Cleveland Browns

What's new: The cheap Cleveland Browns Jerseys traded away quarterback Brady Quinn to Denver and Derek Anderson was released. They signed Jake Delhomme to be the starter and former Seattle backup Seneca Wallace to be the backup.

The wild card here is drafted Texas QB Colt McCoy. He could be the starter by mid-season or earlier if Delhomme struggles. (wholesale Cleveland Browns Jerseys)

They helped themselves at tight end by adding former New England TE Ben Watson. Depth was added at linebacker with the addition of former Miami LB Matt Roth.

The Browns improved – slightly - the worse receiving group in the league by drafting receiver Carlton Mitchell. He's a guy with size and speed.

What's the same: The return game is actually the team's strength with return specialist Joshua Cribbs recently re-signed. He will also start at receiver. Other receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiske highlight the offensive secondary. Workhorse Jerome Harrison leads a host of returning running backs

Padres demote Ryan

The Padres sent catcher Dusty Ryan to Triple-A Portland.
The Pirates purchased the contract of left-hander Justin Thomas and recalled right-hander  Steven Jackson from Triple-A Indianapolis as reinforcements for their bullpen.

The Mets promoted catcher Josh Thole from Triple-A Buffalo and sent down left-handed reliever Raul Valdes.

Phillies reliever Chad Durbin was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.

The teenage Phillies fan who was stunned by a police Taser after running onto the field was placed on six months` probation and ordered to complete 80 hours of public service.

 

Decision 2011: Dolphin players facing free agency next offseason

With so many players around the league declaring publicly that they aren't happy with their contract situation - and now with the news that Ronnie Brown is looking for a long-term deal - I figured it would be a good idea to take a look ahead to the 2011 offseason and quickly highlight current members of the Miami Dolphins whose contract will expire following the 2010 season. Of course, this is assuming that the players and owners get together between now and next March and actually come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement (and I'd be surprised if they didn't because both sides have so much to lose if there's a work stoppage).

So assuming there is a new CBA, here is the list of notable Dolphins scheduled to be free agents next offseason:

Offense
QB Chad Pennington, RB Ronnie Brown, RB Ricky Williams, RB Lex Hilliard (RFA), RB Patrick Cobbs, WR Davone Bess (RFA), TE Anthony Fasano, TE Joey Haynos (RFA)

Defense
DL Tony McDaniel, NT Paul Soliai, LB Charlie Anderson, LB Quentin Moses, LB Tim Dobbins

It's worth noting that if the new CBA stipulates that a player needs 6 accrued NFL seasons to become an unrestricted free agent (which is the stipulation that kicked in this offseason, resulting in very large number of restricted free agents), both Patrick Cobbs and Tim Dobbins would be restricted free agents. But if the new CBA uses the rule that was being used prior to the uncapped sseason, then you only need four accrued NFL  jerseys seasons to become an unrestricted free agent - meaning Cobbs and Dobbins would be unrestricted.

 

As you can see, the Dolphins will face a number of big decisions next offseason. And it's also worth mentioning that Chad Henne's contract expires after the 2011 season, which will likely mean that this front office will begin extension talk with Henne's agent next offseason assuming he plays as well as we all think he can.

I do believe, though, that upon second glance of the above list, Miami's group of potential free agents next offseason isn't as daunting as it originally seems. Davone Bess and Lex Hilliard will both be back as long as the Dolphins want them because they can just use the first round tender on them. Chad Pennington was willing to come back to Miami this year despite having no real chance to win the starting job. I'd imagine if the Dolphins still want him next year, he'd be more than happy to return. Same goes for Ricky Williams. Bill Parcells clearly likes Ricky. Ricky clearly loves this organization. If he wants to play beyond this season, it'll be in Miami - no question about that.

When you really break it down, the only major decision this front office will have to make will be regarding Ronnie Brown. He's still a top 10 back, in my opinion, when he's healthy. But that, of course, is the big question mark with Ronnie. He'll also be 29 years old next offseason - and that will certainly factor into this front office's decision.

So what do you think? As of right now, which of the above free agents do you see coming back to Miami next offseason?

Why Your Team Won't Win the Super Bowl: Tennessee Titans Edition.

No, I am not picking on just the Tennessee Titans! This is a series that I am doing for all 32 NFL teams, Why Your Team Won't Win The Super Bowl .

To me, the Tennessee Titans are one of the most Jekyll/Hyde teams in the NFL. In 2008, they were the top seeded playoff team, holding the best record in the AFC. After securing that honor, they would not win another game until week 10 of the 2009 regular season.

They had the QB controversy with Vince Young and Kerry Collins, with Jeff Fisher throwing his support against owner Bud Adams. Eventually, with an eight game losing streak, Fisher had no choice to go with the boss and start Young.

Young will enter the 2010 season as the unquestioned starter, but can he start out, like he finished last year?

In addition, the fact that All-World running back, Chris Johnson, has threatened to hold out, due to his displeasure with his slotted rookie contract, which will pay him near $500,000 this year.

Johnson believes that he should be the highest paid offensive player in the NFL because he feels he is the best. Only problem, because of the expiration of the CBA, Johnson cannot get anywhere near the raise he believes he deserves.

The Tennessee Titans have done a good job at locking up some of their great young offensive line but the man in the middle that calls the plays, Kevin Mawai, has not been resigned and odds are, his days in Tennessee are over.

Add to that, the defensive defections of the last two years, with Albert Haynesworth last year, and Kyle Vanden Bosch this past off season, Keith Bullocks, the veteran leadership of this defense has taken a hard hit.

Not only is Tennessee Titans not going to win the Super Bowl this year, they are going to take a step back. Jeff Fisher the most tenured coach in the NFL right now, could be feeling the pressure. He has coached the Titans since their move from Houston.

Owner Bud Adams is probably getting sick of not hoisting the Lombardi and could believe that Fisher might not be the man to get it for them.

My prediction: Tennessee finishes the season with an 8-8 record, finishing third in the AFC South.

Bills finalize contract with Arthur Moats

Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Linebacker Arthur Moats, the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award winner, signed his rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.

Moats, a sixth-round selection out of James Madison, was named the FCS defensive player of the year last fall after leading the division with 23.5 tackles for losses, including 11 sacks, as a defensive end. He set the Dukes' school record with 29 career sacks.

The Bills have converted the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Moats into an inside linebacker.

"It definitely makes you bring out your best," Moats said of the NFL jerseys. "In college, in practices, you're better than most of the guys you're going against. Yeah, you (can) take some plays off in practice. Not at this level. Every play you have to be at full speed, your best rep. Otherwise you're going to get embarrassed."

Bears’ Clark to host fishing tournament

Chicago Bears Desmond Clark will host his first "Desmond Clark Celebrity Bass Tournament" Saturday, June 12.

This inaugural tournament will be held at Stratton State Park in Morris.

Anglers, sponsors and supporters from around the Chicago Bearsregion will join forces with Desmond Clark and many other professional athletes from the NFL to support the 88 Wayz Youth Organization, Inc.

"We're proud and excited to have this year's tournament in the Chicago Bears area," Clark said. "It's a fun tournament that allows fishermen to team up and fish with celebrities both local and from other sports for a great cause."

Registrations are now open and are limited to a 75 boat field.  Entry fee is $150 per boat with a prize payout of $10,000 (based on full field).  Gates open for check in/registration at 4:30 a.m.

To regulate and administer the bass tournament, organizers partnered with Angler's Dream (www.anglers-dream.com) to manage all fishing tournament rules and regulations. 

The bass tournament is an important way for Desmond to showcase the great services 88 Wayz offers the community of Lakeland.

All proceeds of the tournament will go directly to 88 Wayz Youth Organization, Inc. and benefit the youth in the community.

Colonials acquire former UConn lineman Gray

The United Football League's Hartford Colonials completed a trade to acquire center/guard Keith Gray, a former UConn standout, from the Florida Tuskers in exchange for defensive tackle Bryan Save.

Gray (6-feet-1, 294 pounds) played in 34 games for UConn from 2005-08 and was a team captain. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts last December and was assigned to their practice squad before being released in January.

Prior to that, Gray was with the Carolina Panthers after signing as a free agent in April 2009. He played in two preseason games and was waived at the end of training camp.

Gray is one of five former UConn players on the 70-man roster for the Colonials. The others are safety Dahna Deleston, running back Andre Dixon, offensive lineman Mike Hicks and linebacker Danny Lansanah.

Save, 28, played for the New York Sentinels in 2009. He was among a group of 20 players that UFL teams were allowed to protect after the season. Save, who played at Colorado State, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Colts in 2004.

Colonials training camp is June 11-13 at Sage Park in Berlin. It is open to the public and admission is free.

Stover a Tough Shoe to Fill for the Ravens

Tough Shoe To Fill, Like Replacing Ripken

The Matt Stover era might be officially over as the team signed Shayne Graham, former Cincinnati Bengals to compete with Billy Cundiff for the starting kicking position.

For Baltimore fans they will be skeptical no matter who the team signs; following Matt Stover, you have to be near perfect.  Replacing Matt Stover, we'll that's like replacing Cal Ripken or Brooks Robinson or Ray Lewis when he retires.  Shayne Graham is a fine kicker and 4th most accurate in the NFL, yet he is coming off a shaky playoff game missing two kicks against the NY Jets.  The fact is Matt Stover set high standards, he was clutch and it will be hard for any kicker to live up to those standards.

The Kickers Might Pile Up

So far the team has gone through one kicker (Steven Hauschka) since the Stover era.  Depending on who wins the battle in training camp, there may be another name added to the list of kickers following Stover.  It is hoped that this list will be real short, the team needs a solid kicker.

Retire As A Raven

Whatever the future might hold for Matt Stover, it would be any fan's hope that Stover would retire as a Raven.   Stover belongs in the Ravens Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame, he has numbers to back that up. He also produced those numbers in Baltimore along with being on the Super Bowl team. Stover is a Raven and should retire as a Raven.

Goodson working to make an impact

The Carolina Panthers may not have had a brighter star last summer than running back Mike Goodson.

But now he's hoping to be a bigger factor this fall.

The 2009 fourth-round pick dazzled in all the practices of May and June, and all but disappeared once the season started. He's still got the same kind of explosive ability, but he said last week he's better able to take advantage of it now.

"Just for me going into my second year, there's a new confidence level," Goodson said. "Just have a year under your belt, knowing your stuff, and just coming in with that confidence."

The Panthers want to see more of Goodson in the passing game. He's got good hands and open-field elusiveness, but as with most rookies, his failure to grasp pass protection cost him playing time last season. Bottom line, coaches are slow to trust young players with their quarterback's health, and if there are any questions about their ability to block, they just won't play.

Goodson needs to take advantage of passing-down opportunities this year, because he won't get many as a runner with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in front of him.

But the other job he wants to make his own is kickoff returner. For all the flash he showed in minicamp and off-season workouts at the position, he often looked indecisive once the season started. A concussion suffered in Dallas kept him out for two weeks, and for the rest of the season, that job passed through many hands.

Goodson said he's spent extra time this offseason with new special teams coach Jeff Rodgers in hopes of cementing a job.

"I definitely want to make the kick returns all me this year," Goodson said.

School's out

Quarterback Tony Pike is scheduled to rejoin his teammates Tuesday, after finishing his exams at Cincinnati.

Pike's been held out of OTAs because of a rule that prohibits rookies from schools on the quarter system from joining their pro teams until class is out for the year.

That's a significant setback for a guy who needs all the time he can get. As a quarterback who ran a spread offense and worked out of the shotgun in college, he needs every snap he can get.

He'll come in fourth in the pecking order, and with no guarantees of a spot on the 53-man roster. Missing this time won't help, either.

Still waiting

While defensive end Julius Peppers found work quickly this offseason, the uncapped year hasn't paid off nearly as well for many other unrestricted free agents.

Receiver Muhsin Muhammad, quarterback Josh McCown, right guard Keydrick Vincent and defensive tackle Hollis Thomas are among the growing rolls of older players having a hard time finding work despite solid resumes.

According to the NFL Players Association, 117 of the 233 unrestricted free agents (50.2 percent) have not signed anywhere after the first 10 weeks of free agency this year. Compare that to 208 of 338 (61.5 percent) in 2009 and 203 of 315 in 2008 (64.4 percent), and it's clear the impact the league's labor uncertainty has had on veteran players.

Bengals 2009 first round pick Ander Smith out until training camp

Bengals 2009 first round pick Andre Smith held out for nearly a month last season, then broke his foot causing him to appear in just six games.

The bad news doesn't stop there: According to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the lingering effects of that injury will keep him out until the 2010 version of training camp.

On Wednesday, SB Nation's Cincy Jungle started to pick up on the indications that Smith wouldn't participate in the Bengals OTAs.

It's unlikely that Smith will be ready when the Bengals take the field for minicamp from June 15-17 because he's yet to be medically cleared, according to Joe Reedy. As of this posting, not including the injured or unsigned draft picks, the Bengals will have five offensive tackles, three offensive guards and two centers for minicamp work in two weeks.

As Mac's Football Blog points out, Smith had a cleanup procedure on the foot in February that was expected to keep him out for 10 weeks.

16 weeks later and we get the next that he'll miss nearly two more months

Ex-Bronco Ordered To Halfway House For Fatal Crash

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) ― A former Denver Broncos defensive back was sentenced to four years in a halfway house for killing a 51-year-old motor-scooter rider in a hit-and-run crash.

Billy Jenkins was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty this year to a vehicular homicide charge for the August 2008 crash. Prosecutors say Jenkins crashed his SUV into Tracy Gill while Gill was at a stop light in the Denver suburb of Aurora.

Authorities say Jenkins was drunk at the time of the crash and ran away after the accident, before returning minutes later.

Jenkins faced up to 26 in prison if convicted of several other charges that prosecutors dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Jenkins was on the St. Louis Rams' Super Bowl championship team in 1999 and played for the Denver Broncos in 2000-01.

Donte' Stallworth tries to "move forward"

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Donte' Stallworth had an interesting interview Tuesday on ESPN's Jim Rome Is Burning in which he said he knows that he'll never erase the fact that he drove drunk and struck and killed a pedestrian, but he also believes he should try to move on with his life.

Noting that Stallworth will return to the NFL in 2010 after a 2009 in which he served 24 days in jail and was suspended from football for the entire season, Jim Rome asked Stallworth, "Have you been able to put that out of your mind and turn the page completely on what happened?"

Stallworth answered, "I don't think you ever can do that, Jim. But I think to the best of my ability I've been able to move forward in life and really try to find a sense of serenity in my own self and understand that I've been given another chance -- really just keeping my faith in God and just trying to move forward."

Asked if he'll always be judged by the events of March 14, 2009, when he struck and killed a man named Mario Reyes, Stallworth answered, "People who really know me, who have known me for a while and been around me, know what kind of person I am. But for people who don't know me, they may judge me off this one instance. But if someone takes the time to get to know me, they'll know that I'm not the kind of person that has been portrayed in the media."

Stallworth said he hopes he can be an example to others, to "show people how to make the right decisions and look at the things that I've done and learn from that."