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Tuesday Notes: Lions' Rookie Salary Pool Worth $6.035 Million

  • Ndamukong Suh said in a Q&A with the Idaho Statesman that he recently talked to Warren Sapp and is "looking forward to working with him a little bit."  Suh also said this in response to a question about if he has plans for any big purchases after he signs his contract:

    Not really. Something I know I'll eventually get is a Range Rover. But I'm not a guy who needs to be flashy. ... The biggest thing that would make me happy is a ticket to the Super Bowl, but I don't want to purchase it (laughs).

    Suh definitely has the right attitude.

    (HT: Highlight Reel)
  • The Lions' rookie salary pool this year, according to ESPN, gives them $6.035 million to spend on draft picks and undrafted free agents.  What exactly is the point of the rookie salary pool?  I will let the NFL Labor blog explain:

    Yes, the same rookie salary pool system that has been in place for many years will be used in 2010.  Each NFL club has a different rookie salary pool based upon the number of draft picks the team has and the position of those picks.  Teams with more picks and higher picks have larger salary pools than teams with fewer and/or lower picks in the draft.

    As in past years, the rookie salary pool counts ONLY the base salary, pro-rated signing bonus and "likely-to-be earned" incentives (such as roster bonuses) earned in a player’s rookie season.  The rookie salary pool does NOT take into account option bonuses exercised in future years, base salary guaranteed in future years, the remaining pro-rated amount of the rookie-year signing bonus, or "not-likely-to-be-earned" incentives (such as playtime that is coupled with team improvement in various statistical categories) earned under the rookie contract.

    The Lions' rookie pool last year gave them around $8 million to spend on their picks and UDFAs.
  • As you all probably know by now, Texans linebacker Brian Cushing has been suspended for the first four games of the 2010 season after testing positive for a banned substance back in September of last year.  Steroid allegations are nothing new to Cushing, so it's no surprise that this positive test has given people a lot to talk about.  One of the discussions revolves around Cushing's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, which is now up for a re-vote, meaning he may lose the honor.  The Associated Press is responsible for the award's voting, and although they aren't taking Cushing off the ballot, for me it'd be tough to vote for someone who tested positive for a banned substance during the season.  Yes, it was early in the season, but I highly doubt this was some new, one-time thing.
  • Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch work out together every morning.
  • Both Drew Stanton and Derrick Williams will be hosting charity-related events in June.
  • The Vikings apparently may have interest in free agent guard Chester Pitts, who visited the Lions earlier in the offseason.
  • Pacman Jones is officially a Bengal.
  • Teddy Lehman has signed with the Jaguars.

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