March Archives
03/31...Quick Hits...Green Bay Packers DT Johnny Jolly's federal drug trial has been rescheduled for June 26...The Indianapolis Colts have released LB Buster Davis...The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed free agent OG Nick Cole to a one-year contract...The Arizona Cardinals re-signed free agent NT Gabe Watson to a one-year contract...The Denver Broncos waived RB Cory Boyd...The Baltimore Ravens re-signed QB Todd Bouman.
The agent for Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson said his client is open to staying with the Chiefs and all sides have an "open mind" about the oft-embattled player playing in Kansas City in 2009. ESPN
Lions, Seahawks want Lucas...The Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks appear to be showing the most interest in former Panthers CB Ken Lucas. Sun Times
Stafford wows the Lions...Chris Mortenson of ESPN reports Matthew Stafford's private workout for the Lions was much better than his pro day workout...and according to Mortenson a source told him that Stafford moved one step closer to being the first-overall pick for the Lions...A total of six representatives from the Lions were present at the workout including head coach Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan...The Lions had Stafford throw about 40 passes, and he was nearly flawless. ESPN MLive
Ozzie still high on Smith...Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome thinks Alabama left tackle Andre Smith can recover from his pre-draft mishaps to have a productive career in the NFL..."I don't think that's a bad reflection on Andre," Newsome said. "He made a bad decision leaving the combine early. ... Can you recover from a bad decision?... Yes, because at the end of the day, we've got to put the tape on... And when you put the tape on, you see Andre Smith." Press Register
Northern Illinois DE/OLB Larry English had a private visit with the Patriots this morning. -Al Fronczak
ESPN.com's John Clayton thinks the odds are against the Eagles trading for Anquan Boldin, Jason Peters or Braylon Edwards...The Eagles have the ammunition to deal, but Clayton doesn't think it will happen. ESPN
Al Fronczak updated his first-round mock today, and it's now up and posted on our 2009 NFL Draft Page
Pre-Draft Visits...Matt Maiocco reports among the notable draft-eligible players who are expected to visit the San Francisco 49ers in the coming weeks are Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Mississippi offensive tackle Michael Oher and Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji. Press Democrat
Plaxico Burress's gun case adjourned...A gun possession case against New York Giants star Plaxico Burress has been adjourned until June 15. SportingNews
Peters, Bills far apart on new contract...Allen Wilson of the Buffalo News reports Buffalo Bills COO Russ Brandon painted a less than optimistic picture regarding the possibility of a new contract agreement with left tackle Jason Peters... Speaking at the NFL owners meetings in Dana Point, Calif., last week, Brandon said talks with Peters' agent, Eugene Parker, are ongoing, but the two sides remain far apart..."Hopefully we can make some headway here in the oncoming weeks." Peters, has two years remaining on his five-year contract...But it is believed he wants to be the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL...It's clear there is a sense of desperation on the Bills' part to get something done before the draft...Brandon declined to say the team would explore trade options if a deal isn't completed before the draft, but it can't be ruled out. Buffalo News
Boston College DT B.J. Raji has a private visit scheduled with the Buccaneers on Thursday. -Al Fronczak
Three schools (Arkansas State, Prairie View A&M, UCLA) will be holding their pro day workouts today.
Jonathan Vilma's condo raided after two drug slays..Police have raided a Long Island condo owned by former Jets defensive star Jonathan Vilma, searching for clues in a pair of grisly drug retaliation murders...Cops went to the $900,000 condo in a gated community in Woodbury after finding the bodies of two bullet-riddled men dumped in Brooklyn and Queens...A law enforcement source said there is no evidence that Vilma, 26, who signed a $34 million contract with the New Orleans Saints, was involved in the crimes...The source said a friend or relative Vilma may have allowed to use the condo could be connected to the double murder. NYDailyNews
Browns looking to trade in draft...Steve Doerschuk of the CantonRep reports the Cleveland Browns are expected to swing a trade, or two, possibly a major trade, to acquire more draft picks...They are not expected to consider Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins at No. 5, but could have him on the radar if they wind up elsewhere in Round 1...The smart money has the Browns taking an OLB (Texas’ Brian Orapko) or an ILB with the flexibility to move around (Wake Forest’s Aaron Curry), if one is available at No. 5. Cantonrep.com
It’ll be a stunner if the Cleveland Browns pounce on Boston College DT B.J. Raji with the No. 5 pick, simply because of last year’s two-headed-monster investment in Shaun Rogers and Cory Williams. Depth is a concern for a team that hasn’t drafted a defensive lineman of any note since Gerard Warren in 2001. Raji’s Boston College teammate, run stuffer Ron Brace (6-3, 330), might be of interest at No. 50. Cantonrep.com
Rams minicamp closed to media...In a surprising development, Rams' head coach Steve Spagnuolo has closed all but 20 minutes of his first minicamp to the media.. The Rams will practice twice Thursday, twice Friday and once Saturday at Rams Park. Only the first 20 minutes of practice Thursday afternoon will be open to the media. This marks the first time minicamp practices have been closed to reporters since the Rams franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995. Stltoday
Mike Reiss of The Boston Globe reports the Patriots are scheduled to host Missouri defensive lineman Evander “Ziggy” Hood on a pre-draft visit at Gillette Stadium, according to league sources. Boston.com
Matthew Stafford gets one final exam, with a private workout in Georgia for the Lions today...unlike the scripted pro-day workouts, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and quarterbacks coach Jeff Horton actually gets to call the shots...In short, they can take him out of his comfort zone and see how he reacts..."We can direct it," coach Jim Schwartz said. "We can tell him exactly what to do on a play. We can make him throw into the wind. We can say, 'Hey, these are the throws we want to see.' When somebody else is scripting it, they can accentuate a positive....They'll have him dissect plays on the board, make him throw something other than that skinny post he really nails...They might even ask him about his parents' divorce, a la Mike Singletary. Det News
Broncos' players revolt...Denver Broncos players are saying they've had it with talking about the Jay Cutler drama... Normally, the public relations staff brings out a player or two after the morning workouts. But no player has agreed to meet with the media since March 19. This did not come from McDaniels. This is a player revolt to McJaygate. Denver Post
03/30...Quick Hits...The Minnesota Vikings re-signed DE Otis Grigsby....The Washington Redskins re-signed DE Phillip Daniels to a one-year contract...Free agent offensive tackle Orlando Pace is visiting with the Chicago Bears today...The New Orleans Saints have re-signed QB Joey Harrington...Former Carolina Panthers CB Ken Lucas is visiting with the Chicago Bears today.
The Atlanta Falcons have reached a settlement with quarterback Michael Vick on their breach-of-contract claim that is still awaiting an appeals court decision on a grievance case, sources confirmed Monday...The settlement should pave the way for Vick's imminent release from the team. ESPN
Sidbury drawing interest...Richmond DE Lawrence Sidbury, has visited with the Buffalo Bills, and has upcoming visits scheduled with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans.
Louisville center Eric Wood is generating a lot of buzz from many NFL teams.... Wood has already visited the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals and has worked out for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Denver Broncos....He also has a workout scheduled with the Pittsburgh Steelers. NFL.com
The Detroit Lions watched Matthew Stafford's pro day... Now they're going back to Georgia to put the quarterback through a private workout Tuesday, as they consider drafting him first overall. Freep
The St. Louis Rams have agreed to terms with 49ers free agent tight end Billy Bajema...Contract details weren’t immediately available. STLToday
NFL Preseason Schedule Announced...The NFL's slate of 11 nationally televised preseason games will feature all twelve 2008 playoff teams, one of the highlights of the 2009 NFL preseason schedule announced today...Among those games is a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII with the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, Aug. 13 (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). NFL.com
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco was absent from the start of the team's offseason program Monday, quarterback Carson Palmer said. ESPN
Fifteen NFL teams including Chicago Bears scout Jeff Shiver and Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney were in attendance at the pro day workout of Norther Illinois DE Larry English last Friday...English 6-2.4, 251 pounds ran a 4.74 and a 4.79 in the 40-yard dash and posted a 9'-7 inch broad jump...English has a private visit scheduled with the New York Giants in April. Chicago Tribune
Vinson Smith, a bail bondsman and former NFL player, was arrested last Wednesday night on a felony charge of breaking and entering, felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury and carrying a concealed weapon. Another bail bondsman who accompanied Smith, Barry Hicks of Efland, was charged with felony breaking and entering...During an 11-year NFL career, Smith played for the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. He won a Super Bowl with Dallas in 1992. Statesville.com
Brown would like to be an Eagle...Connecticut HB Donald Brown has about a dozen teams showing interest in him right now including scheduled visits set up with San Diego, Cincinnati, NY Jets, and Philadelphia. When asked about the possibility of playing in Philadelphia, Brown said, " There's been talk with the Eagles... I'm actually supposed to visit the Eagles in the beginning of April for a visit so we'll see what happens..." "That'd be great. Being close to home," he said. "My parents and family and friends would be able to come to the majority of my games so that'd be great."...Brown is from Atlantic Highlands, N.J. Philly.com
Mississippi offensive tackle Michael Oher’s stock is rising after his Pro Day last week...Oher improved his 40-yard dash time with a 5.16, had a 31-inch vertical jump and bench-pressed 225 pounds 23 times...All 32 NFL teams showed up for his Pro Day...Oher has met with or is meeting with several teams individually, including the St. Louis Rams, the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers...All three teams draft in the top 10.
Texas A&M fullback Jorvorskie Lane drew 15 NFL scouts to his workout at a high school in Lufkin last week...But the scouts didn’t like what they saw...Lane weighed 297 pounds, 27 heavier than the A&M media guide listed his weight last season and 32 pounds heavier than Aggies coach Mike Sherman wanted him to weigh...Lane didn’t break 5.0 in the 40-yard dash and did only 17 reps on the 225-pound bench press..."I’d still bring him to camp," said Tennessee Titans head scout C.O. Brocato, "I’d tell him, 'This is what you better report at, If you don’t report at that, then your contract is null and void.’..."The guy’s got all the talent in the world... It’s just a shame he won’t get himself in shape." Star Telegram
Lions talking up Curry...Peter King of SI reports that Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was interesting when King spoke with him the other day about Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry....King told him how Curry played the outside, yet had one sack per four games at Wake... "Not that significant,'' Schwartz said. "Here's a guy who would fit perfectly for us in the middle and never come off the field..In college, he played the run, he covered, he did everything linebackers at every position would do...For us, he'd be perfect going sideline to sideline." SI.com
The Cincinnati Bengals have a visit scheduled with Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin on April 2-3. DaytonDaily
Denver Broncos' quarterback Jay Cutler has forfeited his $100,000 workout bonus as he already missed more than 10 percent of the Broncos' offseason workout sessions....That leaves Cutler with a $1.035 million salary for the 2009 season, providing he rejoins the team by training camp. Denver Post
Washington State wide receiver Brandon Gibson worked out for NFL scouts on Saturday at Chief Sealth High in West Seattle...Gibson had a good showing, with scouts from at least 10 NFL teams looking on, including representatives from the Seattle Seahawks and ex-Seahawks executive Randy Mueller, now in the front office of the San Diego Chargers. The News Tribune
The Cincinnati Bengals' head coach Marvin Lewis and quarterback Carson Palmer will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. today to talk about the offseason...the Bengals offseason workout program begins today ...The program, which consists mainly of supervised aerobic and strength training, continues through June...The team also will conduct 11 on-field coaching sessions and workouts during late May and early June before the full squad reports for a mandatory minicamp June 18-20. Cincinnati.com
Taylor to wear No. 21...Patriots running back Fred Taylor, who wore jersey No. 28 throughout his career in Jacksonville, will don No. 21 as a New England Patriot...Safety Antwain Spann wears No. 28 in New England, and he said he was willing to give it up for Taylor...But Taylor must have preferred 21, which he wore at the University of Florida. Reiss/Boston.com
Welker nudging Taylor to sign with Patriots... Tim Graham of ESPN reports Jason Taylor isn't ruling out a return to the Miami Dolphins, but the pass rusher couldn't conceal his delight over reading comments that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft would love to add him...Patriots receiver Wes Welker, who attended Taylor's charity event, admitted that he's been nudging Taylor toward signing with the Patriots. ESPN
TCU safety Stephen Hodge who could project to linebacker is an under-the-radar guy that is beginning to generate a little buzz...the Chicago Bears have a keen eye on him, because Hodge is a distant relative of coach Lovie Smith...Hodge is physical and could be a contributor on special teams immediately. Sun Times
The Chicago Bears are expected to host Texas Longhorns defensive end Henry Melton for a private visit, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Loadholt on Bears Radar?...Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun Times reports that offensive tackle and wide receiver are the two positions the Bears appear most focused on for the very top of the draft....it change now after Kevin Shaffer was signed, but the Bears didn't come out and trumpet the signing of a starter...At this point, the Bears have not shown extra interest in UConn tackle William Beatty...That doesn't mean they are not interested in him, but the Bears sent Lovie Smith to Vanderbilt last year and drafted Chris Williams, and they had extra get-togethers with Matt Forte and drafted him...Some suggest the Bears are going to look for a big body, someone with a major frame that they can plug in at right tackle as a road grader...That might suggest a player like Oklahoma's Phil Loadholt, who they have worked out....Loadholt is probably a second-round pick, but there's no telling if he will make it to No. 49 where the Bears are selecting...Beatty might not be that person, although he has a frame that he could grown into. Sun Times
Only two schools (Fort Valley State and Kentucky State) will be holding their pro day workouts today.
03/29...Lou Saban, who coached the Buffalo Bills to two American Football League championships in the 1960s, died today at age 87 at his home in South Carolina. Buffalo News
Quick Hits...The New York Giants re-signed free agent running back Danny Ware...Denver Broncos tight end Chad Mustard has retired from football...Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji has visits scheduled with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets...
The Baltimore Ravens re-signed free agent P Sam Koch to a one-year contract.
Oklahoma guard Duke Robinson has an upcoming visit scheduled with the Atlanta Falcons on April 16, and has already visited with the Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams. Sirius NFL Radio
Gary Myers of the NY Daily news reports Jet's head coach Rex Ryan didn't want Brett Favre, despite saying just the opposite last week....Ryan was hired on Jan. 19...Favre retired on Feb. 11...Not once did Ryan reach out to Favre and try to persuade him to play, claiming he didn't feel it was appropriate. If Ryan wanted Favre, he would have called him or shown up on his doorstep in Hattiesburg. NY Daily News
Draft Day Shuffling...Several NFL teams may be actively shopping their picks for the 2009 Draft. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told Sirius NFL Radio hosts Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan last week that the Patriots could move some of their picks since they own 6 of the top 97 (which includes 4 of the top 58) to land another first round pick for the 2010 Draft. NFL teams that could be candidates to move down in the first round include the Kansas City Chiefs since the Chiefs have only 1 pick in the top 66, the Washington Redskins, since the Redskins own only 2 of the top 149 picks in the draft and have no second or fourth round pick, the San Diego Chargers since they own just 1 pick in the top 77, and have no pick in the second round, and the Detroit Lions because they are on record saying that they are open to moving down from pick 20 in the first round. Teams that may be moving up include the Philadelphia Eagles who own two first round picks and 3 of the top 85, and might be targeting one of the top offensive tackles in the draft, the New York Jets who own 3 of the top 76 and may need to move up to land one of the top 3 quarterbacks in the draft, and the New York Giants who own 3 of the top 60, and could move up for one of the top wide receivers or offensive tackles in the draft. -Al Fronczak
Dolphins workout Davis...Illinois CB Vontae Davis met with most of the Dolphins coaching staff Friday, including defensive backs coach Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, receivers coach Karl Dorrell, as well as coach Tony Sparano, GM Jeff Ireland and vice president of football operations Bill Parcells, after his private workout for the team. Sun Sentinel
The Kansas City Chiefs hope Detroit makes Georgia QB Matt Stafford its No. 1 pick...and leave them with the pick of defensive players when their turn rolls around at No. 3 of the April 25-26 draft. KansasCity.com
Dolphins workout Nicks...Prior to the University of North Carolina spring game, Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano conducted a private workout with wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and some of his former Tar Heels teammates (wide receiver Brooks Foster, tight end Richard Quinn and safety Trimane Goddard), according to a person familiar with the workout...Parcells and Sparano spent the most time with Nicks, considered one of the top wide receivers in next month’s draft and a candidate for the No. 25 pick held by the Dolphins. Palm Beach Post
McDaniel inquired about Quinn...Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain dealer reports Denver coach Josh McDaniels had an interest in trading for Browns' QB Brady Quinn...Yes, he may have been trying to steal Shaun Rogers in a package that included Quinn with Jay Cutler and a third team involved...But the point was McDaniels asked for Quinn, not Derek Anderson...The fact is when McDaniels was hired by Denver, he had an uneasy feeling about Cutler.. First, he tried to trade for Matt Cassel, then, he checked out Quinn. Cleveland Plain Dealer
Curry's stock slipping?...Lance Zierlein of the Houston Chronicle reports there are beginning to be whispers that Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry won't go as high as most draft pundits have him...The concern in some quarters is that Curry isn't a strong pass rusher as a 3-4 OLB and that the Chiefs and Browns could look in a different direction with the 3rd and 5th picks respectively. Houston Chronicle
Bengals leaning toward Andre Smith?...Lance Zierlein of the Houston Chronicle reports the Cincinnati Bengals are leaning towards taking a tackle with their first round pick, and that their guy could be Alabama tackle Andre Smith who could play RT or guard for the Bengals. Houston Chronicle
The Jets could be moving training camp...Despite moving into their $75 million training facility in Florham Park, N.J., less than a year ago, the Jets are scouting other areas, possibly in upstate New York, to hold at least part of their training camp..."Coach Ryan is looking to find a more isolated environment for training camp to promote team-building and we are researching potential locations," team spokesman Bruce Speight said in a statement. According to media reports, Ryan sent members of his staff to scout out locations at Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y., and SUNY Cortland in Cortland, N.Y., last week...Both are located about four hours from New York City. SI.com
Arizona OT Eben Britton, Wake Forest CB Alphonso Smith and Rutgers WR Kenny Britt are among the elite prospects scheduled to visit the Minnesota Vikings before the draft, according to various reports...Add them to Maryland prospect Darrius Heyward-Bey, and there will be a lot of talent at Winter Park April 8-9. Twincities.com
Zach Thomas: Same Dallas officer mistreated my wife... On July 27, 2008, while her husband was at training camp with the Cowboys, Maritza Thomas, wife of Zach Thomas, was pulled over by officer Robert Powell for an illegal U-turn near NorthPark Center...Maritza Thomas was issued five tickets by Powell, four of which were later dismissed. Thomas was handcuffed, placed in the back of a police cruiser, spent about three hours in the Dallas County Jail and was threatened with the possibility of spending the night behind bars...In total, Maritza Thomas, who is Hispanic, was detained roughly five hours. Dallas Morning News
03/28...Team Visits...Oklahoma WR Juaquin Iglesias has a visit scheduled with the Minnesota Vikings on April 8. Ohio State HB Chris "Beanie" Wells has visits scheduled with the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, and San Diego Chargers...Texas WR Quan Cosby has a visit scheduled with the Denver Broncos on April 1...Iowa CB Bradley Fletcher has visits scheduled with the Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys...The New England Patriots have visits scheduled with safeties Patrick Chung (Oregon), William Moore (Missouri) and Louis Delmas (Western Michigan)... Maryland OLB Moise Fokou has a visit scheduled with the Washington Redskins...Western Michigan CB E.J. Biggers has visits scheduled with the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and San Diego Chargers.
Phillip Daniels, told The Washington Times on Friday that he's going to re-sign with the Redskins...The 36-year-old defensive end, whose contract was voided in a cost-cutting move in late February, told The Washington Times on Friday that he's going to re-sign within a week. Washington Times
New uniforms for 49'ers...The San Francisco 49'ers New uniforms will be unveiled at the 49ers draft party on April 25 at the Santa Clara Convention Center...The new threads -- believed to be similar to the "throwbacks" the team has worn in recent seasons, will be displayed before the draft begins. Sacbee
Owens acuses Cowboys owner of reneging on contract...Buffalo Bills' Wide receiver Terrell Owens believes Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reneged on a personal commitment to keep him on contract, and suggested that the owner's son, Stephen Jones, the executive vice-president of the NFL team, was behind his release this month..."You hear all the speculation, and you talk to the owner of the team, and he reassures you, you're not going anywhere and then, out of left-field … you get blindsided," Owens, 35, said in an interview with Rogers Sportsnet, to be broadcast tomorrow evening. TheGlobeandmail.com
An agency investigating a deadly boating accident involving two NFL players and their friends in the Gulf of Mexico has concluded it was caused when the vessel was improperly anchored and the boat capsized after one of them tried to throttle forward to pry loose the anchor. Boston.com
San Francisco 49'ers head coach Mike Singletary, had a surprise for his team as offseason workouts began...Singletary built a 50-foot hill at the team's practice facility, trying to replicate the one he trained on as a player in Houston with former NFL greats Earl Campbell, Charlie Joyner and Darrell Green...His players' reaction?..."They were asking our strength coach, "What is that?'" Singletary said. "They're not excited about it. But they have no idea how much it will help them. They won't like it. But it'll be good for them." Detroit News
Raiders could be leaning toward tackle in first round...Pro Football Weekly is reporting Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable told reporters at the league's annual meeting that offensive tackle is his team's top need heading into the draft....He added, however, that it does not necessarily mean Oakland will spend its top pick, seventh overall, on a tackle. Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Talk is reporting rumors are circulating that two potential first-round draft prospects tested positive for abuse and/or banned substances at last month’s Scouting Combine. PFT
03/27..Running back Larry Johnson's future in Kansas City could be determined by the outcome of his grievance hearing with the Chiefs on Wednesday...One source familiar with the situation said that should the Chiefs win the grievance, they would probably release Johnson, suggesting the team wouldn't be going through the trouble if they didn't intend to free him from his contract. KansasCity.com
Northern Illinois Pro Day...Fifteen NFL representatives (Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Bills, Panthers Broncos, Bears, Lions, Packers, Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers and 49ers) were in attendance, including Panthers GM Marty Hurney and director of college scouting Don Gregory and Trent Baalke, the director of player personnel for the 49ers...DE Larry English was timed between 4.62 and 4.75 in the forty, and revealed that he scored a 34 on the Wonderlic test at the Combine...The pro day was held indoors on a fast, rubber surface...The Giants are scheduled for an on-campus workout with English next week. NFL.com DailyChronicle
Quick Hits...The New Orleans Saints have signed former Falcons DT Rod Coleman...Free agent HB/RS Maurice Hicks has a visit scheduled with the Buffalo Bills on Monday.
Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson pleaded guilty this afternoon to two counts of disturbing the peace in connection with separate incidents involving women at Kansas City night clubs last year. KansasCity.com
The San Francisco 49'ers have agreed to terms with Steelers OT Marvel Smith on a two-year contract, and have released OT Jonas Jennings. Press Democrat
Kansas State QB Josh Freeman has visits scheduled with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday March 30, and the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday April 2...Freeman also has visits scheduled with the Chiefs, Panthers, Lions, Jaguars and Bucs. -Al Fronczak
Phillips lost Dallas Lockeroom...Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News reports several Cowboys' players were disappointed that Head coach Wade Phillips declined to address the players after the debacle in Philadelphia...He also lost the respect of some players when he let former defensive coordinator Brian Stewart, the only coach he brought with him from San Diego, take the brunt of the criticism for a string of poor defensive performances and stripped him of his play-calling duties after six games...Later, Phillips took credit for the team's defensive resurgence before its December meltdown. Dallas Morning News
Trade in place for Cutler?...A source informed FOX 31 in Denver that the Broncos were "definitely trying to get a trade in place and there is no doubt about that" during talks involving Matt Cassel and Jay Cutler last month...Even though McDaniels characterized the Cutler trade talks as just “conversations,” in a recent interview with the NFL Network, and said that, “there wasn’t anything that we were trying to push hard to get through,” my source begged to differ in unbridled amusement..."Denver was definitely negotiating. They were trying to get a trade in place and there is no doubt about that,"...“From Minnesota to Detroit to Tampa, although they got in the game late, Denver was trying to get something in place.”..As for why McDaniels was so hard pressed to deal Cutler, my source said there were consistent themes in the coach’s concerns about Cutler and two things that kept coming up were concerns about Cutler's alcohol consumption (given his diabetes) and "that's he not that football sharp." KDVR Fox31
The Minnesota Vikings have decided to match the $1.4 million offer sheet fullback Naufahu Tahi received from the Cincinnati Bengals, keeping Tahi in Minnesota. TwinCities.com
The Cincinnati Bengals are in the market for a starting center after losing Eric Ghiaciuc to free agency and will likely address the need via the draft. Dayton Daily News
Dorsey, Waters could be Trade Bait...The Kansas City Chiefs could use Defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Guard Brian Waters as trade bait in the weeks leading up to the draft, or on draft day itself. Dorsey, the Chiefs first-round pick in 2008, isn't an ideal fit for the Cheifs new 3-4 scheme, and Waters is seeking a trade out of Kansas City. The Chiefs have just one pick within the top 66 picks in the draft, which isn't enough for Scott Pioli and his rebuilding plans for the team. The Chiefs will know by draft day if Dorsey is in their plans, since the Chiefs have a voluntary minicamp scheduled for April 17-19, which is just days before the Draft. -Al Fronczak
Titans still interested in Holt...Free agent WR Torry Holt visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, but the Tennessee Titans still remain interested in the former Rams receiver. Nashville City Paper
Stock is falling...The following draft prospects stock has taken a hit since the end of the College Football season...QB Nate Davis (Ball State), QB Chase Daniel (Missouri), HB LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh), HB P.J. Hill (Wisconsin), WR Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina), and SS William Moore (Missouri). -Al Fronczak
Connecticut CB Darius Butler Butler has private workouts scheduled on campus with the Browns, Broncos, Falcons, Rams and Dolphins...Butler will also be traveling for visits scheduled with the Jets, Bills, Rams Titans, Vikings, and Saints. -Al Fronczak
Seahawks workout Curry...The Seattle Seahawks put linebacker Aaron Curry through a private workout Thursday at Wake Forest's athletic facility, according to Curry's agent Andy Ross...Seattle linebackers coach Zerick Rollins conducted the series of drills in about a half-hour workout, according to Ross...The Seahawks also plan on hosting Curry for a visit at the team’s Renton facility in early April, Ross said. Curry already has taken a visit to Detroit, and plans to visit Kansas City and Cleveland, Ross said. TheNewsTribune
Our NFL Draft Expert Al Fronczak updated his mock draft, and it's now up and posted on our 2009 Draft Page.
Michigan State QB Brian Hoyer, Michigan TE Mike Massey and Ohio State OT Alex Boone are among a handful of local players who will work out for the Cleveland Browns on April 14 in Berea, Ohio. Cleveland.com
University of Cincinnati DE Connor Barwin is scheduled to visit with the New England Patriots Monday, according to his agent, Scott Smith...The Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs have privately worked out Barwin and also have him scheduled for a predraft visit...Smith said six teams plan to host Barwin. Boston.com
A police officer was placed on administrative leave Thursday over a traffic stop involving an NFL player whom he kept in a hospital parking lot and threatened to arrest while his mother-in-law died inside the building.
Officer Robert Powell also drew his gun during the March 18 incident involving Texans running back Ryan Moats in the Dallas suburb of Plano, police said. Detroit News
The Chicago Bears will bring in Murray State Linebacker Nathan Williams for a pre-draft visit next week.
Williams averaged 14.9 tackles per game last season. Sun Times
Three Schools (Memphis, Utah State, Norfolk State) will be holding their pro day workouts today.
Vikings' Tahi deadline today...The Minnesota Vikings will have to inform FB Naufahu Tahi today whether they plan to match the one-year, $1.4 million offer sheet Cincinnati signed him to last Friday. Star Tribune
Matt Maiocco of the Press Democrat reports that talks are heating up between the 49ers and Steelers UFA OT Marvel Smith, as both sides are getting excited about the possibilities of an agreement. PressDemocrat
Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas has private workouts scheduled with the Eagles, Dolphins and Browns, and is scheduled to visit with the Jets, Falcons, Ravens, Patriots, Saints, Broncos, Dolphins, Cowboys, and Browns.
Rich Cimini of the NY Daily News reports the Jets really like UConn HB Donald Brown, who reportedly is scheduled to visit with the Jets. They'd be thrilled if he's still around in the middle of the second round. NYDaily
03/26...Quick Hits......The Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms with Bills C Duke Preston...The New Orleans Saints have released S Kevin Kaesviharn...Quarterback JaMarcus Russell has officially reported to the Raiders offseason workouts.
Patriots Top Choice for Taylor...Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports reports two sources close to DE Jason Taylor indicated last weekend that the Patriots are his top choice...Taylor has spent most of the month with his family in South Florida since being cut by Washington and is in no drastic hurry to sign with a team. Yahoo
Mississippi Pro Day...Sixty-five personnel people from 32 NFL teams, including 15 defensive line coaches and Green Bay director of player personnel John Dorsey and Rick Repish, the Saints’ director of college scouting...OT Michael Oher 6-5, 306 pounds ran 5.24 and 5.16 forty times. recorded a 31-inch vertical jump and did 23 bench press lifts at 225 pounds...DT Peria Jerry 6-1.7, 290 pounds posted only one 40-yard dash time of 4.98, recorded a 31-inch vertical jump, a 9-foot, 6-inch broad jump, 4.64 short shuttle, 7.30 three-cone drill and 28 bench press reps. NFL.com
Charles Rogers prepping for comeback...Former Detroit Lions WR Charles Rogers the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft is thinking about making a comeback after getting out of jail..."I'm just going to do my 10 days, get out of the court system and try to get in shape for a comeback," Rogers said Wednesday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac..."Who knows? Maybe we'll be talking in a year about me playing football again...It's not like I'm 35...I'm only 27 with fresh legs and a lot of life and football ahead of me." MLive
South Carolina Pro Day...Fifteen NFL scouts and assistant coaches including representatives from the Jets, Browns, Bengals, Falcons, Chargers, Giants, Eagles and Bears were present at the Pro Day on Wednesday to view the Gamecocks top prospects ILB Jasper Brinkley, WR Kenny McKinley, TE Jared Cook, OT Jamon Meredith, S Emanuel Cook, and CB Captain Munnerlyn. -Al Fronczak
Quick Hits...The New Orleans Saints have agreed to terms with former Jaguars S Pierson Prioleau... Tampa Bay QB Brian Griese has yet to report for the Bucs' offseason conditioning program.
Pat White on Cowboys radar?...The Dallas Cowboys have drafted only one quarterback since 1991, but Jerry Jones said that could change this year...It might not be a traditional quarterback, though. With the Wildcat offense becoming more popular in the NFL, the Cowboys could dip their toe into that pool in 2009..."We may want to do some things in our offense this year with a third quarterback," Jones said. "That's something other than be there as a backup to the second quarterback and be there in case you lose all the quarterbacks, We could hopefully find a QB with a set of skills that we could put some packages in for." DallasNews
Maybin and Wells numbers tainted?...Ross Tucker of SI.com reports Pro-day performances can be so different than the numbers generated at the combine that it begs an explanation...Take Penn State for example, where WR Derrick Williams improved his time from a 4.65 at the combine to somewhere around the mid-4.4 range...and DE Aaron Maybin improved his time from a 4.78 in Indy to somewhere between 4.59 and 4.64...And it is not just Penn State...Ohio State HB Chris "Beanie" Wells cut his time from a 4.53 to a 4.38 in less than a month...How is that possible?.. Former long-time Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt, a noted pro day and combine guru, says scouts take into consideration the surface and how it has typically fared over the years. "The guys at Ohio State run on a fast track and Penn State is slightly downhill," Brandt said. "The scouts want to take a golf ball to the turf at Penn State and see if it rolls that direction to prove it to coach Joe Paterno." Clearly there is a good possibility the extra weeks of prep time and training between the combine and pro day can help, but that much?..It is hard to fathom that much improvement in such a short time for Maybin and Wells. SI.com
Terrell Owens smiles his way out of DUI?...Dirty.com reports after partying all night on Saturday at MYNT Nightclub with other NFL players and some local hoochies, T.O. leaves the club at 3:45 a.m...Noticeably impaired by his inability to walk without wavering, Terrell stops to hit on some girls then hops on his yellow Spyder CanAm...Terrell Owens drives only 4 blocks before the cops start chasing him and pull him over... According to source that witnessed the evening’s events, though the cops gave him a field sobriety test there is no way that T.O. should have passed the test...It seems like the Miami Beach PoliceDepartment traded a DUI for his autograph and let him go!..The witness assures us that they did not give T.O. a breathalyzer test when he clearly needed one. Dirty.com
Jim Schwartz: Lions might not go 'safe' at No. 1...Detroit Lions' Head coach Jim Schwartz made it clear that he's not necessarily thinking of playing it safe with that first overall pick..."I might go for it on fourth-and-one every once in awhile. I don't know if safe is part of the criteria for the No. 1 pick," Schwartz said. "You want to feel comfortable with the guy and things like that, but I don't think that when you look at that, you say 'Hey, look, this is safe.' Safe choice, a little bit, sounds like compromise."...But coach Jim Schwartz will freely admit one thing: Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry and Baylor left tackle Jason Smith are "safe picks." MLive
Six schools ( Louisville, Rice, Central Florida, East Carolina, Central Arkansas, UMass ) will be holding their pro day workouts today.
Kansas City Chiefs' General manager Scott Pioli said Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez did not request a trade during recent conversations...“He has not indicated to me that he wants to be traded,” Pioli said. “I don’t want to get into any other specifics of the conversations because those are conversations that will stay between players and coach Todd Haley and players and myself. They were good conversations, positive conversations, healthy conversations.” KansasCity.com
Maryland wide receiver Darius Heyward-Bey has already held private workouts with the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens, and has visits scheduled with the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, and St. Louis Rams. BaltimoreSun
Weaver wanted to stay in Seattle...Leonard Weaver continues making it clear he would have preferred to stay in Seattle, but the former Seahawks fullback says he didn't get much of a vibe from the team that he was still wanted before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency last Friday. Seattlepi.com
Holt to visit Jaguars today...League sources told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday evening that WR Torry Holt will be paying a free-agent visit to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday. STLtoday
Bears to meet with Robiskie...You can add another wideout to the growing list of players the Chicago Bears are going to get together with prior to the draft...Ohio State WR Brian Robiskie is expected to meet 1-on-1 with the club. Whether it's a private workout in Ohio or a visit to Halas Hall is not known at this point. SunTimes
Bears inquire about Cutler...Count the Chicago Bears among the 10 teams that have contacted the Denver Broncos about quarterback Jay Cutler... Yahoo Sports reported Wednesday that the Bears have reached out to the Broncos about Cutler, who has requested a trade. The extent of that discussion is unknown, but it's evident that general manager Jerry Angelo, is doing his due diligence. SunTimes
Nearly three years after punting NFL Europe into oblivion, Roger Goodell wants to bring back a developmental league...The commissioner raised the subject Wednesday while discussing his desire to see the exhibition season shortened to expand the regular season to 17 or 18 games...One issue is how teams would make up for losing the snaps they give younger players in August games in order to develop. Yahoo
