If you’re surprised by the news the New York Giants are picking up wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s fifth-year option, all I can say is, I’m sorry you’ve been in a coma for three years. I’m glad you’re awake now and hope there’s no lasting damage.
We’ve all been throwing around the word “no-brainer” a lot when discussing the fifth-year option surge from the epic 2014 draft that continue to roll down the pike. It’s because what the 2013 draft lacked in legit star power, 2014 more than made up for it. OBJ is will soon be the highest paid wideout in all of football and I don’t expect for a second he’ll see his fifth year without a new deal.
Giants exercise Odell Beckham Jr.'s fifth-year option: https://t.co/LCom2J6HaD (via @KimJonesSports) pic.twitter.com/NPwpfo3gFk
— NFL (@NFL) April 24, 2017
At just 24, Beckham has three 1,300-plus yard seasons and never caught fewer than 10 touchdowns in a year. He’s obliterated all the Giants’ record books and if he stays healthy and hungry, he’ll take aim at the NFL’s as well. Currently Beckham Jr. has 288 career catches, 4,122 career yards and 35 career touchdowns.
Saints and Peterson hooking up?
Adrian Peterson might have finally found a spot to play in 2017. After visiting seemingly every team in the league, Peterson appears to be landing with the New Orleans Saints. According to the NFL Network, the Saints and Peterson are working on a one-year, $3.25 million deal that could be worth $4.25 million with incentives.
Sources: #Saints & Adrian Peterson believed to be closing in on a deal that’d pay him $3M+ in ’17. Not done, but moving in that direction.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2017
Peterson was hurt most of last season and only appeared in three games. The year before he led the league with 1,485 rushing yards on 327 carries. He scored 11 touchdowns and caught 30 passes for 22 yards. Peterson has led the league in rushing three different times.
With the Saints, Peterson will get a shot at a little payback against his former team. The Saints and Minnesota Vikings meet up in week one of the NFL regular season.
In other Saints moves, or non-moves as it were, the team has backed away from trade talks with the New England Patriots for cornerback Malcom Butler. The Saints and Butler, a restricted free agent, had worked out the skeleton of a contract, but could never reach an agreement with the Patriots on draft pick compensation. The Pats tendered Butler at the first-round level and the Saints were obviously unwilling to part with either of their two first round picks, one of which was acquired from New England for wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
Frankly, it’s smart for the Saints not to budge. I have them taking USC cornerback Adoree Jackson at the bottom of the first round and I’m not the only mock drafter to make that call. Butler is a proven commodity, but Jackson’s potential is sky high and if he isn’t there at 32, then that just means another elite player will fall into New Orleans’ lap. This is a deep draft at corner and the Saints could use one or more of their first three picks (12, 32 and 42) on the position and reap better dividends (and spend way less money) than with the Butler trade.
Jaylon Smith making strides
The Dallas Cowboys spent a second round pick on Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith last season knowing full well he’d never see the field in 2016. But will he make an appearance in 2017? It’s looking more likely.
.@thejaylonsmith hits a major milestone in his recovery: https://t.co/PNXvRSi3Z9 (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/bfwejnsViX
— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2017
Monday the NFL Network reported that the nerve damage in Smith’s knee had started to regenerate and he’s getting back his muscle control. That’s good news, but what does it mean for Smith on the field? The second-year linebacker is expected to participate in organized team activities wearing a knee brace this season so that’s good news.
Peppers had a diluted sample at the NFL Combine, Bama’s Foster too
It’s not going to keep Michigan safety Jabril Peppers from getting drafted, but it will land him in Stage One of the NFL’s Substance Abuse Policy right out of the gate. Peppers had a diluted sample at the combine, which is usually a sign a player is trying to cover up a possible positive test.
NFL notified teams that Michigan’s Jabril Peppers tested positive for a dilute sample at the combine, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2017
For his part, Peppers’ agent claims he was sick leading up to the combine and drank lots of water to prepare for his workouts. To his credit, Peppers never failed a drug test at Michigan.
“Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego,” a CAA spokesman told ESPN’s Adam Schefter in a statement. “He has a history of cramping. Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance.”
Lat last week it was revealed that Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster’s urine sample was also diluted. Foster claimed his diluted sample came as he was hydrating after suffering from food poisoning.
“I couldn’t eat much, but I had to drink water and Gatorade,” Foste said. “Then a few coaches said something about me being too light. And I’m a coach-pleaser. I don’t care what everybody thinks, but I care what coaches think. So I drank and ate as much as I could without throwing up. Then I went in there, drinking and drinking water, trying to flush out my system from whatever was making me sick and trying to keep my weight up and took the test.”
Dolphins had Reuben Foster in for a private visit before the deadline. They were also one of three teams to check him out this past weekend.
— Simon Clancy (@SiClancy) April 24, 2017
Foster will also begin his career in the NFL’s substance abuse program.
Other NFL News
Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey is recovering from a stem cell procedure on his injured hip and reportedly doing well. This is the second surgery for Pouncey on his hip over the last two seasons. Dolphins head coach Adam Gase expects Pouncey to be ready for week one of the NFL regular season.
The Buffalo Bills have chosen not to match the New England Patriots’ contract offer for restricted free agent running back Mike Gillislee. The Patriots offered Gillislee a two-year deal worth $6.4 million with $4 million coming in year one. The Bills will receive a fifth round pick from the Patriots as compensation.
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