Report: Teams showing interest in Mike Wallace

Posted by Josh Alper on April 12, 2012, 2:58 PM EDT

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When Mike Wallace became a restricted free agent, his camp tried to spread the message that teams would be lining up to sign him because it would only take a first-round pick in compensation under the new CBA.

That didn’t work, but they aren’t through trying to get Wallace more money than he’s set to be paid under the tender placed on him by the Steelers earlier in the offseason. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that a handful of teams are interested in making a trade for the disgruntled wideout and, as Kaboly points out, this is the next stage in Wallace’s strategy to get a big new contract.

Doug Martin moving up draft boards

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 12, 2012, 1:42 PM EDT

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The first running back selected in this year’s NFL draft will be Alabama’s Trent Richardson, and he’ll be gone within the first half-dozen picks. After that, it may be a long wait until we hear another running back’s name called: Just as his Alabama teammateMark Ingram was last year, Richardson could be the only running back selected when the first round commences in two weeks.

Has Sapp ruined his shot at the Hall of Fame?

Posted by Mike Florio on April 12, 2012, 9:26 AM EDT

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Whenever we suggest that the sportswriters and broadcasters with the keys to the Hall of Fame consider as part of their deliberations factors such as off-field behavior and/or whether and to what extent the candidate was a jerk, one of the voters inevitably will claim that “no one has ever said ‘I’m not voting for [insert name of player who may be a jerk] because he was a jerk,’” and we inevitably will respond by saying, “No one is dumb enough to admit to it, but it remains an unspoken factor.”

Billick shares cautionary tale of Jamarcus Russell

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 12, 2012, 8:35 AM EDT

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Few teams have drafted as well as the Ravens in recent years. But in a reminder of just how hard it is to get draft evaluations right every time, the former coach of the Ravens said this morning that one of the biggest draft busts in history was also the player the Ravens liked the best.

Brian Billick said on ESPN Radio that in his nine years as head coach of the Ravens, the highest grade Baltimore ever had on any player heading into the draft was in 2007, and the player wasn’t that year’s No. 2 overall pick, Calvin Johnson. It was that year’s No. 1 overall pick, JaMarcus Russell.

TTR's 2nd Annual Mock Draft Contest

                                                                                 

NFL Mock Draft Contest

Hello everyone.  We are going to run our 2nd annual NFL Mock Draft contest.  The winner, will get a FREE NFL Draft Cap of the team of their choice.

The Rules:

1. Mock must be for all 32 picks in the first round.
2. Mocks must be posted as a comment on this blog entry, with a time stamp that is Prior to the beginning of the 2012 NFL draft.  If it is not timestamped before the Colts are on the clock, your entry is not valid.
3. The accuracy of the picks will be determined by the selection spot, and not by the team.  This allows trades to occur.
4. The person who gets the most accurate selections will be the winner.  
5. In the event of a tie, the person with the most consecutive correct picks wins.
6. The winner will be announced, and will have 1 week to contact us and provide shipping information.  Failure to do so, will result in us choosing a new winner.
7. Enjoy your Free Gift!

An excellent resource to use for Making a Mock Draft
**Update: An even better tool is ESPN's Draft Machine**

*Note*  If you would rather email your entry to me, feel free to Email us .

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Coming soon, TTR's 2nd Annual Mock Draft Contest!

Thursday morning one-liners

Posted by Evan Silva on April 12, 2012, 8:00 AM EDT

AP

Here’s a live chat about the Bills and the NFL draft.

NFL Network’s Mike Mayock is wary of DE Quinton Coples.

The Patriots need to generate more sack production.

The Jets have interest in Columbia OT Jeff Adams.

The Ravens get DT Devon Still in this mock draft.

The Browns have “zero interest” in LB Vontaze Burfict.

The Steelers have re-signed TE/FB David Johnson.

Rivers officially traded to the Giants

Terry McCormick - National Football Post

The rumored and reported potential trade of Keith Rivers from the Cincinnati Bengals to the New York Giants has become reality.

Video: Contract impasse for Wake, Welker and Forte

Posted by Mike Florio on April 11, 2012, 11:05 PM EDT

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Drew Brees and Matt Forte aren’t the only franchise players who are no closer to signing a contract.

Tom Curran of CSNNE.com reports that the Pats and receiver Wes Welker have made no progress toward a new deal.

Welker, who could sign a one-year, $9.5 million contract at any time, wants a long-term deal.  The Pats would surely be willing to give him one, but the two sides need to find a common ground.

The challenge for the Pats is to gauge the value of a five-foot, nine-inch slot receiver who turns 31 next month.  Though Welker has churned up plenty of stats over the last five years, he’s not as indispensable as a young, tall, fast guy who commands double coverage and still catches the ball when confronting it.

Curran also points out that reality that guys like Welker and Brees and Forte won’t be “holding out” of voluntary workouts because they aren’t under contract.  Even if they were, they’re not required to show up for voluntary workouts.  I said something similar earlier today on PFT Live, and there’s really not better spot than right here to drop the special code that puts a small TV screen in your browser.

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Coming soon, TTR's 2nd Annual Mock Draft Contest!