The NFL and the NFLPA have yet to come to an agreement on how to institute HGH testing for the league’s players, but according to a new survey conducted by ESPN, most players would be willing to sign off on HGH testing in exchange for guaranteed contracts.
As Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com details, 82 current players were asked which concession they’d make if it meant earning guaranteed contracts, like those in Major League Baseball. 63% of the respondents said they’d submit to HGH testing, while the other options – an 18-games schedule (17%), free agency after five years instead of four (14%), and more offseason practices (6%) – garnered less support.
While the results of the survey are interesting, they may ultimately be moot, as the NFL is unlikely to agree to fully guaranteed contracts for any reason. Here’s more from around the NFL:
- If the Buccaneers decide not to sign free agent guard Richie Incognito, there are a couple teams that would be willing to do so, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). As Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweets, Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht said the team’s meeting with Incognito went well and that he remains an option, but no move is imminent.
- Veteran free agent Quentin Jammer doesn’t intend to retire this year, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN, who tweets that the longtime Chargers cornerback is hoping to play for at least another season.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that retirement isn’t currently an option being considered by Wes Welker, and that the Broncos receiver was feeling better yesterday after sustaining a concussion in the team’s most recent preseason contest.
- A league source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link) that the Chiefs are mulling the possibility of keeping two kickers on their roster. While carrying a second kicker may not be the best use of a regular season roster spot, Kansas City has two solid options in Ryan Succop and Cairo Santos, so the team may not want to lose one for nothing.