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The SportsXchange Player Notes: LEVEL 2 NEWS |
Jan 25 2012 - Drew Brees (Saints)
QB Drew Brees has said he would be "beyond stunned" if he doesn't end up back with the Saints and coach Sean Payton said he would be "stunned" if Brees departed as a free agent. More importantly, Brees said he doesn't believe his deal will keep the Saints from re-signing some key pieces of their record-setting offense -- like G Carl Nicks, and WRs Marques Colston and Robert Meachem.
"My No. 1 priority, and it always has been this, is keeping our team together and making sure we have the right guys in the right positions to make a run at this for a long time," Brees said. "We all kind of work together on this thing.
"Put it this way," he added, "I'm not worried one bit about my contract or our ability to keep guys at key positions."
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Jan 25 2012 - Drew Brees (Saints)
QB Drew Brees, who heads a list of 23 free agents for the Saints, could command a contract that averages about $18 million a season if he gets what Peyton Manning and Tom Brady got.
Contract talks were put on hold during the season at Brees' request, but general manager Mickey Loomis said earlier this week he expects they'll resume soon. Loomis said there is no additional pressure to get the deal done considering Brees' value to the franchise and the community.
"This is a player we value a lot, more than any other player in the history of our team ... I don't know that pressure is the right word," Loomis said. "We want to get him signed. We made an effort with Drew prior to last season, even at the beginning of last season.
"I understand his desire to table that until after the season, and hopefully, we can get going right away and get that buttoned up. It has got to be the right deal for him and obviously the club as well. That'll come eventually."
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Jan 25 2012 - Lawrence Tynes (Giants)
K Lawrence Tynes, who kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime against the 49ers that sent the Giants to the Super Bowl, said the trick to keeping his cool is to keep things in perspective regardless of the circumstances.
"I think the guys that stick to the routine and don't make the moment any bigger than it is are the ones that have success," said Tynes, who also kicked the Giants into the Super Bowl against the Packers in 2008. "I have a routine and it works in practice so I feel like it should work on game day. Obviously, the only difference between me kicking here and me kicking out there at Candlestick Park on Sunday is there's more people in the stands. It's the same yard line, same hash mark. I think you try to keep it simple and not overthink it."
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Jan 23 2012 - Ray Lewis (Ravens)
LB Ray Lewis, who dressed in silence following Sunday's game, turned to the media and laid to rest any questions about his future.
"Is this my last game as a Raven? Absolutely not," the 13-time Pro Bowler said. "Let me answer that question before somebody asks it."
Lewis, who will turn 37 in May, has enjoyed smoother seasons than this past one. He sat out four games because of a turf toe injury on his right foot and then dealt with speculation that he had lost a step and needed to be removed from contests during obvious passing downs.
But Lewis, who tied strong safety Bernard Pollard with a team-high 12 tackles against the Patriots, said his passion for the game hasn't changed.
"Every time you go through something like this, it has to drive you," he said. "I truly believe that it is the only thing that makes people great. It's not the ones that's always winning that people remember. It's the ones that go through tough times. As a team, we have been through every up and down roller coaster through this journey, but for us to be here now, I'm hungry again. I'm thirsty again."
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Jan 11 2012 - Mark Sanchez (Jets)
QB Mark Sanchez took some criticism from anonymous teammates. In a report in the New York Daily News on Wednesday, unnamed Jets said Sanchez was "lazy" and "coddled," and some even advocated the potential acquisition of Peyton Manning.
Pro Bowl C Nick Mangold responded to the story on Twitter by calling it false and saying the unnamed sources should "man up and put your name to it."
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Jan 11 2012 - Kyle Love (Patriots)
DL Kyle Love was not seen on the field during media availability at Wednesday's practice, the lone player missing after the team had perfect attendance Tuesday. His absence was not injury-related, though his status for this weekend is still uncertain.
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Jan 11 2012 - Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants)
DE Jason Pierre-Paul, who following the Giants' win Sunday guaranteed a Giants victory this weekend against the Packers, before backing off that guarantee on Tuesday during a radio spot, was back to making guarantees again.
"I think we're going to go out and win," he said when asked for his prediction for Sunday.
When asked what made him so sure, he said, "In their right mind, who is going to say their team is going to lose?"
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Jan 4 2012 - Brian Iwuh (Broncos)
LB Brian Iwuh, a former University of Colorado star, was signed Tuesday to help bolster a special teams group likely to be missing FB Spencer Larsen (sprained medial collateral ligament). Iwuh has appeared in 85 NFL games during six seasons and is considered a viable, experienced special teams option.
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Jan 4 2012 - Ryan Harris (Broncos)
OT Ryan Harris was added to the roster when Chris Kuper (leg) was placed on injured reserve. Harris was a starter for three seasons for Denver but opted to sign with Philadelphia last summer. He hurt his back and was later released in an injury settlement. Harris won't have a role this year in all likelihood, given the late signing, but he does have a contract through 2013 and will have a chance to earn a position as a reserve offensive tackle.
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Jan 4 2012 - Ryan Clark (Steelers)
FS Ryan Clark led the Steelers with 100 tackles, becoming the first safety since records could be located back to 1970 to lead the franchise in tackles. However, coach Mike Tomlin has decided not to play him in the high altitude of Denver, where his sickle cell trait caused a violent reaction in 2007 that required emergency surgery and nearly killed him.
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Jan 4 2012 - Shayne Graham (Ravens)
K Shayne Graham was waived by the Ravens on Tuesday, two days after K Billy Cundiff returned to action. Graham converted both of his field-goal attempts in the team's 20-14 win against the Browns on Dec. 24.
"As long as Billy (Cundiff is) healthy, he'll be our kicker," Harbaugh said. "I think we were really fortunate that Shayne was available, and I think if anything happens in the future and if he's still available, I wouldn't be surprised that if someone had an issue, they would pick Shayne up right away."
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Jan 2 2012 - Andy Lee (49ers)
P Andy Lee set an NFL record for the highest net punting average in a season (43.99 yards). Lee beat the mark of 43.85 set by Oakland's Shane Lechler in 2009.
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Jan 2 2012 - Steve Johnson (Bills)
WR Stevie Johnson was benched by coach Chan Gailey for the final 3 1/2 quarters Sunday after Johnson was penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration following a first-quarter touchdown.
Johnson is an impending unrestricted free agent, and it's possible he's played his last game in Buffalo. On Monday, Gailey was asked if he wants the front office to re-sign Johnson, and he said, "Yes, and with stipulations. You love what Stevie does on the field before he scores touchdowns, you know. You just have to decide if he can and we can get that under control."
Johnson became the first Bills receiver to record back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and he became just the third wide receiver to have back-to-back 70-catch seasons.
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Jan 2 2012 - Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
TE Rob Gronkowski finished the season with 1,327 receiving yards, surpassing Kellen Winslow's record for receiving yards in a season by a tight end. Winslow had 1,290 yards in 1980.
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Jan 2 2012 - Von Miller (Broncos)
SLB Von Miller was benched for part of Sunday's loss after failing to seal the edge on Dexter McCluster's 21-yard touchdown run for Kansas City. Miller has struggled since breaking his right thumb. The cast he's wearing has made for difficult adjustments, and he has only one sack in four games since the injury.
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Jan 2 2012 - Antonio Brown (Steelers)
WR Antonio Brown, voted the team MVP last week by the players, became the first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards (1,108) and at least 1,000 return yards (1,062) in the same season.
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Jan 2 2012 - Ryan Clark (Steelers)
S Ryan Clark, a second alternate for the Pro Bowl, may not play in the high altitude of Denver, where his sickle cell trait caused a violent reaction in 2007 that required emergency surgery and nearly killed him. He did not play when the team visited Denver the next time in 2009.
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Jan 2 2012 - Anthony Madison (Steelers)
CB Anthony Madison, waived by Detroit in November, was in the process of signing with the Steelers. He would be used on special teams and also as a backup cornerback.
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Jan 2 2012 - Jared Allen (Vikings)
DE Jared Allen went into Sunday's game as a longshot to break Michael Strahan's record for sacks in a single season (22 1/2). He needed four to tie and 4 1/2 to break it. But he had 3 1/2 at the 5:20 mark of the third quarter and probably would have gotten the record had the Bears not had a lead that allowed them to run the ball and max-protect to Allen's side.
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Jan 1 2012 - Matthew Stafford (Lions)
QB Matthew Stafford had 520 passing yards and five touchdown passes against Green Bay, capping the most productive single season for a quarterback in Lions history with the most prolific single game in team history. He now owns the following single-season records: passing touchdowns (41), yardage (5,038), completions (421), 300-yard games (eight), games with passer rating of at least 100 (10) and completion percentage (64).
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Dec 28 2011 - Al Harris (Rams)
CB Al Harris, who was lost for the season after tearing his ACL on Nov. 13 against Cleveland, was at practice Wednesday visiting teammates. Harris said he will have surgery on his knee Jan. 13, but that his football career is over.
"I've probably hit every single goal I've set for myself and it's time to turn the page," Harris said. "I guess the injury was God's way of telling me it's time. When the guy upstairs is talking to you, you have to listen."
Harris, who is in his 14th season and turned 37 on Dec. 7, said he probably would have tried to play another year if he hadn't planted wrong and been injured.
He did say, "You'll see me again, as a coach."
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Dec 28 2011 - Tom Brady (Patriots)
QB Tom Brady has an opportunity to become just the third quarterback in NFL history to reach 5,000 yards in a season; he needs 103 yards in Sunday's finale to accomplish the feat.
Brady was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Patriots to a comeback win over the Dolphins at home last weekend. Brady rushed for two touchdowns and also three for 304 yards. This is the third time this season he's won the award; he also earned Player of the Week honors in Weeks 1 and 2.
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Dec 28 2011 - Cornelius Ingram (Broncos)
TE Cornelius Ingram was signed to Denver's practice squad, giving the team five tight ends on the roster. Ingram was a fifth-round draft pick of the Eagles in 2009 and spent most of the last three seasons on Philly's practice squad but also had a cup of coffee in Detroit. Ingram played both football and basketball at the University of Florida.
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Dec 28 2011 - Austin Sylvester (Broncos)
FB Austin Sylvester was added to Denver's active roster off Tampa Bay's practice squad. Sylvester spent nearly two months on Denver's practice squad before he was released and joined the Bucs' practice squad. The Broncos could immediately use Sylvester to help shore up some recent special teams coverage deficiencies.
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Dec 28 2011 - D.J. Jones (Ravens)
OT D.J. Jones was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad. Jones, who was released from the Dolphins' practice squad in October, fills the void created when WR David Reed went on injured reserve.
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