NFL notebook: Ex-QB Rypien says he attempted suicide

Mark Rypien, who played 11 seasons in the NFL and was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXVI for the Washington Redskins, said in interviews with a radio station and newspaper that he is dealing with mental health issues and once tried to commit suicide. The 55-year-old Rypien, who said he sustained three diagnosed concussions, detailed his problems with TV station KHQ and The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash., hoping to bring more awareness about the risks of playing football. "I suffer from a complex stew of mental health conditions," Rypien told KHQ-TV. "Dark places, depression, anxiety, addictions, poor choices, poor decisions, brought about from dozens of concussions and thousands of subconcussive injuries from playing this sport." In 2012, Rypien was the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the NFL. Rypien claimed he suffered repeated traumatic head injuries and sought money as well as medical care from the NFL. Rypien said he attempted suicide on the birthday of his daughter, Angie, several years ago. He said he swallowed 150 Advil pills and then drank a bottle of Merlot. His wife, Danielle, found him in distress and realized what he had done, so she poured hydrogen peroxide and charcoal down his throat, inducing him to vomit the pills. --Wide receiver Kendall Wright, a free agent who played for the Chicago Bears last season, will sign with the Minnesota Vikings, the NFL Network reported. Wright, who led the Bears with 59 receptions for 614 yards and one touchdown last season, will fill a void left in the Vikings' receiving corps when Jarius Wright signed with the Tennessee Titans. --The Cleveland Browns signed wide receiver Jeff Janis and quarterback Drew Stanton to contracts, the team announced. Janis is best known for reeling in Aaron Rodgers' Hail Mary against the Arizona Cardinals in a 2015 NFC wild-card game. The 26-year-old had only 17 receptions for 200 yards and one touchdown in 51 career games over four seasons with the Packers. --Running back Thomas Rawls has signed with the New York Jets, the team announced. An undrafted rookie in 2015, Rawls rushed for 830 yards and had a league-leading 5.6 yards per carry as a fill-in for injured Marshawn Lynch. He then set a franchise postseason rookie record with 161 rushing yards against the Lions in the NFC wild-card game. The 24-year-old missed significant time in 2016 because of a fractured fibula, and he rushed for 349 yards with a 3.2 yards-per-carry average in nine games that season. Rawls had only 58 carries and averaged 2.7 yards per carry in 12 games, including three starts, in 2017. The Jets also added linebacker Neville Hewitt, the New York Daily News reported. --The Oakland Raiders released punter Marquette King and waived tight end Clive Walford, the club announced. A second-team All-Pro selection in 2016, King ranked sixth in the NFL in punting average last season at 47.4 yards per kick. The Raiders signed King to a five-year, $16.5-million contract extension a year ago. His release saves the Raiders $2.9 million in cap room. Walford caught nine passes for 80 yards in 13 games for the Raiders last season. --The Kansas City Chiefs announced they have signed quarterback Matt McGloin. McGloin was on the rosters of the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans last year, but he did not play in a regular-season game. Before that he spent four years with the Oakland Raiders. The Chiefs also announced they signed wide receiver Nelson Spruce. --Rusty Hardin, the attorney for defensive end Michael Bennett of the Philadelphia Eagles, told ESPN that his client would plead not guilty if a felony case on a charge of injury to the elderly goes to trial. Bennett posted a $10,000 bond on Monday after a grand jury indicted him over an incident that occurred at NRG Stadium in Houston following Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017. Bennett faces a felony charge of injury to the elderly. --Defensive back Jaylen Watkins will sign a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, multiple media outlets reported. Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Watkins is expected to be a safety with the Chargers after spending four seasons playing that position and cornerback with the Philadelphia Eagles. --The Buffalo Bills are expected to hold a pre-draft visit with quarterback Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma, according to Robert Klemko of SI.com. Mayfield has already talked to Bills representatives at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, and has been put through the paces by the team at a private workout. The quarterback-needy Bills own the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. --Running back Todd Gurley is on board if the Los Angeles Rams are interested in acquiring star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants. The Giants are on record as saying that they are not openly shopping Beckham, but that doesn't mean they won't listen to offers. The Rams, who have been busy making trades this offseason, are reportedly interested in Beckham. "Oh yeah, that's my guy," Gurley said, via the Los Angeles Times. "There's always enough snaps. There's always enough snaps. If we had him, man, it would be awesome. I'd be happy, (Jared) Goff will be happy, coach (Sean) McVay will be happy, (owner Stan) Kroenke, the whole team would be." --Cornerback Malcolm Butler told Sports Illustrated TV that he wanted to confront New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick or then-defensive coordinator Matt Patricia during Super Bowl LII. Butler, who has since signed a five-year, $61 million contract with the Tennessee Titans, was angry that he was effectively benched in the Patriots' 41-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 4. He said he was tempted to ask for an explanation from either Belichick or Patricia for being benched -- except for one special teams play -- against the Eagles after participating in every snap of the AFC Championship Game. "There was times when I was on the sideline and I just wanted to go up and say to Belichick or Matt Patricia and just say, 'Is this how we're gonna end this?'" Butler said. "I was close to going up there and saying what I wanted to say to Matt or Belichick, but I just stayed in my lane and just did my job. And I really wanted to go ask them, but I didn't." --Denver Broncos general manager John Elway is keeping his options open in regard to the fifth overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Although the Broncos signed Case Keenum to a two-year, $36 million deal earlier this month, that doesn't preclude the team from selecting any of the top-tier signal callers in the upcoming draft. Elway also noted that he could go in another direction, such as Penn State running back Saquon Barkley or North Carolina State pass rusher Bradley Chubb. "That'll be wide open," Elway said, via ESPN's Jeff Legwold. --Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson openly shared his dream of pairing North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb with former top overall pick Myles Garrett. The dream pair could be a nightmare for opposing teams should the Browns select Chubb with the fourth overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, which will be held on April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Jackson admitted that the Browns plan to select a quarterback with the top overall pick. As for the pairing of Chubb and Garrett, Jackson admits that it's frequently been on his mind. "I do at nighttime when I'm by myself," Jackson said of grouping the pair, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "You kind of play that scenario game with all these different guys. I wish I could have them all. There will be good scenarios as we come down to the end here." --Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell posted a cryptic tweet over social media at the apparent negative reaction in the Steel City surrounding his contract situation. Bell, who received the franchise tag from the Steelers for the second straight season, posted the following on Thursday: "It's so hard to be a hero in a city that paints (you) out to be the villain," the 26-year-old Bell wrote. --Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton's contract will not be reworked any time soon, per team vice president Troy Blackburn. Dalton has three seasons remaining on a six-year contract extension he signed in 2014, one campaign after recording career highs in yards passing (4,293) and touchdown passes (33). The 30-year-old is due $13.9 million this year and is ranked 17th in pay for quarterbacks, per spotrac.com. --Tight end Benjamin Watson is happy to be returning to the New Orleans Saints, with whom he recorded his best NFL season. "I'm excited about returning," said Watson, who played with the Saints from 2013-15. "Every team is different and so, as far as where I fit, it's going to be a situation where I have to figure that out through the OTA process, through the training camp process. You've got to earn your spot on any team, you've got to earn the ability to take the field and the trust and all that. "(But) I am happy that there's some familiarity there and that I have played here before, and that I know Drew (Brees) and Coach (Sean Payton) and have an idea of the offense." Watson, who agreed to a one-year contract with the Saints, highlighted his career season with the club in 2015 with 74 receptions for 825 yards and six touchdowns. The 37-year-old Watson recorded a team-leading 61 receptions with the Baltimore Ravens last season after missing all of 2016 with an Achilles injury.