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NFL

Bills' Taylor ruled out early after concussion

Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been ruled out of Saturday night’s preseason game in Baltimore with a concussion.

Taylor had entered the concussion protocol after being taken to the locker room during the first quarter.

The QB appeared to fall hard on the back of his head on a third-down sack by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon. Taylor remained on the ground for several moments before coming to his feet and being met by trainers on the field.

Rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman replaced Taylor on the next possession, the Bills’ third of the game. Peterman was a fifth-round pick of the Bills in April.

Taylor, the Bills’ starting quarterback since 2015, completed 1 of 3 passes for 1 yard before leaving.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker also was placed in the concussion protocol before being cleared to return.

NFL

Pats' Edelman carted off early with knee injury

DETROIT — New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman left Friday night’s game against the Lions on the first drive with a knee injury.

He is questionable to return.

The injury occurred less than two minutes into the game. Edelman was running an in-breaking route, beat linebacker Jarrad Davis and caught the ball at Detroit’s 29-yard line. Edelman then turned up the field and planted his right foot into the turf at the 17 to avoid safety Tavon Wilson and lunged forward. He immediately reached to the back of his right knee.

Julian Edelman left Friday night’s game against the Lions on the first drive with a knee injury. Raj Mehta/USA TODAY Sports

After a few minutes of being looked at in a makeshift tent, Edelman was taken by cart to the locker room.

Edelman had three catches for 52 yards before the injury. The Patriots used Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola with Edelman out of the game.

Any loss of Edelman would be significant for New England.

He has 436 receptions (including playoffs) since 2013 — the season after Wes Welker left for the Denver Broncos. That’s 187 more than any other Patriots player in that span (Rob Gronkowski, 249).

ESPN’s Mike Reiss contributed to this report.

NFL

NFL players who protested during the national anthem this preseason

Several NFL players continued their national anthem protests during the 2017 preseason. The protests against what several players believe to be social injustice were started last season by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who remains an unsigned free agent. Here are the players who protested:

Week 3

Philadelphia Eagles: Safety Malcolm Jenkins continued his protest by raising a fist over his head prior to the Eagles’ home game against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night. Defensive end Chris Long, as he did last week prior to the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, kept his hand on Jenkins’ back for the entire playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and then Long gave him a hug when the song was over in a show of support. Safety Rodney McLeod put a hand on Jenkins’ shoulder as well. Cornerback Ron Brooks took a knee during the anthem for a second straight week. “Especially after Charlottesville, I couldn’t not do anything,” he said this week. Brooks joined Jenkins in raising a fist for multiple weeks last season before being sidelined with a ruptured quad tendon. He said he decided to take a knee rather than put a fist in the air because he believes it will offend less people, allowing more focus to be on the issue of social injustice rather than the form of protest. He told ESPN that he plans on demonstrating every week this season.

Week 2

Cleveland Browns: Eleven Cleveland Browns players took a knee in a circle during the national anthem before Monday’s preseason game. While the group knelt behind the bench in front of the Gatorade buckets, several other players stood nearby and put their hands on a kneeling teammate’s shoulder in support.

Those who took a knee were tight end Seth DeValve, running backs Duke Johnson Jr. and Terrence Magee, safeties Jabrill Peppers and Calvin Pryor, cornerback Jamar Taylor, receivers Kenny Britt and Ricardo Louis, linebackers Christian Kirksey and Jamie Collins, and running back Isaiah Crowell (who was not in uniform).

Those who stood nearby were punter Britton Colquitt (who also had his hand on his heart), cornerback Jason McCourty, quarterback DeShone Kizer, defensive tackle Trevon Coley and offensive tackle Shon Coleman.

Philadelphia Eagles: Safety Malcolm Jenkins continued his protest by raising a fist over his head prior to the Eagles’ home game against the Buffalo Bills. In an apparent show of support, defensive end Chris Long kept his hand on Jenkins’ back for the entire playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Then Long gave Jenkins a pat on the shoulder pads and a hug when the song was over. Cornerback Ron Brooks was also seen taking a knee during the anthem. Brooks joined Jenkins in raising a fist for multiple weeks last season before being sidelined with a ruptured quad tendon. — Tim McManus

Los Angeles Rams: Outside linebacker Robert Quinn raised his fist in the air during the national anthem Saturday, as he did in the first preseason game and throughout the 2016 regular season. Quinn spoke to new Rams coach Sean McVay about his intent beforehand, saying he wanted to express himself while respecting McVay’s wishes that everybody stand. “It’s not just a stance, but an appreciation to ancestors who made a way for, and gave opportunities for, me and others that came along the way,” Quinn told reporters earlier this week. “It’s more of an appreciation than a stance, that not all has been forgotten.” — Alden Gonzalez

For the second preseason game this season, Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch sat during the national anthem. Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo

Oakland Raiders: Quarterback Derek Carr put his right hand on defensive end Khalil Mack’s left shoulder during the national anthem before the Raiders’ exhibition home opener against the Rams on Saturday night. Also, a week after remaining seated on a cooler in Arizona, Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch again stayed seated. Plus, Raiders rookie safety Shalom Luani took a knee at the beginning of the anthem. — Paul Gutierrez

Seattle Seahawks: For the second straight week, Michael Bennett sat for the national anthem. Seahawks center Justin Britt stood next to Bennett with his hand on Bennett’s right shoulder, and the two hugged after the anthem. Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane stood facing Bennett with his back to the flag and the field.– Sheil Kapadia

Tennessee Titans: Following the national anthem sung before the Titans’ game against the visiting Panthers on Saturday, defensive lineman Jurrell Casey and linebacker Wesley Woodyard raised their firsts in the air. Both Casey and Woodyard did the same last season.– Cameron Wolfe

Buffalo Bills: Bills offensive lineman Cameron Jefferson raised his fist during the anthem before their game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. Jefferson said he was inspired to raise his fist after looking across the field at Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins doing the same during Thursday’s anthem. Bills coach Sean McDermott said Sunday he respects Jefferson’s decision. “What I want all of our players to understand is we are going to support them, No. 1,” McDermott said. “Everyone obviously has their view on things. I think the key word here is respect. We respect Cam’s opinion, we respect and acknowledge what’s going on. … Respect the situation, respect the communication end of things moving forward, and then respect the process of what’s going on in this country and in this world.”– Mike Rodak

Week 1

Philadelphia Eagles: Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins continued his protest of social injustice Thursday by raising a fist over his head during the playing of the national anthem before the team’s preseason home game against the Buffalo Bills. In a show of support, defensive end Chris Long kept his hand on Jenkins’ back for the entire playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” then gave Jenkins a pat on the shoulder pads and a hug when the song was over. — Tim McManus

Los Angeles Rams: Outside linebacker Robert Quinn raised his fist in the air during the national anthem, as he did throughout the 2016 regular season. — Alden Gonzalez

Oakland Raiders: Marshawn Lynch appeared to stage a silent protest in his return to the NFL, as the Oakland Raiders running back remained seated during the national anthem prior to the team’s 20-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Photos show Lynch, who suited up but did not play, sitting on a cooler while holding a banana during the anthem. — Paul Gutierrez

Seattle Seahawks: Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett sat with a towel over his head during the national anthem on Sunday before his team took on the Los Angeles Chargers in the preseason opener for both teams at the StubHub Center.

Bennett’s action came a day after his former teammate, running back Marshawn Lynch, did something similar before the Oakland Raiders’ exhibition opener on the road against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. — Sheil Kapadia

NFL

Jags QB Henne gets next start over Bortles

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Quarterback Chad Henne has been named the starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, a move that puts Blake Bortles’ future with the team in question.

Coach Doug Marrone made the announcement Wednesday evening after Henne and Bortles split reps with the first team over the past five practices. Marrone decided to have the two compete for the starting job after another lackluster performance by Bortles in last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Marrone also announced that Bortles will get first-ream reps against the Panthers. Marrone will address the quarterback situation after the game and whether this is a permanent move for the regular season.

Chad Henne has started 22 games (5-17) in four seasons with the Jaguars and has appeared in seven others, but he has taken only one regular-season snap since he was benched in favor of Blake Bortles at halftime of Week 3 in 2014. Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

Henne, 32, has started 22 games (5-17) in four seasons with the Jaguars and has appeared in seven others. He has thrown 27 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions but has taken only one regular-season snap since he was benched in favor of Bortles at halftime of Week 3 in 2014.

In 65 career games, Henne has thrown 58 touchdown passes and 63 interceptions. He was a second-round pick by Miami in 2008 and started 31 games for the Dolphins from 2008-11 before signing a free-agent contract with the Jaguars in 2012.

If Jacksonville opts to go with Henne as the regular-season starter, the team must decide what to do with Bortles. The Jaguars could keep him on the roster to give them an experienced backup familiar with the offensive system in case Henne were to be injured. That presents an expensive problem, though.

The Jaguars picked up Bortles’ fifth-year option, which would pay him $19.053 million in 2018. That amount is guaranteed for injury only, meaning that if Bortles were to suffer an injury that made him unable to pass a physical next year, the Jaguars would have to pay him that amount even if he cannot play.

The other option would be cutting Bortles, which would mean yet another miss on a first-round draft pick for a franchise that hasn’t had a winning record since 2007 and has finished with double-digit losses for six consecutive seasons.

Bortles was the third overall pick in 2014 and threw 11 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions as a rookie. He had what appeared to be a breakout season in 2015, setting single-season franchise records in passing yards (4,428) and passing touchdowns (35), but regressed last year.

His mechanics, which he worked to improve in his first offseason, degraded to the point where his throwing motion was unrecognizable by his college offensive coordinator. Bortles threw 23 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions as the Jaguars finished 3-13.

Bortles’ biggest issue has been turnovers. Since he entered the league he has committed an NFL-high 63 turnovers, and his 51 interceptions rank second most in that span behind Philip Rivers (52). Even more troubling is that Bortles has 11 pick sixes — which corresponds to his number of victories as a starter (11-34).

Bortles does have 69 touchdown passes, but only five of those have come when the Jaguars were leading the game.

Bortles was put on notice in the spring by executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin about his turnover problem. Bortles looked pretty good on the first two days of training camp but threw five interceptions in the third practice, which was the first time the team was in full pads.

He had several other poor practices — including a 5-for-17 day in 11-on-11 work during a joint practice with New England — and threw a pair of interceptions during an Aug. 13 practice, which prompted Marrone to give Henne work with the first-team offense against the Bucs on Aug. 17.

Bortles completed 8-of-13 passes for 65 yards and three times misfired on passes to Allen Robinson, including two in which Robinson was wide open. Marrone said after the game that Bortles and Henne would compete for the starting job.

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