NFL-National Football League roundup

Feb 29 (The Sports Xchange) - The New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2019 season when he will be 42. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini, Brady's salary-cap charge for 2016 was scheduled to be a team-high $15 million and the extension would lower that number. The four-time Super Bowl champion has always maintained he could play well into his 40s. - - The New Orleans Saints released wide receiver Marques Colston, the team's all-time leading receiver. Colston played 10 seasons for the Saints, who drafted him in the seventh round in 2006. Coston, who will turn 33 in June, had 45 receptions for 520 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games, including five starts, in 2015. - - Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his lower back recently, but the team expects his availability for offseason workouts to be impacted minimally, if at all. - - Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery became the first 2016 free agent to be officially tagged when the Chicago Bears placed the franchise designation on the former second-round draft pick. The move assures Jeffery a 2016 salary of $14.599 million unless the two sides work out a long-term deal, which head coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace said was the stated goal. - - The wife of Bart Starr has revealed the Green Bay Packers legendary quarterback suffered from back issues throughout his career because he was beaten in a hazing incident at Alabama in the 1950s. According to AL.com, Starr and his wife, Cherry, have kept the dark secret hidden away for more than 60 years. Cherry Starr said her husband was badly beaten with a wooden paddle during initiation into the school's A-Club for varsity lettermen. - - Unless the Denver Broncos get a contract agreement with linebacker Von Miller in the final hours before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, the team is expected to place the exclusive franchise tag on Miller, the Denver Post reported. Negotiations with Miller are ongoing, and the franchise tag allows the two sides additional time to try to work out a long-term deal by July 15. - - Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson will get the franchise tag from the New York Jets before the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday. ESPN and NFL Network reported the Jets could use the marker to retain the 26-year-old Pro Bowl lineman only to trade him in order to alleviate the Jets' salary cap issues. The franchise tag would pay Wilkerson $15.7 million for 2016 unless a long-term deal is worked out before July 15. - - Oakland Raiders punter Marquette King signed a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $16.5 million. The Raiders confirmed the signing with King, who punted 83 times last season and had 40 punts downed inside the opponents' 20, which was second in the NFL. - - The NFL is again considering a rule change that would totally eliminate the chop block for the 2016 season because of player safety. League sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the NFL competition committee had conversations about the change over the weekend at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Chop blocks are legal in certain situations at the line on running plays. Chop blocks occur when an offensive lineman blocks a defender low while that defender is already being blocked above the waist by another offensive player. (Editing by Frank Pingue)