Latest News & Rumors

Getty Images

In some respects, the concussion lawsuits arise from a desire to get fair compensation for former players who suffered real injury as a result of the NFL’s alleged negligence.  In other respects, the concussion lawsuits arise from a desire on the part of the lawyers to get paid.

There’s no other way to explain the fact that lawyers have been contacting former players like Packers CEO Mark Murphy and NFL senior V.P. of player engagement Troy Vincent.  Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the efforts to recruit Murphy and Vincent to sue have occurred repeatedly.

It’s no surprise, given the efforts that came to light last year to get more and more former players on board.  “There is strength in numbers!” former NFL player and broadcaster Sean Salisbury wrote last year in an email encouraging players with any lingering concussion symptoms to join the litigation.

The lawyers have a clear financial motivation to add as many former players as possible.  The cost of adding names to a list of thousands is relatively minimal; the potential fee (at 33 percent, typically, of anything recovered) can go up exponentially if enough players join the parade.

While persons with real injuries resulting from real liability have the right to pursue relief, the lawsuit industry results in warped motivations and blurred ethical lines, and I continue to be reminded in situations like this that I don’t miss practicing law, at all.

AP

For all the optimism about the condition of Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, the reality is that it’s too soon to know how his reconstructed knee will be when the season starts.

And during a tour of the Redskins’ still-being-built training camp facility in Richmond, Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen admitted as much.

“It’s great to hear the building is on schedule, ahead of schedule, and I’ve heard all those same phrases for our quarterback,” Allen said, via Mark Maske of the Washington Post. “It’s too early to tell right now. He is doing everything that the doctors want him to do. He’s a great worker. I think that’s why there’s so much optimism that he’ll be ready at the beginning.

“But it’s really too premature to speculate on where his medical condition is until we give him a physical when training camp starts July 25.”

Griffin had surgery in January, and has apparently been working diligently, but Allen wasn’t prepared to say what his quarterback might be doing when OTAs are opened to reporters Thursday.

“You’ll get to see when you all come out there on Thursday,” Allen said. “He’s been doing a lot of drill work on his own with the other injured players. He has to just follow the doctors’ and the trainers’ advice on a daily basis.”

After the early flurry of optimism, it certainly sounds like the Redskins are adopting more of a wait-and-see approach, which is the only reasonable way to approach an injury such as RG3’s.

AP

Peyton Manning would like to play with the man who beat him out for the 1997 Heisman Trophy.

Manning said free agent cornerback Charles Woodson, who visited the Broncos last week, would be a good fit in Denver, on the field and in the locker room.

“We’re always looking to add great players,” Manning said. “That has been pretty evident since the time I’ve been here that management is always looking to add excellent football players through the draft or via free agency. I had a chance to visit with Charles when he was here last week and certainly, that’d be a great addition to our team. I know there is the business side of it that comes into play, but there’s no question that any time you can add good football players at any position, I think that’s always a good thing.”

In 1997, Manning entered his senior season at Tennessee as the clear favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, but Woodson led Michigan to a national championship and became the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman. Seated next to Manning at the award ceremony was Ryan Leaf, who finished third in Heisman voting, and seated next to Woodson was fourth-place finisher Randy Moss.

Getty Images

NFL rules changes are so often harshly criticized by NFL players that it seems noteworthy any time any player comes forward to say he likes a new rule. Of course, when it’s Brian Cushing speaking out in favor of the new rule against low blocks from behind, he’s speaking from first-hand experience.

Cushing’s 2012 season was cut short by a torn ACL suffered when he got hit in the knee from behind by the Jets’ Matt Slauson, and Cushing said today in an interview with Trey Wingo on NFL Live that the NFL’s decision to ban low blocks from behind was wise.

“It makes me feel better. Obviously it was not a good situation for me, but if it prevents further injuries in the future, then it’s a good thing,” Cushing said.

Frankly, it’s surprising that it took the NFL this long to implement this rule. Paul Zimmerman started championing the cause of banning cut blocks from behind in the 1980s, when Don Shula and Tex Schramm were running the Competition Committee, and scores of defensive players have complained through the years that offensive players were able to take legal cheap shots at their knees. It shouldn’t have taken until Cushing’s high-profile injury in 2012 for the rule, finally, to be changed in 2013, but Cushing is right: This change is a good thing.

Getty Images

The Rams have signed tight end Zach Potter, according to the NFL’s Monday transaction report.

The 6-foot-7, 265-pound Potter appeared in all 16 games for the Jaguars in 2012, catching two passes for six yards. Potter played 199 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus data.

Potter will likely be vying for a spot behind Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks on the Rams’ tight end depth chart. Potter’s blocking would figure to be one of the keys to whether he sticks on the final roster.

Potter, 27, is entering his fifth NFL season. A defensive end at Nebraska, Potter originally signed with the Jets after the 2009 draft before joining Jacksonville.

Getty Images

Now that Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has undergone a fourth arm surgery, which initially is being regarded as a success, attention soon will turn to his lingering back issue.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Gronkowski is expected to travel to California in three or four weeks for an evaluation by Dr. Robert Watkins.  (The trip presumably will not include a layover in Las Vegas.)  Watkins will make a recommendation as to whether Gronkowski requires back surgery.

We reported last week that back surgery currently is considered to be probable for Gronkowski.

Getty Images

The New England Patriots have developed an affinity for Rutgers players.  On Monday, they signed another former member of the program.

Scarlet Knights receiver Mark Harrison has joined the Patriots, the team announced earlier in the day.  Undrafted last month, Harrison is one of the two players who stayed in the hotel room that reportedly was trashed at the Scouting Combine.

Harrison and receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a first-round pick of the Texans, denied responsibility for the incident, which reportedly included fecal matter ending up in places where fecal matter shouldn’t be, absent extreme alcohol consumption.  Or perhaps demonic possession.

The Pats likely were drawn to Harrison at least in part due to observations made by Steve Belichick, the son of New England coach Bill Belichick, during the younger Belichick’s time working for the Rutgers program.

The Patriots now have seven former Rutgers players on the roster.

The Patriots also signed former Notre Dame kicker David Ruffer, who transferred to South Bend not from Rutgers but from William & Mary.  He converted on his first 23 field goals for the Irish, but he finished his career missing 11 of 21.

It’s that kind of poor aim that may have contributed to the unsavory problem mentioned earlier in this blurb.

Getty Images

The dates are trickling in, illustrating specific changes to the offseason schedule that would happen if the NFL and NFLPA strike a deal to tweak the things that happen from February through May.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, next year’s draft would start on May 15, three weeks after this year’s draft.  The timetable for the Scouting Combine and the league year would not change in 2014.

In 2015, the draft would happen a little bit earlier in May, the league year would begin in early March, and the Scouting Combine would slide to the middle of March.

We can’t overstate the impact of moving the Combine after the start of the league year.  (But we’ll try.)  With 10-14 days of free agency in the books before the teams flock to Indy, there will be a much better sense of what teams need, and don’t need, in the draft before checking out the prospects up close at the Combine.

AP

It didn’t take long for the Chiefs’ new pistol consultant, Chris Ault, to get busy.

The former Nevada coach helped popularize the short shotgun formation and became famous with the success of his pupil Colin Kaepernick. Now, he’s helping Alex Smith try to learn it.

According to Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs ran a “handful of plays” from the formation in OTAs last week.

Smith was an effective runner in college at Utah, rushing 135 times for 631 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2004.

But perhaps the biggest beneficiary could be Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, who should have more open space with which to work if Smith’s on the move. Coupled with what could be a very good offensive line, the Chiefs have a chance to make it work.

AP

Surgery to install a plate in the broken left arm of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has been completed, PFT’s Mike Florio has learned.

What’s more, the infection in the arm has cleared, PFT has learned.

PFT reported last week that the infection appeared to be going away. Now, it’s officially gone, good news for the 24-year-old star tight end in his quest to finally completely recover from the arm injury, which he first sustained in November 2012. He re-injured the arm in January.

Gronkowski is also expected to have back surgery during the offseason. PFT has learned a consultation on surgery will occur in 3-4 weeks.

A vital part of the Patriots’ offense, Gronkowski has hauled in 38 touchdown passes in just three NFL seasons.

AP

Tackle Winston Justice has racked up some frequent flier miles of late as he’s jumped from city to city in search of a team to sign him for the 2013 season.

Nashville is the latest stop on his tour. John Glennon of the Tennessean reports that Justice spent Monday visiting with the Titans as Tennessee checks out possible alternatives for David Stewart at right tackle. Stewart isn’t back on the field yet after breaking his leg last season and the Titans have also met with Eric Winston in the last month as they check in on the veterans still on the free agent market or at least those veterans with Winston somewhere in their name.

Justice has also visited with the Chargers, Lions, Dolphins, Steelers and Browns this offseason. The Dolphins have since signed Tyson Clabo and the Steelers added Guy Whimper, but the others may still be in the mix as his eventual landing spot.

Guard Antoine Caldwell also visited with the Titans Monday. Caldwell started six games for the Texans last season as part of a problematic right side of the offensive line. With Andy Levitre and Chance Warmack joining the team this offseason, Caldwell would be trying to be the team’s third guard if he signed in Tennessee.

AP

It was a long week away, but Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network is back on Monday afternoon.

Helping us celebrate the return will be 49ers rookie running back Marcus Lattimore. Lattimore went in the fourth round of the draft last month after a college career marked by both stupendous performances and season-ending knee injuries. Those injuries could turn 2013 into a “redshirt” year for Lattimore and he’ll talk to Erik Kuselias about his thoughts about that possibility.

Mike Florio and Ross Tucker will also be on hand to discuss the biggest news of the day. They’ll also break down some burning questions for teams in the AFC West with the OTA phase of the offseason well underway. And PFT Planet once again has the chance to pick the final topic of the day from Rob Gronkowski’s latest injury updates, the proposed changes to the league calender and the best remaining free agent on the market.

It all gets underway at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

AP

The Jaguars have reached a deal with seventh-round pick Jeremy Harris, the club indicated on Twitter Monday.

The club’s official Twitter account posted a picture of Harris, a cornerback from New Mexico State, signing his contract.

From a size standpoint, Harris (6-2, 181) fits the mold of the bigger cornerback new Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley had success with as Seattle’s defensive coordinator. Should Harris make the roster, he would likely figure as a reserve in his first NFL season.

Harris recorded 56 tackles, defended 11 passes and recorded one interception in his senior season with the Aggies in 2012.

AP

Texans linebacker Brian Cushing has said that his goal is to return from his torn ACL as a better player than he was before the injury and it sounds like there’s a good shot that he’ll be able to start trying to reach it when the team starts training camp.

Cushing said that he hasn’t had any setbacks while steadily doing more work. He’s up to running, squatting, jumping and doing position drills in his rehab and said that he feels he’s just missing a little bit of strength in the left knee as he prepares to get back on the field.

“My return is right around the corner, so that’s a good feeling,” Cushing said, via the Texans website. “I can definitely tell you I’ll be ready for the first game of the season, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be ready for the first practice come training camp.”

Cushing injured his knee on October 8, which means it will have been more than nine full months since his injury when training camp gets underway. He may not be ready for a full workload at that point, but it appears he should avoid the PUP list for even a limited amount of time this summer.

AP

Bills defensive end Mario Williams is embroiled in a lawsuit with his ex-fiancée, attempting to force her to return a $785,000 engagement ring. As part of that lawsuit, his ex-fiancée has released text messages in which Williams discusses taking prescription painkillers and having thoughts of suicide.

But Williams says that’s nothing for anyone to worry about.

“I could really care less. I mean, all it is is allegations, text messages or what not, whatever information blown out of proportion. I mean it’s completely out of context,” Williams said of the released text messages, via WGR.

Williams says that when he mentioned “suicidal thoughts” in a text message, he was “just venting.” Asked about the suicides of Junior Seau and Jovan Belcher, Williams was quick to answer, “Dude, I’m nowhere near that position.”

Williams also said he only uses painkillers as directed by the team’s medical staff.

“Anything I take is 100 percent prescribed, given from here,” Williams said, referring to the doctors at the Bills’ facility.

Blown out of proportion or not, these are the kinds of embarrassing stories that tend to come out when people get involved in litigation with their exes. That’s why it’s wise to take it slowly with romantic relationships, and wiser still to buy a more sensible engagement ring, and save the $785,000 jewelry for the 50th anniversary.