Washington to Trade Haynesworth

Updating a previous item, NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora reports league sources believe the Tennessee Titans would be interested in bringing back Albert Haynesworth “at the right price.” The key to any Haynesworth deal is money. The Skins just paid him a $21M bonus, and they’ll want any trade partner to kick back a good portion of that loot.

Per LaCanfora, Haynesworth has a “strained relationship” with many teammates, and Mike Shanahan wants to deal him before the draft to improve the culture at Redskins Park. The Skins are also “strongly interested” in an Adam Carriker/Haynesworth swap with St. Louis. The Washington Post adds the Lions, Bucs, and Jags as possible destinations.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

St. Louis: St. Louis Rams agreed to terms with LB Na’il Diggs on an undisclosed contract.
Diggs will officially sign on Wednesday. The 10-year veteran will be a slight upgrade on Paris Lenon at outside linebacker, but that’s damning with faint praise. Diggs was streteched as a starter in Carolina, and he’s now trending in the wrong direction as he ages.

Denver: NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi expects the trade market for Brandon Marshall to heat up in the two weeks leading up to the draft. Lomardi concedes that it’s “highly unlikely” the Redskins would trade down in the first round in an effort to land Marshall. Seattle remains the only serious match, and the Denver Broncos’ insistence on a first-round pick has been a sticking point thus far. They’re going to have to lower the price if they want to unload their talented problem child.

Miami: “Barring an extraordinary offer from a contender,” free agent Jason Taylor is reportedly content to wait until after the draft in May or June to decide on his future.
Taylor wants to return to Miami, and there are indications that the Miami Dolphins remain interested pending the outcome of their draft. The Fins have plenty of needs this year, so they may not land immediate help at outside linebacker.

Washington: Redskins GM Bruce Allen revealed that the team has contacted the player rep for free agent OT Flozell Adams. The Redskins don’t have a serious left tackle candidate on their current roster. Should they draft Oklahoma’s Russell Okung at No. 4 overall, they could move Adams to right tackle in place of underwhelming Stephon Heyer.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Tennessee: Eagles failed to match Tennessee’s one-year, $1 million offer sheet for free agent DE Jason Babin, making Babin a Titan. The Tennessee Titans need defensive ends, but Babin managed just five QB pressures and 2.5 sacks off the bench in Philadelphia last season. The 30-year-old isn’t suddenly going to turn into an every-down player. He’ll be a situational pass rusher, rotating with speedy Jacob Ford and trusty Dave Ball.

Carolina: DeAngelo Williams says he is happy and thankful that the Carolina Panthers will keep him in a timeshare with Jonathan Stewart going forward. “The front office and coaching staff are single-handedly prolonging my career and (Jonathan Stewart’s) career. Thirty is like the new 50 in the NFL, especially when it comes to tailbacks,” said Williams, who turns 27 next month. “We’re each about 220 or 230 carries a year. I’d rather have that than 300-plus carries a year. It’s going to be close to a 50-50 split no matter want.”

Miami: A league source has informed Profootballtalk.com that Ricky Williams intends to continue playing beyond 2010. Williams doesn’t have a contract for 2011 and turns 33 in a couple of months, but he’s still playing at a very high level. He’s also in a whole lot of debt, and needs money. Williams, in a contract year, is due $4.35M in 2010.

2010 NFL Draft: Indiana (PA) CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah ran the forty-yard dash in 4.33 and 4.41 at his Pro Day workout. At 6’1/207, Owusu-Ansah has Raiders measurables. Also an interception machine in the D-IAA ranks, he has production to match. Owusu-Ansah is a legit second-round prospect, and it wouldn’t surprise if he went in the top 50.

2010 NFL Draft: NFL Network’s Mike Mayock predicts that Florida DE Carlos Dunlap will not be drafted in the first round. “His problem is he has a lot of average tape,” Mayock says. “I don’t see him going in the first round due to his lack of consistency.” Dunlap is a physical freak at 6’6/277 with 4.6 speed, but the depth of this talent-rich draft figures to work against him. He may be the biggest boom-or-bust player this year.

Free Agency: Free agent Pacman Jones did work out for NFL teams on Friday, after all. New Orleans Times-Picayune reporter James Varney was in the wrong spot when he reported that Pacman was a no-show. “He’s running the 40 right now and just did an interview with the camera crew we have there,” according to NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora. Only five teams showed up to Pacman’s workout.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Tampa Bay: Bucs WLB Geno Hayes will be sidelined 3-4 months after undergoing surgery in late January to repair a torn labrum sustained in Week 17. Hayes will miss all offseason activities, but he’s expected to return by training camp. Hayes had a breakout season on the weakside, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were expected to make strongside a priority this offseason. The serious injury to Hayes makes outside linebacker a bigger need.

Jacksonville: Jaguars released WR Torry Holt, as expected. Holt, who turns 34 in June, hasn’t been the same player since knee surgery robbed him of his explosiveness three years ago. After not scoring a single touchdown in 2009, he’ll struggled to land a starting job on the open market. Mike Thomas is the favorite to ascend to Holt’s role, though the team could look to free agency or the draft and keep Thomas in the slot.

Houston: Steve Slaton will avoid contact until training camp after undergoing a “discectomy” in mid-January, designed to relieve pressure on the nerve root that caused pressure in his spine. Slaton is calling the procedure a “cervical fusion.” Regardless, it’s a serious operation and a concern for an NFL player running to contact. His recovery is expected to take four-to-six months, though that’s highly optimistic. Arian Foster enters the offseason as the No. 1 back, and the Tennessee Titans are fully expected to target a running back early in the draft. Even if Slaton does fully recover by training camp, he’s a longshot for the starting job.

New York: The Giants have released MLB Antonio Pierce. The move had been expected since the end of the season. Pierce, 31, was due $4.75M in 2010, and there are questions about his health due to a bulging disk in his neck that caused him to miss the final six games of the season. Jonathan Goff, Chase Blackburn and Bryan Kehl are internal options to replace Pierce, but the Giants may look outside the organization for a permanent solution.

Choice is seemingly “stuck” as a third-stringer, but the Cowboys need him with Marion Barber apparently breaking down. They are also not in immediate need of a defensive back that can’t tackle. The rumors may persist because of Wade Phillips’ San Diego ties to Cromartie, but look for the Dallas Cowboys to shop Barber first, if any of their backs truly go on the trade block.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

San Diego: Chargers beat reporter Kevin Acee predicts that the Chargers will wait until March 4 to release LaDainian Tomlinson. Acee admits the transaction may happen sooner, but GM A.J. Smith has been known to wait as long as possible in this type of situation. The NFL will also be buzzing with transactions and restricted free agent tendering at the time, decreasing the bad publicity San Diego gets for cutting its longtime MVP.

Tennessee: Beat reporter Gary Eastwick doesn’t see Chris Johnson getting as many snaps in 2010 as he did in 2009. Johnson was on the field for virtually every offensive snap in 2009 as LenDale White and Javon Ringer became innocent bystanders. The Tennessee Titans have already hinted that they want to preserve Johnson even though he’s missed just one game in two seasons.

Arizona: Two people in contact with the Dolphins could “envision” the team offering a draft pick for Anquan Boldin, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The pick would be a third-rounder or later. Jackson is a columnist — not a reporter — but this is the second time in a week we’ve heard substantial rumors about Boldin and the Dolphins. Boldin is big and as tough as they come, fitting VP of football operations Bill Parcells’ profile, and would fill a glaring need as a play-making No. 1 receiver for Chad Henne. Jackson adds that the Dolphins aren’t interested in Brandon Marshall.

Carolina: During a radio interview, Julius Peppers said he doesn’t want a long-term extension from the Carolina Panthers. Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt says “it’s becoming more and more clear that Peppers isn’t going to be here next year.” Peppers is upset that the Panthers are giving him and his agent the “silent treatment.” Gantt suggests that the Panthers should put the franchise tag on Peppers with designs on trading him. The Eagles, Patriots and Falcons are rumored as possible landing spots.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Tennessee: Chris Johnson says he wants the Tennessee Titans to make him at least the highest paid running back in the league. “I deserve to be the highest paid running back in the league or even the highest paid offensive player besides the quarterback,” he said. C.J. insists that he won’t use the media to his advantage in potential contract talks. He is signed through 2012, so the Titans don’t need to be in a hurry.

New England: ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that Randy Moss played through a separated shoulder for most of the regular season. The Boston Herald reports that Moss suffered the injury in Week 5. This may help explain why Moss was a non-factor in New England’s playoff loss and sat out the Pro Bowl. Whether he needs surgery is uncertain, but the injury shouldn’t sideline Moss for OTAs. Moss also had knee and back issues during the season. The 33-year-old’s body may be beginning to let him down a bit.

Chicago: Bears hired Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. Martz was low on GM Jerry Angelo’s initial list of candidates, but rose to the forefront after Rob Chudzinski, Jeremy Bates, Hue Jackson, and a host of others bowed out. Martz, 59, was out of coaching last year but is still widely regarded as one of the game’s brightest offensive minds. It will be interesting to see how the strong-minded coach meshes with Jay Cutler. Martz’s offensive track record offense says the Chicago Bears are making a high-upside move as head coach Lovie Smith enters a win-or-else season.

Miami: Miami Dolphins VP of football operation Bill Parcells says it is his understanding that free agent Chad Pennington intends to keep playing. Pennington said last month that he’ll pursue a chance to start. There are plenty of teams that need starting quarterbacks, but his market value will be limited coming off a third surgery on his throwing shoulder. Pennington will have to go to a place like St. Louis to compete for a starting job.

2010 NFL Draft: Missouri LB Sean Weatherspoon shed roughly ten pounds between the Tigers’ Texas Bowl loss to Navy and the Senior Bowl. Weatherspoon got down to 241 for the all-star game after playing in the 250s as a senior. The move paid off, as Weatherspoon showed improve explosion to the ball and was one of the better linebackers in Mobile. A projected late first-round pick, he could play ILB in a 3-4 scheme or WLB in a 4-3.

McDaniels announced Friday he’s benching Marshall, his Pro Bowl wide receiver, for the team’s pivotal season finale against Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. “Our word for the week has been accountability. And we’re looking to put the 45 guys on the field on Sunday that want to play together, want to help us try to win and qualify for the playoffs,” McDaniels said. ” … And anybody that showed any indifference to that, we’ll play without them.” Considering the latest rift happened during week 17, we could have seen the last of Marshall in a Denver uniform.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Denver: Eddie Royal (neck/head) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. The Broncos will play without Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler and Royal. It’s turning into a terrible situation for Kyle Orton and a Denver Broncos team that is still alive in the playoff chase.

New Orleans: Saints QB Drew Brees will get some rest in the New Orleans Saints’ regular-season finale at Carolina, likely keeping his NFL-record completion percentage intact. Coach Sean Payton has decided to start Mark Brunell in place of the star quarterback for Sunday’s game.

New Orleans:Saints FS Darren Sharper (knee) will not play in Week 17. Sharper is just resting, along with the majority of the other Saints starters. He’ll be ready for the Saints’ playoff opener in two weeks.

San Diego: Billy Volek is expected to get his most extensive playing time in two years when the red-hot San Diego Chargers host the Washington Redskins in a meaningless regular-season finale Sunday.

Tennessee: The Titans are discussing the possibility of a new contract for Chris Johnson, according to ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli. Johnson, who is one of the leagues top backs, is scheduled to make only $550,000 in 2010 per his rookie deal. It would be a good idea to lock up Johnson if the Tennessee Titans had the opportunity and avoid franchising the speedy back when he reaches free agency.

Buffalo: The Bills are expected to interview Brian Billick and Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer about their head coaching vacancy, reports Yahoo’s Jason Cole.

Oakland: Raiders QB Bruce Gradkowski (torn MCLs) is out for Sunday’s season finale. It’s unfortunate that Gradkowski got hurt in Week 14 because the Raiders’ offense was showing signs of life with him under center. He doesn’t have much of an arm, but his mobility and decision making was leading to production.

Offense:
Points Per Game: 21 (18th)
Total Yards/GM: 332 (21st)
Rush Yards/GM: 161.8 (2nd)
Pass Yards/GM: 170.2 (26th)

Defense:
Points Per Game: 28.3 (30th)
Total Yards/GM: 379.8 (30th)
Rush Yards/GM: 109.3 (16th)
Pass Yards/GM: 270.4 (31st)

Texans (5-4):

Offense:
Points Per Game: 23.9 (14th)
Total Yards/GM: 374.9 (6th)
Rush Yards/GM: 90.8 (28th)
Pass Yards/GM: 284.1 (3rd)

Defense:
Points Per Game: 20.9 (15th)
Total Yards/GM: 332.2 (17th)
Rush Yards/GM: 108.7 (14th)
Pass Yards/GM: 223.6 (17th)

What is at Stake?

Coming off their bye week, the Houston Texans will be looking to take the next step toward the first playoff birth in franchise history. If the Texans win, they will defeat a surging Titans team and move their record to 6-4. Lose and they fall back to .500 and threaten to lose momentum and finish with another disappointing season.

Key Matchup:

Passing, passing and more passing. The Texans enter the game with the leagues 6th ranked passing attack, while the Tennessee Titans are nearly dead last in passing defense at 30th. Lead by emerging star Matt Schaub, who has 17 touchdowns, 9 interceptions and a passer rating of 98.1 thus far in 2009, the Texans will attempt to air it out against the Titans, while trying to find a balance on the ground with an ineffective zone-blocking rushing game.

The Skinny:

Both teams understand that a lot of points will be put on the board Monday night. However, most importantly, the young Texans are starting to understand the importance to winning key games: “There are no moral victories,” wide receiver Andre Johnson said. “Are we getting better? I think we are. The biggest thing is just winning. You can get better all you want, but if you’re not winning, it really doesn’t matter.” Look for Houston to struggle and find a way to overcome some form of diversity in this game, whether it be an injury, bad call or turnovers to secure a victory and take one more vital step toward the playoffs.

Prediction: Houston 31, Tennessee 28

Chicago @ San Francisco

Prediction: 49ers 13, Bears 9: The only thing stopping the Bears from getting blown out again is Alex Smith.

Buffalo @ Tennessee

Prediction: Tennessee Titans 12, Buffalo 10: Your guess is as good as mine.

New Orleans @ St. Louis

Prediction: Saints 41, Rams 13. The Saints roll in this one and Bush gets another score.

Tampa Bay @ Miami

Prediction: Miami Dolphins 28, Bucs 17. The Bucs will put up a fight, but the Dolphins are clearly better.

Detroit @ Minnesota

Prediction: Vikings 35, Lions 10. The only question is will Peterson play the fourth quarter?

Jacksonville @ New York Jets

Prediction: Jets 21, Jaguars 9. The Jaguars are not the team that I thought they would be this season.

Cincinnati @ Pittsburg

Prediction: Bengals 26, Steelers 24. In my mild upset special of the week, I feel a big game coming from Palmer against a very good Steelers D.

Denver @ Washington

Prediction: Denver 35, Redskins 13. I think the Broncos young coach will run up the score in this one to get his team confident again.

Atlanta @ Carolina

Prediction: Falcons 24, Carolina 13. Look for Turner to run wild.

Kansas City @ Oakland

Prediction: Chiefs 21, Raiders 17. The Chiefs have played better than their record.

Dallas @ Green Bay

Prediction: Cowboys 27, Packers 24. Cowboys in a shootout.

Seattle @ Arizona

Prediction: Cardinals 31, Seahawks 17. The Arizona Cardinals defense is playing well and a one dimensional team will not beat them.

Philadelphia @ San Diego

Prediction: Eagles 28, Chargers 21. The Eagles are a bit tougher than the Giants at this point in the season.

New England @ Indianapolis

Prediction: Patriots 31, Indianapolis Colts 28. Brady has the ball last and leads the team to a victory.

Baltimore @ Cleveland

Prediction: Ravens 21, Browns 6: Quinn won’t help the Browns, they’re horrible.

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Prediction: Dolphins 28, Jets 21. The Miami Dolphins pull off a minor upset due to their ability to establish the run and pressure the rookie quarterback.

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles

Prediction: Giants 35, Eagles 27. A surprise shootout. This is a game that features two good, but inconsistent teams that are at a crossroad in their respective seasons.

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens

Prediction: Ravens 21, Denver Broncos 14. I’m still not a believer in the Broncos and I don’t believe their short, but creative offensive schemes will work against the Ravens.

Houston Texans @ Buffalo Bills

Prediction: Texans 17, Bills 13. The Texans have just enough offense to win on the road.

Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys

Prediction: Dallas 41, Seahawks 21. I think the Dallas Cowboys are going to hit on all cylinders.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans

Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars 17, Titans 6. Vince Young is not the answer.

Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers

Prediction: Chargers 35, Raiders 6. Any explanation necessary?

Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals

Prediction: Cardinals 28, Panthers 7. The Cardinals are starting to come on and are a dangerous team at the moment.

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Prediction: Packers 27, Vikings 21 The Vikings come down to earth in the last two weeks and lose in perhaps the game of the year. Look for Aaron Rodgers to have a break out game and become an NFL star against a very tough defense.

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints

Prediction: Saints 35, Falcons 17. The Saints keep rolling, can anyone stop this high-powered offense?

Dallas Cowboys

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Kansas City: NFL spokesman Greg Aiello revealed Monday that the league is investigating Larry Johnson’s recent belligerent comments posted on Twitter. L.J.’s use of the word “fag” in the direction of fans and reporters could fall under the Personal Conduct Policy. Specifically, the policy is aimed at “(c)onduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players.” Johnson has a history of violating numerous NFL rules, which makes it evident that some form of discipline is forthcoming.

Tennessee: Titans coach Jeff Fisher refused to commit to Kerry Collins as the Titans’ starting QB at his Monday press conference. “There’s things that you need to do differently,” Fisher admitted. “Let’s just say I am not going to be as specific and open-ended from a competitive standpoint.” Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams appears to be leaning on Fisher to play Vince Young.

Houston: Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak informed reporters at his Monday press conference that Andre Johnson has a lung contusion. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to go against Buffalo,” Kubiak added, indicating some concern about A.J.’s status. Kubiak also said Johnson is “day to day,” though he says that about all injured players.

New York: The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Braylon Edwards has been charged with misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident that took place outside a Cleveland nightclub before his trade to the Jets.
Edwards allegedly punched a club promoter and friend of Lebron James in the face. James has since accused Edwards of being “jealous” of him and his friends.

Oakland: Raiders coach Tom Cable is unsure of Chaz Schilens’ (foot) status for Week 8 against the Chargers. Cable described Schilens as “still pretty sore…we’ll see.” It sounds as if Schilens suffered a minor setback during the recovery process and the Raiders are being tight lipped about the injury.

Indianapolis: Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell reiterated Monday that Anthony Gonzalez (knee) has a chance to resume practicing this week. “He ran some routes on Saturday,” Caldwell said. “He felt really good. He feels like he’s close to going. Whether that’s this week or next week remains to be seen.” Look for Gonzales to make a big push to play this Sunday.