Stallworth looks ahead to future that's likely without Ravens

Donte' Stallworth has warm feelings for the Baltimore Ravens, the franchise that gave him a second chance as a football player.

It was the Ravens who signed Stallworth after the one-year suspension and short jail term that followed a driving under the influence manslaughter conviction in 2009. But the wide receiver, who will become an unrestricted free agent when the lockout is lifted, has regrets about his limited time on the field in Baltimore.

“Yeah, there’s mixed feelings,” Stallworth told the Carroll County Times in Friday's edition. “The organization was nothing but great to me. I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. The guys were great and the fans welcomed me. They tell me all the time they hope things work out for me and that I would come back. From the foot injury standpoint, it definitely derailed a lot of things that I was looking forward to doing.”

Stallworth broke his foot in an Aug. 28 preseason game and didn't make his Ravens debut until October. By that point, the team had signed veteran receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, relegating Stallworth to a reserve role. Stallworth finished the season with just two catches for 82 yards and five rushes for 45 yards.

“We picked up T.J. and he played really well and I was hoping that maybe at some time I would get an opportunity to do what I feel like I can do,” Stallworth said. “I didn’t really get that chance for whatever reason, but I still have a lot left in the tank.”

Stallworth's fate with the Ravens is all but sealed, a reality the receiver is aware of. The team drafted University of Maryland speedster Torrey Smith in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and it's expected the rookie will assume a key role in the offense.

Stallworth has no ill feelings toward Smith, who he's worked out with in Miami this offseason.

“That’s my boy,” Stallworth said. “I’m excited that he got drafted by Baltimore. I know the coaching staff wanted to get younger and faster at that position and that’s exactly what they did. He’s a really good kid.”

It remains to be seen what kind of interest Stallworth would draw among NFL teams. The free-agent and trade market figures to be flooded with veteran wide receivers like him. It's certain he won't get a contract that comes close to the seven-year, $35 million deal he got from the Cleveland Browns before his suspension.

“I can’t say exactly where I’m going to go, but there are a few teams that like me that I’m interested in as well,” Stallworth said. “I’m only 30 years old. I feel like I have a lot of years left. I can still do good wherever I end up next year. Hopefully, I’ll have that opportunity.”

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'Serious' NFL-player meetings to resume frequently in future

NFL owners and players concluded two days of what were described as "very serious talks" Wednesday, according to sources, in an attempt to build off last week's secret negotiations in suburban Chicago and work toward a resolution to end the three-month-old lockout.

The exact location of this set of talks remains unknown, though they are believed to have taken place in a Long Island, N.Y., hotel.

According to sources, these meetings are expected to happen frequently for the foreseeable future and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed the negotiations would eventually resume.

"NFL owners and players have engaged in further confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan this week," Aiello posted on his Twitter account Wednesday. "Those discussions will continue."

According to Aiello, NFL attendees at this week's meetings included Commissioner Roger Goodell and owners Jerry Richardson (Carolina Panthers), Clark Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs), Robert Kraft (New England Patriots), John Mara (New York Giants) and Dean Spanos (San Diego Chargers). All five owners are members of the NFL's labor committee.

The players were represented by NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and NFLPA executive committee members Kevin Mawae (president), Domonique Foxworth (Baltimore Ravens), Tony Richardson (New York Jets), Jeff Saturday (Indianapolis Colts) and Mike Vrabel (Kansas City Chiefs).

Goodell later held a conference call with season ticket holders of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his 19th such call with NFL ticket holders this offseason. According to a Twitter post from Aiello, Goodell told fans that "talks are going on. Both sides are working hard to reach an agreement. That's a positive step for everybody."

"We are going to continue to work at it," Goodell continued. "I believe both sides want to find solutions. I'm hopeful we're going to be successful. It's the objective of everybody involved with the NFL to play a full 2011 season."

When one Bucs fan told the commissioner he was praying for him, Goodell responded, "I appreciate your prayers. I'll take any help I can get."

Last week's secret meetings lasted three days, running up to Friday's hearing at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis on the NFL's appeal of a lockout-lifting injunction granted to the players by a district court. After that set of talks, the league and players put out a joint statement.

"The parties met pursuant to court mediation," the statement said. "Owners and players were engaged in confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan. The court has ordered continued confidentiality of the mediation sessions."

The most recent negotiations included a few changes from the parties who were at the table during last week's sessions. Richardson, Kraft and Mara were joined by Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys) and Art Rooney (Pittsburgh Steelers) -- both members of the NFL's labor committee -- last week, as were active players Brian Dawkins (Denver Broncos), Vrabel, Richardson and Saturday.

The setup of this week's talks was scheduled to be similar, taking place over several days as both sides try to build momentum from one session to the next and find some consistency with the dynamics of the negotiations. The most recent sessions were unexpected after Boylan publicly cancelled the court-ordered mediation set to begin on Tuesday. Sources said Boylan moved to cancel this week's mediation in the interest of confidentiality.

When asked about the next meeting during an appearance at a military base in Fort Bragg, N.C., last Friday, Goodell said, "We will be meeting again." Goodell declined to comment on when, but did strike an optimistic tone.

"I think it's fair to say anytime you have dialogue directly, that's going to lead to progress," he told reporters. "I think we need more of that. As you've heard me say many times, I think this is going to be solved through bargaining, not through litigation. So that (Chicago meeting) was a positive sign for us."

Follow Albert Breer on Twitter @AlbertBreer

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Veteran CB Hobbs hasn't decided on future after neck surgery

Many people believed Ellis Hobbs' NFL career was over seven months ago, after he suffered another neck injury, but the 28-year-old cornerback insisted Saturday that he hasn't made a decision about his future.

"All I'm doing is relaxing," Hobbs told the Boston Herald. "Because of the lockout, it's just giving me extra time to work on other things. But none of the doctors have said I need to shut it down, I need to stop playing. I myself haven't even thought about that, or going that route. I've weighed both sides of it, and I'm pretty comfortable where I am right now."

Hobbs took a hit to the helmet on the second-half kickoff during his Philadelphia Eagles' 27-17 victory over the New York Giants on Nov. 21. He had full movement of all extremities and gave a thumbs up to the crowd as he was carted off the field.

A neck injury also ended Hobbs' 2009 season, and a source with knowledge of the situation told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora in November that the cornerback "very likely" would retire after having his second surgery.

If Hobbs decides to play next season, he would be an unrestricted free agent. He has 225 tackles and 10 interceptions in his six-year NFL career, which he started as a New England Patriot.

If Hobbs does choose retirement, he has a backup plan. He returned to Iowa State University in 2009 to receive his bachelor's degree in art and design, fulfilling a promise to his mother after he left school seven credits short.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rookie Locker joins future Titans teammates for workout

Rookie quarterback Jake Locker was among 15 Tennessee Titans who gathered to work out together Tuesday morning, The Tennessean reported via Twitter.

Locker, whom the Titans selected eighth overall in April's draft, did not throw during the workout because only two receivers showed up at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, according to The Tennessean.

Locker said he planned to spend two weeks in the Nashville area, and that he is staying with second-year receiver Damian Williams.

The group at Father Ryan has been working out together for several weeks, according to The Tennessean. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan said last week that plans are in the works for as much of the team as possible to meet for a minicamp on June 8-9 at the high school.

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Williams: Decision on my Panthers future depends on QBs

Running back DeAngelo Williams told a Miami radio station Saturday that his decision to remain with Carolina or seek a new NFL home could hinge on what direction the Panthers take at quarterback.

"It's all going to boil down to quarterbacks," Williams said on WQAM-AM. "In this league, the running game is all predicated on if you have a quarterback or not. If you don't have a quarterback, teams stack the box and they force you to do what you do best."

The Herald in Rock Hill, S.C., reported that Williams was in Miami to participate in the celebrity portion of Sunday's Nautica South Beach Triathlon, in which he'll bike 19 miles.

With Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown both scheduled to become free agents once a collective bargaining agreement is reached, the Dolphins are in the market for a potential workhorse back, and Williams, also a free-agent-to-be, has heard his name mentioned.

"It's kind of ironic that I'm here in Miami, because I've heard rumors that I may be at the top of their board this year," Williams said. "I love it here. ... This is a place that I'd love to live.

"I know they've had a lot of talk about the quarterback situation here in Miami," Williams added. "We've had a lot of quarterback talks in Charlotte, too."

Williams clarified that a return to the Panthers isn't out of the question, but he expressed hope that the Dolphins would court him.

"I hope I'm at the top of their list and that they come after me and make a conscious effort to come after me, because it shows that they want me," he said.

The Panthers ranked last in the NFL in total offense (258.4 yards per game) and scoring (12.2 points per game), toiling behind starting quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen, Matt Moore and Brian St. Pierre. Williams topped the list of Carolina running backs who suffered under the team's one-dimensional attack, following his 1,117-yard showing in 13 games in 2009 with 361 yards in six games in 2010.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Friday in an interview with WFNZ-AM in Charlotte, N.C., that the team will choose the player in this month's draft who best fills its primary need. Rivera also said he disagreed with the sentiment that there isn't a quarterback worthy of the No. 1 pick, and the team appears open to selecting either Auburn's Cam Newton and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert.

Clausen, the Panthers' 2010 second-round pick, was compromised by nine losses and mostly poor showings in 10 starts last season, but Rivera went out of his way to defend the quarterback while speaking with reporters at the NFL Annual Meeting last month.

"I think he got too much of the blame," Rivera said. "I think he shouldered too much of the responsibility."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The fans have spoken, but Vikes' Wilf mum on Childress' future

MINNEAPOLIS -- Like voters flocking to the polls, Minnesota Vikings fans loudly called for a change in leadership to save a fast-sinking season that started with Super Bowl aspirations.

The signs said it all -- "Fire Chilly" -- and there were thousands of them being handed out on the streets by grinning entrepreneurs outside the stadium before Sunday's game against Arizona.

Boos came from the crowd as coach Brad Childress emerged from the tunnel leading to the field, and the "Fire Childress!" chants were audible several times throughout the afternoon. Finally, as the Vikings rallied from a two-touchdown deficit late in the fourth quarter and pulled out an overtime victory, the chants changed to "Let's go Vikings!"

"I think they came expecting to see an execution," Childress said. "And it ended up a pretty good football game at the end."

Mired in controversy over his handling of the hasty decision to dump dissatisfied wide receiver Randy Moss, Childress acknowledged this week his expectation of the catcalls from customers frustrated by the 2-5 record.

The majority of the fan base has never warmed up to Childress, and the angst hit an apex this week. Reports emerged about player-coach clashes and owner Zygi Wilf's anger over Childress's failure to tell him his plan to waive Moss after a pattern of disrespect shown by the notoriously moody star.

Childress chalked his heated argument with wide receiver Percy Harvin, who was close to Moss, up to emotional people playing an emotional game. Harvin shrugged it off, too.

"It was about whether I was going to get an MRI or not. It was a little dispute, but we settled it. Me and Coach are fine," Harvin said.

Wilf was at team headquarters this week, closely observing the team and talking to key players about the situation. Before the game, Wilf and Childress shook hands and had a brief conversation on the field during warmups. Wilf gave reporters a brief statement but declined to address the status of his head coach, to whom he gave one year ago a contract extension through the 2013 season.

"Nothing to say about that," Wilf said. "The big thing is getting a win right now. The big thing is to win this game and to be crowned division champions."

Wilf was downright giddy after the game, greeting everyone from Childress to the last guy on the roster as they entered the locker room by exclaiming, "Great heart, fellas! Great heart!"

Still, Childress is in front of the public firing squad, as football coaches often are.

"It's kind of a disaster right now. I think he should've been gone a couple years ago," said Bryan Bergeson, a lifelong Vikings fan from Rockford, Ill., who took part in the pre-game tailgating outside the dome on an unseasonably sunny and warm November day.

Bergeson spoke across the street from an office building where paper taped inside a fifth-floor window spelled out, of course, "Fire Chilly." Bergeson had his own sign in his hand. One woman, seeing a reporter scribbling in a notebook, yelled as she walked by, "Just write 'Fire Childress!'"

One girl wore a purple Moss jersey with red tape crossing out the No. 84, a sign that not all the anger is directed at Childress.

"It's really negative. I don't like the signs. To be honest, a couple weeks ago things were cool. Two losses in a row, and, wow," said Tom O'Neill, who makes regular trips to games with friends from Mason City, Iowa.

His group had a clear message: Cheer the uniforms and not the players or coaches who wear them.

"We love the Vikings," O'Neill said. "We invest a lot of time. Give up a Sunday. I could be home getting my lawn that needs raked right now."

But it was hard to find a lot of opinions that matched his. Most people were plain fed up with the guy in charge, Childress.

"He thinks he knows everything, and he doesn't seem to know that much," said Mike Garrison, from Peoria, Ill.

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Twin Cities natives Darwin and Lisa McQuerter brought red handkerchiefs to signify their protest -- sort of a fan's challenge flag -- of Childress. They proudly said they joined in the "Fire Childress" chants two years ago during a particularly rough game by the offense and planned to do so again on Sunday.

"He's got to go," Darwin said.

Andy Nedoba and Jon Wright were in another contingent from Iowa, and their friend, an Atlanta Falcons fan, wore a "Fire Brad" T-shirt, just to pile on. Nedoba said he didn't think Childress should be fired, but neither he nor his buddies had a positive opinion.

Asked how the season has affected his view of the coach, Wright said, "It's made me not like him."

Fans were trying to stay patient and keep a level head.

"You've got to be realistic about it, too," O'Neill said. "Fire the coach? OK, that'll make Percy Harvin catch the ball. Yeah, fire the coach. That'll make Greg Camarillo add 8 yards to his punt-return average. We have a knee-jerk society. An instant society. We're 2-5: Fire Childress? Not me, man. Not me right now. In January when it's done, then we'll see."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Bailey's future uncertain after Broncos change contract tact

The Broncos have ceased contract negotiations with Champ Bailey, The Denver Post reported Thursday, increasing the likelihood that the nine-time Pro Bowl cornerback is playing his final season in Denver.

"I am disappointed because I want to be here," Bailey said. "We know that, they know that. What's the issue here, really?"

Bailey, 32, is in the final year of a seven-year contract. He said his agent, Jack Reale, and the Broncos were close to finalizing a four-year extension that Bailey didn't really like, but he said he was willing to accept it to stay in Denver.

Then the Broncos suddenly broke off talks Tuesday, according to Reale.

"We were scheduled for a discussion on the contract offer they had recently e-mailed me," Reale said. "Before we had a chance for discussion, I received a call saying they wanted to put it off and wait until the end of the season. That is certainly their option, and while not pleased, since no player likes playing in the last year of his contract, we respect their right to pursue that approach.

"Champ will do what he always does. Play hard, give 100 percent, keep quiet and lead this team."

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels declined to comment on Bailey's contract situation.

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Kolb shuts down talk of his future as Eagles' No. 1 QB

PHILADELPHIA -- After Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion during last month's season opener, Eagles coach Andy Reid said the quarterback would regain the starting job as soon as he was healthy.

Instead, Reid decided to stick with Michael Vick, who played well in Kolb's absence.

Now that Vick is hurt, will Kolb have a chance to turn the tables and win back the job? Kolb shrugged off the possibility Wednesday.

"If I get into all that, then I'm focusing on the wrong thing," Kolb said. "My focus right now is to go out and beat San Francisco and make sure I do my part in doing that."

Vick, who led the 2-2 Eagles to wins at Detroit and Jacksonville, is expected to miss one or two games with cartilage damage in his ribs, suffered last weekend during a home loss to the Washington Redskins. So Kolb will make his fourth NFL start Sunday when the Eagles face the winless 49ers in a nationally televised primetime game at Candlestick Park.

Kolb said he's not trying to prove he's capable of being a starter. He only has one goal.

"Win," he said. "That's all I care about, and that's the truth. Just go out there and win. That's our No. 1 focus right now."

Reid ducked a question about Kolb's ability to win back the job.

"Right now, I'm focused in on San Francisco and getting Kevin ready to play, and Kevin's getting ready to play, and we'll go from there," Reid said. "I think Kevin's looking forward to the opportunity, the challenge."

But there certainly is much at stake for Kolb. At some point, the Eagles need to decide whether to offer Vick a multiyear contract and commit to him as the team's long-term answer at quarterback or to proceed with Kolb as the quarterback of the future. The more Kolb plays, the easier that decision will be.

"As a football player, you just try to focus on the task at hand and the rest takes care of itself," Kolb said. "I'm not nervous about it, I'm excited about it. I'm having more fun right now than I've had in this game ever, and so I'm looking forward to getting back out there."

Kolb, who last season became the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in his first two starts, led the Eagles on three scoring drives in their 17-12 loss to the Redskins on Sunday and two other drives inside the Washington 32-yard line that resulted in turnovers.

"We obviously moved the ball great, we've just got to plug it in when we get down there," Kolb said. "There were plenty of opportunities. We just need to finish them off.

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"This is the most playing time I've seen since last year. That was the one thing that was very encouraging. I felt very good out there. Felt good moving around, so just continue on that and build."

Kolb said he wasn't bitter at losing the starting job after just two quarters of football, especially after his coach initially promised he would keep it. That's just life in the NFL, Kolb said.

"I'm a positive person, so I always see the good in things," he said. "So, that was never an issue. It was a difficult time, but there's (always) a chance that this could happen, and you have to be ready to go all the time."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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