Dan Koppen stays with Pats

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 13, 2012, 12:51 PM EDT

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After spending the last month testing the waters in free agency, center Dan Koppen is staying in New England.

Koppen and the Patriots have agreed to a two-year deal worth about $6 million, NFL Network’s Albert Breer reports. The contract likely means Koppen can be penciled in as the starting center in New England in 2012, removing a need that some thought they’d address in the draft.

Redskins working to keep London Fletcher in D.C.

Posted by Josh Alper on April 13, 2012, 2:31 PM EDT

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It looks like the long-anticipated return of London Fletcher to the Redskins might actually be just around the corner.

Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network reports that Fletcher and the team are working hard to get a contract done in time for Fletcher to participate in the start of the team’s offseason program on Monday. The start of workouts seem to have energized talks that haven’t gone anywhere despite open desire for a return on both sides of the table. There have been reports that the cap penalties imposed on the Redskins were hindering things, but it seems they’ve found a breakthrough.

Friday one-liners

Posted by Josh Alper on April 13, 2012, 9:57 AM EDT

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As of now, Donald Jones is the number two receiver for the Bills.

Five options for the Dolphins with the eighth overall pick.

Patriots DT Vince Wilfork likes the team Bill Belichick has been building this offseason.

S DeAngelo Smith will be visiting with the Jets this weekend.

More on former Ravens coach Brian Billick’s comments about the team’s view of JaMarcus Russell when he came out of college.

The Bengals plan to cut back on DE Michael Johnson’s snaps next season.

Looking back at recent first round decisions by the Browns.

Vitt in for Payton, but who's in for Vitt?

Dion Caputi - National Football Post

While the New Orleans Saints have opted to christen assistant head coach and linebackers coach Joe Vitt as their interim leader for the 2012 season in Sean Payton's absence, the new question instantly becomes who will interim for Vitt.

Vitt is also involved in the Saints bounty scandal sanctions and while his suspension will only force him to miss New Orleans' first six regular season games, the team must decide on a second interim head coach in his absence.

Falcons want open air stadium, GWCA doesn't

Posted by Mike Florio on April 12, 2012, 9:17 PM EDT

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The Falcons christened the Georgia Dome in 1992.  In 20 seasons, they’ve used it barely 200 times.  Naturally, then, it’s obsolete and must be replaced.

The Falcons prefer that it be replaced with an open-air stadium.  Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains that the Georgia World Congress Authority, the state agency that operates the Georgia Dome, believes that the team’s preference for a building without a roof “presents a number of complex issues.”

Report: Janoris Jenkins "kept smoking" after leaving Florida

Posted by Evan Silva on April 12, 2012, 7:17 PM EDT

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Cornerback prospect Janoris Jenkins was kicked off the Florida Gators’ football team last April after three marijuana-related arrests. Jenkins opted against the NFL supplemental draft, and played his senior season for Terry Bowden at North Alabama.

But Jenkins didn’t turn over a new leaf.

NFL Network’s Albert Breer reports that Jenkins has revealed in pre-draft team interviews that he didn’t stop smoking at the Division II school. While the truthfulness is somewhat honorable, league executives weren’t exactly pleased to hear it.

Seahawks bring back two linebackers

Posted by Mike Florio on April 12, 2012, 9:48 PM EDT

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The free-agent market has dried up considerably, but linebackers continue to find work.  Primarily because linebackers were largely ignored in the early phases of free agency.

On Thursday, the Seahawks announced that two of the team’s linebackers have agreed to terms for 2012.  Notwithstanding those dreadful new uniforms.  (Maybe they will get hazard pay.)