Cam Newton’s pitch to Michael Oher: “I bleeping need you”

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Cam Newton knew the Panthers needed to sign someone to protect his blind side last offseason, and so he went to work on recruiting Michael Oher to come to Carolina.

Newton said today that he started work on Oher a year ago, before free agency officially started, urging him to consider signing with the Panthers. Newton said his pitch to Oher was the hardest he’s ever worked on trying to convince a player to sign with the Panthers.

“With the free agent pool, I’ve sent texts out before, called guys and said, ‘We’d love for you to be part of the team.’ But Mike was different,” Newton said. “I didn’t say, ‘I want you to be here.’ It was, ‘I need you.’ That’s different. Want and need are two different words, and that’s what I used in that text, along with other explicit words before the ‘need.’ And I think he got the feeling from that.”

Newton’s brother, Cecil Newton Jr., was a center on the Ravens’ practice squad for two years while Oher was in Baltimore, and Cam says Cecil told him how much he’d like playing with Oher.

“With my brother playing in Baltimore, I had someone tell me how good he really is. My brother, playing on the offensive line, was around him every day, saw how he brought the professionalism each and every day. That’s something that stuck out to him, and he told me, ‘Mike is someone who will be a key asset to the team,'” Newton said.

That turned out to be a good scouting report from Cecil and a good recruiting pitch from Cam. Oher’s presence in Carolina has been a big part of the Panthers’ Super Bowl season.

The first coach to ever lead the Denver Broncos to the playoffs will be inducted in the team’s Ring of Fame this fall.

Red Miller took over the team from John Ralston in 1977 and coached the Broncos to a 12-2 record and their first postseason appearance as a franchise. After victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders in the playoffs, the Broncos lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-10, in Super Bowl XII.

“Hearing that great news from [Broncos President & CEO] Joe [Ellis] and the rest of the committee brought back so many memories from those special seasons with the Broncos,” Miller said in a statement released by the team. “Looking back, it was a ragtag operation with where we were at the time. We had to build it up and get it going. All of our players and coaches carried us to a lot of success and brought so much excitement to the fans during those years.

“I’m honored to join the Broncos’ all-time greats in the Ring of Fame, and I look forward to celebrating with the many people who helped make this possible.

Miller went 40-21 in four seasons as Broncos head coach. He becomes the 32nd member and second coach inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame.

AP

The Massachusetts State Police have issued the formal report confirming the prior finding that former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez committed suicide in prison last month. Many of the details previously had been reported.

The report rules out, based on a toxicology study, synthetic marijuana or any other substances; published reports had suggested that Hernandez smoked the substance the evening before the suicide.

In response to the State Police report, lawyer Jose Baez has issued a statement reiterating his vow to investigate the situation on his own.

“Now that the state authorities have completed and closed their investigation into the death of Aaron, we owe it Aaron and his family to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into this tragic death,” Baez said in a statement. “The total lack of professionalism exhibited by government officials and their employees during this entire process is unprecedented.  The majority of information contained in these reports was leaked to the press during the course of the investigation.  The family was never advised during the investigation or before the report was released today as to any of the specifics of the investigation.

“They unfortunately learned through the numerous press reports, citing unnamed government sources or those close to the investigation, of the details of Aaron’s death.  The family members were victims in this matter and deserved better treatment by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“The unprofessional behavior of those entrusted to impartially and professionally conduct an investigation into Aaron’s death has caused grave concern as to the validity and thoroughness of the investigation. Accordingly, we intend to fully, completely and impartially review all of the evidence in this matter.  We will not speculate as to the conclusions of our investigation.  We can only promise the best investigators and forensic experts available will conduct a thorough analysis.

“Any official who attempts to interfere or inhibit our investigation by refusing to allow access to the evidence surrounding this matter will not be tolerated.  We will use any and all of the legal tools at our disposal to expose and prevent any such interference.”

In the immediate aftermath of the news of Hernandez’s death and the preliminary indication that he had committed suicide, Baez and Hernandez’s agent, Brian Murphy, hinted at foul play. A separate question lingers as to whether the prison authorities took sufficient steps to protect Hernandez from himself, including whether protocols requiring the cell to be checked on a regular basis were followed and whether guards knew or should have known that Hernandez had become suicidal.

AP

The Oakland Raiders made nine additions to their roster through last weekend’s NFL Draft. However, head coach Jack Del Rio still sees one hole looming large on their roster.

In an interview on the NFL Network Thursday, Del Rio pointed to the middle linebacker position as one that is still concerning to the team at this point in the offseason.

“I don’t know that we’ve adequately addressed our middle linebacker position, to be honest,” Del Rio said, via NBC Bay Area. “I think we have some work to do there. The rest of our roster is pretty well situated, but we’ll be looking for a linebacker and we’ll continue to look, whether it’s the waiver wire, trades or available guys out there, veterans on the street. We’ll continue to look.

“The guys that are here, we’re going to develop and grow and hope we can take them to a higher level.”

With teams across the league filling out their rosters with undrafted free agents and making room by cutting veterans, the Raiders could find potential solutions throughout the offseason. Perry Riley, who started 11 games at middle linebacker for the Raiders last season, remains a free agent as well.

AP

One week ago, running back Christian McCaffrey doesn’t have a team. Now, he has a contract.

The eighth overall pick in the draft, McCaffrey has agreed to terms with the Panthers. Carolina also signed second-round tackle Taylor Moton and sixth-round fullback Alex Armah.

The speed of the negotiations reconfirms that every team should be signing every player before that player reports for offseason workouts. Chances are McCaffrey, who skipped Stanford’s bowl game and declined to participate in private workouts, made it clear to the Panthers that he wouldn’t be working without a contract for employment.

Last year’s eighth overall pick, Titans tackle Jack Conklin, signed a four-year, $15.89 million deal. Typically in the top 10, most if not all of the deal is fully guaranteed. The primary negotiating points relate to cash flow and offsets for guaranteed money.

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When the NFL released its 2017 regular-season schedule, the Monday night opener didn’t have much steak, or much sizzle. It now has both.

The ho-hum matchup of the 7-9 Saints and 8-8 Vikings took on a new dynamic when Adrian Peterson surprisingly opted to accept a reduced salary and a reduced role in New Orleans. He’s now eyeballing an expanded performance when he returns to U.S. Bank Stadium in September.

“It’s going to be fun to go against those guys so I can let them know [when] I was doing that talking, telling them, ‘Hey, I’ll hit you guys for 150 or 200 yards,’ that I wasn’t just talking,” Peterson told the Saints’ official website, via ESPN.com. “They’ll see.”

The threshold question is how much anyone will see Peterson on the field during that game. Mark Ingram is the starter; while Peterson perhaps quietly adds “for now” to that title, it’s not his call as to which guy sits atop the depth chart. Peterson also could be pinched from below by rookie third-rounder Alvin Kamara.

For now, Peterson isn’t focused on those details. He’s simply focused on Week One.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Peterson said, joking that “revenge” is part of his motivation. “You know, it’s just ironic. When the schedule came out and I saw that, I was like, ‘Wow, this is meant to be.’ So many great memories down there in Minnesota. Great fan base. They supported me through everything, throughout my career, so just to embrace the love once I get there will be exciting.”

It won’t be exciting if he’s standing on the sidelines more than he’s lining up behind Drew Brees. And if Peterson emerges from that game miffed that he didn’t get enough chances to show the world what he could do against his former team, he may not feel like his marriage with the Saints was meant to be, after all.

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Tommy Armstrong played quarterback at Nebraska. To make it at the next level, he’ll have to change positions.

Armstrong gets his first chance to do that on a tryout basis with the Vikings at a rookie minicamp that starts on Friday.

“We can make plays,” Armstrong said, via Chad Graff of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “That’s the key to making the transition. If you’re able to transition from quarterback to running back or receiver, you need to be able to make plays and help your team. That’s one thing I’m going to have to do this weekend.”

Armstrong, who hopes to make plays as a wide receiver, running back, or safety for the Vikings, ran pass routes from time to time during summer workouts with the Cornhuskers. But that’s a far cry from playing NFL wide receiver.

But Armstrong at least has the confidence.

“I think I’m just a natural athlete,” Armstrong said. “I’ve heard it all my life, that if I wasn’t playing quarterback, I could play running back or receiver or safety. Making that change I think will be tough, but I think I’m able to do it. My coaches from my college career think I can do it, so I’ve just got to prove to the Vikings’ coaching staff and prove to the head coach that I’m able to make that switch and be able to help the team.”

The odds are stacked against him. And maybe he’ll beat the odds. For now, that means persuading the Vikings to give him a spot on the 90-man roster. After that, he’ll have to find a way onto the 53-man roster.

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Defensive lineman Jaye Howard recently left Chicago with a plan to pursue other opportunities. He quickly decided that his best opportunity was with the Bears.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the former Chief has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Bears.

Cut last month with a failed physical designation, Howard spent four years with the Chiefs after starting his NFL career in Seattle. The 28-year-old started 13 games in 2015, notching 5.5 sacks.

Last year, Howard had eight game appearances and four starts. He eventually landed on injured reserve with a hip injury.

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49ers General Manager John Lynch isn’t wasting any time getting his first draft class under contract.

Word came Wednesday night that the team signed fourth-round running back Joe Williams and they made it official on Thursday while announcing that five other picks are also under contract.

Fifth-round tight end George Kittle, fifth-round wide receiver Trent Taylor, sixth-round defensive lineman Pita Taumoepenu, sixth-round defensive lineman D.J. Jones and seventh-round defensive back Adrian Colbert are the others to agree to their four-year rookie deals. First-round picks Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster join third-rounders C.J. Beathard and Ahkello Witherspoon as the remaining unsigned picks.

The 49ers also announced the addition of 18 undrafted free agents. They are Oregon wide receiver Victor Bolden, Eastern Washington wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, Georgia Southern running back Matt Breida, Baylor wide receiver KD Cannon, Montana State offensive lineman John Flynn, Washburn cornerback Zach Franklin, Colorado defensive lineman Jimmie Gilbert, Penn State safety Malik Golden, Arizona State offensive lineman Evan Goodman, Louisville tight end Cole Hikutini, Saint Francis (PA) defensive back Lorenzo Jerome, Michigan offensive lineman Erik Magnuson, Houston fullback Tyler McCloskey, Southern Mississippi quarterback Nick Mullens, Missouri linebacker Donavin Newsom, West Virginia defensive lineman Noble Nwachukwu, Lamar offensive lineman Bret Treadway and Western Kentucky offensive lineman Darrell Williams Jr.

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Defensive tackle Dominique Easley is headed back to the Rams for the 2017 season.

Easley was a restricted free agent this offseason, but the deadline to sign an offer sheet with another team passed last week without Easley generating interest from another club. That left him short on options other than signing his tender from the Rams and Adam Schefter of ESPN reports he did that on Thursday.

Easley signed with the Rams after being released by the Patriots last year and appeared in all 16 games as a reserve. He had 35 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his first season with Los Angeles and will make $1.797 million this year.

The Rams also announced that they have waived four players in addition to officially announcing offensive lineman David Arkin’s departure from the roster. They also parted ways with defensive back Jerome Couplin, long snapper Andrew East, running back Brandon Wegher and tight end Bryce Williams.

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Panthers offensive tackle Michael Oher has been cited for misdemeanor assault after an incident with an Uber driver.

Oher, who is one of the NFL’s most famous players because his life story was made into The Blind Side, was cited by Nashville police, according to WKRN.

WSOC reports that an Uber driver claimed he and Oher got into an argument during a ride on April 14. The driver says he put his hand on Oher’s face and Oher knocked him to the ground. Oher is set to appear for booking on Monday.

The Panthers confirmed they are aware of the incident but said nothing further.

“We are aware an incident occurred involving Michael. We have no further comment at this time,” the team said in a statement.

Oher suffered a concussion in Week Three of last season, missed the rest of the year and still hasn’t been medically cleared to return, although the Panthers said in March that Oher is working out and feels great.

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Buccaneers running back Doug Martin’s offseason has generally been going much better than the end of his 2016 season.

Martin was suspended four games by the league and checked into rehab before last season was out, leading to speculation about his possible release. His early work with the team has been complimented by General Manager Jason Licht multiple times in the last few weeks, however, and the Bucs didn’t draft a running back until the fifth round last weekend.

Martin’s Thursday hasn’t gone so well, but it sounds like it could have been much worse. The City of Tampa announced that Martin was involved in a car accident that saw his car sent off the road and into an air conditioning unit outside a business after it was hit by a car that ran a stop sign. The driver of that car was cited for running the stop sign.

Martin was left with “minor cuts and bruises” with Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times adding that he needed four stitches to close a cut on his chin.

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Cardinals wide receiver John Brown only missed one game during the 2016 season, but he dealt with several health issues over the course of the year.

He suffered a concussion during the preseason and dealt with complications related to a sickle-cell trait in his blood on the way to 39 catches for 517 yards and two touchdowns, which marked a steep drop from his 2015 output. Doctors then found out he had a cyst on his spine after the year came to an end.

Brown had the cyst removed and said he now feels “back to normal” once that procedure was completed.

“I most definitely feel confident,” Brown said, via the team’s website. “Since they found out the situation, my body has been feeling better. I am doing the usual, which I couldn’t do when I was going through this process.”

A return to form for Brown would be a boost to the big play potential on offense for the Cardinals, who made third-round pick Chad Williams their only addition at wideout in the draft.

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The Jets announced three deletions from their roster on Thursday, including safety Marcus Gilchrist, and they announced the return of a member of the 2016 team short time later.

The team has signed linebacker Bruce Carter to a new deal. Carter joined the Jets last April as a free agent and went on to play in 13 games during the regular season. He had 16 tackles and a pass defense in those outings.

Carter previously played for the Buccaneers and Cowboys and has starting experience with both of those teams. He started one game for the Jets last year, but will be backing up David Harris and Darron Lee if all goes according to plan this year.

The Jets have their rookie minicamp this weekend, so they’ll likely be announcing a crop of undrafted free agent additions in the near future as well.

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When the Texans start their 2017 season, they’ll be missing linebacker Max Bullough for 25 percent of it. He’s been suspended four games for violating the PED policy.

“Max Bullough of the Houston Texans has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2017 regular season for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances,” the league said in a statement. “Bullough will be eligible to return to the Texans’ active roster on Monday, October 2 following the team’s October 1 game against the Tennessee Titans. Bullough is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.”

Undrafted in 2014, Bullough has spent three seasons in Houston. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games last year, starting three.

AP

The Bills asked for permission to interview Panthers General Manager Brandon Beane earlier this week and that interview has taken place.

The team announced on Thursday afternoon that they have completed an interview with Beane. Beane and head coach Sean McDermott worked together with the Panthers before McDermott was hired in Buffalo earlier this year.

Doug Whaley was fired as the Bills’ General Manager this week, but the team announced that Beane interviewed as a “front office candidate” rather than for the G.M. position. There’s been a lot of talk about McDermott having significant personnel decision-making power in Buffalo and the way the Bills termed the position would appear to indicate that’s the case.

The Bills are also expected to interview Texans exec Brian Gaine and running back LeSean McCoy has banged the drum for Chiefs exec Brett Veach.