Notebook: Bills line coach Kromer suspended for 6 games

 

The Bills suspended offensive line coach Aaron Kromer without pay for the first six games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The suspension was announced by Bills president Russ Brandon on Sunday night.
The disciplinary action comes two days after prosecutors in Florida dropped a battery charge against Kromer for allegedly punching a boy in the face for using his beach chairs last month. The Bills placed Kromer on paid leave July 14, two days after he was arrested.
Kromer will rejoin the team at training camp. His suspension will begin Sept. 7, in the week leading up to the Bills’ regular-season opener against Indianapolis.

The suspension will run through Buffalo’s game against Cincinnati on Oct. 18.

Incognito to be starter

From being labeled an NFL bully to Bills starter: guard Richie Incognito took a big step in his return to football following a 15-month hiatus that put his career in jeopardy.
Three days into training camp, coach Rex Ryan named Incognito the team’s starting left guard. Ryan made the announcement Sunday, when he included Incognito along with center Eric Wood and left tackle Cordy Glenn as three offensive linemen he sees as starters.

‘‘He looks about as good as any of them,” Ryan said.

That’s a significant step for Incognito, the eighth-year player who signed a one-year contract with Buffalo in February. He had been out of football since midway through the 2013 season, when he was suspended for being a central figure in a bullying scandal that led to offensive lineman Jonathan Martin leaving the Dolphins.

An NFL investigation determined Incognito and two other Dolphins offensive linemen harassed Martin, who played for San Francisco last season. Incognito went unsigned last season despite being reinstated by the NFL.

‘‘It was a long road back,’’ Incognito said, when informed of Ryan’s comments. ‘‘It was dark times. And it was something at times I didn’t think was going to happen. But I've been blessed with an opportunity.’’

Incognito thanked Ryan, general manager Doug Whaley, his teammates and new Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula for giving him the opportunity to play. Incognito met personally with the Pegulas before the Bills extended him a contract offer.

‘‘A lot of people laid their neck out on the line for me,’’ he said. ‘‘And I just wanted to prove them right.’’

Ryan credited Incognito for taking advantage of his second chance, and praised him for reporting to camp in ‘‘great shape.’’

‘‘He’s everything we thought he'd be,’’ Ryan said, noting Incognito was among the team’s top players in conditioning tests held on Thursday, a day before camp opened in suburban Rochester. ‘‘I think he’s probably along further than I even thought he'd be as far as coming back in shape. It’s like he never missed any time.’’

The Bills are retooling their offensive line, which was one of the team’s weak spots last season. Rookie third-round pick John Miller and Cyril Richardson are competing to start at right guard. Second-year players Seantrel Henderson and Cyrus Kouandjio are competing to start at right tackle.

Though regarded as one of the NFL’s dirtiest players before his suspension, Incognito was a reliable contributor on the field. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2012, and started all 102 games he appeared in since being selected in the third round of the 2005 draft by St. Louis.

This is Incognito’s second stint with the Bills. He played in three games for Buffalo in 2009, when the Bills claimed him after he was waived by the Rams.

Wilkerson tweaks hamstring

The Jets hope they aren’t without Muhammad Wilkerson for too long.

The star defensive end left practice Sunday with a tweaked hamstring, an injury coach Todd Bowles didn’t believe is serious.

Wilkerson, a key playmaker in Bowles’s defense, walked off the field at training camp about halfway through practice and headed straight to the locker room. He didn’t appear to be walking with a limp.

‘‘They took him inside just to stretch him out,’’ Bowles said after practice.

The players have their first day off from practice Monday, giving Wilkerson a chance to rest the hamstring and perhaps be back on the field in some capacity Tuesday.

‘‘I didn’t think it was serious,’’ Bowles said. ‘‘If it loosens up, he should be OK. Shouldn’t be out long.’’

Wilkerson reported for camp despite being unhappy with his contract, which is in the last year of his rookie deal. Wilkerson is looking for a long-term extension.

Wide receiver DeVier Posey didn’t practice with what Bowles said was also a hamstring issue.

Rookie wide receiver Devin Smith was released from the hospital after staying two nights as a precaution, and watched practice from the side in a T-shirt and shorts. He’s out 4-6 weeks with broken ribs and a partially punctured lung, suffered while making a leaping catch in practice Friday.

‘‘I talked to him and he’s doing a lot better than he was,’’ Bowles said of Smith. ‘‘We'll just go day by day.’’

Albert showing progress

Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert of the Dolphins is showing progress in his return from major knee surgery.

Albert had surgery on his right knee late last season. On Sunday, he participated in limited outdoor drills for the first time in camp. He wore a brace and moved with a limp. He wore full pads after previously taking part only in warmups and walkthroughs.

Safety Louis Delmas, also recovering from knee surgery, was held out after practicing the first three days. Receiver Kenny Stills was limited because of his calf.

Reese supports Pierre-Paul

Addressing reporters for the first time since Giants camp opened last week, general manager Jerry Reese supported Jason Pierre-Paul, the defensive end who is absent from camp because of a fireworks accident.
“This is a traumatic situation — it was an accident,” Reese said of the Fourth of July mishap that resulted in the amputation of Pierre-Paul’s right index finger. "Plenty of people have opinions about it. My heart goes out to him. For a young man to have a traumatic event like that in his life is life-changing for him. I hope for the best, and hopefully he’s healing mentally and physically and that he can be back to himself as soon as possible.”

“Other than that, I’m not going to say anything.”

Pierre-Paul is not under contract but remains on the team’s roster because he was designated the Giants’ franchise player in March. Pierre-Paul has not signed his franchise player contract so he is not obligated to attend camp. In the meantime, he is not getting paid.

Reese also avoided the subject of Eli Manning’s long-term contract negotiations, which are continuing. Manning’s current contract expires after this season.

Of Manning, Reese only said: “He’s under contract.”

GM comfortable with Galette

General manager Scot McCloughan says a ‘‘thorough, thorough, thorough’’ vetting of Junior Galette left the Redskins ‘‘very comfortable bringing him on board,’’ despite off-field problems that led the Saints to cut the outside linebacker.
‘‘He has to walk the line, and he knows that,’’ McCloughan said. ‘‘If he doesn't, then he’s gone.’’ McCloughan’s first news conference of training camp came two days after Galette signed a one-year, $745,000 contract. He was released by the Saints last Monday.
Galette was arrested in January after an alleged domestic dispute. Charges were dropped, but the episode remains under review by the NFL, which is also reviewing a video that shows a man resembling Galette in a fight on a beach.

‘‘I did not like the video at all, and as a matter of fact, when I saw the video, it was scary. That’s why I wanted to meet with him face-to-face,’’ McCloughan said. ‘‘That’s why I had to sit down with him and ask him what happened. I got the real story, and I'm fine with that.’’

McCloughan would not explain what he meant by ‘‘the real story.’’

He said the Redskins spoke to more than 20 people around the league, including players, about Galette, beginning their inquiry as soon as word emerged that New Orleans was prepared to let the player go.

‘‘I did too much research, to tell you the truth,’’ McCloughan said with a chuckle. ‘‘I got tired of it.’’

McCloughan said team president Bruce Allen and coach Jay Gruden were involved in the decision to offer Galette a contract, but the GM noted: ‘‘When it’s all said and done, it’s on my shoulders. I felt really, really strong about it.’’

‘‘This guy,’’ McCloughan said, ‘‘we feel very comfortable bringing him on board. Very comfortable.’’

The Redskins also contacted the NFL about its investigation of Galette, and McCloughan said he knows ‘‘there’s still a chance’’ the league will suspend the player.

‘‘But we were definitely more willing to take a chance with that,’’ McCloughan said, ‘‘knowing that he’s going to be a Redskin and knowing he’s going to give us a lot of games.’’

A day before signing Galette, McCloughan, Allen and Gruden met with the player.

‘‘I can tell you, when he left my room, the guy was crying, the guy was sweating,’’ said McCloughan, who more than once during his 15-minute session with reporters pleaded to be asked a ‘‘football question.’’

‘‘We've all made mistakes or something. I don’t want the repeat offenders. I don’t want the guy that I know is not going to be a good guy and be in our locker room. I think we have a very good defensive staff,’’ McCloughan said, pounding his right fist on his left palm. ‘‘We have a very good defensive meeting room, where you can bring a guy in and say, ‘We understand you did this and this. OK. Boom. You do it again, you’re going to be gone.’ ’’

Boykin clarifies comments

Cornerback Brandon Boykin, traded from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh on Saturday, became the third former Eagles player or coach to make racial accusations against coach Chip Kelly. Boykin told Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia that Kelly is “uncomfortable around grown men of our culture.” He clarified later, telling reporters at Steelers camp that Kelly isn’t racist.
Kelly said he was surprised and bothered by Boykin’s comments. ‘When he left here last night, he shook my hand and gave me a hug,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘I like Brandon. I just don’t know. I really don’t know.’’

Boykin played three seasons for the Eagles and had six interceptions in 2013. He played nickel cornerback in the secondary and was hoping to get a chance to start. Kelly and defensive coaches prefer taller cornerbacks on the outside. Boykin is listed at 5 feet 10 inches.

‘‘When talking to him last night, I think he was stunned,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘He was disappointed. I think he really liked it here. Very close with his teammates.’’

Tra Thomas, a former coaching assistant, and McCoy also made racial assertions against Kelly on their way out of Philadelphia.

‘‘Talk to DeMeco [Ryans], talk to the other guys here. I think those are the guys you should talk to,’’ Kelly said.

Ryans said he has no problem with Kelly.

‘‘That’s one man’s opinion,’’ Ryans said of Boykin. ‘‘Me and a lot of other guys don’t feel the same way.’’

Malcolm Jenkins defended Kelly with stronger backing.

‘‘It’s not that he doesn’t understand the culture, it’s that no one man is bigger than the team,’’ Jenkins said. ‘‘Chip likes uniformity and I don’t have a problem with that.’’

The Eagles got a conditional fifth-round pick in 2016 from Pittsburgh for Boykin. Kelly said it becomes a fourth-round pick if Boykin plays 60 percent of the snaps.

WR Bryant in camp scuffle

Dez Bryant kept going after Dallas cornerback Tyler Patmon in a heated training camp skirmish that didn’t end until quarterback Tony Romo finally stepped in and calmed his star receiver.
Bryant, who has a history of sideline antics that include screaming at coaches and teammates, threw something at Patmon and later appeared to take a swing at him after the two tangled during a play in 11-on-11 work late in the practice in Oxnard, Calif.
The incident started when Patmon jarred Bryant’s helmet loose during a play and Bryant responded by yanking off Patmon’s helmet. Patmon threw a punch and backed away, and Bryant came back with a wild left hook before teammates separated them.

The Cowboys posted video of the exchange on their website.

Tight end Jason Witten was among those who couldn’t get Bryant to walk away. Romo eventually came over and got Bryant to move, while Patmon stood with players and other team personnel nearby.

Patmon is an undrafted second-year player still fighting for a roster spot a year after making the team with a strong camp and preseason.

He played in 11 games and both of Dallas’s playoff games.

Both players went to Oklahoma State.

‘‘Oh, man, it’s just brothers,’’ Patmon said. ‘‘Brothers fight. That happens sometimes. We go at it. After that we squash it and it’s over.’’

Bryant, the biggest star in this camp because he recently signed a five-year, $70 million contract that ended his threat not to show up, said he and Patmon exchanged words for several plays before the skirmish that had several teammates trying to separate them.

When practice ended a few minutes later, coach Jason Garrett spoke briefly to Bryant, who then walked over to Patmon and hugged him while fans nearby cheered after earlier yelling at Bryant to calm down.

‘‘I got a little bit overheated,’’ Bryant said. ‘‘At the end of the day, that’s something that you really need for a team, on a team. I'm just trying to win ballgames.’’

Mincey ends brief holdout

Cowboys defensive end Jeremy Mincey didn’t stay away from training camp long in his effort to get a contract extension.

The team’s sack leader from 2014 ended a brief holdout and was expected to practice Sunday after missing the first three days of camp, including the first padded practice. Mincey showed up Saturday night.

Dallas coach Jason Garrett declined to discuss details of a meeting with Mincey earlier Sunday, but the eighth-year player wants an extension after recording six sacks in the regular season and two more in the playoffs.

The Cowboys made room on the 90-man camp roster by waiving linebacker Justin Jackson a day after he tore a knee ligament. Mincey was activated from the reserve/did not report list.

‘‘It’s good to have him here,’’ Garrett said. ‘‘It was a good conversation. He has to pass a physical and we'll ease him into practice. But we’re excited to have him here at training camp.’’

The 31-year-old Mincey is set to earn $1.5 million in the final year of a two-year contract. He faced a $30,000 fine for each day missed. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said on the eve of camp that the team wouldn’t negotiate with Mincey before he reported.

Mincey came to Dallas after spending the last few weeks of the 2013 season and playing in the Super Bowl with Denver. But he ended up with the Broncos only after Jacksonville decided to get rid of Mincey in the middle of a four-year, $20 million contract. He was forced to miss a game at Houston in 2013 after being late for a team meeting.

‘‘There’s a business part to the NFL that we deal with on a daily basis and there’s a football part,’’ Garrett said when asked if Mincey had damaged his status as a team leader.

‘‘Jeremy Mincey has done a nice job for us since he’s been with us. He, like everyone else, you have to establish yourself and define yourself every day for what you do.’’

Wagner, Seahawks agree

On the heels of signing quarterback Russell Wilson to a contract extension, the Seahawks have locked up All-Pro middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. The Seahawks and Wagner finalized a four-year contract extension Saturday night, making sure Seattle keeps Wagner beyond the 2015 season when his rookie contract was set to expire. Team owner Paul Allen confirmed the agreement on Twitter. NFL.com reported the deal is worth $43 million . . . According to ESPN, Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant underwent a minor procedure Sunday to remove an elbow infection . . . The Panthers waived injured wide receiver Stephen Hill after he suffered a torn right ACL on Saturday in practice.

As expected, the Colts put 2013 NFL sacks leader Robert Mathis and former starting guard Donald Thomas on the PUP list. Both are recovering from season-ending injuries.

Both can be activated any time before the regular season. Mathis missed the first four games last season for violating the league policy on performance-enhancing substances, and the final 12 after tearing his left Achilles’ tendon in a private workout during the suspension. Thomas missed all of last season after tearing his right quadriceps during training camp — the same injury that kept him out of all but two games in 2013.

Cr  :  Boston Globe