Cowboys owner accepts cap hit, insists he won't trade CB Jenkins

Wednesday May 30, 2012 - 11:35 PM

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jerry Jones says the Dallas Cowboys have no intention of trading cornerback Mike Jenkins or any interest in going to federal court to further fight the NFL about a $10 million salary-cap reduction.

Jones made it clear Wednesday that he fully expects Jenkins to stay with the Cowboys, even as the cornerback was missing another week of voluntary workouts. Jenkins has remained home in Florida after shoulder surgery and there have been numerous reports he wants to be traded after Dallas added two prominent cornerbacks in recent weeks.

"I'm real excited about what we can do defensively with having his skills along with the other corners we have. ... We could really have a chance to do something exceptional in our secondary and I want to give us every chance to do that," Jones said. "I'm sure not interested in the future. I'm all about what we can do next season."

Jenkins, who is going into the final year of his contract, was the first topic presented to Jones during an impromptu 25-minute session with reporters on the field at Cowboys Stadium, where the team practiced instead of Valley Ranch because of some rain overnight and that morning.

Jones called last season "probably the most disappointing" in his tenure as the Cowboys owner. Dallas finished 8-8 after losing the season finale against the New York Giants, who claimed the NFC's last playoff spot with that victory and went on to win the Super Bowl.

The owner's session came a week after arbitrator Stephen Burbank upheld the NFL's salary-cap reductions against the Cowboys and Washington Redskins. Burbank ruled in favor of the league and dismissed the grievances by both teams. Dallas lost $10 million in salary cap for overloading contracts during 2010, while the Redskins lost $36 million for this season and next.

"We were very emphatic that there was no deal among the owners about anything to do with a cap, and that was our position," Jones said. "We honor the arbitrator. The ruling was that the place to hear this was not in his jurisdiction, the place to hear it was over in federal court, which we're not interested in getting involved like that."

Asked why not, Jones responded, "I just don't want to" without elaborating.

Jones again talked about how feels the team's window to contend with players like quarterback Tony Romo, linebacker DeMarcus Ware and tight end Jason Whitten was getting shorter.

"There is an urgency. It's my perception that decides when the windows are and where they are," he said. "With that in mind, I'm saying that we need to get out here, get down to business, get in some playoffs and get knocking on the door."

After throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the Texas Rangers game, Romo said he appreciates the fact Jones has the same passion as the players about wanting to win.

"I love Jerry for the simple fact that he has the same approach. I don't feel like every owner's objective is 100 percent, I think people all want to win, but Jerry's decisions are all, he's going to do whatever gives us the best chance to win right now, right at this moment, and I love that," Romo said. "That sense of urgency is absolutely there, and that's why I love having an owner like that who knows it's about right now."

Jones has owned the Cowboys since 1989, and they haven't been back to the Super Bowl since winning three titles in a four year span in the mid-1990s. Plus, the owner will turn 70 during the upcoming season, so he knows he's not getting any younger.

"I think about it in everything I do," Jones said. "I remember when I was younger I wanted to be older so people would pay more attention and I could talk to them better. So it seems like we're always referring to that, experience or age, but from my perspective right now, I don't have time to have a bad time."

Even with the $10 million salary-cap reduction -- $5 million each this year and next -- the Cowboys were able to fill some pressing needs in free agency. They then moved up eight spots while giving up their second-round pick in the draft to select LSU All-America cornerback Morris Claiborne sixth overall.

Dallas got its top offseason target in free agency, signing cornerback Brandon Carr to a $50 million, five-year contract with $26.5 million guaranteed. Offensive linemen Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings got starter-worthy multiyear contracts, and Dallas also signed backup quarterback Kyle Orton, safety Brodney Pool, linebacker Dan Connor and fullback Lawrence Vickers.

The additions of Carr and Claiborne certainly could have an impact on playing time for Jenkins, who started 12 games last season. He missed four with a hamstring injury, though dealt with other nagging injuries all season.

Even with Carr and Claiborne, Jones still expects Jenkins to be a big part of the Cowboys defense. Jones expects Jenkins to be at the mandatory veteran minicamp June 12-14.

"I can't think of anything that helps the Cowboys better than to have Jenkins on the team. Nothing. And I'm not interested in what we gain in the future," Jones said, again dismissing any idea of a trade "And I'm certainly not interested in the iffiness in the future when I've got my hands on someone that I know can play winning football this year."

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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The Pro Bowl returns for another season in Hawaii; game set for Jan. 27

Posted: 03:17 PM ET May 30, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

Rodgers said last January that he was embarrassed by the effort given in the Pro Bowl. (US Presswire)
While the Pro Bowl seems to be winding its way to a near-certain death (or, at the very least, continued irrelevance), it will stagger on for yet another season.

Despite Roger Goodell's assertion a few months ago that he was considering eliminating the event, the NFL and NFLPA announced Wednesday afternoon that the Pro Bowl will return to Hawaii the week before the Super Bowl. That means you should set your DVR for Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. ET where you can catch all the live action emanating from Aloha Stadium on NBC.

“The players have made it clear through the NFL Players Association that they would like the opportunity to continue to play the Pro Bowl in Hawaii,” said NFL executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson in a statement. “We will support the players on this initiative to improve the Pro Bowl. We have had many discussions with the players in recent years about the Pro Bowl and they recognize that the quality of the game has not been up to NFL standards. We look forward to working with the players toward the goal of improving the competitiveness of this season's game.”

“The players believe that the Pro Bowl is an important tradition,” said NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth. “We worked hard with the league to make sure the best players in the NFL are honored for their achievements on the field.”

Sure, we make fun of the Pro Bowl because it's utterly unwatchable from a football (or an effort) point of view. But people watch it. An average of 12.5 million viewers viewed last year's version, and it was the most-watched all-star game of any sport in 2011.

Hopefully, this year's even won't be quite as embarrassing to some of the players who are participating. I have my doubts, though.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

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How About A Free NFL Betting System

Warren Sapp to return to NFL Network for another year

Posted: 05:30 PM ET May 30, 2012

By Ryan Wilson | NFL Blogger

Warren Sapp may be out on Inside the NFL after Showtime and CBS declined to renew his contract, but speculation about his tenure coming to an end at NFL Network was just that because NFLN executive producer Eric Weinberger told USA Today that Sapp will be back for at least another year.

"This is probably going to be news to some blogs and articles out there who've said his time is up here," Weinberger said, "but we picked up an option year on his contract." Sapp's on-air duties will remain largely unchanged it seems, including working NFL Network's Sunday pregame show.

Sapp's future at the network seemed to be in doubt after he went on the air and outed former New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey as the snitch in the Saints bounty scandal. Complicating matters: Sapp was wrong. In addition to Shockey saying as much, CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman wrote at the time: "...asked people familiar with the NFL's investigation and was told Shockey had nothing to do with the case. Nothing. At all." And commissioner Roger Goodell offered this: "[Sapp's] inaccurate, so we'll start with that."

Shockey also called for NFL Network to fire Sapp. Obviously, they did not.

"Is the league going to come down on their own people when someone does something so wrong and outrageous?” Shockey asked Yahoo's Jason Cole in March. “There should be a standard for punishment, like getting suspended or fined or losing your job. If I say something about officials, the league fines me."

Days later in a statement, NFL Network Senior Vice President of Programming and Production Mark Quenzel said that Sapp had been reminded that "he is an analyst and not a reporter for NFL Network. In the future, if he comes across something he thinks is news, he will let his producers know and before it is reported or Tweeted, that content will be subject to the same verification procedure that our reporters follow.”

And now Sapp will be gainfully employed by NFLN for at least another year.

That wasn't the only reason the former Pro Bowler was in the news this spring. Sapp also declared bankruptcy (and not the good kind), announced that he would play a judge in a reality courtroom series, and that he has a new book coming out, Sapp Attack, which includes unfettered gems like this about former Buccaneers teammate, quarterback Trent Dilfer:

"Dilfer … basically was an interception waiting to happen. There were times we practically pleaded with him, 'We know you're not going to score a touchdown, but please, just don't turn it over.'"

And this is the type of trenchant analysis we can expect for another year on NFL Network.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Ryan Wilson on Twitter here: @ryanwilson_07.

Tags: Ryan Wilson, NFL

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T.O. and Driver: Done and how it's done right in today's NFL

Wednesday May 30, 2012 - 4:09 PM

After a mostly great career, Owens has what looks like a not-so-great ending. (AP)

The man with the action-figure body and Hall of Fame talent likely will never play football again. He was ousted from an Indoor Football League team. The only thing lower would be getting cut from a flag football squad. He's a scoundrel.

The man with the moderate talent, the man who was always good, but not great, is going out the way he wants. He has been less talented than action-figure Terrell Owens, less known, and also less trouble. He was also steady on the field and off. This week, Donald Driver completed a deal that will make him a "Packer for life." He's the anti-Terrell Owens. He's a hero.

It's rare that in literally a 72-hour span, the NFL draws this kind of startling contrast. Good guy and bad guy, uber-talent and workhorse, good side of the force, wrong side of the force -- all are great cliches used in sports that are often false.

In seeing the careers of Owens and Driver end in such different ways those cliches come to life. One man's life is a cautionary tale, the other an inspiration, and we watched the culmination of a career of decisions -- in one case many of them bad ones, in another almost all the right ones.

If the NFL wanted to produce a video to scare its incoming rookies straight, they have many choices, but one of them would focus on this week. The week when the career of a Hall of Famer officially died because of self-inflicted wounds and a good player signed on to go out his way.

Owens will never play in the NFL again. Is there a .1 percent chance some GM will take a chance? Sure. Still the Owens baggage is so voluminous an airline wouldn't touch him, let alone an NFL team. At least, we think no team is that dumb.

Driver is the opposite. It was interesting watching social media reaction not only in Green Bay (but especially in Green Bay) as Driver made his way through the Dancing With The Stars competition. There was almost a sense of euphoria from the NFL community, and it seemed larger and more sincere than when other NFL players won on the show. In a way, that's a typical reaction to Driver.

He's always been one of the forgotten, really good players. Driver is the all-time Packers leader with 735 catches for 10,060 yards for what is probably the most-storied franchise in the NFL, and over the years he's received a fraction of the attention received by Owens.

Part of it is playing in Green Bay, and part of it was the talent difference. But most of all, Driver has never been an excessive showboat. He's a showman. There's a difference. He'll perform the occasional first-down shimmy but those moves were always more for fans than himself.

Driver and Owens both did dirty work across the dangerous middle of the football field (a part of Owens' legacy that is unfairly ignored). What Driver did that Owens would not is subject his abilities for the greater good of the team. Driver probably could have had far bigger numbers if he played elsewhere. And while numbers are important to Driver, they don't define him. With Owens, they did.

Driver cared about loyalty and winning. Owens cared about Owens and Owens.

No one is shocked Owens was released by essentially a minor, minor league team because of a lack of effort or skipping out on a visit to a children's hospital. Or that he's broke. Or the large number of turdulent things he's done throughout his career and life. There's no need to rehash all of that.

What's important is that Owens is second in all-time NFL receiving yards and he was just cut by the IFL. I used to think the IFL was a Russian ballistic missile system. No, it's a league, and one of the most physically gifted players in NFL history just got the boot from the Texas Wranglers.

"It is impossible to maintain a player when even our fans notice and comment on a player's lack of effort both on and off the field," Wranglers owner Jon Frankel said.

Burn. One of the many indictments of Owens. While no one has ever questioned the effort of Driver. Another reason why we'll never see Owens in an NFL uniform again and why Driver will leave the sport as a Packer. On his own terms.

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'Inside triangle' key to every team's 1st- and 2nd-down success on D

Tuesday May 29, 2012 - 5:47 PM

With various partners, Ray Lewis has helped keep the Ravens' triangle stout. (US Presswire)

We hear coaches say "it all starts up front." when describing what a good football team looks like. That's not entirely accurate because what coaches really mean is "it starts up front inside."

It doesn't matter if your favorite team is in a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense there is an inside triangle that is the foundation of the defense and if it isn't rock solid the rest of the package will crumble.

The inside triangles look like this:
• The 3-4 inside triangle: Two inside linebackers and the nose tackle.

• The 4-3 inside triangle: Two defensive tackles and the middle linebacker.

There are different philosophies about the inside triangle with all fronts. Two 4-3 coaches may build entirely different inside triangles. Same for any two 3-4 coaches.

For example:
• Shade 4-3 inside triangle front: A DT on the outside shoulder of a guard, a nose tackle on a side of the center and the MLB in a gap.

• Base 4-3 inside traingle front: But both defensive tackles over the guards and the MLB over the center.

It changes from team to team. The Eagles' 4-3 inside triangle is based on quickness with Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson at defensive tackle and DeMeco Ryans at the MLB. The Buffalo Bills have a combination of quickness and thickness with Marcel Dareus and Kyle Williams at DT, plus big middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard. The Giants have a big thick inside group with Linval Joseph (6-foot-4, 328 pounds) and Chris Canty (6-7, 310) in front of a number of different middle linebackers who are hard to reach for would-be blockers.

The shade look usually requires quick One-Gap players who penetrate while the base look has bigger defensive tackles controlling the line of scrimmage.

Even the 3-4 teams will have different ways of playing the inside triangle. A team like Dallas with Jay Ratliff and his great quickness on the nose may slant him and play more One-Gap while Pittsburgh with Casey Hampton is going to make teams double Hampton because they Two-Gap him. While there are multiple ways to play the inside triangle, you better stop the run.

I looked at all 32 teams' inside triangle (96 starters projected for 2012). It would be surprising if more than four or five rookies break into various inside triangle groups in 2012. Right now Dontari Poe (a 3-4 NT for the Chiefs), Michael Brockers (a 4-3 defensive tackle for the Rams), Bobby Wagner (a 4-3 middle linebacker for the Seahawks) and John Hughes (a 4-3 defensive tackle for Cleveland) have the best chance to start. Life is rough inside that triangle, and most rookies aren’t ready for the speed and power required to play in those trenches.

The inside triangle's importance is not lost on coaches, and clubs with issues there took measures to fix them.

The Rams got two new defensive tackles to go in front of MLB James Laurinitis.

The Eagles traded for MLB DeMeco Ryans, who didn't fit in the Houston 3-4 but is perfect for the Eagle 4-3.

Seattle not only drafted MLB Bobby Wagner but also signed DT Jason Jones.

New Orleans didn't hesitate to repair an inside triangle with the addition of MLB Curtis Lofton and DT Broderick Bunkley.

A team like the Oakland Raiders would have a solid inside triangle if they could keep Rolando McClain out of jail to go along with DTs Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly. The Raiders can play the big, thick inside triangle or the quick version because of Seymour. Oakland needs to follow the lead of the Saints and not wait until it's too late to fix its problem. The Raiders should sign someone like MLB Gary Bracket now or their inside triangle will break down.

First-down problems as well as second and 4- to 6-yard issues can be attributed to the quality of an inside triangle. In 2011, six teams limited opponents to fewer than 4 yards a carry on first down (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Seattle and Minnesota) and for the most part have very good inside groups.

When it came to second-down runs, the youth, injuries and lack of experience in Tampa Bay's inside triangle was obvious. The Bucs gave up 6.08 yards per second-down run after giving up 4.92 on first down. Do the math. The Bucs' inside group couldn't stop or disrupt the run game -- giving up an average of 11 yards on first- and second-down runs. They were not alone. The Saints (9.79 yards) and Rams (9.57 yards) also struggled on first- and second-down runs because of the inside triangle.

The Ravens and the 49ers have outstanding inside groups and their first-and second-down run play backs it up. The Ravens gave up a combined 7.33 yards and the Niners 7.30 yards. They got more teams to third-and-long situations because of the work of their inside triangle on defense.

Things change every year, and after looking at the whole league here are my top five inside triangle groups from the 3-4 and the 4-3 defenses in no particular order.

3-4 inside triangles
49ers: Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Isaac Sopaga
Ravens: Ray Lewis, Jameel McClain, Terrence Cody
Patriots: Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Vince Wilfork
Cowboys: Sean Lee, Dan Connor, Jay Ratliff
Steelers: Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, Casey Hampton

4-3 inside triangles
Bears: Brian Urlacher, Matt Toeaina, Henry Melton
Eagles: DeMeco Ryans, Cullen Jenkins, Mike Patterson
Bills: Kelvin Sheppard, Marcel Dareus, Kyle Williams
Lions: Stephen Tulloch, Ndamukong Suh, Corey Williams
Jaguars: Paul Posluszny, Tyson Alualu, Terrence Knighton

If you're still looking for evidence supporting the inside triangle's importance, consider this from an NFL offensive coordinator: "If I can isolate the inside three on early downs, we always have a good chance to beat that team. We will run right at a bad inside triangle and away from a good one."

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Buying Points to Minimize Losing Odds in NFL Betting

Former high school football star, Brian Banks, will get NFL chance 10 years later

Posted: 01:51 PM ET May 30, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

Brian Banks, a former high school football star who committed to play at USC, has spent the past 10 years as a convicted felon after pleading guilty to kidnapping and rape in 2002.

In a shocking twist last week, though, a judge threw out the conviction and freed him from captivity after Banks' former accuser admitted that she had lied about the accusation that he had raped her.

Now, Banks wants to reignite his football dream and hopes to have a chance to play in the NFL. According to ESPN.com's Rick Reilly, Banks will get that shot after all as the Chiefs, Redskins, Dolphins and Seahawks have been in contact to offer him tryouts.

Which obviously makes Banks ecstatic. But is it possible for Banks, who spent the past decade not playing football, to perform well enough to make an NFL team? I remember we were skeptical of Plaxico Burress' claims that he was good enough to return to the NFL after prison -- and surprisingly, he was -- but Banks spent about twice as long in prison than Burress (on the other hand, Burress also was about eight years older than Banks when he got his chance).

And considering Banks was locked up for five years and has spent the past five years on probation with an electronic bracelet around his ankle, how hard really could he have been training?

"I'll make 'em happy," Banks told Reilly. "After all I've been through these last 10 years, I can still do some things that will impress you."

Banks said he's been training hard for the past eight months. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder says he can dead-lift 545 pounds, jump 55 inches flat-footed and run a 4.6 40. Here's hoping Banks, who's handled himself so well throughout this seemingly unfair process, makes the best of his newfound chance at success.

"I know my story makes people angry at first," Banks said. "That's where I was, too, at first. But where would it have gotten me to stay mad for 10 years? It's like when you're a little kid and you cry about having to clean your room. You can cry and cry, but it doesn't get your room cleaned."

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

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Cam Newton says he was 'very immature' and 'a bad teammate' during 2011

Posted: 03:20 PM ET May 30, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Not necessarily a relevant picture, but Cam + Hamm = Awesome. (Getty Images)
There's not a whole lot of bad things you can say about Cam Newton's performance during the 2011 season, when he set the rookie record for passing yards in a season and generally set the league on fire.

That is, unless you're Alex Smith and trying to make a pedantic argument about the statistical importance of passing yards. Or, apparently, Cam Newton himself -- the quarterback told Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports that he was "very immature" and "a bad teammate" last year.

"I was very immature," Newton told Cole. "I'll be the first one to tell you, the pouting and the moping, I kind of overdid it. I know that. I was a bad teammate. I shut off to some people who gave unbelievable effort. That's where I have to mature."

There was reason to think that Newton was a little surly last year: Newton wasn't the most energetic fella during his postgame press conferences following Panthers losses. And there was some belief that Newton was "shutting people off" when he wore a towel on his head on the sidelines. (Personally, I think it's way overblown, but expect Newton's comments to re-engergize that tired debate.)

Perhaps "shutting down" is the wrong word though. Newton's quotables from Cole's article sound worse than what the quarterback was actually saying, which was that he put a lot of blame on himself for the losses.

“Half the time it wasn't me shutting people down because I was thinking they weren't giving the same effort as me, it was me knowing there were things I could do that could have changed the outcome of the game," Newton said. "I put a lot on me to be able to respond. When things are going wrong, I wanted to have the ball in my hand, just like any warrior, any competitor who has played this game.

"When you don't get the results you want, I didn't go about it the right way."

It shouldn't be all that surprising that Newton struggled with losing in his rookie year. He was coming off one of the more ridiculous seasons in college football history -- not only did he put up stupid numbers (2,854 passing yards, 1,473 rushing yards, 50 touchdowns) while Auburn went undefeated en route to a BCS title, but he did it all while getting absolutely smothered with coverage of off-field rumors.

That's not an easy adjustment, especially when big stats as a rookie aren't translating to wins the way that they probably should have. But read the entire article from Cole and you'll see that Newton's being challenged by the teammates -- the re-born Steve Smith, the heavily-utilized Greg Olsen to name a few -- and coaches -- quarterbacks coach Mike Shula -- to name a few.

And more importantly, he's he's challenging himself to get better and improve on his response to bad games, series and plays.

"I have to have the same mentality, but I have to go about it in a different way," Newton said. "It's an overall maturity level that has to kick in. It's saying, 'OK, that was two plays ago that you threw that interception, now you have to let that go and get past that.' I can't be moping and crying about making a bonehead play when it was three series ago. That's the thing that I did that has to change."

If Newton's able to do that, he'll end up avoiding any sort of sophomore slump and could end up being more productive (at least in terms of high productivity with a greater efficiency). And if that happens, Newton will definitely get his wish when it comes to people tuning in to see the Panthers.

"My fingers are crossed and my knees are on the floor every night just praying and just demanding that people watch the show and see what happens this year," Newton said. "Just watch the show."

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.

Tags: Alex Smith, Alex Smith, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, Steve Smith, Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers, NFL

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Donald Driver set to sign new contract, says he'll be a 'Packer for life'

Posted: 08:56 AM ET May 30, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

Sounds like Driver might get his wish: finishing his career in Green Bay.
Coming off his triumph at Dancing With the Stars (you should see his over-the-top reaction to the news that he won), it appears that receiver Donald Driver and the Packers have come to an agreement that will allow him to return to Green Bay this season.

Says the man himself:

Tweeps: when I said I will be a Packer for life. It is now true. Packer for life.

— Donald Driver (@Donald_Driver80) May 30, 2012

We don't have many more details than that, but Driver's agent sent a statement to the NBC affiliate in Milwaukee that said, "We have agreed to terms with the Packers but need to review it [Wednesday] to finalize."

As ESPN Milwaukee's Jason Wilde points out, Driver -- a 13-year veteran who's spent his entire career with the Packers -- was scheduled to make a $2.6 million base salary in 2012 along with $2.2 million in roster bonuses and a $200,000 workout bonus. Considering he was to count $5 million against the 2012 salary cap, it's almost assured that the restructured deal will lower the team's cost, especially since Driver has taken a reduced role in recent years.

Assuming the deal gets done and signed, Driver could begin participating in Green Bay's OTAs Wednesday.

“I'll be in Green Bay. I'm not going anywhere,” Driver told ESPN radio last week. “I've always said I want to retire as a Packer, I think the organization knows that, so we're going to come together. We're going to make a decision. One, two more years, and then I'll put my cleats on the shelf and sit back in Dallas and relax. It's family.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

Tags: Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers, NFL

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CB Allen surprises Vikings by retiring at age 24

Posted: 02:24 PM ET May 30, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

For now, it's unclear why Asher retired entering his fourth NFL season. (Getty)
Vikings cornerback Asher Allen, who was set to enter his fourth year in the league, has retired, Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

It's unclear why the 24-year-old is giving up the game, and the decision apparently surprised Frazier, who said he was told it wasn't a health matter. In the final year of his rookie contract, the former third-round pick was set to make $615,000 in 2012.

In the past three seasons, Asher had started 21 of 36 games, accumulating 134 tackles, four interceptions and 11 passes defended. He did not have a good season last year, according to Pro Football Focus -- which ranked him No. 107 out of 109 cornerbacks and calculated that quarterbacks had a 104.6 rating when they threw his way.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

Tags: Asher Allen, Minnesota Vikings, NFL

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Vanderjagt's coaching job in question after he's accused of grabbing student by throat

Posted: 10:08 PM ET May 25, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

This was the kick Mike Vanderjagt missed in the 2005 playoffs, but he yanked it wide right. (Getty) You probably remember Mike Vanderjagt as one of the best place-kickers in NFL history, and you might also recall that Peyton Manning referred to him as an “idiot kicker” after Vanderjagt criticized the then-Colts quarterback and coach Tony Dungy.

You might not know, however, that Vanderjagt lives these days in Marco Island, Fla., where he is a restaurateur and coaches middle school football at Marco Island Charter Middle School. Well, you probably discovered that recently because of the news Vanderjagt has helped create for himself after he was accused of grabbing a student by the throat after the boy teased Vanderjagt for missing a pressure-packed field goal from seven years ago.

According to the Naples News, the alleged incident occurred two months ago when Marco Island police responded to a call that an adult male had grabbed a student by the throat. Apparently, one student yelled “wide left, wide left” at Vanderjagt (strange because the last-minute field goal Vanderjagt missed against the Steelers in the 2005 playoffs was wide right). Vanderjagt allegedly walked up to the boy, grabbed his throat and began cursing at him.

Vanderjagt told police he placed his hand on the child's shoulder near the back of his neck in order to hold him in place while he talked to him. He also said he did not mean to hurt or threaten the student.

Vanderjagt said he talked to the boy's parents two days later, and both sides apologized to the other.

Police have not charged Vanderjagt, but he's been suspended by coaching from the school and it's unclear whether he'll return.

“Mike Vanderjagt wants to coach, and I don't think that should be taken away,” Roger Raymond, the athletic director at the middle school, told the paper.

The principal will make the ultimate decision on whether Vanderjagt will keep his job. Either way, hopefully he'll stop allegedly making decisions that would vindicate Manning's nickname.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

Tags: Peyton Manning, NFL

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Top Five NFL Teams 2011

Panthers Jon Beason fires back on Twitter at Niners Alex Smith over stats debate

Posted: 02:27 PM ET May 25, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

On Thursday, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith made some noise when he said that passing yards are a "totally overblown stat." He's correct to a degree (although I personally don't believe he's as correct as my colleague Clark Judge does) but what really stood out from his potent quotables was the decision to invoke Cam Newton's name along with the stat.

Smith pointed out that Newton had a bunch of 300-yard passing games but was "not winning." Panthers linebacker Jon Beason took umbrage to that statement and fired off a Twitter zinger of his own in Smith's direction on Thursday night.

Alex smith, don't hate on Cam Bc your stats would've gotten u cut if Peyton decided to come 2 San Fran.Truth b told..That's after a 13-3 yr.

— Jon Beason (@jonbeason) May 25, 2012

First: Buuuuuurn. Second, Beason is also correct. If winning games was the only thing that mattered, the 49ers wouldn't have had secret flirtations with Peyton Manning in the offseason. (San Francisco said they weren't in on Manning, then promptly chased him to Raleigh; not enough is made of that.)

San Francisco won 13 games in 2011 and cruised to a division title in the NFC West. They were incredibly close to making the Super Bowl. They did all this with Alex Smith as their quarterback.

And yet, they felt compelled this offseason to attempt and upgrade the position by chasing after a 36-year-old coming off of four neck surgeries. Remember at one point Smith was making a trip to Miami to look into signing with the Dolphins?

And Beason's right. Smith, for all his talk of how important wins are, might be elsewhere if Peyton picked the 49ers. Newton, on the other hand, would be in Carolina no matter how many games the Panthers lost last year.

Tags: Alex Smith, Alex Smith, Cam Newton, Jon Beason, Peyton Manning, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, NFL

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Finding the Fits: Titans hope 3rd-round pick Mike Martin helps clog running lanes

Posted: 08:54 AM ET May 25, 2012

By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Martin should help improve a run defense that finished 24th last season (US Presswire)
Over the next several weeks, NFLDraftScout.com will be reviewing some of the more intriguing picks made during the 2012 NFL Draft through a series called "Finding the Fits." The goal of the series is to identify one relatively unheralded player per team who appears to be a good schematic fit and therefore more likely to be a surprise contributor early in his pro career.

New Tennessee Titans general manager Ruston Webster and head coach Mike Munchak systematically checked off the needs for his team as the 2012 draft unfolded. Need a playmaker to take the place of the oft-injured Kenny Britt? Check, the Titans selected standout wideout Kendall Wright at No. 20 overall. Need more speed at the weakside outside linebacker position to pair with intriguing second-year standouts at middle linebacker Colin McCarthy and strongside linebacker Akeem Ayers? Check, the Titans handled that with the speedy Zach Brown in the second round.

Perhaps the duo's most intriguing pick, however, was Michigan defensive tackle Mike Martin in the third round, especially considering the Titans' struggles at defending the run.

Tennessee finished 24th in the NFL a year ago in terms of average rushing yards allowed, allowing 2,053 yards (or 128.3 yards per game) and even worse when it came to defending the run on third down. No team in the NFL finished worse than the Titans when it came to stopping the opponent on third down against the run, as they allowed 52 runs up the middle for first downs. The Titans like their young defensive tackle rotation of Sen'Derrick Marks, Shaun Smith and Karl Klug but with Peyton Manning moving on to the Denver Broncos, the division title requires stopping the Texans' Arian Foster and Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew. That's where the high-effort, run-plugging Martin comes in.

The 6-1, 307-pound Martin hardly looks like a run-stuffer but as Titans' fans already know with the 6-3, 275-pound Klug, who incidentally led the Titans with seven sacks a year ago, size is overrated. Martin, just like Klug, proved against quality competition the throughout his career as well as at the Senior Bowl that stuffing the run is more of a comment on physicality, effort and leverage than just size.

Martin is a high-effort run-defender whose use of leverage and explosive strength due to his championship credentials as a prep wrestler and shot putter, make him all the more effective than his size would indicate. If the Titans are to earn a playoff spot in 2012, they'll have to improve against the running game.

Martin, while not necessarily as physically imposing as several of the defensive tackles drafted ahead of him, will help them do them do just that.

The rest of the Titans' picks:

1st Round - No. 20 overall - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
2nd Round - No. 52 overall - Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina
3rd Round - No. 82 overall - Mike Martin, DT, Michigan
4th Round - No. 115 overall - Coty Sensabaugh, CB, Clemson
5th Round - No. 145 overall - Taylor Thompson, TE, Southern Methodist
6th Round - No. 190 overall - Markelle Martin, FS, Oklahoma State
7th Round - No. 211 overall - Scott Solomon, DE, Rice

Read more about all of the Titans' picks here.

Tags: 2012 Draft Prospects, Draft, Draft Prospects, Finding the Fits, NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans, NFLDRAFT

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Report: Colts want to acquire Mike Jenkins from Dallas; Cowboys might be interested

Posted: 05:37 PM ET May 25, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

Is Dallas interested in trading Jenkins? Some say yes, some say no. (US Presswire) We told you a couple days ago that Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins is not happy with his current place of employment.

In fact, he's skipped Dallas' OTAs so far because he wants to be traded (probably because the Cowboys went out and got cornerback Brandon Carr in free agency -- and paid him $50 million to do so -- and then traded up to draft Morris Claiborne).

The Cowboys have said they're not interested in trading their 2008 first-round draft pick (after all, a secondary featuring Carr, Claiborne, Orlando Scandrick and Jenkins would be pretty sweet for Dallas' defense), but that might have changed.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Colts have made multiple trade offers and the Cowboys might be wavering on whether they'd accept a swap. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, though, talked to a high-ranking Cowboys official who said Dallas still isn't interested.

Already the Colts have traded for a cornerback this week -- they acquired Cassius Vaughn from the Broncos -- but Jenkins would upgrade their secondary even more. Right now, it looks like Jerraud Powers and Kevin Thomas would be the starting corners in Indianapolis, and Jenkins likely would finagle his way into a starting spot if he lands with the Colts.

As Jenkins enters the final year of his contract, he's set to make a base salary of $1.052 million, which obviously makes him even more marketable for 2011. According to Pro Football Focus, Jenkins ranked in the middle of the pack last year among the league's cornerbacks (40th out of 109), and quarterbacks had a rating of 88.5 when throwing at the receiver he covered.

Still, it's not a surprise the Colts would be interested. After all, he's still young, and he still has potential. Oh, and one other thing.

#NFL personnel execs are split on Mike Jenkins as a player but they all love his contract. #CheapStarter #Cowboys

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) May 25, 2012

Of course, if Dallas still isn't interested, I suppose none of this matters.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

Tags: Brandon Carr, Cassius Vaughn, Jerraud Powers, Kevin Thomas, Mike Jenkins, Morris Claiborne, Orlando Scandrick, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, NFL

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City council approval clears way for Vikings stadium

Friday May 25, 2012 - 2:07 PM
The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

All that a new Minnesota Vikings stadium needs now is a shovel in the ground.

The Minneapolis City Council on Friday voted to approve funding for a football / convention center facility, the final hurdle necessary to building a new downtown home for the Vikings.

The final vote was 7-6, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, ending a push for a new stadium that lasted nearly a decade.

Minneapolis will subsidize about $309 million of the stadium with the state and the Vikings paying for the rest. It will cost about $957 million to build. The Minnesota legislature approved state funding earlier this month.

"It's one of those tough decisions that you need every generation or so to keep a city moving forward," Mayor R.T. Rybak told the Star Tribune. "But it's also based on ... something I've had to deal with from the start, which is to clean up the city's finances, and I think we did that."

The stadium is scheduled to be built on the footprint of the Vikings' current home, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, which is located on the east side of downtown Minneapolis. The vote also approves funds to renovate Target Center, the home of the Minnesota Timberwolves that is located on the west side of downtown Minneapolis.

The city's mayor now must appoint two people to the stadium authority committee.

Copyright (C) 2012 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

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Report: Lawrence Taylor informed that Charlie Sheen purchased his Super Bowl ring

Posted: 01:07 PM ET May 24, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Charlie Sheen reportedly purchased Lawrence Taylor's auctioned-off Super Bowl ring. (Getty Images)

The whole saga involving Lawrence Taylor's Super Bowl ring may have taken a (somehow) even more bizarre twist. According to a report, LT and his agent were informed that the winning bid was placed by none other than Charlie Sheen.

Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com first reported the news and also points out that there's a possibility that the news isn't 100 percent correct. (Glazer also makes a great joke about Rob Lowe confirming this news, which doesn't even seem out of the question.)

Frankly, I can't tell whether to laugh or cry at the auction unfolding this way, but I'm leaning towards "cackling manically" at this point. After all, what's more perfect than Osi Umenyiora chasing Twitter followers with a possible purchase of the most-publicized sports auction we've seen in a while, only to get topped by CHUCK SHEEN?

The answer is nothing (barring the Rob Lowe confirmation anyway).

Here's what I'm interested in, though: Sheen's motivation for buying the ring. I'd like to believe that it's one of two things. Either a) Sheen is a Giants fan or b) he's going to melt the ring down and snort it.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.

Tags: New York Giants, NFL

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Robert Griffin III first professional athlete to wear Roman numerals on jersey?

Posted: 09:59 AM ET May 25, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

RG3 might be the first professional athlete with Roman numerals on his jersey. (Getty Images)
If you've been following the rise of Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, you've undoubtedly seen a jersey with his name on it like the one above. But you may or may not have been thrown off by the fact that Griffin's jersey actually contains a suffix on it.

That's because the NFL, per Uniwatch's Paul Lukas, changed the rules for what was allowable on the back of a jersey. "Jr" and "Sr" and "III" and whatnot may now be stitched on the back of jerseys, whereas it was previously against the rules to do so.

Lukas confirms with the Redskins that they team is also planning on having RG3 wear a "Griffin III" jersey during games. And Lukas, the sports fashion historian of sorts, doesn't just believe that RG3 (RGIII?) is the first NFL player to wear Roman Numerals on Back (RNOB) of his jersey, but the first professional athlete (in the big four sports of NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL) to do so.

But does it make sense for Griffin to have a "III" on his jersey? Well, from his perspective, absolutely. As I noted when RG3's first commercial with Adidas came out, there is a remarkable symmetry between the suffix attached to his name and the logo of the shoe company that happens to pay him a lot of money. Lukas actually believes that's why Griffin chose Adidas over Nike; if it's true, it's beyond savvy.

And in other random suffix-related-uniform news, Lukas reports that Redskins running back Roy Helu will be rolling with "Helu, Jr." on the back of his uniform in 2012, which is what he did in college.

Players who actually have suffixes should enjoy this opportunity now, before a certain someone decides to change his name to Pepe, Jr and ruin it for everyone.

Tags: Robert Griffin, Roy Helu, Washington Redskins, NFL

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Winslow ready for fresh start with Seahawks

Thursday May 24, 2012 - 9:59 PM

RENTON, Wash. -- Kellen Winslow is ready to prove he still has something left for the Seattle Seahawks.

Winslow was excited to join his new team and eager to make an impact. Seattle hopes Winslow can help boost the production from a position that was woefully uninspiring a season ago.

"I fit in with this offense real well," Winslow said Thursday. "Zach [Miller] and I will be -- it'll be a lot of mismatches that they'll have to cover and we've got some talent here, so I'm excited."

Winslow was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay for a conditional pick in next year's draft on Monday. He was not in the Buccaneers' plans under new coach Greg Schiano.

"Whenever a new regime comes in, it's a little tough because everybody has a clean slate," Winslow said. "I just wasn't part of their vision, and I'm here and I'm happy."

Winslow had spoken with Schiano previously about rejoining the team after not taking part in the Buccaneers' offseason workouts. Winslow flew to Tampa Bay from San Diego on Saturday and received a call late that night from the team.

"They didn't want me to come in Monday and they were looking to trade me," Winslow said.

It didn't take long for a deal to be put together. The Seahawks had kicked the tires on free-agent tight ends Jacob Tamme and Visanthe Shiancoe this offseason and were still looking to address the position after coming up empty in the draft.

"We think it's just a fantastic addition because he can make things happen, he can make plays," coach Pete Carroll said. "Should be a big factor on third down, in the red zone and we'll see how we fit him in.

"We're really fired up to have him in here."

Winslow has played in 16 games in five of the past six seasons and has posted at least 66 catches a year when healthy. Seahawks tight ends combined for only 43 catches last season.

Winslow adds a productive pass-catching threat that Carroll can play on the end of the line or split out wide to put stress on opposing defenses.

"We like guys with special dimensions and he's got them," Carroll said. "He's a real route-runner and a great, great catcher and he does stuff with the ball after he catches it, too."

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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It's OTAs, but still: Mark Sanchez outperforms Tim Tebow; Sanchez agent not surprised

Posted: 05:50 PM ET May 24, 2012

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

The guy on the left didn't perform as well as the guy on the right. (US Presswire)
Before you begin reading this post, let me remind you that it's May 24, the season doesn't start for more than three months and that we're talking about OTAs. OK?

That said, the NY Daily News has the news that Mark Sanchez was clearly the No. 1 quarterback in Jets workouts this week.

Of course, we all know that Tim Tebow doesn't get warmed up until the fourth quarter of games (usually in the last five minutes), so this news shouldn't shock anybody. Nor should the fact that Tebow threw two interceptions during his session Thursday (meanwhile, Sanchez hit second-round draft pick Stephen Hill for a 75-yard touchdown pass).

Although practices this week don't mean much of anything -- and my colleague Clark Judge specifically recommended to give stories like this a rest-- it's probably good for Sanchez immediately to show his dominance over the rest of the quarterbacks at OTAs. Even if it's just to give himself some breathing room in the New York spotlight.

“(Tebow's) popularity drives a lot of that,” Sanchez said, referring to the extra scrutiny that's been placed on him since the Jets traded for Tebow. “At the same time, I wouldn't be in this position if I couldn't handle it. And I'm prepared for it.”

“I'm getting a good vibe from what we're doing now.”

Tebow, on the other hand, perhaps did not. With his coach at Florida, Urban Meyer, in attendance at practice, Tebow looked decent at times scrambling and throwing on the run but also looked shaky, throwing interceptions to safety Yeremiah Bell and linebacker Bart Scott.

“It's definitely frustrating,” Tebow said. “But it's seven on seven. Those plays… were the first time I ran them. So I'll learn from it. Honestly, it won't bother me again. When you make the bad play, you got to put it behind you and move on. I felt like I did.”

Sanchez was quick to compliment Tebow's worth to the team. And we just don't mean the fact Tebow practiced Thursday as a punt protector as well.

“We've been to the playoffs around here,” Sanchez said. “We know what it's like to have different media outlets. When you get a guy as popular as Tim, it's just natural. It's good exposure for our team.”

Good exposure until, of course, Tebow takes Sanchez's job. Which according to Sanchez's agent, Brian Murphy, is obviously not going to happen.

No offense media, but of course Sanchez is going to out perform Tim T. Mark is a franchise quarterback and Tim is a great athlete.

— Brian Murphy (@A1Murph) May 24, 2012

Something to remember if Sanchez struggles during the regular season.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.

Tags: Bart Scott, Mark Sanchez, Stephen Hill, Tim Tebow, Yeremiah Bell, Minicamps, New York Jets, NFL

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NFLPA's Smith on collusion suit: 'Cartels do what cartels will do when left unchecked'

Posted: 04:40 PM ET May 24, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

DeMaurice Smith is firing shots at the NFL. (Getty Images)
On Wednesday, the NFLPA dropped a hammer on the NFL, suing the league for salary-cap-related collusion during the uncapped 2010 year and claiming that the players were due $1 billion in damages.

It was a stunning move and a reminder, as Clark Judge wrote, that labor peace is already a distant memory. And on Thursday, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith ramped up the rhetoric, referring to the owners as a "cartel" while meeting with the media outside the union's headquarters in Washington, DC.

"Cartels do what cartels will do when left unchecked," Smith said.

Smith added that the NFLPA did not sue the league to lose, saying (via the NFLPA's Twitter feed) that the union "wouldn't have filed it if we didn't think it was true."

Additionally, per the NFL Network's Albert Breer, Smith pointed out that the relationship might be frosty but that's the nature of business.

"We all got along and the league locked us out," Smith said. "That's the business we're in."

On Wednesday, the NFL vehemently denied that any collusion took place during the uncapped year. The bigger issue for the NFLPA, however, is proving that they're able to actually sue the NFL over something that took place prior to the new CBA being signed in August of 2011.

The legalese in there should make for some fun, expensive debates in Minnesota soon. For now, we just have to hang out and watch the two sides fire public salvos at one another.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.

Tags: Lockout, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, NFL

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2012 NFL season over/under win totals released: AFC analysis

Posted: 12:43 AM ET May 24, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Who wins more games this year: New Bronco Peyton or new hairstyle Brady? (Getty Images)
It's only May, but we have our hands on some "legal" -- in Vegas anyway -- over and unders for NFL win totals in 2012. NFL win totals are some of the most fascinating sports bets to watch because, unlike in baseball, one or two little things can drastically shift the course of an entire season.

These are also a good indication of what the usually-pretty-smart guys in Vegas foresee for the upcoming NFL season, with the added bonus of playing to the public to a degree.

Cantor Gaming released these odds (they're available for betting in seven different sportsbooks) and we got them via Covers.com. For novice gambling fans, the (-XXX) indicates the juice on certain bets. For instance, if an over is "-120," you would need to bet $120 in order to win $100. If a bet is +105, $100 would win you $105.

First up, let's break down the AFC over-unders, separated by division and in order of expected wins. Leave your favorite pick and in the comments.

New England Patriots, 12 Wins
Over (-120) / Under (-110): The over is the clear-cut favorite over the under (-110) but not by as much as I'd have thought. That's because betting on more than 12 wins in May is bananas, even if Tom Brady's extended, Wes Welker signed his franchise tender and the Pats drafted for defense. While the Patriots have only failed to win the division twice in the past 10 years, they've also "only" gone over 12 wins four times in that span. 12 games is a LOT in the NFL, regardless of who you are. Verdict: UNDER

New York Jets, 8.5 Wins
Over (-115) / Under (-115): I have a hard time believing in the Jets, and actually think they might be the third-best team in their division. Of course, they acquired Tim Tebow in the offseason and he turned the would-be worst Broncos into a division winner last year. I look at their schedule and nine wins just seems like a very optimistic projection, so I'd be staring down the under here. Verdict: UNDER

Miami Dolphins, 7.5 Wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): Am I taking crazy pills? Why are the Dolphins supposed to win more games than the Bills? It took a miracle for the Dolphins to get back to 6-10 last season and they've got a new coaching staff, a new defensive scheme and tons of questions at quarterback. The early schedule is pretty favorable so maybe I'm wrong about the Fins, but if they aren't .500 or better (3-3) at the bye, it's hard to imagine them not rolling out Ryan Tannehill to get some early action. That could result in a tough stretch run. Verdict: UNDER

Buffalo Bills, 7 Wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): Love the Bills over, but the early action is apparently on the under. That's not terribly surprising given that the public probably tends to go against a team like the Bills. But they won six games last year and if Ryan Fitzpatrick can bounce back this is a dangerous team. Plus, a five-game stretch of at IND, vs JAX, vs STL, vs SEA, at MIA looks like a winning streak to me. Verdict: OVER

Pittsburgh Steelers, 10 wins
Over (-125) / Under (-105): The Steelers are almost always a double-digit type of team on here, and 10's kind of low, but it might have something to do with the change from Bruce Arians to Todd Haley. (Also, -125 isn't exactly a "great" price or anything.) The Steelers have won more than 10 games five times in the last decade, won 10 games exactly once and won less four times. Looking at their schedule and considering their improved offensive line, I see them right at 10. It wouldn't be my top choice though. Verdict: OVER

Baltimore Ravens, 10 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-125): It would be interesting to find out how much Terrell Suggs' injury moved this line. Perhaps not much -- the Steelers and Ravens are usually pretty close when it comes to predicted wins. The Ravens won the division last year, though, so they've got a tougher schedule. And the Ray Rice situation should be resolved, but if I'm gambling on a team to overcome the changes/problems they're dealing with, I'll take Pittsburgh. Verdict: UNDER

Cincinnati Bengals, 7.5 wins
Over (-130) / Under (Even): As you can see, Vegas expects the Bengals to come back to Earth a little bit this year, but not too much. I can see the logic, too. They exceeded expectations and even though they slam-dunked their draft, Andy Dalton and A.J. Green ain't sneaking up on anyone next year. This total is interesting too, because if the Bengals can upset the Ravens in Week 1 (totally possible) they've got another cake early season schedule. 5-2 at the bye should be the worst-case scenario. And yet, three wins after the bye isn't a lock by any stretch. Don't love this one, but we'll go with it anyway. Verdict: OVER

Cleveland Browns, 5.5 wins
Over (Even) / Under (-130): I'm already hated by Browns fans anyway, so might as well go ahead and point out this Vegas expects Cleveland to be the third-worst team in the NFL this year. And that might be generous. If the Browns can't beat the Bengals or Bills, 0-6 is a likely start. Unless Brandon Weeden is the second coming of Kurt Warner (age jokes!), I don't see more than four wins on their schedule right now. Verdict: UNDER

Houston Texans, 10 wins
Over (-140) / Under (+110): The Texans are laughably favored to win this division, and with good reason: the rest of the division is pretty bad. And it doesn't hurt for them to match up against the Colts twice in the final three weeks of the season either. It's tough to lock a team into double-digit wins in May, but if you look at their schedule, assume they can repeat their success on defense from last year and don't assume for any major injuries or decline in the rushing attack and this is a pretty good bet for an early pick. Verdict: OVER

Tennessee Titans, 7 wins
Over (-130) / Under (Even): Of course, the Texans could be in trouble if the Titans can build on last year's nine-win season. That could certainly happen but it definitely depends on how well Chris Johnson can bounce back. There's some concern with the secondary now that Cortland Finnegan's gone and there's plenty of concern about the pass rush. Someone has to win games in this division. I'm not convinced it's Tennessee. Verdict: UNDER

Indianapolis Colts, 5.5 wins
Over (Even) / Under (-135): With Andrew Luck now the face of Indy, the logical assumption is that the Colts will stink this year. And they probably will, especially considering they didn't bother to address their defense in the draft. But this offense is going to be more potent than people think, and, after the draft, I tend to believe they could end up like the 2011 Panthers and surprise some people with more wins than expected. Verdict: OVER

Jacksonville Jaguars, 5.5 wins
Over (+105) / Under (-135): Ladies and gentlemen, the worst team in the NFL! In May. According to Vegas. The Jaguars went out and upgraded their offense this offseason by providing weapons for Blaine Gabbert. But they could surprise the most if they can maximize Chad Henne's potential. (Yes, that sentence just happened.) If the quarterback situation is better than everyone expects, the Jags could surprise a little. But if it were better, they wouldn't be scrambling to improve it. Verdict: UNDER

Denver Broncos, 9.5 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): Perhaps the most interesting over/under of any team in the NFL, the Broncos are getting much more attention this offseason than last. It's easy to assume that new quarterback Peyton Manning will automatically get this team 10 wins; that's about what he was good for with the Colts. Cantor Sportsbook director Mike Colbert told Covers.com he doesn't think the Broncos will win nine games. Will Manning be healthy? Will his weapons be ready? Can the defense hold up? If all those answers are "yes," the over is a nice bet. Verdict: OVER

San Diego Chargers, 9 wins
Over (-130) / Under (Even): Quite clearly, the Chargers over is a popular one. And it should be -- they're due to bounce back some and their schedule is that of a team that definitely didn't win its division in 2011. Their ability to turn Melvin Ingram into an impact player on defense and keep the turnover on the offensive line and at wide receiver will determine if they can get back to their division-winning ways though. Verdict: OVER

Kansas City Chiefs, 8 wins
Over (-120) / Under (-110): Another AFC West bounceback team, the Chiefs should definitely improve on their showing last season (say what you want about 7-9, but they were -126 in point differential, second worst in the NFL). That's mainly because, I hope/guess/think/assume that Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry won't all suffer season-ending injuries right away. But I'm not sure they'll win more than Vegas predicts. Verdict: PUSH

Oakland Raiders, 7 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): The Raiders are certainly acting like they'll compete for the division again this year, and they can, I suppose, if Carson Palmer performs like he's worth two early draft picks. His receivers should take a step forward, but there's a lot of defensive losses (Stanford Routt, Chris Johnson, John Henderson, Kamerion Wimbley) and I'm not sure they made up for it. They're wisely gutting the roster of bad contracts and looking to build the right way, but that doesn't help their win total this season. Verdict: UNDER

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.

Tags: A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, Blaine Gabbert, Carson Palmer, Chad Henne, Chris Johnson, Cortland Finnegan, Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles, John Henderson, Kamerion Wimbley, Melvin Ingram, Peyton Manning, Ray Rice, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stanford Routt, Terrell Suggs, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, Tony Moeaki, Wes Welker, AFC All-Stars, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans, NFL

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Giants WR Hakeem Nicks fractures right foot, out 12 weeks

Posted: 04:06 PM ET May 24, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Nicks will miss 12 weeks with a broken foot. (Getty Images)
Things aren't off to a great start for the Super Bowl-champion Giants in their quest to repeat, as the team announced that wide receiver Hakeem Nicks fractured his right foot and will miss "approximately 12 weeks" as a result.

Nicks, who fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot on Thursday while running a route during OTAs, is scheduled to have surgery in Charlotte, NC, on Friday. (The surgery is being done by Dr. Robert Anderson, a foot specialist who's also the Panthers team doctor.)

The Giants will report to training camp in Albany on July 26, and obviously Nicks won't be working out at their camp, unless he's way ahead of schedule.

Last year, Nicks completed his second-straight 1,000 yard season, posting career highs yardage (1,192) and yards per reception (15.7). He also caught 76 balls and scored seven touchdowns in just 15 starts. And Nicks was a freaking beast in the playoffs, catching 28 passes for 444 yards and four touchdowns in four games.

There's a legit concern as to whether or not Nicks will return before the season begins: 12 weeks from today is the middle of August and predicting his recovery time is pointless until Nicks actually undergoes surgery.

Here's the good news, though: the Giants just drafted Rueben Randle out of LSU with their second-round pick, and man are they looking lucky today that he fell that far to them. (They reportedly considered taking him with their first-round pick too.) The Giants also have Victor Cruz, who will have heightened expectations this season, and Eli Manning's secretly made a career out of developing lesser-known wide receivers.

But if Nicks suffers any setbacks in his recovery, it's going to be a big problem for the Giants as they set out to defend their title.

Tags: Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Rueben Randle, Victor Cruz, New York Giants, NFL

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2012 NFL season over/under win totals released: NFC analysis

Posted: 11:34 AM ET May 24, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Eli's got the trophy, but will Vick win more games in 2012? (Getty Images)
The plan was originally to break down all the 2012 NFL over/under win totals together. But when I wrote the AFC breakdown earlier, it got a little long. So I'm splitting it up and now covering the NFC side of things.

Cantor Gaming released these odds (they're available for betting in seven different sportsbooks) and we got them via Covers.com. For novice gambling fans, the (-XXX) indicates the juice on certain bets. For instance, if an over is "-120," you would need to bet $120 in order to win $100. If a bet is +105, $100 would win you $105.

To the NFC totals. Leave whatever you think is the most ridiculous line in the comments.

Philadelphia Eagles, 10 wins
Over (-135) / Under (+105): So does Vegas love Philly or what? This is the second-highest win total for an NFC team, and you're heavily penalized for betting on the over, in terms of juice. Of course, if you believe that Michael Vick will be healthy for 16 games, you probably don't care, since the Eagles are a pretty good bet to hit double-digit wins. They shouldn't start like last season and their schedule appears very friendly. If Michael Vick can stay healthy. Verdict: UNDER

New York Giants, 9.5 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): And here's the rub with the Eagles as well. Whatever happens in the two games between the defending-champion Giants and defending-offseason-champion Eagles will probably determine the outcome of these two totals. I wrote about it last week, but I still believe the Giants are the better team and no I don't care that they only won one more game than Philly last year. (My friend Clark Judge heartily disagrees.) I'm sticking by my guns. Verdict: OVER

Dallas Cowboys, 8.5 wins
Over (-125) / Under (-105): The NFC East is a big, hot mess up top, and that shouldn't be surprising. Philly almost backdoored the playoffs last year and Dallas should've been locked before coughing up their spot to the Giants. But this year's Cowboys wouldn't have coughed up those late games: they have Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne in the secondary and that drastically changes things. This looks like a nine-win and potential division winner to me. Verdict: OVER

Washington Redskins, 6.5 wins
Over (Even) / Under (-130): And then there was the wild card. I think that Robert Griffin III fits perfectly with what Mike Shanahan wants to do. I'm scared by them nearly starting 5-0 last year with Rex Grossman (and some John Beck) under center. But I look at their schedule down the stretch and after the bye they have seven games. Five are against NFC East teams and one is against the Ravens. They'll only be favored -- I think -- at Cleveland. All their easy games save the Vikings are on the road. They'll move forward but not enough. Verdict: UNDER

Green Bay Packers, 12 wins
Over (-125) / Under (-105): Along with the Pats, Green Bay's the only team with a total higher than 10. This shouldn't be shocking given that a) they won 15 games in 2011, and b) they went all defense in the draft. 12 games is tough, though, you guys. Cantor Sportsbook director said of the overs for the Pats and Pack: "We'll be happy to take those bets." I wouldn't make one myself, but looking at the Pack's schedule, I certainly wouldn't take the under either (13 seems right). Verdict: OVER

Detroit Lions, 9.5 wins
Over (+105) / Under (-135): There's been plenty of drama surrounding Jim Schwartz's troops this offseason, and there's reason to wonder if they're not a little out of control. But there's also reason to believe this team could get back to the playoffs again, especially if the Lions have a semblance of a running game. It was definitely smart to steal Riley Reiff for protection purposes, but that secondary is really scary, especially in a division with Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers. Downside is eight wins and missing in the playoffs in a very crowded NFC Wild-Card race. Verdict: UNDER

Chicago Bears, 8.5 wins
Over (-135) / Under (+105): The dumbest move for the Bears this offseason? Not beefing up their offensive line. But the smartest move? Getting a competent backup quarterback in Jason Campbell. This team was headed to 10 or 11 wins before Cutler's injury last season. The defense will/could/should regress some and is older, but the offense should be much, much better with the addition of Brandon Marshall, the growth of their linemen and the departure of Mike Martz. I love betting against the Bears Verdict: OVER

Minnesota Vikings, 6 wins
Over (Even) / Under (-130): So the Vikings won three games last year and there's almost a 100-percent chance that Adrian Peterson won't be 100-percent healthy when the season begins and they're gonna win six games this year in one of the toughest divisions in football? *books one-way flight to Las Vegas* They do have a really, really easy schedule, but that's what happens when you're a two-win team. Verdict: UNDER

New Orleans Saints, 10 wins
Over (-125) / Under (-105): Easily the most controversial line of the year. Colbert says Cantor "mathematically ... [has] the Saints at just under 10" wins on the year and "would be willing to make a gigantic bet they don't win 12." I concur. Only one of their away games (at Atlanta) is in a dome this year and last year it took Drew Brees shattering offensive records to win 13 games. They've suffered some losses, they're switching schemes on defense and they've dealt with just a tiny bit of turmoil this offseason. Verdict: UNDER

Atlanta Falcons, 9 wins
Over (+105) / Under (-135): Are the Falcons the most bland team in the NFL in the public's eye? It feels like they might be. Which is why people will be surprised with this year's offense when it goes away from Michael Turner and to the vertical pass. It's a potential re-breakout for Matt Ryan and a big year for Julio Jones under Dirk Koetter. They're schedule isn't easy, but I think it's favorable. Verdict: OVER

Carolina Panthers, 7.5 wins
Over (-115) / Under (-115): Logic says that a Panthers team with a rookie quarterback and a horrible defense that won six games last year should automatically improve. I dig that logic, but Cam Newton and the Panthers have a tough schedule in 2012. They travel to Philly, KC, San Diego and Chicago and play Denver and Dallas at home. But Luke Kuechly and healthy bodies on the defensive line should equate to an improved defense. The offense should be just as dangerous in Year 2 as well. It's a squeaker, but I've got them at eight wins. Verdict: OVER

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): When I start thinking about the additions of Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Eric Wright, Mark Barron, Doug Martin, well, I start doing the Monty Burns thing with my fingers. Then I remember that if Aqib Talib is suspended/in jail the Buccaneers secondary is going to be strrrrrruggl-ing. And when I start thinking about Gerald McCoy getting healthy and Josh Freeman returning to form, I think the rushing defense and passing attack could significantly improve. But when I run through the schedule, I come up with five wins. What? Someone has to lose them. Verdict: UNDER

San Francisco 49ers, 10 wins
Over (+105) / Under (-135): If you took the Niners over last year, you're playing with house money. And considering you get positive juice for taking the over on a team that's returning its entire defense, added weapons at wide receiver and plays in a weak division. I went through their schedule and got nine wins worst case here. That's still falling back to the pack you know? Verdict: OVER

Seattle Seahawks, 7 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): I'm done pretending I know what Pete Carroll is going to do. Seattle's quarterback situation remains as mystifying as it did the day he got there. This defense is going to be very good (maybe great?) but I can't be 100-percent sold on the offense just yet. Marshawn Lynch's contract was odd and the offensive line has dealt with a lot of injuries. I could see another strong second-half push for Seattle though. Verdict: PUSH

Arizona Cardinals, 7 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): It's almost like the Seahawks and the Cards are the same team. Are they? Well, no. But they're not that far apart -- if Arizona had Seattle's offensive line I'd feel a lot better about throwing cash after Kevin Kolb, Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald. I just don't think they can keep their quarterback(s) upright long enough to hit the talented wideouts. The defense will be good again, but not that good. Verdict: UNDER

St. Louis Rams, 6 wins
Over (-110) / Under (-120): For me, whether or not the Rams can turn things back around quickly largely depends on how much of an impact rookies Janoris Jenkins and Brian Quick can make. If Jenkins is clean off the field, he could be great on it, and the Rams secondary suddenly looks a little dangerous. And if Quick can impact the Rams off the bat, Sam Bradford -- who said Thursday he's still sore in his ankle -- could return to form. Their early season schedule is brutal once again though, and Jeff Fisher might know he's one more year away from making a push. Verdict: UNDER

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.

Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Aqib Talib, Brandon Carr, Brandon Marshall, Cam Newton, Carl Nicks, Drew Brees, Eric Wright, Gerald McCoy, Jason Campbell, Jay Cutler, John Beck, Josh Freeman, Julio Jones, Kevin Kolb, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Marshawn Lynch, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Michael Vick, Rex Grossman, Robert Griffin, Sam Bradford, Vincent Jackson, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, NFL

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Seattle OT Barbre suspended four games for violating PED policy

Wednesday May 23, 2012 - 7:51 PM

NEW YORK -- Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Allen Barbre was suspended for the first four regular-season games by the NFL on Wednesday for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing substances.

Barbre is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.

Barbre played for Green Bay from 2007-09, and appeared in three games for Seattle in 2010 and four last season. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound former Missouri Southern State lineman also spent time with Miami in 2010, but didn't play.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Jim Schwartz has no interest in talking about Titus Young's status

Posted: 10:23 PM ET May 23, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Wideout Titus Young isn't present at the Lions organized team activities this offseason, as he reportedly punched teammate Louis Delmas some time last week.

Asked about the incident at the time, head coach Jim Schwartz said he wasn't going to talk about whether or not guys on his team showed up to volunteer practices. Asked again about Young's status at the Lions Charity Bocce Ball Tournament (!) on Wednesday, Schwartz said he'll stick with that plan thank you very much.

"I think I addressed that a couple of days ago," Schwartz said, per Anwar Richardson of the Detroit Free Press. "That's the most I'm going to address it. When there is a change, I will address it again."

Earlier this week, CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman made a great point: the Lions would feel much more like a Super Bowl contender if they weren't making headlines this offseason for all the wrong reasons.

The way that Schwartz brought this team back from the dead is a near miracle. And Schwartz needed to give the Detroit roster some swagger. And even though the Lions are in the voluntary part of their schedule right now, it just feels like the Lions need to reign in some of their toughness at this point if they want to take the next step.

Though it's good that Schwartz is apparently keeping Young away from the team as a result of his alleged behavior, there's still a lot of red flags popping up on the Lions roster this offseason.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.

Tags: Louis Delmas, Titus Young, Detroit Lions, NFL

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No Payton, no Brees? Hard to say it's no sweat for Saints these days

Thursday May 24, 2012 - 6:24 PM
By Larry Holder | CBSSports.com

Pete Carmichael is watching Chase Daniel (10) instead of Drew Brees running his offense. (US Presswire)

METAIRIE, La. -- It was the third day of the Saints organized team activities on Thursday.

Sean Payton wasn't here.

Neither was Drew Brees.

Instead, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael conversed with now first-team quarterback Chase Daniel with a play-call sheet and runs through the next offensive formation to run on the outdoor practice fields at the Saints facility in suburban New Orleans.

Not Payton. Not Brees.

Meanwhile, Payton's most newsworthy item occurred way earlier in the day. He attended a local prayer breakfast on Thursday morning for former wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson, who's now Tulane's head coach. Payton spoke to those in attendance saying, "Initially, I made a note here. I'm supposed to say, 'Curtis, we miss you.' "

There was a pause and a bellowing laugh from Johnson and the crowd.

"I mean I miss him, but I'm supposed to be telling him I miss him on Airline Drive [the location of the Saints practice facility]. The receivers ask about you. I can't say any of that," Payton said with a smile and to another chorus of laughter.

And what's the most newsworthy item of the day for Brees other than his lack of contract and absence from the Saints? Arnold Palmer.

Yes, that Arnold Palmer. I received an email on Wednesday that Brees is headlining a faux naming contest by Country Time Lemonade to rename the company's half-lemonade, half-iced tea mix. In other words, Brees is campaigning to rename the drink widely known as the "Arnold Palmer" and change it to a "Drew Brees."

"Summer is about getting ready for football and hanging with friends and family," Brees said in the press release. "Beyond that, everybody loves the feeling of the cool breeze from the ocean. How could you call it anything but the 'Brees?' "

This is the bizarre world that is the New Orleans Saints right now and for the known and unknown future as two of the organization's most important pieces ever are nowhere to be found on the practice field.

Of course, Payton's absence was expected. Expected is one thing. How to handle it once practices commenced was completely different. Acting head coach Joe Vitt said Thursday that he's still trying to sort out how to handle the transition.

New Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo poked fun at Vitt last week when Vitt was asked if he found himself thinking about what Payton would do if he were forced into one of the most bizarre scenarios any team has faced in recent NFL history.

"Every day," Vitt said without hesitation.

Then Spags chimed in without a hitch in his noticeable New England accent as if the two coaches had been coaching together for decades, "We catch him talking to himself a lot."

Vitt nodded in acknowledgement.

You almost wouldn't fault Vitt for walking around the Saints facility mumbling to himself like a lost soul in a padded room. Losing Payton for an entire season thanks to Payton's involvement and/or not stopping and/or lying to the NFL about the bounty scandal may drive someone batty. Losing your Super Bowl-winning leader on the sidelines and in the meeting rooms could be reason enough to drive any NFL assistant coaching lifer like Vitt trying to fill the void into a tailspin. Vitt has been here before, though. He filled in for an extended period for an ill Mike Martz in 2005 while with the Rams and briefly took over for Payton last season after Payton sustained a broken leg on the sideline in Tampa Bay.

So Vitt should settle down, right? You must have forgotten: This is the New Orleans Saints. There's no time to settle down because there has been storyline after storyline resonating from New Orleans and all offseason.

Not having Brees with the rest of his teammates throughout the entire offseason so far is the problem that has a solution and yet appears like there's no end in sight. Brees would be the calming effect a bounty scandal weary team and fan base could hang onto. Instead, Brees and general manager Mickey Loomis are stuck in park with contract negotiations.

Payton and Carmichael had admittedly been tied at the hip since the two arrived in New Orleans in 2006. Carmichael proved he can assume the play-calling and game planning duties last season as Carmichael had more freedom and more say so in the offense than ever. Carmichael can, for the most part, fill Payton's shoes.

Brees' absence matters more to the players than Payton's ban on the field and off it.

No matter how close Brees and Daniel are, and as much as Daniel may try to keep Brees in the loop after practices, no one can fill Brees' shoes. No one in the quarterback meeting room. No one in the organization. No one in the league.

Daniel said he understands his role right now with the Saints is to be a leader in the absence of Brees. But Daniel holds quite loftier goals than that.

"I don't want to step on anybody's feet or Drew's, but Drew knows, 'Hey, I'm coming after you each and every practice and each and every day,'" Daniel told CBSSports.com last week. "We're two of the most competitive people against each other. It will be a little bit weird and sort of an eerie feeling without him being on the field with us, but I've been here long enough and the guys trust me. ... [My role] is to try to get myself ready [for the season] as much as possible, however long this carries on and even when this ends and Drew is back. And when Drew gets back for OTAs, I'm still going to be competing with him for a starting job. That's what I've always taken into camp."

Delusion has at least faded for Daniel after his third OTA session.

"I'd say I'm No. 1B right now," Daniel said after Thursday's session. "Drew, I obviously know what my role is on this team. And right now it's to prepare like the starter and to take the No. 1 snaps. This is Drew's team. I'm just here to fill in and get ready and prepare like the starter, you know, like I have from 2009, when I started here."

Several teammates have said throughout the offseason that Brees is in such a rare situation where he holds almost the ultimate leverage in contract negotiations and that he has to take advantage of that. Considering that Brees is the only player on Payton's original roster in 2006 who played the entire life of his contract to this point without receiving an extension: Marques Colston (two new contracts -- 2008, 2012), Roman Harper (2011), Will Smith (2008), Jahri Evans (2010), Lance Moore (2011), Devery Henderson (2009) and Zach Strief (2011). And Payton has received two contract extensions through that time span.

"Drew Brees is a once in a lifetime kind of player. ... This time last year, Drew was paying for me to be in New Orleans (during player workouts at Tulane), be in a hotel, be with the team. ... To come this year and have him not be here is obviously tremendously difficult." fullback Jed Collins said.

Moore added: "The guy deserves whatever he wants."

You can insert just about any Saints players' name into the quotes above. It's a major bummer without Brees, but it's business.

Then there's the storyline that isn't.

The new Spagnuolo defense would have easily been the most pressing drama for the Saints this offseason had it not been for bounties and Brees contract troubles.

"It's funny," Spagnuolo told CBSSports.com on Thursday. "I'm so enthralled on what we're doing on defense that I haven't thought about it that much, but that's not to say I don't think about it. ... When I think of all of the reasons I chose to come here, those two [Payton and Brees] are the highest. And there not here right now, but things happen. Once I signed on, I was part of an organization and part of a team and you deal with the ebb and flow and you handle the adversity. I'm very hopeful that Drew will be back here. I know at some point Sean will be back here."

Then I pointed out that no Payton and Brees is more than simply ebb and flow.

"I know," Spagnuolo said laughing. "Which one is ebb and which one is flow. But that's OK. It's part of the league. It's been a different kind of offseason, but it's been exciting all the way through.

"Never a dull moment."

Dull is what the Saints could use at this point.

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