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POSTED 9:28 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:13 p.m. EDT, April 15, 2007

SHIELDS RETIRED OVER MONEY?

A league source tells us that Will Shields has announced his retirement for one primary reason -- money.

As in Shields wanted more of it, and the team wasn't inclined to give it to him.

Per the source, Shields recently said that he is willing to play at least two more seasons.

It remains to be seen whether Shields' retirement results in more money, or whether the Chiefs will let him walk.

COWBOYS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

It's 22 down, and 10 to go with the 2007 team-by-team draft needs.

Freshly posted are the Cowboys, and the full complement can be seen right here.

POSTED 9:00 p.m. EDT, April 15, 2007

CHIEFS LINE TAKES ANOTHER HIT

The Kansas City Chiefs will enter the 2007 season with another piece of a once-dominant offensive line now completely gone.

Last year, left tackle Willie Roaf retired on the eve of training camp. This time around, Pro Bowl right guard Will Shields has opted to call it quits.

Shields made the announcement on his web site, willtosucceed.com. We learned of the announcement via a head's up from our friend Tom Curran of NBCSports.com.

Said Shields: "The decision to hang up my cleats has not been an easy one to make for me but one I knew I would eventually have to make. Today, I am letting everyone know that I am putting away my pads."

Shields spent his entire career with the Chiefs. He was drafted in 1993 and started 15 of 16 games. From 1994 on, he started in every single game that the Chiefs played.

The 36-year-old walks away from a contract that would have paid him (per NFLPA records) a considerably-below-market $1.2 million salary in 2007, $1.59 million salary in 2008, and $1.98 million salary in 2009. The Chiefs will be entitled to seek reimbursement for 75 percent of the signing bonus that Shields received as part of the contract he signed prior to the 2006 season.

POSTED 12:44 p.m. EDT, April 15, 2007

GRIFFIN GETS BUSTED

A couple of readers tell us that KFAN radio in Minnesota is reporting that Vikings cornerback Cedric Griffin has been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

The incident supposedly occurred outside the Spin Nightclub in Downtown Minneapolis.

Though we have not yet been able to confirm the report via listening to the KFAN live stream, we found via the Hennepin County Sheriff's jail roster that a Cedric Leonard Griffin, born on November 11, 1982, was arrested for disorderly conduct on April 15. He was booked on one misdemeanor count and posted bail in the amount of $50. He has an April 20 court appearance.

Griffin is the first player to be arrested since the league unveiled a new Personal Conduct Policy on April 10.

More importantly, the incident will prevent the "days without an arrest" counter from hitting double digits. Since launching the ticker last month, it has yet to hit 10. Also, the Vikings get three points on Turd Watch.

And the incident has spawned a new PFT nickname. From this point forward, Griffin will be known as "Cedric the Misdemeanor."

POSTED 12:25 p.m. EDT, April 15, 2007

CULPEPPER GETTING CUT?

Alex Marvez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the Dolphins soon will be making another run at acquiring quarterback Trent Green from the Chiefs.

And Marvez writes that, if/when a deal goes down, it likely means the end of the failed one-year experiment with Daunte Culpepper.

Culpepper was acquired from the Vikings for a second-round draft choice in 2006, less than five months removed from suffering the torn knee ligament trifecta. He was rushed into the starting lineup prematurely -- perhaps because coach Nick Saban knew he was going to call it quits after the 2006 season -- and later benched when it was clear that Culpepper wasn't the same guy that he had been in Minnesota.

So his rehab, which never should have ended, continued.

Green is under contract with the Chiefs, at a salary of $7.2 million. The Chiefs want a second-round draft pick for his rights, but if push comes to shove they will cut him before owing him that much money. Green already worked out a financial package with the Fins during earlier trade talks.

If the Chiefs wants to get a draft pick that they can use in 2007, they need to get a deal done before the draft. Per Marvez, the deal will entail a second-day draft pick.

POSTED 9:59 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:21 a.m. EDT, April 15, 2007

PACMAN'S "HADN'T BEEN CHARGED WITH NOTHING" EXCUSE GAINING TRACTION

Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones explained on Friday night that he believes that his one-year suspension from Commissioner Roger Goodell is excessive because Jones is, as he said, "a guy that hadn't been charged with nothing."

As one member of PFT Planet pointed out, the butchered grammar is, technically, accurate. Jones has been charged with something. With multiple crimes. But he has never been convicted of anything. There's a big difference.

Still, the "hadn't been charged with nothing" routine is catching on. On Saturday, a CNN sock puppet parroted Pacman's version without correcting it. Moments ago, Falcons running back Warrick Dunn mentioned the same concept on ESPN's Outside the Lines, and host Bob Ley didn't remind Dunn that Jones' basic contention is simply not accurate.

As a result, this notion that Jones "hadn't been charged with nothing" could be creeping into the collective subconscious, making an inherently unlikable figure seem sympathetic. Instead of just pathetic.

SUNDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

More from former Texans QB David Carr on his departure from Houston: "That whole last season, it was a tough place not only for me but for my teammates and the coaches. I think it was time for us to change, time for me to move on." (Or move out.)

David Climer of the Tennessean thinks (as do we) that Pacman Jones should not have been hanging out at a casino three days after getting a one-year suspension.

Especially since, as Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean explains, the Commish advised Jones to stop hanging out in clubs and to be in each night by 1:00 a.m.

The pissmen goeth.

The Texans have plenty of options with the No. 10 overall pick -- but none are named Vince Young or Reggie Bush.

Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey calls Calvin Johnson a once-in-a-lifetime guy.

Falcons LB Keith Brooking is moving to the middle.

Change is coming for the Cardinals. (And since they can't get much worse, that can only be good news.)

Some folks in the Eagles' draft room wanted Akili Smith instead of Donovan McNabb in 1999.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden calls South Bend "God's country," which is one of Gruden's only phrases that doesn't include any expletives.

Ohio State QB Troy Smith is getting upset.

Denzel's son is getting plenty of attention in Europe.

The NFL Europa season is underway. (Wake us up when it's over.)

Drew Sharp sees the Lions going 3-13. (He's way out on a limb with that one.)

Raiders QB Andrew Walter is ready to compete -- even if he's competing with the No. 1 overall pick.

POSTED 5:56 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:39 p.m. EDT, April 14, 2007

COVER-UPS CAN'T CONTINUE

The NFL's new Personal Conduct Policy potentially holds teams responsible for having players who repeatedly get in trouble. This reality places an even greater emphasis on the decisions made when new players are selected.

Most significantly, teams now must exercise extra discretion in the use of draft picks.

For many incoming NFL players, their history of actual and/or alleged misconduct is either known or, with the application of reasonable diligence, knowable. But there are still too many college and high school programs that try (often successfully) to cover up these potential embarrassments.

In order for the NFL's new approach to be successful, the cover-ups must stop.

But how can the NFL make this happen? One way would be for the league to discreetly lobby the NCAA to impose potentially stiff penalties on programs that brush incidents under the rug. Though one of the few collections of butts for which the powers-that-be on Park Avenue will pucker reside on the backsides of college coaches, the NCAA should show some appreciation for the fact that the NFL successfully enforced a rule that forces players to wait three years after graduating high school to enter the league. One way to do so would be to require college teams to own up to the transgressions of their players. (And if there's already such a rule on the books, our guess is that it isn't enforced; over the years, we've heard rumors of all sorts of college cover-ups, ranging from aiding and abetting drug use to taking a "boys will be boys" approach to matters such as the brandishing of a gun in the locker room.)

The media has a role in this as well. The problem, however, is that in many markets the local college football team is in a position of dominance -- and "real" journalism that in any way makes the program look bad is grounds for a Schrute-style Amish shunning.

The NFL also should be prepared to take action against any of its own teams who try to conceal evidence of incidents involving players. Now that franchises can be flogged for having too many turds, there's a strong incentive to, for example, persuade a police officer (via, say, a couple of prime tickets to Sunday's game) to exercise a little discretion. More generally, generous donations can be made by the team and/or key members of the front office to the local F.O.P. or other fund-raising arm of the force.

Surely, some cops have looked the other way in the past regarding issues of player misconduct. Moving forward, NFL teams have all the more reason to use any legitimate (or otherwise) means necessary to secure lenience before an arrest is finalized or formal charges are filed. We hope that the NFL has taken this reality into account -- and that the new Personal Conduct Policy isn't intended to send a subtle message to NFL and college teams that one way to reduce the perceived problem of criminal conduct is to find a way to get guys out of trouble before the trouble ends up being reported somewhere.

ESPN.COM EDITOR HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR?

Anyone who has been frequenting this site over the past several months knows that our friends at WFNZ radio in Charlotte sent us a clip of a truncated appearance from ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli, in which Len goes ballistic because one of the hosts refers to former NFL receiver Todd Pinkston as "Todd Stinkston."

The less-than-a-minute melee ends with a pissed-off Pasquarelli proclaiming, twice, "Move on or move out."

Since then, whenever the phrase "move on" appears in this page, we follow it up with "or move out" -- and we add a link to Len's rant.

So when we saw on ESPN.com's NFL page the following graphic, we suspected that it was a backhanded slap at Len from an editor whom he might have bullied or berated in the past.

If this was intentional, we say "bravo" to the guy or gal who pulled it off.

Anyway, it's time to move on. (Or listen to the clip again.)

POSTED 10:34 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:03 p.m. EDT, April 14, 2007

JONES IS TAKING HIS PUNISHMENT LIKE A (PAC)MAN

After his April 3 hearing before Commissioner Roger Goodell, Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones said that he was prepared to accept whatever sanction was imposed on him.

"I know there is going to be a punishment and whatever the punishment is I am going to be a man and I am going to take responsibilities and own up to whatever the punishment is," Jones told NFL Network.

But now that he has been booted out of the league for the entire 2007 season (with a snowball's chance on the surface of the sun of getting back after 10 games), Jones isn't taking his medicine like a man.

He's taking it like a Pacman.

"I think it was a little bit harsh," Jones said on Friday night, according to the Associated Press. "I expected the suspension, but for a whole year for a guy that hadn't been charged with nothing? I really didn't agree with it. But for the most part, I'm taking it like a man.

"Clearly -- you know, for a guy that hadn't been charged -- I'm clearly made to be the poster boy," Jones added.

Um, first of all, someone needs to explain to Jones the difference between being charged and being convicted. He hasn't been convicted, but he has been charged plenty. For example, he is facing felony charges arising from allegations that he went Pacman on a policeman, biting the officer's hand. The fact that Jones never disclosed the arrest to the Titans was a big factor, we believe, in the ultimate suspension.

Second, someone needs to explain to Jones that his chances of winning on appeal are slim and none. The appeal, as we've previously explained, goes to the Commissioner and not to an outside arbitrator. Roger Goodell is surely not going to change his mind. So why not say, "In order to show that I accept responsibility for my actions, I will not appeal the Commissioner's decision"?

Jones' latest statements make us even more convinced that he won't be able to stay out of trouble. The fact that he made his remarks while attending ESPN's Friday Night Fights in Tunica, Mississippi only three days after the suspension was imposed reinforces our belief that this man -- this Pacman -- doesn't get it.

And he never will.

BUCS ALREADY VIOLATING OFFSEASON RULES?

The CBA between the NFL and the NFLPA make it clear that there should be no contact during offseason workouts.

Every year, however, there is evidence that the rule is being broken. Actually, it's not being broken; it's simply being ignored.

The first piece of proof in this regard comes from the mouth of Bucs quarterback Chris Simms, who is back on the field for the first time since his spleen was removed following a September loss to the Panthers.

Simms acknowledged that he took some hits during the team's three-day voluntary minicamp. "I'm not supposed to get hit, but I guess they wanted to test the spleen, or wanted to test the space where it used to be," Simms said. "So far, it's holding up good."

Hey, we love the kid's attitude. But the reality is that the space where Simms' spleen used to be shouldn't be tested until training camp.

It might be a good idea for the union to finally stand up on this point. Maybe they can use it as leverage to get, say, an independent appeal of suspensions under the Personal Conduct Policy.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

The extra money paid to RB Brian Westbrook came in the form of a $3 million roster bonus that was paid twice. (In unrelated news, LB LaVar Arrington wants to sign with the Eagles.)

The Giants have signed QB Anthony Wright, along with DT Marcus Bell and DB Michael Stone.

Fins coach Cam Cameron says that the future of QB Daunte Culpepper is a "work in progress."

Fins DT Manny Wright is glad that the Nicktator is gone.

As part of his Friday workout with the Bucs, WR Calvin Johnson stood behind coach Jon Gruden and caught passes all around him.

Edgerrin James at a voluntary offseason minicamp? What time is the massive asteroid due to strike the earth?

The Cardinals signed CB Ralph Brown, DE Joe Tafoya, and DE Rodney Bailey.

The Cards also added DT Ross Kolodziej.

POSTED 9:56 a.m. EDT, April 14, 2007

BUSH FAMILY PAID MORE THAN $200,000

Charles Robinson and Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports report that Michael Michaels of New Era Sports & Entertainment received between $200,000 and $300,000 from Reggie Bush and/or his family to settle claims arising from allegations of free rent and other alleged benefits given to Bush and/or his family in anticipation of representing him once he got to the NFL.

The report contradicts an AP story indicating that Michaels was simply walking away, and implying (in our view) that Michaels' claims had no merit. ESPN.com, which posted the AP story while at the same time ignoring a San Diego Union-Tribune item that made clear the fact that money changed hands to settle allegations that money had changed hands, has pulled a Tribune-Review, modifying the AP report to reflect the new info reported by Yahoo! Sports.

Robinson and Cole also report that the deal contains a confidentiality clause, which is a very common term in the settlement of civil claims. If, however, New Era partner Lloyd Lake follows through on lingering threats to sue, Michaels could be compelled to testify.

Rachel Newman Baker, the NCAA Director of Agent, Gambling and Amateurism Activities told Yahoo!: "The NCAA is aware that Mr. Michaels has agreed to a settlement with the Bush family. We continue our efforts to obtain cooperation from those involved with the case, including Reggie Bush and his family. Hopefully, the settlement agreement will encourage individuals who previously refused to cooperate due to concerns about potential litigation to now come forward with information that may assist with our on-going investigation."

Bush recently told the Los Angeles Times: "They [the NCAA] haven't tried to contact me. If they did I wouldn't answer the phone."

As we noted on Thursday night, the fact that the NCAA has no subpoena power makes it easy for players who are no longer at NCAA institutions to thumb their noses at requests for information. We think that, in such cases, the NCAA should automatically impose sanctions on the institution that the player attended.

Such a penalty is even more appropriate in a case like this, where a payment in excess of $200,000 means that this was anything other than a nuisance-value settlement aimed at making a weak case go away at minimal expenditure. If, as Bush insisted last year after the news of the allegations that he and/or his family received benefits in violation of NCAA rules, the family did nothing wrong, common sense suggests that they wouldn't have paid that much money to one of the guys whose claims kept Reggie from being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft.

POSTED 9:42 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:18 p.m. EDT, April 13, 2007

CARR TAKES SHOT AT TEXANS

Former Texans quarterback David Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft and the first draft pick in franchise history, is happy to be with the Panthers, even as a backup.

And Carr is making it known that he's glad he's out of Houston.

"I've been on an expansion team and it's not fun,'' Carr said. "I've been on teams that aren't winning and it wasn't exciting. Football is a hard enough game when you go out there and you're battling everything and you go out and lose it makes it hard. I wanted to be on a team that was fun and exciting and whether I had a chance to play right away, it didn't matter to me.''

Carr also took a backhanded swipe at the Swiss cheese offensive lines that protected him in Houston: "If I learned anything in the last five years, that's where football games are won and lost," he said.

"I need to take a deep breath and be around a good environment and just start enjoying the game again,'' Carr said. "In the last week or two, it's brought back a lot of excitement that I had when I was younger."

Apparently, the fact that Carr was the starting quarterback for each of the Texans' first five seasons played no part in the team's sruggles.

BRONCOS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

The Broncos' draft needs are up.

We're serious.

Really. We are.

POSTED 9:05 p.m. EDT, April 13, 2007

STEINBERG BUSTED FOR DUI

Agent Leigh Steinberg was arrested on Friday morning for DUI after driving his Mercedes SUV into three parked cars.

Steinberg provided a blood sample that showed his alcohol concentration to be above the legal limit.

He previously was arrested for DUI in 1997.

The lead character in the film Jerry Maguire was based on Steinberg. And that fact prompted the following observation from a member of PFT Planet regarding the apprehension of Steinberg: "They had him at 'hello.'"

POSTED 7:33 p.m. EDT, April 13, 2007

WESTBROOK OWES EAGLES $3 MILLION

It's time to add another page or two to the "there's a first time for everything" file. According to ComcastSportsNet.com, the Eagles inadvertently paid running back Brian Westbrook an extra $3 million in 2006, and that Westbrook has yet to pay it back.

Westbrook reportedly intends to refund the money. Because he has yet to cut the check, the Eagles have filed a grievance in order to ensure that the money will be paid.

But why in the world didn't Westbrook say something about the overpayment sooner? At a minimum, his agent should have noticed it. Did Westbrook simply regard the payment as free money? Like a $20 bill that he found in the parking lot at the Olive Garden?

We've got a weird feeling that there's more to this story. The Eagles, with one of the best and the brightest front offices in the league, don't make mistakes like this.

POSTED 3:02 p.m. EDT, April 13, 2007

BRONCOS TO RELEASE WILSON

A league source tells us that the Denver Broncos will be releasing linebacker Al Wilson.

That's the gist of the press conference that Wilson has called for 4:00 p.m. EDT Friday; Wilson will announce the news, and will express his appreciation to the Denver fans.

We're told that Wilson will not be retiring. Instead, the plan is to get healthy, and to continue to play football.

Wilson, 29, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Broncos.

POSTED 1:44 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 2:04 p.m. EDT, April 13, 2007

BUCS DOING THEIR HOMEWORK

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a delegation to Atlanta for a Friday morning workout with receiver Calvin Johnson. Specifically, coach Jon Gruden, G.M. Bruce Allen, quarterback Chris Simms, and receivers Michael Clayton and David Boston made the trip.

Noticeably absent was presumed starter Jeff Garcia.

From there, the caravan will head to South Bend for a Saturday workout of quarterback Brady Quinn, and then to Baton Rouge for a look-see at JaMarcus Russell.

Receiver Maurice Stovall, who played with Quinn at Notre Dame, will participate in the quarterback workouts. Simms won't.

Our take? The Bucs are preparing for the possibility that one of these three players will be available when Tampa picks at No. 4. It could be, however, that their real target is left tackle Joe Thomas, and that the powers-that-be are hoping that both quarterbacks will be gone in the first three picks, given that the Bucs already have 17 signal-callers under contract.

TITANS STILL WANT TURNER

Jim Wyatt of the Nashville Tennessean reports that the Titans are still talking to the Chargers about running back Michael Turner, a restricted free agent.

"Nothing is imminent at this point and time, but nothing is dead either," G.M. Mike Reinfeldt said. "The fact that we both agreed to stay in touch leans toward optimism.''

The Chargers have tendered Turner at the highest possible level, requiring a first-round pick and a third-round pick as compensation. But it's possible that the Chargers will accept a lesser amount via trade, as the Falcons did last month for the rights to quarterback Matt Schaub.

Turner also has visited the Bills, and there have been rumors of a potential trade to the Packers.

WILSON HOLDING PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY

The agents for Broncos linebacker Al Wilson have announced that the Pro Bowler will conduct a press conference on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EDT, at which time he will discuss his future.

It could be that Wilson has opted to retire. He suffered a neck injury late in the 2006 season, but was cleared to play. A pre-trade physical conducted by the Giants reportedly raised red flags regarding the neck injury.

In theory, Wilson could have surgery to repair any lingering neck problem and then attempt to continue his career.

The Broncos had been trying to trade him, in order to get out from under his 2007 salary of $5.2 million.

POSTED 8:09 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 9:12 a.m. EDT, April 13, 2007

BURGESS WANTS MORE BUCKS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the absence of Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess from the first minicamp of the 2007 offseason is directly connected to his displeasure with his contract.

And that's directly connected to the huge paydays that have been given in the past six weeks to lesser players.

Burgess has more sacks than any other NFL player over the past two seasons. But under the contract he signed two years ago as an unrestricted free agent, Burgess is due to earn $1.5 million in salary in 2007, $2 million in 2008, and $2 million in 2009.

On one hand, it would be easy to say that Burgess should honor the contract that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, presented to him. On the other hand, the unprecedented increases in the salary cap triggered by subsequent CBA adjustments have resulted in other players with objectively lesser credentials getting paid much more money.

Schefter, for example, points to defensive end Patrick Kerney, who received $19 million in guaranteed money last month from the Seahawks.

Then again, defensive end Grant Wistrom got $14 million in guaranteed money from the Seahawks a year before Burgess got his $15 million over five.

The real problem here is that Burgess has outperformed his contract. He had 8.5 sacks in four seasons with the Eagles, and based on those numbers both Sexton and the Raiders surely concluded that $15 million over five was a fair approximation of his value moving forward. But Burgess has exploded in the two seasons since, with 27 total sacks.

It would be easy to criticize Sexton for not inserting triggers into the deal aimed at pumping up the money based on performance. But the reality is that Sexton likely got the best deal he could given the four-year track record that Burgess had established in Philly.

And Sexton and Burgess could have insisted on a shorter-term deal, but the player usually wants to maximize the available signing bonus, and that usually requires the team to tack more years onto the deal so that the cap hit can be properly spread out over multiple seasons.

So while the Raiders are fully within their rights to say "a contract is a contract," it makes far more sense to recognize great performance and encourage more of it by giving him a more fair piece of the pie.

Where would the money come from? Well, there's another guy they picked up two years ago who has been a complete bust to date, and who is due to make $9.75 million in 2007 and $11.25 million in 2008. Once he is traded or released, much of that money can and should be given to Burgess.

SPRINT GOING TO THE WiMAX

Our official telecommunications sponsor, Sprint together with Nextel, provides more than mobile phone products and service (which we encourage all PFT readers to purchase).

Sprint also is a leader in wireless Internet access, and Sprint is at the forefront of a move to upgrade Wi-Fi to a much more powerful product.

Specifically Sprint is in the process of building a $3 billion (with a "b") network that will dramatically increase the reach of its wireless Internet services. The WiMAX system will stretch the current Wi-Fi coverage from several hundred feet to several miles.

Chicago, Washington, and Baltimore will have the new service by the end of the year, and more cities will be added in 2008.

"We are not building another cellular voice network," says Sprint Chief Technology Officer Barry West. "Our killer application for this new network is mobile access to the Internet."

The service will instantly become an effective replacement for in-home wired Internet service, since customers will be able to pick up juice -- and not lose the link to it -- as they carry their laptops to school or to work or to the airport.

Or to the local Denny's. As long as Ricky Manning Jr. isn't in there.

PACMAN HEADING BACK TO MORGANTOWN?

We've been among the most vocal critics of Adam "Pacman" Jones since he embarked on a string of alleged criminal incidents after being selected by the Titans as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2005 draft. Jones played college football at West Virginia University, which is right up the road from PFT headquarters. So, to the extent that Jones was engaged in actual, alleged, and/or perceived bad behavior, he was tarnishing the image of WVU, and of the many West Virginians who take pride in the positive accomplishments of the institution.

At one point, Jones tried to contact yours truly to discuss the situation, but after the trading of a few messages the efforts fizzled out.

Now, Jones is contemplating a return to Morgantown during his one-year suspension from the NFL. (In an unrelated development, we are contemplating a move to Atlanta.)

Per the Nashville Tennessean, Jones would attend classes and work out in Morgantown during his temporary (for now) banishment from the NFL.

"He said he's trying to iron a few things out,'' WVU strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis told the Tennessean. "I think he is trying to do the right thing. I think he is trying to get himself in an environment that is going to help him.

"I think Pac wants to be in a situation where he's working. I don't think — contrary to what some people have stated — that he is a kid who wants to be in a situation that is negative and wants to cause problems," Barwis said.

Our first reaction was to question the sanity of Barwis and Mountaineers football coach Rich Rodriguez. But then we thought about it some more, and we concluded that this might actually be a good idea. Barwis and Rod are partially responsible for the current mess; Barwis was blindly touting Jones (we've been told) in the run-up to the 2005 draft, and Rodriguez brought Jones to Morgantown in the first place. To the extent that Jones is looking for a shot at redemption, Barwis and Rodriguez are the best people to preside over the process, if they are willing to boot his butt out the door at the first sign of evidence that he hasn't changed.

We realize that Jones is the product of a difficult upbringing, and that he has not had the same influences and guidance that most of us take for granted. We think that his decision to seek further education in a familiar place is better and wiser than, say, heading to Canada for a season.

It's evidence of a genuine desire to change his life and we wish him the best, if this is his true intention. But we'll also be ready to call upon the powers-that-be in Morgantown to eject him permanently from the city limits if he does any of the stuff that has resulted in his current predicament.

POSTED 11:14 p.m. EDT, April 12, 2007

BUSH FAMILY SETTLES WITH NEW ERA OWNER

According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the family of former USC running back Reggie Bush has reached a settlement with one of the principals of New Era Sports & Entertainment for unpaid rent and other losses resulting from an alleged commitment by Bush to hire New Era to represent him once he entered the NFL.

The settlement was struck between the Bush family and Michael Michaels, one of the New Era owners. Another owner, Lloyd Lake, has not settled his own claims.

Lake's lawyer, Brian Watkins, says that suit will be filed soon. Watkins has been saying this for nearly a year.

On the surface, the mere settlement of the claims made by Michael Michaels implies that Bush and/or his family received improper benefits while Reggie was still eligible to play college football. Why else would they have settled? But the problem is that the NCAA can't force anyone to cooperate with its efforts to investigate the situation. So if all of the claims are resolved before any factual record is developed and all parties thereafter refuse to talk to the NCAA, the NCAA won't be able to take any action even if the rules were clearly violated.

The problem is that the Bush brouhaha involves no person or entity who is subject to NCAA discipline for failure to cooperate with the investigation. At a minimum, then, the NCAA should revise its rules to allow penalties to be imposed on the institution that the player who is the subject of the investigation attended if that player refuses to talk to the NCAA after his or her career at the school has ended.

Otherwise, the player has no incentive to cooperate -- and the institution has no incentive to attempt to persuade the player to do so.

POSTED 10:08 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:00 p.m. EDT, April 12, 2007

LIONS WOULD DRAFT-AND-TRADE JOHNSON

As Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports, the Raiders are wrestling with the question of whether to take quarterback JaMarcus Russell or receiver Calvin Johnson with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Owner Al Davis reportedly wants Russell, but offensive coordinator Greg Knapp -- who knows all too well the struggles relating to the development of a high-profile quarterback -- wants Johnson.

We're now told that, if the Raiders don't pick Johnson, the Lions plan to snare the Georgia Tech wideout with an eye toward promptly trading him.

It's a potential move that conjures memories of the deal that sent Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick in 2004, from the Chargers to the Giants for Philip Rivers, the No. 4 pick, and other picks that yielded linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.

Possible trade partners include the Buccaneers, the Redskins, the Vikings, and the Falcons. It's unlikely, however, that the Lions would swap Johnson to another NFC North team.

As to the Falcons, there is increased talk that the Atlanta football franchise would like to keep Johnson close to home.

FORNEY COMPLAINS ABOUT FORMER COACH

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Falcons guard Kynan Forney is sounding off about former offensive line coach Alex Gibbs' tactics.

But Forney isn't complaining about the injury-inducing tendencies of the cut-blocking system that Gibbs used. Forney is upset because Gibbs wanted the linemen to weigh less than 300 pounds.

"Everybody's glad that you don't have to sit around and be starving yourself all week to make some weigh-in on Friday morning because somebody likes the way it looks on paper," said Forney. "They would tell you that you have to weigh 295 so you'd be sitting up Wednesday and Thursday night starving sometimes.

"Sometimes you've got 330-pound, 340-pound [defensive linemen] across from you and as the season goes on, that can weigh on you. You had different guys starving themselves. That's crazy to me. We're not naturally sleek and lean. We were made to be sleeker and leaner."

At a time when we constantly hear about the health problems that can arises from linemen who are too fat for their own long-term good, Forney's complaints ring a little hollow to us. For anyone who is less than seven feet tall, we don't think it's unreasonable to weigh less than 300 pounds.

More importantly, Forney signed a five-year extension with the Falcons on August 26, 2004 -- not long before the commencement of the first regular season with Gibbs on the staff. So when Forney added his name to the last line of the deal, he did so knowing full well that the new bosses wanted him to get and stay under 300 pounds.

THURSDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

The Saints have signed WR David Patten.

Steelers WR Lynn Swann lost his bid to become the Governor of Pennsylvania; he might now try to aim a little lower.

The Broncos have re-signed WR David Terrell.

Broncos CB Domonique Foxworth supports the penalties imposed on Pacman and Pukeman.

Vikings S Darren Sharper is getting a head start on his next career.

WR Charles Rogers (who reportedly ran a 4.9 for a team last year) met with the Giants on Thursday.

RB John David Washington, son of Denzel, is playing in NFL Europa.

The Texans have signed WR Andre' Davis.

The Super Bowl could play host to plenty of presidential ads.

POSTED 8:25 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 9:00 p.m. EDT, April 12, 2007

FAVRE CERTAIN THAT MOSS WILL BE A PACKER

It's been a while since the rampant rumors linking Raiders receiver Randy Moss to the Green Bay Packers died down. But that doesn't mean that the issue is dead.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that Packers quarterback Brett Favre is "100 percent certain" that Moss will be a Packer by the time the 2007 season starts.

The only problem is that the Raiders and the Packers haven't been able to strike a deal for compensation. Our guess is that the logjam will break once the draft approaches; otherwise, any picks necessarily would be deferred into 2008. Plus, if the Raiders choose to take receiver Calvin Johnson with the first pick on April 28, their leverage in subsequent trade talks will surely drop, since the chances of the Raiders letting Johnson get anywhere close to the malcontented Moss are slim and none.

BROWNS BENT ON BRADY

There's increasing evidence, we're told, that the Cleveland Browns are locking in on Notre Dame quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Quinn most likely will be available when the Browns use the third pick on April 28; however, the Lions have been doing their damnedest to try to get the powers-that-be in Cleveland to believe that Quinn will be taken with the No. 2 pick.

The strategy is to get the Browns to flip-flop picks with the Lions. It worked three years ago, when the Lions got the Browns to move from No. 7 to No. 6 in order to get tight end Kellen Winslow.

The Browns' decision likely is coming down to Quinn and running back Adrian Peterson, both of whom are represented by CAA. Taking Quinn could give both G.M. Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel more time to turn things around, since it usually takes more time for a rookie quarterback to have an impact on a team than a running back.

GIANTS DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

We missed a couple of days with our draft needs, um, thing.

We're back, with No. 20. The Giants.

Enjoy.

ALL THE BUCS NEWS YOU CAN HANDLE

Our friends at PewterReport.com, who routinely break more Bucs news than any of the newspapers who follow the team, have compiled an impressively thorough update on the team's current offseason workouts.

The entire report is right here. Here are the highlights:

1. Quarterback Chris Simms got the bulk of the reps, while quarterback Jeff Garcia spent time learning the Jon Gruden version of the West Coast offense.

2. The Bucs are now using the shotgun.

3. Bruce Gradkowski has give up No. 7 to Garcia, apparently for a fee. "Bruce and I are working something out," said Garcia. "He's not giving it up for free, that's for sure. But I wouldn’t expect him to do that."

4. Second-year receiver Maurice Stovall could be the No. 2 "X" receiver, behind Joey Galloway.

5. Gruden said the "F" word 289 times on Thursday. (Okay, we're making that one up but we'd be willing to bet that our number is within 50 of reality.)

POSTED 4:50 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:14 p.m. EDT, April 12, 2007

RAMS TO SIGN FINS PUNTER TO OFFER SHEET

A league source tells us that the St. Louis Rams are poised to sign Miami punter Donnie Jones, a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet.

The contract is worth $5.585 million over five years. It includes a signing bonus of $1.175 million and salaries of $510,000 in 2007, $700,000 in 2008, $1 million in 2009, $1.1 million in 2010, and $1.1 million in 2011.

The Dolphins will have seven days to match the offer, from the date of the signing of the sheet. (Contrary to reports elsewhere, the offer sheet has not yet been signed.) If the Fins choose not to match, they will receive the Rams' seventh-round draft pick as compensation.

The Rams are coached by former Fins offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. That connection has resulted in the recent addition of tight end Randy McMichael and running back Travis Minor, both of whom played for Linehan in 2005, his only season as offensive coordinator in Miami.

The deal does not include a so-called poison pill aimed at making the Fins pay a bunch of guaranteed money if they match. If the Dolphins opt to match the offer, the Rams will have provided free contract negotiation services to the Miami franchise.

FAREWELL TO THE I-MAN

The Associated Press reports that CBS Radio has fired Don Imus. On Wednesday, MSNBC dropped the simulcast of the Imus show.

It's a stunning development. On one hand, the comments made last Wednesday by Imus took on a life of their own, becoming a flash point for discourse regarding the state of race relations in America. On the other hand, similar comments from Imus have been tolerated over the years, and the chickens finally came home to roost. Still, just as ESPN shouldn't have been surprised that Rush Limbaugh acted like, well, Rush Limbaugh when he was hired to appear on the network's NFL pregame show, it's hard for CBS or NBC to say that they didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

Another problem here is that Imus kept talking about the issue, bouncing back and forth between contrition and defiance. His best bet would have been to move on. (Or move out.)

Moreover, we think that the rush to dump Imus was fueled by the influence of media figures and politicians on whose heads the I-man urinated over the years. Shtick or not, he was a miserable person, and folks who inhabit the public eye have long memories.

Meanwhile, his only support came predictably from portions of the nucleus of "I-faves" -- regular guests who benefited greatly from the relationship with Imus and from the exposure his show gave the guests and the books, music, etc. that they were selling. Moving forward, who will pay any attention at all to Tom Oliphant or Levon Helm?

Meanwhile, we hope that the African-American community will use this incident as the impetus for cultivating new leaders who will step forward at times like these. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have way too much baggage of their own, and it's high time for them to step aside for folks who do not have a history of racially divisive words and deeds.

Anyway, this is our last and final word on the matter. Really, there's nothing else to say.

POSTED 12:08 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 1:27 p.m. EDT, April 12, 2007

WERE PACMAN AND PUKEMAN ALMOST BANNED FOR LIFE?

NFLPA president Troy Vincent tells the Buffalo News that Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones and Bengals receiver Chris "Pukeman" Henry might have gotten off lucky with their suspensions in the amount of one season and eight games, respectively.

Per Vincent, there was talk of suspending them for life.

Though it's unclear whether the league ever intended to go so far -- or whether the union had a role in negotiating a lower penalty -- the reality is that the league could have kicked them both out, without recourse.

As we've previously explained, the appeal rights under the Personal Conduct Policy are limited to review by the Commissioner "or his designee." So unless the Commish simply changes his mind, the decision made the first time around likely won't be any different than the decision made the second time around. Though some might regard a reduction in penalty on appeal as an act of mercy, others would view it as evidence of wishy-washiness. Thus, we'd be shocked if the Commish were to ever shorten as part of the appellate process a suspension imposed under the Personal Conduct Policy.

The problem, to our increasing amazement, is that the NFLPA has done nothing to secure a genuine appellate review process as part of the negotiations culminating in the revised Personal Conduct Policy.

Said one league insider: "How do they approve a new policy that gives the Commissioner the ability to suspend the players and then he hears the appeals on the same issue? This is exactly what the NFLPA is supposed to protect the players from. The NFLPA accepted new rules outside of the CBA and not only did not receive any concessions but they do not have a true appeal process. The NFLPA's current appeal process was bad enough with everything going to [Roger] Kaplan, and you would have thought they learned something going in front of Congress to defend their kangaroo court."

The final sentence of that paragraph is a reference to the efforts last year of suspended agent Carl Poston to apply political pressure to the NFLPA in an effort to get the union to adopt new procedures for disciplining agents. Poston's connections resulted in a hearing before a House subcommittee.

"While Pacman and Henry aren't exactly the poster boys to address this issue," the source said, "you better believe at some point this will become an issue and the player will have no true recourse. [Roger] Goodell is judge, jury, and executioner and the NFLPA gave him that right. Now they will have to negotiate to change it and give a concession in return. Perhaps it is the NFLPA's leadership who should be suspended and appear before Kaplan. I doubt any of the suspended agents would have let something like this pass. To me, this is beyond incompetence."

We wish that the folks who talk to us would tell us what they really think. . . .

Meanwhile, Vincent's comments to the Buffalo News contain no indication as to whether the union will take advantage of the hollow appeal rights embedded in the Personal Conduct Policy. The NFLPA otherwise has been silent in this regard, even though 48 hours have now passed since the suspensions were announced.

Maybe the union realizes that pursuing an appeal would only result in more attention being given to the fact that the process to which the union agreed is the equivalent of a 15-year-old kid who has been grounded for taking the car for a 4:00 a.m. cruise asking his parents, "Are you sure?"

EYEBALL SUGGESTS "HO" IS A TERM OF ENDEARMENT

ESPN host Stuart Scott, appearing Thursday on ESPN Radio's Man-Girl & Meatball in the Morning, explained away the use of terms like "nappy" and "ho" in rap lyrics by suggesting that rappers mean such words "in an affectionate way."

Okay, Eyeball is just stupid. [Editor's note: We still will call him Eyeball despite our new commitment to decency because he deserves to be called Eyeball. Besides, we mean it in an affectionate way.]

As Michael David Smith of AOL's FanHouse (we often refer to it as a HoHouse, but in an affectionate way) points out, "It's always wrong for a man to call a woman a ho, and for Scott to suggest otherwise is insulting."

The other problem we have with all of this is that we think ESPN has no business debating the questionable statements made by sock puppets at other networks when ESPN management refuses to allow its on-air talent to talk about the questionable statements made by their own sock puppets. On Tuesday, John Seibel of ESPN Radio's The Sports Bash essentially admitted that folks in Bristol were not allowed to talk about Michael Irvin's inflammatory comments regarding Tony Romo's lineage for fear of possible discipline.

Instead, ESPN and its various media outlets ignored the issue in the hopes that it would die over the extended Thanksgiving weekend. When it didn't, Irvin publicly apologized with scant commentary from others at ESPN.

Then there was the Sean Salisbury "Jew or Chew" conundrum. And, of course, Sean's alleged cell phone photography habit. Not a word of either issue was ever addressed on ESPN, to our knowledge.

"I railed against that whole story off the air," Seibel said on April 10. "I didn't say a thing about that on the air. I was never a Michael Irvin fan, not even close. . . . We all have the people that we have to satisfy. We all have to make some kind of concessions to maintain our employment. That is sad. . . . Had I come out and spoke my mind on Michael Irvin, it would have been my last show."

We've complained about many things regarding ESPN over the years, but that quote from John Seibel is perhaps the most pathetic thing we've heard yet regarding the network's prevailing culture. To all of you who work there in non-management positions, please accept our sincerest condolences.

In contrast, NBC didn't sweep the Imus matter under the rug. Instead, NBC has embraced the topic -- in fact, some would argue that NBC is paying too much attention to it.

Regardless, ESPN has no business commenting on the alleged wrongdoing of folks who work for other networks if ESPN is going to continue to be the "Worldwide Leader" for all portions of the world except Bristol, Connecticut.

POSTED 8:20 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:44 a.m. EDT, April 12, 2007

TEAMS LINING UP FOR JENKINS

Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins is on the trading block. And, per the Charlotte Observer, the Rams, Chiefs, and Broncos are interested.

Jenkins is currently in Maryland, working out at the school where he played football.

The 2006 Pro Bowler missed most of the 2004 and 2005 seasons, prompting the team to load up on free agents at his position last year. Jenkins surprisingly stayed healthy for the full season and made it back to the Pro Bowl, apparently prompting the Panthers to conclude that his value via trade would never be higher.

Jenkins is signed through 2009, at salaries of $3.2 million, $2.955 million, and $3.71 million.

'SKINS WISE TO BRING IN RUSSELL

Though guys like ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli have tried to make much ado about the decision of the Washington Redskins to host a pre-draft visit with quarterback JaMarcus Russell, we (and others) have pointed out that teams have the ability to bring in up to 30 incoming rookies prior to the draft.

For the Redskins, who typically add most of their new players via free agency, it doesn't hurt to bring these guys in and show them a good time at a first-rate facility. Events like that tend to stay with a young guy, especially if he ends up being drafted by a team that has a lesser building and/or a more careful approach to the spending of money.

So now Russell and the other guys who came to Redskins Park and are later drafted by someone else will become unwitting ambassadors for the organization. NFL players spend plenty of time with each other in the locker room and on the practice field; the 30 guys who came to town in 2007 could end up saying very positive things about the organization in front of teammates who are coming up for free agency in 2008.

In four years some of the players who came to town now will become free agents, too. And if, as we suspect, the 'Skins roll out the red carpet (and the pink shrimp) for the incoming draft picks, those guys will remember fondly their trip to D.C. when the time comes to pick a new team.

THURSDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

DE Grant Wistrom is ready to move on. And move out. (Hey, we only said we're going to be more careful in light of the Imus brouhaha; we never said we were going to change.)

The Packers get back-to-back Thursday games for the first time ever. (The Cowboys have two straight Thursday games, too.)

Bucs LB Shelton Quarles is still dealing with a neck issue that could force him to retire.

Bucs OL Luke Petitgout says that the leg he broke last season is "back to 100 percent."

The Texans will get an up-close look at Vince Young, Reggie Bush, and David Carr in 2007.

'Skins coach Joe Gibbs never saw a schedule he liked.

Big Sexy offers some great insights on the Imus affair.

The Ravens play the Chargers, Pats, and Colts in successive weeks.

Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks that the Rams will go 9-7. (We agree, but only if their schedule says that they play every CFL team. Twice.)

Ohio State WR Ted Ginn Jr. ran a 4.4 but also couldn't finish his workout due to a lingering foot sprain.

The Steelers and Seahawks will get together again on October 7.

Is the table set for the Lions to win 10 games (in less than three seasons)?

Here are the full numbers on the new deal signed by LB Nick Barnett.

The Lions hosted WR Calvin Johnson on Wednesday.

POSTED 10:22 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:11 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

BLEDSOE CALLS IT QUITS

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe announced his retirement on Wednesday, in a press release issued by Athletes First.

"I feel so fortunate, so honored, to have played this game that I love for so long, with so many great players, and in front of so many wonderful fans," Bledsoe said. "I fulfilled a childhood dream the first time I stepped on an NFL field, and the league did not let me down one time. I retire with a smile on my face, in good health, and ready to spend autumns at my kids' games instead of my own. I'm excited to start the next chapter of my life."

Bledsoe was the first overall pick in the 1993 draft. He spent nine seasons with the Patriots, three with the Bills, and two with the Cowboys. His tenure in New England came to a premature end after an internal injury following a sideline hit from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis opened the door for Tom Brady.

Bledsoe last appeared for the Pats in the 2001 AFC title game, helping to lead the team to an upset win after Brady injured a knee. Bledsoe won his only Super Bowl from the bench, and was traded to the Bills in the offseason.

He finishes his career seventh in all-time passing yards (44,611), thirteenth in all-time touchdown passes (251), and fifth in all-time completions (3,839). He started in 193 games.

Bledsoe's career ended as a backup for the Cowboys, where he was benched by Bill Parcells, the same guy who made him the No. 1 pick fourteen years ago.

2007 SCHEDULE TEN-PACK IS UP

We've posted our ten takes on the 2007 NFL regular season.

We hope you like them.

Actually, we don't care if you like them. No, wait. That sounds rude and unkind. Since we're now committed to decency in all that we do, we can't say stuff like that.

So we hope that you like them. Even if in our heart of hearts we don't really care if you do.

POSTED 8:02 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

HENRY WILL BE PAID FOR THE BYE WEEK

Despite speculation that the placement of the Bengals' bye week within the first eight weeks of the NFL season will cost receiver Chris Henry, who has been suspended for eight games, a total of nine game checks, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells us that Henry will still lose only the equivalent of eight game checks for his suspension.

Per Aiello, "He'll miss 9 checks and when he comes back he'll get the bye-week netted back over the rest of the year."

So, at the end of the day, Henry will miss nine out of 17 weeks but he also will receive pay for nine of 17 weeks.

Henry is scheduled to earn $435,000 in 2007. He'll earn $230,294 over the last eight weeks of the season.

POSTED 7:45 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

HUMAN JOYSTICK ON THE BLOCK

A league source tells us that the Chiefs are shopping veteran receiver/return specialist Dante Hall.

Hall, 28, was the pre-eminent kick and punt returner earlier this decade. In 2003, Hall had 25.9 average yards per kick return and 16.3 average yards per punt return, both career highs. He also scored four total return touchdowns.

Since then, however, his performance as a returner has declined. Still, he possesses a skill that is of high value in the NFL, and with Pacman Jones out for the entire season, we think that one of the first teams who should give the Chiefs a call is the Tennessee Titans.

Hall is signed through 2008, at salaries of $1.5 million this year and $1.9 million next year.

POSTED 7:34 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

LAMONT SMITH CALLS ON COMMISH TO TAKE ACTION ON IMUS

Agent Lamont Smith, who has represented players like Jerome Bettis, Barry Sanders, and Eddie George, has penned an open letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the still-growing Don Imus controversy.

Though the Imus radio program doesn't spend much time talking about football, the connection is that the Imus show appears on CBS Radio and (until just a little while ago) MSNBC. Since CBS and NBC are key broadcast partners of the NFL, the NFL has a legitimate stake in the matter.

Smith's letter was sparked by another connection -- the Imus suspension was the top story in the national news on the same day that the suspensions of Pacman Jones and Chris Henry became the top NFL news item.

"What vexes me about the juxtaposition of these three tales of misconduct," Smith writes, "is how differently they have been treated. The NFL's business partners . . . chose to suspend Don Imus for two weeks for his reference to the Rutgers' players as 'nappy-headed hos' on a national broadcast. On the other hand, you have suspended [Jones and Henry] for a full season in one case and for half of the season in the other. The potential economic impact on these players is huge (potentially $2,000,000). These suspensions will send a serious message to other players in contrast the suspension of Don Imus for a mere two weeks will also send a different message. By the way, does anyone know if Don Imus' two week vacation is with or without pay?

"Don Imus is at least twice the age of the two offending players who were suspended. He occupies a position of influence and power when he is behind a microphone which broadcasts to millions of people daily. Don Imus' statements were racially charged, hurtful, mean-spirited, and beneath the dignity of entities that have the privilege of broadcasting NFL games.

"Individuals like Don Imus are bullies who prey upon the weak who have no voice with which to respond. I might feel less strongly about this matter, had the 19 and 20 year old young women who were the object of his attack had the platform to respond to his pernicious verbal assault. . . . These young ladies do not have this opportunity. As a father of a young African-American girl, I feel compelled to point out the irony of this situation and demand that civility be required on the part of everyone who does business with the NFL. Yes, I understand that CBS pays the NFL $625 million dollars a year through the year 2011, and that NBC pays the league $650 million a year for Sunday night football; however, fair minded corporate citizens like Staples and Proctor & Gamble have taken a stand. Accordingly, I believe that the NFL should hold its corporate partners to the same standards it hold its players.

"I was counseled not to write this letter because I make my living from professional sports, but I could not sit on the sidelines without expressing my concern. As the new leader of the most successful sports league in the world, you have set high standards for the players who earn a living in the NFL. Why not hold the networks that make billions from advertising during these games to the same standards? I am respectfully asking you to join me in requesting of your business partners that Don Imus be relieved of his duties permanently. Such a result would be just and send the message that the NFL does not tolerate misconduct anywhere."

Smith's letter was sent before NBC revealed that the simulcast of the Imus show will no longer be televised by MSNBC. It's presently unknown whether CBS Radio will follow suit. But we agree with Smith's appeal to Roger Goodell, and we think that the time has come for the same kind of strong, courageous action that the NFL has taken regarding Pacman Jones and Chris Henry.

If it was okay for Paul Tagliabue to bully ESPN into pulling the plug on the fictional Playmakers series, it's more than appropriate for the NFL to express a position regarding the present issue.

We say all of this with full appreciation of the fact that we are at times edgy and controversial. But there are lines of decency that we cannot and will not cross. There are ways to get a laugh without being gratuitously insulting, or by poking fun of those who through their actions or words have done nothing to deserve it. But we recognize that not everyone will agree with our efforts at humor, and we realize that some people will believe that future efforts by us moving forward to be funny might cross the same line that Imus violated last week.

With all that said, we are very conscious of the tension between our desire to entertain but, given our growth over the past year, our obligation to help set the right tone. We will be even more cognizant of our responsibilities in this regard going forward. And we will always welcome input from any readers who think that we have not struck a proper balance.

POSTED 1:51 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

NO MOSS AT RAIDERS WORKOUTS

Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com reports that receiver Randy Moss has decided not to report for the first voluntary minicamp of the Lane Kiffin era.

Defensive tackle Warren Sapp and defensive end Derrick Burgess also were absent.

Moss has been the subject of rampant trade rumors, which have subsided over the past few weeks. The Raiders, as we hear it, understand that he wants to get closer to his children, who live in Florida. But there is no urgency for the Raiders to move Moss, given that they owe him no money until the start of the regular season.

Our current gut feeling is that Moss will be traded shortly before or during the draft, and that the Raiders will pounce on Calvin Johnson with the No. 1 overall pick.

POSTED 1:09 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

2007 SCHEDULE IS OUT

Now that Pacman and Pukeman have been taken care of, it's time for some football.

And the 2007 schedule is out. Currently, both NFL Network and ESPN are airing special shows aimed at revealing the schedule.

Predictably, ESPN is focusing at the outset on its Monday night games, for which the network pays $1.1 billion per year.

Gloria Vanderbilt is touting the ESPN slate of games as "tremendous." Given his choice of eyewear, we think he should be saying that it's "fabulous!"

We're going to digest the schedule and put together a Ten-Pack of observations regarding it later today and/or tonight.

POSTED 12:52 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

STEELERS GET AT LEAST FOUR PRIME-TIME GAMES

Another team schedule is out before the 1:00 p.m. EDT release time.

The Steelers, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, will play a slate that includes four prime-time games -- two Monday-nighters at home, a Sunday night game at Denver, and a Thursday night game at St. Louis.

Not bad for an 8-8 team breaking in a new coach.

POSTED 12:24 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

CHIEFS SCHEDULE OUT, TOO

Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star has the info on the games to be played by the Chiefs. The full NFL schedule will be released at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

A reader tells us that the information was on the team's official web site for a few moments, and then abruptly taken down.

The slate includes no prime time contests for the 2006 AFC wild card team, with the exception of the December 30 game on NBC. However, the visit by the Chiefs to the Jets is merely a tentative matchup, subject to NBC's flexible schedule rights.

The mere fact that the reported schedule identifies on a tentative basis a late-season NBC game suggests that all of the tentative late-season Sunday nighters will be disclosed. This could engender some rancor from the fans of the teams involved if/when NBC swaps one of the tentative games out for another one.

Last year, tentative games were identified for the late-season Sunday night broadcasts, but the information was not publicized by the league.

POSTED 11:43 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:56 a.m. EDT April 11, 2007

FINS SCHEDULE REVEALED EARLY

Alex Marvez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has gotten his hands on the Dolphins' schedule, more than 90 minutes before the official unveiling.

The full list of games is right here.

The highlight is a return by Joey Porter to Pittsburgh for a Monday night game on November 26.

The Dolphins open on September 9 at Washington, and host the Cowboys a week later.

HARTFORD COURANT RIPS OFF TURD WATCH

A reader sent us an image of a page from Wednesday's Hartford Courant, which prominently features a list of all player arrests and guilty pleas since February 6.

The list, appearing on page C8 of Wednesday's edition, looks and reads a lot like the PFT Police Blotter, found only on the PFT Turd Watch.

Hey, we've got no problem with folks using our stuff. But, please, don't credit the thing generally to "wire and internet reports" when it's a nearly verbatim recital of someone else's work product.

Isn't that precisely why Ron Borges is currently on a two-month sabbatical?

POSTED 10:26 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:05 a.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

LEAGUE SHOULD HELP TEAMS AVOID TURDS

If, as it now appears, the NFL will be holding teams responsible for the presence of players who can't stay out of trouble, we think that the league should give consideration to helping teams make good decisions as to who gets into the NFL, and who doesn't.

Since the CBA doesn't allow teams to cut players due to issues unrelated to performance, the challenge is to spot the problems and keep them out, no matter how talented they are.

As we understand it, the league office gathers information regarding the backgrounds of draft-eligible players. However, the league office does not disseminate this information to the 32 franchises, apparently due to legal considerations.

The league, in our view, should find a way to work through the situation. Though the players affected by the flow of information are not yet members of the union, neither are the kids who are barred from playing in the NFL until they are at least three years out of high school. So, then, there has to be a way to create, via collective bargaining, a reasonably safe procedure for the league to share with the teams any data regarding prior arrests, convictions, investigations, etc.

Would someone challenge it, eventually, in court? Probably. But so what? It's far more important for the league to ensure that bad guys don't get in, and there always will be at least one coach who thinks that he can change a guy who has gone astray in the past.

The other benefit of sharing this information with the teams is that it then puts anyone who might draft or sign him on actual notice of his background. If a player about whom there were red flags later gets in trouble, it is easier to justify taking a draft pick or two from the team that took a chance on him, since it will be obvious that the team has taken a calculated risk -- and that the team has lost.

ANOTHER DRAFT FEATURE COMING

As we hit the homestretch of our team-by-team draft needs, we're also in the process of adding a team-by-team list of all selections available in the draft.

We're doing it because we've learned that the information isn't readily available in the "real" media. (And if it is somewhere on, say, an all-sports web site, good luck finding it.)

We're plugging away on the information now, and we hope to get something posted this week.

MORE WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Pats CB Randall Gay visited with the Jets; next, the Jets must decide whether to try to sign Gay to an offer sheet, or to try to work out a trade for something less than the second-round pick to which the Pats are entitled as compensation.

The NFLPA plans to challenge the Pats' right of first refusal in the Todd Sauerbrun contract from 2006.

Great line from a member of PFT Planet regarding the Todd Sauerbrun situation: "The Broncos were going to use a poison pill but Sauerbrun tried to swallow it."

Lions RB Kevin Jones started jogging on Tuesday.

The Lions have retired retroactively No. 88 in honor of TE Charlie Sanders; WR Mike Williams will switch to No. 81 if/when he ever plays for them again.

Gil Brandt blames the agents for not keeping players out of trouble; Brandt also thinks that the problem of off-field behavior is better today than in the past, but is merely more publicized.

A lot has changed in a year for Jay Cutler.

The Giants are taking a look-see at free-agent QB Anthony Wright.

It sounds like the Jags will host a Monday night game in October against the Colts, based on this clue from Vic Ketchman: "I'm looking into my crystal ball and I'm seeing a Monday night game at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in October. The picture is a little cloudy but the quarterback for the other team is a goofy-looking guy who keeps tapping his feet as though he has to go to the bathroom."

QB Joey Harrington will wear No. 13 in Atlanta.

We're not much for writing or reading puff pieces, but this item makes us regard Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in a much different light.

POSTED 4:46 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:22 a.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

PACMAN'S BONUS MONEY ONLY PARTIALLY AT RISK

It's a given that Titans cornerback Pacman Jones will lose $1.29 million in base salary this year, if his 16-game suspension ultimately is upheld.

But how much of his bonus money is at risk?

Recent reports in the Tennessean have presumed that Jones would lose $1.8 million in prorated bonus money applicable to the 2007 season. At one point, the Tennessean seemed to imply that the money hadn't been paid, and that the Titans would simply be able to refuse to pay it to him. But based on a Wednesday item in the Tennessean, it now appears that the money has indeed been paid -- and that the Titans plan to attempt to recover it.

The only potential impediment is the 2006 amendment to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which severely limits a team's ability to pursue reimbursement of bonus money that already has been paid.

Before 2006, teams could insert terms into individual player contracts allowing millions of dollars to be pursued in the event of behavior by the player that in some way renders him unavailable to live up to his end of the deal.

After the 2006 amendment to the CBA, however, the only way that bonus money can be recovered is if the player voluntarily retires, or if the player "willfully takes action that has the effect of substantially undermining his ability to fully participate and contribute in either preseason training camp or the regular season," whatever that means. Though the Pacman camp might argue that his suspension was not the result of willful action, our guess is that a suspension for violation of the Personal Conduct Policy puts him within the scope of this provision.

In such a case, the team can recover the greater of 25 percent of the prorated portion of the signing bonus for the season in question or 1/17th of the prorated value of the bonus for each game missed.

The key here is that the ability to recover bonus money applies only to "signing bonus" money, and not to any option bonus that Jones would have received in, for example, early 2006.

Thus, the Titans apparently will be able to attempt to recover the portion of the Pacman Jones signing bonus that applies to the 2007 season.

Of course, this ability could be worthless, if the money has been spent or if the team doesn't have the desire to attempt to chase him down for it. Given that Jones already was in hot water with the law even before signing his rookie contract, the Titans should have at a minimum deferred the payments so that they would simply be able to refuse to hand over the portion that would have been due for the coming season.

Though it would be easy for the Titans to argue that they didn't realize that the league would cough up the teams' power in this regard, the Titans could have at a minimum kept the cash in their pockets for as long as possible.

And they should have.

WHAT NEXT FOR PACMAN AND PUKEMAN?

With suspensions of 16 games and eight games, respectively, imposed against Adam "Pacman" Jones and Chris "Pukeman" Henry, the next question is what if anything they can do to challenge the penalty.

Thus far, the NFLPA has been conspicuously silent about the matter, possibly because the union realizes that the options are limited -- and not likely to result in a softening of the sanction.

Under the pre-existing Personal Conduct Policy, the players' only recourse is a right to an appeal "before the Commissioner or his designee."

In other words, the guy who already has imposed the discipline will be the guy to determine whether he was right.

As several league insiders previously have commented to us, the NFLPA should have insisted on the use of third-party arbitration procedures to review the penalties imposed under the Personal Conduct Policy. Without an independent look at the situation, any appeal comes down to the question of whether the Commish will be inclined to change his mind.

HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW PERSONAL CONDUCT POLICY

Most media accounts of the NFL's revised Personal Conduct Policy have presented only summaries of key terms of the new rules. We've now had a chance to eyeball for ourselves the newly-minted, four-page policy, and here are our observations on its actual content.

First, the policy opens up with an aspirational statement that "[a]ll persons associated with the NFL are required to avoid 'conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League.'" And the policy applies broadly to all persons "privileged to work in the National Football League."

"Illegal or irresponsible conduct," the policy states, "does more than simply tarnish the offender. It puts innocent people at risk, sullies the reputation of others involved in the game, and undermines public respect and support for the NFL."

On the key question of whether discipline may be imposed for conduct that does not result in a criminal conviction, the policy is somewhat vague. Though a broad range of criminal offenses is included, the new policy also lists behavior that is not necessarily criminal.

New to the policy is an express prohibition against the possession of a gun or other weapon in any workplace setting, including stadiums, team facilities, training camp, locker rooms, team planes, buses, or parking lots. The new policy also prohibits (in broad, arguably vague fashion) "[c]onduct that imposes inherent danger to the safety and well being of another person" and "[c]onduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players."

In theory, Jags coach Jack Del Rio could have been disciplined under this policy for bringing a tree stump and an axe into the team's locker room a couple of years ago. Especially after punter Chris Hanson put the axe into his own leg.

Regarding criminal offenses, the new policy appears to infringe on the steroids and substance abuse policies by bringing within the purview of the Personal Conduct Policy criminal offenses relating to steroids, prohibited substances, or substances of abuse.

The new policy also expressly contemplates that the league will have the ability to conduct its own investigation regarding allegations of misconduct, which may include interviews and other information gathering, and the policy indicates that, in appropriate cases, the player will have the ability to address the conduct via a lawyer or union representative. This portion of the policy creates, in our view, a loosely defined quasi-judicial component that the league isn't automatically required to use in every case but only on an as-needed basis.

Regarding penalties, the new policy identifies banishment as a potential consequence. There previously had been some debate as to whether banishment from the league would be one of the available forms of discipline.

The new policy is aggressive as to repeat offenders. Though, for a first offense, a player will generally not be disciplined until the criminal proceeding is resolved or, in the case of violations not the result of an arrest, the internal investigation is concluded, subsequent violations permit the Commissioner to "impose discipline on an expedited basis for persons who have been assigned a probationary period."

The probationary period is a key component of the new policy, giving the Commissioner the ability to crack down on a player who, for example, is arrested but not convicted following a violation of the policy. This is similar to the concept of a probation violation, which in the criminal justice system can put a guy like Tank Johnson in jail pursuant to a standard far lower than proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

We assume that the beefed-up policy received the approval of the NFL Players Association, since the league generally is prohibited from imposing new terms of employment absent collective bargaining. But if (as we presumed) the union signed off on this new policy, we think that the union should have used the opportunity to insist on the use of arbitration as the ultimate oversight to the Commissioner's decision. Instead, the appeal rights are the same -- the final decision is subject to review by the Commissioner or his designee. And this means that the initial decisions of the Commissioner will rarely be reversed.

The end result is that the policy gives the Commissioner sweeping power to clean up the sport. Though it might result in some players getting thrown under the NFL shield without meaningful recourse, the new policy significantly advances the greater good. Coupled with the suspensions of Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, we're hopeful that this will get the players to think long and hard about the potential consequences of their conduct.

WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Fins owner Wayne Huizenga talks about his personal 737 -- and the decision to block access to the tail number from Flightaware.com.

LB Nick Barnett's bonus money puts him behind only Adalius Thomas, Ray Lewis, Joey Porter, and Brian Urlacher at the position.

Pacman's first comment on his suspension was to say "no comment": "I just want to make sure I say the right things and not anything out of frustration. I am just going to chill out a few days.''

Titans S Chris Hope says that Pacman was about to become a household name in the NFL. (The problem, Chris, is that he already was.)

Bucs CB Brian Kelly is staying away from voluntary workouts.

The Bucs cut DT Lance Legree, who was signed last month.

LB Peter Sirmon is thinking about retiring.

If Pacman couldn't stay out of trouble while allowed to play football, what will he do with a year of idle time?

Texans RB Ahman Green is realizing that offseason workouts entail higher temperatures in Houston than in Wisconsin.

In Houston, RB Ron Dayne is slated to get the short-yardage touches in 2007.

POSTED 9:51 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:16 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

PACKERS LOCK UP BARNETT

Unwilling to give big money to free agents, the Green Bay Packers are shelling out the bucks to keep one of their own.

On Tuesday, the Packers signed linebacker Nick Barnett to a six-year contract worth a reported $35 million.

The deal replaces a contract that would have paid Barnett $1.95 million in 2007. He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2008, if the team had not opted to slap the franchise tag on him.

Barnett will receive close to $12 million in the first year of the contract.

TUESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Bengals DE Frostee Rucker is "ready to play some ball." (And if by using the term "play some ball" he means "allegedly rough up some more women," we believe him.)

QB Josh McCown and WR Mike Williams were no-shows for the first day of a voluntary minicamp in Detroit.

McCown's excuse is that he wants to be traded; Williams apparently is just being lazy.

Miami LB Jon Beason visited the Bengals on Tuesday.

Fins QB Daunte Culpepper is into yoga.

Miami S Yeremiah Bell and QB Cleo Lemon are unsigned, but will sign injury waivers to participate in the team's first offseason minicamp.

Falcons TE Alge Crumpler has had knee surgery, and will miss the entire offseason program.

The Vikings have brought in a bunch of potential draft picks for a workout, interviews, and dinner. (We presume that dinner won't be served on the waters of Lake Minnetonka.)

POSTED 9:03 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

MOON WAS BELOW THE LEGAL LIMIT

Mike Sando of the Tacoma News Tribune reports that NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon's blood-alcohol concentration was measured at 0.068 and 0.067 percent at 3:36 a.m. and 3:39 a.m. local time on Friday.

The legal limit in Washington (and in most if not all states) is 0.08 percent. Prosecutors may still decide to pursue charges, since it is theoretically possible for a person to be impaired even if he or she is under the concentration at which the law presumes that a person is impaired. (With that said, it will be very hard to prove impairment beyond a reasonable doubt.)

Moon's number likely was higher when he was apprehended, but we don't know whether Washington state would permit an expert witness to attempt to opine that the concentration was 0.08 or higher while he was driving.

And to the commenter who asked in response to Sando's item whether "PFL" will rescind the three Turd Watch points imposed on the 'Hawks, the points apply upon the arrest. Moon was arrested. Regardless of whether he is ultimately convicted, the arrest stands -- and thus so do the points.

POSTED 8:52 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

COMMISH UNVEILS NEW CONDUCT POLICY

On the heels of the suspensions of Pacman and Pukeman, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also has rolled out (sort of) the league's revised Personal Conduct Policy.

Although the specific terms have not yet been promulgated, the gist of the new policy is that there will be increased discipline, and increased efforts at education.

As to the consequences of bad behavior, the new policy will include the following:

1. "The standard of socially responsible conduct for NFL employees will be higher. Club and league employees will be held to a higher standard than players. Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL will be subject to discipline, even if not criminal in nature."

2. "Discipline for individuals that violate the policy will include larger fines and longer suspensions."

3. "Repeat violations of the personal conduct policy will be dealt with aggressively, including discipline for repeat offenders even when the conduct itself has not yet resulted in a conviction of a crime."

4. "Individuals suspended under the policy must earn their way back to active status by fully complying with professional counseling and treatment that will include evaluation on a regular basis."

5. "Clubs will be subject to discipline in cases involving violations of the Personal Conduct Policy by club employees. In determining potential club discipline going forward, the commissioner will consider all relevant factors, including the history of conduct-related violations by that club's employees and the extent to which the club's support programs are consistent with best practices as identified and shared with the clubs. Recommended best practices include having a full-time club player development director and a full-time club security director."

Wow. Wow. And wow.

As to item No. 1, the fact that club and league employees will be held to a higher standard than the players is an indirect slap at the collective bargaining process, which necessarily gives the players greater protections against the otherwise unrestrained (if applied consistently) rules of a private employer. The solution for any club or league employees who don't like this? The alternative is to form a union of your own.

As to item No. 3, it appears that a conviction or guilty plea will still be required in order to get a player "in the pipeline." But after that initial guilty plea or conviction, the "wrong place at the wrong time" defense likely won't cut it anymore.

As to item No. 4, the approach is similar to the system utilized under the substance abuse policy, which requires a player to remain clean throughout his banishment.

As to item No. 5, teams surely will complain that they have no real tool for disciplining players who break the law, due to the limits of the CBA. As we've previously explained, however, the onus is now on each team to not draft or sign bad guys. In the past, the risk was merely the possible waste of a pick and some public embarrassment. Now, the league has real power to take action against the teams that let the turds in.

POSTED 8:13 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

PACMAN AND PUKEMAN GET POUNDED

We were on the road today taking care of some very important business when we got the word via the e-mail feature on our Sprint phone that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones for the entire 2007 season, and Bengals receiver Chris "Pukeman" Henry for half of the 2007 season.

"We must protect the integrity of the NFL," Goodell said. "The highest standards of conduct must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players, and all members of our league, have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent basis."

We thank Goodell for taking real steps to safeguard the sport that we love. The Commish's decision to smack down two former West Virginia Mountaineers, who played college ball just up the road from PFT headquarters, is a watershed moment (in our view) for the modern NFL.

Those who would dishonor themselves, their teams, and their league are now on notice. If you screw around, you will be sitting around.

Great job, Mr. Goodell. Pete Rozelle would be proud.

POSTED 5:42 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 8:36 a.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

PATS WILL MATCH SAUERBRUN OFFER

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe reports that the New England Patriots will match the offer sheet signed last week by punter Todd Sauerbrun with the Denver Broncos.

Last Tuesday, Sauerbrun inked a deal that, with incentives, could have been worth up to $1.4 million in 2007.

If, as we suspect, the deal contains no signing bonus or preseason roster bonus, the Patriots could ultimately choose to punt the punter before the start of the regular season without owing him another dime. They currently have three other punters on the roster, including Josh Miller.

Given that Sauerbrun said that he wanted the Pats not to match the offer, the question becomes whether the Broncos considered making the offer unmatchable, via the insertion of one or more poison pills. It would have been easy to do. But even though it continues to be a viable tool to promote player movement, it has not been used at all this year.

TUESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The Pats have talked with free-agent CB Tory James.

The Jets are hosting Bengals OT Stacy Andrews, a restricted free agent tendered at the second-round level.

New England will host Florida State WR Chris Davis.

As to his departure from Houston, QB David Carr says that "both sides have to move on." (Or move out.)

It's not too late to place your bets on the duration of the Pacman suspension.

Plenty of scouts are interested in Hampton players.

Here's a closer look at LB London Fletcher-Baker-Robbins-Oppenheim-and-Taft.

QB JaMarcus Russell will visit the Redskins on Wednesday.

The Rams drafted two of their 30 pre-draft guests in 2006.

A three-day voluntary minicamp will help the Lions prepare for the draft (as in "if a guy doesn't volunteer to show up, we'll be prepared to draft his replacement").

Wisconsin LT Joe Thomas will visit the Lions on April 20; other potential first-rounders who will come to town include Clemson DE Gaines Adams, Florida S Reggie Nelson, and LSU S LaRon Landry.

Giants FB Jim Finn isn't fazed by the team's unsuccessful effort to supplant him with Vonta Leach.

The Jags are trying to get their season-ticket holders to upgrade.

The Falcons have released CB Kevin Mathis after he failed a physical.

The Colts are looking for another running back.

The family of God's voice is suing the NFL.

The Broncos plan to re-sign WR David Terrell.

Jim Marshall has been pardoned for a felony drug conviction (but not for running the wrong way in a game against the 49ers).

Former NFL agent Dante di Trapano can't stay out of trouble.

Doesn't the NFL have more important things to do?

If Gene Upshaw is going to cling to the presumption of innocence, which was designed solely for the criminal justice system, the problem of player conduct will never be fixed.

Reggie Wells will be at left guard and Mike Gandy will be at right tackle for the Cardinals.

The Cards have offered a one-year deal to Titans LB Peter Sirmon.

The Bears have signed punter Filip Filipovic to a one-year deal.

Bears KR Devin Hester threw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field on Monday.

POSTED 4:36 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:24 a.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

WARREN MOON BUSTED FOR DUI

KIRO-TV in Seattle reports that former NFL quarterback and Hall of Famer Warren Moon was arrested on Friday, April 6, on charges of suspicion of DUI.

Moon was pulled over by the Washington State Patrol while driving in Kirkland, Washington. He was taken to the Kirkland Police Department for a blood alcohol test. The results of the test have not yet been disclosed.

Moon played for the Seahawks, Oilers, Vikings, and Chiefs after starting his career in the CFL.

Given that Moon currently works for the Seahawks as a radio analyst, he falls within the scope of our deliberately broad "any employee of the organization" standard for imposing Turd Watch points. So the Seahawks get three, and the "days without an arrest" counter gets re-set from nine back to four, given that the arrest occurred on April 6.

BON JOVI GOES BONKOS

Philadelphia Soul co-owner Jon Bon Jovi showed support for his team on Monday night by showing his middle fingers to game officials handling the team's AFL Monday night contest on ESPN2.

And it was all caught on camera.

"I apologize for the middle-finger thing," Bon Jovi said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

We like the simplicity of that approach. Mike Vick should have kept it so simple last November. Don Imus might want to consider it now.

Of course, the Inquirer article likely will give far more exposure to the incident than it otherwise received, since we suspect that not many people are watching the ESPN2 coverage of a league that it partially owns.

Hey, maybe people will now check it out in the hopes that another owner might snap. Or maybe they'll tune in to catch a glimpse of the lime green blouse that Gloria Vanderbilt was wearing on the sidelines.

Back to Bon Jovi, he says that his reaction was the result of a rule he didn't understand. Troy Bergeron of the Georgia Force caught the ball on the Philly four-yard-line, fumbled into the end zone, and recovered it for a touchdown.

"I didn't understand the ruling," Bon Jovi said. "[Bergeron] did have possession on the play. He fumbled in the end zone. He recovered the ball. I reacted to something I didn't know the rule on."

Yeah, we can understand his confusion. (Eye roll.) Jon, we suggest that before buying a football team you actually, you know, watch a few football games.

PLAYMAKER SUED FOR ASSAULT

Another Hall of Famer is in trouble with the law, albeit not within the confines of the criminal justice system.

According to the Dallas Morning News and WFAA-TV, former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin has been sued for allegedly assaulting a contractor who was installing a fountain at Irvin's home.

Shawn Vandergrift claims that Irvin "yelled at him and grabbed him during a December dispute over a final payment for the construction work."

Irvin was dumped earlier this year by ESPN. Regardless of whether the current allegations are true, it's yet another example of the cloud of controversy that periodically finds -- and engulfs -- Irvin. And it likely makes ESPN feel even better about the decision to move on. (Or move out.)

POSTED 9:46 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:10 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

SCHEDULE COMING OUT WEDNESDAY

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports that the 2007 NFL schedule will be released on Wednesday, April 11.

We'll be all over the thing as soon as it comes out, with a patented Ten-Pack of observations based on the full slate of games.

Two weeks ago, the NFL announced the nationally-televised games for the season-opening weekend. Also, the league has released details on the three Thanksgiving games.

The full schedule was supposed to be released on April 5, but was delayed.

IMUS GETS TWO WEEKS OFF

Because we started covering the story earlier on Monday, we suppose that we should follow through. Even though its only similarity to football is that Don Imus has been punted off of the air.

Both MSNBC and CBS Radio have suspended Imus for two weeks, beginning on Monday, April 16, for referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy headed hos."

It's unclear whether the suspension will be the end of the story. Perhaps the right solution at the end of the day would be for the radio and television networks to engage in a thorough review of his show's content. Based on our own recollection of the things that have been said while we've watched the show for most of the last five-plus years, Imus probably should be ordered to fire producer Bernard McGuirk, the most consistently acid-tongued member of the troupe. If Imus opts not to fire McGuirk, then they all get fired.

Though Imus makes fun of pretty much everyone, his most recent transgression was a wake-up call to those who previously reacted with a smirk and a head shake and a shoulder shrug and a concession that it's just "Don being Don."

And we cringed on Monday when we heard Imus trying to hide behind the notion that his broadcast is a comedy show. Um, yeah, that Tom Oliphant is a real Sid Ceaser.

If anything, the efforts of Imus to 'splain away his behavior has made a severe sanction seem even more appropriate. He made the dreaded "you people" reference to Al Sharpton when debating the issue during Monday's radio show, and the efforts of Imus to excuse his conduct by harping about his ranch comes off as a "some of my best friends are black kids with cancer" routine.

Speaking of the ranch, and at the risk of piling on, we believe that this incident might prompt folks to take a closer look at the arguable New Mexican boondoggle where Imus spends his summers. In the past, anyone who has sniffed around the fringes of the manner in which the ranch is financed has been castigated on the air, with shouts of approval from the rest of the cast.

But to a reasonable outsider it's not unreasonable to ask fair questions about an apparent vacation home that is fully funded by donations aimed primarily at providing a week-to-week respite for sick children. It's theoretically possible that, while on one hand Imus is doing something good for others, unfair liberties are also being taken with the cash. (And we're not suggesting that any such liberties are actually being taken. We're only saying that anyone who looks into the subject should not be shouted down and/or called a "horrid" person on live radio and television.)

Indeed, it wouldn't be the first time that someone used the cover of a seemingly good cause to simultaneously line his or her own pockets. And the mere fact that all of the stuff Imus pimps under the promise that "100% of all profits" will go to the ranch makes us wonder whether salaries for him and/or his wife are included within the expenses.

Bottom line -- we've liked the Imus show but we've always had a weird feeling about whole operation. We suspect that others feel the same way. Now that Imus is drowning in a full-blown media controversy, we think that plenty of people will start asking tough questions about all sorts of topics that heretofore had been adroitly avoided.

POSTED 3:02 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:18 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

COACH KEVLAR CATCHES AN EXTENSION

The Denver Broncos have announced that coach Mike Shanahan has agreed to a three-year extension. His contract now runs through the 2011 season.

Not bad for a guy who has been to only one AFC title game since winning nearly a decade ago back-to-back championships with a roster that was held together via salary cap shenanigans.

At a time when the NFL has morphed from a "What have you done for me lately?" proposition to a "What are you doing for me right now, and what can I get out of you tomorrow?" deal, Shanahan is the rarest of all rarities -- a head coach who continues to hold his job despite a chronic inability to climb to the top of the mountain.

And ultimate success in the NFL is judged by whether a team can win the ultimate prize. In most cities. In Denver, carefully crafted statistical observations like "Shanahan is one of only three coaches in the 87-year history of professional football with more championships than losing seasons with one team among those with at least 10 years with that club" will instead justify a virtual lifetime arrangement.

In 2006, Shanahan's Broncos flamed out after a strong start, missing the postseason for the first time since 2002. The Broncos also failed to qualify for the playoffs in 1995, 1999, and 2001.

So, in twelve seasons, Shanahan is 7-5 when it comes to making the playoffs. It's good but not great; Coach Chin was 10-5 in that category through 15 seasons with the Steelers, and the Big Show is 11-4 in 15 years with the Packers and the Seahawks.

Even Denny Green had eight playoff appearances in ten years with the Vikings. Even with three crappy years in Arizona added to his resume, Green's 8-5 playoff-or-not mark is better than Shanahan's.

So, in our view, the entire Shanahan body of work is not nearly good enough to get a three-year extension, at a time when he has two full years left on his current contract.

Then again, it doesn't surprise us. Owner Pat Bowlen has held Shanahan to a far different standard than the bar that over the past 12 years has claimed many other coaches. Every NFL coach should be so fortunate.

TITANS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

The Tennessee Titans' draft needs are up.

That is all.

You can take a look at them right here.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE FROM THE I-MAN

Radio host Don Imus, whose daily syndicated show is simulcast on MSNBC, appeared on the Al Sharpton radio show on Monday to apologize (again) for comments made on Wednesday regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team.

In a Wednesday discussion of the appearance of the players, Imus called them "nappy-headed hos."

"Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far," Imus told Sharpton.

The video of the Imus appearance is right here.

We have a feeling that these multiple and gratuitous expressions of remorse won't be enough to keep Imus on the air. What he said was clearly wrong, and the current brouhaha likely will prompt "real" journalists to scour over any available tapes or transcripts of the show from the past few years. Although we can presently recall no specific statements of a similar ilk, we generally recall that there have been other occasions when Imus and company pushed the racial envelope until it popped.

Though the comments were ignored at the time, the statements (if/when they are tracked down) will provide even more fuel for those who are now calling for the I-man's head.

POSTED 2:38 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

DAVIS PLEASED WITH WORKOUT

We spoke a little while ago with Jim Davis, the 43-year-old who worked out on Monday for (as reported elsewhere) the San Francisco 49ers.

Davis was pleased with the effort, despite the fact that the tryout took place in the high altitude of Colorado.

"They treated me great," he said.

Davis told us that he was put through all of the combine drills in quick succession, with the exception of the 225-pound bench press. The scouts did not disclose his time in the 40-yard dash, which was run outdoors. Per prior reports, Davis can run the 40 in the range of 4.5 seconds.

Davis also was given an official 49ers jersey bearing his name on the back. We're told that Davis would have been presented with the jersey on ABC's The Great American Dream Vote, if the show hadn't been canceled after only two showings.

Davis had been a contestant on the show. The 49ers previously had agreed to give him a tryout, and honored their commitment despite the cancellation of the show.

Does this mean that the Niners are now willing to give every Tom, Dick, and Homer a workout? No. The Niners followed through on this one only because of the ABC show.

POSTED 1:48 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

HARRINGTON GETTING $6 MILLION

A league source tells us that the contract that Joey Harrington has agreed to with the Falcons is worth $6 million over two years.

The total value is close, if not identical, to the package received last week by David Carr in Carolina.

Harrington has not yet signed the deal. We're told that he is flying to Atlanta for the commencement of a Tuesday minicamp, and that he'll sign the deal when he arrives.

POSTED 1:29 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

FALCONS SIGN HARRINGTON

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the Falcons have signed Joey Harrington to serve as the primary backup quarterback to starter Michael Vick. The signing also is being reported by Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Financial terms are not yet available.

Harrington, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2002 draft, was traded to the Dolphins last year by the Lions. He was cut earlier in the offseason by the Fins.

POSTED 11:23 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 12:14 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

DAVIS TRYOUT AT NOON MONDAY

We heard this morning from Jim Davis, the 43-year-old semipro football player and English teacher who is getting an NFL tryout today.

He's in Denver for the tryout, but he's not working out for the Broncos. (The team will be identified in due course; others also are considering giving him a look-see.)

Davis tells us that the workout will be conducted on a high school field. "The field is kind of muddy, and there's snow on the grass," Davis said. The grass also looks to be on the tall side, and the temperature is expected to be roughly 50 degrees.

"It's a long way from the RCA Dome," he added, "but my journey's been about the same."

We're expecting to talk to him again after the session concludes.

COWHERD GETS CALLED OUT, BUT NOT PUNISHED

The new ombudsperson at ESPN is pulling no punches about the successful efforts of ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd to shut down TheBigLead.com last week by calling for his audience to flood the site until the server crashed.

We hadn't previously addressed this situation, because it's a non-football item. But since it's a slow football news day, and given our amazement at the new ESPN ombudsperson's candor, we couldn't resist.

As a preliminary matter, we don't really like the "Schrutebag" moniker that has been applied to Cowherd by Deadspin and the profanely hilarious (or hilariously profane) KissingSuzyKolber site. Dwight Schrute is a lovably eccentric character, with certain endearing qualities, especially to Angela. Cowherd, at least based on last week's shenanigans, is simply an asshole.

So why not saddle him with a more appropriate moniker; one that will actually get under his skin? Something like "Colin Cowturd."

Though we've had mixed opinions about this Cowturd guy over the years, what he did last week was clearly wrong. And the ESPN ombudsperson feels the same way. She writes: "Some of the politer terms my correspondents used to describe Cowherd's behavior were immature, irresponsible, arrogant, malicious, destructive and dumb. I agree."

Said Traug Keller, senior V.P. of ESPN Radio, to the ombudsperson: "We talked to Colin Cowherd, and we talked to all our radio talent, making it clear that you cannot do this. Our airwaves are a trust, and not to be used to hurt anyone's business. Such attacks are off limits. Zero tolerance. I can't say it any stronger."

Zero tolerance, that is, as of today.

Apparently, Cowturd won't be punished for his behavior, because ESPN previously didn't have a policy on maliciously attempting to shut down the web site of a company whose only business (like ours) is the maintenance of a web site.

Frankly, that makes no sense; if (as in this case) the conduct was plainly wrong, no written policy should have been necessary to justify a consequence. Indeed, under the logic that ESPN is applying to the situation, George Costanza never would have been fired from Pendant Publishing for having sex on his desk with the maid.

We're not saying that Cowturd should be fired. But a wag of a finger and a "don't ever do that again" clearly is insufficient.

POSTED 9:32 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:11 a.m. EDT, April 9, 2007

CLEARING THE AIR ON SAMUEL'S OPTIONS

So we're reading the Boston Herald this morning regarding the Asante Samuel contract conundrum, and we notice an effort by John Tomase to articulate Samuel's options.

Tomase says that Samuel, who has been slapped with the franchise tag, has two choices -- play for the one-year franchise tender or hold out. Tomase writes that Samuel "could sit until Week 10 so as not to lose a year of free agency, but at the cost of $14,000 a day in fines."

We disagree. Samuel is subject to a grand total of zero dollars and zero cents in fines.

Samuel is subject to no fines because he is not under contract, and he will not be under contract until he signs his franchise tender or a separate contract (such as a long-term contract or a one-year deal that entails a promise not to franchise him in 2008).

Staying away without owing the team any money is one of the perks of the franchise tag that the folks who are inclined to bitch about it never mention. A player who wears the tag and who has not yet signed the franchise tender does not participate in offseason workouts, mandatory minicamps, training camp, or the preseason. As long as the player signs his franchise tender by the start of the regular season, he still gets his full salary for the season, guaranteed. With no consequence for staying away.

Per the CBA, the franchise player has until the tenth week of the regular season to sign the franchise tender. If he fails to do so, the team has the right to re-apply the franchise tag to him next year, at the same price as in the prior year.

And although comparisons are being made between Samuel's situation and last year's Deion Branch holdout, there's a big difference. Branch was under contract, and was breaching it. Samuel is not under contract, so he is fully within his rights to withhold services.

Withholding services, after all, is the only leverage that any player ever has in matters of this nature. But the real question that Samuel needs to ask himself is whether he's willing to forego a stack of game checks, each of which is worth nearly as much as he made for the entire 2006 season.

If so, the Pats aren't in full control of the situation, as Tomase suggests. Because under no circumstances will Samuel owe anything back to the team, unless he signs the franchise tender and then holds out.

ARREST COUNTER INCHING TOWARD DOUBLE DIGITS

Amazingly, our "days without an arrest" counter gradually is creeping toward a first-ever foray into double digits.

Though members of PFT Planet have in the past expressed concerns over a possible Y2K-style meltdown if/when the counter ever hit "10," we're reasonably confident that the servers will not crash if/when the clock strikes midnight on April 11 without news breaking of another arrest.

But there's still hope. News of weekend arrests often breaks on Monday or Tuesday. So we've got our fingers crossed that someone else has crossed the line.

JETS OKAY WITH GAY?

At a time when no one is bringing in disgruntled Pats cornerback Asante Samuel for a free-agency visit, at least one team is going to be sniffing around another New England cornerback who carries a different type of limitation on his mobility.

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe reports that the New York Jets are hosting Pats corner Randall Gay. The visit begins on Monday night and continues into Tuesday.

Gay is a restricted free agent, tendered at the new second-round level. Thus, if the Jets were to sign Gay to an offer sheet and the Pats were to opt not to match it, New York would owe its second-round pick to New England.

It could be that the Jets are merely doing some advance recon on Gay, given that he's likely to hit the unrestricted market in less than a year, without the franchise tag or any other limitation.

If, however, the Jets were inclined to make a play for Gay now, the Pats apparently would be happy to take a second-round pick as compensation. If they really wanted to freeze Gay in place, they would have tendered him at a higher level.

The deadline for signing restricted free agents to an offer sheet is April 20.

BEGINNING OF THE END FOR IMUS

This really isn't a football item. Okay, it's not a football item at all. Don Imus isn't much of a football fan, and his only real coverage of the sport we love occurs when he has guys like Terry Bradshaw and Phil Simms on for guest spots during the season for conversations that only tangentially touch on the subject.

But we're compelled to comment on the current brouhaha that threatens at worst to prematurely end (or limit) the I-man's lengthy radio career or at best to diminish his influence significantly.

On Monday, Imus apologized profusely for last week's remarks regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team, to whom he referred as "nappy-headed hos." The comment arguably was instigated by one of the Imus in-house sycophants, Bernard McGuirk, who called the players "hardcore hos" seconds before Imus offered up his increasingly infamous observation.

(McGuirk is actually one of the funniest guys on the show, in a grossly politically incorrect "I can't believe he just said that" kind of a way.)

Anyway, based on this article regarding the latest apology issued on Monday by Imus, it looks like the show will lose at a minimum much of its edge. And we believe that, in turn, it will lose much of its audience.

Here's why. We (and we presume many others) watch/listen to Imus because of the show's edgy unpredictability. Whether it's Chris Matthews letting an F-bomb fly or Imus saying "erection" instead of "election," we (and we presume many others) tolerate the Manhattanite's bizarre obsession with country music and the periodic appearances of his ridiculously annoying spouse (we instantly turn the channel whenever we hear her voice) because we never know when we're going to witness something so outlandish that it makes us laugh out loud.

The problem is that, in the early morning hours, everything else on television is saccharin-laced crap. So we (and we presume many others) watch Imus not because it's the best option at the time of the day, but because all of the others are far worse.

So if Imus loses his edge in the wake of ho-gate, we (and we presume many others) will stop watching. Once that happens, the powers that be at MSNBC, swayed by the echoes of years of Don's half-kidding, half-serious gripes, bitches, and insults hurled at management, will make a strategic decision that it's time for a change.

It's inevitable. Even though the folks at WFAN apparently are trying to give the rest of the Imus crew the chance to show that they can get it done without him via a 5:30 a.m. EDT half hour in which Don only makes an appearance in taped segments from prior shows, Charles McCord doesn't have the chops to carry the program. McGuirk could pull it off, but not without the ability to continue to say things that, prior to last week, managed to shock without seriously offending.

So the Imus program we've grown to love, which expertly blended interviews of high-end political and journalism figures with adolescent bathroom humor, is forever gone, we fear.

But maybe there's still hope. Even though Imus now says that, "because the climate on this program has been what it's been for 30 years doesn't mean it's going to be what it's been for the next five years or whatever," we have a feeling that he'll ultimately opt to go out in a blaze of glory in lieu of fading away.

POSTED 11:23 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:40 p.m. EDT, April 8, 2007

MORE STRUGGLES FOR CAA

The Friday USA Today story regarding the burgeoning CAA empire prompted a league source to advise us that Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart is in the process of finding a new firm to handle his marketing work.

And our story about Leinart prompted another league source to point out to us that several NFL players have fired CAA within the past year.

The list includes safety Mike Doss, receiver Kevin Curtis, receiver Michael Clayton, running back Thomas Jones, and left tackle Luke Petitgout.

Though each guy likely had his own reasons for moving on, the fact that five players have parted ways with CAA is not a good development for its football practice.

Also, although CAA still has the football contracts of the Manning brothers and 2006 MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, all three of these guys stayed with IMG for their potentially more lucrative marketing deals, which have no arbitrary percentage limits like the NFLPA's three-percent ceiling on their playing wages.

ESPN RIPS THE BILLS

We haven't watched many of the "On the Clock" segments that have been aired on SportsCenter over the past few weeks. Primarily because we rarely watch SportsCenter. Primarily because SportsCenter has become unwatchable for anyone older than 15 who has an IQ higher than 16.

But we saw Sunday's "On the Clock" feature regarding the Buffalo Bills, and we were shocked at how mercilessly Chris Mortensen, Darren Woodson, and Mel Kiper Jr. trashed the franchise.

They focused primarily on the fact that four veterans are now gone -- running back Willis McGahee, linebacker London Fletcher-Baker-Robbins-Oppenheim-and-Taft, cornerback Nate Clements, and linebacker Takeo Spikes. And the trio suggested that the franchise is merely cutting payroll, possibly in advance of a sale of the team.

But they completely ignored the fact that the Bills paid big money to defensive end Chris Kelsay and offensive linemen Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery.

In our view, the piece was fully out of balance, and we were shocked that none of those three guys presented a more accurate view of the team.

First of all, McGahee was moved because McGahee wanted out. Destined to be a free agent in 2008, the Bills got what they could for him now, which was a package including two first-day picks. Though they might have been able to get Clements to take Derrick Dockery money in the fall of 2006, we can't fault the Bills for not getting into the overbidding for Clements in March. He is a solid corner but no Champ Bailey. The Niners clearly overpaid.

As to the two linebackers who aren't there anymore, well, they're both on the old side -- and Spikes possibly is on the down side.

Getting dissed is fine and dandy for the Bills. It's always better to be among the overlooked NFL franchises, since it's easier to catch the teams that are supposed to be "better" on paper off guard.

Depending on whether they can get a top-notch tailback in round one, we think the Bills will be a factor in 2007. Even if the guys at ESPN are ready to write them off.

Then again, it was Mel Kiper who suggested prior to the 2001 season that the Patriots could be the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. Mel was only a little bit off in his assessment.

TERRY TELLS IS LIKE IT IS, AGAIN

When the folks at FOX decided to move the pregame show back to the studio, the official position was that it cost more than expected to take the production from city to city.

Terry Bradshaw tells a different story, according to the Monroe (La.) News Star.

"We're back in the studio because last year didn't work. Taking the show on the road wasn't good. Viewers let it be known that they didn't like it. The ratings were down. We had Curt Menefee, Joe Buck in and out. One week you've got this personality, the next week that personality. You don't know where you can go, what you can do, and it showed on the air. Wasn't a good year by any of us.

"Now, it's Curt Menefee. We all know him, we've worked with him, we like him, and we're back where we should be. And we're better in the studio.

"You don't want to be in Philadelphia and say they don't have a chance to win today because of this . . . Jimmy Johnson just took a beating! We had a full can of beer thrown at Jimmy and it hit the awning right above his head. If it would have hit him it'd been the hospital or could have killed him.

"I hit a lady in the face with a football. Knocked her down. She deserved it, though. The stuff she was saying."

Priceless stuff from Bradshaw. Man, we're so glad he isn't dead.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

The Bucs still need help at center and safety?

If Barry Sanders has his way, Joe Thomas won't fall past No. 2.

Are the Pats looking for another wideout in round one?

With Pacman Jones likely facing a stiff suspension, the Titans will need to pump up their punt return team.

David Climer of the Tennessean thinks it's odd that the network owned by the NFL interviewed the two guys who are about to get their nuts kneed by the league.

Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini are rekindling their friendship.

More from Terry Bradshaw; specifically, his views on new Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley: "Smart guy. A lawyer. His wife's a . . . what do you call that? 'An OBGYN.' That, which is smart."

Joey Porter's battery case is still under investigation.

Are the Raiders after Lions QB Josh McCown?

Isn't it ironic that one of the calmest quarterbacks under duress has high blood pressure?

The schedule could be released on Monday.

Raiders WR Randy Moss has opened a second Inta Juice shop.

POSTED 5:44 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:03 p.m. EDT, April 7, 2007

LEINART LOOKING FOR NEW A MARKETING REP

On Friday, USA Today ran a front-page story on the growing power and influence of Creative Artists Agency, which has amassed a host of A-list entertainers and athletes in the past year.

The story fails to point out one potentially relevant fact.

Per a league source, the powerhouse agency is in danger of losing its lock on the marketing dollars to be generated by former USC quarterback Matt Leinart, the 2004 Heisman winner and starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.

The source tells us that Leinart recently informed CAA of his decision, but that he has not yet hired a new firm. In the interim, CAA is trying hard to keep him.

As the source observed, it could be that CAA is growing too fast without the right people in place to handle the workload.

BENGALS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

Despite a raging case of food poisoning, our pal Matt Miller of New Era Scouting set the table for us late on Saturday night to get the next in the line of 2007 draft needs into the hopper.

So, better late than never, we present the Bengals' 2007 draft needs.

We'll get the next team up on Sunday. Unless Matt has a relapse.

SATURDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

A puff piece on a washed-up wideout? It really is slow right now, isn't it?

Will an NFL player or coach ever come out of the closet during their careers? After reading this article about a Missouri lacrosse coach who has done so, we don't see it ever happening.

We love the Don Imus show, but we have a weird feeling that his recent remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team are the beginning of the end.

Bill Walsh thinks that a move by the 49ers to Santa Clara "might be inevitable."

The Ravens' offensive line is in the process of going younger.

So why did David Carr get sacked so many times in Houston?

Lincoln Kennedy could be playing in his first football game in more than three years.

One of the officials leading the charge to put the 2011 Super Bowl in Arizona has abruptly quit.

Here's a shock -- Bill Romanowski is getting into the supplement business.

Miami QB Daunte Culpepper is still recovering from the 2005 knee injury that for reasons we still can't understand he played with for several weeks in 2006.

POSTED 10:55 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:52 p.m. EDT, April 7, 2007

PANTHERS SHOPPING JENKINS

When the Carolina Panthers signed defensive tackles Ma'ake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis in 2006, some league insiders assumed that the moves were a sign that the team was thinking about parting ways with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.

A year later, the Panthers reportedly are trying to make it happen.

According to Pat Yasinskas of the Charlotte Observer, sources from multiple teams say that the Panthers have made it clear that they would be willing to trade Jenkins if the price were right. G.M. Marty Hurney declined to comment on whether Jenkins is on the trading block.

The Panthers also have Jordan Carstens under contract, and recently signed Chad Lavalais.

Jenkins started 16 games in 2006, and made it back to the Pro Bowl after two seasons that were marred by injury. But he has skipped out on the start of the team's offseason program, despite having a $175,000 workout bonus in his contract.

We're hoping that Jenkins gets traded to the Raiders, so that he can play alongside his idol (eye roll), Warren Sapp. Said Jenkins about Sapp in 2005: "I hate him. Everybody says I'm supposed to be polite when I talk to you all, but I hate him. He talks too much, he doesn’t make sense, he's fat, he's sloppy, he acts like he's the best thing since sliced bread. He's ugly, he stinks, his mouth stinks, his breath stinks, and basically his soul stinks, too."

Jenkins also said that seeing Sapp celebrate on the Panthers' home field after a 2004 game that Jenkins missed due to a season-ending shoulder injury drove Jenkins to stop going to the team's games -- and to increase his consumption of alcohol.

Though Jenkins made a strong comeback in 2006, our guess is that other teams are still concerned about his work ethic, and his ability to stay healthy. It's a risk-reward thing, and the question is whether the potential downside will make another team shy away from a guy who still has a solid potential upside.

FRANCHISE PLAYERS SHOULD SHUT UP

Though we're taking a break from bashing Len Pasquarelli until we have more information about the potentially serious health condition from which he's suffering (to which Peter King of SI.com recently alluded in vague fashion), we're still prepared to disagree with the merits of Len's work, when necessary.

Most recently, Len's dissertation (he's apparently not suffering from narcolepsy) regarding the fate of franchise players has caught our attention.

Pasquarelli goes on and on (and on) about the acrimony and frustration created by the use of the tag, which limits otherwise free agents from leaving their current teams by providing the teams with a right of first refusal and compensation in the form of two first-round draft picks.

The overriding theme of Pasquarelli's piece is "pity the poor players, who can't get their $20 million prizes." It makes sense, since Len primarily makes his living by scratching the backs of the agents who get three percent or so of the booty. And, as Len fails to mention anywhere in his article, the NFLPA regulations regarding agent fees have been revised to impose a lower cap when the player is getting paid via the franchise tender.

Today, the three-percent figure drops to two points when the player is subject to the franchise tender for the first time. In the second year, the maximum drops to 1.5 percent. In the third year, the franchise tender drops to one percent.

Predictably, Len fails to mention that this dynamic could be contributing to the venom that currently is coming from guys like Lance Briggs and Asante Samuel. Players usually don't start bitching publicly on their own; instead, their words and deeds are the product of careful planning, orchestrated by the agent.

Pasquarelli also doesn't point out that Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones, who received franchise money for three straight years before signing a long-term deal, actually played the game of franchise tag and won. He pocketed more than $40 million over six years. And the receipt of the franchise tender for three years plus the three years of salary and bonuses paid out under a long-term deal meant that Jones ultimately was protected against getting cut during what would have been the phony back-end years of a long-term contract signed in lieu of the tag.

Still, Jones is bitter. "The system [stinks]," Jones told Pasquarelli. "Maybe when it was invented, it was good, I don't know. Teams tell you how much you should be flattered that they think enough of you to make you their franchise guy. It's like their attitude is that they're doing you a favor. You know, like, 'How could you not be thrilled to get a guarantee that averages what the top five players at your position are making?' But it's not a thriller. No way. It's a killer watching all the deals get signed with huge bonuses and you're not getting the big money upfront. [It's a] lousy system."

Len likewise overlooks changes to the CBA, which now prevents a team from locking a guy up for three years as a franchise player unless the team is willing to pay the player a one-year salary equal not to the average of the five highest-paid players at his position, but the average of the five highest-paid players in the league. So, as a practical matter, Jones' case won't be repeated.

The most glaring omission in Pasquarelli's piece, of course, is the fact that he never once mentions that the franchise tag is a term to which the NFLPA agreed. In essence, the union opted to permit teams to tie the hands of the league's elite players in order to secure free agency rights for the rest of them.

So when Briggs or Samuel or Jones or anyone else want to cry about the franchise tag, the starting point shouldn't be the front offices of their teams.

It should be the headquarters of their union.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

OL Adam Goldberg will re-sign with the Rams next week.

RB Ricky Williams says he hasn't smoked pot in three years. (Dog years?)

The Redskins worked out a bunch of local players on Friday, including Maryland QB Sam Hollenbach.

With QB David Carr signed by Carolina, the Fins will turn their attention back to QB Trent Green.

But the Browns are now getting into the fray for Green, too.

The Tennessean contradicts reports that RB LenWhale White weighed in at 260 pounds. (Maybe it was actually 265.)

The Tennessean also tries to estimate the potential losses to CB Pacman Jones due to a suspension, but it's not clear whether the Titans have to recover bonus money already paid, or whether they would be merely blocking him from getting deferred payments.

The Falcons hope to have a backup quarterback signed before an upcoming three-day minicamp.

Talks between the Packers and LB Nick Barnett are not moving very quickly.

G Chris Gray, 36, has re-signed with the Seahawks.

Cowboys WR Patrick Crayton has signed his $1.3 million restricted free agent tender.

Purdue DE Anthony Spencer visited the Cowboys recently.

The Vikings are sniffing around TE Matt Spaeth.

Barry Sanders and Jim Brown will square off soon in a charity golf thing.

The Colts' final draft preparations will be interrupted by a visit to the White House. (Bill Polian has already complained about it to Karl Rove.)

The Fins worked out Miami LB Jon Beason on Thursday.

Illinois State WR Laurent Robinson recently visited the Steelers.

The Arizona Republic has the numbers on the deal recently signed by Cardinals OT Mike Gandy.

Packers DT Kenderick Allen might jump to the Lions.

Champ Bailey says that he and Dre' Bly are the best cornerback tandem in the league. (Hey, Champ -- you and Toniu Fonoti would be the best cornerback tandem in the league, too.)

Bailey says he's not upset by the huge contract that CB Nate Clements has signed with the 49ers (which makes sense, since Clements' deal isn't really worth $80 million over eight years, but $64 million over seven, making it extremely comparable to Bailey's contract).

John Madden might have saved WR Darryl Stingley's life in 1978 by summoning nurses to fix a problem with Stingley's aspirating machine.

The Steelers will be streamlining their playbook on offense.

POSTED 9:36 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:06 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2007

RIVERS STILL LIMPING

At a time when the Chargers are somewhat inclined to cling to backup running back Michael Turner in the event that starter LaDainian Tomlinson goes down with an injury, they might need to rely on a backup quarterback.

An industry source tells us that Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is still struggling with a foot injury that he suffered in the team's playoff loss to the Patriots.

Per the source, Rivers is out of the boot he had been wearing. But it's been twelve weeks since he suffered the injury, and it's not clear when he will be 100 percent.

Surgery initially was regarded as a possibility, but Rivers in the end did not go under the knife. Maybe, in hindsight, he should have.

The other quarterbacks on the roster are Billy Volek and Charlie Whitehurst.

COMMISH'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF CURMUDGEONS

The players assigned to the the Commissioner's new player advisory committee have one thing in common.

They're all old farts, relatively speaking.

The members are free-agent safety Troy Vincent, Colts center Jeff Saturday, Vikings fullback Tony Richardson, Jaguars safety Donovin Darius, Eagles linebacker Takeo Spikes, and Redskins receiver James Thrash.

Vincent and Richardson are 35, Saturday, Thrash, and Darius are 31, and Spikes is 30.

"Veteran leadership is critically important for our teams in many areas," said Roger Goodell in a statement released by the league. "These outstanding veterans can help the entire league just as they help their teams."

Though we agree with the notion that a veteran presence is important, we also think that guys who intend to be in the league for at least a decade would also be an important addition. For example, Titans quarterback Vince Young or 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, who already are leaders on their teams despite short NFL stints, would make a lot of sense to us.

The group will meet regularly with Goodell and NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw to discuss a variety of issues.

JAGUARS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

Okay, so we missed another day. It's okay -- we've only got 16 more postings to go, and 22 days to get them done.

Make that 15 and 21.

We've posted the Jaguars' draft needs. We'll get No. 18 and No. 19 up over the weekend. Unless we eat too many chocolate rabbits.

POSTED 12:57 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2007

'SKINS TO MAKE A PLAY FOR SAMUEL?

Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins can't help himself. Every offseason, he is compelled to make a big splash, in some way.

He didn't do it in free agency this year, for a change. So with a top-ten pick burning a hole in his draft board and Bears linebacker Lance Briggs (whom the 'Skins don't really need) not available via a flip-flip of first round picks, Snyder apparently will sniff around Pats cornerback Asante Samuel (whom the 'Skins don't really need).

Ryan O'Halloran of the Washington Times reports that the Redskins are expected to call the Patriots regarding Samuel, a free agent who has been slapped with the franchise tag.

The Redskins currently have cornerbacks Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot, and David Macklin under contract. Even if they trade or cut Springs, they don't need Samuel.

But Snyder can't help himself. He collects big-name players like Florio Jr. hoards McFarlane NFL figures, without regard to the manner in which his collection will interact on the field or in the locker room.

In hindsight, then, the decision of Samuel to recently go public with his dissatisfaction might have been a stroke of genius. With the Bears telling the Redskins that a flip-flop of first-round picks won't happen, the 'Skins need to find someone else to take the sixth overall pick off of their hands. And Samuel's comments apparently have caught Snyder's ear.

So for the No. 28 pick and Samuel, the Pats possibly could have the No. 6 overall pick. Heck, maybe they can also get the 'Skins to throw in Springs.

The question, then, is whether the Pats even want the No. 6 pick. If they do, the next question is whether the Patriots would try to package the No. 6 selection with the No. 24 pick (which they got from the Seahawks for Deion Branch) in an effort to move up to get once-in-a-generation receiver Calvin Johnson.

POSTED 11:22 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:34 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2007

CHARGERS WILLING TO TAKE LESS THAN A FIRST-ROUNDER FOR TURNER?

An industry source tells us that the San Diego Chargers might be willing to accept a trade proposal for running back Michael Turner that includes less than a first-round pick.

Though Turner is tendered as a restricted free agent at the highest possible level, which would require compensation in the amount of a first-round pick and a third-round pick, no one is expected to give up that much for a guy who'll be unrestricted in 2008.

Per the source, G.M. A.J. Smith could be ready to accept a second-round pick this year and a second-round pick or a third-round pick in 2008 for Turner's rights.

The thinking is that Smith wants to end up with three picks in the first two rounds of this year's draft, so that the team can fill needs at receiver, safety, linebacker, and guard with guys who are ready to play right now.

Turner has visited the Titans and the Bills this week.

CARR GETS $6 MILLION

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that quarterback David Carr's two-year contract with the Panthers is worth just over $6 million.

The deal also includes a $3 million signing bonus.

Carr signed with the Panthers on Friday morning. The story was first reported by the Charlotte Observer.

SECOND ROUND OF MOCK DRAFT IS UP

We've posted the second round of the fifth version of our 2007 Mock Draft.

And we've gotten surprisingly few e-mails telling us how misguided the first round of version 5.0 is.

You guys must not be feeling well today, or something.

POSTED 10:12 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:48 a.m. EDT, April 6, 2007

HARRINGTON VISITING FALCONS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that free-agent quarterback Joey Harrington is visiting with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons are looking for a new backup to Michael Vick, following a recent trade of Matt Schaub to the Texans. The Falcons recently worked out Jay Fiedler.

Harrington was the No. 3 selection in the 2002 draft. He was traded by the Lions to the Dolphins in 2006, and cut by Miami earlier this year.

SPRINT CONTINUES TO COME THROUGH FOR PFT PLANET

The thousands of members of PFT Planet who have taken a break over the past few weeks from the perusal of the Rumor Mill to explore features like our Mock Draft and our Team-By-Team Draft Needs might have noticed that these specific items are being presented by our official telecommunications sponsor, Sprint.

Sprint also will be sponsoring our massive two-day Live Blog on draft weekend. (The Poobah already has been fitted for a catheter for the all-day Saturday and most-day Sunday event.)

For more than a year now, Sprint has been a major sponsor of ProFootballTalk, and anyone who has been following the site closely for a couple of years or longer surely has noticed that Sprint's sponsorship has allowed us to spend more time bringing you the best and most complete analysis of the NFL.

And, as always, the information on this site is completely and totally free. If you like that, then you should show your appreciation by getting a Sprint or Nextel phone. If you already own a Sprint or Nextel phone, you should consider getting some accessories. And you should explore the other features that are available. And you should think about adding a phone for a family member.

Hey guys, Mother's Day is a month away. The mother of your children might be ready to upgrade to, say, a BlackBerry device or the new UpStage, which is a two-sided phone and MP3 player.

We've all got phones and other wireless devices, and there are plenty of choices out there for new stuff. But only one wireless company is supporting the place where you get your daily football fix.

Well, it's technically two. Sprint, together with Nextel. That fact alone is all you should need to know when deciding which wireless service to use.

POSTED 9:11 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:50 a.m. EDT, April 6, 2007

PANTHERS CATCH CARR

The Charlotte Observer reports that free-agent quarterback David Carr has signed a two-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers now have on their roster the first two picks from the 2002 draft: Carr (who was taken by the Texans) and defensive end Julius Peppers.

Carr spent five years in Houston. A year after the team paid him an $8 million bonus that extended his contract for three more seasons, the Texans abruptly traded for Matt Schaub and then cut Carr loose.

Other teams that were interested in Carr included the Seahawks and the Dolphins. Some believed that the Raiders might make a run at him, but it never happened.

In Carolina, Carr will do something that he never has done in his NFL career -- serve as a backup. He was thrust right into the starting lineup right away, leading the Texans to victory in the franchise's first-ever regular-season game.

And although the Texans crashed and burned in 2005, the team was gradually improving through its first three seasons of existence. Carr was by no means a Ryan Leaf; though Carr never was a star, he wasn't a washout, either.

Carr's best season came in 2004, when he finished with a passer rating of 83.5. The current starter in Carolina, Jake Delhomme, has never broken 90 for a full season, either.

And with whispers growing regarding the question of whether Delhomme is still the long-term answer at the position, Carr gives the Panthers a valid fallback. If, after all, Carr wasn't spending so much time over the past season taking and/or avoiding hits, he possibly could have become a Pro Bowler.

SMITH THE ODD MAN OUT IN CAROLINA?

When making our weekly appearance with Chris McClain on WFNZ (the station that hosted the all-time classic "move on or move out" moment), we were discussing the possibility that the Panthers have refrained from adding many new free agents this year because they soon will have to address the long-term status of defensive end Julius Peppers and left/right tackle Jordan Gross. [Editor's note: A prior version of this item said that Gross is a left tackle. He has played both positions.]

Peppers and Gross are both entering the final seasons of their rookie contracts. Peppers has a cap number in 2007 of nearly $15 million. This means that, if the team decides to use the franchise tag on Peppers in 2008, his one-year salary will be nearly $18 million.

Gross is a solid tackle. And solid tackles rarely are available in free agency; when they are, they get paid a lot of money, as Leonard Davis learned last month.

To complicate matters, there were strong rumors last year that Steve Smith is quietly pissed off about his contract. He signed an extension in 2004, before his breakout season of 2005. With three years left at salaries of $3.15 million, $3.6 million, and $4.2 million, Smith obviously is underpaid in comparison to the money spent this year on guys like Drew Bennett and Kevin Curtis.

So what will the Panthers do? Surely, they can't break the bank for all three of them. And the Panthers haven't won enough big games to persuade players to give the team a discount in order to continue a culture of championships.

Each guy is going to want to get paid, and the Panthers can't pay them all. The fact that Smith has yet to get an adjustment to his deal suggests to us that he's going to be the odd man out, with the Panthers more likely to invest the long-term dollars into the players who, based on the positions they occupy, will be more likely to continue to perform at a high level as they age.

The best strategy would be to get Peppers signed early in 2008 and to use the tag on Gross. Then, they should trade Smith before he goes ballistic once he sees how much money two members of the team not named Stevonne Smith will be making.

Bottom line -- this is the reality of having very good players at multiple positions at the same time. There are only so many guys on a team who can get paid really big money, and someone in the front office should be answering tough questions about the negotiation of Peppers' rookie contract, which has now put the team in a very sticky situation for 2007 and for 2008.

POSTED 10:08 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:03 p.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

MACKLIN GIVES 'SKINS A DISCOUNT

The Washington Redskins have a reputation for overpaying free agents. On Thursday, a free agent specifically took less money for a chance to join the team.

Per Adam Schefter of NFL Network, cornerback David Macklin rejected more lucrative offers from the Chiefs and Eagles to sign a one-year, $760,000 deal with the 'Skins.

Macklin accepted the lower deal because he is from Newport News, Virginia, and grew up as a Redskins fan. Also, Macklin always wanted to play for Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs.

Macklin is a seven-year veteran who spent the first fiour seasons of his career with the Colts and the last three with the Cardinals. He started the last six games of the 2006 season in Arizona.

THURSDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Bears CB/KR Devin Hester will have a speed rating of 100 in Madden 08. (Bears DT Tank Johnson's "shower room awareness" rating will be 37.)

The Saints have cut K John Carney.

A new 49ers stadium could generate $249 million annually in new economic activity in Santa Clara County.

QB Brady Quinn has visited the Browns.

The Pats re-signed OT Wesley Britt.

As we suggested after he was cut by the Seahawks, DE Grant Wistrom is packing it in.

POSTED 4:32 p.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

TURNER VISITS BILLS

The Buffalo Bills hosted restricted free agent running back Michael Turner on Thursday, according to the team's official web site.

The Chargers have tendered Turner at the highest possible level, which guarantees San Diego a first-round and a third-round pick as compensation, in the event that another team signs Turner to an offer sheet and the Chargers choose not to match it.

Earlier this week, Turner visited the Titans. We previously heard rumors that the Packers might also be interested in the backup to LaDainian Tomlinson.

If Turner leaves San Diego, it's more likely that it'll happen via trade. Though A.J. Smith can be a hard-ass (is that hyphenated?) on matters of this nature, the reality is that if the Chargers don't take what they can get for Turner now, he'll leave in a year -- and they'll get nothing in return.

POSTED 11:23 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 1:34 p.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

43-YEAR-OLD GETTING TRYOUT ON MONDAY

On April 9, Jim Davis, an English professor who lives in Maine, will finally get a shot at fulfilling his unlikely dream of playing in the National Football League.

And he's 43 years old.

At a time when we're spilling so much e-ink talking about guys like Adam "Pacman" Jones and Chris "Pukeman" Henry, it's refreshing to talk about a man who is chasing a big dream rather than destroying one.

Davis reportedly can bench-press more than 500 pounds, and he can run the 40-yard dash in less than 4.5 seconds. Not bad for a guy who didn't play high school or college football.

"As a freshman I signed up," Davis told PFT, "but there weren't enough people to play. Then I went to work to help my family." Later, Davis joined the Marines, where he served for 10 years.

But Davis has played organized ball. Last year, he suited up with the Brazil (Indiana) Wildcats. Before that, he played semi-pro football in Evansville, as a fullback and outside linebacker. He also has coached high school football for seven years.

Davis says that he has been trying to get an NFL tryout for four years. His quest landed him on ABC's The Great American Dream Vote, which was cancelled last week after only two showings.

But the dream goes on, and Davis hopes to convince others that there's nothing wrong with aiming high. "There was a high school coach that told the kids one year that they need to enjoy their high school seasons because they came from too small of a school to ever make it at college level or impossible for them to ever think about the NFL," Davis said. "I wanted to show them that nothing was impossible."

It hasn't been easy for a guy with a full-time job and a wife and three young sons, especially since there are few elite training facilities in Maine. "My training for the 40 sucks here," Davis said. "I should do great Monday, but I know that if I were signed with a team and working out I could blow it away."

Davis hopes to play fullback, safety, or special teams at the NFL level.

Are the odds stacked high against him? Hell yes. But should that keep him from continuing to push? Hell no.

We applaud Jim Davis and everyone like him, and the family members who support them. Chasing a big dream is about much more than making the big dream come true. The journey, successful or not, can open all sorts of unexpected doors.

And it can inspire others to dream big, too.

Good luck, Jim.

MOCK DRAFT 5.0 IS UP

As promised, we've cobbled together a new version of the PFT mock draft. And for gits and shiggles we decided to throw in a few projected trades.

First, the Cardinals are trading up to No. 2 with the Lions, so that Arizona can land left tackle Joe Thomas with the No. 2 overall pick.

Next, the Patriots trade up to No. 15 with the Steelers, so that New England can snare Florida's Reggie Nelson before the Packers can nab him.

And then we have the Packers trading down from No. 16 to No. 25, allowing the Jets to grab cornerback Darrelle Revis before the Bengals bag him at No. 18. In the lower spot, the Packers will take tight end Greg Olsen.

But what the hell do we know? The point of all of this is to have some fun thinking about the possibilities that might unfold on April 28. (Translation: "We could do without all of those e-mails telling us how stoopid we are.")

Feel free to peruse round one for now. Round two is coming later today.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

Former Eagles running back Clarence Peaks is dead at 71; he was the seventh overall pick in the 1957 draft.

Soon-to-be-former Saints K John Carney says he's not retiring.

The decision of S Mike Doss to sign with the Vikings was influenced by the presence of former Colts assistant Leslie Frazier as defensive coordinator in Minnesota.

Doss also said that his 2005 arrest for carrying (and firing) a concealed weapon wasn't brought up when he met with the Vikings. (So much for cleaning things up, fellas.)

Rams OL Claude Terrell has yet to arrive for the team's offseason program, but he's supposedly getting around to it.

Broncos TE Stephen Alexander isn't griping about the team's decision to sign Daniel Graham.

Pats LB Tedy Bruschi had surgery in March to remove a pin from his wrist.

Agent Bus Cook says that discussions between the Titans and RB Michael Turner haven't gone very far.

Eagles backup QB A.J. Feeley isn't worried about the recent addition of Kelly Holcomb.

The Steelers met with Penn State OT Levi Brown on Wednesday.

Another Chewin' Samooan is heading to the NFL.

The Cardinals have re-signed DE Antonio Smith.

Bears DT Tommie Harris has befriended a boy who was shot in the stomach (but, as far as we can tell, not by a gun owned by Bears DT Tank Johnson.)

Denver S John Lynch has added boxing to his training regimen.

POSTED 10:27 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:37 a.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

PACMAN SAYS HE HAS CHANGED

Maybe there's hope for Pacman Jones, after all. Or not.

In an interview with Deion Sanders of NFL Network, Titans cornerback Pacman Jones sounds like a guy who has learned from his mistakes. His many, many mistakes. Faced with a suspension of possibly an entire year for violation of the league's Personal Conduct Policy, Pacman is ready to face the consequences.

"Whatever the punishment is, I am going to be a man and I am going to take responsibilities and own up," Jones said. "Hopefully it won't be that long or nothing that could jeopardize my career.

"I have put myself in some bad situations as far as picking my places where to go and picking who to take with me, so I take total responsibility for that. But you live and you learn and it if keeps on happening, then you can point the finger and be like, 'Well, he still ain't learning.' . . . Trust me, I have hit the wall."

Or bit the cop's hand, as the case my be.

And that alleged incident from February 2006 is enough to cause us to conclude that Jones is presently full of crap. Regardless of any bad decisions he made about where to go and who to go there with, Jones never bothered to tell his employer that he had been arrested for felony and misdemeanor obstruction of a police officer.

Indeed, the root of his looming suspension is, we believe, the failure of Jones to 'fess up to these charges, which somehow stayed under the radar for more than a year.

So the question, as we see it, isn't whether Jones periodically makes bad decisions about going to bad places with bad people. The question is whether he's a bad guy, and the fact that he concealed these arrests from the Titans tells us that this problem goes way deeper than the periodic misadventures of a lonely Saturday night. Because, if he wasn't simply a bad guy, at some point in the 13 months between the arrest and the public disclosure of it Pacman would have given in to that little voice inside of him that was saying, "Pac, you'd better tell Coach Fisher that you were busted."

But Jones never did. And it could be that the only thing that little voice ever says to him is, "You're Pacman, dammit. You do what you want to do."

POSTED 9:58 a.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

SAMUEL'S CLAIMS SEEM A BIT FISHY

We've given some more thought to the recent statements from Pats cornerback Asante Samuel regarding his dissatisfaction with his contract status. On Wednesday, he teed off on the team regarding its failure to offer a long-term deal that he deems suitable.

But if another team is willing to pay Samuel the kind of money he's seeking (which likely meets or exceeds the $23 million in guaranteed money paid to Nate Clements by the 49ers), that team also should be willing to make a trade offer to the Pats.

Samuel's quotes in this regard are vague. If "other teams" think that he is "worth a lot more" than what the Pats have put on the table, who are they? And why haven't they made an offer to him, or to the team?

Though the days of giving up two first-round draft picks for a franchise player are long gone, it's not uncommon to give up a single first-rounder. Just last week, the Redskins offered to swap their No. 6 overall pick for the No. 31 overall pick in order to get Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who also wears the franchise tag.

The other reality in Samuel's case is that he doesn't need the team to give him permission to seek a trade. He's a free agent, restricted only by the niceties of the franchise tag. He and his agent can talk to any other team, and can engineer a potential trade.

So put someone else's money where your mouth is, Asante. Get a team to come to the table, and get that team to make an offer to the Pats. That's how business gets done in the NFL; anyone who follows the sport closely knows it.

POSTED 9:10 a.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

STINGLEY DEAD AT 55

Former Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley, who was paralyzed due to a preseason hit from Raiders safety Jack Tatum, has died more than 28 years after becoming a quadriplegic.

Stingley passed early Thursday morning after being found unconscious in his apartment.

Said Stingley in 2004 regarding his struggle to come to grips with his injury: "It took me a while to exorcise all the demons. All I had to do was come out of the house or travel around the country. Everybody I came in contact with let me know there was more of a purpose for me in life than looking at it negatively. So I decided to look at it in a positive way."

Tatum has had serious health problems over the past couple of years. He lost one leg to diabetes and the other leg to an arterial blockage.

Stingley rebuffed efforts at a public reconciliation with Tatum, including an attempt by HBO to bring them together for a piece commemorating the 25th anniversary of the incident.

"I couldn't let three minutes on the air cheapen the story," Stingley said. "I went through a lot. If they want to bring closure, then there should be some real healing in it. Something in the area of a spiritual reconciliation."

POSTED 8:59 a.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

SANDHU SUSPENSION HIGHLIGHTS POTENTIAL INCONSISTENCIES

We've addressed a couple of times over the past day or so the NFLPA's recent suspension of agent Joby Branion, who allegedly violated Section 3(B)(21) of the regulations applicable to certified contract advisors by initiating contact with 49ers tight end Vernon Davis while Davis was being represented by other agents. (He insists that he committed no violation; the union disagrees.)

Another suspension arising from the same set of facts highlights an apparent flaw in the union's approach to enforcement.

In a nutshell, Zeke Sandhu was leaving the practice of Lock, Metz, & Malinovic, and Sandhu was hoping to take 49ers tight end Vernon Davis with him. On the surface, it's similar to the situation that unfolded several years back between David Dunn and Leigh Steinberg.

But there's a big difference. In the Dunn-Steinberg case, only Steinberg was named on the Standard Representation Agreements. Dunn was not. In such a situation, it's far easier to spot a potential violation of Section 3(B)(21).

It's far more complicated when multiple agents are separating -- and when their names all appear on the same SRAs.

In this case, Sandhu's name was (and still is) on the Davis SRA. Sandhu also was (but no longer is) named on the SRA of Pats running back Laurence Maroney and Falcons cornerback Jimmy Williams.

But Sandhu also has received a recommended suspension of one year, apparently because he essentially tried (unsuccessfully) to get Ethan Lock dumped from the Davis SRA. As we understand it, Lock tried (successfully) to get Sandhu dropped from the Maroney and Williams SRAs.

So if this case is all about sorting out another Dunn-Steinberg split and disciplining agents who were trying to bogart players in the wake of the divorce, why does Sandhu get suspended for trying (and failing) to get Lock fired by Davis, but Lock doesn't get suspended for trying (and succeeding) to get Sandhu fired by Mauroney and Williams?

As one league insider told us on Wednesday night, "If the union is suspending Sandhu for trying to exclude Lock from the Davis SRA, then Lock should be pretty nervous right now."

But maybe he shouldn't be. By all appearances, the union picks and chooses the agents who will be disciplined. If, for example, Sandhu's July 5 discussions with Tom Condon of CAA about employment with the firm had resulted in a meeting between Condon and Sandhu and Davis, the chances of Condon getting a one-year suspension for violation of Section 3(B)(21) would have been somewhere between "zero" and "no f--king chance in hell." Why? Because Condon represents NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw.

The deeper problem is that, when it comes to disciplining agents, the NFLPA has no external accountability or oversight. So the union can do whatever it wants to do, without consequence. They can look the other way when an agent whom they "like" breaks the rules, and then they can make an example out of an agent they disfavor.

Agent Carl Poston, who deservedly was in the NFLPA's crosshairs last year, tried to get Congress to strong arm the union into changing its enforcement practices, but Poston isn't exactly the most sympathetic person to be taking up the cause. Eventually, someone with the right connections and the right story to tell is going to get someone's attention in Washington.

Given that Sandhu and Lock apparently did the same thing but only one is getting a suspension, Sandhu could be the guy to carry that flag.

POSTED 9:39 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:59 p.m. EDT, April 4, 2007

FLETCHER SIGNS WITH TEXANS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that veteran cornerback Jamar Fletcher has signed a two-year, $2.3 million contract with the Houston Texans.

Fletcher was a first-round selection of the Dolphins in 2001. He spent three seasons in Miami, two in San Diego, and one in Detroit.

Other teams interested in Fletcher included the Titans and the Chiefs.

PACKERS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

Well, we're halfway there. With the posting of the Packers' draft needs, we've got 16 of them in the can.

And there are still 23 days until the draft.

So it's safe to say we'll get them all done before they start calling out the dames on April 28.

MOCK DRAFT 5.0 COMING THURSDAY

It's nearly ready -- our fifth version of our annual wing-and-a-prayer projection of the first round of the NFL draft.

And the second round, too.

Check us out tomorrow at around 12:00 EDT for the latest uneducated guesswork.

POSTED 8:49 p.m. EDT, April 4, 2007

SAMUEL WANTS OUT OF NEW ENGLAND

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel, a free agent limited by the franchise tag, wants to be traded.

"This is to let everybody know that I'm not happy anymore and things are not going well," Samuel told Schefter. "At first I thought it was going well, but it's not. We have a difference of opinion in my value. They think I'm worth one price and the other teams think I'm worth a lot more. If a long-term deal can’t be done at fair numbers for me and New England, then I want to be traded."

Samuel says that he is prepared to sit out the season, if need be. "If it's best for me and my family," Samuel said, "I will do that. Absolutely."

Sure. Look, none of these franchise players is going to miss a paycheck. So look for Samuel to sign his tender on the eve of the start of the regular season, and collect game checks worth more than $458,000 each. That's almost as much as he made for the entire season in 2006.

The problem is that the Pats have shelled out plenty of money for multiple free agents in the past month, and Samuel has been paying close attention.

"I've been patient, haven't said anything bad, haven't said anything negative," Samuel said. "But my patience has run out. Business is business. They handled their business their way and I'm handling my business my way. I hope not, I really hope not, but it's looking more and more like it could be time to move on." (Or move out.)

POSTED 5:21 p.m. EDT, April 4, 2007

UNION RESPONDS TO BRANION

On Tuesday night, we reported that the NFLPA's Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline has recommended a one-year suspension of Joby Branion for allegedly initiating contact with a player who already is represented by another Contract Advisor.

Branion's defense is that he initiated contact with no one; instead, agent Zeke Sandhu (who already was representing 49ers tight end Vernon Davis) called Branion about possible employment with Branion's firm, Athletes First. During the course of those discussions, Sandhu told Branion that Davis wanted to talk to him. So Branion did. Ultimately, Davis decided not to enter into an SRA with Branion.

Based on a telephone conversation that we had on Wednesday afternoon with NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen, it appears that the union doesn't dispute those basic facts. However, the NFLPA (and, obviously, the Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline) interpret the end result very differently.

The fact that Ethan Lock was also named on the Standard Representation Agreement should have raised a red flag for Branion, Berthelsen and the union believe. "You've got two contract advisors on the SRA and one is leaving the other one," Berthelsen said. "That should send strong signals that [Sandhu] is trying to take the client with him."

Berthelsen also said that, based on Branion's involvement in the dissolution of the David Dunn-Leigh Steinberg relationship,"Branion should know this better than anyone. He was talking to a guy who did the same thing he did."

So, while Branion initiated no contact with Davis, Davis likewise did not initiate contact with Branion. Instead, Sandhu initiated the communication -- without the involvement of the other agent named on the Davis SRA.

Apparently, then, the "safe harbor" created by Section 3(B)(21)(b) of the regulations applies only if the player himself makes the initial communication. If one of the agents named on an SRA reaches out to a new agent, that new agent cannot have any communications with the player absent an initial communication from the player to the new agent.

So if Sandhu's calls to Branion didn't constitute "initiation" by the player, then Branion (in the opinion of the union) should have had no contact of any kind with Davis until such contact was initiated by Davis himself.

And our guess is that Davis will testify that Branion contacted him personally before Davis ever contacted Branion.

With all that said, we think that this issue falls into an inherently gray area, since Branion was indeed contacted by one of the "agents" of Vernon Davis. Still, until the NFLPA clarifies the rules in this regard, the far safer course when getting a call from a guy like Zeke Sandhu would be to say: "If the kid wants to talk to me, the kid needs to call me."

Maybe Branion should have said that. Maybe he was justified in relying on Sandhu's representations. Either way, this specific set of facts -- and the union's response to it -- should be a clear and fair warning to any other agents who find themselves in a similar position in the future.

POSTED 9:09 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:34 p.m. EDT, April 4, 2007

DOSS TO VIKINGS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that free-agent safety Mike Doss signed a one-year, $1 million contract on Tuesday night with the Minnesota Vikings.

Doss likely will be penciled in as the starting strong safety in Minnesota's Tampa 2 defense, which is the same scheme that the Colts use. He'll be paired with veteran Darren Sharper.

The former Ohio State standout is the fourth member of the Colts' defense to leave in the wake of the team's Super Bowl XLI victory. Cornerback Nick Harper signed with the Titans and weakside linebacker Cato June joined the Bucs. Defensive tackle Montae Reagor was released, and signed with the Eagles.

On offense, receiver Brandon Stokley was released. He later signed with the Broncos. Also, running back Dominic Rhodes signed with the Raiders as an unrestricted free agent. [Editor's note: A prior version of this story failed to mention Rhodes. We apologize for the error.]

Surprisingly, however, none of the Colts' free agents were able to parlay their Super Bowl pedigrees into huge paydays. In past years, teams were more likely to overpay members of the Super Bowl champion, largely for the "sizzle" factor that comes from saying, "We might never win a Super Bowl of our own, but at least one of our players recently has."

TERRY TAKES UP FOR TIM

By all accounts, Terry Bradshaw wasn't upset when rumors of his demise circulated a couple of months ago. In contrast, however, he's pissed off that fellow Lousiana Tech alum Tim Rattay currently has no job.

"I don't understand it," Bradshaw said earlier this week. "Tim isn't a problem, he's a great guy in the locker room. He played great those last four games in Tampa Bay last season and he doesn't get a chance?

"They made a mistake," Bradshaw said of the 49ers' decision not to keep Rattay. "The West Coast offense needs a guy who's smart, accurate and can throws [sic] passes to the right people. That's Tim."

At a time when there really aren't that many great quarterbacks available, we tend to agree with Bradshaw. Why haven't the Raiders called Rattay? Or the Vikings?

In Minnesota, Rattay instantly would go to the top of the depth chart. And he likely could "manage" a game far better than former starter Brad Johnson, who primarily "managed" to throw a bunch of stupid interceptions last year.

Rattay turned 30 last month, and still has at least five or six years in his arm. Maybe more. So we agree with Bradshaw; the fact that Rattay isn't on an NFL roster really makes no sense.

HENRY STILL DOESN'T GET IT

Poor Chris Henry. He has supreme God-given physical skills. But he has the mental and emotional intelligence of a fruit fly.

On the same day that Henry appeared in New York for a hearing with the Commissioner of the National Football League, who will soon determine the number of games that Henry will miss in 2007 for his latest guilty plea, Henry still fails to appreciate the connection between his behavior and the consequences that arise from it.

Michael David Smith of AOL's FanHouse writes about an NFLN phone interview of Henry, which occurred after Henry met with Roger Goodell. Asked by Rich Eisen what Henry thinks about fans who have concerns based on his history of off-field troubles, Henry said: "They're really not true fans, I guess."

Maybe he has a point. (Albeit completely unintentional.) "Fan" is short for "fanatic." And a true fanatic would be blind, we suppose, to any amount of bad stuff in which the object of the fanaticism might engage.

Still, Tuesday should have been a day of humility for Henry. Even though the hearing was over, Henry needed to convince everyone (including Goodell) that he has changed.

Henry's stridence while talking with Eisen tells us that anything Henry might have said when meeting with Goodell was what Henry thought Goodell wanted to hear.

Then again, there's a chance that Henry had the same attitude during his visit to the principal's office. If so, Henry might want to start considering his options north of the border.

WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The Lance Briggs deal died because the 'Skins weren't willing to give up LB Rocky McIntosh.

Bears coach Lovie Smith says that it will take "a little bit more" than what the Redskins have already offered to get the deal done for Briggs.

The league's new Personal Conduct Policy might include lifetime bans. (Fine, but if the bar for getting booted for good is unreasonably high the policy might as well also include death by mugabi.)

Seahawks DT Craig Terrill, a restricted free agent, signed his one-year tender offer.

Seattle DB Jordan Babineaux has not signed his RFA tender, but is participating in the team's offseason program under a letter of protection, which likely is similar to the document inked by most unsigned rookies.

After a two-day meeting with the Panthers, QB David Carr will conduct a two-day meeting with the Seahawks.

The Dolphins also want to meet with Carr.

And now Pacman must play the waiting game. (As Homer Simpson would say: "The waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry, Hungry Hippos.")

The Broncos have signed otherwise unrestricted free agent P Todd Sauerbrun to an offer sheet; the Pats have seven days to match, pursuant to a right of first refusal that was added to the contract Sauerbrun signed when he joined the team during the 2006 season.

Still, Sauerbrun hopes that the Pats will choose not to match.

East Carolina WR Aundrae Allison visited the Pats on Tuesday.

Doctors will remove a splint from one of T.O.'s fingers on Wednesday. (Hopefully they'll scrape the butter off, too.)

QB Jay Fiedler will work out for the Falcons on Wednesday.

QB Rex Grossman likes the notion that the Bears might be using the shotgun. (Before he gets too excited, he might want to get clarification on this one.)

The Packers' first female V.P. has a name that sounds like something Chevy Chase came up with in Fletch.

CB Jamar Fletcher is visiting the Texans.

Titans LB Ryan Fowler has to re-learn the 4-3.

OL Adam Timmerman is still looking for a job.

Rams CB Jerametrius Butler has yet to show for the team's offseason program.

Three Texas prospects are visiting the Cowboys.

Brodie Croyle will have every chance to win the starting quarterback job in Kansas City.

Armed with a new contract, 49ers RB Frank Gore bought his mom a new truck.

POSTED 11:51 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

NFLPA SEEKS ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION OF BRANION

Joby Branion of Athletes First tells us that the NFL Players Association's Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline (known as the "CARD") has recommended a one-year suspension resulting from communications occurring in July 2006 regarding the possible representation by Branion of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, the No. 6 overall pick in last year's draft.

The proposed suspension flows from Section 3(B)(21) of the NFLPA's agent regulations. Section 3(B)(21)(a) prohibits an agent from: "Initiating any communication, directly or indirectly, with a player who has entered into a Standard Representation Agreement [SRA] with another Contract Advisor and such Standard Representation Agreement is on file with the NFLPA," if the communication relates to the player's current Contract Advisor, the player's current SRA, the player's contract with an NFL team, or services to be provided by the Contract Advisor to the player.

The key word is "initiating." Per Section 3(B)(21)(b), the Contract Advisor may engage in communications with a player who is already represented by another agent -- if the player initiates the communications.

Branion related to ProFootballTalk on Tuesday night a set of facts that, if true, contain no evidence that he ever initiated any communications with Davis.

Branion says that agent Zeke Sandhu -- whose name was and still is on the Vernon Davis SRA -- phoned Athletes First on Monday, July 3, 2006. Branion took the call. Sandhu explained that he has been in the business for a couple of years, and he listed some of the players he represents, including (at the time) Davis, Patriots running back Laurence Maroney, and Falcons cornerback Jimmy Williams. Sandhu explained that he was in the process of leaving his employment with Lock, Metz, and Malinovic, and Sandhu asked Branion about possible employment opportunities at Athletes First.

During the initial call, Davis was mentioned only in connection with the list of Sandhu's clients.

On Wednesday, July 5, Sandhu met with Tom Condon of CAA regarding the possibility of being hired by the firm that Condon had joined earlier in the year.

The next day, Sandhu continued his discussions with Branion. On Friday, July 7, Sandhu told Branion that Davis wanted to speak with Branion about the possibility of representing him.

So Branion flew to Maryland that night to meet with Davis and his grandmother. Branion met Sandhu and went to the house. Davis had not yet arrived. His grandmother said to Branion, "I don't want you to repeat yourself. Let's wait until Vernon gets here."

When Davis arrived, a discussion ensued, with Sandhu present for the entire conversation. Davis waffled over the next several days before deciding to maintain the status quo.

Thereafter, the CARD initiated a disciplinary procedure against Sandhu and Branion, via the filing of a formal complaint. Per the relevant rules, Branion submitted a written answer to the charges. As he was waiting for the CARD to schedule a customary (but not mandatory) conference call during which the Contract Advisor has an opportunity to verbalize his or her position, the CARD issued its recommendation.

Said Branion late Tuesday night, "I am absolutely baffled by this decision. The regulations clearly state that a certified Contract Advisor may not initiate communication with a player already represented by another. I never initiated any communication with Vernon Davis.

"One of his representatives [Sandhu] made an unsolicited call to my office to inquire about possible future employment. There was no discussion about my firm or me ultimately representing any of the players he represented. . . . I never asked to meet with Davis, his grandmother, or any other player. I did not initiate communication with Davis, directly or indirectly. Furthermore, I never had any communication with Davis without his representative present."

By rule, Branion has 20 days to file an appeal, and he intends to do so. Ultimately, arbitrator Roger Kaplan will hear the matter, and the CARD has the duty of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the alleged violation was committed. To meet this burden, the CARD will need to come up with hard proof that Branion initiated contact with Davis.

Given Branion's version of the events, the CARD will have to be able to conjure something persuasive from Sandhu or Davis or his grandmother. Branion believes that none of these persons will be helpful to the CARD's case.

So if there simply is no proof, why did the CARD recommend such strong action? It could be that the powers-that-be within the NFLPA are still miffed about the legal maneuverings of Branion's partner, David Dunn, who successfully staved off a suspension of his own for years via a well-timed bankruptcy filing.

The union also might be upset about reports and rumors that Dunn has been semi-involved in the business of Athletes First (via, for example, recruiting new players) while on suspension.

If either of those motivations is influencing the NFLPA's actions, it's flat-out wrong. And it's ironic that, at a time when the union is pushing for consistency in the procedures used to discipline players, the NFLPA has largely unfettered ability to pick and choose the agents who will be pursued with sanctions -- and those who will get a pass.

As we see it, the surest way for the NFLPA to lose this power is to abuse it.

POSTED 8:38 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10::47 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

TITANS MAKING PROGRESS WITH TURNER?

Terry McCormick of the Nashville City Paper reports that the Tennessee Titans are in negotiations with Chargers running back Michael Turner.

Though nothing is imminent, enough progress has been made to prompt the Titans to postpone the scheduled visit of running back Corey Dillon to next week.

Turner is a restricted free agent, tendered at the highest possible level. If the Titans sign him to an offer sheet and the Chargers do not match it, the Chargers would get Tennessee's first-round pick and third-round pick in the April 28 draft.

Alternatively, the Titans could work out a trade with the Chargers while working out a long-term contract with Turner. McCormick also reports that the Titans are talking to San Diego regarding a possible deal.

STEELERS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2007 draft needs are posted, along with those of 14 other teams.

Check them all out right here.

And we'll continue to put these up one per day (ideally), until we get the other 17 posted.

POSTED 8:24 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

CARNEY TO RETIRE?

Though we can't find anything to corroborate this on the Intergoogle, there apparently are reports in New Orleans that veteran kicker John Carney will retire.

It's an end of an era; as a reader has pointed out to us, the 42-year-old Carney broke into the league as a replacement player during the 1987 strike. He signed with the Bucs, and then spent the next two seasons in Tampa.

Apparently, Carney had informed the team of his desire to retire before the Saints swung a trade with the Dolphins for kicker Olindo Mare.

POSTED 8:15 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

GOODELL FORMS PLAYER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Perhaps spurred by an eye-opening meeting that occurred in conjunction with the scouting combine, during which multiple players reportedly expressed concern regarding the ongoing (and continuously increasing) rash of player arrests, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will implement a player advisory committee, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network. The committee will meet regularly with Goodell to discuss issues of concern to both the players and the league.

Per Schefter, the committee is expected to include Colts center Jeff Saturday, Eagles linebacker Takeo Spikes, Jaguars safety Donovin Darius and free-agent safety Troy Vincent. They were all in New York on Tuesday to kick off the meetings with Goodell.

We suspect that the panel talked about Adam "Pacman" Jones and Chris "Pukeman" Henry, both of whom also were in New York on Tuesday for disciplinary hearings with Goodell. The duo is expected to be suspended within the next ten days.

Anyway, the formation of the committee is a stroke of genius by the Commish, in our view. The players need to feel like they have ownership of the possible solutions to the misconduct problem and other key issues. Such an approach will make it easier to get the union to agree to apparent win-win measures.

It also gives NFLPA president Troy Vincent great experience, if (as rumored) he becomes the next Executive Director of the NFLPA, after Gene Upshaw calls it quits.

POSTED 7:56 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

ANOTHER (YAWN) ARREST

Buccaneers offensive tackle Anthony Davis was arrested on Sunday in Virginia, on charges of disorderly conduct.

His agent, Jeffrey Chilcoat, told the St. Petersburg Times that the incident that prompted the arrest was instigated by someone else, and that Davis is essentially innocent.

Good. If Davis ever goes to jail, he'll have something in common with the other inmates. They're all innocent, too.

Meanwhile, three points for the Bucs -- and we need to re-set the clock. Again.

POSTED 3:50 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

OLINDO TO NEW ORLEANS

A league source tells us that the Dolphins have traded kicker Olindo Mare to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.

Per the source, Mare's contract will be transferred to the Saints as-is, with no reduction in the $1.5 million base salaries that he is due to earn in each of the next three seasons.

Mare's exit from Miami became a certainty when the Dolphins signed Jay Feely last month. Mare reportedly had been pressing the team to either trade him or release him.

The latest move is a bad sign for incumbent Saints kicker John Carney. The veteran is signed through 2007, at a salary of $820,000. Carney came to the NFL in 1988, and has played for the Bucs, Chargers, and Saints. He has kicked for the Saints since 2001.

POSTED 2:09 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

BEARS TELL 'SKINS TO GET BENT

Several days after receiving an offer of the No. 6 overall pick in the draft in exchange for linebacker Lance Briggs and the No. 31 overall selection, the Chicago Bears have responded to the Washington Redskins.

The Bears have said "no thanks," according to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com.

The 'Skins emerged as a candidate last week in conjunction with the league meetings in Arizona. Few league observers expected the Bears to accept the offer. Most, however, anticipated that Chicago would make a counterproposal, possibly by asking that a player like linebacker Rocky McIntosh be added to the deal.

Glazer explains that the Redskins don't want to part with McIntosh. If that's the case, then the 'Skins should simply let McIntosh play the weakside position that would have been filled by Briggs and use the No. 6 overall pick on a defensive end, or dangle the selection in exchange for a package of lower picks.

In Chicago, Briggs remains a free agent who is restrained by the franchise tag. He can sign an offer sheet with any other team. If, however, the Bears choose not to match, the Bears will be entitled to two first-round picks.

POSTED 12:26 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 1:58 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

WHIZZINATOR WANTS BACK IN

Former NFL running back Onterrio Smith has filed the appropriate paperwork for reinstatement, nearly two full years after he was bounced for multiple violations of the substance-abuse policy.

The problems came to a head (pun definitely not intended but impossible to ignore) when a fake, um, organ for use in duping drug tests was found in his luggage at an airport check point. He later was suspended, reportedly for skipping a drug test.

Agent Doug Hendrickson told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that he filed the application last week on Smith's behalf.

"He's been out of the league two years, but you know the talent's there," Hendrickson said. "He's still young. A lot of teams need a back. I think someone will take a chance on him and bring him in to camp."

Smith called himself the "Steal of the Draft" after the Vikings selected him in the fourth round four years ago. He started his collegiate career at Tennessee, was expelled, and finished up at Oregon. Concerns arising from (surprise, surprise) marijuana use caused the guy with first-round talent to fall out of day one. (A prior version of this story said that Smith was a third-round pick. We apologize for the error.)

He rushed for more than 500 yards as a rookie, including two late-season games with 148 and 146. He rushed for more than 600 yards in 2004, when he was missed four games due to a drug-related suspension.

Smith tried to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in 2005, but was cut during training camp.

Technically, Smith was banished from the league, with the opportunity to apply to reinstatement after one year. He has applied for reinstatement at least once before.

Last week, Ricky Williams applied for reinstatement following a banishment imposed in April 2006. This is Williams' first shot at reinstatement.

PFT GETS SIRIUS

We've had a Sirius hookup in the official PFT Yugo for more than a year now, and we generally thinks it's a great product.

We say that with no type of endorsement arrangement in place with the company. Yet.

But we have at least one reason for sucking up to Sirius today -- we'll be making our first appearance on the service at 5:35 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, on a show titled Drive This, which can be heard on Hardcore Sports at Channel 186. The show will be replayed at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. EDT, and possibly more times thereafter.

We listened to Drive This on Hardcore Sports for the first time on Monday. They were definitely talking about sports. And they were using bad words.

It's a good thing Florio Jr. wasn't in the car; I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the kid will not be learning his profanity from strangers. (He should learn it from his father, just like Ralphie in A Christmas Story.)

But there will be no PFT cursing on the show. The last thing we need to do is widen the holes in the "words that we must not utter on the air" filter; the producers for the FCC-regulated shows on which we appear will probably appreciate that.

HEF SWEARING OFF BUSH?

Okay, okay. That was a pretty lame (and ridiculously obvious) headline.

Anyway, a Los Angeles Daily News blog item states that Saints running back Reggie Bush has been banned from the Playboy Mansion. We first noticed the item on Deadspin.com.

The details are skimpier than the attire of the airbrushed Hef-hos who traipse around the premises. The Daily News item states merely that the violation did not involve a Playmate. Will Leitch of Deadspin surmises that Reggie tried to take an unauthorized guest onto the property.

POSTED 8:42 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:59 a.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

POTENTIAL TEAM SANCTIONS FOR PLAYER MISCONDUCT DRAWING DISSENT

A league source tells us that there is strong resistance among many franchises to the notion that the impending revision to the Personal Conduct Policy might include penalties against teams who employ players who are involved in a certain number or type of criminal behavior.

The reasoning is that teams don't believe they should be held responsible for player misconduct when they have limited options for disciplining them, courtesy of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Under the CBA, players cannot be cut for being arrested. At most, a team can suspend a player for up to four games for conduct detrimental to the team. Of course, any four-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team will be opposed aggressively by the union.

As we've heard it explained, some teams believe that this is like requiring parents to keep their kids in line, but at the same time preventing the parents from punishing their kids in order to make the kids stay in line.

Still, we like the idea of making teams responsible even without a beefed up CBA, since it will then force teams to be careful when allowing new players into the family.

Part of the problem with teams like the Bengals is that they have drafted and signed guys who have had obvious problems with the law in the past. As our friend Tony Lombardi of ProFootball24X7.com (a Ravens site) has described it, and as we've seen fit to appropriate as our own idea, the problem isn't that the Bengals didn't know about the background of guys like A.J. Nicholson and Frostee Rucker. The problem is that, because the Bengals have only one full-time scout, they are more inclined to take a chance on a talented player who has fallen due to off-field issues because, in the later rounds of the draft, the Bengals don't really know whom to pick.

A Personal Conduct Policy that would hold teams accountable for the sins of the players necessarily would compel teams to pass over players who have demonstrated a propensity for bad behavior. And, as we see it, the best way to reduce the current crime problem in the NFL is to resist the ongoing temptation to add to the league the guys most likely to break the law.

Maybe that's why Mike Brown of the Bengals was one of the strongest voices against this approach at last week's league meetings. Brown apparently realizes that he'd need to spend money on a "real" scouting staff if his team is no longer in a position to take a calculated risk on a talented turd.

REVOLT AGAINST OTA'S COMING?

The unprecedented increases in the salary cap could have an unintended consequence throughout the NFL in 2007.

Per a league source, some veteran players plan to be more vocal this year if (when) offseason workouts known as "Organized Team Activity" (i.e., practice without pads) cross the clear lines set forth in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Per Article XXXV of the CBA, contact work is prohibited in all offseason workouts.

Appendix L to the CBA reinforces the point: "The intensity and tempo of drills should be at a level conducive to learning, with player safety as the highest priority, and not at a level where one player is in physical contest with another player."

Last year, however, we posted plenty of photos (most of which came from team web sites) containing images that were evidence of either "one player in physical contest with another player" or man-on-man ballroom dancing (as Chiefs coach Herm "Jackie Chiles" Edwards pointed out in this former PFT Pic of the Day).

At one point, the Chiefs revised video highlights from a minicamp practice to remove images of "live" run blocking after we pointed out the smoking gun(s) that the clip contained.

Traditionally, however, players have zipped their lips about such infractions. But with more and more money now available and players now hoping to extend the number of years in which they make that kind of money for as long as possible, there is a growing sense that they need to save their bodies by limiting the reps that they take in the offseason.

The problem is particularly significant for offensive and defensive linemen, who are battling it out in the offseason with no body protection. We've heard many times that guys in the trenches would prefer to have pads on for these drills in order to cushion the blow when, for example, they take a helmet to a shoulder that is covered only by a sweaty T-shirt.

There's already proof that times are changing. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs has listened to internal criticism of a high-intensity offseason program from guys like Clinton Portis, and Gibbs is allowing players to work out on their own, if they so choose.

The problem, as we see it, is that any decrease in the intensity of offseason workouts will serve only to increase the intensity of training camps, which have been a bit less intense in recent years due to the fact that players are kept in shape through the offseason program -- and that most of the coming season's offensive and defensive packages are installed via offseason drills.

GRIMM'S WORKING CARDS "LIKE DOGS"

One place where a revolt could arise is in Arizona, where the Denny Green Country Club has been replaced by the Russ Grimm Ass-Kicking Factory.

Per a league source, Grimm is working the linemen "like dogs" in the early stages of the offseason program.

On one hand, it's what they need. On the other hand, if Grimm takes it too far, the first year of coach Ken Whisenhunt's tenure could be marred by a mutiny from within.

TUESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Our prediction as to Pacman's meeting with the Commish? Lawyer Manny Arora (who lately has been posturing more than a drunken peacock) is going to piss off everyone at Park Avenue.

Bengals LT Levi Jones seems to be a little touchy about the perception that Joey Porter kicked his butt.

Four members of the Colts Super Bowl team have been arrested since January 3.

Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley is visiting the Titans on Tuesday.

NFLPA chief Gene Upshaw on guys like Pacman and Pukeman: "The problem with all this is whatever has happened, the players have brought it on themselves. Every day it's been something."

Is there a gay NFC player who is considering coming out of the closet?

The 'Skins are still waiting for a response from the Bears about LB Lance Briggs, but the Redskins reportedly won't increase their offer beyond the first-round flip-flop that is on the table.

The network that won't get to broadcast a Super Bowl despite paying a rights fee of $1.1 billion per year will at least get to televise a preseason rematch of last year's Super Bowl.

The Texans have re-signed CB Dexter McCleon.

Pats QB Tom Brady returned from an eight-day trip to Africa. (In unrelated news, a famed psychic boldly predicts that eight major college quarterbacking prospects from Africa will sign letters of intent with U.S. universities in the year 2026.)

Chiefs QB Trent Green showed up for the first day of offseason workouts, despite being "excused" last week by coach Herm Edwards.

S Mike Doss will visit the Vikings and the Eagles this week.

Vikings coach Brad Childress says he might go easier on the team in training camp this year.

The Saints have re-signed veteran S Jay Bellamy.

WR David Patten visited the Saints on Monday.

Ohio State RB Antonio Pittman and Hawaii DE Ikaika "In a Toilet" Alama-Francis visited the Steelers on Monday.

The Chargers will get to show off their new unis in back-to-back nationally-televised preseason games.

S Mike Adams has signed a two-year contract with the Browns.

The Titans' first preseason game without Pacman will be shown on NFLN.

The Packers have re-signed all of their exclusive rights free agents.

LB Chris Draft and CB Mike Rumph officially signed with the Rams.

QB Mark Brunell will make his first visit to Jacksonville since getting run out of town in favor of the guy who's next to get run out of town.

POSTED 9:43 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:29 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

THEISMANN, ESPN PLAYING CONTRACT CHICKEN

In a Monday "Sports Television" item, Michael Hiestand of USA Today updates the contract situation between ESPN and former Monday Night Football analyst Joe Theismann.

Theismann has declined an opportunity to handle college football broadcasts for ESPN/ABC, which means that Bristol will be paying him big money to do NFL work on ESPN Radio and for ESPN.com. For the next four years.

So it should come as no surprise that ESPN's Mike Soltys said on Sunday: "We are willing to let him out of his contract."

But Theismann isn't ready to walk. Theismann's agent, Sandy Montag, said on Sunday that broadcasting crews with "most networks are set and, at this point, it doesn't look like there are a ton of opportunities. . . . We really haven't explored anything in particular outside ESPN."

In our view, this looming impasse is all about whether ESPN will buy out the balance of Theismann's contract. Our suggestion? Split the baby -- give Joey Sunshine two years of severance pay and let him take on another gig with no reduction.

And the sooner it happens, the better. Because, sooner or later, Theismann is going to become a major distraction for ESPN.

MONDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Not long ago, three 8-8 marks in four seasons would be cause for drunken boating in Cincinnati.

Broncos LB Al Wilson was absent for the start of offseason workouts.

QB David Carr is spending two days in Charlotte. (We could make a crude joke here, but we will resist.)

At least Dre' Bly isn't blaming Joey Harrington for the trade that brought him to Denver.

The life of Tebucky Jones has inspired a comedy. (In the past, the only thing that has inspired laughter has been film of his coverage skills.)

Maybe Terrence Kiel will sign with the Saints.

The 'Skins have re-signed P Derrick Frost.

POSTED 8:43 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

NFL DELAYS RELEASE OF SCHEDULE

The full 2007 NFL schedule, which was set to be unveiled on April 5, will now be released later in the month.

The official disclosure will come at some point from April 9 through April 19.

The opponents for the 2007 regular-season games already are set. The only questions remaining are the when's and the on-what-network's (for prime-time games only).

Last week, the NFL announced the nationally-televised games that will be played in Week One, and the three Thanksgiving games.

POSTED 8:21 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:36 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

COLTS DEFENSIVE END BUSTED FOR MARY JANE

Various outlets are reporting that Colts defensive end Darrell Reid was arrested Saturday on multiple charges resulting from the presence of marijuana in his car.

Specifically, Reid was charged with suspicion of possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, obstruction, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle. All three charges are misdemeanors.

So that's nine points for the Colts in Turd Watch. Also, because the arrest occurred on Saturday, the "days without an arrest" clock will be re-set from 3 to 2.

Reid has spent two seasons with the Colts. He appeared in eight games in 2005 and 15 in 2006.

In researching this item, we also found that Reid has his own web site, with a segment titled "A Day in the Life." We can't wait to read the account of how he spent March 31, 2007.

CARDS THINK GANDY IS, WELL, PRETTY GOOD

The Arizona Cardinals have signed free-agent offensive lineman Mike Gandy to a three-year deal.

Gandy spent the first four years of his career with the Bears and the last two with the Bills. He started every game in Buffalo in 2005 and in 2006.

Because Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart is left-handed, the key position on the Arizona offensive line is right tackle, since the right tackle will protect Leinart's blind side.

POSTED 4:19 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

UNION POISED TO FIGHT JONES, HENRY SUSPENSIONS

A league source tells us that the NFL Players Association is ready to challenge any suspension that Commissioner Roger Goodell imposes on Titans cornerback Pacman Jones and/or Bengals receiver Chris Henry as a result of Tuesday's Park Avenue meeting/hearing/tea-and-crumpets session between the Commish and each player.

Per the source, the situation could quickly become a mess, if the union chooses to fight.

Jones likely will be suspended pursuant to the provision of the Personal Conduct Policy that requires a player to report all arrests to his team. Because he has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any crimes since entering the NFL in 2005, there would be no other basis for taking action against him.

Henry has had a couple of guilty pleas, including most recently a two-day jail term for providing alcohol to a minor.

Some league insiders think that Goodell will throw the book at both players, tossing each out of the league for a full year.

Our guess? Jones will get 10 games, and Henry will get four. (We almost picked 9 for Jones and 5 for Henry, since they wore those jersey numbers while playing college ball 30 miles up the road from PFT headquarters.)

Meanwhile, some league insiders believe that the restrictions on taking action against troublemakers could prompt the owners to be more likely to reopen the CBA early. Either side has the right to cancel the last two years of the current contract between the league and the union by giving notice of its desire to do so on November 8, 2008.

But a league source tells us that the owners' decision in this regard will be driven by one factor and one factor only -- economics. If the new CBA is sufficiently lining everyone's pockets come November 2008, the owners won't pull the plug merely to derive greater power to punish people like Pacman.

POSTED 2:41 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

MODRAK ON THE OUTS IN BUFFALO?

Acting on a tip from a reader, we've learned via discussions with multiple league sources that Bills assistant G.M. Tom Modrak soon could be on his way out of the organization.

Hired by former G.M. Tom Donahoe after he removed his name from consideration for the G.M. gig in Chicago nearly six years ago, Modrak survived the termination of Donahoe after the 2005 season.

Modrak previously worked for the Eagles, and was abruptly fired in a move that stunned many league insiders.

One persistent knock on Modrak, we're told, is that he works primarily from his home. As one league insider said, "I don't know why that would be an issue, since they're lucky to get four hours a day out of [G.M.] Marv Levy."

POSTED 1:09 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

TURNER VISITING THE TITANS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Chargers running back Michael Turner, a restricted free agent, is visiting the Tennessee Titans on Monday.

Turner has been tendered at the highest level, which means that, if the Titans were to sign him to an offer sheet, the Chargers would have the right to match it. If the Chargers choose not to match the offer, they would receive Tennessee's first-round and third-round selections in the April 28-29 draft.

Another possibility would be for the Titans and Chargers to swing a trade for something less than a one and a three.

The Bills also are reportedly interested in Turner. And there has been talk of a possible effort by the Packers to trade for him.

All three teams need a starting tailback; the Titans cut Travis Henry (who signed with the Broncos), the Packers lost Ahman Green to the Texans, and the Bills traded Willis McGahee to Baltimore.

POSTED 12:07 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

CHINA BOWL OFFICIALLY "POSTPONED"

The NFL has announced that the August 2007 preseason game between Seattle and New England has been canceled.

Technically, the game is being "postponed." By two years.

The cancellation/postponement was first reported by Peter King of SI.com on Sunday night. And, as King reported, the reason for the move is that the NFL found itself in the resource-stretching situation of having a preseason game in China followed less than three months later by a regular-season game in London.

"The regular-season game initiative was approved by NFL ownership after we announced the China Bowl. Therefore, we will focus this year’s efforts on the regular-season game," said Mark Waller, senior vice president of NFL International, in a press release.

"Our assessment is that Chinese fans would be better served if our game in China is played at a later date after we have launched our international series of regular-season games and more effectively paved the way for the introduction of our game into China. As a new sport in China, it is critical that we create the best platform for the introduction of the game. We are delighted Beijing authorities have agreed with our assessment and have invited us to play in Beijing in 2009."

The league has not announced whether the 2009 game will still feature the Seahawks and the Patriots. Based on King's explanation that the owners of both teams wanted their franchises to be involved in the first-ever NFL venture in China, our guess is that, barring a change of heart by Paul Allen or Robert Kraft, the participants won't change.

POSTED 8:12 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:39 a.m. EDT, April 2, 2007

BEARS TO MAKE COUNTER TO 'SKINS

Howard Bryant of the Washington Post reports that the Chicago Bears soon will be making a counteroffer to the Redskins for the rights to linebacker Lance Briggs.

Citing an unnamed source, Bryant reports that the Bears are likely to ask for a defensive player in exchange for the proposed flip-flop in first-round picks between the two teams.

Bryant suggests that the candidates are linebackers Lemar Marshall or Rocky McIntosh, either of whom would then potentially replace Briggs in the Bears' Tampa 2 defense.

An open question remains regarding whether Briggs is truly a high-end linebacker, or whether his success is due in large part to his role as the weakside linebacker in the stat-friendly Tampa 2 defense, especially with Brian Urlacher lined up right next to him.

Bryant also reports that the Bears would then trade out of the No. 6 spot in order to land even more draft picks. We agree with that assessment, since if Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo was going to pay the kind of guaranteed money that the No. 6 overall pick receives, Angelo would have simply paid it to Briggs.

G.M.'S CALL FOR GOODELL TO PUNISH PACMAN

Gary Myers of the New York Daily News reports that various NFL General Managers are calling for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to smack Titans cornerback Pacman Jones in the wake of Tuesday's meeting between Goodell and Jones.

"It has to be a hard punishment because [Goodell] has made a big thing about it," one G.M. told Myers. "Whatever the courts do, [Goodell's] got to come down hard on him. Everybody is watching, so he is going to take it to the limit."

"God Almighty, [Jones has] a litany of legal problems," another G.M. said. "We have to make a statement when these kids come into the draft and when these college free agents come into the NFL. If they have a history of problems coming from colleges, we have to get them some help right away, but they also have to know they are literally one step away from being suspended."

Myers also confirms our recent report that the front-office types were briefed about spotting signs of gang activity during last week's meetings in Arizona. "[I]t was brainwashing," one G.M. told Myers regarding the extent of the focus on player behavior at the meetings. "Not only us, our wives. They had seminars for the wives. They brought an FBI person in and he talked to us about gangs and that we have to be more alert, ask more questions, look for more signs about character. They got the message across loud and clear."

The next challenge, as we see it, is for the message to get across loud and clear to the players. Because even as the muckety-mucks were mingling at the Biltmore while digesting a helping of caviar with a side of convict talk, players continued to spend their offseason getting arrested.

POSTED 8:14 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 8:59 p.m. EDT, April 1, 2007

CHINA BOWL GOES BYE BYE

Peter King of SI.com reports that the NFL will announce early this week that the so-called China Bowl, a preseason game between Seattle and New England slated for Beijing in August, will be canceled.

The two teams had been scheduled to meet on August 7 in China (August 8 in the U.S.) at Workers Stadium. Instead, the game won't go forward, and will not be rescheduled until 2009 at the earliest.

The reason for the decision to scuttle the planned game is that, since the decision was made to send the Seahawks and the Pats to China, the NFL's owners voted to play a regular-season game in London. It simply was too much to pull off both overseas parties properly.

"[T]here's no way the league would have gone to China for the first time unless they felt everything would be perfect about it," a league insider told King.

PAYTON WANTS TO BE ABLE TO FLUSH TURDS

Per the New Orleans Times Picayune, Saints coach Sean Payton thinks that NFL teams should be able to take action swiftly against players who misbehave.

"As a coach, the ability to immediately discipline a player, I think, is beneficial," Payton said. "You can release a player if he's not talented enough and if you feel he wasn't going to be good enough to play at that position. The decision is based on talent. But the challenge is if something else happens, and you release a player, there's a certain protocol that has to take place.

"I think it's important there's enough teeth in the disciplining a coach has."

We agree. The problem, however, is that under the Collective Bargaining Agreement teams can't release players who get arrested or who violate the substance-abuse policy or who are involved in any other type of off-field misconduct.

We doubt that the union would ever agree to allow teams to dump players based on arrests. For one thing, the league would risk the creation of a situation in which 32 teams have 32 sets of rules for misbehavior. The other challenge would be to ensure that each team applies a consistent approach for matters of this nature. It's one thing to dump a practice squad player who blows a 0.12; what happens when a local star does the same thing, but gets a pass?

Bottom line -- we believe that the ability to discipline players for off-field shenanigans will remain in the hands of the Commissioner. Even if it makes plenty of sense to give each team the option to fire a guy whose actions has brought shame onto a organization that has a direct link between its public image and its overall profitability.

PANTHERS' DRAFT NEEDS ARE UP

The Panthers' draft needs are up.

We bet you never would have guess that, given the headline.

That is all.

POSTED 3:24 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:03 p.m. EDT, April 1, 2007

STARKS-TO-CARDS RUMOR NOT TRUE

Based on information we've collected over the past day, it appears to us that rumors of the Cardinals making a play for Steelers tackle Max Starks are not accurate.

We recently heard rumblings of a possible deal that would have sent Starks to the Cardinals in exchange for a swap of first-round picks. The Cardinals have the No. 5 overall selection, and the Steelers are at No. 15.

A league source tells us that the rumor is/was just that -- a rumor -- and that there is no current talk of such a deal.

OTHER RUMORS NOT TRUE, TOO

Okay, before Eagles fans pull a Jim Jones over the news that Donovan McNabb might be retiring, it's time for us to come clean on our little April Fool's Day prank.

McNabb isn't retiring, and Peyton Manning isn't being considered for a mid-season cast position on SNL. And Dan Snyder isn't selling the Redskins. And Ron Wolf isn't coming out of retirement. And American Gladiators isn't being resurrected.

We actually pondered abandoning our tradition, given that our traffic has increased so significantly. Every year, plenty of people fall for our April 1 tomfoolery; with more than 600,000 unique visitors in March 2007, we knew that we were taking a risk by continuing our annual tradition.

But, in the end, we decided that it didn't make sense to change. We are what we are. There's no reason to change what we are simply because we're now trespassing on the fringes of the mainstream.

Other April Fool's Day pranks (we think) that have made the rounds this year include a report that the 49ers have acquired receiver Andre Johnson via a trade with the Texans, and that Jeff George will sign with the Chiefs.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

Could LB Cato June bump Derrick Brooks out of the weakside spot in the Tampa Tampa 2?

The receiver-happy Pats could be caliente for Ohio State's Anthony Gonzalez.

The Pats also could be eyeballing LB LaMarr Woodley with one of their two first-round draft picks.

So why do so many first-round wideouts turn out to be busts?

Lions coach Rod Marinelli talks a lot about the draft, but really doesn't say anything.

Note to any rookie who is invited to visit with the Broncos -- don't get too comfortable there.

Maybe Calvin Johnson isn't the best prospect in the draft, after all.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin blasted the Bucs' policy of not allowing assistants under contract to interview for coordinator jobs. "What other industry is there where you perform at a high level, you get an opportunity for advancement and you don't advance?" Tomlin said last week. "I have strong feelings about that. I'll put my money where my mouth is." (Of course, he could have put his money where his mouth is by signing one-year contracts, which would have allowed him to leave . . . but which would not have obligated the team to keep him.)

The Saints begin their offseason program on Monday.

The Raiders and the Panthers are switching to zone blocking.

Saints coach Sean Payton wants to start "chopping wood." (Maybe he should ask Jack Del Rio about the potential hazards of that particular slogan.)

Bucs coach Jon Gruden wants to have dinner with QB Jake Plummer. ("Hey, Jake. Pass the f--king salt.")

At running back, it's L.T., L.J., and then everyone else.

The NFL won't be publicizing details of Pacman Jones' meeting with the Commish. (At this point, it's unknown whether Jones plans to bring a garbage bag full of cash with him.)

Fins G.M. Randy Mueller isn't bothered by the exodus of veteran players from Miami: '"I would rather win during the season than win on paper during the offseason," he said. (But how would Mueller know how either dynamic feels?)

RB Ricky Williams has commenced the process of getting reinstated.

Talks between the Pats and P Todd Sauerbrun are at a standstill.

There's been no progress between the Colts and DE Dwight Freeney, who has been slapped with the exclusive franchise tag.

The Colts choose not to reload via free agency.

The Saints might be interested in K Mike Vanderjagt.

Contrary to reports, the Saints have not yet hosted WR Keenan McCardell.

Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo takes an apparent swipe at agent Drew Rosenhaus, but we're not quite sure what it means: ''As I've come to find out,'' Angelo said, ''really we have two commissioners: the one that runs the NFL and the one that runs the things that happen to the NFL.''

Brandon McGowan and Tyler Everett are the top two candidates to replace Todd Johnson and Cameron Worrell on the Bears' special teams.

Says Bucs coach Jon Gruden regarding RB Adrian Peterson: "I personally think this running back from Oklahoma might be the best back I've ever seen coming out of college. He's a punishing guy. Go back and watch him as a freshman. In nine games, this man has 1,800 yards. He doesn't try to go out of bounds. Every time he carries the ball, he tries to hurt you. Bad. And he's fast. He's mean, he's tough. This guy is something else." (Translation: "I hope and pray that one of the three teams that draft in front of me will take Peterson, since I don't really need a tailback this year and I hope that one of the guys I want will still be around.")

The Bucs will give QB Chris Simms the first snap when they open OTAs on April 10. (Apparently, there's a new rule in the CBA that quarterbacks without spleens get preference in offseason workouts.)

[Editor's Note: The following stories are our annual April Fool's Day edition.]

POSTED 7:15 a.m. EDT, April 1, 2007

McNABB TO RETIRE?

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is contemplating retirement, a source close to McNabb tells us.

Per the source, McNabb has grown weary of rehabbing the ACL that he tore last season, and he has decided that he has had enough.

"He always gets hurt," said the source. "And he thinks that it's just going to happen again. So why bother spending all the time and effort getting healthy?"

McNabb has missed extensive time over the past several years with a broken ankle, a hernia, and the ACL tear.

The primary in-house options for the Eagles to replace him would be A.J. Feeley and Kelly Holcomb. Holcomb was acquired a few days ago in a trade with the Bills. They also could bring in a proven veteran, such as Jeff George.

MORE PARTS FOR PEYTON?

Though Colts quarterback Peyton Manning plans to continue to play football, he could have some other opportunities in the entertainment business.

Lorne Michaels, the producer and creator of Saturday Night Live, is pondering the possibility of making Manning a mid-season addition to the cast after Manning's football season ends in 2008.

"He's a natural," Michaels said, according to the New York Daily Post. "And he'd be a good influence on the rest of the cast. Even after the deaths of John Belushi and Chris Farley, some of those guys still haven't learned that it's not a good idea to constantly snort cocaine. Plus, Manning is a man's man. Some of the guys on our cast are a little bit, well, fruity. Not that there's anything wrong with it."

Manning's March 24 performance as host of the long-running show also has caught the eye of Hollywood, where Mel Brooks is now considering an offer to Manning for a role in the remake of Young Frankenstein.

"When I saw Manning with a skull cap on," said Brooks, "it was Peter Boyle all over again. Manning would be a perfect Frankenstein monster. But we'd have to get him into the gym. He's got the boobs of an eight-year-old boy."

SNYDER TO SELL IF 'SKINS STUMBLE AGAIN?

After eight years of trying to take the Washington Redskins back to the Super Bowl, owner Dan Snyder could soon be admitting that he's not cut out for the role.

A league source tells us that, if the 'Skins fail to make the playoffs in 2007, Snyder might be firing the only person whom he hasn't fired yet. Himself.

"He seems to be starting to realize that he's the common denominator for every season since he bought the team," said the source. "The question right now is whether he loves the Redskins enough to walk away and let someone else take over."

The source said that another possibility would be for Snyder to sell the majority share of the team to someone else, and then to take a backseat to a new owner.

WOLF WANTS BACK IN

After seven years of retirement, former Packers G.M. Ron Wolf is ready to give it another go.

Per a league source, Wolf is quietly making it known among Green Bay board members that he'd be willing to come back for another stint with the team, if the team were inclined to have him.

The source says that Wolf would only return if he has final say over the roster and the coaching staff, which means that Ted Thompson would have to be demoted or fired.

Wolf led the franchise to its only Super Bowl win in the past 40 years. Since he retired, the team generally has struggled.

ABC/ESPN RESURRECTING GLADIATORS

With surprisingly strong ratings from a recent American Gladiators marathon on ESPN Classic, an industry source tells us that ESPN and ABC plan to bring the show back, after more than a decade off the air.

And the early word is that ESPN will assign Joe Theismann to be the primary host of the show, which is expected to be aired on Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m., as an alternative to NBC's Sunday Night Football.

The plan is not to update the show, but to re-create the same spandex-and-steroids feel that the program created back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. With Theismann under contract to ESPN for the next four years and unwilling to serve as an analyst for college football games, the Gladiators franchise gives ESPN and ABC a way to force Theismann to work for his money.

And since Theismann served as a "commentator" on the show in 1989, he can't claim that he's being asked to do something that he's never before done in his broadcasting career.

APRIL 1 (HINT, HINT) ONE-LINERS

Falcons QB Mike Vick has decided to fully embrace his fresh start in Atlanta by legally changing his name to Ron Mexico.

To create a roster spot for WR Calvin Johnson, the Raiders are moving WR Jerry Porter to quarterback; "He's already better than any quarterback we have under contract," coach Lane Kiffin said.

Former Dolphins coach Nick Saban is filing suit against the team for stealing a case of Little Debbie cakes that he accidentally left in his office after leaving in January. (Saban claims that the culprit was Dom Capers, since the goop inside of Devil Squares apparently makes for an effective toupee paste.)

Steelers OL Alan Faneca has been skipping offseason workouts because he wants to play weakside linebacker in the team's new Tampa 2 defense; said Faneca, "If Lance Briggs can become a Pro Bowler in that spot, I can be a Hall of Famer."

In an effort to better relate to his players, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis had decided to attend law school at night.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin has apologized for comparing himself to Hitler; "Mussolini would have been more accurate," Coughlin said.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden was offended by Coughlin's Hitler comparison; "He's a f--king creampuff," Gruden said of Coughlin. "If anybody's a f--king Adolf Hitler, it's f--king me."

Joey Sunshine has weighed in on the controversy: "Why does Tom Coughlin think that he's like a former Kentucky basketball coach? That Coughlin definitely is no Norman Einstein."

Cowboys WR Terrell Owens has called a press conference to talk about the fact that no one has been talking about him very much in the offseason.

Former Vikings WR Cris Carter plans to come out of retirement; he'd instantly be installed as the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart.

Bears LB Lance Briggs has decided to sign his franchise tender and play for the team in 2007.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: It's April Fool's day. If you haven't already realized that everything posted from the McNabb retirement story to this point is completely and totally phony and made up, please convey our deepest condolences to your family, your friends, and anyone else who has to interact with you on a regular basis.]

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