49ers impressed with Moss' early impact (The SportsXchange)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 18:30:09 PDT)
Randy Moss' slow descendent into his brief retirement began after the Patriots' opening-day win over the Bengals in 2010. That's when Moss declared that he wasn't appreciated in New England; he also said there were people who didn't want him to succeed there.

Saints' defense learning Spagnuolo's way (The Associated Press)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 15:08:13 PDT)
METAIRIE, La. (AP) The all-out blitzing the Saints unleashed during recent seasons appears to be a thing of the past under new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Vegas has spoken, NFL season win totals are live (National Football Post)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 13:06:06 PDT)
Four picks to keep an eye on this summer as we approach the start of the 2012 season.

Big Ten post-spring power rankings (National Football Post)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 08:06:04 PDT)
Is Michigan State the league's best team?

How Much Did the St. Louis Rams Improve in the 2012 Offseason? – Fan’s View (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 23:38:00 PDT)
The 2012 NFL offseason is winding down for the St. Louis Rams. The club has signed most, if not all, of its free agent targets, and the draft is now little more than a memory. With the Rams roster settling down, I think it's safe to say that the team has drastically improved from 2011.

NFL roundup: Players union files suit, accuses owners of collusion (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:14 PDT)
The NFL Players Association filed a lawsuit on Wednesday that accused NFL owners and the league of collusion during the 2010 NFL season.

Patriots agree to deal with first-rounder Jones (National Football Post)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 14:26:02 PDT)
Defensive end was 21st overall pick in draft.

Patriots sign top pick Jones (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 14:11:25 PDT)
The Patriots signed first-round pick Chandler Jones, the player New England traded up six spots to acquire in the draft with the expectation he can ultimately become an every-down pass rusher in coach Bill Belichick's multiple-front defense.

Patriots sign 1st-round pick, DE Chandler Jones (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 14:09:00 PDT)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots have signed defensive end Chandler Jones, the first of two first-round picks the team selected in this year's draft.

Broncos acquire Chris Gronkowski from Colts (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 12:48:42 PDT)
Denver acquired fullback Chris Gronkowski from the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Cassius Vaughn, the Broncos announced.

Colts acquire Vaughn in exchange for Gronkowski (National Football Post)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 12:06:02 PDT)
Cornerback heads to Indy in exchange for fullback.

Plaxico Burress wants to workout for the Dolphins; Dolphins don’t want Plaxico Burress (Shutdown Corner)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 10:33:55 PDT)
The Miami Dolphins do not have a wealth of experience at wide receiver. Davone Bess leads the unit with 260 career catches, and no one else has more than 109. For comparison's sake, the New England Patriots have three individuals with more career receptions than every Dolphins receiver combined. The currently unemployed Plaxico Burress does, too, and he's looking for a job. A job with the Miami Dolphins, in fact, according to one report Wednesday. But the Dolphins, even with their apparent need at the position, aren't interested . From Armando Salguero at the Miami Herald: Add Plaxico Burress to the list of receivers who would love to audition for the Dolphins. But Miami has shown no interest in the likes of Burress, Roy Williams and Braylon Edwards. Ireland said he "could be done" at receiver, but isn't certain. If the rookies don't develop this summer, Ireland might add a veteran. I mean no disrespect to Bess, Brian Hartline or Legudu Naanee, nor am I suggesting that the Dolphins are making a mistake by passing on Plaxico Burress, but don't they need something else at wideout? If you're looking for one of your young fellows to develop into a franchise quarterback , they're going to need help. Probably more help than you have on the roster right now. [ Also: Green Bay Packer Donald Driver wins 'Dancing With the Stars' ]

Big-spending offseasons loom for Patriots (Pro Football Weekly)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 08:55:31 PDT)
Two of the game’s top playmakers, Texans RB Arian Foster and Eagles RB LeSean McCoy, recently received lucrative contract extensions before entering their respective fourth NFL seasons, which would have been followed by unrestricted free agency.

NFL making thigh and knee pads mandatory in '13 (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 03:09:07 PDT)
ATLANTA (AP) The NFL's move to make thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for the 2013 season already has drawn criticism from the guys who will have to wear them.

NFL passes new pad rules for players (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 15:49:01 PDT)
ATLANTA (AP) The NFL made thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for the 2013 season, something the players' union was not pleased with.

Krafts wants Welker to be 'Patriots for life' (National Football Post)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 13:32:00 PDT)
Patriots is happy to have receiver back in workouts.

Are the Bills legitimate playoff contenders? (National Football Post)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 10:36:08 PDT)
Surviving the first six games could pave the way for a 10-6 season.

Tom Brady's father would be 'very hesitant' to let his son take up football in concussion era
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:50:48 PDT)
Tom Sr. waited until his only boy was 14 to let him play football, and he would be more reluctant now.

Giants’ Coughlin nowhere near retirement at age 65 (Shutdown Corner)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:20:28 PDT)
Looking at Tom Coughlin's inflexible ways and hair-trigger temper in his earlier days as a coach, one wouldn't peg him as a guy who'd survive the profession into his late 60s. But after changes to his coaching and personal style, the Bill Parcells acolyte found a new level of success by reaching out to his players while keeping the no-nonsense on high. When he coached Kurt Warner for the Giants in 2004, Coughlin asked the veteran quarterback for an assesment of his overall style. "I saw a great man, a great coach, but I also saw a man who, for some reason, didn't know how to combine those parts of his personality when it came to football,"  Warner told NJ.com in January about Coughlin. "He could connect with his family on such an intimate level but had no idea how to connect with his players. He was struggling badly. Tom was searching for the right way to lead without compromising his principles." Now that transformation has occurred, and Coughlin has won two Super Bowls in four seasons, the thought of retirement -- even at age 65 -- is fairly unspeakable. Speaking with Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union during a recent Jay Fund golf tournament benefiting cancer victims in the area, Coughlin sounded like a man who was just getting started. "I'm not mentally, not physically, ready [to retire]," Coughlin said on Monday. "I feel I have good energy. I'm excited every day. The competitiveness, the nature of the business, is something that I'm still excited about. I don't wander down that path. I don't think about retirement. I enjoy the situation I'm in. I appreciate the backing I've received from [Giants] ownership and the way the players have responded to our program. I really don't feel any pull or tug in another direction. I look at it on a yearly basis. In our business, no matter how many years they give you on the contract, it's a one-year deal anyway." Coughlin's current contract runs out after next season, but the Giants are expected to tack on a few extra years in the very near future. It's appropriate for a man who's been coaching the team since 2004 but has really found his way since Warner's candid take -- he's got a 74-54 record overall as the G-Men's head man, and all seven of his postseason wins with the franchise have come in the last four seasons. Now, he said, it's as much about reflecting on his successes as it is making sure everyone's running in military time. "The greatest part about [the Super Bowl XLVI win over the New England Patriots] is the feeling and sensation you get when your team is all on the same page," Coughlin said. "That's what I reveled in. People said, 'God, you're relaxed, you're kind of enjoying this.' Well, I was confident. I didn't know we were going to win, but I knew we'd play well because our practices in Indianapolis went like clockwork. I felt so good about our team. That's why I enjoyed the moment."

Monday's Sports in Brief (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 03:27:04 PDT)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Magic fired coach Stan Van Gundy on Monday and agreed to part ways with general manager Otis Smith, severing ties to two of the architects of one of the most successful runs in franchise history.

TE Dallas Clark signs with Bucs (The SportsXchange)
(Mon, 21 May 2012 16:10:16 PDT)
Free agent tight end Dallas Clark officially signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs, The Sports Xchange confirmed Monday.

Patriots announce Welker signing (The Associated Press)
(Mon, 21 May 2012 15:41:30 PDT)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots have announced that Wes Welker has signed a franchise tender contract.

Bucs acting fast to replace Kellen Winslow with Dallas Clark (National Football Post)
(Mon, 21 May 2012 15:40:12 PDT)
Ex-Colts tight end headed to Tampa