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NFL

OBJ, Giants progressing in talks, sources say

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Odell Beckham Jr. just might have that financial security he so desperately desires before the start of the regular season.

The New York Giants and Beckham have made progress on what is expected to be a record-breaking contract for a wide receiver, sources told ESPN, and there is reasonable optimism from both sides that a deal could get done by the start of the season.

The Giants open against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 9 at MetLife Stadium.

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Beckham, 25, has been looking for a new contract as 10 of the other 12 receivers selected in the first two rounds of the 2014 draft have received new deals within the past year.

The Giants wanted to see that Beckham had bought into their new regime and that the ankle he broke last October was healed.

After a rocky start to the year, the Giants listened to trade offers for their star receiver. He has done everything they’ve asked since.

It has been an especially successful summer on all fronts. Beckham has worked out at full speed in live drills and even participated in joint practices last week against the Detroit Lions. He has looked like his old self. He also has forged a strong relationship with new head coach Pat Shurmur, and it appears they have been on the same page this preseason.

Beckham was dreaming big last summer when he declared a desire to be the highest-paid player in football. But he seems to understand the market for wide receivers makes that impossible at this time.

The benchmarks for wide receivers are Antonio Brown’s $17 million per year with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Evans’ $55 million in total guarantees with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Beckham should be in line to top both. He’s a three-time Pro Bowl receiver who hasn’t reached his prime and is already one of the league’s biggest stars.

“Realistically, you just got to be realistic with yourself,” Beckham said earlier this summer. “You see what happened over the offseason. I can’t really worry about anybody else, just let them figure it out and whenever it happens, it’ll happen.”

Negotiations on a long-term deal began late last month. Beckham hasn’t said much about the contract since reporting to training camp. He has left the contract in the hands of his agent, Zeke Sandhu, and has been focused on getting back into playing shape after missing most of last season because of a broken ankle.

Beckham and quarterback Eli Manning have been seen squeezing in extra work between drills or after practice during camp.

“I definitely think it’s going to work itself out,” Beckham said last week. “When is it going to happen? You don’t know. That is the business side that is new to me in a sense. This is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with this or go through any of this.

“I believe it will work itself out. It’s a matter of time. Just like everything in life, it’s timing.”

Beckham hasn’t played in the Giants’ first two preseason games. Still without a new contract, he might not be willing to play until a deal is done.

But that is increasingly looking as if it might not be a problem come Week 1 against the Jaguars.

NFL

Cards GM emotional after serving DUI suspension

TEMPE, Ariz. – Cardinals general manager Steve Keim was emotional and appeared contrite during a news conference Wednesday at the team’s practice facility, a day after he returned from a five-week suspension for being arrested on charges of extreme DUI in July.

Keim had to pause throughout his opening statement, his first public comments since his arrest and suspension, as he called his actions “inexcusable.”

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“The truth is there’s nothing I can say that will make what I did right,” Keim said. “In fact, taking ownership of my behavior moving forward (is what) ultimately will define me as man.”

Keim was arrested early on the morning of July 4 on charges of DUI in Chandler, Arizona. Blood tests discovered his blood alcohol level was at .193, more than twice the legal limit and high enough in Arizona for the crime to be classified as an extreme DUI. He spent 48 hours in jail and was subsequently suspended by the Cardinals for five weeks and fined $200,000.

Before he could return, Keim had to complete counseling, an evaluation and a DUI education course, according to a team statement in July. Keim was barred from the team facility and prohibited from contact with the team during his suspension.

Keim called in the incident “a major poor decision” but said “it’s not a mistake.” Keim did not directly answer a question about whether the incident was the result of an alcohol problem.

“I don’t want to get too deep into it and personal, but I can tell you that coming away from this has made me a better man,” Keim said.

Keim returned to the facility on Tuesday, the first day he was allowed back, and met with the organization’s staff. He met with the players on Wednesday morning and later with the media.

Coach Steve Wilks said the Cardinals do not “condone that kind of behavior and Steve has accepted his consequences.”

“He’s dealt with it in the right way and I can’t commend him enough in how he’s handled the situation,” Wilks said.

“He’s learned from this. He’s grown from this. We have embraced him. He is part of our family and we are excited to have him back.”

Running back David Johnson said Keim’s comments to the team were “really good.”

“He owned up to it,” Johnson said. “No one’s perfect and I’m glad that he realized what he did and I’m glad he apologized.”

On Wednesday, Keim said the time away was “torture” but it gave him an opportunity to reflect which “put a lot of things in perspective.” Keim admitted the entire experience, which played out in local and national media, was “extremely humbling and embarrassing beyond belief.” He said he felt he failed to live up to the standards and expectations of not just the Cardinals’ organization but the NFL, as well, and apologized for that.

“I don’t know that it was a bad thing to be able to take that time and to self-evaluate, to look at my behaviors and to get stronger and grow as a man,” Keim said.

While Keim said he needed to “take ownership” of his DUI and take time to “look deep into your own soul,” he was pleased the Cardinals had a “such a good system in place” to continue carrying out football operations while he was on leave.

He said he heard from friends in and out of football, as well as from some people he didn’t know during his suspension. But Keim felt he hurt “a lot of people in this process.”

Keim relayed a story about his 12-year-old son texting with a friend about the DUI arrest. After seeing Keim on TV, the friend said he was sorry to see Keim going through everything. To which Keim said his son replied: “I’m not. He shouldn’t have been doing it.”

“My son was right,” Keim said. “I don’t think there’s any feeling that’s worse than feeling like you let your children down.”

But Keim believes the experience will help him on the football side of his life. He thinks it won’t be more difficult to discipline players because he can relate to them better, which he said would be a benefit when he evaluates prospects with off-field issues.

“It’s hard to put yourself in their shoes and you don’t understand the different cultures that they come from and how they grow up or the disadvantages that they may have had as a child,” Keim said. “Again, I’m not saying that it’s a positive that this happened but to make the best of it and to grow from it, that, to me, is something I can take away.”

NFL

Skins hope 'physical freak' Peterson game-ready

ASHBURN, Va. — The film and stats told one story last season. The Washington Redskins and Adrian Peterson hope his workout Monday tells another.

That workout was a primary reason why the Redskins signed him, wanting him to compete for the starting job with Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine to be their every-down back. Peterson might be around for only a couple of weeks; he might last a lot longer. It depends on how he looks as well as on the health of the other backs.

But Peterson is 33 and coming off a season in which he failed to make an impact with New Orleans, then was traded to Arizona. In two games he was dominant; in his other four games he was not.

Adrian Peterson, above, is “in great shape, explosive, and that’s what sold us,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Tuesday. Nick Wass/AP Photo

“He’s a physical freak,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. “He’s in great shape, explosive, and that’s what sold us. Some of the backs we had in here (for workouts) were huffing and puffing, keeling over. He was standing straight up. He could have gone on another two hours.”

The big question will be the same as last season for Peterson: What does he have left? Over the past two seasons, he’s averaged 3.1 yards per carry, third lowest among backs with at least 150 rushes.

“It shows me people don’t really know about football,” Peterson said. “People that know the game of football know different situations a player might be in. So when people go back and say, ‘Oh, 2.4 yards per carry,’ there’s a lot that contributes to that as well. I just brush it off.”

Peterson has ignored his recent stats and focused on his workouts as proof of what he still has left.

“Every summer, we have young guys that come and work out in our gym and [no one] has outworked me,” Peterson said. “I’m talking about 21-, 22-year-old guys. No matter [if it’s] speed work, agility work, running the hill. So that right there is a good measuring stick as well. When you watch the film, I feel like [there’s] evidence there to show that, hey, he’s still got the burst, acceleration, the power. But I guess everyone doesn’t view it that way, and that’s fine.”

His workout convinced the Redskins they should sign him. Gruden said Peterson barely broke a sweat during a 40-minute workout Monday, in which running backs coach Randy Jordan had him running and going through drills.

“What I saw yesterday was a lot of fuel in the tank,” Redskins vice president of player personnel Doug Williams said.

What he has left on the field remains to be seen. Peterson went through his first practice with the Redskins on Tuesday, jogging onto the field wearing No. 26 rather than his customary 28. That number belonged to Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green and remains off limits.

Peterson was fourth in line during individual work, taking his turn after the three running backs who have been around all year: Kelley, Chris Thompson, and Kapri Bibbs. But he stood out because of his size; at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds he’s taller and bigger than the others in his group.

During the drills, Peterson showed some of the footwork that will make him a future Hall of Famer. But he’s a little rusty. At the end of his rep in a pass protection drill, Jordan reminded him to not overextend his arms while blocking. Another time, after he ran through a gantlet where other backs knocked him with shield pads, Jordan praised Peterson but also told him to maintain his balance.

His new teammates must toggle between admiring what he’s done and trying to keep their jobs.

“I was kind of amazed,” Kelley said. “Before you become a football player you’re a fan of it, and I have the opportunity to play with Adrian Peterson. It feels surreal. A couple weeks ago at camp Coach Jordan asked all the running backs, if you could start a franchise with any player, and I picked AP. That’s crazy.”

Peterson has rushed for 12,276 yards and 99 touchdowns. The other five backs on the roster have rushed for a combined 2,633 yards and 15 touchdowns. But injuries more than lack of a proven résumé are what prompted Washington to call Peterson. The Redskins lost rookie Derrius Guice to a torn ACL in the preseason opener. Perine will return soon from an ankle injury, but Byron Marshall (knee) might miss another four weeks.

There’s urgency to see what Peterson has left: Gruden said he’d like to play Peterson in Friday’s preseason game vs. Denver.

“I’d like to see where he is, after contact, want to see the explosion in the hole. His vision. All that good stuff,” Gruden said. “I don’t think he’s going to lose that; it’s just a matter of taking hits play after play after play and see where he stands as far as stamina goes.

“You have a good idea of what he’s good at based on his career and we have all those runs he’s been successful with. It makes our play-action game a little better … and your play-action bootleg game a little better. We understand the skill set Adrian has.”

Washington worked out Orleans Darkwa on Sunday. Jamaal Charles visited the same day, although he did not work out.

Peterson, though, was happy to do so. Though others teams had called him, they wanted to wait to see how their respective situations unfolded. The Redskins had a need.

Peterson also is tight friends with Redskins tackle Trent Williams, a fellow Oklahoma Sooner with whom he owns a gym in Houston.

“I’ve always talked about playing behind a good offensive line. I know my last couple of years, kind of struggled in that department,” Peterson said.

The Redskins were disappointed when Guice was injured. For some, Peterson has provided a pick-me-up.

“He brings big-play potential. Actually, he brings confidence to this team, to this offense,” Williams said. “To have a guy who everybody really watched — if you’re familiar with football, you know what he’s done. I know myself he’s very much still capable of putting up those types of numbers. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen him the last two years. This year coming off injury. I know he’s ready. I know he’s in shape. I’m excited. … Supremely gifted athlete that works harder than probably anybody I’ve ever met.”

But it has to translate to the field. His first impression was a good one. The Redskins hope it lasts.

“He looked good,” Redskins linebacker Mason Foster said. “I know it’s practice. I know it’s fresh legs or whatever you want to call it, but at the end of the day it’s Adrian Peterson and he still looked like Adrian Peterson.”

NFL

Bills rookie QB Allen gets start Sun. vs. Bengals

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen will start Sunday’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team announced Monday.

Allen’s start comes after Nathan Peterman started the Bills’ first preseason game and AJ McCarron started the team’s second preseason game. The team has yet to name a starter for its regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

McCarron suffered a right shoulder injury during his start Friday, but tests revealed he did not suffer a fractured collarbone, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday evening. McCarron is expected back to practice soon, the source told Schefter.

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Bills coach Sean McDermott said Sunday that the team would “pick up where [it] left off” with its three-way quarterback competition involving McCarron, Peterman and Allen if McCarron is healthy.

The Buffalo News reported after Friday’s game that McCarron suffered a hairline fracture in his collarbone, but McDermott said Sunday that McCarron was seeking a second opinion. McDermott also said Monday that he and general manager Brandon Beane were discussing adding another quarterback to their roster, but it is unclear if that option is still being explored, given McCarron’s expected return.

Allen took first-team reps in Monday’s practice after Peterman led that group in Sunday’s practice. The Bills have rotated their quarterbacks since practices in the spring, with all three seeing time with the top offensive unit.

“We’re staying with the rotation,” McDermott said Monday. “Nate had the ones [Sunday]. Josh will have them [Monday]. We’re just with the rotation at this point.”

Peterman started the preseason opener and played almost the entire second half of the Bills’ second preseason game Friday. He has completed 17 of 20 passes this preseason for 231 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

McCarron played in the second quarter of the Bills’ first preseason game and started the team’s second game. He has completed 10 of 16 passes this preseason for 128 yards.

Allen led the Bills for the second half of the first preseason game and played mostly in the second quarter of Friday’s game. He has completed 18 of 32 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

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