NFL News Blog

The San Diego Chargers has signed first-round pick Larry English to a five-year contract. The deal was announced Friday night by the club. English was the 16th overall pick in April. He is expected to join the team in time for Saturday's training-camp practice at Chargers Park. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound linebacker is from northern Illinois.
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Two-time Pro Bowl guard Mike Wahle has retired after being released by the Seattle Seahawks for failing a physical before their first practice of training camp. Seahawks coach Jim Mora said Friday the 32-year-old Wahle told him he had "decided to hang it up for the time being" and spend more time with his family.
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Score Round 1 to the rookie. Mark Sanchez received the slight edge from coach Rex Ryan on Friday in the first practice of what could be a summer-long competition with Kellen Clemens to be the New York Jets' starting quarterback. "It probably wasn't the best day in throwing completions, but I thought Sanchez had a [...]

Two-time Pro Bowl offensive guard Mike Wahle has been released by the Seattle Seahawks before their first practice of training camp. Wahle was released before the Seahawks took the field Friday afternoon. The team said Wahle failed his physical on Friday morning. The 32-year-old Wahle was signed away from Carolina before the 2008 season.
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The Detroit Lions have signed first-round pick tight end Brandon Pettigrew to a five-year contract. The team did not disclose terms of the deal on Friday. The Lions have all of their rookies signed heading into the first practice on Saturday. Pettigrew was selected 20th overall by Detroit with its second selection of the first [...]

First-round draft pick Andre Smith missed the Cincinnati Bengals' first practice of training camp in a contract holdout. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis declined to comment on negotiations with the offensive lineman following their afternoon practice. The Bengals are counting on Smith, the sixth overall pick from Alabama, to start at right tackle.
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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady expects to be on the field in exhibition games next month — his first action since injuring his knee in the 2008 regular season opener. "Yeah, I think I'll play," he told reporters after practice on Friday. "I mean, last year it wasn't like I wasn't supposed to play.
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This may be as close as Dan Rooney comes to retiring from pro football. Rooney, named the U.S. ambassador to Ireland earlier this year by President Barack Obama, is now listed as the Pittsburgh Steelers' chairman emeritus — a title commonly given to an executive who has retired from professional life.
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Longtime Colts assistant coaches Tom Moore and Howard Mudd are returning from retirement. Coach Jim Caldwell announced on Friday that Moore, the offensive coordinator, and Mudd, the offensive line coach, would be back with the team after saying they would retire because of changes to the NFL pension plan.
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Brian Orakpo was enjoying a late-night, day-early birthday dinner in Austin when he got the word: A five-year, $20 million deal with the Washington Redskins was ready for his signature. "I was actually celebrating it with my fiance in a sushi joint," Orakpo said. "It's one of my favorite foods.

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