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DE's base salaries guaranteed for next five seasonsBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
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League salary documents obtained by ESPN.com confirm the six-year contract signed last month by former North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams, the first selection in this year's draft by the Houston Texans, features a basic value of $54 million and a maximum worth, counting all possible bonuses, incentives and escalators, of $62.1 million.


The guaranteed money in the contract is initially $21.75 million, and then jumps to $26.5 million after the Texans exercise an option next spring.


And the signing bonus is zero.


That's right, folks, no signing bonus.


It is believed to be the first time in modern history that the top overall selection in a draft agreed to a deal with no signing bonus included. But that's hardly reason to pass around the collection basket for Williams. In fact, first-round contracts with no signing bonus money were frequently employed in 2005 as a means of countering collective bargaining agreement restrictions while still achieving the maximum value in most deals, and the trend almost certainly will continue this year.


The mechanism was certainly effective in 2005, when first-round choices garnered increases in guaranteed money of 10-20 percent over their 2004 counterparts. That despite the fact that exactly half of the 32 first-round picks signed contracts that paid them no signing bonus money. In virtually every case last year, players who signed contracts that included no signing bonus were able to improve their deals' total guarantees.


Only two first-rounders -- Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Chicago tailback Cedric Benson -- received signing bonuses of more than $3 million in 2005. Top overall choice Alex Smith, the former Utah quarterback chosen by the San Francisco 49ers, banked a signing bonus of just $1 million. Four of the top 10 picks last season -- Miami tailback Ronnie Brown (No. 2), Minnesota wide receiver Troy Williamson (No. 7), Arizona cornerback Antrel Rolle (No. 8) and Washington cornerback Carlos Rogers (No. 9) -- received no signing bonuses.


It didn't keep them from landing very good contracts, however, and it likely won't affect players chosen in the first round of this year's draft, either. The number that counts the most is guaranteed money, and in the case of zero-signing bonus contracts, the total hasn't been diminished by a lack of up front money.


In the case of Williams, he received a $2.625 million roster bonus on what essentially is a five-year deal with an option for a sixth season. Under the terms of the contract, the base salaries for the first five years -- $275,000 (2006), $3.625 million (2007), $4.35 million (2008), $5.075 million (2009) and $5.8 million (2010) -- are fully guaranteed. That totals $21.75 million in guarantees.


But the guarantees escalate to $26.5 million next spring, when the Texans pay Williams $12 million to exercise their option for a sixth season on the contract. By exercising the option, the Texans reduce the salaries in Years 2-5 of the contract -- to $975,000 (2007), $1.575 million (2008), $2.3 million (2009) and $3.025 million (2010) -- and add the 2011 season at a base salary of $3.725 million. All the base salaries are guaranteed, bringing the total guaranteed money to $26.5 million.


Williams can void the final two years of the deal based on playing time levels and if he and the team reach certain predetermined performance levels, but the Texans then have a right to buy back the voided 2010 and 2011 seasons at a cost of $8.5 million. There are plenty of incentives, like $125,000 in most years for leading the league in sacks, bonuses for honors and playoff victories, and escalators that can raise the base salaries in 2010 and 2011 by $6 million and $9.5 million, respectively.


But mostly there is a lot of money, even if none of it is delivered in the form of a traditional signing bonus, and the Williams contract is certain to be a template of sorts for many more first-round deals.


Around the league


• All the positive medical updates aside, Cincinnati Bengals officials still aren't sure quarterback Carson Palmer, rehabilitating from a pair of torn tendons in his left knee, will be ready to start the regular season, or even be available for the Sept. 24 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. But even if there remains some doubt about whether Palmer will be throwing against the Steelers in Week 3, the Cincinnati quarterback demonstrated he's at least capable of lobbing a salvo in the direction of the Bengals' division rival. In a Sports Illustrated feature story this week detailing his rehabilitation efforts, Palmer tossed a little kerosene on what is becoming a heated rivalry, claiming he hates the Super Bowl XL champions. "I keep thinking about how much, back in college, I hated UCLA," said Palmer, a former Southern California star and Heisman Trophy winner. "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA. Yeah, it's because I'm jealous and want what they have. … It's how everybody in our locker room feels. It's a heated rivalry between local teams. It's great. I don't hate playing them, I love playing them … I hope they lose every game, and I'm sure they hope we lose every game. It's nothing personal against the individual players. It's the game."


Palmer's knee was blown apart, of course, when he was submarined by Pittsburgh defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen in the first quarter of the team's Jan. 8 wild card playoff game. Bengals players and team officials have never acknowledged it publicly, but they feel von Oelhoffen's intention was to injure Palmer on the play. Cincinnati officials, in the days after the game, asked the league to review the hit. It's all making for a pretty good rivalry, one in which even coaches Bill Cowher and Marvin Lewis have made fairly bilious statements, and it's one that could last a while. Both teams feature terrific young quarterbacks, both have excellent rosters, both should be playoff contenders for several more seasons. In the case of Palmer, who suggested in the story that he kept watching the Steelers roll through the playoffs and couldn't believe their brilliant postseason run, it's almost as if he suggested that the wrong team was in the Super Bowl, and Cincinnati should have been there instead. But qualifying for the Super Bowl involves playing well and staying healthy, and Palmer couldn't do the latter. Assuming Palmer is on the field against the Steelers in Week 3, things should be interesting. "Carson Palmer only beat us one time, so he should hate us," fired back normally understated Pittsburgh linebacker Larry Foote late in the week. "I'd hate a team, too, if I only beat them one time and [lost] to them in the playoffs. They self-destructed and started crying. But you know, that's the game. People get hurt. You just have to get yourself together, [regain] your composure. They lost it. When teams are forcing their will on you, it's going to make you do crazy stuff." For these two teams, the craziness resumes Sept. 24.


• Given all the discussion about his possible successor, it's easy to overlook the fact that next week will signal the end to Charley Casserly's six-year tenure as Texans general manager. Casserly will turn over the keys to the office on Thursday, and likely move on to a position with the league, although that has yet to be determined. A good man and given his tireless work ethic, it's hard to reconcile that things simply did not work out for Casserly in Houston, where the Texans won just 18 games in their first four seasons. One thing Casserly has never dodged is accountability, but there were plenty of times he bit the bullet for owner Bob McNair and other Texans officials, so here's hoping fortune smiles a lot more on him in his next stop. As for a successor, McNair has done an admirable job in opening the process to minority candidates. Both men interviewed for the job so far, Denver assistant general manager Rick Smith and Green Bay director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie, are black. So are two of the three other men who are most often cited as potential candidates. While Smith still looks like the favorite, a decision doesn't appear imminent, even though Casserly's departure is only days away now.

• Sometimes teams draft bad players and sometimes the players they draft simply have bad luck. The latter was demonstrated Wednesday, when the New Orleans Saints announced that fifth-year veteran linebacker James Allen, who probably would have challenged for a starting job, suffered a season-ending torn right patella tendon during an otherwise innocuous on-field drill. The injury continues a streak of misfortune for Allen, a third-round choice in the 2002 draft and a physically gifted player beset by injuries, including a series of knee ailments that limited him to three appearances last season. And it extends an ugly stretch of bad luck for the linebacker prospects the Saints have selected in the draft since 2001.

The litany of woe, which at times seems like a curse, is a frightful but compelling one. Sedrick Hodge, a third-round selection in 2001, had his promising career interrupted by a four-game suspension in 2004 for a repeat violation of the NFL substance abuse policy, and never seemed to recover. He started 44 games in five seasons for the Saints, but never really played up to his potential, and signed with the Miami Dolphins this spring as an unrestricted free agent. Cie Grant, a third-round choice in 2003 and a bodacious hitter in college, was a guy former coach Jim Haslett used to absolutely gush over. But he played in only three games in three seasons in New Orleans because of chronic knee problems, totaled a measly three tackles, and is currently out of the league. Second-rounder Courtney Watson (2004) was supposed to be the heady player who provided a long-term solution to the Saints' lingering problems at middle linebacker. The former Notre Dame star opened his rookie season as the starter, then suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss four contests in 2004. In 2005, he missed the final seven games of the season with an injury and was charged last October with a DUI. After only two seasons with the Saints, the club attempted to trade him to Miami earlier this month for Dolphins linebacker Eddie Moore. The deal was negated when Moore, a onetime second-round choice and utter disappointment to the Dolphins, could not pass a physical exam administered by the New Orleans medical staff. Watson is back with the Saints but officials acknowledge he is a poor fit for the defensive scheme being installed by new coordinator Gary Gibbs, so his days are numbered. Alfred Fincher, a late-bloomer from Connecticut selected in the third round of the 2005 lottery, played in 11 games as a rookie and contributed mostly on special teams.

The one linebacker chosen since 2001 who has provided the Saints a far better player than they imagined they were getting is Colby Bockwoldt. A seventh-round choice in 2004, Bockwoldt has certainly outplayed his draft status in two seasons. He started all 16 games at weakside linebacker in 2005, finished second on the team in tackles (93), and is projected as the starting middle backer for 2006. The two projected outside linebackers are newcomers: unrestricted free agent Scott Fujita (weak side) and veteran Anthony Simmons (strong side), who was out of the NFL in 2005 after being released by Seattle. The (relatively) good news for the Saints is that they won't have any linebacker flops from the 2006 draft, because they didn't choose any prospects at the position. And perhaps, given the recent history, wisely so.


• The public stance of Toronto Argonauts officials is that they will no longer address the status of their pursuit of erstwhile Miami Dolphins tailback Ricky Williams until the matter is resolved. But privately, team management is beginning to grow anxious over the amount of time it has taken to gain clearance from the Dolphins to negotiate with Williams and agent Leigh Steinberg. The Argonauts have already logged their first week of training camp and there is still no estimate about when, or even if, Williams might arrive. First, the Argos have to have permission to discuss a contract. Then team ownership wants to meet with Williams to gauge his state of mind and simply get to know him a little. The final, but easiest step it now seems, is hammering out financial terms. Because of his financial responsibilities, primarily child support payments to his three children and their mothers, Williams wants the chance to play in the CFL and earn some money during his one-year NFL exile. But one Toronto official hinted to ESPN.com this week that if the matter drags much longer, the team might simply move forward without the Dolphins running back.


• The spin emanating from the league meeting in Denver on Tuesday was that by investing $10 million to study the proposed sites at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and in Anaheim, the league has again fast-tracked its return to the nation's second-biggest city. Maybe. Maybe not. As desperately as owners want to tap into what they feel will be a lucrative market, some, including several of the most notable champions of the return to Los Angeles, are beginning to gag at the $800 million price tag for a state-of-the-art stadium. Many admit that in the past, such fast-track efforts have often been derailed. Oh yeah, there's this key detail as well: Since there is absolutely no sentiment to expand the perfectly symmetrical 32-team league into a 33-club entity, what franchise will move to Los Angeles? The league wants to be back in Los Angeles by 2010, but it will need to accomplish a lot in a short period to meet such a timetable. Not surprisingly, given his sentiments about the disparity between the big- and small-revenue teams, Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson feels the $10 million investment made this week is money spent in ill-advised fashion. "We throw $10 million around like kids throw pennies against the wall," Wilson said. "I know a number of people in Los Angeles and there's no enthusiasm from them for a team. They get three [televised] games in there, [with] no blackouts, and two of our teams moved out of there. It is ludicrous if the league is thinking of spending money to build or renovate a stadium. I can't figure the big push for L.A. The league has gotten along pretty well the last 10 years and the TV contracts are not falling apart."

• The feature on Palmer's rehabilitation wasn't the only Sports Illustrated story that stirred some emotions this week. The magazine also reported that former San Francisco owner Eddie DeBartolo and his onetime top lieutenant, Carmen Policy, have kicked around the idea of possibly trying to purchase the Oakland Raiders, with the idea of relocating the franchise to Los Angeles. Yeah, again. If nothing else, the story elicited some pretty good lines from Oakland chief executive officer Amy Trask, who doesn't even say "hello" publicly without Davis' blessing. "This is not a story about the Oakland Raiders being sold," Trask said. "This is not a story about the team relocating. This is a story about two gentlemen … who clearly are drinking too much of Carmen's recently bottled wine." That's a reference to the fact that Policy, who most recently served as Cleveland Browns president, sold his stake in the team and purchased a Napa winery. Continued Trask: "The only look these two are going to get at this team is if they want to watch it on television."

In a separate interview, Trask termed the story "fiction" and noted: "I generally enjoy a good work of fiction. I enjoyed all the Harry Potter books. This story falls into the category of fiction and should be labeled as such. There's nothing there." Probably true. But despite Trask's characterizations of Davis as "vital" and "vibrant," even some people close to the 76-year-old Oakland owner agree that his health has not been good. Given that the Raiders guard all matters involving ownership of the franchise as if they were national security secrets to which not even the NSA could gain access, it's impossible to know what, if any, mechanisms are in place for the future. It's been rumored that when Davis passes away, the franchise will be placed in trust. Trask said this week that Davis will have "total control" of the team "in perpetuity." That suggests either his son Mark or wife Carol would inherit his share of the franchise. Trask's reaction was hardly an unexpected one. But DeBartolo, who resides in the Tampa, Fla., area and has been rebuilding his fortune since being banished from the league and eventually forced to sell the team to his sister when he pleaded guilty in 1998 to attempting to extort a gaming license from then-Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards, has been itching to return to the NFL. A few years ago, DeBartolo was linked to an attempt to buy the Tampa Bay Bucs from Malcolm Glazer and his family. The Glazers denied any such interest from DeBartolo and his partners. Turns out, though, it was true.

• Never underestimate the NFL's ability to churn out news even in a dreadfully fallow period of the offseason. Take, for instance, this week: The league provided national headlines by saying "No" to one Bush (Reggie) and having another Bush (Jeb) say "No" to it. As much as we like Reggie Bush, and feel that the NFL's decision not to permit him to wear uniform No. 5 merely perpetuates the kind of stodgy mind-set that exists in some quarters, it's hard to argue that the Competition Committee should have proposed a rules change on its numbering guidelines. As for the flirtation with Florida governor Jeb Bush, who met with the brother of Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney about being a potential candidate to succeed outgoing commissioner Paul Tagliabue, what's up with that? Bush has some minimal background in sports. His brother, The Prez, was once part owner of baseball's Texas Rangers. And Jeb Bush was a limited partner in the Jacksonville Jaguars at their birth, but was forced to divest his interest when he ran for governor. But the conventional wisdom has held that the next commissioner will either come from a select group of current league officials or, if from the outside, from a contingent of candidates well-versed in the kind of digital technologies NFL owners are banking on for lucrative future revenues. Everybody knows that the vast majority of NFL owners vote for candidates with the "R" notation next to their names on the ballot. And rich guys (know of any poor NFL owners) like the kind of tax break the Bush family seems to favor. But, c'mon, Jeb Bush for commissioner? Certainly there are more qualified candidates.



• Kansas City officials, admirably, are taking a measured approach with tailback Priest Holmes, who has played in just 15 games over the last two seasons because of a career-threatening hip injury in 2004 and head and neck injuries in 2005. Holmes has yet to be cleared to play in 2006 and his future is very much undecided. But the Chiefs will hold off on making any decisions -- although they continue to sniff around a potential deal for New Orleans backup tailback Michael Bennett -- about how to handle Holmes' situation. Holmes, 32, who is rehabilitating at his home in San Antonio, probably won't undergo a series of neurological examinations until early July, only a month before the Saints report to training camp. The Chiefs want to provide the nine-year veteran as much time as possible to heal up and might even consider placing him on the physically unable to perform list, which means he probably would not start the year on the active roster but could return around midseason. Team president Carl Peterson has assessed Holmes' possible return as 50-50. Realistically, it's probably much less than that. The Chiefs are not yet inclined, though, to close the book on Holmes' career. But at some point, Kansas City will have to address the lack of experience behind starting tailback Larry Johnson.

• Indianapolis Colts assistant coach Jim Caldwell, who principally works with the quarterbacks, likely made a sage move this spring by forbidding Peyton Manning from picking up a football before May 1. Manning, who acknowledged recently the coaches almost had to "put [him] in a straitjacket" during his extended period of inactivity, probably throws more passes than anyone else in the league during the season, because he handles virtually every practice snap. And it might be time for Manning, who turned 30 in March and last week publicly stated his intention to play eight more seasons, to begin resting his arm more. But the off time for Manning meant more passes for backup Jim Sorgi this spring, and so it should have been no surprise when the two-year veteran had to have his shoulder examined last week, and missed the entire full-squad minicamp.



Club officials maintained a cryptic stance when queried about Sorgi's sore shoulder, and still haven't announced the results of the examination. But Sorgi's agent, Matt Brei, said this week that his client is fine and his arm is just a bit overworked, and the Colts will shut him down for a while before re-examining the shoulder next week. Its silence aside, Colts brass may hold its collective breath until Sorgi is able to start throwing again, because there is no other veteran quarterback on the roster. At the minicamp, the only quarterbacks beyond Manning were undrafted free agent Josh Betts of Miami (Ohio) and Temple's Mike McGann, who was in town only for an audition and was not signed. Another undrafted free agent, David Koral of UCLA, by league rule was precluded from participating in the minicamp because his school had not yet held commencement exercises.

Indianapolis really likes the potential of Sorgi, who in brief playing time over two seasons has completed 65.6 percent of his attempts, with five touchdown passes and just one interception. But, one has to wonder, if the unthinkable occurred and the iron man Manning was injured, whether the Colts could win with Sorgi running the show. Coach Tony Dungy conceded last week that the Colts have attempted to add a veteran backup quarterback the past couple years, but the combination of Manning's durability and Sorgi's firm grip on the No. 2 spot on the depth chart have made some guys reluctant to sign with the team. "It's going to take a special kind of guy to come into our situation," Dungy said. "And there just aren't many guys like that out there." The Colts had better hope that Sorgi's shoulder is, indeed, fine. Because if it isn't, Indianapolis officials will quickly find out there aren't many veteran quarterbacks available, special or ordinary.

• One quarterback who would welcome an opportunity to play for the Colts, even as the No. 3 guy on the depth chart, is Tim Couch, and Indianapolis auditioned the former Cleveland Browns starter last week. Alas, the workout didn't go well, as has been the case lately for Couch in his throwing sessions for several teams, and Indianapolis didn't make a contract offer to the first overall selection in the 1999 draft. Even if Sorgi's shoulder is worse than initially indicated, the Colts won't try to sign Couch. In fact, it now seems there is a chance that Couch, who is just 28 years old but has not thrown a pass in a regular-season game since Dec. 28, 2003, will never play again. ESPN.com has learned that Couch will soon have an MRI performed and the test will be reviewed by Dr. James Andrews, the renowned orthopedist who performed extensive surgery on the quarterback (torn rotator cuff, torn labrum and damaged biceps) in February 2004. Andrews will then render a verdict and the likely two choices -- further surgery that would probably sideline Couch for another year, or retirement -- aren't exactly attractive ones. Too bad, because Couch, whose résumé includes 59 starts and who would almost certainly merit a backup job in the league if his shoulder would cooperate, is a good guy who has worked diligently for the past 16 months to rehabilitate his arm.

• He hasn't pocketed his signing bonus yet, but Colts first-round tailback Joseph Addai, the presumptive successor to the departed Edgerrin James, has begun looking for his first house. One prerequisite for the home is that it be handicap accessible. Seems that Addai has a close friend and former prep teammate, LaJuan Moore, who was paralyzed from the chest down during a high school football game in 1999. The two grew up in the same southwest Houston neighborhood and not even Moore's severe disability has gotten in the way of a lifelong friendship. Moore's mother, Charlotte Beverly, told the Indianapolis Star that Addai, who carried his friend into their senior prom, often tends to her son's every need. "He feeds LaJaun, he dresses him, he bathes him, he takes care of his medicine," she said. Moore, a football junkie who paid such close attention to the draft that Addai referred to him as "a black Mel Kiper," predicted that Addai would be chosen by the Colts with the 30th selection in the first round. And now the former LSU star wants to bring Moore to Indianapolis for some games. "He's never been on a plane, and while I don't think it would scare him, it's something we'll have to take care of," Addai told ESPN.com last week. "But if we can get him here, then nothing else will be a problem, because he'll stay with me and my house will be equipped with everything he needs. I've already told all the [real estate] people I've talked with that it has to be that way."



• Baltimore officials have floated a proposed contract extension to standout free safety Ed Reed, who is entering the final season of the five-year deal he signed as a first-round choice in 2002, and so far their overtures have been rebuffed. It will be interesting to see how Reed and the Ravens handle the situation. Reed is scheduled to earn $1.983 million in 2006, and the league's defensive player of the year in 2004 will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring. The Ravens, of course, could use a franchise tag to limit Reed's mobility, and that is a possibility if the two sides can't come to an agreement. Given that the qualifying offer for a tagged safety is less than for most positions -- it was $4.109 million this year and just two positions (tight end and kicker/punter) were less than that -- Baltimore almost certainly would consider such a gambit.

Reed's detractors -- and he actually does have a few -- feel he is overrated. They suggest he gambles far too much and is exploited more often than most people understand. And they note that Reed is coming off a subpar 2005 campaign in which he missed six games in the middle of the season with a high ankle sprain and authored a limited number of big plays. In his first three seasons, Reed averaged seven interceptions, including nine in 2004. He also registered four sacks, three forced fumbles, three recoveries and an incredible 49 passes defensed, and never missed a game because of injury. In 2005, Reed had one interception. Those critics aside, Reed, 27, would garner a ton of attention on the open market. Now it will be up to the Ravens to try to come up with a way to ensure he never makes it to free agency.

• Few teams have been as supportive of the NFL Europe League as Kansas City, and the endorsement the Chiefs' football organization has provided the springtime league might pay off again. Chiefs second-year veteran Will Svitek, a sixth-round pick in the 2005 draft, was named to the all-NFLEL team this week at offensive tackle. So what's the big deal? Only this: Svitek was a defensive lineman his entire career at Stanford, never played on the offensive side of the ball until the East-West Shrine Game following his senior season, but suddenly looks like a player who might evolve into a very good pass protector. No one is yet proclaiming that Svitek, who will play for the Frankfurt Galaxy in the World Bowl Saturday, is the heir apparent to the left tackle post currently manned by 13-year veteran Willie Roaf, the possible future Hall of Fame blocker who likely won't play more than another season or two. But in a very short period, Svitek, who has a long frame (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) and quick feet, has made notable strides. Especially for a novice at the position.

• There has been some buzz lately about Ahmad Brooks, the former Virginia linebacker dismissed from the Cavaliers by coach Al Groh this spring, and perhaps the most notable candidate for the NFL's supplemental draft this summer. But teams interested in Brooks, based on his play early in his college career, might want to do a little more homework on him. It seems that Brooks, who has been working out in the Atlanta area, has ballooned up to 280-290 pounds, and has plenty of conditioning work to do before league scouts come calling. Or before teams start to consider him a defensive line candidate instead of a linebacker prospect. The good news, relatively speaking, is that Brooks is still clocking at under five seconds in the 40, and has retained much of his quickness.
• Stat of the week: Billy Volek, who will likely supplant Steve McNair as the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, at least until first-round choice Vince Young is ready to play, for years has been regarded as one of the top backups in the league. But as a starter, Volek has compiled just a 3-7 record. Of course, it's tough to peg some of those defeats on the six-year veteran, since he threw for 300 or more yards in three of the losses and for more than 400 yards in two of them. In fact, in his seven losses as a starter, Volek averaged 301.3 passing yards. His average in the three victories was 226.7 yards.

• Punts: Word in Indianapolis is that sackmeister defensive end Dwight Freeney, who is entering the final season of his contract (he voided the final two years of his original deal) and will earn $5 million in base salary for 2006, is seeking a huge extension. How huge? Apparently, Freeney is aiming to be not just the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, but the highest-paid player, period. … It appears the Colts will keep Marlin Jackson, their first-round choice in 2005, at cornerback rather than move him inside to safety, as had been discussed. … One position switch that was made this spring, the move of Arizona defensive end and former first-round draft pick Calvin Pace to outside linebacker, has garnered solid reviews from Cardinals coaches so far. Coordinator Clancy Pendergast thinks Pace, who has been a disappointment at end, provides his unit considerable flexibility when aligned at linebacker. … Kansas City's Peterson still has four years remaining on what he has said will be his final contract in the league. But the Chiefs this week seemed to set an order of succession, promoting assistant general manager Denny Thum to chief operating officer. … A source close to former New Orleans and St. Louis offensive tackle Kyle Turley said this week that talks with the Chiefs are "heating up." But the source said other teams have also inquired about Turley, who hasn't played since 2003, and is attempting to resume his NFL career as a tight end. Turley recently worked out for the Chiefs and the Dolphins. … New England coaches have been impressed with the work of linebackers Jeremy Mincey, a sixth-round pick from Florida, and Freddie Roach, an undrafted free agent from Alabama. Mincey is a 263-pounder who played primarily at defensive end for the Gators, but projects nicely as the kind of hybrid performer the Pats love for their 3-4 alignment. … Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Johnson is now sporting a Mohawk haircut at the team's offseason workouts. … Despite the release of Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson this week, Detroit first-year coach Rod Marinelli feels the Lions have sufficient defensive tackle depth. The Lions are really counting on second-year veteran Shaun Cody, a second-round choice in 2005 who played in all 16 games as a rookie and registered 31 tackles and 1½ sacks, to emerge as a force in 2006 when he moves into the starting lineup. … Saints quarterback Drew Brees, rehabilitating from offseason surgery on his right shoulder, is said be to way ahead of the prescribed timetable for his recovery. Brees is throwing 80 passes daily, double what he is supposed to be throwing at this juncture of his rehab program. … Chicago tailback Thomas Jones, the subject of some offseason trade rumors, was a no-show for the first week of the Bears' organized team activities. … Former Minnesota Vikings tailback Onterrio Smith, who is still serving a one-year suspension and hopes to return to the NFL in 2007, reported to the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers for training camp about 20 pounds overweight. … Beyond hiring some new scouts, it now looks like the St. Louis Rams will not make sweeping changes to their personnel department. … Cincinnati linebacker David Pollack, the team's first-round pick in 2005, has discarded the protective walking boot he had been wearing on his left foot the past few weeks. Pollack, who suffered an unspecified foot injury in a non-football activity (rumored to have been an offseason basketball game), still isn't 100 percent. But he is making solid progress and should be fully recovered in time for the start of training camp.

• The last word: "Man, these people have won three Super Bowls. What do you mean, 'Is it intimidating?' Yeah, it's a big deal. But you've got to put some of that behind you, because now you've got to work. If you let that rule you, then you'll just get lost in the fame." -- New England sixth-round draft pick Le Kevin Smith, a nose tackle from Nebraska, on joining the Patriots.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. To check out Len's chat archive, click here .

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insid...len&id=2458925

TallySaint

It don't get much better than that, folks.




8)

mikesaintfan

[quote]
what did mario score on the wonderlick?