NFL RUMORS AND NEWS

CBS Boston "New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has not been ruled out as a suspect in a homicide investigation in North Attleboro, a law enforcement source told WBZ-TV’s Karen Anderson. The source also said Hernandez is not cooperating with investigators at this point in the probe. State..." June 19

ESPN.com "Investigators plan to execute a search warrant on an Enterprise rental car registered to New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Wednesday, sources told ABC News, two days after a dead body was found near the car about a mile away from his home. Hernandez was cooperative with police..." June 19

TMZ.com "New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was sued earlier this month for allegedly shooting a man in the face following an altercation at a Miami strip club ... TMZ has learned. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Florida on June 13 -- five days before investigators searched the NFL..." June 19

CSN Bay Area "The 49ers signed All-Pro defensive lineman Justin Smith to a two-year contract extension through the 2015 season, the 49ers announced Wednesday. Smith signed a six-year, $45 million deal with the 49ers in 2008, and has been one of the most productive free agents in franchise history. Smith has..." June 19

ESPN.com "Hakeem Nicks didn't want to delve into the reasons why he was not at voluntary OTAs this offseason. But the New York Giants receiver said in an interview with NFL Network on Wednesday morning that his absence was not because of his desire for a new long-term contract. "I really don't talk..." June 19

NFL.com "A report out of Phoenix last week noted that free-agent acquisition Rashard Mendenhall had already established himself as the No. 1 running back for the Arizona Cardinals, separating from Ryan Williams. Appearing on NFL Network's "NFL AM" Wednesday, head coach Bruce Arians confirmed "there's no..." June 19

Boston Herald "Rob Gronkowski completed his latest trip through the operating room yesterday, as the Patriots tight end underwent back surgery. According to several sources, the procedure, technically a microdiscectomy performed by noted spine surgeon Robert Watkins in California, went well. One source noted..." June 19

New York Post "If negotiating an NFL contract were as easy as negotiating for his favorite jersey number, Darrelle Revis might still be a Jet. According to Uni-Watch.com, Revis, whom the Jets traded to the Buccaneers in April, paid $50,000 to safety Mark Barron for his No. 24, so he could wear the number he..." June 19

New Orleans Times-Picayune "This time of year, people are always on the lookout for that "sleeper" pick to make an impact with the New Orleans Saints. Usually it's some undrafted free agent that no one had ever heard of before. This year, it could be a guy who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. We won't..." June 19

SI.com "New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was questioned by police investigating a possible homicide in this town 40 miles south of Boston. A source with knowledge of the investigation said Massachusetts State police spoke to Hernandez on Monday and were interested in possibly searching his..." June 18

CBSSports.com "David Beckham made a huge splash in 2007 when it was announced he would join the Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy. But what if Beckham, retired for now from futbol, were to give football a shot? Apparently, one team has made him an offer to do exactly that, according to the UK newspaper the..." June 18

Pro Football Talk "The Falcons surely hope to avoid being called “dumb” by Matt Ryan’s agents next year. Of course, if being dumb means winning the Super Bowl, the Falcons would gladly wear the dunce cap. For now, the posture between Ryan and the team that made him the third overall pick in the 2008 draft is..." June 18

New York Post "Victor Cruz has no choice between now and training camp but to sign the multi-year offer the Giants weeks ago put on the table, because playing for less than $3 million for this season makes absolutely no sense. So says a prominent NFL player agent who has done many lucrative deals throughout..." June 18

Fansided.com "Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin has had injury problems throughout the past couple of years in the league. The past few years, it was a hamstring injury that slowed down the receiver and now the team is doing what they can to make sure he will be ready for the end of the..." June 18

Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Defensive end Richard Seymour made $15 million per year over the last two seasons in Oakland. The Falcons have just $5.8 million left under the cap. They have two rookies to sign and a $100 million-mega-deal to do with quarterback Matt Ryan. Do the math? The Falcons and Seymour just don't add..." June 18

CBSSports.com "The franchise tag wasn't nearly as fashionable for NFL teams this offseason as it usually is, but nevertheless, for a quarter of the league, a notable deadline is nearing. We are now a month away from the cutoff for the eight teams with franchise players to sign them to a long-term extension or..." June 18

ESPN.com "Chad Johnson said Tuesday in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" that spending seven days in jail has made an impact on him and he hopes he can still get another chance to play in the NFL. The 35-year-old former NFL wide receiver was released from jail on Monday after apologizing to..." June 18

ESPN.com "The cast of an Atlanta sports radio show has been fired after mocking a former NFL player who has Lou Gehrig's disease, a station official said Monday. The show, "Mayhem In The AM," was broadcast on 790 The Zone on Monday morning. In a statement, general manager Rick Mack said the station..." June 18

CSN Washington "There has been some talk in the news about Brian Orakpo’s contract situation lately. Dan Graziano of ESPN paid a visit to Redskins Park and he made the following observation: For whatever it's worth, a week ago I believed the Redskins were likely to try to extend Orakpo this offseason, but..." June 18

New York Post "Darrelle Revis is gone, but the Jets still may have the best cornerback in football — if you ask Antonio Cromartie. The Jets’ new No. 1 cornerback believes if he can stay consistent he could be the best in the game, even better than you know who in Tampa Bay. “I think so if I’m playing on a..." June 18

Detroit Free Press "1. DE John Abraham — Yes, he's 35. Now that that's out of the way, let's acknowledge that his production and availability warrant employment given how hard it is to find proven pass rusher at this stage of the year. Abraham has averaged nearly 11 sacks over the past three seasons and has more..." June 18

Philly.com "The Eagles are not spending $125 million to renovate Lincoln Financial Field to host a Super Bowl, but it doesn't hurt owner Jeffrey Lurie's case. Lurie first mentioned the possibility in March when he was asked about New Jersey's MetLife Stadium hosting the Super Bowl this season. Lurie noted..." June 18

St. Paul Pioneer Press "Mike Tice is taking a break from football. It's not self-imposed. The former Vikings coach was fired as the Bears' offensive coordinator after Marc Trestman became Chicago's head coach during the offseason. Tice is living in Seattle with his wife, Diane, waiting for the next NFL job to come along..." June 18

Rotoworld.com "ESPN's Ed Werder reported on SportsCenter Monday that the Patriots legitimately do not know when Rob Gronkowski will return from back surgery. "The fact is the Patriots really don't know when he's gonna come back," Werder stated. The Pats will have a better feel once Gronk's back operation is..." June 17

PackersNews.com "The Green Bay Packers have made the decision to move on without inside linebacker Desmond Bishop. Bishop, 28, spoke with Packers general manager Ted Thompson on Monday, who told him of the organization's intention to release him from the four-year, $19-million extension he signed in January..." June 17

CBS Miami "Former Miami Dolphin wide receiver Chad Johnson is a free man. On Monday, Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh said Johnson could be released from jail and would not have to finish out the 30 day sentence she gave him last week. McHugh handed down the sentence after Johnson, 35,..." June 17

CBSSports.com "Atlanta radio station 790 the Zone has fired the three radio hosts involved in an on-air skit mocking former Saints player Steve Gleason, who suffers from ALS. A swift Internet backlash led to angry calls flooding the station, and the trio was initially suspended indefinitely. Hours later, they..." June 17

Pro Football Talk "As we close in on the one-week anniversary of the unexpected news that the Patriots have signed Tim Tebow, everything to be said about the move has been said. And then some. Except one thing: The Jets will pay more for Tebow in 2013 than the Patriots will in 2013 and 2014..." June 17

CBSSports.com "The NFL might not be that far away from having its first full-time female official on the field. And when -- not if -- it happens, look to 2014 as the year and look to Sarah Thomas as the zebra breaking ground. Thomas, 39, became the first female to ever officiate an NCAA football game in 2007..." June 17

NFL.com "The Chicago Bears don't even allow Devin Hester to wear the same colored jersey as the other Bears wide receivers in practice. He's a return man, and a return man only. But is a he return man who's guaranteed to make the roster? CSNChicago.com's John Mullin wrote Sunday night that Hester is..." June 17

Foxsports.com "When Texans running back Arian Foster was carted off the team’s practice field last month, several fans gasped. The franchise running back told FOXSports.com on Friday that Houston fans need not worry, he’s on the right path to recovery. “Yeah, it’s going good man,” Foster told FOXSports.com in..." June 17

Charlotte Observer "This season will be Steve Smith’s 13th in the NFL and 13th with Carolina. The only other players on the Panther roster with more than 10 seasons of NFL experience are Jordan Gross and Drayton Florence (11) and Dwan Edwards and Ben Hartsock (10). How many more seasons will you play? “I would..." June 17

CBSSports.com "After a weekend of speculation, it's now official: the Bengals will be featured on HBO's 2013 version of "Hard Knocks," the network announced on Monday morning. The latest season will kick off on Tuesday, August 6 at 10 pm ET and continue each Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET until the series finale on..." June 17

Indianapolis Star "Chuck Pagano, whose ChuckStrong Indianapolis Colts rebounded from 2-14 to go 11-5 and reach the playoffs in his first year as coach, today was honored with the George Halas Award, presented annually by the Professional Football Writers Association to the NFL player, coach or staff member who..." June 17

Dallas Morning News "After an off-season full of uncertainty surrounding the Cowboys’ play caller, Jason Garrett finally acknowledged earlier this month that he’d be passing the duties on the Bill Callahan next season. The move will ostensibly free Garrett up to focus more on the team as a whole while also giving..." June 17

Miami Herald "It was supposed to be one simple play. A forgettable moment in a lifetime spent together as teammates on football fields from tiny Warren, Ark., to the mighty Southeastern Conference to the National Football League. It began simple enough near the end of a long intrasquad scrimmage a summer..." June 17

Baltimore Sun "A year has made a big difference for Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, dramatically improving his standing with the Super Bowl champions. Last year, McKinnie was taking up residency in coach John Harbaugh's doghouse. The former Pro Bowl blocker wasn't in good enough shape to participate in..." June 17

Toronto Star "The Manti Te’o story is changing, and that’s a good thing. A very good thing. The questions about the hoax and its aftermath are diminishing. With mini-camps wrapping up and training camp closer than you think, the narrative is shifting to a better place: the football field. Te’o, the San..." June 16

NFL.com "Did a 2012 injury factor into Willis McGahee's recent release by the Denver Broncos? Upon reporting to the Broncos' mandatory minicamp last week, the veteran running back insisted he was fully recovered from a torn medical collateral ligament and compression fracture in his leg. Offensive..." June 16

Pittsburgh Tribune Review "For years, it was the one guarantee of every Steelers season: They would talk about throwing to the tight end but wouldn't do it. They finally did so under offensive coordinator Todd Haley a year ago, when Heath Miller caught a team-high 71 passes — only the second time since 1966 a tight end..." June 16

Michigan Live "Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley displayed more confidence this offseason during workouts than most observers have seen since he has entered the NFL. Fairley was very vocal during every practice. He routinely challenged teammate Ndamukong Suh during individual drills at practice -..." June 16

Dallas Morning News "Coach Jason Garrett was roaming the halls of Cowboys team headquarters at Valley Ranch on Thursday after the final off-season practice when he crossed paths with first-round pick Travis Frederick. The center from Wisconsin spent the last month running with the first team in practices and has..." June 16

Foxsports.com "The woman whose false rape accusation sent NFL player Brian Banks to prison for five years has been ordered to pay a $2.6 million judgment. Wanetta Gibson accused Banks in 2002 when the two attended Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High, where Banks was a star prep prospect. Banks was convicted of..." June 16

San Jose Mercury News "Patrick Willis said he's in the best shape of his career as the 49ers' Pro Bowl linebacker enters his seventh NFL season. "I really feel mentally and physically, I'm in the best shape that I've been in since I was a rookie," said Willis, a Pro Bowler in each of his first six seasons. "I feel like..." June 16

Pro Football Talk "The subject is too frivolous to turn into World War III, but the war of words is escalating between Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kraft said last week that in 2005, he visited Russia and left without his Super Bowl ring, as Putin admiringly said, “I can kill..." June 16

NFL.com "Freddie Kitchens is back on his feet. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that the Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach is walking around after undergoing emergency surgery to repair his aorta. The 38-year-old Kitchens was hospitalized last week after he fell ill at practice. A defect..." June 16