ProFootballTalk.com -- The Best Pro Football Scoop on the Internet

The NFL Scouting Combine starts on Thursday in Indianapolis. On Friday, one of the prospects not invited to the doings at the RCA Dome will show what he can do, only 15 minutes away.

Working out at an indoor facility named "Sport of All Sorts" will be receiver James Banks, an Indianapolis native who started his college career as a quarterback at Tennessee. He switched to receiver, and then finished his career at Carson-Newman due to some off-field issues. As far as we can tell, Banks has behaved himself for a while now (which is more than Fabian Washington, Andre Hall, Jerome Mathis, and Roscoe Parrish can say).

Our pal Jason Whitlock described Banks as the "second-best quarterback prospect ever out of Indy, after Jeff George." And George himself is directly involved in Banks' efforts to land in the NFL.

"I have thrown to a lot of great ones and I think James has a lot of potential," George told PFT on Wednesday. The "great ones" to whom George has tossed the pointed rock include Randy Moss and Cris Carter in 1999 with the Vikings.

The workout begins at noon on Friday, and shuttle service will be available for any scouts that hope to check Banks out.

POSTED 7:36 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

STEELERS SET STAGE FOR COLLUSION CHARGE

The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone and done it.

According to John Clayton of ESPN.com, the Steelers have applied the transition tag to tackle Max Starks.

But the device doesn't give the team any type of compensation if he signs with another team. Instead, the Steelers have only a right of first refusal.

The right of first refusal can easily be overcome via a "poison pill" that makes the full amount of a tender offer guaranteed if, for example, Starks plays at least five games in any one season at Heinz Field. It's a valid device for prompting player movement, and the league and the union were unable to negotiate this twist out of the CBA after the Vikings' use of it to snag Steve Hutchinson from the Seahawks was upheld.

So if a team signs Starks to an offer sheet that doesn't include a poison pill, the NFL Players Association can (and arguably should) claim that the NFL franchises have implicitly agreed not to use the poison pill against each other.

Besides, why would the Steelers give Starks a one-year contract in the amount of $6.895 million that becomes fully guaranteed if/when he signs it when they could have secured compensation rights for only $555,000 more?

Meanwhile, the use of the transition tag on Starks means that guard Alan Faneca will hit the open market. Why not use the franchise tag or the transition tag on him?

All things considered, it was a very bad decision by the one of the otherwise best front offices in the league.

POSTED 7:09 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

WALSH TO TALK SOON?

The impasse between the NFL and the lawyer for former Pats employee Matt Walsh could be resolved soon.

"The lawyers are still talking and we're anxious to speak to him," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "We're anxious to get an agreement to get him to come forth. We hope to be able to talk to him shortly."

The issue has been whether and to what extent Walsh will be protected against potential civil liability to the Patriots, both for the taking of any property from the franchise or for what he might say about his activities now. The league has tried to hinge indemnity on "truthfulness" from Walsh, an amorphous concept that allows the NFL to leave Walsh exposed if the league merely disagrees with what Walsh says, even if he genuinely believes that he is telling the truth.

Walsh's lawyer, Michael Levy, has proposed a requirement that Walsh act in good faith when speaking about the situation. We believe that this a reasonable position; if the league or the Pats think that he is intentionally lying, and if they can prove it, then they can take the position that Walsh's words are tainted by bad faith.

As we've previously said, the Spygate II matter can't be resolved until Walsh talks, and shows whatever it is that he has.

Also, the AP story possibly contains a slip of the tongue regarding what it is that Walsh knows and/or what he will claim that he did. The AP item states plainly that Walsh taped the Rams' final walk-through practice prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. But there has been no statement from Walsh nor no report to this effect; the Boston Herald article from February 2 doesn't cite Walsh as the source, or as the person who supposedly taped the practice.

It could be that the author of the AP article was told on background that Walsh taped the practice -- and that the writer forgot that this specific contention has not yet been made.

Regardless, if Walsh will claim that he taped the practice, and if he has a tape, why does he need indemnity or any other protection? Won't the tape speak for itself?

Several members of PFT Planet believe that, if Walsh has compelling evidence of previously undisclosed cheating, the team will claim that he was acting alone. Others believe that Walsh might have been doing the bidding of "director of football research" Ernie Adams, the shadowy figure who serves as Bill Belichick's right-hand man.

POSTED 6:45 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

PACKERS BID FAREWELL TO FRANKS

Long-time Packers tight end Bubba Franks fell on the depth chart in 2007. Now, he's fallen off it altogether.

The Packers have released Franks, an eight-year veteran who was selected by the team in the first round of the 2000 draft.

Franks was due to receive a $500,000 roster bonus and a $3 million base salary. He was signed through 2011.

In 2007, Donald Lee became the full-time starter at the position.

POSTED 6:35 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

HAYNESWORTH TAGGED, TOO

We mentioned earlier in the evening that the Titans will soon apply the franchise tag to defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Actually, they already have.

Haynesworth gets the non-exclusive tag, with a one-year tender of $7.5 million.

Not bad for a guy who 16 months ago took his cleats to another man's face.

POSTED 6:31 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

COLTS SIGN CLARK TO SIX-YEAR DEAL

On Tuesday, the Colts applied the franchise tag to tight end Dallas Clark. On Wednesday, Indy replaced that tag with a six-year deal.

Terms are not yet available.

The deal presumably carries a 2008 cap number lower than the $4.55 million franchise tender that was extended to Clark. Otherwise, there would have been no reason to do the deal before the start of the 2008 league year.

POSTED 6:14 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

PACK TAGS WILLIAMS

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the Green Bay Packers have applied the franchise tag to defensive tackle Corey Williams.

Williams is the third player to be franchised on Wednesday. The deadline is 4:00 p.m. EST on Thursday.

The Titans are expected to slap the tag on defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, and the Patriots could do the same with receiver Randy Moss. By our count, 10 players already have been hit with the tag.

POSTED 5:57 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

JETS HIRE O'DEA TO COACH SPECIAL TEAMS

The New York Jets have announced that they have hired Kevin O'Dea to serve as the team's special teams coach.

He replaces Mike Westhoff, who resigned after the 2007 season for health reasons. Westoff had worked in that role since 2001.

O'Dea spent two years with the Bears as assistant special teams coach. Before that, he was the special teams coach in Arizona. He also has worked for the Chargers, Bucs, and Lions.

POSTED 5:50 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

TRUFANT GETS FRANCHISED

With the deadline for applying the franchise tag less than 24 hours away, more and more teams are using it.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Seahawks have applied the franchise tag to cornerback Marcus Trufant.

The placement of the tag on Trufant and Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha means that Pats cornerback Asante Samuel will be the biggest prize at the cornerback position when free agency opens on February 29.

POSTED 5:45 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

VIKES DUMP DWIGHT

The Minnesota Vikings have released safety Dwight Smith, according to Kevin Seifert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

"We were just going in a different direction," coach Brad Childress said. "I don't want to cast any aspersions."

Smith was signed by the Vikings prior to the 2006 season. An arrest for doing the lambada in a public stairwell got him benched for the season-opener against the Redskins. No such penalty was imposed against Smith after he was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession during the 2007 regular season.

Seifert also says that Smith had "occasional disagreements" with the coaching staff.

The Vikings will need to replace Smith through the draft or free agency. Given that the Vikings use the Tampa 2 system, safety position is more important than it would be in other systems.

Possible candidates include Gibril Wilson of the Giants and Ken Hamlin of the Cowboys.

POSTED 4:55 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

EXCLUSIVE TAG FOR ASOMUGHA

The Raiders didn't simply apply the franchise tag to cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. According to Adam Schefter of NFL Network, they've used the "exclusive" version of the tag, which prevents Asomugha from negotiating with any other teams.

As a result, the tender changes from the average of the five highest-paid cornerbacks based on 2007 cap numbers to the same average based on 2008 cap numbers.

This means that the one-year tender will be worth, at a minimum, $9.8 million. And if someone like Asante Samuel signs a contract with a big 2008 roster bonus in lieu of a big signing bonus, the number will nudge even higher.

The only player hit with the exclusive tag in 2007 was Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney. In 2004, the Raiders used the exclusive franchise tag on cornerback Charles Woodson.

POSTED 4:12 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

FABIAN GOT FRISKED

A day before one Raiders cornerback was handcuffed by the franchise tag, another one was fitted with a pair of actual handcuffs.

Fabian Washington has been arrested in Florida for domestic battery.

The first-round pick in the 2005 draft allegedly was involved in an argument with his girlfriend that turned physical. The arrest occurred on Tuesday night; he was released on bail on Wednesday.

POSTED 4:05 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

RAIDERS TAG ASOMUGHA (GESUNDHEIT)

The Oakland Raiders have applied their franchise tag to cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Asomugha will be tendered a one-year contract equal to the average of the five highest-paid cornerbacks in 2007.

A five-year veteran who attended the University of California, Asomugha is eligible to talk with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere and the Raiders opt not to exercise their right to match, the Raiders would be entitled to compensation in the amount of two first-round draft picks.

Asomugha was a first-round pick of the Raiders in the 2003 draft.

POSTED 12:35 p.m. EST, February 20, 2008

UPSHAW MEETING WITH AGENTS TO DISCUSS CBA

A league source tells us that NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw will, as he has done in the past, conduct a preliminary meeting with a small handful of certified agents in advance of Friday's full-blown session in Indianapolis with hundreds of them.

The purpose of the meeting is, we're told, to discuss the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The owners are expected to exercise their right later this year to cancel the agreement two years early. Under that scenario, 2010 would be an uncapped year. As a result, talks on an extension need to begin sooner rather than later.

But the perception is that Upshaw is meeting only with "yes men," who will agree with anything and everything Upshaw proposes.

If that's true, it's unfortunate. Upshaw should welcome dissenting voices, hear them out, and then make informed decisions about the positions he'll take. Hopefully, agents on Friday who hear things that give them concern will speak up in an effort to ensure that the union will try its best to keep labor peace well into the next decade, and hopefully beyond.

The players should have a meaningful role in this, too. We wonder whether they ever do.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

The Titans are interested in TE Alge Crumpler.

The Dolphins won't sing about Jason Taylor's decision to dance.

The lawyer for former Pats employee Matt Walsh has confirmed that Walsh has videotapes.

Giants G.M. Jerry Reese thinks that he'll be getting patted on the back in Indy.

The Ravens still hope to sign Terrell Suggs to a long-term deal.

The agent for LB Clark Haggans says that Haggans won't re-sign with the Steelers. (It's not surprising, since the agent also represents Haggans' backup.)

The Texans have released LB Shawn Barber, C Drew Hodgdon, TE Jeb Putzier, and C Mike Flanagan.

The Texans aren't expected to try to keep WR Jerome Mathis, who was arrested on Sunday for allegedly choking his pregnant girlfriend.

The Colts have signed LG Ryan Lilja to a long-term deal.

Here's a look at the various drills at the Scouting Combine. (For the scouts in attendance, the primary evening event is the Andy Reid wing-eating exercise.)

The Broncos are considering whether to bring in LB Zach Thomas.

Chiefs DE Jared Allen thinks that G.M. Carl Peterson has broken promises.

After the 2008 season, the Chargers are free to leave San Diego.

POSTED 10:51 a.m. EST, February 20, 2008

NEW TRADE CHART COMING?

We've mentioned a few times (or a few hundred) the draft trade chart put together in the 1990s by former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson.

For years, it has provided the formula for trades involving draft picks. But changes to the way that rookies are paid has made the chart less relevant, since it doesn't take into account the increased financial investment required at the higher positions on the board.

Recently, we asked one of our regular sources to take a stab at preparing a new trade chart that better reflects the reality that, for example, the gap between the value of the No. 1 overall pick and lower selections should be narrowed, given that the money paid to the first few selections continues to rise in a disproportionate manner.

Coincidentally, others are doing the same thing. Per a league source, the possibility of changing the chart was discussed among some league insiders last year, but no action was taken. The source says that, this year, several teams and a few agents are actively working on a new chart.

As the source explained, "The very large signing bonuses and backsides of these deals has really devalued them. People think it is only the top picks but it is really the whole round. If you moved say from nine to fifteen you would save enough money up front and through the course of the contract to afford an extra player. The reverse is also true. A team moving from fifteen to nine has to spend enough extra money that they are losing an extra player. The result of this is that it is so much harder for teams to move back."

And that's the broader point. By clinging to an outdated chart that doesn't take into account the financial ramifications of drafting in a higher position, trades are less likely to happen because the team inclined to move up has to give up too much to get there.

The deeper issue here is the fact that the ridiculous windfall paid to the first few players drafted no longer makes drafting one of the first few players a good thing for a bad team. As we've said before (and surely will say again), forcing the worst team from the prior season to spend $35 million guaranteed on a player who has never played a down in the NFL is not the best way to make that team better.

That's why the better approach would be to allow the team with the first overall pick to instead pick its position in round one, and for each team after that to do the same. As to some draft classes, the worst team might want to go first. In others, it might make sense to force the Super Bowl champion to use the first overall pick.

The other possibility is for the team with the first pick to pass. But that would likely cause all hell to break loose -- especially if the team with the second pick opted to pass as well. And the third. And so on.

Short of revamping the rookie salary structure (which hopefully will happen in the next CBA), a new trade chart might be the only way for trades to happen at the top of the round.

POSTED 10:08 a.m. EST, February 20, 2008

DOES THE COMBINE PROMOTE STEROIDS USE?

Ross Tucker of SI.com has put together an intriguing piece regarding the possibility that the pressures of the Scouting Combine and individual Pro Day workouts prompt some players to use steroids and/or HGH.

Tucker interviewed two unnamed, recently-retired players who admitted to using performance-enhancing substances while preparing for the lifting, running, jumping, etc. that goes along with the draft preparations.

Said one player, a former Division I-A star: "I hurt my shoulder during my senior season and realized that it would not be healed in time for me to train or perform to the best of my ability at the combine. I had worked too hard to let one injury negatively affect my dream. I injected HGH because a doctor I knew recommended it as the fastest way to heal from my soft-tissue injury."

Another player wasn't invited to the Scouting Combine, and thus wouldn't be subject to a drug test. So he used steroids to train for his Pro Day workout. "Taking steroids does not make you a better player, but it does enhance your ability to train. I just knew how hard it was to get legitimate attention being from a smaller school and realized I had to put up really good numbers," the player told Tucker.

It's not surprising. Guys who are that close to realizing their dreams are tempted to do whatever is necessary in order to finish the job. The fact that other guys are doing the same thing will only increase the temptation.

The problem, as Tucker points out, is a system that puts too much emphasis on how fast a guy can run in a straight line in a T-shirt and shorts, and how many times he can bench-press 225 pounds. Though some teams smartly realize that these measurables don't measure how a guy will perform once he is on the field with other NFL-caliber players, there are still many scouts who obsess over this data because ignoring the solid numbers of a guy who becomes a great player is a recipe for termination.

So while Tucker argues that the system should change, that's simply not realistic. The better approach would be to aggressively test all prospects for steroids and HGH.

Players also need to be tested for HGH as well. Though Tucker claims that only a small percentage of NFL players take steroids, the fact that there's no test for HGH suggests to a person of average intelligence (that leaves me out) and reasonable common sense (that too) that plenty of players are secretly using HGH in an effort to return to the field from injury before someone else takes their jobs.

POSTED 9:26 a.m. EST, February 20, 2008

PANTHERS WILL POKE AROUND MOOSE, ALGE

An old face and/or a new face could be heading to Carolina soon.

Panthers G.M. Marty Hurney told Steve Reed of CarolinaGrowl.com on Tuesday that the team will "look into" free-agents Muhsin Muhammad and Alge Crumpler.

Both were officially released on Tuesday. Muhammad, a receiver, played for the Panthers from 1996 through 2004. Crumpler, a tight end who might be better known as "Michael Vick's Crutch," has played against the Panthers twice per year as a member of the Falcons.

Crumpler is a North Carolina native, and played college football for the Tar Heels.

Even though free agency officially won't open until February 29, vested veterans who are released before that date instantly become unrestricted free agents.

POSTED 8:51 a.m. EST, February 20, 2008

ANDRE HALL ARRESTED

Well, the offseason is now officially on. How do we know? Because guys are getting arrested again at an every-other-day pace.

The latest guy to get busted is Broncos running back Andre Hall, who was arrested on Tuesday in Florida for violation of Section 322.34(2)(A) of the state's statutes. It's a misdemeanor charge for driving with a revoked, suspended, or canceled driver's license.

Hall was booked and released on Tuesday in Pinellas County.

It'll be three points for the Broncos in the new Turd Watch II standings, which we'll put together and post by the end of the week. So far, all of the points have been "earned" by AFC teams, with no incidents in the NFC.

POSTED 8:24 a.m. EST, February 20, 2008

ANDERSON CAVING ON CONTRACT LENGTH?

Browns G.M. Phil Savage claims that the team is close to striking a deal with quarterback Derek Anderson. And, apparently, Anderson is now willing to do a three-year deal only.

"Talks have been a little more frequent in recent days," Savage told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "It seems that the three-year deal is becoming more the focus. We've had pretty good dialogue and will continue over the [NFL scouting] combine."

Savage told WKYC: "I do feel like [an Anderson deal] is going to get done. I have reason to think it will get done. We'll continue to work on it, but I do think it will go down to the days before free agency."

The Browns presumably want to sign Anderson for only three years so that they'll be able to defer the ultimate decision in the Anderson vs. Brady Quinn dilemma for the long-term job. Also, because the guaranteed money necessarily will be lower on the three-year deal, the financial investment (and risk) will be lower in the event that Anderson plays differently as the clear-cut starter than he did as the post-Charlie Frye placeholder for Quinn.

It very well could be that the improvements to the team's offensive line, the presence of a rejuvenated Jamal Lewis, and the performance of receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow helped Anderson to overachieve -- and that Quinn could do just as well, if not better, if that role.

Still, it's somewhat surprising that Anderson would take a three-year deal. His other alternative is to hope for a trade or an offer sheet during the restricted free agency period. The worst-case scenario is to spend one more year in Cleveland, at $2.562 million, and then hit the open market in 2009 (or earn roughly four times this year's pay as the franchise player).

Then again, there's a chance that Savage is puffing as to the status of the situation, in the hopes of defraying blame in the event that an impasse is reached, Anderson is traded, and he turns into the next Dan Marino while Quinn becomes the next Dan McGwire. If Anderson is going to leave, it's far better for the Browns if the perception is that Anderson was being unreasonable.

NFL.COM HAS THE COMBINE COVERED

With the annual Scouting Combine opening this week, the folks at NFL.com will cover the thing like never before.

Click the ads on the main PFT pages (or click here) to check out the special section of the league's official web site, which includes among other things a list of all players attending, sortable by position and school.

Players who declined the invitation to attend the Scouting Combine are receiver Mikey Henderson of Georgia and defensive end Kirston Pittman of LSU. All of the top candidates will be there, but it remains to be seen whether and to what extent the Darren McFadden's of the world will participate in the workouts.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT CFT

Though the letter-of-intent day has come and gone, Michael David Smith of AOL and FOXSports.com and PFT and FootballOutsiders.com and the New York Sun and WorkaholicsAnonymous.com (he was too busy to attend our most recent meeting) is still keeping CollegeFootballTalk.com current with all sorts of good stuff about the NCAA version of the greatest game ever invented.

Most recently, MDS has posted a blurb about more Rich Rodriguez recruits in Morgantown who are allegedly posing a safety threat to Morgantown residents.

MDS also takes a look at a recent ugly incident involving still-uncommitted quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

POSTED 9:18 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

A CLOSER LOOK AT MATT WALSH

While the NFL world still waits for something to happen regarding the indemnity impasse between the league and the attorney for former Pats employee Matt Walsh, more and more of our readers and friends have been tracking down information about Walsh.

A couple of them found this slideshow from Walsh's 2004 wedding. Two of the photos caught our eye.

In the first one, Walsh is in what appears to be his bedroom, with a collection of Super Bowl posters. The irony is obvious, given that many in the media believe that he was/is the source for the story that appeared in the Boston Herald regarding alleged cheating by the Patriots in connection with Super Bowl XXXVI. Here it is:

The other photo, shot in the same room, shows a bunch of official NFL footballs that Walsh likely didn't buy off the shelf at a local sporting goods store. And unless the Pats routinely give multiple footballs away to low-level employees, videotapes might not be the only thing he "borrowed" from the franchise when he left:

Also, as to the 31-year-old Walsh's claim that he played golf at Springfield (Mass.) College, this link to the historical rosters of the team contains no one named Matt Walsh in 1997, 1998, 1999, or 2000. It's possible that he played in 1995 or 1996; those records aren't available on the page linked above.

Does any of this have anything to do with whether he knows something incriminating? Nope. But to the extent he isn't able to tell a clear and persuasive story, any evidence of embellishment or outright fabrication will hurt him.

POSTED 8:34 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

PANTHERS, COLTS, 'SKINS NEEDS TO TRIM CAP SPACE

Not long ago, the days before the start of a new league year required many teams to find ways to trim cap space in order to get under the per-team spending limit.

This year, there are only three that currently are over the expected limit of $116 million.

The Colts are at $125 million, the Redskins are at $123 million, and the Panthers are at $120 million.

On the other side of the coin, the Titans are at $79.4 million, giving them more than $36 million in cap room. The Dolphins have $31 million in cap room, at $85 million. And the Niners are at $86.7 million, leaving them with nearly $30 million in cap room.

The full list is right here.

TRUE FOOTBALL FANS WON'T READ THIS POST

We realize, reluctantly, that football isn't the only sport played in the universe. And we also realize, reluctantly, that some of our business partners have business interests tied to one or more of those other sports.

With these realities in mind, we offer those of you who don't spend every free moment following the NFL an opportunity to enhance your preparations for fantasy baseball leagues by getting your mitts on the RotoWorld Baseball Draft Guide.

Click here to buy it. And click only here to buy it. (Otherwise, we won't be able to persuade RotoWorld that we can put asses in the seats.)

POSTED 8:04 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

COLTS FRANCHISE CLARK

A year after using the franchise tag to hold defensive end Dwight Freeney in place, the Colts have applied the tag to tight end Dallas Clark, according to John Clayton of ESPN.com.

Clark receives a one-year tender in the amount of $4.522 million.

Talks are expected to continue on a long-term deal.

To date, six players have been limited with the franchise tag. Several more could also be slapped with the restriction, including Pats receiver Randy Moss, Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant, and Packers defensive tackle Corey Williams.

Last year, the franchise tag was applied to seven players.

POSTED 4:33 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

PFT HEROES 2007: THE OZZIE NEWSOME AWARD

We've got a few more of these non-trophy trophies to hand out, and we're getting into the glamour positions: tight end, receiver, running back, quarterback.

Today's award is at the tight end position, and the PFT Heroes prize will be named for Ozzie Newsome.

Click here to find out who won it.

POSTED 3:51 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

49ERS CUT DEREK SMITH by Michael David Smith

The San Francisco 49ers announced today that they cut 11-year veteran linebacker Derek Smith.

"Decisions like this are a difficult part of a great business," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "Derek has been an important member of the 49ers, and you don't make these kinds of decisions without battling the emotion that is natural when you are dealing with a player that has done so much for your organization."

The 33-year-old Smith started 14 games for the 49ers in 2007, but as the season went on it became clear that the team would build its defense around younger players, especially Rookie of the Year Patrick Willis. Nolan said that youth movement was the primary reason for today's move.

"We made the decision because we have quality linebackers who we think are the future of the 49ers," Nolan said. "Derek was a model professional during his seven seasons with the 49ers, and he influenced a lot of the younger players with his work ethic."

Although Smith, who had one season left on his contract, had said he would have preferred to play out the duration of his deal, he indicated at the end of the 2007 season that he knew he could get cut and added, "It's a business, pure and simple."

POSTED 2:55 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

KEYSHAWN WILL DECIDE ON FUTURE SOON by Michael David Smith

Keyshawn Johnson says he will decide in the next few days whether to return to the NFL.

Johnson, the former Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys and Panthers wide receiver, apparently has an offer on the table from the Miami Dolphins. If he takes the offer, it will reunite him with Bill Parcells, his coach in New York and Dallas who is now the Dolphins' vice president of football operations.

"I like challenges," Johnson told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports. "The challenge of helping to turn a team around, to help get it to the next level, that gets my competitive fires burning. I have the itch, and right now I'm trying to decide how strong that itch is."

Johnson currently works as an ESPN analyst, and although his salary hasn't been reported, Silver reports that Johnson's TV deal is "lucrative." Returning to the NFL might even require taking a pay cut.

But if Johnson is itching to compete, the TV studio is the wrong place for him. And while the 35-year-old Johnson is unlikely to ever return to the Pro Bowl form of his prime, if he could play as well as he did in 2006 (when he caught 70 passes for 815 yards), he'd be the Dolphins' best receiver.

POSTED 1:54 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

STEELERS RE-SIGN KIRSCHKE by Michael David Smith

The Pittsburgh Steelers and defensive lineman Travis Kirschke have reached an agreement on a two-year contract, the team announced on its web site.

Kirschke was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month. An 11-year veteran, Kirschke has played the last four years with the Steelers. Prior to that he played one season with the San Francisco 49ers and six with the Detroit Lions. Kirschke played all 16 games for the Steelers last year and started four when Aaron Smith was injured.

John Clayton of ESPN.com reports that it's a two-year, $2.28 million contract that includes a $300,000 signing bonus.

The Steelers have nine players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents; Kirschke is the first to work out a new deal.

POSTED 12:53 p.m. EST, February 19, 2008

RAVENS, SUGGS DISAGREE ON HIS POSITION by Michael David Smith

The Baltimore Ravens have placed the franchise tag on Terrell Suggs, but before the value of his one-year tender offer can be determined, everyone will need to agree on which position he plays.

As John Clayton of ESPN.com reports, that's not as easy as it might sound. The Ravens gave Suggs the $8.065 million tender offer of a linebacker, but Suggs says he played more snaps last year at defensive end, which would require an $8.879 million tender offer.

The franchise tender is equal to the average of the salaries of the five highest-paid players at a given position in the previous year, and the highest-paid defensive ends made about 10 percent more than the highest-paid linebackers in 2007.

If Suggs can demonstrate that he's really a defensive end and not a linebacker, he could be in for a raise of $814,000 if he ends up signing the franchise tender for the 2008 season.

But at this point, it doesn't appear that it will make much of a difference. Both Suggs and the Ravens say they expect to work out an agreement on a long-term contract extension that will make the franchise tag moot. Of course, if Suggs thinks the Ravens have begun free agency by trying to stiff him out of $814,000 he's entitled to, it could make those negotiations a bit more acrimonious.

POSTED 11:08 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

SUGGS PLANS TO STAY IN BALTIMORE by Michael David Smith

Although his contract expires at the end of the month, Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs says he knows he'll get the franchise tag, and that he has no plans to leave Baltimore.

Suggs tells Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun that Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome told him he'll get the franchise tag today, and that he's OK with that as long as it leads to a long-term extension with the team.

"I talked to Ozzie earlier today, and he said they would put the tag on me," Suggs said Monday. "I'm disappointed because I really wanted a long-term deal, and I think I earned it. But this also keeps me in a Ravens uniform, and this is just another way of eventually getting it done."

The 25-year-old Suggs could either sign the franchise tender and play with a one-year, $8.065 million contract, or, more likely, continue to negotiate toward a long-term extension that would make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league.

Suggs said of the six-year, $72 million contract defensive end Dwight Freeney signed with the Colts last year, "I wanted to be somewhere around there. We went in thinking that I can do more than Dwight can do. He can't drop into pass coverage like I can. He can't play the run as well as I do, either."

Asked if he would hold out of training camp if he doesn't get that kind of money, Suggs told Preston, "At this point, I don't know."

POSTED 9:41 a.m. EST; UPDATED 10:08 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

EAGLES DISPUTE LITO SHEPPARD TRADE REPORTS by Michael David Smith

Multiple media outlets reported on Monday that the Philadelphia Eagles had given cornerback Lito Sheppard and his agent permission to seek a trade.

But the Eagles say it isn't true.

"Any report suggesting that we've allowed Lito or his agent to seek a trade is absolutely, undeniably false," Eagles spokesman Derek Boyko told Geoff Mosher of the News Journal.

The 26-year-old Sheppard is a two-time Pro Bowler who still has four seasons left on his current contract. He is scheduled to make $3.45 million in 2008, $4.45 million in 2009, $3.7 million in 2010 and $4.25 million in 2011, the News Journal reports.

That's not a lot of money for a top-flight cornerback, so Sheppard may be seeking a raise. But if he's seeking a trade, the Eagles say he's doing so without their permission.

TUESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS by Michael David Smith

If unrestricted free agent LT Flozell Adams signs with another team, the Cowboys' plan is to make Pat McQuistan their starter.

Former Dolphins LB Zach Thomas wants to play for a contender with an established quarterback.

Bears RB Garrett Wolfe, who a year ago was a student at Northern Illinois, took the same class in the same lecture hall where a campus shooting took place Thursday.

The Patriots are expected to have free agent WR Marty Booker in for a visit.

A Baltimore man is suing the Ravens for copyright infringement, saying he created the original Ravens logo and the team is using it without his permission.

In addition to releasing WR Muhsin Muhammad, the Bears also released RT Fred Miller and DT Darwin Walker on Monday.

Asked about his role with the team next year, Bengals OT Stacy Andrews, who just got the franchise tag, said, "I'm not worried about that at all. They have something in store for me, whether it's at guard or tackle. Whatever is going to help the team I'll do."

Another franchised offensive tackle, the Panthers' Jordan Gross, has a similar view: "I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. It doesn't put a period at the end of the sentence as far as my relationship with the team is concerned. One way or another, I'm still going to be a Panther next year."

The St. Vincent Sports Performance Center in Indianapolis charges agents $1,050 per player per week to get them ready for the combine.

Titans QB Vince Young says of being back in college at Texas, "One day I walk into class to a standing ovation and my teacher -- she's from UCLA -- she was like, 'What's going on?' I guess she thought the applause was for her."

All indications are that Broncos WR Javon Walker won't be back next season.

The Buccaneers have signed exclusive-rights free agent WR Paris Warren to a one-year, $510,000 contract.

One Pro Football Hall of Fame voter can't understand why former Chiefs LB Derrick Thomas didn't get in.

POSTED 8:39 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

COUGHLIN EXTENSION COMING THIS WEEK? by Michael David Smith

Bob Glauber of Newsday reports that the Giants are finishing up negotiations with head coach Tom Coughlin on a contract extension, and that a deal could be completed this week.

Coughlin, who coached the Giants to a Super Bowl title a year after most fans wanted him fired, will sign a four-year extension through the 2011 season, and the deal will likely average $5 million a year or a little more, Glauber reports. Coughlin has one year remaining on his current contract with the Giants, who extended his deal last year so that he wouldn't coach 2007 as a lame duck.

As it turned out, the 2007 season became the turning point of his career, as he changed his dictatorial style and developed better relationships with his players. A contributing factor may have been the retirement of running back Tiki Barber, the player who had been most publicly critical of Coughlin's approach.

Coughlin has a career coaching record of 111-95 in eight seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and four with the Giants. He will turn 65 before the 2011 season, meaning this could be the last contract of his coaching career.

POSTED 7:35 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

TEXANS RECEIVER ARRESTED

According to a web site with which we previously weren't familiar, Texans receiver Jerome Mathis was arrested on Sunday for allegedly choking his pregnant girlfriend.

He was booked on Sunday evening and released on $3,000 bond.

Mathis has been charged with assault-family violence. It's a misdemeanor, and Mathis faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

Mathis was drafted by the Texans in 2005, and his rookie contract expired after the 2007 season. Thus, he is eligible for restricted free agency.

POSTED 7:22 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

NO RESTRICTED FREE AGENT TENDERS, YET

There's not much time remaining for restricted fee agent tenders to formally be applied. Certainly, the procedure for limiting the options of players with only three years of experience (and expired rookie contracts) will be used in cities like Dallas and Cleveland, if guys like Marion Barber and Derek Anderson don't agree to long-term deals.

There's some conflicting information about the specific amounts of the 2008 tenders. The lowest level, which gives the team a right of first refusal and (if they choose not to match any offer) compensation equal to the round in which the player was drafted is $927,000. For a right of first-refusal and a second-round pick as compensation, the price is $1.47 million.

For the right of first refusal and a first-round pick, the number is $2.017 million. The highest possible tender, creating a right of compensation in the amount of a first-rounder and a third-rounder, is $2.562 million.

Teams also have the option of using the franchise tag on a restricted free agent.

Unlike franchise and transition tenders, the restricted free agent tenders can be revoked at any time.

POSTED 6:43 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

TAYLOR TO APPEAR ON DANCING WITH THE STARS

Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor has yet to retire from the NFL. But he's apparently laying the foundation for a post-football career in show business by appearing on the next edition of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

Other celebrities who'll appear on the show include Marlee Matlin, Penn Jillette, Kristi Yamaguchi, Monica Seles, Mario, Adam Carolla, and Steve Guttenberg. (We didn't know that Guttenberg was still alive.)

The show will air from March through May. One contestant is eliminated each week. But if Taylor performs like other football players who have appeared on the show in the past (Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith), Taylor will be there for a while.

Taylor, however, is the first active NFL player to appear on the show, which could affect his preparations for the 2008 season.

And that means he'll likely be absent from offseason workouts and the first wave of so-called Organized Team Activities. There also will likely be at least one mandatory minicamp during that period of time as well.

Though it's entirely possible that Taylor is doing this with the blessing of new Dolphins V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells, this clearly isn't the kind of stuff that the Tuna wants to see one of his players doing, and it increases (in our view) the likelihood that Taylor will be traded or released.

Taylor is signed through 2009 at base salaries of $7.5 million this year, and $8 million next year. He toyed with retirement after the 2006 season, but opted to return.

POSTED 6:21 a.m. EST, February 19, 2008

NO QUARTERBACKS TO BE TAKEN IN TOP 20?

There's a belief in some league circles that no quarterbacks will be among the first 20 players selected in the 2008 draft.

The top two quarterbacks on the board are, for now, Brian Brohm of Louisville and Matt Ryan of Boston College. But Brohm isn't regarded as having much arm strength and Ryan is thought to be lacking in athletic ability.

Another wildcard in this process is quarterback Rex Grossman, currently of the Bears. Grossman is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Despite his flaws, he has extensive game experience and he can be had for a much lower price, and without giving up a draft pick. Also, the process of trying to get Grossman to become a more consistent player might be easier than getting Ryan or Brohm ready for NFL action.

Other free-agent options at quarterback include Todd Collins of the Redskins, Cleo Lemon of the Dolphins, and Daunte Culpepper of the Raiders.

If Brohm and Ryan fade, it would be the first time that a quarterback is not selected in the first 20 picks since 1997, when Jim Druckenmiller was the first quarterback off the board at No. 26. The next quarterback drafted that year was Jake Plummer at No. 42. In 2000, Chad Pennington was the first quarterback selected at No. 18.

POSTED 10:58 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

GENTLEMEN, START YOUR TAMPERING

In two days, scouts and coaches will descend on Indianapolis for the annual Scouting Combine.

Also attending a portion of the multi-day event will be plenty of agents, who'll be present for among other things a mandatory NFLPA meeting on Friday.

And with scouts and coaches and agents in the same city only a week or so before the start of free agency, anyone who thinks that there won't be advance discussions about guys who might soon be on the market but who are still technically the exclusive property of one and only one team is stupid or naive or both.

It's the NFL's dirty little offseason secret. Most if not all teams tamper with players poised to become free agents. Some teams who used to not do it started to do it because they concluded that they were at a competitive disadvantage, because everyone but them was doing it.

But discretion is still preferred. Eventually, someone will be sufficiently brazen to get caught, and the league will make an example of that team in an effort to get other teams to dial it in a bit.

Though today's example isn't nearly enough to get a team nailed, it's proof of the nonchalance that now prevails in matters of this nature.

Saints linebacker Mark Simoneau is among this year's free-agent crop. And the Dolphins are one of the teams believed to be interested in him.

Apparently, the guy who currently belongs to the Saints will be testing the market early, via his agent. From Friday's Miami Herald: "Simoneau's agent William Vann McElroy said he had a meeting scheduled with Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland at next week's NFL Scouting Combine, but he doesn't know which specific players will be discussed."

Um, Vann? The only players that should be discussed are clients of yours who currently play for the Dolphins. Or who currently are unattached. Or who will be eligible for the draft. Discussion regarding any other players constitutes tampering by the Fins.

Again, this isn't a smoking gun. But it's a glimpse at the attitude that pervades the league as the Scouting Combine approaches.

There will be tampering, and nothing will be done about it.

POSTED 10:03 p.m. EST; UPDATED 11:09 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

TEAMS CAN'T USE FRANCHISE TAG AND TRANSITION TAG

We've gotten several questions from readers in response to our comment from earlier in the day that the Bengals can still apply the transition tag to defensive end Justin Smith, even though the franchise tag has been used on offensive lineman Stacy Andrews. Some readers believe that the franchise and transition tags are either/or propositions.

Per Article XX, Section 3(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a team can't use the franchise tag and the transition tag.

In a prior version of this article, we wrote that teams could use both at the same time, or a second transition player in lieu of a franchise player. On closer inspection of the language, it's now clear to use that this tweak is available only in the final capped year of the agreement. The relevant language of the CBA is extremely convoluted, but we still should have read it more carefully. We apologize for the error.

Of course, the debate is likely academic, since the usefulness of the transition tag has become diminished in the wake of the 2006 revisions to the CBA. The salary tied to the transition tender is now fully guaranteed when signed by the player, but the team still gets only a right of first refusal and no compensation if a decision is made not to match the offer.

Moreover, the presence of the poison-pill device for crafting offers that as a practical matter can't be matched by the player's current team renders a right of first refusal useless.

So the transition tag is something that has no real value, regardless of whether it can be used once or twice in a given league year.

POSTED 9:32 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

CHIEFS BEEF UP KICKING POSITION

The Kansas City Chiefs are attempting to get better at the kicker position, signing two free agents who were generally available to anyone and everyone.

Joining the team are Billy Cundiff and Nick Novak. Other kickers could be pursued in free agency, such as Josh Brown of the Seahawks.

The Chiefs added five other free agents on Monday.

POSTED 8:11 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

PATS OFFER DEAL TO THOMAS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Patriots have offered a contract to free-agent linebacker Zach Thomas, who was cut by the Dolphins last week.

Thomas and agent Drew Rosenhaus visited with the Patriots on Monday.

Next up? A visit to New Orleans. The Cowboys, Texans, Bills, and Jets also are interested in acquiring Thomas.

POSTED 7:39 p.m. EST; UPDATED 8:11 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

CHIEFS TAG ALLEN

The Kansas City Chiefs have placed the franchise tag on defensive end Jared Allen, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Allen, a four-year veteran, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Last year, the Chiefs limited Allen's movement as a restricted free agent with the highest possible tender, which would have required any team signing Allen to come up with a first-round pick and a third-round pick as compensation.

It's unclear whether the Chiefs used the exclusive or non-exclusive version of the tag on Allen. Under the exclusive version, the tender will be higher, but he will not be allowed to negotiate with other teams.

Allen is generally regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in the game. But a history of drinking and driving likely will give other potential suitors pause.

UPDATED: The non-exclusive version of the tender has been applied to Allen. So anyone who wants to give up two first-round picks for a crack at Allen should feel free to do so.

POSTED 4:01 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

BEARS BOUNCE MOOSE

In a move that could bring the team a step closer to reuniting with receiver Marty Booker, the Bears have cut veteran wideout Muhsin Muhammad, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Muhammad was under contract through 2010, and was due to earn a base salary of $1.6 million in 2008.

Schefter also reports that the Bears are expected to release two other veteran players on Monday.

Muhammad was a second-round pick of the Panthers in 1996, and he spent nine seasons in Carolina. The Panthers released him in February 2005 in lieu of paying a $10 million roster bonus. Less than 12 hours later (could it be . . . tampering?), he signed a six-year, $30 million deal with the Bears.

With the Panthers still scrambling to find help at the wideout position, we don't rule out a return by Muhammad to Carolina.

POSTED 3:41 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

MAYBE THE MEDIA SHOULD EYEBALL WALSH

Though we're edging ever closer to becoming part of the "real" media, we're still a long way away from having the kind of time and resources that would allow us to engage in a comprehensive investigation of a key figure in one of the various stories about which we often tend to blather.

If, for example, we had the time and/or the resources, we'd devote a chunk of it to finding out more about Matt Walsh.

Precious little has been done by the media to find out more about him, or to get a general feel for whether he generally can be believed. From our perspective, we think that what he says (and how he says it) about Spygate II will say much about whether he is credible. Until he talks, however, there's work that can be done to get a better idea of who he is and what he's about.

For starters, the contention that Walsh secretly recorded conversations with Pats V.P. of player personnel Scott Pioli is great way to get a good feel for whether Walsh is a truth-teller. Walsh's lawyer calls the rare public utterance from Pioli a "complete fabrication." So if the Pats and/or Pioli can prove that it happened, the failure of Walsh to tell the truth to his lawyer on that topic would be relevant in connection with an assessment of whether he's telling the truth about what he might eventually tell Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) or anyone else.

Other easily available information to scrutinize is Walsh's bio for his current job. In it, he says that he "served primarily as an Area Scout and Video Assistant from 1996-2003" with the Patriots. But Pioli told the Boston Globe that Walsh was never an Area Scout. So if the Pats and/or Pioli can prove this, it would be another strike against him.

In fact, Walsh's overall bio requires the full-blown Fran Foley treatment. Based on the article regarding his then-looming nuptials, he was 28 in July 2004 and is a Gemini. Thus, he's presently 31. Unless he pulled a Doogie Howser (or a Forrest Gump), it's hard to cram everything he claims to have done into the period of time that would require him to get a college degree, play two years of pro hockey, train with the U.S. National Bobsled team, spend a year working for an Arena League team, seven with the Pats, one with NFL Europe, and then become an assistant golf pro in Hawaii.

The article about his wedding describes his time with the Pats as including "operations, public relations, video/game planning, area scout." Game planning? Um. Okay.

Other questions about Walsh should be asked. Such as, for example, how he found -- and how he can afford -- a Washington, D.C. lawyer who specializes in white-collar crime and government investigations. Could it be that Senator Specter hooked Walsh up with Michael Levy, and/or that Levy is handling the matter at no charge as a "favor" to the Senator?

So while we're uncomfortable with the notion that NFL Security is looking up on the guy, we think that the media has an obligation to do so, especially if the media (us included) is going to continue to write about the inflammatory things that Walsh supposedly knows.

POSTED 12:24 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

BENGALS TAG ANDREWS

The Cincinnati Bengals have applied the franchise tag to offensive lineman Stacy Andrews.

Andrews has four years of NFL service, and started games last season at guard and tackle. He'll receive the offensive lineman tender of $7.5 million. That number is based on the five highest-paid offensive linemen in 2007.

If Andrews signs the tender, the salary becomes fully guaranteed. The tender can be rescinded by the Bengals at any time before it is signed.

The Bengals used the non-exclusive version of the tag, which allows Andrews to negotiate with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere that the Bengals choose not to match, the Bengals will receive two first-round draft picks.

The move also means that Bengals defensive end Justin Smith, the team's franchise player last year, will hit the market on February 29.

POSTED 12:05 p.m. EST, February 18, 2008

NFLPA PAYROLL UP 58 PERCENT

Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal reports that the NFL Players Association's most recent tax return shows a 58 percent increase in employee compensation. For the 2007 fiscal year, the NFLPA paid out more than $17 million to its workers.

The union's total revenue was $59 million, up from the prior year's total of $54 million.

Per SBJ, Executive Director Gene Upshaw's salary and benefits have skyrocketed from $3.31 million to $6.43 million.

More detailed information will be available in the NFLPA's LM-2, which will be filed at some point after May 31, 2008.

POSTED 11:36 a.m. EST, February 18, 2008

BUCS INTERESTED IN DISCARDED FALCONS

Our friends at PewterReport report that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers likely will be interested in Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman and tight end Alge Crumpler, once they are released.

Though the Falcons announced on Friday that Coleman, Crumpler, and others will be cut, the moves have not yet been announced by the league.

Two of Tampa's tight ends -- Anthony Becht and Jerramy Stevens -- are due to become unrestricted free agents on February 29.

MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS by Michael David Smith

Cowboys third-string QB Richard Bartel is a player they would have liked to send to NFL Europa if the league hadn't folded.

Another sign that DT Kris Jenkins won't be playing for the Panthers much longer: He's making a concerted effort to sell his South Charlotte home.

Broncos RB Travis Henry has a $6 million option bonus due February 29.

More than 370 members of the media will cover the Indianapolis scouting combine.

Finding a cornerback who can start from day one is the Texans' top priority in the draft.

The Steelers are working on a contract for restricted free agent G Chris Kemoeatu.

The Browns don't have a first-round draft pick, but Boise State CB Orlando Scandrick could be the player they're targeting in the second round.

Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo must like a draft prospect from Boston College, as he watched the team in person twice last year.

Troy CB Leodis McKelvin is a likely top 10 pick that most fans have never seen.

The Giants' Super Bowl win may lead to other teams stocking up on speedy pass rushers.

Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs is back to work at the auto racing operation he owns.

Former Bills RB Thurman Thomas says he wants to help with efforts to keep the team in Buffalo.

POSTED 11:24 a.m. EST, February 18, 2008

EDWARDS IS CHANGING AGENTS

When Lamont Smith and Peter Schaffer of All Pro Sports and Entertainment negotiated in 2005 the rookie contract of receiver Braylon Edwards, the deal was applauded privately in league circles, even by some of their most bitter rivals.

Their ultimate reward? According to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal, Edwards has fired them. Per Mullen, it's believed that Edwards will sign with CAA.

NFLPA records indicate that Edwards currently is not represented.

"It is very disappointing to see a player of this magnitude whose agents negotiated such a good deal . . . switch to another agent," a competitor of APSE told Mullen.

The reason for the move is unknown. Usually in cases of this nature, an agent change is a precursor to an effort to get a new contract. Edwards is signed through 2009.

Given CAA's deep and extensive Hollywood connections, it could be that Edwards didn't jump because of any dissatisfaction with his contract, but because he hopes to go the route of a former Browns great named Jim Brown and parlay his sports stardom into a movie career.

Um, Braylon? Get in line.

ADDAI NEXT?

There's a rumor making the rounds in league circles that CAA has targeted Colts running back Joseph Addai.

NFLPA records show that Addai is still represented by Ian Greengross, who recently was hired to represent running back Darren McFadden.

NFLPA regulations prohibit interference with a relationship between a player and an existing agent. We're aware of no specific evidence that CAA has violated this regulation as to Braylon Edwards, Addai, or any other player.

POSTED 9:42 a.m. EST, February 18, 2008

BELICHICK SPEAKS OUT ON SPYGATE

In the same Boston Globe article in which Pats V.P. of player personnel gives the team's take on the termination of Matt Walsh, coach Bill Belichick talks for the first time since September 2007 about the Spygate situation.

As to Walsh, Belichick says that he "couldn't pick Matt Walsh out of a lineup."

As to the notion that the Pats spied on the Rams before Super Bowl XXXVI, Belichick had this to say: "In my entire coaching career, I've never seen another team's practice film prior to playing that team. I have never authorized, or heard of, or even seen in any way, shape, or form any other team's walkthrough. We don't even film our own. We don't even want to see ourselves do anything, that's the pace that it's at. Regardless, I've never been a part of that.

It's as broad a denial as Belichick can issue, but we're confused as to why he'd even mention that the Pats don't tape their own walk-through practices. Of course a team won't tape it's own walk-through -- there's no benefit to it from the standpoint of assessing or grading players because they're, you know, walking. For an opponent, however, access to the walk-through practice would have tremendous value from the standpoint of deciphering the game plan.

Frankly, including the "we don't even tape our own walk-throughs" angle in his argument makes us wonder whether the normally tight-lipped Belichick is going a bit too far.

Meanwhile, Belichick went back to Spygate I (i.e., the taping of defensive coaching signals) and tried to defend practices that the league already has deemed to be a violation worthy of a $500,000 fine to Belichick, a $250,000 fine to the team, and the loss of a first-round draft pick.

Belichick explained that he merely misinterpreted the rule.

"My interpretation was that you can't utilize anything to assist you during that game," Belichick said. "What our camera guys do is clearly not allowed to be used during the game and has never been used during that game that it was shot."

Belichick also had this to say about the taping of defensive coaching signals:

"On the tape of the signaling that we talk about, that film usually wasn't even completed until Thursday or Friday of the following week. It was that low of a priority. In other words, the video guys had so much other stuff to do on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday getting ready for the other game, that a lot of times that film wasn't even processed until later in the week."

Again, Belichick could be going too far. Why on earth would the video staff prepare, for example, video taken on Sunday of the Jets' defensive coaching signals for the following week's game? The value in making the tape arises when they prepare to play the Jets again that year -- or when they face teams coached by members of the current Jets defensive staff in future seasons.

Moreover, we're confused about why Belichick would even dredge up Spygate I. Here's what Belichick had to say on the topic:

"I wasn't comfortable talking about it earlier in the year because my No. 1 job is to win football games. The more distractions there are, I think the harder it is to prepare. I thought the more conversation about this would just take away from what my primary job and our primary job is, which is to win football games.

"I felt like now, the season has been over for a couple weeks, there are certainly a lot of questions out there about it, I thought this would be the timely point to address it as opposed to during the season, at any point. Of course, it came up a number of times."

But, right now, the only question that anyone still cares about arising from the five-month-old incident is what tapes or other materials Belichick gave to the league, and why the stuff was promptly destroyed.

Belichick didn't address any of those issues on Sunday. It's unclear whether he ever will in a setting other than a Congressional hearing room. Or a courtroom.

POSTED 9:11 a.m. EST, February 18, 2008

PFTV LOOKS AT THE FAVRE DEBATE

As the offseason continues to unfold, there's still an open question as to whether Packers quarterback Brett Favre will return for another year.

PFTV looks at whether he will, and whether he should.

Enjoy.

POSTED 9:05 a.m. EST, February 18, 2008

LEAGUE TO REIMBURSE NEW ORLEANS FOR LOST HOME GAME

From the moment that the NFL decided to yank from New Orleans, only three years after Hurricane Katrina, one of the Saints' eight home games, we've been concerned about the move. At a time when the city is struggling to rebuild, it needs the financial boost that comes from those rare Sundays with a full Superdome and everything else that goes along with it.

To defray these losses, the league will reimburse New Orleans for lost ticket revenue, parking, and concessions resulting from the home game that will be exported to London.

But is that enough? The financial impact goes beyond ticket sales, parking, and concessions. Hotels and restaurants will be pinched as well, and overall tax revenues will be depleted as well.

Then there's the emotional impact. New Orleans needs the Saints, now more than ever. While we fully su