49ers and guard Alex Boone remain far apart on terms for a new contract

The San Francisco 49ers and guard Alex Boone remain far apart on terms for a new contract, and Boone won't attend the start of the team's training camp on Wednesday unless a deal is made, multiple sources familiar with the situation told Yahoo Sports.

It's unclear the amount of a salary raise Boone is seeking. What is clear is one serious holdup in the team and player getting a deal done is related to where the two sides believe Boone should be rated among starting guards in the league. Boone is scheduled to earn a base salary of $2 million and $1.2 million in the final two years of his current deal. Currently, out of 64 starting guards in the league, Boone's compensation ranks him as the 43rd highest paid based on a three-year average of the guards' first three seasons of their deals. Among the top 20 guards in the league, the highest paid based on that same three-year average is Carl Nicks at $10.66 million; at No. 20 is Chris Chester at $4.16 million.

Boone wants a deal that is reflective of the value he believes he has brought to the team over the last two years as a starter and a projection of the value he'll bring to the team moving forward.

The 49ers view Boone as worthy of top-20 money at his position, sources said, which would have him making somewhere north of an average of $4.1 million per year over the course of a multi-year deal.

Tackle Joe Staley's recent contract extension was, in part, intended to serve as a message to Boone, sources say, that early extensions can be struck but will be considered only for players who attend team activities. The team, in recent years, has proven unwilling to reward a player who is holding out with a deal, in part, because it would set bad precedent. Boone skipped the Niners' voluntary offseason workouts and mandatory three-day minicamp.

Boone's agents, Jonathan Feinsod and Neil Schwartz, have proven their willingness to hold clients out in order to obtain what they believe to be fair contracts for their players. Two of their players who have held out during contract disputes are New England's Darrelle Revis (whose holdout with the New York Jets lasted 35 days) and Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (whose holdout with the Chargers lasted 10 games into the 2010 season).

Schwartz and Feinsod could not be reached for comment. The 49ers also could not be reached for comment.

Quote:Alex Boone (born May 4, 1987) is an American football guard for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Saints on Tuesday confirmed a multiyear contract with Jimmy Graham

The New Orleans Saints on Tuesday confirmed a multiyear contract with Jimmy Graham, ending a protracted holdout for the star tight end.

Graham skipped all of the Saints' voluntary and mandatory practices and workouts - and challenged the NFL's franchise tag process through arbitration.

The odds of Graham leaving the Saints were slim since the club in late February placed its franchise tag on the player.

The NFL Players Association filed a grievance, contending Graham was used as a wide receiver often enough to qualify for the more lucrative receiver tag, worth about $5 million a year more than the $7 million tag for a tight end.

A hearing was held in June and earlier this month. Arbitrator Stephen Burbank sided with the NFL, ruling Graham was capable of continuing to perform specific tight end duties while lined up in the slot or within 4 yards of an offensive tackle.

Once the ruling was in place, Graham had a choice of appealing or trying to reach a long-term contract by a July 15 deadline - after which he would have to play next season for his franchise tag number. A favorable ruling from Burbank would have further enhanced negotiating leverage for Graham, who last season led the Saints with 86 catches for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Graham, a former college basketball player who played one year of football at Miami, was the Saints' third-round draft choice in 2010. In his second season, Graham caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards. That total stood briefly as a yards receiving record for tight ends. That same day the mark was broken on the final day of that season by New England's Rob Gronkowski, who finished with 1,327.

Graham has led the Saints in catches the past three seasons and led them in yards receiving and touchdowns in two of the last three seasons. For the past three regular seasons, he has 270 catches for 3,507 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Quote:Jimmy Graham born November 24, 1986 and raised in Goldsboro, North Carolina is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He played six months (13 games) of college football at the University of Miami. He was considered one of the top tight end prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft.

The scheme was widely known in the sales department

The truck-stop company owned by Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has agreed to pay a $92 million penalty for cheating customers out of promised rebates and discounts, authorities announced Monday.

In an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Pilot Flying J has accepted responsibility for the criminal conduct of its employees, ten of whom have pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme.

For its part, the government has agreed not to prosecute the nation's largest diesel retailer as long as Pilot abides by the agreement. Among other conditions, Pilot has agreed to cooperate with an ongoing investigation of current and former employees. The agreement does not protect any individual at Pilot from prosecution.

The agreement was signed by U.S. Attorney Bill Killian on Thursday and attorneys for Knoxville-based Pilot on Friday.

Nashville criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor David Raybin, who has followed the case but is not involved, said the agreement most likely signals that Pilot CEO Jimmy Haslam will not face charges.

''No prosecutor would enter into an agreement like this, ask for this kind of sanction, unless they didn't have enough evidence to indict Haslam,'' he said. ''Also, Pilot would not agree to pay unless they felt the government would not prosecute him.''

FBI special agent Robert H. Root said in an affidavit filed in federal court last year that the scheme was known by a variety of euphemisms including ''manual rebates.'' Sales team members would make reduce the amount of money due to trucking company customers they deemed to be too unsophisticated to notice, according to the affidavit.

The scheme was widely known in the sales department, according to court documents, with supervisors teaching other employees how to do it.

Court records said the scheme lasted from at least 2007 until an FBI raid in April 2013.

Jimmy Haslam has said he was unaware of the scheme. Through a spokesman, he declined an interview on Monday, but issued a statement: ''We, as a company, look forward to putting this whole unfortunate episode behind us, continuing our efforts to rectify the damage done, regaining our customers' trust, and getting on with our business.''

Gov. Bill Haslam holds an undisclosed ownership share in the company but has said he is not involved in Pilot's day-to-day operations. Pilot has annual revenues of around $30 billion.

In May, several top executives abruptly left the company. Pilot officials have not said why the employees left, but the agreement with prosecutors acknowledges that the company has terminated or placed on leave employees who violated company policies. It also acknowledges that Pilot acted quickly to investigate problems with the rebate program and repay cheated customers with interest.

Pilot agreed in November to pay out nearly $85 million to settle claims related to the fraudulent withholding of fuel rebates and discounts in a class-action lawsuit with 5,500 trucking companies. Several companies have filed separate lawsuits against Pilot that are ongoing.

That random encounter brought together two athletes who have had their share of troubles

Charlotte Hornets rookie P.J. Hairston says he and Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl receiver Josh Gordon decided to swap vehicles following a chance meeting at a grocery store. Gordon was arrested for driving while impaired in Hairston's 2015 Cadillac Escalade in Raleigh.

That random encounter brought together two athletes who have had their share of troubles.

Hairston said Thursday he was at a Chapel Hill hotel last week and went to the nearby store where he recognized Gordon and struck up a conversation. When they went outside, Hairston said, Gordon saw his SUV and asked to switch cars for a day.

''He had a Mercedes and I said, 'OK, let's switch,''' Hairston said after summer league practice in Charlotte. ''I was just being generous. I have a thing for saying yes and felt like that wasn't a big deal. It was not like he was going to mess something up with my car if I had his car.''

But Gordon was arrested for DWI on Saturday. Then a day later, a high school basketball player said Hairston punched him during a pickup game at a YMCA in nearby Durham, leading to an August court hearing for Hairston.

Gordon's agent Drew Rosenhaus declined comment Thursday. It remains unclear why Gordon, a Houston native, was in the state.

Hairston said he was not with Gordon when he was arrested.

But the incidents also revealed both Hairston and Gordon are tied to Durham felon and party promoter Haydn Patrick ''Fats'' Thomas, who was involved in Hairston's exit from the Tar Heels men's basketball program last year. And it was the kind of weekend both athletes would rather forget.

''I'm still growing up,'' Hairston said. ''I still have a lot of growing up to do. In life, you make mistakes and it's something I will learn from again.''

Gordon was released on $500 bond and records show it was paid by Thomas, who declined comment Thursday when reached by The Associated Press about his relationship with Gordon. Last year, authorities twice cited Hairston in Durham - once leading to a later-dismissed misdemeanor marijuana possession charge - while driving vehicles rented under Thomas' name or address.

Hairston missed the first 10 games before UNC decided not to seek his reinstatement from the NCAA due to several violations, ending his college career.

''I wasn't disappointed because I didn't think it would get to the point where it is now,'' Hairston said. ''Once I realized that he had connections with people that had got me in trouble in the past, then I realized it's probably going to be a problem.''

Hairston played in the NBA Development League for the Texas Legends, then Miami picked him in the first round of last month's draft before trading him to the Hornets.

''What I told him the other day is we need to start having more meetings about his defense and shot selection,'' Hornets coach Steve Clifford said, ''and less about what he's got to do to be a dependable player.''

The arrest was particularly bad timing for Gordon, who is awaiting another possible NFL suspension for reportedly failing a drug test - a violation that could cost the 23-year-old a full season.

Gordon entered the league after a troubled career at Baylor as a second-round supplemental draft pick in 2012. He was suspended two games last season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, but still led the league with 1,646 yards receiving.

In May, he was ticketed in Strongsville, Ohio, for speeding and a passenger in his car was cited for marijuana possession. Gordon pleaded not guilty, and a pretrial hearing scheduled for Friday has been continued until Aug. 15.

Gordon was at the team's recent minicamp, but has declined interviews.

As for Hairston, he said he will stay away from Durham.

''I don't have a reason to be back there,'' he said. ''I have a job now so I can't risk my job any more. Now I have guys here I can play ball with so I don't need to be anywhere else.''

Quote:The Charlotte Hornets are a professional American basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They are part of the Southeast Division in the league's Eastern Conference. The team is largely owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan, who acquired controlling interest in the team in 2010. The Hornets play their home games at Time Warner Cable Arena in center city Charlotte.

New Orleans Saints pass rusher Cameron Jordan placed just 99th on the NFL Network's The Top 100 Players of 2014

New Orleans Saints pass rusher Cameron Jordan placed just 99th on the NFL Network's The Top 100 Players of 2014 despite leading all 3-4 defensive ends in sacks (12.5) and quarterback hurries (50) last season.

In a Tuesday interview with NFL Media's Amber Theoharis and Shaun O'Hara at Nike The Opening, Jordan said his goal is to increase his sack total to 16 in 2014.

"I'd like to average one a game," Jordan said, "but what's really truly important is just the whole d-line getting after quarterbacks."

Asked about being mentioned in the same breath with the game's premier pass rushers such as J.J. Watt, Von Miller and Robert Quinn, Jordan insisted that winning the Super Bowl is a higher priority.

"It sounds bad, but I don't know if I care to be in that conversation," Jordan explained. "It's great that guys are having these astronomical numbers in different years and different stages, that just shows you the type of talent that was coming out in my year (2011)."

Jordan's desire to be the last team standing is amplified because it would represent a homecoming for the former three-star recruit out of Chandler, Arizona.

"I want a Super Bowl," Jordan emphasized. "I'm heading into my fourth year, I need it. And it's in Arizona this year. ... I'm from there, and I need it."

As Drew Brees recently suggested, Jordan has as good of a chance as any defensive star to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this year.

Quote:Cameron Tyler Jordan (born July 10, 1989) is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was selected by the Saints with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Jordan was considered one of the top defensive lineman prospects for the 2011 Draft. The son of former Minnesota Vikings tight end Steve Jordan, he played college football at California.

Dion Lewis will need to find his way into the mix

Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine made it clear this spring that he doesn't see his backfield as a one-man show.

Ben Tate -- signed to a free-agent deal in March -- figures to see the most touches. Third-round pick Terrance West impressed coaches in OTAs and minicamp and will likely assume an immediate role.

Dion Lewis will need to find his way into the mix. The fourth-year scatback likely would've gotten his crack at the starting job last season after Trent Richardson was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately for Lewis, he broke his leg in the preseason and never got his chance.

Lewis was asked last month where he believes he stands in a Browns backfield that has transformed in the last year.

"I don't know," Lewis said, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. "I'm still very excited to get back there and prove that I'm 100 percent recovered from the injury. With new coaches, everybody is learning a new system. So I feel like I've learned the system well, and I'm looking forward to getting out there and competing with the rest of the guys."

Lewis won't be around long for Cleveland if he can't get healthy. He sat out most of OTAs and all of mandatory minicamp with an undisclosed injury he said isn't related to last August's leg injury, which also included ligament damage. Lewis is optimistic he'll be ready for training camp on July 26.

He'll need to be to have any chance in Cleveland's RB derby.

Quote:Dion Lewis - Dion John Lewis (born September 27, 1990) is an American football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.

Dolphins announced the suspension Thursday

Dion Jordan of the Miami Dolphins has been suspended for the first four games of the season after testing positive for a stimulant prohibited under the NFL's policy on use of performance-enhancing substances.

The Dolphins announced the suspension Thursday. In a statement released by the team, Jordan took ''full responsibility'' for the positive test.

''I recently learned from the NFL that I tested positive for stimulants that are banned under the NFL policy,'' Jordan's statement read. ''I worked carefully with my advisors and the union to investigate the test results, and I take full responsibility for the test results.''

Jordan's statement also included an apology for the ''impact of this situation'' on his teammates, coaches, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, his fans and family.

''We were disappointed to learn about Dion's suspension,'' Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said through the team. ''Dion has accepted responsibility for his actions and is committed to improving, both on and off the field, in preparation for the upcoming year.''

Jordan was the third overall pick in the 2013 draft out of Oregon. He says he added more than 15 pounds of bulk this offseason in an effort to improve his game, earning praise from Philbin for being able to play faster as well.

''I would never sacrifice my speed for weight,'' Jordan said last month.

He played in all 16 games with Miami a year ago, with 26 tackles and two sacks.

Jordan will be able to participate in training camp and preseason games. Once the regular season starts he will not be permitted to be part of the Dolphins' active roster until Sept. 29, according to an NFL spokesman.

Jordan will miss games against AFC East rivals New England and Buffalo, as well as matchups with Kansas City and Oakland. The first game he would be eligible for would be Oct. 12 against Green Bay, a game that follows the Dolphins' bye week.

''I will continue to work extremely hard during training camp and preseason,'' Jordan said. ''During the suspension, I will stay in top shape and will be ready to contribute upon my return.''

Quote:Dion Jordan - Dion Rory Jordan (born March 5, 1990) is an American football defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Oregon. He was considered the top outside linebacker prospect and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the third overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Graham's case is being closely watched around the league

The Saints' Jimmy Graham and the NFL Players Association were dealt a setback Wednesday when an arbitrator ruled that he can only be considered a tight end for the purposes of his franchise tag designation.

NFLPA had filed a grievance arguing that Graham was used as a wide receiver often enough to qualify for the more lucrative receiver tag. But arbitrator Stephen Burbank disagreed and now the NFLPA is reviewing his ruling, and will advise Graham on his options, which could include an appeal.

Graham's case is being closely watched around the league because it could set a precedent for negotiations involving players who fill diverse roles in their teams' offensive or defensive schemes. For example, some outside linebackers in a 3-4 defensive scheme could argue their right to receive the higher defensive end tag.

NFL franchise tags, which allow each team to keep one prized player who is due to become a free agent, were set this year at $7 million for tight ends and $12.3 million for receivers.

Burbank, who is also a University of Pennsylvania law professor, found that Graham could fulfill the standard duties of a tight end when he was lined up in the slot or within 4 yards of an offensive tackle, as he was for most of his snaps.

Burbank further pointed out that defenses usually accounted for Graham as a tight end, regardless of his alignment, by assigning a linebacker or safety to cover him.

''Like tight ends, wide receivers and running backs often line up in the slot,'' Burbank's ruling stated. ''The defense employed against any player so aligned turns on the player's position, not his alignment, because of the physical attributes and skill sets of the players in those positions.''

Burbank indicated there could be merit to the NFLPA contention that Graham cannot be considered a tight end when he does in fact line up as a wideout. However, because both sides stipulated that Graham lined up within 4 yards of an offensive tackle for nearly 55 percent of his snaps, Burbank said he did not need to address the minority of instances in which offensive formations employed by Saints coach Sean Payton placed Graham at a wider distance from the offensive line.

The NFL's collective bargaining agreement states that franchise tags should be applied according to the position at which a player lines up for the majority of his snaps.

Graham has skipped Saints offseason practices while holding out for a new, long-term contract. A favorable ruling from Burbank would have further enhanced negotiating leverage for Graham, who last season led the Saints with 86 catches for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said the club would have no comment on the ruling, and Sexton did not respond to a request for comment.

In its statement, the NFLPA said: ''We will also continue to assist Graham and his representation as necessary to help the player reach a fair long-term deal with the New Orleans Saints.''

Such disputes are not frequent, but draw lots of attention because of their potential to set a precedent.

Baltimore's Terrell Suggs, the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, argued in 2008 that he should be tagged as an end, not a linebacker. The difference back then was about $800,000. That dispute ended when Suggs signed a new long-term contract with the Ravens. He later helped them win the 2012 NFL championship.

July 15 is the final day a team can sign 2014 franchise players to long-term extensions. Otherwise, they must play under their franchise tag designation for one season, after which they would be set to become free agents.

Quote:Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played only one year of college football for the University of Miami after playing four years of college basketball, and was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
In his second season in the NFL, Graham had 99 receptions for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. That year he made his first Pro Bowl appearance and was selected as an All-Pro player at his position. He became the first tight end in Saints history to have more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season.Graham set the Saints franchise record for receptions in a season while also tying the Saints franchise record for touchdowns in a season (tied with Marques Colston and Joe Horn). According to the 2012 NFL Top 100 annual player poll which ranks the 100 best players in the NFL, based on NFL players voting on their peers, as well as the votes of coaches, Jimmy Graham was ranked 14th overall in the NFL. Graham is also second all-time for most receiving yards and receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season.

49ers linebacker Aldon Smith will not face charges related to his arrest earlier

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith will not face charges related to his arrest earlier this year at Los Angeles International Airport.

The city attorney's office said in a statement Tuesday that it declined to charge the 24-year-old but will require him to come to a meeting to discuss what happened and be admonished about applicable laws.

Smith was taken into custody April 13 after authorities said he became belligerent during a random security screening and threatened that he had a bomb.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office subsequently referred the case to the city attorney's office for misdemeanor consideration.

In May, Smith pleaded no contest in San Francisco to three felony weapons charges and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence.

Aldon Smith - Aldon Jacarus Smith (born September 25, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Missouri. He was chosen by the 49ers with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.