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POSTED 11:35 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

DIELMAN DOESN'T HAVE A DEAL, MAN

Despite rumors that the agent for guard Kris Dielman has a contract in hand worth $7 million per year, the talk in league circles is that the Dielman camp is blowing smoke.

Why, you ask?  Because we're told that the agent is calling teams up and saying that it'll take $7 million per year "to get in" the Dielman derby.

So if he had $7 million in hand, there would be no need to make that statement.

With that said, look for Dielman to get paid handsomely, possibly as much as $7 million per year.  But that deal currently isn't in his pocket.

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FREE AGENT IS IN "THE PROGRAM"

We've caught wind over the past few days of a member of the coming free-agent class who is currently within the NFL's substance-abuse program.

We know who the player is, and we won't be disclosing it here.  Though the information is confidential, teams can get access to the information if they are sniffing around a given player.

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POSTED 11:24 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

REVIS SLIPPING?

As the only high-end cornerback who chose not to work out at the scouting combine in Indy, we're told that the stock of Pitt cornerback Darelle Revis is falling.

Complicating matters is that Revis was spotted eating a fancy meal at a swanky restaurant by several coach/G.M. types.

The dichotomy is prompting some to wonder whether Revis is taking his pre-draft preparation seriously, and at a minimum it increases the pressure for his Pro Day workout.

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POSTED 11:16 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

WILLIAMS TO GET WHACKED?

There's talk in league circles that the Detroit Lions will cut receiver Mike Williams, as soon as Thursday.

If he goes, he'll be the third top-ten draft pick in four seasons who flamed out in Motown.  He was selected tenth overall by the Lions in 2005, two years after the Lions selected receiver Charles Rogers at No. 2 overall, and three years after quarterback Joey Harrington was the pick at No. 3.

Players that the Lions could have had instead include Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney (2002), receiver Andre Johnson (2003), and linebacker Shawne Merriman (2005).

So what will happen with Williams?  Who knows?  We heard the Rogers not too long ago ran the 40 in more than 4.7 seconds in a workout for an NFL team.

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POSTED 10:25 p.m. EST; UPDATED 11:05 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

JAGS CLOSE TO A DEAL WITH TAYLOR

A league source tells us that the Jacksonville Jaguars are close to signing running back Fred Taylor to a three-year extension.

Taylor, the team's first-round pick in 1998, is signed through 2007, and is scheduled to earn $2.55 million this year.  With the emergence of rookie Maurice Jones-Drew, there has been some speculation that the Jags might part ways with the veteran, and give the full-time job to Jones-Drew, a second-round pick in 2006.

In nine seasons, Taylor has rushed for 9,513 yards, despite playing in the equivalent of only seven full seasons of games, due primarily to various injuries.  He also has scored 64 total touchdowns rushing and receiving.

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MORE WEDNESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

The Bengals have cut one of the guys who didn't get arrested last year.

The Jets have cut RB Derrick Blaylock and DE Bobby Hamilton.

The Bengals have tendered two restricted free agents -- G Stacy Andrews and P Kyle Larson -- at the new second-round level; four others got the low tender, also known in Cincy as "Sunday morning bail money."

A total of eleven Colts will hit the market on Friday.

Vincent Marino is the new senior director of football administration in Tennessee.

Mr. Roper has polished off his staff.

The Redskins have cut TE Christian Fauria.

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POSTED 9:20 p.m. EST; UPDATED 9:48 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

BEARS SHOW SMITH SOME LOVIE

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Chicago Bears have signed coach Lovie Smith to a four-year extension, through 2011.

Per Glazer, the deal is worth $22.5 million over four years, which works out to an average of $5.5 million per year.  It's unclear whether and to what extent Smith received a raise over his $1.45 million salary for 2007.

We'd previously heard that the Bears offered Smith less than $3.2 million per year.  Peter King recently mentioned in his MMQB column that the number was in the neighborhood of $3.5 million.

A week ago, Smith's agent declared that the two sides were at impasse.  Obviously, something happened to break the impasse.  With rampant rumors of veteran players who were committed to scaring off potential free agents, perhaps the team realized that it was time to offer Smith fair value.

With the deal set to be formally announced on the eve of the launch of the free-agency period, the timing is, at a minimum, one hell of a coincidence.

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WEDNESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

The Bears have also signed G.M. Jerry Angelo to a contract extension.

The Texans have cut WR Eric Moulds, DT Seth Payne, and OL Zach Wiegert.

The Lions have cut OL Ross Verba.  http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/DET/10028865

Panthers TE Kris Mangum is retiring.

The Cowboys signed P Mat McBriar to a five-year contract.  (Maybe he can now afford to buy another "t" for his first name.)

The Bills have re-signed RB Shaud Williams.

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POSTED 7:37 p.m. EST; UPDATED 7:55 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

'SKINS TO CLEAN HOUSE AFTER THE DRAFT?

There's talk in league circles that the Washington Redskins will clean out the personnel department following the 2007 draft.

It's presently unclear whether V.P. of football operations Vinny Cerrato would be caught up in the rumored purge.  Cerrato was fired by the team during the failed Marty Schottenheimer experiment, and re-hired after Marty was Schott-canned.

Per the 2006 NFL Record & Fact Book, the front office also includes director of pro personnel Louis Riddick, director of college scouting Scott Campbell, pro scouts Terry Ray and Donnie Warren, college scouts Mike Faulkiner, Tim Gribble, Shemy Schembechler, and Jim Zeches, national scouts Russ Bolinger and Joel Patten, and director of football administrtion Eric Schaffer.

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LEWIS TO RETURN FOR $2 MILLON?

We're told that the Baltimore Ravens ultimately could get running back Jamal Lewis back under contract, via a one-year deal worth roughly $2 million.

Of course, Lewis would first look elsewhere for something better.  But he did the same thing a year ago, and ended up re-signing in Baltimore.

Lewis was scheduled to earn a $5 million roster bonus and a $5 million base salary in 2007.

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POSTED 7:01 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

PETITGOUT VISITS BUCS

Tackle Luke Petitgout, released earlier this month by the Giants, has gotten a head start on the coming free-agent frenzy by visiting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Petitgout, a first-round pick of the Giants in 1999, met with the Bucs on Wednesday, per a league source.  We're also told that Petitgout passed a physical as part of his trip to Tampa.  He missed much of the 2006 season with a broken leg.

If healthy, Petitgout will be one of the top free-agent offensive linemen on the market.  Other options include Leonard Davis of the Cardinals and Damion McIntosh of the Dolphins.

Petitgout is allowed to meet and sign with any team, because he was cut by the Giants.  Players whose contracts have expired must wait until 12:01 a.m. Friday to officially speak with other teams.

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POSTED 5:30 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

RUMORS FLY OF RODGERS FOR MOSS

Word has reached PFT world headquarters of a rumored trade that would send Oakland Raiders receiver Randy Moss to the Green Bay Packers for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

We're told that the Raiders want a first-round pick for Moss, and that the Packers have countered with an offer of Rodgers, who was Green Bay's first round pick in the 2005 draft.

Stay tuned.  Though we never would have imagined that Moss and Packers quarterback Brett Favre could coexist, it looks like this one could indeed be going down.

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POSTED 4:55 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

VIKES DUMP JOHNSON

Kevin Seifert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Vikings have informed quarterback Brad Johnson that he will be released in the near future.

Johnson was a ninth-round selection of the Vikings in the 1992 draft.  He replaced Warren Moon as the starter a few years later, and then was supplanted by Randall Cunningham after suffering a broken leg in the second game of the 1998 season.  He was traded in early 1999 to the Redskins for a first-round, second-round, and third-round pick.

Johnson spent a couple of seasons with the Redskins before landing in Tampa, where he led the Bucs to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII.  He returned to Minnesota prior to the 2005 season, and secured the starting job after Daunte Culpepper (who was drafted with the first-round pick acquired from the Redskins) blew out his knee.

Hailed by the sock puppets as a grossly underpaid "game manager," Johnson managed to throw too many interceptions as the season wore on, and he eventually was benched.

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POSTED 4:47 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

RAVENS CUT JAMAL

The Baltimore Ravens have cut running back Jamal Lewis, less than a year after he re-signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent.

Lewis was due to earn a $5 million roster bonus in March.  But the team isn't closing the door on a new deal.  "We are involved in negotiations with Jamal, and there has been good dialogue.  Jamal has been a significant contributor to us in the last seven seasons. It's our hope to have him back with the Ravens," G.M. Ozzie Newsome said, according to the team's official web site.

Lewis was the team's first-round draft pick in the 2000 season.  In 2003, Lewis rushed for 2,066 yards, and also set the single-game rushing record by churning up 295 yards against the Browns.

Lewis spent several months in jail after the 2004 season, due to an incident dating back to the summer before his rookie season.

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POSTED 3:57 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

ANTONIO TO GET THE HEAVE-HO?

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the 49ers could soon be terminating the contract of receiver Antonio Bryant.

Per the Chronicle, both the team and the player are evaluating whether his release would be "mutually beneficial."

But how does it benefit Bryant to be cut from a contract that he signed before he was arrested for driving more than 100 miles per hour, had to be restrained when taken into custody, squabbled with the head coach, and was suspended for four games for violation of the substance abuse policy.  Will he get a better deal on the open market in the wake of these various developments?

(In all fairness, we should have started calling him "Anturdio" a long time ago.)

Cutting Bryant would result in a $2.28 million cap hit, and it would leave the team short at the receiver position.

It also would be difficult, in our view, for Bryant to find elsewhere the $1.25 million in salary he's scheduled to earn in 2007, given that his suspension carries over to the first two games of the 2007 season.

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POSTED 2:12 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

STEELERS TIED TO NEW STEROIDS SITUATION

Published reports regarding Orlando pharmacies from which steroids and human growth hormone were seized include an ominous reference to the potential activities of one the physicians who works for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This physician in question reportedly used a personal credit card to purchase $150,000 worth of testosterone and HGH in 2006.  

The potential problem with this development is that, if the doctor was getting the stuff for Steelers players, the situation implies a certain level of institutional involvement that has not been present in past steroids scandals.  Even if the doctor was acting on his own, the fact remains that an employee of the franchise was buying testosterone and HGH for players (if, again, the stuff was bought for Steelers players).

And if that's true, it's huge news.  It's even bigger news if the doctor claims that members of the team's administration knew, or should have known, what he was doing.

The NFL still doesn't test for HGH.  So anyone who doesn't think that at least some NFL players are using HGH needs to wake up and smell the nandrolone.  

Meanwhile, at a time when off-field behavior finally is getting some meaningful attention in the media and among fans, what will it take for NFL players to be saddled with the same stigma that attaches to baseball players who use performance-enhancing substances?  The reaction to the Shawne Merriman situation might have nudged the league closer in this regard to its realization that the problem needs to be addressed; if this current mess results in evidence suggesting that one of the most storied franchises in all of sport was procuring HGH or testosterone for its players, the damage could be irreparable.  

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POSTED 1:39 p.m. EST, February 28, 2007

BEARS PLAYERS TELLING FREE AGENTS TO STAY AWAY

With Lovie Smith being the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and no signs of any impending effort to provide him with fair market value, we're told that at least one veteran member of the Bears is telling at least one potential free-agent target not to sign with the team.

It could be a sign of things to come for the Bears, unless and until they get Smith's contract status resolved.  We've previously heard that many veterans plan to refuse to do any contract restructurings or other business with the team.

The prevailing view in league circles is that the failure to pay Smith is the result of arrogance and general cheapness.  The Bears are thought to believe that, if Smith goes, they'll find someone else to take the job.  

The consensus in league circles is that, if Smith becomes available, he'll be in high demand.

In our view, it's not an ideal way to run a football team.  But by opting to hold firm at $1.45 million in salary this year and $2 million or so for a new guy next year, the Bears are definitely saving money.

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POSTED 9:45 a.m. EST; UPDATED 10:20 a.m. EST, February 28, 2007

RAIN MAN "OUT OF DAMN CONTROL"

How bad have things gotten for Titans cornerback Rain Man Jones?  Members of his family are now publicly declaring that he is out of control.

Or, as the case may be, "out of damn control."

Says his uncle, Robert "Qbert" Jones:  "Everybody tries to talk to him.  I do.  His mother talks to him, his grandparents talk to him. . . .  I don't know, I just think he is out of control.  I've told him I think he is out of damn control, but he doesn't want to hear it.  I hate to say things on the negative because I want to see him do good.  But it is hard to see him keep getting involved in stuff like this."

Uh-oh.  If Uncle Robert doesn't pipe down, Uncle Robert might end up getting a cap in his ass.

"I have told him about trying to be in the right place at the right time so much instead of always being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it kind of goes on deaf ears,"  Robert Jones said.  "All I want you to do is understand you are putting yourself in bad situations, and putting the Titans in bad situations.'  I understand he is young and he wants to have fun and all, but sometimes he has to take into consideration the places he's at and the things he's doing."

Says Rain Man's grandfather, Claude Jones:  "We are all worried about his future because it gives a bad impression of him, the things happening.  Overall, he just seems to be hanging with the wrong people.  The hangers-on just seem to keep staying around him and bringing him down.''

But Uncle Robert thinks that, despite the hangers-on, Rain Man isn't helping his situation.  "Pacman just draws attention to himself with the way he carries himself.  He goes into clubs with six cats that call themselves 'security.'  Well, what kind of attention do you think that's going get?  He doesn't need all that.  They know he's there, but he has all these cats surrounding him like he's the Buddha or somebody."

(Oh, crap.  Just when we were getting used to calling him "Rain Man," another viable nickname emerges.)

In all seriousness (okay, in some seriousness), we think it's great that Rain Man has male family members who are trying to keep him on the straight and narrow.  But where were those guys when he was swinging pool cues in Morgantown or doing all of the other stuff he's gotten in trouble for before that fateful February night at a Vegas strip club?  Rain Man hasn't turned turdish out of the blue; we get the feeling he's been out of damn control for a long time, and that this is just the first time that anyone has put a microphone in front of the men who should have been slapping him upside the head a long time ago.

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CHIEFS TRADING GREEN?

The Kansas City Star reports that the Chiefs might be trading quarterback Trent Green.  The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the Dolphins might be interested.

Green is scheduled to earn $7.2 million in base salary this season, nearly the full value of the three-year deal signed by backup (for now) Damon Huard on Tuesday.  The Chiefs are expected to ask Green to reduce his pay, but Green's agent says that the request has not yet been made.

Green has been highly effective as a starter, but a severe concussion limited him in 2006.  If he is traded or released, the Redskins also could be interested, since former Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders is there.  

In Miami, the quarterback position is in turmoil.  Daunte Culpepper was a bust as the team rushed him back from torn knee ligaments, and Joey Harrington will soon be released.  The other quarterback with experience (albeit minimal) is Cleo Lemon.

Some mock drafts have the Fins taking Brady Quinn with the No. 9 pick.  If they were to trade for Green and draft Quinn, it most likely would mean the end of the road for Culpepper in Miami.

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WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The Broncos and Redskins are candidates for the services of Lions CB Dre' Bly.

The Rams and Raiders are interested in Lions DE James Hall, who'll be cut before Friday if he is not traded.

The Jets will jettison QB Patrick Ramsey, if they can't trade him; he's due to receive a $1.4 million roster bonus by Saturday.

The Jets will be cutting DE Kimo von Oelhoffen, if he doesn't take a pay cut.

Redskins DE Renaldo Wynn and DE Phillip Daniels could be in danger of getting cut.

How does a guy who was the offensive coordinator for an 0-12 team get hired in the NFL?

Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson has some harsh words for Randy Moss.

The Steelers might move DE Aaron Smith to tackle in a four-man front.

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POSTED 9:04 a.m. EST, February 28, 2007

FAT ALBERT IS CURIOUSLY QUIET

Jaguars quarterback Byron "Fat Albert" Leftwich hasn't had much to say since he was named the starting quarterback for the 2007 season.  And it's not because his mouth is full of food.

Sam Borden of the Florida Times-Union points out the oddity of Leftwich's silence in the wake of coach Jack Del Rio's effort to bury the proverbial hatchet somewhere other than in Chris Hanson's leg.  

And we believe that the failure of Leftwich to say anything in reaction to Del Rio's announcement lends credence to rumors that the Jags anointed him the starter solely to increase his trade value.

There was talk at the combine of a Leftwich-for-Moss trade between the Jags and Raiders.  Though we don't envision a rush for his services, starting-caliber quarterbacks are in short supply, with Jeff Garcia leading a weak free-agent field.

So until Leftwich declares that all is well in Jacksonville and that he plans to stay with the team in 2007 and beyond, we're going to continue to keep our ears open for more talk about a possible trade.  

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POSTED 10:50 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

GARCIA TO RAIDERS?

Although the teams most commonly linked to soon-to-be-free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia are the Broncos and the Bucs, an industry source has suggested keeping a close eye on the Oakland Raiders.

Garcia grew up in the Bay Area, and played at San Jose State.  He also had a tryout with the Raiders before he signed with the 49ers.

So if Garcia is signed by the Raiders, does that mean that the Raiders wouldn't draft LSU's JaMarcus Russell?  Not necessarily.  Garcia could hold the job for a season or two while Russell gets ready to play.

With all that said, we'd still draft Calvin Johnson.

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FREE AGENT FRENZY COMING FRIDAY

We're shutting down the day job on March 2 (but not permanently), and we'll be loading up the page non-stop with stories and rumors and other stuff regarding the first day of free agency.

We'll continue to focus exclusively on the comings and goings of free agency through the weekend, and into early next week.

So be prepared to check in with us regularly over the first few days of the month for all of the latest news and information regarding free agency, and everything else relating to the NFL.

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POSTED 9:38 p.m. EST; UPDATED 10:07 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

PELLMAN STEPS DOWN

According to Ken Murray of the Baltimore Sun, Dr. Elliot Pellman has stepped down as the director of the NFL's concussion committee.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Sun that Pellman asked to be relieved of his duties.  However, Pellman will continue to serve on the committee.

It's a significant step in the right direction for the NFL, which needs to confront the concussion problem in a meaningful way.  Dr. Ira Casson, a neurologist from Nassau, N.Y., and Dr. David Viano, a biomechanical engineer from Wayne State University, will assume leadership of the committee.

Pellman has been criticized in the past for biographical inaccuracies, for subtle manipulation of studies, and for not possessing the basic skills and abilities for the position that he held.  He went to medical school in Guadalajara, Mexico.

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TUESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

The Niners have re-signed DE Bryant Young.

Here comes another steroids scandal.

An indoor football league player has died from a broken neck.

49ers LB Derek Smith underwent eye surgery on Tuesday.

Colts K Adam Vinatieri wants to shoot stuff in South Dakota.

The Pats have hired Duke offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

The Giants have re-signed LS Ryan Kuehl.

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POSTED 9:26 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

RAIN MAN PROVIDING MUCH-NEEDED WAKE UP CALL

Ten years from now, we'll look back on the February 18 incident involving Rain Man Jones, a roomful of strippers, $81,000, and a hail of bullets and say, "That was the moment at which the NFL got its head out of its hind quarters."

Jones has become a caricature.  His behavior, if foreseen by the fictional show Playmakers, would have drawn even stronger huffs and puffs from former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Jones has had eight brushes with the law, and no consequences.  Heck, when he cold-cocked a guy with a pool cue up the road from PFT headquarters while attending WVU, he at least ended up with a black mark on his record.  Since joining the NFL, Rain Man has acquired a coat of Teflon thick enough to make Mike Shanahan envious.

But not anymore.  There is a growing sense that Rain Man will be the fall guy, and that he will pay for the sins of himself and his colleagues with his professional career.

How can it happen?  It's easy.  The Titans will cut him.  And no one else will sign him.  Sure, it might take a little collusion among the owners to ensure that a maverick bunch like the Cowboys or the Redskins won't break ranks.  But if no one picks him up, and if the NFLPA doesn't cry foul, it's game over.

It's an end-justifies-the-means situation.  Technically, Rain Man has done nothing to merit banishment from the league.  As a practical matter, he no longer deserves to be a part of it.

And we fully expect Rain Man's misadventures to prompt meaningful change to the Personal Conduct Policy.  Currently, the policy kicks in only after someone is convicted or pleads guilty to a crime.  But convictions are too hard to get, and just because we have decided as a society not to throw a guy in jail absent proof beyond a reasonable doubt, it doesn't mean that a guy can't be fired from his job.

Termination is precisely what we advocated in October, after Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomped on the face of Cowboys center Andre Gurode.  Rain Man's position regarding the behavior of his teammate?

"We need more thugs on this team."

But just as convictions are too high of a bar for the imposition of discipline by the NFL, arrests are too low of a standard.  Anyone can get someone arrested.  If an angry wife or scorned girlfriend make false allegations against a player, an arrest is a virtual certainty.

Likewise, a conduct policy based on arrests would put too much power in the hands of police officers, a few of whom might be inclined to look the other way . . . at a price.

So what should the NFL do?  First, a sweeping code of conduct should be developed.  The code should include some things that aren't necessarily illegal, and it will omit certain things for which a guy can get arrested, such as parking tickets or driving with an expired license.  The code should be clear, and it should be the product of negotiation between the NFL and the union.

Second, a panel consisting of a representative of the league office, a representative of the union, and a player would then preside over an effort to determine whether the player committed the conduct with which he is charged.  The player would be represented by his agent or a lawyer, and not by the NFLPA.  The prosecutor would be hired jointly by the league and the union.  The legal standard would be proof by a preponderance of the evidence, a 51-49 scale-tipping test that results in a violation if the panel concludes that it is more likely than not that the player engaged in the behavior in question.

The penalty for a first strike would be a fine equal to one fourth of the player's cap number for the year in which the incident occurred.

The second strike would result in a four-game suspension.

The third strike would result in banishment, with the opportunity to apply for reinstatement after a year.

The next strike after reinstatement would result in banishment, with no opportunity to return.

Another possibility would be to impose a constant curfew on a player with one or two strikes.  Then, if the player is in the wrong place at the wrong time -- and the clock reflects a time after the time when he was supposed to be home -- he automatically picks up another strike, no further questions asked.

The final product could take on many different forms, and our primary hope is that the NFL will do something to put a clamp on the rash of player arrests.  Though Turd Watch has quickly become an extremely popular feature for us, we look forward to the day that it can be dismantled.  

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POSTED 6:50 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST BROWN

Prosecutors on Tuesday dropped domestic violence charges that had been pending against Saints left tackle Jammal Brown.

The case had been gutted recently, after the judge ruled that the 911 call placed by Brown's estranged wife in June 2006 would not be admitted into evidence at trial.  Brown's wife is living in California, and she refuses to testify.

"It's unfortunate that the judicial system had to get involved to resolve a misunderstanding," Brown said after the charges were dropped.

Of course, the judicial system got involved only after Brown's wife got it involved.  And once the wife of a pro athlete realizes that the money will dry up pretty quickly if/when hubby is residing in a small room with steel bars and a toilet with no lid, there's an incentive to forgive and forget.  Literally.

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POSTED 6:33 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

SMITH BREAKS THE BANK

A league source tells us that Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith is now the highest paid player in team history.

Per the source, Smith will make $25 million over the next five years, including $12.5 million in the next two seasons.

In our view, the Steelers are wise to focus the unprecedented leap in the salary cap on keeping their own guys.  Of course, the Smith contract raises the question of whether the Steelers will try to extend linebacker Joey Porter, or whether he will be cut loose.  Porter spent most of 2006 grousing about his current deal.

The next question is whether safety Troy Polamalu will get paid big money before he hits the market in 2008. 

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POSTED 6:26 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

STEELERS LOCK UP SMITH

In what could be a sign that the Steelers plan to rely more upon their defensive linemen to rush the passer, the team on Tuesday extended the contract of defensive end Aaron Smith.

Smith was entering the final year of his contract, and was scheduled to earn $4.5 million in salary.  He is now under contract through the 2011 season.

With defensive ends poised to make plenty of money in free agency, Smith's value would have skyrocketed, if he would have entered free agency in March 2008 after posting big sack numbers in 2007. 

In the 3-4 defense, linemen are expected to tie up blockers, so that the linebackers can make plays.  In the 4-3, the specialty of new coach Mike Tomlin, the linemen are asked to get up the field.

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POSTED 4:52 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

CHIEFS KEEP HUARD

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Chiefs have re-signed quarterback Damon Huard to a three-year deal worth $7.5 million.

Huard led the team to a 5-3 record while Trent Green recovered from a Week One concussion.  His passer rating for the season was 98.0.

"This makes so much sense for me," Huard told Glazer.  "I already know the system.  I love the city."

Trent Green is still the starter in Kansas City, but the deal puts Huard in line to potentially take Green's place when he retires.  The only problem is that Huard, who is 33, won't be far behind.

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POSTED 4:44 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

NO EXODUS FROM SCHWARTZ AND FEINSOD

There are rumors and stories floating around the league and the Internet that five incoming rookies have fired agents Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod.

The players in question are Michigan defensive back Willis Barringer, Clemson center Dustin Fry, Michigan St. linebacker David Herron, Syracuse linebacker Kelvin Smith, and New Mexico guard Robert Turner.

It appears that what happened is that Schwartz & Feinsod had hired another employee, and the other employee's name was on the representation agreements in question.  The employee in question parted ways with the firm in January, but his name was left on the representation agreements.  Thereafter, the players opted to fire the other former Schwartz & Feinsod employee.  

So, apparently, when the notice of the change hit the NFLPA web site, it was misconstrued as a termination of the entire firm.

Bottom line -- none of the five players have fired Schwartz or Feinsod, and any reports to the contrary are not accurate.       

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POSTED 3:10 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

BAKER SAYS THERE WAS NO FIVE-DAY WINDOW

Agent Steve Baker has contacted us to explain that reports that he asked the Eagles for a five-day window at the start of free agency are incorrect.

"We did not ask for a five-day window," Baker said in response to our item from earlier in the day regarding the team's decision to inform Baker and quarterback Jeff Garcia that there would be no attempt made to re-sign the veteran signal-caller, who filled in capably for Donovan McNabb after yet another piece of his body went kaflooey.

"We approached free agency knowing that the only way Jeff could stay in Philadelphia would be as the backup, and with less money that he could get elsewhere," Baker said.  "Jeff publicly stated that he was wiling to negotiate knowing that he would only be the backup.  The Eagles took the position that the deal had to be done before the start of free agency, and we were fine with that."

It's unclear how reports of a five-day window surfaced.  As we've explained, a five-day window is unnecessary because everyone gauges the market on an informal, wink-nod basis before the start of free agency.  Though Baker didn't (and as a practical matter couldn't) address the issue of whether and to what extent he had obtained information from other teams as to what other teams might be willing to pay, the reality is that it happens every year at this time.

It could be that the Eagles floated the notion of a five-day window in order to cover their own rear ends, in the event that there's an uprising in Philly due to the departure of a quarterback who unexpectedly took the city by storm, prompting many to call for McNabb to be shipped out of town -- and for Garcia to be installed as the starter.  By taking the position that Baker and Garcia took an unreasonable position, the Eagles can say "it wasn't our fault" if Garcia plays well elsewhere, and if the combination of McNabb and A.J. Feeley fails.

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POSTED 12:17 p.m. EST; LAST UPDATED 1:01 p.m. EST, February 27, 2007

GARCIA PERPLEXED BY PHILLY'S POSITION

Soon-to-be-former Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia is confused by the failure of the Eagles to make him a contract offer.  

Garcia says that he recently received a letter advising him that the team has "allotted [him] enough time to come up with a contract proposal, and that they're heading in a different direction, pursuing a contract extension with A.J. Feeley."

On Sunday, the Eagles signed Feeley, closing the door on Garcia's return.

Garcia's agent, Steve Baker, reportedly asked the team for a five-day window after the start of free agency to assess offers, before talking to the Eagles.  And it sounds to us like trouble might be brewing between Baker and Garcia, since Garcia now says that the five-day window is "something I personally didn't ask for."

And, as a practical matter, the request for a five-day window by Baker is naïve to the point of stüpid.  Though the notion that an agent is prepared to not solicit offers in violation of the tampering rules is sort of quaint, the reality is that agents routinely gauge the market before a player officially is in a position to field offers.

The Eagles understand this.  Every franchise does.  So if Baker had another team ready to pay X to Garcia, then Baker could have used that wink-nod offer as the basis for requesting Y from the Eagles.  Baker never would have said that another team had put X on the table, but a team like the Eagles -- which has as much business savvy as any in the NFL -- would know that Baker's number is based on Baker's homework as to what a hypothetical quarterback of Garcia's age, abilities, and experience might be able to get from one or more hypothetical teams.

The reality?  Either Baker bungled the pre-free agency process, or no one is interested in Garcia.

Of course, to the extent that there were hard feelings from starter Donovan McNabb regarding the success that Garcia enjoyed after McNabb blew out an ACL last season, the day on which Garcia became a former Eagle couldn't have come soon enough for the powers-that-be in Philly.  Indeed, we don't buy the whole "all is well" routine coming from McNabb and the team, and we suspect that the Eagles were counting the days until they could tell Garcia that he and his agent waited too long to talk turkey.

In hindsight, Garcia and Baker should have gauged the market for his services, and then gone back to the Eagles with a firm offer for less money than what Garcia can get elsewhere.  If the Eagles had said no, then Garcia and/or Baker could have gone public after Garcia signed elsewhere with the numbers they got, and with the numbers they would have taken to stay put.

Then, the Eagles would have been in a very delicate situation, if/when McNabb can't play due to injury and if/when A.J. Feeley plays like the guy who was dumped by the Dolphins and cut by the Chargers.

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FREE CONTENT FOR RADIO 

We've still continued to do a bunch of radio spots in the three weeks since the season ended, even though we haven't had the time to post the schedule of our regular appearances.  We've recently added The Score in Providence to the rotation, and we visited again with Joe Rose at 790 The Ticket in Miami on Tuesday morning.  We also did a spot on Bram Weinstein's show in D.C. on Monday.

Upcoming spots on Tuesday include visits with Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio at 10:25 p.m. EST, Mike Felger of ESPN Radio in Boston at 6:20 p.m. EST, and John Marie of Biz Radio 990 in New Orleans at 10:11 p.m. EST.

But we're now considering a device that will supply 60-90 seconds of free content.  We plan to record, on a Monday-through-Friday basis, a PFT update that would be made available to any radio station that wants to use it.  All we ask is that the segment be played at some point during afternoon drive time, and that we would have the ability to add "presented by [insert company name]" to the title of the segment, if/when we can get anyone sufficiently inebriated to agree to sponsor the thing.

We're going to limit the segment to one station in each market, and we're giving preference to the stations in each market with which we already have a relationship.

So, to all radio hosts and producers out there who read this here site, please let us know if you are interested.  

Did we mention it's free?

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TUESDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

Published reports now indicate that Rain Man didn't own all of the $81,000, and that his stash of "rain" was only $3,500 in $1 bills.

Is race a factor in the Bears negotiations with Lovie Smith?  (For the record, we think they treat everyone like crap, regardless of skin color.)

NFLPA chief Gene Upshaw realizes that the players have a strong interest (as in 60 percent of the total revenues) in keeping a few turds from defiling the golden goose.

The Fins are preparing to dump QB Joey Harrington, DL Kevin Carter, OL Seth McKinney, and OL Bennie Anderson.

A new deal is likely coming for Redskins QB Mark Brunell.

There are concerns in the 'Burgh about Big Ben's work ethic.  

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards sums up the basic problem facing NFL players who run afoul of the law:  "Nothing good happens after 12 o'clock."

Giants DE Michael Strahan will meet with the team soon to discuss his future.

The Giants have made C Shaun O'Hara a take-it-or-leave-it offer worth $21.6 million over six years.

Due to a paperwork error, Dominic "Poppie" Rhodes has regained the ability to pee all over himself while driving a car.

The Eagles want to re-sign DE Juqua Thomas and S Quintin Mikell.

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POSTED 11:26 a.m. EST, February 27, 2007

GRAHAM TO VIKINGS?

Albert Breer of the Boston Herald reports that tight end Daniel Graham is not expected to re-sign with the Patriots.

Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that the Vikings are expected to be one of the teams that make a run at Graham.

To make room for Graham, the Vikings are expected to part ways with veteran Jermaine Wiggins.

Minnesota also is expected to make a run at receiver Ashley Lelie, per Jensen.  There is some scattered talk in league circles that the Vikings will pursue Eagles receiver Donte' Stallworth.  But others insist that the Vikings are not planning to target Stallworth, who emerged in 2006 in the same offense that the Vikings now run.

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POSTED 7:42 a.m. EST; UPDATED 7:50 a.m. EST, February 27, 2007

MORE HOLDOUTS COMING?

With a flood of second-tier players like Bills defensive end Chris Kelsay poised to collect millions in free-agency money due to a salary cap that has skyrocketed in the past thirteen months, some league insiders are worried about the effect of all of this new wealth on the guys who signed contracts before the new CBA started kicking out even more cash.

The concern is that established veterans who signed deals under a much lower total salary cap will seek to have their deals adjusted to reflect the overall changes in the market.

The response from teams likely will be something like this:  "You signed your deal knowing that the salary cap would likely continue to increase.  So shut up and play."

And while we ordinarily are firm believers in the fact that these players need to honor the terms of the contracts that they signed, we can sort of see their point on this one.  At a time when teams throw surplus cap money around to whoever is on the market, why not throw some of the surplus cap money to the guys who form the nucleus of the team?

Stay tuned on this one.  Plenty of money is going to be given to plenty of guys who aren't as good as plenty of the players on the teams that will be spending it.  Once the dust settles, look for some of the guys who signed their deals in 2005 or earlier to start squawking.

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JARED ALLEN SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHAT HE WISHES FOR

Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen is mad.  He wants the Chiefs to sign him to a lucrative long-term deal.  The Chiefs prefer to retain the restricted free agent's rights for one year, and then to assess whether he has:  (1) continued to play well; and (2) stopped drinking alcohol and driving motorized vehicles. 

So Allen wants to be traded, presumably to a team that will give him a big-money deal right now.  In other words, he wants to be a free agent.

But the problem is that every other team out there knows about Allen's problems, and given the current backlash against players with off-field trouble no one would give this guy huge money right now.  He's far better off, in our view and in the opinion of certain league insiders, taking the next year to show that he has turned his life around before hitting the market.

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POSTED 7:29 a.m. EST, February 27, 2007

MORE STORM CLOUDS FOR RAIN MAN

At a time when an increasing number of league insiders believe that the NFL and the NFLPA will come together, and come down hard, on Titans cornerback Rain Man Jones based on his alleged involvement in a strip club melee on February 18, the news is only getting worse for Jones.

WTVF-TV in Nashville has obtained taped conversations of Darryl Moore, a convicted drug dealer and acquaintance/friend of Jones.  Moore's comments reveal a level of familiarity with Jones, and with his behavior, that is alarming but hardly surprising.

Moore's comments include the following:

1.  "We gotta slow down, man. We gotta get him focused on football, man. He's focused on too much other sh-t."

2.  "You know, I was talkin' to him the other day about smokin', and he was like man, if I didn't smoke I couldn't take all the stress that I'm dealing with right now.'"

3.  "He gotta concentrate on season . . . that f--king drug test coming up.  We telling him he needed 33 days before he took his f--king test; dry-out, and he didn't.  That's let me know right there that he ain't taking his f--king job serious."

Moore also reportedly mentions that Jones had been betting thousands of dollars on college football games.

Even before this new information was released, Jones was quickly becoming radioactive in NFL circles.  He has been unable, we're told, to find a new agent.  And multiple sources tell us that the Titans are trying to trade him, but can find no one who is willing to give up a first-day pick.

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POSTED 9:35 p.m. EST; UPDATED 10:20 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

MCGAHEE ON THE MARKET, WE THINK

Bills coach Dick Jauron says that the team will listen to trade offers for running back Willis McGahee.

But in an apparent effort to downplay the development, Jauron says that no one is "untouchable."

As we hear it, though, the Bills are ready to move on.  McGahee was drafted by the Tom Donahoe regime, and recent inflammatory remarks from McGahee have made the team more willing to move him.

McGahee is signed through the 2007 season, and is virtually certain to leave the Bills in 2008.  So the best bet for the Bills is to get value now.

The question:  How much value can they get? Will someone offer up a second-round pick for a guy with three seasons of wear and tear, who was drafted near the bottom of round one due to a knee that was exploded in the national title game? 

Quality running backs with low mileage are available in the draft; why give up a low-cost pick for a player who likely is angling for an eight-figure signing bonus?

Speaking of bonuses, no one will want McGahee without a new contract in place.  So whoever gives up a pick or two for McGahee will also have to be ready to fork over millions.

As a result, we'd be surprised if a deal gets done.

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MONDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Lord Favre has had ankle surgery.

The Saints have re-signed DT Hollis Thomas.

The Rams have cut OL Adam Timmerman.

The Cowboys will be cutting QB Drew Bledsoe.

The Rams also have cut LB Dexter Coakley.

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POSTED 7:46 p.m. EST; LAST UPDATED 8:26 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

FLETCHER DEAL NOT DONE?

Although there are rampant rumors that the Washington Redskins have reached a deal with Bills middle linebacker London Fletcher, a source close to Fletcher says that a final decision has not been made.

The Redskins, Patriots, Lions, and Bills are interested in Fletcher, and the source says that the Bills currently are the favorites to land London, with the Redskins at No.2 on the list.

Ideally, however, the Bills should have the exclusive ability to negotiate with Fletcher until Friday.  But that's simply not how it works in the NFL anymore; virtually every team violates the prohibition on tampering when the time comes to talk to pending free agents.  Indeed, we're not aware of a single team that doesn't get an early start on chatting with players who technically are the property of others.   

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A FEW COMBINE TIDBITS

Here are a few random thoughts from a league source in attendance at the combine:

1.  The best offensive line workout in combine history was Jordan Gross.  Joe Thomas wasn't far behind.

2.  JaMarcus Russell is a freak and, if the Raiders don't take him, they should move to the CFL.

3.  Screw the media; the Lions should turn in the card on Calvin Johnson as soon as they are on the clock.

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HELLO, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

We check our ranking on Alexa.com from time to time, and we recently noticed that the folks at Alexa have added some additional information to the page.

Including, specifically, a site's traffic rank in other countries.

And, apparently, we're very big in the Netherlands Antilles.  Wherever they are.

Actually, they are islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba, and St. Maarten.

But how in the heck is PFT the 372nd most popular web site there?  Your guess is as good as ours.

Alas, our rein there will be short-lived.  Come December 2008, the Netherlands Antilles will be disbanded.

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MORE ON PETERSON

We've received several e-mails today advising us that we are complete a-holes (as if we didn't already know that) for suggesting that Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson was being more selfish than heroic by sticking around in Indy after learning that his half-brother had been shot and killed.

Well, consider this fact.  Peterson was interviewed on Sunday afternoon by NFL Network.  At the end of the segment, Jamie Dukes asked Peterson whether he or Brady Quinn should be on the cover of GQ.  Peterson then laughed, shot a GQ-style look at the camera, and laughed again.  (The clip, as of this posting, if available on NFL.com.)

We suppose it's not our business to tell someone how to process grief, but give us a freaking break.  Either Peterson wasn't as heartbroken as Jay Glazer's piece on the matter suggests, or Peterson is even more coldhearted than we are.

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POSTED 7:28 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

STRAHAN RUMORS INTENSIFY

We continue to hear, from different sources, that Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is looking to make a cash grab by getting out of New York.

The most likely target continues to be the Redskins.

Strahan, 35, is under contract with the Giants through 2008.  He needs to replenish his savings account in the wake of a recent court ruling requiring him to pay his ex-wife a whopping $15 million.

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POSTED 7:10 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

ADALIUS HAS A DEALIO?

An industry source tells us that Ravens linebacker Adalius Thomas already has a deal in place with the San Francisco 49ers. 

Thomas and Niners coach Mike Nolan were together in Baltimore, when Nolan was on Brian Billick's staff.

On Sunday, Thomas admitted that the Ravens "don't have the money" to re-sign him. 

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POSTED 6:54 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

BILLS GIVE KELSAY $13 MILLION, GUARANTEED

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Buffalo Bills have signed defensive end Chris Kelsay to a four-year, $23 million deal.  The package includes roughly $13 million in guaranteed money.

If Kelsay, who has 12.5 career sacks, is worth $6 million a year, what will guys like Adalius Thomas and Patrick Kerney receive?  Will it be $8 million a year?

And what would Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney get if he were on the open market?  $11 million?

The reality is that the cap is shooting up by another $7 million this year and teams will spend the money, regardless of the quality of the free-agency crop. 

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POSTED 5:22 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

PACKERS SIGN JENKINS

The Green Bay Packers have signed defensive end Cullen Jenkins to a four-year, $16 million contract.  The deal includes a $6 million signing bonus.

Jenkins was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.  He has 23 career starts in three seasons.  He also has 14 career sacks.  

We've previously heard that the Packers plan to make a play for Ravens linebacker/defensive end Adalius Thomas.  If the Packers can land him, it likely means that Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila will be the odd man out.

Jenkins is the younger brother of Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.

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POSTED 4:33 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

BILLS CLOSE TO DEAL WITH KELSAY

A league source tells us that the Buffalo Bills are close to inking defensive end Chris Kelsay to a deal that would be worth roughly $6 million per year.

Kelsay, a second round pick in the 2003 draft, is scheduled to become a unrestricted agent on March 2.

The four-year veteran has started in 36 straight games for the Bills.  

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POSTED 3:14 p.m. EST; UPDATED 3:47 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007

TROUBLE BREWING BETWEEN RUSKELL, BIG SHOW?

There's talk in league circles that Seahawks president Tim Ruskell and coach Mike "Big Show" Holmgren are fighting.

Ruskell joined the team two years ago, and things generally have been quiet between them.  

We've heard no specific reason for the problems, but the recent departure of capologist Mike Reinfeldt might have been a factor.  Also, Holmgren was livid last year when guard Steve Hutchinson was pilfered by the Vikings, with no compensation to the Seahawks.

Stay tuned.  Holmgren seriously contemplated retirement after the 2005 season, and we think he's at the top of the list of guys who might call it quits after the 2007 season.  

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MICHAEL WANTED MORE MONEY?

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News recently reported that Michael Irvin's departure from ESPN was the result of Irvin's desire to make more money.

Horn, who by all appearances is prepared to moonlight as the Playmaker's personal P.R. pissboy, claims that Irvin overestimated his value in the wake of his recent Hall of Fame induction.  

Then, when the parties couldn't agree on a raise, Irvin asked if he could supplement his income with outside projects.  ESPN approved, as long as it (gasp) approved of the extra endeavors.

And the desire of ESPN to protect itself from being associated with a guy who might, for example, opt to make extra money by endorsing rolling papers apparently was a deal breaker.

Our response?  It's a load of crap, in our view.

First, other published reports indicate that ESPN signed Irvin in 2006 to a one-year deal with a three-year employer option.  If true, Irvin had no way to try to get more money out of Bristol.

Second, maybe Irvin really is retarded (as Tom Jackson surmised on-air in September).  If Horn's report is true, Irvin walked away from the bird in the hand with, um, none in the bush.  CBS doesn't have a spot for him.  Neither does NBC.  And recent published reports indicate that FOX and NFLN aren't interested.

So where was his leverage?  There was none, and anyone with an ounce of common sense knows it.

We initially felt a little bad when we learned that Irvin was out at ESPN.  After reading Horn's hoo-ha on the subject, we suddenly have no remorse for our opinion that Irvin is too f--king stupid to have a job.  (Nod to Reggie Hammond.)

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POSTED 10:29 a.m. EST; UPDATED 11:59 a.m. EST, February 26, 2007

STRAHAN TO THE 'SKINS?

There's talk at the scouting combine in Indy that Giants defensive end Michael Strahan wants to become a member of the Washington Redskins.

On the surface, the chances of the Giants trading Strahan within the division seem to be remote at best.  But, as the rumor goes, Strahan is prepared to be difficult in the locker room if the team won't let him leave.

The presumed motivation?  Money.  Strahan had a lot of it.  Last month, he was ordered to give a lot of it to his ex-wife.  

And the Redskins are always willing to overpay.  Especially at a time when the free-agent market doesn't contain many high-end performers at the position.

For the Giants, moving Strahan could be a short-term curse but a long-term blessing.  The team has been dysfunctional for several years, and the continued presence of guys like Strahan has not helped the situation.  At all.

With TiVi Barber and LaVar Arrington  and Luke Pet-a-goat already gone, it makes sense (in our view) to continue to clear out the chronic malcontents.  Like Strahan.  And Plaxico Burress.  And Jeremy Shockey.

Strahan, 35, is under contract with the Giants for the next two seasons, at salaries of $4 million per year.  He missed seven games due to injury in 2006.

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MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Louisville DT Amobi Okoye will be the youngest player ever drafted.

If it's late February, then it must mean that WR Troy Brown is mulling retirement. 

Brian Stewart is expected to be the new defensive coordinator in Dallas.

Seahawks president Tim Ruskell says that WR Darrell Jackson isn't on the trade block.  (It's more like a small stepladder.)

The signing of QB A.J. Feeley definitely means that Jeff Garcia won't be back.

The Rams have made tender offers to three restricted free agents:  LB Brandon Chillar, TE Aaron Walker, and OL Adam Goldberg.

Several lucky reporters were allowed to spend an hour inside the RCA Dome watching combine workouts.  (Second place was two hours.) 

QB Troy Smith is fading.

The draft will drive whether the Steelers use the 4-3 or the 3-4 as a base defense.

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POSTED 7:43 a.m. EST; UPDATED 8:07 a.m. EST, February 26, 2007

TALK CONTINUES THAT LOMBARDI IS ON THE OUTS

One of the rumors gaining steam at the combine is that the Raiders are still expected to part ways with personnel executive Mike Lombardi.

Previously, there was talk that Lombardi was looking for a landing spot with a new team.

Within the past week or so, the Raiders have parted ways with Sean Jones, who reportedly was hoping to succeed Lombardi.  Some league insiders think that Lombardi will be the next to go.

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PETERSON WORKED OUT AFTER BROTHER'S DEATH

The numbers posted by Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson become even more impressive in light of the fact that he learned on Sunday morning that his brother was shot and killed in Texas.

Per Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com, Peterson got the news in the early hours of Sunday, but still participated in the workout without missing a beat.

Though Glazer gushes about the fact that Peterson was still able to put together a 4.38 in the 40 and other noteworthy numbers, we're not ready to compare the performance to Emmitt Smith in the final regular season game of 1993 against the Giants, when Smith ignored a painful shoulder injury to carry the team to the NFC East title with an overtime win in the Meadowlands.

It's one thing to show up for your team; it's another thing to show up for yourself.  In Peterson's case, the workout benefits only one person, and although on one hand it shows that he has the ability to ignore distractions and perform, it makes us wonder whether the kid has his priorities in line.

Then again, given that he already is showing a propensity to pick football over family, maybe it makes him even more desirable to an NFL team.

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SOME AGENTS PUSHING FOR DUNN NOTICE

There's a movement among some NFL agents to require suspended agent David Dunn to provide formal notice to all of his recruits that he currently is under suspension by the NFL Players Association.

The problem, as some see it, is that Dunn continues to engage in recruiting activities for his firm, Athletes First, even though he is serving an 18-month suspension.  The fact that several players attending the combine have listed Dunn as one of their agents has, in the opinion of some, validated concerns that the kids don't understand that Dunn can't represent them until the suspension expires.

We've obtained a copy of the notice, and we've confirmed that this is the language that currently is under consideration:

We also continue to hear that the NFLPA will be changing their rules regarding the things that a suspended agent can and can't do.  Currently, suspended agents are allowed to recruit.  So, technically, Dunn isn't doing anything wrong.  To the extent, however, that his recruits think that he'll be representing them in their coming contract discussions, then it could be that the proposed notice is needed.    

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POSTED 8:26 p.m. EST; UPDATED 9:17 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

OKOYE A-CLIMIN' THE LADDER

One of the defensive prospects who is gathering plenty of attention at the combine in Indy is Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye.

Scouts are amazed by the progress of this 19-year-old, who enrolled in college at 15 and earned a degree in three-and-a-half years.  And at six-foot-one, 317 pounds and still potentially growing, there's a belief that Okoye could in time become one of the most effective players at the position, ever.

One team that is sniffing around Okoye is the Steelers, who need to pick up some pass-rushing defensive linemen if they hope to transition to the Tampa Two, which uses four defensive linemen who are asked to get to the passer.  In the 3-4, the defensive linemen primarily are expected to tie up blockers so that the linebackers can put pressure on the passer.

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SUNDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Fins coach Cam Cameron apparently will be the offensive coordinator, too.

T.O. needs more surgery on his finger.

Falcons DE Patrick Kerney voided the remainder of his deal after the deadline for application of the franchise tag.

Oklahoma LB Rufus Alexander wants to play the Tampa 2.

The combine is under contract with Indy through 2008 only.

Minnesota RB Gary Russell won the Mo-Clo award for his 4.8-second 40; he also gets the Fred Smoot award for managing only nine reps in the 225-pound bench.

Could WR Calvin Johnson be a Raider?

Former Bills lineman Donnie Green is homeless.  One of the guys for whom he blocked has a multi-million-dollar judgment pending against him, and isn't.

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POSTED 8:16 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

FLETCHER OFF THE MARKET?

One of the hot rumors in Indy is that Bills linebacker London Fletcher already has struck a deal with the Washington Redskins. 

Fletcher, a nine-year veteran who has played with the Rams and the Bills, was believed to be a target of the Redskins and the Lions, and possibly others. 

Of course, even if the 'Skins and Fletcher have a deal, it doesn't mean that the arrangement is binding.  Since any contact between a pending free agent and a different team is prohibited, there can be no binding contract at this point.

Last year, it was widely believed that the Eagles had an agreement in principle with center LeCharles Bentley, who made a beeline for Cleveland once the free-agency period started.

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POSTED 4:45 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

STANTON LEAPFROGGING QUINN?

One of the darlings of the scouting combine is Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton.  Word is that several teams now consider Stanton to be ahead of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, due in large part to great interviews with teams in Indy, and strong overall intangibles.

While no one doubts that Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis has prepared Quinn to play quarterback in a pro-style offense, there are questions about whether he possesses the leadership abilities to be successful in the NFL. 

As we've previously heard, there also are questions about Quinn's ability to perform on a big stage, and some concerns about whether he wants to be a Hollywood type or whether he is committed to being the best football player he can be.  Similar questions knocked Matt Leinart down to the tenth overall spot in the 2006 draft.

So don't be surprised if Stanton gets drafted after JaMarcus Russell of LSU, and prior to Quinn.

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POSTED 3:02 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

RUSSELL PULLS A MO-CLO

Two days after he vowed not to run the 40-yard dash as slow as Maurice Clarett did it two years ago, former Minnesota running back Gary Russell posted two bad, bad times on Sunday afternoon.

Clarett ran a 4.72 and a 4.82 after being out of football for two full seasons.  Russell, who missed the 2006 season because of academics issues, ran a 4.8 and a 4.82.

Russell had to lose 25 pounds to get in shape, and he blamed his ineligibility in 2006 to being lazy.

Based on his history and on his times in the 40, we doubt that Russell will hear his name called at the draft.

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POSTED 2:53 p.m. EST; UPDATED 2:54 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

PETERSON RUNS A 4.34

Though Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson unofficially has been clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, his time has been clocked by some scouts as a 4.34.

Peterson, a likely top-ten pick, unofficially posted a 4.43 in his second try.

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POSTED 12:38 p.m. EST; UPDATED 1:19 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

ALLEN WANTS OUT OF K.C.

Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen, a great player with a history of drunk driving, has asked to be traded.

The team has said no.

The problem?  Allen is due to be a restricted free agent, and the Chiefs have not offered him an acceptable long-term deal.  And with the high tender likely coming his way, which would result in a first-round and third-round pick as compensation for his services, it's unlikely that anyone will present him with an offer sheet.

So he's looking at a one-year deal worth $2.35 million, and free agency in 2008.  Unless he is slapped with the franchise tag.

POSTED 12:01 p.m. EST, February 25, 2007

NASH DIES AT 24

Broncos running back Damien Nash, a mere 24 years of age, died of an apparent heart attack after a charity basketball game that was organized for his brother, who has had a heart transplant.

Nash is the second player on the team to die since the end of the 2006 season.  Cornerback Darrent Williams, 24, was shot and killed on January 1.

"The Denver Broncos organization is once again struck with profound sadness over the tragic loss of one of our players," said Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.  "This is a tremendous tragedy, and our hearts go out to the entire Nash family."

Nash played at the University of Missouri, and was drafted by the Titans in 2005.  He played for Denver in 2006.  He grew up in St. Louis.

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POSTED 11:39 a.m. EST, February 25, 2007

REESE NEEDS TO GO TO A SEMINAR, OR SOMETHING

John Czarnecki of FOXSports.com notes that new Giants G.M. Jerry Reese recently committed a clear violation of the NFL's tampering rules when he spoke publicly about a player currently under contract with another team.

Reese publicly acknowledged that "there is Willis McGahee talk out there" when asked about potential replacements for TiVi Barber. 

The reality?  First, there can be no sanction unless or until the Bills file tampering charges.  And many teams are reluctant to pursue this route. 

Second, the NFL has a history of looking the other way when tampering charges are filed.

Regardless, based on the rule that's on the books, the Giants clearly have violated the rules.  And if we were the Bills, we'd let teams like the Redskins and Cowboys and Eagles know that we might be willing to pursue tampering charges if each of the Giants' NFC East rivals makes some concessions regarding the currently ongoing debate over revenue sharing.

Coincidentally, each of those three teams is in the high-revenue club.  The Bills are at the other end of the spectrum.

Finally, how is it that Reese doesn't know that you can't say anything about a guy who currently is under contract with another team?  As to those who questioned whether Reese was truly ready to succeed Ernie Accorsi, Reese has just proved them all right.

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POSTED 11:17 a.m. EST; UPDATED 11:21 a.m. EST, February 25, 2007

JOHNSON RUNS A 4.35

Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson cemented his standing at the top of the draft class by running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds on Sunday morning at the combine.

The mere fact that Johnson chose to run is a big deal, since most of the high-end athletes don't.

The fact that he ran a blistering 4.35 proves that he's the real thing.

He is, in our estimation, the best prospect in the coming draft class, and if we were in striking distance of the top pick and needed a wideout, we'd strike a deal with the Raiders.  Now.

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JARRETT RUNNING IN THE 4.7 RANGE?

We took plenty of flak a couple of weeks ago when we unveiled our first-round mock draft, and omitted USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett.  We explained that he was off of the list because we expect him to run the 40 in 4.6 seconds or slower.

Moments ago, the guys working the combine for the NFL Network said that Jarrett recently has been timed in the mid-4.7 range while working out privately.

If he can't improve his speed before the USC Pro Day workout, there's no way he's a first-round pick.

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POSTED 6:00 p.m. EST, February 24, 2007

BEARS QUIETLY SHOPPING BRIGGS

Although teams technically aren't allowed to use the franchise tag solely as a means to obtain trade value for a player who is eligible for unrestricted free agency, there's growing talk/speculation in league circles that the Chicago Bears don't plan to keep linebacker Lance Briggs