NFL Rumors & Notes by Ben Maller 04/21/06...

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Falcons backup quarterback Matt Schaub said Thursday he expects to be with the team next season as Michael Vick's backup, despite lingering trade talk. Vick, proclaiming optimum health and a burgeoning relationship with new position coach Bill Musgrave, promises to be the electrifying player of old. "It's flattering to know that teams out there liked what they've seen in me for two years and have called to see what it would take for me to come play for their team," Schaub said. "At the same time, it's nice to know the team I'm on values me this much to keep me. I'm happy where I am. "At some point I'd like to play in this league, but right now I'm the backup to Mike and that's my role, and I embrace it wholeheartedly."
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The Dolphins, Jaguars and Packers have all expressed interest in LaVar Arrington. Reports last night indicated the field was narrowed to the Giants and Packers. ... Now the Giants have their own information and, depending on what their medical staff thinks of Arrington's knee, the Giants could surge back into the picture. They will not, though, come close to the seven-year, $54 million Arrington wants or approach the $15-$18 million he wants in guaranteed money. No team will pay Arrington what he wants. If he doesn't sign with someone prior to the draft, the list of interested teams will likely shrink. "Once teams start picking young players at that position . . . I would assume that's going to affect his market," Accorsi said.
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Joe Banner spent much of yesterday in meetings with those two, and it's not a reach to believe that the Eagles are trying to figure out if there's a way they can make a trade with Green Bay to acquire wide receiver Javon Walker before next week's NFL draft. Denver, which flirted with the idea of signing Terrell Owens, is considered the Eagles' most intense competition for Walker, who is coming off major knee surgery.
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Ray Lewis' problem with the Ravens might extend beyond his contract situation. In his first local interview in seven months, the former All-Pro middle linebacker cast a cloud over his relationship with Brian Billick when he declined to give the coach a vote of confidence. Asked Wednesday by Comcast SportsNet whether keeping Billick was a move in the right direction, the Ravens middle linebacker paused briefly before saying, "No comment." Billick was retained by owner Steve Bisciotti just before the Ravens concluded a 6-10 season, their worst in seven years under Billick. He has two years remaining on his contract. Asked about Lewis' cryptic response, Billick said he can't control what people will conclude about those remarks. "Where I draw my conclusions from is my direct interaction with the athlete," Billick said. "I have no problems with what was said. I'm excited about where Ray is right now. I can't answer for Ray. You need to put that question to him."
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Former USC tailback Reggie Bush still expects to be the top selection in next week's NFL draft, but Thursday he confirmed widespread reports that the Houston Texans have not opened contract negotiations with him. "There are some people saying it's because I'm demanding $30million (for a signing bonus), but that's not true," Bush said in a telephone interview. "We haven't talked numbers with them at all. "Right now it's kind of on them to start negotiations if they want to."
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Terrell Owens and coach Bill Parcells have reached an agreement regarding the receiver's sporadic attendance at off-season workouts, owner Jerry Jones said Thursday. Jones declined to divulge the details. "Bill and T.O. have worked that out," Jones said of Owens' participation in the Cowboys' off-season training program. "As you know, we don't get into what our guys do voluntarily in the off-season. I think the best way to say it is that both of them are on the same page as to how he does his workouts and the nature of his workouts. I know this first-hand ... it's not an issue with either one of them. "All I know and all I'm interested in is they've worked it out. He's in good shape physically and everyone is comfortable with the way it's working."
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Giants DE Michael Strahan's contract will be restructured for cap purposes after the draft, according to someone who recently spoke to Strahan. The person, who requested anonymity because the negotiations are ongoing, said Strahan's contract might also be extended beyond 2008. The 14-year veteran, who thought his career was winding down at this point last year, was rejuvenated by his 2005 season (11 1/2 sacks and a career-high 81 tackles) and is now convinced he can be productive for several more years.
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Baltimore LB Ray Lewis told ESPN that he has never told Ravens officials that he wanted to be traded. "The issue is: Are you going to let me do what I do?" Lewis said after mentioning he sees other linebackers having the opportunity to run free to make the tackle. "And if not, let me go."
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The Lions will either trade Joey Harrington to Miami or release him by June 15 because they don't want to pay a $4 million guaranteed bonus. Trading Harrington now would save Detroit $7 million in cap charges, and releasing him in June would save approximately $9.5 million.
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CB Ike Taylor has until 4 p.m. today to sign as a restricted free agent with another team but has no prospects and, in all likelihood, will play for the Steelers at least one more season. Taylor has drawn some interest from other NFL clubs but not enough to visit any of them. A big reason is the fact the Steelers tendered him a one-year contract for $1.57 million. Another team would have to forfeit a first-round draft choice to sign him, and that has been done only once in the past 13 years in the NFL.
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Starting this morning, Rams coach Scott Linehan and his newly assembled staff will get some fresh air, sunshine and a first look at the roster in a practice setting. Technically, the practices are voluntary, but Linehan is expecting close to 100 percent attendance - not only from the players already under contract, but also four restricted free agents: wide receivers Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald, defensive end Brandon Green and cornerback DeJuan Groce. "We do have one or two conflicts," Linehan said. Running back Marshall Faulk is one of those players with a conflict, so he won't attend. But he hasn't been cleared to practice anyway after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both knees earlier in the offseason. Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna is expected to attend today's workouts, but then will depart because of a death in the family.
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Unless first impressions are deceiving, 2005 seventh-round draft pick Matt Cassel looks like a legitimate NFL quarterback. Time will tell whether he’s starting quality, but the snapshot Cassel provided last preseason and in the regular-season finale against Miami was promising. Look for the Pats to sign a veteran to compete with Cassel in camp for the No. 2 job, a spot Doug Flutie narrowly beat him out for last season. A rookie may eventually be added to that mix.
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There are indications that the Jets’ interest in picking one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL Draft is waning. Yesterday, when the Jets were reportedly going to conduct a private workout with Texas QB Vince Young, Tannenbaum and Mangini remained inside their bunker at Weeb Ewbank Hall, nowhere near Texas or working out Young. So, considering this, it’s logical to deduct that the Jets have no interest in Young at all. There, too, seem to be stronger indications emanating from the club through league circles that it’s not convinced any of the big three QBs is worth taking with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.
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With the NFL draft a little more than a week away, the Carolina Panthers made a move to shore up one of their need positions. The Panthers signed linebacker Na'il Diggs to a one-year contract Thursday. A six-year veteran, Diggs had spent his entire career in Green Bay.
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The Eagles extended another contract this week, but it wasn't a move meant to excite the fan base. That's never going to be Joe Banner's role with the Eagles. The team president has the thankless job of managing the daily operation of owner Jeffrey Lurie's football team and also serves as a lightning rod when things don't go as planned. Despite the long hours and criticism, Banner loves his work and was more than willing to accept a contract extension that will keep him with the Eagles at least through the 2010 season. Financial terms were not disclosed. Even at the worst of times when the criticism has come his way, Banner said he never has considered leaving the Eagles.
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According to a league source, the Ravens' two most coveted players are from the University of Texas, safety Michael Huff and quarterback Vince Young. But neither is expected to slip past the top 10. If players such as Oregon nose tackle Haloti Ngata, Florida State defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley or Southern California offensive tackle Winston Justice are available at No. 13, it will be interesting to see whether the Ravens are open to moving down because they are all considered top 15 prospects.
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Other than acknowledging the need to find a starting safety in this year's college pool, the Ravens provided another morsel of information at yesterday's pre-draft luncheon. They are clearly prepared to move down from the 13th spot in the first round and acquire more picks. Director of college scouting Eric DeCosta did little to hide his displeasure over the Ravens having two picks on the first day of a deep draft. "I wish I had six," he said. In fact, the Ravens have only two selections among the first 110 picks in this year's draft, which will be held April 29-30. Only the Washington Commanders have fewer in that span. If the Ravens drop from the 13th pick to somewhere in the low 20s, they probably would receive an additional third-round pick.
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Defensively, the Dolphins have met privately with Fresno State cornerback Richard Marshall, Tennessee corner/safety James Allen and Texas State defensive tackle Fred Evans, among others.
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The Jets continued their flurry of pre-draft visits yesterday, meeting with Oregon nose tackle Haloti Ngata and welcoming Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, who is scheduled to formally meet with team officials today. Texas Christian cornerback Drew Coleman, who did not attend the combine but has drawn late interest from several teams, also is scheduled to sit down with team officials today. Yesterday, the Jets also were among at least seven teams - including the Giants - reportedly attending Jai Lewis' workout in Alexandria, Va. Lewis, a 6-5, 290-pound senior forward on the George Mason team that reached the Final Four, is trying to duplicate Antonio Gates' transition from college basketball player to NFL tight end.
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LaVar Arrington returned to the New York area yesterday to take a physical for the Giants, but general manager Ernie Accorsi said negotiations with the former Commanders linebacker haven't been seriously reopened. The only reason that Arrington, who had reconstructive surgery on his right knee two years ago, agreed to the physical is seemingly to get himself a deal, any deal, before the NFL draft April 29. Arrington's asking price - similar to the seven-year, $54-million contract that former 49ers linebacker Julian Peterson signed with the Seahawks - must go way down before the Giants will even consider him.
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Friday marks the deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets, meaning Hunter Hillenmeyer will remain a Bear and Ricky Manning still could become one. Hillenmeyer had yet to sign an offer sheet as of Thursday. Even if the linebacker unexpectedly received one Friday, the Bears are prepared to match it. The Bears previously tendered Hillenmeyer a qualifying offer of $712,000. That's the same tender offer the Carolina Panthers made to Manning, a three-year veteran who would fill the Bears' need for a nickel back after the retirement of Jerry Azumah. Manning visited Halas Hall on April 12 and had what both his camp and the Bears termed a productive free-agent visit. Shortly after the visit, the Bears were leaning toward making Manning an offer, wanting to do so closer to the deadline to make it more difficult for Carolina to match. The Panthers would have seven days to do so.
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If Herman Edwards is inclined to draft a corner with whom he has had such conversations, the mock draft people ought to look at corners the Chiefs brought into Arrowhead recently for medical evaluations and basic get-acquainted visits.
Heading the list of first-round corner candidates spending time at Arrowhead recently were South Carolina's Jonathan Joseph, a former Coffeyville Juco player who played only one full Division I season after sustaining a broken foot in 2004; and Antonio Cromarte, who started at Florida State as a true freshman but is coming out early despite missing his '05 junior campaign with a major knee injury from which he appears to have fully recovered.
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The Bucs filled one of the few remaining holes on their roster Thursday when they reached a contract agreement with unrestricted free-agent fullback Jerald Sowell, formerly of the Jets. Sowell, a nine-year veteran who has spent most of his career paving the way for tailback Curtis Martin, will replace Jameel Cook, who signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent this offseason. In Sowell, 32, the Bucs get an instant upgrade at the position.
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The Steelers brought Jeremy Bloom to town Wednesday evening and spent Thursday checking him out at their South Side practice facility. Their interest piqued after attending Bloom's personal workout April 1 in Los Angeles, during which Bloom did 19 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press. Bloom was clocked at 4.48 in the 40-yard dash at the National Scouting Combine, less than a week after competing in the 2006 Winter Games. Bloom visited Philadelphia, Cleveland, New Orleans, Chicago and Denver before coming to Pittsburgh.
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As Jay Cutler walked through the Vanderbilt weight room this week, someone told him he had just been mentioned on television. Cutler replied that he shuts off the TV now. "You'll drive yourself nuts," he said in an interview earlier this week. "It's a crazy process. It's a job interview for four months. For four months, you've got to be perfect."
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A representative from the Dolphins attended a workout by George Mason basketball player Jai Lewis in Virginia on Thursday, according to his agent Jeff Jankovich.
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Brett Favre’s football future may be in question, but his softball future is rock solid. While Favre still may not have decided about whether he will play quarterback for the Green Bay Packers during the 2006 season, he has decided his charity softball game will continue. Beth Seymour, director of the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, confirmed Thursday night that the annual charity softball game will take place June 11 at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute. “That’s when we’re having it,” Seymour said. “We’ve reserved that date and we’ll definitely be there.”​