Gates not sure how banned substance got into his system (The Associated Press)

San Diego Chargers star tight end Antonio Gates didn't shed much light on the surprising drug suspension that will sideline him for the season's first four games. Gates said he's been in the random testing program for six years ''just because of the response.

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Without new contract, Jets' Wilkerson focused on football (The Associated Press)

Muhammad Wilkerson is frustrated and still wants a big payday. Until then, though, the New York Jets defensive end is keeping his contract situation off the field. Wilkerson practiced with his teammates Thursday as the Jets opened training camp - despite seeking a long-term extension.

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Gates not sure how banned substance got into his system (The Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Star tight end Antonio Gates says he's not sure how a banned substance got into his body, although he believes it could have been while he was cleansing his system in the offseason.

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Players who need to finally show their worth in 2015 (The Associated Press)

Alshon Jeffery proved himself last year as a prime target in Chicago. Everson Griffen showed his stuff as a sackmaster in Minnesota.

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Shutdown Countdown: Bengals try to get over playoff hump .. again (Shutdown Corner)

Shutdown Corner is previewing all 32 teams as we get ready for the NFL season, counting down the teams one per day in reverse order of our initial 2015 power rankings. No. 1 will be revealed on Aug. 8, the day before the preseason begins with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton. NO. 11: CINCINNATI BENGALS Making the playoffs four straight seasons in the NFL is a tremendous accomplishment. It's hard. There's too much turnover and there's too much luck involved to assume you can grind out enough wins year after year to qualify for the postseason. The Cincinnati Bengals have won 40 games and tied one over the last four seasons. Before this run, the franchise had never made the playoffs more than twice in a row. Cincinnati once missed the playoffs 14 years in a row.

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NFL 2015: Players who could make breakthroughs in 2015 (The Associated Press)

If you're not sure where Le'Veon Bell and Justin Forsett came from to reach the top of the NFL rushing charts, this will be helpful.

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All over now? Bolts open possibly last camp in San Diego (The Associated Press)

The San Diego Chargers resemble a circus as they prepare to open what could be their final training camp in San Diego. Ownership has stomped away from negotiations with the city for a replacement for aging Qualcomm Stadium, eager to keep its options open in the Los Angeles market and in the process angering fans who feel they're being abandoned. It's gotten so contentious that Mick Jagger and LaDainian Tomlinson have called out the Bolts.

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Assembly speaker joins San Diego officials in stadium talks (The Associated Press)

California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins joined San Diego politicians at a meeting with NFL officials on Tuesday, offering advice on completing a thorough environmental impact report for a possible new stadium for the Chargers. The meeting was a chance for city and county officials to update Eric Grubman, the NFL's point man on Los Angeles, on progress toward a replacement for aging Qualcomm Stadium.

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AP source: Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson to report for camp (The Associated Press)

A person familiar with Muhammad Wilkerson's plans says the defensive end will report for training camp with the New York Jets despite being unhappy with his contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because neither Wilkerson nor the Jets announced the decision. Wilkerson reported for mandatory minicamp last month, but was non-committal about showing for training camp.

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Packers swap alternate uniforms, bring back another throwback look (Shutdown Corner)

The 1994 NFL season, celebrated as the 75th season for the league, was awesome for a few reasons, and one of them was that every team wore a throwback uniform for selected games. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today! ] One of the best throwback uniforms from that year belonged to the Green Bay Packers. They were the 1937-49 uniforms of the Don Hutson days, with yellow shoulders and the rest was blue. The Packers preferred the Acme Packers style throwback as their third uniform the past few years, with the yellow circle and blue numbers within it, but the Packers are changing it up. The 1940s look is back. They'll wear those uniforms Oct. 18 against San Diego. What do you think of the #Packers ' historic third jersey? Take a closer look: http://t.co/GfIL534UzC http://pic.twitter.com/tMBCTpx1Th — Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 28, 2015 The last time the #Packers wore similar uniforms? 1994. See photos: http://t.co/mHttSQcXLo http://pic.twitter.com/33dMUeWtwk — Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 28, 2015 Here they are! The #Packers will wear these historic third jerseys on Oct. 18 vs. the Chargers. https://t.co/MdxKsIgUFd — Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 28, 2015 Sharp. Other teams have third uniforms, but not many are this good. - - - - - - - Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

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Most intriguing NFL team of 2015? Ranking the storylines of all 32 squads (Shutdown Corner)

This is a highly subjective list. Using my sophisticated OPI (Own Personal Intrigue) method, I carefully have ranked the teams in order of interest and intrigue prior to the 2015 NFL season. Please note: These are not power rankings. This is not how I think the 2016 NFL draft order will look. Nothing like that. Intrigue can be both bad and good. My top-ranked team here missed the postseason a year ago; my 32nd-ranked team made it. Hopefully, you get the idea. I’m just speculating which teams will be the most buzzworthy and boast the most fascinating storylines heading into the season. The Washington Redskins, for instance, have mastered the art of bad-team intrigue. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today! ] And some might argue that for years, the New England Patriots — even as remarkable as their run has been — are the most boring good team out there. Of course, not this year. Not with deflate-gate and Tom Brady's suspension threatening to rule the first month of the season. So here they are, my indisputable OPI rankings heading into training camp.  The most intriguing team of 2015 is ...  1. Philadelphia Eagles — Chip Kelly: secret genius or mad scientist? This could be the year we find out. He enters Year Three having shuttled off nearly the entire roster he inherited — including many of the Eagles’ highest-regarded players. How are we not intrigued? One of his biggest imports, DeMarco Murray, he shockingly poached from the rival Dallas Cowboys. We will find out this season if Chip’s system — which is more about team building than some gimmicky offensive philosophy — is built to last. If Kelly reincarnates Sam Bradford and fixes that defense, it might be time to give it up, haters. But if Bradford struggles (or struggles to stay healthy), and the ball is put in the hands of Mark Sanchez or — gasp — Tim Tebow, it might be worrisome. You have to wonder, after Kelly missed out on landing Marcus Mariota, if finding a perfect-fit quarterback will forever be Kelly’s Camelot. 2. San Francisco 49ers — The attrition that has ravaged this team might have reached historical levels. After a strange, strained battle with ownership, Jim Harbaugh walked at what looks like precisely the right time. In his wake, the foundation of his steely squad either retired, was shipped out or left via free agency. Thrifty owner Jed York opted to go cheap — under the auspice of trust, dependability and locker-room harmony — in hiring the less-than-lucid Jim Tomsula (one game of head-coaching experience). There are scores of veterans trying to revive their careers — Aldon Smith, Colin Kaepernick, NaVorro Bowman, Vernon Davis, and more. There’s talent, but is there turmoil? The first half of the schedule, by the way, is brutal. 3. Buffalo Bills — Are you excited yet? Maybe you’re not the biggest Rex Ryan fan (you communist!), and maybe you’re laughing at their quarterback options. Fair enough. But maybe Tyrod Taylor — who beat out Russell Wilson for ACC Player of the Year in 2010 — is a secret killer, or at least not a total disaster. And everywhere else there is exciting talent, playing in a city dying to win for a coach who will do anything and everything he can to (a) stick it to the Jets, (b) beat Tom Brady and (c) deliver a winner to some long-suffering fans. The defense could be the league’s best, and there are playmakers littered throughout the offense. There’s something happening here — and some excitable personalities coming to town with Ryan, LeSean McCoy, Richie Incognito and Percy Harvin — and what it is ain't exactly clear. 4. New England Patriots — It has been a wild six months since they beat the Indianapolis Colts, setting the Bad Ship Deflate-gate into motion, stealing a Super Bowl win in mind-blowing fashion and watching Brady get dragged through the mud in the league’s phony and laughable attempt to uphold the integrity of the game . And while everyone knows that what doesn’t kill the Patriots tends to make them stronger, navigating their way back to another Super Bowl appears far tougher, with a stronger division, Brady turning 38 and the Patriots’ huge losses in the secondary. If they do win it all this year, it will be their fifth title. The significance of this: The Patriots would own 10 percent of all the Super Bowl championships. The title also would be Bill Belichick’s seventh, which would tie him all time with former Broncos and 49ers scout/administrator Neal Dahlen for the most in league history. 5. Dallas Cowboys  — The Dez Bryant signing removes a smidge of the drama, but it’s still a team we’ll be thinking about almost daily. Last season shocked me — I pegged their defense to be historically bad. And that’s why this season is so intriguing. For the first time, legitimately, the Cowboys are a Super Bowl contender for the first time in forever, and yet they’re missing a huge piece with Murray gone (to the hated Eagles, no less). The guys vying to replace him are a possibly washed-up back in Darren McFadden and a player guilty of shoplifting underwear and cologne last year in Joseph Randle. Randy Gregory and La’el Collins also will be fun to chart as high-profile rookies looking to make a lot of teams wish they hadn't passed them over in the draft. 6. Seattle Seahawks — Russell Wilson’s contract looms as one of the more fascinating negotiations in recent NFL history, textured by the fact that he’s coming off the haunting Super Bowl interception. His gift: a Marshawn Lynch contract extension and trades for receiving help in Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett. But Michael Bennett could hold out? And Earl Thomas will miss all of camp? Intrigue! In a certain way, these are the same Seahawks we’ve come to know, so there’s a ceiling to it, and there’s no reason to think they can’t get back to a third straight Super Bowl. But we’ll always be paying attention to what this outlaw bunch is doing and saying.

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Miami Dolphins Capsule (The Associated Press)

OPEN CAMP: July 30, Davie, Florida.

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San Diego Chargers Capsule (The Associated Press)

OPEN CAMP: July 30, San Diego.

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2015 NFL training camps: 32 intriguing rookies to watch (Yahoo Sports)

Bucs QB Jameis Winston is obvious, but what other first-year guys should command the most attention during camps?

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Shutdown Countdown: Bills try to break playoff streak the old school way (Shutdown Corner)

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Report says Junior Seau's family not allowed to speak at HOF enshrinement (Shutdown Corner)

The Junior Seau Hall of Fame enshrinement went from awkward and sad to really messy with the release of a New York Times story on Friday afternoon. According to the Times, Seau's family will not be allowed to speak at his Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony. A video will be played instead for Seau, who committed suicide in 2012. The Pro Football Hall of Fame told the Times it is their policy for dead inductees, that there will be no speech for someone on their behalf. In 2011 nobody spoke for Les Richter, who was a linebacker with the Los Angeles Rams, the Times points out. That wasn't always the case. Sara White gave a speech for her husband, the late Reggie White. That was 2006. Apparently the policy changed. And apparently nobody thought how bad that might look in a situation like Seau's family faces now.  “There was an acceptance speech for deceased players but it got redundant,” Pro Football Hall of Fame spokesman Joe Horrigan said. “The honor is supposed to be for the individual.” Despite the protests to the contrary by the Hall of Fame, it's hard to not wonder if Seau's suicide and his family's lawsuit against the NFL in regards to brain injuries has anything to do with this. The Seaus told the Times they weren't aware of the Hall of Fame's policy until July 9. Seau was voted into the Hall of Fame the day before last season's Super Bowl. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today!l ] The Times said Seau h ad told the family he wanted his daughter Sydney to introduce him if he made it to the Hall. Sydney had been planning to give the speech at the enshrinement ceremony in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8. “It’s frustrating because the induction is for my father and for the other players, but then to not be able to speak, it’s painful,” Sydney told the Times. “I just want to give the speech he would have given. It wasn’t going to be about this mess. My speech was solely about him.” The NFL has made some missteps, but this needs to be rectified and fast. Not just for Seau's family, which has been through a lot obviously, but for the fans as well. I'm positive nobody was going to complain about hearing a speech from the family on the great Junior Seau. There were passages in the Times story that pointed out the NFL and the Hall of Fame are separate entities, but the NFL works closely with the Hall of Fame on all parts of enshrinement weekend. The league can and should push its weight around in this situation, if it has been kept out of this poor decision. The reason given by Horrigan that the speech by a family member of a dead player often repeats what is on the video, and the ceremony is already very long, is flimsy. Seau was one of the most popular players in NFL history, an icon at linebacker for many years with the San Diego Chargers. Last year's ceremony went for many hours with many long speeches. Seau's family's speech was set to be one of the highlights of the entire event, remembering a great player who tragically took his life before he made the Hall of Fame. Seau's lawsuit, or some fairly new policy, shouldn't get in the way of that. Now that the Times has put some attention on the issue, expect someone in charge to correct this in a hurry. If not, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be making an unimaginable mistake for its biggest weekend. - - - - - - - Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

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Broncos defensive lineman says PED suspension is for medication (Shutdown Corner)

It's once again Suspension Friday around the NFL offices, with the league announcing that Denver Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe has been suspended four games for a performance-enhancing drug policy violation. That's not a small loss for the Broncos. Wolfe has started all 43 games in which he has played for the Broncos in his three seasons. He's the type of player whose value isn't necessarily reflected by the stats. His absence is a big hole for their defense over the first four games. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today! ] Most players immediately release their excuse with the news, like San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates saying that he failed a PED test because of supplements and holistic medicines. Wolfe said he failed the test due to medication he was taking. Here's his statement, through the Broncos and the NFLPA : "Please allow me to offer my most sincere apology to everyone in the Broncos organization, and especially to my teammates and our fans. During the off-season I took a medication which is on the banned substance list.  The medication is not a substance which would enhance my on-field performance in any way, and I genuinely was unaware that it was prohibited, but players are responsible for what is in their bodies. I will certainly exercise far greater caution in the future and will seek advice relating to the permissibility of any and all medications. I’m very disappointed that I can’t help my team for the first four weeks of the season, but I look forward to a great season with the Broncos and can't wait to get back on the field in week five." Because the NFL won't release specific reasons for failed tests, it allows people to judge whether they believe a player's given excuse. All that matters in the end, however, is that the Broncos will start their defense of their AFC West title without a key defender for a quarter of the season. - - - - - - - Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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Shutdown Countdown: Can a rookie get the Chargers over the hump? (Shutdown Corner)

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Chargers Fantasy Preview (Rotoworld)

Will Keenan Allen bounce back in 2015? Evan Silva examines in his Chargers Fantasy Preview.

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Are new deals on the way for Russell Wilson, Eli Manning and other QBs? (Shutdown Corner)

Russell Wilson isn’t the only quarterback whose contract situation is up in the air. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today!l ] Wilson, who is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract with the Seattle Seahawks, wants to secure a long-term deal to stay in Seattle. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Wilson hopes to get a deal done before training camp and wants to “to be paid like one of the top quarterbacks” in the league. If things don’t come together before training camp, Wilson will play out this season under his current deal, Rapoport said. Speaking of highly-paid quarterbacks, Eli Manning is also entering the final year of his deal with the New York Giants. He is set to make $17 million in 2015, and according to Rapoport , the team hopes get a long-term deal with Manning done soon – possibly before training camp begins later this month. After a disastrous 2013 campaign in which Manning tossed 27 interceptions, the veteran rebounded nicely in 2014 with 4,410 yards, 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. It appears the Giants would like Manning, now 34 years old, to play out his career in New York. Additionally, per Rapoport, a raise and extension for Manning could help the team’s salary cap number. Like Manning, San Diego Chargers veteran Philip Rivers is also entering the final year of his contract and is set to earn $15.75 million. And like the Giants hope to do with Manning, Rapoport reported Monday that the Chargers hope to lock up Rivers before the Chargers report to training camp next week. “(The Chargers) have wanted to sign Philip Rivers to a long-term extension for some time knowing that he is a huge part of their future,” Rapoport said Monday on NFL Total Access. And if the deal does not come to fruition, Rapoport says the Chargers will give Rivers the franchise tag in 2016 if “all goes well” with him under center this upcoming season. Unlike Manning and Rivers, new Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford will reportedly play out the final year of his contract in order to potentially maximize his earning potential as a free agent. Bradford is coming off back-to-back torn ACLs from his time with the St. Louis Rams and will earn just under $13 million in 2015. The decision makes sense from both a team and player perspective. Bradford wants to prove he can play at a high level, but the Eagles could be understandably hesitant to offer a deal to a guy coming off two significant knee injuries. If Bradford, who was acquired from the Rams this offseason via trade, can produce on the field, the Eagles could come calling with a long-term deal.  - - - - - - - Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter! Follow @SamDCooper

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NFL-National Football League roundup (Reuters)

Quarterback Brett Favre was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and had his No. 4 retired on Saturday in the Lambeau Field Atrium in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The 45-year-old Favre played for the Packers from 1992-2007 and led Green Bay to a 35-21 victory over the New England in Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans at the end of the 1996 season. Favre also played for the Atlanta Falcons (1991), New York (2008) and Minnesota Vikings (2009-2010).

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Bill Arnsparger, Miami's "No-Name Defense" coach, dies at 88 (The Associated Press)

Bill Arnsparger, the Miami assistant coach who directed the ''No-Name Defense'' that helped the Dolphins win Super Bowl titles in 1973 and 1974, died Friday. The Dolphins confirmed Arnsparger's death. Arnsparger left the Dolphins after the 1974 Super Bowl to coach the New York Giants, going 7-28 before he was fired after an 0-7 start in 1976.

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U.S. judge dismisses NFL star's $20 million case against Bank of America (Reuters)

By Jed Horowitz NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge has dismissed National Football League star Dwight Freeney's lawsuit against Bank of America Corp and a stockbroker, ruling that Freeney sued the wrong parties in alleging that he was defrauded of more than $20 million. The pass rusher and seven-time NFL Pro Bowler sued the bank, its Bank of America N.A. subsidiary and Merrill Lynch financial adviser Michael Bock in February. Truthful disclosure would have dissuaded Freeney from agreeing to become a "BofA client or to entrust the management of his assets, investments and income to BofA," according to the complaint.

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Shutdown Countdown: Hard to be optimistic about the 49ers (Shutdown Corner)

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Houston, We Have a Contract (Rotoworld)

In this week's Bump and Run, Jesse Pantuosco checks in on Justin Houston's new deal and wonders what the Titans are doing with Marcus Mariota.

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Bengals, Lions, Chiefs (more than the Browns!) suffering NFL's longest playoff win drought (Shutdown Corner)

There are certain NFL franchises which, year in and year out, face the same old trite jokes about losing ... year in and year out. But do you know which team has had the longest drought without a playoff victory? The list might surprise you a bit. Seventeen of the 32 teams have won at least one playoff game in the past five seasons. But 11 teams — more than a third of the NFL! — have gone 10 seasons or more without a postseason victory. That's pain. We've compiled the list of playoff win droughts, from shortest to longest, and it might give you a new perspective for which teams have suffered the longest for playoff success: 32. New England Patriots Last playoff victory: February 1, 2015 (Super Bowl XLIX) Days since last playoff victory (as of July 15): 164 days You remember this play? Yeah, you might have seen it once or twice this offseason. 31. Seattle Seahawks Last playoff victory: January 18, 2015 (2014 conference championship game over Green Bay Packers) Days since last playoff victory (as of July 15): 178 days In one of the most remarkable playoff comebacks in league history, the Seahawks erased a 16-0 first-half Packers lead and a 19-7 edge with a little more than two minutes left to win in overtime. But hardly anyone talks about that now the way the subsequent Super Bowl ended. t-30. Green Bay Packers Last playoff victory: January 11, 2015 (2014 division round against Dallas Cowboys) Days since last playoff victory (as of July 15): 185 days Another classic and controversial victory — sealed when Dez Bryant's catch/non-catch was ruled incomplete — that has been somewhat lost in the narrative after the Packers couldn't finish the deal the following week. t-30. Indianapolis Colts Last playoff victory: January 11, 2015 (2014 division round against Denver Broncos) Days since last playoff victory (as of July 15): 185 days Andrew Luck was able to beat the man he replaced in Indy, Peyton Manning, who looked old and tired in the Broncos' home loss that started the clock on the Manning Retirement Watch. (An aside: How great were these past playoffs? We've just named four pretty incredible games, some of the best in recent postseason history, right out of the chute here.)

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Greg Cosell's NFL Classroom: Understanding why INTs happen (part 1) (Shutdown Corner)

This summer, NFL Films' Greg Cosell will be doing a series of posts for Shutdown Corner taking a deeper look into the finer points of football, explaining how fans can look for the subtle nuances that make the game so interesting beneath the surface. Not all interceptions are the same. In our last post in this series , we saw that it's way too simple to blame the quarterback in each instance. Sometimes the defense wins, either with a great scheme or tremendous individual effort. Sometimes the quarterback is at fault. Sometimes you can easily see that the receiver was the reason for the interception. That's why you watch film, so you can try to spot the real reason for an interception. You can learn a ton about football from diagnosing what happened on interceptions.

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Several family members among 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame class presenters (Shutdown Corner)

The presenters for the 2015 Pro Football Hall Of Fame class will have a family feel. Yahoo's Shutdown Corner has learned the names of the men and women who will be introducing this year's eight-man class into Canton, and it includes four family members — and one very interesting favor returned. Eliot Wolf, current Green Bay Packers executive and son of former Packers GM Ron Wolf, will speak on his father's behalf at the Aug. 8 enshrinement ceremonies. Jerome Bettis, the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers running back, will be presented by his brother, John Bettis III. Other family connections include Oakland Raiders wide receiver Tim Brown being introduced by his brother, Donald Kelly, and San Diego Chargers great Junior Seau being honored posthumously by his daughter, Sydney Seau. In a terrific turnabout, Marv Levy — who himself was presented to the Hall of Fame by Bill Polian, the former Buffalo Bills GM — will present for Polian. They always did work well together in building some great Bills teams in the early to mid-1990s. Charles Haley, who won five Super Bowls, will be presented by former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., who himself has been a Hall of Fame semifinalist on the ballot for years now. Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Will Shields has tabbed friend Adrian Lunsford for presentation duties, and Mick Tinglehoff, the longtime Minnesota Vikings center, will have his Hall Of Fame former teammate, Fran Tarkenton, do the honors. Family members often are asked to be HOF presenters, and some of the best speeches to come out of Canton have been of the blood-is-thicker-than-water variety. This year should be no different.  

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Dez Bryant's potential holdout, and updating all franchise-tagged players (Shutdown Corner)

I understand Dez Bryant's threats, and I'd do the same. Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys' star receiver who was given the $12.8 million franchise tag, reiterated on Monday that he would sit out of training camp and maybe even regular-season games if he doesn't get a long-term deal. That's the only leverage he has left, and he has to use it. The deadline for a long-term deal is Wednesday. There are four franchise-tagged players who haven't signed, and they're all under the same deadline. If Wednesday passes with no deal, by rule they have to play 2015 under the franchise tag. That's the problem. A holdout does him no good because the Cowboys can't give him a new deal during the season no matter what. That's the rule. Maybe sitting out training camp and avoiding more injury risk makes some sense. Bryant will do just fine without camp practices and preseason games. But missing regular-season games won't accomplish much. All he would be doing is missing out on about $752,000 per game. That's an expensive stand to take, with no real benefit. Would sitting out games cause the Cowboys to not franchise tag him again next year? That seems unlikely. Bryant could report after 10 weeks (you may remember then-San Diego Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson doing that under his restricted free agent tag in 2010), but that probably wouldn't help his reputation around the league. Though, we all know, some team would sign him for big money no matter what. And it still might not dissuade the Cowboys from tagging him again. Let's rule out Bryant, who has made about $11.8 million in five years according to Spotrac , sitting out 10 weeks and giving up more than $7.5 million. And let's also rule out him doing something crazy like sitting out the whole year. If Bryant doesn't get that deal by Wednesday's deadline, his best option will be to play. And it's not a bad one. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football is back: Sign up for a league today! ] The new collective-bargaining agreement makes it very tough for teams to tag a player three times. If you go to page 45 of the CBA ( the 60th page of the PDF online ), it outlines the rule, which is basically that the third tag the Cowboys give him would be at the quarterback level, which was more than $18 million this year. That won't happen. So if Bryant decides to play it out for two years, he'd collect about $26 million and hit free agency at age 28. That's not the solution he wants because it clearly comes with some risk. But that ideal option doesn't exist if Wednesday passes without a deal.

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Curtis Conway joins Chargers' radio broadcast team (The Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Former NFL wide receiver Curtis Conway and recently retired center Nick Hardwick have joined the San Diego Chargers' radio broadcast team.

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Rose Bowl officials vote 'no' on stadium being temporary NFL home (Shutdown Corner)

If an NFL team relocates to Los Angeles, it won’t play any of its games at the Rose Bowl. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times , the Rose Bowl Operating Co. (which runs the stadium) “decided not to respond to a request for proposal the NFL sent last month to at least five local venues.” The decision was reached by a unanimous 11-0 vote on Wednesday, the report said. Instead of potentially hosting NFL games, the RBOC opted to pursue a different route: a music and arts festival. “We believe that a music and arts festival is more fitting with Pasadena's brand and with the future of the stadium,” said RBOC president Victor Gordo. “With our desire to have certainty of finances of the stadium, and to have a world-class event that's fitting of the city. “The distraction that the NFL question poses at this time could take away from our collective efforts as a city to realize a music and arts festival. What you saw from the board today is we don't want that distraction.” The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders have proposed a joint stadium in Carson, while St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke has done the same for a stadium in Inglewood. Those stadiums would not be completed until 2018 or 2019, so any team that makes the move to L.A. would need a temporary home. Other options reportedly include the L.A. Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Stubhub Center. According to the Times, proposals for these venues are due “by Aug. 5 in advance of a special owners meeting in Chicago to discuss the L.A. situation.”  - - - - - - - Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter! Follow @SamDCooper

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Rose Bowl won't be temporary host of NFL franchise (The Associated Press)

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Operators of Pasadena's Rose Bowl aren't interested in hosting an NFL team.

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Fantasy Fallout: Gates Banned (Rotoworld)

Raymond Summerlin examines the fantasy fallout from Antonio Gates' four-game suspension.

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Thursday's Sports In Brief (The Associated Press)

Three-time All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates of San Diego will be suspended the first four games of the 2015 season along with New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson and Dallas linebacker Rolando McClain for violating NFL drug policies. Gates' suspension is over the league's ban on performance-enhancing drugs, while Richardson and McClain will be sidelined under the substance abuse policy. Green Bay defensive end Datone Jones will have to sit out the season opener for a substance abuse violation.

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NFL-National Football League roundup (Reuters)

New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson, San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain were suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season for a violation of the NFL's substance-abuse program. Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Datone Jones was suspended for one game for violating the policy.

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Gates, Richardson, McClain each get 4-game NFL suspensions (The Associated Press)

Three-time All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates of San Diego will be suspended the first four games of the 2015 season along with New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson and Dallas linebacker Rolando McClain for violating NFL drug policies. Gates' suspension is over the league's ban on performance-enhancing drugs, while Richardson and McClain will be sidelined under the substance abuse policy. Green Bay defensive end Datone Jones will have to sit out the season opener for a substance abuse violation.

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Chargers' Gates banned four games for doping (AFP)

San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates will miss the first four games of the 2015 NFL season for doping, one of a string of NFL suspensions announced on Thursday. "We are tremendously disappointed for our team and our fans as well as Antonio, but no more disappointed than Antonio is with himself," the Chargers said in a statement. Gates, who led the Chargers with 12 touchdowns last season, blamed his positive test on "supplements and holistic medicines".

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Chargers' Gates banned four games for positive test (Reuters)

(Reuters) - San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates has been suspended four games without pay four violating the National Football League's substance abuse policy, the team said on Wednesday. Gates, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection who is considered one of the best tight ends to ever play in the NFL, said he was unaware at the time that the substance he took to help recover from a long season was prohibited. "As an NFL veteran and team leader, I should have done my due diligence to ensure that what I was taking for recovery was within the NFL guidelines," Gates, 35, said in a statement.

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NFL-Chargers' Gates banned four games for positive test (Reuters)

San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates has been suspended four games without pay four violating the National Football League's substance abuse policy, the team said on Wednesday. Gates, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection who is considered one of the best tight ends to ever play in the NFL, said he was unaware at the time that the substance he took to help recover from a long season was prohibited. "As an NFL veteran and team leader, I should have done my due diligence to ensure that what I was taking for recovery was within the NFL guidelines," Gates, 35, said in a statement.

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Chargers tight end Antonio Gates suspended 4 games (The Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was suspended without pay Thursday for the first four games of the 2015 season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

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Blake Bortles' rookie struggles explained in part by 'dead arm' injury (Shutdown Corner)

Blake Bortles played great in preseason games in August, then not so great late in the season long after he became the Jacksonville Jaguars' starting quarterback. There are plenty of reasons, but apparently one that he was dealing with a "dead arm." General manager Dave Caldwell told USA Today's Tom Pelissero about Bortles' dead arm issue, which makes it seem like Bortles was a starting pitcher in spring training. It's not an injury you hear about too often in football, though it happens. Bortles had shoulder inflammation, but it didn't require surgery. It did require Bortles to change his mechanics just to get velocity on the ball, Caldwell said. "You've just got to do what you've got to do to survive," Caldwell said. "It wasn't anything that was ingrained in him (mechanically). He knew he was doing it. But in order to drive the ball 15 yards, there were some things that he needed to do to get the velocity on the ball." Bortles landed on the injury report in early December for what local media said was a right shoulder sprain. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football is back: Sign up for a league today! ] Bortles' mechanics have been discussed a lot in the offseason. He frequently dropped the ball too low on his release (something pointed out by NFL Films' Greg Cosell here in February ). The poor mechanics and/or shoulder issues were reasons Bortles had a 62.8 rating in December and his yards per attempt dipped way down to 4.8 that month. A bad offensive line, little running game and throwing to mostly rookies at receiver were other issues. Bortles finished with 11 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Bortles might have had a dead arm by December, but that doesn't explain all the mechanical issues. Bortles often dropped the ball too low when he threw even early in the season; this is from an interception to San Diego Chargers safety Eric Weddle in Week 4, on Sept. 28:

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Chargers tight end Antonio Gates suspended for failed PED test (Shutdown Corner)

San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, considered a sure-fire Hall of Famer once he retires, was suspended for the first four games of the NFL season for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. [ Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football is back: Sign up for a league today! ] In a statement released via his Twitter feed and the Chargers, Gates blamed the failed test on supplements and holistic medicines: "In my 12 years in the NFL, I have taken tremendous pride in upholding the integrity of the NFL shield and all that it entails.  I have taken extreme care of my body with a holistic approach and never taken any substance that was illegal or banned by the NFL.  “In an effort to recover from a long season and although I was unaware at the time, I regret to confirm that I tested positive for a substance that is currently on the NFL banned substance list.  As an NFL veteran and team leader, I should have done my due diligence to ensure that what I was taking for recovery was within the NFL guidelines.  I have always believed that ignorance is no excuse when it comes to these issues, and I take full responsibility for my actions.   “I’d like to express my sincere apologies to the Chargers, my teammates, coaches, fans and the league who have always supported me and expected and gotten nothing but the highest level of integrity from me." Gates, who just turned 35 years old on June 18, will be playing his 13th NFL season. After sitting out the first four games, that is. The Chargers expressed disappointment but supported Gates in their own statement: “We are tremendously disappointed for our team and our fans as well as Antonio, but no more disappointed than Antonio is with himself.  Antonio is a member of the Chargers’ family and we will continue to support him 100-percent.  We have the utmost confidence he will stay in excellent shape for the season and be ready to go when he returns in Week 5.  While it's unfortunate to not have him to start the season, we have complete confidence our tight end group will continue to play at a high level.” The suspension was the fourth the NFL announced on Thursday, right before a three-day holiday weekend. New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson ( four games ), Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain ( four games ) and Green Bay Packers defensive end Datone Jones (one game) were all suspended for violations of the league's substance-abuse policy. That's three former first-round picks. Gates wasn't drafted but is the biggest star among the group. Gates revolutionized the tight-end position. Gates played basketball at Kent State, but the Chargers signed him. In Gates' second and third NFL seasons he combined for more than 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. Other teams started looking for college basketball players with little to no college football experience to play tight end, and among the stars who followed Gates' path were Jimmy Graham and Julius Thomas. Gates is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, with 10,014 yards and 99 touchdowns. He'll be eligible to return, and try to become the ninth player in league history with 100 receiving touchdowns, on Oct. 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. - - - - - - - Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

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Chargers job listing requires willingness to move to Los Angeles (Shutdown Corner)

The possibility of the San Diego Chargers moving to Los Angeles seems to be very real, and the team is making sure potential new employees are aware. The Chargers recently posted a job listing for a Tax Manager to deal with “tax reporting and compliance within the organization.” The requirements for the job seem fairly standard for the position. Applicants need a BA in accounting or an MA in taxation, CPA certification and a minimum five years of experience with a CPA firm. Oh and there’s one other thing: “Willing to relocate to the Los Angeles area, if necessary.”

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NFL player C.J. Spillman charged with sexual assault in Texas (Reuters)

National Football League free agent safety C.J. Spillman has been charged with sexual assault in a September incident at a Dallas-area hotel when he was playing for the Cowboys, officials said on Wednesday. Spillman, who has played six seasons in the NFL, is suspected of sexual assaulting a woman at the hotel, which is used by the Cowboys, and then traveling with the team the next day to play against the St. Louis Rams, police and prosecutors said. Spillman, 29, has been under investigation in the case for several months, police in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine have said.

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