The NFL season is months away, but the news never stops. Here's a look at some of the latest headlines...

COWBOYS CUT ELLIS (Dallas Morning News)
Dallas released Greg Ellis, the team's first-round draft pick in 1998.  A week ago, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones signaled the end of Ellis' time in Dallas when he said the linebacker was free to seek a trade. Because of Ellis' $4.15 million base salary and $1.5 million completion bonus, as well as the belief that he would be cut soon, a trade was not likely...MORE

AGENT: YOUNG HAS NOT ASKED FOR TRADE (Nashville City Paper)
Vince Young’s agent says the quarterback has no desire to be traded from the Tennessee Titans. Young, who told Baltimore television station WMAR earlier this week that he is focused on winning back the starting job in Tennessee, but that if that doesn’t happen, that he would be ready to move on. Major Adams, who represents Young, said his client has not asked for a trade, nor does he have any desire to be moved away from the Titans...MORE

LEAGUE WON'T PUNISH MARSHALL (Denver Post)
Issues remain for Brandon Marshall, but he no longer has to worry about a possible NFL suspension. The NFL notified Marshall's agent, Kennard McGuire, by letter Tuesday that the Broncos' receiver would not be suspended or disciplined because of his March 1 arrest. In that incident, Marshall and his fiancee, Michi Nogami, were charged with disorderly conduct after an argument in the Atlanta area. A court judge dismissed the case the next day...MORE

HARRISON OFFICIALLY RETIRES (New York Daily News)
Patriots safety Rodney Harrison officially announced his retirement and hire by NBC Sports. Harrison will join the "Football Night in America" cast, replacing Jerome Bettis, who will not return. Former Colts' head coach Tony Dungy is also expected to join a cast that already includes Bob Costas, Keith Olbermann, Dan Patrick, and Tiki Barber. Former Bengal Cris Collinsworth has left the studio team to replace John Madden as the color analyst...MORE

RAMS INTERESTED IN VICK (National Football Post)
Assuming he gets reinstated by commissioner Roger Goddell, the Rams have "genuine interest" in quarterback Michael Vick, according to Michael Lombardi. "If (commissioner Roger Goodell) reinstates him, look for (the Rams) to actively pursue him," Lombardi writes. "It makes sense, a new coach with an older quarterback (Marc Bulger) who hasn’t played well. Playing in a dome on carpet would highlight Vick’s speed and athleticism."...MORE

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I continue to breakdown the Rookie Class of 2009 from a fantasy prospective...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fantasy Rookie Podcast | First Take (QB/RB)

WIDE RECEIVER
Michael Crabtree (SF) - When he slipped past the Raiders I was thinking he caught a break from a fantasy standpoint. However, landing in San Francisco without a quarterback and in an offense that under Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye is likely to be a run-heavy, ball-control team didn't help his cause. The top talent hands down, but he slides down my list a bit.

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) - My favorite mix of talent and opportunity of any receiver in the draft. Maclin has the ability to makes plays and will be a nice fit opposite of last year's rookie wideout DeSean Jackson in Philly. Donovan McNabb will be chomping at the bit to get Maclin in his line-up and owners will be too soon enough.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK) - I still am tyring to figure out what in the world Al Davis was smoking on draft day, but that is another blog post altogether. Heyward-Bey has explosiveness and the ability to make plays. His success will depend greatly on JeMarcus Russell and the QB situation in Oakland. I am going to stay clear of any Raiders' wideouts for now.

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) - With Plaxico Burress officially done as a Giant, Nicks will be asked to step into the mix right off the bat. He has the potential to be a solid a WR3 or WR4 for fantasy owners long-term, but I just don't see it happening very quickly, making him better as a long-term option.

Percy Harvin (MIN) - The former Gator is a high-risk, high-reward type of player. The Vikings' quarterback situation is a mess, but I still expect Harvin to enjoy some success right out of the gate. He is going to turn in some huge games and some duds too as consistency will be what holds his fantasy value down.

Juaquin Iglesias (CHI) - With Jay Cutler now in Chicago the team needs to build a solid stable of receivers. Iglesias is a nice start and will have a chance to earn playing time right off the bat. If he can work his way into the Bears' starting lineup early on he has the potential to be the biggest sleeper pick of the bunch.

TIGHT END
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) - Easily the most talented of the tight ends in the draft. If there was any questions surrounding him it would be the fact he plays for the Lions and has history of character issues. Still, he should produce good enough to be a fantasy factor right off the bat.

Chase Coffman (CIN) - He is the Division I record holder for career receptions by a tight end and will be a natural fit in the Bengals' passing attack sans T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Coffman will quickly become a favorite target of Carson Palmer, particularly in the red zone.

Richard Quinn (DEN) - Quinn fits more of the "blocking tight end" bill and finds himself in a cluttered depth chart in Denver. He could surprise early in fantasy football if he ensures a bigger role. His value is higher in keeper leagues though as he likely will go undrafted in most year-to-year formats.

Jared Cook (TEN) - The "tweener" is a nice fit for the Titans' scheme and should get playing time immediately. Tight ends have generally favored well in the Titans over the past decade plus. If he can unseat the aging veteran Alge Crumpler, Cook could produced quick dividends.

IDP ROOKIE RANKINGS
1. DT B.J. Raji (GB)
2. LB Aaron Curry (SEA)
3. LB James Laurinaitis (STL)
4. DE Brian Orakpo (WAS)
5. LB Brian Cushing (HOU)
6. S Patrick Chung (NE)
7. LB Clay Matthews (GB)
8. LB Ray Muauluga (CIN)
9. DE Aaron Maybin (BUF)
10. S Louis Delmas (DET)
11. DE Everett Brown (CAR)
12. LB Clint Sintim (NYG)

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The NFL released it's full schedule on Tuesday night. To nobody's surprise the Bengals were left out of prime time.

Bengals Schedule - Regular Season
Sun., Sept. 13, DENVER, 1 p.m
Sun., Sept. 20, at Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 27, PITTSBURGH, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 4, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 11, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 18, HOUSTON, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 25, CHICAGO, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 1, -- BYE---
Sun., Nov. 8, BALTIMORE, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 15, at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 22, at Oakland*, 4:15 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 29, CLEVELAND*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 6, DETROIT*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 13, at Minnesota*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 20, at San Diego*, 4:05 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 27, KANSAS CITY*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 3, at N.Y. Jets*, 1 p.m

An asterisk (*) denotes a game subject to flexible scheduling.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
The Dallas Cowboys will open their new $1.1 billion stadium in a nationally televised Sunday night game against the New York Giants on Sept. 20.

The NFL released its complete 2009 regular-season schedule Tuesday. The always-popular Cowboys lead all teams with six scheduled nationally televised games, even without Terrell Owens.

Reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh meets division rival Baltimore twice in five weeks late in the season after they faced off in the AFC title game. They play Nov. 29 and Dec. 27.

On Oct. 11, the Patriots take on Denver and former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, now the Broncos' coach. New England renews its rivalry with the Colts on Nov. 15.


LINKS
--Strength Of Schedule
--10 Must See Games
--Complete Schedule

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Let's check out some of the latest news from around the league:

CUTLER ASKS FOR TRADE (Denver Post)
Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has formally asked to be traded, a request he made Sunday through his agent, Bus Cook. For now, the Broncos are hoping to appease Cutler's concerns and reach an understanding so they do not have to trade him. Cutler and Cook issued the trade request a day after a meeting with head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Brian Xanders did not go the way quarterback had hoped...MORE

PATS, PANTHERS TALKING PEPPERS (NFL.com)
The trade that sent Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs appears to be only the first phase of some major wheeling and dealing by the New England Patriots this offseason. The second phase, NFL sources say, is likely to involve a trade that would send Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers to the Patriots in exchange for the second-round pick (34th overall) they received from the Chiefs on Feb. 28...MORE

JAGS CUT TIES WITH JONES (Florida Times Union)
Wide receiver Matt Jones, a first round draft pick in 2005, was waived by the Jaguars on Monday after he served several days in jail last week for violating the terms of his probation on a drug charge. Jones led the team with 65 catches for 761 yards last year in the first 13 games

STALLWORTH INVOLVED IN FATAL ACCIDENT (Yahoo.com)
Browns' wideout Donte' Stallworth is expected to be charged for his involvement in an automobile crash that killed a pedestrian Saturday. The investigation is ongoing but DUI, vehicular manslaugher, and reckless driving are among the possible charges...MORE

LEVI ON THE BLOCK? (Chicago Sun-Times)
Despite already losing starting right tackle Stacey Andrews to Philadelphia in free agency and having limited depth at the position, the Bengals are actively working to trade starting left tackle Levi Jones. If they can't deal him, they'll probably cut him...MORE

RAVENS RELEASE ROLLE (Baltimore Sun)
The Ravens released Samari Rolle on Monday. The veteran cornerback asked to be cut so he could catch on with another team. The Ravens, who will have $6 million in cap space once Rolle's release becomes official, could look to sign wide receiver Torry Holt, who was recently released by the St. Louis Rams...MORE

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Let's check out some of the latest headlines from around the league...

HOUSMANDZADEH INTERESTED IN PHILLY (from Philadelphia Inquirer)
Pending free agent wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had some interesting things to say about the Eagles yesterday during an interview with Mike Missanelli on ESPN 950. Houshmandzadeh, considered the top free-agent receiver on the market, said he could potentially be interested in playing in Philadelphia. "If the Eagles are interested in me, let's put it like this. If they'll be interested in me, I'll be interested in them," he said when asked if the Eagles would be his top choice...MORE

PATS READY TO TAG CASSEL (from Boston Globe)
The question no longer seems to be if the Patriots will designate quarterback Matt Cassel their franchise player, but when. It could come as early as today. NFL teams can use the franchise tag - which helps retain top players and limits a player's ability to fully experience free agency - on one player today through Feb. 19...MORE

JAMES ALREADY OUT IN ARIZONA (from ProFootballTalk.com)
In an interview on Dan Patrick’s radio show, Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic and XTRA Sports 910 said in no uncertain terms that Cardinals running back Edgerrin James is already gone. Bickley said that James didn’t return to Arizona with the team, and that he fully expects James not to be back in 2009. James is entering the final year of his contract, at a base salary of $5 million...MORE

CABLE OFFICIALLY RAIDERS' COACH, FINALLY (from Sacramento Bee)
The method wasn't conventional. Interview for head coach of the Raiders. Recruit assistant coaches. Then watch those assistant coaches get hired before you. But that's how Tom Cable became the 17th head coach of the Raiders. Cable was introduced at the team's training facility Wednesday after "interim" was removed from his title Tuesday...MORE

GONZO WILLING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN KC (from FoxSports.com)
In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com, Gonzalez said that a Yahoo.com story published Wednesday morning misrepresented his stance toward the organization. Gonzalez said he is amenable to returning for a 13th NFL season in Kansas City and won't know whether he will ask for a trade until seeing what personnel and coaching moves the franchise makes this offseason...MORE

NO REUNION FOR REEVES, COWBOYS (from San Antonio Express-News)
There will be no reunion for Dan Reeves and the Dallas Cowboys. Reeves, 65, who played and coached for the Cowboys, had been at the team's facility this week in anticipation of joining the organization in some capacity. But the team said Wednesday night that wasn't happening...MORE

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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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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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The New England Patriots came off their bye weeks with a win in San Francisco. However, they won't be going home to celebrate it. Head coach Bill Belichick has opted to keep his team in California to prep for this coming weekend's match-up in San Diego.

The Boston Globe approved of the idea writing, "San Jose State University will become Gillette Stadium West for the Patriots, who after playing the 49ers will practice at the school to prepare for a Sunday night game against the Chargers. But the process isn't as simple as packing up shop. It's a logistical challenge that has to be tackled like an on-field opponent, with lots of planning, studying, and preparation to make sure the trip doesn't become a lost voyage."

The San Francisco 49ers redefined the traveling across the country process during their hey days in the 1980's, but it make a ton of sense to me. It doesn't always work out though. Arizona did the same thing recently for back-to-back road games with the Redskins and Jets. They went 0-2.

The biggest disadvantage come for West Coast teams that travel East just for the weekend and get scheduled to play 1:00 p.m. games, that's 10:00 am there time. 

It is a factor that often goes unnoticed by the casual NFL fan, but it is rather remarkable when you take a look at the statistical evidence that supports the fact - West Coast NFL teams struggle when they head East.

Watching the Seahawks sleep walk against the Giants and San Diego get dominated in Miami by the Dolpins on Sunday, it was pretty clear to me that something is wrong with the system. At the very least, these games should go at 4:15.

Pat Kirwan points out on NFL.com that "since 2003, when the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks travel to the Eastern time zone for a 1 p.m. game, they have a combined record of 19-59 -- a winning percentage of .243. When you look at games played at 4 p.m. or at night, the West Coast teams are 3-5 (.375 percentage). When you look at the whole picture since 2003, West Coast teams win 25.5 percent of their East Coast games. 

Some of these West Coast teams have struggled in recent years, so let's take a specific look at the Seahawks, who have been in the playoffs every year since 2003. Seattle's west-to-east record is 6-12 in that time. The Raiders have been on hard times lately, but back in 2000-02 -- when they went 33-15 and made the playoffs all three years -- their west-to-east record was 2-3."

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There was concern leading up to the season about Tom Brady's foot after he missed the enitre preseason. However, those concerns quickly turned to his left knee during the first quarter of Sunday's game against Kansas City.

Brady was hit by Chiefs' safety Bernard Pollard, who was taken to the ground by the Patriots and was working to recover as he made contact with Brady. The quarterback's his leg got hung up in the turf and he went to the ground screaming. Brady was helped off the field, but was able to walk down steps (still tryinig to figure out why he was doing that?).

"He was in a lot of pain. When you hear a scream, you know that," Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard told the Boston Globe.

Untested Matt Cassel took over, and played well as the Patriots beat the Chiefs 17-10 in Sunday's opener. But they needed a last minute defensive stand to do it. Cassel, who had thrown just 39 passes in his first three seasons, went 13-for-18 for 152 yards and one touchdown.

There was no word on the extent of Brady's injury -- "I am not sure what we are dealing with," coach Bill Belichick said -- or how long he would be out. But his 128-game starting streak, third-longest in NFL history, is in jeopardy.

Peter King on NBC's Football Night In America said that his sources say "it is serious knee injury and it could threaten his season".

The Patriots have proved time and time again that they have interchangable parts and seem to be better than any other team and dealing with injuries. However, replacing a quarterback the caliber of Brady and his three Super Bowl rings is not going to happen. If he's out for an extended period, the Jets become my pick in the AFC East.

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Some of the headlines concerning former Bengals picked up by other teams:

Lions Adding Physical Johnson (Detroit News) - The Lions on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Rudi Johnson less than 48 hours after he was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. Johnson, who turns 29 on Oct. 1, fell out of favor last season in Cincinnati, where he'd established himself as one of the league's most durable and consistent runners.A powerful inside runner who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds, he reportedly added more than 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason and vowed to make amends this season. But another hamstring injury in the first week of training camp kept him from playing in any of the Bengals' exhibition games. 

Patriots sign cornerback O'Neal (Boston Globe) - After cutting 10-year veteran cornerback Fernando Bryant Saturday, the Patriots yesterday made an equally surprising move to shore up a soft spot on the 53-man roster by signing 31-year-old corner Deltha O'Neal, a nine-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowler who was released by the Bengals.

Niners LB tries to play nice (San Francisco Chroncile) - He said his agent told him the 49ers were talking with the Bengals about a trade for him last week, but the teams couldn't agree on a deal. It took awhile, but Ahmad Brooks is finally a 49er. He went through his first practice with them Monday and, with the season opener five days away, is taking a crash course in their terminology from linebackers coach Mike Singletary.

Bears talk to free-agent tackle (Chicago Tribune) - The Bears have had contact with free-agent tackle  Willie Anderson, but the chances of the veteran joining the Bears are slim to none, according to an NFL source.Anderson signed a five-year contract extension in 2005 reportedly worth $32 million. Money is part of the reason he doesn't fit into the Bears' plans despite the team's need for help on the offensive line. Profootball.com cited three teams as finalists for Anderson: the Bears, Ravens and Chargers. 

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