The Raiders will be curious today, when meeting face-to-face with his agents, if unsigned No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell is somewhere close by. If Russell is still in Atlanta or Mobile, Ala., his hometown, the club will know that agents Ethan Lock and Eric Metz aren't really serious about finally getting a deal done.

The Raiders, who are limited by their current rookie salary cap pool number of $2.975 million, have frustrated Russell's agents because the maximum allowed hard-cap guaranteed money, no matter the structure, is $29 million.

However, the Raiders have discussed adding another $2 million to that total in what is called soft-cap dollars, money that can be earned by inserting incentives that will be easily attained by Russell. For example, an easy incentive would be if he takes 30 percent of the snaps in 2008 or 2009. However, Russell's people may want more than $31 million. They originally asked for $35 million.

Last year's No. 1 pick, Mario Williams, received $26.5 million in guaranteed money. Reggie Bush, who was perceived as the best player in last year's draft, received a bonus package very similar to what Houston paid Williams. This year's second overall pick, Calvin Johnson, received $27.2 million in guarantees, and he was believed to be the best all-around player in the draft.

If Russell gets $31 million, it would be a significant boost over what Williams and Bush received last season.

There were rumors on Thursday that the Raiders were going to play hardball with Daunte Culpepper, who will be the backup quarterback on Sunday behind Josh McCown, and ask him to reduce his $3.2 million contract, thus freeing up more money for Russell. However, the Raiders have no intention of messing with Culpepper, who remains a favorite of owner Al Davis.

Rookie head coach Lane Kiffin, who still declines to name his starter against the Lions, picked McCown over Culpepper.

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 the no contact between No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell's agents and the Raiders continue, you have to ask how do these parties resolve the stalemate?

Well, the Raiders could cave and simply pay Russell what he wants, something that owner Al Davis seems reluctant to do.

Two, Russell could decide to simply sit out the season. Of course, he would be losing whatever present-day dollars he could collect from Oakland. There is also a full season of lost earning power. I mean, could he make up the dollars lost by staying home for an entire season? And how does he make those Oakland mortgage payments?

Finally, the two sides could work out a trade.

Whoops, that can't happen now. The deadline passed on Aug. 10 when the agents and the Raiders weren't even talking to one another.

Russell may not be traded until after the end of the 2007 league year (roughly March 1, 2008).  

Here are the league guidelines on what can happen next:

Russell may be traded between the first day of the 2008 league year and the 2008 college draft on April 26. In this case, the trading club must sign the player to a contract prior to trading him to the acquiring club (i.e. Drew Henson from Houston to Dallas).

If Russell is not signed by prior to the 2008 draft then he is eligible to be drafted in 2008 by any club other than the club that drafted him in 2007. However, the club acquiring another club's draft pick after the player has initially been selected will not receive any additional rookie pool room to sign the player. Translation: there could be less money available to Russell and if not that, for the other the rookies this team would select. Regardless, it won't be a pretty picture for someone.

Simms messed up

There is something wrong with Chris Simms, but the Bucs don't necessarily believe it is all physical. Simms is not performing very well and many close to him have speculated that it relates to last season's horrendous ruptured spleen when the then-starting quarterback almost died. Simms' supporters don't want to believe coach Jon Gruden and GM Bruce Allen on this situation, considering they are the ones who gave Jeff Garcia the same contract deal Simms received.

Yes, Gruden has moved on. Garcia is his starter while Luke McCown and Bruce Gradkowski battle for the backup position. Simms is a forgotten man in the rotation and he knows that Gruden has basically thrown up his arms.

Simms faces being released if he doesn't start improving. If that happens, he's talked about sitting out the season. Said one insider: "He's probably thinking that because he fears that another team might cut him, too."

Strahan returning?

After speaking with a couple of his defensive teammates at the Giants' Albany training camp on Thursday, the general consensus is that they expect Michael Strahan to return to the team and play this season. Everyone understands how difficult the retirement decision is for Strahan, but they simply believe he's too good right now to retire and that deep down he still wants to play. Timeline? Maybe next weekend. The Giants break camp prior to their third preseason game.

Don't Forget Ravens

The buzz around the league is that don't discount the Baltimore Ravens when discussing possible Super Bowl teams. The Ravens thoroughly out-played Philadelphia last Monday and the Eagles are again considered a favorite to win the NFC East.

"It's difficult at time to judge these preseason games," Giants coach Tom Coughlin told me. "Some teams plan basic stuff in these games in order to evaluate their own young players. Well, Baltimore's basic defense is to blitz and they blitzed Philadelphia 37 times in that game. They're good, though. But that's how you get a lopsided game in preseason."

Quinn should start

OK, I will accept the idiotic premise that Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson know whatever offense the Cleveland Browns are running at the moment, but shouldn't this franchise have first-round pick Brady Quinn on the fast-track to a starting position? I mean, Quinn ranked in the top five of GM Phil Savage's draft board and that's why he made the trade with the Cowboys. Isn't Quinn the future of this franchise? I know Coach Romeo Crennel wants to win and possibly keep his job, but the Browns need to get their future QB involved quickly.