In DC, Mark Maske cited sources as saying that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league officials informed the Redskins that the NFL is “unwavering on the team’s two-year, $36 million salary cap reduction and has no intention of considering a lessening of the penalty." Redskins officials have said that they “do not consider the matter fully resolved.” But a source said that Goodell “left open no possibility that the league will reconsider.” A source said that the NFL “won’t relent in part because it does not believe there is any reason to do so, and in part because any change to the penalty would have to be ratified by the other NFL teams” and the NFLPA (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/17).
LOWER PLANE: The Jets are lowering ticket prices on 3,000 seats in MetLife Stadium’s upper deck, dropping some club seat prices, and stripping some seats out of their most premium area. While team President Neil Glat said that 94% of the team’s prices will remain the same, the Jets wanted to get more season-ticket holders buying in the upper deck and sell more tickets in the club areas. Last year, the team reduced 6,300 upper deck seats, which do not carry a PSL, from $75 to $50. Now there will be 9,300 priced at that lower level. In the club seating area in the mezzanine level, some seats will see prices drop to $295 from $395, and others to $250 from $295. Additionally, 364 seats are being stripped out of the elite Coaches Club and put into the Mezzanine Club, dropping the price from $700 to $250. All those seats still require a PSL (Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer).
HIGH FLYERS: In Atlanta, Jeff Schultz wrote Falcons RB Steven Jackson’s signing “not only fills a need," but also “says something about where this franchise is at.” Great players “want to come to Atlanta.” They are “willing to postpone retirement plans or opt out of more lucrative contracts” for the “chance to play for a champion” (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 3/16).
PLAN IN PLACE: In Boston, Greg Bedard wrote, “People are overstating the losses the Ravens have sustained, and have ignored the fact that you can’t sign everyone, especially after players get their prices inflated by success." Like Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome “always has a plan.” The Ravens are “not as bad off as you think” (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/17).
