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Another Sunday, another Fantasy Notebook. ... And we're coming off yet another week dominated by what the Denver media have ingeniously (or not) dubbed "McJayGate." Good grief. ... It has a name.
Those want to catch up on the ongoing soap opera (which now includes reports suggesting Jay Cutler's alcohol consumption and lack of football smarts "scared the crap" out of new head coach Josh McDaniels) are encouraged to hit Cutler's FootballDiehards.com player page and peruse the News & Views headlines for the most recent developments.
Those looking for relief, however, will find this week's Notebook to be a (mostly) Cutler-free zone. Enjoy (it's safe to say I will). ...
We'll get the ball rolling in Dallas this week, where Jerry Jones created a stir -- unintentionally -- during a local television appearance earlier this month in which the owner/general manager discussed the possibility of moving Marion Barber back to a closer role.
"I think this is a legitimate question because that's where Barber began and that's where he had tremendous impact on the success of our team," Jones said. "It's really not behind Felix Jones. ... But using his skills when the defense is worn down a little bit because of how physical he is."
According to Dallas Morning News staffer Calvin Watkins, the fact that the Cowboys would consider moving Felix Jones ahead Barber as the starter isn't the issue.
Finishing the game is.
While he believes Barber is likely to remain the starter in 2009, Watkins also expects Jones and Tashard Choice to get more carries than they did last season.
If that happens, Watkins advises readers that Barber should close games with a fury. And when Barber has done that, the Cowboys have had success. And Fantasy owners have shared in that success.
In 2007, as a backup to Julius Jones, Barber rushed for a team-leading 975 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Cowboys finished 13-3 and became the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
That same year, Barber led the NFL with 402 fourth-quarter rushing yards and was seventh in the league with 603 second-half rushing yards.
The Cowboys also outscored their opponents, 247-140, in the second half of games.
So, what happened in 2008?
Barber finished out of the top 25 in fourth-quarter rushing yards (185) and was 25th in second-half rushing yards (399). His average fell to 3.7 yards per carry. The Cowboys, meanwhile, barely outscored their opponents (173-171) in the second half. ... And they missed the playoffs.
As Watkins went on to suggest, that can't happen again in 2009. Jerry Jones understands that finishing games is vital to his team's success.
The tricky part is making sure Barber has the strength to do that this season.
And based on last season's effort, if Barber, who should recover from a dislocated little toe in time for spring workouts, is taking on the bulk of the carries, he could wear down late. This is where Felix Jones and Choice come in.
These are two young players the Cowboys have to get on the field while making sure Barber is still a primary weapon.
"To say Marion Barber is not going to be involved or have the carries we all think he would is not a issue at all," Jerry Jones said. "It's a question of the timing of those carries. ... To help us better win games."
One reason to believe all the backs will be capable of putting up greater overall totals would be Terrell Owens' departure. As San Antonio Express-News staffer Tom Orsborn put it: "To make their offense sizzle in the post-Terrell Owens era, the Dallas Cowboys should embrace The Power of Three."
Indeed, with T.O. no longer an issue, Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw suggests the 2009 season will require the running backs to put in some O.T.
Cowlishaw went on to remind readers that the Giants -- with their three-back attack featuring Brandon Jacobs, (the since departed) Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw -- led the NFL in rushing with more than 157 yards per game in 2008.
And a team that emphasizes a strong running attack improves its chances to win cold-weather games in December. In case you haven't been paying attention, the Cowboys have struggled in December games in all kinds of weather for years.
Now, with Owens gone, the pressure on offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is magnified.
But that doesn't mean Owens' release came as unsettling news to Garrett, who will undoubtedly be out to prove himself capable of fielding a high-powered offense without his former locker-room nemesis mucking things up.
So how does the young play caller get that done?
Without Owens -- and with little money to spend on an additional wide receiver, Garrett has to recognize that his wide receiving corps is not special. Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and Sam Hurd have the potential to be OK.
Not special.
But, as Cowlishaw and others contend, where the Cowboys have a real chance to be special is in the backfield. The columnist has a point.
Remember: Jones averaged a team-leading 8.9 yards per carry before undergoing season-ending surgery. Choice, meanwhile, averaged 5.1 yards per carry and even ran effectively against the Steelers' top-ranked defense. Over the last four weeks of the season, Choice had two 90-plus-yard games.
All of which prompted Cowlishaw to ask: "What if the Cowboys shifted their balance and relied on the run as heavily as they do the pass?"
Seven teams averaged fewer carries per game than the Cowboys last year. Some of those were teams (Detroit, Kansas City, San Francisco) that found themselves behind so early in games they were forced to abandon the run.
Of the teams that had the weapons to run the ball, the Cowboys were at the bottom of the league in emphasizing those skills. Look for that to change.
Garrett no longer has to worry about a receiver whining publicly about his lack of catches.
And as Cowlishaw summed up: "A run-happy Cowboys team -- something the Cowboys were in the '90s when Garrett picked up a Super Bowl ring -- would stand a greater chance of avoiding the late-season fades that have plagued them during the Bill Parcells and Wade Phillips years."
Hard to argue that point. ...
Also in Dallas. ... Speaking to reporters at last week's NFL Owners' meeting in California, Jerry Jones told reporters that releasing Owens was mostly about putting Tony Romo in a better position to succeed.
But the owner also said one of the main reasons he decided to release Owens was because he expects Austin to emerge as a legitimate threat.
Jones ended his 30-minute session by saying, "I wouldn't trade Tony for anybody."
According to ESPN.com's Matt Mosley, that might have been in response to some of the rumors about trading Romo for Cutler (because I promised a mostly Cutler-free Notebook, we'll leave it at that).
Jones also talked about how pleased he was that Williams and Romo have been working out together so much at Valley Ranch. Jones said that Williams showed up for workouts three weeks before the actual voluntary workouts began.
Also worth noting. ... Addressing a question about Romo's intensity level, Jones said: "I've always been so amused about any talk of Tony and his focus on football and his work ethic. Tony's boring. He won't talk about anything but football and the Cowboys and how to move the ball and what plays we can run. I don't know if I've been around anybody that's just that into football.
"I wish he would talk more about spicy things, but I can't get him to."
Perhaps the owner hasn't figured out how to use Google. A quick search (using Romo, Jessica Simpson and webcam as the search terms) might provide Jones with the kind of hot gossip he's looking for (it certainly works for me). ...
In San Diego. ... The Chargers will have the highest-paid running back tandem in the NFL in 2009, and head coach Norv Turner believes it will serve them well.
According to San Diego Union-Tribune beat writer Kevin Acee, Turner doesn't believe LaDainian Tomlinson necessarily needs a caddie, but he thinks slightly expanding Darren Sproles' role will help the future Hall of Famer.
"If you talk about being around the great backs, they're at their comfort level when they get 22, 23, 25 carries," Turner said Tuesday at the owners' meetings. "[Tomlinson] had (a career-low 292) carries last season. I'd expect him to have more. I'd expect him to be in the 320s. That's what he does. He can handle it, and he'll be prepared to handle it.
"We have a luxury. We have a very good player in Darren Sproles. When it fits, we're going to use Darren. Over an entire season I think he can help LT carry that load."
Tomlinson suffered serious injuries in the first game (toe) and last game (groin) of the 2008 regular season. That limited him to a career-low 1,110 yards.
Tomlinson, who had the final three seasons of his contract reworked earlier this month, will make $6.725 million this season to Sproles' $6.61 million.
He is closing in on his 30th birthday in June, and coming off the most trying physical and emotional period in his career there are questions about how he will perform.
"I really believe that he'll have one of his better years this year," Turner said. "I believe he can be a 1,500-yard rusher and a guy who catches 50 balls."
Tomlinson seems to believe he's still capable of getting the job done, too.
Indeed, upon re-signing with the team earlier this month, LT suggested there was "a running back out there with a record I want."
Tomlinson is 6,595 yards behind all-time rushing leader Emmitt Smith. Moving past the former Cowboys great won't be easy. In fact, it might be nearly impossible.
As SI.com insider Peter King pointed out, Tomlinson turns 30 in June.
King further advised readers that looking at the top 10 all-time rushing leaders -- and examining how many yards they gained after their 30th birthdays, it's safe to say LT faces an uphill battle.
If Tomlinson is to catch Smith, he'll have to gain 800 yards more than any back in football has ever gained after the age of 30.
The facts prompted King to write: "Can it happen? Sure. The Chargers can also move to Tijuana this week too. ..."
In St. Louis. ... Time for Marc Bulger to start over. ... Again.
As St. Louis Post-Dispatch staffer Jeff Gordon reminded readers, Bulger has gone from the Air Martz offense to Scott Linehan's vertical passing game, Al Saunders' Air Martz Lite and now Pat Shurmur's new scheme.
Bulger is on his fifth head coach (counting the interim bosses). He has gone through a litany of position coaches and coordinators, too.
Gordon notes the Rams fell into a steady downward spiral through that period. So did Bulger's career.
The question now becomes whether Shurmur is the guy to pull Bulger out of his nose dive. It's a situation Fantasy owners will want to follow.
"This is definitely going to be the most trying, different scheme that I've had, but I think it's a good thing that it's a whole fresh start from the locker room to the building to the offense," Bulger told reporters earlier this month. "We all have to start from scratch.
"I've been meeting for about a month now; just getting the terminology down, but football's football. Coach Shurmur's doing a good job of deciphering everything for me."
But all the coaching in the world can't make up for a lack of supporting cast. While a healthy Steven Jackson is more than capable of carrying an offense, the Rams (and specifically Bulger) will have to fall back on some unproven talent to get the passing attack on track.
As Gordon suggested, that will be a big challenge.
With Torry Holt's recent release -- and with Drew Bennett and Dante Hall also long gone, the receiver depth chart features Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton and Derek Stanley as well as a number of players to be determined.
According to Gordon, that's a major concern because Avery and Burton often appeared lost when they played last season.
With issues at wideout and along the offensive line (including Orlando Pace's release), the Rams will continue filling their many holes through the draft, free agency and trades.
"There are a lot of faces that I didn't recognize, but that happens in March because your roster expands by 30 guys or so," Bulger said. "A lot of introductions in the last couple days. We're excited, but you lose guys and that's a part of the business and it's unfortunate, but we're excited with the new guys we have, too.
"I'm so used to having Torry out there and Orlando in the huddle, but with salary cap issues and a coaching change you know those things are going to happen. The team's turned over completely in the last eight or nine years, so it's one of the parts of the business that you don't like, but that's the reality."
According to Gordon, Shurmur's plan is to reboot Bulger by giving him a power running game to operate and better protection overall.
Indeed, new head coach Steve Spagnuolo has made it clear that Jackson will be a focal point of the St. Louis offense.
Asked about his star tailback at last month's NFL Scouting Combine, Spagnuolo replied: "He's an outstanding football player. And when you have talented football players, you use 'em as much as you can. And I think that'll happen. I think [Shurmur] will mesh Steve's talent with the other talent we have at the other positions, and hopefully we'll come up with something really good."
It should be noted that general manager Billy Devaney has taken a markedly Jackson-centric approach in terms of free agency. Making Jason Brown the league's highest-paid center and adding former Saints fullback Mike Karney to clear the way for Jackson lent further credence to Spagnuolo's assertions.
And if there was any question about the commitment to Jackson, Devaney had the right answer.
"There isn't any secret -- our best player on the team is Steven Jackson," the G.M. said. "We're going to build our offense around Steven Jackson. There isn't any secret about that. ... First and foremost, we're going to try to run the ball and try to establish ourselves as a strong running team."
According to Gordon, if the Rams can set up play-action passing with a ground game, they will give Bulger a chance to succeed. If the team can minimize third-and-long situations, that, too, will make him a better quarterback.
And when the Rams do get to third and long, despite their best intentions, they must do a better job picking up blitzes and fending off speed rushers.
If all that happens, Gordon suggests: "Maybe Bulger can finally regain his old confidence, pocket awareness and decisive release.
"Maybe. ..."
In Cleveland. ... Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? Eric Mangini isn't sure, so he's throwing the Browns quarterback job up for grabs.
"I don't have a projected starter at this point," Mangini said Tuesday at the league meetings. "What we're going to do is we'll have an open competition where they'll both get a chance to establish that they'll be the starter."
Anderson, coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2007, opened last year as the starter. As the Browns struggled, he was benched for Quinn. Both quarterbacks subsequently were injured, and Mangini replaced Romeo Crennel as coach after Cleveland finished 4-12.
Mangini, who was fired by the Jets after they collapsed from 8-3 to 9-7 and didn't make the playoffs, has been on a quarterback carousel before. He had three starters in his three seasons in New York: Chad Pennington, Kellen Clemens and Brett Favre.
"I'm excited about both of them," the coach said of Quinn, heading into his third season, and Anderson, who will be in his fifth. "I sat down with both of them, been able to spend some time with them.
"I like both guys. I like a lot of the things that I've learned about them in terms of through the conversations and also things that I've seen on tape."
What he also has seen on tape are lots of mistakes and lots of losses as the Browns plummeted from 10-6 in 2007 to last place in the AFC North. Anderson received a big contract after his breakthrough '07 season, a three-year, $24 million deal with a $5 million bonus he collected this month. But he struggled before being replaced by Quinn for the ninth game.
Quinn, who has a five-year, $20.2 million contract, lasted just three games before breaking a finger on his right hand and needing surgery. Anderson returned, but he injured left knee ligaments in the 12th game and was done, too.
Anderson was 3-6 in his starts last year with nine touchdowns, eight interceptions and a passer rating of 66.5. Quinn was 1-2 with two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 66.6 passer rating.
But as Associated Press pro football writer Barry Wilner pointed out this week, neither Quinn nor Anderson were helped by a leaky line and poor performances by their receivers, particularly with wideout Braylon Edwards dropping many passes.
But Mangini has to look for the positives heading toward his first season in Cleveland.
"Without knowing exactly what they were being asked to do on each of the plays, you're projecting a little bit," he said. "But they both seemed to have good presence, a good command of the situation. And they each did different things in the passing game and the running game that I liked."
There's always the possibility one of them will be traded; few teams can afford to have so much money invested in one position, even quarterback.
"George and I are looking at any opportunity to improve the team," Mangini said of general manager George Kokinis. "But I'm in no way saying that is specific to the quarterback situation. We'd look at any opportunities to improve the team, but not specific to the QB situation.
"Any opportunity that came up, we'd look at it."
(Again: Because I promised a mostly Cutler-free Notebook, we'll have to leave it at that. ...)
According to Cleveland Plain Dealer beat man Tony Grossi, Mangini said he will determine later how to divide the repetitions between Quinn and Anderson in off-season practices, the mini-camps and then in training camp.
The coach reminded reporters that with the Jets he alternated QBs by the practice period, by the day, even by the interception. He said there is merit in mixing up the opportunities.
Oh yeah. ... And Mangini made it clear there is no timetable in determining his starter.
As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio noted, this bit of news meshes with his prior understanding (and the widely expressed opinions of others) that Quinn, who was handed the starting job last season thanks to an ineffective Anderson, won't be handed the starting gig by the new regime.
Neither coach nor G.M. was responsible for the acquisition of either player, so there's no reason to favor one or the other. The challenge at this point is merely to find the best person for the job.
And given that Anderson and Quinn never have competed with each other on a head-to-head basis, Florio believes a little competition might be good for both of them.
I couldn't agree more. ...
In a couple of related notes. ... Mangini told the New York Daily News he has been text-messaging with Favre since they last saw each other on Dec.29, the day the Jets fired Mangini and one day after Favre played what turned out to be the final game of his career.
Favre's meltdown in the final five games cost Mangini his job. But now the odd couple are working out the logistics to spend time together this summer.
"He might come out to training camp to visit," Mangini said. "Maybe I will have him do the show team or just hang out."
Since Favre is still under contract to the Jets, Mangini can't have him put on a uniform and run the practice team, of course. But he didn't rule out Favre being a guest instructor for Quinn and Anderson.
Mangini simply likes the idea of having the future Hall of Famer around for a few days.
"I don't think it would be anything formal," Mangini said. "It's not like we are hiring him to run the scout team. I don't think he would be interested in that. He would be more like a visitor. An open invite. ..."
Am I the only one who gets a little uncomfortable at the idea of inviting Favre to come within miles of an NFL training camp in July?
Meanwhile, unsure of Plaxico Burress' availability for the 2009 season, the Giants attempted to replace him with Edwards.
According to Daily News staffer Ralph Vacchiano, Giants G.M. Jerry Reese inquired about the Browns' 26-year-old receiver at the NFL scouting combine last month and Reese hasn't ruled out pursuing him again.
Kokinis confirmed to the Plain-Dealer that the Giants asked about Edwards, but he said the talks didn't get very far. Sounds like the first-year G.M. might have been spinning.
According to the Giant Insider, Reese offered the two picks acquired in the Jeremy Shockey trade last July -- a second- and a fifth-rounder. Kokinis asked for those picks plus receiver Steve Smith. Then the Giants countered with either receiver Domenik Hixon or receiver Mario Manningham.
The Browns said no to that, according to the report, and the talks died.
According to SI.com's Bucky Brooks, that's probably for the best -- at least for Cleveland.
While conceding that Edwards has been among the league leaders in dropped passes the past three seasons and he has a penchant for running the wrong routes and blowing assignments, Brooks noted the former Michigan standout's production isn't easily replaced.
It would be even more difficult on a team already without Kellen Winslow, who was traded to Tampa early in the offseason, and Joe Jurevicius, who was cut after failing to play a snap in 2008. My guess would be that factor -- along with Donte' Stallworth's pending legal issues -- preclude sending will keep the Browns from busting a move on Edwards. ...
And following up on a few items from previous Notebooks. ...
In Kansas City. ... Tony Gonzalez appears likely to finish his playing career with the Chiefs. Larry Johnson, however, could receive his publicly stated wish to finish his elsewhere.
Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said Monday during a break at the NFL meetings that the Chiefs had decided to hold on to Gonzalez, their longtime Pro Bowl tight end. Hunt also said a decision regarding Johnson hasn't been made but added that either or both could return to play for the Chiefs this season.
"It's still my hope Larry will be a part of this team next season," Hunt said. "We all saw the comments he made at the end of the season and repeated about a month later. Those were disappointing. Recently, I've heard he's excited about being a Kansas City Chief again and expects to be in the offseason program and help us be successful."
But Hunt declined to say the Chiefs will not seek to trade Johnson.
"That's a decision (general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley) will have to make, and I think it's probably too early to even ask them where they stand," Hunt said. "They need to spend some time with Larry and figure out how he fits in."
Another issue, however, might play a greater role in determining Johnson's future in Kansas City. That would be a grievance hearing with the Chiefs scheduled for Wednesday.
At issue is $3.75 million of guaranteed money Johnson is due from the Chiefs in the contract extension he signed in August 2007. Generally, NFL salaries are not guaranteed, but Johnson's contract calls for payments of $3.5 million this year and $250,000 in 2010 that the Chiefs must pay regardless of whether he plays for them.
The Chiefs claim the one-game suspension he received from the NFL last year for violating the league's personal-conduct policy is a breach of his contract and frees them from having to pay the guaranteed money.
One source familiar with the situation told Kansas City Star staffer Adam Teicher that should the Chiefs win the grievance, they would probably release Johnson, suggesting the team wouldn't be going through the trouble if they didn't intend to free him from his contract.
The Chiefs begin their off-season conditioning program Monday and Johnson, who received two years probation after pleading down a pair of assault charges (both involving [different] women in local nightclubs in each of the last two years) intends to participate. ...
One last note on Johnson: The former first-round draft pick was already disciplined by the league office for the two arrests stemming from the assaults but Florio advised readers this week that it's unclear whether the guilty pleas will trigger a new punishment. ...
As for Gonzalez. ... There seems to be little indecision when it comes to the team's stance.
"We certainly will not seek a trade for Tony," Hunt said. "I think he's excited about the changes we've made here. I think he recognizes that with Todd as the head coach, we're going to have an exciting offense and one that will feature the passing game. No matter our starting quarterback, it will be someone who will look his way quite a bit."
"I'm just going with the flow," Gonzalez, who asked out of Kansas City last year, said Tuesday.
Pioli subsequently told the Star that Gonzalez didn't renew his trade request during recent conversations. ...
In Arizona. ... Head coach Ken Whisenhunt sounds as if he's expecting Boldin to be with the team next season, pointing out that he has two years left on his contract.
"We've said all along Anquan is a very important part of our organization and football team," Whisenhunt said during the league meetings. "And we're working to get a new contract with him based on the level he's played for us."
As King suggested earlier this week, the Cards won't go to the $10-million-a-year Boldin wants. And King believes that if a team calls and offers a mid- to late-first-round pick for Boldin, Arizona would listen.
If, however, Boldin is willing to do a deal for between $8 and $9 million a year, a T.J. Houshmandzadeh- or Plaxico Burress-type contract, King believes the disgruntled wideout could get something done with Arizona.
Why?
Whisenhunt told King the team is still intent on making Kurt Warner happy and trying to sign Boldin so he and Larry Fitzgerald can grow old together as the best wideout tandem in football. ...
And finally this week, from the "Manufactured News" file. ... Owens plans to show up for workouts in Buffalo when he's required to be there. He said Wednesday that he's informed head coach Dick Jauron that he plans to join his teammates at the Bills facility when the workouts become mandatory, rather than voluntary.
"I talked to coach Jauron prior to the start of the workouts about that," Owens said. "Right now if there's nothing mandatory that I have to be a part of, then I won't intend to be there."
Owens said he expects to attend the Bills' mini-camp in June and could possibly work out with his new teammates at other some point in the offseason. "If I'm in the area, I tend to stop by the facilities and work out with the guys," Owens told USA Today. "You know, I'm looking forward to that type of stuff."
Meanwhile, as most of his teammates got busy in Buffalo, TheDirty.com reports that Owens left a Miami-area nightclub at 3:45 a.m. Saturday after partying with some fellow NFL players.
Driving his yellow Spyder CanAm a few blocks, Owens was pulled over by the Miami Beach Police. Witnesses said Owens was given a field sobriety test (but no breathalyzer test) and then offered the officers his signature before hopping back on his bike and drove away.
According to the website, witnesses in and outside the nightclub said Owens was visibly drunk and should not have been able to pass a sobriety test. The site also stated that a nightclub employee said Owens had a bottle of Grey Goose vodka all to himself and a worker at the hotel Owens was staying at claimed he was hammered when he arrived.
After perusing those stories, I found myself wondering if either item was actual "news."
Certainly, Owens' career-long practice of working out on his own during offseasons should come as no surprise. And scurrilous gossip based on uncorroborated, unnamed and otherwise unknown sources absolutely isn't news.
But it should give the good people of Buffalo a heads up on what to expect this season. Wish I had the popcorn concession in Western New York. ...
That's it for this week's Notebook. I'll check in again next Sunday. ... In the meantime, keep an eye on the News & Views section of this site for late-breaking news and other tidbits of interest. Watch the Headline News section for more in-depth reviews of current events -- including the Fantasy Notebook.