Skip to main content

Browns making plans for Gordon absence

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns are acting as if Josh Gordon is already gone.

With the status of their Pro Bowl wide receiver still unclear for next season, the team added two veteran free-agent wide receivers Thursday, agreeing to terms with Miles Austin and signing Earl Bennett.

Both players give the Browns insurance in case Gordon, the team’s top playmaker who led the NFL in yards receiving last season, is suspended for a year after reportedly failing another drug test.

Austin and Bennett have been available since March, but the Browns passed on them in favor of signing veteran Nate Burleson to challenge Greg Little for the No. 2 receiver’s spot. However, a report last week that Gordon is facing a one-year suspension forced the Browns to find some quality help and rookie general manager Ray Farmer added Miles and Bennett.

Despite being aware of Gordon’s situation, Farmer passed on drafting a wide receiver last week. At the time, Farmer’s inaction seemed peculiar, but the team obviously had other options in mind.

“We’re confident we have a plan,” coach Mike Pettine said at a golf outing earlier this week. “That the situation didn’t call for panic, that’s something we weren’t going to do. I agree with Ray 1,000 percent that we have to build this team so that no one player drives the ship, that we can be insulated. Losing players for extended periods of time potentially is part of the game.

“Successful franchises are the ones that have enough depth built and enough options that they have from scheme-wise, coaching-wise to account for it. Those are the ones that are successful.”

A two-time Pro Bowl player, Austin was released by Dallas in March in a salary-cap move. The 29-year-old played in just 11 games last season because of hamstring injuries.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Austin was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He appeared in 106 games, recording 301 receptions for 4,481 yards and 34 touchdowns.

Miles had his best season in 2009, when he had 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The 27-year-old Bennett has made 29 starts in six pro seasons — all with the Chicago Bears. He has 185 career receptions for 2,277 yards with 12 touchdowns. Last season, he had 32 receptions for 243 yards and four TDs in 15 games.

Only hours after the Browns introduced Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel last Friday, ESPN reported that the 22-year-old Gordon is facing a one-year ban for testing positive for marijuana dampened the enthusiasm created by Cleveland’s draft.

Citing unidentified sources, the report said Gordon was notified by a league physician that he failed the test. Gordon has failed two previous tests and was suspended for the first two games last season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Despite playing just 14 games, Gordon, who also had substance abuse issues in college, led the league with 1,646 yards receiving.

The league has not commented on Gordon’s situation.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus has declined comment.

Faced with a substantial fine, Farmer was careful as he spoke about Gordon, but indicated the team was prepared to move on without him.

“It’s no different than if a player was going out during the offseason and broke an ankle or tore an ACL playing pickup hoops,” Farmer said. “We have to build a football team that can win regardless of who’s missing. I think that’s the charge that we have. That’s my job. That’s coach Pettine’s job. To prepare this football team to win games regardless of who’s missing.”

Along with Gordon’s fluid situation, the Browns may be without Burleson after he recently underwent minor surgery to fix a plate in the left arm he broke last year in a car accident. Farmer expects Burleson to be ready when training camp opens in July.

The Browns also signed undrafted free agent defensive lineman Elhadji Ndiaye.

Born in Senegal, the 6-4, 265-pound Ndiaye attended Nebraska-Kearney. He had six sacks in 2013.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote