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(2014-08-19 23:07:10) 下一個
CLEVELAND -- The Browns are acting as if Josh Gordon is already gone. cheap nfl jerseys . With the status of their Pro Bowl wide receiver still unclear for next season, the team added two veteran free-agent wide receivers Thursday, agreeing to terms with Miles Austin and signing Earl Bennett. Both players give the Browns insurance in case Gordon, the teams top playmaker who led the NFL in yards receiving last season, is suspended for a year after reportedly failing another drug test. Austin and Bennett have been available since March, but the Browns passed on them in favour of signing veteran Nate Burleson to challenge Greg Little for the No. 2 receivers spot. However, a report last week that Gordon is facing a one-year suspension forced the Browns to find some quality help and rookie general manager Ray Farmer added Miles and Bennett. Despite being aware of Gordons situation, Farmer passed on drafting a wide receiver last week. At the time, Farmers inaction seemed peculiar, but the team obviously had other options in mind. "Were confident we have a plan," coach Mike Pettine said at a golf outing earlier this week. "That the situation didnt call for panic, thats something we werent going to do. I agree with Ray 1,000 per cent that we have to build this team so that no one player drives the ship, that we can be insulated. Losing players for extended periods of time potentially is part of the game. "Successful franchises are the ones that have enough depth built and enough options that they have from scheme-wise, coaching-wise to account for it. Those are the ones that are successful." A two-time Pro Bowl player, Austin was released by Dallas in March in a salary-cap move. The 29-year-old played in just 11 games last season because of hamstring injuries. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Austin was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He appeared in 106 games, recording 301 receptions for 4,481 yards and 34 touchdowns. Miles had his best season in 2009, when he had 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 27-year-old Bennett has made 29 starts in six pro seasons -- all with the Chicago Bears. He has 185 career receptions for 2,277 yards with 12 touchdowns. Last season, he had 32 receptions for 243 yards and four TDs in 15 games. Only hours after the Browns introduced Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel last Friday, ESPN reported that the 22-year-old Gordon is facing a one-year ban for testing positive for marijuana dampened the enthusiasm created by Clevelands draft. Citing unidentified sources, the report said Gordon was notified by a league physician that he failed the test. Gordon has failed two previous tests and was suspended for the first two games last season for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Despite playing just 14 games, Gordon, who also had substance abuse issues in college, led the league with 1,646 yards receiving. The league has not commented on Gordons situation. Agent Drew Rosenhaus has declined comment. Faced with a substantial fine, Farmer was careful as he spoke about Gordon, but indicated the team was prepared to move on without him. "Its no different than if a player was going out during the off-season and broke an ankle or tore an ACL playing pickup hoops," Farmer said. "We have to build a football team that can win regardless of whos missing. I think thats the charge that we have. Thats my job. Thats coach Pettines job. To prepare this football team to win games regardless of whos missing." Along with Gordons fluid situation, the Browns may be without Burleson after he recently underwent minor surgery to fix a plate in the left arm he broke last year in a car accident. Farmer expects Burleson to be ready when training camp opens in July. The Browns also signed undrafted free agent defensive lineman Elhadji Ndiaye. Born in Senegal, the 6-4, 265-pound Ndiaye attended Nebraska-Kearney. He had six sacks in 2013. cheap jerseys . -- Andrew Wiggins is from Canada, Wayne Selden from Massachusetts and Joel Embiid from the African nation of Cameroon. wholesale jerseys . After trading sets, Halep trailed 2-1 in the decider but broke Stosurs serve twice to win the last five games. Halep repeatedly moved Stosur into the corners and finished off several points with perfect shots down the line.The Toronto Raptors begin a three-game western road swing tonight with a matchup agianst the Golden State Warriors. The Raptors head west in the midst of a three-game losing streak, all of which came at home. Toronto will face the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers on this trip as well. On Sunday, the Raps fell 112-98 at home to the Denver Nuggets. The Denver bench outscored the Toronto bench 72-16 and 10 of the Raptors 16 came from Terrence Ross. "Our bench has to give us something," stated Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. "Our guys have to get tougher defensively." The Nuggets shot 50.6 percent from the field in the victory. Rudy Gay led the Raptors with 23 points, followed by 18 and 11 rebounds from Jonas Valanciunas. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry each scored 17. Tyler Hansbrough made his first start of the season and managed seven points and five rebounds. The Warriors return home from a four-game road trip. The Warriors head back to the Bay Area 2-2 on a recent sojourn. They defeated the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings, but fell to the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Kings victory came on Sunday and despite a 115-113 fiinal, defense played a huge role. wholesale nfl jerseys. . After Golden States Stephen Curry hit two free throws to put the Warriors up two with 8.6 seconds left, Sacramentos Isaiah Thomas drove the length of the floor and center Andrew Bogut came to help Klay Thompson. Help is exactly what the Australian did, sending the layup attempt off the backboard, then recovering the rebound and launching the ball into the air as the horn sounded. "Big time play, I thought his defense overall was stellar," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said of Bogut. "Hes the anchor of our defense. He did a great job of coming over from the weak side and big-time shot blocker." Curry finished with 36 points and 10 assists, while Thompson added 28 thanks to a career-high eight 3-pointers. "I have a great backcourt with two guys that can light up the scoreboard," said Jackson. Harrison Barnes and David Lee both scored 11 points and Bogut had six, but pulled down 12 rebounds and blocked three shots. The Warriors won both matchups with the Dinos last season and have taken seven of the last eight meetings. Toronto has lost eight straight on the road in this series. ' ' '
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