Santonio Holmes will get $24 million guaranteed under his new deal over five years. This is a good move for the Jets, as Holmes makes Mark Sanchez a better quarterback. Who knows what they’ll do with Braylon Edwards, but he’s an afterthought.

With the lockout in the rearview mirror, NFL fans can now put away their “Lawyer Jargon for Dummies” textbooks and start hitting the rumor mill once again.

Since I’m a fun guy who likes to have some fun and enjoys a little fun, I’ve decided to have a little fun by trying to predict where some of the top free agents will land over the next two weeks. Remember, this is all for fun and is not to be taken too seriously. If you’re the asswipe who reads these things and immediately gets in a tizzy because you disagree, then be aware of my one and only rule when it comes to predictions: Don’t criticize me if you don’t have the stones to leave your own predictions in the comments section.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s have some good ol’ fashion family fun! (Have I overused that word yet? Did the joke land? It wasn’t funny in the first place? All right…) Here are 10 free agents and my predictions for where they might land. In the “Hedging my bet with” section, I list an alternative to where I think said free agent may wind up.

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It has been reported that the 2011 NFL salary cap will (roughly) be around $120 million, which leaves the Bucs with (roughly) $60 million to spend in free agency. Of course, that doesn’t mean that cheapo Malcolm Glazer will open his wallet, but we do know that the new CBA comes with a salary cap floor. Thus, teams like the Bucs will have to spend something in free agency. The Bucs have built a solid, young core centered around quarterback Josh Freeman. With Aqib Talib’s legal situation up in the air, they have a definite need at corner and if teams like the Eagles, Cowboys and Jets feel as though Asomugha’s price tag is too steep, maybe the Bucs will step in and shell out big money to land the top free agent on the market. (And if you’re wondering about whether or not Asomugha is a fit for Raheem Morris’ defensive scheme, don’t worry about it because the man is a fit for every defense.)
Hedging my bet with: New York Jets

DeAngelo Williams, RB: Carolina Panthers
The emergence of Mike Goodson and Jonathan Stewart make Williams expendable but the Panthers are still the frontrunners to retain him in my eyes. He says he wants to stay in Carolina and while he’d be a fool to not at least test the market, I think he’ll eventually stay put. The Panthers realize they need a good stable of running backs no matter who starts at quarterback this season, so re-signing Williams is still a priority despite expanding rolls for Goodson and Stewart.
Hedging my bet with: New York Giants.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB: New York Giants
If my prediction for DeAngelo Williams comes to fruition, then I don’t see Bradshaw playing for anyone but the Giants this season. He has to realize that his best opportunity to be a feature back remains in New York, even though the Giants have shown a willingness to keep Brandon Jacobs around. If Bradshaw can stay healthy and stop putting the ball on the ground, he should be Tom Coughlin’s primary back.
Hedging my bet with: Miami Dolphins.

Santonio Holmes, WR: Washington Redskins
The Jets will make re-signing Holmes there top priority, but I have a feeling that he’ll go where the money is. Granted, Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen make all the decisions now in D.C. But Daniel Snyder still sets the tone and seeing as how desperate the Skins are to add offensive playmakers, this could be a great fit.
Hedging my bet with: New York Jets.

Jonathan Joseph, CB: Detroit Lions
A few months ago I was convinced that the Lions would break the bank for Asomugha. But there have been reports out of Detroit that suggest they won’t pursue the top corner on the market despite their glaring need at the position. Instead, the Lions could “settle” for the 27-year-old Joseph, who is coming off a down year but played exceptionally well in 2009. He’s physical and aggressive, which is exactly what head coach Jim Schwartz desires in a corner. I predict this to be the Lions one biggish (for lack of a better word) signing this summer.
Hedging my bet with: San Francisco 49ers.

Sidney Rice, WR: New England Patriots
There are several potential landing spots for Rice this summer, none bigger than Chicago and Washington. In fact, if my prediction for Holmes falls through, I could definitely see Rice in a Redskins uniform this season. That said, this is where Bill Belichick works his magic. The Patriots don’t necessarily need a true No. 1 to win, but I could see Belichick convincing Rice to sign an incentive-laden deal (because of his injury history) just to play in New England with Tom Brady. Then after he blows it up for a year, the Patriots will give him a new contract and once again cash in on the Vikings’ misery.
Hedging my bet with: Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, and St. Louis Rams.

Cullen Jenkins, DE: Washington Redskins
Jenkins is the top 3-4 defensive end on the market but he’s scheme-diverse in that he could play in a 4-3 as well. Methinks the Redskins and Broncos are his top suitors heading into free agency and Jenkins has already expressed interest in signing with Washington, making D.C. a solid fit for him all around.
Hedging my best with: Denver Broncos.

Ray Edwards, DE: Philadelphia Eagles
I fully admit that I had the Falcons listed after Edwards’ name when I first posted this article, but this report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (which admittedly slipped past me when I took my daily trip around the newspaper world on Monday) has forced me to change my mind. (Don’t worry: I kept one finger on this paragraph just in case, so my editing it is totally legal.) Apparently the Falcons are not interested in Edwards and are content with their current defensive end rotation, making the Eagles the new favorites to land the soon-to-be-former Viking. Like many teams around the league, Philly has a need for a pass rusher and Edwards is one of the top 4-3 defensive ends available (especially after the Panthers re-signed Charles Johnson to a massive deal on Tuesday).
Hedging my bet with: Cleveland Browns.

Vince Young, QB: Buffalo Bills
Young isn’t a free agent yet but he will be once the Titans release him. He won’t draw interest as a starter and while there have been rumors that he wants to play for the Dolphins, I don’t see Miami pursing him. The Bills didn’t draft their quarterback of the future in April and while Ryan Fitzpatrick is certainly capable, Buffalo needs to bring in more competition at the position. Chan Gailey likes mobile quarterbacks so maybe Young could resurrect his career in a city desperate for a winner.
Hedging my bet with: Seattle Seahawks.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB: Tennessee Titans
Mike Munchak has already stated that he wants a veteran quarterback that can come in this season and not only start, but also teach rookie Jake Locker. That sounds like Matt Hasselbeck to me, who is seemingly on the outs in Seattle.
Hedging my best with: Seattle Seahawks.

There have been a couple of interesting reports surrounding the Jets over the last couple of days, specifically their receiving corps.

On Saturday, Santonio Holmes told ESPN New York’s Rich Cimini that he won’t sign his restricted free agent tender if the 2010 work rules remain in place for 2011. The Jets placed a first-and-third-round restricted free agent tender on Holmes last month, but he says he wants a long-term deal and will sign with the highest bidder if he hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

On Tuesday, Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Globe noted that Randy Moss could eventually wind up in a Jets uniform this year.

Randy Moss in a Jets uniform? It could happen. Among several free agents, the Jets have receivers Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards. They have said re-signing Holmes is a priority. Edwards would likely have to agree to a contract with the Jets that might be less than market value. And he might very well balk at that and cash in elsewhere. Enter Moss, another big target. Only one team, the Titans, put in a claim for him when he was released by the Vikings. And considering his performance in Tennessee, most teams aren’t going to waste their time with a 34-year-old receiver with diminishing skills, let alone one who’s known as a problem child. But coach Rex Ryan could be interested. Ryan has enough cachet where he could keep Moss in line, and the Jets would probably enjoy tweaking the Patriots. Ryan spoke highly of Moss last month. “Randy Moss, I’ve said all along, is a great vertical receiver,’’ Ryan said at the owners’ meetings. “And you have to roll coverage. Most teams would have to roll coverage to him. We never did, but we got burned for a touchdown. But he was a weapon. A vertical weapon down the field.’’ Curiously, when Ryan began to speak about Moss, he checked first with team spokesman Bruce Speight to see if it would be tampering.

Even though Moss would probably sign a one-year deal for cheap (assuming he even wants to play for Ryan and the Jets), I don’t see how New York can sign Holmes, Edwards and Moss in one offseason. And why would they want to? This isn’t “Madden” and there’s only one football to go around.

Receiver will be a priority this offseason, but the Jets also need help at defensive end, linebacker and guard, too. Giving Holmes a long-term deal, signing Moss for cheap and allowing Edwards to walk probably makes the most sense (again, assuming that both Moss and the Jets are interested in each other). That would allow the Jets to concentrate on other areas as well.

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The Scores Report has teamed up with EA Sports to discuss the best Heart Pumping Moments in sports. We thought it would be fun to take a look at the most heart-pumping Super Bowl moments from the 2000s. If you would like to share your most Heart Pumping Moments, leave them in the comments section and we’ll pick five readers to receive a copy of EA Sports Active 2 for the system of your choice! (Check out the rules and requirements at the bottom of this post.)

On to the heart-pumping Super Bowl moments of the 2000s!

1. David Tyree’s “helmet catch.”
Is there a better Super Bowl moment in the past decade than David Tyree’s “helmet catch?” Super Bowl XLII will best be remembered as one of the best upsets in the history of the NFL. The Patriots were looking to become only the second team in league history to finish the season undefeated and all that stood in their way was a Giants team that had been inconsistent before making the playoffs. The Giants were heavy underdogs coming into the game, but their pass rush stifled Tom Brady and held the explosive New England offense to only 14 points. Down 14-10 with only 1:15 remaining in the game, the Giants faced a 3rd-and-5 at their own 44. Eli Manning took the snap from shotgun and immediately had defensive linemen Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green and Adalius Thomas in his face. Thomas grabbed Manning by the shoulder while Seymour had the back of his jersey. Somehow Manning escaped the sack, scrambled backwards and then heaved a desperation pass downfield towards Tyree at the 34-yard line. Tyree, who had to adjust his route because of the Patriots’ pressure, caught the ball with both hands but safety Rodney Harrison had swiped his other arm. Amazingly, Tyree was able to secure possession of the ball with one hand by pressing it against the top of his helmet as both players fell to the ground. Given the situation, it was easily the play of the decade. It netted 32 yards and four players later, Manning hit Plaxico Burress for a touchdown to eventually give the Giants a 17-14 victory. Remarkable.

2. One…yard…short.
With the Rams leading 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV, Steve McNair drove his Titans down to the 10-yard-line with just six seconds remaining. Tennessee had time for just one last play. Score and force overtime. Don’t score and fade to the back pages of Super Bowl history with all the other runner-ups. Those were the only two outcomes for the Titans…or so everyone thought. McNair hit receiver Kevin Dyson on a slant pattern at the 3-yard-line. Rams linebacker Mike Jones, who left the receiver he was covering after he saw Dyson had secured the catch, met the receiver at the 2 and wrapped him up. As both players fell to the ground, Dyson stuck his arm out and reached for the end zone but after the referee marked the ball, he was one yard short. Had Jones not made a picture-perfect tackle, Dyson would have easily scored and then who knows? Maybe the Titans go on to win the Super Bowl instead.

3. Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning kick.
Thanks to Mike Martz’s high-powered offense, many believed that the Rams would win their second Super Bowl of the decade when they took on the Patriots in XXXVI. But with both teams deadlocked at 17-17, Tom Brady drove the Pats downfield (thanks in large part to a 23-yard pass to Troy Brown) to put his team into field goal range for kicker Adam Vinatieri. Why do so many big games come down to kickers? With just seconds left on the clock, Vinatieri split the uprights at the Superdome and as time expired, the Patriots’ dynasty was born.

4. Holmes gets two-feet in.
This moment wouldn’t have happened had the Cardinals not mounted an impressive second half comeback. After Arizona took a 23-20 lead on a 63-yard touchdown from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald, the Steelers got the ball back on their own 22-yard line with 2:37 remaining in the game. A holding penalty pushed Pittsburgh back 10 yards on their first play, but then quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed two passes to Santonio Holmes for a net of 27 yards. After a four-yard completion to Nate Washington, Big Ben found Holmes on a 40-yard pass to put the ball at Arizona’s 6-yard line. Two plays later, Roethlisberger slung a pass to the corner of the end zone and while managing to catch the ball and land with his toes in bounds, Holmes made the play of the game. After a booth review, the touchdown reception stood and the Steelers went on to hang on, 27-23. Holmes’ touchdown immediately became one of the most talked about replays in Super Bowl history, as fans debated for weeks whether or not he actually had to feet/toes down. (In the eyes of this writer, he did.)

5. Warner finds Bruce for the eventual game-winning touchdown.
Super Bowl XXXIV will always be remembered for the play that we discussed at No. 2 on this list. But everyone forgets that it was won not only on Mike Jones’ tackle, but on the possession before that play. With the score tied 16-16 with 2:05 remaining, Rams’ quarterback Kurt Warner heaved a long, high pass to receiver Isaac Bruce, who out-jumped cornerback Denard Walker for the ball. Bruce then slipped past safety Anthony Dorsett for a 73-yard touchdown pass that proved to be the game-winning score. If it weren’t for Jones’ tackle of Dyson, Bruce’s touchdown would have been the defining moment in SB XXXIV.

Want to win a copy of EA Sports Active 2? In the comments section, let us know what your favorite Heart Pumping Moment is in sports. It doesn’t have to be a moment in the Super Bowl – it can be from any sport. For more information, click here for terms & conditions.

According to the New York Daily News, the arm soreness that Mark Sanchez has been experiencing this week is actually a cartilage tear in his right throwing shoulder. It doesn’t appear that he’ll need surgery or miss any games, but it can’t be a good thing when quarterbacks play with tears in their shoulders.

No wonder he couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn the pas couple of weeks – the dude’s shoulder had a tear in it. What? The injury happened in the first quarter of last week’s game? So his brutalness against the Patriots and Dolphins was actually all him?

The NYDN speculates that the injury could hamper Sanchez for the remainder of the season, although he wasn’t much of a passer before the injury so maybe the tear will improve his game. After all, he played pretty well in the second half against the Steelers last Sunday so maybe the injury will be a good thing in some bizarre, that logically doesn’t make any sense kind of way.

The injury comes at a bad time for the Jets’ offense, as receiver Santonio Holmes is also playing through turf toe. Both he and Sanchez have a rough matchup this Sunday against the Bears, who have a tendency to feast on offense that don’t hail from the Foxboro, Massachusetts area. We’ll see how the injury affects the duo this weekend.

With the Jets facing a 4th-and-6 from Denver’s 48-yard line with just over a minute to play, the Broncos had to have felt confident that they were going to earn a huge win over one of the top teams in the AFC.

The Broncos held a 20-17 lead and Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez had just thrown two straight incomplete passes to bring up a fourth down. When he began to scramble on that crucial fourth down, he heaved a desperation pass to receiver Santonio Holmes, who was being covered by Renaldo Hill deep inside Denver territory. The pass fell short, but the ref standing on the sidelines immediately threw his flag to indicate pass interference on Hill.

The ref may have been in perfect position to make a call, but that doesn’t mean he made the right one. Hill did have a hand on Holmes and at one point he even had his hand on the receiver’s facemask, but to say that he interfered with Holmes’ ability to make the catch is a reach. Should it have been a 15-yard facemask? Sure. But not interference. Both the receiver and corner have a right to the ball and when it was underthrown, Hill was just trying to get in position to knock the ball down while keeping a hand on Holmes at the same time. But he didn’t shove Holmes, he didn’t impede his progress and it wasn’t a situation where he wasn’t looking back at the ball. It was a crap call, plain and simple.

The result of the penalty brought the ball down to the 2-yard line and allowed the Jets to score on a LaDainian Tomlinson 2-yard run one play later. Despite a late drive by the Broncos, New York recovered a fumble at midfield to put the game away.

Bad calls happen every week in the NFL, but it’s always a shame when they affect the outcome of a game.

Merry training camp season, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,” where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing everybody’s chic pick for 2010, the Jets.

Ah, the New York Jets – the media darlings of 2010.

How can you not like the Jets this year? The players have taken on the swagger and confidence of their head coach, their defense is among the top-3 in the league, they’ve upgraded their roster thanks to a couple of shrewd offseason moves (i.e. trading for Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie), and they have a young running back (Shonn Greene) who might be knocking on the door of stardom this season.

But alas, there is one chink in the armor and he goes by the name of Mark Sanchez.

When you think about it, it’s rather amazing that a team coming off a 9-7 season that barely made the playoffs is garnering so much Super Bowl attention this offseason. Not to mention, they also have a quarterback who is a) coming off surgery and b) hasn’t proven that he can carry a team on his own yet.

Granted, it’s not fair to criticize Sanchez for not having a Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco-like rookie year. Most first-year quarterbacks struggle and seeing as how Sanchez was able to lead his team to the AFC Championship Game last year despite his rookie struggles speaks for his potential.

But let’s get real here – it’s almost humorous that some have used the word “great” to describe Sanchez’s performance in last year’s postseason. Was he efficient? Yes. Great? No, and therefore it’s probably not even fair to Sanchez that people are saying he can take the Jets all the way this year because of those three playoff games last season.

The Jets were successful in ’09 because they ran the ball and played great defense. But times are changing in the NFL and teams have to be able to throw the ball if they want to win. That’s not to say that Sanchez has to be Peyton Manning or Drew Brees in order for the Jets to get to the Super Bowl, but those guys are allowed to make plays in their offenses. They’re allowed to take control of a game with their arms, and Sanchez just isn’t there yet.

That said, he will get better. He has 19 games of NFL experience under his belt and he started every one of those contests last season. He’s going to be smarter, faster and more quicker with his decision-making than he was a year ago and that’s why some people feel as though he’ll be good enough to take the Jets to the top.

But don’t forget that NFL defensive coordinators now have 19 games of tape on Sanchez, too. Guys like Gregg Williams made him look incredibly overmatched at times last year and there’s no doubt that other teams will try and duplicate the success that the Saints had against him in ’09. He’ll continue to have ups and downs, even with a full year under his belt.

Is there reason for fans to be excited about the Jets’ chances in 2010? Absolutely, but expectations need to be tempered. Eventually, they’re going to need their young quarterback to put games on his shoulders and as of right now, it’s debatable whether or not he can do that.