Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for January 02, 2007

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Brent Barry's name surfaced in last week’s talks regarding Los Angeles Clippers’ swingman Corey Maggette, but the Spurs have been reluctant to move him – at least in that deal – because he’s finally playing like they hoped he would when they signed him.

Though the point guard seems to be on many wish lists, according to multiple league executives, the Philadelphia 76ers are not interested in moving Andre Miller. For that matter, the winds around the Cavs hint they aren't looking to do anything with their roster. Team sources indicate the Cavs want to see how the team develops over the next month before making any decisions, though they have been making cursory calls around the league to check on certain players' availability. That follows form for General Manager Danny Ferry, who preaches stability and is methodical before making moves.

In another ominous sign that Steve Francis' future is bleak, the Knicks guard has left the team and headed to Houston to rehab his tendinitis-wracked right knee. The symbolism was striking, as Penny Hardaway pulled the same maneuver last season, leaving for Houston to work with John Lucas and he never returned. Francis' knee problem appears chronic and it's no longer inconceivable that this is headed for either a medical retirement or a buyout. Francis has three years and $48.5 million left on his pact, making him untradeable.

Shaquille O'Neal will take the final stage of his knee rehabilitation on the road and might return to the Heat's lineup by its Jan. 15 game against the Los Angeles Lakers. O'Neal is recovering from Nov. 19 surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and has missed 24 games. But coach Pat Riley said Monday the Heat center will soon start running and practicing with the team. The Heat (13-17) plays Wednesday at home against the Los Angeles Clippers and then starts a six-game Western Conference trip Friday in Phoenix.

Ron Artest has been rumored to be on his way out of Sacramento. Knicks coach Isiah Thomas coached Artest in Indiana. Any interest? "I only talk about my own team," Thomas said. "I know him. I coached him. He's a great player. Great player."

The Clippers have won three in a row, and Sam Cassell said he hoped to return soon. But it could take time for him to become comfortable in his new role as Shaun Livingston's backup. "It's a whole new role for me right now," Cassell said. "Me coming off the bench … I'm just not used to this. I'm not the type of guy who comes in and gives you a spark. That's just not my whole thing. I can try to do it, but I'm not accustomed to it." Coach Mike Dunleavy made the move before Cassell suffered the injury, going with Livingston as the starter because of the third-year guard's playmaking skills. Livingston is also considered a better defender than Cassell, so Dunleavy decided it was time to look toward the future, but few point guards in the league can keep pace scoring with Cassell when he's healthy.

The offensive juggernaut that Steve Nash will lead into the United Center on Tuesday night is a wondrous machine, dazzling in both its execution and efficiency. Given that Phoenix is not only leading the NBA with 111.1 points per game but also first with a .495 field-goal percentage, the system clearly is working. "Nash is the system," Bulls coach Scott Skiles said. "I don't mean to shortchange anybody else or anything. But he's the best basketball player on the face of the Earth. I don't think it's even close. "He can shoot the ball. He can go right or left. He can finish right or left. He has a middle game. He has the best vision in the league. He's probably the best-conditioned player in the league."

Unless something dramatic happens today or tomorrow – "there's not going to be a setback," Chris Bosh said, defiantly – the all-star power forward will return from a 12-game absence when the Raptors face the Phoenix Suns at the Air Canada Centre tomorrow night. ... Bosh returns to a somewhat different team than the one he left. In the dozen games he's missed, the Raptors have become a more fluid team offensively, with different players taking on different roles each game. One night it's Ford dominating, they got a game-winning shot one night out of rookie Andrea Bargnani and the likes of Joey Graham, Rasho Nesterovic and Anthony Parker have had huge nights.

The Lakers declined to establish a timetable for how long Kwame Brown would be sidelined because of a severe sprain in his left ankle, saying he would be reevaluated in about two weeks. A CT scan and an MRI exam were negative for fractures a day after the Lakers center landed awkwardly after blocking the shot of Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre Miller in the Lakers' 104-94 victory Sunday. "We don't want to give a target date simply because everybody's body heals different, and there's no way to know at this time how long Kwame will take to heal from the injury," Lakers spokesman John Black said Monday. A severely sprained ankle typically takes four to six weeks

Theo Ratliff, another piece of the Boston-Portland trade, is still exploring alternative treatments for disk problems in his lower back. Ainge will address the situation later this week, possibly with a decision on whether surgery is necessary.

Heat coach Pat Riley revealed after Monday's session that center Shaquille O'Neal would travel on the six-game western swing that begins Friday at Phoenix and could play during the trip. "He's to the point," Riley said, "where it's time." O'Neal still has not practiced since having cartilage removed from his left knee Nov. 19. "From what I understand, the strength of his quad is even stronger than the other leg." Riley said. "He's got pretty much full range of motion. "Now we're in the real stage of, `OK, he's back. Thank you God.' "Now we just want to make sure he stays back." O'Neal estimated he needed "a couple of practices" to feel comfortable enough to play. "There ain't no way to get in great basketball shape than play basketball," he said.

Jan. 10 is when non-guaranteed contracts become guaranteed for the remainder of the season. Bulls guard Andre Barrett confirmed that general manager John Paxson has told him his contract will be guaranteed. "This is a great team to be around," Barrett said.

Timberwolves guard Marko Jaric likely will have a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his right thumb today, with his status to be determined for Wednesday night's game against San Antonio at Target Center. Jaric sat out the Wolves' game at Charlotte on Monday, two days after he aggravated the injury against the Nets in New Jersey. The 6-7 guard, who's averaging six points and 22.4 minutes a game this season, said he initially injured the thumb a few days earlier, when an opposing big man brought a rebound down hard on his hand.

NBA officials had hoped the synthetic model would give the league a uniform ball that eliminated the game-to-game discrepancies between leather balls furnished by teams. The officiating crew chief will now be asked to measure the inflation of the game ball to make sure it meets league specifications. The league also has asked teams to not throw away their supply of microfiber balls in case they're needed for further testing. Horry has already come up with one use for them. "It's good for the kiddies," Horry said. "That's the perfect ball for my son to play with."

Did You Know? The Magic have only a 5-10 record since they went to play the Clippers in L.A.

LeBron James slightly twisted his right ankle Saturday night in Chicago after driving to the basket, at least the fifth time this season he's come up limping on an ankle. James has missed games in each of his first three seasons due to ankle sprains, all of them coming as he was landing after a shot attempt. With as often as he fearlessly drives into traffic around the basket, and as many times as he hits the deck in an average game, it is inevitable James is going to get banged up. James, who ices his ankles after every game as a precaution, and the Cavs have been lucky so far that he hasn't suffered a more serious ankle injury.

The murder of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams early Monday morning marked the second time in less than a year that a local professional athlete was the victim of a drive-by shooting in Denver. Nuggets guard Julius Hodge gives thanks every day he didn't die last April 8 when he was shot four times by an unknown passer-by while he was driving home with a friend from a nightclub in north Denver. One bullet hit an eighth of an inch from an artery in his left thigh. "It's real sad," Hodge said after he heard Monday morning about the shooting. "It makes you feel really blessed to be here. It shows you that anything can happen at every moment. While we are here, we have to love every situation because we can lose it all." Hodge still has no answers about why he was shot and by whom. Asked if he has given up finding answers, he said: "Pretty much. I haven't heard anything. There is not really much you can do." Williams was shot and killed while sitting in a limousine traveling north between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue on Speer Boulevard at about 2 a.m. - coincidentally, in the neighborhood where Hodges lives today.

Rashard Lewis will miss the next seven weeks because of a strained tendon sheath, and he will be forced to watch his teammates in meticulously tailored suits, offering guidance as the Sonics try to approach .500 and remain in playoff contention during his absence. "It's different because I always look forward to going home to Houston and playing in front of my family," he said. "But this year I won't get the chance. Well, the only good thing is I don't have to get as many tickets for my family. But that's about it." If Lewis can't help the Sonics with his on-court skills until late February, he wants to lend a hand and help develop team chemistry, something Hill said is critical for the Sonics to make an impact on the Western Conference playoff race.

The Indiana Pacers defense took a couple of steps back Saturday night when they couldn't figure out how to defend the pick-and-roll in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. One league scout in attendance said the Bobcats ran the same pick-and-roll play 16 times, including nine straight at one point, in the fourth quarter when they pulled away. "They shredded us," said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who watched the fourth quarter on a television in his office after being ejected in the third quarter. "Our execution was poor and they did a great job of their offensive execution."

Unlike most of his teammates and fellow NBA players, Kyle Korver said that he was disappointed, that he was comfortable with the new basketball and now has to change in midseason. "I didn't want to go back to the other ball, but we haven't had any say, it seems, no matter which way they go," Korver said Sunday before saying goodbye to the new ball with a season-high 29 points in the Sixers' 104-94 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. "So it's the same thing now. We're going back to the old one. But I guess as long as it's round, I guess it doesn't really matter a whole lot."

In his first public comments since suffering a fractured skull and brain injury during a Dakota Wizards practice on Dec. 21, Bulls center Martynas Andriuskevicius explained why he chose not to press charges against the NBDL teammate who punched him. "It's not going to help me anyway," Andriuskevicius said. "God is going to take care of it." Andriuskevicius, 20, may never see a minute of NBA action for the Bulls. But the reaction he received from teammates when he unexpectedly arrived Monday at the Berto Center showed why he's one of the more liked players for reasons beyond his forgiveness of Awvee Storey, the former Proviso West product who punched him. "He's such a good guy to be around," guard Ben Gordon said. "He's a big kid, a likable guy. Everybody was saddened by what happened to him. It made everybody's day to see him."

Pistons players aren't exactly celebrating the return of the old faithful cowhide. "Not me," Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince said. "I think it's too quick of a turnaround to change the basketballs. Even though the majority of the players didn't like the new ball, I thought we should still finish out the season with them." "I don't think it will have that big an effect," Flip Saunders said. "It will be an easy adjustment." Prince, and a lot of players around the league, disagree. "Not when you've been playing with this other ball and have gotten used to it," Prince said. "We've been using the new ball for 29 games. It's not as easy (an adjustment) as people think."

Even with an offense that potent, however, Wizards coach Eddie Jordan and his staff continue to stress defense. "We keep trying," Jordan said. "We have drills in practice and we're working to get better at the basic things, but I don't know. We just have to keep trying. Outside of changing personnel, you just have to work on the basic things: make sure your pick-and-roll defense is as good as it can get, make sure you defend the paint and make sure you keep people in front of you and always give help. Like I said, we're trying."

Who Knew? Before Saturday's loss at Milwaukee, the Wizards became the first team since the 1994-95 Phoenix Suns to score 106 or more points in 13 consecutive games, but they also have allowed eight consecutive opponents to score 100 or more.

But now, with the Bucks winning seven of their last eight games, coach Terry Stotts seems content to continue to start Brian Skinner at power forward and Michael Redd at small forward, while bringing Charlie Villanueva and Ruben Patterson off the bench.

Like a lot of NBA players, Trenton Hassell said the synthetic ball used until Sunday had more forgiving bounces and rolls once it hit the rim. Generally, though, the Wolves guard has opted out of the league's great ball controversy, saying he was willing to play with either version (microfiber or leather). "I play with worse balls in the summertime back home," said the Tennessee native, who returns in the offseason to Clarksville. "We play with balls you buy at Wal-Mart or wherever. Indoor, outdoor. I just adapt."

Bulls TV color analyst Johnny "Red" Kerr was the first coach of the Bulls in 1966 and the original coach of the Phoenix Suns in 1969. The teams face each other Tuesday night at the United Center. "The two teams I have always watched have been the Bulls and the Phoenix Suns," said Kerr, 74, who missed several recent broadcasts after a bout with pneumonia and a concern about a blood clot in a lung. "The Suns are having a fantastic year. They scare you. You wonder if you can score enough points to stay in the game with them."

The Mavs got back from Denver in the wee hours Monday, ringing in the new year at about 30,000 feet on the flight home. They were given the day off after back-to-back games

Luke Sikma is a 6-foot-7 senior center and Alex Schrempf is a 6-4 sophomore wing at Bellevue High School. They are teenage sons of Sonics greats Jack Sikma, the blond-locked anchor of the 1979 NBA title team, and Detlef Schrempf, the team's steady scoring threat in the mid-1990s. Luke and Alex say they are proud of their fathers' basketball legacies, but are eager to embrace their own identities as contributors on a Bellevue team that has started 6-0.

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

The Diamondbacks appear no closer to reacquiring Randy Johnson than they were last year, with two-pronged money issues the sticking point, a source with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday. While the D-Backs and New York Yankees seem near agreement on the players the Yankees would get for Johnson, questions remain. How much of Johnson’s $16 million 2007 salary will the New York Yankees pick up? What sort of two-year package is palatable to Johnson (the D-Backs have said they would like him in 2008, too), and will Johnson agree to restructure some of the $40 million due him in deferred compensation? The D-Backs have not entered into the formal 72-hour negotiating window with Johnson since the players to be traded have not been finalized, but through talks with the Yankees it appears that Johnson’s camp has been made aware of several financial options available.

Free agent Mark Mulder is considering offers from three teams -- the Rangers, Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals -- and Gregg Clifton, his agent, said the Rangers are strong contenders. "The Rangers have been nothing but exuberant about the possibility of Mark coming to Texas," Clifton said. "Texas has always been high on Mark's list." Mulder had arthroscopic surgery to repair his left rotator cuff in September, but Clifton said Mulder is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation. "We're confident that he is going to have 100 percent recovery," Clifton said. "Mark may be ready to go Opening Day. But, to be fair to everybody, we've said figure on 25 starts in 2007." If they sign Mulder, the Rangers would want him to come back slowly and would not count on him until June or July.

Do I think Jay Gibbons becomes more expendable now that the Orioles have reached agreement with Aubrey Huff? Not considering that there isn't much of a market for him right now, and the Orioles aren't going to give him away. At this point, he'd be more of a thrown-in in a deal involving another player. There is room for Huff and Gibbons. Huff can play left field or first base while Gibibons serves as the designated hitter. And I still think there's room for Craig Wilson, too.

No one has seen free agent Brian Lawrence throw more this offseason than the Rockies. This week, they could learn whether their pitch to land the veteran right-hander is successful. Page Odle, Lawrence's agent, expects to speak with the Rockies today or Wednesday. The Rockies have two factors working in their favor: Lawrence would like to return to the National League West, where he was once a rotation anchor for the San Diego Padres, and the pitcher lived in Colorado as a child and still has family in the area. "I expect this to be a defining week," Odle said Monday. "Brian will throw again (in the next few days) and I assume Colorado will be there. We have had very good conversations with them." The Rockies are looking to create competition in a rotation that includes Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, Byung-Hyun Kim, Josh Fogg and prospects Jason Hirsh and Taylor Buchholz.

Teams will continue to pester the Indians with offers for Jake Westbrook, who is signed through '07. But unless the Indians are overwhelmed, they aren't likely to bite. What is assured is that the Tribe will be looking for a middle infielder particularly adept at shortstop to back up Jhonny Peralta, who's coming off a disappointing '06.

The Rockies continue to look to improve. Willy Taveras, who brings speed but not power, was not the answer the Rockies had in mind in center, so they're looking to deal him.

The bad news is that the Cardinals only have three starting pitchers secured. If Adam Wainwright moves to the rotation, that's four, but one spot is still very much in the air. There are options out there, guys like Joel Pineiro and Tomo Ohka, and there are options in house, like Braden Looper and Brad Thompson. But somebody will have to emerge, either from the current roster or from elsewhere, to make quality starts if this team is to win a fourth straight division title.

The Rockies also have inquired about trading for Baltimore's Rodrigo Lopez. ... They are expected to resume negotiations with catcher Javy Lopez this week - "Colorado is a definite possibility," Lopez's agent, Chuck Berry, said - and are one of six teams (Cincinnati is the most aggressive) bidding for reliever Chris Reitsma.

A's starters Rich Harden and Dan Haren have been mentioned in trade rumors, and GM Billy Beane isn't afraid to make an unpopular deal, but he's said to be comfortable with the team as constituted.

While the Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks seem to be making progress toward agreeing which prospects the Yankees would receive in exchange for Randy Johnson, money remains a sticking point. A Yankees official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of trade talks, said yesterday there was "nothing to report." That was an indication that negotiations were ongoing. The Diamondbacks would like the Yankees to help pay some of Johnson's $16 million salary this year and have Johnson agree to an extension through 2008 and restructure some of the $40 million in deferred payments owed him from his previous tenure there (1999-2004). Those issues could be negotiated with Johnson using the Yankees as intermediaries; a negotiating window apparently has not yet been opened for the Diamondbacks and Johnson.

OF Ryan Church and closer Chad Cordero have been on the trade block for most of the offseason, and Washington wants top prospects or young Major League players in return.

The Mariners will continue to look for help for their depleted bullpen, now that they have traded one of the best setup men in the American League (Soriano) and that they'll be without rookie fireballer Mark Lowe (elbow surgery) until at least the All-Star break, if not longer. Seattle was thought to be looking for a veteran catcher to ease the workload on Kenji Johjima, but it appears it'll go with Rene Rivera as the backup in 2007.

Toronto is still searching for another starter to replace Ted Lilly in the rotation's third spot. The Jays will likely explore the trade market rather than aggressively pursue the remaining free agents.

It seems unlikely that Brady Clark, Geoff Jenkins and Kevin Mench -- who will combine to earn $14-$15 million in 2007 -- will all be back, but Brewers GM Doug Melvin has made it clear he will wait for the right offer to come along. The team may remain on the lookout for a prototypical leadoff man after missing out earlier this winter on Dave Roberts, and bullpen depth would also help.

The Yankees are likely to sign one more reliever, with Ron Villone (free agent) still a possibility to return for another year in New York. The club must also add a utility infielder (Miguel Cairo? Nick Green?) and decide whether Bernie Williams will return for a 17th season in pinstripes.

The one major need general manager Theo Epstein still has to fill is the closer's role. There isn't much out there on the free-agent market, so look for the Sox to get creative with a trade. The Nationals' Chad Cordero is someone the Red Sox reportedly covet.

Outfielder Jason Dubois has joined the Orioles on a minor- league deal, while the Indians signed second baseman Keith Ginter to a minor-league contract that calls for a $600,000 big-league salary.

If the season began today, the Astros would have stronger offense and weaker pitching than in '06. They could benefit from a veteran starter to fill the No. 4 spot, and they'd still like to find a left-handed reliever to complement Trever Miller.

The Bubba Trammell signing, which came shortly before Christmas, slipped under the radar, but that's usually true with the Orioles, who tend to keep their minor league transactions a secret this time of year.

The Devil Rays agreed to terms with former Dodgers 1B Hee-Seop Choi on a minor league deal earlier this offseason.

It will take an injury or something unforeseen for Dodgers top prospects James Loney or Matt Kemp to win a regular job.

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

The Cardinals wasted little time embarking on their search for the team's seventh head coach since moving to Arizona in 1988. Michael Bidwill and Rog Graves identified six candidates: Tennessee offensive coordinator Norm Chow, Houston assistant head coach Mike Sherman, Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, Indianapolis assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell, Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and Steelers assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm. Sherman's interview is scheduled for Thursday at the team's Tempe facility. Other interviews have yet to be scheduled.

In a move that has been expected, Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford has officially retained president Matt Millen for another season, according to a television report this morning. Fox 2 Detroit reported that Millen will definitely return for a seventh season to lead the Lions, who have lost 10 or more games for all six seasons Millen has been in charge. The Lions finished the 2006 season with a 3-13 record and will have the second overall pick in the April NFL draft. Millen still has four years remaining on a five-year contract extension he was given last season.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said he would prefer to hire a coach that can be with a franchise for years, like Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher or Tennessee's Jeff Fisher — candidates that would be at the top of a wish list if they were available. They're not. Instead, assistant coaches such as Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, an Atlanta native who played at Georgia Tech and for the Falcons; Tennessee offensive coordinator Norm Chow; San Francisco assistant head coach Mike Singletary, and Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron are likely choices to be interviewed.

Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor hinted at retirement Sunday, but his decision might hinge on whether Nick Saban takes the Alabama coaching job. "The whole thing whether Nick is going to be back was part of the [postgame] answer yesterday," agent Gary Wichard said Monday after speaking with Taylor, his longtime client. "But I think he's too competitive and loves the game too much to ever be in that [retirement] situation at this point. "You've got to be out of your mind to walk away after a season like Jason had. But I've got to preface this that there are no guarantees. ... His love for playing for Nick is very strong." Wichard said Taylor was speaking out of frustration after the team finished 6-10, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. "He's the most competitive guy I've ever met and I think this is really eating at him," Wichard said.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden wants more quarterback options for 2007 than what he has now. With some room under the salary cap (an estimated $25 million) for the first time during his tenure with the team, Gruden said he is ready go shopping. Potential free agents include Jake Plummer, Drew Bledsoe, Daunte Culpepper, Jeff Garcia, Byron Leftwich and David Carr. Gruden said he's also interested in Wednesday's Sugar Bowl, which matches Notre Dame's Brady Quinn and LSU's JaMarcus Russell, two quarterbacks expected to go high in April's draft. "There's a couple of interesting guys that'll be flipping the ball around," Gruden said.

If Nick Saban were to leave, the Dolphins would be one of three teams needing a new coach with Jim Mora (Atlanta) and Dennis Green (Arizona) being fired Monday. The Dolphins have two former NFL head coaches on their staff in Mike Mularkey and Dom Capers, but the franchise would likely conduct an outside search that could include Mora, NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci and Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. College names frequently linked to NFL openings include Southern California's Pete Carroll, Louisville's Bobby Petrino and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz.

Speaking of Lovie Smith's contract, if the Bears had any intention of announcing an extension this week, Sunday's loss makes the timing less than ideal. Teams announce contract extensions to generate good PR, among other things, but extending Smith's deal after such an unexpected turn of events would threaten to create a backlash among fans who remain skeptical. But if the Bears wait until after the playoffs, and it's a one-and-done postseason, imagine the outcry.

Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera is in play as a leading candidate for one of the vacant head-coaching jobs in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals ran out of patience with Dennis Green after three successive losing seasons, the latest a 5-11 stumble in 2006, and immediately had Rivera on their list of five prospects to succeed Green. The Atlanta Falcons, who fired coach Jim Mora on Monday, also are expected to contact the Bears for the required permission to talk with Rivera. Former Bears personnel chief Rod Graves, given a three-year extension last week as the Cardinals' vice president of operations, contacted the Bears regarding Rivera, who played for the Bears when Graves was in the personnel department.

Without coming out and saying it Sunday, Bill Cowher made it seem obvious that he'll give the Rooneys one final chance to meet his price. Hey, there's no harm in asking, is there? Certainly, Cowher has the leverage to do it even if he's under contract to the Steelers for next season. He knows if he sits out the year that he can come back in 2008 as a much-coveted free agent. Considering his track record, more than one NFL team will rush to pay him the kind of money he wants, somewhere in the $8 million-a-year range that Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren makes, which is significantly more than the $6 million-to-$6.5 million-a-year deal the Steelers are believed to have offered.

LB Joey Porter has one year left on his contract that calls for a $4 million salary. It also calls for a $1 million roster bonus due in March, so the Steelers should make their intentions known quickly about what their plans are for him. "At the end of the day it's going to be up to the organization," Porter said. "I am here. This is home for me. But it is a business and just like everybody else I want to make sure I make the right business move for my family. I would love to finish my career here. I am going to just sit back and wait."

Romeo Crennel will make the case to owner Randy Lerner in upcoming organizational meetings that the Browns are making progress despite a drop-off in wins from six to four in his second season as coach. Asked if he expected to remain Browns coach after the evaluation process, Crennel said, "I believe I will. I have no reason to think otherwise." Crennel's 10-22 (.313) record is the worst among coaches with more than one season. He fell behind San Francisco's Mike Nolan, who is 11-21 (.344) after improving on his first season of 4-12.

Jags QB David Garrard pondered his future Monday night after the players took their physicals and coach Jack Del Rio held a brief farewell meeting. "I'll be ready for whatever,'' Garrard said. "You have to be a professional about it and be a man and live with whatever happens.'' Garrard could be competing for the starting job with Quinn Gray in training camp next year. Byron Leftwich's contract expires after the 2007 season, and his future with the Jaguars is uncertain. There's also a chance the Jaguars will sign a veteran free agent quarterback.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank did not rule out a college head coach, which is why Louisville's Bobby Petrino, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops or Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, whose son is on the Falcons' practice squad, might be considered.

The Steelers do not expect Bill Cowher to reveal his plans this week, but Cowher said it won't be long after that. They'd like a quick decision because they'd like to begin the search for his successor as soon as possible. Offensive line coach Russ Grimm, also the assistant head coach, and offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt are considered prime candidates to replace Cowher. One or both also could be attractive candidates elsewhere, particularly in Atlanta and Arizona, teams that fired their coaches yesterday. Whisenhunt is a Georgia native who played at Georgia Tech and was a tight end for the Falcons. He also started his pro coaching career with them.

After missing almost the entire season because of problems with repeated concussions, Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Dan Morgan has been cleared to play in 2007. Morgan met with Pittsburgh concussion specialist Dr. Michael Collins on Wednesday and received the clearance. Collins had recommended in October that Morgan sit out the rest of the season because he had two concussions in the span of about three weeks. "Obviously it's good news any time one of your players is medically cleared," general manager Marty Hurney said Monday. "It's good for Dan, and it's good for us."

Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga should find out Today whether his head coach is rolling to the University of Alabama. Despite repeated denials of interest in the job to both Huizenga and the media, Dolphins coach Nick Saban met Monday night with Alabama Athletic Director Mal Moore in South Florida to discuss the Crimson Tide's coaching vacancy, a source said. Huizenga said he spoke with Saban on Monday night but there was "nothing to report." Huizenga said he was going to meet with Saban Tuesday morning to discuss the situation.

As they cleaned out their lockers Monday morning, most Green Bay Packers players were under the assumption quarterback Brett Favre was getting ready to have his left ankle operated on. It turned out that they were wrong. The surgery was postponed, according to a club spokesman. No further information was given, so it's unclear if the surgery would be rescheduled this week. However, general manager Ted Thompson and Packers coach Mike McCarthy both said after the game that surgery was only tentatively scheduled for Monday and that it could occur in the next couple of days. So it may not be significant that it didn't take place when Favre said it would, especially given it was New Year's Day and the team's medical staff was busy giving exit physicals to the players.

The preliminary diagnosis on Patriots safety Rodney Harrison is a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. It is expected to sideline Harrison for Sunday’s playoff opener against the Jets and possibly the entire postseason. Sources last night indicated that Harrison suffered a mid-level sprain of his MCL, which is one of the stabilizing ligaments of the knee. He could be sidelined for 2-4 weeks. Should the Patriots reach Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, it would be five weeks to the day after Harrison was injured.

Lions QB Jon Kitna made a pitch on behalf of his top catcher, Mike Furrey. Furrey and the Lions failed to reach agreement on a contract before this season ended, and Kitna was disappointed. Furrey gave the Lions more bang for their buck than any player in the NFL. He was signed as a free agent last offseason to a one-year contract worth $500,000. For that, the Lions got the NFC's leader in receptions. Kitna took a strong stand in going to bat for a teammate in his contract talks. "He's awesome," Kitna said of Furrey. "He did a great job, and it is unfortunate that they have not signed him yet. "That should have been done."

Redskins coach Joe Gibbs also said he expects this year's free agent busts -- moody, unproductive receiver Brandon Lloyd and long-ago demoted safety Adam Archuleta -- to return despite their problematic contracts. "Brandon can have a bright future here," Gibbs said of Lloyd, who didn't have a touchdown among his 23 catches. As for Archuleta: "It was a tough year for Arch. We'll just see where it takes us. Right now [I think he'll be back]."

Hollis Thomas is eligible to rejoin the Saints today, almost one month since the NFL suspended him for four weeks for violation of the league's steroid policy. Thomas, the Saints' run-stopping defensive tackle, steadfastly proclaimed his innocence, stating, with the assistance of the Saints' team doctor, that a combination of asthma medication he was taking to survive the stifling heat of the Saints' summer training camp in Jackson, Miss., combined to possibly create a false positive test for the banned Beta-2 agonist clenbuterol. In the four weeks Thomas has been away, New Orleans has gone 2-2, won the division championship and qualified for the NFC playoffs as the second seed with a first-round bye. But the Saints' run defense in his four-game absence has allowed 466 rushing yards on 98 carries, a 4.75 per-carry average, and two touchdowns. "He's ready," Saints Coach Sean Payton said. "We've got his weight where we want it. He's been working out. He's done a good job with all of that. This bye week will give him an additional week to be here and work out, and then we'll be ready to go. He's a starter."

Browns coach Romeo Crennel sounded optimistic that running back Reuben Droughns will be back. "I think he's shown in the last couple games that he can gain some yards and he can run the ball," said Crennel. "We expect him to do better. Is he the 1,200-yard runner that we had last year? No, but he's still the same type of back."

The investigation into the shooting death of Broncos player Darrent Williams is focusing on a white sport utility vehicle and interviews with the group in Williams' limousine and those at the nightclub where he spent his last hours. Police say they are trying to determine whether an altercation in the club, the Shelter, was linked to the shooting at West 11th Avenue and Speer Boulevard at 2 a.m. Monday. A white Chevrolet Suburban or Tahoe pulled up next to the stretch Hummer limo, and someone in the SUV, which had tinted windows, peppered the Hummer with shots from a handgun, according to police. One of the limo's windows was blown out, and the driver's side of the vehicle was pockmarked with 14 bullet holes. Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker, who was also in the limo, was not hurt. Williams was struck in the neck with a bullet, according to his agent Jeff Griffin, and was pronounced dead at Denver Health Medical Center. Broncos running back Tatum Bell said he heard from witnesses that Williams died instantly. Two passengers were taken to St. Anthony Central Hospital with gunshot wounds. Brandon Flowers, who is not a member of the Broncos, was treated and released, police said. His age and hometown were not released. Passenger Nicole Reindl, 21, does not have life-threatening injuries and could be released from St. Anthony within the next day or two. Reached at his home in Lakewood on Monday night, Reindl's father said she was "fine" but wouldn't elaborate.

Several Browns players' contracts expire after the season, including center Hank Fraley, guard Cosey Coleman, receiver Dennnis Northcutt, defensive end Alvin McKinley and safety Brian Russell. Russell seems the top priority. Because of substitution packages, Russell, Sean Jones and Brodney Pool were on the field for almost two-thirds of the defensive plays. Russell has made no secret he would like to be back. The Browns appear poised to let the rest test the market.

If Packers coach Mike McCarthy were to consider promoting from his own staff, offensive line coach Joe Philbin and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements would be the logical leading candidates as offensive coordinator. On Monday, both coaches were extremely cautious in discussing the vacancy, even carefully guarding whether they're interested in the job. "We'll discuss that later on," said Clements. "We're just finalizing the season." It isn't known if they have approached or will approach McCarthy to campaign for the job. "There'd be some interest if Coach thought that was the best thing," said Philbin. "If he approaches me about it and there's mutual interest, we'll certainly talk about it."

Several NFL teams signed players to contract extensions in the final weeks of the regular season, but the Seahawks will wait until their season concludes before looking into such matters with their free-agents-to-be. Kicker Josh Brown emerged as one who could be a top priority after his 2006 regular-season performance. Brown made a career-high 25 field goals (on 31 attempts) and won four games with kicks in the final minute of games. Brown will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Wide receiver D.J. Hackett (restricted free agent), defensive tackle Craig Terrill (restricted free agent), tight end Will Heller, defensive back Jordan Babineaux (restricted free agent) and cornerback Jimmy Williams are others whose play could merit another contract or higher tender offer. The Seahawks have the right to match any offer from other teams for their restricted free agents, while unrestricted free agents, like Brown, can sign elsewhere and not have to wait to see if Seattle matches.

Did You Know how much the Lions stink? Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Lions' winning percentage (42.1 percent) is the fourth-worst in the NFL. Only Arizona (39.5), Tampa Bay (38.6) and the Houston Texans (30.0) are lower. The Atlanta Falcons (42.4) recently passed the Lions.

• Since 1945, the Lions are the only team in the NFC North Division with a below-.500 winning percentage. Minnesota (55.0) leads and is followed by Chicago (50.6) and Green Bay (50.5).

• Since Matt Millen took over as Lions president six seasons ago, the Lions are 24-72 -- the worst record in the NFL during that span.

• Since winning the 1957 NFL Championship, the Lions have won one playoff game.

Dolphins Nick Saban said bolstering the depth on the offensive line would be a "major project" and that he'd consider moving L.J. Shelton back from right guard to left tackle. He also intends to get younger with his core defensive linemen averaging 33 years old, meaning that Jeff Zgonina, 36, and Keith Traylor, 37, are most likely expendable.

Frank Gore's first season as the 49ers' starting tailback ended with him leading the NFC in rushing and owning every meaningful franchise record for a runner. Hey, Frank, what will you do for an encore? "I'm going for 2,200 (yards) next year," he said with a straight face. "That's the record, right?" As a matter of fact, 2,200 yards would shatter the season rushing record -- 2,105 yards -- Eric Dickerson set in 1984. Baltimore tailback Jamal Lewis flirted with the mark in 2003, and Gore would need to tack 411 yards onto his total this season (1,695) to earn the record.

Veteran fullback William Henderson may have played his last game for the Green Bay Packers. Henderson, 35, a third-round draft choice in 1995 and one of two players left from the Packers' 1996 Super Bowl championship team, lost his starting job to second-year man Brandon Miree and could retire or be released. For the time being, Henderson said he's going to try to enjoy the offseason and not worry about what the future might hold for him. "It's time for me to give my son his due and my daughter her due, and give my wife some time," Henderson said. "I'm hopefully going to be working on my other career, getting in front of the camera some more, doing some things." An aspiring broadcaster, Henderson has since 1999 co-hosted a weekly Packers show during the season for WBAY-TV in Green Bay. He also worked as a draft-day analyst for ESPN last April.

The Broncos are expected to sign several players to reserve-future contracts as soon as today, when the signing period begins. Denver is expected to sign 12 players, most of whom have played in the league and whom the Broncos worked out during the season. Among the players likely to sign are offensive lineman Jacob Rogers, linebacker Eddie Moore and receiver Teyo Johnson. All three players are former second-round picks. Also likely to sign is quarterback Darrell Hackney. He was a rookie from Alabama-Birmingham, who spent the preseason with the Cleveland Browns.

Under contract through 2008, Dwight Smith said he expects to be back with the Vikings next season but added, "I signed a five-year (contract) in New Orleans last year (and was released). You never know."

Coach Rod Marinelli will announce today that defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson will not return to the Lions next season, an NFL source said Monday. Marinelli and Henderson have agreed to a mutual parting because they have different defensive philosophies. They have a strong relationship that goes back to the late 1970s and a lot of respect for each other. But Henderson had no background in the Tampa Two system that Marinelli brought from Tampa Bay and never grew comfortable in it this season. Neither was available for comment Monday. The leading candidate to replace Henderson is believed to be Tampa Bay linebackers coach Joe Barry, Marinelli's son-in-law. His father, Mike Barry, is the Lions' assistant offensive line coach.

If the Giants choose Jerry Reese, a member of the organization since joining as a scout in 1994, it will be interesting to see what he does with Tom Coughlin, who is owed $3 million next season. The Giants have not granted Reese permission to speak to the media. If the Giants do not fire Coughlin, they will likely offer him no more than a one-year extension.

With coaching vacancies in Atlanta and Arizona, Redskins associate head coach-offense Al Saunders could be a candidate. Cornerbacks coach Jerry Gray also is a potential candidate to join his alma mater, the University of Texas, as a defensive coordinator.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak echoed what owner Bob McNair said about QB David Carr after the Cleveland game. McNair said before a team gets rid of a player, it better know who's going to replace him and what it's going to take to get the new player. "You've got to look at your options," Kubiak said. "You might be staring at the best option if you just coach a little better and work a little harder." The Carr decision is paramount because Kubiak has a specific goal in mind for the offense during the offseason. "We've got to find some playmakers," he said. "We have got to find a way to make some big plays. It's so hard to just march 3 and 4 yards a play. "We didn't score enough points, either. Somehow, we've got to find guys that can make big plays and score points, because we definitely didn't do that this year."

For the second consecutive offseason, Broncos middle linebacker Al Wilson will need surgery to repair a broken thumb.

Who Knew? The lone chink in Baltimore’s armor is its 31st-ranked rushing attack (3.44 YPA). Only the pathetic Cardinals were worse. A playoff opponent with a stout run defense, like the Patriots or Jets, could make the Ravens offense one-dimensional.

Ryan Clark, the Steelers' only big signing in free agency the past year, said he'd like to compete with rookie Anthony Smith to get his job back in 2007. Smith, a third-round draft choice from Syracuse, started the final four games at free safety after a groin injury felled Clark. "I would love to go in on equal ground and just go play football ... if he outplays me he's going to start and he should start," said Clark.

Joe Jurevicius had a strong message for fellow receiver Braylon Edwards heading into the off-season: eliminate the distractions. "A lot of [the criticism of Edwards] was deserved, but the most important thing to remember is Braylon is a phenomenal athlete and a great receiver," Jurevicius said. "Hopefully, he'll learn that some of the things he did this season were distractions. Those are some of the things we need to [eliminate] as a team." Asked if he's said anything to Edwards, Jurevicius said, "He's a smart enough guy to know that he doesn't need those distractions himself. It's going to be a self-[awareness] kind of thing. And if he needs to talk to me, I'm always willing to talk to him."

Browns coach Romeo Crennel indicated that Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson and perhaps a quarterback to be named could enter training camp in an open competition.