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Pro Football Rumors On Facebook/Twitter

May 20th, 2014 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

Not many notable free agents are still on the board, and 2014 NFL draft is behind us, but there will be plenty of roster turnover over the next few weeks and months, and it’s a prime time for key players to receive contract extensions. Throw in Jimmy Graham‘s June franchise tag hearing, and there will be a number of notable stories to track on Pro Football Rumors throughout the summer. You don’t necessarily have to keep refreshing our site to keep tabs on them — there are a handful of different ways you can follow us to get the latest updates on NFL news and rumors all year.

You can like us on Facebook, and receive headlines and links for all our posts via your Facebook account. You can also follow us on Twitter to have all our posts and updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. Meanwhile, our Google+ page is located here, and if you’d like to follow us using your RSS reader of choice, you can find our RSS feed right here.

If you prefer to receive updates only on roster moves such as signings, cuts, and trades, you can follow our transactions-only feeds via RSS and Twitter.

AFC Notes: Johnson, Mosley, Vick

May 13th, 2014 at 6:25pm CST by Zachary Links

It would be too late to help Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, but when and if the NFL’s new drug policy is finalized and announced, it will include changes specific to marijuana and other drugs of abuse, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. A source says that the renegotiation of the drug policy, which has been going on since 2011 and includes testing for HGH, also will significantly increase the threshold for a positive marijuana test and reduce the punishments for violations involving that drug. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes that a new team taking on Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson in a deal would be taking on an awful lot in financial commitments. Johnson’s cap figure is $15.6MM after hitting a $3.5MM escalator. Earlier today we learned that Johnson is frustrated with the Texans as he openly wondered if Houston is the place for him.
  • Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com wonders if Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley could be the best defensive rookie to come out of this draft. Most assume No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney will come away with the award, but none of the defensive rookies taken with the first pick since the DROY was created have won it. That’s 45 years of history going in Mosley’s favor.
  • Willie Colon doesn’t think the Jets’ impending quarterback derby will pull the team apart, tweets Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. “No, competition is good. I think it’ll be healthy for us,” Colon said.

NFC Draft Links: Cards, Rams, Eagles

May 4th, 2014 at 7:06pm CST by Ben Levine

There hasn’t been a single first-round pick from the 2011 draft who has signed an extension and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com investigates the matter. While a solid portion have had their fifth-year options picked up, Florio says it’s “curious” that even a handful of the players have yet to ink a longterm deal. According to the writer, a league insider suggests that the lack of extensions is an indication of collusion among the teams.

The list of players includes Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson and Falcons receiver Julio Jones. These players could holdout (and pay a hefty fine of $30K a day), with Florio adding that Peterson hasn’t ruled out that option.

Let’s take a look at some draft notes from around the NFC…

  • Cardinals general manager Steve Keim makes it sound like he’s in favor of trading back, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “You are going to get third-round players in the fourth and fifth round,” Keim said, “guys who can come in and be immediate impact players for you.”
  • 2014 will be a crossroads year for the Rams, says Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead are in their third year on the job, and the writer opines that if a general manager/coach duo can’t succeed by year three then “you have to wonder if they’ll be able to get it done at all.”
  • The Eagles are committed to drafting the best available player in each round, but in each instance that could potentially be a wideout, writes Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a result, Berman says that it’s essential for the team to identify receivers they like and where in the draft they’ll be selected.
  • Eagles general manager Howie Roseman isn’t impressed by the safeties in the upcoming draft and hinted that the position may not be a priority, writes Les Bowen The Philadelphia Daily News.

NFC North Notes: Pryor, Rodgers, Lions

April 30th, 2014 at 9:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bears have a tremendous need at safety, and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune looks at some of the top prospects at the position. According to Campbell, the Bears’ top choice would be Calvin Pryor of Louisville, but he also lists a number of “intriguing options”, some that could be available after the first round of the draft. Here are some other notes from around the NFC North..

  • Surrounding Aaron Rodgers with as many playmakers as possible will always be a goal for the Packers‘ front office, and Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel looks at a few lesser-known prospects that could be added to the mix in later rounds. As part of his draft series, McGinn offers a historical comparison and the words of an unnamed NFL personnel man to round out his preview.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press looks at possible quarterback targets for the Lions. Of course, with Matthew Stafford under center and Dan Orlovsky on a one-year deal to back him up, Detroit doesn’t have a huge QB need, but the club could draft someone in the later rounds to give Kellen Moore a run for his money.
  • ESPN’s Todd McShay says the Vikings should take UCF star Blake Bortles, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. McShay views Bortles as the best quarterback in the draft and feels that Minnesota should pull the trigger if he falls to No. 8.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Pouncey, Vikings, Jags, Panthers

April 29th, 2014 at 9:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel wonders if a contract extension for Mike Pouncey would make sense for the Dolphins. Miami used its fifth-year option on the Pro Bowl center this afternoon, meaning that he’s in line to earn $7.438MM in 2015. While the Dolphins’ offensive line has undergone a significant overhaul this offseason, including the addition of tackle Branden Albert, Pouncey represents one of the few holdovers. Tonight’s look around the league..

  • What should the Vikings do with the No. 8 pick in the draft? There’s a lot of talk of the team targeting a quarterback like UCF’s Blake Bortles, but longtime NFL signal caller Rich Gannon says they should focus elsewhere, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at the Jaguars‘ work in free agency. Jacksonville’s biggest signing was guard Zane Beadles, a move that is somewhat questionable since his success could be a product of playing with Peyton Manning. Overall, Fitzgerald gives the Jags a B grade for a free agent class that could provide some strong upside at reasonable costs.
  • Panthers GM Dave Gettleman, like many execs around this time of year, is keeping his cards close to his vest, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) feels the 49ers will stay at No. 30 or trade up, but doesn’t see them trading down.
  • The Jaguars are likely to seek linebacker help late in the draft, writes Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union.

Latest On Potential Bills Sale

April 19th, 2014 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The estate of late Bills owner Ralph Wilson has yet to appoint an investment banking firm to put an updated value on the franchise and oversee negotiations for the sale of the club, meaning the formal bidding process has yet to get underway. However, that doesn’t mean that potential bidders aren’t lining up to make a run at the Bills.

As John Wawrow of The Associated Press writes, the Bills were valued at $870MM by Forbes last year, but the sale price figures to be even higher, given the number of interested parties. Erie County deputy executive Richard Tobe said he has been approached by about 10 prospective ownership groups, which he has told to contact the team. Here’s a few updates from Wawrow on investors interested in making a bid on the Bills:

  • We’ve heard about Donald Trump‘s interest in buying the Bills, and Michael Cohen, Trump’s executive vice president, reiterated that the billionaire is serious about getting involved: “There’s nobody more serious than Donald Trump. Donald Trump has made it crystal clear that the Bills will remain in Buffalo.”
  • Bills legend and former quarterback Jim Kelly is expected to pursue an ownership role with the team as well, according to his brother – and the vice president of Jim Kelly Inc. – Dan Kelly. Despite undergoing treatment for a recurrence of sinus cancer, the former Bills signal-caller “will be an active participant in it moving forward,” says his brother.
  • Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs is another potential bidder for the Bills, according to Wawrow. Jacobs has yet to publicly announce his intentions, but a source tells Wawrow that the Jacobs family “is definitely a player.” The NFL doesn’t allow owners to control major sports franchise in separate markets, so Jacobs Sr. would have to sell the Bruins to own a stake in the Bills, which he has said he doesn’t intend to do. However, that doesn’t preclude his sons, Jeremy Jr., Lou and Charlie, from getting involved with the Bills.
  • As previously reported, rock star Jon Bon Jovi, who has a strong connection to Larry Tanenbaum of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (the owner of the NHL’s Maple Leafs and NBA’s Raptors), has interest in owning an NFL team and may make a play for the Bills.

Pro Football Rumors On Facebook/Twitter

April 19th, 2014 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Not many notable free agents are still on the board, but the 2014 NFL draft is less than three weeks away, and there’s still no consensus on who will be picked in the top 10, the top five, or even at No. 1. There will be plenty of notable stories to track on Pro Football Rumors throughout the spring, and you don’t necessarily have to keep refreshing our site to keep tabs on them. There are a handful of different ways you can follow us to get the latest updates on NFL news and rumors all year.

You can like us on Facebook, and receive headlines and links for all our posts via your Facebook account. You can also follow us on Twitter to have all our posts and updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. Meanwhile, our Google+ page is located here, and if you’d like to follow us using your RSS reader of choice, you can find our RSS feed right here.

If you prefer to receive updates only on roster moves such as signings, cuts, and trades, you can follow our transactions-only feeds via RSS and Twitter.

NFC Mailbags: Saints, Giants, Eagles, Cards

April 13th, 2014 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s have a look at some of the highlights from the mailbags of NFC writers:

  • Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that the Saints are likely to draft a receiver in the first three rounds, given the combination of the team’s need for a dynamic young receiver and the depth of quality options available. However, if the Saints really like LSU WR Odell Beckham, Jr., whom they just saw at the LSU pro day last week, they will probably need to trade up from their No. 27 overall selection.
  • In the wake of Eli Manning‘s ankle surgery Thursday, Giants fans are wondering if the team’s reaching out to veteran free agents like Josh Freeman and Matt Flynn is cause to worry about Manning’s health. ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano says there is no reason to worry at this point, and that there is a real possibility that all the team is doing is seeing whether players like Freeman and Flynn represent an upgrade at backup quarterback over Curtis Painter.
  • Bill Williamson of ESPN.com believes TCU CB Jason Verrett is a perfect fit for the 49ers with the No. 30 overall pick
  • Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com sees a great deal of talent among defensive linemen projected to go in the top half of the first round of the draft, but the Bears have also brought in top safety prospects Deone Bucannon and Calvin Pryor for visits. Wright believes the decision between a defensive back and a defensive lineman will ultimately come down to what player still available the Bears have ranked highest on their board at the time of the pick.
  • Speaking of safeties, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believes the Eagles will definitely consider Bucannon or Northern Illinois product Jimmie Ward, they just won’t consider them in the first round.
  • ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss believes the Cardinals would do well to draft LSU QB Zach Mettenberger and groom him behind incumbent starter Carson Palmer.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Bears, Panthers

April 12th, 2014 at 8:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Jon Bon Jovi is reportedly interested in buying the Bills, but we shouldn’t expect fellow 80’s icon Mike Ditka to follow suit and go after a team of his own. “I’ve had an interest, but I’m not in a position where I can do something like that. Jon Bon Jovi is,” the former Bears coach told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m satisfied having been a player and a coach. I don’t have to be an owner or an executive. That doesn’t do anything for me.” Tonight’s look at the NFC..

  • With Toby Gerhart out of the picture in Minnesota, the Vikings would be wise to draft a running back, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune. The Vikings are in obvious need of support at tailback behind Adrian Peterson, who is 29 and comes into 2014 with a very serious injury history. Since being drafted seventh overall in 2007, Gerhart has been the only tailback drafted by the Vikings. It seems likely that they’ll break that streak this year.
  • It’ll be tough for the Bears to fill Devin Hester‘s shoes, but they’re hoping to hit on a modest investment in former CFL receiver Chris Williams, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Williams, who could be a factor in the return game, wants to show the world that he’s ready for the NFL grind after his pit stop north of the border. “Everyone’s situation is different and everyone ends up where they are for a reason. It doesn’t necessarily mean you were not good enough. I made the best of what I could and now that I am getting this opportunity, I want to show I can be helpful and successful on any team,” Williams said.
  • There’s some panic surrounding the Panthers after their wide receiver fire sale, but tight end Greg Olsen is acting as the voice of reason, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I know everyone at one point was kind of panicking. Would it have been nice to have those (receivers) back? Of course,” Olsen said. “But I think we’ve signed a lot of guys that can fill a lot of those roles. We’re putting it together. It’s hard to judge a team in March. When the season gets closer, that will be a better example of what our team is.”

Following Specific Players On PFR

April 11th, 2014 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve outlined before, there are a number of different ways to follow Pro Football Rumors via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and RSS. If you don’t want to follow all the site’s updates, you can subscribe to team-specific or transaction-only Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds. Although we don’t have Facebook pages or Twitter feeds for specific players, it’s easy to follow all our updates on your favorite player.

If, for instance, you want to keep track of all the latest news and rumors on Chris Johnson as he navigates free agency, you can visit this page. If you’re interested in keeping tabs on the latest rumors involving Alex Mack‘s offer sheet, you can find Mack’s page right here. In addition to players, we also maintain archives for certain specific topics. For example, all our posts relating to the 2014 NFL draft can be found here.

Every player we’ve written about has his own rumors page, and each of those players also has his own RSS feed, making it even easier to follow the latest updates. Links to RSS feeds for specific players are all located on this page. You can also find links to RSS feeds for various miscellaneous categories there. For instance, if you only want to receive one update every Sunday recapping the week’s notable headlines, you can subscribe to our Week in Review RSS feed, right here.

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