Quick Hits from Around the League
By John White
With NFL general managers and nearly everyone involved in player personnel at the Combine and the media watching closely, you can expect a lot of stories and rumors to come out of it. We’re here to share some of the headlines being made…
The Vikings have two players who could remain in the news for some time. Troy Williamson is currently being offered to the trade gods and Mike Doss is being allowed to roam the free agent market. (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
Asante Samuel apparently has a lot of love for himself. The free agent cornerback is reportedly seeking a 10-year deal in the neighborhood of $100 million with $30 million guaranteed. A deal like that would make last year’s Nate Clements contract look like peanuts. Time will tell if Samuel has just priced himself out of most NFL franchises.(Boston Herald)
The New York Daily News reports that Plaxico Burress might be looking for a bigger payday. Jeremy Shockey is also out of his walking boot according to the article and will be ready for the team’s offseason workout program.
A story on nfl.com should have Cardinals’ fans resting earier. Arizona VP of football operations, Rod Graves, was confident that Larry Fitzgerald will remain in the desert. “No question, no question,” said Graves, when asked if Fitzgerald would be back. “He’s a core player, and like so many other players we’re excited about with respect to our football team, we are going to do what we have to do to keep that core player.”
Brian Kelly, the free agent Buccaneers cornerback, has drawn some interest from the Lions. (St. Petersburg Times)
Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith says he would be able to play a linebacker position of signed by a team employing the 3-4 defense. (Bengals.com)
Another player with much self-confidence (think loving one’s self), Tommie Harris of the Bears, is seeking Dwight Freeney-esque money. It’s going to cost a lot to keep Harris in Chicago when his contract runs out after the 2008 season.