Watch these free-agent vets (Plax, anyone?) who could help teams in need

Plaxico Burress is working out, waiting for the right opportunity for him to play in 2012. (US Presswire)

Players celebrate surviving the "final" cut on Twitter. Fans and media devour every roster, sizing up the numbers at each position ahead of the opening game. Surprisingly enough, there is not a primetime NFL Cut Day, Live From Radio City Music Hall, with a red carpet (or should it be a pink slip carpet in this case?), with each team having to call in its 53-man roster over those helmet phones and the commissioner there to call out the name of every undrafted free agent who cracked an NFL squad. (Maybe the weird dude in the blue suit from the NFL Network promos could play the role of The Turk?)

But, suffice to say, in a league where even the supplemental draft is somewhat fetish-sized (and I will take full blame for my role in this epidemic) we tend to lose our sense of proportion about transactions and roster gymnastics. We live for Big NFL moments (games, draft, free agency, combine, etc.), and lump in these Labor Day weekend cuts with them, but lose sight of the fact that in reality, a snapshot like this -- with the names submitted to the waiver wire ahead of last Friday's roster cuts -- doesn't really tell the story.

Managing the roster goes on well beyond those "final" cuts, and indeed the cuts and signings and trade talks went on through the weekend. Things are constantly being massaged and many of the players who "made it" over the weekend will in fact end up losing their roster spot, and future game checks, to a handful of established veterans who remain on the street awaiting work. That's how it works, and every year a few clubs make astute late signings that end up filling potentially crippling voids and can often help springboard them into the postseason.

Usually, the player is still on the open market because of a combination of age/injury or he is content to wait for the right team to meet his price. He isn't in a hurry and realizes the onslaught of injuries that occur when real games begin could result in multiple teams vying for his services -- which only increases his worth. There will be a diminished supply of players as the attrition mounts, while demand for those with a pedigree who are in shape and ready to play only increases.

It's the economics of early September. When you factor in the CBA, and the fact that a vested veteran has a fully guaranteed base salary if he's on the roster come Week 1, it generally makes for a very active Week 2 -- with several teams trying to fill voids and without the financial burdens or worry that if a player who missed camp comes in and quickly gets hurt, you are on the hook for that entire salary.

There are some potential impact players working their way through this reality right now, but I doubt too many of them are waiting for a paycheck by the end of this month, and some of them, if they get the kind of incentives they are seeking, could end up making out quite well should they be able to perform as they have in the past. Here's a look at a few intriguing possibilities that remain:

This is a money matter only. Well, that, and a reputation thing. But mostly money. Teams know he can play, and had the Jets kept him, he would be at worst their second-best receiving option right now. But his attitude has created some front-office trepidation and the fact he is seeking a deal in the $2 million-$3 million range, sources say, has scared off others who are looking only for a veteran-minimum-type contract right now.

But he will play this season, and he could very well end up being a difference maker for a talent-starved team in the red zone and on third down. Miami has the greatest need but isn't interested (especially after the Ochocinco experiment), but a contending team like Dallas, should Dez Bryant slip up or injuries mount, would be ready to pounce. If wideout becomes a need in Pittsburgh, where Burress excelled early in his career, that's a possibility as well.

He walked away from two deals in the offseason/preseason that would have paid him veteran-minimum money. He isn't looking for a big front-loaded deal, but does want some incentives and assurances that would allow him to reap financial reward if he gets back to the way he ran in Green Bay a few years ago. We all know running backs get hurt in droves, and Grant has been working out hard, is in shape and he will get the call ... and I bet he gets it at his price.

Detroit has been in the market for a running back for a long time. Any team could be one hit away from losing its feature back. The Packers have a need at Grant's position, too, and should Cedric Benson not make it go in Green Bay, I can't help but wonder if Grant ends up getting what he wants back there.

He is still working back from an Achilles injury, and a smart team would find a few snaps for him on third down in the short term and view him more as a second-half-of-the-season asset. He has already worked out for the Rams and Raiders, and at this point playing for a team with championship hopes makes the most sense for Carter. He posted double-digit sack totals for the Patriots in a truncated season in 2011 and many execs think he will end up back in New England ... and the Pats are certainly keeping a close eye on him.

It might end up costing someone close to $2 million to bring him in, but this guy is always in ridiculous shape (one of the best physiques in the league), works hard and has been through the wars. In the right scheme, he has shown he can get to the quarterback. It will take a few more weeks until he's ready to go full blast on every snap, but I would go ahead and snap him up now and get him working with my trainers. You can never have too much pass rush -- just ask the defending Super Bowl champs -- and the Pats have made several of these kind of "buy-cheap" deals in the past, scooping up a veteran coming off injury and understanding how to implement him into their system.

He hasn't been himself for a few years because of several injuries, but he finally got through a preseason without having to sit out or go under the knife. He has tremendous hands, is a great teammate and was let go by the Redskins in large part because of his salary. He has never been a part of a true winning program in his career, and that's a pretty intriguing prospect for him now. Other NFC East teams like the Giants and Eagles have been keeping an eye on the tight end market, and they obviously know Cooley well, as he spent his entire career in that division.

I prefer Cooley to Kellen Winslow, because two teams pretty desperate for pass catchers have each walked away from Winslow in the past few months (Tampa Bay and Seattle). That tells you something about this cat. Between Winslow's health and attitude, something isn't clicking for him to the point where a team that traded for him, then walks away. In the era of two-tight end sets being all the rage, these two guys won't be out of work much longer -- and they accounted for two of the higher-profile cuts in what was a mostly mundane cut week -- but for a pass catching end I'll go with Cooley.

It wasn't that long ago the Bucs were very high on this kid and thought he could win games immediately. He has a unique skill set and is still only 26. The fact that his old college coach, Jim Harbaugh, signed him and then let him go among the 49ers' final cuts, might be a red flag to some. But with San Francisco recently investing a second-round pick in a quarterback, Johnson was always going to have a tough time getting the No. 2 gig there. But he is certainly better than a No. 3 at this point.

He is very smart, can pick up an offense quickly, could immediately fit into some sort of wildcat package, and he has shown he can make plays while getting limited reps. People seemed to talk more about the release of Mike Kafka and Brian Hoyer during roster cuts, but if I am looking for someone to be a plug-and-play No. 2, then I'm looking more at Johnson or Seneca Wallace, with the other two more on the developmental side right now, perhaps.

First, a caveat -- if your team loses a starting offensive lineman at this point and doesn't have solid reserves on the roster, it's pretty much screwed. There is precious little out there across the line, and particularly at tackle (unless a team were to get Chad Clifton healthy and keep him healthy, there is a major dearth of edge protectors). Brown played at a high level at one point -- though it has been several years now. He can play center or guard. He is very bright and can quickly pick up calls and the offense.

Teams are questioning how much he loves the game and how much he wants to play. If he was willing to come back for $1 million or so, he would have had a job likely with Baltimore or San Francisco in the offseason. He wanted bigger money to come back, sources said, and at this point I'm not sure that kind of deal ever will develop. But should Brown decide to take a shot on a veteran-minimum deal, he just might end up revitalizing his career. But again, some personnel guys wonder if that's a route he's willing to go a few years after getting a then-record contract for a center from the Rams.

I am lumping these two together because health is a major concern for each. Collins is seeing a surgeon to make sure the neck surgery he underwent 11 months ago is not career-ending. But he wants to come back if deemed safe enough, and has been working out hard to that end. Bodden is coming off back surgery; his injuries have derailed a once-promising career. Given the dearth of cover corners out there, and the prevalence of spread offenses, he might be worth a look-see as the season goes on.

I wouldn't advocate rushing in with either play -- and with both, their health and their doctors will be their guide -- but the will is certainly there for both of them. Collins was a regular Pro Bowl selection for the Packers, and though that team's doctors saw some major red flags with his health, a lot of time has passed since then, and if they get the all clear, and my team has a need at secondary a bit down the line, I'm going to explore the possibility with these guys.

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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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Playoffs? These five 2011 also-rans have a good shot at getting there

With a healthy Jay Cutler, the Bears should challenge the Lions and Packers in the NFC North. (Getty Images)

Every year for the past 16 seasons there have been at least five teams to make surprise appearances in the playoffs -- which is another way of saying at least five teams that made it to January that weren't there the year before.

Houston was one of those clubs in 2011. So was Detroit. Neither had been on the postseason radar since 1999, or the Lions' last playoff appearance, yet both overcame considerable setbacks to make it to the postseason.

So the question is: Which five make it this season? Well, I have five candidates, though I include one disclaimer: To qualify for this list, you can't have had a winning record in 2011. That eliminates someone like Tennessee, which was 9-7 but left out in the cold, but it does allow any of the eight teams that finished .500.

The Bills made strong offseason moves, including the additions of linebacker Mario Williams and defensive end Mark Anderson, but none is stronger than naming Dave Wannstedt as defensive coordinator. With Wannstedt in charge, the club goes to a 4-3 that should improve on its next-to-last-place standing in sacks and No. 19 ranking in pass defense. Williams and Anderson will squeeze the pocket, while first-round draft pick Stephon Gilmore should step immediately as a starter at cornerback. Adding Nigel Bradham and Tank Carder brings depth at linebacker, while versatile Cordy Glenn was a second-round steal who should be in the mix at left tackle. All the moves are aimed at improving in the AFC East, and you don't gain ground unless you figure out how to overcome Tom Brady who, it just so happens, is 18-2 against Buffalo. With the defensive additions the Bills just made, I like their chances of finishing second in the AFC East and producing their first winning season since 2004.

Another reason for hope: Running back Fred Jackson is back. Not only that, he just signed a two-year extension. Good. He deserves it. Jackson is one of the league's most underrated running backs, on schedule last year to produce more than 1,500 yards rushing before he was hurt in the 10th game. When he's right, so are the Bills, and when he wasn't they turned to C.J. Spiller last season. Smart. Spiller and the Bills each found out how valuable he can be. Look for him to get more touches this season.

One possible area of concern: Look at the first nine games. They're brutal. With the exceptions of Kansas City (7-9) and Cleveland (4-12), there's not an opponent with a losing record. Worse, there are four (including New England twice) that won divisions, including two that were in conference championship games and one -- New England again -- that reached the Super Bowl. I know, Buffalo ties for the 29th most difficult schedule out there, with opponents producing a .473 winning percentage, but the Bills must survive a treacherous early run that helped bury St. Louis a year ago.

The Bears were on their way to making the playoffs last season when they lost quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte. Suddenly, the team that won seven of its first 10 games won only one of its last six. Having Cutler and Forte back improves Chicago's chances of getting back on track, but the Bears did the smart thing and signed safety nets for both positions to minimize the risk of another collapse. So Jason Campbell sits behind Cutler, Michael Bush sits behind Forte and the Bears sit behind Green Bay and Detroit. Only not for long. With those additions, plus the acquisition of a legitimate receiving threat in Brandon Marshall, Chicago has an offense that could squeeze Green Bay's 32nd-ranked pass defense and push Detroit to the side. All I know is what I saw from Cutler last season is the first time I've liked anything about the guy. He finally started playing like a quarterback instead of acting like a diva who makes bad decisions and worse throws. Maybe, just maybe, he finally gets it ... and it's about time. He and Marshall combined for a lot of receptions in Denver. They should again.

Another reason for hope: The Bears have one of the game's premier pass rushers in Julius Peppers, but needed a bookend on the other side ... and new GM Phil Emery may have found one in first-round draft pick Shea McClellin, who made a zillion plays at Boise State and was one of the draft's premier edge rushers.

One possible area of concern: I was surprised Chicago didn't use one of its six draft picks on an offensive lineman. The Bears allowed 49 sacks last season, and only four teams had more. I don't know, maybe that's an admission that the Bears believe in tackle Gabe Carimi or that offensive coordinator Mike Tice has a plan we don't know about to keep defenses off Cutler.

Just a hunch, but there will be dozens of preseason publications that put the Eagles -- not the New York Giants -- at the top of the NFC East, and there's a reason: These guys never, ever, ever go more than one season without making the playoffs. Not under Andy Reid they don't, and Reid -- like San Diego's Norv Turner -- is under orders to get this team in gear again ... or else. I say he does because there were a couple of nagging problems with last year's Eagles that should be corrected. First of all, the Eagles stunk against the run. At least they did early, with opponents finding holes the size of the Schuykill to run through. That exposed Philadelphia's unprotected and underwhelming linebackers, and it wound up sinking the club -- with Philadelphia blowing five fourth-quarter leads. The Eagles added tackle Fletcher Cox in the draft and acquired tackling machine DeMeco Ryans, and suddenly a weakness doesn't look like a weakness anymore.

But let's be fair here. The defense wasn't entirely to blame. The Eagles' offense scored exactly one field goal in the fourth quarters of those five games, and I can tell you why in one word: Turnovers. Philadelphia committed more (38) than anyone but Tampa Bay. Reid will have quarterback Michael Vick run less and take fewer chances ... and that's precisely what happened in the final four games when the Eagles didn't lose. It's that team I believe you're going to see this season, and it's that team that should push the Giants.

Another reason for hope: Philadelphia got smart this year, returning to a practice of rewarding its own players rather than spending gazillions on unrestricted free agents. They extended Todd Herremans and Trent Cole and DeSean Jackson and are talking about a similar move with star running back LeSean McCoy. That should make for a happy locker room, which is a stark contrast from last season.

One possible area of concern: Vick turns 32 this summer and looked, well, ordinary too often last season. He's also prone to injuries, failing to play in all 16 games in any season since 2006. Something must be done to protect the guy, and this just in: The Eagles just lost their best pass blocker in left tackle Jason Peters. Free-agent Demetress Bell, who replaced Peters in Buffalo, is supposed to step in for him again, and while he's talented he's also an injury waiting to happen. Then, of course, there's a real question of: How far can Philadelphia actually go with the guy? I guess we're about to find out.

The Chargers failed to make the playoffs the past two seasons, and coach Norv Turner is on notice to win or else. So there's a sense of urgency there hasn't been before, and I don't know if that makes a difference, but I know what will -- the moves San Diego made in the offseason. The club desperately needed defensive playmakers and found three at the top of the draft, including first-round pick Melvin Ingram -- and, yeah, I know about his short arms. Big deal. The guy made a ton of plays at South Carolina and was a top-10 talent. As general manager A.J. Smith put it, "I think Melvin will have the same problem Tyrannosaurus Rex had millions of years ago." T. Rex disappeared. Ingram shouldn't. He's a versatile athlete who pressures the pocket, critical to San Diego when you're a team chasing Peyton Manning. I love the addition of run-stopper Jarret Johnson on the other side, a guy who was a vastly underrated fixture in Baltimore for nine years. Bolstering the defense, changing defensive coordinators and adding weapons to a passing game that too often disappointed should keep Turner in business.

Another reason for hope: In Eddie Royal, Roscoe Parrish and Michael Spurlock the Chargers suddenly are deep in return specialists who can go the distance. Parrish and Royal are punt-returners, which is good considering the Chargers ranked 22nd in that category a year ago.

One possible area of concern: The Chargers typically have tortoise-like starts, and they'll be challenged again with their first six games -- where only one opponent, Kansas City (7-9), had a losing record last season. Included are three playoff clubs, and the Chiefs game is at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chargers haven't won the past two seasons. But there's another stretch that's equally dicey, and it starts Nov. 18 vs. Denver in Denver, then follows with Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh -- all playoff teams. The Chargers had one of the league's easiest schedules last season and did nothing with it. This itinerary, the NFL's sixth-most difficult, has traps everywhere.

There are few teams building more momentum that Seattle, which quietly put together a defense that could rival San Francisco for intensity, ferocity and opportune play. OK, so the Seahawks lost linebacker David Hawthorne, their leading tackler the past three seasons. They acquired linebacker Barrett Ruud and defensive lineman Jason Jones, retained defensive lineman Red Bryant and added Bruce Irvin, a first-round pick who has a ton of issues but whom scouts describe as the best edge pass rusher in the draft.

Seattle is chasing San Francisco in the NFC West, and the last time they met -- late last season -- they fell just short, losing by two points after quarterback Tarvaris Jackson fumbled with a little more than a minute left. Those Seahawks played great defense but didn't have enough offense. These Seahawks think they fixed the problem with the acquisition of quarterback Matt Flynn, and maybe they're right. Flynn has only two NFL starts, but he was marvelous in both. I don't know, but this looks like a carbon copy of the 49ers' blueprint, a club that can hammer you with defense and put just enough points on the board -- largely thanks to its running game. It worked for San Francisco. Why not here?

Another reason for hope: Four of Seattle's first five opponents didn't produce a winning record last season, and the fifth -- Green Bay -- the Seahawks draw at home. So at least there's a chance for a fast start. Now, look at the second-half of the schedule. Only one opponent -- San Francisco -- had a winning record, and again there's good news: Seattle draws the 49ers at home.

One possible area of concern: Flynn. As I said, he has a resume of two starts, and while they were terrific it's still only two. The Seahawks are the same club that gambled on Charlie Whitehurst two years ago, and you see how that turned out. This is supposed to be a low-risk move because general manager John Schneider knows Flynn from their days together in Green Bay, and I get that. But I also get that the last two moves Seattle made on quarterbacks blew up, with the club forced to go out and sign Flynn as the remedy.

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