The Sports Xchange

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is steaming mad over the lack of a smoking gun in Deflategate and “unfair” punishment handed down by the NFL last week.

“This whole thing has been very disturbing,” Kraft told Sports Illustrated. “I’m still thinking things out very carefully. But when you work for something your whole life I just get really worked up. To receive the harshest penalty in league history is just not fair. The anger and frustration with this process, to me, it wasn’t fair.

“If we’re giving all the power to the NFL and the office of the commissioner, this is something that can happen to all 32 teams. We need to have fair and balanced investigating and reporting. But in this report, every inference went against us … inferences from ambiguous, circumstantial evidence all went against us. That’s the thing that really bothers me.”

With that underlying subplot, one of the league’s most influential owners and his peers travel to San Francisco for the NFL owner’s meetings Tuesday and Wednesday. It will be the first contact between Kraft, whose team was harshly punished last week after investigator Ted Wells completed his investigation into the Patriots intentionally decreasing pressure of game-used footballs, and commissioner Roger Goodell.

Instead of league business ranging from extra points to the perceived three-team race to Los Angeles involving the Chargers, Raiders and Rams, breaking rules is again the dominant offseason headline in the NFL this week when the league assembles its power brokers for two days.

Goodell works for the 32 owners in the league and described Kraft as a friend and confidant in the past. They were two of the most visible and instrumental figures in settling the NFL lockout in 2011.

Kraft would not address in an interview with Peter King of Sports Illustrated his current relationship with Goodell, saying “You’ll have to ask him.”

The Patriots also signed free agent linebacker Brandon Spikes to a one-year deal.

Spikes played for the Patriots from 2010 to 2013 before signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in 2014.

After signing with the Bills in 2014, Spikes tweeted some shots at the Patriots, including “4 years a slave” to refer to his first four seasons in the NFL with New England.

The Patriots also released cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, according to reports. He was signed on March 11 as a free agent.

—The Miami Dolphins signed quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a contract extension through the 2020 season.

The six-year extension is worth $96 million, which includes a guaranteed $45 million, the Miami Herald reported.

Since joining the Dolphins, Tannehill has started 48 games and has thrown for 11,252 yards, 63 touchdowns and 42 interceptions.

Tannehill was part of a solid quarterback class that was part of the 2012 draft. Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Robert Griffin III and Nick Foles were taken early, but Tannehill is the first of the bunch to sign an extension.

—San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, announced his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons.

Smith joined the 49ers as a free agent in 2008. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft.

Smith started 217 of 221 games in which he played, including a streak of 185 consecutive starts from his rookie season through December of 2012, and was twice voted 49ers MVP by teammates.

He finished his career with 1,370 tackles, 87.0 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, three interceptions and 30 passes defensed.

—Seattle defensive tackle Jesse Williams has been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo kidney surgery.

The 24-year-old native of Australia who played college football at Alabama and was Seattle’s fifth-round pick in 2013 was diagnosed with papillary Type 2 cancer.

“Although disappointing, I am a fighter and will handle this,” Williams said via a statement released by the Seahawks. “I am going to focus on my health and fighting this battle with a return to football as my ultimate goal. Thank you for your thoughts and support. Go Hawks!”

Also, the Seahawks waived injured running back Demitrius Bronson and signed wide receiver Deshon Foxx.

–The Cleveland Browns signed two draft picks, wide receiver Vince Mayle and linebacker Hayes Pullard.

Mayle was a fourth-round pick out of Washington State where he recorded 148 receptions for 2,022 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Pullard, a seventh-round pick out of Southern California, earned All-PAC 12 honors each of his four seasons.

The Browns also parted ways with player personnel associate Jon Sandusky –the son of convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant coach.

—The Arizona Cardinals signed running back David Johnson, their third-round pick in this year’s draft, to a four-year contract.

The Cardinals also signed tight end Gerald Christian, their seventh-round pick, to a four-year contract.

Johnson played at Northern Iowa where he broke 15 school records. He rushed for 1,553 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

The final pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, Christian became the 40th Mr. Irrelevant since the tradition began in 1976.

—The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed undrafted free agent safety Derrick Wells.

The 6-foot, 201-pound Wells played collegiately at Minnesota, where he played in 47 games (starting 24), totaling 139 tackles, 19 passes defensed and four interceptions.