NFL - NEWS & NOTES

This may be old news, but...

DeMarco Murray announces retirement after 7 seasons...

DeMarco Murray is ending his NFL run.

The 2014 Offensive Player of the Year announced Friday on ESPN he's retiring at the age of 30.

"I'm very blessed to have had the coaching staff and the players and teammates that I've been fortunate to play with the last seven years of my career," Murray said. "It's been a long time thinking the last year or two physically, mentally, emotionally. I think it's time for me to hang it out there. As hard as it is, like I said the fans have been great. I had a lot of great games and a lot of great teammates. It's bittersweet, but I think for me it's the right timing for myself and my family moving forward."

A third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2011 out of Oklahoma, Murray walks away having compiled 7,174 rushing yards on 1,604 carries with 49 running TDs. He made three Pro Bowls in his seven seasons.

No player has had more rushing touchdowns than Murray in the last four NFL seasons, and only one player had more rushing yards (LeSean McCoy), per NFL Research. Murray was the only player with 4,000-plus rushing yards and 30-plus rushing touchdowns since 2014.

Murray will be most remembered for his OPY season in 2014 during which he galloped for a league-high 1,845 yards (almost 500 more than the next closest back). The Cowboys rode Murray hard that season to the tune of a whopping 392 carries and a career-high 57 receptions. The 392 totes in a single season is tied for seventh-most all-time, per Pro Football Reference. (NFL.com)
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Its odd to me he doesn't stick around, but he probably has other plans to go with a boat load of money. Just 4 years ago he tore the NFL up...

 

After an injury or two in training camps, his agent will get a call. Premature retirement news.

 

Would you take Randy Moss and ignore his antics or Ocho Cinco ?

The fact he came back on a broken leg when Doctors advised him not too and caught the second most passes in a SB and would've been MVP in not for his opponent's WR catching the most receptions in a SB, makes me ignore a lot of his antics. i blame Reid and McNabb for that SB loss. Up 7-0 the int in the end-zone on the 1 yrd line was disastrous not to get 3 or 7 there. Brady and company drove down the field to make it 7-7 vs 10-0 or 14-0. Huge turn of events. TO did all he could to win the game for the Eagles. Sadly, his QB, didn't do the same. The aftermath and sit-ups in his driveway was his part of the show that McNabb didn't like being made fun of and went to Reid to put a stop to TO. They could've been a great 1-2 punch and instead were just bad for each other.

TO's is a huge ass. we all know that, but when it came time to play football, he was out to win and came up big many times. I would take him if i need to win the game along with Rice, Moss, Harrison etc.

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don't laugh - he was timed at like a 4.3 or 4.4 40 yrd dash less than a month ago !

 

Le'Veon Bell agent: RB likely in final year with Steelers...

Monday's deadline for signing franchise-tagged players to an extension passed without any movement, signaling select individuals like Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell will play under the designation in 2018.

Bell, however, might not see another season in a Steelers uniform beyond the upcoming regular season, according to the running back's agent Adisa Bakari.

"His intention was to retire as a Steeler," Bakari said in a statement obtained by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. "But now that there's no deal, the practical reality is, this now likely will be Le'Veon's last season as a Steeler."

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert echoed Bell on the two sides working together to find a solution before Monday's deadline.

"Even though we could not reach a long-term contract agreement with Le'Veon Bell, we are excited he will be with the team in 2018," Colbert said in a statement, via the Steelers' official website. "We worked very hard to find common ground, but we were unable to accomplish that prior to today's deadline. Le'Veon will play this season under the Exclusive Franchise Tag designation.

"After the 2018 season is completed, we again will attempt to work out a long-term contract with Le'Veon in the hope that he will continue his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers."

According to Rapoport, the Steelers' final offer to Bell paid $70 million over the next five seasons ($30 million over the next two), an increase over the five-year, $60 million offer to Bell last offseason.

Regarded as one of the NFL's elite offensive weapons, Bell has topped 1,000 yards rushing in two straight seasons, a span where he also totaled 160 catches.

Bell, who ranked fifth in the NFL Network's Top 100 NFL Players of 2018, has enjoyed a prolific career as a dual-threat running back since entering the league as a second-round pick (48th overall) in 2013.

In five seasons, Bell amassed 5,336 yards and 35 touchdowns on 1,229 rushing attempts while adding 2,660 yards receiving and seven touchdowns on 312 catches.

Ultimately, though, the Steelers apparently looked beyond the individual accomplishments during the negotiations.

"It became clear the Steelers wanted to pay the position, not the player," Bell's agent told Rapoport.

Bell will make $14.5 million in 2018 under the franchise tag once he signs. (NFL.com)

 

Yeah they valued the position not the player. BS, the highest paid RB is at $8 million a year, last I checked a $6 million raise is pretty freaking significant, clearly the Steelers valued the player. Just not as much as Bell clearly values himself. Best of luck to him next year. Really don’t think he’ll get much more anywhere else

 

Agreed, when the highest paid player is $8M/yr, how do you asked to be paid like two of those players? He does a lot, I get that, but you could have the two highest paid players at the position in your backfield to do what he does, and not have as much worry about injury and/or suspension. Having two of the top players = more than THE top player, if you will.

I'd want to be paid too...but you have to draw a line somewhere.

 

wow-what does Pitt do now if Bell does leave ? Who replaces him ? $6 mil is a heck of a raise too. in a league and sport where 1 play could end your career 5 yrs at $60 mil is a no brainer to sign. maybe im just poor. good luck Pittsburgh.

 

I can see it from Bell's side when slightly above average WR's are getting $16+ per, though. Yeah he'd be making more than any other RB, but at the same time, why should an elite offensive playmaker like Bell be making less than a one-dimensional OK player like Sammy Watkins? I understand the fungibility and expendability of RB's, but I'm never going to bash a player for trying to get every penny he thinks he's worth, either.

 

That's an excellent point. It opens a debate in some minds as to what offensive position is more important than another, but a good running back ought to be on the same level as a wide receiver in my opinion. Both equally paid, if the performance warrants is not out of the realm of possibility.

Also, in my opinion, its a tougher work load to be the RB1 than any other position outside of QB.

 

The biggest factor, and likely the only real one unique to his situation, working against Bell is the success teams have had in finding outstanding RB's in the draft. As good as Bell is, a team may be more willing to spend a 2nd round pick and $1-$2 Mil a year on a guy, rather than $15 mil (or whatever he wants) on Bell.

Then the question becomes - if outstanding RB's are common enough that teams think they can get one in the draft with a relatively high success rate, and WR's aren't performing well enough to meet that standard, why are the WR's getting paid more?... Because it's not about performance in the NFL - it's about scarcity. QB's don't get paid $20+ mil every year because they're great, they get paid it because they're one of very few who aren't awful.

I think Bell is overvaluing himself here, which is a shame, because I don't think this ends as well for him as it could. I hope it does - he deserves every dollar he can get. But I'm not sure this goes the way he wants it to...

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...hall-of-fame-inductee-with-this-special-gift/

TO getting his fellow HOF inductees some sweet new personalized shoes ! I thought he was broke with multiple child support payments ? nice gesture though !

 

Randy Gregory reinstated by league

 

Brandin Cooks signs five-year extension with Rams...

Brandin Cooks has spent time with three teams over the last two years, but he won’t be moving on to a fourth anytime soon.

The Rams announced Tuesday that they and Cooks have agreed to a five-year contract extension. The Rams acquired Cooks and a fourth-round pick in exchange for first- and sixth-round picks in a trade with the Patriots this offseason.

No financial terms of the deal have been announced.

“Brandin Cooks has shown himself to be a class act on and off the field since the first day he joined our team,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said in a statement. “He’s a proven professional in this league and signing him to a long-term contract was always our goal. We’re excited to keep Brandin in a Rams uniform through 2023.”

The Rams were clear about their desire to extend Cooks ever since acquiring him. Now that they have come to an agreement, they can turn their attention back toward talks with defensive tackle Aaron Donald about the deal he’s been trying to land for most of the last two years. (PFT)

 

More importantly, hopefully his treatment sticks.

 

Apparently, Cooks deal has been said to be $80M over 5 years... wow!

 

And That makes Bell’s case stronger.

 

Cant argue with that, because I tend to agree.

 

Cardinals tight end Ricky Seals-Jones was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Saturday and charged with assault, disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing, according to Arizona’s KTAR News.

Seals-Jones attempted to use the restroom inside the W Hotel in Scottsdale but was denied entry by hotel employees, who told him only guests were allowed inside at the time. He then attempted to use the bathroom inside a restaurant in the hotel.

An employee accused Seals-Jones of pushing him before the NFL player was taken down by hotel staff.

The police report said Seals-Jones appeared intoxicated, according to KTAR.

The news came only hours after General Manager Steve Keim pleaded guilty to extreme DUI, prompting the Cardinals to suspend and fine him.

Seals-Jones is expected to compete for the starting job. (PFT)