Daily Briefing

AROUND THE NFL The NFL is saddened again this weekend – this time by the passing of popular coach Darryl Drake.  Blake Schuster of YahooSports.com:   Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Darryl Drake died overnight, the team announced Sunday. He was 62.   “We are at a loss for words following Darryl Drake’s passing this…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH   GREEN BAY Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com doesn’t like the little digs he detects emitting from Packers QB AARON RODGERS.   First, the “audible thing.” Then, the “joint practice thing.” It’s hard not to wonder what “thing” will come next between one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and…

AROUND THE NFL Only now is the NFL announcing plans for this season’s Pro Bowl.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:   The Pro Bowl is remaining in Orlando for at least one more year.   The NFL announced today that the 2020 Pro Bowl will take place the weekend before the Super Bowl in Orlando,…

AROUND THE NFL Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says there was a bargaining session on Monday.   With one month to go until the regular season begins, it’s highly unlikely that a new labor deal will be struck before the Packers and Bears kick off from Chicago on September 5. But that isn’t stopping the two…

AROUND THE NFL One constant in the NFL has been change in the playoff lineup from year to year, usually about half the field.  Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic ranks this year’s candidates to crack the postseason.   The 2018 postseason featured seven teams that missed out on the playoffs in 2017. While that’s slightly…

AROUND THE NFL The NFL is going to have an expanded class for its 2020 Hall of Fame contingent, with an emphasis on old timers.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:   The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Board of Trustees approved a special Centennial Class for 2020. That means the Class of 2020 could include 20…

AROUND THE NFL NFC EAST   DALLAS Hunker down for a long holdout between the Cowboys and RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT.  This tweet from Jane Slater of NFL.com:   @SlaterNFL  How close is this Zeke deal to getting done? A source informed told me, “close? Nope.” So, what are the sticking points? The guarantee? Length? “Everything”…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH   CHICAGO John Breech of CBSSports.com checks in on the Bears kicking battle:   After getting off to an ugly start in the spring, the Bears kicking competition is suddenly starting to heat up.   Although kicking battles don’t usually make headlines during training camp, the competition in Chicago has…

AROUND THE NFL Ken Belson of the New York Times hears that the NFL will indeed aggressively push for an 18-game regular season.   After a relatively quiet off-season, N.F.L. players and coaches are back in training camp.   The league’s owners and players union, though, have been at work for most of the summer,…

AROUND THE NFL An update on the talks (or lack) concerning a new CBA.  Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com:   Monday’s collective bargaining session between the NFL and the NFL Players Association has been postponed, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Sunday.   The plan is to reschedule the session for sometime during the first week of…

AROUND THE NFL DE NICK BOSA, #2 overall, signed his rookie contract with the 49ers on Thursday.  That left #3 overall DT QUINNEN WILLIAMS of the Jets as the lone unsigned first round selection.  From ESPN:    The San Francisco 49ers have finally come to terms with No.2-overall pick Nick Bosa on a four-year contract…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH   DETROIT Coach Matt Patricia is ailing.  Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com:   There’s not a list to put him on, but Lions coach Matt Patricia isn’t physically ready for training camp.   Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Patricia was on a scooter early Thursday after having surgery…