The NFL Netwrok reports that the new CBA will allow teams to sign rookies on Tuesday and free agency will officially open on Friday at 6:00PM ET.

This news is slightly different from what Mike Freeman reported on Sunday, in that the NFL league will not start until five days after the new CBA is ratified. Per Freeman’s report, the CBA will be signed today and free agency will officially begin on Saturday. But I’m just splitting hairs; the good news is that the lockout is essentially over and free agency will begin this week.

Per the NFL Network, the players can apparently report to their facilities for voluntary conditioning on Tuesday and beginning at 10AM tomorrow, all rookie draft picks and unsigned rookie free agents can begin signing with teams as well. On Thursday, teams can begin releasing players (hello Vince Young) and then signing unrestricted free agents on Friday evening. Needless to say, this will be a busy week in the NFL.

And speaking of free agency, here are a couple of rumors to help wet your appetite for this week:

Seahawks in on Kolb?
Adam Caplan of FOX Sports tweets that the Seahawks have interest in quarterback Kevin Kolb and are expected to pursue him once free agency begins. The Cardinals are still the frontrunners to land Kolb, but it’ll be interesting to see how the Eagles handle things if more teams get involved.

Asomugha to land back in Oakland?
While he may just be getting Raider fans’ hopes up, the Contra Costa Times’ Steve Corkran believes there’s still a chance that Nnamdi Asomugha could wind up back in Oakland this season. Personally, I see Asomugha donning green and white this year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he chose to stay in Oakland.

Redskins to target Santonio Holmes?
The New York Daily News reports that signing Santonio Holmes will be the Redskins’ top priority heading into free agency. Considering Washington’s utter lack of explosive offensive playmakers, this news is hardly surprising. Dan Snyder won’t be able to whip out his checkbook fast enough on this one.

Favre comeback talk just speculation
Brett Favre’s agent tells ESPN that the recent rumors about his client returning for another season are just speculation. Of course, this is Lord Favre were talking about. I’ll believe he isn’t coming back the moment I don’t see that goofy grin of his being shown on television while he’s standing on the sidelines.

Pryor won’t be eligible for supplemental draft?
Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports that the NFL could end up ruling that former Ohio State quarterback Trerrelle Pryor is ineligible for this year’s supplemental draft. Says NFL spokesman Greg Aiello: “(The supplemental draft) is for players whose circumstances have changed in an unforeseen way after the regular (college) draft. It is not a mechanism for simply bypassing the regular (draft).” So uh, Canadian League anyone?

Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets that NFL free agency is expected to begin roughly one week after the new Collective Bargaining Agreement has been signed.

From Rotoworld.com:

For now, the expectation is that an agreement will be done this Thursday. Teams will get three days to study the new labor rules, followed by three days to sign undrafted rookies and “keep their own.” Free agency should start on the seventh day, now estimated at July 28 (not July 25). Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post describes free agency as “a fire drill. … Packing four months of moves into about four days.” The month of August will be jam-packed with NFL news.

This is why teams with new coaching staffs or ones that will be relying on rookies to contribute will have a tough time competing this year. Usually teams have months to get new players up to speed, and now this year they’ll only have weeks. It wouldn’t surprise me if the majority of teams that made the playoffs last year do so again in 2011. (Assuming of course that those teams’ rosters only need minor tweaking.)

Well the Cowboys are full of spunk today, aren’t they?

Following the release of wide receiver Terrell Owens early this morning, Dallas has decided to part ways with safety Roy “Horse Collar” Williams, too, according to the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys saved a little over $2 million in cap space by cutting the safety now.

Dallas was trying to find a trade partner for Williams the past two weeks, but obviously they didn’t have much luck. Williams broke his forearm twice last year, but at 28 he still has a couple of productive years left in him. The problem is, he’s essentially an extra linebacker playing safety because he couldn’t cover a one-legged Fat Albert.

Williams is worth a look for any team that struggled against the run last year because he flies to the football and does his best work around the line of scrimmage. He’d be a good fit for a team that maybe has a developing young safety, but whose run defense could also use a boost. Once again though, he’s absolutely brutal in coverage and gets lost when the ball is in the air.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Williams was picked up before Owens is. The need for safeties in the NFL is enormous and there are a couple of veterans on the market that should be signed soon, including Mike Brown, Jermaine Phillips and Darren Sharper. Surprisingly, Sean Jones is still on the market as well, and the Browns have showed little urgency to retain the 27-year old, who might just be the best strong safety available.

This is a bold move by Tampa. Signing him to a new contract won’t be an issue because the Bucs have loads of cap space (the most in the NFL, in fact), but their quarterback situation is still unsettled and the bigger problem is that Winslow can’t stay healthy. He is also a head case that has the ability to disrupt a locker room, came down with a case of the dropsies last year and if he feels that he’s not getting the ball enough, there’s no shortage of bitching.

Still, Winslow is a talented player and at 25, he has a lot of football ahead of him if he can stay healthy. Tight end was also a major need for the Bucs and acquiring Winslow should only help Antonio Bryant on the outside. And hey, there’s no doubt Tampa got a solider! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

As for the Browns, this was a good move. Winslow had already expressed his desire to leave Cleveland and given his health concerns, his trade value was sure to diminish the longer the Browns hung onto him. Cleveland was also in major need of draft picks after former GM Phil Savage handed them out like gentlemen’s club fliers on the Vegas strip last offseason.

The Browns traded up in the 2008 draft to select former Missouri tight end Martin Rucker in the fourth round, but he has knee issues and couldn’t pass Darnell Dinkins on the depth chart last season. In other words, expect the Browns to address the position this offseason. The best available free agent would be L.J. Smith (Eagles), who is also rumored to be on the Falcons’ radar.

- The Sacramento Bee is reporting that the Raiders could be close to re-signing top free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha to a long-term contract.

- Speaking of the Raiders, the National Football Post reports that Oakland is actively shopping defensive end Derrick Burgess.

- The Colts re-signed cornerback Kelvin Hayden to a five-year, $43 million contract, which includes $22.5 million in guarantees.

- Rams assigned the franchise tag to free safety O.J. Atogwe, who has been the team’s best defensive back over the past couple years. If Atogwe signs the tender, he’ll be paid $6.34 million guaranteed this season.

- The Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Antonio Bryant, who emerged as a true playmaker last year. He’ll get $9.88 million for one season if he signs the tender.

Arizona is expected to make Dansby its franchise player by Wednesday, meaning QB Kurt Warner will not receive the tag and can test the free-agent market if he doesn’t re-sign with the team before then.

But the Cardinals likely feel good about their chances of retaining Warner. Otherwise, they wouldn’t make the move with Dansby and their lone franchise tag.

Ordinarily, the franchise tag entitles a player to earn the average of the five highest-paid players at his position or 20 percent more than last year’s salary — whichever is greater. The 20 percent rule for Dansby is greater, meaning his franchise tag with Arizona will be worth a cool $9.6 million. But it also will limit Dansby from signing with another team.

This is a no-brainer for the Cards, especially considering the franchise tag for a quarterback this year is over $16 million. They have a better shot of Warner returning on his own, so not allowing Dansby to walk on his own omission is smart.

If for some reason Arizona doesn’t follow through with the tag, Dansby will be one of the most sought after linebackers on the free agent market.