NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The NFL and players resumed talks on Tuesday, according to sources, in an attempt to build off last week’s secret talks in suburban Chicago, and work toward a resolution to end the three-month-old lockout.

The location of this set of talks remains unknown. Last week’s meeting lasted three days, running into Friday’s hearing at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis, on the NFL’s appeal of a lockout-lifting injunction granted to the players by a district court.

Following that set of talks, the league and players put out a joint statement. “The parties met pursuant to court mediation,” the statement said. “Owners and players were engaged in confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan.

The court has ordered continued confidentiality of the mediation sessions.” Both sides in this week’s negotiating sessions are using the same cast of characters as last week, a source with knowledge of the situation told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.

The player who some say single-handily sent the Ohio State Buckeyes into disarray has announced he is leaving the school for his senior season. QB Terrelle Pryor announced through his attorney today that he will not play again for Ohio State.

“In the best interest of my teammates, I have made the decision to forgo my senior year of football at The Ohio State University,” Pryor said in statement released by Larry James.

James said Pryor would evaluate his options about his final year of eligibility.

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Yesterday's release of Plaxico Burress after serving a 20 month sentence on gun charges has plenty in the media speculating where he might end up in 2011. Most short lists or "Top Fives" around the web have Baltimore as a possible destination. On the surface it might seem to be a good idea since the Ravens offense took a step backward last season and couldn't they use a dependable offensive weapon?

I hope it's just Internet chatter because I don't want to see Burress in purple next season. My opinion has nothing to do with the stupidity of carrying a handgun in your sweatpants or the "character issues" that he would bring to a team. Honestly the NFL is built on second chances. He did the crime and the time and deserves to make a living if someone wants him. I just don't think it should be in Baltimore and here's why.

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Giants GM Jerry Reese left little doubt regarding Brandon Jacobs future with the team. According to Reese, when responding to Jacobs talking on SIRUS about his contract, Plaxico and other matters, Resse said: "We do expect Brandon to be part of the football team this fall. He is under contract. Brandon does talk a lot and like I said, sometimes you got to tune some of that stuff out that he is talking about."

Reese also expects Jacobs to have a bigger role in the offense next season, too. Jacobs is due $4.65 this coming season. RB Ahmad Bradshaw is a free agent. The Giants also expect to sign him to a pricey long term deal, which left Jacobs status in question. However, it seems he'll be back, too.

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When asked last week if Plaxico Burress could return to the Giants, Jacobs responded by saying there's "no chance." Now all the sudden Jacobs is saying otherwise.

"I mean, I think there's a chance the Giants… I mean, I know they probably want him back. But with him having more options to pick from I don't know how that's going to work out."

When asked if Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin would welcome him back, Jacobs responded:

"No question about it. I do think so. Coach Coughlin wants to win, so he knew what we had was very special before this whole incident happened.  The Giants want to win, Coach Coughlin wants to win, we want to win as a team and as an organization, so it would be smart to make at least an attempt.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, there are three potential landing spots for former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress: Rams (rejoin Steve Spagnuolo), Dolphins (Brandon Marshall concerns) and Jets (3 Free agent WRs).

1. The Rams – They need a playmaker for Sam Bradford moving forward, and it looks like if they don’t get Burress, they may target Randy Moss. The Rams were a game away from making the playoffs a season ago, and adding Burress could be the thing that puts them over the top as the best team in the NFC West.

2. The Dolphins – Miami is another team that could use a playmaker at WR, and with the questions surrounding the recent domestic issues with Brandon Marshall, the team may need someone to fill the void. If the Dolphins can sign him, they become an immediate threat to the Pats and Jets in the division, and combined with Marshall they could be the best set of pass catchers in the AFC.

3. The Jets – An obvious choice for Burress, going back to the big lights in New York playing for a players coach in Rex Ryan. The Jets have been one step away from the Super Bowl the past two seasons, and adding Burress and putting him with maybe Santonio Holmes (allowing Braylon Edwards to go elsewhere) gives them a solid combo at WR. One downfall might be being in NY, where the issues that sent him to prison happened.

My Choice: I like St.Louis. As I stated, Bradford needs a playmaker, and that WR core is in the worst shape of the three, and not only could they use a Burress, they really NEED a Burress. I like the fact Burress has history with Steve Spagnuolo, and think playing in a division like the NFC West he could shine and maybe even lead the team in catches and yards in helping the Rams reach the playoffs.

Mac’s Football Blog talks today about Michael Crabtree not exactly being sold on Alex Smith being the QB of the Niners in 2011.

After being a no-show throughout the San Francisco 49ers team workouts, which have been organized by free agent quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Michael Crabtree arrived for Monday’s mini-camp and instantly made some waves, Matthew Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reports.

From Barrows:

When I asked Crabtree if he thought throwing with the quarterback was beneficial toward improving chemistry, he asked, “Who’s the quarterback?” When I responded, Alex Smith, Crabtree said, “He’s the quarterback? I’m just asking.”

The 49ers are expected to re-sign Smith once the lockout ends, and the former first overall pick is in possession of Jim Harbaugh’s playbook. Smith has been throwing to 49ers receivers throughout the lockout, and it’s pretty obvious that Smith will be “The Man” in San Francisco, at least for the 2011 season.

Crabtree has been working out in the Bay Area for two months, and is certainly aware that Smith has been organizing these workouts. Crabtree assuredly talks to the 49ers receivers (Josh Morgan, Ted Ginn, etc…) who are attending the workouts. Crabtree’s lack of attendance and uncertainty as to who the quarterback could suggests that there’s a frostiness to his relationship with Smith which could potentially undermine the leadership that Smith has attempted to demonstrate during the lockout.

What’s unclear is why there would be a rift between the two.

In 27 career games, Crabtree has been targeted 187 times and has 103 receptions for 1,366 yards and eight touchdowns. Smith has been the quarterback for 22 of those games, with Crabtree catching 88 of the 157 passes Smith has thrown his way for 1,122 yards and five touchdowns.

This will certainly be a relationship to watch when the lockout ends and camp opens up.

Senior writer jclombardi reviews NFL lockout and McCarthy news.

We apologize for being away. Big international events are happening with the Western states calling us to comeback and stay for a long visit. Meanwhile, Packers news is pretty trivialized stuff, until the NFL lockout is settled. Yet, we decided to put in our two cents worth for fans asking, "How did it come to this?", again?  For these past months after Packers won the Super Bowl into the offseason, fans and pundits asked that saner, smarter & cooler heads prevail to end the lockout hoping to prevent another short strike season like the 1982 season. We can remember that memorial Starr-led Packer season.  Now, the lockout legal battle has reached the 8^th circuit appeal court, while we await its decision. The historical and legal background details about the current NFL lockout are documented on various sources including ESPN: NFL Lockout:

The 8th Circuit put District Judge Nelson’s ruling on hold favoring the players while they consider the appeal. The judges urged both sides to get back to the bargaining table and hammer out a deal. Judge Bye told attorneys on Friday that if no deal is done before the panel comes to a conclusion, they will likely offer up a decision that will be “probably something both sides aren’t going to like.” The owners argue, among other things, that Nelson did not have the jurisdiction to lift the lockout while the National Labor Relations Board is considering an unfair labor charge brought by the league against the players. The two sides are engaged in a sometimes bitter dispute over how to divide $9 billion in revenue, a fight that has already caused some minicamps and offseason programs to be lost, free agency and trades to be delayed and resulted in employees for teams having their paychecks cut. The start of training camp is less than two months away. Teams are already making contingency plans if the lockout drags on.

In addition, the bigger legal issue being played out in the court system involves the NFL's right to nonstatutory labor exemption and the future implications. We can see that Bye's remarks have merit for both sides to consider ending the lockout. Meanwhile, PFT reports that teams are making contingency plans planning to go as short as an eight game season:

At a time when signs of real optimism finally are beginning to emerge regarding a labor deal that would allow the season to start on time, Kaplan of Sports Business Journal reports that the NFL is planning for a season that would be as short as eight games. In 1982, the NFL played only nine games due to a strike, and no one ever questions the legitimacy of the Redskins' Super Bowl trophy.

Meanwhile, some legal analysts say that the owners will fold when either the NLRB or the federal courts inform the NFLPA about a date that they can legally decertify. The thinking is that the NFLPA will be allowed to decertify. Then the NFL will have to go back to paying the players, while the big anti-trust lawsuit continues to proceed in the legal system. We shall see, but this sad Greek black sports theater continues, while Packers fans and the sports world wonder how it reached this point again!

Finally, Coach McCarthy had some interesting amusing news at the annual Mike McCarthy Celebrity Open at Green Bay Country Club stating he missed the players and hoped to see an end to the lockout.  As good news, the Packers got exemptions to the lockout rules for the annual Tailgate Tour and for June 16^th during a Packers private ceremony when players and staff get their Super Bowl rings.