Atogwe signs with the Eagles

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 19, 2012, 2:07 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Eagles have picked up a safety with starting experience, signing free agent O.J. Atogwe.

Atogwe signed what was labeled as a five-year, $26 million contract with the Redskins last year and played 13 games, starting eight. He was released by the Redskins on March 12 of this year, and he drew interest from the Chiefs, Lions, Jets and Vikings before finally arriving in Philadelphia.

The signing of the Canadian Atogwe was first reported by Sportsnet in Canada.

Prior to playing last season for the Redskins, Atogwe played six years for the Rams and was a starter for all but his rookie year. The Eagles return both of their starting safeties from last season, Kurt Coleman and Nate Allen, so Atogwe may have a tough time earning a spot in the starting lineup in Philadelphia.

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Brian Price reportedly punched Mark Barron

Posted by Darin Gantt on June 19, 2012, 12:57 PM EDT

Reuters

Defensive tackle Brian Price was excusedfrom last week’s Buccaneers minicamp, but before he left town, he was apparently involved in an altercation with a teammate.

According to JoeBucsFan.com, Price punched first-round pick Mark Barron during a disagreement during a players meeting.

The details on this one are sketchy, but apparently the two players exchanged words before the alleged incident.

This has been a horrible offseason for Price. His older sister died in a car wreck in May, and his agent said the grief has taken a terrible toll. He’s had his share of traumatic family events, losing both brothers to gunshots.

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Welker and his posse restrained by security in Aspen

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker was celebrating his upcoming wedding in Aspen, Colo. this weekend when his group tried to crash a party associated with the Aspen Food & Wine Classic, according to a New York Post report.

Sources told the Post that Welker and his friends tried to enter a party at the restaurant Above the Salt without permission. Security guards then tackled members of the group, according to the report. Sources told the Post that Welker and his friends refused to cooperate even after security intervened, demanding to be let in. Police reportedly threatened to arrest Welker and other members of his party but came short of doing so, and the group left the property.

Aspen police confirmed to the Post that there was a record of a “lecture and release” incident at the same restaurant Friday night, but they did not confirm whether that was the incident that involved Welker's party.

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Dan Connor says Cowboys are "an unbelievable team"

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 19, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

AP

After four seasons with the Panthers, linebacker Dan Connor signed a free agent contract with the Cowboys in March. And he believes he’s now on a team that’s going places.

“It’s an unbelievable team,” Connor told Fox Sports Southwest. “This is a great group of guys. Great coaching staff. Everything’s been smooth. It’s something to be excited about. The fans should be real excited about the team they put together here.”

Vincent Jackson teaching Williams how to be a pro

Posted by Darin Gantt on June 19, 2012, 11:12 AM EDT

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Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams had acceptable stats in 2011. But after the numbers he put up as a rookie the year before, he views it as a “terrible season.”

Williams hopes the addition of wide receiverVincent Jackson, which moves him from split end to flanker, will help him bounce back to the form he showed in 2010 according to Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com.

Jerry Hughes has a chance to shed the "bust" label

Posted by Darin Gantt on June 19, 2012, 10:29 AM EDT

AP

Under the previous regime, Colts pass rusher Jerry Hugheswas nothing short of a bust.

But thanks to a new general manager, a new coach and a new defense, the former first-round pick has a  new chance to prove himself a player.

“He sure looks like it to me,” new Colts GM Ryan Grigson told Phil Richards of the Indianapolis Star. “I don’t know the Jerry Hughes people are down on.

Ravens have high hopes for Arthur Jones

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 19, 2012, 7:22 AM EDT

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In his first two NFL seasons, Ravens defensive linemanArthur Jones has cracked the starting lineup for only one game and has had just 14 tackles and no sacks. But in his third season, the Ravens think they’re going to see a lot of Jones on the field.

“Art has played well,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh told theBaltimore Sun. “Art is not a surprise to me. He has done well. He can play both spots. He is going to play the defensive end spot and he is competing for the starting job there, and he is also going to play the 3-technique spot, which he would probably be the third man in that rotation. Versatile is huge. So he is going to play a lot of football regardless of where it ends up shaking out for the most part.”

Sorting through the NFL bounty evidence

Posted by Mike Florio on June 19, 2012, 1:03 AM EDT

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The 50,000 pages in the bounty file became fewer than 200 that were given to the NFLPA on Friday, which via careful, time-consuming, page-by-page scrutiny by yours truly reveal a handful of documents that suggest the existence of a bounty program in New Orleans.

There’s no doubt that the Saints maintained an illegal pay-for-performance program, which rewarded defensive players for good plays and penalized them for mental errors and penalties. For that violation, the coaches and the team should indeed be punished.  As to player discipline, the question is whether and to what extent players offered, paid, or received money for the infliction of injury on opponents.