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Friday, May 4, 2007
Historically black colleges continue to fall off radar
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By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
With five players invited to the scouting combine in Indianapolis in February, it appeared that tiny Hampton University, a Division I-AA football powerhouse, might lead the way this year for a long-overdue resurgence by historically black colleges and universities in the NFL draft.
Each of the five Hampton players, after all, seemed relatively well-regarded by scouts. And the assessment in the early spring was that at least four of the five would be drafted.
Those lofty expectations aside, though, this draft turned out to be like most others have been for the once-fertile scouting ground that HBCUs once provided the league. Over two days and 255 selections, just one of the five Hampton prospects -- linebacker Justin Durant, who was chosen by Jacksonville in the second round -- heard his name called. Once again, the HBCUs were largely ignored in the draft, with their two major conferences, the MEAC and the SWAC, netting only three selections combined.
Years ago, when a visitor turned down the dusty road that led into Itta Bena, Miss., the home of Mississippi Valley State University, the school that produced the great Jerry Rice, one had to pass a weather-beaten barn. And on that barn, in faded letters, read this message: "Welcome to Hard Times, Mississippi."
This, indeed, has been hard times for football programs like Mississippi Valley State's. Itta Bena is located in the fertile delta of the Mississippi River, but the rich silt seems to have quit producing NFL prospects, and the same is unfortunately true for most HBCUs like it. Scouts still stop by to check out players, but don't pursue as many as they used to.
Only a few weeks ago, upon the death of the legendary Eddie Robinson, the nation was reminded that the former Grambling coach sent over 200 players to the NFL. But Grambling long ago ceased to be a must-stop on scouts' maps, a place where a bird-dog could visit and spend days, if he chose to, reviewing tape of tremendous athletes.
Said one college scouting director from an NFC franchise: "A lot of people used to blame the integration of the Southern schools, you know, when the SEC programs began to bring in top black players. But that's [erroneous]. Years after the Southern programs began to recruit black players, the good black programs were still turning out prospects. But that isn't the case much anymore. It's more a matter of money than demographics. The black schools don't have the money, the equipment, the coaching."
And now, it seems, they don't have the players, either.
It isn't as if the snub by the NFL is intentional. By nature, scouts will go anywhere to turn up a prospect. They'll sell their souls, in fact, for a hidden gem. But given the trend in the recent drafts, it appears there are fewer gems, hidden or otherwise, at the HBCUs. And that is too bad, because the universities that sent players such as Rice, Harry Carson, Willie Lanier and Doug Williams to the NFL played a very meaningful role in the league's development and the explosion of its popularity.
Last year, the Indianapolis Colts won a Super Bowl title with a starting rookie safety from an HBCU, Howard's Antoine Bethea. But Bethea is an exception, one of the few players of recent vintage to come out of a black program and make an immediate splash. The speedy Durant hopes to do the same, of course, but acknowledged last week that he is disappointed he was Hampton's lone representative in the 2007 draft class.
"We have a lot of pride in [the Hampton] program and in the black schools," Durant said. "But it took a little bit of a hit, didn't it?"
Unfortunately, that's the way things have been lately.
Around the league
• Frye ready to fight: The reaction of Cleveland quarterback Charlie Frye to the Browns' selection of Notre Dame star Brady Quinn in the first round Saturday has been pretty much no reaction at all. At least publicly. Privately, though, Frye is determined to hold off the challenges from Quinn and Derek Anderson, who started three games late in 2006, and to hold onto his job atop the depth chart. And Frye has chosen an interesting example to embrace as he deals with the presence of Quinn, a steal with the 22nd overall selection, and likely the fan favorite in the quarterback derby. Frye has examined closely the case of Drew Brees, who suffered through a pretty miserable season in San Diego in 2003. That year, Brees completed just 205 of 356 passes for 2,108 yards, with 11 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions, and a career-low passer rating of 67.5. The performance was so uneven that it prompted the Chargers to complete the draft-and-trade deal in 2004 that landed the team quarterback Philip Rivers.
In response to the addition of Rivers that spring, Brees said very little, instead deciding that he would just work harder and allow his actions to speak volumes more than words ever could. The result: In 2004, Brees threw 27 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions. He also rang up a passer rating of 104.8, an improvement of nearly 40 points on the previous season, and a career high for Brees -- even better than his rating in 2006, when he led the NFL in passing yards. Frye is coming off a 2006 season in which his numbers -- 252-for-392 for 2,454 yards, 10 touchdown passes, 17 interceptions and a 72.2 rating -- were not all that dissimilar to those of Brees in 2003. And he intends for his response to be the same as Brees' when the Chargers added Rivers. That's not to suggest that Frye will improve his passer rating by 40 points -- heck, he might not be able to retain his starting spot -- but it's an interesting approach he has adopted. And thanks to Brees, he has an interesting template to follow.
• Where will Keyshawn turn? Whither suddenly unemployed wide receiver and erstwhile ESPN draft analyst Keyshawn Johnson in 2007? While he figures to have multiple suitors and definitely will be in the league this season, assuming he wants to continue his career, Johnson might find it difficult to land with a franchise that has legitimate championship potential. The Randy Moss trade takes New England out of the mix. Indianapolis chose Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio State in the first round of the draft and he almost certainly will become the slot receiver for the Colts, replacing Brandon Stokley. Johnson's agent phoned San Diego officials this week but was told, politely and respectfully, that the Chargers like their young wide receiver corps, and aren't interested. Likewise, the Eagles seem smitten with their young wideouts. So it's possible, in fact, probable, that Johnson might have to scale back his expectations a bit.
The New York Giants are reported to have some interest. But in an ironic twist for Johnson, who essentially was bumped from his job in Carolina when the Panthers grabbed Southern California wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in the second round, it could be another former Trojans pass catcher, Steve Smith, who might block a possible return to the Big Apple. The Giants chose Smith in the second round just a year after investing a second-rounder in another wide receiver, Sinorice Moss, whom the franchise has big hopes for despite his injury-plagued 2006 rookie season. And any team that takes on Johnson will have to closely examine his production, and just as important, how he might fit into its passing game. Johnson had 70 catches in 2006, more than all but five No. 2 wide receivers in the NFL, and a nice year by almost anyone's standards for a so-called "complementary" receiver. But he averaged only 11.6 yards per catch, a career low. In fact, the two lowest averages per-catch in Johnson's career have come in the past two seasons, both under 12.0 yards. He hasn't averaged over 14.0 yards per reception since 2002. That means most teams will view Johnson as a possession-type receiver, a role he has filled well, but principally while working from an outside position. While he has never exhibited any qualms about going over the middle, Johnson hasn't worked from the slot much in his career, and that could further limit his options. Most important, though, is that the 11-year veteran will turn 35 in late July, just about a week before training camps open around the league. At that age, it might be hard to locate a team willing to pay Johnson the kind of money ($6 million) he earned in his lone season with the Panthers.
• Keyshawn's replacements: The rationale of Panthers officials in abruptly releasing Johnson this week -- that the draft further enhanced the number of young and talented wide receivers on the roster and it's time for those players to assume more prominent roles -- was undeniably a sound one. But the Panthers, who might need to put together a playoff year for general manager Marty Hurney and coach John Fox to survive owner Jerry Richardson's scrutiny, seem to be banking a lot on guys who really haven't done much yet. Jarrett is a younger version of Johnson -- a big, physical wideout who doesn't run especially well, but who makes a lot of big plays -- but the recent history of the league is chock-full of wide receivers who were chosen with a high-round pick and bombed. Fourth-rounder Ryne Robinson of Miami (Ohio) is a Munchkin-sized receiver who runs in the 4.5s and is going to have to grow up quickly. Mostly because of injuries, fourth-year veteran Keary Colbert really has regressed, and he's going to have to regain the form of his 2004 rookie season. That year, Colbert, starting in place of the injured Steve Smith, had 47 receptions for 754 yards and five touchdowns in 15 starts. In the two years since (19 starts), Colbert has only 30 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns. In 12 contests last season, he rang up five catches for 56 yards and failed to score. The other young veteran on the roster, three-year pro Drew Carter, has a history of knee problems. And Carter has been, to this point, a pretty much once-dimensional receiver, with straight-line vertical speed who could stretch the field, but isn't especially good in the intermediate range. It's hard to argue the decision to lop off Johnson. It's almost as hard, though, to identify just who is going to make up for the 70 catches that leave with him.
• Brown on the block? There was scuttlebutt early in the offseason that the Chicago Bears might consider unloading left defensive end Adewale Ogunleye for the right price, but the whispers have now subsided. Instead, the hottest rumor, substantiated by a variety of sources, is that the defending NFC champions are shopping right defensive end Alex Brown. The five-year veteran is a solid two-way defender, but the former University of Florida star has never really developed into the weakside pass-rusher many felt he would be at the NFL level. Brown has 27 sacks in his five-year career, with a career-best seven in 2006, and 20 in the past three seasons. He has three years remaining on his contract, at base salaries of $595,000 (2007), $550,000 (200
and $670,000 (2009). Chicago has a standout young pass-rusher in Mark Anderson, who notched 12 sacks as a rookie in 2006. And the Bears feel they got another one last weekend in Dan Bazuin. The former Central Michigan star had a school-record 35 career sacks, including 16 sacks as a junior, and led all defensive linemen in this year's draft with 63½ tackles for loss.
• McGinest falling out of favor? Rumblings out of Cleveland are that management is looking at 13-year veteran linebacker Willie McGinest through a little harsher prism these days. McGinest is coming off a 2006 season in which he had only 46 tackles and four sacks. The tackles are the fewest McGinest has registered since 2001, when he played in only 11 games with New England, missing significant time because of injuries. The sacks are his fewest since 1998. Signed as a free agent last spring after the Patriots released him, McGinest was neither the leader nor the player the Browns anticipated they were getting. And as '06 first-round draft pick Kamerion Wimbley emerged as the Browns' top sack threat, McGinest took on a lesser role.
McGinest is due base salaries of $1.9 million for 2007 and $2.9 million for 2008 in the final two seasons of his contract. Not a lot, except that some people in Cleveland see him as a player in decline, and might not want to ante up that kind of money. It might not help his case, either, that McGinest is viewed as a Romeo Crennel loyalist, a guy who played for the Cleveland head coach when he was the defensive coordinator in New England. The contingent of card-carrying "Crennel Guys" shrunk by one this week, when the Browns released veteran guard Joe Andruzzi, and membership in the once-burgeoning club might continue to dwindle.
• Mr. Right? It looks like Arizona offensive line coach Russ Grimm will use tackle Levi Brown, the team's first-round pick, on the right side, even though the former Penn State star played the left side in college. Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart is left-handed, of course, so the right tackle position becomes the key blindside protection spot. Such a move means that Oliver Ross, who was switching to left tackle anyway, will compete with free-agent signee Mike Gandy for the other starting job on a dramatically overhauled unit. Grimm loved Brown in the draft, even more than Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas, and he has no doubts that the youngster can handle the move to the right side.
• Griffin switching to corner? When the Titans chose Texas free safety Michael Griffin with the 19th selection, a lot of people scratched their heads, since the consensus was that Tennessee's bigger need in the secondary was a cornerback to replace the suspended Pacman Jones. But sources told ESPN.com that when the Titans convene for rookie minicamp this weekend, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is going to play Griffin extensively at cornerback, to see if he can handle the position. Griffin is a superb athlete, an aggressive player with long arms, and a very good on-the-ball defender. Tennessee signed former Indianapolis starter Nick Harper as an unrestricted free agent, and he figures to be paired with Reynaldo Hill, as things currently stand. But Harper is a Tampa 2 corner, which means his coverage responsibilities weren't the same as most corners, and his skill set isn't exactly a perfect fit for the style Schwartz prefers. Jones was a great man-to-man defender, and according to Schwartz surrendered only six completions when in single coverage in 2006. Such players are hard to find. The Titans don't know if they've unearthed one or not in Griffin, but they aim to find out this weekend, when the experiment at cornerback begins. There were a couple other teams, beyond Tennessee, that felt Griffin might be able to transition to cornerback under the right circumstances.
• Eagles stacked at DT: Last week in this space, we noted that the Patriots, perhaps sensing an opportunity to land a solid player for a very palatable price, were sniffing around unrestricted free-agent defensive tackle Ian Scott. So it wasn't surprising when the four-year veteran, who played his entire career with Chicago as a part-time starter for the Bears, visited with New England officials on Thursday. The surprising part? That the persuasive Pats' brass, which characteristically does a masterful selling job even on reluctant prospects, didn't land Scott. Instead, Scott went from Foxboro to Philadelphia for a hastily arranged visit, and signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Eagles. Scott had been consistently, and somewhat surprisingly, low-balled by teams like Atlanta and Minnesota in the free-agent market. He determined a few weeks ago that if he wasn't going to be able to land the kind of contract he anticipated at the outset of free agency, he would sign a one-year deal with a contender. His feeling was that he'd log snaps, win some games, and go back into the free-agent market again next year, and try to command the kind of money he thought he would be banking this spring.
Of course, it's going to be interesting to see just how many snaps Scott gets with the Eagles, given a defensive tackle depth chart that remains crowded even after the club sent starter Darwin Walker to Buffalo in the trade that landed standout linebacker Takeo Spikes. The Philadelphia coaches plan to start former first-round picks Mike Patterson (2005) and Brodrick Bunkley (2006) at tackle this year, even though the latter was all but invisible as a rookie. But earlier this spring, the Eagles signed Montae Reagor after Indianapolis released him, and he will command playing time. Scott and Reagor figure, at this point, to vie for the No. 3 spot in the rotation. That leaves Sam Rayburn and LaJuan Ramsey, and like most teams, the Eagles won't carry more than five tackles into the season. It seems like Rayburn, who had eight sacks his first two years but has just one in the past two, is the subject of trade rumors every spring. Maybe this is the year that Rayburn, who sure looks like the odd man out, gets dealt.
• Patriots' next target: So now that Scott has wiggled out of the Patriots' clutches, who is the next unemployed veteran in the New England crosshairs? Well, don't dismiss the possibility of New England making a play for unrestricted free-agent tailback Chris Brown, the four-year veteran who played his entire career with the Tennessee Titans, but lost his starting job to Travis Henry in 2006. The Pats have done some background work on Brown, and with the release of Corey Dillon earlier this spring, they need another back to help second-year veteran Laurence Maroney with the workload. Versatile veteran Kevin Faulk is still a dependable back, but is best when his snaps are kept to an acceptable level, usually on third down. And Maroney has suffered some shoulder problems, so it might be prudent for New England, which did not add a tailback in the draft until choosing Justise Hairston of Central Connecticut in the sixth round, to bring in a veteran who knows the ropes.
Brown is still a young guy (26), and might be frustrated enough with the free-agency experience at this point to accept a one-year deal with a team that could get him a Super Bowl ring. Brown rushed for 1,067 yards in 2004 and 851 yards in 2005, and while he absorbs a lot of hits because of his upright running style, the guy doesn't have much tread rubbed off his tires. He has carried only 541 times in four years and appeared in just five games in 2006. He might not be a perfect fit in the New England offense, but he could be the best back available to the Pats if they want to add a veteran to the mix. One element that might further fuel the Pats to take a closer look at Brown: With Dominic Rhodes having departed as a free agent, the archrival Colts have indicated some interest in Brown as a potential caddy to second-year pro Joseph Addai.
• Texans wanted Ginn: One slot can mean a significant financial difference in the first round. And from a perception standpoint, it apparently can mean a lot, too. The Miami Dolphins, and in particular first-year coach Cam Cameron, caught incredible grief from their fans and the media when they chose Ohio State wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the draft. Miami fans, of course, wanted the team to stop the free fall of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn at that point. But had the Dolphins not taken Ginn, who is still recovering from the mid-foot sprain he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl after being mobbed by teammates when he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Houston would have grabbed him with the No. 10 slot. And the guess is that long-suffering Texans fans, tired of seeing the team field a bunch of stiffs at the wide receiver spot opposite Pro Bowl pass catcher Andre Johnson, would have had a much kinder reaction.
Ginn was the guy the Texans wanted, and one look at the wide receiver depth chart after Johnson shows why. As was the case for the departed David Carr, there aren't a lot of inviting targets for new starting quarterback Matt Schaub. Arguably the most surprising choice in the top 10 of the 2006 draft was another former Ohio State player: safety Donte Whitner, who was chosen by Buffalo with the eighth overall pick and had a marvelous rookie year for the Bills. The Dolphins can only hope their Buckeyes' surprise in the top 10 this year turns out as well.
• Holcomb odd man out? Without doubt, the biggest much-ado-about-nothing story of draft weekend was the Eagles' choice of University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb in the second round (with Philadelphia's first selection in the draft), and the ramifications that it might have on star Donovan McNabb. What ramifications? McNabb is often accused by detractors of being too cozy with Philadelphia management, particularly owner Jeff Lurie. So the same team officials with whom McNabb has an allegedly too-close relationship is suddenly going to toss him overboard? Even with the injuries that have plagued him the past few years, McNabb remains The Guy in Philadelphia. There is no reason to believe otherwise -- certainly not the presence of Kolb, who was one of the draft's fastest risers in the final month of player evaluations, but still got uneven grades from scouts around the league.
Fact is, the guy who figures to be most affected by the choice of Kolb is journeyman Kelly Holcomb, who was a throw-in to the March trade in which the Eagles acquired Spikes. The Eagles signed A.J. Feeley to a contract extension this spring and he will be the No. 2 guy behind McNabb. Given that Kolb was the 36th overall pick in the draft, he's not going anywhere, and he'll be third on the depth chart. Since the team probably won't carry four quarterbacks on the regular-season roster, Holcomb might be wise not to unpack his bags. Funny, but when Philadelphia consummated the Spikes trade at the league owners' meeting in Phoenix, a team official suggested that by the summer, the Eagles might be able to get something by dealing off Holcomb to a team in need of an experienced backup. That might be a self-fulfilling prophesy. There are some teams in the league for whom the 10-year veteran Holcomb would be a nice insurance policy.
• Siler suffers: There are a lot of inadequacies in the NFL's system for evaluating and drafting underclass players, as evidenced by the fact that 11 of the 40 non-seniors in this year's pool weren't selected at all, including very good college performers such as Notre Dame tailback Darius Walker, Mississippi linebacker Rory Johnson and San Diego State defensive end Antwan Applewhite. The fact that 11 underclassmen went undrafted all but offset the 14 non-seniors who were selected in the first round. And it has precipitated some internal debate among league personnel men who feel there should be a better process for dealing with underclass prospects.
They won't get an argument from former Florida inside linebacker Brandon Siler, chosen by the Chargers in the seventh round. A 2½-year starter for the Gators who called the team's defensive alignments from his middle linebacker position, Siler seemed to do everything by the book. He filed with the NFL's committee for evaluating underclass prospects in January and the group's projection was that he would be a second- or third-round choice. At the combine, the 6-foot-1¾, 241-pound Siler performed well, turning in a time of 4.62 seconds in the 40. He followed that up with a solid audition at his pro day workout. And then he waited on Saturday and Sunday as 239 names were called before his. Acknowledged one NFC scout of Siler's case: "Yeah, he's a guy you've got to feel for, because he said all the right stuff and did all the right stuff, and it didn't matter. Some of [the underclass players] just get bad advice, and they come out of school too early, and they pay a price. But then you see a guy like [Siler], and it makes you wonder about how we do things, you know?"
• True value: The restricted free-agent offer sheet that Indianapolis cornerback Jason David signed with New Orleans, which the Colts declined to match, is worth less than reported in some quarters, including this space. The contract is for $15 million -- we reported its value at $16.5 million -- but, as anticipated, was structured in such a way that the cap-shy Colts had no recourse but to pass on it, permit David to move on to the Saints, and accept a fourth-round draft choice as compensation. The contract included a signing bonus of $1.3 million, a first-year roster bonus of $2.2 million and a base salary of $3 million for 2007. That's total compensation of $6.5 million this season and, because of the roster bonus, an unwieldy cap hit of $5.525 million. The rest of the deal: base salaries of $2.5 million each in 2008 and 2009 and $3 million in 2010, and a $500,000 roster bonus for 2008. David will bank $9.5 million in the first two years of the contract.
• Money matter: As pointed out here last week, the monster deal the Saints signed with franchise defensive end Charles Grant last week, a seven-year contract with a maximum value of $63 million if the five-year veteran hit every incentive in the package, is certain to have teammate Will Smith knocking on the door of New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis. Regarded by most personnel men as the better player of the two, Smith has two years remaining on his rookie contract, so it might be tough for the three-year veteran and 2004 first-round pick to get management's attention. Unless, of course, he dodges some of the offseason workouts and maybe the start of training camp. That would subject him to fines, but Smith might have to take drastic measures to get the Saints' brass to the bargaining table.
Grant's contract paid him an initial signing bonus of $12 million and calls for an $8 million roster bonus next spring. The base salaries are $700,000 (2007), $750,000 (200, $1.85 million (2009), $4 million (2010), $4.5 million (2011), $5 million (2012) and $8 million (2013). There are $100,000 offseason workout bonuses in 2007 and 2008 and workout bonuses of $250,000 each from 2009-2013. The contract also includes roster bonuses of $500,000 for 2011, $1 million for 2012, and $5 million for 2013. Grant has an extremely livable cap charge of $2.8 million for 2007, but that skyrockets to an exorbitant $10.85 million in 2008. New Orleans will reduce that by converting the $8 million roster bonus Grant is due next spring into a signing bonus, which will then allow the team to prorate it. Chances are Grant will never see the $19.5 million in total compensation in the final two years of the contract. But the deal still pays $23.75 million in its first three seasons, $28 million in the first four and $33.25 million in the first five years. You can bet those are numbers Will Smith knows very, very well.
• Costly injury: That might be a very expensive pectoral muscle tear that Atlanta weakside linebacker Demorrio Williams suffered in a weight lifting accident last week. Expensive for the team, because it appears the Falcons will start a rookie -- fourth-round draft pick Stephen Nicholas of South Florida -- in Williams' spot. And expensive for Williams, who is slated for unrestricted free agency next spring. An undersized but active linebacker who has averaged over 90 tackles in three seasons and posted 100-plus tackles in two years as a starter, Williams would have commanded a lot of attention in free agency. And perhaps a lot of money, too. He still might, but the road to riches isn't without a big pothole now, as Williams faces a five-month rehabilitation and might not be fully recovered for the start of the season. Missed playing time means missed opportunities in the NFL. And missed opportunities sometimes means the big money passes you by. Williams is a quality player with a bright future if he gets into a system that allows him to run around and use his athleticism, but the injury clearly is a setback.
• Combine tally: Here's the tally on players who were at the draft combine workouts in February: Of the 310 non-kickers who attended the Indianapolis sessions, 99 were not selected at all in the draft. There were 39 non-specialists chosen last weekend who did not attend the combine. The highest non-combine player picked was Kent State cornerback Usama Young, taken by New Orleans in the third round, with the 66th overall choice. Young was a prospect who really shot up draft boards around the league late in the process. He's got nice size (5-foot-11½, 192 pounds), and good hands, and it didn't hurt when he ran the 40 in under 4.3 seconds for some scouts. Young is rawer than steak tartar, but if he develops as a cover guy the way scouts think he can, the Saints, who have struggled the past few years to upgrade at the corner position, may have gotten themselves a steal. There were five non-combine players chosen in the fourth round: University of Cincinnati cornerback John Bowie by Oakland (No. 110 overall, with the pick acquired in the Randy Moss trade), Missouri defensive end Brian Smith by Jacksonville (No. 113), Towson State offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod by the Saints (No. 125), Troy State safety Brannon Condren by Indianapolis (No. 131), and Pittsburgh linebacker Clint Session by the Colts (No. 136).
• Conerstones: Until a year ago, when they chose Johnathan Joseph of South Carolina, the Bengals never invested a first-round choice on a player who lined up at cornerback for them. The team took Oklahoma cornerback Rickey Dixon in the first round of the 1988 draft, then immediately moved him to safety. Now the Bengals have tabbed cornerbacks in the first rounds of consecutive drafts, having snatched Michigan's Leon Hall with the 18th overall slot Saturday, and seem to have their future starters set. Joseph will actually move into the starting lineup this year, replacing Tory James, who left in free agency. At some point in the season, it's a good bet Hall, who will begin his NFL career in the nickel cornerback role, will bump Deltha O'Neal from the lineup. The acquisition of Hall all but guarantees that free safety Madieu Williams won't be switched to cornerback this year.
• Future void: While the Bengals seem set at cornerback for the long-term future, Chicago might not be settled at the position beyond the 2007 season. Both of the Bears' starters, Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman, are eligible for free agency after this year, and it will be difficult for Chicago to retain the talented, big-play tandem. Tillman has 14 interceptions in four years and Vasher has 16 picks in just three seasons. The thinking around the NFL is that the Bears will try to keep just one of the two and move second-year veteran Danieal Manning from free safety to cornerback to replace the one who leaves.
• Room to work: There remain 11 teams with more than $10 million each in available salary-cap room. The cap space for each team as of early this week: Minnesota, $24.5 million; Buffalo, $22.6 million; Cleveland, $21.2 million; Tennessee, $19.5 million; Green Bay, $15.5 million; Oakland, $12.8 million; Jacksonville, $12.6 million; Dallas, $12.3 million; Philadelphia, $12.0 million; New Orleans, $11.3 million; San Francisco, $10.5 million; St. Louis, $9.7 million; New York Jets, $9.5 million; Miami, $8.8 million; Cincinnati, $7.4 million; Tampa Bay, $7.3 million; Carolina, $6.7 million; Kansas City, $6.4 million; San Diego, $6.4 million; Seattle, $6.3 million; Washington, $5.1 million; Chicago, $5.1 million; New York Giants, $4.8 million; Baltimore, $3.4 million; Atlanta, $3.2 million; Indianapolis, $3.2 million; Houston, $2.2 million; Arizona, $1.9 million; Denver, $1.8 million; Detroit, $1.5 million; Pittsburgh, $1.3 million; and New England, minus-$4.4 million. The Patriots' cap figure, it is believed, reflects the contract assumed in the Moss trade, but not the redone deal or the restructuring of quarterback Tom Brady's deal, which saved New England about $4 million in 2006 cap charges.
• Punts: Cincinnati has ended its pursuit of unrestricted free-agent quarterback Tim Rattay, who visited with team officials a few weeks ago, and the Bengals seem content to stick with journeyman Doug Johnson as Carson Palmer's primary backup. The team will work to develop Jeff Rowe of Nevada, selected in the fifth round last weekend, as a possible backup for the future. Rowe needs to add some bulk to his long frame, and he played in an unconventional offense in college, but he's got some tools. … Only a few weeks ago, there were published reports that Buffalo Bills assistant general manager Tom Modrak was on his way out. This week, Modrak, a terrific talent evaluator who has done an excellent job with the Bills' past couple of drafts, agreed to a contract extension. … The Giants will move second-year defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, who had four sacks as a rookie in 2006, to strongside linebacker. Veteran free agent Kawika Mitchell, who had been expected to start to the strong side, will instead have to compete with second-year pro Gerris Wilkinson on the weak side. … It's hard to knock Washington for using the No. 6 pick in the draft on safety LaRon Landry, since a lot of scouts rated him the top defensive player in the entire talent pool. Then again, the Redskins already had one top-10 safety in Sean Taylor, taken with the fifth selection in 2004. Still, people around the league wonder where the Redskins, who had just 19 sacks in 2006, are going to generate a pass rush from. Washington passed on defensive end Jamaal Anderson and also defensive tackle Amobi Okoye with the sixth pick, and both would have bolstered a pretty mundane front four unit. Landry figures to be a great player. But even as good as he is, another top-10 safety might have been a luxury. … Only two years ago, San Francisco spent a small fortune to sign offensive tackle Jonas Jennings away from Buffalo as an unrestricted free agent. But after injuries and inconsistency, the 49ers used a first-round choice last week to pick Joe Staley of Central Michigan, who figures to replace the overpriced and so far underachieving Jennings at left tackle. Unless Stanley is absolutely awful, he'll win the left side job and Jennings will be forced to move to the right side. The odd man out likely is Kwame Harris, a first-round pick in 2003, and another tackle who hasn't come close to living up to his press clippings. … Minnesota officials ostensibly served notice to wide receiver Troy Williamson in the draft that the 2005 first-rounder is on thin ice. The Vikings used three picks on wide receivers -- South Carolina's Sidney Rice (No. 2), East Carolina's Aundrae Allison (No. 5) and Florida International's Chandler Williams (No. 7b) -- and feel all will make the team. The silky-smooth Rice could push for a starting job. With only 61 catches and two touchdowns in two seasons, and looking more and more like a first-round washout, Williamson, the seventh player taken ovrerall in 2005, could be sent packing if coach Brad Childress thinks the youngsters are an upgrade. After all, Childress didn't pick Williamson, he inherited him from former head coach Mike Tice. That means there is no inherent loyalty to Williamson, and no liability on the part of Childress for having taken him.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
Historically black colleges continue to fall off radar
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By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
With five players invited to the scouting combine in Indianapolis in February, it appeared that tiny Hampton University, a Division I-AA football powerhouse, might lead the way this year for a long-overdue resurgence by historically black colleges and universities in the NFL draft.
Each of the five Hampton players, after all, seemed relatively well-regarded by scouts. And the assessment in the early spring was that at least four of the five would be drafted.
Those lofty expectations aside, though, this draft turned out to be like most others have been for the once-fertile scouting ground that HBCUs once provided the league. Over two days and 255 selections, just one of the five Hampton prospects -- linebacker Justin Durant, who was chosen by Jacksonville in the second round -- heard his name called. Once again, the HBCUs were largely ignored in the draft, with their two major conferences, the MEAC and the SWAC, netting only three selections combined.
Years ago, when a visitor turned down the dusty road that led into Itta Bena, Miss., the home of Mississippi Valley State University, the school that produced the great Jerry Rice, one had to pass a weather-beaten barn. And on that barn, in faded letters, read this message: "Welcome to Hard Times, Mississippi."
This, indeed, has been hard times for football programs like Mississippi Valley State's. Itta Bena is located in the fertile delta of the Mississippi River, but the rich silt seems to have quit producing NFL prospects, and the same is unfortunately true for most HBCUs like it. Scouts still stop by to check out players, but don't pursue as many as they used to.
Only a few weeks ago, upon the death of the legendary Eddie Robinson, the nation was reminded that the former Grambling coach sent over 200 players to the NFL. But Grambling long ago ceased to be a must-stop on scouts' maps, a place where a bird-dog could visit and spend days, if he chose to, reviewing tape of tremendous athletes.
Said one college scouting director from an NFC franchise: "A lot of people used to blame the integration of the Southern schools, you know, when the SEC programs began to bring in top black players. But that's [erroneous]. Years after the Southern programs began to recruit black players, the good black programs were still turning out prospects. But that isn't the case much anymore. It's more a matter of money than demographics. The black schools don't have the money, the equipment, the coaching."
And now, it seems, they don't have the players, either.
It isn't as if the snub by the NFL is intentional. By nature, scouts will go anywhere to turn up a prospect. They'll sell their souls, in fact, for a hidden gem. But given the trend in the recent drafts, it appears there are fewer gems, hidden or otherwise, at the HBCUs. And that is too bad, because the universities that sent players such as Rice, Harry Carson, Willie Lanier and Doug Williams to the NFL played a very meaningful role in the league's development and the explosion of its popularity.
Last year, the Indianapolis Colts won a Super Bowl title with a starting rookie safety from an HBCU, Howard's Antoine Bethea. But Bethea is an exception, one of the few players of recent vintage to come out of a black program and make an immediate splash. The speedy Durant hopes to do the same, of course, but acknowledged last week that he is disappointed he was Hampton's lone representative in the 2007 draft class.
"We have a lot of pride in [the Hampton] program and in the black schools," Durant said. "But it took a little bit of a hit, didn't it?"
Unfortunately, that's the way things have been lately.
Around the league
• Frye ready to fight: The reaction of Cleveland quarterback Charlie Frye to the Browns' selection of Notre Dame star Brady Quinn in the first round Saturday has been pretty much no reaction at all. At least publicly. Privately, though, Frye is determined to hold off the challenges from Quinn and Derek Anderson, who started three games late in 2006, and to hold onto his job atop the depth chart. And Frye has chosen an interesting example to embrace as he deals with the presence of Quinn, a steal with the 22nd overall selection, and likely the fan favorite in the quarterback derby. Frye has examined closely the case of Drew Brees, who suffered through a pretty miserable season in San Diego in 2003. That year, Brees completed just 205 of 356 passes for 2,108 yards, with 11 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions, and a career-low passer rating of 67.5. The performance was so uneven that it prompted the Chargers to complete the draft-and-trade deal in 2004 that landed the team quarterback Philip Rivers.
In response to the addition of Rivers that spring, Brees said very little, instead deciding that he would just work harder and allow his actions to speak volumes more than words ever could. The result: In 2004, Brees threw 27 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions. He also rang up a passer rating of 104.8, an improvement of nearly 40 points on the previous season, and a career high for Brees -- even better than his rating in 2006, when he led the NFL in passing yards. Frye is coming off a 2006 season in which his numbers -- 252-for-392 for 2,454 yards, 10 touchdown passes, 17 interceptions and a 72.2 rating -- were not all that dissimilar to those of Brees in 2003. And he intends for his response to be the same as Brees' when the Chargers added Rivers. That's not to suggest that Frye will improve his passer rating by 40 points -- heck, he might not be able to retain his starting spot -- but it's an interesting approach he has adopted. And thanks to Brees, he has an interesting template to follow.
• Where will Keyshawn turn? Whither suddenly unemployed wide receiver and erstwhile ESPN draft analyst Keyshawn Johnson in 2007? While he figures to have multiple suitors and definitely will be in the league this season, assuming he wants to continue his career, Johnson might find it difficult to land with a franchise that has legitimate championship potential. The Randy Moss trade takes New England out of the mix. Indianapolis chose Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio State in the first round of the draft and he almost certainly will become the slot receiver for the Colts, replacing Brandon Stokley. Johnson's agent phoned San Diego officials this week but was told, politely and respectfully, that the Chargers like their young wide receiver corps, and aren't interested. Likewise, the Eagles seem smitten with their young wideouts. So it's possible, in fact, probable, that Johnson might have to scale back his expectations a bit.
The New York Giants are reported to have some interest. But in an ironic twist for Johnson, who essentially was bumped from his job in Carolina when the Panthers grabbed Southern California wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in the second round, it could be another former Trojans pass catcher, Steve Smith, who might block a possible return to the Big Apple. The Giants chose Smith in the second round just a year after investing a second-rounder in another wide receiver, Sinorice Moss, whom the franchise has big hopes for despite his injury-plagued 2006 rookie season. And any team that takes on Johnson will have to closely examine his production, and just as important, how he might fit into its passing game. Johnson had 70 catches in 2006, more than all but five No. 2 wide receivers in the NFL, and a nice year by almost anyone's standards for a so-called "complementary" receiver. But he averaged only 11.6 yards per catch, a career low. In fact, the two lowest averages per-catch in Johnson's career have come in the past two seasons, both under 12.0 yards. He hasn't averaged over 14.0 yards per reception since 2002. That means most teams will view Johnson as a possession-type receiver, a role he has filled well, but principally while working from an outside position. While he has never exhibited any qualms about going over the middle, Johnson hasn't worked from the slot much in his career, and that could further limit his options. Most important, though, is that the 11-year veteran will turn 35 in late July, just about a week before training camps open around the league. At that age, it might be hard to locate a team willing to pay Johnson the kind of money ($6 million) he earned in his lone season with the Panthers.
• Keyshawn's replacements: The rationale of Panthers officials in abruptly releasing Johnson this week -- that the draft further enhanced the number of young and talented wide receivers on the roster and it's time for those players to assume more prominent roles -- was undeniably a sound one. But the Panthers, who might need to put together a playoff year for general manager Marty Hurney and coach John Fox to survive owner Jerry Richardson's scrutiny, seem to be banking a lot on guys who really haven't done much yet. Jarrett is a younger version of Johnson -- a big, physical wideout who doesn't run especially well, but who makes a lot of big plays -- but the recent history of the league is chock-full of wide receivers who were chosen with a high-round pick and bombed. Fourth-rounder Ryne Robinson of Miami (Ohio) is a Munchkin-sized receiver who runs in the 4.5s and is going to have to grow up quickly. Mostly because of injuries, fourth-year veteran Keary Colbert really has regressed, and he's going to have to regain the form of his 2004 rookie season. That year, Colbert, starting in place of the injured Steve Smith, had 47 receptions for 754 yards and five touchdowns in 15 starts. In the two years since (19 starts), Colbert has only 30 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns. In 12 contests last season, he rang up five catches for 56 yards and failed to score. The other young veteran on the roster, three-year pro Drew Carter, has a history of knee problems. And Carter has been, to this point, a pretty much once-dimensional receiver, with straight-line vertical speed who could stretch the field, but isn't especially good in the intermediate range. It's hard to argue the decision to lop off Johnson. It's almost as hard, though, to identify just who is going to make up for the 70 catches that leave with him.
• Brown on the block? There was scuttlebutt early in the offseason that the Chicago Bears might consider unloading left defensive end Adewale Ogunleye for the right price, but the whispers have now subsided. Instead, the hottest rumor, substantiated by a variety of sources, is that the defending NFC champions are shopping right defensive end Alex Brown. The five-year veteran is a solid two-way defender, but the former University of Florida star has never really developed into the weakside pass-rusher many felt he would be at the NFL level. Brown has 27 sacks in his five-year career, with a career-best seven in 2006, and 20 in the past three seasons. He has three years remaining on his contract, at base salaries of $595,000 (2007), $550,000 (200
and $670,000 (2009). Chicago has a standout young pass-rusher in Mark Anderson, who notched 12 sacks as a rookie in 2006. And the Bears feel they got another one last weekend in Dan Bazuin. The former Central Michigan star had a school-record 35 career sacks, including 16 sacks as a junior, and led all defensive linemen in this year's draft with 63½ tackles for loss. • McGinest falling out of favor? Rumblings out of Cleveland are that management is looking at 13-year veteran linebacker Willie McGinest through a little harsher prism these days. McGinest is coming off a 2006 season in which he had only 46 tackles and four sacks. The tackles are the fewest McGinest has registered since 2001, when he played in only 11 games with New England, missing significant time because of injuries. The sacks are his fewest since 1998. Signed as a free agent last spring after the Patriots released him, McGinest was neither the leader nor the player the Browns anticipated they were getting. And as '06 first-round draft pick Kamerion Wimbley emerged as the Browns' top sack threat, McGinest took on a lesser role.
McGinest is due base salaries of $1.9 million for 2007 and $2.9 million for 2008 in the final two seasons of his contract. Not a lot, except that some people in Cleveland see him as a player in decline, and might not want to ante up that kind of money. It might not help his case, either, that McGinest is viewed as a Romeo Crennel loyalist, a guy who played for the Cleveland head coach when he was the defensive coordinator in New England. The contingent of card-carrying "Crennel Guys" shrunk by one this week, when the Browns released veteran guard Joe Andruzzi, and membership in the once-burgeoning club might continue to dwindle.
• Mr. Right? It looks like Arizona offensive line coach Russ Grimm will use tackle Levi Brown, the team's first-round pick, on the right side, even though the former Penn State star played the left side in college. Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart is left-handed, of course, so the right tackle position becomes the key blindside protection spot. Such a move means that Oliver Ross, who was switching to left tackle anyway, will compete with free-agent signee Mike Gandy for the other starting job on a dramatically overhauled unit. Grimm loved Brown in the draft, even more than Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas, and he has no doubts that the youngster can handle the move to the right side.
• Griffin switching to corner? When the Titans chose Texas free safety Michael Griffin with the 19th selection, a lot of people scratched their heads, since the consensus was that Tennessee's bigger need in the secondary was a cornerback to replace the suspended Pacman Jones. But sources told ESPN.com that when the Titans convene for rookie minicamp this weekend, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is going to play Griffin extensively at cornerback, to see if he can handle the position. Griffin is a superb athlete, an aggressive player with long arms, and a very good on-the-ball defender. Tennessee signed former Indianapolis starter Nick Harper as an unrestricted free agent, and he figures to be paired with Reynaldo Hill, as things currently stand. But Harper is a Tampa 2 corner, which means his coverage responsibilities weren't the same as most corners, and his skill set isn't exactly a perfect fit for the style Schwartz prefers. Jones was a great man-to-man defender, and according to Schwartz surrendered only six completions when in single coverage in 2006. Such players are hard to find. The Titans don't know if they've unearthed one or not in Griffin, but they aim to find out this weekend, when the experiment at cornerback begins. There were a couple other teams, beyond Tennessee, that felt Griffin might be able to transition to cornerback under the right circumstances.
• Eagles stacked at DT: Last week in this space, we noted that the Patriots, perhaps sensing an opportunity to land a solid player for a very palatable price, were sniffing around unrestricted free-agent defensive tackle Ian Scott. So it wasn't surprising when the four-year veteran, who played his entire career with Chicago as a part-time starter for the Bears, visited with New England officials on Thursday. The surprising part? That the persuasive Pats' brass, which characteristically does a masterful selling job even on reluctant prospects, didn't land Scott. Instead, Scott went from Foxboro to Philadelphia for a hastily arranged visit, and signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Eagles. Scott had been consistently, and somewhat surprisingly, low-balled by teams like Atlanta and Minnesota in the free-agent market. He determined a few weeks ago that if he wasn't going to be able to land the kind of contract he anticipated at the outset of free agency, he would sign a one-year deal with a contender. His feeling was that he'd log snaps, win some games, and go back into the free-agent market again next year, and try to command the kind of money he thought he would be banking this spring.
Of course, it's going to be interesting to see just how many snaps Scott gets with the Eagles, given a defensive tackle depth chart that remains crowded even after the club sent starter Darwin Walker to Buffalo in the trade that landed standout linebacker Takeo Spikes. The Philadelphia coaches plan to start former first-round picks Mike Patterson (2005) and Brodrick Bunkley (2006) at tackle this year, even though the latter was all but invisible as a rookie. But earlier this spring, the Eagles signed Montae Reagor after Indianapolis released him, and he will command playing time. Scott and Reagor figure, at this point, to vie for the No. 3 spot in the rotation. That leaves Sam Rayburn and LaJuan Ramsey, and like most teams, the Eagles won't carry more than five tackles into the season. It seems like Rayburn, who had eight sacks his first two years but has just one in the past two, is the subject of trade rumors every spring. Maybe this is the year that Rayburn, who sure looks like the odd man out, gets dealt.
• Patriots' next target: So now that Scott has wiggled out of the Patriots' clutches, who is the next unemployed veteran in the New England crosshairs? Well, don't dismiss the possibility of New England making a play for unrestricted free-agent tailback Chris Brown, the four-year veteran who played his entire career with the Tennessee Titans, but lost his starting job to Travis Henry in 2006. The Pats have done some background work on Brown, and with the release of Corey Dillon earlier this spring, they need another back to help second-year veteran Laurence Maroney with the workload. Versatile veteran Kevin Faulk is still a dependable back, but is best when his snaps are kept to an acceptable level, usually on third down. And Maroney has suffered some shoulder problems, so it might be prudent for New England, which did not add a tailback in the draft until choosing Justise Hairston of Central Connecticut in the sixth round, to bring in a veteran who knows the ropes.
Brown is still a young guy (26), and might be frustrated enough with the free-agency experience at this point to accept a one-year deal with a team that could get him a Super Bowl ring. Brown rushed for 1,067 yards in 2004 and 851 yards in 2005, and while he absorbs a lot of hits because of his upright running style, the guy doesn't have much tread rubbed off his tires. He has carried only 541 times in four years and appeared in just five games in 2006. He might not be a perfect fit in the New England offense, but he could be the best back available to the Pats if they want to add a veteran to the mix. One element that might further fuel the Pats to take a closer look at Brown: With Dominic Rhodes having departed as a free agent, the archrival Colts have indicated some interest in Brown as a potential caddy to second-year pro Joseph Addai.
• Texans wanted Ginn: One slot can mean a significant financial difference in the first round. And from a perception standpoint, it apparently can mean a lot, too. The Miami Dolphins, and in particular first-year coach Cam Cameron, caught incredible grief from their fans and the media when they chose Ohio State wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the draft. Miami fans, of course, wanted the team to stop the free fall of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn at that point. But had the Dolphins not taken Ginn, who is still recovering from the mid-foot sprain he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl after being mobbed by teammates when he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Houston would have grabbed him with the No. 10 slot. And the guess is that long-suffering Texans fans, tired of seeing the team field a bunch of stiffs at the wide receiver spot opposite Pro Bowl pass catcher Andre Johnson, would have had a much kinder reaction.
Ginn was the guy the Texans wanted, and one look at the wide receiver depth chart after Johnson shows why. As was the case for the departed David Carr, there aren't a lot of inviting targets for new starting quarterback Matt Schaub. Arguably the most surprising choice in the top 10 of the 2006 draft was another former Ohio State player: safety Donte Whitner, who was chosen by Buffalo with the eighth overall pick and had a marvelous rookie year for the Bills. The Dolphins can only hope their Buckeyes' surprise in the top 10 this year turns out as well.
• Holcomb odd man out? Without doubt, the biggest much-ado-about-nothing story of draft weekend was the Eagles' choice of University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb in the second round (with Philadelphia's first selection in the draft), and the ramifications that it might have on star Donovan McNabb. What ramifications? McNabb is often accused by detractors of being too cozy with Philadelphia management, particularly owner Jeff Lurie. So the same team officials with whom McNabb has an allegedly too-close relationship is suddenly going to toss him overboard? Even with the injuries that have plagued him the past few years, McNabb remains The Guy in Philadelphia. There is no reason to believe otherwise -- certainly not the presence of Kolb, who was one of the draft's fastest risers in the final month of player evaluations, but still got uneven grades from scouts around the league.
Fact is, the guy who figures to be most affected by the choice of Kolb is journeyman Kelly Holcomb, who was a throw-in to the March trade in which the Eagles acquired Spikes. The Eagles signed A.J. Feeley to a contract extension this spring and he will be the No. 2 guy behind McNabb. Given that Kolb was the 36th overall pick in the draft, he's not going anywhere, and he'll be third on the depth chart. Since the team probably won't carry four quarterbacks on the regular-season roster, Holcomb might be wise not to unpack his bags. Funny, but when Philadelphia consummated the Spikes trade at the league owners' meeting in Phoenix, a team official suggested that by the summer, the Eagles might be able to get something by dealing off Holcomb to a team in need of an experienced backup. That might be a self-fulfilling prophesy. There are some teams in the league for whom the 10-year veteran Holcomb would be a nice insurance policy.
• Siler suffers: There are a lot of inadequacies in the NFL's system for evaluating and drafting underclass players, as evidenced by the fact that 11 of the 40 non-seniors in this year's pool weren't selected at all, including very good college performers such as Notre Dame tailback Darius Walker, Mississippi linebacker Rory Johnson and San Diego State defensive end Antwan Applewhite. The fact that 11 underclassmen went undrafted all but offset the 14 non-seniors who were selected in the first round. And it has precipitated some internal debate among league personnel men who feel there should be a better process for dealing with underclass prospects.
They won't get an argument from former Florida inside linebacker Brandon Siler, chosen by the Chargers in the seventh round. A 2½-year starter for the Gators who called the team's defensive alignments from his middle linebacker position, Siler seemed to do everything by the book. He filed with the NFL's committee for evaluating underclass prospects in January and the group's projection was that he would be a second- or third-round choice. At the combine, the 6-foot-1¾, 241-pound Siler performed well, turning in a time of 4.62 seconds in the 40. He followed that up with a solid audition at his pro day workout. And then he waited on Saturday and Sunday as 239 names were called before his. Acknowledged one NFC scout of Siler's case: "Yeah, he's a guy you've got to feel for, because he said all the right stuff and did all the right stuff, and it didn't matter. Some of [the underclass players] just get bad advice, and they come out of school too early, and they pay a price. But then you see a guy like [Siler], and it makes you wonder about how we do things, you know?"
• True value: The restricted free-agent offer sheet that Indianapolis cornerback Jason David signed with New Orleans, which the Colts declined to match, is worth less than reported in some quarters, including this space. The contract is for $15 million -- we reported its value at $16.5 million -- but, as anticipated, was structured in such a way that the cap-shy Colts had no recourse but to pass on it, permit David to move on to the Saints, and accept a fourth-round draft choice as compensation. The contract included a signing bonus of $1.3 million, a first-year roster bonus of $2.2 million and a base salary of $3 million for 2007. That's total compensation of $6.5 million this season and, because of the roster bonus, an unwieldy cap hit of $5.525 million. The rest of the deal: base salaries of $2.5 million each in 2008 and 2009 and $3 million in 2010, and a $500,000 roster bonus for 2008. David will bank $9.5 million in the first two years of the contract.
• Money matter: As pointed out here last week, the monster deal the Saints signed with franchise defensive end Charles Grant last week, a seven-year contract with a maximum value of $63 million if the five-year veteran hit every incentive in the package, is certain to have teammate Will Smith knocking on the door of New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis. Regarded by most personnel men as the better player of the two, Smith has two years remaining on his rookie contract, so it might be tough for the three-year veteran and 2004 first-round pick to get management's attention. Unless, of course, he dodges some of the offseason workouts and maybe the start of training camp. That would subject him to fines, but Smith might have to take drastic measures to get the Saints' brass to the bargaining table.
Grant's contract paid him an initial signing bonus of $12 million and calls for an $8 million roster bonus next spring. The base salaries are $700,000 (2007), $750,000 (200
, $1.85 million (2009), $4 million (2010), $4.5 million (2011), $5 million (2012) and $8 million (2013). There are $100,000 offseason workout bonuses in 2007 and 2008 and workout bonuses of $250,000 each from 2009-2013. The contract also includes roster bonuses of $500,000 for 2011, $1 million for 2012, and $5 million for 2013. Grant has an extremely livable cap charge of $2.8 million for 2007, but that skyrockets to an exorbitant $10.85 million in 2008. New Orleans will reduce that by converting the $8 million roster bonus Grant is due next spring into a signing bonus, which will then allow the team to prorate it. Chances are Grant will never see the $19.5 million in total compensation in the final two years of the contract. But the deal still pays $23.75 million in its first three seasons, $28 million in the first four and $33.25 million in the first five years. You can bet those are numbers Will Smith knows very, very well. • Costly injury: That might be a very expensive pectoral muscle tear that Atlanta weakside linebacker Demorrio Williams suffered in a weight lifting accident last week. Expensive for the team, because it appears the Falcons will start a rookie -- fourth-round draft pick Stephen Nicholas of South Florida -- in Williams' spot. And expensive for Williams, who is slated for unrestricted free agency next spring. An undersized but active linebacker who has averaged over 90 tackles in three seasons and posted 100-plus tackles in two years as a starter, Williams would have commanded a lot of attention in free agency. And perhaps a lot of money, too. He still might, but the road to riches isn't without a big pothole now, as Williams faces a five-month rehabilitation and might not be fully recovered for the start of the season. Missed playing time means missed opportunities in the NFL. And missed opportunities sometimes means the big money passes you by. Williams is a quality player with a bright future if he gets into a system that allows him to run around and use his athleticism, but the injury clearly is a setback.
• Combine tally: Here's the tally on players who were at the draft combine workouts in February: Of the 310 non-kickers who attended the Indianapolis sessions, 99 were not selected at all in the draft. There were 39 non-specialists chosen last weekend who did not attend the combine. The highest non-combine player picked was Kent State cornerback Usama Young, taken by New Orleans in the third round, with the 66th overall choice. Young was a prospect who really shot up draft boards around the league late in the process. He's got nice size (5-foot-11½, 192 pounds), and good hands, and it didn't hurt when he ran the 40 in under 4.3 seconds for some scouts. Young is rawer than steak tartar, but if he develops as a cover guy the way scouts think he can, the Saints, who have struggled the past few years to upgrade at the corner position, may have gotten themselves a steal. There were five non-combine players chosen in the fourth round: University of Cincinnati cornerback John Bowie by Oakland (No. 110 overall, with the pick acquired in the Randy Moss trade), Missouri defensive end Brian Smith by Jacksonville (No. 113), Towson State offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod by the Saints (No. 125), Troy State safety Brannon Condren by Indianapolis (No. 131), and Pittsburgh linebacker Clint Session by the Colts (No. 136).
• Conerstones: Until a year ago, when they chose Johnathan Joseph of South Carolina, the Bengals never invested a first-round choice on a player who lined up at cornerback for them. The team took Oklahoma cornerback Rickey Dixon in the first round of the 1988 draft, then immediately moved him to safety. Now the Bengals have tabbed cornerbacks in the first rounds of consecutive drafts, having snatched Michigan's Leon Hall with the 18th overall slot Saturday, and seem to have their future starters set. Joseph will actually move into the starting lineup this year, replacing Tory James, who left in free agency. At some point in the season, it's a good bet Hall, who will begin his NFL career in the nickel cornerback role, will bump Deltha O'Neal from the lineup. The acquisition of Hall all but guarantees that free safety Madieu Williams won't be switched to cornerback this year.
• Future void: While the Bengals seem set at cornerback for the long-term future, Chicago might not be settled at the position beyond the 2007 season. Both of the Bears' starters, Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman, are eligible for free agency after this year, and it will be difficult for Chicago to retain the talented, big-play tandem. Tillman has 14 interceptions in four years and Vasher has 16 picks in just three seasons. The thinking around the NFL is that the Bears will try to keep just one of the two and move second-year veteran Danieal Manning from free safety to cornerback to replace the one who leaves.
• Room to work: There remain 11 teams with more than $10 million each in available salary-cap room. The cap space for each team as of early this week: Minnesota, $24.5 million; Buffalo, $22.6 million; Cleveland, $21.2 million; Tennessee, $19.5 million; Green Bay, $15.5 million; Oakland, $12.8 million; Jacksonville, $12.6 million; Dallas, $12.3 million; Philadelphia, $12.0 million; New Orleans, $11.3 million; San Francisco, $10.5 million; St. Louis, $9.7 million; New York Jets, $9.5 million; Miami, $8.8 million; Cincinnati, $7.4 million; Tampa Bay, $7.3 million; Carolina, $6.7 million; Kansas City, $6.4 million; San Diego, $6.4 million; Seattle, $6.3 million; Washington, $5.1 million; Chicago, $5.1 million; New York Giants, $4.8 million; Baltimore, $3.4 million; Atlanta, $3.2 million; Indianapolis, $3.2 million; Houston, $2.2 million; Arizona, $1.9 million; Denver, $1.8 million; Detroit, $1.5 million; Pittsburgh, $1.3 million; and New England, minus-$4.4 million. The Patriots' cap figure, it is believed, reflects the contract assumed in the Moss trade, but not the redone deal or the restructuring of quarterback Tom Brady's deal, which saved New England about $4 million in 2006 cap charges.
• Punts: Cincinnati has ended its pursuit of unrestricted free-agent quarterback Tim Rattay, who visited with team officials a few weeks ago, and the Bengals seem content to stick with journeyman Doug Johnson as Carson Palmer's primary backup. The team will work to develop Jeff Rowe of Nevada, selected in the fifth round last weekend, as a possible backup for the future. Rowe needs to add some bulk to his long frame, and he played in an unconventional offense in college, but he's got some tools. … Only a few weeks ago, there were published reports that Buffalo Bills assistant general manager Tom Modrak was on his way out. This week, Modrak, a terrific talent evaluator who has done an excellent job with the Bills' past couple of drafts, agreed to a contract extension. … The Giants will move second-year defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, who had four sacks as a rookie in 2006, to strongside linebacker. Veteran free agent Kawika Mitchell, who had been expected to start to the strong side, will instead have to compete with second-year pro Gerris Wilkinson on the weak side. … It's hard to knock Washington for using the No. 6 pick in the draft on safety LaRon Landry, since a lot of scouts rated him the top defensive player in the entire talent pool. Then again, the Redskins already had one top-10 safety in Sean Taylor, taken with the fifth selection in 2004. Still, people around the league wonder where the Redskins, who had just 19 sacks in 2006, are going to generate a pass rush from. Washington passed on defensive end Jamaal Anderson and also defensive tackle Amobi Okoye with the sixth pick, and both would have bolstered a pretty mundane front four unit. Landry figures to be a great player. But even as good as he is, another top-10 safety might have been a luxury. … Only two years ago, San Francisco spent a small fortune to sign offensive tackle Jonas Jennings away from Buffalo as an unrestricted free agent. But after injuries and inconsistency, the 49ers used a first-round choice last week to pick Joe Staley of Central Michigan, who figures to replace the overpriced and so far underachieving Jennings at left tackle. Unless Stanley is absolutely awful, he'll win the left side job and Jennings will be forced to move to the right side. The odd man out likely is Kwame Harris, a first-round pick in 2003, and another tackle who hasn't come close to living up to his press clippings. … Minnesota officials ostensibly served notice to wide receiver Troy Williamson in the draft that the 2005 first-rounder is on thin ice. The Vikings used three picks on wide receivers -- South Carolina's Sidney Rice (No. 2), East Carolina's Aundrae Allison (No. 5) and Florida International's Chandler Williams (No. 7b) -- and feel all will make the team. The silky-smooth Rice could push for a starting job. With only 61 catches and two touchdowns in two seasons, and looking more and more like a first-round washout, Williamson, the seventh player taken ovrerall in 2005, could be sent packing if coach Brad Childress thinks the youngsters are an upgrade. After all, Childress didn't pick Williamson, he inherited him from former head coach Mike Tice. That means there is no inherent loyalty to Williamson, and no liability on the part of Childress for having taken him.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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