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POSTED 9:09 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:55 p.m. EDT, March 31, 2007

NINERS TO HONOR TRYOUT PROMISE

One of the contestants in a reality show that debuted on March 27 was hoping to get a tryout with an NFL team. Even though the program, titled The Great American Dream Vote, was cancelled by ABC after two sub-2.0 ratings performances, a league source tells us that the 49ers, who were lined up to give the guy a tryout if he had won the contest, will give him a tryout anyway.

Per the source, 43-year-old Jim Davis, who has said he can bench-press more than 500 pounds and run the 40 in 4.5 seconds, will get a look-see from the Niners on April 20, in conjunction with the team's assessment of local players who are not expected to be drafted on April 28 and 29.

The premise of the show was to let ordinary people make the case for the fulfillment of their dreams, with the studio audience and viewers whittling down the contestants, in American Idol style. The show was hosted by Donny Osmond.

Hey, maybe one of the contestants had a dream that he would witness the most public of Donny Osmond's many humiliations. If so, the dream has been realized.

RAMS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

Our assessment of the St. Louis Rams' 2007 draft needs is now posted.

As if the fans of the other 31 NFL teams care.

But, hey, every true NFL fan should care, because any other team can be the one team that your team has to beat in order to make the playoffs, advance in the postseason, or win the Super Bowl.

The full list is right here.

SATURDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo says he still wants LB Lance Briggs to return, but isn't ready to give him a multi-year deal.

OL Rick DeMulling is returning to the Colts after a stint in Detroit.

The guy that the Fins draft at No. 9 overall had better sign a contract before the start of training camp; says owner Wayne Huizenga: "If you don't report, you're sitting out, baby." (It's nice to see that Huizenga is a Seinfeld fan.)

From the "More Creative Ways to Make It Rain" file, a former NFL player is charged with murder after hurling a 66-year-old neighbor over a third-floor balcony.

Former NFL OL Lincoln Kennedy has been traded from the Dallas Desperados to the Tampa Bay Storm.

They're playing flag football in China.

The Falcons' front-office continues to keep their faces stapled to Mike Vick's hind end.

POSTED 8:43 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:49 p.m. EDT, March 31, 2007

BRONCOS VOID BIG DADDY TRADE

The Denver Broncos have announced that they have declared the March 2 trade for defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson null and void.

The problem? Wilkinson never showed up to take a physical.

The deadline was extended to give Wilkinson another chance to show up. But Big Daddy never made it to Denver.

As we heard it several weeks ago, Wilkinson is willing to continue to play in the NFL, if he can get a dispensation from participating in the offseason program.

He remains under contract with the Dolphins for two more seasons, who likely will be able to recover a prorated portion of his signing bonus if he fails to report for mandatory offseason minicamps, or if he retires.

Due to Saturday's development, the Broncos retain the sixth-round pick that would have been sent to Miami as part of the deal.

DILLON TO BE A TITAN?

Adam Caplan of Scout.com reports that free-agent running back Corey Dillon soon will be visiting the Tennessee Titans.

Dillon, a one-time holder of the single-game rushing record, was cut by the Patriots on March 2. He has not drawn significant interest in free agency.

But the Titans released Travis Henry, and Chris Brown remains a free agent. With LenWhale White (thanks to the reader who handed us that one) eating away his chance at becoming the No. 1 tailback in Tennessee, the Titans are considering other options.

.POSTED 9:34 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:59 a.m. EDT, March 31, 2007

WHIS TO MAKE A PLAY FOR MAX?

There's talk in league circles of a possible trade between the Cardinals and the Steelers for tackle Max Starks. The rumor is that, if the deal would go down, the Steelers and the Cardinals would flip-flop first-round picks.

The Cardinals hold the No. 5 overall pick, and the Steelers draft at No. 15.

But, as far as we can tell, the talk hasn't originated in Pittsburgh. Instead, the thinking is that the Cardinals are floating this one in an effort to bring in a former Pittsburgh pupil of offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm.

It makes sense. The offensive line is the only weakness on the Cardinals' offense. And it is a glaring one.

Starks has played right tackle and left tackle for the Steelers. He currently is a restricted free agent, with a first-round tender offer. The Cardinals or any other team could sign him to an offer sheet, and if the Steelers choose not to match it the Steelers would be entitled to a first-round draft pick as compensation.

AGENTS TO START STIRRING UP TROUBLE?

Now that most if not all of the big money has been paid out during the first four weeks of free agency, some teams are bracing for an attempt by veteran players to "adjust" their own contracts to reflect the surge in the salary cap, and the increase in deals given to players who aren't as accomplished and able.

Make no mistake about it -- agents already are putting bugs in the ears of their clients who would have gotten huge money on the open market in 2007, and it's human nature for those guys to resent the fact that a lesser player was in the right place at the right time to catch a lottery prize.

One league source has come up with a, um, colorful way to describe the situation.

Said the source: "Everyone wants to have the biggest [thing] in the locker room but 8 inches isn't too bad either. These agents make this thing so f--ked up just trying to get the next client, and every player in the league is making good money."

The source is referring to the all-too-common phenomenon of agents using their ability to get a new contract for a player as a way to expand the agent's pool of clients. Ideally, a snowball effect emerges, because as the agent gets each player a new deal, he can use that accomplishment as a tool for landing the next guy on the agent's radar screen.

And the mere fact that so many guys with so few Pro Bowls have gotten so much money this month will surely result in an effort by agents to up the ante for other clients, all in the hopes of using success with those other clients as a magnet for new clients.

CARROLL MIGHT WANT TO THINK TWICE IF/WHEN HE COMES BACK

In light of a claim by Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh that USC coach Pete Carroll will leave the Trojans after 2007, we can only assume that Carroll will at that time head back to the NFL in an effort to climb the mountain that he has twice failed to ascend in the past.

And folks around the NFL have long presumed that Carroll's first call would be to Pat Kirwan of NFL.com and Sirius NFL Radio. Kirwan is a former Jets executive, and he and Carroll are close friends. For example, Kirwan was with Carroll in Costa Rica earlier this year, when Carroll met with Fins owner Wayne Huizenga to address the coaching vacancy in Miami.

But Carroll might want to think twice about making Kirwan his personnel guy if/when Carroll returns to the pro game.

Recently, we've been pointing out some flaws in Kirwan's mock drafts, which have been posted on NFL.com. We did so only after multiple readers pointed out these errors to us, since we frankly find the whole mock draft process to be akin to the lame-ass commercials that they play at the theater before they start rolling the trailers for the coming attractions.

But, of course, we do our own mock draft because plenty of NFL fans are happy to chew on a steak-flavored wad of paper until the real thing shows up on April 28.

Anyway, our posts regarding Kirwan's mock draft has prompted other readers -- including a few NFL sources -- to scrutinize Kirwan's mock drafts a bit more carefully.

One of the biggest complaints relates to Kirwan's projected pick by the Pats at No. 28, center Ryan Kalil from Carroll's current school, USC: "With two first-round picks and a very aggressive offseason in the free-agency market," Kirwan writes, "the Patriots can afford to take the highest-rated center and not worry about the position for a very long time."

The only problem? The Pats already aren't worried about the position. They locked up starter Dan Koppen in October 2006 with a five-year contract extension. The Boston College product is currently under contract through 2011.

Said one league source in response: "This is exactly why Kirwan doesn't work for a team. This is his job. This is all he has to do. Write about football and talk about it on the radio."

Ouch.

Memo to Pete Carroll: Caveat emptor.

MORE MEDIA MISINFORMATION

We often wonder how it is that so many NFL fans are confused about the league's free agency rules and procedures.

As we've learned over the years, part of the problem arises from the reality that the "real" media isn't always a reliable source of information about the in's and out's of acquiring players from other teams.

For example, the Nashville Tennessean addresses the possibility that the Titans will make a play for Chargers running back Michael Turner by explaining: "For the Titans to get Turner, they'd have to sign him to a new contract. If the Chargers don't match it, the Titans would potentially have to compensate San Diego with at least one early draft pick."

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Did we mention that this is wrong?

Turner is a restricted free agent, tendered at the highest possible level. If the Titans sign him to an offer sheet and the Chargers choose not to match it, the Chargers get a first-round pick and a third-round pick as compensation.

It's automatic.

And San Diego G.M. A.J. Smith has made it clear that he'd gladly take a one and a three for L.T.'s backup, who'll otherwise walk away in 2008 as an unrestricted free agent with no compensation to the Chargers.

So, if the Titans or anyone else were to sign Turner to an offer sheet, the Chargers undoubtedly would shout, "Thank you, come again."

The other option is for the Titans to work out a trade with the Chargers for something less than a first-round pick and a third-round pick. This is precisely what the Texans and the Falcons recently did regarding quarterback Matt Schaub. And as the trade components are being discussed, the Titans would also be talking to Turner about a long-term contract. If a satisfactory deal could be worked out with the teams and the player, then the transaction would go through.

SATURDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Bucs RB Lionel Gates has been released from jail on a $34,500 bond.

Lions at Raiders on opening weekend? (Hey, to a starving man a pack of stale crackers is a gourmet meal.)

LB D.D. Lewis has visited the Texans.

Eagles WR Kevin Curtis talks about getting 48 out of 50 questions right on the Wonderlic.

Are the Steelers sniffing around LB Lawrence Timmons?

CB Jamar Fletcher is still an option for the Titans.

Howard DB Geoff Pope has been clocked at 4.27 seconds in the 40.

Tennessee WR Robert Meachem will make pre-draft visits to the Titans, Bill, Patriots, Rams, Vikings, Chargers, Chiefs, and 49ers.

Cowboys S Roy Williams doesn't think that he is overrated. (Do any of us?)

Is LB Lance Briggs successful in Chicago because of the position he plays in the Tampa 2, the presence of Brian Urlacher, or both?

Coach Lovie Smith says that LB Lance Briggs is a Bear. (Technically, he isn't; though the Bears have the ability to restrict his movement, he's under contract with no one.)

Raiders coach Lane Kiffin says that he never received a formal job offer from Al Davis.

A few of the Bears players have gone to visit Tank Johnson in jail.

New Browns DT Shaun Smith says that he's not afraid of Ted Washington. (We'll see how Smith feels when Washington is gnawing on his leg likes it's a turkey bone.)

Panthers LB Dan Morgan is back, but only after getting a closer inspection than pet food. (Actually, maybe they looked at Morgan a bit more carefully.)

POSTED 10:19 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:50 p.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

RICKY TO BE REINSTATED?

KFFL reports that Dolphins running back Ricky Williams expects to be reinstated following a banishment from the league for repeated violations of the substance abuse policy.

There's currently no further information as to when the reinstatement is expected to occur. It previously has been reported that Williams would be eligible for reinstatement at some point in April 2007.

Reinstatement would mean that Williams has passed any and all random drug tests imposed upon him by the league during his time away from the NFL.

Whether the Dolphins will want him on the team remains to be seen. Coach Cam Cameron has indicated that he'll take up the issue after Williams is formally back in the business. At a low salary and with some gas still in the tank, there's no reason for the Fins not to keep him around, unless they're simply fed up with the distractions he has caused and want a fresh start.

Given his affordable salary, he could generate some interest in the trade market from one of the teams that currently needs a tailback.

"ALMOST HEAVEN, WEST VIRGINA"

Though this story goes beyond our normal jurisdiction, we couldn't resist this item, which we first saw on Deadspin and thereafter on AOL's Fanhouse and ultimately on Keith Olbermann's MSNBC show, which we watch pretty much every night between doses of Seinfeld.

After Thursday night's NIT championship game, the T-shirts that were distributed to the members of the men's basketball team at yours truly's law school alma mater contained an extremely unfortunate typographical error.

Ah, yes. West VIRGINA.

(We suppose it's an accurate statement whenever a woman watches a sunset. . . . Rim shot!)

Though plenty of readers already have sent e-mails chiding my fellow West Virginans for creating this mistake, the shirts weren't made in West Virgina. Or in West Virginia.

BILLS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

Okay, so we missed a day on Thursday. We were watching West Virgina win the NIT title game, and after the game we focused on the Rumor Mill and some other site-related stuff.

But we intentionally started the team-by-team draft needs early, in order to build in a few days off, as needed.

So the Bills' draft needs are up, a day late but better late than a dollar short. Or something.

FRIDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

The Pat Tillman story continues to twist and turn.

Indianapolis might host a Super Bowl. (What's next? Detroit?)

Chargers RB Michael Turner is creating a buzz (but without any help from Terrence Kiel).

A 43-year-old guy who can bench 500 pounds and runs a 4.5 in the 40 is trying to win an NFL tryout through a television show. (Where in the hell has this guy been the last 20 years? Searching for the remnants of his home planet of Krypton?)

The Broncos apparently will be voiding the trade for DT Dan Wikinson.

POSTED 4:27 p.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

BROWNS SNIFFING AROUND RUSSELL, QUINN, PETERSON

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Cleveland Brown's pre-draft guests will include quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn, and running back Adrian Peterson.

As we explained earlier in the day, the fact that teams can bring in up to 30 draft-eligible players for pre-draft visits means that too much shouldn't be read into any of the sessions.

If the Raiders select Russell with the No. 1 overall pick, the Browns might end up choosing between Quinn and Peterson. And, as we've pointed out in the past, that dynamic should create some tightened collars for the football agents at CAA, since one of them (Tom Condon) represents Quinn and another (Ben Dogra) handles Peterson.

The No. 3 spot is particularly lucrative due to deals done in that slot over the past couple of years for Braylon Edwards and Vince Young.

POSTED 3:59 p.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

GATES IS IN JAIL WITHOUT BOND

Per the Hillsborough County Sheriff Office's web site, Bucs running back Lionel Gates is still being held without bond following his Friday morning arrest for aggravated battery on a pregnant female (as opposed to a pregnant male), burglary of an occupied dwelling, and criminal mischief.

Per the AP, Gates allegedly "kicked in the front door of Peggie Lavender's apartment Thursday night, destroyed two televisions and two doors, put a hole in the bedroom wall and assaulted her."

He was arrested later that night at his apartment. In the same complex.

The Buccaneers have released a statement regarding the arrest: "Charges such as those facing Lionel Gates are taken seriously by the Buccaneers organization. We plan to meet with Lionel as soon as possible after which we will deal with this matter appropriately."

POSTED 3:40 p.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

SUNSHINE SAYS NO TO NCAA GIG

It's ironic that a guy who once changed the pronunciation of his surname so that it would better rhyme with the highest individual honor in college football has refused the opportunity to work college football games.

Per the Miami Herald, Joe Theismann has told ESPN that he will not accept an offer to continue his career with the company by working NCAA contests.

''Joe feels he's an NFL guy and wants to stay focused on the NFL,'' said Sandy Montag, who represents Theismann.

The Herald reports that Theismann probably will do NFL work for ESPN Radio and ESPN.com. The Herald presumably was told this by Montag.

Our take? Theismann and Montag are playing chicken with Bristol in the hopes of getting a buyout of the remaining four years on his deal.

Really, why would ESPN pay him primetime television money to muse about football on the radio or on the Internet? ESPN won't do it, and the resolution comes down to which side blinks first.

We began to suspect that Theismann would posture for a buyout once we read this gem, from a recent AP story: "I've been an NFL guy since 1974, so for 33 years now that's been my life. Now you are faced with the prospect of that not being in your future. It would be like training to be a doctor or a lawyer and having them say, 'we would like you to change to another profession.'"

Yeah, Joe. Sitting in a booth at a stadium talking about pro football. Sitting in a booth at a stadium talking about college football. That's some real Venus and Mars sh-t.

If you don't think Theismann is bitter, have a listen to his recent interview with Howard Eskin of WIP. (And if you listen closely, you'll hear Theismann mention LSU quarterback "Jamari" Russell. Twice.)

Theismann, in our view, doesn't want to take the college gig because he views it as a step down. He hasn't seen what a step down really is until he spends time in the Internet and radio reality where schmoes like us reside.

POSTED 3:16 p.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

MORE TROUBLE FOR HENRY

Though it wasn't anything that puts him in any real jeopardy, it's being reported that Bengals receiver Chris Henry was cited for not having proof of insurance after being pulled over on February 27.

With Henry set to sit down with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on April 3, it's not the best closing argument for lenience.

Undoubtedly, Henry is stupid and irresponsible. Though plenty of people (including yours truly) don't always dot every "i" and cross every "t" when it comes to all of the paperwork necessary to operate a vehicle in full and complete compliance with the law, Henry is already a target. Plus, unlike the rest of us he's got three months of down time after the football season ends.

By the way, we're not going to slap Henry or the Bengals for Turd Watch points on this one. Consider it a judgment call.

POSTED 8:56 a.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

BUCS PLAYER (ALLEGEDLY) ASSAULTS PREGNANT WOMAN

Running back Lionel Gates of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers allegedly has committed three separate crimes, all of which appear to be felonies under Florida law.

Per the Tampa Tribune, Gates has been charged with assault of a pregnant woman, burglary of an occupied dwelling, and criminal mischief of $1,000 or more.

The incident means that Gates has propelled the Bucs onto the Turd Watch standings and, with 21 points, has single-handedly propelled them into second place.

Hooray?

It also means that we can re-set the "days without an arrest clock" back to zero. Since it debuted several weeks ago, the highest it has climbed is "06".

Maybe we shouldn't have built in a second digit, after all.

POSTED 6:03 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 7:47 a.m. EDT, March 30, 2007

'SKINS MEETING WITH RUSSELL MEANS NOTHING

Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com, who used to have Redskins exec Vinny Cerrato on speed dial until Len (as legend goes) went bonkos on Cerrato after he didn't spoon feed the scoop regarding the return of coach Joe Gibbs to ESPN.com, has periodically been taking gratuitous shots at the 'Skins ever since.

This time around, Len is using a standard pre-draft visit with quarterback JaMarcus Russell to suggest that it might be more than mere due diligence. "[I]t could represent legitimate interest in Russell -- whose recent campus workout was impressive -- and possible unrest with Campbell," Pasquarelli says.

It isn't. NFL teams are permitted by rule to bring in up to 30 members of the draft class. They'll also be bringing in running back Adrian Peterson, and others. So Len (or anyone else) could proclaim: "It could represent legitimate interest in Peterson -- whose recent campus workout was impressive -- and possible unrest with Clinton Portis."

And does the visit of Joe Thomas mean that they've grown dissatisfied with Chris Samuels? And could the arrival of Brady Quinn mean that they're bracing for a Manning-versus-Leaf debate in their effort to replace Campbell?

The Redskins are simply doing their homework, in the unlikely event that Russell slides into their laps. Since they have no selections from rounds two through four, the 'Skins don't have the draft-pick ammo to make a move north. And they likely couldn't take the cap hit that would result from trading multiple players.

Two years ago, quarterback Aaron Rodgers unexpectedly slid from the potential No. 1 overall selection to the Packers, at No. 24. We've heard on multiple occasions over the past two years that the Packers pounced on the potential replacement for Brett Favre, but that they simply hadn't done a full pre-draft workup on him because they never dreamed that he'd be available.

The better approach is to be ready for anything. So why not take full advantage of the rule that lets a team bring in up to 30 guys? The fact that the 'Skins tend to spare no expense also could help to make that first impression a very good one, making the player inclined to consider Washington when he hits free agency.

And, after all, free agency is the "real" draft for the Redskins.

SPRINT UPSTAGES THE COMPETITION

There's a new Sprint phone that will be available in April, and it's one of the most stunning products of its kind that we've seen.

The phone is the Samsung UpStage, a first-of-its-kind dual-sided device. On one side, it's a phone. On the other side, it's an MP3 player.

And it's only available through Sprint, which as you might have noticed is the official telecommunications sponsor of ProFootballTalk.com.

So, you know, you can keep waiting for that other phone/MP3 thing. Or you can get the UpStage, exclusively from Sprint, next month. Which starts in two days.

ROMO RULE PASSES

One of the tweaks to the rules that became the law of the land for the NFL this week was the proposed change to the "K" ball protocol.

In the past, the 12 "K" balls were given to a home team's designated ball boy/girl/man/woman, and the ball boy/girl/man/woman could produce any of the 12 balls for any of the various kicking plays in the game.

This approach gave the ball boys/girls/men/women the ability, if they were so inclined, to squirrel away a particularly slick "K" ball for insertion into the game at the worst possible moment for the visiting team.

Now, the "K" balls will be numbered, K1 through K12. However, instead of using K1 for the opening kickoff and K2 for the next kicking play, and so on, K1 will be used until it's "not available" -- whatever in the hell that means.

If the goal is to reduce the perception that something untoward might occur, the far better approach is to simply use a rotation.

It's not yet clear whether the league also decided to give the officials more time to remove the "K" balls from their hermetically-sealed containers and rub them down before the start of the game.

FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Northwestern CB Marquice Cole ran a 4.35 on Thursday.

QB Steve McNair agrees with the efforts of the Commish to clean things up.

Nebraska CB Zack Bowman, projected as a second-round pick before deciding to stay in school, tore a patellar tendon in spring practice.

Boomer Esiason of CBS will be the featured speaker at the Kentucky Derby Festival, which also will recognize the efforts of the doctors who worked on Barbaro. (Esiason would be wise not to bring on-air partner Shannon Sharpe with him, or some attendees might conclude that Barbaro has pulled a Lazarus.)

Browns G.M. Phil Savage confirmed that he spoke with Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson about QB Trent Green, but we still think that King Carl has been puffing about Cleveland's interest in order to squeeze the Dolphins.

The Packers have re-signed DT Colin Cole, an exclusive rights free agent.

The Bears will take through the weekend, if not longer, to respond to the Redskins' trade offer for LB Lance Briggs.

The Giants signed LB Kawika Mitchell.

The Soup Nazi won't be disciplined for comparing himself to Hitler.

The squabble that resulted in the arrest of Broncos WR Brandon Marshall might have started five hours earlier, at Denver International Airport.

QB David Carr will visit the Seahawks.

The Saints and Niners are interested in Seahawks WR Darrell Jackson. (Proving that there always will be a demand for a pass-catcher who can't always catch passes.)

Could Marshall Faulk be heading for a G.M. gig?

Rams CB Jerametrius Butler has been a no-show for the team's offseason program.

POSTED 9:54 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:43 p.m. EDT, March 29, 2007

LYNCH HAS CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH

Several league insiders have contacted us in response to our item from earlier in the day regarding vague questions regarding tailback Marshawn Lynch, to which NFL.com's Pat Kirwan recently referred in his latest mock draft. Apparently, there is talk that Lynch has back problems.

But a league source tells us that multiple teams have given Lynch a clean bill of health, and the suspicion is that one or more teams are putting out negative information about Lynch in the hopes that he will slide, presumably into their laps.

It's a common dynamic this time of year. A team who really likes a guy is inclined to bad mouth him so that the team has a better chance of getting him, and a team who doesn't like a guy will talk him up so that he'll be drafted sooner, pushing more of the guys that the team likes down the board.

But another league source tells us that folks from Lynch's school, Cal, have been privately "brutalizing" Lynch, which is not a good sign. It means that Lynch pissed someone off during his time at Berkeley, which in turn means that he might piss people off in his next location.

SOME TEAMS REALLY LIKE JARRETT

Despite a relatively ssssslow time in the 40, we've privately heard from some teams that they really like USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett.

Then again, for the reasons mentioned above, maybe they really don't like him, and are hoping that someone will burn a pick on him.

He ran the 40 in more than 4.6 seconds, making him slower than Mike Williams. But also putting him on par with the number generated by Jerry Rice in 1985.

It's further evidence of the meaninglessness of the 40-yard dash. As we've heard time and again, a football player is running 40 yards in a straight line only when something very good has happened. Or something very bad.

And some guys run better than others in football gear. We've long believed that the 40 should be run in full pads, since it's a far more realistic assessment of a guy's football speed.

We also think that players should run the 40 in a competitive setting, like a track meet. It would make the event even more meaningful, since it would be man-against-man and not man-against-clock.

So all we really know for now is that Jarrett will play like Mike Williams. Or Jerry Rice. Or somewhere in between.

MORE ON PATS' RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL

We received several e-mail messages from readers and league insiders regarding a recent statement from Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe that the Patriots hold a right of first refusal as to punter Todd Sauerbrun.

Some presumed that Reiss was implying that the Pats have applied the transition tag to Sauerbrun. Others presumed that Reiss was just wrong.

He wasn't. Teams and players can enter into contracts that provide upon expiration a right of first refusal. The Vikings did it in 2005 when they signed receiver Koren Robinson, and the Pats did it with Sauerbrun in 2006.

For proof, click here.

HELLO, 10 MILLION PAGE VIEWS

Earlier tonight, we surpassed 10 million page views for the month of March. It's the first time we've ever cracked eight figures in monthly page views, and we've nearly doubled our previous high-water mark of 5.5 million.

Thanks to all members of PFT Planet for spending so much time with us this month. We're hoping to build on the momentum of the past month, and to continue to provide more and more of the best and most thorough NFL coverage on the Internet, or anywhere.

We think we'll celebrate by writing more stuff about pro football.

SCHEDULE WILL BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK

The online schedule for NFL Network shows that the 2007 regular-season schedule will be released on April 5, in a special edition of Total Access that begins at 4:00 p.m. EDT.

The league already has announced the nationally-televised games for the first weekend of the season, and the three Thanksgiving games.

The most attention undoubtedly will be paid to the ESPN Monday night games, the NBC Sunday night games, and the late-season NFLN package.

The slate of games have been known since the regular-season ended, and 14 of each team's 16 games for 2007 have been known since the new eight-division format was established in 2002.

Some of the more compelling non-divisional games include: Patriots at Colts, Dolphins at Steelers (Joey Porter returns to Pittsburgh), Chiefs at Jets (Herm Edwards returns to New York), Ravens at Bills (Willis McGahee returns to Buffalo), Eagles at Patriots (rematch of a recent Super Bowl), Raiders at Vikings (Randy Moss returns to Minnesota, unless he gets traded), Oakland at Green Bay (Randy Moss returns to Lambeau, unless he gets traded . . . to someone other than the Packers), and Saints at Bears (rematch of NFC title game).

The full list of 2007 matchups is right here.

POSTED 6:51 p.m. EDT, March 29, 2007

ONE MORE TRY FOR TROY?

Tom Curran of NBCSports.com reports that the Patriots and receiver Troy Brown apparently will get together one more time.

Despite offseason surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon and the addition of Wes Welker, Donte' Stallworth, and Kelley Washington, coach Bill Belichick says that there's still a seat at the table for the long-time veteran from Marshall.

"I expect Troy to have a role with us this year as far as I'm concerned," Belichick told Curran. "He is part of the plan for next season."

Brown currently is an unrestricted free agent.

We were at Heinz Field in January 2002 when Brown's performance in the AFC title game helped spark the team's run of three Super Bowls in four years. Despite his age (35), Brown brings a quality to the team that everyone else on the roster would benefit from being around.

POSTED 5:30 p.m. EDT, March 29, 2007

MARSHAWN STILL A FIRST-ROUNDER

A reader has pointed out to us that Pat Kirwan of NFL.com, who recently had defensive end Jamaal Anderson completely out of his first-round mock draft, also has taken running back Marshawn Lynch off of the board.

So what gives? Kirwan says that "[q]uestions are emerging" about Lynch, but doesn't delve into said questions. We've done some poking around, and the only questions we're aware of relate to allegations that were made and promptly disregarded by a female acquaintance several months ago.

For Kirwan, however, something apparently has bubbled up in the past week to cause Lynch to fall from No. 16 to the Packers all the way out of the round.

In fact, the thinking is that Lynch won't get past the Titans at No. 19. We're told that he has visits lined up with Cleveland, Baltimore, Tennessee, Green Bay, Detroit, and Buffalo, and private workouts with the Packers and the Titans.

The Bills, Packers, and Titans all need a clear-cut No. 1 tailback. We can't see all three saying no to Lynch.

Even if they do, we envision someone trading into the bottom of round one to snare him, just like the Lions did a few years back in landing Kevin Jones.

And, though we've got no real beef with Kirwan, it's hard to ponder his slate of picks without recalling the side deal he allegedly had several years back in connection with the rookie contract of quarterback Carson Palmer, who coincidentally happened to be the No. 1 guy on Kirwan's mock draft. One league insider who eyeballed Kirwan's mock spotted several CAA clients positioned far higher than many think they will be taken.

We're not suggesting that Kirwan is pimping for Tom Condon or Ben Dogra. But the reality of the mock draft process is that agent relationships often can color the manner in which certain players are regarded.

POSTED 4:55 p.m. EDT, March 29, 2007

BROWNS IN MIX FOR GREEN?

The Cleveland Browns have emerged as a potential candidate for the services of Chiefs quarterback Trent Green.

Per Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson, the Dolphins are no longer the only potential trade partner.

"We agreed to talk some more later this week or the first of next week," Peterson said. "[G.M. Phil Savage] said he wants to talk some more with his head coach and offensive coordinator. But he did ask whether this thing was over with. I said, 'No, not at all.' Cleveland would make sense to me because Trent played very well against them last year."

Look, Peterson might have a lot of people snowed, but not us. We think this is all about squeezing the highest possible pick out of the Dolphins. At best, then, we think that Browns G.M. Phil Savage is doing Peterson a favor. At worst, Peterson is flat-out puffing.

The reality is that the Chiefs can't do a deal with the Browns unless the Browns are willing to pay $7.2 million in base salary to Green, or unless Green is willing to take less money to play there. And Green has already made it clear that he wants to play for the Dolphins.

So all Green needs to do is dig in his heels, show up for all offseason workouts (a la Steve McNair a year ago) and wait for King Carl to flinch.

POSTED 4:14 p.m. EDT, March 29, 2007

JOE GETS BUCKED FROM FOX PREGAME

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that FOX's Joe Buck will not return as host of the network's pregame show in 2007. Instead, Buck will continue to serve as the network's No. 1 play-by-play voice.

No offense to Joe, but it's a great move.

He didn't add enough to justify carting Terry and Jimmy and Howie and Curt Menefee (who stepped in for the halftime reports) all over the country. And then there was the ever-present risk of the fans at the site of the road show barking out profane words or showing profane signs or wearing profane T-shirts.

The official reason for the change is that the network supposedly incurred higher-than-expected costs. (Apparently, they hadn't properly estimated Terry Bradshaw's appetite for in-room adult movies.) But we think that's just a smarmy way of admitting that they weren't getting the bang for the buck (pun not really intended but noticed) by doing the show anywhere other than at the FOX studio in L.A.

Menefee is, as it turned out, very good, and we believe that he's sufficiently non-Theismannesque to allow the other guys to poke fun at him (e.g., his resemblance to "Rerun" from What's Happening!). With Buck, there simply isn't a sense that jokes about his pedicures or pinky rings would be appreciated.

Generally speaking, we're glad to see that the networks are so willing to make changes. Even if no one is willing to admit that the changes were badly needed.

POSTED 8:13 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 9:43 a.m. EDT, March 29, 2007

WHIS LOOKING TO WEED OUT WEAKLINGS

Since we've basically ignored the Arizona Cardinals for most of the five-plus years that we've been in business, we don't quite understand why we're suddenly paying attention to them.

On Wednesday, we wrote of talk that the Cardinals are plotting a switch to the Steeler-style 3-4, even though they don't have anyone on the coaching staff with extensive experience in the Coach Chin system.

We're now told that new coach Ken Whisenhunt plans to implement an up-tempo offseason workout program in the hopes of spotting the guys who are serious about raising the team's overall level of performance, and those who aren't.

Though some league insiders think that the Whis has bitten off far more than he can chew by taking the Cardinals job, we think that if positive change will ever come, it's going to take a conscious effort to finally turn this team into a consistent winner.

"HE REALLY IS A SOUP NAZI"

The headline of this item is a quote from the classic Seinfeld episode in which Jerry and the gang interact with a guy who sells soup, with a side of extreme impatience. As anyone who has followed this site for a while knows, we've often referred to Giants coach Tom Coughlin with the nickname that Seinfeld slapped on the soup slinger.

Coincidentally (or not), Coughlin compared himself on Tuesday to the most notorious nazi of them all.

Adolph Q. Hitler. (We don't know whether his middle initial was Q. We just like the sound of it.)

Gary Myers of the New York Daily News reports that, at an NFC coaches breakfast held in conjunction with the league's 2007 Annual Meeting, Coughlin was asked by "a football Web site reporter" (a gratuitous mention that oozes contempt for anyone whose work isn't printed on fish wrap) whether Coughlin paid attention to the things that were said about him last year.

Said Coughlin: "I hear some of it and I see it. You know [VP of communications Pat] Hanlon tells me about it, what's going on.

"Hitler and then me, in that order. Unfortunate, but it is."

Myers describes Coughlin's self-comparison to Hitler as "politically incorrect," but we think it's more accurately described as "delusional" and/or "goofy" and/or "bizarre" and/or "f--kin' stupid."

Tom, part of being a hardass is that you will be perceived (duh) as a hardass, and that some of the people who have to deal with you (e.g., Tivi Barber) will complain about the fact that you are a hardass.

It goes with the hardass territory. If you don't like it, don't complain about it. Just quit being a hardass.

And make sure you give us bread with our soup.

ESPN OMBUDSMAN GETS A FEW LICKS IN

In his final item as the official ESPN ombudsman, former Washington Post editor George Solomon takes on a few of our favorite Bristol-related topics.

And before we go any farther, we need to point out that we do not dislike ESPN. Some of my fondest memories of spending time with my dad (who died nearly a decade ago) came from the new world of television sports that ESPN brought into our house in the early 1980s, and I can still hear him belly laughing at (with) guys like Chris Berman and Mike Lupica.

Okay, enough of the sappy stuff.

Anyway, the point is that ESPN's success has made it a target for criticism. And, since ESPN's P.R. machine refuses to ever concede that anything on any of the various Bristol properties is ever anything less than excellent and great and really cool, it's for others to point out the toilet paper that periodically is sticking to the bottom of the network's shoe. Though some in the company might react negatively to any criticism from the outside, the Emperor would still be rubbing his bare butt on the backside of a horse if no one had the nerve or the inclination to point out that the Emperor Jr. was making an unexpected public appearance.

To their credit, ESPN has employed Solomon to help point these things out. Here's what we noticed in his last entry.

Writes Solomon: "ESPN should be proud of reporters such as Bob Ley, Jeremy Schaap, Andy Katz, Tim Kurkjian, Rachel Nichols, Michele Tafoya, Sal Paolantonio, George Smith, Tom Rinaldi, Mike Fish, Shaun Assael, Chris Mortensen, Jim Gray, Shelley Smith, John Clayton, John Barr, Bob Holtzman, Ric Bucher, Pedro Gomez, Ed Werder and others who subjugate their egos working and breaking news stories."

Curiously, there's no mention at all of a Mr. Leonard Q. Pasquarelli.

Solomon also mentions something that we've been meaning to address regarding the network's newfound interest in arena football: "I also have problems with ESPN having a stake in the AFL that seems to have resulted in increased coverage of the league."

More importantly, Solomon points out a troubling phenomenon that has many in the industry up in arms. ESPN has a bad (and worsening) habit of creating the false impression that its reporters have broken stories, when in reality they haven't. Just last night, ESPN's scroll started crediting Michael Smith with news of the Dre' Bly deal several hours (we're told) after Adam Schefter of NFLN reported it. Says Solomon in this regard: "ESPN editors should be more careful of their staffers claiming exclusive stories when these stories are not always exclusive."

Finally, Solomon takes a swipe at one of our few remaining on-air targets at ESPN: Sean Salisbury. Solomon includes Sean in a description of tasks that ended up being a waste of the ombudsman's time: "[G]etting [Around the Horn] panelists to tone down the volume and trying to stop [Tony] Kornheiser from referring to Queen Elizabeth II as a 'babe' and [Michael] Wilbon from calling his viewers 'knuckleheads' proved fruitless. So did having a conversation with Sean Salisbury on how some viewers might misinterpret his inane ramblings."

Solomon is making vague reference to the whole "Jew or Chew" debate from earlier this year. Salisbury uttered the word "Jew" on the air (unintentionally, we believe) and then he strenuously argued that he said nothing even close to the term. Apparently, Solomon tried to get Sean to understand that, even if he didn't mean to say "Jew," the fact that Sean often talks ten times faster than machine gun fire could have caused the sound that was spat from his blow hole to be received by the objective ear as the word "Jew."

So bravo, Mr. Solomon. We only hope that your successor is equally willing to tell it like it be.

POSTED 10:31 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:19 p.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

LEAGUE EXECS TUTORED ON SIGNS OF GANG ACTIVITY

Among the topics that were presented to front-office types during the recently-concluded NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix was a session on how to spot potential gang activity in the locker room.

Seriously.

Per a league source, NFL execs received specific information on the signs of gang activity, apparently so that action can be taken before any criminal conduct results.

To date, there has been little or no evidence to suggest that the recent rash of arrests has been tied in any way to gangs. But since NFL players come from a somewhat broad range of backgrounds and experiences, the presence of actual or former gang members on a team shouldn't come as a shock.

Meanwhile, if the league wants to discourage that kind of stuff it might be a good idea to keep guys like Snoop Dogg off of NFL Network. Mr. Dogg is a former member of the Crips. (And a devoted fan of at least 37 NFL franchises.)

49ERS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

We're getting the hang of this draft needs thing. Every night, right about this time, we coordinate with Matt Miller of NewEraScouting.com and hammer out the draft needs for another NFL team.

Tonight, we're up to the eleventh team -- the San Francisco 49ers.

All of the draft need postings can be seen right here.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Pacman's lawyer has a raging case of diarrhea of the mouth.

The guy who wanted to change his name to Peyton Manning wasn't permitted to do so. (But he was allowed to choose from one of these three: Seymour Butts, Peter Gosinya, and Len Pasquarelli.)

Former Titans G.M. Floyd Reese is getting paid by ESPN.com to explain away some of the things that made him the former G.M. of the Titans. (Next up, Reese will discuss how to manage the salary cap.)

While criminal charges against him are pending, Broncos WR Brandon Marshall will be allowed to leave Colorado. (As long as he never comes back.)

The Commish will discipline Pacman Jones and Chris Henry within ten days of their April 3 hearings. (Is it really a good idea to have both of them in New York at the same time?)

The proposal to move the kickoff in overtime from the 30 to the 35 has been moved to May.

DT Pat Williams and CB Antoine Winfield have been absent from the Vikings' offseason program.

Vikings C Matt Birk won't be getting an extension to his contract, which expires after the 2008 season, but he's optimistic about the chances in 2007 of a team that most are writing off.

LB Takeo Spikes is hoping to finally get to the playoffs.

The guys drafted just before and just after Julius Peppers will visit the Panthers.

POSTED 9:30 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:48 p.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

LOOMIS WINS EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Saints G.M. Mickey Loomis has it pretty good. Since he's more bean counter than football guy, it's easy for him to avoid scrutiny when the team sucks, as it did in pretty much every year under his watch before 2006.

But when things go unexpectedly well, and when he's carrying the title of General Manager, he gets the credit.

Case in point -- Loomis has been named Executive of the Year by The Sporting News.

Loomis got the job when Randy Mueller was abruptly fired in early 2002. And the best moves made by the team in the past year, regardless of who gets the credit, were the result of other teams letting opportunities slip through their grasp. The Texans passed on Reggie Bush, and the Dolphins passed on Drew Brees.

Though Brees is now Mr. Bayou, it was no secret that he wanted to play for the Fins. But Miami's doctors were more concerned about Drew's shoulder than they were about Daunte Culpepper's knee.

We're not knocking the Saints. Still, we think Loomis is getting too much credit for their success.

Our vote would have gone to Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo, who has built a consistent winner despite skinflint ownership. But nobody asked what we thought.

We have a funny feeling that they never will.

WE WERE RIGHT ABOUT JARRETT, AFTER ALL

Since we were expecting USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett to run the 40 in 4.7 or slower, we forgot that we initially justified keeping him out of round one because we expected him to run a 4.6 or slower.

And he did.

The final numbers were a hand-timed 4.62 and 4.67.

As we said on February 12 regarding the omission of Jarrett from our initial mock draft: "Though we've been guilty of such stoopidity in the past, this time around the omission was intentional. Why? Because the network of scouts and league insiders with whom we collaborated in preparing the first crack at the first round believe that Jarrett will run a 4.6 or slower in his Pro Day workout, which will cause him to fall out of the first round."

So that's the end of the story. Jarrett stays on the wrong side of pick No. 32. Ignore our prior story.

POSTED 7:31 p.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

'SKINS WILLING TO PAY $20 MILLION GUARANTEED TO BRIGGS

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that, if the Bears and Redskins work out a deal for linebacker Lance Briggs, the 'Skins will pay the franchise-tagged free agent $20 million in guaranteed money as part of a deal that averages $7.5 million per year.

The Redskins have offered to swap first-round picks with the Bears for Briggs. Chicago would get the No. 6 overall pick, and Washington would take the No. 31 selection.

Under the trade chart, the move results in a net gain of 1,000 points for the Bears, which is equivalent to the No. 16 overall pick.

Multiple league insiders expect the Bears to balk. The No. 6 pick lands in the high-rent district, and the Bears might not be inclined to pay a rookie a ton of money. If we were calling the shots in Chitown (and Bears fans everywhere should rejoice in the fact that we don't), we'd ask for the No. 6 pick straight up, and then we'd slap the two picks together in an effort to make a play for one of the few guys that Rex Grossman can't overthrow -- receiver Calvin Johnson.

POSTED 6:58 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 7:09 p.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

THOMAS RUMORS UNFOUNDED?

We've received several e-mails over the past couple of days regarding rumors of a possible trade of Dolphins middle linebacker Zach Thomas to the Denver Broncos.

We've looked into these rumors, and we've learned through our discussions with league sources that neither the player nor his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, are aware of any such possibilities.

And such a move would make no sense. The Broncos currently are looking to move middle linebacker Al Wilson due in part to the fact that they want to keep D.J. Williams on the field for the nickel package. So why pay $5.65 million in base salary in 2007 and in 2008 for a two-down linebacker?

Besides, Thomas is one of the most popular members of the Dolphins, and it would be difficult if not impossible for the team to justify getting rid of him.

JARRETT RUNS INTO THE FIRST ROUND

We'd previously left USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett out of the first round of our mock draft because our sources believed that he would run a 4.7 or slower in the 40-yard dash.

A league source tells us that Jarrett ran a 4.62 on grass, which teams generally regard as equivalent to the FieldTurf on which recruits run at scouting combine.

NFL.com lists Jarrett's times as 4.62 and 4.67.

It's good enough to vault Jarrett back into the first round of our yanked-from-our-rear-ends projection of picks.

MORE MOCK DRAFT MOCKERY

We're not the only ones who screw up our mock drafts from time to time. We've received several e-mails recently advising us that Pat Kirwan's round-one mock draft on NFL.com did not include Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson.

Suddenly, Anderson has made an appearance. All the way at No. 5. To his credit, Kirwan hasn't pulled a Tribune-Review with the prior version of his draft, which excluded Anderson. (However, Kirwan has erased any reference to the fact that he at one point had tight end Greg Olsen going to the Panthers at No. 14 . . . and to the Pats at No. 24.)

With that said, Jamie Dukes of NFL.com needs to update his mock draft, too. As of this posting, Dukes' mock omits Anderson.

POSTED 3:10 p.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

BLY GETS IN BED WITH BRONCOS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Denver Broncos have signed cornerback Dre' Bly to a five-year, $33 million contract. The deal includes $16 million in guaranteed money.

After Bly was traded from the Lions to the Broncos, he indicated a preference to play for the Redskins. His agent thereafter tried to take the sting out of those remarks. At the time, we thought that the agent realized that such lip-flapping from Bly could make another trade unlikely.

Since then, however, player and team have gotten on the same page.

Bly was traded by the Lions because he did not fit within the team's Tampa 2 defense, which primarily requires cornerbacks to cover short zones and provide strong support against the run. The Broncos had a clear need for another starting-caliber cornerback after the death of Darrent Williams on January 1.

The contract that the Broncos acquired via the trade had one year remaining, at $4.2 million. Thus, Bly ends up with $28.8 million in "new money" in a package that is worth a total average of $6.6 million per year.

With Bly's deal and the seven-year, $64 million contract signed by Nate Clements earlier this month, the Broncos might want to give some thought to adjusting the paycheck of Champ Bailey, who is signed through 2010 at salaries of $720,000, $7.5 million, $6.5 million, and $9.5 million. He received an $18 million signing bonus in 2004, and he is widely regarded as one of the premier defensive players in the game.

POSTED 12:31 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 1:32 p.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

LENDALE IS A CLYDESDALE

Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reports that Titans running back LenDale White weighed in at a Titanic 260 pounds when he reported for the team's offseason workout program.

He reportedly has gained 30 pounds in the past three months.

Concerns regarding White's conditioning plagued him last year at this time, resulting in a slide from the top half of round one all the way to round two in the 2006 draft. Complicating matters was a hamstring ("Did someone say ham?" LenDale asks) injury that kept him from running a pre-draft 40-yard-dash.

The stakes ("Did someone say steaks?") are higher this year, with Travis Henry gone and Chris Brown unsigned.

We've encouraged him to take advantage of [the offseason program] and he has," said coach Jeff Fisher, who would not comment on White's waistline. "He's been there every day thus far. He's stayed in Nashville. He's a very competitive, tough, talented young running back. I think he's got a chance to be very good."

But at least one unnamed Titans official acknowledged to Robinson that there are concerns. "At some point," the source told Robinson, "the light is going to have to go on."

But first the light in the refrigerator is going to have to go off.

REPLAY IS HERE TO STAY

Tuesday's ownership meeting in Phoenix resulted in the permanent establishment of the use of instant replay. Moving forward, then, 24 votes won't be required to keep it; instead, 24 votes will be necessary to scuttle it.

We think it's the right move, but we'd like to see the league get rid of the "coaches' challenge" system, which arbitrarily limits the number of chances to correct potentially bad calls. We've previously advocated a system that subjects all scoring plays, turnovers, and plays that would result in a first down to automatic booth review, with all plays eligible for review with less than two minutes (we'd make it five) remaining in the half or in the game, and in overtime.

The Cardinals and the Bengals voted against the measure.

The league also will install HD equipment for the replay reviews, at a cost of $300,000 per stadium.

Per Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the owners voted against a proposal that would have allowed a defensive player to have a two-way radio in his helmet, like the quarterback on offense. Also, the 49ers withdrew a proposal to install two levels of defensive pass interference, and the owners voted to allow assistant coaches on a Super Bowl team to interview for head-coaching vacancies during the bye week prior to the big game.

More votes will be taken on other measures on Wednesday, including a proposal to move the kickoff spot during overtime from the 30 to the 35.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

Pat Tillman's family got tough with bureaucrats. (And we applaud them for it.)

The Jets have signed DE David Bowens to a three-year, $6.1 million deal.

Pats coach Bill Belichick isn't at the league meetings.

Though some guy is crying about getting screwed over on a car lease by Gabe Watson, we think the dude really has only one person to blame.

Pacman's lawyer keeps on talking. (But he shouldn't.)

So does Titans coach Jeff Fisher. (And he should.)

Offseason knee surgery is hampering WR Troy Brown's market value.

P Todd Sauerbrun is still a free agent, and the Pats hold a right of first refusal on any contract he signs.

Coach Kelvar is confused by LB Al Wilson's failed physical in New York.

The Vikings presently intend to keep TE Jim Kleinsasser.

The Glazers won't accept mediocrity. (They apparently have no problem with general suckiness.)

POSTED 10:55 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

JONES CALLS PORTER A "COWARD"

In his first comments on a casino cold-cocking that he absorbed earlier this month, Bengals left tackle Levi Jones tells Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com about the incident that resulted in Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter being cited for misdemeanor battery.

"A cowardly assault by a coward," Jones said. "One versus seven, six from behind. The police report came out and told the truth. Joey Porter did not kick Levi Jones' ass. Basically what he did was walk up to me, get my attention talking trash while his boys jumped me from behind. They plotted the thing. He was shooting craps. I was playing blackjack. He saw me, there was no exchange before he just came up on me.

"[W]hen there are six and seven guys with him, he's brave now," Jones said. "Strength in numbers. I guess he felt like the numbers were with him. He's been doing this for years, telling everyone he’s going to do this to me and do that to me."

Still, Jones won't be focused on Porter when the numbers are 11-on-11 during the 2007 season. “[T]rust me," Jones said, "when we play Miami I have a lot bigger problems to worry about than Joey Porter. I'm going against probably the best defensive end in the league in Jason Taylor. I'm not going to be worried about Joey."

POSTED 10:37 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

PACMAN, HENRY HEADING TO PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

It was widely reported on Tuesday that Titans cornerback Pacman Jones has been summoned to the league office for an April 3 meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

It has been less widely reported that Bengals receiver Chris Henry, a teammate of Jones at West Virginia, also will be sitting down with Goodell. According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Henry's meet-and-greet will occur next week, too.

Henry and Jones left WVU after the 2004 season. While in Morgantown, both caused problems. As one league source previously observed, "I'm surprised no one was killed while they were there." Jones hit a student with a pool cue at a bar, and Henry was (at times) volatile on the field. He was famously ejected from a game at Rutgers and proceeded to shoot a one-fingered salute to the Scarlet Knights fans as he was leaving the field. (To his credit, Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez has since cleaned up the program; quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton are not only two of the best players at the college level, but they also have been in no trouble and are perceived to be true gentlemen. Then again, WVU recently signed Pat Lazear.)

At the pro level, the duo of Pacman and Pukeman have become two of the most notorious players in the game, due to a string of arrests and allegations and an apparent nonchalance about the obvious connection between their own misbehavior and the problems that it causes.

Jones is expected to be suspended for up to a year due to his failure to report two arrests from early 2006 to the Titans, which constitutes a clear violation of the Personal Conduct Policy. Henry likely will be getting suspended for his guilty plea to providing alcohol to a minor.

POSTED 10:10 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

GOOD-GOOBLY-GOO: GRADY SUES FALCONS

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson has sued the team for invasion of privacy and defamation.

The claims arise from allegations that, when Jackson was an unrestricted free agent in 2006, the team leaked information that he has heart issues and had flunked a physical examination. Apparently, Jackson will argue that these disclosures damaged his ability to obtain a more lucrative contract, thereby reducing the demand for his services. He eventually signed a three-year contract with the Falcons in August.

The lawsuit both attacks the release of medical information and asserts that the Falcons were making untrue statements about Jackson's condition. The claims most likely will allow Jackson to seek compensation for lost earnings, damage to his reputation, and punitive damages.

If the allegations are true (and if the action is not preempted by the Collective Bargaining Agreement), Jackson most likely has a viable claim. Proving that the allegations are true is a different issue; the NFL is a closely-knit brotherhood, and we doubt that officials from other teams will testify under oath that the Falcons were putting out bad information about Jackson.

Another possible source of evidence regarding the things that Falcons officials might have been saying would be other agents, since it is very common for agents to have discussions with scouts and other front-office personnel regarding the merits (or lack thereof) of available players. But any agent who would swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (which might be a physical impossibility for 95 percent of the industry) would be asking for trouble, both from the Falcons and any other team that decides to shun someone who has aided and abetted the unprecedented (as far as we can tell) assertion of intentional tort claims against an NFL team by one of the members of its 22-man starting lineup.

Win or lose, the relationship between the Falcons and Jackson might be irreparably fractured. Already, the two sides are sniping at each other in the press.

"We are disappointed that Grady Jackson's agent has taken this action," Falcons vice president of football communications Reggie Roberts told the Atltanta Journal-Constitution, reading from a prepared statement. "We believe that this is a continuing attempt by the agent to gain a new contract for his client."

Said Jackson's agent, Angelo Wright, in response: "They continue to insult Grady Jackson and that he can think as a grown man with a brain. They have fostered a climate of personal disrespect to Grady Jackson both as a football player and a man."

Frankly, we don't think that Jackson and Wright are trying to get a new contract. We think they're trying to finagle his release, so that Jackson then can go sign a bigger deal with a team that, based on his ability to start 16 games in 2007, might be more willing to pay him the kind of money that he couldn't get in 2006, amid rumors of health problems. (Currently, he is scheduled to earn base salaries of $1.5 million in 2007 and in 2008.)

Then again, by flicking his finger in the franchise's eye, Jackson might have applied the kiss of death to his playing career, in Atlanta or elsewhere. It could be, then, that he simply doesn't want to play anymore, and that he's hoping to finance his post-football career with the fruits of his lawsuit and/or the $1.5 million salary that he would pursue via a non-injury grievance if the team cuts him for signing the lawsuit.

POSTED 8:59 a.m. EDT, LAST UPDATED: 9:27 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

SWITCH TO 3-4 IN THE CARDS?

A league source tells us that the Arizona Cardinals are quietly plotting a switch from a 4-3 base defense to the 3-4 alignment used by the Steelers for more than a decade.

The only problem? Despite hiring former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and former Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm, there's no one from Coach Chin's former staff who can teach the Blitzburgh package to the assistant coaches or to the players.

The only guy on the defensive side of the ball with a link to Bill Cowher is linebackers coach Billy Davis, who was on the Steelers' staff for the first three years of Cowher's tenure -- 1992 through 1994. Most recently, Davis was the defensive coordinator in San Francisco. He was fired after the 2006 season.

FANECA ABSENCE NOT OUT OF CHARACTER

The decision of Steelers Pro Bowl offensive lineman Alan Faneca to stay away from the early stages of the team's offseason program should not be regarded as a cause for alarm, because it is not a new development.

Per a league source, Faneca has missed the early stages of the program over the past several years.

This doesn't mean that Faneca isn't pissed about, for example, the hiring of coach Mike Tomlin or the release of Joey Porter or Faneca's own contract in an era where non-Pro Bowlers are being made into multi-multi-millionaires. But it should not be viewed as evidence that Faneca is upset.

FALCONS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

Due to technical problems that shut down our ability to update the site for most of Tuesday night, we were unable to upload our take on the Falcons' 2007 draft needs.

The assessment of the team's roster needs on draft weekend is now available, along with those of the other nine teams picking in the top ten.

POSTED 7:02 a.m. EDT, March 28, 2007

[Editor's note: The program that we use to update the site crashed last night at 8:50 p.m. EDT, just as we were getting word of the Frank Gore deal. The program remained crashed until just after midnight. So the story appearing below has been reported elsewhere by now.]

NINERS EXTEND GORE

A league source tells us that the San Francisco 49ers have signed running back Frank Gore to a long-term extension.

Per the deal, the third and final year of his rookie contract (which would have paid him $435,000) has been torn up and replaced with a five-year, $28.012 million contract.

The contract will pay a signing bonus of $6.5 million and a 2007 base salary of $435,000, which is fully guaranteed. In 2008, Gore is due to receive a fully-guaranteed option bonus of $4.165 million and a guaranteed salary of $2.562 million.

In 2009, Gore is scheduled to receive a base salary of $2.5 million and a prorated per-game roster bonus with a total maximum value of $1.75 million. In 2010, the base salary increases to $2.85 million, with a prorated per-game roster bonus worth up to $1.85 million. In 2011, the salary increases to $2.9 million with a per-game active roster bonus of up to $2.0 million.

There's also a yearly workout bonus of $100,000.

Gore was a third-round draft choice in 2005, and he has started for only one season. And he's had two torn ACLs while in college.

POSTED 8:25 p.m. EDT, March 27, 2007

AGENT CLAIMS HENRY FACES NO JAIL TIME

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports that receiver Chris Henry's agent believes that the player's most recent brush with the law will not result in a potential revocation of his probation in Kentucky.

"It's nothing. It was a fine. He thought it was taken care of," Marvin Frazier told Hobson on Tuesday afternoon. "To me, it seems like there is a witch hunt for Chris Henry. He's been doing everything that he's been asked to do."

Prosecutors in Kenton County, Kentucky disagree. And so do we. Folks on probation must walk the line. For many, otherwise legal activities -- such as drinking alcohol -- become illegal.

Besides, this wasn't a speeding ticket or a parking citation. Per a reader who pointed us in the right direction, driving on a suspended license is a misdemeanor that triggers a mandatory three-day jail term.

So if the condition for getting probation is a requirement to stay out of trouble, doing something that can land a guy in jail for a minimum of three days constitutes trouble.

And Chris Henry is in it. Again.

POSTED 7:35 p.m. EDT, March 27, 2007

HENRY TO BE JAILED FOR PROBATION VIOLATION?

On the surface, the news is that Bengals receiver Chris Henry has been arrested. Again.

Even though he was busted merely for driving on a suspended license, a bust is a bust. And it's three points for the Bengals.

Henry also was busted for not wearing a seat belt and not using a turn signal. Though some folks disagree with our approach in this regard, each charge results in more points. So that's nine total points for the Bengals.

But the bigger issue, as astutely pointed out by the Cincinnati Enquirer, is that Henry could be in violation of his probation. Which could land him in jail for up to 88 days.

In January, Henry was sentenced to 90 days for providing alcohol to a minor. He served two. To avoid the other 88, he was required to stay out of trouble.

Currently, Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson is in the clink for violation of probation.

The judge who'll be deciding whether and to what extent Henry will go to jail for violating his probation is most likely the same judge who called Henry a "cancer" when sending him to prison for two days.

POSTED 7:19 p.m. EDT, March 27, 2007

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER ARREST

Per various media reports, Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall has been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and domestic violence.

Marshall was arrested on Monday, so the counter in the corner stays at one. He allegedly blocked his girlfriend's taxi with his vehicle as she tried to leave his home. She sustained no injuries.

"We are aware of the situation involving Brandon Marshall," the Broncos said in a prepared statement. "The organization takes matters of this type very seriously, and we will continue to gather information before offering further comment."

It's our understanding that the charges are misdemeanors; thus, the incident results in six points for the Broncos in Turd Watch.

POSTED 9:34 a.m. EDT, March 27, 2007

HOT SEATS IN THE NFC SOUTH

In the past 15 months, two of the NFC South's teams have gotten new head coaches. Within the next year, the other two could end up with new coaches and new General Managers.

A league source tells us that, for the Panthers and the Buccaneers, it's widely believed to be playoffs or else in 2007.

The "or else" is that the coach and G.M. will be cut loose. In Tampa, that means Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen will be out of work. In Carolina, John Fox and Marty Hurney could be headed for unemployment.

The extra pressure makes the NFC South one of the most compelling divisions in the entire NFL for the coming season. The Saints currently rule the roost, and the Falcons are expected to be better than their record from last year indicated. The Bucs have added plenty of players in the offseason, and haven't really overpaid for any of them. The Panthers return 21 of 22 starters to a team that has the talent to go far -- but for some reason didn't in 2006.

If the Glazers clean house in Tampa, we think the Tuna might toss his hat into the ring for the G.M. job. And if the Panthers make a change, don't be surprised to see Coach Chin come calling.

POSTED 5:58 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:25 a.m. EDT, March 27, 2007

BRIGGS-TO-'SKINS MAKES NO SENSE

Apart from the fact that Bears linebacker Lance Briggs became a star in a pure Tampa 2 scheme that the Redskins don't run, there's another reason why it makes no sense, in our view, for the 'Skins to add Briggs to the team.

With two big-money free agent linebackers -- Marcus Washington and London Fletcher-Baker -- already in the starting lineup, the 'Skins wouldn't be getting the best return on their investment in Washington, Fletcher-Baker, and Briggs.

Why? Because a defense has three linebackers on the field

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