Are you ready for some FOOTBALL! - Hot Stove Edition

[Wycoff]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Btw, nice pick up by the Jets for Kimo von Oelhoffen.

Kimo may be old, but he is a great 3-4 DE. He gave Walter Jones all he could handle in the Super Bowl. I would have like to have seen him stay in Pittsburgh, but I don't blame him for leaving. $9+ million for a 35 year old DE is a great deal for him.

[Imran Siddiqui]

That, and the fact he spent almost all of his college career in the shotgun, means there is going to have to be some serious tweaking with Vince Young. That may scare teams away.

[pchang]

Originally posted by snoopy369
I'm just hypothesizing, but wouldn't that allow for a quick release (ie, snap and throw)? Left foot back means catch the snap, step forward with the left foot while throwing; while right foot back means you have to take one extra step if you want to be throwing naturally.

I'd definitely take Young over Leinart.

Actually, as a right hander, if you take a shotgun snap with your right foot back, you are already planted and can throw immediately without moving your feet at all. However, unless you are already facing your target, you should step towards the direction of the throw with your left foot. This is a much quicker release than taking the snap with your left foot back. Having the left foot back would only help if you anticipated that your first move would be to dodge or sidestep a pass rusher before throwing. This might not be such a bad choice for a high pick because most likely, his offensive line will be poor and he will be running for his life.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Willie McGinest signs with Cleveland. Looks like the Browns hire of Crennel pays off.

[asleepathewheel]

NFLPA votes to suspend agent Carl Poston for two years

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/

no arcticle that I've seen, just the headline.

[Lord Avalon]

ESPN link on Carl Poston
Edit: Arrington claims Redskins agreed orally to $6.5M bonus, which didn't make it into the contract.

[-Jrabbit]

Some QB News...

Chris Mortensen, of ESPN.com, reports Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre has told the Packers' front office to become more active in free agency and he will return to the team.

The NFL Network reports the New Orleans Saints have released QB Aaron Brooks, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Tom Kowalski, of mLive.com, reports Detroit Lions QB Joey Harrington has told the Lions' front office and coaching staff that he does not want to play in Detroit. The Lions have been in talks with free agent QB Josh McCown (Cardinals), which could allow the team to move Harrington.

Quarterback Injury Updates

Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban said that the team hopes to have QB Daunte Culpepper (knee) ready for the 2006 regular season opener. "We're going to manage that on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis, working in conjunction with the doctors, his physical therapist, our people," said Saban. "I don't think it's an unrealistic circumstance to think that there's a great possibility that he will, but we're going to work through it and at no time and under no circumstance will we put him at risk of re-injury because he's not ready to be there."

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees (shoulder) said Wednesday, March 15, he hopes to be able to throw by mid- to late-April. Brees added that he has no concern that he will be ready by training camp and available to participate in preseason games.

[Lord Avalon]

Wassamatta, Joey can't stand some competition?

Well, perhaps he'll do better with a fresh start somewhere else. He probably wouldn't have had the full support of the locker room, given his failure to produce so far. Dre Bly publicly cut him off at the knees last season.

I'm not convinced he can be a starter in the league. I have some friends who think he sucks. I expected more from him last year, but it's hard to have good numbers if your OL can't block for sh!t. I thought maybe Martz's system would be better for him than the West Coast offense, but I guess we'll never know.

[Imran Siddiqui]

McCown would be a far better starter than Harrington.

[-Jrabbit]

I can just feel the Bears waiting, waiting, waiting...
then signing whoever's left over and claiming he was their target all along...

[Imran Siddiqui]

And the Bears target was.... Dez White?

[OzzyKP]

Damn, the new coaches really seemed prepared to work with Joey and build an offense around him instead of trying to force him into an offense. Now he splits. Ugh.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Lions sign Josh McCown from the Cards. This could mean that Harrington is gone. Kitna and McCown can battle it out as starter (Jeff Garcia signed on with Philly to back up McNabb).

[OzzyKP]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060316/SPORTS01/603160521/1048/SPORTS

ON THE OUTS: Harrington could be near the end as Lions' QB

HIS BEEF: Criticism, little support takes its toll

The Joey Harrington era could be about to end.

Harrington has not closed the door on Detroit, but he has serious reservations about returning to the Lions and whether he stays or goes should be resolved by the weekend, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.

The person declined to say if Harrington had asked to be traded or released and said the decision ultimately would be up to the Lions.

Meanwhile, the Lions remained in contact with Josh McCown even though they have agreed to a deal with Jon Kitna, three other sources said. The Lions have indicated they might sign two quarterbacks in free agency because Harrington might not be back, one of the sources said.

Another quarterback available in free agency is Brian Griese, a former star at Michigan, who spent the last two years in Tampa Bay, where Lions coach Rod Marinelli was the defensive line coach.

Griese said the Lions had contacted his agent, Ralph Cindrich, early in free agency but not since they signed Kitna. He said Cindrich was negotiating with a couple of teams, including the Buccaneers.

"I've always had a lot of respect for Rod, and if they have interest in me, I would love to go up there and see what the interest is," Griese said.

The person with knowledge of the Harrington situation said the issue isn't with the front office. Harrington has a good relationship with president Matt Millen.

The issue isn't with the new coaching staff. Marinelli and offensive coordinator Mike Martz have made good impressions on Harrington, and Harrington and Martz did not clash when Martz held "quarterback school" at Lions headquarters last week.

The issue isn't with the Lions' signing of Kitna or their telling Kitna he would compete for the starting job. Harrington expected the Lions to bring in a solid veteran to replace last season's backup, Jeff Garcia, and he expected competition.

The issue is with the environment. Harrington has handled a lot of abuse in his four years with the Lions. The Lions drafted him third overall in 2002, he has gone 18-37 as a starter and he has taken shots from fans, media and even teammates. When cornerback Dre' Bly blamed him for the firing of coach Steve Mariucci last season, that might have been a breaking point. Harrington isn't sure the Lions have the team chemistry to succeed.

Harrington might want a fresh start somewhere else, even though it's highly unlikely he will get the same money and probably won't get the same opportunity to start. He is due a $4-million roster bonus June 15, and his base salary for 2006 is scheduled to be $4.45 million. Millen said Feb. 21 the Lions were operating as if Harrington would be their starter.

There has been talk of restructuring Harrington's contract. It's possible that could happen to facilitate his trade or release, saving the Lions the cap hit if they cut him under his current contract, allowing Harrington to leave.

Harrington could not be reached for comment. He is on vacation in Thailand, another source said. But late last season and after last season, he said he had mixed emotions about coming back to Detroit.

"I know that there will be a place for me if it's not here," Harrington said Jan. 2. "Part of me really wants to stay, but part of me wants to start over somewhere. It's been a rough four years, and not just the losing but everything off the field I've had to deal with as well. ...

"For me, green grass isn't money. Green grass isn't big numbers and offensive power. Green grass is being wanted. Green grass is being part of a team that works well together and part of a city that is proud to support their team. ...

"If I'm not here, it's not going to be a money decision. It's not going to be a starting position. I wouldn't necessarily leave -- if it was my choice -- to go start somewhere else. I would go somewhere to be valued. If a head coach said to me, 'You know what? We think you're the best No. 2 quarterback in this league, and we value you as that,' that may be good enough for me."

The Lions denied requests to interview Millen, Marinelli and Martz. But all three have spoken positively about Harrington the past two months.

"I think that we do like him, and I think that he will be our guy, and that's the way we're going to approach it," Millen said Feb. 21.

"We're going to approach it that Harrington's our starter, and we move forward on that, and we coach the heck out of him, and we get him into the system, and we start the process. ...

"If he wasn't wanted, he wouldn't be here. I'm not worried about that."

Harrington's agent, David Dunn, declined to comment through a spokeswoman.

Well whatever happens I still wish him the best. He's a classy guy.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Btw, I know the Falcons really haven't made many moves (though they are talking with Hopkins of Tennessee to replace Shaffer), but I'd LOVE for them to land Keyshawn Johnson. He isn't asking for much money (he says he wants to be paid what Randle El is being paid, abouts... and he's FAR better than Randle El), is a great possession reciever and is one of, if not the, best blocking WR out there.

I think it'd be a great fit. He has a big mouth, sure, but he's great on the field and apparently was fine with Parcells, who isn't the easiest person to work for.