I've been working on a team of replacements in case the NFL goes on strike in the next couple of years. I've since decided to change the purpose of the team. Instead of being an NFL scab team, it is now the first unofficial UFL team. By the way, rumor has it the league will not kick off in August as originally planned. More on that at a later time.
These are the types of players the UFL may be competing for if/when they finally do play their first game. They plan to sign quality players who might only be back-ups in the NFL.
Feel free to discuss the team on the message boards.
The All-UFL Team
Offense
QB: Trent Green, released by Miami on 2/11
OT: LJ Shelton, released by Miami on 2/11
OT: Wayne Gandy, released by Atlanta on 2/15
OG: Mike Wahle, released by Carolina on 2/11
OG:
C: Mike Flanagan, released by Houston on 2/21
WR: Isaac Bruce, released by St Louis on 2/28
WR: Marty Booker, released by Miami on 2/11
WR: Muhsin Muhammad, released by Chicago on 2/18
TE: Alge Crumpler, released by Atlanta on 2/15
RB: DeShaun Foster, released by Carolina on 2/21
RB: Mike Anderson, released by Denver on 2/27
FB: Lorenzo Neal, released by San Diego on 2/28
Defense
DE: Jevon Kearse, released by Philadelphia on 2/28
DE: Orpheus Roye, released by Cleveland on 2/27
DT: Keith Traylor, released by Miami on 2/11
DT: Anthony McFarland, released by Indianapolis on 2/28
DE/DT: Kevin Carter, released by Tampa on 2/27
LB: Dan Morgan, released by Carolina on 2/11
LB: Derek Smith, released by San Francisco on 2/19
LB: Zach Thomas, released by Miami on 2/14
LB: Rosevelt Colvin, released by New England on 2/26
CB: Andre Dyson, released by NY Jets on 2/26
CB: Fernando Bryant, released by Detroit on 2/25
S: Terrence Holt, released by Arizona on 2/21
S: Dwight Smith, released by Minnesota on 2/20
Special Teams
P:
K: Olindo Mare, released by New Orleans on 2/27
NFL Replacements team becomes UFL Team
Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 4:24 PM Posted by Mike Register
Hot NFL Trade Rumors
at 11:18 AM Posted by Mike Register
There is plenty of buzz going around the NFL as the free agency period kicks in. This year's free agency class is pretty weak, but that doesn't mean there won't be any action this off season. In fact, many trade rumors have been making the rounds on the internet. Here are a few of the hottest ones, along with my odds on how likely they will occur. Many of these trade rumors are courtesy of ProFootballTalk.com.
1. Miami Dolphins trade #1 pick to Dallas Cowboys for 2 first round picks and RB Marion Barber.
Odds: 10:1
This "reverse Herschel" trade would definitely be the trade of the year if it happens. Jerry Jones has denied he's interested in Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. He was also reportedly "exuberant" when McFadden ran a sub-4.3 40 at the combine. This trade wouldn't really make much since for Dallas, but people do strange things when they fall in love with a prospect (see San Diego and Ryan Leaf).
2. Jacksonville DL Marcus Stroud to Atlanta Falcons
Odds: 5:1
Jacksonville is rumored to be wanting to unload Stroud and his hefty salary. Atlanta's new coach is former Jaguar D-Coordinator Mike Smith. Makes since to me.
3. NY Jets trade DL Dewayne Robertson to Denver Broncos, Broncos send CB Dominique Foxworth and 2nd round pick to Detroit Lions, Lions send DT Shaun Rogers to Jets.
Odds: 20:1
Three way trades rarely ever happen in the NFL. This one is interesting, but I don't see why the Broncos would give up a player and a high draft pick for Dewayne Robertson. I also see a potential bidding war for Shaun Rogers.
4. Detroit Lions trade DT Shaun Rogers to Miami.
Odds: 20:1
This one has the same odds as the three way trade above because I don't see Rogers as a Bill Parcells type of player. He is overweight, lazy, and has character issues. That being said, the Dolphins need a dominating NT for their 3-4 defense, and Rogers at his best would be an excellent addition.
5. NY Jets trade LB Jonathan Vilma to Detroit Lions for Shaun Rogers
Odds: 15:1
The Lions are interested in Vilma, and the Jets in Rogers. I could see them agreeing to swap players, but the Jets may have to sweeten the deal. Vilma is coming off of injuries, and a quality DT is worth more than a quality LB. Maybe the Jets can throw Robertson in the mix.
6. Buffalo Bills trade QB JP Losman to Miami Dolphins or KC Chiefs
Odds: 50:1
Losman is not a QB that I see Miami or KC picking up. He's too young to be the veteran QB Parcells would want in Miami, and not much of an upgrade over Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard in KC.
7. Philadelphia Eagles trade CB Lito Sheppard to NE Patriots
Odds: 40:1
The Pats could be in the market for a starting CB if Asante Samuel decides to sign with a new team. The Eagles have come out and denied any interest in trading Sheppard.
8. Other players on the trading block: Cleveland QB Derek Anderson, Carolina DT Kris Jenkins, Oakland S Michael Huff, Denver WR Javon Walker, NE WR Dante Stallworth, Atlanta CB DeAngelo Hall, CB Adam "Pac Man" Jones
Odds (any one gets traded): 8:1
Anderson was tendered the high offer from Cleveland, making his trade for anything less than a first rounder unlikely. Jenkins and Huff are decent players, but their contracts may be an issue. Walker may get cut in Denver. No one appears interested in Stallworth and Pac Man. Hall was rumored in a deal to the Super Bowl Champ NY Giants, but his contract is also an issue.
All American Football League Draft
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 9:07 AM Posted by Mike Register
The All American Football League (AAFL) held their inaugural draft and supplemental draft recently. The AAFL is an upstart league with six teams (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas) that is marketing itself as a spring pro football league with a college atmosphere. One of the interesting things about the AAFL is that all players are required to have a college degree in order to play.
Some of the notable players drafted into the AAFL include former Virginia Tech QB Bryan Randall by Tennessee, Nebraska QB Eric Crouch (Texas), QB Chris Leak (Florida), former first round pick Peter Warrick (Florida), former Dallas Cowboys and Arena Football QB Clint Stoerner (Arkansas), the QB of the National Championship Tennessee Vols team Tee Martin (Tennessee) and Rod "He Hate Me" Smart (Tennessee).
With last year's decision by the NFL to fold its European league, the AAFL could serve as a good training ground for young prospects. It's degree requirement instantly gives it more credibility than the XFL.
First pick in '08 NFL Draft to be costly
Monday, February 25, 2008 at 6:33 PM Posted by Mike Register
The Miami Dolphins may have a problem trading the #1 pick in this year's draft. Not only are there no clear-cut "franchise" players at the top of the draft, but the #1 pick is expected to command a contract in excess of $60 million, with over half of that guaranteed.
In the 2006 NFL Draft, #1 pick Mario Williams received a $54M contract, with $26.5M guaranteed. One year later, JaMarcus Russell held out until he signed a contract worth $61M with $32M guaranteed. Thats an increase of 13% in total value and 21% in guaranteed pay. (click here for full 2006 and 2007 First round contract details)
If that trend continues (as it probably will considering the wealth of cap room most teams will again have this year) the #1 pick will likely sign a contract worth $69M total with $39M guaranteed. If the first pick happens to be at a "premium" position, like RB or QB, it wouldn't be unthinkable for those numbers to rise to over $70M total with over $40M guaranteed.
That is a hefty price to pay for an unproved player. Unless the owners and player's union agrees to fix this in the next round of collective bargaining agreements, any team that doesn't go along with the rise in prices will likely have to deal with a long holdout, like Oakland had with Russell last year.
In the past, teams looking to trade up into the first spot had to pay a king's ransom. With these large contracts for high picks making more teams reluctant to trade up, I expect the trade value of the #1 pick to start to decline. In fact, I would not be surprised if the Dolphins trade away the pick for relative peanuts if they can get the guy they want all along at a cheaper contract.
2006 and 2007 NFL First Round Contract Details
Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 7:56 PM Posted by Mike Register
I've pieced together the contract details of the first round picks in the 2006 and 2007 NFL Drafts.
Click Here to download the rookie contract details in Excel '07
Click Here to download in Word
The Max column represents the Maximum value of the contract if incentives are reached. The Guar. column is the amount of Guaranteed money in the contract. All values are in millions of dollars.
| 2006 First Round Contract Details | ||||
| Slot | Player | Yrs | Max | Guar. |
| 1 | Mario Williams | 6 | $54.00 | $26.50 |
| 2 | Reggie Bush | 6 | $52.50 | $26.30 |
| 3 | Vince Young | 6 | $58.00 | $25.75 |
| 4 | D'Brickashaw Ferguson | 6 | $37.50 | $17.90 |
| 5 | AJ Hawk | 6 | $37.50 | $16.00 |
| 6 | Vernon Davis | 5 | $23.00 | $15.20 |
| 7 | Michael Huff | 6 | $43.00 | $15.00 |
| 8 | Donte Whitner | 5 | $29.00 | $13.50 |
| 9 | Ernie Sims | 5 | $15.74 | $12.10 |
| 10 | Matt Leinart | 6 | $50.80 | $14.00 |
| 11 | Jay Cutler | 6 | $47.86 | $11.00 |
| 12 | Haloti Ngata | 5 | $11.90 | $9.28 |
| 13 | Kamerion Wimbley | 6 | $23.70 | $9.25 |
| 14 | Brodrick Bunkley | 6 | $17.50 | $7.46 |
| 15 | Tye Hill | 5 | $10.20 | $7.70 |
| 16 | Jason Allen | 6 | $24.00 | $7.80 |
| 17 | Chad Greenway | 5 | $10.75 | $6.15 |
| 18 | Bobby Carpenter | 5 | $12.00 | $7.50 |
| 19 | Antonio Cromartie | 5 | $12.50 | $7.35 |
| 20 | Tamba Hali | 5 | ? | ? |
| 21 | Laurence Maroney | 5 | $8.74 | $6.13 |
| 22 | Manny Lawson | 5 | $13.90 | $4.90 |
| 23 | Davin Joseph | 5 | $10.00 | $4.14 |
| 24 | Johnathan Joseph | 5 | $8.20 | $5.60 |
| 25 | Santonio Holmes | 5 | $8.11 | $5.42 |
| 26 | John McCargo | 5 | $8.60 | $5.20 |
| 27 | Deangelo Williams | 5 | $14.50 | $5.00 |
| 28 | Marcedes Lewis | 5 | $7.50 | $4.80 |
| 29 | Nick Mangold | 5 | $7.40 | $4.80 |
| 30 | Joseph Addai | 5 | $11.65 | $4.76 |
| 31 | Kelly Jennings | 5 | $9.70 | $5.00 |
| 32 | Mathias Kiwanuka | 5 | $10.00 | $5.00 |
| AVERAGE | 5.3 | $22.25 | $10.21 | |
| 2007 First Round Contract Details | ||||||
| Slot | Player | Yrs | Max | Change | Guar. | Change |
| 1 | JaMarcus Russell | 6 | $61.00 | 13% | $32.00 | 21% |
| 2 | Calvin Johnson | 6 | $64.50 | 23% | $27.20 | 3% |
| 3 | Joe Thomas | 6 | $42.50 | -27% | $23.00 | -11% |
| 4 | Gaines Adams | 6 | $46.00 | 23% | $18.60 | 4% |
| 5 | Levi Brown | 6 | $62.00 | 65% | $18.10 | 13% |
| 6 | LaRon Landry | 5 | $41.50 | 80% | $17.50 | 15% |
| 7 | Adrian Peterson | 5 | $40.50 | -6% | $17.00 | 13% |
| 8 | Jamaal Anderson | 5 | $31.00 | 7% | $15.40 | 14% |
| 9 | Ted Ginn | 5 | $21.80 | 39% | $14.00 | 16% |
| 10 | Amobi Okoye | 6 | $17.70 | -65% | $12.80 | -9% |
| 11 | Patrick Willis | 5 | $16.70 | -65% | $12.00 | 9% |
| 12 | Marshawn Lynch | 5 | $18.94 | 59% | $10.30 | 11% |
| 13 | Adam Carriker | 5 | $14.50 | -39% | $9.40 | 2% |
| 14 | Darrelle Revis | 6 | $36.00 | 106% | $11.00 | 47% |
| 15 | Lawrence Timmons | 5 | $12.00 | 18% | $8.05 | 5% |
| 16 | Justin Harrell | 6 | $15.00 | -38% | $8.00 | 3% |
| 17 | Jarvis Moss | 5 | $15.00 | 40% | $8.00 | 30% |
| 18 | Leon Hall | 5 | $13.10 | 9% | $8.20 | 9% |
| 19 | Michael Griffin | 5 | $13.30 | 6% | $7.50 | 2% |
| 20 | Aaron Ross | 5 | $13.50 | ? | $8.00 | ? |
| 21 | Reggie Nelson | 5 | $13.10 | 50% | $7.10 | 16% |
| 22 | Brady Quinn | 5 | $30.00 | 116% | $7.75 | 58% |
| 23 | Dwayne Bowe | 5 | $11.80 | 18% | $6.50 | 57% |
| 24 | Brandon Merriweather | 5 | $11.50 | 40% | $6.00 | 7% |
| 25 | Jon Beason | 5 | $12.50 | 54% | $6.30 | 16% |
| 26 | Anthony Spencer | 5 | $9.00 | 5% | $6.00 | 15% |
| 27 | Robert Meachem | 5 | $11.30 | -22% | $5.70 | 14% |
| 28 | Joe Staley | 5 | $10.90 | 45% | $5.60 | 17% |
| 29 | Ben Grubbs | 5 | $10.60 | 43% | $5.50 | 15% |
| 30 | Craig Davis | 5 | $11.03 | -5% | $5.40 | 13% |
| 31 | Greg Olsen | 5 | $10.69 | 10% | $4.90 | -2% |
| 32 | Anthony Gonzalez | 5 | $10.30 | 3% | $5.40 | 8% |
| AVERAGE | 5 | $23.41 | 5% | $11.19 | 10% | |
Drafting a RB early not a good idea
at 5:00 PM Posted by Mike Register
The NFL Draft is around the corner, and the Miami Dolphins are on the clock. One of the decisions they will have to make is whether or not to draft Arkansas RB Darren McFadden with the top pick. Such a move, drafting a RB in the top 10, is a mistake in my opinion.
Running Backs in the NFL take more abuse than probably any other position. Every back in the league is one knee twist away from a career-ending injury. The injury factor alone makes drafting one high a risky proposition.
But is it even necessary to have an All-Star RB to win the Super Bowl? Sure enough, Walter Peyton and Emmitt Smith were key to the success of their Super Bowl championship teams. But Barry Sanders never won one, and Ladainian Tomlinson has yet to even play in one.
A strong run game is important to being a championship team. But you don't need a Peyton or Smith to have a strong run game. Many teams this year, including the Super Bowl champs, made do with lesser known backs, or RB by committee.
A perfect example of that was Green Bay's Ryan Grant. Grant came out of nowhere and was a key piece to the Packers' playoff push. Grant was not drafted out of college, and was acquired by the Pack from the Giants for peanuts. Other RBs that made an impact this season, like Brandon Jacobs, Brian Westbrook, Willie Parker, and Justin Fargas, weren't drafted in the first round. Parker wasn't even drafted.
This past season, of the 22 RBs to average at least 62.5 yards per game with at least 100 attempts, 13 of them where either drafted outside of the first round and/or acquired via free agency or trade. Of the nine RBs drafted in the first round by their current team, only Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, and Ronnie Brown of Miami were top ten picks.
Due to the availability of quality runners outside of the first round, and the lingering injury concerns that hover over the careers of all RBs, it doesn't make since to spend a top pick on a back.
The abundance of RB talent in the 2008 Draft lends further credence to this idea. While McFadden is widely believed to be the best RB in the draft, this year's class is extremely deep and loaded with quality. Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall, Oregon's Jonathan Stewart, and Arkansas' Felix Jones could all be first rounders. Central Florida's Kevin Smith, East Carolina's Chris Johnson, Texas' Jamaal Charles, Rutgers' Ray Rice, West Virginia's Steve Slaton, and Michigan's Mike Hart could all be drafted on the first day.
Best and worst football predictions
Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 4:57 AM Posted by Mike Register
I made a few predictions at the start of last season. A review of my hits and misses are in order, and I promise not to brush any bad predictions under the rug.
Back in July, I did a tongue-in-cheek post where I used a graphing calculator to predict the NFL season. So how well did my TI-83 picks do?
The good: Cleveland with a winning record, Tampa winning their division, Baltimore and Cincinnati at the bottom of their division, Chicago missing the playoffs, and the NY Giants in the NFC Championship.
The (really) bad: Miami winning 10 games (and the AFC East), Cleveland going to the Super Bowl, San Diego flopping (which started out good), Dallas winning three games, Green Bay winning eight games, and Philadelphia winning the Super Bowl.
In August I did a post on the rookie QBs and who had the best chances of being successful. While it is still early, ranking Buffalo's Trent Edwards 8th is starting to look foolish.
After one season, is Atlanta really better off without Mike Vick?
Predicting Lloyd Carr's dismissal after Michigan's loss to Appalachian State wasn't all that difficult.
In my preseason Top 65 QB rankings, I said Marc Bulger was the most underrated NFL QB. I also said Jeff Garcia would have Tampa in playoff contention. I missed on Derek Anderson at #60, but so did everyone else.
And finally, at the beginning of the season I took on the ambitious goal of picking every NFL game of the season, both straight-up and against the spread. Unfortunately, that only lasted until week 6. Frankly, my results weren't all that impressive. I was 58.4% (52-37) straight up and 41% (34-49-6) against the spread. I would never try to gamble with my own money on every single game. The NFL is too crazy and unpredictable for that.
Updating the NFL Replacement Team
Friday, February 22, 2008 at 9:56 AM Posted by Mike Register
In November the NFL owners may pull the plug on the last two years of the current collective bargaining agreement. While it is too early to speculate about a work stoppage, that won't stop us from having a little fun with the idea. So we came up with an NFL Replacement team to compete in case of a strike or lockout.
The team is being built with players who have been cut from their teams. The NFL off-season is underway, and we finally have some options for our team.
Offense
QB: Trent Green, released by Miami on 2/11
OT: LJ Shelton, released by Miami on 2/11
OT: Wayne Gandy, released by Atlanta on 2/15
OG: Mike Wahle, released by Carolina on 2/11
OG:
C: Mike Flanagan, released by Houston on 2/21
WR: Marty Booker, released by Miami on 2/11
WR: Muhsin Muhammad, released by Chicago on 2/18
TE: Alge Crumpler, released by Atlanta on 2/15
RB: DeShaun Foster, released by Carolina on 2/21
RB:
Defense
DE:
DE:
DT: Keith Traylor, released by Miami on 2/11
DT: Rod Coleman, released by Atlanta on 2/15
LB: Dan Morgan, released by Carolina on 2/11
LB: Derek Smith, released by San Francisco on 2/19
LB: Zach Thomas, released by Miami on 2/14
CB:
CB:
S: Terrence Holt, released by Arizona on 2/21
S: Dwight Smith, released by Minnesota on 2/20
Special Teams
P:
K:
KR/PR:
Farewell Zach Thomas: Paying tribute to a Dolphins Legend
Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 11:26 AM Posted by Mike Register
Jay Glazer of Foxsports.com is reporting that the Miami Dolphins will cut ties today with LB Zach Thomas.
As a lifelong Dolphins fan, I am sad to see him go. In my era of fandom (from about 1984 to present), Thomas is in my opinion the second biggest Dolphins legend. In fact, the first jersey I ever purchased (with money from a summer job), was Dan Marino's. The second: a blue #54 that still hangs in my closet.
Thomas embodies everything the Dolphins were in his time with the team: a tough, underrated competitor that gave it his all every play. Unfortunately, the Dolphins never could field a potent enough offense to take advantage of the great defenses we had led by Thomas and Jason Taylor.
Thomas has said that he isn't ready to retire. While I wouldn't mind seeing him go out a winner on another team, the fan in me hopes that team isn't the New England Patriots.
Whatever team Thomas signs with, if in fact he doesn't retire, I wish him the best. Thank you Zach Thomas for all you've done for my team.
Bengals, Raiders limit Dolphin's chances of trading #1 pick
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 10:07 PM Posted by Mike Register
In a recent post on God Loves The Gators, I came up with a few scenarios for the Miami Dolphins to trade the #1 pick in this year's draft. Two recent news items seem to rule out some of those scenarios.
On Wednesday, Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis reiterated that the Bengals will not be trading WR Chad Johnson. Whether or not the Bengals change their mind, the recent comments cause one to doubt the Johnson to Miami scenario will occur.
Adam Schefter of the NFL Network is reporting that the Raiders have re-signed RB Justin Fargas to a three year deal after the back had a career season. This would seem to rule out the Raiders as a candidate to trade up for Arkansas RB Darren McFadden.
It's far too early to tell what is going to happen with the #1 pick, as the draft is still more than two months away. Stay tuned to God Loves The Gators, as I will have plenty of draft coverage leading up to April.
On a side note, I will be participating in a live mock draft on MyMockDraft.com. I will have more to say on that when the time comes. If you get a chance, check out MyMockDraft.com. Its a pretty cool site.
The NFL Replacements
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 10:53 AM Posted by Mike Register
In anther example of God Loves The Gator's hard-hitting, intellectual sports journalism, we present to you the NFL Replacement team.
You may be asking yourself, does the NFL need a scab team? Or you just may be asking "Why?"
In November the NFL owners may pull the plug on the last two years of the current collective bargaining agreement. While it is far too early to speculate a strike or lockout, that won't stop us from jumping the gun.
In the spirit of the great (ok, marginally silly) football comedy The Replacements, we will be building a team of scabs to take the field in 2010. To get on the team, a player must have been cut from an NFL team from the date of the last Super Bowl up to the day before the 2008 NFL season starts.
Most of the spots are still open, as Miami and Carolina are the only teams to date to make any significant cuts. If you have any suggestions for who should be on the team, feel free to leave a comment or post it on our message board.
Offense
QB: Trent Green, released by Miami on 2/11
OT: LJ Shelton, released by Miami on 2/11
OT:
OG: Mike Wahle, released by Carolina on 2/11
OG:
C:
WR: Marty Booker, released by Miami on 2/11
WR:
TE:
RB:
RB:
Defense
DE:
DE:
DT: Keith Traylor, released by Miami on 2/11
DT:
LB: Dan Morgan, released by Carolina on 2/11
LB:
LB:
CB:
CB:
S:
S:
Special Teams
P:
K:
KR/PR:
The Dolphins could trade the #1 pick, and here's how
Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 9:46 AM Posted by Mike Register
The Miami Dolphins hold the #1 pick in this year's NFL Draft. The Dolphins could take a player at #1, but they need more than one quality player. Trading down would definitely help this team rebuild.
While there does not appear to be a clear cut #1 player in this year's draft, it only takes one team to fall in love with a player like LSU DT Glenn Dorsey, Arkansas RB Darren McFadden, or BC QB Matt Ryan, for the Dolphins to swing a deal.
Trade scenario #1:
Dallas offers R1 P22, R1 P28, and RB Marion Barber
One possibility floating around is that Dallas owner Jerry Jones will try to swing a deal for McFadden. The Cowboys have the 22nd and 28th picks in the first round of this year's draft. According the the NFL Draft value chart, those two picks are worth about 1500 points. The #1 pick is worth 3000. The Cowboys could sweeten the deal by throwing in RB Marion Barber. Barber is a restricted free agent, and teamed with current RB Ronnie Brown, would produce one of the most dynamic rushing duos in the NFL.
Trade scenario #2:
Oakland offers R1 P3*, R2 P37*, and 2009 2nd Round pick
If Dallas shows serious interest in trading up, that might spur Oakland to make an offer for McFadden. While the Raiders had a break-out season from Justin Fargas, it wouldn't surprise me if Al Davis goes for the sensational trade.
Trade scenario #3:
Baltimore offers R1 P8, R2 P38, and 2009 1st Round pick
The Ravens and new coach John Harbaugh may decide to start off their regime by drafting a "franchise" QB. Boston College's Matt Ryan appears to be the frontrunner for the franchise QB label in this draft.
Trade scenario #4:
Cincinnati offers R1 P9, R2 P46, R3 P77, and WR Chad Johnson
Chad Johnson has made it known that he wants to be traded. The Bengals just may comply if they feel a guy like Glenn Dorsey or Virginia DE Chris Long would provide an immediate lift to the team's defense. Coach Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat, and trading Johnson for the #1 pick may just rid him of a headache and provide a boost to the D. The Dolphins could use a #1 WR after trading Chris Chambers to San Diego during the season.
Trade scenario #5:
Cleveland offers R2 P56, R3 P87, and QB Derek Anderson
The Browns are open to trading restricted free agent QB Derek Anderson. Two questions that need to be answered for this trade to happen: Do the Dolphins really want Derek Anderson and do the Browns want to shell out the money required to sign the #1 pick?
Trade scenario #6:
Atlanta offers R1 P4*, R2 P35*, and R3 P66*
The Falcons could be in the market for a franchise LT. Michigan's Jake Long fits the bill.
