During his seven-year NFL career, Elvis Dumervil has established himself as one of the NFL's most potent edge rushers.

If only he'd had some cutting-edge technology at his disposal Friday, he'd still be a member of the Denver Broncos, who released him in an NFL fiasco for the (dark) ages.

After the defensive end agreed to a pay cut that would have kept him with the team for the 2013 season, Dumervil's agent, Marty Magid, reportedly had 35 minutes to make it official. With Dumervil's previous salary of $12 million due to become guaranteed at 2 p.m. MT, the Broncos needed a signed copy of the revised contract.

Elvis Dumervil has spent his whole career with the Broncos. (USA TODAY Sports)Unfortunately for the team — and, especially, for Dumervil — all parties concerned were relying on the technological equivalent of the goal post in the middle of the end zone.

Yes, in an era in which scanners, electronic signatures and instant Internet transmission are prevalent and readily available, a dreaded fax machine seems to have derailed what had

Read More »from What the fax? Elvis Dumervil contract fiasco could shift balance of power in AFC

Well, so much for charity.

Last month, when Tom Brady agreed to a three-year, $27-million contract extension that dropped his future salaries well below market value, I wondered whether the New England Patriots would honor their end of the bargain by spending that savings on assembling and retaining a strong supporting cast.

On Wednesday, we got our first and most resounding answer: not so much. The news that Wes Welker signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Denver Broncos ensured that Brady, according to someone close to the future Hall of Fame quarterback, "will feel like he's been pierced in the heart."

Tom Brady (R) talks to Wes Welker before the AFC title game. (AP)Other than that, I think Brady is pretty thrilled that his favorite target — and one of his closest friends — will now be catching passes from Peyton Manning, the only man who rivals him as the best player of the 21st century.

That the Patriots responded Wednesday evening by signing former St. Louis Rams receiver Danny Amendola to a reported five-year,

Read More »from Tom Brady should feel burned by Patriots passing on Wes Welker for Danny Amendola

Wes Welker runs past Ravens CB Corey Graham in the AFC title game. (USA TODAY Sports)The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with wide receiver Wes Welker, according to Broncos vice president John Elway.

"Agreed to terms on a 2-yr deal with Wes Welker. Excited to have Wes join the Broncos. His production & toughness will be a great asset!," Elway tweeted.

Negotiations with the Broncos were first reported by ESPN.

Welker, who made $9.3 million last season under the franchise tag, reportedly was upset with the offer he received from the New England Patriots at the start of free agency. He now joins one of the Patriots' biggest rivals for AFC supremacy — and will catch passes from Peyton Manning rather than his good friend Tom Brady.

Brady, for whom Welker caught 118 passes last season, recently signed a contract extension designed to free up money for the Patriots to sign players under the salary cap. He will not likely be thrilled by the departure of Welker to play for the only other quarterback of this era who rivals his accomplishments.

More on Welker,

Read More »from John Elway: Wes Welker, Broncos agree to deal

Free-agent running back Mike Goodson Mike Goodson rushed for 221 yards on 35 carries for the Raiders last season. (Getty Images) will fly to Cincinnati Tuesday night and visit the Bengals' facility on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the player's plans.

Goodson, a fifth-year veteran who spent the 2012 season with the Oakland Raiders, has attracted interest from several teams, including the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. The Bengals theoretically could take him off the market as early as Wednesday if he has a positive experience and if the organization can come up with a financial package to his liking.

Cincinnati is looking for a back to split the workload with incumbent starter BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who signed a three-year deal with the team as an unrestricted free agent last March. Green-Ellis, a sixth-year veteran, carried 278 times for 1,094 yards (3.9 average) and six touchdowns last season.

[Also: Bears' Brian Urlacher faces uncertain future]

While the 5-foot-11, 220-pound Green-Ellis is a grinder who lacks breakaway speed, the fleet-footed

Read More »from Mike Goodson to visit Cincinnati Bengals

As Brian Urlacher enters free agency on Tuesday, the veteran linebacker remains highly uncertain about his future plans. And if the Chicago Bears are planning to try to bring him back for a 14th season, they're doing a good job of keeping their intentions unknown.

Brian Urlacher tackles Texans RB Arian Foster last season. (AP)According to a source familiar with Urlacher's situation, there doesn't seem to be a prevailing sense of urgency coming from Halas Hall as the official start of the 2013 league year approaches Tuesday afternoon. Urlacher, 34, received interest from several teams during the 87-hour "legal tampering" period that preceded the start of free agency, though it's believed he prefers to remain with the franchise that drafted him ninth overall in 2000.

Urlacher, who made $8 million last season, would almost certainly have to take a pay cut to remain in Chicago. His agents reportedly submitted a contract offer to the Bears late last week, but there does not seem to have been any significant give-and-take since that time.

Read More »from Sources: Bears showing no urgency in regards to Brian Urlacher; Cowboys have mild interest

Two words to describe the ever-escalating rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks: It's on.

As if the Scot McCloughan "beat the hell out of them" episode, the Jim Harbaugh honking incident and the Sunday Night Slaughter at CenturyLink Field last December hadn't created enough drama between these NFC West foes, Monday's news that the Seahawks have agreed to trade their 2013 first-round selection and two other draft picks for Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin officially took things to the next level.

The excitement continued three hours later when the Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson reported that the 49ers had agreed to trade a sixth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for veteran wideout Anquan Boldin.

Percy Harvin (12) had 62 receptions for 677 yards in just nine games in 2012. (AP)The trade for Harvin, first reported by FOX's Jay Glazer, underscores the Seahawks' desire to challenge the Niners for NFC West supremacy – right now, without holding anything back – and to go after a whole lot more. Given that San Francisco and Seattle may

Read More »from Seattle Seahawks trade for Percy Harvin shows rivalry with San Francisco 49ers is on

When the Atlanta Falcons fell 10 yards short of a Super Bowl berth last January, it appeared as though future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez had played the final game of his 16-year career.

Now, the Falcons are becoming increasingly hopeful that Gonzo might not be gone after all.

Tony Gonzalez helped the Falcons go 13-3 and make the NFC title game last season. (USA TODAY Sports)According to multiple team sources, the Falcons are cautiously optimistic that Gonzalez, the second-leading receiver in NFL history, will return for another potential title run in 2013. Sources close to Gonzalez, an unrestricted free agent, said he is contemplating a return at the right price, provided he can miss some or all of training camp this summer.

"He will come back if they pay him $7 million and he doesn't have to do training camp," said one Falcons player familiar with Gonzalez's thinking.

Another team source added, "If we offer him the money, he'll most likely be back for one more. He'll most likely be looking to miss training camp, though."

A high-ranking Falcons official

Read More »from Sources: Tony Gonzalez expected to return to Falcons for right price, abbreviated camp

More than a year-and-a-half after signing a collective bargaining agreement that provided for human growth hormone testing for NFL players, the league and the NFL Players Association seem to be closing in on a deal to implement the program in advance of the 2013 season.

The two sides have recently exchanged written proposals, and union leaders will study and discuss the NFL's latest offer when they gather next week at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas for the NFLPA's annual meeting,

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith speaks during the NFL players association news conference during Super Bowl week. (USA TODAY Sports)However, as the two sides haggle over the remaining points of contention and move toward a system of third-party arbitration over appeals of all positive drug tests, it’s clear that the players’ distrust of commissioner Roger Goodell is spurring the union to drive a hard bargain. In the wake of Goodell’s handling of the New Orleans Saints’ pay-for-injure scandal, union leaders and their constituents seem united in their belief that the commissioner enjoys too much power.

"The

Read More »from Union chief: Players refuse to accept HGH testing policy from NFL that's 'not fair'