According to a report by ESPN.com, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has decided to suspend Michael Vick for four games of the 2009 season, but said the free agent quarterback is free to sign with any team and can attend training camp. ESPN states that Goodell is expected to wait until early next week before officially announcing the decision.

So much for some folks thinking that Vick was going to be suspended for eight or even 16 full games this season. Everyone has the right to have their own opinion on whether or not Goodell let Vick off easy, but don’t forget that the former Falcon has already spent 23 months in jail, which is something Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, Tank Johnson never did before serving their suspensions from the commissioner.

Now the waiting game for Vick begins. Which team will ultimately decide to sign Vick and all of his baggage? Will he even be signed? To some, it’s already a foregone conclusion that some team will take a flier on him, but don’t forget that with signing Vick, a team also opens the door to immense criticism from their fan base, not too mention the media attention that inevitable circus that will follow him once he’s signed.

Personally, I still like the Raiders, Seahawks or 49ers as his possible landing spots. The Raiders because Al Davis is clinically insane (he has to be right?) and could care less about what people think. The Seahawks because new head coach Jim Mora personally held Vick’s jock strap for him on the sidelines when he was in Atlanta. And the 49ers because if there’s one person that could truly help Vick turn his life around, I think it’s Mike Singletary. (Oh, and because Shaun Hill is expected to start at quarterback for San Fran…not that he’s not good…eeeh.)

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News details six teams that make sense as fits for Michael Vick.

Iyer does a nice job of detailing why each of the six teams (49ers, Dolphins, Jaguars, Raiders, Redskins, Seahawks) might eventually seek Vick’s services. But of the six, I’d put my money on these two teams:

Oakland Raiders. This is a make-or-break year for JaMarcus Russell, and if Russell falters, 39-year-old Jeff Garcia is only a stopgap solution. Owner/G.M. Al Davis historically has taken chances on super-athletic players, even those with a resume of indiscretions. Vick’s strong arm and speed would be the initial attraction, but his running ability fits right in with the team’s deep and talented backfield.

Seattle Seahawks. Even though coach Jim Mora has said Seattle’s current quarterback situation wouldn’t prompt the team to go after Vick, it might be different if injuries continue to hamper Matt Hasselbeck, who turns 34 in September and has a history of back problems. The Seahawks already have a Vick-like QB in backup Seneca Wallace, but of all the offenses out there Vick would have the easiest time under Mora and Greg Knapp, his former coach and coordinator from Atlanta.

The Raiders are an easy fit for the obvious reasons: They don’t care about character, they’ve taken in delinquents before, Al Davis is bat-sh*t crazy, etc.

But the Seahawks make a lot of sense for one key reason: Jim Mora.

Now, Mora did confirm in early June that Seattle isn’t interested in Vick. But all he said was that the Seahawks were “very happy” with the quarterbacks they have on their roster.

Don’t forget that while coaching in Atlanta, Mora treated Vick like a childhood friend and often came to his defense when others criticized the inconsistent quarterback. Granted, that alone doesn’t mean that Mora would be willing to take on all of Vick’s baggage now, but considering that Matt Hasselbeck is coming off a serious back injury and Seneca Wallace proved last year that he’ll probably never be anything more than a backup, maybe Mora will eventually warm up to the idea. If anyone believed they could help turn Vick’s life around, it could be Mora, someone who already has a relationship with the troubled QB.

Of course, Vick still has to be reinstated before any team can sign him. It’s a waiting game now.

Michael Vick is officially a free man these days after being released from federal custody on Monday at his home in Virginia. He now will wait to see if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will reinstate him into the league.

In the meantime, Vick, per ESPN.com, doesn’t want to play in Canada and “hasn’t entertained any thoughts” of joining the UFL. He’s also focused on playing quarterback if he’s reinstated (this coming from NFL.com).

Come again? Isn’t this the same Michael Vick who just spent two years in a federal penitentiary for setting up an illegal dog-fighting ring in his backyard and subsequently lying to Goodell when probed about the subject?

Granted, these are just reports and there’s a possibility that Vick never stated that he only wants to play quarterback in the NFL. After all, these aren’t actual quotes from Vick so maybe the national media is just drumming up a story that parallels his release from federal custody.

But if I’m Vick, if the freaking Toronto Argonauts need a backup punter I would be open to doing it. He’s 29 years old, hasn’t played a down of football in two years and committed one of the most heinous acts the professional sports world has seen in some time. So I would take what you can get, Mikey – especially considering that half the NFL has already stated it doesn’t want you for anything (not even a backup punter).

If Vick truly believes that he’s just going to walk back into the NFL, assume a starting quarterback role and be paid like a starting quarterback, than he’s more naïve than any of us ever imagined.

According to a report by Yahoo Sports, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is contemplating suspending free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress indefinitely. The article also states that Michael Vick’s indefinite suspension could continue.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is leaning toward indefinitely suspending former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress(notes) and continuing to sideline quarterback Michael Vick(notes), three sources with knowledge of the situations have indicated. Such moves would be the latest examples of Goodell’s tough stance on players embroiled in off-field issues as evidenced with the suspension of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth(notes) earlier this month.

Stallworth has been ruled out indefinitely by the league after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter in the death of a Miami man in March. Stallworth was sentenced to 30 days in jail, two years of house arrest and reached a financial settlement with the family of the late Mario Reyes.

According to a source with the Giants, the league and another that’s close to Vick, Goodell figures to take a similar stance with the quarterback and Burress. Vick, a former starter for the Atlanta Falcons, is scheduled to be released from federal confinement on July 20 after serving 20 months for his part in a dog-fighting ring. A source indicated there was a reasonable likelihood that Vick, suspended indefinitely by the league in August 2007, will not be allowed to play this season and certainly not be with a team in training camp.

Goodell has said multiple times that he wants to see Vick show remorse for his actions. That means Vick may have to follow a strict path of behavior before he’s allowed to return.

“[Vick] is not just walking out one day and playing again,” the source close to Vick said. “I don’t know if he understands that yet, but that’s what it looks like right now if you really pay attention. … Yeah, he served his time, but he has to prove himself. When the commissioner talks about wanting to see remorse, he’s not kidding.”

In regards to Vick, what some people seem to forget is that he lied to Goodell about his involvement in what happened on Moonlight Road. It’s not only that Vick fought dogs and went to jail for two years, embarrassing the league, the Falcons and everyone else involved, but he also lied to Goodell’s face during a meeting roughly around the time of the 2006 draft and said he had nothing to do with what was going on at that house. So Vick has a couple things working against him as he tries to get back onto the field.

Regardless, whether you agree with the harsh penalties or not, if you’re a fan of the NFL you have to appreciate how Goodell doesn’t hand out any slaps on the wrist. If a player messes up, Goodell will see that he pays for it.

There’s something that still chaps my hide whenever the topic of Michael Vick (the quarterback, not the dog fighter) gets brought up.

ESPN.com is running an “All-Decade” feature this week and for one of their topics they listed the top 25 most overrated NFL players of the decade (Insider subscription required). Who is No. 2 you ask? Well the dog fighter former Falcons quarterback himself, of course.

2. Michael Vick: Even before Vick’s sordid off-field activities came to light, he was a disappointing No. 1 overall pick. Vick was a great runner, sure, but when he dropped back to pass, he turned into Tyler Thigpen or Derek Anderson, quarterbacks who are close to Vick’s career averages of 6.7 yards per pass attempt, 1.4 touchdowns for every interception and 52.8 completion percentage. His upside at this point is “Best Wildcat Quarterback,” not best NFL quarterback.

What I’ve always found funny is that the media was the one that built Vick into this Super Jesus Quarterback (SJQ) coming out of college, then when he never lived up to their lofty expectations, they were the first to say he was one of the most overrated signal callers ever to lace up the cleats.

The media were the ones who said Vick would reinvent the quarterback position, find a cure for lupus and solve the world’s hunger problem. And some fans bought into that because of all the hype that surrounded him coming out of college.

But what was he at Virginia Tech? A runner. And what was he in Atlanta? A dog fighter. A runner. So how is he overrated? Because he didn’t live up to the media’s expectations? That’s what makes him overrated?

Why is it such a conundrum that Vick wasn’t a great passer? Frank Beamer only gave him six plays to learn at VA Tech, so it’s not like Vick was Peyton Manning (a great passer who put up great passing numbers at Tennessee) coming out of college. Dan Reeves and Jim Mora did their best to try and make Vick a quarterback, but obviously he just didn’t have it in him.

The media saw Vick’s big arm and thought, “passer.” But the fact of the matter is that Vick was an athlete first and always. Fans are partially to blame in all of this because they hyped him up too, but they mostly loved his athletic ability and marveled at what he could do with the ball in his hands. It was the media that wanted him to reinvent the position as both a runner and a passer. Now they want to claim, “Vick wasn’t a good quarterback – he was overrated.” Really, Captain Obvious? Well you made him that way.

You know what’s overrated? The term “overrated” in sports. A player is only overrated when the media over hypes him and he fails to live up to those expectations. So let’s relax with all the overrated talk and just enjoy the damn games for once. Either that, or let’s only talk about the players who are underrated, because at least it focuses on those who deserve more attention for what they can do on a field.

According to a report by Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post, the Rams are interested in suspended quarterback Michael Vick, who was recently released from federal prison.

Michael Vick update: According to people I’ve talked to who are close to him, Vick is in great spirits and looking forward to the future. I’m told he’s in great “non-professional football shape” and is determined to prove he can regain his superstar status in the NFL. He’s also very determined to do all the little things he didn’t do previously. He intends to spend more time studying the game, more time preparing to play, more time working on his game. Two years alone with nothing but your thoughts can be a powerful motivational tool.

Several people in the NFL told me not to rule out St. Louis as a possible destination for Vick. The Rams might have some ownership issues to deal with before actually signing him, but they have genuine interest. They’ve been doing their due diligence on Vick, and if the Commissioner does reinstate him, look for them to actively pursue him. It makes sense — a new coach with an older quarterback who hasn’t played well. Playing in a dome on carpet would highlight Vick’s speed and athleticism.

As with all rumors, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but as Lombardi notes in his article – don’t rule the Rams out. Then again, the Rams organization is in complete flux because of a possible sale, so they have bigger things to concentrate on right now.

People are generally going to have two thoughts on whether or not a team should pursue Vick. One group will think it’s a disaster waiting to happen, while the other will look at a team signing him as a low risk, high reward type of situation. I guess it all depends on whether or not he’ll be suspended, when the Falcons will officially release him (don’t forget he’s still under contract in Atlanta), and what kind of shape he’s in.

But personally, no matter how high the reward might be, I wouldn’t invite that circus to town if I owned a team. I wouldn’t want to deal with PETA or the media storm that would come with his signing, nor would I want my team to endure that.

Former Ohio State star running back Maurice Clarett wrote in his blog that he’s in good shape and wants to play football again when he gets out of prison.

Clarett, 25, earned a jail sentence of at least 3-1/2 years in September 2006 after being arrested on concealed weapons charges in Ohio. He could be released next year.

He has blogged periodically from prison, and his May 25 entry says he’s trying to stay in shape that could give him another chance in the NFL.

(Notably, Clarett’s blog post came one day before Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who authored the ruling that dismissed his bid to enter the NFL draft as an underclassman, was nominated to the Supreme Court.)

“I can’t hold these feelings in anymore,” Clarett said. “I want to play football again. I have a deep desire to play. I love the game. I have so much penitentiary aggression pinned up inside of me. I want to hit someone. I want to run the ball. I want to tackle someone. I want to play. I am going to play somewhere.”

Clarett was a third-round draft choice by Denver in 2005. But he never played a game. He would be a longshot to earn a roster spot in the NFL if he tried in 2010 at age 26. But he could be a candidate for the UFL if the start-up league is around then.

No wonder newspaper columnists don’t take bloggers serious – this dude’s blogging from freaking prison.

I think the only way the UFL succeeds even for a day is if it goes out and recruits players like Clarett and Michael Vick knowing that there is no such thing as bad publicity. As much as I would deny wanting to watch, I know I would tune in just to see how Clarett and Vick look in playing action again. In know way do I think the UFL will ever be profitable (especially if it foolishly runs against the NFL’s regular season), but I’d at least be a little interested in tuning in to watch Clarett and Vick play some second rate football.

Not surprisingly, Michael Vick isn’t welcomed to stop by Atlanta Falcons headquarters anytime soon. With Vick’s release from federal prison on Wednesday, Atlanta owner Arthur Blank made it clear that his former franchise player will never play for the Falcons again.

“The Falcons maintain Michael’s contractual rights for now, but he will not be playing for us in the future. In the event NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decides to reinstate Michael to the NFL, we feel his best opportunity to re-engage his football career would be at another club.

“From a personal standpoint, I will continue to be supportive of Michael in any way that would be positive, constructive and helpful.”

Blank made plenty of mistakes during Vick’s playing time in Atlanta. For starters, he and the Falcons coddled Vick too much and turned a blind eye when the quarterback started to make off-field headlines for the wrong reasons. They didn’t want to upset their star player and even went as far to protect him at all costs, which wound up hurting them in the end. I always thought the time Blank pushed Vick onto the field in Dallas in a wheelchair after he broke his leg was way overblown, but the situation did show that Blank got too close to his star.

That said, Vick flat out lied to Blank several times and abused his relationship with the owner. Blank gave Vick a mile and Vick took another 74 more miles. While it’s true Vick made Blank a ton of money, he also cost him millions more after the dog fighting scandal reached its pinnacle. Blank never deserved the humiliation that Vick put him through and I think it’s a testament to who he is as a person that he continues to support his former quarterback on a personal level.

But as the man said – no way will Vick ever be welcomed back by the Falcons. That franchise was put through hell by Vick and Bobby Petrino and now have a great thing building with Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith and of course, Matt Ryan. In the end, karma paid Blank a visit and made things even.

Let’s just hope that Blank doesn’t make the same mistakes with Ryan as he did with Vick, because no player should ever be put above the team.

Michael Vick has officially been released from federal prison.

Vick is due to return to his Hampton, Va., home and serve the remainder of his federal sentence on house arrest. He spent the past 19 months in prison after pleading guilty to bankrolling a dogfighting ring.

Vick, once the NFL’s highest-paid player, is expected to take a construction job at $10 an hour while he serves the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. He will be handed a new set of rules when he begins serving three years of probation after his expected July 20 release from federal custody.

Vick’s agent said Tuesday that the quarterback “will place football on the back burner” during his immediate home confinement and that there are no meetings scheduled with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss reinstatement for the 2009 season.

“Michael’s looking forward to reacquainting himself with his family, his fiancée, Kiafa, his children and his mom,” Joel Segal, Vick’s agent, said. “When he gets home, that’s his priority, along with reinserting himself into society and being a positive influence in his community. This is going to be a special time for him, just being around family.”

Goodell has said he would wait until the end of Vick’s sentence to consider reinstatement. He has said Vick will have to persuade him and the public that he is genuinely sorry for his crime, that he has been changed by his experience and that he is committed to leading a different life.

Unless Segal was just playing to the media and wasn’t being sincere, I think Vick “putting football on the back burner” is a great idea. His life is in complete shambles right now and he needs to take one day at a time. Perhaps the most beneficial thing for him is to distance himself from anyone who had a negative effect on his life. Several reports have stated that he’s too easily influenced and if that’s the case, then he needs to surround himself with positive people. Considering he has immense financial debt, football should be the last thing on his mind.

(If anyone else wants advice about their lives or financial situation, please call my hotline at: 1-800-I-Sound-Like-Dr.-Phil-In-This-Article.)

While appearing on Dan Patrick’s radio show, SI.com’s Peter King squashed Rich Eisen’s idea that Michael Vick should go on Oprah and make a public appearance (as opposed to crawling into a hole and avoiding the public eye) once he’s out of prison.

“I don’t think Oprah Winfrey helps him at all,” King said. “He needs to say something personally to both Arthur Blank and Roger Goodell.”

King said that Vick needs to earn his honor back quietly and behind the scenes. He shouldn’t go on TV and deliver a mea culpa that may or may not be sincere.

King said the circus around Vick on a new team will be intense for two weeks, but then maybe settle down.

King said a team that’s use to attention like the Cowboys and Redskins has to take him. King said he thought the Bucs would go after him, but now they have “65 quarterbacks.”

“I’d love to have this guy on my team,” King said of Vick.

King brings up a good point in that Vick should make personal apologizes to those he lied to and not try to fix everything by making one big public appearance on a show like Oprah. As King noted, there’s a chance Vick could come off looking unapologetic and insincere during the interview and that would only hurt his public image even more. (If that’s even possible, that is.)

I’m a little surprised that King would say that he would “love” to have Vick on his team, although he might be trying to convey that Vick has done his time and deserves a second chance.