National Football League roundup

[April 01, 2015]  March 29 (The Sports Xchange) - The NFL will start research and development on Monday into New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's idea to add cameras to the goal line to assist with replay, Albert Breer of NFL Media reported Sunday.

At last week's owners meetings in Phoenix, Belichick reportedly criticized the NFL for not wanting to pay the cost of goal-line and sideline cameras. The extra cameras could give officials better replay angles and more accuracy of reviews.

Belichick and the Patriots proposed the rule change the last two years, but the rule wasn't adopted. This time, the league tabled the proposal. Since 2011, all scoring plays have been subject to review.

According Breer, the league wants to determine the right technology and then how to best integrate the cameras into the replay system that will work in all 31 stadiums.

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Several teams selecting within the top five picks in the NFL Draft on April 30 have scheduled to bring in Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota for a pre-draft visit. That includes the Washington Redskins, owners of the fifth overall pick.

General manager Scot McCloughan said recently that the team has yet to decide whether it will pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Robert Giffin III's contract, and coach Jay Gruden said RG3 has the starting job "right now."

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Expecting to hit a home run with a blockbuster contract extension soon, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson paid a visit to the Texas Rangers for the second straight year and hit a home run in batting practice Saturday.

The Rangers picked Wilson in the Triple-A segment of the Rule 5 draft in 2013, and he took ground balls with the team for a day last spring. On Saturday in Surprise, Ariz., he took ground balls again and also took some swings in the cage.

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New Orleans Saints cornerback Brian Dixon was arrested in Miami on Sunday morning for resisting an officer without violence.

Dixon, 24, was booked into jail at 5:50 a.m. and held on $1,000 bond. It's unclear why Dixon was arrested.

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Saints are aware of the arrest and reporting the situation to NFL security. (Editing by Larry Fine)

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