Fleur-de-Links: July 11, 2011

TWEETS:

SAINTS:

New Orleans Saints A-to-Z Roster Breakdown: DT Remi Ayodele | Who Dat Dish
New Orleans Saints A-to-Z Roster Breakdown: DT Remi Ayodele

Riding The CBA See-Saw With New Orleans Saints Fans | Who Dat Dish
Saints Fan on CBA See-Saw...... Photo source brainbasedbusiness.com Well, if the headline doesn't make any sense neither does this offseason. I feel like the

Around the NFC South - NFC South Blog - ESPN
Time for a run through the headlines around the NFC South. Atlanta receiver Kerry Meier, who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, said

AROUND THE LEAGUE:

Ray Rice expects Hines Ward to be suspended for DUI | ProFootballTalk
Ravens running back Ray Rice has weighed in on the weekend drunk driving arrest of Steelers receiver Hines Ward, and Rice thinks the arrest will mean Ward is suspended for the Week One Steelers-Ravens game.

DeSean Jackson: Plaxico and I "would be a dangerous combination" | ProFootballTalk
Add Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson to the list of people who think Philadelphia should be the landing place for Plaxico Burress. "Plaxico Burress just came out to California, me and him just spent some time together and catching up," Jackson told Stephen A.

Gerald McCoy says he’s ready to lead, playing defensive end stunted growth | ProFootballTalk
After an uneven rookie year that included a slow start, considerable second half progress, and then a serious injury, Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy says he's ready to lead. The No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft wants to take the next step in his development.

Ryan Grant thinks he’ll be the starter in Green Bay | ProFootballTalk
Running back Ryan Grant contributed only eight carries and 45 yards to the Packers' 2010 title run.  But despite 703 regular-season yards from Brandon Jackson and a league-best 315 in the postseason from James Starks, Grant expects to still be at the top of the depth chart.

LABOR PAINS:

NFL Stumbling Blocks: Free Agency, Rookie Wages - WWL - AM870 | FM105.3 | News | Talk | Sports

Mediator sets NFL meeting on July 19 - FROM THE WIRE - SunHerald.com
The federal magistrate judge who is mediating the labor dispute between NFL owners and players has scheduled another session for July 19 in Minneapolis.

A simple solution to the rookie scale stalemate | ProFootballTalk
By all accounts and appearances, the rookie wage scale remains the biggest issue that currently is preventing the NFL and the players from striking a deal.

Looking closer at what "The Transition Rules" will look like | ProFootballTalk
It remains to be seen whether the NFL can meet their new July 21 target for ratification of a new labor deal.  It's worth remembering that targets have been missed before this offseason, and closing a deal is the hardest part. (If it was easy, it would have happened by now.