Eric Reid’s collusion grievance has been in the news, but Reid’s specific situation has overshadowed a rather curious offseason phenomenon involving him and his entire position group: NFL teams aren’t keen on signing free-agent safeties.

The NBA announced today that they’ve suspended Mavericks forward Nerlens Noel for five games, reportedly following a third positive test for marijuana, a drug that is legal or decriminalized in much of the country. That alone is not a big deal, but Noel’s suspension—which will see him out for the conclusion of the…

After negotiating his own contract with the 49ers last week, Richard Sherman came in for some particularly heavy scrutiny:

The surprise isn’t that Kirk Cousins is getting lots of money. As the biggest name in a big market for free-agent quarterbacks, Cousins was bound to get paid this offseason. What’s notable is how he and the Vikings reportedly agreed to structure the deal, which cannot be signed until 4 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday. The…

Why on earth would the Jaguars sign the quarterback who has spent much of his four-year career doing shit like this—

The details on Jimmy Garoppolo’s new contract with the 49ers are available for scrutiny, and it’s hard not to notice how beneficial the terms turned out to be for both the player and the team.

NEW ORLEANS — Back and forth they went, both sides snapping off data points and counterpoints in a careful effort to leverage whatever they had. They were so into the task at hand that neither the thunderclaps from outside nor the 10-minute warning could interrupt their banter. They were teams of law students from…

Last night’s megatrade that will send Alex Smith to Washington ensures that this offseason is almost certain to feature that rarest of NFL species: an experienced starting quarterback venturing into unrestricted free agency. Brace yourself, gentle reader: We live in a world in which Kirk Cousins will likely soon be…

The Steelers have been busy keeping their own and adding to their roster this offseason. Don’t think running back Le’Veon Bell hasn’t noticed.

There’s an episode of Seinfeld where Jerry is “Even Steven”—he can’t gain or lose anything. When a gig cancels on him, he immediately gets a call for a new one on the same weekend. When Elaine throws a $20 bill out the window, he finds another one in his jacket. He’s equally lucky and unlucky. He always breaks even.

The NFL is nearing an agreement on a five-year extension to keep Roger Goodell as commissioner, a move that would extend Goodell’s tenure through 2024, per Sports Business Journal’s Dan Kaplan. This should come as no surprise.

In November 2010, Donovan McNabb signed a blockbuster contract extension. A six-time Pro Bowler with the Eagles, McNabb had been traded to Washington that spring. His new deal was completed just days before his 34th birthday, and the widely reported terms—five years, $78 million, with incentives that could push that…

Duane Brown is testing the system. Brown, who is about to enter his 10th season as the Texans’ starting left tackle, has not reported for the start of training camp. He has two non-guaranteed years remaining on his contract, and he wants a new deal.

Le’Veon Bell is making a big bet on himself. That kind of thing isn’t all that uncommon in the NFL, where contracts are not guaranteed, but Bell’s gamble is an attempt to transcend his position from a financial standpoint. The odds that he’ll succeed appear to be stacked against him.

The NFL’s franchise tag deadline came and went at 4 p.m. ET with no new contracts for Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins, Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell, and Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. If you’re wondering what that means for them and their teams, I can explain.

The Raiders took care of business with franchise quarterback Derek Carr, who was about to enter the final year of his rookie contract until this happened:

The Steelers placed the franchise tag on running back Le’Veon Bell, but Bell has yet to sign his tender and did not report for any of the team’s offseason program. That includes this week’s mandatory minicamp, which for Bell was actually not mandatory because he’s not officially under contract.

Stop me if you’ve heard this sort of thing before, but the NFL is trying to screw over players with contract language. The difference this time is that the NFLPA has flagged the league’s efforts as actual violations of the collective bargaining agreement.

Dear NFL players,

Young Sabres center Jack Eichel missed 21 games with an ankle injury, eventually finishing this season with 24 goals and 33 assists, good for 57 points in 61 games. That’s a 0.934 points per game average, which was 11th in the NHL this season, just behind Leon Draisaitl’s 0.939. As infinitesimal as that 0.005 margin…