HEAV
04-06-2006, 08:58 AM
The Giants have real interest in LB LaVar Arrington but have engaged in no real substantive talks with his agents since making an offer three weeks ago. Since then, little has changed, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Reports that a deal with the Giants is close or even imminent are not accurate.
If the Seahawks are serious about upgrading their secondary for the 2006 season, they could do a lot worse than to sign Ty Law. What the club must determine during Law's two-day visit that began Wednesday is the seriousness of reports the Pro Bowl cornerback is seeking about $10 million in guaranteed money. Dealing with Law can quickly become a game of pro and con, as the Seahawks are discovering.
Negotiations continued Wednesday between the Bucs and Charles Woodson, the first rookie Jon Gruden welcomed to the NFL as a head coach, but the Packers also remain interested in the former Heisman Trophy winner. "Charles wants to win, and that's the bottom line," said Woodson's representative, Carl Poston. "He went 12-0 his last year at Michigan and won a national championship. Now, he wants that Super Bowl ring and he wants to join a team that's committed to winning." There are indications the unrestricted free agent may take his time before making a decision.
Vice president of player personnel Fran Foley disputed a published report that the Vikings had discussed a possible trade with the Atlanta Falcons for quarterback Matt Schaub. "There were no trade discussion talks on Monday. I can tell you that," Foley said. "Those discussions never took place."
What all of this points to is the logical ending to the Steve McNair era in Nashville. The goofy denial at the door was unnecessary. It will be much better for the Titans, and for McNair, to part ways now.
The Jets have scheduled private workouts with Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler and Southern Cal's Matt Leinart. They will work out Texas' Vince Young April 20 in Houston, his agent, Major Adams, said last night in an E-mail. Team sources, however, confirmed only the Cutler and Leinart workouts. Starting the week of April 16, team officials will huddle with Cutler. From there, it's on to Los Angeles, where they will meet with Leinart April 18. Presumably, they will hook up with Young on their way back to New York.
As for Lance Schulters, agent Brian Levy said Seattle and a team he declined to identify were suitors for his client. Schulters, who had a team-high four interceptions for the Dolphins in 2005, recently had a free-agent visit with the Seahawks. Levy said Schulters isn't re-signing with the Dolphins, adding, "We made a mutual decision that something is not going to happen. He's going to be moving on. I have to have something done with Lance within a week."
As soon as 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush arrived in Houston for the first time, he was ready for his tour. It was already dark when his plane landed tonight, forcing Bush to be patient, whether he wanted to be or not. Thursday, Bush's first official day will begin in the city he hopes to call home after the April 29 draft. Bush will spend all day at Reliant Stadium to help him become familiar with the facilities and the personnel.
The agent for Ike Taylor met with Steelers negotiator Omar Khan yesterday afternoon at the team's headquarters to discuss a long-term contract for the cornerback. Agent Scott Smith, along with Taylor's uncle, expects to stay in Pittsburgh through the weekend to try to come to terms with the club. Taylor, as a restricted free agent, can sign with another team, but the Steelers would have one week to match the deal or let him go and receive a first-round draft choice in return.
Veteran Colts cornerback Nick Harper wants more money or he wants out. At least, that’s what he’s telling anybody who will listen. Harper, who was involved in two highly publicized off-field domestic disturbances last season, wants a pay hike and is planning to sit out the team’s voluntary off-season conditioning program as well as any future team functions until it happens.
A deal between Detroit and the Dolphins for quarterback Joey Harrington continued to stall, and the Dolphins are preparing for the chance the deal might not get done. The team has spoken with the agent for backup Jamie Martin, an 11-year veteran who spent last season with St. Louis. Martin, 36, enjoyed his best season last year as he completed 70.1 percent of his passes (124 of 177) for 1,277 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Vikings' 2006 schedule is expected to include a late-November trip to Miami, where they will play a Dolphins team that should have quarterback Daunte Culpepper under center. The entire schedule will be announced today. But the Vikings will play Nov. 19 at newly named Dolphin Stadium, the Star Tribune learned Wednesday.
Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, considered one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, will pay a pre-draft visit to St. Louis.
Cornerback Ty Law arrived Wednesday for his visit with the Seahawks. With about $11 million remaining under the salary cap, the Seahawks could make a good offer for Law. Team president Tim Ruskell said the Seahawks' focus otherwise has largely turned to the draft at the end of the month.
The Dolphins appear to be targeting St. Louis quarterback Jamie Martin for a backup role if a trade with Detroit for Joey Harrington can't be completed. "No visit has been set, but we've had a little conversation," Martin's agent, Tom Mills, said. "My sense is they would like to deal for Harrington, but I don't think that is a sure thing. Jamie would be a viable alternative."
The Seahawks continue to talk with the agent for free-agent safety Lance Schulters, who visited last month.
Mike Furrey made the radical switch from wide receiver to safety last season, and despite missing his share of tackles, ended up leading the Rams in interceptions with four. Now he's continuing his career in Detroit - but back at wide receiver. Furrey has signed a one-year, $540,000 contract with the Lions in a deal that includes a $40,000 signing bonus. He will be reunited in the Motor City with former Rams head coach Mike Martz, now the Lions' offensive coordinator.
The Vikings begin a weekend minicamp Friday, but quarterback Brad Johnson has been in town working with new coach Brad Childress' offense for three weeks. "I'm very comfortable with the offense," Johnson said. "I ran a version of it in Tampa." With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2001-03, Johnson set a team record by passing for more than 3,000 yards in each season, and in 2002 he led the Bucs to the Super Bowl XXXVII championship. "This is my fifth system in 14 years, and the differences pretty much are just terminology," Johnson said.
Former University of Nebraska safety Daniel Bullocks arrived Tuesday night at Indianapolis for a visit with Indianapolis Colts officials. Bullocks is expected to be a late-first-round or early-to-mid-second-round draft pick later this month. He reportedly met with Colts coaches and player personnel staff Wednesday. There also have been reports that Indianapolis has had meetings with Stanford cornerback T.J. Rushing and Southern California defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey.
Jordan Woy, agent for tackle Torrin Tucker, said he doesn't think the Cowboys will match the two-year contract offer his client received from Tampa Bay. The Cowboys must decide by 11 p.m. today whether to match the offer. Tucker, who started 10 games last season, was an undrafted free agent, so the Cowboys will not be compensated if they allow him to join Tampa Bay.
Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor 's trial on felony assault charges has been rescheduled for April 17 in Miami. The trial, which had been set to begin Monday, was moved back because of Passover, as well as a court holiday April 14, according to prosecutor Mike Grieco.
According to league sources, Adam Vinatieri is open to the idea of handling all of the Colts’ kickoff duties this fall. He kicked off and did all the placement work during his 10-year career with New England. By having just one placekicker handle everything, the Colts wouldn’t have to save an extra regular-season roster spot specifically for a kickoff specialist.
If the Seahawks are serious about upgrading their secondary for the 2006 season, they could do a lot worse than to sign Ty Law. What the club must determine during Law's two-day visit that began Wednesday is the seriousness of reports the Pro Bowl cornerback is seeking about $10 million in guaranteed money. Dealing with Law can quickly become a game of pro and con, as the Seahawks are discovering.
Negotiations continued Wednesday between the Bucs and Charles Woodson, the first rookie Jon Gruden welcomed to the NFL as a head coach, but the Packers also remain interested in the former Heisman Trophy winner. "Charles wants to win, and that's the bottom line," said Woodson's representative, Carl Poston. "He went 12-0 his last year at Michigan and won a national championship. Now, he wants that Super Bowl ring and he wants to join a team that's committed to winning." There are indications the unrestricted free agent may take his time before making a decision.
Vice president of player personnel Fran Foley disputed a published report that the Vikings had discussed a possible trade with the Atlanta Falcons for quarterback Matt Schaub. "There were no trade discussion talks on Monday. I can tell you that," Foley said. "Those discussions never took place."
What all of this points to is the logical ending to the Steve McNair era in Nashville. The goofy denial at the door was unnecessary. It will be much better for the Titans, and for McNair, to part ways now.
The Jets have scheduled private workouts with Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler and Southern Cal's Matt Leinart. They will work out Texas' Vince Young April 20 in Houston, his agent, Major Adams, said last night in an E-mail. Team sources, however, confirmed only the Cutler and Leinart workouts. Starting the week of April 16, team officials will huddle with Cutler. From there, it's on to Los Angeles, where they will meet with Leinart April 18. Presumably, they will hook up with Young on their way back to New York.
As for Lance Schulters, agent Brian Levy said Seattle and a team he declined to identify were suitors for his client. Schulters, who had a team-high four interceptions for the Dolphins in 2005, recently had a free-agent visit with the Seahawks. Levy said Schulters isn't re-signing with the Dolphins, adding, "We made a mutual decision that something is not going to happen. He's going to be moving on. I have to have something done with Lance within a week."
As soon as 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush arrived in Houston for the first time, he was ready for his tour. It was already dark when his plane landed tonight, forcing Bush to be patient, whether he wanted to be or not. Thursday, Bush's first official day will begin in the city he hopes to call home after the April 29 draft. Bush will spend all day at Reliant Stadium to help him become familiar with the facilities and the personnel.
The agent for Ike Taylor met with Steelers negotiator Omar Khan yesterday afternoon at the team's headquarters to discuss a long-term contract for the cornerback. Agent Scott Smith, along with Taylor's uncle, expects to stay in Pittsburgh through the weekend to try to come to terms with the club. Taylor, as a restricted free agent, can sign with another team, but the Steelers would have one week to match the deal or let him go and receive a first-round draft choice in return.
Veteran Colts cornerback Nick Harper wants more money or he wants out. At least, that’s what he’s telling anybody who will listen. Harper, who was involved in two highly publicized off-field domestic disturbances last season, wants a pay hike and is planning to sit out the team’s voluntary off-season conditioning program as well as any future team functions until it happens.
A deal between Detroit and the Dolphins for quarterback Joey Harrington continued to stall, and the Dolphins are preparing for the chance the deal might not get done. The team has spoken with the agent for backup Jamie Martin, an 11-year veteran who spent last season with St. Louis. Martin, 36, enjoyed his best season last year as he completed 70.1 percent of his passes (124 of 177) for 1,277 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Vikings' 2006 schedule is expected to include a late-November trip to Miami, where they will play a Dolphins team that should have quarterback Daunte Culpepper under center. The entire schedule will be announced today. But the Vikings will play Nov. 19 at newly named Dolphin Stadium, the Star Tribune learned Wednesday.
Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, considered one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, will pay a pre-draft visit to St. Louis.
Cornerback Ty Law arrived Wednesday for his visit with the Seahawks. With about $11 million remaining under the salary cap, the Seahawks could make a good offer for Law. Team president Tim Ruskell said the Seahawks' focus otherwise has largely turned to the draft at the end of the month.
The Dolphins appear to be targeting St. Louis quarterback Jamie Martin for a backup role if a trade with Detroit for Joey Harrington can't be completed. "No visit has been set, but we've had a little conversation," Martin's agent, Tom Mills, said. "My sense is they would like to deal for Harrington, but I don't think that is a sure thing. Jamie would be a viable alternative."
The Seahawks continue to talk with the agent for free-agent safety Lance Schulters, who visited last month.
Mike Furrey made the radical switch from wide receiver to safety last season, and despite missing his share of tackles, ended up leading the Rams in interceptions with four. Now he's continuing his career in Detroit - but back at wide receiver. Furrey has signed a one-year, $540,000 contract with the Lions in a deal that includes a $40,000 signing bonus. He will be reunited in the Motor City with former Rams head coach Mike Martz, now the Lions' offensive coordinator.
The Vikings begin a weekend minicamp Friday, but quarterback Brad Johnson has been in town working with new coach Brad Childress' offense for three weeks. "I'm very comfortable with the offense," Johnson said. "I ran a version of it in Tampa." With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2001-03, Johnson set a team record by passing for more than 3,000 yards in each season, and in 2002 he led the Bucs to the Super Bowl XXXVII championship. "This is my fifth system in 14 years, and the differences pretty much are just terminology," Johnson said.
Former University of Nebraska safety Daniel Bullocks arrived Tuesday night at Indianapolis for a visit with Indianapolis Colts officials. Bullocks is expected to be a late-first-round or early-to-mid-second-round draft pick later this month. He reportedly met with Colts coaches and player personnel staff Wednesday. There also have been reports that Indianapolis has had meetings with Stanford cornerback T.J. Rushing and Southern California defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey.
Jordan Woy, agent for tackle Torrin Tucker, said he doesn't think the Cowboys will match the two-year contract offer his client received from Tampa Bay. The Cowboys must decide by 11 p.m. today whether to match the offer. Tucker, who started 10 games last season, was an undrafted free agent, so the Cowboys will not be compensated if they allow him to join Tampa Bay.
Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor 's trial on felony assault charges has been rescheduled for April 17 in Miami. The trial, which had been set to begin Monday, was moved back because of Passover, as well as a court holiday April 14, according to prosecutor Mike Grieco.
According to league sources, Adam Vinatieri is open to the idea of handling all of the Colts’ kickoff duties this fall. He kicked off and did all the placement work during his 10-year career with New England. By having just one placekicker handle everything, the Colts wouldn’t have to save an extra regular-season roster spot specifically for a kickoff specialist.