Quotables: DeMarco Murray wants more carries, Pouncey twins proclaim innocence
The oft-injured Murray wants to handle 300 carries this season for the Cowboys, while Mike and Maurkice Pouncey are lawyering up against their accuser.
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- Jeff Ostrow, attorney for Mike and Maurkice Pouncey
Over the weekend, a man named Riquan James accused Mike and Maurkice Pouncey of assaulting him at the twins’ annual birthday bash. Pro Football Talk reported that preliminary evidence suggests the Pounceys were not involved in the incident, and now the brothers’ lawyer is fighting back.
“Mike and Maurkice were not involved in any altercation with the accuser or anyone else that night and did nothing wrong,” Jeff Ostrow wrote in the statement to Miami Herald. “It appears that the accuser is an opportunist seeking attention and possible financial gain. Any attempt by the accuser or anyone else to bring an action against them based upon these false allegations will be vigorously defended.”
The accuser has yet to speak with police and no criminal charges have been filed.
“If they decide to do that with me, of course. Whatever they decide to do with me, I think I can handle it.”
- DeMarco Murray on whether he can handle 300 carries this season
Despite a history of injuries, DeMarco Murray wants the Dallas Cowboys to start handing him the ball more in 2014. To the tune of 300 carries, ideally.
Murray, who has averaged around 180 carries a year during his career, said he is prepared to take on a heavier load and is willing to tweak his running style in order to stay healthy enough to do so.
“You just have to take care of your body and know when to go and fight for that extra yard or inch and know when not to,” Murray told Fox Sports. “That’s something about just being a smarter football player in general and knowing when you’re helping your team and when you’re hurting your team.”
Murray was on pace to approach the 300 carry mark last season before a midseason thigh injury cost him two full games and limited him in two others.
“I didn’t get into to football to learn litigation. I got into football to win games with my teammates, friends and coaches. I am extremely happy to get back to what it’s really about.”
With his long litigation battle and contract negotiations with the New Orleans Saints finally behind him, Jimmy Graham is ready to get back to football. A day after signing a four-year, $40 million contract, the tight end told the Saints website that he's "beyond excited" to be back with the team.
Graham was locked into a 4½-month standoff with the Saints over a long-term contract and filed a grievance when the team franchise tagged him as a tight end instead of a wideout. That argument became moot when the star inked his new deal, which gives him the highest average annual salary among NFL tight ends.
"This is Andre Johnson's city. He is Houston."
Amid all the recent clamor in Houston to land an NBA star, Texans running back Arian Foster said the face of the city is still his teammate Andre Johnson, who's been reportedly lobbying for a trade. With that said, Foster said he understands Johnson's desire to move on from his adopted city.
“I understand where he’s coming from,” Foster told KPRC2. “I really do. This is a business and people forget that it’s a business. He’s at the point of his career where he doesn’t want money now. He just wants to go win.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported last week that four teams have inquired about obtaining Johnson, but the Texans haven’t shown interest in dealing their star.
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