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tw i n c i t y do dge presents: boilermakers in the nfl Ninkovich Hoping To Return BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com week should be good The bye Patriots, and in particfor the ular Rob Ninkovich. The defensive end was forced to leave New England���s win over Miami in Week 17 during the second quarter after injuring his hip. But tests this week showed the injury as only strained muscles, not something more serious, as was initially feared. Ninkovich did not practice Wednesday, New England���s first session in prep for its Jan. 13 Divisional-round playoff opponent. But it���s thought Ninkovich could return to practice next week. ���He���s a tough kid,��� Patriots coach Bill Belichick told the Boston Herald after the game. He���s very competitive and he���s got good versatility. His Getty Images Dustin Keller is a free agent this summer following the expira- ability to help us in tion of his rookie contract. the kicking game as well as defensively over the years, including this year, is pretty valuable too. He does a good job.��� Ninkovich leads the Patriots with eight sacks and is tied for the team lead with five forced fumbles and four recoveries. Free Agent Boilers Now that their seasons are over, Dustin Keller, Anthony Spencer and Cliff Avril will soon enter free agency. Keller, the New York Jets��� tight end, says he doesn���t want to be franchise tagged. It���s an option for New York, particularly considering Keller���s value might be difficult to determine because he missed half the season with injuries this season. But Keller would like a longterm deal. ���I don���t want to be franchised,��� he told the New York Daily News.�� ���You want to make sure that you���re going somewhere and you���re signing something that was your decision. You don���t want to be told that you���re doing something for whatever price. You want to make that decision for yourself. You don���t want somebody else making it for you. I would love to come back here, but when I came here, I signed a five-year deal and this is the fifth year on it. ���You want to be able to make that decision for yourself. That���d be illegal in another job.��� Spencer, a linebacker who was on a one-year franchise tag deal, seems to be in line for a long-term contract in Dallas, after putting together a career year that included double-digit sack totals. Avril, though, might be on the move. The Detroit defensive end turned down a three-year, $30 million contract last summer, hoping he���d have a big 2012. It didn���t work out that way, however. Avril���s play was uneven and his Lions finished only 4-12. ���Once again, it comes with the business,��� Avril said, via MLive.com. ���You got to take the good with the bad. There was a drought where I wasn���t getting any sacks (earlier this season), and guys were like, ���Uh-oh, you���re in trouble. You should have taken the deal.��� Just all kinds of different things. It is what it is. I don���t trip. It comes with the business. TWIN CITY DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM 650 Sagamore Parkway South Lafayette, IN 47905 See the 2013 Jeep Wrangler! 800-562-4581 twincitysuperstore.com GoldanDBlack express ��� volume 23, express 16��� ������ 13