Here’s What Happens When You Win the Super Bowl…

Suddenly everyone wants a raise.

- According to Rotoworld, Plaxico Burress will be skipping Mini-Camp over a contract dispute. He’s slated to be making 3.25 million this season, and he’s not happy about it. He’s rumored to want something like a Javon Walker 6 year, 55 million.

Let’s take a look at this shall we? Plax will be 31 when the season opens. He expects the Giants to sign him until he’s 37? Now, I know that the second half of most contracts don’t really exist, as players are often cut or traded or they re-negotiate before they ever see them, but still. That would also drive up the signing bonus which is what I’m sure Burress really wants.

Jerry Reese is too good of a general manager to do anything too stupid with this. Expect Plax to start being fined $8,600 a day if he doesn’t start showing up. In other news, if Jerry Reese wants to give me that money, that’s fine.

- In other Giants News, Jeremy Shockey showed up to work today! Despite everything indicating the fact that he wouldn’t, the tight end came to mini-camp today. However, he’s still recovering from the broken leg he suffered last season and couldn’t particapte in any drills. He also wasn’t doing any conditioning with the rest of the injured players.

When asked why Jeremy stated inside, head coach Tom Coughlin just said “That’s between Jeremy and I.”

Yikes. I’m so sick of this drama already. Can’t we all just get along?

Hey! Is Rick Williams Available?

Wouldn't it be ironic if Ricky Williams V 1.0 replaces Ricky Williams Jr. (A.K.A. Cedric Benson.)

Honestly Bears fans, Benson's release is a blessing in disguise. Besides being a drunk Benson, has never performed on the field. What's the point of keeping him on the roster?

So where do the Bears go from here? Well the good news is that they have a lot of options.

Option A: Stay In House

Matt Forte/Adrian Peterson/Garret Wolfe

This is the most likely option but I'm not sure if it's the best one. Forte, a second round draft pick this year, had an insanely productive college career. However, he's a tweener (RB-FB) and is a lot more Brian Leonard than anything else. He's a good guy to have on your team, as an everyone down back however I'm not sure how he grades out.

Behind him you have Peterson and Wolfe. Peterson is the definition of "eh." Again he's a valuable backup because he can carry the ball 20+ times a game if need be but, you also don't want him carrying the ball 20+ times a game. Wolfe is the wildcard of the group. He's guy I liked a whole lot coming out of college. He brings an explosive dimension to the running game that neither Forte or Peterson can. He has an extremely small frame and given more than 10 carries a game he might break down.

Odds: 80%

Option B: Free Agent Market

The Free Agent Market is usually barren this time of year...this year is an exception. There are several big name backs available.

1) Shaun Alexander

Does Alexander have anything left in the tank? He hasn't garnered any interest on the open market. Generally that's not a good sign.

Odds 10%

2) Travis Henry

Another talented running back, however this one comes with as many red flags as Mr. Benson.

Odds >0%

3) Kevin Jones

Of all the free agent running backs, Jones, is the most appealing. He's constantly dealt with injuries but you can't deny how effective he has been when healthy. The injury concerns have scared off most teams and I can't imagine he has a very high price tag.

I like this option for the Bears.

Odds: 35%

Option C: Trade Market

Trades in the NFL use to be a rare occurrence but they have been occurring more frequently as of late. There are a lot of teams in the NFL that are very deep at Running Back and certainly could afford to deal one.

Giants - Derrick Ward

Brandon Jacobs/Ahmad Bradshaw/Derrick Ward/Ruben Droughns.

The definition of depth. Of all these RB's, Ward is the most expendable (Droughns can play full back in a pinch as well as in short yardage situations.) As we saw last year behind a solid O-Line Derrick Ward could be a starting caliber NFL running back. If your the Giants and the Bears offer a 5th round pick, you would have to take it right?

Vikings - Chester Taylor

Taylor, though a backup is still a very good running back. I think the Bears would find it too pricey (2nd round pick?) to acquire Taylor.

Falcons - Jerious Norwood

This is one I find intriguing. For whatever reason Norwood has never found a home as an NFL starter (this despite averaging over 6.0 YPC in his young NFL career.) This off-season the Falcons added Michael Turner again forcing Norwood into a backup role. I would assume the Falcons would request at least a third round pick for Norwood in a trade. If I was the Bears GM that would be something I definitely would have to consider.

Raiders - Justin Fargas/Lamont Jordan

They could just wait till inevitably Jordan is released. I doubt Fargas would be traded, as he just signed a new contract, though with the addition of McFadden one of the two is certainly expendable.

and finally we come back to the start...

Miami Dolphins - Ricky Williams

Williams story has been documented ad nauseam so I'll spare you the rehasing.

What you might not know is that Williams is in tip-top shape this off-season and in fact has looked great at mini-camp.

Is it worth taking a flier on Ricky? It's tough to say. After the Benson public relations fallout it'd be a risk to add someone of Williams character. With that being said, no running back on this list has the upside that Ricky does.

Who blinks first if the Bears offer a third round pick for Ricky?

It might not happen, but it's certainly fun to think about.

So, He Really Was Ricky Williams...

The Bears told Cedric Benson to simply go home.

The troubled former fourth overall pickhas been in trouble all offseason, including a charge of boating under the influence, and a recent arrest for driving under the influence.

The Bears have called a press conference that everyone is assuming to announce that he will be released. After that, the league will likely also take action and suspend him for at least four games. This will likely be the end of Benson's NFL career.

Unlike Williams, Benson was never productive enough to warrant taking a flier on despite all of his issues. This will leave rookie Matt Forte from Tulane and the OTHER Adrian Peterson to fight for the top spot on the Bears roster.

Hope you are ready for another long season Bear fans.

Do I Have an Opportunity for You!

Are looking at this site between 1:00 and 2:00? Do you have a burning NFL question? Do you want me to answer it, well, because I'm awesome?

Well, I think I can make that happen! Go to Youcastr.com, and listen to our show live. If you'd like, Call 516-299-2030, or just leave a comment in this post and you may have your question asked on air!

How to Screw Up a Second Chance...

as written by Odell Thurman. The Middle Linebacker will likely be suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.....again.

This is likely it in NFL for him, but he shouldn't be worried about that right now. He should be focusing on getting his life straight.

Thurman was cut by the Bengals earlier this offseason

I'm Renaming Dallas Miami West...

So, Rotoworld is reporting that Jason Taylor would redo his contract in order to expedite a trade to Dallas.

Ok, Where the hell would they put him? Currently, They have Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware lining up on the outside. They just got Zach Thomas from the Dolphins to play inside.

It would definitely mess up the development of a promising prospect if they chose to replace Spencer with Taylor, and I don't think it would be the best of moves.

Lists That Make No Sense....

It's normally a really good day when I arrive at work and theirs my copy of the Sporting News waiting for me. It's like Christmas morning every week.

However, on this day, I find myself more annoyed than anything else. This week's NFL focus was on Safeties and the very intelligent people of this major magazine are now attempting to tell me that Roy Williams is the fifth best safety in the NFC.

What?

The same Roy Williams that is about to be benched on third down this season? The same RY that is routinely whipped by every tight end in the league? The same Williams that is actually property of Jeremy Shockey?

Please.

Another Neverending Giants Saga...

Rotoworld.com is reporting that the Giants believe that DE Michael Strahan is currently "60-40" to retire. Well, as Jason will tell you, everything in life is a 60-40.

My only gripe with this whole thing is I want it to be over one way or another. In an off-season that was supposed to be harmonious because of our gigantic Super Bowl Victory (remind me again what happened on February 3rd?) we're instead sitting here listening to this story and the one about Jeremy Shockey being traded.

Can a Fan get some good news?

What You Get For A Job Well Done...

Giants Left Tackle David Diehl received a brand new 31 million dollar deal, according to rotoworld. Diehl was under contract until 2011, but moved outside to Left Tackle, and was still being paid like a guard.

Diehl was the subject of much scrutiny last season, but quieted his critics with a very solid 2007.
Congrats, Dave. Enjoy the good life.

How About That?

So, It appears that Brett Favre is going to grace the cover of Madden NFL 09. The only thing I could say is:

Wow, That was so obvious that I didn't even think of it.

I mean, we all know that John Madden loves him some Brett Favre, and with everyone's favorite cheese head retiring, what better time to put him on the cover? It's not like the Madden Curse is going to hurt his golf game.

Hey, It's better than Jared Zabransky on the cover of NCAA 08.

Speaking of NCAA, The '09 Edition will be covered by soon-to-be Baltimore Raven Matt Ryan on the PS3, and Darren McFadden on the Xbox 360. Now, this kind of annoys me. Does EA think that I'm going to buy a different version of the game depending on who is on the cover?

Here's the 360 Box Art:

And Here is the PS3:


NCAA is due out on July 15th, While Madden, and the 20th anniversary edition that includes Head Coach, will be out in mid-august.

More Things I Said Would Happen...

Even if they happened a bit earlier than I thought they would.

The Jets traded DT Dwayne Robertson to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a late-round conditional pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Ouch.

They had an offer earlier from the Bengals that would have netted them two picks in this year's draft. However, with Robertson's bad knee, they should be happy that they no longer have to even pay his salary.

Look, I'm Right...Again...

Oh, Look. Rotoworld is reporting via the Daily News that Steve Spagnuolo is in love with Kenny Phillips and would love for him to be around at the end of the first round.

Didn't I say this awhile ago? Oh, Yea. I did.

Pac-Man Traded to Cowboys!

The Troubled corner was traded from Tennessee to Jerry Jones Inc. for a fourth round pick. If Jones is reinstated this season, The Titans will receive an extra fourth rounder next season.

How does this change the draft?

It Doesn't. The Boys will still need a corner because they don't know if Jones will be allowed to play again this season, or ever. If he does, everyone just gets pushed down the depth chart one spot.

Mock Draft v 3.1: Featuring the Jared Allen Trade...

1.Miami - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
2. St. Louis - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio St
3. Atlanta - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5. Kansas City - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
6. NY Jets - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
7. New England - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy St.
8. Baltimore - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
9. Cincinnati - Keith Rivers, OLB, USC
10. New Orleans - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
11. Buffalo - Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan St.
12. Denver - Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
13. Carolina - Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
14. Chicago - Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
15. Detroit - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
16. Arizona - Dominique Rodgers - Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.
17. Kansas City (f/Vikings) - Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
18. Houston - Jerrod Mayo, OLB, Tennessee
19. Philadelphia - Brenden Albert, G, Virginia
20. Tampa Bay - DeSean Jackson, WR, California
21.Washington - Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
22. Dallas - Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh - Godsher Cherilus, OT, Boston College
24.Tennessee - Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
25. Seattle - Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
26. Jacksonville - Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
27. San Diego - Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
28. Dallas - Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
29. San Francisco - Quentin Groves, OLB, Auburn
30. Green Bay - Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma
31. New England - Selection Forfeited
32. NY Giants - Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami

A Couple of Retirements...

Two NFL Defensive Ends have called it quits.

Mike Rucker has been a divisive figure for Panthers fans for the past two seasons. While most people believe that he was washed up, he was a bookend on their line for a long time. Today, he retired, filling a huge hole on their defensive line. Rucker finished his career with 55.5 sacks and one Pro Bowl appearance.

On the other end of the spectrum, David Pollack never got to hit his stride. Early in his rookie season, he suffered a bizarre and debilitating neck injury that led to him being forced to retire. After being a first round pick in 2005, He retires having played just 16 games and having just 4.5 sacks.

And There it is...

NBCSports.com is reporting that a Deal is Imminent between Michigan OT Jake Long and the Miami Dolphins that would make him the number one overall pick and end all of the guessing.

More to Follow...

Mock Draft v. 3.0

Welcome to Draft Week at the 3rd String Safety!

Be sure to check the site daily for updates and draft news as we bring all the way through Sunday Night. The fun doesn't end then as we'll begin doing draft reviews!

Here's the latest rough draft for my mock:

Pick #	Team Name	Player Name	Position	College
1	Miami Dolphins	Jake Long	Offensive Tackle	Michigan
2	St. Louis Rams	Vernon Gholston	Defensive End	Ohio State
3	Atlanta Falcons	Glenn Dorsey	Defensive Tackle	LSU
4	Oakland Raiders	Darren McFadden	Running Back	Arkansas
5	Kansas City Chiefs	Ryan Clady	Offensive Tackle	Boise State
6	New York Jets	Chris Long	Defensive End	Virginia
7	New England Patriots	Leodis McKlevin	Cornerback	Troy
8	Baltimore Ravens	Matt Ryan	Quarterback	Boston College
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Sedrick Ellis	Defensive Tackle	USC
10	New Orleans Saints	Mike Jenkins	Cornerback	South Florida
11	Buffalo Bills	Limas Sweed	Wide Receiver	Texas
12	Denver Broncos	Chris Williams	Offensive Tackle	Vanderbilt
13	Carolina Panthers	Rashard Mendenhall	Running Back	Illinois
14	Chicago Bears	Jeff Otah	Offensive Tackle	Pittsburgh
15	Detroit Lions	Derrick Harvey	Defensive End	Florida
16	Arizona Cardinals	Keith Rivers	Outside Linebacker	USC
17	Minnesota Vikings	Phillip Merling	Defensive End	Clemson
18	Houston Texans	D. Rodgers-Cromartie	Cornerback	Tennessee State
19	Philadelphia Eagles	Godsher Cherilus	Offensive Tackle	Boston College
20	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	DeSean Jackson	Wide Receiver	California
21	Washington Redskins	Devin Thomas	Wide Receiver	Michigan State
22	Dallas Cowboys	Felix Jones	Running Back	Arkansas
23	Pittsburgh Steelers	Brenden Albert	Guard	Auburn
24	Tennessee Titans	Malcolm Kelly	Wide Receiver	Oklahoma
25	Seattle Seahawks	Jonathon Stewart	Running Back	Oregon
26	Jacksonville Jaguars	Lawrence Jackson	Defensive End	USC
27	San Diego Chargers	Brandon Flowers	Cornerback	Virginia Tech
28	Dallas Cowboys	Kenny Phillips	Free Safety	Miami
29	San Francisco 49ers	Quentin Groves	Outside Linebacker	Auburn
30	Green Bay Packers	Reggie Smith	Cornerback	Oklahoma
31	New England Patriots	Selection Forfeited	*******	********
32	New York Giants	Antoine Cason	Cornerback	Arizona

Ohhh, Crazy Al...

The more I look at this draft, the more I'm convinced that the Jets will be saved by the only person who has had a worse offseason than them.

Al Davis is going to want Darren McFadden. It's as simple as that.

Rotoworld has reported some grumblings out of Oakland that Al wants McFadden. Anyone who knows anything about the draft knows that Al loves the freak athlete, and the only two who fit that bill are DMC and Vernon Gholston. Outside linebackers or defensive ends aren't nearly as sexy as star runners.

Congrats, Jets Fans. Your team has been saved from themselves.

Here's a Fun One...

Bears CB/WR/KR Devin Hester wants to be paid among the league's best and is said to be very unhappy with his contract, according to Rotoworld.


Well, that's great but what position does he use as a scale?

Hester will want to be paid as a corner, but I don't see anyone in the league paying a kick returner 8 years, 80 million.

The Bears will simply want to pay him as a kick returner, but I doubt that Hester or his agent will be very happy with that.

This should be an interesting situation to watch.

How Not to Help Your Draft Stock...

Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly is turning his off-season into a comedy of errors.

After a poor showing at his pro day, he has scheduled another scouting session where he will run on astroturf.

Astroturf? What are we playing mini-golf?

No one plays on Astroturf anymore, and it's clearly a ploy to improve his time. I don't care if he runs a 3.7, this shouldn't help his stock at all.