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In an interview with the Philadelphia Daily News, the father of Donovan McNabb reacted to the decision of the team to select quarterback Kevin Kolb in the second round of the 2007 draft.

"I'm not concerned about [the decision to spend the first pick on Kolb]," Sam McNabb said. "My son works for the Philadelphia Eagles right now and when he doesn't any longer, there are 31 other NFL teams he can play for."

Frankly, we don't understand all of the hubbub. Where was all of this hand-wringing and tooth-gnashing when the Falcons picked Matt Schaub in the third round of the 2004 draft? Did anyone believe that Schaub was going to supplant Michael Vick? Or was the move merely viewed for what it was -- an effort to have on hand a capable backup for a quarterback coming off of a serious injury?

In 2003, Vick broke a leg in the preseason and missed much of the year. In 2006, McNabb missed the last six games of the regular season and the playoffs with a torn ACL, only a year after a sports hernia knocked him out of the last seven.

Part of the problem, in our view, is that the team spent so much time over the past few months shouting down rumors that there was a rift with McNabb and/or that his rehab was behind schedule and/or that the team was contemplating life without him.

The selection of Kolb gave immediate credence to the debunked rumors. The use of the team's first selection on a rookie quarterback likewise raises questions as to why the Eagles didn't find a way to keep the unexpectedly popular Jeff Garcia.

Within the building, word is that McNabb is pissed. An industry source tells us that the fans are more upset about the decision to engage in a draft-day trade with the hated Cowboys. Dallas took defensive end Anthony Spencer with the selection that the Eagles traded to them.

"Can you imagine the stupidity?" said the source. "You draft a quarterback of the future after giving your must hated rival a player who can help kill him."

Though we have a hard time getting past the trade to the Cowboys, we aren't ready to kill the Eagles for drafting Kolb. The franchise has decided to confront a hard reality; the franchise quarterback can't stay healthy, and it's time to groom someone who can be his backup on a multi-year basis.

And if after Kolb's contract expires the team decides that it's time for the Eagles to hand the ball to the youngster, that's part of the business that is the new NFL.

McNabb might get an exemption from this when he gets to the Super Bowl and wins it. Until then, he's not untouchable. And it's time for plenty of folks in Philly to accept this fact without getting pissed off.

In a release posted on his official web site, former Raiders receiver Randy Moss makes clear that his first choice for a new home was the place where he eventually landed -- the New England Patriots.

“Several weeks ago, when the Raiders first gave Randy permission to talk to other teams about a possible trade, the first team contacted was New England," said agent Tim DiPiero in the release. "Randy wanted to find a team with an established quarterback and coach, a team with a need at wide receiver and most importantly a team with a good chance of going to the Super Bowl. When you consider the genius of Coach Belichick, the brilliance of Tom Brady, a first class organization with the record of the Patriots which arguably had a need at wide receiver, New England was the natural spot."

As we reported on Sunday, it was an unexpected move by Moss to slash his 2007 salary by more than $6 million that finally got New England's attention on Saturday night.

The Wisconsin State Journal suggests that Moss would have been willing to cut his pay to the same amount that he'll receive in 2007 from the Patriots, and that the deal fell apart only because Green Bay G.M. Ted Thompson would not give up more than a fifth-rounder, even though it's now confirmed that the Packers initially offered (as we had heard) a fourth-rounder for Moss.

The key difference, in our view, is the concession by the WSJ that the Packers wanted a two-year deal. All other things equal, a one-year contract is far better for Moss, since it gives him a chance to rehab his image and hit the cap-crazy free-agent market in March 2008.

So we're not buying -- for a nanosecond -- the notion that the Packers left Moss at the alter. In reality, the guy who once gave a fake moon to the Lambeau Field faithful finally showed his bare butt to the front office.

Several readers have chimed in on whether we should assign grades for the 2007 NFL draft. While taping a Monday night spot with our pals Big O & Dukes of 101.5 Free FM in Phoenix, we finally figured out what to do.

The reality of the draft is that no one knows which of the players selected will be able to perform at the professional level. At every position, the draft has almost as many misses as it has hits, and in every case the jury is out until the draft pick is on the field competing with other NFL-caliber players.

Sometimes, a guy who was dominant at the college level no longer is facing Alcorn State-quality defenders. On other occasions, the player doesn't react well when he's finally cracked upside the head by a grown man with stinky breath and even stinkier stinks emanating from elsewhere.

And, sometimes, a guy whom the scouts regarded as a slappy ends up doing the slapping, and finds a way to take his game to a level of which no one thought he was capable.

At this point we just don't know, so it's asinine to assign grades. Unless we have a way of knowing who'll be good and who won't.

So based on what we know about the guys who landed with new teams on Saturday and Sunday, we'll give an A to the Pats because they picked up for a fourth-round selection a guy who already has shown that he can perform at a high level at this, um, level.

The Niners get a B for adding the good-when-healthy Darrell Jackson, as proven by his body of work in Seattle.

Beyond that, who in the hell knows? And anyone who pretends that he does know is lying or stupid. Or both.

We've posted part one of our post-draft Ten-Pack. Among other things, we look at the marketing miracle that is the draft, the failure of the Fins to manage fan expectations, the need for a merging of the television coverage, our idea for remaking round one, and the need to get rid of those huge contracts at the top of the draft.

After our weekend of draft coverage, we received the following e-mail from agent David Canter: "Congratulations on an amazing weekend of coverage. BEST WEBSITE IN THE WORLD."

Not bad, considering that two years ago we were in Canter's doghouse for repeatedly calling him "Troy Williamson's Biatch."

The refreshing part of all of this is that Canter realizes that we poke fun for the sake of fun, and not out of malice. In most cases. . . . Okay in all cases but one. . . . Um, maybe we should move on.

WVEC-TV reports that Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is not expected to be charged in connection with a dog-fighting operation uncovered last week on property that he owns.

Per the report, authorities planned to meet on Monday to discuss whether to file charges.

But how in the hell can any decision be made as to Vick at this point? Has he been interviewed? Has anyone checked his phone records or credit card records or other paper trail to see if his all-or-nothing "I never go there" denial from Friday holds water (and has a secret compartment)?

If it can be shown that Vick frequents the property, then a jury could infer that he knows a lot more about the situation than he claims.

We know that Vick is a popular figure in his home state of Virginia. But we sure hope that justice will be blind on this one, and that decisions will be made without regard to the celebrity of the person whose name is on the deed of the property on which the troubling proof of animal abuse was found.

We're working on a Ten-Pack of takes regarding this past weekend's draft. We hope to get part one up tonight, and part two at some point tomorrow.

We've also been asked by several readers to issue draft grades. We think the process is sort of useless, since it's impossible to gauge the success of any draft more than four months before the players take their first NFL snap.

A league source tells us that the biggest problem with the NFL draft isn't anything that happens during the draft, but what commences after the draft. And the source says that everyone concerned wants to see real change.

Specifically, a land rush begins for all of the guys who would have been drafted in rounds eight through twelve in the days before the landmark CBA that ushered in real free agency. Since 1993, the draft has been limited to seven rounds.

The problem, as the source explained, is that everyone involved in the post-draft feeding frenzy is making decisions too quickly, without full information. Though teams can remedy any mistakes made during the process by cutting the players in question, the players (who picked teams while reeling from the reality that their dream of getting drafted wasn't fulfilled) have no way out of a situation that in the light of day might not have been their best destinations.

The draft was cut from twelve to seven rounds in order to give incoming players more freedom. But, as a practical matter, there's no chance for many players to make prudent choices because they're faced with having to make quick decisions in response to offers from teams that are prepared to move on (or move out) if the players hesitate.

So why not impose a moratorium after the end of the draft? Following the first day, teams have a chance to assess their picks and their plans before resuming the process with rounds four through seven. Why not require everyone to take a break as undrafted players field offers and make sound decisions at to their first NFL destinations?

Everyone would benefit. Sure, some bidding wars might break out for the hottest free-agent commodities, but isn't that what free agency is all about?

So we think a 48-hour window should be put in place, and that no team should be permitted to sign any players until after the two-day period expires.

If anyone can think of any good reason to continue with the current free-for-all approach, we'd love to hear it.

He last played in the NFL in 2004. Mitchell, who played college football at Syracuse, was the 53rd overall pick in the 1994 draft.

"Kevin and his family are in my thoughts and prayers today, and in the prayers of the entire Redskins organization," said Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder said. "He was one of the first players I bonded with and was a great family man. Anyone who knew him was touched by his smile, joy for life and love of his family. Anyone who ever played with him or against him never forgot it. He earned our deepest respect."

Mitchell suffered the heart attack early Monday in his newly-built home in Leesburg, Virginia.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network, who nearly got into a slap-fight with Mike Mayock on Sunday regarding the newsworthiness of the Randy Moss trade (by the way, we think Mayock was merely miffed that "real" NFL news was getting in the way of his use of mind-numbingly inane jargon regarding no-name players) , reports that the Eagles have cut veteran linebacker Dhani Jones.

Jones was signed for two more seasons, at salaries of $2.35 million this year and $2.6 million in 2008.

A sixth-round pick in the 2000 draft, Jones is a seven-year NFL veteran. He spent four seasons with the Giants and the past three with the Eagles.

He could end up back in New York, given that they are so thin at the position they are moving other players there. (Who's next, Jared Lorenzen?)

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers paid a signing bonus of (drum roll, please) zero dollars and zero cents to tight end Jerramy Stevens in connection with his contract to join the team.

The deal is for one year, and pays a salary of $600,000. Thus, the team can walk away before the start of the regular season and owe him nothing. If he's cut after the games that count commence, he'll have the option to take the balance of his salary under the rule giving each player with four years of service in the league the one-time ability to collect the rest of his current year's pay.

Still, the guy is a complete turd off of the field, and we were initially surprised that the Bucs added him to the team. After further review, it only confirms that coach Jon Gruden and G.M. Bruce Allen are on the hot seat this season. They need to put a winner together, and if it means signing guys who might get in trouble and potentially cause the team to incur fines or lose draft picks under the beefed-up Personal Conduct Policy, it's a risk that Gruden and Allen are more than willing to take, since there's a chance that they won't be around when the margarita hits the fan.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio seems like a nice guy. Sure, he uses a little too much water. And, yeah, he once allowed his players to incorporate a deadly weapon into their locker room shenanigans. But he seems like he's an okay guy.

Not dumb in the Mike "Meathead" Tice way. Dumb in the way that he lets his ego overpower what's good for him, and for his team.

Case in point -- in an effort to throw water on the widespread belief that he has to win now or he'll be fired, Del Rio is hinting that he wanted to select quarterback Brady Quinn in the first round of the 2007 draft.

"Contrary to how it's been portrayed in the media, I don't believe in coaching scared," Del Rio said, according to Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union. "I believe in acquiring talent and coaching the heck out of it and competing."

Del Rio explained that there was no consensus within the organization on taking Quinn, but there was a consensus on drafting Florida safety Reggie Nelson, whom the team picked instead.

So on which side of the internal Quinn debate was Del Rio? "I actually have a little more aggressive approach toward the quarterback position in particular, but we make Jaguars picks," Del Rio said. "I'm not trying to open up and make it a big story, because it's really not."

We wonder whether Jags quarterback Byron Leftwich thinks it's a small story. Leftwich was tossed to the curb during the 2006 season, and inexplicably re-embraced by Del Rio in February as the starter for 2007, the final year of his contract. What does Del Rio's apparent desire to take Quinn say about whether Leftwich will have a job in Jacksonville in 2008?

Frankly, we're still not sold on the proposition that Leftwich will be the starter in 2007. Though neither of the team's other in-house options have shown that they can steal the job, we believe that the aforementioned Meathead already is putting a bug in Del Rio's ear about how a guy like Daunte Culpepper could turn the offense around, if/when he is cut by the Dolphins.

It was Tice, after all, who was calling the shots in Minnesota when Culpepper had one of the greatest single-season quarterbacking performances in league history. With Del Rio, Tice, and everyone else on the staff staring the unemployment line in the face, an upgrade at the position is sorely needed.

Del Rio's musings about Quinn suggest that the head coach realizes it. And Del Rio also knows that the rest of us know that he knows the upgrade must come now. If it happens in 2008, it could very well be on someone else's watch.

Falcons LB Demorrio Williams tore a pectoral muscle lifting weights last week, prompting the team to draft Stephen Nicholas in round four; Nicholas could start the regular-season opener.

The understatement of the century from Eagles rookie QB Kevin Kolb, on how he compares to starter Donovan McNabb: "He's better than me right now."

The table could be set in Baltimore for QB Troy Smith, and he soon could end up in time becoming the nemesis of his hometown team, the Browns.

Patriots owner Bob Kraft, on the team's biggest acquisition of draft weekend: "The fact that a player would restructure his contract to come here really makes me proud of the brand that we've created here with the Patriots."

Despite a recent suggestion from former Steelers coach Bill Cowher that he might never coach in the NFL again, we're hearing that the sure-fire Hall-of-Famer is privately acknowledging interest in three jobs: the Browns, the Chiefs, and the Panthers.

The Cleveland and Carolina jobs could become available as soon as 2008. The Chiefs hired their current head coach, Herm Edwards, in 2006, and barring a total collapse this season (which, actually, is a possibility), the K.C. gig won't open up until 2009 at the earliest.

Cowher played for the Browns and worked in Cleveland as an assistant coach. He served as defensive coordinator in Kansas City before becoming the head coach of the Steelers. And he currently lives in North Carolina, the same state in which he attended college.

We've long believed that Cowher would land in Washington after the retirement of Joe Gibbs, primarily because owner Dan Snyder will likely offer Cowher a salary in the range of $10 million per year. But it could be that Cowher has been cautioned by his friend and mentor Marty Schottenheimer regarding the realities of coaching the Redskins, given that Marty was schott-canned after only one season as coach there.

We addressed on Sunday our position regarding the decision of the NFL, at the behest of linebacker Shawne Merriman, to disclose that Merriman has had 20 steroids tests . . . and has passed 19 of them. Well, we've thought about it a little more, and we think that a couple more points need to be made.

First, no information was given by the NFL as to the timing of the tests. For all anyone knows, Merriman passed only two urine tests before providing dirty urine in the 2006 preseason. If so, those 17 clean samples given after he got caught would be even more meaningless to the question of whether he is or isn't an intentional cheater.

And that was the goal of the disclosure -- to suggest that his one-out-of-20 positive result was a fluke or, as Merriman has claimed, the product of a spiked supplement he took at about the same time his web site said he wasn't taking any supplements.

Under the league's Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances, initial testing of a rookie occurs in conjunction with the scouting combine. For Merriman, that occurred in February 2005. As we've recently explained, anyone who tests positive in late February of their draft year is either stoopid or has a drug problem, since they all know that they'll be tested, and they all have the ability to get clean in advance. So passing that test, as Merriman did, means nothing.

Next, Merriman was tested as part of the annual/preseason testing of each player. Though the specific date on which the annual/preseason testing will occur is not specified in the policy, it generally happens at training camp. The message, then, is clear to the players -- show up clean in late July. Again, passing that test, as Merriman did in his rookie year of 2005, means nothing to us.

It's possible that Merriman was later tested during the 2005 season as part of the league's random testing protocol. The disclosure from the league does not specify whether any of the tests that Merriman passed before testing positive were random in nature.

It's also possible, then, that the bulk of negative test results came in the weeks and months after Merriman tested positive. And, realistically, does anyone expect Merriman to test positive when he knows that he is subject to unannounced testing at any time in the wake of his positive result?

So, in theory, it could be that Merriman passed only two steroids tests that he knew were going to be imposed before, say, getting nailed on a random basis late in the 2006 offseason.

Without full and complete disclosure from the league as to the timing of and reasons for the testing, there's no way to know. And that makes the "but I was clean 19 times" excuse even less useful or relevant.

Second, has the league not considered the precedent it is now setting by allowing this confidential information to be disclosed? Future players who test positive will now feel compelled to make further disclosures in order to avoid any inferences that the absence of such statistics must mean that the player hasn't passed many (or any) steroids tests. See, the core of the problem here is that the intended audience for the Merriman disclosure -- the casual NFL fan -- doesn't know the in's and the out's of the testing procedures, and clings to superficial concepts like "Well, if Merriman passed 19 out of 20 tests he must not be Barry Bonds." So now the league has backed all future players who test positive into a corner, and the casual fan will be more likely to assume that, if the NFL doesn't issue a press release as to how many tests the guy passed, the player who tested positive must be a "real" steroids user.

Third, Merriman is now represented by Tom Condon of CAA. Could it be that Merriman's disclosure was more about indirectly propping up Condon after a horrendous weekend in which his prized 2007 draft class client could have been the No. 1 overall pick if Condon would have been willing to take a "bad" deal at No. 1 and instead fell all the way to No. 22, where even a great deal at that slot will be worth multiple millions less than what Quinn could have gotten?

Anyway, the whole thing stinks to us. The logic is flimsy, and it sets a bad precedent. Though we generally like what Roger Goodell has done during his time on the job and we're convinced he'll be a great Commissioner, allowing Merriman and/or Condon to create a bad precedent for future players in the hopes of floating a truly meaningless piece of information is the first clear error of the Goodell era.

Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga said earlier this year that any draft pick who isn't in training camp on time would be "sitting out, baby."

We wonder whether it applies to guys who aren't at camp because they're injured.

If he's not, it'll only increase the criticism that the team will face for passing on quarterback Brady Quinn and taking a chance on Ginn with the No. 9 overall pick.

Ginn suffered a foot injury after returning the opening kickoff of the national championship game for a touchdown. He was hit low by a teammate during the celebration.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Falcons quarterback Michael Vick had a 20-minute conversation on Saturday, in connection with Vick's appearance at the 2007 NFL Draft to support the league's salute to Virginia Tech.

Goodell reportedly was direct with Vick regarding his expectations of one of players near the top of the league's short list of superstars.

Vick acknowledged the meeting to the AJC, and in an interview with ESPN. Said Vick:

"After what happened Friday, and then what happened on Monday, I just wanted to crawl in a hole. I can't take it no more. I walk around with a smile on my face and act like I'm happy, but on the inside it's hurting. And it's killing me. I ain't got no more energy left for it. The more I continue to do things and my name is in the media, I'm not going to get anywhere. I'm taking it upon myself and giving everybody my word that things are going to get changed around. Things are going to get turned around. I have a game plan for it. The company I keep, a lot of things gotta change, and I mean that from the heart."

Vick has still offered no specific explanation for either of last week's embarrassments. On Monday night, he missed a connecting flight to D.C. for a Tuesday morning commitment to lobby on behalf of after-school programs, and then failed to show up for a later plane onto which he had been booked. On Friday, Vick was forced to address the results of a search of property he owns in Virginia, at which extensive evidence of dog fighting allegedly was found.

He has not offered up any explanation for the travel snafu. As to the dog-fighting issue, he has blamed his family and has claimed that he never goes to the property. This claim is contradicted by a quote from a neighbor, who said that Vick was seen at the property walking dogs. "I've seen Michael walking dogs, but it didn't look like a fighting dog," Earnest Hardy told WAVY-TV.

And Vick was charged with trespass in February at a Virginia lake not far from the property that he owns. Was he staying at a hotel, or at the house he bought and paid for?

Moreover, and as we set forth on Friday night, it's obvious that Vick is (or at least at one time was) heavily involved in breeding dogs that could be used for fighting.

The Falcons claim that they will explore Vick's knowledge of the apparent dog-fighting operation after the draft. But under the new Personal Conduct Policy we think that the team should keep its nose out of any investigation and defer the matter to the league office. Though we have no reason to suspect that the Falcons would use their own preliminary investigation as a tool for helping Vick to prove his innocence, why risk an appearance of impropriety if, after the Falcons look into the matter, Vick suddenly is saying all of the right things that would point to his complete exoneration?

Based on our discussions with league sources and other insiders, it appears that the Moss-to-Pats deal went down when the former Raiders receiver presented to the team the possibility of slashing his 2007 pay by more than $6 million.

It's our understanding that this gesture, coupled with the so-so names on the draft board after the first three rounds were finished, was just enough to get the Patriots to bite.

Though we previously reported that his 2007 salary will now be $3.5 million, the salary will (as others have reported) be $3.0 million. But, as best we currently can discern, realistic incentives can still push the total value to $5.0 million.

Even if Moss reaches all of the incentives, a payment of $5.0 million is a steal for a guy who is only 30.

Moreover, with a one-year deal, Moss will have every incentive to bring the heat, each and every week. He's auditioning for his last big contract. None of his prior Pro Bowl performances came in a season in which he was playing for a new deal. That added incentive coupled with his physical gifts could result in a performance that conjures memories of 1998.

It's a win-win, as we see it. Moss has a chance to set himself up for one more huge payday, and the Pats have the guy who could put them over the top in their quest for a fourth Super Bowl in seven seasons.

And, as we previously explained, there's no financial risk for the team. No signing bonus. No roster bonus. His salary becomes guaranteed if he's on the roster when the season begins. But the powers-that-be in New England will know full well whether or not Moss "gets it" before they make decisions as to the 53 men who will make the team.

The presence of Moss also puts the Pats in position to have a strong, battle-hardened receiver corps, since there are too many butts and not enough seats on the depth chart to accommodate Donte' Stallworth, Kelley Washington, Wes Welker, Jabar Gaffney, Reche Caldwell, Chad Jackson, Troy Brown (maybe), and Moss. Someone is gonna get cut. Probably two. In our view, Washington and Caldwell shouldn't get too comfortable. Gaffney might go, too, since they'll need some young guys at the position who'll play special teams beyond the first three or four spots.

Our projected depth chart? Moss at No. 1, Stallworth at No. 2, Welker at No. 3, Brown at No. 4, and one or two first-year or second-year guys to help out on the punt and kicking teams. Jackson, a second-round pick in 2006, could end up being stashed on IR, or traded.

So we think it's a great move, with a very low risk and a high potential reward. For both the team and the player. After all, Moss was never going to see that $9.75 million this year from the Raiders or anyone else; the fact that he understood this fact and cut a fair deal based on the current state of his career suggests that he's ready to do whatever he has to do to get his name back on the short list of elite NFL receivers.

A lot of the folks we saw and heard on television today don't think he can do it. And that makes it even more likely that he can, and that he will.

It was no secret that Packers quarterback Brett Favre was pushing for the team to add Randy Moss. We had been hearing it for months. As of last week, Favre was certain that Moss was heading to Lambeau Field. ESPN's Chris Mortensen, who likely has Favre's agent Bus Cook on speed dial, has been saying all offseason that Favre has been lobbying for the move.

A source tells us that Favre is not happy with the manner in which the Moss deal went down. But he's not upset with the team; he's miffed, we're told, that Moss turned his back on the Pack by refusing to re-do his deal for anyone other than the Pats.

For weeks, it appeared that Green Bay was the only team interested in Moss. Sure, there had been rumors of New England's interest prior to the 2006 trading deadline, but the team's run on receivers in free agency seemingly closed the door on a deal.

As of last week, it appeared to be the Packers or no one. At a time when Randy believed that the Pack were his only option for getting his career back on track, Favre was working to make it happen.

Then came the Pats, like the new girl in school who started batting her eyelashes at the quarterback who already had a date for the homecoming dance. So Moss did an about-face, and the Packers were left holding the bag.

And Favre is the one who went to bat for him. And Moss stuck the bat up Favre's cheese chute.

Stevens, known best for dropping passes and for stirring up Joey Porter prior to Super Bowl XL, was a first-round draft choice of the Seahawks in 2002. His contract expired after the 2006 season.

He was arrested last month on DUI and marijuana possession charges. Since those charges are still pending, the two misdemeanors result in six Turd Watch points for the Bucs.

And that pushes Tampa Bay into a tie with the Tennessee Titans, at 30 points each.

By selecting cornerback Tarell Brown in the 2007 draft, we believed the San Francisco 49ers picked up three points in the PFT Turd Watch, by virtue of marijuana possession charges that are still pending against the former Texas defender.

However, as a reader has pointed out, the charges were dropped on April 26, two days before the draft.

San Fran previously had zero points in Turd Watch. They're now in a four-way tie for the NFC West lead.

The New England Patriots got two steals on Sunday. First, they picked up one of the best receivers in the game for only a fourth-round draft pick.

Per a league source, the $21 million in salary over two years under Randy's prior deal was replaced by a one-year contract with a $3.5 million base salary and $1.5 million in incentives. [Editor;'s note: Other reports peg the salary at $3 million. The accurate numbers will be known once the contract is reported to the NFLPA.]

The only downside for the Patriots is that, if Moss re-establishes himself as a superstar in 2007, they'll have to pay him in 2008, either with a new contract or the franchise tag.

And the deal allows the Pats to evaluate Moss carefully in the offseason, training camp, and preseason. If Moss doesn't still have it, or if he is in any way a pain in the butt, the Pats lose not a penny.

In his introduction to the New England media, Randy Moss punctuated a conference call by proclaiming: "The Moss of old is back, and let's just leave it at that."

The statement came in response to a question as to whether he recently had run the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds. Reports were mentioned throughout the day as part of the (yawwwwwnnnn) day-two draft coverage that Moss ran multiple 40s in the 4.3 range very recently.

Moss also said that what he has done during his nine-year career is just a "glimpse" of what he can do in the future. If that's true, then it's time for rest of the AFC to worry about who'll be the losing team in the conference title game for the next few years.

And the Moss of old was back in other ways. He showed flashes of irritability and condescension, claiming that anyone who would criticize his professionalism has never played the game, and inviting anyone who has concerns -- male or female -- about his off-field behavior to "line up against me."

He refused to talk about his past issues (including his "blue moon" marijuana habit), and he deftly avoided questions regarding his new deal, and regarding whether he was willing to restructure his two-year, $21 million salary only for the Patriots. All he would say was that money wasn't a factor for his arrival in New England.

"I'm just very happy to find some happiness and getting back to what I love to do and that's play football and go out there and compete," Moss said.

Moss said that other teams that were pursuing him included Green Bay, and "maybe Tampa Bay and Jacksonville."

He also said that coach Bill Belichick called him last night, and that he has spoken to quarterback Tom Brady.

Moss showed some respect for legendary Pats wideout Troy Brown, who like Moss played college football in Huntington, West Virginia, when Moss referred to himself as the second-best receiver to come out of Marshall.

The real question moving forward is whether and to what extent Moss is on a short leash in New England. He claims that the subject did not come up during his discussion with Belichick; Adam Schefter of NFLN reported that one false move will get Randy cut.

For the sake of both sides, we hope that he's not on a short leash. Because based on his words and demeanor during the conference call the Moss of old really is back.

The NFL has disclosed the results of all of linebacker Shawne Merriman's steroids tests.

And O.J. Simpson has made it through more than 18,000 days on earth without killing two people.

Sure, it's an extreme comparison. But the point is that, when it comes to following the rules, the days on which a guy complies are irrelevant.

So Merriman generated one dirty urine sample. And he missed four games for it. If he'd provided another dirty sample, he would have missed more.

So what? He failed a drug test, and he was suspended. Who cares about what we already knew? He took other drug tests, and he passed them. Whoop-de-do.

But Merriman is apparently still feeling the sting of being called out by players like Champ Bailey and Jason Taylor, both of whom questioned whether a guy who tests positive for steroids should be eligible for postseason honors. And Merriman likely is still hearing the whispers regarding his accelerated weight gain in the preparations for the 2005 draft.

Still, Merriman's overall interests aren't advanced by continuing to talk about his one failed test. Cheating isn't a batting average. You either cheat, or you don't. Merriman cheated. Perhaps inadvertently, but he cheated nonetheless. The fact that he didn't cheat (or, perhaps more accurately, wasn't caught cheating) 19 other times doesn't change the fact that he cheated once.

A league source tells us that Randy Moss has passed his physical and the trade of Randy Moss to the Patriots is done.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Raiders receiver Randy Moss is in the process of being traded to the New England Patriots. In return, the Raiders will get a fourth-round draft pick.

The deal hinges on Moss passing a physical. If reports of Moss recently running a sub-4.30 in the 40 are true, it should be a breeze. (Unless, of course, being an asshole shows up on an MRI.)

Just yesterday, a league source with knowledge of the situation told us that it was doubtful that the Patriots would acquire Moss. Apparently, the Raiders opted to slash their asking price after the first day of the draft ended.

Moss reportedly has agreed to dramatically restructure his contract, which was scheduled to pay him a salary of $9.75 million in 2007 and $11.25 million in 2008. It's unknown whether more years will be added.

Schefter also says that the Pats are putting Moss on notice that he will be cut if he repeats any of his past problems, which have included incidents like squirting an official with a water bottle, knocking down a traffic cop with his car, and berating a busload of team boosters.

For this reason, we expect his contract to include devices like per-game roster bonuses, which will allow the team to walk away at any moment without taking a financial bath.

With all that said, the CBA doesn't allow teams to cut a player for off-field misbehavior. So there could still be a fight over money if the Pats were to pull the plug on him.

Just the other day, our newest addition Michael David Smith mentioned the Lawrence Taylor Lesson, about which the late David Halberstam wrote in his book The Educaton of a Coach, an in-depth look at Pats field boss Bill Belichick. When working as the defensive coordinator of the Giants, Belichick saw first-hand that coach Bill Parcells applied a different set of rules to Taylor, because his supreme talents made his warts worth tolerating.

For Belichick and his "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" approach to pro football, he has for the first time in New England a guy who is a supreme talent, but who can be an even more supreme turd.

And we're willing to give Moss the benefit of the doubt here. We have been hard on him over the past few years because we have watched him squander his talents by not giving his all, all of the time. If any team can get the most out of him on every snap, it's the Patriots.

Day one of the NFL draft came and went with no trade that sent receiver Randy Moss to the Packers, the Patriots, or anywhere else.

If the Raiders want to get a 2007 draft pick for Moss, the highest they'll see is a fourth-round pick.

But the alternative isn't to merely cut Moss. They can still trade him for a 2008 draft pick, and such a selection wouldn't hurt, since a 2008 third-rounder was given up to the Pats along with a 2007 seventh-rounder for a New England pick at the bottom of round three.

That transaction resulted in this snarky entry on the Pats' official web site, which a reader pointed out to us: "The Patriots traded their third round pick to the Raiders. Oakland then selected Florida State OT Mario Henderson for some reason."

The only sure thing at this point is that Moss won't be a Raider in 2007. A salary of $9.75 million is too much to pay to a guy who surely doesn't want to be there, and the efforts to trade him surely don't make him any more eager to mend fences.

A league source told us on Saturday that it is doubtful that Moss will end up in New England. The best bet, then, is Green Bay. But we also wouldn't rule out the Jags or the Bucs, since either team would put Moss in his adopted home state of Florida.

Due to an bigger-than-we-could-have-imagined response to our 12-hour Live Blog of day one of the 2007 NFL Draft coverage, ProFootballTalk.com has seen for the first time in nearly five-and-one-half years of existence more than one million total page views in a single day.

Seriously, thanks to each of you who helped us get to this goal. Our prior high-water mark, established on the first day of free agency, was 750,000 page views.

We've heard that several teams are calling clubs that hold picks in the bottom of round one in an effort to trade up.

The primary reason for a move is to get a quarterback. The Dolphins, for example, are one of the teams who are trying to get in position to get the first pick of the second tier of signal-callers, if they don't get Brady Quinn at No. 9. In fact, one of the reasons that the Fins aren't inclined to trade up for Quinn is that they're content to get a quarterback in round two (or, if they move up, late in round one).

There's another reason for getting from round two into the bottom of round one. Under the CBA, a five-year contract can be forced on a guy taken in the bottom of round one. But four years is the limit in round two.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions are close to a deal that would send the No. 2 overall pick in the draft -- presumably, receiver Calvin Johnson -- to the Bucs.

The two sides have been haggling for a while, and ESPN's Sal Paolantonio has been all over it from his perch in Tampa.

On Friday, the Lions decided to take Johnson absent a deal that they like. We've heard that they want the No. 4 pick, both of the Bucs' second-round selections, and cornerback Brian Kelly.

ESPN's Ed Werder reports that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin has denied a report from ESPN.com's Michael Smith that the Raiders have told quarterback JaMarcus Russell that he will be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Werder and Adam Schefter of NFL Network also report that the Raiders are talking to the Browns about a flip-flop of the No. 1 and No. 3 selections, which presumably would allow the Browns to get Russell.

Meanwhile, Schefter says that the Browns would otherwise take left tackle Joe Thomas at No. 3. But we're hearing talk that within the past couple of days owner Randy Lerner has told G.M. Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel that their options are Russell, Brady Quinn, and Calvin Johnson.

It was Schefter who initially reported several weeks ago that Lerner had given the directive to Savage and Crennel to take a quarterback.

A league source tells us that the Arizona Cardinals plan to choose between offensive tackle Levi Brown, running back Adrian Peterson, and cornerback Leon Hall with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft.

Hall is a candidate for the Cards because the team is thinking about moving Antrel Rolle to safety, due in part to the fact that he showed up for offseason workouts overweight.

Other teams in the top ten are eyeing Hall, who apparently will be the first cornerback off the board.

Brown is the most logical choice, especially since the Cardinals have been putting out the word that they don't want him. It's part of the pre-draft chicanery.

As to Peterson, the selection is curious, given the presence of Edgerrin James. But both Super Bowl teams had two tailbacks who split touches, and Peterson might need someone to share the load while he proves that he can stay healthy. In addition to the collarbone injury that he aggravated in the Fiesta Bowl, a league source tells us that there also are questions as to whether he has had arthroscopic surgery in the past on his knee.

We've decided to stay with the rumor mill updates until the official draft coverage begins at noon Eastern.

A league source tells us that the Washington Redskins will draft either safety LaRon Landry or defensive end Jamaal Anderson with the No. 6 overall pick in the draft.

Per the source, the 'Skins actually have defensive tackle Amobi Okoye listed higher on their board, but they believe that they greater needs at safety and defensive end.

The Redskins are not expected to do a deal with the Bears for linebacker Lance Briggs, which would have moved the 'Skins to No. 31. However, even if a trade could be done for Briggs, it's our understanding that the Bears don't want the No. 6 overall pick because they believe they wouldn't be able to trade down out of it.

Michael Smith of ESPN.com reports that the Oakland Raiders will take quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Smith, citing unnamed sources, says that offensive coordinator Greg Knapp flew to New York to meet with Russell and reassure him that he will be the guy at No. 1.

After a relatively quiet night (even scouts and G.M.'s have to sleep), it is looking like LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell will be the No. 1 selection in the draft, and will head to the Raiders.

But would we be shocked if owner Al Davis has a trick or two up his sleeve? Not at all.

The talk as of late Friday night was that Russell will not have a contract in place before he is drafted.

In the rest of the top ten, the Lions are poised to select receiver Calvin Johnson (and possibly keep him). The Browns will choose between left tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn. But with coach Romeo Crennel and G.M. Phil Savage close to if not already on the hot seat, we see them opting for the guy who can come in and help right now, and that guy is Thomas.

If Thomas is the pick at No. 3, a collective cry of "Newman!" will emanate from the Tampa Bay draft room; they want Johnson or Thomas, and could get neither. The Bucs won't take Quinn, and would likely jump on defensive end Gaines Adams in the hopes that a subsequent trade could be made with the Lions, so that Tampa can get Calvin Johnson. We also don't rule out running back Adrian Peterson, but the fact that they took Cadillac Williams with the No. 5 pick two years ago suggests that the Bucs won't tie up another huge contract in an early pick at that position.

At No. 5, the Cardinals could trade down with the Dolphins, so that Miami can lock up Quinn. If Arizona uses the pick, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye or Peterson could be the guy. We're leaning to Okoye.

The Redskins would take (we think) Adams or Okoye if they are on the board at No. 6. If not, don't he surprised to hear the name "Jamaal Anderson", a defensive end from Arkansas, who has been forgotten of late despite the kind of measurables that premier defensive ends like Dwight Freeney and Jason Taylor didn't possess when they were drafted.

The Vikings will jump on safety LaRon Landry with the No. 7 pick. If he's gone, the pick could be Peterson. But what about tackle Levi Brown? The Vikes have a solid left side of the line; the right side is suspect. Brown could help to provide an anchor over there.

At No. 8, the Falcons would likely love to get Okoye or Landry. If both are gone, we wouldn't be surprised to see the team trade down to someone who wants linebacker Patrick Willis or Quinn. If they use the pick, they might go after defensive end-defensive tackle Adam Carriker. The safest pick, though, is Brown.

If Brady Quinn is on the board at No. 9, the Dolphins would be stoopid not to take him. They have pissed away a pack of picks over the past seven years in an effort to nail down the heir to Dan Marino. But the only way (with a few exceptions) to get a franchise quarterback is to draft him in round one (and hope that he becomes one -- it's a 50-50 proposition). Instead of continuing to pluck passers off of someone else's garbage pile, the Fins need to pounce on Quinn, and coach him up aggressively.

At No. 10, we continue to believe that the Texans will go cornerback, and we have a weird feeling that they'll take Darrelle Revis from Pitt. There continue to be erroneous reports that the Texans and Broncos have worked out a flip-flop of the No. 10 and No. 21 picks. It could happen during the draft, but reports that the deal is already done are off the mark.

In case you haven't noticed, the "days without an arrest" counter is back to nine. At midnight, it will hit "10" for the first time.

Of course, there's a chance that someone got arrested on Friday night. Or that someone will get arrested on Saturday night.

Pacman, Pukeman -- help us out. Bite a cop. Urinate in public. Kick a dog. (We do not advocate violence against animals, primarily because we don't want the PETA peeps on our ass.)

Over the past day or so, readers have detected on team web sites a couple of clues regarding potential draft picks.

On Friday, Gregg Rosenthal of Rotoworld.com pointed out to us a blank story on the Bears site with a headline indicating that they have drafted Miami linebacker Jon Beason. The story was promptly yanked.

This morning, we've received an e-mail from a reader with a screen shot of a page on the Jaguars site indicating that the team has picked safety Reggie Nelson of Florida. The page in question -- jaguars.com/draft -- can now be accessed only with a user name and password.

If anyone else finds anything like this on their favorite teams' sites today, let us know.

We've tweaked our final first-round mock draft based on our analysis of the top ten and other considerations.

In the past, the Jaguars have been linked to Moss. We also think that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, who has yet to make a splash in the offseason, might be interested in adding Moss to his team.

Wilde also confirms that the Packers have offered a fourth-round pick for Moss, and that the Raiders want a first-day pick. An industry source tells us that the Pats have offered a conditional fourth-rounder.

In 2005, the Raiders gave up a first-round pick (No. 7 overall), linebacker Napoleon Harris, and a seventh-round pick to acquire Moss from the Vikings.

And before any Minnesota fans get too excited about a possible return by Randy to the Metrodome, a league source tells us that the Vikings are not the mystery team. They haven't been contacted, we're told, and they don't want him back.

It's a somewhat unusual intra-division swap, and the 'Hawks will now have to face the guy they dumped twice per year. In San Fran, Jackson joins Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle. Jackson and Lelie likely will compete for the role of No. 1 wideout.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that if receiver Calvin Johnson is on the board at No. 2, the Lions will take him. Period.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network initially reported on this plan earlier tonight. We're told that owner William Clay Ford, Sr. recently signed off on it.

We're also told that the Lions would trade the pick, or the player, to the Bucs in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick, both of Tampa Bay's second-round selections, and cornerback Brian Kelly. Under the trade chart, that would tip the deal decidedly in favor of the Lions.

A similar blockbuster would be required from another team to get the Lions not to take, and keep, Johnson.

There's talk in league circles that the 2007 draft could be the swan song on ESPN for Mel Kiper, Jr.

If true, it's ironic. Kiper helped make the draft into the event that it is. Now that the draft is bigger than Kiper ever could be, ESPN has plenty of other human assets who can do the job.

They've been gradually working Todd McShay of Scouts, Inc. into the mix, and we've sensed some non-contrived tension between the old guard and the young turk when Bristol puts the pair in a split screen.

A couple of years ago, Kiper and ESPN almost parted ways after Kiper's contract expired. We suspect that whatever occurred behind the scenes got both sides to the mindset that this contract would be the last one in a long relationship.

Despite an offseason in which the team acquired three receivers via trade and free agency, the Patriots have spoken with the Raiders regarding a trade for receiver Randy Moss, according to David White of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Though we heard earlier in the day that a deal for Moss is done, White reports (citing a team source) that "[n]othing's been finalized."

White's report corroborates rumors that the Raiders have been shopping Moss for a second-round pick.

Moss is owed a base salary of $9.75 million in 2007 and $11.25 million in 2008. None of the money is guaranteed, but the salary for a given year becomes guaranteed if Moss is on the opening-day roster.

Michael Vick claims that the apparent dog-fighting activities at his property in Virginia occurred without his knowledge. But evidence available on the Intergoogle suggests that Vick was actively involved in the breeding of dogs that could be used for fighting.

The site shows an address of Moonlight Road in Suffolk, Virginia. Coincidentally, Wednesday's raid occurred at an address on Moonlight Road in Smithfield, Virginia.

Also, the site identifies the company as "Vick's K-9 Kennels c/o MV7, Inc." The owner of the property that was searched is Mike Vick and MV7, LLC.

And consider these two pictures, put together for us by Taco Bill. The image on top is from the property that was searched. The image on the bottom is from Vick's web site. The concrete pad, the cages, and the "landscaping" look very similar.

Of course, Vick's web site doesn't say anything about dog fighting. On one page, the site declares: "We do not promote, support, or raise dogs for fighting and will not knowingly sell, give, or trade any dog that may be used for fighting." But the dogs that Vick's operation is selling are naturally aggressive breeds like pit bull terriers, Rottweilers, and the Presa Canario. (We have a cousin by that name.)

At a minimum, Mike Vick has been involved in breeding and selling dogs that could be used for fighting. He admitted six years ago that it is one of his interests. And at the property owned by him in Virginia many scarred dogs were found, along with evidence of dog-fighting paraphernalia.

So if Vick is telling the truth, his family members have -- without his knowledge -- converted Vick's pride-and-joy breeding operation into an exercise in cruelty. And despite the fact that Vick had enough of an interest in breeding pit bulls to set up these facilities, he has paid no attention whatsoever to the abomination that his cousin and/or other family members have created from Mike's avocation.

The "I don't know nothing" defense won't fly here, in our view. Even if there is no direct evidence of Vick's knowledge or involvement in dog fighting, plenty of men and women have been convicted of crimes via the introduction of circumstantial evidence and the application of basic common sense.

As Jackie Chiles might say, "You get me one dog lover on that jury, and Mike is going away for a long, long time."

Meanwhile, the Humane Society will be all over this one. John Goodwin, who handles dog-fighting issues for the organization, told the AP that the Humane Society "has heard for several years that Vick was personally involved in the brutal, clandestine activity, which is banned nationwide and a felony in 48 states, including Virginia and Georgia."

Regarding Vick's claim that he knows nothing about the evidence of fighting, Goodwin said that it would cost $100 per day to feed the 66 animals found on the property.

"Who's paying to feed all those dogs?" Goodwin said. "Who has the money to feed 66 pit bulls that's in some way, shape or form related to that property?"

Those are good questions. And Goodwin isn't the only person who'll be asking them.

Much has been written and said about the possible destination of receiver Calvin Johnson if he's on the board when the Lions draft at No. 2. Will Detroit trade the pick to Tampa Bay? To Atlanta? To the Redskins?

One scenario that isn't getting discussed is the Lions' plan if Johnson is the No. 1 overall pick, by the Raiders or by someone who trades for the pick.

Per multiple sources, the Lions in that case are expected to choose between offensive tackle Joe Thomas and defensive end Gaines Adams -- if they can't induce someone to come up to No. 2 in order to snag quarterback JaMarcus Russell before he lands with the Browns at No. 3.

Lions coach Rod Marinelli, we're told, wants Adams. Team CEO Matt Millen wants Thomas.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Lions have decided that, barring a blockbuster offer, they will use the No. 2 overall pick in the draft -- and they will select receiver Calvin Johnson if, as expected, he is available.

Schefter says that offensive coordinator Mike Martz was one of the key cogs in the decision, based on his explanation to the the powers-that-be as to how he would use Johnson.

We'd previously heard that the Lions will draft Johnson and then maybe trade him. But maybe, just maybe, the Lions will use their fourth first-round pick in the past decade on a receiver, and keep him.

There's talk in league circles that the Raiders have a deal in place to trade Randy Moss.

However, we don't know yet where he's headed. Or what the Raiders will get in return.

The most likely destination is Green Bay, since Moss has been linked to the Packers for much of the offseason. We've heard on multiple occasions that quarterback Brett Favre is certain that Moss will join the team, and ESPN's Chris Mortensen has mentioned repeatedly that Favre is pushing for the trade.

We heard earlier today that the Raiders were shopping Moss for a second-round pick, and we heard on Thursday that the Packers had offered a fourth-round pick.

Sal Paolantonio of ESPN reports that the Lions and Buccaneers are discussing two possible scenarios that would move the Bucs up to No. 2 in the draft to get receiver Calvin Johnson.

One possibility is for Tampa to toss in their two second-round picks. Under the draft trade chart, the 820 points resulting from the No. 35 and No. 64 overall picks would make up the 800-point gap between the No. 4 pick and the No. 2 pick in the draft.

The other possibility for the Bucs is to send a second-round pick and cornerback Brian Kelly to the Lions.

Even if a deal isn't done before the picks start to fly, there's a chance that the Lions will take Johnson with the No. 2 pick, the Bucs will take defensive end Gaines Adams (or offensive tackle Joe Thomas) at No. 4, and then the trade will happen.

Per Paolantonio, Bucs G.M. Bruce Allen is balking at either package. But why? Johnson gives the team the kind of impact that the Bucs desperately need in order for Allen and coach Jon Gruden to keep their jobs beyond 2007.

Tampa needs to do this deal. Whoever has a chance to get Johnson and passes on it will soon regret it, we believe.

ESPN reports, by way of the Tennessean, that the Chargers are prepared to trade running back Michael Turner.

Turner signed his restricted free agent tender as a precursor, we surmised, to a trade. By league rule, Turner must be under contract before he can be traded. And he can't be under contract until he signs his tender.

Turner's agent, Bus Cook, told the Tennessean that he wasn't aware of any impending trade. Possible destinations are Green Bay, Tennessee, and Buffalo.

We heard several weeks ago that Turner could be had for a second-round pick in 2007 and a second-rounder or third-rounder in 2008.

We just heard John Clayton of ESPN report on the air that the Chiefs have dropped their demand for a first-day pick from the Fins for quarterback Trent Green.

This means that the Chiefs, who don't have a fourth-round pick, would take a fourth-round pick to get the deal done.

The debate has been that the Chiefs think the Fins should give up something equivalent to what Green, who would likely be their starting quarterback, is worth to them. The Fins think that the Chiefs should take something equivalent to what Green, who will otherwise be cut, is worth to them.

Last year, the Titans and Ravens were in the same position with quarterback Steve McNair. They settled on a fourth-round pick.

There's a report on a web site that posts football news snippets in small blurbs with even smaller fonts that used to get a lot more traffic than us (but no longer does) stating that the Broncos have consummated a trade with the Texans for a flip-flop of the No. 10 and No. 21 picks in the draft.

But Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the report is false, and that the Broncos and Texans have not had a single serious discussion about swapping picks.

Schefter also says that the Broncos would never do a deal like this before the draft. That makes sense to us, since the purpose of moving up would be to get a specific guy who might or might not be there when the higher pick is used.

Falcons quarterback Mike Vick addressed on Friday evidence of an extensive dog-fighting operation seized this week at a home owned by him in Virginia.

And, playing the time-honored "I don't know nothing" card, Vick is blaming the whole thing on his family.

"I'm never there. I'm never at the house," Vick said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I left the house with my family members and my cousin. They just haven't been doing the right thing. The issue will get resolved."

Yeah, Mike. It'll get resolved by someone going to jail. A reader has sent us the relevant Virginia statute, and the law sets forth a broad range of illegal behaviors, which could apply to Vick if it can be shown that he knew what was going on.

"It's unfortunate that I have to take the heat behind it," Vick said. "If I'm not there, I don't know what's going on."

We don't think being absent from the property automatically equates to ignorance. Surely, he has visited the house from time to time. Surely, he has seen the row of cages on a concrete slab and the other evidence that either someone really liked dogs, or someone was breeding and training dogs for reasons other than human companionship.

Also, someone had to be financing the operation, and the only other Vick family member we know of who is making pro-athlete money is his brother Marcus.

"It's a call for me to really tighten down on who I'm trying to take care of," Vick said. "When it all boils down, people will try to take advantage of you and leave you out to dry. Lesson learned for me."

But the lesson might not yet be over. We doubt that the Sgt. Schulz defense will get Vick off the hook; the evidence will have to support a reasonable and logical conclusion that he didn't know what was happening before authorities will consider letting him walk.

As reported by the AJC, Vick's level of involvement or knowledge is subject to the currently ongoing investigation.

With all that said, we suspect that someone from the family will stand up and take the heat so that the Vick money train won't be derailed. But we're hoping that investigators will poke through whatever smoke gets blown and search for the truth, whatever it might be.

There are rumors right now in media circles that the Raiders are closing in on a deal with (drum roll, please) Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who would then be named the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network tipped us off to the rumor -- however, Schefter thinks that the rumor is not true. Mark Maske of the Washington Post acknowledges the rumor in a Friday afternoon chat, but he says he's not reporting that the deal is done.

We heard earlier in the week that the Raiders had made an initial offer to Quinn. We have since heard that, while hard numbers were not presented to Quinn's agent, Tom Condon, there was enough discussion about parameters and terms to give him a sufficient idea as to the ballpark amount of the deal.

Jared Allen, a restricted free agent tendered by the team at the highest level, has been suspended for four games due to violations of the substance-abuse policy, according to Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star.

Allen is scheduled to earn $2.35 million in 2007, and then will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in March 2008. Earlier this year, he asked to be traded due to the team's reluctance to sign him to a long-term deal.

As it turns out, the team's decision to take a wait-and-see approach with Allen was justified.

Actually, we wouldn't be surprised to see the Chiefs yank the tender offer. It would make Allen an unrestricted free agent, but who's gonna touch a guy who'll miss four games to start the first season of the post-Pacman era.

We'd heard a rumor to this effect a couple of weeks back from a reader, but could never corroborate it. Per Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, the Browns have floated the names "Braylon" and "Edwards" to gauge possible trade interest.

As we'd initially heard the rumor, the thinking was Edwards and a third-round pick to the Vikings for the No. 7 overall pick in the draft.

Grossi also reports that the Browns would take receiver Calvin Johnson, if he's on the board when they pick at No. 3.

And that makes us wonder whether the Browns would package the No. 3 pick with whatever they could get for Edwards (or, possibly, Edwards himself) in order to move up in round one to get Johnson.

It might not be a bad deal for the Raiders, since they would come out of the transaction with Edwards and either JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn at No. 3.

Six members of the Penn State football team face felony charges after an April 1 incident at an off-campus apartment.

The six players in question are: safety Anthony Scirrotto; defensive tackle Chris Baker; linebacker Jerome Hayes; cornerback Justin King; linebacker Tyrell Sales; and cornerback Lydell Sargeant.

If we had managed to get Turdlist.com launched this week, the charges would have racked up more than 80 points under the formula we use for the pro football version of our standings.

Earlier this week, the Eagles unveiled (with all due respect) some ugly-ass throwback uniforms for the team's 75th season.

The Steelers will wear the uniforms twice at Heinz Field this season -- during the September 16 home opener against the Bills and during a November 5 Monday nighter against the Ravens.

A league source tells us that the Oakland Raiders are shopping receiver Randy Moss for a second-round pick in the 2007 draft.

The problem is that any team that trades for Moss will have to pay him a base salary of $9.75 million in 2007, or otherwise work out a new deal.

Moss has been linked to the Packers for much of the offseason. We've consistently heard that Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre is certain that Moss will join the team. Last night, we heard that Green Bay recently has offered a fourth-round pick.

So if the Raiders want a two and the Packers have offered a four, this thing likely could get done for a third-rounder.

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