Jags Look To Add Sheppard

According to a source, the Jacksonville Jaguars are beginning to talk to the Eagles about a possible trade for CB Lito Sheppard. The Jags, who are trying to make their defense as Peyton Manning-proof as possible, were interested in Sheppard before the draft. But their first-round trade-up with Baltimore to get defensive end Derrick Harvey cost them two third-round picks and a fourth-round selection, leaving them with just two picks in the first four rounds. Because of that, they weren't willing to part with their second-round pick, which they spent on another defensive end, Auburn's Quentin Groves, in a deal for Sheppard. If the Jags do manage to get this trade done before the season begins, they could be a favorite to win the AFC title this year.

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Bills To Play In Toronto

The Buffalo Bills will receive $78 million—more than double their calculated 2006 operating income—to play eight games in Toronto over the next five years. The payment to the Bills was disclosed for the first time in Rogers Communications’ 2008 first-quarter report released Tuesday. The Toronto-based company is part of a consortium that negotiated a deal with the Bills to have them play five regular-season and three preseason games, starting this year, at the downtown Rogers Centre. In becoming the NFL’s first team to play annual games outside the United States, the Bills are scheduled to host Pittsburgh in a preseason match at Toronto on Aug. 14, followed by a regular-season game against Miami on Dec. 7.

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Draft Is Over...What's Next?

Well now that the draft is over we can finally start discussing/previewing each team. We'll finish off April with team draft grades by division, and starting in May we'll discuss the futures of these teams....so here's what you can look forward to this summer...

• Off-Season review
• Team-By-Team grades
• Player Predictions
• Team Predictions
• Award Predictions
• Pre-season coverage
• Contests, and more!

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Ravens Trade For Washington, Release Rhodes

The Baltimore Ravens addressed their need at cornerback Sunday, but it didn't come in the draft. Instead, the Ravens traded a fourth-round pick to the Oakland Raiders for Fabian Washington. A first-round pick in 2005, Washington was expendable after the Raiders had traded for DeAngelo Hall. In three seasons with Oakland, Washington had 112 tackles and five interceptions. He was a starter his first two seasons before losing his job early last year. Even if Washington is unable to crack the Ravens' starting lineup, he will be a valuable nickel back, especially because so many AFC North teams use three receivers. "Guys know about our defense," general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "Their play gets elevated when they come to Baltimore. They realize they have to take their play to another level." Also, the Raiders released RB Dominic Rhodes today, after he was suspended half of last season for breaking the league's substance-abuse policy. The Raiders now have Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden as their runningbacks.

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Packers Will Look To Sign Culpepper Before Draft

Daunte Culpepper, one of the Green Bay Packers' chief rivals from his days with the Minnesota Vikings, could be a Packer very soon...The 31-year-old veteran quarterback visited the Packers Wednesday, and the two sides could strike a deal before this weekend's draft. Culpepper arrived in Green Bay on Tuesday evening and spent most of today at the team's facility. "We had him in for a visit, and it was a good visit," General Manager Ted Thompson said late this afternoon. "We wanted to kind of introduce ourselves to him and he to us, so it went fine." Source: Green Bay Press Gazette

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