April 2012 4for4 Player News Articles

Eagles HC Andy Reid, on today's Eagles Live, said they had a 4th round grade on RB Chris Polk.

The Eagles also drafted Bryce Brown, so the duo will vie for touches behind LeSean McCoy and Dion Lewis.

GM Martin Mayhew said that rookie WR Ryan Broyles is a "possible PUP guy." Here's the full quote:

"He's a possible PUP guy, but I think at some point during camp he'll be ready to go. The great thing with him is, we have the ability to take or time and get him healthy and get him on the field."

Eyewitness sports has learned that Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson will be in Philadelphia over the next couple of days to undergo groin surgery.

Johnson's agent, CJ Laboy, tells Eyewitness Sports his client's procedure is "extremely minor surgery that won't keep him out long at all. He will be at [the Bills'] facility for all activities."

This is not a huge concern at the moment but certainly something to keep an eye on.

Injuries have limited RB Montario Hardesty to 10 games in two years. Browns GM Tom Heckert has said he has yet to see the player he scouted at Tennessee because of the injuries. Backups Brandon Jackson and Chris Ogbonnaya each possess the versatility Hardesty doesn’t have to play on third down and special teams. As a result, Hardesty may be on the roster bubble.

Going into the 2012 NFL Draft, Isaiah Pead was considered a late riser and hot sleeper among the running back prospects. Now that he has joined the St. Louis Rams as a second-round pick, No. 50 overall, Pead is being tabbed for a featured role in the near future.

The Rams are looking at Pead as more than just a complement to 6-2, 240-pound Steven Jackson, ESPN reports. Given Jackson turns 29 in July and carried a big load over his eight seasons and two-time All-Pro career, Rams officials were expected to bring fresh legs.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher has been versatile in his philosophy about what kind of back can thrive in getting 20-25 touches for his offense. With the Tennessee Titans, Fisher got to Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams with 6-3, 240-pound Eddie George. Then Fisher got a 2,006-yard rushing season from 5-11, 191-pound speedster Chris Johnson in 2009.

This is certainly interesting from a dynasty standpoint, but it's too soon to write Jackson off. While he does have a lot of wear on his tires, his YPC in 2011 (4.4) was slightly above his career average and he certainly still looks the part of an every-down back. The team will likely work Pead into the mix, but Jackson is a decent bet to repeat the 302 touches he had last season, especially if the Rams' offense improves as expected.

Eagles HC Andy Reid on RB LeSean McCoy's workload in 2012:

"We'll see how it goes. We're good with young guys and we'll see how that works out. With Dion (Lewis), I would have liked to have gotten him a little more time last year as we went on. I didn't end up doing that and I probably overplayed (LeSean) McCoy a little bit, even though he doesn't want to hear that. As he continues to get older and have the number of reps under his belt that he does, you'll want to back off the number of reps that he does."

Browns GM Mike Holmgren believes Trent Richardson will be a better all-around running back than Shaun Alexander, who played under Holmgren with the Seattle Seahawks. "I love Shaun, if I could adopt Shaun I would, but he wouldn’t block anybody, nobody and I still love him," Holmgren said "The difference is Trent is an excellent pass receiver, not just a willing blocker but a very, very good blocker so when Pat’s calling the game and we’re running our offense you don’t have to be thinking, ‘Okay now how do we protect him in the passing game?’ You don’t have to do that so that’s different."

It appears that Richardson will be the workhorse in the Browns backfield and that's going to lead to a lot of touches. Since bell cow RBs are hard to come by, his ADP will likely settle in the 3rd round, though he will go as early as the 2nd and as late as the 4th. Some fantasy owners may avoid him since he plays for the Browns, but Peyton Hillis finished in the top 5 in 2010 playing for the same team in the same division, and Richardson is probably better.

Despite the addition of wideouts Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery to the Bears receiving corps, the team still plans to use Devin Hester at WR.

"Devin's role has not changed," general manager Phil Emery said. "We see him as a guy that is going to help our receiving corps in a big way. I know that Coach Tice has done a lot of planning. We want to make sure that we have a special plan for Devin, we have the Devin Package, a package of plays as a receiver. You never know where he is going to line up."

Bengals beat writer Joe Reedy predicts that rookie WR Marvin Jones is the team's opening day starter opposite A.J. Green.

This is speculation, but this will be a camp battle to watch. Whoever wins the WR2 job in Cincy will have some fantasy value.

Now that the Texans have used a third-round pick on Ohio State WR DeVier Posey, they will attempt to trade veteran WR Jacoby Jones.

The Redskins have released QB John Beck.

Rams WR coach Ray Sherman, who (along with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) presided over WR Brian Quick's scripted workout, compared the young wideout to a prominent player he coached while working for the Dallas Cowboys a few years back.

"I see a lot of similarities to Terrell Owens," Sherman said Thursday evening. "The way the kid goes and gets the ball, the physicality, the desire … he has a chance to be special, no doubt."

There is plenty of opportunity for Quick to emerge as a fantasy factor if he can quickly make the jump from Appalachian St. to the NFL.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have waived RB Deji Karim.

A sixth-round draft pick from Southern Illinois in 2010, Karim ran 63 times for 130 yards last season. He averaged just 2.1 yards a carry while backing up Maurice Jones-Drew. He also averaged 24.1 yards on 27 kickoff returns.

With top backup Rashad Jennings returning from a knee injury and fellow backs Montell Owens, DuJuan Harris and Richard Murphy also in the mix, Jacksonville had little need for Karim next season.

Titans WR Kenny Britt has resumed running, but is not yet allowed to do any cutting. The Titans will likely ease Britt through training camp, as they did last year when he was dealing with hamstring issues. The Titans are assuming Britt will be ready for the regular season.

The slow-and-steady approach worked last year with Britt, as he didn’t catch a single pass in the preseason (he only played in one game), but got out of the gate quickly during the regular season with 14 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns in two games.

The Titans' first day selection of Kendall Wright suddenly gives the team a deep and talented receiving corps, with Britt and Wright joining Nate Washington, Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins. If Britt is on schedule to start the season, he'll likely be a third round fantasy pick, but he's not without substantial risk.

Earlier this afternoon, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reported that the Giants have extended the contract of defensive end/linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka.

A league source has supplied us with the full details.

For starters, Kiwanuka will receive $10.95 million fully guaranteed. That comes from an $8.5 million signing bonus, a $950,000 fully-guaranteed base salary, and $1.5 million in fully-guaranteed base salary for 2013.

If I am Andre Roberts, there isn’t anything else I can really say but bring it on. And that’s what the Cards’ receiver did — in the right way — by embracing the Michael Floyd draft choice by calling it “a great pick.” He said on XTRA 910 that the Cards needed another receiver because “it is a passing league.” How he deals with this — or how Early Doucet does — will be one of the stories of camp. Floyd is a No. 1 draft pick. He’s not a third-rounder like Roberts and Doucet once were. He’s going to have to play. He’s supposed to play. In some ways, this feels like the wide receiving corps has come full-circle (at least potentially) since the 2008 draft, when Doucet was taken and joined Fitz, Boldin and Breaston.

But as HC Ken Whisenhunt said, “Michael Floyd hasn’t done one thing in this league as a player.” He must prove himself. And we all know how Whisenhunt prefers to deal with rookies, at least at first.

First round WRs are especially dicey in terms of panning out, so there's no guarantee that Floyd goes to Arizona and immediately beats out capable wideouts like Andre Roberts and Early Doucet. Expectations should be tempered, at least for now.

The only player above CB Morris Claiborne on the Cowboys’ draft board was quarterback Andrew Luck. According to Jones, you have to go all the way back to Prime Time to find the last cornerback the Cowboys scouts considered better than Claiborne.

The Cowboys love everything about Claiborne, but his ball skills really stand out. He had 11 interceptions the last two seasons, including six as a junior in 2011 when opponents attempted to avoid him as much as possible.

The Cowboys think Claiborne has the ability to take a No. 1 receiver out of a game and make a quarterback pay if he is tested.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson continues impressing people with the pace of his rehabilitation. Even his teammates.

Players returned to Winter Park on Monday for the start of the offseason strength and conditioning program. Peterson, the star halfback who is recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee, was also in town for rehab -- but ended up doing more than that.

"He was off to the side working with our trainer, Eric Sugarman, and he looked out and saw the guys doing their wind sprints," coach Leslie Frazier said on Thursday night.

"He says, 'You know, I don't think they're running hard enough.' Eric allowed him to go out and run with them, and he passed them four different times. He finished in first four different times."

This, from a player less than four months removed from major surgery following tears to his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament on Dec. 24 at Washington.

He began dryland running about a month ago, keeping in line with the rehab program Sugarman laid out in January the Vikings hope will have Peterson ready for their Sept. 9 opener against Jacksonville.

It's a little surprising that his trainer allowed him to participate in wind sprints just four months after his surgery, but this is obviously great news for those hoping that he'll be back to start the 2012 season. Stay tuned.

First round draft pick Brandon Weeden is "the guy" for the Browns. The quarterback of the future, a 28-year-old rookie with a golden arm who is likely to supplant Colt McCoy as the starter.

"In our opinion, he is (the guy)," Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said. "We took the kid at the 22nd pick of the draft. We're hoping he is."

Heckert said discussions about trading McCoy would take place through the evening and into Friday.

It appears the Browns are "all in" with Weeden as their new starter and aren't planning to make him compete for the job. Fantasy-wise, he's still not a great option as a rookie QB leading a Browns offense that will likely struggle in 2012.

With CB Asante Samuel gone, the Eagles can change their coverage looks. They can use CB Nnamdi Asomugha as he should be used -- up at the line of scrimmage on either side or in the slot. He should be the one to hunt down the No. 1 wide receiver on the other team and take that wide receiver out of the game. Asomugha should be the featured cornerback, not the guy playing out on the right side of the defense alone.

Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray (ankle) and WR Raymond Radway (leg) are progressing in their recovery from surgeries. Coach Jason Garrett said he expects to see Murray and Radway work out with the team for the veteran minicamps in June, though it hasn't been determined if those two players will be limited in any way.

Rams WR Danny Amendola signed his one-year RFA tender today, a source confirmed.

Kansas City Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe has no plans to sign his franchise tag soon, a source with knowledge of the situation said Thursday, contrary to an Internet report.

Bowe, like other franchise players who have yet to sign their tags, is hoping to get a long-term deal, but nothing is imminent. The NFL's deadline for franchised players to agree to a long-term contract is July 15.

Bowe would make $9.5 million in 2012 if he signed his franchise tender.

A judge dismissed an assault charge against Cincinnati Bengals LB Rey Maualuga on Thursday after learning the dispute was settled in mediation.

He still faces possible punishment from the NFL under its personal conduct policy.

Maualuga was charged with misdemeanor assault after an employee at a downtown bar told police that the middle linebacker punched him in the face on Feb. 5. The case was referred to mediation.

The Falcons gave up only a seventh-round draft pick Wednesday, acquiring CB Asante Samuel from the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Falcons announced the trade after Samuel agreed to restructure his contract to a three-year, $18.5 million deal. His contract with Philadelphia called for him to earn $9.9 million in 2012 and $11.4 million in 2013.

The Dolphins quarterbacks-- David Garrard and Matt Moore -- split the minicamp reps "almost dead even" HC Joe Philbin said and Wednesday Pat Devlin will get more work.

Colts S David Caldwell watched Tuesday morning's work on crutches after undergoing surgery two weeks ago to address a chipped bone in his left foot. He expects to be ready for training camp.

Source close to the Seahawks has informed me that WR Mike X Williams ran this for the first time today since his leg injury last December.

Per league source, K Mike Nugent will sign his franchise tender with the Bengals today. Both sides still hoping to get a long term deal done.

If RB Steven Jackson wants a new contract, apparently it's news to the Rams. Two team officials said they were unaware of any request for a new contract by Jackson.

As for speculation that the Rams were trying to trade Jackson, team sources said those rumors aren't coming from Rams Park.

The Rams do hold RB Trent Richardson in high regard and are believed to have a high grade on him. But it's highly unlikely that Richardson will fall all the way to No. 6 overall.

The Packers have told S Nick Collins that he will be released, according to a source.

Per a league source, the Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth $18.5 M for CB Asante Samuel. The Falcons will send a late round pick to the Eagles as compensation in the trade.

Per Pro Football Focus, Samuel was a Top 10 CB in coverage last year, so he should bolster a sketchy Falcons secondary. He is 31 years old, however, so the Falcons may regret this contract in a year or two.

Davone Bess, who practiced today, said he stayed in Florida all offseason to rehab a torn MCL and partially torn ACL.

This is the first time that an ACL injury has been revealed. The good news is that he's practicing and should be good to go. At this point he's the best all-around WR in Miami, though the Dolphins are likely to add a WR in the draft.

The Redskins have announced via Twitter that Bryan Kehl has signed with the team.

Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Anthony Spencer on Monday signed the franchise tender the club issued him in March, guaranteeing a one-year contract worth $8.8 million.

Free agent Erik Walden has re-signed with the Packers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though it’s likely a one-year deal.

Walden finished 2011 with 86 tackles and three sacks. He appeared to be making strides midway through the season after totaling 15 tackles and a sack against Tampa Bay and Detroit opposite starter Clay Matthews.

But after an off-field arrest, his season began to nosedive. Walden regressed down the stretch and was eventually benched. One reason for his poor play was a sickness that caused Walden to lose 15 pounds. Brad Jones finished the season as the starter in the playoffs.

Redskins beat writer Grant Paulsen thinks the plan is to start Leonard Hankerson opposite Pierre Garcon.

Santana Moss is still on the roster and it's hard to see him playing behind Hankerson at this point. Stay tuned.

The Redskins have agreed to terms with OLB Chris Wilson.

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson is unhappy with his contract and would like to renegotiate it, a league source said Monday.

Jackson signed a six-year, $44.8 million deal in 2008 and is scheduled to receive $7 million in base salary in 2012 and 2013.

Given Jackson's dissatisfaction, it might make sense for the Rams to try to select a running back, such as Alabama's Trent Richardson, in this week's NFL draft. The Rams currently have the No. 6 overall pick but could try to trade up for Richardson, whom some link to the Cleveland Browns (No. 4) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 5).

Jackson said in a recent interview with KFXX-AM in Portland (via SportsRadioInterviews.com) that while he knows the Rams will draft the "best available" player, he'd like to see the team add a receiver who can stretch the field.

"Me personally, I think that's the way we should go in the first round ... adding some more tools and talent around (quarterback) Sam (Bradford) so he can definitely show his ability to be an elite quarterback," Jackson said.

New York Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis, who skipped training camp two years ago during a bitter contract dispute, hinted Monday night he may stage another holdout if he doesn't get a new deal.

"I just don't know," he told a group of reporters at a charity event in Manhattan. "I'm not saying I am going to hold out; I'm not saying I'm not going to hold out. Right now my focus is just being on the team. ... I'm getting ready for the 2012-13 season. That's all I can do."

Revis is due to make $13.5 million in salary and bonuses over the final two years of his contract, including $7.5 million this season. He made $32.5 million in the last two years after re-negotiating his deal a few days before the 2010 regular-season opener.

Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes signed his franchise tender on Tuesday.

Also, the Falcons are in trade discussions to acquire cornerback Asante Samuel from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Colts GM Ryan Grigson announces Andrew Luck will be the first pick.

Cincinnati Bengals free agent wide receiver Jerome Simpson will be suspended for three games under the league's substance abuse policy, an NFL source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

After the suspension was announced, Jay Glazer reported on Twitter that Simpson signed a contract: "Vikings have agreed to terms on a one year deal with WR Jerome Simpson."

This is a great landing spot for Simpson considering the lack of talent that the Vikings have at WR. In the last two games of 2010, Simpson caught 18 passes for 247 yards and three TDs and looked as if he would take over as the WR1 in Cincinnati. But the team drafted A.J. Green and Simpson took over the WR2 role in 2011. Still, he was quite productive in the nine games where he saw 6+ targets, averaging 4.6 receptions (on 8.8 targets) for 72 yards and 0.33 TDs per game. That's a FP/T (Fantasy Points / Target) of 1.05, which is slightly above average. Simpson will be a bargain in fantasy drafts due to the suspension, but he's worth a flier in deeper leagues for those owners who are willing to wait.

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, who was tagged as the Patriots’ franchise player last month and has yet to sign his tender or participate in voluntary workouts, said Tuesday he has not had any talks with the team on a long-term deal since being tagged and did not think he would attend mandatory minicamp if there wasn’t progress toward a long-term deal.

“Through my body of work, through the past five years, I think what I’ve done I’ve earned a long-term deal,” he said in an interview with Adam Jones on ESPN Boston Radio on Tuesday (listen to the interview HERE). “It’s what I am looking for and what I want. Hopefully that’s the case and hopefully we come to something where we can make that happen.”

He was not present for the start of the Patriots’ voluntary workout program last week and sounded like he was leaning toward sitting out the mandatory workouts -- minicamp from June 12-14 -- as well.

“I’m not 100 percent sure on that. I don’t know if I will or not. I’m thinking I’m probably not going to (attend mandatory workouts), but things could change,” Welker told ESPN Boston Radio. "We’ll just see how it all plays out.”

“I just feel that this was the best, really the only, leverage I had is to take this route,” he told ESPN Boston Radio. “It’s not a route I thought I’d ever take, just because that’s not me. It’s just kind of the spot I’ve been put in.”

Welker has made his point and we expect that when the draft is over the Patriots will turn their attention to working out a long-term deal.

Make no mistake, Jerome Simpson’s weekend visit with the Vikings in the Twin Cities went incredibly well. The talented wide receiver liked what he heard about his chances to flourish in a significant role here. The Vikings, meanwhile, felt more and more comfortable as they got to know Simpson better.

As for the risk and potential baggage of signing Simpson? At present, one major wild card in the whole situation is the NFL’s indefinite timetable for issuing a disciplinary punishment to Simpson for his recent legal troubles. Last fall, the talented receiver found himself in hot water after a package being sent from California to his home in Kentucky was intercepted and found to contain 2.5 of marijuana.

Simpson was originally indicted on a felony trafficking charge. But in a plea agreement last month, he plead to a lesser felony of being involved in a prohibited act relating to controlled substances. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail plus three years of probation, given some lenience from the sentencing judge who could have issued four times as much jail time.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Simpson’s situation remains “under review” by the league, which could issue a suspension for the receiver’s violations of the Personal Conduct Policy. The severity of the punishment, obviously, is something the Vikings would like to know more about. And certainly knowing a timetable for that ruling would be helpful.

But as general manager Rick Spielman and his staff have done their due diligence in researching Simpson’s background and character in recent weeks, they have heard glowing reviews from those around the receiver.

Mike Wallace told some within the Steelers organization that he does not plan to sign his first-round tender "until he has to," according to a source. This means that Wallace could wind up holding out for some or all of training camp.

Wallace is seeking a long-term deal and is unhappy with the $2.7 million first-round tender he received.

Wallace has until June 15 to sign it before the Steelers can cut the tender to $577,500 -- a loss of $2.1 million.

Wallace would be taking a risk if he doesn't sign the tender, which would cost him $2.1 million. If he holds out, and it drags into the preseason, then conditioning and injury become more of a concern. Stay tuned.

At the end of this past season with the Oakland Raiders, an aching Rolando McClain gave an assignment to his agent: Find out more about stem cell therapies for injuries, like other athletes are trying.

“I’ve been having two seasons of nagging pain in my knee,” the former University of Alabama standout said. Not long afterward, McClain was on his way to Gulf Shores.

There, radiologist Jason R. Williams performed liposuction on McClain and then injected stem cells from the linebacker’s own fat cells into his knee and into the area of a high ankle sprain.

“It feels a lot better,” McClain said in an interview last week, adding that he’s working out four days a week with the Raiders, running, lifting weights, doing squats and even sprinting “with hardly any pain at all.”

Fred Jackson here for first day of workouts. Says contract issue "is not a concern at all." He understands Bills are focused on draft.

Contract talks between the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco have continued and have been amicable, but the sides are not close to a deal and it's unlikely they bridge the gap quickly.

Both sides very much want to work out a long-term deal, but the timing has to be right. Flacco is participating in offseason work and has no plans to hold out, sources said. So playing out his final season under contract is the mostly likely outcome for 2012.

Flacco stands to make $6.76 million next season in base salary along with a $2.1 million roster bonus.

Dolphins to release DE Phillip Merling today, sources say.

Veteran safety Brian Dawkins, a longtime Philadelphia Eagle who played his final three seasons with the Broncos, announced his retirement from the NFL today.

When we last checked in on Chad Clifton, it was clear the Green Bay Packers were hoping to find a way to get their veteran left tackle back for 2012. At the NFL owners meetings, coach Mike McCarthy termed Clifton's future "a medical decision" after postseason back surgery.

The Packers made that decision Monday and it ended an 12-year run that included a Pro Bowl berth as recently as two years ago. Just as important, the move should save the Packers more than $5 million against the 2012 salary cap.

In truth, the Packers' pending release of Clifton -- as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter -- has been building for years. The team essentially extended his career by limiting practice time to help manage knee, shoulder, back and hamstring ailments. But the back issue developed last season while rehabilitating a hamstring injury, and it was fair to question whether the Packers could rely on a left tackle in his condition who will turn 36 in June.

Marshall Newhouse is the favorite to replace Clifton. Aaron Rodgers had this to say about Newhouse: "Starting the season out, I didn't look at Marshall the way I look at him now. I look at him now as a guy who really has a strong, legitimate chance to be the left tackle of the future. I think he has the personality makeup to do that, the athletic ability to do that, the feet and the smarts to be a very, very solid left tackle for us."

While it's important that Newhouse has the endorsement of Rodgers, he was not well rated by Pro Football Focus in 2011. In fact, he had the lowest overall rating of any tackle that played at least 25% of his team's snaps. This is definitely something to watch -- Rodgers won't be as effective if he has to worry about his blind side.

The Dolphins or any other team could have had Mike Wallace, a budding star whose 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns made him the most productive receiver coming out of the 2009 draft class last season, for a first-round pick after the Steelers made him a restricted free agent. Whether or not General Manager Jeff Ireland gave much consideration to that exchange is now moot. But with no Wallace and no Brandon Marshall, this much is clear: Ireland must pursue a quality wideout with one of his four picks in the first three rounds of the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft.

Sports Illustrated draft expert Tony Pauline believes that can be done, but probably not with a No. 1 guy unless Ireland his willing to use his No. 8 pick on either Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State or Michael Floyd of Notre Dame, which seems highly unlikely.

“I”ve got 41 receivers with draftable grades, and typically you’re only looking at about 31 to 33 that get drafted,” Pauline said. “You’ll be able to get some really good receivers in rounds two, three, even four and five. But the best you’ll get in that range is a No. 2 guy.”

Jahvid Best reached one of the first major checkpoints in his recovery back from a season-ending concussion this week, as Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Best has not been limited during the team's voluntary offseason program.

Speaking at a promotional appearance in Livonia, Mich., Schwartz said Saturday that Best is "doing the same things everybody else is doing."

A recent report said that Best still had not been cleared for contact months after his last concussion, but it appears he is working out with the team.

On KNBR, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said wide receiver Randy Moss, placekicker David Akers, center Jonathan Goodwin, running back Frank Gore and safety Dashon Goldson are not among the more than 60 players participating in the team's voluntary offseason workout program. Goldson has not signed his franchise tag. The others, Harbaugh said, live out of the area and had family commitments.

Vikings continuing to meet with Jerome Simpson. He stayed in town Saturday night.

Simpson would bolster a Minnesota receiving corps that is pretty thin after Percy Harvin. If he can stay out of trouble, he would be a sleeper in 2012. He flashed serious potential late in 2010, but took a backseat to A.J. Green last season.

Jerrel Jernigan, who was drafted with the hope that he would help the return game, averaged 23.3 yards on eight kickoff returns. Jernigan or Domenik Hixon could return punts and Jernigan and Da'Rel Scott could return kickoffs as well this season.

What began as a co-rehab arrangement has now developed into Travis Beckum trying to make a remarkable recovery in time for the regular-season opener while Jake Ballard simply tries to make it on the field at all this year.

As reported by The Record recently, Ballard had microfracture surgery in addition to his ACL repair. That meant he had to stay off his feet for six weeks while Beckum got into his recovery and impressed doctors with his ability to walk, minimal swelling and good muscle definition around the knee. (The Giants, realizing both players faced a long recovery, signed Martellus Bennett on the second day of free agency.)

The Saints restructured Jonathan Vilma's deal today, via a league source.

Receiver Mike Wallace will remain with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a Friday deadline passed with no team offering the restricted free agent an offer sheet, sources told ESPN.

The Steelers' front office took a risk by not putting the franchise tag on Wallace and won $7 million with that gamble, netting $6.8 million by putting a first-round tender on Wallace of $2.7 million instead of the $9.5 million tag.

Wallace hasn't reported to offseason workouts because he has yet to sign a contract tender.

He has until June 15 to sign it before the Steelers can cut the tender to $577,500 -- a loss of $2.1 million.

Steelers team president Art Rooney II has said the team wants to sign Wallace to a multiyear contract.

Perhaps the threat of losing $2.1 million on June 15 will encourage Wallace to lower his asking price. The market has spoken -- Wallace's asking price is too high.

The Saints and CB Jabari Greer have agreed to 3-year extension. Total value worth more than $23M.

The Denver Broncos are getting their first taste of the hurry-up-at-altitude offense that Peyton Manning will unleash on the NFL this fall if everything keeps going well with his surgically repaired neck.

Although the installation of the Broncos’ new offense won’t happen until summertime, Manning and his receivers are getting to know each other during the team’s voluntary workouts this month.

Now, it’s all about the fast-paced switcheroo style, including healthy doses of the no-huddle, that’s the basis of Manning’s maniacal motions at the line of scrimmage as he deciphers defenses.

Coach John Fox spoke at Manning’s introductory news conference last month about how excited he was to have such an accomplished and cerebral quarterback running the no-huddle at Mile High.

“I’ve said all along, from having had to compete here, it might be the best home-field advantage in the NFL,” Fox said, “because, on an NFL travel schedule, you don’t have time to acclimate to altitude.”

It's just one of the many changes that we'll see in Denver this season. If Manning's neck holds up, the Broncos offense has a chance to explode in 2012.

It has been vogue in the last few days to see newly signed wide receiver Lee Evans as a “safe” free agent signing, and that’s fine. Because he signed a one-year deal, he indeed is a safe acquisition in that if he doesn’t work out, the move won’t hurt the Jaguars. But watching Evans in mini-camp you get the idea it’s wrong to pigeon-hole him into an “aging-veteran” role. Evans this week made some moves on intermediate routes – and some catches after getting open – that looked like the moves and catches of a player who can contribute. Can Evans still be a 1,000-yard, game-breaking guy? Time will tell, but early on, he absolutely looked like a player who can be a consistent, reliable, productive player at a position that didn’t have that a year ago.

The Buccaneers have signed former Chiefs and Jets S Ron Girault and former Bears RB Robert Hughes. Both were given tryouts during team's minicamp.

The Seahawks believe they have found a proven commodity to replace David Hawthorne at middle linebacker in free-agent addition Barrett Ruud, who started nine games at the MLB spot for the Titans last season. “They like his veteran presence and his knowledge of the system,” one team source said of Ruud, who played his first six seasons in Tampa Bay, including a couple of years under current Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who served as the Bucs’ LB coach from 2007-08.

Seahawks GM John Schneider said receiver Sidney Rice will be the healthiest he's ever been since entering the NFL.

Rice, who underwent a separate surgical procedure on each shoulder this offseason, he's not expected to practice in the offseason minicamps, but Schneider seemed encouraged about his prospects for the fall.

"This is the healthiest he's going to be since he's been a professional," Schneider said.

A healthy Rice would be a fantasy factor in 2012, especially if the Seahawks find improved QB play in the form of Matt Flynn.

Tyrod Taylor is Joe Flacco’s backup.

The signing of Curtis Painter hasn’t changed that.

“Tyrod is our No. 2 quarterback; I want to make that very clear,” Harbaugh told WBAL radio yesterday.

“Everybody competes for their job, there’s no doubt about it, we believe in that, we always will, but he’s our No. 2 quarterback. He’s entrenched as our No. 2 quarterback.”

Harbaugh said that Painter is currently the No. 3 quarterback, and that the team may opt to continue to have a third arm on the roster throughout the season, whether that position is given to Painter or someone else. The Ravens’ head coach is also leaving the door open to bringing in a fourth signal caller during training camp.

Cornerback Bradley Fletcher has always been a quick healer, and so far that seems to be the case with his latest knee injury. Fletcher worked on a limited basis during the Rams' two-day minicamp this week and is optimistic he'll be full-go at the start of training camp in late July.

The Ravens signed QB Curtis Painter.

Caught up with Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw, who said: "My feet are perfect." He's running on treadmill, says hasn't felt this good in 8 years.

With Brandon Jacobs gone, Bradshaw should see as many touches as he can handle, though the Giants are definitely looking to add a RB before the season via the draft or free agency.

Telling take from TE Jake Ballard, rehabbing from ACL and microfracture surgery: "My best chance would be midseason, if at all."

With the way Eli Manning likes to target his TE, especially around the goal line, Martellus Bennett is looking like an interesting sleeper at the TE position.

Colts GM Ryan Grigson made it clear the team has little interest in re-signing any of the veterans it released in March, primarily tight end Dallas Clark, linebacker Gary Brackett, running back Joseph Addai and safety Melvin Bullitt. All were part of the initial roster purge following the 2-14 finish.

"At some point, maybe you revisit it,'' Grigson said. "We're confident with the decisions we made at the time. We still are and we're moving forward.''

We're expecting Donald Brown and Delone Carter to share the backfield duties for the Colts.

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson feels like he's in his prime going his ninth season in the NFL.
Jackson has rushed for 1,000 yards in seven consecutive seasons, but he still feels like he has a lot of tread left on his tires.

"I feel like I am in my prime, I feel I am there right now," Jackson said. "I'm excited about what I can do in this offense. Coach (Jeff) Fisher has a track record of having some running backs, and I hope to add my name to it."

Fisher doesn't think Jackson, who will turn 29 on July 22, is wearing down.

"When a big back gets old, you look for one thing," Fisher said. "Is he getting hit? Or, is he getting tackled? Steven is still getting tackled, he's not getting hit. He has a lot left."

Fantasy owners have a tendency to jump the gun when it comes to writing off older RBs in an attempt to avoid the dreaded drop off season. Fred Jackson, Michael Turner and Steven Jackson were examples of this in 2011 and they all finished in the top 15 in total fantasy points. Jackson and Turner would represent good value in the 4th and 5th rounds, respectively, for teams that load up on WRs & QBs in the early rounds.

Jaguars WR Taylor Price will be out for the rest of the offseason with a stress fracture in his left foot, coach Mike Mularkey said.

It’s safe to say at least one person on the Green Bay Packers badly missed Cullen Jenkins last season.

A source said that outside linebacker Clay Matthews texted Jenkins a couple times last year lamenting that his drop in sack totals was directly attributable to Jenkins’ absence on the defensive line.

For a player who missed his share of snaps because of injuries while he was with the Packers, Jenkins’ departure to Philadelphia in free agency last summer showed how much difference a good inside pass rusher can make for his teammates. Though Jenkins wasn’t the only reason the Packers dropped from No. 5 in passing yards allowed and No. 3 in sacks percentage in 2010 to last in the NFL in both categories last season, it was a big one.

Anyone who follows the Packers knows that General Manager Ted Thompson’s top mission in this draft is to find a pass rusher, whether it’s a defensive lineman or an outside linebacker, who can help the Packers’ defense return to its 2010 level of play, when Matthews had a career-high 13½ sacks. Last year, he had only six.

Thompson figures to use a high draft pick on the defensive line regardless, possibly with his first pick, at No. 28 overall. With B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett, the Packers have two good run stoppers, and Raji has been effective as one of their two inside rushers on passing downs. But after that they need help.

Righting Josh Freeman's career seems to be the first hurdle for new Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano and his staff. They need Freeman to be as accurate, as calm, as dangerous as he was in 2010. To put it another way, turning around this franchise begins with turning around Freeman.

Give the Bucs credit for this: They seem intent on surrounding Freeman with as much talent as possible. He has a new receiver in Vincent Jackson (which should make the receiving corps better). He has a new guard in Carl Nicks (which should make the line better). He has a new coaching staff with a new blueprint.

Bucs running back LeGarrette Blount still doesn't see a need for the Bucs to draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson, but he says he would welcome him as a teammate.

When asked earlier this month at the unveiling of NFL Nike apparrel in New York by CBSSports.com blogger Will Brinson how he would react if the Bucs drafted Richardson, Blount said, "I would not like that pick. I would definitely not be happy with that pick."

But on Wednesday, Blount seemed willing to accept Richardson as a teammate.

“Like I said, it was just a comment,'' Blount said. "There’s nothing for anybody to read too deep into. You know, there’s not nothing I would want to explain. It was just a comment and I left it at that.

“Of course. I’d welcome him as a teammate. I’ve met the guy before. He’s not a bad kid, but at the same time, like I said, I'd welcome anything that helps the team get better. I’d welcome anybody as a teammate, it doesn’t matter who it is.’’

The Bucs own the No. 5 overall pick and coach Greg Schiano is a fan of Richardson's ability to be an every down back. He also has been critical of Blount's lack of ball security. The former Oregon running back has fumbled nine times, losing six, in two pro seasons. Richardson, meanwhile, had more than 600 touches with only one lost fumble at Alabama.

With Steelers restricted free-agent wide receiver Mike Wallace facing a Friday deadline to sign an offer sheet with another team, it now is expected that he will return to Pittsburgh for the 2012 season, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

No team has made a significant run yet at Wallace, and it is not expected that one will, sources told Schefter.

Last month, The Sacramento Bee reported that the San Francisco 49ers inquired about Wallace during the first week of free agency, but did not pursue him because he was seeking a contract in excess of the eight-year, $120 million contract Larry Fitzgerald signed with the Arizona Cardinals.

Jaguars HC Mike Mularkey praised the work of quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne, saying, “They both started off very fast. I haven’t seen them flinch at all, nothing we had to repeat because of them. It’s really been impressive in that area.”

But Mularkey continues to downplay the idea of a quarterback competition.

“Blaine’s the starter,” he said.

Mularkey added that this veteran orientation camp isn’t about competing for jobs. “It’s an introduction to us and us to them,” he said.

The Bears have agreed to terms on contract with LB Geno Hayes.

The Indianapolis Colts have told Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck that they will take him with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, according to a league source.

It's unclear precisely when the Colts informed Luck, but a league source said the team has known for weeks that Luck would be its pick. His style most closely resembles that of former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, and he is the player Indianapolis wants to rebuild around, the source said.

The Washington Redskins will take Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 pick in the draft, according to league sources.

With much of the drama seemingly removed from the top two picks, the attention turns to what the Minnesota Vikings will do at No. 3. With multiple needs, they could consider moving down to assemble more picks, or they could start to fill those needs by selecting someone such as USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil to protect young quarterback Christian Ponder.

Luck is considered to be as close as a sure thing as there has been at his position in the last decade. He's tough, accurate and has a great grasp of the game. He finished 31-7 as a starter at Stanford. His arm strength is good, but not elite. He's not the athlete that RGIII is, but his 40-yard time (4.67) ranked 4th amongst the 14 QBs that ran at the combine, so he has the speed of a Sam Bradford (4.70) or Tim Tebow (4.72), and has proven capable of making plays outside the pocket. Fantasy-wise, Luck will be a factor immediately, especially if he picks up the pro game as quickly as expected. If he lands with the Colts, he'll have an experienced receiving corps that will feature Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie. Consider him a low-end QB2 with upside, but remember rookie QBs are risky fantasy picks.

Chris Johnson’s annual absence from the Titans’ offseason program has been a storyline ever since he entered the league, but it won’t be an issue this year.

The Titans running back plans to report when the Titans begin the offseason program on Monday, although there’s a chance he won’t be at Baptist Sports Park until Tuesday.

As part of the $53.5 million extension he signed last September, Johnson is required to participate in the majority of the team’s offseason workouts or he will be docked $250,000. The contract allows him six absences.

Buccaneers WR Dezmon Briscoe has not attended voluntary workouts thus far, likely due to a personal issue.

Veteran receiver Randy Moss, who signed a one-year contract with San Francisco in March, is not taking part in the voluntary workouts -- something GM Trent Baalke said was discussed before Moss and the 49ers agreed to terms.

At a media gathering to preview next week's NFL Draft, Baalke said he expects Moss to join his teammates before organized team activities begin next month.

"Randy's not in and that was something discussed with Randy when we made the arrangment and signed him," Baalke said Wednesday. "That is not unexpected by any stretch."

The San Francisco 49ers signed linebacker Larry Grant and wide receiver Brett Swain to one-year contracts on Tuesday.

Peyton Manning is clearly impressed with third-year receiver Eric Decker. Manning called Decker the “veteran” of the receivers group and spoke highly of him. Manning said the coaching staff wants to move Decker around and use him in several different ways. Decker and Demaryius Thomas are Denver’s starting receivers. Manning said the group, as a whole, seems to be a hardworking unit.

Thomas will get most of the buzz this offseason given the way he finished the 2011 season, but that may allow Eric Decker to fly under the radar. Thomas hasn't been able to practice with Manning due to a finger surgery. Both players get a huge boost with Manning under center.

When asked if he was secretly injured last season, QB Philip Rivers said, "I was not hurt, and still don’t. I feel great. … It’s a compliment. It’s not true, but I appreciate that nobody thinks that I would throw 20 picks unless I was hurt, so I guess that’s a good thing.”

Rams have re-signed QB Kellen Clemens to a one-year deal as their backup behind Sam Bradford.

CBS Sports' columnist Pete Prisco tackled the big question in Jacksonville -- is Blaine Gabbert tough enough to play QB in the NFL?

"I checked with some of the players I trust and asked them privately about his toughness. To a man, they all said he was plenty tough. 'You watch what he does this year,' one player said. 'All that stuff got way overblown. He's on a mission to prove everybody wrong. I've seen guys who aren't tough. He isn't one of them.'"

Prisco went on to predict that Gabbert "will not be a bust."

Raiders head coach Dennis Allen said, "Darren McFadden was able to go through all drills today and did nice job." He also acknowledged that the team needs to "exploit his talents."

It's good news that McFadden wasn't limited in any way at practice. If the positive vibes continue this offseason, his stock will rise into the late 1st/early 2nd as a high-risk, high-reward pick in fantasy drafts.

A league source has told PewterReport.com that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made starting cornerback Aqib Talib available via trade. Thus far there have been no takers. The Bucs offered no comment on whether Talib is in fact on the trading block.

Percy Harvin's shoulder surgery has been rescheduled for Tuesday, two weeks after the Minnesota Vikings' leading receiver canceled his appointment because of what he called a family emergency.

Coach Leslie Frazier has termed the procedure minor, and NFL sources have said Harvin is getting bone spurs cleared out of the shoulder.

An estimated recovery period of three weeks means Harvin should be ready when organized activity practices begin on May 29.

Quarterback Sam Bradford is learning his third offense in three NFL seasons — from his third coordinator, no less. But at first blush, the transition may be easier than expected.

"I like the offense that we're running this year," Bradford said Tuesday. "It's more similar to two years ago than to last year. There is some carryover, so I am somewhat familiar with it, which makes it nice trying to learn it again."
Bradford, speaking after the Rams' first minicamp practice of the spring, said there are even some similarities in the language and play-calling from his rookie season of 2010, when Pat Shurmur was offensive coordinator. There is another similarity to 2010, when Bradford was NFL offensive rookie of the year: a position coach.

"I'm glad that we have a quarterbacks coach now," Bradford said, referring to Frank Cignetti. "Obviously, with Josh (McDaniels) trying to do both last year I think it was just a lot for him to handle. Sometimes some of the little things such as drops, footwork, throwing mechanics kind of got put aside as opposed to putting reads and everything in front. ... I think it's going to be great for my development."

With a full offseason to learn an already familiar offense, Bradford is a candidate to bounce back in 2012, but the Rams will need to add some talent at WR. Right now, Bradford's top targets are Danario Alexander, Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson, with Steve Smith as the only newcomer thus far.

Karen Guregian on Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski: "Gronk said has been at Pats offseason program doing core work. No boot on ankle."

LB Chad Jones is participating in the Giants' offseason workouts, marking his first activities with his teammates since he suffered horrific leg injuries in a June 2010 car accident.

Holder: "On first defensive drill, Quincy Black spent some time at MLB. Mason Foster/Adam Haywayd OLBs."

The Philadelphia Eagles have been shopping former Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel around the league before next week's draft, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Samuel, who led the NFC in interceptions in two of the past three years, is scheduled to make $9.9 million this season. He attended the Eagles' voluntary workouts this week.

When asked if Darrius Heyward-Bey would have his first 1,000-yard season in 2012, Raiders beat writer Steve Corkran said, "Yes, I fully expect that to occur."

Considering Heyward-Bey gained 975 yards in 15 games in 2011, it's not much of a stretch to predict a 1,000-yard season, but it's important that DHB's role as the teams WR1 or WR2 is established early on. His snaps were erratic in 2011 but he was productive in his targets averaging 1.08 Fantasy Points / Target, which ranked #53 out of the 119 WRs who saw at least 30 targets in 2011. That's not too bad considering all the changes the Raiders saw at QB. With a full offseason to work with Carson Palmer, DHB's production should increase.

Maurice Jones-Drew has reportedly made the decision not to attend the Jacksonville Jaguars voluntary minicamp.

It has something to do with a new contract.

For the past couple of months, I've been hearing from team sources that Jones-Drew has been talking about a new deal. He has two years left on a contract he signed in 2009, but that deal makes him the eighth-highest paid running back in the league and he was the NFL's top rusher last season.

So you can see his point. But you can also understand why the team would balk. Jones-Drew is entering his seventh season, but he's only been the primary rusher the past three. He isn't a big guy, and while he takes great care of his body, the wearing-down factor has to be a concern.

Brandon Stokley, who made one of the most famous catches in Broncos history, is returning to Denver to play with old friend Peyton Manning.

Stokley signed a one-year deal with the Broncos Monday. In June, he’ll turn 36, the same age as Manning, whom he played with in Indianapolis from 2003-06.

Cardinals QBs Kevin Kolb and backup John Skelton had eerily similar numbers last year which wouldn't be so bad until you realize that the latter counted $450,000 against the salary cap while Kolb's cap number was $4 million (and it increases to $11 million in 2012). It's why head coach Ken Whisenhunt said in February that both players will get opportunities to earn the job next season.

Perhaps the biggest issue facing Kolb isn't whether he's a capable NFL quarterback but something much more basic than that: can he take a huge hit from a pass rusher after suffering serious concussions the last two seasons? It's a question put forth by the Arizona Republic's Kent Somers.

Kolb missed the final three games of 2011 after sustaining a concussion against the 49ers on December 11. It took more than three weeks after the season before he felt like himself.

"To be honest with you, when I first went home it was still pretty severe," Kolb told Somers. "It kind of worried me because I figured once I got away from the game it would clear up pretty fast. But it didn't and I stayed in contact with our guys here. Within three or four days after that three-week period it was fine. I was glad to be feeling back to normal."

Kolb didn't show much in his first season with the Cardinals to indicate that he's a franchise QB. The concussion issue only makes him a riskier pick on draft day. He's a low-end QB2.

Carolina Panthers free agent wide receiver Legedu Naanee has agreed to a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, according to his agent, David Canter

Naanee had a successful tryout Monday with the Dolphins.

Naanee caught 44 passes for 467 yards and one touchdown last season for the Panthers.

With the departure of Brandon Marshall, the Dolphins' WR corps is arguably the worst in the league. The addition of Naanee does little to change that.

Ravens not close to a deal with either QB Joe Flacco or RB Ray Rice. Rice has no plans to report without a new deal. Nothing has changed.

While we fully expect the team to sign its QB and star RB, these are certainly situations worth monitoring.

In October, Lions running back Jahvid Best suffered his latest concussion. Six months later, he has yet to receive the green light to return to the football field.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that doctors have not yet given Best full clearance.

Best has been cleared to work out, something he’s been doing since December. And he’ll be present for the start of the team’s offseason program on Monday, since for the first two weeks it consists exclusively of working out.

“We’re just waiting on final clearance with Jahvid,” G.M. Martin Mayhew said. “It’s not like a hamstring where it’s a certain amount of time and a guy’s going to be ready. With the head you have to be careful and be smart. We’re not doing anything right now. There’s no need to rush to judgment on Jahvid’s situation. So we’re very optimistic. He’s doing very well. He feels great. He’s training right now and we’re looking forward to him being cleared.”

The problem is that Best eventually will suffer more blows to the head, given the position that he plays.

It's puzzling that Best still awaits clearance for contact a full six months after his last concussion. He may very well enter the 2012 season as the Lions' RB1, but he will be sharing time with Mikel LeShoure and Kevin Smith who, given Best's injury history, may be better values on draft day.

Former Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Lee Evans will sign a one-year deal Monday with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Evans, 31, had four catches for 74 yards in an injury-shortened season for the Ravens in 2012.

We're not expecting much from Evans in Jacksonville, given the lackluster QB situation and competition for targets in the form of the (more talented) Laurent Robinson and Mike Thomas.

London Fletcher has agreed to a two-year deal to re-sign with the Washington Redskins.

Titans receiver Nate Washington recently had surgery for a chipped bone in his knee, but he expects to be back for organized workouts.

Matt Ryan said he spent his offseason trying to add some bulk.

“Heading into each offseason, I try and take two or three areas to really improve on,’’ Ryan said. "This year, it was getting a little bit stronger in the weight rooms. So I’ve been working out pretty hard this offseason to try and put on a little bit of weight to get a little bit stronger and I think that’ll help me out on the field. Also, I think we need to be more effective with some of our throws down the field and that’s something that I’ve certainly worked on early this offseason. And I think a combination of those two things will help our success.’’

This could be very good news for Julio Jones who is most likely to benefit from an increase in (accurate) throws downfield. Ryan finished the season as the #8 QB and seems likely to finish in the top 10 again in 2012.

A handful of teams are interested in trading for Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace, a league source told Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

There's one snag to this happening -- the Steelers shouldn't be interested in trading Wallace. There's no logical reason for the Steelers to do this. Wallace isn't happy that he is playing under his restricted free-agent tender, and the Steelers won't be happy if Wallace decides to skip offseason workouts because of that. But all signs point to Wallace catching long passes from Ben Roethlisberger this season.

The Steelers can't expect to get a first-round pick for Wallace on draft day because that's the price to acquire him right now as a restricted free agent. If any team is willing to part with a first-rounder, it will sign Wallace to an offer sheet before the April 20 deadline.

Why get only a second-round pick for a No. 1 wide receiver? He's an integral part of the Steelers making another Super Bowl run this year, and Pittsburgh still has 10 months to get Wallace signed to a long-term deal. And, if the Steelers fail to sign Wallace, they still get a third-rounder for him.

A mid- to late-1st rounder seems like a reasonable price for an established WR like Mike Wallace. First round picks are valuable, but teams are still drafting an unknown, while Wallace is very much a known quantity. Wallace's is rumored to be demanding a Larry Fitzgerald-type contract (~ $10 million per season), which may be why other teams aren't biting.

Drew Brees, Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe, Ray Rice and Matt Forte are among the franchised stars who, barring a major shift in negotiations, won't be present when their teams open offseason work, according to league sources. It would take an unforeseen degree of progress in talks over the weekend to get any of them signed long-term -- a scenario that is highly unlikely at this point.

Brees and the New Orleans Saints, for instance, have been at loggerheads, roughly $5 million per season apart on a long-term deal, according to league sources. Welker and the New England Patriots have also made little progress; a source with knowledge of those conversations believes Welker will most likely play this season on the franchise tag. Running backs especially face a tricky situation. The franchise-tag value for them is around $7 million, a bargain for their employers. Teams could place the franchise tag on players like Rice and Forte in back-to-back seasons, securing their services from 2012 through 2013 at a total cost of around $17 million.

The New Orleans Saints have named Joe Vitt as interim coach, despite the top assistant's six-game suspension for his role in the club's bounty system.

The Saints had to find a one-season replacement for head coach Sean Payton, whose season-long suspension in connection with the bounty scandal begins Monday and runs through next February's Super Bowl.

Saints offensive line coach Aaron Kromer is expected to become New Orleans' other interim head coach this season during the first six games, while Vitt serves his suspension, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis said in the release Thursday that Vitt will take over on Monday.

"It is important that we keep Sean Payton's philosophy front and center during this season," Loomis said Thursday. "Sean has been the driving force behind the tremendous success our team has enjoyed during the past six years, his leadership will be missed. But we need to set a course of action that gives us the best chance to win this season without our head coach. ... We considered a number of great options to handle Payton's duties both internally and externally, but believe this will provide the most seamless transition for our players and our coaching staff, allowing our offensive and defensive staffs to remain intact with the fewest changes.

"This is the same structure we used last season during Sean's knee injury."

The Saints' assistants who can pick up the slack during Vitt's absence include: offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, Kromer and new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Carmichael, who also joined the Saints in 2006, began calling plays after Payton's injury last season. Payton allowed Carmichael to continue calling plays through the final 10 regular season games of 2011 as the Saints went 9-1 and broke numerous NFL offensive records.

From a fantasy perspective, Carmichael is the key component of the coaching staff, since he called the plays to close out the season in 2011 and will retain those duties in 2012. The Saints may not be quite as productive offensively without Payton, but we're not expecting a huge drop off with most of the same pieces in place.

With the Saints launching their offseason program on Monday, quarterback Drew Brees continues to have no contract. And while Brees said, twice, on Tuesday that Brees and the Saints are “continuing to work on a long-term deal,” a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that no progress is being made.

Brees deftly avoided the question of whether he’ll sign his one-year franchise tender and report for offseason workouts on Monday. Without a contract, he can’t participate. Without a long-term deal, he won’t have a contract unless he signs the franchise tender.

There's been no movement toward a new contract between the Patriots and franchised wide receiver Wes Welker.

The $9.5 million tag has kept Welker off the free-agent market. Welker hasn't yet signed the tendered offer, hence, he is not under contract.

That last point is important as voluntary offseason workouts and minicamps approach.

If Welker doesn't sign the tender, he can't participate because he isn't under contract. If he does sign the tender, the Patriots have no urgency to provide him with the long-term deal he wants.

If he doesn't attend, he is not "holding out." He simply is refusing to agree to the franchise tag. And, even though there's a ton of attention devoted to offseason workouts these days because of interest in all things NFL, the early part of voluntary workouts is mostly weight training.

Welker, who works out in Florida, shouldn't be seen as "sending a message" to the team until there are full-squad workouts going on and he's not part of them.

Not that that should be ruled out, either.

WR Jerricho Cotchery has agreed to a two-year deal with the Steelers, per source.

The Cowboys were interested in Boise State running back Doug Martin, but he wasn't able to visit Valley Ranch for a pre-draft visit because of last week's storms. Jones isn't a feature back -- in fact, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett continues to call him a complementary running back -- and the team did have internal discussions about trading him. If the Cowboys find a younger version, it wouldn't surprise anyone if he's let go. DeMarco Murray, Phillip Tanner and quite possibly a draft pick doesn't make the Cowboys significantly younger, but it does give them some fresh legs. Jones, like Marion Barber and Julius Jones before him, might need a fresh start somewhere else.

It's not unusual for a player tendered as a restricted free agent or slapped with the franchise tag to choose not to sign the one-year offer because they're holding out for a long-term contract. The latest with such designs, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter: Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace.

Wallace, the team's 2009 third-round pick, is one of the league's most explosive deep threats, but he's still on his rookie contract. And as a restricted free agent, he's set to make just $2.74 million in 2012. That's a nice chunk of change until you compare it to the seven-year, $132 million deal the Lions recently gave Calvin Johnson.

Last month, several weeks after free agency had opened and Wallace had yet to draw any interest from WR-needy teams willing to part with a first-round pick to make him a contract offer, there was a report that he was looking for Larry Fitzgerald money, which works out to eight years and $120 million. Wallace tweeted that we shouldn't believe everything we hear, but even if there's some truth to him wanting a nine-figure contract, that's going to be the sticking point to negotiations with the Steelers.

Giants will be giving the Bengals their 5th-round pick in the 2012 draft for LB Keith Rivers.

The Giants medical staff had examined Jake Ballard and thought he had torn his meniscus, not his ACL, when he went down in the fourth quarter of the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI victory. But that was reason enough to try to go back out there — even if he was experiencing the worst pain of his life.

The trainers watched and NBC cameras filmed as Ballard tested his knee on the side. He doesn’t know exactly what happened, but he thinks he already had torn his ACL, then damaged cartilage when his knee buckled while testing it.

Ballard, 24, underwent microfracture surgery to repair the cartilage as well as surgery to repair his torn ACL in February, casting doubt on when – or if – he will return for the 2012 season.

"My knee just collapsed," Ballard said Monday night in a phone interview, a week before the Giants begin OTAs. "I definitely tore [my ACL] on the field. I’d say [the cartilage damage] probably happened on the sideline from trying to run with no ACL.

"But I don’t regret trying to get back in the game. It’s the biggest game in any football player’s career."

Since he was injured so late in the season, it's doubtful that Ballard will be able to make much of a fantasy impact in 2012. Travis Beckum is also recovering from ACL surgery, so the Giants signed Martellus Bennett, who has been playing in Jason Witten's shadow in Dallas for the last four years. In the last two seasons, Bennett has caught 50 passes (on 74 targets) for 404 yards and zero TDs. Bennett wasn't used much in Dallas other than in the occasional TE screen. Bennett could be a sleeper given the way Eli Manning likes to utilize his TE, provided the Giants elect not to bring in another quality option at the position.

The Bears likely will open their offseason workout program without disgruntled running back Matt Forte on Monday at Halas Hall.

Coach Lovie Smith is prepared to start the offseason program without Forte, who has hinted he would skip the voluntary workouts and maybe the start of training camp if he hasn’t signed a long-term deal. He became a free agent after completing his four-year rookie contract in 2011, but after the Bears placed the franchise tag on him, his only option is to sign the their one-year offer of $7.7 million for 2012.

‘‘I tell the guys, if you have an issue with your contract, [the offseason] is the time to work on those things. That’s what Matt is going through right now,’’ Smith said Tuesday before a luncheon at Maryville Academy to honor linebacker Brian Urlacher as the Bears’ Ed Block Courage Award winner. ‘‘We start up Monday. Hopefully he’ll be there. If he’s not, we’re going to go to work with the players we have.’’

The offseason program technically is voluntary, but all players, with rare exceptions, are expected to volunteer. Most absences are considered job actions, though Forte’s absence likely would have the tacit support of teammates and Smith.

This is a situation to monitor this offseason. The Bears signed Michael Bush to be Forte's backup, but he will also serve as insurance in case they can't get a deal done. Forte was irked by the Bush signing and, at the moment, things don't look very good.

Wide receiver Mike Thomas will have better coaching with Jerry Sullivan and a better supporting cast with Laurent Robinson, Taylor Price and, presumably, a high draft pick in the mix.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. has said Thomas can combine attributes of Wes Welker and Steve Smith.

But many Jaguars fans were left wondering about Thomas last season, when he fell off after he got a contract extension in early October. That three-year, $18 million deal included $9 million guaranteed. It eclipsed the three-year deal worth $13.35 million with $5 million guaranteed that Green Bay gave Jordy Nelson.

Word in Jacksonville was that Thomas gave up late in the season, frustrated by a bad receivers coach in Johnny Cox and a struggling rookie quarterback in Gabbert. Cox was fired by interim head coach Mel Tucker and replaced by quarterbacks coach Mike Sheppard.

The Panthers and WR Steve L. Smith have agreed to a contract extension through 2015 with an option for one additional year in 2016, Pro Football Weekly has learned.

Although financial numbers were not immediately available, Smith was due to earn $7.75 million in 2012, and the Panthers likely will pay more than that amount, including guaranteed money up front, for this season. Smith’s deal is believed to be structured similarly to that of the one signed by WR Reggie Wayne with the Colts earlier this offseason, in terms of his guaranteed money and base salaries for the next three seasons.

It's funny -- less than a year ago, there were rumors that Smith wanted out, and now the Panthers have locked him up through 2015. That's the kind of impact a good QB like Cam Newton can have on an organization.

If Bill Parcells was the first choice of the New Orleans Saints to fill-in for Sean Payton, they will have to move to Plan B.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Parcells “is certain to remain retired” and he will not coach the Saints on an interim basis.

The Saints need to find someone to fill the role because on Monday NFL commissioner Roger Goodell affirmed the season-long suspension given to Payton for his role in the club’s bounty program. For more than two weeks there has been speculation Parcells, who is a close friend of Payton’s, would take the job.

Now, New Orleans will have to go in a different direction. The club could consider internal candidates like defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael or linebackers/assistant head coach Joe Vitt.

GM Mark Dominik has informed the media that the Buccaneers have cut ties with safety Tanard Jackson. Jackson has been terminated/failed physical.

RB Jamaal Charles (knee) on the status of his rehab: “I'm doing hard running right now. When I was down in Pensacola (Florida), Dr. James Andrews, who did my surgery, said I was ahead of schedule. They'll probably be smart about it for OTAs, be smart about me not doing that and they'll probably wait until training camp.”

Great news for Charles. Peyton Hillis is going to put a dent in his touches, but he may also serve to keep Charles fresh, healthy and in fantasy lineups in 2012.

The Seahawks announced they re-signed CB Marcus Trufant.

When asked in a chat if he thought the Panthers would trade up for a WR, Adam Schefter said, "If (Justin) Blackmon managed to slip to Carolina's turn, it would have to be interested. But Carolina really likes Brandon LaFell and the Panthers believe he's poised for a breakout. It doesn't mean they're not interested in adding more receivers. It just means it's hard to see them trading up in Round 1 to get one."

During the first eight games, LaFell saw 3.0 targets per game and produced an average of 2.1 receptions for 35 yards and 0.25 TDs. Over the final eight games, he averaged 4.0 targets for 2.4-42-0.13, so there wasn't a big jump in production despite a 33% increase in targets. However his Fantasy Points / Target was 1.42, which ranked #16 out of 119 WRs with at least 30 targets in 2012. He is definitely a candidate for a breakout season if he gets true WR2 targets.

This year's offseason workouts begin next Monday, the starting date and the period in which teams can conduct such programs having been pushed back under the new collective bargaining agreement. The Bears will be without running back Matt Forte for the sessions if he does not sign the tender he received as the team’s franchise player or a long-term contract is not worked out. To this point, there’s been no sign of progress. Publicly, general manager Phil Emery says the team continues to work toward the goal of a multi-year deal.

Without an offseason program last year, Forte reported to training camp in the best shape of his career. He then enjoyed the best season of his career until a minor knee sprain in Week 13 put him on the shelf.

Forte bristled when the Bears signed Michael Bush, so it will be interesting to see if the two sides can work out a deal this offseason. Forte's value takes a hit with Bush on board, but he could be a sneaky mid-round pick if Forte's relationship with the team worsens further.

A study of Mike Sherman’s offense at Texas A&M, which used west coast concepts, shows the Dolphins are missing a big, physical “Z” receiver. We’re talking a receiver who has the power to get off a jam and run a quick slant, the toughness to break a tackle, and the speed to turn on the afterburners and take it to the house.

The Dolphins are basically looking for another Brandon Marshall, just cheaper, younger, and with less drama.

In offensive coordinator Jay Gruden's offense, it now appears they will run by a committee featuring BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard.

As for Cedric Benson, it is likely he will have to bide his time and wait to see how the running backs fall during the 2012 NFL Draft. With a deep class this year featuring Alabama's Trent Richardson, Boise State's Doug Martin, Virginia Tech's David Wilson and Oregon's LaMichael James, there is no shortage of talent available that will prevent Benson from returning to the field any sooner.

Julius Thomas will always remember the 5-yard reception against the Cincinnati Bengals as his first NFL catch, but it also left him with a rookie season filled with frustration.

Because that play, and the right ankle injury that came with it after a tackle by Bengals linebacker Manny Lawson in September, derailed Thomas' season and resulted in him having surgery this past week to repair ligament damage.

The surgery, according to Thomas' father, Greg, was done in Charlotte, N.C., by noted ankle-foot surgeon Dr. Robert Anderson. Thomas will work with the Broncos' medical and training staff in the coming weeks and is a question mark for the opening of training camp.

The Eagles welcome back DT Derek Landri, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal.

Jaguars defensive tackle Terrance Knighton is in good spirits, awaiting a doctor's visit this afternoon, his mother said.

Rochelle Knighton said the injury was in her son's actual eye. She got a call yesterday from him. Rochelle and her adopted son moved to Jacksonville after Terrance got drafted.

Knighton sustained the injury in or around the Jacksonville nightclub Pure early Sunday morning. The Jaguars released a statement Sunday evening saying they were gathering information about the incident.

The Chiefs have Cassel, Brady Quinn and Ricky Stanzi at quarterback, making it one of the thinnest positions on their roster. Cassel missed the last half of last season because of a broken hand and is still trying to establish himself as a dependable NFL starter. Quinn is a former first-round pick, but the Broncos thought so little of him that he didn’t play in a game in his two seasons in Denver. Stanzi was a fifth-round draft pick last year and didn’t play as a rookie.

Because their roster is so complete, the Chiefs believe they have built a team that can reasonably compete for the AFC West championship for the foreseeable future. If that vision comes true, they won’t be in position again to draft a franchise-type quarterback for years.

All of that makes for a perfect storm when it comes to drafting a quarterback, and the Chiefs appear to be at least examining the possibility. They met with Tannehill at the combine and he said he had a private workout for them last week.

“He has everything you look for,” ESPN analyst Todd McShay said recently. “He belongs in the top 10 and has a chance to be an elite quarterback in the NFL.

The Chiefs haven’t seemed sold on Cassel during the offseason. At the least, they’re giving off mixed signals.

“That consistency … I think that’s the biggest thing with Matt,” Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said. “I think he’s excited about this year, about having Brian Daboll as our offensive coordinator, because he knows Brian and he knows the system Brian brings, and I’ve talked to Matt several times in the offseason and … he’s ready to go to work. He can’t wait for April 16th (start of the Chiefs’ offseason program) to get here so he can start getting into the playbook.

“If he can develop that consistency like we had part of the time in 2010, where we weren’t turning the ball over — we were moving the ball offensively and we were scoring some points — if we can get back to that, that’s what I’m looking for from him.”

The Chiefs started the offseason by saying they intended to find competition for Cassel, then watched as their best possibility for that, Kyle Orton, left as a free-agent for Dallas, where he will back up Tony Romo.

They settled instead for Quinn, but there’s still room for another quarterback, particularly one with Tannehill’s potential.

In terms of size, offensive lineman Deuce Lutui ranks as the biggest addition the Seahawks made Friday.

In terms of significance, linebacker Barrett Ruud might turn out to be the most important, given the lack of proven players at that position.

And with regard to leadership, don't overlook Seattle's agreement to bring back cornerback Roy Lewis, who was a special-teams captain in 2010.

Friday turned out to be a busy day for the Seahawks, who announced the three one-year deals.

According to a tweet by Brett Swain's representative, the 49ers wide receiver has agreed to terms with the team

The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with former Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Kelvin Hayden.

The Miami Dolphins have signed safety Tyrell Johnson, who played his first four NFL seasons for the Minnesota Vikings.

The strength and conditioning phase of the Raiders offseason is four days old and Carson Palmer can’t work with position coaches or coordinators on the field, but he’s in the formative stages of learning the playbook and has spent time in meetings as the offense has been installed. To say Palmer is excited would be an understatement.

Some of his observations during an interview late Thursday afternoon:

– “I think it’s really going to fit the personnel we have. The style of play with the offensive line and the zone running scheme, and the speed we have in the backfield, it’s built for making a read, making one cut, and getting vertical and putting pressure on the defense with our speed and our running backs just heading north when they find the hole in that zone.”

– “I spent time talking with Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones about it, and obviously the running game is going to be big for the Oakland Raiders this year. And what comes off the running game is really cool. All the play-action stuff really utilizes what we have on the outside. There’s not a lot of routes where guys are stopping. They’re using their speed, they’re on the move. It’s going to fit the strong suits of a lot of guys we have on offense, including myself.”

The New England Patriots have signed free agent linebacker Bobby Carpenter. Carpenter, 28, has played six NFL seasons for Dallas, Miami and Detroit. He was originally a first-round pick by the Cowboys from Ohio State. In his career, he has started 10 games with 165 total tackles, one interception that he returned for a touchdown, 3-1/2 sacks and one fumble recovery. Last year, Carpenter played in 16 games for the Lions, starting three, and recorded 29 total tackles. Against Dallas, he returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown.

Raiders HC Dennis Allen is not allowed to go out on the practice field with players until April 17, but he said he has heard good things from the strength and conditioning coaches this week about running back Darren McFadden. McFadden suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 7 last year.

"I am told that he's back and ready to go," Allen said.

McFadden had a Lisfranc injury, more serious than the average sprain, and he told SiriusXM NFL Radio this week that he's "feeling pretty good."

"It's a long recovery from Lisfranc," McFadden said. "It's one of those things that you have to let time ride it out."

The Cincinnati Bengals announced they have released strong safety Chris Crocker, who started 38 games for the team the past three seasons.

At a time when the Ravens have signed cornerback Lardarius Webb to a long-term deal and, according to G.M. Ozzie Newsome, are possibly heading in that direction with running back Ray Rice, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that no progress is being made between the Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco.

Earlier this week, G.M. Ozzie Newsome said that the team is making progress with Rice, whose rookie contract has expired and who has not signed the franchise tender. Newsome also said that talks are ongoing with Flacco, but we’re told those talks are going nowhere.

Flacco has one year left on his rookie deal. “[I]t either gets done or it doesn’t,” Flacco recently said. “And I’m not really too involved in the process besides letting him know how I feel and letting him take care of that and letting the Baltimore Ravens take care of their side. And that’s really my involvement. It’s not about the money, it’s about what you as a player feel that you deserve. And at the end of the day, they’ll take care of it and I’ll be waiting.”

Flacco's insistence that it's "not about the money" might be one of the least genuine things a free agent has said all offseason. The reason a deal isn't done is because the two sides can't agree on Flacco's value. Therefore, it is all about the money.

Chick Hernandez of Comcast SportsNet is reporting that the Redskins’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will be in Waco, Texas, the home of Baylor University and one Robert Griffin III, frequently between now and the NFL draft.

So it appears that class will be starting early for the Redskins’ presumed quarterback of the future.

The fact that Shanahan is spending time with Griffin indicates the level of confidence that the Redskins organization has that the Colts are going to take Andrew Luck with the first overall pick. Jim Irsay’s public Hamlet routine notwithstanding, if they believe that there was any chance that Indianapolis would pull a shocker and draft RG3, they would not be spending Kyle’s time and the resources to teach the offense to a possible future Colt.

The Redskins seem confident that RGIII will be their pick at #2, and if that comes to fruition, the time that Shanahan spends with his new QB should pay off this season.

A Kentucky judge sentenced former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson to 15 days in jail and three years of probation on drug-related charges.

Simpson reportedly had two pounds of marijuana shipped to his home last September, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Simpson pleaded guilty on March 1 in Kenton County Circuit Court to the charge where prosecutors recommended a 60-day jail stay as part of the plea agreement.

Simpson was originally indicted on a felony charge of marijuana trafficking, but as part of the plea deal the charge was changed to a prohibited act relating to controlled substances, also a felony.

Simpson is a talented WR, but he's clearly a knucklehead. Perhaps this will serve as a wake up call as he tries to find a job for the 2012 season.

The Baltimore Ravens reached a six-year agreement with cornerback Lardarius Webb, the team announced Thursday.

A league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Webb agreed to a five-year, $50 million extension with a $10 million signing bonus. The extension will begin after the 2012 season.

A third-round pick by the Ravens in 2009, Webb was a restricted free agent this year and had received a first-round tender ($2.74 million).

Webb, 26, was among the biggest surprises on the Ravens' defense last season. Injuries pushed Webb into the starting lineup during training camp and he ended up being one of the top cornerbacks in the AFC North.

New England Patriots Pro Bowl wide receiver Wes Welker said Chad Ochocinco will have a role in New England's offense and he suspects it will be more prominent than the one he had in 2011.

"Chad's such a great player and he has been for a long time," Welker said.

"If you have him go out there and run a comeback, he's the best comeback runner I think I've ever seen. Being able to do some of those different things for us will be huge and I look for him to improve greatly from this past year."

Ochocinco struggled to fully grasp the Patriots' complex scheme after being traded to New England in the lockout shortened offseason. The six-time Pro Bowl receiver had career lows in every major category (minus yards per reception), after playing sparingly due to a lack of familiarity with the ninth ranked offense in the NFL.

That should change with one season under his belt in New England and a full offseason with Tom Brady, Welker and the rest of the Patriots' explosive offense. Ochocinco was never a renowned route runner during his time in Cincinnati, something that is crucial in New England's offense, but he has never lacked talent.

It's tough to buy into Ochocinco's upside in New England after the Patriots signed Brandon Lloyd this offseason. Ochocinco had a tough time getting on the field in 2011 and it's not going to be any easier with Lloyd in town.

The night before Gregg Williams’ final game as the New Orleans Saints’ defensive coordinator, the since-suspended coach gave a fiery speech to the team’s defensive players during which he made specific references to inflicting physical punishment upon several San Francisco 49ers in a postseason game the next day.

In the speech at the team’s hotel near the San Francisco Airport, Williams – according to documentary filmmaker Sean Pamphilon – at one point made a hand signal suggesting he would personally pay for a ferocious shot on 49ers quarterback Alex Smith.

Williams also referenced the prospect of his players inflicting a severe knee injury upon San Francisco wideout Michael Crabtree and exhorted them to “put a lick on” backup receiver Kyle Williams in an effort to “find out” if he was still suffering from the effects of a late-December concussion.

Williams has been suspended for the 2012 season.

If Matt Flynn was under the impression that he'd be an automatic starter with his new NFL team, his new head coach -- Seattle's Pete Carroll -- disabused him of that notion rather quickly. It is not known what kind of starter security Flynn was offered by new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin (Flynn's offensive coordinator in Green Bay), but Flynn signed a three-year deal with the Seahawks on Sunday that guarantees him $10 million and could top out at $26 million. What that contract did not guarantee him, as Carroll said during a Monday media conference call, was immediate job security over Tarvaris Jackson. The reality may be different, but Carroll stuck to his "Always Compete" manifesto from the start.

"We're very clear how we delivered the message that we now have the opportunity to make it an open competition," Carroll said. "Tarvaris is well ahead, and he's the guy that's here and working for us now. I talked to [Tarvaris] yesterday, that what we're doing with Matt -- bringing him in here to compete for the job, make everybody better, and help our football team. That's really clearly where it is. There are really no surprises here."

Assuming he doesn't fall on his face, it's just a matter of time before Flynn takes over the starter, though Carroll made it clear that he won't be handed the job without beating out the incumbent Jackson.

Detroit Lions defensive lineman Nick Fairley was arrested this afternoon in Mobile on a 2nd-degree marijuana possession charge, according to records at Mobile County Metro Jail.

Second-degree marijuana possession is a misdemeanor in Alabama.

Former Seahawks LB David Hawthorne has agreed to terms on 5-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, according to a source.

Dolphins HC Joe Philbin didn't offer too many specifics about, well, anything because he probably cannot and probably doesn't want to with what he can. But he was clear on his intended use of Reggie Bush.

Unlike last year when Miami mostly used Bush as a traditional running back until very late in the season, Philbin said his staff will try to maximize Bush. He mentioned using him at wide receiver. He mentioned using him in different formations. He mentioned doing things to create mismatches, which is what I thought Miami would do last year.

"We're not just going to hand the ball to him," Philbin said.

Bush caught 43 passes for 296 yards and one TD in 2012, which were all career lows on a per-game basis. Bush has always been startable in PPR leagues when healthy, and if Philbin ramps up his use in the passing game, then it should offset whatever additional carries Daniel Thomas may steal.

Although Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice indicated today during the unveiling of the new Nike uniforms that he looks forward to attending offseason workouts, sources close to the situation stressed that Rice won't be reporting until he has a new contract.

Rice has been designated as the Ravens' franchise player, at a cost of $7.742 million.

Under NFL rules governing franchise players, Rice doesn't have to attend offseason activities, training camp or games until he signs his one-year tender.

"I look forward to being there," Rice told the Ravens' official website when asked today in New York about whether he'll attend offseason workouts.

Rice has been consistent in taking the high road when it comes to the negotiations, but sources emphasized that the versatile star runner has no plans to attend offseason workouts until a contract has been finalized.

We fully expect the two sides to iron out a contract, but this is certainly a situation worth monitoring.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin briefly put a scare into the team's fan base Monday night by tweeting -- one day after April Fool's -- that he needed shoulder surgery. Harvin quickly followed up by saying he should be healed in time for spring practices, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Harvin needs only an arthroscopic cleanup and will have a quick recovery time.

This is obviously good news after Harvin's ambiguous comment on Twitter. He'll be the focal point of the Vikings passing game in 2012.

Harvin on Twitter: "Just found out I will need surgery on shoulder"

Presuming this is not a belated April Fools prank, Harvin will be out of commission for a while as his shoulder heals. The Vikings are thin at WR behind Harvin with Devin Aromashodu, Michael Jenkins and Emmanuel Arceneaux as the next guys up. Proceed with caution.

Jordy Nelson seemed to be as involved in the Green Bay Packers' passing attack as anyone could be last season, but coach Mike McCarthy wants to feature the wide receiver even more.

"Jordy is a perfect example of a guy who was given more opportunities last year and performed outstanding," McCarthy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. "We'll keep moving him around, probably play him in the slot a little more than he's played in the past. Those are the kind of things we continue to look at, give him more matchups, expand his route tree where he's maybe more of the focus."

Despite starting just nine games last season, Nelson led the Packers in several receiving categories, including catches (68), yards (1,263), yards per catch (18.6) and touchdowns (15).

McCarthy indicated that he would be inclined to make Nelson, and not veteran wide receiver Greg Jennings or tight end Jermichael Finley, the featured receiver sometimes "because statistics speak for themselves."

After missing out on Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn, Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland has come under fire.

It was just nearly two weeks ago that disgruntled fans held a demonstration outside the Dolphins complex holding signs that read "Fireland." The thought that there is no plan is something Ireland has had troubles escaping as of late.

"We're only halfway through the process," he said following the fan demonstration. "It includes the draft and more free agency."

If you ask Ireland (and NFL.com did) about how he feels the team has handled themselves, he believes they have yet to encounter any major blunders.

"I haven't missed out on too many players I've gone after," Ireland told NFL.com. "Peyton Manning? I'm a small piece of that situation. Matt Flynn? That was half his decision, and it was half our decision."

No matter whose decision it may be the Dolphins appear to have been experiencing at least some difficulty. If there is a sentiment shared among players in the NFL that Miami is not a place you want to go, it is Ireland's job to dispel any such thought.

Ireland insists he has a plan and things just play out the way the play out.

"Sometimes you bring in guys to get to know them," Ireland told NFL.com. "Just because you bring him in, it doesn't mean you're absolutely going after him. Sometimes, you bring him in to see if there's chemistry between him and the coach. Sometimes, I bring a guy to take a physical. Sometimes, they don't pass a physical. But I'm not able to disclose situations like that.

"It's a perception that I think is wrong, that I'm losing out on guys."

Perception is a funny thing because, like beauty, it is all in the eye of the beholder. One has to wonder what the quarterback in the 2012 NFL Draft not named Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III might see in Miami. Of course if you are Matt Moore, the view might not be so bad.

Ahmad Bradshaw had bone marrow from his hip injected into his foot to let his injured appendage heal.

Bradshaw expects to rest for three months, and since he was injected at the end of February, he should be ready to go by June. Bradshaw also said he expects to miss OTAs but should be healthy by the beginning of training camp.

With Brandon Jacobs now in San Francisco, and Bradshaw on the mend, RB is suddenly a big need for the Giants. Don't be surprised if they orchestrate a trade or take a RB in the draft.

Detroit Lions running back Mikel LeShoure is being arraigned today in Berrien County Court on a charge of marijuana possession, second offense.

After coming up empty in attempts to land more highly regarded wide receivers in free agency, the Rams took a roll of the dice last week in signing Steve Smith.

"First off, he's a very first-class young man," coach Jeff Fisher said. "Overcame a difficult situation with his knee. The guy had an extraordinary workout, and has a chance to get back where he was in 2009."

"Now, he had a significant injury," Rams general manager Les Snead said. "What we said is that it's a risk worth taking because usually an injury like that takes a year" to overcome.

"From a knee standpoint, he looked well," Snead said. "I think going through an offseason conditioning program will get him back in shape. And the guy is a very smart football player, intelligent football player. (He) loves the game, (is) passionate about reviving his career. That's why we did it."

HC Ron Rivera insists Mike Tolbert will play fullback for the Panthers

“If you look at what happened last year with our offense, we didn’t have a pure, true fullback in terms of a guy that has the ability to not just block, but go out into the routes, run the flat route and catch the ball, run the pivot route and catch the ball, pass protect on a consistent basis,” Rivera said.

“Everybody keeps saying he’s a tailback. But he’s a fullback to us. Because again, we saw how we had used him in San Diego. We just thought this is a guy we’d love to have. ... If you can put an athletic, play-making fullback there, I think it helps you.”

There's no way around it -- barring a trade, Tolbert's arrival hurts the value of DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Tolbert himself.

Robert Meachem never has had more than 45 catches and 722 yards in a season, but his new team believes he is capable of much more. In fact, Chargers coach Norv Turner says he wouldn’t be surprised to see Meachem with between 60 and 70 catches and more than 1,000 receiving yards. “Look at the history of the offense, the things we’ve done,” Turner said. “Meachem is capable of giving us that stat production if he can play a complete season.” Why hasn’t he done it in five NFL seasons in New Orleans? “He has been in an offense where he’s one of five guys, and they spread the ball out,” Turner said. “He hasn’t been the focal point. I think we try to be balanced, but he will get opportunities to be a big play receiver up the field.”

Our very own John Paulsen conducted an exhaustive analysis of Meachem's upside in San Diego.