June 2010 4for4 Player News Articles

There is no question Vincent Jackson would fit in the Bears' offense. But for now, the Chargers receiver is not an option.

A source familiar with the Bears' thinking told the Tribune on Wednesday the team has no plans to pursue a trade for Jackson at this time. Strings attached to Jackson -- compensation and a new contract -- are factors the Bears do not want to burden themselves with a month before training camp.

In light of Tuesday’s arrest by Cedric Benson, here are a couple thoughts about what this means when training camp begins in four weeks in Georgetown.

I don’t think Benson will be suspended by the league for a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy. The NFL office on Tuesday said they are looking into the matter, but as a guidepost Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Sunday in an interview with Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez that Titans QB Vince Young will probably not face a suspension. The key though is whether Goodell looks at the incidents two years ago with Benson when factoring in the decision. While Benson was cleared of charges in both cases, the policy states that one does not have to be found guilty of a crime to still face league action.

In the event Benson does face a suspension, Cedric Peerman’s chances of making the roster will get a lot better. He has a short, thick build that can handle running between the tackles as well as that speed to put it in another gear once getting into the open field. The roster currently shows five backs vying for three spots with Benson, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard the overwhelming favorites.

LaDainian Tomlinson may be in the twilight of his career, but that didn't stop the future Hall of Famer from predicting that he will "absolutely" reach the Promised Land with the Jets in the next two years.

"I'll win a Super Bowl," Tomlinson told ESPN.

Tomlinson, 31, who recently had a Jets logo tattooed on his calf, is the latest player to subscribe to Rex Ryan's brash philosophy. The former Chargers great is expected to play a complementary role to Shonn Greene this season.

Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe is coming off the best season of his career, but he's working out this summer as though he still has a lot to prove.

Shiancoe led the Vikings last season with 11 receiving touchdowns, third among NFL tight ends, and caught a career-high 56 passes. Given those lofty numbers, it wasn't surprising when a report surfaced earlier this week that stated Shiancoe's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has talked with the Vikings about a contract extension.

Pro Football Weekly reported Shiancoe would like to be paid about $5 million to $7 million per season, which would make him one of the five highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. He signed a five-year, $18.2 million contract with Minnesota in 2007 and has two years left on that deal.

Shiancoe declined to comment on the report when reached by the Pioneer Press on Tuesday. But he emphasized he's eager for the coming season and that he plans to "set the bar higher" after his career year.

Earlier this offseason Bears' offensive coordinator Mike Martz sounded open to bringing in another veteran quarterback to provide depth and experience behind incumbent starter Jay Cutler.

But with four weeks of organized team activities now in the books, the Bears appear content to open training camp with Caleb Hanie as the No. 2 quarterback after the former undrafted free agent finished up the offseason program on a high note, according to multiple team sources.

Caleb Hanie is a major question mark. It's recommended backing up Jay Cutler with a proven veteran in larger fantasy formats. This could also be a sign that the Bears are saving money for a free agent acquisition. (Terrell Owens?)

Don't expect the Jets’ players to do backflips if Mark Brunell takes over as the team’s No. 2 quarterback this season.

A Daily News poll of more than a dozen starters revealed that the overwhelming majority favored Kellen Clemens over the 17-year veteran if Mark Sanchez misses any time in 2010.

The Jets can’t sign Brunell, who visited the team’s training facility in April, until the “Final Eight” rule is lifted on July 22 or they lose one of their own unrestricted free agents.

"Brunell? Isn't he like 50 years old?" said one player of the three-time Pro Bowl signal caller, who will turn 40 in September.

"I didn't even know Brunell was still in the league until we played them last year," said another player of the former Saints’ backup, who filed for bankruptcy last week and is a reported $24.7 million in debt after failed real estate ventures.

Although most of the players agreed that Brunell would be a good mentor for Sanchez, they felt he had very little to offer on the field at this stage of his career. Brunell has only one start and 30 pass attempts in the past three seasons. He has just one more start (10) than Clemens (9) in the past four years.

Former Raiders' QB JaMarcus Russell isn't likely to become a Jet either. There's a less than 10 percent chance that the former No. 1 overall pick will be wearing green and white, according to a league source. The Jets made one exploratory call to Russell's agent, but talks aren't expected to continue beyond that.

Jet fans can rejoice. Its unlikely the "Hefty Lefty" will join "Gang Green."

Falcons Pro Bowl wide receiver Roddy White may have some explaining to do to NFL authorities.

Reports have surfaced that Michael Vick did not leave the party as early as his lawyer previous stated. White, the Falcons two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, also stated that they’d left the party long before the shooting occurred.

The Vikings will be the first team to break camp, in part because of their agreement with Minnesota State University, Mankato. They'll pack up prior to their first preseason game and then gather at their Twin Cities practice facility starting the week of Aug. 15. So if you're wondering when quarterback Brett Favre might report, circle Aug. 16 as a likely possibility on your calendar.

Favre will be a top 10 ranked QB once he returns. Surprisingly, he is slipping in some mock drafts. My take is simply...why have the surgery if you don't plan on returning.

Three teams that have debated making a run at Chargers WR Vincent Jackson are Redskins, Seahawks and Bears. Trade still a longshot.

All of the teams mentioned and San Diego bode well for Vincent Jackson's fantasy production. Stay tuned.

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, said he fully expects to be under contract in time to open training camp in late July.

"At this point right now (agent Tom Condon) hasn't given me any indication that there's going to be any problems getting a contract done," Bradford said Tuesday while at the NFL Rookie Symposium. "I expect to be in camp, on time."

Rams officials are on vacation this week, so a deal might not come together until early to mid-July.

This offseason the New York Jets overhauled their running back position. During OTAs and minicamp, the Jets' feelings are clear that second-year man Shonn Greene can replace Thomas Jones’ production as the starter. And to fully reproduce the impressive stats that last year’s running game put together, the Jets also brought in future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson and USC standout Joe McKnight.

If Shonn Greene lives up to expectations and LT regains form, the Jets may have one of the best 1-2 punch running games in the NFL.

Within the past hour, lawyer Sam Bassett said that Bengals running back Cedric Benson "looks forward to telling his side of the story" in connection with a May 30 incident that resulted in a June 29 arrest for assault with injury.

Now, Benson lawyer David Cornwell has issued a statement on Benson's behalf.

"Late last month at a nightclub, Cedric Benson was asked to take pictures with some female fans," Cornwell says. "A man approached Cedric and objected to him posing for pictures with the women. Cedric explained that he had been asked to pose with the women and the man punched Cedric.

"An altercation followed and while Cedric was leaving the club, he was approached by another man aggressively. Believing this man was a friend of the man who had punched him; Cedric attempted to protect himself and continued out of the club. Immediately upon leaving the club, Cedric called the police. He was interviewed by the police and left the area.

We're not surprised that Benson's lawyer is trying to paint things in a more positive light in regards to his client. We'll have to wait and see what the league has to say as this story develops.

Vincent Jackson might not be a Charger for long.

No one is predicting he will shipped off soon, and it does not appear other teams have been officially notified the Pro Bowl receiver is on the trading block. But several sources confirmed the Chargers talked with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month and have made it known Jackson will remain available.

The Seahawks maintain interest, as do “several other teams,” according to one source. Among those teams, sources said, are the Washington Redskins. It is not known whether the Redskins have spoken to the Chargers regarding Jackson.

Two league sources said it was the Chargers who declined the Seahawks’ overtures. However, the price to secure Jackson could be a deterrent as well. Any team trading for Jackson will also have to sign him to a long-term deal.

Numerous sources indicated teams are already aware of the type of money Jackson and his agents are looking for — a slight bump up from the four-year, $47.5 million deal Brandon Marshall received when he was traded from the Denver Broncos to the Miami Dolphins in April.

Steve Slaton has declared himself 100%.

As mentioned in the past, Houston will be a RBBC situation.

Bengals RB Cedric Benson has hired attorney David Cornwell, who also represented Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger.

Cornwell: "Though we adamantly dispute Cedric committed a crime, Cedric will continue to cooperate with law enforcement, Bengals and NFL."

It seems entirely possible that Benson could be facing some sort of suspension given his previous off-field issues. If Benson misses significant game action, Bernard Scott would likely not be asked to carry the full load -- although he has looked good when given the chance. Expect the Bengals to begin making calls to free agents. Brian Westbrook is available, and the Bills are reportedly willing to part with Marshawn Lynch for a 4th-round pick.

Lovie Smith was asked about Shawn Springs, whom he coached in 1995 at Ohio State.

"We like what we have right now," Smith said of his depth chart at cornerback. "Shawn will always be family to me, but right now we like where we are. We constantly try to improve our ballclub right up until the first game. Josh Moore has made a lot of progress. Tim Jennings coming in, we like some of the new additions we have."

Springs, 35, spent last season with the New England Patriots before being released. He was with the Washington Redskins the year before. Springs is unlikely to come play for the veteran minimum and the Bears are believed to be pretty much maxed out on their budget for 2010.

Offensive Tackle Flozell Adams' agent told ESPN's Calvin Watkins that his client is visiting the Steelers.

Should Adams be signed, this is the kind of help Pittsburgh needs after the Willie Colon injury.

Former University of Texas football player Cedric Benson was arrested and charged with assault with injury early today after an incident last month at Annie’s West at 706 West Sixth Street, where officials said he punched a bar employee in the face.

The 27-year-old current running back for the Cincinnati Bengals had been involved in an altercation at the establishment and was being escorted out when he punched an employee, according to an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit said the May 30 incident began at 1:50 a.m. when a fight began between Benson and an unknown person inside the bar. Club staff separated them, at which time Benson shoved a manager “in an attempt to continue the fight he was previously engaged in,” the affidavit said.

The affidavit said Benson spit blood from his injured lip at a bar employee.

Workers then asked Benson several times to leave.

“Benson refused, and was escorted out of the bar,” the affidavit said.

This is certainly not good news for Cedric Benson or the Bengals. Benson has had incidents in the past, but appeared to have put them behind him. This news puts all that into doubt, and some sort of league discipline looks to be likely. We will continue to monitor this situation as it unfolds.

Pittsburgh Steelers starting right tackle Willie Colon's worst fears were confirmed Tuesday when medical tests revealed he has a ruptured right Achilles tendon. The injury will knock Colon out for the entire 2010 season.

"It's torn, and he's getting surgery [Wednesday] morning with [team physician] Dr. James Bradley," Colon's agent, Joe Linta, said. "He's expected to have a full recovery, and it's about a nine-month rehab."

When he was hired in 2006, GM Mike Tannenbaum vowed to look under every rock in an effort to procure talent. That apparently includes discarded boulders.

Sources say the Jets have checked under the JaMarcus Russell rock.

The Jets are interested in acquiring a veteran quarterback before training camp and, while sources maintain that free agent Mark Brunell remains the odds-on favorite, the team isn’t ignoring other options. And one player they’re monitoring is the former Oakland Raiders bust, who was cut recently after reportedly ballooning to 300 pounds, give or take a buffet.

This is just the type of news Mark Sanchez owners want to hear. Could you imagine having JaMarcus Russell as a QB handcuff?

Tony Fleming, the agent for first-round pick Jahvid Best, a running back, said in an e-mail that Tom Lewand's situation would not affect contract negotiations.

"No," Fleming wrote. "Not at all. We hadn't started talking anyway."

Given Jahvid Best is already slotted to be Detroit's #1 RB, contract negotiations should not be a problem.

Right now, 49ers WR Brandon Jones is on outside looking in. He needs a big-time training camp. What are the chances he is cut?

DeSean Jackson was in Moorestown, N.J., today running a football camp for kids.

Here is some of what he had to say ...

On the status of progress toward a new contract:

"Not really," he said. "There has been no progress so far. I'm looking forward to just working with them and hopefully making something happen."

On training camp:

"Definitely looking forward to camp to get out there and work hard," he said. "It's going to be a little longer this year so were looking forward to the challenge this year."

Steelers T Willie Colon expects to have season-ending surgery for an ACL tear on Wednesday. MRI results all but certain to confirm it.

This is a big blow to the Steelers offensive line, because Pittsburgh was supposed to run the ball a lot with Rashard Mendenhall at tailback. Also, QB fill-in Byron Leftwich won't be helped by the loss. On the bright side, the new line will have a chance to come together all through camp.

The Cincinnati Bengals entered the offseason looking to find replacements for receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the late Chris Henry. The team would like to think it has addressed those needs after drafting Texas All-American Jordan Shipley and Dezmon Briscoe. Only time will tell.

Shipley is being counted upon to contribute right away. He’s expected to challenge third-year receiver Andre Caldwell for the No. 3 position.

Caldwell is open to the competition but is not ready to relinquish his duties without a fight. If he goes down, he’s going down swinging.

“Competing is going to make everybody better,” Caldwell said in a recent interview. “I’m trying to make a name for myself this season by putting up big numbers. I want this to be a breakout season for me and be a key figure in the offense. So I’m up for the challenge.”

Don't underestimate QB J.P. Losman, the former first-rounder who signed with the Seahawks in May and almost immediately made his presence felt.

"He just blew Pete Carroll away in his first tryout," said one team insider. "He has a real presence; you can tell he has been a starter. I think Charlie Whitehurst, who is supposed to be pushing Matt Hasselbeck, could end up looking a lot more over his shoulder at J.P."

It should be noted that Whitehurst finished the Seahawks' OTAs with a flourish, looking extremely sharp in the final session.

Eagles TE Brent Celek, speaking with Pro Football Weekly last week, said he thinks his rapport with QB Kevin Kolb has gotten even better now that Kolb has been named the full-time starter.

Celek and Kolb are close friends, and Celek believes that Kolb's style and the kind of offense the Eagles want to run with him under center fit the fourth-year tight end's game perfectly.

"I really feel like I am in a great position with Kevin," Celek said. "Donovan (McNabb) helped me catch (76) passes last season, and I think Kevin is capable of playing just as great right now."

Although TE Visanthe Shiancoe still has two years left on his contract, which runs through 2011, his camp and the Vikings have been talking extension, a source close to the situation told PFW.

Shiancoe switched agents from Tony Agnone, who got him a five-year deal in Minnesota in 2007, to Drew Rosenhaus, who also represents high-paid TEs Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey. Although a new deal is not imminent, the sides have talked, and we hear Shiancoe would like to be paid among the top five tight ends in the league, which would put him in the $5 million to $7 million range per season.

On the recent shooting that took place at a 30th birthday party for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick Roger Goodell said:

"We're still gathering the facts. I think they've been reported fairly accurately from what I can tell and we've been told by law enforcement that he's not a focus of this at all. Obviously we've got to look to see whether there was any violation of policy in there or his conditions (for reinstatement last year after he served jail time and a suspension for his involvement in a dog-fighting ring). We're continuing to gather that."

The Eagles brass, after signing Vick last year, said there wouldn't be any third chances, so we'll see how this shakes out and if he'll still have a job in Philly. The Birds would look pretty silly if they released him at this point, especially with a talented but unproven Kevin Kolb as the starter. Vick is currently the backup/ 'Spread Eagle' specialist. Rookie Mike Kafka of Northwestern will most likely be the third string.

The Vikings, by drafting running back Toby Gerhart and then signing RB Ryan Moats, could be preparing for an Adrian Peterson contract holdout.

Peterson missed four days of minicamp, much to the chagrin of head coach Brad Childress. According to what he told the Tulsa World newspaper, "It's over with."

Based on that, Peterson should be there when camp opens, but perhaps the Vikings aren't convinced. With the loss of Chester Taylor to Chicago, the Vikes were in need of some RB depth anyway, and Moats had connections to Childress from his days with the Eagles. Obviously, Peterson is a top-two fantasy back so it's worth paying attention to.

Tom Brandstater has been playing catch-up since being added to the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback corps earlier this month. That won't change when the team reports to Anderson University on Aug. 1 for the start of training camp.

Brandstater piqued the interest of the Colts after he was waived by Denver.

"We'd like to see what's there," team president Bill Polian said after Brandstater participated in the Colts' final organized team activities recently. "The backup quarterback is Curtis Painter. The question is: Do we carry a third, and if we do, who is it?"

Brandstater is intent on ensuring he's in mix that currently includes Painter, Drew Willy and Tim Hiller. All want to serve as Peyton Manning's backup.

These names certainly won't knock your socks off in the fantasy world, and owning Manning's backup won't guarantee the same success Manning owners are used to. Chances are if you lose Manning for any time, you might be in trouble. At least knowing his backup could be important given the talent on offense though and whoever it is could have some value. Right now, it looks as if it will still be Painter.

Jets DB Antonio Cromartie was rested for a few reps in minicamp because of a sore hamstring and “somewhat of a hip issue.” That’s interesting because Cromartie played the entire 2008 season with a fractured hip. No one knew it at the time, but he made the revelation shortly after the season ended. He said it happened in the opener.

Could that be a reason why he wasn’t as productive in 2008 and 2009? Will it be a factor this year? It bears watching.

Players who looked good in Jaguars OTAs:

QB David Garrard: Coming off a subpar year, he was consistent and clearly took a step up. He helped his cause with better rhythm and timing.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew: Had a solid camp and looks like he'll pick up where he left off last season as a Pro Bowl running back.

RB Rashad Jennings: Might have the best hands on the team and could be a weapon on passing downs and a good backup to Jones-Drew.

RB Deji Karim: Like Jennings, showed good hands coming out of the backfield and could add a dimension to the offense when he's split out and on screen passes.

TE Marcedes Lewis: Had his best OTA session so far. Quickness and route-running improved.

WR Jarett Dillard: Was the most impressive receiver in the OTAs. Displayed good route running and hands, was outstanding from the slot position.

WR Tiquan Underwood: Was the team's most improved receiver. Now he has to show he can do it in pads.

Players who did not look good in Jaguars OTAs:

WR Troy. Williamson: Was invisible much of camp. Could improve once they put the pads on, but might not make the team.

WR Nate Hughes: Was outplayed by most of the receivers and is a long shot going into training camp.

WR Kassim Osgood: Is a Pro Bowl special teams player, but struggled at wide receiver. Since he's 6-5, he might be better in pads.

TE Zachary Miller: Was sidelined with a foot injury and needs to recover in time for camp.

When the Browns first put together their wildcats formation -- as in two wildcats, Josh Cribbs and Seneca Wallace -- they wondered how the two would blend. They have been thrilled as Wallace and Cribbs realize this is a way for both to be on the field -- instead of as a competition. In many of his passing plays, Wallace's first target has been Cribbs. They do have some plays for Cribbs to throw the ball, but we'll see how often that happens. The Browns want to find ways to put the ball in Cribbs' hands and let him run.

Compared to the relative ease that Delhomme has adjusted to the offense, Wallace has had some struggles. He played in Mike Holmgren's West Coast offense his entire career in Seattle. While the Browns have some West Coast elements, it still is more like what New England does -- throwing downfield -- along with what is supposed to be a heavy dose of wildcat, sometimes just with Cribbs, other times with Cribbs and Wallace.

Browns WR Brian Robiskie made tremendous progress between his college freshman season (only one reception) and his sophomore year, when he emerged as a starter and caught 29 passes for the Buckeyes. Robiskie caught only seven passes as a rookie, and the Browns now see the player they hoped for when picking him in the second round in 2009.

If the Browns were to give an award for an MVP of the different minicamps, receiver Brian Robiskie would be the winner. As one Browns coach said: "He started strong, and then got better. He never let up. He's made a huge jump." The Browns say Robiskie now "runs" the pass routes, rather than going through them "robotically," as he did his rookie season. He earned the respect of veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme, who told the coaches how Robiskie is "exactly where he should be at exactly the right time."

The Browns believe Robiskie will continue to be effective once real football begins with blocking and tackling. Robiskie is not a pure speed receiver. His quickness is above average, but he also has the strength to fight off defensive backs and create room to get open. Some "track guys" look good in the summer, then fade once they are physically challenged in the fall. That should not be the case with the Ohio State product.

Even if Robiskie is #2 on the WR depth chart, Josh Cribbs will have the bigger fantasy impact - especially in return yardage leagues - because of the various ways the Browns get the ball in his hands.

If Browns HC Eric Mangini had to do his most recent news conference over again, he would be clearer about the fact that -- no surprise -- Jake Delhomme is the No. 1 quarterback. During the minicamps, he worked with the starters and the Browns were very pleased with the 35 year old. They like how he quickly adapted to the offense and how he didn't make many poor throws. He has looked like what they hoped for when signing him to a $7 million deal: A solid veteran with strong leadership skills.

We knew Jake was the #1 QB, but what is interesting is the note that Delhomme hasn't been making many poor throws. The poor throw, or more specifically throws to defenders, has been his achilles heel since imploding in the Panthers 2008 playoff run. If Delhomme can limit the poor throw in regular season games, the Browns could surprise people this season. But even a best case scenario wont make Delhomme a fantasy option.

As the Titans wrapped up their organized team activities on Friday, WR Kenny Britt (2009 1st round pick) didn't exactly finish on a high note. He continued to drop passes. The practice capped an offseason that started when he showed up out of condition, forcing the coaches to sit him for a stretch. Then nagging injuries slowed him in May and June, with a knee bruise bothering him recently.

He's gone backwards, leading to questions about his ability to become the playmaker the Titans envisioned when they picked him in the first round of the draft last year.

"It has been horrible,'' Britt said. "I am disappointed in myself. I know I have to get better. They expect me to get better. And that's what I plan on doing.''

So he's hearing the nickname "Question Mark" again, especially from quarterback Vince Young.

Kenny Britt has the potential to be a solid #1 WR in the NFL, but the intangibles to date have all pointed in the wrong direction. Even if Britt is running with the 2nd and 3rd teams in camp, we expect his talent to get him on the field as a week 1 starter -- but he will need make good on his plan to work harder or he likely will never realize his potential, fantasy or otherwise.

New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who pleaded no contest in January to misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident outside a Cleveland nightclub, will not be suspended by the NFL under its personal-conduct policy, a league source told ESPNNewYork.com on Saturday.

It had been widely speculated that Edwards would receive at least a one-game ban for punching a man, an acquaintance of NBA star LeBron James, last October when Edwards was a member of the Cleveland Browns. Instead of a suspension, it's believed that Edwards will be fined an undisclosed amount by the league.

This is obviously good news for Braylon and the Jets who are already without WR Santonio Holmes for the first 4 games of 2010 for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Now Edwards needs to work on catching the ball.

This news could be an early indicator that Vince Young, who recently had a night club altercation of his own, may be able to escape the incident without suspension.

New Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall already has set a high bar for himself, as the fifth player in NFL history to produce three consecutive seasons of at least 100 receptions. But before hosting a free youth football clinic Saturday, Marshall said the upcoming season is "probably [going to be] the best year I've ever had.''

Marshall, 26, said he will begin training camp "ready to go full speed'' after offseason hip surgery.

One reason he's so optimistic is quarterback Chad Henne, whom Marshall has raved about during interviews in the past week. "I've worked out with a lot of guys, not just played, and his arm is up there with the best," Marshall said. And he's "very smart.''

While it's hard to argue that Chad Henne is an upgrade over Kyle Orton, WRs on new teams rarely step right in where they left off the previous season (Moss to the Pats being the exception). Marshall comes to a Dolphins team that has been a run-first offense, and will also match up twice against the Jets league best pass defense. Without another receiving threat on the Dolphins, the Jets will surely put shut-down corner Derrelle Revis on Brandon Marshall for just about every snap of both games. It is encouraging to hear Marshall saying all the right things. Hopefully now that he has gotten the contract he desired Marshall will be able to focus on football.

New York Giants rookie safety Chad Jones underwent seven-plus hours of surgery Friday in New Orleans to repair a broken left leg and ankle that he sustained when his sport-utility vehicle smashed into a pole, NFL.com's Steve Wyche reported.

Jones appeared to have nerve damage in his leg, but doctors' initial diagnosis is that amputation -- a concern throughout the day after the morning accident -- won't be needed, the player's agent, Rocky Arceneaux, told Wyche.

Jones definitely won't play this coming season, but it's too early to say if his injuries are career-threatening, Arceneaux said.

Even though the agents for defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh have a history of contract holdouts for high draft picks, the No. 2 overall pick and the Lions are confident he will be in training camp on time. Training camp starts in late July.

"Like I've always said, I hope and plan to be in training camp," Suh said Friday after the Lions ended a three-day minicamp in Allen Park. "Where the contract stands? I have no clue. My agents are handling that right now."

Suh is represented by Roosevelt Barnes, a Lions linebacker in 1982-85, and Eugene Parker. Parker represents San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree, the 10th overall pick last year who held out until October. That did not seem to faze Lions general manager Martin Mayhew. "I don't think it's going to be a big issue," Mayhew said. "I know his agents very well. He's got two great agents who are very accomplished guys."

The good news for Michael Vick this afternoon might be that the Virginia Beach police say he is "of no interest to us" as they investigate a shooting that occurred early this morning outside a restaurant where Vick reportedly had been celebrating his 30th birthday.

However, given the stringent protocols of Vick's reinstatement to football last year by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell , it might not be a great thing for the Eagles' backup quarterback that a man identified by Virginia Beach General Hospital as Quanis Phillips, one of Vick's 2007 dogfighting codefendants, suffered a nonlifethreatening wound in the incident. Vick is not supposed to associate with anyone from his dogfighting days, after serving more than a year and a half in prison and being released on probation before his reinstatement last year.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is looking into the incident "to determine the facts." When Goodell allowed Vick to return to the NFL last July, one part of the letter announcing the decision said: "Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited."

Vick's agent, Joel Segal, did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily News. Vick's attorney Larry Woodward told the Associated Press that Vick was neither involved in nor present for the shooting.

The Eagles issued the following statement:

"We are aware of the incident that occurred in Virginia early this morning and are in the process of gathering all of the facts. Until then, we will not have any comment on this matter."

It's certainly not good for Vick's name to come up in an investigation like this, but it sounds like he wasn't around at the time of the incident. Vick's fantasy impact will be limited behind Kevin Kolb.

Wide receiver James Hardy, the 41st overall pick two years ago, looked like he still was getting into shape. Gailey said Friday that Hardy had been slowed down this spring but didn't say why. Turns out Hardy underwent sports hernia surgery after last season and couldn't work out for six weeks, a league source said.

Give Hardy some time before passing judgement. Recovering from a sports hernia takes time. He still projects as the #2 WR.

The news regarding Giants safety Chad Jones following his scary car accident on Friday continues to get more sobering.

Per a league source, Pro Football Talk has learned that doctors are currently working to save Jones' leg. It was previously reported that Jones fractured his left leg, with arteries and nerves exposed.

Jones remains in critical condition.

Please join us in continuing to wish the best for him and his family.

It doesn’t matter how many games Dexter McCluster starts in 2010. He could very well play in all 16 games without starting a single one of them. What we do know, is that the Chiefs will use him in a multitude of ways from week to week. He’s a player who can fit into multiple personnel groupings at multiple positions and we already caught a glimpse of that part of his game during OTA and mini-camp sessions. When the 2010 season is all said and done, McCluster will likely have lined up at wide out, slot, running back, wildcat and return man.

The Bills will have a lot of work to do in training camp to figure out how their receiving corps shakes out.

Coach Chan Gailey acknowledged that the position is wide open as well when the team gets to St. John Fisher College.

Just what do the Bills have after No. 1 wideout Lee Evans? It's still hard to say. Judging from practice repetitions during the three-day minicamp, third-year man Steve Johnson will be giving third-year man James Hardy a strong run for a starting job. It's pretty clear veteran Roscoe Parrish is going to get much more of a chance to contribute out of the slot than he got last season.

Hardy's practice repetitions were limited. He underwent an offseason operation on his groin, and Gailey acknowledged that cut into his work on the field during the spring. "He told me he felt a lot better these last two weeks than he had the first few practices," Gailey said.

Undrafted rookie David Nelson, a 6-foot-5 wideout from Florida, also got plenty of action on the outside with the first offensive unit the past three days. Fourth-round draft pick Marcus Easley showed good hands during the spring.

Most around the Bills believe it will be Lee Evans and James Hardy who will eventually receive the majority of reps, but Steve Johnson has been getting a lot of work with the first team to date. Regardless, the #2 receiver on the Bills will not be a hot fantasy commodity.

Running back Chris Johnson missed his 13th straight minicamp practice on Thursday, and isn't expected to be around today either. Vince Young expects Johnson to be on the field when the Titans begin training camp on July 31.

While Johnson can't be fined for missing minicamps, which are voluntary, he'll be subject to daily fines of roughly $15,000 during training camp if he elects to stay away.

"I am pretty sure he'll (be here),'' Vince Young said. "He has to pay his bills.''

Given CJ's predicted #1 draft selection in most fantasy drafts, this situation must be monitored.

Washington Redskins Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan recently said that Clinton Portis will enter training camp as the team's No. 1 running back. He said an actual depth chart doesn't exist, so it's difficult to say how the backfield actually stacks up. With Larry Johnson and Willie Parker on the roster, the competition in August should be interesting.

“Bernard Scott came in as a rookie last year and did a good job for us,” RB coach Jim Anderson said. “We’re counting on him to be bigger and better than he was last season. He will play a bigger role in what we do.”

Bernard Scott is a "must-have" handcuff for all Cedric Benson owners. He is lighting in a bottle.

It was previously believed that veteran RB Brian Westbrook could play for the Broncos, Rams or Redskins this coming season. But that short list might have expanded.

NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche said Thursday on “NFL Total Access” that “more teams” are now interested in Westbrook’s services, although those teams weren’t revealed to him. For now, those teams remain a mystery.

But that nugget from Wyche might help explain why Westbrook has been taking his time finding a new home this offseason.

While most remember the concussion issues with Westbrook, many don't remember he really lacked explosiveness even prior to the hits to the head. It looks like Westy will surely find a job this fall, but his days of being one of the top fantasy backs are probably gone. He could still have some value, but we'll have to wait until he signs and see what his role is.

Matt Mosley took a look at the NFC East running backs:

I think the Cowboys will have the best unit if Marion Barber and his leaner frame can stave off injuries.

I have the Giants and Eagles neck and neck at running back. Ahmad Bradshaw's going to be the X factor because he has the potential to be a dominant back. But there are questions about his durability after watching him hobble around in protective boots last season.

If Bradshaw's truly 100 percent, he's capable of being the best running back in the division. Seriously. I think some of us have forgotten those carries during the Giants' playoff run.

We all know that Washington's trio of Willie Parker, Larry Johnson and Clinton Portis is an aging group, but Mosley thinks Dallas has the best unit with the Eagles and Giants about even. "Units" don't do much for us fantasy owners, but quite honestly all four NFC East teams don't seem to have a standout fantasy stud that's going to carry the load. He could very well be right about Bradshaw, who when healthy is probably the best of the bunch. Brandon Jacobs had his struggles last year and didn't even get goal line carries a lot of times. Hopefully at some point before the season, roles will be set for all of these backs to give us some fantasy sense.

Mike Chappell of the Indy Star recently answered some questions:

Q: How do you feel the Colts will work the rotation at the wide receiver position? Are we looking at more four wide sets? Who has the hot hand? How do you see the number of reps each game for Pierre garcon, Anthony Gonzalez and Austin Collie?

A: There's no question in my mind the most interesting area for training camp will be wide receiver. This has the potential to be one of the deepest groups, if not the deepest group, the Colts have had. My current pecking order has Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon being the outside starters with Anthony Gonzalez ahead of Austin Collie as the slot receiver. I just like the deep speed Garcon provides on the outside, even though I really like Gonzo's after-the-catch skills. Gonzo said he's been assured by the coaching staff that he'll be given an opportunity to compete with Garcon for the No. 2 spot alongside Wayne. We'll see how that shakes out. One thing to keep in mind is you also have to figure Dallas Clark into the rotation.

As I mentioned, a very, very deep and talented group. Somebody's playing time is going to diminish, and my hunch is it will be Collie. Again, just a hunch.

This is a pretty big deal in the fantasy world and something to watch as camp presses on into the regular season. Gonzalez in the slot with Garcon and Wayne on the outside seems like it makes the most sense. Just about everyone in the Colt offense will have fantasy value, though. Keep in mind a lot of weeks Dallas Clark at tight end is essentially a WR2 on this team.

For a decade, the Ravens relied on a dominating defense to win games. Now, at long last, they appear to have an offense capable of winning shootouts if the defense plays like Betty White out there.

Last season, the Ravens relied on Ray Rice — the AFC North’s most dynamic offensive playmaker — and the division’s best offensive line to bully their way to the divisional round of the playoffs. Led by the NFL’s fifth-ranked rushing attack, the Ravens averaged 24.4 points per game.

Expect them to be more balanced and even more dangerous this season after overhauling the receiving corps. Adding Anquan Boldin, Donte’ Stallworth and a pair of rookie tight ends — and bringing back Derrick Mason — has players and fans alike excited about the potential of the passing game. Mason told The Sporting News he thinks the Ravens “have a good shot to score 25-35 points a game” with their shiny new toys. The development of QB Joe Flacco, the grinning kid who can’t wait to play with those toys, will determine whether they score closer to 25 points or 35.

The opinion comes from Sun writer Matt Vensel, but it's hard to disagree. Like we said before here at 4for4, and even as Matt points out, the pieces are there and it's just a matter of Flacco putting it all together. If so, the Ravens are going to score some points, and you want your fantasy team to be a part of it.

The New York Giants were awarded wide receiver/kick returner Chris Davis off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday.

Davis missed the entire 2009 season with a hamstring injury he suffered in the Hall of Fame game against Buffalo.

He played his previous two season with Tennessee and over 17 games he totaled seven catches for 69 yards and averaged 9.1 yards on 33 punt returns and 26.0 yards on six kickoff returns.

In a Thursday morning interview with Sun Herald sports writer Al Jones, QB Brett Favre, who had just finished an 8-mile bicycle ride, said: ‘‘I would love to go beat the Saints. I know I can still play at a high level. Last year was a great year, but it could have been better (winning NFC Championship).’’

He still didn't commit to coming back or retiring, so it's more non-news from Brett. But, it at least shows the loss is still in his mind and he's still competitive. He'll enter the fantasy world as a bottom half of the top-ten QB if he's back for 2010.

49er beat writer Matt Barrows said the question has been posed to him a number of times whether RB Anthony Dixon can/will overtake Glen Coffee for the role of No. 2 running back.

I don't think so, at least not at the start of the season. A rookie running back may dazzle when he has the ball in his hands, but whether he gets playing time depends on how quickly he can learn and master pass blocking. Coffee does this well already while Dixon is just learning. His hamstring injury also means he didn't have a chance to make up any ground in June.

If you look at the numbers Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams put up last season, they’re not bad. He carried 211 times for 823 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns.

If you then look at the circumstances, Williams’ numbers actually were very good. Coming off his second major knee injury, Williams did all that behind a team that was the worst in the NFL for the first half of last season.

Take all that into consideration and look forward. It’s not hard to imagine Williams turning in a bigger year in 2010. He’s completely healthy now and he’s the unquestioned starter at running back. The Bucs have shifted Earnest Graham over to fullback and Derrick Ward, who was signed last year with the dream of him becoming the feature back, has shown he’s just a backup.

Ward was one of the bigger disappointments last year, drafted pretty early as the assumed Tampa Bay starting RB. Caddy and Ward split carries much of last season before Williams kind of took over as the feature back. This certainly makes it look like Williams will be the starter again, and it may not even be a committee situation if Ward is simply a backup, or a third down passing-catching back. Feature backs are hard to find these days, and while you certainly can't expect week-in, week-out stud totals from any Tampa RB, keep Williams in mind as a potential RB3 on your team, with potential to start certain weeks.

WR Julian Edelman shows promise, with one scout saying that his big challenge will be to show he can absorb a pounding and make it through a 16-game schedule.

If he can hold up, Edelman has a chance to see a lot of footballs come his way this season. He's the number-three on the team at WR right now with no sure things behind him. He'll have some value this year, especially depending on when WR Wes Welker comes back from injury.

Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson has put together a phenomenal offseason in his third year, demanding attention with his play in organized team activity practices and minicamp.

Passes stuck to his gloves. Defenders couldn’t keep up. Any ball in his vicinity seemed catchable.

As quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his bag of offensive toys prepare for what the organization hopes is a lengthy playoff run, Nelson looks ready for a bigger role.

“Jordy has had, by far, his best offseason,” receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said. “He’s feeling so comfortable out there, that he’s making a ton of plays.”

He split time with James Jones in the slot last year, but that could change if he can carry this over into camp and beyond. He could be a nice, later round pick in your draft.

But it was Mike Martz's offense that I came to see, and despite the low-impact nature of OTAs, I got to witness QB Jay Cutler running four-receiver sets, handing off to RB Matt Forte up the middle, moving quickly up field -- the typical Martz offensive staples.

When the Bears brought in Cutler, an oft-erratic talent with the capability to be Kurt Warner and the culpability to be more than QB Rex Grossman, it was obvious the team's run-off-the-bus philosophy would have to change. And with Martz on board, the Bears' offense could actually be enjoyable to watch in long stretches.

"I love it," Cutler said of Martz's system, which encourages the quarterback to throw to spots where receivers should be. "There's a lot to like about it. The ball's in the air. We're doing some great stuff in the run game. It's personnel-based so we're trying to get guys open, trying to find spaces for them, trying to find matchups."

You wouldn't expect Cutler to say anything else, but hopefully for him, this offense only helps him, and of course his fantasy value. With many down on Cutler because of last year, and for good reason, you should be able to draft him as your backup and hope he turns into an every week starter. The key will be where to take him in your draft.

QB Marc Bulger's arrival in Baltimore immediately clouds the future of former backup Troy Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State who has repeatedly lobbied for a trade over the past year.

It's regarded as more likely that Smith would be moving on than John Beck. However, no change was immediately made to either player's roster status.

What started as a game of catch-up is now becoming one of catch him if you can.

Jahvid Best, the Lions' rookie first-round pick, is starting to gain a little traction barely a month into his NFL career. And Wednesday, as the team began a three-day mandatory minicamp, the fleet-footed running back again showed flashes of his potential, busting a few long runs.

"We're not in pads, we're not really tackling and everything," Best said, quick to downplay some of the highlights, including a pitch play and a pair of screen passes he turned into big gains. "But, I mean, it does feel good to kind of get in the open field and go."

Best has a chance to be one of those rookie RBs you target early in your draft, especially if you're looking to build for the future in your keeper league. San Diego's Ryan Mathews will probably draw the most interest, but Best shouldn't be too far behind by the time your draft comes around.

Devin Hester has plenty of plans for his respite before the Bears open training camp in late July.

He's going to get married, he's going to spend time with his family in Florida and he's even going to host a local football camp in a few weeks.

But as he tries to get a handle on Mike Martz's new offense, Hester is also going to learn his role from the best possible source: Isaac Bruce.

Who better to learn from than Bruce, who was a star in Mike Martz's offense with the Rams. We all know Hester has the skills, so this could help put him over the top and give you some nice receiver depth on your roster.

We said early this week that K Adam Vinatieri's return was a reason for optimism, but Vinatieri also is coming off the most injury-plagued season of his career, having missed 10 games last season with hip and knee injuries.

Vinatieri looked good during organized team activities, and talked of feeling good and playing several more seasons. A more pressing issue for the Colts involving the 15-year veteran is whether he can remain healthy through an entire season.

Considering the Colts seem to very much want him to be the kicking specialist next season, and considering they didn't re-sign veteran Matt Stover – who kicked the last half of the regular season and the post-season – indications are the Colts believe he will be healthy. No reason to believe he can't remain that way, and if that's true, history indicates 37-year-old kickers can be very effective.

The Colts selected Ray Fisher in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft and shortly thereafter, they signed RB Brandon James from the University of Florida.

From that duo, the Colts likely will find their returner for next season. Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said recently it has yet to be decided whether one player will play each role, or whether the Colts will carry a punt and kick returner.

Another new face on the practice field Wednesday was kicker Justin Medlock, who was claimed off waivers from Washington last week. Medlock, a 2007 fifth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, starred for Toronto Argonauts last season in the CFL. That's where he thought he was headed before the Lions snagged him. (The Argonauts retain his CFL rights as an option-year player.)

And that's probably where he'll be headed soon enough. And just get this out of the way, when I asked Schwartz why the team decided to bring Medlock in, the coach made it clear the Lions don't have any concerns about veteran Jason Hanson -- on field goals or kickoffs.

"No, Hanson's doing fine -- it has nothing to do with Jason," Schwartz said.

Hanson should see a bump in value this year. Kicking in a dome at least nine times (counting Minny) never hurts, but the Lions should be able to move the ball and keep games closer this year.

Recently released Seattle Seahawks running back LenDale White appeared on our Nashville radio show today and, in a wide-ranging interview, talked about USC, Pete Carroll, the World Cup, whether he prefers salsa or ketchup, the Kardashian sisters and career advice from Snoop Dogg.

For now White says he's waiting for his next opportunity in the NFL and is convinced he can still be a starting running back in the league. That is, once he serves his four-game suspension.

"I'm still 225, I'm in shape, I feel good," White said.

Asked if there was any team in the NFL that he thought would be a good fit, White joked, "Uh, yeah, the Titans since they don't have a running back right now with Chris Johnson."

Another offseason, another left knee operation for Seattle Seahawks receiver Deion Branch.

Branch was back on the field this week for Seattle's final minicamp, doing individual drills. He didn't participate in any 11-on-11 activities. That will wait for another month when training camp begins, when Branch says he will be a full go with his left knee.

"I feel good. Last year [I] did the same thing and had it cleaned out," Branch said Wednesday after Seattle wrapped up its minicamp. "This year was probably a little lighter, not as intense as last year's surgery. It's just a normal clean out, nothing major. It's nothing that nobody is worried about."

Ryan Fitzpatrick worked at quarterback with the first team offense for the first two sessions but not the third in Wednesday afternoon's minicamp practice. Fitzpatrick got the first chance in the 7 on 7 drill and in the 11-on-11 red-zone portion of practice. The team closed with two full-team two-minute drives. Trent Edwards ran the first-team offense in that section, and Fitzpatrick ran the second two-minute drive with the second-string. Brian Brohm was third in the 7 on 7 and the red zone work but did not get a crack at the two-minute drill. I'm expecting Brohm to get more work with the "ones" on Thursday.

The Ravens and former Rams quarterback Marc Bulger reached agreement on a one-year, $3.8 million deal.

St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo faced a different audience Wednesday, a group of business leaders and fans in the Schoenberg Auditorium at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
The event was billed as a chalk talk, but Spagnuolo immediately opened up for questions. Among the topics on the minds of fans:

Sam Bradford: He reiterated that A.J. Feeley was the starting quarterback for now because of familiarity with the system.

"It would be an injustice to Sam and the rest of the team" to set a timetable, he said. "He's in the early stages of developing as an NFL quarterback. He came into the league far advanced from some quarterbacks I've worked with. We'll do first what's right for the team and second what's right for Sam."

It's only a matter of time until Sam Bradford is under center for the Rams. Fantasy value is minimal.

The St. Louis Rams have re-signed free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe to multi-year contract. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

“We are excited to have O.J. back in the fold,” Spagnuolo said. “We were always hopeful for this result. We look forward to having his leadership, character and talent back on our defense.”

“I’m at peace,” Atogwe said. “I am very excited to be coming back. It was a long drawn out process but I believe it was supposed to be that way just so that the right decision could be made. I believe and am thankful that the right decision was made.”

CSNWastington writer Ryan O'Halloran believes Willie Parker has very little chance to make the Washington Redskins 53-man roster.

This is complete speculation but Willie Parker must not be showing much to coaches for this type of prediction to be made.

It's probably been two weeks since Raiders fans have gotten excited about the progress receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has shown this offseason, so here's a nibble to get you through the day:

DHB doesn't talk much about his struggles as a rookie last year -- the seventh overall pick had nine catches and a lot more drops -- and answers most questions about his improvement in offseason practices the same way. "I'm just playing, playing football," he says.

But he obviously has worked hard, adding about 10 pounds of muscle and improving his hands. The speedy DHB often made plays on the ball in the air in practice, and his confidence is growing daily.

"Last year was a learning experience," Heyward-Bey said. "I went out there and played a lot, learned a lot, and then getting hurt at the end was something I never experienced through college or high school. So I used it all as a learning experience.

It usually takes 2, sometimes 3 years before a wide receiver fully develops in the NFL. Darrius Heyward-Bey may be ahead of the curve. The addition of Jason Campbell will be huge. Let's see how training camp works out for DHB.

Running back Kevin Smith (knee) went through some seven-on-seven drills as his rehab continues. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew (knee) and Ko Simpson (knee) did some individual work, but no team drills. Cornerback Jack Williams (knee) was held out of drills.

Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall said he's finishing up the 8th week of his 8 week rehab for the hip procedure he had this offseason.

This is great news given the hip surgery announcement took many fans by surprise. Marshall is expected to be a borderline top 10 wide receiver.

Don't be certain the fifth receiver is on the Dolphins roster. Not only is injured Patrick Turner uncertain about his status for camp, but a teammate said Turner previously hasn't shown the urgency or work ethic of the other receivers.

If there's "a silver lining" to Chris Johnson making himself scarce in Tennessee, says Mike Heimderdinger, it's touches for sophomore running back Javon Ringer. Ringer saw action in seven games last season, but carried just eight times for 48 yards. He didn't catch any passes. "I think this has been really good for Javon," Heimderdinger said Monday, at the Titans Charity Golf Classic at Hillwood Country Club. "Javon had like his redshirt year (as a rookie). He carried the ball a lot of times in college. His running ability is really good."

Falcons coach Mike Smith believes running back Michael Turner might be in the best shape of his Falcons career. The seventh-year pro basically has not had any time off, because the ankle injury that cut short his 2009 season required him to come in for rehab early in the offseason.

"Michael has been working extremely hard," Smith says. "He is the type of guy that has a lot of pride about him, and he wants to [perform] this season like he had in Year 1 with us. But, you know, I probably made a mistake with him last year. Michael wanted to play and come back in the worst way against the Bucs [after sitting out a week with the high ankle sprain]; and he came back and made it through the first quarter but got injured again. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have put him out there. He was like the competitor that you want all of your players to be; he was in my ear saying, 'I'm ready. I want to get back out there.' You love that, but maybe sometimes you have to step back. That was a good learning experience for me as a head coach."

Smith also realized that he doesn't want to run his workhorse into the ground. The third-year coach won't divulge details, but he says there will be "parameters" on how often Turner carries the ball this season. The Falcons won't go into a game saying he'll be restricted, but they do want to be more conscious of the physical pounding Turner takes. The last thing anyone wants is for him to need an extra long recovery period in the offseason. There are photos to remind the Falcons of how that worked out last time, even if Turner doesn't want to look at them.

If Turner can overcome his durability issues, a top 5 finish could be a reality. Coming to camp in shape is certainly a step in the right direction.

Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll likes what he's seen from a number of the 11 healthy receivers who are in camp, a number that got smaller with the release of former Husky standout Reggie Williams last week.

"Deon Butler has had a very good offseason for us and has improved immensely from where we saw him on film last year. Mike Williams has made an impact and the fact he's 6-4 and 240, we like what he brings," Carroll said.

"Golden has had a ton of reps and turns and he has a lot to learn, but he makes things happen and that's what the special guys do. They kind of remind you that they're special. And we have a lot of hope that he'll be a contributor.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says recently acquired running back Leon Washington will be ready for the start of training camp despite having a metal rod in his leg.

Carroll said Tuesday during Seattle's final minicamp before the preseason starts in late July that the team will be very careful in the early days of camp with Washington, a 2008 All-Pro with the New York Jets.

But Carroll says Washington is ahead of his recovery schedule from a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula in his right leg last October.

Many speculated about whether he'll be able to play again. The injury required a metal rod to be inserted into the tibia.

Washington says the rod is going to be there forever. He jokes that at least he can't break that leg again.

Should Washington be ready and close to 100%, he will be utilized on special teams and perhaps third down situations. Leon Washington could end up with a bigger role, but with Justin Forsett and Julius Jones ahead of him on the depth chart and an injury history to boot, upside expectations should be tempered.

At least one team called to inquire about unsigned RFA wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

The Chargers response was "No thanks." Jackson is threatening to hold out until Week 10 of the regular season and then sign his tender and report.

Bengals extension with Cedric Benson may be real close. Offer of 3 yrs added to this year re-worked to be worth between $16-20 mil.

Great news for Cedric Benson as this is a clear investment into the future as the Bengals #1 RB. Benson averaged close to 100 yards per game last season.

It will be difficult for the 49ers to work another running back into the mix as long as Frank Gore is an option. That's because he is not only their best runner, he's also their best back in pass protection and catching passes out of the backfield. He caught nearly twice as many passes out of the backfield as any other 49ers running back, giving Smith a reliable safety-valve option on pass plays.

Frank Gore is a true stud running back....when healthy. Look for him to be the "bell cow" for the 49ers offense. Gore is currently ranked #5 on the 4for4 RB Cheat Sheet.

The Titans had hoped to get wide receiver Nate Washington back in the mix today, but the sprained wrist he suffered last week kept him from participating in the team’s offseason workout.

"We didn’t know it was this serious," Washington said. "But it’s just a sprain. At the same time, at my position it’s different. I don’t just go out there and not touch the ball. It’s difficult catching a ball like that. It’s kind of sore and tender today."

Washington said if this had been a game week, he would be pushing harder to play.

"If it was a game week, it would be a totally different story," Washington said. "But it’s still early. We’ve got a lot done in these OTAs, so we just want to make sure everything is fine. We’ve been taking it slow with the sprain.’"

James Jones & Jordy Nelson have had "outstanding" off-seasons. Jones may be most productive on the team.

Donald Driver is 35 years old, battling knee issues, and did slow down in the final quarter of 2009. But assuming his injuries don't turn out to be more serious than expected Driver will easily be the #2 WR behind Greg Jennings. While James Jones and Jordy Nelson have upside, we hear these kinds of things out of Packers camp just about every year -- and every season Jones finds a way to disappoint (32/440 last year).

The Bills have continued to rotate Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm with the first team, while rookie Levi Brown has remained fourth in the order. That system, however, will change come July 29, when the Bills hold their first training camp practice at St. John Fisher College in suburban Rochester.

Whomever emerges as the #1 QB in Buffalo, their fantasy value will be minimal.

At season's end in 2009, undrafted rookie free agent Arian Foster closed out the campaign with 246 yards on 39 carries in the final two contests. Steve Slaton, who was good for more than 1,200 yards as a rookie in 2008, missed the final five games of 2009 with a neck injury. Those two were atop the depth chart during OTAs, and they garnered the lion's share of carries.

Rookie second-round draft pick Ben Tate was injured for much of the work in May and June and didn't see the practice field until the end of OTAs.

Foster was consistent throughout the spring and is looking to continue the success he enjoyed at the end of last season, while Slaton aims to prove that 2009's fumbling problems were an aberration. Tate will need to make strides during training camp to prove he's worthy of shouldering the big load.

Slaton entered last season as the starter, and head coach Gary Kubiak was impressed by his work this offseason.

"He and Foster have had probably been as good in the OTAs as any player we've had," Kubiak said. "With Steve, he goes and gets checked out in two weeks. Everything from our standpoint we're told should be okay, and just get him back and used to contact again will be the key for Steve."

Kubiak said that if the medical reports on Slaton are good, the third-year back will be able to participate fully in training camp.

"If they cut him loose, we'll go to work," Kubiak said. "We need to get his confidence back about getting hit and stuff.".

The Houston RB situation has Running Back By Committee written all over it. One of Arian Foster, Steve Slaton, or Ben Tate could end up performing nicely as a late round sleeper pick, but at this point it's anyone's guess who that will be.

If the Chargers get to the point where they would be interested in trading disgruntled wide receiver Vincent Jackson, the Seahawks may be interested.

Jackson has not signed his Chargers restricted free agent tender and has said he will sit out until Week 10 of the regular season.

This is pure speculation on behalf of Jason La Canfora, and quite frankly who haven't the Seahawks been rumored to be interested in in a trade deal? If Vincent Jackson does get dealt from the Chargers it would likely result in a substantial fantasy downgrade for both Jackson and Philip Rivers.

Doctors told Panthers that Steve Smith should be sidelined 10 weeks, knocking him out of camp but putting him on target to play opener.

Adam Schefter is right in the middle of all things NFL. The 10 week window still allows for Smith to start the season. Dynasty owners can now exhale.

Well, Ed Gant’s chances to be the Cards’ fourth receiver — and even to make the team — aren’t going to be helped by Monday’s announcement that he has been suspended for the first four regular-season games because he violated the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

The suspension means Gant can participate in training camp and the preseason, but he has to disappear for a month once the regular season starts (just like tight end Ben Patrick last year). If he has a good camp, it makes roster choices harder at the end of camp. The one good thing is Gant wouldn’t count against the 53-man roster while he is out.

Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said that if the medical reports on RB Steve Slaton are good, the third-year back will be able to participate fully in training camp.

"If they cut him loose, we'll go to work," Kubiak said. "We need to get his confidence back about getting hit and stuff."

Earlier, the Texans Web site said Arian Foster would get the work with the first team. Slaton is second on the depth chart and between the two they should get a bulk of the work this year. It remains to be seen which back will have more fantasy value though. Rookie RB Ben Tate will also be in the mix, but is probably behind after missing May and June practices.

Cleveland WR Josh Cribbs said he wants to lose 13 pounds before training camp.

Darin Gantt is guessing WR Kenny Moore replaces WR Steve L. Smith with the ones to start camp. Big chance for Kenny, good chance to evaluate for Panthers.

Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger feels that if there’s any silver lining to Chris Johnson’s continued absence during offseason workouts, it’s been the increased repetitions for second-year back Javon Ringer.

Ringer saw action in seven games last season, but carried just eight times for 48 yards. He didn’t catch any passes.

''I think this has been really good for Javon," Heimderdinger said Monday, at the Titans Charity Golf Classic at Hillwood Country Club. ''Javon had like his redshirt year (as a rookie). He carried the ball a lot of times in college. His running ability is really good."

While it may be good news for Ringer, hopefully for those who dream of protecting Chris Johnson in keeper leagues, you're not watching Ringer get all the carries in September...

Josh Freeman is still wearing a No. 5 jersey as he stands under center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So much for the similarities.

The second-year quarterback looks like a different player to teammates and coaches who can't help but notice Freeman's emerging confidence.

"Josh Freeman looks like a guy who knows what he wants to do,'' middle linebacker Barrett Ruud said after Monday's opening practice at mandatory minicamp "He's not just going through the motions out here. He's trying things out like pump fakes. He's been watching other quarterbacks in this league, seeing how they play against the Cover 2. I think he knows how to prepare now. He knows what he needs to do to get better.''

We'll see how it translates to the field during games this season. He threw a ton of interceptions last year (18) with just 10 TDs. He should be improved, but may still not be backup worthy on your fantasy team. Expect him to be on most leagues' waiver wires.

Miles Austin became a starter in the fifth game last season and made the most of the chance. Including the post-season, Austin had 87 catches for 1,345 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games as the starter. His ability to break tackles and run after the catch turned numerous throws into big gainers.

As Austin rose, the veteran WR Roy Williams continued to struggle within the Cowboys’ system. He tied for 107th in the league for receptions with only 38. In the final six quarters of the season, quarterback Tony Romo threw only one pass to Williams, and it went incomplete.

Williams had increasing difficulty getting open. Opponents deflected 17 of the 86 passes thrown to Williams. Tight end Jason Witten was second on the club, with nine deflected passes out of the 124 thrown to him.

The story is a good reminder about just how much Roy Williams was, or wasn't, used last year, especially late. With rookie Dez Bryant now in the picture, things don't look like they will get any better for Williams this season. But, the team gave up a lot to get him so keep monitoring the situation. It's hard to believe he will just sit on the bench, but even if he plays he just may not have a lot of fantasy value.

When the Jets signed future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, it was widely assumed that he'd play a complementary role, with Shonn Greene rising to "feature-back" status. Hold everything. According to running backs coach Anthony Lynn, "I see myself as having two starters."

What Lynn meant is this: Playing time will be determined, in large part, by game situations and matchups. As he explained the other day, "It depends on the flow of the game. If we're better off in our big personnel, Shonn will get more touches. If we go little, like we did last year with Leon (Washington) in our nickel package, L.T. will get more touches. It's all situational."

Lynn compared it to the Washington-Thomas Jones tandem last season. If that's the case, the workloads will be fairly close to even. Before Washington's season-ending injury in Week 7, he had 70 carries and 15 catches for 85 touches. Jones had 96 carries and four receptions for 100 touches. That's almost a 50-50 split.

This counters an earlier report that LT hasn't looked his old self, which no one should be surprised by. It's still early, and this just may be coach-speak to keep everyone motivated. It's hard to believe that Greene wouldn't be the guy to own in this offense, but be sure to keep a close watch.

The Giants WR Steve Smith, in a Q & A, recently said he expects big things from fellow wideout Hakeem Nicks.

Q: Who on the receiving corps will have a breakout season like you did last year?

A: Hakeem Nicks. He showed me a lot of ability last year, just raw talent. If he works on some of the little things, the sky is the limit.

Smith is more of a possession guy anyway, so Nicks could see a lot of big plays this season. Nicks could be a nice middle-round selection as a WR3, at least to start the season, on your roster.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve L Smith broke his arm while playing defensive back during a flag football game at his football camp this weekend, his agent Derrick Fox confirmed.

Smith underwent surgery for the injury Sunday night. Fox predicted that Smith should be ready for the Panthers' regular-season opener.

"I'm not trying to play doctor, but I don't think he'll miss any games due to this injury," Fox said. "He did this while trying to play with and help the kids."

Not missing games is obviously the key. The Panthers are initially optimistic that Smith will recover before or at least near the start of the season. But keep an eye on Smith's situation as draft day gets closer.

This is the same arm Smith broke at the end of last season, but in a different spot. If he doesn't recover as quickly as the Panthers hope, Carolina could be in a tough spot -- relying on two of Dwayne Jarrett, Kenneth Moore, and a couple of rookies as their starting wide outs.

"Friends Forever for Fergie Frederiksen" benefit concert Sunday July 18th at Bayview Event Center on Lake Minnetonka, MN.

Recently, Fergie, a father of two and friend of many, was diagnosed with inoperable life threatening cancer. Fergie, the former lead singer of the group Toto will be joined by his dear friends, Alex Ligertwood, former lead singer of SANTANA and Jimi Jamison, former lead voice of SURVIVOR with the band Headliner for a concert with ALL PROCEEDS going to the Fergie Frederiksen Family Fund.

Bayview is an intimate venue (capacity just 400) advance tickets or tables are strongly suggested. Reserved Tables of 10 are available for $250 (8)-VIP $350 (4) contact Mike at 612-386-0082. General Admission tickets are available for $20 and are available on eBay follow this link.

The best way to support for those that live outside the Twin Cities area would be to buy a t-shirt. 100% goes to the cause. Please support our dear friend Fergie!!! For more information contact Mike at 612-386-0082.

With mini-camp freshly behind them and training camp just around the corner, the Jets and their fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about Rex Ryan's second season.

LaDainian Tomlinson shouldn't be one of them.

One of Gang Green's more curious moves this offseason was jettisoning Thomas Jones after a 1,402-yard rushing year and signing Tomlinson to replace him.

Tomlinson's low-cost signing had all the makings of a marketing gambit to juice stagnant PSL sales that -- like the Darrelle Revis and Nick Mangold contract scuffles -- are casting a considerable black cloud over the Jets' otherwise promising hopes.

If only the Jets could have signed the 2007 Tomlinson.

Even without pads or contact, it didn't take a grizzled NFL scout to notice in the Jets' recent workouts that Tomlinson just doesn't look like the same player who terrified opposing defenses with his slippery moves and sublime hands for nine seasons with the Chargers.

Tomlinson appears bulkier and definitely a step (or three) slower than he did in his prime, which is to be expected from a running back who next week turns 31 -- increasingly the point of no return in the NFL -- with his incredible amount of mileage.

Tomlinson could still have some fantasy value depending on his role, but might be a riskier start than he was in the past. Shonn Greene figures to get a bulk of the work in the Jets run-first offense, and this news could only boost his value.

“Mike Thomas and Jarett Dillard are probably two and three right now,” coach Jack Del Rio said in evaluating the pecking order of his wide receivers at the end of OTAs. “That fourth receiver, the speed receiver, is the spot that’s wide open right now. Tiquan has come on.”

In a Q & A with WR Derrick Mason, he expects a high scoring Baltimore offense this year.

Q: With this kind of talent in the passing game, do you think the playcalling will be more aggressive and go a little more away from the run?

A: I think we were aggressive last year — there were just a lot of injuries that held us back. So we'll come back aggressive because we have a good shot to score 25-35 points a game. We'll still be a run-first team and pass the ball off our success there. That's the kind of offense that wins in December and January.

The Ravens offense certainly has the weapons in place, but a lot, if not everything, will depend on Joe Flacco taking the next step.

Running back Cedric Benson found himself a home with the Cincinnati Bengals two seasons ago after a disappointing start to his career in Chicago. His stay could be made permanent with a new contract, which appears to be on the horizon.

Representatives for Benson have approached Bengals management regarding a contract extension. Benson is in the final year of a two-year deal, making him a free agent at the end of the 2010 season.

Bill Belichick isn't a "timetable" guy. Ask him about a player's injury status and his stock answer is that the player is "day to day". So I thought his comments regarding receiver Wes Welker on "Patriots All-Access" were notable. "He's on schedule," Belichick told fill-in host Scott Zolak. "Hopefully with no setbacks, he'll have an opportunity to get out there and compete at some point this year."

Even though Welker's presence on the practice field for individual drills has been impressive, I think it's an optimistic timeline to think that he could be ready for the season opener Sept. 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals. If I had to make an educated guess, Welker will open training camp on the physically unable to perform list, and will remain there through at least the first six weeks of the regular season.

It's just Mike Reiss' opinion but it makes sense. Despite the progress Welker seems to be making, it's a tough injury to overcome. Welker will obviously fall in your rankings if he's on the PUP list, but knowing where to take him will be key. It's not a given he comes back 100%, however, he's always been a top target so he could be helpful in PPR leagues at least.

Back in his home state of South Dakota making an appearance at the Legends Sports Clinics, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway wasn’t anxious to talk about contracts and other money matters.

But Greenway raised eyebrows in the Twin Cities by sitting out most of a three-day minicamp last weekend, so the subject was bound to come up.

Was his absence related to the fact that his five-year rookie contract expires after the 2010 season and no extension is yet on the table?

"There’s nothing related at all," said the 27-year-old Mount Vernon native, who led the Vikings with 99 tackles in 2009. "There is no contract issue at all. Coach (Brad) Childress gave me some time off for the minicamp, and that’s really all that matters."

Greenway is reportedly set to make just more than $3 million in 2010.

"With the scope of where the NFL is right now, with a looming lockout and things uncertain, as a player I think you have to be open-minded about what’s going to happen," he said. "Of course you’d like to have your long-term future under control and in the bag. But at the same time it’s a business. I signed a five-year contract, and I’m going to play it out to the best of my ability. The Vikings have been very good to me."

Indianapolis head coach Jim Caldwell is a big believer in Pierre Garcon, but he also sees great potential in Austin Collie.

“I do see him getting better,” Caldwell said of Collie. “He’s got the kind of work habits, and he is really diligent about everything that he does that would lead you to believe that you are going to see some improvement. There is no question about it. He is in early. He stays late. He works extremely hard."

“The sky is the limit. I think he can keep improving. I think there have been a number of guys that have set a standard around here that they tend to get better each and every year. That’s certainly his objective this year.”

We have Collie ranked at 52, well below Garcon and of course Reggie Wayne, but if injuries strike Wayne, Garcon, or Dallas Clark, Collie's value would rise. Collie currently could be classified as an ideal fantasy reserve. Because he is part of a great offense, he can be plugged into your lineup in an emergency or because of bye weeks and you would have a reasonable shot of seeing some productivity. And he's got more upside than most reserve receivers.

Bill Belichick isn't a "timetable" guy. Ask him about a player's injury status and his stock answer is that the player is "day to day." So his comments regarding receiver Wes Welker on "Patriots All-Access" were notable. "He's on schedule," Belichick told fill-in host Scott Zolak. "Hopefully with no setbacks, he'll have an opportunity to get out there and compete at some point this year."

The mystery of Wes Welker's return will only be solved when we see him on the field. "Some point this year" could mean opening day, or it could be much later. Welker is usually a reliable fantasy player, but he carries plenty of risks this year, as we don't know when he'll be available and he may not play at his usual level. He's worth a pick on draft day, but make sure you get plenty of receiver depth.

When the Jets signed future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, it was widely assumed that he'd play a complementary role, with Shonn Greene rising to "feature-back" status. Hold everything. According to running backs coach Anthony Lynn, "I see myself as having two starters."

What Lynn meant is this: Playing time will be determined, in large part, by game situations and matchups. As he explained the other day, "It depends on the flow of the game. If we're better off in our big personnel, Shonn will get more touches. If we go little, like we did last year with Leon (Washington) in our nickel package, L.T. will get more touches. It's all situational."

Lynn compared it to the Washington-Thomas Jones tandem last season. If that's the case, the workloads will be fairly close to even. Before Washington's season-ending injury in Week 7, he had 70 carries and 15 catches for 85 touches. Jones had 96 carries and four receptions for 100 touches. That's almost a 50-50 split.

Is Tomlinson, who turns 31 on Wednesday, up to 14 touches per game -- 14 productive touches? There was nothing he did in OTAs or minicamp (at least nothing open to the media) that made you say, "Wow, he's back." But let's not send him to the glue factory just yet. Making a definitive statement about a running back in non-contact drills is like critiquing a movie based on the trailer.

In the end, it is still far more likely that Greene will have the bigger workload. Tomlinson isn't the player he used to be, and while he remains a somewhat useful fantasy player at times, Greene remains the New York back to draft. We have him at 12 while LT is at 34.

At one time, wide receiver Demetrius Williams was a young speedster who many thought could inject a big play element into the Ravens offense. Now, with the additions of Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth, the receiver position in Baltimore has gotten crowded.

By his own admission, Williams will be simply trying to make the team. By now, though, he has grown accustomed to the idea.

"At the end of the season, I always feel like I don't have a job," Williams said. "That's the nature of the game. This year more so. I'm not afraid of it; it's something I can deal with. I'd just like to be told straight up that I am or am not good enough to play here."

When the team's final passing camp of the offseason closed down 10 days ago, Williams was nowhere to be found. He left the four-day camp two days early, allegedly in frustration over not getting more plays in practice.

"I wouldn't say I was frustrated," he said. "I did my work [in camp]. I had things I had to take care of."

Was he upset over the lack of practice plays?

"I would've loved to get more reps," he said. "That's just the way it was."

The Baltimore passing game could be the best it's been in a long time, but don't expect Williams to be a major part of it. He might have been a draftable sleeper in the past, but he's not in the present.

The New Orleans Saints have officially announced that offensive tackle Jammal Brown has signed his tender offer and that the Saints have agreed to trade Brown to the Washington Redskins.

Meanwhile, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the complex trade terms are tied to the Redskins' previous trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for Donovan McNabb.

The Redskins will send either their third-round pick or their fourth-round pick to Philly in 2011 to finalize the McNabb trade, based on whether certain triggers are met in 2010. Whichever of those picks the Redskins don't send to the Eagles, they'll send to the Saints. In return, the Saints will send the Redskins either their 2011 fifth-round pick (if they get the Redskins' third-round pick) or their 2011 sixth- or seventh-round pick (if they get the Redskins' fourth-round pick).

There's also a chance of a 2012 sixth-round pick coming into play, if Brown plays 90 percent of the snaps or makes the Pro Bowl.

But the bottom line is that Brown will play in 2010 for the Redskins, and the Redskins moved down a couple rounds in the draft to acquire him.

New Orleans was able to live without Brown last season as they won the Super Bowl while he was out with an injury, but Washington can really use him. You have to figure Washington wouldn't have made the trade unless they were confident Brown would be ready to go, and he'll team up with rookie Trent Williams to give the Redskins a pair of quality tackles. Neither one of those guys can make Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, or Willie Parker any younger, but an upgraded offensive line helps all of the Washington players.

Oakland DE Richard Seymour has signed his franchise tender.

New Orleans Times-Picayune writer Jeff Duncan is reporting the Saints have dealt offensive tackle Jammal Brown to Washington.

If this deal goes down, Washington should be commended for seriously improving their offensive line this offseason, with Brown and first-round draft pick Trent Williams now at tackle. This is a major boost for Washington's offense.

Fantasy owners often take note of wide receivers entering their third season, and one such player to keep an eye on is Pierre Garcon of the Indianapolis Colts.

Garcon, a sixth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft from Mount Union, played sparingly as a rookie, but in 2009 moved into a starting role opposite Reggie Wayne following an injury to Anthony Gonzalez. And Indianapolis head coach Jim Caldwell believes Garcon has plenty of potential.

"We really believe he's just scratching the surface," Caldwell said. "He has a lot to learn, but he's a quick study. He's getting better."

Garcon is at 32 in 4for4's recently updated rankings. While that is not an elite ranking, he would be poised for a big jump if something happens to Dallas Clark or Reggie Wayne. Garcon proved he can be a big-time target in the AFC championship game, when he caught 11 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. He's not someone you can draft as a number one receiver, but with his natural talent, fantasy upside as a third year receiver, and prime role on a great offense, the odds are you'll be happy to have him on your roster.

Kevin Boss was trying to fight through the pain in his ankle. Not to prove his toughness, not because he was worried about surgery, but because he didn’t want to miss any time this spring.

Nearly month later, he’s glad he opted for surgery.

The Giants’ tight end said the other day he hasn’t experienced any discomfort since last month’s procedure to remove bone spurs and clean up other damage in his ankle. With six weeks to go before training camp, Boss says he’s ahead of schedule in his goal to be ready for the team’s first practices in Albany.

Although Boss is a decent receiving tight end, he is a low end #1 at best in larger leagues that require a TE.

It appears based on the language of the DL Albert Haynesworth contract and the relevant terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that the Redskins have little or no chance of recovering any of Haynesworth's bonus money in the wake of his decision to skip this week's mandatory minicamp.

Based on the terms of the contract itself, the Redskins have the right to recover not only the $21 million in signing bonus money paid on April 1 but also $4,285,716 of the $5 million paid to him in 2009. But the contract ignores specific language in the 2006 CBA, which dramatically limits the forfeiture of cash money from signing bonuses to two specific circumstances.

After signing a huge contract last offseason, Albert Haynesworth is unhappy about the Redskins transitioning to a 3-4 defense with him at the nose. Unfortunately for the Redskins, another bad contract on the watch of owner Daniel Snyder is coming back to bite them.

The Redskins have already paid Hayworth's $21m bonus, so trading him seems unlikely from their perspective. However, Haynesworth playing again in a Skins jersey also seems like a long shot. This situation is ugly all around.

Stay far away in IDP leagues unless Haynesworth ends up with a different team running a 4-3. Even if that happens, we would be hard pressed to put much faith in Albert returning to his pre-100 Million Dollar Man form.

So all of those rumors last season and during the off-season took a toll on Clinton Portis' reputation. And when rumors started flying about who was going to be the team's next head coach after Zorn, there was definitely some uncertainty about his own future with the team.

But in the end, Mike Shanahan got the job. Portis said that if someone else was head coach besides Shanahan, he might have been looking for work elsewhere.Anybody else would have bought into the criticism of me," Portis said. "You're talking a year ago from the day they claimed I 'lost it,' I was leading the NFL in rushing. Then a year later it is, 'He's was washed up.' I can't do it."

Even still, the Redskins brought in plenty of competition for Portis over the off-season, adding Larry Johnson and Willie Parker, making the Skins' backfield one of the most-crowded in the league.

Once again, rumors started flying that Portis wasn't happy and that he thought the team was trying to push him out.

Not so, Portis said.

"Once I talked to Coach Shanahan and Bruce Allen, I realized I was a part of the plan, that their goal was to go out and make sure the Redskins were in position to compete," Portis said. "They brought in competition. They brought in guys who got the same hunger and desire. If anything happens, knock on wood, or goes wrong, we -- as in the Redskins organization -- will be fine. Whoever is in the backfield will be able to carry the load. I think that was a great idea."

Quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall selection in April's NFL draft, spent most of his time with the Rams second and third units, although he did take some snaps with the first team. It was a crash course for the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, as the Rams ventured substantially deeper into the playbook than they did last spring.

Still, Bradford said he never felt overwhelmed.

"I feel good with everything we have in right now," he said. "Obviously, having 13 or 14 practices and the minicamps, I've gotten a lot of reps, I've gotten a lot of experience with the plays."

Bradford said he'd continued to improve in "the little things: using different cadences, coming out of the huddle, identifying the (middle linebacker), reading coverages ... just everything. As soon as those things can become second nature, the easier it's going to be to really start getting into everything else."

"It'll be nice to just slow things down a little bit, be able to look at film in a little more detail, get in the playbook, and just talk through some things," he said. "The more I study, the more comfortable I'll become."

Former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders is predicting big things for wide receiver Roy Williams.

"I believe, this season, Roy Williams will bowl out; he will have a big year, Sanders said. He’s going to be consistent. He’s going to be unlike you’ve seen him before because his back is against the wall. I’m willing to bet on Roy Williams that he has a great year and he comes out with a dog like he’s never had before. Because he knows that this could be it."

"He can’t control the balls coming to him. But what I mean is when the ball comes to him, when he has the one-on-one on the backside, which he will have, he’s going to win the matchup. Then, when he continuously wins the matchup, then they’re going to throw more his way. It’s not rocket science that the same guys end up the in the Pro Bowl and they make the most catches every year. Because the offensive coordinators plug them in to receive the balls because you know what defense the opposing team is going to run. So, he’s going to bowl out."

Johnson must impose his will. Even with all of the offensive upgrades, defensive coordinators are still going to slap double coverage on Johnson whenever possible. All of the great receivers get that kind of treatment, but they learn how to defeat it. That's the next step Johnson has to take in his evolution and it shouldn't be a problem. He has the work ethic and the competitive fire to get it done. This is the year that Johnson needs to step up and show the rest of the country the superstar talent that Lions fans have watched for the last three years.

The addition of Nate Burleson and maturation of Matthew Stafford will go a long way in assisting Calvin Johnson to be a top 10 WR.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of competition at wide receiver. Morning take: The top four receivers of Chad Ochocinco, Antonio Bryant, Jordan Shipley and Andre Caldwell are in. From there, it’s anyone's guess.

There's no need to worry about Miles Austin being a one-year wonder. He might not have gotten much of a look early in the OTAs but he has been unstoppable as the work went on.

Miles Austin is ranked #3 on the 4for4 WR Cheat Sheet.

The Canton Repository is 99 percent sure: Quarterback Jake Delhomme is The Man.

He could be "the man" or Cleveland's starting QB, regardless, he offers very little fantasy potential.

Cotchery was a natural candidate to work on the slot position, because he has played in the Jets’ offense for six full seasons and has banked the most time with Sanchez.

He said there are more options in the slot, since your route depends on what the defense is doing, so it’s critical to make good decisions and be on the same page as the quarterback.

Braylon Edwards will command double-teams. This will open the slot for Jerricho Cotchery. However, there is little doubt that Santonio Holmes is the best WR option (once he returns from suspension).

Rookie RB Anthony Dixon returns to team drills after being out for a while with hamstring strain.

After just a three-day period of work, TE Tony Moeaki has proven that he has the both the best hands and the most ability to create mismatches among the players in his position group. Putting on pads will yield a lot more info on Moeaki…

Behind Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles are a number of runners trying to find their way onto a roster with limited spots at the position. Kestahn Moore is still one of those players, although he does have one less runner to compete with following the release of Kolby Smith. Moore can become more than just a pleasant surprise if he displays the same speed and power with the pads as he did without the pads.

WR Jerheme Urban looks to be in line for the most extensive action of his career. If he’s not in the Chiefs game plan once the regular season rolls around, something will have to take a downturn in training camp and/or the preseason. Urban left OTAs as one of the Chiefs most reliable targets.

Moeaki could be an interesting name to watch at TE, but TE is a pretty deep fantasy position. It's early, but Urban sounds like he could make an impact, and there's always a need for WRs. While you maybe shouldn't have high expectations, these are guys to keep an eye on through KC camp.

WR Brandon Gibson sat out practice Thursday after aggravating the hamstring injury he suffered earlier in OTAs.

Second-round draft choice Jimmy Clausen is the third-string quarterback behind Matt Moore and Hunter Cantwell. Head coach John Fox isn't going to rush Clausen into the opening-day starting lineup. To start, Clausen must light it up in preseason games and blow away Moore. This doesn't mean things aren't going well for the former Notre Dame star.

Clausen is a rhythm quarterback who could be a master of the short passing game. On five-step drops, he seems to have a knack for running up in the pocket to find good passing lanes. His accuracy on underneath passes is exceptional. But I get the feeling Fox hopes to carry over Moore's success at the end of 2009 -- the Panthers were 4-1 in their last five games -- into the regular season to see if he can get some early wins as starter.

The Panthers have been pretty high on Moore, so he's going to get his chance. He played pretty well last year when given the opportunity so there may not be a need to rush Clausen unless things get ugly fast.

To take advantage of its new weapons, Carolina is working on a few more three-receiver sets.

"We have been [using] a lot of two-back, one-tight end or one-back, two-tight end [offense]," quarterback Matt Moore said. "With the additions of [receivers] Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards, who are threats to go downfield, it's shaping up nice. But obviously we are going to run first."

Moore said it best, the Panthers are going to run first. So, it remains to be seen what kind of value LaFell and Edwards will have this season but keep them in mind because WRs seem to come and go in the fantasy world.

This isn’t the way Aaron Ross wanted to get it, but it’s definitely the opportunity he’s been seeking for several years. He’s been itching to take his shot at being an NFL punt returner.

Now, with Domenik Hixon lost for the season, he’s going to get his chance.

The return game, though, will get the most attention and figures to be a wide-open competition this summer. Ross and receiver Mario Manningham are the top candidates to handle punt returns, but receiver Sinorice Moss and rookie safety Chad Jones could factor in as well. Safety Antrel Rolle and running back Ahmad Bradshaw have the ability to return punts too, though they’re not likely to be immediately involved.

Bradshaw, though, could end up handling kickoff returns - - something he did in 2008, averaging 22.2 yards on 39 returns. Of course, that’s only if he’s fully recovered from surgery on both his feet and his right ankle. Moss and running backs D.J. Ware and Andre Brown will be in the mix, too.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw (feet/ankle) is doing individual drills. WR Hakeem Nicks (toe) is sitting this one out.

Rookie running back James Starks last played in a game more than 18 months ago, and he knows questions about his durability will linger until he gets back on the field and stays there.

Starks, who was selected by the Packers in the sixth round of this year's draft out of the University at Buffalo, sat out his entire senior campaign following shoulder surgery last August. While that missed time surely caused his draft stock to plummet, Starks said he is pain-free and is trying to look at the positive side of the year away from game action.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz scheduled his team's offseason with the expressed purpose of finishing with a grinding, five-day flourish to simulate a training camp schedule. That plan was nixed Thursday when the Lions agreed to forfeit their final two organized team activities after violating the NFL's collective bargaining agreement.

No competition for Crosby

The team has no plans to bring in another kicker to compete with Mason Crosby during training camp, McCarthy said.

Crosby was drafted in the sixth round in 2007 and was the first rookie in 22 years to lead the league in scoring. However, his field goal percentage dropped to a career-low 75 percent in 2009.

“We’re committed to Mason,” McCarthy said. “He’s done a good job in the offseason. He’s outstanding in the strength and conditioning aspect of it.”

Crosby is considered a top-five kicker, number-four actually, here at 4-for-4.

The Jaguars OTA practices were to end on Thursday, following a directive from the NFL to suspend the team’s final two practices, scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday, due to what the league has determined is an excessively intense regimen by the Jaguars this spring.

Previously, the Baltimore Ravens’ OTAs were suspended for the same reason. The NFL permits teams to conduct 14 OTA practices. The Jaguars were to conduct their 12th and final OTA of the spring on Thursday.

“The NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association have resolved a complaint by the Players Association against the Jacksonville Jaguars concerning violations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s offseason workout rules,” the NFL said in a statement to be released Thursday morning. “It was determined that the Jaguars violated the rules concerning the intensity and tempo of drills conducted on the club’s organized team activity days (“OTA days”).

Dallas Morning News writer Todd Archer answers questions DCFanatic Radio today

Q: It seems like the Cowboys are planning to use Miles Austin at various positions this year, including the slot, instead of just as an outside, deep wide receiver. Is it because they have so much confidence in him or is it because they don’t quite trust Dez yet?

A: I think that’s part of it and I think a part of it is to make sure they get Austin away from situations where teams can just bracket him and follow him all over the place. And if they do, then they’ll be screwed by all the other guys they have on the field. So, I think for Bryant, you just want to have him come in and just learn one thing: maybe both outside spots as opposed to the inside where you have to read so much stuff and be on the same page.

That’s why I still think [Patrick] Crayton is still going to be around here. Maybe I’m in the minority on that one but I still think they’re keeping six wideouts. But, I think Miles’s experience, his knowing the system and his explosiveness in the slot helps him, and I think for Dez, it is better just to put him on one side so he can learn it first as opposed to having to learn all these other spots. As we found out this week, there is a lot of stuff these guys need to know.

Crayton won't have fantasy value if he stays with Dallas. Perhaps more important is that Miles will be used all over the field while Bryant could stay to one side. (Also, not much talk of Roy Williams.) Miles will be a highly-drafted WR this season.

After an hour heart-to-heart Wednesday afternoon in Rex Ryan's office, the latest Darrelle Revis behavioral saga is officially over. Two days after Revis' brief "sick-out" to display his anger at the slow pace of contract negotiations, the coach and the cornerback pronounced themselves on the same page.

Now it remains to be seen whether it will have any bearing on Revis' long-term future. Or whether Revis will begin to realize that the team really is ready to make a huge investment in the 24-year-old star.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the Jets are willing to reward Revis with the biggest contract ever given to a defensive back, one that could even exceed $100 million.

• It looked like quarterback Carson Palmer got sacked on a play. But since there is no tackling, he kept going, ran up into the pocket, and hit receiver Andre Caldwell down the seam for what might have been a touchdown.

• In the afternoon during red zone drills, Lewis got on No. 1 pick Jermaine Gresham when the rookie tight end stopped his route in the end zone.

• The red-zone period showed why wide receiver Chad Ochocinco appears to have lost not much, if anything. Working against a top NFL cornerback in Leon Hall, The Ocho made like the last home game against Kansas City and tightroped the back line of the end zone with a falling-down, diving catch.

• Wide receiver Antonio Bryant returned to practice in the afternoon after in the morning resting the knee that took him out of last year’s training camp. Tight end Reggie Kelly missed a practice the past two days as they go easy on their rebuilt Achilles.

On June 24, Bears TE Brandon Manumaleuna expects to be back on the field. The veteran, who was one of the prized additions in free agency, worked on the side during the two-hour practice as he rehabilitates his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery.

He elected to have surgery the week before the draft because was having it drained during the regular season. The belief is that he'll be free of that routine this coming season and it's better to handle an issue in April, May and June than at some point during the fall.

Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey reiterated Wednesday that he will have a pecking order at quarterback heading into training camp.

Gailey acknowledged that he will have a tentative No. 1 and No. 2 at QB determined by July 29, when the Bills hold their first training camp practice at St. John Fisher College.

"We will probably, by the time we get to training camp, have somebody that is going to work with the first group; somebody that's going to work with the second group going in," Gailey said after the Bills' 14th full-team spring practice. "Just because if it happens that way [meaning the No. 1 wins the job], then you've got a leg up. If you try to get everybody equal shots from the first day of camp, then you probably get nobody ready, rather than getting three ready.

"So we'll probably ... decide, for lack of a better term, a pecking order for camp and then go from there," Gailey said. "But it still will be open when we get to camp."

We'll all be on the edge of our seats for this announcement... No matter who is number-one once the season starts, Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm or Levi Brown, it's hard to think any are going to be a solid fantasy option. Most likely, they will be waiver wire options in your league.

Mark Sanchez chugged around the perimeter of the New Meadowlands Stadium turf today, pumping his fist as some 12,000 fans roared.

It was actually a penalty lap for the Jets quarterback, who had just been flagged for a false start during the team’s final mini-camp practice. But it felt more like a victory lap.

“I’ve never been cheered for when I made a mistake like that,” Sanchez said.

Four months after having surgery to strengthen the patella-stabilizing ligament in his left knee, the team’s franchise quarterback completed mini-camp ahead of where he expected, both physically and mentally.

Sanchez won't be a guy you start every week given the Jets are a run-first, defensive team. But he could be valuable in some matcups, and he'll certainly have some targets to throw to once Santonio Holmes is back (along with Braylon Edwards) from a 4-game suspension. Consider him a potential decent backup on your roster.

You want to talk about getting back to basics? Check out what the Houston Texans are talking about in their running-back meetings this offseason.

"What they're telling us is to focus on our first two steps," Texans RB Arian Foster said in a phone interview this week. "I mean, I know that sounds pretty simple, but it's all about paying attention to detail as much as possible."

The Texans' running game was a brutally sore spot in 2009, ranking 30th in the league with 92.2 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry. Steve Slaton was expected to build on a brilliant rookie season, but instead he fell flat and saw his second year cut short due to injury. That's a big part of the reason Texans coaches say Foster, who ran for 216 yards and three touchdowns in the final two games of Houston's season, will enter training camp as the starting running back.

He'll still have to beat out Slaton and rookie Ben Tate for carries once the season starts. Hard to believe this won't end up being a committee, but if Foster manages to stay on top, and gets the goal line carries, he'll have the fantasy value you want on your roster.

Rams S O.J. Atogwe is planning to visit Seattle next week. Rams remain favorite to re-sign him, but Seahawks could make it interesting.

In IDP leagues, O.J. Atogwe will impact opposing offenses regardless of where he signs.

The Broncos may no longer be interested in signing former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook given the recent signing of RB Kolby Smith.

Falcons Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey said the familiarity that key cogs in the offense -- such as center Todd McClure, quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Michael Turner and wide receivers Roddy White and Michael Jenkins -- have with the scheme has enabled them to experiment with different formations, plays and wrinkles to plays.

"Our guys adjusted immediately and made it easy to do," Mularkey said.

While handing out kudos to many members of the offense, Mularkey singled out White for having "maybe one of the best [offseasons] as a receiver since I've been in the league."

Said Mularkey of White, "It's been great for our passing game with timing and everything since he's been here and worked as hard as he has."

Donald Driver (knees) has yet to participate in any of the Packers' drills.

This is just a precautionary step as Donald Driver is cemented in as the Packers #2 WR.

The Chargers seem fully prepared to enter the 2010 season without the services of both Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill.

Dr. James Andrews told AP that Favre's ankle surgery went well but QB has a few more weeks of rehab before he'll decide if he'll return.

The Cardinals' official site reports that Matt Leinart will enter 2010 as Arizona's starting quarterback.

Derek Anderson's inconsistency and Leinart's off-season progress were the determining factors for the decision. Given this announcement, there will be no training camp battle.

New York Giants wide receiver and return specialist Domenik Hixon is out for the year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the team announced on Wednesday.

Initially the Giants believed Hixon had hyper-extended the knee when his foot caught in the new FieldTurf during the Giants' first practice in the New Meadowlands Stadium on Tuesday. Later in the day, Hixon underwent an exam and MRI that revealed the torn ACL.

According to the team, Hixon will undergo surgery in two to three weeks.

Hixon fielded a punt during Tuesday's practice and crumpled to the ground untouched after getting his foot caught in the turf. Hixon lay on the turf clutching his knee in pain for several minutes, but walked off under his own power.

Hixon, a fifth-year pro, was the team's return specialist. His injury opens the door for another returner. The Giants have used the likes of Sinorice Moss, Antrel Rolle and Aaron Ross at times during offseason workouts on punt returns.

Hixon wasn't going to see many snaps at WR with Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham solidly ahead of him on the depth chart. Ramses Barden or Sinorice Moss may get worked in a bit more but it's nothing to get excited about. As stated in the article, the primary impact this has will be in return leagues.

Standouts so far this week have been quarterback David Carr, who is looking more and more competent as he digests the offense, and receiver Jason Hill, who is benefiting from the extra snaps Brandon Jones' ankle injury affords the other receivers. Those two hooked up on a nice 25-yard pass play on Carr's first attempt during 11-on-11 drills. Hill also caught a short pass from Carr and a 15-yarder from Alex Smith.

GM Jerry Reese just said on @SiriusNFLRadio that WR Domenik Hixon suffered a hyper-extended right knee yesterday.

Nobody’s perfect?

Olindo Mare is showing otherwise.

The Seahawks’ veteran kicker has been successful on all 104 of his kicks in team and individual drills during the minicamps and OTAs this offseason, earning astonishment from special teams coordinator Brian Schneider and his teammates.

“He’s incredible,” Schneider said, adding that not only is Mare making the kicks, but they’re almost all directly in the middle of the uprights. “He’s so accurate and consistent. It makes you feel confident that you’re going to get points when you get the opportunity.”

Kickers are sometimes an afterthought in fantasy football but 104 out of 104 is definitely great off-season news.

At Rams OTAs earlier this month, No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford seemed to be struggling. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo admitted that some of Bradford's practice passes had sailed, and hinted he was slow to pick up the pace of the NFL game..Career journeyman A.J. Feeley, who hasn't tried a pass attempt since 2007, was getting all the first-team reps. Bradford saw action only with the second and third units, sharing time with Keith Null.

On Tuesday, however, Spagnuolo revealed that Bradford is indeed being sprinkled in with the starters.

While Spagnuolo hardly named Bradford the Week One starter, the head coach confirmed that Bradford is at least throwing some passes to Laurent Robinson and Donnie Avery. Presumably, Bradford will have a better chance to succeed if he's formed a rapport with St. Louis' first-team wide receivers before the season starts. Spagnuolo's comments also indicate that Feeley is far from entrenched atop the quarterback depth chart.

An early idea as to how the Bengals receiver competition is lining up according to reps and pairings: Chad Ochocinco, Antonio Bryant, Jerome Simpson,
Andre Caldwell, Jordan Shipley and Matt Jones. Shipley has been lining up though with the first team frequently in three-receiver sets while Lewis lauded the play of Caldwell in offseason workouts during his afternoon press conference.

Kenny Britt is out of the doghouse where he landed for coming to initial OTAs out of shape. Mostly. He’s still not running with the first unit -- lining up only after the likes of Lavelle Hawkins -- and didn’t have a great day. Fisher said Britt’s climb back up the depth chart is about consistency and time. If Britt doesn’t qualify as this team’s top receiver by opening day, it’ll be a huge disappointment.

Kenny Britt is currently ranked 39th on the 4for4 WR Cheat Sheets.

Unhappy with his contract, Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson said Tuesday negotiations with the team for a new deal aren't progressing well.

While Johnson said on Monday that he enjoys playing for the Titans, he refused to say whether he would consider a holdout.

Johnson is set to earn about $550,000 next season, but wants a new contract after setting a new NFL record for yards from scrimmage last season. Now entering his third season, he said earlier in the offseason that he wants to be the league's highest-paid offensive player.

On Twitter on Tuesday, Johnson said he had received bad news from his agent. He indicated the team has not offered to renegotiate his deal:

"Its like how u expect ur players to give they all and put their bodies on the line when you not willing to give them what they deserve ... How do u wnt player 2 honor their contract but the team dont have 2 honor it. If u dont wnt 2 pay a player early dont cut a player early."

Johnson hasn't participated in offseason workouts with the Titans. He said he is willing with meet with coach Jeff Fisher, who has expressed a desire to do the same.

We aren't expecting this to result in a holdout, but this is still a major off-season contract issue that all Fantasy GMs should monitor. We will keep you posted.

The Minnesota Vikings have signed recently released running back Ryan Moats.

Moats will compete with Darius Reynaud and Toby Gerhart to back up ADP.

The Steelers have signed sixth round draft pick Jonathan Dwyer.

Dwyer is expected to be the Steelers #3 RB.

Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco practiced with his teammates for the first time this offseason during Tuesday's opening of the team's mandatory minicamp.

The Bears didn't charge out of the gates in free agency and sign Chester Taylor in order for him to watch games from the sideline. He's going to play. In fact, the percentage of Matt Forte's touches is expected to be significantly lower than it has been in his previous two years.

As expected, the Bears will be using a Running Back By Committee for the 2010 season. Buyer beware! Before you pass judgement on Matt Forte, let training camp play out.

With each passing day, rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen is growing more comfortable with the Carolina Panthers offense.

It’s the heat that is taking some getting used to. “It’s the Southern heat,” said Clausen, referring to the temperatures that soared to 94 degrees Monday during OTA practice in Charlotte. “I'm not used to it. It's the same weather as Southern California except the humidity is a little more intense."

Clausen’s stock in Carolina is clearly on the rise as he’s performed well in practices since being selected this past April in the second round. He’s still behind starter Matt Moore on the depth chart and it’s looking like he’ll have a battle on his hands with the ever-improving Hunter Cantwell for No. 2 spot on the quarterback depth chart.

Not only is Clausen's stock on the rise in Carolina but fantasy football dynasty leagues as well! Move him up your rookie draft board!

Bills RB Marshawn Lynch is back in Buffalo and is planning to attend the team's OTA today.

This could be a "good faith effort" by Lynch given the Seattle news yesterday.

By letting a deadline pass Monday night, Chargers offensive stars Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill forfeited more than $2.5 million each and signaled to the team that it will be without their services for a long time.

As in, see you around the holidays.

The Chargers have almost exactly three months until they open the season Sept. 13 in Kansas City, but with the clock striking midnight Monday without Jackson and McNeill under contract, the opener might as well be tomorrow as far as the two Pro Bowlers are concerned.

There is still an opportunity for Vincent Jackson to sign a deal despite the Monday deadline. Fantasy GMs should monitor this situation closely.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow says his rehab from offseason knee surgery is going well and that he expects to be ready for training camp next month.

The seventh-year pro joined teammates for organized team activities for the first time Monday, although he did not participate in the voluntary workout. The Bucs also plan to hold him out of next week's mandatory minicamp.

"It feels good. It's just something I deal with every day. I'm not going to let these guys down, though," Winslow said, adding that after six operations on his right knee, he's learned to cope with the pain.

Saints WR Lance Moore will sign his tender this week. June 15 deadline not significant for him.

A score in New Orleans: Saints running back Pierre Thomas signed his restricted free agent tender today.

Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said he has improved more in the past year than in any 12-month period in his career.

As Brett Favre's understudy, Jackson was able to watch and learn from the future hall of famer, which has helped Jackson immensely.

"I feel like I've grown the most this year over the first couple years," Jackson said Sunday after the conclusion of a mandatory minicamp. "I had a lot of experience those first three years. That playing experience helped. Just watching Brett, being more mentally focused because you have to, being a backup through 17, 18 games ... It was a little different, but I think it helped."

Favre is a top-10 fantasy QB if he's back this year, but Jackson will have to show it on the field first for him to make an impact on your fantasy team.

Is Joe Flacco ready to take the next step?

If the Ravens are going to go deep into the playoffs, their third-year quarterback needs to grow beyond relying on short passes to Derrick Mason and dump-offs to Ray Rice.

He is healthy, strong-armed, and reportedly becoming more vocal and authoritative. He should have enough weaponry between newcomers Anquan Boldin, Donte' Stallworth, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta and holdovers Todd Heap, Mark Clayton, Mason and Rice.

Flacco was great early on last year before stalling out, at least from a fantasy standpoint. His WR weapons are improved thanks to the addition of Boldin, and Ray Rice is a stud at RB. All the pieces are there, and this could be the year you find some real nice value in Flacco, who will most likely be drafted as a backup.

It's been 2 1/2 years since TE Cornelius Ingram played a down of football.

Two anterior cruciate ligament injuries threw Ingram into a black hole of misery. Surgery and rehab. Rehab and surgery. Ingram's career to this point has been doomed, it seems. After missing his senior season at Florida with a torn left ACL, Ingram fell to the Eagles in the fifth round of the draft in 2009. He made it to August - almost a year to the day from the injury - and tore that same ACL.

Back to the knife. Back to waiting. He is sick of it. He is ready to prove to everyone - once and for all - that he can play.

If healthy, Ingram had a chance to take over at TE in 2008, a position the Birds really needed help entering that season after finally escaping LJ Smith. But after Ingram got hurt in training camp that year, it really opened the door for Brent Celek, who became a fantasy stud in 2009 and is poised for similar numbers this season.

One day after finishing mini-camp, the Chiefs released six players. Among them is running back Kolby Smith, who seemingly had a once-promising future with the Chiefs.

That was before the emergence of Jamaal Charles and before injuries prematurely ended his last two seasons. Smith concludes his Chiefs career with 540 yards and three touchdowns, most of those coming his rookie season of 2007.

Remember when Larry Johnson got released and much of the fantasy world thought Smith may get the carries ahead of Jamaal Charles? That sure didn't happen... Smith could catch on somewhere else but will probably have to climb the depth charts to have fantasy value.

RB Jonathan Stewart was running some conditioning sprints after practice.

Now, he's still not participating in individual drills, but he's at least doing something, and that's progress.

He hasn't missed a game as a pro, and was last year's leading rusher, but he's developed a history of not doing much this time of year.

We'll see what it means come training camp, but this was the closest Stewart's come to taking part in June since he's been here, so you take it for what it's worth.

Titans CB Rod Hood suffered a torn ACL and is out for season. The injury happened in non OTA work last Friday.

Seahawks remain quite interested in Buffalo RB Marshawn Lynch should Bills opt to deal him.

LenDale White has been cut which leaves Julius Jones and Justin Forsett as probably the two main back options - with Leon Washington as a potential returner and third down specialist. The addition of Lynch would certainly make things more crowded, and hurt the fantasy value of Forsett.

Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow is back at One Buc Place. Tampa Bay's leading receiver had missed all of the team's voluntary workouts in the past weeks, but has returned to observe practice on Monday. Winslow is not practicing, but is throwing passes and shadowing the tight ends on the practice field. This offseason Winslow had the fifth surgery on his right knee in the past six years.

Winslow led Tampa Bay with 77 receptions for 884 yards and five touchdowns in 2009.

Running back Derrick Ward and rookie defensive tackle Gerald McCoy are practicing today. McCoy had a minor hip strain last Thursday and that caused him to miss most of that OTA (organized team activity).

Titans RB Chris Johnson is not expected to attend the next round of minicamps, which begin this morning at Baptist Sports Park. I've already been told he won't be there.

Johnson has yet to participate in the team's offseason program, including minicamps in April and May. He wants a new contract.

The All-Pro back does have a football camp of his own on Wednesday in Franklin, however, and he's expected to be there.

Denver coach Josh McDaniels said WR Eddie Royal has a strong hold on both punt and kick return jobs.

Second-year pro RB Albert Young is ahead of second-round pick RB Toby Gerhart as Adrian Peterson's top backup, but it's probably only a matter of time until that changes.

Young is smaller and may have value as a situational, change-of-pace back. Gerhart is the move-the-chains guy the Vikings envision spelling Peterson -- whose unexcused minicamp absence should be a non-issue as long as the fumbling stops -- and playing on third downs.

Practice-squad holdover Ian Johnson did himself no favors by dropping a couple of passes over the weekend. Darius Reynaud brings a little more value as a scatback than he did as a receiver but still will need to make the team on returns.

Naufahu Tahi remains the starting fullback, and the Vikings don't need to keep more than one. Seventh-round pick Ryan D'Imperio, a converted linebacker, had to start from scratch in OTAs and has a long road ahead.

Grabbing Peterson's backup is nice mid-to-late round strategy, whether you're a Peterson owner or not. Keep an eye on this, because it seems like Gerhart would be the guy you want to take this year.

The 49ers selected quarterback Nate Davis late in the fifth round of the 2009 draft as a project. After one full year, the process of getting Davis, a talented passer from Ball State, ready for NFL action is nowhere near complete.

"He's coming -- not as fast as he'd like, not as fast as the coaches would like," 49ers coach Mike Singletary said Monday. "But he's coming."

Davis got his most practice action Monday since coming to the 49ers. He got eight snaps during 11-on-11 practice, as he shared practice reps with veteran backup David Carr. The 49ers have four days of organized team activities this week.

CB Darrelle Revis and OL Nick Mangold are present at Jets minicamp.

Last Thursday, Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery, and Danny Amendola were the top three wide receivers with the first-team offense. But Mardy Gilyard, a fourth round draft pick this year, is determined to crack that group and be a major contributor as a rookie.

NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello stated he was getting questions regarding the incident involving Tennessee QB Vince Young, and that "we will look into it."

Once again fantasy owners should continue to monitor the situation.

The Dallas Police Department issued Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young a Class C assault citation for his role in a Sunday morning altercation at a Dallas strip club that left one person injured.

Officials said they reviewed a tape of the incident and interviewed witnesses before issuing the citation, which is punishable by a fine of up to $500. Police said no one will be arrested.

The altercation allegedly broke out after words were exchanged in a back office at Club Onyx on 10557 Wire Way near Interstate 35E in Northwest Dallas.

The video shows Young in a back office talking to a manager. Another man in the office makes a derogatory "Horns down" hand sign in reference to the University of Texas, Young's alma mater, and says something to the quarterback.

Young is then seen talking to the manager for a few more moments before charging after the man who made the hand signal. A fight involving multiple people then breaks out.

The first call to police came at about 3:38 a.m. and reported "two black males fighting in the parking lot."

Club security made a second call to police at 4:06 a.m., and an ambulance was called at about 5:30 a.m., though the offense report shows that no medical attention was needed. Police believe Young left the scene before officers arrived, a DPD official said.

In a statement released Sunday afternoon, a spokesman with the Tennessee Titans acknowledged the situation and said they were in contact with Young, who is entering his fifth season with the organization.

"We are aware of the report about Vince Young," spokesman Robbie Bohren said. "The organization has been in touch with Vince and we will continue to gather addition information."

Young turned a corner on the field last season, saving Tennessee's season after Kerry Collins was benched, but the Titans can't be happy about this development. It's way too soon to speculate on the ramifications of this, but NFL commissioner Roger Goddell has been cracking down on players who are involved in off-the-field incidents. Young, currently at 17 in our rankings, is a fantasy backup in most leagues. This may end up having little to no impact on Young's fantasy stock, but owners should monitor the situation and see what happens.

Dallas wide receiver Miles Austin has been working as a slot receiver in multiple wide-receiver sets. For Austin, the virtues of moving into the slot are being behind the ball, which rules against press coverage, and being in motion at times. Staying on the outisde represents consitency.

"Inside or outside, I'm still trying to get open,'' Austin said.

When the Cowboys have positioned Austin in the slot, veteran Roy Williams and rookie Dez Bryant have been the wide receivers.

"I think he is going to be tremendously dangerous in the slot,'' Dallas head coach Wade Phillips said. "The same things that make him good on the outside make him good on the inside.''

Inside or outside, Austin is poised for a big fantasy season. He's number three in 4for4's current rankings and will be one of the first receivers taken in many drafts.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, rookie quarterback Joe Webb has impressed the Vikings with his efforts this offseason.

Webb got second-team reps for both of yesterday's indoor practices at Winter Park, leaving veteran Sage Rosenfels as a spectator for much of the time. Tarvaris Jackson got the first-team reps in both practices.

Rosenfels declined to comment afterward.

Rosenfels got all of two snaps in 11-on-11 work in the afternoon. That was the same as R.J. Archer, who is essentially the Vikings' fifth-string quarterback.

There are some teams that could use Rosenfels (Buffalo comes to mind) if the Vikings believe Jackson and Webb are their best options behind Brett Favre. While Sage has never been a consistent fantasy player, he can rack up big numbers once in awhile. If he gets a chance someplace else in a decent situation, he might be worthy of a spot start in the right matchup.

Miami wide receiver Patrick Turner, recovering from what one Dolphins person identified as a back injury that required a procedure, isn't sure if he will be back for the start of training camp.

"We'll have to see - I'll be able to play at some point in the season,'' Turner said. Turner isn't permitted to disclose the injury.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, wide receiver Vincent Jackson and left tackle Marcus McNeill want long-term deals and don’t want to risk injury while waiting for them.

General Manager A.J. Smith and the Chargers are not doing long-term deals while the NFL’s labor situation is uncertain.

And so, the sit-outs have reached a new level of direness.

Jackson and McNeill, both restricted free agents, are not going to sign their tenders Monday. So say several sources familiar with the thinking of the players and their agents.

The Chargers, as of Tuesday, will lower Jackson’s and McNeill’s 2010 salaries to 110 percent of their ’09 pay. That would mean a forfeiture of about $2.5 million each.

Once it is cut, it’s not coming back up. And once it is cut, the players aren’t showing up.

Since Jackson and McNeill were not going to play for $3.268 million and $3.168 million, respectively, they certainly are not going to play a full season for a fraction of that.

It is increasingly likely that the two players will not sign with the Chargers until after the season’s 10th game. They would come in then because they need six games to earn an accrued season.

Still, it remains possible one or both could sit out the entire season.

Many wonder how two players who have made less than $3 million in their careers can afford to not play.

But not being paid by the Chargers is not a concern to the two players, sources say. Jackson and McNeill are committed to seeing this protest through, and they have the means to weather not playing in 2010 and potentially 2011 should the owners lock out players.

The absence of Jackson and McNeill would damage San Diego's chances of winning a fifth straight AFC West crown, and it would also cause chaos in the fantasy football world. Without his best receiver and his top bodyguard, Philip Rivers wouldn't be as coveted of a fantasy quarterback, and rookie running back Ryan Mathews might find the running lanes to be more crowded. This is a situation to monitor.

In the first snap of a full-team, goal-line drill Saturday, Broncos coaches sent rookie wide receiver Demaryius Thomas out with the first-team offense. Thomas, who was Denver's first pick in April's draft, promptly caught a pass from Kyle Orton that went for a touchdown.

Thomas has participated in only five practices this offseason after recovering from February foot surgery, but he is impressing coaches with his steady improvement, enough so that he has earned playing time alongside starters Jabar Gaffney and Eddie Royal.

"He's dropped a couple of balls, but look, everyone has seen this guy make tremendous catches and then there are some that he's dropped, but I think that comes with playing and knocking off some of the rust," Denver head coach Josh McDaniels said. "I think he'll only get better, every day, and today was better than yesterday."

Thomas spent several minutes after Friday's practice talking to former Broncos receiver Rod Smith, and Thomas said he used some of Smith's tips in Saturday's practice.

"It was basically about getting off the line and press and using my body and using my shoulders," Thomas said. "That's something I never did before."

Even if he's not a starter, Thomas should see plenty of playing time as the Broncos frequently use spread formations. On paper, he should contend for a starting spot as he's more talented than Gaffney and Royal, but his fantasy value is largely limited to keeper leagues at this point.

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin praised the team's second-round pick, Jason Worilds, who the coach said has made good progress converting from college defensive end to outside linebacker with the Steelers.

"There is very little hesitation in his movement," Tomlin said. "He is decisive, and that shows a level of understanding. I am excited about what he has done at that standpoint at this juncture.''

While Worilds isn't going to be an immediate starter, he could be a valuable long-term asset in IDP leagues given the outside linebackers rack up a lot of sacks in Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense. He's a name to remember for the future, but the future isn't now.

Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson took another significant step in his recovery from a fractured femur on Friday, going through all individual and group drills during the opening practice of minicamp.

That included making a series of relatively sharp cuts while shadowing scout-team receivers, albeit below full speed, and Henderson didn't appear to have any trouble before leaving when competitive drills began.

"I know he was excited to get back out here and move around with the guys and get through some individual drills," coach Brad Childress said. "I wish I could tell you that it surprised me, but the way he has attacked this thing is amazing."

Injured in a nasty collision with teammate Jamarca Sanford on Dec. 6 at Arizona, Henderson said last week he'll be "ready to rock" when training camp opens on or around July 31.

However, the Vikings have been proceeding as though second-year pro Jasper Brinkley -- who continued to take first-team reps during team drills Friday -- will start when the season opens Sept. 9 at New Orleans.

Asked whether Henderson's timeline is realistic, Childress said. "Nobody has told me to be pessimistic about it. He hasn't had a whole heck of a lot of setbacks. Maybe we will see some down the line here, but I haven't seen any of them."

The Canton Repository reports that Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty seems quick in his cuts and has caught the ball well, but most importantly, Cleveland head coach Eric Mangini raves about his attentiveness. The paper also reported that in one post-practice mind game, Hardesty was asked to recite names of defensive players he is practicing against.

“He blew through it like he’s known them all their lives,” Mangini said.

This isn't the first time Mangini has praised Hardesty since the Browns drafted him. While Hardesty is currently at 47 in our rankings, he has been on the upswing while Jerome Harrison has been sliding. Harrison, at 39, isn't that far ahead of Hardesty on our board. Right now, Harrison is a strong candidate to be drafted higher than he should be based on his strong run at the end of the 2009 season, while Hardesty could outperform his draft position. As our ratings indicate, Harrison is still the best Cleveland back to have on your team, but he's not worth reaching for in a draft. Hardesty, on the other hand, could turn out to be a bargain.

Although the Broncos traded for Brady Quinn and drafted Tim Tebow, Denver head coach Josh McDaniels has made it clear to anyone who asks that Kyle Orton is still the team's starting quarterback.

"It's clear Kyle is ahead," McDaniels said. "There's no question. Kyle’s certainly got a great grasp on what we’re doing and he’s performing very well right now in the spring and the two younger guys are trying to push."

Orton will be ahead for awhile, but all signs point to Tebow, aka "The Greatest American Hero" eventually taking over. Quinn is the least likely to see significant playing time, although one never knows with McDaniels. Tebow will be part of some packages early on, helping to negate what little fantasy stock Orton has. Unless you are in a keeper league and think Tebow is the real deal, it's best to stay away from all three Denver quarterbacks.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, cornerback Antoine Winfield said his right foot is doing "great" and no longer causes him pain when he runs.

Winfield missed six games after breaking his foot in October. He visited a foot specialist in North Carolina this offseason and said he turned a corner physically about two months ago.

"I went and had an injection that stopped the inflammation and knocked everything out," he said. "I’ve been running without any pain. I can’t wait. I missed out last year. I don’t feel like I even played last year."

Winfield has been working out with a few other NFL players at a facility in Houston this offseason.

"The main thing was for me to rest it, make sure that I came back 100 percent," he said. "I didn't want to rush anything, go too hard and try to do all the OTAs and stuff. But I feel great right now. I'm excited. I can't wait."

Winfield turns 33 this month, but even if he plays at a level below his prime his return to full strength will help a strong Minnesota defense. The Vikings fortified the cornerback position in the offseason by signing Lito Sheppard and drafting Virginia's Chris Cook, but until proven otherwise, Winfield is still a superior starter. Minnesota's defense is fourth in our rankings. In the IDP world, Winfield has been a potent performer in the past, and if he returns to full strength, he could be a short-term bargain as his stock won't be as high as it was in the past.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, who is working through a bout of plantar fasciitis, is feeling “much better” but won’t know until he starts to push it whether he will be full-go in training camp.

"It’s a lot better," Gates said. "It was bothering me to walk around. Once I start back running I will kind of get an idea. Then I can determine whether the foot is healthy enough."

Still a few days shy of the three weeks he was told to rest, Gates has been attending meetings and then rehabbing inside while his teammates are on the field. He finishes his time at Chargers Park each day by watching the end of practice.

Fantasy owners will need to keep tabs on how Gates is doing as the summer progresses, but as long as he's healthy he remains one of the best fantasy players at his position.

Denver cornerback Champ Bailey will be turning 32, but retirement and life after football aren't crossing his mind. His contract is up at the end of the season, but according to ESPN, he wants to stay in Denver and play "at least" five more years.

Bailey and the Broncos haven't engaged in significant talks yet, but most of Denver's energy right now is being spent on trying to ink linebacker Elvis Dumervil to a long-term deal, a process that's been moving slowly.

"If Elvis isn’t getting a new deal now, no one is," Bailey said with a laugh. "I can wait my turn. I will play out this year the same way I always do."

Bailey is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, but what he's done in Denver is truly amazing. Josh McDaniels has come to the Mile High City and sent Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall packing, but he's kept Bailey. If you can impress McDaniels, the world is your oyster. Seriously, while Bailey is great, his presence is not enough to make the Broncos a desirable fantasy defense, as they are at 20 in 4for4's current rankings.

St. Louis guard Mark Setterstrom has a torn triceps. A decision on surgery will be made in the next few days.

Although many feel Jake Delhomme will open the season as Cleveland's starting quarterback, Browns head coach Eric Mangini isn't making a full commitment to Delhomme heading into training camp. According to Mangini, backup quarterback Seneca Wallace will see some time with the first-team offense. Mangini also stated he liked what both players had done so far and wanted to see a little more before he declared a starter.

"We have enough reps in training camp for everybody to get their fill," said Mangini. "They're going to both need an equal amount of reps and that's how it will be structured -- for the one and two to get the same amount of red area, etc. They may not be with the same group, but they'll get the same amount of work in those areas."

Given Delhomme's age and ability to throw interceptions, it's likely Wallace will start some games for the Browns this year. But the Browns have a poor group of receivers and neither quarterback is going to offer much of anything to fantasy owners. If you need any indication of how undesirable the two quarterbacks are, they are both ranked below Ben Roethlisberger in our rankings - and Big Ben will be generating zero points for fantasy owners early in the season!

Bears running back Matt Forte was one of the most disappointing players in fantasy football last year. After a great rookie season in 2008, he was picked high in many drafts and was a bust.

But in reality, Forte's disappointing season wasn't surprising when you consider that he was dealing with a torn hamstring. He suffered the injury last May, and it was still bothering him when the season began.

"Being hurt going into the season was hard because I didn't get to train like I wanted to," Forte said. "You are focused on healing instead of training. You don't get to run as much as you want to or lift as much as you want to. You're worried about not hurting it again."

Then Forte suffered a sprained ACL in the third game of the season against Seattle. It was one of those injuries that didn't receive a lot of publicity, but it hampered him throughout 2009 as it was on the same leg where he tore his hamstring. But the hamstring is good to go, and after surgery, so is the knee.

"I know I have more burst," Forte said. "I look different on tape. I was missing burst last year, and a second gear. It really wasn't there."

If Forte can get back to the player he was back in 2008, fantasy owners could get a steal on draft day, as he certainly won't be a first round pick this year in most leagues. The presence of offseason acquisition Chester Taylor hurts Forte's upside, but he's still a top 25 back in 4for4's current rankings. Forte could be even more useful in PPR formats since new offensive coordinator Mike Martz loves to throw the football.

The Baltimore coaching staff thinks an already strong defense has gotten even better with the addition of massive run stopper Terrence Cody.

"We are really, really pleased with the player we see," defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. "All the things we hoped, all the things we thought we saw either on film or at our workout or heard by word of mouth from coaches we respect ... all those things up to this point have been coming through."

His quickness has really stood out, as well as his ability to find a rhythm with the rest of the defense. Cody has lost 23 pounds since the Senior Bowl.

Cody may be a reserve right now, but the odds of him becoming a starter down the line are excellent, considering incumbent nose tackle Kelly Gregg turns 34 in November. Baltimore is our number three defense and will have plenty of big games in 2010.

At Denver's mandatory minicamp, quarterback Tim Tebow was far from perfect. He threw two interceptions, but according to ESPN, Denver coach Josh McDaniels "praised Tebow’s progress in learning the system." Also according to ESPN, McDaniels indicated he's leaning toward keeping just two quarterbacks active on the game-day 45-man roster because having more would “put us behind the eight ball at other spots.”

It's inevitable that Tebow will emerge as Denver's starter before the 2010 season is over, but until then, you can expect to see the former Florida Gator (also known in some circles as The Greatest American Hero) in a variety of special play packages. If Tebow surprises the experts and emerges as a legitimate NFL quarterback, he won't make a major impact in the fantasy world until 2011 at the earliest.

Receiver Percy Harvin has spent the offseason working out on his own in Gainesville, Fla. He returned to the Twin Cities this week weighing, he said, 205 pounds. He was 188 pounds last year at this time. The extra weight was well-proportioned -- "I don't think it's big and fat," Childress said -- but Harvin said he plans to report to training camp at 200 pounds. Harvin admitted he has continued to suffer from migraine-like headaches during the offseason but said it was "nothing that stopped me from having a workout or anything."

Indications from Denver’s minicamp Friday is that the team is softening its pursuit of free-agent running back Brian Westbrook.

Westbrook visited Denver in May and the Broncos were satisfied with what they saw from the back, who is recovering from several injures. The former Philadelphia star has also talked to Washington and St. Louis.

The Broncos, however, are now focused on how third-down back J.J. Arrington fares in training camp.

From a fantasy perspective, St. Louis would be a more ideal situation than Denver or Washington for Westbrook.

As expected, Mike Bell will serve as the Eagles' back-up running back next season.

Given LeSean McCoy's injury history, Mike Bell should be considered a handcuff.

The Chargers have signed free agent wide receiver Josh Reed.

Browns running backs Jerome Harrison and Montario Hardesty got work with the first-team offense. This could be a good competition to watch in training camp, because both runners have very different styles they bring to the offense. Cleveland's coaching staff has been really impressed with Hardesty this offseason.

Tight end: Brent Celek has cemented himself as the leader on offense, aside, of course, from Kolb. The quarterback-tight end duo was in sync all spring and had some predicting a 100-reception season for the fourth-year pro. That’ll be difficult with so many receiving options, but Celek is guaranteed at least 75 catches.

We are high on TE Brent Celek, with him currently sitting #4 in our TE cheat sheets. In addition to his 2009 production, he and Kevin Kolb are roommates. Kolb will look for Celek in pressure situations. Can you say PPR (point per reception) league!

One of the biggest stories of the offseason so far has been the new look from Marion Barber, who has shed some noticeable pounds and appears lighter, quicker, and faster than ever before.

Not to be outdone, Felix Jones, the running back who is pushing for Barber's starting spot, also has somewhat of a new appearance as well. Only Jones went the other way this offseason, bulking up a little in his upper body.

By design? Not exactly, although Jones said he welcomes the physical change.

"That's just how it works out sometimes," said the third-year back, who was jokingly asked if he and Barber are switching roles, making Jones the new short-yardage back. "I'm not going to say all of that. It almost just happened the way it did. I was in the weight room working out and all of sudden, I started seeing more muscles."

Let the training camp battle begin! Look for Felix Jones and Marion Barber to split carries.

Hakeem Nicks said he took some reps in team drills yesterday. Toe not 100 pct but he said it's "all healed up."

This is great news as Hakeem Nicks has the potential to be the Giants #1 WR this season.

Wes Welker was once again with his teammates for stretching, agility work and some position drills before retreating to the Dana-Farber Fieldhouse. During route work, Welker made a pretty sideline catch, about 25 yards downfield.

The fact that tight end Cornelius Ingram took part in every practice was a huge positive. He moved very well, he caught the ball well and he gained confidence after missing all of last season with the torn ACL. Ingram is clearly ahead of both Martin Rucker and Clay Harbor -- tough to tell who is ahead between those two -- and he could play a very important role when the Eagles go to two-tight end sets. Ingram has a lot of work to do in the next six weeks, and he will certainly put in the time. He was all smiles after the final practice on Thursday.

Is K Adam Vinatieri ready for a full, productive season? The 15-year veteran looked healthy during OTAs, and not only said he felt healthy, said he wanted to play several more seasons. Fans liekly will take something of a wait-and-see approach, but whereas last season the talk around Vinatieri was off-season surgery and projected return dates, this off-season was about getting ready for next season. A significant difference.

Miami Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano signed his one-year tender, according to Omar Kelly of the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel per a league source.

Fasano, the Dolphins' starter the past two seasons, will be paid $1.759 million in 2010.

Fasano, acquired with Akin Ayodele from Dallas for a fourth-round pick in 2008, had a breakout season in his first year with the Dolphins. He produced career highs in receptions (34), receiving yards (454) and touchdowns (7).

Anthony Fasano is a low-end #2 TE in fantasy leagues that require the position. However, with the development of QB Chad Henne and addition of WR Brandon Marshall, Fasano could find some targets coming his way.

For Dolphins fan who didn't hear or see it, Tony Sparano was emphatic that Ronnie Brown will be ready for the start of training camp.

Ronnie Brown is a top 20 RB in most fantasy formats. He's also listed at #20 on the 4for4.com Cheat Sheets. Given the Dolphins reaction to this news, clearly Ronnie Brown will be counted on to be the "bell cow" with Ricky Williams also getting involved.

Kraft reiterated his desire to have all players working out in Foxborough for as much of the offseason as possible, even though Brady spent much of the winter and spring on the West Coast with his older son and traveling the world with his wife and infant son.

But as a father and family man, Kraft understands Brady’s need to spend time with his young family. He added that it is difficult to judge what is right or wrong, noting that Brady’s life has changed greatly in the 10-plus years since he was drafted.

“Look, we are so lucky to have Tom Brady,’’ Kraft said when asked about negotiations. “He’s under contract. He’s here. I’m privileged to have a pretty special relationship with him. And I think he knows how I feel about him. I think we both want to solve the problem, or the issue. I don’t know that it’s a problem . . . it’s complicated.

This story offers little fantasy impact at present. Just about everybody believes the "disconnect" will be resolved. However, it is wise to monitor the situation.

Donald Driver not only feels great after he had double arthroscopic knee surgeries back in January -- he wishes he had the procedure years ago.

Driver was at the New Berlin Ale House Thursday night to support Packers teammate Greg Jennings for a pre-golf party. The two men, along with numerous Packers, will spend all day Friday golfing for Jennings' major fundraiser for Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and the Greg Jennings Foundation; the goal is to raise $150,000 to pay for two Habitat homes, one in Milwaukee and one in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Driver said he hadn’t told anyone other than the Packers staff that he was playing with limited range and flexibility as well as pain last year. It wasn’t until last Wednesday, when Packers coach Mike McCarthy admitted, when pressed, that Driver and Nick Barnett had both had knee scopes. Both players had been out of offseason practices and working with a group of rehabilitating players.

Donald Driver must have a "fountain of youth" secretly hidden at his home. With the exception of last season (2nd half), his production has been consistent. However, at some point a drop-off should be expected. For now, he is a safe #3 WR in most fantasy formats.

St. Louis Rams rookie quarterback Sam Bradford has been getting a crash course during OTAs and the full-squad minicamp under way at Rams Park.

“There’s definitely more to think about every day,” said Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. “(Quarterbacks) Coach (Dick) Curl talks about what we’re putting in the night before, and I’ve usually got to go home and spend some more time in the books just reviewing . . . what we’re putting in for tomorrow. Because as soon as you have something down, that kind of goes to the back of the playbook and something new comes up.”

On Thursday, Bradford faced a new and varied set of blitz schemes.

“I felt like a did a pretty good job of handling them,” he said, “knowing where the blitz was coming from, knowing where my hot answers were and getting the ball out on time.”

There's also been reports by Adam Schefter of ESPN that Bradford should be starting by week three or four. He's obviously got the long term fantasy value this season, and beyond. AJ Feeley will probably start the first few weeks and be very limited in fantasy value.

Moments after Mark Sanchez found Jerricho Cotchery down the left sideline today, the second-year quarterback sprinted down the field like a giddy schoolboy, unafraid and unconcerned about the most talked about left knee in the tri-state area.

Translation: Sanchez is back.

And maybe better than ever.

The Jets’ signal caller looked sharp in 11-on-11 team drills during Organized Team Activities today, completing 5 of 7 passes in 11 snaps en route to pronouncing himself ready to go for next week’s minicamp. It was just the second practice that Sanchez participated in team drills.

“It feels better than it ever has,” Sanchez said about his surgically repaired knee that bothered him at USC and his rookie season in the pros. “It’s just something that was on my mind (in the past). Just like it was at USC. Man, this thing’s bothering me. It’s just something that’s in the back of your mind. Now, this is solid.”

Kickers Kris Brown and Neil Rackers continued their competition on Thursday. They kicked in front of the entire team with piped-in crowd noise coming from speakers on the sidelines.

Both kickers had seven or eight attempts. Rackers missed one, while Brown was off on his final four attempts.

Kubiak said that the competition will be put on hold during mini-camp, when Brown and Rackers will work individually with special teams coordinator Joe Marciano. The kicking competition will resume in training camp.

Tight end James Casey did not participate in the final practice of OTAs due to injuries.

He will be sidelined for a few weeks, which is convenient in the sense that the Texans have six weeks off between mini-camp and training camp.

"James pulled a groin. He's going to be a few weeks. If there was ever any good time, I guess it's good so we can get him healthy now. He will not be out here next week."

Coach Gary Kubiak said last week the Texans would release one of their running backs before training camp to make sure the others got enough repetitions. They didn't wait until camp.

The Texans placed veteran Ryan Moats on waivers Thursday. Moats, 27, spent the last two seasons with the Texans, starting two games last season and rushing for 390 yards and scoring four touchdowns.

Ben Tate, Arian Foster and Steve Slaton made for an already crowded backfield, so Moats was the odd man out. He'll probably catch on somewhere, but may have to climb a little to be of fantasy value.

Jermichael Finley is the kind of player who stands to gain the most from working at Larry Fitzgerald’s offseason camp in July.

Finley, the Green Bay Packers’ fast-ascending tight end, plans to work out with Fitzgerald and a group of invited receivers, tight ends, quarterbacks and defensive backs at an unofficial camp Fitzgerald is conducting for the second straight offseason at the University of Minnesota’s new football stadium.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin declined to name a No. 1 quarterback Thursday following the conclusion of offseason practices.

Yet he all but said that the Steelers will go into training camp with the same rotation at quarterback that they have had since late April.

“I think how we distributed (repetitions) is an indication of our mindset at this juncture,” Tomlin said.

Assuming nothing changes over the six weeks -- the players are off and will be training on their own -- Byron Leftwich will arrive at St. Vincent College with the inside track to start while Ben Roethlisberger serves a four- to six-game suspension.

From Bidwills to ball boys, everyone connected with the Cardinals has heard the same question thousands of times this off-season: Is quarterback Matt Leinart any good?

Opinions vary about Leinart, perhaps the most-polarizing figure in Arizona sports. Those who dislike him point to a "Hollywood" lifestyle, beer-bong photos and poor performances as Kurt Warner's backup last year.

Those who like Leinart point to his improvement in 2007 before suffering an injury, his maturation off the field, and that the Cardinals should have beaten Tennessee in Leinart's only start last season.

Andy Reid said WR DeSean Jackson has assured him he will report for training camp July 29.

Carson with a message for WR Chad Ochocinco?

"Maybe they’re trying to find a new No. 1 receiver because it’s hard to work your offense in without that guy around."

– The passing offense continued to look strong, as there were few dropped balls. Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, and Torry Holt continued seeing a ton of passes. As talented as Brandon Tate is, he’s obviously still learning. But he is fast. The O soundly lit up the D during team work.

– Wes Welker ran routes at a faster clip than he did previously, going at what I’d call 75 percent. He was cutting sharper and running the routes deep, before he headed into the field house.

– At kick returner, it looks like Tate, Edelman, and Devin McCourty will all have a crack at earning the job. Kevin Faulk was back there, too.

Can the Dolphins really carry four quarterbacks?

Considering Chad Pennington, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery, rarely threw a pass during minicamp and OTA sessions, writer Omar Kelly sees no reason why he can’t be stashed on the PUP for the first couple months of the season.

Chad Henne is clearly the starter, and is exerting himself as a team leader. Tyler Thigpen has the edge on Pat White for the backup role.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, is that really you?

Just a year ago WR Darrius Heyward-Bey was impossible to miss in the Raiders' offense, mostly because he missed everything thrown his way.

But at Wednesday's team workout, Heyward-Bey continued his emergence as a stunningly central figure in the Raiders' passing attack, and for only positive reasons.

At one point, QB Jason Campbell dropped back and threw in perfect rhythm to Heyward-Bey, who raced past two defenders on a post route, leapt and hauled in a 30-yard touchdown.

Later, Heyward-Bey shook off tight outside coverage by Walter McFadden, then made a quick move inside as Campbell heaved a prayer after avoiding a heavy rush.

Heyward-Bey could have some fantasy value at WR if this connection pans out. WRs come and go on your roster all year, but he may be worth a late pick in your draft this summer.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano still doesn't know if wide receiver Brandon Marshall will be ready for all-out practice when training camp starts. Sparano didn't expect the Dolphins' prize offseason acquisition to practice at all during the spring minicamps and organized team activities.

But there Marshall was in the early part of Wednesday's OTA, running routes in quarterback-and-receiver drills, actively participating in a practice for the first time since being traded to the Dolphins on April 14. More importantly, it was his first practice since having surgery on his right hip just after the trade.

S Quintin Mikell is back at practice after tweaking his knee yesterday. RB LeSean McCoy is also back.

Life in the preseason is about to change dramatically for New York Jets veteran running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

After years of being dormant in August when he was with the San Diego Chargers, Tomlinson is going to have to put in a full workload with his new team.

“With change comes different expectations,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer told the New York Daily News. “LaDainian’s fighting for playing time. He’s got to earn the right. He wants to have the chance to start. So, he’s going to have to play… We can look forward to (him playing more in the preseason). Hopefully that will have something to do with him getting energized and getting off to a great start.”

It will be worth noting how Tomlinson makes it through the increased summer workload. Shonn Greene is still probably the guy to own at this point but we'll keep an eye on how the carries will be divided.

K Jeff Reed hopes to sign a long-term contract with the Steelers. But the veteran kicker said it is not a foregone conclusion that he will be with the team following the 2010 season.

The Steelers used the franchise tag on Reed in February to keep the eight-year veteran from becoming an unrestricted free agent, and he later signed the one-year, $2.841 million deal that came with the designation.

The two sides have until July 15 to agree on a new contract, but when recently asked the chances of that happening, Reed said, "fifty-fifty."

"I want it to happen — they want it to happen — but I'm not just going to sign anything," said Reed, who made 27 of 31 field goal attempts last season.

Question: Assuming Dez Bryant can learn the routes, will the use of Miles Austin return to sending him deep to clear out the middle for Dez or will they alternate using the two as 1's?

Jean-Jacques Taylor, Dallas Morning News reporter: No idea. Those are the things that get discovered through training camp and the preseason. There is no question Dez will learn the playbook. He's a football savant.

It's looking more and more like Bryant is guy to draft ahead of Roy Williams, at least for the long term, but maybe even from the start depending how camps go. Like Taylor said, we'll learn more about the WR workings in camp and preseason.

Panthers WR Muhsin Muhammad will announce his retirement at a 12:30 press conference.

On second thought, a Darren McFadden-Michael Bush RB tandem could be the plan in 2010.

Raiders coach Tom Cable’s postseason stance until Wednesday was he was hoping to identify a lead back which could upgrade a running game which sagged in 2009.

Now?

“I think they’re both doing something exciting each day, whether it’s running the ball or pass protecting,” Cable said. “Each one of them has their own strength but they both show up every time we come out here. I actually think their both (No. 1s) and I think it’s a great deal we got going here.”

The committee seems to be the way most teams are going these days, which in the fantasy world makes things tricky. The Raiders could be improved enough this year that Bush and/or McFadden could have some fantasy value. We'll have to see how carries are split and who gets the ball on the goal line. Just another situation to monitor.

TE Jermichael Finley did not practice because he has tendonitis in his knee.

Coach Mike McCarthy also revealed that Donald Driver had his knee or knees “cleaned up” or scoped. The surgical procedures happened in the postseason; McCarthy wasn’t specific.

The Washington Redskins signed wide receiver Mike Furrey on Wednesday.

The Carolina Panthers got this season's first taste of worst-case scenario Wednesday, when tests confirmed the original diagnosis of another torn knee ligament for LB Thomas Davis.

Davis was lost last November when he blew his right anterior cruciate ligament while backpedaling and planting on the Louisiana Superdome turf. That one was a non-contact injury, and Tuesday's spill was eerily similar. While backpedaling during individual drills next to teammate Jon Beason, Davis went down without being touched by another player, and immediately gripped his right knee.

Davis confirmed that he tore the ACL again Wednesday afternoon, saying he'd have surgery soon to repair the ligament once more.

This is major shot through IDP leagues as Thomas Davis was on a terror last season (before the first tear). He was ahead of schedule this off-season until this recent injury. Jamar Williams is next in line on the Panthers Defensive Depth Chart.

Coach Tom Cable called the involvement of wide receiver Chaz Schilens “limited” Wednesday, but that’s not to be mistaken for taking it easy.

Schilens was planting and driving hard off his left foot during drills as well as seven-on-seven sessions and team sessions. He wasn’t limping or favoring the foot in any way, and it’s worth noting that Schilens also practiced Tuesday as well.

Considering Cable had originally suggested Schilens would be out until training camp, it was welcome progress.

Chaz Schilens is expected to start opposite of Darrius Heyward-Bey. The wide receiver pair could have decent production now that Jason Campbell is under center.

When Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez suffered a knee injury during Week 1 of the 2009 season, in his first game as the heir to Marvin Harrison, no one knew when he'd be back.

He missed the rest of the season, along with the playoffs. And according to WISH-TV (via our friend Bradley Wells a/k/a BigBlueShoe a/k/a Guys Who Rips Me Mercilessly At Times But Curiously We're Friends of StampedeBlue.com), Gonzalez suffered a "setback" last Tuesday, which caused him to miss the team's recent mandatory minicamp.

A first-round draft pick in 2007, Gonzalez faces an uphill climb to return to the starting lineup, given the performances of players like Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.

Not a major concern for the Colts given the progress of Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. However, there's no timetable for Gonzalez' return. Clearly his role in the starting offense and possible roster spot could be in jeopardy.

As expected, Antonio Gates is not practicing on the field while recovering from a mild form of plantar fasciitis.

 Buster Davis, who suffered a concussion in minicamp, worked at receiver and punt returner. He is slated to be the No. 2 returner.

 New tight end Randy McMichael practiced and wore No. 81, taking Kassim Osgood’s old number from rookie receiver Marcel Thompson, who now wears No. 47.

Brandon Marshall and Greg Camarillo are paired as the Dolphins starting receivers with Brian Hartline and Davone Bess as the backups.

Brandon Marshall is participating in today's OTA session.

The Buffalo Bills will not accept anything less than a fourth-round pick for running back Marshawn Lynch.

Defensive tackle Chris Hovan, who was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in April, agreed to terms with the St. Louis Rams on Wednesday.

For the first time since minicamp, the Eagles practiced some of their spread option plays. And, of course, Michael Vick was involved.

The Eagles quarterback showed some rust, however. On one play, Vick took a direct snap and started to run up the middle. But just before he got to the line, he slipped and fell straight down.

Vick, who has spent the last month mostly under center learning the finer points of the Eagles' West Coast offense, said that returning to the "Spread Eagle" package didn't take much adjustment.

New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney has improved his route running ability throughout organized team activities as he is often able to break on his routes at the right time to catch a pass.

Dallas Cowboys RB Marion Barber III played the last 13 games last season with a torn left quadriceps muscle. Barber only missed one game because of the injury.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary said RB Glen Coffee and RB Anthony Dixon will be competing for playing time behind RB Frank Gore this season.

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher caused a stir last season when he said he hated the way the team's identity had changed under new quarterback Jay Cutler. But now Urlacher is singing Cutler's praises.

Jay's awesome," Urlacher said on a conference call for Bears fans. "He throws the ball as well as any quarterback in the NFL. If we can protect him--which I think we will do--I think he's going to have a great year."

Maybe Urlacher has been impressed with the way Cutler looks in Mike Martz's offense, or maybe Urlacher just knows the Bears are married to Cutler and figures he might as well give his teammate a public vote of confidence. Either way, Urlacher says he's excited to see what Cutler can do this year.

And Urlacher is also excited about seeing what he himself can do after missing 15 games last season. "I don't like being on the sideline," Urlacher said. "It was horrible. It was very frustrating. After the offseason I had last year, I felt great coming into the season. To get hurt in the first game like that was very disappointing."

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said the competition for the starting running back job remains open, with Julius Jones and Justin Forsett splitting carries with the first unit during this morning’s practice.

“We’re leaving this thing wide open,” Carroll said. “There’s no reason to call it. Julius has done everything he needs to do to represent. He’s done a beautiful job so far. Justin continues to do real well, too. I love the way he’s showing out here. Those guys are certainly in the one-two spots. Whoever is first, it doesn’t matter to me right now. I can’t tell and I don’t care. Right now we’re just playing football.”

Adrian Peterson has been working with 14-pound sand-filled footballs this offseason in an attempt to improve his ball security.

Brandon Pettigrew has looked good in off-season workouts but isn't close to being cleared for contact. The Lions will likely put him on the Physically Unable to Perform list for the start of training camp and then assess his rehab before activating him. The addition of veteran Tony Scheffler gives the Lions a little cushion, but they're planning to run a lot of two-tight end formations in their offense so they'll want Pettigrew back as soon as possible.

Blocking was the one part of Pettigrew's game that was unquestioned coming out of college. He has the size, the feet and the attitude needed to be effective in the running game. The issue is going to be whether the knee injury robbed him of any speed and how long it'll take to get back where he was in November of last year.

The Cardinals best option, at this time, is to not only bet on Leinart but to shove every chip they have to the center of the table.

Backup Derek Anderson has yet to dispel the reputation for inconsistency he earned with the Cleveland Browns. He has been both impressive and erratic - often in the same series of plays - during off-season work.

Some quick early impressions after watching the Texans in an organized team activities session that got pushed into their practice bubble by some serious rain.

As a group the running backs look good –- which they are supposed to. Steve Slaton is in a red shirt to discourage any contact as he gets back from a neck injury. He’s lighter. Further down the depth chart, Chris Henry has bulked up. Ben Tate is still catching up after missing early time. Arian Foster is still at the head of the line and could put me in a spot where I have to give him a bit more credit, though I am weary of banking on much from him off a few good games at the end of 2009. Ryan Moats is the old man of the group and he’s just 27. One OTA practice should tell me little, but I can’t help but feel a little better about their depth.

In 2011, Matt Leinart’s salary is due to increase almost $5 million - to $7.4 million and he’s in line for a roster bonus of $5.5 million according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.

Opinions vary about Leinart, perhaps the most-polarizing figure in Arizona sports. Those who dislike him point to a "Hollywood" lifestyle, beer-bong photos and poor performances as Kurt Warner's backup last year.

Those who like Leinart point to his improvement in 2007 before suffering an injury, his maturation off the field, and that the Cardinals should have beaten Tennessee in Leinart's only start last season.

If Leinart succeeds in 2010, the Cardinals likely will try to negotiate a contract extension. If Leinart fails, this probably will be his last season in Arizona. That could send the Cardinals sorting through football’s clearance aisles for a quarterback.

On the day receiver Malcom Floyd signed his one-year tender, ending what was essentially an offseason holdout, the team sent letters to receiver Vincent Jackson and left tackle Marcus McNeill informing them their 2010 salaries will be drastically cut if they don’t sign their tenders before June 15.

General Manager A.J. Smith confirmed the letters were sent to the two Pro Bowlers but would not elaborate.

However, sources said agents for both players recently informed the Chargers that if the letters were sent the team would not see Jackson or McNeill for “some time.”

What “some time” means is up for interpretation, but sources familiar with the thinking of McNeill and Jackson said the players are prepared to sit out into the season and even through 2010.

STILL NOT 100 PERCENT: Michael Turner is using the offseason to round back into shape. He was fully recovered from his high ankle sprain in mid-April.

“I wouldn’t say 100 (percent),” Turner said. “I would say 90. I’m well enough to play some games and not worry about it.”

Turner has remained upbeat this offseason.

“I’ve had high ankle sprains before but for me to go back out there and keep repeating it and hurting it over and over again, probably made the healing process a little bit longer,” Turner said.

Josh Cribbs has come a long way at receiver, but whatever you do, don't pigeonhole him as one.

"I'm comfortable at [receiver] but I don't want to say that's going to be my position, because I'd be doing myself and the team a disservice," he said. "That's not my only position and that's not the position you'll mostly see me at. It's going to be all across the field, and that's how I help my team."

Cribbs revealed that the Browns haven't been tipping their hand on how they'll use him during the one day a week the media are watching organized team activities.

Tight end Reggie Kelly, one of the more technically-sound Bengals, was a little uncertain about how good his would be when he returned to the field for the first time since rupturing his Achilles last Aug. 2.

Not only is there no pain, the 33-year-old body seems to remember what to do.

“I feel excellent. To be honest with you, my technique is a lot better than I thought it would be right now,” Kelly said last week after one of his first on-field sessions. “Obviously I have a lot of work to do to get back where I was. But it definitely feels great. I’m able to push off with it with no problems.”

There is a changing of the guards in Arizona this year as Kurt Warner retired from the NFL and left the job to Matt Leinart.

Leinart needs to show that he has learned and improved his game from the mistake-prone play most Cardinals fans have become accustomed to during his first four years in the NFL. When the Cardinals drafted Leinart tenth overall in the ‘06 draft, just about everybody thought it was a perfect marriage.

"This is the first time in a long time where I feel confident every single day," he said. "I know that I know what I am doing. I know that every time that I go out to practice that I am building on that consistency getting better and I think I am having good OTA’s..."

There probably has to be some drop off from Warner, but it gives hope that Larry Fitzgerald can still be a top-notch fantasy WR. And, guys like Early Doucet and Steve Breaston will have fantasy value.

The Falcons are spending part of the organized team activities tuning up and expanding their no-huddle attack.

Offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey relied on the no-huddle as a quick change of pace attack last season.

When the Falcons jumped into the no-huddle, they never stayed in it for extended periods. Two plays here, two plays there.

An analysis of last season’s play-by-play gamebooks, reveals that the Falcons went into the no-huddle offense 16 times in five different games.

They scored seven touchdowns and two field goals while in the no-huddle.

Matthew Stafford said it was nothing special, but in a sense, that's what made it special. The Lions quarterback tossed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson in Thursday's organized team activity. Johnson beat two defenders on a fade route. It looked beautiful ... and routine.

"Not run of the mill," Stafford said. "Obviously, you throw a touchdown, you're excited about it. We've got to keep working. But I feel like we're getting on the same page more and more. He knows what I'm looking at, I know what he's looking at and it's getting better."

This is great news for potential Johnson owners. Johnson will be a top-notch receiver, but Stafford could put up some numbers this year. He'll be drafted as a backup, but has potential to crack your lineup certain weeks.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton, who recently made a public request to be released, plans to be at the team's practice facility Tuesday and participate in the final week of voluntary organized team activities.

Restricted free agent WR Malcom Floyd has decided to rejoin the Chargers for the final week of offseason coaching sessions.

"I don't think there was anything more to gain by sitting out," Floyd said this morning.

The Chargers and Floyd's agent are talking over details, and Floyd could sign the one-year $3.168 million tender as soon as today and join the team for the final four coaching sessions involving veterans.

The list of guys who were sitting out by the end of last week because of what the Philadelphia Eagles said were minor injuries included running back LeSean McCoy.

With Mike Bell now on the team and the emergence of Leonard Weaver last year, it remains to be seen how much fantasy value McCoy will have. He'll most likely be counted on to step up this year with no Brian Westbrook, and should be a major player in the pass-catching game. At the very least he has some decent PPR-league value as things stand now.

Washington tight end Chris Cooley spoke about the process of picking up the Mike and Kyle Shanahan-run offense and the adjustment he and other receivers are going through in working with new quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Entering his seventh year in Washington, where there have been several coaching changes, Cooley is no stranger to new systems. He has been impressed, however, with how offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is instructing the team.

"As far as the offense I've really been impressed with the way they've coached it," Cooley said. "There's a lot of volume, it's the NFL so you expect that, but the way we've utilized time in the classroom, the way Coach [Kyle] Shanahan has coached it with a lot of film study instead of just black and white on paper has been really impressive, I've really enjoyed that."

Seems like a pretty good bet veterans Cooley and McNabb will be a solid fantasy connection, and Cooley may benefit the most. Tight end is pretty deep fantasy-wise these days, but Cooley could be in store for a nice year.

Running back Derrick Ward was back on the field Monday as the Bucs resumed OTAs. Ward had been one of the few players not seen last week at the voluntary workouts available to the media. Still no sign of TE Kellen Winslow at least so far.

Giants WR Hakeem Nicks says he'll be full go for minicamp next week. Says that's right on schedule for him.

The odd man out in the Lions' passing game appears to be WR Bryant Johnson, who failed to complement WR Calvin Johnson effectively in his first season in Detroit last season.

The Lions are planning to use more two-TE formations — possibly as their base formation — which would flex out a tight end (likely Tony Scheffler a lot) as the de facto third receiver.

The Seahawks continue to sing the praises of former first-round WR Mike Williams, who appears to be taking full advantage of the opportunity being given to him by new head coach Pete Carroll, who coached Williams at USC.

"He realizes what a chance he's getting, and he provides a bigger presence at receiver, which is something they really want," one source told PFW.

As for Reggie Williams, another former first-round wideout who has been offered a shot at making the team, the word is that the former Jaguar is way behind Mike Williams and is considered "just a guy."

Eagles QB Kevin Kolb told PFW he has no problem with Michael Vick coming in for a play or two at a time, or even for an entire series. Donovan McNabb said that bringing in Vick occasionally would get him out of rhythm, but Kolb said he wants to see as much of Vick as possible.

"Last year when I was in there (for two starts) it didn't affect me at all," Kolb said by telephone. "To be honest with you, (Vick) looks so good right now out there in OTAs, I want him to be on the field as much as possible. He's a great athlete and a great weapon."

Kolb should step in nicely and not miss too much of a beat fantasy-wise from McNabb. The Vick factor could play a part though, especially if he sees time in the Wildcat, or Spread Eagle, packages in the red zone.

WR Sammie Stroughter is making a push for a starting job. In addition to his flanker duties, he's working as an outside receiver and using his speed and quickness to get off the line of scrimmage.

WR Mike Williams, the fourth-round pick from Syracuse, appears to be ahead of Illinois WR Arrelious Benn, who was taken two rounds ahead of him. But Benn's real worth will be demonstrated once the pads go on and he's able to break tackles and make yards after the catch.

Peter King thinks RB Marion Barber is taking all this talk about RB Felix Jones being the Cowboys' top running back pretty seriously.

Barber's 10 pounds lighter than he was last fall, looks quicker in offseason work and knows he's not on scholarship anymore. The best back will play the most, and Barber knows for it to be him, he has to be quicker and make some of the runs that Jones makes fluidly now.

CB Asante Samuel isn't at Eagles OTAs because of a personal reason, the Eagles say. They had no official reason for WR DeSean Jackson's absence, except that they're voluntary.

It's not a secret Jackson wants a new contract...

WR Devin Thomas has a great opportunity to seize top billing among the wideouts, but he has been slowed by a hamstring injury at times. And when the chiseled third-year player has participated, he hasn't displayed the type of play-after-play consistency the Shanahans like to see from that position.

Dennis Dixon has not practiced with the first team and it has become obvious Byron Leftwich will open the season as the starting quarterback. With the return of Roethlisbeger this week, Dixon has gotten more snaps and was No. 2 Thursday, but Leftwich ran the first team since minicamp April 30 until Roethlisberger's arrival Tuesday.

Probably not a whole lot of reason to be excited. Pittsburgh's organization has already come out and said they want to run the ball.

While second overall draft pick Ndamukong Suh might turn out to be a better overall player, first-round choice RB Jahvid Best could be the key addition to the Detroit Lions season.

The Lions are clearly an offensive-heavy team at this point and they were extremely unbalanced with a ton of talent in the passing game and not much in the running department. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew expects Best to change all of that.

A running back with blazing speed -- and a threat to go the distance on any play -- Best also has excellent running ability. He won't break a ton of tackles, but he has great balance and explosion to pick his way through holes and accelerate through them.

Best is going to be Detroit's starting running back on opening day, there's no debate about that. What has yet to be determined, though, is how long he's going to be staying in the games.

Best has the potential to be a great fantasy pick this season. But, remember when we were all excited about the Detroit offense a few years ago and it didn't pan out...? If you can get him as an RB3 or flex, that would be a great situation and a great value, because you wouldn't have to depend on him as a starter early on. The Detroit defense will have to keep them in games so Best gets his carries in the second half.

Q: If Justin Forsett rushed for over 900 yards with five touchdowns, with only two starts for the season, and averaged 5.4 yards per carry, why isn’t he on the top of the depth chart?

A: Your stats are a bit skewed, but your question is valid. Forsett rushed for 619 yards and four touchdowns to go with that 5.4-yard average. The other 350 yards and his fifth TD came on 41 receptions.

RB Julius Jones has remained the “starter” in minicamp and OTA practices, but Forsett is getting plenty of work. Carroll has been talking up Forsett since he arrived in January, and offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates is devising a role to fit his talents.

Perhaps a better way to answer your question is to point out that the plan is to use a running-back-by-committee approach. So more important than the “starter” label will be which back fills which role, and Forsett definitely will have at least one.

This looks like the trend in the NFL as far as running backs go these days. This is one of those situations that you just have to monitor up to draft time. It's hard to believe Forsett wouldn't eventually get a bulk of the carries, but we all kind of thought that last year when Jones got hurt but eventually came back to assume his starting role. The team also has Quinton Ganther, Leon Washington and Louis Rankin.

The Broncos are expecting big things out of second-year running back Knowshon Moreno, and so far during the offseason the former Georgia Bulldog has impressed both teammates and coaches.

"I will say this is the first time he's beaten me several times in one-on-one tackle drills," linebacker Wesley Woodyard said. "I think he's more comfortable with himself. He's playing faster. It's a big difference with him."

"He's doing a really nice job of carrying out his assignments in every aspect of his game," Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. "He's been impressive in terms of his pass protection, which as a rookie he could do it, but it wasn't always consistent. Now it's been pretty consistent. He gets open and he catches the ball in the passing game on a regular basis, daily, and should be an impact player in the passing game for us. He's in his second year, and he knows more what to do. We're expecting a good year from him in a lot of different ways."

Moreno had some nice moments as a rookie, but he knows he needs to improve. And he feels like he will.

"I'm definitely more comfortable," Moreno said. "Last year, everything was moving so fast. You had to stay on top of that, remember this, do this. Now it all comes back to you. You just get into a flow, and you can start to flow now instead of thinking."

With Denver likely to play musical chairs at quarterback, Moreno is poised to be their best player on offense. He's in the top fifteen of our rankings and while the Denver offense limits his upside somewhat, he should be a steady fantasy producer.

According to the Indianapolis Star, Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez has been missing practice. The team hasn't given a reason why.

This won't help Gonzalez return to fantasy prominence. He's got an uphill battle to regain a large role in the Indianapolis offense after the emergence of Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Gonzalez needs to prove he's healthy to have a fighting chance, and right now fantasy owners have no reason to hold him in high regard.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, it doesn't appear as though Miami will make a major effort to sign free agent safety O.J. Atogwe.

"I'm very happy with the safeties we've got on our team right now," Miami general manager Jeff Ireland said. "Very happy."

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the odds are favorable the Saints will sign quarterback Patrick Ramsey in mid-July. Ramsey would be in the mix to backup Drew Brees.

Ramsey has bounced around the league since being a first-round pick of the Redskins back in 2002. He displayed talent early in his career, but was banged around a lot in Steve Spurrier's offense and never seemed to recover. He's no stranger to New Orleans, having played his college ball at Tulane, and a homecoming might serve him well. Of course, if something happens to Drew Brees, the Saints are in deep trouble.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the odds are strong the Jets will sign Mark Brunell to serve as their backup quarterback in mid-July.

Brunell could be a valuable sounding board for second-year signal caller Mark Sanchez, but he showed in limited playing time with New Orleans last year that he's way past his prime. If something happens to Sanchez, Brunell is not worth acquiring.

With a new coaching staff in place, there's an opportunity for young players on the Buffalo Bills roster to make an impact. Second-year tight end Shawn Nelson is one of those players, and he caught four passes during Sunday practice. According to the team's website, Nelson has been a frequent target during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work.

"Everything is going pretty well," Nelson said. "I think I’ve gotten better at blocking and I’ve gotten stronger. I always feel like I’m a threat in the passing game. With the offense that we’ve got going in, coach Gailey is putting some real good plays in for us, not just for myself, but as a team. I just think we’ve developed a whole lot from where we were last year as a team."

It's been a long time since a tight end made a fantasy impact in Buffalo, but the Bills currently have no proven receivers other than Lee Evans and Nelson could be a valuable weapon if he continues to develop. He's worth keeping an eye on, but will open the season on the waiver wire in most leagues.

New Orleans wide receiver Robert Meachem, who is recovering from toe surgery, stated he has "no idea" when he'll be 100 percent. He hasn't gotten back to running yet, but hopes to be ready for training camp.

Meachem emerged as a force in 2009. In our current rankings, he's a top 25 receiver. Obviously a lingering injury could move him down the charts, but there's plenty of time between now and September for him to fully recover. As long as Drew Brees stays healthy, Meachem has plenty of upside.

After David Garrard and Luke McCown split reps during a May minicamp, there was some speculation the starting quarterback position was up for grabs in Jacksonville. Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter had said McCown was "sharp" and that they "like what we see out of Luke in the meeting room and what we saw of him in minicamp." But McCown has indicated there is no quarterback controversy.

"It's David's job," McCown said on Sirius NFL Radio. "There's been a lot more made about it being a competition than there really should be. If anybody even hints to me about the idea of it being an open competition, I'm all for it. But that's not the case."

Garrard needs to play better, but it's hard to see McCown being a savior if Garrard stumbles. With Jacksonville's centerpiece on offense being Maurice Jones-Drew, whoever lines up under center is not going to be anything more than a fantasy backup. Garrard is currently ranked 18 in our rankings.

Yesterday we reported via the Buffalo News that Brian Brohm was the first quarterback to see action at Buffalo's Saturday practice. The News has since amended that report, stating that Trent Edwards took the first snaps at quarterback in 11-on-11 drills.

It's always interesting to track a quarterback battle, but it would be hard to get excited about Edwards in the fantasy world even if he wins the job.

Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell, a friend of Brett Favre's, indicated Favre's return to the Vikings is far from a sure thing.

"I think it's 50-50 either way," said Longwell. "He played so well (last season), and I think there's a desire that this team has a chance to go a long way. That would be the reason to come back. But at the same time, he was so at peace with how he played last year — late in the season — and that would be the reason not to come back."

Ultimately, the only person who knows what Brett Favre is going to do is Brett Favre. And half the time, it seems like Brett Favre doesn't know what Brett Favre is going to do. Although Longwell is close with Favre, and his comments can't be dismissed entirely, the smart money would be on Favre playing another season, and being a fairly productive fantasy quarterback.

Mlive.com writer Tom Kowalski reports that the Lions plan on giving rookie running back Jahvid Best a large workload and that Best will be Detroit's starting running back on opening day. Kowalski also mentioned that Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, who used to be on the staff of the Tennessee Titans, will try to use Best in the same manner the Titans have used Chris Johnson.

Best is going to be part of an emerging offense and certainly has the talent to make an impact. Owners shouldn't get carried away thinking he will replicate Chris Johnson's production, but if you are the type of owner who drafts wide receivers and quarterbacks in the early rounds as opposed to running backs, Best is someone you can take later and potentially be very happy with. Keeper league owners should definitely target Best.

After Brian Westbrook was injured during the 2009 season, Philadelphia fullback Leonard Weaver helped pick up the slack, and was used more than other fullbacks around the NFL. But with running back LeSean McCoy entering his second season and the acquisition of Mike Bell, Weaver's workload as a runner will drop. Weaver told philly.com that Bell and McCoy are going to be a "great duo" and while he might be used on occasion, they "are going to be the workhorses."

On the surface, Philadelphia might run the ball more as Kevin Kolb settles in as the starting quarterback. But Andy Reid has always put the passing game first, meaning McCoy will need to make the same impact as a receiver that Brian Westbrook did to be a fantasy star. He's currently at 28 in our rankings while Bell is 56 and Weaver checks in at 71. For those who draft quarterbacks and wide receivers in the early rounds, McCoy is not a bad guy to grab a little later. Bell and Weaver are nothing more than fantasy backups at this point, but Bell has proven to be useful in the past when he gets a chance.

Although the Minnesota brass is optimistic that middle linebacker E.J. Henderson will make a full recovery from a fractured femur, and Henderson himself believes he'll be ready to go by training camp, the Vikings are planning as though Henderson won't be available for the season opener in New Orleans. That means second-year man Jasper Brinkley has been working with the first-team defense.

"We're proceeding right now as if 'Jasp' is going to be the middle linebacker," Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. "E.J. hasn't really gone out and done any drills with us. So, you can't say that he's going to be ready when we get ready to play the Saints. If it happens, we all would be extremely happy. But right now, we're looking at Jasper being that guy."

Minnesota is fourth in 4for4's current defensive rankings, and will be an excellent pick regardless of if Brinkley or Henderson is in there. Brinkley is useful, but Henderson is the better overall player, and a better IDP player.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, former Miami linebacker Reggie Torbor has signed a two-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.

According to the Buffalo News, in Saturday's morning practice, Brian Brohm took the first snaps as the Bills continue their quarterback rotation. Trent Edwards was second, with Ryan Fitzpatrick third and rookie Levi Brown out of Troy fourth.

It's going to take awhile for the Bills to determine a starter, but this isn't the first time Brohm has been in the leadoff spot this offseason. He's probably got the most upside of all of Buffalo's quarterbacks. Still, Buffalo projects to be one of the least fantasy friendly teams in 2010 (for example Lee Evans is at 50 in our current rankings at wide receiver) and drafting a Bills quarterback is an extremely risky proposition.

Buffalo rookie offensive lineman Ed Wang, a fifth round pick of the Bills in April's draft, left practice today due to an injury. Wang will undergo an MRI, but the early diagnosis is a high ankle sprain. If that's the case, Wang would still have a shot at being ready for training camp.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the typical recovery time for the type of ankle surgery that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre had is four to eight weeks. That would mean he likely would be ready to go in early August.

The odds of Favre playing another season remain very high and he's currently ninth in our quarterback rankings. Given his age, you'd need to pair him with another solid quarterback to feel safe, but Favre will likely remain a useful fantasy player in 2010.

Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders, who missed the start of the 2009 season while recovering from knee surgery and the finish of the season due to a torn biceps muscle, has been practicing full-time during OTAs.

"I'm excited to be back," Sanders said. "I'm excited to be practicing. I'm excited to get back to doing what I love to do. The knee has been doing great. The arm has been doing great. I feel great."

Sanders is a great player when healthy, but he's missed a lot of games during his career. Indianapolis is currently ranked at 15 in our team defense rankings, and if Sanders continues to look healthy as we get closer to the start of the regular season, the Colts could move up. He's a nice player to have in IDP leagues, but make sure you've got depth at the DB position as Sanders has never played a full compliment of regular season games.

With Mike Bell now in Philadelphia, and Pierre Thomas absent from New Orleans as he seeks a new contract, running back Lynell Hamilton could be in line for a larger role in New Orleans. And that role could be as the short yardage and goal line back for the world champions.

"We've seen him now for two seasons," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. "We've really not hesitated putting him in short yardage or putting him in goal line, and we do have a confidence level in what he can do."

Hamilton's best game as a Saint was the 2009 season finale against Carolina, when he got extended playing time as the team was resting their regulars for the playoffs. He rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. He also scored a touchdown against Arizona in the playoffs.

Last season, Mike Bell had 654 yards and five touchdowns as the short yardage/goal line back for the Saints. While that didn't make him a fantasy star, Bell provided some useful games to owners (143 yards against Detroit, 86 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia, and 75 yards and two touchdowns against Tampa Bay). Right now, Hamilton is at 45 in 4for4's rankings. If he can match Bell's production, he'll might be worthy of some spot starts, but Pierre Thomas will still be the best Saints back as long as his contract situation is ironed out.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey was held out of the team’s minicamp practice today but coach Sean Payton said it had nothing to do with his seizure-like collapse a week ago in the team’s workout facility.

Shockey’s back was acting up and he was given the practice off as a precaution, according to the Twitter account of Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Saints coach Sean Payton also said that while Shockey’s health scare a week ago was seizure-like, it was not a seizure.

When Michael Turner missed five games last season with a high-ankle sprain, the Atlanta Falcons got a glimpse of what life was like without the talented running back, who has scored 27 touchdowns and averaged 4.6 yards per carry since he arrived in Atlanta in 2008.

When Turner is healthy, said head coach Mike Smith, the entire offense is given a boost. His presence is a boon to both the running and passing attack and forces defenses into one-on-one situations with the Falcons' receivers and tight ends.

"Mike has the ability, when he has the ball in his hands, to go the distance," said Smith. "And that forces defenses to change their philosophy on how they're going to try and defend us."

NFL.com's Jason La Canfora spoke with an unnamed GM who thinks that Terrell Owens won't get a contract until training camp.

Tim Tebow isn't the first rookie quarterback to struggle a bit during an offseason camp practice. And it probably won't be his last poor practice.

But, the first-round pick's every move is being watched, and he was not very accurate today. Early in practice he missed receiver Alric Arnett, then a couple plays later threw way behind tight end Riar Geer. He had a pass tipped at the line that was intended to tight end Richard Quinn. A few plays later he missed badly to Quinn on a pass that hit the ground before it got to him. Tebow himself singled out another bad pass - a crossing route to open receiver Patrick Honeycutt that was behind Honeycutt and too low, and hit the ground.

Tebow continued to be a bit wild, missing some receivers by throwing behind or low or leading them too far. He did have some very nice throws, mostly on out routes - one of the toughest passes a quarterback can make. He had a fantastic throw to Arnett in the corner of the end zone that had great velocity. He called out a blitz at the line on one play, then calmly hit Arnett on a crossing route, showing he is starting to understand the offense a little.

Bucs signed 2010 fourth-round pick WR Mike Williams to a four-year contract - "he's going to be good."

As if there were any question about how quickly he might recover from off-season neck surgery, Peyton Manning returned to practice today.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo suggested that Steven Jackson may be ready to start running on solid ground and still possible he's limited in OTA/Mini-camp next week.

LB Thomas Davis has his speed back.

Not six months after the Carolina Panthers' weakside linebacker underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Davis recently was clocked running the 40-yard dash in a stunning 4.47 seconds.

When it comes to the running back position, the Detroit Lions apparently are going to keep their options open.

During Thursday's Organized Team Activity practice -- the last one of the offseason the media will be allowed to attend -- first-round draft pick Jahvid Best was returning kickoffs and fullback Jerome Felton was playing tailback.

It was a place that Bryant Johnson wanted to escape but now the Detroit Lions receiver finds himself right back in the same spot - the No. 3 receiver in a potential potent passing attack.

With Nate Burleson starting on the outside, Bryant Johnson will be No. 3 again. The good news is that Bryant Johnson can play any of the three positions which means he'll get moved around a lot with both Burleson and Calvin Johnson getting some time in the slot.

Tight end Greg Olsen says he's confident he will play a big role in Mike Martz's new offense with the Bears.

Olsen will be asked to block more often and more effectively than in the past, and he may never be an 80-catch guy, as had been predicted when he was drafted in the first round in 2007.

Olsen doesn't appear worried. It's still football, and Martz has said that the 6-foot-5, 255-pound former Miami Hurricane presents a receiving threat at tight end that Martz never had in St. Louis.

For all the hype surrounding the Jets’ new offensive weaponry, the guy who may steal the show doesn’t exactly play one of the glamour positions in the sport.

The Jets won’t undergo a schematic overhaul or stray too far from its ground-and-pound roots, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see Dustin Keller’s role significantly expand this season.

The athletic tight end will be the biggest beneficiary of the team’s decision to load up on pass catching threats.

Rex Ryan went so far as to predict Keller could be a fantasy football steal this season.

Keller finished last year's post-season on a high note. He has demonstrated the potential to be an every week fantasy starter. Now that Braylon Edwards has a year under his belt and the addition of Santonio Holmes plus Jerricho Cotchery, all three can draw coverage away.

The Falcons are working on the pacing of the attack and have expanded their no-huddle operation from about 10-12 plays to about 30.

"We are going to do a lot more of it this year," wide receiver Roddy White said after Thursday's organized-team-activities practice. "So I have to get myself mentally prepared because that's where I hurt us last year, where I made some mistakes. That's probably my main focus. I'm just going to get in there and try to run that."

The Falcons have run the no-huddle more as a change of pace since quarterback Matt Ryan's rookie season. With Ryan more comfortable with what he's seeing from defenses and having a better grasp on how to attack, the expansion was predicable.

"Matt knows what he's doing," White said. "He's getting everybody on the same page. He's doing a good job out there coaching and showing that he understands it. He's making big steps."

The Falcons are hoping for more big plays, which also equals big fantasy points. QB Matt Ryan may see a bump in rankings as a result. Same goes for WR Roddy White.

The Chargers have signed tight end Randy McMichael to a one-year deal.

Obviously with Antonio Gates as one of the best tight ends in history, it will be tough for McMichael to crack the starting lineup. He'll provide some depth, though, as Gates tends to find the injury report every now and then.

For the first time in organized team activities (OTAs), rookie running back Ben Tate participated in individual and 7-on-7 drills with his Texans teammates on Thursday.

The second-round draft pick out of Auburn sat out the first 10 OTA practices because of a hamstring injury.

"It's about time," Tate said afterward. "It felt pretty good. I'm just getting back into the mix, trying to stay on top of everything. My main thing is just to not make mistakes… You might know the plays, but it's always going to be different once you go out there and hit the field."

Four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Reggie Wayne will not participate in the Indianapolis Colts' mandatory three-day minicamp this weekend as he seeks a new contract, a source with knowledge of the situation said Thursday.

Wayne also has missed organized team activities this offseason, but that isn't unusual.

Wayne has two years remaining on his deal, and he's due to earn under $6 million each season. The Colts are trying to get a new deal done for quarterback Peyton Manning, then turn their attention to potential extensions for Wayne and defensive end Robert Mathis, who also has skipped OTAs.

Whether or not there's a reason Jerome Harrison dodged the media after Thursday's Browns OTA practice, it's fair to wonder if there's a reason Harrison changed course last week, signed an injury waiver and returned to work.

The starting job he waited so long to get very well could be at stake.

In late April, the Browns moved up in the draft to select Montario Hardesty. When the team took to the field for practice sessions in late May, James Davis -- whose promising rookie season was cut short by injury last year -- was also back in the mix.

Hardesty was getting the bulk of the reps with the first-team offense in Thursday's practice, the only one this week open to the media. And the head coach who's consistently praised Hardesty since rookie minicamp did so again Thursday.

This is a situation that should figure itself out by the time your draft rolls around. Harrison or Hardesty could be a nice RB2 or flex player this year, assuming one is eventually named the starter.

Kansas City coach Todd Haley spoke at the NFL owners meeting Tuesday.

He covered a lot of ground, centering on the team’s changes this offseason. Here is some of what Haley had to say about RBs Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones:

“In this day and age, it's a concern for everybody regardless of who it is because those guys talk a severe beating. If you don't have another quality back that you feel like if something happens to one or the other, there's a marked dropoff, then you're probably not doing yourself justice. I wouldn't say it's about Jamaal so much as it's about the way of the league right now. You need two quality backs.”

“I don't want to set a role for Thomas. Thomas first of all came in and really blew us all away just with his attitude and his commitment and love for the game and desire to keep playing and playing at a high level and to be part of something special. That was something big on his list. He had been a couple of different places where it turned around and he liked that feeling. He wanted to be a part of it here. We're all just really excited to get him on to the team and get him in the building. I know he's excited about getting going. I'm a big believer in letting these guys play and compete and that was a big part of getting Thomas in here was to bring the level of competition to what maybe we didn't have.”

Charles will be one of the bigger fantasy question marks this season as far as what his value will be. He was pretty much a fantasy stud after taking over for the departed Larry Johnson last year. He's definitely the more dynamic back of the two and should get a majority of the work. Like Haley said, this is a trend in the league now outside of a few backs, like Chris Johnson and Steven Jackson for example. Considering that, why not own Charles. He looks like a top-ten RB and maybe even a mid-to-late first round pick.

Falcons WR Roddy White led the team with 392 yards after the catch last season, followed by Tony Gonzalez at 240. But White averaged just 4.6 after the catch and Gonzalez average just 2.9. Michael Jenkins had 126 yards after the catch, but averaged just 2.5 yards after the catch.

In 2008, Harry Douglas averaged 5.0 yards after the catch as a rookie.

For receivers with more than 50 catches last season, Dallas wide receiver Miles Austin led the league in YAC Average at 7.6 yards. Green Bay’s Greg Jennings was second at 7.1 and Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson was third at 6.8.

For tight ends with more than 50 catches last season, San Diego’s Antonio Gates led the league in YAC average at 6.6. Philadelphia’s Brent Celek was second at 6.0 and Pittsburgh’s Heath Miller was third at 5.8.

It's not a shock that most of those names among the leaders in YAC were at least very good fantasy players. Just something else to think about when putting together your rankings.

Wes Welker stretched under the bright sun. He weaved between cones during an agility drill. He caught passes with other New England Patriots receivers. One of the few signs that Welker, the NFL's top pass catcher over the past three years, had major surgery exactly four months earlier was the brace on his left knee.

If Welker is ahead of schedule in his recovery, he's not saying. He declined to talk with reporters during New England's organized team activities Wednesday. But with the season opener still more than three months away, the sight of Welker running and cutting was encouraging to the Patriots' other dangerous pass catcher.

"It's very impressive to me," Randy Moss said. "I'm a big fan of Welker's way before he came here, back when he was in Miami. So I can't wait to have him back on the field, whenever that day comes."

We are encouraged as well. Initially it looked as if Welker could miss up to half the season. Now, despite no official comment, Welker looks to be ahead of schedule. A week 1 start which seemed impossible a few months ago, now does not seem out of the realm of possibility. However, the Patriots will likely keep us guessing right up until game time as the Patriots do.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey will be participating in this weekend's minicamp, according to General Manager Mickey Loomis.

It's not clear if Shockey will be limited at all after he suffered an apparent seizure in the team's weight room following a practice last Thursday. Neither the Saints nor Shockey or his representatives have offered many details about his diagnosis or any future concerns.

Darrelle Revis is furious with the Jets but won't say it because, "his actions always speak louder than his words," according to source.

Revis tells friends he feels the Jets are breaking their promise by lowballing him so severely with their latest offer.

Will the wildcat formation be a part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense this season? Coach Raheem Morris seemed to indicate it will.

Though he wasn't ready to commit to it, Morris strongly suggested after Thursday's voluntary workout at One Buc Place he is putting together a wildcat package featuring backup quarterback Josh Johnson as the wild card.

In most NFL wildcat formations, the starting quarterback leaves the field or lines up as a receiver while a running back takes a direct snap in the shotgun formation. The running back has the option to run or pass.

Tampa Bay's version would put keep projected starter Josh Freeman on the field and add Johnson as a dual threat to run or pass.

Despite reports to the contrary Bills RB Marshawn Lynch is not in attendance at Thursday’s voluntary team workout.

Lynch had stated that he planned to be in at the end of a week, and there were reports that Lynch was back in Buffalo and would attend Thursday’s practice.

But that is not the case.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm anxious to see how Mike Shanahan divides carries among his stable of former star running backs. Shanahan surrounds himself with running backs the way Jon Gruden used to do with quarterbacks. He believes there's strength in numbers and he's left no stone unturned when it comes to backs whose careers peaked in 2006.

The Redskins have now made an offer to former Eagles star Brian Westbrook. Shanahan has even lobbied Westbrook's younger brother, Byron, who plays cornerback for the Skins. In my mind, Westbrook would have a highly specialized role in the Redskins' offense. Coming off a year in which he had two concussions in a short period of time, there's no way Westbrook can have more than seven or eight carries per game. He'd be used as a third-down back and the Redskins would try to get him matched up one-on-one with linebackers.

If Westbrook signs with the Redskins, either Larry Johnson or Willie Parker would be the odd man out. It would be silly to keep all four players active. It's not like any of them can help you on special teams. Are you going to ask Parker to run down on kickoffs? From the folks I've talked to at Redskins Park, Parker probably would be the first player to go. He has not looked all that explosive in practice sessions, but obviously we have a long way to go.

This would really make sense. Portis should be the feature back with Larry Johnson the backup and short yardage guy. Parker probably figured to be a third down back, but with a reported lack of explosiveness, it may open the door for the team to sign Westbrook for that role. It may take a few weeks into the season to figure out how this is going to work from a fantasy angle...

WR Joey Galloway might be 38 years old, but that hasn’t stopped him from consistently getting separation from defensive backs in Washington's OTAs. He got open between SS Reed Doughty and FS Kareem Moore on one play near the right sideline today, and QB Donovan McNabb hit him in a tight window with a beautiful throw for a 25-yard gain.

Galloway has gotten plenty of reps this spring because WR Santana Moss is recovering from knee surgery and WR Devin Thomas was out until last week with a hamstring injury. The Redskins have to be pleased with what they’ve seen so far. Galloway didn’t succeed in New England last year partly because he wasn’t a good fit in that program, so don’t put him in the “finished” column quite yet. It’ll be interesting to see whether some of this spring success carries over to camp, when pads, the heat and the workload take a massive toll on players.

RB Clinton Portis is the Redskins’ first-string running back at this point, but RB Larry Johnson worked with the first-string offense in goal-line drills today. I expect Johnson to be the Redskins’ leading option in such situations.

The more I watch Johnson, the more I’m convinced he’ll be the “2” in the 1-2 punch with Portis. He shows the patience needed to be a successful runner in a zone-blocking scheme. He also runs hard inside the tackles and seems better suited than Portis to absorb the punishment in the trenches.

Johnson may have value in scoring leagues, if his role is going to be to run in the trenches. But really, the whole Washington RB situation seems to be one to shy away from.

Leonard Pope made a tough catch over the middle during the Chiefs’ offseason practice Tuesday, and most of Pope’s teammates cheered the acrobatic play. Two of those teammates, Brad Cottam and Tony Moeaki, couldn’t do much other than watch and clap.

Pope’s play Tuesday was a source of optimism for the Chiefs’ tight ends, but the presence of Cottam and Moeaki on the sideline kept the enthusiasm in check. Cottam is still recovering from neck surgery, after he fractured a vertebra during a game against Cleveland last December. Moeaki, a third-round pick in April’s NFL draft, has an undisclosed injury that has kept him out of recent team drills.

The Ravens didn't give tenders to tight end L.J. Smith and wide receivers Kelley Washington and David Tyree.

Former Bengals K Shayne Graham signed a one-year deal with Baltimore, believed to be worth 2.5 million if he reaches certain incentives.

This should make Graham a nice fantasy option this season. Baltimore has a lot of weapons and should be able to move the ball to get Graham into range.

After being limited to individual work in minicamp while recovering from minor knee surgery, WR Earl Bennett was back participating in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills Wednesday.

“It felt good,” said Bennett, who caught four passes during the team portion of practice. “I’m just coming out here to compete, try to get better and continue to work hard.”

After the minicamp, first-year offensive coordinator Mike Martz praised starting receivers Devin Hester and Johnny Knox and noted that Devin Aromashodu had stepped up significantly as well.

Asked if those comments motivated him, Bennett said: “I just come out and work hard. That’s all I can do; come out and compete, show what I’ve got and let my play handle the rest.”

Bills head coach Chan Gailey made it clear following day five of team OTAs that no quarterback to this point has stepped forward as a front runner through the first week and a half of practices. Based on the type of evaluation Gailey intends to make it’s unlikely that a leading candidate will be determined prior to training camp.

When asked if he was satisfied with the progress of the quarterbacks specifically, Gailey offered the following response.

“Never,” he said. “Again it goes back to never being satisfied. We’re making progress every day though. I see these guys understanding what we’re trying to do and I think they’re getting better. We’ve got a long way to go yet. It’s easy when you’ve got shorts on and nobody is hitting you. That’s the easy time to play quarterback. It’s a lot harder when they’re all flying around you and they’re all trying to take your head off.”

The winner of this competition may not even get drafted in your league...

It's not all about carries for Felix Jones.

The Cowboys have talked about getting the running back more involved in the passing game for the past year. Owner Jerry Jones likes how offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has gotten the ball to Jones out of the backfield in these organized team activities.

"Felix is way ahead of where he's been as a receiver,'' the owner said. "He's been impressive with how he's running his routes.

"That has a chance to get ugly if he's really good at running those routes coming out of the backfield.''

Running back Marshawn Lynch still hasn't reported to the Bills voluntary OTAs which continued on Wednesday and when asked by a reporter if he's talked to Lynch and expected him to report soon, Gailey answered tersely, "No." There were rumors that Lynch arrived in Buffalo Tuesday night but if he did, he didn't show up for OTAs on Wednesday.

In case there was any question, Clinton Portis is Redskins starting RB heading into training camp, says OC Kyle Shanahan

Despite the statement by Kyle Shanahan, a training camp battle is on the horizon between Portis and Larry Johnson. Given Portis' injury history, I would expect Washington to change starting running backs as often as Lindsay Lohan misses court dates!

This has been a sore spot in Jacksonville for a while. When you look at this offense right now, one question comes to mind: Would Terrell Owens help? The answer is yes. However, after whiffing on Jerry Porter, the Jaguars have been reluctant to pursue receivers in free agency.

Even though this is clearly a weak spot, the Jaguars did not upgrade the position at all in the draft. They go into the season with Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas as the starters. Those two combined for 111 receptions last season, which is respectable for a team that prides itself on running the ball. However, each player lacks explosiveness and big-play ability.

A lot of the blame for the Jaguars’ failures on offense last season was placed on quarterback David Garrard, but the receivers really should have shared a lot of that blame. Sims-Walker took his game up a notch last season, but he is more of a possession-type receiver who would be a No. 2 or No. 3 on most teams.

Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer reports new Carolina Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen is the anti-Jake Delhomme because he enters the NFL as a highly-touted player instead of an undrafted free agent. No one is known to have accused the ever-humble Delhomme of being arrogant. Of course, people close to Clausen say the "too cocky" label he's been given is based on misperceptions. But where Clausen and Delhomme are extremely similar is the passion with which they play football. They're both fist-pumpers, exclaimers, men whose emotions are unleashed on the field.

Despite his freefall in the draft, Clausen believes he was not drafted by the Panthers to be a backup. "My mentality is to prepare like I'm the starter and just go out there each and every day and have that mindset.", proclaims Clausen.

"I think that's how you have to play," said Clausen. "It's an emotional game. Guys are trying to rip your head off every time you have the ball in your hand, so you can't be passive. You've got to attack, just like they're attacking you.

Clausen says he'll do everything possible to become the starter this year despite the perception that Matt Moore is entrenched as the No.1 QB.

You have to like his swagger! However, before we anoint him the next greatest thing since "sliced bread, butter side up," let's see how he performs in training camp!

Since the second practice of the offseason, the Ravens have restricted reporters from using the microblogging service Twitter while on the field.

Anyone who wishes to use Twitter to send updates from practice can go to the media room but can't return to the field.

Asked about the Ravens' policy, coach John Harbaugh said, "There’s never been cell phones allowed out at practice, so it’s really no change in that sense. Just to be honest with you… I think it’s two things: I think it’s a little bit of a distraction, No. 1, for guys to be on phones, or phones to be ringing or anything while we’re practicing and, also, we just don’t want a running tally of what’s going on at our practice. It’s not something we’re interested in. Now, training camp – when it’s open to the public – that’s a different thing, it’s open. But now, it’s closed to the public, it’s open to the media, so it’s just not something that we think helps us.”

Not to worry, if something happens in or around the Baltimore Ravens or any other team for that matter, 4for4.com will have you covered! We have assigned NFL Scouts for every market. Membership does have its privileges!

Per Albert Breer, Wes Welker in uniform at Patriots OTA's. Knee brace on. Pretty unbelievable.

Looks like the Bills might have Marshawn Lynch at OTA practice today. Source said he arrived in Buffalo last night.

The question for Smith is how he recovers from the major knee injury he suffered last December. Smith has been running well and taking part in individual drills in the off-season workouts, but he's still a long way from being cleared to play contact football. The Lions will likely put him on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp and then evaluate him along with the way.

With rookie Jahvid Best and veteran Maurice Morris on the roster, the Lions don't need to be in a hurry to rush Smith back and they won't. For that reason, it's possible Smith might be inactive for the first six weeks of the regular season. A lot of that might depend on how the rest of the running back position is looking.

Kevin Smith's injury was devastating enough for the Lions to draft RB Jahvid Best. Expect Best to be the feature back. If and when Kevin Smith returns at 100%, Smith will fall into a complimentary role.

One of the observations from Miami Dolphins minicamp via Omar Kelly is being "impressed that Brandon Marshall is standing up, not sitting down as he rides his exercise bike. That's got to stress the injured hip."

The Philadelphia Eagles and rookie RB Charles Scott agree to terms on a four-year deal.

Sleeper alert for dynasty leagues. Word from the Novacare Complex is that Charles Scott is turning heads. If this production continues, he could be a lock to make the team and see some carries (especially w/ Mike Bell's ailing hamstring). Here's a great clip of Scott during his 2300+ yards at LSU: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROrIY31e7yE

For all the talk about what Matt Leinart has or hasn’t been during the Cardinals’ offseason work, it’s hard to discount what his head coach is saying publicly about his quarterback.

And what Ken Whisenhunt noted Tuesday, as the Cards started the third of the four-week session for organized team activities, all seemed positive.

“You see it in (Matt’s) confidence, how he runs the huddle and how he sees the plays,” Whisenhunt said. “His reads are much more decisive. He is throwing the ball with confidence. And I think he knows what is in front of him.

“It’s obvious to me he’s more comfortable with the whole process, not just throwing a pass or knowing where guys line up. He understands the concepts of the plays and he has the ability to get us in and out of certain plays, all those things you see more assuredness from him. I am excited with what he has done in the OTAs so far.”

In his play, Leinart has taken a step forward since OTAs began. The idea Leinart understands the concepts may be the most important part of his development, especially at this time of year when pads remain in the locker room and no one hits the quarterback.

A training camp battle is still brewing with strong-armed Derek Anderson in the rear-view mirror. Pay attention to this position battle. Any starting QB with WR Larry Fitzgerald as his #1 WR will have fantasy impact.

Buffalo Bills right tackle Cornell Green, the free agent signee from Oakland made unsolicited mention of Trent Edwards’ leadership through the course of the offseason conditioning program up until now.

“Trent is ready man, Trent is ready to go,” said Green after Tuesday’s practice. “He’s talking to us every day. We’re amongst him every day. We’re just trying to jell right now.”

When asked to expand on what kind of leadership he’s seen from Edwards, Green referenced how Edwards is carrying himself as well as interacting with teammates.

“Just his confidence man,” said Green. “He’s confident with what he wants to do. He wants to lead a team. He’s had some years in the league and he just wants to be able to get this team past that point of just being a good team and getting to the playoffs. He works with us every day. We eat breakfast together. We’re chatting with him so I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Will a lighter Marion Barber be a more effective running back for the Dallas Cowboys?

Running backs coach Skip Peete said Barber has dropped about 10 pounds from last season, when the Cowboys listed him at 222 pounds. According to Peete, Barber dropped the weight in addition to regain lost speed.

"He's leaner and looks quicker than he's been,'' Peete said after Tuesday's Organized Team Activities workout. ``It's noticeable. I'm excited to see what he does when we get to camp.''

Barber, as is his custom, refused to comment.

Hounded by quad and thumb injuries, Barber has a mediocre performance last season. Of the 22 backs with 200-plus carries, he ranked 16th in yards with 932 and 14th in average with 4.4 yards per carry. Barber scraped bottom in the playoffs, gaining only 18 yards on 11 carries.

Everybody looks good in helmets and shorts but all off-season news points toward a much more productive Marion Barber. Only time will tell and training camp is around the corner.

Rick Stroud from the St. Petersburg Times reports Josh Johnson has already "entrenched" himself as the Bucs' No.2 quarterback behind Josh Freeman. Johnson went 0-4 as a starting QB last season. According to offensive coordinator Greg Olson, "A year ago, he was out of the mix,'' Olson said of Johnson. "We had Luke (McCown) and Byron (Leftwich) in here and we had just drafted Josh Freeman. So Josh Johnson was getting very few if any reps. The nice thing is we're still in the process of developing Josh Freeman, but Josh (Johnson) has entrenched himself as that No. 2 guy right now, so he's getting the majority of the other reps. He has a real solid handle, in my opinion. Mentally, he's very sharp, he makes very few mistakes if any and he makes the most of the reps he's getting.''

RB Tim Hightower continues to run with the first team, although Beanie Wells is also looking lean and fast. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cardinals continue rotating those two as they did in the second half of last season: Hightower will start with Wells getting the majority of carries.

From a fantasy perspective, Chris Wells will be the Cardinals "bell cow," however, Tim Hightower may be a nice spot starter in larger leagues that require two starting running backs.

Earnest Graham is working mostly as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting fullback.

"I love blocking for Cadillac, I truly, truly, do. For me, it's about winning,'' Graham said. "Right now I'm starting at fullback.

"I'm shooting to be a Pro Bowl fullback. I really believe every time I catch the ball in the flat, it can be a first down. I feel I can break those tackles. Those are the things I'm looking forward to. I believe I can catch 50 or 60 passes once Josh (Freeman) gets really comfortable with me. I think I can do some damage.''

Ben Roethlisberger returned to the practice field Tuesday for the first time since the Steelers' two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback was suspended six games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Roethlisberger is taking part in the fourth week of the Steelers' five weeks of voluntary practices. He last practiced on April 20, the day before he was disciplined by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

During Washington Redskins OTAs, RBs Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson are both rotating with the first team offense.

Can you say running back by committee? Fantasy nightmare. Hopefully training camp determines a clear cut starter....unless Brian Westbrook gets added to the mix. And don't forget about Willie Parker!

After declining to draft a kicker, the Baltimore Ravens are close to signing one.

Baltimore is closing in on a one-year deal with former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl kicker Shayne Graham, according to league sources.

If the two sides can finalize a deal, Graham would come into Baltimore's camp as the challenger to veteran incumbent Billy Cundiff.

Graham struggled last season but can be a great addition to an already potent offense.

LaDainian Tomlinson took the handoff, saw a hole and flashed the form that once made him one of the NFL's most exciting players.

Sure, he'll be 31 soon, but New York Jets coach Rex Ryan likes the youthful moves he's seeing from the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history.

"We had this little fold play and he just started boom, boom, boom, like this," Ryan said Thursday, zigzagging his hand. "Two or three different cuts. Clearly he would have made about 20 yards. I was like, 'Yeah, this is our guy.'"

Given Tomlinson's past production and added chip on his shoulder, he will be a must-have handcuff for all Shonn Greene owners. The Jets remain a run-first team.