NFL teams have begun preparations for the upcoming year as rookie minicamps have kicked off, and OTAs are right around the corner. Off the field, headlines are focused on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was announced as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 18. As we shift our focus back to the field, here are all the latest NFL rumors you need to know.
No teams have inquired about Colin Kaepernick
Contrary to one of Kaepernick's advisors saying that three teams have expressed interest in the free agent quarterback, his girlfriend claims that zero teams have reached out to Kaepernick. Via ProFootballTalk:
In response to the claim from Kaepernick adviser Harry Edwards that three teams inquired about Kaepernick, Kaepernick’s girlfriend has expressed skepticism.
Via NBC Sports Bay Area, Nessa Diab responded to the claims from Edwards by saying on Twitter, “What supposed ‘three’ teams? If this was really from his ‘adviser’ Colin would [have] known about it.”
Her message is the three inquiries to Edwards never became inquiries to Kaepernick, and that Edwards never shared with Kaepernick that inquiries had been made to Edwards.
Kaepernick passed for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing for 468 yards and two more touchdowns in 12 games last season for the San Francisco 49ers.
New Bills GM Brandon Beane will have total control over the 53-man roster
New Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott reportedly had more control over roster decisions that former general manager Doug Whaley, but he no longer has that power. According to ESPN's Mike Rodak, new general manager Brandon Beane - who replaced the fired Whaley - has total control over the final 53-man roster.
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula said Friday that new general manager Brandon Beane will have control over the 53-man roster.
Beane, however, emphasized that he and head coach Sean McDermott will take a collaborative approach on personnel decisions.
"It's going to be very similar to what Sean and I were used to Carolina," Beane said Friday at his introductory news conference. "I'm going to be over the football side. Sean's going to be over the coaches. But there's not a czar around here. Sean's not a czar. I'm not a czar. Every decision is going to be collaborative, together.
"I think that's the only way. I've seen it both ways, and the success I've had is when we're both seeing eye to eye. [Co-owner] Kim [Pegula] and Terry, me involved, we're going to do this together. Other people in the building. This is not a one-person approach."
Beane spent the last 19 seasons working in the Panthers organization, including the last two as assistant general manager. McDermott was Carolina's defensive coordinator from 2011-2016.
Cowboys to get Ezekiel Elliott more involved in 2017
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in rushing last season despite playing in just 15 games (and only played a few series in one of those games), but he could be in for an even bigger year in 2017.
Used almost exclusively as a runner last year, owner Jerry Jones said the team is planning on using Elliott more in the passing game as a receiver out of the backfield, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.
Fantasy football players take note: After leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie in 2016, Ezekiel Elliott will do even more in 2017, if Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has his way.
“He really is problematic for defenses in the passing game, and certainly every time we can get him the ball, I feel good about it,” Jones said.
"We have a lot of weapons on offense," Elliott said told reporters earlier in the week, addressing whether he'd be catching more passes. "We got a lot of guys that can catch the football, so I don't know if that's exactly going to happen. But it may."
“I just want to work on being a more dominant, second-level runner,” he said during the Reliant Home Run Derby at Dr Pepper Ballpark Monday. “I think a couple of times last year I could’ve been more elusive when I got to the second level. I just want to focus on altering my runs.”
Dallas wanted to make sure they didn't overwork Elliott in his rookie year, and was obviously most valuable as a runner, racking up 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns on 322 carries. He also caught just 32 passes for 363 yards and a touchdown - and never had more than four catches in a game. Expect that to change this fall.
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