Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has returned to practice with the team for the first time in a week. 

Watson requested a trade earlier in the offseason and then reported to Texans camp on July 25. He participated in the first five days and then proceeded to miss the next five days. 

Less than two months after his trade request, the first of 23 lawsuits were filed against him. Currently, he is facing 22 active lawsuits of allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. 

If Watson had decided not to show up for training camp he would have been fined $50,000 for each day of training camp he missed. 

Texans head coach David Culley has refused to give details about the quarterback’s participation in practice, saying “nothing has changed” with Watson. The Texan’s first preseason game was with Green Bay. 

As the Los Angeles Rams training camp gets underway, they are without their star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, as it appears that he will be holding out of camp for the time being, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The holdout is presumably due to a lack of a satisfactory contract, as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. He is set to make $7 million this coming season.

Donald held out for all of 2017’s training camp, not reporting to the team up until September 9, just one day before the team’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. However, since he is now entering the final year of his contract, he could be denied free agency at the end of the season if he does not report to training camp at least one month before the beginning of the season, which starts on September 10 for the Rams.

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Rams general manager Les Snead has said in the past that the team plans on making Donald the highest paid defensive player in the NFL when the time comes for him to sign a contract, but the situation is getting a bit strange. The Rams recently signed newly acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks to a six-year deal worth $90 million, with $50 million guaranteed. Now, the team has inked running back Todd Gurley to a four-year contract extension worth $60 million, with $45 million guaranteed. Those are two huge contracts for non-quarterback players, and if the Rams were to follow through on their big-money promise to Donald, they would be seriously strapped for cash elsewhere moving forward.

When speaking about those other contracts, Snead said, “Each situation is different. Different players, different agents. … You work on everything simultaneously, but you really don’t know when you’re going to get something done or not because it’s case by case.”

In reference to Rams fans everywhere taking to social media to announce their desire for Donald to get paid, Snead stated, “That’s what we’re trying to do… It’s a little more complicated than that. Definitely agree with the fans. We want to definitely try to pay Aaron what he’s deserved and make him a Ram a long time.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

All this aside, if there’s any defensive player worth that type of money, it’s Aaron Donald. He has made the Pro-Bowl in each of his four seasons in the NFL, made the First Team All-Pro each year from 2015 to 2017, won the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, and Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. This past season saw him accumulate 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and a staggering 91 quarterback pressures. He is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL, and at 27-years-old and very little injury history, he looks to maintain that dominance for a long time.

Donald has until August 10 to report to training camp, or he could risk his free agency status come 2019.

The Philadelphia Eagles are being very careful with their franchise quarterback, as they have announced that Carson Wentz will be reporting to training camp Wednesday on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The move is being made in order to make sure that Wentz fully recovers from ACL and LCL tears, which ended his brilliant 2017-18 campaign in a Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

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It’s unlikely that moving Wentz to the PUP list guarantees that he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the 2018-19 season and is more so just another step in his rehab process. The drastic nature of his injuries have made the rehab a long and arduous process, and the Eagles will likely not take any risks that could compromise Wentz’s progress. However, almost every update on Wentz’s injury made public by the Eagles camp this offseason indicates that he should play in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, which just so happens to be the first game of the NFL season. Just don’t expect him to play much in the preseason.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Although Wentz is almost definitely not going to miss much of the beginning of the season at all, it’s not as if the Eagles will be in bad hands, as Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles is still on the roster. While Foles was fantastic during the postseason, Wentz was masterful during the regular season. He looked to be the clear favorite for the MVP prior to his injury, as he completed 60.2% of his passes for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns in just over 12 games. Even though he missed the last three games of the season, those 33 touchdowns were still good for second in the NFL behind Russell Wilson‘s 34.

If Wentz comes back fully healthy and doesn’t miss much of the season, look for Philly to make another epic Super Bowl run.

LeSean McCoy will be reporting to the Buffalo Bills’ training camp on Wednesday, his first appearance with the team since he was accused of beating Delicia Cordon and their dog via a post by Cordon’s friend on social media. McCoy has since denied all accusations, although Cordon recently said that she believes the home invasion and assault to be a “set up” instigated by McCoy.

Police are continuing on with the investigation into the home invasion but have yet to name a suspect.

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While McCoy is no longer being accused of having assaulted Cordon himself, she claims that he still had something to do with her Atlanta home being robbed. During her July 10 911 call, Cordon said, “I really feel like, because we’re breaking up, that he wants all his jewelry back…[The intruder] just kept asking for jewelry. I think it has something to do with my ex-boyfriend.”

With his status with the NFL unchanged and an absence of legal repercussions, McCoy has been cleared to attend Bills training camp. The 30-year-old running back was an instrumental part in Buffalo’s 2017-18 postseason appearance, which ended the NFL’s longest current playoff drought up until that point. The team is currently entering rebuild mode, though, as they have traded away quarterback Tyrod Taylor and are projected to have career backup AJ McCarron as their Week 1 starter.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The big story for Buffalo’s 2018 season, though, is the development of the seventh overall pick in the 2018 draft, quarterback Josh Allen. McCoy’s ability to return to Bills camp will be largely beneficial to Allen’s progression into a franchise quarterback, as he’s both a Pro-Bowler and a longtime veteran of the NFL, the perfect candidate to help out a raw young QB.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has announced that he will not be attending the team’s training camp in order to abide by a “health and treatment plan” as he returns for what he hopes will be his first full season since 2013 following several substance-abuse violations. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Gordon is seeking counseling in order to fully treat the mental health issues with which he has been dealing over the past few years. The receiver indicated that he used marijuana and alcohol in order to self-medicate and treat his anxiety.

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Gordon made the announcement himself via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/JOSH_GORDONXII/status/1021398682619572225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1021398682619572225&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2F

The Browns have responded with nothing but support for Gordon, as they indicated that they will welcome him back to the team whenever he feels ready to return. Via a statement, Browns general manager John Dorsey said, “We will continue to support Josh as he receives the care needed to maintain his progress. We are going to respect his privacy while he is away from the team.”

Prior to his series of substance-abuse suspensions, Gordon had a monumentally dominant season in 2013, in which recorded 1,646 receiving yards (best in the NFL) and 9 touchdowns on 87 receptions. What makes this even more impressive is that he was thrown to by the likes of Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden, and Brian Hoyer.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Gordon clearly has a ton of talent, and is primed to be one of the NFL’s best receivers should he stay on the field. The Browns are looking to make quite the splash in the AFC this year, acquiring a pair of Pro-Bowlers in quarterback Tyrod Taylor from the Buffalo Bills and wide receiver Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins. Perhaps even more important, though, is the development of the 2018 first overall pick, quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Browns clearly view Mayfield as the future of their franchise, and the presence of a dominant wide receiver will be seriously beneficial to his progression into stardom.

The Arizona Cardinals no longer have to worry about their star running back’s desire to play, as David Johnson has agreed to end his contract holdout and join his team in training camp. Johnson publicly confirmed his return to the team himself, tweeting out a video of him wearing a Cardinals helmet with the hashtag #ImBack.

Johnson missed a minicamp in June as well as a pair of team activity practices as he held out for a contract extension with the Cardinals, saying, “The Cardinals want me to play for them for a long time, and I want to be here for a long time.”

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Johnson’s holdout has been relatively understandable, as is heading into the final year of his rookie contract in which he will earn just over $1.9 million, a huge bargain for a player of his caliber. However, he decided to end the holdout after conferring with his representatives. He said, “I’m here to play football. I trust my agency, Sportstars, and I know they’ll get it done when the time comes.”

The Cardinals were without Johnson for almost all of the 2017 season after he suffered a fractured wrist during a Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions. After exploding onto the season during the latter half of his rookie season in 2015, Johnson spent 2016 proving himself to be one of the NFL’s elite running backs, rushing for 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns on 293 carries (4.2 yards per carry), while also adding 879 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns through the air.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Arizona is entering what should be an interesting season, as they drafted quarterback Josh Rosen out of UCLA with the 10th pick in the 2018 draft. Rosen is considered by many experts to be the most NFL-ready rookie quarterback, and his progression into a franchise QB would certainly benefit from Johnson being in the backfield alongside him.

The New York Giants‘ receiving corps suffered a major blow on Wednesday, as wide receiver Sterling Shepard was carted off the training camp field with what the team is calling a rolled ankle.

Giants’ Sterling Shepard Ankle Injury

NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones reported Shepard suffered a low right ankle sprain, per a source informed of the situation.

Giants coach Ben McAdoo said the team will evaluate how the wideout responds to initial treatment and go on from there. McAddo called it a “baseball-type” ankle injury.

Shepard is entering his second season in New York after being drafted as a second-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2016 and essentially replaced Victor Cruz, who became hampered by injuries late in his career. Shepard recorded 65 receptions for 683 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016, and served as a great partner for Odell Beckham Jr. 

Shepard’s condition will be updated after the Giants finish practice. The wideout previously suffered a sore groin last preseason.

The injury could provide an opportunity for rookie tight end Evan Engram to make his mark on the Giants, who selected him as a first-round pick (No. 23 overall) in this year’s draft out of Ole Miss.

The Giants’ receiving corps also includes Tavarres King, Roger Lewis, Dwayne Harris and Brandon Marshall, whom the team signed from the Jets early in the offseason.

The Los Angeles Chargers also took a hit in their Wednesday practice, as rookie guard Forrest Lamp was carted off the field with an apparent right leg injury. The Chargers are already missing Mike Williams with what could be a serious back problem.

Daniel Sturridge will return home early from Liverpool’s mid-season training camp in La Manga, Spain due to an illness, the team confirmed Thursday.

Daniel Sturridge To Return Home From Liverpool Training Camp

A statement on Liverpool’s official website read: “Daniel Sturridge will return home from Liverpool’s midseason training camp in La Manga on Friday due to a virus.

“The striker joined his teammates on the trip to Spain earlier this week eager to participate in the daily double sessions, despite feeling unwell.

“However, Sturridge’s condition hasn’t improved and he will fly back to Merseyside today before resuming training at Melwood as soon as he is well enough.”

Liverpool, who were recently eliminated from the FA Cup, reported the 27-year-old striker was excited to participate in the club’s daily double sessions while they prepare for their next game against Leicester City on February 27.

Sturridge has made just nine starts and two substitute appearances in Liverpool’s last five Premier League games, and has not scored for the team since a 2-2 tie with Sunderland on January 2.

He was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s recent 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Marko Grujic is another Liverpool player to have missed out on the mid-season training camp this week. The club’s medical department chose to treat the 20-year-old Serbian midfielder hamstring injury– which has kept him out since late last year– at Melwood.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he also hopes to have centre-back Dejan Lovren in training when the club return from Spain on Sunday. The Croatian defender has missed the last two games with a knee injury.

“First of all, you might think it’s a bit cold for a ‘warm-weather’ training camp, but that’s a good thing because we didn’t want to go somewhere where it’s completely different to England in this moment, we only wanted to change the circumstances a little bit,” Klopp told the club’s official website.

“We want to be focused on the work we do on the pitch especially, and of course we’ll use the opportunity to talk about a few things, how you always do in preseason.

“I think there’s not a lot of good things to say about having a two-week break in the middle of the season because it means we are not in cup competitions any more, but we have to accept the situation and try to use it.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – JANUARY 25: Daniel Sturridge of Liverpool in action during the EFL Cup Semi-Final Second Leg match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield on January 25, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback Kellen Moore suffered a major leg injury during practice Tuesday night.

Cowboys Backup QB Kellen Moore Breaks Ankle During Practice

According to ESPN, Moore broke his right fibula and will probably be out 3-4 months after undergoing surgery.

Moore, 27, was carted off the field at training camp in Oxnard, California, team owner Jerry Jones stated.

The injury occurred when a defender rolled up on Moore’s leg after the QB threw a pass. Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News reported that left guard Jared Smith stepped on the Moore’s ankle, causing the injury.

“It’s regrettable, and we’ll basically just take a look at it and address it there,” Jones said. “I don’t have any comments about what, if anything, we’ll be doing there.”

 Moore’s injury obviously creates problems for Dallas’ quarterback lineup, as he was supposed to be Tony Romo’s backup this season. The fifth-year pro threw for 779 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions in his career, all last season in three games, including starts in the Cowboys’ final two games of the season. He was signed by the Detroit Lions–with whom he spent three seasons– as an undrafted free agent from Boise State in 2012.

“Your heart hurts for him,” Cowboys tight end Jason Witten said. “He just works really hard. … He’ll continue to fight. That’s who he’s been his whole life.”

Third-string quarterback Dak Prescott, a rookie fourth-round draft pick out of Mississippi State, replaced Moore in team drills following the injury.

Per ESPN’s Ed Werder, the Cowboys are considering free agent Nick Foles, who was recently released by the Los Angeles Rams, to replace Moore. The team is also reportedly exploring trades for Cleveland Browns veteran quarterback Josh McCown and Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup Mike Glennon. For the time being, Prescott and Jameill Showers could also serve as secondary options. Jones had previously stated the team wasn’t interested in Foles.

“We wouldn’t be able to give (Foles) any snaps,” Jones said last Friday. “We’ve got four that are going to get snaps.”

Romo suffered several collarbone injuries last year, and it wasn’t the first time in his career he’s dealt with that type of problem. The Cowboys went 1-11 in games that weren’t started by Romo last year.

ARLINGTON, TX – JANUARY 03: Kellen Moore #17 of the Dallas Cowboys throws against the Washington Redskins during the first half at AT&T Stadium on January 3, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

If there’s one NFL running back who has proven several times that he can continue to deliver great performances compared to other running backs around his age, it’s Adrian Peterson. 

Vikings’ Adrian Peterson Says He May Retire Early Due To ‘Boring’ Training Routine

The 31-year-old Minnesota Vikings star, is the league’s reigning rushing champion, and there appears to be little doubt in his or his trainer James Cooper’s mind that he can deliver again next year or perhaps even break Emmitt Smith’s career rushing record.

However, it’s the toll of the grind– rather than his age or anything else– that may eventually do him in, Peterson recently said.

In an interview with ESPN on Monday, Peterson stated he believes his body will hold up as long as he wishes to play. He is 6,681 yards away from Smith’s all-time rushing record, and even though only 12 players have ever surpassed 1,000 yards in a season at age 31, the running back isn’t fazed.

The factor that will most determine how long Peterson has left in his career, however, will be how much longer he is willing to undergo the boredom of NFL life.

“That’s it. Training camp, going through the grind, OTAs and all that — that will definitely be the deciding factor,” Peterson said. “Physically, body-wise, I’ll be good. It’s just mentally — like with OTAs, I’m out there practicing, I’m going, I’m putting in work. But it’s so repetitive that it’s more suited toward the young guys and getting them into the system. It gets kind of boring.”

When reminded how many times his old teammate, former quarterback Brett Favre, seemed to come out of retirement right around the time a minicamp or training camp was over, Peterson joked, “I might have to try that.”

The running back is far from being the first veteran to grow tired of training camp, but Peterson stated his eyes were open during his suspension last season, when he had more time to be at home with his wife, Ashley, and his son, Adrian Jr.

Peterson received a suspension from the NFL in November 2014 after an investigation into the running back’s discipline of one of his children, which involved using a switch. Peterson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault, was forced to pay a $4,000 fine and serve 80 hours of community service, and was reinstated by the league in April 2015.

Peterson has five other children, including a son Axyl, who was born last September.

“All that could be a deciding factor for me, too,” he said. “The kids and all that, that plays a role, because I love spending time with my kids, and they’re getting older now. We’ll see how things play out. I think you just have to wait for that time to come, and it will feel right or it will feel wrong. Right now, it feels good. It feels right [to be playing].”

Peterson has averaged 1,297 yards for his career. The seven-time Pro Bowler was drafted by the Vikings as the seventh overall pick in 2007 out of Oklahoma.

“To the public, he’s Adrian Peterson. He’s this workout king,” Cooper said. “But to me, he’s just another number. He’s literally someone who still hasn’t reached his full potential.”

Cooper added that his main suggestion to Peterson was for him to retire when he knows he can’t put in the same level of effort during the offseason.

Peterson just came off a season where he led the league in carries (327), yards (1,485) and rushing touchdowns (11).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGPnWouY9P8

Caption:MINNEAPOLIS, MN – DECEMBER 20: Shea McClellin #50 of the Chicago Bears wraps up Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings during the third quarter of the game on December 20, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Bears 38-17. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

“Who’s the new guy?” the New York Giants joked as teammate Victor Cruz took to the field Tuesday during mandatory minicamp for the first time in eight months.

Giants WR Victor Cruz Participates In Team Minicamp For First Time In 8 Months

The 29-year-old veteran receiver was spotted running routes and catching passes during individual drills before sitting out the team portion of practice, according to NJ.com. Cruz hasn’t played in a game for New York since October 12, 2014 due to knee and calf injuries.

“Another small step today,” said new Giants coach Ben McAdoo after Tuesday’s practice. McAdoo was promoted in January to head coach from offensive coordinator, a position he’d held since 2014, to replace veteran coach Tom Coughlin. 

“I heard a lot of, ‘Who’s the new guy?'” Cruz said after practice. “They’re always killing me with that stuff.”

As of last week, the Giants’ plan was to keep the receiver out of practice drills until training camp began in late July. However, he’d been pestering the coaches and the training staff to clear him for at least some work with teammates before the team left for the summer. After being satisfied with his recovery thus far, they relented.

“I think I was ready, the training staff thought I was ready,” Cruz said. “I personally wanted to do something this spring/summer, and I’m happy they somewhat listened to me.”

Cruz missed the remainder of the 2014 season after he tore the patellar tendon in his right knee in Week 6. He was able to practice some in training camp last year, although he never even got into a preseason game before he suffered a left calf injury that ended up costing him all of 2015.

Cruz said he woke up at 5:55 a.m. Tuesday excited to finally be out on the field with his teammates — even though practice didn’t start until 11:25. He said he started planting and cutting during route-running drills last week and still needs to work some of the deeper routes.

“It was great to see,” Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. “There’s no one who wants to be on the field more than Victor.”

PHOTO: NEW YORK, NY – MAY 29:  Professional football player Victor Cruz attends the 2014 Fresh Air Fund Honoring Our American Hero at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on May 29, 2014 in New York City.  (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)