Can Nate Robinson go from the pages of Hoops Rumors to Pro Football Rumors? In a YouTube video released this week, the diminutive former NBA guard announced that he is going to make a run at the NFL. The well-produced video features testimonials from Marcedes Lewis and Brendon Ayanbadejo, former NBA teammates Jamal Crawford and Glen Davis, as well as former football coach Rick Neuheisel, all of whom insist that Robinson is perhaps the only athlete who could make the transition from professional basketball to professional football.
Robinson originally went to the University of Washington on a football scholarship and made a name for himself on the gridiron with his electrifying plays, but it has been many years since he tried his hand at football. The 31-year-old (32 in May) did not say which position he would like to play in the NFL, but he spoke about both offense and defense in the video, inferring that he might try to market himself as being able to play on either side of the ball.
Here’s the latest news on some of this week’s more typical NFL free agents:
- The Raiders are zeroing in on Eric Weddle, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. It’s not immediately clear whether Weddle has a visit scheduled with Oakland. We learned last night that the Steelers are also fond of the veteran.
- The plan is for Akiem Hicks to visit the Bears tomorrow, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- Safety Rashad Johnson is traveling Friday for a visit with the Titans, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco says he’s ready for the second wave of free agency, as ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes. Telesco also says that he is open to newly signed safety Dwight Lowery serving as a stopgap for Eric Weddle.
- Cardinals free agent linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will meet with the Falcons on Friday, per Jay Adams of the Falcons (on Twitter).