NFL Picks News: While nothing concrete has been decided Clarence Weatherspoon 76ers Jersey , both the NFL owners and players offered a glimmer of hope that a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement between the two sides can reach reached within the next few weeks. Both sides finally appear to have the necessary sense of urgency to get this whole mess resolved. If they can iron out a deal by mid-July, there should be little or no disruption to the current schedule in terms of the start of summer training camps and preseason games.

For the first time since late March, when the owners decided to impose a lock-out on its players, actual numbers have surfaced concerning the split of the $9 billion of revenue that the league generates each year. It looks like the players will get a 48 percent piece of the whole pie as opposed to the old deal which gave them 50 percent of the revenue after the owners took the first billion right off the top.

The one change in the proposed new CBA that could have the biggest impact right off the bat are the rules governing free agency. From 2006 to 2009 a player with at least four years in the league was eligible to be an unrestricted free agent. This ballooned to six years in 2010, but is expected to go back to the original four-year time frame under the terms of the new CBA. This would add a number of quality players to the free agent ranks that are already waiting for an agreement in order to find a new home. Some of the more notable names that would be eligible are WR Steve Smith Dana Barros 76ers Jersey , RB Ahmad Bradshaw, and TE Kevin Boss of the Giants, OT Jermon Bushrod of the Saints, DT Brandon Mebane of the Seahawks, and LB Clint Session of the Colts.

The 100-day long lock-out that is likely to go on for at least a few more weeks will have cost this year's crop of rookies close to four months of vital preparation for their new career in the NFL. Time will tell how this ends up affecting their ability to make an impact as a rookie Tony Wroten 76ers Jersey , but Bodog has still listed odds as to which players will be named this season's 'Rookie of the Year'.

Just focusing on offense, Carolina QB Cam Newton and Atlanta WR Julio Jones are the NFL odds on favorite to win this year's award at 112. You would have to go with Jones out of this pairing, as it is hard enough for a rookie quarterback that has had a full offseason to prepare with his coaches to be successful right away, let alone one that is already way behind the curve.

The next favorite is Cincinnati WR A.J. Green 132. Once again you have to defer to Jones given that he has already had a chance to work with his quarterback Matt Ryan, while Green has no idea who will be throwing the ball to him this season.

The fourth favorite is New Orleans RB Mark Ingram at 152. Paired against Jones Nerlens Noel 76ers Jersey , you would have to give the slight nod to Ingram in this matchup. The Saints were ranked 28th in the league last season in rushing as injuries plagued both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush for a good part of the year. Chris Ivory was the team's leading rusher in 2010 with 716 yards, but Ingram has a good chance to emerge from training camp as the lead back come opening day against Green Bay, while Jones will probably start the season as the third receiver behind Roddy White and Michael Jenkins.

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? NFC wrap-ups: East | West | North | South ? AFC: East | West | North | South


CINCINNATI -- A wrap-up of the Cincinnati Bengals' draft. Click here for a full list of Bengals draftees.

[+] EnlargeAP PhotoBen LiebenbergDarqueze Dennard was rated near the top of the Bengals' board, and the team ended up pouncing in the first round.Best move: When the Bengals finalized their big board in the days leading up to the draft Jason Richardson 76ers Jersey , they put cornerback Darqueze Dennard near the top of the list. Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said Dennard was ranked among the team's top 10 overall players. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther felt that rating was accurate and had few reasons to believe the man-press corner would actually fall to No. 24 where the Bengals were waiting for a defensive back. Once Justin Gilbert was scooped up by the Browns at No. 8 and Kyle Fuller came off the board to the Bears at No. 14, it started looking like a real possibility that Dennard -- rated the No. 2 cornerback on most draft boards -- would be available. That was especially the case when the Browns traded with the Eagles to move up to No. 22, taking a team with a cornerback need (Philadelphia) off the board before the Bengals' selection. As arguably the best player available when his pick was made, Dennard's selection was a wise one and deserved to be classified as the best of the Bengals' draft.

Riskiest move: It's never easy for teams to evaluate draft hopefuls who come into the draft process with arrest records, let alone convictions. That was what the Bengals had to do with running back Jeremy Hill Joel Embiid 76ers Jersey , though, as they tried to figure out whether two separate events -- one from when Hill was in high school and another from when he was at LSU -- ought to be enough to deter them from selecting him. After consultations with Hill's coaches and others around him, the Bengals felt Hill had experienced enough of a life transformation the past several months to warrant grabbing him in the second round. Hill's conviction was for a misdemeanor sexual assault charge from his senior year of high school. He didn't play his entire first season at LSU because school officials wanted to wait until the legal process ran its course. Last year, he was arrested after punching