Last year, two of the premier tight ends from the 2010 draft got long-term deals.  Neither is named Jimmy Graham.

For now, it looks like Graham won’t be getting a new deal this year, either.

Per a league source, the Saints and Graham currently are not talking.  And there’s no indication that they will.

In 2012, the Patriots were able to entice tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez to take long-term deals that paid much more than what they were due to make over the balance of their four-year rookie deals.  And if the Saints had offered such a deal to Graham last year, maybe he would have been inclined to bite.

Now, Graham is a year away from free agency.  As he gets closer to completing his rookie deal, Graham will want something closer to market value.

And while the Saints have the luxury of the franchise tag, a fight could be looming over whether Graham should be tagged as a tight end or a receiver.  In the end, the level will be determined by where he lines up the majority of the time in 2013.

Regardless of Graham’s official position, it’s easy to argue that he should be paid like a top receiver.


(profootballtalk.com)

From saying he's mulling retirement to suggesting that he may need a fresh start somewhere else, there hasn't been a Bears player who has garnered more headlines post-Lovie Smith than star returner Devin Hester.

And Hester remained a hot topic Thursday when the Bears introduced their new coordinators and assistant coaches at the Walter Payton Center.

New Bears head coach Marc Trestman and new special teams coordinator/assistant head coach Joe DeCamillis have both spoken with Hester, who has one year remaining on his contract.

"I have had some contact with him. It was really brief contact," DeCamillis said. "But we just have to evaluate that along with everything else. As you get into a new job, you've got to evaluate everything and that's one of the pieces we definitely have to evaluate."

Trestman met Hester in person.

"It was just an opportunity to get to know each other and not to put into concrete exactly what his role would be if he wants to come back," Trestman said.

Hester is coming off very frustrating season. He struggled with his returns, failing to return a kickoff or punt for a touchdown, and saw his roles on the Bears' offense diminish.

Hester finished with 23 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 8.3 yards per punt return and 25.9 yards on kickoff returns.

What did DeCamillis make of Hester's season?

"It's hard to say whether he had the same opportunities every time [or] whether he didn't," he said. "We've watched the film and we'll be going over it another two to three times before we make a determination. Just like any other player, we want to make sure they have a chance to be successful. Devin is no different. We want to try to make all our players as successful as possible."

Hester's decision-making often came into question last season. Speaking in general terms, DeCamillis stressed the importance of a returner's decision-making on Thursday.

"It's something ... that we really try to stress a lot," he said. "I think you almost need to be a quarterback back there. You need to have a quarterback's mentality and really try to make decisions based on what's best for your football team. We're going to try to impress that on all our guys."

DeCamillis said he's under the impression that Hester remains under contract, but he stopped short of saying that he prefers that Hester returns.

"I would prefer to be [with] what's best for the Bears," DeCamillis said. "I know that's the company line, but that's really the truth. I want to do what's best for the Chicago Bears and make sure whoever is out there is best guy that we can get."

Assistant special teams coach Dwayne Stukes said it would be exciting to work with Hester if he does return to the Bears.

"We've watched film since we've been here, looking at Devin," Stukes told the Sun-Times. "We're excited to work with Devin -- I know I am, personally -- and to get him back to where he was in the past years. Last year, in our minds, it was what it was. Now, it's time to start anew like he wants and this is a new start for him."


(suntimes.com)

So, I get this email this morning from Paul Kuharsky, who's got the Colts and Titans looking for help at safety and was working on this column about how the market could dry up quickly because the franchise-tag number for safeties is going to be so low. Something like $6.8 million, lower than any position but tight end and kicker/punter. Paul wanted to know what I thought the chances were of the New York Giants using their franchise player designation on safety Kenny Phillips.

I don't think they will, and I have a few reasons.

First of all, the Giants don't really use the franchise player designation very often. And when they do, they tend to employ it according to the original spirit of the rule -- as a means of buying themselves extra time to work out a long-term deal on which they're already at work but haven't had time to complete. This is what they did last year with punter Steve Weatherford, who got the franchise tag but soon thereafter had the long-term deal that was in progress at the time of the deadline. The Giants don't have a history of franchising guys just because the number is low, and keeping them around on one-year deals just because they can.

Secondly, as low as that safety number might be, it might not be low enough to make sense for the Giants. They need money to sign free-agent offensive linemen Will Beatty and Kevin Boothe. They are working on long-term deals with star wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, and they'll need money for that. If they franchise any of their free agents, it'll probably be Beatty, since it seems clear that they'll be interested in doing a long-term deal with him anyway. Left tackle is a position of significant importance in Jerry Reese's mind. Safety, likely less so.

In the salary-cap era, teams must establish priorities for places to spend their significant resources. The Giants do this almost religiously. They invest heavily at quarterback and pass-rushing defensive end, and I think the cornerback, left tackle and No. 1 wide receiver positions are also very important to them. They get by at other spots, such as running back and linebacker and safety and tight end (which is why I don't think they'll franchise or bid big to keep Martellus Bennett). At those spots, they decide on numbers they think are justified by the market, replacing players who think those numbers are too low with qualified guys who think they aren't.

In the case of Phillips, I think this could be a mistake. I think Phillips is a do-it-all safety who makes other players on the defense better, and I think the Giants' relative performance at cornerback, linebacker and even among their great defensive linemen the past couple of years was affected by whether Phillips was or was not on the field. I think Phillips is an important player for the Giants and that they should work to keep him.

However, they're not operating in a vacuum. They're paying Antrel Rolle a lot of money. They might have seen enough from Stevie Brown and Will Hill in 2012 to convince themselves they're deep enough (and spending enough) at safety to weather the loss of Phillips. And there is the matter of Phillips' knee, which has been a major problem for him and can't necessarily be counted on to improve in the future. All of these factors likely will lead the Giants to tell Phillips he's welcome back at their price, but that if he'd prefer to try and find more on the open market they will go in a different direction.

So no, I don't think the Giants will franchise Phillips, and I think there's a good chance he'll be available on the market. If he is, I am fairly certain some team will look past the knee issue at the quality of the player and pay him more than the Giants want to pay him. The Giants' best hope of keeping him is if he decides their offer is fair and that the injury problems he had in 2012 are going to keep him from cashing in big in free agency. Unless they feel as though they're closing in on a long-term deal with him when the franchise deadline arrives, I'd be surprised if they tagged him.


(espn.com)

San Diego Padres C Yasmani Grandal, who is suspended for the first 50 games of the season, will be allowed to play in spring training games.





(kffl.com)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- In his first public move in an Orioles uniform, infielder Danny Valencia stepped in front of a podium on Wednesday and vehemently denied ever using any performance-enhancing drugs.

Valencia’s name was listed on records obtained by Yahoo Sports from a now-defunct clinic named Biogenesis, which the Miami New Times previously reported had provided PEDs to several major leaguers, including New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.

Major League Baseball has been investigating Biogenesis and its owner, Anthony Bosch.

Valencia, a 28-year-old trying to resurrect his big league career with the Orioles, immediately issued a statement denying the report, then on Wednesday repeated his denial and took questions from reporters on the day of the team’s first spring training workout. Players linked to PEDs have issued varying denials, but Valencia’s was assertive and definitive.

“Basically, I’ve never had any contact with those people,” Valencia said. “I’ve never met Tony Bosch, never seen him, never been to that clinic, never heard of that clinic until the New Times story first broke. That being said, I’ve never ever taken a PED in my life, never failed a drug test in my life and I never will.”

In the Yahoo report, Valencia’s name appeared on a list that included Rodriguez and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, both of whom allegedly received PEDs from Bosch, according to the New Times report. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli were also on the list with Valencia, but unlike Rodriguez and Cabrera, they were not linked to receiving any specific PED.

Valencia, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for cash on Nov. 28, is with his third organization since the beginning of last season. He began his career with the Minnesota Twins, playing 154 games in 2011 and finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, but this spring he finds himself fighting for a 25-man roster spot. He has a minor league option, so he could be sent to Triple-A Norfolk to be the starting third baseman there.

Valencia said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear his named linked to the Biogenesis lab

“When I first got the phone call, I knew I was going to be in the clear,” Valencia said. “I knew I’m not going to get in trouble because there’s nothing they are going to find on me. I’ve never done anything.

“But he only thing that bothered me at the time was how the Orioles organization is going to perceive [it],” he added. “I thought about what [executive vice president] Dan Duquette is going to think, obviously what [manager] Buck [Showalter] is going to think, my teammates. That’s what matters. That was my first feeling, I felt upset about that.”

Valencia said he called Duquette the next morning and told him the report wasn’t true.

“I was really upset,” Valencia said. “I was trying to think of how this can possibly be. But I have nothing, I know just as much as everybody else. … I really don’t know anything. All I know is my name was on a piece of paper.”

Showalter said he will wait until MLB’s investigation into the clinic is complete to make judgment, but said, “where I stand, I choose to stand behind my player.”

“I’ve learned over the years to wait until they gather everything,” Showalter said. “I think there’s still a lot of speculation. We’ll see. … I have a lot of confidence in the people looking over those things. They’re looking into them for the right reasons. We’ll see when they get through gathering all the facts. I’m sure you’ll understand there will be some things that aren’t necessarily the way they’re necessarily portrayed. We’ll see. We’ll wait until everything comes in.”

This offseason, Major League Baseball and the players association agreed to expand testing for human growth hormone to include in-season blood testing. HGH testing during spring training and the offseason began last year.

Showalter said player physicals conducted on Wednesday included blood testing.

“We spent an extra hour in the physical today drawing vials of blood for testing,” he said. “And they’re going to do it again and again and again. And the players, they went, ‘Where’s it at? Yeah, I want to do it.’ Unfortunately a few people make everybody tainted. Believe me, I hear the conversations with our guys.

“But at the same time, I’m not naïve. I also understand the pressure on these guys. You look at the schedule they play and the expectations. I understand the temptation, but at some point we all have to make decisions.”


(baltimoresun.com)

Every MONDAY Night proCanes.com joins All Canes Radio to bring the latest news on not only current Hurricane football but also proCane news and exclusive interviews with current and former proCanes live from Shake Shack in Coral Gables.

Click here to listen to this week’s show and hear our exclusive interviews with future proCane Brandon McGee and proCane Alex Fraser.

Listen to future NFL DB Brandon McGee talk about his days at The U, what he is doing to get ready for the NFL Combine and Draft and much more! Also listen in to what former Hurricane Hoops Star Alex Fraser has to say about the current Number 3 ranked Miami basketball team as well as his days playing at The U!

ESPN Insider KC Joyner makes the case that free agent safety Ed Reed is the key ingredient for New England to make another Super Bowl run. Joyner:

At first glance, this offseason does not look to be one where the Patriots will make one of those moves, as their current roster situation could make them place a higher priority on keeping players such as Welker, Sebastian Vollmer, Danny Woodhead and Aqib Talib on the 2013 roster.

As important as those players are, the potential decline of Tom Brady and the fact that the distance between New England the rest of the AFC title contenders is likely diminishing means a return to the status quo won't be enough for the Patriots to earn a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII.

To do that, they need to find a way to sign Ed Reed.

But can the Patriots woo Reed to New England? The cash-strapped Ravens may be hard-pressed to keep him. Joyner:

It's not as if this move is an impossible pipe dream, as Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has indicated he will not place the franchise tag on Reed, and at last check the Patriots had $18 million in cap space. In addition, as noted by AFC East blogger James Walker, New England will likely make additional roster moves to add more salary cap space, so the Patriots may be able to make an offer that the cap-challenged Ravens will not be able to match.


(espn.com)

If running back Javarris James ever returns to an NFL field, it will be only after serving a four-game suspension.

James has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.

The 25-year-old James is probably a long shot to make it back to the NFL. He missed the entire 2012 season after suffering a serious knee injury while playing for the Cardinals in the preseason, and he wasn’t expected to be part of the Cardinals’ offense this season even before this news broke.

In 2010 James showed some promise as a short-yardage back when he ran for six touchdowns with the Colts, but Indianapolis cut him in 2011.

James was arrested in 2011 for possession of marijuana. There is no word on the nature of his substance abuse policy violation this time around.


(nbcsports.com)

New York Giants FS Antrel Rolle is expected to return in 2013 as a starter, but the team might ask him to restructure his current deal. He is due to have a $7 million base salary in 2013.




(kffl.com)

SARASOTA, Fla. — In his first public move in a Baltimore Orioles uniform, infielder Danny Valencia stepped in front of a podium on Wednesday and vehemently denied ever using any performance-enhancing drugs.

Valencia’s name was listed on records obtained by Yahoo Sports from a now-defunct clinic named Biogenesis, which the Miami New Times previously reported had provided PEDs to several major leaguers, including New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.

Major League Baseball has been investigating Biogenesis and its owner, Anthony Bosch.

Valencia, a 28-year-old trying to resurrect his big league career with Baltimore, immediately issued a statement denying the report, then on Wednesday repeated his denial and took questions from reporters on the day of the team’s first spring training workout. Players linked to PEDs have issued varying denials, but Valencia’s was assertive and definitive.

“Basically, I’ve never had any contact with those people,” Valencia said. “I’ve never met Tony Bosch, never seen him, never been to that clinic, never heard of that clinic until the New Times story first broke. That being said, I’ve never ever taken a PED in my life, never failed a drug test in my life and I never will.”

In the Yahoo report, Valencia’s name appeared on a list that included Rodriguez and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, both of whom allegedly received PEDs from Bosch, according to the New Times report. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli were also on the list with Valencia, but unlike Rodriguez and Cabrera, they were not linked to receiving any specific PED.

Valencia, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for cash on Nov. 28, is with his third organization since the beginning of last season. He began his career with the Minnesota Twins, playing 154 games in 2011 and finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, but this spring he finds himself fighting for a 25-man roster spot. He has a minor league option, so he could be sent to Class AAA Norfolk to be the starting third baseman there.

Valencia said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear his named linked to the Biogenesis lab.

“When I first got the phone call, I knew I was going to be in the clear,” Valencia said. “I knew I’m not going to get in trouble because there’s nothing they are going to find on me. I’ve never done anything.

“But the only thing that bothered me at the time was how the Orioles organization is going to perceive [it],” he added. “I thought about what [executive vice president] Dan Duquette is going to think, obviously what [manager] Buck [Showalter] is going to think, my teammates. That’s what matters. That was my first feeling, I felt upset about that.”

Valencia said he called Duquette the next morning and told him the report wasn’t true.

“I was really upset,” Valencia said. “I was trying to think of how this can possibly be. . . . All I know is my name was on a piece of paper.”

Showalter said he will wait until MLB’s investigation into the clinic is complete to make judgment, but said, “where I stand, I choose to stand behind my player.”

“I’ve learned over the years to wait until they gather everything,” Showalter said. “I think there’s still a lot of speculation. We’ll see. . . . I have a lot of confidence in the people looking over those things. They’re looking into them for the right reasons. We’ll see when they get through gathering all the facts.”

This offseason, Major League Baseball and the players association agreed to expand testing for human growth hormone to include in-season blood testing. HGH testing during spring training and the offseason began last year.


(washingtonpost.com)

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- New Chicago White Sox outfielder Blake Tekotte added his name to the list of former University of Miami players in support of former strength coach Jimmy Goins, who is alleged to be involved in a South Florida anti-aging clinic that allegedly gave performance enhancing drugs to players.

“Jimmy Goins always has been a great guy to me, and I had nothing ever bad to say about him,” Tekotte said Tuesday.

Tekotte played for the Hurricanes from 2006-08. Kyle Bellamy, a reliever in the Sox’s organization, expressed his fierce support for Goins last week to the Miami Herald. Bellamy said Goins was treated at the Biogeneis clinic in Coral Gables because of a medical condition.

“(Goins) has complete paperwork and documents to back it up and prove he was not there illegally or to buy stuff to sell or anything in that matter,” Bellamy told the Herald. “There’s no doubt in his mind his name will be cleared.”

Meanwhile, Tekotte, 25, admitted he was “a little surprised” when informed of his trade last November from San Diego for reliever Brandon Kloess but was excited by the change.

“I’m actually grateful for a new opportunity with a new club,” Tekotte said. “I’ve heard great things, and everyone has been very welcoming.

The Sox were attracted to Tekotte’s .355 on-base percentage in five minor league seasons with the Padres and hope he can cut down his strikeout total and push for a major league job soon.

“It was great having that phone conversation with (Sox general manager) Rick Hahn, and I’m ready to go,” Tekotte said.

Tekotte has a .163 batting average with 25 strikeouts in 49 at-bats over parts of two seasons with San Diego.


(chicagotribune.com)

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Chris Perez, the Cleveland Indians' perpetually outspoken closer, made some pointed observations about former manager Manny Acta at the end of last season in October. It's now been four months since the Indians fired Acta and replaced him with Terry Francona, but the passage of time hasn't dulled Perez's ardor on the subject.

Perez said he wondered about his future with the organization after his name had appeared in numerous trade rumors. But his mind was eased after the Indians relieved Acta of his duties with six games to go, hired Francona as a replacement and spent $117 million in guaranteed money on free agents this offseason.

"I was wondering where we were going,'' Perez said. "Stuff wasn't getting better with Manny as our manager. I didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. He's very stubborn and he doesn't really use input well, so I was getting frustrated. I thought, 'If we have the same guy next year, it's going to be the same stuff.'

"When Francona came on board, that kind of changed the mindset. To me, that signaled that I have a good chance of staying here. Then he came and sat down with me in Tampa [Fla.] and that cemented it even more. With the moves we made, we're not rebuilding. We're here to win this year.''


(espn.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Suspended San Diego Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal plans to apologize to his teammates this weekend.

Grandal was banned in November for the first 50 games of the season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He hasn't publicly discussed the penalty beyond an initial statement.

The 24-year-old Grandal worked out Wednesday at spring training.

Grandal hasn't addressed his connection to a Miami anti-aging clinic associated with performance-enhancing drugs. He plans to talk to his teammates when the entire Padres squad gathers Saturday, and will meet with the media later that day.

Grandal is not allowed to play in major league spring training games. The Padres will rely on former starting catcher Nick Hundley and career reserve John Baker to fill the void.


(espn.com)

Phoenix - Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder Ryan Braun is scheduled to report to spring training Friday, and he has already sent notice to the team's media relations department that he will not answer questions pertaining to Yahoo Sports' report linking him to a Miami clinic that is alleged to have sold performance-enhancing drugs to several baseball players.

The story broke Feb. 5, and Braun's only reaction has been a statement released by his public-relations firm that same day. In the statement, Braun explained that his lawyers had contacted the clinic while doing research to aid in his successful appeal of a 2011 positive test.

Manager Ron Roenicke, meanwhile, is taking a wait-and-see approach. Major League Baseball is investigating the clinic and those listed in the report.

"Right now, to be honest with you, I'm not even thinking about handling it or anything," Roenicke said. "Until there's more information on what is there, I can't make any comments on things I know nothing about.

"I've talked to Ryan. He's coming in, and I know he's going to have to deal with some press issues. But we're just going to move on with it as if nothing's there."

Last year, the first 10 days of spring training were a major distraction for the team as Braun reported while he was appealing a 50-game suspension for a positive test for elevated testosterone that occurred in October 2011.

Braun ultimately won his appeal, setting the stage for a memorable day-after news conference held on the field at Maryvale by the 2011 National League MVP.
This year, nobody really knows what to expect.

"It was different last year," Roenicke said. "We knew what the specifics were last year. I knew what to address, what I wasn't supposed to talk about. I knew where he was on those issues. I don't know anything (this time).

"We'll see where we are. It may be nothing. If it's the thing with the lawyer and payments, then it's nothing."

Roenicke left no doubt about the fact he has an issue with Braun's name being mentioned in the Yahoo Sports report when the newspaper that originally broke the story about the clinic, the Miami New Times, didn't mention Braun because it couldn't verify he was linked to anything illicit.

"I've had this pet peeve: Don't bring up anybody's name and put it in there if you're questioning it," he said. "If there's something going on and it's definite, fine. That's your job to put it out there. But don't bring up names you're not sure of and then retract it later, because it never is retracted from the fans or the people who are out there. Never.

"There will be some people that will say, 'OK.' But the majority, it's still there in their minds. It shouldn't be out there. That's what I have an issue with. It's very unfair to a player."


(jsonline.com)

As the Redskins continue preparations for the NFL scouting combine, free agency and the draft, we’re going to begin taking a look at players on the roster and questions  that surround them, as well as some of the decisions the team must make.

We’ll kick it off with a look at wide receiver Santana Moss:

The 12-year veteran experienced a resurgence last season, despite seeing his role reduced because of the additions of Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, and the development of Leonard Hankerson. Despite not being a starter for the first time since his second NFL season, Moss remained productive, compiling a team-high eight touchdown catches (third-best in his career) and 41 catches for 573 yards (14.0 yards per catch).

Part of the key to Moss’s success was his dedication during the offseason, when he slimmed down and regained some speed and explosiveness. Of Moss’s 573 yards, 225 came after the catch. Moss also excelled because coaches kept him on a limited snap count to preserve his aging legs fresh and maximize his impact.

What does the future hold for Moss?

Set to turn 34 as he enters his 13the NFL season, Moss is entering the final year of a three-year deal signed in 2011. His cap figure for the 2013 season is just more than $6.1 million.

Can the Redskins afford to carry him at that figure?

Moss proved last season that despite his age, he can still have an impact. The Redskins don’t have a proven slot receiver on their roster. Hankerson and Aldrick Robinson saw some time there, but lacked the same effectiveness.

So, it would seem that keeping Moss is the right call for Washington. However, given his cap figure, and the fact that Washington is believed to be $3 million to $4 million over the cap, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Moss’ deal restructured. The Redskins will be working to create some financial flexibility by March 12 so they can make moves in free agency and sign players of their own whose contracts are expiring.


(washingtonpost.com)

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton said he sees linebacker Jonathan Vilma as a piece of the team's new 3-4 defensive scheme, Payton said in an interview Tuesday morning on Sirius/XM NFL Radio.

The topic of Vilma's salary wasn't brought up, but Payton said he can see Vilma playing a weakside linebacker spot in the new 3-4 scheme, while Curtis Lofton would maintain his role as a middle linebacker.

"Yeah, I don't think anyone wants to place him over that guard bubble and have to take on that block," Payton said. "And I think he's a guy that runs to the ball and has great vision, very instinctual football player. I think you take some of that away if all of a sudden he's playing over an uncovered guard and now his size becomes an issue.

"A lot of things may concern you with a player change. So, he'll play over on that weakside position and I that will be very similar to what he did this past year. Curtis Lofton, who's a little heavier, will play on that strong inside Mike position. So I think that part of it for those two guys transition pretty well."

Vilma, though, is set to make $4.8 million in base salary and hold a salary cap figure of around $8.6 million. With the Saints being somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million over the salary cap, it's highly likely Vilma would have to take a drastic pay cut to remain in New Orleans. But Payton also used Vilma as an example of a player on the roster that can make the switch from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4.

"I don't know that we have the pieces in place that we feel comfortable with, or certainly there's a transition," Payton said. "A lot of this process, as a matter of fact, he and I spoke for about an hour about certain players and where they line up the first day of OTAs. And then you take what you have on the roster and you begin to put them into these spots and then you tweak and you make adjustments and you look to make additions.

"I think the way that we're going to run this defense and the type of 3-4 that we're running will be such that you saw in Dallas or Houston. There will be some under defensive principles to it. Some reduction, which means that the left guard or weak guard for the offense will be covered at times, and I think that will help a guy like Jon Vilma as opposed to the traditional two-gap 34 front that many Giants fans knew back when Bill Parcells was there ... So I do think there's some work to be done obviously when you make a change like this.

"You have the scouts who need to identify what the prototypes are for these positions different from what the scouts and everyone else in the building viewed as a prototype for the 43 scheme. Now there are good football players that can fit into either one, but I think it allows everyone a chance to maybe visualize what we're looking for."

Payton said he did plenty of homework on new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan before making the hire a couple of days ago to replace the fired Steve Spagnuolo.

"I know this, and not having really spent any time with Rob prior to this process beginning, I did a lot of research on him and spoke to almost everybody that I know that's ever been with him and a ton of other people with different organizations," Payton said. "Number one, I know he's passionate about the game. I know he's very intelligent and players love playing for him.

"He's a very loyal guy. All the coaches I've spoken to that he's worked with have all said he's done a great job of putting together defenses and understanding strengths and weaknesses of his team. He was always difficult for us to prepare for in the times that we've competed against him.

"I'm excited about it. I sat in Dallas for most of the past year and for most of the suspension and I watched almost every Cowboy game just because it was one of the local games. ... I thought considering the injuries that they had this year, I thought they played well defensively and at times broke down."

Payton also said the read option offense is at the top of the study list during offseason preparation. He said it's not going anyway any time soon and it's all over the NFC.


(nola.com)

This past weekend at the Super Bowl, Colts WR Reggie Wayne got the sparks flying as he asks local couples to pucker up for a live national social experiment all about the kiss!

Research shows that people are kissing less than ever and that 1 out of 3 women have avoided kissing a guy because he had facial hair. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon and signs showing that the kiss may be on the decline, Gillette is asking couples across America to help determine if stubble could be the trouble.

This past weekend, couples in New Orleans were invited to participate in a Kiss + Tell live experiment in-person. Men arrives stubbled, first conducting an introductory interview, then kissed with stubble.

Men then shaves and the couple will kiss again. A short follow-up survey was then conducted to determine which is truly more kissable. Anyone unable to attend in-person can conduct the experiment online at KissandTellUs.com. National results will be announced on Valentine’s Day.

Here’s pics from the weekends event!




(newspress.me)

PEORIA, AZ — Catcher Yasmani Grandal will keep a low profile at the Padres spring training camp until after he meets with teammates after the full squad reports Saturday.

Grandal, who reported with the pitchers and catchers Tuesday, will open the 2013 season on a 50-game suspension after testing positive in September for the performance-enhancing drug testosterone.

Two weeks ago, Grandal’s name surfaced in an investigation of the Miami-based Biogenesis anti-aging clinic that has been linked to 12 baseball players, including three – Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Grandal – who drew suspensions for using PEDs.

Grandal will likely meet with the media after he addresses his teammates.

Grandal is allowed to participate in spring training drills and can play in minor league spring training games. He cannot play in the major league games.


(utsandiego.com)

As Yogi Berra would say, it's déjà vu all over again.

For the second consecutive year, Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder Ryan Braun reports to spring training this week dogged by questions about performance-enhancing drugs.

The circumstances are quite different from one year ago, when news was leaked of Braun's positive drug test for an unusually high level of synthetic testosterone. An arbitration panel later overturned a 50-game suspension, which would have begun on opening day.

This time, the all-star's name surfaced on the logs of a Miami anti-aging clinic linked to supplying baseball players with PEDs. Braun quickly issued a statement saying his attorneys merely used clinic operator Anthony Bosch as a consultant in their defense planning for the 2012 arbitration hearing.

But in the court of public opinion, the damage was done. Across social media platforms, Braun has been blasted by baseball fans who don't yet have the facts but subscribe to the theory that where there's smoke, there's fire.

Jonathan Norman, senior director of client strategy for GMR Marketing of New Berlin, understands the rush to judgment on Braun but cautions fans to sit back, take a deep breath and wait for the facts to come out.

"What I would say is social media has taken the news cycle from days to minutes and seconds," Norman said. "The court of public opinion is much like a drive-through restaurant instead of a sit-down meal.

"People are quick to form their own judgments because of the way we're sharing this information. You're expected to not only form an opinion but to share it."
When it comes to PEDs, athletes no longer receive the benefit of the doubt. Too many have made strong denials that later were revealed as lies. Exhibit A is cyclist Lance Armstrong, whose years of deceit and manipulation were exposed as the workings of an arrogant con artist.

Fair or not, it's natural for some fans to jump to conclusions when it comes to Braun.

"I think it's sort of like playing roulette," Norman said. "To assume that because it hit red last time it's going to hit black this time, that's false logic. We're in a time when PEDs are in the public conversation and it's easy to make a reach, especially when all the facts are not known."

Even noted sportscaster Bob Costas has weighed in, questioning why Braun's defense team would use Bosch as a consultant and saying that "we all know (Braun) got off on a technicality (in 2012)."

Arbitrator Shyam Das cast the deciding vote on what became a chain-of-custody issue after Braun's urine sample was taken for a drug test in October 2011. Das later was fired by Major League Baseball, which clearly was unhappy with the panel's finding.

"People say (Braun) got off on a technicality," said David Leigh, a clinical assistant professor in exercise science at Marquette University and an expert in the field of testing athletes for PEDs. "I would not say that. I would say MLB's drug-testing protocol was flawed."

But even Leigh, who has been an athlete representative at the Goodwill Games and Pan American Games, wonders why Braun's legal team would use Bosch as a consultant.

"I would think I'd want to go to a (doctor) or a researcher in the field of drug testing vs. a guy who is running a lab in Miami that doesn't have credentials," Leigh said. "Was it just advice? OK, fine. Again, I would say you should go to somebody else for advice."

Braun opened spring training last year by making an impassioned 30-minute speech during a news conference in which he fought to save his reputation and integrity. Defiant but eloquent, he claimed he was the "victim of a process that completely broke down and failed."

Playing with a chip on his shoulder and often to jeering and catcalls from opposing teams' fans, Braun led the National League in homers (41), total bases (356) and runs (108) while batting .319, driving in 112 runs and stealing 30 bases.

This year, the circumstances are different.

Braun's name was in the ledgers of Biogenesis, the Miami clinic linked to supplying baseball players with performance-enhancing drugs. Yahoo Sports reported the ledger indicated a payment due of $20,000 to $30,000, but Braun said in his statement that there was a dispute with Bosch about the fee and that's why his name and the monetary figure were listed.

Norman said Braun was smart to issue his statement quickly after the Yahoo Sports report broke.

"I think Ryan did the right thing by issuing the press release and his comments on the case," Norman said. "My best recommendation is to get him on the field and let the process play out.

"Major League Baseball has announced that they are conducting their due diligence through the investigation."

As for Braun's guilt or innocence regarding PEDs and the veracity of his statement, Leigh said "it would not surprise me either way."

"Again, is his name on a list because he was a University of Miami athlete?" Leigh said. "Let MLB do the investigation. His name was on a list? Well, so what? Do we have other positive tests? No, we don't. With Lance Armstrong they found positive tests going way back."

As for Braun defending himself against an onslaught of criticism in social media, Norman said there was little the player could do.

"Social media makes it difficult to not have an opinion on these types of issues and topics," he said. "As you know the news cycle has shortened immensely. From a marketing standpoint I believe Ryan has done everything he can."


(jsonline.com)

Impending free-agent running back Reggie Bush's agents are reportedly "confused" by the Miami Dolphins' indifference  about his status since the end of the season. The team has yet to make him a contract offer.

Bush's camp should look no further than Lamar Miller for an explanation, as the Dolphins believe the 97th pick in the 2012 draft can be a bigger, faster, better version in this year's backfield.

While the expectations remain low for 2011 second-rounder Daniel Thomas, general manager Jeff Ireland recently singled out the more talented Miller for a bigger role.

"Lamar really showed some great signs of really some explosive play opportunity," Ireland said last week, according to The Palm Beach Post. "He kind of shoots out of the cannon when he hits the hole. He's got very good hands. I thought he did a very good job in his pass protection, which keeps him on the field all three downs."

The Dolphins think highly enough of Miller as their lead running back that they likely will ignore looking for another player at the position in free agency.

Any list of 2013 NFL breakout candidates should start with Miller. He has the playmaking ability to emerge as the Dolphins' top offensive weapon.


(nfl.com)

Even powerhouse Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork had to "tackle" some shoveling during the snowstorm over the weekend.

According to his wife Bianca's Twitter page, Wilfork headed out early to shovel their walkway, and she linked to photos on her Instagram, providing a look at how the Wilfork family handled the storm.


(boston.com)

Raven's left tackle Bryant McKinnie’s performance during the playoffs has the Ravens interested in trying to retain the veteran offensive lineman and impending free agent, Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times reports.

McKinnie didn’t start a single game during the regular season, but his insertion at left tackle for the playoffs – and the subsequent shuffling that went along with it – helped transform the Ravens’ offensive line from a unit that had struggled in pass protection during the regular season into a group that quarterback Joe Flacco said earlier this week was “unbelievable” in pass protection during the playoffs.

Baltimore’s expected to have only limited money to spend under the salary cap, but McKinnie said Ravens coach John Harbaugh twice approached him during the postseason expressing his interest in having McKinnie return to Baltimore even after the conclusion of the season.

“It was two different times [Harbaugh] mentioned it,” McKinnie said in a phone interview Friday. “One was after like the New England game. He was like, ‘After we play in the Super Bowl, we need to talk about you for next year.’ … And then when we were out at the Super Bowl, he came up to the table with me for lunch or something and he kind of mentioned again, ‘You know, we want to see what’s going on with you after the Super Bowl."

Baltimore’s not expected to have much money to spend under the salary cap and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome hinted Thursday that McKinnie’s play during the postseason could earn the left tackle a bigger payday elsewhere than what Baltimore’s willing to spend.


(theredzone.com)

Now that it appears that Brandon Banks has played his last game for the Redskins, some fans need a new player to complain about. Leonard Hankerson has taken Banks’ place as the player that Redskins fans love to hate.

In Banks’ case I think the criticism was justified; with Hankerson, I don’t quite understand it.

The primary complaint that I get is that he drops the ball too much. He has had some memorable drops and at other times he looked like he was battling to hang on to fairly routine passes. But according to Pro Football Focus, Hankerson held on to the ball better than any other Redskins wideout.

Per PFF, Hankerson was targeted 55 times and he had 38 receptions and three drops. That gives him a drop rate of 7.32 percent. Of the 82 NFL wide receivers who played at least 25 percent of their teams’ snaps that is the 28th-best drop rate.

That’s not great but it was the best on the team. Pierre Garçon caught 44 passes and dropped five, a drop rate of 10.2 percent (51st in the NFL). Josh Morgan’s caught 48 and dropped seven for a rate of 12.73 percent (67th). Santana Moss, with six drops and 41 receptions had a rate of 12.77 (68th).

Certainly, Hankerson still needs to improve in other areas. He has had issues getting separation from defensive backs so it looks like his route running could use some improvement.

This will be a critical offseason for Hankerson. The NFL lockout wiped out OTA’s his rookie year and rehab from his hip injury kept him sidelined during the offseason program a year ago. We will see if a full cycle of team workouts will help Hankerson take the next step.

Widen the field?
This appears to be just in the speculation phase right now but the NFL could take a look into widening the field of play as a safety measure.

The thinking is that with more wide open spaces there will be fewer of the big, debilitating hits that the NFL fears is causing long-term injuries, particularly to the player’s head. The field in the Canadian Football League is 195 feet wide compared to 160 feet in the NFL.

"It's a radical idea, but I think it's worth thinking about," former Colts GM Bill Polian said. "You would have more space and perhaps a safer game. I say that based on my CFL experience. There are less collisions of that type in the Canadian game."

The offenses in the CFL are more wide-open thanks to the wider field. Defensive backs have 22 percent more field area from goal line to goal line to try to cover receivers. Backs running around the end of the line have more room to get to the edge.

There are considerations beyond competition. In most stadiums such a change would necessitate the removal of some prime seats along the sideline.

It would be surprising to see the NFL make such a change. But the thought of Robert Griffin III sprinting out with some extra field to work with might make a change that Redskins fans could believe in.


(realredskins.com)

The Baltimore Ravens' successful Super Bowl march is the ideal case of addition by subtraction. After all, according to a prominent defender on the team, the Ravens would not have secured the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history had linebacker Ray Lewis not lit a fire with his retirement revelation Jan. 2, four days before the playoffs began.

"What sparked it was Ray's announcement when he said this would be his last playoff run with us, I would definitely say that was hands down what sparked it and got our minds right," fellow linebacker Terrell Suggs told NFL Network's NFL Total Access on Friday night.

"We've always been a pretty dangerous team in the playoffs. We knew with Ray's announcing that he was retiring and how we normally play in the playoffs, those two combined together rallied one of the most emotional runs I've ever been a part of."

Though Baltimore lost four of five to end the regular season, surely with an ascending offense and (finally) a fairly healthy defense, the Ravens could have won it all even if Lewis had decided to return for an 18th season ... right, Terrell?

"Um, no. Probably not," Suggs claimed. "We needed something to get us over the hump. To do what we had to do — to beat the future in Andrew Luck, and to go into (Denver with) Peyton Manning having an MVP season and going there and winning, and then going up to Foxborough, a place where we lost the previous year against arguably one of the best quarterbacks (Tom Brady) of our time — without that emotional lift, it probably would've been next to impossible.

"But with the lead of 52 (Lewis' jersey number), we had enough to do it."

Really? A success-laden, veteran team like the Ravens needed something else to fuel a championship sprint? Even when other telegraphed retirements (Tiki Barber) have proven distractions? Maybe it's further testament to the intangibles that are so critical to success in the NFL and/or the fact that every locker room responds differently to real or perceived adversity ... or it's just Suggs' way of further burnishing the legacy of his retiring buddy.

But if this is really what works for the Ravens, then they need to get veteran center Matt Birk to hang around for one more year, re-sign free safety Ed Reed for two and perhaps get an emotional last ride out of Suggs in 2015.


(usatoday.com)

Throughout his career (and especially in recent years), Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has operated essentially as an on-field coach.

Now that Lewis is retired as a player, the door is open as a coach.  Not surprisingly, Lewis isn’t interested.

“All of the guys that have played here come back often.  Talk to players, and they are always welcome,” Harbaugh said Thursday, via CSN Baltimore.com.  “Of course, Ray would be no less than that.  We have talked about it.  He knows he is always welcome.  He has not expressed an interest to coach.  I have asked him, and he is not interested.  But we have talked about it.”

Of course he’s not interested.  It’s long hours and low pay.  And it cuts against his desire to spend more time with his family, and also to get paid a lot more money for a lot less time at ESPN.

Ray also has said he wants to be an actor, which if he can make it to the “A” list pays a lot more than what he made for a full season of football.
Direct involvement in a football team has taken Ray Lewis as far as it ever will.  Unless and until other opportunities dry up, there’s no reason for him to coach — even though he’d likely be very good at it.


(profootballtalk.com)

Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland said DE Olivier Vernon is "going to get much, much better." Vernon, a 2012 third-round pick out of Miami, will spend the offseason working out with and learning pass-rush moves from Cameron Wake.




(fantasysp.com)

Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan, two finalists for the latest Pro Football Hall of Fame voting, have swapped shots after Sapp was elected, but Strahan was not.

After Saturday’s Hall of Fame vote, Sapp went on WDAE Radio with his belief that he couldn’t compete with Strahan’s media presence on Live With Kelly & Michael.

“Say if I rewind this to Saturday at 12 o’clock me and you are sitting and I say, ‘It breaks down whatever and whatever and then you have Michael Strahan and me.  C’mon, the menace and the media darling,’” Sapp told WDAE.  “C’mon.  Madness, or Good Morning America?  I mean, c’mon.”

Strahan apparently felt slighted and fired back at Sapp via Twitter.

Michael Strahan @michaelstrahan:
@WarrenSapp You never cease to amaze me! Enjoy your moment. You don't need to take a shot at me to justify yourself to other people. #class


(cnnsi.com)

Jeremy Shockey -- who once signed a $26 million contract with the Giants -- is now locked in a legal battle with a Miami landlord ... over $16,000 ... TMZ has learned.

Shockey filed a lawsuit against the landlord of a $14,000-a-month Miami beach mansion -- where he lived for ONE MONTH last summer -- claiming she's holding his security deposit hostage for no good reason.

Shockey claims he paid the landlord one month's rent, plus a substantial security deposit ... but when he moved out, she refused to return $16,000 he's owed. 

Shockey claims he left the place in perfectly acceptable condition ... so the landlord's got no leg to stand on. Now, he's suing for $16,000 plus interest.

Calls to the landlord weren't returned.


(tmz.com)

Cleveland Browns WR Travis Benjamin is expected to serve as the team's punt return man in 2013.




(fantasysp.com)

NEW YORK (AP) -- NFL greats Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk are appearing in a public service announcement in favor of gun law reforms.

The spot released Friday is paid for by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which was founded by New York City's Michael Bloomberg and Boston's Thomas Menino. A solemn Smith speaks into the camera: "For the children of Sandy Hook Elementary." Then Tomlinson adds, "Demand a plan."

Faulk says later: "It's time for our leaders to do something."

Mayors Against Illegal Guns says on its website that it "advocates for common-sense measures that will close deadly gaps in our gun laws and make sure law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to detect and deter gun trafficking."


(ap.com)

Ray Lewis had been the undisputed leader of the Ravens for more than a decade. Terrell Suggs doesn’t think he can fill the leadership void left by Lewis’s retirement all by himself.

Asked on NFL Network’s Total Access whether he becomes the Ravens’ leader now that Lewis is retired, Suggs said that he actually sees quarterback Joe Flacco as the leader the rest of the team will look to.

“We’re not worried about that right now. We’re still on this magic carpet ride, we’re enjoying the championship. Regardless of what anyone says, Joe Flacco, he’s proven he’s one hell of a leader, so I don’t have any problems sharing the role with him,” Suggs said.

Suggs added that the Ravens would “probably not” have won the Super Bowl if it weren’t for Lewis’s announcement prior to the playoffs that he planned to retire. Suggs said the rest of the team became more focused knowing that it would be Lewis’s last ride.

“You could say what sparked it was Ray’s announcement when he said that this would be his last playoff run with us,” Suggs said. “I would definitely say that was hands-down what sparked it and got our minds going in the right place.”

Suggs also said the power outage at the Super Bowl was not an issue.

“We weren’t going to let something like the lights going out steal our glory,” Suggs said. “We were like, ‘Once we get the lights back on, we’re going to get back to this ass-whipping.’”

It was the last ass-whipping Suggs and Lewis got to administer together.


(profootballtalk.com)

Orioles infielder Danny Valencia has denied any use of performance-enhancing drugs after a report from Yahoo Sports linked him with a Miami clinic that distributed them to major league players.

Valencia, who the Orioles obtained in November from Boston, is not linked with PEDs that were distributed by a Miami clinic, Biogenesis. Several other players including Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, New York’s Alex Rodriguez and Toronto’s Melky Cabrera were reported to have received PEDs by a Miami newspaper.

Valencia and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli were on a list of players treated at the clinic. In a statement sent to ESPN.com on Thursday night, Valencia denied use of PEDs.

"As any innocent person would be, I am shocked and troubled that my name is in any way connected to this story," Valencia said in the statement.

"I have never met or spoken to anyone connected with Biogenesis, in fact I had never even heard of this company prior to the New Times’ story. I take tremendous pride in the hard work and dedication I put into being a professional baseball player and have never taken PEDs or failed a drug test of any kind during my career. I look forward to fully cooperating in MLB’s investigation in any way that I can, and will explore taking legal action if this issue is not resolved in a timely fashion."

Valencia is scheduled to report to spring training on Feb. 15 and will no doubt have to answer questions about Biogenesis.


(csnbaltimore.com)

San Diego Padres Yasmani Grandal has some more explaining to do after receiving a 50-game suspension all the way back in November as new information continues to come our regarding the Florida anti-aging facility that reportedly supplied his substance.

With spring training right around the corner, the Padres are still looking for answers. Friars’ executive chairman Ron Fowler told the Mighty 1090′s “Darren Smith Show” on Friday that the team will be keeping an eye on the developing situation.

“I don’t think we really had the candor when he was first  suspended that we I think have a right to expect,” he told the show. “I think our people are going to try to get clarity on it.”

Here’s what we do know: Grandal was suspended by Major League Baseball on Nov. 7, 2012 for testing positive for having a high testosterone level. He has made no announcement that he will appeal the suspension and will serve it at the start of the 2013 season. He only half-admitted to any wrongdoing when the news initially broke via USA Today:

“I apologize to the fans, my teammates, and to the San Diego Padres,” Grandal said in his statement. “I was disappointed to learn of my positive test and under the Joint Drug Program I am responsible for what I put into my body.”

With new details emerging that further implicate the 24-year-old former University of Miami star in a lengthy report from the Miami New Times, the news could get potentially much worse for San Diego. 

“It’s very disappointing,” said Fowler “This whole issue of sports and drugs is of great concern. We’re very disappointed in Yasmani, we’re hoping that he steps up and handles this appropriately with his teammates. We want him to be candid, come clean. This is a strike one situation, and this is one area where as a team we will support him by any means possible.” 

That support is warranted, both on the field and off. Grandal quickly became a fan favorite in San Diego after coming over in the Mat Latos trade. He also produced on the field, hitting .297 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs. Now, there’s a question as to how much of that was due to an artificial performance enhancement. Despite his production and likability, however, the team is ready to take action as necessary. 

Though Fowler didn’t say it bluntly, he was clear that there would be serious ramifications if it turns out Grandal was deceitful to the organization. 

“There aren’t going to be three strikes here, Fowler went on to say. “We will move aggressively if there’s another problem, and we want him to understand that. If we have been lied to and things have been misrepresented, it’s going to give us cause to ponder.”

Where do the Padres go from here? They’ll have a significant hole to fill, and San Diego could still be searching for answers. 

“I’m concerned as to whether or not we have the true story,” added Fowler. 


(sportssouthwest.com)

MIAMI -- Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke says he has talked to slugger Ryan Braun about how he was linked to a defunct Florida clinic being probed by Major League Baseball in the sport's latest drug investigation.

Roenicke says Braun is "doing good," and added that he knows the 2011 NL MVP again will have to deal with some scrutiny.

Braun tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone during the 2011 postseason. Baseball suspended him for 50 games, a sanction that was overturned in spring training last year after an arbitrator ruled in Braun's favor due to chain of custody issues involving the sample.

Braun has acknowledged a business relationship with Anthony Bosch, saying he consulted with the founder of the Miami-based anti-aging clinic only to strengthen his appeal of the 2011 positive test result.

Braun released a statement last Tuesday in response to a report by Yahoo! Sports, which said the outfielder's name is listed in records obtained from Biogenesis of America LLC, the clinic that allegedly provided PEDs to several high-profile baseball players.

"During the course of preparing for my successful appeal last year, my attorneys, who were previously familiar with Tony Bosch, used him as a consultant," Braun said in his statement. "More specifically, he answered questions about T/E ratio and possibilities of tampering with samples."

The T/E ratio is a comparison of the levels of testosterone to epitestosterone.

Roenicke was speaking Saturday night at Florida International's baseball banquet.


(espn.com)