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.

New Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has returned former first-round pick Bobby Carpenter to inside linebacker, his position at Ohio State. There is no question that the rookie Carpenter struggled as an outside pass rusher last season.

“It's tough because Bill (Parcells) doesn't always communicate everything really well,” Carpenter said. “It was tough for me trying to get a feel for what was going on and what they expected out of me and what their goals were for me to be out on the field. They have done a good job this year of communicating what they want and what I need to do to get better.”

Phillips said he moved Carpenter to inside linebacker in his 3-4 scheme because he’s athletic and because he can run. Some believe the new defense is more flexible for a young player like Carpenter.

“Last year was a little difficult," Carpenter said. “But with this defense, it allows you to run and make more plays. It's not near the structure of how you have to play within the scheme. You get to let your athletic ability take over.”

Super Bowl redux

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones only beat Indianapolis by a vote of 17-15 in last week’s 2011 Super Bowl vote, and the tightness is a strong indicator of the divide between the big-market and small-market owners. Jones won because his new stadium will be able to have 30,000 more fans attend the championship game, whereas Indianapolis wowed many owners with a $25 million pot to alleviate any NFL expenses for the game.

There was a time, long, long ago when the Super Bowl went to the best city and venue. But when the late Pete Rozelle was commissioner, many cities began to include financial perks to the league to land the all-important game. I can remember writing in the mid-1980s the “selling of the Super Bowl” when Miami out-spent San Diego for the rights to XXIII, and Rozelle pulled me aside to explain the financial situation. The cities started by bidding a couple million dollars 20 years ago to now where Indy was prepared to spend $25 million simply to buy the NFL’s most-prestigious event.

It shows how valuable the game is to any city. And, also, how valuable the Super Bowl is to the NFL.

Hester looks great

The experiment never worked at the U. of Miami, but Chicago’s super return man, Devin Hester, looked like a natural at receiver in recent mini-camp work. The first two days of camp, he didn’t drop a pass. He ran solid, crisp routes and, basically, had his teammates and coaches raving about him.

Give head coach Lovie Smith high marks for convincing Hester to junk cornerback for being a wide receiver.

“It was more exciting than I really thought it would be,” Hester said. “Whenever a player gets his hands on the ball and knows what he can do with it, it's a lot of fun.”

After the catch, Hester routinely made players miss. The new dimension should be great for Rex Grossman and also alleviate the frustration that Hester, who returned six kicks for touchdowns last season, will face when punters and kickers kick away from during the season. The Bears needed to find a way for Hester to get more touches.

On kickoffs, Hester will be paired with safety Danieal Manning, former college kickoff specialist, in hopes they can form a 1-2 punch. He will still wear No. 23 and be listed as a running back/receiver.

Reggie helps again

Saints running back Reggie Bush matched his original $50,000 to Holy Rosary High School last year, which helped keep the school for learning-challenged youth open. Bush presented the New Orleans’ school with his second $50,000 gift last Friday. 

“After last year, they did such a great job, and what they do is so important,” Bush said. “This is a school that needs to stay open.” 

Holy Rosary serves the needs of students who face learning challenges in a typical classroom environment. The school offers hands-on learning and cross-curricula that is designed to provide students with alternative ways to learn mainstream subjects in a smaller classroom setting.

Vikings coach Brad Childress passed on Brady Quinn or any other rookie quarterback for that matter and he sees no sense in pursuing receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
 
"I don't know if he's got anything left," Childress said of Keyshawn.

There is a chance that Childress could find out first hand when Minnesota plays the Packers this season. Green Bay has been trying to convince Keyshawn that Lambeau isn't such a bad place to play. The Raiders and the Tennessee Titans, who need a quality possession receiver for their young quarterbacks, are more attractive to Keyshawn.

However, based on his ESPN work during the draft, Keyshawn definitely has a future in television. He may opt for TV if doesn't receive a contract worth a lot more than the minimum salary.

Peppers next?

The theory in Charlotte a few months ago was that defensive end Julius Peppers would receive a new contract before Steve Smith did. But the Panthers just extended Smith, meaning that Peppers may have to wait or be prepared to get the franchise tag placed on him next season.

There is no question that the Panthers and Peppers have been waiting to see what Indianapolis pays Dwight Freeney. Depending on your point of view, they are the game's two best defensive ends and both set the tempo for their team's defensive line play.

The problem for Indianapolis is that quarterback Peyton Manning eats up so much of their salary-cap space. The Panthers could strike a deal with Peppers, but he really wants to see what Freeney gets. It's called keeping up with the Joneses.

Why would Lance show?

The Bears haven't been showing linebacker Lance Briggs the money, so why would the player show for the team's mandatory mini-camp in two weeks? Chicago didn't make any serious attempts to trade their second-best linebacker prior to the draft and Briggs has gone on record that he's prepared to withhold his services for as long as it takes. Although he could earn $7.2 million this season, Briggs wants a long-term contract with a guaranteed signing bonus.

To cover themselves in case Briggs pulls a no-show, GM Jerry Angelo drafted Stanford linebacker Michael Okwo in the third round, the same round he tabbed Briggs in 2003. "I like Okwo," Angelo said. "He is a very, very good player and, in fact, he reminded me a little bit of Lance."

Go ask Bill

With all the receiver upgrades, plus the signing of Adalius Thomas to an aging linebacking corps, the New England Patriots are considered the preseason favorites to win the AFC despite the fact that Indianapolis won the Super Bowl. To deal with Tom Brady's receivers, the Jets moved up in the first round to draft Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Jets coach Eric Mangini was asked if the road to the Super Bowl goes through New England.

"I think that the road anywhere starts with our next minicamp and then training camp." Mangini said. "Last year was last year and I don't think they were the ones that won it."

What about Randy Moss being a Patriot?

"I think that he is a good player," Mangini said. "They are a good team and why they do the things they do, the question is better for Bill (Belichick)."

Call him the Mortician

If he really worked at it, Bucs coach Jon Gruden probably could be a standup comedian instead of a football coach. Gruden was asked last week about offensive tackle Chris Denman, a seventh-round pick from Fresno State, and his nickname of "The Mortician."
 
"It's not because he buries people or kills anyone." Gruden said. "He's a very serious guy. I guess that's how most morticians are. A mortician I know is kind of a loose, happy guy, but this mortician is very serious and quiet – kind of a subdued guy. But I'm going to keep this nickname alive. I kind of like it."

Sean Farnham on FOX Sports Radio asked me an interesting question on Monday. Was the NFL pulling out of its preseason game in China because the league realizes that it can’t make the strides in Asia and Europe like the NBA has? That football is strictly an American game?

Well, the NFL isn’t thinking like that. The NFL simply wants to concentrate on its regular-season game in London this season where the Miami Dolphins will host the New York Giants. They will play in Beijing in 2009, the year after the Olympics. I do believe that if the London game is a financial success that there’s a better chance of London getting a franchise over Los Angeles.

The reason is pretty simple: high-brow fans with plenty of money, plus a modern stadium. The football fans in Boston and Philadelphia and Houston can tell you, even when being gouged, that the football experience is pretty special in a modern stadium. London has better soccer stadiums than Los Angeles does, plus any NFL fan who lives in California knows that politicians in the Golden State are never going to ante up for a $800 million stadium in Los Angeles or anywhere else for that matter.

When offensive linemen are collecting $10 million signing bonuses, you know the league needs to expand to locations where the fans will pay any price to sit and watch. The NFL Europe experience has whetted the Europeans’ appetite for the real thing, a real NFL game, and that’s the logic behind my beliefs.

The next best place to put a NFL franchise is Las Vegas, but the gambling mecca won’t get one because the league doesn’t want to admit that their fans actually bet on a game’s outcome. How silly. Off-the-record, most owners know that Las Vegas would be a financial gold mine.

If the game in London is a financial success, and fans also watch the game on satellite television throughout Great Britain and other European countries, you know the league will seriously consider another such event and the possibility of a European based London franchise.

London may be five years down the road. Conversely, Los Angeles has gone 12 seasons now without a single franchise and the NFL continues to be a financial giant and a television ratings’ success.

To this day, potential Los Angeles owner Casey Wasserman realizes that he should have bought the Dodgers instead of Frank McCourt. Had Wasserman bought the Dodgers, he could have developed a NFL stadium there or even relocated the baseball team in a new stadium near the Staples Center. With that opportunity lost, Los Angeles is down to the Coliseum option, one that the NFL can easily turn its back on.

Browns and Quinn

No NFL coach is on a bigger hot seat than Romeo Crennel in Cleveland. If the Browns get off to a horrendous start this upcoming season, Crennel could be gone by November. I don’t believe GM Phil Savage cares, either, because he didn’t really hire Crennel -- owner Randy Lerner did -- and because he wants to rebuild this franchise.

And there is growing speculation that Savage, especially if LSU’s JaMarcus Russell has already been selected, could decide to draft Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn with the third overall choice. The Browns, like the Raiders, need a franchise quarterback.

 

Cleveland fans have been hoping that Savage would draft Heisman winner Troy Smith of Ohio State in the second or third round. Smith, a strong-armed quarterback, could go anywhere from the second to the fourth round.

 

The Browns don’t really want to settle on Smith in the latter rounds because they know he will take attention away from their first pick. And they definitely wouldn’t draft both Quinn and Smith.

 

Turner’s value

 

Chargers running back Michael Turner visited Tennessee this week and his agent, Bus Cook, is trying to drum up interest in his client. The Chargers placed a first and third-round tag on the restricted running back, believing he’s worth the price and the high salary because he’s a perfect insurance should an injury befall LaDainian Tomlinson this season.

 

Turner, a former fifth-round draft pick, is viewed by some as a much better starter at his position than quarterback Matt Schaub, who moved from Atlanta to Houston for two second-round draft picks, besides the Texans and Falcons swapping spots in the first round. Chargers GM A.J. Smith believes Turner is worth a first-round pick and so do I.

 

Smith’s dilemma is does he trade him for less this year before he loses him for good in 2008 when Turner will be an unrestricted free-agent? There is no way that San Diego can pay both Tomlinson and Turner. New England has two late first-round picks, and there isn’t a running back available there that is as good as Turner. Plus, the Pats have some concerns over Laurence Maroney’s shoulder.

 

But Smith may not want to trade with the Patriots and then watch Turner run through the Chargers in a potential playoff game next season. The end result is that Smith may have to take less than first-round compensation for Turner in order to move him to a NFC team.

 

High stakes in Washington

 

By acquiring veteran linebacker London Fletcher in free agency, the Washington Redskins don’t seem to be a club that desperate for Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. And they may balk at paying a higher price than swapping first-round picks with Chicago, giving up their sixth pick while sliding down to 31st in the round.

 

Heck, there’s a chance that Butkus Award winner Paul Posluszny of Penn State might still be on the board, considering many teams have him rated at the top of the second round.

Detroit GM Matt Millen really doesn’t want Joe Gibbs to trade that sixth-round pick to Chicago. If the Raiders draft Russell, Millen wouldn’t mind swapping his choice for Washington’s sixth and another draft pick for the rights to Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson.

 

Owner Daniel Snyder attended Johnson’s workout and the word is that Gibbs wouldn’t mind acquiring him, believing he would give young quarterback Jason Campbell a truly great target.

There is no question right now that LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell and Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson figure to be the first players taken in next month's NFL draft.

Russell has shed at least 12 pounds from his NFL Combine weight of 265 pounds while Johnson has been the most physically impressive athlete both in Indianapolis and at his individual workout a week ago.

Johnson is no mystery to the scouts, either. Many had him pegged before the 2006 season started as one of the nation's best players. He produced on the field during the season and since then has developed no warts on his resume. If anything, Johnson has looked so good that some team may be willing to trade with the Detroit Lions for the opportunity to select him with the second overall pick in the draft.

 "If he had a quarterback, Al Davis would be picking Johnson," said one AFC general manager. "This kid will be a Pro Bowl player in a year or two. He's that good."

 The trouble with the Raiders is that they need a franchise quarterback and Russell appears to be their selection. It doesn't make sense for the Raiders to deal the first overall pick when their needs are so great at that position. Yes, they could trade and possibly end up with Notre Dame's Brady Quinn later in the first round, but it doesn't make sense right now. Plus, it's too early for teams to show their cards on what they might be willing to trade to move to the top spot.

 Recent speculation has Cleveland talking to the Raiders because Browns GM Phil Savage has known Russell since the kid was in junior high. Russell always attended Savage's football camps in Mobile, Ala. And there is no question that the Browns, like the Raiders, need a franchise quarterback.

 In three of his five previous NFL drafts, Lions GM Matt Millen has selected receivers in the first round. Roy Williams blossomed into a very good player last season while Charles Rogers is out of the league and Mike Williams, who starred for USC, has the speed of a slow tight end. There is no doubt that Johnson is a more complete prospect than Roy Williams was coming of Texas, but does Millen dare select his fourth receiver in six drafts?

 Well, Millen should. Johnson is that good.

But Mike Martz's offense doesn't need another great receiver as much as it might need an offensive tackle (Wisconsin's Joe Thomas) or a running back like Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson.

 The dilemma for Millen is that neither Thomas nor Peterson is truly worthy of the second overall pick and that's why Detroit will look to slide down a few spots and collect an extra pick or another player and still end up with someone like Thomas. Peterson also has the chance to be very good.

Edwards moving up?

 Although Stanford wasn't very good, quarterback Trent Edwards probably will be a first-day draft selection for some team. If the Cleveland Browns don't get Russell or Quinn, Edwards could be their third-round selection if he's still available. The Browns like his toughness and his football IQ, plus Edwards is a shade over 6-foot-3 and weighs 224.

 One reason why the Browns could jump on Johnson is that tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. may not be available next season following a micro-fracture procedure on his injured knee. When he entered the NFL, Winslow had all the makings of a potential superstar, but his injuries, one caused by a stupid motorcycle accident, have put his entire career in jeopardy.

Instant replay

 It makes a lot of sense for the NFL's Competition Committee to recommend a vote to make instant replay permanent at next week's owner's meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. The league needs to take advantage of the improved angles and clarity of HD telecasts and make them available to the replay official in the booth.

To purchase the proper equipment, the NFL would have to spend millions more than it already does, but it makes sense to have the same high-definition pictures as every fan sitting at home with a beautiful flat-screen television.

Tomlin talks tough

 Every new head coach likes to make a good first impression on his players and Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin apparently in no exception. Tomlin, who has never been a head coach on any level, was a little unhappy that not all of the Steelers, primarily outspoken Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, showed up for off-season workouts.

 Tomlin, who turned 35 just last week, should have learned a little from watching Brad Childress during his first year as a head coach in Minnesota. Childress wasn't the friendly offensive coordinator that he was in Philadelphia for so many years, and his rules with players and reporters ended up being a drag on the franchise.

 Yes, we heard that Tomlin could have a bite to him, that he could be tough when he had to be. But the biggest mistake young head coaches make is not being themselves. Too many assume the persona of a head coach they always respected and somewhere along the line it backfires either with the players or those in the organization.

 OK, maybe Tomlin can't be Mr. Niceguy like he was as an assistant in Tampa Bay. But he needs to be true to himself and rely on the instincts that got him the Pittsburgh job in the first place. Tomlin is known a fine teacher as a coach and mentally sharp with his defensive strategies.

New coaches are best served by growing into the position. You want players to respect you, but you also want them to listen and play hard for you when it counts. Players can spot a phony two feet away.

When is the right time to draft a quarterback in the first round?

The correct answer is when you have a first-year head coach. For example, the Raiders should have taken a quarterback, say Matt Leinart, last year because it was Art Shell’s first season. They didn’t and Shell had no excuse to fall back on before being fired. And it’s definitely why they will take a quarterback this year, having hired Lane Kiffin, an offensive head coach. The two men can grow together. Most believe that Kiffin will tell owner Al Davis that of the draft’s top two quarterbacks, he prefers JaMarcus Russell to Brady Quinn.

This being said, what do the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Bucs do?

I say that both teams pass on Quinn because a rookie quarterback can’t help Romeo Crennel and Jon Gruden save their jobs next season. Both coaches reportedly are on the spot; they have to win to remain employed. For the Browns, GM Phil Savage’s career is probably tied to next season’s won-lost record, too.

Nobody knows for sure, but I say that if Oakland takes LSU’s Russell and Detroit sticks with Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the second overall choice, then Cleveland will take Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson and Gruden will select the top player on his draft board, Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson, who ran a 4.35 40-yard dash Sunday.

Saturday night, Gruden had his chance to pick Quinn’s brain and we know he did a ####-up job. And, yes, the Bucs need a quarterback. They are kidding themselves if they believe that Chris Simms or possibly acquiring someone like Jake Plummer or Jeff Garcia is going to have immediate positive results.

Internally, the Bucs don’t buy that Quinn is sliding down the draft board. But the bottom line in Tampa is that Gruden will make this draft call, and he probably will pass on taking a quarterback.

$10 million head coach

If I had to pick one, I’d say that New England’s Bill Belichick could become the NFL’s first $10 million head coach whenever he was free to leave the Patriots. Belichick is worth it as a coach, slash personnel director. With more and more marginal players earning $4-5 million a season because the salary cap is $109 million, it makes sense for an owner to pay the big number to a head coach who can properly manage that huge player-salary budget.

In fact, several general managers here said that the head coach’s salary should be factored into the salary cap.

“I know my coach can’t understand why so many second-team players, guys who don’t always contribute, are earning such bigger paychecks than any of his coaches,” one AFC general manager said. “A great coach is worth every penny to a franchise because he’s the one who develops the rookies into starters.”

Owners have been complaining about how much money the players are collecting, but what are really impacting their overall profit margin are the costs for the coaching staffs and personnel departments. Many teams have coaching/personnel staff budgets well beyond $10 million a season. The Redskins hit that magic number with only three of their coaches: Joe Gibbs, Al Saunders and Gregg Williams.

Right now, some teams may only spend $95 million of the $109 million cap. You can bet that some owners would love to place their head coach’s salary into that pie and save themselves a lot of money.

Consider the Chicago Bears. Deep down they know that head coach Lovie Smith is more valuable to the team than probably any player outside of Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. They have finally reached the $4 million level on a new deal for Smith, the game’s lowest-paid head coach at $1.45 million for 2007. They probably would place Smith with the game’s top dozen earners if they could count the salary toward the salary cap.

More than Hutch

It must be comical to head coach Mike Holmgren and his coaching staff that the Seahawks are preparing to pay Chargers guard Kris Dielman, an unrestricted free agent, more than the $6.5 million that Steve Hutchinson received last year to leave Seattle for Minnesota. Holmgren was so upset that his front office failed to place the franchise tag on Hutchinson a year ago, and ultimately losing him on a poison pill contract that Minnesota prepared for him, declaring that he had to be the team’s highest-paid offensive lineman. Seattle couldn’t match because left tackle Walter Jones was their highest-paid lineman.

But last season, with three different guards trying to fill the Hutchinson void, Seattle’s running game faltered and Jones had a subpar season. This is where Dielman, who may not be as good as Hutchinson on the field and in the locker room, fits into Seattle’s future.

Speaking of free-agency, Dielman, Bengals guard Eric Steinbach and Arizona tackle Leonard Davis could hit a gold-mine of riches when free agency signings begin next Friday, March 2. Davis reportedly may have a $12 signing bonus offer from some unnamed team. The Cleveland Browns may be competing with Seattle for Dielman and Steinbach.

Cozy relationship

When Ernie Accorsi was the general manager of the New York Giants, he had a very good working relationship with agent Drew Rosenhaus. After Saturday’s revelation by new GM Jerry Reese, whose promotion was supported by Accorsi, that he would be interested in trading for Bills running back Willis McGahee, the Rosenhaus connection was raised by several competing teams. McGahee, who wants a new contract from the Bills, is represented by Rosenhaus.

Reese said that he was unwilling to trade a first-day draft choice (rounds one through three) for McGahee, but that he would be willing to part with lower picks and possibly some players. MaGahee, who doesn’t like to work out in Buffalo in the off-season, has mentioned a holdout from training camp if he doesn’t receive a new deal. The Bills have been saying it would take a first-round pick to acquire McGahee.

Ugly brother

David Irons, the Auburn cornerback, attempted to be a standup comic today in the media room. His brother, Kenny, was Auburn’s stud running back this past season and the two brothers have a great chance at become the first such family tandem to be selected in the first round of a NFL draft. Their father, two uncles and two cousins have played in the NFL.

But in high school, Kenny was David’s blocking back.

“We called it ugly sweep right and ugly sweep left,” David said of his brother, referring to Kenny’s face. “I kept telling him to take his visor off so the defenders could see his face. I mean once he did, they got out of his way and I ran down the sidelines for an easy touchdown.”

David wasn’t finished. “You should have seen him yesterday in his chocolate suit or whatever he was wearing,” he said. “My brother looked like a big, fat cup of coffee.”

Moss available

The Raiders don’t know what to do with receiver Randy Moss, whose salary this season is slightly more than $9 million. New coach Lane Kiffin says that both Moss and Jerry Porter, who spent most of last season in Art Shell’s doghouse, will be in his starting lineup. Porter, who is in the last year of his contract, needs the Raiders while Moss has different ideas. The feeling is he wants the opportunity to play for a playoff team and not be a part of Oakland’s rebuilding.

What is unknown is what does Al Davis want for Moss? Would he settle for a third or fourth-round draft choice? If he would, the New England Patriots might be interested in Moss. The Pats need a veteran receiver and Belichick knows he can handle Moss. There’s been a lot of talk about the Packers for Moss, but it doesn’t look like a move that Green Bay GM Ted Thompson would be interested in making, no matter how much Brett Favre asks.

Eagles passing on Garcia

The Eagles keep telling their fans that they want last season’s surprise, Jeff Garcia, to return and be Donovan McNabb’s backup. But the team hasn’t offered Garcia a contract and the 37-year-old quarterback has been rejected by most teams. The Chicago Bears, who wasted $6 million on Brian Griese last season, aren’t interested in Garcia to challenge Rex Grossman. The Panthers don’t want him and neither do the Dolphins. Garcia may have a shot with the Bucs, but they are in no hurry to sign him.

My first thought on Nick Saban was that Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga should have fired him on Monday when it was obvious Saban had misled him about his level of interest in the Alabama job.

My second reaction is that Huizenga and the Dolphins will be criticized by other NFL owners for allowing Saban to abuse the league and this franchise like he did. Even people within the Dolphins were surprised that Saban wasn't fired weeks ago when it was obvious to many that he was thinking of a way out and was really interested in Alabama.

The consequences of Saban's departure will be that NFL owners will become very reluctant to deal with any high-powered college coach in the future. How can you trust them?

We have written this before: Fans should remember that a very good college job tends to be a better overall job than most NFL positions.

Why?

Because even though the salary doesn't quite compare to that offered by NFL teams, most big-time college programs still pay very well; just look at what Alabama reportedly will pay Saban.

College coaches also get to enjoy an off-season with no draft and no free-agency and salary-cap worries. The NCAA places so many limits on recruiting, scholarships and practice hours that it has leveled the playing field in those areas. Overall, there is more security in college than the NFL, too.

I mean, if Saban had stayed in Miami and the Dolphins had missed the playoffs in 2007, you can bet he would have been fired. At least at Alabama, Saban can pick his quarterback and is not stuck with a choice between Daunte Culpepper and Joey Harrington.

It's been more than three years since John Butler died. If you loved talking about the draft and potential prospects, there were few better in the NFL at sharing their opinions with writers like myself than the former Chargers general manager. I really miss him at this time of the year when everyone starts asking where players like Ohio State's Troy Smith or Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson belong in the draft.

I can remember how much Butler believed in Tomlinson even though the tailback played in a pretty weak WAC conference. So, Butler traded away the rights to Michael Vick in order to draft Tomlinson and later Brees at the top of the second round. I can't recall in NFL history when one team drafted two players who will undoubtedly finish 1-2 in the MVP race in the same year.

Run, Forrest, run

Most everyone remembers the great Tom Hanks' movie Forrest Gump and Chicago's return specialist Devin Hester, who broke the NFL record with his sixth touchdown return this season, was something of a Forrest Gump while at the University of Miami.

Hester was one of the best high school players ever in the state of Florida and was the Hurricanes' top recruit in 2003. Hester likes to think of himself as the next Deion Sanders, but in college the coaches tried him at running back and receiver and he simply couldn't crack the lineup. They eventually switched him to defense in 2004. Despite his awesome physical skills, he has struggled to be a factor in Chicago's secondary. He did make one awesome tackle Monday night, but he only saw the field because the Bears were minus three injured defensive backs.

Good, not great

Just to clear up last weekend's reported signing of running back Ladell Betts by the Washington Redskins, it should be noted that Betts didn't receive $3.5 million to sign because $3 million of it was deferred. He did collect $500,000 extra now to spend for Christmas shopping. In the next four months, he will collect $2 million in cash with the remainder of his bonuses down the line, like a $2 million roster bonus in 2008.

Vick at running back?

This rumor, which started more than a month ago, got serious legs this week due to the injuries to Atlanta running backs Jerious Norwood, who is definitely out for Saturday's game against the Cowboys, and Warrick Dunn. The word is that the coaching staff is considering some offensive plays with Vick at tailback and seldom-used Matt Schaub as the quarterback. But now that it's out, the Cowboys will be prepared for it and what's the sense of throwing to Vick? Besides, Vick has looked pretty good the past two games.

The Cowboys have no choice but to stick with Tony Romo. They proved Monday night that they can’t protect Drew Bledsoe, plus the 14-year veteran proved that he’s still capable of making rookie-like mistakes like his silly interception to Sam Madison when Terry Glenn was never open at the end of the first half.

The other shocking revelation about the Cowboys is that they sure look like frauds on defense. In training camp, the defense looked awesome. Coach Bill Parcells believed his defense would be dominant. In fact, good enough to overcome Bledsoe’s miscues from game to game.

But Parcells was also aware that Romo was more athletic and definitely had an NFL arm. The worry since March was that Dallas didn’t have the offensive line to protect Bledsoe. Well, that theory has definitely come to fruition. The O-line proved that in the opening-season loss in Jacksonville. Remember, Bledsoe’s middle name is Statue.

Perhaps, that’s when Parcells should have made the switch to Romo. Yes, after the loss to the Jaguars. Conversely, it sure looked like a panicky move at halftime, down only five points to the Giants, on Monday night. Parcells was looking for a spark and instead Romo threw three interceptions, two of them mistakes that some playing-time experience could cure. Like Parcells said, Romo played careless with the football at times.

The Cowboys are up against it now in the NFC East. The Giants are now in control, plus Dallas has also lost to Philadelphia.

Does anyone think Bledsoe can survive Carolina’s pass rush on Sunday night? Romo can buy some time with his feet. But he needs all the practice repetitions this week and Bledsoe needs to stick around – don’t take his football and go home – and quit talking about retiring because he was benched.

Pretty weak argument

When the NFL realized a couple seasons ago that players were purchasing store-bought supplements that resulted in positive tests for performance-enhancing substances, the league did a generous thing and gave players a free pass on ephedrine and other dietary supplements for a year. They worked in conjunction with the Players Association on safe and legal supplements that anyone can buy in their local GNC stores. Those products have the league’s stamp of approval on them.

Players being players still buy bottles of supplements that aren’t approved. In those cases, all the player has to do is bring the product to their team trainers. The trainers can either check the list of ingredients or have the supplement tested for illegal substances. It’s pretty simple. I mean, who wouldn’t have something checked before ingesting a bunch of pills or mixing an unknown powdery substance if it meant losing your job or paychecks in the hundreds of thousands of dollars?

 The Chargers’ Shawne Merriman was caught with nandrolone, a banned steroid substance, in his system. He and David Cornwell, his attorney, claim it came from a tainted over-the-counter supplement. Merriman’s argument is “why would I do anything wrong? I’m already in the spotlight?”

Give me a break.

What I would like to hear Merriman say is this: “Yes, I made a mistake. I took something I shouldn’t have. I should have had it tested. Heck, I’m a millionaire. I could have hired my own pharmacist to make sure I wasn’t taking nandrolone or anything else that is banned.”

Big Ben should play

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has said that he suffered a concussion when knocked out in the Atlanta game on Sunday. The Steelers and Coach Bill Cowher have listed their star quarterback, who returned to the sidelines after the hit and seemed fine to a lot of players, as questionable for Sunday’s game in Oakland.

Granted, the Steelers may be able to beat the Raiders without Roethlisberger, but there are people close to the team who believe Ben can play if he wants to. A lot of his teammates will be keeping a close watch on what Ben decides to do.

Another interesting tidbit is that the NFL office didn’t believe that the Falcons’ Chauncey Davis’ tackle of Roethlisberger wasn’t a helmet-to-helmet hit based on a New York Times report. Falcons Coach Jim Mora believes Davis will not be fined for lowering his head and decking Roethlisberger.

There were several bad penalties called against the Steelers in that game, including a dubious false start penalty on the final play that cost Pittsburgh a chance to attempt a game-winning field goal.

“These officials should be ashamed of themselves," Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said. “That last call, you don't call that kind of call.”

What do Cardinals do?

OK, Denny Green is probably safe for the rest of the season. But Green does admit that he has talented personnel and that the Arizona Cardinals shouldn’t be 1-6. This is what the boss’s son, Michael Bidwill, believes, too.

The Bidwills have this habit of preferring not to pay an expensive head coach for not working. But at the end of the season, Green’s fate will be sealed by how the Cardinals perform in the final nine games. If the losing continues, you can bet Bidwill will make a run at USC head coach Pete Carroll. There are no guarantees that Carroll will ever leave USC. He’s well paid and his program, based on his recruiting skills, will probably always rank in the top five nationally.

But the Cardinals can easily offer Carroll total control of the football operations. And wouldn’t it be interesting having him coach his former Heisman quarterback Matt Leinart once again?

Despite what Charles Barkley said on ESPN last night, Denny Green's career in Arizona moved to earthquake status in the shaky-ground department after the Cardinals' collapse to the unbeaten Chicago Bears. Barkley is right that Green had put a positive face on the franchise for the first time in awhile, but he obviously hasn't fixed whatever curse is lurking over his offensive line.

The Cardinals have this brand new stadium in Glendale, Arizona and actually had a full house and a crowd giving them home-field advantage for the first time ever and they still couldn't protect a 20-0 lead? This is weird stuff, quoting Edgerrin James, befalling the Cardinals.

Not only did the O-line not give rookie quarterback Matt Leinart enough protection at times, but rarely did James have room to run. Then kicker Neil Rackers, who was virtually automatic last season, still hasn't made a game-winning kick in two seasons. He missed poorly on a 41-yarder that would have won last night's game and he also missed a 51-yarder the week before that would have sent the Chiefs game in overtime.

Green was right about one thing. The Bears were never going to score an offensive touchdown. Rex Grossman played poorly, accounting for six turnovers. Chicago won, though, because linebacker Brian Urlacher and the defense scored two touchdowns and then Devin Hester returned a punt for a touchdown. Hester was another great draft pick by GM Jerry Angelo.

Green was definitely right about switching to Leinart at quarterback. The Hollywood Kid has a bright future and whenever Larry Fitzgerald returns, the Cardinals will be very scary on offense.

End of a friendship

This usually happens in sports when you hire an unemployed friend.

Ravens coach Brian Billick, who is fighting for his own job in Baltimore, tossed his former good friend, Jim Fassel, under the bus today, firing his offensive coordinator with two years left on his contract. In Billick's case, it is always easier to point fingers at someone else when the offense isn't working.

Such a firing could prove to be the end of Fassel's NFL career. I mean, how many teams or coaches will be willing to hire a guy who was dumped by a close friend?

The interesting thing is that Fassel saved the job of quarterbacks coach Rich Neuheisal in the off-season.

Reid admits to problems

 

 

Eagles coach Andy Reid admitted that he has had problems communicating play calls into quarterback Donovan McNabb in the past and also last Sunday in the Superdome that basically cost his team two timeouts, preventing it from saving some time at the end of the game prior to John Carney's game-winning field goal. The Eagles had to stand around helplessly in the final two minutes and simply watch the Saints run off the time before Carney's kick won it.

 

Reid had this same problem during the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. He took way too much time in the fourth quarter when the Eagles should have been in a hurry-up mode. The Saints might be for real, but the Reid and the Eagles blew a game they should have won. Or, at least, should have had a chance to win had Reid simply saved his timeouts.

 

Bengals upset

 

 

How would you like to watch NFL games with all the best quarterbacks sitting on the sidelines? I wouldn't and that's why I am in referee Mike Carey's corner on the Justin Smith sack of rookie Bruce Gradkowski last Sunday.

 

Gradkowski fumbled when sacked by Smith and the Bengals recovered. Had the play stood, the Bengals probably wouldn't have been upset by the Buccaneers. But when Smith hit Gradkowski, the quarterback's head did get smashed into the ground. Carey called roughing the quarterback, negating the fumble.

 

Hey, quarterbacks need protection back there. To some, Carey erred on the call. But I don't think so because Carey thought the tackle was unnecessary.

 

Granted, fans like to see quarterbacks get blown up, but pro football would really be awful to watch if the best quarterbacks were always hurt. I know the battle cry that this is football – Hall of Famer Jack Lambert said it best when he famously suggested quarterbacks wear skirts – but the NFL has crossed the line and the game is also entertainment. That's why fans are paying over $100 or more every Sunday to watch in person.

 

Compare it to attending a Broadway play. Nobody likes to pay good money and then end up watching the understudy instead of the marquee star.

One of the worst teams I saw this summer was the New Orleans Saints. Personnel people around the league concurred with me.

Now, that the Saints are 3-0 and heading toward a showdown game with the Carolina Panthers this Sunday, there are two theories: 1.) preseason games definitely don't reveal a team's true identity or 2.) new head coach Sean Payton and his defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs have this team playing well above their heads.

Granted, the Saints played with enormous emotion Monday night in the franchise's return to the Superdome, but they also stuffed the potent Atlanta rushing game and Drew Brees directed a wide-open offense.

Payton has done a masterful job with Reggie Bush, who may not have huge numbers but truly scares defensive coordinators. The Falcons made an effort to account for Bush and in the process it opened up other areas on the field for Deuce McAlister and rookie receiver Marques Colston. In August, the Saints' offensive line looked like it had major holes, but that hasn't been the case with Payton's aggressive play-calling.

Give Payton another huge pat on the back for realizing early in training camp that Colston, a mere seventh-rounder from Hofstra, might be a big-time receiver. Payton's confidence in Colston (15 catches for 204 yards) allowed the Saints to trade away Donte Stallworth to the Eagles.

Anybody notice that Stallworth is injured again?

Some truth to Shockey

 

It had been written for a week or more that Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren was seriously considering a lot of four-wide receiver formations prior to the New York game because he had to get newcomer Deion Branch on the field. Holmgren even admitted to possibly using the formation at least 10 times a game.

 

Well, the New York Giants apparently can't read.

They looked totally unprepared to deal with the four-wide look on Sunday as Holmgren used it extensively, helping Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to a career day. Hasselbeck threw four of his five touchdown passes in the first half as Seattle built a 35-3 lead. In most cases, receivers were wide open. There wasn't a Giant within 10 yards of tight end Will Heller when he caught his fourth career touchdown.

 

The formation prevented the Giants' pass rushers from getting to Hasselbeck because with a receiver always open, Hasselbeck was getting rid of the ball before anyone got near him. It was a frustrating day for players like Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora.

 

Ponder these numbers

- Everything you hear out of Detroit is that the Lions finally have the right head coach in Rod Marinelli. And still the Lions are off to a 0-3 start and GM Matt Millen is now 21-62.

- Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger doesn't have a quarterback rating over 31.0 in his last three starts, which includes the Super Bowl. The "great" Hines Ward has nine catches for 99 yards. Where are the big plays?

- The Raiders are in their must-win mode this week. But just remember they lost to the Browns last season at home on three Phil Dawson field goals, 9-7.

- Minnesota's offense has gone 10 quarters now without a touchdown.

Good move

 

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy opted for a lot more shotgun formations last Sunday in order to give Brett Favre time to see downfield. With young offensive linemen learning a new zone-blocking system, it made a lot of sense and Favre delivered with three touchdown (402 in his career) passes. McCarthy figures to do more of the same because Green Bay will be in a lot of high-scoring games this season.

 

Wait a week on Leinart

 

Arizona coach Denny Green is leaning towards starting rookie Matt Leinart over Kurt Warner this Sunday in Atlanta. But wouldn't it be better, considering the Georgia Dome might be pretty hostile this weekend, to wait a week and allow Leinart to get his first start at home against the Kansas City Chiefs?

Of the rookie quarterbacks, Leinart was always considered the one most ready to play this season. Mentally, he knows the playbook. He possesses big-game poise, too. But there's nothing wrong in waiting because Green really doesn't want him to fail and there's really no sense in turning back to Warner once the coach makes the switch.

Jack Del Rio and FOX Sports' Jimmy Johnson have a special bond. It's a solid relationship even though Johnson was the coach who cut Del Rio, basically ending his playing career.

"It was one of the toughest cuts I ever made," Johnson said recently, "but it was the right thing to do and Jack eventually understood."

Del Rio immediately went into coaching and after four years as an NFL assistant became the Jaguars head coach. Owner Wayne Weaver, who had grown weary of Tom Coughlin's autocratic approach, wanted a fresh face. He also wanted a bargain-basement coach. Del Rio simply wanted an opportunity and based on last season and the first two games of this season, he has paid dividends to the franchise and the Jaguars.

The first positive you notice about the Jaguars is that they play as hard as Jack did as a player. Instinctive and tough.

It might have been the lowest-scoring game in Monday Night history, but the Jags 9-0 dumping of the Steelers wasn't ugly. It was physical, relentless football. And the Jags were the last men standing.

"I don't think I've seen a defensive game like that since the '85 Bears," Terry Bradshaw told me today. "Or that Baltimore team that won the Super Bowl. There was some hitting in that game."

The Steelers managed only 26 rushing yards, the lowest total in Bill Cowher's 15-year tenure.

Del Rio is not a media-friendly coach in Jacksonville. Three seasons ago, he was ripped for having an axe and a chopping block in the locker room. His punter sliced up his leg. Del Rio could be accused of being a little over-zealous in the motivation department.

But one of his greatest qualities is that he's secure in what he believes. He signed ex-Minnesota coach Mike Tice to coach his offensive linemen when a lot of coaches wouldn't. He has another head coach in Dave Campo working with his defense, especially the secondary. Circumstances undid Tice in Minnesota and Campo in Dallas, but these two coaches know a lot of football. In two games, Tice has figured out protection schemes against two very solid and active defensive fronts (Cowboys and Steelers) to free up Bryon Leftwich, who has the slow delivery and rock-solid feet.

Well, Leftwich had enough time in both games to stand tall and make the necessary plays to win. Del Rio loves his quarterback because he doesn't turn it over and has tremendous character.

There is no doubt that Del Rio has a bright future. He can also opt out of his contract, which could put him in serious play if the right, big-money job opens up.

Raiders miss out on Volek

Although the Raiders were linked to Tennessee quarterback Billy Volek, they were never serious about parting with a high draft pick. Volek forced the Titans' hand to deal him to San Diego, where they received less compensation, but who can blame him? The Chargers have a brighter future than the Raiders right now, considering offensive coordinator Tom Walsh still thinks old-man Jeff George can play. George has lost his fastball, although he may be able to throw for 15 minutes in a game. The Raiders were bad last season, but at least they could throw the ball and Randy Moss had a couple touchdowns by now. Lamont Jordan hasn't been a factor, either.

Bad analogy

Denver coach Mike Shanahan, who gets paid for his football decisions, put an interesting spin on his reluctance to dump starting quarterback Jake Plummer for rookie Jay Cutler. Shanahan compared it to the time after John Elway when he elevated rookie Brian Griese, who wasn't liked by his teammates, over Bubby Brister, who was basically a backup. The Broncos and Griese went down in flames, finishing 4-12.

The only difference is that Denver's veterans do like Cutler (they also respect Plummer). It's almost like Shanahan won't make a quarterback change until he takes a serious poll of the locker room. This from a coach who keeps his running backs guessing on who will start opening day. Go figure.

Talk is cheap . . . Winslow isn't

The way tight end Kellen Winslow keeps popping off about not being on the field on obvious passing downs, you can bet two things: he will be in most third-down packages this week and if he isn't, Mo Carthon may not be the offensive coordinator in Cleveland next season.

Those close to the Cowboys can’t remember owner Jerry Jones being this visibly upset as he was over the leak of the Terrell Owens’ fine. Jones has a great relationship with the local and national media, but he sure was mad about the Dallas Morning News’ story that the club fined T.O. for being late for a meeting and his rehab work. Most of his employees are shaking in their sneakers about talking to the media now.

The Owens saga simply won’t die. He’s missed 21 practice days now with a sore hamstring and he will miss the entire preseason. The next important story will occur next week. Will he practice? If he practices, I’m sure coach Bill Parcells will play him in the season opener in Jacksonville.

But if he doesn’t practice, there’s a very good chance Parcells won’t play him even if Owens says he’s fit to go. Jones went on record last weekend that he thought Owens could play even he didn’t practice.

My considerable gut says that Parcells might simply be reluctant to play Owens for fear of further damaging the hamstring. Every player wants to be close to 100 percent on Sundays. We all know that Owens will be trying to make a statement if he plays and by exerting a lot of effort, he could damage the hamstring. I mean, who sees Owens simply not trying hard against the Jaguars?

If Parcells had a history with Owens, he would be more apt to play him without practicing him. But what coach takes a risk with such a star player without really knowing his physical limits?

Nice move by Eagles

The salaries are a wash, the numbers virtually identical, and that’s why the Eagles acquisition of Saints receiver Donte Stallworth in exchange for undersized linebacker Mark Simoneau was a good move.

Should Philadelphia be able to sign Stallworth to a long-term contract, the Eagles will owe the Saints a third-round pick next season. It’s a solid deal for both teams, considering the Eagles can find out if they really like Stallworth and how he fits into their offense. If he doesn’t, they can move on and so can the former first-round pick.

However, the most important part of the deal is that Stallworth comes a whole