NFL notebook: Lawsuit accuses Antonio Brown of rape

New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown is accused of rape by a woman who says she was his personal trainer, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Florida, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. Brown denied the allegations through a statement issued by his lawyer.

According to the reports, the woman alleges Brown, a resident of South Florida, sexually assaulted her three times -- twice in June 2017 and once in May 2018. The accuser and Brown reportedly met while they were both student-athletes at Central Michigan, the accuser a gymnast and a participant with Brown in a Fellowship of Christian Athletes group, according to TMZ Sports. Earlier Tuesday, NFL Network reported that Brown was set to practice with the Patriots for the first time on Wednesday.

--The Patriots traded wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to the New York Jets for a 2021 sixth-round pick, according to multiple reports. Thomas, 31, was released by the Patriots at final cuts but re-signed two days later on Sept. 2. That was before New England added Brown, who is set to join Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett and Jakobi Meyers this week in a crowded wide receiver room.

--The Philadelphia Eagles signed veteran defensive tackle Akeem Spence after placing defensive tackle Malik Jackson on injured reserve. Jackson will undergo surgery next week to repair a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, NFL Network reported. Spence signed a reported one-year deal. He started all 16 games for the Miami Dolphins last season, making 42 tackles, including six for loss, and two sacks.

--Washington Redskins running back Derrius Guice could miss up to four weeks with a meniscus injury, The Washington Post reported. After missing last season with a torn left ACL, Guice injured his right knee during his NFL regular-season debut Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had an MRI on Monday, but the recovery timeline remains uncertain.

--The New York Jets signed placekicker Sam Ficken and waived Kaare Vedvik, two days after Vedvik missed a 45-yard field goal and an extra point in a 17-16 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Jets reportedly held a five-kicker tryout, with Ficken beating out Greg Joseph, Elliott Fry, Younghoe Koo and Tristan Vizcaino.

--The Arizona Cardinals signed free agent offensive lineman Jordan Mills and placed offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert (knee) on injured reserve. Mills signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported. Gilbert reportedly tore his ACL during practice last week.

--Jets defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd told NFL Media he took performance-enhancing drugs this offseason, leading to a six-game suspension following two separate failed drug tests. Shepherd was a healthy scratch in Sunday's season opener, two days before his suspension was announced. Shepherd said he took PEDs to compensate for his inability to train while recovering from sports-hernia surgery and shoulder and back injuries.

--Oakland Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley was released from the hospital after being kept overnight as a precaution following a neck injury sustained in Monday night's game against the Denver Broncos. He tweeted, "I hurt my neck nothing severe" --The Houston Texans released cornerback Aaron Colvin, according to multiple reports, even though more than $7 million in guaranteed money remained on his contract. The team reportedly signed Phillip Gaines to take his place.

--The Texans and center Nick Martin agreed to a contract extension. According to multiple reports, the deal is worth $33 million over three years. Martin was set to become a free agent in March and was due $1.1 million in salary this season. --Odell Beckham Jr. said he wears his luxury watch wherever he goes, and that will continue to extend to the football field. NFL rules don't prohibit jewelry, but they do ban "hard objects," yet Beckham won't remove the watch.

--The Browns waived tight end Rico Gathers. The team signed Gathers on Aug. 11, and he served an NFL suspension during Week 1 related to his guilty plea to a misdemeanor drug charge. --Former Oakland Raiders linebacker Neiron Ball died, nearly a year after suffering a brain aneurysm. He was 27. Ball appeared in six games (two starts) for Oakland in 2015 as a fifth-round pick out of Florida.

--Retired All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch is helping to keep pro sports alive in his native Oakland, Calif. Lynch told the (San Jose, Calif.) Mercury News that he is part of the ownership group of the Oakland Panthers, which will begin play next spring in the Indoor Football League.

Also Read: Jerry Rice on Antonio Brown: 'We all got played'

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