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Here's what's happening around the National Football League on Friday, July 16, 2010:• Sam Bradford's camp and the St. Louis Rams have kicked their contract negotiations into a higher gear lately, with both sides eager to get something in place prior to training camp.
One of the sticking points -- and perhaps the reason the Rams were reportedly open to dealing the No. 1 pick prior to the draft -- is the amount of guaranteed money Bradford will receive. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, that number is in the neighborhood of $50 million. Compare that to the $41.5 million guaranteed that the Lions gave Matthew Stafford in 2009 and it's evidence that rookie salaries continue to rise.
It's also a key point on the NFL's side during the ongoing labor negotiations. The league would like to implement a rookie wage scale, with teams growing tired of shelling out gigantic contracts to players that have never played a professional down. Bradford's contract (assuming he gets that much) could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
• Harvey Unga expected to be selected in Thursday's Supplemental Draft. He just didn't expect Chicago to be the team that made the pick.
''To be honest, I was surprised," Unga told the Chicago Sun-Times. ''They're stacked up with running backs right now. They don't need another back. I'm just going to come in there and bust my butt and make the best of the situation. I told them this is something they won't regret and I'm a man of my word.''
Chicago placed a seventh-round bid on Unga, meaning that the Bears forfeit a matching pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Transaction Wire
Green Bay signed third-round SS Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech) to a four-year deal.
• Cincinnati and fourth-round DT Geno Atkins (Georgia) agreed to a four-year deal that includes a $472,000 signing bonus.
• The Chiefs signed fifth-round OLB Cam Sheffield (Troy) to a four-year contract.
• The Falcons and fourth-round WR Kerry Meier (Kansas) agreed on a four-year deal.
• Oakland signed sixth-round LB Travis Goethel (Arizona State) to a multi-year contract.
Injury Ward
• The Giants released Domenik Hixon Thursday to make room for free-agent signee Adam Jennings, but Hixon should find his way back onto New York's roster once he clears waivers. Hixon had surgery last week after tearing a ligament in his knee earlier this summer -- he will be placed on the Giants' injured reserve list, assuming no other team nabs him.
Tweet Up
• Titans running back Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson28): "On the plane tryin to sneak in tweet dey keep tellin me to turn it off d**n I want to tweet"
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