Training camp roundup: Top-five free agents still available

In case you forgot, Richard Seymour doesn't have a job. (USATSI)

With the 12-hour saga of free agent guard Brandon Moore first signing a deal with the Cowboys before deciding to just retire instead and with former Giants safety Deon Grant announcing his retirement, let’s take a look at some of the top free agents still left on the market.

There are some big names still out there. Not to mention some quality players. And there has been interest in most of these names. But with many free agents signing below what they thought they were worth, perhaps that’s a major reason why these guys are still available.

Here are my top-five.

DT Richard Seymour: Though he’s disappeared from view a little because he’s played on some bad Raiders ballclubs the past four years, there still appears to be some spark in his 33-year-old body. The problem with Seymour finding a job is that he likely doesn’t want to play for an insignificant amount of money (for example, the veteran’s minimum salary). The seven-time Pro Bowler seemed content several weeks ago when he said that if his career is over, so be it. But a team that’s missing depth in the defensive line certainly could give him a shot. That team likely would have to pay, though.

S Kerry Rhodes: About a month ago, Rhodes said he had four teams vying for his services and that discussions were “in the works.” A month later, Rhodes is still on the sideline, and it seems like there’s virtually no interest in the man that Pro Football Focus ranked the fourth-best safety last season. It’s hard to believe that the effective 31-year-old’s career might be finished, but for now, that appears to be the status for Rhodes.

LB Takeo Spikes: Look, I know that bringing Spikes onto your team guarantees your squad will not make the postseason (he’s 0-for-15 in his career), but Spikes still can provide production as a linebacker. Yes, he’s 36 years old, but he’s also started every game but one in the past four seasons with the 49ers and the Chargers. Plus, in 2010 and 2011, he had back-to-back 100-plus tackle seasons. Maybe you don’t want Spikes as a starter, but surely he could fit in somewhere. Especially if you want to fire your head coach at some point soon for missing the playoffs.

CB Eric Wright: Maybe he’s still a decent-enough player -- and I believe that he is -- but his recent arrests and suspensions have killed his career. Wright, at this point, is probably a guy who’s just not worth having around, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t help your team’s secondary.

QB JaMarcus Russell: I kid, I kid (though he is still available).

Injury Bugs

For the first time in two weeks, Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace practiced Wednesday.

Saints coach Sean Payton told reporters that receiver Joe Morgan had torn his ACL and likely is done for the season. Also, defensive end Kenyon Coleman has a torn pectoral muscle and is out for the year.

After leaving practice Tuesday with a biceps injury, Packers receiver Randall Cobb returned to practice Wednesday morning.

Bears receiver Earl Bennett has a concussion and won’t play in the team’s preseason game Friday. It’s his second concussion in eight months.

Bears backup cornerback Kelvin Hayden has torn his hamstring, and he’s out for the season.

If you had hoped to see running back Trent Richardson and safety T.J. Ward in the Browns first preseason game, these next 10 words will disappoint you. That’s because neither will play Friday. Richardson is battling a shin injury, while Ward’s hamstring has been bothering him. "It's the preseason,” said coach Rob Chudzinski. "We've have a plan for that and we're making sure [Richardson] gets reps as needed out here in practice and we build him to be ready for the beginning of the season.”

An upchuck update

If you’re a Bills fan, and you just couldn’t figure out why the Chan Gailey staff of the past three years didn’t give the ball to running back C.J. Spiller more often, have no fear. That likely won’t be an issue with first-year coach Doug Marrone and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

"It's real simple," Hackett told WGR on Wednesday morning (via the Buffalo News). "We're going to give him the ball until he throws up. So he's either got to tap out or throw up on the field. Let's just put it that way."

Which makes perfect sense. After all, Spiller rushed for 1,244 yards on 208 carries (a whopping average of 6.0 yards per carry). Fred Jackson has done well as a running back the past few years in Buffalo, but Spiller brings a special dimension to the offense.

Here’s hoping he keeps himself well-hydrated, on account of all the vomiting he’s going to experience.

Action (Steven) Jackson

As Daryl Richardson appears poised to take over his old job, former Rams and current Falcons running back Steven Jackson is being used for his versatility.

As the official team website writes, “During practices the Falcons have positioned Jackson all over the line of scrimmage and at one point Tuesday during drills, the Falcons threw to Jackson on two straight plays on opposite sides of the field.”

Jackson said he thinks it’s because the offensive staff wants to get him matched up on the opposing linebacker and because he’ll add another weapon in what might be one of the most dangerous passing attacks in the league.

"It reminds me of my younger years in St. Louis when I was used more as a receiver out of the backfield,” Jackson said. “It allows me to use more tools in the shed that I have and possess. It allows me to work on things I haven't done in a number of years."

A Black day for Black

If you watched the first episode of “Hard Knocks,” you know the sad tale of rookie defensive tackle Larry Black, who dislocated his ankle in training camp.

Now, it’s even sadder (though not surprising). The Bengals announced Wednesday that they had released him in the waived/injured category. If Black clears waivers, he will revert to the Bengals reserve/injured list.

Fight, fight, fight!
Three of them to be exact at Packers practice Wednesday. Normally, I don’t care much about practice dust-ups, but then again, there’s not usually video of them either.

So, here you go, via Fox 11.

Several scuffles at Packers practice

More of Moore

In case you thought Herman Moore couldn’t continue to play in the NFL, check out the quick video posted by the Lions. Moore lined up at receiver and then took a jump-ball pass for the touchdown.

Sure, he got very little resistance from the cornerback covering him, but that’s not the point! (Besides, I just wanted to post the video.)

Your daily Jets quarterback report

We already know Mark Sanchez will start the first preseason game. And after that …?