Cleveland Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs, upset that the new management team hasn’t initiated talks to re-do his contract, has asked to be traded. Not only did Cribbs inform the team of his request, but he issued a lengthy statement to notify Browns fans of his intentions as well.
Browns coach Eric Mangini said he met Thursday morning with disgruntled receiver Joshua Cribbs at the Browns facility in Berea. He said Cribbs, who’s skipping voluntary minicamp until the Browns address his contract, attended a full squad meeting Thursday morning.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger does not have cancer, and neither does he have a Facebook page. “There’s no truth to it. I don’t have any of that stuff,” the Steelers quarterback proclaimed yesterday. “That stuff” are accounts on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and any other social networking Web sites. Roethlisberger said he does not use them, including the one under his name that proclaimed he had skin cancer.
A reporter asked Bears QB Jay Cutler what he thought the Bears’ offensive philosophy would be. Here was Jay’s answer, “We’re going to run the ball. I think I’ve learned the hard way that you’ve got to run the ball and you’ve got to stop the run to get anywhere in this league, to make the playoffs and make a push for the Super Bowl, so that’s not going to change. Especially here in December with the wind and the weather, you’ve got to grind out those 4 or 5 yard runs and get yourself to a manageable position,” Cutler said.
By the way, the Bears announced their Training Camp Schedule…
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made contact with free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress to gauge his offseason progress, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The conversation was explained as exploratory and that the call focused mainly on Burress’ well-being. The New York Jets are reportedly the other team that has inquired about the former Super Bowl MVP.
Vikings coach Brad Childress said of Brett Favre “He’s retired, so it’s not relevant and it’s not any of my focus right now,” Childress said following the Vikings’ third day or organized team activities. ” … I’m really focused on the guys that are here on this football team, both old and young. But I’m not spending any time on [Favre].”
Any doubts about the health of Carson Palmer’s elbow were silenced about 30 minutes into the Bengals first OTA session Tuesday. It was at that point during a drill with receivers that he lofted a 50-yard spiral downfield which Chris Henry caught in stride.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Jets RB Thomas Jones will end his boycott of non-mandatory team sessions and report to organized team activities next Wednesday. Jones has skipped the voluntary workouts because he’s hoping to redo his contract with the team.
Browns receiver Braylon Edwards, who’s been the subject of trade talks this offseason, participated in the Browns voluntary minicamp Tuesday, a source close to Edwards said. Edwards, who participated in only the first few days of the Browns offseason program, is in the last year of his contract.
Baltimore Ravens veteran tight end Todd Heap remains out with a nagging lower back injury suffered during the playoffs in January, wearing a red jersey for the second minicamp in a row.Although the former Pro Bowl selection expressed confidence that he would be able to take part in practice on a full-time basis next month, he’s currently behind schedule in his rehabilitation. ”There are some issues with the lower back that he’s got to work through, strengthen and heal,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday.
Vikings RB Adrian Peterson speaks about his 2008 fumble”itis”. “When I watched the film, it really wasn’t the guys, the blows they were hitting [me with]. It was me being careless with the ball, trying to go the extra yard. Get to the end zone, because that’s my mindset. There’s so many things I can work on. Fumbling the ball, that’s not my main concern at all. I do a good job holding onto the ball. I guess you could argue from last year, but that’s definitely not my main concern.”
Browns receiver Josh Cribbs will definitely ask to be traded if the Browns tell him they won’t re-do his contract, multiple sources close to the situation said Tuesday. Cribbs failed to show up for the first day of voluntary minicamp Tuesday because there’s been no “meaningful dialogue” yet on a new contract, according to Cribbs’ agent, J.R. Rickert.
Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson attended his first OTA after a couple days tending to a family issue. Tomlinson looked as healthy as ever. In one drill where he leaped over a series of bags, it appeared he might be as spry as he’s been in a few years.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez made a strong first impression with the Falcons, arriving in town quickly to begin the process of developing chemistry with quarterback Matt Ryan. ”Any time that you get a new toy,” the former Boston College quarterback said, “you want to try it out.”
Chicago Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo has essentially ruled out pursuing veteran wide receiver Plaxico Burress, reiterating that the Bears are not likely to go after the former New York Giants starter. Burress’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, recently said that two NFL teams are seriously interested in signing Burress. “Are we one of those two teams?” Angelo told the Chicago Tribune. “No.”
The Rams don’t want him either.
Saints running back Reggie Bush says that he’s ready to take a leadership role with the club.
Browns NT Shaun Rogers finally put away his crying towel.
Chiefs DE/DT Glenn Dorsey participated only in individual drills at practice because of what he called a shin injury. “I’m taking it day by day,” said Dorsey, the Chiefs’ top draft pick last year. “I’m going to try to pick it up a little more every day. It’s just sore. It’s nothing major. I don’t want to take chances with it, set myself back for the season. I’ll be doing the whole practice in no time.”
The NFL Network is furious with Jon Gruden for jilting the network after he’d verbally agreed to a deal to work there. The former Bucs coach had been very good on the NFL Network, colorful and opinionated, at the NFL scouting combine and the NFL draft, and the network had finalized everything but the signature on the paper for Gruden to begin working there immediately.
Comcast and the National Football League on Tuesday ended nearly three years of vituperative hostilities with a deal that will make the NFL Network available to 10 million of the cable operator’s subscribers at a significantly lower price than the league has long demanded.
Dolphins Running back Ricky Williams said he would like to play this season and in 2010 and then call it a career.
Deuce McAllister said he would not rule out re-signing with the New Orleans Saints. McAllister said returning to New Orleans would be “a dream come true. … But if it’s on a visiting team, then so be it. All that will play itself out.” He hopes to begin visiting teams interested in signing him in a few weeks.
The Eagles also made an offer fr WR Anquan Boldin, according to an NFL source: a third-round pick and starting cornerback Sheldon Brown. The Cardinals quickly rejected it.
Drew Rosenhaus, agent for Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin, reports on his Twitter page that earlier reports stating Boldin is looking for $10 million per season are inaccurate. Rosenhaus said he recently made a proposal to the Cardinals for less than that figure.
Earlier this week, Eagles coach Andy Reid told a Philadelphia radio audience that the price for Boldin was too high, both in terms of trade compensation and a new contract. As a baseline, Reid threw out trade terms of first, third and fifth-round picks, in addition to a new contract worth $10 million or so a year.
Shaun Alexander said during a radio interview with KNBR in San Francisco that he would like to return to play for the Redskins this season but is unsure if the opportunity will come. ‘I don’t know. My agents are talking. I would love to,’ Alexander said. ‘I’m training with my new trainers up in New Jersey like I’m going to be their guy and come play with them. Of course they have Clinton and Ladell and they’ve brought in a couple of guys. For me its like they know what I can do so they’re going to check to see what their guys can do and then after that we’ll make a decision.’
New Orleans Saints RB Reggie Bush (knee) said his recovery from microfracture surgery is going good so far. Bush said, “I’m feeling really good; I’m about 75 percent. The coaches are pleased with my rehab and the way it’s going. I’m pleased. I feel like I’m ahead of schedule. I’m pretty much doing everything right now (in offseason workouts).”
Patriots RB Laurence Maroney revealed that the shoulder injury that limited him to three games last season was a broken bone. ”I had a broken bone and I was trying to play with it,” said Maroney. “It’s kind of hard to sit here and play and not tell people what is going on. Everybody is going to think one way because they don’t really know what’s going on. I dare anybody in this crowd to play football with a broken bone in your shoulder and you tell me how long you’re going to last out there.”
Even though evidence continues to mount that Brett Favre is seriously considering coming out of retirement to play for the Vikings, his agent attempted to shoot down the speculation in a report today.
