NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Browns veterans are not... Part of the problem with having the NFLPA president on your team. "Lead by example". Example in this case being, these are not mandatory. He has asked that all veterans skip OTAs to show solidarity that they can't hold anyone accountable if they don't participate. Problem is... they have a lot of young players and their (some veterans) jobs could be jeopardized if they fall behind due to not being there for walk through, etc. I am a little curious to see if they follow through and stay away. I like J.T. Tretter the center, but the NFLPA President, not so much. I don't want ANYTHING costing us advancement in this particular time of organizational growth. If they were cemented as a perennial playoff winning team, it would be a little different, but we just won our first playoff game since 1994. They are the opposite of stable at this point.

(edit) the good news is 21 other teams, at this point, are basically doing the same. AND in anticipation of this, the Browns have also decided to do much of their pre-training camp information virtually. The virtual information should be well attended, as the reasoning behind this "boycott" was protocol related to COVID 19 precautions.

 

Julio Jones on Atlanta: “I’m out of there”



Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones does not expect to be a Falcon much longer.

In a brief conversation with Shannon Sharpe on FS1, Jones said he does not anticipate remaining in Atlanta.

“I’m out of there,” Jones said.

Asked where he would like to go, Jones indicated that his top priority is going to a contender.

“I want to win,” Jones said.

Although a picture of Jones wearing a Cowboys shirt recently surfaced on social media, Jones said he’s not going to the Cowboys.

“I ain’t going to Dallas, I never thought of going to Dallas,” Jones said.

The Falcons are known to be shopping Jones, but his contract is going to be an issue. Jones is guaranteed a $15.3 million salary this season, and given how weak the wide receiver market was in free agency, it’s clear that there are not a lot of teams looking to spend a lot of money on a veteran wide receiver. Trade negotiations may prove to be less about what the Falcons can get for Jones, and more about how much of Jones’ salary the Falcons are willing to pay to get a trade done.

But one way or another, Jones thinks he’s gone.

NBC/PFT

 

Antonio Brown signs with Buccaneers



The deal is now done: Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown has signed on the dotted line and will play in Tampa Bay in 2021.

Brown, the wide receiver who agreed to terms with the Buccaneers last month, has now officially signed his contract, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Some questions were raised about Brown’s status after it took so long between agreeing to terms and actually signing. But the Buccaneers indicated that Brown was having a relatively minor knee procedure and that he’d sign as soon as he passed his physical, which he has apparently now done.

Although he was once the NFL’s most productive wide receiver, Brown hasn’t played at that level since leaving Pittsburgh and has had significant off-field issues. Last season Brown played in eight games, catching 45 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns.

But Brown is a favorite teammate of Tom Brady‘s, and so the Bucs brought him back. They now have a crowded wide receiver room, with Brown joining Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson, and Jaelon Darden.

NBC

 

Bruce Arians would like all Bucs working at facility “for their own protection”



Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and many of his teammates worked out together away from the team’s facility on Monday and Brady was not in attendance for the team’s first organized team activity.

Reports from the team’s workout indicated that a lot of the team’s veterans joined Brady in staying away from the voluntary session. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said earlier in the offseason that he was fine with such player staying away and he reiterated that on Tuesday, although there was a caveat.

Arians said that the OTAs will be geared toward younger players and confirmed that he has spoken to Brady and other players about working out at the facility without coaches present.

“I talk to them every day about doing it for their own protection,” Arians said, via Jenna Laine of ESPN.com.

Players injured working out at the team facility would not be at risk of having their contract guarantees voided as could happen if they’re injured away from the building, but that doesn’t appear to be enough of a carrot to get the players into the facility at this point.

NBC

 

Steelers sign first-round pick Najee Harris to rookie deal

The first running back selected in the 2021 NFL Draft is under contract.

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Tuesday that they have signed RB Najee Harris to his fully guaranteed four-year rookie deal worth around $13.1 million. As with all first-round rookies, Harris' contract includes a fifth-year team option.

The No. 24 pick in April's draft, Harris is expected to jump right into the starting lineup in Pittsburgh and play a major role in turning around of the league's most lackluster running games.

He's already made a fine first impression on his coach and teammates. Mike Tomlin said of Harris during rookie minicamp, "He is as highly conditioned as anybody out there." Steelers defensive leader Cameron Heyward suggested Pittsburgh defenders are excited about Harris joining the roster, getting "30 to 40" touches per game and helping ease the burden on their side of the ball.

With Harris on the books for at least the next four seasons, Steelers fans, coaches and players alike can enjoy what he brings to Pittsburgh's backfield as the latest in a long line of stellar Steelers backs.

Elsewhere around the NFL on Tuesday:

• The Denver Broncos promoted Ray Jackson to vice president of player development. Jackson had served as the club's director of player development for the past six seasons.
• The Philadelphia Eagles signed defensive tackle Willie Henry and waived linebacker Joe Bachie.
• Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs (oblique) and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei were not at OTAs on Tuesday, but coach Sean McDermott said over 70 players were in attendance.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed receiver Antonio Brown and signed cornerback Dee Delaney.
• The Seattle Seahawks are signing tight end Cam Sutton, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

NFL.com

 

30 teams approved for full crowds in fall, “clear path” for Broncos, Colts



The NFL’s plan is to have all of its stadiums open at full capacity for the 2021 season and almost all of the stadiums have already been approved to return to that level.

NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said on a call with teams on Tuesday that 30-of-32 teams have been given approval by local authorities to plan for full crowds in the fall. The Broncos and Colts are the only teams that have not been given the green light to move ahead at this point.

O’Reilly said, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, that “both have a clear path” to getting that approval in time for the season. Protocols for fans attending the games, including masking and vaccinations, will be determined by teams in accordance with local guidelines.

With plans also underway for fans to attend training camp practices and preseason games back on the calendar, the 2021 season continues to look like it will play out against a much more normal backdrop than the 2020 campaign.

NBC

 

NFL will have unified start to training camp with fans' expected return

An amalgamated start to NFL training camps will coincide with the expected return of fans to camps this summer, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday.

In a first for the league, clubs will begin training camp in unison with 29 squads set to report on Tuesday, July 27 -- which is 47 days prior to Sunday of Week 1 of the regular season, as allowed by the collective bargaining agreement. Plans for fan events and league-wide practices are set to follow on Saturday, July 31, Pelissero added.

Also sure to follow will be myriad fans, as the league told teams Tuesday it expects spectators to return to training camps -- subject to state and local COVID-19 guidelines -- according to Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president of club business and league events.

While the vast majority of teams will start their training camps together on July 27, the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers are eligible to report as early as July 21, as those are the teams squaring off in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can also report as early as July 24 due to them playing in the regular-season opener on Sept. 9. Thusly, the July 24 start date fits in the aforementioned CBA window. Tampa Bay will play Dallas in the opener.

The NFL is still finalizing protocols with the NFL Players Association, O'Reilly said, and camps are likely to look different in terms of fans' proximity to players and the previously usual standards of getting autographs, photos, etc.

Currently, 30 of 32 teams have obtained approval to open their stadiums at 100% approval, NFL Network's Judy Battista reported, via O'Reilly. The remaining teams seeking approval are the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, who O'Reilly said "both have a clear path."

Going forward, rules pertaining to face coverings and vaccinations will be determined by teams in conjunction with state and local guidelines. However, as 100% capacity is expected at stadiums, covered seats and pod seating will be gone.


The dates are set for training camps to commence and fans are expected to be there. It's another step to a feeling a normalcy for the NFL, its players and its fans.

NFL.com

 

Seems like it's all systems go

 

Big news...

 

Former Patriots, Colts K Adam Vinatieri says he plans to retire

Fabulous of foot, clutch in all weathers, Adam Vinatieri has concluded a storied career cluttered with Super Bowl championships, game-winning makes and more points than any other man to don a pair of shoulder pads.

In the aftermath of a 2019 campaign marked by uncharacteristic struggles and a lingering injury, Vinatieri didn't play in 2020 and has now announced he plans to retire after more than two decades of play.

The all-time great booter made the long-anticipated announcement Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show, delivering the news on his former longtime teammate's show.

"Put it this way, hey let me see, today's, what Wednesday, by Friday, if paperwork goes in, you heard it hear first," said Vinatieri, who would be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

As Vinatieri, to many the greatest kicker of all-time, retires after more than two decades of NFL chronicle, he does so as the only kicker having converted 250-plus field goals with multiple franchises (336 with the Colts; 263 with the Patriots).

Kickers come and kickers go in the NFL as great days are expected and off-days lead to releases -- and that's what's made Vinatieri such a special standout in the often overlooked world of special teams.

Calling it a career at 48, Vinatieri played roughly half his days (24 seasons) in the NFL.


Along the way, he kicked and converted and clutched up during a glorious career that included four Super Bowl championships -- three with the Patriots and one with the Colts, as he shared locker rooms with all-time great quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Brady was but 19-years-young when a 22-year-old Vinatieri made his NFL debut in 1996.

Neither Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, nor Trevor Lawrence, the 2021 top pick, was even born when Vinatieri was a rookie and beginning a career that would include a trio of All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections.

The all-time leader in points scored in NFL chronicle, Vinatieri's 2,673 points sit above Hall of Famer Morten Anderson's second-place 2,544 tally. It is but one of many records Vinatieri walks away with: most field goals (599), most consecutive field goals converted (44, from 2015-16), most seasons with 100-plus points (21), most playoff points (238), most consecutive games scoring (32) and on and on it goes. Making many of these accomplishments all the more impressive, Vinatieri's 365 career games are second only to Anderson (382), meaning he surpassed the longtime Saints booter in so many categories in far less games.

It was when the games mattered most that Vinatieri shined brightest and truly told his legendary tales. His 56 career postseason field goals are 17 more than anyone else. His seven Super Bowl field goals are matched only by Stephen Gostkowski.

When Vinatieri lined up for a 48-yard attempt in Super Bowl XXXVI, the biggest of big games had never been won on the final play. Then Vinatieri won the Patriots their first Super Bowl as they defeated the Rams, 20-17.

It was a Vinatieri game-winning 41-yard make that made the Patriots two-time titlists after a 32-29 triumph over the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIIII.


And in the 2001 Divisional Round, the Patriots' 16-13 overtime win against the Raiders in the game forever recognized as "The Tuck Rule Game," it was Vinatieri, in a snowy wonderland, who sent the game to overtime with a 45-yard field goal and sent the Patriots to victory with a 23-yarder in OT.

And when his days with the Patriots were done, he would come up clutch for the Colts.

Those missed kicks of his final season will be but a footnote.

It was upon an autumn afternoon in Indianapolis on Oct. 27, 2019 when Vinatieri calmly and coolly put foot to ball for a 51-yard field goal with 26 seconds left, lifting the Colts above the Broncos, 15-13. It was the final game-winning shot of an illustrious career in which clutch kicks were the norm and championships were the reward.

He has hung up cleats that converted Super Bowl titles, he has moved on just like all the greats always do. The best foot, perhaps in the history of the game, is moving forward and moving on.

NFL.com

 

Vikings wanted to get to No. 8 for Justin Fields



The Packers aren’t the only team in the NFC North with a potentially awkward quarterback transition.

As disclosed in a video published by the Panthers, the Vikings called Carolina in an attempt to trade up from No. 14 to No. 8 in the first round of the 2021 draft. Per a league source, the Vikings were targeting quarterback Justin Fields.

Previously, it had been believed the Vikings would have seriously considered Fields if he had slid to No. 14. Their interest in him moves to a new level if they were considering trading up to get him.

It’s a fascinating development, for several reasons. Most obviously, the Vikings will now contend twice per year with Fields, as the new quarterback of the Bears. Chicago made the move from No. 20 to No. 11 to get Fields, cutting off Minnesota’s effort to get him.

Then there’s the fact that trading up for Fields would have underscored the fact that incumbent starter Kirk Cousins has, at most, two years left in Minnesota. With a contract that pays out $21 million in 2021 and $35 million in 2022, Cousins has said publicly that he’s not interested in extending his deal. If the Vikings privately tried to renegotiate the Cousins contract before free agency or the draft and if Cousins refused, the Vikings may have decided not simply to protect themselves against Cousins leaving in free agency but to affirmatively seek out his replacement.

If they’d gotten Fields, that would be the obvious vibe — Cousins on a two-season clock, with the possibility that the Vikings would try to trade him in 2022. That possibility now must be factored into the assessment of Minnesota’s quarterback situation moving forward. If Kellen Mond, picked by the Vikings in round three, checks all the boxes as he learns the NFL game behind Mond, the Vikings could decide after 2021 to move on to Mond and to trade Cousins.

It won’t be an easy needle for the Vikings to thread. First, Mond has to be ready. Second, the Vikings would need to find a team that, based on Cousins’ performance in 2021, would want to trade for him. But if Cousins plays well enough in 2021 to make him attractive to another team, it becomes harder for the Vikings to turn the page in 2022.

That actually could make it better for the Vikings to have Mond instead of Fields. With Fields as a top-10 pick, it would have been much harder to keep Cousins through 2022. With Mond, it becomes a lot easier to pull it off.

And if, by 2022, the Vikings think Mond is ready and if they believe Cousins has taken Minnesota as far as he ever will, nothing stops Minnesota from making Cousins the highest-paid backup quarterback in NFL history, while Mond becomes the current lowest-paid starter.

NBC

 

is Capt Krk becoming a mill stone around the Vikings neck,depending on how this plays out this could become a big mess

 

Next round of shakeups are likely to come tomorrow night. Once June 1st is over we get post June 1st cuts and trades.

 

D’Andre Swift: I’d be happy if Todd Gurley came to Detroit



Free agent running back Todd Gurley hasn’t drawn much reported interest this offseason, but he did visit with the Lions last week.

Current Detroit running back D'Andre Swift said he would welcome the chance to play with a fellow Georgia product, noting he would benefit from Gurley’s knowledge and experience.

“I’d be happy if he came here as well,” Swift said, via USAToday.com. “I just want to compete with these guys. Just to have him in the building, that’d be good.”

Gurley rushed for a career-low 678 yards last year, but still led Atlanta in the category. He also had nine rushing touchdowns while averaging 3.5 yards per carry in 15 games.

If he were to sign with the Lions, Gurley would reunite with former teammates quarterback Jared Goff and defensive lineman Michael Brockers. Lions G.M. Brad Holmes was also the Rams’ director of college scouting when the club selected Gurley at No. 10 overall back in 2015.

In addition to Swift, who was second on Detroit with 521 yards rushing last year as a rookie, the Lions have former Packers running back Jamaal Williams. After spending his first four years with Green Bay, Williams appears positioned to be the Lions’ main back heading into 2021.

NBC
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I wouldnt be happy at all.

 

TE Hunter Henry ready to become a 'complete Patriot,' meet expectations of playing in New England

There are those who acknowledge the existence of the "Patriot Way" and then there are those who live it.

File Hunter Henry under the latter category.

The 26-year-old tight end has yet to represent the Patriots in battle but, ahead of his first season doing so, Henry had a lot to say about his experience thus far learning under Bill Belichick and his staff.

"I enjoy this culture. I think it fits me really well, and I'm excited to just embrace myself in it and really just be a complete Patriot and what it means," Henry said last week, per Masslive.com. "It's just such a winning culture. There's a tradition here. There's a high level of expectation. So, I think a lot of us, even including myself, are very excited about trying to elevate ourselves to meet those expectations and this culture."

After four productive seasons with the Chargers -- Henry missed all of 2018 due to injury -- the former second-round pick comes to Foxborough as one of several notable offensive additions, a list that includes fellow TE Jonnu Smith, receiver Nelson Agholor and rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Given the team's past success utilizing two-tight end sets, Henry and Smith will play uber-important roles in Josh McDaniels' schemes.

To some, Henry's comments may sound like attributes of a bygone era, especially coming off a 2020 campaign that saw New England struggle much of the year, finish 7-9 and miss the postseason for just the third time in the Belichick era.

But even with last season's struggles, the Patriots' aura still stands as one of the most well-known and well-revered around the NFL. Players buying into the system the way Henry already has will surely help things get back on track on the field in 2021.

NFL.com

 

Kevin Stefanski the betting favorite to repeat as Coach of the Year



Leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs is an impressive coaching achievement, and when Kevin Stefanski did it last season, he was named NFL Coach of the Year. Leading the Browns to the playoffs two years in a row would be an even more impressive coaching achievement, and if Stefanski can do it this year, it would be hard to deny him the Coach of the Year award again.

That’s why Stefanski is the favorite to win Coach of the Year, with +1200 odds at PointsBet.

If he repeats as Coach of the Year, Stefanski would join rare company, as only three coaches have won Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons: Allie Sherman in 1961-62, Don Shula in 1967-68 and Joe Gibbs in 1982-83.

Behind Stefanski in Coach of the Year odds are Rams coach Sean McVay, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Chargers coach Brandon Staley and Dolphins coach Brian Flores, all at +1500.

The next-best odds go to Colts coach Frank Reich, Bills coach Sean McDermott, Falcons coach Arthur Smith, Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Jets coach Robert Saleh, all at +1800.

At the other end of the spectrum, the longest long shot is Texans coach David Culley, who is at +8000.

NBC
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Not much of a headline, but it is a safe bet. Of course the Browns could go 4-13 and he would be back in Minnesota in a heart beat.

jk

 

Jourdan Lewis to take on unfinished business in return to Cowboys



Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis could have followed the lead of Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie and left the Cowboys after the completion of his rookie contract with the team. Instead, Lewis chose to re-sign with Dallas this offseason and will take on a bigger role with the team beginning this season.

Via Nick Eatman of the team’s website, the Cowboys intend to move Lewis around a bit more moving forward with a bigger role in the nickel position expected to be on his plate.

“Just move me around and make plays, honestly,” Lewis said of the role. “They saw I had the ability to do so, and they wanted me to come back, and they felt like I had some unfinished business.”

Lewis re-signed with the Cowboys on a three-year contract worth up to $16.5 million in the early days of free agency.

A former third-round pick in 2017, Lewis has played at least 15 games in all four of his seasons, missing only three games for injuries in his career. He played on a career-high 74 percent of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps last season, recording 59 tackles and two sacks.

“Yeah. I’m going to be in the box,” Lewis said. “I’m going to be able to make plays around the field and move around the field. It’s going to be cool. But at the same time, you’ve still got some unfinished business to do. It’s amazing to have the financial freedom to do what you want, but at the same time you still have to produce on the field.”

NBC

 

Texans sign Rex Burkhead



The Texans are adding another ex-Patriot to their roster.

Veteran running back Rex Burkhead has signed with the Texans, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Texans General Manager Nick Caserio previously worked in New England and has brought in several former Patriots this offseason, including wide receiver Donte Moncrief, tackle Marcus Cannon, tight end Ryan Izzo, safety Terrence Brooks and defensive end Derek Rivers.

The 30-year-old Burkhead has played the last four years for the Patriots. Last year he had 67 carries for 274 yards and 25 catches for 192 yards. He has always been a significant contributor on special teams, and if he’s going to make the Texans’ roster, that will be a part of his role in Houston as well.

Burkhead is the third well-known addition the Texans have made at running back this offseason, following Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay.

NBC

 

Maybe They are trying to get a running back for each quarterback.