NFL - NEWS & NOTES

No one's giving up a #2 for Bradford.

Wentz will sit - he's not ready to start. It could be a question of whether the Eagles think Bradford is gonna keep chirping about this.

 

Bradford knows he isn't the future for the Eagles, he isn't old, but has had injury problems. That said he could be what the Broncos need to take a stab at repeating.

 

Chiefs GM Dorsey thinks LB Houston will play this season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Chiefs general manager John Dorsey expects Pro Bowl pass rusher Justin Houston to play this season, even though surgery to repair his torn ACL could take up to 12 months of recovery time.

Dorsey made the prediction during a news conference Friday to discuss the NFL draft.

Houston hurt his left knee during a game against Buffalo midway through last season, and at the time it was thought to be a hyperextension. He returned to play sparingly in the playoffs, and an arthroscopic procedure after the season revealed his ligament was not functioning properly.

Houston had surgery to repair the ACL in February, and Dorsey said that he's "ahead of schedule" in his recovery. But he declined to say when Houston will be able to play next season.

 

Jets GM: No deadline on re-signing 'priority' Fitzpatrick

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) ? Ryan Fitzpatrick is still a free agent ? and the New York Jets' quarterback situation could remain in limbo for a while longer.

Re-signing Fitzpatrick remains a priority for the Jets, although general manager Mike Maccagnan acknowledged that there's not necessarily a hard deadline for the team to have the quarterback back on the roster.

"We like Ryan very much and we feel we have a very good situation for Ryan here," Maccagnan said at the team's predraft news conference Friday, reiterating his comments from earlier this offseason.

"He's a very good fit for us, too. So hopefully at some point in time we can work out some kind of an agreement on a contract."

Fitzpatrick and the Jets remained in a contract stalemate Friday, six days before the NFL draft begins. The Jets recently worked out free agent Brian Hoyer, cut by Houston earlier this week, as a fallback option, several weeks after they brought in Robert Griffin III.

"Our focus is Ryan, but again, he's a free agent," Maccagnan said. "You never know what happens in free agency."

Maccagnan, taking a calm and cool approach, said the situation with Fitzpatrick "will work itself out," but also acknowledged it could "take some time."

 

Harris wouldn't change anything about Super Bowl comments

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) ? After helping put the clamps on Cam Newton in the Super Bowl, Chris Harris Jr. helped send Carolina's quarterback over the edge by explaining how the Denver Broncos had befuddled the league's MVP exactly as they had planned.

Unbeknownst to Harris, Newton could hear him because only a thick curtain separated the teams' postgame interviews, which were amplified by loud speakers.

Newton didn't sit there to listen to the newly crowned champions crowing about how they had throttled the favored Panthers, who finished 17-2. He stormed off.

Harris said he's been asked repeatedly this offseason if he'd have said anything different had he known Newton was within earshot.

"Like I tell everybody, I didn't know he was on the other side. We were just doing normal interviews. You're very (excited) after winning a Super Bowl," Harris said. "No, I wouldn't change. They asked me simple questions, what we did and what was the game plan."

He didn't mean to pile on the Panthers, he said. He was just explaining how their plan to take away the run, pressure Newton and force him to put the ball in the air quicker than he'd like had worked to perfection in their 24-10 victory in Super Bowl 50.

Newton completed just 18 of 41 passes for 265 yards with no TDs and one interception in that game. He was stripped on two sacks by game MVP Von Miller, which led to Denver's only touchdowns.

 

Details to follow.

 

Josh Norman signs 5-year, $75M deal with Redskins

Just two days after the Carolina Panthers rescinded their non-exclusive franchise tag on the All-Pro cornerback, Norman signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Washington Redskins on Friday, a source informed of the situation told NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. The contract, which makes him the highest paid cornerback in the NFL, includes $50 million in guarantees.

Norman's new contract ends a brief but profitable courtship for the 28 year old, who became a free agent Wednesday, visited the Redskins on Friday -- flying to D.C. aboard the team's private jet -- and signed a deal soon after. Norman was contacted by roughly 10 teams within hours of the Panthers cutting him free, but Washington wouldn't let him leave the building.

In addition to the Redskins, the New Orleans Saints also made a push Friday to reach an agreement with Norman, sources informed of the situation told Rapoport.

With the draft kicking off next week, teams interested in Norman were expected to move swiftly. Norman also hoped to have a pact in place before the first round launched next Thursday.

Norman would have been one of the hottest commodities at the start of free agency, but his late entry into the open market ultimately didn't hurt his value.

It's by far the biggest splash of the Scot McCloughan era in Washington. The second-year Redskins general manager has operated conservatively in free agency, looking for reliable veteran help at a decent price. The Norman deal tosses that strategy into the blender.

The Redskins sat just $11,682,340 under the cap before inking Norman, per OvertheCap.com, but McCloughan will find a way to work the books. Besides, if Norman plays the way he did last year, the guaranteed money will be worth it.

 

For the first time in Raiders franchise history, the team might sell out their season tickets.

"We're excited as hell," Raiders owner Mark Davis said in telling the news to ESPN.com. "Again, we've got the greatest fans in the world. The Raider Nation is strong."

While we're not sure exactly how close, and newfangled season-ticket packages can create some fairly nebulous figures, this has to be looked at as a great sign for general manager Reggie McKenzie and his team. If nothing else, he's shown that putting a young, exciting product on the field can translate to good business. The proclamation by Davis is even more amazing considering the Raiders are on a 1-year lease with Oakland Alameda Coliseum. Though they can sign 1-year leases in 2017 and 2018 as well, it's clear the team is looking for a different solution in Oakland or perhaps Los Angeles.

It makes us wonder if one of the league's longest playoff droughts is about to end. The Raiders have not reached the postseason since 2002 under Bill Callahan -- the year they lost the Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, Oakland has not had a winning season, with two 8-8 campaigns engineered by Hue Jackson and Tom Cable as the lone bright spots.

With the rise of both the Raiders and Jaguars, who are finally developing marketable home-grown stars through the draft, it is exciting to see teams investing in stability on the verge of something exciting. However, that is what makes this season so important.

The Raiders will nearly be sold out, they will have a Pro Bowl franchise quarterback entering his third season, a top-2 pass rusher entering his third season and a budding star at wide receiver entering his second. Across the board, they will have one of the best three offensive lines on paper. All-of-a-sudden, the rebuild becomes a make-or-break season now that expectations are high and fans are in the seats.

Will Oakland reward their new fans in 2016? (NFL.com)
____________________________________

I didnt realize they had never sold out before. That must be hard to do in Raider nation. Calling them the 'greatest fans' was an interesting choice of words too.

 

I was thinking the same thing...

 

Brady's 4-game suspension reinstated and Bradford demands a trade. Hey Pats how about a 2nd rounder.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...bradford-is-demanding-a-trade-from-the-eagles

and he said he will not show up for any camps etc...the fine alone is between $10,000-30,000 PER DAY! Ouch Sammy!

will the broncos or jets make a move for slinging sammy ? with brady gone for 4 - will the pats be suckers ?

God - please let anyone take him!

 

Jerry Jones: Cowboys likely staying at 4, but QB/RB unlikely

IRVING, Texas (AP) ? Jerry Jones says he's inclined to stay at No. 4 with the Dallas Cowboys going into the NFL draft with their highest pick in 25 years.

Just don't expect the Dallas owner and general manager to be looking for Tony Romo's successor or the next Emmitt Smith in that lofty spot Thursday night.

Jones said Monday that drafting the replacement for Romo wasn't a high priority, and that the Cowboys weren't in a "have to" situation at running back.

Defensive end is the most glaring need. Randy Gregory will be suspended the first four games for violating the NFL substance-abuse policy, and Jones acknowledged that DeMarcus Lawrence is facing a suspension as well. Gregory and Lawrence were second-round picks by Dallas each of the past two years.

 

When you draft your players with character concerns a lot of times that bites you in the ass.

 

And sometimes - like Tyrann Mathieu - it works out well.

With Gregory, you're looking at a guy who was a top pass-rush specialist and he was available at the bottom of Round 2. At some juncture, risk and reward meet at an acceptable spot.

 

Still hoping the pick is Jalen Ramsey (followed by Jack, Tunsil, Elliot and Bosa, in that order).

 

Denver said the Eagles asking Price for Bradford was too high?

Since when was a bag of balls too high?

 

Adam Schefter was on 97.5 The Fanatic this morning, and said a 2nd round pick might not be enough for Philly. My lack of love for Philly notwithstanding, a #2 seems plenty to me for a guy who's never had a winning record, can't stay healthy, and clearly isn't in your future plans.

 

1000000% agree Axe. Take the pick and run Philly !

 

Bradford is a wuss. He signed a big contract for 2 years, was already paid an $11 MIL. signing bonus and now he is afraid of a rookie who could have a career as a backup and won't play the 1st year anyways. Man up up and beat the competition! Players are drafted every year and every year the vets have to beat out the rookies to be the starter. And nobody else complains, wtf........