Jags WR Blackmon causes a sideline stir; Meets with Bradley after game

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Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon, serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, was escorted off the field Friday night after a verbal confrontation with CB Nolan Carroll on the sideline.

Mark Long of The Associated Press tweeted that Jason Babin involved himself, telling Blackmon to “pipe down” since he’s already suspended for four games.

The Florida Times-Union reported that Blackmon met with Bradley in the head coach’s office after the game.

“You know how it is in the preseason,” Bradley said. “Sometimes a player talks to the sideline. It started off as just banter and I just addressed it. I turned to him and said, ‘There’s no place [for that]. I’d rather you use your energy to encourage our guys and not get caught in that.’

Blackmon did return to the sideline in the second half, but was not present in the team’s locker room after the game.

Bradley told reporters Saturday that he had both Blackmon and Babin in his office following the game and was pleased with the meeting.

“I’m not going to say that there was (nothing) between Justin and Jason Babin, but it was more like, ‘Just back up when Gus is telling you to back up,'” Bradley explained Saturday, per The Associated Press. “It’s one of those things, and it probably appeared bigger. … But it was a lot smaller than what I initially thought.”

Ravens agree to terms with veteran slot receiver Brandon Stokley

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The Baltimore Sun reports that the Ravens will sign former Bronco veteran slot receiver Brandon Stokley.

Stokley provided the Broncos with 45 catches for 544 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Now back with the team that first drafted him in the fourth round of the 1999 draft, Stokley will compete for snaps with Tandon Doss and Deonte Thompson, behind starters Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones.

Stokley, who has a well-established relationship with Ravens OC Jim Caldwell from their days together in Indianapolis, should also be able to help the young Ravens receiving corp with his veteran leadership this season.

Bengals HC Marvin Lewis: “Hawkins has a chance to be a candidate for IR designation and return.”

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Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said today, in a press conference that wide receiver Andrew Hawkins has been dealing with an ankle injury, and may be a candidate for injured reserve, with the designation to return.

“Andrew was placed in a cast and he’ll be in the cast for another 10 days and go from there,” Lewis said. “It allows the opportunity to make sure we don’t inadvertently injure it more. It gives it a chance to settle down and begin to mend. He’s very optimistic that he’ll be ready to go at some point here, so we’ll see. At least for the next 10 days or so he’s going to be in this cast. Then we’ll have a little better update after that. Right now he has a chance to be a candidate for that at this point.”

If Cincinnati does decide to pull that trigger, the earliest Hawkins could return would be Week Eight.

Hawkins played in 14 games last year, starting in two of them. He caught 51 balls for 533 yards, as well as four touchdowns.