NFL FanHouse

Mel Kiper: 'I Was Right' on Jay Cutler, Mike Mayock Was Wrong

Michael David Smith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:39:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, NFL Draft, NFL Media Watch, NFL Video

Although ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper and NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock always say nice, pleasant, cordial things about each other, they have an undeniable rivalry. And Kiper took a bit of a swipe at Mayock on Friday morning.

Although Kiper didn't mention Mayock by name, he made comments about Bears quarterback Jay Cutler's ugly game on Thursday night that were clearly intended to serve as a reminder that Mayock was Cutler's biggest supporter prior to the 2006 NFL draft.

"I was one that was, I guess, people would say negative," Kiper said. "I could just read you what I wrote back before he came out ... a guy who was over-hyped at Senior Bowl week, over-hyped at the Combine."

Everyone who follows the draft remembers that one of the sharpest disagreements Kiper and Mayock have ever had was over Cutler. Mayock called him the best quarterback in the draft and a future NFL superstar, while Kiper was significantly less enthralled with Cutler. Mayock is the one who was hyping Cutler at the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

So now that Cutler is coming off a five-interception day, it's fun for Kiper to say "I told you so."

Of course, it's less fun when you point out that Kiper's criticisms of Cutler were based mostly on Kiper's belief that Vince Young and Matt Leinart would be better NFL quarterbacks. For as bad as Cutler looked last night, he still has more passing yards in the NFL than Young and Leinart combined. So Kiper is free to gloat all he wants, but in the Mayock vs. Kiper battle over the 2006 quarterback class,Mayock comes out on top.

Mel Kiper: 'I Was Right' on Jay Cutler, Mike Mayock Was Wrong originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darrius Heyward-Bey Can't Catch, but At Least He's Fast

Michael David Smith — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Draft

The Oakland Raiders shocked everyone this off-season when they made Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey the seventh-overall pick in the NFL draft, and gave him a contract guaranteeing him at least $23.5 million. If you're still not sure why Raiders owner Al Davis fell in love with Heyward-Bey, the explanation is contained in the above video.

We all know that Raiders owner Al Davis loves speed, and in Sunday's game against the Giants, Heyward-Bey showed just how fast he is. After Raiders running back Justin Fargas fumbled, Giants safety C.C. Brown scooped it up, and Heyward-Bey gave chase.

Brown is not a slow man, but Heyward-Bey ran him down easily: Not only did Heyward-Bey catch Brown from behind, but he actually over-ran him and ended up missing him completely. Heyward-Bey ran about 70 yards in the time it took Brown to run about 50 yards.

The play was called back because the officials ruled that Fargas's forward progress had been stopped before he dropped the ball, but the video still wonderfully illustrates what Davis loves about Heyward-Bey: He's really, really fast.

And the fact that this is the first opportunity I've had to write about Heyward-Bey this season wonderfully illustrates what a ridiculous draft choice he was: Heyward-Bey has all of two catches this season, and he's one more example of what a mess the Raiders are. But at least he's fast.

Darrius Heyward-Bey Can't Catch, but At Least He's Fast originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Tebow, NFL Safety?

Michael David Smith — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:19:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft

As I watched Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in Saturday's win over Tennessee, I became more convinced than ever that he won't be an NFL quarterback. Tebow is a great quarterback in Florida's offense, but Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin exposed real limitations, including an inability to feel pressure and a slow delivery, that just won't work in the NFL.

But Tebow can still be a very good player in the NFL -- on the other side of the ball.

The video above shows Tebow colliding with Tennessee safety Eric Berry, and although the person who posted it on YouTube labeled it as a "huge hit on Tebow," it would be more accurate to call it a huge hit by Tebow: It was Berry (one of the best players in college football) who ended up worse for wear after that collision.

And it's often the defensive player who's worse for wear after collisions with Tebow. There aren't many players in football who initiate contact more than Tebow does, and while that isn't exactly a good thing for an NFL quarterback, it's a great thing for an NFL safety.

Tebow wouldn't be the first star college quarterback to play defensive back in the NFL. Scott Frost, who led Nebraska to a national championship, had a six-year career as an NFL safety. It's a transition that makes a lot of sense for college quarterbacks who have the athletic talent but don't have the sophisticated passing ability to make it in the NFL.

Admittedly, Tebow lacks the blazing speed of the prototypical NFL defensive back and would probably be one of the slowest safeties in the NFL. But at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, he would be one of the biggest as well. On Sundays next year, we may very well see Tebow continue to use that 235-pound body to dish out the kinds of hits he delivered against Berry. He just won't be the one with the ball in his hands.

Tim Tebow, NFL Safety? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Draft Picks' Contract Statuses

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft

Offensive tackle Andre Smith became the 31st 2009 first-round draft pick to sign, coming to terms with Cincinnati. Find all the signed picks' contract details below:

NFL Draft 1st-Round Picks
No.	Team	Player	Pos.
1.	Lions	Matthew Stafford	QB
Contract: Six years, $72 million. $41.7 million guaranteed
2.	Rams	Jason Smith	OT
Contract: Six years, $62 million. $33 million guaranteed
3.	Chiefs	Tyson Jackson	DT
Contract: Five years, $57 million. $31 million guaranteed
4.	Seahawks	Aaron Curry	LB
Contract: Six years, $60 million. $34 million guaranteed
5.	Jets	Mark Sanchez	QB
Contract: Five years, $60 million. $26 million guaranteed
6.	Bengals	Andre Smith	OT
Contract: Signed, terms not disclosed
7.	Raiders	Darrius Heyward-Bey	WR
Contract: Five years, $38.5 million. $23.5 million guaranteed
8.	Jaguars	Eugene Monroe	OT
Contract: Five years, $35.4 million. $19.2 million guaranteed
9.	Packer	B.J. Raji	DT
Contract: Five years, $28 million. $18 million guaranteed
10.	49ers	Michael Crabtree	WR
Contract: Unsigned
11.	Bills	Aaron Maybin	DE
Contract: Five years, $25 million. $15 million guaranteed
12.	Broncos	Knowshon Moreno	RB
Contract: Five years, $23 million. $13 million guaranteed
13.	Redskins	Brian Orakpo	LB
Contract: Five years, $20 million. $12.1 million guaranteed
14.	Saints	Malcolm Jenkins	CB
Contract: Five years, max $19 million. $11 million guaranteed
15.	Texans	Brian Cushing	LB
Contract: Five years, $14 million. $10 million guaranteed
16.	Chargers	Larry English	LB
Contract: Five years, $13.4 million. $9.9 million guaranteed
17.	Buccaneers	Josh Freeman	QB
Contract: Five years, $36 million. $10.3 million guaranteed
18.	Broncos	Robert Ayers	DE
Contract: Five years, $15.5 million. $9.7 million guaranteed
19.	Eagles	Jeremy Maclin	WR
Contract: Five years, $15.5 million, $9.5 million guaranteed
20.	Lions	Brandon Pettigrew	TE
Contract: Five years, $14.6 million. $9.4 million guaranteed
21.	Browns	Alex Mack	C
Contract: Five years, $11.3 million. $8.9 million guaranteed
22.	Vikings	Percy Harvin	WR
Contract: Five years, $14.5 million. $8.5 million guaranteed
23.	Ravens	Michael Oher	OT
Contract: Five years, $13.795 million. $7.8 million guaranteed
24.	Falcons	Peria Jerry	DT
Contract: Five years, $13.25 million. $7.55 million guaranteed
25.	Dolphins	Vontae Davis	CB
Contract: Five years, $10.25 million. $7.4 million guaranteed
26.	Packers	Clay Matthews	LB
Contract: Five years, $10 million. $7.5 million guaranteed
27.	Colts	Donald Brown	RB
Contract: Five years, $12.835 million. $6.485 million guaranteed
28.	Bills	Eric Wood	C
Contract: Five years, $13 million. $6.5 million guaranteed
29.	Giants	Hakeem Nicks	WR
Contract: Five years, $12.54 million. $6.5 million guaranteed
30.	Titans	Kenny Britt	WR
Contract: Five years, $12.25 million. $6.5 million guaranteed
31.	Cardinals	Chris "Beanie" Wells	RB
Contract: Five years, $11.8 million, $6.3 million guaranteed
32.	Steelers	Ziggy Hood	DT
Contract: Five years, $11.3 million. $6.1 million guaranteed.

NFL Draft Picks' Contract Statuses originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andre Smith Signs, Leaving Michael Crabtree as Only Absent 1st-Round Pick

Chris Burke — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Bengals, NFL Draft

The number of unsigned 2009 first-round draft picks dwindled from two to one on Sunday, as offensive tackle Andre Smith finally agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Bengals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The No. 6 overall pick missed all of Cincinnati's training camp and the Bengals' first three preseason games. Smith is basically locked into a starting tackle spot once he gets up to speed -- his challenge now will be accelerating that process with the regular season two weeks away.

Smith's signing also means that Michael Crabtree's San Francisco mess is the lone top pick not under contract yet.

More Coverage: Draft Picks' Signing Statuses

The Bengals' standoff with Smith appeared destined to linger, as well, but after weeks of reports that the two sides were far apart in negotiations, Sunday brought on a rapid conclusion.

"We're excited to have Andre with us now," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "He has a lot of work to do, but he knows the challenge ahead of him to make an impact on our team as soon as possible. Our vision of him is simply as a physically dominating player on our offensive line, and we know that this guy wants to be very, very good."

Despite the lengthy process required to get Smith signed, the situation never outwardly regressed as Crabtree's ordeal has.

As for Crabtree, if he was trying to create an elevated market for himself, all the pieces are now in place -- with every pick signed, we'll soon know the financial details of the 31 other first-round picks. Crabtree, the 10th pick, apparently wants a deal somewhere in the vicinity of No. 7 selection Darrius Heyward-Bey, but the Niners have been very reluctant to approach Heyward-Bey's five-year, $38.25 million deal.

Smith will likely fall somewhere between the contracts given No. 2 pick Jason Smith (five years, $61.775 million) and No. 8 pick Eugene Monroe (five years, $35.4 million) -- the two offensive tackles bookending the Bengals rookie's slot.

Cincinnati's final preseason game, and Smith's probable debut, takes place Thursday when the Bengals host Indianapolis.

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Andre Smith Signs, Leaving Michael Crabtree as Only Absent 1st-Round Pick originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crabtree Aside, NFL Doesn't Need a Rookie Wage Scale

Dan Graziano — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:20:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, NFL Draft, NFL Analysis

Michael Crabtree is right and he's wrong. He's right that he should have been picked before Darrius Heyward-Bey. He's right that he's a better receiver than Heyward-Bey is, and if that's the standard you want to apply, then he's right that he should be paid more. Where he's wrong is in expecting life to be fair, and in delaying the start of his NFL career to prove a pride-based point. He got a tough break, but it's not the toughest break ever. Tenth-pick money is lots, and if Crabtree's as good as he and the rest of us think he is, he'll get the chance to prove it (and to profit from that chance).

The big-picture problem with the Crabtree situation is that it has led to renewed calls for the NFL to seek a rookie wage scale -- to push for a provision in the next collective bargaining agreement that would establish rigid and restrictive guidelines for rookie salaries based on where the players are drafted. This is an easy and simplistic solution for which to press. (Everybody can agree it seems foolish that Matthew Stafford makes more money than Tom Brady.) But the facts are that it's too easy, too simplistic and, given the current structure, totally unnecessary.

See, there already is a rookie salary cap. As the system is currently structured, each team each year is assigned a certain amount, within its salary-cap figure, that it's allotted to spend on rookies. League-wide, this figure amounts to a little less than four percent of the total amount teams are allowed to spend on player salaries under the salary cap rules. This figure is determined based on how many picks each team has and where they're located within the draft. The current system limits the amount of money teams can spend to sign their draft picks. All it fails to do is assign specific values to specific picks.

What the league and the owners want to do is to establish those specific values within that rookie cap -- "slots" for each draft pick similar to what they have in the NBA, so that the No. 10 pick, for example, would basically know what he should expect to get paid the moment he's picked.

The players' union, as new executive director DeMaurice Smith has said publicly many times, opposes this idea. And the main reason is because the only effect it would have would be to shift the blame for a situation such as Crabtree's completely to the player. If there was a slotting system in place, and the public knew what it was, then the player would effectively lose all leverage. An owner like Oakland's Al Davis screws up the whole draft by picking the wrong receiver first? Hey, don't blame the owners. The players know what they're supposed to get and if they don't sign it's their fault.

"What the rookie wage scale does is take the onus off the owners, who are the LHRC -- the lower right-hand corner of the check," union spokesman George Atallah told FanHouse in a recent phone interview. "They sign the check. It's not the union's fault that teams draft poorly and they don't pan out. Until we own a team, we're not not going to regulate how much rookies make. We just won't."

The NFLPA knew this was coming, so it recently commissioned a study of NFL team's salary-cap spending over the past two years. Atallah says the study concluded that none of the NFL's 32 teams spent its full veteran allotment in any of those years. The point, the union says, is that the idea that teams would take the money it's currently spending on rookies and give it to veterans instead is misguided.

"The Eli Manning contract shows that clearly there's money under the cap for these teams to spend on proven veterans if they want to," Atallah said. "The argument that a rookie cap would allow them to spend more money on veterans is a smokescreen, because there's already money there under the cap that's unused."

This is an important point for the union to make because it feels the league and the owners plan to use the rookie wage scale as a "wedge issue" to pit veterans against rookies and divide the union. The union (which has failed so often in the past because of its members' inability to stick together on these crucial issues) wants its members to know that the reason the owners want to spent less on rookies isn't because they want to pay their veterans more -- just that they want to spend less overall.

"It's going to be a wedge issue, because veterans obviously don't like the fact that rookies make more than they do, and we certainly acknowledge that," Atallah said.

The fear is that the easy side of the argument will carry the day -- that the numbers at the very top of the draft will overwhelm public perception in favor of the owners' position. That the fact that 256 players get drafted and the vast majority of them get contracts and signing bonuses much more in line with what veterans and the public would think rookies should make won't matter because all anybody hears is "Matthew Stafford makes more than Tom Brady." That nobody will understand that, for the majority of each year's draft picks, the first contract will be the only contract, because the average life span of an NFL career is less than four years.

A panel discussion Thursday morning on the NFL Network got the union upset when network host Rich Eisen said the current system "only helps agents" and that he didn't know "why the players' association would want to continue with this."

The union resents the idea that they should be involved at all in negotiations of contracts between owners and agents.

"When ESPN canceled 'Beg, Borrow and Deal,' Mr. Eisen didn't call a TV host union to get involved in keeping the show on air," Atallah said. "Why would we get involved with ownership in selecting, slotting or signing picks?"

They shouldn't. A rookie wage scale would be the easy way out for the owners, and it's not necessary. If they owners don't want to spend so much more on rookies than they do on veterans, they can fix it. They can draft better. They can police themselves on rookie spending. They can give the veterans more. They don't need any restrictive new rules to allow them to do it. The rules are already on the books, and from a players' standpoint, they're restrictive enough.

Don't believe the hype. The NFL doesn't need a rookie wage scale.

Crabtree Aside, NFL Doesn't Need a Rookie Wage Scale originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Talks With Giants Rookie Receiver Ramses Barden

Elie Seckbach — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NFL Draft, NFL Video, NFL Interviews, FanHouse Exclusive, NFL Training Camp

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Giants rookie wide receiver Ramses Barden is impressing many at Giants training camp. At 6-foot-6 he has incredible speed, running the 40 in 4.37 seconds. In this FanHouse exclusive, we talk to Ramses about many things. Among the topics are why he chose 13 as his number, what the title of a movie about his life would be, and more. We also talk to actor Samuel Jackson.

Check out the video after the jump.

FanHouse Talks With Giants Rookie Receiver Ramses Barden originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Niners Moving On Despite Crabtree Saga

Nancy Gay — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:05:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, NFL Draft, NFL Training Camp, NFL Analysis

Give the San Francisco 49ers a little credit. The rebuilding franchise may have screwed up royally by using the No. 10 overall draft pick on a high-maintenance wide receiver, Michael Crabtree, who has yet to prove to anyone he is anywhere close to NFL-ready following surgery to repair a left foot fracture.

At least the 49ers are displaying solidarity in refusing to buckle to Crabtree's stubborn demands that he is paid what a Top 5 draft pick should receive, and not what a No. 10 selection is worth.

The team is moving on with business sans Crabtree -- and that's a good thing, for a struggling football operation that desperately needs to salvage credibility within the Bay Area community and around the NFL.

Fantasy Football Spin: Goodbye Michael Crabtree, Hello Josh Morgan

On Wednesday, 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye said the team has not finalized a starting quarterback for Friday's 7 p.m. PT exhibition opener, against the Denver Broncos at Candlestick Park.

All indications are that incumbent starter Shaun Hill will be the No. 1 quarterback, with wide receiver Josh Morgan getting the first-team reps that Crabtree would be receiving if he were under contract.

By the third preseason game, head coach Mike Singletary said he hopes to know whether Hill or Alex Smith will be his starting quarterback in Week 1 of the regular season.

You won't hear Singletary wasting his time publicly obsessing over Crabtree and how it's a shame the receiver isn't getting valuable reps in the team's new version of the Wildcat offense. He insists Crabtree's demands and threats to sit out the 2009 season aren't a distraction, and it doesn't sound like lip service.

"Would you love to have him in? Absolutely. You'd love to have him," Singletary told the Bay Area media. "Would you want him here? Yes, we want him in. But, until that happens, I just can't sit back and think about the what-ifs. All I can do is concentrate on what is, and control that."

There are reports that this Crabtree contract impasse may extend into September, much like the 2007 showdown between the Raiders and their No. 1 overall draft pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

That very well may be the case. At this point, what have the 49ers lost? A player consumed with procuring a rookie contract beyond comprehension, who has displayed zero desire to get on the field?

Singletary did not address the Bay Area media Wednesday, but here is what Raye had to say about Crabtree's ongoing absence.

"Obviously, he's missing an opportunity to join his teammates to bond and learn what we are doing and help us going into a championship season, if in fact he is the player that we think he is," Raye said. "If and when he does become a part of it we'll have to accelerate the process to try to get him familiar with the quarterback and the system. It's a detriment at this point but like I said earlier, we'll embrace him when he comes.

"It's the business side of it that we really don't have control over and we'll embrace him when he comes. It's not him; it's the business that he's involved in. He needs to get that fixed and when he does get that fixed, then we'll try to fix him. Hopefully that will help us and then we'll go forward."

A phone call to Crabtree's agent, Eugene Parker, was not returned on Wednesday.

Time will tell whether the former Texas Tech standout will be a productive NFL wide receiver. All we know for sure is that in mid-August of what should be his rookie season, Crabtree has been a colossal failure at developing chemistry with his NFL front office, coaches and teammates.

He has blown a valuable opportunity to ingratiate himself with a 49ers fanbase desperate to embrace an enthusiastic, charismatic star.

Instead, Crabtree has validated pre-draft concerns that he is a diva athlete, so much so that teammates such as tight end Vernon Davis are openly calling for the receiver to settle his business disputes with the 49ers so that his NFL career can officially begin.

If Parker, an experienced NFL agent, believes it is smart business to allow his client to sit out the entire 2009 season in hopes of re-entering the draft in 2010, then his two decades of negotiating skills should be called into question.

Meanwhile, the 49ers are doing the wise thing, and that's concentrating on who is in their training camp. That doesn't include Crabtree, and it is his loss at this point more than it is theirs.

Niners Moving On Despite Crabtree Saga originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tyson Jackson Signs Rookie Contract, Andre Smith Not Even Close

Chris Burke — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Chiefs, NFL Draft

The biggest domino amongst the remaining group of unsigned 2009 first-round picks has toppled. No. 3 overall pick Tyson Jackson signed with the Chiefs on Friday, a deal that's believed to be for five-years and just above $50 million. (Update: ESPN's John Clayton reports the deal is $57 million over five years, $31 million guaranteed).

Assuming Jackson joins Kansas City's training camp immediately (and stays healthy), he's a near-lock to be the Chiefs' starting left end in Week 1.

The situation is not as rosy for the Bengals' top choice, offensive tackle Andre Smith. The No. 6 pick in 2009, Smith is reportedly miles away from signing with Cincinnati.

Not surprisingly, Smith wants more money than the Bengals are said to be offering -- but, in this case, his demands might be justified.

The Cincinnati Enquirer puts the number currently on the table for Smith at $33 million over five years. That's $5.25 million less than Oakland gave Darrius Heyward-Bey, the player selected one spot after Smith in the draft. It's also $7 million less than the 2008 No. 6 pick, Vernon Gholston, got from the Jets.

Big-money quarterbacks aside, the contracts for first-round picks generally slot pretty universally, with every player making a little less than the guy picked before him. There are variations on that rule, of course, but the gap between Heyward-Bey's deal and what the Bengals want Smith to accept is a pretty substantial one.

It's also not helping Cincinnati's cause that Jason Smith, the draft's best offensive tackle and St. Louis' pick at No. 2 overall, inked a five-year, $61.775 million contract.

Jackson's deal could put the wheels back in motion between Cincinnati and Smith. If the numbers there are accurate, and Jackson's contract comes in at just over $50 million, that lowers the ceiling hanging over Smith's demands -- at least down a bit from Jason Smith's haul. The number will come down further once No. 4 pick Aaron Curry signs with Seattle, no doubt for less than what Jackson gets.

But even if Curry comes in at five years and, say, $45 million, there's still a massive chasm between he and Smith. The only way Cincinnati can really justify its current offer is if Jacksonville signs No. 8 pick, and fellow offensive tackle, Eugene Monroe to something lower than $33 million -- thus creating an offensive-tackles-only slotting perception.

Barring that unlikely scenario, however, the chances are that Smith won't be showing up to Bengals camp in the near future.

Tyson Jackson Signs Rookie Contract, Andre Smith Not Even Close originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eli Manning, Big Ben Have Been Paid, Only Philip Rivers Remains

Ryan Wilson — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Giants, Steelers, NFL Draft, NFL Training Camp

On Wednesday the Giants made Eli Manning one of the league's highest-paid players. It's a long way from April 2004, when the Chargers selected him first overall, even though the Mannings specifically warned the team not to.

But everything has worked out: the Giants made a draft-day trade for Manning, sending Philip Rivers (and draft picks that would become Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding) to San Diego. And after a rocky first three years in the league, it all came together for Eli midway through the 2007 season ... all the way through the Super Bowl.

Now, some 18 months later, he's $97.5 million richer. A year ago, the Steelers extended Ben Roethlisberger, two-time Super Bowl champ, which means that Rivers is the only quarterback from the top of the 2004 draft class who has yet to cash in. (Just so there's no confusion: "top of the 2004 draft class" includes the first 11 selections. So, right, when the Bills traded back into the first round to take J.P. Losman with the 22nd pick, that doesn't count. Just in case it wasn't obvious.) He's also the only one without a Super Bowl ring.

But hardware aside, Rivers was the best quarterback of the three in 2008, at least according to Football Outsiders' advanced stats. Last season, Rivers ranked third in the league in total value and second in terms of value per play. (Eli was ninth and ninth, and Big Ben was 23rd and 27th).

Even if Rivers has been more consistent, though, Manning and Roethlisberger have seminal moments in their careers that define them professionally. For Eli, it was David Tyree's one-hand-against-his-helmet grab that set up the Super Bowl-winning score. For Big Ben, it was the back-of-the-end-zone "that's definitely an intercep--- ohmygodsantonio caught it" touchdown pass. For Rivers? Jawing at Jay Cutler? That's not entirely his fault, but right or wrong, it might have something to do with the fact that he hasn't yet gotten a contract extension.

Championships aside, though, that will change. In a column for Football Outsiders, J.I. Halsell writes that, "... Rivers' 33-15 record as a starter shows that he's not just putting up numbers but also leading his team to victories, just like his quarterback peers of the 2004 draft class. Given the contracts given to Manning and Roethlisberger and given Rivers' statistics and win-loss record, it would not be unreasonable for a Rivers contract to approach $40 million guaranteed and $100 million in new money."

I can't imagine San Diego wouldn't pay Rivers, but if the two sides can't come to an agreement, he will have very little trouble finding work. And that would pave the way for the Chargers to usher in the Will Nunn era. So there's that.

Eli Manning, Big Ben Have Been Paid, Only Philip Rivers Remains originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Falcons Close to Signing First-Round Pick Peria Jerry

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFL Draft

(Update July 30, 2009): Peria Jerry has signed with the Falcons. The financial terms were not disclosed, but the contract was reported as being a five-year deal.

Peria Jerry was a driving force in making the University of Mississippi's run defense the fourth best in the country in 2008. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jerry is on the verge of signing with the Falcons, instantly upgrading their shaky defensive line.

The Falcons and first-round pick Peria Jerry are expected to reach a contract agreement later Thursday, according to his agent James "Bus"Cook.

Jerry has made it a point since the draft to show that he wanted to sign prior to training camp. If the deal gets done today, he'll make it just in the nick of time as camp opens Saturday morning August 1st.

Jerry will be the eighth and final draft choice by the Falcons to sign. And he'll enter camp with an opportunity to make an impact from day one. With the departure of Grady Jackson, Jerry and third-year defensive tackle, Trey Lewis, will battle for the starting job.

While most feel the amazing work ethic Jerry showed at Mississippi combined with his first-round status almost makes him a lock for the job. But don't count Lewis out just yet. He's young and healthy again after missing the 2008 season recovering from two knee surgeries, and has two things going for him that Jerry does not; size and experience. At 320, Lewis outweighs Jerry by 21 pounds, which could be a big deal as Jonathan Babineaux, the Falcons other defensive tackle, is also on the light side at 284.

This will be a fun and heated battle to watch as training camp begins. It's great for the Falcons and Jerry that he'll be around from day one.

Falcons Close to Signing First-Round Pick Peria Jerry originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steelers Sign First-Rounder Ziggy Hood

JJ Cooper — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:24:00 EST

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North, NFL Draft

If the Steelers have any plans to extend the contracts of any veterans, they won't have to worry that chief negotiator Omar Kahn will be distracted by signing draft picks.

Nearly a week before training camp opens on July 31, the Steelers have already signed every one of their draft picks. First-round pick Evander Hood became the final draft pick to sign when he agreed to a five-year deal with the Steelers on Sunday.

Pittsburgh hasn't had to worry about draft picks holding out since Ben Roethlisberger missed four days of camp back in 2004, so the Steelers have done a good job of getting its rookis into camp. Of course, when you remember that Roethlisberger was 13-1 as a starter that year, it's also a sign that missing a couple of days of camp may not be that big a deal.

Hood will battle veteran Travis Kirschke to be the team's No. 3 defensive end, although his even bigger role is to be ready to step in as a starter next year when Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel hit free agency.

Steelers Sign First-Rounder Ziggy Hood originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Twitter Mailbag: Michael Vick, Draft In Prime Time

Michael David Smith — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:35:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft

Our NFL Twitter mailbag starts off with a serious question and then turns to a frivolous one: We'll begin by taking a question about the NFL's handling of the Michael Vick case, and then we'll switch gears and talk about the decision to move the first round of the NFL draft from Saturday afternoon to Thursday in prime time.

Your questions and my answers are below.

brent_rogers: I'm shocked the NFL would rehire such a person. Do drugs, don't rehire. Fight dogs, sure come back.
You're talking, of course, about Michael Vick, and I certainly understand why you and a whole lot of other people think he should never be permitted to play in the NFL again.

I also find your comparison to drugs interesting. On the one hand, you're right that if Vick had failed a drug test as many times as he participated in a dog fight, he would have been banned for life by now. On the other hand, Vick has already missed two full NFL seasons and is going to be suspended for at least part of the 2009 season. Doesn't there come a point where the league office ought to at least give him the chance to convince one of the 32 teams to sign him?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has such a difficult decision because there's never been a case quite like this: There's never been such a high-profile athlete tied to a crime like dog fighting before, and there's never been such a high-profile athlete to finish such a lengthy prison sentence while still in his 20s. Goodell doesn't have a road map here.

Bottom line: I think Goodell is going to reinstate Vick. And I know that's going to upset a lot of people like you, Brent. Goodell knows it too.

FBfollies: What did you think of the NFL's decision to move the first round of the draft to Thursday night?
A lot of people have weighed in on the NFL's plan to have the first round of the 2010 draft on Thursday, April 22, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 23 and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 24. But I haven't seen anyone talk about what I think the real story in all of this is going to be: Absolutely no NFL fan will get any work done at all that Friday.

Think about what that Friday is going to be like: Everyone is excited about the player their team just took in the first round, and going online to read Mel Kiper's first-round report card. Everybody is studying up on Mike Mayock's analysis of the best players to fall to the second round. The water cooler conversation is all about the NFL draft.

Personally, I think the NFL draft is great just how it is, and I'm a little concerned that going from Saturday-Sunday to Thursday-Friday-Saturday is going to change the feel of the event. But from my own perspective as someone who writes about the NFL for an audience largely made up of people who are stuck at the office, that Friday is going to be a lot of fun, and that's why I'm cautiously optimistic about the NFL's decision to change the schedule of the draft.

Want to be part of our next NFL Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @MichaelDavSmith or @NFLFanHouse.

NFL Twitter Mailbag: Michael Vick, Draft In Prime Time originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Draft Heads to Prime Time

JJ Cooper — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:57:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Media Watch

The NFL Draft is no longer the perfect way to spend a long spring weekend.

It's headed to prime time as the NFL, which once conducted a 12-round draft in two days, will spend three days for the seven-round draft in 2010. The first round will go from 7:30-11 PM ET on Thursday, April 22. The second and third rounds will follow on Friday, April 23 from 7:30-11 PM, and the final four rounds will take place on Saturday from 10 AM-6 PM

That's good news for ESPN and the NFL Network and bad news for the networks as the draft is sure to take away some viewers from the regular Thursday night lineups.

In a release, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league is doing it for the fans.

"We continue to look for ways to make the draft more accessible to more fans," said Goodell. "Moving the first round to prime time on Thursday night will make the first round of the draft available to fans on what is typically the most-watched night of television."

He left out the fact that it's doing it also for the ratings. By moving the event to prime time for two nights with a Thursday start, ESPN and the NFL Network should be able to get better advertising rates than a Saturday afternoon-Sunday afternoon event, like it was just a couple of years ago.

But it is quite an impressive feat for the NFL. The draft is now one of the bigger days on the American sports fans' calendar, which says a lot for an event that isn't all that different from the average fan's fantasy football draft.

NFL Draft Heads to Prime Time originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins Nab Jeremy Jarmon in NFL Supplemental Draft

Chris Burke — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFL Draft

The Washington Redskins landed Kentucky defensive end Jeremy Jarmon in Thursday's NFL supplemental draft, coughing up a third-round pick in 2010 for the former Wildcat.

Jarmon was ruled ineligible for the 2009 NCAA season after testing positive for a banned substance in February, then losing an appeal of that decision in May.

In three years at Kentucky, Jarmon recorded 121 tackles and 17 sacks. He had his most productive campaign in 2007, notching 57 tackles and nine sacks.

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Standing 6-foot-3, and with decent speed, Jarmon's ability could translate well to the next level -- especially as a pass rusher. That's an area that the Redskins have made huge attempts to improve in this offseason, signing free agent Albert Haynesworth and drafting hybrid linebacker Brian Orakpo from Texas.

"First and foremost, he's a quality person who has already graduated." said Redskins vice president of football operations Vinny Cerato, one of several in Washington's brass that took in Jarmon's workout about a week ago. "We watched him a lot on film and went to his workout last week. He has the size, strength and athleticism that we like at the position and he'll have the opportunity to learn from veterans like Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn."

Jarmon, given some time to acclimate himself, could work into the Redskins rotation. The video below shows him recording one of his 17 college sacks, and you get a look at his ability to shed blockers and get to the quarterback.

None of the other seven players eligible for supplemental draft selection -- Blake Boyd (Western Kentucky), Torris Magee (Southern Mississippi), Dixon McKinner (Texas Tech), Joe McMahon (Central Michigan), Demetrice Morley (Tennessee), Deon Murphy (Kansas State) and Corey Surrency (Florida State) -- wound up on an NFL team. They all now become free agents.

Redskins Nab Jeremy Jarmon in NFL Supplemental Draft originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeremy Jarmon Headlines NFL Supplemental Draft Hopefuls

Chris Burke — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft

Update (2:10 p.m. ET): The Redskins landed Jarmon for a third-round pick in 2010. No word yet if any other players were awarded out.

For a sport as wildly popular as pro football, the annual NFL supplemental draft is about as under the radar as it gets. This year's version features eight players that, for varying reasons, did not declare for April's draft but then lost or gave up their college eligibility.

Anyone who uses a Free Agent Acquisition Budget to play fantasy sports will find the supplemental draft process fairly familiar.

Prior to Thursday afternoon's "draft," each NFL team's general manager submitted an e-mail to the league, listing which players they'd like to bid on. Those bids include what round the team would like to "select" a player in -- if a team is awarded a player in the 2009 supplemental draft, it forfeits it corresponding pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

For example, if Washington bids a third-round pick for Kentucky's Jeremy Jarmon, and no team surpasses that (the supplemental draft follows the same order as the NFL draft), the Redskins gain Jarmon but lose their 2010 third-round pick.

Jarmon, a strong defensive end, is the most coveted player on most boards heading into Thursday, but he's not the only player with potential.

The other prospects are: Blake Boyd (Western Kentucky), Torris Magee (Southern Mississippi), Dixon McKinner (Texas Tech), Joe McMahon (Central Michigan), Demetrice Morley (Tennessee), Deon Murphy (Kansas State) and Corey Surrency (Florida State).

Jarmon is almost certain to receive the highest bid. Detroit and Washington are among a long list of teams with interest in him, and he may warrant a third-round pick.

Murphy also could find a home in the supplemental draft, especially given the need multiple teams have for a complimentary wide receiver. The Kansas State product had a disappointing 2008 season, then was dismissed from the Wildcats prior to spring practice. He's quick and excelled at K-State going across the middle, so he might develop into a nice No. 3 guy somewhere.

Surrency and Dixon both lost eligiblity -- Surrency because he played semi-pro ball prior to a junior-college stop, Dixon for academic reasons. Both are projects, though, that could intrigue a team out there. Surrency is a 6-foot-4 wide receiver with good skills, but he made just 12 catches in his one season at Florida State. Dixon plays on the defensive end, and has impressive athleticism, but his academic issues and failure to crack Tech's starting lineup are red flags.

The supplemental draft is kind of a crapshoot, regardless of the talent available. In 2008, no one entered his name into the proceedings. On the other side of the coin, San Diego took Paul Oliver in 2007, while Baltimore took Jared Gaither -- both guys are still in the league, and Gaither has played an important role on the Ravens' offensive line.

Jeremy Jarmon Headlines NFL Supplemental Draft Hopefuls originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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49ers Could Use 2010 Draft to Find Next Franchise QB

Ryan Wilson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, NFL Draft

In 2005, the 49ers were stuck with the No. 1 pick in the April draft and no one worthy of the selection. Then-head coach Mike Nolan hitched his wagon to Alex Smith, and three-plus seasons and 18 wins later, Nolan was out of work and Smith's NFL future was in doubt.

Mike Singletary is now running the show. After a strong finish to the 2008 season (5-2 after Week 10), the club could again be in the quarterback business if either Smith or Shaun Hill don't work out in 2009.

The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat's Matt Maiocco writes that the 49ers, who sent a '09 second-rounder to Carolina for the Panthers' 2010 first-round pick, could be perfectly positioned to get their choice of quarterbacks in a QB-heavy 2010 draft, should they decide to do so.

The organization felt the trade was the best way of getting into an ideal position for next year, just in case they become in the market for a quarterback again. This season will give the 49ers a firm idea of where they stand at quarterback. Coach Mike Singletary says he's happy to have Shaun Hill and Alex Smith competing for the starting job. That competition should be decided after the second exhibition game - if not sooner. But the 49ers were prepared to pay Kurt Warner in the neighborhood of $15 million a year to leave the Cardinals, so that tells you that the organization has its doubts about Hill and Smith.

Maiocco also points out that the Panthers' schedule is brutal -- road games against the Falcons, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Saints, Patriots and Giants -- and back-to-back 12-win seasons ain't happening. In fact, it's conceivable that the 49ers end up with a top-15 pick.

And unlike this April, when Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez were the only bona fide first-round QBs heading into the draft (the Bucs would end up taking Josh Freeman 17th overall, but he surged late), next year's class should be loaded:

Among those who could be first-round picks in 2010 are seniors Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow, and underclassmen Sam Bradford, Jevan Snead and Jimmy Clausen.

(Thankfully, Maiocco isn't drunk on the Tim Tebow Kool-Aid, which is a refreshing take.)

Now all that's left to do is play the 2009 season. Hill has shown promise in fits and starts, but hasn't been consistent enough for Singletary to name him the starter. Unless that changes, there's a great chance we'll revisit this subject a few more time between now and next April.

49ers Could Use 2010 Draft to Find Next Franchise QB originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bengals Would Be Shocked if Andre Smith Doesn't Hold Out

Ryan Wilson — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, AFC North, NFL Draft

I get that first-rounders, particularly those taken in the top 15 picks, would threaten to hold out if it meant more leverage during contract negotiations. In recent years, however, both players and organizations have made efforts to get deals done before training camp because holdouts, in the long run, don't benefit anybody.

Rookies, already playing catch-up in a new system with new players, can least afford to miss practice. And the teams, who invest a lot of coin in developing players, often don't see a return in the first year. JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn might be farther along if not for protracted training camp holdouts. On the other hand, the 2008 first-overall pick, Jake Long, was signed prior to the draft, started every game and had a productive rookie season.

So it's with that in mind that I bring you this, via the Dayton Daily News' Chick Ludwig: "The Bengals anticipate a long and arguably agonizing holdout from first-round draft pick Andre Smith."

Ludwig doesn't offer much in the way of details, but Smith, taken No. 6 overall, had a tumultuous offseason leading up to the draft. He flaked out at the NFL Combine, leaving early to prepare for his pro day, which, depending on who's telling the story, didn't go that well, either.

Generally, I'm all for players getting as much money as they can because NFL contracts aren't guaranteed. But for Smith, who will probably be the starting right tackle, you'd think he would like to keep the off-field distractions to a minimum, especially when they could impact his on-field performance.

If Smith isn't signed by late July, Ludwig writes that "Anthony Collins and Dennis Roland will ... share snaps at right offensive tackle in Smith's absence."

While it could be worse, for an outfit trying to rebound from a four-win effort last year, it would be nice to have the rookie starting right tackle around to work with the first-team offense.

Bengals Would Be Shocked if Andre Smith Doesn't Hold Out originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dolphins QB Pat White Drafted by New York Yankees

Dan Graziano — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, NFL Draft

Quarterback Pat White was a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in April's NFL Draft. But he wasn't done being drafted. To White's surprise, he was selected in the 48th round of last week's baseball amateur draft by the New York Yankees.

White hasn't played baseball since high school, but he was pretty good back then -- good enough to get drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 MLB draft by Anaheim. He turned down the Angels and went on to have a stellar college career at West Virginia, presumably leaving baseball behind for good. But the Yankees like him enough as an athlete that they took a low-risk chance.

"The thought from our side was, at that point in the draft, let's draft him in case it doesn't go right with the Miami Dolphins or in the NFL," Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer told FanHouse. "If he wants to be a football player, we completely understand and completely wish him the best of luck."

Oppenheimer said the Yankees were still trying to get White's phone number so they could connect with him and explain their thinking.

"Just let him know, if he does have an interest in baseball, we're here," Oppenheimer said. "It's probably a million-to-one shot, but if it happens, I'd rather it be for us than for Boston or somebody else."

White was a star pitcher and outfielder at Daphne (Ala.) High School but didn't play baseball at West Virginia. He told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel this week that his focus was on football:

"I'm thankful and grateful, but my focus is as a Miami Dolphin football player. I'm playing football right now. That's my focus."

But hey, it was the 48th round. Why not take a shot?

Dolphins QB Pat White Drafted by New York Yankees originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bears First Team To Sign All Draftees

Matt Snyder — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, NFC North, NFL Draft, NFL Training Camp

For the second time in the past four years, the Chicago Bears are the first NFL team to agree to terms with every single one of their draft picks. Defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert -- of YouTube pool-jumping fame -- and wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias have both inked four-year deals with the Monsters of the Midway, according to a Bears press release. Dollar figures were not disclosed.

The task of signing the picks was likely a bit easier on Jerry Angelo and company, considering they didn't have a first- or second-rounder. Still, there have only been 30 draft picks in all of the NFL who have signed, and the Bears have nine of those guys. That's no small feat in efficient negotiating by the front office.

Both Gilbert and Iglesias figure to play on-field roles this year.

Gilbert, pictured above with defensive line guru Rod Marinelli, will get some looks at defensive tackle. Isreal Idonije has dropped some weight and will move outside to defensive end. Plus, the Bears could use Gilbert's pass rushing ability up the middle.

Iglesias will likely immediately be at least rotating in at the slot receiver position. The only three guys currently above him on the depth chart are Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Rashied Davis. He fills a possession receiver role that doesn't suit Hester or Davis, and Bennett didn't record a stat in his rookie season.

With everyone signed and no holdouts to speak of, the Bears look to head into camp with very few, if any, distractions.

Bears First Team To Sign All Draftees originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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