POSTED 7:58 p.m. EST; UPDATED 9:57 p.m. EST, March 19, 2006

 

MARCUS THROWS WELL AT PRO DAY, BUT . . . .

 

We're told that former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick made a respectable showing in his pro day workout last week.  The only drawback is that a lot of the scouts in attendance left before he started to throw.

 

And throw is all that he did at the session, standing on his times in the 40-yard dash generated at the scouting combine.

 

There also are reports that Vick Lite scored a mere 11 on the Wonderlic test.  Though it's four points lower than Vince Young's official 15, Marcus apparently didn't get a do-over.  It's hardly a shocker, since Marcus has been doing stuff befitting this low score for years.

 

The next question is whether anyone will burn a draft selection on him.  The Broncos have shown that they're willing to piss away picks on established problem children.  At one point, we thought the Falcons might throw a second-day choice on Marcus in order to keep Michael happy, but now we think that the organization doesn't necessarily care much about keeping Michael happy.

 

Our guess?  The Raiders, in round seven -- or the Broncos in round three.

 

'HAWKS WIN FIRST PHASE OF HUTCHINSON ARBITRATION

 

The actual significance of the decision that Special Master Stephan Burbank will hear on Monday the dispute regarding the offer sheet signed by guard Steve Hutchinson with the Minnesota Vikings is that his current team, the Seahawks, have finagled the forum of their choice for the resolution of the ultimate issue.

 

Good lawyers always consider their options as to the specific tribunal that will be hearing their claims -- and they then try to engineer the process accordingly.  In this case, the Seahawks could have matched all portions of the Hutchinson offer sheet except for the provision that makes the entire deal guaranteed if Hutchinson isn't the highest paid offensive lineman on the team.  This would have triggered a grievance from the NFLPA, which would have been resolved via binding arbitration.

 

Instead, the NFL and the Seahawks filed their own grievance alleging that the provision violates the CBA, and argued that the Special Master not an arbitrator should determine the outcome.  On Saturday, Burbank found that the issue falls within his jurisdiction.

 

One key distinction here is that, while arbitration is binding and cannot be appealed, the ruling of a Special Master can be appealed to the federal court system.  But we think that, in the end, the decision of the NFL and the Seahawks to push for a ruling from the Special Master was the result of a basic recognition that, at an arbitration regarding the question of whether the guarantee is a "Principal Term" of the offer, the Seahawks would have lost.

 

SUNDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

 

The Bengals have signed WR Antonio Chatman, and have visited with DT Lional Dalton.

 

DT Monsanto Pope is visiting the Bills on Monday, and the Chiefs at some point later in the week.

 

The Dolphins have signed CB Will Allen.

 

The Seahawks have signed DT Russell Davis.

 

Despite some reports to the contrary, T.O. is not scheduled to earn more over the next three years than Raiders WR Randy Moss; Moss will make $29.25 million under his deal, which is $4.25 million more than the most Owens will make.

 

Our reaction to this local reaction to the T.O. arrival -- yee-ikes.

 

Says QB Drew Bledsoe regarding the arrival of T.O.:  "I became a better quarterback today without doing anything."  (Makes sense to us, since Bledsoe really hasn't done much of anything the past several years.)

 

The Bengals will receive a seventh-round draft pick as compensation for WR Kevin Walter, since the Bengals opted not to match the offer sheet he signed with the Texans.

 

Browns C LeCharles Bentley is going to ask the NFL to let him wear No. 00 as an homage to Jim Otto (hey, LeChuck -- don't hold your breath, or any other bodily function, as you wait for a response to that one).

 

The Bills have signed Bears LB Isreal Idonije, a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet.

 

The Packers are interested in WR Marc Boerigter, but it's not clear whether he'll visit.

 

The Texans will meet this week with WR Ike Hilliard, WR Nate Burleson, TE Jeb Putzier, and MLB Sam Cowart.

 

Chargers G.M. A.J. Smith "admires" the Patriots.

 

The first time former Vikings RB Robert Smith saw QB Daunte Culpepper in an offensive meeting room, Smith assumed that a rookie linebacker or defensive end had wandered into the wrong place.

 

Fins owner Wayne Huizenga is raising the bar after the acquisition of Daunte Culpepper:  "I would hope we're a playoff team," Huizenga said.  "It would be disappointing if we weren't."  (Then again, Huizenga is the same guy who said that A.J. Feeley was the next Dan Marino.)

 

Pats DE Richard Seymour is still waiting for his new contract.

 

Attention, New York media -- for the last freakin' time, Friday is not the deadline for DE John Abraham to negotiate with other teams (it is, however, the deadline for Abraham to sign a long-term deal with the Jets and then be traded without costing the Jets the franchise tag for the 2007 season).

 

The Browns have signed Ravens TE Darnell Dinkins.

 

POSTED 7:50 a.m. EST, March 19, 2006

 

TUNA'S T.O. SILENCE IS DEAFENING

 

With each passing hour, the failure of Cowboys coach Bill Parcells to say something/anything about the team's acquisition of receiver Terrell Owens will be interpreted by league insiders -- and most importantly the other players on his team -- as the absence of an endorsement of the decision of owner/G.M. Jerry Jones to throw a lasso around a maverick with a belly full of loco weed.

 

As one league source who watched the video of the press conference told us, "If Parcells was onboard he either would have been there or at least had a prepared statement. When Owens was asked what Parcells had said to him he basically admitted he really hadn't talked to him. Now don't you think that if Parcells really wanted him he would have at least had a conversation or two with him?"

 

And in response to the various Cowboys fans who reminded us that Parcells hasn't attended any of the press conferences introducing new players in his three seasons with the team, this one is a little bit different, don't ya think? 

 

At a bare minimum, there should have been something from Parcells to indicate his imprimatur of this specific personnel move.

 

As we explained last night, there are players who are not inclined to welcome Owens onto the team, and they are interpreting the Tuna's silence as a license to dislike the entire situation.

 

WILL ALLEN HEADING TO MIAMI?

 

We're hearing indications that free agent cornerback Will Allen soon will be signing with the Miami Dolphins.

 

Allen is a former first-round selection of the New York Giants, but he never displayed on a consistent basis first-round ability.  He was eclipsed from the outset of his career another corner drafted that same year with the same first name, William Peterson, and the Giants extended Peterson's rookie contract without ever showing any serious desire to be keep Allen.

 

In Miami, Allen gets the best chance to become the player he's never been.  Coach Nick Saban's specialty is the defensive backfield, and we've got a feeling he could yank four guys from the kitchen of a local Denny's and with a few weeks of practice turn them into guys who could make a periodic play.

 

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