NFL Notes: Browns, Colts, Patriots

Browns

Browns first-round pick Jabrill Peppers initially declined to sign a practice waiver to take part in rookie minicamp, due to the recommendation from his agent. However, Peppers later changed his mind and requested that he sign the waiver.

“Absolutely,” Peppers said of telling his agent that he wanted to sign the waiver, via Pro Football Talk. “I definitely think that was part of the reason they got it squared away for me today. You pay them for a reason for things like that. They handle the business aspect of it. I just try to perform my best on the field. . . . You do hire an agent for a reason for things like that. It sucks, but at the end of the day, this is my profession now so some things come with the job.”

Peppers was asked about the possibility that he didn’t sign the waiver to avoid drug testing.

“That is your speculation,” Peppers said. “I don’t know why you think of me like that, but everyone is entitled to an opinion. What you think of me is no skin off my teeth. I am not worried about anything but being the best football player and person I can be.”

Colts

While the Colts are the latest team to take a look at trick-shot kicker Josh Gable, HC Chuck Pagano said that veteran Adam Vinatieri is still “our guy.”

“Obviously, [Vinatieri] is still our guy, but you’ve always got to look ahead and build for the future,” Colts coach Pagano said, via Mike Wells of ESPN. “Josh didn’t play college ball. He came right out of high school and was a soccer player in Italy. I’m an Italian and I’ve never been to Italy.”

Patriots

• Ben Volin reports that James White’s new three-year, $12 million deal includes annual incentives of $1 million.
• However, Volin says that White will have a hard time earning this money, considering that he would make $250K for playing 50 percent of the team’s snaps, another $250K for playing 60 percent of the team’s snaps and the final $500K for reaching yardage totals of 1,000 and 1,200 yards.
• For some perspective, Volin notes that White has never rushed for more than 717 yards and played more than 38 percent of the team’s snaps.