NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News reports Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and his brother LeRon, gave assurances the $2,500 advance he got for an appearance he failed to show up for in northeastern Pennsylvania on March 11 was “ready to be returned.''

The McCoys still haven't returned the advance fee, and Bentley's, the Wilkes-Barre-area nightclub that LeSean stiffed, has been forced to send him a demand letter through their attorney asking once again for their money.

LeRon, who runs the promotion company that set up his brother's March 11 appearance, said last week that “we have reached out to reconcile and will continue.'' That's news to Bentley's, which has been unsuccessfully trying to reach McCoy or one of his representatives for 3 weeks now to get their money back.

McCoy committed to appear at Bentley's for a meet-and-greet and autograph-signing at the nightclub on March 11. According to LeRon McCoy, his brother had a flat tire on the way up to the event.

The nightclub offered to send a car down to pick up the running back. But LeRon said it wasn't big enough to fit both his brother and his brother's personal security. He ended up returning to Philadelphia after tweeting as late as 11 p.m. that he still was intending to make it up there.

“LeSean has always been known for his maturity and good-natured attitude,'' his brother said last week. “The last thing he would do is stiff a club out of money or disappoint fans.

“His image is very important to him. And because he's young, at times he doesn't know the gravity of certain situations. Which is why I take the blame for the whole debacle.''

The Giants remain circumspect about bringing back Plaxico Burress, but Michael Strahan says it’s a no-brainer according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. Strahan yesterday said he fails to see why the team would pass on Burress if the 33-year-old wide receiver is released as scheduled from a New York state prison in June after serving 21 months on a weapons charge.

Asked if he would re-sign his former teammate if he were running the Giants, Strahan said: “If he got out at 4 o’clock, he’d be a Giant by 4:05. The best thing that happened to Plaxico was Michael Vick,” the retired Giants defensive end and current FOX Sports NFL pregame host said. “It showed that you did something, you serve your time and that you come out and play and there’s redemption in it.

Plaxico injured himself, so there would probably be a lot more leeway with him than there was with Michael Vick,” Strahan added. “If you can forgive [Vick], then you have to forgive Plaxico.”

Joe Flacco expressed disappointment about the Ravens' intentions to wait on a contract extension until next offseason according to Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun. Flacco, who enters the final year of his contract in 2012, believes he deserves an extension this offseason after leading the Ravens to the playoffs for three straight seasons.

"I think I've established myself," Flacco said at Haruki Nakamura's Japan relief charity event at Ripken Stadium Saturday. "If you're not confident with who I am, I'm not sure what a year is going to make."

Flacco added, "Ideally for me, I would like to start talks this year. Next year, I feel like they would have to throw something in front of me that's going to be pretty legit in order for me to not play out my fifth year. If you don't sign me this year, you're making me play a whole year of my contract with no security. If you want to sign me after next year, what's playing six more months."

Flacco, 26, is the Ravens' all-time leading passer in yards (10,206), TD passes (60), completions (878) and attempts (1,416). He is just the third starting quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to reach the playoffs in his first three NFL seasons, joining Bernie Kosar and Dan Marino.

Last season, Flacco ranked in the top 11 in the NFL in completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns and quarterback rating. In the playoff win at Kansas City, Flacco recorded a quarterback rating of 115.4, a Ravens’ postseason record.

At the NFL owners meetings last month, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said that he would "anticipate" an extension for Flacco next year. "Our goal is to get it done for 2012 for sure," Bisciotti said.

It comes as no surprise that Vikings coach Leslie Frazier sees little chance he will be able to conduct the first of two mandatory minicamps next weekend according to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

As a first-year coach, under the now expired collective bargaining agreement, Frazier had the right to have two (instead of one) mandatory offseason camp. The NFL lockout means that teams can’t have any dealings with their players at this point.

"It's highly unlikely now,” he said. “We're less than a week away to try to get everybody in town and getting ready to go. Barring something clearly unforeseen, I don't think we're going to get it done. We're going to make a decision as a staff on Monday."

Asked if he would keep a second minicamp on the schedule, just at a later date, Frazier brought up an excellent point. That’s the fact a new CBA could eliminate the ability of a new coach to have a second mandatory minicamp. “There are so many things we don’t know,” he said. “We’re just kind of waiting to see.”

Appearing on CBS Radio in Charlotte Friday, Panthers General Manager Marty Hurney defended Auburn quarterback Cam Newton against Pro Football Weekly draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki’s brutal scouting report on the 2010 Heisman winner.

“I don’t pay much attention,” said Hurney. “(Nolan Nawrocki) has never met Cam Newton. So who’s he talked to? He says he’s talking to decision makers. We have the No. 1 pick. He hasn’t talked to me.” Hurney is a known backer of Jimmy Clausen, but he went out of his way to defend Newton against Nawrocki’s attack. Added Hurney, “(Nawrocki) did his job, he’s selling books.”

The Lions have been posting draft prospects visits on their web site which is something they have not done before according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

“The fact is, everybody in the league knows (whom we’re bringing in),” coach Jim Schwartz said during the NFL meetings last week. “So if everybody in the league knows, it really doesn’t matter. And if it’s interesting for the fans, … then I’m all for it.”

Schwartz said the Lions monitor other teams’ visit lists and factor what prospects go where in their draft preparations. But he warned not to read too much into those lists, pointing out, “We didn’t bring Jahvid Best in last year.” The Lions tried to hide their interest in Best last spring, then traded up to get him at the end of the first round on draft day.

According to Albert Breer of NFL Network, the feeling at Valley Ranch is that the Cowboys remain committed to wide receiver Dez Bryant despite his recent mall incident and string of lawsuits for unpaid jewelry. Sources tell Breer that there’s plenty of in-house concern, but owner Jerry Jones has “built a bridge” with Bryant, and is a believer in second and third chances.

One team source observed that Bryant has a “lack of life skills” at age 22. Another says he’s “never seen that before” when talking about Bryant’s on-field talent. Said a third source, “A lot of it is not his fault, it’s because of the way he was brought up. He’s got a good heart, and the best intentions, but all this stuff happens and it takes away from that.”