Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill passed a battery of tests on his ACL and Grade 2 MCL sprain and is expected to be available for all of the team’s offseason program, the Miami Herald reported on Thursday.
Tannehill missed the Dolphins’ last three regular-season games and their playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a severe knee sprain. The 28-year-old elected against full reconstructive surgery and instead opted for rehabilitation with adult stem cell treatment, the Miami Herald reported.
Tannehill is expected for a full workload by the start of training camp in July and likely will wear a knee brace throughout the season.
The eighth overall pick of the 2012 draft, Tannehill suffered a sprained ACL and MCL in his left knee in the Dec. 11 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Tannehill completed 67.1 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,995 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 93.5 passer rating in 13 games.
–The New York Jets announced a pair of cost-saving moves, releasing veteran kicker Nick Folk and veteran offensive tackle Breno Giacomini. The moves will save approximately $7.5 million in salary cap space.
In seven seasons with the Jets, Folk converted 175 field goals and his 81.3 kicking percentage is the highest of any kicker in team history with at least 100 attempts. In 2013, Folk established a team-record with a 91.7 field goal percentage and his 33 field goals were the second-most in team history.
Giacomini signed with the Jets in March 2014 after helping the Seattle Seahawks win their first Super Bowl. He appeared in 16 games in each of his first two seasons with the Jets but never got untracked in 2016 due to a back injury.
–The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released cornerback Alterraun Verner, reportedly saving $6.5 million in salary-cap money.
Verner, 28, had one season remaining on a four-year, $25.5 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2014.
Verner had just four interceptions in 46 games (23 starts) in his three seasons with Tampa Bay. He had just 12 tackles and one interception in 2016. Verner played his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He had a career-best five interceptions in 2013 when he made the Pro Bowl.
–The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that the Arizona Cardinals will face the Dallas Cowboys in next season’s Hall of Fame Game.
The game will take place Aug. 3 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, two days before the class of 2017 is inducted. Last year’s Hall of Fame Game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts was cancelled shortly before kickoff due to poor field conditions.
Arizona is appearing in the game for the fifth time, with the franchise playing the New York Giants to a 21-21 tie in the first Hall of Fame Game in 1962. Dallas is appearing in the game for the sixth time.
Both teams have a representative in the seven-member class with former Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and Dallas owner Jerry Jones going into the Hall of Fame.
–Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston lamented “poor word choice” after making stereotypical gender comments during a speech at an elementary school on Wednesday.
While speaking to third through fifth graders at Melrose Elementary in St. Petersburg, Fla., Winston demanded that the male students stand up while telling the female students to remain seated.
Winston told the boys they were strong and then said in part, “but the ladies, they’re supposed to be silent, polite, gentle.”
Winston’s words immediately came under fire, especially in the context that it was coming from a player who faced sexual assault allegations while at Florida State. The quarterback was never charged with a crime in the incident, but Winston settled a federal lawsuit filed by the woman in December.
–Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Danny Shelton was sporting a cast on his left arm, leading many on social media to wonder about his injury.
Shelton took to Twitter and revealed he had he is ready for a big season after undergoing minor wrist surgery.
Shelton recorded 1.5 sacks and 59 tackles in his second season with the club. A first-round pick of the 2015 draft, Shelton has collected 95 tackles in his career with Cleveland.
–The Minnesota Vikings named Darrell Hazell as the team’s wide receivers coach.
Hazell spent his last six seasons as a head coach in the collegiate ranks, with two years at Kent State (2011-12) before spending the last three-plus with Purdue (2013-16). Hazell managed only a 9-33 record with the Boilermakers before being fired.
The 52-year-old New Jersey native has spent 14 of his 30 years of coaching experience working directly with wide receivers. While with Ohio State, Hazell coached future wide receivers Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes and Terrelle Pryor.
Minnesota also tabbed Derik Keyes as its assistant strength and conditioning coach on Thursday. Keyes held the same position with the Houston Texans in 2012 and the Cleveland Browns for the last four years.