The Rumor Mill

[redblkwht]

Big rumor here in chicago, they are giving every effort to trade down as well..
watch the redskins give up the two for the #4 pick..
BTW Jerry Angelo sucks, no balls. use the #4 dammit.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 6:40 a.m. EDT, April 20, 2005



BEARS BAGGING BENSON?



Although there's been some speculation that Texas running back Cedric Benson could plummet out of the top ten on Saturday if Auburn's two-headed tailback tandem of Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams are the drafted before Benson, we're hearing renewed rumors that the Bears are eyeing Benson with the fourth overall pick.



If, of course, the Bears keep the pick.



Chicago -- like every other team in the top four -- is willing to trade down, especially since they most likely would still be able to bag Benson with one of the lower picks.



Of course, the Bears have kept tightly under wraps their interest in Benson, since several of the teams who draft behind them (such as the Titans and Vikings) would be less inclined to trade up if they knew that the Bears are not poised to draft one of the top-flight receivers.



Whoever ends up with Benson might not recognize him. He recently cut off his trademark dreadlocks, in yet another effort to distance himself from Ricky Williams, the last big-time Texas tailback whose career flamed out last year when he abruptly retired.



REDSKINS LEAN TO ROGERS?



We reported recently that Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers is the top defensive back on the Cardinals' draft board, landing ahead of the presumed top two candidates -- Pacman Jones and Antrel Rolle.



We're now hearing that Rogers also is the No. 1 guy on the Redskins' draft board at the cornerback position.



On Tuesday night, Redskins exec Vinny Cerrato said that the team is looking to slide down from No. 9, which tends to support the notion that they're eyeing Rogers, who isn't regarded as a top ten selection.



'SKINS DENY EFFORT TO MOVE UP



Of course, we still believe that the 'Skins will try to package their No. 9 and recently-acquired No. 25 picks for a move up. Sure, Vinny Cerrato has denied it -- but Cerrato also said on Tuesday morning that the team doesn't plan to trade the ninth overall selection, before acknowledging on Tuesday night that they'd like to trade down.



Amazingly, Cerrato is now trying to 'splain away that remark by saying that he was misquoted -- not by a reporter, but in the team's official statement.



Fueling our belief that the 'Skins truly want to move up is a report by ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli that the 'Skins sacrificed its 2006 first round pick (which likely will be in the top ten, if not the top five), a 2006 fourth rounder, and its 2005 third round selection merely to get in position at No. 25 to select Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell.



If that's true, then the 'Skins are simply stoopid beyond all belief.



Now, any team drafting behind the 25 hole who might want Campbell can try to leapfrog the 'Skins on draft day. Likewise, if the report is indeed accurate, Cerrato -- whom many in the bidness believe is one of Pasquarelli's regular sources -- might not be too thrilled that Len has blown the team's cover.



We think that Pasquarelli is deliberately throwing a bone to his buddy Cerrato on this one, likely at Vinny's direct request, in order to help perpetuate the notion that the 'Skins don't want to move up.



So why the charade? Because if the Redskins appear too anxious to make a deal toward the top of the draft, the price tag to get there will be higher. After all, they've already invested three picks into getting their hands on No. 25, and a team at the top end of round one likely will squeeze the Redskins' loin cloths hard once it becomes obvious that the only reason for the investment that the team already has made is to parlay the pick into a jump to the top.



We think that the team's long-term interests would be much better served by using as many picks as possible in 2005 to help build a true nucleus on the roster (one that doesn't, by the way, include too many players from the "U").



For now, the closest thing to a new-q-lus on the team is running back Clinton Portis, safety Sean Taylor, tackle Chris Samuels, center Casey Rabach, and (if he's signed to a long-term deal) receiver Santana Moss.



Otherwise, it has been and likely will continue to be a revolving door in D.C., with the gradual development of draft picks taking a back seat to the zeal of owner Dan Snyder and right-hand man Cerrato to acquire veteran players with name recognition.



WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS




The Texans have acquired CB Philip Buchanon from the Raiders for second-round and third-round picks in this year's draft.



Seahawks LB Chad Brown expects to be released by the team, after failed efforts to reach a compromise on his 2005 salary; said Brown, "I don't want to say the bridge is burnt. But, boy, I'd hate to walk on it now."



The Packers reportedly plan to match the Vikings' offer sheet for DE Aaron Kampman -- and to then sign him to a long-term deal.



The Titans are expected to match the offer sheet signed by LB Brad Kassell with the Lions.



West Virginia WR Chris Henry is trying to make teams forget about character questions that have hurt his draft value.

[aesop]

Al - 2 Questions for ya (forgive me if they've been answered recently)

- Where is Morice Clarette expected to go in the draft, and
- I've been reading that the Steelers are still very intested in signing Ty Law. Anything to that?

[ALinChainz]

Clarett is more than likely a second day pick (somewhere after round 4) and most think he'll taken somewhere lower yet. Though his 40 times were somewhat better at his pro day, they still weren't THAT much better, and the drills they expected him to excel in (the short, small area quickness drills) were similiar to what fullbacks and linebackers were running.

Ty Law initiated the Steeler visits for the most part because he is from that area and his foot seems to be a major concern to the teams out there shopping for a corner. If the Steelers were to sign him, it will be an incentive laden deal, and cap friendly. I wouldn't doubt it and the draft may signify where they may be with that, with where they take a corner in this draft.

[aesop]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Clarett is more than likely a second day pick (somewhere after round 4) and most think he'll taken somewhere lower yet. Though his 40 times were somewhat better at his pro day, they still weren't THAT much better, and the drills they expected him to excel in (the short, small area quickness drills) were similiar to what fullbacks and linebackers were running.

Ty Law initiated the Steeler visits for the most part because he is from that area and his foot seems to be a major concern to the teams out there shopping for a corner. If the Steelers were to sign him, it will be an incentive laden deal, and cap friendly. I wouldn't doubt it and the draft may signify where they may be with that, with where they take a corner in this draft.

Thanks, Bro...

Black and Gold forever!!

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 10:14 p.m. EDT, April 20, 2005



RAIDERS HAPPY TO BAIL ON BUCHANON



In the wake of the Oakland Raiders' decision to trade cornerback Philip Buchanon to the Texans for a two and a three in the draft, we're hearing that the Raiders "couldn't get rid of Buchanon fast enough."



The team views the ability to unload Buchanon for two first-day draft picks to be a huge coup. We reported earlier in the offseason that the Raiders had offered Buchanon to the Vikings for receiver Randy Moss during the 2004 regular season, and Buchanon has been candid regarding his desire to get out of Oakland.



Though in the end Buchanon landed in Houston, those rumors that the Redskins were sniffing around the former Miami Hurricane were true. Word is that the 'Skins opted not to acquire another guy from the "U" once they asked former Raiders coach Bill Callahan about Buchanon.



Callahan, we're told, told the 'Skins to stay very far away from the former first-round pick.



'HAWKS HOPE TO MOVE UP



A league source tells us that the Seattle Seahawks are hoping to move up in the first round of the draft in an effort to acquire a new right tackle.



Although the team has re-signed right tackle Floyd "Pork Rind" Womack, Womack likely would slide to the guard position if the 'Hawks were to land a tackle in the draft.



To get there, the Seahawks -- who hold the No. 23 pick -- likely would have to move ahead of the Rams at No. 19, since St. Louis probably is eyeing Oklahoma tackle Jammal Brown as a potential replacement for Kyle "Crazy Joe Davola" Turley.



EAGLES THINKING ABOUT PACKING UP PICKS



As many around the league have speculated recently, we're hearing that the Eagles are thinking about packaging together some of their day one picks in an effort to move up in round one.



The Eagles currently hold overall picks number 31, 35, 63, 77, and 94 in the draft. Pick No. 35 came from the Dolphins last year for quarterback A.J. Feeley, and pick No. 77 landed in Philly from K.C. in the John Wellbourn trade.



But if the Eagles do in the end make the move, our guess is that they're more than smart enough to keep their cards close to the vest, and to make the move only when one of the players whom they covet is in striking distance.



'BOYS LOOKING FOR BOOKENDS



Per a league source, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to use their two first-round picks on defensive ends.



Picking at No. 11 and No. 21 (courtesy of the 2004 draft-day trade with the Bills), word is that the 'Boys are targeting Shawne Merriman of Maryland and Erasmus James of Wisconsin.



We'd previously heard that Merriman's stock is falling in some circles, with his name slipping off of some teams' round one boards. Now, it looks like Merriman still could go in the top twelve.



MATHIS HAS A BUSTED JAW?



There's a buzz in league circles that Hampton receiver Jerome Mathis, who ran a blazing 4.30 at the Scouting Combine, suffered a broken jaw over the weekend.



We don't know how, where, or why it happened, but the injury could affect Mathis' standing in the draft.



Stay tuned.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 8:52 a.m. EDT, April 21, 2005



'SKINS TRY TO MAKE THEIR MOVE



We reported in the wake of the Redskins' "what were they thinking?" shipment of a 2006 first-rounder and two other picks to the Broncos for the 25th pick in this year's draft that the 'Skins' next step would be to try to make a move up the board from their current spot at No. 9, in an effort to land receiver Braylon Edwards.



The team pooh-poohed such possibilities, while at the same time claiming that they're trying to trade down from No. 9, a day after an official statement from the team quoted Vinny "Soon To Be Filing An Unemployment Compensation Claim" Cerrato as saying that the team would not be trading the pick. At all.



Now, Jay Glazer of FOXsports.com reports that the 'Skins are indeed making calls to the teams at the top of round one, including the 49ers, in an effort to move up.



And we've confirmed via our sources in Chitown that the Redskins have called the Bears about a trade that would enable the 'Skins to move from No. 9 to No. 4. Such a deal would not occur until draft day, and the trigger would not be pulled, we're told, unless Edwards is still on the board.



A possible trade with the Bears doesn't rule out a trade with the Niners, Fins, or Browns (who hold the 1, 2, and 3 picks, respectively), but the Bears will be more likely to accept only the No. 9 and No. 25 picks in exchange for the No. 4 overall selection. Our guess is that the Niners, Fins, and Browns each would want more than that at this point.



The Bears' interest in sliding all the way to No. 9 does nothing to diminish rumors that they plan to draft Texas tailback Cedric Benson, whose stock generally is seen as falling with the draft only two days away. If, as it seems, Benson will still be on the board at No. 9, the Bears will end up with the guy they wanted, they'll be paying him five slots lower, and they'll have another first-round pick to show for it.



With the 25th pick, we're hearing that the Bears will look closely at Arkansas receiver Matt Jones and/or Virginia tight end Heath Miller. We think Jones will be gone by 25, but Miller likely will still be available, due in large part to those lingering injuries from his time in Camp Groh.



SNYDER NEEDS TO STEP ASIDE



The Redskins' 2005 offseason quickly has become one of the worst in the free agency era, perhaps second only to the Dolphins' disintegration of 2004.



First, receiver Laveranues Coles, whom the Redskins crowed about so deftly stealing from the Jets in 2003, forces his way out of town, despite a staggering cap hit.



In return, the 'Skins pick up receiver Santana Moss, who is staying away from the team's involuntary voluntary workouts unless and until he gets paid like the player he never really has been.



Then, second-year safety Sean Taylor decides to boycott the involuntary voluntary sessions due to his displeasure with a contract that curiously bears his signature at the bottom, and a date of less than a year ago.



Next, linebacker LaVar Arrington sounds off on the manner in which the team has handled his knee injury, chiding in the process the organization's revolving door of coaching staffs during Arrington's five seasons with the team.



Then, the 'Skins give up their first-round selection in 2006, a third-rounder in 2005, and a fourth-rounder in 2004 for the Broncos' first-round choice in 2005, the 25th overall pick. Although virtually everyone thinks that the Redskins got fleeced, the 'Skins believe that they got the better end of the deal, even though the team's 2006 first-rounder very likely will be a top five pick, if not the first overall selection.



Finally, the guy whom the Redskins acquired when they got scalped by the Broncos for cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round pick last year is now taking up for his former "U" teammates Moss and Taylor for their decision to stay away from offseason workouts.



The difference between the Fins' free-fall of a year ago and the Redskins' experience this time around is that, for Miami, the 2004 offseason was an aberration. In D.C., the 2005 experience is the natural extension of five prior offseasons involving ownership-driven power plays that eventually petered out.



Through every bone-headed (in hindsight and, in some instances, foresight) move, there's been one common denominator.



Owner Dan Snyder.



As one league insider told us months ago, knowing what you know is far less important in this business than knowing what you don't know. Snyder, like most owners who derived their fortunes in other contexts, believes that he's smart enough to figure out the game of football. He isn't.



And like most really rich guys who wear suits all the time, Snyder surrounds himself (consciously or not) with people who say what he wants to hear.



An industry source put it best in this e-mail we received on Wednesday: The "Redskins are hopeless as long as Snyder plays what I call 'the critical owner position' and refuses to hire someone who knows what he's doing to do what [Bobby] Beathard and [Charley] Casserly used to do (which is why Gibbs won Super Bowls). Vinny [Cerrato is] almost as clueless as Dan -- maybe more so because he's supposed to know something. So they throw away next year's high No. 1 and two other picks to get No. 25 in a bad draft after losing [linebacker Antonio] Pierce, Coles, and [cornerback Fred] Smoot."



Other league insiders agree -- Snyder needs to (as Magic Johnson once said during his stint as an NBA analyst) "get out the way." Sure, the organization is making a ton of money, but it will never, ever win a championship until Snyder looks in the mirror and realizes that, when it comes to hiring coaches and picking players, he doesn't know what in the hell he's doing.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 8:18 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:50 p.m. EDT, April 21, 2005



BROWNS LOOKING TO TAKE A NUMBER TWO?



As teams like the Vikings, Bucs, and Redskins flirt with the Dolphins for a trade up to the No. 2 overall selection, we're now hearing that the Browns are getting antsy about flip-flopping with the Fins.



Why? Some are now seeing the top of round one as a two-man show, with quarterback Alex Smith and receiver Braylon Edwards the cream of the relative crap in the upper portion of the first portion of this seven-act play.



The Fins continue to spread the word that they'd indeed take Edwards if they end up utilizing that No. 2 pick, and not trading it. Their best part for a move down, in our view, would be to pick up the 'Skins No. 9 and No. 25 picks -- and any other picks that the Nicktator might be able to finable from the increasingly desperate Dan Snyderbrenner.



RODGERS IN FULL-FLEDGED FREE FALL?



While the San Francisco 49ers lock on to quarterback Alex Smith as the likely No. 1 pick in the draft, Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be poised to fall into the teens.



"People are off of him," a league source told us early Thursday evening.



Actually, we could see a team like the 'Skins taking Rodgers with the ninth pick, if for no reason other than that they could then thump their chests about what a steal they got.



Or the Cardinals could pounce at No. 8, since they've only got Kurt Warner under contract, and a cast of wieners supporting him.



Other possible destinations are the Lions at No. 10, the Chiefs at No. 15, the Saints at No. 16, or the Rams at No. 19.



THURSDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS



The Lions have signed 49ers restricted free agent OT Kyle Kosier to a one-year deal; the Niners, who opted not to match the Lions' offer sheet and will get a seventh-round pick as compensation.



USA Today sports an intriguing profile of the rise of Pats' V.P. of player personnel Scott Pioli, who paid his dues and patiently climbed the ladder, toiling in obscurity.



LB Jamie Sharper finally has signed his five-year deal with the Seahawks.



Cal WR Geoff McArthur doesn't want to be drafted this weekend.



The Raiders have scored their second coup in as many days, trading so-so TE Doug Jolley to the Jets for the No. 26 pick in the draft.



The Colts don't expect to trade RB Edgerrin James on draft day.



The Lions will wear black jersey and blue numbers twice this season.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 9:42 a.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



VIKES TO TAKE TROY AT SEVEN?



We're hearing from one of our moles in Minny that if the Vikes stay put at No. 7 they plan to select South Carolina receiver Troy Williamson, who quietly has been creeping up the draft board.



In fact, some think the Vikes will take Willamson even if Mike Williams is still available.



And if we were calling the shots in Minny (folks in purple all over the world should rejoice that we're not) we'd also consider taking Arkansas receiver Matt Jones at No. 18, even if Willamson is taken at No. 7. Between the two of them, one will likely become a star. If both develop into quality players, the name "Randy Moss" quickly might fade from the memory of Minnesotans sooner than anyone would have anticipated.



Such a dynamic would be far more likely if the Vikes take Jones, and if he is able to fulfill the potential of his 78-inch, 240-pound, 4.37-running frame.



Then there's that unspoken Jones' "X" factor.



He's white.



Sure, everyone gets nervous when anyone talks about matters of race, but with the NFL ever fearful that the "thug" element in the league will alienate mainstream fans, Jones has the potential to be the antithesis of guys like Moss, T.O., and every other badly-behaving black player.



We're not saying that all black players behave badly. But the reality is that a lot of the guys who get in trouble also happen to be African-American. And that kind of stuff, the league surely fears, eventually will push the average white fan back to (snore) baseball, especially if/when that sport finds a way to generate offense without simultaneously produced large-headed, small-'nadded freaks.



Then again, character is one of the concerns about Jones. Some say he's lazy, and that he's not willing to put the time and effort into being the ultimate player he can be.



So the ultimate irony here would be for this potential Larry Bird of the NFL to end up being just another Ron Artest.



Still, we thinks it's well worth the risk for the Vikings. The upside is huge -- and the downside is relatively minimal. And with season-ticket renewals at only 90 percent, the Vikes could use every ounce of intrique and excitement that a player like Jones will bring to the table.



POSTED 6:23 a.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



'SKINS, BEARS DEAL HINGES ON CARDS



For the Bears to send the No. 4 overall pick to the 'Skins for the No. 9 and No. 25 selections in round one, either Braylon Edwards or Mike Williams must still be on the board.



But there's one more hitch. If the Cardinals haven't consummated a trade for Bills running back Travis Henry before the third pick is announced on Saturday, the Bears likely won't go forward, since they fear that the Cards would select running back Cedric Benson with the No. 8 overall pick.



One of the worst kept secrets leading up to the draft is that the Bears have a banana in their pockets for Benson, a power back from Texas.



It seems unlikely, in our view, that the long-rumored trade between the Cardinals and the Bills will occur before the Bears are on the clock.



According to The Miami Herald, the Redskins also are still talking to the Dolphins about a trade involving the No. 9 and No. 25 picks -- and likely more. The Herald reports that the Vikings likely won't end up making the move up to the Fins' selection at No. 2 because Minny is unwilling to give up both the No. 7 overall pick and the No. 25 selection.



FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The Vikings still could trade up or trade down in round one of the draft.



Mike Wilbon of The Washington Post mails in a rambling diatribe on the draft.



LB Chad Brown, cut by the Seahawks on Thursday, is aiming to land with the Packers.



Now that CB Andre Dyson has signed with the Seahawks, the Titans almost definitely will draft a cornerback in round one on Saturday.



Redskins QB Patrick Ramsey says he wouldn't mind it if the team drafts a quarterback in round one -- yeah, in the same way the 'Skins cheerleaders wouldn't mind doing the naked lambada with Ron Mexico.



Bob Costas could be the primary smooth-talking puppet for NBC's Sunday night NFL package.



Despite the dire needs at corner, Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow is lobbying for the team to draft his former pupil at USC -- receiver Mike Williams.



The arrival of WR Jerome Pathon in Seattle could mean that WR Koren Robinson will land on the trading block on draft day.



If CB Patrick Surtain isn't traded by the Fins to the Chiefs on Friday, it likely won't happen; but we think that if the Dolphins don't draft a running back on Saturday, the deal could end up being Surtain for Larry Johnson.



The Jets tried to get TE Doug Jolley from the Raiders last year when the two teams were talking about a trade for RB LaMont Jordan, who has since signed with Oakland as a free agent.



Miami CB Antrell Rolle thinks he's the best player in the draft.



Jags QB David Garrard signed a three-year extension with a $2 million signing bonus.



It sounds like Giants TE Jeremy Shockey politely told QB Eli Manning that he'll have a cleat in his ass if he calls out Shockey again for not attending involuntary voluntary workouts.



The New York Times sez that the Jets have offered a contract to CB Andre Dyson -- someone needs to sez to The Times that Dyson has signed with Seattle.



RB Dee Brown has signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs.



Memo to anyone interested in buying that box of unopened fan mail addressed to DT Warren Sapp -- Sapp wants the letters, apparently so that he can personally ignore them.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 8:32 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



TITANS, CHARGERS POISED FOR MEGATRADE?



Before sending an e-mail telling us that we're a bunch of dumbarses, remember this:



We're just the messenger.



With that said, there's a rumor out there that the Titans and the Chargers could pull off a stunning draft day trade that would send quarterback Philip Rivers and a fourth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for the No. 6 overall selection and quarterback Billy Volek.



But the Chargers repeatedly have said they won't be trading Rivers, especially in the wake of paying the back end of his two-tiered signing bonus last month. With that said, the Titans could easily absorb the cap hit, and they then could work out a long-term deal with starter Drew Brees, which would chop down his current cap number of $8 million plus.



And with Steve McNair ready to return for his eleventh NFL season, it doesn't make sense for the Titans to take on Rivers, who'd likely sit on the sidelines for yet another season.



Then again, Rivers is likely to have his butt glued to the bench in San Diego, and the chances of McNair getting injured are much greater than the likelihood of Brees getting busted to the point he can't play.



HOWARD HITTING THE ROAD?



A league source tells us that the Miami Dolphins have given cornerback Reggie Howard a "take a pay cut or take a hike" ultimatum, demanding that he reduce his 2005 salary.



Per the source, Howard has to date refused to alter the terms of his contract.



Howard was signed by the Fins in 2004. He previously played for the Panthers.



POSTED 8:07 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



HENRY HEADING TO PHILLY



We're hearing that the Philadelphia Eagles are poised to acquire running back Travis Henry from the Bills for a third-round pick.



Barring an unexpected development, the trade will happen on Saturday.



The rumored move is a surprise on the surface, since the Eagles already have running backs Bryant Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter on the roster. But Westbrook will be an unrestricted free agent next year, and Buckhalter is a member of the multiple season-ending knee injury club.



Most presumed that Henry would be shipped to the Cards, but the deal never was consummated.



POSTED 7:55 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



JAMES HAS LOST HIS EDGE?



Word around the league is that teams aren't interested in trading for Colts running back Edgerrin James due to concerns that six years of high mileage have left him with bad knees.



The Colts made waves in 1999 by drafting James ahead of running back Ricky Williams, for whom the Saints ultimately gave up their entire slate of picks.



And James played out his original deal, without any renegotiation or extension. A free agent for the first time in 2005, James was slapped with the franchise tag. He signed the one-year franchise tender before the Colts could revoke it -- and we've heard on multiple occasions since then that the team was indeed poised to do so.



Since then, the Colts have tried to trade James, but no one has shown serious interest, even though the Colts have made it known that they'd take less than a first-round pick in exchange. Our guess is that the Cardinals or the Bears could be interested, if either team ends up not selecting a tailback in round one on Saturday.



EAGLES HOPING TO SOAR



The Philadelphia Eagles want to package their first round pick (No. 31 overall) and the second-round pick (No. 34 overall) that they acquired in the A.J. Feeley trade in order to move up in round one of the draft, according to a league source.



The Eagles might be interested in receiver Matt Jones, and some think that Jones might be long gone before Philly is on the clock.



Stay tuned.



CINCY SLIDING BACK FOR THURMAN?



Although the Bengals have a history of drafting for need, even when a guy could have been had at a lower pick (see Jones, Levi), word is that Cincy is hoping to slide down from the seventeenth overall space in the draft in order to draft linebacker Odell Thurman of Georgia.



One potential trade partner could be the Seahawks, who'd like to move up.



Another possibility would be the Packers, if quarterback Aaron Rodgers falls past No. 15.



And then there's the Matt Jones factor. As Jones drops farther into the teens, one of the teams in the 20s might want to spring up and nab him.



Of course, the Bengals and the aforementioned Eagles could get together on this one, if Cincy is confident that Thurman can still be had at No. 31.



POSTED 5:33 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:47 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



BUCS LOOKING TO GO SANS SIMEON?



A league source tells us that the Tampa Bay Bucs are shopping veteran defensive end Simeon Rice -- and that the Chargers are interested.



No word yet on what the Bucs would want for Rice, whose performance hasn't lived up to his big-money contract over the past two seasons.



Rice also spoke out last season regarding a perceived lack of team discipline under coach Jon Gruden. Our guess is that, in lieu of dumping Rice at the team's first opportunity, the organization opted instead to lay low until the draft, where they now can snag some picks in exchange.



The real question at this juncture, however, is the net cap hit resulting from a trade. Rice received some pretty big bonus money a couple of years ago, but the difference between the unallocated portion of his boni and his 2005 salary might not be enough to cripple the already cap-strapped franchise.



CLAYTON HAS A BUM KNEE?



There's a rumor making the rounds that Oklahoma receiver Mark Clayton's standing in the draft could fall due to concerns regarding an injured knee.



We're not saying that Clayton has a bum knee. That's for the teams to decide based on the medial info. What we are saying is that there are concerns out there regarding his knee, and that these concerns could cause him to drop on Saturday.



Clayton generally has been regarded as a first-rounder, and the fourth receiver likely to be drafted, after Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams, and Troy Williamson.



LITTLE RICKY ANOTHER TEXAS HEAD CASE?



At a time when his stock had climbed back into the top ten after a temporary slip into the teens, we're hearing that there are lingering concerns regarding Texas running back Cedric Benson.



Benson has been trying desperately to distance himself from another former Longhorn, 1998 Heisman winner Ricky Williams. Recently, Benson trimmed off his trademark dreadlocks in order to further separate himself from Williams.



But some teams still regard him as nothing more than Little Ricky Williams -- regardless of whether the Bears hold firm with their apparent plan to draft Williams with the No. 4 overall pick.



Benson is one of three supposedly elite running backs in the draft, along with Auburn's Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams.



POSTED 5:13 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:33 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005



CLEVELAND PLOTTING TO TAKE A PASS?



With the Browns, as we hear it, panicking to get up to the No. 2 overall spot and the Dolphins unwilling to swing a trade for the privilege to slide down a rung, there are some initial rumblings that the Browns might be tempted to take a pass at No. 3.



Although we've previously heard that the Competition Committee has discussed the issue of teams passing in round one, due to the supposed "mistake" the Vikings made two years ago when they sat on the seventh pick and then nabbed defensive tackle Kevin Williams after two other selections were made, there currently is no rule prohibiting a team from intentionally foregoing its right to wait to exercise its choice until after one or more -- or more -- teams have done so.



And because many regard the upper end of round one as a two-player proposition, with quarterback Alex Smith being the first pick and receiver Braylon Edwards going at No. 2, there's a chance that, if the Browns allow their 15 minutes to expire, the next team on the clock (the Bears) could do the same.



As could the Bucs at No. 5.



As could the Titans at No 6.



And so on.



The process quickly could disintegrate into a middle school dance, with all of the boys waiting for one of them to muster the nerve to aks somebody to tango.



This potential problem has arisen because, after Smith and Edwards, none of the guys who could be taken in the top ten necessarily deserve to be paid accordingly. Thus, the Browns could wait for several picks to be exercised before making a move for, say, Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson.



Sure, Johnson's agent would argue that because the Browns have the No. 3 slot in the rookie salary pool, they have to pay Johnson accordingly. But under such circumstances that reality would be that 1, 2, 3, or more names were called before Johnson's.



In our opinion, the chances of the Browns' passing on the pick are smaller than the chances of John Madden passing on dessert, but the possibility is larger than most folks realize. If G.M. Phil Savage includes owner Randy Lerner in the loop, and if the Browns are then willing to admit candidly that they consciously allowed the time to expire in order to get the guy they want at a lower price, the fallout might not be so bad.



Unless, of course, the Browns end up not getting the guy whom they really wanted.



Then again, since no one knows the name of the guy whom they really want, they can always act like they got him.



TEXANS WANT TO MOVE GLENN



With cornerback Philip Buchanon recently acquired from the Raiders, the Houston Texans now hope, we're told, to trade holdover Aaron Glenn.



The Texans sent a second-round and third-round pick to the Raiders for Buchanon, a former first-rounder who badly wanted out of Oakland.



Glenn could enable the Texans to recapture the third-rounder that was dealt to Oakland. Last month, the Pats acquired cornerback Duane Starks from the Cardinals for a three.

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



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POSTED 6:40 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:08 a.m. EDT, April 25, 2005



COUGHLIN SPEAKS OUT ON SHOCKEY



Although, technically, voluntary workouts are supposed to be just that, most coaches and players now realize that they aren't.



And even though coaches aren't supposed to say or do anything to indicate that the sessions are anything other than optional, Giants coach Tom Coughlin no longer could hold his tongue regarding the continued absence of tight end Jeremy Shockey, who supposedly is training on his own.



"He's working in Miami, and I don't have any question that he's working out. But that's not the only reason to be here, though," Coughlin said, according to The New York Post. "Jeremy knows exactly what I feel about the program. He and I have discussed it at great length. I feel he'll be here at some point in time; hopefully sooner.



"It gives a great opportunity for players to work in an environment where they're sweating and grinding with no names on the back of the jerseys, no fanfare. It's good for chemistry from a team concept," Coughlin said. "In general those are some of the reasons the offseason program is important, and I'd like to have everybody here."



We've heard rumblings that Shockey's absence also can be attributed to (surprise, surprise) his desire for a new contract, which to date the Giants have spurned.



MORE TURDS FOR TAMPA



Usually, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers harvest players of questionable character through free agency (e.g., Darrell Russell, Michael Pittman). But they've now extended their turd collecting to draft day, given the selection of Mississippi fullback Rick Razzano in the seventh round on Sunday.



Razzano currently is on trial for an incident on April 3, 2004 during which he allegedly beat the bleeping barrister out of a law student, putting the guy in intensive care for two days.



The fight allegedly broke out when Razzano's wife, a former hoopster for the Lady Rebels, threw a punch at the alleged victim's girlfriend. Razzano's position is that he and his wife were being "harassed" by law students (a typically lawless bunch) until his wife was sucker punched.



But none of that bothers the Bucs, who threw a last-round pick on Razzano even though the trial is ongoing.



"He'll be here," Gruden said. "We're confident this issue will be OK. He's a good kid who made a mistake."



Yeah, Jon, so is O.J. Simpson.



Instead of potentially wasting a pick on a guy who might not be available for 18-36 months (or whatever in the hell the duration of the potential sentence might be), why not draft a guy who isn't on trial for criminal charges?



By the way, maybe Gruden can get a job on one of those cable networks talking about issues like the Michael Jackson trial, since Jon-Boy apparently knows enough about the legal system to engage in prognostication on jury verdicts.



MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Speaking of budding experts on the legal system, Texans G.M. Charley Casserly believes that past criminal charges against first-round DT Travis Johnson and third-round RB Vernand Morency were "bogus."



Chargers first-round DE Shawne Merriman is pissed at Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Bill Parcells for telling him that, if he was on the board at No. 11, they'd draft him; he'll get a chance to personally express his displeasure on September 11, when San Diego opens against Dallas.



Jags RB Fred Taylor is unavailable until June due to arthroscopic surgery on his knee.



The Browns are expected to hang on to RB William "Stick A Knife In Me, I'm Done" Green, yet another failed first-rounder of the team's reincarnation.



The best way for the Vikings to make fans fuhgetabout Randy Moss appears to be building a team in one offseason that raises legitimate hopes for a Super Bowl victory.



Coach Joe Gibbs defended the Redskins' decision to draft QB Jason Campbell with a pick obtained by sacrificing a first-rounder that will likely yield dividends for the Broncos before Campbell is able to do much of anything in D.C.



QB Rich Gannon likely won't return to the Raiders (in a slightly related development, Bucs coach Jon Gruden plans to carry nine quarterbacks on his roster in 2005).



The Raiders beat the Broncos to the punch for CB Standford Routt in round two.



Packers DT Cletidus Hunt has been absent from offseason workouts (but not absent from the buffet line at the local all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant).



As the Lions amass an offense in which virtually any quarterback could succeed, fifth-rounder Dan Orlovsky might end up being the guy to get the keys.



The Steelers are interested in LB Chad Brown, who left the 'Burgh for Seattle several years ago and recently was released by the Seahawks.



The Nicktator was ready to nab former LSU CB Corey Webster, but the Giants beat him to the punch by three picks.



The New Orleans media is reporting that the Saints are excited by their acquisition of QB Adrian McPherson in round five, but mum's the word on whether it means that QB Aaron Brooks will get the boot in the short term.



Country boy QB/WR/TE Matt Jones will wear No. 18 with the Jags -- given his vague resemblance to Jacksonville's reigning multi-position ace Nick Sorensen, we suggest that the duo be referred to in the locker room as "Sunshine and Moonshine."



The Jaguars would have considered using a day two pick on RB Mo Clarett.



In the end, the Bills had no interest in Arizona OT L.J. Shelton, and they were willing to take a third-round pick for RB Travis Henry.



Jacksonville got no calls regarding possible trades for S Donovin Darius (and Donovin sent out no e-mails).



Jaguars second-round OT Khalif Barnes can't participate in minicamps until his class at Washington graduates on June 10.



The Browns shipped QB Luke McCown to the Bucs for a sixth-round pick and a pair of slightly used golf shoes.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



CHECK OUT THE RUMOR MILL ARCHIVES!



POSTED 6:38 a.m. EDT, April 26, 2005



TAYLOR'S LAST TANGO IN MIAMI?



Based on the Dolphins' decision to select Iowa defensive end Matt Roth in round two of the 2005 draft, there's a feeling in some league circles that the Nicktator will look to get out from under defensive end Jason Taylor's high salary in 2006, at the latest.



Coach Nick Saban might even be tempted to dump Taylor's salary after June 1, but such a move would trigger a major cap acceleration for 2006. The more likely scenario will be for the Dolphins to dump Taylor after June 1, 2006, which would carve up the cap hit between 2006 and 2007.



Speculation regarding Taylor's future in Miami was fueled initially by the team's decision to sign defensive ends Kevin Carter and Vonnie Holliday in free agency. The addition of Roth with a high-round pick will serve only to keep nerves on edge in South Florida as the oft-fateful month of June approaches.



DONAHOE'S GOT NO LEVERAGE



With a glut of running backs available via the draft, trade, and/or free agency and a former No. 1 tailback who vows never to play in Buffalo again, Bills G.M. Tom Donahoe overlooked one key fact as he postured and preened for a first-day pick in exchange for Travis Henry.



Donahoe has no leverage.



But that didn't stop Donahoe from talking tough about the trade that never was, and likely never will be -- at least not on Tom's terms.



"We weren't presented with very much, to be honest with you," Donahoe said after the draft. "We have to hear something that makes sense, other than somebody offering a player we don't want or somebody offering a late-round pick, which we're not going to do."



Donahoe was at it again on Monday: "If not being offered anything is being greedy, then we were greedy," he said. "We were willing to discuss anything but somebody has to offer you something so that you can have a conversation."


Said one league insider in response, "Can't this smug asshole shut up?"



The source described Donahoe as an "egomaniac [who] will never learn his lesson about being disrespectful towards other people [and] decision-makers in the NFL."



Perhaps Donahoe is still stinging from past draft-day trades, which included giving up a 2003 first-rounder in 2002 for Drew Bledsoe, and then giving up a 2005 first-rounder in 2004 for the guy who will replace Bledsoe after three mediocre seasons.



But even in connection with the Bledsoe trade Donahoe talked tough, saying initially that he'd never give up a first-round pick for Bledsoe and then boasting that he would have given up two first-rounders for the former New England quarterback, whom Donahoe said he decided to acquire after seeing him throw against the wind in pregame warm ups (perhaps Donahoe should have withheld judgment until after watching tape of Bledsoe throwing against the wind -- and at the same time against coverage and a pass rush).



The deeper problem seems to be that other league insiders don't appreciate Donahoe's public statements regarding trades and trade offers. Yeah, it's a competitive business, but there's a certain code of conduct when it comes to talking publicly, expressly or implicitly, regarding other front offices.



At the core, its a matter of respect. Donahoe doesn't give it in situations like this, so as a result he rarely gets it from some of the most respected figures in the league.



FINAL WORD ON THE CAMPBELL AFFAIR



Last week, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reported that the Redskins planned to use their newly-acquired No. 25 overall pick on quarterback Jason Campbell. The fact that the pick obtained from the Broncos sat one spot behind the Green Bay Packers, one of the few teams after the top ten with a looming need at the position, surely made the 'Skins nervous when the disclosure was made that they had a peace pipe in their pockets for the former Auburn signal-caller.



Our initial reaction to the news was that Pasquarelli leaked the information at the behest of Redskins exec Vinny Cerrato, in an effort to throw others off the scent of the team's true intentions. Surely, we thought, the 'Skins wouldn't be so stupid to let it be known that they truly want to land Campbell (as owner Dan Snyderbrenner intimated once the cow chips hit the fan).



But after word broke that the team conducted an internal investigation to determine the source of the leak, after Pasquarelli went out of his way in his April 22 "Tip Sheet" to say that he hasn't spoken with Cerrato in 15 months, and after the 'Skins actually pulled the trigger on Campbell, the situation came into better focus for us.



In our opinion, the information was given to Pasquarelli either by Cerrato, by agent Jimmy Sexton, or by agent Joel Segal.



All have been tied to Pasquarelli in the past, and one or more of them could have been responsible for giving up the information.



For Cerrato, who supposedly told folks after the team drafted Sean Taylor last year that he pushed for Kellen Winslow, the decision to spill the beans would have been justified by his disagreement with the team's inclination to supplant Patrick Ramsey, a guy the team drafted on Cerrato's watch in 2002. By putting the word out that the team was looking to take Campbell, Cerrato could have essentially blocked the move by providing someone else with the incentive to jump line in front of the 'Skins and pull the trigger.



For Sexton, who represents Ramsey, his motivations would have been similar. Leaking word of the team's interest in Campbell would have been an easy way to protect his client's turf. And if the info flowed from Ramsey to Sexton to Pasquarelli without Ramsey's knowledge, the former first-rounder maintained plausible deniability if/when he was aksed questions about what he said and when he said it.



For Segal, who represents Campbell, the issue would have been one of basic greed. Due to the slotting system, there's a clear motivation to get a guy drafted as high as possible, since draft position is tied directly to signing bonus and salary.



The bottom line is that Pasquarelli was right on the money, and that the info most definitely came from someone with a vested interest in getting someone else to take Campbell with a higher pick.



TUESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Undrafted WVU RB Kay-Jay Harris, considered by some to be one of the top tailbacks available over the weekend, has signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins.



With the NFL draft now a free agent, future selection meetings could occur in Philly, Chicago, Orlando, and/or the city of the team that holds the top pick.



The Giants have reeled in 10 undrafted free agents.



Former Lions linebacker Chris Spielman is upset that he was dumped from the team's exhibition telecasts.



There's still talk about backup plans for new ownership in Minnesota; if Reggie Fowler's group doesn't buy the team, their $20 million deposit goes "buh-bye."



LB Chad Brown met with the Pats on Monday night.



After drafting K Mike Nugent in round two, the Jets will cut K Doug Brien -- who could next be missing key kicks for the Vikings.



CB Aaron Glenn could be heading from Houston to Dallas.



Giants TE Jeremy Shockey responds to recent comments from coach Tom Coughlin by 'splaining that he's staying away from involuntary voluntary workouts so that he can get back the "swagger" that he had in his rookie season.



The Vikings might have taken WR Troy Williamson over WR Braylon Edwards, but if RB Ronnie Brown had been available, the Vikes might have thought twice.



The Pats have signed some street free agents, several of whom likely will become household names in New England within the next few years.



The Steelers had fourth-round WR Fred Gibson rated as a second-rounder, and they think he plays faster than his 4.7 speed.



The Titans talked to the Bills about a possible trade for RB Travis Henry during the draft.



POSTED 8:46 p.m. EDT, April 25, 2005



MONDAY EVENING ONE-LINERS



Ignored on both days of the draft, Michael Munoz has opted to quit the sport at which his daddy excelled.



The Lions have said "Auf Wiedersehen" to WR Az-Zahir Hakim, and S Brock Marion.



The Vikes have said "Konichiwa" to DE Kenny Mixon and LB Mike Nattiel, and signed a bunch of street free agents.



QB Brock Berlin has signed with the Dolphins.



The Cards have signed four and dumped one, and reeled in a bunch of street free agents, including QB Timmy Chang and WR Carlyle Holliday.



The Bills are gushing about WR/KR Roscoe Parrish.



Vikings S Corey Chavous invented a new word at the end of NFL Network's Total Access; we think it's "capturalize" and we've got no f--king clue what it means.



Cowboys DE Chris Canty already has had one surgery to repair a detached retina suffered after a bar fight first reported right here, and he eventually needs a second surgery to clean up scar tissue.



The Rams have signed 10 street free agents.



The Giants' road uniforms for 2005 will feature white shirts with red numerals, gray pants with blue and red stripes, and red socks.



The Eagles have signed eleven street free agents, including P Mark Mariscal.



There were no tears or tantrums from Little Ricky Williams at his introductory press conference on Monday.



The Packers have signed CB Patrick Dendy, who was out of football in 2004 (and likely will be again come September 2005).



Visitors to Falcons.com will learn that the score of the game between the Birds and the Colts set for August 6 currently is 0-0 (be sure to check back often for updates!).

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



CHECK OUT THE RUMOR MILL ARCHIVES!




POSTED 8:56 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:05 p.m. EDT, April 26, 2005



'ZONA DUMPS ON DONAHOE



As a follow-up to our story from earlier on Tuesday regarding some harsh opinions as to Bills G.M. Tom Donahoe, we're now hearing that the Arizona Cardinals are unhappy with the manner in which Donahoe has handled the potential trade of tailback Travis Henry.



Per a league source, Donahoe "totally screwed up the deal." Apparently, Arizona was offering tackle L.J. Shelton and a flip-flop of second-round picks. During those discussions, Donahoe "was swearing up and down that he had offers from . . . Philadelphia and Tampa Bay . . . for straight third-round picks."



So "the Cardinals called [Donahoe's] bluff and both the Bucs and Eagles took [running backs] in the draft."



Per the source, Donahoe "lost all credibility with [the Cardinals] when he pulled that crap. He never once said he didn't like [Shelton], he just said he had better offers."



Since the draft, Donahoe has suggested that the Bills never wanted Shelton.



As a result, the Cardinals were chuckling when Donahoe was left holding the bag, and the source says that we can now add one more organization "to the list of teams that know [Donahoe] is full of sh-t."



AHMAN GREEN BUSTED



The Associated Press reports that Packers Pro Bowl running back Ahman Green was arrested after a Monday night domestic violence incident.



G.M. Ted Thompson issued a statement indicating that the team is seeking more information regarding the situation.



"We obviously care about Ahman and the entire Green family, and we will continue to support them through this time," Thompson said.



Click here for another report on the situation, complete with Green's mug shot.



WEBSTER ESTATE GETS JUSTICE



ESPN.com reports that a federal judge in Baltimore has ruled that the estate of Mike Webster is entitled to receive full mental disability benefits due to "overwhelming evidence" that Webster suffered brain damage while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 245 games from 1974 through 1990.



The amount of the award easily will exceed $1 million, and it opens the door for other former players who believe that cognitive impairments resulted from years of banging hats in practice and in games.



The Webster estate was represented by Cy Smith of Baltimore and Bob Fitzsimmons of Wheeling, West Virginia. Yours truly has come across Fitzsimmons on several occasions while practicing law in West Virginia. The guy is a machine -- and easily one of the best lawyers in the nation.



Said the lawyers of the case: "This decision tells the NFL that they can't ignore the direct but long-term consequences of playing football, which for too many players aren't limited to knee injuries and arthritis. We believe there are many other ex-players out there who had the same sorts of injuries as Mike and could benefit from this decision."



So if any retired players out there think that they suffered a little bumpus-on-the-nogginus that is keeping them from functioning fully and completely in the current stages of their lives, it might be a good idea to track down Smith and Fitz.



SHOCKEY CAVES TO COUGHLIN



A day after Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey tried to 'splain that he has been working out in Miami and not with his teammates during involuntary voluntary drills in order to get back the "swagger" from his rookie season, Shockey tucked his tail and made the trek back to New York.



Some swagger, huh?



According to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli, Shockey and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, also say that the tight end's decision to work out on his own was not part of a deeper agenda to force a premature restructuring of Shockey's contract.



We've heard otherwise, including specifically that Rosenhaus has tried to re-do Shockey's contract and that his overtures were rebuffed.



"Have we discussed his contract situation with the Giants?" Rosenhaus told Pasquarelli. "Of course, we have. But there have been no negotiations. Nothing is imminent. Jeremy just feels like working down here (in Miami) is the best thing for him. And, believe me, if you ever saw the way these guys work and push each other, you'd never doubt his resolve. It's not as if he's in hiding. It isn't like he's out of contact with the Giants people."



"Hopefully," Rosenhaus added, "this will put an end to a non-story."



But it's hardly been a non-story, and we wonder what it was that caused Shockey to cave. Could it be that the team gave him some vague assurance that there will be negotiations if he "plays ball"? Or could it be that the team has told him that there never will be a new deal if he doesn't behave like a team player?



The move could be a good sign for Rosenhaus, who currently has several clients staying away from involuntary voluntary workouts due to dissatisfaction with their contracts (e.g., Anquan Boldin, Santana Moss, Sean Taylor). Some teams have been starting to grumble privately about tactics that, as they see it, could be doing more harm than good for guys who need to be in the program now in order to be effective from September through December.



TUESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS




The Pats have signed CB Chad Scott, the Steelers' first-round pick in 1997.



The Texans have dumped CB Aaron Glenn, who likely will land with the 'Boys.



RB Verron Haynes has signed a one-year deal with the Steelers.



The Ravens are installing new coordinator Jim Fassel's offense via involuntary voluntary workouts; missing from the sessions is Jamal Lewis, who's currently playing tailback for the "Mean Machine."



The Colts won't be moving DE Robert Mathis to linebacker.



The Broncos have signed undrafted Oregon State CB Brandon Browner.



The Cowboys aren't interested in bringing back S Brock Marion, released on Monday by the Lions.



Cowboys FB Richie Anderson underwent neck surgery last week, and he faces a five-month rehab.



The Falcons have signed a flock of free agents, including a guy who used to play college football with Ron Mexico's little brother, Raymond Mexico.



The Panthers have added seven undrafted free agents.



The Bucs have signed several undrafted free agents, including a dude named "Ukee."



The Seahawks have released FB Chris Davis, a fifth-round pick in 2003.

[ALinChainz]

POSTED 8:38 a.m. EDT, April 27, 2005



WEBSTER TO MIAMI?



Before the 2005 draft, we'd heard that Tampa director of college scouting Ruston Webster planned to leave the Bucs and re-join former colleague Tim Ruskell, who runs the football operations in Seattle.



We're now hearing that Webster could end up as the new G.M. in Miami.



Per a league source, the Fins could be parting ways in the near future with G.M. Rick Spielman, and Webster's name is at the top of the list for potential replacements.



If/when Spielman is given his walking papers, we'd hardly be surprised. The Nicktator is regarded as being just a tad on the paranoid side, and our guess is that he wants to clean out anyone who might be in position to question or undermine his authority as the man with the juice in Miami.



Though we have no reason to think that Spielman would be anything other than a good soldier in the new regime, the fact remains that Spielman had much more power pre-Saban, and Saban (in our opinion) won't be fully comfortable until Spielman is working somewhere else.



If Webster ends up as the G.M. in Miami, he'd be a G.M. not in the traditional sense (i.e., final say), but in the Charley Armey sense. It's also possible that Saban would give Webster a non-G.M. title, in order to remove any uncertainty as to who the emperor of the Fins really is.



RAZZANO'S JURY IS WELL HUNG



The trial of Tampa seventh-round fullback Rick Razzano has resulted in a hung jury, according to The Tampa Tribune.



The jury was deadlocked 9-3 in favor of acquittal. The prosecution will decide within the next week whether to try Razzano again.



Razzano's lawyer was confident that his client would never be convicted of charges stemming from (surprise, surprise) a bar fight. Too confident, in our view.



"I guaranteed [the Bucs] that there was no way in hell that they could convict Rick Razzano on these charges in a thousand years,'' said Razzano's lawyer. Steve Farese Sr. of Memphis, Tenn.



Yikes.



Rule number one for anyone who tries cases for a living is that you can never, ever make guarantees as to what a jury will do. As yours truly has told his own clients time and again in response to the question of whether we'll win at trial, anyone who tries to make such a guarantee is either stoopid, delusional, or lying.



Indeed, 25 percent of the jurors wanted to convict Razzano. Next time around, the prosecution could draw a panel that decides unanimously to convict.



But Farese is engaged in further prognostication regarding Razzano's fate: "Once the prosecution has taken its best shot, the charges are usually dismissed. I would hope that they would do the right thing here in this case.''



Don't count on it, Steve. Not in a thousand years.



HARRIS UNDER INVESTIGATION



It hasn't been a good offseason for the Green Bay Packers.



Apart from free agency losses that haven't been adequately addressed and a draft that seemed to be focused on winning football games after quarterback Brett Favre and coach Mike Sherman are no longer with the organization, two key members of the team are now involved in off-field extracurricular activities that could result in a visit to the hoosegow.



It's enough to make a guy take a dump in a hamper in the closet of a college dorm.



According to The Miami Herald, cornerback Al Harris is under investigation for sexual assault at a Pompano Beach, Florida strip club. A dancer at the The Cheetah Pompano claims that Harris assaulted her in a private room in the club, where Harris and others had congregated with the dancer.



Last night, word broke that running back Ahman Green has been arrested in connection with an alleged domestic violence thing.



Harris has not yet been contacted about the incident, which allegedly occurred on April 17. His agent, Jack Bechta, is skeptical: ''This guy has been hunted down by every scam artist in town. He's been a model citizen for the most part in this part of the country [South Florida] and never had any problems in Philadelphia or Green Bay."



There's a glowing endorsement -- "he's been a model citizen for the most part."



This one is still in the very early stages. Harris might never be charged. If charged, that doesn't mean he'll be convicted. But the whole situation could evolve into an unneeded side show for the Packers, who have seen their grip on the NFC North weaken significantly in the past few months.



WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The Titans have signed a total of 36 undrafted free agents, including Cincinnati QB Gino Guidugli (which translates in English to "Jeff Gillooly").



Jags QB Byron "Fat Albert" Leftwich, insists that he weighs only 245 pounds; Leftwich was listed at 260 on ESPN's Battle of the Gridiron Stars, and he says that the network added 15 pounds in order to make the total weight of teams participating in a tug-o-war seem to be equal (or maybe the truth is that Leftwich is an even bigger fat ass than previously thought).



The NFL is tripling the number of possible offseason steroids tests.



From the "Tell Us Something We Didn't Already Know" file, former San Diego and San Fran linebacker Gary Plummer says that he witnessed steroid use among NFL players in the 1980s.



Eagles OT Tra Thomas will miss the team's upcoming minicamp, due to a blood clot in his leg.



Eagles WR Terrell Owens apparently will miss the team's upcoming minicamp, due to an ego clot in his brain.



Titans OT Brad Hopkins entered a conditional guilty plea on charges of roughing up his wife in a skirmish that started because (drum roll, please) she refused to give him his cell phone back.



Disney's Wide World of Sports has a Tinkerbell in its pocket for the NFL Draft.



Packers WR Javon Walker reportedly won't be in attendance for the initial involuntary voluntary portion of the team's minicamp.



Ravens QB Kyle Boller welcomes the pressure that he'll face in his third NFL season (and if the pressure ends up being too great, Boller can always get sloppy drunk and have his photo taken and plastered on the front page of this here site).



The Packers have signed some undrafted free agents, including QB Aaron Rodgers' former tight end at Cal.



QB Charlie Batch, a forgotten man for the past three seasons, signed a one-year deal to remain with the Steelers.



LB Chad Brown will visit the Steelers on Wednesday.



Redskins QB Patrick Ramsey says he's not worried about the team's addition of first-rounder Jason Campbell.



The Vikings have several injured players as they prepare for their first official minicamp.



Former Texans CB Aaron Glenn will meet with the Cowboys on Wednesday.

[ALinChainz]

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio



CHECK OUT THE RUMOR MILL ARCHIVES!



POSTED 5:44 a.m. EDT, April 28, 2005



NO COMMENT FROM WEBSTER



Bucs director of college scouting Ruston Webster declined to comment on our reports that he could be headed to Seattle or to Miami, according to The Tampa Tribune.



But Webster did confirm that he has a year remaining on his contract, and The Trib believes based on past practices that the Bucs wouldn't allow Webster to leave if he wanted to.



Front-office personnel can depart without permission only if they become "high-level employees" with ultimate authority on personnel issues, per The Tribune. Webster's move to Seattle and/or Miami likely would represent a step up from his current gig in Tampa, but he likely would not have ultimate personnel authority.



THURSDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS




Packers coach Mike Sherman was careful not to criticize WR Javon Walker for not attending the team's involuntary voluntary workouts: "It's disappointing that he is not here," Sherman said. "He is under contract and he's a good kid. I wish he was here. But he's not and this is not a mandatory practice today."



Packers QB Brett Favre also is absent from the camp, but coach Sherman specifically suggested that he stay at home and continue to recover from a "tough year."



Texans NT Seth Payne says that the recent departure of several key veterans has gotten the attention of the team: "If there was anybody on this team that didn't realize the reality of life in the NFL, they do now. I don't think [the Texans' front office] was trying to send a message, but a message got sent."



The Packers are no longer interested in LB Chad Brown, who wants to return to the Steelers.



The situation between the Pats and WR Troy Brown could be resolved within the next week, with Brown possibly rejoining the team.



The relentless jawing of Cris Carter at new protege Mike Williams included at least one statement with which we agree: "Joey Harrington ain't going to throw you a spiral every time! I guarantee you that!"



Ravens assistant coach Rick Neuheisel doesn't like his nickname of "Slick Rick"; "It's less than complimentary, like I'm trying to fool someone," said Neuheisel. "I'm fond of my first name, but it rhymes with a lot of bad words" (we prefer "Ricky the Greek").



A long-term deal is not imminent between the Packers and DE Aarom Kampman, who is playing under a one-year, $1.2 million contract signed after the Pack matched the offer sheet Kampman signed with the Vikings.



Redskins salary cap manager Eric Schaffer has re-signed with the team, but scout Mike Kelly is out of the organization.



The Pats nearly made Villanova S Ray Ventrone "Mr. Irrelevant," but instead signed him to a free-agent deal promptly after the draft ended.



POSTED 8:13 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:06 p.m. EDT, April 27, 2005



DROUGHNS THE LATEST DREW HOLDOUT?



According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, recently-acquired Browns running back Reuben Droughns plans to stay away from all team-related activities unless and until he gets a new contract.



"We're prepared to hold out," Droughns said.



"We"? You got a parakeet in your pocket, Reube?



"I started working out in Cleveland, and we had that [orientation camp]," Droughns said. "At that point, they told me that they did want to get a deal done. My agent [Drew Rosenhaus] gave them a proposal, but we heard nothing from them for at least 1½ weeks."



The irony here is that Droughns desperately wanted a trade out of Denver. He finally got his way -- and now he wants to get paid.

"I keep hearing from everyone my whole career that I'm going to get taken care of down the road," Droughns said. "But I keep getting the short end of the stick.

"I'm not being greedy, and I'm not looking for beaucoups bucks," he said. "But what the Browns are telling me is that what I did last year doesn't mean diddly squat to them.

"I feel it's kind of unfair, but I'm sure something's going to get done," he said. "If not, we're prepared to hold out."

Look, we respect the fact that Rosenhaus is able to juggle so many players and that he pursues his job with passion. But we think that Drew's ever-growing reputation for holding out his clients is going to eventually affect his ability to work with certain teams, who could begin to view him in the same manner as many teams regard the Postons.

And allow us to reiterate our belief that a player isn't entitled to a do-over simply because he has fired the client who represented the player when his contract was signed. Though we generally think that players should try to make all the money that they can while they're young and healthy enough to make it, they also must abide by the rules that apply to their chosen professions, and they must honor the contracts to which they have signed their names.

HAWAIIAN CAT FIGHT

Though the information is a tad dated, given that the incident occurred at the owners' meetings in March, we've caught wind of a scoop that sheds further light on the depth of the problem that the owners are facing as they try to figure out a way to give players more of the total revenue without requiring teams to share local monies that currently aren't.

During the Hawaiian vacation masquerading as a tax write off, there was an information session for owners' spouses regarding current issues facing the league. One of the topics, to no surprise, was revenue sharing. And during the session, one of the spouses from one of the higher-earning teams popped off that the teams that earn less money "should start working harder" (or words to that effect).

This prompted one of the spouses of a lower-income team to stand up and ask the woman who made the remark to "mind [her] own f--king business."

Apart from anything else that might ever be reported regarding the sharing of local revenues, this incident convinces us that there will not be an easy solution, and that the final outcome will require a high degree of creativity in order to forge a compromise.

WEDNESDAY EVENING ONE-LINERS

CB Aaron Glenn has signed with the Cowboys; his two-year deal includes a $1 million bonus and a $1.2 million cap number in 2005, and he's willing to play nickel corner or safety.

Saints owner Tom Benson has saved the costs of a stamp by publishing on the team's site an "open letter" to the State of Looziana politely telling the Governor to shove it, sideways.

Jets DT Josh Evans is retiring (and yet the team still wasted it's first pick in the draft on . . . a . . . kicker).

The Colts have cut two veterans -- OL Tupe Peko and S Anthony Floyd.

The Cowboys don't expect FB Richie Anderson to return in 2005.

The 'Skins have officially announced their class of 2005 undrafted free agents.

Bears K Paul Edinger and his ridiculous pre-kick stance will have to fend off not one but two competitors in camp.

The Lions soon will unveil their pack of undrafted free agents.

Packers.com has a full report regarding the first day of the team's involuntary voluntary minicamp.

Cinco de Mayo comes six days early when the Falcons convene a minicamp on Saturday.

Packers QB Craig Nall could ask to be traded or released at some point down the road, given the arrival of QB Aaron "Free Fallin'" Rodgers.

The Chiefs have added six undrafted free agents.

The Broncos have signed OT Anthony Clement, who was released Monday by the Cardinals.

Denver is talking to LB Chad Brown, and might have an interest in former Lions WR Az-Zahir Hakim.

The Patriots weren't interested in Texans CB Aaron Glenn.

Former Bengals defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has joined the Colts as a defensive assistant.

The Bills are rounding up some undrafted free agents.

Here's some info on possible Bengals undrafted free agents and the destinations of some Ohio-area undrafted players.

Panthers first-rounder Thomas Davis will enter training camp as a strong safety, not a linebacker.

The 'Skins are bringing some guys in for a tryout at their upcoming minicamp.

The Packers have re-signed LB Hannibal Navies.

The Cards are happy with their class of undrafted free agents, including Michigan S Ernest Shazor.

The Bucs are interested in WR Ike Hilliard and WR Az Hakim.

The Browns are rounding up a bunch of undrafted MAC players.