While several NFL teams were busy conducting their first official day of OTAs yesterday, NFL team owners met in Boston for the beginning of the quarterly league meetings.
The league proposed several changes at the meetings conducted on Monday, including the possibility of shifting the official start date for the league year and moving back the dates of the draft and the NFL combine to May. These proposed changes, if implemented, would be effective in 2014, with May 15-17 as the date currently being set aside for the 2014 draft.
The NFLPA has reportedly signed off on the proposed changes by moving the start of free agency to the first week of March.
The league stressed that these changes are not final.
The league also continued to discuss the future of the Pro Bowl, per Pro Football Talk. Talks about the discontinuation of the Pro Bowl continue, though sources agree it is unlikely. As Mike Florio points out (a point disguised by a bunch of incoherent babbling), as long as the Pro Bowl continues to produce ratings and in turn, make money for advertisers, it’s sticking around. However, it’s a very real possibility changes to the way the game is played will be made.
Gronk underwent a fourth surgery on his forearm on Monday.
More news from Boston, this time on the status of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who successfully underwent a fourth surgery on his left forearm on Monday.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, doctors put in new plates that had been keeping the tight end’s broken bone in place. Doctors also believe that Gronkowski’s previous injection is now gone, though they will still need to wait until all the test results are cleared to officially confirm.
The estimated recovery time for Gronk is 10 weeks. It will be up to the coaching staff to determine whether or not he begins the season on the PUP list.
Also of note on Gronk’s health is some info from The Boston Herald: “On the horizon is back surgery, and that will be tackled next. As we learned Friday, a back problem has crept into the picture. According to a source, the surgery avenue will be explored in a month’s time as doctors will decide if a piece of disc needs to be removed.”
Expected recovery time for the back surgery is four months.
Other News:
- The San Diego Chargers are reportedly keeping high-profile draft pick Manti Te’o away from the media. According to NFL.com, the Chargers announced on Monday that Te’o will be unavailable to the media until the team beings minicamp on June 11th, calling the move an “organization decision.” Though the media is less than pleased with the Chargers’ decision, the move does seem to be in the best interest of both the team and the player.
- The New York Jets have not determined a course of action for running back Mike Goodson, who was arrested last Friday on drugs and weapons chargers, but according to Jets owner Woody Johnson, the team is “at a point of investigating the facts.” Johnson also willingly provided some humerous headlines for the tabloids today, telling the media the team is trying to be thorough and conduct themselves appropriately. “We’re trying to win games and do the right thing,” Johnson said. “Truth, justice and the American way. We live by it, we really do.” UPDATE: Goodson’s pre-indictment conference is set for June 12 in Morris County Superior Court, according to the court.
- What would a Tuesday edition of the blitz be without an obligatory Tim Tebow mention? Well, here it is: Tim Tebow, Reggie Bush, Vernon Gholston, and Ryan Leaf – among others – were named to NFL.com’s list of the most over-hyped NFL draft picks of all time.
- RG3 tweeted out a photo for Redskins fans on Sunday, thanking them for the excess of wedding gifts he and his soon-to-be-wife received from their Bed, Bath & Beyond registry. “Thank you to the Fans who are helping buy ALL the items from our wedding registry at Bed Bath & Beyond …,” tweeted Griffin.
Kristine Reese is the NFL editor and lead Jets writer for Aerys Sports. You can follow her on Twitter @KristineReese.
