Top News of The Week – Darnell Dockett Out For Season

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Arizona_Cardinals_Praying_For_Darnell_Dockett1. Darnell Dockett Out For Season

Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett tore the ACL in his right knee this past week and will be out for the entire season.

Dockett has missed just two games in his 10-year career – in Week 9 of the 2010 season (shoulder) and in Week 4 of the 2012 season (hamstring). He played 104 NFL games before missing a game in 2010.

A three-time Pro Bowler who shares the Super Bowl sack record with Reggie White, Dockett had been coming off his best season (59 tackles and 4.5 sacks) in about five years, a huge loss for the Cardinals defense.

2. Rob Gronkowski returns to full-team drills

Rob Gronkowski returned to full-team drills this past week for the first time since undergoing surgery in January. Gronk has been recovering from a torn right ACL, and as a result still didn’t absorb full contact during practice, although he caught two passes from Brady in 11-on-11 team drills.

“Definitely a step forward with participating more and more,” Gronk said. “It’s doing well so far, no setbacks or anything. … I’m having a blast competing back out there.”

Gronk told Mike Reiss (ESPN NFL Nation reporter for the New England Patriots) he wants to play a full 16-game season.

3. Hoyer named Browns’ starting QB

After equally poor performances by Hoyer and Manziel against Washington last week, Brian Hoyer has been named the starter for the Browns’ season opener against the Steelers.

Coach Mike Pettine made the decision in a lengthy meeting with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains.

“(Hoyer) was the clear leader from the beginning,” Pettine said in a release by the team. “We’ve maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player.”

4. Two Steelers face marijuana charges

Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount – the running back pair for the Pittsburgh Steelers – have been charged with marijuana possession although it is unclear what repercussions it could have on their playing time.

Bell and Blount have been close since the latter signed a two-year, $3.85 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Steelers in March.

The Steelers had planned to split the workload between the two backs – Bell broke Franco Harris’ record for yards from scrimmage by a rookie last season (1,259) and Blount signed with the Steelers after rushing for 772 yards and seven touchdowns for the New England Patriots last season.

Rookie Dri Archer is third on the Steelers’ depth chart at running back and none of the other running backs on the Steelers’ roster has seen any NFL playing time, which could hurt the team if Bell and Blount face the league’s disciplinary action.

5. NFL to expand practice squad to 10

The NFL is expected to increase the size of practice squads from eight players to 10 by next week, according to an NFL source.

The idea will be implemented before rosters are reduced to 75 players, then 53 players, by the end of this month and will provide an extra 64 jobs to players, grooming them given the absence of NFL Europe.

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