The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the contract is worth "up to $7 million" with "void and buyback provisions" that would allow the team or McCoy to walk away from the deal with little to no risk. McCoy has been the Redskins' backup quarterback since 2014. For his career, McCoy has a 60.3 completion percentage for 5,586 yards, 25 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and a 78.9 quarterback rating. He was drafted in 2010 by the Cleveland Browns, where he played three seasons before playing one season for the San Francisco 49ers prior to joining the Redskins. --New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski told reporters that he never considered holding out in a bid to get a new contract. "No, (I haven't) even come close to considering that," Gronkowski said. "Not even one bit. What I can do, though, is keep preparing, keep showing up every day, keep doing what I've got to do to get better." As for a new contract, Gronkowski expressed confidence that it will play itself out as long as he takes care of business. "I mean, there's one thing I can do, there's one thing I can worry about and there's one thing that I can control and that's myself, that's my play, that's me going out there doing what I've got to do to help the team," Gronkowski said. --The Minnesota Vikings do not expect any limitations on running back Dalvin Cook for training camp. Cook, who suffered a season-ending knee injury four games into his rookie campaign in 2017, will be a full go for camp, Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo told the Pioneer Press. A second-round pick in the 2017 draft, Cook was off to a sizzling start with 354 yards rushing -- with a robust 4.8 yards per carry -- last season before suffering a torn ACL in Minnesota's 14-7 loss to Detroit on Oct. 1. The former Florida State standout had been cleared for certain team drills during the team's minicamp last month after being limited to individual work on the rehab field during the first two weeks of voluntary team workouts. --Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney did not participate in team drills on the first day of training camp. Clowney, who has been rehabbing from arthroscopic knee surgery, was limited to individual drills, according to the Houston Chronicle. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Clowney played in all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2017. Clowney, who is entering the final season of his five-year rookie contract and is seeking a new deal, finished with 9.5 sacks and 59 tackles (41 solo) a year ago. Texans head coach Bill O'Brien told the newspaper that he does not expect Clowney to participate in full contract drills on Saturday. --The Seattle Seahawks placed four-time Pro Bowl safety Kam Chancellor on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, the team announced. The designation officially ends Chancellor's season and means that he will not count toward the Seahawks' 90-man roster. Chancellor posted on Twitter earlier this month that it's "time for the next chapter" of his life after test results on his injured neck showed no improvement. The 30-year-old Chancellor never used the word "retirement" in his long social media post, however. "To walk away from the game by choice is one thing, to walk away from the game because of the risk of paralysis is another," Chancellor tweeted. --Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston said that he let the team, community and himself down in his first public statements to reporters on Thursday in the wake of his three-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. "I know I have hard work to do to regain the trust of this community," Winston said, via the Tampa Bay Times. Winston said that he is focused on moving forward after the NFL suspended him following a lengthy investigation found he inappropriately touched a female Uber driver in March 2016 in Scottsdale, Ariz. "That's all I can do," the 24-year-old Winston said. "I've grown and learned from this situation. It's a learning experience. "(I've worked) hard I since I've got here and I'm going to continue to work hard on and off the field." --Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert was placed on the physically unable to perform list. Eifert, who tweaked his back during the spring, has yet to play a full 16 games in his five-year career and has participated in just 10 games the past two seasons. The 27-year-old Eifert has struggled to remain healthy since reeling in career-high totals in receptions (52), yards (615) and touchdowns (13) during 13 games in the 2015 season. A series of injuries and multiple surgeries have followed, including a concussion, a torn labrum and issues with his ankle, elbow, knee and back. Eifert had just four catches for 46 yards in two games this past season. He collected 127 career receptions for 1,537 yards and 20 touchdowns in 39 career games since being selected by the Bengals with the 21st overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. --The Detroit Lions signed defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois and linebacker Darnell Sankey, the team announced. Francois, who is entering his 10th season, will provide depth after Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah was placed on the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3, 313-pound Francois appeared in 12 games with the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots last season. He also played in all three postseason games, including the Super Bowl, with the Patriots. Sankey appeared in six games with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 before he was cut in November. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens two weeks later and spent the remainder of the season on their practice squad. --New Orleans Saints wide receiver Cameron Meredith participated in the team portion of practice, according to the Advocate of New Orleans. Meredith, who signed with the Saints in April when the Chicago Bears declined to match an offer sheet, missed the entire 2017 season due to a torn ACL. Meredith agreed to a two-year contract worth an estimated $10 million with New Orleans in April. After a nondescript first year with Chicago in 2015, when he had only 11 catches for 120 yards, the 25-year-old Meredith had a breakout season in 2016. Meredith recorded 66 receptions for 888 yards and four touchdowns and was poised to be an integral part of the Bears' wide receiving corps in 2017 before suffering the knee injury. --Green Bay Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga and linebacker Nick Perry are expected to be ready for the season opener despite being placed on the physically unable to perform list. Bulaga tore his ACL on Nov. 6 against the Detroit Lions and didn't take part in the team's offseason program. He sustained the same injury to his left knee early in the 2013 training camp and missed that entire season. Coach Mike McCarthy said that Bulaga "looks great" on Thursday and didn't express any doubt that the 29-year-old or Perry (ankle) will be available for the opener. "I don't think there's any threat that they'll be ready for the season," McCarthy said, via ESPN.com. "This is clearly a medical decision. There's timelines and things you look at history-wise, with particular injuries. I think it's more in tune with that. But I know both guys are champing to get out there in the full mode." --The Arizona Cardinals signed defensive ends Arthur Moats and Jacquies Smith to one-year contracts, the team announced. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed by the Cardinals, who also released defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike with a waived/injured designation. The 30-year-old Moats spent appeared in 14 games with Pittsburgh in 2017, his fourth season with the Steelers and eighth in the NFL. Moats had only five tackles and did not register a sack last season after recording 11.5 in his first three years with Pittsburgh. The 6-2, 260-pound Smith spent his first three seasons with the Buccaneers, starting a combined 18 games in 2014 and 2015 and amassing 13.5 sacks in those two years. --The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran offensive lineman Bryce Harris and signed rookie cornerback Malik Reaves, the team announced. Harris, who was signed last month, was released by the team with a non-football illness designation. Pittsburgh signed Reaves to a one-year contract. The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Harris appeared in only three games with the New Orleans Saints last season. He spent his first three NFL seasons with New Orleans, appearing in all 16 games in both 2013 and 2014. Harris appeared in two games with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and did not play in 2016, although he was on the roster of both Jacksonville and Miami. --Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery were placed on the physically unable to perform list, the team announced Thursday. Safety Chris Maragos was also placed on the PUP list while defensive lineman Tim Jernigan and wide receiver Bryce Treggs landed on the active/non-football injury list. Graham, who is entering the final season of his four-year, $26 million contract, is working his way back from ankle surgery. He made his mark in Super Bowl LII after stripping quarterback Tom Brady of the football with 2:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, helping the Eagles preserve a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots. --Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not hesitate when asked if the upcoming season is a playoffs-or-bust year for head coach Jason Garrett. "No. That's the best answer I can give, and the fairest," Jones said on Wednesday. Garrett has posted a 67-53 record in 7 1/2 seasons as the Cowboys' coach, albeit with just two playoff appearances. The 52-year-old Garrett, who won coach of the year honors in 2016, is coming off the first back-to-back winning seasons of his coaching career. "As you well know, you've heard me say many times on a personal basis, if I may be so bold, I'd say he's a lot better coach today than he was last year or the year before that or the year before that. That's the way it works when you are driven and motivated," Jones said. --Free-agent cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is expected to have a tryout with the Cleveland Browns on Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. Jones sustained a season-ending groin injury in 2017 while playing with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals declined Jones' option for 2018, making him a free agent in March. While the 34-year-old Jones has been a part of several off-the-field incidents, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that he has a good relationship with Browns coach Hue Jackson dating to their time together in Cincinnati. Browns general manager John Dorsey said Wednesday that he'd continue to look at cornerbacks and wide receivers. --Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey had a very good reason for failing to report to training camp. Ramsey was in Tennessee on Wednesday for the birth of his first child, a baby girl named Breelyn. The 23-year-old announced the addition to his family in a Twitter post that featured a picture from "The Lion King." "For me, family is among the most important things in my life, along with faith and football," Ramsey wrote. "Today starts a new chapter in my life, as Bre and I are bless to welcome our baby into this world." Jaguars coach Doug Marrone told reporters Wednesday that he has been informed of Ramsey's situation every step of the way.