Report: Bills eye fight between Hangartner, Wood at center

Geoff Hangartner has started 28 games in the middle of Buffalo's offensive line over the past two seasons, but the veteran center now finds himself in a battle to keep his starting role at that spot with the emergence of Eric Wood.

Veteran Geoff Hangartner might face stiff competition from Eric Wood for the Bills' starting center spot. (Paul Abell/Associated Press)

When Hangartner went down with a sprained knee late last season, two-year veteran Eric Wood shifted over from his right-guard spot to start the final four games at center -- and turned heads within the organization.

"We think Eric Wood was the best center in the draft coming out," Bills general manager Buddy Nix told The Buffalo News at the Senior Bowl in January. "Obviously he wasn't (fully) healthy. But when he gets healthy, there's a good chance that's where he'll be. We'll just see. We'll play the best ones."

The Bills are enamored with the physicality of Wood, who fought his way back in 2010 from a severe leg fracture. They also treasure Hangartner's intelligent play -- he scored 47 out of 50 on the Wonderlic before the 2005 NFL Draft -- and he has brought consistency to a position long in flux for Buffalo.

Hangartner, who has appeared in 83 games for the Carolina Panthers and Bills in six seasons, plans to continue as the Bills' starter.

"That's my mind-set, yes," Hangartner told The News this week at the team's player-only workout in Elma, N.Y. "I haven't spoken with anybody about it. But that is my mind-set.

"I talked to (offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris) for a little bit. And (switching positions) never come up in our conversations. There's always speculation on this and that in the offseason. So we'll see how it shakes out."

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It's a nice problem to have for coach Chan Gailey, who relishes competition along the offensive line, knowing both will find a way into the lineup if they continue their solid play.

Hangartner this week also addressed the subject of players encountering serious financial problems during the NFL lockout, saying it was hardly indicative of a league-wide epidemic.

"I think you're just hearing more about the problem that guys have dealing with money in this league," Hangartner said Tuesday. "I don't think it's just a problem with the lockout. It's an underlying problem, regardless. I don't think a whole lot of guys have missed money at this point."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jets D-linemen plan to gather for workouts next week in N.J.

NEW YORK -- The Jets' defensive linemen have been lifting weights and running while the NFL's labor dispute drags on. Well, now they're ready to hit something.

Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito told The Associated Press on Saturday they plan to gather in New Jersey sometime next week with the team's other defensive linemen, including Ropati Pitoitua and possibly first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson and third-rounder Kenrick Ellis.

"We were talking and it was like, 'Dude, we've got to put something together,'" Pouha said. "All of us have been lifting and running and working out. That's one thing. Doing actual drills, making blocking reads and punching sled bags, well, that's another thing."

The players have made arrangements to bring in blocking sleds and add the physical element they've been missing in the absence of organized team activities because of the lockout. They also might review defensive plays from last season and reacquaint themselves with one another.

"It's great to get together as a unit," DeVito said, "so that we can start working together, getting our rhythm and timing right and to work that unity that is so important to have if you want a great defensive line."

Quarterback Mark Sanchez gathered several offensive players in Southern California earlier this month for his "Jets West" camp, and recently said the entire team expects to work out together in June if the lockout continues.

Pouha said no specific plans had been made yet in terms of gathering the entire team.

"I'm sure Mark will let all of us know," he said. "But in terms of the D-line, that's our plan, to get together. Nothing like an OTA, but to work on drills and get that fusion as a unit."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Packers have held off on paycuts, but they could still happen

The Green Bay Packers haven't been as affected by the NFL lockout as much as other teams, but Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said the team isn't ruling out paycuts for its staff and coaches if the labor stalemate drags on, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported on Friday.

“It’s based on when we’re going to start missing revenue,” Murphy said.

About 75 percent of NFL teams have imposed a pay reduction of some kind in reaction the lockout, which is approaching its third month. The Packers have been among the holdouts, citing strong revenue across the board.

The Packers have lost some sponsorship money, but Murphy said they can hold off on paycuts until other avenues of the business model falter.

The Packers are defending Super Bowl champions, a fact that no doubt helps keep business booming for the league's only publicly-owned franchise.

“Each team has to make their own decisions, and some teams have been affected already,” Murphy said. “We’re very fortunate, I think, with the type of fans we have and the success we had last year. We haven’t seen a drop-off in ticket revenue or premium seats, where some of the other teams in the league, they’ve already seen losses in revenue.”

Murphy told the Press-Gazette that if paycuts are imposed, the team would repay lost pay to employees if no regular-season games are missed.

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Collie 'not even thinking about' last season's concussions

Austin Collie understands that people have lingering questions about his health, but the Colts wide receiver has been running routes with Peyton Manning and is experiencing "no problems" from the two concussions that unraveled his 2010 season.

"I feel good," Collie told The Indianapolis Star in a story for Sunday's editions. "I feel like my routes are crisp and I'm catching the ball well. I'm doing all the little things."

After what Collie went through last season, Colts vice chairman Bill Polian wants to be sure his wide receiver is healthy before declaring him ready to go.

"I don't know if you can say that (Collie is back) until he gets on the field and actually plays," Polian said. "Thus far, all the signs are positive."

Collie was among the NFL leaders in receptions until hurting his right thumb Oct. 17 against the Washington Redskins. Surgery forced Collie to sit out the Colts next game.

He returned Nov. 7 against Philadelphia but left in the first half after Eagles defensive back Kurt Coleman lowered his shoulder to hit Collie and inadvertently had a helmet-to-helmet collision. Collie lay motionless on the field for about 10 minutes before being placed on a backboard and taken off the field on a stretcher.

Collie, who never had concussion issues prior to the Eagles game, returned Nov. 21 against New England but left in the first quarter with concussion-like symptoms.

He returned Dec. 19 only to suffer another frightening injury late in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On that play, Peyton Manning tried to thread a ball between two Jaguars defenders on third-and-12. Collie appeared to catch the ball, but when the second defender, linebacker Daryl Smith, hit Collie in the head with his forearm, the ball came out.

But Collie again stayed down on the field, motionless for several minutes as the hushed crowd watched 10 coaches and trainers huddle around Collie. Smith, Manning and Jeff Saturday -- the two longest-tenured Colts -- all stood nearby.

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Eventually, Collie sat up and walked straight to the locker room, missing the final 67 seconds of the half. Collie was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Dec. 22.

The two-year veteran began training in February on the West Coast and in Indianapolis, according to The Star. After working with Manning in non-contact passing sessions, the All-Pro quarterback told the newspaper that Collie moved with the same focus and dedication he always has.

Collie told The Star there was nothing he could have done to avoid the collisions from last season.

"It was just playing football and unfortunately, that's what can happen," he said. "They were just two unlucky incidents that unfortunately I was in the middle of.

"The last thing I want to do is hesitate at any given point. I try to put those things in the back of my mind and not worry about them."

Collie understands that people want to see how he responds to taking a hit.

"I'm not even thinking about that," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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L.A. stadium not subject of Vikings' meeting with AEG boss

AEG CEO Tim Leiweke was in Minneapolis this week and met with Vikings officials, setting off speculation that owner Zygi Wilf might be considering having his team fill the company's proposed downtown Los Angeles stadium.

Although that possibility might not be entirely off the table, it's far from the reason that Leiweke was in town.

A source with intimate knowledge of the situation said Thursday that Leiweke's Minnesota trip was to tend to business with Target Center, the home of the NBA's Timberwolves and a property managed by AEG. Leiweke has an existing relationship with the Wilf family and the Vikings, which prompted the meeting while the CEO happened to be in the area.

The Wilfs primarily were inquiring about the idea of developing an entertainment district around a new stadium in Minnesota. AEG recently has developed such projects in London, Edmonton and Kansas City, and it built the LA Live complex adjacent to Staples Center, home to the NBA's Lakers and NHL's Kings and at the epicenter of the proposed NFL stadium.

The Vikings on May 10 announced a deal with suburban Ramsey County to collaborate on a $1.1 billion retractable-roof stadium, but they are still seeking funding to build. The team's lease at the Metrodome expires after the 2011 season.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press first reported the meeting between Leiweke and the Wilfs.

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Lions hire son of former Titans coach Fisher to assist defense

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions have hired Jeff Fisher's son to assist their defensive coaching staff.

The move to add Brandon Fisher was announced Thursday.

His father coached the Tennessee Titans from 1994 to 2010. Lions coach Jim Schwartz worked for Fisher as Tennessee's defensive coordinator before getting his first shot to lead a team in 2009.

Brandon Fisher assisted the Titans' offensive coaching staff for part of last season.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Citing job security, coaches side with players in labor dispute

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL Coaches Association filed an amicus brief with the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, supporting the players' cause as the league appeals an injunction granted to lift the lockout.

The NFLCA's contention, as stated in the brief, is that the NFL "is attempting an end-run around a unanimous Supreme Court," saying that the court clearly stated the league is subject to the Sherman Act in the American Needle case last year and held it responsible for subsequent antitrust violations.

"To me, this is a real simple deal: Coaches are opposed to the lockout because it's negatively affecting coaches," said Larry Kennan, director of the NFL Coaches Association. "If it were a strike, we would be against the strike, like we were in '87. This just happens to be the owners, and we're opposed to them, because they're locking out. But if it was a strike, we'd be against the players."

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The brief does not have the names of any current coaches attached to it.

"It's not something you need names to do," Kennan said. "We are by definition a friend of the court, we're telling the court we're doing this because we'd like the strike to end. It was never a requirement to put names on it."

Kennan confirmed that the association filed an AMICUS on American Needle. He also said that his belief is 10 to 12 teams have cut salary/benefits of coaches already.

The trade association representing the coaches went on to say that its members are suffering irreparable harm as part the lockout, now in its third month.

The brief reads: "Coaches who cannot produce immediate results suffer irreparable harm. They must uproot their families to seek employment elsewhere, and they have difficulty overcoming the perception of failure. The hours and effort demanded of assistant coaches are justified only by the prospect of lucrative and stable employment that follows proven success. Failure at an early stage of one's career, however, can falter career aspirations for many subsequent years."

In particular, the brief cited the NFL's eight new head coaches -- two of whom were promoted from positions as interim coaches -- as being in a particularly precarious situation.

Of those eight, only John Fox has previously been an NFL head coach, something that was also raised in the brief.

"To me, it's simple: The league mandated new coaches get an extra minicamp, because they realize they need extra time to get everything taught," Kennan said. "This is not the NFL of 20 years ago, where coaches have five years to get the program up and running. They have two or three years max, and then they're fired."

Kennan acknowledges there will be some "mixed emotions" among coaches regarding the association's decision.

"Some coaches will get nervous about it, most of them will probably be on teams not having salaries and benefits cut," Kennan said. "And those who are having those things cut will probably be more for us than against us. The reason we formed the coaches association is so we could speak with one voice, and guys didn't have to do that themselves."

The brief reads: "The lockout, if left in force, will prevent the coaches from meaningfully preparing and readying themselves for the season. While all coaches will be exposed to greater risk of failure, the eight teams with new coaching staffs are at particular risk. Since unforgiving expectations for immediate results will persist regardless of any lack of opportunity to prepare, these eight coaching staffs are losing irreplaceable time to prepare for a job that demands success.

"Thus, a lockout that prevents coaches from preparing their players for the season will inflict irreparable harm on all coaches; coaches on the eight new staffs -- especially the new assistant coaches on those staffs -- will suffer even greater harm that will be even more impossible to repair."

The coaches' brief also included charts showing an uptick in coaches fired after two and three years in an effort to show how important a single year with players can be.

From a legal standpoint, the NFLCA used the irreparable harm argument, as well as its stance on the Sherman Act and also the Norris-LaGuardia Act, to seek protection for its members as "nonunion employees."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello released a statement making it clear the league wasn't caught off guard by the Coaches Association's stance.

"The Coaches Association offices with the Players Association in Washington. So this comes as no surprise."

Kennan made it clear coaches just want to get back on the field.

"We want to get back to coaching; If there's a normalcy to coaching, we'd like that to return."

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