Drew Brees or Peyton Manning: Who Dat???

So...who ya got???
Credit: Boston.com

Quarterbacks are generally the stars of their teams, so there's no real surprise why I'm coming to you from this angle (check the poll to the top right of the page).
However, it's still a fun question to ask. So we will. On our own terms, of course.
So...who do YOU think will come up bigger in Super Bowl XLIV???

No need to explain, unless you got the stones to comment. (Yeah, consider that a double-dog dare.) Just vote.

In the end, it's like choosing between Friday Night Lights' two resident hotties: Lyla Garrity (aka Mrs. Soon-to-be Jeter) or Tyra Collette. Do you really lose either way?

Tyra or Lyla??? In the end, you can't lose.
Credit: NBC.com

Minka or Adrianne???
Man, this decision may be the tougher one than deciding between two MVP-caliber quarterbacks.
Minka or Adrianne???
Hmmm.

Time to dwell on that one a little longer...

Four Identities

Interesting take right HERE on the perceptions of whom CBS is rooting for. Any conspiracy theorists will find this all-too-juicy. All this is juicer.

While there may be different names, jersey numbers, or unsung heroes who rise to acclaim, here are the four names the media is immediately prepared to sell Super Bowl week.

Indianapolis: Peyton Manning (QB)
NY Jets: Rex Ryan (Head Coach)
New Orleans: Drew Brees (QB)
Minnesota: Adrian...oh who am I kidding? Brett Favre (QB)

However, here are the four names you might want to be singing instead. For their difference-making abilities are criminally unsung.

Indianapolis Colts

Jeff Saturday, despite the juxtaposition of this picture, is an all-too-forgotten staple in the decade-long run of the Colts. Calling out formations and MIKES, even before King Peyton at times, is just a part of the reason why he anchors this underrated offensive line to continued success. With a guy named Pouha lining up in front of him, Saturday won't make the mistake of breathing easy that Kris Jenkins isn't lining up this weekend. Jets fans (ahem) know that smacking around Peyton will only happen if his veteran center fails to keep things in order on the offensive line.

New York Jets

Alan Faneca was one of the biggest free agent fishes in the 2008 summer class. While 30-year old Pittsburgh Steelers who play the offensive line don't get much acclaim, he's perhaps the best guard the game has seen this decade. He's surrounded by Pro Bowlers and All Pros named Ferguson and Mangold, who owe a lot to Faneca for their continued steady play and recent "offensive line" stardom. Sometimes landing the best free agent, not just the biggest name, is the coup a GM needs to build and reputation and, of course, a winning football team.

New Orleans Saints

You want to beat quarterbacks like Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and even (gasp) Mark Sanchez...put constant pressure on them. Hit them in the mouth - with or without the football - and make them think twice about standing tall in the pocket. Take their trusted offensive lineman and turn him into a giant question mark that annoys the quarterback like no other that Sunday afternoon. While the name Will Smith immediately conjures up anything but a 13-sack defensive end; nevertheless, this man will need to have a personal meeting (or 3) with Favre on Sunday, in order to let the aggressive Saint secondary make enough plays to allow their own QB enough possessions to put up the points necessary to secure the franchise's first ever Super Bowl appearance. What a run-on sentence that was!

Minnesota Vikings

We'll try to ignore that Favre-guy. (Trust me, it won't be too hard.) I'll stay away from Sidney Rice's emergence, Percy Harvin's migraines, and McKinnie memories triggering the Love Boat theme song. The Vikings, long before the 40-year old Golden Boy (dang!) and A.D. (or should it be A.P.) racked up double-digit touchdowns with relative ease, had a suffocating run defense and two interior lineman NOBODY wanted to see. They're All Pro-talent standing right next to each other. Scary, huh? Good thing the Saints rush to the outside quite a bit. Or is it? Eventually, you gotta test these guys. Unfortunately for you, Kevin and Pat Williams don't like losing the battle in the middle of the interior line.

A few more names are sure to pop up. I didn't even mention Revis Island...until now.

What names do you think will be mentioned more often than most might expect???

InClement Weather: Preseason Musings

If you disagree or want to add a comment, show the stones and DO IT!!! Tweet tweet.
Oh yeah, check out the new poll!!!

1) Don't get too hyped on the Saints and their rather spectacular preseason thus far. It's still the defense you've come to know and love...to give up big time points to rather mediocre opponents.

Kudos to Brees though on chillin' with Carlton Banks.
Credit: TheEverAstoundingAndAmazingGoogleImageSearch

2) Tom Brady won't be missing any time due to this shoulder "issue/injury". However, he might have some durability issues by week 10 this season that could be quite alarming. Good thing he avoids Haynesworth for the rest of the season.

3) Laurence Maroney s-s-s-sucks. Big time. Sammy Morris is the most talented back on that roster.

4) Mark Sanchez nor Matthew Stafford needs to be compared to Joe Flacco, in terms of team success this season. Both are better overall QBs than Flacco though. ESPN has OVERrated the Delaware product a little too much as of late.

5) I can't describe how much better Gruden is in the booth than Kornheiser. Memo to Tony, stick to PTI and far far away from the commentator's booth.

6) Tony Dungy is going to be missed BIG time. Jim Caldwell won't be the head coach in Indy in 2-3 seasons. In fact, Indianapolis will struggle to eclipse 9 wins with Caldwell at the helm.

7) LaDanian Tomlinson has one season to cement his status as an all-time great at running back. Good luck, LT.

8) Lito Sheppard better be ready for a LOOOOOONG season opposite Darrelle Revis. He's going to hate dealing with a lot of talented #2 options (Welker, Galloway, Evans, etc.).

9) I don't like Jared Allen and I never will. I just wanted to let that be known.

10) Anyone who thinks Minnesota, especially in that locker room, is better off with Tarvaris Jackson...is an idiot. Sage might be a (slightly) different story. This team is wasting Adrian Peterson in his prime as the top back in the NFL.

Tweet tweet.
Oh yeah, check out the new poll!!!

NFL SWOT Analysis: NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

Strengths – This is a great offense that came into its own last year once they settled their QB and coaching situation. Matt Ryan and Roddy White formed an elite QB-WR combination. Michael Jenkins finally showed that he can be a decent #2 WR. Michael Turner played like an MVP while his backup, Jerious Norwood became one of the most underrated RB2’s in the league. The young offensive line gelled under Todd McClure’s leadership. Add to all of that, the arrival of Tony Gonzalez, and this offense has all the pieces to be a top 3 offense. Gonzalez should be a huge help to Matt Ryan avoiding a sophomore slump.

Weaknesses – Most, if not all, of the questions reside on the defensive side of the ball. This team boasts some of the weakest CBs in the league. Chris Houston has to step up and fulfill his vast potential. He can’t play like he has Deion’s coverage reputation, without building that reputation first. The defensive line was abused last year and they chose to address that with a sub-300 pound DT. Losing Michael Boley was a blow which was not fully addressed with the Mike Peterson signing.

Opportunities – Trey Lewis could end up with a lot of playing time as he is the only DT on the club who is worthy of getting playing time and also has some true run-stopping girth. He seemed to take a slight step backwards last season, but if he can return to the promise he showed as a rookie, he could be a lifeline for the D-Line.

Threats – Michael Turner cannot expect to last long if he carries as much of a load as he did last season. A large chunk of his running style is the kind that shortens a RBs career. Outside of Jonathan Abraham, the front seven lacks the speed on the outside positions to contain a spread offense. At the same time it has the lack of size in the middle to stop the power running games. With the loss of Harry Douglas as the WR3, will the Falcons get production out of newly signed Robert Ferguson and Marty Booker.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Eventually, this season, John Abraham will pass his aura as the defensive leader to Curtis Lofton, as long as Lofton can keep from having lapses. This may be early, but it's as close a thing to a potential torch-passing they have.

Position Battle - CB: Chris Houston vs. Chevis Jackson. Houston should win it hands down, but Jackson will make a push. Brent Grimes might be in the mix too.

Rookie Contributor – DT Peria Jerry will probably start from Day 1. He needs to prove he can take a beating. He runs about 299 pounds and will play alongside Jonathan Babineaux who is even lighter. Before William Moore got hurt (which might take him out of the early part of the season), he had a chance to push Coleman and DeCoud.

Carolina Panthers

Strengths – DeAngelo Williams was a pleasant surprise last season. He looked dominant at times. Teaming him up in a “Lightening/Thunder” combination with Jonathan Stewart is a lethal combo for any defense. Stewart had flashes last season showing he could be a starting back. Teams with RB situations like this tend to thrive late into the year. To give them a boost, the Panthers have a strong O-Line made for run blocking. The group is made up of a nice mix of veterans and youngsters. LT Jordan Gross will lead the way again, with C Ryan Kalil and RT Jeff Otah ready to take a step up the ladder this year.

Weaknesses – The Defensive line was already lacking a decent bookend for Julius Peppers, but received the next biggest blow to losing Peppers for the year. They lost Ma’ake Kemoeatu to an achilles tear. Kemoeatu was an unsung cog of the line last year, tying up extra blockers. Now the team must turn to Nick Hayden and rookie Corey Irvin to fill in. Adding a veteran DT could be a solution.

Opportunities – Damione Lewis has a shot to prove why he was worthy of a 1^st round pick years ago by the Rams. He may have a long year ahead of him, but the coaches will know his true value in the absence of Kemoeatu. Charles Godfrey is in his second year as the starting FS, and can take this opportunity to take the reigns on the DB calls. As a former CB, his coverage skills can provide the extra support for when Chris Harris wants to roam near the line.

Threats – Jake Delhomme’s targets outside of Steve Smith are not impressive. If Delhomme falters early, due to a lack of good targets, will the fans start chanting Josh McCown’s name? Losing Geoff Hangartner and Frank Omiyale to free agency leaves the team with very little depth on the offensive line. One injury can put that line in a bad place. Jon Beason could be the biggest loser in the Kemoeatu injury. He may have to deal with blockers that were previously tied up by the big guy.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Not many changing hands here. Closest would be Richard Marshall finally stepping into a full time starting role, now that Ken Lucas is elsewhere. This was somewhat in effect last year, but will be interesting to see if he takes a step up or down this year.

Position Battle – DE: Tyler Brayton vs. Charles Johnson (maybe vs. Everette Brown). The left DE spot should be wide open for these two to compete. Everette Brown is entrenched behind Peppers, but if he’s the best pass rusher of the three, he needs to be out there on passing downs opposite Peppers.

Rookie Contributor – DT Corey Irvin looks to be part of the DT rotation now. With the lack of O-Line depth, Duke Robinson could see some snaps. However, there is a Dark Horse. RB Mike Goodson has the coaches intrigued, and could get a few carries. You can’t keep that kind of talent off the field.

New Orleans Saints

Strengths – This was one of the best offenses in the league last season. There is no reason to think it won’t continue that this season. Drew Brees could have the MVP award in his sights. He proved last year that he has no problem posting huge numbers while spreading the ball around. The offensive line lacks big names, but plays well together and keeps Brees off his back.

Weaknesses – The defense has been a weakness of this team for years. They are almost like a 6-pack. They have all the pieces in place, but lack that little plastic thingy that holds it all together. There is very little depth in the front seven. This came to light with last year’s absences. They can only really afford one injury at DE.

Opportunities – Could the passing attack get even better with a healthy Colston around all year? Sedrick Ellis had some flashes of brilliance last season. Could he become the stud DT that this defense has desperately been missing? Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams likes to bring the rush from multiple areas of the defense. The current set of DBs possess some physical attributes that makes them great candidates to rush off the edge. Will they put this defense over the top?

Threats – Will Reggie Bush’s knees become an issue? Pierre Thomas is the starting RB, and an underrated one at that. But, Bush is the home-run threat that keeps defenses honest, allowing the offense to open up.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Darren Sharper, from VACANT, as the QB of the defense. Sharper could prove to be one of those missing cogs that this defense needs to put it over the top. If Sharper doesn’t show his age, this is within reach. If he does, look for Malcolm Jenkins to proceed to take the torch from Sharper.

Position Battle – CB: Randall Gay vs. Jason David vs. Jabari Greer. Gay should have the spot locked up, but Gregg Williams apparently really likes Jabari Greer. Jason David is in the mix, but still has a lot to prove, as he never really fulfilled the potential the team thought it was bringing in.

Rookie Contributor – Malcolm Jenkins and SS Chip Vaughn are the rookies with any chance of getting playing time. They may end up only getting spot duty and special teams work, but both are an injury (or poor play) away from starting.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Strengths – Can someone tell me where this offensive line came from? LT Donald Penn came out of nowhere and proved to be a good pass blocker. RT Jeremy Trueblood plays with heart (and sometimes too much, leading to on field fights). RG Davin Joseph is a stud. Jeff Faine has proven to be a great addition. At LG, Arron Sears’s career may be in jeopardy, but Jeremy Zuttah deserved a shot at a starting job anyway. The team might have a bunch of no-namers now, but the talent of this defense is still at LB. The LB corps run deep and boast a lot of speed. They will be led by Angelo Crowell and Barrett Ruud.

Weaknesses – This D-Line does not resemble a Monte Kiffin D-Line. The talent is lacking in a big way, especially at defensive end. Outside of Antonio Bryant, the WRs need to step it up, because they haven’t proven anything, and need to give the rookie QB some nice targets. Dexter Jackson has been talked up this off-season, but that’s about it. Can Michael Clayton ever regain rookie form?

Opportunities – Aqib Talib looked great on the field last season (ahem…ON the field). He could put himself into position to take on #1 WRs this year. Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli boast a lot of potential going into their third years with the club. We could see them manning the middle of the D-Backfield for years.

Threats – Are the RBs as good as their hype? Ward looked great in New York, but was playing for a contract. He also doesn’t have Jacobs, and almost more importantly, Bradshaw to team up with. Earnest Graham is decent, and had a good year two years ago, but which Graham will show up this year. Cadillac Williams is a wild card, but cannot be counted on. Kellen Winslow could be a great addition for Josh Freeman to use as a safety valve, or he can continue to be a head-case. Apparently, one Bucs coach has made a comment about the latter.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Weak-side LB Jermaine Phillips moves over from safety to take the torch from departed defensive leader Derrick Brooks. This is the playmaking position of the defense. The front-seven is schemed in a way to open this position up to make a lot of plays.

Position Battle – QB: Josh Freeman vs. Byron Leftwich. The strong-armed (almost Flacco-ish) rookie versus Roethlisburger’s capable fill-in.

Rookie Contributor – Obviously Freeman, if he lands the starting gig. However, don’t rule out DT Roy Miller and DE Kyle Moore. There will be plenty off opportunity for playing time on that D-Line.

Clement’s Weekly Picks & Prognostications…Week 13

13 weeks and there are 5 questions you have to ask yourself this time of the season:

1) Is my team in the playoff hunt?
2) Is my fantasy team contending for the regular season championship?
3) Is my favorite player healthy?
4) What is the odds on Super Bowl?
5) Where in the standings are the team(s) I hate the most?

Unfortunately, several people have negative answers for all of them.
To you, I say…stop rooting for the Lions and drafting them in fantasy football.

Let’s roll on towards our push for 40 correct picks before Week 15.

Ike Taylor will need more than motivation from head coach Mike Tomlin come Sunday.
Mission: Cover Randy Moss
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

…Turkey Day results included…
NFL Picks: 35-19 (With prospective, my Iggles prediction was a little crazy.)
Upset Special: 9-10 (This isn’t the ‘Year of the Upset’.)

…Sportsbetting.com gets the honors (but don’t bet!)…

Indianapolis Colts @ Cleveland Browns (+4.5)
Not sure what the Colts did to keep this game under a touchdown spread; however, I’m not buying for one second that Peyton and co. will have to squeak this one out. Derek Anderson is going to be a well paid backup next season. Colts win BIG.

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-4)
Never rely on the ‘Aints. The Bucs are quietly becoming one of the more solid teams in the NFC this past month. Nevertheless – even though I’m picking them to cover this week – who doesn’t believe this is the team you want to play come playoff time.

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers (-3)
Two tricky teams for me all season, I’ll take the Pack at home to be a little more desperate than the Panthers. I also don’t trust Carolina on the road. Memo to the Pack: run run run with Ryan Grant. Preferably away from Julius Peppers.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots (-1)
Just about a pick’em game, this is the type of game the experts love to avoid. NOT ME! While Roethlisberger can pick apart the Patriot secondary, I’m looking at another Pro Bowl Steeler – Troy Polamalu – to make the plays this team needs to win. He will. Steelers win a brutally tough road game. Somehow, someway.

Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings (-3)
Major game in the NFC North as 7-5 might be the driver’s seat to a title (especially with a Pack loss earlier in the day). As much as I love Matt Forte’s impact with da Bears, I’m taking Apete at home to break off a big run or five against a Jekyl and Hyde defense from Chicago.

Ten Fantasy Insights this Weekend
1) There were a TON of major fantasy plays this weekend, especially Warner/Romo/TO/Westbrook/McNabb/Titan RBs/Calvin Johnson/Cardinal WRs/Marion Barber III/anyone else I didn’t mention. Thursday may have impacted fantasy games more than Sunday.
2) For all of you who picked up Shaun Alexander after the Skins signed him…ha ha.
3) Kevin Walter may catch 10 TDs this season. AJ…5 or less. Wow.
4) Don’t start Zach Miller. He’s still a Raider.
5) Tyler Thigpen had the ’09 KC QB job before the turnover-fest began last week.
6) When do we get a Peyton Manning/Greg Oden commercial?
7) Chester Taylor is worth a flex start.
8) Jabar Gaffney is not.
9) Santonio Holmes is a risky play if you need a TD out of your receiver badly this week.
10) How many of you sat Brian Westbrook??? Ouch.

See you next week!!!

Tuesday FourCast: Week 5

With a quarter of the season down the chute, we expected trends to start developing and performances to begin normalizing. Did we see that in Week 5? Nope. That said, here’s the Week 5 FourCast …

#1. The Washington Redskins Are For Real (and in October, not March)
Being from the Washington area, I am accustomed to hearing fans celebrating … in the month of March whenever a free agent is signed or whenever the team trades for a high-profile player. For years, I would mock Redskins fans and dub them the “Super Bowl Champions … of March”. In the last couple of seasons, the Redskins organization has discovered this thing called continuity and see that there’s some value. In spite of a new offensive system brought by a new coach, Jason Campbell’s millionth (seventh, actually) since he earned his high school diploma, the organization kept many of its coaches and players in place. They even had draft picks, one of which – Chris Horton – was defensive rookie for the month of September. The only return to business as usual for the Redskins was a trade for perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Taylor; however, many, including myself, would argue that it was necessitated by season-ending injuries to two defensive ends on the same day in training camp and that it was not a move made by Dan Snyder for the sake of catching headlines. Since the nationally televised debacle against the New York Giants, Washington has rattled off four straight victories – two in succession at Dallas and Philadelphia. More importantly, the Redskins #6 offense (351.2 yards per game) has not given away the ball over nearly a third through the season and the defense has forced seven turnovers. Moving forward, the onus will be on head coach Jim Zorn to prepare his team for the next three games, in which the Redskins are expected to be favorites.

#2. Please Relegate the Detroit Lions
I don’t even want to call it football. That’s not what the Lions play. This team (a contradiction in terms, I know) has zero pride. If they had any, they would not fold like a lawn chair every time they stopped onto the field. I have and will continue to call the 11 (and sometimes, 12) people who stand on the field at the same time as their opponents’ offense a “Pop Warner Defense”.

Knowing this, I humbly request that the NFL relegates the Detroit Lions organization to either NFL Europe or the Arena League (or even, the CFL – they are close enough to Canada to become the Windsor Lions). My only requests for the promoted team is (a) that they have a cool name and (b) play as close or closer to the north as the Arizona Cardinals were to the east.

#3. Not Sold on Pittsburgh as a Contender
If you had an opportunity to watch Pittsburgh’s 26-21 victory at Jacksonville, then you are more likely to consider Ben Roethlisberger as one of the game’s best. After throwing a pick six to … you guessed, Rashean Mathis, Roethlisberger was undeterred in his pursuit to win and made plays all throughout the season despite lacking his top three running backs and a cohesive offensive line. Though Big Ben had a gymnast’s dexterity whenever the game hinged on his performance and the defense was impenetrable for much of the game, I am not sold on Pittsburgh’s ability to make a sustained run in the AFC. Despite playing in what many thought was the NFL’s weakest division prior to the season, the Steelers have required heroics to win the last two weeks and are another Big Ben body blow away from missing valuable snaps. Additionally, Pittsburgh is only 20th in rushing yards per game, a far cry from their #3 rank last season.

#4. Awkward Games Are This Season’s Calling Card
Anyone who watched last night’s Minnesota/New Orleans game or watched the highlights know that this was an awkward. It’s not every day that you see a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown, a halfback pass for a score and two punt returns taken to the house (Craig Kluwe is so cut and gets the “Durant Brooks Award” for kicking two low line drives to Reggie Bush in succession after one was already returned for a score).

However, awkward games have been this season’s calling card. Less than thirty hours before the Monday Night game, Indianapolis was down three scores to Houston with less than five minutes to go. I’ll spare you the highlights, because all of our readers have already seen the meltdown and know that Indy has been given a lifeline. As a rule of thumb moving forward, any game involving New Orleans, Denver, Reliant Stadium, Minnesota (against real NFL teams only), Ed Hochuli’s crew, the Wildcat formation and the desert have an elevated awkwardness rating. Let’s call it “Code Orange”.

The Code Orange games for Week 6 include the following:
* Oakland @ New Orleans. The Saints will either lose and give up a 1.5 yards per carry against the Raiders or win and give up 400+ yards of total offense.

* Miami @ Houston. This is actually Code Red due to two factors being satisfied. If Hochuli does this game, we have a trifecta.

* Jacksonville @ Denver. The Broncos can easily win despite giving up 8 yards per carry and 80 yards to three Jags backs. Good luck tackling David Garrard.

* Dallas @ Arizona. Bizarre things happen in the desert. The quicker you accept this fundamental verity, the better you can handle the consequences. Last week, no one knew why the Cardinals were 1-point favorites against then-undefeated Buffalo (I picked them only because I had to for my pick ‘em league) despite not having the services of top-flight wide receiver Anquan Boldin and they won by 24.

5 NFL Questions – Week 1

1. How will the Pittsburgh O-Line deal with LWOF (Life Without Faneca)?
2. Which off-the-radar road underdog(s) will shock us and make us think twice about writing them off as playoff contenders before the season started?
3. Which rookie not drafted in the 1st round will make his mark?
4. Which QB with less than 20 NFL starts will have the best week?
5. Will the new-look Saints defense be able to stifle the injury-riddled Bucs?

Free Agency: 5 Questions You Might Not Have Considered

There have been more than enough offseason moves since last Friday including:

-Derek Anderson inking a 3-year deal with the Browns.
-Asante Samuel bolting for the NFC and the Philadelphia Eagles for record-CB money.
-Pittsburgh’s former OG Alan Faneca signing the richest contract for an offensive lineman in history with the New York Jets.
-San Francisco making another big-money addition to their defense via DE Justin Smith.
-Randy Moss re-inking with the Patriots, apparently at a discounted price, for 3 years at $27 million.

Forget salary cap-crunching, franchise tags, restrictions on free agents and guaranteed money. As hard as that is, let’s dissect some of the not-so-obvious moves made this offseason.

And no, we don’t mean the ludicrous contract Oakland gave DE/DT Tommy Kelly (fresh off an ACL tear, no less).

Does Walker's departure give Oakland the AFC West's top wideout?
Credit: FootballForum.com

#5. The New York Jets sign FB Tony Richardson

Comment: Honestly, do even 50% of NFL teams utilize true fullbacks? Lacking any consistency in the position (and playing time for Darian Barnes at all this season), this 1-year pickup may speak to the Jets throwing the ball more. While the Jets have been ripped in the media for spending like the Skins of years past, it’s obvious the team wants to return to the 10-6 days, rather then slowly rebuild from 4-12 this past season.

Draft Implications: This signing also opens up questions as to what the Jets may do if faced with Darren McFadden being available at the 6^th pick. My advice: trade the pick, select Rashard Mendenhall and use the 2^nd- or 3^rd-rounders on help for the secondary.

#4. The Oakland Raiders sign WR Javon Walker

Comment: Mammoth contracts for Tommy Kelly (sorry, I had to mention it again) and former Giants safety Gibril Wilson may have gotten the majority of the coverage early; however, Walker’s massive 6-year deal raises just as many questions. No longer restrained by the malcontent duo of Randy Moss/Jerry Porter, the Oakland front office landed last year’s #1 pick JaMarcus Russell and a top-flight wideout (when healthy). The good news is that before Walker’s season-long injuries began in Week 3, he appeared as if he’d be productive in his second straight season in Denver. A season removed from the tragic death of Darrent Williams – as well as a change of location – may do Walker more than good.

Draft Implications: Six months ago, even I thought California WR DeSean Jackson was too good to be true in Oakland. Now, the Raiders may have to decide on passing up on Heisman-runner up Darren McFadden or adding to their interior pass rush with the 4^th overall selection. Walker’s addition to the offense may turn the front office to seek added protection for Russell…or perhaps a game-breaking RB to open up play-action passes downfield.

#3. The Jacksonville Jaguars acquire WR Troy Williamson and sign WR Jerry Porter

Comment: With WR Ernest Wilford in Miami and rumors abound surrounding a trade of Matt Jones on or near draft day, the Jags receiving corps is getting a complete makeover. Fortunately, redzone favorite Reggie Williams is around and Dennis Northcutt (costly drops in playoff games withstanding) is a savvy veteran every roster needs. After trading for former 7^th overall pick, a definitive bust to this point, Troy Williamson for one free music download on iTunes (okay, it was for a 6^th rounder), the Jags have almost nothing to lose on a player with blazing speed AND a bad case of the dropsies. As for Jerry Porter, he may be the biggest wild card in free agency this season. Carrying a back-loaded contract, Porter has All-Pro talent yet has lacked professionalism. While Porter isn’t likely to put up post-Raider Moss numbers, he might be talented enough to take this offense to the next level.

#2. The Washington Redskins re-sign backup QB Todd Collins

Comment: Jason Campbell should be 100% when mini-camp rolls around this June. That’s good news as new head coach Jim Zorn (never an offensive coordinator before being hired to do so in Washington for around 2 ½ weeks) has big plans for the big-armed QB. An even wiser move was locking up the 38 years young Collins as a backup for the next three seasons. Leading the Skins to four wins in their final four games, Collins proved he’s capable of making the throws necessary for this offense to move the ball downfield. What becomes most interesting is a scenario in which the Skins struggle out of the gates, does Campbell have a shorter leash than expected? Or, was Collins simply brought in to be one of the league’s best insurance policies.

#1. The New Orleans Saints sign CB Randall Gay and acquire ILB Jonathan Vilma

Comment: It’s too early to write off last year’s top acquisition CB Jason David from then-Super Bowl champion Indianapolis. If last year was any indication, David is much better suited in the nickel corner role. At inside linebacker, the Saints have tried their best to fill the position with good guy, overachiever types. Enter Vilma, who is recovering from a serious (and potentially lingering) knee injury, who will be ecstatic to prove the doubters in New York wrong as he returns to his forte 4-3 scheme. As for Gay, many feel he was simply a system-defender and many remember him being burned by a double-move from Super Bowl champion wideout Plaxico “Guarantee” Burress (I love saying that, by the way).

Draft Implications: Suddenly, the Saints are left with plenty of options with the 11^th pick in this year’s draft. Some might have thought their initial targets might have been at either linebacker (e.g. Keith Rivers) or cornerback (Aqib Talib, Mike Jenkins, or even Dominique Cromartie-Rodgers). Yet, they appear to be in the position to go after the “best player available” on their board. All in all, this is not a bad luxury to have with the 11^th pick overall.

Which moves are you most excited or disappointed about? Did any teams seriously drop the ball or move quietly through the first-week frenzy to your delight?

Until next time