Updated NFL Tidbits & Rumors. Enjoy:
Earlier this year, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said that the team wasn't going to trade quarterback Jay Cutler. And then the Broncos traded quarterback Jay Cutler. On Sunday night, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels told NBC's Andrea Kremer that the team won't be trading receiver Brandon Marshall. And rumors persist that the Broncos are shopping him. But there are mixed signals on this one. One source has told us that multiple teams are negotiating with the Broncos regarding Marshall. Another source has heard talk of such discussions, too.
If controversial cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is going to return to the NFL, it will be via the Canadian Football League. Jones agreed in principle to a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers late Monday night and is expected to join the team as early as Wednesday.
From the start, the union between Todd Haley as head coach and Chan Gailey as offensive coordinator made no sense to Larry Johnson. "There (were) too many roosters in the hen house, so to speak," said Johnson, a veteran running back for the Chiefs. "Two coordinators, both passionate about what they do and how they call plays. To me, it was only a matter of time." Gailey, of course, was the one who lost out. Haley fired Gailey as coordinator and took over the play-calling duties. Gailey was reassigned to unspecified duties unrelated to coaching.
The first public comments from Tom Brady about his shoulder were made during his regularly scheduled appearance on WEEI yesterday morning. Brady danced around specific questions about his shoulder, including if he had X-rays, but said he "always relies on our doctors and trainers. It's just part of getting hit." He gave an optimistic response when asked if he would be ready for the Sept. 14 opener against Buffalo. I fell a little bit awkwardly, but I'm expecting to be out there, and I'm expecting to play this week if [coach Bill Belichick] lets me. We'll see how the week goes."
Daunte Culpepper needed eight stitches to repair a cut foot after he stubbed it on a carpet at home Saturday night. Drew Stanton needed an MRI after a knee swelled Sunday and Monday. That left the Lions with one healthy quarterback for practice Monday: rookie Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft who is competing with Culpepper for the starting job.
The Seahawks traditionally kept six receivers while Mike Holmgren was coach, but new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp has run more two-tight-end sets during the preseason and not as many three- or four-receiver sets, so the Seahawks could get by with keeping just five wideouts. So far, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Deion Branch and Deon Butler are likely in, with Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu and Jordan Kent fighting for the last couple of spots. Or perhaps Branch could be on his way out. The veteran will make $5 million this season to be Seattle's third receive r and the Seahawks have a lot of depth at the position. So they may live with five receivers and let Branch go to keep a player at a different position.
In a taped halftime interview with Bob Costas of NBC, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said that he opted not to pursue quarterback Mike Vick due to the existence of a civil suit against starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "Given some of the things that my quarterback was going through, I didn't think it was the appropriate time to add another quarterback to the mix," Tomlin said. "He's going through somewhat of a trying time with the civil allegation, a case against him. I didn't want to do anything that was less than supportive to Ben."
The Patriots opting to cut young quarterback Kevin O'Connell on Sunday caught many by surprise, but New England is one of several teams looking at veteran options at the position. The Patriots are among the many teams to express an interest in Philadelphia's A.J. Feeley. Some execs believe New England is where Feeley will end up, but, according to a source, the Eagles do not plan on parting with Feeley until they know how long Michael Vick will have to sit out. St. Louis could also be a potential landing spot for Feeley.
Matt Cassel told a friend he'd suffered a grade-two sprain of the medial collateral ligament Saturday night against Seattle. It's a two-week injury, so it's unknown if he'll face the Ravens at Baltimore in the season opener.
For the first time in his four-year Giants career, Sinorice Moss expressed deep frustration about the way he was used -- or, more aptly, wasn't used -- in Saturday night's 27-25 preseason loss to the Jets. Moss barely played. After starters Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith exited, Mario Manningham and rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden came off the bench while Moss sat. "You have to ask the coach," a clearly perturbed Moss said. "I have no explanation. I really don't know what to say about what happened. When I did step on the field, I went out and did my best."
Many people feel the Eagles will deal A.J. Feeley, in large part because he's due to make $1.3 million and Michael Vick $1.6 million. Two backup quarterbacks getting $2.9 million along with a second-round draft pick is a large investment. There's no need to carry two high-priced backup QBs as long as Kevin Kolb is healthy.
Brady Quinn should be named the starting quarterback this week, giving him and the Browns two weeks to prepare the offense for the opener against Minnesota.
Brandon Marshall is hurting no one other than himself. The general managers don't want to deal with his immaturity despite his immense talent. No team wants the Broncos' problem to become their problem. His antics once again are causing him to lose money.
The Buffalo Bills had better start fast on offense this year because, from what I hear, the patience level is not very high for offensive coordinator Turk Schonert. Shut out in the first half in Pittsburgh and totaling four first downs going into the fourth quarter is not going to make people feel confident about the offense.
The Browns are interested in trading defensive end Corey Williams, who doesn't seem to fit in the two-gap style preferred by Eric Mangini.
Receiver Dwayne Bowe has emerged from coach Todd Haley's doghouse in Kansas City. Bowe had been demoted and prodded in different ways by Haley, and it looks as though the aggressive approach generated a spark. Bowe was reinstated into the starting lineup early last week. Said Haley, "That's what coaching is all about: trying to push the right buttons all the time with a lot of different guys."
Cowboys receiver Roy Williams probably won't be sidelined long after suffering a left shoulder injury Thursday night. Williams suffered a left shoulder contusion when he collided with cornerback Orlando Scandrick in the late stages of a practice at Cowboys Stadium in which the players did not wear shoulder pads. The team did not set a specific timetable for Williams' return, stating in a press release that he will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
