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National Football League roundup

[March 22, 2017] March 21 (The Sports Xchange) - Star quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers will undergo surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff next Thursday, but expects to be ready for the start of training camp, the team announced.

Newton, the 2015 league MVP, will begin an early throwing program 12 weeks following the surgery. Should he progress well from there, Newton will resume throwing with the team at 16 weeks.

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The Atlanta Falcons announced a five-year contract extension through June 2022 for team president and CEO Rich McKay.

McKay, 58, joined the Falcons as the team's general manager in 2004. He was promoted to president in 2008 after the Falcons hired Thomas Dimitroff.

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Colin Kaepernick is the latest target of President Donald Trump's verbal jabs.

At a rally in Kentucky on Monday, Trump took credit for the fact that no NFL team has signed the free agent, saying he wanted to share the news with "the people of Kentucky because they like it when people actually stand for the American flag."

"They (NFL teams) don't want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump," Trump said. "Do you believe that?"

Kaepernick drew national attention for his decision to kneel during the national anthem before games earlier this season.

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The Miami Dolphins locked up linebacker Kiko Alonso with a contract that runs through the 2020 season.

Miami tendered Alonso at the first-round restricted free agent compensation level of $3.91 million for 2017.

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Unrestricted free agent wide receiver Kamar Aiken signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, the team announced.

Aiken, 27, played for the Baltimore Ravens last season, and had 29 catches for 328 yards and one touchdown. He had a better season in 2015, when he posted team highs in receptions (75), receiving yards (944) and receiving touchdowns (five).

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Manti Te'o and the Saints have agreed on a two-year deal to bring the former Chargers linebacker and defensive co-captain to New Orleans, ESPN reports.

Last season, Te'o sustained a season-ending Achilles' tendon tear in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts.

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The Minnesota Vikings finalized their agreement with wide receiver Adam Thielen.

The contract extension is reportedly worth $17 million over three years with $11 million guaranteed. Thielen was a restricted free agent and the Vikings initially tendered him at the second-round compensation level of $2.746 million.

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Former San Francisco 49ers running back Shaun Draughn has agreed to a contract with the New York Giants, according to multiple reports.

The Giants also retained one of their core defensive players when they re-signed linebacker Keenan Robinson.

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Defensive end Tyson Alualu agreed to sign a two-year deal to join the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announced.

Alualu spent his first seven seasons with Jacksonville after being selected by the Jaguars with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

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North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky completed approximately 63 of 70 passes during a scripted throwing session on Tuesday attended by an estimated 75 scouts representing virtually every NFL team.

Among the big names in attendance were San Francisco 49ers' general manager John Lynch and Pittsburgh Steelers' general manager Kevin Colbert, two clubs potentially in need of a young quarterback. No NFL head coaches attended the workout.

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Washington Huskies cornerback Sidney Jones, a top NFL prospect, underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles' tendon.

Jones is expected to resume running in four months, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Jones, widely expected to be a first-round pick, sustained the injury while working out for NFL scouts at the Huskies' recent pro day.

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The Atlanta Falcons signed three free agents -- fullback Derrick Coleman, guard Hugh Thornton and fullback Soma Vainuku.

Vainuku and Coleman are being brought in to compete for the starting job at fullback.

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