POSTED 10:08
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
DAUNTE DEAL DONE
The Raiders have announced the
acquisition of quarterback Daunte Culpepper. In an e-mail message
regarding his arrival in Oakland, Culpepper had this to say:
"I am extremely excited to be able
to play for the Oakland Raiders for the 2007 season. I want to thank Mr.
Davis, coach Lane Kiffen [sic] and the Raiders front office for giving me this
opportunity. When I became a Free Agent I created and ranked 8 criteria
that I used to evaluate potential teams that were interested in my services.
Based on my criteria, the Oakland Raiders are the best fit. The Raiders
are giving me the opportunity to compete for the starting job while helping QB
JaMarcus Russell, when he arrives, get ready to take over for the future.
I also get an opportunity to show both the Raiders and the NFL community that I
am healthy and back to form after battling injuries the last two seasons.
Most importantly, I appreciated that there was mutual respect as we worked
through the process of coming to contract terms. I look forward to working
with my new teammates and being a part of the Raider Nation!!"
Hey, Daunte must really be
excited. I mean, two exclamation points. Wow.
And to the extent that football
hadn't already become the year-at-a-time proposition that baseball has been for
a couple of decades, we now have a guy who is signing to be a team's presumptive
starting quarterback for one year, and one year only.
POSTED 9:53
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
RUSSELL WON'T SIGN UNTIL
JOHNSON DOES
League sources continue to tell us
that the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell,
will not sign with the Raiders until the Lions work out a deal with the No. 2
selection, Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
Because Russell's agents have
never done a No. 1 overall pick, the thinking is that they want to have the
floor set by the Lions and Johnson.
Whether that floor is established
any time soon remains to be seen. Word is that Johnson's mother is calling
the shots on this one, and that she's driving a hard bargain.
POSTED 9:35
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
CULPEPPER SIGNS WITH RAIDERS,
WE THINK
Despite some reports suggesting
that quarterback Daunte Culpepper left Oakland without a contract, ESPN.com
reports that
Culpepper inked a one-year deal to join the Raiders.
The move caps a short courtship
after Culpepper spent two weeks on the market, looking for a one-year deal that,
in the end, only the Raiders would provide.
Though it's unknown whether the
Raiders would have pulled the trigger on Culpepper if No. 1 overall pick
JaMarcus Russell were signed and in camp, it's possible that the Raiders planned
all along to go after the 1999 first-round pick if/when he did not sign
elsewhere.
Once Russell arrives, Culpepper
can serve as his mentor for a year -- if Culpepper is inclined to do so.
Once thought of as a solid team player, Culpepper went a little bonkos in early
2006 (in our opinion) and might be as willing to serve as a mentor to Russell as
Jeff George likely was to Culpepper eight years ago in Minnesota.
POSTED 8:00
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
NO TURNING BACK FOR GLENN,
COLTS
Even as some of the assorted sock
puppets continue to report (and you know who you are) that the Colts are still
trying to persuade left tackle Tarik Glenn to change his mind about retiring,
the door to a return is slammed shut.
Per a league source, the Colts
already have placed Glenn on reserve/retired list, which means that he cannot
play at all in 2007, for any team.
But, hey, the truth never got in
the way of a good televised talk-out-your-ass session.
POSTED 7:53
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
LEVI IS BOXED IN AT NO. 5
Although the talk in league
circles is that agent Joel Segal hopes to use a six-year deal for tackle Levi
Brown to surpass the total guaranteed money and average-per-year in guaranteed
cash that Browns tackle Joe Thomas received at No. 3, a league source tells us
that the Cardinals will not pay more guaranteed money to Brown, the No. 5
overall pick, than defensive end Gaines Adams received at No. 4 from Tampa.
The gap between Thomas and Adams
is huge. Thomas got $23.5 million guaranteed on a five-year deal; Adams
got $18.5 million on a six. We're not saying that Thomas did a great deal
-- but it's clear that Adams got hosed.
The source says that, while the
Cardinals still want to do a six-year deal, they won't give Brown $18.5 million
in guaranteed money, since that's what the guy taken one spot higher received.
It's one of the dangers, in our
view, of agents letting the slotting process do their work. By doing
Brown's deal after Adams got paid one spot higher, agent Joel Segal allowed the
ceiling to be established on his contract.
So with LaRon Landry getting $17.5
million in guaranteed cash at No. 6 and Adams getting $18.5 million at No. 4, it
looks like the best Brown will do is $18 million.
The problem is that Landry got
more average guaranteed money per year than Adams. But since the Cards are
insisting on a six-year deal, and are likewise refusing to go to $18.5 million,
Brown and Segal are in a box on this one, and Segal might end up with a better
deal at No. 6 than at No. 5.
POSTED 6:07
p.m. EDT; UPDATED 7:03 p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
CULPEPPER TO RAIDERS?
The Oakland Tribune reports
that the Raiders will sign
quarterback Daunte Culpepper, citing an unnamed source.
A league source tells us that the
move is "very, very likely," but not quite yet a 100-percent certainty.
If/when a deal gets done, is expected to be a one-year contract.
Culpepper worked out for a Raiders
scout in Florida on Monday, and then commenced discussions on a contract.
Peter King of SI.com
recently reported that Culpepper previously
turned down a three-year, $15 million offer from the Jaguars.
Culpepper has since been flown to
Oakland for another look-see. If healthy (and plenty of league insiders
are convinced that he isn't), Culpepper could be the starter while JaMarcus
Russell gets acclimated. Then, Culpepper could go elsewhere in 2008, and
Russell could take over the offense.
It's unclear whether the Raiders
would have pursued Culpepper if Russell had already signed his rookie deal and
reported to camp. Though it's easy to conclude that the Raiders want
Culpepper only because Russell isn't there, we suspect that owner Al Davis had
his eye on Culpepper all along, and opted to let the market for Culpepper soften
before jumping in.
POSTED 5:56
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
QUINN COURTING DISASTER IN
CLEVELAND
The two sides are entrenched.
Agent Tom Condon wants a premium deal for quarterback Brady Quinn, despite the
reality that Quinn was the No. 22 overall pick in the draft. The team
wants to pay him based on the fact that he was the No. 22 overall selection.
Meanwhile, Quinn is in Arizona,
and he told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he just
wants a fair contract.
"I'd love to be there competing
for the starting job," Quinn said. "But it's a long contract, and
I have to make sure it's fair in the event I become the starter."
Brady, by not being there, your
chances of becoming the starter in the near term diminish. Also, isn't
every player drafted in round one expected to be a starter? The system
that has evolved for paying rookie draft picks simply doesn't include a
"starter" premium.
In the NFL's rookie compensation
system, what's "fair"? A deal that pays you as if you were picked in the
top ten when in fact you weren't? Or a deal that pays you according to the
realities of your plunge to No. 22?
Other quarterbacks have been
picked after the first 20 names were called even though they expected to go
higher, and those other quarterbacks have gotten their deals done.
After Quinn was taken by the
Browns, the "real" media blindly embraced the notion that Quinn was playing for
his "hometown" team, despite the fact that he was reared roughly two hours away,
in a suburb of Columbus. If Quinn truly had spent his formative years in
Cleveland, he'd appreciate the depths of the resentment that he might be
engendering with his current stance.
Said one league insider about Ohio's no-nonsense, working-class city: "When they
turn on you, they do it for good."
The source also believes that
Quinn has been getting bad advice from the moment he became eligible for the
draft, and that unless and until Quinn parts ways with Condon, the process will
continue.
Indeed, the source declared to us
his belief that "[t]he best thing [Quinn] can do is fire the guy."
As we see it, however, it's too
late to make a change, given the NFLPA rule that would prevent Quinn from hiring
a replacement for five days. The better approach would be for Quinn and/or
someone in his family to start asking tough questions. Surely, the Browns
aren't trying to screw Quinn. They have plenty of reasons to get him in
there and to get him ready to play.
The real question here is whether
Condon is looking to use the Quinn contract as the blueprint for the CAA 2008
recruiting brochure. If, after all, Condon becomes known as the guy who
can get a top-ten contract for quarterbacks who plunge out of the top 20, then
Condon becomes the agent of choice for every blue-chip passer who fears that
fallout of getting passed over by a couple of dozen teams.
Though no agent's work for a
current client should be motivated by a desire to get the next client, plenty of
them will subtly and adroitly sacrifice the interests of the present client in
order to avoid hurting their ability to recruit the next wave of guys whose
interests can be overlooked in order to be able to get the next wave beyond that
one. Just this week, we've had conversations with a couple of agents who
freely acknowledged that fact of life for NFL agents.
In this specific case, as in so
many others, it's Condon's guts and Quinn's blood. Even if Condon secures
a great deal for Quinn, the cost of the holdout in terms of reps and reputation
could be enormous.
Does Condon care about that?
He should, and he'd say that he does. He'd swear that he does. But
does he really care?
We don't think so -- not just
because of the facts of this specific case, but because of so many other
examples we've seen over the years, from Condon and from other agents, that have
convinced us that the interests of the player routinely get put behind the
interests of the agent.
POSTED 5:16
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
TAYLOR HAS JUST A BRUISE
Vikings running back Chester
Taylor, a 2006 workhorse who was used nearly to the point of full-body
implosion, suffered
only a bruised forearm in an incident that resulted in Taylor being taken
off of the field in a cart.
Geez -- what'll they use to take
him off of the field if he ever suffers a real injury? A casket?
Coach Brad Childress says that
Taylor is fine, and Taylor is wearing a white elastic sleeve on his arm.
He has yet to miss any practice time because of the injury; Tuesday afternoon's
session was for special teams only.
The person most likely to be
disappointed by the news that Taylor is fine is rookie running back Adrian
Peterson, who needs to be the featured back in order to unlock some of the $15
million or so in incentive payments in his rookie deal.
POSTED 3:02
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
GIANTS PROCEEDING AS IF STRAHAN
WILL RETIRE
Fully believing (as we hear it)
that Giants defensive end Michael Strahan's supposed retirement contemplation is
a ruse aimed at getting him more money and/or a ticket out of town, the team
nevertheless is
proceeding as if Strahan won't play again.
In other words, the Giants are
calling his bluff.
The game, which reminds us of the
stalemate between George Costanza and Susan's parents over
his phony house in the
Hamptons, potentially "gets nuts" on Wednesday when defensive end Simeon
Rice comes to town for a physical.
An industry source tells us that
the Rice physical will take place at the
Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, in order to avoid the media
circus, and to ensure that the team can thoroughly check him out.
"Sounds like they are serious
about moving on," the source said. (Oh, wait -- and
moving out.)
It definitely looks that way.
But if they do, what happens if Strahan shows up the day after they sign Rice?
At that point, the Giants might have no choice but to trade Strahan or to cut
him, which he apparently wants.
POSTED 1:36
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
MEMO TO AGENTS: HAVE YOUR
GUYS READY TO SIGN
Thanks to Jason La Canfora's
Washington Post blog, we now know why safety LaRon Landry didn't practice on
Monday, despite agreeing to terms in the very early hours of Monday morning.
He wasn't in town.
We've heard about this kind of
stuff from time to time over the years, and it drives us crazy. There's no
better way to set a bad tone for a rookie player than to have the guy needlessly
miss practice time once his deal is done.
The simple solution? Fly the
kid to town and park him in a hotel. Most folks of reasonable intelligence
know when a deal is getting close -- and that's the moment to mobilize the
player.
In Landry's case, agent Joel Segal
should have gotten the kid's ass onto a plane as soon as the terms of the
contract between the Vikings and running back Adrian Peterson were reported on
early Sunday afternoon. Better still, Landry should have gotten within
short driving distance of the practice facility on the same day that camp
opened.
There's no excuse for any other
approach, other than the fact that the agent is too cheap to spring for the
hotel (which, in most cases, gets charged back to the player anyway).
In our view, it's just another one
of those pieces of evidence that help indicate whether the agent truly cares
about the player, or whether the agent merely cares about the agent.
POSTED 12:49
p.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
LANDRY FINALLY SHOWS UP
Though it was widely reported that
safety LaRon Landry had struck a deal early Monday with the Redskins, the No. 6
overall selection in the draft missed both practices on Monday.
In all, the sixth pick missed six
practices, and he is finally signed and
will make his
debut on Tuesday afternoon.
The reason for the delay isn't
clear, and it's our understanding that agent Joel Segal merely took the contract
given to running back Adrian Peterson at No. 7 and built in an increase.
Surely, the team isn't happy that Landry missed two more practices
unnecessarily.
Meanwhile, it'll be interesting to
see how safety Sean Taylor reacts to the presence of a guy who, at $17.5 million
guaranteed and a total maximum value of $41.5 million, is making a lot more but
has done a lot less -- especially since Taylor has wanted a new deal ever since
the day that the guy drafted one spot behind him, Kellen Winslow, signed his
contract as the sixth overall pick in 2004.
POSTED 11:56
a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
MEESTER ON THE MEND
Jags starting center Brad Meester
will miss 8-10 weeks
after breaking an ankle on Monday at practice.
It happened on the final play of a
nine-on-seven drill.
Meester will undergo surgery on
Wednesday, and he could return in lare September or early October. He
started every game for the Jags in 2006, and he has started all but four games
since joining the team in 2000.
POSTED 11:40
a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:45 a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
CHESTER CARTED OFF WITH INJURY
Vikings running back Chester
Taylor suffered an injury on Tuesday to his right shoulder or arm, and
was taken from the
practice field on a cart.
Per Judd Zulgad of the
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Taylor was hit after catching a pass, and
appeared to be in significant pain.
If Taylor misses any significant
time, it opens the door for rookie Adrian Peterson, whose 2006 season at
Oklahoma was marred by a broken collarbone.
CAMP REPORTS ARE UP FOR EVERY
TEAM
Well, we've done it. After a
couple of days, we've managed to post Training Camp
Reports for every NFL team.
And, until further notice, the
plan is to update each of them at least once every other day.
So why read these? As days
goes by, our cumulative list of one-line entries will provide the only
comprehensive, and easily readable, snap snot of all of the significant and/or
amusing developments in each team's camp.
POSTED 11:33
a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
NFLN TAKING SOME HEAT FOR DEION
DECISION
Both the New York Times and
the New York Daily News have addressed in their respective Tuesday
editions the recent decision of the NFL's in-house broadcasting network to
invoke its contractual rights to Deion Sanders in connection with a sequel to
his July 22 column regarding Michael Vick that Sanders had submitted to the
Fort Myers News-Press for publication on July 29.
Though the Times piece
merely
reports on the brouhaha with minimal embedded editorialization, Bob Raismann
of the New York Daily News opines that the NFL's motivation
might be a desire to be able to control Deion's opinions.
Reasons Raismann:
"NFLN suits can hide behind the sanctity of their Sanders contract, but
the timing of their sudden concern over his moonlighting is suspicious.
Would they have been as outraged over a Sanders column commenting on the
possibility of Michael Strahan retiring?
"Let's be real. Could
it be the NFL does not want Sanders, NFLN's marquee analyst, exploring
another side of the Vick issue in a medium it cannot control? In the
NFLN studio, producers can rein Sanders in. And other voices he yaps
with can challenge his point of view.
"Could it be that the NFL,
especially commissioner Roger Goodell, who banned Vick from participating
in Atlanta's training camp, is concerned that Sanders' views could lend
credence, and support, to those believing the rush to judgment on Vick has
something to do with the color of his skin?"
Hey, we're not here to rip
Raismann, since he saw fit to mention that the NFL first became aware that
Deion was even writing a column for the News-Press (more on that
later) because someone from NFLN read our aptly-titled "Holy
Crap Deion is a Moron" article from July 25. But if Raismann
thinks that the NFL is hoping to quiet voices who might be inclined to
offer up illogical and (at times) embarrassing defenses of Mike Vick, then
Raismann hasn't seen or heard the musings of Jamie Dukes and Marcellus
Wiley.
Frankly, we think that the
NFL is looking at this issue more from a business standpoint. The
NFL is paying Deion a bunch of money in order to make more people want to
watch NFLN. The NFL currently is engaged in an ugly tug-o-war with
the likes of Time Warner and Comcast regarding the availability of NFLN in
houses throughout the coutry. The NFL is hoping to increase popular
demand for NFLN, in the hopes that it will be added to as many basic cable
packages as possible.
Thus, if the NFL were to
allow Deion to offer up analysis of and opinions about the NFL in other
media, the NFL's investment in Deion would be diluted, and the overriding
purpose of paying him all of that money would be frustrated.
Indeed, moving forward,
Deion may write for the News-Press, but he may not write about the
NFL.
And Deion should be grateful
that the NFL hasn't pulled the plug on his contract, given that he was in
breach of it. Of course, because Prime doesn't have the time to read
the contracts that he signs, he didn't know about this problem until the
NFL became aware of his hobby.
But Raismann doesn't believe
that the NFL wasn't aware of Deion's side gig for the News-Press,
based on the fact that an online video promo for his News-Press
columns was shot in NFLN studios. But, Bob, your presumption doesn't
reflect the reality of how television studios work. The bosses
rarely are loitering in the studio itself when shows aren't being
produced, and all Deion had to do was turn on the charm with one of the
camera operators and someone in the control room to produce a short video
that was then sent, probably electronically, to the News-Press.
It was all likely done in less than ten minutes.
So, in our view, this story
isn't about the NFL censoring the views of its on-air talent.
Instead, it's about the NFL creating more reasons for people to want to
have access to NFLN.
And if there's something
wrong with that approach, then we suppose it's also wrong to ask people
for money in exchange for the ability to attend an NFL game.
POSTED 10:39
a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
TITANS SAY NO TO PACMAN'S
WRESTLING JONES
Though the Tennessee Titans don't
want suspended cornerback Pacman Jones participating in training camp, they also
don't want him participating in pro wrestling.
"That
type of thing is not permitted in accordance with the player's contract,''
coach Jeff Fisher said Monday, according to the Nashville Tennessean.
"I think he has enough on his
plate right now," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "But you never know with
that guy. Who knows what he is going to do. I don't know if that is
the best thing to do, but at the same time it not my decision, it's Pac's.''
Apparently, however, Jones
wouldn't be a wrestler, per se. He'd be one of the guys on the fringes,
providing "entertainment value." (And, from time to time, jacking
something with a chair.)
"I do see (Jones) as a pretty good
hype man," defensive tackle Rien Long said. "He should be someone's
manager, going around slapping hands and kicking the opponent's manager or
something like that — maybe an instigator of some kind. Inside the ring I
guess I could see him as a flying squirrel maybe.''
"Instigator" is the perfect label,
because that's what Pacman has been off of the football field. Hell, it's
what he's essentially charged with in Vegas; instigating another guy to shoot
someone.
Still, we suspect that the Titans
will keep close watch over Pacman's activities -- not because they want to keep
him from making some money while he can't play pro football, but because (in our
belief) the team still hopes to be able to trade him, if by some miracle he
stays out of trouble and gets reinstated.
Hey, maybe they could trade him
straight up to the Falcons for Mike Vick. Tennessee still needs a good
running back.
POSTED 10:25
a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
SAMUELS MIGHT MISS A MONTH
Though it apparently could have
been much worse, the fact that the Washington Redskins won't have left tackle
Chris Samuels for
roughly a month is not good new for a team hoping to kick-start its offense
in 2007.
"I thought it was over for the
season [when it happened]," Samuels said before undergoing an MRI. "But
the Good Lord blessed me. I know that I'm fine. . . . I think I'm
OK. I didn't feel anything pop. We'll see how long it takes to get
back on the field."
Samuels sprained the MCL in his
right knee during practice on Monday. He tore that same ligament in 2003.
Unlike the ACL, which can't repair
itself if torn, the MCL is a rope-like ligament that can mend and strengthen
with time and rehab.
Jason Fabini is expected to take
Samuels' place in the starting lineup.
POSTED 10:17
a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
SCOTT OUT FOR THE SEASON
The first season-ending injury of
note this year comes from New England, where cornerback Chad Scott, a one-time
first-round pick turned journeyman turned potential replacement for holdout
Asante Samuel,
has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a leg injury on the first
day of training camp.
Randall Gay has replaced Scott in
the first-team defense.
It remains to be seen whether the
absence of Scott has any impact on the Samuel standoff. In our view, it's
better for the Patriots to have the injury happen early in camp, since it gives
the team more time to plan for life without Scott.
Besides, there isn't much that the
Pats can do, if they were suddenly inclined to cave in to Samuel's demands.
The deadline for signing him to a long-term deal passed two weeks ago; the most
Samuel can get from the team now is an agreement that they franchise won't put
the franchise tag on him again in 2008.
POSTED 7:50
a.m. EDT, July 31, 2007
DID TIKI'S ROUTINE EMBOLDEN
STRAHAN?
There's a school of thought in
industry circles that Giants defensive end Michael Strahan might have opted for
the pre-emptive retirement route based on the manner in which Tiki Barber's
weeks of talks about retiring in 2006 distracted the team and disrupted the
season.
So even if Strahan shows up, with
or without more money, the team could be concerned that he's going to constantly
be talking about whether he will or won't be back for 2008, when he'll be a year
older and his body will be even more banged up.
The options are to trade him or to
cut him, even though doing so would be giving Strahan what he wants. A
trade is more likely, since it would give the Giants something of value in
exchange for his services.
But, really, who would want to
trade for a guy who has shown a high degree of disloyalty to the team that has
employed him, and paid him handsomely, for more than a decade? How long
will it be in a new city before Strahan gets a burr in his butt and starts
popping off? And how will Strahan's new teammates receive him, especially
if he tries to come in and dominate the locker room?
Then again, cutting Strahan
wouldn't be a good idea, since the Redskins would likely pounce on him -- and
pay him -- in a heartbeat, notwithstanding the questions raised above.
Though the Redskins apparently have evolved from an organization that will
blindly acquire big-name players, the needs on the defensive line are too great
not to move quickly to get Strahan, and it's highly unlikely that the Giants
would trade him there.
Thus, there's no good way out of
this one for the Giants, and they can thank Tiki (thanks, Tiki) for giving
Strahan the blueprint for making himself into a tremendous pain in the ass.
CLEARING THE AIR ON STRAHAN'S
PAY
It has been mentioned here and in
other places that one of the apparent reasons for Michael Strahan's non-holdout
holout is that he will be paid only (only?) $4 million this year.
But his 2007 cap number is more
than $6.7 million. So that extra $2.7 million is past money he received
that represents advance compensation for 2007.
As we've said before (and likely
will say again), signing bonuses are advance pay for future services, not free
money. Strahan has already received a big chunk of his pay for the coming
season; though $6.7 million is still below the bar that has been set by Dwight
Freeney's $72 million deal, it's significantly more than the $4 million base
salary that Strahan will receive, if he plays this year.
POSTED 11:27
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
GORE BUSTS HIS HAND
49ers running back Frank Gore
suffered a
broken hand on Monday, according to the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat,
and pointed out to us by our friends at RotoWorld.com, which powers the
PFT Fantasy Mill.
Gore is expected to miss a week of
practice, but the bone is expected to require four weeks to heal.
Backups Michael Robinson, Maurice
Hicks, and Thomas Clayton will get more reps, and another running back could be
signed.
POSTED 10:21
p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:40 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
RAIDERS TALKING TO CULPEPPER
Earlier this year, ESPN's John
Clayton declared that Daunte Culpepper was the key to the draft because, if the
Raiders were to acquire him, they would not pick JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1
overall selection.
We reported in response that the
acquisition of Culpepper did not mean that the Raiders would be out of the
market for Russell, and vice-versa.
Now, with talks between the
Raiders and Russell bogged down and most teams scared off by Culpepper's demand
for a one-year contract, Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Culpepper has
worked out for the Raiders, and is in talks with the team about signing a
contract.
It's unclear whether the sudden
interest in Culpepper is driven by the status of the Russell talks, or whether
the Raiders would be pursuing this possibility even if Russell were under
contract. Still, Culpepper gives the Raiders some insurance against an
ongoing holdout.
Though some believe that the gap
between the Raiders and Russell is rooted in money, we heard earlier on Monday
that the structure of the deal is the problem. Russell's camp wants to
maximize the amount of the package that is devoted to an option bonus payment,
which is not subject to forfeiture in the event of a holdout or a suspension.
FINALLY, NO. 1
Our 25-day journey from Milan to
Minsk has ended with the unveiling of the guy whom we regard as the best player
of the last 25 years.
The list is
right here.
We'll soon put together a list of
those who were close, but for whatever reason didn't make the cut.
Starting tomorrow -- our
team-by-team preseason power rankings.
POSTED 9:47
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
BUCS REFUTE SIMMS REPORT
Tampa Bay Buccaneers G.M. Bruce
Allen claims that the Monday report from the St. Petersburg Times
regarding the condition of quarterback Chris Simms was "completely
inaccurate."
Per the Times, Simms is
suffering from an impairment to his proprioception, an internal body sense that
allows a person to know the position of his arms and legs in position to the
rest of his body. And the condition reportedly is causing shoulder pain
for Simms.
Simms has declined to discuss the
situation; if there was nothing to it, wouldn't Simms merely say so?
As a result, we don't put much
stock in the team's denial. If Simms is suffering from a condition that is
significantly affecting his ability to perform yet somehow he passed a preseason
physical, the person ultimately responsible for the screw-up is the same guy
who's calling the report inaccurate. Now that Simms has been cleared to
play, the team is on the hook for his full salary of $2 million if he is placed
in injured reserve, and possibly a big chunk of it if he is released.
Meanwhile, there's no dispute that
something is wrong with Simms. His performance is subpar. Regardless
of the reason, Simms' status in Tampa is in serious jeopardy.
POSTED 8:42
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
GIANTS RELISH QUIET CAMP
With TiVi Barber retired and
Michael Strahan supposedly thinking about doing the same, there's an unusual
phenomenon unfolding in Giants' camp.
It's quiet.
A league source tells us that the
team is enjoying the lack of volume due to the absence of Barber and Strahan.
And there's a growing theory in league circles that the Giants are fine with the
absence of Strahan, and that they might be far more willing to accept his
retirement -- and squat on his rights -- than most league observers previously
expected.
Meanwhile, Mike Garafolo reports
that the
Giants will impose a daily fine on Strahan of more than $14,000 per day,
further confirming that the team doesn't believe he's seriously thinking about
retiring, but that he's hoping for more money from the Giants or a new address.
So Strahan's options are simple --
show up or retire. He had seven months to think about what he is going to
do.
POSTED 8:09
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
BOWE WAITING FOR QUINN
With the holdout of Browns
quarterback Brady Quinn lingering, every indication is that the guy drafted
behind him plans to wait until Quinn signs before doing his deal.
The floor for the contract of the
No. 23 pick, Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, has been set by the No. 24 pick, Pats
defensive back Brandon Meriweather. The ceiling will be set by Quinn.
And since Quinn's agent, Tom Condon, is hoping to blow out the slotting process
with his Quinn contract, Bowe and his agents are planning (so we hear) to go
along for the ride.
A league source tells us that, as
of a couple of hours ago, there had been no discussions between the Chiefs and
Bowe's representatives for the past couple of days. The only plausible
reason, in our view, is that there's nothing to discuss until Quinn signs.
POSTED 8:03
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
HUYGHUE ACCUSES PANTHERS OF BAD
FAITH
The agent for Panthers first-round
draft pick Jon Beason
claims that the
team is bargaining in bad faith.
Per the Associated Press,
Huyghue claims that the Panthers are refusing to pay to Beason an option bonus,
given the ruling from earlier this year in the Ashley Lelie case that such
bonuses are not subject to forfeiture in the event of a default arising from,
for example, a holdout or a suspension.
Huyghue argues that, because other
teams have used option bonuses for first-round picks, the refusal of the
Panthers to include an option bonus means that the Panthers are acting in bad
faith.
We don't buy it. Not at all.
The team isn't required to include an option bonus. And if Huyghue and
Beason want an option bonus badly enough for Beason to sit out, so be it.
Alternatively, Beason can sign the
one-year tender for the rookie minimum. Or Huyghue can step aside and let
an agent who'll do the deal without an option bonus get it done.
Frankly, we think Huyghue would be
wise to stop publicly complaining, lest his client eventually figure out that
the agent isn't as worried about this client as he is about the next
client. If Huyghue were to accept a deal without an option bonus, it would
be used against him aggressively in recruiting.
"You don't want to sign with
Huyghue," rivals agents would whisper to the 2008 crop of picks. "He's the
only guy who didn't get an option bonus for his first-round client."
Dollars are dollars, and there's
no indication that Beason is being offered money that's out of line with his
slot, especially since the player directly in front of him and the player
directly behind him have been signed.
And while there's no reason to
believe that Beason will be a guy who needs the threat of bonus forfeiture to
stay in line, the last first-rounder who fired his original agent after the
draft and hired Huyghue was Pacman Jones.
Need we say more?
POSTED 5:55
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
22 CAMP REPORTS ARE UP
With the help of Michael David
Smith, we'll soon have Training Camp Reports for every team, and we'll be
updating all of them at least every other day. Florio will take the AFC
East, AFC North, NFC East, and NFC South, and MDS will do the AFC South, AFC
West, NFC North, and NFC West.
The reports are compiled in our
patented (not really) One-Liners format, with 8-10 entries per update.
So, basically, we'll be posting up
to 160 One-Liners per day over the next few weeks. But in order to keep
the content in the Rumor Mill manageable, we'll be keeping the camp updates on a
separate page for each team.
Here's a sample of the
Redskins camp report, which we have just
posted:
S
LaRon Landry missed
both practices on Monday, and apparently has not yet signed his contract.
Much-hyped offensive guru Al Saunders says that
things will get better in 2007. (Can they really get worse?)
FB Mike Sellers
showed up with a two-toned beard, dyed blonde at the bottom. (It
apparently was intentional, unless he went bobbing for apples in a vat of
hydrogen peroxide.)
WR Brandon Lloyd says that his
new haircut is "European." (What's next? A fur and a purse?)
So be sure to make a tour of our
Training Camp Reports part of your daily PFT
routine.
POSTED 5:15
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
OSI ENTERS STRAHAN FRAY
Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora,
who hired earlier this year the same agent who represents Giants teammate
Michael Strahan, is suddenly sticking his nose into the non-holdout holdout that
Strahan currently is conducting.
Specifically, Umenyiora is
sounding off about the possibility that free-agent defensive end Simeon Rice
will join the team as the replacement for Strahan.
Per Mike Garafolo of the Newark
Star-Ledger,
Osi fired off several slaps at Rice.
First, he said:
"Nobody's talking about Julius
Peppers. I mean, Simeon Rice is an outstanding pass rusher, but that's
what he is. So I don't think it resonated with us that Simeon Rice is
coming in. We have good players in here; we'll be all right."
Next,
regarding Rice's reputation as a one-trick pony: "I'm not going to go so
far as to call him what a lot of other people have called him. I'm not
going to go that far. But I'm not sure. They say he's not the best
run player and I guess people gave him that reputation for a reason."
Next, Osi says
he won't move from the right side to the left to accommodate Rice: "I
don't know where he's going to play. I know he can't play left defensive
end because they run the ball there. He can't play right defensive end.
Well, he's been a right end. . . . [But] I'm not moving to the left side.
Absolutely not. Not even a question. I'm a right end. I've
been successful at right end. I don't feel the need to move to a different
position. That's kind of crazy. I'm not going to move to left defensive
end if they sign Simeon Rice, is what I'm trying to tell you. If the team
asks me, 'Okay, we need you to move to left defensive end because we need you at
that position,' I will. But I'm not going to move to that position because
Simeon Rice is coming in. I won't do it."
But Osi also
says that Strahan's thought on retirement are real, which of course highlights
the importance of bringing in a replacement. "He's not joking," Umenyiora
said. "It's going to take him a while to really make that decision, but he's
contemplating it."
Osi, it would
be better if you stay out of this one. The team already believes that
Strahan's retirement deliberations are a transparent effort at holding out for a
new deal, or a trade. By trying to bully the team into not calling
Strahan's bluff, you merely reinforce the notion that Strahan will eventually
cave in and report, if he doesn't get what he wants.
And, by he
way, Osi also wants what Strahan wants -- more money. But Osi won't make
his play for more pay until 2008.
Hey, maybe
he'll be "contemplating retirement," too.
POSTED 4:52 p.m.
EDT, July 30, 2007
RUSSELL, RAIDERS NOT FIGHTING
OVER MONEY
A league source tells us that the
primary roadblock to the negotiation of a contract between the No.1 overall pick
in the 2007 draft and the team that drafted him is not money. Instead, the
delay in a deal between JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland Raiders is due to the
structure of the deal.
Per the source, a tentative
agreement has been reached regarding the total amount of guaranteed money, and
that if the deal is finalized pursuant to those terms Russell will realize more
guaranteed money than was paid in 2006 to defensive end Mario Williams of the
Texans, the No. 1 selection.
The snag, we're told, is the
allocation of guaranteed money to an option bonus. Because of the Ashley
Lelie ruling, option bonus money is not subject to forfeiture if a player holds
out or gets suspended. But Russell's camp wants most of the guaranteed
money to be paid out with that device, which could prompt skeptics to wonder
whether there are concerns that Russell might be inclined to at some point hold
out and/or do something that will get him suspended.
There has been rumor/speculation
that the holdout arises from cash-flow problems on the part of the Raiders.
But team-by-team revenue disparities notwithstanding, these franchises get more
than enough money from the shared revenue sources to pay their players.
We're also hearing that there's a
chance that Russell's deal will be only five years in length. This would
likely drive down the total guaranteed money, but the per-year average would
still likely be higher than the per-year guaranteed money average on the
Williams deal.
There's also a school of thought
in league circles that Russell's agents won't do a deal at No. 1 until the
package paid to Lions receiver Calvin Johnson at No. 2 is known. Since
this is the first foray into the top spot for the firm of Lock, Metz & Malinovic,
getting leapfrogged by Johnson would likely make it their last.
As to Johnson's deal, we're
hearing that the team and the player remain far apart on money. We've
heard rumblings that Johnson is looking for $30 million in guaranteed money.
POSTED 4:02
p.m. EDT; UPDATED 4:26 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
TAYLOR PLEA DEAL DONE IN
ADVANCE?
We outline below the practical
effect of Tony Taylor's guilty plea on federal conspiracy charges in the Mike
Vick dog-fighting and gambling prosecution. Because, as we explained,
Taylor pleaded guilty as charged to all charges, there was and is no "plea
bargain," since the term implies that the guy will plead guilty to some lesser
offense.
But given the news from July 26
that a "superseding indictment" is coming, we wonder whether a plea deal with
Taylor was brokered in advance.
Here's how it could have gone
down.
Aware that he is a target of the
investigation, Taylor would have had his lawyer contact the feds about a
possible deal. Since the law permits individuals to be charged both with
conspiracy to commit a crime and with the actual commission of the crime, the
feds decided to use a two-step process, indicting all four of the defendants in
the first wave, and allowing Taylor to plead guilty to the initial charges.
Buoyed by Taylor's signed "summary
of facts," the feds can now issue a new indictment not only for conspiracy, but
also for the underlying crimes. Based on our research, this would add
another potential 21 years in jail time to the equation for the remaining
defendants.
If Taylor is omitted from any new
charges, then the deal apparently was that he'd plead guilty to conspiracy
charges and not face responsibility for the stiffer potential penalties.
Of course, maybe each of the four
defendants were given the opportunity to do this.
And maybe two of them still will.
HOW MEDIA COMPANIES HANDLE
DEATH
Did you ever wonder how it is that
major media entities can bang out so quickly after someone of a high profile
dies an exhaustive obituary that touches on virtually every aspect of the
person's life?
The answer is they don't. At
least, not always. For persons who are known to be in failing health, the
item is often prepared in advance and then put "in the can" until it's needed.
But it's usually a good idea to,
you know, read the thing before publishing it, lest the illusion that the
company in question prepared almost instantaneously a sweeping remembrance of
the deceased be (shu-doo-bie) shattered.
Consider this line from the
article about the late Bill Walsh,
which appears (for
now) on ESPN.com: "He also helped to establish the World League of
American Football -- now NFL Europe -- in 1994, taking the sport around the
globe as a development ground for the NFL."
First of all, the World League
began play in 1991, but that's a mistake that could have been made if the thing
had been written before or after Walsh's passing. The bigger gaffe -- the
one that partially exposes the derriere of the man behind the curtain -- is the
presence of the phrase "now NFL Europe."
For starters, the name was changed
to "NFL Europa" at some point prior to the 2007 season. More importantly,
the league went dark last month.
ESPN.com isn't the only company
that posted a post-death write-up that was written while Walsh was still alive.
Plenty of the articles already published surely weren't written and researched
and edited so quickly.
Of course, we all should live
lives so significant that newspapers and web sites pen reflections on our lives
for publication after we pass. Still, there's something creepy to us about
the notion that folks routinely are assigned the task of preparing while someone
is still living the words that will be "written" right after they die.
POSTED 3:49
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
TAYLOR PLEA BAD NEWZ FOR VICK
We've finally had a chance to read
the paperwork filed on Monday in connection with the Mike Vick dog-fighting
prosecution, and the
13-page "summary of the facts" contains no significant new information, with
the exception of a statement at paragraph 4 of the document that the BadNewz
Kennels operation and gambling monies were funded "almost exclusively" by Vick.
Though that assertion from Tony
Taylor should surprise no one, since the other three guys don't play, you know,
pro football, it's the first time that this statement has been articulated in
connection with the prosecution's case.
As a procedural matter, this new
document differs from the original indictment because one of the members of the
alleged conspiracy is now admitting that the conspiracy existed, and is
acknowledging as true most if not all of the indictment's allegations through
and until his departure from the operation in September 2004.
Contrary to popular belief, the
document reflects no plea bargain of any kind. Instead, Taylor is saying,
"I did it; I'm guilty."
And the only potential benefit
he'll receive is the same benefit that the others would receive by accepting
responsibility now for their alleged misdeeds. Under the federal
sentencing guidelines (which are no longer mandatory but which are routinely
followed), 'fessing up to the crime early can result in a lesser sentence.
Though Taylor likewise has no deal
to "cooperate" with the government in the prosecution against Vick and the other
two defendants, there's nothing more for Taylor to do. By signing the
"summary of facts," he has provided prosecutors with a road map for his direct
examination when he is called to testify at trial.
So what does it all mean to Vick?
In order to secure a "not guilty" verdict, Vick will now have to persuade a jury
that Taylor's agreement with all of the charges made against him was and is a
bald-faced lie.
Good luck with that.
Though we're reluctant to compare
this case to the O.J. Simpson prosecution (but will nevertheless do so), assume
that Simpson's pal Al Cowlings had been arrested for participating in the
murders, and had immediately pleaded guilty as charged, to all charges,
acknowledging in writing and later under oath that he and Simpson killed the two
victims.
As we see it, Simpson's chances of
skating under those circumstances are roughly the same as Vick's now.
POSTED 3:28
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
LUCHS SUSPENSION CONFIRMED
A league source has confirmed to
us that agent Josh Luchs, who has negotiated 15 active player contracts, has
been suspended by the NFLPA for one year, and fined $25,000.
The ruling is subject to appeal.
Luchs allegedly received a fee
from a player and did not forward the money to an agency for which he previously
had worked, and then allegedly lied about not receiving the fee.
Depending on how Luchs'
reinstatement is handled, Luchs return might not happen until he obtains a
college degree and a master's, since the NFLPA agent regulations now require
that new agents have at least a masters-level degree. Per the source,
Luchs has neither.
POSTED 3:09
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
BILL WALSH PASSES ON
Hall-of-Fame head coach Bill
Walsh, whose West Coast offense made a mediocre at best 49ers team into a
dynasty in the 1980s, has died at age 75 of leukemia.
Walsh led the 49ers to three Super
Bowl championships, retiring after the team won Super Bowl XXIII. He moved
on to other things, working as a broadcaster, coaching at Stanford, and
returning to the San Fran front office, but those years as the head coach of the
Niners always were the brightest lights of his football resume.
Walsh has been battling leukemia
for a while. We received word of his passing from KGO-TV in San Francisco.
POSTED 1:26
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
SIMMS STILL STRUGGLING FROM
SPLENECTOMY AFTERMATH
Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms
has yet to participate in training camp, due to lingering consequences of
emergency surgery to remove his spleen in 2006.
Specifically, Simms is suffering
from impairment to his
proprioception, an internal sensory, um, thing. It is making it
difficult for him to throw a football. And the throwing struggles
apparently are causing problems with his shoulder.
"I'd
rather just not comment about the situation right now, honestly,'' Simms
told the St. Petersburg Times.
The Times reports that
Simms is in danger of being placed on injured reserve or released. If he
is released, the team would be required to work out an injury settlement with
him. If he is placed on injured reserve, he would receive his full salary
and remain the property of the team.
Though the Times suggests
that Simms could be placed on the PUP list, that option goes away once a player
passes his preseason physical. If he had been placed on the PUP list and
released before passing a physical, the team's exposure would have been only
$275,000.
The fact that Simms might not be
available at all this season could increase the team's interest in Daunte
Culpepper, who has scared off several suitors with his demand for a one-year
deal. The Bucs are the only team that Culpepper has visited since being
released by Miami 13 days ago.
POSTED 12:59
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
COULD REVIS RE-ENTER THE DRAFT?
A league source tells us that the
primary snag in the talks between the Jets and cornerback Darrelle Revis, the
No. 14 overall pick in the draft, is that the Jets are insisting on Revis
signing a six-year deal, but that Revis wants a five-year contract.
With so many players taken in the
top 16 signing deals of five years in duration instead of the CBA maximum of six
seasons, the refusal of the Jets to do a five-year deal could cause this to
become one of the lengthier holdouts of the bunch. And there are
indications that, unless the Jets yield on this point, Revis might sit out the
entire season and re-enter the draft.
Keep this in mind -- the uncle of
Revis, Sean Gilbert, once sat out an entire season in a dispute with the
Redskins. And thereafter Gilbert got paid a bunch of money.
Will it happen with Revis?
At this point, it's way too early to tell. But, unlike every other rookie
or holdout, he's a least got someone in the family who played the patience game,
and eventually won it. So if the Jets won't drop the demand for a
six-year deal and unless the six-year deal compensates Revis fully and fairly
for the extra year of free agency that he'll be sacrificing, Revis could end up
re-entering the draft in 2008.
POSTED 12:35
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
VICK REALIZES THAT RETURN TO
FALCONS IS UNCERTAIN
Although it was teased as an
interview that would be played at 12:30 p.m., V-103 in Atlanta rolled the thing
early.
As expected, the ground rules were
that no legal questions could be asked. But Vick was asked whether he
thinks he'll play again for the Atlanta Falcons.
"Hopefully, so," Vick said.
"Under the right circumstances, it can work."
Vick indicated a desire to
continue to play for the Falcons. If/when the team imposes discipline on
him, his feelings potentially could change.
POSTED 12:04
p.m. EDT; UPDATED 12:12 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
VICK TO SPEAK ON AIR
Falcons quarterback Mike Vick is
scheduled to speak on the air with Atlanta radio station V-103. The
interview, which based on the fact that short sound bites are being played as
teasers, apparently was taped and will be played at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
The link to listen live is
right
here. (We'll probably regret posting that, because the server is sure
to be flooded now.)
Our guess is that one of the
stipulations was that Vick won't be asked any substantive questions, and that
there won't be anything all that interesting said.
If this is the first step in the
Mike Vick public relations campaign, it's getting started a little late.
MORE CAMP REPORTS ARE UP
MDS is baning out the camp
reports, with the Cardinals, Chargers, and Broncos added.
More are on the way.
Click
here for the full list.
POSTED 12:00
p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
MULCAHY OKAY AFTER SCARE
Bengals tight end Sean Mulcahy
provided the team with a big scare on Monday morning after suffering an injury
during a live blocking drill that resulted in Mulcahy being
strapped to a
stretcher and taken to a hospital.
Mulcahy reportedly has feeling in
his extremities and is in good spirits.
The 25-year-old former Connecticut
Husky signed with the Bengals as a free agent after the 2006 season, and was
allocated to NFL Europa.
POSTED 9:26
a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:55 a.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
OTHER NFL DOG FIGHTERS FACING
BLACKMAIL?
A reader has raised with us a
great point about the latest twist in the Mike Vick dog fighting scandal.
With Tony Taylor enter on Monday
morning in Virginia
a guilty plea on federal conspiracy charges, which presumably will entail
testimony against the other three co-defendants (including Vick), do other dog
fighters who currently collect NFL paychecks now face private blackmail threats
from folks who have been at dog fights with them, and who might be inclined to
blow the whistle to the police, the league, and/or the media?
The problem is that folks who
would spend time watching dogs tear each other apart for amusement aren't
necessarily the most reputable members of society, and could be inclined to
pursue the quick cash hit that could come from telling an NFL player that,
absent a generous contribution to the Human Fund, his involvement in this
"hobby" will be revealed.
Our guess is that it's already
happening -- and it's all the more reason for NFL players who have in the past
shown their "passion" for dog fighting to find something else to pass the time
when they aren't practicing or playing football.
Of course, if any of the folks who
attend dog fights and then try to extort money from an NFL player were to go
public, who would believe them? Guys like Tony Taylor have built-in
credibility problems by virtue of the things that they have done, and it makes
any of their claims instantly suspect.
Surely, that's the approach that
lawyer Billy Martin will take in defending Vick in court. By relentlessly
attacking the truth-telling capacity of the four unnamed (for now) cooperating
witnesses and Taylor, Martin will hope to create sufficient reasonable doubt in
the minds of the jurors.
The other side of the coin is that
these are the very people with whom Mike Vick chose to associate. Absent a
clear motive for each of these five people to tell lies under oath about him, or
other evidence that shows that these witnesses were incorrect in any conclusions
that they reached about Vick's involvement, the notion that the word of five
different people should be rejected (especially if Vick opts not to testify) is
bit of a stretch.
POSTED 9:09
a.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST BUCS
TAILBACK
All pending charges against Bucs
running back Lionel Gates
have been dropped,
according to PewterReport.com.
The charges were dropped earlier
this month.
"I was at home in July and I got a
call saying that I had been acquitted of all charges and everything is over and
done with," Gates said. "I was so happy. I got on my knees and
prayed. I thanked God for putting this behind me so that my mind would be
clear for camp. All I can focus on is football."
Though the headline to the article
accepts Gates' representation that he was "acquitted," an acquittal happens only
if a jury hears the evidence and renders a verdict of not guilty.
And we can't help but wonder
whether the charges were dropped at the request of the alleged victim, who
possibly received a cash settlement of any potential civil claims against Gates
before doing so.
Gates allegedly kicked in the door
of a pregnant woman's apartment, punched her in the face, and threw her against
a wall in March. We'd love to know whether she's the one who dropped the
charges, and whether she received any money from Gates and/or from the Bucs to
do so.
The use of the term "acquittal"
might cause fans and the media to overlook that potential angle. Here's
hoping that they don't.
And if only dogs had the ability
to enter into civil settlements, Mike Vick might soon be "acquitted," too.
POSTED 9:02
a.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
KENDALL TAKES THE GLOVES OFF
In his quest to get a new
contract, or a new team, Jets offensive lineman is stepping up the rhetoric.
As mentioned in our most recent
Jets camp report, Kendall reported merely to
avoid the $14,000-per-day fine for holding out. But he's not holding his
tongue, and it would make more sense for the team to not have him there.
Kendall met on Sunday with G.M.
Mike Tannenbaum, but whatever Tannenbaum said didn't get the stick out of
Kendall's kiester.
"Coaches and players -- people in
the building -- have expressed to me that
they hope I get what I'm looking for, what I want," said Kendall, according
to the New York Daily News. "More than a few have expressed that
they don't necessarily agree with what's going on."
Later, speaking only to the
Daily News, Kendall suggested that head coach Eric Mangini "conveyed
frustration with his own contract situation during a private meeting in March."
"He told me a lot of things [in
confidence]," Kendall said. "He sounded empathetic to my situation.
I don't want to go much further than that right now."
Kendall might want to not go much
further than that ever. Sooner or later, his strategy of disruption is
going to get him the T.O. treatment. Two years ago (man, it seems so much
longer than that), Owens was sent home for a week from training camp as he
employed the same "report, but disrupt" approach in an effort to convey
displeasure with his contract. Eventually, the Eagles suspended Owens for
four games with pay, for conduct detrimental to the team.
Kendall could be facing the same
fate, if he doesn't put a sock in it soon. And that $14,000-per-day
holdout fine could pale in comparison to the $397,000 he'd lose in game checks
if such a suspension were to stick.
POSTED 7:59
a.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
UNION LAUNCHES PLAYER P.R.
CAMPAIGN
Greg Bedard of the Palm Beach
Post (and soon to be of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) reports that
the NFL Players Association is trying to win the hearts and minds of its
rank-and-file via the distribution of a memo that purports to provide the
players with talking points regarding the still-smoldering controversy regarding
the manner in which the union takes care of players from yesteryear.
The memo has been
given to the players on the Dolphins. Presumably, other players in
other camps have gotten it, too.
The beauty of the NFLPA memo is
that, in recruiting players to join in the P.R. effort, the union presumes that
the players already are on board with the approach that has been taken, and that
the players will blindly accept what the union is saying on the matter, and
parrot that message to the media.
But, frankly, any player (like
Matt Birk of the Vikings) who thinks that the NFLPA likes to merely cram its
agenda down the throats of the players now has even more ammunition to prove his
point.
The memo isn't couched as an
effort to provide the players with information so that they can come to their
own conclusions about the issue, but as ammunition for the players to answer any
questions they might face from the media on the topic: "Recently, some
media have published factually inaccurate and misleading statements and stories
relating to what the NFLPA has done to assist retired NFL Players. Because
you may be asked to comment on the subject by the media or others, we wanted to
provide you with the facts relating to the substantial
CBA benefit increases and other assistance that the NFLPA has negotiated for
and/or provided to Retired players."
So with players occupied by the
rigors of training camp, will they take the time to understand the issues and
formulate their own opinions, or will they merely rattle off a couple of the
things they remember from the 15 seconds or so that the spent reading the memo?
The far better approach would have
been to send this information to the players a month ago, so that they would
have had time (if so inclined) to give some thought to the situation, and
perhaps talk to other players about it, before heading to camp and facing
possible media questions.
And, of course, the media will now
ask the players questions about the matter, and many of the players most likely
will regurgitate some of the points that the NFLPA has supplied to them.
Here are some of the highlights of
the 14 talking points that the NFLPA has provided to the players:
"2.
Who paid for these improvements for retired players?
You do. As an active player, all improvements come out of
our negotiated percentage of revenues. Any increase or improvement comes
out of your pocket."
This portion, in our view, is
aimed at pandering to the same "I want mine now" mentality that has directly
contributed to the problem that retired players now face. Why not explain
to the current players that they will one day be retired players, and
that any money given up during the years that they play football will come back
to them in the future, possibly in even greater amounts since the total revenues
will likely continue to go up and up, especially as the NFL exports its product
into new countries?
"3.
Before 1993, did other players go back and improve pensions and disability?
No. The first group of players to improve the pension and who continue to
improve the pension were those who negotiated the 1993 CBA.
Every future CBA extension has included pension improvements — 1998,
2002, and 2006."
This topic is a back-handed slap
at the current group of players at the forefront of the movement to improve the
money available to former players. Indeed, we've heard that guys like Mike
Ditka and Joe D. (we're too lazy this morning to refresh our memory as to how to
spell his last name) consistently voted against any improvements to the care of
former players when they were pocketing their NFL player salaries.
Anyway, we're hoping that, if this
memo has been given to every player with every team, one or more guys in each
NFL camp will point out to his teammates that they should apply their own brain
power to the situation, and that they should not accept the union's presumption
that the players are fully on board with the NFLPA's current approach.
In the end, plenty of the players
might agree completely with what the NFLPA is saying. But it would be nice
if they would receive a fair chance to come to their own conclusions on the
matter.
POSTED 7:18
a.m. EDT; UPDATED 7:25 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
'SKINS SIGN LARON
Multiple media reports indicate
that the Washington Redskins have struck a deal with safety LaRon Landry, the
No. 6 overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft.
Per Len Pasquarelli's well-primed
pipeline to Joel Segal, thanks to Len's incessant propaganda campaign on behalf
of Segal client Mike Vick, the contract is a
five-year deal
with $17.5 million in guaranteed money and a maximum value of $41.5 million.
Thus, as expected, Segal got his
hands on a copy of the contract signed by Vikings running back Adrian Peterson
at No. 7 and added a $500,000 increase in guaranteed money and $1 million in
maximum value.
As we explained on Sunday night,
Segal isn't expected to do the same thing with his next guy to do a deal, No. 5
pick Levi Brown, an offensive tackle drafted by the Cardinals. Arizona is
insisting, we're told, on a six-year deal, and Segal is hoping to land a total
value and a per-year average greater than the Browns paid to tackle Joe Thomas
at No. 3.
MORE CAMP REPORTS
Our own MDS has gotten cracking on
camp reports, with the Packers added and an update to the Vikings report.
More to come throughout the day.
The list of reports (we're now up
to 14) is right here.
POSTED 7:08
a.m. EDT, July 30, 2007
PACMAN FINDS A NEW GIG
Multiple web sites and media
outlets report that Pacman Jones will be working during his suspension from the
NFL as a professional wrestler.
Jones reportedly
has signed or
will sign a deal with TNA wrestling, a Nashville-based enterprise.
Hey, we've got no issue with Jones
finding something useful to do during his suspension, but what happened to Jones
heading back to Morgantown, West Virginia to continue his college education?
(Actually, since we're only 30 miles or so south of the WVU campus, we're glad
that Pacman apparently isn't returning to the area.)
Still, we wonder how joining a pro
wrestling league meshes with Jones' stated goal of turning his life around,
especially since the pro-wrestling lifestyle can be just as wild and reckless as
the lifestyle that has gotten Jones in so much trouble with the NFL.
And we wonder whether Jones' new
endeavor will help or hurt his chances of getting back into pro football.
We have a feeling that it can't help, and that he decided to do it only after he
was told last week that he can't come to training camp.
POSTED 11:20
p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007
TWO HUNDRED ATTEND PRO-VICK RALLY
Further illustrating the awkward
Wallenda routine that the NFL and the Falcons must perform while dealing with
the Mike Vick mess, a crowd of roughly 200
Vick supporters rallied outside the Georgia Dome on Sunday.
The reality is that, in Atlanta,
the pro-Vick crowd and the anti-Vick crowd is still in the ballpark of 50-50.
Thus, the team can't go too far in smacking him around, but also can't be perceived
as sitting on its hands, thumbs pointing north.
And that's why Vick isn't
technically on suspension, even as his name when attached to a No. 7 jersey is
now regarded as the eighth word that
can't be said on television.
It's really sort of ridiculous, but this odd state
of non-discipline discipline will continue, at least for now.
POSTED 10:36
p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:05 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007
STRAHAN TRADE "IN THE GIANTS'
COURT"
A league source tells us that
defensive end Michael Strahan isn't seeking a trade, but that the possibility of
sending him to another team "is in the Giants' court."
In other words, this news confirms
that Strahan's supposed desire to retire is subject to change, based on whether
he might be playing for a contender, or for a team that will pay him more than
$4 million.
So, despite the label, Strahan
clearly (in our view) is holding out without holding out.
Meanwhile, there's talk that
Strahan's leverage is to indeed retire, and then to take a job with a network.
But who'd hire him right now? Most of the lineups are set for 2007.
And though there are whispers of Strahan thinking that he can make up to $3
million in television, we can't imagine someone forking over that kind of cash
for him, especially when financial commitments have already been made for the
coming season.
BENGALS, PANTHERS CAMP REPORT
ARE UP
We've posted our 12th and 13th
camp reports since Saturday -- the Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers.
And we've enlisted the assistance
of Michael David Smith, who will be posting on Monday camp reports for the
Lions, Bears, Packers, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, and Cardinals.
Our hope is to post 16 new reports per day as of Monday, with each franchise
being updated every other day.
The currently available reports
are right here.
POSTED 9:20
p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007
THE OLD ALBERT IS BACK?
Tom Curran of NBCSports.com
reports that Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who supposedly learned
his lesson after getting a five-game suspension for treating Andre Gurode's face
like a block of gouda last season,
was back to his old grumpy
self in training camp on Sunday.
Writes Curran: "Things
initially got chippy when defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch took running back
Len[Wh]ale White off his feet during the touch-but-don't-tackle session.
From there, guard Jacob Bell got involved and Haynesworth locked up with him in
a scrap that lasted about eight seconds.
"Later, after corner Nick Harper
picked off Vince Young, Bell
whacked corner Reynaldo Hill
during the runback from the
blindside, infuriating
Haynesworth.
"With the units switching up,
Vanden Bosch, Haynesworth and
defensive lineman Tony Brown
were jawing and walking toward
the offensive group prompting
head coach Jeff Fisher to tell
them to get back with the
defense.
"Once there, Young yelled to
Haynesworth, 'Come on, we're a
team here.'
"An inflamed Haynesworth . . .
said something back to Young
which caused tight end Bo Scaife
to take up for Young (albeit
from a distance).
"Haynesworth
then said to nobody in
particular, 'Be a [expletive]
man and step up, bitch.'
After practice, Haynesworth
explained himself to Curran:
"That's just how we are here on
this defense. The
Tennessee Tyrants. That's
what we're bringing back.
The first few years we were good
when I came in and we were the
Tennessee Tyrants. We were
playing hard, didn't care what
anyone thought and that's what
we're going to get back to.
We can't apologize for going
hard."
Hey, that reminds us of Pacman's
comment that the Titans need
more "thugs," which came after
Haynesworth's unprecedented
face-scraping of Gurode.
We wonder how that all worked
out for Pac?
And it makes us wonder whether
Haynesworth is now ready to
revert to the days of bringing a
metal pole to the practice field
after someone pisses him off.
Albert surely realizes that he's
still on thin ice with the
Titans. Or maybe he
doesn't. Either way, it
should be fun to watch.
POSTED 7:52
p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007
CARDS INSISTING ON A SIX-YEAR
DEAL FOR BROWN
At a time when more and more of
the teams who have selected players in the top half of the first round are
signing the guys to five-year deals (one less than the CBA-imposed maximum for
the fist 16 picks), a league source tells us that the Arizona Cardinals are
insisting on a six-year contract for No. 5 overall pick Levi Brown.
Per the source, Brown's agent,
Joel Segal, is happy to comply with the team's request, because Segal is hoping
to parlay that extra year into a total package, and a per-year average, that
surpasses the five-year deal signed by the third overall pick, Browns tackle Joe
Thomas.
"That deal will come in at over
$50 million," said the source. "Segal will sell it in recruiting as a much
bigger deal than Thomas. It's total bullsh-t but that's how he will sell
it."
But the other side of the coin is
that, if Thomas and Brown both become quality players, Thomas will be in line
one year earlier for the next big payday. And since tackles taken at the
top of round one generally tend to be more likely to succeed than guys taken
that high at other positions, there's a good chance that both guys will be in
line for even bigger money down the line.
Don't believe us? Just ask
Leonard Davis and Derrick Dockery.
POSTED 6:57
p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007
WALKER REPORTED BEFORE TRADE
Bears defensive tackle Darwin
Walker, acquired earlier on Sunday in a trade with the Bills, reported to the
Buffalo camp on Saturday, a day before being shipped to Chicago.
We wrote earlier that Walker's
rights would revert from Buffalo to Philly if a long-term deal were not worked
out by August 5. We were incorrect -- Walker's rights would have gone back
to the Eagles if Walker had not reported by August 5.
Since Walker reported to the Bills
before the trade, that issue is now dead.
Walker also has reported to the
Bears, and is expected to practice on Monday. A long-term deal is being
negotiated between the player and the team.
POSTED 5:42
p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:36 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007
RUSSELL DEAL COULD BE FOR FIVE
YEARS
A league source tells us that the
negotiation of a contract between the Raiders and No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus
Russell has been and will continue to be a difficult process, and that the
Raiders might end up signing Russell a five-year deal.
Per the source, there are whispers
of cash issues in Oakland that could prevent the team from funding a six-year
package. Though we don't know whether that's a certainty, there's
definitely some wisdom in scaling the contract back by a year, since no one
knows at this point whether Russell will be a Peyton Manning or a Ryan Leaf.
If it's the latter, the team has less money at risk.
Russell is represented by the firm
of Metz, Lock, and Malinovic. They also represent receiver Dwayne Bowe.
The No. 23 overall selection is a holdout in Kansas City. Said the source
about the situation in Oakland, "It will be a long holdout unless the agents
take a bad deal."
NO. 2 IS UP
We wanted to get this posted on
Saturday night, but we didn't want to give it short shrift. So we took a
little more time, and we cobbled together a summary of the career of the guy who
made it to No. 2 on our list of the top 25 players of the last 25 years.
The full list is
right here.
We'll be unveiling No. 1 (could it
be Kordell Stewart?) later on Sunday, or on Monday.
JETS CAMP REPORT ADDED
We continue to plug along with our
team-by-team camp reports. The Jets are now up.
It's a good thing we like doing
this. Otherwise, it would be a major pain in the butt.
A GOOD IDEA THAT COULD NEVER
WORK
We've said it before and we'll say
it again -- we hate the Pro Bowl. Despise it. Who wants to watch a
low-contact version of the sport we love only one week after the season climaxes
with the Super Bowl?
But we're watching the 2006 Pro
Bowl on NFL Network right now, and we find the thing to be damn compelling.
And we think it's because we haven't seen any real NFL football in nearly six
months.
So here's a thought. Why not
play the Pro Bowl in Canton, in place of the Hall of Fame game?
We'd play the game (and have the
induction ceremony) in the middle of July, a week or so before the opening of
training camps. And we'd name two retired coaches to coach the squads, in
order to avoid disrupting the preparation of current NFL coaching staffs for the
coming season. We'd also give any players who participate in the game a
one-week pass from training camp, and an exemption from the first preseason
game, in which most starters play a quarter at most, anyway.
Is there a risk of injury?
Sure. But there's a risk of injury in every preseason game. With the
players in better shape due to extensive offseason workout programs, why not
bring in the best of the best for a preseason game that would generate far
higher ratings as the official return of the NFL to living rooms throughout the
country?
Look, we don't expect this to ever
happen. But, man, we'd definitely watch the Pro Bowl if they played the
thing at a time when we actually were anxious to watch pro football. We
suspect that others would, too.