Posted by Ryan Wilson

• In case you missed it, the latest edition of the Eye on Football podcast. We talk the latest labor news, Terrell Owens and Tiki Barber, and the upcoming free agency free-for-all.

• Carson Palmer has sold his Cinncinati-area home. Make of this what you will.

• Dolphins running back Ricky Williams would like you all to forget the not-so-nice things he said about Tony Sparano after the season.

• First the Bills get new uniforms and now Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly says that the team was wise to pass on a QB early in the April draft. Turns out, Kelly thinks incumbent Ryan Fitzpatrick is more than capable.

• The Bengals haven't officially parted ways with Chad Ochocinco but the Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Daugherty has already written his "How will Chad be remembered" column.

• How old is the Steelers starting lineup compared to the rest of the league? Steelers Lounge investigates.

• This ain't Matt Millen's Detroit Lions. Free agent wide receiver Donte' Stallworth tweeted that he'd like to sign with the Lions this summer.

• Michael Crabtree might not know who the 49ers' starting quarterback is, but Vernon Davis praised Alex Smith's leadership during the player-organized practices. It's not much, but it's something.

• This should come as no surprise, but Tarvaris Jackson doesn't feel like he "was really welcome" in Minnesota "since Day 1." Clearly, this is Brett Favre's fault.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

The Baltimore Ravens have always had a predilection for bringing in street free agents with starting experience (see Frank Walker, Walt Harris, Ken Hamlin or, if you will, Donte’ Stallworth). On Friday, the Ravens signed former Titans/49ers wideout Brandon Jones.

After catching 41 passes for the Titans in ’08, Jones signed a four-year, $16 million free agent deal with the Niners. That was before the Niners knew they’d get Michael Crabtree in the ’09 draft.

Jones never produced in San Francisco (almost literally – he played eight games and caught just one pass). He was let go after one year. The Seahawks had him in camp in 2010 but went in a different direction. Thus, the 28-year-old comes to Baltimore after having been out of football this past season.

Jones is a fluid, athletic runner, but his addition should have little bearing on whether the Ravens re-sign T.J. Houshmandzadeh or Stallworth.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

This summer, Plaxico Burress will once again be a free man. And, a free agent. After serving a two-year prison sentence on weapons charges, the former Giants wide receiver will be released and looking to renew his once-glistening NFL career.

On Showtime’s Inside the NFL Wednesday night, Burress’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus laid the groundwork for the publicity campaign that he’ll orchestrate for his polarizing client. “I am not a big advocate of making predictions on teams because so much can change,” Rosenhaus said. “But I am not afraid to make the following prediction; Plaxico Burress will be playing in 2011. And he will play very well. And it will be a very happy ending to a very tough, tough story for him.”

Undoubtedly, between now and summer, all 32 teams will at some point have to publicly declare whether they have any interest in Burress. (The Ravens, who signed Donte’ Stallworth after his incarceration and NFL-mandated suspension, got the ball rolling by addressing Burress a few weeks ago. Head coach John Harbaugh essentially said he’d have to wait and learn more about Burress.)
Most if not all teams will play the “wait and see” card. As was the case with Michael Vick, teams’ hope for Burress is that he has changed as a person but not as a football player.

No need to speculate on how prison has impacted Burress personally (we’ll assume he has a new perspective, sense of humility and all that other jazz). What about physically?

The man will be 34 next August. When Vick came back, he was 29. But it’s possible that the rust from Burress’ layoff – and there will be rust; even Jamal Lewis struggled after spending four months during the’05 offseason behind bars – will wear off quicker than Vick’s. Or, better stated, Burress can compensate for his rust easier than Vick did.

Burress was never touted for his speed and quickness. His greatest asset was his size (which prison won’t impact) and strength/physicality (which he’ll have to regain). The wide receiver position is much easier to relearn than the quarterback position – especially when you’re a jumpball-based possession receiver.

That said, if a team was interested in signing a controversial veteran receiver, why wouldn’t they reach out to a Terrell Owens or a Randy Moss? At least those guys have been in the league the past two years. Then again, Burress won’t be near the headache that he once was and that Owens and Moss still are. After all, he’ll have no leverage and everything to prove.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Plaxico Burress will be getting out of prison in June. The former Giants wide receiver is, presumably, eager to return to the NFL. Between now and then, all 32 teams will be asked whether they have any interest in signing the once-dominant 6’5” possession target. And, because Americans love a good “fresh out of prison” story, we’ll probably end up writing a separate article about Burress’ prospects with each of those 32 teams.

The Baltimore Ravens essentially volunteered to be the first team up, thanks to a question John Harbaugh was asked on NFL.com. (The Ravens going first makes sense given they were the team that signed Donte’ Stallworth after his release and reinstatement.)

“I don’t know Plaxico Burress at all, I’ve never met him, but we’d consider him,” Harbaugh said Monday. “We’d consider anybody. It just depends on where he’s at. I’d like to find out what kind of person he is, to see where he’s really at in his life.”

This will be the position that every team will take. Chances are, most teams will find that Burress is at a good place in his life, that he’s been humbled by life in the can. And don’t think Michael Vick’s wild success in Philly won’t influence perceptions of Burress.

From a physical standpoint, there’s no guarantee that Burress will be able to rebound like Vick. True, Burress’ game was never predicated on speed the way Vick’s was. But if Burress is nowhere near the athlete he was prior to his July ’09 imprisonment, he won’t make it back in the NFL. Burress will be 34 in August. Instead of signing a 34-year-old who might take a year to regain his rhythm, why wouldn’t a team take a chance on Randy Moss or Terrell Owens? At least those aging, controversial veterans have been in the league recently.

Some team will take a flyer on Burress. Put the Ravens down as a “maybe”. We’ll let you know what the other 31 teams eventually say.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Donte’ Stallworth’s comeback will have to wait until at least October. The Ravens new wide receiver, fresh off his year-long suspension for pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter, broke a bone in his foot against the Giants Saturday night.

Stallworth will need surgery to have a screw inserted. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is hopeful the wideout can return by Week 8. The Ravens seem willing to keep a roster spot open for Stallworth – he was actually seeing significant action as the No. 3 receiver. Now, Mark Clayton will fill that role. (Baltimore’s starting receivers will be Anquan Boldin and Derek Mason.)

Because of Stallworth’s suspension, it’s easy to forget that he has always been injury prone. The 29-year-old veteran has played just three complete seasons in his NFL career.

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