The Rumor Mill

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 8:30 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:41 p.m. EDT, July 22, 2005



JETS FACING REALITY ON PENNINGTON



A league source tells us that the New York Jets quietly are becoming resigned to the looming-and-growing possibility that quarterback Chad Pennington won't be ready to play on opening day.



If Pennington can't go, the ball will fall to (gulp) Jay Fiedler.



Pennington had offseason shoulder surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his throwing arm. After the 2004 season ended, the Jets conceded that they had spoken with forked tongue about the severity of Pennington's injury.



Earlier this week, the Jets acknowledged that Pennington will be limited in training camp. Coupled with an offseason in which he took no practice reps, Pennington will have a loooong way to go in order to get acclimated to new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger's system.



We're also hearing that some folks around the league are surprised that the typically tough New York media hasn't been harder on the Jets for lying about Pennington's condition. Moreover, we wonder whether the Big Apple scribes will regard with skepticism future statements from the team regarding any player's health.



Why, you aks, would a team tell tales about a quarterback's physical condition? The obvious reason is that the team doesn't want opposing defenses to target with even more zeal potential problem areas on the signal-caller's body. The more subtle reason, especially in the waning days of the offseason, is that the team doesn't want to disrupt the wave of good feelings from the fan base, which often is manifested by high sales of tickets, shirts, hats, and anything else with the official logo on it.



In New York, optimism is high. Too high. In our view, a splash of cold water could serve the Jets well, since even if Pennington is ready to go on opening day the franchise will be hard pressed to replicate its performance in 2004.



T.O. CAVES



In a stunning move, T.O. says that he plans to report to Eagles training camp.



But he won't be happy. (Hey, Terrell, no one is happy at training camp.)



"I'll be there," Owens told The Philadelphia Inquirer on Friday. "I mean, the bottom line is that I still believe I deserve a new contract. I still believe I deserve more than what they've given me. But I'm not stupid. I'm not about to miss training camp, get fined every day and give them even more reasons to keep from paying me.



"I'll be there but I won't be happy, I can tell you that much. Take from that whatever you want," he said.



ESPN.com, however, hints at the beginnings of a possible rift between Owens and agent Drew Rosenhaus. During a taping of ESPN's NFL Live, Rosenhaus says that Owens' words are "not definitive."



Translation -- "T.O. might change his mind after I tell him to."



Owens' reversal comes only one day after he said he'd welcome a trade out of Philly, which comments were made in response to Eagles president Joe Banner's statement that Owens and Rosenhaus "don't think in common-sense terms."



It appears to us that T.O. found himself in the throes of a common sense enema, which possibly happened after he started tallying up the potential costs of a holdout that stretches into the regular season. (Maybe Owens had a talk with Rosenhaus client Mike McKenzie, whose violation of his contract with the Packers in 2004 cost him more than $500,000, got him traded to New Orleans, but still didn't get him a new contract.)



For Rosenhaus, who doesn't get paid a dime for his representation of Owens until he lands a new contract, the question of whether T.O. holds out is a matter of Drew's guts and Owens' coin. Rosenhaus knows that the chances of getting a new contract diminish if T.O. honors the existing deal. Even if the team opts in 2006 to pick up $7.5 million in option and roster boni, Rosenhaus will see none of it.



If, on the other hand, Rosenhaus finagles a new deal or so alienates the team from T.O. that he gets cut after 2005, Rosenhaus gets his fee.



And the possibility that T.O. and Rosenhaus might not be seeing eye-to-eye on whether owns should cave makes us wonder what might happen if Owens wakes up one day and concludes that Rosenhaus is the root of the receiver's deep-and-growing P.R. problem in Philly. It's no secret that there's a prevailing belief in agent circles that Rosenhaus pilfers clients by recruiting them when they are under contract with other agents. Rosenhaus vehemently denies the charges, and as a practical matter it's impossible to prove that tortious interference occurred if the player doesn't stand up and say so.



With T.O., it's possible that Drew has finally gotten his hooks into a guy who could upset the apple cart. If, as one reader astutley pointed out to us in an e-mail onf Friday, Rosenhaus actually lured Owens away from David Joseph by promising a new contract, what's stopping Owens from standing up and saying so?



For a guy like Owens, who never accepts responsibility for the consequences of his own actions, it's hardly a stretch to conclude that, in order to repair his image, he'll blame the whole thing on Drew, painting himself along the way as, once again, the victim.



HUYGHUE DENIES PACMAN RUMOR



On Thursday night, we posted in this space a story regarding a rumored investigation in Atlanta regarding a potential fresh incident involving Titans rookie cornerback Pacman Jones. In fairness to Jones, we explained that Jones' agent, Michael Huyghue, had told the Titans that Jones has been in Jacksonville, not Atlanta, which would seem to be a fairly solid alibi, to say the least.



In an e-mail sent to us on Friday afternoon by one of his assistants, Huyghue says that the rumors of a new investigation are "false."



As we see it, there either is or their isn't an investigation. For now, we'll accept Huyghue's position -- but we'll continue to keep our ears open.

[ALinChainz]

Reports: Wells dealt to Kings for Jackson in three-team trade

July 22, 2005

The Memphis Grizzlies agreed Friday to trade guard Bonzi Wells to the Sacramento Kings for guard Bobby Jackson in a three-team deal also involving the Utah Jazz, according to media reports.

The trade, which cannot be finalized until Thursday, also would send Greg Ostertag from Sacramento back to Utah, where he spent nine of his first 10 NBA seasons.

The Jazz would send forward Curtis Borchardt and guards Kirk Snyder and Raul Lopez to Memphis, according to stories posted Friday on the Web sites of the Memphis Commercial Appeal and Sacramento Bee.


The Grizzlies had until Friday to exercise an $8 million, one-year option in Wells' contract, and they had been shopping him around the league to determine whether they would be able to get that amount of value in return.

In Jackson, they're getting an offensive sparkplug who was one of Sacramento's most productive bench players before injuries kept him sidelined for large portions of the past three seasons.

Wells was removed from the Grizzlies' roster while Memphis was being swept by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs, and his departure figures to be one of several offseason moves made by team president Jerry West. Already, the Grizzlies have lost free agent forward Stromile Swift, who plans to sign with the Houston Rockets.

Many expect West to also find a taker for point guard Jason Williams, who has been with the Grizzlies throughout their four seasons in Memphis.

Ostertag was a disappointment in Sacramento after signing there as a free agent, averaging just 1.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 56 games.

Borchardt, Snyder and Lopez played little for the Jazz, who had high hopes for Lopez after signing the Spanish point guard three years ago. A knee injury sidelined him for an entire season before limiting Lopez to 31 games last season.

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 10:32 a.m. EDT, July 23, 2005



JAVON NEXT TO WALK AWAY FROM HOLDOUT?



With Terrell Owens finally realizing that a violation of his pending football contract could cost him a lot of money in the short term (and in the long run), we can't help but wonder whether another high-profile potential holdout, Javon Walker, will reach the same conclusion.



Recently, agent Drew Rosenhaus said that Walker likely won't report to camp, and that the catalyst was a letter received from G.M. Ted Thompson confirming the team's refusal to extend Walker's contract or to trade him.



The letter, which we're told actually was signed by contract negotiator Andrew Brandt, merely makes clear what most had suspected ever since Walker stayed away from offseason workouts -- the Packers won't relinquish its right to expect Walker to show up and play for the two years remaining on his rookie deal.



And we've learned that, if Walker fails to report for training camp, the team can recover half of his 2003 option bonus. If he misses regular season games, the Packers also can recover the corresponding portions of his 2002 signing bonus, on a prorated basis.



Finally, it's hardly a given that Walker has "outperformed" his contract (and thus merits a new one), even if we accept (and we officially don't) the notion that a player automatically is entitled to forget about the contract that he has signed if it appears in hindsight that the team has gotten a good bargain.



Walker received more than $5 million from the Packers in 2002 and 2003, but started in only five games and caught only 64 passes.



And, as far as we know, he didn't pay any of the money back.



Even with his breakout season of 2004, his career totals (153 catches, 2417 yards, 22 touchdowns) are borderline laughable in comparison to the first three seasons of production generated by Randy Moss (226, 4163, 43).



So, Javon, maybe you should think this through before incurring the same potential expenses (fines, lost bonus money, lost game checks) that have prompted T.O. to turn tail and run to camp.



There's no shame, after all, in making smart decisions.



Or in doing the right thing.



HAZ WANTS EXTENSION NOW



A league source tells us that Saints coach Jim Haslett wants to hammer out a contract extension with the team before the 2005 season begins.



The Saints, on the other hand, prefer to take a wait-and-see approach on Haslett's status beyond the coming season.



There's speculation in league circles that Haslett might tell the team that there will be no discussions until after the season if an extension isn't in place before the September 11 opener. In so doing, however, Haslett would be taking a big risk. If the team starts strong, the powers-that-be might choose to re-up the head coach. If he refuses and the team thereafter goes into the tank, he might find himself out in the cold come 2006.



NFLPA WARMING UP TO PRE-SET ROOKIE DEALS?



Although we've heard that some officials within the NFL Players Association took issue with our recent report that the new CBA (if there ever is one) could contain specific, pre-determined terms for rookie deals, we continue to hear that the union is slowly warming to the notion of a firm rookie salary structure with total compensation and other terms tied directly to the specific spot in which the player is drafted.



Agents will oppose such an approach because it will likely bring an end to the percentage-based fee for such contracts, requiring the agents instead to charge incoming rookies by the hour.



The system of pre-set salaries also would limit signing boni and escalators and all of the other devices used to pour disproportionately big money into the pockets of a handful of guys taken at the top of the draft. This would result in more salary cap money being available for veterans.



It would be a good move, in our view. As industries develop, areas of excess are identified, and rectified. Here, the windfall given to the players taken in the top end of the draft get paid a ton of money, regardless of whether the guys ever do anything to deserve it (see Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Curtis Enis, Koren Robinson). Why not have more money available to reward financially the guys who have given years of effort and performance in the NFL?



SATURDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Eagles already can attempt to recover $1.87 million from T.O.'s 2004 signing bonus based on his failure to report to an offseason mandatory minicamp.



The NFL plans to implement a training camp access policy that will prevent teams from keeping the media out.



The Pats believe that first-round OG Logan Mankins will be signed before practice starts on Monday.



Jags owner Wayne Weaver says that he doesn't plan to move the team, but that a perennial money-loser can't stay put forever.



Meanwhile, Weaver has activated clauses in his stadium deal that would permit him to load up the truck and move to Beverly.



The Saints have said sayonara to LB Derrick Rodgers.



Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says that the team has had the best offseason in his 16 years at the helm.



With P Dirk Johnson out following surgery on a sports hernia, the Eagles might be exhuming Sean Landeta.



Due to an outbreak of flu-like symptoms at the NAU campus, the Cards are looking for someplace else to bunk in training camp.



Saints WR Joe Horn recently injured his knee after he swung his putter at a bug on the golf course (he should do safer things, like ride a motorcycle).



The Fins signed fourth-round CG Travis Daniels and supplemental fifth-round DT Manuel Wright.



The Chargers have signed fourth-round RB/KR Darren Sproles.



Miami sixth-round OL Anthony Alabi has agreed to a contract but has not signed it, and third-round LB Channing Crowder expects to sign this weekend.



Miami has signed DE David Bowens to a contract extension through 2006, contradicting speculation from earlier in the offseason that he would be released.



The Broncos are hoping that, when camp opens, DT Gerard Warren shows up and his alter ego, "Big Money," stays home.



Bears LB Brian Urlacher recently filed suit to establish that he is the father of a two-month-old baby with a woman named Tyna Robertson . . . and kudos to the reader who found a March 2003 story which reports that a Chicago-area woman named "Tyna Marie Robertson" was sued for $100 million by Michael Flatley for allegedly making false accusations of rape against the Riverdance Nancy boy; a court ruling from the ensuing litigation says that the Ms. Robertson whom Flatley sued was an ex-stripper with a gambling habit.



The Rams have signed fifth-round TE Jerome Collins.



Fins G.M. Randy Mueller will make an appearance on Spike TV's Super Agent, which was filmed when Mueller was still doing that "Will Work for Food" thing.



Talks between the Chargers and first-rouner Shawne Merriman are in the "very early" stages.



The Bears have added veteran FB Marc Edwards.



The Broncos expect all draft picks to be signed in time for training camp.



At a time when more and more teams conduct training camps at home, the Chiefs still go 464 miles north to hit hats and bump uglies.



WR Koren Robinson made bail on charges of showing up for jail drunk.



Lions WR David "Coors Light" Kircus was ordered to pay $850 in fines and court costs for his DUI guilty plea.



Packers TE Bubba Franks, unsigned to his transition tender, is unhappy that the team is basing its contract offer on his receptions in comparison to other tight ends.



Former WR Derrick Alexander has signed a ceremonial one-day contract to retire with the Chiefs, more than two years after playing his last NFL game in Minnesota.



The Bears are burning the midnight oil to get Ricky Williams Jr. under contract.



The Jets have missed a deadline to buy the development rights to a site where their new football stadium most likely will never be built.



The Packers have signed sixth-round WR Craig Bragg.



After a couple of decades of sellouts, the folks in San Fran are getting re-acquainted with the blackout rules.



The 'Skins have signed fifth-round LB Robert McCune.



Titans G.M. Floyd Reese took this jab at the Jags: "Jacksonville thinks in another two weeks they might sell out a game or two." (Floyd, this ain't quite the best time for you to be poking fun at other teams.)



Former Packers S Julius Curry must stand trial on charges that he bilked a woman out of $50,000 in a real estate transaction.



Reebok doesn't intend to cut the cord on Pacman.



Former Packers QB Don Majkowski will enter the team's Hall of Fame (his biggest achievement was getting hurt early in the 1992 season, which opened the door for the kid whose name was somehow harder to spell and/or pronounce than "Majkowski").



Titans rookie RB Damien Nash gave up No. 20 to Travis Henry.



The Raiders and Niners are inking some of their picks.



The Bucs could be the next team to have trouble putting asses in the seats.

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 11:13 a.m. EDT, July 24, 2005



EAGLES LOOKING TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF OWENS



Even though Philly receiver Terrell Owens has said that he'll report for training camp despite displeasure with his contract, his promise that he won't "be happy" and his agent's suggestion that the decision isn't definitive indicates that the saga is far from over.



But maybe the smartest thing for both of them to do is let it be.



A league source tells us that the Eagles are committed to "making history" in the Owens dispute by making an example of player and agent for the franchise and for the entire league. More and more management-side types in the NFL believe that the whole "holdout" thing is out of control, and the Eagles are willing to do whatever is necessary to break Owens in an effort to prompt other players and agents to remove a holdout or the threat of one from the arsenal of negotiating tactics.



So what can or will the Eagles do? If Owens shows up and acts like a boob during preseason practices, the organization can suspend him for conduct detrimental to the team. If he doesn't show up, the Eagles can and will attempt to recover a significant portion of his 2004 signing bonus and fine him.



Either way, Owens likely has already done enough to prompt the team to pass on $7.5 million in bonus money due to T.O. next March. We hear that the team currently is pondering whether any other team would sink that much money into Owens' pockets if he were on the open market in 2006. As we see it, the Bucs, 'Skins, and Broncos (as usual) would be interested.



But would they give him the kind of money he's scheduled to make in Philly?



As we see it, the Eagles were forced to mentally adjust to the prospect of life without T.O. when Owens first began grousing about his contract earlier this year. In our view, the only thing keeping the team from cutting Owens right now is the fact that doing so would play directly into T.O.'s hands.



Then again, would it? Scheduled to make more than $11 million in new money over the next two seasons (including $3.25 million in salary this year), we wonder whether any team would be in a position -- without cutting some of its veterans -- to pay Owens the kind of money that he covets.



The Redskins and Bucs are wallowing in sins of salary caps past. The Raiders don't need him. The Broncos have enough turds to contend with, and likely not enough cap room to sign more.



The Chiefs surely would be interested, but they don't have the cap space, either.



So maybe the ultimate slap in Owens' face would be for the Eagles to cut him on the eve of the regular season, days before his $3.25 million in salary becomes fully guaranteed, due to his status as a vested veteran.



We're not predicting anything at this point, but we think it's safe to assume that the Eagles will continue to be very aggressive in their handling of this issue, and that they're committed to "winning" this showdown with their erstwhile superstar.



Based on the organization's success over the past few years, we wouldn't bet against them.



BUBBA SHOULD TAKE PACK OFFER?



With transition player Bubba Franks unwilling to sign his one-year tender and unable to work out a long term deal to his liking, one personnel exec unconnected to the discussions tells us that the tight end should take what the Pack is offering, and shut up.



We're told that Franks wants a deal averaging $3.5 million per year, and that the team is offering a contract in the $2.5 million per season territory.



But the source thinks even $2.5 million is too much to pay for a player who is "a me-first guy" who "dogs it in big games."



DEL RIO ON THIN ICE




We continue to hear rumblings that Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio is on the hot seat in the 'Ville, and that he likely will be fired if the team doesn't make the playoffs in 2005.



We've previously heard that Del Rio and V.P. of player personnel Shack Harris are feuding with Paul Vance, owner Wayne Weaver's right hand man. We've also heard that a fight with Vance is a fight that neither guy will win, given Vance's long history with Weaver.



Del Rio is expected look to the college game for his next gig, if his tenure with the Jags comes to an end. He flirted with the folks from LSU after the Nicktator was hired by the Fins, to the chagrin of the guy who signs Del Rio's checks.



Make no mistake about it -- Weaver is desperate to put his team in a position to make money. He went on the cheap with Del Rio, and to a certain extent Weaver is getting what he paid for. If Weaver wants to make it work in Jacksonville, he needs to put a crowbar to the wallet and hire a big-name coach with a history of success.



SUNDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The Steelers have "nothing to report" regarding discussions with WR Hines Ward on a long-term deal (word is that Ward wants $25 million over the first three years, which is keeping the deal from getting done).



Dolphins DE David Bowens says that Ricky Williams appears "eager and ready" (maybe that's one of the symptoms of cannabis withdrawal).



Mike O'Hara of The Detroit News says that another losing season isn't an option for the Lions (as if any team has a choice in the matter -- and as if any such team would choose to lose).



Neil Hayes of The Contra Costa Times takes a long look at the background of Raiders WR Randy Moss.



Bears coach Lovie Smith isn't worried about the absence of Ricky Williams Jr. as the team opens camp.



Stephen A. Smith of The Philadelphia Inquirer seems to be rooting for T.O. to go to camp and act like an asshole.



Phil the Shill, in contrast, sticks it to T.O. and Drew Rosenhaus for failing to follow advice laid out in black and white in Drew's autobiography.



Coach Chin promises a "tough" and "demanding" training camp.



The ability of Vikings WR Troy Williamson to run a 4.34 is even more amazing when considering the severe burns he suffered at age 12.



Three Lions rookies are unsigned four days from the start of camp.



The Jags apparently will rely upon in-house talent to spell and/or if necessary replace RB Fred Taylor.



Houston G.M. Charley Casserly is hoping that the Texans will continue their trend toward improvement.



The Fins have signed third-round LB Channing Crowder to a four-year deal.



Rams coach Mike Martz recognizes the buzz that his job is on the line this year, but doesn't seem to agree: "You can't help but hear it in the national media, and yeah, I am puzzled by it."



The New York Post has a pretty good interview with Giants coach Tom Coughlin.



Bears LB Brian Urlacher isn't talking about his efforts to establish paternity with a baby born on May 20 to a woman who might be the same person who was sued after falsely accusing Riverdance foof Michael Flatley of rape (scroll down for more).



Vikings WR Troy Williamson is confident that the team made the right decision by selecting him instead of a much-hyped wideout from USC: "It would have been stupid for Minnesota to pick Mike Williams," Williamson says. "He isn't a guy who can stretch the field. The Vikings did what they had to do to make their team better, not just what pleases the fans."



Carl Poston continues to huff and puff regarding the level of interest in CB Ty Law.



Greg Bedard of The Palm Beach Post says that the Nicktator's restrictive media policy is hurting ticket sales.



The New Orleans Times-Picayune takes a peek at QB Adrian McPhersons brushes with the law.



Says Bears coach Lovie Smith: "Our goal is to beat Green Bay, to win our division, and this is the 20th anniversary of the Super Bowl [victory]. That's the goal -- to win the Super Bowl. That's not going to change until we get that done." (Um, Lov, are you suggesting that after winning the Super Bowl an NFL team's ultimate goal becomes something other than winning the Super Bowl?)



The Panthers have signed third-round OL Evan Mathis.



The Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes an in-depth look at the Falcons as they prepare to head to camp.



Falcons third-round LB Jordan Beck will sign his rookie deal on Sunday.



The Dayton Daily News takes a look at Bengals camps from days gone by, including Peter King's favorite Bengals training camp story.



Jason Whitlock of The Kansas City Star slams the Chiefs for letting WR Derrick Alexander retire as a member of the organization.

[ALinChainz]

Juan Dixon: Pacers Interested

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Sunday, July 24, 2005


Update: The Pacers have expressed an interest in Dixon, according to Calvin Andrews, the guard's agent, the Indianapolis Star reports.

Recommendation: "We've had a conversation with (Pacers CEO) Donnie Walsh about Juan," Andrews said. "The next phase is seeing about bringing Juan in for a visit with them."

[ALinChainz]

Martin St. Louis: Wants to Stay in Tampa Bay

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Sunday, July 24, 2005


Update: St. Louis, a restricted free agent, is eager to re-sign with the Lightning, reports the Tampa Tribune.

Recommendation: He's expected to sign for somewhere between $3 and $4 million a season on a long-term deal. He can, however, broker a deal with another team and the Bolts would have to match the deal or receive compensation if he leaves. We'll watch this one closely, as a new deal needs to be in place in the next week to keep the vultures away.

[ALinChainz]

Scott Niedermayer: Leaving New Jersey?

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Sunday, July 24, 2005


Update: Niedermayer has indicated that he'll entertain an offer from the Devils, but there are strong indications that he's looking at signing elsewhere.

Recommendation: Two logical landing areas figure to be Philadelphia and Toronto, though a player of Niedermayer's stature will no doubt get interest from a host of clubs.

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 8:51 a.m. EDT, July 25, 2005



VETS WANT ROOKIE PAY SCALE



We continue to hear that veteran NFL players want a specific, set rookie pay scale, even as we continue to hear that some within the NFLPA are committed to opposing such a system.



The issue could end up in a pissing match between the PA and the rank-and-file, where the low-pay guys who are trying to hang onto their jobs year-in, year-out outnumber the high-priced superstars.



Some league insiders think that the larger agencies making huge money off of round one rookie contracts are opposed to the use of pre-set terms based on draft order, and that these larger agencies (e.g., IMG, which represents NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw) are pulling the strings on this one.



Really, why else would the union oppose a system that reduces the extreme windfall received by 10 to 15 guys who usually are a 50-50 proposition for long-term success? Why not peel back some of that money and give it to the lunch pail players who have managed to string together several years of solid performance?



It's one thing for a free agent who has put in four quality seasons to hit it big on the open market. It's quite another, in our opinion, for a guy who merely had a great college career and a stellar combine performance to be handed an eight figure bonus based merely on perceived potential.



And most of the guys who form the backbone of the NFL likely agree.



RICKY LOOKS GOOD



Early word out of Miami is that running back Ricky Williams looks better than the team expected in his return to football after a one-year layoff.



He's in better shape than the team anticipated, and not as light as many feared -- especially since he was down to 190 pounds not long ago.



Williams will get every chance to get his football legs back in the short term, given that No. 2 overall draft pick Ronnie Brown still hasn't signed a contract.



MANAGEMENT COUNCIL WANTS END TO HOLDOUTS



We're hearing that the NFL management council has raised with the NFLPA the league's concerns regarding the use of holdouts and threatened holdouts as a device to leverage contract extensions.



Behind the scenes, we're told, the management council is suggesting that the union rein in agents who use this device if the Players Association hopes to gain some of the concessions that it seeks in the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.



The issue is one of philosophy, and the folks on both sides of the issue can agree only to disagree on whether it is appropriate for a player who has outperformed his contract to withhold future services until he gets more money. The argument in favor of holdouts and threatened holdouts is that, because teams have the ability to break contracts with players who underperform, players who overperform should have the same power.



The argument against this tactic is that the NFL system for which the NFLPA bargained allows teams to part ways prematurely with a player (subject to certain rules regarding injured players). That same system does not contemplate players who believe their play has been more valuable than their pay to refuse not to play at all.



It's ridiculous, really, when you think about it. A guy agrees to play football for a specific wage, and because he plays football better than he expected he refuses to keep playing until he gets more money?



These are issues that could be -- and should be -- addressed through the terms of the contract. If a player thinks that he might "overperform," he can request the placement of incentives in his deal to compensate for such overperformance.



Or the player who thinks he might become a Pro Bowler in short order can request a shorter-term deal. To get there, of course, the player must accept less signing bonus money -- and no one wants to do that.



Our overriding belief regarding this issue is that holdouts and threatened holdouts are wrong because they fall beyond the boundaries of the current system. Although agents should be trying to get the best deals possible for the players they represent, they need to do so within the confines of the rules. Breaching or threatening to breach a contract simply isn't within the scope of the rules, and therefore it is inappropriate and wrong.



So how does a player generate leverage? Easy. The player puts in the years to which he agreed and he suggests that he'll hit the open market and leave for another team is he doesn't receive a fair offer from his current team.



Sure, the player could find himself when the time comes on the wrong side of the franchise tag. But, again, this is the system to which the NFLPA agreed in order to persuade the owners to devote more than 65 percent of designated gross revenue to player wages.



In the end, that's the issue. If the players want to play football they need to accept the fact that the union and the league has created a system that will, for some players, lead to unfortunate outcomes. But this doesn't mean that a player who thinks he's worth more than the ongoing terms of the contract that he signed should be able to refuse to play until he gets more money. In the end, it's something that the current system simply does not contemplate.



So as we see it the players and their agents have three choices. Change the system. Live with the system. Or try to find in some other industry a job that pays anything remotely close to what you're making now.



MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Former Fins coach Dave Wannstedt wonders whether Ricky Williams will accept being anything other than the focal point of the offense.



Add Raiders coach Norv Turner to the list of NFL insiders who read this here site.



The Patriots are hoping that TE Ben Watson will be able to bust up the Cover 2.



CB Ty Law will make his second offseason visit to the Lions on Monday.



Vikings WR Troy Williamson enters training camp as No. 5 on the receiver depth chart, behind Nate Burleson, Marcus Robinson, Kelly Campbell, and Travis Taylor.



Only two of the Chiefs' nine rookies are signed, with camp opening in three days.



Paul Kuharsky of The Nashville Tennessean attempts to answer many of the burning questions as NFL teams enter training camp, but he curiously ignores the biggest issue on the minds of his readers: When will Floyd Reese and/or Jeff Fisher get fired?



Negotiations between the Bears and Ricky Williams Jr. are at a standstill over structure, and money has yet to even be discussed.



All Dolphins players under contract reported on Sunday, with the exception of backup OT Tony Pape.



Bears QB Rex Grossman threw a jab at former offensive coordinator Terry Shea by explaining that Shea merely brought someone else's system to Chicago when he was hired away from the Chiefs.



Odeen Domingo of The Arizona Republic astutely points out that the Cardinals highly-touted receiving corps is lacking a deep threat.



The Pats have added rookie free agent WR Brandon Childress.



Mark Basch of The Florida Times-Union takes an in-depth look at the Jags' financial struggles.



Three Falcons draft picks, including first-round WR Roddy White, are unsigned as the team opens training camp on Monday.



QB Randall Cunningham led a group of Eagles alumni to a 56-35 win over Redskins alums in a game of flag football; they meet again in three weeks (and maybe by that time T.O. will technically be eligible to play for the Philly team).



Plenty of starting jobs are up for grabs as the Cowboys convene training camp in faraway Oxnard.



RB Ronnie Brown is Miami's only unsigned draft pick.



Browns rookies reported Sunday night for orientation with four of the draft picks unsigned.



Bears QB Kyle Orton was signed just in time to make it into training camp.



The Cards are getting their rookies signed faster than usual.



POSTED 10:15 p.m. EDT, July 24, 2005



PATS TO PEN MANKINS ON MONDAY



A league source tells us that the New England Patriots have reached an agreement in principle with first-round pick Logan Mankins, making them the first team to sign a first-rounder and the only team with all of its selections from the 2005 draft under contract.



The Patriots open training camp practice on Monday.



Mankins, an offensive lineman who is expected to play guard for the Pats, was the final selection in round one. The Fresno State product is 6-4 and 307 pounds, and has a chance to be the opening-day replacement for Joe Andruzzi, who left New England to sign with the Browns.



No terms were available as of Sunday night.

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 9:13 a.m. EDT, July 26, 2005



HINES HANKERING FOR A NEW DEAL



According to Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steelers receiver Hines Ward plans to personally visit team headquarters this week to discuss his contract status with coaches, and possibly with management.



His agent, Eugene Parker, won't say whether Ward plans to boycott training camp if he doesn't get a contract extension. In 2004, Ward considered a hold out before coach Bill Cowher intervened.



This time around, the situation could be different. Earlier this year, the team publicly declared that Ward would be the top priority in the offseason. But when Parker's colleague, Roosevelt Barnes, spoke with the team on Monday about Ward it was the first time in roughly a month that there was any contact between the two sides.



Ward, per Bouchette, wants to be among the highest-paid receivers in the game. His four straight Pro Bowl appearances would tend to support his position (although the presence of Randy Moss in the AFC this season will make it harder to pull off a fifth).



But we've picked up some rumblings over the past few months that the team simply doesn't consider him to be in the same "gamebreaking" category as guys like Moss, Marvin Harrison, and Terrell Owens. So if, as we hear, Hines wants a deal that pays $25 million over the first three years, the team might not be inclined to pay it.



In the end, we can't see Ward staying away from the game that he loves. And we can't see the Steelers letting him get away. We predict that he'll play this season, and if a deal can't get done he'll indeed end up getting paid among the top receivers in the game.



The top five, to be precise. Courtesy of the franchise tag.



TUESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Agent Leigh Steinberg shrugs his shoulders at the possibility that the Fins could trade Ricky Williams; they would endure no cap hit, since his signing bonus was paid by the Saints.



Based on his appearance and demeanor at Monday's press conference, it's clear to us that Ricky Williams is still a very weird guy.



QB Alex Smith's deal with the 49ers could be worth as much as $57 million, supposedly.



Colts coach Tony Dungy says he expects RB Edgerrin James to report for training camp on time because Dungy hasn't heard anything to the contrary from James. (Tony, we'd love to play some poker with you.)



Eagles DT Corey Simon, the team's franchise player, doesn't plan to report to camp -- under league rules, he has no obligation to the team until he signs his one-year tender, and he loses no money by waiting until the eve of the regular season to sign it.



The Cowboys have inked sixth-round OT Rob Petitti, who was considered to be a first-round prospect last year at this time.



The Raiders have not yet finalized their contract with first-round CB Fabian Washington.



Agent Ben Dogra is waiting for the market to take shape before he'll work out a deal with the Bucs for RB Cadillac Williams (meanwhile, the Bucs need to clear out more cap space, pronto).



Another day, another profile of Drew Rosenhaus.



Former Eagles exec Tom Modrak says that the team would have drafted Daunte Culpepper if Donovan McNabb had been off of the board in 1999.



Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo is getting a little hot under the turban regarding Ricky Williams Jr.; meanwhile, The Chicago Tribune suggests that a deal could be close.



The 'Skins and the Ravens each get an early bye week because of a (groan) golf tourney that will be played in the area.



The Bucs have inked second-round LB Barrett Ruud.



"Peanut" predicts folks will be calling him "Mister" after this season.



The Cards will announce a new site for their 2005 training camp as early as Tuesday (the move was necessitated by an outbreak of a virus that prompts the same kind of symptoms that arise after fans of the team watch any of the franchise's annual highlight videos for the past, say, 50 years).



The Bucs will have DT Chris Hovan on a short leash, and could cut him early in training camp.



Packers DT Grady Jackson says he's not sure whether he'll report to camp (he will, we believe, simply because he needs the scratch).



The Lions remain interested in CB Ty Law -- if his financial demands subside.



Vikes owner Triple Word Score Wilf hung out with QB Daunte Culpepper in Florida last week (we're trying to picture the two of them playing NCAA 06).



Bears G/C Roberto Garza was held out of practice on Monday with a "heat illness."



The Chargers start practice on Tuesday without their top three draft picks, and we have a feeling that first-rounder Shawne Merriman won't be showing up for a loooong time, if at all.



TWB is waiting for a new proposal from the Vikings.



The Giants have agreed to terms with fourth-round RB Brandon Jacobs; he'll compete with Mike Cloud and Derrick Ward for the short-yardage job.



Agent Dave Butz said last week that Jags WR Matt Jones could be one of the first first-rounders to sign; four are now in the bag, and Jones is still unsigned.



Miami has yet to make an offer to S Lance Schulters.



The Eagles have yet to break out the Ouija board for P Sean Landeta.



The Ravens are down to four unsigned picks, and the team hopes that its late opening of training camp will allow all of them to be signed in time.



The Chiefs coud be limiting QB Trent Green's training camp reps in order to keep him healthy.



The Pats backed off of their typical demand for a six-year deal, signing first-round OL Logan Mankins to a five-year contract.



A.J. Feeley was the No. 1 quarterback in the Fins first practice on Monday, and QB Gus Frerotte was the top guy in the evening session.



Lions KR Eddie Drummond remains unsigned.



Pats defensive coordinator Eric Mangini got his start in coaching football a long, long way from his current gig.



The Broncos are making progress in talks with RB Maurice Clarett.



WR Jerry Rice says that 2005 will be his last season "without a doubt" (which means to us that maybe he'll play in Canada).



Bears DE Wale Ogunleye doesn't believe that his 2004 ankle/leg injury was properly diagnosed at first.



The Eagles have 9 of 11 picks under contract.



POSTED 11:23 p.m. EDT, July 25, 2005



NINERS INK SMITH



Kudos to Jay Glazer of FOXsports.com for breaking the news that the Niners have inked No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith to a six-year deal.



The contract, per Glazer, is worth $50 million over six years and includes $24 million in bonus money.



Although described as "guaranteed" money, we'll withhold judgment on whether the $24 million is indeed "guaranteed" until we get a closer looks at the deal. Teams have a habit of not talking turkey about terms -- and agents and players have knack for puffing the true value of the package.



Also signing on Monday were Raiders first-round cornerback Fabian Washington, Eagles first-round defensive tackle Mike Patterson, and (as reported right here on Sunday night) Pats offensive lineman Logan Mankins.



ESPN CONTINUES THE PIMPING OF LAW



On Sunday, ESPN's Skip Bayless accused colleague Stephen A. Smith, in one of those contrived on-air debates, of being the co-agent for T.O.



On Monday, the entire operation continued to seek shelter in the pocket and/or up the butt of free-agent corner Ty Law and his agents, the Postons.



Carl Poston -- who has been spreading liquified horse manure regarding teams' interest in Law for the entire offseason -- told ESPN.com that Lions CEO Matt Millen was "excited and surprised" at how well Law performed in a Monday workout with the team.



Really? Then why in the hell is Poston, not Millen, saying so? Surely, guys like John Clayton and Len Pasquarelli are astute enough to, you know, seek corroboration.



Instead, the whole article plays out like the latest Ronco infomercial in a blatant effort by the folks in Bristol to broker for Law a big-money deal. The endeavor has gotten to be so ridiculously transparent that the only legitimate conclusions to be reached are: (1) the folks at ESPN think that the guys who run NFL teams are really stupid; or (2) they are really stupid.



Our money is on door number one.



The guys who run NFL teams, after all, know that no one will pay Law $6 million per year or, more specifically, $6 million this year. No one. As we've said time and again, his best bet will be to ink a deal with a modest signing bonus, a reasonable 2005 salary, and a ridiculous option and/or roster bonus due in 2006 plus even more ridiculous salaries in 2006 and beyond. Such a contract would be, in essence, a one-year deal that allows Law and the Postons to save face publicly, that gives Ty a chance to show that he can still play at a high level, and (if he succeeds) that enables him to snare a bigger contract next March on the open market.



So take it from a site that has fought hard to gain a shred of credibility, guys.



The overt pimping of Law is hurting yours.



MONDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS



With a flurry of press releases and quotes sent out by the Fins P.R. department on Monday afternoon regarding RB Ricky Williams, the Nicktator's regime appears to be rather chatty, when it wants to be.



The Bears might be at an early impasse with Ricky Williams Jr.



The Falcons have placed Michael Jenkins ahead of Peerless Price at the position now officially known as "guy who runs around waving his hands while Mike Vick tries to see over the linemen until he eventually tucks and runs or dumps it off to Alge Crumpler."



The Lions have inked a couple of additional picks, including fifth-round QB Dan Orlovsky.



Agent Doug Hendrickson wants to get Colts first-round CB Marlin Jackson signed and in camp on time.



The Packs have inked a couple of fourth-rounders.



Troy Aikman has rebuffed an opportunity to join ESPN's MNF crew and will stick with FOX.



The Panthers have waived three and added one, whom they'll likely waive before too long.



Former NFL CB Ray Oldham, who won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 1978, is dead at 54.



The mayor of the 'Ville and other top city officials got plenty of free stuff when the Super Bowl was in town.



The Browns have inked all rookies except WR Braylon Edwards and QB Charlie Frye.



Bob Costas will host the studio show on NBC's Sunday night football coverage, as that portrait in his attic continues to slowly wrinkle and wither.



The Vikes have inked a couple of draft picks, including fourth-round RB Ciatrick Fason.

[ALinChainz]

POSTED 10:00 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:25 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2005



AL MAKES 5-FINGER GRAB AT 4-LETTER NETWORK



Despite a prior relationship of mutual hatred between broadcaster Al Michaels and ESPN, both sides have agreed to try to learn to love each other on a long-term basis.



And Michaels, who previously said behind the scenes that he'd never work for a "four-letter network," will be paid handsomely for his decision to make the trek with Monday Night Football from ABC to its red-headed stepsister.



An industry source tells us that Michaels took the deal with ESPN because the financial package offered by NBC, which wanted Michaels to team up with current MNF partner John Madden on the Sunday night broadcast, "wasn't even close." ESPN also offered perks, such as the use of a private jet, that NBC couldn't or wouldn't match.



"He's still the best play-by-play guy," the source told us in an e-mail message, "and they . . . didn't want to look minor league by losing both Michaels and Madden."



We're also told that ESPN made a run at the Human Valium a/k/a Jim Nantz, but was rebuffed, along with a "very big play" for FOX's Troy Aikman, who opted to re-up with Rupert and the Murdochs.



In addition to providing play-by-play for the Monday night package, Michael also is obligated to appear on other ESPN shows. Said the source, "It's silly because Michaels is a play-by-play guy, not an analyst, so it's not like having Madden on."



And now that we've dispensed with the "hard" news, allow us to engage in a little speculation and opinionization (probably not even a real word, but it sounds good, like Martinizing). We're completely unimpressed with the network's decision to put Joe Theismann in the booth with Michaels. Theismann has been a fixture on what has become the worst broadcast team covering NFL games, taking hyperbole and sycophancy to unprecedented heights and refusing to say anything remotely controversial or, for that matter, interesting.



Our guess is that Michaels specifically asked for Theismann, because Michaels didn't want to be upstaged and/or overshadowed by an up-and-comer like Steve Young, Michael Irvin, or Mike Golic. Why else would ESPN rush to name Theismann to be Michaels' partner? Indeed, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald recently reported that Irvin, Young, and Sterling Sharpe were under consideration for a spot in the MNF booth, and that Sharpe had been re-hired to call two games in December with Mike Tirico. The appearance, then, was that the network would wait until after 2005 to name its Monday night lineup for 2006.



Common sense suggests that Michaels didn't want the identity of his partner to be the subject of constant attention, thereby relegating him to the same "second banana" status he assumed when guys like Dennis Miller and John Madden made the leap to ABC.



Still, we think that ESPN blew a great opportunity to re-energize and diversify MNF, opting instead to play it safe. We've got no real quarrel with Michaels, since play-by-play guys aren't really supposed to add anything of substance to the broadcast. But the presence of Theismann, Suzy Kolber, and Michelle Tafoya makes the whole thing feel like an old sweatshirt that has been tucked in the bottom of a basement closet.



It does the job, but it smells a little stale and feels a little itchy.



SEAHAWKS, SHAUN SPLIT THE BABY



In an unusual move that blows apart the Seahawks' ability to pull a Walter Jones on their marquee running back, Shaun Alexander has agreed to a one-year, $6.32 million contract with the team, in exchange for a commitment that the 'Hawks will not slap the franchise tag on him again in 2006. The deal replaces the one-year, $6.32 million franchise tender, which Alexander presumably inked before signing the new deal.



Thus, unless Alexander agrees to a long-term deal with the Seahawks, he will be an unrestricted free agent.



Our first thought upon hearing the news is whether the Seahawks have retained the ability to use the transition tag, which would provide the team with a right of first refusal but no compensation if the organization opts not to match any other offers Alexander might accept next year.



Alexander's career with the team that selected him in the first-round of the 2000 draft has been a mixed bag, at best. Dubbed "Sybil" by the Big Show in 2001 due to his inconsistency, Alexander quietly blossomed into one of the best running backs in the game after Ricky Watters called it a career.



But the acrimony lingered between player and coach. After the 2004 season, Alexander said he was "stabbed in the back" by Holmgren after Shaun came up one yard short of the league rushing title.



Still, despite his high level of performance in 2002, 2003, and 2004, the chances of Alexander hitting the jackpot in 2006 are on the wrong side of 50 percent, in our view. For a running back, the age to get paid handsomely is 25 or 26. Shaun will be 29 when the 2006 season opens, and that's likely too long in the tooth for a tailback who hopes to back the truck up to the bank.



POSTED 3:56 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 4:18 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2005



CHARGERS JUICE UP CASTILLO'S POCKETS



A team source tells us that the Chargers have reached an agreement with defensive tackle Luis Castillo. Castillo, the 28th overall pick in the draft, agreed to a five-year deal on Tuesday afternoon.



Bernie Wilson of The Associated Press and Jay Paris of The North County Times report that the total deal is potentially worth $7,035,000, including guaranteed money of $4,664,000. Per Wilson, Castillo will receive a signing bonus of $1.38 million and an option bonus of $2.53 million payable in March 2006. He'll earn $754,000 his first season, including a roster bonus of $524,000.



Castillo's draft-day stock took a tumble after he admitted to using steroids in preparation for the February scouting combine. His agents did a pretty good job of damage control, sending letters to every team 'splaining the incident and taking responsibility for it.



It remains to be seen whether and to what extent the situation affected his financial package.



The Chargers have all draft picks under contract with the exception of second-round receiver Vincent Jackson and first-round defensive end/linebacker Shawne Merriman.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

[ALinChainz]

POSTED 9:57 a.m. EDT, July 27, 2005



PLAYERS, UNION AT ODDS OVER ROOKIE SCALE?



We've recently written several items regarding the fact that an increasing number of teams and players would like to see an NBA-style rookie wage scale. But we continue to hear that the NFL Players Association isn't on board with the idea.



So we went to the source. On Monday, we asked NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen for his thoughts on the matter.



And Berthelsen, who is always prompt and cooperative with our requests, said this in response: "Not even on the radar. If any veterans wanted it, it would have come out of this year’s player rep meeting, which it did not."



But an unsolicited e-mail that we received from a veteran NFL player on Tuesday night seems to indicate that players want the union to rein in the windfalls that the players drafted in the top half of round one routinely receive.



Here's the relevant text: "I just wanted to commend you on your piece about the rookie pay scale. You're right on the money. Every guy on the team agrees. It's ridiculous that rookies are getting so much money when, like you said, [they're] a 50-50 proposition while other guys who have proved they can play are just hanging on. We made a big deal about it in our player's rep meeting with [NFLPA executive director] Gene [Upshaw], but you just got the feeling that he was not completely on board with us."



So Berthelsen says it never came up, but the player who contacted us strongly suggests that it was raised, and that Upshaw didn't respond favorably.



Many league insiders believe that the NFLPA will continue to try to shy away from a rookie pay scale because of the ongoing influence of the major agencies that earn big money off of high-end rookie deals. For example, the same agency that represents Upshaw will receive over the next six years as much as $1.5 million on Alex Smith's $50 million contract.



For years, the NFL has ignored this and other conflicts of interest. If it's indeed true that the players have tried to lobby Upshaw to implement a rookie wage scale and he has merely plugged his ears in response, we think it's high time for the league to establish firm rules and regulations regarding cross-representation by agents.



Really, why else would Upshaw resist something that his rank-and-file wants? And that would benefit the guys who currently are in the league?



Our advice to the veteran players out there is to start talking about your true desires, both in the locker room and to the media. Make your wishes clearly known, and the folks who are hammering out the new CBA will take note.



"So, Gene," a league negotiator might say, "how can you fight us on a rookie wage scale when it sounds like plenty of your constituents want it?"



After all, every dollar kept out of the pockets of a prima donna who has done nothing in the NFL to earn the money is a dollar that will be available to a guy who has busted his ass below the national media's radar screen for multiple seasons.



RICKY "STILL HAS IT"



Word out of Fins camp is that running back Ricky Williams "still has it" after a full year out of football.



Although his reduced weight might affect his ability to take a pounding, he's now even quicker and more elusive, we're told.



Williams will have plenty of time to continue to pack on the pounds, if the team decides that a higher weight is desirable, since he'll serve a four-game suspension before hitting the field in the regular season.



WEAVER SAYS DEL RIO IS SAFE



In a lenghty Q&A with Vito Stellino of The Florida Times-Union, Jags owner Wayne Weaver tried to shoot down our recent report that coach Jack Del Rio will be del dumpo'ed if the team doesn't make it to the playoffs in 2005.



Here's the relevant excerpt:

"Q: Let's turn to the football side. A Web site (Pro Football Talk) that is widely read in pro football circles has reported that Jack Del Rio will likely be fired if the team doesn't make the playoffs. Can you say Del Rio will be the coach in 2006 regardless of what happens this year?

Yeah, Jack Del Rio is our coach. Absolutely.

Q: He'll be the coach in 2006?

Yeah. I'm extremely pleased with the progress the football team has made. I like the coaching changes Jack has made. When Jack came in here, we had a football team that was not very competitive. We went from 5-11 to 9-7. I believe we're positioned to take the next step. I have every confidence in Jack Del Rio. He will be our coach in 2006."

Frankly, we don't buy it. Optimism and good feelings flourish in the heat of late July and early August. Once losses begin to pile up, those warm and fuzzies from the preseason become distant memories.



Really, why would Weaver lend any credence now to the notion that Del Rio will be out the door if the team doesn't make the playoffs? If Weaver had acknowledged what many believe to be the reality in this regard, Del Rio's job security would have become the team's story line throughout the season.



It ain't the smartest way to put butts in the seats at AllTel stadium.



And if, in the end, Weaver dumps Del Rio, the fact that he sent a message to the contrary in July will be a mere footnote to the stories regarding the divorce.



Meanwhile, Weaver acknowledges that there will be at least "a few" blackouts in 2005, even with 10,000 seats under sheets of sackcloth. Weaver also reiterated that, even though it's not his intention to move the team, "no business can lose money year after year after year and sustain itself." Denying speculation that he'll sell the team, he said that the decision on whether to hit the road out of Jacksonville is a decision that will be made "down the road."



So on one hand Weaver stands behind the guy who is captaining the ship that, on the other hand, Weaver hints could be running aground. If the owner is committed to filling the stadium and turning his team into a long-term money maker, he needs to be ready to take decisive action if year three of the Del Rio experiment doesn't generate the kind of excitement that will lead to a stream of dollars into Weavers pockets.



WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The Steelers have signed first-round TE Heath Miller, and seventh-round RB Noah Herron.



The Colts have agreed to terms with first-round CB Marlin Jackson.



Talks are on hold between the Fins and No. 2 overall pick Ronnie Brown until both sides get a chance to review the official contract signed by No. 1 pick Alex Smith in San Fran.



The Chiefs and first-round LB Derrick Johnson are at an apparent impasse.



Said one league source regarding the incident that left rookie DT Manuel Wright in tears: "It ain't the first time Nick Saban ever chewed anybody out, and it won't be the last."





["He broke-ded my feelings."]



Colts RB Edgerrin James plans to report for training camp, but has no intention of making the trek to Japan for the team's preseason opener; "The closest I'm going to get to Tokyo is Benihana," James said.



Titans QB Steve McNair plans to get in the ear of CB Pacman Jones.



ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Steelers WR Hines Ward will not report to camp without a new contract (we'd run a link to the report, but the techno-geeks who run ESPN.com apparently don't watch SportsCenter).



Eagles first-round DT Mike Patterson is happy to be under contract.



In hindsight, the Seahawks did a helluva job holding the nucleus of their offense together in an offseason that was filled with uncertainty when it opened.



Former Dolphins receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duper think they should be in the Hall of Fame; both have better career numbers than bust-boy Lynn Swann, but the absence of any Super Bowl titles on their resumes likely will continue to keep them out.



Ravens TE Todd Heap, who recently cashed in with a contract extension, isn't expected to be able to practice until the middle of August.



The Jags have signed sixth-round WR Chad Owens.



CB Ty Law is "very interested" in the Jets, but the team says there are no current plans to Law to make a visit (Carl Poston, on the other hand, would probably say that the Jets have offered Law $50 million and jersey number 12).



Talks on a contract extension between the Patriots and DE Richard Seymour are expected to intensify.



The Bengals have signed sixth-round WR Tab Perry, but they still need to ink two linebackers who are already listed as starters on the official depth chart.



Falcons coach Jim Mora is talking tough about unsigned first-round WB Roddy White. (As to the Falcons, we've officially changed the wide receiver designation -- "WR" -- to wide blocker, since there ain't a whole lot of actual receiving happening on the outside when Mike Vick drops back to throw.)



The Vikings have signed second-round OL Marcus Johnson.



The 'Skins are close to a deal with fourth-round FB Manuel White.



The Lions are focusing for now on signing their rookies, not CB Ty Law.



Agent Ethan Lock is heading back to Minny to meet with the Vikes regarding first-round DE Erasmus James; our guess is that a deal will be done soon.



The Giants have signed sixth-round DE Eric Moore.



The Bucs have big expectations for rookie RB Cadillac Williams and rookie TE Alex Smith.



Packers coach Mike Sherman is happy to be getting back to practice (he'd likely be even happier to get an extension to a contract that expires after this season).



The Seahawks are still interested in LB Peter Boulware, but statements like this from team president Tim Ruskell strongly suggests that Pete won't be getting the same kind of offer in Seattle that he rejected in Baltimore: "He really hasn't been the Peter Boulware that we know from the Super Bowl days in the past couple of years."



New-old Rams TE Roland Williams is listed as the starter ahead of Brandon Manumelanoma.



The Titans signed their two fourth-rounders on Tuesday.



The Niners could be interested in trading for a veteran quarterback at some point prior to the regular season.



Vikings Pro Bowl DT Kevin Williams played the last part of the 2004 season with a meniscus tear in his knee; he was kept out of all offseason workouts but he'll be ready for training camp.



A.J. Feeley and Gus Frerotte make their cases for winning the starting job in Miami.



The Broncos are confident that all of their draft picks will be signed before camp opens on Thursday.



Packers quarterback Craig Nall and J.T. O'Sullivan were happy to have all the reps to themselves, since Aaron Rodgers is unsigned and Brett Favre won't practice until Friday.



Niners coach Mike Nolan would like to name a starting quarterback after the August 20 preseason game in Denver, but could take longer.



RB Mo Clarett's contract could have a shorter term than three years (as could his entire NFL career).



We know we have our share of typos in this here space, but could someone please 'splain to us how a "real" metropolitan newspaper could have the word "the" spelled wrong not once but twice in its list of bold-print training camp questions?



Prosecutors plan to pursue charges quickly in the case of Georgia v. Randy McMichael.



Mike Penner of The Los Angeles Times has penned a nice piece regarding the new broadcasting lineups.



The Jets have until August 31 to come up with enough money to fill the $300 million public funding gap that has to date doomed their Manhattan stadium plan.



The Panthers have signed third-round DT Atiyyah Ellison.



The Cards are moving their training camp from NAU to the bricks-and-ivy prestige of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (the University of Phoenix Online was the second option, but the absence of, you know, a football field put a slight crimp in the bid).



Storms knocked out the Bears' first full-pads practice on Tuesday night.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

[ALinChainz]

POSTED 10:15 a.m. EDT, July 28, 2005



PACKERS SAY NO NEW DEAL FOR WALKER



In what's clearly becoming a good, old-fashioned pissing match between two parties with very different perceptions and perspectives, we're being told by team sources in no uncertain terms that there is absolutely no intention nor desire to engage in substantive talks with receiver Javon Walker and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, regarding an extension of Walker's contract, which expires after the 2006 season.



But the Walker camp, we're told, insists with equal fervor that Walker's decision to abandon plans to hold out were fueled in part by a suggestion by the team that it will demonstrate some flexibility if Walker reports for the start of preseason practices on time.



A source close to Walker confirms that the team has agreed to abandon the fines incurred when Walker skipped a mandatory offseason minicamp in consideration for his decision to show up. Whether the Packers will go any farther than that remains to be seen.



Until there's evidence of actual talks between the two sides on a new deal, we've got no reason to doubt the team's privately (for now) stated position that there will be no talks. It's nevertheless possible that Walker's people believe that the team has promised to talk, and it's likewise possible that there's a fundamental misunderstanding between the two sides.



But since the Pack are the party who'd be shelling out the coin, it makes sense to heed their current position that there will be no new money flowing to Walker -- and no discussions toward that end.



WARD TELLS STEELERS TO SHOVE IT



Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that receiver Hines Ward has told the team, "Thanks, and no thanks" to an offer that would have made the four-time Pro Bowler the highest-paid player in franchise history.



Per Bouchette, who cites an unnamed source, the deal "would put Ward among a tier of receivers just below several of the highest paid in the league."



The organization is keeping a very tight seal on the actual numbers. Through our own sources, we've only been able to determine that the package is, in the view of management, an "enormous" one and that "it is enough [money] to satisfy a real team player."



Bouchette's piece strongly implies that the signing bonus being offered to Ward is in the neighborhood of $10 million. Ward's agents, Eugene Parker and Roosevelt Barnes, have taken the position that Hines should be among the highest-paid players in the game.



As to Ward, the Steelers could restrict his movement after the season by whipping out the franchise tag. In 2005, the franchise tender for receivers was $7.768 million. It figures to be higher in 2006.



It could be that Parker and Barnes are looking to force the Steelers to use the franchise tag for a couple of seasons, as they did with Seahawks offensive tackle Walter Jones, who pocketed three years of franchise money before signing a long-term deal.



The downside to such an approach is that the player assumes the risk of suffering an injury that would make him less desirable on the open market. Still, if the Steelers are offering only $10 million or so in bonus money, it likely makes plenty of sense from the perspective of Ward's agents for him to take the tender instead. At its current level, three years under the franchise tag would put a whopping $28.27552 million in Ward's pockets.



From that perspective, then, Ward's request for a contract that pays $25 million in the first three years doesn't seem so ridiculous.



And if any wideout is willing to put his head down and play hard regardless of the risk of injury, it's Ward. He has managed to stay healthy thus far in his career, never missing a game in a 7-year career.



The problem is that, despite his success, his numbers fall way short in two key respects from another high-end wideout who also has played since 1998 -- Randy Moss of the Raiders.



Moss has 69 more catches, 3,087 more yards, and 49 more touchdowns than Ward during that same time period.



Sure, Moss hasn't spent several of his seasons catching bounce-passes from guys like Kordell Stewart, but when it's time to give out the big money to pass-catchers, stats take on great importance -- and in that regard Ward is definitely a giant step below the guy whom many consider to be the best in the game.



So what will happen with this one? Our guess is that Ward will play out the contract and see what happens. We think that it will be very hard for the powers-that-be in the 'Burgh to use the franchise tag on Ward, based on the amount of money that the tag will tie up, and based on their last experience with the "F" word. (In 2002, the Steelers used the tag on linebacker Jason Gildon, signed him to a long-term deal, and cut him two seasons later.)



Here's hoping that both sides eventually recognize the importance of keeping Ward in black and gold. His hard-nosed, team-first attitude embodies the Pittsburgh mentality, and the fans there love him for it. The Steelers seem to be banking on the likelihood that Ward will take one for the organization, but his agents most likely could care less about whether the team has enough money left over to field a competitive team.



And, in the end, that's the real question for Ward. Does he want to be paid extremely well and have money left over to keep the overall quality level on the roster high, or does he want to eat up space that otherwise would help maintain and/or improve a team that has had several strong seasons over the past decade or so because of its ability to manage the cap?



THURSDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Pats DE Richard Seymour is officially a holdout.



The Packers have agreed to terms with second-round S Nick Collins.



The trade of WR Rod Gardner will put the 'Skins $3.75 million under the salary cap, giving them more than enough room to sign their two first-rounders.



Jets DE John Abraham is not expected to show up when the team reports for training camp.



The Bucs plan to announce decisions regarding veterans who will be dumped to create cap space on Thursday or Friday (thanks, guys, for not waiting until the absolute last minute to give those players who'll be cut a chance to catch on elsewhere).



The Jets reportedly plan to take a look-see at CB Ty Law.



Rams first-round OT Alex Barron is unsigned as team opens training camp.



The agent for first-round WR Mike Williams flew to Detroit on Wednesday for a sit-down with the Lions.



The Jets are reportedly close to a deal with second-round K Mike Nugent.



The decision as to whether Mike Sherman will be the coach of the Packers after 2005 is in the hands of G.M. Ted Thompson.



The Rams have parted ways with 2003 sixth-round OT Scott Tercero.



New Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is making significant progress behind the scenes toward getting a new stadium.



Chargers QB Philip Rivers recently spent an entire day at Sea World in San Diego without being recognized (but at least eight people mistook Shamu for Tonio Fonoti).



It appears that Pats S Rodney Harrison could be getting a new contract.



The Vikings have expressed interest in RB Jesse Chatman, released by the Chargers on Tuesday after failing a physical.



Dolphins rookie CB Travis Daniels, who played last season at LSU, is helping his teammates figure out the Nicktator.



A deal could be close for Broncos third-round RB Maurice Clarett.



Panthers RB Stephen Davis is expected by some to fail his physical on Friday, but G.M. Marty Hurney says that there are no immediate plans to release him.



Dolphins G Jeno James was hospitalized late Wednesday night with heat-related symptoms.



Here's a shocker -- the agent for No. 4 overall pick Ricky Williams Jr. says that reports of No. 1 selection Alex Smith's $24 million in bonus money are "very accurate."



The Steelers are expected to get the last two of their draft picks under contract on Thursday, three days before the start of training camp.



Bears QB Rex Grossman took another shot at former offensive coordinator Terry Shea on Wednesday, this time criticizing Shea for the number of different pass protection schemes that were used.



The Saints have signed all rookies except first-round OT Jammal Brown.



Packers G.M. Ted Thompson says the team isn't interested in CB Ty Law.



DT Manuel Wright's father told Greg Bedard of The Palm Beach Post that his son's recent incident with the Nicktator was "a good thing. . . . Best thing for him."



The Vikings have signed sixth-round DT C.J. Mosley.



"Peanut" made an impressive pick on Wednesday in Bears camp.



Lions second-round DT Shaun Cody was on his way to Detroit in anticipation of getting a deal done before the training camp reporting deadline.



The Texans open camp on Friday with their top three picks still unsigned.



Chargers rookie RB Darren Sproles, who weighs 180 pounds, supposedly bench-pressed more than LB/DE Shawne Merriman, who goes 270, during a weight-lifting session earlier this year.



RB Shaun Alexander's one-year deal with the Seahawks, which prevents the team from using the franchise tag, also precludes the team from using the transition tag.



From the "Maybe He's Growing Out Of That 'Every NFL Player Is The Best . . . Player . . . Ever' Phase" file, Joe Theismann ripped RB Ricky Williams on The Dan Patrick Show.



POSTED 8:51 p.m. EDT, July 27, 2005



WALKER, PACK STILL AT ODDS?



Even though receiver Javon Walker abruptly has folded his holdout tent and reported to training camp on Wednesday night, we're hearing very different versions as to the impetus for the move.



Sources close to the Walker camp tell us that Javon opted to walk back into camp because the team has expressed a willingness to show some flexibility in connection with Walker's concerns regarding the salaries that he is due to earn under the two remaining years of his contract.



But if that's accurate, it's news to the Packers. We've been told by a league source with knowledge of the Packers' intentions that the team still has no plan to give Walker a new contract.



So who's right? Who knows. It's possible that the Pack don't want to send the wrong message to other players that a threatened holdout will yield a new contract. Then again, it's possible that Walker is trying to save a little face, justifying his decision to cry "uncle" by linking the move to a greater possibility of the new deal that he now covets.



The team wants folks to think that Walker merely caved. Walker wants folks to think that he didn't.



And since we've yet to develop the ability to read minds, our guess is that both sides will continue to put their best spin on this one for the foreseeable future.



POSTED 1:15 a.m. EDT, July 28, 2005



ESPN SLAPPING THE MOUTH IT FEEDS?



During a Wednesday night discussion with a management-side league insider regarding the recent Greg Garber item on ESPN.com exploring the proliferation of player holdouts, a thought occurred to us.



Why in the world is the network that will pour $1.1 billion per year into the pockets of the NFL starting in 2006 generating copy that seems to justify and/or excuse the blatant violation of contracts by the employees of the entity with which ESPN is doing a lot of business?



Make no mistake about it -- Garber's piece endorses the notion that players who "outperform" their contracts are entitled to ignore their obligations and demand more money. Garber parrots the argument that, because NFL teams have the right to cut underperformers, guys who turn in more production than their paycheck contemplates should be able to ask for more coin.



But since all NFL player money is paid out under a hard salary cap, the giving of raises to players who outperforms his deal eventually will require a team to dump other guys prematurely, potentially turning the whole thing into a chicken-and-egg exercise. With the players getting the lion's share of the so-called designated gross revenue generated by the 32 NFL franchises, they are only underpaid in comparison to each other, since most teams are committed to the notion of spending their full allotment of money under the salary cap. Generally speaking, then, the league-wide pool of players is getting precisely that to which it is entitled, and the squabble really about is in the size of the piece that each guy gets.



In other words, guys like Javon Walker and T.O. aren't trying to take more money from the Packers -- they're trying to pick the pockets of guys like Donald Driver and Todd Pinkston.



Still, the real purpose of this here piece is to observe that ESPN.com seems to be slanting some of its items toward a viewpoint that implicitly (if not expressly) promotes disharmony and disruption between the NFL teams and its players. And we can't for the life of us figure out why the network would want to go out of its way to undermine the very product in which it has made a huuuuge investment.



We're not saying that ESPN and its dot-com offspring should be in the tank for the NFL's perspective on the question of players honoring their contracts. We're just saying that it makes sense for the folks in Bristol to at least try to understand and explain the league's position, given that ESPN is in a big-money business relationship not with the players, but with the league.



EARLY THURSDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



Kudos to Lenny P. of ESPN.com for telling it like it be regarding the ongoing struggles of Ron Mexico to master the finer points of passing a football.



The 'Skins have managed to unload WR Rod Gardner's salary -- and they finagled a draft pick from the Panthers in the process.



The Eagles have signed second-round WR Reggie Brown.



The Browns have signed third-round QB Charlie Frye.



The Pats have dumped undrafted rookie WR Michael McGrew.



The Jets have agreed to terms with second-round CB/KR Justin Miller.



Ravens first-round WR Mark Clayton is in Baltimore and expects to agree to terms soon.



The agent for third-round WR Chris Henry says his client will be signed in time for the 3:00 p.m. Thursday reporting deadline.



Colts RB Edgerrin James indeed reported for the start of Colts training camp, after staying away from the team's entire offseason program.



The Broncos have signed third-round CB Karl Paymah.



The Chiefs have welcomed sixth-round OT Will "Not So Svelte" Svitek.



The Rams are happy to be conducting their training camp at home.



The league has fined the Redskins $45,000 for violating practice squad rules in 2004.



One day removed from boo-hooing at practice after getting his ass chewed by the Nicktator, rookie DT Manuel Wright missed practice with a back problem.



The Raiders have wrapped up a couple more of their draft picks.



ChicagoBears.com has a report on Wednesday's practice (no pulled hammies yet).



The Saints have signed second-round S Josh Bullocks.



The Bucs continue to sign rookies without cutting Todd "Juicy" Steussie.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

[ALinChainz]

POSTED 7:32 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 9:54 p.m. EDT, July 28, 2005



WORTH A DEUCE: MCALLISTER GETS BIG DEAL



We've learned that the new seven-year contract extension that the Saints have given to running back Deuce McAllister creates an eight-year, $53.2 million relationship.



McAllister gets a signing bonus of $7 million, an option bonus of $4 million, and a March 2006 roster bonus of $1.5 million. We're told that, in essence, the deal is a five-year, $28.2 million package.



The salaries, we're told, are $600,000 in 2005, $1.45 million in 2006, $2.6 million in 2007 with a $1 million roster bonus, $3.6 million in 2008 with a $1 million roster bonus, and $5.2 million in 2009. The deal also contains annual workout boni of $100,000 per year.



The $12.5 million in bonus money is, as a practical matter, offset by the $1.7 million reduction in his 2005 salary. Thus, the total bonus money is $10.8 million, and the practical value of the deal is five years, $26.5 million.



A solid deal, which is on average worth $300,000 per season more than the five-year, $25 million deals signed by LaMont Jordan and Rudy Johnson in the offseason.



McAllister was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2001 draft, at a time when Ricky Williams also was on the roster. Williams was traded to the Dolphins after the 2001 season, and Deuce became the team's featured back.



CLARETT COUGHS UP GUARANTEED COIN



In one of the boldest moves yet for a guy who has made a career out of doing things his own way, Broncos running back Mo Clarett opted to pass on a $410,000 signing bonus for an incentive-laden contract that could pay him as much as $7 million over 4 years.



Per John Clayton of ESPN.com, who apparently is reaping the rewards of some overt pre-draft Clarett crotch nuzzling, the former Buckeye's deal includes more than $5 million in salary escalators.



And no guaranteed money.



So if Clarett blows out a knee, falls down the steps, or flies over the handlebars of a moped, he's done.



It's a calculated gamble, to be sure. It also puts extra pressure on Clarett to crack the starting lineup of a team that has proven over the past decade that it can run the ball successfully with pretty much anyone getting the reps.



And it gives the team a real financial incentive to give touches to someone other than the last pick of the first day of the 2005 draft.



In an era where more and more teams are shifting away from the workhorse tailback model, the Broncos can (if they choise) use legitimate coaching discretion to manage Clarett's opportunities, in order to keep him from achieving the triggers for his various escalators.



But the team should tread lightly in that regard, lest Mo go full-turd on the franchise if he feels like he is being deliberately held back.



For that reason alone, we would have been inclined to reject Clarett's proposed structure. Because now the Broncos will be forced to keep extra watch on Clarett if, for whatever reason, he's not the getting enough chances to make his coin.



NFL coaches already have enough to worry about, especially in Denver where the problem children are piled a Mile High. A guy who's sulking because his paycheck is tied directly to whether or not he's on the field -- and whether or not he's getting the ball -- is the last thing Mike Shanahan needs.

[ALinChainz]

Antoine Walker: Heat Interested

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Thursday, July 28, 2005

Update: According to sources familiar with Miami, the Heat plan to discuss a role for Walker on their team, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Recommendation: Walker is looking for more than just a mid-level exception, which is all the Heat can offer, but perhaps the opportunity to play with Shaquille O'Neal would be enticing enough. A sign-and-trade with Boston remains a possibility.

[ALinChainz]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 8:08 a.m. EDT, July 29, 2005 by Len Lasagna



Local10.com is reporting that Eags DE Jerome McDougal is in critical condition after a robbery attempt was made on him in the Miami area while he was in his Mercedes.



Per the report, McDougal is in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The defensive end was shot in his silver Mercedes near 122nd Court and Southwest 203rd Street.



Police said a group of three men fled the area on foot after the shooting.



POSTED 8:08 a.m. EDT, July 29, 2005



BUCS GETTING READY TO ROLL OUT THEIR CADILLAC?



With all other Tampa draft picks under contract and nearly $2 million in cap room being created by the release of offensive tackle Juicy Steussie, we're hearing that good progress has been made between the Bucs and first-round draft pick Cadillac Williams.



After a flurry of first-round signings early in the week, a full two days have passed with no additional signings. In the top ten, only No. 1 pick Alex Smith is under contract as of early Friday morning.



Williams could give the Bucs the first go-to, single-shot workhorse running back that they haven't had since . . . since . . . well, since James Wilder ran for a franchise-record 1,544 yards in 1984.



HARSH CRITICISM FOR CLARETT DEAL



An NFL personnel executive has shared with us some sharp criticism of the contract signed by running back Maurice Clarett with the Broncos, which includes no bonus or guaranteed money.



"The deal confirms what we thought all along," said the source. "The kid and the people advising him are f--king idiots.



"He should have taken the money. He's lucky he got drafted at all. The Broncos abused these guys."



Yikes.



Our initial reaction to the incentive-laden deal (scroll down for more) was that it creates a potentially difficult environment for the Broncos by requiring them to either give Clarett more than enough chances to make his money or keep close watch on him to ensure that he doesn't accuse the team of keeping him down.



FRIDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS



The Packers have told DT Grady Jackson that he won't be traded or released; as we've previously reported, the CBA prevents the team from giving him a raise in 2005 because his contract already was renegotiated once this year.



Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is all over the Hines Ward story.



After an offseason in which he personally contacted the media in Minnesota and Miami in an effort to get out of Jacksonville, S Donovin Darius will sign a three-year extension, and he calls himself a "Jaguar for life."



Chargers TE Antonio Gates, who has not signed his one-year tender of $380,000, won't report to training camp and wants a long term deal.



The Browns will open camp without No. 3 overall pick Braylon Edwards.



The Chargers have signed second-round WR Vincent Jackson.



Confirming our recent reports, Pack G.M. Ted Thompson says that "[n]othing's changed" regarding the team's approach to the Javon Walker situation.



Former Bears first-round RB Rashaan Salaam says he regrets holding out of training camp a decade ago (he should be more sorry that he couldn't keep his hands on the flippin' ball).



Vikings WR Nate Burleson says that former teammate Randy Moss continues to help him learn the finer points of the game.



LB Ted Johnson's decision to retire was so closely guarded that, as of Wednesday, his father in Texas had renewed a subscription to The Boston Herald so that he could keep track of his son's career.



The Lions opened camp without three key pieces of the puzzle: first-round WR Mike Williams, second-round DT Shaun Cody, and KR Eddie Drummond, who is not under contract.



The Pats have signed veteran defenders Jarvis Green and Mike Vrabel to long-term extensions.



Pacman could make a return to West Virginia -- as an inmate.



Former top-five QB Akili Smith thinks he's been blackballed by the NFL (if it's because he sucks, then it's true).



The Pats won't say whether or not DE Richard Seymour showed up for training camp.



The Fins have signed S Lance Schulters to a one-year deal.



The Jags are hoping to get their Moonshine fix on Friday.



POSTED 11:48 p.m. EDT, July 28, 2005



STEELERS TO PLAY HARDBALL WITH HINES



The latest word out of the 'Burgh is that, if receiver Hines Ward makes good on this apparent plan to hold out of training camp in an effort to get a contract extension, the team will respond in kind.



Specifically, we're told that the Steelers will shut down all discussions with Ward and his agents on a long-term deal if he fails to honor the final year of his current contract by refusing to show up on Sunday for the opening of training camp. Discussions won't resume until he reports.



We're also hearing that some folks within the organization anticipate that Ward eventually will accept their best offer due to a bad knee, which has developed arthritis over the past couple of years.



"As tough as he is," said a source with knowledge of Ward's condition, "the arthritis can only get worse as age and wear and tear increase."



The other problem, as a league insider unconnected to the situation told us on Thursday afternoon, is that Ward doesn't have the raw speed to justify paying him like a high-end receiver.



"I love Ward," said the source. "He's a great player. But he doesn't draw double coverage and he can't stretch the field. That's why he shouldn't get paid like Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison."



Ward, we've previously reported, wants a contract that pays out $25 million over the first three years.



Another possibility, assuming that Ward eventually reports and gets credit for the 2005 season, is that the Steelers will use the transition tag. Unlike the franchise tag, which requires a one-year tender equal to the average of the five highest-paid players at his position, the transition tag averages the top ten.



In 2005, the transition tag for receivers required a one-year tender of $6.4 million, more than $1.3 million less than the franchise tender.



Although the Steelers would get no compensation if Ward signs elsewhere as a transition player, the team would retain to right to match any offers. And the thinking is that no one else would put together the kind of offer for Ward that the Steelers wouldn't match, for the same reasons that the Steelers won't break the bank on him now.



So the most important thing that Ward needs to ask his agents, Eugene Parker and Roosevelt Barnes, is whether they've gauged the market for his services comes 2006. Since these are the same guys who advised Peter Boulware to pass on $2 million in salary and $2 million in incentives from the Ravens without (by all appearances) calling around discreetly to see if anyone else could or would do better, Ward would be wise to ask them point blank whether they've checked around to see if anyone else really would pay him more in 2006 than the Steelers are offering now.