CLEVELAND — The New York Giants’ exhibition season has gotten serious.

Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hurt his left leg during Monday night’s game against Cleveland when he took a legal-but-questionable hit on the knee from Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun in the Giants’ 10-6 loss.

Beckham, one of the NFL’s best players, caught an 18-yard pass and was coming down on his left leg when he was immediately hit by Boddy-Calhoun’s right shoulder and helmet. The impact flipped Beckham onto his side and his head bounced off the turf.

Beckham popped up, ripped off his helmet and slammed it in frustration. After taking a knee as medical staff ran out to assist him, the outspoken and charismatic Beckham walked off slowly and glared menacingly at Boddy-Calhoun in Cleveland’s defensive huddle.

Beckham spent a few minutes sitting alone on the bench before heading to the locker room. TV cameras captured him dropping to his knees on the floor in the corridor outside New York’s locker room.

The Giants said X-rays on Beckham’s ankle were negative and that he has a sprain. He was also checked and cleared for a concussion.

Advertisement

Beckham returned to the sideline for the start of the third quarter, wearing street clothes with his ankle wrapped.

Also known for his sensational one-handed catches and wild hair styles, Beckham caught 101 passes and scored 10 touchdowns last season. The 24-year-old, who has said he wants to be the league’s highest-paid player, is entering his fourth season. He has 288 career receptions for 4,122 yards and 35 TDs.

BROWNS: Kneeling and bowing their heads, the Cleveland Browns bonded over something bigger than football.

More than a dozen players huddled together on the team’s bench Monday night to protest during the national anthem.

The group, which included veterans, rookies, starters and backups, gathered in front of some water coolers and behind their teammates who stood on the sideline shortly before the Browns hosted the New York Giants.

Linebackers Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey, running backs Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson and Terrance Magee, safety Jabrill Peppers, tight end Seth DeValve, wide receivers Kenny Britt and Ricardo Louis and defensive back Calvin Pryor dropped to one knee in a circle. Rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, offensive tackle Shon Coleman, punter Britton Colquitt, defensive back Jason McCourty and offensive lineman Marcus Martin stood and supported their teammates by putting their hands on their shoulders.

Advertisement

PANTHERS: Coach Ron Rivera is chomping at the bit to get his full contingent of offensive players on the field.

That might just happen this week.

Quarterback Cam Newton and wide receiver Curtis Samuel, the team’s rookie second-round draft pick, are on pace to play Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars after missing the first two preseason games rehabbing from injuries. Two-time All-Pro center Ryan Kalli also practiced Monday after sitting out two games with a shoulder injury and could play.

Newton amped up his workload at practice Monday, participating in every team drill.

JETS: Todd Bowles will declare the winner of the New York Jets’ quarterback competition next Monday.

And, it would be a total stunner if Josh McCown isn’t under center for the regular-season opener on Sept. 10 at Buffalo.

Advertisement

Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty are also in the mix, but the 38-year-old McCown has been the front-runner for the job since signing a one-year, $6 million deal with New York in March.

n Darron Lee and Leonard Williams have been cleared by the NFL of any violations of the league’s personal conduct policy following a review of an incident at a musical festival in New York in June.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville will be without running back Leonard Fournette, receiver Marqise Lee and cornerback A.J. Bouye for its preseason game against Carolina on Thursday.

BRONCOS: Coach Vance Joseph announced Trevor Siemian beat out Paxton Lynch for the starting quarterback job.

Siemian, a 2015 seventh-round draft pick out of Northwestern who won the starting job last year when he beat out veteran Mark Sanchez, quickly surged ahead of Lynch, a first-rounder in 2016 from Memphis, when training camp opened.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.