Browns to look at Tannehill

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 27, 2012, 1:55 PM EDT

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Although Browns coach Pat Shurmur says his team is moving forward with Colt McCoy at quarterback, drafting Texas A&M quarterbackRyan Tannehill remains a possibility.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealerreports that the Browns will bring in Tannehill as one of their 30 pre-draft visits. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Browns view Tannehill as their best bet with the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft, but it’s still a move they’re considering. And NFL Network’s Mike Mayock endorsed Tannehill as the player the Browns should take.

Trent Richardson's value hard to overlook

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 27, 2012, 12:15 PM EDT

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The NFL’s transformation into a passing league has hit running backs hard, both on draft day (the first running off the board went 28th in last year’s first round) and in free agency (veteran running backs haven’t found much of a market for their services this year). But with the NFL draft a month away, Alabama running back Trent Richardsonhas so much talent that he appears poised to buck the trend of running backs being devalued.

Lions re-sign Kevin Smith

Posted by Mike Florio on March 27, 2012, 11:02 AM EDT

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Last year, the Lions opted not to extend a restricted free agent tender to running back Kevin Smith, one of the lone bright spots during that dismal 0-16 season of 2008.  Injuries forced the Lions to bring him back in November, and in his second game Smith reeled off 201 total yards and three touchdowns.

This year, the Lions didn’t wait until November to get him under contract.  Per a league source, Smith has agreed to terms on a one-year contract.

The Big Tuna meets with the Saints today

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 27, 2012, 6:22 AM EDT

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Bill Parcells sent mixed signals on Monday about whether he’s interested in serving as interim head coach of the Saints during Sean Payton’s suspension this year, but he’s at least interested enough to meet with the Saints about it.

Parcells will meet today with Payton and Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis to discuss the role of interim head coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting.

With Payton suspended for a year and Loomis suspended for the first eight games of the regular season, the Saints would like to have a proven leader with experience taking a franchise to a Super Bowl overseeing things. Parcells certainly fits that mold.

Goodell: Shockey wasn't the whistleblower

Posted by Mike Florio on March 26, 2012, 7:34 PM EDT

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Five days after the NFL put analyst Warren Sapp on NFL Network to declare that former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey blew the whistle on the team’s three-year bounty system, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on NFL Network that Shockey isn’t the whistleblower.

The comments came during a press conference held in connection with the annual league meetings.

Jake Plummer throwing footballs in Denver?

Posted by Mike Florio on March 26, 2012, 8:22 PM EDT

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Let me start this one by saying that there’s no reason to believe former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer is emerging from retirement, more than four years after last playing in an NFL game.  But folks in Denver are getting a little skittish right now about their quarterback situation, given that Peyton Manning and his four neck procedures is now the starter, andCaleb Hanie and his four seasons of underwhelming football is the backup.

And so the fact that Plummer was back in townthrowing passes to draft hopefuls and free agents, per the Denver Post, has made a stir in Colorado.