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Ravens officials privately remain confident that Steve McNair will become their starting quarterback for the 2006 season. The Ravens have long targeted McNair this offseason, opting not to pursue any available veteran quarterbacks. It is expected that McNair would be given the starting job over Kyle Boller.
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Unless there's a bombshell or two, the post-June 1 cuts will be the most unattractive lot ever. Among the casualties could be Washington wide receiver David Patten, St. Louis linebacker Dexter Coakley, Cleveland running back Lee Suggs and Oakland defensive end Bobby Hamilton.
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A plea deal has been reached in the felony assault case involving Washington Commanders safety Sean Taylor that ensures that Taylor will not spend a day in jail and the felony charges against him will be dismissed, one of Taylor's attorneys said Wednesday. Taylor, who faced up to 46 years in prison over charges related to a street fight last June, agreed to the plea terms Wednesday, according to attorney Larry R. Handfield, who joined Taylor's defense team in February.
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Minnesota's free-agent running back Moe Williams visited St. Louis Wednesday. Rams coach Scott Linehan knows Williams' skills from their days together in Minnesota, and now he is interested in having them in St. Louis.
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Arraignment for Reuben Droughns has been set for July 6. In the meantime, he is back with the Browns and is allowed to participate in their on-field workouts (Organized Team Activities or OTA) that begin today. He will participate in minicamp later this month and, if all goes well, be with the team when training camp begins in late July. "Anytime a player has an issue off the field you're concerned about it," Savage said. "We extended Reuben this spring (through 2009), and with that comes more responsibility. "He's expressed sorrow to us about it. It's something we'll monitor over the next few months. We certainly don't want it to happen again."
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The Titans still could make an effort to keep Steve McNair, but nobody who has followed the situation is expecting it to work out. McNair is interested in moving on, and so is a certain segment of the Titans organization that already has explored the possibility of bringing in former Oakland quarterback Kerry Collins. During the offseason, Collins considered retirement, and still might. But if the Titans could put together a lucrative enough package, then Collins could be enticed to play another season.
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Broncos running back Tatum Bell rushed for 921 yards and eight touchdowns last season, averaging 5.3 yards a carry. But a chest injury in mid-November limited his production during the second half of the season. Now, with Mike Anderson gone, the third-year player says he's ready to be the No. 1 running back.
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Jon Kitna isn't looking for an official declaration on where he stands on the Lions' quarterback depth chart. Kitna looks, acts and feels like the starter. And all signs point to Kitna having a clear lead in the competition for the starting job. He has worked with the No. 1 offense during offseason workouts, including the mandatory mini-camp that started Wednesday. "To be honest, I'm not even thinking of it like I'm going to be anything but the starter," Kitna said. "I'm not looking at it as a quarterback competition, I'm approaching it as I'm the starter until somebody tells me different. "I'm not every day counting my completions. I'm just going out, trying to be the best quarterback I can be."
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Eventually, the Saints likely will release or trade at least one of their veteran safeties and one of their veteran tailbacks, most likely Michael Bennett, who was signed in the offseason.
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Paul Tagliabue, who is confident NFL owners will stick to their agenda to make him the former commissioner by mid-August, said he will not offer an endorsement for any candidate the owners put forward. "It's really up to the owners to come up with the candidates and owners to weed them out and make a decision," Tagliabue said last night. "I'm sort of an adjunct to the committee and just trying to help them manage the process."
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Matt Jones doesn't have Randy Moss' five Pro Bowls or 98 touchdowns receiving, but the Jaguars do believe he has some similarities to the Oakland Raiders' wideout. That's why the Jaguars have given Jones some unusual homework this offseason: as many Moss highlight tapes as he can watch. Coach Jack Del Rio wants Jones to learn as much as he can, because Del Rio is convinced his second-year receiver has the same talents that have made Moss one of the NFL's most feared receivers. "He's got some of that freakish athleticism that Moss has," Del Rio said of the 6-foot-6 Jones, who's 2 inches taller than Moss. "He's got the ability to catch the ball and really do things down the field that some people will never be able to do."
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The Texans had known for four months that Pro Bowl kick returner Jerome Mathis was trying to overcome a sore left foot. They hoped a little rehabilitation and rest would help it heal, but they were wrong. An extensive set of X-rays revealed Mathis has a stress fracture in his foot. He will undergo surgery on Friday and then faces at least four months of rehab. Coach Gary Kubiak said he hopes Mathis will return around Week 5 or Week 6.
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When it comes to participating in the Jaguars' offseason program, coach Jack Del Rio and running back Fred Taylor have agreed to disagree. Except for a mandatory minicamp earlier this month, Taylor is skipping the program to work out on his own in Miami. Taylor's absence includes the voluntary veterans camp being held this week at the Alltel Stadium practice fields. Del Rio, who has repeatedly said he wants all of his players working out in Jacksonville, said Wednesday that a conversation with Taylor didn't resolve the issue.
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Despite the fact the Packers' future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre was front and center at the first of 14 voluntary practices scheduled by the team over the course of the next four weeks, the focus wound up being on those who didn't show up. There were 14 key contributors unaccounted for in all, including eight expected starters in cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson, running back Ahman Green, safety Nick Collins, linebacker A.J. Hawk, defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, wide receiver Donald Driver and tight end Bubba Franks. Some, such as Hawk, Green Bay's No. 1 pick who is in the midst of finishing up classes at Ohio State, weren't expected to be in attendance from the outset.
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Entering Colts training camp, Dominic Rhodes – now entering his sixth NFL season – is expected to be listed as the starter, with rookie first-round selection Joseph Addai and James Mungro also likely to play an extensive role. “Now, with Edgerrin gone, it’s an opportunity to get more playing time,” Mungro said. “Preparation’s even more valuable for me now than it has been the last few years. “With Edgerrin gone, I want to carry the ball a little more and play some more halfback. That’s where I came in at, but again, I don’t now how much I’m going to play at halfback or how much I’m going to play at fullback. You’ve got to be ready.”
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The Vikings still don't have a general manager, like many teams do, but it's obvious that new Vice President of Player Personnel Rick Spielman will be overruled only by coach Brad Childress when it comes to players the team adds to the roster. While the Vikings currently are $12 million under the salary cap, with about $2 million needed to sign draft choices, apparently there aren't any plans to sign more players.
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Wayne Chrebet made it official yesterday, announcing his retirement after 11 seasons with the Jets. The 32-year-old wide receiver, one of the most popular players in team history, will say goodbye tomorrow morning in a news conference at Weeb Ewbank Hall.
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Broncos LB Al Wilson continues his recovery from a fractured right thumb "The strength is coming back," Wilson said. "It's not quite 100 percent yet, but hopefully, by Game 1, it will be." The screws to stabilize the thumb will remain in place. Nevertheless, Wilson doesn't expect they'll cause any issues as he ventures into the season. After all, they haven't set off any metal detectors. "I've been going to the airport, man, and I haven't
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Ray Lewis didn't call out Kelly Gregg by name, but everyone at the Ravens' headquarters knew where the finger was being pointed. "It didn't hurt me at all, not one bit," said Gregg, who is listed as 6 feet and 310 pounds. "You can talk about whatever was said in the offseason, but the thing that hurt me the worst is losing and not getting to the playoffs."
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The Lions signed offensive lineman Ross Verba , a former first-round draft pick of the Packers, to a one-year contract. The agreement includes club options for future seasons. Verba, 32, has played 106 games with Green Bay (1997-2001) and Cleveland (2001-04). He missed 2003 because of a torn biceps and did not play in 2005 after negotiating his release from the Browns. Verba has starting experience at left tackle and left guard. In Green Bay, he played under Larry Beightol , the Lions' new offensive line coach.
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The Texans will no longer seek out more candidates for their general manager position. Today, they will start the second round of interviews by bringing in Denver Broncos assistant general manager Rick Smith. Smith is a leading candidate for the vacancy, along with Reggie McKenzie, the Green Bay Packers' director of pro personnel. A second interview has not yet been set up with McKenzie, but it is still a possibility. Rick Mueller, the director of player personnel for the New Orleans Saints, is not expected to return for a second interview.
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Defensive tackle Travis Johnson strained his right calf during practice Wednesday. Johnson was able to put some weight on the foot as he left the practice field, but the Texans are still awaiting results to determine the severity of the injury. Johnson, the Texans' No. 1 pick in 2005, is in the midst of competing for a spot in the rotation.
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As for sparking new negotiations to keep Steve McNair in Tennessee, Bus Cook said such an event appears unlikely. “Would you go back if this happened to you?” Cook said. “I don’t want to speak for Steve in the matter. He might feel differently, but if it were me, I don’t think I’d want to go back there after all that’s happened.” Asked if it would change his mind if the Titans offered a deal similar to the one in Baltimore, Cook said, “It would be up to Steve, but I doubt the Titans would be able to do that.”
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If Steve McNair is released, he has a contract offer waiting for him with the Baltimore Ravens. Bus Cook was given permission to negotiate with the Ravens back on April 30 and reached a contingent agreement with an $11 million bonus with them shortly thereafter. However, the Titans and Ravens could not agree on compensation regarding draft choices to make a trade happen, and the talks stalled. That offer, however, remains on the table, should McNair become free.
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Steve McNair’s contract, which is entering its final season, calls for a $9 million base salary and a $23.46 million salary cap hit. If McNair were to be injured while on-site, the Titans could be on the hook for the entire amount against the salary cap.
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Reggie McKenzie, director of pro personnel for the Green Bay Packers, is still optimistic about his chances of landing the general manager's position with the Houston Texans. He interviewed for the job last week and said he expects to hear something next week. New Orleans director of player personnel Rick Mueller interviewed for the job Tuesday. Denver assistant general manager Rick Smith is also considered a leading candidate. "I feel like I put my best foot forward and showed them who I was as a person and who I was in this profession," McKenzie said. "Hopefully, it's good enough to get me strong consideration."
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Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was asked if his career goals changed as a result of winning the Super Bowl? "A little bit. I've reached a couple goals that I set out for my life, and I've reached them already. I've had to go back and cross out some of those goals and make them a little loftier. The big thing is I want to keep trying to get better. That's the biggest key for me, always improve. Hopefully, if I improve, we'll improve as an offense.
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The Steelers will receive their Super Bowl rings at a banquet Sunday at Heinz Field. Players such as Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward said the event will officially close the team's Super Bowl ride. "After that, it's all about next season," Ward said. "We start over from there. So, let's get our rings and enjoy them, then concentrate on what's ahead."
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Wide receiver/return man Terrence Wilkins, who spent his first three seasons in Indianapolis and then another one in 2003, re-signed with the Colts on Wednesday.
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As if it weren't enough that Seattle added linebacker Julian Peterson, the Seahawks have another advantage heading into the coming season. Seven of their games -- nearly half the schedule -- will be played against teams deploying new head coaches.
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By reporting to work Thursday or whenever he does, Steve McNair will be forcing the Titans' hand to make a move. Chances are, trade talks between Tennessee and Baltimore should be jumpstarted sometime soon -- and a deal should be consummated not long thereafter.
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