The Sports Xchange

New St. Louis quarterback Nick Foles is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Rams have made signing him to a long-term deal a priority this offseason.

Ideally, the two sides will come to an agreement before the season starts, and according to reports, St. Louis has reached out twice to Foles’ representatives to initiate talks. The Rams want to lock up Foles to avoid having to use the franchise tag on him, should the 26-year-old’s market value increase.

Foles, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in an offseason trade that included quarterback Sam Bradford, will make $1.5 million this season.

—Russell Wilson might be paid only $1.5 million in salary in 2015, but he will also be protected by a multimillion dollar insurance policy in case of injury.

ESPN reported Tuesday that Wilson had taken out the insurance policy, similar to the policies approved by the NCAA for college players expected to enter the NFL within a year.

Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks are stalled in talks geared toward a long-term deal and the quarterback who guided the team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances said recently he is ready to play 2015 without a long-term deal. The Seahawks are focusing on other contracts, including that of inside linebacker Bobby Wagner, seemingly pushing Wilson’s deal to next year’s business.

—The Seahawks officially re-signed quarterback Tarvaris Jackson on Tuesday before the team begins a mandatory minicamp this week.

The Seahawks previously annnounced that they had agreed to terms with Jackson before confirming his return. No contract terms were disclosed by the team.

Jackson replaced defensive end Ryan Robinson (Achilles) on the roster. Robinson was waived on Monday.

—Guard Evan Mathis said Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly called him Friday to tell the 33-year-old he was being released to see if he could get what he wants.

Kelly said Tuesday as the Eagles began minicamp with an open competition at one of the guard spots on the offensive line that the team held onto Mathis as long as possible hoping to trade him. Mathis said he has never asked to be released, despite Kelly’s assertion that the Eagles heard the request multiple times.

Mathis had been absent from organized team activities as he sought an upgrade to his five-year, $25 million contract he signed in 2012. He was due to make $5.5 million this year and $6 million in 2016.

—Brandon Spikes, released by the New England Patriots last week for ties to an alleged hit-and-run accident, placed his 2011 AFC Championship ring on eBay for just under $19,499.

Spikes spent last season in Buffalo but rejoined the Patriots in free agency. Police found Spikes’ car damaged and abandoned on a highway near Foxborough. Investigators learned that a claim Spikes hit a deer was questionable because of a rear-end collision involving a Nissan Murano. He was released by the Patriots and subsequently charged in the accident.

—Wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Rogers was on his third team in the NFL and was let go as the team began mandatory minicamp. The Chiefs also released offensive lineman Kelvin Palmer and signed offensive lineman Tavon Rooks of Kansas State.

—Unhappy with the stale state of contract talks with the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver Dez Bryant will not attend mandatory minicamp.

And Bryant’s agent, Tom Condon, told Sirius XM radio on Tuesday that his client said in recent talks that he is willing to sit out regular-season games. Condon said there have been “no conversations” with the team about a long-term deal.

Coach Jason Garrett said Tuesday morning that Bryant confirmed he is not planning to be present for workouts. Bryant, tagged as the team’s franchise player before free agency began in March, was hopeful the two sides could reach a long-term deal. Bryant has not signed his one-year, $12.8 million tender and the deadline for the sides to agree to a new contract is July 15.

—Safety Taylor Mays was released by the Minnesota Vikings.

Mays had signed a one-year deal with $25,000 guaranteed, but the 2010 second-round pick did not live up to his athletic potential. He has started 10 games in his five-year career with 84 tackles.

—Running back Shonn Greene was released two years into a three-year, $10 million contract with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.

Releasing Greene saves the Titans $3.35 million under the 2015 salary cap.

The Titans have multiple options at running back, though none is a proven workhorse in a pro system. Bishop Sankey, drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft, and Dexter McCluster are back and the Titans drafted Minnesota running back David Cobb in the fifth round.

—The San Francisco 49ers filled three vacant roster spots on Monday to get back to the 90-player limit.

The 49ers signed offensive lineman Ben Gottschalk, kicker Corey Acosta and wide receiver Mario Hull. Tackle Chris Martin and wide receiver Darius Davis were waived.

Gottschalk was the Tampa Bay roster for part of this offseason. Acosta and Hull were undrafted free agents.

—Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, who helped the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl appearance in as many seasons, has been selected as the 2015 Good Guy Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America.

Sherman, the 11th Good Guy Award winner, is the second consecutive member of the Seahawks to receive the honor from the PFWA as quarterback Russell Wilson was the 2014 Good Guy honoree.

The Good Guy Award is given to a NFL player for his qualities and professional style in helping pro football writers do their jobs.