NFL notes: Raiders’ Marshawn Lynch sits during national anthem before game against Cardinals

Marshawn Lynch made the biggest news of what otherwise was a routine preseason NFL game by sitting during the national anthem prior to the Oakland Raiders’ 20-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.

The former Seattle running back, who came out of retirement to sign with his hometown Raiders, sat on an orange cooler with his arms resting on his knees while others around him stood.

Although he rarely talks to the media, Lynch has voiced support for quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the anthem last season to protest what he saw as a pattern of police mistreatment of people of color.

Lynch did not play in the game and was gone from the locker room by the time reporters arrived.

Coach Jack Del Rio said he spoke to Lynch about the issue after the game.

“He said, ‘This is something I’ve done for 11 years. It’s not a form of anything other than me being myself,’” Del Rio said.

The coach said that he told Lynch “just so you understand how I feel, I very strongly believe in standing for the national anthem but I’m going to respect you as a man. You do your thing. So that’s a non-issue for me.”

Carson Palmer threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Brittan Golden to cap his brief preseason debut while Oakland quarterback Derek Carr watched the game from the sideline.

David Johnson had a 10-yard run in the opening drive. The standout running back carried three times for 16 yards before calling it a night.

Two of the Raiders’ top defensive players, All-Pro defensive end Khalil Mack and linebacker Bruce Irvin, joined Carr and Lynch as spectators.

E.J. Manuel got the start at quarterback for Oakland and had a strong showing in his battle with Connor Cook for the backup job. Manuel completed 10 of 12 passes for 107 yards. Cook played the entire second half, completing 10 of 21 for 81 yards

Drew Stanton, who appears to have a firm hold on the backup quarterback job for Arizona despite the addition of Blaine Gabbert, had a strong first half in relief of Palmer. Stanton, Palmer’s backup for the past four seasons, completed 11 of 15 passes for 112 yards, including a 7-yard TD pass to tight end Troy Niklas.

Jets 7, Titans 3: Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota played his first game since breaking his right leg late last season in the preseason opener for both teams in East Rutherford, N.J.

On his first attempt, he scrambled to his right and completed a 15-yard pass to Rishard Matthews . He completed two of three passes for 15 yards.

Unlike the Titans, the Jets’ quarterback situation is more muddled. Well-traveled veteran Josh McCown got the start for New York. He was three-for-four passing for 72 yards and a touchdown in his one series, which was enough for the win because the Jets defense had eight sacks and was dominant throughout.

Christian Hackenberg, a second-round pick in 2016, took over for McCown and played until late in the third quarter. Hackenberg completed 18 of 25 passes for 127 yards. Bryce Petty, a fourth-round pick in 2015, finished up and was two of six for 16 yards.

Alex Tanney replaced Mariota and was sacked by linebacker Julian Stanford on his first play and briefly left the game. He returned for the next series. Tanney completed 10 of 26 passes for 128 yards with an interception and lost a fumble on a sack.

In other training camp news:

-- The Denver Broncos appeared to have dodged a huge hit to their battered defensive line: Derek Wolfe’s right ankle injury apparently isn’t as serious as first thought. “Great news,” cornerback Aqib Talib said. “I was praying as soon as it happened that it was just a sprain and nothing serious.” The sixth-year defensive end was carted off the field after he got tangled up with right tackle Menelik Watson on the second snap of team drills. Watson got up on his own, uninjured, while a cart was summoned for Wolfe. Coach Vance Joseph said after practice it was a lower ankle injury.

-- The Miami Dolphins placed quarterback Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve because of a left knee injury, sidelining him for the entire season. The move, which was reported Friday, became official Saturday, when Miami also signed linebacker Junior Sylvestre. He spent part of the 2017 offseason with Buffalo and the 2016 offseason and training camp with Indianapolis. Tannehill will have surgery for a torn ligament. Tannehill missed the final four games of last season with two sprained ligaments in his knee. He reinjured it a week into training camp on Aug. 3.

-- The Minnesota Vikings have waived running back Bishop Sankey with an injured designation after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the preseason opener. The Vikings signed running back Bronson Hill to replace Sankey on the roster. Sankey, a second-round draft pick by Tennessee in 2014, joined Minnesota’s practice squad late last season. He was hurt at the end of a 14-yard run at Buffalo on Thursday and left the stadium on crutches. Sankey can be placed on injured reserve after clearing waivers. Running backs Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon were held out Thursday as a precaution, leaving the Vikings thin at the position. Hill played in three games last season for Jacksonville. Undrafted out of Eastern Michigan in 2015, Hill is joining his sixth NFL team.

-- The Washington Redskins have placed linebacker Trent Murphy on injured reserve with a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, and signed Jamari Staples to bolster their injury-depleted wide receiver corps. Murphy, the Redskins’ top draft choice in 2014, was hurt in their 23-3 loss to Baltimore in their preseason opener on Thursday night. Safety Su’a Cravens also sustained a knee injury in the game, but is considered day to day.

-- Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey considered changing numbers last week, wanting to switch from 20 to 23. Then he found out what it would cost. Ramsey said Saturday he would have to buy every No. 20 jersey on the market before making the swap, which surely would have cost him six figures. “I would have to pay a nice amount of money to get all those 20 jerseys out there,” Ramsey said. “We’ll see about next year.” Ramsey is now counting on the franchise redesigning its Nike uniforms in 2018, which could allow him to make the number change for free or at least at a considerably cheaper price.

UPDATES:

10:45 p.m.: This article has been updated with the Raiders-Cardinals result.

8:05 p.m.: This article has been updated with the Titans-Jets result.

This article was originally published at 2:10 p.m.