NFL News & Analysis

August 10 Training Camp Notes: Browns expect QB Deshaun Watson to start first preseason game, Texans trade for TE Adam Shaheen and more

Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) rolls out during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Deshaun Watson expected to start Browns’ first preseason game

  • The Browns are scheduled to travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars on Friday night.
  • While Cleveland is planning on having Watson start, appeals officer Peter Harvey could make a ruling in the next two days that Watson should be suspended for a full year. Under that scenario, Watson will no longer be permitted to practice during training camp or play in preseason games.
  • NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to reporters Wednesday and was clear the NFL is looking for a full-year suspension: “We've seen the evidence, Judge Robinson was very clear about the evidence, and she reinforced the evidence,” Goodell said. “There were multiple violations that were egregious, and it was predatory behavior.”
  • If Watson is suspended for a specific number of games and not a full year, he’ll be able to remain with the team until the final cutdown day on Aug. 30.
  • The last time Watson played in an NFL was Week 17 of the 2020 season — 584 days ago.

Rams sign head coach Sean McVay to contract extension

  • McVay announced the news on his own after an ESPN feature hinted that he had signed an extension. 
  • In fact, McVay’s extension has been done for a few months but the team preferred to wait to announce it until they also got a deal done with general manager Les Snead. His deal is still being worked on, but the expectation is that it’ll be finalized in the near future.
  • McVay, who is still the NFL’s youngest head coach at 36 years old, has led Los Angeles to a 55-26 record in five seasons. He’s coming off a Super Bowl victory and his second Super Bowl appearance since being hired in 2017.
  • There was some talk that he could leave this offseason to take a TV job, and Amazon reportedly was willing to offer $20 million a year for him to be their color analyst alongside Al Michaels. McVay insists the talks never got anywhere and it would’ve been impossible for him to leave the group of guys he’s around right now.

Texans acquire TE Adam Shaheen from Dolphins

  • Miami sent Shaheen and a 2023 seventh-round pick to Houston for a 2023 sixth-round pick.
  • Shaheen has spent the past two years in Miami after being a second-round pick of the Bears in 2017. He had 24 receptions for 260 yards and three touchdowns in 28 games during his time with the Dolphins. He earned a 59.3 overall grade last season.
  • There will be more of these “pick-swap” trades in the coming days and weeks around the league. As players end up on the roster bubble, other teams will look to do these types of trades instead of waiting for the player to be cut in a few weeks.

Bengals activate OT La’el Collins off NFI list

  • Collins started camp on the non-football injury list due to a back injury that flared up earlier in the offseason. 
  • There wasn’t serious concern that it would be a lingering injury, and he officially passed a physical today. 
  • Collins has earned 70.0-plus PFF pass-blocking grades in three consecutive seasons and an 89.0-plus run-blocking grade in back-to-back years.
  • The offensive line was the biggest weakness of Cincinnati’s magical 2021 team, so the team went out and added Collins, Ted Karras (72.4 grade last season) and Alex Cappa (71.3) in free agency this offseason.
  • With all the new upgrades, Cincinnati’s offensive line ranked eighth in Mike Renner’s 2022 offensive line rankings.
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