Raiders Lawton banned four games & other Friday notes
Luke Lawton blocking Jon Alston during summer drills
Fullback Luke Lawton was banned four games by the NFL yesterday after reportedly violating the league’s performance enhancing drugs policy.
The 29-year old will not be available for the Silver & Black’s next two games and the first two games of the 2010 regular season. Lawton signed as a free agent with the Raiders on 2008 and has been a member of the Bills, Jets and Colts in his 5-year career.
Lawton will be a free-agent once the season ends, so any teams that decides to sign him will have to wait for his services till at least week-three of next year.
He will lose nearly $63,000 in salary.
Reserve Marcel Reece could be activated from the practice squad, but it is more likely that Gary Russell will get most of the reps at that position.
OTHER NOTES
- Zach Miller has been cleared to practice, but Brandon Myers has not, as both tight ends have sustained concussions in recent weeks. Miller has felt better as the week ended and feels that he could see action soon once he passes some final tests. “I think it’s called a post-accident concussion test,” Miller said. “It’s the same test I’ve taken four times already. I’m really close. I’ve been practicing, feeling fine practicing, so everything looks good.”
- If neither could go, that leaves Tony Stewart as the lone tight end. Erik Pears could be used again as an extra blocker on the edges to assist Stewart and added some bulk to a ground game that will look to pound the ball with Michael Bush and Darren McFadden.
- The Browns got an extension till 1 p.m. Saturday to try to avoid their first local blackout since 1995. Browns’ officials would not state how many more tickets needed to be sold to prevent the game to be seen within a 75-mile radius of downtown Cleveland.
- Since 2003, Cleveland has a record of 36-74. The Raiders are 29-81 during that same span.
