ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions waived tight end Michael Roberts after trying to trade him to the New England Patriots.

The Lions say trade conditions put Roberts back on the team’s roster before they took him off it for the second straight day.

ESPN reported Roberts failed his physical with the Patriots. Roberts declined comment when reached by The Associated Press on Friday.

Detroit announced Thursday it received a conditional pick from New England in exchange for Roberts. He became expendable this offseason after the Lions drafted Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson early in the first round and signed veterans Jesse James and Logan Thomas.

Detroit drafted Roberts in the fourth round in 2017. He has 13 career receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

TEXANS: Houston dropped its pursuit of Patriots executive Nick Caserio for its vacant general manager’s job, and New England has withdrawn the grievance it filed against Houston.

Texans owner Cal McNair released a statement saying the Texans would no longer seek interviews with Caserio.

“When we started the process to interview Nick Caserio for our EVP/GM position, we consulted the league office on numerous occasions, followed the procedures outlined in the league’s rules and believed we were in full compliance,” McNair said in the statement. “We have now been made aware of certain terms in Nick’s contract with the Patriots. Once we were made aware of these contract terms, I informed Mr. (Robert) Kraft that we would stop pursuing Nick.”

Brian Gaine was abruptly fired by the Texans last week. Subsequently, an 11-page complaint by former security coordinator Jeff Pope filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged his firing by the team was racially motivated.

Pope alleged that Gaine unjustly initiated the firing of Pope and eight other black employees during his 17 months on the job.

COLTS: Rookie linebacker Bobby Okereke became the final draft pick to sign his rookie contract.

He was a third-round selection, No. 89 overall. Indianapolis expects him to provide depth at linebacker and eventually compete for a starting job.

COWBOYS: Tight end Rico Gathers was suspended for the first game in 2019 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

The decision came about 10 months after the former Baylor basketball player was arrested on a marijuana possession charge. The arrest came just before the final cuts of the preseason last year, but he still made the roster.

Gathers’ spot could be in jeopardy again after spending offseason practices as the fourth tight end behind Jason Witten, Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz.

BRONCOS: Pat Bowlen, the Denver Broncos’ owner who transformed the team from also-rans into NFL champions and helped the league usher in billion-dollar television deals, died late Thursday, just under two months before his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was 75.

In a statement posted on the Broncos’ website, Bowlen’s family said he died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones. They did not specify a cause of death. Bowlen had Alzheimer’s for several years.

Bowlen was the first owner in NFL history to oversee a team that won 300 games – including playoffs – in three decades. He had as many Super Bowl appearances (seven) as losing seasons, and Denver is 354-240-1 since he bought the club in 1984.

Under his stewardship, the Broncos won Super Bowls in 1998, ’99 and 2016.

BEARS: Chicago signed third-round draft pick David Montgomery.

The running back from Iowa State was the first player taken by the Bears after they traded up with New England to grab him at No. 73 overall. Chicago had previously traded away its first and second-rounders.

BILLS: Buffalo has its entire 2019 draft class under contract after signing rookie tight end Dawson Knox to a four-year deal.

Buffalo gave up two fourth-round picks to move up in the draft order to select Knox in the third round.

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