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Sanders was close to being on Chiefs instead

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

DENVER (AP) — If he gets the chance, Emmanuel Sanders will shake Andy Reid’s hand Sunday when the Denver Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs.

It’s a handshake the Chiefs coveted six months ago.

The Chiefs thought they had a deal with the speedy wide receiver when he visited Kansas City on his free agency tour in March only to watch their AFC West rivals swoop in at the end.

Broncos GM John Elway made Sanders his top target in free agency after letting Eric Decker leave for the Jets.

Sanders, who spent his first four NFL seasons catching Ben Roethlisberger’s passes, chose Peyton Manning over Alex Smith.

“I just feel like I was a better fit here in Denver and it was obvious — they throw the football,” said Sanders, who signed for three years and $15 million.

“In college, I played under a guy by the name of June Jones, who runs the run-and-shoot offense. I like to catch the ball. In college, we threw the ball on third-and-1, on fourth-and-1. I feel like that’s the mold that Denver has up here and I’m enjoying it.”

Sanders admitted he was close to signing with the Chiefs, but insisted he never agreed to a contract: “There was no handshake, there was no agreement.”

The divider, he said, was in the details.

“I think we had the foundation of the contract ready, but I wasn’t happy with the incentives. So that whole ordeal was close, but it wasn’t anything official,” Sanders said. “They tried to make it seem like it was official, but it never was.”

So, Sanders hopped on a flight to Denver — which he called “wide receiver heaven” after watching Manning set NFL records by throwing for 55 touchdowns and 5,477 yards last season.

In his Denver debut, Sanders lined up in the slot with Wes Welker starting his suspension and caught six passes for 77 yards against Indianapolis.

Manning said his chemistry with Sanders is a season-long work in progress “but I thought he had a heck of a game.”

Sanders was just the kind of playmaker the Chiefs (0-1) could have used when they got routed by Tennessee in their opener.

Other things to keep an eye on when the injury-riddled Chiefs try to beat the Broncos (1-0) for the first time since Kyle Orton got the best of Tim Tebow 7-3 in the 2011 finale:

–VICKERSON’S RETURN: Manning will see a familiar face coming after him. Defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson, cut by Denver last month, signed with the Chiefs after they lost Mike DeVito to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

“I have certainly played against former teammates before, so I think I’m used to it,” Manning said.

Denver nose tackle Terrance Knighton said he knows Vickerson will be fired up for his homecoming.

“He’ll probably have some type of edge, just because we did cut him,” Knighton said. “I wish him the best. I hope he plays well — not enough for them to win.”

His new teammates in Kansas City are surely picking Vickerson’s brain for tips about Manning.

Asked if Vickerson told him what it means when Manning yells “Omaha” at the line of scrimmage, Reid deadpanned, “He said it’s a city in Nebraska.”

–LOOKING FOR CHARLES: All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles went virtually unused last week.

“Not giving 25 the ball more than seven times is negligence on my part,” Reid said after Charles ran seven times for 19 yards and caught four passes for 15 more.

Now, Charles will face a Denver defense bolstered by the signing of former Browns strong safety T.J. Ward, who was brought in to thwart opponents’ ground games.

“I guess that is one of my strong points,” said Ward, noting he helped hold Charles in check last season.

Although Charles gained 120 yards on 23 touches in K.C.’s 23-17 win over the Browns last year, he was held out of the end zone and Ward had 10 tackles.

–BOWE’S BACK: After losing DeVito and Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson to season-ending injuries, the Chiefs were forced to frantically retool their roster during the week. The biggest headline, however, was the return of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

While Bowe served his weeklong suspension following an arrest last November, Smith threw for just 202 yards and three interceptions against Tennessee.

“He’s a real weapon,” Smith said. “He’s the type of player that contributes everywhere, in all areas of the field in all situations.”

–WELKER WAITS: The Broncos were hoping to have their own elite receiver back.

They’ve been keeping close tabs on talks between the league and players union on a new drug policy in hopes Welker’s drug suspension would be rescinded.

Union chief DeMaurice Smith has said players suspended under the current rules should have their punishments revised or revoked under a new policy.

“I’ve been in contact with Wes and I know he’s champing at the bit to get back,” Manning said.

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AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta in Kansas City contributed.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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