Must be a slow news day in sports for the offseason arrest of an underachieving NFLer to be somewhat prominent: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-bears-bensonarrested&prov=ap&type=lgns

No word on whether Cleveland Browns OG Eric Steinbach has offered any words of support for Benson. Steinbach was arrested not quite two years ago for drunk boating on the Ohio River while with the, you guessed it, Cincinnati Bengals. Unlike Benson, Steinbach appears not to have resisted arrest nor got himself pepper-sprayed. For some reason I thought Steinbach also got a domestic violence charge at the same time, though I appear to have confused him with then teammate Frostee Rucker.

I was busy on Saturday with a wedding and picking my mother up at the airport, so I spent Day One of the NFL Draft trying to pick up the signals of various sports radio stations between Washington DC and Martinsburg, WV broadcasting the draft.  No existing players (Shockey, Taylor, Johnson) were traded, but teams swapped picks right and left to reposition themselves.  I spent part of Day Two flipping between the ESPN and the NFL Network coverage to take in the differences when I wasn’t watching the Wizards lose to the Cavaliers.  So for my spambot readers, my takes on what happened:

Washington Redskins - I’m not as bent out of shape about the Redskins burning their first three picks on two WRs and a pass catching TE.  Thomas Boswell in The Washington Post and Steve Czaban and Andy Pollin on Clear Channel’s Sports Talk 980 were quite angry about the moves, particularly the repetition of filling needs, or spending a higher pick for depth only.  If one of those picks had been in the first round (the Redskins traded their first round #21pick to move back), I might be as upset.

Michigan State WR Devin Thomas and Southern California TE were decent “value” picks where they were taken.  I would have preferred Notre Dame DT Trevor Laws in place of Thomas, but whatever.  It’s worth noting that two guys I would have liked to seen drafted by Washington, Clemson DE Philip Merling and Laws, were drafted two picks and one pick, respectively, ahead of the Redskins spots.  Perhaps this is what passes for Plan B for them.  The selection of Oklahoma WR Malcom Kelly was gratuitous, but well, these are the Redskins.  I’m just happy they didn’t trade all the picks for old kick return specialists.  Even this is a great improvement.

The only Day Two picks I want to talk about are Georgia Tech P Durant Brooks and University of Hawaii QB Colt Brennan.  The Redskins just resigned their meh quality P Derrick Frost, but he’s disposable.  My real hope if Brooks beats out Frost for the job, is that Brooks can kickoff.  Ever since Chip Lohmiller appeared in a McDonald’s commercial and his career fell apart, the Redskins have had neither kicker nor punter capable of consistently deep kickoffs.  PK Shawn Shuisham’s kickoffs are dreadful.  During the short time Frost had
the kickoff job he was a little bit better, but his mediocre punting degenerated into bad.

I don’t like Brennan as an NFL QB.  I dislike his arm strength and decision making.  The decision making can be fixed and combined with his mobility (which should not be confused with actual running ability) that might make him a serviceable CFL QB.  It’s not a guarantee though, June Jones’ previous disciple at Hawaii, Timmy Chang, was quickly benched after starting for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year.  A 34.7 QB rating (on 89 attempts) will do that to you.  If all Brennan does is hold a clipboard, do good work on the scout team and get the Redskins a player from the British Columbia Lions in a few years, it’s OK.  What, NFL and CFL teams can’t trade?  Ohh, maybe not.  In all seriousness, I wouldn’t be surprised if former Maryland QB Sam Hollenbach, currently on the roster as a minicamp arm, beats out Brennan during training camp.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - First rounder CB Aqib Talib (University of Kansas), fourth rounder DT Dre Moore (University of Maryland) and sixth rounder LB Geno Hayes (Florida State) are typical athletic Buc reloads for the defense.  I have no other comments of worth.

WR Dexter Jackson of Evil Appalachian State was the Bucs second round pick.  He’s the classic 5′9″ kick-returning, reverse running, screen pass catching, Hell-on-Earth-with-the-ball-in-space guy.  The Bucs need all kinds of competent WR help, so if he can do any of that at the NFL level (embarrassing last year’s bewildered University of Michigan team is only a start) he’ll have been a good pick.

As speculated before the draft, the Bucs got University of San Diego QB Josh Johnson in Round 5.  I didn’t know that San Diego’s program had jumped up to Division I-AA, but against that competition Johnson put up insane (68.8% completion rate, 113TDs to 16 INTs) numbers and had the best 40 yard dash time (4.55 seconds) and vertical leap (33.5″) of any QB at the combine.  Interestingly, Johnson was not listed as a top performer for the 20 yard shuttle run or the three cone drill.  Anyway, the downside for Johnson is that he is in Tampa and might get forgotten along with the three other youngish QBs nominally on the Bucs roster.  One of the draftheads on TV said Gruden knows how to develop QBs.  Whom has he done that with since ascending to HC?  As a HC, Gruden’s best QBs have been Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Brad Johnson and Brian Griese, all veterans with previous success.

Back to Johnson, he may be a bit scrawny (height is 6′3″ but weight is anywhere from 198 to 213 lbs.) and he’ll have to adjust from playing “low” I-AA ball in the Pioneer League.

Stupid Jets - Ownership, coaches, management changes, but for the fourth time in sixteen years the Jets saw fit to spend a first round draft pick on a TE, Purdue’s very fast and formerly (IIRC he was 6′1″ at the combine, now he’s 6′3″?) very short Dustin Keller.  It was the 30th pick, so at least it wasn’t a high pick, like Kyle Brady with the 9th pick back in 1995.  The Jets got modest, if useful play out of the TE spot last year from Chris Baker, so adding the second coming of Byron Chamberlain (20 more catches, 3 more TDs, 200 more yards?) doesn’t seem worth a first round pick.

Anecdotally, I remember driving up to New York at the end of the Jets appalling 1996 season when it was obvious the number one overall pick (ultimately Keyshawn Johnson) was headed their way.  WFAN wise-guy host Steve Summers said the obvious choice was “the All-American from Rutgers, TE Marco Battaglia.”

Better Run Bastards Up North (Ravens) - Ozzie Newsome is a Hall of Fame TE and a great GM.  His main inability is (in conjunction with “genius” ex-HC Brian Billick) finding QBs.  After spending the 19th pick in the 2003 draft on a QB who should be a H-back, Kyle Boller, the Ravens reached a bit to get the University of Delaware’s cannon-armed Joe Flacco.  Flacco is very talented, but will have to make a multi-level adjustment to NFL defender speed, and my worthless gut instincts thought he was a second rounder.  Hue Jackson, once upon a time saddled with the thankless job of OC for the Steve Spurrier Redskins, gets to “coach up” Flacco to the NFL game.  In the meantime, some combination Kyle Boller (probably too slow these days to be returning kicks) and Troy Smith (anonymous Heisman trophy winner) will hold things down in Baltimore, meaning handoff and pitch to Willis McGahee.  Flacco is growing, I think ESPN.com College Football had him at 6′4″ at the end of the season, ESPN.com Scouts Inc. had him at 6′6″3/8 for the draft and now NFL.com and the Washington Post have him at 6′7″.  How long before he starts challenging Mark McGwire’s brother Dan (6′9″) for tallest QB to play in the NFL?

The Purple and Black Birds also drafted two interesting safeties, Notre Dame’s Tom Zbikowski in round three and University of Cincinnati’s Hideki Nakamura in round six.  Zbikowski was previously mentioned on this blog as a guy I thought graduated two years ago.  He’s a pretty good punt returner, a ferocious hitter and I think a Golden Gloves boxer and minor league baseball player.  Nakamura I only saw once last year and I can’t recall anything special about his play.  I’m a humorously sad that he’s not some Japanese guy who hopped off a plane to play football in Cincinnati, but just some guy with a Japanese father who grew up in Ohio.

In the Navy Army - Finally, the Lions used a seventh round pick on West Point S Caleb Campbell.  Campbell is large (6′2″ 223lbs.), fast (4.5 allegedly) and the U.S. Army is giving him an exemption from service to play in the NFL.  It’s actually described over at Campbell’s NFL.com draft profile as a reserve recruiter assignment with an option for buyout.  The deal sounds vaguely similar to that given by the U.S. Navy to David Robinson for the NBA and Napoleon McCallum for the NFL.  The theory is that Campbell’s on field work, if he makes the team, will help Army recruiting enough to compensate for his absence in the actual officer corps.  He’s the subject of piece on ESPN’s maudlin E:60 news magazine, which I’ll have to watch some time.

Spring Games have been afoot recently. I watched part of the University of Florida game featuring Tim Tebow. This is strange from a guy who used to watch Redskins pre-season scrimmages, but I’m vaguely uncomfortable with ESPN being present for a Spring Game. I know the games, which are controlled scrimmages, often draw big five-digit audiences, particularly in SEC and Big-12 country, but I have an undefined displeasure at these being made national events.

Rich Rodriguez was hired to bring a new vision for University of Michigan football. While the vision comes in to place, he has brought drama:

• The great lawsuit wars between Rodriguez and West Virginia University continues on. I really need to sit down and figure out who is suing whom and all the sordid accusations that have been leaked to the media.
• OL Justin Boren, of whom I know nothing, has announced he is transferring to Ohio State a move made only slightly less shocking by the fact he grew up in Columbus, Ohio. His official reason is that the olde tyme Maize and Blue ‘family values have eroded.’
• QB Ryan Mallett, who performed competently as a Freshman filling in while Chad Henne was hurt, has transferred, since he’s not up to running Rodriguez’s spread-option offense.
• Other Big Ten coaches, specifically Purdue’s Joe Tiller and Ohio State’s Jim Tressel have criticized Rodriguez’s recruiting ethics.
• Rather naturally, the Wolverines are getting adjusted to Rodriguez’s schemes: the spread-option on offense (from the I-formation, used for generations at UM) and a variable front defense (from the 4-3, which I think has been run at UM for 15 or so years).

Three members of the U.S. House of Representatives have asked the Department of Justice to look into whether the BCS violates anti-trust laws. The three, whose names are unworthy of mention, are likely pandering to their respective constituencies as victims of the BCS, those being Hawaii (University of Hawaii), Georgia (University of Georgia) and Idaho (Boise State University ). Good thing there isn’t a war on or anything. I immensely dislike the BCS, but this is stupid. It reminds me of the time a couple of years ago a legislator in the R.O.C. Taiwan proposed a bill asking the New York Yankees not to send Chen-Ming Wang back to AAA. These politicians either do not, or choose not to understand big money sports.

Georgia was angry at being hosed out of the Rose Bowl and/or the National Championship Game, so they destroyed Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Hawaii fans spent much of the season grousing about not being ranked higher in the BCS rankings, but the abuse they took from Georgia would seem to indicate they’re only BCS worthy by statute. Their probably also bitter about being humiliated on national broadcast television by Georgia. I’m not sure what BSU would be crabby about, their 2007 BCS victory in the Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma was memorable and historical. The Broncos were not BCS quality this year.

The usual number of players were kicked off of their teams for the usual range of arrests: robbery, domestic violence (attention college football players! Do not hit your women, do not move in with them), drug and weapons possession, sexual assault, various fighting related charges.

So I’ve been neglecting this blog while busily re-establishing my career as the best fifth-rate computer programmer in Northern Virginia.  I’m sure my sporadic readers arriving by search engine and the many spam bots linking back to my posts have missed my commentary on the many things that have happened in the NFL since my last post, weeks ago.  Off the top of my head:

• The Dolphins reached an agreement with University of Michigan OT Jake Long, making him the 1st overall pick in the 2008 draft.  The next team, the St. Louis Rams, are forbidden from similar early contract negotiations with whomever it is they want to draft.
• The Titans reach a trade agreement to send CB Adam “Pac-Man” Jones to the Cowboys pending his reinstatement by the NFL.  Terms are a conditional fourth-round pick.
• The alleged gunman in the Las Vegas strip club fight that got Jones in the most trouble has been arrested.
• Surly, but not in court nearly as much CB DeAngelo Hall is dealt by Atlanta to the most logical place for NFL malcontents, Oakland.
• DE Jared Allen and his DUI problems are traded from Kansas City to Minnesota.  The Vikings, despite changes in management since the Herschel Walker trade, still send a pile of draft picks (1 and pair of 3’s) to Kansas City for Allen and his many, many sacks.
• Golf pro and former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh reaches an indemnity agreement with the NFL, which will result in him meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell as Belichik Spygate continues.
• The Redskins are the most public of several suitors trying to trade for Bengals WR Chad Johnson.  The published offer was a 1 and a conditional 3 that becomes a 1 if Johnson plays well.  The Bengals would take a $8 million dollar cap hit if Johnson is traded, so declined the offer and saved Vinnie Cerrato from himself.  Washington has also had a trade offer for the more useful Anquan Blodin rejected by Arizona.
• Once not so long ago all-purpose super RB Shaun Alexander is cut by the Seahawks.  He’s a usable RB2 somewhere.  If Washington hadn’t gone ahead and re-signed Rock Cartwright, I could see them being bored enough to trade Ladell Betts and bring in Alexander to back-up Clinton Portis.
• Once very good Panthers DE Mike Rucker retires.
• Bengals LB Odell Thurman’s drug rehabilitation has gone well enough that he has been reinstated by the NFL.
• Bengals problem child WR Chris Henry was cut after another arrest.  I can’t remember for what.
• The Steelers cut so-so scrub WR Cedrick Wilson after an arrest for domestic battery.
• Latest rumor I saw on NFL Network has Daunte Culpepper being considered as the veteran relief QB in Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers.  Culpepper still has useful mobility and his game loosely matches what I imagine Rodgers skills are.

Perhaps more blogging once I got more stable.

This time of year is usually busy in the far-ish western Virginia suburbs of Washington DC, with the Redskins bringing in everyone and the cousin for workouts, dinners and signing press conferences. However, this year’s fiscally restrained Redskins have done little more than re-sign a bunch of their own guys. Danny Snyder’s guys got brief mention in the rumors for Lance Briggs, Adam “Pac-Man” Jones and Chad Johnson. Yet Briggs re-signed with Chicago, Dallas is the leading contender to trade for Jones with no mention of Washington and there have been no recent rumors about any team talking to Cincinnati about Johnson. Only D.J. Hackett came in to Ashburn and he signed with Carolina. So with the Burgundy and Gold (or Red and Black if you’re Coach Zorn) relatively inactive let us see what the Pewter and Red is doing.

Incoming: C Jeff Faine (New Orleans) , DE Marques Doulgas (San Francisco), RB Warrick Dunn (Atlanta), TE John Gilmore (Chicago), TE Ben Troupe (Tennessee), QB Brian Griese (Chicago), LB Leon Joe (Buffalo), LB Matt McCoy (New Orleans), LB Teddy Lehman (Detroit), DE Jimmy Wilkerson (Kansas City), DB Eugene Wilson (New England).

Faine, who was signed a few hours after the open of the free agency period, was the subject of indirect tampering accusations against the Buccaneers by Chiefs’ HC Herm Edwards. I’m not smart enough to grade OL play unless its glaringly good or bad, so I can’t say whether he’s an improvement over John Wade. Douglas (a Howard guy!) is a serviceable addition to the Buc’s DL rotation. Dunn I blogged about earlier; he should be fine in the likely Bucs’ RB platoon. Gilmore and Troupe are just guys at TE.

Griese’s acquisition is further driving me to the conclusion that Jon Gruden may be insane with QBs. Griese’s best days are likely behind him, he was a Pro Bowler once, though it wouldn’t be impossible for him to have a Chris Chandler-like renaissance for a season or two. He was very shrug worthy in Chicago last season, but nobody looks good lining up with Cedric Benson, a man who really needs to be in a platoon to be a good NFL RB. My semi-educated opinion is that Griese is not starter material, but a long relief QB. He’s better over 10 games replacing your starter, than he would be over 3-5 games.

The Bucs now have six QBs. Jeff Garcia is the starter, but just turned 38. He’s pretty durable, so I don’t think the long relief role for Griese makes sense. Griese is the QB2 unless he trips on Cadillac Williams’ dog or something. Luke McCown (5 years) and Bruce Gradkowski (3 years) are both youngish QBs with decent limited starter potential who will compete for the QB3 job. Chris Simms, currently opting out of voluntary team workouts, is likely gone, though the Bucs keep holding out for a trade instead of an outright release. I’m not sure even the Redskins would trade for a mediocre QB coming off a spleen injury. Then last off-season, for reasons I cannot fathom, the Bucs got Jake Plummer, or at least his signing rights. The White Aaron Brooks retired after the 2006 season, sparing us more of his brilliant fourth quarter comebacks partially caused by his well-timed fumbles and interceptions. Plummer, like Kerry Collins, DeShaun Foster, Rashaan Salaam, Brodie Croyle and well, Aaron Brooks, is one of those guys I just have it in for as pros. I’m too lazy to search engine this, but I remember hearing Plummer was burned out on football. To top things off the Bucs are interested in adding University of San Deigo QB Josh Johnson in the draft. Go for seven! Maybe Gruden can have his brother Jay bring Shane Stafford with him from Orlando once the Arena Leagues season is over for the Predators? Go for eight!

Joe and McCoy I know nothing about. Lehman was a bad-ass at Oklahoma, who had a great rookie year with the Lions and has had injury problems since. Wilkerson seems a tad heavy for a 4-3 DE at 290 lbs., but knowing the Bucs, he’ll probably rotate in at DT and DE. Wilson was a S for the New Evil Empire of the NFL, but will switch to CB in Tampa.

Retained: RB Michael Bennett, DE Kevin Carter, LB Antonie Cash, CB Sammy Davis.

Bennett was a good RB when younger. He hasn’t had a lot of scrimmage work the last few years and was out the middle of last season with an injury. I don’t like his odds in the platoon with Dunn and Earnest Graham. It gets worse for him if Cadillac Williams comes back healthy. Carter re-signed after being cut, he’s OK at this winding down point in his career. Wow, he’s gotten hefty at 305 lbs. Cash I know nothing about and I’ll defer on joking about Davis.

Outgoing: TE Anthony Becht (St. Louis), CB Brian Kelly (Detroit), S Kalvin Pearson (Detroit).

Becht was the last of three TE’s drafted by the Jets’ in the 1st round between 1992 and 2000. Becht’s receiving numbers are even worse than the previously criticized Kyle Brady and both their Jets catch totals are pathetic compared to Johnny Mitchell. I’m sure Becht threw some good blocks though. Becht was just a guy in Tampa, of whom little was expected outside of blocking. I’m sure Al Saunders is eager to add Becht’s annual 12 catches to his high power offense. Nah, he just wants him to block for Steven Jackson. Kelly is a good pro who should help the comical Detroit secondary. I know nothing of Pearson, maybe he can help too.

Unsigned: DE Jovan Haye (RFA), WR Mark Jones, G Matt Lehr, RB Michael Pittman, DE Greg Spires, TE Jerramy Stevens, LB Jeremiah Trotter, C John Wade.

Haye should be re-signed by the Bucs. Lehr could help the Redskins. I understand system continuity and all that, but I think (based on my near zero knowledge) that he would have been an improvement over Jason Fabini as a back-up OG. He’s certainly younger. Pittman has been on the receiving end of much scorn from me for his domestic abuse history, though he’s apparently been on good behavior since arriving in Tampa. He’s 33, coming off an injury and has been little more than a decent pass catching RB the last three seasons. This might be it for him. I don’t have much to say about the other guys right now.

Free agent WR D.J. Hackett signed a fairly humdrum contract with the Carolina Panthers yesterday. Casually, I figured it was a near lock he would sign in Washington; new coaches always love to bring a few guys from their old team with them, the Redskins need taller WRs and he wasn’t going to be all that expensive. In his blog last week, Washington Post Redskins beat writer Jason LaCanfora had the Redskins at $7.7 million in cap room, not counting money for draft picks and injury signings. Hackett’s reported $3.5 million for two years deal, would seem to fit under that.

Perhaps the Redskins are, after years of avoiding it through contract restructurings, in cap hell? Fox Sports Radio morning host Steve Czaban, has been speculating on his local afternoon drive time show that Dan Snyder’s troubles with his other high profile entertainment venture, Six Flags Amusement Parks, is at least some of what’s driving the new, restrained Redskins. I doubted Czaban, seeing as how Redskins fans continue to be suckers for Snyder’s marketing (even I may soon cave in and buy a Sean Taylor Pro Bowl jersey) and the franchise continues to generate big piles of our cash. However, if the team can’t make a modest free agent signing of one of the head coach’s old players, I have to wonder.

I caught a couple of minutes the Dallas Desperados 51-40 victory over the Colorado Crush on ESPN2. So Jerry Jones’ team beats John Elway and Pat Bowlen’s team. For some reason the Verizon FioS TV preview of said I should expect a three hour episode of the NFL Live, but I’ve learned not to take that too seriously.

Anyway, would be perpetual Desperados QB Clint Dolezel suffered a shoulder injury all the way back in week one, resulting in Chris “not Aggie, not Buckeye” Sanders taking over the QB job while Dolezel spends his minimum four weeks on injured reserve. This Sanders (from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, T.O.’s old school) is short, even for an Arena QB, 5′ 11″, so he might actually be like 5′9″. Dolezel still calls the play as Desperados offensive coordinator. Marcus Nash, flaming first round bust pick for the Broncos back in 1998, caught a modest 6-62 yards. He’s actually had an excellent Arena League career; most high picks who flop out of the NFL don’t even try the Arena League. His teammate, Arena League lifer Will Pettis, caught a Ricky Sanders-like three TDs in the third quarter (not historic, merely a good game in the pass-skewed Arena League stats) to pull the game out for Dallas. Colorado QB John Dutton apparently hit his first eleven passes. The nominal RB for the Crush (he had 1 carry for 1 yard and a TD) is Robert Thomas, former Cowboy FB.

The af2 season starts next week. af2 is the Arena League’s official minor league affiliate and even I haven’t heard of any of the players. However, I have heard of some of the coaches, often former players building up experience. I’m going to have to do a sweep of af2 and all 89 of its franchises to see who turns up. Former Broncos and Dolphins RB Bobby Humphrey was a head coach for a while in af2, I think for the Birmingham Steel Dawgs or something.

The day after my earlier (like two weeks ago) NFL Free Agency post where I noted the bizarrely high volume of DTs that had been traded, yet another DT was traded.  Marcus Stroud was sent by Jacksonville to Buffalo in exchange for draft picks undisclosed.  Stroud is coming off the IR list following an ankle injury, in turn following a mid-season steroid suspension.

There’s not much point in recapping all the transactions when other places do that better.  What’s interesting to me is guys who have gotten cut and resigned and particularly guys being “returned” to their old teams after going somewhere else.  Let’s see what’s out there:

Jevon Kearse DE - The man once known as “the Freak” because of scary athletic ability at his size was released by Philadelphia and is back to Tennessee, where the younger version of him was a star.

Justin McCareins WR - Released by New York Jets and also back to Tennessee, joining former Southern Cal Wonderboy and indirect Maurice Clarret victim Mike Williams and a bunch of guys in the Titans WR corps.

Ty Law CB - Released by Kansas City.  Has had a great career but he’s aging.

Gus Frerotte QB - Released by St. Louis. The great headbanging journeyman QB is still in the league.  Fifteen seasons and somebody will probably call.

Isaac Bruce WR - Released by St. Louis, signed by San Francisco.  The man who replaced Henry Ellard, and I believe the last Los Angeles Ram still in the NFL,  plays out his string by the Bay, alongside former Notre Dame QB turned not bad WR Arnaz Battle and the disappointing Darrell Jackson.

DeShaun Foster RB - Released by Carolina, signed by San Francisco.  The first guy on this list that I hated in college, because I thought he had no pro game and was hyped to be an NFL star.  Why Carolina waited so long with hoping that he or DeAngelo Williams would be their answer at RB I don’t know.  Just because he’s 230 lbs. and can run a 40 yard straight line in 4.4 seconds shouldn’t mean he gets several years of chances at RB.  Bum gets to compete with former Penn State QB turned RB Michael Robinson to back up Frank Gore.  I think it’s neat the 49ers are collecting QB conversion projects.  They should try to get Ronald Curry and Matt Jones for their WR corps.

David Carr QB - Released by Carolina, signed in New York Giants.  Carr’s injury problems last year led to the amusing spectacle of 44 year old Vinny Testaverde coming off his couch to QB the Panthers.  His signing probably costs a job to two of my favorite back up QBs: former University of Kentucky fat boy Jared (6′4″, 280-290 lbs.) Lorenzen or the 21st Century’s Mike Tomczak, Anthony Wright.

Lorenzo Neal FB - Released by San Diego.  I consider this guy, with apologies to the much younger Dan Kreider, the great blocking FB of this generation.  Ancient though, theoretically might have been blocking for Dalton Hilliard in New Orleans.

Kelly Holcomb QB - Released by Minnesota.  The Mike Tomczak of the early 21st Century, before Anthony Wright took the title, will likely find work again.

Anthony Thomas RB - Released by Buffalo.  The ‘A-Train’ was a big star at Michigan, only so-so as a pro, and has reached the dread age of 30 for NFL RBs.  Unless he becomes a third-down guy, this is probably the end for his NFL career.  Given his previous fame though, is the kind of guy who ends up with the Raiders.

Mike Anderson RB - Released by Baltimore. The high school marching band guy who learned to play football while in the Marine Corps and ultimately got a scholarship to the University of Utah.  It was a great story nine years ago and he got his turn (two actually) in the Bronco’s instant 1K yard season machine, but this is also probably the end of his NFL career.

Javon Walker WR - Released by Denver, signed in Oakland.  I remember when this guy was going to be the next Brett Favre #1 WR in Green Bay.   Then the injuries came.  The Raiders overpaid to get him, but that’s what they’re down to now.

Alge Crumpler TE - Released by Atlanta, signed in Tennessee.  Bizarrely receiver productive for a short TE.  Has experience bailing out a gun-armed, running QB who is a sloppy passer.

Byron Leftwich QB - Released by Atlanta.  ESPN’s Bill Simmons speculated on one of his podcasts that one of the reasons Drew Bledsoe is out of the NFL when older QBs are still finding work, is because Bledsoe has the mobility of a statue.  I wonder if this might drive Leftwich out of the league as well?  Even when healthy he was a bad runner.  Though I wish the best for H.D. Woodson High School’s own.

Joey Harrington QB - Released by Atlanta, re-signed with Atlanta.  The guy who made me start thinking of Jeff Tedford as Steve Spurrier West.  To think University of Oregon/Nike got this guy a billboard in Times Square to hype his Heisman run!  Now he’s competing with Chris Redman and whomever the Falcons draft pick is this year.

Warrick Dunn RB - Released by Atlanta, comes back to Tampa Bay.  Dunn has had an amazing, possibly Hall of Fame quality career, but he’s fading.  Asked for and was granted his release after the Falcons brought in this year’s hot free agent RB Michael “The Burner” Turner from the Chargers.  The Bucs backfield has a bunch of guys coming off injury and Dunn does his best work in a platoon, so he could stick, despite his fading.  Perhaps this is the Bucs’ opportunity to jettison the NFL’s former (though he’s been on good behavior in Tampa) Dean of Domestic Violence, Michael Pittman.

Rod Coleman DT - Released by Atlanta.  Used to be a very good pass rushing DT.  I think he started as a LB; he wore ‘57′ with the Raiders.

Terrence Holt S - Released by Arizona.  Torry Holt’s not as famous brother is on the market.

Trent Green QB - Released by Miami, goes home to St. Louis.  He should hang it up.  Sure, it’s safer as a back up QB, but if the Ram OL implodes again and Marc Bulger gets knocked out it’s going to be dangerous out there for him.  You don’t really want to sign up for concussion number three.  I’m a bit stunned that Todd Collins re-signed with Washington and didn’t get this job to follow Al Saunders.

Samkon Gaddo RB - Released by Miami.  An occasionally decent RB, I like this guy because he’s a nurse.  Well, that’s what his degree (from Liberty University, home of a I-AA program that turns out a surprising number of NFL players) is in, I doubt he’s taken any of the certification and licensing.

Marty Booker WR - Released by Miami, returns to Chicago.  These days he’s the Ordinary Average WR.  Opposite Chris Chambers, he was part of an unusually symmetrical group of stocky starting WRs in Miami, where both guys were 5′11″ and 215 lbs.

Brandon Lloyd WR - Released by Washington, signed by Chicago.  One of the most hated recent Redskins, along with QB Mark Brunell, S Adam Archuleta and PK John Hall.  I hope the Bears have better ideas at WR than him, Booker, Mark Bradley, former Arena Leaguer Rashied Davis and 2005 Belitnikoff Award winner Mike Haas.

Mark Brunell  QB - Released by Washington, signed by New Orleans.  Who are the Saints kidding?  Do they think his arm is back to serviceable after he had last year off?  He certainly can’t run anymore.  Maybe they just want a nice guy (Brunell is hated in Washington for his play or lack thereof, not his personality) in the locker room?

Trent Dilfer QB - Released by San Francisco.  This guy would probably be a better back up then Brunell.  Dilfer is the Ordinary Average QB.  He’s had a respectable, long career, including a Super Bowl win, but with the passing ability he showed in college, I expected more than a strangleball QB.  Jeff Tedford’s first famous disciple.  We shall see if Aaron Rodgers breaks the trend.

Bubba Franks TE - Released by Green Bay.  Former first round pick.  I hated this guy from a fantasy football perspective.  Despite playing for the Packers, I failed to notice he had 54 catches and 7 TDs in 2002, following 9TDs in 2001.  His yardage totals aren’t great and he’s coming off injury.

Kevin Jones RB - Released by Detroit.  Former Virginia Tech star has been an injury-riddled disappointment as a pro.  Should get a look somewhere else.

Kyle Brady TE - Released by New England.  Another guy I hated in college.  Part of the nasty good 1994 Penn State team, he got hyped into the first round due to being a member of that team.  Being a knee-jerk contrarian, I began rooting against him.  Sure he was a good blocker, but he was a very run of the mill receiver and TEs don’t become first round picks just to block.  I forgot he pulled in 64-729-3TD for Jacksonville in 2000, but he’s otherwise a 30 catch a year guy.  I concede that he’s had a good NFL (13 season) career, but I stand by saying that he brought nothing special to the TE position.

Mushin Muhammad WR - Released by Chicago, goes back to Carolina.  Took some incredible years as a possession receiver with the Panthers into a couple of so-so years with the Bears.  Having not-Rex Grossman and not-Brian Greise as QBs might help, unless Jake Delhomme is still a mess.

Lewis Sanders CB - Released by Atlanta.  Former Terrapin, Washington needs CB help, bring him in cheap.

Takeo Spikes LB - Released by Philadelphia.  Used to be a wicked good LB with insane athletic ability, but is now old and coming off an torn rotator cuff.

Derek Smith LB - Released by San Francisco, signed by San Diego.  Starting Redskins MLB back during the early Norv Turner years, wound up with the 49ers and started there for a really long time.  Gets to rejoin good ‘ole Norv in San Diego.

Zach Thomas LB - Released by Miami, signed by Dallas.  I really thought he was going to New England, but he is originally from Texas, so this makes sense.  Unlike Foster and Brady, this guy I rooted for to make it in the NFL since he was short (5′ 10″) and slow (IIRC he clocked a 4.9 at the combine) but had made some unearthly number (like 144 his senior year) of tackles in college.  He’s had an excellent, probable Hall of Fame career as a MLB and is coming off injured reserve.  Sadly, expect him to be just fine for the Cowboys next season, though that concussion is quite a concern.

Apparently this blog is drawing search engine hits for Auburn University FB Carl Stewart and University of Massachusetts WR Rasheed Rancher and their hopes in the NFL draft. Considering I’ve mentioned each guy once, I have to give credit to WordPress for getting that into the search engines.

I can’t say I saw Stewart play at all this year (his posted stats are typical for a blocking FB) and there’s little point in my regurgitating his draft evaluations from Scouts, Inc. (supporting ESPN) or NFLDraftScout.com (supporting NFL.com). He posted good combine performances at the 225lbs. bench press, vertical and broad jumps, so maybe he can audition for American Gladiators. It’s mathematically possible we have another Franco Harris situation (Harris was mostly a blocking FB at Penn State and had a Pro Football Hall of Fame career as a RB), but I’d guess if Stewart gets into the NFL, he’s got a career of special teams goonery ahead of him. Still a lucrative, if painful way to make a living. Get read up on investing Carl, you’ll make six figures but it’ll be touch and go with your roster spot.

Rancher was a bullet off my first ever post and his case is more interesting to me. His career numbers are unexceptional for a college starter. Averaged a little over 20 catches a year, 16.X per catch average, 3-4 TDs, as a red-shirt sophmore and junior (couldn’t beat out Brandon Hasselbeck for playing time?), then made the big jump as a senior to 49 catches, 20.6 yards per catch, 9 TDs.

However, Rancher is very (6′5″) tall. The NFL loves tall receivers. Yet Rancher merited neither a NFL Combine invite nor did he make the ESPN.com draft prospect list. He was on none of the rosters for the big post-season all-star games, the Senior and Hula Bowls, the East-West Shrine Game and the Texas vs. the Nation game. What did Rancher do wrong not to warrant at least a look? Is he really slow in ways a fan like myself can’t see? Does he really suck after watching his gamefilm? Is he sick of football and wants to do something else? All quite possible, but I’m puzzled. There are a number of other tall WRs in this year’s draft class, but it’s not like the class is overflowing with them. For what it’s worth, according to the ESPN list Indiana University WR James Hardy is 6′5-1/2″ (not 6′7″ as he was at one point) and their tallest receiver is Stanford’s Evan Moore at 6′5-3/8″.

University of Richmond WR Arman Shields, who like Rancher played in the CAA, got an invite to Combine and he was out most of last year with injuries. He had 14 catches in three games for 125 yards. His previous season numbers are better than Rancher’s but not exceptional. He’s 6′1″, a bit above NFL average but not dramatically so. Now Shields did very well at the combine, tied (among WRs) for second in the vertical leap at 37.5″ and eighth in 40 yard dash at 4.44 seconds, so he’s worth taking a look at. But not Rancher? Maybe a undrafted free-agent mini-camp invite then?

I’ve never understood the logic of who gets scouted as a good prospect. Perhaps if you show enough flaws that your measurables don’t help, you never make the lists we in the general public see. About ten years ago, back when tall pocket passing QBs still had value, North Carolina’s QB was a guy named Chris Keldorf. UNC ran a reasonably pro-like system and Keldorf was (at least by UNC stats, so have salt ready) 6′5″and 240lbs. After his senior season, when UNC was 11-1 and Keldorf was Gator bowl MVP, he never got much mention as a prospect. Never turned up in any pro football league I followed. Did he have flaws? From what I can dimly remember, yes. But what was wrong about Keldorf that wasn’t wrong in back-up QB to the stars Matt Cassel? Cassel who backed-up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at Southern Cal is now on his fourth season in the NFL backing up Tom Brady. Us amateurs have barely seen this guy play when a game mattered, but he can make it. As Jim Mora, Sr. was famously quoted as saying about those of us outside “You don’t know and you’ll never know.”

Ahead of the 1999 draft, the often unreadable ESPN the Magazine ran a cover photo titled “QBallers: They’re Bringing a Whole New Game to the NFL.”  The photo had Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Akili Smith and Cade McNown.  The accompanying article, if memory serves, made a point of discussing the “black” QB style: improvisational play-making and running a lot, whether for yards or to make a throw.  If the quite Irish-looking McNown was a “black” QB, I wonder why Brett Favre never got considered as such?

The obvious answer is pure rushing yards.  Favre’s top running year was 1993 for all of 216 yards and 1 TD.  Steve Young, arguably a “black QB” himself, ran for 407 yards and 2TDs that year.  McNabb ran for 629  yards and 6TDs in 2000.  Even McNown, whose pro career was a bust, managed 326 yards and 3TDs in 10 games during the 2000 season.

The definition of “black QB” or less ethnically defined “mobile, risk-taking QB” is slippery and subjective.   I’m a tad racially insensitive but even I’ve always preferred the latter term as I think the European- and African-American QB’s who have that kind of game (John Elway and Randall Cunningham) have more in common with each other than with their co-ethnics (Jim Kelly and Warren Moon) who don’t play that way.  For me, making crazy throws that work while running away from defenders (even Michael Strahan) is most important and Favre was the most successful of the mobile risk-takers.

Running for yards only really counts when you have a special talent.  Our current generation is unusual in that there are (or were) two such talents in the NFL, Vince Young and Mike Vick, while McNabb and Culpepper’s productive running days are in recent memory.  Otherwise, it’s great for Cleo Lemon personally to be a better runner than any given McCown brother, but if any of those guys are under center for your NFL team, Lemon’s ability to run isn’t going to be much help.  Even Young and prior to his jailing, Vick, are both criticized for their problems in running a productive passing offense.

Back to the biggest story in American sports, Favre leaves with the a lot of NFL career passing records, a Super Bowl victory and three MVP awards.  The media worship was tiresome, last year’s Fox Thanksgiving tribute especially so, though the backlash, with the exception of Frank Caliendo’s John Madden skits, against the adoration was on its’ way to being as annoying.  I can’t connect with the “common man of troubles and triumphs” theme that seems to dominate the retirement coverage, but I remember Favre for his toughness, recklessness and good fortune not to be hampered by those characteristics.

I consider great QB play to be about great passes combined with great decision making.  Favre’s decision making is at best very good, but won’t be mistaken for great.  Being fussy about definitions, I can’t consider him the best QB I’ve seen play, but he’s the best football player I’ve seen play QB.  Still need to go find some Sammy Baugh gamefilm.  Sure, it’s weasel words, but it’s my blog.

Since re-alignment, the Packers are no longer a twice annual opponent for my Bucs, so my only sigh of relief is that I don’t have to hear another offseason of “Will Brett Favre reitre?” in the sports media.  Though we may be looking forward to several months of “Will Brett Favre return with another team?” since Favre oddly didn’t turn up at the Packers’ press conference yesterday.  His only public statement, and dubiously at that, was a long voice mail he left with ESPN NFL reporter Chris Mortensen.  Favre finished this past season as one of the league’s best, though I like the symbolism of his last pass being an interception in the NFC championship game.  It is a fine testament to Favre’s blend of success and recklessness.  Thanks for the great career you maniac.