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.

Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the deal with Rice’s hip?
There have been conflicting reports about the status of Viking receiver Sidney Rice’s hip. Said coach Leslie Frazier on Friday: “Our medical staff has assured us that he’s going to be fine…productive for years to come.” He also stressed that Rice is a high priority and the Vikings want to sign him to a long-term deal. But Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Sid Hartman reports that “close friends” of Rice claim that he’s dealing with an arthritic condition in his hip after playing hurt last season. If you’re looking to choose a side in this race, I’d go with the head coach over the beat reporter. But that’s just me.

Shurmur likes the idea of Hillis and Hardesty teaming up
New Browns coach Pat Shurmur told the media on Friday that he likes the idea of a two-back tandem featuring bulldozer Peyton Hillis and second-year back Montario Hardesty. I don’t know why he wouldn’t. Bill Walsh used Roger Craig and Tom Rathman together in his version of the West Coast Offense when the Niners won the 1988 Super Bowl. The book is still out on Hardesty, but Hillis proved to be a one-man wrecking crew at times last year and showed that he can catch the ball out of the backfield, too. Good coaches use the weapons they have and it would be a shame for the Browns not to incorporate some two-back looks with both Hillis and Hardesty lined up in the backfield.

Coughlin admits Jacobs needs to carry the ball more
It’s assumed by many that the Giants will dump running back Brandon Jacobs and his $4.65 million salary this offseason. But after hearing the comments coach Tom Coughlin made on Friday, maybe the G-Men plan to keep Jacobs around next year. “As you look at everything at the end of the year, Brandon was fresher than he’s ever been, healthier than he’s ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little more,” said Coughlin, who also said that Jacobs has “a lot of gas in the tank.” Considering Ahmad Bradshaw is a free agent, Coughlin’s comments are rather interesting.

Bush not expected to be released
Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune doesn’t expect the Saints to release Reggie Bush before the end of the league year on March 4. Triplett writes that the team will probably wait and work on a “possible extension or restructure.” I find it hard to believe that the Saints would pay Bush the $11.8 million he’s owed next season, so he’s going to have to take a dramatic pay cut if he wants to stay in New Orleans. As of right now, it seems like he is willing to do that.

Newton “physically imposing,” Mallett…not so much.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post is at the scouting combine this week and was there when the quarterbacks weighed in on Friday. Cam Newton checked in at 6-5 and 248 pounds, while Ryan Mallett was nearly 6-7 and 253 pounds. According to Bunting, Newton looked “physically imposing” and has an “impressive” athletic build, while Mallett “had a bad body” and seemed “soft.” For those who have seen photos of Tom Brady at his combine weigh-in, these comments could mean very little. (That’s not a knock on Bunting, who is an excellent draft analyst. I’m just pointing out that Brady didn’t look like an extra from the movie “300″ when he was drafted and he’s gone on to win three Super Bowls.)

The Vikings apparently have their answer.

Just hours after numbnut Brad Childress reveled that the Vikings threatened receiver Sidney Rice with injured reserve if he didn’t play this week, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reports that Rice is “almost certain” to lace ‘em up against the Packers on Sunday.

Rice had been stalling about whether or not he would play because he becomes a free agent at the end of the year and doesn’t want to risk further injury. He’s missed the past 10 weeks after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason and if he winds up suffering another injury, it could wind up costing him millions on the open market next year.

But the Vikings need him to play now, which is where the aforementioned threat came in. They’ve been saving a spot on their 53-man roster and they’ve grown impatient wondering whether or not he’ll play. The ball has been in Rice’s court for the past two weeks and per reports, he’s looked healthy in practice.

What this means for the Vikings is simple: Brett Favre now has his deep threat back. But that doesn’t mean Rice will be effective right out of the gates. Don’t forget that he hasn’t played since Minnesota lost to New Orleans in the NFC Championship Game last year. He’s been able to practice, but obviously that’s not the same as playing in a real game. The defenders that he’ll be seeing on Sunday already have nine games under their belts and he still has to get up to game speed. It’s great for the Vikings that he’ll play, but it’s a little unrealistic to think that he’ll be the player he was last year when he hasn’t seen game action in nearly 10 months.

According to Vikings’ beat writers Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, there’s a good chance that Sidney Rice won’t play again in 2010.

Rice had offseason hip surgery and decided not to play in Week 10 against the Bears. There’s some belief that Rice and agent Drew Rosenhaus won’t risk further injury in what is quickly becoming a lost season for the Vikings. Rice becomes a free agent after the year and Rosenhaus may want to use his 2009 stats as a selling point, so if the receiver gets hurt again then Rosenhaus loses his leverage.

Brad Childress maintains that it’s up to Rice as to whether or not the receiver will return this season. The Vikings’ roster exemption for Rice ends on November 24, which means he’ll either need to be activated or go on injured reserve. Chances are if he doesn’t play this Sunday, the latter is more likely.

One would think that Rice would be eager to get back on the field to help his team, but if he gets hurt again then he’s going to have to settle for whatever contract a team wants to give him next offseason. It’s easy for fans to say that he should go out and play, but money is a factor here. It’s hard to judge Rice without being in his shoes.

The Boston Herald is reporting that a Moss-to-Minnesota deal could be finalized by Wednesday.

Wow, this one sure came out of nowhere. Though I suppose we should have seen the writing on the wall given Randy Moss’s preseason griping about the fact that he doesn’t have a long-term contract. While a move away from Tom Brady and the Pats’ pass-happy offense might seem like a hit to Randy’s stock, it isn’t. He was targeted a total of four times in the last two weeks and his goose egg in Week 4 is alarming. In fact, he is #41 amongst WRs in total targets (22, or 5.5 per game), and even with his 3:1 completion to TD ratio, that’s not enough work to justify his first or second round ADP. As a Packer fan, I cringe at the thought of a happy and motivated Moss back in the purple and gold, but as a fantasy owner (in two leagues), I’m happy he’s getting a change of scenery. I’d expect him to get all of Sidney Rice’s targets (7.7 per game, maybe more) as long as Rice as out.

For the Vikings, this is a big bump for the entire offense, save for Visanthe Shiancoe, who probably won’t enjoy quite as many looks now that Brett Favre can chuck it downfield with more confidence. Farve obviously gets a bump, Percy Harvin should have more room to roam, and there should be one less man in the box trying to stop Adrian Peterson.

For the Patriots, I’d expect Brandon Tate and Aaron Hernandez to pick up most of the slack, but Danny Woodhead, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski should get a bit of extra work as well. The Patriots are getting less vertical with this move, so it’s going to hurt Tom Brady a little because he’s going to have one less weapon in his arsenal. And it was one of his big weapons, for sure. This could mean the running game will be featured more, as BenJarvus Green-Ellis seems to be coming into his own.

The Vikings would love to have star receiver Sidney Rice back by his target return date of Week 8, but that seems far-fetched given the latest news surrounding his injury.

According to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Rice is still walking around on crutches following his offseason hip surgery. He’s already stated that he’ll be ready to play two weeks after he’s eligible to come off the PUP list (which is after Week 6), but again, that seems like a stretch.

Once he gets off crutches, he’ll need a couple of weeks to rehab his hip and then he still has to get into game shape. Even if he does come back in Week 8, he’s not going to be the same player he was last year and by the time he is back in shape, the Vikings could be out of the playoff hunt in the NFC.

It’s still early and there’s still plenty of time for Rice to have an impact. But Adrian Peterson and the defense has to keep the Vikings afloat until Rice can come back and help Brett Favre and the passing game. He’s sorely missed at the moment, but he’s still a ways away from playing. There are still doubts that he can have any kind of an impact at all this season.

Apparently without Sidney Rice, the Vikings’ offense is about as explosive as toothpaste.

In what had to be an agonizing game for Viking fans to watch, Brett Favre completed 22-of-36 passes for 225 yards and three interceptions in a 14-10 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday. One interception was Percy Harvin’s fault, but the other two were vintage Brett. (He threw an absolute pea-rocket into the gut of Jason Allen on one pick, while the other came when he underthrew an intended receiver that had been blanketed by not one, but two Miami defenders.)

Outside of tight end Visante Shiancoe (6 catches, 86 yards), Favre doesn’t appear to be on the same page with any of his receivers. Harvin did catch five passes for 32 yards, but the second-year receiver once again battled injuries throughout the day. He played sparingly in the second half after re-injuring the same hip that kept him out of practice for most of the week.

With Rice (hip) is expected to miss at least another six or seven weeks (and that’s being optimistic – some believe he’ll be out the entire season), maybe it’s time for the Vikings to get serious about acquiring Vincent Jackson from the Chargers. I wrote earlier this week about how I don’t think a move like that would be good for the team’s long-term future, but the Vikes can’t sit idle and watch Favre continue to destroy their season. He’s fun to watch when he’s on, but when he’s off there isn’t a more reckless signal caller in the league.

The trade winds may start blowing hard in Minnesota this week.

The Minnesota Vikings are faced with quite a dilemma.

It’s optimistic to think that Sidney Rice is going to return to action by Week 8 or 9 following hip surgery. Some say he’ll be out for half the year, while others think he’ll miss the entire season.

I happen to fall into the latter category, which is why I understand the Vikings’ desire to trade for Vincent Jackson.

Thanks to their fickle 40-year-old quarterback, Minnesota’s window to win a Super Bowl is closing by the second. They know they have a hole at receiver and they know V-Jax could fill it. But a deal is contingent upon an arbitrator ruling that Jackson will avoid the Roster Exempt list, making him eligible to play in Week 4 following his three-game suspension.

If the ruling goes against Jackson, he’ll have to sit out three more weeks. But even if the ruling goes in his favor, would the Vikings be doing the right thing for their future?

Rice is only 24 and even if he winds up missing the entire season, he’s going to be back next year. The same goes for Percy Harvin, who is only in his second year.

The Vikings proved last year that a combination of Rice, Harvin and Bernard Berrian (who signed a six-year, $43.4 million contract in 2008) is more then sufficient to compete for a playoff berth (assuming they have a decent quarterback, of course). If they add Jackson, they’re going to have to give him a contract extension because after all, why part with multiple draft picks and not making him a part of your long-term plans?

A foursome of Rice, Jackson, Harvin and Berrian would be pretty lethal, but don’t forget that there’s only one ball. This isn’t fantasy football – the Vikings still have an entire roster to think about and it wouldn’t be wise to soak that much money into one position (especially receiver).

That said, I understand the Vikings’ dilemma. They need a receiver now so that they can win now. Jackson is the best available and certainly worth the compensation, but this is a move that could wind up costing the team in other areas down the road. Don’t forget that they still have issues in their secondary and also have an offensive line that is aging. So will they be willing to potentially sacrifice their future to win now? And what if they don’t win? What happens if they build this great receiving corps and Tarvaris Jackson winds up being the one that has to get them the ball?

I have a headache.

With the news that V-Jax might have his suspension reduced, owners who already have him on the roster should hold onto him through the weekend to see if things break his way. If V-Jax is available for cheap in your league and you can acquire him without cutting anyone of note, take a flier on him and see what happens in the next week.

If Jackson lands in St. Louis, it will likely hurt Mark Clayton, Laurent Robinson and Danny Amendola. All three currently have some value in PPR leagues, but there won’t be enough targets in St. Louis to support four fantasy wideouts. Sam Bradford would definitely benefit by having a bona fide WR1 to throw to.

One of the many things that is intriguing about football is that the game can often be decided by just one facet of the contest, whether it be a team’s running strength verses its opponents weak run defense, or an elite quarterback being able to pick apart a porous secondary.

With that in mind, here are two key factors that could determine who gets the edge in the much-ballyhooed matchup between the Vikings and Saints tonight.

Saints’ strength vs. Vikings’ weakness
Seeing as how Brees usually beats teams with his arm, many people assume that the Saints’ strength is their passing game. But their true strength is in their balance and Sean Payton’s ability to adjust his game plan to take advantage of an opponent’s weakness. Minnesota’s weakness defensively is in its secondary, where injuries have left the unit thin as a whole. Antoine Winfield can certainly hold his own on the left side, but Lito Sheppard is often inconsistent in coverage, which isn’t good considering the two safeties (Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams) had trouble in pass defense last year. Brees knows how to beat teams up the seam and has plenty of weapons to attack the Vikings’ soft secondary. That said, it’s vital that he has enough time to throw or else his timing will be thrown off and Minnesota will be able to keep the game close. Jared Allen and Ray Edwards are the strength of the Vikings’ defense and the biggest weakness the Saints have offensively is left tackle Jermon Bushrod, who was exposed last year by DeMarcus Ware in a loss to the Cowboys. However, if Brees has time to throw, expect some big plays tonight for New Orleans.

Vikings’ strength vs. Saints’ weakness
It was interesting to watch the Vikings transform from a balanced squad last year to a team that predominantly relied on the pass with Brett Favre under center. But seeing as how Sidney Rice is out and questions remain about Favre’s ankle, the key for Minnesota tonight will be Adrian Peterson. Everyone knows what the Saints’ offense is capable of, which is why Minnesota needs to rely on AP to chew up the clock and keep Drew Brees and Co. on the sidelines. If they can’t establish the run against a soft New Orleans’ run defense (especially at defensive tackle), then don’t expect Favre to be able to attack the Saints’ secondary without his No. 1 wideout from a season ago. Brad Childress’ overall game plan tonight should be to control the tempo on the ground, control the clock and escape New Orleans with a victory.

Game time is set for 8:30PM ET on NBC.

2010 NFL Division Previews & Predictions: AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West | 2010 Question Marks Series

The NFC North will challenge the NFC East this year for being the toughest division in the conference. Three of the four teams are legit playoff contenders, while the Lions only continue to improve as a whole.

Here’s how I see things shaking out in the NFC North in 2010. Be sure to check out the link entitled “2010 Question Mark” under each team’s preview, which is a breakdown of one or two potential weaknesses that could derail that squad’s hopes this season.

1. Packers

What to Like: Given how well he played last year, Aaron Rodgers should be considered a MVP candidate this season. The fact that he was able to throw for 4,434 yards and compile a 103.2 QB rating despite constantly being under pressure is rather amazing. Just think about what he could accomplish this year if the O-line gave him even a fraction of a second more time to throw. Rodgers will lead a passing attack that racked up 261.3 yards per game last season, which was good for seventh in the NFL. He also has an assortment of weapons to throw to, namely receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, as well as rising talent Jermichael Finley. In the backfield, Ryan Grant continues to be underrated and is coming off a 1,253-yard, 11-touchdown season. Defensively, Dom Capers was a miracle worker in his first year, as Green Bay led the NFC in total defense despite switching to the 3-4 (most first-year 3-4 teams struggle). Rookie Clay Matthews turned out to be a phenomenal pass-rusher and Nick Barnett was outstanding in the middle, both against the run and in coverage. Despite his age, Charles Woodson (33) continues to play at an elite level.
What Not to Like: The offensive line was a disaster at times last year, save for the play of right guard Josh Sitton. If Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher can make it through an entire season without suffering injuries, this will be a much-improved unit and then Rodgers won’t have to spend most Sunday afternoons running for his life. But both tackles are in their 30s and injuries always seem to be an issue. At left guard, Daryn Colledge struggled, although it’s only fair to point out that he was out of position subbing at tackle. While Tramon Williams is more than capable of handling the starting corner position opposite Woodson, losing Al Harris (knee surgery) was a huge blow to Green Bay’s depth at secondary. The concern is that given Harris’ age (35) and the nature of his injury, he may never play again. The other potential issue on defense is whether or not B.J. Raji can handle playing nose tackle after a lackluster 2009 season as a 3-4 end. All good 3-4 teams have a stout nose tackle to eat up space and if Raji isn’t up for the task, it will certainly have an effect on the linebackers.
Keep Your Eye On: Jermichael Finley
Finley put himself on the map last season by catching 55 passes for 676 yards and five touchdowns in just 13 games. He finished the year by hauling in six passes for 159 yards in Green Bay’s loss to the Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs, leading to high expectations this year. If he can stay focused (which is the biggest concern with this youngster), he could put up fantastic numbers in the Packers’ explosive passing attack this season.
The Final Word: Expectations are high for the Packers this year, as well they should be. If the offensive line can stay healthy then this is the team to beat in the NFC North. The great thing is that Ted Thompson spent his first round draft pick on tackle/guard Bryan Bulaga, meaning Green Bay now has depth in case injuries do start to mount. Rodgers is the real deal and could lead the Pack deep into the playoffs if his O-line doesn’t get him killed first. Defensively, there are some concerns but Capers will make up for them by being aggressive. If the Packers can win the division and force opponents to come to Green Bay come January, then this will be a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season. The pieces are in place for this team to make a serious run.

Green Bay Packers 2010 Question Mark: Offensive Line

Read the rest of this entry »