Here's my first fantasy take on this year's NFL Draft (all info based on non-keeper leagues for 2009 only)...

QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford (DET) - Going to the Lions didn't help Stafford. Throwing to Calvin Johnson will, however. I don't anticipate Daunte Culpepper as being too much of a hurdle and Stafford's strong arm and accurate passing make him appealing. Still, the Lions went 0-16 last year and I don't care if it is Dan Marino coming in as a rookie, I'm going to recommend him only as a free agent pick-up until further notice.

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) - Of the rookie QB's, Sanchez has the most appeal to me. It is not as much as his talent or ability, rather the enviroment he is in. Like Stafford, there isn't much veteran competition for him to compete with. Unlike Stafford he was drafted by a playoff-caliber football team. I would take a late-round flyer on him if I have a solid QB1 already in the fold.

Josh Freeman (TB) - Freeman declared himself the best at the position in his draft class, but he has to prove it before I am ready to agree. Expect Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown to battle for the job early, but Freeman will take advantage if he ever gets a shot. Of the three listed here, he has the least fantasy value at this point heading into next year.

RUNNING BACK
Knowshown Moreno (DEN) - Being the first rookie RB taken doesn't always guarantee instant success. Moreno will be closer to Adrian Peterson than he will be Darren McFadden. Going to Denver is a great fit for the dynamic playmaker. There is a ton of depth in the Broncos' backfield, but anticipate Moreno getting the bulk of the load early in the season. I'm not ready to tab him a RB1, but he is nice pick as a RB2 with great upside.

Donald Brown (IND) - The Colts wanted Brown and didn't waste anytime going after when he was there near the end of the first round. With Dominic Rhodes out of the picture and Addai injury prone, Brown will be good for 10+ touches per game in one of the league's best offenses. That number goes up if Addai goes down. He's not a lock for playing time early though, so he should only be considered as a backup initially. A nice find in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft.

Beanie Wells (ARI) - Playing in a good offense won't be the problem, though I am still not convinced that Arizona possesses that great of a run-blocking line. There is also second-year running back Tim Hightower to consider. I look for the two of them to approach a 50/50 split by season's end. There is some durability concern with Wells and I still would much rather have Hightower at this point.

LeSean McCoy (PHI) - I love what the Eagles did in the draft and McCoy is a big reason why. He's the perfect fit in the offense and with the team wanting to ease Westrbook's worlkoad he's going to have a great chance to prove himself early and often. With him falling to Round 2 he will likely provide more value this coming August in your draft and outside of Moreno has just as much upside of any rookie back long-term.

Shonn Green (NYJ) - I like him as my "darkhorse pick". He scored 14 touchdowns in finals six games last year at Iowa and with the Thomas Jones' contract talks souring, Green's future in the Jets' backfield may take off sooner than others think. He's a guy to stash away in the back of your mind and steal on draft day.

**COMING SOON: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends**

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from the Newark Star-Ledger:

Amid chatter that Brett Favre is contemplating coming out of retirement yet again, the Jets announced Tuesday evening that they have released the future Hall of Fame quarterback from the reserve/retirement list.

The move means that Favre is now free to sign with any team if he wishes, and the Jets wouldn't be owed any compensation because they no longer have his rights.

Favre's release from the Jets could pave the way for him to come back with the Vikings, the team he originally wanted to play for following his bitter divorce with Green Bay.

"Bus (Cook) and Mike (Tannenbaun) have been talking about this for a while," said Favre in a statement. "Nothing has changed. At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football."

COMPLETE ARTICLE

NFL jets, vikings, packers, brett favre

The Jay Cutler-Josh McDaniels drama is getting old in Denver. The two either need to kiss and make up or move on. Cutler is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game to say the least, but this whole thing is a bit childish.

Even worse is the fact that McDaniels is acting just as immature. If I am a Broncos' fan (and I am not), the team's new, young coach is on a very thin leash.

Cutler has not shown up for the team's voluntary workouts and McDaniels wants to meet without his agent.

According to the Denver Post, Cutler has been communicating with the coach via text message. I guess that is better than nothing, but still it's like two freakin' teenagers.

If something is going to shake down, it will before the draft.

Here are my picks for the best landing spots for Cutler should there be a trade...

1. NY Jets - Easily the team in biggest need.

2. Tampa Bay - OK, they could be worse off than the Jets. They could of have had in the 3-way trade for Matt Cassell to begin with.

3. Minnesota - Do you really think Sage Rosenfels is going to be the answer for the Vikings?

4. Detroit - They are sitting on the draft's top pick and desperate to win.

5. Chicago - Three words say it all...Kyle Freakin' Orton

MY TAKE: You don't trade a 25 year old franschise QB coming off a 4,500-yard Pro Bowl season under any circumstances, especially if he actually wants to play for your team as Cutler clearly had. While I think both deserve a fair share of the blame in the matter, I also think that owner Pat Bowlen deserves some criticism for his silence in the matter. He writes the check and at this point I think he needs to sit everyone down and work this out. Otherwise, Cutler is going to go all "T.O." on them.

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Let's check out some of the latest headlines from around the NFL:

CAROLINA TAGS PEPPERS (Charlotte Observer)
After locking up tackle Jordan Gross to a six-year deal the Panthers have formally placed their franchise tag on defensive end Julius Peppers. According to a source close to Peppers, he has a list of four teams to which he would accept a trade. Of those four, three are in the NFC, including two the source said Carolina probably wouldn’t trade Peppers to and Dallas, which doesn’t have a first-round pick to trade away...MORE

LYNCH IN TROUBLE (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle)
Officers who arrested Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch for possessing a loaded gun decided to search him after noticing the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle he occupied, police said Wednesday. The officers smelled marijuana and searched the car and its occupants, finding four marijuana cigarettes and an unregistered .9mm pistol, Tankenson said. Officers were unsure if the drugs belonged to Lynch...MORE

BOLDIN WOULD RETURN AT RIGHT PRICE (ProFootballTalk.com)
Anquan Boldin has informed the Cardinals that he's willing to stay in Arizona if the price is right. he Cards are eying deals with free agent Kurt Warner and franchise player Karlos Dansby. Darnell Dockett and Adrian Wilson also want raises, so it's unclear if the club can fit Boldin in...MORE

ANDERSON TO TAMPA? (Tampa Tribune)
A lot of the talk here at the combine is centering around the Bucs and their quarterback position. Luke McCown is currently listed at No. 1 on the depth chart, but that is unlikely to be locked in. Free agents such as Byron Leftwich, J.P. Losman and Patrick Ramsey are all being thrown around as possibilities but one possibility that is gaining steam would have the Bucs trading with the Browns for Derek Anderson...MORE

RAIDERS, ASOMUGHA REACH AGREEMENT (ESPN.com)
John Clayton reports that the Raiders have reached agreement on a three-year, $45 million contract with Nnamdi Asomugha. $26 million is guaranteed. The contract makes him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history...MORE

VICK NOT DRAWING MUCH INTEREST (NBCSports.com)
The 49ers were the latest team to come out and say they are not interested in Michael Vick. This is on the heels of the Vikings and Jets, two more teams that have a need at quarterback, have declined any interest. Vick, who could be released from jail on July 20, still needs to get officially reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell before being allowed to return to the NFL. The Falcons currently have his rights and could trade or release him...MORE

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ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Ed Werder are reporting that Brett Favre has informed his agent to tell the Jets he plans to retire. The future Hall of Fame quarterback told Ed Werder in an e-mail that he really enjoyed his short stint with the Jets, but he just felt it was time.

"Mike and Woody, as well as the entire organization, have been nothing short of outstanding,'' Favre said in the e-mail. "My teammates -- Thomas and Kerry included -- were a pleasure to play with. Eric [Mangini] could not have been any better. I enjoyed playing for him. My time with the Jets was short, but I'm honored to be given that chance.''

Mortensen appeared on Mike and Mike in the Morning and reported that dialagoue had been going on between his agent and the team leading up to the event, and the announcement certainly did catch the Jets by surprise.

My first reaction is will he really retire? I think he will and I think he should.

Brett Favre is one of my favorite players of mine of All-time from a team that  I don't naturally root for. Last year when he announced his retirement it was sad. I really wanted him to keep going, especially since he led the Packers to the NFC Championship game just the year before. 

Green Bay forced his hand and had Aaron Rodgers in the wings. After the much-hyped and really annoying Favre saga of last summer, the fact he is doing it in a such a low profile and quick manner now is refreshing.

Favre should have stayed retire last year. Their were moments during the '08 season when he looked the man, but in the end his teammates were dissing him. The media wore him down and the swirling winds of a New York December made him look old. 

In what appears to be his final NFL season, Favre threw 22 touchdown passes and an NFL-high 22 interceptions while leading the Jets to a 9-7 record -- a five-game improvement over their previous season without him.

I will miss Favre, but I'm glad he's not sticking around another year to tarnish his image.

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PRO-FOOTBALL FACE-OFF: Dan Clasgens and Chad Brendel break down the big game and talk everything NFL.

Let's take a look at some of the latest headlines from around the NFL...

WARD SAYS HE WON'T MISS SUPER BOWL (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Hines Ward treated the questions yesterday as if he were boring down on an unsuspecting safety. He will play in the Super Bowl. It was not a prediction but a blood oath. "I have two weeks to prepare for the Super Bowl and I won't miss the Super Bowl," Ward told wave after wave of similar questions...MORE

COACH, CARDS ADDED RIGHT PIECES (Arizona Republic)
Second-year coach Ken Whisenhunt has been applauded for making all the right moves, from hiring a solid coaching staff, letting offensive coordinator Todd Haley take over the play-calling responsibilities, and putting his faith in Kurt Warner. But he also had to assemble a strong supporting cast of football players, and in that regard, perhaps Whisenhunt hasn't received nearly enough credit as the Cardinals prepare to face the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII...MORE

BRADY DOING 'REALLY WELL' (Boston Globe)
While avoiding specifics and not providing a timetable to return from his left knee injury, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a guest on a Toronto sports radio station yesterday and said his rehabilitation was "going really well." Brady told Fan 590, "Anyone who has come back from injuries that require surgery, it's just a process," "There are some good days, some bad days, and you just have to keep plugging through them. That's life. Things come up and you just have to focus your energy and attention on all the positive things that you can gain. It tests you in a lot of ways. I'm excited about the process, I'm excited about the work." ...MORE

COWBOYS' ROMO VOWS TO BE BETTER LEADER (Dallas Morning News)
Tony Romo wants to win a Super Bowl badly, is still bothered by missing the playoffs three weeks after the season ended and said his leadership approach will be different in 2009. Since the Cowboys' season ended with a 44-6 loss on Dec. 28 at Philadelphia, Romo had remained silent with the local media. That is until Wednesday night when he broke the silenece...MORE

RAIDERS CONTINUE THEIR COACHING SEARCH (Contra Costa Times)
The Raiders interviewed Al Saunders for their offensive coordinator vacancy Wednesday and former Seattle Seahawks defensive line coach Dwaine Board for a similar position with the Raiders. Saunders was the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams last season, but he is expected to be jettisoned by new Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo. He has coached in the NFL the past 26 seasons...MORE

RYAN TRYING TO KEEP SCHOTTENHEIMER (NFL.com)
With their head coach in place, the New York Jets are getting closer to lifting off with the ever-important position of offensive coordinator. If Rex Ryan cannot convince offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to stay with New York, he then plans to hire Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese as Schottenheimer’s replacement. Under that scenario, the Jets’ coaching braintrust would have a lineage of coaching success stories. Buddy Ryan, Rex’s father, was a longtime standout coach, and Ernie Zampese, Ken’s father, was a noted offensive mind...MORE

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from New York Daily News...

When they fired Eric Mangini three weeks ago, owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum didn't say much about the type of coach they wanted for the Jets. Now it's clear.

Their unspoken quest was to find the anti-Mangini, a charismatic and fiery leader to change the stuffy, paranoid culture that permeated the organization. In other words, they wanted a player's coach, someone who could make football fun again.

It led them to Rex Ryan, whose hiring became official Monday after a brief but torrid courtship. Explaining the decision, Tannenbaum said in a statement he was looking for "a passionate leader." Johnson echoed that sentiment, saying that Ryan "will bring an aggressive, physical brand of football that will captivate our fans and ignite their passion."

COMPLETE ARTICLE

jets, rex ryan, eric mangini, mike tannenbaum, woody johnson

As is the case so many years, the first day of the off-season brought some firings...

BROWNS - Savage Fired; Crennel Next? (ESPN.com)
Browns Senior Vice President and General Manager Phil Savage was fired Sunday and, according to ESPN.com, team sources said that coach Romeo Crennel will also lose his job. After the Browns lost their final six games of the year, the team confirmed Savage's ouster. An official announcement on the GM and the coach is expected as early as today and no later than Tuesday. 

JETS - Mangini Let Go (ESPN.com)
Eric Mangini is out as head coach of the New York Jets, 1050 ESPN Radio and various other New York media outlets are reporting. Mangini and the Jets missed out on the playoffs after losing to Miami on Sunday. The Jets lost four of their last five games to finish 9-7. Jets' owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum will appear at a 10 a.m. ET news conference. Mangini is not expected to attend.

LIONS - 0-16 Costs Marinelli His Job (MLive.com)
The Detroit Lions' pursuit of at least one victory in 2009 will have to come without Rod Marinelli, who is out as coach, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports. The decision was made Monday morning. Marinelli, who has one year left on his contract, is 10-38 in three years of guiding the Lions – his first experience as head coach. Adam Schefter, of the NFL Network, reports that the Lions also dismissed most of Marinelli's coordinators and assistants.

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Just a few observations from the final Sunday of NFL regular season action:

• DETROIT FIRST EVER TO GO 0-16 - The Lions did it! We finally have an 0-16 team. One year after we witnessed our first 16-0 team ever, we now have an 0-16 team as the Lions lost in Green Bay 31-21. The Lions haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs. And Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and been outscored 551-281.
  
  
• PENNINGTON GETS LAST LAUGH - I am a big Brett Favre fan and I really do think that I saw him play his last game ever today. Still, I was rooting for Pennington to come back to the Meadowlands and claim the division title in front of the fans that were so happy to replace him with the future Hall of Famer to start the season. The bonus came with Miami's win also eliminating the Patriots from the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Tony Romo proves once again that he can't handle the pressure of a big game.
  
  
• COWBOYS SUFFFER WORST LOSS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY - After both the Bucs and Bears blew their chances to put pressure on the Cowboys, the Eagles learned just before the kickoff of their game that a win over Dallas would give them the NFC's final playoff berth. The Eagles embarassed the Dallas Cowboys, who I've said all year long is the league's most overrated team. They proved it on Sunday as they lost 44-6 with their season on the line.
  
  
• BLOWING IT DOWN THE STRETCH - If you look at the four teams that missed out on the playoffs on Sunday that at one point looked like a lock - the Cowboys, Bears, Bucs, and Jets - you see one consistent trend. Disappointing finishes. Over the last five weeks of the season the teams mentioned above went 6-14. Enough said. I don't think Lovie Smith or Jon Gruden are going anywhere, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the ax come down with any of these teams.
  
  
• RESTING STARTERS NOT A BAD IDEA - I am not a big fan of how it robs me of a good week of fantasy football, but you can't argue with coaches that sit their players with the playofs in hand. Mike Tomlin is wishing he would have pulled the plug on Ben Roethlisberger before he got knocked out of the game with a concussion. The look on Tomlin's face when his franchise quarterback was on the turf for nearly ten minutes said it all. Big Ben suffered a concussion and should be alright in two weeks when the Steelers next play.
  
  
• FALCONS, RAVENS RIDE THEIR ROOKIE QB'S - Nothing is more impressive than the 1-15 turnaroud Miami had to win the AFC East. Still, I couldn't end this blog post without mentioning how amazed I am that both Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco led the Falcons and Ravens to wildcard berths respectively. I didn't give either team much of a chance to compete this year, especially with rookie quarterbacks. I don't expect either team to go too deep into the playoffs, but I learned my lesson and won't take them for granted either. Both teams are very much capabale of beating their first round opponents next.

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Here's some notes on the Pro Bowl selections (from Rotoworld.com):

--The Jets led all teams with seven players (Brett Favre, Thomas Jones, Alan Faneca, Nick Mangold, Leon Washington, Kris Jenkins, Darrelle Revis). Favre makes it despite -- brace yourselves now -- leading the league with 17 picks.

--Giants' Kicker John Carney (44) is the oldest Pro Bowler ever.

--After sending eight players last year, only two New England Patriots made it (first-timers Wes Welker and Stephen Gostkowski).

--Tennessee's Chris Johnson was the only rookie selection.

--You may think Joey Porter is a mouthy knucklehead, but he and his AFC-leading 17.5 sacks deserved a spot, while Dolphins teammate…

--...Ronnie Brown simply didn't. 10 TDs (4 in that fluky 'Wildcat-gone-wild!' game) were nice, but he has only three 100-plus-yard games and only one other game topping even 70 yards. Steve Slaton, Marshawn Lynch and even LaDainian Tomlinson deserved it more.

--The Bengals, Jags, Rams and Lions had zero reps. Shocker.

--Notable snubs: Atlanta's John Abraham (3rd in sacks with 15), Philip Rivers (#1 in passer rating/tied for #1 with 28 TDs, and Cutler goes?), Matt Ryan (Eli?), DeAngelo Williams (1,229 yards/14 TDs and they choose Portis?), Calvin Johnson, Brandon Jacobs, Chad Pennington (The Matt Ryan of the AFC…c'mon, Favre?). And Dallas Clark should have edged Antonio Gates.

COMPLETE PRO BOWL ROSTERS

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