NFL Rumors: Mario Williams, Willis McGahee and the Latest Buzz in Pro Football

Believe it or not, but there's also news throughout the NFL that doesn't involve Peyton Manning or the Saints' "bounty-gate."

Therefore, let's take a look at what else is going on in pro football.

Mario Williams

According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, the Houston Texans and linebacker Mario Williams haven't gotten down to business:

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Given that the final year of Williams’ rookie deal had a cap number that would push his franchise tender above $22 million, that’s highly unlikely.

Making it even more highly unlikely is the fact that the Texans and Williams have yet to engage in serious negotiations, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

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On some level it would be surprising to see Williams remain in Houston, especially after how well the Texans defense performed without him. Only playing in five games, Williams recorded five sacks and 10 solo tackles, but was forgotten after Houston managed to dominate despite his absence.

All that said, Williams will be an interesting player to watch as the NFL offseason continues. Numerous franchises could use him, but their salary cap position may say otherwise.

Willis McGahee

In 2007, Willis McGahee ran for over 1,200 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns with the Baltimore Ravens. It wasn't until the 2011 season with the Denver Broncos that McGahee would see another 1,000-plus yard season, and now he wants some dough.

According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, McGahee, at 30 years old, wants to be paid more:

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Unhappy with his contract, Broncos running back Willis McGahee recently joined a long list of NFL players who have fired agent Drew Rosenhaus.

The Broncos recently informed Rosenhaus they would not renegotiate McGahee's contract just one season into his four-year, $9.5 million contract.

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Now, although the Broncos are expected to be in good fortune via salary cap space, it would be surprising if they gave Willis a new deal. After all, he had gained just 924 rushing yards between 2009 and 2010.

McGahee definitely played a major role in the Broncos finishing as the No. 1 rushing offense, however, he'll be 31 years old by mid season next fall.

Maybe if he improves on the 2011 numbers the Broncos will consider a new deal, but for right now don't anticipate anything until we get deep into the 2012 season.

Carl Nicks

It's quite a predicament that the New Orleans Saints are in right now, and a big part of that involves Pro Bowl guard Carl Nicks.

According to Mike Triplett of the Times-Picayune, Nicks is now focused on getting a new deal:

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Nicks said he would be more than happy to re-sign with the Saints even before free agency begins on March 13 if they make a suitable offer.

"It would be nice, definitely," Nicks said. "It'd be just perfect. I wouldn't have to stress, I'd just worry about handling my business."

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That certainly would be a good idea for the Saints, because free agency, as always, is expected to be quite hectic. And with the offensive line being the most important unit of players (along with the defensive line) on any team, New Orleans can continue to control the trenches on offense in 2012.

What's impressive about the Saints offense is their ground game. We know they're going to dominate with Drew Brees, but New Orleans also finished with the No. 6 ranked rush offense (averaged 133 per game).

In the NFC South having that second dimension is crucial, especially now with Carolina and Atlanta doing well on the ground as well. Next up, improving the No. 30 ranked pass defense that also only intercepted nine passes in 2011.

Chase Blackburn

Here is one player that the New York Giants can't afford to lose: linebacker Chase Blackburn. However, that may end up being the case.

According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, Blackburn may end up elsewhere in 2012:

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The NFL free-agency signing period begins March 13 and the Giants haven’t even contacted [Richard] Katz (Blackburn's agent), haven’t expressed any interest in re-signing Blackburn, who was one of a handful of players who shined brightest of all during the improbable championship run.

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Blackburn wasn't apart of the Giants until late November in 2011. In his first game back he had an interception off of Aaron Rodgers. As well as Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLVI while playing man coverage on Rob Gronkowski.

Not to mention, Blackburn was also part of the Giants 2007 Super Bowl team where he was one of the special teams standouts. The man has solid size at 6'3", 247 pounds to play linebacker in the NFL and his contributions to New York, especially in 2011, were quite impressive.

Let's put it this way: if the Giants don't give Blackburn a deal then someone else is getting a coachable linebacker that has second-to-none instincts and is always going to improve.

Michael Bush

This, unfortunately for Raiders' fans, come as no surprise. According to Steve Corkran of the Oakland Tribune, running back Michael Bush may not be re-signed:

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The Raiders opted to place the franchise tag on strong safety Tyvon Branch, a move that is likely to have a trickle-down effect on the other side of the football.

Given his desire to be a No. 1 running back, not backing up Darren McFadden, it's now unlikely that Michael Bush will be back next season.

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On the flip side, though, we'll likely get to see how well Bush can roll as a No. 1 running back. After all, the man dominated for the Silver and Black in 2011 with almost 1,400 total yards and eight total touchdowns.

Perhaps the more impressive stat, however, is that Bush only started nine games and had just 237 total yards through the first six games. Once earning more time as the backup, then eventually taking over full-time, Bush added over 1,100 total yards in the final 10 games.

Provided that he continues to bowl over defensive fronts in the beginning of 2012, Bush will immediately solidify himself as a premier back in the league. All that remains right now, though, is which franchise gives him that opportunity.

John Rozum on Twitter.