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A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 17 March 2020
NFL bars players and team personnel travel in free agency

By BARRY WILNER million for a running back
AP Pro Football Writer to $17.788 million for a de-
The NFL has barred in-per- fensive end/edge rusher; to
son interviews with free $5.019 million for kickers.
agents and is requiring lo- Running back Kenyan
cal physical examinations Drake got a transition tag
for them rather than team- from Arizona, but with
conducted exams. Johnson traded to Hous-
In a memo sent to the 32 ton, he has an open path
franchises on Monday, the to the starting job.
league also banned travel In case you're wondering,
by team personnel to meet no word out of the Tom
with free agents as well as Brady camp on a poten-
those players traveling to tial landing spot for the six-
team facilities. The league's time Super Bowl champion
business year begins should he leave New Eng-
Wednesday, and the pe- land.
riod in which players' repre- In other pending deals or
sentatives could negotiate moves:
with clubs began Monday —Free agent tackle Jack
— though no deals could Conklin has agreed to a
be finalized. three-year, $42 million con-
All offseason activities such tract with the Browns. A
as meetings, practices and 2016 All-Pro as a rookie, he
minicamps, have been will get $30 million guaran-
delayed indefinitely as a teed and earn $20 million in
safeguard against the new his first year.
coronavirus. No players —Defensive end Shaq Law-
can enter a club facility In this Jan. 4, 2020, file photo, Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins celebrates with fans son has agreed to a $30
through March 31, with the after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills in Houston. million, three-year contract
exception of those receiv- Associated Press with Miami. The contract
ing medical treatment. could be worth up to $36
The restrictions were first re- RIGHT! @DeAndreHopkins who got a five-year deal monia. million, and $21 million will
ported by ESPN. " while wideout Christian worth $85 million. The vast majority of people be guaranteed. Lawson
Earlier, things just got hotter Kirk added " 10 + 11 + 13 = "I'm excited to continue my recover from the new virus. spent his first four NFL sea-
on offense in the desert. SCARY SIGHT. Welcome to career with the 49ers, the According to the World sons with the Bills and last
The first day that players' the squad bro let's eat! " organization that gave me Health Organization, peo- year had a career-high
representatives could talk The NFC champion 49ers a chance by drafting me ple with mild illness recover 6 1/2 sacks, which would
with teams wound up be- got into the bartering, too. five years ago," Armstead in about two weeks, while have led the Dolphins.
ing more about trades than They dealt top defensive said. "They have given me those with more severe ill- —Minnesota reached an
free agents — with one of tackle DeForest Buckner the platform to give back ness may take three to six agreement with punter
the NFL's biggest stars, De- to Indianapolis for the No. to my community and play weeks to recover. Britton Colquitt on a three-
Andre Hopkins, headed to 13 pick in this year's draft, the game I love at the high- Also traded was Baltimore year, $9 million contract in
Arizona. which, incidentally, won't est level, and I am just get- tight end Hayden Hurst to which he will get $5 million
In a stunner that overshad- have any public events ting started." Atlanta, which is losing TE in guaranteed money.
owed several other trades next month in Las Vegas The NFL's business year is just Austin Hooper to Cleveland —Washington agreed to
and a slew of offers to un- — if it is even held there as getting started, as planned, in free agency. The Ravens re-sign inside linebacker
restricted free agents, the originally planned. despite the spread of the received second and fifth- Jon Bostic to a $6.6 million,
Texans sent their three- A person familiar with the new coronavirus. For now, round picks in this year's two-year deal. He was tied
time All-Pro receiver to the deal said Buckner will re- all moves are being done draft, and the Falcons got for second on the team
Cardinals for running back ceive a new contract worth remotely with basically a a fourth-rounder. with 105 tackles in 2019.
David Johnson, a second- $21 million a year from the ban on travel within the Fourteen franchise tags —Two veterans retired: Ben
round draft pick this year Colts. The person spoke on league. were handed out, the most Watson and Ramon Foster.
and a fourth-rounder in condition of anonymity be- For most people, the new since 2012, with only one Watson, a 39-year-old Patri-
2021. cause the deal and con- coronavirus causes only quarterback, the Cowboys' ots tight end, is concluding
Several Cardinals players tract can't be finalized until mild or moderate symp- Dak Prescott. The other a 15-year NFL career that
not surprisingly reacted the start of the league year toms, such as fever and biggest names among included two stints in New
positively to the move on Wednesday. cough. For some, especial- those franchised were Ti- England, as well as stops
social media. Quarterback The trade came just af- ly older adults and people tans running back Derrick in Cleveland, New Orleans
Kyler Murray, the NFL Offen- ter San Francisco opted with existing health prob- Henry; Bengals receiver and Baltimore. Watson re-
sive Rookie of the Year, re- to keep another standout lems, it can cause more se- A.J. Green; Chiefs defen- tires with 547 catches for
sponded with a " LET'S GET lineman, Arik Armstead, vere illness, including pneu- sive tackle Chris Jones; and 6,058 yards and 44 touch-
Buccaneers linebacker downs. And a Super Bowl
Shaq Barrett, the league ring.
leader in sacks in 2019. The Foster, 34, is an 11-year vet-
move by Tampa Bay with eran who made the Steel-
Barrett almost assures that ers as an undrafted rookie
quarterback Jameis Win- free agent out of Tennes-
ston is headed elsewhere. see in 2009. He became a
Franchise tag values range steadying force on a unit
from $26.824 million for a that evolved into one of
quarterback, to $17.865 the league's best.q