NFL News
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Albert Haynesworth had his chance to prove to his Washington Redskins teammates that he was in practice shape, but he failed in his attempt. Haynesworth did not make it through his conditioning test Thursday at Redskins Park, sources told FOXSports.com. The disgruntled star defensive tackle finished the first part of the test, but walked through the second portion. Now Mike Shanahan has to make a decision on whether or not to let him practice and if so, how much. It's believed that Haynesworth will not be allowed to practice with the rest of his teammates in team drills. Sources said Wednesday that if he passed the conditioning test, he would be cleared to practice with the team. But by"
July 29
San Diego Union-Tribune
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They got "Gatesy" done. A.J. Smith doesn't go out of his way to forge even cursory relationships with many players. He calls very few by nicknames. But the affection with which the Chargers general manager has always talked about tight end Antonio Gates is rivaled by only a handful of players that have ever worn blue and gold during Smith's reign. Wednesday, that admiration became tangible when the Chargers rewarded Gates with a five-year contract extension that will make him the NFL's highest-paid player at his position."
July 29
Dayton Daily News
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Terrell Owens will be fashionably late to Bengals training camp. The newly acquired wide receiver missed his flight, which means he won't appear before the media this morning in Georgetown, Ky., according to the Associated Press. The team now plans to have Owens take part in the evening practice from 7-9 p.m., then address the media. Competition at wide receiver will be fierce in camp and the first cut has already been made."
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Titans quarterback Vince Young won't be suspended by the NFL for his involvement in a Dallas strip club altercation last month, according to sources familiar with the situation. The league is expected to make an announcement this week, possibly as soon as today. Titans officials could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. NFL Senior Vice President of Public Relations Greg Aiello declined to comment. Young was cited for a misdemeanor assault following the June 13 incident at Club Onyx. The next day, the quarterback apologized and told reporters he hoped NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would not suspend him. "I pray to God that Roger Goodell doesn't come down hard on me," Young said,"
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Nine-year veteran pass-rusher Derrick Burgess, who did not report Thursday for the start of the New England Patriots' training camp, is considering retirement from the NFL, sources confirmed to ESPN.com. Burgess, 31, re-signed with the Patriots this spring, after a three-month stint as an unrestricted free agent garnered only modest interest in him. He received a one-year, $1.5 million contract from the Pats. Expected to provide New England with an outside pass rush, Burgess recorded only five sacks in '09, his first season with New England. Sources said that, as recently as Wednesday, Burgess told associates that he was leaning toward retirement. Those same sources indicated, however,"
July 29
Newark Star-Ledger
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Laveranues Coles has had two stints with the Jets. And he looks to be on his way to a third. The free-agent wide receiver, who spent the 2009 season with Cincinnati, is flying to New Jersey tonight and is expected to sign with the Jets tomorrow, a person with direct knowledge of his visit confirmed. That person requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak for Coles or the team. Coles is expected to sign a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum. ESPNNewYork.com first reported the visit this morning. The former Jets third-round pick was with the team from 2000 to 2002 and again from 2005 to 2008. The team likely sees him as another receiving option while Santonio Holmes is"
July 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Thursday that four projected starters - safety Darren Sharper, wide receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem and linebacker Clint Ingram - will start training camp on the active-physically unable to perform list. All four can be activated at any time once they're physically able to participate in practice. Colston, Sharper and Ingram are all coming off of offseason knee injuries while Meachem had toe surgery in the offseason."
July 29
Tacoma News Tribune
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The Seattle Seahawks announced today that they have signed free agent offensive guard Chester Pitts. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. The former Houston Texan played for current Seahawks offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, starting all 114 games for the Texans after being drafted in the second round (50th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft. Pitts suffered a knee injury two games into the 2009 season that required microfracture knee surgery. Pitts attended San Diego State, where he walked-on to the football team in 1998."
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Say it's just a whim, Tim. It can't be so that the NFL's most marketable all-American boy is just another all-too-American, show-me-the-money athlete. Tim Tebow is unofficially a contract holdout. What's next, Wheaties becomes the Breakfast of Wall Street? The FDA bans hot dogs and apple pie? The Broncos put HealthOne sponsorship patches on their practice jerseys? As a partial roster of Denver players put on their clean practice jerseys with the new Health-One patches for the start of rookie training camp Wednesday afternoon at the team's Dove Valley headquarters, Tebow's pristine image and unscrupulous reputation received its first minor smudge. With his agent, Jimmy Sexton, quibbling"
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The Jets today signed free agent veteran quarterback Mark Brunell to be Mark Sanchez's backup and mentor. Brunell, who visited the Jets in April but wasn't signed because of the "final eight'' rule that prohibited the Jets from signing an unrestricted free agent until one of theirs was signed away, visited again and signed a two-year contract. It's unclear what that means for Kellen Clemens, who's was Sanchez's backup last year, but it would appear most likely Clemens would be released. The Jets also have Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Connell on the roster as reserve quarterbacks, so one or both of them could be in jeopardy of being released if the Jets decide to keep Clemens. The Jets said there"
July 29
Dallas Morning News
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Rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant had another eventful day at the Cowboys' training camp on Wednesday. Bryant appeared at kickoff returner as the Cowboys trotted out the unit for the first time during the afternoon practice at the Alamodome. Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was immediately taken with the possibilities. "He's special with the ball in his hands, and we're going to try to help him as much as we can," DeCamillis said. "He's got a chance to be exceptional." Bryant returned kickoffs and punts at Oklahoma State. He was more effective on punts, averaging 19.6 yards with three touchdowns on 22 tries. He averaged 23.8 yards with no touchdowns on six kickoff returns. Despite the"
July 29
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Showing again that they value stability in the highest levels of their organization, not to mention Kevin Colbert's body of work, the Steelers signed the head of their player personnel department to a five-year contract extension Wednesday. Colbert, a Pittsburgh native who has been the Steelers' director of football operations since 2000, was heading into the final year of his contract. The Steelers generally have received high marks for their drafts, around which they have built their teams, since Colbert, 53, returned to Pittsburgh. During his tenure, the Steelers have won two Super Bowls and five division titles. "Kevin is without question one of the best in the NFL in his job, and we"
July 29
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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The National Football Post is reporting that Golden Tate and the Seattle Seahawks have come to terms on a four-year deal that will pay Tate $3.261 million and includes $1.471 million in guarantees. In recent days, the 59th selection, Montario Hardesty (Cleveland), signed a four-year deal worth $3.372 Million ($1.52 guaranteed), and the 61st pick, offensive tackle Vladimir Ducasse $3.225 ($1.435 guaranteed) inked his deal with the Jets, so the Tate contract seems to sit right about where it should. Only Russell Okung (sixth pick overall) and Earl Thomas (14th pick overall) remain unsigned for Seattle. With only two late first-round picks currently signed (Dez Bryant-24th overall by"
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The Raiders announced the signing of their top draft pick Rolando McClain, on their Twitter account at a minute before midnight. Terms for McClain's contract, as the No, 8 overall pick from Alabama, were not disclosed. Oakland also announced the signing on its Web site. The Raiders gave $23.5 million in guaranteed money to Darrius Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 pick in the 2009 draft."
July 29
Houston Chronicle
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Three-time Pro Bowler and former Texan cornerback Aaron Glenn retired as a Texan on Wednesday. "Houston is where it all started for me back at Aldine Nimitz, and it's fitting for me to end my career right here," Glenn said. Glenn, who was born in Humble, had a news conference that was more celebratory than it was somber. He signed a one-day contract that allowed him to retire with the team that he played three seasons with from 2002-04. Glenn was selected with the third pick of the expansion draft in 2002, and he returned to the Pro Bowl that season after previously earning the honors in 1997 and 1998 with the New York Jets. "During the early days of our franchise, we were concerned about"
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Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher talked to the Tribune about his high expectations for the defense this season. That wasn't the only issue he addressed as the team prepares to report to training camp Thursday. Here are some of the other topics the six-time Pro Bowler offered his take on entering his 11th season: On speaking out against criticism, such as Gale Sayers' comments: "If someone says something I don't like, I'm not going to hold my tongue. It's not fair for us to have people go out there and say stuff about us but there are no consequences to what they say. The consequences are us firing back. They can say whatever they want to about me. There's nothing worse they can say about"
July 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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After bouncing around the NFL with five teams in the past eight years, quarterback Patrick Ramsey landed back home in Louisiana on Wednesday, agreeing to a one-year deal with the Saints. The Saints also agreed to terms on a four-year deal with rookie tight end Jimmy Graham before players reported for their first meeting of training camp Wednesday night. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed. Ramsey's arrival has been anticipated for months, but the Saints couldn't sign him until last week because of new league rules that limit the number of unrestricted free agents that can be signed by the final four playoff teams. The New York Jets, who were under the same restrictions,"