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by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio
CHECK OUT THE RUMOR MILL ARCHIVES!
POSTED 8:06 a.m. EDT, April 29, 2005
NO NEW DEAL FOR DROUGHNS
A league source tells us that the Cleveland Browns will not be giving a new contract to recently-acquired running back Reuben Droughns, despite Droughns' plans to stay away from offseason workouts until he gets his wish in this regard.
Officially, the Browns aren't talking about the situation, other than to say that Droughns is under contract and that he's expected to be present at a full-squad minicamp on June 13. Unofficially, the feeling in Cleveland is that Droughns won't get paid unless and until a van carrying all of the current tailbacks on the roster plunges into the Cuyahoga -- with Anthony Thomas driving.
Given the smoldering brouhaha between the Browns and the back they acquired from the Broncos, we now understand why William "Stick a Knife in Me, I'm Done" Green has yet to be traded or released. Cleveland needs a little leverage in its stare down with Droughns, so Green no longer is expendable, for now.
BILLS STUCK WITH HENRY?
We're picking up increased indications in the wake of the Bills' failure to trade running back Travis Henry during the draft that, in the end, they simply won't be able to unload him for anything of value.
Per one league source, the Bills were "calling everybody" last Friday in the hopes of working out a trade. G.M. Tom Donahoe wanted only a third-round pick, but no one would do it.
Part of the problem is that Henry has only one year left on his contract and he has, as the source said, "a LOT of issues."
So given the circumstances, teams weren't -- and aren't -- willing to give up anything for the former second-round draft pick, especially since there has been a glut of running backs available.
"There are still good [backs] on the street, and you can get [Shaun] Alexander if you want," the source said. Plus, the source added, there were plenty of good backs that went undrafted, such as Walter Reyes, TA McClendon, and Kay-Jay Harris.
"In reality it was a bad year to try and get value for a veteran running back," the source said. "This draft class was the best running back class in years. If you wanted or needed one, you drafted him."
And that's precisely what the Cardinals (J.J. Arrington), Bears (Cedric Benson), Dolphins (Ronnie Brown), Bucs (Cadillac Williams), 49ers (Frank Gore), and others did.
The Bills risk reducing their leverage even further by flirting with former Bears running back Anthony Thomas, who visited Buffalo on Thursday. If they should sign Thomas, the ultimate fate of Henry would seem to be an outright release.
Then again, maybe the Bills are merely trying to gobble up one of the biggest remaining alternatives to Henry, in the event that a team like the Browns eventually decides to call the bluff of Reuben Droughns by adding a viable option at the No. 1 tailback position. If, after all, the A-Train ain't available, Cleveland will need to send something to Buffalo for Henry.
Barring such a situation, however, we don't see the Bills being able to get rid of Henry for anything of value. In the end, Donahoe risks disrupting the locker room chemistry by keeping around a guy who clearly doesn't want to be there, simply in order to avoid a situation in which Donahoe must swallow his pride.
KELLY WASN'T THE TIPSTER
In the wake of the terse statement that scout Mike Kelly is no longer with the Redskins, several readers raised with us the obvious question of whether Kelly was determined to be the guy who blabbed to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli regarding the team's plans to draft Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell with the 25th overall pick in last weekend's draft.
We've learned from a league source, however, that Kelly was not the alleged leakster, and that his departure had nothing to do with the Campbell situation. Instead, we're told, Kelly left the team more than a month ago -- well in advance of the Redskins' trade into the bottom of round one and the subsequent report that they were targeting Campbell -- and that Kelly had no idea of the team's draft plans.
We're also told that, despite published reports to the contrary, the team conducted no internal investigation regarding the leak of the Campbell story. Apparently, the team attributed the Pasquarelli story to the fact that Campbell's agent (Joel Segal, a presumed Pasquarelli source) and the entire Auburn coaching staff knew of the 'Skins' eleventh-hour visit with Campbell, and that the team's interest in him with the pick acquired from the Broncos at the bottom of round one might have been the result of some educated guesswork and/or speculation.
We're not saying that we completely believe that this is the way it all went down, but that's the story that's percolating out of Redskins Park.
FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS
Eagles QB Donovan McNabb faces the media for the first time since he dry-heaved his way through the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl -- and since teammate T.O. called him out for it.
QB Doug Flutie visited the Giants on Thursday; he possibly could join the team as a mentor to Eli Manning.
The Jags get together this weekend for their first mandatory minicamp of the offseason.
Giants TE Jeremy Shockey was in New York Thursday for a cameo appearance at the team's involuntary voluntary workouts, without his trademark shoulder-length hair.
Rams coach Mike Martz has named first-round pick Alex Barron the starting right tackle for the 2005 season.
Atlanta has submitted a proposal for the 2009 Super Bowl, which would officially be known as Super Bowl M[e]XI[co].
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells says that first-rounder DeMarcus Ware is a little bit like Lawrence Taylor and a little bit like Willie McGinest.
The Raiders are getting all of their new pieces together for a minicamp this weekend.
49ers RB Kevan Barlow says that he welcomes the addition of rookie RB Frank Gore (yeah, and yours truly was just thrilled to discover that boil on my butt).
The Niners are continuing to talk contract for the No. 1 overall pick with agent Tom "Billy Ray Cyrus" Condon.
The Eagles have asked WR Freddie Mitchell not to show up for the team's mandatory minicamp; meanwhile, WR Terrell Owens will face a fine by holding out.
The Eagles tried to trade up three times with Jacksonville in round one to acquire WR Matt "Moonshine" Jones.
Packers RB Ahman Green has filed for divorce following a domestic incident that resulted in his arrest earlier this week, and he's represented by the firm of "Peckerman & Klein" (seriously).
The Packers currently have no holder -- which conjures memories of Brett Favre's "please don't kick my pinky" routine from his first NFL win in 1992.
The Redskins signed P Andy Groom and released WR Gari Scott.
Vikings WR Kelly "Guns 'N' 'Froses" Campbell will be arraigned May 25 on drugs and weapons charges.
Former OU QB Jason White will get a chance to play his home games in the stadium where his football career began its clockwise swirl down the drain.
The NFL might hold a football-and-music event in L.A., in conjunction with the September 8 season opener.
The Cowboys have released FB Richie Anderson and WR Randal Williams.
CHECK OUT THE RUMOR MILL ARCHIVES!
POSTED 8:06 a.m. EDT, April 29, 2005
NO NEW DEAL FOR DROUGHNS
A league source tells us that the Cleveland Browns will not be giving a new contract to recently-acquired running back Reuben Droughns, despite Droughns' plans to stay away from offseason workouts until he gets his wish in this regard.
Officially, the Browns aren't talking about the situation, other than to say that Droughns is under contract and that he's expected to be present at a full-squad minicamp on June 13. Unofficially, the feeling in Cleveland is that Droughns won't get paid unless and until a van carrying all of the current tailbacks on the roster plunges into the Cuyahoga -- with Anthony Thomas driving.
Given the smoldering brouhaha between the Browns and the back they acquired from the Broncos, we now understand why William "Stick a Knife in Me, I'm Done" Green has yet to be traded or released. Cleveland needs a little leverage in its stare down with Droughns, so Green no longer is expendable, for now.
BILLS STUCK WITH HENRY?
We're picking up increased indications in the wake of the Bills' failure to trade running back Travis Henry during the draft that, in the end, they simply won't be able to unload him for anything of value.
Per one league source, the Bills were "calling everybody" last Friday in the hopes of working out a trade. G.M. Tom Donahoe wanted only a third-round pick, but no one would do it.
Part of the problem is that Henry has only one year left on his contract and he has, as the source said, "a LOT of issues."
So given the circumstances, teams weren't -- and aren't -- willing to give up anything for the former second-round draft pick, especially since there has been a glut of running backs available.
"There are still good [backs] on the street, and you can get [Shaun] Alexander if you want," the source said. Plus, the source added, there were plenty of good backs that went undrafted, such as Walter Reyes, TA McClendon, and Kay-Jay Harris.
"In reality it was a bad year to try and get value for a veteran running back," the source said. "This draft class was the best running back class in years. If you wanted or needed one, you drafted him."
And that's precisely what the Cardinals (J.J. Arrington), Bears (Cedric Benson), Dolphins (Ronnie Brown), Bucs (Cadillac Williams), 49ers (Frank Gore), and others did.
The Bills risk reducing their leverage even further by flirting with former Bears running back Anthony Thomas, who visited Buffalo on Thursday. If they should sign Thomas, the ultimate fate of Henry would seem to be an outright release.
Then again, maybe the Bills are merely trying to gobble up one of the biggest remaining alternatives to Henry, in the event that a team like the Browns eventually decides to call the bluff of Reuben Droughns by adding a viable option at the No. 1 tailback position. If, after all, the A-Train ain't available, Cleveland will need to send something to Buffalo for Henry.
Barring such a situation, however, we don't see the Bills being able to get rid of Henry for anything of value. In the end, Donahoe risks disrupting the locker room chemistry by keeping around a guy who clearly doesn't want to be there, simply in order to avoid a situation in which Donahoe must swallow his pride.
KELLY WASN'T THE TIPSTER
In the wake of the terse statement that scout Mike Kelly is no longer with the Redskins, several readers raised with us the obvious question of whether Kelly was determined to be the guy who blabbed to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli regarding the team's plans to draft Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell with the 25th overall pick in last weekend's draft.
We've learned from a league source, however, that Kelly was not the alleged leakster, and that his departure had nothing to do with the Campbell situation. Instead, we're told, Kelly left the team more than a month ago -- well in advance of the Redskins' trade into the bottom of round one and the subsequent report that they were targeting Campbell -- and that Kelly had no idea of the team's draft plans.
We're also told that, despite published reports to the contrary, the team conducted no internal investigation regarding the leak of the Campbell story. Apparently, the team attributed the Pasquarelli story to the fact that Campbell's agent (Joel Segal, a presumed Pasquarelli source) and the entire Auburn coaching staff knew of the 'Skins' eleventh-hour visit with Campbell, and that the team's interest in him with the pick acquired from the Broncos at the bottom of round one might have been the result of some educated guesswork and/or speculation.
We're not saying that we completely believe that this is the way it all went down, but that's the story that's percolating out of Redskins Park.
FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS
Eagles QB Donovan McNabb faces the media for the first time since he dry-heaved his way through the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl -- and since teammate T.O. called him out for it.
QB Doug Flutie visited the Giants on Thursday; he possibly could join the team as a mentor to Eli Manning.
The Jags get together this weekend for their first mandatory minicamp of the offseason.
Giants TE Jeremy Shockey was in New York Thursday for a cameo appearance at the team's involuntary voluntary workouts, without his trademark shoulder-length hair.
Rams coach Mike Martz has named first-round pick Alex Barron the starting right tackle for the 2005 season.
Atlanta has submitted a proposal for the 2009 Super Bowl, which would officially be known as Super Bowl M[e]XI[co].
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells says that first-rounder DeMarcus Ware is a little bit like Lawrence Taylor and a little bit like Willie McGinest.
The Raiders are getting all of their new pieces together for a minicamp this weekend.
49ers RB Kevan Barlow says that he welcomes the addition of rookie RB Frank Gore (yeah, and yours truly was just thrilled to discover that boil on my butt).
The Niners are continuing to talk contract for the No. 1 overall pick with agent Tom "Billy Ray Cyrus" Condon.
The Eagles have asked WR Freddie Mitchell not to show up for the team's mandatory minicamp; meanwhile, WR Terrell Owens will face a fine by holding out.
The Eagles tried to trade up three times with Jacksonville in round one to acquire WR Matt "Moonshine" Jones.
Packers RB Ahman Green has filed for divorce following a domestic incident that resulted in his arrest earlier this week, and he's represented by the firm of "Peckerman & Klein" (seriously).
The Packers currently have no holder -- which conjures memories of Brett Favre's "please don't kick my pinky" routine from his first NFL win in 1992.
The Redskins signed P Andy Groom and released WR Gari Scott.
Vikings WR Kelly "Guns 'N' 'Froses" Campbell will be arraigned May 25 on drugs and weapons charges.
Former OU QB Jason White will get a chance to play his home games in the stadium where his football career began its clockwise swirl down the drain.
The NFL might hold a football-and-music event in L.A., in conjunction with the September 8 season opener.
The Cowboys have released FB Richie Anderson and WR Randal Williams.
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