Rookie Steelers LB Spence finding his way (The Associated Press)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 19:47:45 PDT)
PITTSBURGH (AP) Sean Spence walked toward his locker during his first day as a Pittsburgh Steeler last month, saw the number hanging from the hook and couldn't quite believe it.

The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Greg Cosell on the NFC South Draft (Shutdown Corner)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 16:23:15 PDT)
With the draft over and all wrapped up, we thought it would be a good idea to get back on the phone with our buddy Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN's "NFL Matchup," and talk about the NFL by division. Who did themselves the most favors in the draft, and who came up short when addressing their roster deficits? We started off with the NFC West two weeks ago, and then jumped to the hyper-competitive AFC North last week . Now, it's time to turn our attention to the NFC South. Appropriate, given Greg's recent post on the NFL Films Blog about division quarterbacks Matt Ryan , Cam Newton , and Josh Freeman . With that in mind, we asked Greg what he thought the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers did to bolster their teams. The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Greg Cosell on the NFC South Draft Related: [Cosell on  quarterbacks ,  running backs/wide receivers ,  tight ends/offensive line ,  OLB/DE/DT stars , the ILB/DB class , and overall draft review ] On Atlanta Falcons second-round G/C Peter Konz: "I looked at him more as a athlete than as a strong, physical player. Not that he was a weakling -- I thought he had a nice combination of movement and strength -- but I certainly wouldn't call him a road-grader. But in tandem with his active feet, he was effective. He is an efficient player -- very assignment-disciplined. Do I think he could fit right in? Yes I could, and I did make a note that I thought he could play either guard or center. On Carolina Panthers first-round linebacker Luke Kuechly: "I absolutely loved him, and the more I watched him, the more I loved him. I thought he played with his eyes as well as any linebacker I've ever evaluated. He beat blocks with play recognition. Now, the question is, will he do that in the NFL? I think he probably will, because I'm sure that comes from film study, and I don't think he'll be a slacker al lot a sudden. I thought he was the best linebacker in this draft without question, I think he's far more athletic than he's given credit for -- as I watched each game, I was actually more and more impressed with his athleticism." The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Greg Cosell on the NFC South Draft On New Orleans Saints fourth-round receiver Nick Toon:

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.

Joe Vitt: Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita 'like my sons' (National Football Post)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 12:41:10 PDT)
Saints interim coach finding his way in new role

Alex Smith joins the burgeoning ‘stats are for losers’ movement (Shutdown Corner)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 07:03:48 PDT)
Add the voice of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith to those decrying the increasing use of stats to evaluate football performance. Usually, it's former head coaches unhappy about the numbers (used, as they sometimes are, to help describe why said former head coaches lost their jobs), but in Smith's case, he's tired of the stats despite his 2011 season, in which he finally played with some of the efficiency and consistency expected of the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. When asked before the 49ers' divisional playoff win over the New Orleans Saints if he might someday throw for more yards in a season than Drew Brees, or some of the NFL's other more high-octane quarterbacks, Smith was quite defiant. "I really don't care," Smith said. "I'm looking to outscore him. He can throw for as many yards as he wants." So there! The 49ers did indeed outscore the Saints on their way to a close NFC championship loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants, and in the 2012 season, more will certainly be expected of Smith. He played the caretaker role for Jim Harbaugh in 2011, throwing just five interceptions and helping San Francisco's unflashy-but-effective offense as the 49ers shocked the league with a 13-3 record. He also had career highs in pass attempts (445), completions, (273), passing yards (3,144), and his second-highest touchdown total (17). Now, Smith is being asked if he's ready to bust out with bigger numbers ... and the answer is, he really doesn't care. "I could absolutely care less on yards per game," Smith told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday . "I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you're losing games in the second half, guess what, you're like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That's great. You're not winning, though." Well, hold on there, Huckleberry! Cam Newton smashed many of the NFL's rookie passing records in 2011, and I would argue that he did do a lot of winning -- he took the worst team in the league and helped pull it to a six-win season. Now, the Panthers are rightfully seen as a fringe playoff contender, and Newton is the primary reason. In fact, it could be argued that Newton did everything Smith could not in 2005 -- take a horrible team to the next level with his own play as the first pick in the draft. It's a bit easier for Smith to say these things now, buttressed as he is by a dynamic rushing attack and supported by one of the NFL's best defenses. Joe Flacco has tried that whole "I'm just winning" thing as well, but he's very much in Smith's camp -- aided severely by his defense and running game. Total yards may not matter, but can Smith become the kind of quarterback capable of transcending the average and putting a team on his back? That's the real question for any quarterback looking to find that mysterious "elite." "We're up in the third and fourth quarter and naturally you're going to be in four-minute offense," Smith said of the wisdom behind the 49ers' more conservative game plan. "You're going to be grinding it out. You're going to be running the ball a lot more and you're not going to have as many 300-yard passing games."

49ers QB Alex Smith facing higher expectations (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 18:24:17 PDT)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Alex Smith looked one way, then another, finding open receivers with such ease that the toughest part might've been deciding whose turn it was in the rotation.

Problems blown out of proportion as disharmony grows between NFL, players' association
(Wed, 23 May 2012 16:39:33 PDT)
Issues are getting worse before they get better as the two sides refuse to play nice.

NFL union files suit against league over 2010 cap (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 16:05:35 PDT)
The players union claimed Wednesday that the NFL imposed a secret salary cap during the uncapped 2010 season that cost the players at least $1 billion.

San Francisco 49ers Sign Punter Andy Lee to Contract Extension: Fan’s Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 14:07:00 PDT)
With so much emphasis placed on special teams by head coach Jim Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers locked up one of their biggest and best weapons in the field position battle by agreeing to a six-year contract extension with punter Andy Lee as first reported by Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Now signed through the 2018 season, Lee is expected to earn around $4 million a year, a sizeable upgrade from the last extension he signed back in March 2007 that paid him an average of $1.18 million annually.

NFL players' union charges owners with collusion
(Wed, 23 May 2012 10:22:11 PDT)
The National Football League Players Association charged the league, its clubs and team owners with collusion during the 2010 season in a complaint filed on Wednesday.

NFLPA files collusion claim against NFL, claiming salary cap arrangement in uncapped year (Shutdown Corner)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 10:05:06 PDT)
The question we were asking all along when it came to the "spirit of the salary cap" penalties handed down to the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints was, of course, "How on earth can teams be in violation of salary cap rules when there is no salary cap in place?" Turns out, the NFL Players Association was asking the same question, and now, they will do so in court. On Wednesday morning, the NFLPA released this statement in part: The Class Counsel under the Reggie White settlement agreement and the NFL Players Association today filed a complaint, on behalf of the NFL players, charging the NFL, its clubs and their owners of collusion during the 2010 NFL season. The complaint details a conspiracy to violate the anti-collusion and anti-circumvention provisions in the White Settlement Agreement (SSA) by "imposing a secret $123 million per-Club salary cap for that uncapped 2010 season." The written claim is filed with the United States District Court of Minnesota, which oversees the SSA and alleges that the league and owners acted illegally and "solely by self-interest, unconstrained by their clear and unambiguous SSA obligations." The claim was filed just one day after Special Master Stephen Burbank dismissed the appeal filed by the Redskins and Cowboys. Clearly, the NFLPA had this one on a tripwire. The Cowboys and Redskins were the hardest-hit by the league; the Redskins were docked $36 million in salary cap room over two seasons, and the Cowboys $10 million, for the offloading of onerous player contracts during the uncapped year of 2011. At that time, there was no official rule regarding just how much salary and other player income a team could dump during that time, but as it turned out, the NFL had verbally warned all teams that any nebulous violation of the rules that could be perceived during a capped year would be dealt with severely. Of course, the uncapped year occurred during the lockout, after the old collective bargaining agreement ran out, and the salary cap with it. Until a new agreement could be struck, the NFL could not possibly send out written instructions for teams to avoid either offsetting or "overpaying" its players without providing the NFLPA with a boilerplate collusion case.  According the NFLPA, the penalties handed down, and the language used by the league and the Management Council, is enough to warrant the complaint. "When the rules are broken in a way that hurts the game, we have an obligation to act. We cannot stand by when we now know that the owners conspired to collude," said NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith. "Our union recently learned that there was a secret salary cap agreement in an uncapped year. The complaint today is our effort to fulfill our duty to every NFL player. They deserve to know, above all, the facts and the truth about this conspiracy," added NFLPA President Domonique Foxworth. ''The claims have absolutely no merit and we fully expect them to be dismissed,'' the NFL said in a statement. ''On multiple occasions, the players and their representatives specifically dismissed all claims, known or unknown, whether pending or not, regarding alleged violations of the 2006 CBA and the related settlement agreement. We continue to look forward to focusing on the future of the game rather than grievances of a prior era that have already been resolved.'' The complaint centers around one very damning quote from New York Giants owner John Mara, who also serves as the Chair of the NFL Management Council Executive Committee. When the penalties were handed down in March, Mara was asked about the reasoning. "What they did was in violation of the spirit of the salary cap," Mara said. "They attempted to take advantage of a one-year loophole … full well knowing there would be consequences."

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.

Some new faces for Packers (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 02:11:21 PDT)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Practicing together for the first time since being upset in the playoffs, the Green Bay Packers agreed on one thing: It was nice to be back on a football field.

Browns' Fujita again denies NFL's bounty claim (Pro Football Weekly)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 19:26:11 PDT)
Browns LB Scott Fujita, facing a three-game suspension with the NFL alleging he was part of the Saints’ pay-for-performance scandal, once again denied his involvement Tuesday.

49ers' Williams motivated by NFC title game gaffes (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 18:08:14 PDT)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Kyle Williams walked out of San Francisco 49ers headquarters Tuesday ready to talk about - and move past - the most miserable moment of his career.

49ers' WR, RB battles kick off with OTAs (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 18:00:21 PDT)
Four months after botching a pair of punt returns in January's NFC Championship Game loss to the Giants, Kyle Williams opened the 49ers' first organized team practice for veterans on Tuesday in a battle for a roster spot.

Goodell speaks briefly about Vilma lawsuit (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 15:58:28 PDT)
ATLANTA (AP) After three decades in the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell knows he won't please a lot of people with tough decisions.

NFL roundup: Cap penalties against Cowboys, Redskins upheld (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 15:50:15 PDT)
The special master who heard the appeal of the Cowboys and Redskins granted the NFL's motion to dismiss a grievance, upholding two-year penalties structured to dissolve $36 million of cap space for Washington with Dallas losing $10 million.

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.

Goodell discusses Pro Bowl, bounties and health (Pro Football Weekly)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 15:27:42 PDT)
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to reporters on Tuesday following the NFL’s owners meeting in Atlanta, discussing several topics, including the Saints' bounty scandal and the future of the Pro Bowl.

Browns' Fujita says bounty charges "not true" (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 14:01:52 PDT)
BEREA, Ohio (AP) Forced to fight for his name in a ''public trial'' against the NFL, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita vowed he did not participate in the New Orleans Saints' bounty program.

Ex-Saint Fujita proclaims innocence in bounty scandal (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 13:21:10 PDT)
Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita said he's innocent in the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal, according to multiple reports.

Nate Burleson: Lions need less emotion sometimes (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 12:49:22 PDT)
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) Nate Burleson says he didn't see what fellow Detroit Lions receiver Titus Young did to get himself dismissed from team workouts this week.

Report: Pro Bowl could land in New Orleans this year (National Football Post)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 10:26:05 PDT)
City is hosting Super Bowl

Sadly, the Pro Bowl may continue to exist and be held in New Orleans (Shutdown Corner)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:55:42 PDT)
Despite having once teased us with promises of a merciful killing of the Pro Bowl , the league is talking now about keeping it alive. According to this report at nola.com , New Orleans, also the host of the 2013 Super Bowl, is a likely destination for the NFL's next three-hour tribute to apathy. Here's a snippet from Nakia Hogan's report: [NFL spokesman Greg] Aiello also said the league "does not have a venue for the game at this time. No decision has been made yet on whether to play the game this season. We have been discussing the future of the Pro Bowl with the union." But league sources have said if a game is played, then New Orleans is a leading candidate to host the event. The idea of New Orleans double hosting the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl began floating around following last season's Super Bowl. The people of New Orleans must be on pins and needles over the decision, as surely the Pro Bowl would be the most fun thing to ever happen in that city. Don't do anyone any favors, commish. What is this, an apology to the people of New Orleans for suspending Sean Payton and Jonathan Vilma? "Hey, sorry for wrecking your 2012 season guys. Here, how about a nice Pro Bowl? Now we're even."

Around Fantasyland: Quarterback updates (Pro Football Weekly)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:31:06 PDT)
It's time to gear up for the upcoming NFL season. Sure it's only May, but once we reach mid-June, the fantasy juices begin to flow. Let’s start the week off and catch up with the offseason quarterback news in this edition of Fantasyland — specifically focusing on the upcoming battles and where they stand.