Report: Colin Kaepernick is Broncos’ “chief target”

Even before Brock Osweiler was officially out of Denver, a deal for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick seemed to be among the most sensible alternatives.
Now, it might be their primary one.
According to Michael Silver of the NFL Network, Kaepernick has emerged as the Broncos’ “chief target” and an attempt to trade for him seems likely.
On the surface, it makes plenty of sense for the Broncos, unless they’re going to make a run at Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Kaepernick is young and mobile and seemingly a stylistic fit for Gary Kubiak’s offense. And there’s enough help around him that should ease the pressure to carry things like in San Francisco after the post-Harbaugh diaspora.
He’s also relatively cheap, if you consider the $11.9 million which would be guaranteed on April 1.
With so many of their own players bolting for the door early in free agency, an inexpensive starting quarterback could be just what they’re looking for as they attempt to reload.
Then again, the 49ers have to go along with the idea of trading him, and have thus far seemed unwilling to, despite his agents spreading the word he wanted out. That gives them the chance to twist John Elway’s arm a bit, and see what Kaepernick’s worth to them.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Darin Gantt
Photo: Sam Sharpe, USA TODAY

Robert Griffin III has been released

There was some hope that they could swing a trade, but the existence of a $16 million-plus contract for quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2016 and the Redskins’ need to part ways with him before that contract became guaranteed on Wednesday made that impossible.
So, according to multiple reports, the Redskins did the expected on Monday and released the No. 2 pick of the 2012 draft. Griffin, who came to Washington in a massive trade with the Rams for that pick, didn’t play at all during the 2015 season and ends his time with the team with 35 starts.
The first 15 of those went well enough for Washington to win the NFC East, but a knee injury in a playoff loss to the Seahawks marked the end of the good days for Griffin with the Redskins. He and former coach Mike Shanahan battled during a dismal 2013 season and injuries and ineffectiveness from then on helped elevated Kirk Cousins to the starting job last year.
It will be interesting to see how Griffin’s market shapes up on the open market. Teams like the Rams and Texans are looking to add competition to their depth chart at quarterback, although it’s unclear if they’d see Griffin as a potential starter or if he’ll be limited to backup opportunities as he tries to jumpstart his career after it came screeching to a halt in his last two years with Washington.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Josh Alper
Photo: The Associated Press

LAPD confirms recovery of knife, application of double jeopardy to O.J. Simpson

The Los Angeles Police Department, in a press conference conducted Friday morning, has acknowledged that a knife was given to authorities within the last month, and that the knife possibly was found on property owned by O.J. Simpson at the time of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Captain Andrew Neiman told reporters that the process of vetting the evidence continues, but he declined to provide details about the situation in order to not undermine the investigation.
The item was given to the LAPD by a motor officer who retired in the late 1990s. The officer, who was either off duty or already retired, was providing security at a movie site near the former Simpson property. The LAPD is trying to determine the identity of the person who gave the officer the knife.
“I was really surprised,” Neiman said. “I would think that an LAPD officer would know that any time you come into contact with evidence, you should and shall submit that to investigators.”
Neiman added that the retired officer, who wasn’t named, has said that he didn’t surrender the item earlier because he believed the case was closed. Neiman clarified that the case remains open.
Neiman declined to provide details about the knife. He said it has been submitted to the LAPD laboratory for testing.
Although Neiman isn’t a lawyer, he explained based on his 30 years of police experience that “double jeopardy would be in place here,” and that Simpson could not be prosecuted again for the murders.
Efforts are underway to find the person who gave the knife to the retired officer. Obviously, any effort to give the evidence value would require the construction of a reliable chain of custody. The person who found it would have to be able to testify that he or she found it on the property. The retired officer would have to testify regarding the whereabouts of the knife from the time he got it until the time it was given to police.
Ultimately, none of it matters absent DNA evidence that would connect the knife to the murders. Unless the knife carries DNA of someone other than the victims or Simpson, there’s really nothing that can be done.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Mike Florio
Photo:  Getty Images

Jerry Jones would like a version of Favre-Rodgers succession plan in Dallas

In Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ perfect world, Tony Romo will be the quarterback of the Cowboys for the next four to five years.
That hasn’t stopped Jones from thinking about what the team will do at quarterback once Romo is no longer in the picture, however. After watching his team’s 2015 season go down in flames with Romo sidelined after breaking his collarbone twice, Jones has also spent some time talking about the team adding better options behind Romo to their quarterback depth chart.
It’s a move that the Packers made in 2005 when they drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round despite the presence of Brett Favre. Rodgers sat for three seasons before taking over after Favre moved on to the Jets and he’s thrived since ascending to the top job, something Jones wouldn’t mind copying in Dallas.
“If a player came in here and played behind him 3-4 years, he would come out with a Harvard degree in how to play quarterback, in my mind,” Jones said, via ESPN.com. “He would be that influential. And it would open up an area of how to play the game that we all would agree has a certain unique style to it, Romo. Just like, say, Favre did with Rodgers. That’s in my mind. That can be very impressionable and really be a big positive. So when I’m sitting there thinking about which way to go here, the ability to with Romo there and the ability to have a top talent learning behind that team and with Romo, it‘s a big asset.”
Romo sat for several years himself before getting bumped up in the middle of the 2006 season and there’s definitely something to be said for giving a young quarterback time to mature before they become a starter. It helped that Romo came to the team as an undrafted free agent without any pressure to play immediately, something that’s hard to mimic given how rare it is to see a quarterback follow that route to NFL success.
It’s also hard for a Cowboys team with other pressing needs now to use a premium pick for a player who won’t see the field unless something goes wrong so it will be interesting to see how the Cowboys try to set up that kind of succession plan — minus the rancor that accompanied Favre’s departure from Green Bay, we’d imagine — this year or in the coming offseasons.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Josh Alper
Photo Getty Images