Multiple reports, including one earlier this week from the San Diego Union-Tribune, have suggested that Philip Rivers and the Chargers have established a deadline for their contract extension negotiations, with the quarterback set to play out the final year of his contract if no deal is reached by next Thursday. However, Rivers downplayed the notion that there’s a hard deadline to get something done, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes.
“My mentality has been the same since March, which is I’m playing this season right here,” Rivers said. “Like I said a few weeks ago, if something happens, it does. But I don’t think you should hold your breath for an update any time soon.”
As we wait to see whether Rivers and the Chargers can work something out this month, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the league…
- Having been released yesterday by the 49ers, cornerback Chris Cook already has his first meeting lined up. According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter), Cook will visit John Harbaugh and the Ravens after playing for Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco last year.
- Financial details of DeAndre Levy‘s extension with the Lions still aren’t available, but Levy acknowledged that the deal will make him the highest-paid 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. That means Levy’s deal will be worth more than the $6.75MM per year K.J. Wright is earning.
- Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo is undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee today, and is expected to be sidelined for about a month, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. If all goes well, Mingo figures to remain on the active roster and should be able to return for the team’s Week 1 game.
- It’s time for Ray Rice to be given a chance to return to the NFL, Christine Brennan of USA Today opines. Brennan feels that the former Ravens tailback has been more contrite in his apology and more aware of the ramifications what he did than the likes of Greg Hardy or Adrian Peterson. Several teams have question marks in their backfield at this time, so it’s not hard to imagine someone at least considering Rice, though the general consensus is that the veteran has lost a step.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
I’m a little surprised the Ravens, who saw what a thin secondary can do to a team last year, didn’t sign Tarell Brown. But they were interested in Cook when he was first drafted, and he’d add quality depth to a cornerback corps that can use it.