The Tiger Report

Packers have no plans to move Woodson to safety

2012-02-28T14:21:00.002-05:00

Posted by Josh Alper on February 28, 2012, 11:58 AM EST

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With Nick Collins‘ future unclear after the neck injury that ended his 2011 season andCharles Woodson getting a year older, there’s been some speculation that the Packers would move Woodson to safety this year.

Mike McCarthy put the kibosh on those notions, though. Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that McCarthy has no plans to move Woodson to safety full-time even if Collins is unable to return from his injury.

“I think the closer Charles is to the ball the more dangerous he is and more impact he has to the offense,” McCarthy said. “He’s the most instinctive defensive player I’ve ever been around.”

According to McGinn, Woodson played slot corner 70-75% of the time in 2011 with the rest of his snaps coming as an outside corner or safety. He did a good job in that spot over the second half of the season, even as the Packers gave up the most passing yards in the league as a total unit. Some of that was a function of the big leads the team built in many games, but there were definitely flaws exposed in the pass defense in the regular season and in the playoff loss to the Giants.

Those overall struggles still need to be addressed. Finding a way to create a more consistent pass rush would certainly help as would a return to form by Tramon Williams on the outside, but the safety position will need to be addressed in case Collins isn’t able to make a full recovery.

Claiborne runs a 4.47 forty

2012-02-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 28, 2012, 10:15 AM EST

LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is undeniably the top cornerback in this draft. He’s going to be compared to former teammatePatrick Peterson as a potential top-five pick, but there are clear differences between the two players.

Claiborne describes himself as more of a “technician.” Peterson, who ran an unofficial 4.32 last year, has superior measurables.

Claiborne ran a 4.47 and 4.54 unofficial forty time at Tuesday’s Combine. That won’t blow teams away, but it’s good enough not to damage Claiborne’s stock. North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins‘ best time was 4.44. But his 10-yard split was a a terrific 1.47, which shows the short area quickness that teams are looking for.

Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard, known as a press cornerback, ran a 4.51. Former Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris topped out at 4.59 and Iowa State’s Leonard Johnson’s fastest forty was at 4.65.

Once you get around 4.6, teams start wondering if the player can convert to safety.

Patriots prepared to move on without Light and Koppen

2012-02-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 28, 2012, 8:03 AM EST

In the weeks since the Patriots lost the Super Bowl, we’ve passed along reports noting that tackle Matt Light could retire, and that center Dan Koppen could leave via free agency.

The Patriots are prepared for both scenarios.

Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Globe reports that the Patriots are satisfied with where they are on the offensive line even if both Light and Koppen depart this offseason.

New England expects veteran right guard Brian Waters to return for another year and to sign center Dan Connolly to a new deal before the free agency period starts on March 13. The Patriots also like what they have in young offensive linemen Nick McDonald, Ryan Wendell and Marcus Cannon, and they’d be satisfied with Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer as their starting tackles.

It’s still far from a sure thing that Light will retire at the age of 33. But if he does, the Patriots think they’ll be just fine without him.

Browns will not tag Hillis

2012-02-28T11:33:00.000-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 28, 2012, 7:17 AM EST

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Now that the Browns have worked out a new contract with linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, they won’t have to use the franchise tag to keep him on the team.

But that doesn’t mean the Browns will use the franchise tag on someone else.

The two prime candidates are running backPeyton Hillis and kicker Phil Dawson, recipient of the team’s tag in 2011. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, however, the Browns remain disinclined to use the tag on Hillis.

Though Hillis finally got his head pointed in the right direction late in the season, his unexpected 1,177-yard performance in 2010 coupled with his appearance on the cover of the Madden game caused him to have an overly high opinion of his value. And when he didn’t get the kind of contract he thought he should get from the Browns, he started behaving a bit bizarrely. Eventually, Hillis acquired some humility, and he put together strong performances against the Cardinals and Ravens in Weeks 15 and 16.

With the franchise tender for running backs expected to be at $7.7 million for 2012, applying the tag to Hillis would potentially rekindle his ego and dust off those moon-shot monetary demands. And so the Browns will allow him to hit the open market. Once he sees what his value is (and via the pre-free agency negotiations that inevitably occur, he possibly already has), Hillis could be in position to work out a long-term deal that would have an annual value far less than $7.7 million.

The risk for the Browns is that someone else could offer Hillis more than the Browns will pay. As Peter King explained during one of the various editions of Football Night in America last season, former Browns coach Eric Mangini will tell anyone who asks that Hillis is a great kid and a great player and would be a great addition to the team.

The Browns nevertheless should maintain an attitude of nonchalance. Hillis plays the most fungible position in football that doesn’t involve long-snapping, kicking, holding for kicks, or punting. The Browns will find someone else who can move the chains and compile yards and score touchdowns and strike a chord with the fan base and infatuate fantasy owners and maybe even end up on the cover of Madden.

Rams "will" trade the No. 2 pick in the draft

2012-02-28T07:08:00.001-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 27, 2012, 7:51 PM EST

If there were any doubt in the wake of Peter King’s latest Monday Morning Quarterbackcolumn (and there shouldn’t have been), there’s definitely none now.

The Rams, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN,will trade the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft, which barring something completely unforeseen and unexpected will be used on Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The only remaining question is the “who” and the “how much.” The fact that the draft picks are now subject to a genuine rookie wage scale, which drives down the financial cost of using the second overall pick, and could drive the picks-and-players cost even higher.

The prime candidates to trade up remain the Browns (No. 4 and 22 overall), the Redskins (No. 6), the Dolphins (No. 8), and the Seahawks (No. 12). As King pointed out both in MMQB and on PFT Live, there could be one or more mystery teams.

And that’s where things could get very interesting. If, as suggested earlier in the day, Griffin’s finds extra motivation in the fact that the Colts aren’t given the likely second pick a second glance, Griffin could be the perfect target for the team that holds the No. 7 selection: the AFC South’s Jaguars.

Yeah, they’re committed to Blaine Gabbert, who arrived via the 10th overall pick in 2011 after the Jaguars gave up a second-round pick in order to flip-flop first-round spots with the Redskins. But what better way to throw other teams off the scent than to create the impression that Gabbert remains the guy? New Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey and new Rams G.M. Les Snead worked together in Atlanta, which could help Mularkey achieve and maintain extreme discretion from Snead while the talks secretly occur. And new Jags owner Shahid Khan may be willing to mortgage a chunk of his future drafts in order to secure the franchise’s future as a contender for the next 10 years or more.

Throw in the fact that Griffin would get two cracks at the Colts every year, and the move seems far less ludicrous.

P.R. power struggle in Indy continues

2012-02-28T07:06:00.000-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 27, 2012, 4:47 PM EST

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Nearly two weeks ago, Colts owner Jim Irsaymade a brilliant move in the ongoing battle for the hearts and minds of his team’s fans by pointing out, in essence, that no other team will pay Peyton $28 million on March 8 and that Manning should be willing to do with the Colts whatever reduced deal he would be willing to do with another team.

On Monday, Irsay squandered those style points by attempting clumsily to reconcile his various public remarks regarding the Manning situation with his prior admonition that Peyton should “keep it in house.”

Addressing via Twitter what Irsay calls “media word-twisters” (I’ve been called worse . . . today . . . by my wife), he addresses the disconnect between keeping it in house and taking it to the tweet streets: “I said’If u have a PROBLEM with some1,keep it n house.Never said’Don’t communicate with fan base about issues involving their team’s roster.”

And now, for the English tranlsation: “I said, ‘If you have a problem with someone, keep it in house. I never said, ‘Don’t communicate with the fan base about issues involving their team’s roster.’”

Unless those are the lyrics of a song with which I’m not familiar, Irsay apparently doesn’t like being held to the same standard he has tried to impose on Peyton. In Irsay’s mind, Peyton shouldn’t tell the media that he has concerns that the changes in the organization are affecting his ability to regain his arm strength, but it’s OK for Irsay to try to back Peyton into a corner by expressing concern regarding the fact that the only way to keep Manning around is to give him on or before before March 8 a check that at this point in his career Peyton could only get from the State Lottery Commission.

Irsay followed that up with more legible message. “We will always communicatewith Colt Fans about important issues through all 21st century means to be informative and insightful,” Irsay said.

That’s fine. But Irsay shouldn’t expect his players to not do the same thing. Surely, Peyton regarded the issues he raised last month with Bob Kravitz of theIndianapolis Star to be “important” and “informative” and “insightful.”

Anyone who gets it knows that both Irsay and Manning hope to avoid blame for the coming divorce. They’re playing a game. In his latest effort, Irsay didn’t play it very well.

So, Emperor, if none of your employees can or will tell you that you’re riding that horse both bareback and bare-bottomed, someone has to. And it’s far better to have that message come from someone in the media instead of, say, Oliver orAndrew Luck.

Vontaze Burfict's stock continues to plummet

2012-02-27T15:15:00.001-05:00

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 27, 2012, 2:50 PM EST

First came Mike Mayock’s strong, negative commentsabout Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict before the Combine.

Once Burfict got to Indianapolis, things didn’t get any better. His interviews with teams and the media were described as disastrous.

“I’m not sure any player here sparked a worse reaction than Vontaze Burfict,” writes Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports. “I wouldn’t touch him.”

“The guy is completely out of control. There’s no way you could trust him. I can’t believe they [ASU coaching staff] didn’t cut him loose,” one scout told Feldman.

Burfict cut his weight to 248 pounds before the Combine, but it didn’t help him in the forty-yard dash. He ran unofficial forty times of 4.93 and 5.10 Monday. That will draw some comparisons to Brandon Spikes two years ago, but Spikes is known as a heady, instinctive player. Burfict’s instincts have often been questioned.

Years ago, Burfict was considered a potential top-ten pick. Now he seems more likely to slide until the latter portions of the draft.

Dontari Poe's freakish combine results

2012-02-27T14:29:00.001-05:00

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 27, 2012, 12:12 PM EST

Robert Griffin III won the press conference. Memphis defensive tackleDontari Poe could be winning the Combine on the field.

The 346-pounder has put together a crazy combination of size and strength at Lucas Oil Field.

The Memphis product put up 44 reps at 225 pounds, which was the most of any player at the Combine. That was impressive, but not shocking. Poe’s times while running on Monday were more eye-opening.

Poe ran an “unofficial” 4.87 forty-yard dash. That is a preposterous number for a man that big. Poe’s 1.7 ten-yard split is even more telling and more impressive.

Many 3-4 teams will see Poe as a nose tackle. That’s probably where he will get drafted, but Monday’s workout shows that Poe could be moved around in a variety of defensive line positions on a 3-4 or 4-3 defense.

While Poe didn’t play quite like a top-20 pick in college just yet, he was already seen as a first round pick. This workout should push him into the top 20 or higher. Athletic 3-4 nose tackles don’t come along every year.

Zach Brown's bad forty is still blazing fast

2012-02-27T14:28:00.000-05:00

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 27, 2012, 1:57 PM EST

North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown is so fast that a bad 40-yard dash for him is good for anyone else.

Brown ran his first 40-yard dash in an unofficial time of 4.45 seconds today at the NFL Scouting Combine, making him the fastest linebacker to run so far. And yet it clearly wasn’t Brown at his fastest.

Out of his start Brown appeared to stumble, and midway through his run he took an awkward step and looked like he wanted to stop. He shook his head as he crossed the finish line and looked disgusted with himself. And yet his time was still the best of any linebacker who has run today.

That’s no surprise. Brown also competed on North Carolina’s track team and is the Tar Heels’ record holder in the 60-meter dash, with a time of 6.72 seconds at a 2009 track meet.

Brown, who weighed in at 244 pounds, said he was hoping to run his 40 in 4.39 seconds. And he said NFL teams that put on the tape will see that he’s fast enough to cover anyone a linebacker would be asked to cover.

“I covered a lot at Carolina — I had seven total career picks,” Brown said. “[My speed] helps a lot so I can cover tight ends like Jimmy Graham, Vernon Davis,Jermichael Finley, all of the others.”

There aren’t many people anywhere who can outrun Brown.

UPDATE: On his second attempt, Brown managed to shave one-hundredth of a second off his time and finish at 4.44 seconds. His two 40-yard dashes are easily the two fastest we’ve seen today.

Lions working to keep Eric Wright

2012-02-27T14:25:00.003-05:00

Posted by Josh Alper on February 27, 2012, 12:08 PM EST

Reuters

Eric Wright hasn’t gotten as much attention as Cliff Avril with free agency approaching, but the Lions are working to keep the cornerback off the open market.

The team met with Wright’s agent on Saturday in Indianapolis to discuss a new contract. No offer was put on the table, but Dave Birkett of theDetroit Free-Press reports that both sides would like to get a deal done before free agency opens next month. Wright started all 16 games for the Lions in 2011 and intercepted four passes.

The Lions secondary got torched in the playoff loss to the Saints, making it a focus of attention as the offseason gets underway. They are looking to trade Alphonso Smith and have been linked with Cortland Finnegan, Brandon Carr and other potential free agent cornerbacks, but getting one of them while keeping Avril and/or linebacker Stephen Tulloch won’t be easy.

Re-signing Wright to team with Chris Houston and a healthy Aaron Berry isn’t a perfect solution, but it would allow them to add help at corner in the draft while using their money to shore up other spots this offseason.

Browns re-sign D'Qwell Jackson

2012-02-27T14:23:00.001-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 27, 2012, 2:00 PM EST

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The annual Scouting Combine and Free Agent Meat Market has produced another new contract.

Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who should have been the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year under the usual definition of the term, will be coming back to the Browns next season, and presumably beyond.

The Browns have announced that the team has finalized an extension with Jackson. A press conference will be held at 3:00 p.m. ET on Monday.

Jackson started 16 games in 2011. He missed 10 games in 2009 with a torn right pectoral muscle and all of 2010 with a torn pec on the left side. The Browns would have used the franchise tag on Jackson, absent a new deal. Now, the Browns can use the tag on someone else. Candidates include running back Peyton Hillis and kicker Phil Dawson.

UPDATE 2:10 p.m. ET: Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that it’s a five-year, $42.5 million deal with $19 million in “guaranteed money and roster bonuses.” We’ll decipher that once we get a look at the full deal, which surely will contain protections for the Browns in light of his injury history.

Hill and Floyd standout among receivers

2012-02-27T07:09:00.000-05:00

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 26, 2012, 1:29 PM EST

Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd is making a strong push to be the second receiver taken in this draft.

He ran an electronic time of 4.47 in the forty-yard dash and faster on hand timed watches, beating expectations. More importantly, Floyd looked fluid and natural in his position drills.

Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill made himself some money. He ran an official 4.36 in the forty, good for second among wide receivers. His broad jump led all wide receivers. He’s a big, physical receiver that is a great blocker.

The question with Hill centered more around his receiving skills. He did a very nice job catching the ball and running routes — routes that Georgia Tech didn’t ask him to run. He looked the part and couldn’t help but raise comparisons to former Tech receiver Demayrius Thomas. Don’t be surprised if Hill is called a “riser” after this weekend.

Baylor wideout Kendall Wright, who is in competition with Floyd to be the second wideout draft, ran a surprisingly slow 4.61. Some hand times had him closer to 4.45. He plays much faster on the field and some expected him to be in the 4.3′s this week. He looked great in drills, however, and we don’t think the number will truly hurt Wright because he looks so much faster when he’s actually, you know, playing football.

Having spent a lot of time watching the combine this weekend you couldn't help but be impressed with Hill. He looked natural and plucked the ball out of the air routinely with ease. Most impressive were his lunging grab on a vertical route and a leaping grab on an errant pass on a square in. Floyd looked good too, but he was not as consistent with his hands. Do not be surprised to see Hill rise up draft boards in the next two months, if the game film matches. -Tiger

Has Irsay made up his mind on Manning and Luck?

2012-02-27T07:05:00.002-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 26, 2012, 2:03 PM EST

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Last month, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports compared new Raiders owner Mark Davis to Tommy Boy, the charmingly incompetent son of a deceased business owner who proceeded to drive the business into the ground. Many fans, however, would be more likely to envision Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeting out the lyrics to Fat Guy in a Little Coat (then again,the title contains all of the lyrics). But in Silver’s latest item, a very long but very well done look at the situation in Indianapolis, Silver makes Irsay look like Einstein for his handling of a franchise that suddenly has run aground.

Regardless of whether anyone agrees or disagrees with all or part of Silver’s assessment, some news is buried in the 1,973-word opus, even if it takes a staff with a specially-designed crystal catching a ray of sunlight at a precise moment in the late afternoon to find it.

Silver says that Irsay has decided to move on from Peyton Manning, and to draftAndrew Luck.

“Luck is The Guy,” an unnamed source told Silver. “I don’t care what happens [at the Combine]. I don’t care if Griffin flies.”

That said, Silver leaves the door very slightly open on Manning returning. Per Silver, it will take “something dramatic and unexpected” for Manning to play again for the Colts, an outcome that “almost certainly” won’t happen.

Silver also compares the latter days of Brett Favre’s time in Green Bay to Manning’s looming departure from Indy, but there’s one major difference. The powers-that-be in Green Bay never took Brett’s bait, refusing to engage him in a battle of wits and/or words (OK, words), even if Packers had to hire former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer to hold their hands and/or muzzle their mouths.

Irsay has no one with the ability or the nerve to comment on the emperor’s choice of attire, and so Irsay largely has lost the P.R. battle by calling Peyton a “politician,” by failing to control the impulse to type 140 characters or less on the ultimate test of impulse control, and (possibly) by strategically leaking negative information regarding Manning’s health in the hopes of persuading the locals not to storm the castle when Peyton is cut, or as part of an exercise in wishful thinking that Manning will play neither for the Colts nor anyone else.

Though Irsay deserves credit for being decisive regarding the need for a new power structure, he also needs to be faulted for putting together a franchise that in 2011 stared down adversity by shriveling into a tumbleweed. And he should be called out for failing to follow his own advice to keep things in house regarding the delicate process of untangling the franchise quarterback from the franchise.

Despite the fact that Luck has yet to say or do anything to suggest that he’ll do to Jim Irsay what John Elway once did to Irsay’s father, the manner in which Jim Irsay handles the Manning situation eventually could prompt Luck to have the same opinion regarding Irsay that Silver has regarding Mark Davis.

Former NFL tight end helps rescue people from van

2012-02-27T07:03:00.000-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 26, 2012, 11:24 PM EST

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Ben Patrick, a tight end with the Cardinals from 2007 through 2010, made a different type of headline in Arizona over the weekend.

Patrick helped pull a group of people out of a van that had been flipped onto its side.

“My first thought was just to help the peopleon the inside,” Patrick told KTVK-TV. “I ran over and I looked in the front window and everybody was laying sideways and I debated on kicking the window in, but I didn’t want to get glass over everyone.”

Patrick knew that he had to act quickly, because he could smell gasoline. Patrick and others were able to pull everyone out of the van.

Patrick spent four seasons with the Cardinals, starting 20 regular-season games. He also caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLIII.

Out of football in 2011, Patrick told KTVK that he hopes to sign with the Panthers for 2012.

Vontaze Burfict says he's misunderstood

2012-02-27T07:01:00.001-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 26, 2012, 5:04 PM EST

Until Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can find a way to finagle cameras into the player-team interview sessions, we’ll have to settle for the things a player says at the Scouting Combine when meeting with the media.

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burficthad his chance to talk on Sunday.

He has been sliding on draft boards due to concerns regarding an ability to properly harness his fiery on-field demeanor. Naturally, Burfict said that he’s “misunderstood.”

Part of the misunderstanding comes from a fight with a teammate. Burfict was asked to explain what happened.

“It started in 7-on-7 and he ran a route and hit me, and we’re not supposed to hit each other in 7-on-7,” Burfict said. “We had an argument, and we brought it into the locker room. We started chattering about it, he started roughhousing me, he pushed me and my first instinct was to swing, and everyone thinks I’m the bad guy because my first instinct was to swing on the guy.”

Of course, the mere fact that his “first instinct was to swing on the guy” may have something to do with that perception.

Burfict claims he’s the best linebacker in the draft, while he concedes he played “average” in 2011. So what makes him the best linebacker?

“My instincts, my nose for the ball, my study habits in the film room. I am a leader on and off the field,
and my aggression to win and my passion for the game,” Burfict said.

Burfict’s session broke from his trend of not talking to the media, explaining that he has stopped doing interviews because “people were putting words in my mouth and putting me as a bad guy.”

But his actions, not his words, have fueled that reputation. Burfict has been flagged for numerous personal fouls, even though he said on Sunday that he believes he’s a “marked man” in the eyes of the officials.

He’s now a marked man in the eyes of the scouts. And since the interview sessions with teams aren’t televised (yet), we’ll have to wait a couple months to find out whether he has managed to change anyone’s mind about him.

Lamar Miller leads the pack at the combine

2012-02-27T06:58:00.000-05:00

Posted by Evan Silva on February 26, 2012, 3:41 PM EST

The official forty-yard dash times for running backs at the Combine are out, and Lamar Miller of Miami paced the field with a 4.40.

Rotoworld’s Josh Norris has more:

LaMichael James of Oregon, Ronnie Hillman of San Diego State, and Chris Rainey of Florida tied for second among running backs with forty-yard dash times of 4.45. Cincinnati’sIsaiah Pead and Cyrus Gray of Texas A&M ran 4.47. Virginia Tech’s David Wilson and Temple’s Bernard Pierce had 4.49s.

The aforementioned were the only running backs to break the 4.4s in Indianapolis. 222-pound Utah State underclassman Robert Turbin did run a 4.5-flat.

Eagles ready to listen to offer for DeSean Jackson

2012-02-24T19:51:00.002-05:00

Posted by Josh Alper on February 24, 2012, 6:18 PM EST

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The Eagles have been pretty consistent with their public statements about wanting DeSean Jackson back with the team in 2012.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, that might not represent their full take on the situation. Schefter reported Friday that the team is open to listening to trade offers for Jackson after they use the franchise tag on him.

What’s with the contradictory information?

If the Eagles do want to trade Jackson, it would make sense to say nothing but positive things about him in public to downplay any character concerns that might linger from Jackson’s sulking about his contract status. Their public statements of happiness about a continued relationship with Jackson could also be designed to solicit offers to their liking as opposed to ones for a player that other teams know you are looking to unload.

The trouble with that angle is that if the Eagles really didn’t want Jackson, they could be taking a big risk by slapping the franchise tag on him in hopes of finding a trade partner. They could then rescind the franchise tag — the Eagles have done that twice before — if Jackson didn’t sign it, but that seems like an a strange way to play things in this wide receiver market. Jackson could forestall any chance of that happening by signing the tender quickly, something that seems likely given how little chance everyone thinks there is that the two sides reach agreement on a long-term deal.

Either way, the Eagles are almost certain to tag Jackson, so there’s no reason for them not to listen to trade offers that come their way. They can always say no and keep Jackson so why rule it out before you know what someone might give up for him?

Pierre Garcon turns down offer from the Colts

2012-02-24T19:50:00.001-05:00

Posted by Josh Alper on February 24, 2012, 4:47 PM EST

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It looks like Pierre Garcon is going to test the free agent waters.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the wide receiver turned down a five-year contract offer from the Colts recently, raising the likelihood that he will hit the open market on March 13th. Garcon had a career-high 70 catches and 947 yards last season, his fourth in the NFL and first without Peyton Manningthrowing him passes. That latter fact should boost his value to other teams, unless Garcon has other plans.

As with fellow impending Colts free agent wide receiver Reggie Wayne, there figures to be some speculation that Garcon will want to wind up wherever Manning ends up playing quarterback next season. Of course, the busy wide receiver market figures to land players in some unexpected spots and the need to replace a departing veteran could open up some doors (and wallets) for Garcon, who turns 26 in August, that aren’t apparent at the moment.

There’s also a chance that the Colts could come back with an offer that makes Garcon reconsider skipping town, but signs are pointing to an almost total upheaval on the offensive side of the ball in Indy.

Alshon Jeffery shed weight before combine

2012-02-24T19:48:00.002-05:00

Posted by Evan Silva on February 24, 2012, 3:30 PM EST

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Pre-Combine rumors swirled that South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery might show up to Indianapolis overweight. Jeffery apparently reacted to the speculation, shedding a significant amount of pounds and reporting to the Combine at 216 on Friday.

Jeffery admitted he played his final college season weighing in the 230s. He also conceded that 216 pounds is the lightest he’s been since high school.

The sudden weight loss begs the question of whether Jeffery has lost strength. He is not used to being so small, and muscle usually goes first when a person is trying to drop pounds rapidly.

Other official measurements from Jeffery’s Friday weigh-in included 10 1/4-inch hands with an 80 1/8-inch wingspan. He is 6-foot-3 and an eighth of an inch tall.

Where does Brian Dawkins go from here?

2012-02-24T19:46:00.001-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 24, 2012, 7:06 PM EST

Reuters

Three years ago, the Eagles allowed safetyBrian Dawkins to leave via free agency, a decision created a controversy between the team and a former stadium game-day employee who complained profanely about the move on Facebook.

The conclusion of Dawkins’ tenure in Denver likely won’t cause similar consternation. Either way, the end appears to be coming for Dawkins with the Broncos, especially since there have been no talks to date between the team and the player regarding his future. He’ll become a free agent in little more than two weeks.

“I have not had a chance to talk with Brian to see what his plans are, whether he’d like to come back or not,” Elway said at the Scouting Combine on Friday, via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. “Not speaking for him, I know he’s probably going through a tough time — having been a football player — how hard it is making that decision when you’re getting close to the end of your career whether you want to continue to play or not.”

Dawkins, 38, entered the league with the Eagles in 1996. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowler and a four-time first-team All Pro.

Trent Richardson to miss drills at combine after having knee scoped

2012-02-23T07:11:00.001-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 22, 2012, 7:45 PM EST

Reuters

Every year, an injury surprise pops up in connection with the Scouting Combine. This year, the first surprise comes from Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

According to Jason La Canfora of NFL Network, Richardson suffered a knee injury in practice preceding the BCS national championship game last month. As a result, he had “minor” arthroscopic surgery on the knee, and Richardson will not participate in on-field drills in Indy.

Richardson, who rushed for 96 yards against LSU despite the injury, nevertheless plans to participate fully in the Alabama Pro Day workout on March 7.

Nike plans to have fun with uniform changes

2012-02-23T07:09:00.002-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 22, 2012, 6:02 PM EST

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In 2010, a Nike executive created a stir by suggesting that, once the company inherits the NFL apparel deal from Reebok, dramatic changes will be made to team uniforms. Some were fascinated by this; others feared that the pro teams would begin to operate like the Oregon Ducks and their “snowflake” approach to helmet, jersey, and pants selection.

With the date for the handoff approaching, we recently dusted off those quotes in order to caution folks against buying any of the current Reebok jerseys until the new Nike designs arrive. The league responded by saying that dramatic changes to logos and colors won’t occur.

On Wednesday, Nike CEO and president Mark Parker addressed the situation in an appearance on CNBC.

According to SportsBusiness Daily, Parker said, “[People] are wondering, ‘Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to get crazy with the uniforms?’ We’re actually going to have some fun, but respect the traditions of these teams at the same time.”

It’s unclear how much “fun” Nike will be allowed to have. Still, keep in mind what league spokesman Brian McCarthy told PFT last month: “Logos are controlled by teams and the NFL. That will not change. Teams have to apply to league to make changes to logos and colors.

Thus, while it may be something more than “zero fun, sir,” Nike won’t have the ability to do whatever it wants, and teams that change their uniforms will still need the league office to sign off.

So far, we’ve seen a subtle revision to the Panthers logo, and teams like the Rams and Steelers have suggested that their alternate uniforms could change. (Surely, new Rams coach Jeff Fisher has no interest in the blue and yellow duds that the team wore when beating Fisher’s Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV.) The Seahawks apparently plan something more comprehensive.

We’ll all find out whether and to what extent every uniform changes at some point between now and the draft. Until then, continue to think twice about buying any of the remaining Reebok jerseys.

Only team with 1st pick in the draft may sign a player prior to the draft

2012-02-23T07:08:00.000-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 22, 2012, 10:52 PM EST

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Earlier today, we pointed out that, once Friday’s coin flips lock in the 2012 draft order, the Colts may sign Andrew Luck, or any other player whom they’d like to make the first overall pick in the draft. Unlike past years, the presence of a true rookie wage scale with little room to maneuver and few topics about which to negotiate, it’s far more likely that a contract will be signed before the draft begins.

And given the ease with which first-round picks can now be negotiated, some of you have expressed concern regarding the ability of the Rams at No. 2 and then the Vikings at No. 3 and then the Browns at No. 4, and so on, to sign their first-round picks and make the first night of the draft less meaningful.

Fear not. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells PFT that only the team holding the first overall pick may strike a deal in advance of the draft.

So if (when) the Colts ink Luck, the Rams (or the team to which the Rams trade the second pick for the ability to take Robert Griffin III) will have to sit tight until the first night of the draft.

Packers secure Finley for two years

2012-02-23T07:05:00.002-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 22, 2012, 8:17 PM EST

With a potential franchise-tag fight over whether he’s a tight end or a receiver looming, Jermichael Finley and the Packers have come to terms on a new contract.

According to a league source, a two-year deal was finalized on Wednesday. The contract has a total value of just under $15 million.

The average value of the deal — $7.5 million — roughly splits the difference between the tight end franchise tender of $5.4 million and the receiver franchise tender of $9.4 million. And it gives Finley another crack at the open market in 2014, when the new TV money will have kicked in and driven up the salary cap.

In light of the new contract, the question of whether Finley is a tight end or a receiver won’t be as significant the next time Finley is due to hit the market. Based on the 2013 cap number in Finley’s deal, a 120-percent increase would put the tender for Finley over $10 million.

The deal also gives the Packers protection against the possibility that Finley’s potential never will fully be fulfilled, due either to injuries or ineffectiveness. Though Finley enjoyed the best season of his career in 2011, he generated only 767 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, and he has no Pro Bowl appearances.

But his unique skills create matchup problems. Too fast to cover with a linebacker and too large to cover with a defensive back, Finley could have the same impact asRob Gronkowski, if/when Finley puts it all together.

If Finley can do it in the next two years, he’ll be on the verge of free agency again — at a time when Gronkowski will either have been re-signed by the Patriots or limited by the franchise tag.

UPDATE 8:35 p.m. ET: Finley confirms the deal on Twitter. “It’s TRUE!” he writes. “Thank you so much to the Packers organization, all of my fans, and my beautiful wife.”

Chad Henne will not return to Miami

2012-02-22T07:10:00.001-05:00

Posted by Mike Florio on February 21, 2012, 9:07 PM EST

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Another year, another second-round pick devoted by the post-Marino Dolphins on a quarterback gone.

The last remaining second-round quarterback on the roster, Chad Henne, becomes a free agent on March 13. Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via NFL.com) reports that the team won’t make Henne an offer.

With a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator, it’s not a surprise.

Henne entered the 2011 with plenty of hype, and he delivered a 416-yard passing performance in Week One against the Patriots. (That accomplishment became less significant as the season unfolded, given that pretty much everyone who faced the Patriots defense delivered a 416-yard passing performance.)

And so Henne will join A.J. Feeley (2004, via trade), Daunte Culpepper (2006, via trade), John Beck (2007), and Pat White (2009) as failed Dolphins quarterback who arrived via the investment of a second-round pick.

It’s unclear what the team will do in 2012. But here’s hoping that they don’t pick a quarterback in round two.

For Henne, the head coach who drafted him in 2008 (Tony Sparano) is now the offensive coordinator of the Jets. So don’t rule out Henne becoming the new backup to Mark Sanchez.