Now that everybody has reported and hit the practice fields, we're going to take a week off from our position-by-position breakdown and go with a few notes from around the league.
As of 8 AM Tuesday morning, seven first-round draft picks remain unsigned. My pick as the last guy to sign, Levi Brown, the offensive tackle from Penn State selected fifth by Arizona, is one of them. You could certainly see it going to either of the quarterbacks, JaMarcus Russell with the Raiders or Brady Quinn with the Browns, but I'm going with the cheapskate ownership group in the desert. When you're betting on a business deal being more complicated than it has to be, bet on the Bidwells.
The one holdout that's the most surprising is Jon Beason, the Miami linebacker selected at 25 by Carolina. Panthers GM Marty Hurney said this weekend the two sides were "miles apart," which is odd considering the players taken immediately before and after Beason have already signed. According to the AP, the hold-up is the Panthers' refusal to include an option bonus in the deal.
I used to think Michael Vick was only going to get four games, then go on with his life. Now I think he might be in Don Imus "no one will even employ me again" territory. Dude has fallen hard, and it's getting worse by the day. The latest: a co-defendant has flipped. (Then again, there are rumors Don Imus will return to WFAN in September, so maybe Vick stands a shot. Anybody have Mark Cuban's number?)
What is it with athletes taking guns into strip clubs? First it was Detroit Lions DT Shaun Rogers (according to the former Loose Ends Players Den dancer who plans to sue him in civil court). Now it's Carolina Panthers DT Jeremy Bridges, charged with assault by pointing a gun at a dancer in the parking lot of Club Onyx in South Charlotte. What is it about "don't put yourself in a bad situation" do these guys not get? Is there any more of a "bad situation" than having a firearm in a strip club?
Quality move by the Rams giving Marc Bulger the big extension he wanted (six-year, $62.5 million, $26.5 guaranteed). Really, they had no choice. He had all the leverage going into his walk year. Best to get it done before it became a distraction.
I'm not sure what to make of Roger Goodell's decision to extend Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman's suspension into two years. Thurman, a starter as a rookie who ran afoul of the league's substance abuse policy (several times), was eligible for re-instatement after sitting out all of last season, and was widely expected to be back with the team this year. Not only does Goodell's decision have a tangible negative impact on the Bengals' hopes for an improved defense (ranked 17th last year in points per game allowed, 30th in total yards allowed), it deviates from the established crime-to-punishment scale. Unless there are mitigating circumstances that haven't been published, this ruling puts us in some murky water.
Larry Johnson is holding out. Priest Holmes is back. There's a quarterback controversy between Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard. Kyle Turley is signed for another go-round. I'm telling you — Hard Knocks is going to be fantastic. The first episode premieres August 8 on HBO.
I'm not worried about Frank Gore breaking his hand and missing the preseason. I am worried about Frank Gore without Norv Turner's play calling.
As much as it's tempting to jump on the Steelers under new tough guy Mike Tomlin, there are too many holes. The offensive line is in flux, and so is the secondary. They better take advantage of their early schedule (at Cleveland, Buffalo, San Francisco, at Arizona, Seattle), because they have as tough a post-bye slate as anybody (including at New England, Jacksonville, at St. Louis, at Baltimore over the last four weeks).
Farewell, Curtis Martin. Whether with the Pats or Jets, you were the consummate pro. I look forward to your Hall of Fame enshrinement speech.
RIP, Bill Walsh. Every single football fan owes you a debt of gratitude. Thank you.
Tim Couch to the Jags has to rank as the most surprising transaction report of the weekend. Good move by the Jags, though. Couch is a super-cheap flyer (not even a signing bonus in his two-year, $1 million-plus deal). Incumbent third-stringer Quinn Gray better get himself off the PUP list right quick.
Darwin Walker to the Bears makes a lot of sense for Chicago. A conditional fifth-rounder (according to ESPN) is hardly a steep price for a guy with 26.5 sacks over the past four years.
On the other hand, the Bears moving Devin Hester to wide receiver is just greedy. First, you expose him to far more contact and the possibility of injury with him on offense. Second, while speed kills in the return game, it's only a fraction of the pie for a wide receiver. He's not like Dante Hall, who was always a receiver. He's a corner being converted to offense. (He freelanced at WR at Miami, but ended up with 10 total receptions in three years.) Can he run routes? Can he block in the running game? If they're only going to use him for screens and going deep, will the defense be able to key off his substitution package? Will he hold on to the ball when he gets blasted?
The Bears have one of the best returners in the game, possibly an all-timer, somebody who can instantly change the entire momentum of the game. By moving him to offense, they're taking a huge gamble. The potential gain isn't even close to worth the risk.
Sneak peak into next week's tight-end rankings: San Diego is ranked highly. Buffalo is not.
Five days to Saints/Steelers.
Seth Doria is a freelance writer, editor, and designer. Some of the notes above have been previously published on The Left Calf. Some have not.
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