The Oakland Raiders gave up a 2011 first-round pick to the New England Patriots this past weekend to get defensive end Richard Seymour(notes), but it doesn’t mean the guy is going to come play for them right away, it appears. According to NFL.com, Seymour wants a contract extension from the Raiders before he decides to come put on the pads in Oakland.
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New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree wants the most famous helmet in Super Bowl history back, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
Looking li ke it was about to all be over for the New York Giants in the final minute of Super Bowl XLII, quarterback Eli Manning somehow got away from a bunch of Patriots on third-and-five at his 44 and tossed the ball way downfield and found the hand of Tyree, who pressed the ball against his helmet as he fell to the field for a first down and …

With folks already wondering whether New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be well enough to take the field when the season kicks off for the Pats on Sept. 14 against the Buffalo Bills, there is more potential bad news in New England: Wide receiver Wes Welker also might not be ready, according to the Boston Globe.
Welker has an “undisclosed injury” and Welker says he’s doing everything he can to get everything ship-shape for the opener but he took the company line and said he couldn’t actually comment on how …

by Michael Whooley
From here on out, every game matters in the NFL.
About time, right? We are four nights away from the season opener, and I’m sure everybody reading this article can’t wait for Thursday, whether you have somebody playing in that game or not.
Most of your drafts are probably over by this point, but you have to remember that your job is not done after your draft—it’s just beginning.
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by Martin Mullane
I’ve been having sleepless night recently thinking about Matt Forte (no funny comments please!).
A second round pick out of tiny Tulane, the guy was, unheralded outside of the Bears scouting staff pre-draft 2008. Before being unleashed on the Colts last September, he was still unheralded outside of the Bears coaching staff and playing squad.
Jees the guy was expected the back-up Cedric Benson.
Everyone knows Matt Forte now.
The guy had an unbelievably rookie season, some would argue, a better rookie season than All Day Adrian Peterson. How can a Bears …

by a Lions fan
What the heck happened in Lionland?
I go away for one long weekend with friends, to get away from phones, email, and any computer, only to come back and see that Matt Stafford has been named the starter for the Detroit Lions.
I am, among many Lions supporters, a proponent to have Stafford watch and learn the offense, and allow Culpepper to run the team until the bye week.
The first six games are going to be the toughest part of the schedule.
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by Midwest
In case football fans needed anything else to get them warmed up for the 2009 season, Miami and Florida State engaged in an epic battle last night that came down to the final play. The U ended up stealing one at Doak Campbell Stadium — and, by the way, did anyone else come away really impressed with Graig Cooper? — putting an exciting capper on a solid first week of college football action.
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by Gozer
Eddie Royal (Broncos)- Royal has been creeping up the draft boards with the absence of WR Brandon Marshall. As a rookie last season he caught 91 passes for 980 yards and five scores. Even though he has a new coach (Josh McDaniels-OC with the Pats) and QB (Kyle Orton), the system fits him perfectly. The Broncos plan to run a lot of short timing routes which the role West Welker has with the Patriots. In points per reception (PPR) leagues Welker is going in the third-fourth round. Owners should …

by Josh McCain
With a decline in ticket sales, teams like Jacksonville, Buffalo, and Cincinnati are expected to have blacked out home games.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with blacked out home games, a blacked out game occurs when a team fails to sell out its home game 72 hours prior; the game is then “blacked out” or not shown locally.
Many people, especially with the economy, cry foul for this practice because not everyone can afford to go to the games. At first, I’m inclined to agree with these folks.
However, …