POSTED 11:25 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

COLTS REACH DEAL WITH ADDAI

A league source tells us that the Indianapolis Colts have reached agreement on a contract with the team's first-round draft pick, running back Joseph Addai.

The deal pays $4.7 million in guaranteed money and has a total value of $11.165 million.

Addai is expected to compete with Dominic Rhodes to become the primary replacement for Edgerrin James, the team's first-round pick in 1999 who signed with the Cardinals after seven seasons in Indy.

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POSTED 11:15 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

BUSH, SAINTS STRIKE A DEAL

ESPN.com reports that the Saints and running back Reggie Bush have reached an agreement on a six-year deal.

The contract is expected to be signed on Sunday.

The agreement will end a short holdout by the No. 2 overall pick.  The fact that quarterback Vince Young, the No. 3 selection, signed early made it easier for Bush's people to get a deal done.

The real question is the actual value of the contract.  As one league insider told us after news broke that the Bush contract would be sandwiched between the value of the package given to Young and No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams, "We'll soon see how much money [Joel] Segal cost Bush by not taking the money the Texans were willing to pay to the top pick."

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POSTED 10:55 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

WHERE'S LENDALE?

As the coaching staff is projecting a "no big deal" demeanor regarding the failure of running back LenDale White to report to training camp despite coming to terms more than two days ago, there is plenty of speculation among his teammates as to White's whereabouts.

The prevailing theory is that he's fat and out of shape.  There's also speculation (we repeat, speculation) that White has been hanging with Snoop Dogg, and that LenDale consequently needs to let some things work out of his system before being subjected to a visit from the piss man.  (Again, that's speculation only.)

Regardless, it's a bizarre situation.  And the Titans REALLY aren't in a position to complain about White's absence, since doing so could be viewed as an implicit admission that they were stoopid for interrupting his draft-day free fall.

White was at one time considered to be a first-round prospect, but his inability to run the 40-yard dash prior to the draft and the arguably poor manner in which he handled the situation caused him to fall to the Titans in round two.

Stay tuned.

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WHERE'S SIMMONS?

The Saints also have a guy who is under contract but who, for reasons still unknown, opted not to show up for training camp.

Linebacker Anthony Simmons joined New Orleans in the offseason after a bad wrist kept him from playing in 2005 with the Seahawks.  He signed with the Saints on March 20.

The contract was reported at the time as a two-year arrangement, but NFLPA records reveal only that Simmons is under contract for 2006, at a salary of $1.5 million.

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POSTED 9:54 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

CUTLER DEAL FULL OF FLUFF

A league source who has eyeballed the relevant provisions of the contract signed by Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, the eleventh overall pick in the 2006 draft, has opined that the reported maximum value of $48 million over six years is an exaggeration, and that the true maximum value of the deal is $38 million.

The source also tells us that the reported maximum value of the deal includes some incentives that, as a practical matter, will be hard to obtain, such as an annual incentive based on winning the Super Bowl and an annual incentive triggered by Cutler finishing in the top five in passer rating.

We're also told that $14 million of the contract is buried in the sixth year, via a $4 million roster bonus and incentives based on minimum playing time.  But none of the money is guaranteed, so if Cutler isn't a star by then the team can merely cut him loose.  Alternatively, if Cutler ends up being a premier player in the NFL, the $14 million salary by 2011 likely will be less than the value of the franchise tag for quarterbacks.

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SAINTS, BUSH CLOSE TO DEAL

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Saints and tailback Reggie Bush, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, are close to a contract agreement.  Per Glazer, the value would be sandwiched between the contracts signed by No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams and No. 3 selection Vince Young.

Williams received $26.5 million in guaranteed money, and Young gets $25.74 million.  The maximum value of Young's contract is $58 million, and the maximum value of Williams' is $62 million.

Our guess?  Bush will get $26.2 million in guaranteed money and a maximum value of $60 million.

Bush's marketing agent, Mike Ornstein, recently said that the Saints had promised to pay Bush like the No. 1 overall pick.  If Glazer's report is accurate, it would mean that Team Bush has abandoned that tactic, likely at the express direction of Bush himself, who strikes us as being smart enough (even if just barely) to realize that he's set for life regardless of whether the deal matches Williams' package or falls within a million bucks or so of it.

Once Bush's deal is done and we get a look at the numbers, we'll prepare a comprehensive analysis of the top five or six deals.

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THREE FINALISTS FOR ART SHELL'S OLD JOB

A league source tells us that the list of potential candidates to replace Art Shell as the league's senior V.P. of football operations has been narrowed to three:  Charley Casserly, Ray Anderson, and Pat Kirwan.

Casserly is the former G.M. of the Texans, who supposedly resigned in order to pursue Shell's old job.  (We still don't buy that one.)  Anderson is the executive vice president-chief administrative officer of the Falcons.  His interest in leaving the team that he joined several years ago after spending years as a successful agent is raising some eyebrows in league circles, and prompting speculation as to the reasons for his desire to exit the front office in Atlanta. 

Kirwan works for NFL.com and Sirius NFL Radio.  He is regarded as an old-school NFL insider, but nevertheless a long shot for the job.

The thinking is that the position will come down to Casserly and Anderson, and it's possible that a decision will be made even before the owners get together and elect a new Commissioner.

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PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS TO RESUME

Thanks to our readers for their patience during the recent interruption in the flow of the PFT Preseason Power Rankings.  We originally thought that the Poobah would be able to bang out one entry a day even while vacationing with his family, but that proved to be too tall of a task, especially with all of the other activity around the league over the past few days.

Here's our promise -- we will get the list finished before the first preseason game kicks off on August 6.

The ten franchises that have yet to be identified in our 32-team worst-to-first ranking are, in no particular order, the Steelers, Pats, Dolphins, Colts, Broncos, Redskins, Bears, Bucs, Panthers, and Seahawks.

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POSTED 3:45 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

PFT TEN-PACK:  RAVENS CAMP

The ongoing vacation for PFT Grand Poobah and family included a short detour to Ravens training camp, where we somehow finagled the kind of genuine access usually reserved for the "real" media (you know, guys whose sources know the difference between Brodrick Bunkley and Jabar Gaffney).  So we've cobbled together ten observations based on things we saw and heard during the morning session at McDaniel College in Westminster, primarily to justify taking the costs of the entire vacation as a tax write-off.  (Attention any curious FBI and/or IRS types -- we're kidding about that.)

1.  That's Why They Call It "Professional" Football?

Though we can't compare the Ravens to any other teams because this was the first time we actually ventured out of the basement at PFT headquarters for a look-see at a real NFL practice, one thing that impressed us was the fast pace of the one-hour session, which moved almost seamlessly from one segment to the next upon the terse blow of an air horn.

It was all business -- there was no pissing or moaning from players and little or no yelling or screaming from coaches.  The whole thing had a flow to it that was even more impressive in light of the fact that it was only the second day of camp.

Of course, the proliferation of offseason minicamps and "voluntary" workouts surely is responsible for the appearance that the team already has its stuff together.  And now we know why so many coaches want the players to be there -- and why the union doesn't carry the flag very often (if at all) for those players who choose to stay away, and then find themselves demoted when they return. 

If, after all, every team has full attendance and participation in the offseason program, it helps every team to be better prepared for the season, which in turn enhances the team's performance once the real games start, which in turn ensures that a better product will be available for public consumption, which in turn ensures that the goose will continue to crap golden eggs that will provide cash money for everyone connected to the process.

2.  McNair Is Still Playing Catch-Up.

Although there's a high degree of optimism in Baltimore regarding a roster that boasts 11 current and former Pro Bowlers, it's clear that the franchise is still working hard to get quarterback Steve McNair up to speed.  Because the trade that sent McNair from Tennessee to Baltimore was delayed until June 7, the Ravens had limited access to McNair during offseason workouts.

So to help McNair get acclimated, the team decided to start training camp three days earlier than previously planned, opening with practices on July 28 instead of July 31.

Whether that's enough time remains to be seen.  But McNair looked crisp in practice during Saturday morning's session in helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts.  Things will get more intense on Monday when the players suit up in full pads for the first time, and when the practice includes four plays between the No. 1 offense and the No. 1 defense. 

3.  Boller Accepts His New Role.

On one hand, it's good for the team that quarterback Kyle Boller is accepting the fact that the arrival of Steve McNair bumps the 2003 first-rounder into the back seat.  On the other hand, the fact that Boller is willingly accepting his fate tells us that he'll likely never be a big-time NFL quarterback.

The great ones would be pissed off about getting benched.  That's a big part of what makes them great. 

Instead, Boller apparently has realized that he can make a couple million bucks a year over the next decade or so as the No. 2 guy, either in Baltimore or elsewhere.  Not a bad way to make a living, but surely not what the Ravens envisioned when they burned a first-rounder on him in 2003.

4.  Ngata Still Not Signed.

Despite published reports that first-round defensive tackle Haloti Ngata had signed his rookie deal, the pen had not been put to paper as of Saturday morning.  Word is that there were still some issues being hammered out, but nothing that would kill the deal.

And it's important for Ngata to get as much time as possible in training camp.  The thinking is that the Polynesian players, most of whom played college football in the western portion of the country, need some extra time to get acclimated to the intense heat and humidity that invades the East Coast in late July.  Moreover, the sooner Ngata gets comfortable, the sooner he can be clogging the middle of the line and allowing guys like linebacker Ray Lewis to run free.

5.  The Fear Of Injury Is Constant.

With so much time spent in the offseason crafting the next year's roster by deciding:  (1) which players  to keep; (2) which players to pursue in free agency; and (3) which players to draft, there's an obvious sense of concern permeating Ravens camp regarding the ever-present possibility of a serious injury to a key player.

The name "LeCharles Bentley" was mentioned more than a few times on Saturday, in reference to the Browns center who went down for the year on the very first snap of 11-on-11 drills.  With Bentley gone and with the team breaking in a young quarterback, the Browns now have to scramble to shore up an area that went from being a significant strength to a glaring weakness in an instant.

Teams realize that injuries are a part of the game, but teams seem to be more willing to accept injuries that occur during actual games.  Though fear of injury shouldn't get in the way of preparation, the reality is that the coaching staff and front office in Baltimore, and likely in every other NFL city, will worry throughout the next several weeks that the next cruel twist of fate will occur in their camps.

6.  Heap Will Be A Monster This Year.

Regardless of whatever we said about tight end Todd Heap in the fantasy grades portion of our Preseason Power Rankings entry regarding the Ravens, we're now convinced that he will be one of the most dominant tight ends this year, with perhaps only Antonio Gates outperforming him.

Why?  Because McNair loves to throw to tight ends, and will continue to do so in Baltimore.  We're told that nearly half of the balls were thrown Heap's way by McNair during Friday's sessions.

7.  Derrick Mason Is Still Legit.

It's easy to forget about receiver Derrick Mason based on the Ravens' relatively forgettable offensive showing in 2005, but it's obvious that Mason still has the tools to be one of the top receivers in the game.  He's one of those guys who always can find a way to stand out, even when there are 84 other guys bunched around him in the same hat and colors.

On Saturday, Mason got the crowd roaring with a couple of great catches during individual drills.  We've got a feeling that he'll give the fans even more to cheer about when the games get going.  

8.  Mike Johnson Will Help Improve The Receiver Position.

Former Falcons quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson landed in Baltimore after being made the latest scapegoat for Mike Vick's plateau and/or regression in Atlanta.  The Ravens are happy to have Johnson, and the thinking is that his arrival greatly improves an area of the coaching staff that previously had been weak.

Direct beneficiary?  Second-year wideout Mark Clayton, who'll likely see plenty of single coverage with defenses swarming to Heap and Mason.  Look for Johnson to teach Clayton how to take advantage of his opportunities.

9.  Good-bye, Gary.

As happy as the team is about the arrival of Johnson, there's a sense within the organization of relief regarding the departure of special teams coach Gary Zauner.  Regarded by several league insiders as sneaky and meddling, Zauner (we hear) created problems in Baltimore by trying to get folks in the personnel department to bring in guys that Zauner wanted -- and then by running to head coach Brian Billick and complaining when he was rebuffed.

In our view, it's impossible to instill a sense of "team" within the 53 guys in the locker room if there's bickering among the coaching staff and/or the front office.  The emphasis in Baltimore this year seems to be on chemistry, from the top of the organization to the bottom.

10.  Trevor Pryce is a Moose.

We don't know whether or not Pryce still has the stuff that made him one of the best defensive linemen in the league earlier in the decade, but the guy is freakin' big.

Not big as in fat.  Big as in towering over the other guys at his position.

Yours truly was standing right next to the defensive linemen during a variety of individuals drills, and Pryce was noticeably large among a group of inherently large men.  Regardless of where they line him up, he's going to be disruptive this year.

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FANTASY FOOTBALL TO TAKE A HIT? 

Interesting article by our sister site Collegefootballtalk about a pending court case that may be the death knell for all free fantasy sites. Bang it here for this and all the other Saturday college news and notes.

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POSTED 8:39 a.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

COUGHLIN ALREADY UNHAPPY WITH ARRINGTON'S TALKING

A league source tells us that Giants coach Tom Coughlin isn't pleased with the decision of linebacker LaVar Arrington to sound off on the day the team reported for training camp regarding a variety of actual and/or perceived slights from his old team and members of the media.

"People want to hate on the Giants," Arrington said Thursday during his hour-long bitch session. "I've heard negative statements about Eli [Manning], about the defense. 'Who's going to be the biggest flop this year?'  They say the Giants.  They hate us.  They really hate on the Giants.  I guess it's a great situation because people have always hated on me."

(Actually, we think the Giants will be just fine this year.  Until the playoffs.)

Regardless, Coughlin doesn't like the kind of chatter in which Arrington engaged, and it remains to be seen whether Coughlin has politely advised his biggest offseason acquisition to shut the hell up.

Our guess?  If Arrington passes on the opportunity to spout off some more the next time a bank of microphones is stuck in his face, it means that the Soup Nazi has told LaVar that he'll get no crab bisque if he continues to complain about the lack of bread.

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BARBER WANTS TO PULL A BETTIS?

Giants running back Tiki Barber mused publicly for the first time about possible retirement, and it sounds like he wants to win a Super Bowl and ride into the sunset, a la Jerome Bettis.

But it also sounds as if Barber could be tempted to walk away without a ring as soon as after this season, if the right opportunity for life after football presents itself.

"I had a few [opportunities] this off-season, but they weren't exactly right," he said on Friday.

Barber has taken full advantage of the fact that he plays for a New York team, and his future possibilities include any combination of television, radio, and the financial industry.

His twin brother, Ronde, won a Super Bowl with Tampa after the 2002 season.

Though Tiki's teammate LaVar Arrington might conclude we're "hating on" the Giants for expressing our opinion in this regard, we think that it'll be a tall order for the Giants to win the Super Bowl this year.  Among other things, the stink of that 23-0 shutout loss at home to the Panthers in the postseason will take a while to go away.

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POSTED 3:05 p.m. EDT, July 28, 2006

OUR BAD ON BUNKLEY

Oops.  From the "Right Church, Wrong Pew" file, we've learned that those rumors that Eagles defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley were off the mark.

Instead, the guy who was nailed with a gun in his car was Eagles receiver Jabar Gaffney.

Um, the two names rhyme.  Sort of.

Our apologies to Bunkley, his family, and his agent for the mistake.

So we repeat -- Brodrick Bunkley not arrested.  We regret the error. 

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POSTED 10:25 p.m. EDT, July 28, 2006; UPDATED 8:39 a.m. EDT, July 29, 2006

FIRST-ROUND SIGNING UPDATE

Though not long ago it seemed that there would be more holdouts than usual in 2006, the pace of first-round signings has accelerated sharply.  Here's a current list of first-rounders who have signed -- and who haven't -- with the date on which a deal was reached.

1.  Texans, DE Mario Williams, April 28.

2.  Saints, RB Reggie Bush, unsigned.

3.  Titans, QB Vince Young, July 28.

4.  Jets, LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, July 26.

5.  Packers, LB A.J. Hawk, July 28.

6.  49ers, TE Vernon Davis, July 28.

7.  Raiders, S Michael Huff, July 24.

8.  Bills, S Donte Whitner, unsigned.

9.  Lions, LB Ernie Sims, unsigned.

10.  Cardinals, QB Matt Leinart, unsigned.

11.  Broncos, QB Jay Cutler, July 27.

12.  Ravens, DT Haloti Ngata, July 28.

13.  Browns, LB Kamerion Wimbley, July 22.

14.  Eagles, DT Jabar Gaffney (we mean, Brodrick Bunkley), unsigned.

15.  Rams, CB Tye Hill, unsigned.

16.  Dolphins, S Jason Allen, unsigned.

17.  Vikings, LB Chad Greenway, July 27.

18.  Cowboys, LB Bobby Carpenter, July 28.

19.  Chargers, CB Antonio Cromartie, July 25.

20.  Chiefs, DE Tamba Hali, July 28.

21.  Patriots, RB Laurence Maroney, July 27.

22.  49ers, DE Manny Lawson, July 27.

23.  Bucs, OG Davin Joseph, July 27.

24.  Bengals, CB Johnathan Joseph, July 28.

 25.  Steelers, WR Santurdio, July 28.

26.  Bills, DT John McCargo, July 28.

27.  Panthers, RB DeAngelo Williams, July 28.

28.  Jaguars, TE Marcedes Lewis, July 28.

29.  Jets, C Nick Mangold, July 27.

30.  Colts, RB Joseph Addai, unsigned.

31.  Seahawks, CB Kelly Jennings, unsigned.

32.  Giants, DE Mathias Kiwanuka, July 27.

In all, there are 23 signed and nine unsigned.

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POSTED 5:21 p.m. EDT, July 28, 2006

ROAF RETIRES

Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star reports that Chiefs tackle Willie Roaf is retiring.

As we explained earlier on Friday, Roaf is the guy to whom we were referring when we mentioned last month the possibility of a surprise retirement.  When Roaf failed to report for training camp on Thursday due to "personal reasons," it was obvious to us that folks close to the situation had been putting out the word that Roaf wasn't retiring in order to keep the issue under wraps while efforts to talk Roaf into playing another year continued.

Roaf was "emphatic" in the spring that he would play this year.  In June, however, we heard from several sources (and then confirmed through a source close to Roaf) that the 11-time Pro Bowler was wavering.

Roaf told Teicher that he apprised the team of his intentions several weeks ago.  "I guess they want me to reconsider,’’ Roaf said. "I'm solid on retiring and going back to school."

With Roaf and John Welbourn gone, Jordan Black practiced at left tackle and Kyle Turley practiced at right tackle on Thursday.

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POSTED 8:55 a.m. EDT, July 28, 2006

ROAF RETIRING?

The Kansas City Star reports that the Chiefs have excused left tackle Willie Roaf from the start of training camp for personal reasons, days after coach Herm Edwards said that Roaf would be present.

Though we've heard nothing specific regarding whether and when Roaf will be back, we're now willing to disclose that Roaf is the guy to whom we were referring several weeks back as the candidate for a surprise retirement.  We were later told that he wasn't going to be retiring, so we never identified him by name.

But now we're not so sure.  We haven't heard anything specific along these lines, other than the rumors from earlier in the summer that he was thinking about packing it in notwithstanding a declaration from May that he would play.

If Roaf calls it quits, the team would lose both of its starting tackles from 2005, raising the possibility that newcomer Kyle Turley would win a spot with the first team despite a lengthy absence from the game.

So to all of those Chiefs fans who wanted us to adjust our Preseason Power Rankings to account for the arrival of Ty Law, the move would at least be balanced out by Roaf's retirement.

Stay tuned.

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SPRINT PHONE TO THE RESCUE AGAIN

So we're in Annapolis on Thursday night and the wife and Florio Jr. want to take a tour of the shore line in an oversized canoe with a hair dryer engine, but yours truly is still feeling a little queasy from one of the rides at Six Flags America.

So yours truly decides to take a pass on the boat trip, but then has about 45 minutes to kill.

Enter Sprint phone.

After making a couple of quick calls to a few of our regular contacts, it was time to pull up Total Access on NFL Network, which is available on the Samsung A900 with Sprint Power Vision.

In addition to being the only wireless provider with real-time NFL Network, Sprint and the NFL announced earlier this week that a variety of exclusive features will be available on Sprint phones this season, including unprecedented video and audio highlights.  The feature, called NFL Mobile, is available free of charge to Sprint PCS Vision and Sprint Power Vision subscribers.

"There is no other service available today that delivers the NFL in a real-time, customizable format the way NFL mobile does," said Sprint's director of sports marketing, Steve Gaffney.  "NFL Mobile is a season-long companion that will enhance every aspect of the NFL fan's enjoyment of the game, and it's available on the one device fans carry every day -- their wireless phone."

And it's yet another reason to get rid of your current phone and buy a Sprint phone before the start of the 2006 football season.  You can start the process by visiting the ads on this page.

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BRANCH WILL REPORT IF TEAM DOESN'T FRANCHISE HIM

Agent Jason Chayut says that Pats receiver Deion Branch won't make good on his threat to not report for training camp if the team promises not to slap the franchise tag on him after the 2006 season.

Says Chayut:  "If [the Patriots] came to me and said, 'Jason, we won't franchise Deion,' I would talk with them every day of the season in good faith to get a long-term deal done."

Sure you would, Jason, because then you'd have some real leverage.  As long as the Pats have at their disposal the ability to use the franchise tag, you don't.

So why should Branch be treated any differently than any other player?  Because he signed a five-year deal and necessarily gave up his first year of free agency? 

If we were the Pats, we'd make no such deal.  Let Branch hold out (and incur $14,000 per day in fines) if he wants to.  It's not as if the oft-brittle receiver gets a ton of reps in camp and the preseason anyway. 

And as for Chayut, he'd be wise to quit talking about the situation, and start focusing on giving his client good advice in light of the system that is in place not just for Branch but for every other guy in the league.

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FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The New York media is getting upset with the Jets.

In its Friday Rumor Mill, Collegefootballtalk reports on the new professional minor league football league that may be coming to play on your favorite school's campus.

Giants LB LaVar Arrington took some shots at Redskins owner Dan Snyder, and Arrington could be looking to give Merril Hoge another concussion.

Broncos P Todd Sauerbrun apologized to teammates after the appeal of his four-game ephedra suspension was upheld.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution calls us "sleazy" (but what's sleazier -- passionately searching for the truth like we do, or sticking a nose into the anal crevice of the home team, like the AJC does?).

The 49ers sent QB Cody Pickett to the Texans for a conditional seventh-round pick.

The Steelers have signed director of football operations Kevin Colbert through 2010.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle nuzzles the crotch of local product Vince Young, local agent Major Adams, and (implicitly) local team the Texans by perpetuating the myth that Young's deal is better than the contract signed by No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams.

QB Kerry Collins will visit the Titans on Friday. 

Former Dolphins WR O.J. McDuffie quit his daily radio show on 790 The Ticket in Miami (after all, sitting around and talking for three hours is really hard work).

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POSTED 11:25 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2006; LAST UPDATED 12:08 a.m. EDT, July 28, 2006

(Editor's note:  The rumor identified in the following story is incorrect.  The Eagles player stopped with a gun by an officer of the Delware River Port Authority was receiver Jabar Gaffney, not Brodrick Bunkley.  We regret the error.)

BUNKLEY BUST NEWS TO EAGLES

Profootballtalk.com has caught wind of strong rumors in Philly that unsigned Eagles first-round draft pick Brodrick Bunkley has been arrested for having a loaded handgun on the dashboard of his car.

The arrest, which per the rumors was made by the Delaware River Port Authority on one of the bridges connecting Pennsylvania to New Jersey, happened at least a week ago.  An effort was made to get the charges dropped quietly, but prosecutors (we're told) have refused to do so.

Meanwhile, early word out of the Eagles organization is that they haven't heard of any arrest.  In response, our source for the rumor says that official news of the charges won't break until Friday.

Bunkley was the fourteenth overall pick in the 2006 draft.  He currently is unsigned even though the team opened camp earlier this week.  The major sticking point reportedly has been the length of the deal -- the team wants six years, and Bunkley's agent, Gary Wichard, will agree only to a five-year term.

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POSTED 10:35 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:55 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2006

SULLIVAN SUCKS . . . WIND

A league source tells us that Pats defensive tackle Johnathan "Burger and Fries" Sullivan was on the ground and virtually in convulsions after completing only a handful of gassers as part of the annual conditioning test imposed by New England coach Bill Belichick.

As a result, Sullivan has landed on the physically unable to perform list, and likely will remain there until he shows that he's in adequate shape.

The sixth overall pick in the 2003 draft, Sullivan was acquired by the Pats in June, via trade from New Orleans.  He was arrested in Georgia within a few weeks thereafter.

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MORE ON JONES INJURY

As it turns out, the hamstring injury suffered by Bears running back Thomas Jones is legit.  But it didn't happen while he was taking a physical.

Instead, the injury occurred while Jones was performing a conditioning test.  In Chicago, players who miss the offseason workout program are required to pass such a test before practicing. 

Jones and linebacker Lance Briggs were the two Bears who took the test.  Briggs was fine, but Jones pulled up with the injury.

A league source estimates that Jones will likely miss a week to 10 days, possibly a bit shorter and possibly a bit longer. 

"He is hurting himself, not the team," said the source.  "With every day he misses, he gives [Cedric] Benson more and more reps at the No. 1 spot."

Last year, a protracted holdout enabled Jones to sink his teeth into the job, propelling him to the kind of season that made him unhappy, and that caused him to skip the voluntary offseason workout program.  And that put him in position to get hurt during the conditioning test.  And that allowed Benson to get the training camp reps that he didn't get in 2005.

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GIBBS HEADING BACK TO NASCAR AFTER 2007?

The talk in NASCAR circles (hey, we got sources everywhere) is that Joe Gibbs will retire (again) from coaching after the 2007 season and return to the NASCAR team that he owns.

And this news will only fuel speculation that Redskins owner Dan Snyder will target Steelers coach Bill Cowher to be his successor, notwithstanding the assumption that current Washington defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is in line for the job.

Cowher is under contract through 2007, and with the Steelers opening camp on Friday the chances of an extension coming any time before the end of the 2006 season will be slim and/or none. 

At that point, Cowher might just finish out his contract and see what he can get on the open market.  Our guess?  The Redskins would pay Cowher at least two dollars for every one that the Steelers would pay.

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SEGAL HATES US

A league source tells us that agent Joel Segal is pissed that we found out he has a deal in place with the Steelers for first-round receiver Santurdio, and that the deal won't be announced until Friday.

How pissed?  We're now told that Segal wants to further delay the announcement of the deal, for the sole reason of making us look bad.

Though we've yet to finagle any specifics as to the contract, we're told that it contains penalties if Santurdio is arrested again.  However, the new CBA permits forfeitures only if a player voluntarily retires or if he "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."  Given the breadth of this phrase, it's possible that Santurdio has agreed in the contract that another arrest will "have the effect of substantially undermining his ability to fully participate and contribute."  (Whether such language would be upheld via arbitration remains to be seen, but the possibility that Santurdio would lose the grievance makes the thing a potentially powerful deterrent.)

The source also tells us that Segal fears that insertion of such a clause will be used against him.  But as the source said in reference to Segal's client, "Life's a bitch when you strangle women."

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ANOTHER SIX/FIVE IMPASSE LOOMING?

Alex Marvez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Dolphins first-round safety Jason Allen likely won't be in training camp when the team begins to practice on Friday.

The problem, per Marvez, is the duration of the contract.  The Fins want a six-year deal, but agent Mitch Frankel will agree only to a five-year package.

Per the revised CBA, the first 16 picks only may be signed to six-year contracts.  Allen, coincidentally, was the sixteenth overall selection.

Raiders safety Michael Huff, the seventh overall pick, signed a five-year contract.  Browns linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, the No. 13 selection, has a six-year deal that voids to five but then contains a buy-back for year six.

The Eagles and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley have been in a stare down for much of the week, due reportedly to another six-versus-five dispute.

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POSTED 5:22 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2006

BENTLEY HAS TORN PATELLA TENDON

A league source tells us that it's "99.9 percent certain" that Browns center LeCharles Bentley has a torn patella tendon.  He is expected have surgery within 24 hours and most likely will miss the entire 2006 season.

Ordinarily, we'd talk a little bit about the team's other options for replacing Bentley, who signed a big-money deal with the team on the first day of free agency after backing out of a wink-nod arrangement with the Eagles that had been negotiated prior to the "official" launch of the signing period.

We'd also take some time to comment on the possibility that karma might be to blame for the injury.

But, hey, we're on vacation.  We'll leave it to whoever reports this story after us (and who doesn't give us credit for it) to deal with those details.

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POSTED 4:50 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2006

TITANS SIGN YOUNG

The Tennessee Titans have reached an agreement with quarterback Vince Young, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

Per published reports, Young's deal will be worth up to $58 million with $25.7 million in guaranteed money.  The contract signed by No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams of the Texans will pay $26.5 million in guaranteed money.

Despite claims that Young's deal has a greater total value than Williams' $54 million deal, keep in mind that $54 million is the base value of the Williams deal.  With incentives, Williams can make up to $62 million.

But reality rarely gets in the way of an effort by an agent to trumpet a contract, especially when he's trying to create the impression that a novice agent did better at No. 3 than a seasoned agent did at No. 1.

We'll get the full details and do a comprehensive comparison of the two contracts.

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POSTED 4:35 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2006

POSTON SUSPENDED TWO YEARS, NOT INDEFINITELY

Contrary to a memo sent on Wednesday by the league office to the 32 NFL teams explaining that the NFLPA has suspended agent Carl Poston indefinitely, NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen tells us that Poston has been suspended for two years, effective immediately.

Berthelsen has forwarded to us a copy of his July 25, 2006 letter advising Poston of the action.  Berthelsen's letter outlines in convincing (in our view) detail Poston's attempts to delay the appeal process that Poston himself initiated after the NFLPA's disciplinary committee previously suspended him for two years due to his actions in connection with the December 2003 contract extension signed by linebacker LaVar Arrington.

The key here is that the most recent action is a separate two-year suspension, which means that Poston could now be barred from representing NFL players for up to four years.

Poston has, in the opinion of the NFLPA, delayed the arbitration via the firing and hiring of lawyers, attempting to persuade Congress to intervene based on allegations that the efforts to discipline Poston were motivated by race and/or by the manipulation of the NFLPA by Redskins owner Dan Snyder, and offering up flimsy arguments to obtain a postponement of the arbitration hearing that finally had been scheduled for July 24 and 25.

Berthelsen's letter explains that Congressman Howard Coble of North Carolina called NFLPA president Troy Vincent last week in an effort to secure a postponement on Poston's behalf, and that Coble backed off after reading the union's response to the June 30, 2006 letter from Representatives Henry Hyde and Sheila Jackson-Lee to NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, which represented a separate attempt to get the union to abandon its efforts to discipline Poston.

The end result is a two-year suspension imposed right now, with Poston having the right to an expedited appeal of the suspension via the procedures set forth in the NFLPA regulations regarding agents.  Such a protocol is expressly contemplated by Section 6(B) of the regulations, which permits an immediate suspension where the alleged misconduct is of a sufficiently serious nature.

And we agree with the tactic.  Poston surely had planned to string out the process for as long as possible.  Now, with a two-year suspension already imposed, Poston's best shot at getting the discipline overturned is by taking the matter to arbitration.

Way to go, NFLPA.  Though we've disagreed with the union on certain issues in the past, and likely will disagree with the union on certain issues in the future, we think that the aggressive and decisive action taken was justified, and it provides a strong message to any agents who face disciplinary actions in the future. 

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JONES HAS A BAD HAMSTRING

Contrary to reports that running back Thomas Jones was not present on Thursday at Bears practice, a league source tells us that Jones was in attendance, but was not practicing due to a hamstring injury.

Jones has been upset for most of the offseason due to dissatisfaction with his contract.  Some league insiders are suspicious as to the legitimacy of the injury.  Last year, then-Eagles receiver Terrell Owens supposedly had a groin injury in the days before he was sent home for a week by the team.

If Jones really is hurt, it might have something to do with the fact that he stayed away from offseason workouts.

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POSTED 1:43 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2006 by Len Lasagna

TEAMS PISSED AT NEW AGENTS

POSTED 9:15 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2006

BENGALS REELING FROM CRITICISM

Wow.  Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is, in our view, pretty darn close to cracking up.

And for good reason.  He's got a growing nucleus of turds on his team, and as we've recently reported the majority of guys who aren't turds are getting sick of it.

So what does Lewis do?  He blames it on the press. 

Per Mark Curnutte of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Lewis "chided" the media on Wednesday for the "thunderous" attention given to the criminal charges pending against Chris Henry, Frostee Rucker, A.J. Nicholson, and Matthias Askew.

"It's ludicrous for anybody to feel that these actions, or anything, taint, or have any negative approach on the core or mentality of our football team," Lewis said.

But based on comments originating from players in the very locker room over which Lewis presides, there is a taint.  Put simply, the guys who haven't gotten arrested one or more times during the offseason are getting sick of Marvin's propensity to embrace guys who have. 

That's the real problem here.  Guys like Henry and Rucker and Nicholson and Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks were available lower in the draft than their talent would suggest because they are, well, turds.  And yet Marvin embraced them.

So now the team is forced to seek cover behind concepts like the "presumption of innocence."

"It's just the general policy in this country that until you're convicted of something, you're not assumed to be guilty of it," team president Mike Brown said on Wednesday.

Yeah, Mike.  It's the general policy.  In a courtroom.  Not in a business that markets itself to members of the public who are turned off by guys who repeatedly get themselves into situations in which they need to invoke the presumption of innocence.

You see, most normal people don't get arrested four times in six months.  And they don't have a string of allegations made against them over a course of a decade by women with whom they've interacted.  And their blood isn't found in an apartment where they allegedly cut their hand while allegedly committing a burglary.  And they don't have to taste the business end of a Taser three times as the nightcap for an evening on the town.

The issue here isn't whether these guys get convicted -- it's that Lewis knowingly has welcomed men of questionable character into the locker room.  And now the whole thing is blowing up in his face.

So what's the best strategy for dealing with the situation? 

Blame it all on someone else.

Hey -- it's a tradition as American as the presumption of innocence.

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SANTURDIO DEAL IS DONE

A league source tells us that the Steelers and first-round receiver Santurdio have reached an agreement on a contract, and that the team and his agent, Joel Segal, are waiting to announce the deal. 

Word is that the announcement is coming on Friday.

We're told that, while the 25th overall pick wanted to get something finished in order to begin the process of getting back in the team's good graces following two arrests in three weeks (and a pulled hamstring about which the "real" media never reported), agent Joel Segal didn't want to create the impression that they rushed to do the deal.

So initially Segal dragged his feet toward finalizing the terms.  But with Segal now having to turn his attention to a client drafted a few spots higher than Santurdio (i.e., Reggie Bush), Segal needed to put Santurdio's contract to bed.

Meanwhile, we're hearing that some members of the Pittsburgh media have been citing our recent story that a deal between the Steelers and Santurdio is close -- and then saying in the next breath that we're not very reliable.

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YOUNG WANTS WILLIAMS MONEY, TOO?

There's a clusterfudge brewing at the top of round one.  Last week, it was reported that Saints running back Reggie Bush believes the team promised him a contract equivalent to the deal signed by Texans defensive end Mario Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Now, the No. 3 guy reportedly wants the same treatment, too.

Jim Wyatt of the Nashville Tennessean reports that Major Adams, the agent for Titans quarterback Vince Young, is believed to be seeking a contract that would be close to "if not surpass" the $54 million deal with $26.5 million in guaranteed money paid by Houston to Williams.

It's a bold move for the No. 2 guy -- even bolder for the No. 3.

But in two respects Young is in a better position to ask for Williams money than Bush.  First, Young is a quarterback, and quarterbacks tend to get more in their respective slots in round one than other players.  Second, Young is working off of the deal signed in 2005 by Browns receiver Braylon Edwards, who like Young was the third overall pick.  Edwards' deal was considered by many to be much better than the contract signed by Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, last year's No. 2 pick.

Whether Young succeeds in matching or exceeding Williams will go a long way toward determining whether Bush gets there, too.  ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli chimes in on the status of the Bush talks, which given Len's cozy relationship with agent Joel Segal might as well be a press release penned in whole or in part by Segal himself.  Surely, Bush and the Saints won't reach an accord by Friday, if as Segal (um, Pasquarelli) writes the Saints haven't even made a firm offer yet.

Stay tuned on this.  We've believed all along that Young getting a deal done will be a precursor to Bush signing, since Segal doesn't want Young to end up with a better package than what Segal can get for Bush.  Now that Young is reportedly looking to match or pass Williams, we're convinced that Segal won't do the deal until Young does.

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POSTED 12:00 a.m. EDT, LAST UPDATED 12:40 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2006

POSTON SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY

We've confirmed that the NFL Players Association has suspended indefinitely agent Carl Poston.  The news initially was broken by John Clayton of ESPN.com, while multiple e-mails informing us of the news sat unopened in our in box.  (We're never taking another &#*S^ing vacation.)

Though Clayton can't offer up a reason for the move, it surely traces to Poston's chronic efforts to avoid the arbitration hearing -- that he requested -- regarding the two-year suspension previously imposed upon him by the union.  As we reported on Wednesday, Poston finagled another continuance last week via seemingly specious claims that an Achilles' injury prevented him from traveling.  He declined to attend the session by videoconference, and his lawyer rejected an offer by the union to conduct the hearing in Houston, where Poston resides.

Last month, Poston tried to spark a Congressional inquiry of the NFLPA, which was revealed in this space after we got our mitts on the June 30 letter from Henry Hyde and Sheila Jackson-Lee to NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw.

Though the indefinite suspension imposed by the union comes as a shock to most, Carl Poston apparently knew it was coming.  A league source tells us that only Kevin Poston's name appears on the contract recently signed by cornerback Ty Law with the Chiefs.  And while some might think that Carl Poston will remain involved in the family business while Kevin merely signs the paperwork, we're told that the memo sent by the league to the 32 teams contains a reminder that any discussions should occur only with the player or his certified agent.

So what is it that brought about the abrupt wrath of the union?  Our guess is that the NFLPA found out that Carl Poston had taken one or more plane flights since popping his Achilles'.  After all, how long should an injury like that ground a guy?  Ben Roethlisberger rammed his face into a moving car on June 12, underwent seven hours of delicate surgery, and has been flying all over the place.

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JETS INK FERGUSON, MANGOLD?

Published reports indicate that the Jets have reached an agreement with No. 4 overall pick D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and that the team is close to a deal with center Nick Mangold, the team's second first-rounder.

We're hearing separately that a deal with Mangold is done.

The Jets open training camp practices on Friday.

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NO DEAL COMING BETWEEN OCTAGON, CAA

We heard from several industry and league insiders on Wednesday that there will be no acquisition of football agency Octagon by mega-firm Creative Artists Agency, which has added agents Tom Condon, Ken Kremer, Ben Dogra, and Jim Steiner over the past several months.

On Wednesday night, we also heard directly from Octagon.  In an e-mail, Kathy Connors, Director of Strategic Communications, Athletes & Personalities, said:  "We are certainly flattered by the rumor of CAA’s interest in Octagon, but our football division is not for sale.  Octagon Football -- headed by Mike Sullivan, who is the preeminent contract guru in NFL circles -- is a strong and important part of our long-standing global leadership position in the athlete and entertainment business."

Yeah, we left in the "preeminent contract guru" part.  We figured it would raise the blood pressure by a few points of some of the agents who frequent this site -- and who each believe that they are the preeminent contract gurus in NFL circles.

Of course, the real preeminent contract guru in NFL circles is Carl Poston.  He's so good with contracts that he doesn't even have to, you know, read them.

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VICK DIDN'T HAVE A JOINT?

Multiple readers have weighed in regarding the photo on mediatakeout.com that purports to show Falcons quarterback Mike Vick with a marijuana cigarette.

We've heard from multiple readers who carefully inspected the photo, and who believe that Vick actually is holding a "Black & Mild" cigar, given what appears to be a plastic tip.

At least one reader pointed out, however, that the photo seems to show that Vick also has a spoon in his left hand.  We're far too out of touch with that kind of stuff to conclude that it means anything other than he was getting ready to eat some pudding while he smoked his cigar.

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POSTED 6:59 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2006

RON MEXICO LIKES MARY JANE?

Our own TacoBill has stumbled across a site named "mediatakeout.com," which touts itself as providing "All the Latest African-American News."  The current lead is an item dated July 26, with the title "Mike Vick Photographed Smoking A Blunt."

The article includes a photo of Falcons quarterback Mike Vick, sitting in what appears to be the back seat of a limo next to what appears to be a woman holding in his left hand what appears to be a marijuana cigarette.

In his lap is a box of matches, with a single match apparently out and ready to be used.

The photo supposedly was obtained on the MySpace page of the girl who is sitting next to Vick.

The site also points out something in the corner of Vick's mouth, and claims that it appears to be a herpes cold sore.  We think that's a bit of a stretch -- just because Vick allegedly has genital herpes doesn't mean that a white spot in the corner of his mouth is herpes, too.

Still, we figure that the league will be taking a look-see at this one, since not only a positive test but also behavior suggesting substance abuse can trigger placement into the league's substance abuse program.  Last year, for example, agents and lawyers for Randy Moss had to do some delicate tap dancing to keep Moss out of the program after he admitted to Bryant Gumbel that Moss smokes pot "once in a blue moon."

Officially, we're taking no position as to whether Vick is a pot smoker.  The picture seems to speak for itself, but as our own TacoBill knows, it's easy to doctor images on a computer.

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POSTED 3:32 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2006

POSTON STILL RUNNING FROM NFLPA

Agent Carl Poston is still doing his best to avoid a day of reckoning before arbitrator Roger Kaplan, due to Poston's admitted failure to read linebacker LaVar Arrington's December 2003 contract extension before Arrington signed it.

A league source had told us that an arbitration hearing as to the discipline imposed by the union on Poston was scheduled for Monday of this week, but Poston somehow finagled yet another postponement.

So we asked NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen about the situation, and here's what he had to say.

Berthelsen told us that Poston initially attempted through a member of U.S. Congress to get the hearing continued.  When that maneuver was unsuccessful, Poston advised Kaplan on Thursday that Poston's doctor told him that he should not travel from Houston to Washington due to an Achilles' injury, which had been the reason for a prior postponement.

So the union offered to permit him to testify via videoconference.  Poston rejected the offer, saying that he needed to be present.

"We then offered to have the hearing in Houston," Berthelsen said, "and to bear the expense of flying our witnesses there.  The Arbitrator agreed to fly to Houston as well."

But Poston's lawyer declined, explaining that he needed to stay in the D.C. area with his high-school-aged son because his wife would be out of town.

So the matter was again postponed.

As one league insider remarked when informed of the situation, "Doesn't Poston realize that he's not getting a jury trial, and that the person who keeps hearing these lame excuses is the person who's going to decide whether the discipline is justified?"

Great point, Mr. Insider.  Poston can delay the process, but with each additional B.S. excuse the outcome becomes even more inevitable, in our view.

And we don't think that anything will come of Poston's efforts to sic Congress on the NFLPA.  We reported several weeks ago that Representatives Henry Hyde and Sheila Jackson-Lee had penned a letter to NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw express concerns regarding the disciplinary process.  The union responded in writing, and there have been no further developments.

Given that the world generally is going bonkos right now, we think that Congress will stick to the issues that affect more than, you know, a dozen or so people.

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CULPEPPER CLEARED TO PRACTICE

Alex Marvez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper has been cleared to participate in training camp practice.

"Daunte will do the same thing in this camp as every other player relative to the workload he is able to manage," said coach Nick Saban. "We'll try to manage with him as we go through this. We don't hit the quarterback anyway [in practice], so contact is not an issue."

But this doesn't necessarily mean that Culpepper will be ready for the September 7 opener, roughly 10 months from the day in Charlotte on which his knee was turned into a pile of overcooked pasta.