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      Does anybody want L.J. Smith?

      March 17, 2009 /

      At the start of the NFL free agency period, it appeared that free agent tight end L.J. Smith had two potential candidates to acquire his services: the Falcons and Lions.

      In early March, Smith visited the Lions, but left Detroit without a contract. He then traveled to Atlanta and this past weekend, ESPN reported that Smith had chosen the Falcons and that a deal would be worked out soon.

      But now the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that the Falcons have ended their talks with the free agent and won’t pursue Smith going forward.

      Smith’s options were down to Detroit and Atlanta. It seemed like the Falcons would easily be the winner. But Smith dragged his feet and the Falcons had a change of heart. In the end, they are a running team and Smith doesn’t block. That’s what football teams call “a bad scheme fit.”

      Ironically, on the same day the Falcons decided to end contract negotiations with Smith, the Lions signed tight end Will Heller, formally of the Seahawks.

      Chances are, Smith was asking for too much and the Falcons balked. There’s no sense overspending on a soon-to-be 29-year old tight end who doesn’t block and who comes with major injury concerns. Atlanta would love to give quarterback Matt Ryan a nice receiving target at tight end, but the draft is deep at that position this year so expect the Falcons to target one at some point next month. (Many will buy into the notion that the Falcons will go with Brandon Pettigrew in the first round if he’s available, but don’t forget that they have more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball.)

      So where will Smith wind up? The Lions could still be an option, but they seemed to have moved on after Smith snubbed them for Atlanta. As of right now, there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for the free agent, even though he’s currently the best tight end on the market.

      Update: Apparently the Ravens wanted L.J…

      NFL

      Marshawn Lynch to be suspended 1-2 games

      March 17, 2009 /

      CBSSports.com is reporting that Bills’ running back Marshawn Lynch is expected to be suspended one to two games next season.

      Marshawn LynchLynch earlier this month pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge stemming from a Feb. 11 arrest in Culver City, Calif. According to the police report, Lynch was one of three men seated in a parked Mercedes Benz when he was questioned.

      At the time, he was charged with possession of a concealed firearm. But the felony gun charge later was reduced to three misdemeanors — with two of them dropped. Lynch was sentenced to three years of probation and 80 hours of community service.

      He also agreed to submit to police searches at any time.

      Now that he’s a Bill, maybe T.O. could help this kid get his life on track…

      …wait, what happened? I blacked out for a second.

      NFL

      Patriots trying to trade for Julius Peppers

      March 16, 2009 /

      According to Vic Carucci of NFL.com, the Patriots are trying to put together a trade package to acquire Julius Peppers from the Panthers.

      According to league sources, the Patriots and Panthers are hoping to complete the deal at some point between the March 22-25 NFL owners meetings and the start of the draft on April 25.

      Peppers, on whom the Panthers have placed a franchise tag that assures him of a one-year contract worth $16.68 million, would be converted to outside linebacker in New England’s 3-4 defense.

      The Patriots already were looking ahead to the possibility of acquiring Peppers when they shipped Cassel and Vrabel to Kansas City, NFL sources say, because they wanted to clear the salary-cap space necessary to sign Peppers to a new contract that would put him among the higher-paid defensive players in the league. After signing Cassel to a one-year, franchise-tag tender contract worth $14.65 million, New England had nearly $30 million in cap money devoted to two quarterbacks (including $14.62 million for Tom Brady).

      Once the Patriots were convinced that Brady would be fully recovered from the season-ending knee injury he suffered last year, they were comfortable with trading his replacement to the Chiefs and putting the wheels in motion to bolster a defense that has gotten particularly old at linebacker. Vrabel and fellow linebacker Tedy Bruschi are well into the twilight of their respective careers.

      NFL sources say the Panthers would welcome the chance to unload Peppers for a second-round draft pick, even though it would be well below his market value, because it would be less costly than signing a first-rounder. The Panthers already have made some belt-tightening financial moves within their front office.

      This, in part, could help answer the lingering question of why the Patriots were willing to take only a second-round pick for Cassel and Vrabel rather than possibly go for a higher choice as part of a three-way deal involving the Denver Broncos, who were ready to give up Jay Cutler for Cassel. Without an additional second-round pick, the Patriots might not be able to pursue Peppers.

      This isn’t surprising news because as the article states, a trade scenario involving Peppers and the Patriots has been rumored for some time now. But what is surprising is that the Panthers would be willing to take a second rounder for Peppers when the compensation for a franchised player is two first round picks. Now granted, if a team is willing to take less, then they can work out a deal for whatever compensation is agreed upon. But a second rounder for Peppers seems weak.

      If I’m Carolina, I’m demanding New England hand over the 23rd overall pick. There can’t be that much of a difference between paying the 23rd overall pick and the 34th overall pick (which the Patriots acquired from the Chiefs in the Cassel trade). But the talent level could be.

      Regardless, this is an interesting rumor and if NFL.com is posting it, I’m willing to bet a deal gets done. The league’s site doesn’t post any rumors on a whim. And if he does wind up in New England, it’ll be interesting to see how Bill Belichick uses Peppers as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He and Adalius Thomas could make one hell of a pass-rushing tandem. (If Peppers is motivated, that is.)

      NFL

      Jay Cutler the Lion?

      March 16, 2009 /

      Let me state for the record that I’m just speculating here, but if the Broncos do eventually decide to trade disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler, the Detroit Lions seem like a perfect fit.

      The Lions are in obvious need of a quarterback and currently hold the No. 1 and No. 20 overall picks in next month’s draft. If they’re interested in Cutler, they could offer the No. 1 pick, assuming that Denver also swings Detroit a mid rounder as part of the package.

      The quarterback class in this year’s draft is awfully weak. Assuming of course that the Broncos would be willing to trade Cutler, wouldn’t the Lions be better off with him than Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez? Even if they do give up the No. 1 pick for Cutler, they still have the No. 20 pick to address their need at left tackle (Michael Oher, anyone?).

      Cutler hasn’t won anything yet and has proven to be an arrogant crybaby at times, but there’s no denying that he has the physical tools to succeed in the NFL. That’s not to say that Stafford or Sanchez don’t, but at least Cutler already has experience under his belt and 25 (he’ll be 26 at the end of April) he’s still awfully young.

      I guess what it boils down to is how much the Lions value Stafford and Sanchez. If they have their hearts set on drafting a quarterback at No. 1, then pursing a trade for Cutler seems like a no-brainer. He can start now – Stafford and Sanchez can’t. But if they feel that left tackle is a bigger need and have players like Baylor’s Jason Smith and Virginia’s Eugene Monroe rated significantly higher than the other offensive tackle prospects, then their quarterback need could be placed on the backburner.

      The Lions need everything, but quarterback, offensive tackle and middle linebacker are their three biggest question marks. Out of the three, offensive tackle and linebacker are deeper positions than quarterback. If Detroit swings a deal for Cutler, they could still get a good offensive tackle or linebacker with their No. 20 pick, as well as with their second and third round selections. (Another possibility is the Lions could trade the No. 20 pick and maybe a third rounder for Cutler if they feel as though giving up the No. 1 pick would be too steep.)

      As for Denver, head coach Josh McDaniels has already stated that the team has no intentions of trading Cutler. But the situation seems to be getting much worse and maybe soon the Broncos won’t have a choice but to seek out a trade. But obviously McDaniels would have to feel that either Stafford or Sanchez are better fits for his offense then Cutler is. It wouldn’t make any sense to give up a young starting quarterback to get the No. 1 pick if there isn’t a prospect that McDaniels doesn’t believe that he can develop.

      NFL, NFL Draft

      Newman says Romo’s relationship with Jessica Simpson is affecting his play

      March 16, 2009 /

      In an interview with WFFA Channel 8’s Joe Trahan, Cowboys’ cornerback Terence Newman said that Tony Romo’s relationship with Jessica Simpson has affected his ability to be a successful quarterback.

      Tony RomoWFFA Ch. 8’s Joe Trahan asked Newman last week about Troy Aikman’s take that Romo “hasn’t fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about.”

      Newman’s reply: “I think that with the situation Tony was in, I think that kind of maybe hurt him a little bit – being a first-year starter, then you have the limelight with his girlfriend and situations of that nature. It’s going to take away from him being a quarterback, being a successful quarterback. He won 13 games and everything was perfect, but now after this past season, it was, ‘Is he doing enough for the team? Is he working hard enough? You know, he’s got this girlfriend, so …’ I think that once he inherited the starting quarterback job and his relationship got into the national media attention, I think that that was something that definitely hurt and took away from Tony Romo being a great quarterback.”

      While I don’t disagree with what Newman said (how can I – I’m not a Cowboy and thus don’t know the situation like he does), players have every right to have a personal life off the field. It doesn’t matter if Romo is dating Jessica Simpson or Jessica Nobody – his personal business is his own.

      That said, this is at least the third time that Romo has been publicly criticized for his relationship with Simpson. He was hammered by the media for going on vacation with her during the Cowboys’ bye week before a playoff game two years ago, and then came Aikman’s comments, now Newman is speaking out. So maybe Romo does need to be more focused on his football responsibilities. This isn’t to say that he needs to spend every waking hour dedicated to being a quarterback, but obviously there is an issue here because this story won’t die.

      NFL

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