Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline was absent for the majority of OTA and minicamp practices due to what was at one point believed to be a strained calf.
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick replaced an injured and ineffective Kevin Kolb in 2010, and led Philadelphia to an 8-3 record while posting a 21:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio and playing terrific football.
No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Luck has yet to sign his rookie contract, a fact that has been turned into a story by a media starved for news between the end of spring practices and training camp.
Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher is feeling good about his recovery from last year’s knee injury, and he’s also feeling confident about his future in the league.
Coming out of Auburn, 2011 No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton was billed in many circles as a run-first quarterback who played in a gimmicky college spread offense and would struggle to make NFL throws.
Florio wrote earlier this month about how quarterback Jay Cutler’s public comments on unsigned franchise player Matt Forte’s in-progress contract talks undermined Forte’s leverage in negotiations with the Bears.
Coach Leslie Frazier stated late last year that backup quarterback Joe Webb played so well in relief down the stretch that the Vikings would have to give him a “hard look” during the 2012 offseason, perhaps even as competition for 2011 first-round pick Christian Ponder.
Former USC Trojans recruit Brian Banks’ workouts around the league have all reportedly gone reasonably well, with the lone real negative being that Banks isn’t yet in football shape.
The spin coming out of Cleveland claims that Colt McCoy is competing with rookie Brandon Weeden and veteran Seneca Wallace for the Browns’ starting quarterback job.
Bengals cornerback Pacman Jones’ appointment as speaker at the NFL’s annual rookie symposium probably drew a few eyerolls from cynics who have every right to be cynical about Jones, considering his long history of transgressions.
The writing was on the wall about a year ago when Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson dropped some $25,000 at a Los Angeles nightclub to fund his Jaccpot Records launch party.
