NFL Notes: Eric Fisher, Tyron Smith, J.C. Tretter

Eric Fisher

• According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, veteran LT Eric Fisher wants to play this season but plans on being “selective” with his options and has turned down offers from nine teams so far this offseason. 
• Fisher and the Colts were unable to work out a deal earlier this offseason to bring him back to Indianapolis for another season. He hasn’t taken any visits or workouts that have been reported. 

Tyron Smith

• CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones writes the Cowboys’ initial plan to replace LT Tyron Smith (knee) is to move players around and monitor roster moves to determine whether acquiring a new offensive tackle is the best approach.  
• NFL Media’s Jane Slater points out Smith has dealt with a chronic left ankle issue for the last couple of years and he had already re-injured the ankle in training camp. 
• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes Smith could return around this year’s NFC wildcard and named first-round OL Tyler Smith as a possible replacement: “It’s a setback. …We’ll have him at the right time. We’ll have him in that San Francisco [playoff] game, or the equivalent of it that we had last year.”  (Michael Gehlken)

J.C. Tretter

Veteran C J.C. Tretter was one of the best in the NFL at his position last season. Yet he announced his retirement this week after what he says was an offseason of minimal interest from teams. He can’t help but feel like his role as president of the NFLPA contributed to the lack of interest. 

“Guys would be like, ‘Oh, like how are your knees doing?’” Tretter said via Sports Illustrated’s Alex Prewitt. “And I always said, ‘My NFLPA job is gonna end my career well before my knees end my career.’”

• Tretter told Prewitt he had a list of about seven teams he wanted to sign with, headlined by the Panthers, Cowboys and Vikings. Carolina hired his former OL coach James Campen, Tretter thought it’d be fun to play his final season in Dallas, and he grew up rooting for the Vikings. 
• However, none of the teams on his list reciprocated his interest, and Tretter adds the Vikings didn’t even return his agent’s call. 
• Tretter said his salary request was “not at a vet minimum” but still “well below the value I bring.” He also added he was healthy and ready from that perspective, plus no team even requested a physical or MRI. 
• His agent called him at one point in June to tell him: “I didn’t realize how many people you pissed off.”
• Tretter can’t help but feel he’s being penalized for his work as union president, noting: “There are teams right now that I would say are desperate for a center based off how camp’s going. Still no calls.”
• However, he’s at the point where even if a desperate team called, he’s ready to call it a career: “I know what I’ve accomplished in my career and I’m at peace with that.”