NFL-National Football League roundup
May 19 (The Sports Xchange) - The NFL will move back extra-point kicks this season and also allow defenses to score on failed conversion attempts. The league owners, meeting Tuesday in San Francisco, approved the competition committee's proposal to snap the ball on extra-point kicks from the 15-yard line. The ball previously was placed on the 2 and conversions rarely failed. On two-point conversion attempts starting in the 2015 season, the ball will still be placed at the 2, but the defense will now be allowed to return an interception or a fumble to the other end zone for two points. A blocked point-after try also can be returned for a score. A similar rule is in place in college football. - - New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he will swallow his personal pride for the greater good of the entire league and not appeal punishment handed down after Ted Wells' Deflategate investigation. The Patriots were fined $1 million, stripped of two draft picks and quarterback Tom Brady was suspended four games. Kraft's decision has no effect on Brady's appeal. - - The NFL Players Association, which filed an appeal of the league's four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for his role in Deflategate, formally requested that commissioner Roger Goodell move to recuse himself from the review hearing. Goodell rejected the NFLPA's request that an independent arbitrator hear the case last week, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. - - The NFLPA asked a federal judge to hold the league in contempt for its disciplinary action in the case of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. The NFLPA filed a motion in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday in a 24-page document that included the request for a hearing with U.S. District Court Judge David Doty. - - Former San Francisco 49ers president Carmen Policy was hired to lead the relocation efforts of the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. Policy, who also served as Cleveland Browns president and CEO before he sold a minority stake in the team in 2004, was hired to lead a push for relocation and stadium projects in the Los Angeles area. - - Quarterback Derek Carr sat out the Oakland Raiders' organized team activities with an undisclosed injury. ESPN reported that Carr hurt his right ring finger and that surgery might be needed, causing him to miss all of the OTAs. - - The Buffalo Bills have all six members of their 2015 draft class under contract after second-round pick Ronald Darby signed a four-year deal worth a reported $4.6 million. The Bills announced the signing but did not disclose financial terms. - - The New Orleans Saints released veteran kicker Shayne Graham, who was due to earn a $970,000 base salary in 2015. The Saints have former Buffalo Bills draft pick Dustin Hopkins on the roster and signed second-year kicker Zach Hocker following a tryout at the team's rookie minicamp. - - The San Diego Chargers agreed to a one-year deal with right tackle Joe Barksdale. Barksdale, 27, has started 29 games over the past two seasons for the St. Louis Rams, but was not re-signed after the team used a second-round pick on Wisconsin's Rob Havenstein. - - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed guard Antoine Everett and waived injured tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi. Everett was an undrafted free agent from McNeese State. - - The Kansas City Chiefs signed four free-agent players and waived three players, the team announced. The Chiefs signed running back Keshawn Hill, center Daniel Munyer, guard Melvin Meggs and tackle Kelvin Palmer. They waived fullback Manasseh Garner, tight end Earnest Pettway and guard Charles Sweeton. (Editing by Frank Pingue)
