Report: Tom Brady On Verge of Contract Extension With Patriots

Filed under: Patriots, NFL Quarterbacks

The New England Patriots and Tom Brady appear close on a deal that would keep the quarterback in town through the 2013 season, the Boston Herald reported on its website on Monday.

The three-year extension would be worth about $58 million, sources with knowledge of the negotiations told the newspaper. Brady, who has led the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles, made $8 million in salary and bonuses in 2009, less than half under what he’ll make annually under the new deal.

The Boston Herald said Brady hasn’t formally agreed to the reworked contract, although both sides could come to terms within 24 hours.

 

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Ravens Trade Mark Clayton to Rams to Make Room for T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Filed under: Ravens, AFC North, NFL Training Camp

When T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed his one-year deal for the veteran minimum with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday after they set their 53-man roster on Saturday, no one realized that someone had to go. The last person that came to people’s mind was a good man who was a friend to many and a major contributor to the communities of Baltimore City, wide receiver Mark Clayton. But football is still a business and changes have to be made.

“Mark is a good person who did everything he could to help the Ravens on and off the field,” said Ravens‘ general manager and vice president Ozzie Newsome on Monday afternoon in a statement. “In the end, we have to do what we think is best for the team, but letting Mark go hurts. He was first class all the way, even when we met with him about the trade. This is a tough part of the business.” Clayton was the 22nd overall draft pick in 2005 and unfortunately, he never panned out for the Ravens offense he was drafted to jumpstart.

The Ravens traded Clayton to the St. Louis Rams for a disclosed draft pick to clear a space for Houshmandzadeh. It’s never easy to let someone go who is highly-regarded, but hopefully Clayton can become that number one receiver in St. Louis to help fellow Sooner, quarterback Sam Bradford, transition to the pro game.

“You never reach a point when it’s easy to release or trade a player you respect,” said Newsome. “Everyone here has the highest regard for Mark. He’ll help the Rams, and it’s good for him that they reached out to get him.”

 

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Veteran J.T. O’Sullivan Joins Chargers

Filed under: Chargers, AFC West

The Chargers added an experienced reserve at quarterback on Monday, reaching contract terms with veteran J.T. O’Sullivan on a one-year deal.

O’Sullivan becomes the Chargers’ third quarterback, behind starter Philip Rivers and backup Billy Volek.

Rookie Jonathan Crompton was released in the Chargers’ final cut over the weekend, leaving Rivers and Volek as the only quarterbacks on San Diego’s active roster. Crompton was added to the Chargers’ practice squad Sunday.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the team had been leaning toward going with Rivers and Volek with the ability to tap Crompton from the practice squad in the event the need arose. But O’Sullivan’s availability following his release over the weekend by the Cincinnati Bengals changed the Chargers’ thinking.

 

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Raiders Beefing Up Offensive Line by Starting Rookie Center Jared Veldheer

Filed under: Raiders, AFC West

The Raiders have had a long legacy of excellence at center, and the latest to try to live up to it is rookie Jared Veldheer.

Veldheer was named the starter by coach Tom Cable this week.

He’s the latest to join what has been a distinguished group of players that includes Jim Otto, Dave Dalby and Don Mosebar. His predecessors, notably Otto, Dalby and Mosebar, were known for their tough, physical and heady play, and they were at the heart of a Raiders offense that prided itself on softening up a defense with the run and then keeping the pressure off long enough to throw the deep strike.

Veldheer, a third-round pick out of Hillsdale College in Michigan, edged out veteran Samson Satele in a job competition that lasted throughout training camp.

 

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Titans, Redskins Discussing Albert Haynesworth Trade Again

Washington may end its 350-pound headache by shipping Albert Haynesworth back to his old team.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that the Redskins and Titans are once again talking about a deal that would send Haynesworth to Tennessee. According to Mortensen, the only hangup is the Redskins wanting a pair of picks for the defensive tackle. Washington’s asking price was rumored to be holding up a deal when Haynesworth was shopped around during the NFL draft as well.

At this point, it seems the real question comes down to how much the Redskins want to move on, and how willing they are to end up with egg on their face by admitting they made a horrible mistake by signing Haynesworth to a $100 million deal. There’s no way they will get anything close to market value for him, but at the same time, playing an unhappy, unmotivated Haynesworth as a backup defensive linemen isn’t exactly getting your money’s worth for a player who’s made $32 million in his first year and a half in town.

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Seahawks to Start Justin Forsett vs. 49ers

Filed under: Seahawks, NFC West

RENTON, Wash. — With the decision to demote last year’s starting running back, Julius Jones, Seattle needed another option.
That option is Justin Forsett. Coach Pete Carroll announced after Monday’s practice that Forsett will be the starter at running back Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Forsett, a third-year player out of Cal, will carry more of the load than his two backups, Jones and former Jets starter Leon Washington.

There were reports in the blogosphere over the weekend that Jones would be cut, but he’s still around. He’s just not starting.

“I thought about it through the weekend (and) that’s the way we’ll go right now, but he might not even carry the ball more than the other guys,” Carroll said. “He’s the guy going out first. This is a competition that is still open. This is not set in stone.

 

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Darnell Dockett Redoubles Work Ethic After Getting Contract Extension

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, NFC West

Arizona defensive end Darnell Dockett isn’t about to rest on his laurels — or on his new $48 million contract extension, either.
After Monday’s Cardinals‘ workout, Dockett was the last player off the field. He said he needed the work.

“I’m not satisfied,” Dockett told AZcentral.com Monday. “I want to do something that a lot of guys aren’t able to do and that’s outplay three contracts, back to back to back. That’s my mind-set. I’m raising my standards completely high.

“If I’m able to accomplish this last one, then I think I’ll pat myself on the back.”

It seems clear that no one has higher expectations for Dockett than the man himself. He continues to want to prove his worth.

 

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Blocking Sled Sidelines Ahmad Brooks

Filed under: 49ers, NFC West

It turns out that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks doesn’t have another teammate to blame for the lacerated kidney that has kept him out for a month.

Brooks, talking with the San Francisco media Monday, said he slammed into a blocking sled during an Aug. 6 practice. The sled hit the ground, bounced up and it struck Brooks on his left side.

By the end of the day, it was clear that something was very wrong. It turned out that a rib, while not broken, had pushed into his kidney.

Talk about instant pain.

“I came in here (the locker room) urinating blood,” Brooks said Monday. “When I saw that, it was like, `Wow. What’s going on?’ ”

 

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Jason Allen Wins Starting CB Job With Miami Dolphins

Filed under: Dolphins, AFC East

DAVIE, Fla. — It was quite a busy day for the Miami Dolphins as they officially began preparation for Sunday’s season opener at the Buffalo Bills, and for fifth-year cornerback Jason Allen it was a very rewarding one.

The 27-year-old Allen, who has gracefully dealt with being labeled a bust since being taken 16th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, was named the starter opposite Vontae Davis this afternoon. He beat out second-year cornerback Sean Smith, who became the first rookie in Dolphins history to start all 16 regular-season games last year.

After Monday’s practice, Allen was coy about whether or not he knew about the move because Dolphins Head Coach Tony Sparano hadn’t announced it yet to the media. His press conference takes place after the open locker room, so all Allen would confirm was that he practiced with the first team today but also worked some with the scout team. He also said he always prepares as if he is going to start, and in my story on Dolphins.com we found out why he will Sunday at Buffalo.

“This is a good problem, it’s not a bad problem,” Sparano said. “I mean this is a guy who from my time here all I’ve heard about is, ‘When’s Jason Allen going to turn the corner?’ And maybe the guy has turned the corner. I mean we should be happy about this for Christ’s sake. I’d rather have three or four corners than two corners, so to me some of these things are really good problems. It has more to do with what some of the other people have done than it is what some of the other people haven’t done.”

 

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FanHouse TV: Be Thankful for Brett Favre’s Honesty

Filed under: Vikings, NFL Video

Brett Favre has been attacked from every side for his on-again, off-again flirtation with playing football over the past few seasons.

FanHouse TV’s Terence Moore has a different slant. He argues that you can’t fault Favre for doing what other athletes don’t: telling the truth.

 

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