NFL News & Rumors Digest

Reports have been circulating all through the league in recent days that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning’s rehab back from neck surgery has been progressing in a positive direction, and 4 sources with expertise of Manning’s rehab told NFL Network’s Albert Breer that Manning steadily has regained strength in his grip and triceps.

One particular source told Breer that Manning is throwing the ball “really nicely,” whilst another stated the quarterback “feels excellent” about where he is in the approach.

Now there’s reportedly visual proof to confirm Manning’s returning arm strength, as a 27-second video of Manning going by means of an aggressive throwing session in his Colts helmet, shoulder pads and jersey at Duke University appeared on YouTube late Friday.

A source confirmed to Breer on Saturday that the player in the video was Manning.

In the video, which appears to have been taken from behind a aim post in an finish zone, Manning can be noticed throwing deep balls and “out” routes to either side of the field.

Manning was accompanied by receivers Brandon Stokley, Austin Collie and tight finish Dallas Clark at this week’s workouts, carried out beneath the supervision of Duke head coach David Cutcliffe (Manning’s offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee). Manning had been operating out in South Florida, prior to this most latest set of sessions.

The Duke athletic department confirmed to NFL Network that Manning will be at Saturday night’s guys’s college basketball game amongst the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium. Manning will be accompanied by Stokley, Collie and Clark, according to Breer. Colts center Jeff Saturday is also in Durham for the game, but the former Tar Heel will be sitting behind the Carolina bench.

Manning is due a $ 28 million solution bonus on March 8, and speculation has persisted that the Colts will release Manning prior to that date.

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For much more NFL news see: Video shows Manning throwing at Duke University.

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As soon as Washington Redskins safety DeJon Gomes crashed into Adrian Peterson’s left knee Saturday, bending the joint backward in gruesome fashion, it was apparent the All-Pro running back would not play again in 2011.

An ensuing MRI exam that revealed Peterson tore his anterior cruciate ligament confirmed as significantly, but the question nevertheless remains just when the Minnesota Vikings will get back their most dynamic player.

Peterson’s injury, which also included some medial cruciate ligament harm and possibly other damage to the knee, according to a Monday report from Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, usually demands eight to 10 months of rehab right after surgery.

Sports Illustrated reported that Peterson’s injury is related in nature to the one New England Patriots wideout Wes Welker suffered in 2009 and then-Indianapolis Colts operating back Edgerrin James had in 2001. Welker necessary seven months to get back, while James needed nine-and-a-half.

With the 2012 season opener 37 weeks away, it would be a tall activity for Peterson to be back in time for Week 1.

Realizing Peterson, even so, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told King he expects the Vikings operating back to be prepared for the start off of subsequent season.

“Wes Welker’s rare,” Frazier told Sports Illustrated on Sunday. “But I talked to Adrian on the plane on the way residence final night. He’s down, of course. But he will attack his rehab viciously. He is such a robust-minded guy. We won’t know almost everything about the damage until the surgery is completed, but we believe if almost everything goes perfectly, Adrian will be back to play at the commence of subsequent season. I feel he’ll turn out to be one of those case studies individuals appear at when they want to see how a guy rehabbed to come back powerful.”

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more NFL news see: Vikings anticipate injured RB Peterson to play in Week 1 of 2012.

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Peyton Manning told reporters Sunday following but another Indianapolis Colts loss that he’s set to have another X-ray/checkup on his surgically repaired neck this Wednesday, but he gave no indication in regard to how his rehab is progressing.

“I’ll possibly check in with y’all this week,” mentioned Manning, by way of the Indianapolis Star.

Manning underwent neck surgery Sept. 8 — his third such operation in 19 months — and has been out indefinitely because the operation.

Manning has not been placed on season-ending injured reserve, and the Star reported the Colts remain hopeful he will be able to practice at some point in December.

(About:) This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For a lot more NFL news see: Colts’ Manning to have neck re-evaluated on Wednesday.

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Unlike receiver Randy Moss, receiver Terrell Owens has not retired.  But T.O. has been forgotten in the two-week free-agent free-for-all.

Owens, who tore an ACL in the offseason (possibly while filming his latest reality show), continues to rehab.  We’re told that he’s a couple of weeks away from returning to 100 percent.  If that happens, his recovery would be nothing short of remarkable, in light of his age (37) and the normal rehab requirements for an injury of this nature.

Of course, any interested teams would have the final say on whether Owens truly has reached 100 percent.  And then there’s the question of whether anyone will truly be interested, given his reputation for ripping apart a locker room.

But if — and that could be a big if — he can run like he used to, a team that needs a deep threat who won’t cost a lot of money could give him a look-see.  With the Cardinals hoping to stretch the field and with Moss unlikely to be lured to Arizona, the man who has played for the 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys, Bills, and Bengals could be the answer.

Or maybe Ochocinco will lobby for a Batman-and-Robin sequel in Foxboro.  (That could be the quickest way for Chad to be a former Patriot.)

Either way, Owens could be signed by Week One.  If, and only if, there’s an interested team that concludes his knee has sufficiently healed.

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Colin Kaepernick will have to undergo some rehab ahead of he can work on those running plays the 49ers are planning for him.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports Kaepernick underwent a procedure on his lower leg right after the draft.   (“Lower leg?” Is this ths Patriots?)

Kaepernick says it is “nothing serious” and the team agrees.  The 49ers stated in a statement they were aware of the injury prior to they drafted him and believe it won’t get in the way of his availability for the season. He played by means of the injury all through the draft process.

His agent Scott Smith stated the lockout in fact was one reason behind the surgery.

“He definitely could have [waited]. He played 4 games at Nevada and barely talked about it. Since of the lockout, the timing was as very good as it is going to get,” Smith stated.

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New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery thinks he’ll be able to run in three to four weeks and will be prepared for training camp after undergoing surgery to fix a herniated disc in his back Feb. 3. Specifically, Cotchery underwent a microdiscectomy. Cotchery told ESPNNewYork.com that doctors “shaved off” the piece of the disc that was pressing against a nerve, causing shooting pain down his leg and into his foot. Cotchery had been feeling the effects of this injury since last year, but he decided to hold off on surgery. Unfortunately for him, the ailment didn’t heal with rehab and exercise.
“It wasn’t a good feeling,” Cotchery said. “It was pretty painful. I wouldn’t want any football player to have to go through that.”
Cotchery finished with the most recent regular season with 41 receptions for 433 yards and two touchdowns. FANTASY ANALYSIS: The back injury is being cited as the culprit for Cotchery’s many drops in 2010.
Cotchery’s role on the Jets next season will be determined by what the team is able to do with their free-agent wide receivers, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Brad Smith. General manager Mike Tannenbaum has said he wants to re-sign all three, but his hands are tied without a collective bargaining agreement in place. I don’t think Jets will re-sign both Edwards and Holmes, which means Cotchery will probably see more time in the starting lineup. But the increased role doesn’t cover the fact that he’s a possession receiver in a run-first, run-second offense. He’s a WR3 in 12-team leagues at best.

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Julio Jones may have been the star of the week at the NFL Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds and posted an absurd broad jump of 11 feet, three inches, the best of any player since 2009. What makes Jones’ showing even more impressive is that he displayed that power and speed using a fractured foot. On Monday, NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly revealed that Jones worked out despite the fracture. Jones will have a screw inserted in the foot, which will be followed by eight weeks of rehab.
Jones, who measured in at 220 pounds and close to six-foot-three, is believed to be the second-best receiver in the draft, behind only Georgia’s A.J. Green. Many “experts” don’t think he will make it past the St. Louis Rams, who have the No. 14 pick. FANTASY ANALYSIS: The Rams would be ecstatic to get a play-maker such as Jones to go with Sam Bradford. But after his combine Sunday, I don’t think he will fall that far. While displaying amazing athleticism, he also showed that he is tough and give his best through pain. That’s something that will earn him points with every NFL general manager. The fracture may cause some to pause on Jones, but he should be near or at 100 percent by the time the draft rolls around. Perhaps he will be rusty heading into rookie minicamps, but who knows if those will actually take place this year.

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Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin isn’t ruling out Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey for the Super Bowl despite the rookie walking on crutches with a high ankle sprain.

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