Miami Dolphins 12/29/2007 8:47 AMThe Palm Beach Post reports Fridays usually are pretty sedate as far as NFL practices go. Wednesdays and Thursdays are difficult, but the last session before a game is more like a dress rehearsal. That certainly wasn't the case on this Friday. Not when Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells strolled onto the field to observe the season's final practice. "Finally, it made sense to me why he has been successful," said RB Samkon Gado, who joined the Dolphins in late October. "This was one practice, the last practice of the year. Normally, it's supposed to be a goof-around practice, especially in our situation. "But it was the most focused practice since I've been here. Guys were just in tune."Read more
Chicago Bears 12/29/2007 8:44 AMThe Chicago Sun-Times reports sometimes the best deals are the ones not made. While Patrick Crayton's four-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys removes some competition for WR Bernard Berrian on the free-agent market come March, it could help to drive down his price. Berrian declined an extension with the Bears in June that would have guaranteed him roughly $7.5million. Crayton's agent admitted his client took less to remain with the Cowboys, getting a $6 million signing bonus in a four-year, $14 million contract. Teams might try to use the framework of Crayton's contract as a No. 2 receiver when dealing with Berrian and agent Drew Rosenhaus.Read more
Indianapolis Colts 12/29/2007 8:41 AMThe Indianapolis Star reports one of the most influential members of the Colts defense now is one of its highest paid. Pro Bowl S Bob Sanders has signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract that includes approximately $20 million in guarantees, a person with knowledge of the situation said Friday. Neither Sanders nor his agent, Tom Condon, could be reached for comment. A Colts spokesman said the team had no comment. Sanders, 26, would have been an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Now, he is the highest-paid safety in NFL history. Sanders' new deal surpasses the one Pittsburgh gave in July to Troy Polamalu: five years, $33 million, $15.375 million in guarantees.Read more
Cincinnati Bengals 12/29/2007 8:38 AMThe Dayton Daily News reports WR Chad Johnson couldn't help himself. The Bengals wide receiver quit talking to the Cincinnati media on Oct. 22 after the team's 2-4 start. Naturally, he chose this week â his homecoming in Miami â to break his silence and toss the Dolphins media a few tasty morsels. "It's just been a very hurtful year for me," Johnson told the Palm Beach Post. "All I want to do is win, and people are taking the way I play the game and approach the game as a negative and trying to twist it into the reason why we're not being successful. "The way I play the game and the passion that I play the game with has been turned into a negative because we're not winning. So now I'm the bad guy."Read more
