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Kevin Demoff, the man responsible for negotiating a contract for No. 1 pick Sam Bradford with the St. Louis Rams, will return from vacation next week and then it's down to business.

The Rams will open up negotiations with Tom Condon, the agent for Bradford, according to a report by Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The hope, of course, is to have the man the team is rebuilding around on the field for the start of training camp, something the Detroit Lions accomplished a year ago with their quarterback, Matthew Stafford.

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Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, said he fully expects to be under contract in time to open training camp in late July.

Filed under: Lions, NFL Training Camp

Jonathan Wade was a bust as a third-round draft pick in St. Louis. The former University of Tennessee standout started just six games in three seasons, including the first four of the 2009 season. The last was a 35-0 loss at San Francisco. He was benched for good.

So when Wade talks big -- like he did during the Detroit Lions' three-day mini-camp this week -- it's not like hearing from Champ Bailey or Darrelle Revis.

But that's OK with Lions coach Jim Schwartz.

"If you have a confidence problem and you're a corner, you're not going to be a corner very long," Schwartz told reporters in Allen Park, Mich. "You have to have a short memory and you have to be able to put bad plays and mistakes behind you. That's part of the mentality."

Clearly, Wade has no problem erasing the negative, regardless of whether he's been part of it. The guy experienced one victory with the Rams last season -- and a total of six in his three seasons -- and after being dispatched into the free-agency pool, signed with the Lions, who won a combined two games the previous two seasons.

Wade, though, became the latest in a line of outspoken and optimistic Lions -- joining veteran tackle Jon Jansen and blossoming second-year safety Louis Delmas -- to jump on the turnaround bandwagon and vow the club will make the playoffs in 2010.

"It's been said. I've heard it. I want you to write this down," Wade told The Detroit Free Press. "Jonathan Wade now says we're going to make the playoffs -- 9-7."

 

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In addition to the Jaguars, the Lions will have also forfeit practice sessions for violating league policy on offseason workouts. The Lions will give up OTAs on June 21 and June 22. [...]

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Well done. You mounted a (mostly) reasoned and largely robust defense this week of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who I suggested would f...

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Here's what's happening around the National Football League on Monday, May 17, 2010:

o. Linebacker Matt Roth essentially forced his way out of Miami last season, thanks to what he claimed was a groin injury that team doctors couldn't diagnose and Roth refused to play through. Now, Roth is trying to wiggle out of Cleveland, too.

Roth, who joined Cleveland midway through 2009 after the Dolphins released him, has asked the Browns to trade him before the 2010 season starts, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Roth is a restricted free agent, but has yet to sign his tender -- Roth wants a long-term deal from the Browns, but the two sides haven't come close to an agreement.

The Browns were no doubt counting on the sixth-year linebacker to hold down a starting spot on the outside, but as it stands now, it's hard to envision Roth and Cleveland reuniting.

o. Elvis Dumervil, a restricted free agent coming off a 17-sack season, showed up for the start of Denver's Offseason Team Activities (OTAs) despite his quest to receive a long-term contract.

 

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The St. Louis Rams picked Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the No. 1 selection in the NFL draft Thursday night, hoping he can help revive a franchise that has slid a long way from its days as "The Greatest Show on Turf."

The Detroit Lions' biggest need is talent. Ndamukong Suh and Jahvid Best seem to have a lot of it.

Stafford (knee) is not yet 100 percent, MLive.com reports. [...]

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Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford will need help to lead a turnaround. He believes he's getting it.

Last year the Detroit Lions knew well in advance that they'd use the No. 1 pick in the draft on quarterback Matthew Stafford, and all of the franchise's key players were on board with that decision.This year the Lions have...

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PewterReport.com reports there is a chance the Detroit Lions could select Oklahoma State OT Russell Okung with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft in order to help protect QB Matthew Stafford.

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Here is the reality of holding the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft these days: You’re stuck with it.

For more than five years now, teams drafting in the top five sports in the draft have traditionally done everything they can to deal down. No one wants to own a pick that high with the massive guaranteed money that is involved. The Detroit Lions forked over $41 million guaranteed to quarterback Matthew Stafford a year ago.

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Filed under: Rams, Redskins, NFL Draft, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Rams want to take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the No. 1 pick in the draft. The question is whether they actually will. There are concerns about Bradford's shoulder, but unless he shows up at his pro day next week throwing left-handed, the shoulder isn't likely to be as big a stumbling block as money is. Bradford will be looking for a contract greater than the one the Lions gave top pick Matthew Stafford last year (six years, $72 million with $41.7 million guaranteed), and since he has the same agents Stafford has, you know they can pull it off.

If the Rams pass, where does that leave Bradford? Detroit and Tampa Bay, who pick second and third, got their quarterbacks in last year's draft. So unless somebody trades up into one of those two spots, that would leave the Redskins at No. 4. They'd love to take Bradford. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday that the only pre-draft workouts he plans to attend personally are those of the top available quarterbacks. Shanahan met with one of Bradford's agents at the NFL league meetings this week. And it's entirely possible that the Bradford camp would rather see him in Washington playing for Shanahan than in St. Louis.

 

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Nicholas J. Cotsonika, of the Detroit Free Press, reports Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford (shoulder, knee) is not running full-speed to start the teams offseason conditioning program this week, but he says he is fine otherwise and expects to be able to participate fully in team workouts. Stafford said, The shoulder feels good. The knees coming along. I threw today full speed, felt pretty good. Obviously, its just going to keep getting better. Im excited to be back and ready to go.

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Even though quarterback Matthew Stafford has only played part of one season, he's already consulting with general manager Martin Mayhew and the rest of the Detroit Lions' front office about player moves.

Filed under: 49ers, Lions

When San Francisco reached out and nabbed quarterback David Carr off the free-agent market last week, it essentially spelled the end of Shaun Hill's time with the 49ers.

And now the official end of Hill's San Fran days appear to be upon us. According to Matt Maiocco of the Press Democrat, the Niners have traded Hill to Detroit for a 2011 seventh-round draft choice.

The Niners no doubt had hopes of a higher return for Hill, who started 14 games over the past two seasons, but instead settled for just unloading him.

 

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Although Matthew Stafford (knee, shoulder) has been fully cleared to practice, he won't participate in all the drills during next weeks offseason workout. [...]

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Coach Jim Schwartz says that Matthew Stafford (knee, shoulder) should be ready to go for OTAs next week. "I don't think he'll have a whole lot of restrictions," Schwartz said. [...]

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We have been tracking guaranteed money on this blog ever since Detroit committed quarterback Matthew Stafford to an NFL-record $41.7 million on the ev...

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