NFL News – Wednesday, August 25, 2021

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In Wednesday’s NFL news: Mekhi Becton is injured in Jets practice, the top two finalists for HOF 2022 are revealed, the Patriots send Sony Michel to the Rams, and more. Don’t miss the NFL news.

Patriots send Sony Michel to Rams

This Wednesday, via Ian Rapoport from NFL Network, it was confirmed that the Patriots and the Rams made a trade. Los Angeles receives running back Sony Michel, while New England receives a fifth- and sixth-round pick for the 2022 NFL Draft (or a compensatory fourth-round pick if the Rams receive one).

The move was to be expected. Those led by Sean McVay were active in the running back market having lost their RB1, Cam Akers, throughout the season, plus Darrell Henderson is currently injured in the thumb, and they also lost depth chart with the foot injury suffered by Raymond Calais. On the other hand, the Patriots were known to be open to trading their veteran running back after selecting Rhamondre Stevenson in this year’s draft.

Michel came to New England with the 31st overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In three seasons with the team, he has accumulated 2,292 total yards and 14 TDs. However, lacking consistency, those led by Bill Belichick decided not to select the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. His best pro moment to date was scoring the only touchdown in the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII victory over the Rams.

Lamar Jackson: “I doubt defenses have figured me out”

In recent days several reports around the league suggested that this 2021 will be the year where Lamar Jackson will discover that the defenses of the NFL have deciphered his style of play. However, the Ravens quarterback is not of the same opinion, and he seems more confident than ever heading into his fourth season as a professional.

“I mean, I’ll keep playing football and we’ll see. But I doubt it, friend. I doubt it. I really doubt it. I’m going to play ball, ”Jackson responded yesterday when asked about comments suggesting that defenses have already taken action.

Jackson still has too many reasons to enter this new season so confident. The Louisville graduate has to his credit a long list of accomplishments accumulated during his first three years, one of the most impressive career starts in NFL history:

  • He is the fastest quarterback to have reached 30 wins (37 games).
  • Just the second QB with consecutive seasons of 25+ TD aerial and 5+ on the ground (Deshaun Watson).
  • Fastest QB in NFL history to reach 5,000 yards in the air and 2,000 on the ground (35 games).
  • First quarterback to have 5,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in his first three seasons.
  • Only QB in history to record 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season (2019).

The above just proves one thing: despite a myriad of criticisms and myths about whether or not Jackson knows how to throw the ball, he is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today. Therefore, he is absolutely right to think that this year any defense will continue to struggle to stop the versatile air and ground threat it offers on the field of play.

The NFL prohibits unaffiliated media from entering team lockers

This Tuesday the NFL sent a memorandum to all teams informing them that by 2021, starting with the preseason Week 3 games, access to the locker rooms will be limited to 50 fully vaccinated staff members. The staff includes all types of coaches, security members, public relations department, locker room staff, general managers and media affiliated with the team.

Compared to last season, this year there will be more flexibility. By 2020 the league only allowed access to 40 fully vaccinated staff members. However, the changing rooms will remain closed to all unaffiliated media outlets, including streaming partners and as many as NFL Films or NFL Media. In addition, only a maximum of three people from the public relations department of a team and / or affiliated media will be allowed while the players are present after the end of a match.

Following this decision, it is official that the unaffiliated media have not been able to be inside the NFL locker rooms since the 2019 campaign. For this reason, teams have used special areas and rooms for interviews and calls with players and coaches since the pandemic began. for COVID-19, and will remain so until further notice. What do you think of the decision made by the league heading into the 2021 NFL Season?

Meeting between New York, Erie and the Bills for the team’s new stadium

The possible construction of a new stadium for the Bills has been one of the most talked about topics by the media in recent weeks. The team wants more investment of public funds to build a new venue, flatly refusing the possibility of renovating Highmark Stadium. Now, after a long give and take, this Monday, team owners, politicians and all parties involved in this project, met in person for the first time to discuss the current situation of the stadium, reported Tim Graham of The Athletic.

Representatives of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, New York State and Erie County toured Highmark Stadium together to show how much work the current venue would take to remain safe and viable. PSE has proposed the construction of a new $ 1.4 billion stadium on Abbott Road in Orchard Park, but so far the state has made no counterproposal.

For this meeting, PSE He was represented by Executive Vice President Ron Raccuia, outside attorney Scott Zolke, and the media. For its part, Erie County hired the law firm Greenberg Traurig. Franklin DR Jones Jr., president of the firm, made the tour of the stadium. Plus, it was Jones himself who helped the Dolphins renovate Hard Rock Stadium for $ 450 million in 2016.

Finally, New York sent infrastructure consultants AECOM and attorney Irwin Raij, who also represented state interests when former Bills owner Ralph Wilson sold the team to Terry and Kim Pegula in 2014.

Buffalo’s stadium lease expires on July 31, 2023, and sources insist the Pegulas will not sign an extension to Highmark Stadium until a deal for a new stadium is signed. However, sources close to it were optimistic that Monday’s meeting could lead to progress in the negotiations. Will the Bills be able to stay in Buffalo long term?

Cliff Branch and Dick Vermeil, first two finalists for HOF 2022

This Tuesday, the NFL Hall of Fame announced the first two finalists selected for the HOF Class of 2022. They are former WR Cliff Branch and former head coach Dick Vermeil. Branch has been chosen as a senior finalist, while Vermeil made it in the coach category.

Branch was selected by the Raiders in the 1972 NFL Draft and played for them until 1986. During his tenure, he won three Super Bowl rings, was a three-time first-team All-Pro, led the NFL in receiving yards in 1974 and culminated his career with 501 receptions for 8,685 yards and 67 TDs.

For his part, Vermeil became the HC of the Eagles in 1976 and led them to the Super Bowl (losing to Branch’s Raiders) in 1980. He retired after the 1982 season, but returned to the league in 1997 to be HC. from the Rams, with whom he won the Super Bowl in 1999 before retiring again. However, just a year later he returned to the league once again, this time with the Chiefs for five seasons before retiring for good. Sadly, Branch died in 2019, unaware that a likely HOF induction would come in the near future.

It should also be noted that both candidates will be voted on the day before Super Bowl LVI, along with a finalist collaborator who will be named next week and along with 15 other players who will be defined in January. The Class of 2022 will have four to eight members, but Branch and Vermeil will vote separately from the rest of the class.

Finally, it should be noted that starting in 2021, the Hall of Fame changed its rules and will reserve one place per year for a coach, which could open the doors for multiple head coaches and highly recognized assistants to be immortalized in Canton. Well, until recently, coaches competed with players for a place within the HOF. What do you think of Branch and Vermeil’s induction into the Hall of Fame?

Mekhi Becton, injured in Jets practice

In more NFL news, injuries don’t leave the Jets alone. On Tuesday, left tackle Mekhi Becton left team practice after a heavy head-to-head collision with one of his teammates. HC Robert Saleh noted that Becton is under evaluation for a head injury. Additionally, several journalists noted that Becton vomited on the field after the impact.

If Becton is diagnosed with a concussion, he will have to go through NFL protocols before he can return to the field. That may not happen before the Jets’ last preseason game this Friday, but there are still more than two weeks left before they face the Panthers in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL Season. So, considering the timing of recovery, you can be optimistic about the situation at the left tackle. Will Becton make it back in time for the start of the regular season?

This is today’s NFL news.

Want to hear more news from the NFL? Do not miss Under Review, the official news program of Primero y Diez where we review the best of the day, from Monday to Friday at 3:00 p.m. from Central Mexico, along with Jorge Tinajero, Luis Obregón and more.

You can watch the episode of Tuesday, August 24 through the Primero y Diez official channel on YouTube or direct from here:

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