In the wake of the NFL Draft, news around the league is slowing as the league enters offseason mode. There were still plenty of stories to make headlines Thursday, though. The reigning Super Bowl champs made one of the biggest moves of the day.
NFL news roundup: Bryant McKinnie signs with Ravens and more
New contracts, player arrests and trash-talking. Are you sure this is the slow part of the year for the NFL?
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It's hard to recall the initial concerns about the Ravens' offseason now. After adding a few key free agents and another solid draft class, the Ravens managed to sweep in and re-sign offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie Thursday afternoon. Dallas, Miami and San Diego all showed some interest in the veteran recently, but he's sticking with Baltimore for a two-year, $7 million contract.
The state of the spread
From pistols to zone reads, spread offenses have evolved to storm the NFL. The college game is where the philosophy continues to innovate and expand. And in no state is the spread philosophy currently more universal than in Mississippi. With McKinnie off the market, the talent pool for tackles dries up a bit more. Tyson Clabo and Eric Winston remain among the few players with the potential to make an impact at that position. What else happened in the NFL?
Trash-talking ultimately boiled over into a friendly race between the two Eagles. After McCoy called Vick old, the 32-year-old quarterback went on to burn him in a 40-yard dash. It appears Vick still has his wheels. Will his speed prevent him for hemorrhaging turnovers again next season?
Defensive end Claude Davis and cornerback Cliff Harris were released by New York on Tuesday. News of the two players being arrested came to light on Thursday. They were taken into custody Monday after being charged with possession of marijuana. Neither player has seen regular season action. It will be an uphill battle to change that fact going forward.
The veteran pass rusher was released on May 1, and still hasn't found a new team to call home. Tennessee is likely only searching for a situational pass rusher, but Abraham could be the next addition to a defensive line that accumulated 39 sacks in 2012. Dwight Freeney is also expected to make a visit with the Titans. Which veteran wins?
The second-most accurate kicker in history is calling it quits after a lengthy string of injury issues. Kaeding tore his ACL at the beginning of 2011, and also landed on injured reserve after injuring his groin last season. An aggravation of that same issue led him to announce his retirement Wednesday.
Tampa Bay will retire Warren Sapp's number and induct him into the team's Ring of Honor. In nine seasons with the Buccaneers, Sapp recorded 77 sacks, a franchise record. He played his last four seasons with the Raiders, adding another 19.5 sacks to his career total. Sapp will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Now he'll become the fifth member of the Buccaneers' prestigious group.
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