NFL Mailbag: Free Agents, Hot Seats and Aaron Curry Man Love

Send your NFL questions (along with your name and location) to NFLFanHouse@gmail.com. Each Thursday, we'll answer the best -- or, if nothing else, most entertaining -- in our NFL Mailbag.

Excluding Brett Favre, which remaining free agent can play the biggest role in 2009?

The easy answer (INCLUDING Brett Favre!!) is Plaxico Burress. He's a high-ceiling, high-impact wide receiver. You saw the way the Giants' offense missed him at the end of 2008, and we've seen a handful of teams express interest in him -- even though nobody knows if he's going to play in 2009. If he is allowed to play, he's your answer. But it looks increasingly likely that he'll be suspended for at least part of the season, if not all. So in the non-Burress division, I have three veterans who could make an interesting impact in the right situation:

(1) Edgerrin James, if Brian Westbrook has trouble in his recovery in Philadelphia, could get a lot of carries there and help tutor LeSean McCoy if he's so inclined; (2) Kevin Carter, who looks like a lock to sign with Detroit, would be a three-down player with the Lions, starting at defensive end and moving inside on passing downs; and (3) Derrick Brooks, an all-time great defensive leader who, if put into the right situation, could be as valuable a guy in the locker room as he is on the field. Kind of amazing nobody's thought Brooks and his resume were worth a shot yet.

Will Brandon Marshall be a Bronco when the season starts?

If I had to bet, I'd say yes, for two reasons. First, none of these these grouchy, whiny wide receivers who supposedly want out right now are getting their way. There's nowhere for the Cardinals to send Anquan Boldin, nowhere for the Bengals to send Chad Ochocinco, etc. There are too many receivers who want trades and too few teams willing to give up what it takes to get them. Too much supply, not enough demand. The second reason is that the Broncos would be sending a horrible signal to their own players, as well as players throughout the league. Having already dealt unhappy QB Jay Cutler, they'd effectively be letting everybody know that, if you play for the Broncos, you can demand a trade and expect to get one whether it's the right thing for the organization or not.

Jason Campbell's the fourth-best quarterback in the NFC East, right? Can he ever be a Super Bowl QB with the Redskins?

Yes, he's the fourth-best QB in the NFC East, but there's no shame in that. The NFC East is a killer division, and Manning, McNabb and Romo are tough company. But to the second part of the question, I just don't agree with people who would write off Campbell at this point in his career. This will be the first year in which he has the same head coach and offensive coordinator he had the year before. He's got the arm. He doesn't throw interceptions. The Redskins have a good enough running game that they're not asking him to do it all. He's a 27-year-old former first-round pick in his fourth season. There's no reason to think it's over, and there are several reasons to think this is the year he takes a step forward and makes the Redskins feel silly for trying to upgrade at the position all winter.

What coach will be the first one fired in 2009? Is anyone in dire need of a good start?

Wade Phillips can't afford a bad start in Dallas -- he's in the final year of his contract, supposedly rid of his most divisive player and employed by a crazy man. If the Cowboys stumble through the first half of the season (a strong possibility, given the quality of their division), Phillips could be the first coach out. The other candidate for that honor is Dick Jauron in Buffalo. It was kind of a surprise he wasn't fired at the end of last season, and if Terrell Owens doesn't help immediately, he could be in trouble as well. Brad Childress in Minnesota and Norv Turner in San Diego also need to make some good things happen this year, or either could find himself replaced by somebody like Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher or Mike Holmgren. Don't think it helps these guys on the hot seat that so many coaches with Super Bowl titles on their resumes are out there unemployed.

Is Aaron Curry a lock for Defensive Rookie of the Year, or will someone else give him a run for his money?

Whoever submitted this question is messing with me, knowing I'm a huge Curry fan and of course favor him for Defensive Rookie of the Year. I still think he should have been the first pick in the draft, because I'm kind of kooky and I think you should always draft the best player available. Anyway, I digress. Curry is an animal and will be a better pass rusher than people are giving him credit for. But he's far from a lock. I love the chances and/or situations of, in no particular order: Brian Orakpo, Brian Cushing, Robert Ayers, Alphonso Smith and Louis Delmas. And no, Tyson Jackson is not an accidental oversight. He was a bad pick.