It’s been only two weeks since a report emerged that Lions coach Matt Patricia had been indicted for aggravated sexual assault 22 years ago. With the alleged victim remaining silent in the aftermath of Patricia’s effort to “defend my honor and clear my name Womens Anze Kopitar Jersey ,” the story has quickly reached the point where there’s nothing more to say about it.

And then Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said something about it. Approached by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the initial instinct from Ross seemed to be to say nothing. He probably should have acted fully on that instinct.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 really know,鈥?Ross said Wednesday, via Birkett. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so thorough in all their search. It was unfortunate. Thank God he鈥檚 cleared and can [coach]. Hey, that鈥檚 life today. Everybody鈥檚 looking at everything. You guys, you look under every leaf and you鈥檙e going to find something and it鈥檚 unfortunate for people. But I understand he never even slept with her.鈥?/p>

With Patricia avoiding 13 days ago a question from reporters as to whether he contends that he had consensual sex with the alleged victim, the last remark from Ross are eye opening. But it’s not clear whether Ross really knows what he’s talking about on the topic.

“I mean, I talked to our guys Pierre Desir Jersey , our personnel people,” Ross said. “People know him. He鈥檚 a fabulous guy. It鈥檚 great for Detroit.”

Ross would probably admit that he said more than he should have said. Especially since the alleged victim quite possibly is paying close attention to the situation, contemplating whether to tell her story, more than two decades after the fact. Even if the allegation as originally made was false, nothing stops her from making the false allegation again — especially since this time around she wouldn’t have to face a withering cross examination from a lawyer charged with keeping Patricia out of prison.

So the best move for everyone associated with the NFL is to say nothing. If this thing eventually blows up on Patrica and the Lions, it also will blow up on the league at large.

Throughout its offseason team activities, the Seattle Seahawks appeared to be settled at safety. Bradley McDougald would just continue his role from a year ago stepping in as a full-time starter alongside Earl Thomas.

That was before Thomas decided to take his demands for a new contract to the extreme by holding out, creating an unexpected competition and a bit of chaos in Seattle's defensive backfield.

With Thomas missing Authentic Kareem Hunt Jersey , Seattle's safeties are a revolving door of combinations trying to find the pairing that makes the most sense ahead of the Sept. 9 opener at Denver. The process of seeing how all those combinations look gets its first true examination next Thursday when the Seahawks open the preseason against Indianapolis.

"These guys, they kind of joined forces in the offseason and kind of as a group, they knew they were up against it and wanted to make sure that they were going to give everything they had and put it all on the line," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "Bradley McDougald has done a great job of being the leader in that group and it's a good, tight group and they're ready to take on the challenge of getting through camp and getting through all of the learning and the experience that's necessary here is all part of the process, but their attitude is really strong and they're really determined to do something with this."

McDougald is almost certain to claim one of the positions. Which one is the question. He filled in as both free and strong safety last year when injuries sidelined Thomas and Kam Chancellor. McDougald was the starting strong safety after Chancellor was lost for the season in early November to a neck injury.

That doesn't mean McDougald will be the strong safety. Throughout the first week of training camp, Seattle has rotated its safeties in both positions in an attempt to see how interchangeable the players can be.

"They have the opportunity to show themselves and it's a lot of competition," defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. said. "Great communication http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/kendall-wright-jersey , it's showing up every day. Doing extra work, asking a lot of good questions. But, this is their chance to really step up and show us what they have."

With McDougald seemingly a cinch to take one of the safety spots, the remaining position appears to be a four-way competition between Tedric Thompson, Delano Hill, Maurice Alexander and Mike Tyson. And it's Thompson and Hill that appear to be getting the most opportunity early on.

It makes sense Seattle would give Thompson and Hill the most reps. The Seahawks invested major draft capital in the pair a year ago, taking Hill in the third round and Thompson in the fourth round. They were allowed to spend last season learning behind Thomas and Chancellor with the idea they could eventually take over for the veteran Seahawks safeties.

The replacement has arrived sooner than expected, accelerated by Thomas' holdout.

"Earl is a special Eric Kush Jersey , special player. At the same time, the guys that are here are working really hard and competing and they have the opportunity to show what they can do," Norton said.

From a look standpoint, Thompson fits the mold of a free safety and Hill looks more like a strong safety. But each is working at both positions as Seattle often adjusts its safety alignments based off the offensive formation. Neither has the sideline-to-sideline speed of Thomas, but Norton has said Seattle's scheme won't change.

"I view it as competing. First game is a little ways to go. I've got a lot to improve on," Thompson said. "I don't focus on if I'm starting today or not starting today. We all get the same amount of reps so it's all about competing."

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