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We are less than two weeks away from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and colleges will hold their pro days starting only a few days after that. [ See pro day schedule .] While my first-round mock draft will likely change (perhaps quite a bit) later this month, I still decided to make a pre-combine update. Over the next couple of weeks, I plan on adding a second (and perhaps) third round to my mock and then at some point in March to release my first 2013 NFL mock draft. For now... Read Full Story

The deadline for NFL franchises to designate a player as their franchise player is March 5th and Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane from the Philadelphia Inquirer writes " count on " the Eagles franchising receiver DeSean Jackson by then. Teams can begin to designate their franchise players, if applicable, on February 20th. While he certainly outplayed the value of his rookie contract (four years for $3 million), Jackson let his frustration with the lack of new deal get the better of him... Read Full Story

The NFL Scouting Combine will be held later this month (Feb. 22-28) in Indianapolis and then soon thereafter college football programs will hold their Pro Days beginning with Missouri on March 1st and ending with McNeese State on April 6th. Here is a list of all scheduled Pro Days ( via NFL.com ): March 1: Missouri March 2: Cincinnati March 5: Alabama-Birmingham, Hawaii, McNeese State March 6: Alabama A&M;, Arkansas, Auburn, California Lutheran, Clark, Georgia Tech, Rhode Island... Read Full Story

According to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, Steelers receiver Hines Ward won't be back with the team next year . Heading into the final year of his current deal, Ward is due to earn $4 million next year and he's coming off the least productive season he has had since his rookie season. Last year, Ward finished with 46 receptions for 381 yards and two touchdowns. From Week 7 to 17, Ward had only 144 yards and no touchdowns. Teammates Mike Wallace (1,193) and Antonio Brown (1,108) both 1... Read Full Story

Earlier this morning, I released my initial fantasy football rankings for 2012. One thing is certain: They will change a lot from now until the start of the 2012 NFL season. At the top of my tight end rankings , you will find New England's Rob Gronkowski, who had arthroscopic surgery on his ankle this morning, and New Orleans' Jimmy Graham in the top two spots. And from site to site, that will (should) be the case. As we do every Friday, we respond to a weekly fantasy football roundtable... Read Full Story

Not only did Drew Brees become the first player to have two 5,000-yard seasons, but this time he broke Dan Marino's previous single-season record of 5,084 passing yards. In fact, he shattered it. The Saints quarterback threw for 5,476 as he broke the record in his 15th game of the season. Brees broke a number of other records this year including completions (468), completion percentage (71.2 percent) and 300-yard games (13). In his two postseason games this year, Brees threw the second... Read Full Story

The Jaguars had the league's worst-ranked offense, which makes what running back Maurice Jones-Drew did all that more impressive. Jacksonville averaged only 259.3 yards per game of total offense, but that was primarily due to their deficiencies in the passing game. The Jaguars averaged only 136.2 passing yards per game in 2011. Despite having to face many eight-men fronts, Jones-Drew led the NFL in rushing with 1,606 yards. And perhaps more impressively, he became the first running back... Read Full Story

Detroit's Calvin Johnson had some (very) good seasons going into the 2011 season. With elite size (6-5, 235 pounds) and athleticism, however, Megatron seemed capable of even more, especially with improved quarterback play. Not only did Matthew Stafford, the top overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft , stay healthy for 16 games, he is one of only (now) four quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for 5,000-plus yards. Meanwhile, Johnson blew away his previous career highs. In 2011 (previous highs... Read Full Story

When you begin to discuss fantasy tight ends, the conversation has to start with a pair of second-year players that had the two best years anyone has ever had at that position from a statistical standpoint. Although they finished sixth and seventh in the NFL in receiving yards, tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham were two of only three players to finish with 90-plus receptions for 1,300-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns along with Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. Gronkowski... Read Full Story

The three-year deal the Raiders gave cornerback Stanford Routt last February turned into a five-year, $54.5 million deal when they restructured the contract and added two more years in August. Six months later, the Oakland Raiders have announced today via their Twitter account that they have released Routt . Despite intercepting four passes last year, Routt was inconsistent and led the NFL in penalties (17), as noted by Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune . "From where we are, we've... Read Full Story