Pete_Prisco

After purging his roster Monday, releasing quarterback Trent Green and others for cap reasons, Dolphins president Bill Parcells was at it again Thursday when news got out that he was planning to release veteran linebacker Zach Thomas.

In his 12 seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Thomas has been a fan favorite, a tough guy who played hard all the time. He was a damn good player, but I always thought he was a tad overrated, which means he wasn't great. Plus, he's 34 and his body has broken down some. And he's had some head injuries, which is always a concern.

But as much as any of that, Thomas release was about money and the fact that he didn't fit with what Parcells wants from his linebackers. He wants them big. Thomas isn't that ast 230 pounds. When Parcells coached the Cowboys, he asked Bradie James to blow up to 265 pounds. James told me he never felt comfortable at that weight and shed the weight last season when Parcells left, dropping to 245 pounds. He looked and played faster.

Thomas will find his way to another team and he should give them a couple of good years. One has to wonder if veteran defensive end Jason Taylor is next. Taylor could be traded to offer even more cap relief. The Dolphins have trimmed $14 million off of their cap and now have over $40 million to spend in free agency.

All the moves have Parcells' fingerprints on them.  For those who think Parcells isn't running the football side of things, think again. The Dolphins are his team, not Jeff Ireland's team or Tony Sparano-cells.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made Greg Jones the highest-paid fullback in the NFL Wednesday, giving him a five-year deal that averaged $3.4 million a season.

For a fullback?

Jones is a good fullback, and his lead blocking is a big reason why the Jaguars run the ball so well, but no fullback is worth that kind of money. Jones had 42 carries for 119 yards and 11 catches for 99 yards last season. Is that producition worth that kind of money? I don't think so.

The Jaguars coaching staff loves the guy, and he's a hard worker who has come back from two torn ACL injuries, but you can find lead blockers. Plus, with more and more teams moving away from conventional two-back sets,the fullback in the NFL is on the field for fewer and fewer plays.

Jones could have become an unrestricted free agent later this month, which would have allowed him to test the market. Would he have received that type of money? Highly unlikely.

I didn't have Jones on my list of the top-32 free agents for a reason.

He's a fullback.

I really like Chad Johnson, both as a player and for the way he brings fun to the game. The fun stuff never bothers me.

Having said that, I wouldn't trade two draft picks to acquire him if I were the general manager of any team. The word is the Bengals would be seeking two picks, either a first and a third, or two second-round picks, for Johnson if they are to deal him. In addition, Johnson wants a new deal from his new team.

That means trading two premium picks and paying him? Not a chance. But somebody will do it. There is a report that the Washington Redskins are interested. Shocking. Isn't that right in Dan Snyder's wheelhouse? He gets a name player, his team gets more attention, and he acts like he knows what he's doing.

This would just be another in the long line of horrible moves for the Redskins. In this pursuit, they probably won't be alone. The Dallas Cowboys and others could be in the mix as well. If the price were a second-round pick for Johnson, I'd do it. Anything more and you can forget about it. Draft picks are far too valuable. You can find receivers. After all, Johnson was a second-round pick himself.

So no to Ocho Cinco. At least if I was the guy making the decision.

It's always sad to see an NFL player have his career cut short by head injuries, but on Monday we might have seen two have that happen to them.

The Carolina Panthers released linebacker Dan Morgan after an injury-plagued career that included multiple concussions. The Miami Dolphins released quarterback Trent Green after he suffered a second serious consussion last season in his first with the Dolphins.

Green missed all but part of the opener of the 2006 season after taking a wicked head shot in the opener when he was the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Even though he had some head issues, the Dolphins signed him anyway last year as a free agent. At the time, I said it was a mistake. It was. When he took a shot against Houston, his season was over. It looks like his career is now, too.

Morgan will likely try to play again, but is he worth it? His career could have been special were it not for all the injuries. Now he has to hope he can get another chance, which would require passing a team's physical. That could be tough.

Head injuries are nothing to mess around about. If it's time to go, they both should go. They can have productive lives and Green is already preparing himself for life in the broadcast booth.

Taking shots to the head are part of the game each player knows can end his career. It doesn't make it any easier when it becomes a reality.

Did you watch the Pro Bowl? I did.

Yeah, I'm sick. I know.

But the reality of the Pro Bowl, aside from it being a meaningless game, is this: It's the last time we'll see NFL players on a field for six months. That means it's over, finished, done.

Covering the NFL can be a grind, non-stop action from the open of camp to the end of the Super Bowl. But it's what we love. It's what I love. So when the season comes to a close, it smacks me in the face with a fierce blow. What do  you do on Sundays?

The NBA is fun. And March Madness if cool. But there is nothing like football. That's why when the final seconds counted down on the Pro Bowl, with Derek Anderson getting picked off in the end zone, it was a sad time for a lot of us.

What do we do until the NFL players suit up again?

Maybe the Pro Bowl means nothing to most of you, but to me it means a junkie must go without a fix for a long time, not even getting a little taste.

I'm note sure I can make it. Maybe I should call some of those Hollywood types for the name of a good rehab. Anybody have Amy Winehouse's number?