DeSean updates

DeSean Jackson seems to be a popular free agent. (USATSI)

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With the surprising news from late last week that the Eagles had released DeSean Jackson, a free agency period that was turning somewhat boring has been reinvigorated with new life. Jackson, after all, would be one of the best free agents in any season and now that most of all the top players have been signed for the 2014 season, much of our attention can be focused on him.

Here's all the news that's fit to print on Jackson from Monday, the day he reportedly was traveling to Washington to meet with the Redskins.

-5:02 p.m. ET: Everybody knows what when you need a strong hot take on the Jackson situation, you go straight to the Grammy-award winning T.I. Thus, here's what he thinks about Jackson and his reported gang ties.

“I think it's a poor display of social growth on behalf of the NFL,” T.I. told The Jim Rome Show on Monday. “I think that in this day and age to profile and to kind of stereotype someone because of the way they walk, or the way they talk, that's profiling by definition. Unless they have some sort of hardcore, concrete, true evidence of a law being broken, I don't see what the big deal is, to be honest.”

-4:50 p.m. ET: Jackson is apparently getting his grub on with Redskins brass tonight, per Albert Breer.

DeSean Jackson is still en route to Redskins Park. Plan is for him to have dinner with coach Jay Gruden and GM Bruce Allen tonight.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 31, 2014

-3:10 p.m. ET: Jackson certainly dresses nice when he's on what we think is an airplane and headed to what we think is Washington. Either way, this is what he posted on his Instagram account with this caption:

"Life Brought me This Far !! Now Create the New Path !! Desire !! Faith !! Motivation !! Believe !! Power !!#Business1st"

-2:41 p.m. ET: Though at least nine teams have expressed interested in Jackson, ESPN.com is reporting that Jackson is in "deep negotiations" with two so-called mystery teams who have not previously shown public interest in him.

If that's to be believed, that means a team other than Raiders, Bills, Panthers, Jets, Chiefs, Patriots, 49ers or Seahawks would have to be involved in negotiating with Jackson.

-1:45 p.m. ET: Giving more fuel to the fire that Jackson is interested in playing for the Redskins, TMZ reports that Jackson and Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III recently hung out together.

-1:19 p.m. ET: One sportsbook website has released the odds on which team will sign Jackson. For now, the Redskins are the odds-on favorite at 2/1, but don't forget about the Raiders (3/1), Bills (5/1) or 49ers (5/1). If you'd rather play a longshot, the Chiefs are 15/1.

-9:07 a.m. ET: With the NJ.com report that came out on Friday, there's been plenty of speculation on whether Jackson really is affiliated with any L.A. gangs. His high school athletic director and high school counselor say no.

"DeSean is a great guy -- he was a sweet kid when he was in high school, always very polite and respectful with me," said counselor Debbie Hughes, via the PressTelegram.com. "There was no gang activity with him. He wasn't in a gang. That's not to say other students weren't, but DeSean definitely wasn't one of them."

NFL Hot News

Steelers add RB LeGarrette Blount



The Steelers lost Jonathan Dwyer to the Cardinals earlier this offseason, so they have signed another big back to backup Le'Veon Bell. They signed former Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount on Friday to a two-year contract.Blount was dealt away by the Buccaneers for a seventh-round pick last April and became a valuable player for the Patriots late last season. Through the final two weeks of the 2013 regular season and New England's playoff game versus the Colts, Blount ran 64 times for 431 yards and eight touchdowns.



However, Blount won't play a heavy role in the Steelers' offense this season, barring an injury to clear lead runner Bell, who has workhorse qualities. Blount cashed in on his late-season burst, but he is merely a low-end handcuff in Pittsburgh. Bell should touch the ball more than 300 times and be a low-end RB1.Meanwhile, Stevan Ridley has nothing standing in his way toward becoming the Patriots' short-yardage, between-the-tackles runner again. He could be a really nice value pick.

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Rockets: No Beverley surgery

Patrick Beverley won't be out all that long with his knee injury. (USATSI)

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Yahoo Sports reports that Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley will not undergo surgery to repair or remove his torn meniscus, and will be available to return this season. The Houston Chronicle first reported the development Sunday.

Beverley will reportedly be considered "week to week" as a status, and the mov could mean he's available for the playoffs. The Rockets would luck out in a big way if that were the case, as Beverley's defense will be pivotal no matter who the Rockets face in the first or second round.

Beverley is averaging 9.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season for the Rockets.

Topics: Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets, NBA

Basketball Hot News

Roy Hibbert is going to get his now, apparently

Roy Hibbert has actually developed a decent mid-range shot. He’s made 43-of-100 attempts between 15 and 19 feet entering the Pacers game against the Spurs tonight. It’s a nice safety-valve shot when opponents leave him wide open and the shot clock is winding down.

But when he’s closely guarded and there are 13 seconds on the shot clock? That’s just selfish.

(hat tip: Jared Wade of 8 Points, 9 Seconds)

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Sunday’s recaps

Basketball Hot News

Report: Warriors’ Andrew Bogut out 4-7 days with hip injury, could be longer

The Warriors need Andrew Bogut if they are going to get out of the first round. They outscore teams by 8 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court — he anchors their defense, which is a little better with him playing, but his presence in the paint also helps their offensive spacing (the Warriors offense is 4.8 points per 100 possession better with Bogut on the court).

Which is why the bruised pelvis he suffered Friday night, which led to an MRI on Saturday, had Warriors fans a little nervous.

The news could be worse, but it’s not ideal either, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports.

The initial expectation is that Bogut could be sidelined 4-to-7 days, but return is dependent on how he responds to treatment, sources say.—

Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) March 30, 2014

That means no Bogut Sunday against the Knicks. Golden State beat Memphis largely without Bogut and David Lee, a formula they need to continue for a while (Lee has a hamstring issue but should return in the coming days).

Expect to see more of Jermaine O’Neil and Draymond Green in the short term. The Warriors have signed Hilton Armstrong to a 10 day contract to add some depth up front for now.

The Warriors are in the middle of a battle for playoff position. They are currently the sixth seed, one game back of five seed Portland (who was slumping but got LaMarcus Aldridge back) and 1.5 up on seven seed Phoenix. They could use Bogut to try and climb the ladder, but more importantly is not to have this linger, to have Bogut healthy for the playoffs come mid April.

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Report: Blount, Steelers agree

LeGarrette Blount joins the Steelers on a two-year deal. (USATSI)

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The Steelers have agreed to a two-year deal with running back LeGarrette Blount, the team announced Friday.

Contract details via the Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson:

LeGarrette Blount can make an additional $150,000 if he gains 800 rushing yards in 2014, according to a source, to push deal to $4 million

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) March 28, 2014

Blount, who spent last season with the Patriots where he rushed for 772 yards and seven touchdowns, provides much-needed depth behind Steelers workhorse Le'Veon Bell.

Undrafted coming out of Oregon, the 27-year-old Blount gained 1,007 yards on 201 carries (5.0 YPC) as a rookie with Tampa Bay. In three years with the Bucs, Blount amassed 1,939 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. According to Football Outsiders, Blount ranked 10th in value per play among all NFL running backs in 2013, just behind former teammate Stevan Ridley and just ahead of the Bills' Fred Jackson.

In Pittsburgh, Blount, who is listed at 6-0, 250 pounds, will spell Bell, the 2013 second-round pick who helped revitalize a moribund Steelers run game. This offseason, the team hired former Titans coach Mike Munchak as its offensive line coach, and he's expected to implement a zone-blocking scheme that should make the ground game even more effective.

The Steelers were reportedly interested in James Starks, who ended up re-signing with the Packers, as well as Maurice Jones-Drew, who inked a three-year deal with the Raiders Friday morning. Blount, meanwhile, drew interest from the Patriots and the Ravens.

NFL Hot News

Packers HC Mike McCarthy loves him some WR Jarrett Boykin



Packers wide receiver Jarrett Boykin didn't earn stable playing time in the offense last season until Week 7 but still gained 681 yards. Green Bay will need a full season of stepping up from Boykin this year after James Jones left through free agency, and he has head coach Mike McCarthy's full confidence."I can't say enough about Boykin," McCarthy told reporters Wednesday. "The young man is a heck of a player, he's done it the right way, special teams, he's performed every opportunity he's given."



Boykin is "only" the Packers' No. 3 wide receiver behind Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, but he is an upgrade over Jones, and he should at least have consistent WR3 value and could top 1,000 yards in 2014.

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Griffin (back) leaves early

Blake Griffin was forced to exit Saturday against the Rockets in the first quarter because of back spasms.

Midway through the first quarter Griffin grabbed at his lower back and crumpled to the floor before heading to the locker room. He played only six minutes, scoring seven points.

Griffin's not expected to miss extended time, but back spasms can be a tricky, lingering issue. With the playoffs nearing, the Clippers are obviously going to play things on the safe side to try and make sure he's as healthy and ready as possible.

Despite missing Griffin, the Clippers were able to pick up an impressive road win in Houston, who was missing Dwight Howard, topping the Rockets 118-107 behind 30 and 11 assists from Chris Paul and 20 from DeAndre Jordan.

Topics: Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

Basketball Hot News

Vince Carter wants to re-sign with Mavericks, thinks he’s earned it (he has)

Vince Carter has been a real value for Dallas this season — 12.1 points a game shooting 39.3 percent from three, playing more than 24 minutes a game and all for $3.2 million.

At age 37 he looks like a guy who has a couple more years of solid basketball in him.

He also will be a free agent this summer and will have options, contenders will come calling if he wants to chase a ring. However, he told the Dallas Morning News he wants to stay with the Mavericks and win with them.

“My fingers are crossed,” he said. “Next year might be even better. We can attract some more people, more talent. Now I know my role, and I know the system, it’s second nature to me now. I know the city very well. I’m stepping out, going to SMU games and getting out and about. I’m very comfortable here.

“I like the guys. I like the nucleus we have here. With my role and the way I play and the way I go about things, it really helps guys here. And they like that. Hopefully, that’s enough so that they can still have trust in me enough to play significant minutes and help the other guys out.”

It’ s hard to predict what the Mavericks will do this summer, Mark Cuban wants to go big game hunting for another star but it’s a slim market (unless Miami breaks up, which is highly unlikely at best).

Another year or two of Carter at a fair price would seem a good deal for both sides.

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Kings owner backs lottery changes, tourney idea

Vivek Ranadive has ideas for fixing tanking. (USATSI)

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In a Q&A with Vivek Ranadive, majority owner of the Sacramento Kings, Ranadive discussed the subject of tanking and his solution for it. It's a radical system that's less aggressive than the so-called "wheel plan" and features a tournament for the 8th and final playoff spots in each conference.

One of the last questions that Gladwell asked the commissioner was what one change he would make to the league if he had a magic wand and could change anything he wanted instantly. The commissioner said he'd increase the age limit. What would your one magic wand change be?

That's the V Plan. Do you want me to tell you the V Plan?

I would love to hear about the V Plan.

So, basically, we have this issue with how the draft happens and people allegedly tanking. So when I was flying back from the conference, someone looked at me and asked, “Hey, have you thought about this?” People have come up with different ideas -- this idea of The Wheel, and this and that. And so I thought about it and I came up with a solution that I believe will solve most of the issues, and I call it the V Plan.

There's two parts to it. Part one is that you freeze the draft order at the time of the All-Star break. Then, everything [pertaining to the current lottery system] remains the same, but it's frozen based on the standings at the All-Star break. Then there's no gain in not playing at the highest level for the remainder of the season. That's part one.

Part two is that at the end of the season, the top seven teams from the Eastern Conference and the top seven teams from the Western Conference make the playoffs. Then for the eighth playoff spot, the remaining eight teams have a sudden-death, college-style playoff in a neutral venue, like Vegas in the West and Kansas or Louisville in the East. (Note: This idea is similar to Bill Simmons' "Entertaining as Hell Tournament,” first floated here and was discussed by Silver in his chat with Gladwell at the Sloan Conference.)

That would inject such excitement into the league. Teams would no longer be incentivized to lose. Their fans would have something to hope for, like a Cinderella team that got into the eighth spot. It would solve most of the issues that we're facing with the way the draft happens right now.

via Q&A: Kings owner Vivek Ranadive - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN.

The first part is easy, and not a bad solution. You have a half-season to tank, then you can start getting better. This has a few advantages. If your star player blows out his knee, you can secure yourself a good pick, then make a trade at the deadline to try and make the playoffs and compete. I'm on board with that one.

As far as the tournament option, Simmons' idea is always met with excitement from fans. It has to be collectively bargained though, and that could be a problem. Additionally, a lot of teams just want to be done after all their misery. Even if the Sixers hadn't traded away Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner, would you really want to put them through having to play an extra game? I think taking maybe the final four teams in each conference would be a better plan. It's shorter, would get the team within reasonable reach, and spare us having to watch the Lakers again.

Either way, with an owner on board such change, you can see that the future of the NBA in regards to the draft lottery and tanking is going to change some way, some how.

Topics: Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, Sacramento Kings, NBA

Basketball Hot News

Report: Steve Kerr the ‘frontrunner’ for Knicks coaching job next season if he wants it

Steve Kerr confirmed his interest in one day becoming an NBA head coach, after his name became attached to a position with the Knicks that doesn’t yet exist.

Mike Woodson is currently at the helm in New York as the team tries to make a late-season push for the playoffs, but few believe he’ll be back in that position next season.

Phil Jackson, in his new role as president of basketball operations, will want to fill the coaching ranks and the front office with his guys — people he trusts to execute his plans, and likely those he has worked with in some capacity in the past.

That makes Kerr a fine choice to patrol the sidelines in New York next season, and reportedly, he’d be the leading candidate to do so if in fact that is where his interest lies.

From Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today:

If indeed TNT analyst and former NBA guard Steve Kerr, who played for three of Jackson’s championship Bulls teams, wants to coach, he is the front-runner, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

But one other name to consider, if Kerr doesn’t end up as coach: Derek Fisher, who could end up with the Knicks either as a coach or front-office executive.

The Knicks need to install someone as head coach who will follow the front office plan, and be an extension of Jackson, both in terms of team culture and his long-term vision. Bringing in a first-time head coach like Kerr (on a long-term deal) would immediately help to accomplish that.

As for Fisher, he’d simply be another cog in the machine who has extensive experience winning titles with Jackson in Los Angeles, and thus would be an addition that also makes sense once his playing days are finished.

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Vikings’ Zimmer calls Manziel’s pro day ‘a sideshow’

Johnny Manziel got mostly rave reviews Thursday. (USATSI)

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For the most part, the pro day workout by Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M on Thursday was an impressive display of accuracy, arm strength and a nice touch on his passes. A former U.S. president and first lady -- along with their dog -- were there, and though there was plenty of Twitter snark during and after the workout, Manziel's performance could easily be labeled a success.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, though, has a slightly different opinion. He said Manziel's performance was "choreographed" and that the surrounding atmosphere was too circus-like for his taste.

“The huddles and the different things and the music. The sideshow stuff,” Zimmer said, via the Houston Chronicle. “It was a sideshow.”

Perhaps Manziel's most unusual decision was to participate in his pro day while wearing shoulder pads and a helmet. Some speculated that Manziel did so in order to appear physically bigger to the scouts and NFL officials in attendance, and Manziel said he did it simply because he plays the game in pads and a helmet.

But it sounds like Zimmer wasn't impressed.

"It was a different workout,” Zimmer said. “It's the first time I've ever seen it ... “This one was a little different in how it was choreographed. People like that or they don't like that, I don't know.”

What Zimmer's comments mean ... well, who knows. He's on record saying the team wants to add quarterbacks to the Vikings roster, and it seems likely Minnesota will look to the draft in order to do so and to find a way to replace Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel as the team's potential starter.

For the record, three of the five CBSSports.com mock drafters predict Minnesota will take a quarterback with the No. 8 overall pick (two votes for Teddy Bridgewater and one for Derek Carr).

But by the time it's the Vikings' turn to draft, Manziel very well could be off the board anyway. Unless all 32 teams are on the same wavelength as CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco -- who doesn't have Manziel as a first-round pick in his mock draft.

Still, not everybody was turned off by Manziel on Thursday.

“The atmosphere and everything that was involved and then to come out and perform like he did, that was great,” Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. “I think that's no different than how he's performed all year, right? Perform under pressure. Felt like more of a pressurized environment with a lot of eyes watching him and he did a great job.”

NFL Hot News

Eagles release WR DeSean Jackson; gang connections reported as one reason for his release



DeSean Jackson is a 27-year-old wide receiver, one of the best in the NFL. And as of Friday morning, one without a job.Eagles head coach Chip Kelly informed Jackson via a phone call that he was being released by the team. His actual release this morning followed a report from NJ.com citing sources close to Jackson and within the Eagles' organization that the move was made because of Jackson's bad attitude, poor work ethic, missing team meetings and, most seriously, Jackson's association with Los Angeles street-gang members who have been connected to homicides.Jackson then released a statement later on Friday, first thanking the Eagles' organization for the time he spent there. Jackson then denied the allegations of gang connections."I would like to address the misleading and unfounded reports that my release has anything to do with any affiliation that has been speculated surrounding the company I keep off of the field," Jackson said. "I would like to make it very clear that I am not and never have been part of any gang. I am not a gang member, and to speculate and assume that I am involved in such activity off the field is reckless and irresponsible."I work very hard on and off the field and I am a good person with good values. I am proud of the accomplishments that I have made both on and off the field. I have worked tirelessly to give back to my community and have a positive impact on those in need. It is unfortunate that I now have to defend myself and my intentions. These reports are irresponsible and just not true. I look forward to working hard for my new team."And there is a growing list of teams lining up to become Jackson's new one. Various reports have stated that the Seahawks, 49ers, Jets, Panthers, and the Chiefs, the team headed by Jackson's former coach, Andy Reid, are all interested. And that might be only a partial list.Jackson posted the best numbers of his career in 2013. He caught 82 passes for 1,332 yards and nine scores. Jackson used his speed to register 16 plays of 20 yards or more, third-most in the league.



This is a story that is going to move and change probably long after Jackson signs with another team. Obviously, a bunch of owners want to get their hands on an explosive, productive, No. 1 wide receiver in the prime of his career ... who hasn't been directly tied to any crimes. If you're talented enough -- and Jackson certainly is -- the NFL has a way of overlooking guilt by association as long as the player isn't actually guilty of something. And right now, Jackson is clean for as much as we knowBut, despite Jackson's denials, there has to be something big here. Assuming that Kelly and the Eagles' brass aren't vindictive jerks, they had to have massive reason(s) for cutting a player of this caliber in his prime. No trade, they don't get anything in return for him; the Eagles just wanted to get rid of DeSean Jackson straight away. And that has some of his teammates rather pleased. Eagles center Jason Kelce tweeted Friday: "We just made an extremely unpopular decision, but I couldn't be more excited and happy with where this organization is going."If Jackson's now-former teammates and Kelly just wanted to see him go because he was a malcontent who missed meetings, disrespected authority and didn't work hard, I think they are making a mistake. Those attributes, as annoying as they might be, can be tolerated when Jackson puts up Pro Bowl numbers as he did last season and as he has a history of doing.I think the Eagles' decision is influenced by something we don't know about yet, something darker. It's hard for me to believe that a bad attitude is really at the center of all of this. Aaron Hernandez's name has appeared today across social media as a cautionary tale for why the Eagles made this move; they didn't want their own Aaron Hernandez-like story to occur on their watch. There are even reports that the Eagles didn't trade Jackson because they didn't want to lay his off-field problems on some other team and benefit. They didn't want a guilty conscience. So what do they know? How bad is it really with DeSean Jackson? I think every skeleton he's got in his closet will find the light of day now.As we wait for all of this to play out, let's get to the fantasy impact. Jackson will probably be signed soon. And the Eagles move forward with Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper as their top two wideouts. Both players see their fantasy value bumped up significantly. For me, I think Maclin, as the better player and likely Philly's "new" No. 1 wideout, gains the most. But I would also expect the Eagles to draft a receiver relatively early next month. I don't doubt that Kelly's offense will still be hard to stop, but they now really need Maclin to stay healthy. He has high-end WR2 upside. I still see Cooper as more of a WR3. Meanwhile, even if Maclin and Cooper reach their athletic ceilings, you have to downgrade Nick Foles just a little bit based on this news.

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MJD to Raiders

Maurice Jones-Drew reportedly is headed back to his hometown. (USATSI)

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The free agent running back market has, for the most part, been rather soft for players like Knowshon Moreno, Darren McFadden and Ben Tate -- surprisingly, Vikings backup Toby Gerhart might have made out the best when he signed a $10.5 million deal with the Jaguars -- and though Maurice Jones-Drew has been one of the best running backs in the league for the past half-decade, it's taken him quite a while to search for his next job.

But reportedly, he's found it in Oakland.

According to CSN Bay Area, Jones-Drew has agreed to terms with the Raiders, who also happen to have re-signed McFadden for a one-year deal. ESPN.com reports that Jones-Drew's deal will be for three years.

Jones-Drew, an Oakland native, is expected to undergo a physical Friday, and assuming all goes well, he'll reportedly sign his deal later in the day.

After leading the league with 1,606 rushing yards in 2011, he's had back-to-back rough seasons in Jacksonville. He missed 10 games in 2012 with a foot injury, and last season, while struggling with an ankle injury, he averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry.

Jones-Drew is the 48th-ranked player on the CBSSports.com free agent list, and at the age of 29, you have to wonder how many years he has left in his body that averaged 318 carries from 2009-11 (perhaps it's no coincidence that he hasn't been the same player since).

But Jones-Drew reportedly wanted to sign in the neighborhood of $3 million per year, so you have to figure that at least he has confidence he can continue to be a top-notch contributor.

NFL Hot News

Vikings want to use RB Adrian Peterson in space more often



Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer put forth a plan on Tuesday that could benefit running back Adrian Peterson, his team, and his fantasy owners.Zimmer told reporters that he would like to see Peterson get the ball in open spaces more often so as not to expose him to so many hits at the line of scrimmage as defenders crowd the box to stop him."I'm watching a game the other day and the two safeties just kept creeping closer and closer," Zimmer said. "[Peterson] is getting hit a lot. He's a fantastic runner. If we can get him space, he can do a lot of damage."Peterson underwent groin surgery in January but is expected to be ready for offseason workouts in April.



Notice that Zimmer didn't indicate that he wants the ball in Peterson's hands less, just different ways. The easy takeaway from that kind of statement is the Vikings would like to use Peterson more as a receiver out of the backfield. He has reached 40 receptions a couple of times, but he could surpass that with number ease if Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner get creative.Peterson is entering the final season of his 20s. He's no longer the undisputed No. 1 RB in fantasy drafts, but he is still top five, and Zimmer's intent could give Peterson even extra value in PPR leagues while also increasing the chances that he plays a full 16 games.

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Report: Texans trying to trade out of No. 1 spot

Could the Bills target Jadeveon Clowney with the first-overall pick? (USATSI)

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It was only a matter of time, really. The Texans hold the first-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and according to a report, the team is interested in trading down.

"Word from the NFL meetings is the Texans are trying hard to deal the first pick in the draft," writes Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report. "They want to move down and acquire extra selections. Sources say they might have a trade partner in the Bills, who appear interested in moving up. It is unclear who the Bills would want in a trade-up scenario. Some believe they would move up for a quarterback. They also could make good use of an offensive tackle such as Greg Robinson. And it would be something to see them pair Mario Williams with either Jadeveon Clowney or Khalil Mack."

Invariably, we hear every spring that the team holding the top pick would like to trade down, but the last time it happened was in 2001, when the Falcons swapped places with the Chargers, moving up from fifth to first, and took quarterback Michael Vick. San Diego drafted LaDainian Tomlinson.

Still, if the Texans don't fall in love with the Big Three -- quarterbacks Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel or Teddy Bridgewater -- and they don't think defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is worth the top selection, it would make sense to move down, stockpile picks, and rebuild a roster that managed just two wins last season.

Or not.

No way Texans trade with Buffalo to ninth.

— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) March 28, 2014

Still, back in January, long before the team traded quarterback Matt Schaub to Oakland, Texans owner Bob McNair hinted that moving down the draft board was a distinct possibility.

"Maybe we'll trade down and still get a quarterback that can do the job and get an outstanding defensive player," McNair said. "It's an exciting time. Everything's a moving target. Lot of different pieces."

Of course, that could have been part of the organizaton's elaborate plan to obfuscate the truth.

Earlier this week, new coach Bill O'Brien conceded that a quarterback is in the team's draft plans, but when exactly they'll take one remains undecided.

"I don't think there's any question that we'll draft a quarterback in the draft," he said. "Where we draft that quarterback, I don't think we know that yet. We're still in the process of studying all of these prospects, and in the process of putting a grade on them and place them where they would be in the draft. And I think that the big thing is it's such a long process."

O'Brien went on to point out that there are capable passers beyond Bortles, Manziel and Bridgewater.

"But there are other guys out there. You've got [AJ] McCarron. You've got [Zach] Mettenberger. You've got Logan Thomas. You've got [Tom] Savage. You've got [Jimmy] Garoppolo. I mean, I can go right down the list. To me, you've got 10 to 12 guys you've got to do a great job of evaluating and make the best pick possible wherever you pick these guys. So I just see a lot of good quarterbacks. All of the guys have potential, which is a dangerous word, and you're trying to make sure you're doing what's best for your organization -- what fits best for your organization when you make that pick of a quarterback."

Obviously, this means the Texans will draft Derek Carr, who was conspicuously absent from O'Brien's list above.

NFL Hot News

Third degree aggravated assault indictment for RB Rice



Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday of third degree aggravated assault. The indictment stemmed from an incident at an Atlantic City casino on February 15th, in which Rice allegedly struck his fiancee, Janay Palmer, knocking her unconscious. If convicted, Rice faces a potential of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.



ON A HUMAN LEVEL... Bad news for Rice that transcends fantasy football. Until this incident, Rice has had a pretty squeaky clean image in the NFL. So, it's no surprise that the Ravens organization has steadfastly stood by him, saying that regardless of this incident , Rice has a future with the team. Rice's lawyer stated that he and his fiancee are taking counseling sessions and are still committed to one another. Hopefully, the motives are good for both parties and things get worked out.FROM A FANTASY PERSPECTIVE... Keep an eye on this. If convicted, it's likely that RIce will not play in 2014 (and possibly beyond). This means that RB Bernard Pierce would get an opportunity to be the bell cow. Neither back was overly effective in 2013. Rice had the worst season of his career, rushing for only 660 yards and four touchdowns, while averaging only 3.1 yards per tote. Pierce only gained 2.9 yards per carry, rushing for 436 yards and two touchdowns. While this may not have been a "need" the Ravens anticipated having to fill in this year's draft, don't be surprised if they spend a late-round pick on a running back. Even if they do, expect Pierce to be the first guy to get a crack at the majority of carries if Rice misses the season.

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Report: Patriots, Wilfork agree to three-year deal

Vince Wilfork will get a chance to retire as a Patriot. (USATSI)

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Two weeks ago, nose tackle Vince Wilfork reportedly asked the Patriots for his release. He was in the final year of a deal that would pay him $7.5 million in 2014, and the team was interested in him taking a pay cut.

On Thursday, the two sides restructed his deal and agreed to terms on a three-year, $22.5 million deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Wilfork took to Twitter to explain the renegotiation process.

My thoughts pic.twitter.com/MUW3I3ml4Y

— Vince Wilfork (@wilfork75) March 27, 2014

A 2004 first-round pick out of the University of Miami, Wilfork suffered an Achilles injury during the first month of the 2013 season and, not surprisingly, the run defense suffered. Now he'll return to anchor a unit that will be much improved in 2014, thanks in part to the addition of cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

At the annual NFL owners meetings earlier this week, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he wasn't giving up hope that Wilfork would return.

"You know, going back over the last 20 years, if I was to think, we've had some pretty special people come through and [Wilfork] is one of my personal favorites," Kraft said. "I'm thinking of Tedy Bruschi and Matt Light and Kevin Faulk and Troy Brown, they made their careers with us. I surely hope Vince will be with us next year. In modern-day athletics, in pro sports, it's a business as well as commitment to one another.

"We have to work through and I'm still not giving up hope that he'll be part of our team next year."

And now Wilfork is back on a three-year deal.

NFL Hot News

Dolphins sign RB Knowshon Moreno to 1-year deal



The Dolphins running attack, which frustrated many fantasy owners in 2013, has a new member. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter per a league source, the Dolphins signed former Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno to a one-year contract Thursday.Knowshon was met by a very quiet market after a career-best season in 2013. He set personal bests across the board, including 13 touchdowns and almost 1,700 yards from scrimmage.



Moreno should be the team's Week 1 starter, but it'll be interesting to see how Lamar Miller is included. Miller has been a fantasy sleeper since 2012 but his usage seemed to change on a whim every week last year, and Moreno's presence may give the team even less reason to develop him. The Broncos, meanwhile, will attempt to get everything they can out of their young running back, Montee Ball.This should mark the end of Daniel Thomas' time in Miami, but I stress the word "should" because you never know with the Dolphins. I just can't get a good read on any part of this offense.Moreno will certainly see more defenders in the box as his QB changes from Peyton Manning to Ryan Tannehill. But he is a fine receiver who can play on all three downs and be a strong RB2. But he is at risk of being overdrafted this summer off of last year's numbers.

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Look: George H.W. takes in Johnny Manziel pro day

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With more than 100 media members and 31 of 32 NFL teams in attendance at Johnny Manziel's pro day Thursday, somebody even more noteworthy has arrived.

A former President of the United States.

Some dude named George has shown up for Manziel's pro day, via @DeWittCBS. pic.twitter.com/ejFMHZWEQa

— Josh Katzowitz (@joshkatzowitz) March 27, 2014

That dude named George obviously is George H. W. Bush with his wife and former First Lady, Barbara.

Apparently, their dog also is in attendance.

First Lady Barbara Bush brought a dog to Manziel's Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/B3Lhg3Ro8V

— Drew Dougherty (@DoughertyDrew) March 27, 2014

Barbara Bush walking the family dogs at Pro Day. Nbd. #JohnnyFest pic.twitter.com/4x1zLZYgob

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 27, 2014

The President's dog was at Manziel's pro day? #Merica RT @Lana: @molly_knight I think they left but pic.twitter.com/AUwR2ouZyH

— Lisa Horne (@LisaHorne) March 27, 2014

Turns out the Bushes are friendly with Johnny Manziel.

With @JManziel2 before his pro day @TAMU. I could have used this helmet in my previous day job. pic.twitter.com/m0QvMR1GHe

— George Bush (@GeorgeHWBush) March 27, 2014

NFL Hot News

Reports: Eagles expected to land QB Mark Sanchez



As Michael Vick settles in with the Jets, it looks like the void he left as the backup quarterback in Philadelphia will be filled by a former Jet.ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported Monday that Mark Sanchez is expected to sign with the Eagles. This was corroborated by the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta shortly thereafter, and Pro Football Talk added, via a source, that Philadelphia "wants to learn more about [Sanchez's] injured shoulder before proceeding." Mortensen says that Sanchez has resumed throwing and is about 80 percent recovered from the surgery to fix the labrum in his right shoulder that he underwent in October.



Got all that? It's not done yet, but assuming what is expected does happen, it would have no impact on Nick Foles' fantasy value. Sanchez would presumably push Matt Barkley for the No. 2 job in Chip Kelly's system. I could make some jokes about Sanchez, but that would be too cheap and easy, so I'll just stop here since I have nothing left to say about this.

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Duncan drops 29 on Nuggets, Spurs win 15th straight

Basketball Hot News

Report: Mark Jackson demoted Brian Scalabrine for arguing with Warriors assistant coach Pete Myers

Something is going wrong in Golden State. Well-functioning teams don’t demote assistant coaches at this point in the season.

What’s so strange about this Brian Scalabrine saga: The Warriors, by all other appearances, are having an excellent year.

Led by their stout defense, the 44-27 Warriors have their best winning percentage in 22 seasons. And they’ve done it in a historically strong Western Conference.

So, what happened with Scalabrine?

Jordan Ramirez of Warriors World:

Following the Warriors 99-90 loss to the San Antonio Spurs last Saturday, assistant coaches Brian Scalabrine and Pete Myers engaged in a heated verbal altercation, likely leading to the reassignment of Scalabrine, according to sources.

Myers has a longer track record in coaching, having spent nine years as a Bulls assistant and even served twice as their interim coach. This is Scalabrine’s first season as a coach.

Perhaps more importantly, Myers has a longer track record with Jackson. They were Knicks teammates for parts of two seasons, 1988-89 and 1989-90. Scalabrine was the client of Warriors general manger Bob Myers, who previously worked as an agent.

It’s not difficult to see, if this report is true, where allegiances would fall.

But it’s important to remember with this report, as well as the initial one, everyone involved has an agenda. Because nobody is willing to attach their name to their claims, it’s difficult for us to evaluate the credibility of these sources.

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Dolphins seeking Mike Wallace trade; Eagles in mix?

Wallace didn't exactly have a smooth first season in South Florida. (USATSI)

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The Dolphins remain open to dealing Mike Wallace, according to league sources.

The Dolphins, who according to sources entertained the possibility of dealing receiver Mike Wallace and other prominent players back at the combine, have continued in that vein at the just concluded league meetings.

Miami spoke with teams about Wallace, according to sources, and while the finances of a deal would be tricky given Wallace's hefty contract, signed just last year, teams are doing homework on Wallace.

With the Eagles willing to release receiver DeSean Jackson if they cannot trade him, some wonder if the Philadelphia and Miami might end up possible trade partners. Wallace clashed with members of the coaching staff last year, while the Eagles are prepared to move on without Jackson, despite him having a career year in 2013

NFL Hot News

Jaguars hope Toby Gerhart can be their bell-cow RB



On Monday, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said he's got a fever. And the only prescription is more bell cow.OK, he didn't say that, but he did express a wish that you hear out of many head coaches at this time of year, that their lead running back can truly be a lead running back. When Bradley was asked by NFL.com's Marc Sessler if he believes Toby Gerhart would be his bell-cow running back, Bradley responded, "That's what we hope to see. ... We like what we saw on tape."



This follows what Bradley said a couple of weeks ago about Gerhart, that he could take on 15-20 touches per week. This shouldn't come as a surprise. The Jags gave Gerhart a $10.5 million contract with $4.5 guaranteed. They want to get as much as they can out of that investment. I believe it to be an unwise investment since Gerhart isn't a player who projects to be overly successful with a heavy workload. He can do a number of things well, but his lack of speed and agility makes suits him more for a backup role.But hey, it's not my team. And in fantasy, workload is a major component of a running back's value. If the Jags give Toby 15 carries per game, he may not turn those into a ton of yards, but he could be a high source of touchdowns. He's a low-end RB2.

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NFL’s PR chief fires back at Mark Cuban’s comments

Greg Aiello thanked Mark Cuban for being such a big fan. (USATSI)

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Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweaked the NFL a couple days ago, saying the league would implode in 10 years' time because of its greed in trying to expand its TV deals to include days other than Sunday and Monday.

"It's all football," he said. "At some point, the people get sick of it."

Cuban laid out his feelings in greater detail in this Facebook post in which he gave five reasons why the NFL would destroy itself: 1) he wouldn't want his son playing football, 2) player behavior could impact the perception of the game, 3) expanding games into Saturday will further dilute the product, 4) the unknown future of fantasy football platforms, and 5) the unknown future of TV.

Since the owners' meetings are happening this week in Orlando, Cuban's comments have been a topic of conversation, and commissioner Roger Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft kind of waved off the criticism Monday.

But credit NFL PR man Greg Aiello, a man I once called "brusque," with this awesome retort Tuesday.

Dear Mark: We appreciate your interest & for taking time to share your views. It's the passion of fans like you that makes the NFL special.

— Greg Aiello (@gregaiello) March 25, 2014

Nicely. Done.

NFL Hot News

Reports: Eagles expected to land QB Mark Sanchez



As Michael Vick settles in with the Jets, it looks like the void he left as the backup quarterback in Philadelphia will be filled by a former Jet.ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported Monday that Mark Sanchez is expected to sign with the Eagles. This was corroborated by the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta shortly thereafter, and Pro Football Talk added, via a source, that Philadelphia "wants to learn more about [Sanchez's] injured shoulder before proceeding." Mortensen says that Sanchez has resumed throwing and is about 80 percent recovered from the surgery to fix the labrum in his right shoulder that he underwent in October.



Got all that? It's not done yet, but assuming what is expected does happen, it would have no impact on Nick Foles' fantasy value. Sanchez would presumably push Matt Barkley for the No. 2 job in Chip Kelly's system. I could make some jokes about Sanchez, but that would be too cheap and easy, so I'll just stop here since I have nothing left to say about this.

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Warriors’ Jackson forces Scalabrine reassignment?

You will barely see Brian Scalabrine around the Warriors for now thanks to Mark Jackson. (USATSI)

During the early part of the season, the Brooklyn Nets had plenty of coaching drama when Jason Kidd reassigned assistant Lawrence Frank to doing daily reports and not being so heavily involved with the day-to-day coaching of the team. It eventually died down and the team worked out a lot of their issues on the court. The Golden State Warriors will now have to hope for the same, after Mark Jackson reportedly did something similar to Kidd.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports is reporting that Jackson forced the reassignment of assistant coach Brian Scalabrine, who is a favorite of management and ownership in the Warriors' organization. With Jackson as the coach, the Warriors are making sure he has control over his coaching staff as they try to turn a frustrating situation into a more functional one heading into the playoffs.

In what's become an increasingly dysfunctional atmosphere,Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson has forced a reassignment of assistant coach Brian Scalabrine, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Ownership and management have been strong advocates of Scalabrine and his performance on the job, sources told Yahoo Sports. Nevertheless, Warriors officials decided that as long as Jackson is the head coach, he'll have control of his coaching staff.

It is immediately unclear what kind of a role the Warriors will transition Scalabrine, but management has no intention of letting him leave the organization, sources said.

Jackson has had plenty of issues with his assistant coaches since taking over the Warriors' job in 2011-12. While the team has had success in two of his three seasons as the coach, he's had frustrating relationships with Michael Malone, now the coach for the Sacramento Kings, among others. The latest issue with Scalabrine, and the fact that he's being kept around in the organization, looks like they may just be trying to make the best of an awkward situation until Jackson's contract is finished next season.

The Warriors were supposed to be title contenders this season, and while they're still quite good with a record of 44-27, they haven't shown the tangible improvement consistently to look worthy of some of the preseason hype bestowed upon them. There's still plenty of time to figure it out and make a run in the postseason, but you have to wonder how many more seasons of Jackson at the helm we'll see in the Bay Area.

Topics: Golden State Warriors, NBA

Basketball Hot News

After long season with Suns Goran Dragic may not play in World Cup for Slovenia

Goran Dragic has taken on a heavy load for the Phoenix Suns this season — playing 34.7 minutes a night he has had to become the focal point of the team’s offense due to injuries around him. Dragic is averaging a career high 20.3 points a night, plus is dishing out 6 assists, and he had the highest usage percentage of his career at 24.6.

He’s understandably a little worn down.

He’s also a key part of the national team for Slovenia, which qualified for the FIBA World Cup this summer in Spain. Only the Olympics rivals the importance of this tournament.

But after his long season, Dragic may skip the summer trip to Spain and rest, he told Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.

“Sometimes, it is too many games,” Dragic said. “I still have to sit down with my national team and talk with them about making a decision if I’m going to play or not. I’m thinking more toward not playing and trying to get my body some rest to be fresher for the next season.

“That is hard because, back home, all the people judge you that you have so much money and you’re a star and now you don’t want to play for the national team. That bothers me a little bit but those people don’t know how the season goes, how many games it is and being in a different hotel every night. I’m more on the plane than in my car.”

There are Americans taking the summer off as well — LeBron James being the biggest name. However, because the United States can roll out Kevin Durant and Kevin Love and a host of other elite players nobody really gets up in arms about it.

Slovenia isn’t quite so deep. They can roll out Beno Udrih (he hasn’t played for the Slovenian national team since 2006) and guys now out of the NBA such as Bostian Nachbar, but they don’t have the depth to make up for missing stars. They have Goran’s brother Zoran Dragic at the three, but after Goran at the point they often play Jaka Lakovic.

Which is to say Goran may get a lot of pressure back home and really be stuck between the “club or country” debate. Right now, he’s leaning club in that argument, but we will see.

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Philbin: ‘I believe strongly’ in Dolphins locker room

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ORLANDO — Joe Philbin's had a handful of media appearances since the Ted Wells report was released. And in each one he's been grilled about leadership and the Miami locker room culture.

Tuesday during the AFC coaches' breakfast at the 2014 NFL owners' meetings was no different. And, like he has before, Philbin praised his locker room.

“I believe strongly in the guys in the locker room. I really do. I think they're an excellent group of men,” Philbin said. “I think there are some things we have to do better. There's things I have to do better that we're committed to doing. I believe in the guys that we have. We have roughly 57 guys under contract. We have hard working guys. We have a ton of guys back in the facility already on their own in preparation for the 2014 season. So it's a good group and it's going to get better.”

The Dolphins didn't clean house, however. Mike Pouncey, one of the three players named in the Wells report, is still on the roster. (His status is somewhat up in the air depending on a medical evaluation that has to take place before he can play or be disciplined.) Most of the offensive line is different — Branden Albert is in, Richie Incognito and John Jerry are out — but Philbin's dealing with a similar locker room and, ostensibly, leadership group from last year.

Will he change his approach to letting the players pick the leaders?

“I'm going to look at everything. I haven't made any firm decisions into how I'm going to do it next year,” Philbin said when asked about the leadership council. “It may be exactly the same it may be totally different. That's something I'm going to give continued thought and consideration to. Obviously we've been busy with free agency and then with the draft. That's something typically I've put in place right before the start of the season and I'm going to see how things go.”

The notion of “exactly the same” sounds terrifying for a team coming off a disappointing finish to 2014 and a nightmare public relations scenario thanks to the Incognito and Jonathan Martin business.

Certainly the locker room might be more mature and more cohesive, but you'd think that Philbin would have a more proactive approach to changing the leadership dynamic in what looked like a pretty dysfunctional setting.

Instead, he said that most of the changes he's made have been introspective in nature as he's been “focused mostly on myself.”

“I talked about some of the things I've been more focused on — how can I do things better so something like this doesn't occur and how can we move forward as a football team and an organization,” Philbin said. “I've been focused mostly on myself. I'm the head coach. What do I have to do better? I've talked about some of those things — the visibility, the accessibility, the communication, the vigilance in making sure things get done a certain way. So that's really been my focus in getting this team ready to move forward.”

Philbin being contrite about the 2013 season and what happened is a good thing. And he clearly feels bad about what happens.

But it is a bit odd that he doesn't sound too concerned with changing the process as they move forward or focusing on how to keep his locker room properly in check and evaluated.

NFL Hot News

Jets QB carousel: Michael Vick signs, Mark Sanchez gets released



The Jets have once again made a move that may not make their team much better, but it will get them plenty of attention in the world of sports talk. On Friday, the Jets released former first-round pick Mark Sanchez, and then they announced the signing of Michael Vick mere minutes later. Vick is being brought in on a one-year deal worth only $5 million. Vick is coming off a season in which he lost his starting job to Nick Foles. Now, he is expected to compete with Geno Smith to start for the Jets.



The New York Daily News' back page isn't exactly a big fan of this news. Can't say I am either. Vick, 34 in June, is injury-prone and turnover-prone. He's moving from an offense with LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin to an offense with Chris Ivory, Eric Decker and ... well, who is the Jets' No. 2 WR right now? Assuming Vick wins his camp battle -- and at that contract price, the Jets don't have a big reason to just hand him the starting job -- his presence should help Decker, but both QBs can be very erratic. Vick is only a mid-range QB2.Sanchez should be added as a backup somewhere. His 2013 season was wiped out due to a shoulder injury. At least we'll always have the "butt fumble."The Jets have accomplished one of their goals of grabbing headlines by bringing in Vick. Will it help them bring in any more wins? I doubt it.

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Vick would be ‘happy’ if Jackson joined Jets too

Michael Vick would be 'happy' if DeSean Jackson joined him in New York. (USATSI)

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Based on everything that's being talked about around the Eagles, DeSean Jackson is as good as gone from the Philly roster.

So where does he end up? CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports that the Seahawks and 49ers are interested in a trade (although such a trade is difficult to pull off) and the Patriots have also been rumored. How about the playmaker-needy Jets?

Michael Vick, the team's newest acquisition, played with Jackson in Philly and said on Friday he'd be "happy" if Jackson ended up on the Jets.

"If there's an opportunity to get DeSean, I'm pretty sure the New York Jets fans would be in favor of that," Vick said Friday. "But who knows, it takes a lot to make a trade happen [with] all of the intricacies of a contract. It's not for us as players to decide. But hopefully everything will work out for DeSean.

If he ends up in New York, we'll be happy, just as happy as he will be."

The Jets need playmakers for sure. They acquired Eric Decker this offseason to fill the top spot on the wide receiver depth chart and most people have pegged them as taking a receiver with their first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Grabbing Jackson wouldn't necessarily fix all their problems -- and it doesn't seem like the sort of thing John Idzik would be interested in based on his approach to free agency this offseason -- but according to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets have "interest" in Jackson but not at his current price.

Acquiring the wideout would instantly give them a downfield playmaker and a more versatile offense. And regardless of who was starting, both Vick and Geno Smith would indeed be pretty happy with Jackson joining the team.

NFL Hot News

Return man Hester agrees to 3-year deal with Falcons



ESPN insider Adam Schefter has reported that return specialist Devin Hester has agreed to terms on a three year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The former Chicago Bear has spent time as a defensive back and wide receiver in his career, but has primarily become a return specialist. He had career highs in kick returns (52) and kick return yards (1,442). Both numbers led the league in 2013. Hester is the all-time NFL leader punt returns for touchdowns with 13, and combined kick/punt returns for touchdowns with 18.



Minimal news on the fantasy front. Good addition for the Falcons, though. Having a guy like Hester late in close games that could break a punt return for a touchdown on any play is a valuable commodity.

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Brees to Jimmy Graham: ‘Be patient’ on deal issues

Drew Brees says Jimmy Graham needs to 'be patient.'(USATSI)

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Drew Brees knows about negotiations with the Saints under the franchise tag. They're not easy, and they're not fast but they can pay off in a big way.

So when Brees speaks to tight end Jimmy Graham, he probably has good advice. Like "be patient."

"I just told him be patient," Brees told Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. "Don't get frustrated. Don't take it personally. It's part of the deal and it's hard and ... you just want it to be over. You want certainty. That's the hardest part."

In my humble opinion, we'll see Graham's negotiations play out exactly like Brees did. Brees was given the franchise tag and was not happy about it, making no bones about the situation.

The Saints acted really stubborn despite everyone knowing basically what kind of contract Brees was going to get.

Then, right before the deadline for working out deals with guys on franchise tags, the Saints managed to pull off a massive deal for Brees.

It was something they had to do.

Graham's situation isn't too dissimilar, which is why it'd be a shocker if New Orleans and the tight end didn't work out a deal prior to the July deadline for signing players with franchise tags.

So, basically, Brees advice is spot on.

NFL Hot News

Panthers sign WR Cotchery



The Carolina Panthers finally added a target for Cam Newton to throw to Thursday, adding veteran wide receiver Jerricho Cothchery on Thursday. Prior to the signing, the top receivers on the Panthers roster were Marvin McNutt and Tavarres King, neither of whom has caught an NFL pass. They've lost Steve Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Brandon LaFell, and Domenik Hixon since the end of the season. Cotchery spent the 2013 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was one of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's favorite red zone targets, leading the team with 10 touchdowns. He finished the season with 46 catches for 602 yards.



Well, it's hard to get excited about Cotchery. He'll be 32 years old when the 2014 season starts. He hasn't exceeded 60 catches in any of the past six seasons. He's only exceeded 1,000 yards once in his career, and that was 7 years ago. With that said, SOMEONE has to catch the ball in Carolina. Unless the Panthers make a play for Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, Cotchery could open the season as the number one receiver on the depth chart. If he's the number one receiver for the Panthers, expect Cotchery to put up numbers worthy of being a WR3/Flex play on a weekly basis. However, the player on Carolina that probably starts to climb his position rankings is tight end Greg Olsen. The depletion of their receiving corps and the non-signing of any other big threats probably makes him a top 5-10 option at the position next season, based solely on the amount of volume he's likely to see.

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A-League: Brisbane Roar to title with last-gasp win

GettyImagesBrisbane Roar celebrate clinching the Premiers Plate.

George Bratton's goal two minutes into stoppage time saw Brisbane Roar clinch the Premiers Plate with a 1-0 win over second-placed Melbourne Victory.

Brattan fired in from the edge of the area just as it appeared time had run out on Roar's bid to wrap up the silverware on Saturday.

The win, their 15th from 24 games, lifted them 12 points clear of Victory. Earlier, Newcastle Jets hammered Wellington Phoenix 5-0, with four of the goals coming in the second half.

Emile Heskey's 35th-minute goal -- his first of the season -- was all that separated the teams at half-time, but after Joel Griffiths doubled the lead in the first minute of the second period, Adam Taggart added a brace before Michael Bridges finished it off in stoppage time.

Soccer Hot News

La Liga Wrap: Athletic eye Europe, Valladolid miss opportunity

Athletic Bilbao extended their lead in the race for a UEFA Champions League place to nine points with a 1-0 win over Getafe on Saturday.

San Mames played host to the final match of a relatively low-key day in Spain, with all of La Liga’s top three in action on Sunday, as Barcelona and Real Madrid contest El Clasico and Atletico Madrid travel to Real Betis.

Athletic went into the weekend with a six-point gap between themselves and bitter Basque rivals Real Sociedad, who will be expected to defeat relegation-threatened Almeria on Monday.

Getafe are the only side yet to win a La Liga match so far in 2014 and although Athletic enjoyed the better of the encounter, they made tough work of the victory – taking the lead after 40 minutes when Markel Susaeta fired home a brilliant effort from 30 yards.

Getafe tried to stage a late fightback but despite their dynamic attacking trio of Ciprian Marica, Adrian Colunga and Pedro Leon causing plenty of problems, they could not find a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, Granada opened up clear breathing space over the relegation zone with a 1-0 win against visitors Elche.

The game’s only goal arrived just after the hour mark as Yacine Brahimi slotted past Manu Herrera after good work from Youssef El Arabi.

Elche’s chances were dealt a blow with 19 minutes to go as Cristian Sapunaru bundled El Arabi over in the penalty area, earning himself a second yellow card, but Fran Rico could only hit the post from the resulting spot-kick.

Real Valladolid were held to a 1-1 home draw with Rayo Vallecano in a meeting between two relegation contenders, the hosts missing the chance to move out of the drop zone with a win as Ze Castro’s eighth-minute own goal was eventually cancelled out by former Valladolid midfielder Alberto Bueno just before the break.

In the mid-table clash at Cornella-El Prat, Espanyol and Levante drew 0-0, leaving both seven points behind Sevilla in the race to claim UEFA Europa League places.

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Jets sign Michael Vick, cut Sanchez

After five seasons, Mark Sanchez is out in New York. (USATSI)

More NFL offseason: NFL Mock Drafts | Prospect Rankings | Top free agents

Mark Sanchez's career with the New York Jets is officially over. Sanchez was released by the team on Friday. With Sanchez out, the Jets didn't waste any time in adding another quarterback to the roster.

Just minutes after the team released Sanchez, the team announced the signing of Michael Vick to a one-year deal. Vick will be reunited with Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Mornhinweg was Vick's offensive coordinator in Philadelphia for four seasons (2009-12) before joining Rex Ryan in New York in 2013.

"We are excited to acquire Michael Vick," Mornhinweg said in a statement. "He's a great talent who's won many games, including playoff games, in this league. He has the respect of both his teammates and opponents. He's here in a role where he's going to compete and push Geno Smith to become the very best that he can be. Michael will be able to go in and play at a high level and a winning level if called upon."

It's official. We've signed QB Michael Vick. MORE: http://t.co/GgNm05Zqmz pic.twitter.com/6oPKsIrFXl

— New York Jets (@nyjets) March 21, 2014

Vick's one-year contract with the Jets is worth up to $5 million, according to ESPN.com. That contract is good news for Vick, but could turn out to be a risky move for the Jets. If Vick wins the starting job in New York, the Jets will have to pay him substantially more after 2014. It's a win for Vick though because whether or not he starts in New York, he'll have a chance to hit the free agent market next offseason.

The former Eagles quarterback will be looking to do in New York what he did in Philadelphia last season: Win the starting job. Vick was named the Eagles starting quarterback coming out of the preseason, but an injured hamstring sent him to the bench and Nick Foles eventually took over at quarterback. Vick's final start of 2013 came in a Week 8 loss to the Giants.

Vick had been scheduled to meet with the Jets this weekend, but apparently, he made the decision to sign before the weekend even started.

As for Sanchez, his 2013 was similar to Vick's in that both quarterbacks lost their jobs permanently after an injury. Sanchez appeared to have a slight edge over Smith for the Jets starting job before injuring his shoulder in the preseason.

Sanchez had season-ending surgery in October, which effectively ended his career in New York.

The Jets could have held on to Sanchez for a few more days, but a decision had to be made by March 25. If Sanchez had still been on the roster then, the Jets would have owed him a $2 million roster bonus.

Sanchez joined the team the same year as coach Rex Ryan. The fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Sanchez helped lead the Jets to two straight AFC Championship games.

"I'd like to thank Mark for everything he's done for this team and me personally," Ryan said in a statement. "We were rookies together and had some early success, becoming the first rookie head coach and quarterback to go to back-to-back championship games. We experienced a lot together and I really appreciate Mark. He's a great player, a great teammate, and I wish him nothing but the best."

Sanchez may no longer be a Jet, but we'll always have the memory of him being one thanks to a tattoo on Ryan's arm of Ryan's wife wearing a Sanchez jersey.

With the release of Mark Sanchez, I wonder what Rex Ryan will do with this tattoo on his arm. pic.twitter.com/fbVthVdZck

— BearDown NutUp (@BearDownNutUp) March 21, 2014

NFL Hot News

Steelers sign WR Lance Moore to 2-year deal



With Jerricho Cotchery and Emmanuel Sanders moving on, the Steelers have signed a new slot receiver. It's former Saints wideout Lance Moore. The player and team agreed to a two-year contract Friday. Moore, 30, spent his first eight seasons in New Orleans and had a down year in 2013. He caught 37 passes in 13 games for 457 yards. He topped 1,000 yards in 2012.



Moore was a handy red-zone option for Drew Brees, but the Saints should be just fine moving forward with Kenny Stills and Joseph Morgan picking up the slack.Moore will work out of the slot for the Steelers while second-year player Markus Wheaton will line up out wide. This is a nice signing, but also a boring one for fantasy purposes. Ben Roethlisberger will like having Moore over the middle, but I don't expect Moore to suddenly return to his 2011 or 2012 totals in Pittsburgh.

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Pacers’ Andrew Bynum (sore knee) out indefinitely

Andrew Bynum's knees are acting up again. (USATSI)

New team, same story.

The Pacers announced Friday center Andrew Bynum will be out indefinitely because of swelling and soreness in his right knee.

Bynum, who joined the Pacers after being traded to the Bulls who then cut him, has appeared in only two games, but performed well in both scoring 15 with nine rebounds on March 15 against the Pistons.

Coach Frank Vogel said this recent flare up was an actual setback that happened in the game against the Pistons.

“He played in the Detroit game (20 minutes), aggravated a previous condition and had some swelling in there,” Vogel said, according to PBT. “He's going to be out for a little while.”

The addition of Bynum was always somewhat of a risk with his injury history, but one the Pacers were able to make. With Roy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi already in place, adding Bynum was about trying to solidify their depth, as well as keep him away from another Eastern contender, like say, the Heat.

With the team saying he's out indefinitely, that doesn't mean Bynum is done for the season, but it's not a good sign. His knees have been problematic the last two years, causing him to miss all of 2012-13 with the 76ers because of them. So it might be a bit of a longshot that he finds the floor against this season.

Topics: Andrew Bynum, Ian Mahinmi, Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers, NBA

Basketball Hot News

Kevin Durant scores 51, hits game-winner in double overtime win over Raptors (VIDEO)

Kevin Durant ended a wild double-overtime contest against the Raptors on Friday by hitting a long three-pointer with under two seconds remaining to give the Thunder an insanely hard-fought 119-118 road victory.

Oklahoma City trailed by eight points with 49 seconds remaining in the second overtime session, before two three-pointers from Durant and one from Derek Fisher closed the game on a 9-0 run to steal the victory from the Raptors.

Durant finished with 51 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the last player to put up those numbers was Michael Jordan in 1992.

The MVP debate isn’t yet over, but KD is doing everything possible to seal that door shut.

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Adelaide Utd 3-1 Sydney FC: Hosts close on finals

Soccer Hot News

Oxford appoint Waddock

Gary Waddock has been appointed the new head coach of League Two outfit Oxford United, the club announced on Saturday.

The 52-year-old, who counts QPR, Aldershot and Wycombe Wanderers among his former clubs, leaves his position on the coaching team at the MK Dons to take the reins at the Kassam Stadium.

He succeeds previous incumbent Chris Wilder, who left promotion-chasing United to join struggling Northampton Town in January.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Waddock said: “I am grateful to Oxford United for having given me this great opportunity, and cannot wait to get started.

“The club is in a good position, and the immediate priority is to turn that position into promotion at the end of the season.

“In the medium term, the board’s vision is to build on the solid platform that has been put together to take Oxford back up the leagues, where a club of this size belongs.

“I applied for this job because I believe that I can be a part of achieving that ambition, and because I fully buy into the board’s philosophy of how a football club should be run.”

Waddock’s first game in charge will be Monday’s visit to Southend United, with caretaker boss Mickey Lewis having overseen Friday’s 1-0 win over Hartlepool United.

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Report: Manziel gets boost with trademark ruling

Johnny Manziel is seeking to trademark the phrase 'Johnny Football.' (USATSI) Johnny Manziel won a battle in his effort to trademark the nickname 'Johnny Football,' as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reportedly refused to register the same trademark with a College Station investment firm.

ESPN reported that the patent office sent a letter to Kenneth R. Reynolds Family Investments rejecting its argument that the phrase 'Johnny Football' did not refer to any particular individual.

"Registration is refused because the applied-for mark consists of or includes a name, portrait, or signature identifying a particular living individual whose written consent to register the mark is not of record," the office's attorney wrote -- in other words, that yes, "Johnny Football" does refer to a "particular living individual," and that that individual hasn't "consented" to giving the firm the trademark.

On the contrary, the Manziel family has filed its own claim to the trademark, though its filing came some weeks after the Kenneth R. Reynolds Family Investments claim in late 2012.

The firm, ESPN reports, can appeal this week's ruling.

NFL Hot News

QB Campbell signs one year deal with Bengals



According to ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter, quarterback Jason Campbell has signed a one year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2014 season. The monetary terms of the deal have yet to be released. Campbell has familiarity with the offense that Cincinnati will be running in 2014. New Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson was Campbell's OC in 2010 and his head coach in 2011, both seasons in Oakland.Campbell spent the 2013 season as part of the Cleveland QB carousel, starting the last eight games for the Browns. He led the team in passing with 2,015 yards and 11 touchdowns, and had the best game of his career in a 27-26 loss to the Patriots at Foxboro in Week 14, throwing for 391 yards and three touchdowns.



Rarely would you say that there's a quarterback competition on a team where their guy threw for 4,293 yards and 33 touchdowns the previous season... but, don't think for one second that Marvin Lewis and Hue Jackson aren't going to use the signing of Campbell to try to motivate current QB Andy Dalton to take some strides and improve even more this year. With this signing and the rumors that they are interested in Georgia signal caller Aaron Murray, it may be possible that they aren't all that thrilled about the prospect of Dalton being "their guy" long-term.Look, the guy put up great fantasy numbers last season. He helped me win a high-stakes league in the process. But, he also threw 20 interceptions in the regular seasons, two more in a home playoff loss to San Diego. I watched him play at least six times in 2013, and saw him underthrow a wide open A.J. Green what felt like at least once in every one of those games. Had he been able to lead his receivers on deep balls a little better, he could have eclipsed 4,500 yards and 35 touchdowns. Fantasy fans see the numbers. Bengals fans see what could have been a much better season.I like Dalton. He is still going to be the starter and he should still be expected to have another good season in 2014. But, the signing of Campbell definitely shows that they want to have a decent backup to go to, should things start to go awry and Who Dey Nation starts to get restless.

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Former Saints WR Moore takes Steelers deal

Former Saints receiver Lance Moore will be spending the next two years in Pittsburgh. (USATSI)

More NFL offseason: Mock Drafts | Prospect Rankings | Pro Days | Top free agents

The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost two wide receivers during free agency, now they've finally added one. The Steelers announced on Friday that they've agreed to terms on a two-year deal with former Saints receiver Lance Moore.

Moore had two-years left on his deal with New Orleans when he was released by the Saints on March 7 in a cost-cutting move. The financial terms of Moore's deal with the Steelers haven't been disclosed yet.

The 30-year-old caught 37 passes for 457 yards for the Saints last season. Those numbers were Moore's lowest total in New Orleans since 2009 when he only caught 14 passes for 153 yards in a season where he only played in seven games.

During his nine-year career, Moore earned his money in the red zone, catching 346 passes for 4,281 yards and 38 touchdowns.

The addition of Moore means Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will have at least one person to throw to in 2014 besides Antonio Brown. Two of Pittsburgh's three leading receivers from last season -- Jerricho Cotchery and Emmanuel Sanders -- have both signed on with new teams since free agency began on March 11. Cotchery is in Carolina and Sanders signed with the Broncos.

Moore won't have to wait long to face his old team. The Steelers will be hosting the Saints sometime during the 2014 season. The exact date of the game should be announced in late April.

NFL Hot News

Return man Hester agrees to 3-year deal with Falcons



ESPN insider Adam Schefter has reported that return specialist Devin Hester has agreed to terms on a three year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The former Chicago Bear has spent time as a defensive back and wide receiver in his career, but has primarily become a return specialist. He had career highs in kick returns (52) and kick return yards (1,442). Both numbers led the league in 2013. Hester is the all-time NFL leader punt returns for touchdowns with 13, and combined kick/punt returns for touchdowns with 18.



Minimal news on the fantasy front. Good addition for the Falcons, though. Having a guy like Hester late in close games that could break a punt return for a touchdown on any play is a valuable commodity.

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Raiders trade late-round pick for Matt Schaub

More NFL offseason: Mock Drafts | Prospect Rankings | Pro Days | Top free agents

The world's been holding its collective breath, wondering when Matt Schaub will be released by the Texans. Turns out he won't. He's being traded to Oakland instead.

The Raiders officially announced on Friday that they've added Schaub. According to NFL.com, Oakland gave up a sixth-round pick for the Texans quarterback.

With Terrelle Pryor, Matt McGloin and Trent Edwards on the depth chart, it stands to reason that Schaub will become the likely starter for 2014.

It's no guarantee, however. After all the Raiders gave up low-round picks prior to last year in order to acquire Matt Flynn from the Seahawks and he ended up starting for the Bills and then the Packers before the season ended.

But the Raiders draft dynamic certainly changes. Three of our 2014 NFL Mock Drafts had the Raiders taking a quarterback (specifically, Johnny Manziel) in our latest update. Oakland still needs a passer of the future but Schaub's presence means they could take talent over need when No. 5 rolls around, or even trade down and gamble that a passer will land in their lap later.

And rip Schaub all you want (or set his jersey on fire or mock him with mean meat advertisments) but he's a quarterback who's capable of winning games, or at the very least managing them.

The 2013 season was a nightmare for him but if he returns to the form he had in the previous four years this will look like a smart deal for the Raiders.

Matt Schaub's reportedly been traded to the Raiders. (USATSI)

NFL Hot News

Chargers GM: Ryan Mathews is still our bell cow RB



Ryan Mathews carried the ball 285 times last season, fourth-most in the NFL. Allhough injuries have certainly been a problem for him, both he and Danny Woodhead had career years for the Chargers in 2013. So why would the team go out and give Donald Brown a three-year deal to be a third wheel? Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said Wednesday it was about giving the offense more options, and he insinuated Brown's presence will not lead to a decreased workload for Mathews."We know Ryan is our bell cow," Telesco said during a radio interview. "He's our No. 1 back. He had an excellent year last year. And we all know what Danny Woodhead can do in his role. We saw that for 16 games last year. And we think Donald can come in and add to that, too, and give us some different options. And a different style, too. The more weapons we can have for Philip Rivers, the better."



All of this leads me to believe that Brown will be a younger edition of Ronnie Brown this season. He'll block, catch a couple of passes, and come in when Mathews needs a breather, If Mathews stays healthy, Brown will end up being an expensive insurance policy, but history tells us that the Chargers needed another between-the-tackles runner in the event that Mathews' health in 2013 turns out to be an outlier. But until an injury occurs, Mathews is a solid RB2, Woodhead is a solid RB2 in PPR leagues only, and Brown has minimal value in any format.

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Falcons’ White to pay off ticket bet on Mercer win

Roddy White was pretty confident that Duke would win on Friday. (USATSI)

If you're interested in Atlanta Falcons season tickets and you don't want to pay for them, then just go argue college basketball with Roddy White on Twitter and you might get them for free. That's what one fan did.

White was asked on March 18 how far he thought Duke would go in the NCAA Tournament this year and as you can see below, he thought the Blue Devils would go pretty far.

Championship RT @kristenm2185 how far do you think duke goes this year??

— Roddy White (@roddywhiteTV) March 18, 2014

One of White's Twitter followers didn't think much of the prediction and said that Duke would lose in the first round.

@roddywhiteTV @kristenm2185 Mercer gonna beat em first round! #478

— Dylan Hoyt (@DHoyt77) March 18, 2014

White was so sure that Duke wouldn't lose in the first round, he responded with this:

@DHoyt77 if mercer beat duke I will give you season tickets 50 yard line first row

— Roddy White (@roddywhiteTV) March 18, 2014

If you missed the game, here's what happened: The 14th-seeded Mercer Bears stunned the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils and won some free Falcons season tickets for Dylan Hoyt.

The only question now is: Will White pay off the bet? The Falcons receiver hasn't tweeted since the end of the game, so we have no clue if he'll pay it off or if he even remembers the tweet.

This is almost like the time Aaron Rodgers made a bet on Twitter for one year of his salary that Ryan Braun wasn't using steroids. Braun was using steroids and Rodgers never paid up.

UPDATE: At 4:25 p.m. ET, Roddy White responded to everyone asking about the bet. White won't be giving the fan season-tickets, but he will be giving him something.

I lost a bet and I will give him tickets to the bears game since he is a bears fan done with this bet

— Roddy White (@roddywhiteTV) March 21, 2014

NFL Hot News

Bengals won't match Browns' offer for WR Andrew Hawkins



The Bengals had until midnight Tuesday to match the four-year, $13.6 million offer that the Browns gave wide receiver Andrew Hawkins last week. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bengals aren't going to make Hawkins wait until the witching hour. Schefter reports that the Bengals won't match the offer. "He's a Brown," Schefter wrote.



Hawkins, 28, is a dynamic slot receiver who is known for breaking off big plays. However, he is very small -- 5-foot-7, 180 pounds -- and thus, more prone to injuries. He missed half of last season due to an ankle problem. But if he stays healthy, he fills out a solid trio of receivers available to the Browns' next starting quarterback. Hawkins in the slot with Josh Gordon out wide, and tight end Jordan Cameron down the seam is a lot of speed and athleticism for one defense to cover. I don't think this signing makes Hawkins anything more than a WR3 in fantasy, at the absolute best, but Cleveland's offense definitely looks better on paper than it did just a few weeks ago.Now, the hardest part: They've got to find someone capable of getting the ball to all of those targets consistently.I expect the Bengals to look for a wideout in the mid-to-late rounds of the upcoming draft.

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