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NFL roundup: Winston opts for draft
Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston will forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.
Winston confirmed the decision in a statement issued Wednesday by The Legacy Agency, which will represent him. Winston’s father, Antonor Winston, had told ESPN earlier Wednesday that his son had decided to enter the draft after initially planning to announce the decision after Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship game.
NFLDraftScout.com ranks Winston as the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2015 behind Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and the No. 3 overall prospect behind Southern California defensive tackle Leonard Williams.
After Winston sat out as a true freshman in 2012, he took the starting job in 2013 and led Florida State to the BCS national championship as a redshirt freshman and won the Heisman Trophy. In 2014, the Seminoles again posted an undefeated record during the regular season before losing 59-20 to Oregon in the Rose Bowl last week.
—New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin informed defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and cornerbacks coach Peter Giunta that they would not return next season.
The news comes nine days after the Giants finished a disappointing 6-10 season in which the defense was 29th overall in the league.
—Giants rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was added to the Pro Bowl roster Wednesday after Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson dropped out due to injury.
Beckham, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2014 draft, is the first Giants rookie named to the Pro Bowl since Jeremy Shockey in 2002 and the first Giants receiver to represent the team in the league’s annual all-star game since Victor Cruz in 2012.
Beckham, who missed all of training camp and the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, finished with 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in only 12 games. His nine straight games with at least 90 receiving yards tied an NFL record set by Michael Irvin of the Dallas Cowboys in 1995.
—Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei will miss the NFC divisional playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a fractured foot during Tuesday’s practice.
Lotulelei, 25, started 13 regular-season games for Carolina this season, recording 21 tackles and two sacks. As a rookie last season, the former first-round draft pick had 34 tackles and three sacks while starting all 16 games. Lotulelei had four tackles in last week’s 27-16 NFC wild-card win over the Arizona Cardinals.
—Rob Ryan will remain the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator for the 2015 season, according to multiple reports.
A source confirmed to ESPN of the news reported earlier Wednesday by the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Ryan’s status was in limbo after Saints coach Sean Payton promised to make significant changes following a disappointing 7-9 season. The Saints reportedly already parted ways with longtime tight ends coach Terry Malone, wide receivers coach Henry Ellard and assistant secondary coach Andre Curtis.
—Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is considering leaving the team because of friction among the coaching staff and front office, Cleveland.com reported Wednesday.
Shanahan, among others, is a candidate to fill the head-coaching vacancy with the Buffalo Bills. He reportedly will interview for the job Thursday morning. ESPN.com reported that Shanahan hasn’t notified the Browns about his unhappiness in Cleveland. ESPN’s source questioned the Cleveland.com report.
According to Cleveland.com, Shanahan also is intrigued by the idea of coaching again under his father, Mike Shanahan, with whom he worked for four years on the Washington Redskins’ staff as offensive coordinator before both were fired after last season.
The Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders already have interviewed Mike Shanahan and would consider hiring the father-son duo with Mike as head coach and Kyle as offensive coordinator, according to Cleveland.com. Mike Shanahan has another interview slated with the Chicago Bears, according to reports.
—San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will train with retired two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner this offseason.
The Sacramento Bee reported Kaepernick wants to study with Warner and quarterbacks coach Dennis Gile on film, board work, drills and mental aspects of the game at EXOS in Phoenix, which is where numerous college players prepare for the draft.
Kaepernick, 27, is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix next week and will train at EXOS until the 49ers’ offseason program begins in March. Warner, 43, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and MVP of the 2000 Super Bowl with St. Louis. He retired after the 2009 season.
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