NFL notebook: Pats file tampering charges vs. Texans

The Texans fired former GM Brian Gaine on Friday, 17 months after giving him a
five-year contract and one day after the Patriots' Super Bowl ring ceremony.
According to multiple reports, new Texans executive vice president of team
development Jack Easterby -- the Patriots' former team chaplain -- was at
Thursday's ring ceremony, as was Caserio.

Asked Tuesday if he or Easterby had contact with Caserio or his
representatives before Gaine's firing, Texans head coach Bill O'Brien told
reporters, "I would say that the answer to that is not relative to contact
about anything having to do with the Houston Texans. No."

The Texans have formally requested permission to interview Caserio, just as
they did in January 2018, when the Patriots denied the request and the Texans
moved on to hire Gaine.

--Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster wishes Antonio Brown's run in
Pittsburgh -- which ended with his trade to the Oakland Raiders -- had
resolved more amicably.

Brown left Pittsburgh, torch in hand, criticizing management, quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger and other team leaders. He didn't exactly share kind words
about Smith-Schuster, either.

"The man's a role model. In that situation, I didn't want it to end like
that," Smith-Schuster said. "I have no hard feelings against him. Obviously if
we're ever in the same room, I'm going to say what's up to him. I think hatred
is a huge word to use against somebody. At the end of the day, he's a great
player, he comes out every day with work ethic. He worked hard. Other than
that, I don't have anything toward him like that."

--The Kansas City Chiefs signed right tackle Mitchell Schwartz to a one-year
extension, putting him under contract through 2021.

NFL Network reported the extra year is worth $11,255,000, with Schwartz's 2019
and 2020 salaries fully guaranteed.

Schwartz, who was named first-team All-Pro in 2018, was scheduled to make $6.6
million in both 2019 and 2020, with a cap hit of $8 million in each season.
It's unclear if the contract structure in 2019 and 2020 was affected.

--Running back Sony Michel underwent minor knee surgery, causing him to miss
offseason workouts with the Patriots, according to multiple reports.

A reason for his absence had not previously been revealed. The date of the
knee scope was not announced, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Michel
should be ready for training camp next month.

Michel wasn't seen at any of the Patriots practices that were open to the
media, including minicamp last week, during the offseason.

--The Tennessee Titans will retire quarterback Steve McNair's No. 9 jersey and
running back Eddie George's No. 27 during the Sept. 15 home opener.

The pair, who led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV, will be the first to have
their jerseys retired after playing primarily for the Titans, since the team
was rebranded from the Oilers in 1999.

Hall of Fame offensive tackle Bruce Matthews (No. 74) played five of his 19
seasons in Tennessee -- after the team moved from Houston in 1997 -- and three
as a Titan, but none of the franchise's other five with retired numbers played
more recently than 1993.

--The Chicago Bears waived former Pitt kicker Chris Blewitt, one of three
kickers at mandatory minicamp.

A day earlier, with the whole team and about 25 former Bears gathered to
watch, all three kickers missed a 42-yard attempt.

"Um, whatever went through your mind went through my mind," coach Matt Nagy
said of the missed kicks. "Yeah, no, I mean, that's about as real as it gets.
They were 0-for-3 out there. For today, we can't have that. We are going to
figure this thing out, but 0-for-3 today, no good."

--Baltimore Ravens first-round wideout Marquise Brown was cleared for
individual drills, allowing him to practice with teammates for the first time.

Brown didn't do much, but his progress in his recovery from a Lisfranc injury
has him on track to be ready for training camp.

The Ravens drafted Brown 25th overall out of Oklahoma in April.

--Field Level Media