The Rumor Mill

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Not specifically that, but they're stating that Farrior got overpaid in his new contract, and that he was the leading tackler only because the D-line isn't that good....

News flash - Steeler linebackers always lead the team in tackles....

Always....

I think the Steelers did well in signing him now, just as I hope they extend Kendrell Bell this week before training camp starts....

Burress can fucking wait.....

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



POSTED 8:04 a.m. EDT, July 25, 2004



DESPERATE FINS TRADING O-GUN FOR A-TRAIN?



In the wake of running back Ricky Williams' stunning decision to retire after only five NFL seasons, our Chicago mole tells us that the Fins already have been in contact with the Bears regarding a possible trade of defensive end Adewale Ogunleye for a package of players including running back Anthony Thomas.



Per the mole, the other players traded could include receiver David Terrell and/or right tackle Aaron Gibson, in order to help the Bears clear enough cap room to sign Ogunleye to a long-term contract.



According to the mole, the Dolphins called the Bears on Saturday, which fits with the overall timeline, since Williams broke the news to coach Dave Wannstedt on Friday.



At this point, a trade is probably the only strategy for the Dolphins to fill the gaping hole left by Williams' departure. The only available back with any name recognition is James Stewart. Eddie George reached a deal with the Cowboys on Friday, and Antowain Smith agreed to terms last week with the Titans as a replacement for George.



The question of whether their contracts have been signed could be a key factor in both of those examples. If a contract has not yet been inked either by George or by Smith, they technically are free to renege. It's happened before, but our guess is that something like that would be highly unlikely here.



The Dolphins also might be able to pry Onterrio Smith, Moe Williams, or Michael Bennett free from an unnecessarily deep backfield in Minnesota -- and the Vikings have sufficient cap room to sign Ogunleye to a long-term deal.



One factor that the Miami Herald and big-boys like ESPN.com have ignored thus far is whether and to what extent Williams will be required to refund signing bonus money to the Dolphins. Depending on the specific language of his deal, Williams might owe the Dolphins the prorated portion of the bonus money applicable to 2004 and any future remaining years on his contract. (We're tracking this info down right now.)



Finally, we'll be the first ones to go out on a limb and predict that, unlike Barry Sanders' surprising retirement five years ago, Ricky Williams will be back. He's never been, to use fancy medical terms, "right in the head," and our guess is that the same forces that drove him to walk away from the game will drive him back into it in 2005 or beyond.



POSTED 9:42 p.m. EDT, July 24, 2004



'SKINS DENY CONTACT WITH O-GUN



Redskins V.P. Karl Swanson says that our recent report regarding efforts by owner Dan Snyder to pass messages through intermediaries to Miami defensive end Adewale Ogunleye is "bullsh-t."



"There has been no contact concerning Ogunleye with anyone," Swanson wrote in an e-mail sent to us on Saturday afternoon. "If [your source] knew anything at all, they would know Snyder has been on vacation on a boat for the past two weeks and virtually incommunicado."



Swanson also expressed disdain for the report on the basis that the source opted not to alert the league office to a violation of the tampering rules.



But, as a practical matter, no one reports tampering because tampering investigations go nowhere. Last year, for example, Lawyer Milloy told CNNSI's Peter King that the Redskins had made him a contract offer before he was released by the Patriots. When Milloy clammed up, the issue died.



In Ogunleye's case, the story isn't that Snyder is calling Ogunleye or his agent directly, but that Snyder has passed word through others to Ogunleye that the Redskins remain interested in acquiring him via a trade with the Dolphins. And, obviously, it's possible that the source is getting bad information from one or more links in the alleged communication chain.



Moreover, no one expects the Redskins to admit such conduct, especially after last year's near-miss with Milloy. If anything, Swanson's vehement denial of any contact makes us wonder whether he doth protest too much.

http://www.profootballtalk.com

http://www.thefantasymasters.com

[POJO_Risin]

Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
Not specifically that, but they're stating that Farrior got overpaid in his new contract, and that he was the leading tackler only because the D-line isn't that good....

News flash - Steeler linebackers always lead the team in tackles....

Always....

I think the Steelers did well in signing him now, just as I hope they extend Kendrell Bell this week before training camp starts....

Burress can fucking wait.....

I agree with all of that wholeheartedly...

Farrior and Gildon really aren't comparable...two totally different linebackers...Farrior has always been an East/West linebacker...one of those guys with a nose for the ball...Gildon is a North/South guy...who penetrates...and shakes it up...a big play linebacker...and I think that article does a good job of stating that they probably don't know what they are talking about...

I like long term deals in the NFL...in particular when you know they won't be as long term as stated...and once they are gone...they are gone...

A deal for Bell better get done...one of the best in the game...

and I still say they oughta deal Plax...even for a loss...better than nothing...

You gotta go after WARD after Bell...

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 12:11 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2004



MIAMI-AREA SCUTTLEBUTT ON WILLIAMS



We've got a few non-NFL sources on the ground in South Florida, and they've shared with us some of the local reaction to and insights regarding the surprise announcement that running back Ricky Williams will retire from pro football.



Part of the local speculation is that the Miami Herald knew about the decision prior to early Sunday, but that the newspaper held off on reporting the decision, either at the request of Williams, the team, or both. Coincidentally (or not), the Dolphins had a meet-and-greet event with fans on Saturday in connection with the sale of single-game tickets. It's possible, then, that the team wanted to keep this genie in the bottle in order to keep Saturday soiree from becoming a revolt.



On this point, the team is now explaining away its failure to disclose Williams' decision, which he shared with Dave Wannstedt on Friday, before the single-game tickets went on sale on Saturday.



If the Herald sat on the story, it was wrong from a journalistic perspective. The reality, however, is that this kind of stuff happens from time to time as local newspapers try to maintain good relations with the folks who are in position to give them info from inside the team's building. (We used to get riled up about this kind of stuff, but if nobody else seems to care, why should we?)



There's also some gossip in South Florida that Williams kept his intentions quiet until after the Eddie George situation had been resolved in order to give teammate Travis Minor the best shot at the job as the team's go-to back. It might seem a little far-fetched -- but it's not more implausible than the notion of a 27-year-old running back and team cornerstone announcing his retirement only days before training camp opens.



MONDAY'S WILLIAMS COVERAGE



With a flood of articles and analysis regarding the aftermath of the Williams retirement, we've tracked down the most interesting of the stories for quick review.



First, Jason Cole of the Miami Herald reports that Colts running back Edgerrin James has already made known his interest in joining the Dolphins -- a potential link that we predicted Sunday morning.



James will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2004 season, and Peyton Manning's cap number most likely will require the team to choose between James and receiver Marvin Harrison. As we've reported, the team feels that it got James' best years of his career under his rookie deal, and they're willing to let him walk if a better offer comes along next year.



The real question is whether Miami's sudden need for a running back would make the Colts willing to let James go now for value, in lieu of keeping him for one more season while his eyes are fixed on the possibility of going home.



Cole also identifies various backs whom the Dolphins might acquire via a trade, including Tony Hollings of the Texans, Najeh "Dookie" Davenport of the Packers, and Lamar Gordon of the Rams. Hollings is the most enticing of this trio; he was the Texans' second-round pick in last year's supplemental draft, and league sources have in the past verified that his ability justifies the lofty draft status. Still, his future in Houston has been clouded by the unlikely emergence of fellow 2003 rookie Domanick Davis.

Gordon likely will be the odd man out in St. Louis (assuming Marshall Faulk's knees hold up through camp), and Davenport has become a capable backup for a team that probably won't be able to afford him when he becomes a free agent.



Another possible trade partner is in Minnesota. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, coach Mike Tice is willing to talk about the possibility of trimming down a backfield that contains Onterrio Smith, Michael Bennett, Moe Williams, and rookie Mewelde Moore.



"I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about Miami calling after I heard about the retirement," Tice said. "Let's put it this way: We're not shopping anyone, but if the phone rings, we'll certainly listen."



The most daring move for the Vikings would be to send speedster Bennett, a former first-round pick and 2002 Pro Bowler, to Miami straight up for defensive end Adewale Ogunleye. Such a deal, which would hinge on the Vikes using a chunk of that remaining ginormous cap room on Ogunleye, would give the Vikings a modern-day version of the Purple People Eaters, with Ogunleye joining Chris Hovan, Kevin Williams, and Kenechi Udeze.



For a team that hasn't been able to put together a solid defense to match it's jaw-dropping offensive attack, sacrificing some depth at running back might be the best way to get to the Promised Land.



(Did we mention that the Vikes started 6-0 last year while Bennett was hurt.)



The Chicago Sun-Times confirms that Bears running back Anthony Thomas can be removed from the list of potential replacements, for now. Still, we think that if Thomas Jones shows he can carry the load in the early stages of training camp, a trade of Thomas to Miami could be a possibility down the road.



And in suggesting on Sunday that Thomas could be dealt in exchange for Ogunleye, we would have to have been smoking almost as much weed (allegedly) as a formerly dreadlocked tailback to think that such a trade would have occurred on a straight-up basis. Instead, our report was that the Bears would want to include some other players to alleviate the cap hit resulting from a new contract of O-gun. Even then, the Dolphins might still want a draft pick or two in order to get such a deal done.



Meanwhile, agent Leigh Steinberg hinted that Ricky's retirement might not be permanent. "Right now he seems at peace with his decision and intends to retire," Steinberg said, according to the Associated Press. "Whether it ends up being short term or long term, we'll have to see."



We're sticking with out prediction that he'll be back -- and we wouldn't be surprised to see him in uniform for the Fins on opening day. Either way, look for the Dolphins to keep a close eye on the situation as they keep the other eye on the waiver wire and/or the trading block.



POSTED 8:32 a.m. EDT, July 26, 2004



FINS TO FOCUS ON SHORT PASSING GAME



With running back Ricky Williams gone at least for the foreseeable future, a league source tells us that the team will adjust its offense accordingly, focusing on short, high-percentage passes.



This means that the influence of quarterbacks coach Marc Trestman will increase in Miami, since Trestman heavily was involved in the utilization of such an attack in Oakland.



Trestman was hired by the Dolphins in January after spending three seasons with the Raiders, where he worked with 2002 league MVP Rich Gannon. His biggest challenge in adding this twist to the Miami offense will be to get Jay Fiedler and/or A.J. Feeley to play like Gannon has performed over the past several seasons.



"NEGOTIATIONS" OR "VACATIONS"?



A league insider has shared with us some pointed criticism of NFL teams who conduct negotiations with their first-round picks by sending a small group of representatives to the offices of the player's agent for "negotiations."



These "negotiations" can come off more like "vacations" when guys like Vinny Cerrato and Eric Schaffer of the Redskins hop a plane from D.C. to Cali for four days and counting in Newport Beach and San Francisco of face-to-face talks. (Vinny recently headed back to Washington, leaving Schaffer to fend for himself against a three-man tag team of Eugene Mato, Jeff Moorad, and Scott Parker.)



Cerrato, who spent several years with the 49ers, likely went along so he could "visit some of his friends" in California, the source suggested.



The deeper problem, as the source explained, is that conducting the negotiations on the agent's turf works to the advantage of the player. It's far better for the team to fly the agents (and possibly the player) to conduct the talks in the team's headquarters. That way, the team can put the squeeze on the agents through a variety of participants. The coach, for example, can stop by and see how things are going. The G.M. can be involved in the process. Hell, the guy who signs the checks can pop his head in and express his desire to get the deal done.



Even a seasoned agent will recognize that human beings perform more effectively in familiar environments, and they likewise aren't as sharp in unfamiliar surroundings. For that reason alone, no visits or negotiations with draft picks or their agents should occur anywhere other than the team's main offices.



OPINIONS DIFFER ON ONE-YEAR DEALS



Amid news that the Browns are willing to give out one-year deals to players who balk at the team's standard demand that all rookies sign contracts at least five years in length, a league insider has opined for us that, given the option, the agents should sign the longer-term deals and "take the coin now."



To protect against the money that would be lost if the guy turns into the kind of player who'll command big interest as a free agent after year three or year four, the agent should insist on escalators or voidable years or any other standard device to protect against a rookie outplaying his contract at some point between year one and year five.



Regardless, and as the source said, "There's no f--king way you do a one-year deal. This only takes guaranteed money away from a guy who's got no guarantee he'll even have a job a year from now."



The real issue here, as we see it, is the failure of agents to band together and stand up to the Browns' insistence on departing from the standard practice of giving three-year contracts to mid-to-low-round picks. Right after the draft, the NFLPA should facilitate regular communications between the agents of all players picked by the Browns aimed at persuading them to take a common, united stand against the efforts to cram a five-year deal or a one-year deal down the throats of the incoming class.



Really, if a guy is willing to take a bonus based on one year of play, why not sit out of camp and the preseason until the Browns agree to alter their approach?



Although teams wouldn't be allowed to collude in this manner, the players are permitted to do so, and the only way to get the Browns to alter their approach is for the players to come together and essentially go on strike against the team until it reverses its policy in this regard.



Then again, the problem could solve itself in the next couple of years, since Butch Davis has run off anyone who could be blamed for the team's misfortunes of late -- and since Butch is now on the hook for any ongoing failures of the organization. Once Butch goes, the five-year mandate likely will go with him.




POSTED 10:17 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:48 p.m. EDT, July 25, 2004



FINS SNIFFING AROUND ALLEN, EDWARDS?



With a dearth of available free agent running backs, a league source told us on Sunday evening that the Miami Dolphins' initial prospects for replacing the suddenly retired Ricky Williams are James Allen and Robert Edwards.



Allen, who unexpectedly retired from the Texans a year ago at this time, recently had a workout with the Dolphins, and we hear that he likely will be the first guy they call. Edwards spent the 2002 season with Miami but was a late cut in 2003 and was out of football last season.



We're also hearing as of late Sunday that a trade of running back Anthony Thomas to Miami is unlikely at this point. Though it's not out of the question, we're told it wouldn't happen for at least a few weeks.



Stay tuned.



RICKY COULD'VE HELPED TITANS



The timing of Ricky Williams' decision to retire couldn't have been any worse for the Miami Dolphins, who could have entered the Eddie George sweepstakes if they'd only known a few hours earlier in the day on Friday that Williams wouldn't be with the team in 2004.



But our guess is that, if Williams had announced his intentions on Wednesday or sooner, the biggest team to benefit from the advance notice would have been the Tennessee Titans, who surely would have plopped an extra $1 million or so in 2004 salary onto the table if they'd known that the Dolphins would be suddenly desperate to land a veteran running back.



The problem in Tennessee was that the Titans and George were playing poker. George bet that he could get more than $1.5 million on the open market, the Titans bet that he couldn't.



So the Titans called what they thought was a bluff -- and lost.



But George's ability to do better than what the Titans were willing to pay would have been more obvious to G.M. Floyd Reese and company if they'd known that Miami had been left in a lurch by Williams' decision to walk away.



Sure, there's also a chance that George would have wanted more than $2.5 million to stay in Tennessee once the Dolphins hit the radar screen as a suitor for his services. But even if the number were $3 million or higher, the Titans likely would have sensed more strongly that George would get a greater number from the Dolphins in the wake of Williams' departure.



It appears that, in hindsight, all the Titans needed was a swift kick in the butt in order to wake them up as to George's potential value on the open market. Indeed, we hear that the

Titans made an eleventh-hour run at persuading running back George to return to the team in lieu of signing with the Cowboys.


And you heard it here first -- we don't rule out a return by George to the Titans in 2005 for a career-ending contract.



Unless, of course, the Titans acquire Ricky.



SUNDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS



On the same day that dreadlocks-wearing goofball RB Ricky Williams bolted from the NFL, his potential successor agreed to terms with the Rams.



The Pats have signed fifth-round WR P.K. Sam and seventh-round CB Christian Morton, while cutting DL Ryan Atoe and WR Ricky Bryant.



The Jets have signed seventh-round LB Darrell McLover.



Rams seventh-round TE Erik Jensen signed a three-year deal on Sunday.



POSTED 12:14 p.m. EDT, July 25, 2004



RICKY HAD BEEN "ACTING ODD" LATELY



The Ricky Williams story continues to unfold. (Scroll down for more.)



Multiple acquaintances of Williams' tell us that Ricky had been "acting odd" since returning from a trip to Australia earlier this year.



Per the sources, Williams seemed to be more laid back and less interested in football following his time "down under."



With talk that Williams is making a power play in order to get more money from the Dolphins in order to stick around, the sources say that, in their view, it's not about money. Regardless of whether Williams changes his mind at some point in the future, his decision to stop playing is legitimate, for now.



POSTED 11:35 a.m. EDT, July 25, 2004



REST OF THE STORY ON RICKY?



While the media continues to get its beauty sleep, skips out on church in lieu of snarfing Homer Simpson's patented moon waffles, and/or continues to recite "we're stunned" by the announcement that running back Ricky Williams is retiring after only five NFL season, we're bringing you the details, the inside poop, and (as outlined below) the speculation from some league insiders as to what might be going on behind the scenes.



And we must preface the following remarks by emphasizing that this specific blurb is rooted in speculation only.



In a conversation with one league insider this morning, we were reminded of the reported fine of up to $650,000 that the league was set to impose on Williams for violation of the league's "smoky, smoky" policy. If, the insider surmised, Ricky feared arriving at camp and failing given yet another pee test, he would have next faced a four-game suspension and another $650,000 fine. The next violation would have resulted in a one-year suspension.



By walking away voluntarily, Williams avoids a potential outcome that would have placed him on the sidelines for 25 percent of the year anyway, and one step closer to a full-season ban.



If this speculation is accurate, look for Ricky to come back in 2005, or possibly sooner. In theory, he could clean out his system over the next month and show up for the start of the regular season. (Could that reported trip to Asia be a 28-day visit to the Betty Ford-son Center?)



And by filing his retirement papers, Ricky can't be fined for missing camp or the preseason. Instead, he can un-retire in September -- and the team can restore him if it so chooses (and so choose it likely would, given the dearth of other options presently available to it).



Again, this is all speculation. We don't know whether or not Ricky has been puffing on the magic dragon. But the insider who formulated this theory is the same person who told us on the day that the Bucs dumped Darrell Russell that the move likely was the result of yet another violation by Russell of the league's substance abuse policy.



POSTED 10:56 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:13 a.m. EDT, July 25, 2004



RICKY HAS SEVEN-FIGURE DEBT TO FINS?



A league source tells us that, if Ricky Williams' contract contains language conditioning his signing bonus upon his fulfillment of the deal (a provision found in most NFL deals), then Williams owes the Dolphins in 2004 the sum of $1,249,085, which represents this season's piece of the bonus money he previously received due to his premature retirement.



This specific issue first arose when Barry Sanders abruptly retired from the Lions prior to the 1999 season. Sanders was required by an arbitrator to pay back to the team $1.83 million per year for the remainder of his contract, the prorated annual amount of his bonus.



More recently, the Broncos recovered bonus money from receiver Eddie Kennison, who quit on the team in the middle of the 2001 season.



Earlier in the offseason, the Ravens were prepared to force receiver Terrell Owens to repay bonus money if he refused to report to the team following a trade that ultimately was scuttled via the settlement of his grievance seeking free agency status. Currently, the Packers could recover more than $3 million from cornerback Mike McKenzie if he makes good on threats to retire in lieu of continuing to play for Green Bay.



None of the published reports regarding Williams' retirement have addressed this no-brainer issue, which could give the Dolphins significant leverage in their efforts to get Williams to change his mind.



POSTED 8:04 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:35 p.m. EDT, July 25, 2004



FINS INTERESTED IN A-TRAIN, NOT FOR 0-GUN



In the wake of running back Ricky Williams' stunning decision to retire after only five NFL seasons, our Chicago mole tells us that the Fins already have been in contact with the Bears regarding a possible trade of defensive end Adewale Ogunleye for a package of players including running back Anthony Thomas.



Per the mole, the other players traded could include receiver David Terrell and/or right tackle Aaron Gibson, in order to help the Bears clear enough cap room to sign Ogunleye to a long-term contract.



According to the mole, the Dolphins called the Bears on Saturday, which fits with the overall timeline, since Williams broke the news to coach Dave Wannstedt on Friday.



Another league source tells us that the Fins might be interested in Thomas, but not in exchange for Ogunleye.



At this point, a trade is probably the only strategy for the Dolphins to fill the gaping hole left by Williams' departure. The only available backs with any name recognition are James Stewart and Trung Canidate (whom we're told will be back to 100 percent soon).



From the timing standpoint, the move couldn't have been any worse for the Fins. Eddie George reached a deal with the Cowboys on Friday, and Antowain Smith agreed to terms last week with the Titans as a replacement for George.



The question of whether their contracts have been signed could be a key factor in both of those examples. If a contract has not yet been inked either by George or by Smith, they technically are free to renege. It's happened before, but our guess is that something like that would be highly unlikely here.



The Dolphins also might be able to pry Onterrio Smith, Moe Williams, or Michael Bennett free from an unnecessarily deep backfield in Minnesota -- and the Vikings have sufficient cap room to sign Ogunleye to a long-term deal.



Another intriguing possibility is Colts running back Edgerrin James. Rumors had linked James to the Dolphins before the team swung a trade with the Saints for Williams. With Edgerrin entering the final year of his Indy contract and the Colts apparently intent on letting him play out the deal and test the market, the looming possibility of a 2005 free-agent signing by Miami could prompt G.M. Bill Polian to get something in return now for James -- in lieu of getting nothing later.



Yet another possibility would be a trade of Bills running back Travis Henry to Miami, since Henry is unhappy with the fact that Willis McGahee soon will be leap-frogging him. (Sure, intradivisional trades are rare -- just as Drew Bledsoe.)



We're hearing that the Fins might be inclined to wait until the final cuts in September to pick up a guy who is released from another team. The Raiders likely will shed either Tyrone Wheatly, Amos Zereoue, or Troy Hambrick, and the Broncos like won't take a backfield containing Garrison Hearst, Mike Anderson, and Quentin Griffin into the regular season.



One factor that the Miami Herald and big-boys like ESPN.com have ignored thus far is whether and to what extent Williams will be required to refund signing bonus money to the Dolphins. Depending on the specific language of his deal, Williams might owe the Dolphins the prorated portion of the bonus money applicable to 2004 and any future remaining years on his contract. (We're tracking this info down right now.)



Finally, we'll be the first ones to go out on a limb and predict that, unlike Barry Sanders' surprising retirement five years ago, Ricky Williams will be back. He's never been, to use fancy medical terms, "right in the head," and our guess is that the same forces that drove him to walk away from the game will drive him back into it in 2005 or beyond.



SUNDAY ONE-LINERS



With DE Tyrone Rogers in the fold, the Packers still could be interested in Kenny Holmes or Chad Bratzke.



The underachieving Vikings have been assigned 6-1 odds of winning the Super Bowl, trailing only the Pats and the Eagles.



After 25 years, the 49ers will be moving away from the West Coast offense that Bill Walsh devised.



Giants QB Kurt Warner is concerned that the New York media might try to twist the words of his wife, Yoko (he should be more concerned about the stuff she says without unfair media manipulation).



POSTED 9:42 p.m. EDT, July 24, 2004



'SKINS DENY CONTACT WITH O-GUN



Redskins V.P. Karl Swanson says that our recent report regarding efforts by owner Dan Snyder to pass messages through intermediaries to Miami defensive end Adewale Ogunleye is "bullsh-t."



"There has been no contact concerning Ogunleye with anyone," Swanson wrote in an e-mail sent to us on Saturday afternoon. "If [your source] knew anything at all, they would know Snyder has been on vacation on a boat for the past two weeks and virtually incommunicado."



Swanson also expressed disdain for the report on the basis that the source opted not to alert the league office to a violation of the tampering rules.



But, as a practical matter, no one reports tampering because tampering investigations go nowhere. Last year, for example, Lawyer Milloy told CNNSI's Peter King that the Redskins had made him a contract offer before he was released by the Patriots. When Milloy clammed up, the issue died.



In Ogunleye's case, the story isn't that Snyder is calling Ogunleye or his agent directly, but that Snyder has passed word through others to Ogunleye that the Redskins remain interested in acquiring him via a trade with the Dolphins. And, obviously, it's possible that the source is getting bad information from one or more links in the alleged communication chain.



Moreover, no one expects the Redskins to admit such conduct, especially after last year's near-miss with Milloy. If anything, Swanson's vehement denial of any contact makes us wonder whether he doth protest too much.



SATURDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS



Chiefs CB Cliff Crosby has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct following a July 3 "screaming match" with police officers.



Lousiana Governor Kathleen Blanco is floating the idea of a new stadium for the Saints.



The Jags have reached an agreement on a contract extension with RT Maurice Williams; it's a five-year deal worth $21 million and $8 million in guaranteed money.



Writer Tim Kawakami is boycotting ESPN (we are, too, except for the football page of the website and the NFL video game that bears its name).

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 11:20 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2004; LAST UPDATED 12:06 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



WILLIAMS BACK IN THE USA?



There's a buzz in league circles that the ever-unpredictable Ricky Williams has cut short a supposedly extended vacation in Asia, returning to California to meet with agent Leigh Steinberg.



What in the hell does this mean? Who knows? But it's yet another bizarre development in what has become one of the most bizarre NFL stories in years.



Meanwhile, Steinberg said on Monday that Ricky's decision resulted in large part from the fact that he was overused during his five-year career.



"There was a lot of frustration about the battering ram nature of it," Steinberg told the New York Times. "In so many of his carries, he was running straight into the line. It took a heavy physical toll. Maybe it took an emotional toll."



Even if Ricky isn't already having second thoughts, we're told that the Fins won't be making any quick moves to land a long-term replacement for Ricky. Per a league source, the Dolphins don't want to respond to the shock of Williams' departure with a reaction that could be deemed desperate.



BRYANT CLEARED TO RETURN TO 'BOYS



Only three days after one client of Lamont Smith and Peter Schaffer was signed by the Cowboys as the most attractive free agent of the late offseason, another Smith and Schaffer client has gotten another chance to stick around with the 'Boys despite having a confrontation with coach Bill Parcells last month.



ESPN.com reports that receiver Antonio Bryant met with Parcells and owner Jerry Jones on Monday, and that Parcells and Jones decided to give the third-year receiver another chance.



"He's getting another opportunity," Jones said. "I certainly believe if your heart is in the right place, you should have second chances."



Some folks around the league believe that it's no coincidence that Smith and Schaffer client Eddie George made a bee line to Dallas with Bryant's status still up in the air. Others scoff at the notion that George was nudged in Dallas' direction in order to boost Bryant, but the fact remains that George made no other visits and, by all appearances, no other offers were fielded (at least not after George was released).



BARRY'S DAD CALLS BOBBY ROSS A RACIST



Our buddies at LionsFans.com report that the father of former Lions running back Barry Sanders dubbed former Lions coach Bobby Ross "a racist" during an interview on WQTX radio in Lansing, Michigan on Monday.



More specifically, Williams Sanders said that his son, Barry, believed that Ross was a racist.



In the five years since pulling a Ricky Williams (or did Williams pull a Barry Sanders?), Sanders never has attributed the decision to any personal conflict with Ross, who himself pulled a Sanders/Williams nine games into the 2000 season.



LAVAR PLANNING CLAIM AGAINST POSTONS?



Linebacker LaVar Arrington makes an interesting observation in his comments regarding the fact that the arbitration hearing of his grievance against the Redskins has been pushed back to November 2.



"I'm done with it. It's case closed," Arrington said Monday, according to the Washington Post. "Win or lose, I win in the end. There's no reason for me to keep going back and forth about it. It's time to play ball."



Okay, this probably means that Lavar is taking the broader view of his life, and that he's keeping in mind the fact that he gets paid more than handsomely to play a game that he loves, with or without an extra $6.5 million in 2006.



But could Arrington be hinting at what we believe to be his ultimate plan. Specifically, if he doesn't manage to obtain through the arbitration process the phantom roster bonus that the 'Skins allegedly had promised to include in his December 2003 contract extension, Arrington would have a slam-dunk malpractice claim against agents Carl and Kevin Poston, who already have admitted that they had LaVar sign the deal without reading it.



The Redskins had hoped to get the issue resolved before the season starts, to ensure that it won't be a distraction for Arrington or the team. With a November 2 hearing, the final decision might not come before the end of the regular season.



EARLY TUESDAY ONE-LINERS



Texans S Marcus Coleman was convicted on Monday of drunk driving; he faces up to six months in jail.



The NFL have suspended Vikings DE Kenny Mixon two games for violating the league's substance abuse policy in connection with his recent DUI conviction.



Lions first-round WR Roy Williams was a no-show at a voluntary rookie camp on Monday because he missed his flight to Michigan.



The Bears have signed fifth-round DE Claude Harriott to a four-year deal.



Free-agent OL Solomon Page is scheduled to make another visit to the Lions this week.



The Bills have reach an agreement with third-round DT Tim Anderson on a contract of yet-unspecified length.



The 49ers aren't budging from their offer of a six-year, $38 million contract to franchised LB Julian Peterson.



The NFL has suspended DT Darrell Russell indefinitely for yet another violation of the league's substance abuse policy, likely guaranteeing that the former All Pro's career is over.



The Chargers have signed seventh-round OT Carlos Joseph to a three-year deal.



Overachieving Vikings FS Brian Russell will have to hold off Willie Offord in order to keep the starting job.



The agents for Redskins first-round pick Sean Taylor made a surprise trip to D.C. in the hopes of getting a deal done ASAFP.



Cowboys S Darren Woodson will have surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.



POSTED 7:15 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2004



WILLIAMS OWES FINS NOTHING



A league source with knowledge of the contents of Ricky Williams' contract tells us that the abruptly retired tailback owes the Dolphins zip, zero, and a bag full of nada for bailing with multiple years left on his contract.



Per the source, the Dolphins redid Williams' contract in September 2002 -- but merely by adding escalators and incentives aimed at making Williams feel better about the crappy deal negotiated on his behalf by rapper Master P.



Williams' initial contract contained a hefty signing bonus, minimum salaries, and escalators and incentives that required him to have some of the best seasons in NFL history on a consistent basis in order to cash in. Part of his unhappiness in New Orleans surely flowed from the fact that he realized he'd been taken.



So in an example of the axiom that no good deed goes unpunished, the Dolphins' decision to pump up Ricky's contract at a time when he had no leverage to insist upon a better package resulted in a contract that superseded Williams' rookie deal -- and that now prevents Miami from arguing that they should recoup from Williams the corresponding portion of the original bonus applicable to any of the remaining years under the original deal.



There's also a difference of opinion among league insiders as to whether a team can recoup bonus money paid by another team following a trade. Some insiders think that the money can be recovered; some don't.



As to Williams, the issue became academic when the Dolphins gave him a new contract containing no bonus money. In hindsight, it can be argued that they should have envisioned the possibility of Williams getting bored and moving on.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 11:02 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



JETS SIGN VILMA



The New York Jets have agreed to terms with linebacker Jonathan Vilma, the twelfth overall pick in the 2004 draft.



A press conference is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EDT.



Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.



POSTED 9:27 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



GIANTS READY TO GIVE ELI NO. 1 MONEY



It's a concession that surely will cause the agents for picks No. 3, No. 2, and No. 1 to stop dead in their tracks and wait for the youngest member of the Manning brood to put an "X" on the bottom of his contract with the Giants.



According to the New York Daily News, the Giants are committed to paying Eli as the No. 1 pick in the draft, even though the NFL has given the team No. 4 money to do it, due to the draft-day trade of Manning for fourth overall selection Philip Rivers.



"We've treated this guy like the No. 1 pick from the start," Giants G.M. Ernie Accorsi told the Daily News. "We are given fourth slot money, but that doesn't mean you can't get him the money he deserves as the No. 1 pick. That's not a problem. There's just a creative way you do it."



(This statement prompted one league insider to ask aloud, "Is Accorsi f--king nuts?")



Last year, No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer's deal counted for $2.3 million under the salary cap. The Giants have a total of $4.5 million to sign their seven draft picks. To date, they have signed sixth-round receiver Jamar Taylor and seventh-round OL Drew Stojny.



The Giants need to move fast on this one. Camp opens in two days.



RIVERS AGENTS' WANT NO. 1 MONEY, TOO



Even though the Giants recognize that they acquired the No. 1 overall pick from the fourth spot in round one, the guy who was traded from four to one thinks he should be paid as the first overall pick in the draft.



According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the agents of Philip Rivers believe that he should be paid as the No. 1 pick because the Chargers dealt that the No.1 pick to acquire Rivers, and because the team was awarded additional money under the rookie salary pool for exercising the first pick in the draft.



We agree with the latter point, but we're not so sure that we think Rivers deserves No. 1 money simply because the Chargers traded the No. 1 pick to get him. Last time we checked, the Chargers got a lot of other consideration for making the swap, including the Giants' first-round pick in 2005 (should that guy be paid as the No. 1 overall pick, too?).



Regardless, this position from the Rivers camp means that they'll wait to see what Manning gets in the fourth spot before finalizing a deal in the first spot.



And you can take this to the bank -- Rivers in the end will want to take more money to the bank than Manning.



The incidental beneficiaries to this dynamic (if they remain patient) are the No. 2 and No. 3 picks (Robert Gallery and Larry Fitzgerald, respectively), who'll be able to argue that their contracts should fall somewhere between the deals given to Rivers and Manning.



TUESDAY MID-MORNING ONE LINERS



The Redskins have worked out a deal with S Sean Taylor, the team's fifth overall pick in the draft (it was a good move for the 'Skins, who didn't have to contend with Manning's huge deal at the No. 4 hole in reaching terms with Taylor).



The Giants inquired about RB Eddie George last week, but did not aggressively pursue him before he was signed by the Cowboys (we wonder what Tiki thinks about that).



Falcons DT Ellis Johnson reiterated Monday that he won't report for camp absent a new contract (good luck getting paid $1.5 million over the next six months doing something else, Ellis).



Steelers WR Plaxico Burress might have to work his way back into the starting lineup after dropping out of the offseason program in May.



Bears first-rounder Tommie Harris won't be in camp on time.



Eagles first-rounder Shawn Andrews will miss the start of training camp.



Falcons first-round CB DeAngelo Hall might not sign before camp opens.



Steelers LB Clark Haggans will miss four weeks with a broken hand suffered last week while lifting weights.



Leigh Steinberg wants a $9 million signing bonus for QB Ben Roethlisberger; the guy picked in front of him got only $8 million.



The Bears are expected to place OT Marc Colombo on the PUP list.



POSTED 8:52 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



FINS MIGHT TRY TO RECOUP $8 MILLION



Though a league source told us on Monday that Ricky Williams apparently owes the Dolphins no refund under his contract, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the team might force the issue, to the tune of $8 million.



In addition to the $3.3 million in remaining bonus proration from his rookie deal with the Saints, the Sun-Sentinel reports that the team can recover $4.7 million in incentive money paid to Williams over the past two years.


For now, we're sticking by our story that the Fins can't recover anything from Williams. But we'll keep working this one until there's a definitive answer. (Then again, there might not be a definitive answer until an arbitrator issues a ruling.)



The Sun-Sentinel also reports that Williams and agent Leigh Steinberg rejected overtures from the team in the offseason regarding a contract extension. Steinberg, according to the Sun-Sentinel, thought that Ricky could get a better deal down the road.



But if a contract had been worked out, Williams clearly would have owed back to the team any signing bonus money paid now.



RICKY: FINS COULD BE "BETTER OFF"



Retired running back Ricky Williams spoke again on Monday with Dan LeBatard of the Miami Herald, and Williams tried to diminish the impact of his sudden retirement by 'splaining that he might have been doing the team a favor by leaving.



''Maybe it was perfect timing,'' Williams said. "You don't know. Travis [Minor] is cheaper, quicker, faster than me. Maybe they'll be better off without me because now they can play real football. What we were doing, handing the ball to me every time, wasn't real football. And it wasn't successful, obviously. We didn't even get to the playoffs with me there. Now they can do something different, and see if they're good at that."



Williams also told LeBatard that (as we reported last night) he is indeed back from Asia and that he's now "bouncing around" the U.S. with rocker Lenny Kravitz (not that there's anything wrong with that).



He recognizes that his decision was motivated by his own self interests. 'This was selfish, but I don't think of 'selfish' as an insult,'' Williams said. "The only way to make others happy is to make yourself happy. Your happiness depends on how you take care of yourself. I'm taking care of myself now. In the end, the only person who makes you happy is yourself."



Williams also gave insights as to the reactions of teammates as to his move. In response to the criticisms of center Seth McKinney, who called Williams a quitter, Ricky said, "'I owe Seth an explanation? That guy owes me. I almost got my head taken off last year because of him.''



He got support, however, from defensive end Jason Taylor. ''He was very, very cool," Williams said. "He said, 'I respect you. You have the strength to walk away that the rest of us don't have.'"



Williams also found support from the first running back to send shock waves through the NFL with a premature retirement -- former Browns great Jim Brown. ''I applaud him,'' Brown told the Herald. "You can't be a free thinker if you only think the way everyone else does. Ricky is going to other worlds to study other cultures. Our own president doesn't even care about other cultures."



TUESDAY RICKY ONE-LINERS



The NFL denies Ricky's contention that there's a magic liquid that lets players beat pee tests for marijuana (but we're hearing that such substances exist -- and that other NFL players do indeed use them).



The Dolphins are refusing to give refunds to fans who bought tickets on Saturday -- even though the team knew that Ricky was retiring when the transactions occurred (hey, Wayne, you might want to run that one by the lawyers).



Ricky's mom reveals that he nearly quit after his rookie year in New Orleans.



The Dolphins will work out James Stewart and Stacey Mack on Wednesday, and that also are interested in Trung Canidate.



WR Chris Chambers hopes that the absence of Ricky means that the team will pass more.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 3:52 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:32 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



PACKERS EXEC HATLEY DEAD



A source in Green Bay tells us that Packers V.P. of football operations Mark Hatley passed away on Tuesday. Initial indications are that he died in his sleep.



Hatley, 54, had been with the Packers since May 2001. He previously served as vice president of player personnel in Chicago from 1998.



Our deepest condolences go out to Mark's family and to the Packers organization.



No further information is available yet. Stay tuned.



SEATTLE AGREES TO TERMS WITH BOULWARE



A league source tells us that the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with second-round pick Michael Boulware.



Boulware, the 21st pick in round two, will receive a bonus of $1.3 million on a four-year deal.



A linebacker, he is the brother of Ravens linebacker Peter Boulware. There's a chance that the younger Boulware eventually will be given a shot at playing safety.



POSTED 1:46 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



RICKY OWES AT LEAST $4.7 MILLION TO FINS



We're continuing to work the Ricky Williams story and its potential fallout, and we're committed to getting any new information on the biggest NFL story of the decade posted ASAP.



Here's what we've learned so far on Tuesday.



As to the question of whether the Dolphins can recover any money from Ricky due to his premature retirement, a credible league source eyeballed the paperwork and told us that the Dolphins have a "pretty strong argument" to support any efforts to recover incentives paid to Williams over the past two years by the Dolphins, under a contract that was renegotiated by the Fins in 2002.



Specifically, the contract states that Williams must repay the money if he leaves the club without its consent.



As the source reminded us, the final decision on any controversy regarding this issue would be rendered by an arbitrator, pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA. Still, it looks like Mr. Williams had better hold back $4.7 million or so from his weed-buying fund, just in case the arbitrator happens to interpret the contract according to its plain language.



Regarding the question of whether the Dolphins also can recapture the remainder of the signing bonus allocation that applies to the years left on Williams' rookie deal, we're still trying to nail down an answer. As we reported on Monday, a league source tells us that the new contract from September 2002 supersedes the rookie deal, excusing Williams of any responsibility for refunding bonus money if he quits early. We're still working on that wrinkle.



In summary, the Fins likely can squeeze $4.7 million out of Ricky if they so choose -- whether they can get another $3.3 million is an open question for now.



DOLPHINS WILL SET DEADLINE



The front office in Miami likely is keeping quiet (publicly, at least) about Ricky's possible repayment obligation, probably because they're still holding out hope that he'll change his mind and return to the team. But a league source tells us that the Dolphins eventually will give Williams a hard deadline for returning, or they'll put him on the reserve-retired list (and presumably initiate efforts to collect any monies that he allegedly owes them).



Our guess is that the team is trying to take a low-key approach with this issue, in order to prevent burning the bridge (or, as the case may be, prompting Ricky to smoke it). The Dolphins, we predict, will say nothing about any communications with Williams or his agent, Leigh Steinberg, until they know for sure that Ricky will not change his mind.



But if he does change his mind, Ricky might not get a warm reception in the locker room. Some of his teammates, we're told, are extremely pissed off by the move, and they're saying that, if the prodigal son-of-a-bitch returns, they'll let him know how they feel about what he's done to the team.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 11:20 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:56 a.m. EDT, July 28, 2004



DEAL REACHED BETWEEN RAIDERS, GALLERY



ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports that the Raiders and No. 2 overall pick Robert Gallery have agreed to terms on a "monster" deal including guaranteed money of as much as $19 million.



John Czarnecki of Foxsports.com broke last night the news that Gallery and the Raiders have a verbal agreement in place.



Though some might question the decision of agent Rick Smith to push the deal through before the coming Eli Manning contract at No. 4 potentially raises the bar for the No. 2 pick even higher, Smith apparently got the Raiders to proceed under the assumption that Manning would indeed sign a jaw-dropper at No. 4 -- and that the money paid to Manning fairly should push the Gallery number even higher.



Of course, now that the No. 2 guy has signed, Tom Condon surely will use Gallery's numbers in support of his argument that Gallery's deal sets the floor for Manning's contract. And the recent acknowledgement by Giants G.M. Ernie Accorsi that the team intends to pay Eli Manning like the No. 1 pick surely will be repeated at the bargaining table early and often by Condon.



In the end, then, the No. 4 pick could end up with a better deal than the No. 2 pick, which should make for interesting conversation between the No. 3 pick, Larry Fitzgerald, and the Cardinals.



Meanwhile, Jimmy Sexton surely will sit back and wait for all three of those contracts to be completed before he puts the full-court press on the Chargers to pay Philip Rivers more than any of them -- even though Rivers was the fourth name off of the board.



TUESDAY EARLY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS



A league source tells us that the contract between the Lions and second-rounder Teddy Lehman, the 36th overall pick in the draft, includes total bonus money of $1.91 million ($1.5 million signing bonus, $90,000 reporting bonus in 2004, $320,000 option bonus in 2005), and it has a four-year value of $3.29 million.



Now that the statute of limitations for a civil action against him has expired, former TE Mark Chmura is back in the public eye as a radio host.



The Texans have locked up sixth-round CB Vontez Duff and sixth-round LB Charlie Anderson to three-year deals.



The Colts have signed fourth-round LB Kendyll Pope.



Though we've got a lot of respect for ProJo writer Tom Curran, there's a good reason why agent Darrell Willis hasn't returned Curran's calls regarding the status of unsigned Pats first-rounder Ben Watson -- Wills has been decertified by the NFLPA.



The Giants have agreed to terms with fourth-round DE Reggie Torbor.



The Bears have agreed to terms with fifth-round QB Craig Krenzel on a four-year contract.



RB Stacey Mack will work out for the Dolphins on Wednesday.



The Saints have dumped FB Sam Gash, reports Pulitzer finalist Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.



POSTED 8:44 a.m. EDT, July 28, 2004



MANNING, RIVERS TO GET $20 MILLION EACH?



There's talk around the league of the increasing possibility that both Eli Manning and Philip Rivers will break the bank via their rookie contracts -- if/when those contracts are eventually signed.



One league insider has predicted that the contracts will represent a significant increase over the money paid last year, estimating that both Manning and Rivers will get total bonus money of $20 million or more.



It remains to be seen whether such payments will be parlayed into equivalent deals for receiver Larry Fitzgerald and offensive tackle Robert Gallery, who might already have a deal in place with the Raiders as the No. 2 overall pick.



The other big question is whether any of this big money will flow through to No. 11 pick, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Though the high-low of his signing bonus arguably have been fixed via $8 million in bonus money to the No. 10 pick and $7.25 million in bonus money to the No. 12 pick, the fact that the trio of quarterbacks generally was deemed to be of equivalent talent in some circles (with Roethlisbeger higher than either or both Manning and Rivers on some draft boards), agent Leigh Steinberg probably will try hard to get a lot more than $8 million in bonus money.



In the end, we don't see it happening. But our guess is that the Steelers and Steinberg won't be able to see eye-to-eye on this one until Roethlisberger ends up missing a week or two of camp.



WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Per a league source, Seattle second-rounder Michael Boulware is worth $3.225 million over five years, with a $1.3 million bonus.



Memo to Coach Ditka: We saw Barack Obama's keynote speech last night, and we think you made the right decision not to take this guy on.



Ricky Williams isn't worried about the possibility of having to repay money to the Dolphins; "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," Williams told the Miami Herald. (And if all else fails, Ricky can roll a few doobs and inhale his worries away.)



The Bucs have informed WR Keenan McCardell that, if he fails to report for training camp, the team will try to collect half of the $2 million bonus he received when signing a four-year deal two years ago.



Colts G.M. Bill Polian says that Edgerrin James won't be traded to Miami; "We're trying to win," Polian said.



From the "Trying to Fill the Ricky Williams Niche": Steelers WR Plax Burress is driving a mammoth Ford F-650 around Pittsburgh.



Texans S Marcus Coleman might want to get an apartment within walking distance of Reliant Stadium; in addition to a three-day visit to the hoosegow and a $2,000 fine for his Monday DUI conviction, his license was suspended for a year.



Jags coach Jack Del Rio anticipates that ninth overall pick Reggie Williams will be signed by Friday.



LB John Mobley will take 2004 off to get his neck healthy after being released by Denver.



Bears DT Tommie Harris says there's an 80 percent chance he'll be under contract by Wednesday afternoon.



David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune reports that Bears DT Bryan Robinson has brought a portable "hyperbolic chamber" to his dorm room for training camp (um, Dave, we think it's "hyperbaric" -- and we also think you should follow up on the whole Michael Jackson twist that Robinson has taken over the past year . . . remember those bizarre man-rape allegations of a year ago?).



The Chiefs will try to get WR Dante Hall more one-on-one coverage, so that he can bring some of those highlight reel return moves to the offense.



Ricky Williams might want to think a bit more about the financial consequences of his decision to retire; he paid more than $72,000 last year in property taxes for his two homes, and he still owes more than $2.7 million to the bank on both properties.



Former Eagles RB Duce Staley threw a dart at his old team recently: "In Philly we ran the West Coast offense," Staley said. "When you run the West Coast offense, you don't run the ball. You pass first down, you pass second down, you pass third down and if you go for it on fourth down, you pass."



Falcons G.M. Rich McKay recognizes that DT Ellis Johnson ain't showin' up for camp.



The Cowboys will take a $2.4 million cap hit if someone claims QB Chad Hutchinson off of waivers.



The Dolphins will hold Williams' rights indefinitely; "The contract is tolled," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Miami Herald.



The toe that Redskins WR Laveranues Coles broke last year is still bothering him, but he'll play through it.



Redskins CB Shawn Springs, who has been slowed by various injuries over the past few seasons, says he is fully healthy as he enters camp.



Vikings rookie DE Kenechi Udeze might flip from the right side to the left in order to replace Kenny Mixon during his two-game suspension for DUI.



Udeze's agents are coming to Minnesota in the hopes of getting the deal done.



The Browns are close to signing fourth-round QB Luke McCown.



Eagles DE Jerome McDougle will miss the start of training camp due to offseason shoulder injury.



POSTED 11:44 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 1:18 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



D.J. WILLIAMS SIGNED BY DENVER



A league source tells us that the Broncos agreed to terms on Tuesday night with first-round draft pick D.J. Williams, the seventeenth overall pick in the 2004 draft.



Per the source, Williams will receive $6.37 in total bonus money and a total value of $9.013 million after five years, with incentives and/or escalators that could push the total value of the contract to $12.113 million.



We're also hearing that the contract for 16th overall pick Shawn Andrews of the Eagles is worth $9.260 million over five years.



(Memo to the "real" media: Of the nine first-round picks who have signed, we've broken two of them right here. It's okay to start giving us credit -- everyone else recognizes that we're now a legitimate source for NFL news.)



POSTED 11:35 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



TRIP TO D.C. GETS TAYLOR DEAL DONE



On Monday, we suggested that a rookie first-rounder might be more likely to get signed to a deal that the team likes if the negotiations occur not in the offices of his agent, but in the team's headquarters. Our comments flowed directly from the decision of the Redskins to send Eric Schaffer and Vinny Cerrato for a vacation, er, meeting in California with No. 5 pick Sean Taylor's agents, instead of flying them to D.C. to get the deal done.



Coincidentally, Taylor's agents arrived in Washington on Monday without advance notice to resume negotiations that had dragged over four days in California.



After one day in D.C., the deal was done.



And our criticism of the deal must have struck a chord with both Cerrato and Jeff Moorad, who indirectly referred to our story at their Tuesday press conference, with Vinny specifically referring to our remark that he'd tagged along with Schaffer to "visit friends" in his old Cali stomping grounds.



Regardless, the fact is that the deal got done not in the Bay Area but at Redskins Park -- and this comports with our observation that the process tends to work more quickly (and, from the team's perspective, more favorably) when the negotiations occur at the team's offices.



As to the deal itself, published reports indicate that the deal contains a $7.2 million signing bonus, which increases to $13.2 million when taking into account option and roster bonuses. We'll get the real numbers soon, and we'll break down whether or not Taylor got a good deal -- or whether he got Steven Jacksoned. Stay tuned.



EARLY WEDNESDAY ONE-LINERS



Ravens CB Chris McAlister still hasn't decided whether he'll show up for training camp; since he's an unsigned franchise player, he's not required to report.



The Ravens have reached an agreement in principle with seventh-round WR Derek Abney.



If/when Ricky Williams files his retirement papers, he'll be eligible for $60,000 in severance pay.



Redskins S Sean Taylor refused at his Tuesday press conference to talk about his reasons for skipping out early on the NFL rookie symposium, chiding reporters for not asking him about it directly before going with the story.



The Bengals have claimed P Eddie Johnson off of waivers from the Vikings.



Less than a week after expressing an interest in RB Eddie George, the Bucs have their noses back in the anal cleft of Charlie Garner.



POSTED 8:15 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 9:05 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2004



JACKSON GETS HOSED BY RAMS



We've gotten a look-see at the numbers from the contract agreed to between the Rams and first-round running back Steven Jackson, the 24th overall pick in the draft.



And, in comparison to the contract signed last year by the 24th overall selection, tight end Dallas Clark, Jackson got flat-out hosed.



As outlined in our updated first-round rookie contract analyzer, Jackson's $4 million bonus represents a whopping 8.2 percent decrease in comparison to the $4.358 million bonus paid by the Colts to Clark last year. Jackson also is earning 2.2 percent less in total first-year compensation, 6.7 percent less in the first three years of the deal, and 1.1 percent less over the life of the five-year deal.



Sure, Clark's signing bonus technically was only $3.8 million a year ago. But Clark's contract also included a "falling off of the log" incentive to the tune of $558,000, pushing the bonus money as a practical matter to $4.358 million.



In a system where it's a given that the player draft in a certain spot this year will do better than the player taken in the same spot a year before, it's virtually unheard for a player to take a step backwards.



So why the drop, you ask? In our view, look no farther than the fact that Jackson is represented by the same guy who represents current Rams starting tailback Marshall Faulk. By negotiating a very favorable deal for the team on behalf of Jackson, agent Rocky Arceneaux is helping to ensure that Faulk won't get the Eddie George treatment any time soon.



The Clark and Jackson deals also include escalators, but Clark's escalators generally are more favorable and easier to obtain than Jackson's.



For example, Jackson's 2008 salary bumps by up to $1.5 million by rushing for 1,000 yards ($250K per season) and by rushing for 1,000 and making the Pro Bowl ($125K per season). For as long as Marshall Faulk is around, the prospects of Jackson rushing for 1,000 yards are remote.



In contrast, Clark's escalators hinge up relatively modest reception numbers, both in individual seasons (41) and cumulative seasons (85 over three seasons and 125 over four).



Also, Jackson can earn $200,000 in incentives this year -- if he rushes for 800 yards. Again, it's not an easy task with a guy named Marshall on the roster.



Finally, Jackson's salaries in 2005 and 2006 are guaranteed, but the guarantee disappears if the Rams chose to pick up the $1.95 million option bonus (which, by the way, is included within the reported $4 million bonus).



Bottom line: We told you so, Steven. Hiring Arceneaux was a mistake. The dude has a conflict of interest, and it looks like you got thrown under the bus so that Arceneaux could ensure that he'll continue to earn three percent of Marshall's big-money deal.



FIGHT OVER WILLIAMS COIN LOOMING?



With diverging opinions as to whether running back Ricky Williams might owe money to the Miami Dolphins for backing out early on his contract with the team, only one thing is clear -- the issue eventually will be decided (if pressed by Miami) in an arbitration hearing.



A league source outlined for us on Tuesday afternoon the specific items that the Dolphins could seek: $2.1 million for incentives paid in 2002; $2.1 million in a salary "rollover" in 2003 created by Williams' numbers in 2002; $1.1 million in 2003 incentives; a $100,000 workout bonus; and the remaining $3.3 million on the original bonus paid to Williams by the Saints.



If successful as to all items, Miami would recover $8.7 million, only 100 large less than the $8.8 million signing bonus paid to Williams by the Saints five years ago.



Other league sources has expressed pessimism regarding the Dolphins' ability to recapture money that Williams has earned. That money already has been earned by Williams, unlike a signing bonus, which is paid with the understanding that it will be earned via future performance.



And our guess is that Williams would defend any such claim by arguing that the incentive money was earned, and that the bonus money wasn't paid by the Dolphins.



As we see it, the bigger questions in this regard are, first, whether the Dolphins plan to chase Ricky for the money, when doing so could wipe out any chance of Ricky ever returning to the team (of course, this didn't stop the Lions from seeking money back from Barry Sanders . . . but maybe Sanders would have come back at some point if the team hadn't sued him).



Second, even if the Dolphins win an award against Williams, can they as a practical matter collect? The process of tracking down a guy's assets, forcing him to sell his cars and put his Heisman on ebay (maybe O.J. will buy it), is a dirty business that, in the end, typically yields pennies on the dollar.



In the end, however, the decision won't be driven by money, but by principal. Either the Fins will take the high road, allowing Ricky to walk away with no repercussion -- or they'll try to prove a point to any other player who might be inclined to quit football early.



OGUNLEYE TO CINCY?



At a time when we're getting flooded with rumors regarding possible trade scenarios involving Miami defensive end Adewale Ogunleye (including a three-way trade that would send Ogunleye to D.C., Edgerrin James to Miami, and picks and Travis Minor to Indy), we're hearing rumblings regarding a possible deal between the Bengals and the Dolphins centering on running back Rudi Johnson.



Johnson, a restricted free agent operating under a one-year tender, probably won't be retained by the Bengals in 2005, given the presence of 2004 first-rounder Chris Perry. But it would be very risky for the up-and-coming Bengals to dump 2003 workhorse Johnson.



Nothing likely will come of this rumor either, especially in the short term. But it's yet another possibility that should get thrown into the "what in the hell is going on?" hopper as we all wait and see whether the Fins will use a disgruntled defensive end as bait for filling the hole left by a departed running back.



TUESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS



The Eagles have reached an agreement with first-round pick Shawn Andrews; the deal is worth $9.26 million over five years.



The Raiders have released 39-year-old DB Rod Woodson (and the move actually increased the average player age on the roster).



John Czarnecki of Fox Sports reports that the Raiders have a verbal agreement with No. 2 overall pick Robert Gallery.



All of the Rams' draft picks will be in camp; on Tuesday, third-round DE Anthony Hargrove and sixth-round QB Jeff Smoker agreed to terms.



The Rams are restricting media access to DE Leonard "Labatts" Little to one group interview session per week focusing on football issues only (and each reporter must bring a six-pack).



The Cowboys officially have released QB Chad Hutchinson.



The Lions have signed veteran OT Soloman Page and sixth-round OT Kelly Butler.



The Cowboys said that back surgery went well for S Darren Woodson.



The Ravens agreed to terms with second-round DE Dwan Edwards on a five-year deal.



The Postons will meet in Cleveland on Wednesday with the Browns regarding sixth overall pick Kellen Winslow.



The Broncos have released LB John Mobley.



Dallas signed two seventh-round draft picks, WR Patrick Crayton and CB Jacques Reeves.



The Vikings have signed former wrestler Brock Lesnar to play on the defensive line.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 10:51 a.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



MANNING AGREES TO TERMS



ESPN.com reports that the Giants have reached an agreement with No. 1 overall pick Eli Manning on a deal that could include bonus money of up to $20 million.



As Len Pasquarelli observes, such a number would make Eli and big brother Peyton (who got $34.5 million earlier this year) the only two NFL players to land bonus money at or above the $20 million mark.



Manning's trade from the Chargers, who drafted him, to the Giants, who held the fourth overall pick, reduced the available cap space that the Giants had for their rookie salaries in 2004. (We've previously predicted that second-round pick Chris Snee, who has fathered coach Tom Coughlin's grandchild, will allow his 2004 salary to be offset in order help ensure that Peyton's deal will get done.)



The question now becomes whether Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald will be able to persuade the Bidwills that he should get more than Manning, since Manning technically was in the No. 4 spot -- and whether the "real" fourth pick, Philip Rivers, will try to get more than either of them, since he now sits in the No. 1 hole.



POSTED 7:49 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:13 a.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



FINS INQUIRE ABOUT JOHNSON?



The Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins have inquired about the availability of Kansas City second-year running back Larry Johnson.



But, as the Herald also reports, the information is news to Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil.



''They haven't talked to me or anybody else in the building,'' Vermeil said.



Johnson was drafted by Kansas City in the first round of the 2004 draft. At the time, the availability of workhorse Priest Holmes was in doubt, given a hip injury and unhappiness with his contract.



Since then, Holmes' hip healed, he got paid (well), and he rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2003.



Larry who?



Since Johnson was a first-round pick, a trade of the former Penn State star straight up for unsigned defensive end Adewale Oguneleye makes some sense -- especially if the Dolphins are indeed initiating these discussions.



For the Chiefs, a Johnson-for-Ogunleye trade fits with Vermeil's effort to go for broke and win it all now, so that he can ride off into the sunset . . . again. O-gun would help beef up a defense that couldn't stop the Colts in the playoffs last year, and losing Johnson would mean little to an already souped-up offense.



Look at it this way: If the Chiefs knew in April 2003 that Holmes would be healthy and happy and productive and Ogunleye was on the board at No. 27, would they have taken him?



Of course, the fact that the deal makes so much sense probably means it won't happen. Stay tuned.



TEAMS CRITICIZED FOR PRE-CAMP CUTS



There's been a rash of cuts over the past few days as teams prepare for training camps. And the decision to dump these guys now is prompting criticism in some league circles.



Why? Because in most cases nothing has happened since the conclusion of offseason workouts to change a team's plans as to the player in question. Holding the guy until late July essentially limits his chances of landing with another team -- either in the NFL or in Canada.



For guys who'll choose to get out of the game, their ability to make post-football plans (like going back to school or getting a job) also were put on hold and, again, for no good reason (in most cases).



We know, we know -- the teams have the right to cut guys whenever and however they want. But at a time when teams are crying about the absence of any loyalty from players like Ricky Williams, perhaps the teams should think about their own conduct before claiming that they got screwed by players.



Really, there's no good reason to put these guys' lives on hold from June until August. Once a team knows a guy is gonna get cut, the team should cut him. If the decision genuinely isn't made until July 28, so be it. But if it's made on June 1, don't hold the guy on the roster for the same reason that a dog licks his own genitals (i.e., because he can). Do the right thing and let the guy go.



BROWNS UNNECESSARILY MAKING ENEMIES



As the Cleveland Browns continue to insist on five-year contracts from every draft pick (with the option to take a one-year deal), there's a growing consensus in league circles that the team is unnecessarily alienating players and agents for a cause that doesn't have much of an upside.



In the end, this strategy protects the Browns against getting prematurely hijacked by a low-rounder who becomes a superstar, either as a restricted free agent after three seasons or an unrestricted free agent after four.



But, the last time we checked, the Browns haven't been growing superstars either from the low rounds or the high rounds of their draft classes, which has been headlined since the team's return to the league by guys like Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren, and William "Stick a Fork in Me, I'm Done" Green.



So by obsessing over getting themselves into embarrassing situations such as those that the Jets experienced with Laveranues Coles and Chad Morton and the Bears experienced with D'Wayne Bates and Warrick Holdman, the Browns are instead pissing off everyone involved in the process from rounds three to round seven -- every year.



In our view, it's a serious mistake, and it will only grease the skids for Butch Davis's exit from the team.



For Browns fans, then, perhaps this is a good thing.



REACTION TO COWHER EXTENSION



We posted our analysis of the Bill Cowher extension in Pittsburgh after reports of the impending deal first broke on Saturday, and there really isn't much more to add. First, we think that the front office realized that an implicit "win now or else" mandate for Cowher didn't mesh with the idea of grooming a first-year quarterback who might not place until after Cowher is gone. Second, we think Cowher has his eye on Kansas City anyway -- and the Steelers will be immune from criticism that they ran him out the door if/when he chooses to succeed Dick Vermeil.



Far more entertaining, however, is an e-mail we received from a reader on this topic:



Is there any reason why the Steelers don't, oh, I dunno, sign The Chin to a HUNDRED YEAR EXTENSION?!?!? Rooney, just come out and say you love the man so much, it doesn't matter if the Steelers are a perennial shoulder-shrug. An annual who-gives-a-crap. A yearly ho-hum. I know they had a good season a few years back, when Greg Lloyd wore a garage door-sized
facemask and Larry Brown almost had to fend off the interceptions. But Art, The Chin's most unpredictable move during a game in the last [10] years has been to stuff a field photo down the shirt of Red Cashion. Otherwise, The Chin's game plans fall somewhere between Styrofoam cup and paper plate on the interesting scale.



Again, we're not sure that this extension should be interpreted as a sign that Cowher is still regarded as the long-term, 20-plus-year field general in the 'Burgh. Sooner or later (preferably sooner), Cowher needs to add that long-elusive fifth Lombardi to the case before he gets that lifetime contract he otherwise has been piecing together in two-year and three-year increments.



THURSDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The MRI on S Sean Taylor's knee was negative (and that's positive); his availability for Redskins' training camp is day-to-day.



The Ravens have signed coach Brian Billick to a contract extension.



Broncos rookie WR Darius Watts already is lighting up training camp -- just like another former Marshall wideout did six years ago (Watts also spoke to his new NFL money: "I still go to Wendy's and get 99-cent bacon cheeseburgers. I don't go to Applebee's or something. I guess once I get out and start knowing I have the money in the bank, it might be a little different. But it still feels like I'm poor.")



One day before agreeing to terms with the Eagles, a doctor told Eagles rookie OT Shawn Andrews that his nasal polyps are "kind of coming back a bit" (we wonder whether Andrews shared this nugget with his employer before taking their money).



The Cowboys have agreed to terms with second-round RB Julius Jones, the team's first overall pick in the draft.



The Packers don't expect CB Mike McKenzie to report for training camp.



RB Terry Kirby worked out for the Dolphins on Wednesday.



Chargers C Jason Ball might not sign his exclusive rights tender and report to camp even if the team offers a long-term deal.



Miami Herald columnist Dan Le Batard admits that he has a bias in favor of Ricky Williams.



Bears RB Anthony Thomas would like to stay with the team beyond 2004, but he's not interested in being the backup to Thomas Jones.



RB Duce Staley and RB Jerome Bettis will split time with the first-team offense in Steelers training camp.



Packers G.M./coach Mike Sherman spoke to the shareholders on Wednesday, and he said that the team is reluctant to ship RB Najeh "Dookie" Davenport to Miami.



The Chargers have signed WR Eric Parker to a two-year contract extension.



Steelers coach Bill Cowher talked to Rod Woodson about joining the coaching staff after the 2003 season, but Woodson said he wanted to try to rehab his knee and play again.



Former LB Kevin Greene will help coach the Steelers linebackers for the first two weeks of camp.



Newly-signed DL Brock Lesnar is explaining away recent negative comments regarding homosexuals: "If you're gay, that's fine. Go ahead and be gay. But you don't have to tell me about it and approach me.''



The Pats have signed OT James "Big Cat" Williams.



New England CB Ty Law picks up a cool million for reporting to training camp on Thursday.



The 49ers still have to sign six of their ten draft picks.

[Troy]

Brock Lesnar, the wrestler??? Did I miss something? Who signed him, and why???

[Troy]

Nevermind, I read the earlier post. But, my question of why still stands...

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



POSTED 8:37 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



ANDREWS RAISE NOT AS HIGH AS WE REPORTED



As it turns out, the package received by Eagles first-round pick Shawn Andrews wasn't as fat as, well, Andrews himself.



A league source who double-checked our calculations regarding Troy Polamalu's deal at the No. 16 spot in 2003 pointed out that his contract also contains one of those $685,000 "falling off the log" incentives -- which drives up in Polamalu's deal the value of all of the various factors we're tracking for the purposes of comparing rookie deals from 2003 to rookie deals from 2004.



As a result, the total increase over the life of the two deals reflects a pedestrian 2.9 percent for Andrews. Though he received a 10-percent raise over Polamalu on all of the other factors we've been tracking, it's a far cry from numbers that showed a raise in excess of 20 percent for Andrews as to bonus money, first-year pay, guaranteed money, and three-year value of the respective contracts.



We apologize to Polamalu and his agents for creating the impression that they got hosed last year -- and to the Eagles for creating the impression that they paid Andrews too much money.



POSTED 8:00 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



THURSDAY EVENING ONE-LINERS



The contract for No. 2 pick Robert Gallery contains $18.5 million in guaranteed money.



Ravens DB Dale Carter will miss the season due to a blood clot in his lungs that was at one point "life-threatening".



DT Jim Flanigan has announced his retirement.



Rams RB Marshall Faulk knows that the end of the line is coming (but thanks to that softball contract his agent negotiated for successor Steven Jackson, Faulk might have some more time than he thinks).



Adding to the appearance of impropriety regarding agent Rocky Arceneaux's representation of both Faulk and Jackson is the news that Faulk was present for the signing of Jackson's below-market deal -- and the event occurred at a St. Louis restaurant where Faulk often entertains.



The Packers have signed the first of their six draft picks -- seventh-round OL Scott Wells.



Vikings coach Mike Tice isn't worried about the fact that he's entering the last year of his contract.



POSTED 5:14 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



URLACHER MRI NEGATIVE



Our official Chitown mole tells us that the MRI on middle linebacker Brian Urlacher's hamstring was negative, showing no evidence of a tear.



Still, look for Urlacher to miss 2-4 weeks. We're told that the Bears will be very vague about the specific date for Urlacher's return, so that the team can continue for as long as it wishes to use Urlacher's absence as a tool for eyeballing the players who will be filling in the depth chart behind him.



Also, the mole tells us that Urlacher made the pull worse by continuing to practice after the initial injury occurred.



POSTED 2:40 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



DOLPHINS HAVEN'T CALLED CHIEFS



A knowledgeable source tells us that the Miami Dolphins have not called the Kansas City Chiefs regarding the availability of running back Larry Johnson.



This contradicts reports by Jason Cole of the Miami Herald that the "Dolphins inquired" about Johnson. In the same story, Cole reports that Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil denied any contact from the Dolphins.



Vermeil's denial didn't prompt Cole to back off of his statement that the inquiry had been made, and the information we're receiving is that the call wasn't made.



POSTED 1:13 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 8:00 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2004



MANNING WILL GET $20 MILLION BONUS



Dave Goldberg of the Associated Press reports that quarterback Eli Manning will receive $20 million in bonus money via his contract with the New York Giants. The deal is worth at least $45 million over six years, and it can be worth up to $54 million.



Coincidentally, we reported a day ago that league insiders were predicting that both Manning and quarterback Philip Rivers would receive bonus money in that amount.



Assuming that agent Tom Condon receives a three-percent fee for his services to the brothers Manning, Condon's take -- on the bonus money only -- from the two contracts will be $1.635 million dollars.



CLARIFICATION ON VILMA BONUS



We've received some questions regarding the decision of Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma to sign a contract that provides him with a total signing bonus of zero dollars, zero cents.



"What if Vilma suffers a career-ending injury this year?" we've been asked more than once today (and once is once more than we care to deal with the issue).



So for anyone out there who has been fretting over Vilma's financial security should his knees go snap, crackle, or crunch this year, you can sleep easily.



A league source tells us that Vilma's contract contains guaranteed salaries in 2005, 2006, and 2007 that are equal to the $6.03 million bonus he'll receive next year if the team exercises its option to pay the money up front and wipe out the guaranteed salaries.



So in addition to his $1.22 million reporting bonus paid in 2004, Vilma is guaranteed to receive $7.5 million. And if he's released because, for example, he suffers a career-ending injury this year, he'll be entitled to receive the full amount of the future guaranteed payments, per the collective bargaining agreement.



THURSDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS



The Browns continue to haggle with the Postons regarding Kellen Winslow's rookie contract (maybe they'll offer him a one-year deal).



Ray Buchanan takes over as the Raiders free safety following the release of Rod Woodson.



Raiders coach Norv Turner says the team hasn't been contacted by the Dolphins regarding whether one of their gaggle of running backs might be available in trade.



QB Steve Beuerlein, who played for six different teams (seven if you count both the Phoenix Cardinals and Arizona Cardinals . . . five if, more appropriately, you count neither of them as real NFL teams), has signed with the Panthers for the purposes of retiring.



Bears LT John Tait will likely get some reps on the left side in training camp, just as he did in the offseason.



The Titans struck deals with S Scott McGarrahan and three draft picks on Wednesday; McGarrahan gets a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.



The Cardinals have signed seventh-round QB John Navarre to a three-year deal.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 8:42 a.m. EDT, July 30, 2004



RICKY THINKING BASEBALL?



There are rumblings around the league that retired running back Ricky Williams might pull a Michael Jordan and re-emerge in the sport of baseball.



After a week where each news cycle seemed to spit out yet another bizarre and unlikely revelation regarding the man who has rocketed to No. 2 on the national weirdness barometer behind only Michael Jackson, nothing will surprise us at this point.



Perhaps Ricky is looking for something that can produce a cannaboid-inducing stupor without having to worry about the presence of T-H-C in his P-E-E. If so, baseball and its plodding pace could be the best way for Ricky to lapse into semi-consciousness.



Or maybe Ricky realizes that his marijuana habit won't be a problem in baseball, which is just getting around to the issue of testing for performance enhancing drugs.



Earlier this week, Ricky's mom said that a shoulder injury likely would prevent Williams from returning to baseball. Even so, we suppose that there's all sorts of other things he could ingest, inhale, and/or inject in order to help dull the pain, restore the range of motion, and/or grow enough additional muscle to enable him to pop the ball over the wall from the bunting stance.



GIANTS WON'T MIND SNEE HOLDOUT



A league source tells us that the New York Giants privately aren't disappointed by the possibility that second-round pick Chris Snee might miss the start of training camp due to the fact that he has yet to agree to terms.



Per the source, the Giants believe that a holdout will help defuse criticism of the decision to draft Snee, who happens to be the father of coach Tom Coughlin's grandchild. Indeed, if Snee's teammates think he had an easier time getting paid at the bargaining table, then those inevitable locker-room whispers of favoritism will only increase.



Of course, our theory has been that Snee might be more willing than other draft picks to help the Giants offset the chunk of the rookie pool that Eli Manning's deal consumed, since he was paid as the No. 1 pick even though the team's rookie pool number was calculated based on the team having the No. 4 slot in the first round. So, in our view, the favoritism that we envision at this stage of the game would favor the team, not the player.



Even after Snee's contract is signed, and regardless of whether he holds out, the perception that Snee is getting special treatment will be unavoidable. Perhaps a short holdout will help to take some of the short-term steam out of the issue; the only way that the question will be rendered moot over the long haul is if Snee develops into a great player sooner rather than later.



LENNY SAYS "DON'T BLAME ME"



Rocker Lenny Kravitz has gone public to deny having any role in persuading Williams to quit football.

"I had nothing to do with it," Kravitz told the Toronto Sun on Thursday.

"I don't understand why the press is saying that. They weren't there. I had absolutely nothing to do with it. It's up to him to decide what he wanted to do, and I applaud him for making the decision that he did, and having the heart and the spirit to do it."

Williams has been spending time on the road with Kravitz, joining him on an overseas tour in June.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Meanwhile, Williams' lawyer told the Palm Beach Post that Ricky was in a downward spiral that traced to a 12-0 late-season loss to the Patriots. Three days after averaging less than 3 yards on 25 carries in a December 7 loss that dropped the Fins to 8-5 and put a major crimp their playoff chances, Williams tested positive for marijuana, triggering a $650,000 fine.

"He was so deflated emotionally, that was a setback for him," Gary Ostrow said. "That loss was the beginning of the end, in my opinion. Here you had a free-spirited individual stuck in the rigors of a drug intervention program that was really far more than he wanted to tolerate.

"He started talking crazy things about wanting to go to Jamaica and about how he hated having to go to the Dolphins' facility at 5 a.m. All these signs make sense to me now."

Given that Williams now acknowledges yet another positive test, which would result a four-game suspension if he returns, he essentially would be playing 50 percent of the 2004 season for free -- and he'd be one more positive test away from a one-year suspension.



DEAL COMING FOR O-GUN?

The Williams retirement has prompted rampant speculation of a deal involving disgruntled defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, who is not under contract and who likely will sit out for all of training camp, the preseason, and seven regular-season games before signing his dramatically reduced tender offer.

Though it now appears that a deal could be coming for O-gun, it apparently won't be a trade -- it'll be a new contract.

Jason Cole of the Miami Herald reports that talks on a long-term contract between Ogunleye and the Dolphins are progressing. Agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus told Cole that the two sides have "gotten closer" as to the value of the deal.

Per Cole, the floor for the Ogunleye deal is the contract given a year ago to Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila by the Packers. KGB got an $11 million bonus on a seven-year, $37.3 million deal. But we think that the ridiculous money paid by the Seahawks to Grant Wistrom in March, which included a $14 million bonus, is the real target for the guys at Rosenhaus Sports.

Really, if Wistrom is worth $14 million up front, Ogunleye is worth $18 million.



FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The Steelers and QB Ben Roethlisberger are reportedly close to a deal.

The Dolphins are getting players in the lower rounds to take four-year deals by adding an escalator that pushes the year-four salary to the level of the RFA tender.

No. 2 overall pick Robert Gallery's contract might include only (only?) $14 million in guaranteed money, $4.5 million less than earlier estimates.

The director of the Ricky Williams Foundation is receiving threats against her and her children.

The Browns have given a fair contract to second-round S Sean Jones, who'll miss all of his rookie season with a torn ACL; his $1.35 million bonus is a 4-percent raise over last year's pick in the same spot

Three low-round picks in Cleveland have swallowed the requirement that they sign five-year deals.

Vikings RB Michael Bennett has a chip on his shoulder to match the wings on his heels.

The Lions blame the absence of a contract for WR Roy Williams on the fact that his agent has too many rookie clients.

Just as the Bengals are gaining some respectability, they're pissing off players, agents, and the NFLPA by insisting on a clause in rookie contracts the hinges the retention of signing bonus money upon 100 percent participation in "voluntary" offseason workouts.

Steelers WR Hines Ward decided not to hold out from training camp to protest the team's decision not to re-do a contract that he has grossly outplayed.

Raiders G Frank Middleton got in one last dig (for now) at Bill Callahan: "The devil is gone and we've got a new coach."

Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo expects to receive trade offers for RB Anthony Thomas.

Packers LB Hannibal Navies will be an unrestricted free agent in 2005 after easily surpassing the 15-percent play-time trigger necessary to void the third year of a contract signed in March 2003.

Redskins S Sean Taylor has appealed the $25,000 fine imposed upon him for skipping out early from the rookie symposium.

The Vikings have signed third-round DE Darrion Scott and fourth-round OL Nat Dorsey.

The Steelers have made an offer to free-agent LB Adrian Ross, who was waived recently by the Bengals.

Eagles DT Corey Simon is expected to report for training camp despite his unhappiness with his contractual status.

The Jags have signed three more draft picks.

Despite a one-year suspension of his driver's license, Texans S Marcus Coleman has a permit that allows him to drive to and from work -- as long as he (or, in theory, someone else) can blow a clean air sample into the device installed on the steering column.

Former NFL running back and Heisman winner Rashaan Salaam says that, like Ricky Williams, marijuana use brought his career to a premature end (but if Rashaan had protected the football as if it were his stash of M.J., he might still be playing).



E-MAIL OF THE DAY

In a feature that will appear whenever we receive an e-mail worthy of sharing with the readership at large, he's the first entry in this new category, which was triggered by our recent reference to Browns running back William Green, whose troubled 2004 season was punctuated by a puncture wound to his back:

"William 'Stick A Fork In Me, I'm Done' Green? Very nice. Why don't you stick to making up your bullsh-t football 'rumors' and leave the man's personal life out of it? First of all, the man is involved in a very complicated situation with the mother of his children and is subsequently trying to turn his life around. Secondly, the man deserves a little credit for how much he has accomplished his life so far considering the shit he has gone through. Lastly, it was a knife, not a fork. So for future reference, between your daily routine of yapping about pro football and gay porn, why don't you do a little homework? And do us all a favor and leave the comedy to Carrot Top. Kiss my black ass all of you chicken f--kers.
We could take the time to explain that we used "fork" instead of "knife" because the saying as used commonly in the culture calls for the word "fork." In order to avoid any further problems, however, we'll simply adjust the phrase moving forward.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

http://www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 3:48 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2004



URLACHER COULD BE OUT LONGER



Our Chitown mole tells us that current estimates by the team that middle linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss 4-6 weeks with a hamstring injury are on the short side, and that there's concern within the front office that Urlacher could be out even longer.



Per the mole, optimism (you know, that quality that every politician now claims he/she has after the media crowed about Ronald Reagan's "glass-half-full" outlook) was running high in Chicago on Thursday afternoon/evening after the MRI on the hammy came back negative. By Friday morning, however, it was learned that the muscle still has suffered more damage than a standard "pull" -- and the Bears became concerned that their 2-4 week estimate should be adjusted.



The thinking is that the 4-6 week estimate was selected so that it would not dampen coach Lovie Smith's honeymoon period in Chicago, especially since any longer estimates would mean that Urlacher will miss at least one regular season game. Bottom line is that the Bears really don't know at this point whether he'll be available for week one -- and they privately are concerned that he won't be.



POSTED 3:20 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2004



BROWNS GO PUBLIC WITH REJECTED OFFER



In a move that will shock no one who is even remotely acquainted with the growing legend of the brothers Poston, the Browns have announced that the most notorious agents in all of sport have rejected a contract offer that would have paid sixth overall pick Kellen Winslow as much as the guy drafted one spot higher than him, Redskins safety Sean Taylor.



The Browns' announcement of the rejection of a deal including a $13 million signing bonus and a potential value over six years of $40 million clearly is intended to make the Postons look like the bad guys for apparently trying to leapfrog Taylor, who was the fifth overall pick.



Still, league insiders question the wisdom of team president John Collins' reasoning for the offer -- and of his decision to share his reasoning with the free world. Said Collins:



"Given the close personal and competitive relationship between Kellen and Sean Taylor, as well as their equal talent level on different sides of the football, we did not want to penalize Kellen for being picked one slot below his former teammate. Faced with the opportunity to get Kellen in camp on time, we made our best offer."



(As one league insider asked, "Is Collins gay?")



Obviously, the Postons are trying to get for Winslow a lot more than Taylor got at No. 5 -- possibly based on the contention that the Browns were a whisker away from trading up to No. 4 with the Giants, before the Giants swung a deal with the Chargers.



(Of course, the Browns would have taken Taylor at the four hole, but good luck convincing the Postons of that.)



Still, the system is the system. Two makes less than one, three makes less than two, four makes less than three, and on down the line. As one league source opined, the Postons' efforts to step out of line on Winslow's behalf highlights the need for a structured pay scale for rookies, similar to the systems used by the NBA and the NHL.



The Postons also could be arguing that Taylor made a mistake by doing his deal early before the Giants signed Eli Manning (with the fourth slot in the rookie pool) to a deal including $20 million in guaranteed money, and that Taylor would have been in line for even more if he'd waited on Manning. The Postons' argument in this regarding only will get stronger if (as we believe) Larry Fitzgerald snags a deal equal to or better than Manning's at the three hole and/or Philip Rivers does a deal significantly greater than Manning's.



The bottom line is that the Postons are taking full advantage of the fact that the top of the first round is a complete mess this year given the Manning-for-Rivers trade. The Texans, by the way, are looking smarter and smarter by the day for locking up No. 10 pick Dunta Robinson before this mess unfolded and before another Postons client -- ninth overall pick Reggie Williams -- gets the last piece of a market suddenly gone haywire.

[POJO_Risin]

Okay...a couple of things...

1. Ricky Williams to play baseball...bwahahahahahaha...Bo Knows baseball...Ricky doesn't...

2. Didn't Staley play out of his ass two seasons ago?

No offense to Bettis...but he would have last year as well if he wouldn't have been a dumbass and sat out...Pittsburgh better be starting this guy...