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Few people with any real common sense are accepting Mike Vick's better-never-than-late attempt to explain away his water bottle with the secret compartment, which he now says was intended only to carry jewelry, not weed.

"I had earrings in it and I had jewelry in it," Vick said. "They took the bottle. I don't know what they did with the bottle. I guess they were trying to, I don't want to say frame me, but at the same time look at what I had to go through."

The Miami-Dade police dispute Vick's out-of-the-blue story.

"That's the first we've heard of that," department spokesperson Nelda Fonticella said when asked if Vick was carrying jewelry in the bottle. "If he has any kind of problem with the way things were handled then he needs to talk to internal affairs."

Fonticella added that there was no mention of jewelry in the police report.

Vick attempted to address his failure to talk about the situation any sooner with an explanation that makes almost as little sense to us as his claim that the phony bottle was for something other than contraband.

"There really wasn't anything I could say," Vick said. "When it first happened nobody waited for the results to come back. Everybody just said this, wrote that. 'He's a thug. He does this. He does that. He's not right. He shouldn't be in Atlanta.'

"How do you think that made me feel? That was tough on me. That was tough on my family and friends because we knew those accusations weren't right. I said to myself why even say anything? At the time people were not going to believe me. I just wanted to wait for the results to come back and let the smoke clear and get my head together and enjoy my offseason. It's over. I was cleared and I was happy about that."

So he opted for silence then, but he finally chooses to speak out now?

Aren't quarterbacks supposed to have good decision-making abilities?

Maybe we should go back to calling him a running back . . . .

PETRINO SIGNS A FORMER PUPIL

On Thursday morning, we commented on speculation in league circles that Falcons coach Bobby Petrino could be looking to get in position to land quarterback Brian Brohm, a former Petrino pupil at Louisville.

Less than 24 hours later, Petrino has gotten his mitts on a guy who used to play for him with the Cardinals.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Falcons have signed Chris Redman to a one-year deal. Petrino and Redman were together in 1998, when Petrino was the offensive coordinator at Louisville.

Redman has been out of the league since 2003, when he played for the Ravens. He'll be 30 years old in July.

Our take? Redman has one role -- to help implement the Petrino offense. And this suggests to us that Petrino won't be shaping his attack to suit the specific strengths and weaknesses of Michael Vick. Which also suggests to us, based on past precedent, that Vick won't reach his full potential on Petrino's watch.

One of the developments that occurred in conjunction with the NFLPA's recent meetings in Hawaii is that union-certified contract advisors are prohibited from having any contact with players who are not yet eligible for the NFL draft.

Though the NFLPA news release announcing the change isn't as clear as it could be, a league insider tells us that the prohibition does not prevent agents from talking to collegiate players until after their eligibility has expired. Instead, the rule is aimed at walling off players who cannot enter the draft because it has been less than three years since their high school class graduated.

Per the source, this change represents the union's reaction to the Reggie Bush situation. Last year, it was revealed on the eve of the draft that Bush and/or his family allegedly had received benefits in violation of NCAA regulations.

Of course, the Bush case was that money and other benefits came allegedly from marketing representatives, who are beyond the jurisdiction of the NFLPA.

It's presently unknown when the ban on talking to a player less than three years removed from high school graduation will be lifted. Given the intent of the new regulation, it's likely that the agents will be prevented from talking to such players until the end of the third football season after their high school graduation.

As a practical matter, the new rule forces a player who decides to turn pro after only three years to make a decision as to an agent in a compressed period of time. It also could make it harder for agents who follow the rules to land such players, since those who don't obey the rules surely will have contact with the players before the day on which contact is permitted.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Denver Broncos could be trading linebacker Al Wilson to the Giants in the near future, possibly as soon as this weekend.

Wilson is scheduled to earn $5.2 million in salary and $600,000 in roster bonuses in 2007. He is under contract through 2010.

If the trade happens, D.J. Williams could be moved from the strong side to the middle.

Per Schefter, the Broncos have also talked to the Lions and the Eagles about trading for Wilson.

Maybe we slept through the weekend -- or the entire year -- when Steve McNair won the Heisman. [Editor's note: The article has been changed from "winner" to "finalist." And thanks so much to all of the folks who read the article after the changed and assumed that we are morons . . . and sent in e-mails telling us so.]

Bengals president Mike Brown still opposes instant replay (mainly because the equipment increases the stadium electricity bill).

Browns owner Randy Lerner describes an NFLN report that he has told the front office to draft a quarterback as "somewhere between preposterous and ludicrous" (which actually would be a great title for a book about Lerner's performance as owner of the team).

Bob Glauber of Newsday reports that the new Giants-Jets stadium will cost more than expected (which likely means that it will cost less than expected).

According to NFL.com, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn churned out a 4.73 and a 4.82 in two tries at the 40-yard dash on Thursday.

Quinn did not run at the scouting combine, or at Notre Dame's initial Pro Day workout.

Recently, the perception that Quinn would slide to the bottom of the top ten has changed, and there's a school of thought in some league circles that he will be gone within the first few picks.

In his first comments regarding a January incident in which a confiscated water bottle was found to contain a hidden compartment, Falcons quarterback Mike Vick says that the bottle was for a different kind of stash.

"It was a stash box [for] my jewelry," Vick said Thursday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "That's what I told everybody but that wasn't written. Everything else was written about the smell and all that. I sat in the airport for another hour and 30 minutes so if there was something they thought was wrong then they could have come and got me and we could have handled the situation accordingly right on the spot."

First, why is Vick saying this on the day after Matt Schaub was traded? The incident occurred weeks ago. If the bottle was for jewelry only, Vick should have been shouting it from the rooftops. We think that this is all part of the concerted effort to clean up Vick's image, since he's now "the guy" in Atlanta for at least the next two seasons.

Second, no one ever disputed reports that the bottle smelled of marijuana. So unless Vick's jewelry smells of marijuana, his explanation doesn't make sense.

Third, we suppose that the "dark particulant [sic]" that was found in the compartment turned out to be a booger.

We posted them on Wednesday night, but forgot to mention in this here space that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' needs for the 2007 draft are now posted.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Rams running back Marshall Faulk will announce his retirement on Monday from the league's 2007 Annual Meeting in Phoenix.

Faulk sat out all of the 2006 season, and worked instead for NFL Network. There were rumors that he would possibly re-emerge in 2007 with the Lions. In fact, Detroit offensive coordinator Mike Martz risked tampering charges by talking about Faulk while he was under contract with St. Louis.

The 12-year veteran played five seasons for the Colts and seven for the Rams. His arrival in 1999 helped propel the Rams to their first and only Super Bowl win.

For his career, Faulk rushed for 12,279 yards (4.3 average yards per carry) and he caught 767 passes for 6,875 yards. Faulk also scored 136 touchdowns, the fourth highest total in league history.

He was the NFL's MVP in 2000, one year after and one year before the same award was won by former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner.

Per Schefter, the fact that Faulk wasn't on an active roster in 2006 makes him eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2011, in the same year that both Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin will have their first cracks at getting in.

In addition to forking over a six-year, $48 million contract to a guy who has never been a starting quarterback, the Houston Texans coughed up some major draft-day value for Matt Schaub.

Under the trade chart developed by FOX's Jimmy Johnson in the 1990s, the swap of first-round picks (No. 8 for No. 10) cost Houston 100 points. And the second-round pick (39th overall) is worth another 510 points.

The second-round pick in 2008 will be worth anywhere from 270 points to 580 points.

So the total draft points that the Texans surrendered for Schaub will range from 880 (if Houston wins Super Bowl XLII) to 1190 (if Houston is the worst team in the league in 2007).

Thus, the Texans essentially gave up a first-round pick, falling anywhere from No. 13 to No. 19 overall.

Was it too much to sacrifice? On one hand, they could have had Schaub for nothing in 2008 -- but they would have had to outbid other teams for his rights. On the other hand, is a mid-level first-round pick a fair sacrifice for a guy who has shown in spot duty that he can play at the NFL level?

Probably so, in light of the fact that it's a 50-50 proposition (at best) that a quarterback is going to work out when drafted in round one.

Of course, none of this changes the reality that the Texans could have, and should have, figured out that Carr wasn't the guy a year ago, at a time when they could have dangled the No. 1 overall pick and then slid back a few spots and drafted Vince Young or Matt Leinart.

We've got a feeling that the folks in Houston won't be forgetting about that missed opportunity unless and until Matt Schaub is hoisting a Lombardi.

An industry source tells us that former Saints linebacker E.J. Kuale, who was arrested on Monday, was charged with felony possession of a firearm and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

When asked about the Kuale arrest, the Saints claimed that Kuale had been released weeks ago. We have since confirmed that he was waived by the team on Wednesday.

And although guys who run afoul of the law are getting less and less sympathy, the decision of the team to cut Kuale two days after his arrest could trigger a non-injury grievance. The NFL Commissioner has the sole jurisdiction to impose player discipline under the Personal Conduct Policy, and the most that a club can ever do is suspend a player for four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team.

In this case, Kuale could claim that the decision to fire him was a reaction to the arrest, and that as a result the move violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement that governs generally the relationship between the teams and the players.

The move most likely is a reaction to the playoff incident involving Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who mishandled an apparently slick "K" ball on a decisive field goal attempt during a postseason game at Seattle.

The situation prompted scrutiny of the 12 balls used only for the kicking game. Based on our reading of the rules and our discussions with league insiders, it became clear that the ball boy who keeps the bag of "K" balls has the ability, if he so chooses, to squirrel away a particularly slick ball for insertion into the game at the most inopportune moment for the visiting team.

Coupled with reports from Charley Casserly of CBS regarding the limited time that the game officials have to prepare the factory-sealed kicking balls for use on the field, there's definitely the potential for shenanigans.

Falcons G.M. Rich McKay, co-chair of the league's Competition Committee, says that the proposal is intended "to make sure that there is no perception -- it is not reality in our mind -- we're doing everything we can to make sure that people feel comfortable that the balls that are being played with in the games are appropriate."

If the owners adopt the changes recommended by the Competition Committee, more time will be available for the preparation of the balls and, as we suggested in the wake of the Romo brouhaha, the "K" balls will be numbered and used sequentially.

Said Cowboys punter Mat McBriar regarding the incident that ended Bill Parcells' tenure with the team: "[C]ome the fourth quarter, all the balls have been kicked or worked in a little bit by then, and to see a slick ball like that, that was disappointing. You don't expect brand-new balls in the fourth quarter."

We applaud the move. Even if nothing underhanded is happening, numbering the balls and giving the officials more time to rub them all down will help to remove any discretion that the ball boys -- who are employed by the home team -- might have when it comes to pulling out a "K" ball when the away team is getting ready to try a key kick.

QB Matt Schaub's new deal with the Texans is worth $48 million over six years, with $7 million guaranteed and $20 million paid out over the first three years.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the New York Jets have signed free-agent quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.

Tuiasosopo was a second-round draft pick of the Raiders in 2001. Oakland did not make a serious effort to re-sign him. He drew interest from the Browns and the Panthers.

Meanwhile, the Raiders signed on Wednesday former LSU quarterback Josh Booty, who has not been on an active roster since 2003. The 31-year-old pass-thrower has never thrown a pass in an NFL game.

Booty's brother, John David, is the starting quarterback at USC, where Raiders coach Lane Kiffin served as co-offensive coordinator before heading to Oakland.

In five-plus years of cobbling together the daily news and rumors and nuggets and crap that we just make up to fill space, we haven't had many real innovations. The Rumor Mill is the steak of the site. Everything else ranges from potatoes to parsley.

But we've realized lately that Turd Watch is becoming the mushrooms and onions. It's getting plenty of traffic, and also plenty of notice.

On Wednesday, Michael Smith mentioned on ESPN's Around the Horn our concept of tracking arrests via a team-by-team scoring system, without mentioning us by name. (Well, at least Smith didn't say, "Len Pasquarelli reports that there's a web site tracking arrests via a team-by-team scoring system.")

And Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle and CBSSportsline.com wrote this in a March 21 column on the rash of off-field misconduct: "According to the insomniacs at Pro Football Talk and their elegantly named compendium of misbehavior called 'Turd Watch,' there have been 10 arrests, seven guilty pleas and a drug diversion entrance since the Super Bowl, and that doesn't count the party at Patrick Kerney's house in which a rape took place. That's in six weeks, kids. And with [Pacman] Jones as the poster child, the NFL looks more and more like a hiring hall for meatheads."

But, with some regret, we must announce that we will be changing the name of Turd Watch. Beginning very soon, Turd Watch will be known as . . . T-bone. Actually, the new name will be Turd List.

Why the change, you ask? Because we've decided to spin off an entire site devoted to misconduct in sports and, just like the nickname T-bone, TurdWatch.com was taken. (Someone registered it in 2003, but the link leads to nothing at all.)

So we had to come up with something else. And TurdList.com sounded a lot better to us than KoKoTheMonkey.com.

The new site will track arrests and convictions among the various pro sports, with the same scoring system used currently in the PFT Turd Watch. We'll also have a separate tracking system for folks in individual sports (golf, racing, tennis, etc.), and a blog with postings regarding crime and punishment and other misbehavior.

In the wake of the trade that sent backup quarterback Matt Schaub to the Texans, there is speculation in league circles that Falcons coach Bobby Petrino wanted a second-rounder in 2008 to be part of the deal in order to possibly get himself in position to lasso Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm in next year's draft.

Of course, Petrino's ability to snare the guy who led Petrino's prior team to a BCS bowl depends on many things, including where the Falcons land in the draft order, and whether the second-round selection inherited from the Texans is at the top, middle, or bottom of round two.

Whether there's a need for Brohm also depends on whether Mike Vick fails to develop sufficiently this year as the unquestioned starting quarterback. With Schaub no longer looming over Vick's shoulder and with Vick now having the ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft has fewer and fewer excuses for failure.

Our own theory on this one relates more to 2007 than to 2008. We think that the Falcons are plotting a move up to get receiver Calvin Johnson.

Johnson, a Tyrone, Georgia native who played for Georgia Tech, is regarded as one of the top prospects in the draft. In our view, he's one of the only sure things in a pool of several high-quality players. Given his size, speed, leaping ability, and ball skills, Vick's margin for error in hurling the ball downfield would increase. Likewise, Johnson is in many respects the anti-Vick, and Johnson gradually could supplant the quarterback as the face of the franchise, making it easier for the Falcons to sever ties with Vick, without sparking a local revolt.

Of course, Vick is sharp enough to realize that Johnson could steal the limelight in a city that, to a large extent, the underachieving quarterback still owns. So if Vick resents the rookie instead of embracing him, the marriage might not work.

But, in the end, that might make it even easier for the Falcons to move on. (Or move out.) If Vick starts trouble of any kind with Calvin, Falcons fans might finally turn on Vick, once and for all.

Another consequence of the trade that sent Matt Schaub to the Texans is that Jake Plummer most likely won't land there in 2007.

There previously was a strong belief in league circles that Plummer wanted to jump to the Texans, where he would have been reunited with former Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, who now runs the show in Houston.

Currently, Plummer's choices appear to be playing for the Buccaneers, hoping for a trade to the Raiders, or following through on his plan to retire.

As to the first option, our friends at PewterReport.com report that two of Plummer's former teammates have been trying to talk him into becoming a pirate (without having to wear a puffy shirt), but that Plummer won't return their calls.

"I tried to talk to Jake," said Bucs running back Michael Pittman, who like Plummer is a former Arizona Cardinal. "Coach Gruden asked me if I'd give him a call, and we were on the same page because I was going to ask Coach Gruden to let me try and call him. I tried to call Jake a couple of times, but he didn’t return any of my phone calls." (Maybe Pittman should simply repeatedly ram his car into Jake's Honda Element.)

Another former Plummer teammate in Arizona, Simeon Rice, likewise whiffed in his efforts to reach Jake. "Simeon called me up and asked me what was going on with Jake," said Pittman. "I told him that I tried to call him, so I gave Sim the number to see if he could get in touch with Jake, but he didn’t return any of Simeon's phone calls, either.

"I think Jake is probably weighing his options right now," Pittman added. "I really think Jake knows for a fact that he still has the game in his blood and that he’s not ready to retire. I just don’t think he’s thinking rationally right now."

If Plummer retires, the Bucs will be able to pursue at least $3 million and as much as $7 million in signing bonus money that the Broncos previously paid to him.

In response to recent comments of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger regarding his past disagreements with former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, a league source tells us that Roethlisberger's statements are not surprising, because there was a significant amount of tension between the two men in 2006.

Roethlisberger recently hinted at problems between himself and Whisenhunt in expressing disagreement with the coach's statements that the quarterback was rushed back too quickly from injuries last season: "There were a lot of things I didn't agree with Whis about, and that's another one."

The apparent victim of this tension? Former Steelers quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple, who currently doesn't have a job in football.

As the source explained, "Ben was extremely close to Whipple, to the point where he had almost no contact with Whis. From what I have heard, this caused a lot of tension between Whis and Whipple. It seems Whis resented Whipple for, in his opinion, creating a division between Ben and he. Or he was jealous that he didn’t have the kind of relationship with Ben that Whipple had with his pupil."

At one point during the 2006 season, there were reports that Whipple was poised to become the head coach at Boston College. He didn't get the job, and he didn't get an opportunity to join Whisenhunt, the Cardinals' new head coach, in Arizona.

No one else has hired Whipple, either. And that makes us wonder whether Whisehunt is blackballing his former black and gold colleague.

A source with access to information regarding the transactions reported to the league office tells us that the New Orleans Saints cut ties with linebacker E.J. Kuale on Wednesday -- two days after he was arrested on charges of firearm possession and marijuana possession. (For more on this story, scroll down.)

An industry source recently told us that the Saints insisted, when asked about Kuale, that he had been cut "weeks ago."

As it turns out, Kuale was re-signed by the Saints on January 24, 2007, and the move was disclosed on or about February 16.

A league source with knowledge of the contract signed by linebacker Cato June with the Buccaneers tells us that, in the source's opinion, the deal is "flat-out terrible."

The contract, per the source, pays out a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $1 million per year in each of the deal's three years. There also is a $2 million roster bonus payable in 2008 and in 2009, and escalators for 2008 and 2009 and incentives for 2009.

"Basically," said the source, "it is a $3 million average and fairly good linebackers go for $5 million. This was a weak market and teams had money to burn. June was one of the higher-rated players and all he gets is $3 million per year?"

Apparently, the New Orleans Saints are doing their best to stay off of the PFT Turd Watch, a feature that's becoming so popular that it was mentioned on ESPN's Around the Horn on Wednesday (without actually, you know, being mentioned).

Here's the deal. A media source advises us that Saints linebacker E.J. Kuale (a/k/a Ejiro Megetayeh Kuale) was arrested earlier this week in Baton Rouge for felony possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana.

We can't find a published report of the arrest, but a cached version of a page from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Department lists Ejiro Megetayeh Kuale as an inmate, and the cached page indicates that he was booked on March 19, 2007. (Kuale's name does not currently appear on the live site, presumably because he has posted bond.)

When we first were informed of the arrest, we checked the Saints' official web site, and Kuale was still listed as a member of the team. Per the cached page, saved as of March 20, 2007, Kuale's name was still there.

Though we're going to confirm the specific charges before we dish out the Turd Watch points, it's obvious to us that, even though the Saints moved quickly to shed Kuale, he was a member of the organization when he was arrested.

Though much can still change with the draft still five weeks away, the buzz in league circles regarding this year's crop of draft picks currently focuses on quarterback JaMarcus Russell, receiver Calvin Johnson, and quarterback Brady Quinn.

Quinn had been a forgotten man for much of January and February, and when Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports recently wrote that Quinn was still viewed as a top three pick, we remained skeptical.

But league sources with no direct or indirect stake in the Quinn sweepstakes have advised us that Quinn is in the conversation at the top of the draft. And the reality is that it doesn't matter if every team doesn't agree. All that matters is whether the franchises holding selections in the top ten feel that way.

The loser? Running back Adrian Peterson. Perhaps because many NFL teams now regard running backs as largely interchangeable, there's a sense of reluctance to hand him (or any other running back who isn't viewed as a rare talent) the kind of huge-money contract that goes with being a top-five pick.

And the possibility that Quinn might be nudging Peterson out of the top tier of the draft raises fresh questions about potential conflicts of interest among agencies that have multiple blue-chip players. Although most agencies are sensitive to the problems inherent in pimping two guys who play the same position, Tom Condon of CAA (who represents Quinn) and Ben Dogra of CAA (who represents Peterson) are now in the delicate situation of attempting to pimp one client to the Browns at the potentially huge financial loss to another client.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Cleveland Browns have paid a $1.5 million option bonus to center LeCharles Bentley.

Bentley, a big-money free-agent signing in 2006, blew out a patellar tendon on the first day of training camp. The option bonus most likely adds a year to the back end of the deal. If the option bonus contained a non-exercise fee equal to the amount of the option bonus, the team's only option would have been to cut him.

Based on past reports, Bentley could miss the 2007 season due to complications of a staph infection. It's possible that he'll never be able to play again.

A league source tells us that the Redskins are paying a portion of the $5 million in guaranteed money that safety Adam Archuleta will receive under his new contract with the Bears.

Archuleta was due to receive on Wednesday a $5 million option bonus, which was fully guaranteed by future salaries. So, in essence, the 'Skins paid out 10 percent of the amount in order to wipe the obligation off of the books.

In return, the 'Skins got a sixth-round pick from the Bears. So Washington, in our view, came out of this thing as well as they could have, since they clearly had decided that it didn't make sense to pay starter money to two strong safeties.

Of course, the 'Skins would have been wise to realize all of this a year ago, before committing $10 million in guaranteed money to Archuleta.

Greg Bedard of the Palm Beach Post reports that the Dolphins and the Chiefs are still working toward a trade that would send quarterback Trent Green to Miami. The only sticking point? Green's pay in 2007.

He's due to receive $7.2 million, $7.7 million, and $9.2 million in base salaries over the next three seasons. The Fins want to pay him far less than that. Per Bedard, the two sides are "in the same ballpark."

Under the deal, the Fins would send to Kansas City the seventh-round pick that Miami received from the Patriots as part of the Wes Welker trade. [Editor's note: A prior version of this story incorrectly said that the Fins would send a second-round pick to the Chiefs. We regret the error.]

The acquisition of Green could mean the end of the road for quarterback Daunte Culpepper in Miami, who was acquired from Minnesota last year for the Dolphins' second-round pick in the 2006 draft.

There's a theory making the rounds in league circles that the Detroit Lions could pull off a rare move from the No. 2 overall spot in the draft.

First, there's a belief that the Lions eventually will trade the pick to the Browns, flip-flopping with Cleveland the No. 2 and No. 3 selections. The Browns would use the No. 2 pick to snare Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.

Second, the Lions would hold an auction at No. 3 for the rights to receiver Calvin Johnson. Potential candidates include the Bucs at No. 4, the Redskins at No. 6, the Vikings at No. 7, and the Falcons at No. 8.

In theory, the Lions could use interest from a team like the Falcons to leverage an even better deal out of the Bucs, and then the Lions could draft left tackle Joe Thomas from the No. 4 spot.

The end result? The Lions would end up with the guy that they have coveted all along, they would pay him at a slot two spots lower than No. 2, and they would get a bunch of extra picks and/or players in the process.

It might be as hard for the Lions to pull this off as the roommate swap, but if CEO Matt Millen can do it he just might end up with a lifetime contract.

The unexpected trade of quarterback Matt Schaub to the Texans has prompted us to scuttle after only one day Version 3.0 of the PFT 2007 Mock Draft.

We've put the finishing touches on rounds one and two of Version 4.0, and they're ready for your perusal.

Check us out later tonight with Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio. It's a special Wednesday night visit with Todd, at 11:06 p.m. EDT.

Looking ahead, we'll be making our first appearance next Friday, March 30, on WBAL in Baltimore as part of the Sportsline with Steve Davis show. The spot is tentatively scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT, and is likely to become a weekly thing unless we use profanity or make armpit farts during the segment.

According to NFL.com, Mississippi linebacker Patrick Willis ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.37 and 4.38 seconds during a Tuesday Pro Day workout.

The times were generated on FieldTurf, which is the same surface used at the scouting combine in Indy.

The move is sure to send Willis farther up the draft board. In our most recent mock draft, Willis had climbed to No. 11, as the first linebacker taken. He could now potentially challenge Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams as the first defensive player selected.

Most impressive to us is that Willis didn't rest on his dazzling time from his first crack at the 40. Instead, he ran again to prove that it wasn't a fluke.

Willis was the 2006 Butkus Award winner, and he would be a great fit in a Cover 2-style scheme, which requires the middle linebacker to chase receivers down the middle of the field.

A guy who claims to have witnessed Sunday night's altercation between Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter and Bengals left tackle Levi Jones tells WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh that the fight resembled something out of a Rocky movie.

"They were throwing down," a guy named Dave Benz told WTAE. "They must have each gotten in a good three or four swings. Then all of a sudden, the bigger guy who I found out later was Levi Jones, picked up Joey Porter and tossed him probably 10 feet like he was a rag doll."

After some people tried to break up the fight, Porter made another run at Jones.

"Joey Porter broke free and ran full sprint at Levi Jones and dove through the air at him like he was trying to tackle [LaDainian] Tomlinson. Took him down with a tackle, then the two of them got up. They were throwing fists again."

The account sounds a little over the top to us, and it doesn't seem to mesh with reports that the only injury was a small laceration over the eye sustained by Jones.

The Philadelphia Eagles have announced that coach Andy Reid will be returning to work on Friday, March 23. Reid commenced a leave of absence on February 12, in order to attend to personal matters involving his family.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Reid will attend the league's 2007 Annual Meeting in Arizona next week.

Reid's leave of absence was triggered by separate legal issues involving his sons. Britt Reid was arraigned last month on a felony charge of carrying a firearm without a license and misdemeanor charges of lying to authorities, simple assault, making terroristic threats, and possession of a controlled substance. Garrett Reid tested positive for heroin after a January 30 accident that injured another motorist.

Raiders running back Dominic "Poppie" Rhodes has pleaded guilty to reckless driving. In exchange, DUI charges against him have been dropped.

Tests showed that Rhodes had a 0.09 percent blood-alcohol concentration when he was arrested last month. The legal limit is 0.08.

Despite an apparent open-and-shut case, prosecutors opted to permit the plea to the lesser deal because the number was just above the legal limit, and because of "evidence problems."

Rhodes was fined $1,000, and was ordered to pay restitution and court costs. We're not sure how restitution would apply to a case of reckless driving; maybe they had to replace the cushion in the cruiser after Rhodes (allegedly) peed all over himself.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the trade that sent quarterback Matt Schaub from the Falcons to the Texans involves not one but two second-round picks, plus a swap of first-round picks in 2007.

The Falcons held the No. 10 pick in round one, and the Texans held the No. 8 pick.

In all, it's a good haul for the Falcons. No one was going to give them a one and a three for Schaub. But to get two twos and a two-spot upgrade in the top ten is huge -- especially since it puts them in striking distance to make a deal that would put them in position to draft someone like Adrian Peterson or the one guy who could make the locals forget about Mike Vick: Calvin Johnson.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that it's a done deal -- the Falcons have traded quarterback Matt Schaub to the Texans.

It's a sign-and-trade transaction, with the Falcons inking Schaub to a new contract and then trading him to the Texans. The use of a roster bonus and/or an option bonus due in, for example, five days will prevent the Falcons from taking a cap hit.

The move most definitely means that David Carr's tenure with the team is over. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft. A year ago, the Texans opted to pay a bonus that extended his deal for three seasons, which took them out of the running for Houston native Vince Young.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network and John McClain of the Houston Chronicle report that the Atlanta Falcons are close to trading quarterback Matt Schaub to the Houston Texans, for a second-round draft pick, and possibly for other compensation.

Schaub is a restricted free agent, who carries the highest possible tender offer. If another team signs him to an offer sheet and the Falcons opt not to match it, the Falcons would receive a first-round and third-round pick as compensation.

Last year, there were strong rumors that Schaub would be traded to the Vikings. The talks progressed to the point that (as we've heard it) Schaub was looking for a home in Minnesota.

As Schefter points out, the move has major significance for both teams. First, it means that the Texans will pass on quarterback Brady Quinn if he falls to them at No. 8 in the first round, and that current Houston starter David Carr is (as most league observers believe) done. Second, it means that the Falcons are making their bed with quarterback Mike Vick, anointing him as the once and future leader of the team even after a string of on-field failures and off-field embarrassments.

For new coach Bobby Petrino, it's not a bad development, from a job security standpoint. He now has at least two years to get Vick turned around and, if Vick never fully develops, Petrino will get another two or three years to develop the next guy.

In an era where the five-year plan has become extinct, this is the equivalent of Petrino finding a dodo bird in his back yard.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a bad year in 2006. But, in what could be a sign of growth and maturity, he's not blaming his struggles on the effects of a June 12 motorcycle accident or an early September appendectomy.

"You know what? I might have still had the same year," Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Who knows? I'm not going to look back and say, wow, this is what caused this and this is what caused that. There's no need for that. It's a bad year. It's going to happen. That's just the way it goes."

In taking this position, Roethlisberger is directly contradicting former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who has said that he thinks the team brought Big Ben back too quickly from his various ailments.

"No, I don't agree with Whis," Roethlisberger said. "There were a lot of things I didn't agree with Whis about, and that's another one. . . . I think I just didn't play well. I had a bad year. I'm sure Whis had a bad year once in his career."

A more likely cause of his struggles? Roethlisberger says didn't always know what the pass protections were going to be, since the linemen were calling them. This year, the quarterback will have more freedom in this regard.

"[They're] letting me call a lot more of the stuff at the line," Roethlisberger said. "This year, it's going to be mostly just me. I'm going to tell them if I want them to move. I'm telling them to move, otherwise they don't do anything. It should be easier for us, for me, because I know what's going on and where they'll be blocking and who they're not blocking."

At a deeper level, Roethlisberger's comments might be a little bit of a slap at "Whis" and at former offensive line coach Russ Grimm. If, after all, there was a problem with the manner in which the pass protections were being called out, then it's a problem that the offensive line coach and the offensive coordinator should have fixed.

Coincidentally, both men were considered for the job of head coach after Bill Cowher resigned in January, and Grimm was a finalist who might or might not have been offered the gig before Mike Tomlin was hired.

So is Big Ben saying what he's saying in order to show implicit support for Mike Tomlin? Regardless of Roethlisberger's motivations, the team will get on the right track the sooner that everyone is on the same page, and if public comments from the starting quarterback will promote private acceptance in the locker room of Tomlin, everyone in black and gold benefits.

However, there's no indication that the system for calling out pass protections changed in 2006 from the procedures used the year before, when the team won something known loosely in some circles as the Super Bowl.

Although Banks tries (in our opinion) to stir up a little trouble by writing in the first paragraph of his story that the suspension will come "even before the legal process from a Las Vegas strip club brawl in February is complete," deeper in the piece Banks reveals the real impetus for the move -- Jones' failure to disclose to the team a pair of arrests from early 2006, during which Jones was charged with felony obstruction of a police officer and marijuana possession.

"I don't think [the NFL] will have to wait for the legal process to take its course in this particular situation,'' a source told Banks. "Not in the case where the player has failed to report arrests and transgressions, like he's mandated to do under the terms of the personal conduct clause in his contract."

But the trigger here isn't any personal conduct clause in Jones' contract. It's the league's Personal Conduct Policy. This specific document, as we've previously explained, mandates disclosure of player arrests. But Jones never told the Titans about these incidents.

And because such behavior is unprecedented since the policy was enacted, Goodell's hands aren't tied by precedent. Also, smacking Jones hard for his failure to come clean will deter other players from doing the same thing.

So good for Goodell. Though we're not sure that sitting out for a season will be enough to finally prompt Jones to "get it," it's the right decision for a guy who, to date, clearly doesn't.

Don Banks' story on Pacman Jones also explains that new NFL commission Roger Goodell plans to clamp down on the ongoing problem with off-field player misconduct, making it his top item in 2007.

"It's his first three priorities these days," a source tells Banks. "It speaks to the integrity and the image of the league, and it includes ensuring the protection of our players and the protection of the league itself.

"Roger is looking to really make his stand and differentiate himself from [former NFL commissioner] Paul Tagliabue on this one,'' said a source "with ties to the NFLPA." (We have a hunch that the source is NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, who doesn't want to say these things on the record for fear of creating the impression that he's dissing Tagliabue.) "[Goodell is] really pushing to get something done on this front. This is his baby, his thing. It's his issue, and he's eager to make a mark in this area at the beginning of his tenure.'

"It's more than just the public's perception of the league that concerns players,'' the source added. "From a player's perspective, they don't want guys like that on their team. Not just that those guys might embarrass everyone with their behavior, it's that those guys are just not reliable teammates, on or off the field. And that impacts everyone, and everyone's chances of winning.

"Players say these guys coming into the league now are completely different," the source continued. "There's a knucklehead factor. They don't give a [crap] how many years you've got in the league or what you've done as a veteran player. They're just very disrespectful of the game and its players. It's important that this is coming from the players as much as the league, because guys see it as a team and player-level problem. These kind of guys can destroy a whole team, and players are realizing that now and that it hurts everyone's chances for success.''

It also threatens the golden goose that is funneling to the players nearly 60 percent of all NFL revenues. If/when the public ever turns on the NFL and its growing flock of Playmakers players, all of the players will suffer for it, because the ever-increasing team-by-team salary cap would do an about-face if the money were to begin to dry up.

The Associated Press reports that the Seattle Seahawks won't be re-signing tight end Jerramy Stevens.

Stevens, the controversial tight end who has a history of picking up criminal charges and dropping passes, was busted last week for DUI and marijuana possession.

It was recently reported that Stevens was/is an alleged menace in the building where his condo is located, and that residents were exploring options for giving him the boot. Apparently, Stevens will be selling the property before too long.

Unless the new buyer is recently-signed defensive end Patrick Kerney, the folks at the condo should be pleased.

Jacksonville police recently released video of Jaguars offensive tackle Khalif Barnes' November 2006 DUI arrest.

We doubt that Barnes' behavior, or an ongoing rash of arrests involving Jaguars players, will allow the team to uncover those 10,000 unsellable seats at AllTel Stadium. If anything, the Jags might have to cover up even more of them in order to pull off future sellouts.

POSTED 11:15 p.m. EDT, March 20, 2007; UPDATED 8:53 a.m. EDT, March 21, 2007

Of course, the article never acknowledges that Winslow had microfracture surgery earlier in the offseason in order to spark the regeneration of cartilage in his knee.

And though the item makes vague reference to our article from Monday regarding Winslow, the writer erroneously claims that we have reported that Winslow won't play at all in 2007.

We did not. We wrote that the team isn't counting on him for the coming season, and that there's a very good chance that he won't play.

"I don't even know where that came from -- I don't know who said that," Winslow said in response to the report that we didn't report. "But I love to prove people wrong. That's fuel for me. I'll be back. People continue to count me out, and that lights my fire."

Hey, K -- the only reason anyone is counting you out is because of your own stupidity nearly two years ago, when you risked your football career to get a few kicks on a motorcycle.

[UPDATE: Lest there be any confusion on this, we fully stand by our report. We believe that the article on the Browns' official web site was a reaction to rumors of Winslow's inability to return from microfracture surgery, and as in most cases like this we refuse to accept the official word that a team puts out at face value.]

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Eagles have signed free-agent defensive tackle Montae Reagor.

The deal is worth $8.25 million over three years, with $2 million in guaranteed money.

Reagor, an eight-year veteran, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Broncos and the last four campaigns with the Colts.

He suffered facial injuries in an October 2006 automobile accident, and missed the rest of the season.

Tuesday's late-night updates are coming exclusively from the waiting room at the maternity ward of Monongalia General Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia. Almost exactly 10.5 years ago to the day, Florio Jr. popped out in this same facility.

Tonight, we're awaiting the arrival of Matthew Oliverio, the second son of the Poobah's wife's brother.

So since we've got nothing else to do until the cord is cut, we'll be catching up on all of the news and other events of the past day.

Meanwhile, we missed our spot with Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio. But we'll make it up tomorrow night at 11:06 p.m. EDT.

As promised, we've posted our latest mock draft. Version 3.0 is based upon developments to date in free agency.

A league source tells us that the Washington Redskins have traded safety Adam Archuleta to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round pick in the 2007 draft.

Per the source, Archuleta will sign a three-year deal with Chicago. The contract is worth $8.1 million, and it pays $5 million in guaranteed money.

That's the same $5 million that Archuleta was owed by the Redskins in the form of a fully-guaranteed option bonus.

The move reunites Archuleta with former Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith. Word is that Smith had been hoping to get Archuleta to Chicago ever since Smith got the job there as head coach.

The deal initially was reported by John Clayton of ESPN.com and Adam Schefter of NFL Network. (We don't want to create the false impression that we broke this one.)

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that free-agent linebacker Shawn Barber has signed with the Texans.

Per Schefter, it's a three-year, $5.5 million deal with $2.2 million in guaranteed money.

Barber spent 2006 with the Eagles, where he also played in 2002. From 2003 through 2005, he played for the Chiefs. He started his career in Washington.

We're three for three with posting the first wave of draft needs. (After, of course, getting started a day late.)

But we enjoy writing them up and we'll continue to do so, once per day, until each of the 32 teams is represented.

And since we've not gotten a bunch of e-mails telling us how stupid we are for the things that we've said in the draft needs summaries, we can only assume that we're doing a not-so-crappy job.

Per various published reports, the Denver Broncos have signed receiver Brandon Stokley to a one-year deal.

Stokley visited with the Saints, but opted to join the Broncos. He is recovering from a torn Achilles' tendon, but is expected to be ready for training camp.

Stokley has played for two Super Bowl winners. In 2000, he was a member of the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV champions. In 2006, he was a member of the Colts.

But given that Stokley: (1) didn't play in the Super Bowl; and (2) has signed with another team, Brandon would be wise to get a written promise from Napolian that a ring will be coming his way.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin met with his team for the first time on Monday, when 85 percent of the players gathered in Pittsburgh for the start of the offseason training program.

Note to the other 15 percent -- it might be a good idea to get your butts to the 'Burgh, now.

Per receiver Cedrick Wilson, Tomlin told the team that "you can go train in Orlando or you can go train in Arizona where it's a nice climate, whatever, but you can't get out of those places what you can get here and that's football."

Added Wilson, the only player who was made available to the media: "He stepped in and kind of laid down the law a little bit, like, 'Hey guys it's going to be a little bit uncomfortable but as soon as we can get over that it's going to be better for all of us.' The guys worked hard today, on the field and also in the weight room, and I look for the same thing tomorrow."

All-Pro guard Alan Faneca, who expressed disagreement with the decision to hire Tomlin, was not present on Monday. In our view, whether and to what extent Tomlin can win Faneca over will go a long way toward Tomlin's ability to win over the team.

And if it appears that Faneca won't accept Tomlin, then Alan needs to go the way of Joey Porter, in our view.

On a positive note, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (who has been taken to task of late for the perception that he doesn't devote enough time to football) and receiver Hines Ward are attending the program.

When guys like Derrick Dockery and Nate Clements got huge paydays in free agency, we immediately concluded that premier players throughout the league would begin to scrutinize their own contracts.

Some coaches realize that this could be a problem, too. As 49ers coach Mike Nolan told Judy Battista of the New York Times, "It is a concern. They have agents, and agents will be in their ear. They see the numbers handed out. My thing is you'll get a deal, but you've got to play out your deal. Maybe you’ll strike it rich. When your contract is up, you get an opportunity as a free agent. By last year's numbers, you got a great deal. This year's numbers, maybe it doesn't look as great."

Because the 2006 amendments to the CBA have reduced significantly the financial consequences of a holdout, we won't be surprised at all if a rash of problems arise over the coming months regarding players who believe that their deals need to be adjusted in light of the dramatic shift in the market.

Though we're firm believers in the concept that a player should honor his contract, we also think that allowances need to be made for the ever-expanding salary cap, which as Battista points out has increased by $23.5 million since 2005.

One way to address the problem, in our view, would be to determine base salaries in future years not by hammering out a set number but by making the wages a specific percentage of the salary cap for the year in question.

So instead of promising Steve Hutchinson a base salary of $4.45 million in the third year of a deal signed in 2006, why not say that the base salary in 2008 will be 4.3 percent of the total salary cap for that season? Sure, this will create some additional administrative headaches, but it will help to avoid situations in which a player believes that he's not being paid fairly due to the ongoing increases in the spending limit.

And just as the notion that the players collectively receive 60 percent of the total NFL revenues has caused the union to realize that it has a vested interest in preserving and expanding the pie, individual players might have a greater sense of responsibility if they know that their pay in future years will directly be determined by the overall financial viability of the sport.

We recognize that such a system might require some tweaks to the text of the CBA. Still, we think it's an effort work undertaking, given its various potential benefits to everyone involved.

According to various reports, Kerney's Atlanta-area home was the site of an alleged rape on March 18. Kerney was present, but is not a suspect. He is in the process of moving out, since he recently signed with the Seahawks after spending eight years with the Falcons.

"I am aware that, while I was asleep on Sunday morning, an assault took place in my home," Kerney said, in a statement that was released on Monday by the Seahawks. "Out of respect for my friend who was assaulted, and the police officers who are diligently working to apprehend the offenders, I cannot comment any further. My focus is on supporting my friend during this time of need."

The alleged victim met the suspect in a bar, where several current and former Falcons players were present. So it's possible that the suspect is a current or former member of the team.

Positive buzz continues to spread in league circles regarding last week's Pro Day workout from Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Beyond the 40, his other drills impressed most if not all of the scouts in attendance, and one league insider expressed to us with confidence that Revis will be off of the board before the 20th pick is called.

At some point on Tuesday (unless the Poobah's new nephew is born), we'll be posting the latest version of our 2007 mock draft.

This version will have not one but two rounds, giving the members of PFT Planet even more reasons to question our intelligence, sanity, and/or hygiene.

Speaking of organizations with questionable intelligence, sanity, and/or hygiene, the Browns' draft needs are also scheduled to be posted later today.

And to all Browns fans out there who don't like it when we speak ill of their team, we're on your side. As we've said before, if any city deserves a competitive NFL franchise, it's Cleveland.

Redskins coach Joe Gibbs says that CB Shawn Springs, DE Phillip Daniels, and S Adam Archuleta will remain with the team.

Titans G.M. Mike Reinfeldt steered clear of questions as to whether CB Nick Harper is the replacement for CB Pacman Jones.

Best headline regarding the Joey Porter-Levi Jones smackdown at a blackjack table: "Taking 'Hit Me' Literally."

New England officials reportedly will return to Michigan next week to get a closer look at CB Leon Hall, LB LaMarr Woodley, and LB David Harris.

WR Plaxico Burress and TE Jeremy Shockey didn't show up for the first day of offseason workouts.

Greg Cote of the Miami Herald recognizes that the battery charges against LB Joey Porter might be a good thing for a franchise that needs a little more street cred.

The Fins and QB Trent Green are engaged in "slow-moving talks." (Maybe they should eat more fiber.)

Despite a suggestion that the Fins could claim QB Trent Green "off waivers" if he's cut by the Chiefs, Green is a vested veteran who would instantly become an unrestricted free agent if released at any time before the October trading deadline.

More than 90 percent of the Packers showed up for the first day of voluntary workouts.

Lions OL Damien Woody, on his struggles with his size: "My situation is part genetics, because everybody in my family is big," Woody said. "And partly, it's just a problem."

The Colts are confident that they'll be able to replace RB Dominic Rhodes, CB Nick Harper, and LB Cato June from within.

The dude in Denver who wears only a barrel to Broncos games is calling it quits after this year. (The woman who sits one row in front of him is very happy to hear it.)

After a six-week stint in Duke University's weight-loss program, Lions offensive lineman Damien Woody has dropped 31 pounds, according to Mike O'Hara of the Detroit News.

Based on Woody's admission that he ballooned to a high of 378 pounds, the veteran center is now at 347. He plans to continue shedding the excess until he gets down to 315.

Woody suffered a foot injury in the fifth game of the 2006 season, and did not return. He was rumored to be on the way out in Detroit, but his effort to get in shape could help to save him.

Signed by the Lions in 2004, Woody is scheduled to earn $4.5 million in base salary in 2007.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Giants have signed Texans fullback Vonta Leach, a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet.

Per Schefter, it's a four-year deal worth $8 million, with $1.6 million in guaranteed money.

The Texans have seven days to decide whether to match the offer. If they choose not to meet the terms, the Texans will receive nothing in return because Leach was undrafted and received the low tender of $850,000.

For only $450,000 more in 2007 salary, the Texans could have tendered Leach at a level that would have given them a second-round pick as compensation.

It's unclear whether the offer sheet contains a poison pill, but based on the overall magnitude of the package it's unlikely. And we continue to be amazed by the fact that no one has inserted a poison pill into any of the restricted free agent offer sheets tendered to date.

But not everyone is surprised. As one league insider opined to us over the weekend, "There is definitely collusion" among the various NFL teams regarding this issue. The speculation in this regard (and we must emphasize that it's only speculation) is that the NFL management council is putting out the word to the teams not to use the poison pill, which technically represents a valid device for promoting player movement.

We've noticed an interesting trend over the past few weeks. After years of looking the other way, more and more members of the "real" media are calling out ESPN.com for hijacking stories reported elsewhere.

Writes Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat: "[A] fine report by Matt Barrows of the Sac Bee today about Mike Nolan wanting there to be two forms of pass interference. ESPN picked up the story but did not credit it properly, making it sound as if it was their own report. We don't have such hangups here about giving credit where credit is due. Click here for that story."

Recently, Adam Schein of Sirius NFL Radio lambasted the boys in Bristol twice in less than a week for creating the false impression that Len Pasquarelli had broken stories that originated on the official NFL satellite radio network.

We just don't get it. The readers don't care who breaks the stories; they simply want a source for information that they can trust. But how can anyone trust an organization that twists the truth in order to artificially inflate their own writers?

Believe it or not, we've got plenty of friends at ESPN -- and we're hoping that the folks there who have a strong sense of fairness and decency will press the right buttons in order to rectify a situation in which a few folks with no shame are making the entire operation look bad.

We've followed up Sunday night's look at the Raiders' 2007 draft needs with our in-depth consideration of the areas in which the Lions need help.

(Okay, so maybe it would have been easier to write about the positions at which they don't have needs.)

Seriously, though, we don't think the Lions are all that far away from contending. Especially if they can convert the No. 2 pick into an impact player -- or trade the thing for enough extra picks to rustle up two or three solid starters.

Let's not forget that the Lions play in the NFC, where 12 teams are still mathematically alive for the 2006 postseason. It won't take much improvement for the Lions to become competitive, and in a year with not much to offer in free agency, the best way to get better quickly is through the draft.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Denver Broncos have cut defensive end Courtney Brown.

Brown, to whom we lovingly refer to refer as "Cavity Sam" because of his extensive history of injuries and surgical procedures, was the first overall pick in the 2000 draft.

It could be the end of the line for Brown, who when healthy has been effective. The problem is that he's rarely been at full strength.

A league source tells us that the Washington Redskins had a large group of attendees at the recent Pro Day workout of Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson, prompting speculation in league circles that the team might make a play to move up from the No. 6 overall spot in the draft for a chance at snagging the former Yellow Jacket.

As the source put it, "the whole Washington organization" was seemingly in attendance to see Johnson's remarkable skills.

Under the draft trade chart devised more than a decade ago by Jimmy Johnson, the 'Skins would need to enhance their first round pick (which is worth 1,600 points) by 1,000 points to get to No. 2 -- and by 1,400 points to get to No. 1.

The problem is that the 'Skins don't have many other picks to give up this year, and to get a deal done they might have to kick in their first-round pick in 2008.

Bengals tackle Levi Jones now claims that, during the Sunday night incident in which Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter allegedly beat him up, Jones also was robbed.

Per Bengals.com, some jewelry allegedly was stolen from Jones as part of the incident, and that as many as seven people (including Porter) were involved in the attack on Jones. (The whereabouts of Porters' dogs at the time of the incident are unknown.)

Porter showed up in Miami on Monday for the first day of the team's offseason strength and conditioning program.

The Florida Times-Union reports that Jaguars safety Gerald Sensabaugh has been arrested in Tennessee on charges of speeding and carrying arms.

Sensabaugh, who is expected to crack the starting lineup given the free-agent departure of Deon Grant, was released after posting bail of $750.

The Monday morning arrest means that: (1) the Jaguars are now the leaders in Turd Watch; and (2) the "days without an arrest" clock is now all the way back to zero.

The arrests of Sensabaugh and Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter push the AFC's lead over the NFC in Turd Watch to 63-14.

Contrary to a report from Arthur Staple and Bob Glauber of Newsday indicating that the Giants have extended quarterback Eli Manning's contract through 2012 via a recent "buy-back" bonus, Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that there has been no extension to Manning's original six-year contract.

Garafolo cites a Monday morning statement from the Giants, in which the team states: "It is the same contract that was reported as 6 yrs and $45-54M back in 2004. All of the buyback bonus and simple escalators that have been earned are included in those same numbers that were initially reported. Eli's contract goes through 2009. We exercised a buyback which was intended to be exercised all along and has been planned for accordingly. There is nothing 'new' about Eli's current contract status."

As Garafolo explains, the $5 million "buy-back" bonus restored the 2008 and 2009 contract years, which previously had been voided as a result of Manning's playing time and/or performance during the first three years of his career.

The report meshes with the NFLPA records we cited earlier on Monday, which suggest that Manning is signed through 2009.

Per numerous media reports, including the Las Vegas Review-Journal, newly-signed Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter was cited for misdemeanor battery on Sunday night after allegedly punching Bengals left tackle Levi Jones in the face.

Per an e-mail from a reader who claims to have witnessed the incident, "They started talking sh-t, Joey Porter saying he'll always be a Steeler. He showed off the Super Bowl ring and Jones got up to him, and Joey Porter pretty much kicked his ass . . . . Jones never got a shot in."

Of course, this means that the Dolphins will be getting three points in Turd Watch. And that we'll also have to figure out how to reset our "days without an arrest" meter back to zero.

Absent the move, Manning would have been an unrestricted free agent in March 2008.

As a result, Peyton's little brother got a $5 million buy-back bonus and a $3 million roster bonus. His 2007 base salary, per Newsday, is $6.45 million. In 2008, he'll earn a base salary of $8.45 million. In 2009, the salary increases to $8.95 million.

NFLPA records differ from the Newsday report. Per the union, Manning will have a base salary of $6 million in 2007, $8 million in 2008, and $8.5 million in 2009. And although Newsday claims that the buy-back locks Manning up through 2012, NFLPA records show no salary figures for 2010 through 2012, which implies that Manning's contract expires in 2009.

At first, it seemed like a good idea. With a slew of interns (we had seven covering eight divisions), we could put 25-30 One-Liners up every morning in a fraction of the time that it took to track down the news on our own.

But, as time passed, we realized that the text of the One-Liner didn't always mesh with the content of the story to which the One-Liner was linked. And that the links were often several days old. And that the One-Liners usually required extensive edits. And that on more than a few occasions it was obvious that the intern who prepared a given One-Liner hadn't been reading the Rumor Mill, since the One-Liner addressed an issue that already had been covered, either by a prior One-Liner harvested by a different intern or by a full-blown story.

We also realized that a good way to stay up-to-date on all NFL news and information is to track the news down on our own.

So, with a great deal of reluctance (actually, with no reluctance at all), we are disbanding the intern program immediately.

49ers coach Mike Nolan explains his reason for proposing a change to the pass interference penalty: "It's like getting the death penalty for going 75 mph in a 55 zone."

Teams have been calling the Falcons about QB Matt Schaub, a restricted free agent who has been given the highest possible tender offer.

In response to a tip that we recently received regarding the condition of Browns tight end Kellen Winslow following microfracture surgery on the knee that he initially injured when he made like Evel Knievel in May 2005, we've checked with a couple of our sources and we've determined that the powers that be in Cleveland are not counting on Winslow to be available for the 2007.

"There really is a good chance he won't play this season," a league source told us.

The bigger question, as the source pointed out, is why didn't the Browns shut Winslow down earlier in the 2006 season? They were out of the playoff hunt, and yet Winslow (to the pleasure of fantasy owners only) continued to play despite being listed as questionable nearly every week due to his knee.

"I would have made him have the surgery earlier to make sure he'd be ready for this upcoming season," said the source.

But there are also whispers that, in the wake of the procedure for creating scar tissue that will simulate knee cartilage, Winslow might never be able to play again.

Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare is expected to report on Monday for the start of the team's offseason workout program.

The move likely is intended to force the team to cut or trade him, since if Mare suffers an injury during the program the team would potentially be on the hook for his full $1.5 million salary in 2007.

A year ago, the Titans turned quarterback Steve McNair away from their offseason program, prompting a protracted grievance process that McNair and the NFLPA eventually won.

The Dolphins have been trying to trade Mare, but the fact that they've already signed his replacement, Jay Feely, is making it difficult to get a team to give anything up for him.

Though, in theory, a team might be tempted to trade for Mare in lieu of signing him as a free agent in order to purchase his contract, the fact that Mare is slated to make $1.5 million in each of the next three years could be prompting interested teams to take their chances on getting him for less on the open market.

Central Michigan tackle Joe Staley, who was expected to be a star of the scouting combine but who didn't work out due to a hamstring injury, made up for his absence during his Pro Day workout, cranking out a 4.79 in the 40-yard dash.

Heck, he might be able to beat Duce Staley in a footrace. (Unless there was a cake at the finish line.)

Here's the usual disclaimer -- we don't know whether Staley ran on a track, FieldTurf, grass, or hot coals. If he ran on a fast surface, his time will be adjusted upward.

But even with an extra 0.1, it's still a blazing time for a big fella. Heck, there's a chance that USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett won't run the 40 that fast.

Mike Felger of the Boston Herald makes the case for the Pats to keep WR Troy Brown.

Bill Williamson of the Denver Post points out that, with guys like CB Nate Clements getting big money, guys like CB Champ Bailey will eventually be looking for huge money.

With Ron Borges on ice for two months, Mike Reiss is handling the Sunday Football Notes column for the Boston Globe.

Browns G.M. Phil Savage refers to the pre-draft period of rumors and speculation as "the silly season." (Could he have tried to come up with something a little less masculine?)

If TiVi Barber is going to be a "real" journalist, he needs to pull the plug on his Cadillac commercial.

We were suspicious right away. The news that the Buccaneers had signed linebacker Cato June was broken not via a call made from June's agent to one of his contacts in the media. Instead, it was announced by the Bucs' official web site, in a move that we wouldn't have even noticed if a loyal member of PFT Planet hadn't given us a head's up.

This often means that the deal, in the opinion of the agent, was not as great as it could have been.

Since word broke of the signing, ESPN.com has added to its initial story on the matter an acknowledgement that the three-year deal is worth slightly more than $12 million.

A league source confirms for us that it's a three-year, $12 million deal. Per the source, it is believed that there is an option bonus or a roster bonus in year two aimed at forcing a restructuring or a release. So it's basically a one-year "prove it" deal, similar to the contract signed by linebacker Ian Gold several years ago with the Bucs. (In Gold's case, he was gone a year later.)

Opined the source: "It appears his agents did a terrible job for a linebacker who went to the Pro Bowl [and] Super Bowl. Guys like E.J. Henderson and Pisa Tinoisamoa each got five years, $25 million with $10 million guaranteed. E.J.'s first year pays out a little less than Cato's three-year deal."

With all that said, the knock on June is his size, or lack thereof. Listed at six feet and 227 pounds, some believe his playing weight is more like 210 pounds.

But with Lance Briggs, a weakside linebacker in a Tampa 2 defense on a Super Bowl team, wearing the franchise tag while June, a weakside linebacker in a Tampa 2 defense on the Super Bowl winner, is available for no compensation to the Colts, it's amazing to us that June didn't get signed sooner, and for a lot more money.

We'll be adding one per day over the next 32 days, or thereabouts. One way or another, we'll get this thing done before they start calling out names on April 28.

Packers G.M. Ted Thompson claims that backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers has not been offered to the Oakland Raiders for receiver Randy Moss, and that the possibility of such a deal has never come up.

It's a bunch of crap, in our opinion. We're heard from too many people that Rodgers was included in trade talks. Mike Felger of the Boston Herald reported on Thursday that a deal involving the two players was imminent. Even though the trade has yet to go down, the notion that Felger's report was so far off base that the possibility of trading Rodgers has never even been discussed is ludicrous.

As we've been told, quarterback Brett Favre is pushing hard for the Packers to get Moss. As of Wednesday, we heard that trade talks involving Rodgers hit a snag. So if a Moss-for-Rodgers deal has fallen through, it doesn't mean that the Packers won't thereafter put together another package for Moss.

Indeed, while Thompson claims that Rodgers won't be dealt, Thompson has to date not said that acquiring Moss is out of the question. And even though several readers have suggested that Thompson is merely steering clear of the league's anti-tampering rules, there's no prohibition on Thompson saying something like, "We are pleased with the group of receivers that we currently have on the roster. Although we won't rule out adding any receivers through the draft, we will not be attempting to acquire any veteran receivers via free agency or trade."

And if the Packers tried to send Rodgers to the Raiders and if the deal fell through, the last thing that Thompson should do is acknowledge this development. To do so would be the equivalent of announcing to the world that the Packers think they blew it when they drafted Rodgers with the 24th overall pick in 2005.

Bottom line -- we don't believe anything Thompson has to say on the matter. That's not a specific knock on the Packers G.M. They all lie at this time of the year.

We're getting more information regarding the manner in which teams distribute their playoff shares. The rumor in league circles is that the Bears -- who are hardly known as philanthropists when it comes to taking care of their employees -- paid their scouts 25 percent of the second-place playoff share, which another source confirms was $94,000.

So the word is that the Bears scouts got an extra $23,500, while the Colts scouts got an extra $15,000.

We never intended to coin a term that would develop any application or use beyond this page. But, as usual, our intentions are irrelevant.

Last month, we unveiled "Turd Watch." It's our system for tracking alleged off-field player misconduct of a criminal nature.

Writing about the improbable success of VCU in the NCAA (yawn) basketball tournament, our buddy Mike Freeman of CBSSportsline.com says: "For once it is nice to actually watch sports without having to shower afterward, or hear stories about weapons possession or third-degree assault or turdwatch."

To those of you who think we use the "t" word simply because we have an unhealthy fixation on fecal matters, the term "turd" is commonly used among NFL types to describe guys who are, well, turds.

There's increasing talk in league circles that the Oakland Raiders are planning to select receiver Calvin Johnson with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Johnson is the best prospect that we've ever seen. He's big, he's strong, he can jump, he's blazing fast, he has soft hands, and he's not a butthole.

Beyond the fact that Calvin is everything that Randy Moss ever was, and at least one key thing Moss isn't, the simple reality is that the Raiders surely want to turn it around sooner rather than later, given the advancing age and declining health of owner Al Davis.

And Johnson is in a much better position to make an instant impact than quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Of course, Johnson can't be added until Moss is long gone. And, preferably, Jerry Porter, too. Why risk letting either of these malcontents infect a guy who is, for now, the rare exception to the rule that receivers generally are pains in ass.

There's an uproar in league circles regarding the playoff share that the Indianapolis Colts supposedly have given to their scouts.

Per a league source, scouts of a team typically are paid an extra amount equivalent to 25-30 percent of the playoff share paid to each team.

The source tells us that, of the $129,500 playoff share paid to Colts players, the team's scouts got only $15,000.

Though there's no obligation for the Colts to make any extra payment to their scouts, it's strange (to say the least) that the franchise would make such a dramatic departure from league precedent. Especially since the Colts' scouts have had a lot to do with the success of the franchise. Indeed, scouts generally are regarded as the "foot soldiers."

June, an unrestricted free agent, was expected to ultimately re-sign with the Colts.

The agreement has been reported by the Buccaneers via their official web site. No terms have been disclosed.

It remains to be seen whether June will play weak-side linebacker in the Bucs' defense. That specific position has been anchored for years by Derrick Brooks.

The Bucs, like the Colts, use the Tampa 2 defense, which is a variation of the Cover 2 defense, based on two safeties covering deep zones, cornerbacks covering shallow zones and supporting the run, and athletic linebackers who can get to the ball and cover receivers in the middle of the field.

Former Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens already was having a bad month. He hit the free-agent market, but has generated less interest than a mattress stuffed with cash. And we was arrested four days ago (we know this because of our "days without an arrest" meter) on charges of DUI and marijuana possession.

He's also facing potential legal action aimed at getting him bumped from his $500,000 Seattle condo.

Per the Seattle Times, residents allegedly have found vomit on their decks and used condoms. Stevens allegedly has fired illegal fireworks from his fifth-floor digs, showering debris on the decks of those beneath him.

And he allegedly has given the building's security code to his friends, who come and go at all hours of the day and night.

Said condo president Jay Kasin: "[Stevens] just seems to ignore authority. I'm not bothered by him, but I do know a number of residents are afraid."

"It's not because he's black," said a resident who asked the Times not to be named. "It's because he's a big guy and he has a terrible history and everybody knows it."

He has been fined several times by the condo board for rules violations, but the problems allegedly continued.

The problem, however, is that Stevens owns the place. "We are officially trying to file a complaint," Kasin said. "But I'm pretty sure it's hard to kick someone out of a place that they own."

A meeting has been scheduled for this week, during which residents will confront Stevens with their complaints. Whether he shows or not remains to be seen; he's been out of town for a while.

"He's been gone for a month now," one resident told the Times. "And it has been like a vacation for us."

With the Seahawks now unlikely to re-sign Stevens, the vacation could be permanent.

Word trickling out of the Michigan Pro Day is that Chiefs defensive line coach Tim Krumrie roughed up defensive tackle Alan Branch in one of Krumrie's one-on-one slap fights.

Per a league source, Branch looked winded before he even got to the patented Krumrie spanking machine. At one point during his session with Krumrie, Branch appeared to be ready to quit.

Gil Brandt of NFL.com corroborates this in his Pro Day updates: "Tim Krumrie worked Branch hard during the position drills, and the scouts there said Branch did not look like he was in very good shape."

Krumrie, better known to most fans as the guy who got Theismanned during Super Bowl XXIII, is a legend in league circles for the no-pads hand-fighting test, to which he subjects many of the linemen he is scouting.

For Branch, who is projected by many as a top-ten pick, the end result apparently was thumbs down.

There were reports a couple of weeks back that Broncos defensive tackle Gerard Warren restructured his contract prior to the start of free agency.

Specific details (to our knowledge) weren't reported at the time. We're now told that, among other things, the Broncos did not pay a $3 million option bonus that was owed to Warren in early March.

Because the contract did not include a non-exercise fee for the option bonus, the Broncos merely opted not to pay the money, with the only consequence being that another year wasn't tacked onto the back end of the deal.

Many contracts containing an option bonus also include a non-exercise fee, which requires the team to pay the same amount of the option bonus even if the team doesn't opt to pay the bonus.

Warren's 2007 salary also has been slashed to $595,000. In 2008, the number increases to $4 million.

The Fins have decided to part ways with Mare, but have yet to be able to strike a deal that would send him to another team. The Saints, Browns, Falcons, and Giants reportedly have shown interest.

Jay Feely, formerly of the Giants, is slated to be the kicker in Miami this season.

And while there's no deadline for getting a deal done to trade Mare, the Dolphins surely would like to make a move (as Armando Salguero of the Herald points out) before the first offseason minicamp in April. If Mare were to suffer a season-ending injury during minicamp, the Dolphins would be on the hook for his $1.5 million salary.

But if the team were to give him an unvitation to the minicamp, Mare would be able to cite the precedent created in 2006, when the Titans tried to keep quarterback Steve McNair away from offseason workouts.

Technically, then, Mare could force the issue by showing up for the Dolphins' offseason strength and conditioning program, which most likely will get started before the April minicamp.

Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis potentially cemented his standing in the first round of the draft by running the 40-yard dash in the range of 4.40 seconds, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"That's a prediction," Revis "barked" after the performance, per the Post-Gazette. "I knew I was faster. When it's your time to stand and perform, perform at your best. That's what I did today. My combine was today."

The Post-Gazette article doesn't point out, however, whether the Pitt running surface is regarded as a slow, fast, or normal track. Scouts routinely adjust the times generated at Pro Day workouts based on the quality of the carpet.

UPDATE: A league source tells us that, while the Revis workout was "very good" overall, he ran on a track. Scouts add 0.05 seconds, at a minimum, to times generated on a track. We've also heard that some scouts timed Revis at 4.45, which projects to at least a 4.5 on the surface employed at the scouting combine.

FURTHER UPDATE: There's now a dispute as to whether Revis ran on a track or on FieldTurf. We're trying to get to the bottom of it.

ANOTHER UPDATE: A source who was at the workout says that Revis had a "great workout" and that he ran on FieldTurf. He was clocked as fast as 4.39. "His agilities were outstanding," said the source, "and so was his position work." The source added that, while some teams might add time to the number, others regard it is a slow surface, similar to grass.

The Washington Redskins and safety Adam Archuleta will soon part ways, according to the Washington Post. Just as soon as the Redskins figure out how to best take the salary-cap medicine resulting from a $5 million signing bonus and a $5 million option bonus that is fully guaranteed by future salaries.

The deadline for payment of the option bonus was postponed temporarily, while the 'Skins try to figure out what to do with Archuleta, a one-time first-round pick of the Rams. (And a sponsor of this site.)

Though we've got no inside information in this regard, we expect the Bears to make a play for Archuleta, since Chicago is coached by Archuleta's former defensive coordinator in St. Louis, Lovie Smith.

Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have brought in franchise-tagged defensive end Charles Grant for a visit, Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Bucs will make no play in the short term for the current Saint.

A league source tells us that the Buccaneers were simply getting acquainted with Grant, since he's likely to be on the open market in either 2008 or 2009.

Another possible motive? Since Grant clearly is unhappy with the Saints for restricting his movement, the Bucs might have been looking to pick up some insights as to the team's Xs and Os in preparation for the 2007 season.

If that's the case, it would be an intriguing twist on a not-so-uncommon game that teams play with each other during the season, when players discarded by one squad are sometimes snatched up by a division rival who is less interested in the guy's body than his brain.

If the Bucs had signed Grant to an offer sheet, the Saints would have received two first-round picks from Tampa if they had elected not to match. With Tampa holding the No. 4 overall pick in a draft year featuring four guys who in any other year could be the clear-cut number 1 overall selection, there's no way that the Bucs would give up that pick for Grant.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that, although the Buccaneers are interested in free-agent linebacker Cato June, the Colts remain the favorites to sign him.

June, a four-year veteran, started in every game for the Colts in 2006. He had a career-high 142 tackles last season.

And that's 12 more tackles than Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who had 130 in 2006.

The difference? Briggs is restricted by the franchise tag, and June is completely unrestricted.

We pointed out earlier on Friday that the Cincinnati are one of six team who have yet to sign a free agent who played elsewhere in 2006.

Stepanovich, a three-year player to whom the Cards opted not to extend a restricted free agent tender, started all 16 games at center for Arizona as a rookie in 2004.

Buckhalter had been an unrestricted free agent. He'd dragged his feet about re-signing with the Eagles. But, coincidentally or not, Buckhalter got a deal done not long after the Eagles brought in veteran running back Ron Dayne for a look-see.

Buckhalter's most yardage came as a rookie in 2001, when he rushed for 586 yards. After missing all of 2002 with a knee injury, Buckhalter scored nine total touchdowns in 2003.

With the NFL draft only seven weeks away and with free agency two weeks old, we'll begin looking at team-by-team draft needs on Saturday. The feature is sponsored by our friends at Sprint, together with Nextel.

Helping us with this project will be Matt Miller of NewEraScouting.com. (He was born in the same month that yours truly graduated from high school, so I'm feeling really old right about now.)

Mike Felger of the Boston Herald and 890 ESPN Radio made a great point during our appearance with him on Thursday regarding the potential increase in the game-day active list from 45 to 47.

The change, if approved by owners at the 2007 Annual Meetings in Phoenix, might encourage teams to carry on the 53-man roster two more game-ready veterans, instead of using those spots on young players who aren't quite ready to get between the white lines.

For veteran receiver-returner-cornerback Troy Brown, who reportedly wants one more go with the wideout-wild Patriots, those extra two game-day spots could be the difference between the team saying "no, thanks" and "hell, yeah."

The change also could justify more teams carrying a kickoff specialist or a long snapper. Or, in the case of the Cowboys, a holder.

In response to reports that the Green Bay Packers are poised to trade backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Oakland Raiders for receiver Randy Moss (and other terms), we're told that Green Bay G.M. Ted Thompson has put out the word to the team that folks should quit flapping their gums about the deal.

We've been reporting for weeks that the two sides are talking. As of Wednesday, we heard that the discussions hit a hitch regarding the conditional pick that would go to Oakland in 2008 based on Rodgers' performance in 2007.

On Thursday, Michael Felger of the Boston Herald reported that a deal was close. The Packers denied it, and Thompson called the report "wild speculation." (Personally, we prefer domesticated speculation.)

We still believe based on everything we've heard that it's a matter of when, not if. Quarterback Brett Favre has been pushing for this deal, and likely will continue to do so until it's done.

A league source tells us that former NBA star Norm Nixon, who became a sports agent after his playing career, has been decertified by the NFL Players Association.

The specific timing of the move is not known, but Nixon's name does not appear in the NFLPA searchable agent database.

Nixon is still listed as the agent of Broncos linebacker Al Wilson in a separate media-only area of the NFLPA web site. However, we're told that Wilson has hired All Pro Sports & Entertainment to represent him moving forward.

Per a league source, an agent usually is decertified for one of three general reasons: (1) misconduct of some type; (2) failure to have at least one active contract for three consecutive years; and (3) failure to acquire NFLPA-mandated liability insurance.

Since free agency opened two weeks ago, 26 teams have signed players who spent the 2006 season with other teams.

Six teams, to date, have not signed a single free agent who played elsewhere last year.

The Bengals, Ravens, Chargers, Giants, Bears, and Panthers are the franchises who have opted thus far to stand pat. Of that group, both the Giants and the Ravens have traded for new running backs. But none of this six-pack of teams has inked a new veteran player.

Four other teams have signed only one new player. The Colts recently inked quarterback John Navarre, a third-year player who received no free-agent tender from the Cardinals. The Packers signed cornerback Frank Walker earlier this week. The Steelers signed offensive lineman Sean Mahan over the weekend. And the Titans recently snagged cornerback Nick Harper.

The most active team to date has been the Bucs, with seven new players under contract. The Browns have signed six, and the 49ers, Raiders, and Patriots have signed five.

As eyebrows continue to be stuck in the raised position regarding the contract that the Dallas Cowboys gave to offensive lineman Leonard Davis, we're told that Davis actually could have gotten even more money elsewhere.

Per a league source, the Giants were interested in handing Davis even more than the $18.75 million guaranteed he got from Dallas, since the Giants were recruiting him to exclusively play the more lucrative position of left tackle.

But Davis decided that he wanted to join the Cowboys, where for now he's most likely to play right guard. Down the road, he could move to right tackle -- and he possibly could be the eventual replacement for Flozell Adams at left tackle.

Our partnership with Sprint, together with Nextel, has been in existence for nearly one full year.

Over that time, we've continuously been asking all members of PFT Planet to show loyalty to the site by selecting Sprint or Nextel products and plans.

And given that we've seen an unprecedented surge in new eyeballs over the past couple of weeks, we need to send the message, once again, to everyone out there who enjoys the free content that PFT provides.

We're able to spend so much time working on the site because of the commitment that Sprint has made to PFT. So to the extent that you're one of the many who responded to our recent survey by indicating that you visit this space "daily" or "hourly" or "constantly," we need you to do two things: (1) switch to Sprint or Nextel right now; and (2) let us know that you did.

For those of you who already have heeded the call to choose Sprint or Nextel, it's time to take a closer look at the other products or services that are available. Though we love our Samsung A900, we're currently eyeballing the BlackBerry 8703e.

Regardless of whether it's a Samsung A900 or a BlackBerry or a Mobile Broadband Card, Sprint and Nextel provide all of the tools that you need.

Let's face it. Everyone who has a computer with an Internet connection also has a cell phone or other mobile device. For anyone who comes to this site on a regular basis, there's no reason not to make your phone or mobile device a Sprint or Nextel product.

Bears DT Tank Johnson is eligible for "day for day credit" for good behavior, which could reduce his sentence to 60 days.

The Chiefs have re-signed DT Ron Edwards to a four-year deal worth between $7 million and $8 million.

Aging Seahawks TE Marcus Pollard says that 35 is "just a number." (So is 84, but grandpa won't be running many seam routes this season.)

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