NFL Notes:

• Kam Chancellor agreed to a three-year extension. Three years, $36 million – with $25 million guaranteed.
  • Look forward to Seattle in 2017 having a great defence, and Russell Wilson having to run for his life because they can only afford tackling dummies on the O-line.

• Injuries have forced Ryan Clady to retire after 8 years.
  • He’d spent most of the last three on some form of injured reserve.

• Injuries:
  • Panthers: Cam Newton’s shoulder is bad enough that he’s not throwing at practice.
  • Ravens:
    • Crockett Gillmore tore an MCL and is likely done for the season.
      • Maybe Kaep can catch his own passes for the Ravens.
        • After all, a new jersey would spike merch sales.
          • FYI – Dreamboat is #1.
    • Nico Siragusa is also done, but one-upp’d Gillmore by tearing his ACL, MCL & PCL on one play.
      • So the Ravens might need a scrambling QB. Hmm…

• Who says the Patriots don’t have enough grit?!
  • “Defensive back Stephon Gilmore, who signed a five-year, $65 million deal with the team in March, tangled with wide receiver and fan favorite Julian Edelman, resulting in the ejection of both players from Tuesday morning’s practice session.” (ESPN)
    • No word on if their mothers were forced to report to the coach’s room after practice to “explain” their son’s behaviour.

• In other training camp fights, here’s a surprise: Vontaze Burfict hit Giovani Pollard Bernard (edit) low, so those two went at it.
  • He appeared, to the offensive coaches, to have targeted the knee Pollard tore up last season.
  • I’ll let the video speak for itself”

https://twitter.com/JayMorrisonCMG/status/892469815931273216

• In a shocking development, the Chargers appear to have lost most of their former San Diego fanbase due to their move up the Interstate. (I-5? I-15? I-405?).
  • Of the 800 people surveyed by the Union-Tribune, “one in three say they’ll root for the team to lose its games this season, while slightly more (35 percent) say they’ll root for the team to win.”
    • Huh – I expected worse numbers for an organization so petty they’re keeping teammates from attending their colleague’s Hall of Fame enshrinement.
      • UPDATE: Gates may now have permission. Rivers will stay & practice, because of course he will.
  • When reached for comment, Dean Spanos had this to say to the people of San Diego:

Finally, per the Washington Post, the League has reached out to the NFLPA to discuss a joint study on the subject of marijuana as an element of pain management.

• Makes sense, since studies showing the long-term effects of using pills make the NFL look like a common drug dealer.
  • The union is already doing its own study, because it wants proof of efficacy when appealing suspensions for PED violations.
• And especially when Roger Goodell cites a 23 year-old study that shows NFL players live 5 years longer than “civilians”, but then welches on contributing to a concussion research study.

(FYI – DFO has 16 separate tags combining some form of “Roger Goodell” and “disgrace”. Question: the right number, or too few?)

Tonight’s sports:

• MLB:
  • Blue Jays at White Sox – 8:00PM | Sportsnet
  • Twins at Padres – 10:00PM | FS1

• WWE:
  • Smackdown – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360

• Canada Summer Games:
  • Beach Volleyball – 7:00PM | TSN

Holy shit – I never thought I’d be desperate for the Hall of Fame game, an event where the stars usually only play one set of downs. So many guys who’ll get cut. WHOSE NAMES SHOULD I BOTHER TO REMEMBER?!