Steelers hopeful they can get Bell deal before March 6

Like most General Managers at the Scouting Combine, Pittsburgh’s Kevin Colbert is doing his most important work with guys already in the league rather than the prospects.

Colbert has met with the representatives for free agent-to-be running back Le’Veon Bell while in Indianapolis, and seemed optimistic about what he heard.

Gettleman, it should be noted, as the Panthers general manager a year ago took multi-faceted running back Christian McCaffrey with the No. 8 pick.

Asked if he views Barkley as a skilled receiving threat, Shurmur said, Oh yeah.

Looking for flaws in the 233-pound Barkley is akin to lamenting San Diego’s weather as too predictable. Sure, Barkley’s rushing total in 2017 (1,271 yards) dipped slightly from 2016 (1,496 yards) and at times he seems more interested in his moves and jukes rather than north-south running. Consider this nitpicking to make sure you put something in the weaknesses column.

Dimitroff has kept contact with Ryan throughout the process, although the actual negotiating has been between Dimitroff and agent Tom Condon.

With agents, we’re very mindful: We don’t want to muddy the waters, Dimitroff said. Ultimately … [Ryan’s] a team guy. There’s no illegalities about talking to Matt Ryan — myself or Dan Quinn. Of course we’ve had a talk here or there about the future. But as far as getting involved and trying to push wedges into a negotiation, no, because we have a good working relationship with Tom Condon and CAA. So I’m not concerned about that.

The broader question the time element whether it will be objective or subjective, and whether if it’s subjective it will be subject to replay review.

It’s a critical aspect of the catch rule, and it’s been as problematic for the league in recent years as the survive the ground component.

The NFL free agency period starts Monday: Here are five players the Giants could make pursue:

Patrick Robinson, CB, Eagles

The definition of a well-traveled player (four teams in four years) could be on the move again, coming off a career-year (four interceptions) in Philadelphia as a slot corner. He is 30 years old and could replace Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, if the Giants opt to part ways for more salary cap space. Shurmur saw him cut across the field on a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown against his Vikings in the NFC championship.

View from Above: Free Agent Frenzy finally delivers

I mean, based on social media posts and talk show callers – it was time for Armageddon in New England about this time a week ago. The Patriots were ready to implode, the entire NFL had passed them by in free agency, they weren’t going to sign anyone who could play, all the good players were going somewhere else…what else have we missed here?

Fifty-nine million people play fantasy and 20 million people play only fantasy football, Ebersol. We have to be able to take advantage of the people who just stop playing fantasy when the NFL season ends.

Like McMahon, Ebersol said the success of the league will live and die with good football, something that he thinks is achievable.

There are 28,000 Division I football players. Only 1,700 have NFL jobs, Ebersol said. We’re looking for those Kurt Warners working in grocery stores, and we think we will find them.

According to the rule, a team will be notified when it has used up all its visits. If a player appears to be going to visit the pitcher after that happens, he will be told to stop by the umpires. Should the player not stop, they will be subject to ejection.

The increased number of discussions between pitchers and catchers is largely due to the use of technology to steal signs. As was the case in Chicago, when there’s a runner on second base, sign-stealing and mound visits can be even more of an issue.

I’d like for there to be less dead time, but you still want to keep the integrity of the game, Adam Warren said. I just want some clarity on exactly how it’s gonna work.

In the meantime, Sanchez will be working with that wristband, the details of which he and Rothschild kept to themselves.

It’s private, Sanchez said with a laugh. But it’s definitely helpful. I want to see how it works, but I know things are going to be different this year.

The answers can be surprising while leaving an impression.

Giants in perfect spot to pounce following blockbuster Jets deal

The Giants have always had, shall we say, a complicated relationship with the Jets. The two franchises are business partners when it comes to sharing MetLife Stadium and very much adversaries in everything else especially when it comes to turning on-field success into New York/New Jersey market dominance. Given what the Jets pulled off Saturday, though, perhaps these two friendly rivals could engage in trade talks mutually beneficial to both sides.

By moving up from No. 6 to No. 3 in the 2018 NFL Draft in a blockbuster deal with the Colts, the Jets are making loud and clear their intentions to find and select their next franchise quarterback. If the Browns, as widely expected, take Sam Darnold with the first-overall pick, the Jets are assured of getting whoever they like best among Josh Rosen, Josh Allen or even Baker Mayfield as long as the Giants at No. 2 do not take him.

Another possible trade twist involves the Bills, who are leapfrogging in the first round, seemingly trying to get as high as possible to get a quarterback. They moved from No. 21 to No. 12 in a trade with the Bengals, but the 12th-overall pick is not high enough to land one of the top quarterback prospects. If the Giants are not taking a quarterback, they could work a deal with the Bills if Gettleman is content to drop out of the top 10.

The Chargers have yet to address the future at the position.

Los Angeles had Kellen Clemens and Cardale Jones behind Rivers last season. Clemens becomes a free agent later this month, and Jones has played in only one game, with 11 pass attempts, in his two seasons.

So while Los Angeles could use a player at another position in the first round, if a quarterback of their liking is there, the Chargers should draft him.

Lynn is not opposed to using the first pick on a quarterback.

I plan on being here for the long haul, Lynn said. If I can get my future quarterback right now, why wouldn’t I? I’m just looking at the big picture here. We’re trying to get better at every spot, and you never know what position is going to step up and help you win.

The Giants’ free-agency work likely begins with him

On Dec. 29, the day he was introduced as the new general manager of the Giants, Dave Gettleman made one thing perfectly clear:

We’ve got to fix the O-line, let’s be honest, he stated. Let’s not kid each other.

Their priority is obvious: Offensive line help. This cannot be achieved solely in the draft. The Giants want to add three new starters to their five-man line and can reasonably expect to find only one of them early in the draft.

The injury no doubt cost Robinson a more significant payday as he was one of the top receivers in the league in 2015 and 2016, pulling in a combined 153 catches and 20 touchdowns to go along with 2,283 yards. The Bears were desperate for a top-end receiver with the worst depth chart in the league at that position.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, now are one of the more potentially explosive offenses in the league with Watkins, Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce at the disposal of second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The former Texas Tech signal caller is taking over the reins from Alex Smith, who was traded to the Redskins this offseason.

Last week, reports surfaced Rodgers-Cromartie was undergoing a position switch, from cornerback to safety, but that proved to be inaccurate the Giants’ coaching staff was taken aback by that news.

Five months later, all three are gone.

Defensive tackle Damon Harrison took to Twitter to decry the news of Rodgers-Cromartie release: The realest in the building in East Rutherford. Wow. There isn’t a lot of [people] across the league like him. A baller and a real one. Receiver Roger Lewis on Twitter called Rodgers-Cromartie One of the realist people ever met in life, helped my game grow with him giving the knowledge he knows.

The Giants are now in need of help at cornerback, with Janoris Jenkins and Apple their two starters if Apple shows enough maturity to handle the job. They could re-sign Ross Cockrell, one of their 19 unrestricted free agents, as Cockrell played reasonably well when forced onto the field last season.

There are things out there, things being said, that I strongly believe against, one of which, I think, is important that you know, Reid said, via the Kansas City Star. Our owner gives [General Manager] Brett Veach and I every opportunity to do what we want to do with the roster and any other situation. He does not interfere with that. Obviously, we keep him abreast, but there is not pressure coming from our owner. That’s not how he operates at all. And so those things that are being said out there, as I know most of you have heard, are way, way, way out of line.

Whole NFL world is waiting on Kirk Cousins to make decision

The Jets could turn back to Josh McCown, last year’s starter, if Cousins goes elsewhere. They also could then draft a quarterback in the first round and have McCown serve as a mentor to the rookie and a starter until that player is ready.

Reconciling with NFL executives became even more urgent when it was announced FOX and the NFL Network were joining forces in covering the NFL draft. That news came the same day Pitaro grabbed the reins, and it didn’t sit well with ESPN that the league had tabbed one of the network’s biggest competitors to air its own show around the draft, for which the Worlwide Leader has been the go-to source for decades.

The FOX deal could be seen as revenge by the NFL for ESPN dipping its toes into the myriad controversies that marked last season the league’s handling of national anthem protests, increasing connections between football and traumatic brain injuries and criticism surrounding commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract extension, among others.

It’s not the first time ESPN has had to choose one objective (adhering to journalist expectations) over another (appeasing the NFL over their $1.9 billion-a-year deal), and consequentially upset one or more parties.

The piece was just one domino in a year full of them, a shaky situation only made worse by Skipper’s lack of connection with NFL executives, according to the report. Unlike his predecessors, Skipper apparently did not maintain the relationships necessary, such as with Goodell and executive vice president of media Brian Rolapp, to ensure fruitful business decisions down the road.

Enter Pitaro, whose biggest decision might be how ESPN moves forward with the NFL after their 10-year, $15.2 billion deal expires in 2021. While ESPN pays more for NFL rights than any other network, it is on the verge of losing its one playoff game to FOX, making an already grim-looking future a point of frustration among ESPN employees who feel they’re not getting the NFL access they deserve.

And now the NFL world waits.

Richard Sherman is a 49er now

SANTA CLARA, Calif. �� Star cornerback Richard Sherman agreed to a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, one day after being released by the rival Seattle Seahawks.

A person in the league familiar with the deal said Sherman agreed to the contract on Saturday after spending the day meeting with the team. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the signing had not been announced. ESPN reported that Sherman’s deal is worth up to $39.15 million.

The Giants are in an offensive line rebuild and will have three and maybe four new starters in 2018 for new head coach Pat Shurmur. They are expected to make a big push in free agency to sign Andrew Norwell, the top guard on the market. New Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, when he held that title with the Panthers, signed Norwell as an undrafted free agent and saw firsthand how Norwell, 26, developed into a star lineman.

The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Halapio will no doubt compete for a roster spot at both guard and center. He took to Twitter to excitedly announce his signing, posting he is humbled and honored to be returning to the Giants, adding, It’s a huge day for my family!

Claiming he was blackballed by the NFL because of his activism — he successfully sued the league for his pension — Beach said he can relate to Colin Kaepernick. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback was out of football last season and remains unsigned after being credited with starting the kneeling protest during the national anthem in a 2016 preseason game.

Beach believes it is Kaepernick’s polarizing beliefs that have kept him out of the league.

Of course it is, Beach said. Anyone who knows anything about football couldn’t begin to suggest he shouldn’t be one of the 32 [starting] quarterbacks. If you say there are 32 guys better than him, you don’t know anything about football.

Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim wasn’t saying what the team plans to do on Wednesday. Keim said that an evaluation process involving Mathieu’s fit with a new coaching staff as well as the salary cap is underway and that any decision will wait until that’s done.