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-- John Dudley

You know free agency is in full bloom when the biggest football related announcement to come out of Pittsburgh in early March is that Heinz is issuing a Super Bowl-themed ketchup six-pack.

The Steelers will be sitting out the Terrell Owens derby, thank you very much, and probably won't get involved in the bidding for any other big-name free agents. But don't be surprised if they make a late move for an offensive lineman or a wide receiver.

In the meantime, take advantage of the warm weather, fire up your grill and cook something that will help you use up all that ketchup.

-- John Dudley

The Browns have signed tight end Robert Royal, and trust me, as someone who has watched plenty of Bills games over the past couple of years, it's because of his blocking.

As a receiver Royal is the anti-Kellen Winslow, neither fast nor exceptionally sure-handed. This is good news for the Browns' running game, and good news for Steve Heiden, who won't have to rush his return from knee surgery.

-- John Dudley

Terrell Owens wore out his welcome with another team, so the Cowboys released him today into the wild of NFL free agency.

There's virtually no chance Owens would latch on with the Bills, Browns or Steelers, and if you have a week I'll explain all the reasons why.

There also appears to be little chance he will show up on a team in either the AFC North or the AFC East, meaning the NFL's most troubled, and perhaps most gifted, receiver won't become a twice-a-season thorn in the side of any of the three area teams.

Instead it appears Owens is most likely headed to bizzaro world -- a.ka. Oakland -- or perhaps the Washington Redskins or TennesseeTitans, if you buy the Kool-Aid former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards was pouring on ESPN today. (And since when did Herm Edwards become an expert on personnel moves, anyway.)

-- John Dudley

It sounds like the Browns are interested in signing free agent cornerback Jabari Greer, who made 23 starts with the Bills the past two seasons.

Greer probably will cost whatever team signs him as much as $7 million or $8 million per year, a price set earlier in free agency by comparable CB Kelvin Hayden, who stayed with the Colts.

Greer strikes me as a young, improving corners who is a little bit of a tough read right now. He has some big-play ability. He returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns last season.

But it's hard to say just how good he will be playing in a defense that doesn't include veteran Terrance McGee and Leodis McKelvin, who emerged as a very good young cover guy last season.

He could be just the player the Browns need to help bring along young corners Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, who got routinely abused last season. Or he could be a guy who isn't quite as good as he looks in a relatively thin market for corners.

-- John Dudley

Reports out of Cleveland have the Browns considering a couple of possible trades.

One deal would send Brady Quinn and Shaun Rogers to Denver for Jay Cutler and a third-round draft choice.

Another would have the Browns swapping receiver Braylon Edwards for New York Giants pass rusher Mathias Kiwanuka.

The first makes no sense. Rogers was the Browns' best defensive player -- maybe their best overall player -- last season, and there is no one currently on the roster capable of adequately filling his role. Quinn for Cutler makes sense only as far as experience goes.

Quinn remains largely an unknown quantity after his brief turn as the starter last year. He could be great, He could be average. He could be awful. These things have a way of sorting themselves out once a player gets a full season or so on the field, and that's especially true of Quinn's position. Quarterbacks need to be in game situations, under fire, working against the blitz or against the clock, to show their true competitiveness. Those things really can't be simulated in practice.

Cutler is a known quantity. He's talented, erratic and he has a big mouth. Before his career barely got underway in Denver he had already announced to anyone who would listen that he possesses arm strength superior to that of one John Elway.

So a Quinn and Rogers for Cutler and a pick swap is exactly the sort of disastrous move that has the Browns in their current tailspin, which is why it should scare fans to death.

On to rumor No. 2: Kiwanuka is just the sort of young (25), talented (eight sacks, two forced fumbles in 2008) playmaker the Browns lack on defense.

The problem is, giving up Edwards, malcontent that he is, would leave them with exactly zero playmakers on offense. It could be a tradeoff the Browns are willing to make, especially if they think they have a shot at Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree on draft day.

-- John Dudley

If I'm the Steelers, I'm not terribly concerned with losing Nate Washington.

Yes, Nate Washington is capable of being a big-play receiver. He had at least one reception of at least 48 yards in four straight games last season.

Yes, Washington is a great story, making the Steelers as a longshot after a record-setting career at Division II Tiffin. (Yes, he played against Gannon.)

Yes, Washington is a stand-up guy in the locker room, the sort of player the Rooney family covets.

But Washington isn't worth the $27 million over six years he will receiver from the Tennessee Titans -- not to the Steelers, not in this offense.

There was some hand-wringing a few years ago when Antwan Randle-El, prince of trickery, departed for a big contract in Washington. But Randle-El hasn't exactly become an elite receiver. And the Steelers haven't exactly struggled with him,

Washington, like Randle-El, is a replaceable part. Someone, perhaps rookie Limas Sweed, who showed some late-season promise amid bouts with cluelessness, will step in and fill his role.

And Sweed -- or anyone else who inherits Washington's snaps -- won't come with the price tag Washington commanded (his deal with the Titans includes a $9 million guarantee) when he hit free agency.

-- John Dudley

Steelers

-- The Steelers are entering their final five weeks under the ownership structure in place since Art Rooney controlled the team.

-- The Super Bowl loss to the Steelers still keeps Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt awake nights.

-- It doesn't seem like a priority given their needs on both lines, but the Steelers are floating the idea of drafting a cornerback. Also, Kevin Colbert says the Steelers won't make a need-based pick in a draft relatively light on offensive tackles.

-- Byron Leftwich isn't ruling out a return as Ben Roethlisberger's backup QB. Also, the Steelers are facing a huge payout to sign James Harrison to a contract extension.

-- WR Nate Washington's days with the Steelers appear to be numbered.

Browns

-- Ohio State RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, an Akron native, says it would be "blessed" to play for the Browns.

-- Bill Belichick reveals he nearly fired George Kokinis during Kokinis' first stint with the Browns. (2nd item)

-- Safety Sean Jones won't get the Browns' franchise tag, meaning he could be on his way out when free agency opens Friday.

-- Although they need LBs, the Browns are closely tracking tackles Jason Smith and Andre Smith as potential bookends to pair with two-time Pro Bowl LT Joe Thomas.

Bills

-- Not surprisingly, the Bills are thought to be looking closely at defensive ends, including Penn State's Aaron Maybin, with the 11th pick overall.

-- Tom Modrak believes the Bills have the nucleus of a winning team, saying "in my mind we are better than we've shown."

-- Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert is enthusiastic about QB Trent Edwards' progress.

-- LB Angelo Crowell and CB Jabari Greer probably won't be back with the Bills next season.

-- John Dudley

Steelers

-- Tackle Max Starks receives the franchise tag and a guaranteed 2009 salary of $8.4 million. This could mean Marvel Smith is on his way out.

-- Running back Rashard Mendenhall's shoulder rehab is ahead of schedule. Also, Santonio Holmes received a $10,000 fine for his Super Bowl touchdown celebration.

-- The Steelers are among teams that seem to be interested in drafting Penn State center A.Q. Shipley.

Browns

-- The Browns appear set to name Missouri defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus their new linebackers coach.

-- The Detroit Lions, who might take Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall, could be a trading partner for Derek Anderson.

-- New Lions coach Jim Schwatrz cut his NFL teeth at the bottom of the Browns' coaching food chain.

Bills

-- At the NFL combine, Bills coach Dick Jauron says winning will take care of everything in Buffalo.

-- Marshawn Lynch is losing the benefit of the doubt, Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan writes.

-- Meanwhile, Lynch was charged Thursday with three misdemeanors in connection with his gun-related arrest in California.

-- Buddy Nix has returned to the Bills' fold as a scout.

-- John Dudley

The NFL combine is going on in Indianapolis, officially opening the gates to another season of offseason movement.

Steelers

-- Moving up from the last spot in the draft, as the Steelers did after their Super Bowl XL win to take Santonio Holmes, is a possibility again this year.

-- The Steelers have a lot of decisions to make concerning their offensive line before free agency opens Feb. 27.

Continue reading "Bills, Browns, Steelers turn focus to combine" »

I just finished reading a report on The Sporting News Today that says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will accept a salary freeze in 2009. The commissioner also agreed to a pay cut for fiscal 2008, which ends May 31.

Goodell earns $11 million. The NFL recently announced it would lay off 1,100 employees at its New York headquarters.

I wasn't a math major, and I'm no privy to NFL payroll figures, but let's suppose a lot of those 1,100 people who will lose their jobs make around $50,000 per year, since it's unlikely any high-ranking league officials are getting axed.

And let's suppose that instead nobly agreeing to having his $11 million salary frozen in 2009, Goodell agreed to be paid, say, $7 million, freeing up $4 million that theoretically could be used to pay the salaries of 80 or so employees scheduled to be laid off.

I know that would call for some huge personal sacrifices for Goodell, who might even have to fly commercial once in a while.

But I suspect even the commish could find a way to scratch out a living on 7 mil a year, especially if it meant keeping some other people off the dole.

-- John Dudley