Cleveland Browns:
- "Shurmur feeling excited to have a real offseason this time around" (Chronicle-Telegram) - "The NFL lockout deprived Pat Shurmur of an offseason in his first year as Browns coach. So he was filled with extra enthusiasm Monday for the start of the team’s offseason program, even if the rules in the new collective bargaining agreement have limited the length and scope of the workouts."
- "Is Blackmon a smokescreen for Browns?" (AFC North Blog) - "How interested are the Cleveland Browns in Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon? No one will truly know until the Browns are on the clock on April 26."
- "Blackmon Ready For Draft; Open To Joining Browns" (92.3 The Fan) - "Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon along with Alabama running back Trent Richardson and LSU corner Morris Claiborne appear the top three targets for the Cleveland Browns with the fourth pick in next week’s draft."
- "Making the case for the Cleveland Browns to draft Trent Richardson" (Plain Dealer) - "Here's my draft night dream: The Browns flop picks with St. Louis. The Rams take Justin Blackmon at No. 4, Tampa Bay grabs Mo Claiborne at No. 5 and the Browns pick Richardson at No. 6 -- and add a second-round pick from the Rams."
NFL:
- "Best and worst NFL games of 2012 season" (Yahoo! Sports) - "1. Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos (Sunday, Sept. 9): It's fair to say that all eyes will be on this one as quarterback Peyton Manning is expected to make his return to the NFL."
- "Sean Payton told to call if he talks" (ESPN) - "Under the terms of his season-long suspension for his role in New Orleans' bounty program, coach Sean Payton is not allowed to have any contact with the Saints organization or anyone around the NFL, and if he does, must report it to league executive Ray Anderson, a source familiar with the suspension tells ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter."
- "Lions' Raiola can't justify suing for memory loss" (AP via SI.com) - "Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola says he expects to suffer from short-term memory loss when his career is over."
- "Three division rivals play twice in three games" (PFT) - "So I’m in the process of coming up with one observation from every team’s 2012 schedule, and I noticed an interesting trend."