POSTED 9:32 p.m. EDT, April 14, 2006

HE WHO'S BONUS BUMPED, AGAIN

The Green Bay Packers have once yet bumped back the trigger date for the $3 million roster bonus due to be paid to quarterback He Who Shall No Longer Be Named.  The April 15 deadline, which has been extended several times since early March, is now July 27.

The date is meaningless, since He Who does not receive the money unless he actually is on the team come September.

With only 15 days until the draft, the Packers likely would prefer at this point that no decision is announced before April 29, so that other teams might presume that the team will draft another quarterback.

We've heard multiple times, from very credible sources, that He Who has told the team he'll be back.  Last Saturday, we caught wind of strong rumors that the Packers gave the league assurances that He Who will play in 2006 before the official schedule was announced, featuring three prime time Green Bay games, including two on Monday Night.

FRIDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Hall-of-Fame WR Lynn Swann, a candidate for governor in Pennsylvania, has yet to give an interview to any Keystone State news outlet.

Bengals president Mike Brown doesn't like the personal attacks on 87-year-old Bills owner Ralph Wilson.  (Hey, Mike -- as far as we can tell, no one is saying anything along those lines . . . but they're all sure as hell thinking it.)

The Titans want taxpayers to pay more than $3.5 million for new end zone scoreboards.  (Hey, Bud -- don't expect the local TV affiliates to carry your water.  Or your rug.)

Chargers LB Shaun Phillips was arrested after a scuffle with police.

The Rams have signed OT Todd Steussie, a first-rounder with the Vikings in 1994.

Jags RB Fred Taylor, 30, wants to play five or six more seasons.

Dolphins G.M. Randy Mueller has been given permission to speak (as long as he doesn't say anything stupid).

Bengals QB Carson Palmer remains optimistic that he'll be ready for the start of the regular season.

DE Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, the brother of Packer Kabeer, has signed with the Chargers.

The Cowboys have matched the offer sheet signed by S Keith Davis with the Saints.

POSTED 1:08 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 2:32 p.m. EDT, April 14, 2006

TEAM LEINART BEGINS TO SQUEEZE THE TITANS

The new objective for Matt Leinart's representation team, which currently consists of Chuck Price and soon could include Ton Condon, is to make Leinart the first overall pick in the draft.

Though it could be far too late to make it happen, the first step appears to be a public flirtation with the team that holds the No. 2 selection.  According to the Nashville Tennesseean, a visit to New Orleans was arranged on Thursday between Leinart and the Saints.

Leinart will make the trip to the Big Easy on Wednesday.

The goal of Team Leinart is to persuade the Tennessee Titans, or the New York Jets, to trade up with the Houston Texans in order to acquire the No. 1 overall choice -- which then would be used on Leinart.  With the Texans likely to draft Leinart's teammate, Reggie Bush, and with the Saints previously believed to have a fleur-de-lis in their pockets for N.C. State defensive end Mario Williams, the Titans would have their choice at No. 3 of Leinart or Texas quarterback Vince Young.

The only risk in this regard is that Team Leinart could overplay its hand, making the ruse more obvious.  Says Price, a novice in the agent business, regarding the Titans:  "[T]hey might not have a chance to get Matt."

Many observers presume that the Saints aren't interest in Leinart, because they signed last month quarterback Drew Brees.  But the contract carries a $12 million option bonus in 2006, possibly making it only a one-year deal.  We've recently suggested that the Saints could draft Leinart if a sale to L.A. interests as soon as 2007 is still in the cards.

"Until New Orleans signed Brees, everyone had Matt going to New Orleans,'' Price said.  "Then he kind of fell off in the talk.  But when you are in a position at one, two or three, you take the best football player on the board, regardless.''

So who is the best football player on the board?  This year, there's no clear answer at No. 1, with teams having various guys at the tops of their boards.  Folks presume the Texans want Bush, but Houston could slide back to No. 3 and possibly still get him -- for a lot less money. 

But if the Saints are in on this charade, what's in it for them?  Easy.  They end up with a clear shot at Williams, whom the Texans coincidentally (or not) have been sniffing around of late.

Of course, there's a chance that the Saints really are interested in Leinart.  Their sudden entry in the process, however,  seems a little convenient in light of the fact that Leinart fired Leigh Steinberg this week because, as we've heard, of unhappiness regarding the low level of interest in Matt at the top of the draft.  Even though no new agent has been hired to replace Steinberg, our guess is that someone with plenty of experience in marketing draft picks is working behind the scenes with Leinart's people in an effort to commence the challenging process of putting the 2004 Heisman winner in the slot he would have occupied if he'd entered the draft a year ago.

Make no mistake about it.  This is high stakes poker.  With each slot below No. 1 that a guy is drafted, millions of dollars is forever lost.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

RB LenDale White's best move at this point, in our view, is to keep his mouth shut.

Bengals LB Odell Thurman expects the defense to improve in 2006.

The Bears are close to an extension with LB Lance Briggs.

The NFL and Louisiana are close to a deal that would pump $20 million from the league into the Superdome.

The Texans will be on the attack with their new 4-3 defense.

New Ravens P Leo Araguz has kicked only 42 times since 2000.

CB Ty Law is talking to the Pats about a possible return.

The Seahawks have signed DE Kemp Rasmussen.

ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli continues to nuzzle the crotch of Eugene Parker.

Although there is confusion and ambiguity in some of the reports regarding DE Richard Seymour's new contract, it looks like he indeed landed a solid deal.

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe looks at the ban on local TV from the sidelines.

And without local TV, we'd never have shots like this one.

Packers WR Donald Driver says that the team should let WR Javon Walker go.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher has criticized LB Keith Bulluck for not attending the offseason program.  (Hello?  NFLPA?  Anyone?  Bueller?)

POSTED 11:52 a.m. EDT, April 14, 2006

T.O. NOT WORKING OUT WITH NEW TEAM

According to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, new Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens isn't a regular participant in the Dallas Cowboys' offseason workout program.

Owens' publicist says, "He is here when he is required to be here just like every other player on the team."

That's fine.  But as a result of a series of public statements over the past five years from head coaches suggesting that players are expected to participate, none of which ever were challenged by the NFLPA, it has become generally accepted in league circles that players will participate in "voluntary" workouts.  Because the new CBA doesn't beef up any of the rules regarding voluntary offseason workouts, 2006 is no different than any prior years.

And Cowboys coach Bill Parcells is no different than his 31 colleagues regarding the mandatory nature of voluntary work.  "To [Parcells], it's about chemistry," a source told the Star-Telegram.  "He wants you here."

In our view, the Cowboys have no one to blame but themselves.  They knew they were acquiring a guy who does what he wants, when he wants, how he wants.  Still, they did nothing to protect themselves.

Instead of creating financial incentives for Owens to participate in voluntary sessions (via, for example, a hefty workout bonus in each year of the deal), the Cowboys gave T.O. $5 million to sign and a $5 million salary for 2006, at a time when the 'Boys really weren't competing with anyone else for his services.

Regardless of whether Owens is wearing a Cowboys uniform come September, his failure to participate in the offseason program increases the likelihood, in our view, that the Tuna will perform multiple verbal colonoscopies on Owens once they get together on the field.  Parcells is the boss in Big D, and Parcells will do everything in his power to get Owens to concede that fact.

Really, Parcells has no choice.  The other 52 guys will be watching this one, carefully.  If the Tuna can't tame T.O., he'll risk losing the rest of the team.

That's why we still think there's a better-than-20-percent chance that, come September, one of these two men will be gone.   

FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The Chargers admit that they are shopping LB Donnie Edwards and S Hanik Milligan.  (Isn't it funny that some members of the "real" media brush off our stories as "Internet reports" when the team issues a denial . . . and then completely ignore us when the team provides confirmation?)

The Chargers hosted OT Winston Justice on Thursday.

The Big Show is P.O'd about the Steve Hutchinson situation.

Some segments of the Buffalo media think it's only a matter of time before the Bills say buh-bye.

Steelers LB James Harrison has signed a four-year, $5.5 million deal.

Half of the NFL's 32 clubs have expressed interest in George Mason hoopster Jai Lewis.

After losing out on LB Keith Adams, the 'Skins might be more inclined to re-sign LB Warrick Holdman.

Major Adams addresses criticism of his bungling of Vince Young's pre-draft preparations.  (Personally, we'd like to see what Adams can score on the Wonderlic.)

Fins coach Nick Saban says he wants QB Vince Young at No. 16 (which likely means that Saban is trying to ensure that Young gets drafted before No. 16, increasing the chances that one of the guys Saban really wants will be on the board when Miami picks).

None of the other owners have commented on Ralph Wilson's attack on the CBA.

Florida State CB Antonio Cromartie and South Carolina CB Jonathan Joseph will visit the Chiefs next week.

Panthers CB Ricky Manning, a restricted free agent, left Chicago without an offer.

POSTED 10:36 a.m. EDT, April 14, 2006

JOHNSON CASHES IN

Fullback Jeremi Johnson, a guy of whom we admittedly hadn't heard before this week, has suddently gone from no-name to highest-paid at his position.

After signing his restricted free agent tender on Thursday, we've learned that Johnson has now agreed to terms on a deal that averages more than $1.5 million annually over five years.

Per a league source, the deal also includes first-year compensation of $2.4 million, in the form of a $1.5 million signing bonus and a $900,000 base salary.  Johnson would have received $712,000 in 2006 under the one-year restricted free agent tender.

The move also gives the Bengals what likely is a first in NFL history -- a starting tailback and fullback with the last name of "Johnson," and a first name than ends in "i."

WAS LEN'S LENDALE PIECE PAYBACK FOR SEYMOUR STORY?

A league source who was as initially confused as we were about the decision of ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli to help reverse the Enron-esque decline of LenDale White's draft stock has managed to connect the dots on this one.

White is represented by Eugene Parker.  Parker also represents Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour.  Pasquarelli broke the story this week regarding the long-term extension reached between the Pats and Seymour.

So the White story was either payback by Pasquarelli, or it was just an example of very good "source relations."

Although, on the surface, Pasquarelli's story includes reference to the criticisms of White in order to create the appearance of real balance, the overriding tone of the piece is positive.  

"While the MRI result vindicates White, who told ESPN.com two weeks ago that he initially injured the hamstring while performing a Cybex test at the league scouting combine in late February, it still leaves scouts with an incomplete assessment of the former Trojans star.

"Most teams are reluctant to invest millions of dollars in a player who has not been fully evaluated.  Of course, scouts also contend that the true measure of a prospect's ability and potential at the NFL level is his body of work on the field in college and not how well he performs in predraft workouts that occur in shorts and T-shirts."

Meanwhile, Pasquarelli offers no commentary whatsoever regarding White's inexplicable decision to have a chiropractor diagnose his torn hamstring.  At a minimum go to a medical doctor.  Better still, an orthopedist.  Even better, a guy like Dr. James Andrews or some other widely recognized leader in the field.

We're not surprised by any of this.  It's Pasquarelli's modus operandi.  Several agents have told us that Pasquarelli has either offered to "pump them up" in exchange for scoop, or that he has admitted to doing puff pieces for other agents in exchange for information. 

What puzzles us is that he continues to get away with it.

We're not suggesting that ESPN should fire him.  But we do believe that the editors in Bristol should no longer condone Pasquarelli's Machiavellian approach to journalism, and that he should be told to knock off the knee pad routine for the guys who makes his job far easier than it should be.

And kudos to John Clayton of ESPN.com for calling it like it really is:  "LenDale White probably feels vindicated, but the revelation that he has a hamstring tear near the pelvic area could cost him any chance of getting selected in the first round."

Finally, here's our take on White.  His film, from what we hear, places him in round one.  But his injury, as diagnosed by a back-cracker, could significantly limit his availability for 2006.  More importantly, his 15 reps in the 225-pound bench indicates that he doesn't like to work out, and that he doesn't appreciate the connection between what he does in the weight room and what he does between the lines against NFL-caliber players. 

So White is a major risk, who could provide a major reward at some point in the future.  Whoever puts his name on a draft card in round one, then, had better feel pretty damn good about his job security, in the event that White ends up being just another Blair Thomas or Maurice Clarett or Curtis Enis or any of the other draft-day running back busts of the past.

POSTED 9:36 p.m. EDT, April 14, 2006

BIG SHOW TROLLING FOR BIG DOUGH?

As Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren a/k/a "the Big Show" toys with his current employer regarding whether he will extend his contract beyond 2006, some league insiders think that Holmgren's indecision is merely a ploy to cash in come 2007 -- either in Seattle or elsewhere.

Said one league source:  "He has no interest in permanently retiring.  The guy is all about money and ego.  All that 'I may be done forever' stuff is a bunch of crap.  Very large checks have a habit of making guys in this business to go pimp for another team."

There's one theory making the rounds that Holmgren will ultimately announce that he plans to retire after the 2006 season, and that he'll then sniff around any of the various openings that will arise in January.

Possible destinations are Dallas, San Diego, and Arizona -- if the Cardinals crash and burn (again) in 2006. 

Then again, Holmgren can always choose to un-retire and stay in Seattle, if the 'Hawks come up with some major coin.

Another possibility for Holmgren, as we see it, is to look for as G.M.-only gig.  The one failure on his resume over the past 14 years has been the Seahawk's poor performance during his time wearing both the coaching and the G.M. hat, and Holmgren might be interested in proving that he can succeed as the guy calling the shots as to the composition of the roster.

A long-term possibility in this regard is Green Bay.  The manner in which the He Who Shall No Longer Be Named situation is unfolding could end up permanently staining G.M. Ted Thompson, making it harder (in our opinion) for him to keep his job unless the Packers can get back to prominence quickly after He Who goes bye bye.