March 2009 Archives

The Denver Broncos would probably win more games in 2009 with Jay Cutler than they will without him. Doesn't matter anymore.

A 25-year-old kid who - as they say around the league - hasn't peed a drop has ignored, talked down to and utterly disrespected the man who signs the checks in Denver. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen. Bowlen's the guy who put his posterior and wallet on the line 25 years ago and saved a franchise that was taking on water financially. He died a thousand deaths every time his Broncos got eviscerated in the Super Bowl but he saw it through, won two, built a new stadium, said goodbye to a quarterbacking legend in John Elway and went through a painful divorce from Mike Shanahan this offseason.

And now Jay Cutler won't return his phone calls? For weeks? Will say that if Bowlen wanted to see him, he knew where Cutler was a few weeks back when he sat down with new head coach Josh McDaniels?

So tonight he raised a middle finger in Cutler's direction and saying, "This one's...for Jay!"

Denver Broncos President and CEO Pat Bowlen today released the following statement

"Numerous attempts to contact Jay Cutler in the last 10 days, both by Head Coach Josh McDaniels and myself, have been unsuccessful. A conversation with his agent earlier today clearly communicated and confirmed to us that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos. We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded."

Dick Vermeil famously once told Larry Johnson to "take the diapers off" before a big game.  It's unclear if L.J. has matured much since then and the new Chiefs regime looks ready to let Johnson develop elsewhere.

The Chiefs and Johnson will attend a grievance on Wednesday that could decide Johnson's fate for 2009.  They are contending that they don't owe Johnson a guaranteed $3.75 million this season because his violation of the league's conduct policy last year was a breach of contract.

Johnson recently plead guilty to two charges of disturbing the peace, and could face another league suspension.

The thinking in Kansas City is that the team wouldn't go through the trouble of fighting over his money if they weren't ready to dump him.   Johnson has asked to be traded, but no other teams would touch his contract. 

Amidst the turmoil, Johnson still showed up to Kansas City's offseason conditioning program Monday in an apparent peace offering with the team.  If new GM Scott Pioli has his way, it could wind up being Johnson's final act as a Chief.

The atty for Plaxico Burress keeps working to strike a plea deal that will keep him out of jail despite the overwhelming statistics that show similarly accused defendants getting locked up.

Burress, the Giants receiver who went out to an NYC nightclub and filled his quad full of lead last November while fumbling with a Glock he had in his sweatpants and trying not to spill his wine (Aside: this is not a cartoon, people...), is facing two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded and unlicensed weapon, each of which carries a mandatory minimum of 3.5 years in prison.

In Newsday, Wallace Matthews says Burress better get jail time.

Meanwhile, Ralph Vacchiano in the Daily News says the delay in getting this resolved could wind up costing Burress. Vacchiano writes,

"Whatever the result, the 31-year-old Burress had clearly been hoping for a quick resolution since his desire, according to sources, is to resume his NFL career as quickly as possible. He still faces a likely suspension from the NFL for violating the league's Personal Conduct Policy, but he had held out hope for returning at some point during the 2009 season.

Any delay in his case, of course, could put that return to the field this season in jeopardy."

The sheer absurdity of Jay Cutler's "Wounded Feelings Strike '09", coupled with the inane sensationalism delivered to the proceedings by we in the media ("McJaygate"?) has led to a predictable development.

Broncos players have told the media to sit and spin.

According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Bronco players participating in offseason workouts aren't speaking to the media because they're sick of talking about Cutler's situation.

Meanwhile, you have to figure whatever support Cutler had in the locker room is dissipating quickly. He's escalated this controversy into a full-blown event from which he's been able to run away and hide while his teammates get grilled about it. To say nothing of the fact that the guy who occupies the most pivotal position on the field is blowing off workouts as a new system is installed, thereby undercutting the process and the team's chances for success in 2009.

 

Chad  Johnson  Ocho Cinco Ochocinco is making headlines by skipping the first day of Cincinnati's offseason conditioning program, but a player that showed up was the bigger story.

Carson Palmer says he is "100%" recovered from the elbow injury that forced him to miss 12 games last season.  Palmer did not undergo surgery, as many feared he would, so it remains to be seen if his wing is truly healthy.

It wasn't so long ago that Palmer was thought of as the best young quarterback in football, the most likely heir to the Brady/Manning franchise quarterback throne.  Now he's at a career crossroads, out to prove that he's not an injury-prone player who can't lift a depressed franchise. 

It would be nice if number 85 was lifting weights with his buddies and all, but Palmer's health will make or break the Bengals' season.   

The New York Times says that even if Plaxico Burress agrees to a plea deal before his court date Tuesday, "it appears likely that any agreement would require him to serve at least some time behind bars, a law enforcement official said on Sunday." 

Burress is facing illegal gun possession charges relating to the evening he shot himself in the thigh at an NYC nightclub last November.

The Times also noted that, "Last year, 986 cases in New York involving the same charges as Mr. Burress faces were resolved, and 90 percent of them resulted in convictions for less serious crimes, half of them misdemeanors or violations, said John M. Caher, a spokesman for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services."

 

When any ongoing controversy gets the "gate" treatment, you know its gone on far too long.

The staring contest between the Broncos and their quarterback Jay Cutler has been hokily dubbed "McJaygate" possibly because "The Cutdaniels Impasse" was too big for a headline.

In any event, The Denver Post is now running a daily capsule update on where things stand. Today's missive churned out by Mike Klis says, "Cutler has decided to get away from the business of staying away. According to friends, Cutler left his offseason home in Nashville, Tenn., to retreat to another U.S. destination we won't name. It appears Cutler will stay away from the Broncos' Dove Valley complex for the next two weeks."

 

Three weeks back, I wrote about Michael Vick needing to nail his apology in order to get back to his vocation of playing professional football.

Last week at the NFL Owners Meetings in California, Commissioner Roger Goodell validated that story, saying, "He's going to have to demonstrate to the larger community -- not just to the NFL community and to me -- that he has remorse for what he did and that he recognizes mistakes that he made. Everyone makes mistakes, but he has to show that genuine remorse in his ability to be a positive influence to correct the things that he did wrong publicly."

And then from there, presumably, each team weighs the package that is Michael Vick and decides whether it wants him and the good and bad he brings with him among its employees.

It's not an easy call. The guy was convicted of a serious crime, there are no guarantees he won't have any lapses back into a life of stupid and what he did was - to some extreme segments of the populace - more heinous than an act perpetrated on a human. That stuff sticks even after the prison term's over.

Yet Bears coach Lovie Smith would have folks believe that all crimes are created equal.

"I would look at Michael like I look at every other prospect that's available: He goes back into the pool," Smith said. "That's what everyone in society does. Martha Stewart went to prison. She paid her time. Now she's back in society."

Martha STEWART?! Stock fraud and lying to the gummint are what she did her five months in prison and five months of home confinement for. She'd never been in any kind of trouble (unless being serially annoying counts). Why, of all the public figures convicted of crimes, would Smith seize on Martha Stewart as an example? (It's also worth pointing out that Stewart doesn't craft for the Denver Doilymakers of the National Craftspeople League. She's self-employed).

But this is the kind of moronic red herring that's going to be floated down the river when Vick conversation goes from a trickle to a torrent in the coming months. Deal in reality. Which Smith did a sentence or two later, saying, "Mike made a mistake, and he's paying the price for that mistake. Once you've paid your debt to society, you have to say, 'OK, let's go on from there.' "

But "going on" doesn't mean what Vick did goes away. It becomes part of his "package" so to speak. He has the chance to go back to his job. But no one is compelled to hire him.

In the St. Pete Times, Rick Stroud has new Bucs head coach Raheem Morris raving about Kansas State quarterback prospect Josh Freeman.

Morris, the K-State defensive coordinator in 2006, told Stroud, "I was with him for a year. Absolute specimen to look at. Physical. Tall, big. Big arm. Deceptively quick, even though the 40 time says 4.8, he's got that Ben Roethlisberger effect where he's hard to tackle once you get back there, so you'd better send somebody blitzing big enough to get him on the ground."

Freeman's been the third wheel in this year's quarterback class, rolling in behind Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez of Georgia and USC.

With both having played at bigger, better programs than Freeman, that's expected. But at this point in the process, another dynamic's at work. And that's the fault-finding and nitpicking on top prospects that starts to chip away at their stranglehold on the top spots.

Plus, on his own merit, Freeman's an intriguing prospect. Could Freeman leapfrog either Stafford or (more likely if either one might occur) Sanchez? Doubtful. But not impossible. Draft Brains like Rob Rang and Mike Mayock crowed about Freeman after his pro day on March 12 with Rang of nfldraftscout.com opining that Freeman might be rated ahead of Stafford and Sanchez if he'd been surrounded by the talent they were in college. Rang had Freeman going 8th to Jacksonville in a recent mock draft.

If Morris' Freeman-lust is for real, though, he might want to make a move to get him. As Stroud points out in the original story, Morris has a two-year deal with a team option for a third season. And currently, he's got Josh Johnson and Luke McCown at QB. Letting Freeman ferment a year behind those two then giving him the job next year would almost assure the team would have to pick up Morris' third season to give him a fair shot with a seasoned quarterback.  

When it comes to enlightening readers on the NFL, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is tremendous on the NBA.

Smith's latest offering in ESPN the Magazine (The Magazine? the magazine? ... a magazine?) proves that it's hard to be an accurate gasbag on more than one sport.

In his ode to newly-elected NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, Stephen A. intones, "If you've followed the saga of the NFLPA to any degree, you've heard about all the kowtowing that takes place within the union. Example: Gene Upshaw, the union's late executive director, who died suddenly last August, was a Hall of Famer, a class act and a tough-as-nails fellow -- except whenever he had to face off against former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Time and again, players questioned if they had representation at all, seeing as how Upshaw and Tagliabue seemed tighter than Billy Ray and Miley. Players felt that the relationship muffled their concerns."

If it were still 2005, Stephen A. would be correct. But it's not. And ignoring - or being oblivious to - the fact that Upshaw beat the retiring Tagliabue about the head and neck in the most recent CBA negotiations is inexcusable for a columnist in a national magazine (and for whichever editor didn't catch it).

There's a work stoppage on the horizon because the NFL owners - who have been accustomed to having an extreme upper hand - are getting soaked by salaries and peeing away millions on first-round picks who never rise past the level of scrub.

In 2005, the NFL's salary cap was $85 million. This year's cap? It's $127 million. A cool $42 million spread through a roster means - theoretically - close to a million extra per player. Top 5 picks now make so much in guaranteed money (approaching $30 million) teams can't give their slots away.  

All of which doesn't faze me one way or the other, it's not my money. But to go public with the idea that, now that DeMaurice Smith is in charge, NFL players are finally going to make some strides against the owners is laughably out of touch. Quite frankly.  

Maybe the Panthers aren't so crazy.  Despite reports earlier this week to the contrary, Jake Delhomme's agent confirms that he's not negotiating with the Panthers on a contract extension.

It's unclear where the Charlotte Observer got their report on Delhomme, but the Rock Hill Herald says the Panthers are no closer to a deal than they were six months ago.  And that was before Delhomme threw away a golden chance to make the Super Bowl.

I know the Panthers are high on Matt Moore, a third-year player on the roster.  But its clearer than ever that Carolina must invest a pick in April's draft in a quarterback.   Delhomme isn't a great quarterback of the present, and he's no quarterback of the future. 

Ya know that creeping belief that Jay Cutler is either: A) a thumbsucker, B) a punk or C) a young man out of touch with the fact that being able to throw a football hard and fast entitles him to act like his crap don't stink?

It keeps getting reinforced.

New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes carved up Cutler in an interview on New York's WFAN.

"He's a good player, that speaks for itself," said Rhodes. "There's more to being a quarterback than just having the big arm, getting passing yards, and getting touchdowns.  His team was 8-8.  They didn't make the playoffs.  He didn't lead them to the playoffs.  That's one point.  Evidently, a lot of people besides myself don't think he's doing the right thing."

And while it's dumb to presume Cutler's going to be dealt anywhere given head coach Josh McDaniels desire to fix things with Cutler in Denver, New York is one of the possible destinations for Cutler.

At the owner's meetings, rumors were rampant the Jets want in on talks if Cutler is going to be moved. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum smiled and said he couldn't talk about a player under contract to another team when asked directly about his interest.

Appreciating there's a chance - however remote - that he and Cutler may be teammates at some point, Rhodes said, "If it gets to that point, it's not like when he stepped into the locker room I'm going to go run over and sucker punch him. It's not just about me and him, man.  It's a team game and if he came in and helped us win, of course we would get along."

Here's the whole interview.

 

Here's a leftover conversation from the NFL Owners meetings at Dana Point earlier this week that I had with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.

I started off by getting his blood pressure up, telling him I was still waiting for the booth review on the last play in the Super Bowl. From there, Wis launched a quietly smoldering but off-the-record offensive about how many things played out in that game.

Then we talked about his wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who has agitated for first a trade now either a trade or an extension. Boldin's signed through 2010. The Cardinals were reported to be

"Nothing's changed from what we said," Whisenhunt intoned. "We recognize Anquan is an important player on our football team and we're working to get a deal done. That's our focus. He's got two years left and we said we'd try to get something worked out the first opportunity we had."

Asked what kind of relationship he has with Boldin, Whisenhunt said, "I've never had any issues with Anquan. He's worked hard, he's done exactly what he said he'd do, he's played at a high level."

As for Leinart, who is pretty much locked into the backup's role with Kurt Warner coming back, Whisenhunt says he continues to be impressed with the arc of his maturity.

"I know he learned a lot last year watching Kurt and the success he had. But the thing that impressed me recently was when someone asked him if he was disappointed that Kurt had been re-signed and he said, 'No.' That to me is light years ahead of where he's been because he recognizes what he can learn from Kurt and that he'd rather not get the job because Kurt left."

Leinart is signed through 2011. However, if he doesn't get on the field and prove he's a legitimate NFL quarterback before then, his contract - which currently carries a salary of $7.36 million in 2011 - will certainly be revisited before then.  

 

When Jason Taylor was released from Washington, my sage friend Tom Curran opined that New England was the most likely fit for the former Defensive MVP.  It looks like Taylor agrees.

The Patriots are Taylor's first choice, according to Yahoo's Jason Cole.  And the interest is mutual.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft on the matter earlier this week: "Great player.  I'm sure that can happen if he wants it."

Translation: We've got a spot open for him as long as Taylor takes the Foxborough desperate-for-a-ring discount.

Taylor, like many veterans, is no great fan of offseason conditioning programs, so he's in no hurry to make a deal.  When Taylor is ready to hit the field again, however, there's a good chance he'll do it in New England. 

Get ready for a summer filled with Michael Vick stories.

This week alone, Vick is in the news for traveling to Virginia for a bankruptcy hearing and was accused by the Department of Labor for illegally spending pension funds.

If Vick clears those legal hurdles, he'll have to face the law of the NFL: Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

Goodell said Wednesday that Vick would need to show "remorse" before playing again in the NFL.  It's unclear what actions Vick could undertake to show remorse, because his word can't be enough at this point. 

Goodell hasn't said whether Vick will face further suspension from the league once he's out of jail.  The guess here is that Vick has served his time and will be allowed to return. 

Vick will be motivated to impress Goodell because he owes a lot of people a lot of money.  And he'll only make that back on the gridiron. 

If Goodell doesn't see remorse, Vick may have other options.  It has been reported that the nascent UFL, starting this October, is planning to make a run at Vick's services.

Vick should play football in 2009; the only question is where.    

For the record, I have never tweeted, nor do I plan on it. But hopefully our mock of the twitter makes for an entertaining show. Enjoy.

 

Give Torry Holt credit for not appearing desperate for a job.  After getting cut by the Rams, he went on vacation to clear his head and tidy up his resume.   Now he's ready to hit the pavement.

Holt is visiting Jacksonville Thursday for a free agent visit.  He would be a great fit on a team that currently has Mike Walker and Dennis Northcutt as its top two starters.  Don't feel badly if you don't know who they are.

The Titans were reportedly interested in trading for Holt two weeks ago, and appear to be Jacksonville's only competition for the veteran receiver.  Don't expect Holt to wait long before signing with one of the two teams. 

The last time we saw Jake Delhomme, he was spectacularly imploding to end Carolina's Super Bowl hopes. The Panthers, improbably, are looking for more of the same.

Carolina has entered some very tricky contract negotiations with Delhomme.  Their quarterback has a huge cap number ($11 million) that could be reduced with a long-term deal.  But do they really want to invest more years in Delhomme, who is 34 years old?

The Dolphins are in a similar situation with their aging starter, Chad Pennington, who is entering a contract year.  But they have made it clear they are happy to let Pennington play out his deal.  A contract will only going to happen if Pennington accepts the chance he'll become a backup in the future.

Carolina should adopt a similar wait and see approach.  Delhomme is a league average quarterback who is prone to big highs and lows.  It would be better to eat Delhomme's hefty cap number this year, rather then commit to him longer. 

The Panthers need to start planning for 2010 at quarterback, but handing Delhomme another contract is an odd reward for a historic playoff meltdown. 

Yesterday, I passed along an item that the Chiefs weren't interested in trading Tony Gonzalez.

"A person close to the tight end" wound up speaking to the Associated Press Tuesday evening, saying the future Hall of Famer "very much" wants a deal to happen if the right deal can be made.

Gonzalez, reached on the matter by the Kansas City Star, sounds ambivalent on the matter, "I'm just going with the flow." 

Gonzo's flow has changed direction many times over the last two years, and even since the end of the season.  The key here is that the Chiefs are steadfast in keeping him. 

The Chiefs say they will not change their position.  And Gonzalez showed last year he's too much of a professional to let any desire to leave get in the way of his production.  So Gonzalez is staying, no matter what direction his flow is headed. 

The morning after the Steelers won the Super Bowl, Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Tony Grossi introduced himself as he asked a question of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

"From Cleveland?" sniffed Tomlin. "Hmmph."

Grossi called for calm in the streets of Cleveland the next day making the point that Tomlin's treatment of the rival city is the way it ought to be.

It's apparently not a joke, either.

Tomlin ratcheted up the rhetoric  Tuesday morning. Pat McManamon of the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal mentioned to Tomlin that some Clevelanders (Clevelandians? Clevelandites?) took exception when he huffed at Grossi. .

Tomlin's retort was brief and without humor.

"I am not looking for any friends in Cleveland, Ohio."

Later, leaving the great state of Ohio out of it, Tomlin noted that he's confident the team and linebacker James Harrison, the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will get a new contract worked out. "Both sides want it done," he said, adding that he wants to see it happen, "preferably sooner rather than later."

A coaching change usually means major personnel upheaval.  Chiefs GM Scott Pioli has trimmed some fat off the Kansas City roster, but there are still big names in town with big questions about their future.

Chiefs chairmen Clark Hunt answered one of those questions Tuesday, saying Tony Gonzalez is not going anywhere.  The future for Larry Johnson and guard Brian Waters is not so certain.

For Gonzo, the change to an offensive-minded coach with Matt Cassel at quarterback should extend his insanely productive late-career peak.  I have expected Gonzalez's fantasy numbers to decline for years, but he just put up back-to-back 1,000 yards seasons for the first time in his career.  He should continue to be one of the best tight ends in football. 

This will be the second straight year some people expect a Larry Johnson rebound, but I won't be one of them.  I suspect the Chiefs will limit his role if he stays. 

They would probably take any reasonable trade offer for Johnson, but it's unlikely they will get one with his contract.  Johnson's expensive salary is guaranteed in 2009.  Otherwise, he wouldn't be a lock to make the team. 

DANA POINT, California - Titans coach Jeff Fisher confirmed that Vince Young is going into the 2009 season as the backup to Kerry Collins, adding, "We will work with Vince and hopefully get him to eventually become our starter again."

Speaking at the AFC Coaches Breakfast Tuesday morning, Fisher said that Young didn't lose the starter's job due to the injury he suffered in the first game of last season.

"Vince lost the job because I gave the job to Kerry, regardless of what the circumstances were," Fisher pointed out. "It was my decision and it wasn't necessarily as a result of injury. There was a set of circumstances where I had to make a decision and I did. I told Kerry as long as he continued to win he would remian the starter and I didn't put an over-under on wins or completion percentage or anything like that. Vince at that time became a backup and that's not changed."

You might remember that Young reacted emotionally to getting booed in the opener last season against Jacksonville. He appeared to need convincing to return to the field during that game, then - ironically - suffered a knee injury that would have put him on the shelf for a couple of weeks. Days after the opener, a distraught Young was the had Nashville in an uproar when he briefly "disappeared" before being found at a friends' house. Young's mental state coupled with his performance and his injury paved the way for Collins.   

Said Fisher, "We re-signed Kerry as our starter. That's not to say Vince won't start again We drafted him to be our franchise quarterback and we will continue to work with him in that direction.".

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was on the breakfast menu at the NFL Owners Meetings. The 32-year-old coach has laid low for the first two days of the event, not subjecting himself to anything more than a 1-on-1 with the NFL Network. But Tuesday, McDaniels was in the crosshairs at the AFC Coaches breakfast. Surrounded by dozens of writers and TV cameras, McDaniels spent more than an hour addressing all things Cutler. As you'll see, McDaniels said some things that, if Cutler's still being tender, may hurt his feelings.

Some highlights...

(Opening statement on Cutler)

"He's our quarterback. We're looking forward to getting him back. I'm committed to him. We have and I'll continue to try and have effective communication with him."

(Is He Optimistic It Will Work Out)

"I've always been optimistic. I understand there are things we'll have to do in terms of improving our relationship and I'm willing to do that."

(On Potential Trade Cutler Asked For)

"Nobody's contacted me, talked to me, text messaged me, emailed me and nothing's going to happen on our football team unless it passes through me. People have left messages, I can say that."

(On Meeting With Cutler)

"One thing I want to do is to  meet with the player 1-on-1. I think that's thebest way obviously to fix any kind of issue."

(On If He Wished He Massaged Cutler's Ego)

"He's a very good player. I hope he doesn't need his ego massaged. We're excited about this season and excited about what we're doing and he's a part of that."

(On Involvement by Cutler's Agent, Bus Cook)

"It's not an issue for the agent. We're not talking about contracts. That's why I want to speak with the player."

(On If He Promises To Never Trade Him)

"I would be contradicting myself if I said that. He's our quarterback. We're committed to him AND we will always do what's best for the team. That's why we're talking about this now. There was a scenario presented that was considered and I'm not going to fall back from that."

(Isn't This About Hurt Feelings)

"I'm not sure. That may be, but I don't want to speak for him in terms of his stance on the issue. He knows he's a good player. I don't think this is about him wondering if I think he's any good. Because I do."

(On If He'll Have To Walk on Eggshells Coaching Him)

In this league, you have to earn the respect of your peers, you have to earn the respect of your players and I try to do that every single day I come to work and that will not change. My attitude is, I'm going to work hard at trying to improve the team and the player when I have an opprotunity to. (And I'll try to improve him) to the point where he respects me for what I'm trying to do for him. I don't think I would coach him any differently. The quarterback's always coached a little differently but he'll be pushed along with the rest of them. Our relationship as it starts to grow, the mutual respect is what we're after. If he feels I can help him be a great quarterback, then that's what we're after.

(Why Do You Keep Calling Him "The Player")

"I'll call him Jay Cutler if you want me to. I don't think that's the issue. If that's the issue than obviously we've got a long way to go."
 

DANA POINT, California - For an hour this morning Bills coach Dick Jauron answered questions at the AFC Coaches Breakfast at the NFL Owners Meetings. The bulk of them had to do with Terrell Owens. The only time he grew agitated was when it was mentioned to him that Owens is three-for-three in having a relationship with his quarterback that ended up on the rocks.

So why, Jauron was asked, did he believe Bills quarterback Trent Edwards would wind up different than Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo.

"I'll start by saying that he's won a lot of games," Jauron said of Owens. "The goal is to win games and get to the playoffs."

Jauron needed redirecting though and was asked again about Edwards. "I don't think he needs protecting from anyone. He can protect himself.."

When it was lastly pointed out that three consecutive situations went south with Owens involved and that he would be bucking history if Owens behaved and had a good relationship with Edwards, Jauron answered, "That's all right. I don't mind bucking history."

My take? Jauron's made a deal with the devil (in this case, T.O.) in order to save his job. Every answer Jauron provides about Owens fixates on his numbers - his yards, receptions, career touchdowns. Jauron has never struck me as a guy who would place emphasis on the fool's gold that are prolific offensive numbers. Buffalo is strapped for offensive potency, yes, and Owens will help the Bills put more points on the board. But at what price? Again, he's ruined chemistry and caused factions to form on every team he's played for.

The tough thing for Jauron is that, he's on the ropes in Buffalo after last season's disintegration down the stretch. Playing in a division with the Patriots, he's consigned to having to fight for a Wild Card. And now he's got to try and save his job by relying on a player who seems the antithesis of what he values.  

 

 

DANA POINT, California - The Jets want to be in the mix if/when the Denver Broncos decide to move Jay Cutler, according to a report in today's New York Daily News.

Caught up to Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum coming out of a conference room and asked him about the report which he wasn't aware was out there. After pursing his lips for a moment, he smiled and said of Cutler, "He's under contract to the Broncos so I can't comment on that."

 

DANA POINT, California - Even as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to stress the desire of NFL owners to get a new CBA done without a work stoppage, it's apparent the NFL's girding for one.  

"Right now, our entire focus is to make sure we understand our priorities in the collective bargaining process and work to get an agreement," Goodell said at a Monday afternoon press conference at the St. Regis Hotel. " We want to have an agreement. We want to continue to play football. Our owners feel that way, we think our players feel that way and we want to articulate what the issues are in the (CBA) that are troublesome to the owners so that they can be addressed."

In a moment of subtle saber-rattling, Goodell pointed out the negatives for players if there is an uncapped year in 2010

"For example, free agency goes from four years to six years," he said. "There's an additional (franchise) tag. There are restrictions on playoff teams' abilities to sign free agents. Collectively bargained benefits are reduced signficantly."

Goodell said that teams have been preparing for a possible stoppage. "That's part of planning," he said. "You have to be prepared for all alternatives. How would you operate if games weren't being played if you didn't have that revenue coming in? Again, that's not our objective. Our objective is to get a deal."

The league's owners refuse to "open their books," the NFLPA's suspicion being that there's more than meets the eye -- and finds its way to the players -- when it comes to adding up revenues. Asked whether the owners would open the books, Goodell said, "(The players) know our revenue down to almost a penny. They also know our costs to a large extent because our most significant cost is our player cost which are $4.5 billion this year. They have a pretty good idea of our economics. That's an issue that continues to be revisited but that's not the issue. The issue is trying to get an agreement that works."

With the NFLPA having elected DeMaurice Smith its executive director recently, Goodell said that, after the meetings conclude, "We'll be prepared coming out of this meeting and ready to go when he is (with negotiations)."

Also, the owners will continue to discuss the possibility of adding one or two games to the regular season and taking away a corresponding number of preseason games.

Goodell said that would not be voted on this week.

I like crushing Terrell Owens as much as the next reporter.  And I still can't get worked up about him missing the first day of Buffalo's offseason conditioning program.

You can criticize Owens for many things, but his workout routine is not one of them.  When he shows up in Buffalo, it's a safe bet he'll be wearing a full body spandex outfit to show off how hard he's been working.

I hesitated to even mention this story, but it's amazingly near the top of the news stacks on other websites.  If nothing else, that shows the primacy of the NFL in today's sports landscape.  A guy lifting weights on his own is worth headlines.

The workouts, of course, are voluntary.  That's why many veterans on every team, like Tom Brady last year in New England, often come and go during the conditioning program.

Let's wait until Owens actually steps on the field for the Bills before we bury him this time. 

DANA POINT - The agent for Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel said there have been no talks about a contract extension for his client.

David Dunn, Cassel's agent, simply stated, "No," when asked if talks had begun.

Cassel, franchised by the New England Patriots and then traded to the Chiefs, brought with him the $14.6 million salary for 2009 that was guaranteed him when he signed the franchise tender.

Given that fat a figure, it seemed reasonable to expect the Chiefs to do something long-term with the quarterback to lessen this year's salary cap hit and sew him up for the future.

 

Okay, so this one isn't exactly a blockbuster.  But Oakland picked up a potential starting center on the cheap Monday, grabbing Samson Satele from the Dolphins for an undisclosed pick.

Satele has started every game since being taken in the second-round of the 2007 draft.  He's not a true mauler, which doesn't fit with Miami's burgeoning power scheme.

Oakland's line is smaller and focused on zone blocking, where Satele's athleticism will fit in well.  Any move that gives you a young starting player has to be seen as a positive for the Raiders. 

This week's episode of the Jay Cutler soap opera has a new plot line: Denver's desire to keep Cutler, despite everything that has happened thus far. 

While the Jets want him, Peter King and other sources have confirmed the Broncos want to exhaust all avenues to keeping Cutler.

My man Tom Curran is getting a lot of goodies at the NFL Owner's Meeting, and had this excellent perspective from John Madden on the Cutler fiasco.

"If you were talking age or injury or contract, you could make sense (of the agitation) but there's nothing. It boils down to feelings. And fixing that should be easy."

Bingo.  You don't change the course of your franchise, your coaching career, over some ruffled feathers. 

Perhaps the Broncos are just trying to gain leverage in possible trade talks, but I doubt it.  There aren't many fair deals for Cutler out there, so holding on to him makes the most sense for Denver. 

DANA POINT, California - Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen just arrived and, en route to his room at the St. Regis, I attempted to get in a question about the imbroglio back in Dove Valley (the ironically named, Dove Valley).

"I will be answering nooooo questions this morning. Not until I talk with my people," he said.

 

 

Good read from Mike Klis of the Denver Post discussing the approach of owner Pat Bowlen to the standoff between head coach Josh McDaniels and quarterback Jay Cutler.

"I'm in the building and I'm in the room," Bowlen said. "But we have a young coach who is in charge of football operations and he's going to handle this. If I can offer advice, I'll do that. But I'm not going to step on him in the middle of this thing. That would not be smart.

"This is his first big challenge and I'm definitely in his camp. He'll handle it."

 

DANA POINT, California - It's a rainy Sunday morning in Southern California as the NFL's Owners Meetings begin in earnest today at the posh St. Regis Hotel.

The $600 per night freight to stay here made the Mother Ship say, "Uhhh, let's find something a little less ... ridiculous." So I'm staying down the road at a Marriott which is about $150 a night but every bit as luxurious as I desire.

As I walked in this morning, Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Super Bowl champ Steelers, was headed out the lobby with his three kids in tow.

We exchanged hellos. I also had passing contact with John Fox, Scott Pioli, John Harbaugh, NFL Films' Steve Sabol and head of officials Mike Pereira. Most of these guys are checking in or with their wives and kids so it's best to give them a little space.

Jim Saccomano, lead man for the Denver Broncos media relations staff, said he was aware I wanted to get a few minutes with embattled young coach Josh McDaniels but said he probably wouldn't be doing any 1-on-1s. He will have to flap his gums at the AFC Coaches' Breakfast on Tuesday morning. 

Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork has heard the scuttlebutt about New England courting Julius Peppers. He's also heard the speculation about how much they'd have to pay Peppers and how that eventuality - if it ever came to pass - would affect Wilfork.

 

Wilfork's deal is up at the end of the 2009 season. As one of the five best players at an increasingly valuable position in the 3-4 happy NFL, he figures to command big dough.

 

Last month, Wilfork sounded mildly dissatisfied with progress toward a new deal in a conversation with the Boston Globe's Chris Gasper.

 

He's found serenity now.

 

"I hear everything," he said Friday. "My friends tell me everything but I can't control it and I'm not paying attention. I'm not worrying about none of this. They know how I play. They know what I do in the community. They know me, I know them. I'm happy. I said what I had to say a couple months ago and that was it. I don't have anything else to say about where things are because I'm happy. If it doesn't work itself out, then it wasn't meant to be."

 

Nose tackle is the most key position in the front-seven of a 3-4 defense. Wilfork, a first-round pick in 2003, has now become fully adapted to the way the Patriots like it played. A Pro Bowler in 2007, he'd rather stay in New England than go elsewhere. Right now, though, he says he's fixating on 2009.

 

"I'm very encouraged with the offseason so far," he said. "We got Fred Taylor, two cornerbacks that are obviously talented (Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden). You can see the way we want to approach this year. I'm looking foeatrd to this season and that's the only thing I'm worried about. Everything will play itself out. A deal can get done, next week, next month, next year, in the next two years. I don't care what's going on around me."

 

 

 

Turnover on the New England Patriots personnel department and coaching staff this offseason has put head coach Bill Belichick in the scouting trenches this offseason.

As a result, Belichick won't be going to the NFL Owner's Meetings in Dana Point, California starting Sunday. Belichick and Director of Pro Personnel Nick Caserio (along with the rest of the coaching staff) has been on the road the past two weeks working out prospects and won't return to Foxboro until Monday where they'll get down to go figuring out what they just looked at.

 

On this week's Three and Out, Tom and I discuss where in the world Jay Cutler and Julius Peppers will start next season. We also talk whether a post-Patriots curse exists for coaches. Enjoy Tom's spiffy tie and my wannabe mullet.

The NFL Owner's Meetings start Sunday at a Motel 6 next to the railroad tracks in Skokie, Illinois.

Right.

They're actually being held at Dana Point, California, on the water between L.A. and San Diego. So that's nice.

I'll be getting there tomorrow night and will be there through Wednesday morning. My plan is to go heavy with blog updates throughout the day and get a daily notebook on the site by 8 p.m. Eastern each night.

With the casual atmosphere and not exactly a crush of media, this is an excellent chance to talk to coaches, GMs, owners and agents about ... the NFL.

Here are going to be the things I want to get a read on.

1. The Cutler Situation

There will be a breakfast with the AFC and NFC coaches on Monday and Tuesday respectively. Josh McDaniels has the biggest stake in Jay Cutler right now, but you also have to wonder how Detroit coach Jim Schwartz, Cleveland's Eric Mangini, Carolina's John Fox or Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt will respond when asked directly about Cutler (those four guys have teams that would be reasonable destinations). Also, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen no doubt will be unburdening himself on the Cutler Affair.

2. The Peppers Situation

You have a potential top-five defensive player saying (very quietly) he doesn't want to play for the Carolina Panthers anymore. Will Carolina move him before it gets ugly? And if they want to, who can take on Peppers and his almost $17 million franchise tag?

3. Work Stoppage Looming

This is what the owners will be talking about. They are girding for a lockout, the signs they've given have been unmistakeable. And now that the players have a new executive director, DeMaurice Smith, there's been significant saber-rattling from them that they're unified and ready for "war." At least the players who know what's going on. Believe me, of the close to 2,000 players in the league, a fraction know what the issues are and how quickly this isn't going to get ugly. But every one of the 32 owners know what's up.

4. Rules Changes

Last year, the Chiefs were concerned about long hair obscuring jersey numbers. This year, it's safety stuff on helmet-to-helmet hits and wedge-breaking; reviews on fumbles/incompletions (thanks, Ed Hochuli!), draft order and overtime.

5. Draft Scuttlebutt

Anytime I get to use the word scuttlebutt is a good time. Also, the chance to get the lowdown on what teams feel about Stafford, Sanchez, et. al., yawns large at this event.

On the way home from work last night, I found a news nugget from a surprising source: Bill Simmons' podcast.  Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post had this to say about the team he used to work for:

"I'm just hearing things out of Cleveland that don't make me feel Brady Quinn is part of their future. (Quinn's) support has left the building.  We used to call it sponsorship at the Raiders.  When your sponsorship goes, you aren't the same player."

Quinn was "sponsored" by former GM Phil Savage, who is long gone now.

We've documented on Rotoworld that Lombardi isn't a huge fan of Quinn, saying he lacked accuracy.  That's an opinion that doesn't truly matter.  It matters if the Browns agree with him.   It's looking more like they do.  So where could he go? 

I am in the minority thinking that Jay Cutler's most likely 2009 home remains in Denver.   But if Cutler gets dealt, it's hard to imagine the Browns not being involved.  They are the only team with decent young quarterbacks to deal.

And you thought Eric Mangini was unpopular in Cleveland now.  Imagine if l he trades boy wonder! 

Speaking on WEEI in Boston, Patriots coach Bill Belichick indicated Thursday that the team has not spoken to the Panthers about Julius Peppers, citing league rules.

"There's no trade talks going on with Carolina," he said. "They don't have a signed contract. They can't talk about trading a player that isn't signed."

With that point of procedure out of the way, Belichick hardly squashed the rumors.  He spoke glowingly of Peppers' ability to translate systems and didn't outright deny interest.  Working out a deal through Peppers' agent, however, does not look like an option.

"I don't think that's a good way to do business, and I personally would not do it that way," Belichick said.

If a franchise player truly wanted to get traded, he said they should go the Matt Cassel route. Sign your contract, then let the teams make a deal. 

Belichick chooses his words far more carefully than his wardrobe, so it appears he was sending a message with that statement.  Since the Panthers and Patriots have denied any trade talks this week, that message is likely directed at Peppers' agent.

Bill Belichick spoke on WEEI in Boston Thursday, touching on the dominant stories of the New England off-season: the Matt Cassel trade and Julius Peppers trade rumors. 

Let's start with Cassel.  Asked if the Patriots ever had an offer on the table for a first- and third-round pick, like ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported, Belichick flatly said, "They never made that offer to me."

Belichick indicated, in fact, there were no concrete last-minute offers.  Without getting too specific, he said that he was in touch with many teams after Cassel signed his franchise tender.  He implied that the rest of the league knew Cassel's situation and had plenty of chances to make a deal. 

He dismissed suggestions of favoritism towards Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.  "I have all the respect in the world for Scott and what he's done. [But] I work for the Patriots. I have no loyalty to anybody or any team other than the Patriots."

Few would argue with that.

When pressed about Denver's involvement in a possible three-way trade, Belichick spoke in generalities.  But he rhetorically asked how many three-team trades actually get done in the NFL. 

"Getting a contract done, getting a trade done, getting all that, to think that's going to happen in five minutes in a situation like that that came up that weekend -- which is what I think some people have kind of put out there -- I don't think that's really accurate.  It just doesn't really happen like that in this league."

Reading between the lines, Belichick didn't have time to wait for Jay Cutler and/or Matt Cassel to work out contracts with a new team.  That brings agents into the mix, in addition to a new team, and could delay the process indefinitely.

He alluded to all the rumored deals that were out there, indicating they were more speculative and hypothetical rather than concrete. 

Time was of the essence.  Belichick made it clear that a long-term deal for Cassel was not an option, and that New England's recent acquisitions were made possible by his trade.   

Belichick took one (pick) in the hand over two in the bush. 

Back with Belichick's comments about Peppers in a bit. 

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will appear on Boston radio station WEEI this afternoon.

There's a whole plateful of topics for him to go over from the rumored Julius Peppers deal (since dispelled), the deal that sent Matt Cassel to the Chiefs, how young Josh McDaniels is faring since divebombing out of the nest, the flotilla of signings the Pats have made in this offseason and his potential future opportunities as one of Jon Bon Jovi's Pips.

Belichick will be on WEEI's Big Show where he's a guest throughout the season. He's got a good relationship with the host Glenn Ordway and is exceptionally forthright when he's on.

(Full disclosure, I co-host on the show when the station's hurting for guests.)

When it was mentioned to a league source that Belichick will probably be asked about the Cassel deal and the lower-than-expected compensation, the source said, "I hope he says the truth."

Which is?

"They could still have Cassel and be waiting for a better deal and which of the guys should they not have signed?"

Good point. Without Cassel unloaded for a second, the signings of Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden, Joey Galloway, Chris Baker, Fred Taylor, Greg Lewis, James Sanders and Russ Hochstein? They wouldn't have all happened. Dealing Cassel for a 2 and being able to sign those guys makes more sense all the time.

WSVN-FOX 7 in Miami reported Thursday that Donte Stallworth was over the legal drinking limit when his vehicle struck Mario Reyes last weekend, killing Reyes. 

The Miami police, however, are not confirming the report. 

"That has not been released or confirmed by us," Miami Detective Juan Sanchez told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.  "They went with that story without confirming it with us.''

The final results of the toxicology report are not due until Friday, according to the police.  If the television's station is proven accurate, Stallworth could be charged with DUI manslaughter, a felony calling for up to 15 years in prison. 

When Matt Jones was dropped by Jacksonville last week, I guessed that the Cowboys would be a suitor.  Today, that irresponsible speculation pays off!

Bob Glauber reports that the Jets and Cowboys could show interest in Jones.  The Jets could use a veteran opposite Jerricho Cotchery, while Dallas is currently counting on Miles Austin to step up to a big role. 

The trick will be Matt Jones' status with the NFL.  He is at risk of another NFL suspension, and any interested team will want that situation settled before offering a contract. 

More irresponsible speculation: Jones will prove to be one of the best bargains of the offseason once he finds a home.   

Embattled Bills running back Marshawn Lynch met the press in Buffalo today and said, quite poetically, "I never had the intentions of getting in trouble or anything like that, but along the way, my road got rocky, and now it's time to get the pavement straight."

Lynch, who met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday, was arrested near Los Angeles on Feb. 11. In searching a parked car carrying Lynch, Culver City police found a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun inside a backpack in the trunk. Police also found four marijuana cigarettes in the car, but no drug charges were filed.

He pleaded guilty to having a concealed firearm and was sentenced to 80 hours community service and three years' probation.

It was Lynch's second run-in with the law in less than a year.

In June, he pleaded guilty to a traffic violation and admitted he was behind the wheel of his SUV when it sped off from a downtown Buffalo intersection after striking a pedestrian, who sustained minor injuries. Lynch wasn't disciplined by the league for the accident.

Click to see the rest of Lynch's press conference transcript provided by the Bills media relations staff.

Safety Darren Sharper, a four-time Pro Bowler in the NFC North with the Packers then the Vikings is taking his act to the Bayou.

Sharper just texted to say he signed with the Saints. He's en route back to the mainland from Maui so hopefully we can get a quote or two from him sometime in the next 24.

Sharper said last month that he hoped to find a system better styled to his skills and aggression. New Orleans has been the No. 1 suitor for his services since free agency began.

 

David Macklin, arrested for DUI last Friday, was released Wednesday.

Macklin, a 30-year-old cornerback, played just four games for the Chiefs in 2007. He entered the league in 2000 as a first-round pick out of Penn State taken by the Colts. He also played for Arizona, Washington and St. Louis.

The Chiefs signed him in Week 10 last season after he was cut by the Rams coming out of camp. He signed a two-year deal.

Macklin picked the wrong time and wrong regime to make a mistake with. With new head coach Todd Haley and GM Scott Pioli, the new broom sweeps clean approach is in full effect and releasing Macklin - a part-timer - sends a loud message to the rest of the team about possible consequences.

Macklin runs a charity called 27 Reasons that helps kids with spiritual growth and leadership.

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner had hip surgery Wednesday.

What next, gall bladder? (This from the 41-year-old who just had his appendix out).

It doesn't figure to limit Warner for the long-term though. Especially since he was riding a stationary bike just hours after surgery was completed.

"Everything went well and I'm feeling great," Warner said in a statement released by Arizona. "I began rehab on a stationary bike just a few hours after surgery and then a couple of more times today."

Warner had some "loose fragments" according to the statement and immediately experienced improved range of motion. He's expected to sit out mini-camp May 1-3.

Warner, 37, signed a two-year deal with the NFC champion Cardinals after a couple of weeks of hand-wringing and tire kicking about where he'd play. And praying, he also prayed on it.

Josh McDaniels might not be the only rookie head coach with an upset veteran on his hands. 

Jets running back Thomas Jones has skipped the first two days of offseason workouts, reportedly because he wants a new contract.

First things first: Skipping the offseason conditioning program is not a holdout.  The sessions are voluntary.  And anyone who has seen Jones' gun show knows that he's not a candidate to get fat and happy.

Jones' agent, however, is Drew Rosenhaus, who wields holdouts like weapons of mass destruction.  Jones has two years left on his contract, and the new regime will have to be careful to set a precedent of renegotiating deals, especially for runners over 30. 

This one could drag on a while.

There were some wild rumors floating around Wednesday regarding a possible trade of Jay Cutler to the Redskins.  Vaunted NBC couch crasher Mike Florio debunked the possible deal, but said there is some level of interest in Washington's part. 

Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato quickly responded, saying "We haven't talked to anyone," and that "Jason (Campbell) is going to be our quarterback this season."

It's easy to believe both sides in this one.  There should be a level of interest for most teams, especially a risk-taking one like Washington.  But the Redskins are not a fit.

They spent their cap room on Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall.  They simply don't have the cap flexibility to add a high-priced quarterback.  And Jay Cutler isn't going anywhere without a fat new deal, if the soup stirrer has anything to do with it.    

Orlando Pace, released last week by the St. Louis Rams, is expected in Baltimore Wednesday night for a free agent visit with the Ravens.

Pace, 33, was released March 11 by St. Louis in a move that saved the Rams about $6 million under the cap. Pace was a seven-time Pro Bowler at left tackle for the Rams. The first overall pick in the 1997 draft, has been dogged by injuries in the past three seasons.

In 2008, Pace missed two games with a torn thigh muscle and injured knee. He missed the entire 2007 season with a shoulder injury suffered in the season opener. In 2006, a torn triceps cost the 6-7, 325-pounder eight games.  

The Chiefs may have their quarterback now in Matt Cassel, but they don't have many weapons for him to throw to.  That's why Tuesday's signing of Bobby Engram makes a lot of sense.

For a few years during his run in Seattle, Bobby Engram was one of the best slot receivers in football.  Those days have passed, but he can still move the chains on third down.

Engram, 36, gives Kansas City an experienced wideout to provide depth after Dwayne Bowe and Mark Bradley.  Kansas City figures to be a complex pass-first offense, so they need smart, reliable receivers. 

Engram, Terrance Copper, and Monty Beisel are telling early signings for the Scott Pioli reign in Kansas City.  The Chiefs aren't looking for a quick fix.  They are looking for players to buy into their system, then build through the draft. 

On February 24, right before free agency opened, Michael Smith had the story that a source believed Donovan McNabb wanted the Eagles to get active this offseason before he signed an extension with the team. He wanted them to prove they were serious about getting better offensively.

  Which had to have Philly thinking, "Is that a threat or a promise?" Why, with McNabb having two years left on his deal and no guaranteed money left (the Eagles could release him free and clear), would they want to sign him to a fat deal? Especially as his age advances and his play fluctuates as wildly as it ever did.

In the weeks since McNabb's supposed demand, the Eagles have watched with folded hands as Brian Dawkins, Lito Sheppard, Correll Buckhalter, Tra Thomas, L.J. Smith, Greg Lewis, etc., paraded to other teams and Jon Runyan's got a foot out the door. The Eagles big signing was Bengals tackle Shawn Andrews. A good player, but certainly not what McNabb probably had in mind.

Which brings us to a piece by Bob Brookover in the Philadelphia Inquirer Tuesday. Brookover talked to McNabb's backup Kevin Kolb (above) last Friday in Florida. Kolb pistol-whips himself for playing poorly when he got his one chance to relieve McNabb against the Ravens. But, Kolb added, Eagles coach Andy Reid had this to say when reinstalling McNabb: "(Reid) just said, 'I think Donovan has earned it.' I was upset with myself and not anybody else. He did also say: 'You're going to be a great quarterback. You have everything it takes. You'll be there one day. We just don't know when.' "

Kolb, a second-round pick and still just 24, also said, "I know at some point in my career I'll get a solid chance. Hopefully, it's with the Eagles. But I know at some point it will happen, and I look forward to meeting the challenge."

A guess. It will be with the Eagles. And it won't be that long in coming.

Marshawn Lynch's mother is a woman I'd like to meet. Talking about what is going on with her son lately, Delisa said she's ready to take some control.

"Whether you're 22 or 52, I'll do it."

She said aside from the money and fame that has altered his world, she thinks it is time for him to grow up and stop hanging out with the wrong people. Amen!

Lyynch is meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell today to receive a wrist slap and a game suspension(s) for pleading guilty to illegal gun charges.

Imagine how open Goodell's calendar would be and the amount of free time he would have if more young NFL players parents paid attention to what they were doing and called their sons out for messing up. I know at 18, an individual is an adult and by the time college is over, most should be able to make responsible "adult" decisions. I also know that most 18 year olds don't turn into multi-millionaire's by the time they are 22-23. A little guidance goes a long way...

Now about those brackets of yours... I was in the studio yesterday with Mad Dog discussing some college hoops. He has some interesting ideas about who to watch out for and his picks to make it in the Final Four. Do you agree?

For those who are flipping coins at the desk trying to fill out a work bracket, before you waste 20 bucks on just guessing, maybe take a look this.

I spoke with Lindsey Vonn today... If you somehow have missed hearing about her (my little sister had to use wikipedia) I can promise, come next February that will not be the case. A few weeks ago in Lake Tahoe, CA I hosted the ADT Sports Update while reporting for the Winter Dew Tour. After getting through some hockey highlights, a Syracuse game and some NBA scores I ended the update talking about Vonn's latest accomplishment.

Today she held a satellite media tour from Park City, UT. Normally those are hard interviews to do because by the time it gets to you: A) the person being interviewed has been doing them for just under oh say three hours B) it's completely unpersonal and awkward and C) because of awkwardness it results in lame questions and static answers. Fortunately that didn't happen when we spoke. She is a cool girl and someone younger girls can legitimately look up to. Lindsey Vonn. You will be seeing and hearing much more about her over the next few months.  

One last thing... New York Magazine's Daily Intel has an interesting take on a recent article on Alex Rodriguez by Details Magazine. The man conducting the interview meets with Alex and then 12 hours later the story breaks about his steroid use. Now in this article Alex is freaking out over admitting which of Madonna's lovely songs is his favorite. Personally, I'd be more concerned about the photo shoot.

 

Communicating with two sources close to the "Peppers to Patriots" sandstorm that blew up suddenly Monday afternoon, I've learned...

1. Julius Peppers would indeed be interested in playing for the Patriots.

2. It's a virtual certainty that he will not.

The sources, obviously coming from different sides of the issue, didn't go into greater detail beyond what I've shared .. no talk about contracts, salary cap, compensation back to Carolina or fits in the Patriots defensive scheme. That is, as they say, what it is.

While the unlikelihood of the pieces falling together was something I looked at last night, Adam Schefter of NFL.com and the NFL Network was a morning guest on Boston's WEEI and poured the first bucket of ice water on the notion.

Turns out - as it often does - Schefter was pretty accurate.

It's a league sponsored cliche at this point that there is no NFL offseason.  The Bears are doing their best to make that cliche a reality.

Lovie Smith scheduled his only mandatory minicamp of the offseason to start Tuesday, just six weeks after Santonio Holmes tapped his toes in Tampa.  These minicamps usually take place after the draft, but Smith apparently wants to get the attention of his veterans.

Elsewhere around the NFL, players returned to the team facilities Monday to begin their off-season conditioning program.  Tom Brady is back in New England, a great sign for his recovery.  Clinton Portis was a surprise show in Washington.  Thomas Jones wasn't in New Jersey, which could be the start of a contract disagreement.

It seems totally insane, but preparations for the 2009 NFL season have kicked off before March Madness.

The formula is pretty simple in Commissioner Roger Goodell's NFL.  Get in trouble multiple times, and you get a trip to New York to meet the boss.  Then you likely get suspended.

On Tuesday, embattled Bills running back Marshawn Lynch will dodge the St. Patrick's Day Parade traffic on the way to the NFL's Park Avenue offices.

CBSSports.com's Clark Judge reports that Lynch is likely to receive a one-to-two game suspension, but no final decision will be made until Lynch speaks.

After a February arrest, Lynch pleaded guilty to a misdeamor after a felony gun charge was dropped.  He was sentenced to three years and 80 hours of community service.  Lynch also was accused of a hit-and-run last summer, but he did not face criminal charges in the case.  He wound up losing his license then. 

Lynch is a fine young player, but the Bills can survive without him if it's only for a game or two.  Buffalo has one of the best backups in the league in Fred Jackson.  Plus they have a certain popcorn-loving receiver who may want the ball early and often. 

The market for former Rams tackle Orlando Pace has been soft since he was released one week ago.  I've surprisingly read how tackle-needy teams like the Bears and the 49ers have no use for him.

The National Football Post's Mike Lombardi reports, however, the Ravens are speaking to Pace.  He would make plenty of sense for a Ravens team that is thin at tackle. 

Pace would presumably take over for youngster Jared Gaither protecting Joe Flacco's blind side.  Baltimore already has two mid-thirties lineman in Willie Anderson and Matt Birk.  Pace would be the biggest injury risk of the three, but also the most talented.  

Earlier tonight, Panthers GM Marty Hurney released a statement saying he has not been in trade discussions with New England about Julius Peppers.

"By the rules of the CBA we cannot and have not had any conversations with other teams about Julius. Under the non-exclusive franchise tag, Julius and his agent, Carl Carey, are within their rights to talk to other teams about a potential contract. However, at this point, we are not aware of any such conversations."

Phone and text messages sent to Peppers' agent weren't immediately returned.

Still, as Hurney noted, Carey is free to talk to suitors. And it makes sense for New England to start with the player before going to the team because, if they can't work out a deal that will fit Peppers under the Pats' salary cap, there's no sense in talking compensation with Hurney and the Panthers.

So, to piggyback Gregg's analysis of why the Panthers would want to unload Julius Peppers, here's a list of reasons it might be difficult for the Patriots to get the deal done for a player of Peppers' magnitude.

1. Salary Cap

Because the Panthers declared him their franchise player, Peppers is on the books for 2009 with a $16.7 million cap figure. New England, even though it cleared close to $16 million in cap space by dealing Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel, have made a number of moves since making that deal with Kansas City. Their available cap space has dwindled to less than $7 million based on estimates by a gentleman named Miguel who (don't laugh) keeps the most comprehensive contract numbers a layman could keep on the Patriots. While Miguel may not have it nailed, suffice to say, the Patriots could not make a deal with Carolina in which Peppers comes to New England without a new, long-term deal signed. The reason Kansas City was such an opportune trade partner for New England three weeks ago was that they had the cap room available to take Cassel's $14.6 million cap hit on without a new deal in place.

2. Would Peppers Take "Less"?

If Peppers is going to come to the Patriots, hopes of a Haynesworth-type $100 million deal with $41 million guaranteed are not realistic. The Patriots won't sign off on such a gargantuan deal. Which means, at 29, Peppers would be asked to pass on the chance to break the bank completely and just break it a little bit. And his next deal would come when he's what, 33, best-case scenario? Would a player who's bristled at being franchised twice be willing to miss out on a signing bonus bonanza? Or does Peppers just want out of Carolina and into a situation he deems better on a team with a more realistic chance of winning a championship? If it's the latter, this could get done. If it's the former - and as we've all seen, money tends to be a factor - this might be dead before it begins.

3. What's It Do To Pats Salary Structure?

In 2005, Tom Brady signed a six-year, $60 million deal with about $26 million guaranteed. After 2009, standout defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork's contracts are up. If New England pays ungodly sums for Peppers, where would that leave Wilfork, who plays a more important position (nose tackle) in the 3-4? Or Seymour, who's been a force throughout his career when healthy and has helped New England to three titles? Or Brady, who's up after 2010?

The first step in this deal falling together or apart is between Peppers and his agent and the Patriots. And that doesn't figure to be something that will happen quickly.

It's obvious enough why the Patriots would want Julius Peppers.  What may not be clear to most fans is why the Panthers would trade such a great player for a second-round pick.

The situation is very similar to the one New England faced earlier this offseason with Matt Cassel.  Peppers is on the books for $16.683 million in 2009 as Carolina's franchise player.  The Panthers can't live with that number, and Peppers has made it clear he wants out. 

For Carolina to move forward with other needs this offseason, such as re-signing some homegrown talent, they need to get rid of Peppers.  They are motivated sellers.  A high second-round pick doesn't sound like much, but it is a low-cost four-year contract for a likely starter.

More importantly, the Panthers can move forward with their offseason once Peppers is dealt.  Just like New England was able to make some noise after Cassel was off the books. 

The Patriots' blockbuster offseason apparently isn't done yet.

NFL.com's Vic Cariucci reports that the Patriots are primed to acquire Panthers DE Julius Peppers for the No. 34 overall pick in the NFL Draft.  Yep, that's the same pick they acquired in the deal for Matt Cassel.  Maybe that wasn't such a bad deal, after all. 

Cariucci appeared on WEEI in Boston with our buddy Tom Curran to talk about the report.   The big stumbling block will be working on a new contract for Peppers, who the Panthers placed the franchise tag on.  Peppers is due to become one of the richest defenders in league history, and giving him a contract bigger than Tom Brady's could be problematic.

The fit makes plenty of sense on the field.  Peppers has talked openly about wanting to convert to a linebacker in a 3-4 defense that would take advantage of his versatility.  No coach maximizes linebacker talent more creatively than Bill Belichick, who is desperate for pass rush help. 

Some question whether Peppers can play in pass coverage, but Peppers would represent the most talented linebacker Belichick coached since Lawrence Taylor.  Peppers would be acquired to harrass quarterbacks, not cover tight ends.  

The upcoming owner's meetings could provide momentum for completing a deal, but the true deadline isn't until the NFL Draft. 

As expected, Jay Cutler didn't show for the opening meetings of the Broncos offseason workouts this morning.

That's the news so far today. Meanwhile, the fatter news as detailed earlier by Gregg came in the Broncos and Cutler in dueling gut-spillers with ESPN (Cutler) and Peter King (Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels.

I won't link to what Gregg already hit, but two things jumped out at me.

One, was Cutler's blase, disrespectful comment about Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

Mortenson wrote, "As for ignoring phone calls from McDaniels and Bowlen, Cutler said: 'Josh and I have exchanged text messages. We had a conference call. And if Pat wanted to speak to me, why didn't he come to the meeting on Saturday?' "

In other words, Cutler doesn't deny blowing off Bowlen. And, as far as he's concerned, if the owner wants an audience with his employee, he knows where to find him.

How Bowlen will ultimately react remains to be seen but it's a snub that a guy who was in lockstep with Hall of Famer John Elway isn't going to appreciate having a three-year veteran defecating on his forehead.

Meanwhile, King makes the excellent point in his column that, "In the end, Denver will have to strongly consider trading Cutler. If you're a rookie coach, as McDaniels is, and you've got to set the right tone for the team, how can you have a quarterback who doesn't want to be there as your franchise leader? Parting with Cutler would be forcing the Broncos to start over at the game's most important position when they thought they had the position filled for the next decade. But Cutler, who is one of the best quarterback prospects to enter the NFL in years, can be moody, and if he never buys what McDaniels is selling, it could drag the team down."

Meanwhile, McDaniels sounds beaten down by the whole process in his talk with King.

Drinking While Golfing cost Matt Jones his job.  One week after Jones violated the terms of his probation by consuming alcohol on a golf course, the Jaguars released the former first-round pick.

Jones could be facing his second NFL suspension in as many seasons.  He was entering a contract year, so the Jaguars understandably decided to move forward.

Jones' release, however, leaves a major hole on Jacksonville's roster.  He was easily the team's best receiver in 2008, finally playing with urgency and realizing his potential.  The Jaguars are very thin at wideout after dumping Jerry Porter and letting another first-round bust Reggie Williams leave the team. 

Jacksonville could look to a free agent like Torry Holt or use their number eight overall pick to draft yet another high profile wideout.

Jones may have to wait for his suspension to play out to get a job, but he's now the best wideout available in free agency.  Jones' situation reminds me of Antonio Bryant two years ago. 

Bryant missed an entire season waiting for his suspension to be lifted, then the Bucs signed him on the cheap and got huge returns on their investment.  Jones could present a similar value in time.  Arkansas alum Jerry Jones, always a fan of second chances, makes a logical suitor. 

We break briefly from today's episode of All My Broncos to bring news that the Jacksonville Jaguars have released wide receiver Matt Jones.

Was his release related to his persistent inability to law abide? Oh, yeah.

"All roster moves are decisions we feel are in the best interest of the organization. This decision is a result of our ongoing player and roster evaluations. We expect responsibility and accountability and those are important qualities as we continue the process of building this team."

Jones just finished a brief jail stint for violating probation imposed after being found guilty of cocaine possession. The violation was drinking alcohol which came up in a routine probationary pee test.

Jags quarterback David Garrard said last week he supported Jones. "I'm just trying to keep up with him ... I was hoping he wouldn't have anymore altercations, and hopefully this is the last one," Garrard said.

It will be the last one in Jacksonville. Jones, 25, had his best season by far in 2008 with 65 catches for 761 yards in 12 games. He came into the NFL in 2005, a first-round pick out of Arkansas that was converted from quarterback to 6-6 wide receiver (actually, he was 6-6 before the position change...if only it were so easy).

Jones (memorably dubbed "Moonshine" by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio), is going to come cheap to some team. And for a 25-year-old just learning the position, that could be good. But his substance use and abuse issues will have to be really be sussed out or the team that takes a chance on him will be looking at a player who will likely get a year ban with his next slip-up.

If you didn't read Curran's excellent post on the Bus driver behind all the Cutler drama, start your morning there.  Amazingly, the Jay Cutler-Josh McDaniels drama has only increased in the 15 hours since Tom wrote the post.

To recap: McDaniels and Cutler met Saturday, it didn't go well from Cutler's angle, and now he's skipping off-season conditioning and formally requesting a trade.   Josh McDaniels has taken the un-Belichick-like step of presenting his side of things, and seems confused by the whole deal.

"I would probably be really good for Jay, and I know he would be really good for me,. I think that's the part that's shocking to me,'' McDaniels said.

The first effort at ending the Cold War between head coach and quarterback was a conference call last Monday.

 

So Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, GM Brian Xanders, head coach Josh McDaniels, quarterback Jay Cutler and Cutler's agent, Bus Cook (left).

Cook presided.

A team source said the conversation went well and differences were aid. Another source told the Denver Post it went poorly and that things were worse off than before the call.

Saturday, there was a face-to-face (to face-to-face) meeting between Xanders-McDaniels and Cutler-Cook.

Again, Cook presided, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post who wrote that, "Cutler has insisted that until his situation gets resolved, all conversation with Broncos officials must include his agent, Cook, who led the discussions in the both the conference call last Monday with Broncos officials and in the meeting Saturday with McDaniels and Xanders."

Klis reports that the Saturday meeting went even worse and has Broncos owner Pat Bowlen "disappointed" in the proceedings. Bowlen's disappointment, writes Klis, is with Cutler, not McDaniels.

Cutler isn't expected at a Monday team meeting. Nor is tight end Tony Scheffler whose agent is - surprise - Bus Cook.

It's becoming very easy to conclude that Cook is intent on making things worse rather than better between Cutler and the Broncos. Or that he's trying to extract a pound of flesh (and much more cash) from Denver for its entertaining the thought of moving Cutler out.

Enumerating Cook's track record in these matters is a story from milehighreport.com.

Using Cook's track record with clients Steve McNair, Brett Favre and William Joseph, a first-round pick of the Giants in 2003, the writer charts the similarities in their contentious negotiations. The writer concludes, "Bus Cook is after something, and he will use Cutler and the Broncos to get it."

The link between the Favre melodramas of the past few seasons and this one is something most have noted. But this story does a nice job of finding a trail that goes back further than Lord Brett. .  

Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth reportedly was involved in a fatal collision with a pedestrian Saturday morning in Miami Beach.

Messages were left Saturday afternoon with Stallworth's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and Miami Beach PD Detective Juan Sanchez. Neither call has yet been returned.

Stallworth has played for the Browns, Patriots, Eagles and Saints. He's 28.

According to the story on the CBS4 Miami website, Stallworth hit the pedestrian at the corner or MacArthur Causeway and Fisher Island Drive. It went on to describe as being the road that lends ferry access to Fisher Island, one of the country's "most exclusive" residences.

We'll hit you back when we hear more.

Here is the AP story on the accident. Left unreported and what I've tried to learn is whether Stallworth is still in custody as of this afternoon or whether he's been released.

First, Larry Eustachy said he'd pay back $25,000 of his 2009 salary to Southern Miss because the basketball team didn't perform to the level he believed they should. Now, Oklahoma women's hoop is playing in the NCAA Tournament under the guarantee that she'll pay the school back her scholarship if the Sooners don't win the national championship.

In the case of Eustachy, good for him. In the case of Paris, wonderfully noble notion. Hopefully somebody can impress upon her that her $64K has been more than offset by her excellence as a university ambassador and player. Yet if she's insistent about paying it back after she becomes a top-three pick in the WNBA, maybe she can find someone more needy than the Sooners to fire that money at.

Off the top of my head, I seem to recall Ted Williams giving money back to the Sox toward the end of his career after what he considered an offseason. I'm sure there are others. Help me out here.

 

Mike Lombardi of The National Football Post and a frequent contributor to the NFL Network just had an illuminating appearance on NFL Network's Total Access.

Lombardi said the reason Jay Cutler's camp was miffed after the supposed air-clearing conference call with head coach Josh McDaniels and a cast of who knows how many more was that McDaniels began detailing areas in which Cutler needed to improve.

Sayeth Lombardi, "The conference call upset (Cutler) because, in that call, head coach Josh McDaniels talked to him about what he needed to do to improve as a player and Jay Cutler took this coaching as criticism and that became a point of contentment and bother for Jay Cutler. And this is part two of the ongoing saga."

Oh, if it were only a point of contentment (we can poke fun Mike, we never make misteaks).

This nugget does provide the best detail yet as to why one side could come out feeling the call went great (the Broncos) and the other was irked (the Cutlers). If the conference call's express goal was straightening things out, couldn't the chalk talk have waited? Did it need airing in earshot of owner Pat Bowlen, GM Brian Xanders, Cutler's agent Bus Cook, etc.?

I'm not backing off my contention that Cutler's acting like a jilted prom date but couldn't the little Lombardi have waited for the meeting room?

How'd he broach it? "Jay, we have a lot of work to do and I look forward to us getting started on it...hell, let's get into it right now"?

NFL Network host Rich Eisen noted this, wondering why McDaniels didn't go easy with this tender fawn when he clearly needed some TLC.

"That's what the phone call was supposed to be about," said Lombardi. "But in that call, Josh McDaniels went over in detail what Jay Cutler needed to do to improve: cut down on turnovers, work within the offense, play within the framework of the offense, don't make too many chances. Remember, Josh McDaniels' point of reference is Tom Brady. That's the guy he looks to as a quarterbach and he's trying to get Jay Cutler to be Tom Brady off the field."

And, apparently, on conference calls as well.

We've been getting the Heisman from McDaniels for going on two months but will catch him at next week's NFL Owners Meetings and pump him for more information.

The Jay Cutler soap opera added another episode Friday.  The Denver Post reports that Cutler put his house up for sale Thursday, which is sure to increase speculation surrounding the quarterback's future.

It's worth noting that Cutler (Or Sweet Baby Jay as Tom calls him) also owns a penthouse condo in downtown Denver, and a house listing hardly means the quarterback is also on the market. 

Unsubstantiated rumors have been circulating in recent days about possible Cutler trades, but no one is on record that Denver has any interest in dealing the quarterback. Cutler's agent, however, may have other ideas. 

Tired of delaying the inevitable, Torry Holt requested and received his release from the Rams Friday.

Holt joins a free agent pool littered with aging veterans: Marvin Harrison, Joey Galloway, Amani Toomer, and Bobby Engram among them.  Holt won't make huge bucks, but he should get a job before the rest of his thirtysomething friends.

Holt only turns 33 this year, but he's clearly lost speed the last two seasons because of knee problems.  He would fit great on a receiver-needy team as a second or third banana.  The Titans reportedly showed interest before the trading deadline last year, and makes some sense.  

Carolina is his hometown team, but I don't see a fit there because of their roster.   Chicago, San Francisco, Minnesota and the Giants all make logical fits, while the New York Daily News reports the Jets aren't interested.

Just don't expect Holt to save your favorite team's roster.  In St. Louis, he was a franchise legend that will be dearly missed.  Anywhere else, he's just a role player.  That's life in today's NFL, as Rams fans know all too well after this week. 

Cornerbacks must be unnaturally confident to be great.  New Patriot corner Leigh Bodden has no shortage of self-belief, and is willing to put his money where his mouth is.

Profootballtalk.com reported this week that Bodden passed up a four-year, $16 million contract with the Patriots before signing a one-year, $2.25 million contract.  Bodden has since confirmed the story without giving contract specifics.  He's betting on himself.

Two years ago, Bodden was seen as one of the five-to-ten best young cornerbacks in football.  His star fell after a trade to Detroit, where he he struggled to learn a Cover Two scheme.

But Bodden is only 27 years old, and is willing to forgo long-term security because he knows how good he is.  He knows he can turn his career around on a dime in New England, then cash in big next off-season.  It's a savvy move that most players wouldn't have the stones for. 

Bodden's acquisition was one of my favorite value moves of the off-season, but it was an even better move for Bodden. 

Thank you, Jonny Flynn. The Syracuse guard finally - FINALLY - allows me to get horizontal by taking over in the fifth and sixth overtimes leading Syracuse to a 127-117 win that I won't forget.

This particular couch in Lakeville, Mass., now has a new greatest game witnessed. Previously, it was Boise State over Oklahoma on the Statue of Liberty.

Now it's the Big East Epic.

I'm a Big East epicurean. This is the 30th renewal. I figure I've been an active viewer since 1980. That's 29. I've loved Sleepy Floyd, hated Michael Graham, loathed Rony Seikaly, adored Michael Adams, imitated Ed Pinckney, revered Billy Donovan.

This, though, this reinvents things for me.

I was worried for the refs in this one. These fellas ain't young. Going 94 feet back and forth for almost four hours ain't good for the ticker. Unless the ticker is good.

I'll leave the analysis to college hoop analyzers.

A few quick hit observations.

* The refs put away the whistles at the right moments.

* Jim Calhoun is an absolute chronic whiner. You'd think in the postgame handshake line, he could pause for a second to exchange an arm clench with Jim Boeheim (who was looking for one). Nope. Too distraught.

* Andy Rautins was cold-blooded.

* Good as Jonny Flynn is, and he's good, the best little man on the floor was A.J. Price.

* The great Sean McDonough at one point said that Orange guard Eric Devendorf is the kind of player who keeps both teams in the game. He's right.

* The teams played 30 minutes of overtime. 40 minutes of regulation.

* If I were Syracuse, this win - brilliant as it was - doesn't bode well for the rest of their year. When you accomplish something like this, it takes something out of you mentally and physically. I may be wrong, but replicating this kind of spirit and effort even in the NCAA Tournament, may be hard.

When Terrell Owens was released last week, Jerry Jones' public explanation for the move was vague and full of praise for T.O.  It turns out his private explanation to Owens was no clearer.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram,  Jones used visual aids to make his point.  Jones  wrote his name and Owens' name on a table cloth, lauded his effort, then drew an arch over their names saying "Dallas Cowboys."

He told T.O. that, "Unfortunately I've got to make the decision for what's right for something a lot bigger than you, a lot bigger than me, and a lot bigger than our relationship.  It is time for us to part ways business wise."

Huh?  Jones' son Stephen said there were many factors in the move. "It's (salary) cap. It's health. It's age. His production. It's everything."

Conveniently not mentioned: Owens had enemies in high places throughout the organization, Stephen Jones foremost among them.  Left unsaid is that Owens was released entirely because he's pain in the arch.

It wasn't about money, football, or production.  Owens was still Dallas' best receiver and the Cowboys salary cap is in worse shape after dumping him.  Is it so hard to admit that Dallas simply tired of playing supporting roles in Terrell Owens' world?

In related news Thursday, there is a "controversy" over Owens' jersey number, and his planned matchmaking reality show will go forward in Buffalo.  Get your popcorn ready.

Well done. Good job by me. It's the end of the day and I finally got around to writing a blog. It was a beauty. Almost finished and wham!

I accidentally pressed CTRL V and deleted the whole thing at the last minute before I pushed save. You'd think this is the first time I've ever used a computer.

The same thing happened to me in college while writing a paper. The goal was to start at 15 pages and then reduce the final story down to two pages. At page 11, I lost the entire thing. My teacher said: "Sometimes when you have to start over, you wind up with a product that is better than what you originally had." I hated her for saying that.

Speaking of hate...

I don't care to hear anymore about Jay Cutler and the Broncos. Over it. This is a professional multi-million dollar organization. Start acting like it, all of you.

Lane Kiffin could learn a thing or two from his new home-state of Tennessee: some southern charm. It goes a long way. That is one circumstance where I openly admit, I'm happy Steve Spurrier won that battle.

FSU takes on Georgia Tech Friday night in the quarterfinals. FSU is ranked at No. 22. GT is in last place in the ACC and is 12-18. Don't you dare mess this up 'Noles!

Speaking of the 'Noles...No, I don't blame Bobby Bowden for what has gone on at FSU. It's absolutely insane to think that he would know what was happening in the first place. Give me a break. The system, which was run by the academic department not the athletic department, was corrupt. No question, individuals from several sports made bad decisions, decisions that should not be excused. Should FSU be penalized? Absolutely. But do I think the NCAA is fair by stating: "The committee does not get into whether or not you have a famous athlete or a famous coach and a record is involved. The committee adjudicates the facts as they are presented. There's no thought whatsoever given to a student-athlete's performance or a head coach's record." 

Fine, being famous should not count. I'll tell you what should count: character. Maybe there should be thought given to the character of a head coach. Do not treat this man as if he has held no value or done an enormous amount of honorable things for college football. Do not toss aside what he has meant to this sport. Do not dismiss 40 years of his career. Do not declare he is equal to all college coaches. Those things are valuable, necessary and should be considered. By the way, the information that was 'presented' was done so by the university itself. It's clear the school has taken the necessary steps in order to clean this mess up. The NCAA is throwing around their weight and would like to re-write the books. Coach Bowden should not be treated this way. 

Gregg Rosenthal just looked at me and said: "Save it now!" Our office is empty and the next train doesn't come for another hour. I tell him I've saved it six times already. He responds: "Good. Well, you know... this time it's probably better." Is this a joke?

Pitt is currently up by three against WVU. Pitt is my favorite team in the Big East. Last year at the tournament I adopted them as my team because FSU wasn't in the picture and I liked how they played.

Buzzer Beater is back. This week we discuss Stephon Marbury and if Danny Ainge gives good credit card. Watch it and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Have a good night...

Sweet Baby Jay's feelings are hurt. Still. Maybe even worse than before. His specialness has been called into question. The insinuation that he might be just like everybody else, well, it's rocked his little fantasy world.

Because the new Broncos regime looked into possibly dealing Cutler for another quarterback, Sweet Baby got sad. And now, after a Monday conference call in which the Broncos apparently didn't mea culpa hard enough for Sweet Baby's tastes, he's mad and, according to a source in Bill Williamson's ESPN story, he might not show up for offseason conditioning.

For a kid that grew up in Santa Claus, Indiana it's apparent this thing whole "reality" thing is coming as a shock. 

Treated just like everyone else? Have the Denver Broncos and new head coach Josh McDaniels not gotten the memo that Sweet Baby Jay is unique? Do they not understand that a team in possession of Jay Cutler allowing itself to consider a world in which it is WITHOUT Jay Cutler runs counter to all that's holy?

Of course, this isn't just a crime against football but a crime against Sweet Baby Jay. What about his feelings? How can he be expected to work hard for his coaches and teammates knowing that The MAN (gasp!) thought about trying to make their team better by possibly trading Sweet Baby Jay?

Fortunately, there will be no shortage of people willing to take up for Cutler, now that Sweet Baby Jay's been forced to stare into the abyss of such uncertainty. 

McDaniels can expect to be pilloried by fans and the media for not being the Josh The Accomodator. Sweet Baby Jay's People will point out that, during these tough economic times, irritating a 25-year-old quarterback who's gone 17-20 in 37 starts, hasn't played in a playoff game and presided over a team that had so much heart it lost its last three games in 2008 (as Cutler threw two touchdowns and five picks) is bad for business.

Fortunately, Sweet Baby's head will never be corrupted by the notion that the world doesn't revolve around him. Not with James "Bus" Cook as his agent. Bus' most famous client was Brett Favre. Favre wrote the book on how to make himself the sun around which the rest of the franchise orbited. From mortgaging the efforts of every other player and coach on a regular basis with reckless play to offseason hand-wringing about whether or not he wanted to come back, Favre - with Cook as his trusted advisor - knew what it was to be bigger than the team and bigger than the game. Sweet Baby's got the right guy in his corner to make sure that he never lets himself waver from the belief that he's the most important person there is.

Meanwhile, given Sweet Baby's reaction, one has to wonder if he hasn't merely confirmed exactly what McDaniels may have had concerns about. He's a prima donna who hasn't won a thing and doesn't understand the way the NFL works. Losing teams - and Cutler's never led a winning one - keep their options open.  

Sweet Baby Jay Cutler from Santa Claus, Indiana is going to make the new Denver Broncos regime rue the day it ever considered treating him just like anyone else. He's different. He's special. And nobody puts Sweet Baby Jay on the trading block.

 

Jay Cutler and the Broncos finally spoke Tuesday on a conference call.  (How corporate!)  The conversation's tone depends on who you ask.

ESPN.com, no doubt egged on by Cutler's camp, says the situation has gone from "bad to worse."  A source close to the Broncos told the Denver Post that the call was conducted in a "non-confrontational manner and the call ended positively."

The conflicting statements don't end there.  Josh McDaniels reportedly said that no player is untradeable, which seems pretty obvious at this point.  But owner Pat Bowlen said Cutler will not be traded.  McDaniels said Cutler won't be dealt last week.  I believe all of the above.

McDaniels is being careful to let Cutler know that no player is above the team, and they will only indulge his moaning to a point.  (They'll talk on the phone, a courtesy most players wouldn't get, but they won't kiss his butt.)

In the end, this is probably much ado about nothing.  Denver was willing to trade Cutler when they received a franchise quarterback in return.  That deal is gone. 

Bus Cook is Jay Cutler's agent, the same agent who built masterful off-season drama around previous quarterback clients: Brett Favre and Steve McNair.  The pattern is unmistakable.  Cook is making life uncomfortable for Denver, and the ESPN article indicates Cutler would welcome a trade out of town. 

Ultimately, Cutler doesn't have much leverage. He could skip the team's off-season conditioning program, but that could hurt his team leadership. 

At some point, Cutler is going to realize it's counter-productive to fight a media battle with his own team.  He'll decide to put winning and his teammates first, no matter how he feels about the coaches.  Like most off-season dramas, this will likely fade away once we have games to talk about.   

It was a busy Wednesday night in the NFL, highlighted by LaDainian Tomlinson's return to San Diego and Jay Cutler's continued soap opera with Denver.  Let's start with the story we know matters on the field: LT2's return.

It sounds like Chargers CEO Dean Spanos made the difference in keeping Tomlinson.  "The alternative was unthinkable," Spanos said.  It's unclear if GM A.J. Smith felt the same.

The future Hall of Famer will improbably make his scheduled $6.725 million in 2009, which is a lot of money coming off a mediocre year.  Tomlinson took a pay cut for 2010-2011, but he's year-to-year at this stage.  He will need to improve his play to avoid this drama next year.

Tomlinson will make slightly more than franchise player Darren Sproles, who should see more work off the bench this season.  Tomlinson's effectiveness could increase with less touches, even if his overall numbers suffer.  It remains a strong backfield. 

The Chargers are paying over $13 million to their top two backs, but don't be surprised if they still draft their running back of the future.  Their decision to keep Tomlinson keeps Chargers fans happy, but it may only delay that future for one year. 

The Greatest Show on Turf hasn't been seen in St. Louis for years.  Now the Rams are dropping the last remaining connections to the Vermeil/Martz glory days. 

St. Louis let go of Future Hall of Fame tackle Orlando Pace Tuesday.   Torry Holt,  who should also get consideration from Canton, is almost certain to leave next.  The Rams have reportedly told Holt not to attend their offseason program.  If they can't find a trading partner for Holt before a March 17th roster bonus is due, he's likely to be cut.

Pace is still a solid starting left tackle, but he's struggled to stay healthy in recent years.  His salary was just too high for an injury-prone veteran on a rebuilding team.  Expect him to find a starting job at a high pricetag in short order.

The Rams' decision may also have been influenced by the NFL Draft.  They are going to pay big bucks to the second overall pick, and two great tackles are available: Baylor's Jason Smith and Virginia's Eugene Monroe.  So goes the NFL life cycle. 

My guess is that St. Louis will draft one and plant him at left tackle for a decade.  That strategy worked exceptionally well with Pace. 

Kurt Warner continues to say that he would be willing to take a $1 million paycut if it goes toward redoing Anquan Boldin's contract.  It's a nice gesture, and I don't doubt Warner means it with all his heart, but it's also a meaningless statement. 

Warner isn't contractually allowed to take such a paycut at this juncture.  Warner's agent knows it, the Cardinals know it, and the NFLPA knows it.

USA Today's Jim Corbett points out that Warner did not put a clause in his contract about Boldin.  And NFL contracts are not allowed to be re-structured for at least one year after they are signed. That means Warner wouldn't be allowed to help Boldin out, unless he wants to bring suitcases full of cash to the team offices.

The league's player union would also likely have a huge problem with a player taking a pay cut a specific teammate, if the issue ever got that far.  It won't. 

Drinking while Golfing is not usually a crime, but Jaguars wideout Matt Jones is not your average citizen.

Jones posed for another mugshot Monday after violating terms of his probation.  Jones was arrested last year on cocaine charges.  As part of his plea agreement, he was to abstain from alcohol and drugs, but a random test last week turned out positive for alcohol.  He admitted to a judge he drank beer while golfing the day before the test. 

Jones chose to spend this week in jail rather than enter a six-week treatment program that could have interrupted his NFL off-season.  It remains to be seen how this interrupts Jones' recently revived career.

Even the prosecuting attorney in Jones' case admitted, "It's not a terrible infraction, but he broke a rule."

Jones hit bottom with his cocaine arrest last summer, but he followed it up with the best season of his career.  He  was almost released in training camp, but went on to lead the Jaguars in receiving with 761 yards, despite missing four games.

Jones' timing could not be worse.  He's entering a contract year, and now could face more punishment from the league.   He was suspended for the final three games of the '08 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.  This infraction seems minor, but repeat offenders of the policy usually face stiff punishment.

A few beers may wind up costing Jones hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Bills quarterback Trent Edwards just finished a press conference in which he discussed the signing of wide receiver Terrell Owens. Thanks to the media relations staff for pumping it out so quickly.

I was very excited. I was very surprised that it happened, but obviously very excited. I was actually in a funeral back in Los Gatos (CA), my hometown, so I was kind of emotional coming out of that. I checked my cell phone and I heard it had happened, and I’m obviously very, very excited.

On how the addition of Owens helps the offense:

I think on the field, he’s going to create and need a lot of attention by the defense and that’s going to take a lot of pressure off of Lee (Evans), a lot of pressure off of our backs and tight ends. And I think he’s going to help a lot just in terms of raising our competitive level off of the field, too. He’s going to make guys work in the offseason, make guys work in the weight room, in the film room, and I’m anxious to get started. That’s why I’m here kind of early, I want to get going. All of the buzz and excitement around here is making me get back in football mode here.

On if Owens’ past relationships with quarterbacks are cause for concern:

You know what, the thing I like about him, and what I think that all stems from, is him wanting to win. If you keep that mind, and that’s something I’m going to keep in mind, that’s why I spoke with him on the phone briefly while he was here and told him that I don’t want to sit at home in January, I don’t want to sit at home in February, I want to play football. I want to be out there in the playoffs. I want to take this team to that level and I know he’s taken those teams that he’s played for in the past to that level, and I’m hoping that I can do the same.

 On his communication with Bills COO/GM Russ Brandon about Owens:

We’re hearing multiple stories on this, but I was actually at the Stanford Business School this past week and was sitting in my hotel room. It was at the end of the seminar and I had seen on TV just like you guys had seen on TV, and we had a couple receivers come in that we were considering offering contracts and they went other places, and I had been in touch with Russ all offseason and we share a pretty close relationship when it comes to that. It was just kind of a question thrown out there, if we were considering him, if he had known anything about it, just sort of an inquiry to see where he was at. I just said, ‘what about T.O.?’ That was really about it.

On if the thought of the Bills signing Owens crossed his mind right away:

That’s the thing, too, is that I watched those guys, and I respect football players that have such a passionate desire to win football games. I was telling Chris (Jenkins) this earlier, my two favorite quarterbacks to play this game are Brett Favre and John Elway and both of those guys wanted to win more than anything else. I see a lot of that in Terrell and that’s what we need in this business, in this team, in this organization.

On if he talked to Brandon after sending him a text message:

I never spoke on the phone with him. I was just sending a couple text messages, and that’s kind of the beauty of the text-messaging world, is you can still get your point across and not have to sit on the phone for awhile. My point did get across and now we’re sitting here talking,

On if he has talked to other people around the league about Owens:

I have not spoken with anyone who has played with him. I’ve played against him, but I’ve only seen of that what I see on TV and what I saw when he was here two Monday nights ago. I don’t know if I really plan to do that, I don’t really know him all that well, I don’t really know the type of person he is, and that’s kind of what this offseason is going to entail is getting to know him, and getting to know all of the other receivers as well. I feel like we’re focusing a lot on him. We need to focus a lot on the other receivers, too. We’re bringing back a healthy James Hardy, we’re going to bring back Steve Johnson, we’re bringing back Lee, and Josh (Reed), and Roscoe (Parrish). I was sitting up there, meeting with Turk (Schonert), and going over personnel groupings and we were putting numbers on the board of a variety of our different players, our offensive weapons, and I was just getting excited just going through the plays and drawing them up and it’s going to be a battle now to get guys the ball.

On if he wants to avoid contacting anyone about Owens because he wants to go in fresh, without preconceived notions:

I’ve never had to do that with any other players that I’ve played with. I don’t take this situation any differently than if it would be someone else that we’re bringing in here. I’m going to call Geoff Hangartner after I get done here. I’ve been in touch with Ryan Fitzpatrick, but I’m not going to call Carson Palmer or Marc Bulger to see what they think of Ryan Fitzpatrick. I’m just going to take it at face value and build from here.

On if he thinks Owens will help to get the ball in the end zone:

It’s going to have to change, and like I said earlier, he demands a lot of attention and that’s going to take a lot of pressure off of Lee. We’re going to create a lot of mismatches and that’s a part of the reason why Russ and those guys upstairs are bringing guys in like him.

On if he thinks Owens will need the ball a certain number of times per game:

I think, ultimately, the stat that he wants you guys to write about in the paper the next day is winning the football game, and that outweighs everything else, I think. That’s my attitude on that, and I wish I had some sort of statement here to give you a better story, but that’s ultimately, everyone in this entire building right now wants to win football games. That’s the message we’re trying to get across here about bringing a guy in like Terrell.

On if bringing in Owens has made him more anxious to get started this year:

I’m sure you’re anxious, too, just hearing me talk about it. I’m getting anxious just talking about it, and I’m getting anxious just answering questions about it. And that’s the beauty of the sport, that’s the beauty of playing this position on Sundays in the NFL. We can bring in guys of his caliber, we can build off of what we did last season, and we’re going to play in the AFC East and it’s going to be a battle all year long.

On if he is back in Buffalo earlier than he was planning:

This is ahead of schedule. I’m taking this week to meet with a lot of the coaches and to try and get a head start on things. We’re tweaking some things in the offense and I kind of wanted to get a head start in terms of I didn’t want my first day to be the rest of the team’s first day. 

Every time Terrell Owens signs with the Bills, I have my appendix out. Clearly, it's an effort by T.O. and agent Drew Rosenhaus to keep me from weighing in on his latest headline-making move.

Well, they failed.

My appendix came out Saturday at 9:30 p.m. EST (thanks to the folks at Morton Hospital in sunny Taunton, Mass for the kind care and treatment) and I'm ready this afternoon to briefly hold forth on Owens' entry into the Western New York landscape.

* Hope you enjoyed the relative peace and quiet for the first three seasons of NFL play, Trent Edwards. The Bills quarterback has now been pulled into the Owens vortex and he's going to leave a mark on Edwards' career. He's done it to every quarterback he's played extended time with (or, as T.O. likely thinks, has played for him). Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo didn't just have to deal with Owens gesticulating at them because they didn't get the ball, giving half-assed effort on balls he couldn't catch or dropping critical passes that hit him in the hands. He questioned Garcia's sexuality, McNabb's heart and desire and insinuated a Romo-Jason Witten-Jason Garrett cabal designed to...well, designed to...keep the ball away from Owens, apparently.

* This deal for Owens reminds me of the end-of-days decision made last decade by Jets owner Leon Hess who rounded up Bill Parcells to revive his moribund franchise before he shuffled off this mortal coil. Bills owner Ralph Wilson is 90 years old. Statistical analysis shows that most 90 year olds are within a decade or so of completing their time on Earth. Anecdotal evidence gathered from my 90-something relatives on my mother's side of the family has shown me that people in that age bracket aren't terribly concerned about what the neighbors think. If they want to see something occur before they head wherever they're headed, they'll try to make sure it happens. And Wilson, who is still of sound mind, would no doubt like to see his Bills win a Super Bowl. T.O. is probably the only AVAILABLE player who can feasibly get the Bills over the top. Could he also pull them to the bottom where the muck of controversy and disappointment will choke out their final breath? Certainly. But at this point, why not give it a shot?

* Dick Jauron and Owens may just get along. Jauron's an interesting guy, A former player himself, his Bills revere him. He's stoic, tough and accepts blame when things go poorly. It will be interesting to see how quickly he moves to put his foot down if Owens tries to show him up. With Bill Parcells, it was clear Owens wanted to try a "I'm just keeping it light" passive-aggressive tact of trying to pee on his territory (witness the Tour de France uniform when he was out with a hammy during training camp). With Wade Phillips, there was no need for area-peeing since Wade was so easily walked over. Jauron is probably most similar to Andy Reid who Owens never really tried to challenge. The thing with Owens is he tries to go after the guys who he thinks he can co-opt teammates against. Garrett, for instance. Or Witten. He may not find many guys ready to ride under his flag in Buffalo. They have pretty good team chemistry up there (at least looking in from a distance).

* On the face of it, Owens' personality seems counter to the workaday folks in Buffalo. But the greater dynamic at work is the Buffalovians need for NFL relevance again. They had it damn good in the 90s. They want it back that way. Owens - whether he flops spectacularly and tears the team asunder or (less likely) leads the Bills to elite status - gives them something to look forward to, a storyline to follow.

* Attendance. Marketing. The relative pittance the Bills have to pay to rent Owens for the year. It all works out for Buffalo. This is a winning situation for the Bills in that they were pretty much marooned in that "pretty good, seldom really good, never great" area of the league. So have fun with that Buffalo. I know I will.

After squeaking by Canada 6-5 on Saturday, the US takes on Venzuela from Toronto in the World Baseball Classic. We're breaking down the action as it happens ...

***

8:00 pm et - Calling the game for ESPN at Rogers Centre is Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe. Always wondered why Skydome and now Rogers Centre weren't/aren't allowed to have "The" in front of it.

8:06 - Leading off for USA is Jimmy Rollins, rightfully starting at shortstop in place of Derek Jeter, who got the nod yesterday vs Canada. On the mound for Venezuela is Armando Galarraga.

8:09 - J-Ro rips a double to center, and promptly gets picked off second when Dustin Pedroia whiffs on a bunt. Bad job by Pedroia right there. Gotta get that down. Of course, not sure bunting there makes any sense in the first place.

8:13 - Chipper Jones is frozen by 93 mph cheese at the knees to end the inning. Even there, though, he looked cool doing it. He looks cool doing most things, except when he's killing the Mets.

8:16 - On the hill for USA is Roy Oswalt. Good to see he's recovered from all the pain and agony that A-Rod's steroid admission had caused him.

Well, at least according to this column's title.

When we made a list of possible destinations for Terrell Owens, Buffalo didn't even crack the top seven.  But that's where he signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract on Saturday.

While the fit sounds nutty, it actually makes sense for Buffalo.  Bear with me here.  

The Bills have been desperate to find more offensive firepower under Dick Jauron.  They have an elite vertical receiver in Lee Evans and a deep backfield, but they are very thin after that.  Trent Edwards remains a promising young quarterback, but he doesn't have enough weapons. 

Owens will provide that weapon, provided he doesn't blow up Edwards' career.  Evans will see more single coverage and Buffalo's running game will see fewer defenses geared up to stop them. 

Buffalo wasn't listed as a likely destination because they usually value character highly and don't often pay big money to free agents.  But they know it's time to take a gamble. 

Jauron is on the hot seat and the team is suffering a long playoff drought.  The competition in the AFC East isn't getting any easier.  (Buffalo went 0-6 in the AFC East last year.)  While the Bills have a promising nucleus, they need to try something, because a fourth straight 7-9 season won't cut it.   

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli reported Saturday that Bills owner Ralph Wilson was heavily involved with the decision.  Owens will help raise the franchise profile and help sell tickets for their games in Canada. 

The key to all of this is the length of the deal.  Only so much damage can occur in a year, and Owens usually behaves in the first year of his contract.  Owens will be under pressure to behave and perform or he won't get another contract in 2010.  A little dose of career mortality could keep his mouth shut. 

The Bills are taking a huge risk, but standing pat meant going nowhere.   Signing T.O. sounds so crazy, it might just work. 

The hot rumor of the morning was that Drew Rosenhaus and Terrell Owens were spotted at the Nashville airport in Tennessee.  That may have been true, but that doesn't mean they were meeting with the Titans.

Jim Wyatt is one of the best beat writers around, and he confirmed that the Titans aren't interested and won't meet with Owens.  ESPN.com has also confirmed the news.

Still, Drew Rosenhaus seems very confident that Owens will have a deal done within a week.  He must have something.  Oakland is denying interest, but they make too much sense. 

It takes about a week for free agency to lose steam around the NFL.  T.O.'s release gave it life again yesterday, but the majority of the best talent available is off the shelves.  The remaining players are picked over, but there are still some bargains to be found.  Let's look at my top ten offensive players

1. Terrell Owens, WR: Maybe you've heard of him. 

2. Lance Moore, WR (Restricted free agent): He'll cost a second-round pick to acquire, but it may be worth it for this Wes Welker clone.

3. Byron Leftwich, QB: The quarterback market has included surprises, like Dan Orlovsky and J.T. O'Sullivan getting jobs before Leftwich.  Maybe he's pushing hard for a chance to start.

4. Tra Thomas, T: With Khalif Barnes expected to sign with Oakland, Thomas may be the only starting-caliber tackle left.  He's probably only good for another year or two, but there is value here.

5. Ronald Curry, WR: This highly athletic 29-year-old gained 1,444 receiving yards on some terrible Oakland teams between 2006-2007. He could be a dynamic third receiver.

6. D.J. Hackett, WR: The talented former Seahawk can't stay healthy, but he has a high ceiling in a West Coast system.

7. Marvin Harrison, WR: Only makes sense on the Colts; may retire. 

8. Kevin Jones, RB: It's hard to tell if this former first-round talent has anything left after multiple surgeries, but he's worth a low-risk gamble.

9. Rex Grossman, QB: One of many first-round quarterbacks looking for work.

10. Bobby Engram, WR: Could still help teams move the chains.  

Other offensive names available that you'll recognize are listed after the jump. 

In this week's edition of Three and Out, Tom Curran and I talk about the biggest winners and losers in free agency.  We also discuss if the Broncos sustained lasting damage during the Jay Cutler/Matt Cassel drama.

And since we know you want more Terrell Owens talk, check out our bonus discussion of Owens' possible destinations after the jump. 
 

Yesterday was Dump on Terrell Owens day in the NFL.  It wasn't enough for the Cowboys to release Owens.  Most possible interested parties also said they didn't want him. 

Agent Drew Rosenhaus told PFT's Mike Florio he isn't concerned:

“These are several teams that are interested in signing Terrell. I have been in negotiations with these teams.  I will not identify these teams at this time. ... Terrell and I expect to have a deal in place by the end of next week if not sooner,” Rosenhaus said.

Rosenhaus may not be saying the teams because they don't exist, but putting a timeframe on a possible move shows confidence.  And Rosenhaus is an expert at finding a great deal. 

Other than the Raiders, the logical teams have professed a lack of interest.  So who could be the wild cards out there?  Other than Owens, of course.

So how do the players Terrell Owens leaves behind feel about the news he's been released?

"Ding-dong, the &*&%% is dead!"

One Cowboy who agreed to share his take if his name was kept out of it, said in an email, "This team was one blow up away from complete implosion. This will help Wade gain some moderate control of the team since 81 and his ego are gone but it's a long way from a complete solution. I think it will help the team and I'm excited to be without the T.O. drama for next season."

And, even though the players are scattered to the winds at this time of year, the Cowboy believed many will feel the same.

We interrupt our Terrell Owens coverage to bring you some New England Patriots team-building.  With Matt Cassel's cap number off the roster, the Patriots are ready to improve their depth.

They signed veteran cornerback Shawn Springs and acquired wideout Greg Lewis in a trade from the Eagles for an undisclosed draft pick. 

Springs is 34 years old, which translates to 86 in cornerback years.  But he played exceptionally well in Washington last year and looks like a favorite to start in New England's thin secondary.  Springs fits the Patriot mold of a long-time quality starter that is hungry for a ring.  Springs may have enough versatility to play free safety if asked. 

Lewis memorably scored a touchdown against the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX, which must have stuck in Bill Belichick's mind.  In two games against New England, he's caught eight passes for 141 yards and three scores. 

Eagles fans will be quick to mention that Lewis hasn't produced much in other games, but we doubt New England gave up anything more than a late conditional draft pick.  Lewis will help provide depth to a group that just lost Jabar Gaffney, another former Eagle Tom Brady propped up.  

Since I wrote a post in the morning detailing who doesn't want Terrell Owens, more teams have stepped up to confirm they won't bid on Owens' services. 

The Redskins have confirmed publicly (and humorously) that they aren't feeling the T.O. love.

"(Owens' representatives) called us three years ago before he went to Dallas, and we didn't have any interest in him then," Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato told his team website.  "Why would we have interest when he's three years older."

Ouch.  The rejection doesn't end there, though.  The Titans are out after signing Nate Washington.  The Ravens, who badly need a receiver, don't want him either.  Profootballtalk.com reports Cleveland will have no interest. 

This story has been alive for less than a day, and it's already easier to count the teams who haven't ruled out signing Terrell Owens.  All the news points in one direction if Owens wants to continue his career: Oakland. 

If Terrell Owens joins the Raiders, he'll have another big name lining up across from him.  Javon Walker underwent a "major restructuring" of his contract, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

A $5 million roster bonus was removed and Walker took a huge paycut in his base salaries.  He will make $4.6 million over the next two years.  Including the roster bonus, Walker will make more than 300% less than he was scheduled.

It was still a good move for Walker, because no one would have given him that money on the open market.  Walker caught 15 passes for $12 million last season, and many believe his knees will never be right again.  They could look a lot better if Terrell Owens is taking away defensive attention next year. 

So I was just completing a list of possible teams that could show interest for the main site.  Teams that make sense on paper if they can ignore the fact that T.O. is, you know, bonkers.

As I'm writing it, the reports start flowing in from around the country of teams that can't wait to leak how uninterested they are in Owens.   The Giants and Jets want no part of him, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.  Chris Mortensen said on Sportscenter the Redskins won't show interest, which is a huge blow to Owens' market value.

Mort also said that the Vikings and Ravens don't want Owens because their head coaches both saw the diva's divisiveness up close in Philly.  San Francisco is also unlikely to want a reunion.

Like Tom wrote, it's going to be very difficult for Owens to find a job anytime soon.  Oakland is the one landing spot that makes sense to me.  Al Davis is crazy enough to do it, and he's not afraid to spend. 

While it's a fun exercise to speculate where Owens might fit, the reality is that he might not find a job for a long while.  T.O. may have to accept a low-cost one-year deal to play for a non-Raider team or wait for a training camp injury to strike.  

If nothing else, perhaps a long wait on the open market could serve Owens a large slice of humble pie.    

Wow. Despite every read-between-the-line insistence from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones that he would not release wide receiver Terrell Owens, they've gone ahead and done it.

So desperate to salvage team chemistry and a chance at doing some damage with a very talented roster, the Cowboys will take a $9 million cap hit with the release of the brilliant narcissist.

If you can't make it in the twenty-ring circus in Dallas where anyone who could create a stir and sell a ticket was welcome, where can you make it?

Owens, who'll turn 36 in December of this year, is going to have a tough time convincing any team that he won't tear them asunder by signing him. And that's a bizarre crossroads for the Dennis Rodman of the NFL to find himself at.

Consider how remarkable statistically Owens is. Since 2000, he's only failed to score double-digit touchdowns twice. That was in 2005 when he only played in seven games and scored six TDs for the Eagles (who'd had enough of him and sent him home). The other time was 2003 when he had nine touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season for the Niners (who he also became persona non grata to).

The man's scored 139 regular season touchdowns in his career. He shows no signs of slowing down. He also shows no signs of ever changing.

And while Oakland will be served up as the likely destination for T.O., you have to wonder if Al Davis is even that crazy. Do the Raiders really need Owens in the ear and head of JaMarcus Russell as he enters the third season of a career that's trending toward bustdom?

Where else? Who else? Very difficult to say but this much is clear - Owens and agent Drew Rosenhaus are going to have put on a T.O. Extreme Makeover before any team opts to step to the plate and sign him even to a one-year deal.

I mean, Jerry Jones couldn't stand anymore? That's saying something. And what it's saying isn't good.

 

It only took two days for the Bengals to find a new starting wide receiver.  According to multiple reports, Laveranues Coles and the Bengals agreed on a four-year, $28 million contract.

In Coles, the Bengals have acquired a similar player to Houshmandzadeh.  Coles is no longer that fast, but he's a tough, smart possession receiver that can make catches all over the field. 

I have doubts about how well Coles will age, though.  He's a small receiver without speed that has taken a lot of pounding over the years.  His production has fallen off the last two years and he's always playing through pain.

Cincinnati's inability to develop talent at wideout and running back cost them the last two days.  They don't trust young wideouts Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson, so they picked up Coles.  They drafted injury-prone busts at running back -  Chris Perry and Kenny Irons - so they signed Cedric Benson, a lesser bust. Signing Benson and Coles were half-measures intended to patch roster holes, but ultimately they cost too much.

The rest of the league saw Benson as a backup, but he'll get $3.5 million-per-year from the Bengals to start.  Hopefully that doesn't stop Cincinnati from drafting a replacement. 

Coles should help Carson Palmer for year, maybe two, but ultimately he is the poor team's Housmandzadeh. 

Kurt Warner flirted with the 49ers, but it was clear he only had eyes for the Cardinals.  Warner agreed to a two-year, $23 million deal with Arizona Wednesday, culminating a month-long negotiating process.  (Manny Ramirez must wonder why Warner acts so quickly.)

Warner has improbably elongated his career with smarts and anticipation. And he was smart enough to envision a life away from Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and an offense perfectly tailored for his skill set. 

In Arizona, Warner  is the leader of a Super Bowl contender.  In San Francisco, he would be a 38-year-old learning a new system for a run-first coach.  Warner has done the doormat route enough; this wasn't a tough choice after Cardinals gave him $19 million guaranteed.

Arizona can finally move forward with their off-season.  They lost defensive end Antonio Smith, but still want to get new contracts for core players like Boldin, Adrian Wilson, and Karlos Dansby. 

With Warner secure, they could also look to move Matt Leinart in a trade.  Barring injury, Leinart won't be playing anytime soon.

Rex Grossman is only in the news lately when teams declare that they don't want him.  A rumored trip to Tampa has proven false.  And the Cowboys traded for Jon Kitna after Grossman openly campaigned for the backup job in Dallas.  At least Grossman is in the news.

We haven't heard a peep of interest in other available former first-round quarterbacks: J.P. Losman, Byron Leftwich, and Kyle Boller.  

I ranked Leftwich as a free agent steal last week, but NFL apparently doesn't read my work.  For Leftwich and the rest of his former first-round buddies, this is a large slice of humble pie to swallow.  While they look for work, Luke McCown, Sage Rosenfels, and Shaun Hill are presumptive starters elsewhere. 

As we predicted over the weekend, the Broncos will not trade Jay Cutler.  (Let's stop with the rumors, ok?)  Denver may not be done trying to deal, though. 

The Denver Post has confirmed the team has been shopping tight end Tony Scheffler.  They are not denying these trade talks in public statements.

It's surprising they want to unload Scheffler, considering he's only 25 years old and gained 645 yards last season with a ridiculous 16.1 yards-per-catch average.  But the talented seam stretcher is often hurt and only has a year left on his contract.  Josh McDaniels probably wants a tight end that can block better, like Daniel Graham.

You can question Denver's decision-making thus far, but you can't question their stones.  McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders know what they want, and they aren't shy in re-making Denver in their image. 

Kurt Warner's trip to San Francisco seems to have worked.   The Cardinals and Warner are inching closer to a deal.

Warner's agent's latest proposal includes $23 million over two years.  That's less than the 49ers are offering, but there is a catch.   $19 million of the deal would essentially be guaranteed.  ($6 million in each season, plus his $7 million salary for 2009.  There's no way they aren't paying his 2009 salary.

The Cardinals' latest offer reportedly was closer to $20 million over two years, but only $10 million guaranteed in the first year.  He could also earn $3 million more in incentives.

Essentially, Warner wants assurances that Arizona pays him for the next two years.  They want protection in case Warner's body falls apart in 2009.   

What seems obvious is that the two sides are not that far apart.  Who wants to bet they end up guaranteeing roughly $14 million, the midway point between the two sides?

It also seems clear Warner is not that serious about going to San Francisco.  After yesterday's visit, Warner's agent had this to say, "It really went well and it has really opened his eyes.  But Kurt's heart is still here (in Arizona)"

Who says that during the middle of a negotiation?  The Cardinals are being stingy here, but it's because he can.  Warner isn't going to leave. 

When Jeff Jagodzinski was hired as the offensive coordinator in Tampa, he couldn't stop gushing about Earnest Graham's potential in his zone blocking scheme.  That didn't stop the Bucs from likely making him a backup.

Derrick Ward's new contract sets him up to make $6 million in 2009, and $9.25 million over the next years for Tampa.  That's starter money.  When usually easy to figure out depth charts in the NFL;  just follow the money.  Graham is set to make $5.5 million over the next two years.

The strength of Tampa's roster is their young run-mauling offensive line.  They are constructed be a run-first team and will almost certainly use a committee approach. Ward figures to be the lead back with Graham as one of the best backups in the league.  

Both backs are no-nonsense backs that should thrive in a zone scheme.  Their versatility will give the Bucs many play-calling options.  (Which they'll need with, uh, Luke McCown as their quarterback). 

Tampa may have question marks everywhere else, but their running game looks pretty sweet for '09.  

There was a perception that T.J. Houshmandzadeh was struggling to find what he wanted financially on the open market.  Then he agreed to terms with the Seahawks for five-years and $40 million contract, with $15 million guaranteed. 

That doesn't sound too bad.

The guaranteed money is higher than expected, but the structure of the contract remains unknown.  The fine men at Field Gulls suspect it's really a two-year deal, possibly three, with a lot of money up front.  Like Albert Haynesworth's contract, the total number of dollars and years are probably meaningless. 

Seattle may have overpaid slightly, but Houshmandzadeh still makes sense in the short term.  He's not a true number one receiver, but he can still move the sticks.  Similar possession receivers like Derrick Mason, Donald Driver, and Bobby Engram have aged better than speed threats.

I think Houshmandzadeh's numbers will suffer in Seattle, but he can still help them win in the short term.  For Seattle's sake, hopefully the contract is structured that way.

UPDATE: Housh still must pass a physical before the deal is official.     

Jason Taylor''s going to be 35 when the 2009 season begins and, in the past calendar year, he's made more of an impact on prime-time television than the NFL (he Danced With the Stars. Actually, Stars Danced With Him. Or he was a Dancing Star which sounds like a name from Dances With Wolves, but I'm off track a bit).

 

So who and how can Jason Taylor - released Monday by the Redskins - help?

(Aside: If offseason workouts are voluntary and Taylor was released by Washington because he wouldn't agree to a clause in his deal to participate in more than 25 this offseason, isn't that kinda...not wicked legal?)

Start with the who because, apparently, a dozen teams according to PFT's Mike Florio, have expressed interest. Let's figure out the ones that would be places Taylor would entertain going to, i.e. teams with a reasonable chance of contending for the Super Bowl who will be accomodating to a 35-year-old who wants the summer off and will be paid lots of money.

AFC: Patriots. Jets. Titans. Browns. Texans

NFC: Cowboys. Buccaneers.

And from that list, the team's that would be most accomodating would probably be the Jets, Patriots and Cowboys - New York because Rex Ryan seems a veteran players dream, New England because they always accomodate brass-ring grabbing veterans who can help them and Dallas because that's how they roll.

New England is the most likely fit. Bill Belichick has devoted about an hour of verbal odes to Jason Taylor combined since he became Patriots coach in 2000. Every time the Pats had the Dolphins, Belichick would prattle on about how dominant and unblockable and game-altering he was. Tom Brady loves Taylor (they're similar guys) and there's just an immense amount of respect in Foxboro for him. Given the way the Patriots accomodate veteran stars who can help them in a specific role, it's reasonable to assume New England would make sure Taylor got his time with his family this offseason as long as he showed up for training camp knowing what he was supposed to do. With Mike Vrabel gone to Kansas City and the Pats having cap space from the Matt Cassel trade, Taylor can almost certainly expect a call from the 508 area code.

 

 

Releasing a former MVP is usually a tough decision, but the Redskins had to cut Jason Taylor Monday.  He was due $8 million, and even admitted he wasn't worth that money.

Taylor, turning 35 this year, endured one injury-plagued season in Washington.  He recorded 3.5 sacks.

This closes the book on one of the worst transactions of the Dan Snyder era, which is saying a lot.  Washington gave up second- and sixth-round pick for the right to pay Taylor $7.5 million in 2008.  Washington also gave up multiple picks to overpay Brandon Lloyd in 2006.

Giving up draft picks for veterans robs a franchise's depth.  The Redskins paid Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall to open free agency, but they need to cut Taylor to fill out their roster. Washington is extremely thin at defensive end after Andre Carter, who is coming off a down year.

The Redskins have made big headlines once again this off-season, but their roster is top-heavy, once again.  Especially after dumping another failed headline maker from off-seasons past.   

When reports surfaced that Kurt Warner would visit the 49ers, many believed that it was a bluff designed to force a quicker contract with the Cardinals.  He's taking the bluff pretty far. 

The 49ers picked up Warner on Monday on a private plane for a visit with the 49ers.  Arizona is believed to have offered Warner $20 million over two years, with half of it guaranteed.  Presumably, San Francisco is ready to offer more or they wouldn't bother.

It remains to be seen if Warner truly has the desire to leave the desert for the Bay Area to learn a new offense.  It's clear, however, San Francisco is dead serious about convincing him to do so. 

Laveranues Coles' agent made a gamble when he passed up $6 million guaranteed from the Jets for 2009 to enter free agency.  He might not be Coles' agent for long.

The Dolphins have made it known they are not interested in Coles.  It speaks very badly for Coles' market value when the man who drafted him, Bill Parcells, decides to stay away despite a glaring receiver need. It also might indicate that the Miami triumvirate doesn't like seeing their name connected to players they aren't interested in. 

Coles could be a fallback plan for the Bengals if the don't get T.J. Houshmandzadeh.  If not, the Bills have no one to bid against.  The Jets are "monitoring the situation," but they are longshots.

Perhaps Coles will get his $6 million back, but he's learning that the free agent market isn't always what you expect. Especially if you are over 30.

Peter King writes something I've been thinking of late: Marvin Harrison's career could be over. 

Harrison has yet to receive interest on the open market, a sure sign that he won't be getting a big contract.   This was not unexpected.  If teams won't pay big bucks to 31-year-old receivers like Laveranues Coles, they certainly won't pay Harrison much.  The future Hall of Famer turns 37 before the 2009 season.

King also touches upon Harrison's motivation.  You have to really love football to continue showing up to training camp to play through pain at age 37.  Many doubt whether Harrison has enough love to play at a drastically reduced salary.

My guess is that Harrison will end up back in Indianapolis in 2009.  He could decide to play at a lesser salary.  More likely, he will return for a ceremony to retire his number.  

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is probably the biggest name still left un-signed in free agency.  That doesn't mean he's the best player or the most valued player by NFL teams, since he may not get more guaranteed money than a 31-year old cornerback like Andre Goodman.

Houshmandzadeh's whereabouts have been a topic of much debate, but the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Housh spent Sunday night in Los Angeles, his hometown.  It was previously believed that he stayed in Minnesota.

It's never a great sign for a team's chances when a player leaves town.  Now Houshmandzadeh will apparently decide between Minnesota, Seattle, and a return to Cincinnati. 

Our guess?  The longer this drags on, the better chance the Bengals have to keep him. 

The disorderly conduct charges against Brandon Marshall have been dropped, according to Harvey Steinberg, Marshall's lawyer.

"Based on my investigation yesterday, he shouldn't have been charged in the first place," Steinberg told the Denver Post.

This is welcome news for Josh McDaniels, Denver's suddenly beleaguered head coach.  But it doesn't guarantee that his star receiver will avoid suspension.  

Marshall was probably facing an eight-game suspension or worse before.  The dropped charges will seemingly lower that number dramatically, but Commissioner Roger Goodell could still look at the incident. 

Goodell has said in the past that NFL employees are held up to a higher standard and Marshall is a repeat offender of the NFL's conduct policy.  He has been arrested four times as a pro and was suspended last year for three games (reduced to one.) 

The speedy dismissal will help Marshall's chances of avoiding a suspension, but he's not out of the woods just yet.  And the negative news will certainly hurt his chances of getting a desired contract extension from the Broncos.

UPDATE: Florio has confirmed the NFL will still look into the matter.  

So it was a wild weekend for everyone covering the NFL, especially here at NBCSports.com.  PFT Friday crashed on the couch Friday night, cleaned up nicely after, and then came over for a few more hours Sunday night for Caddy day.

Good times, but thankfully for Mr. Florio's sanity, PFT is back in business.  Tom Curran and I will also continue to keep you covered on this blog with all the big free agency news and analysis while teams construct their rosters.

If you need more, our sister (brother?) site Rotoworld will keep you informed with the fastest, most detailed news of every little nugget from around the NFL.  We'll analyze any T.J. Houshmandzadeh signing here; we'll give you his room number on Rotoworld. 

Thanks for stopping by. Get comfortable.

Let's face it, a lot of guys in their early 30s have weekends to forget. But they usually happen away from the office.

Not so for Josh McDaniels, head coach of the Denver Broncos. Piss off your franchise quarterback? Check. Learn that your most talented offensive player's been arrested again? Check. Have the sweet deals made (Brian Dawkins added to your secondary for one) overshadowed by the controversy caused? Check.

McDaniels would have been better off slurping jello shots out of a biker's belly button in some strip mall sports bar Saturday night. The embarrassment Monday morning would have been greater but the lasting impact of the weekend would have been a lot shorter.

So how does the 32-year-old McDaniels respond to Jay Cutler's irritation with being involved in trade discussions? How does McDaniels soothe Cutler's plainly fragile ego now that Cutler's learned he wasn't McDaniels' cup of tea (at least relative to Matt Cassel, the quarterback Denver considered acquiring)? And, if the perpetually in trouble Marshall winds up suspended by the commish for his latest transgression, McDaniels better strap in for a tough ride early in the season.

One thing that seems clear...McDaniels will be smart not to go overboard trying to appease Cutler whose blase arrogant nature will no doubt cause him to milk the situation to make McDaniels miserable. Their relationship was going to be difficult enough given their different personalities. Now it might get untenable.

As for the NFL's other 32-year-old head coach, Tampa's Raheem Morris, he was part of the decision last week to cut the veteran heart from the team and start fresh. And who do the Bucs chase to replace beloved standup guys like Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn? Albert Haynesworth (swing and a miss). And Kellen Winslow (got him). I've spoken more than once to both Haynesworth and Winslow and they aren't bad guys. But they're combustible and - if they see a situation where they can get the upper hand - they'll take it. And Winslow, who's now part of an offense without a viable quarterback, is in the exact situation that invites carping.  

 

Josh McDaniels and Raheem Morris have got big boy issues in Denver and Tampa. How well will the fresh-faced new hires handle them?

 

It has been a long work weekend for everyone around the NFL, especially the Broncos.  It just got a lot worse for them. 

Brandon Marshall was arrested for disorderly conduct in Atlanta Sunday.  Scant details are available, but Marshall was reportedly involved in a fight and has been let get on $300 bond.

As NFL arrests go, well, there have been a lot worse.  But this is Marshall's fourth arrest and he was already suspended three games last year (reduced to one)  for violating the NFL's conduct policy.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has been clear about his stance with repeat offenders.  Their punishment gets dramatically worse with each offense.  Marshall is in deep trouble with the league, no matter what happens with his legal case.

Here's the latest on the status of the unexpected Sunday outage at PFT, less than a day after we recovered from our own personal Black Friday.

The event of Friday/Saturday triggered a data corruption, a supposedly rare event, which brought the house down today.

So we'll be back up soon, and back to PFT.  After we're gone, Curran can eat that Baby Ruth I left for him.

And yes, Tom, the folks at Nestle have now incorporated corn into the recipe. 

Trust me.

The Denver Broncos aren't necessarily signing the biggest names on the free-agent market, but they're cornering the market on sheer numbers.

The latest addition is cornerback Andre Goodman, formerly of the Dolphns.

According to Adam Schefter of NFL Network, it's a five-year, $25 million deal, with $10 million in guaranteed money.

Goodman, a seven-year veteran, spent his first four seasons in Detroit and the last three in Miami.  He started in every game last season for the first time in his career.

The Broncos may have been willing to deal Jay Cutler for Matt Cassel, but that doesn't mean they want to start over at quarterback.  NFL Network's Adam Schefter confirmed on Total Access Sunday night that Cutler is not on the trading block. 

The reason seems pretty obvious: there aren't many young Pro Bowl quality quarterbacks available.  The Broncos began to mend fences by scheduling a sit-down talk with Cutler, according to CBS4 in Denver.

The near-trade of Cutler is sure to be a talking point for a long time in Denver.  Ultimately, though, it seems like a big winter problem that could blow over once football games start again.  At least until Cutler's contract is up.

With veteran linebackers Derrick Brooks and Cato June jettisoned last week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need more guys to play the position.

According to Pewter Report, they might get started by kicking the tires on Angelo Crowell, who has spent his six-year career with the Bills.

The Bucs reportedly are interested in Crowell, but a visit has not been scheduled yet.

Crowell unexpectedly landed on injured reserve prior to the 2008 season after word broke that he needed knee surgery.  It prevented him from making a strong showing in the hopes of cashing in.

Quincy Black, Geno Hayes, and Adam Hayward are expected to compete for playing time at the outside linebacker positions in Tampa; Crowell would give the group a veteran flavor.

 

[PFT editor's note:  This one was cobbled together by Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times, who moonlights at PFT.]

Tom Curran went 30 years into the pop-culture vault with a timeless Caddyshack video.

But in comparing PFT Planet's visit to NBC as Caddy Day at Bushwood, Curran omitted the tragic epilogue.

Alas, Caddy Day always results in the pool being scrubbed, sterilized, and disinfected.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh may not get the signing bonus he was hoping for, but he's getting plenty of limo rides. 

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Houshmandzadeh hopped in a limo after spending five and a half hours at the Vikings' Winter Park facility Sunday. He left with team executives for another undisclosed destination nearby. Housh also had dinner with the team Saturday night.

Houshmandzadeh does not appear to be leaving town, which can't be bad news for Minnesota's chances of landing the one-time Pro Bowler. Houshmandzadeh was expected to decide on a team tonight, but Bengals.com reports the decision may not come until Monday.

By that point, hopefully the PFT we all know and love will be safely back up and running.  Even if Caddy Day is sorta fun.

It's like Caddy Day at Bushwood Country Club. Good to have ya back!

Last Saturday, at the height of the Scouting Combine, word broke suddenly and dramatically that Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree has a stress fracture in his foot, that he'll need surgery, and that he won't perform for scouts before the 2009 draft.

Not long thereafter, Crabtree tried to downplay the injury, explaining that he'd delay surgery until after his Pro Day workout on March 26 -- and even suggesting at one point that he could play on it for the rest of his career.

By Sunday, there were indications that Crabtree might have surgery sooner rather than later.

He has chosen sooner.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Crabtree will have surgery on Wednesday, March 4.

The procedure will sideline him for ten weeks, and will require a team to draft him without knowing how quickly (or not) he can run 40 yards in a straight line.

Crabtree, in our view, was caught in a trap on this one.  If he had waited until after March 26 to have the surgery, he wouldn't have been available for most of the offseason practices that intensify in May and June.  And these offseason practices have become a huge part of the preparations for the coming season, with as much as 80 percent of the base offense and defense being installed in T-shirt-and-shorts practices.

So, basically, any team that drafts Crabtree if he has surgery after March 26 can't expect Crabtree to make an impact in his rookie year.  And with the hot seats getting hotter than ever in light of the looming presence of men like Bill Cowher and Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden, no coach or G.M. can afford to use a top-ten pick on a guy with a big name who'll bring with him big expectations, but who would be hard pressed to make an immediate impact in his first year.

As a result, Crabtree possibly makes himself more attractive by getting the surgery done now and convincing teams that, by late April, he'll be well on his way to participating in meaningful fashion in the important practice sessions that serve as the prelude to training camp.

That said, whoever recommends drafting Crabtree in the early stages of the draft will be taking a risk; if/when Crabtree becomes a bust, the person who pulled the trigger on taking Crabtree won't be able to defend himself by saying, "But he ran a 4.4!"

Safety James Sanders became a free agent on Friday.

But, in the end, he decided to stay put, re-signing a contract with the team that picked him in round four of the 2005 draft.

According to Adam Caplan of Scout.com, Sanders will remain with the Patriots, thanks to a three-year $9 million deal.

Per Caplan, the contract pays out $4 million in the first year.

Sanders, who drew interest from the Browns and the Eagles, became a full-time starter in 2007.

Former Cowboys defensive end Chris Canty is staying in the division.

But not with the Redskins, who cut the cord immediately after dragging into the boat a $100 million whale.

Instead, Canty is a member of the New York Giants, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Canty has agreed to a six-year, $42 million deal, with $17.25 million in guaranteed money.

He presumably will play defensive tackle in New York, given the presence of defensive ends Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and Osi Umenyiora.  Not long ago, coach Tom Coughlin said that Kiwanuka will remain at defensive end in 2009 -- he shifted from linebacker after Umenyiora landed on injured reserve in August.

Well, we knew it was too good to be true.

The resurrected ProFootballTalk.com went back online last night, but some lingering database corruption from the Friday-Saturday outage has taken us down again.

So we're back, temporarily.  It would be wise to put the plastic back on the couch.

Now that the Patriots have cleared Matt Cassel's cap number, what will they do with it?  Some of the money will surely go to their secondary.  They re-signed solid young safety James Sanders to a three-year deal Sunday, and have met with cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs.

But New England may still have a larger move up their sleeve.  They have four first-day draft picks to work with, which gives them flexibility for a possible trade. 

Put this post under logical but wild speculation, but Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt thinks that trade could be for Julius Peppers.  This has been a whisper on many lips for weeks. 

Peppers wants to play for a 3-4 team, and said he had a few NFC teams and one AFC team in mind.  Many believe the AFC squad was New England.  Peppers' versatility would be an absolute perfect fit for Bill Belichick's defense.  The one-time coach of Lawrence Taylor would know how to maximize Peppers' unique skill set.

The Patriots were hamstrung by Matt Cassel's cap number, and the Panthers are in the same boat with Peppers.   New England may be the only team with the ammunition to pry Peppers away.  

Leave it to my friend Tom Curran to write the definitive post on the Cassel/Cutler brouhaha.  It answers my questions on the mess, so there's no need to repeat it here. Check it out.

While the Broncos were actively seeking to deal for Cutler for Cassel, don't assume he's still on the market.  Already, writers are imploring the Bucs and New York Jets to get involved in the Cutler sweepstakes.

It's worth a shot, but Cutler seems very unlikely to go anywhere now.  Giving up a true franchise quarterback for another starting quarterback you are more familiar with is one thing.  (I wouldn't give up Cutler, either way.)

It's quite another to give up Cutler without getting a long-term starting quarterback in return.   Last time I checked, the Jets, Bucs, and Lions don't have those.  Jay Cutler is not going to get traded for draft picks, no matter how unhappy he is. 

While I was focused on CutlerCasselGate last night, Michael Clayton's five-year contract agreement with the Bucs slipped under the radar. Adam Schefter reported that Clayton received $10.5 million guaranteed on a five-year, $24 million contract.

The numbers look so outrageous, you almost have to assume the numbers are puffed up.  How did Clayton score $10.5 million guaranteed?   If they are truly guarantees, that is starter money. 

Clayton hasn't topped 500 receiving yards for the last four seasons.  He has struggled with injuries, weight, confidence, and drops since his awesome rookie year.  Detroit and Minnesota both showed interest in him, but this deal is still out of line.

While Brandon Jones and Michael Clayton signed quickly, Laveranues Coles and T.J. Houshmandzadeh continue to look for homes. 

Either something is fishy about Clayton's numbers or the Bucs are getting too eager to spend their money. 

There’s a new web site that supports the efforts of Falcons quarterback Mike Vick (hey, until they trade or cut him, he’s still a Falcon) to be reinstated.

The site, which will probably experience a hamster-related emergency once many of you rush there to see it, is titled isupport7.com.

The site declares as to Vick, “He is not the animal hating monster that the media tried to portray him as throughout his trial and harsh imprisonment. This site was created in his honor as a tribute to Micheal [sic] Vick the man, the son, the brother, the father, the over-achiever, the philanthropist, and the American.”

Um, no one ever said that Vick hates animals. All anyone ever observed is the truth -- that he pits certain types of animals against each other in a fight to the death, and that (as he has admitted) he participates in the killing of animals deemed not worthy to possibly die while fighting other animals.

Hell, he might love animals, but he nevertheless tolerates and participates in the act of mutilating and killing them.

But we shouldn’t be surprised by the spin. Because as our own Taco Bill has discovered via his mastery of the Internet, the isupport7.com domain is registered to Kijafa Frink.

And Kijafa Frink (presumably no relation to this guy) is Mike Vick’s fiancée and the mother of his two children.

Look, she’s got every right to try to help out her future meal ticket man. But the site makes no mention of the fact that it was created by someone so close to Vick.

Hell, it might as well have been created by Vick himself.

Vick and those who would directly benefit from his return to the NFL can try all they want to rally support for him. But doing it without disclosing the close connection to Vick seems a bit dishonest.

And honesty from Vick and those close to him is critical at this time. As we pointed out in a recent column, one of the key questions for Roger Goodell is whether Vick can be trusted.

In our view, the only way to trust him would be to strap him to a polygraph. And if Goodell would need to use a lie-detector test to develop sufficient confidence that Vick will do nothing to discredit the shield if reinstated, then Goodell shouldn’t trust him and shouldn’t reinstate him.

In February 2002, Steve Belichick stood in the lobby of a New Orleans hotel and said of his son, "Bill is one of the most decisive people you could meet. When he makes his mind up on something, it is done. And he's not looking back and wondering if it was the right thing to do."

This helps explain why, just a dozen hours into the 2009 free agent period, a deal for Matt Cassel was already going down. Every team in the league knew Cassel, franchised but expendable because of Tom Brady, was there to be had.

One team - the Kansas City Chiefs - made a play. And when no other team took a number and got in line behind the Chiefs, New England took their order. No waiting around. No hand-wringing and flipping a ball off the war room wall trying to decide what to do. Be decisive.

So the Patriots got a second rounder - the 34th overall pick for Cassel and veteran outside linebacker Mike Vrabel. Now it's coming to light that the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were both interested in making deals that involved Cassel, Denver's Jay Cutler and picks going to New England.  

The offers went like this according to Adam Schefter of NFL.com. The Lions (or Bucs) would trade for Cassel. They would then ship Cassel to Denver in exchange for Cutler. In Denver, Cassel would be reunited with his offensive coordinator from New England, Josh McDaniel. And the Lions (or Bucs) would have a Pro Bowl quarterback. And the Patriots would have, the scuttlebutt goes, better than the 34th pick.

This explains why, just as the Cassel to KC story was breaking, Schefter was reporting a third team was trying to enter the mix. The third team didn't decide to get its posterior in gear until they heard what the deal to the Chiefs was all about.

By that point, the deal with the Chiefs was practically done. And while Belichick COULD have told Chiefs GM Scott Pioli the deal was off because something better might be coming along, he wasn't going to do that. Not to a close friend, probably not to anybody.

Beyond that, if Belichick and the Patriots pulled back, think of the hurdles that needed to be cleared to get the deal done. 

* Agreeing on compensation going to New England.

* Getting Cassel to agree to go to Denver without a long-term deal in place (a key component of the trade to KC).

* Getting Cutler to agree to report to whichever team he was traded to.

* Figuring out what, in addition to Cassel, was going to go to Denver since a Cassel-Cutler trade straight up didn't seem likely.

And if it all fell through, would the Chiefs still be offering that second-rounder? This was something the Lions or Bucs should have been eyeing for weeks, not Saturday morning with Vrabel in Kansas City and Cassel headed there.

There. Was. No. Market. For. Cassel. Other. Than. KC. The fact Tampa and Detroit were shuffling him through speaks volumes. They're not sold on him. So the Pats went for the sure thing instead or trying to shoot the moon. And the only sure thing was the second rounder from KC.

Know what? Think of it this way.

Cassel was like a nice home that fell into your lap from inheritance.

You already have a house (Tom Brady). You're not going to pay two mortgages.

You put it on the market and - wow, nobody's stepping up for this nice house.

The sign's on the lawn but there's only one taker. So you go through the sales process with that earnest taker. Everything's all set.

Suddenly, at the closing, another buyer busts into the lawyer's office saying he'll give you more - MUCH MORE - but he needs to work out financing and he's going to try and flip it or maybe he'll get a consortium to go in on the purchase.   

What would you do? The Patriots sold the nice house they didn't need to the people who were serious buyers. And they threw in that reliable 2001 Camry (Vrabel) because they wanted it to go to a good home.  

A source with knowledge of the situation said this morning he "would be very surprised" if Ray Lewis doesn't wind up back with the Baltimore Ravens. Lewis, who has found a decidedly depressed market for his services since free agency opened at 12:01 a.m. Friday is disappointed and peeved that there was so little interest in acquiring him. "He's going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder," the source predicted. Asked if, in addition to Lewis' age and perceived asking price, his outsized alpha dog personality made it hard to figure how he'd fit with a new team, the source said, "There's probably something to that."

I'm not in the habit of linking to ESPN videos, but the Chris Mortensen video posted tonight is too stunning to miss.  (The information is stunning, not Mort's visage.) 

Mort reports that the Patriots turned down a first- and third-round pick from the Bucs in a potential three-way trade that would have sent Matt Cassel to Denver and Jay Cutler to the Bucs.  Instead, the Patriots chose a second-round pick from the Chiefs.

This defies all logic and belief, no matter how close you think Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli are.

The only explanation I can come up with, and this is admittedly pure speculation, is that New England's deal with the Chiefs was already agreed to.  Mike Vrabel, after all, was in Kansas City for Friday.  It's possible the terms of the Cassel deal were done before the Bucs and Broncos tried to jump in. 

In that scenario, though, it's unclear why the other teams ever thought they had any chance.  There was a brief window Saturday, after Adam Schefter initially reported the trade, when the deal appeared to be in question. 

"Mystery teams" were mentioned on air as possibly getting involved, but the move quickly became official 20 minutes later.  We know who those teams were now, but there are so many other unanswered questions. 

Was the Chiefs trade ever truly close to falling apart?  When was the deal agreed to?  Was Cassel's contract hopes another piece to the puzzle?

Here's to hoping that better reporters than I can solve some of this mystery in the coming days.  In the meantime, I'm going to sleep.

Were the Denver Broncos merely listening to offers for Jay Cutler Saturday or were they initiating them?

It depends who you listen to.  The Broncos, of course, say they were only fielding calls from interested parties.  (Namely, the Bucs.) 

"He's not the only person in the last few days we've received calls on," Josh McDaniels said.

ESPN.com's Bill Williamson, however, writes that the Broncos were actively trying to acquire Matt Cassel by dangling Cutler.  Chris Mortensen backed up Williamson's report on ESPNews. 

Whatever the truth is, Cutler is convinced that Denver was doing their best to get rid of him.  In fact he thinks they still are looking to trade him.  That sounds crazy to me, but choosing Cassel over Cutler would also be stunning.

I thought Cutler was in for a long, successful run with Josh McDaniels, but Saturday's events put that into question.   I know how Cutler feels; It's hard to know what to think.