With Raiders owner Al Davis admitting his club's frustration over potentially paying a $17 million option bonus to No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell, it's impossible to say which way this contract turns if reports are accurate that receiver Calvin Johnson, the second overall selection in last April's draft, received $27.5 million in guaranteed money today from the Detroit Lions.

Specific details on Johnson's contract haven't been released, but most believe to reach that $27.5 million level the Lions had to use an option-bonus format. Detroit had a smaller rookie pool number than the Raiders to negotiate with.

The Raiders simply don't want to pay huge option bonuses to their future quarterback without any forfeiture clauses. The entire league is waiting to see how the Russell contract will be structured simply because of its future implications with other top draft picks. Plus, most salary cap experts believe the Raiders will never get to $30 million in guaranteed money and that Russell may want more than that.

There has been some speculation that Oakland's total guaranteed money offer is $24 million, or what the 49ers gave Alex Smith two years ago. But that doesn't make much sense, either.

Minter struggling Teams never know when certain veterans are going to hit the wall physically, but Carolina's trade for Bears safety Chris Harris on Thursday puts an exclamation point on free safety Mike Minter's tenuous future with the Panthers. Minter may still have a job, but he may not longer be a starter. What is scary for the Panthers, who still have one of the game's best defensive lines, is that Harris is a physical hitter but Chicago thought he was a step slow in pass coverage. The other starting safety in Carolina is inexperienced Nate Salley.

Speaking of the Panthers, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins is working himself back into shape and he may actually weigh a little less than fellow tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu. They are both in the 360-pound range at the moment. Many think that Jenkins, who has been slowed by injuries for a couple of seasons, could be on the verge of returning to his 2003 form when he was the game's best interior defensive lineman.

More money for Smith?

The reverberations of the Dwight Freeney contract seem to be headed toward New Orleans. Will Smith, the Saints' excellent young defensive end, is entering his fourth NFL season. He had 10