The Panthers seem bound and determined to not be a one-man show in the receiving game this year. Although I don’t have the hard metrics to back this up, I think it’s fair to say Steve Smith has been among the most double-teamed receivers in the NFL over his career; if for no other reason than the lack of quality receiving options at other positions.

In 2008, things look brighter, at least on paper.

The Panthers have signed free agent D.J. Hackett to a 2-year, $3.5mm deal and will pair him opposite Smith, while veteran Muhsin Muhammad mans the 3rd spot. Hackett was clearly the best FA receiver left on the market, and his inability to land a big contract had many wondering whether he would turn tail and return to the Seahawks.

While Hackett didn’t break the bank, he does end up in an intriguing situation. Assuming QB Jake Delhomme is healthy, the Panthers have the makings of an offense that could throw for 4,000 yards this season. Smith should be the main benefactor, but there should be plenty of targets left for Hackett.

The key for Hackett is to REMAIN HEALTHY. Hackett missed 10 games last season and has started only 14 games in his four-year career. When healthy, Hackett is a big (6′2″, 208 pounds) receiver capable of making plays in traffic.

Hard not to like this signing if you’re a Panthers fan. No financial commitment of any consequence yet they land one of the few young (Hackett is 26 years old) free agent receivers with the potential to become an above average starter.

That didn’t take long…

…just a day after signing Michael “The Burner” Turner to a monster free agent contract, the Falcons released Warrick Dunn.

The 33-year old tailback will have little trouble finding work elsewhere; particularly if he’s willing to accept a role as a backup and situational contributor on a contending team.

Possible Landing Spots?

It’s never too early to handicap where Dunn might land, here are five teams that make imminent sense in our minds:

1. Indianapolis Colts — The Colts don’t have a reliable backup on the roster, and Dunn would be a perfect complement to Joseph Addai. He likely would accept a lesser role on the Colts because they are among a handful of Super Bowl contenders. Given his prior relationship with Tony Dungy when they were in Tampa Bay; this situation almost seems too logical to be true. Update: OK, it seems I may have sold Kenton Keith short. He had a solid 2007 season with 533 yards (4.4 YPC), 13 receptions and 4 total TDs.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jon Gruden is no stranger to veteran contributors and Dunn has strong ties to the Tampa area from his days as a Buc. The Bucs would probably have to make a bigger financial commitment to Dunn than the Colts would, simply because of the less certain playoff outlook.
3. Detroit Lions – Kevin Jones may not be ready for the start of the season, and the Lions have virtually no one ready to step in and play. This is one of the few places Dunn could conceivably earn big playing time; and HC Rod Marinelli is a Dunn fan from their days in Tampa.
4. Dallas Cowboys — The Cowboys never seem to shy away from aging veterans and Jerry Jones could easily view Dunn as a solid backup and complement to Marion Barber; who is slated for a heavier workload in 2008 with the departure of Julius Jones.
5. Tennessee Titans — Pairing Dunn with LenDale White could be an interesting one-two punch. Dunn’s veteran presence, work ethic and his commitment to blocking would serve as great examples for White and fellow youngster Chris Henry. It’s unclear whether the Titans are open to adding someone 11 years into the league; but if they are, Dunn could be a nice two-year answer.

Where do you think Dunn will land? Do you think he’ll have any tangible fantasy value in 2008? Let’s hear your thoughts in our discussion forum.

Michael “The Burner” Turner has signed a 6-year, $34.5mm deal including $15mm in guaranteed money. Turner, easily the class of the free agent RB market, took a few days to sign with Atlanta but not because he was weighing other options. As far as we know, Turner’s only visit and offer came from the Falcons.

Turner (5′10″, 237 pounds, 25 years old) is a big back who can push the pile and drag defenders when he gets a head of steam. While not a pure speed merchant, he has a 2nd gear which is a rare thing for someone his size. Used sparingly as a backup to LaDainian Tomlinson, Turner has performed admirably in spot duty. Take a gander at Turner’s career numbers:

• 228 carries
• 1,257 yards
• 5.5 yards per carry
• 6 TDs
• 11 receptions
• 71 yards

In with Turner, Out with Dunn?

In an era when many teams are using two-back systems, expect Turner to serve as the Falcons main ball-carrier while Jerious Norwood logs 100-150 carries (ideally if both stay healthy). This signing all but ends Warrick Dunn’s career in Atlanta. A lot of people expected Norwood to overtake Dunn last year in attempts, but somehow the cagey veteran started 15 games and logged 227 carries. Unfortunately for Falcons fans, he averaged just 3.2 yards per carry.

Savvy fantasy owners understand that Turner isn’t going to average 5.5 yards per carry as a full-time back. However, it would be shocking if he doesn’t put up much better per carry numbers than Dunn has of late. Consider that Norwood has averaged 6.2 yards per carry in his two seasons; so that Falcons line isn’t incapable of run blocking.

Where Turner will have to prove himself is as a red zone threat and a receiver; two critical parts to any fantasy runner’s success. Turner only has six touchdowns in four seasons. Yes, he had to play behind the league’s highest scoring RB, but still, we don’t know how good Turner can be in short yardage situations. In the receiving department, he’ll have to improve on his current scouting reports, or else look for Norwood to notch most of the receptions out of the backfield.

What should we expect in 2008?

I’ll throw out 250 carries for 1,100-1,200 yards and 7-9 TDs as a baseline. We’ll tweak his projections and put more meat on the bones later in the offseason; once we have a better picture of the rest of the team’s makeup. The Falcons need to implement a new offensive system and probably have moves to make in free agency and the draft to secure the offensive line. Once those moves have happened (or not), we’ll see whether Turner is going to live up to the enormous fantasy billing he’ll receiver from a lot of people this summer.

NFL free agency is upon us, and big names are already packing their bags (or paying someone to do it) for new cities. Asante Samuel, Alan Faneca, Bernard Berrian, Donte Stallworth, and more are all ready to get their new jersey and playbook. Millions of dollars are flying everywhere as big names get signed almost hourly.

Two names are missing off of that list - Michael Turner and Randy Moss.

I just discussed how Moss affects Larry Fitzgerald, but the Domino Effect is way bigger with Michael Turner. Let’s have a look at the scenarios that could be in play if Turner signs on Sunday with Atlanta, or even another team.

There are several NFL teams that are in the RB market in one way or another this year, which normally would mean a great contract is about to be thrown at all the free agents that are available to carry the ball for another team. So why hasn’t Turner signed a mega-contract, big money, long-term deal by now?

The answer should be obvious if you checked out the NFL Combine last week.

This year’s NFL Draft class of RBs looks to be about as deep as anyone can remember. Darren McFadden leads the list, but hot on his heels (and even above him on some rankings) are both Jonathan Stewart and Rashard Mendenhall. All three are considered to be feature backs waiting to happen.

It gets worse for Turner - there are as many as seven RBs that are also top prospects that follow - take your pick of Ray Rice, Felix Jones, Jamaal Charles, Kevin Smith, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte or Justin Forsett - just to name a possible group. The one-time Heisman candidate from West Virginia, Steve Slaton, isn’t even on that list. Yes, it is that deep.

So an NFL team has this decision to make - take a somewhat proven NFL rusher and pay him big bucks now, or roll the dice on a rookie and hope for the best. Many teams will go the draft option, which also has the added bonus of - you guess it - a cheaper contract.

All this adds up to a situation where Michael Turner almost has to take the best deal he can rather than fighting off GM’s trying to back up armored trucks to his door. If he and his agent are smart, they get all they can from the Falcons, who not only need a rusher but also a new face for their organization. No one wants to bury 2007 faster than Arthur Blank.

Lastly, consider a guy like Julius Jones. If you’re unfortunate enough to be a free agent RB a tier below Turner, you’re in even worse shape as one fewer team will be shopping for a back and looking even harder at April’s NFL Draft. Only the two-back, RBBC philosophy of today’s NFL ensures that they will eventually find a home - it just might have a few less bedrooms and baths in it than last year.

The deadline for teams to apply the franchise or transition tag designations ended at 4:30 pm EST yesterday; so now it’s time to recap what happened and evaluate some of the moves (and non-moves).

Twelve (12) teams used the franchise tag designation:

• CB Nmandi Asomugha (Oakland)
• CB Marcus Trufant (Seattle)
• DE Jared Allen (Kansas City)
• DT Albert Haynesworth (Tennessee)
• DT Corey Williams (Green Bay)
• LB Karlos Dansby (Arizona)
• LB Terrell Suggs (Baltimore)
• OT Stacy Andrews (Cincinnati)
• OT Jordan Gross (Carolina)
• S Ken Hamlin (Dallas)
• TE Dallas Clark (Indianapolis)
• TE L.J. Smith (Philadelphia)

Most Surprising Tag: Stacy Andrews

Andrews played quite well last season, but it was his first year as a starter. The Bengals still have Levi Jones and Willie Anderson in the picture; although that may change now that Andrews has been tagged. Given the importance of Carson Palmer and Andrews’ age, the move isn’t a total shocker; although few outside of die hard Bengals fans expected it.

Most Surprising Non-Tag: Randy Moss 

As we discussed last night, not tagging Randy Moss is shocking only if they don’t already have a long-term deal completed; but unannounced until the February 29th start of free agency. We expect he IS under contract, but if this proves untrue, this may be the most shocking non-tag decision of the modern era.

Other Surprising Non-Tags 

• OT Flozell Adams (Dallas) – Adams is no spring chicken, and the Cowboys did use their tag on someone else (Ken Hamlin), but this is a bold move if the Cowboys don’t end up re-signing Adams. He has played at a high level the last few seasons and the team doesn’t have someone of his caliber (or close to it) currently on the roster. Will Jerry Jones be willing to go to battle with a young, unproven tackle in 2008?
• PK Josh Brown (Seattle) — The Seahawks tagged Brown last year and it was thought he could be tagged again this season; but now free agency looms. It’s never an easy decision to let a proven kicker walk, but perhaps they didn’t see the logic in making him the highest paid PK in the league.

Interesting Tag Minutiae

• Exclusive tag versus non-exclusive – As we discussed earlier this week, Nmandi Asomugha was tagged with an exclusive franchise designation, meaning the Raiders paid him more (the average of the 2008 top 5 projected salaries versus the 2007 in a normal tag) in exchange for keeping Asomugha from being able to negotiate with other teams. It’s telling that only one of twelve teams opted to use this tag; as it involves paying a player more yet brings less wiggle room. Why a team would pass up the idea of getting 2 first round picks if a team wants their free agent badly enough is a mystery (the Raiders would still have had the right to match).
• Is Suggs a linebacker or defensive end? — The Baltimore Ravens tagged Terrell Suggs as a linebacker, but he has filed a grievance contending he should be paid as a defensive end. The difference? About $800K for the one-year tender. This matter will be settled shortly (if Suggs lined up more than 50% of the snaps as an end, he’ll get his extra dough), but it’s odd that Suggs, who has gone to the Pro Bowl twice as a LINEBACKER would think of himself otherwise.

Most Likely to Sign a Long-term Deal: Dallas Clark

OK, this is cheating since Clark already signed a 6-year deal to remain with the Colts.

Least Likely to Sign a Long-term Deal:  L.J. Smith

The Eagles remain concerned about Smith’s health and likely won’t agree to a long-term extension without seeing improvement on the field. This is basically a one-year option to retain a talented, system TE in a very weak free agent market for tight ends.

How did we do in our predictions?

We previewed each division and our thoughts on potential tag candidates. Overall, I’d say we did quite well.

• We correctly predicted 9 of 10 ‘definites’; our only whiff was on Randy Moss
• We noted that Flozell Adams and Ken Hamlin were possibilities in Dallas [although we leaned toward Adams]
• We noted that Brown and Trufant were possibilities in Seattle [and leaned toward Trufant]
• We noted DT Corey Williams and WR Bernard Berrian as possible tags [one out of two]
• We suggested that Justin Smith shouldn’t be tagged

Now it’s onto free agency and the NFL draft!
Related Blogs:

• ‘Tis the Season for Tagging
• NFC East Potential Tag Candidates
• NFC North Potential Tag Candidates
• NFC South Potential Tag Candidates
• NFC West Potential Tag Candidates
• AFC East Potential Tag Candidates
• AFC North Potential Tag Candidates
• AFC South Potential Tag Candidates
• AFC West Potential Tag Candidates

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are unlikely to use either the franchise or transition tag designations this offseason.

Carolina Panthers

OT Jordan Gross

The Panthers could lose both tackles in free agency, which would be an inauspicious outcome for a team that has to make a playoff push to appease fans and ownership this season. While Gross may not be one of the five best tackles in football, he is a promising young player with starting experience on both sides of the line. Expect the team to try to lock him down to a multi-year deal or he’ll probably get tagged by February 21st.

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New Orleans Saints

Two important members of the offensive line, C Jeff Faine and OG Jamar Nesbit are free agents, but neither is expected to be tagged as the Saints look toward taking a rational approach toward bringing back some of their key free agent contributors.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs are unlikely to use either tag designation on their free agents; none would warrant the type of financial commitment a tag brings with it.

I’ve always maintained that Pete Carroll would return to the NFL ranks eventually; but that it would take complete control over a franchise and a legitimate chance to win consistently. I also thought it would probably come on the West Coast; where Carroll has enjoyed so much success as the coach at USC.

A lot of my fellow Footballguys have questioned my assertion, wondering a) why Carroll would ever want to leave the confines of USC where he can contend for major bowls every year and make as much as most NFL coaches, and b) why an NFL team would be willing to throw Carroll all the $$$ in the world given the recent lack of success college coaches have brought to bear.

Today comes news that Carroll is genuinely interested in the Atlanta Falcons job.

USC coach Pete Carroll is interested in the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach opening and is expected to speak with Atlanta owner Arthur Blank via phone Wednesday, sources at the American Football Coaches Convention in Anaheim told ESPN’s Joe Schad.

Blank is expected to offer full control of personnel decisions to Carroll and the sources said that is what intrigues Carroll most. Carroll is currently on vacation in Hawaii.

The Falcons’ interest in talking to Carroll about their opening was first reported Tuesday night by ESPN.com’s Len Pasquarelli.

While I am on record against college coaches making the transition to the NFL; Coach Carroll is an exception. He is a 2-time NFL head coach and is, for all intents and purposes, an “NFL guy.” Now that doesn’t mean his success at USC will translate into the NFL; particularly for a franchise in such dire shape as the Falcons. BUT…if there were a college coach I would be willing to take a chance on, it’s him.

Has an NFL team ever had a worse season than the Falcons?

• Franchise QB found guilty on dog fighting charges
• Capable backup QB traded in the offseason
• Franchise forced to start Joey Harrington, one of the worst QBs in the league
• Acquires Byron Leftwich off waivers, only to have him get injured and also play poorly when healthy
• 1st year head coach leaves the team in the middle of a 3-10 start to return to college
• Bill Cowher publicly declines interest in coaching there
• Bill Parcells appears THIS close to signing as the new GM/President of Football when…

…he instead signs a 4-year deal with the 1-13 Miami Dolphins!

Man oh man…the Falcons are two weeks away from the offseason and have:

• A neutered GM
• No head coach
• No franchise QB
• No chance at the 1st overall pick

So if you were Arthur Blank, how would you go about changing things? I would love to hear people’s thoughts.

Quarterbacks (QB)

• Brett Favre, Green Bay
• Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle
• Tony Romo, Dallas

Snub Alert = NIL: Hard to make a case for any other NFC QBs. All three players have great stats and have guided their teams to division crowns. 

Running Backs (RB)

• Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
• Marion Barber, Dallas
• Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia

Snub Alert = Clinton “Kid Bro Sweets” Portis: Brian Westbrook leads all NFL runners with 1,896 yards from scrimmage and Adrian Peterson is 3rd (behind LT) despite missing a few games; but the selection of Marion Barber (19th in yards from scrimmage, 11 TDs) over Clinton Portis (6th in yards/scrimmage, 8 TDs) is worth noting. Given the Cowboys’ success and Barber’s better yards per rush; I think it was the right choice but Portis could’ve justified a nod and I wouldn’t have questioned it.

Fullback (FB)

• Tony Richardson, Minnesota

Snub Alert = NIL: The only snub alert is the fact that the Pro Bowl roster requires a “fullback” in the first place. The sooner they abandon the requirement (many teams don’t use a traditional fullback anymore), the better.

Wide Receivers (WR)

• Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
• Terrell Owens, Dallas
• Torry Holt, St. Louis
• Donald Driver, Green Bay

Snub Alert = Marques Colston, Plaxico Burress & Greg Jennings: No disrespect to Torry Holt and Donald Driver, but neither deserved a Pro Bowl nod this year. Marques Colston was unquestionably snubbed (87 recs/1092 yards/9 TDs) while Burress and Jennings (10 TDs and 12 TDs, respectively) have both been more impactful than Driver this year.

Tight End (TE)

• Jason Witten, Dallas
• Chris Cooley, Washington

Snub Alert = NIL: Witten and Cooley have been, far and away, the two most deserving tight ends in the NFC all season.

Offensive Line

• Flozell Adams, Dallas (T)
• Walter Jones, Seattle (T)
• Chris Samuels, Washington (T)
• Leonard Davis, Dallas (G)
• Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota (G)
• Shawn Andrews, Philadelphia (G)
• Andre Gurode, Dallas (C)
• Matt Birk, Minnesota (C)

Snub Alert = Chad Clifton, Green Bay (T) and Chris Snee, New York (G): The offensive line selections are often joked about as being tenured (once you’re in, you’re in until you retire) and many of the same names appear predictably. I don’t have a ton of problems with the selections save for the omission of Chad Clifton, who has been the best lineman one of the NFC’s dominant offenses. Chris Snee, as much as it pains me to say, is more deserving this year than Big Cat Andrews, as well.

Agree or Disagree? Who would you have made a case for?

Over the weekend as I was sitting in the rainy cold air waiting for my cursed beloved Eagles to kick off what would amount to their 8th loss of the season, my buddies and I were discussing the NFL Coaching Carousel and which coaches we thought would be most likely to be shown the door.

Bobby Petrino was NOT one of them. Despite a miserable Falcons season, Petrino was in his first year, had made the leap from college to the pros, and presumably would be given a mulligan on the season given the distractions of Michael Vick and the inability of Petrino to install his offense.

Well…looks like Coach Petrino didn’t feel as comfortable with the Falcons as owner Arthur Blank did with him.

Bobby Petrino resigns from the Falcons, reportedly close to deal with University of Arkansas

It’s unusual for an NFL coach to resign mid-season, but it makes sense when said coach has a particular collegiate job on the line. If reports are to be believed, Petrino may even coach the Razorbacks in their upcoming bowl game.

Regardless of what you may think of this particular situation, any NFL owner and GM would have to be out of their minds to seriously consider a college head coach as their next NFL hire given recent history:

• Bobby Petrino (3-10 with Falcons) — Leaves Atlanta before the end of the regular season; returning to the college ranks just one season after leaving Louisville
• Nick Saban (15-17 with Miami) — Leaves LSU (where he won a national title) to come to Miami and departs after two losing seasons to return to the SEC (Alabama)
• Steve Spurrier (12-20 with Washington) — Leaves University of Florida (where he was an icon) to coach the Redskins, only to go back to South Carolina after two losing seasons in D.C.
• Butch Davis (24-35 with Cleveland) — Davis, a national championship winner at the University of Miami, returns to the pros as the Browns head coach only to deliver 3.5 seasons of ineptitude before being fired midway into the 2004 season
• Mike Riley (14-34 with San Diego) — Mike Riley puts in a solid 8-8 rookie season as the Chargers head coach, but then delivers 6 wins over the next two years before returning to the Pac-10

What’s amazing about this list is that, other than Mike Riley, each of these coaches were atop elite NCAA programs and basically had jobs for as long as they wanted them. But they each were drawn by the allure of the NFL; which has the perception of being the ultimate challenge for a football coach. But while the NFL is certainly the pinnacle in many respects, it’s a vastly different environment than the NCAAs.

I told you all that Atlanta would be fantasy Armageddon this year, but Falcons fans and owner Arthur Blank deserve better than what they’ve had to deal with this year.

Over the last few weeks, three NFL running backs have joined the 10,000-yards rushing club.

• LaDainian Tomlinson: 10,048 yards rushing (in Week 12)
• Warrick Dunn: 10,044 yards rushing (in Week 12)
• Fred Taylor: 10,221 yards rushing (in Week 10)

Congratulations are in order as they become  just the 20th, 21st and 22nd players in  NFL history to rush for at least 10,000 yards.

Warrick Dunn is “leading” the Atlanta Falcons with 392 yards rushing. He’s averaging just 3.21 yards per carry on 122 carries. If Dunn were to maintain his current pace, his full season numbers would look like:

• 244 carries
• 784 rushing yards
• 3.2 yards per rush
• 4 rushing TDs

Dunn’s 784 yards would be disappointing, but how does it fair against history?

Luckily for Dunn, the Falcons have fielded some really inept rushing attacks through the years. Since the advent of the 16-game season, the Falcons lead rusher has fallen short of the 784-yard mark TEN times.

Falcons Leading Rusher, Lowest since 1978 (Advent of the 16-game season)

Michael Bennett, last seen riding the pine in Kansas City, was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yesterday as the Bucs try desperately to patch up their RB stable following injuries to Cadillac Williams (season-ending) and Michael Pittman (4+ weeks).

What are the Bucs getting?

Bennett is an 8-year veteran who started his career as a 1st round pick by the Vikings in 2001. He got his chance to be the featured back in 2002, and rushed for 1,296 yards (5.1 per carry) while catching 37 passes for 351 yards (9.5 per) and scoring 6 TDs en route to his first and only Pro Bowl appearance.

Injuries and a crowded backfield kept Bennett from duplicating those numbers over the next three seasons, so he packed his bags and landed in Kansas City last year.

At 5′10″, 205 pounds, Bennett is a straight line burner but relatively limited when it comes to making tacklers miss and/or creating plays when the designated running lane isn’t open. At 29 years old, Bennett is getting to that age where one has to wonder if his foot speed (his primary asset) remains at an elite level. On the plus side, he’s only got 769 carries under his belt and should have some pounding left to take.

Should fantasy owners care?

Even in 2002, his lone moment of fantasy significance, Bennett was a below average TD producer. He moves to a team with offensive line issues, and a spotty history under HC Gruden of productive running backs (from a TD perspective). Add to that the presence of Earnest Graham and the recently acquired TD vulture Zack Crockett, and Bennett is very much a “SHOW ME” commodity. This is that time of year when owners are desperate to add any live body to their RB stable, so you can count on Bennett being acquired off waivers in many leagues. But don’t overpay for him, this isn’t a great situation regardless of his increased opportunity.

My good friend Mark Wimer took a fairly in depth look at the Panthers signing of Vinny Testaverde and discussed his chances as the Panthers potential emergency starting QB. As most of you know, Vinny is OLD by NFL standards. This will be his 21st NFL season; a remarkable accomplishment in a league where the average player suits up less than four years.

As Testaverde embarks on a potential start this weekend, it got me wondering how many QBs have suited up and played for as long. Using our Data Dominator, I took a look at all the QBs (since 1960) that attempted at least one pass in their 20th season or later.

That’s it folks. Not exactly a resounding endorsement for Vinny to shock the world, is it? The good news, if you can call it that, is Vinnie needs only 35 completions, 392 yards and 4 TDs to overtake Earl Morrall for 2nd all-time on this list. If he gets two or three starts in Carolina, he’ll likely do just that.

The Panthers have suffered a rash of injuries at the QB position, and in response to the loss of Jake Delhomme and the serious back injury to David Carr, they have signed the venerable and celebrated Vinny Testaverde. Carr missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and is looking very iffy to play this weekend - actually, for some time to come.

Here’s how Carr described his back injury (remember, this is from a guy who got sacked and hit roughly a gazillion times in Houston):

“When I got hit, I felt like I got sat on and twisted, and every bone in my back popped all the way to the back of my neck. It was by far the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. There was no doubt. I was rolling around out there like an idiot, but that’s how it felt. I was like, ‘Stop moving.’ I was trying to tell myself, but I couldn’t.”

Given the above, I’d say his prospects for playing any time soon are pretty dim. However, there remain a lot of questions to be answered about why the Panthers made this move.

First of all, why would the Panthers turn to Testaverde at this juncture, rather than, say, Tim Rattay or Chris Weinke (besides the fact that Weinke stinks, I mean)? There are several reasons - the one that tops the list is that Testaverde has 21 years of NFL experience - as he put it on Wednesday:

“I haven’t told them yet, but I have probably forgot more football than these guys already know. We’ll have some fun with that.”

There is no question that in his years in the league, Testaverde has learned more playbooks and played in more schemes than any other free agent available at this point in the 2007 season. Also, he spent last season in New England, backing up Tom Brady - Carolina’s OC Jeff Davidson (a former New England assistant) has installed a scheme based on the Patriots’ offense. So Testaverde’s learning curve in Carolina should be shorter than just about any other guy they might have tried to add to the roster during week 6 of the regular season.

Another question that leaps to mind is “Can Testaverde still play at age 43?” Well, he certainly believes he can - in May, when he was around the New England organization, and Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald filed the following comments about Testaverde participating in OTA’s (May 23rd):

“Free agent QB Vinny Testaverde is taking part in Patriots passing camp this week, and it is not just for fun. According to Mike Azzarelli, a close friend and associate of the Testaverde, the 43-year-old has not retired, nor does he have any plans to do so. He’s looking for work. He’s looking to add a 21st season to his distinguished resume. “He’s not retired. I doubt he’d be hanging out,” said Azzarelli when asked about Testaverde’s appearance in Foxboro this week. “He’s intent on playing.” Azzarelli is no longer an agent, but continues to work for Testaverde.”

Testaverde was signed to a one year deal on August 18th, and participated in practice sessions until being cut on September 1st - he hasn’t just been sitting on the couch since last year, waiting for the phone to ring, friends.

Another point to consider when asking the question “Can Testaverde still play?” is his personal history. He was reviled for years as one of the biggest draft busts ever after an unsuccessful start to his career in Tampa Bay (even though he is still the all-time franchise passing leader, by the way). Tampa never did better than 6-10 during his time starting there, from partway through 1987 until he was replaced by Craig Erickson in 1993 (Tampa posted a cumulative record of 28-67 from ‘87-’93). It would have been very easy to give up, move on, and find another line of work - but Testaverde never lost confidence in himself or his abilities. He has been to the Pro Bowl twice since his sojourn in Tampa, after his ‘96 campaign with the Ravens and after his ‘98 campaign with the Jets. Vinny Testaverde has fought through extreme adversity to become considered a success as a pro QB, and practically nobody besides he (and maybe his mom and dad) would have predicted that back in 1993.

The challenge of taking over the reins in Carolina during Week 6 of 2007 is small potatoes for Vinny Testaverde, folks.

Another thing that remains to be seen is whether or not Testaverde can establish a strong rapport with Steve Smith and the rest of the Panthers quickly - but that’s another thing he has done many times before in his various NFL stops. (Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, NYJ, Dallas, NYJ, New England, and now Carolina). There is no reason to expect him to suddenly lose his leadership skills.

The final question we are faced with is “Does Vinny Testaverde have anything left in the tank?” Well, most recently he tossed 297/495 for 3,532 yards, 17 TDs and 20 interceptions (21/38/1 rushing) for the Dallas Cowboys back in 2004. The team went 6-10 that year, but posting 3532 yards passing as QB with an aging Keyshawn Johnson (70/981/6) as your #1 wide receiver - Terry Glenn only managed 6 games in 2004 due to injury (24/400/2), and Antonio Bryant was third on the team with 16/266/0 over 5 games and then he was out of the picture - with a bunch of youngsters (Patrick Crayton posted 7 games for 12/162/1) or aging never-have-beens (Quincy Morgan was 4th on the squad with 9 games for 22/260/0) as Testaverde’s targets was actually an impressive feat, in retrospect.

We’ll see what Testaverde has to offer the Panthers very soon - probably this Sunday vs. Arizona - but I wouldn’t bet against him, personally. If you need a #2 fantasy QB for your squad given all the injuries over the past few weeks, you could do worse than to pick up Testaverde.

This has been a crazy year for quarterbacks. Many have been injured, and out for the year while some have been just plain inefficient.

Let’s look at some of the journeymen passers that either started in Week Five or might start in Week Six:

• Trent Dilfer (SF) – The consummate game manager and fantasy quarterback least likely for success. If he enters your fantasy lineup, you are probably doomed for a loss.
• Gus Frerotte (STL) — The veteran from Tulsa has played with several teams and knows coach Linehan’s system. But, we would be fooling ourselves if we thought he was a healthy Bulger’s peer. He is a desperate start in week six.
• David Carr or Vinny Testaverde (CAR) — Pick your poison. Which is worse? I see a toss up. Maybe Vinny would be able to find Steve Smith. I know he is not a tall fellow, but Smith should be easy to find if Kerry Colbert and Drew Carter are the other options.
• Kurt Warner (ARI) – He has a great matchup this week. But, how many games do we really expect before Warner is injured? Enter Tim Rattay. You know, the guy who could not beat out Kerry Collins. Gulp. Hang on to your hats, Boldin and Fitzgerald owners, it might be a bumpy ride.
• Kelly Holcomb (MIN) — We all know Holcomb as the guy who could not beat out Craig Nall or A.J. Feeley. With the receivers the Vikings have, would you really want to start Holcomb? Me either.

This list does not even include the likes of Daunte Culpepper, Cleo Lemon, and Byron Leftwich. This has been a rough year for passers getting hurt. Look for some additional passers to be benched from here on out for the young guns. This is the time in the fantasy season where it gets ugly, real ugly, for fantasy quarterbacks during the bye week crunch. So, good luck to those of you starting one of the above quarterbacks … you just might need it. If these guys were rock bands, they would not even make the amusement park circuit.

A week ago, we discussed Cadillac Williams’ injury and the Bucs new 2-headed monster of Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham. While both were hot waiver wire pickups last week, I suggested you tread cautiously:

Sure, Graham found the end zone (his 3rd TD of the year), but he also averaged less than 3 yards per rush; whereas Pittman averaged 6 yards per carry. Given Pittman’s proven history as a pass catcher, I think at the very least the Bucs will use both in a committee approach. Picking up Graham on waivers is a worthwhile decision, but don’t overpay for him expecting fantasy stardom. With the Bucs LT Luke Petitgout out for the season, your fantasy team is probably better off not having either guy in your lineup on a regular basis.

Obviously I had no idea Michael Pittman would severely injure his ankle this week, and be lost for 6 to 8 weeks as a result. A few people have now concluded that Earnest Graham is a great option the rest of the way, by default. With no one on the roster to share carries, some are arguing that it’s Graham’s time to shine.

I see things differently.

Graham averaged less than 3 yards per carry in Week 4 and fared even worse this past weekend, amassing a mere 11 yards on 6 carries. The Bucs banged up offensive line, combined with flat out pedestrian skills, makes Graham an unlikely choice as a fantasy sleeper.

In case you need more convincing, consider HC Jon Gruden’s own words:

“I think we’re going to go for it,” Gruden said of the possibility of consummating a trade. “Going for it, though, you still have to have somebody that’s a willing partner. Sometimes that’s easier said than done.”

Teams rarely, if ever, admit to pursuing a trade in the NFL for obvious reasons. With a gaping hole at the RB position, Gruden has to be desperate to publicly admit his willingness to acquire someone in trade. If anything, that’s going to raise the compensation the Bucs will have to offer by a fair amount. If Gruden and his staff though Graham was the goods, they wouldn’t be playing their hand publicly.

Jake Delhomme will undergo ligament-replacement surgery and is done for the season.

While Delhomme’s lost is obviously a blow to any fantasy owner that drafted him, it’s arguably a bigger blow to those owners who spent a first or second round draft pick on Steve Smith; the Panthers star receiver. Given Delhomme’s ADP, it stands to reason most owners drafted him as a fantasy backup; so even if they were playing him in the early going, they should have someone of equivalent value to insert into the lineup.

But Steve Smith is another matter. The consensus #1 ranked fantasy wideout started off the season with a bang:

• Week One: 7 receptions for 118 yards and 1 TD
• Week Two: 8 receptions for 153 yards and 3 TDs

But since Delhomme went down to injury, Smith has fallen on hard times:

• Week Three: 1 reception for 10 yards, 0 TDs [note: Delhomme was injured midway through Week 3]
• Week Four: 5 receptions for 32 yards, 0 TDs
• Week Five: 4 receptions for 47 yards, 1 TD

With David Carr also hurt (and struggling) and unheralded rookie Matt Moore the Panthers backstop QB; the chances of Smith returning to elite form are sketchy, at best. Will Smith perform better than he’s shown in recent weeks? Quite possibly, but if you’ve got any chance of getting substantial value for Smith, it’s now before other owners in your league have the time to revalue Smith’s suboptimal situation.

Cadillac Williams has been on again, off again. I avoided him in my drafts this year, but plenty of others thought he represented value. From our preseason analysis:

…why Cadillac Williams is undervalued:

(David Yudkin) Cadillac Williams may not make an assault on the Top Five, but he still is his team’s primary ball carrier and not really in huge danger of splitting many carries with other backs when he’s healthy. Given that most of the dedicated ball carriers will be off the draft board and mostly RBBC members will be available, he should be able to out produce his draft position.

…why I thought he was overvalued:

 (Jason Wood) Coming into the league his critics wondered whether he could take an NFL pounding. At 205 pounds having never been a full-time back, the Bucs still rolled the dice on him. Yet, two years into his career and it appears the skeptics may have been onto something. His constant position on the injury report means one of two things: either he’s a slow healer OR coach Gruden is underplaying the significance of Williams’ maladies. Do yourself a favor, let someone else roll the dice on Williams’ comeback season. He’s not a difference maker at the goal line, he’s not an above average receiver, he’s behind a subpar offensive line, and has a head coach that is enamored with the passing game. Punt, pass & kick.

To be fair, through the first few weeks of the season, Caddy was rolling. He scored 3 TDs in as many games and definitely was helping those fantasy teams that used him as an RB3 or UTIL option. But now he’s suffered a season-ending knee injury.

If you’re a Cadillac owner, what do you do now? Do you pick up Earnest Graham, Michael Pittman or neither? The hot waiver pickup appears to be Graham, but Pittman outperformed Graham yesterday.

• Earnest Graham (Week 4) — 17 carries for 48 yards, 1 TD, 1 reception
• Michael Pittman (Week 4) — 15 carries for 90 yards, 0 TDs, 0 receptions

Sure, Graham found the end zone (his 3rd TD of the year), but he also averaged less than 3 yards per rush; whereas Pittman averaged 6 yards per carry. Given Pittman’s proven history as a pass catcher, I think at the very least the Bucs will use both in a committee approach. Picking up Graham on waivers is a worthwhile decision, but don’t overpay for him expecting fantasy stardom. With the Bucs LT Luke Petitgout out for the season, your fantasy team is probably better off not having either guy in your lineup on a regular basis.

Reggie Bush was a consensus top-10 fantasy pick this year in traditional leagues, and was a top-5 pick in leagues that reward points per reception. Needless to say, he’s been a resounding disappointment so far, along with the rest of the Saints offense.

From our Footballguys Game Summaries:

Week 1 at IND - Bush had a disappointing first game as only had 45 total yards of offense. He had six carries for 21 yards rushing in the first half. He picked up a nine yard gain on an end around in the first quarter which would be his longest play from scrimmage all game. Bush did get a first down on a seven yard carry on a rare run up the middle that helped set up set up the Saints only offensive points of the game. The tough Colts pass defense held Bush to only two catches for a negative three yards in the first half. Things didn’t get much better for Bush in the second half as he was held to 17 yards rushing and ten yards receiving. The Colts speedy defense did a good job of containing Bush and covering him in the open field.

Week 2 at TB - Bush really could not get much going on the ground, totaling 27 yards on ten carries with a long of just ten yards. He did receive a goal line carry on the play before the Karney touchdown, and was used as a decoy on the ensuing score. His main contribution came in the passing game, with six receptions for 43 yards on eight targets. Bush did have two fumbles in the game, but the Saints were able to recover both of them.

Week 3 vs TEN - Bush was well contained by the Titans defense and was limited to one yard or less on five of his seven carries (though two of those carries were one yard TD runs). As usual, he was quite active in the passing game, catching six of eight balls sent his way (he was targeted two other times on plays negated by penalties). Bush’s mediocre stat lines are becoming disturbingly common, though the two TD’s saved him in this case.

The plan was for Bush to share time with Deuce McAllister; with McAllister pounding out the tough yardage while Bush tries to hit the home runs while catching a ton of passes lined up all over the field. Unfortunately, Deuce McAllister tore his ACL and is lost for the season.

So Bush will be asked to not only shoulder a bigger workload, but he’ll be asked to do so at a time when the Saints offense is in desperate need of a major facelift. Can the 2nd overall pick handle the job? And should fantasy owners be trying to take advantage of his slow start by making trade inquiries for him?

The question was asked on our message board forum: Is Reggie Bush an every down, 25 carry RB?

• 62.93% NO (146 votes)
• 37.07% YES (86 votes)

Some think Bush will be just fine, and point to the success of other smaller, multi-faceted backs in recent years:

H.K. says: Warrick Dunn has been pretty successful over the years as the primary ball carrier. Bush will be fine.

U. Mint says: If they can use him like Brian Westbrook, I think he will do well.

Another message board poster, twitch, worries about what he’s seen of Bush so far in his young career:

Until I see Bush running straight ahead, north and south, between the tackles, I’m not going to give Bush any love. We’ll find out what he’s made of at this point with Deuce out. It seems like all he ever does is run away from trouble. I’m not sure he’s gonna be real good at getting the tough yards, but he’s an amazing guy, so I really hope he figures it out. Bush with 25 carries and game AND catches? Seems like an injury waiting to happen, but I hope he stays healthy and blows up on the NFL.

Chaos Commish offers some perspective on Bush’s ability as a between-the-tackles runner:

The answer to this question is: “Yes Reggie can carry it 20 times between the tackles.” It isn’t a big deal. He carried 18 times in the first half against UCLA and had over 200 yards and 3 TDs, 14 of those carries were between the tackles and he was just warming up. Running that many times is about stamina and endurance, not durability. Durability is an issue of injury and Reggie has no history of that save a minor ankle here or there. Mewelde Moore was a workhorse at Tulane and could be one in Minnesota if asked to do so. More carries for any back means more chances to get hurt… any back. Norwood was a workhorse in the SEC and could be one in Atlanta if asked to be. Addai was never a workhorse at LSU, but it is no big deal for him to be one now. The whole notion of a workhorse back is way over thought. Most backs can be every down backs if their coaches ask them to. It is that simple. There are a few who seem limited, but just a few. There are a few who seem injury prone, but that’s impossible to predict, and Bush has no history or injury.

Where do you stand on the situation?  We’re a house divided on staff. Some of us (myself included) think the added workload will help; as many great backs need to get into a steady rhythm. Assuming the Saints offensive line issues can be corrected (and barring a major hidden injury, I don’t see why they can’t), I think the team is bound to improve from what’s been a woeful start. Bush’s year end numbers are likely to look different now than they would have; I don’t see him catching 88 passes like last year. But I could see him racking up at least 200 carries and 50-60 receptions. Even if you assume he averages a meager 3.8 yards per carry; Bush is still a good bet to put up top 10-12 numbers if he can hold up to the increased workload; particularly in PPR leagues.