SoCalBronco
04-22-2005, 09:12 PM
from PFT today:
POSTED 8:32 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
TITANS, CHARGERS POISED FOR MEGATRADE?
Before sending an e-mail telling us that we're a bunch of dumbarses, remember this:
We're just the messenger.
With that said, there's a rumor out there that the Titans and the Chargers could pull off a stunning draft day trade that would send quarterback Philip Rivers and a fourth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for the No. 6 overall selection and quarterback Billy Volek.
But the Chargers repeatedly have said they won't be trading Rivers, especially in the wake of paying the back end of his two-tiered signing bonus last month. With that said, the Titans could easily absorb the cap hit, and they then could work out a long-term deal with starter Drew Brees, which would chop down his current cap number of $8 million plus.
And with Steve McNair ready to return for his eleventh NFL season, it doesn't make sense for the Titans to take on Rivers, who'd likely sit on the sidelines for yet another season.
Then again, Rivers is likely to have his butt glued to the bench in San Diego, and the chances of McNair getting injured are much greater than the likelihood of Brees getting busted to the point he can't play.
HOWARD HITTING THE ROAD?
A league source tells us that the Miami Dolphins have given cornerback Reggie Howard a "take a pay cut or take a hike" ultimatum, demanding that he reduce his 2005 salary.
Per the source, Howard has to date refused to alter the terms of his contract.
Howard was signed by the Fins in 2004. He previously played for the Panthers.
POSTED 8:07 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
HENRY HEADING TO PHILLY
We're hearing that the Philadelphia Eagles are poised to acquire running back Travis Henry from the Bills for a third-round pick.
Barring an unexpected development, the trade will happen on Saturday.
The rumored move is a surprise on the surface, since the Eagles already have running backs Bryant Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter on the roster. But Westbrook will be an unrestricted free agent next year, and Buckhalter is a member of the multiple season-ending knee injury club.
Most presumed that Henry would be shipped to the Cards, but the deal never was consummated.
POSTED 7:55 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
JAMES HAS LOST HIS EDGE?
Word around the league is that teams aren't interested in trading for Colts running back Edgerrin James due to concerns that six years of high mileage have left him with bad knees.
The Colts made waves in 1999 by drafting James ahead of running back Ricky Williams, for whom the Saints ultimately gave up their entire slate of picks.
And James played out his original deal, without any renegotiation or extension. A free agent for the first time in 2005, James was slapped with the franchise tag. He signed the one-year franchise tender before the Colts could revoke it -- and we've heard on multiple occasions since then that the team was indeed poised to do so.
Since then, the Colts have tried to trade James, but no one has shown serious interest, even though the Colts have made it known that they'd take less than a first-round pick in exchange. Our guess is that the Cardinals or the Bears could be interested, if either team ends up not selecting a tailback in round one on Saturday.
EAGLES HOPING TO SOAR
The Philadelphia Eagles want to package their first round pick (No. 31 overall) and the second-round pick (No. 34 overall) that they acquired in the A.J. Feeley trade in order to move up in round one of the draft, according to a league source.
The Eagles might be interested in receiver Matt Jones, and some think that Jones might be long gone before Philly is on the clock.
Stay tuned.
CINCY SLIDING BACK FOR THURMAN?
Although the Bengals have a history of drafting for need, even when a guy could have been had at a lower pick (see Jones, Levi), word is that Cincy is hoping to slide down from the seventeenth overall space in the draft in order to draft linebacker Odell Thurman of Georgia.
One potential trade partner could be the Seahawks, who'd like to move up.
Another possibility would be the Packers, if quarterback Aaron Rodgers falls past No. 15.
And then there's the Matt Jones factor. As Jones drops farther into the teens, one of the teams in the 20s might want to spring up and nab him.
Of course, the Bengals and the aforementioned Eagles could get together on this one, if Cincy is confident that Thurman can still be had at No. 31.
POSTED 5:33 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:47 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
BUCS LOOKING TO GO SANS SIMEON?
A league source tells us that the Tampa Bay Bucs are shopping veteran defensive end Simeon Rice -- and that the Chargers are interested.
No word yet on what the Bucs would want for Rice, whose performance hasn't lived up to his big-money contract over the past two seasons.
Rice also spoke out last season regarding a perceived lack of team discipline under coach Jon Gruden. Our guess is that, in lieu of dumping Rice at the team's first opportunity, the organization opted instead to lay low until the draft, where they now can snag some picks in exchange.
The real question at this juncture, however, is the net cap hit resulting from a trade. Rice received some pretty big bonus money a couple of years ago, but the difference between the unallocated portion of his boni and his 2005 salary might not be enough to cripple the already cap-strapped franchise.
CLAYTON HAS A BUM KNEE?
There's a rumor making the rounds that Oklahoma receiver Mark Clayton's standing in the draft could fall due to concerns regarding an injured knee.
We're not saying that Clayton has a bum knee. That's for the teams to decide based on the medial info. What we are saying is that there are concerns out there regarding his knee, and that these concerns could cause him to drop on Saturday.
Clayton generally has been regarded as a first-rounder, and the fourth receiver likely to be drafted, after Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams, and Troy Williamson.
LITTLE RICKY ANOTHER TEXAS HEAD CASE?
At a time when his stock had climbed back into the top ten after a temporary slip into the teens, we're hearing that there are lingering concerns regarding Texas running back Cedric Benson.
Benson has been trying desperately to distance himself from another former Longhorn, 1998 Heisman winner Ricky Williams. Recently, Benson trimmed off his trademark dreadlocks in order to further separate himself from Williams.
But some teams still regard him as nothing more than Little Ricky Williams -- regardless of whether the Bears hold firm with their apparent plan to draft Williams with the No. 4 overall pick.
Benson is one of three supposedly elite running backs in the draft, along with Auburn's Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams.
POSTED 8:32 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
TITANS, CHARGERS POISED FOR MEGATRADE?
Before sending an e-mail telling us that we're a bunch of dumbarses, remember this:
We're just the messenger.
With that said, there's a rumor out there that the Titans and the Chargers could pull off a stunning draft day trade that would send quarterback Philip Rivers and a fourth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for the No. 6 overall selection and quarterback Billy Volek.
But the Chargers repeatedly have said they won't be trading Rivers, especially in the wake of paying the back end of his two-tiered signing bonus last month. With that said, the Titans could easily absorb the cap hit, and they then could work out a long-term deal with starter Drew Brees, which would chop down his current cap number of $8 million plus.
And with Steve McNair ready to return for his eleventh NFL season, it doesn't make sense for the Titans to take on Rivers, who'd likely sit on the sidelines for yet another season.
Then again, Rivers is likely to have his butt glued to the bench in San Diego, and the chances of McNair getting injured are much greater than the likelihood of Brees getting busted to the point he can't play.
HOWARD HITTING THE ROAD?
A league source tells us that the Miami Dolphins have given cornerback Reggie Howard a "take a pay cut or take a hike" ultimatum, demanding that he reduce his 2005 salary.
Per the source, Howard has to date refused to alter the terms of his contract.
Howard was signed by the Fins in 2004. He previously played for the Panthers.
POSTED 8:07 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
HENRY HEADING TO PHILLY
We're hearing that the Philadelphia Eagles are poised to acquire running back Travis Henry from the Bills for a third-round pick.
Barring an unexpected development, the trade will happen on Saturday.
The rumored move is a surprise on the surface, since the Eagles already have running backs Bryant Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter on the roster. But Westbrook will be an unrestricted free agent next year, and Buckhalter is a member of the multiple season-ending knee injury club.
Most presumed that Henry would be shipped to the Cards, but the deal never was consummated.
POSTED 7:55 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
JAMES HAS LOST HIS EDGE?
Word around the league is that teams aren't interested in trading for Colts running back Edgerrin James due to concerns that six years of high mileage have left him with bad knees.
The Colts made waves in 1999 by drafting James ahead of running back Ricky Williams, for whom the Saints ultimately gave up their entire slate of picks.
And James played out his original deal, without any renegotiation or extension. A free agent for the first time in 2005, James was slapped with the franchise tag. He signed the one-year franchise tender before the Colts could revoke it -- and we've heard on multiple occasions since then that the team was indeed poised to do so.
Since then, the Colts have tried to trade James, but no one has shown serious interest, even though the Colts have made it known that they'd take less than a first-round pick in exchange. Our guess is that the Cardinals or the Bears could be interested, if either team ends up not selecting a tailback in round one on Saturday.
EAGLES HOPING TO SOAR
The Philadelphia Eagles want to package their first round pick (No. 31 overall) and the second-round pick (No. 34 overall) that they acquired in the A.J. Feeley trade in order to move up in round one of the draft, according to a league source.
The Eagles might be interested in receiver Matt Jones, and some think that Jones might be long gone before Philly is on the clock.
Stay tuned.
CINCY SLIDING BACK FOR THURMAN?
Although the Bengals have a history of drafting for need, even when a guy could have been had at a lower pick (see Jones, Levi), word is that Cincy is hoping to slide down from the seventeenth overall space in the draft in order to draft linebacker Odell Thurman of Georgia.
One potential trade partner could be the Seahawks, who'd like to move up.
Another possibility would be the Packers, if quarterback Aaron Rodgers falls past No. 15.
And then there's the Matt Jones factor. As Jones drops farther into the teens, one of the teams in the 20s might want to spring up and nab him.
Of course, the Bengals and the aforementioned Eagles could get together on this one, if Cincy is confident that Thurman can still be had at No. 31.
POSTED 5:33 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:47 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2005
BUCS LOOKING TO GO SANS SIMEON?
A league source tells us that the Tampa Bay Bucs are shopping veteran defensive end Simeon Rice -- and that the Chargers are interested.
No word yet on what the Bucs would want for Rice, whose performance hasn't lived up to his big-money contract over the past two seasons.
Rice also spoke out last season regarding a perceived lack of team discipline under coach Jon Gruden. Our guess is that, in lieu of dumping Rice at the team's first opportunity, the organization opted instead to lay low until the draft, where they now can snag some picks in exchange.
The real question at this juncture, however, is the net cap hit resulting from a trade. Rice received some pretty big bonus money a couple of years ago, but the difference between the unallocated portion of his boni and his 2005 salary might not be enough to cripple the already cap-strapped franchise.
CLAYTON HAS A BUM KNEE?
There's a rumor making the rounds that Oklahoma receiver Mark Clayton's standing in the draft could fall due to concerns regarding an injured knee.
We're not saying that Clayton has a bum knee. That's for the teams to decide based on the medial info. What we are saying is that there are concerns out there regarding his knee, and that these concerns could cause him to drop on Saturday.
Clayton generally has been regarded as a first-rounder, and the fourth receiver likely to be drafted, after Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams, and Troy Williamson.
LITTLE RICKY ANOTHER TEXAS HEAD CASE?
At a time when his stock had climbed back into the top ten after a temporary slip into the teens, we're hearing that there are lingering concerns regarding Texas running back Cedric Benson.
Benson has been trying desperately to distance himself from another former Longhorn, 1998 Heisman winner Ricky Williams. Recently, Benson trimmed off his trademark dreadlocks in order to further separate himself from Williams.
But some teams still regard him as nothing more than Little Ricky Williams -- regardless of whether the Bears hold firm with their apparent plan to draft Williams with the No. 4 overall pick.
Benson is one of three supposedly elite running backs in the draft, along with Auburn's Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams.