With the agents for JaMarcus Russell still debating how to best guarantee $31 million to their client, Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin can't seem to choose between Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper for Sunday's start against the Detroit Lions.

We know that owner Al Davis prefers Culpepper as his quarterback. Consequently, Kiffin must be in McCown's corner for now and that's the reason for delaying any announcement.

During last week's final cuts, Kiffin and Davis both seemed to get their way.

Davis, who makes the majority of the Raiders' personnel decisions, allowed the coaches and personnel staff to pick Quentin Moses atop the third round and he got the final say by cutting the defensive end from Georgia. Receiver Alvis Whitted was perceived as a Davis player, but he got the ax, too.

And then there was guard Kevin Boothe, who graded out as the team's best offensive lineman a season ago. Boothe didn't fit Kiffin's new blocking system and was released. And Boothe probably will end up helping the New York Giants.

If McCown gets the start against the Lions, we'll know that Kiffin won the first big battle with his owner.

Denver pays Rice

Simeon Rice received $2.1 million to sign with the Broncos, who also guaranteed his base salary for this season, and the overall deal is slightly better than what his former team, the Tampa Bay Bucs, were offering before he was released.

However, it will be interesting to see how much Rice plays this Sunday. The Rams passed his shoulder during a physical, but they were leery that he really wasn't ready to play. The Titans thought the same thing. Rice could end up earning almost $4 million if he hits some incentives.

Leftwich & Baltimore

Byron Leftwich makes sense for the Ravens, who definitely don't believe in Kyle Boller anymore as the backup. The Ravens, because of their defense, remain a strong Super Bowl contender, and who really knows how much longer 34-year-old Steve McNair can stay healthy? Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome liked Leftwich coming out of Marshall, plus he knows all about him from Jaguars personnel man Shack Harris.

If anyone can fix Leftwich and make him a more accurate passer, it's Ravens head coach Brian Billick. Now, the deal is whether or not Leftwich will agree to a contract that makes sense for Baltimore right now. This is a better opportunity for Leftwich than vice versa. I mean if he doesn't sign with Baltimore, who really wants him?

Bulletin board chuckles

The big game this Sunday is Chicago at San Diego, and now the Bears are all hot that LaDainian Tomlinson picked the Bears to run through, past and over in his new Nike commercial. Well, L.T. claims he didn't; it's just that he vetoed the Patriots. Well, seriously, he should have allowed Nike to use the Patriots. No one really thinks of New England in the same breath, historically, with Chicago's defense.

To hear the Bears getting mad about the commercial is pretty funny, too. Do you think Brian Urlacher would turn down a big check from Nike to do a commercial? L.T. took the money and ran. He may do that Sunday, too. I can't imagine that Urlacher and Co. needed a commercial to get fired up about playing the Chargers and L.T. on opening day.

Finally, the bad news in Chicago is that Rex Grossman won't have rookie tight end Greg Olsen (knee sprain) available as a reliable check-down receiver against the San Diego pass rush.

Simms and Tampa Bay

The Bucs were the only team to keep four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster. Fourteen teams kept two quarterbacks while the rest decided on three. Seventeen backups have never started a NFL game and four of them have never thrown a pass in the NFL.

This is why the Bucs kept Simms. He has potential trade value, considering the NFL quarterbacking landscape. He may be fourth-string in Tampa Bay, but he could be viewed by a lot of teams to be better than their backup or third-stringer. Mentally and physically, Simms simply hasn't looked himself this summer. But that doesn't mean he won't come around. And, who knows, if Jeff Garcia goes down in December, Jon Gruden might even turn to Simms if he's still around.

When a team like Kansas City opts to sign Tyler Thigpen as a third quarterback, you know there is hope for Simms, and the Bucs may eventually do a trade.

Look in the mirror

Arizona's Rod Graves, who drafted Buster Davis in the third round, said he was surprised the Florida State linebacker refused to sign with the team's practice squad after being cut last weekend.

"It says something else about the player," Graves said. "I certainly thought Buster was the kind of guy who would carry a chip on his shoulder and accept that challenge and want to prove that the decision to release him was a mistake."

When evaluating players for the draft, Graves must make decisions on whether any player has the heart and mindset to succeed in the NFL. Graves can question Davis, but we can also question Graves to risking the 69th choice in the draft on a player who took the money and ran.

If he controlled the checkbook, Packers coach Mike McCarthy might have paid to keep Ahman Green. Not the ridiculous amount the Texans paid, but something more than reasonable. "He's a guy who should have retired a Packer," McCarthy said.

McCarthy's new plan was to have a committee of running backs. The top three in the rotation were going to be Vernand Morency, Noah Herron and second-round pick Brandon Jackson.

Well, McCarthy's plan took a hit the first day of camp when Morency went down with a knee injury and now Jackson has a concussion. Herron has been a steady-eddie kind of back; he's not a big-play threat. In the first three preseason games, the Packers are averaging 95.7 yards rushing, 19th overall.

DeShawn Wynn, a seventh-round pick out of Florida, missed 18 days of camp with a right thigh muscle strain. Wynn has untapped ability, but he's always been an injury question.

There is no doubt that McCarthy wanted to lean on Jackson and Morency this season, but already you have to wonder about their durability. And with top receiver Donald Driver nursing a foot sprain until opening Sunday, Green Bay doesn't have many weapons for Brett Favre to choose from.

Good thing Green Bay has a defense. This could be the lowest scoring team in Packerland since Mike Holmgren's first team scored only 276 points in 1992.

It's Preseason, Baby

Bucs coach Jon Gruden may complain about officiating, but he understands that preseason games can be a lot like the real thing.

"A lot of people are whining about all the blitzing this preseason, I'm reading and hearing. 'There's too much blitzing going on in the preseason.' It's a blitz league. People are blitzing 25, 35 times a game nowadays and blitzing from all over the place. Double-corner blitzes, all-out blitzes, zone blitzes - all kinds of blitzes. You either deal with the pressure or you don't, and the preseason is a good opportunity to prepare yourself for the reality of this league."

Edwards had no choice

The plan was to push Brodie Croyle into the starting quarterback role in Kansas City, but the second-year kid played so poorly in preseason that Coach Herman Edwards had no choice but to name injured Damon Huard, 34, as the starter in Week 1. The Chiefs wanted to be able to bring Huard off the bench when Croyle struggled and now it's happened before the team even reached the regular-season. Now after 10 seasons as a NFL backup, Huard is the starter and he sounds like he has no intentions of giving up the job.

RV Living

Being a veteran, Titans center Kevin Mawae could have slept in his own bed during training camp. Instead, he chose to park his 36-foot RV near the main entrance to the club's facility and spend his nights there. Mawae had simple reasoning. It takes him 30 minutes to drive home, but with the RV he was asleep five minutes after parking his body in bed.

Perfect words by Vick

Most who heard Michael Vick apologize on Monday for his guilt in the federal dogfighting case were impressed by his contrition and overall tone. It was the first big step toward rehabilitating his image. It's simply too bad he didn't speak truthfully with his fans from the beginning and with Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The other interesting development in Atlanta is who will take the fall for Vick's huge contract and the team being unaware of the player's off-the-field activities? Is GM Rich McKay under pressure from owner Arthur Blank? And what happens if an arbitrator or a judge rules that Blank can only recover $3 million of the $7.5 million signing bonus that was paid Vick in 2004?

The Cowboys are being billed as a serious threat to Philadelphia's dominance in the NFC East, but in order to do it they need solid seasons from veterans Terry Glenn and Greg Ellis. The only issue is that Glenn, who had right knee surgery, won't play in the preseason and Ellis may rest too.

On Tuesday, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said that Glenn's knee is fine and predicted the No. 2 receiver would start practicing after the final preseason game. He also said that Ellis could rest until "walk through on Saturday" before the regular-season opener and be able to pass rush New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Trotter Landing Spots

Jeremiah Trotter was never great laterally, but he remained one of the toughest straight-line middle linebackers in the game. He can still dominate a center/guard and open a hole for a pass-rushing teammate.

Trotter, who may opt to retire because of his degenerative knees, would fit with the Rams, allowing Will Witherspoon to play weak-side linebacker, and he could be the muscle that the Saints have been searching for inside. Brian Simmons has been unable to unseat under-sized Mark Simoneau (slowed by a right ankle sprain), who is more guile and speed than pure power.

By releasing Trotter, a true leader and a four-time Pro Bowler, the Eagles once again showed their competitors they can make the tough decision and move on without a key veteran. I was in Dallas when the news came and, believe me, quarterback Tony Romo was stunned by the news. He raved about Trotter's strength and relentless play last season.

But the Eagles have a knack of moving on without some veterans and making the tough decisions and other teams simply nod in praise of Coach Andy Reid and executive Joe Banner. Philadelphia, one of the NFC's better teams, will now be started two linebackers - Omar Gaither and Chris Gocong - who were 2006 draft choices.

Sapp to Indy?

With the loss of Booger McFarland, the Colts have been looking for a defensive tackle to make their front four complete. Warren Sapp, now with the Raiders, was one of Tony Dungy's favorite players in Tampa Bay, and the big fella is coming off a very good season and he's in super shape. Wouldn't it be nice to see Sapp and Dungy finish out their careers together?

Loose Chad

One preseason quarter doesn't make a season, but Chad Pennington, one of the game's genuine good guys, tossed two interceptions against the Vikings last Friday night and nothing about it was very pretty.

On the first one, he apparently didn't see Darren Sharper and threw it right to the veteran safety. On the second one, Pennington also had to know better. He was under brutal pressure, and while falling, lofted a soft pass toward his check down receiver along the sideline and Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway broke on the ball, catching it in stride for a touchdown.

Pennington doesn't have the arm velocity to take such chances. You have to wonder why Jets Coach Eric Mangini is thinking seriously about giving Kellen Clemens, the backup QB with the much stronger arm, a realistic shot at competing. Right now, though, Mangini seems more intent on making sure his players listen to Mozart during teaching drills and making sure his assistant coaches don't reveal any secrets.

As his football world crashes down around him, you have to wonder why Falcons QB Michael Vick didn't seek a plea bargain when the first of his three co-defendants made a deal with the federal prosecutor. Now, with all three of them agreeing to seek a deal, Vick is now isolated with the dog-fighting indictment and may not have any information that can satisfy the government, thus avoiding some prison time.

The Falcons were always worried that Vick wouldn't seek a deal in order to save himself. Hey, in cases like these, a man may be innocent, but if others admit guilt and testify against you -- like these three men will do -- it is extremely difficult to beat the charges.

And who knows what other charges federal prosecutors may be holding over Vick. There is talk of another grand jury against him, plus talk about a RICO indictment, and those charges often start with a 20-year sentence.

Vick may decide to fight the charges in a Richmond courtroom if he can't strike a favorable deal -- little or no jail time -- with prosecutors. A jury may believe Vick and find his co-defendants untrustworthy. Hey, anything is possible with a jury. Vick only needs one juror to believe him.

Insiders always worried about the reckless, criminal-fringe side of Vick's entourage and friends. Now, all three of these so-called friends flipped on him in order to save themselves. Vick needed a friend like Greg Anderson, the personal trainer for Barry Bonds who chose prison over making statements that might have linked the home run king to illegal substances.

What Vick and his attorneys, Larry Woodward and Billy Martin, should be focusing on now is how to guarantee Vick is available for the 2008 season.

This season is lost because there is apparently enough ammunition available that Vick probably will be suspended for the season. Heck, Commissioner Roger Goodell could act as soon as Vick admits guilt in this case, which could happen by this weekend.

By admitting guilt, Vick is basically saying he gambled on dog fights and that he also lied to the commissioner about his involvement in the dog-fighting ring. Even if Vick was simply the money man supporting the ring and never tortured any animals, he is no less guilty.

But this is also America, where society is forever willing to give someone a second and even a third chance. The Falcons may never want him back as their quarterback if Vick admits guilt, but that doesn't mean another team won't sign him. Vick is a physical talent - he was the first visiting quarterback to ever win a playoff game in Lambeau Field.

After a season on the sidelines, Vick might even appeal to several teams as a running back. He did set the NFL rushing record for quarterbacks last season.

Granted, Vick would have to satisfy dog lovers everywhere. Those PETA pickets won't rest unless he's remorseful and helps build a dog shelter or two. What Vick won't see, though, is a team willing to give him $37.85 million over the last three years like the Falcons did when they renegotiated his original contract.

Atlanta's owner may have a difficult time getting his money back, too, if Vick doesn't play again for him. The bulk of Vick's money was paid in roster bonuses in 2005 and 2006 seasons. They might be able to get $3.75 million from his signing bonus and could argue that the $29 million in roster bonuses should be pro-rated, too, but that's going to be awfully tough to prove.

Holcomb available?

The Eagles have other issues after being whipped by Baltimore last night in a preseason game, but there have been rumblings that the Vikings, and others, have an interest in Philly quarterback Kelly Holcomb, who may end up a third stringer on Philadelphia's depth chart behind Donovan McNabb and A.J. Feeley.

But the Eagles won't give Holcomb away and are telling teams they plan to keep him on their final 53-man roster. The Eagles want decent compensation for Holcomb, who is definitely better than some teams' current backups.

Larry Johnson seems the closest to returning to work among the league's three major holdouts. Michael Strahan is still considering retirement from the Giants, although some suspect he may report once the team leaves its Albany training camp. And, basically, there is absolutely nothing new with No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell and the Raiders. With this long of a holdout, Russell may be looking at a red-shirt season at this point.

Johnson and the Chiefs have been making progress on a long-term contract that could include guarantees ranging between $15 and $19 million. Even if Johnson actually gets the higher number, he will still fall short of what LaDainian Tomlinson received ($21 million guaranteed and $60 million over eight years) received from the Chargers prior to the 2004 season.

But, then, LJ isn't as good as LT and many clubs don't view the running back position to be as valuable as quarterback, defensive end and cornerback. For example. the Colts will pay Dwight Freeney $30 million in guaranteed money between now and the 2008 season.

Kansas City holds the leverage edge against Johnson because he still has one season remaining on his contract and the club likes what it has seen from Michael Bennett and Louisville rookie Kolby Smith. And if Priest Holmes's dream of returning to the field becomes a reality, KC wouldn't be in terrible predicament without Johnson. I mean, the Chiefs have greater concerns regarding a winning and losing than simply who is at running back.

Umpire in backfield

This past weekend was the first time that league officials experimented with shifting the umpire from the defensive side, usually at the depth of a linebacker, to the offensive backfield. For any long-time football fan, seeing no official in the middle of the defensive action probably looked pretty weird.

The league will also try this experiment during the third weekend of preseason games with the umpire on one side and the referee on the other in the offensive backfield. The idea is to see if the umpire can still call holding penalties while also removing him from the center of the play where occasionally he had players knocking him over.

"I'm not sure I like it," Rams Coach Scott Linehan told me after Friday night's game in Minneapolis against the Vikings. "It looks like (the umpire) could get in the way of the quarterback when he's scrambling in the pocket."

Having the umpire in the offensive backfield may have also cost the Rams a third-quarter touchdown when rookie receiver Derek Stanley caught a deflected pass. Ryan Fitzpatrick's pass hit a downed Minnesota defender on the arm and then the ball bounced up to Stanley. The pass was rule incomplete on the field and the play whistled dead. However, referee Ed Hochuli properly reversed the call and gave Stanley a 19-yard reception. But had umpire Chad Brown been in his proper place he may seen the catch and never blown the play dead, leading to a 54-yard touchdown.

No love lost

Linebacker Donnie Edwards, who couldn't work out a contract with the Chargers, is back with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he became one of the game's best tacklers and playmakers.

Edwards is still fuming, though, about San Diego General Manager A.J. Smith.

"Football is a great team game, but this guy thought it was all about him," Edwards said. "I mean, doesn't he think Marty (Schottenheimer) was trying to win? I always thought that we were all in this together, trying to win a championship. The players, the coaches, the personnel people, everybody on a team. But not in San Diego. It's all about how (Smith) sees it. No one else seems to matter.

Edwards used a couple other words when referring to Smith, but we really can't use those references.

Green homesick

Even before he was booed by the hometown fans on Saturday, new Miami quarterback Trent Green was telling a few Kansas City teammates that he was missing his former surroundings. Imagine that! Does anybody really think that KC is a better place (it is a much better football town) than Miami and South Beach, one of the hippest locations on earth? Of course, the Chiefs probably are a much better football organization than Miami these days.