By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The league’s most controversial rule is getting a rework this offseason, and coaches are coming away from the week’s owners meeting in Orlando, Florida, with a variety of opinions on the matter.

Saints coach Sean Payton decided to take the instruction route, giving an ironclad “control it through the ground” demand and opening the door for more turnovers.

“Look, we’re in the teaching business so if I told you, ‘hey, man I catch it with two hands and I have control and I hit the ground,’ I still have to control it,” Payton told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche. “If I dive and I’m in the air and I catch it like we’ve seen, I’ve got to control it through the ground. Basically, a football act or a third step makes me a runner, and it’s that simple. So I think you’re going to have more catches and I think you’ll have more fumbles too.” Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Kevin Colbert isn’t concerning himself with Le’Veon Bell‘s much-discussed long-term contract aspirations, and for good reason: There’s no need to at this point in time.

The Steelers GM intimated as much during a one-on-one interview with NFL Network’s Steve Wyche on Sunday during the NFL owners meeting in Orlando, Florida. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Jamal Adams is excited about the future of his New York Jets after just one professional season.

A rather large defensive tackle stands to make him even more excited. After reports emerged that the Jets had become a serious suitor of Ndamukong Suh and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported New York made the largest offer to the veteran, Adams added it to the goodwill that he sees piling up for the Jets.

“I keep saying we’ll be the talk of the league,” Adams said, per The Times-Picayune. “I’m very confident when I say that. That’s because I know what that team has to offer. We’re well-coached. We’re well-run. It’s a heck of an organization. We’re looking forward to the season.” Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Like my colleague Jeremy Bergman wrote Thursday, #ComebackSZN is in full swing.

If you haven’t bought your Money Manziel apparel, there’s still time. There’s also time for the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback to make a return to pro football.

Johnny Manziel took his latest step toward achieving exactly that on Thursday when he threw at the University of San Diego’s pro day. At least 13 teams were in attendance, including a representative from Manziel’s former employer, the Cleveland Browns. And as our own Bucky Brooks said of Manziel, most first-round quarterbacks get two or three shots to make it work, even if evidence mounts to prove otherwise.

Manziel has also said he’s willing to take any opportunity presented, even if it’s a practice-squad shot, opening some additional doors to situations that might not seem as such on the surface.

That made us wonder: Should Manziel, who struggled with a multitude of off-field issues and flamed out of the league in two short years, follow through on his promises of a comeback, where might he land? Let’s explore below. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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It might be late March, but flip your calendars forward, Miami: Brocktober is coming.

Brock Osweiler signed with the Miami Dolphins on Friday, the team announced. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Tramon Williams is returning to Green Bay and a new Packers organization.

Three years after Williams left Green Bay to sign with the Cleveland Browns, the veteran cornerback has signed with the Packers, the team announced. Williams inked a two-year deal worth roughly $10 million, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.

Williams’ time in Cleveland was underwhelming at best. Signed to a three-year deal as part of former GM Ray Farmer’s peculiar 2014 and 2015 offseasons — in which Farmer replaced younger talent at corner and safety (Buster Skrine, T.J. Ward) with older players (Donte Whitner, Williams) — Williams struggled to match his stellar performance in Green Bay. Playing primarily nickelback, the veteran recorded just two interceptions and 15 passes defensed in two seasons in Cleveland after averaging more than three interceptions per season with the Packers. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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One of the leaders of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning squad has gone under the knife.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins recently underwent a procedure to repair ligaments in his left thumb, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported. Jenkins described the procedure as “offseason maintenance” and did not anticipate missing any time leading into the season, Wyche added. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Tom Johnson is heading west.

The veteran defensive tackle signed with the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced. Johnson’s deal is for one year and worth up to $2.7 million, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported, per a source informed of the deal. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Richard Sherman‘s free-agent tour included just one stop, and was completed with zero agents.

The corner represented himself in contract talks with the San Francisco 49ers, signing a three-year, $39 million deal that has since been torn to shreds by many people who were not inside the negotiations. Sherman has been criticized for taking a deal with too little money guaranteed, unlikely incentive benchmarks and an easy exit for the 49ers if the veteran doesn’t fulfill performance expectations.

He’s also been painted as a stubborn, headstrong player who cared more about a chance to face his old team twice a season than about a fair contract. Tuesday offered Sherman a microphone (with a 49ers backdrop) to defend himself. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Joe Thomas is moving on from professional football, and he wants you to know that while yes, the frequent losses took their toll, he never lost his sense of humor.

The six-time All-Pro made sure of that Monday by setting the tone of his retirement presser with a litany of playful jabs at a list of men with whom Thomas worked during his career in Cleveland. Among those included: former quarterback Johnny Manziel (“Johnny tried to call me from the club, but his money phone apparently didn’t have very good service”), GM Ray Farmer (a text message joke was made), coach Eric Mangini, GM Sashi Brown (“tried to trade some information with me about my retirement, but unfortunately it didn’t get in in time”), quarterback Brandon Weeden (“he tried to call me but he ended up still being stuck under that giant American flag”) and quarterback Robert Griffin III, on whom Thomas jokingly blamed his retirement. More importantly, Thomas made everyone aware that his career was about more than wins and losses. Continue reading →