Kevin Colbert
Originally, when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin got his new three two-year contract finalized, it was reported that director of football operations Kevin Colbert was next up to receive one. Fifteen days later, it happened.
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Steelers signed Colbert to a five-year contract extension. Colbert, who was entering the last year of his previous contract, has been with the team for eleven seasons and is the main man behind personnel decisions.
“I am very thankful to Art and Mr. (Dan) Rooney for the opportunity to continue my career with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Colbert said in a statement. “Our organization will be faced with many challenges in the coming season and beyond. I look forward to working with the Rooneys and Coach Tomlin as we pursue our only acceptable goal — a Super Bowl title.”
“Kevin is without question one of the best in the NFL at his job and we are fortunate that he will continue to lead our football operations into the future,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement.
Under Colbert, Pittsburgh has shined in the draft; particularly with possible Hall of Fame selections, such as safety Troy Polamalu in 2003 and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2005. The team has also won two Superbowls during his tenure.
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kevin colbert
Wes Welker
As it turns out, Patriots receiver Wes Welker isn’t gaining medical clearance to practice after all.
Per Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, the Patriots placed Welker on the active/PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list today. It’s not as bad as it sounds; Reiss calls this move more “procedural” than anything else, as it’s helping out his rehab and keeping valuable roster space open to evaluate younger talent.
Welker’s eligible to come off the list at any time and is still very much ahead of schedule in his recovery.
If he can’t practice much in training camp, then there’s a shot Welker will open the regular season on the reserve/PUP list, which would keep him out of the first six games.
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Wes Welker
Sam Bradford
They might be out of the T.O. race, but that’s not stopping the St. Louis Rams from getting a deal done with the number one overall pick.
According to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, the Rams are closing in on a deal with their top selection, quarterback Sam Bradford. General manager Billy Devaney told Marvez that there’s a “really good chance” the contract could be completed by Thursday, when training camp begins for the team.
Devaney is very high on his potential franchise QB and spoke very highly of him.
“He looks like he’s unflappable,” Devaney said. “He doesn’t get too high or low. He’s a smart guy. Being a great player means something to him. What really jumped out is that he’s got a tremendous respect for the NFL and his peers. He doesn’t put himself like the first pick in the draft.”
Just because Devaney is praising the young gunslinger doesn’t mean he’ll be under center on opening day. Bradford is expected to compete with A.J. Feeley and Keith Null during training camp to determine the starter, with Feeley the favorite if the season started today.
Bradford is expected to receive anywhere from $45-50 million in guaranteed money, but we knew that back in April.
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Sam Bradford
Terrell Owens
Free-agent Terrell Owens might be closing in on choosing his new home.
Per Joe Reedy, of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals expect a decision from Owens within the next 48 hours. The team has an offer on the table and could have Owens on the practice field by Thursday if he accepts.
The Rams, who were the Bengals’ main competition for Owens’ services, have decided to no longer pursue T.O.
Bengals owner Mike Brown confirmed earlier today that the team definitely is interested.
“It’s up to him,” Brown said. “We are talking to him. We have some interest.”
Cincy entertained T.O. during a visit in March, but instead decided to sign Antonio Bryant, whose knees are a cause for concern. If Brown wants to give Carson Palmer another possession receiver to complement the speedy Chad Ochocinco, then it would be a good fit especially with Bryant’s questionable health.
It will now come down to money, something agent Drew Rosenhaus will want to maximize for Owens. I can’t see Cincinnatti coughing up $6.5 million for one year like Buffalo did. I’m thinking a heavily incentive-laden deal is in the works.
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Terrell Owens
Sergio Kindle
Today, Ravens’ rookies reported to the start of training camp. One, however, won’t be able to participate for the duration of the summer.
The team’s second-round pick, linebacker Sergio Kindle, will miss all of training camp after suffering a fractured skull, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Kindle won’t even be allowed to travel to Baltimore for at least three more weeks as he recovers.
Reportedly, Kindle, the unsigned 43rd overall pick, fell down two flights of stairs in an Austin, Texas home on Thursday night.
Head coach John Harbaugh will move on without Kindle for now.
“We’ll be preparing without Sergio. Then if at some point in time he can come back and play, that will be a bonus to us. But he’ll have a lot of catching up to do,” Harbaugh said, according to MASNsports.com.
Harbaugh also made it clear that this injury won’t affect contract negotiations.
“I’m sure he’ll be signed at some point in time,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a part of our football team, he’s a Raven. He’ll be here. But the timing of all that, we’ll just have to work all that stuff out.”
Kindle is very much a candidate to start the season on the PUP list.
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sergio Kindle
LaMarr Woodley
Though unhappy with his contract, Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker LaMarr Woodley will show up to training camp on time, according to ESPN. Camp opens this Friday for the Steelers’ players.
Woodley, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, is set to make only $550,000 in 2010 and the team has stated they will not renegotiate his contract before the start of the season. Talks are expected to continue in 2011, when Woodley’s a free-agent.
Woodley is probably seeking something close to what Broncos linebacker Elvis Dumervil recently got; a six-year, $61.5 million extension with roughly $43 million in guaranteed money. If the 25-year old Woodley continues producing at a high level — 25 sacks in his last two seasons — Pittsburgh will have no ch0ice but to pay him comparably.
The article points out that using the franchise tag, if stays under the new collective bargaining agreement, is also an option for next season.
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lamarr woodley
Dez Bryant
Rookie hazing is basically a time-honored tradition in the NFL. Every player experiences it and then moves on. That is, every player except Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.
Bryant, who has shined in the first two days of Cowboys training camp, refused to carry the shoulder pads of fellow receiver Roy Williams. Bryant thinks every player can carry their own pads.
“I’m not doing it,” Bryant said. “I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player’s pads.”
“If I was a free agent, it would still be the same thing. I just feel like I’m here to play football. I’m here to try to help win a championship, not carry someone’s pads. I’m saying that out of no disrespect to [anyone].”
Williams, who’s entering his seventh season (third with Cowboys), disagrees with Dallas’ 24th overall pick. In fact, he even threatened to go to “step-two”, meaning:
“We’ll find out. Definitely going to find out,” Williams said. “I don’t know. I’ve seen guys take people’s credit cards and go fill up their cards and wife’s cards and everything. There’s a lot of dirt that goes on in that locker room.”
Personally, I think Bryant should’ve just gone through with it. It’s a tradition that goes on in every NFL training camp year after year. This heap of press over something so minuscule won’t do him any favors in the locker room. Though I bet it’ll push him harder to try and beat out Williams for that starting spot opposite Miles Austin.
Nevertheless, the 21-year old Bryant didn’t need this distraction after getting off to such a hot start early on in Cowboys camp.
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roy williams
Adrian Peterson
In the midst of rumors that he’s unhappy with his current contract, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won’t be absent from training camp.
According to Judd Zulgad, of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Peterson will show up to training camp on time, while seeming “somewhat annoyed” at all of the press he got from missing minicamp last month.
A.D. claims missing the minicamp had nothing to do with him being disgruntled, and his absence was to be expected. Peterson also revealed that there has been talks of a new contract between his agent and the team.
The Vikings kick off their training camp next Friday, July 30.
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Terrell Owens
You can cross another team off of the list for free-agent receiver Terrell Owens.
Per ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli, the Atlanta Falcons are content what they have at wide receiver and are not interested in pursuing Owens.
“I don’t think (we’ll show an interest in Owens),” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said during a radio interview Sunday. “We like the guys we have. No, I don’t see us doing that.”
The team is said to love third-year man Harry Douglas, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, backing up starting receivers Roddy White and Michael Jenkins.
Cincinnati and St. Louis look like Owens’ best shots at this point. The latter is said to be very interested in T.O., and could present a contract offer as soon as tomorrow. Cincy, while interested, has yet to present a formal offer.
Atlanta joins at least eight other teams who have shown no interest in signing the 36-year old Owens.
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Terrell Owens
Kaye Cowher (right)
Some very sad news just came in.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that Kaye Cowher, wife of retired coach Bill Cowher, has passed away at the age of 54.
Although no one publicly knew, and there had been no previous speculation of her condition, Kaye was fighting and ultimately succumbed to skin cancer.
Bill and Kaye have three daughters; Megan, Lauren, and Lindsay.
From everyone here at H2H, our condolences go out to Bill and his family during this very difficult time.
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bill cowher,
kaye cowher
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