advertisement
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
Of Wes Welker's 554 career receptions, just 11 have been thrown for 20 yards or more.
Tom Brady and Welker have just 10 career completions on passes over 20 yards in the regular season, giving further support to New England's inability to stretch the field in the passing game. The Patriots are expected to franchise tag Welker this offseason, but his long-term status with the team remains to be seen. The Pats figure to make finding a true downfield threat a priority.
Free agent Kevin Faulk remains undecided on his future.
The wide assumption is that Faulk will retire, but he's opted against making a quick decision. According to the Boston Globe, "it is believed" Faulk would not attempt to latch on elsewhere if told he was not in the Pats' 2012 plans.
Rob Gronkowski (ankle surgery) was reportedly dealing with "multiple torn ligaments" during the Patriots' Super Bowl loss.
There isn't a chance Gronk would have suited up were it the regular season, and it's possible he could have been sent to injured reserve had he suffered the injury earlier in the Pats' playoff run. Facing a 10-week recovery following Friday surgery, Gronk should be back to 100 percent long before the start of training camp.
Rob Gronkowski underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery Friday morning.
Gronk expected to avoid surgery, but the Patriots medical personnel must have advised the scope. The recovery timetable is expected to be 10 weeks, putting Gronkowski in question for April OTAs. He should be back to full health well before the start of training camp, however.
ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss suspects Devin McCourty will be moved back to cornerback full-time in 2012.
Reiss believes McCourty's late-season move was more about the lack of adequate safety options as opposed to a statement on his optimal position. Assuming McCourty stays at corner and Ras-I Dowling (hip) returns to play effectively, free safety will be a more pressing need this offseason.
Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe fully expects the Patriots to place the franchise tag on free agent Wes Welker.
Teams can begin tagging players on February 20. "He's going to be tagged, that I know for pretty much certain," said Bedard. "If they don't, he's going to sign with the Jets and they're going to have to try and cover him twice a year, or the Dolphins ... They want him back. I don't see why things would change now but the way it stood before the Super Bowl, they're going to tag him."
The Patriots are expected to tender restricted free agent QB Brian Hoyer "at least" at the second-round level in March.
The Pats are stacked at the position with 2011 third-rounder Ryan Mallett also developing, but Bill Belichick won't risk losing an asset with a low tender. That won't prevent the Patriots from listening to trade offers, however. Hoyer will draw more league-wide interest in 2013 when he reaches unrestricted free agency.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.