Jets trade Stanton to the Colts

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2012, 4:51 PM EDT

AP

Drew Stanton lasted a whole week with the New York Jets.

A week ago, the Jets signed Stanton to a free agent contract. Then they traded for Tim Tebow days later and declared Tebow their No. 2 quarterback, even though they had reportedly promised Stanton that he’d beMark Sanchez’s backup. That had Stanton wanting out.

Now he is out. The Jets announced that they traded Stanton to the Colts. Terms of the trade were undisclosed; presumably the Colts will send a late-round draft pick to the Jets.

Sapp in trouble after stating Shockey is the Bounty Scandal Snitch?

Posted by Mike Florio on March 23, 2012, 4:16 PM EDT

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Earlier on Friday, NFL Network addressed the recent on-air proclamation from analyst Warren Sapp that former Saints tight endJeremy Shockey was the (in Sapp’s words) “snitch” regarding the Saints’ bounty program.  Specifically, NFLN Senior Vice President of Programming and Production Mark Quenzel said the league-owned network has “discussed it with Warren and stressed that he is an analyst and not a reporter for NFL Network.”

Broncos sign former Colt, Jacob Tamme

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2012, 3:33 PM EDT

AP

The Denver Broncos were widely expected to sign at least one former teammate of Peyton Manning, and now they have.

Jacob Tamme, a free agent former Colts tight end, has signed a three-year, $9 million contract with the Broncos, the team has announced.

Tamme’s entire four-year career has been with the Colts, and he had a breakout season in 2010, catching 67 passes for 631 yards and four touchdowns. In 2011, with Manning sidelined for the season, Tamme’s production declined significantly, to 19 catches for 177 yards and one touchdown.

The Broncos already signed one tight end today, Joel Dreessen, and now Tamme is the second. There’s been talk that they may be interested in another former Colts tight end, Dallas Clark.

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Marion Barber retires

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2012, 2:47 PM EDT

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After seven years in the NFL, Marion Barber is hanging up his cleats.

Barber has decided to retire from the NFL, the Chicago Bears announced today.

“I want to thank everyone who helped me become a better player,” Barber told ChicagoBears.com. “I owe a lot to a lot of coaches, and am also very grateful to the owners and organizations I played for. Last but not least, I want to thank the fans for the support and inspiration they gave me.”

Jeff Saturday is a Packer

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2012, 12:35 PM EDT

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Jeff Saturday’s free agent tour started in Green Bay, and it will end there.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that a deal between the Packers and Saturday has been completed.

The Broncos were expected to make a strong push for Saturday, who has been Peyton Manning’s center for almost all of Manning’s career, and who would represent an upgrade at center in Denver.

But the Packers need a center, too, and Saturday is a strong choice for them. The Packers rarely sign unrestricted free agents, preferring to build through the draft and focus in free agency on re-signing their own players, but after starting centerScott Wells signed with the Rams, Green Bay makes sense as Saturday’s landing place.

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49ers sign Josh Johnson

Posted by Mike Florio on March 22, 2012, 11:22 PM EDT

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Quarterback Josh Johnson played for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh at the University of San Diego.  Johnson will now get another chance to play for Harbaugh.

The 49ers have announced that Johnson has signed a two-year deal.

“Josh is a promising young player that has experience in our offensive system,” 49ers G.M. Trent Baalke said in comments appearing on the team’s website.  “He is a skilled athlete with good arm talent.  Josh has shown promise in limited action, both as a back-up and starter at the NFL level.  We are pleased to add him to our team.”

Johnson joins the 49ers after four seasons with the Buccaneers.  He entered the league in 2008 as a fifth-round draft choice.

The move means that the 49ers likely will carry three quarterbacks into the 2012 regular season.  The 49ers recently re-signed starter Alex Smith, and Colin Kaepernick arrived via the second round of the 2011 draft.

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Troy Aikman: Tony Romo is better than I was

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2012, 7:24 AM EDT

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Troy Aikman won three Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys and is a Hall of Famer, but if you think Aikman is the best Cowboys quarterback you’ve ever seen, Aikman says you need to take a closer look at Tony Romo.

In an interview with the Brownsville Herald, Aikman said he never played the quarterback position as well as Romo.

“I think Tony already is a better quarterback than I was,” Aikman said. “I know how quarterbacks are judged but as far as his play-making ability and the things that he is capable of doing, he is a far more athletic quarterback, capable of making more plays than I ever was able to. He has a good team around him and hopefully, and I believe this will happen, I believe that he will win a Super Bowl before he is done playing.”

Aikman should be commended for his modesty, and for acknowledging that there should be more to judging a quarterback than counting how many Super Bowl rings he wears. But I think it’s safe to say the vast majority of Cowboys fans are going to disagree with his analysis.

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