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Those changes are part of what NFL Network insider Adam Schefter characterized as "undoubtedly, the single busiest, newsiest, three-month stretch in NFL history."
Schefter went on to remind readers that since the first week of January, 10 teams made coaching changes, 32 owners went to the mat (with each other more so than with the NFLPA) -- and down the wire (repeatedly) -- before reaching agreement on a new collective-bargaining agreement, commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced his retirement, about 30 veterans have been released and about 200 new contracts have changed the landscape and look of the NFL.
But I'm with Covitz; of all the changes made so far, none will have greater impact on the league's offenses -- and hence on Fantasy owners -- as the movement of quarterbacks.
So far, 19 signal callers, with 99 starts last season, have left their former teams. And we're still not done. If nothing else, this month's NFL Draft, featuring Texas' Vince Young, Southern California's Matt Leinart and Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, could lead to further movement.
Of course, the changes already made will have a huge impact.
The trade sending Daunte Culpepper to Miami for a second-round draft choice and San Diego allowing Drew Brees to hit the road and sign with the Saints head the list of high-end moves.
Those changes, in turn, put Minnesota's offense in the hands of an aging veteran, Brad Johnson, coming off a solid 2005 effort and leaves the Chargers at the mercy of an inexperienced Philip Rivers in a season in which head coach Marty Schottenheimer's job could be on the line.
Not surprisingly, those developments have garnered most of the headlines.
But that doesn't mean others aren't noteworthy. This week's Fantasy Notebook will look at some of the quarterback competitions created so far this offseason -- whether they're of the traditional head-to-head variety or less conventional. ...
We'll start in Detroit, where Jon Kitna has about six months to hold onto his position as starter.
"If we were out there today, he would take the first snap," head coach Rod Marinelli said Wednesday morning at the NFL meetings.
The Lions signed free-agents Kitna and Josh McCown, both with starting experience, to replace Joey Harrington.
"They both a great, great passion for football," Marinelli said. "They'll come in the morning and stay all day."
Marinelli said McCown is tentatively his No. 2 quarterback, followed by second-year pro Dan Orlovsky and Shaun King, who has six years of NFL experience, though he said the pecking order could change before the season begins.
The first-year coach also said he doesn't anticipate the Lions drafting a quarterback in April.
As the Associated Press noted, earlier this month, Marinelli said the team was moving in a different direction without Harrington as quarterback.
The Lions have allowed Harrington and his agent to seek a trade -- before June 15, when he's due a $4 million roster bonus -- because they would like to get something in return for the third pick overall from 2002.
According to Miami Herald staffer Jason Cole, Harrington was leaning toward agreeing to a contract with the Dolphins on Saturday, eliminating the major hurdle to Miami and Detroit working out a low-level trade for the former first-round pick.
He's also reportedly received an offer from the Bengals. Seattle, Kansas City and Oakland also have expressed interest.
How fast does Marinelli want the Harrington situation to be finalized?
"Quickly, that would be nice," said Marinelli, who did his best to avoid the topic.
Getting back to Kitna and McNown. ... Just because one has been named the de facto starter, that doesn't mean he'll hold onto the job. Some fully expect McCown to wind up moving past Kitna in due course; some sooner rather than later.
In an article published March 17, Sports Illustrated insider Don Banks wrote: "Mark it down: McCown will be one of the better signings of the 2006 free-agency class. He's experienced enough to win games right away, but young enough, with enough upside to still develop into considerably more than he is today.
"And two years' working with Martz -- who helped make Kurt Warner, Trent Green and Marc Bulger into NFL stars -- is a gift any young quarterback would relish. ..."
While McCown has a long way to go towards making good on Banks' prediction, I do believe the former Cardinal will push Kitna.
It's probably worth noting the Lions guaranteed McCown $4 million this season and $2 million in 2007. Kitna also was rewarded amply at $11.5 million for four years.
In the end, I tend to agree with Profootballtalk.com editor Mike Florio, who suggested this past week the Lions are committed to using the best man at quarterback this year. But if Kitna and McCown are relatively equal, Kitna will get the edge due to his age and experience. ...
In Chicago. ... As AP sports writer Andrew Seligman initially reported it, "Brian Griese made it clear: He will do all he can to become the Bears' starting quarterback.
"And Lovie Smith made this clear: the job is Rex Grossman's. ..."
"I don't think any player worth his salt is content to be a backup," Griese said during a March 22 conference call, one day after agreeing to a five-year deal with the Bears worth between $14-24 million with incentives. "Especially somebody that's been a starter before. I'm not going to resign myself to anything."
If Grossman outplays him, fine. But Griese hopes Smith keeps an open mind.
For now, the coach is sticking with Grossman.
"That's the way we're going to start up our football team, and we'll go from there," Smith said. "It's that way at every position. The person that's at the top of the depth chart knows he has to play a certain way or you give the second guy an opportunity to play. ... It's good to have these type of players at the quarterback position."
True that.
And the Bears, perhaps as well as any team in the league know it.
In six of the last eight seasons, the Bears have used at least three starting quarterbacks, including four in 2004. In one 91-game stretch over that span, the Bears made 26 starting changes at quarterback.
General manager Jerry Angelo was criticized by some fans after for failing to land an experienced quarterback after Warner, Brad Johnson and Jay Fiedler balked at backing up Grossman last offseason. The volume remained loud after Grossman broke his ankle last August -- an injury that kept him out of the first 13 games.
Although Kyle Orton struggled, the Bears were 9-4 before Grossman replaced him during the second half of a victory against Atlanta in December. They finished the regular season 11-5 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
Grossman completed 20-of-39 passes for 259 yards in two regular-season games, but he showed glimpses of the potential that led the Bears to draft him 22nd overall in 2003.
Now, he has a seasoned backup -- if not a challenger.
And Orton? He knew the starting spot wasn't his with Grossman healthy. Now the arrival of Griese bumps him back to No. 3.
"I'm sure Kyle won't be the happiest guy, given the fact this brings another quarterback into the mix, but he's a competitor," said Angelo. "We like Kyle very much."
Which prompted Boston Globe reporter Ron Borges to wonder "what they would have done to him if they didn't like him?"
Meanwhile, Angelo seemed relieved that a two-year search in which he said five quarterbacks turned down the Bears is over.
"Since I've been here, we've always gotten to our third or fourth quarterback," he explained. "Hopefully, that's going to end. We feel real good at this point."
In fact, Chicago Sun-Times staffer Brad Biggs reminded readers that as lukewarm as Angelo was about the other veterans available last offseason, he was hot for Griese.
Not without reason.
Griese has thrown for 16,344 yards and 103 touchdowns in eight seasons with Denver, Miami and Tampa Bay. He led the Buccaneers to a 5-1 record before sustaining a season-ending knee injury, and Tampa Bay decided to release him March 10 rather than pay a $2.6 million roster bonus.
The Buccaneers were interested in bringing him back, and Griese visited Cincinnati before choosing Chicago. He said his knee "feels great," and he expects to be ready for mini-camp.
He's familiar with the offense, and the fact that Grossman has seven regular-season starts and a history of injuries probably wasn't lost on Griese.
"Ultimately, the decision on who plays and who doesn't play rests with [Smith]," Griese said. "It's not for me to say."
And it won't be easy to get past a healthy Grossman. As Chicago Tribune staff reporter K.C. Johnson noted last week, working with the same coordinator and in the same offensive system over successive seasons for the first time since his sophomore year at Florida, Grossman is healthy and eager to prove his doubters wrong.
However, he also knows that if the quarterback with seven career regular-season starts over the course of three injury-plagued seasons falters, the one with 72 career starts over eight seasons is coming in.
"Just like every other position, you have to perform to keep your job," Grossman said. "That's the way life is. But it's not like if I throw an interception, I'm out."
According to Johnson, Grossman took about six weeks off after the divisional playoff loss to Carolina. Since then he has spent four to five days each week at Halas Hall, working out with strength and conditioning coach Rusty Jones and wearing out film with offensive coordinator Ron Turner.
They spend hours reviewing routes, analyzing defenses, working on plays. This comfort level and commitment has Grossman more confident than ever.
"Anytime things come to you more quickly, you react faster," Grossman said. "Football is a game of inches. You have to be quick and fast. Pre-snap reads will come quicker, knowing where I might go with the football.
"After I get done with training camp this year, when I line up for the first game, it will be boom, boom, boom. I'll look around, get comfortable, take a deep breath and just go play. ..."
One last note here. ... Grossman has compiled a career 68.8 passer rating, but he and Orton had identical 59.7 ratings last season -- the lowest in the league. In 2004, Bears quarterbacks Chad Hutchinson (73.6), Craig Krenzel (52.5), Jonathan Quinn (53.7) and Grossman (67.9) all finished far behind Griese's mark of 97.5.
The Bears haven't had a starting quarterback with a passer rating that high since 1984, when Jim McMahon had a 97.8 mark. ...
In Buffalo. ... The Bills' quarterback position is wide open. According to Buffalo News sports reporter Mark Gaughan, "It's so wide open that a guy with no NFL starts in four years has a shot to win it."
Upon introducing free-agent acquisition Craig Nall, team officials made it clear the former Packer will get a chance to compete for the starting position.
"He's very much ready to emerge in my opinion," said general manager Marv Levy. "I like his ability to throw the ball. What I've studied, he's been extremely compelling when he has played."
Nall, who turns 27 on April 21, hasn't played much. He started only one season in his college career, then sat on the bench for the past four years behind Brett Favre in Green Bay. Nall did get to play in NFL Europe in 2003 and was the top-rated passer in the developmental league that season.
Nevertheless, Levy claimed Nall is as much a contender for the job as incumbents J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb.
"Dick [Jauron] and I have both talked about this, that it is a wide-open thing," Levy said, referring to the Bills' new head coach. "And Craig is in the picture just as much as the others."
The fact the Bills would make the QB derby a three-way race is another sign the team's new regime is not banking its future on Losman.
Asked what the signing says about Losman, Levy said, "It doesn't say anything detrimental at all about him. We're going to have three quarterbacks here. We said it before we even had Craig on our radar screen, that it's going to be a competitive situation at quarterback.
"It's open for all three of them."
Well. ... Maybe.
In a column published Thursday, Yahoo! Sports correspondent Charles Robinson, citing two "league sources," advised readers that Losman hasn't gained the confidence of the new regime. Robinson added that both sources expect the team to put the former first-round pick on the trade block before the start of the 2006 season - if he isn't already there.
Another unnamed personnel man familiar with the situation said he expects Levy to put out trade feelers for Losman in the coming weeks.
"I think it's going to be something that boils down to Nall as the No. 1 and Holcomb as the backup," he told Robinson. "If you went through the locker room and people were honest, (there would be) a lot of people who aren't sold on Losman as a leader."
When asked if Losman could still win the support of Levy and teammates in the coming weeks, the source painted the situation as "doubtful."
"The biggest advocates of (Losman as a starter -- ex-general manager Tom Donahoe and ex-head coach Mike Mularkey) are gone, but he's still a guy who has trade value," he said. "If Nall ends up being the starter and Holcomb is a solid backup you can rely on, why would you have Losman sitting at the bottom (of the depth chart) when you can still get something out there for him?"
Robinson conceded, however, if there is any inclination to move Losman, the Bills haven't shown it publicly -- outside of bringing Nall on board and proclaiming the competition open.
Jauron has been supportive and complimentary of Losman so far; but make no mistake about it: The coach is well aware of the biggest challenge he faces in his new job.
"The one that confronts us right away and almost on a daily basis is the quarterback issue," he said during the owners meetings. "To be successful, we've got to solve that. We've got to find a quarterback who will perform at a high level, make plays and lead the team. I'm pretty certain that without that guy, you don't win a lot of games in our league.
"That's the No. 1 challenge for us."
The real question, of course, is what might lead team officials -- or anybody else for that matter -- to believe Nall, who signed a three-year deal, with a signing bonus believed to be worth $1.3 million, is capable of performing at the necessary level?
Remember: He has thrown just 33 passes in six regular-season appearances the past four years. He completed 23 of them for 314 yards and four TDs. His passer rating in that spot duty is 139.4.
Still, Levy rattled off a long list of reasons why Nall is more than No. 3 QB material.
Said the GM: "He has been in the league now for three or four years. This isn't a rookie. He's been in a program that has developed previously unknown quarterbacks -- or relatively unknowns. Kurt Warner. Matt Hasselbeck. [Mark] Brunell was known, but none of them really blossomed [until leaving Green Bay].
"He was there in a great quarterback program behind a Hall-of-Fame-destined quarterback in Brett Favre. He's been in the NFL.
"In the regular season he has a 139 quarterback rating with no interceptions and four touchdowns. I like his composure. I know Green Bay likes him, they wanted to retain him. Minnesota was hungering to bring him in with the departure of Daunte Culpepper. I think he's got a level head. He's an intelligent young man, good size, good arm, good composure."
Wow. ... Do you think OI' Marv has a favorite here?
Gaughan further discounted the notion of an even competition by noting it would be difficult if not impossible to give three quarterbacks equal repetitions in training camp while all the players are trying to learn the system being installed by new offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild.
Because of that, spring workouts and mini-camps will be an important part of the evaluation process.
"It's not like training camp and it's not like playing the game," Jauron said. "But we get to see them. We get to see them think, we get to see them in the huddle, get the feel for the team around them. It's still not the game. But it is important."
The coach went on to suggest it's not certain there will be a clear pecking order by June.
"Maybe not going in [at training camp], but soon thereafter," he said. Unless Robinson is right and the Bills send Losman packing. ...
While the three situations outlined above are prime examples of classic competition, there are other -- some might say less-conventional -- battles worth watching in coming weeks. One QB will be competing mostly against himself; another might be struggling against a system; a third seems to be taking on management.
Heck, one is even involved in (a rather one-sided) battle with his former coach. ...
In Oakland. ... One of the reasons Aaron Brooks agreed to a two-year contract with the Raiders is for an opportunity to prove his last season in New Orleans wouldn't define his career.
Brooks, the early favorite to replace Kerry Collins as the team's starter, threw for more than 20 touchdowns and 3,500 yards in each of the ensuing four seasons as a Saint -- the best streaks in either category in club history. Last season he reached 120 career touchdown passes with the franchise, surpassing the old club record of 115 held by Archie Manning.
Unfortunately, he also went 3-10 as a starter, prompting then-coach Jim Haslett to bench him in favor of career backup Todd Bouman for the final three games.
Haslett told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that Brooks "regressed" last season but wouldn't say the unusual circumstances of having no headquarters or home field because of Hurricane Katrina were excuses.
It was a hard performance to excuse. Brooks completed just 56 percent of his passes, tossing 13 touchdowns against 17 interceptions, compiling a career-low passer rating of 70.0 and often proving to be his own worst enemy.
Indeed, despite his overall success, the AP recently suggested Brooks may be most remembered in New Orleans for his untimely interceptions, fumbles and botched plays, like when he tried to avoid being sacked by throwing an inaccurate backward pass to lineman Wayne Gandy in a lopsided loss to San Diego in 2004.
If nothing else, the change of scenery means a fresh start. And Brooks' agent, Mason Ashe, said his client views the Raiders a "win-win" situation.
The Raiders are stable in the skill positions, with receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter and tailback LaMont Jordan. The Raiders believe they have pieces in place for a high-scoring offense.
"It doesn't get any better than this for a quarterback coming into a new situation," fullback Zack Crockett said.
Crockett said he looks forward to playing with Brooks and that the quarterback reminded him of Rich Gannon and former Florida State teammate Charlie Ward.
"He can move around, and he's known for his escapability," Crockett said. "It helps everyone. It helps the offensive line. It helps the running backs. It helps the receivers. And you've got a new coach who played offensive line, so you know he's going to protect you."
We'll see. ... As Sacramento Bee staffer Jason Jones summed up: "If Brooks can resurrect the athleticism and instincts that once made him an exciting quarterback to watch, he likely will be more Gannon and less Collins, whose immobility limited his effectiveness when the offensive line broke down. ..."
In Atlanta. ... Head coach Jim Mora sat down with about a dozen reporters Tuesday at the coaches' media breakfast at the owners' meetings and answered a variety of questions.
According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Steve Wyche, Michael Vick's name came up early and often.
Asked what changes might be made offensively to better use Vick's skills, Mora said his staff went back to school -- college to be precise -- at least figuratively speaking.
"What we've done this offseason is we've looked at Texas, West Virginia and Missouri and some of their shotgun run stuff and the way they use their quarterbacks in their system," the coach explained. "Some of the stuff they do out of the shotgun is kind of like the old veer stuff with the quarterback making reads, putting the ball in the running back's stomach, reading the end and either dropping it off and pulling it out.
"We have a quarterback that's capable of that. It's great stuff. Working from under center, it's tough to see. In the shotgun, you can see it. We're trying to learn from anyone we can."
Could it be that Vick's recent complaints about feeling a "little lost" in the team's version of the West Coast offense will lead to significant changes?
Vick also suggested that offensive coordinator Greg Knapp "needs to know exactly what type of talent he's working with. ... You've got to be creative."
If one believes Vick meant to send a message with those comments, Mora's comments might be taken as an indication the message was received -- loud and clear. ...
In Green Bay. ... Brett Favre continues to put the screws to management, who on Friday pushed out the deadline on a roster bonus for the venerable one -- for the second time. The new due date is April 15.
On Thursday, Favre told the Sun Herald in Gulfport, Miss., that he wants to play for the Packers only if they assemble a winning team. He also said that even if he plays, this is going to be his final NFL season.
Rumors had been circulating that Favre would have to make his decision to return by yesterday -- the previous deadline, but Favre said they were untrue.
"If I don't tell them by Saturday, what will they do, cut me?" Favre, who some say is not a huge fan of general manager Ted Thompson, asked.
Moving the deadline again was the answer. This time.
It remains to be seen, however, how much longer Thompson, who some suggest is no bigger fan of Favre than Favre is of him, will be able to demonstrate his current level of patience. At some point, the team needs an answer.
New head coach Mike McCarthy lent further credence to those contending there's a gap between Favre's desire to see the team upgrade his supporting cast and their intention to do so.
"What I've told Brett is the things you need to focus on is, No. 1, playing quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, and being the leader that you have been since 1992, and don't worry about the other stuff," McCarthy said Friday.
When asked what that "other stuff" is, McCarthy said: "You know. Who we're signing. Who's coming here."
Based on the Sun Herald interview, it doesn't sound like McCarthy's advice is being taken very seriously. ...
In Tennessee. ... A day after his agent said Steve McNair isn't excited about mentoring the young quarterback the Titans are expected to select in the draft on April 29-30, the 11-year veteran said he simply wants to continue his football career.
"Anybody who knows me knows that it's not about me not wanting to help a guy," he told the Nashville Tennessean. "I just want to play, and I want to be a starter."
Still, concern continues to mount about McNair's contract and his future with the Titans, who have the third pick in the draft. McNair is scheduled to count $23.45 million against the salary cap this year and earn a base salary of $9 million.
The Titans would like to lower the cap number, but talks between the two sides remain stagnant even though McNair knows there's a chance the Titans could release him without a new agreement. ...
And finally, in Minnesota. ... One week after head coach Brad Childress said he was finished talking about Culpepper, the criticism continued Wednesday.
According to Palm Beach Post staff writer Jeff Darlington, Childress went into detail about his displeasure with Culpepper's desire to rehabilitate his knee in Orlando -- where the player lives during the off-season -- rather than at the team's facility in Minnesota.
According to Childress, when he spoke with Culpepper about returning to Minnesota because of what he considered inadequate Orlando facilities, Culpepper replied: "I'm good. That's where I'm doing it."
"He was doing himself a disservice," Childress said. "I told him, 'You can do better for yourself.'"
This wasn't the first time Childress let loose on his feelings about Culpepper.
Just last week -- in what he said would be his last comments about trading Culpepper -- the coach told the Minneapolis Star Tribune he turned down the quarterback's request for a playbook after the relationship had been fractured.
"Of the 64 people we have under contract, we've got 55 people in Minneapolis," Childress said Wednesday. "In my mind, logically, I would think if you're part of that, and as central a piece as the quarterback is, that you would immerse yourself with that other 55 guys and immerse yourself in the system.
"That would have been my expectation."
Although he hasn't offered much in the way of a verbal response to Childress' attacks, Culpepper might have landed the most damaging blow by granting new coach Nick Saban's wish that he continue his rehabilitation at the Dolphins' facility almost immediately upon being traded to Miami.