NFL Notes: Developmental League, Colts, Eagles & Vikings

Developmental League

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports takes an expansion look at the possibility of the NFL creating a developmental league that could solve a number of issues currently facing the NFL such as: diversity, officiating, developing coaches, player development, experimenting with rules and technology.

Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones offered his support for the idea.

“It is a concept that could check all of those boxes we often talk about — diversity, officiating, developing coaches, player development, experimenting with rules and technology,” said Jones. “It’s something we have to start to seriously look at within the competition committee and then discuss with the NFLPA.

“We’ve reached a point where we really should be looking more at a developmental league, and I really expect that to begin here in the next year or so. We lost a lot of money on the NFL Europe, but there were a lot of things the league did well and for all of those reasons — coaches, officiating, players, quarterbacks in particular — it’s something we really do need to be looking at and studying. The time might be right to do it.”

Colts

Colts P Pat McAfee told WFNI-AM that he underwent surgery on his non-kicking knee earlier in the offseason.

“I had surgery like six weeks ago, seven weeks ago on my left knee to clean it up,” McAfee said, via Pro Football Talk. “The first couple weeks of rehab were a little tough, but I’m on the back end of it right now. . . .

“When training camp comes around, I’ll be 100 percent and I can’t wait.”

Eagles

Eagles DT Fletcher Cox released a statement saying that he’s happy to be back in Philadelphia and he plans to keep contract talks between his agent and the team.

“I’m happy to be back in Philadelphia to get back to work with my teammates and coaches. I’m excited for this upcoming season and I can’t wait to get back on the field for mini-camp this week, learn our new defense and do whatever I can to help our team win. Any discussion about my absence from the offseason program or my contract will be handled privately between me, my agent and the Eagles organization.”

Vikings

Vikings veteran CB Captain Munnerlyn said he isn’t bitter about the team’s decision to draft CB Mackensie Alexander in round two.

“When they drafted a corner, I wasn’t mad, or I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, man — I’m out of here,‘” Munnerlyn said, via ESPN. “I didn’t look at it that way. It’s just like, ‘Man, I’ve got to bring it.’ I’ve got to bring up my game a little bit more, go out there and ball out.”