Saturday, March 17, 2012

Winning offseason often for losers, but Bucs may be different

Like fellow signees Carl Nicks and Eric Wright, Vincent Jackson is in his prime years. (Getty Images) Like fellow signees Carl Nicks and Eric Wright, Vincent Jackson is in his prime years. (Getty Images)

Plenty of teams have won the offseason and then imploded when actual games were played. Nothing is more meaningless than capturing the offseason Super Bowl.

The Eagles did it last year and finished as an average team. Washington under Danny Snyder has won many offseasons going back to signing an aging Deion Sanders. On and on it goes ... the Jets were recently offseason champs. The Bears with Jay Cutler. It's an annual tradition this declaration of offseason titles. Which brings us to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Peyton Manning's destination notwithstanding, so far at least we might have another offseason winner, as the Buccaneers have done perhaps the best job of stocking their roster. What they're doing is impressive. Extremely impressive.

In fact, these Tampa moves are so solid I think the Buccaneers will beat the trend of the offseason champion turned regular-season flop. I'm not crazy about Greg Schiano as a head coach but it's hard to argue with the moves Tampa has made.

They signed Vincent Jackson, the best receiver in this free-agent class. Risky, yes, after all, he has two DUIs, leading to the NFL suspending Jackson. But he's a huge, powerful target for young thrower Josh Freeman. Most importantly, he's not an aging star. Signing old men beyond their prime is a staple of offseason champs. Jackson is in his.

They added Carl Nicks the best guard and maybe second best offensive lineman on the free agent market. During the season Nicks expressed on more than a few occasions his unhappiness with how New Orleans was handling the situation. Well, he's gone from the Saints, and the $31 million in guaranteed cash he's getting will surely ease the pain of leaving. Again, there's a risk factor, as that much guaranteed money for a guard is a lot.

They finished an initial flurry of moves by signing cornerback Eric Wright, a solid player who will help a defense that needs plenty of it.

The Bucs are doing exactly what they should. The team entered free agency with a team-high $44 million available in cap room. They are not only spending that cash, they are doing so wisely. "If we didn't believe it could happen here," said Jackson, "we would have stayed where we were at."

Schiano picked up the players at the Tampa airport at four in the morning. I don't know what that means. I just found it interesting. It's almost a college-type move.

People around the league are watching. One general manager said the Bucs have done the most impressive job in free agency of any team thus far.

Now, again, we've heard this before. Think back to almost this time last year. The Eagles had signed a number of great players. By the time their offseason was done the media had dubbed Philadelphia "The Dream Team." It was unfair because the organization didn't say this; Vince Young did. But the name stuck.

Snyder remains the ultimate offseason winner. He became the first owner of a team whose payroll surpassed $100 million. In those early years of Snyder, the reckless Redskins signed Jeff George, Sanders and Bruce Smith. It was a disaster.

These aren't those moves. Tampa went younger, adding both stars and depth.

I'm told that when Schiano became head coach he was promised the team would utilize all of its resources to get better. That sounds simple enough, but not all organizations actually do that, or if they decide to, they then make really dumb moves.

"It's an opportunity to do something special," said Jackson at a news conference on Wednesday. " ... we're all hungry."

Hungry and smart.


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Old lions Wilson, Adams trying to beat clock with game-changing action

Ralph Wilson spoke at Bruce Smith's Hall of Fame induction in September 2008. (Getty Images) Ralph Wilson spoke at Bruce Smith's Hall of Fame induction in September 2008. (Getty Images)

Ralph Wilson is the oldest owner in the NFL. He's 93. His Bills just signed Mario Williams to $50 million in guaranteed money. The old man's still got it.

Bud Adams is 89 years old. He just flew in Peyton Manning on a private jet, wined and dined him, and offered maybe the biggest free agent ever a lifetime contract. The old man's still got it.

Or, maybe the best way to say it is this: The old men still want it. It's no coincidence Wilson and Adams, two of the building blocks of the AFL, two men used to always being in the thick of the NFL, are making their last ditch runs. These are two men who despise losing, but have done a great deal of it in recent seasons. The Bills, a team that once regularly made Super Bowl runs, have not made the playoffs since 1999.

One of the low points came in 2010. Wilson was scheduled to receive his Hall of Fame ring during a halftime ceremony. But before that, the Bills were awful against one of the worst teams in football at the time, the Cleveland Browns. Buffalo lost 6-3 thanks in part to nine false start penalties. Nine.

Wilson canceled his halftime appearance. The media and fans presumed the reason was because Wilson feared being booed by fans. Wilson was right. It would have been humiliating. Those are the types of memories that spur 90-something owners to make moves like getting Williams.

The Titans have been better, but they at times have also resembled a clown car. Adams had become sick of the nonsense. Like Wilson, he wants change. Now.

Wilson and Adams are the two of only three men who have owned a pro football team continuously for 50 years (George Halas was the other). Yet despite their ages, Wilson and Adams aren't ready to go quietly into the night. The actions of the Titans and Bills franchises reflect the opposite. There's almost a daringness, if not desperation, to their actions.

"Since [Manning] went to school in Tennessee, I think Tennessee is where he should be," Adams told the Tennessean on Sunday. "I think he could play for two or three years. I think he's the guy that could come in and turn this around for us. I want him to be with me the rest of his working period of his life, even when he doesn't want to play anymore."

Adams instructed his front office and coaching staff to get Manning at all costs, and because of that directive, the Titans have a damn good shot to get him. Wilson's Bills just snagged the 21st century free agent equivalent of Reggie White in Williams.

Wilson is still heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the Bills franchise -- obviously not as much as he once was, but still very much a factor. It's impossible to say if Wilson put out the kind of directive that Adams did, but it's not impossible to think he did. The Bills went far and above what other franchises would have. No team was willing to give Williams $50 million in guaranteed cash -- just as it's likely no other team is willing to give Manning a "contract for life" the way Adams is.

These are both highly risky moves. Manning has yet to work out for any team, and no one can say if that four-time surgically repaired neck will hold up. Giving a defensive lineman, no matter how talented, $50 million in guaranteed cash is also questionable.

But two of the greatest owners in the history of sports -- especially Wilson -- don't seem to care. They seem to be something beyond hungry, very possibly even angry, at the state of their teams. What we know for certain is the two old owners aren't done.

Not yet.


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Titans owner Bud Adams offered Peyton Manning 'contract for life'

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Posted: 11:19 AM ET March 15, 2012

.oO Titans owner Bud Adams offered Peyton Manning 'contract for life' By Ryan Wilson | NFL Blogger

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Bud Adams knows what he wants and what he wants is Peyton Manning. (AP)
The Titans appear to be going all-in on Peyton Manning. Eighty-nine-year-old owner Bud Adams said previously that he will do whatever it takes to sign Manning in his chase for a championship and he sees the quarterback as the missing piece. Never mind that Tennessee drafted Jake Locker with the No. 8 pick last April.

2012 NFL free agency coverageLatest moves: Free agent tracker | TradesEye on Football: Top 100 free agents Kirwan: Top 30 free agents: Manning best ever? Prisco: Top 30 free agents: New sheriff in townNFL coverage on the goOn iTunes | Subscribe to newsletterFor Adams, landing Manning transcends money. NFL Network's Michael Lombardi wrote Wednesday that, in addition to handing the quarterback a blank check, there's also the "promise Manning could be part of the Tennessee Titans' organization after his playing days are through." We have no idea if a front-office gig is something Manning is looking for when he retires but Lombardi points out that it's a perk the Broncos, who are also heavily recruiting Manning, can't offer (John Elway currently occupies that corner office).

But it gets better: according to KOU11 in Houston, Adams has offered Manning a "contract for life." And the owner isn't worried about Manning's neck, which required multiple surgeries and kept him out for the 2011 season.

"I'm only concerned how strong it is in September, when he starts the regular season," said Adams during a phone interview with KOU11. And there's even good news for Locker: the owner really likes the former first-rounder and thinks he'll have a great future, it's just that you can't pass up the opportunity to land a player like Manning.

Fair enough, but here's the thing: if Manning plays three more years, when he finally retires in 2014, Locker will be a free agent. As we mentioned Wednesday, that's not exactly the best use of an eighth-overall pick.

And because you can't get enough, we talked about the latest on Manning -- as well as a Day 2 recap of free agency -- on the Pick-6 Podcast:


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Mario Williams + Buffalo = Why NFL best of the big leagues

By choosing small-market Buffalo, Mario Williams demonstrates how the NFL in superior. (Getty Images) By choosing small-market Buffalo, Mario Williams demonstrates how the NFL in superior. (Getty Images)

Mario Williams is going to Buffalo -- or really Orchard Park, N.Y. -- and to borrow from a song from the departed Rick James, one of Buffalo's finest: You're probably Super Freaked.

It just doesn't seem right. The NFL's top prize is going to one of its smallest markets, an area known more for snow-inch measurements and hot wings than being a free-agent destination.

What's it mean?

Two things: Williams took the money, and the NFL way works.

Start with the money. He got six years and $100 million, with $50 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. That's what happens when a pass-rusher in his prime hits the open market, a rarity and only possible because of the cap circumstances in Houston.

In league where pass-rushers are more valuable than ever -- in large part because of the move to the wide-open passing game -- Williams was a hot commodity. You have to give it the Bills. They brought him in the first day and never let him leave.

Buddy Nix: Salesman of the Year.

It's good for the league because, well, it's Buffalo. I got into a fun Twitter spat with some Bills fans Wednesday night when I made a crack about the city. But to be honest, I like the Buffalo area.

It's one of those no-hassle cities, kind of like where I live in Jacksonville, but without the beach and weather. Sure, it's not Miami with South Beach or New York with the nightlife and the media and the celebrity watch, but it seems downright comfortable.

Even so, I imagine it was a tough sell for Williams. Then again, there were 100 million reasons to make it easier.

I've always believed a player would sign with the Moscow Comrades or the North Pole Northmen if the money were right, although, in this case, the North Pole might be a tad warmer than Buffalo (just kidding, Bills fans).

This proves it. It also shows why the NFL is the best of the leagues going. This isn't Major League Baseball, where financial inequities favor the big-market teams and leave cities like Pittsburgh wondering if they will ever be able to compete.

This isn't the NBA, where stars can have dog-and-pony shows on national TV to join forces with other stars to avoid the burden of doing it on their own, or they can force teams to trade them as they hold them hostage. Or where a certain 6-11 center in a small-market makes Brett Favre look decisive when talking about his future. Talk about Mickey Mouse.

Money is shared in the NFL. They call that league-think. It's why it works. The television contracts are split equally, which is why it's possible. It's true the big-market teams can generate more local revenue, and they do, but the big-money television deals make it possible for teams like the Bills, the Jaguars, the Bengals and others in small markets to compete.

If someone had said that Williams was going to the Bills before free agency, you would have called them crazier than Rick James was in his wild, party days. Now it's happened.

This is Reggie White going to the Packers.

This is huge for the Bills. It's huge for the small-market teams.

The Bills are going to a 4-3 defense, so they had to get a defensive end. The last time they had one who was big-time, his name was Bruce Smith. With Williams, they have that again. I'm not saying he's in Smith's league -- few are -- but he will team with defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to give the Bills two young players on a line to build around.

Williams has 53 sacks in six seasons, but he has missed part of two, including much of 2011, with a torn pectoral muscle. He had a career-best 14 sacks in 2007. That's the type of production the Bills have to get from him. If he isn't in double-digit sacks each season during his stay, the deal will be a failure.

I don't think it will be.

The Texans are now a 3-4 team, and I think Williams is more of a 4-3 end. It's good for Williams to be back playing with his hand on the ground.

More than that, his signing is good for the NFL. It shows the NFL works. It shows why the league has it over MLB and the NBA. But more important than anything, it shows Williams followed another Rick James anthem: He's rich, bitch.

To borrow a song title form one of Buffalo's famous residents, Rick James, Williams said, "Give it to me, baby."

The Bills did.


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Bills needed to be bold, and they are with huge deal to land Williams

Mario Williams should help turn around a defense that ranked among the NFL's worst. (AP) Mario Williams should help turn around a defense that ranked among the NFL's worst. (AP)

When the Houston Texans chose defensive end Mario Williams over Reggie Bush with the first pick of the 2006 draft, they said it was for one reason -- Peyton Manning.

They wanted someone who could get to the Colts quarterback.

The idea made sense. You get to Manning, you get to the Colts. And if you get to the Colts, you get to the top of the division.

Now, six years later, Buffalo is doing the same thing with the same guy. With the addition of Williams, the Bills become more competitive -- which means the gap between them and everyone else in the AFC East just shrank.

I know, it still belongs to New England, but the Bills demonstrated they are serious about advancing in a division they once owned. And their chances just improved with the acquisition of the best free-agent defender on the market and, from where I sit, the best free agent, period.

Look, the Bills have had only one winning season since 1999 and have been stuck in the middle or bottom of the AFC East for the past 12 years. If their fans weren't tired of the experience, their general manager, Buddy Nix, was ... which is why he promised a big score early in free agency.

He not only delivered, he hauled in the biggest catch not named Peyton Manning. And that should not only sell tickets, it should help Buffalo win more ballgames.

How many more I don't know. What's important is that Buffalo took a bold step to make itself better, and it's about time. The Bills knew that if they were going to do something other than finish 6-10 or 7-9 each season, they had to build a team to catch the people in front of them -- and you start with someone that has a stranglehold on your division.

That would be New England, and if you want to beat the Patriots, you get to their quarterback, Tom Brady. Not only is he the best quarterback in the business; he's 18-2 against Buffalo ... and that number alone tells you why Buffalo had to do something, anything, to defend the guy -- much as Houston did when it drafted Williams.

The Texans move then was controversial, but it played out. Williams was effective, and the Texans eventually found themselves at the top of the AFC South. Of course, it took losing Manning for Indianapolis to step aside, but Williams was the key part in the reconstruction of a defense that last season ranked second overall and launched the Texans to the playoffs for the first time in their history.

With Buffalo returning to a 4-3 defense, there was a need for a dependable end, but Williams is more, much more, than that. He's a premier player, a relentless pass-rusher who in the past five seasons averaged more sacks per game than everyone but Dallas' Demarcus Ware and the Vikings' Jared Allen.

I mention that because the Bills' pass rush needs help like Duff's needs celery and hot sauce. Buffalo last season ranked 27th in sacks per pass play, with rookie defensive tackle Marcell Dareus the team leader in that department with 5?.

The Bills were 28th against the run, 19th against the pass and 30th in points allowed, too, and, sorry, but none of those figures get you to the top -- especially when it's an elite quarterback who's there.

So you do what you can to correct them, and what the Buffalo Bills did was invite Williams to their complex and not let him go until he signed a six-year deal making him the highest-paid defensive player in league history.

Hey, whatever works. Buffalo had to do something to shake things up, and the Bills delivered the biggest hit of the week. So they spent a fortune. Big deal. They gained an All-Pro player who, at 27, is in the prime of his career and can help the club close the gap with the division leader.

That doesn't mean Buffalo is on New England's heels. I'm not saying that. Last time I checked, Brady was still standing, which means everyone else in the AFC East plays for second.

But Williams' addition strengthens a porous defense that Brady typically shreds, boosts the Bills' chances of advancing within the division and could, just could, act as a recruiting tool to attract more top-shelf talent to western New York.

I've seen it happen before. It might again.


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Through two-plus days, 10 things we learned about free agency

GM Buddy Nix beats the odds to land free-agent prize Mario Williams to Buffalo. (AP) GM Buddy Nix beats the odds to land free-agent prize Mario Williams to Buffalo. (AP)

Free agency usually has a fast start followed by a calming down period and then a rush before the owners meetings. After three days, a couple of things that strike me as interesting about the 2012 opening of free agency.

1. Eight backup quarterbacks signed in two days, and still no Vince Young: David Carr, Dan Orlovsky, Chris Redman, Derek Anderson, Josh McCown, Chad Henne, Jason Campbell all signed in the first three days and no word of any interest in Vince Young.

2. The inside linebacker market hasn't been touched yet: As fast and furious as signings have been with over 50 players inking new deals around the league, Curtis Lofton, Stephen Tulloch, London Fletcher and David Hawthorne lead a group of inside linebackers at a position not yet touched in free agency.

3. I could build a winning offense with the guys cut: Forget the long list of UFAs that teams were studying all fall in anticipation of free agency. Here's a starting offense just from players released, and they could win games. QB-Peyton Manning, TE-Dallas Clark, Kevin Boss, WR-Hines Ward, Lee Evans, RB-Joseph Addai, Brandon Jacobs, OT-Eric Winston, Levi Brown, Marcus McNeil, G-Steve Hutchinson, Robert Gallery, Anthony Herrera, Eric Steinbach, C-Jeff Faine.

4. You can punish the Redskins, but you can't keep them down: The NFL took $18 million of salary cap space away (or $36 million over two years) from Bruce Allen and the Redskins organization, but they still attacked free agency like nothing was wrong. Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan are Redskins, and this team is far from done.

5. Day 3 critical for Seattle: The Seahawks had Matt Flynn and Jason Jones in for visits Thursday, and those are two very big recruits if the Seahawks want to get into the playoffs in 2012.

6. Against all odds, the Bills got it done! If you asked 1,000 people a month ago where Mario Williams would wind up in free agency in 2012, no one would have picked the Buffalo Bills. I loved that GM Buddy Nix said Tuesday, "We're going to make a big splash early." It was more like a tidal wave.

7. Why isn't Alex Smith signed by now: Smith said he was OK with a three-year deal after rumors were out there he wanted a five-year deal, so why is he not under contract by now? It doesn't appear the 49ers were ever interested in Peyton Manning, and the club had $20 million of cap space as of Wednesday.

8. It's not the right time to go after a restricted free agent: It isn't the right time to go after Mike Wallace, or Lardarius Webb in restricted free agency. If a club puts in an offer, the home club (Pittsburgh and Baltimore) has seven days to match and would probably take all seven days. The offering club will be stuck not knowing if the team would match and consequently be on the sidelines in free agency. Teams should attack the free agent class for the next few weeks and double back on the restricted free agents in early April.

9. NFL teams must be leery of wide receivers in the draft class: Nine veteran free-agent wide receivers got contracts before the third day of free agency was even over, and there's more than $100 million in guarantees. It sounds like clubs didn't like the depth in the receiver class of the draft.

10. Drew Brees digging a hole for himself: For the first time since Drew Brees has become a Saint, there is some negative feedback about how he's handling the franchise tag and free agency. I had it confirmed the deal on the table from the Saints was for $18.5 million a year and that he reportedly is holding out for $23 million. Once the Saints lost Carl Nicks in free agency, the PR started to turn against Brees.


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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Redskins, Cowboys latest to feel wrath of iron-fisted Goodell

Roger Goodell is proving to be tough on rule-breakers, period. (Getty Images) Roger Goodell is proving to be tough on rule-breakers, period. (Getty Images)

This has always been the perception players have had of Roger Goodell: He's brutally tough on them and soft on coaches and team executives. Players have long thought that coaches and general managers were Goodell's type of people and the players were not.

Wait. Let's be totally blunt here. Many black players have long believed Goodell was tougher on them than coaches and executives. This is the truth. It has been repeated over and over privately by players.

This has never been true, but perception kills. But what Goodell has done over the past few months and years should eradicate that belief forever. There are no favorites. Never have been, never will be. The Goodell Doctrine is in full effect as he continues to attack rule-breakers in such an aggressive and thorough manner, it may be unmatched in the recent history of professional sports.

And notice, no cheater has gone unscathed. He has gone after on-field cheap-shot artists with unprecedented vigor. He has punished players with an almost legendary steel fist. And Goodell isn't going solely after the men who actually play the game. He punished Rex Ryan for floating a middle finger to one obnoxious fan and then later fined Ryan for a foul-mouthed exchange with another. He's pursuing Super Bowl winning coaches (Sean Payton and Bountygate), league executives (Mickey Loomis from the Saints), and now two of the more storied franchises in football as Washington and Dallas will have millions of dollars in salary cap room yanked for trying to cheat the cap system.

A league official confirms a story first reported by ESPN that the NFL will dock Washington and Dallas millions in cap space, temporarily crippling both. But there's more to this story. I'm told the NFL warned both teams multiple times and the franchises went ahead and did the contracts anyway.

Officials from both teams told me privately there was no intention to cheat and that this was all a misunderstanding. Sure. OK. Right.

This is a continuation of the Goodell Doctrine that actually started with the New England Patriots and Spygate. There is no toleration of rule-breakers whether they be a high-profile player, a great coach like Bill Belichick, a GM or even Danny Snyder and Jerry Jones.

Or Mike Shanahan, multiple Super Bowl winner, who is Washington's executive vice president of football operations. Just to be clear: We don't know if Shanahan was involved in this situation with Washington. He may be totally innocent, but let's just say it did not go unnoticed by the league office that when Shanahan was coach in Denver, the Broncos in 2001 were fined $968,000 and lost a third-round pick in the 2002 draft for cap violations. They were accused of making deferred payments amounting to $29 million to quarterback John Elway and running back Terrell Davis. Just a few years later, the NFL fined the Broncos $950,000 and a third-round pick for similar violations.

Goodell doesn't fool around, and again, good for him. There is no more looking the other way. No more trying to pull a fast one past the league office. It's over. Done. This isn't the 1980s NFL. Not anymore.

In many ways, this is the golden era of the sport. The NFL has never been watched by more people or carried more influence. Truly, the only real threat to its longevity is the sport itself.

If the NFL can keep the degenerates and creeps from running things, from gaining a beachhead, then the NFL can move forward with cleaner hands. There is a fine line between legitimacy and pro wrestling, and Goodell is making sure the NFL doesn't cross it.

I remember a player asking me once: Who in the hell does Roger Goodell think he is? God?

No, he thinks he's the commissioner, and what happened to the Redskins and Cowboys is yet another example of the Goodell Doctrine…

If you cheat, watch your back.


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Randy Moss, 49ers agree to one-year deal; Moss excited to begin

Posted: 09:42 PM ET March 12, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

Moss said he studied San Francisco's upside and came away impressed. (US Presswire)
After his workout last week with the Saints reportedly went well, Randy Moss traveled to San Francisco last weekend to try out for the 49ers. Apparently, that tryout went really well, because, as CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman has confirmed, the team has signed Moss to a one-year deal.

The move -- originally reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter -- makes sense, mostly because, as we told you in the NFC West free agent preview, the 49ers receiving corps isn't great. After Michael Crabtree as the No. 1 target, you had Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn Jr. And that was pretty much it.

Now, the 49ers will get to see in live action whether Moss can still catch the deep ball.

Moss is interested as well in seeing what he can do for the organization.

"Their upside was something I studied and evaluated," Moss said on a late Monday night conference call. "Coach Harbuagh is young and enthusiastic. I love enthusiasm. ... It was a no-brainer for me.

"I'm very passionate about what I do. Football is what I love. I'm ready to get back in the game of football. I think I can still play at a high level. I'm ready to get the fans out of their seats."

Since Moss announced he wanted to return to the NFL, he's been embroiled in a controversy with former teammate Cris Carter, who said Moss has plenty of "quit in him." Subsequently, Moss ripped Carter back on Twitter, but that apparently didn't faze the 49ers.

“We are pleased to add a player with Randy's wealth of experience to our receiving corps,” said 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. “Randy's productivity over the course of his career speaks for itself. We look forward to integrating him into our system.”

Aside from working out for two teams, Moss has been spending much of his time lately on USTREAM, reading fans' tweets and discussing boogers and the media. And after a year off, some have wondered how fresh his 35-year-old legs are.

“My legs feel damn good," Moss said recently. "They really do.”

Considering Moss will be paid to run by receivers, that news, if true, is awfully good. But you also can't forget Moss' reputation of being, well, a jerky teammate -- or worse, quitting on his team.

Former Vikings coach Brad Childress said Moss vomited all over the locker room (not literally), and as CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman writes, "The 49ers just signed a timebomb. Now the clock is ticking on when that bomb goes off."

Of course, the other major question is this: will free agent Alex Smith be the one throwing it to him? And will Smith get caught in the crossfire of that timebomb?

And what does Moss think about all of this? Simple. Late Monday night, Moss tweeted simply and beautifully: "Boom, boom."

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add ourRSS Feed.

Tags: NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Randy Moss, Alex Smith

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Freeman: Moss will wreck 49ers

Posted: 08:16 AM ET March 09, 2012

By Mike Freeman | National NFL Insider

The San Francisco 49ers have added Randy Moss to their team. By the middle of the season, maybe sooner, they'll wish they hadn't.

This is the way it is with Moss. Teams become infatuated with that talent. They think he still has blazing speed. The coach, in this case Jim Harbaugh, will be the latest to think he can control Moss. No one can. No one ever has. But that is the allure of Moss. The fool's gold of it all.

Moss has wrecked teams before and, in fact, has wrecked almost every team he's played for. He provided the Patriots with one great season and then became a cancer. They got rid of Moss despite desperately needing a deep threat. He went back to Minnesota. They booted him. He went to Tennessee. They booted him.

Now he's in san Francisco and you'll hear all the same stuff you've heard before. Harbaugh can control him. Moss is misunderstood. Moss is actually a good teammate.

None of that is true. The truth is that Moss blows teams up or in the case of the Patriots quickly wears out his welcome. The same thing will happen in San Francisco.

You can count on it.

Tags: NFL, San Francisco 49ers

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Who's hurt most if jilted by Peyton? Five potential biggest losers

Stephen Ross needs Peyton Manning to lure back disillusioned Dolphins fans. (US Presswire) Stephen Ross needs Peyton Manning to lure back disillusioned Dolphins fans. (US Presswire)

Barring a last-minute entry, Denver, Miami and Arizona are the finalists in the Peyton Manning Sweepstakes, with no indication when Manning makes a decision.

The smart money is on Denver, but let's be honest: Nobody knows who wins and when. What we do know, however, is who could lose -- and I can identify at least five guys whose careers and reputations depend on Manning's next move.

They are the few, the proud, the vulnerable, and Manning's decision has an immediate impact on all -- with some affected if he joins them, and others if he does not.

Anyway, they are the potential losers in Manning Week, and these are their stories:

1. Tim Tebow, QB, Denver: If nothing else, the Broncos have made it apparent that their interest in Tebow as a long-term solution at quarterback is, at best, lukewarm -- and that may be a stretch.

It doesn't matter that the guy took them to the playoffs for the first time in six years. It doesn't matter that he conquered the defending conference champion in the playoffs. It doesn't matter that he had a better record (8-5) in his first year as a full-time starter than Jay Cutler ever did in Denver. It doesn't even matter that he authored five come-from-behind victories and energized a fan base that had been sedated by five years of mediocrity.

If the Broncos hire Manning, Tebow is out, and if they don't ... well, it's clear they're looking to upgrade the position soon.

Look, I understand Manning is a big deal for almost any team, but when you're eager to replace a young quarterback who just took you to the playoffs with a 36-year-old who hasn't played in more than a year, had four neck surgeries and will cost a fortune ... well, let's just say Tebow should start checking realtor.com.

If the Broncos acquire Manning, he's toast and probably is traded; if they don't, he's on the off ramp anyway and moves on sooner or later. In the end, both roads lead to the same place. Denver is not willing to make a commitment to Tim Tebow, and that's not exactly news.

Except now we have proof.

2. Stephen Ross, owner, Miami Dolphins: The guy is enamored with box-office draws, and he should be. He has to put people in a lot of empty seats in Miami.

So he courts then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh while Tony Sparano is still on the job, and that didn't work out so well. Neither did last season, when the Dolphins dropped their first seven en route to a fifth losing season in six years. So Ross fires Sparano in mid-season, presumably to get a jump on a big-name replacement, then loses out on that big name, Jeff Fisher.

That makes Ross 0 for 2 and wondering what he's missing to attract top-shelf personalities to Miami.

Well, now he finds out. This time his job is to hire a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback for a team that hasn't had one of consequence since Dan Marino retired -- and, please, that's not a knock on Chad Pennington. I like the guy, too, but he had 15 minutes of fame in Miami. Plus, this isn't the next Chad Pennington. This is Peyton Frickin' Manning, and if you sign him you tell LeBron and the Heat to move over; there's a new game in town.

The Heat have James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Dream Team. The Marlins have Jose Reyes, Ozzie Guillen and a new ballpark. And the Dolphins have ... Brandon Marshall? That won't cut it, especially with nobody to throw him the ball, which is why Ross should do everything he can to get Manning's attention. Hire Don Shula to show him his rings. Take him to Joe's Stone Crabs. Have him play golf with Dan Marino. Something, anything, to make sure he stays.

Because if he doesn't ... it's Matt Flynn or bust, and I don't know how that sells season tickets.

3. Kevin Kolb, QB, Arizona: When the Cardinals acquired him last summer they made a commitment with a six-year, $65 million contract. Now, nearly eight months later, they're talking about Kolb fighting for his job with John Skelton, and read the tea leaves, people. That commitment is gone.

Yeah, I know, Kolb was hurt last season, but he also struggled to fit in -- so much so that Arizona will let Skelton compete with him. That, a $7 million option bonus due the end of this week and an 8-8 record tell you why Arizona is hot for Peyton. The Cardinals believe he can accomplish for them what Kurt Warner did -- namely, put them over the top and into a Super Bowl.

In Arizona, Manning would have All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald as one of his targets, warm weather and 11 indoor games -- only one less than Minnesota. The down side, of course is that the offensive line needs work on its pass protection, and he would be in the same conference as brother Eli.

But the Cards need a lift to get to the next level, and Manning is the logical ticket to punch. Since Warner left the Cards haven't had a winning season, going 13-19 in the process, but with Manning their prospects could and would change.

So, of course, would Kolb's zip code. There would be no reason to keep him, not with the money the club invested in him. Arizona almost surely would have to move him and his contract, with the teams that missed out on Manning lining up for him and free-agent Matt Flynn.

"I know how the NFL works," Kolb said last month. "Anything is possible. I just try to keep my mind clear and do what I can on my end. I plan on having a great year and being a Cardinal for a long time."

That sounded a lot better last year than it does now.

4. John Elway, executive VP of football operations, Denver: From the beginning, it was clear Elway wasn't exactly on the Tim Tebow bandwagon. Rewind the videotape of the closing moments to Denver's come-from-behind defeat of the New York Jets, and you find Elway practically wincing as Tebow scores the winning TD.

Tebow is not Elway's idea of a quarterback because he doesn't play the position as Elway did. For that matter, he doesn't play it as many do. Nevertheless, he wins, but Elway doesn't see a long-term future there and would like to find someone, anyone, to push the guy.

Manning is that someone -- the one quarterback Tebow-maniacs might swallow to supplant their hero. Moreover, he would accomplish two things for Elway: 1) Solidify the position with someone who can throw accurately and effectively, and 2) mollify the Tebow crowd with a replacement they can't dispute. It's one thing to win the division as Tebow did, but Manning won a Super Bowl and four league MVP awards.

Elway can buy time with Manning, looking for a young guy to groom while Peyton is on the job and pushing for the playoffs. But if he loses out on him, he's back to where he was last season -- with a quarterback and an offense he believes can't last and won't allow the team to move to the next level.

Worse, he has major damage control on his hands, both with his quarterback and with the Broncos' fans.

5. Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami: You could put Larry Fitzgerald in the same category here, except what happens if Arizona loses out on Manning? The Cards still have Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, and while that's not exactly a Joe Montana/Steve Young combination it was good enough to get Fitzgerald 80 catches, eight touchdowns and 1,411 yards.

Marshall had one more catch, fewer touchdowns and fewer yards, and that happens when Matt Moore is your quarterback. I like what Moore did, but the guy is better suited as a backup.

The question, of course, is to whom? It won't be Chad Henne, nor should it be. Moore looked more accurate and was more successful. But it could be Manning. If so, Marshall's game would be elevated, and that's a scary thought.

I mean, this is the guy who caught 21 passes in one contest from Kyle Orton (vs. Manning and the Colts, no less) and had a string of three straight seasons with 101 or more catches in each. He is an upper-echelon receiver, but he's not in Fitzgerald's class ... not yet, anyway. But he might be if he has Manning throwing to him.

All I know is that he can be a load, and I like his chances of making an impact a lot more with Peyton Manning than I do with Matt Flynn. That's not a shot at Flynn. It's an acknowledgement of Manning's four MVP awards and a resume that includes a 100-catch receiver in four of his last five years as the team's quarterback.

Besides, if Manning were to join the Dolphins, former teammate Reggie Wayne, now a free agent, would almost certainly want to follow. So you put Wayne, Marshall and Reggie Bush in the same lineup with Manning, and, suddenly, Rex Ryan is talking about more than overcoming just New England.

"It can truly be dangerous," Wayne told WQAM in Miami. "The league might not want that."

Then again, others might.


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Is a Super shot with Manning worth the hangover after he retires?

Even if Manning returns to form, that's no guarantee that another Super Bowl title is in his future. (US Presswire) Even if Manning returns to form, that's no guarantee that another Super Bowl title is in his future. (US Presswire)

I call it selling your soul.

That's what any team that signs Peyton Manning would be doing. I still think Manning can play at a high level, but it's not a certainty. And even if he can play like he did before his four neck surgeries, who says he wins a title?

The questions nobody out there is asking are there: What if he doesn't win a Super Bowl? What if it doesn't work? What if he's gone to retirement and hanging with his young twins in two years?

Anything short of winning a Super Bowl would make his signing a failure.

Division title? Not good enough.

Playing in a conference title game? Still not good enough.

Super Bowl loser? Nope.

Win a ring or the move is a failure for the signing team. There would be no other way to describe it.

Let's say Team A signs Manning to a five-year, incentive-laden deal with $25 million in guaranteed money. Let's say it's back-loaded and it's really only a three-year deal, with two years added on for bookkeeping purposes.

Team A would then have three years to win a Super Bowl. In those three years, that team would likely avoid drafting a potential franchise passer.

So it might come to this even if he does win a title: one ring followed by a decade of losing.

Some will say that's worth it. Is it? That team's fans should be like that guy who jumps off cliffs for the shear enjoyment of it with that squirrel suit. Eventually, the crash is coming. The thrill of the ride is fine, and it will be for the team that signs Manning, but the crash is inevitable.

Just look at the Colts.

A year ago, long before we thought Manning's neck would keep him sidelined, the Colts were considered a Super contender. Then he misses the entire season, they finish with the worst record in the league, and now they're blowing up the franchise.

The only thing left is Jim Irsay's wacky Twitter account and that might be part of the purge too the way things are going.

The Colts might not contend for a Super Bowl for another four years. It could be longer.

But Manning produced a decade of dominance and one Super Bowl title. He also helped Irsay build a new stadium and attract a Super Bowl to a city that would have never had it without the house that Peyton built.

For the Colts, it was more than worth it.

But this Manning is 35. This Manning has a bad neck. This Manning is hoping a nerve regenerates just to be able to throw with the same velocity he once did. You can have all the grainy videos leaked to the media you want. Until he lines up and throws for a half-hour, nobody will know for sure if he can do it.

It's like hearing great things about a racehorse that once won a big-stakes race. Then finding out the horse has a bad foot. Would you buy it? Would you even bet on it?

Yes, Manning is a tireless worker and if anybody can do it he can. But it's still risky -- to say the least.

I say he comes back. And I still think he plays well.

But I offer this caution: If he doesn't win a Super Bowl with his new team, that team will have a hard time recovering.

As detailed as Manning is on the nuances of the NFL game, he has to know this deep down, not that it should matter to him. But the team that signs him will essentially be selling the team soul. Just remember that as Manning excitement grips his new city or state, whether it's Denver, Miami or Phoenix or wherever.

There will be only one way to judge whether Peyton Manning is a good move, and that will be if his new team adds that big, shiny Tiffany trophy to the case in their hallway.


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Manning over Mario Williams? Not on this free agent board

Picking up Williams to bolster your defense is better than taking Manning on offense. (Getty Images) Picking up Williams to bolster your defense is better than taking Manning on offense. (Getty Images)

Free agency begins Tuesday afternoon, with quarterback Peyton Manning at the top of nearly every board. Considering his resume, that makes sense, but this isn't about making sense. This is about making plays.

Which is why I'd put pass rusher Mario Williams ahead of him.

The reason: Let's start with his age. Williams is 27. Manning turns 36 in two weeks. I know Williams is coming off a torn pectoral that sidelined him for all but five games, but Manning is coming off neck surgeries so serious that he never suited up last year, which means he hasn't taken a snap since the 2010 season.

I know what I'm getting with Williams; I'm not sure with Manning. He could be one of the game's most accomplished quarterbacks, or he could be someone at or near the end of his career, one hit away from retirement.

But that's not all.

Williams is a pass rusher, and you can't have enough of them in today's game. The proof was Super Bowl XLVI, and the lesson we learned then is the lesson we learned four years earlier -- namely, a great pass rush trumps a great quarterback.

There is no better quarterback in today's game than New England's Tom Brady, yet he's 0 for 2 in Super Bowls against the New York Giants' defense. That's not a coincidence; that is a trend.

Once upon a time we talked about "The Patriot Way," but it's time that should yield to "The Giant Way." I mean, if the NFL is a copycat league -- and it is -- why wouldn't you follow the Giants' lead and look for the best pass rusher out there and make him yours?

I don't care if you're set at the position. Neither did the Giants in 2010. They had two Pro-Bowl pass rushers, yet spent their first-round draft pick -- the 15th overall -- on Jason Pierre-Paul. The reason: They believed he could improve a pass rush that tied for 18th in 2009 when the Giants allowed more points than everyone but Detroit and St. Louis.

It was the same reason Chicago spent heavily on free-agent defensive end Julius Peppers. In a division with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, the Bears figured they had to squeeze the pocket to have a chance. So they signed the best pass rusher to a megabuck deal, won their division and came within a victory of the Super Bowl.

There's a moral there, people.

There is no better free-agent pass rusher in this class than Williams. He had five sacks in five games last season. He set a Houston record with 14 in 2007. He's a two-time All-Pro. And from 2006-10 he produced 33.6 percent of his team's sacks.

Only Dallas' DeMarcus Ware and the Colts' Robert Mathis were better, but there's a catch: Ware had pass rushers inside and out to complement him, and Mathis had Dwight Freeney. Williams was pretty much on his own, the only Texan to have six or more sacks in four consecutive seasons.

That's why I'd jump at the chance to sign the guy. I want to see what happens when he has playmakers around him. I saw what happened with the Giants' Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, and maybe it happens with Williams.

All I know is that he's young, in the prime of his career and available. Plus, he fits the job description for anyone trying to recreate the Giants' success.

If you want to be Super Bowl worthy you better have a quarterback. But you better have a pass rush, too. Offenses sell tickets. Defenses win championships. And the New York Giants just won their second Super Bowl in four years with the best pass rush in the playoffs.

Remember that. Then move Mario Williams to the head of the class.


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Ochocinco-Lozada nuptials to be chronicled by VH1

NEW YORK -- Cable TV is getting ready to chronicle another sports-related celebrity wedding, this time involving New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and Basketball Wife star Evelyn Lozada.

VH1 said Monday that its eight-part series Ev and Ocho will air starting in September, culminating in a two-episode finale with their wedding.

It should sound familiar: The E! Entertainment network scored its best ratings ever last fall by showing Kim Kardashian's wedding to NBA player Kris Humphries. The marriage lasted 72 days.

Lozada has been featured in four seasons of Basketball Wives, beginning with the end of her engagement to basketball player Antoine Walker, before she moved on to Ochocinco.


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Redskins cut safety Atogwe, veteran fullback Sellers

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins have released safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, saying an early goodbye to one of their big free agent signings from last year.

The Redskins also cut longtime fullback Mike Sellers on Monday, the eve of the start of the NFL's free agency signing period.

Atogwe signed a five-year, $26 million contract just before the NFL lockout a year ago, but he was hampered by hamstring, toe and knee injuries and finished the season as a backup. He was set to make $3.4 million this year.

Sellers has played 11 seasons with the Redskins, first joining the team in 1998 and returning in 2004. He was used mostly as a backup tight end last season. He was set to make $1.045 million in 2012.


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Want to clean up during free agency? Just follow some simple rules

A player like Red Bryant doesn't get fans excited, but can make teams even better. (Getty Images) A player like Red Bryant doesn't get fans excited, but can make teams even better. (Getty Images)

The NFL kicks off free agency Tuesday, which will officially open the mad season, as if Peyton Manning hasn't already kicked that off.

To help prepare for the endless stream of moves, signings, releases, restructuring, agents leaking info, agent propaganda about players and everything else that goes on for the next month or so, I offer Dos and Don'ts for all NFL teams.

These would all apply if I were an NFL general manager, which I often play out here on the pages of CBSSports.com -- much to my e-mailers' chagrin.

Do: Pay big for elite pass-rushers in their prime.

Why: They are few and far between, and rarely do they hit the market. Yet here's Mario Williams, one of the better pass rushers in the league on the market at the age of 27. How can a team pass on that?

Don't: Sign any player over the age of 30 for a big-money deal -- unless it's a quarterback.

Why: Most of the time -- no, nearly all the time -- that player's best football is behind him. So you are essentially paying for past production, rather than future potential. The price is often higher than it should be based on resume rather than the future. That's where teams get in trouble. Often it's the fans who want the name players, refusing to see that those players have played their best football already. Teams have to avoid hearing the clamor and reacting.

Do: Look for guys who are 27 or so and have at least 20 starts in the past two years after having 10 or fewer in their first two years.

Why: It means growth. It means improvement. It means the timing is right. Seattle's Red Bryant: One start first two seasons. Had 23 the last two. That's the type of player teams need to sign.

Don't: Pay fullbacks.

Why: This is a passing league now. They were big in your daddy's NFL. Not the way the game is played today. It's an air league. Not a smash-mouth league anymore. Fullbacks aren't that important. Draft a big slug in the seventh round and make him your fullback.

Do: Grab a pass rusher when you can.

Why: See the New York Giants. You can never have enough of those guys. It might not mean signing Williams to a long-term deal that will be as big as any defensive player in the NFL, but it might mean getting a situational guy who can play in the rotation. Pass rushers are gold in the current NFL.

Don't: Sign anybody's restricted free agent to an offer sheet and give up a first-round pick.

Why: That means you’re taking Steelers wideout Mike Wallace. It's just not worth it for a variety of reasons. One, you have to pay a huge dollar deal with a lot of guaranteed money to even have a chance to get the player. If you do sign him to a sheet, the team can always match it, which means you essentially wasted time doing their negotiating. And, finally, that draft pick would be cheap labor and younger. Isn't that an advantage teams want?

Do: Try and keep your own

Why: You know them. They know you. It's easy to know them as people and as workers in the locker room.

Don't: Get sentimental.

Why: It might be nice to keep your own, but within reason. Don't pay an older, aging player just because he's done some good things for you. Sentiment is for losers. The Steelers have always done a great job letting veteran players walk and replacing them with younger, faster, better talent. That's the way it should be.

Do: Find a bigger corner you can move to safety.

Why: Look at the Houston secondary. They start four players who have started at corner in their careers. That's the prototype secondary -- provided they improve at one corner spot -- for the modern NFL game. Jacksonville hit on Dwight Lowery, a former corner, who started at safety last year. PS: Lowery is an unrestricted free agent.

Don't: Pay big money and project quarterbacks with limited starts as future franchise passers.

Why: They haven't started for a reason. Sometimes, it works out. Mark Brunell did a nice job in Jacksonville. Matt Schaub has done the same in Houston. But there are too many flops. Guys like Rob Johnson, Scott Mitchell and some might even throw in Kevin Kolb and Matt Cassel -- two average players who start. There is a reason Matt Flynn went in the seventh round. He can be solid, but he will never be a star. Be careful how you pay him.

Do: Try to find a third-down back -- for the right price.

Why: I hate the idea of paying feature backs, but I love the idea of giving a third-down backs the right contract. Getting backs involved in the passing game, even on early downs, is about to become an even bigger part of offensive football. The Saints did it with Darren Sproles last year and I think Atlanta will do it more with Jacquizz Rodgers this year. The pass-catching backs, the kind who can turn a screen pass into a 60-yard scoring play, are valuable commodities.

Don't: Sign corners who can't run.

Why: Larry Brown. Remember him? He had two picks in a Super Bowl for the Cowboys and the Raiders signed him to a big deal the next spring. He wasn't fast enough to be a top corner and was considered an Oakland flop. You have to run to play that position, with rare exceptions.

Do: Try to find a second or third receiver for the right price.

Why: With so many spread formations, you need that guy. This comes with a caveat: Do not try and make that second guy a No. 1 receiver. That doesn't work. You are what you are. A Mario Manningham is never going to be a No. 1 receiver. So be rational.

Don't: Sign two-down, run-stuffing linebackers.

Why: This is a passing league. The nickel corner is now more valuable. The run-stuffing linebacker comes off on passing downs, and we know there are a lot more of those these days.

Do: Sign hard-working, good locker-room guys.

Why: Transition can be tough. You want the right people inside the building. Not Saints, mind you, but hard workers.

Don't: Pay Randy Moss.

Why: See above. He has loafed. He isn't a great teammate. And, oh yeah, he's old.


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Steelers tender offer to Wallace, could match any offers

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have tendered an offer to restricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace.

The Steelers did not release what the players were tendered, though general manager Kevin Colbert said recently the team would do what it could to keep Wallace. The Steelers have the right to match any offer made to Wallace or would receive compensation if he signs with another team, likely a first-round draft pick.

Wallace made the Pro Bowl this season after leading the Steelers with 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. He's one of the NFL's top deep threats with an average of 18.7 yards per reception.

The Steelers also tendered offers to CB Keenan Lewis, S Ryan Mundy, TE David Johnson and offensive linemen Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster.


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