Nate Solder could take on a bigger role on New England's offensive line if Matt Light retires and he flips from the right side to the left. Solder is coming off a rookie season in which he played in all 19 games (including the postseason), with 16 starts. There are rumors that Light will retire, and if that happens, Solder could get his chance to be Tom Brady's blindside protector on a full-time basis.

The Eagles have visited with free-agent Kahlil Bell and have interest in Marcus McNeill. Philadelphia is looking for a tackle in the wake of a serious injury suffered by All-Pro tackle Jason Peters. He suffered a devastating Achilles injury that could jeopardize his season.

Bills general manager Buddy Nix says he wants to work out a contract extension for Fred Jackson and the running back's agent believes him. "Buddy Nix has been honest and consistent with us all along," agent Ron Raccuia told WGR-AM. "I'm confident talks will get started in the next couple of months."

The one-year contract that Ronde Barber signed with the Buccaneers to return for a 16th season is worth $3 million, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Barber, who has 43 interceptions and 913 tackles in 15 seasons with Tampa Bay, agreed to return for another campaign earlier in March.

Asante Samuel might be willing to shave as much as $2.5 million off his earnings for next season to facilitate Philadelphia's efforts to trade him, according to a report. Philadelphia Daily News reporter Paul Domowitch wrote that the cornerback, who is set to make $9.5 million in 2012, would be open to reducing that figure to $7 million.

Chavez Ravine, currently the home of Dodger Stadium and the Dodgers, is on the mind of the team's new owners as a potential home for an NFL team, according to a league source. The Los Angeles Times has reported that the buyers had preliminary discussions with the NFL about just that. A group led by Lakers legend Magic Johnson and veteran baseball executive Stan Kasten agreed to buy the Dodgers this week for a record price of more than $2 billion.

Manny Lawson has decided to remain with the Bengals. Lawson started 16 games for Cincinnati last season, his first with the Bengals. He had 78 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He spent his first five seasons in the NFL with San Francisco, which made him a first-round pick in 2006.

Drew Brees has addressed the punishments handed down in the NFL's "bounty" investigation for the first time. The quarterback expressed support for coach Sean Payton and admitted that it hurt him to see the team's reputation damaged. "The entire team loves our coach. We'd do anything for him and certainly are with him during this time," Brees said. "Just understanding how difficult it is and we're all trying to get through it. We're hoping for the best." "It's really tough, because we're all a family," he added. "To have some of the things said about us as a team and our coach and our accomplishment, those things hurt. It's been tough for all of us.

Andrew Luck might have to wait longer than initially expected to being his NFL career. Stanford's academic calendar provides an interesting logistical hurdle for the expected No. 1 overall pick. Luck is an early entrant into the draft and has not yet graduated. The school is on the quarter system, so he'll have to wait until he finishes finals to report. Stanford's finals are scheduled to be held June 8-13, which may interfere with the first minicamp held by the Colts (June 12-14).

The Raiders have agreed to a one-year deal with unrestricted free agent Philip Wheeler to fill their void at starting outside linebacker. Wheeler played 13 games for Indianapolis last season, making 80 tackles and recording one sack. He played four seasons overall with the Colts with 182 tackles and two sacks. "We're excited to add another veteran to complement our talented linebacking group," general manager Reggie McKenzie said. "He gives us a lot of athleticism and versatility. He's a player that can do a lot of things."