NFL NEWS

NFL Notes: Barkley, Giants agree on four-year deal

The Sports Xchange

July 23, 2018 at 1:59 am.

May 21, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) rushes against cornerback Eli Apple (24) and  defensive back Orion Stewart (45) during practice at Quest Diagnostic Training Center. Photo Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

May 21, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) rushes against cornerback Eli Apple (24) and defensive back Orion Stewart (45) during practice at Quest Diagnostic Training Center. Photo Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants and the No. 2 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, running back Saquon Barkley, came to terms on his four-year rookie deal, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday.

Barkley’s contract is reported to be worth $31.2 million and is fully guaranteed. The deal includes a $20.76 million signing bonus with $15 million paid immediately.

Before ever registering even one carry, Barkley becomes the fourth-highest paid running back in the league behind franchise-tagged Le’Veon Bell of Pittsburgh, Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman and Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy, according to spotrac.com.

In two seasons at Penn State, Barkley compiled 2,767 rushing yards, 1,034 receiving yards and 43 total touchdowns.

— Tony Sparano, the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line coach and former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, died Sunday. He was 56.

The Vikings announced Sparano’s passing on Sunday afternoon. KSTP reported that Sparano died Sunday morning at his home.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Sparano went to a hospital with chest pains on Thursday and was released the following day after tests were performed.

Sparano and his wife, Jeanette, were preparing to go to church on Sunday morning when she found him unconscious in the kitchen. She attempted CPR but was unable to revive him, per Mortensen.

Sparano was named the head coach of the Dolphins in 2008 and turned around a 1-15 team by leading Miami to an 11-5 mark and a postseason berth. He posted a 29-32 record during his four seasons in Miami.

Sparano served as the Oakland Raiders’ interim head coach in 2014 after the team fired Dennis Allen. The Raiders were 3-9 under his watch.

He began his NFL coaching career in 1999 as an offensive quality control coach with the Cleveland Browns. He also had stints with the Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers.

— Five days before the start of training camp, the Tennessee Titans placed right tackle Jack Conklin on the physically unable to perform list.

And on a day when rookies and free agents reported, a few moves raised eyebrows. The Titans’ top pick, linebacker Rashaan Evans, was added to the non-football injury illness list. Outside linebacker Kevin Dodd went on the “Did Not Report” list.

Multiple reports indicated Evans’ designation will not keep him off the field for long.

Dodd, who in two seasons has yet to live up to the expectations of being a second-round pick (2016), missed all of voluntary offseason workouts.

Tight end Phillip Supernaw also was placed on the PUP list.

Conklin, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, tore an ACL in January against the New England Patriots. He has attended organized team activities and minicamp but has only been able to walk and observe.

— Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack’s return to the team is a top priority, according to coach Jon Gruden.

Mack failed to show up for mandatory minicamp and could hold out of training camp as he seeks a lucrative contract extension.

“That might be the toughest decision I have to figure out right now,” Gruden said, via ESPN. “We’re not the only team that’s faced with that. It’s tough. It’s part of this business and we’ll just keep our fingers crossed.”

A three-time Pro Bowl selection and 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Mack is set to make $13.846 million this season in the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. The 27-year-old reportedly is looking to become among the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the league.

— The Indianapolis Colts signed 2018 second-round draft pick Darius Leonard.

The Colts have now signed all 11 of their draft picks from the draft.

Leonard, a linebacker, was the 36th overall pick after starting all 43 games he played in at South Carolina State. He led the team in tackles three times (2014, 2016-17) and set the school record with 394 tackles, including 274 solo stops. He also recorded 53 tackles for loss, 21 1/2 sacks, six interceptions, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks.

— Rookie running back Sony Michel agreed to a contract with the New England Patriots, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

Michel, who was the 31st overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, will sign the standard deal for first-round picks: a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth season.

The 23-year-old Michel rushed for 1,227 yards and 16 touchdowns during his senior season at Georgia while splitting time with now Cleveland Browns rookie Nick Chubb.

— It’s never too early to have a fan appreciation day and that’s just what the Raiders and Jon Gruden were thinking late last week.

With two years before a scheduled move to Las Vegas, Gruden wanted to make sure everyone remembers the Raiders are still Oakland’s team. And on Friday, Gruden and the Raiders hosted a party that involved more than 500 fans, free food and a chance to rub elbows with their $100 million coach.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Gruden was able to sneak in the back door of Ricky’s Sports Theatre and Grill, only to emerge moments later to lead a “Raiders” chant to the delight of those in attendance. The San Jose Mercury News said Gruden did not turn down any autograph or photo requests.

— Baltimore added depth to its offensive line when the Ravens signed guard Cameron Lee.

The 6-foot-4, 312-pound Lee went undrafted in 2107 out of Illinois State. He spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears last season, mostly on the practice squad. The Bears moved him to the active roster late in the season and he ended up seeing action in two games, according to the Ravens’ website. The Bears released him in May.

The Ravens needed extra interior line depth because Marshal Yanda, Maurquice Shakir and Greg Senat are currently sidelined.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans donated $11,000 to the family of Gregory Hill, who was shot and killed by a St. Lucie (Fla.) County Sheriff’s Office deputy in 2014.

Hill’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, but a jury ruled in favor of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office in May. The jury said the 30-year-old Hill was 99 percent responsible for his death and the department 1 percent responsible. The jury awarded the family $4 — $1 for each of Hill’s three children and $1 for funeral expenses.

The 24-year-old Evans stepped up to push the overall online donations to the family to close to $100,000.

— New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning admitted to owning an interesting keepsake.

Manning said last week on “The Dan Patrick Show” that he still is in possession of the San Diego Chargers jersey presented to him during the 2004 NFL Draft. Although he was selected by the Chargers with the top overall pick, Manning wanted no part of the team. In fact, he previously told the Chargers that he would sit out the entire season if they selected him.

Well, they did and Manning posed for an awkward photo with the jersey in hand before later being traded to the Giants approximately 45 minutes later. As for the jersey itself, Manning said he has it in his possession — somewhere.

Philip Rivers was taken by the Giants with the fourth overall pick of that draft. About 10 minutes later, he was traded along with three picks — two of which became Pro Bowl selections (kicker Nate Kaeding, linebacker Shawne Merriman).

— Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy said he’s not going to place any additional pressure on wide receiver Kevin White.

White has plenty on his plate after being limited to five games because of injuries since being selected with the seventh overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.

White, who has yet to catch a regular-season pass from Mitchell Trubisky, has 21 receptions for 193 yards and no touchdowns during his career in Chicago.

The 6-3, 216-pound White sustained an injury to his left leg and didn’t play at all as a rookie, and suffered an injury to the same leg that limited him to four games in 2016. Last season, he started the season opener but sustained a broken left shoulder blade in the game that knocked him out for the rest of the year.

— Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Mike Hughes made good on his promise by purchasing a home for his mother.

Hughes, who was the 30th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, revealed Saturday on Twitter that he bought a house for his mother from money made on his first contract. The 5-foot-10, 189-pounder signed a four-year, $9.87 million deal on Thursday, which included a signing bonus of $5.256 million.

“Made that promise a long time ago,” Hughes wrote on Twitter. Hughes had a team high-tying four interceptions for Central Florida in 2017 and a 31.8-yard average on kickoff returns to rank fourth in the FBS.