2.32: Phillip Merling, DE, Miami Dolphins

Pass rusher had some injury woes but was effective off the edge when healthy. Has the size (6′5″, 272 pounds) that Bill Parcells covets. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.33: Donnie Avery, WR, St. Louis Rams

Quite a surprise. The first WR off the board is a small, uber fast guy considered a mid round pick by most scouts. Hard to believe he can replace Isaac Bruce without a few years of seasoning. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.34: Devin Thomas, WR, Washington Redskins (via Oakland through Atlanta)

The Redskins draft the WR many expected to be first off the WR board. Devin Thomas only had one big year at Michigan but has great size (6′2″, 215 pounds) and can also help as a kickoff returner. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.35: Brandon Flowers, CB, Kansas City Chiefs

If Flowers ran a tenth of a second faster, he would’ve been a mid 1st rounder. Great choice for the rebuilding Chiefs. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.36: Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers (via New York Jets)

Another surprising WR selection. Was WR really a need for Green Bay with Driver, Jennings and Jones on the roster? Should help on special teams right away. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.37: Curtis Lofton, LB, Atlanta Falcons

Tackling machine, ideally suited for the inside where he can flow downfield to the ball. Not someone good in space and must be put in the right scheme to succeed. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.38: John Carlson, TE, Seattle Seahawks (via Baltimore)

Mike Holmgren called this a need, and the ‘hawks felt Carlson was a perfect fit for their West Coast offense. Carlson put up big numbers with Brady Quinn under center, as a reminder. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.39: Chilo Rachal, OG, San Francisco 49ers

Rachal gets knocked for not being a great athlete, but he’s technically sound and has a mean streak. As long as he plays inside and isn’t asked to pull and extend to the 2nd level much, he could be a starter immediately. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.40: Tracy Porter, CB, New Orleans Saints

Ironic that the Saints draft a cornerback with the 40th pick; considering there were rumors all week that the 40th pick would be part of a package to acquire Eagles CB Lito Sheppard. Porter is good at tracking the ball but isn’t a sure tackler or much help supporting the run.

2.41: James Hardy, WR, Buffalo Bills

The Bills landed the top corner in the draft last round and, in my opinion, the best receiver in the draft at 2.41. Hardy is a big guy who isn’t afraid of contact. He goes up for the ball and runs good routes; which helps offset a lack of breakaway speed.

2.42: Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos

Royal is one of a handful of receivers who also project as solid returner at the next level. At only 5′8″, 184 pounds, Royal will need to prove he can hold up as a receiver over the course of the season. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.43: Tyrell Johnson, S, Minnesota Vikings (via Carolina through Philadelphia)

Kenny Phillips has the bigger name, but Johnson may have the bigger game. The Vikes continue to bolster their defense with another solid young, physical player. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.44: Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears

I’m not crazy about Forte; I don’t believe he’s a special back nor was he the best back left on the board. However, Forte has his supporters and it’s not inconceivable he could earn the starting gig over Cedric Benson sooner rather than later.

2.45: Jordon Dizon, OLB, Detroit Lions

Dizon lacks ideal size and speed; but like many solid NFL linebackers before him, he just makes plays. He’s instinctive and a sound tackler; exactly the kind of guy Rod Marinelli can build around. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.46: Jerome Simpson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Further proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder at WR this year. Simpson wasn’t close to the best WR prospect on the board, but clearly the Bengals felt otherwise. At least, this pick fills a need given the release of Chris Henry and concerns about Chad Johnson’s status.

2.47: Trevor Laws, DT, Philadelphia Eagles (via Minnesota)

The Eagles finally make a pick, and it’s clearly a “best player available” selection. Defensive tackle was hardly a major need, but Laws is a high character, high motor guy who will add depth to an already young tackle rotation.

2.48: Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins (via Houston through Atlanta)

The Redskins are committed to getting QB Jason Campbell weapons. First Devin Thomas and now a pass-receiving tight end a few picks later. Davis doesn’t project into an elite tight end, but the Redskins don’t need him to be given the presence of Chris Cooley.

2.49: DeSean Jackson, WR/KR, Philadelphia Eagles

Many Birds fans wouldn’t have complained if Jackson was the pick in the 1st round. So to trade down, grab a 2009 1st rounder as compensation and get DeSean anyway was a coup. He’s tiny (169 pounds) but is blazing fast and unstoppable in the open field. He instantly gives the Eagles the best returner they’ve had in 5 years.

2.50: Calais Campbell, DE, Arizona Cardinals

You don’t find many 6′8″, 280 pound ends; yet Campbell fell into the 2nd round because of an uneven 2007 season. He was a stud in 2006 and, as long as the Cards play him at the right position, should combine with free agent Clark Haggans to improve the Cards pass rush.

2.51: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Washington Redskins

Sure, he’s slower than you would like. But have teams watched this kid play? He’s a polished route runner, has great hands and excellent body control. Very reminiscent of the year Chad Johnson fell because of his slow 40-time; the Skins got a steal.

2.52: Quentin Groves, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars (via Tampa Bay)

The Jags have a stifling defense already, but they aren’t great at putting pressure on opposing QBs. Adding Quentin Groves in the 2nd after taking Derrick Harvey 8th overall goes a long way to changing the Jags pass rush. Groves character issues aside, this was a solid pick.

2.53: Limas Sweed, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Some scouts love Sweed, some see him as a bust. At 53rd overall, the Steelers aren’t risking a lot financially to find out if he’s the next Plaxico Burress. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.54: Jason Jones, DE, Tennessee Titans

Jones could replace Antwan Odom right away, but he’s a bit raw to expect that. Eventually the Titans see Jones as a capable 2-way end in their 4-3 defense. His skill set is more suited to defensive tackle, but his size projects him as an end.

2.55: Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens (via Seattle)

Ray Rice is a local product who was wildly productive as the main ball carrier for Rutgers. While he lacks prototypical size, his low center of gravity and style make him more than capable of being an every down back if needed.

2.56: Brian Brohm, QB, Green Bay Packers (via Cleveland)

Now that’s kind of surprising. Or is it? The Pack took Aaron Rodgers in the 1st when Brett Favre was under center, so why wouldn’t they take the most accurate QB prospect in the 2nd round given Rodgers inexperience? Worst case, he’s a backup for a few years. Best case, he outplays Rodgers and ends up starting in a year or two.

2.57: Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins (via San Diego)

How about that? It looks like Jake Long may be blocking for Chad Henne for a few more years. Another smart pick. He could easily outplay Beck and McCown to win the job; at the very lesaet he’s a big armed, young backup for a good price.

2.58: Dexter Jackson, WR/KR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via Jacksonville)

This was a reach pick. While Jackson is another potentially dangerous return man; he needs a lot of maturing as a route runner before he can reasonably play WR on a regular basis. Blistering speed (4.33) though and dangerous in the open field.

2.59: Mike Pollak, OG/C, Indianapolis Colts

A classic Colts pick. Their only 1st day pick and it’s a fundamentally sound center that they project as a starting offensive guard for now and possibly a replacement for Jeff Saturday later. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.60: Patrick Lee, DB, Green Bay Packers

A hard worker, Lee may someday start at corner but not for a few seasons. In the meantime, he can be a force on special teams and perhaps play nickel back particularly in run support situations. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.61: Martellus Bennett, TE, Dallas Cowboys

I like this pick more than most. For my money, Bennett was the top TE in this draft. He’s huge, is a good blocker who can become great, and should be a key red zone target given his height and willingness to go up for the ball. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2.62: Terrence Wheatley, CB, New England Patriots

The Pats always seem to find value and this was no exception. Wheatley is a legitimate shutdown cover corner who, were it not for myriad injuries in college, would’ve been in the hunt for a top 15 selection. Either way, he’ll help the Pats on defense and special teams.

2.63: Terrell Thomas, CB, New York Giants

Thomas is the 217th USC Trojan to be drafted in the first two rounds (not really, just feels that way). If the Giants view him as a corner, I don’t like this pick. But if they’re going to try to convert him to safety; where his deficiencies can be obfuscated somewhat, the choice makes more sense.

The NFL draft is almost here and that means our little blogging vacation has come to a close. From this point forward, expect regular posts from here until next year’s free agency. My fingers are tired already!

Today’s new is the signing of OT Jake Long to a contract days before the official start of the NFL draft. Long signed a 5-year, $57mm deal with $30 million in guarantees. Long is a 6′7″, 313-pound tackle from the University if Michigan and was among a handful of top prospects throughout the pre-draft process. He’s considered a high character guy with sound fundamentals and, perhaps most importantly, a mean streak on the field.

The Dolphins have been in negotiations with Long’s camp for almost two weeks, yet today’s announcement still comes as a surprise to some. A few days ago, Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland appeared to have made a slip of the tongue when addressing the media:

“This guy is going to be — you hope that he’s a pillar of your defense for a long time.”

Combine that with Bill Parcells’ penchant for defensive difference makers, and it seemed improbable to some that an offensive tackle would be their choice. So why DID the Fins sign Jake Long instead of one of the much ballyhooed defenders like Vernon Gholston, Glen Dorsey or Chris Long? I think something Peter King (of SI.com) said made the most sense. In speaking to Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio today, King mentioned that Parcells is wary of committing the kind of dollars that come with the first overall pick to a player that could end up being a bust. In Parcells’ view, according to King, Jake Long has the lowest chance of failure because of the hit rate offensive tackles have had as high draft picks. King pointed to Robert Gallery, who was a bust for Oakland at tackle but ended up having “an above average year” at guard in 2007. In other words, even if Jake Long doesn’t turn out to be a great offensive tackle, the team could still move him inside and potentially have a cornerstone guard for years to come. The same couldn’t be said for any of the other players considered worthy of the 1st overall pick.

The St. Louis Rams are on the clock…

Lest anyone think Bill Parcells was going to take a measured approach toward rebuilding the woeful Miami Dolphins, think again. In what has to be the busiest single day in the history of NFL free agency, Parcells and his staff have signed a flurry of players in an attempt to right a ship that finished 1-15 a season ago. The Dolphins had approximately $40mm under the cap to spend; and Parcells appears ready to use every last bit of it. Today’s signings ranged from veteran locker room guys (e.g., Jason Ferguson and Sean Ryan) to potential Pro Bowlers (e.g., Calvin Pace). And considering the team’s cap situation, Parcells probably isn’t done yet.

A Recap of Bill’s Frenzied Friday

LB Calvin Pace — Rated as one of the top players at his position, Pace is exactly the kind of player Parcells’ covets. Pace is big (a converted defensive end) and thrived as the rush ‘backer in the Cardinals 3-4 last year. Although this isn’t official yet, several reports have the Fins giving Pace $20mm guaranteed. The addition of Pace raises questions about whether the team plans on keeping Joey Porter around. NOTE: Despite earlier reports, Pace did not sign with Miami but instead signed a 6-year, $42mm deal with the Jets.

OG Justin Smiley — The Dolphins signed Smiley to a 5-year, $25mm deal including $9mm in guarantees. Smiley has been a starter for most of his career (in San Francisco) and significantly upgrades the interior of the Dolphins line. Smiley helped open holes for Frank Gore and will likely slide in between center Samson Satele and LT L.J. Shelton.

DT Randy Starks — Considering how much defensive tackles are netting at the start of free agency, this signing seems like a downright steal. The Dolphins signed the 24-year old tackle to a 5-year, $21mm deal with $7mm in guarantees. Starks may not be a star (he lost his starting job in Tennessee to Tony Brown) but he’s got the size (6′3″, 314 pounds) and technique to emerge in the Fins scheme.

QB Josh McCown — McCown was a part-time starter in Arizona and Oakland, and may find himself starting in Week One for Miami depending on what else the Dolphins do this preseason. Given a 2-year, $6.25mm contract; McCown is very much a safety valve until John Beck (or someone else not currently on the roster) are ready to take over full-time. This isn’t a major financial commitment, nor should it be considering McCown has never finished a season with a passer rating above 74.9.

WR Ernest Wilford — Wilford was deemed expendable by the Jaguars after the acquisitions of Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson; but he quickly found a new home in Miami signing a 4-year, $13mm deal with $6mm in guarantees. Last year, Wilford caught 45 passes for 518 yards while scoring three times. He’s not a difference maker per se, but his addition will help stabilize the intermediate passing game. Wilford is a big (6′4″, 218 pounds) receiver with loads of starting experience, and will compliment the speedy Ted Ginn Jr.

TE Sean Ryan — Ryan is another long-time Parcells favorite. Signed to a one-year deal, this is more about bringing in a high character guy that Parcells thinks will help the locker room as well as special teams. Ryan isn’t going to be asked to do much offensively; he has a whopping 9 career receptions in four seasons. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

NT Jason Ferguson – Ferguson just didn’t fit into Wade Phillips attacking scheme in Dallas, but should have a place in Dallas’ system. The Cowboys traded Ferguson to Miami today, reuniting him with Parcells for the third time in his 12-year career. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

These moves probably are just the beginning as Parcells, GM Jeff Ireland and the coaching staff look to fundamentally alter the DNA of this team and return the Dolphins to prominence.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills are unlikely to tag anyone as their free agent outlook is rather minimal.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have the first overall pick and plenty of needs, but are unlikely to commit a lot of money to any of their free agents. They likely want to retain a number of them (Rex Hadnot, Yeremiah Bell) but none deserve the kind of financial commitment a tag would involve.

New England Patriots

WR Randy Moss

The Patriots acquired Randy Moss last offseason and, to Moss’ credit, he took a one-year deal to prove himself. Well, an 18-1 record and an NFL record 23 TD receptions later, the Pats are in a difficult bargaining position. It seems absurd to believe the Patriots would let Moss walk, or that he would want to leave a team that allowed him to return to HOF form and has a great chance of getting him a ring. BUT…he took a discount last season and is going to want to be paid (justifiably so). Look for the Patriots to tag Moss with the idea of signing him to a long-term deal before the start of the 2008 season.

Note: Some people have asked why I don’t have All Pro CB Asante Samuel listed as a 2nd option. Simply put, Samuel was tagged last year and he agreed to sign the tender under the condition the Patriots couldn’t tag him again this season. Either the Patriots give Samuel a long-term contract or he’s free to walk. 

New York Jets

The Jets don’t have anyone that likely warrants their tag designations. LB Victor Hobson, S Erik Coleman, and OT Adrian Jones are all probably in line to return but for nowhere near franchise or transition tag dollars.

We knew it was inevitable, but today it became official. Tony Sparano is the Miami Dolphins new head coach. Most know that Sparano spent four seasons with Parcells in Dallas, but they may not be aware of his prior NFL stops.

• 1999-2000: Offensive Quality Control, Cleveland Browns

Sparano got his NFL start under Chris Palmer with the expansion Browns.  An offensive quality control coach is basically the low man on the totem pole, and their job is to basically do anything the head coach, OC and other assistants ask of them.

The Bad News: The Browns were an offensive abomination in both 1999 and 2000; ranking dead last in both yards and points. Sparano wasn’t witness to offensive genius in his first gig.

The Good News: Palmer, the Browns head coach, has long been a favorite of Parcells; and even though the Browns didn’t have a lot of success, there’s no doubt Parcells would trust a recommendation from Palmer when looking for coaches in Big D.

• 2001: Tight Ends Coach, Washington Redskins

Sparano landed on his feet with his first positional coaching job in 2001, under new Redskins head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Unfortunately, Schottenheimer’s run in D.C. was limited to one season and, as a result, Sparano would find himself looking for work yet again after the 2001 season.

The Bad News: Schottenheimer was “one and done” and the Redskins offense ranked just 28th in the league. The Redskins tight ends were a mixed bag, with Zeron Flemister leading the way with 18 catches, 196 yards and 2 TDs.

The Good News: Sparano got to see one of the league’s most successful coaches at work, and actually got high marks in terms of getting reasonably good production out of the collection of TEs.

• 2002: Tight Ends Coach, Jacksonville Jaguars

Sparano moves on to Jacksonville under Tom Coughlin. Again, he’s star crossed as the Jaguars fire Coughlin at season’s end and Jack Del Rio doesn’t choose to retain Sparano.

The Bad News: Coughlin gets bounced after the 2002 season, meaning Sparano is AGAIN looking for work. The Jaguars finish the season 6-10 and their offensive numbers fail to crack the top 20.

The Good News: The tight ends were a bright light in an otherwise moribund passing attack. Kyle Brady and Pete Mitchell combine for 68 receptions, 707 yards and 6 TDs. Putting those numbers in perspective, they represented 25% of the team’s receptions, 23% of the team’s receiving yards and 33% of the team’s passing TDs.

• 2003-2007: Tight Ends/Offensive Line/Assistant Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys

Bill Parcells hires Sparano in 2003, and his role expands over Parcells’ four-year tenure. He ends up as the team’s co-offensive coordinator, assistant head coach, and offensive line coach. His work was so impressive, that he remains in place under new head coach Wade Phillips in 2007. Although he doesn’t have play-calling input in 2007, his work on the offensive line is considered a key to the Cowboys 13-3 season.

The Bad News: Sparano’s role appears to take a back seat in 2007 after a rising star under Parcells. Jason Garrett comes in and asserts control of the play-calling; leaving Sparano to focus on the offensive line.

The Good News: Sparano wouldn’t have the Dolphins head coaching job if not for his work in Dallas. He clearly earned Parcells’ trust and respect, and managed to stay in Dallas despite a coaching change. The Cowboys offense grew from mediocrity to elite during his tenure, and the offensive line and running game were both bright spots.

It should come as no surprise that Tony Sparano is, by all accounts, on the verge of being named the Dolphins new head coach. According to several reports, GM Jeff Ireland took one of Wayne Huizenga’s private jets to Dallas today to pick up Sparano and make the hiring official after weeks of conjecture.

Sparano’s name surfaced almost immediately after Bill Parcells took over football operations. Sparano, who held the title of Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line in Dallas this year was a holdover from Parcells’ staff. In 2006, he was the co-coordinator with Todd Haley, and was heavily involved in the play-calling.

Whether this is a sound hire or not, time will tell. But its one that fits into the Parcells mold. Sparano is a tough guy by reputation, believes in a punishing ground attack and controlling the time of possession. And he certainly is a known commodity for both Parcells and the Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland.

Bill Parcells isn’t wasting much time making moves in Miami:

• Cam Cameron was fired, becoming the 9th NFL head coach since 1990 to be fired after one season
• Hired Jeff Ireland away from the Cowboys to be the new GM
• Re-signed Ricky Williams for the 2008 season

While these moves were noteworthy, they set the table for the larger tasks at hand:

1. Hire a new head coach (my bet is on Cowboys running coordinator Tony Sparano)
2. Build a new assistant coaching staff
3. Assess the current roster from top to bottom
4. Figure out their draft board and plan for scenarios to possibly trade the 1st overall pick

Lots of chatter around the football world today about Bill Parcells willingness to trade the Dolphins 1st overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft:

 ”Any team that has won one game, or hopefully two games this year, needs a volume of players,” Parcells said. “But getting someone to be interested in that No. 1 pick is not as simple as just saying, ‘OK, we’re going to trade the pick.’“First, you need to have someone who wants it … I would consider anything.”

As is often the case with these kinds of stories, Parcells carefully crafted comments have been misconstrued by interested parties. A lot of Dolphins fans (including many on our message boards) have interpreted this to mean Parcells IS GOING TO trade the 1st pick. Yet, that’s not at all what he’s saying here.

ANY negotiator worth his weight is going to leave as many options open for as long as he can. Less than 12 hours into the job of running football operations for a 1-14 team, it would’ve been absolutely laughable had Parcells NOT kept the door open for trading the pick. If he has any hope of recouping real value for the pick, he has to convince some other GM that it’s not going to come cheaply.

Whether the Dolphins will trade the pick or not, neither Bill Parcells, Wayne Huizenga or anyone else in the world has come close to making that decision yet. Let’s hear Bill come out and say this at the end of March; THEN it will be a newsworthy story.

• Ronnie Brown…IR
• Jesse Chatman…Banged Up
• Ricky Williams…IR in the blink of an eye

So who is going to carry the load for the woeful Miami Dolphins at RB?

Could it be recently re-signed Samkon Gado?

Your guess is as good as mine. But the fact Gado was re-signed and has practiced with the 1st team this week tells you all you need to know about Patrick Cobbs and Lorenzo Booker.

I’m not sure if it’s officially the shortest return in NFL history, but it HAS to be right up there. For those of you who missed the Steelers/Dolphins MNF debacle last night, you also missed the entirety of Ricky Williams’ NFL return. Williams was granted reinstatement by the NFL earlier this month and then, thanks in part to an injury to Jesse Chatman, saw his first action last night.

• 6 carries
• 15 yards
• 2.5 yards per carry
• 1.5 fantasy points

Williams hurt his chest after being stepped on by the Steelers L. Timmons; and is now done for the year. This is just the latest in a string of disastrous developments for the Dolphins and, perhaps more importantly, may signal the official end of Ricky Williams mercurial NFL career.

In case anyone was wondering if the 72 Dolphins are officially sweating their place in NFL history, we got the answer this week as Don Shula (who coached that Dolphins team) came out of his self-imposed media hiatus to wave a finger at the Patriots and the validity of their 2007 accomplishments:

“The Spygate thing has diminished what they’ve accomplished,” Shula said in an interview with the New York Daily News. “You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They’ve got it.”

Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Patriots were fined $250,000 and lost a first-round draft pick for videotaping the Jets’ opposing sideline during the teams’ season-opening game.

“That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found,” Shula said, according to the Daily News. “I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds’ home run record.

Look, regardless of whether you agree with Shula you have to admit that it’s pretty hard to stomach the guy saying all this as though he’s unbiased. Call me crazy, but somehow I don’t think Shula would’ve made the same comments had the Steelers or Raiders been the one holding onto a nostalgic record of being the lone undefeated team in the SB era. Do you?

Ronnie Brown was among the league’s best fantasy players heading into this weekend’s game. While his pedigree as the 2nd overall pick in 2005 pointed to success, Brown had struggled to establish himself until this season. In fact, Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron played mind games all preseason, refusing to name Brown the starter and touting backup Jesse Chatman at every turn.

Well now Cam Cameron is going to have a chance to prove whether his praise of Chatman was more than a motivational ploy. Ronnie Brown tore his ACL against the Patriots on Sunday and is done for the year. That opens the door for the 223-pound Chatman to take over.

Is Chatman up to the task?

Chatman is in his 5th season out of Eastern Washington and has mainly been a backup. His only significant work came in 2004 as a Charger when he rushed for 392 yards on 65 carries (6.0 YPC) and 3 TDs backing up LaDainian Tomlinson. After an impressive preseason, Chatman wasn’t used much this season behind Brown, but did log 7 carries for 73 yards and a TD last week in Brown’s stead.

A broader question to Chatman’s chances of success is whether the Dolphins offense can stay on the field. In the span of 8 days, the Dolphins have lost their top players at each skill position:

• QB Trent Green was placed on IR post concussion
• WR Chris Chambers was traded to San Diego
• RB Ronnie Brown was placed on IR with a torn ACL

Assuming Chatman can catch passes with some measure of frequency (as Brown has been doing), Chatman could be the rare RB free agent pickup that can help your team. But to think he can approximate the elite numbers Brown was putting up would be foolhardy.

Who says NFL trades never happen? Yesterday Michael Bennett was traded to Tampa Bay; but today a much bigger (potentially) deal went down as the San Diego Chargers acquired Chris Chambers from the Dolphins for an undisclosed draft pick.

This is the rare mid-season deal that has significant fantasy implications.

1. Chambers will be the lead WR in San Diego — It may take a few games, but Chambers will almost certainly become Philip Rivers most targeted WR
2. Vincent Jackson can’t be happy — The Chargers young wideout is now going to have to compete for targets with a proven veteran. Ultimately this might be good for Jackson’s career though, as he may be better suited as a WR2
3. Malcolm Floyd and Craig Davis become relative non-factors — Neither WR was making a ton of plays anyway, but they will now be relegated to backup duty primarily
4. Philip Rivers gets an upgrade — I’m not the biggest Chambers fan (more on that in a second) but his addition definitely improves Rivers’ arsenal
5. Don’t downgrade Gates or Tomlinson – Gates and Tomlinson aren’t going to lose many targets because of this move. If anything, this should allow the Chargers to sustain offensive drives more often, which means more red zone chances for Gates and Tomlinson; the best at their respective positions when it comes to scoring TDs
6. The Dolphins are throwing in the towel -- Honestly, the Dolphins are officially heading toward 2008 at this point, giving up their lone playmaker in the receiving game.
7. Upgrade Ted Ginn Jr. and Marty Booker — SOMEONE besides Ronnie Brown has to get passes thrown their way, and rookie Ginn is probably going to see a ton of them as the Dolphins look to rebuild toward a 2008 resurgence.

Where does this put Chambers now in terms of fantasy value?

Through six games, Chambers has 31 receptions for 415 yards, but zero TDs. His numbers project to:

• 83 receptions
• 1,107 yards

It’s difficult to look at his situation in San Diego and not expect Chambers to improve, right? Well, let’s be careful here.

Targets = Opportunity

Through six games, Chambers have been targeted a whopping 66 times. That’s the 4th most targets in the league. You can be sure that Chambers WILL NOT see as many passes thrown his way in San Diego.

1. The Chargers run the ball a lot more
2. Antonio Gates has been targeted 54 times; leading the team
3. LaDainian Tomlinson has been targeted 38 times
4. The Chargers WRs have been targeted 66 times COMBINED through Week Six

The fact is, Chambers will go from being one of THE most targeted receivers in football to somewhere toward the bottom of WR1s in the league. So the real question fantasy owners need to ask themselves is, can Chambers do MORE with each target? The bad news is Chambers has always had hands of stone.

Take a look at the 50 most targeted receivers over the last 5+ seasons (2002-2007), ranked by reception-to-target percentage:

Hands of stone. And the bad news is Chambers has been consistently poor at converting targets into catches. His career best rate was, as a rookie, when he caught 53% of his targets. This year he’s running at 47%, bout 15-20% lower than most elite receivers.

What’s the silver lining?  

I can see two potential areas of encouragement. 1) Norv Turner coaches Chambers for two years in Miami; including the 2003 season when Chambers finished as the 11th best fantasy wideout. 2) Chambers has ZERO TDs right now, but has historically been a good TD producer. I would be surprised if Turner doesn’t find a way to get him at least 5 or 6 TDs the rest of the way.

So what’s the verdict? If you own Chris Chambers, it’s probably a slight upgrade for you if he can score touchdowns, but in PPR leagues his value almost assuredly takes a dip for a few weeks, if not the entire season. If you were starting Vincent Jackson on a consistent basis, you probably want to look elsewhere. It also means Philip Rivers (who hopefully has been on your bench) might now become a viable option at QB. On the Dolphins side, this puts even more pressure on Ronnie Brown to carry the load. He’s been too dominant to sit, but you might want to give more consideration to a trade at this point. Ted Ginn probably is the biggest beneficiary, in that the Fins have absolutely no reason not to start him and let him get a baptism by fire the rest of the way.

Good luck!

Last season, Trent Green suffered a massive concussion that cost him part of the 2006 season and left him a shell of his former Pro Bowl self upon his return. His struggles under new HC Herm Edwards (and his advancing age) made him expendable this offseason, eventually facilitating a trade to the Dolphins.

Green was, by and large, a fantasy afterthought this season. He was joining a new team, coming off that major concussion, and was 37 years old. Not exactly the stuff of fantasy legend. But, some (myself included) saw potential value as a fantasy backup in deeper leagues. It was just two seasons ago when Trent Green was coming off his THIRD consecutive 4,000-yard season. And he had finished no worse than fantasy QB8 from 2002-2005.

Unfortunately for Green, his teammates, and the fans in Miami, it looks like his season and career may now be over. While no official word has been issued, Green has to be seriously considering retirement after suffering yet another major concussion this past Sunday.

The Dolphins are 0-5 and are dangerously close to looking forward to 2008. If that happens, I expect we’ll see rookie QB John Beck under center instead of Cleo Lemon. Either way, the fantasy prospects for the Fins receivers are uncertain, at best.

With the release of Byron Leftwich from the Jacksonville Jaguars, many dynasty fantasy owners were left stunned and very unhappy. There are many teams rumored to be interested in Leftwich including: Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, as well as several others.

The savvy dynasty owner sees this as a perfect time to buy. The current Leftwich owner is left with the feeling that he was kicked in the teeth. There are no starting QB jobs open. At best, Leftwich owners are hoping for fantasy points at the end of this season, but most probably will have to wait until 2008.

Is Byron Leftwich worth a 2008 2nd round rookie pick? Most definitely, especially if you have a good team and the pick will be late in the round. Leftwich was a top fantasy passer last year, before injury, even with the less than stellar corps of pass receivers.

This may be the last time you can get Leftwich for this cheap of a price again.

The NFL Season is just two weeks away, and Fantasy Football drafts are happening all over the country. My eyes are about to pop out of my head from watching 40+ NFL preseason games either in entirety, in fast forward (stopping to catch several key plays) or even on the NFL.com highlight reel. My two DVRs are jam-packed still, but time is a-wastin’.

With that in mind, I have gone through my offensive player rankings for Footballguys for perhaps the last time before Week 1. For obvious reasons I cannot provide my entire rankings list here (subscriber only content), but I can tell you about a few tweaks that I made. There are several changes across the board, mostly minor upticks and downgrades, but I thought it would help some to know about the major moves I made and why:

Running backs:

Take a look here for my overall RB redraft rankings as well as several other Footballguys staff’s opinions.

The running back position is probably the most critical in all of Fantasy Football. Everyone has to pay attention to it, and while it is not impossible to win without good RBs, you are certainly swimming upstream if you don’t have at least a couple.

Based on what I have seen, read and heard over the past few weeks, I have not made many moves in the Top 30 RBs, as most of my expectations have been met for many of the backs. I am keeping an eye on Ahman Green and Lamont Jordan, as I think there is still room for major upside for what price you would have to pay to acquire either of their services.

Looking a little deeper I moved Leon Washington and Adrian Peterson (Chicago) more firmly into the RB40-50 range. Washington showed explosiveness against the Giants last week, breaking a catch and running away from the Big Blue defense for a touchdown to start the game for the Jets. Given his playmaking abilities and Thomas Jones’ injury concerns, I like Washington quite a bit. Peterson (version 1.0) looked good behind the Bears’ offensive line, and I have been rather unimpressed with Cedric Benson so far. Even Garrett Wolfe has looked good, but that was against much lesser talent. Grabbing Peterson is a must if you get Benson, but even if you don’t have the starter for Chicago, Peterson represents a great value later in many drafts.

So who’s sliding down the board? Kevin Jones is a no-brainer to avoid this season. With everyone expecting him to be on the “PUP” list (Physically Unable to Perform) for Weeks 1-6, I just don’t hold much hope for him to contribute. In his absence Tatum Bell and T.J. Duckett will be serviceable, but I don’t know if either is a good fantasy option.

Lastly I’ll mention a favorite sleeper, and that is Lorenzo Booker of the Miami Dolphins. I love the talent and the character of Booker, but he just hasn’t shown much so far in preseason. Yes, he was given time off as he just became a father, but with the uncertainty of how he will perform for Miami and also the emergence of Jesse Chatman as the probable #2 option behind Ronnie Brown I have to move Booker down the charts.

Next up…. Wide Receivers.

Continuing on…I thought it might be helpful to give you a few quick hitting comments on which players are rising and falling in MY (i.e., different than Dodds’) projections this preseason.

Up next, the AFC East:

RISING

• Kellen Clemens, NYJ (Rank: QB41) — Still backup, but solid play = dark horse replacement starter
• Ronnie Brown, MIA (Rank: RB10) — Cam Cameron rides one horse, Dolphins O-line looking OK
• Leon Washington, NYJ (Rank: RB40) — Solid play, Jones’ injury + Receiving threat = 3rd down back w/ upside
• Anthony Thomas, BUF (Rank: RB42) — Running with 1st team, will split carries with Lynch
• Jesse Chatman, MIA (Rank: RB54) — Clearly emerging as Fins RB2
• Lee Evans, BUF (Rank: WR6) — Elite talent, chemistry with Losman
• Wes Welker, NE (Rank: WR49) — Possession receiver having strong camp
• David Martin, MIA (Rank: TE24) — Efficient scorer, getting lots of work in preseason
• Robert Royal, BUF (Rank: TE29) — Emerged as clear-cut starter

FALLING

• Chad Pennington, NYJ (Rank: QB25) — Inconsistent camp + Clemens strong play = risky
• Trent Green, MIA (Rank: QB28) — I originally slotted him around QB20, but struggles brought me back to the mean
• Thomas Jones, NYJ (Rank: RB21) — Achilles injury + Pete Kendall trade = a few notches lower
• Marshawn Lynch, BUF (Rank: RB28) — Jauron committed to RBBC, Lynch not running hard at times
• Lorenzo Booker, MIA (Rank: RB70) — A non-factor thus far in the preseason
• Randy Moss, NE (Rank: WR10) — Lack of practice in August means slower start to the season
• Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (Rank: WR32) — Good, but not great talent
• Kevin Everett, BUF (Rank: TE52) — Royal emerged as starter, Everett a preseason non-factor

Let’s hear your thoughts…where do you agree? Where do you disagree and why?

Taking a look at the the latest ADP data, it seems that fantasy owners are paying too much attention to where the rookie WR crop were drafted in April versus how their situations have evolved over the four months since. Let’s look at the top-12 rookie receivers, according to the most recent ADP data:

• Calvin Johnson — WR20 (54th overall)
• Anthony Gonzalez — WR53 (160th overall)
• Dwayne Jarrett — WR56 (164th overall)
• Dwayne Bowe — WR59 (175th overall)
• Ted Ginn Jr. — WR62 (187th overall)
• Robert Meachem — WR63 (195th overall)
• Craig Davis — WR77 (246th overall)
• Jason Hill — WR82 (256th overall)
• James Jones — WR83 (257th overall)
• Steve Smith — WR87 (269th overall)
• Sidney Rice — WR88 (270th overall)
• Jacoby Jones — WR102 (311th overall)

In my opinion, some of these draft positions are WAY out of whack with the reality of their 2007 opportunities.

OVERVALUED ROOKIES

• Anthony Gonzalez, IND — He’s a rookie, he’s not guaranteed the #3 spot (Aaron Moorehead has been as good in camp, and has the experience factor), and save for Manning’s 49-TD season, the WR3 slot in Indy hasn’t warranted a pick that high based on year-end numbers
• Dwayne Jarrett, CAR – Yes, he may be the future WR2 in Carolina, but he’s not the present. Both Drew Carter and Keary Colbert have been running ahead of him all preseason
• Jason Hill, SF — It’s hard to call someone being drafted 256th overall overvalued. But Hill is going ahead of at least 10 wideouts I think will handily outperform him this year. Hill hasn’t gotten any run in San Francisco this preseason, and looks to start the season no better than WR4 (at best)
• Robert Meachem, NO — Meachem may have a bright future in New Orleans, but as our Sigmund Bloom said this week on The Audible, this is looking more and more like a “red shirt” year for the young speedster out of Tennessee. Meachem was a camp holdout and then showed up out of shape. He hasn’t sniffed the first team during the preseason and is running solidly behind Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Terrence Copper, David Patten and possibly, Lance Moore.
• Ted Ginn Jr., MIA — Ginn is an athlete, but he’s not a polished receiver yet. Unless your team gets points for special teams contributions, Ginn is going far too high given the options still available.

FAIRLY VALUED ROOKIES

• Calvin Johnson, DET – Calvin Johnson is currently ranked 23rd in our consensus WR rankings, so his ADP of WR20 isn’t too out of whack. While it’s never a sure bet to bet on a rookie to deliver WR20 numbers, Johnson is a once-in-a-generation talent and plays for one of the league’s most pass happy offensive coordinators.
• Dwayne Bowe, KC – The Chiefs aren’t going to throw a lot based on Herm Edwards’ coaching history; and Brodie Croyle hasn’t instilled much confidence. However, the Chiefs are more desperate for a young playmaker at wideout than any team in the NFL. Eddie Kennison is solid but he’s getting old and is really better suited as a WR2. And Samie Parker (Mr. Inconsistent) is all that stands in Bowe’s way.
• Sidney Rice, MIN — Rice is an enigma. He’s super skinny and playing in arguably the most jumbled WR corps in the league, but he could easily emerge as a starter sometime this season. The issue, however, is that he could just as easily end up the 4th or 5th wideout. Add to that the uncertainty of QB Tarvaris Jackson and Rice is probably best left as a late round flier or waiver wire pickup

UNDERVALUED ROOKIES

• Craig Davis, SD — Eric Parker is out for a good chunk of the season and rookie Davis has been running with the starting unit opposite Vincent Jackson. The Chargers have a Pro Bowl QB in Philip Rivers and while the WR2 won’t get a ton of targets because of Tomlinson and Gates also getting looks, any NFL starting wideout deserves a higher ADP than Davis’
• James Jones, GB – As we discussed yesterday, Jones has been a beast this preseason and should be the Packers WR3 at worst. But with the injury to Donald Driver, Jones could start the season opposite Greg Jennings. With the Packers throwing the ball 500+ times, and the team’s willingness to start rookies (Jennings started last year), Jones should be drafted in 12-team leagues but his ADP suggests he’s not been
• Steve Smith, NYG — Smith is going to start the season as the Giants WR3, but given Burress’ and Toomer’s injury situations, and Toomer’s advancing age, he stands a good chance of becoming a starter at some point this year. Smith has been one of the most impressive, polished rookie receivers throughout training camp and the preseason. He should have a better season than his USC counterpart
• Jacoby Jones, HOU — Jones is running neck and neck with Kevin Walter for the Texans WR2 position. The Texans have no reason to sit a talent like Jones if he’s as good, if not better than Walter at this juncture. While the Texans offense has its question marks, a 16-game NFL starter (potentially) deserves to be drafted in deeper leagues, yet Jacoby is going outside the top 300!

Trent Green was officially tabbed as the starting QB in Miami today by HC Cam Cameron, ending speculation that Cleo Lemon could overtake the veteran for the job.

Green is a seasoned veteran that’s had more than his fair share of solid fantasy production, but obviously his concussion was a major road block last year and we’ve not yet seen whether Green (at 37 years old) can return to form. Cam Cameron is going to call the plays in Miami but his weapons aren’t exactly comparable to those he enjoyed in San Diego:

• RB1: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Ronnie Brown
• RB2: Michael Turner vs. Jesse Chatman
• TE1: Antonio Gates vs. David Martin
• WR1: Keenan McCardell (prior to ‘07) vs. Chris Chambers
• WR2: Vincent Jackson vs. Marty Booker

Personally, I thought Green would be an intriguing fan