Monday Morning Ball Spot

I'm not going to engage in trying to draw fairly limited conclusions from pre-season games... mostly because I am really tired of watching them. Chad Pennington was snapped up by the Dolphins though. And that is something interesting. For an excellent take on it, I direct you here. I'm really hoping I can pick up the Jets-Dolphins game in Week 1 though. 

So, let's recap this week's games. See if there's anything going on. 

Detroit 13, Giants 10

I wouldn't call the Detroit defense a very good one, but Carr looked pretty decent with 104 yard and a TD. Manning, on the other hand, appeared mostly out of practice. Not a good early sign from Jim Colletto's offense though, as QB Drew Stanton was the leading rusher. Going to need better effort than that if Marinelli wants to build a tough team. 

Jets 24, Browns 20

The Jets' WR situation is something to watch. With Coles, Cotchery, Wright, Stuckey, Clowney, Ball, Raymond, and Smith all competing for positions, I think they might find a pretty decent group once they finish making cuts. Browns gave up a lot of pass yardage though. It isn't necessarily an indictment of their current starters, but it does reflect a real lack of depth behind them should anyone in their secondary get injured. As good news,  the re-vamped D-line didn't give up a lot of running room. 

Ravens 16, Patriots 15

Raiders 18, 49ers 6

Raiders showed what was expected: great running game, terrible passing game. I think QB Walter has some value though, but he's wasted as a backup. He could be good trade bait. Difficult to judge defense because of how bad the 49ers are on offense. It mystifies me why the 49ers would put J.T. O'Sullivan up against the Raiders' starting defense in his first ever (pre-season included) NFL start. Either way, the fact that they're looking at him shows Smith and Hill are bombing pretty hard. 

Thursdays with Coffin Corner

Unfortunately, I could not locate the Saints game. I'm not that hugely interested in watching NE play Baltimore... since, let's be honest, both are veteran teams that won't play their starters for any length of time. Hopefully, we'll be able to watch the Saints next week. 

Favre Traded to New York Jets

Okay. Too much coverage everywhere, so this will be quick. But here's my take:

There is way to much drama and bad feeling to sort it out. The only way to ever know what really happened is if you get Favre, Thompson, and McCarthy in a room and have them agree on a set of events... which will never happen. No matter how you look at it, whatever criticism that could be leveled at either side just doesn't stick without being flipped around too. 

Did Thompson have such a big ego that he chased Favre out of town? Or did Favre have such a big ego that he couldn't deal with a GM who wouldn't get him Randy Moss, hire Steve Mariucci, and act like they were pleased as punch to see him come out of retirement? 

Does not hiring Favre show that Thompson doesn't have the best interests of the franchise at heart? Or does having picked 40 players on the roster of the youngest team in the NFL that just came off a 13-3 season while being $30 million under the salary cap show that he's bigger than Favre?

Does not hiring Favre, a proven winner, jeopardize the team? Or, if he was still a winner, why'd he throw the interception that gave the Giants the NFC Championship last season?

Was Favre a drama queen by forcing himself back from retirement? Or did Thompson plant stories about tampering by the Vikings to make this a bigger deal than it had to be? 

Did Favre think he was bigger than the team when he thought he could force his way to a release and then sign with the Vikings? Or did Favre put the team first when he went quietly to the New York Jets after being denied a clean exit by Thompson? 

Put any number of accusations here and you get the same result. End of story? As far as I'm concerned. End of circus? Not even close. 

Coffin Corner Tuesdays: Power Rankings

1. Chargers (0) Nothing will make me move on this. Antonio Gates is injured? Just pass the ball to Vincent Jackson. Nick Hardwick's out? Well, we have former starter Jeremy Newberry. It's ridiculous. 
2. Patriots (0) I really hate that they have to be here, but Randy Moss and Tom Brady do a lot to allay any concerns I have about their secondary. 
3. Colts (0) Another team I hate to put here, but Peyton Manning does a lot to keep them in games, and Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and Anthony Gonzalez are still a really solid receiving group, even if nobody knows when Marvin Harrison will play again.
4. Cowboys (0) They are a very good team. The best? Not exactly. Although they played most of last season with him, I don't entirely trust Patrick Crayton. Also their D-line is somewhat suspect. Jay Ratliff is only entering his second season as starter, and I'm not a huge fan of their DEs. Secondary is looking like it has some options though, with the addition of Adam Jones and Brandon Flowers... so if they can get a playoff win it'll be a good season in Dallas.
5. Seahawks (+1) It seems a little high for them I suppose, but I'm thinking big things in Andy Reid's last year. Julius Jones has something to prove, Matt Hasselbeck is as reliable as anything, and the defense is solid. Good stuff right here. 
6. Giants (-1) Not too sure what this team is going to be, but seeing the Redskins and Eagles getting better makes me believe that it has to come at the expense of somebody. 
7. Jaguars (+1) Derrick Harvey hold out? Who cares. Is he really that much better than Groves? Were you expecting an 8 sack season from him anyways? And if you are, then ask yourself, how many sacks did you see Jamaal Anderson and Gaines Adams getting last year? Or Mario Williams the year before? They have time. What they also have is a better secondary, a good QB, WRs on the rise, and a good team. 
8. Vikings (+4) Pretty big rise here, but I think this team actually has a future. Call me crazy, and I know Tarvaris Jackson is risky like nothing else, but the D-line has to do something awful this year. I mean, Jared Allen and both Williams'? Some QB is going to get hurt. Plus, they have what is looking like an easier and easier division, and I think they could pick up some easy wins, some momentum, then it's off to the races.
9. Saints (+1) Yes, Jeremy Shockey does do that much for this team. He's a second receiver. Line him up on the same side as Colston and teams have three options, none of them good. Use a safety and have no double coverage on Colston, use an LB and risk a mismatch, or use a nickel back and lose an LB for run/rush support. Best part of it is that it forces the opposing defense to loosen the coverage on whatever guy the Saints plug in at #2 WR and gives Drew Brees two more options for the price of one. Good deal.
10. Steelers (+3) Did I have them too low before? Absolutely. Do they still have major problems along the O-line? You bet. Am I convinced Willie Parker is healthy? Getting better, but not yet. I'm also worried about Polamalu's health. I see progress, but not success this year. 
11. Bills (0) I think they belong right here. An outside shot team that, if the cards fall right, will make the playoffs. You need James Hardy to step up, Trent Edwards to preform, and improved defense to play better, but they just might pull it off. 
12. Eagles (-3) Speaking of outside shot teams, you have the Eagles. Donovan McNabb has no receivers. Now, you may say that this didn't stop him before, but remember the year they made it to the Super Bowl was the year they had Terrell Owens. Also, McNabb isn't the speed threat he used to be, and never will be again. He needs to transform into a pocket passer, but needs weapons to do so. People talk about how this team needs a red-zone threat, but what they really need is just that big, dependable receiver with good hands who can move the chains. Good luck to you Westbrook, you'll need it. 
13. Browns (-5) I'm not buying into the hype anymore. Let's go over some of the recievers that Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright will have to cover his year: Terrell Owens, Hines Ward, Chad Johnson, T. J. Houshmanzadeh, Plaxico Burress, Brandon Marshall, Lee Evans, Andre Johnson, and Reggie Wayne. Throw in basically the league's toughest schedule, and this team is in trouble. 
14. Redskins (+5) Am I reading too much into the Hall of Fame game? Definitely. Especially because the Colts haven't won their first pre-season game of the season for something like the last 5 or 6 years. However, I think Jason Campbell looked very sharp, Clinton Portis is probably as good as always, Chris Cooley is not your average tight end, and Santana Moss is at least as good if not better than your average #1 WR. Their O-line doesn't have that many years left, but they could do a lot in the next season or two to fix that. Draft an O-line man in the first round next year and you could be looking at a line in transition instead of one on the decline. You can't say enough for the leadership that Jason Taylor will hopefully provide, and I think London Fletcher-Baker is also in for a big season. I'm also taking a shine to Jim Zorn. Pretty good shot at a playoff spot in my opinion. 
15. Panthers (+5) Jake Delhomme is looking better, and I think that Hurney and Fox's win at any cost policy this year (to keep their jobs) will lead to the team getting a few wins. I'm not saying it's progress over the long term, but wins are wins. 
16. Ravens (+3) There's a saying in NFL. If you think you have two starters (or even three) then you probably don't have one. I think this definitely applies the Ravens. I absolutely HATE the Joe Flacco pick, but I also like Kyle Boller's ability to not ruin things totally and Troy Smith's ability to, in college at least, win games. Where the Ravens do have starters is on defense. And lots of them. This doesn't make them win games, but it keeps them in them. Not saying an amazing team next year.... but maybe not terrible. 
17. Packers (-3) Do I think the Brett Favre controversy hurt them? Absolutely. It's good that they have Ryan Grant in camp though. This might be a little low for them, especially if all the focus on Favre makes them mad enough to win.... but I just don't see Aaron Rodgers as starter material. What makes anyone think he is? The fact that he's been injured in all three of the situations in which he saw major playing time? He supposedly can throw a ball far? It took him way too long to unseat a 37 year old starter (admittedly, that starter's name was Brett Favre)? Don't count me on this bandwagon yet. 
18. Titans (-2) Haynesworth is under contract and motivated to produce so he doesn't get franchised again. Vince Young is hopefully better (although would his coaches announce it if he wasn't?), and supposedly this team roughed up the Rams in their training camp scrimmage. Somehow, someway, this team does just enough to win just enough of its games. That's not something you should regularly bet against. 
19. Bears (-1) Same as the Ravens, but double since they have no running game and a defense coming off a down year. Call me crazy though, but they're giving the start (maybe, as long as Lovie Smith was lying and there is in fact "rhyme and reason" to him giving Orton the start in their first pre-season game) to Kyle Orton, and he has a good record as a starter... albeit a terrible QB rating. Could they maybe pull this season off? Probably not, but they might show just enough progress to keep hope alive. 
20. Buccaneers (-3) Jeff Garcia is probably pretty unhappy at this point, and the Bucs have gained nothing. He also appears to be injured. And, as you know, the team who won the NFC South the previous year never wins it again. Joey Galloway gets a year older, as does Derrick Brooks. I'm not seeing a repeat. 
21. Cardinals (+5) Well they've managed to really make Anquan Boldin mad. Unfortunately, a lot of the situation has to do with the fact that this team has made a huge number of bad decisions in terms of draft picks and contracts. Let's go over their first round draft picks 2000 -2007 and when they were chosen. Just for fun. Thomas Jones (7), Leonard David (2), Wendell Bryant (12), Bryant Johnson (17), Larry Fitzgerald (3), Antrel Rolle (8), Matt Leinart (10), Levi Brown (5). So the end result is they have a whole lot of money tied up in players who are not necessarily producing as much as their contracts would say. Especially because there's only one pick there below 10th overall. Anyways, what counts is that they actually made some progress last year, and Ken Whisenhunt may just do enough to make this team respectable before he gets too jaded about a franchise that managed to take the two first round picks, one second round pick, and Eric Metcalf that it received from the Chargers as compensation for the pick that they used to take Ryan Lead and.... wait for it.... transform it into Andre Wadsworth, Corey Chavous, and David Boston. Hot dang. 
22. Broncos (-7) Let me sum it up for you. Rookie sensation Ryan Torain? Injured. Star WR Brandon Marshall? Suspended. O-line? Aging and ailing. Running back? Selvin Young, who predicts a 2000 yard season while his coach talks about 10-12 carries a game. Pass rush? Anchored on a guy who was busted for cocaine possession this year, none other than Marcus Thomas. Although there is that Elvis Dumervil fellow. And quick... name the starting MLB. This is a team in more trouble than it is willing to admit. No matter how hard you look, I don't think Champ Bailey and Dre Bly are going to save this one. 
23. Bengals (+4) I hate to be too optimistic... but Chad Johnson is in camp and that's a start. Rudi Johnson apparently feels good, and that's good too. And I hear Chris Perry is finally ready to play. Keith Rivers finally signed, and maybe, just maybe, they could pull together a wild-card season. Outside shot? You bet. But there's if your mottos 'Who Dey?' you might as well relay on 'Who're They?' kind of players.  
24. Jets (+1) I do think adding Brett Favre was a positive move, if only because it allows them to draft a QB next year. I know he'll bring a bit of spark to the offense, and if they play him right they might be able to put together a different season. What I mean by 'play him right' is not try to use him as a game-breaking QB, but rather focus on the Thomas Jones running game and have Favre as just enough of a threat to stop opponent's from putting 8 in the box, and punishing them if they do. Faneca and Woody will be better at run-blocking than pass-blocking anyways. 
25. Texans (-3) If they were in any other division, they'd be above a lot of these teams. But the teams above them have a shot at being second best in their divisions and the best the Texans can hope for is third. Nothing against Matt Schaub, and certainly nothing against their D-line + Demeco Ryans.... but there's no way they're ready to take down the Colts/Jaguars. 
26. Rams (-4) They will move up when they get Steven Jackson on the field. But that man is just too important to this offense right now. They've got a so-so O-line, a fragile QB, and a one WR offense (Torry Holt). They NEED Steven Jackson. Also, 300+ rushing yards against the Titans? Please. 
27. Raiders (-3) Okay. So, Javon Walker sucks harder than I could have ever possibly imagined. Who doesn't though? Darren McFadden. Their running game is the real deal next year. JaMarcus Russell isn't. A lot of the defense has to prove itself to me before I'm sold on this team though... DeAngelo Hall included. This is THE year for this team. They now have a lot of young talent, but they either get better or die in the next year or two. In 3 years from now it could either be the draft class that started a Raider dynasty, or these players could be afterthoughts.
28. Dolphins (+1) I'm not dumb enough to rank them above "real" teams with players who matter, but I think they could win games this season. Minimum of 6, maybe even 8. Which, weirdly, is more than I see the Raiders winning. I have a lot of faith in Bill Parcells, the only problem? He's not the coach. I gotta see something from Tony Sparano, because so far it appears he's just a head that grows out of Parcells' shoulder and sometimes talks. 
29. Lions (+3) 32nd was too harsh. That's where the 49ers belong. But honestly, I'm fairly certain this team will be awful next year. Too much uncertainty, too much unfounded hope. At least with Martz you knew what you were getting, a really weird offensive philosophy that either exploded or imploded. And you never knew which, and that left hope for some wins. It seems like their new system will amount to 100% certainty... that it will rely on a bad running game that will always be bad. And that leaves hope for nothing but losses. 
30. Falcons (-2) Unlike the Lions, this team has a glimmer of hope because they have both Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood... although they lack an O-line. I don't think they'll do much, but this team is in good hands for the future. 
31. Chiefs (0) This team is going nowhere fast. You think they have a leg up on someone like the Dolphins... but they don't. It's like management considers that spending a season just saying: "we're rebuilding" is a good way to spend a season. It isn't. You have to spend a season trying to win games. If you fail, that's different. But you have to try... and it's clear that they won't be trying next year. 
32. 49ers (-1) This is probably too low for them because I think they might have a very solid defense, but I really hate their QB situation. There is clearly not one real starter across the whole group. They are where the Falcons were mid-way through last season, and soon they might be okay... especially if they draft well on offense. 

Coffin Corner Tuesdays: Brett Favre and Other Storylines

You got it. Season opening power rankings. Quickly though... my impressions on what seems like the fast-resolving Brett Favre saga. 

McCarthy and Thompson point of view:

• Probably believed that Brett wasn't actually going to come back, but it quickly spiraled out of control before they could find out. Their offer of a 'marketing position' was not an insult or a bribe, it was genuine... because they though he honestly just wanted to stay involved in football. Clearly, not the case. 
  
• They will now try to trade him. The best they could hope for would be a conditional 6th round with a sliding scale that could lead all the way up to first should he meet performance criteria/stays for more than one season or something. Teams won't give a high pick flat out because the Packers have no leverage. They know that he has to go.

Brett Favre point of view

• Supposedly wants to play for real. Is he in shape? Not as sure about that. 
• He wanted a better welcome back. Is it ego? Well, maybe, but it could also be the fact that anything less than a full welcome meant the team maybe doesn't want him back. And that's a distraction and would undermine his ability to lead and compete. So it's unfortunate, but trading him might be like amputation to save the patient. Not a great result, but better than others. 
• With the trade though, isn't the point of his coming back somewhat undermined? I mean what does he hope to accomplish with this final season? Superbowl? Will it mean as much if it isn't with the Packers? I doubt that Brett's side of this is over. 

In other news, both of the Ravens' starting OT are missing the first preseason game. Kyle Boller looks to be the starter, although the actual position battle is ongoing. 

Keith Rivers signed with the Bengals, making Derrick Harvey the only first round pick who has yet to sign.

The Steven Jackson hold-out is ongoing. I'm really surprised that few people are talking about this as something that might, at this point, seriously undermine the Rams' season. 

Kyle Orton will be starting the Bears' first pre-season game. I'm entirely certain that he will win the starting job. However, Lovie Smith offered up one of the most confusing quotes in all of football while explaining it: "It's just a starting spot. There's no rhyme or reason why we're doing this in this direction. It's the way I want to go now." So, Lovie, there's no reason as to why he's starting, but you made the decision. So... flipped a coin? Odds are we're saving Sexy Rexy's feelings on this one. 

Monday Morning Ball Spot

Not exactly a Monday morning post, but it'll be hot and ready for you Tuesday morning. Not too much game activity last night, other than the Hall of Fame Game. Since I've already shared my impressions, let's take a look at some of the story-lines to follow this week as well as what games we can be looking forward to this weekend. 

Hot Topics: 

This week we saw the conclusion to the Brett Favre saga... part one. Now that we know he'll be playing, the question remains.... Where will he play? My vote is it's one of two things, both of which have their advantages. 

If Aaron Rodgers gets the start, we've got to be honest... the Packers wouldn't be going to the Super Bowl. Too much youth, not enough experience. I like Charles Woodson and Al Harris, but no veteran leadership on offense doesn't lead to a winning team. In this case, the Pack probably trades Favre for some draft picks and looks at making a Super Bowl push in 2009 or 2010. 

The other alternative is keep Favre, and try to win the Super Bowl this year. It would put them back a year or two in terms of actual progression, since anybody they'd replace Favre with (Rodgers included) would take at least a season to become playoff game win ready, but it could lead to a win this season and another title in 2010 or 2011. The other advantage is the starter at this point might not be Rodgers as Brian Brohm (and less likely, Matt Flynn) would have progressed enough to challenge him.

These are pretty obvious alternatives, but the possibilities are still worth discussing.  

Training Camp Battles

Matt Ryan vs. Chris Redman

Josh McCown vs. John Beck vs. Chad Henne

Tampering charges against the Vikings in the Brett Favre case have been dropped. I'm not really convinced a thorough investigation occurred. In fact, I would be willing to bet that the NFL just wants this whole story to resolve itself and saw dropping these charges as a good way of doing that. 

Brandon Marshall has been suspended for three games following his three arrests. Probably not a terrible thing, although since his charges are almost identical to those faced by James Harrison last season... it continues to raise questions about the fairness of the NFL's discipline policy. It'll be interesting to see if there's any statement from the Broncos coming out about this in the coming week. 

Take a look at how many injuries have come out of the Ravens' training camp so far. Symptom of an aging team? Probably. Maybe also have something to do with the new Head Coach? Maybe. This isn't a good start to their season though. Watch to see if anyone else goes down. This team might be DOA. 

Derrick Harvey and Keith Rivers continue to be the only first round picks not yet signed. Watch to see if these get resolved over the coming week. I don't think it's a coincidence that both these players play for somewhat cheap teams.

Bills LT Jason Peters continues to be a camp no-show, as does Eagles G Shawn Andrews. Both are critical to their teams' success this year. Andrews is reportedly struggling with depression, so that's a somewhat harder fix. Peters is struggling with how little his team is paying him. This might be a good intro to the people of Toronto about why the Bills remain perennially 'on the playoff bubble.' 

Upcoming Games: I can guarantee you right now that we'll be bringing you a live action game blog on Thursday evening with the New Orleans-Arizona match-up being broadcast on ESPN. Hopefully you can join us. Other than that, I'm not sure which games I'll be able to pick up on Friday/Saturday... mostly depends on broadcast schedule. 

Hall Of Fame Game: Coffin Corner Impressions

Well guys, here we are. Impressions will follow first in bullet form. I might elaborate on important points. Here we go.

Colts:

- Defense looks a little porous, bad coverage... etc. Probably not too much to be worried about, but the Colts are running out of skilled linebackers since they rarely seem to give them contract extensions. Also, slightly worried about their run defense after the surprise Quinn Pitcock recovery. A projected starter, he was fairly mediocre. I can't imagine the guys behind him would be all that better.

- Tom Moore (Offensive co-ordinator) wants to use TE Dallas Clark in the slot this year, rather than from the TE position. Although it might be to increase his receiving numbers it also indicates that they DON'T want to run the actual 3 WR formation. Last season we saw that behind Anthony Gonzalez (who is, admittedly, their #3 WR) the Colts didn't have much depth. If Moore doesn't want to run 3 WRs with Gonzalez, then he's probably doing that because Gonzalez is lining up as #2 WR. Which means Reggie Wayne is taking Marvin Harrison's starting spot, probably because Harrison is WAY more injured than anyone let on last season, and nearing the end of his career. 

- Sorgi is passing quite a bit to Tight Ends, especially back-up Gijon Robinson. Not a good sign, since it means that he's going for the easy routes. 

- Quinn Grey might be a surprise at #3 QB. He played decently for Jacksonville last year when Garrard went down, and he could have only benefitted from Colts coaching. 

- T.J. Rushing looks good on returns. 

- Getting late into the second and the Redskins have been able to just run the ball. Not a good sign for Colts D-line. 

- Colts are getting good pressure off the edges, which is good because they need depth behind Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney. There are always injury worries with them. 

- I'm a bit surprised to see Kenton Keith still on the Colts' roster. They have VERY good depth at RB. 

- The reason I'm seeing Keith not making the team is because of the guy who looks so good on his first couple carries: Mike Hart. The guy didn't get drafted because he was too small and supposedly too slow. But the guy just got 35 yards on 3 carries. And he's hungry. He will be special. 

- Quinn Grey is showing great pocket presence: scrambling when necessary, but not excessively. 

- Jared Lorenzen looks fat and bad. Remind me again why this guy is still an NFL QB? 

Redskins:

- Jason Campbell started out sharp, which is a good sign since that's what they hired Jim Zorn for. Completed passes to actual WRs (Randle El for a TD). The 'skins are building depth along their D-line, which is a plus. Four no-names and they picked up one sack on the first drive, some pressure on the second. 

- Redskins seem fired up. Probably Jim Zorn's excitement. Difficult to say if it's skill or emotion powering them, but you need both in the regular season... so here's hoping it's skill. 

- I don't know how of much of an impact player rookie TE Fred Davis will be. He's staying pretty late in the game... got put in late too. And he hasn't had much buzz from training camp other than that late wake-up thing.

- Jason Taylor looks good standing on the sidelines. Let's hope he doesn't stay there. 

- Suisham looks a bit questionable kicking. Don't know if the Redskins have much to replace him with if he falters. Maybe a situation to watch. 

- Colt Brennan looks good, but watch his play. He's slow to recognize things, which indicates a little bit of the 'system' quarterback criticism leveled against him. 

And that's a wrap from Canton. We'll be back tomorrow with the Monday Morning Ball Spot. 

Coffin Corner Returns With Apologies from Management

Hey folks,

Although nobody is probably reading this, we're back. We considered carefully what we do and what we do best and decided to restrict ourselves to almost purely game coverage. Opinion may follow, but we will not attempt to deliver comprehensive news. Power Rankings will continue. As will Coin Flip sections (game previews). 

Welcome to your first full Coffin Corner season. 

Shocker Walker! 55 Million Dollar Man in Poor Shape

According to some eye-witness camp reports... and head coach Lane Kiffin, WR Javon Walker is looking out of shape.

Now I'm not saying that a man who is guaranteed to need knee micro-fracture surgery in the next three years was a poor guy to hinge your WR group on... but as many of you may recall, I did. 

Other than this obvious problem, the guy is apparently out of shape. He's had work ethic issues in the past, and probably didn't really stay in shape during his last year in Denver. There's a chance that he'll be motivated by his "roster spot" as "Oakland's number one receiver"... which is kind of like having a "seat" on an "airplane on fire"... and get back into shape. Then again, maybe he'll be motivated by his 55 million the other way, and not really try. Time will tell. 

The number one argument I hear justifying Oakland's free agency moves is the idea that Oakland has turned into an Arizona of sorts (ie: a place that free agents avoid like the plague) and so they're forced to spend huge amounts of money. Furthermore, that they are a losing team who is pulling at straws to deliver a great team sooner rather than later. This is basically amazingly false on a couple different levels. First of all, Oakland, as a Bay Area team with a rabid fan base, is nowhere near the kind of media black hole that Arizona represents. Secondly, if Oakland actually cared about making a better team they'd build it the right way.. through the draft and solid but unspectacular free agency acquisitions. The fact of the matter is that the only possible way you could justify Oakland's signings is if they expect a non-capped season in 2011. The course they are pursuing is too risky to be called good team management. 

Browns RT Tucker out for 2 Months

This is trouble. I'm one of the few people who will tell you right now that the Browns don't have a shot at the playoffs this season because of their schedule, and taking out a starter along this line is going to hurt them. 

Browns C LeCharles Bentley to Make Long-Awaited Comeback

Although we heard about the possibility of him being active for last season, it's possible that LeCharles Bentley may make an appearance at the Browns' June mini-camp. The former All-Pro Centre blew out both of his kneecaps at the Browns' training camp two years ago after being acquired through Free Agency from the New Orleans Saints and then lost 70% of his patellar tissue from a staph infection following his knee surgery. 

An interesting possibility about where the infection came from can be found here. 

It seems that his return has been an off-season story for the past two years, and although I wish him the best of luck, I doubt that his knees will allow him to play again. 

Kevin Everett Released, To Seek Disability Pay from NFL

Kevin Everett was released by the Bills several days ago. He'll seek disability pay from the NFL, and most likely receive it. It's unfortunate about what happened, but he's able to walk and most likely pursue another career should his financial situation require it. It's good to see this unfortunate story have a somewhat happy resolution. 

Raiders' Roster Moves

They signed 10 year pro DE Greg Spires to try and replace Chris Clemons. Good luck with that one. The competition for the starting spot between him and Kalimba Edwards will be absolutely riveting. Who has the potential to get 4 sacks this season for what will continue to be a terrible Raiders team? Watch this space. 

Other than that they waived Duane Starks, so there's a veteran CB available to a team who wants him. They also signed tryout WR Marcel Reese. 

Ravens' LB/DE Terrell Suggs Settles Franchise Tag Dispute

The most important thing that has happened since the NFL Draft? Right here. 

This is the boneheaded decision by the league in recent memory. Suggs' original dispute was that he could not be franchised as an LB because he played most of his snaps at DE. In this respect, I think he's absolutely right. It's the Ravens' decision to not play him at DE all the time, since he could have, and so they can't use that to financially hurt him. Furthermore, putting him at LB made the team better, so why should he lose money because of that?

The league's answer? To create a new franchise tag title: DE/LB. Other than the fact that they have no idea how to determine the top five salaries in the league at this position (since it doesn't exist), this is going to open up some serious floodgates. What about players who rotate between FS and SS, DT and DE, TE and WR, T and G, C and G, CB and SS or FS, etc. Other than the possible lockout looming in 2010/2011, this will be the number one salary cap issue over the next 3 to 4 years. 

News Update

Keeping in habit with our irregular updates throughout the off-season, we're joining you this afternoon with the most important developing storylines as well as some Coffin Corner Power Rankings. 

Stay with us. 

Ravens Trade for Raiders CB

Baltimore Ravens, for a 4th round draft pick, picked up CB Fabian Washington from the Raiders.

He had sprinters speed, which is why Al Davis drafted him in the first place, but never turned into the capable number 2 CB they wanted. The trade for DeAngelo Hall made him expendable. Washington has a chance to learn slowly at the nickel corner spot in Baltimore and potentially replace Samari Rolle when he retires. 

That's A Wrap

And that's it for the first day of the draft. My brain is too fried to do a summary, so I'll cover that after tomorrow. Tomorrow I will not have pick by pick analysis since I don't know enough about the players to contribute anything meaningful to the discussion so I'll be bringing you a draft wrap-up after that. Thanks for being with us today, and good luck to your teams in the upcoming season. 

Giants Take CB Terrell Thomas With 64th Overall Pick

He has injury concerns, but he's a smart football player. What surprises me about this pick though is that it doesn't involve LB Dan Connor. 

Patriots Address Secondary With 62nd Pick..

And they select CB Terrance Wheatley. He has a permanently fused wrist due to surgeries, but he's very quick, if a bit undersized, and will hopefully help them out opposite Ellis Hobbs. I think their secondary might be the Achilles Heel of this team next season. 

Cowboys, 61rst Overall, Select...

TE Martellus Bennett. This is a really good pick for them, he's an excellent athlete who can be an excellent receiver. Unfortunately, he needs some work blocking, which you don't like to see in a second TE. 

Green Bay, 60th Overall...

Takes CB Patrick Lee. He's a physical man corner, which is what the Pats want, but clearly lacks elite skills. Due to the age of Al Harris and Woodson, he might be asked to develop faster than he might be able to. For now though, he'll be able to learn as a nickel corner. 

Indy Takes C Mike Pollak 59th Overall

The heir apparent to Jeff Saturday, he's very technical who understands a lot about football. He's the Colts' kind of pick. They really value intelligence. He can also play guard, which gives him some versatility. 

Buccanneers, 58th Overall, Select WR Dexter Jackson

Big pick because they need some young WRs and Antonio Bryant is by no means a sure thing. Decent pick considering the pick and they might get some value here. 

10 WRs in the second round seems kind of risky though.

Also, a lot of people should notice how many teams are trading out of the first round because they're so scared of big contracts. This needs to be fixed. 

58th Pick Overall: Dolphins Take Chad Henne

Dolphins are ending up as real winners here. With the 57th pick overall, Chad Henne is a Dolphin. It's nice that he'll be linked up with Jake Long again. Anyways, I think he has a real chance to start and I'm beginning to get sold on the Dolphins' potential. This could be a decent football team next year. 

Green Bay Takes, With the 56th Pick

QB Brian Brohm.

Okay, I'm very confused. Very, very confused. I'm pretty sure he said he would be returning to Louisville for another season. 

Anyways, this is a really weird choice considering that they have Aaron Rodgers, and I'd be curious to see what they're going to do with Brohm. I would have preferred to see him go to a team where he could start, but such is the draft. 

Baltimore Ravens On the Clock At 55th Overall

And they take an RB, Ray Rice. Probably a backup to McGahee. 

Titans Take DT Jason Jones 54th Overall

He's a former basketball player, so he's fast. He could maybe play DE, but he's good as a 4-3 DT as well. This is the pick that makes up for the Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy leaving. 

Steelers Take WR Limas Sweed 53rd Overall

This is the receiver that Roethlisberger has been asking for and would be an excellent replacement down the road for Hines Ward. There's an off-chance that he'll come into his own a little earlier than some of the other guys, so there could be good value here, but if there isn't then it's no big loss because of the lateness of this pick. 

Jaguars Trade Away Rest of their Draft for 52nd Overall Pick

Bucs needed picks, Jaguars apparently don't. And with the pick they choose... Quentin Groves. So they decided that all they needed was a pass rusher and hedge their bets by getting two highly rated guys. He's an excellent athlete, but the concern is that he's too much of a tweener, can play DE and LB, but good at neither. Well, if he fails, then hopefully Harvey is a success, and vice versa. 

Redskins, at 51rst Overall...

Take WR Malcolm Kelly. 

Redskins run a west coast offense, and Kelly is big and has sure hands. He also has injury history in his knees and runs a very slow 40. So I don't know what to make of this pick. It could be a huge success, or a big failure... only time will tell. 

Cardinals, 50th Overall, Get DE Calais Campbell

He'll play DE in their 3-4, and will probably replace an aging Bertrand Berry. Depending on his performance in mini-camp, Berry might be cut to save cap room. Really good pick here, as Campbell was another projected first rounder. 

Eagles Take WR Desean Jackson at 49th Overall

He immediately helps the Eagles with the return game, although they would have preferred to have a veteran receiver, they couldn't find a trade partner. This is an investment in their offense's future, unfortunately McNabb might be gone by the time Jackson truly arrives.

My Apologies..

I am very sorry, but I have just been notified that Brian Brohm has not, in fact, entered the NFL Draft this year. I will expect him to be a first rounder next year, nonetheless, much of what I've said about him is now clearly false. 

I sincerely regret this huge oversight. 

Washington Takes, 48th Overall...

TE Fred Davis.

This pick mystifies me. He's a former wideout who catches passes very well, but so does the Redskins' current, and very young, TE... Chris Cooley. I guess they're planning on playing out of two TE sets a lot next year, but if they are then all that means is they need good blocking TEs as well as receiving TEs, which Cooley is but Davis isn't. 

Philadelphia Takes, at 47th Overall...

DT Trevor Laws.

This is the Eagles' first pick of the draft.

He had over 100 tackles last year at Notre Dame, which is pretty decent. I think that what the Eagles are doing is creating a three-player DT rotation that can dominate. 

On The Clock, 46th Overall...

Bengals and their pick... which is... WR Jerome Simpson. Wow. I can't believe how many top rated WRs are still on board. What matters though is that the Bengals are stocking up on WRs, which is important for them. Unfortunately, there's a chance that you won't see much production from him until his second or third year.

The Lions, With the 45th Pick Overall...

Are now in an excellent position to help this franchise. Get a QB. Please. 

Okay. So they select Jordan Dizon. Not a terrible pick, since he was a moderately rated linebacker. And I guess we still have to see from Drew Stanton. But somebody, please, take Brian Brohm. 

Bears On The Clock at 44th Overall

And they select....

Let me say right now, if this pick isn't a QB, I'm going to lose all faith in this organization. 

And it's RB Matt Forte. Huge boos at Radio City Music Hall. I think I heard quite a few Bear fans die. Basically what I'm saying is that Henne and Brohm were first round calibre players, whereas Forte is only valuable right where the Bears are picking. Don't get me wrong, the Bears need an RB and a QB, but the value of Henne or Brohm here is huge. 

Eagles Trade 43rd Overall to Minnesota

And the Vikings select... 

S Tyrell Johnson. 

When they traded this, I thought they were for sure going for a QB. They didn't. Look for this guy to not start next season, probably back up Darren Sharper for a year before stepping into the starting role. 

Broncos Take WR Eddie Royal 42nd Overall

In a move that puts all mock drafts to shame, we can see that WRs are all over the board in this draft. Broncos get a WR right here who they have time to bring along. 

Bills Take, 41rst Overall...

WR James Hardy.

This is a bit of a weird pick since Malcolm Kelly is still on the board and most people had the Bills taking him in the first round (early on in the mock process, before Kelly dropped due to workout concerns). Either way though, Hardy brings the red-zone threat the Bills need since he's 6'4 and hopefully proves to be a good complement opposite Lee Evans. Throw Roscoe Parrish in the slot, and Trent Edwards suddenly has quite a few weapons. 

Saints, 40th Overall, Select

Indiana CB Tracy Porter. 

One of the guys from the second tier of corners, he addresses a need, but I really need to think that something is going to happen at that position for the Saints. At the moment they have Mike McKenzie, Jason David, Randall Gay, Aaron Glenn, Usama Young, and now Tracy Porter under contract. That's quite a few corners to be carrying and someone might get cut. 

Also, this pick probably means that the Saints will not be trading for Shockey. 

49ers at 39th Overall Select...

G Chilo Rachel.

Okay. At this point I'm slightly suspicious about how many O-linemen have been selected. No way are all these guys are going to be successful, and somebody is reaching. Anyways, what counts is that the 49ers are adding another lineman to compete for a spot. They have a lot of young guys at the position who could be great, but just need to be pushed. This pick goes a long way towards doing that. 

Ravens Trade Out of 38th Overall to Seahawks

And the Seahawks take TE John Carlson. I like this guy a lot. He does a whole lot of different things, blocking, catching, you name it. He's not particularily fast, but he's an old-school TE who fell mostly because Notre Dame was a terrible football team last season. Hopefully, he'll solve Seattle's perennial TE woes. Also, with the Ravens trading down so frequently, it looks like a lot of the legacy of this draft will be determined by Joe Flacco. So, in other words, I think they're in trouble. 

Falcons, With 37th Overall Pick...

Take Curtis Lofton, LB. Mike Smith is great with this position and probably knows what he's doing. It's surprising to see him pass on Dan Connor though. 

The Falcons are sitting here, and Brian Brohm is still on the board. Is Matt Ryan really THAT much better than Brohm? Not in my opinion. Could the Falcons have taken someone like Glenn Dorsey with their first rounder and have a much improved defense already? Probably. Anyways, even if I disagree you have to assume that the Falcons knew what they were doing... I think they might be secretly kicking themselves right now though. 

Green Bay Select With 36th Overall...

WR Jordy Nelson.

He's only been playing WR for three years, but had a great Senior Bowl. He also has some value with punt return. They're clearly preparing for the departure of Donald Driver, since they already have Greg Jennings, James Jones, Ruvell Martin, and Koren Robinson. 

Kansas City, at 35th Overall...

Take CB Brandon Flowers. 

Okay, so that Jared Allen trade wasn't maybe as bad as I thought. The Chiefs have had a superb draft so far, now getting a CB who might start opposite Patrick Surtain. 

Redskins, With 34th Overall...

Select WR Devin Thomas.

This was a pretty good call. Although there are concerns about whether he is a one-season wonder, Jason Campbell could do with some playmakers of Thomas' ability. He's shifty, and has the ability to evade tackles like an RB once he has the ball in his hands. Look for him possibly playing in the slot next season. 

Rams, With 33rd Overall...

Take WR Donnie Avery. 

So a relative no-name becomes the first WR off the board. It's a position of need, since they lost Isaac Bruce, but it might be a reach compared to some of the prospects from more prominent schools. 

Dolphins, With 32nd Overall...

Select DE Philip Merling. Projected as a mid-first round guy, the Dolphins get excellent value for the pick and also a guy who can play DE in the 3-4. since he's just big enough.

I remain shocked at just how far Brian Brohm and Chad Henne are slipping. They would have been great picks here, but I guess the Dolphins are standing pat with Josh McCown. 

New York Giants Pick 31rst Overall

And they select S Kenny Phillips. And that marks the 13th year in a row that someone from Miami has been selected in the first round, and also the first time in a long while that a WR was not selected in the first round. 

Anyways, this is a solid pick. They bring in a vet like Sammy Knight to teach him some tricks before he retires and with the pick they replace Gibril Wilson. 

Jets Trade to 30th, Give up 2nd and 4th Rounders to Packers

And they draft TE Dustin Keller. I tell you, I don't get this pick. He's a big WR with good speed and nice hands, but who doesn't block. But why not draft a QB. Brian Brohm is still on the board and could be your next QB. Are you trusting Kellen Clemens or Pennington to throw to this new TE? WHAT IS GOING ON!

The 49ers, at 29th Overall, Select...

DT Kentwan Balmer.

Although I like this pick based on the fact that DT is a position of need for them, what you have to consider is that Balmer is 6'1 and 302 pounds. He is not a big enough guy to play 3-4 DT. They could play him as a very powerful end, which is an idea, but for the 49ers to be effective, and especially for them to coax good play out of that MLB of theirs (Patrick Willis) they need a nose tackle. 

Seahawks, at 28th Overall, Select...

DE Lawrence Jackson

The Seahawks, for moving back to the 28th with the Cowboys, got their 5th and 7th rounder. 

This pick really surprises me. What cost the Seahawks most last season, especially in the playoffs, was their inability to really stop the run. You don't hear a whole lot about it because they aren't as bad as a lot of teams, but the Seahawks are trying to become one of the better teams in the NFL, and they need run-stuffing ability to do that. They should have taken DT Kentwan Balmer. Pass-rush is a great thing, but stopping the run is important too. 

Chargers at 27th Overall Select...

CB Antoine Cason. This is a pretty decent pick for the Chargers because it gives them lots of depth at CB which they needed after losing Drayton Florence. He'll develop and also make sure Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer keep on trying. It's a bit of a surprise that they didn't trade out of this pick, but you have to assume the Chargers got their man. 

Eagles Trade 4th Rounder for Miami RB Lorenzo Booker

Seattle continues to stockpile RBs and have found a nice, quick RB with good hands who could function as a 3rd down guy in Seattle. 4th round is good value, nice trade. 

Houston Texans, at 26th Overall, Select...

T Duane Brown. This guy is a bit of a sleeper, but I'm hearing from Mike Mayock that this was the guy they wanted, so trust Kubiak. It addresses a position of need and might give them that presence at LT that they've been missing. I'll try to get you what the Cowboys gave up for the Seahawks' pick. 

Dallas Cowboys Trade Up to 25th from Seahawks

And they select CB Mike Jenkins. This was an excellent pick. They lack good coverage safeties and so need excellent corners to be good against the pass, and Jenkins goes a long way towards getting them that single man shutdown CB that they need. 

Titans Take, at 24th, RB Chris Johnson

This is a REALLY weird pick. First of all, they already have LenDale White and Chris Henry. Secondly, there are a huge number of talented corners on the board, Mike Jenkins especially. He has a whole lot of value in the return game, and so this could go a while in explaining the pick since the Titans have had trouble with kick and punt return since Pacman Jones' suspension. 

What you have to look at is how they lost both Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy on defense, as well as Jacob Bell along the O-line. They are also facing possible contract problems with DT Haynesworth. Along with WR (which it's too early for), these were the positions of need for the Titans. Not using the draft pick on any of these positions is, in my opinion, a bit of a waste.

Steelers, at 23rd Overall, Select RB Rashard Mendenhall

This was a weird pick. A lack of O-linemen left on the board had them probably taking WR. And then they go and take an RB. This might turn out to be a great pick, since it could indicate that Willie Parker is having trouble coming back from his broken leg and will need some help carrying the load, but it also means that the Steelers will have to address O-line in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. 

Cowboys, with 22nd Overall, Draft RB Felix Jones

A bit of a weird pick here. A lot of people saw this coming, and that's fine with me, but what troubles me is that a lot of people don't think he's a 3-down back. That's fine from a play perspective, since they'll team him with Marion Barber, but from a contract perspective, paying a situational player first round money could be a nightmare. Anyways, the Cowboys still need to address their secondary to be in really good defensive shape. 

A Few Observations...

As a side note, the Falcons gave up two Second Round Picks and a 4th Round pick to get the 21rst, but the Redskins had to give up their 3rd and 5th round choices. 

What's important here is first of all, how ridiculous mock drafts are. I stated at the beginning that I would not cover them, and if you look at how many trades have happened up until now, it really shows how useless they are. 

Secondly, for such a talented RB draft, we've really only seen a run on Linemen so far. This might mean that some people get very talented RBs in the late rounds. CBs as well. 

Falcons Trade Into 21rst Overall and Select....

T Sam Baker. 

They got the pick from Washington. 

This is going to take a few people by surprise. The Falcons needed to protect their new QB, which makes sense, but if they were aiming for T... one would think that they would have traded up a little bit earlier, before the run on O-linemen started. What counts is that Baker is a very talented guy who played at USC, and the only reason you might not have heard about him were recent injuries derailed his senior season. That's a bit of a tough thing, because you don't want to draft an injured guy. Nonetheless, the Falcons have taken that risk. What's surprising about their draft so far is that they've avoided the D-line, which I thought would be a huge priority for Head Coach Mike Smith. 

Tampa Bay Selects CB Aqib Talib at 20th Overall

This is going to hugely delay the run on RBs and leaves Dallas with a huge opportunity to get a great one. 

What counts though is that this is a bit of a gamble, admittedly his character problems are only marijuana-related, since he could get character-related suspensions. 

This is a great position pick for Tampa Bay though. He is going to be a great playmaker just like Ronde Barber and will hopefully immediately replace the departed Brian Kelly. 

Carolina Trades Up

So Carolina has traded up to get Philly's 19th overall pick and takes T Jeff Otah. This was a bit of a curveball, because I think Carolina has done plenty this season to fix their O-line. Nonetheless, it looks like they really want to get the running game going and protect their QB, so I would project Otah is going to originally start inside at LG. He's probably going to stay there, since I don't see him unseating either Travelle Wharton or Jordan Gross anytime soon. 

Whoa. Compensation is for Philly's pick is Carolina's 2nd round draft pick, their 4th round pick, and their 1rst rounder in 2009. I do not really think that Otah is worth that at all. The potential for him to be less than a superstar player is too great, and when you give up two first rounders (the one used to draft him and 2009's first rounder) to get him that's what you absolutely expect. Philly came up on the top end of this deal. 

Ravens Trade Up

They did what I thought they might and traded back up to the 18th overall to take a QB. 

And my goodness. Okay. This is my prediction. The Ravens have continued their search for mediocrity at the QB level by taking Joe Flacco. Let's go over this.

The Ravens are currently saddled with a past 'QB of the Future' who was drafted because of his huge arm. The Ravens now have a current 'QB of the Future' who was drafted because of his big arm.

The largest hit against Joe Flacco is that be played at a small school, Delaware. The reason? Because the couldn't unseat Tyler Palko for the starting job. Palko is now a third string QB for New Orleans. If he couldn't unseat that guy, why is he now a 1rst round pick? 

The biggest reason I think this is a ridiculous trade? Brian Brohm is still on the board. Brohm, consensus number one selection at the beginning of the season, is now in relative free fall. Mark my words, Brohm will have a better pro career than Flacco and the Ravens will regret this. 

Detroit Lions, at 17th Overall...

Select T Gosder Cherilus. This was an EXCELLENT move by Matt Millen. They're going away from skill players and finally taking the players that get it done behind the scenes, so to speak. Although I'm surprised that there's no RB with this pick, I think they're smart to stick with Tatum Bell. Good call right here. Hopefully they get value with their 3rd round choices and start rebuilding this sorry franchise. 

Arizona, at 16th Overall...

Takes Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie. This is a solid move. A lot of people were talking about them maybe taking Mendenhall, but that pick doesn't make sense to me since Arizona needs to improve their line to get a better running game, not a new RB. Cromartie will help their defense, and with Roderick Hood and Eric Green stands a chance to start but might be slot CB for his first year. He has a huge amount of upside since he has all the physical traits you want, but only has small-school training. This pick could really influence the fortunes of Arizona's defense for years to come. Offense still needs help though. 

Lions Trade Down!!!

Oh man. Kansas City just traded up to get the Lions' pick. I'll go over compensation in a minute. 

A lot of people were saying that the number of picks Kansas City got as a result of the Jared Allen trade gave them the keys to this draft, and this trade showcases why. 

This could be the first shrewd move we've seen from Matt Millen since his playing days. I don't want to give him too much credit yet, since he has a reputation for throwing picks away at terrible players, but he got a 3rd and 5th round pick out of this.. which is nice. 

And the Chiefs pick, 15th overall, take G Branden Albert. So this addresses the two biggest needs that they had going into the draft. Albert will hopefully replace Will Shields and the Chiefs can start to get Larry Johnson's running game back on track. They still need DEs, and probably Tackles, but building from the inside out on both O and D-lines is not a bad policy. Two high draft picks means two big contracts though, and a lack of success in this draft will cripple this organization for years to come. 

Bears Take, With 14th Overall Pick...

Bears take Chris Williams. This is shocking quite a few mock drafters since Branden Albert is projected as a better O-lineman. Anyways, what counts is that this guy is a true tackle and will hopefully slot in somewhere along the line, probably at RT. The Bears have too many needs on offense, so don't be disappointed that they didn't take an RB, WR, or QB, and they are perhaps right in starting with the lines and then building out from there. This isn't a sign of confidence in Cedric Benson, I think it's just the Bears choosing a position where they have no players (RT) compared to a position where they possibly have a player (RB). What's important though is that this delayed the run on RBs slightly, and if the Lions avoid taking one it could change the whole draft. 

At 13th Overall, Panthers Take RB Stewart

And here's what is perhaps one of the first curveballs, Panthers taking RB Johnathan Stewart. Him and Deangelo Williams are probably going to work together in the backfield, but you can't imagine that Williams is happy about this choice. 

One of the weirder things here is Stewart going above Mendenhall. It's a stroke of luck for the Bears and possibly the Lions. Stewart had the turf toe injury concerns, but the Panthers clearly don't think that's a big deal. 

A lot of people thought that the Panthers were going to take a lineman, but instead they're jumping ahead of several teams that need RBs (Bears, Lions, Cardinals, Chiefs, Texans...). This is rough news for some of them, since although this is a deep RB draft, some of those teams might end up slightly reaching. What's important is that the RBs might not reach the Cowboys, who were in a market for one. Although they also need CBs, who are falling like crazy, what they might do with those picks (trade up, trade down) is going to be interesting. 

Denver Broncos Take Ryan Clady

He's more of a project than Jake Long, but has the athletic skills to get good so long as he gets the right coaching.. and he's going to get that coaching in Denver. This is an excellent pick for them since he's going to replace Matt Lepsis, although he may just start at RT. What you have to remember about this guy is that he came to university as a D-lineman, so he's new to the position. You'll see a marked improvement after just a few years in the NFL. 

Buffalo Bills Pick 11th Overall

And here we go!

Bills take CB Leodis McKelvin and add to both their secondary and already formidable special teams. This guy needs to step up and be a starter opposite Terrence McGee. He's a fairly safe pick since although he's a small school guy, the Bills primarily play man-to-man coverage and that's what McKelvin knows best. 

Denver, Carolina, and Indy are all not in the market for CBs, so don't expect this to set off a run on CBs. You might see a couple teams getting very lucky and snagging first round cornerbacks in the second round, so long as the second tier QBs go late in the first (probably starting with Baltimore.) 

Patriots Take LB Jerod Mayo

Wow. This pick just floors me. This is mostly because I think they could have moved back by quite a bit and still snagged him. LB was a definite position of need, and so you can't fault them there, but what's important here is that Mayo was not really projected at a top 10 pick. He comes from Tennesee, and so has experience playing at a high level, and Pats do good scouting. But you have to know that this pick comes at the expense of another and you have to now question what the Pats are going to do to address issues in their secondary. 

Patriots On the Clock at 10th Overall

The Patriots could do a few things here. The run on CBs got postponed by quite a bit, and so if they waited and traded down they could still get a good one. At the same time, they have an opportunity here to get the CB of their choice, and they do need a starter, so that is tempting as well.

The other possibility is getting a O-line player. A tackle or guard could have quite a few opportunities to start somewhere along their line since the only real embedded starters are LT Matt Light and LG Logan Mankins. The next few teams, Denver, Carolina, Indianapolis, etc. could all be in the market for O-line players and the Patriots could start the run on them with this draft pick. 

At 9th Overall, Bengals Take LB Keith Rivers

This is a good pick. Although the Bengals were going to take a D-line player, they were smart in not reaching for one like Jacksonville. They also had needs in their LB group, especially considering that they're transferring to a 3-4, and Rivers is a solid pick here. He should immediately start in the middle, possibly with Odell Thurman, to provide a solid LB group for years to come. 

Jacksonville and Baltimore Trade Picks, Jaguars Choose 8th Overall

Jaguars take DE Derrick Harvey. They gave up two 3rd round picks and a 4th round pick and got Baltimore runs away happy. Although the Ravens haven't been very good at getting productive 3rd round players in years past, the number of choices they have acquired with this trade makes the value overwhelming. What counts is that it lets them sit right around where Brian Brohm or Chad Henne might fall, and the 3rd round picks let them move up to get them if they have to. Good stuff. 

It's looking like the big story of this draft is the early run on D-line. When neither Dorsey or Gholston fell out of the top 6, it was fairly inevitable that teams looking to get D-line prospects knew they would have to trade up. The consequence of this is that it means a lot of guys, especially CBs, are falling very quickly. 

I don't think anybody could of predicted that Derrick Harvey could go this high, and frankly it's a consequence of everyone knowing that the Bengals were going to take the best D-lineman left on the board. At the same time, Harvey at this pick is a bit of a reach since won't be very good against the run. You don't get a situational guy in the top 10, and I think desperation may have cost the Jaguars quite a bit in the long run. 

Patriots Trade 7th Overall Pick to New Orleans Saints

With the 7th pick, the Saints take DT Sedrick Ellis. The Saints had to give up their third round choice, leaving the door open for them to still trade for Shockey with their 2nd. In return, the Saints also get the Patriots' 5th round choice. In all, a pretty fair trade.

Ellis isn't, by himself, a dynamic pass rusher. What he's going to bring to the Saints is very quiet trench performance. Why this pick worries me is because Ellis is going to be better at reducing pressure on DEs Will Smith and Charles Grant than he will be at getting sacks himself. As a top pick however, he'll be expected to perform statistically and might not. He'll have to deal with a lot of media heat. 

What counts about this is that the Bengals just got royally messed up. They wanted to address the D-line, but none of the top prospects have fallen to them and both Jacksonville and New Orleans traded up to steal the secondary prospects. It'll be interesting to see what they choose. 

Patriots Trade

Jets Take DE/LB Vernon Gholston

This marks the first time in a long time that all 6 players invited to the draft went in the top 6 picks.

I think this was a good call, and it should be noted that one of his best games from last season came against Jake Long. Now they're playing each other twice a year. 

He's an excellent outside linebacker in the 3-4, and if Calvin Pace lives up to his contract you should be seeing a much improved Jets pass rush next season. This is another good call. 

Kansas City, at Fifth Overall...

Take Glenn Dorsey.

This was a good call. The Chiefs have needed help at DT for a very long time, and they're about to get it. I still think there's an off-chance that the Chiefs use their second 1rst round choice to take a DE instead of addressing the offense, so we could see a marked improvement in the Chiefs' defense by next season... nonetheless, this is a solid selection. 

Oakland Raiders Select RB Darren McFadden

I can't even explain how much I hate this pick. Talk again and again about him being a 'home run hitter' but quite frankly that's not what they need. They need a solid team before they can get luxuries like that in the first round. Raiders are now off the clock until round 4, so man is this not good news for Raider Nation. The fact of the matter is that the Raiders have Rhodes and Fargas at RB. These are both solid starters. Then they have the off-chance that Michael Bush has fully recovered from his leg injury. At the same time, they have massive holes at so many other positions (MLB if they play the 3-4, DT if they play the 4-3) that they really should have addressed. In the case of LB, they simply trade down and get a second round pick to FURTHER help this team. Bad, bad move Al Davis. 

And here we go. Glenn Dorsey is, at this point, falling although likely to be picked up by Kansas City. They'll have a tough choice between him and Vernon Gholston though. And there's the off-chance that they might go for a complete curveball (Miami and Ted Ginn Jr. for example). This is where the draft gets crazy. 

Free Agency Update

Raiders sign veteran CB Duane Starks.

Patriots sign TE Marcus Pollard, P Scott Player, and Defensive Lineman Kenny Smith. Smith is going to be a backup, and Player will compete with Hanson is training camp, maybe get cut, but what's interesting is the signing of Marcus Pollard. It indicates to be that maybe Ben Watson, who suffered a knee injury last season, isn't going to be back 100%. Pollard is still too good to be a pure backup, and will be competing for a starting spot. Not a good sign. 

Falcons Take QB Matt Ryan

I think this choice is going to be a huge mistake. They don't really have much of an O-line, lack a receiving TE, don't have a spectacular WR group.... You choose a guy here who can help out immediately, at a position like DT, and get a QB who you can develop, or get a QB when your team is able to provide a more stable defense and better offensive tools. I'm not saying Matt Ryan won't be a great player, although it's only about 50/50, but I do think that if they had waited a year or two until their team really started to get going they would have to spend less time developing a QB overall. 

St. Louis Rams, Second Overall, Pick...

Defensive End Chris Long.

Solid pick here. In my opinion, DT La'Roi Glover has more left in the tank than DE Leonard Little, and so it makes sense to either pick up a DT later this draft and develop him, or one next year. I'd project that Long will immediately replace James Hall on the line. Rams defense just got a whole lot better, as this pass rush will make CBs Brown and Hill better. It'll also help S Atogwe get some more INTs next season. Seahawks are still the team to beat in the NFC West though. 

Roger Goodell Approaches Podium

He gets booed. Not a good sign, but he's messed up some, so I understand. 

No boos when he mentions that the draft is shorter. 

MY GOODNESS! The Dolphins took Jake Long with their first overall pick. What a shocker. A lot of people are projecting Long as a good RT, which is weird to me since if he does end up playing RT you really have to question who the Dolphins will start on the other side. Vernon Carey? You'd have to think he's the best player for the position. 

Let's see if the Rams trade down. Right now, my gut says no. 

Deion Sanders Introducing Rookies

Jake Long just got booed and waved awkwardly. Not enough Miami fans here, clearly. 

Dolphins Give Up 4th Rounder for TE Fasano and MLB Ayodele

This is a clear victory for the Dolphins. With little in the way of a starting TE, Anthony Fasano is a solid acquisition. You throw in Akin Ayodele, who could start right beside Channing Crowder in the 3-4, and you just got two starters for a 4th round draft pick. Zach Thomas' arrival in Dallas made Ayodele expendable, and Fasano wasn't a good fit in Offensive Co-ordinator Jason Garrett's scheme, however the Cowboys really lost out here. Ayodele still had some years left and will now play them in Miami. You're replacing him with an older player, which is basically an admission that you're making a Super Bowl run, and then getting worse. Parcells did a good job here, Jerry Jones... less so.

Several Awkward Moments at Radio City Music Hall Already

NFL Network has Brian Billick, former Ravens coach, as a commentator throughout this process. He was recently talking about why they allowed Brady Quinn to slip and not trade up for him by saying that he doesn't think Ozzie Newsome (Ravens GM) would something like. He then explained that he didn't think Newsome would fire him either. Awkward chuckles followed

Marshall Faulk also called Roger Goodell 'commish.' Upon explaining this comment by saying "we're tight like that" Goodell responded with "that's correct." Nice.

The NFL Network team is actually doing a great job here. They asked Goodell that if all the player salaries are coming out of the same pot, why would the union be opposed to capping them, since big rookie contracts cost veterans money. Goodell didn't really have a good answer for that, which either indicates that nobody's talking about this (which they should), or there's something else going on. Generic stuff on how the time between draft picks have been shortened followed.

Dewayne Robertson Traded to Broncos

It had to happen. Mangini ran a solid 4-3 defense in his first season as head coach, and was really let down in the playoffs by his lack of playmakers on offense. They went out, got Thomas Jones, still needed to address the WR position, and then inexplicably they switched to full time 3-4. In the process they basically lost MLB Jonathan Vilma and DT Dewayne Robertson (who had had his best career year the year before they switched to the 3-4). So this season saw the Jets ship them away for conditional mid-round picks (Denver gives up a conditional mid-round pick in 2009). If he fails his playing time requirements due to possible knee injury concerns, Denver loses nothing. I cannot believe how hard the Jets got shafted by this trade. Denver, of course, stands everything to gain, possibly (providing Marcus Thomas turns into a playmaker and stays away from drugs)  solidifying their D-line. I really took it to Denver for not fixing their D-line this season, and this is a good step towards doing it. 

Live, Draft-Day Coverage from Coffin Corner

Yes folks, you heard it here first. We'll be bringing you a few stories (Dewayne Robertson trade, etc) and then bring you live coverage of every pick of the first three rounds. Luckily, I'll also be here for rounds 4-7, although all you sane people out there won't. Anyways, stick with us, we're in for an exciting morning. 

Pacman Jones Traded to Cowboys

In return, the Titans get the Cowboys' fourth round draft pick. They were holding out for more, but I think talk about extortion payments convinced them that Pacman was a sinking ship. A couple weeks ago, I would have thought this was a good trade. As it stands though, I don't see Jones getting reinstated this year at all. 

Matt Walsh Agreement Finally Goes Through

Basically, it's exactly what Walsh wanted. Legal protection from the NFL in return for what he knows. Now we're finally going to get the bottom of Spygate. 

Blockbuster Draft Trade: Jared Allen to the Vikings

Firstly, the obvious has to be said. This was one of the dumbest trades of all time. It ranks right up there with Dallas sending two first round picks to the Seahawks for Joey Galloway, except the opposite. In return for Allen, the Vikings give up their first round pick (16th overall), their two third round picks, and they swap 6th round picks with Chiefs. 

Let's look at it from the Chiefs' perspective. Jared Allen was the NFL sack leader last year, who has had consistent performance since his rookie season. He has never had injury concerns. He is also 26 years old. He was a huge supporter of Herm Edwards and a locker room leader. During his rookie season he had alcohol problems, for which he was treated, and has yet to re-offend. Many of his teammates have testified to his character change on his behalf. In return for this player, who could be the face of their D-line for 5 to 6 more seasons, the Chiefs get an additional 1rst round draft pick, two 3rd rounders, and move slightly up with their 6th round draft pick. About 30-40% of 1rst round draft picks fail to meet expectations, depending on position. Since they lose Allen, they need to replace him, so one of your first rounders immediately goes to the D-line. The other pick, who we have to assume will be an immediate starter so long as they pick right, will fix another hole... possibly QB. The two third rounders they gained will probably take 2-3 seasons to be good starters. Overall, you're looking at a scenario where they've hopefully fixed the franchise by 2011-2012. If they hadn't traded Jared Allen, he would be 29 or 30, probably still in his prime, but possibly on the decline. However, by 2013-2014, all those rookies they drafted will be at the end of their contracts. Do they sign them then? Or do they release them and rebuild again? 

What Minnesota gets is a proven player who can fix a position that they were going to have to address in the draft anyways, except instead of gambling on a rookie, they get a guy who will come in next season and maybe even have double digit sacks. They keep their 2nd round pick, possibly to address QB or maybe WR, and suddenly this team has a very good chance of going toe-to-toe with Green Bay and winning the NFC North. 

My main point is this. The trade could be a success for Kansas City if everything works according to plan. However, let's look at how they've done with their last first round draft picks. 2007: Dwayne Bowe. 2006: Tamba Hali. 2005: Derrick Johnson. 2004: No Pick. 2003: Larry Johnson. 2002: Ryan Sims. 2001: No Pick. 2000: Sylvester Morris. Although a lot of these picks look very good, one can't ignore the 2000 and 2001 picks that have basically amounted to busts. Also, further review of their drafting record shows not too much in the way of later round success. 

I think that this is an ideal trade in an ideal world. Unfortunately, the NFL isn't an ideal world, and there's as much to be said for free agency as there is for building through the draft. Despite all the bad press you hear about teams being wrong to build through free agency, there's nothing wrong with picking up good players that have been released by previous teams. When you think about it, they're just as likely to be concealing injuries as guys coming out of college, and they're also just as likely to become busts. The safest bet of all, however, is re-hiring guys on your own team. The fact of the matter is that Jared Allen wanted to resign with the Chiefs, and they really just dropped the ball. 

Out at the One: David Pollack

Marvin Lewis announced several days ago that David Pollack intends to retire after a short three years in the NFL. 

It's unfortunate that his best years came in college. 

It's unfortunate that he played in only 16 games over two years.

It's unfortunate that all he was able to do amounted to 29 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a pass deflection. 

And it all ended, September 17th, 2006, against the Bengals' in-state rival, the Cleveland Browns. 

But before all this, there was something else. There was the David Pollack who played so amazingly for Georgia. Over three years, he was a three time all-American and winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award, Lott Trophy, Lombardi Award, and Ted Hendricks Trophy (2003 and 2004). 

Let me bring you to a play. In 2002, Georgia played South Carolina. 14:07 left on the clock, 4th quarter. Georgia leads 3-0. In a key defensive series, Georgia has SC backed up on their own 6 yard-line. Wanting a big play to get some offensive momentum going, SC Quarterback Corey Jenkins is running four-receivers out of the shotgun, three stacked on the right. The snap is off, and Jenkins has it. His RB has taken three steps forward, ready to block. Right now the play is fluid, anything can happen. Left side receiver goes deep, on a fly route, but Jenkins is looking to his right. He rolls out of the pocket, looking for the open man. Two of the receivers have gone deep, but one has settled into a hole in the zone. He's facing Jenkins, waiting for the ball. 

Georgia is running a zone-coverage package, and Pollack is playing DE. At the snap, the line smashes hard to the right, and Pollack gets picked up by the SC Right Tackle. He slides off the block, running hard to get at Jenkins. The South Carolina Running Back attempts to block, but just bounces off him. While all that is happening, Jenkins sees his receiver. He stops, sets his feet winds up in his throwing motion.

And right then, Pollack and Jenkins' worlds collide. The pass is off, it's hurried, but for a second the cameras try to follow it. The stadium looks at the receiver, who has nothing in his hands. Suddenly, people notice the ball was knocked straight up. And Pollack came down with it. It was a 0-yard interception for a TD. 

Georgia won the game. But before it all settled into a commonly agreed on series of events, there was David Pollack, Corey Jenkins, and 20 other players, each trying to make a play. 

That play was one of many, but it may have made Pollack's career at Georgia. At the very least, it certainly stood out. It was a sad say in September when a very different play, a tackle of Browns RB Reuben Droughns, ended it. 

In the end, Pollack decided to retire because the risks of continuing to play were too great. He was lucky to stand back up again after that first neck fracture, and even fewer people stand back up after two. It was Pollack's decision to make, and I think he made the right one. He stands, however, like too many other players, as an example of young men whose careers were shortened by the harshness of the game. Good luck David, you will be missed. 

Draft Coverage

I thought I should link you guys to this excellent article on ESPN. Some of the patterns in there are fairly frightening, but most of them make sense. WRs as a gamble in the first round is a real no brainer.

That being said, everything in this article has to be taken with a grain of salt. There have been failures at basically every position. 

Seahawks Release RB Shaun Alexander

If this ends up being it for the guy, he'll get an out-at-the-one column. 

It was painfully obvious to anyone watching Alexander play this season that his time with the Seahawks was over. He was always a very quirky running back, with a highly unique, stutter-step style. I'd say him and Jamal Lewis have some of the most recognizable styles in the league. 

A lot of this has to do with his production. And I won't put the numbers here, suffice to say in most categories, Alexander has only done half of his numbers from the 2005 season over 2006-2007. 

A lot of this also has to do with what Alexander has been willing to do. He's not a good pass blocker, partially by choice, and doesn't really have excellent hands. He isn't always very physical, and really isn't very fast either. For some reason, something clicked in 2005. Steve Hutchinson really figured out how to play football, and FB Mack Strong was at the top of his game. Walter Jones was still in his prime, and Chris Spencer was just figuring out the C position. After this, Hutchinson left for Minnesota and Floyd Womack was shown to be hardly a great replacement. Neck injuries caught up with Strong, and his play declined. Most of all, until this season, the Seahawks really failed to get a proven O-line coach. 

Alexander was never one of those running backs who could carry a load. His performance was as much a result of the efforts of others than it was of his own. The last two seasons showed us exactly what that amounted to, and although somewhat respectable for a 30 year old player, it really wasn't enough. He could probably get a job as a contributor somewhere, and continue his career, but his tenure as a franchise back is over. 

Marvin Lewis Confirms Redskins' Trade Offer

So the Redskins offered their first round draft pick in this round and a conditional 3rd that could escalate to a first in the next draft if the Redskins and Bengals WR Chad Johnson (the object of their trade) reach certain performance levels. The Bengals have refused the offer.

Marvin Lewis got a lot of respect from me when he originally stood up to Johnson's trade demands by saying that if he wants to win playoff games he has to do it in Cincinnati. The guy signed a contract with the team and it is my opinion that he should have to play it out. It's tough to put a finger on the Redskins' trade though. Two first round draft picks would be nice, and would go a long way to helping the franchise if used right, but they should really only be accepted if the Bengals decide they are rebuilding, which is something they aren't prepared to do. If with Chad, they have a very capable passing attack. If Rudi Johnson bounces back, or they find a new starter at RB, their offense gets even better. Defensively, however, they need lots of help. Geathers is a good starter at DE, but they need some help at DT. If Odell is productive, and if Dhani Jones stays healthy, thats LB mostly taken care of. Dexter Jackson is a starter at S, but they need someone to play with him. CB is hopefully set with Deltha O'Neal, Leon Hall, and Jonathan Joseph. This team has potential, it just needs excellent coaching to get the most out of these players. 

The bottom line is this: letting Johnson leave town establishes this team as a loser. It is not good for the locker room and not good for the image of the team. Winning teams don't give in to player demands, they just don't resign them. If a losing team wants to be a winning team, it can't do that either.  

For the Second Time Since 1995...

The Cardinals are without a top-10 pick, as this story explains. When you combine all those supposed 'impact players' with the history of this franchise... it makes the draft seem like a lot less. What you have to remember is that Top-10 picks emphasize skill positions while ignoring others... frequently offensive line. Explaining why the Cardinals need to improve so much in that area. 

Bengals' MLB Odell Thurman to be Reinstated

A second round draft choice in 2005, and a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year, he's been suspended for the last two years for alcohol-related misdemeanors. He has been reinstated by commissioner Goodell and is cleared to play next season. This is pretty much one of the first things to go right for the Cincinnati defense in a long time. His presence won't immediately fix problems, as they're getting (so long as he stayed in shape) what is basically a physically talented rookie. With the loss of Landon Johnson in free agency, however, they need to avoid another season where they're forced to put Robert Geathers in at LB because they have so few healthy bodies at linebacker. If he can't stay out of trouble, then he'll simply be cut and that will be the end of that. 

Jake Long to be First Overall Pick

So the Dolphins have made Jake Long the first overall pick, and also the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. 

The Rams have been denied permission to begin negotiations with a player of their choice. 

First things first, the pick. In terms of needs, I don't think they could have done much worse. He's the kind of player who could finish his career with them after about 10 seasons, assuming he resigns at the end of his rookie contract. You would have had to be delusional if you thought they were going to take Matt Ryan. A defensive pick wouldn't have been out of the question, but difficult to justify since they'll probably have Jason Taylor still playing for them next season. 

The thing that stands out most about this pick is the contract. First of all, congrats to this front office for not paying as much as Oakland did. The contract they gave JaMarcus Russell was obscene, and they will yet regret it. The second thing, is this proves exactly what Bill Polian, GM of the Colts, has been talking about all offseason. Rookie contracts are out of control. The fact that this guy makes more than Joe Thomas, already a proven Pro Bowler, is insane. Better yet, he gets paid way more Jason Peters, Matt Light, or even Chris Samuels. It's a very strong argument for the fact that rookie salaries need to be capped somehow. It really is getting out of control.

My final point would be how ridiculous it is that the Rams are being prevented from negotiating with a player of their choice. Now that Jake Long is under contract, they really should be allowed. It's a huge competitive advantage for the first overall pick to be able to get the rookie under contract in time for mini-camps, and it was Oakland's fault for not taking advantage of that with Russell. Barring the Rams from opening negotiations is nothing more than the NFL protecting its money since most normal people don't tune in for rounds 4-7. The draft is about restoring parity, not money, and giving the Dolphins an advantage like that is ridiculous. 

Mike Rucker Retires

I'll be honest, no out at the one column for him since his best playing days happened before I took a real interest in football, but he was always a solid player. A ceremony in Canton for him is probably not in the cards. He was a solid, but unspectacular player, a played a huge role in the founding of the Carolina franchise. As a Saints fan, I can't say I'll miss him. But he sure did play. 

The Pacman Report

As a general rule, I try to concern myself with football and not what these fine, and sometimes less than fine, young gentlemen get up to off the field. 

Right now though, I'd be willing to bet Pacman Jones never gets re-instated. Titans - Cowboys trade talks have stalled because the Cowboys don't want to trade away picks for a player that isn't even allowed to train at someone's facilities. Furthermore, there are now allegations that Pacman either extorted or paid extortion money to people involved in the Minxxx Strip Club shooting. The full details may never come out because this is no longer in court, as a result of Pacman's plea deal, and it may not be admissible evidence at the hearing of the Strip Club shooter (who was apprehended several days ago). Whatever money was paid, unless Pacman sues somebody over it, or it has relevance to whether or not a man by the name of Arvin Kenti Edwards shot a strip club bouncer in the spine, this is never going to see court and thus never going to get the media. 

I think Goodell just has to say case closed on this guy. He's not worth waiting for. 

Free Agency

First up, new signings.

Redskins got former Houston KR/WR Jerome Mathis. The guys comes with a few character issues, battery and stuff like that, so this isn't exactly a character signing... but if he acts out they'll just cut him. I thought Rock Cartwright did a great job doing kick returns last year, but I guess they just want an insurance policy. He's probably also decent as a 4th or 5th receiver due to his speed. 

Falcons signed DB Omare Lowe. Basically this a depth signing, possible training camp cut depending on what they draft. In terms of DBs, watch for Zbikowski out of Notre Dame to go late but do something special this year. I called it. 

Garrard got a huge extension. I don't know about this one. I know that they can't risk letting him go, so they really had no choice, but I would have looked at copying more Derek Anderson's contract rather than Tony Romo's. The reason for this is that I think Garrard was protected a lot of last season by Jacksonville's running game, and when Fred Taylor retires I think you might find out Garrard isn't as much of a playmaker as you might think. 

San Diego Chargers signed their starting SS Clinton Hart to a new deal. He's a hard worker and came up from Arena League Football rather than through college. His coverage skills need work though. 

Patriots signed Jets LB Victor Hobson. He's basically a passable starter. Belichick will find a way to use him I'm sure. And at 28, he's a lot younger than most of their LBs. He's an insurance policy in case Junior Seau retires. 

Saints signed CB Aaron Glenn. The Saints have been aggressive about pursuing free agent CBs, which is good because it's a hole they need to fill. The weird news is that you have to look at their current CB roster. They have Mike McKenzie (who is coming off an ACL injury), Jason David, Aaron Glenn, Usama Young, Randall Gay and possibly whoever they pick in the draft. Too much cap room to carry at the position in my opinion. Someone will get cut. 

Bengals signed WR Doug Gabriel. He was out of the league last year, but they really need some depth since if Johnson somehow holds out, all they have is Houshmanzadeh and Antonio Chatman. 

Vikings signed QB Gus Frerotte to be a backup. Good signing here. As we saw last season in St. Louis, he can be a passable starter. The Vikes' running game will be better, and their line will be too, although he'll have less in the way of targets. Anyways, what counts is that this is Tarvaris Jackson's chance at being a starter. If he fails this season, they'll throw in Frerotte and get a QB in the draft next year. Good stuff. 

Danny Baugher, a punter, got signed by the Broncos. It's to replace Sauerbrun, who they had to get rid of because of character issues. Baugher got drunk and punched his father and got arrested for it this year though, so watch that. 

Denver also signed WR Darrell Jackson. Another good hire here. With more consistent QB play, he should be able to put up a decent season. They need someone to start opposite Brandon Marshall, and it would be nice if they could keep Stokely in the slot where he's most effective.