Jay-Z's agency wants to represent Geno Smith (Getty Images)

Roc Nation, the new sports representation agency owned by Jay-Z, was among a handful of agencies that made pitches this week to represent New York Jets second-round quarterback Geno Smith, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports.

Smith was represented by Select Sports Group, but terminated that agreement after the 2013 NFL draft. Smith reportedly expected to be selected in the first-round of the draft and, after not hearing his name called among the first 32 picks, briefly considered not returning to the green room at Radio City Music Hall for Round 2. Smith did return and was selected by the Jets with the No. 39 overall pick in the draft.

[Also: Daniel Snyder: 'Redskins' moniker not going anywhere]

Jay-Z is not a certified NFLPA agent, therefore, under NFLPA rules, he is not allowed to recruit, or serve as a "runner" for, the unidentified NFLPA certified agent that the Jay-Z-owned agency currently employs. Roc Nation has teamed with powerhouse agency CAA Football, but according to PFT's report, CAA was not involved in the recruiting process of Smith, either.

The 2011 collective bargaining agreement has removed most of the negotiable items from the rookie signing process. Based on documents distributed to certified agents that have been obtained by "Shutdown Corner", Smith will receive a maximum signing bonus of $2,030,620 and a base salary of $405,000 in 2013. With very little of the rookie contract to be negotiated, Smith is likely looking for an agency that can increase his earnings outside of football and who is willing to take far less than three percent (the maximum percentage allowed by the NFLPA) on Smith's football earnings.

Levi's wants the naming rights to the 49ers new stadium (USA Today Sports Images)

The San Francisco 49ers are scheduled to begin play in their new $1.2 billion stadium in Santa Clara in 2014. When they do, the name of another iconic San Francisco company will be branded throughout the interior and exterior of the new stadium.

The 49ers and Levi Strauss & Co. announced that they will present a 20-year naming rights proposal to the Santa Clara Stadium Authority on Thursday, May 9. The deal is worth $220 million, a price tag that will also make the 160-year-old clothing company a corporate sponsor of the 49ers.

"49ers have worn Levi's jeans since the Gold Rush era," 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement released by the team. "We are so honored to have the perfect partner for the premier outdoor sports and entertainment venue in the world. A model of innovation and sustainability, Levi's Stadium will bring to life all that is special about the Bay Area."

[Also: Tebowmania hurting popular QB's NFL prospects]

At a press conference to announce the deal, York added that the team is working on getting head coach/khakis aficianado Jim Harbaugh some jeans.

"We're working on coach to get him into a pair of jeans," York said, via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. "I don't know whether he's been in anything other than khakis."

At $11 million per season for the naming rights to the 68,500-seat stadium, the deal comes in as the second-largest among current NFL naming rights agreements.

Chris Kluwe has been released by the Vikings (USA Today Sports Images)

Veteran punter Chris Kluwe announced on Twitter that his eight-year run with the Minnesota Vikings has come to an end.

"So long, Minnesota, and thanks for all the fish!," Kluwe wrote. "Thank you to all the fans, my teammates, and the Wilf family for the past 8.5 years. I wouldn't have traded it for anything."

Kluwe had seen the writing on the wall and was expected to be released after the addition of Locke. Last week, Kluwe told ProFootballTalk.com that it was "a shame" that his vocal support for a human rights issue like marriage equality could result in his release considering the number of second chances given to players in the league who have committed felonies.

[Also: Tim Tebow tops Forbes' list of most influential athletes]

In recent seasons, Kluwe has used his Twitter page to needle the NFL about player safety issues and the labor negotiations in 2011. Last year, Kluwe publicly supported the Hall of Fame candidacy of punter Ray Guy.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman told Peter King of Sports Illustrated that the off-field issues were not going to be a factor in what the did at the punter position.

"Locke was the top punter in this draft,'' Spielman said. "Some people are trying to play the other angle [the Kluwe-as-distraction angle], but that is totally off-base. That is off the radar. I want Chris, and all of our players, to have freedom of speech. This has nothing to do with Chris' political views."

Tyson Clabo will sign with the Dolphins (USA Today Sports Images)

The Miami Dolphins' nearly two-month search for a veteran offensive tackle will end with the team signing Tyson Clabo.

Clabo's agent, Chad Speck, announced the impending transaction on Twitter.

Miami had a void at the tackle position after allowing four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long to hit unrestricted free agency, where he signed a four-year, $34 million contract with the St. Louis Rams. By signing Clabo, the Dolphins appear set to move 2012 second-round pick Jonathan Martin to the left side, a position he struggled at while filling in for an injured Long during his rookie season.

The Dolphins had been interested in franchised Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert, even bringing him in for a visit before the 2013 NFL draft, but the Dolphins and Chiefs could not agree to terms on a trade. Acquiring Albert would have allowed the team to keep Martin at right tackle, but based on their actions this offseason, the Dolphins appear confident that Martin can handle the task of protecting Ryan Tannehill's blind side.

Before Long officially left town, and before the interest in Albert heated up, the Dolphins were also interested in former Chiefs and Houston Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston, a University of Miami alum whose brother works in the Dolphins' scouting department. Like with Clabo, had the Dolphins signed Winston, Martin would have been on the move to the left side.

Robert Kraft would welcome a gay player on the Patriots (USA Today Sports Images)

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of the most influential figures in the National Football League and has congratulated Jason Collins for becoming the first male athlete in one of the four major sports leagues to reveal that he is gay.

Kraft added that he would support a gay player on the Patriots.

“We’re about winning, and (if) someone can come in here and help us win, I don’t care what ethnic background, what racial background, what gender preference they have," Kraft said via Luke Hughes of NESN.com "If they can help us win and they’re about team then I’ll be happy to have them here."

With marriage equality on a nationwide basis becoming more and more of an inevitability, and more NFL players from diverse backgrounds speaking out in support of that issue, there have been reports that one or more players in the NFL were going to come out of the closest this offseason.

LeGarrette Blount took a pay cut (USA Today Sports Images)

On the third day of the 2013 NFL draft, the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers swapped unwanted running backs, with the Patriots shipping Olympic silver medalist Jeff Demps to the Bucs in exchange for LeGarrette Blount, a former 1,000-yard rusher who had lost his starting job to 2012 first-round pick Doug Martin.

When the deal was struck, the Patriots were taking on a larger financial commitment. Demps, who signed with New England as an undrafted free agent last August, is scheduled to earn the league minimum ($405,000), while Blount had signed a one-year extension with the Buccaneers in early March that had a total value of $1.75 million.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Blount has agreed to a restructured contract that has reduced his base salary and cap hit by $1.07 million for the 2013 season.

Blount, who was eligible for restricted free agency this offseason, signed a one-year extension with the Buccaneers on on March 7 that called for a $150,000 workout bonus, a $350,000 bonus for reporting to training camp and a $1.25 million non-guaranteed base salary to give him a $1.75 million cap figure for the 2013 season. The Patriots acquired that deal, but have made some major modifications.

[Also: Ravens, Bears off to fast start in signing draft picks]

For starters, Blount's $150,000 workout bonus has been reduced to $50,000 and his $350,000 reporting bonus has been eliminated. In addition to that $450,000 in savings, Blount's base salary has been reduced by nearly 50 percent, going from $1.25 million to $630,000, none of which is guaranteed.

Blount's 2013 cap hit has gone from $1.75 million to $680,000, which is fourth behind Leon Washington ($1.5 million), Shane Vereen ($950,250) and Stevan Ridley ($805,500) among the Patriots running backs. Blount's renegotiated deal also included a "split" salary that would reduce Blount's pay rate (to $383,000) if he were placed on a reserve list.

Daryl Washington has been charged with aggravated assault (USA Today Sports Images)

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault following an incident involving his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of Washington's five-month old daughter, FOX 10 News in Phoenix, Arizona reports.

Bond has been set at $4,200.

[Also: Ravens, Bears off to fast start in signing draft picks]

According to the report, Washington allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend following an argument inside her apartment on Wednesday. Washington's ex-girlfriend alleges that the Pro Bowl linebacker choked her and police responding to her call noted that she had marks on her throat.

The report also states that there is a custody battle going on between the two and that the ex-girlfriend has not allowed Washington to see his daughter. Washington has filed court documents stating that his ex-girlfriend is making financial demands "in return for parenting time".

Washington, who earlier this offseason was suspended for the first four games of the 2013 regular season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, met with investigators on Thursday and released the following statement.

"These are serious accusations that we are closely monitoring. Until all the facts are determined, and out of respect for the process, we will decline any further comment at this point."

Justin Blackmon will miss the first four games of the 2013 season (USA Today Sports Images)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon will miss the first month of the 2013 season as he has been suspended by the National Football League for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

"I’ve made a mistake and I have no excuse. I am truly sorry and disappointed in myself for putting the Jaguars in this situation, and I look forward to putting this behind me and maturing and growing as a person," Blackmon said in a statement issued by the Jaguars. "I will have a productive training camp and preseason with my team, and during the suspension I will work hard to stay in top football shape and be ready to help the Jaguars when I return. I have chosen to be accountable for my poor decision, and I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches, the front office and Jaguars fans for the impact of my mistake on the team."

Blackmon's suspension is not his first misstep since entering the NFL.

Two days after the Jaguars completed their OTAs last offseason, Blackmon was arrested in Stillwater, Oklahoma on aggravated DUI charges. For Blackmon, it was his second DUI arrest (the first occurred while he was playing for Oklahoma State University in 2010, but his charges were reduced), and he avoided jail time with a guilty plea the following month. Blackmon received a deferred sentence of one year along with a $500 fine and an order to complete 50 hours of community service.

The four-game suspension will cost Blackmon $289,754 (4/17ths of his $1,231,455 base salary) and might void the guarantee language on the $10,722,248 in base salaries and annual roster bonuses that remain on his four-year, $18.512 million rookie contract. The Jaguars could also seek to recoup the prorated portions of his $7.11 million signing bonus in 2012 and $1.7 million in roster bonuses in 2013 for the weeks that he is suspended, which amounts to $818,235.

Blackmon, 23, was selected by the Jaguars with the fifth overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft. Blackmon started 14 of 16 games, playing in 90.78 percent of the Jaguars' offensive snaps and led the team with 64 receptions and was second on the team behind Cecil Shorts with 865 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. Blackmon's receiving yards was the most among NFL rookie wide receivers in 2012.