Kirkpatrick is expected to have an MRI in the near future. He was also seen leaving the locker room with a knee brace on.“Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick departed the locker room in a knee brace with an MRI scheduled for

After the Raiders treated the Rooney Rule only slightly better than they treated former coach Jack Del Rio (whose position was filled even before it was vacant) Carlos Dunlap Jersey , the NFL beefed up the terms of a provision that has, for many teams, become an exercise in box-checking. And the proof is hiding in plain sight; currently, minority coaches and executives are dwindling, not thriving, in the NFL.Only one African-American coach or G.M. has control over a football operation, and Ravens G.M. Ozzie Newsome will be retiring at season’s end. That will leave no coach, no General Manager Womens Bobby Hart Jersey , no V.P. of player personnel, no one who has practical or contractual final say over the construction of an NFL roster.If Chris Grier remains in Miami (his status is unclear), he’ll be the only minority G.M. when the dust settles on 2018. For coaches, it could become nearly as bad. With Hue Jackson already out in Cleveland, and Vance Joseph, Todd Bowles, and Steve Wilks expected to be fired in Denver, New York Womens Sam Hubbard Jersey , and Arizona, respectively, the NFL will have only four minority coaches: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin (whom many locals want to see fired), Bengals coach Marvin Lewis (who could be out), Chargers coach Anthony Lynn, and Panthers coach Ron Rivera (who’s currently expected to be safe).That’s not what the league or the Fritz Pollard Alliance envisioned more than 15 years ago, when the standard named for the late Dan Rooney first emerged as a device for rectifying decades of unfairly biased hiring practices by NFL teams, as demonstrated by the raw numbers. Perhaps nothing other than a massive verdict in federal court will spark truly meaningful change when it comes to ensuring that fair Tyler Eifert Jersey White , unbiased practices are employed not only when hiring coaches and executives but also when grooming lower-level employees for advancement (which could be the real heart of the problem).Maybe that’s where it all ends: With a jury putting a large number in the appropriate box. Maybe, at some point, a coach or an executive who can attest to a career full of subtle but unmistakable bias will take a stand, aided by a team of lawyers who will aggressively uncover the proof to support the notion that, no matter what the league says, most of the teams do something otherwise. The Cincinnati Bengals fell to 0-6 on Sunday. One of two winless teams remaining in the NFL, the opportunity to secure that coveted first win may be more difficult if one of the team’s top corners, Dre Kirkpatrick misses time.Kirkpatrick left the game against the Ravens in the first quarter due to a knee injury that may keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future. While the injury looked serious Clint Boling Jersey White , nothing has been officially confirmed yet. According to Geoff Hobson, Kirkpatrick is expected to have an MRI in the near future. He was also seen leaving the locker room with a knee brace on.“Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick departed the locker room in a knee brace with an MRI scheduled for either Sunday night or Monday.”Kirkpatrick’s Alabama teammate, Mark Ingram, came and stood over him while the corner received medical attention. This was a great gesture of character from the Ravens starting running back.As for Kirkpatrick, this could derail his season, if it’s something major. Even if it’s not a normal season-ending injury, with six games already in the books, the Bengals could place him on injured reserve and simply not activate him after eight games Preston Brown Jersey White , which would put his return in December. The 17th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Kirkpatrick had been on the field for over 95% of the team’s defensive snaps. He was the second-string corner, trailing just William Jackson on the depth chart.This has been Kirkpatrick’s eighth season in the league and fifth as a consistent starter for Cincinnati. That said, we don’t know his status for next week against the Jaguars, but it likely won’t be the difference-maker for the Bengals who have looked pathetic early on this season.