Skip to main content

Cardinals’ Dockett carted off with knee injury

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Darnell Dockett, among the most durable players in the NFL over the past decade, was carted off the field with an injured right knee after the Arizona Cardinals began their final week of training camp Monday.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive tackle was injured in an 11-on-11 drill. He limped away, then had to be helped onto the cart. He lay on his back as the cart carried him off the field at University of Phoenix Stadium. An MRI was scheduled.

“He’s a great player, a guy we count on day in and day out to be a leader and take us where we want to go,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “I’m not sure how serious it is. Hopefully it won’t be too serious and hopefully he comes back soon, but it’s always a scary moment when they bring the cart out.”

In his 11th NFL season, all with the Cardinals, Dockett has missed only two games. He has started 156 of the 158 in which he appeared.

“I played against him for three of those years when I was in Seattle,” tight end John Carlson said. “He’s a beast.”

Dockett — a three-time Pro Bowl player and four-time Arizona team captain — played in his first 104 games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for one contest in 2010. He missed another game in 2012 with a hamstring injury.

He has spent his entire career with Arizona. He and Larry Fitzgerald are the longest-tenured players on the squad.

Earlier Monday, Dockett and the rest of Arizona’s first-team defensive front were criticized by coach Bruce Arians for mental errors in the team’s 30-28 preseason loss at Minnesota on Saturday night.

“Some veteran guys were in the wrong gaps,” he said. “It’s inexcusable to play 10 plays and have three or four mental errors.”

The first-team offense escaped criticism, and Arians had special praise for Ted Larsen, who was filling in for injured starting center Lyle Sendlein.

Larsen has 13 career starts at left guard, four at right guard and 11 at center.

“To see him play center so well is really pleasing, to know that he added quality depth,” Arians said. “When Lyle comes back, there’s a real good chance he (Larsen) will be our starting left guard.”

Sendlein could be back on Wednesday, and Larsen would start ahead of Jonathan Cooper, the first-round draft choice who has been slowed by injuries in camp as he works his way back after missing all of his rookie season with a broken leg a year ago.

Cooper sat out Saturday night’s game and missed practice on Monday with a toe injury.

Arians said he counted about 70 mental errors in the game, only one by the first-team offense. The defense, though, was another matter.

“For the little bit we played (the starters on defense), I was not pleased with our production up front,” the coach said. “We had chances to get sacks, didn’t get the guy down, let the QB out and run. We’ve got to start making those plays.”

Jay Feely is in a tough fight to retain his kicking job against rookie Chandler Catanzaro. Catanzaro kicked in the preseason opener, going 3 for 3 on field goals and booming soaring, deep kickoffs. Feely, who altered his technique to add distance to his kickoffs, didn’t get to try a field goal Saturday night. His kickoffs were a mix of pretty good to not so good.

“Our coverage units were terrible,” Arians said, “but he has extended his kickoffs a little bit with the new technique he’s using.”

At 38, Feely is 15 years older than Catanzaro, an undrafted rookie out of Clemson.

Arians said the kickers may split duties when the team plays Cincinnati on Sunday night.

NOTES: Arians said the performance of quarterback Ryan Lindley was “up and down.” Lindley is competing with rookie Logan Thomas to be the No. 3 quarterback. … Arians said the starters will play no more than one half against the Bengals. … ILB Kevin Minter remains out with a pectoral muscle injury.

___

Online:

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