NFL Notes: Colts, Cowboys, Giants, & Patriots

Colts

Mike Wells of ESPN.com believes veteran S Mike Adams could end up securing the starting safety job next to LaRon Landry.

Wells admits that he thought Delano Howell would likely win the job, but it appears as though he has changed his mind to some degree.

Indianapolis placed S Corey Lynch on season-ending injured reserve back in June and later released him, so they had to find some help at the safety position. Adams was signed off the street after he went the majority of the offseason without finding much interest at all.

Adams, 33, appeared in all 16 games and totaled 63 tackles, seven pass defenses, an interception and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 41 safety in the league last season.

Cowboys

Todd Archer of ESPN.com believes the Cowboys would pick up DT Henry Melton‘s option next year that would keep him under contract through the 2017 season.

As things stand right now, Dallas could part ways with Melton after one year and pay him just $2.25 million. In the event that the Cowboys do pick up his option, Melton’s contract becomes a four-year, $29 million deal.

Archer sees Melton as a key to the Cowboys’ defense given that he is capable of making plays from the interior of the defense.

Melton was considered one of the better interior lineman in the league after posting 13 sacks combined in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. However, Melton’s value took a hit after he tore his ACL in the third game of the 2013 season.

Giants

According to Dan Graziano of ESPN New York, the Giants “won’t be afraid to start” second-round C Weston Richburg if they are convinced he’s ready.

As of now, Richburg is competing with free agent acquisition J.D. Walton for the starting the job, and Graziano believes the battle could really go “either way.”

Graziano adds that OL Dallas Reynolds he could be expendable depending on the play from Walton and Richburg this summer.

Some draft experts had Richburg as the No. 1 center in this year’s draft class, so expectations are going to be fairly high for him in the coming years.

Walton, 27, signed a two-year, $5 million contract that included $3 million guaranteed. He spent the first three years of his career with the Broncos.

Patriots

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, Patriots WR Matt Slater is a candidate for a contract extension.

Slater, 28, is a perennial Pro Bowler due to his strong play on special teams. He doesn’t offer all that much as a receiver, which is evident from the fact that he has just a single reception over the course of his six-year NFL career.

He is entering the final year of his three-year, $5.4 million contract and will make $1.2 million for the 2014 season.

Vikings