St. Louis Rams 02/21/2007 8:07 AMThe St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports with the start of the free agency and trading period just 10 days away, the Rams are coming close to decision time on several veteran players, including C Andy McCollum and OG Adam Timmerman. "As of right now, we're still kind of status quo," HC Scott Linehan said Tuesday. "If we made a decision on one or both, it would probably be something we'd do prior to March 2. I've met with Jay about it."Read more
Dallas Cowboys 02/21/2007 8:03 AMThe Star-Telegram reports Cowboys C Andre Gurode figures that should his play regress there will be no need to check caller ID when his phone rings. "I'm sure if I slip, I'll get a call from [former Cowboys coach] Bill Parcells saying, 'You're getting lazy,'" Gurode said Tuesday. Earlier in the afternoon, Gurode signed a six-year contract extension worth $30 million, including a $10 million signing bonus, making him one of the NFL's highest paid centers.Read more
Indianapolis Colts 02/21/2007 8:00 AMThe Indianapolis Star reports through some bookkeeping maneuvers with the contracts of QB Peyton Manning and DE Robert Mathis, the Indianapolis Colts lowered each player's 2007 salary-cap number and created more than $11 million in cap savings. The team lowered Manning's $16.533 million cap number to $8.2 million by guaranteeing a $10 million roster bonus he is due and converting it to a signing bonus that can be pro-rated over the life of the contract. An identical tactic was used with Mathis. By converting a $3.9 million roster bonus into a signing bonus and prorating it, the Colts lowered his cap number from $7.11 million to approximately $3.99 million. Neither player took a pay decrease. By lowering their '07 cap numbers, the Colts increased future cap obligations of both. The NFL's '07 salary cap is expected to be $109 million.Read more
