With the addition of new quarterbacks Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme, Cleveland is probably going to draft a QB. Neither Wallace or Delhomme can be viewed as the franchise QB Holmgren is looking for. Sam Bradford is someone Holmgren has openly said he likes a lot. He will not be there when the Browns pick at number seven. If they don’t trade up then I look for them to take a QB in the second round. Colt McCoy or Tim Tebow would be my guess if that happens.

Cleveland also signed right tackle Tony Pashos. He is expected to start at right tackle so signing an offensive lineman in the first three rounds doesn’t seem likely. Joe Thomas LT, Eric Steinbach LG, Alex Mack C, are all locks at their positions so maybe they will take an offensive guard in the later rounds.

If anyone thought Cleveland would be taking an inside linebacker early in the draft, the signing of Scott Fujita says that probably won’t happen. Also the Browns traded outside linebacker Kameron Wimbley to the Oakland Raiders because they felt good about Matt Roth, Marcus Benard and David Bowens at OLB. Personally I’d like to see Bowens stay on the inside with Fujita and D’Qwell Jackson.

I was never one of the people thinking Cleveland needed to draft a running back and with the newly added Peyton Hillis, they probably won’t. Hillis, who was acquired from Denver in the Brady Quinn trade, can play both running back and fullback. Cleveland also has Jerome Harrison, Chris Jennings and promising rookie James Davis. Davis was lost for the season in the second game but showed a lot of promise. He was good enough to share playing time at Clemson with C.J. Spiller.

Another position I doubt the Browns will draft high is wide receiver. After watching game film from last season, Holmgren said the WRs were getting open, that was not the big problem. With Robiskie, Massaquoi and Stuckey, along with Cribbs, they will improve with a more accurate QB. I think Holmgren may take a WR somewhere after the 3rd round but not before.

Three positions Cleveland has not addressed so far are, defensive line, safety and cornerback. The Browns traded defensive end Cory Williams to Detroit so they are sure to be looking someone in the draft to take his spot. Depending on who’s available, it could anywhere from the first round on. My guess would be in the third or fourth round.

I said last year that along with a quarterback, safety was the Browns biggest need and I still feel that way. A top cornerback is close behind. With that said, I hope the Browns can fill those positions in the first three rounds. Players like Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, Joe Haden, Kyle Wilson and Patrick Robinson could be there when Cleveland picks in the first three rounds. They might have to trade up for Berry but he could slide.

As for a QB, it all depends on who Holmgren really likes. That will remain a mystery until draft day. The Browns definitely have the ammunition to trade up if it’s Bradford so I wouldn’t rule that out. Barring any more dealings, I look for Cleveland’s top three picks to be S, QB, CB in any order.

But when it comes to being drafted to an NFL team, being No. 2 isn’t all that bad.   The entire county focuses on No. 1 draft picks and free agents at this time of year. However, I am sure there a few hundred college football players busting their ass just to be someone’s No 2.

In looking at the NY Giants draft history, one could say that the Giants’ second-round picks over the last 15 years have gone on to become  perennial pro bowlers.  A few familiar faces have gone on to become the face of this historical franchise.

The names are impressive: Terrell Thomas, Steve Smith, Justin Tuck, Chris Snee, Osi Umenyoira, Joe Jurevicius, Tiki Barber, and Amani Toomer.

So who do the NY Giants take in the second round of the 2010 draft?

My vote goes for Penn State inside linebacker Sean Lee, if he’s still available.

Yes, Lee has suffered two knee major knee injuries while at Penn State and some scouts maybe be worried about his health. But the 6′2” 237 pound linebacker made a huge impact in 2009, bouncing back from an ugly knee injury in ‘08 by racking up 86 tackles with 46 solo, and 11 TFL in 10 games this year. It was his first year at inside linebacker.

In 2007, Sean Lee was a flat-out stud…138 tackles with 54 solo, three forced fumbles, and three sacks.

Lee could be a first-round talent that drops into the second round just in time for the Giants to call his name? His work ethic is second to none. I watched his recovery documentary on TV, and this kid can work. He is a pure football talent with a great family background. In 2008 after tearing his ACL, he helped coach the Nittany Lions from the sidelines to remain part of the team while increasing his football I.Q.

What more can you ask for?

Over the last few months, he acquired help from a strength and conditioning coach recommended to him by former Penn State star and current Buffalo Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny to identify his physical weaknesses and improve those areas. Lee has since been focusing on improving his knee strength with his new conditioning coach.

Everyone knows that the Giants need an inside linebacker, and Lee is a coachable kid and wants to show the world he can play in the pros. But most of all, this football junkie is perfect to step in as that defensive leader that the Giants so desire. In time, this kid can set a tempo that the rest of the defense can follow.

I am not usually big into athlete tributes on you tube…but his former Nittany Lion teammates say some cool stuff about the kid. No. 2 has always made an impact for the Giants. Sean Lee plays hard. Put him in blue.

Click here to watch the Sean Lee you tube tribute.

Surprised?

Don’t be.

I will say this many times, even though it seems like an oxymoron: the Arizona Cardinals know what they’re doing now.

These aren’t your Daddy’s fumblin’, bumblin’ losers. The Cardinals of the last three years have turned into a respectable team in the NFC. Teams don’t look at their schedule and mark a “W” next to Arizona anymore.

With that being said, our offseason has been busy. There’s been a lot of bad things that have happened:

1. Anquan Boldin: Traded to the Ravens.

2. Antrel Rolle: Gone. Signed with the Giants.

3. Karlos Dansby: Gone. Signed with the Dolphins.

And 4. Kurt Warner: Retired.

I’m not going out on a limb here when I say that the last one is the most deadly. Everyone, including Kurt himself, knows he could’ve played at least another year. But for what it’s worth, I thoroughly stand behind Warner and his decision to retire.

But it does hurt. However, it’s the only reason the Cardinals don’t get an A in my book for their offseason transactions.

Disagree? Prove it. What many people forget about this offseason is the good. And there’s a lot of good this offseason:

1.  Kerry Rhodes: Traded from the Jets. He is perhaps a better cover safety, which is what the Cardinals really need. No offense to Rolle, but we don’t need someone who can make spectacular plays with the ball in his hands. We need someone who can keep the opponents’ receivers from getting the ball in their hands.

2. Joey Porter: Signed as a free agent. Is Porter a long term answer? Maybe not.

But he’s a defensive force. He can get to the QB. If nothing else, he can come in on third downs to just put some pressure on an opponents quarterback.

3. Derek Anderson: Signed from Cleveland. No, he’s not “ideal.” But if you think about it, what quarterback would do well in the system in Cleveland?

Hmm? You think you could?

For that matter, could Joe Montana?

The point is, the one time Anderson was given good weapons, he did well. He should provide a great push to Leinart.

3. Paris Lenon: Signed from St. Louis. Again, not ideal. Dansby was great, no doubt. But great didn’t stop the defensive letdown in the playoffs.

They could’ve gotten Foote, sure. But what if the injury to his foot is serious? Foote signed on with Pittsburgh…as a backup. Remember that.

Lenon, meanwhile, did well in Detroit. If one can do well in Detroit, why the heck not in the desert?

4. The Offensive lines and tight end positions were shored up. We probably will still draft an offensive lineman at some point, but Rex Hadnot provides good depth. Again not “ideal,” but smart. Remember, Herman Johnson looks like a good draft pick from last year that could make an impact this year.

As far as the tight ends go, mark my words: Ben Patrick will have the best year a tight end has had for Arizona for years. He’s a solid, underutilized tight end. But with the offense changing, he’ll get used more often.

5. Players they didn’t sign (i.e players they didn’t waste money on). Besides Foote, there’s also Whitehurst. Do you really think he was worth that money?

Um, no.

6. Stevie Baggs. That’s right. If you haven’t heard of him, it’s because he played in the CFL last year.

Wait what? Why did the Cards get him?

Because he led the league in sacks.

And 7. Most importantly, the Cardinals saved some money. Sure, they could’ve signed Rolle to the biggest contract for a safety in the history of the NFL. But is he really worth that?

Think about it.

And we could’ve thrown a lot of money at Dansby. But was he worth all that money that Miami gave him?

Let me answer for you: 45 and 45. That’s how many points the Cards gave up in their last two games.

Changes had to be made. Sure, they happened quickly. But what could Arizona really could have done differently?

Think about it.

As college basketball fans watch their NCAA brackets crumble under huge upsets, it only goes to show that even the most well-informed predictions bow humbly to crushing reality.

Yet, eager for the NFL draft to begin I succumb to the meaningless speculations as most true fans do.

The intent is to be informed enough to get excited when management’s decisions coincide with my own desires, while embracing optimism when selections go contrary to my whims.

Fans will not execute the picks for Kansas City on April 22-24, but they have every right to their opinions.

With an increasing number of analysts predicting Sam Bradford to go number one overall it appears more likely that offensive tackle Russell Okung, safety Eric Berry, or even one of the two marquee defensive tackles will fall to the Chiefs.

This being true, my question is, “Would the selection of offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga then be a disappointment?”

Bulaga was coached under offensive line guru and friend of Scott Pioli, Kirk Ferentz, widely considered on O-line guru.

The Iowa product is noted as being perhaps the most pro-ready tackle in the draft, but may have already reached his maximum potential.

Believed to be a more-than-capable starting left tackle the words “pro bowl” have not been thrown around in reference to Bulaga.

A mauling run blocker with a mean streak, there’s nothing to concern fans about his personality.

This pick strikes me as “safe,” and perhaps the problem is simply that safe is boring.

Fans will just about riot if Bulaga is selected while Okung is still on the board.  However, I think the bigger prize to be missed is Berry.

How good was the Steelers’ Super Bowl defense without an injured Troy Polamalu?

What do the Baltimore Ravens lack without Ed Reed?

The nature of the safety position provides the opportunity for a game-changer to emerge.  No one is put in the position to force a turnover more often than the safety.

Therefore it is important that safeties not simply be functional, but exceptional.

Is Bulaga more than a functional lineman?  Even so, is he worth passing on a potentially exceptional safety?

Ironically enough, while I am subject to my own opinions, whatever the Chiefs and Pioli decide to do on draft day I will hope with all my might that they know better than I.

If Bulaga is our choice I will rally behind the decision and not look at the “what-if,” but when recent picks such as Tyson Jackson show a glaring discrepancy to their draft position it causes a hernia-like pain within the gut of fans.

The name Ryan Sims can still stir up nightmares in Chiefs’ nation.

While Bulaga is not a likely “bust,” if Bradford indeed goes number one overall there’s too much possibly elite talent available to pass on.

Since free agency, the Chiefs have signed running back Thomas Jones from the Chiefs, defensive lineman Shaun Smith, and offensive lineman Casey Wiegmann and Ryan Lilja. News like this is likely music to the ears of Chiefs fan, especially with Wiegmann reuniting with his former team. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Let’s be honest here, Thomas Jones had a career year last year. His 1,402 yards was only behind number two leading Steven Jackson, and his 14 TD’s in his 331 carries was amongst the best in the league. Despite his numbers, let’s not jump the gun here. Jones played behind one of the best OL’s in recent years, as far as running goes. He had multi-time all-pro Alan Faneca to his left, the league’s best center, Nick Mangold, and his right guard, Brandon Moore, is one of the best run blockers in the league. Jones isn’t an outside runner, and has always been knwon for typically running up the middle. If Jones needed the set-up in front of him in New York, to finally be successful, what will he really do in Kansas City?

I’d like to know something else in the meantime. Why is everyone so happy Jones? What good is he anyway? The Chiefs have their franchise back in Jamaal Charles (who was the 3rd round pick in 08 that was received when dealing away defensive end Jared Allen) and Jones, just isn’t the player he used to be. Jones has become, in my eyes, pretty soft.

As for the offensive line, well, the signings are a start. Although Lilja was Manning’s left guard, isn’t it alittle suspicious why they would cut the 28 year old guard, with no replacement? For the record, has anyone seen how thin the Indianapolis offensive line depth is? Mike Pollack is their best guard, and that’s bad. Lilja has been a solid guard for Peyton for the last several years, but I start to question just how good he is. Peyton’s quick release, and the help of Jeff Saturday next to him, makes me wonder if Lilja is really as good as people think. Personally, I don’t like his chances as a run blocker. Indianapolis’ run game has almost vanished, but then again, I wouldn’t be running it if I had Peyton Manning etiher.

As for Wiegmann, Id pleased to see him back, but won’t be taking it with a grain of salt. Rumors are Wiegmann may not even touch the field, because he plans to retire. I’m not sure how true it is, nor am I sold on it because he excelled in a ZBS in Denver, and will do so here. Despite Wiegmann being back, the Chiefs still need to find a replacement, because at 36, Wiegmann is sure to degress very soon.

One signing that no one is talking about though, is Shaun Smith. This is probably as key as any other signing, for the moment. Smith is a dependable depth member, and has experience in the 3-4 at the left defensive end, and nose tackle. Smith is a good tackler, can take on the occasional 2 blockers, and a great run stopper. I know from experience, the Chiefs need run stoppers.

Hard to believe, but we’ve got about 5 weeks until the first-round pick. Why not celebrate that with a several round mock?

First Round - Dan Williams. I know #5 is high for a nose tackle, but at this point, they have no other choice. Since they have signed Lilja, Waters can move to RG, meaning that taking Russell Okung (or any idea of it) out of the question. (For the record, Okung at #5 would have meant Albert could move to his normal spot, RG, and Waters staying at LG).  This time around, the Chiefs won’t make a mistake with drafting so high on the defensive line. Dan Williams is the perfect 3-4 NT, and the type that every team needs. Ask the Packers what it was like to get a proto-typical 3-4 NT last year. No wait, let the top 5 defensive stats tell you that. On a side note, the Bills are at #9, and need both Okung at left tackle and Dan Williams at NT. Perhaps a trade up for the Bills can results in the Chiefs moving to #9, and getting Williams there. They would also obtain extra picks, but that’s just me speculating.

Second Round - Jerry Hughes. You have the future NT, not get the pass rusher. Hughes is better fit for coming off the line as a linebacker in a 3-4, and is extremely athletic. He has power moves to shed blocks from blockers, and the finesse moves to get that step outside to get out LT’s to get to the QB.

Second Round - (via ATL) - Arrelious Benn. The standout wide receiver from Illinois is a “freak”, more or less. He’s almost 6′2″, and a strong and fast WR. It’s not what routes he can run, but what he makes out of the routes he actually ends up running. He reminds me a lot of Brandon Marshall. Whatever you do, don’t leave him one on one coverage, whether he is getting open, or already has the ball in his hands.

Third Round - Jared Veldheer. This kid could be a huge, huge, steal. I wouldn’t take that huge part too lightly either, Veldheer is an astonishing 6′8″. Like Sebastian Vollmer last year, Veldheer is from a smaller school, Hillside, (Houston isn’t “small”, but not very well known for big name players) and is an amazing athlete. He’s got the prototypical strength for a left tackle, and his footwork is unbelieveable. The issue teams have with him, just like Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour, is the lack of talent they have played against. Veldheer could be the future LT, eventually moving Branden Albert back to RG where he belongs.

Fourth Round - Javier Arenas. Around is around mid-round talent right now, and possible in large to his terrible 40 time. Despite his average-at-best speed for a DB, he fits the scheme for a Cover-2 CB, and is a playmaker when he has the ball in his hands (he’s a return specialist.)

Fifth Round - Dorin Dickerson. Dickerson is a rare breed. He’s what we call an H-Back. He’s too small for a typical TE (6′1″-6′2″”) but he’s a bulky 235 pounds, and a nice weapon for an offense. He has the blocking ability to line up as a second running back to block, and is a very good pass catcher. Dickinson was actually recruited as one of the better running backs coming out of high school, but his skill set has coaches confused as to what position he would be set at. Dickinson may not be value on paper, or statistically, but he’s more of a jack-of-all-trades, and could be a real steal in terms of value.

Fifth Round - Jordan Shipley. Shipley reminds me a lot of Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker. We’ve seen what he did for Cassel in New England in a similar offense. Let’s hope Shipley can progress to a similar point.

Fifth Round - Micah Johnson. Johnson is a typical “thumper” linebacker. He’s not much of an athlete, but he’s a sure thing to shed blocks, and get inside to stop the run, and a sure thing to make a needed tackle. Johnson is a smart player, but his lack of athleticism is what makes him such a low round pick.

Sixth Round - Brandon Lang. Lang is a nice DE/OLB tweener from a smaller school as well (Troy) and has a good pass rushing skill set, but Lang has a lot to learn. Lang has the potential to be a good pass rusher, but his lack of upfront potential and progression causes him to fall to later rounds. Lang is a very good tackler at the very least, and would make for a great special team player.

Seventh Round - Jeff Byers. Typical ZBS center/Guard. Byers had a lot of potential, but it seems he’s not progressing much anymore. Byers could provide depth, and from what I have heard, is a very hard worker. Perhaps Byers can provide some push that the Chiefs need, as far as motivation goes.

One thing the Chiefs need to do, is build through the draft. Free agency in the NFL isn’t what it is in the NHL, or the MLB for that matter. Most players last about 10 years, not 15-16 years. Signing guys like Jones, and Weigmann are only 2-3 year players at best, and are only “stop-gaps.” Players like these are usually only temporary solutions until teams can figure out what they will do in the long run, to build a contender in the NFL. If the Chiefs want any kind of respect anytime soon, the time to fix this problem, is now.

Offense

The two who deserve the most credit for New Orleans’s success are the two you’d expect: Sean Payton and Drew Brees. Payton utilized a greater variety of formations than any play-caller in football, and he created a lethal passing game without compromising balance (the Saints ranked 6^th in the league in rush yards and 7^th in rush attempts). The maestro, of course, was Brees. His accuracy turned the very good-but-certainly-not-great receivers into stars. Marques Colston was a beast as a possession target. Robert Meachem became more than just a deep threat. Devery Henderson continued to accumulate YAC (yards after catch). Reggie Bush and Jeremy Shockey created key matchup problems. Most impressive was that Brees did this despite playing behind the game’s worst LT, Jermon Bushrod. The line, as a whole, was so-so, though guards Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans were world-class run-blockers.

Defense

The MVPs were safeties Darren Sharper and Roman Harper, but neither was as important as coordinator Gregg Williams. Afforded the luxury of two good cover corners (Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer), the blitzing guru masked a mediocre front seven by diversifying coverages and dialing up unpredictable pressure. Jonathan Vilma’s sideline-to-sideline run-stopping abilities were paramount. New Orleans’s DT’s were all uninspiring, but they at least kept blockers off their finesse middle linebacker. DE Will Smith’s fluid speed and second efforts made him a continual force on the right edge. The same can’t be said for Charles Grant, though to Grant’s credit, he anchored very well against the run.

Top 5 Needs

1. Defensive Tackle

Sedrick Ellis has not played like a first-round pick. There’s reason to believe he’ll improve, but even so, the Saints need one more big body. Anthony Hargrove is only a situational inside pass-rusher; DeMario Pressley can’t untangle from blocks; and Remi Ayodele needs to split time.

2. Offensive Tackle

Jammal Brown’s return will solve the issues on the left side, but as the Saints learned when he went down last year, depth is important. Brown’s backup, Jermon Bushrod, is not a quality player.

3. Quarterback

Mark Brunell is an unrestricted free agent. Unless New Orleans is confident in untested Chase Coffman, they’ll need a veteran behind Brees.

4. Safety

If management and coaches are arrogant enough to think that this secondary can thrive if Darren Sharper doesn’t return, then safety becomes the team’s primary need. If Sharper does re-sign, New Orleans could still use a rangy backup and understudy.

5. Outside Linebacker

Unrestricted free agent Scott Fujita was not brought back. Besides consistent tackling, he brought invaluable leadership. But when Fujita missed time in ’09, the Saints had trouble filling his void.

The Bills are signing free agents at a snail’s pace. Without boring you to much, the few things the Bills organization has done really has me wondering. The Bills have a new “big name coach,” new GM, no T.O., uncertainty at QB, an over-paid running back, no offensive scheme or offense for that matter, a left guard who retired at the tender age of 24, a defensive end who doesn’t know if he wants to retire nor will he let the franchise know, and most importantly fans who are fed up with losing.

So where do they go from here? Well, first they need to be more aggressive in free agency. Signing offensive tackle, Cornell Green last week and linebacker, Andra Davis this week hardly tackles their issues on both sides of the ball. Also, why were the Bills not in the mix of acquiring Brady Quinn from Cleveland?

Scenario 1: The Browns need a running back, badly (I.E. Marshawn Lynch). The Bills need a QB who doesn’t have a glass jaw, can complete a pass, and will not hold a clip board for a few years before the coach “is ready to send him in.” So, trade Lynch for Quinn and a fourth rounder; done deal. Better yet, how about going after Derek Anderson, Kyle Boller, Jake Delhomme, they need or needed a team and the Bills need a QB, as mentioned above. Worse yet, how about Culpepper, Carr, or Losman, oh wait, the Bills tried that once before.

Scenario 2: go after a wide receiver. Unfortunately, there are no decent ones left. The wide receiver core in free agency is horrible. However, bringing in a receiver would free up Lee Evans to make his bloated contract worthwhile and give the QB another target. The Bills should not sign a receiver with more that 8 years of playing experience. Go ahead, look at the receiver  free agents. http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/fa?positionId=1&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2ffa%3fpositionId%3d1

Scenario 3: trade your first round pick, #9 for a later first round pick pick and possibly a fourth rounder. If the Bills want to rebuild for the future, then now is the time. Bills owner, Ralph Wilson, when looking for a coach claimed “he would pay for a big name coach to turn this thing around,”which he didn’t. So, he clearly has money left to make a difference in this team.

If I were him, I would sign big names for big money for one season and just watch as the league has a lock out next season. This way, you win more games than last year, you put Buffalo back on the NFL map again, you have a winning season, and you don’t have the slack of wondering what to do when the league comes back from the hold-out.

Needless to say, based on the last couple of weeks since free agency began, I am not impressed at all.

Do we really want to start counting down till next season, it may be more than we bargained for.

Charlie Whitehurst’s decision came down to the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks and Whitehurst informed the Chargers front office that he wanted to be traded to Seattle.

Today the Seahawks and Chargers came to trade agreement for restricted free agent quarterback Charlie Whitehurst. The Seahawks will send their second-round pick (No. 40 overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft to the Chargers in exchange for quarterback Charlie Whitehurst and their second-round pick (No. 60 overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft.

After the trade was finalized the Seahawks and Whitehurst came to an agreement on a two-year, $10 million dollar contract making him the teams second-string quarterback and the future starting quarterback.

Seattle paid a steep price for an unproven quarterback, who while still young has not played in an NFL regular season game in his five year career.

The Seahawks gave up twenty spots in the 2010 draft as well as a third-round pick in 2011 for Whitehurst, who Pete Carroll believes has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback for the Seahawks and it’s impossible to judge if Whitehurst can be that franchise quarterback.

By acquiring Whitehurst as well as giving the quarterback a sizable contract extension it signals that the Seahawks won’t be selecting a top quarterback in the upcoming April NFL Draft, which includes heavily rumored Jimmy Clausen.

It will have to be a wait-and-see approach by Seattle Seahawks fans before they know exactly what Whitehurst can bring to the field for the Seattle Seahawks.

Whitehurst’s bio is not that thick by any means but it is still solid.

Whitehurst was an original third-round pick (No. 81 overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Clemson. Whitehurst has not recorded any NFL stats in the regular season and has no accolades from either college or pro.

He has pro size at 6-4 and 227 lbs which a good NFL size. Other than that there is nothing on Whitehurst.

Notes:

- The Seahawks have signed linebacker Matt McCoy to a one-year contract for just above the league minimum. McCoy was with Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley when he was in Tampa.

- The Seahawks have acquired defensive end Chris Clemons and a fourth-round pick in 2010 from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for defensive end Darryl Tapp.

- The Seahawks have told guard Rob Sims to “stay away” from the teams Renton facilities because of a pending trade which should be completed in the next 48-hours.

You can follow Lars at Twitter http://twitter.com/larshanson

Check out Lars’ sports blog: http://hansonsportsblog.blogspot.com/

A former shutdown cornerback in the NFL, Nathan Vasher was released today by the Bears. During the 2005-2006 he was nicknamed the “interceptor” because of his eight interceptions that season. Ever since that year Vasher, a fourth round pick in 2004 out of Texas has struggled to stay healthy.

The four seasons following the 05-06 season he appeared in 41 games, making 89 tackles and intercepting six passes. Overall in six seasons he had 19 interceptions, but eight came in that one year, so take those out and you have eleven in five seasons, very average numbers.

His durability was a big issue, but he just couldn’t seem to find his groove back after that magical season. The 29 year old could still have some game left, but the Bears were quick to release him because he was owed $3 million dollars this upcoming season and they just add depth in Tim Jennings.

Vasher could land on with the San Diego Chargers because of his familiarity with Ron Rivera’s defense. Or he could land with Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis or Houston teams in need for corners.

Vasher will always be remembered for his 108 missed field goal return for a touchdown in 2005. At that time that was the longest kick return for a touchdown ever. Devin Hester tied it in 2006 against the Giants and Antonio Cromartie of the Chargers made it 109 yards last season against the Minnesota Vikings.

Kudos to Nathan Vasher for all his hard work as a Bear, I feel bad he didn’t return to his Pro Bowl form because I was really big fan of his.

Good luck on your next team.

Jake Perper is the creator of www.BearsBacker.com and also covers the Bears for www.NFLTouchdown.com. ]]> http://www.nfltouchdown.com/bears-release-veteran-corner-nathan-vasher/feed/ http://www.nfltouchdown.com/whats-going-on-with-the-nfl-these-days/ http://www.nfltouchdown.com/whats-going-on-with-the-nfl-these-days/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:38:58 +0000 Rick Bridges http://www.nfltouchdown.com/?p=3636 Well, March madness has arrived and it’s not just basketball this year. This has been a really strange off-season so far. In two weeks time, there has been much to reflect on. Some expected, some just flat out mind numbing. Lets start with some of the things we all saw coming.

Brett Favre hasn’t decided if he’s going to retire or not. No surprise there. I wouldn’t expect his answer to come until August. There is no way he’s going to suck it up and go through the OTAs. Even at 40 years old he’s still one of the best in the game. Sure, he makes mistakes but last season proved he could limit those mistakes and give his team a serious chance at a Championship. Ironically, it was his final mistake that sealed the Vikings fate for 2009.

Mike Holmgren has completely revamped the 2010 Cleveland Browns team. No surprise there either. He did much the same in Seattle when he took the coaching position and now that he’s a General Manager the axe is falling hard. What is surprising is both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn are gone. Most expected one or the other to stick with the team. More on that later. I suppose in Holmgrens evaluation he felt they have a better chance with Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. Take luck Mike!

Terrell Owens was cut, again. What a shocker right? The guy just can’t find a team that can tolerate his, “I love me some me!” attitude. Even the desperate Bengals took a pass on him. Perhaps it’s time for him to just hang up the cleats and save ESPN from another season of the T.O. show.

But we need to cover some of the things that just leave me scratching my head.

I believe the biggest slap in the face of the NFL was the trade of Antonio Cromartie to the NY Jets. Not because the Jets felt they needed a compliment to stud corner Darrelle Revis, or that the Chargers felt he wasn’t worth his upcoming bonuses, but because of his contract terms. Cromartie, the father of seven children with six different women in five different states had pending child support issues. Not to mention he’s been named in several more paternity suits over the past couple of years. It’s rumored that in his contract, the Jets paid his $240,000.00 back child support. Seriously? If I were the Jets, the biggest stipulation would be getting him clipped! I believe he’s spread enough seed around the states already. He turns 26 next month and has one less kid than John and Kate. But if the Jets did build a portion of his contract to pay for his pending child support I can only shake my head at the society I live in.

But while we are talking Jets, lets not forget it was them who won the Ladanian Tomlinson lotto. This too was a head scratcher. They allow Thomas Jones to leave because they didn’t want to pay him, yet they pay Tomlinson more than Jones was asking. It doesn’t seem that far-fetched considering LT will likely be a Hall of Famer some day. That said, Jones is the better player right now. So basically the Jets paid for a name. They would be foolish to make Shonn Greene a backup. He was their bell cow last season and looks like a young Michael Turner.

Cleveland got rid of both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. I didn’t see that coming. I had a feeling Anderson would be cut and Holmgren would find a solid coordinator to mentor Quinn. I was half right. Well, in theory I was right because Quinn will have a solid staff to lean on in Denver with Josh McDaniels. But Cleveland signing Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace is almost comical. As a Falcons fan, I have seen much of Delhomme. From his days in New Orleans to his years in Carolina. He is not the answer Holmgren is seeking. That’s almost as baffling as Seneca Wallace. Wallace just isn’t any good. He’s like a poor mans Tarvaris Jackson. I bet this one leaves more than one “Dog Pound” fan scratching their head.

Big Ben Roethlisberger can’t keep women from accusing him of rape! He’s one of the highest paid players in NFL history and all he has to do is keep a low profile. He lives in a city that really isn’t known for media. So he travels to Georgia to get in trouble? To me, it’s not whether he’s guilty or not at this point. It’s how he represents the sport. Hell, he couldn’t be bothered to show up for the Steelers OTAs which began Monday. So lets look back at the player real quick.

In 2006 he was involved in a motorcycle accident without a helmet. He’s a meathead so he shook it off pretty quick. In July of 2009 he was brought up on charges of sexual assault in Lake Tahoe. Ultimately his attourneys swept it under the rug and life went on for the quarterback. Now he’s being accused of sexual assault once again in Georgia. Honestly, why put yourself in situations that can even leave you accused?

Based on the events of the past two weeks it makes the NFL look like a league of criminals that can buy their way out of trouble. Until Michael Vick was convicted, that was the stereotype. Add in Roger Goodell and things were supposed to change. I bet he’s regretting taking that job by now. He still has no satisfaction from the Star Caps issues.  I guess the old saying holds true today. “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” Money talks in this country and it couldn’t be any more true than the NFL.

The draft is coming up and today happens to be the Florida Pro Day. I’m sure ESPN will have non-stop coverage of Tebow. I’ll wait until all the Pro Days are over before I do my Falcons mock draft. Until then, Happy St. Patricks day everyone!