Todays Rumours & Notes Wed 7 March 07

[Paul Mad Scot]

FL Rumors & NotesThe Washington Redskins are poised to acquire cornerback Dre' Bly from the Denver Broncos. The Redskins were $8.4 million under the cap yesterday before re-signing reserve cornerback Ade Jimoh, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The Redskins offered Bly a lucrative contract extension during trade talks, numerous NFL sources said, while Denver has been unwilling to compensate him beyond the $4.2 million base salary he has for 2007. Bly has told numerous past and present teammates of his desire to play for Washington, and several NFL sources believe the Broncos are willing to part with him.



Though the Raiders have not initiated any calls to move him, Oakland has listened to offers for Randy Moss. The Raiders are open to the idea of trading Moss, according to a source close to Oakland. Teams that have shown interest, according to the source, are the New England Patriots, the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.




Ravens free-agent running back Jamal Lewis will visit the Browns soon, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday night. The Ravens have offered Lewis a one-year deal, but he won't accept it, his agent, Mitchell Frankel, told the Sun. As a result, Lewis has begun setting up visits, and Cleveland is expected to be his first stop. That's significant because the majority of free agents have been signing with the first team they visit. Reuben Droughns is due a $1.75 million bonus next week, and if the Browns find a suitable replacement, there's a chance he could be gone.



The Bears can't actively seek to trade LB Lance Briggs under the terms of the franchise tag, but they can listen to overtures from other clubs. Angelo said no one has called. ''We have his rights,'' Angelo said, ''so he's on our team. I don't know what more there is to it than that. ''We feel that we're treating him very good. That's a lot of money he's making on a one-year deal. The strain really comes to us in terms of our cap and what we have to do for a one-year deal. We have as much, in terms of being concerned about this decision, as the player. And I don't want that to go unnoticed.'' Angelo didn't rule out a trade entirely, saying he would listen to any offers that were in the Bears' best interest. ''But when we did this, it was with the intent for him to be a Bear this year,'' Angelo said.



The Dolphins are among several teams that have been contacted about making a trade for Kansas City quarterback Trent Green. Green was asked to take a pay cut or seek a trade during a meeting with Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson this week. Green is seeking a trade through his agent, Jim Steiner, and it is believed the Chiefs will take a late-round pick for Green. If the Dolphins agree to trade for Green or sign him as a free agent, it would be an indication that general manager RandyMueller and coach Cam Cameron are uncertain of Daunte Culpepper's future.



The Ravens have expressed interest in a trade for the Buffalo Bills' Willis McGahee, and Lewis has begun to set up visits, beginning with the Cleveland Browns. Although neither the Ravens nor Lewis has ruled out a return, the tone was drastically different from last Wednesday, when the Ravens cut Lewis to avoid paying him a $5 million roster bonus. "At this point, I'm less optimistic than I was last week," Lewis' agent, Mitch Frankel, said yesterday. The Ravens have maintained that their preference is to keep Lewis and have a standing one-year offer on the table to the franchise's all-time leading rusher. "They have made an original offer that hasn't changed and one that Jamal won't accept," Frankel said. It is believed the next candidate on the Ravens' running back list is McGahee.



Free-agent wide receiver Joe Horn, who was released by the New Orleans Saints last week, is expected to visit the Packers near the end of the week, according to a league source. Horn has a solid relationship with McCarthy, who was his offensive coordinator in New Orleans for five seasons. The 35-year-old Horn has drawn interest from several teams, the heaviest from the Atlanta Falcons, who hosted him Monday and Tuesday.



Buffalo appears willing to part with Willie McGahee immediately because it brought in free-agent running backs Dominic Rhodes and Chris Brown for visits yesterday.



A league source said the Eagles also have some interest in wide receiver Kevin Curtis, but his situation became muddled Monday when he fired agent Tom Condon. Curtis, a former St. Louis Ram, has visited Minnesota and Detroit and had scheduled a visit with the New York Giants.



Former Michigan State running back T. J. Duckett left Lions headquarters Tuesday without signing as a free agent. "He had a good trip, and we're going to continue conversations with the Lions," said Joel Segal, Duckett's agent. Segal said Duckett (Kalamazoo Loy Norrix) planned to visit the Jets today and Seattle on Thursday, and then determine what to do.



Upon visiting the Patriots on Tuesday, free-agent wide receiver Donte' Stallworth received an offer from New England. But before he accepts or counters it, Stallworth first flew off to Tennessee to visit with the Titans. Stallworth also is scheduled to meet with the Dolphins on Thursday, and the receiver's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he hopes to make a decision Friday.



Randy McMichael might not be a free agent for long. A day after the Dolphins cut the tight end, four teams -- the New York Jets, Oakland, Denver and Seattle -- were showing interest. No visit, however, was solidified.



Dre Bly would prefer to play in Washington, but the Broncos are unwilling to part with him for anything less than what they deem fair value. Already, the Redskins have offered the Broncos cornerback Shawn Springs; Denver has asked for Washington's backup running back, Ladell Betts, whom the Broncos still would like even though they already have signed free-agent running back Travis Henry. New Orleans has offered Denver a fourth-round pick for Bly; Denver quickly rejected the Saints offer as not enough. The Broncos continue to insist that, unless they get what they want in return, they will not trade Bly, who has one year remaining on his existing contract.




The Redskins have been in contact with free agent guard Adam Timmerman, his agent said, and although some in the organization believe the 35-year-old may be beyond his productive stage, he remains a possibility to replace departed Derrick Dockery. "We've had some discussions and we're waiting to hear back from them," said Timmerman's agent, Mark Bartelstein.




Free-agent quarterback Patrick Ramsey spent Monday in Denver and Tuesday in Houston. Denver would have liked to have signed Ramsey, but the situation in Houston gives the quarterback a better chance to play. The Texans are open to trading David Carr for the right price -- yet another player on the trading block -- and Ramsey could find himself competing with Sage Rosenfels for a starting spot.



Buffalo recently began shopping Willis McGahee again, seeing if now that some running backs have found homes, other teams would be interested in its back. Buffalo is looking for a first-day draft pick, preferably a second-round pick. One of the main reasons that teams have balked at surrendering it is that McGahee has one year remaining on his contract, and will be seeking a big-time contract as soon as this offseason.



The Cowboys have offered free agent right tackle Marc Colombo a two-year contract worth about $7 million. According to NFL sources, the offer is similar to the deal right tackle Jon Stinchcomb signed Friday with the Saints. Like Colombo, Stinchcomb spent his first four seasons as an observer and recovering from a serious injury. He became a regular in 2006.



The Kansas City Chiefs granted permission Tuesday to Trent Green to seek a trade with another team. At the same time, the Chiefs offered Green the opportunity to remain in Kansas City with a restructured contract. Green's agent, Jim Steiner, already has begun discussions aimed at resolving this matter as soon as possible, with Kansas City or another team. Steiner has spoken to the Dolphins, and Miami's new coach Cam Cameron worked with Green in Washington in 1995 and '96. Green also played at Indiana and Cameron coached there, so there are connections between the men. But the Dolphins would have to satisfy the Chiefs' asking price as well as Green's, and Miami might not be interested in doing both.



Eagles free-agent wideout Donté Stallworth was visiting with the New England Patriots yesterday, and he apparently plans to also go to Tennessee and Miami this week. Contrary to published reports, the Eagles have not made an offer to Stallworth, a source close to the situation said yesterday. Reports of Stallworth signing with the Patriots last night apparently were erroneous.



Veteran wide receiver Joe Horn passed his physical and met with Falcons' coaches and staff members Tuesday, according to a person with knowledge of the developments. Contract talks may have taken place after Horn passed the physical, the person said, however Horn did leave the team's Flowery Branch facility late Tuesday afternoon without a completed deal.



The Saints are interviewing at least two potential free-agent cornerbacks to add to the mix, Roderick Hood, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Will James, formerly of the Eagles and New York Giants. New Orleans has also actively pursued some of the top safeties available in free agency, including Ken Hamlin, Deon Grant and Kevin Kaesviharn.



The Giants let kicker Jay Feely become a free agent without much resistance. But now that three other teams are vying for Feely's services, they're putting up a fight to keep him. According to someone familiar with Feely's situation, the Giants have upped their offer to rival those Feely has received from the Dolphins, Chiefs and Falcons -- the team with which he began his career. The person, who requested anonymity because negotiations are ongoing, said Feely, 30, was pleased with the offer he received during his visit with the Dolphins yesterday but wants to give the Giants a chance to match. Feely is expected to make his final decision shortly.



Speaking for the first time since linebacker Lance Briggs publicly vowed he wouldn't play for the Bears "one more day" because of his frustration over carrying the franchise contract tag, Jerry Angelo uncorked the oral equivalent of a forearm to the chest. "He's under contract, we have his rights [and] he's on our team," said Angelo, foreshadowing the club's intent to keep Briggs. "When we did this it was with the intention of him being a Bear this year. We feel we're treating him very good."



Quarterback Patrick Ramsey and linebacker Danny Clark, a pair of free agents, visited with the Texans on Tuesday.



Former Saints receiver Joe Horn continued his visit with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday, according to his agent, Ralph Vitolo. He has another visit scheduled with the Green Bay Packers this week and might visit the Jacksonville Jaguars.



NFL vice president of public relations Greg Aiello said via e-mail yesterday that the league can neither confirm nor deny that an investigation is under way into the leak that exposed Donté Stallworth's participation in the NFL substance-abuse program. Unless the use of steroids is involved, which would result in an immediate four-game ban, a player's first violation is not subject to sanctions and is supposed to remain out of the public domain.



Re-signing Jerramy Stevens remains a possibility, but the Seahawks' former first-round draft choice from the University of Washington made his first free-agent visit Tuesday to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another candidate is Randy McMichael, who was released Monday by the Miami Dolphins.



Kicker Jay Feely left Miami and returned home to Michigan on Tuesday without a contract. The New York Giants made an offer to retain him, and Kansas City and Atlanta also are involved. The Dolphins, meanwhile, likely will not make a roster move with Olindo Mare until they have another kicker in their sights.



An NFL spokesman said the league has not received the retirement papers of Jake Plummer. But the former Broncos quarterback still intends to retire, two sources close to him said. The paperwork is simply protocol. The league spokesman said when a player retires, a letter is sent to the commissioner. The club that holds his rights, which is Tampa Bay after Saturday's conditional trade, can carry him on the roster or place him on the reserve/retired list.



49ers CB Nate Clements, appearing as a guest on Fox Sports Radio with Andrew Siciliano, asked if the Browns had interest in him: "They definitely pursued me. I factored that in as well, being from Cleveland. But with me getting married, I had to do what's best for my family."




As for the Eagles' running back situation, it's still possible that the team will bring back Correll Buckhalter, who played a reserve role behind Brian Westbrook last season. There is some belief, however, that Buckhalter would like to get more work than the 83 carries and 24 receptions he had in 2006 with the Eagles.



The Saints and cornerback Fred Thomas agreed to restructure the final year of his contract, keeping him in New Orleans for the 2007 season, General Manager Mickey Loomis confirmed Tuesday. Thomas, 33, was scheduled to earn $3 million in salary and bonuses this season. He agreed to reduce that figure by about $800,000, according to a league source. Thomas could not be reached for comment.



The Rams checked off another item Tuesday on their free agency "to-do" list, re-signing veteran offensive lineman Todd Steussie to a one-year deal. Contract terms weren't immediately available for Steussie, an unrestricted free agent.



Coach Brad Childress said he believes the Vikings still are in the running for free agent receiver Kevin Curtis -- who left after a weekend visit without signing a contract.



Two linemen have visited the Browns in the past two days. Defensive lineman Robaire Smith (Texans), considered to be one of the better 3-4 players in free agency, and offensive lineman Mike Gandy (Bills) were in Berea.



The Broncos announced wide receiver Rod Smith recently had surgery on his left hip. The recovery time is four months. Smith turns 37 in May. "The surgery is not unusual," said Tom Mills, Smith's agent. "There is some rehab time, but he will be ready by training camp." Smith is expected to meet soon with the team to discuss his future. Smith has a high salary cap number the team wants to reduce. Smith could be released or he could retire if an agreement isn't reached.



The Bucs are moving closer to losing Dan Buenning's backup, 26-year-old free agent Sean Mahan, to another team. He visited the Seahawks on Tuesday, but his agent was still talking contract very seriously with the Browns, who met with Mahan on Monday. Though the Bucs remain in the mix for Mahan, they met with Chiefs free-agent left tackle Jordan Black, 27, so they aren't completely ignoring the distant future.



Despite his own admission that he had been informed of his release, fullback William Henderson was still on the Green Bay Packers' roster Tuesday. The Packers have, however, begun looking at alternatives to Henderson. Atlanta free-agent fullback Justin Griffith arrived in Green Bay on Tuesday night and is expected to take part in an official visit today. The 5-foot-11, 232-pound Griffith, 25, is an experienced fullback in the zone-blocking system, having started 26 games the last two seasons for the Falcons, one of the teams the Packers have copied for their running game. Besides blocking, Griffith is a decent receiver, averaging about 22 receptions during his four seasons in the NFL.



Who Knew? 49ers LB Tully Banta-Cain's cousin is former Giants outfielder Jeffrey Leonard.



49ers CB Nate Clements, appearing as a guest on Fox Sports Radio with Andrew Siciliano, asked why he picked Frisco: "I feel this team is making moves to get to that next level. With acquiring players via free agency and with the draft, I know we're going to make the playoffs next year."



WR Kevin Curtis has returned to his Utah home after visits to Minnesota and Detroit. The New York Giants, Philadelphia and Tennessee are all thought to be interested.



Veteran defensive tackle Jason Fisk plans to retire rather than explore the market as an unrestricted free agent, according to his agent, Josh Wright. Fisk, 34, registered 35 tackles and one forced fumble as a backup nose tackle for the Rams.



The Vikings apparently are continuing their efforts to restructure tight end Jim Kleinsasser's contract, which calls for him to make $2.9 million in 2007. It's possible Kleinsasser could be released if the talks are unsuccessful. "[The situation] hasn't changed," Childress said.



Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum said DE David Bowens (Dolphins) is still in the mix.... QB Marques Tuiasosopo (Raiders) visited yesterday. FB Darian Barnes (Dolphins) did not.



Bucs QB Jake Plummer still had not filed his retirement papers with the NFL office on Tuesday, according to a league spokesman.



Auburn played host to the defensive assistants from Nebraska on Monday and Tuesday, which became an exhaustive Cotton Bowl debriefing. The coaching staffs reviewed film from the Jan. 1 bowl game -- Auburn beat the Cornhuskers 17-14 -- and exchanged information about play selection. Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said that helps coaches better understand their own weaknesses.



The Steelers can make a little history and tap into some more after they signed former Pitt punter Andy Lee to an offer sheet yesterday. Lee, who spent his first three pro seasons punting for the San Francisco 49ers, can become the first restricted free agent acquired by the Steelers since the system began in 1993. The Steelers hope Lee will replace Chris Gardocki, 37, their punter the past three seasons who is due a $1 million salary in 2007.



Another player the Bucs appear to have some interest in is 49ers free-agent defensive tackle Lance Legree.



Miami's signing of Joey Porter drew a lot of positive feedback Tuesday, but it wasn't all glowing. ''It's a big coup for the Dolphins . . . a jewel,'' NBC analyst and former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said, acknowledging he has never played with a better leader. ``They get a player in his prime, a perennial Pro Bowler. He's a vocal leader, but he does it on the field. He's nowhere near lost it. He's as fast as he's ever been. ``Miami's linebackers are a pretty awesome group now. Rushing the passer is the one thing they didn't have before [from their linebackers]. This gives Jason Taylor the flexibility not to rush every single play. Now you can truly fool a defense. But you lost your most productive player in Wes Welker. I don't understand that.'' CBS' Dan Dierdorf called Welker ''invaluable'' but said Porter -- although ``he can't single-handedly take over a game, is a perfect fit -- mean, tough, hard-nosed.''




The Vikings took a first step Tuesday toward rebuilding their receiving corps, signing free agent Bobby Wade to a five-year, $15 million contract. Wade, who has caught 101 passes in four seasons with Chicago and Tennessee, joins veterans Troy Williamson and Billy McMullen in a group that will continue to evolve.



Redskins CB Fred Smoot's deal is actually worth a maximum of $21 million over five years and not $25 million, as previously reported, according to sources. Smoot received $7 million to sign and the deal is essentially worth $11.5 million over three years.