Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Free agent QB Matt Hasselbeck has a new home, and new Titans coach Mike Munchak has a new signal-caller.

Per CBSSports.com’s Mike Freeman, the 35-year-old Hasselbeck will sign a multi-year deal with the Titans worth a reported $21 million over three years. That means the Seahawks – Hasselbeck’s former employer who signed Tarvaris Jackson on Tuesday – are officially done with him, and that means Vince Young is out in Tennessee.

It’s also tremendous news for rookie QB Jake Locker. With the retirement of Kerry Collins, Locker was looking at starting in Tennessee with no veteran leadership around him to let him learn.

Now, Hasselbeck probably will take the first-team snaps while Locker gets to learn what it’s like to be an NFL quarterback.

Hasselbeck's new destination

Brinson: Assessing the NFL QB market Judge: There's a new QB in town NFL free agency tracker Wilson: Can Hasselbeck mentor Locker?

Hasselbeck also will be a good team guy, considering he helped lead the offseason Seahawks workouts, despite knowing there was a good chance he wouldn’t be back in Seattle.

In fact, Freeman thinks Tennessee made such a good move that the Titans are heading for the playoffs. While that’s still going to be a tough bet with the Colts still in the AFC South, it’s an interesting thought. Chances are, unlike last year when Hasselbeck led the 7-9 Seahawks to the postseason, Tennessee actually will have to own a winning record to make the playoffs.

Now, the next step for Tennessee: making sure RB Chris Johnson doesn’t hold out in hopes of getting more money from the Titans.

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

So, who wants to take a chance on Redskins QB Donovan McNabb, the guy who was beaten up and benched last year in Washington?

How ‘bout the team who just got finished employing Brett Favre? Yep, it’s the Vikings.

That’s according to CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman, who reports that the Vikings and Redskins have had "intense" conversations about possibly trading McNabb.

McNabb's destination

Mike Shanahan: ‘I love Donovan McNabb’ Redskins shouldn't expect much for McNabb McNabb: 2011 will be special season

With rookie Christian Ponder and the inexperienced Joe Webb as the only legit starting QBs on the roster right now – you might have heard that the Seahawks will sign away Tarvaris Jackson from Minnesota – it stands to reason that the Vikings are in need of an experienced signal-caller to help with Ponder’s transition to the NFL.

But considering McNabb is due to make $12.5 million this season, the terms of McNabb’s contract would have to be restructured in order for the Vikings to accept the deal. Especially since, at one point last season, Washington coach Mike Shanahan thought Rex Grossman should be in the game to lead a last-minute drive instead of McNabb.

So, why do it? Well, as ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert writes, the deal only makes sense if McNabb comes into Minnesota with the understanding that he’d be Ponder’s backup. Otherwise, Seifert writes, “if Ponder isn't ready in Week 1, you wonder if someone like Joe Webb or Tyler Thigpen couldn't hold down the fort until he is. Isn't that a smarter long-term move than trading for a declining player who can't start for a team that plans to have Rex Grossman and John Beck compete for the job this summer? The Vikings drafted Ponder to end their cycle of Band-Aid solutions at quarterback, not to extend it.”

Considering the Redskins gave up two draft picks to get McNabb from the Eagles before the 2010 season, McNabb’s decline in value is pretty startling.

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Posted by Will Brinson

Matt Hasselbeck's long been the face of the Seattle Seahawks franchise, but he won't be there in 2011 and it appears as if Tarvaris Jackson will be charged with filling his shoes. (Although, if you're a true Eye on Football devotee, this isn't that big of a surprise.)

That's according to several different reports out of the Seattle area, beginning with Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times, who first reported that the Seahawks would not re-sign Hasselbeck for the 2011 season.

O'Neil also reported shortly thereafter that the Seahawks had "acquired another quarterback" though he didn't immediately confirm that it was Jackson. Dave Mahler of 950 KJR in Seattle (via Brian McIntyre) did report that Jackson had agreed to terms, and O'Neil's since confirmed that news.

So, what that means is that the Seahawks, who struggled mightily on offense in 2010, now head into the new year with Charlie Whitehurst and Jackson as their primary options to get the team back in the playoffs, barring some shocker of a trade in the near future.

It's an odd move, but it's also indicative of the fact that the Seahawks weren't willing to give up whatever draft pick and/or player was necessary in order to acquire Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton.

Or that Pete Carroll feels like he can help Jackson despite a previous record of mediocrity. Which, now that I think about it, sounds a lot like the other guy on the roster, Whitehurst.

There is some chatter, however, that Jackson's signing is part of a duel package-thing designed to land Sidney Rice, since both former Vikings played under current Seattle OC Darrell Bevell who wasn't retained when Leslie Frazier took over team as the full-time head coach.

Whether the Seahawks can sign Rice and then whether they can improve upon their -- ahem -- success in Minnesota remains to be seen.

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Posted by Ryan Wilson

There may still be NFL labor uncertainty, but one thing is not in doubt: once the lockout ends, free agency will be a frenzied process as the league furiously preps for the 2011 season.

And from the sound of it, longtime Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck won't be back in Seattle. ESPN's John Clayton doesn't think the Seahawks are interested in paying a starter's salary to a 35-year-old oft-injured QB whose future might be as a backup and mentor.

"I don't know if they'll pay $5 million (per year), I don't know if they'll pay $6 million," Clayton said, according to ESPN 710, "but if there's no offer from Seattle, you take the best offer and it very well could be in Nashville."

As in: the Titans, a destination we wrote about last month. And while we'd expect there will be a market for Hasselbeck, especially to help bring along a young franchise quarterback like, say, Jake Locker, it's something of a surprise to hear that the Seahawks could be keen on Tarvaris Jackson, the former Vikings second-round pick who will be a free agent once the lockout ends.

Clayton says he's "getting the feeling" that Seattle could have serious interest in Jackson. ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer also suggested that Jackson could land in Seattle, telling ESPN 710 that, "(Seahawks new offensive coordinator Darrell) Bevell … always had an affinity for Tarvaris Jackson. And believe it or not, I think that might be the play here for the Seattle Seahawks -- I think it might be trying to get Tarvaris Jackson from Minnesota. … They've always liked him, they liked his starter potential. (Bevell) tried to make it happen for him in Minnesota and that might be the direction they're trying to go."

Dilfer add that "I don't like that plan, but if that's their plan and that's what they're trying to do, then more power to them."

In an interview with the Seattle Times, Jackson admits that he worked well with Bevell in the past. 

"We had a pretty good relationship, me and Bev did," Jackson said. "... It seems like a pretty good opportunity. I know the offense. That's a plus. Coach Bevell, he's very familiar with me and I'm very familiar with him. So that's always a plus."

We've written previously that the Seahawks, rumored to have offered a first- and third-round pick for Kevin Kolb earlier this offseason, shouldn't break the bank for an unproven commodity given all their other roster needs. Jackson, like Kolb, is still unproven, but he wouldn't cost nearly as much. And unlike Matt Leinart, who has ties to Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll that go back to USC, Jackson doesn't come with baggage.

Worst case: instead of reaching or overspending for a stopgap QB, Seattle just goes with what they have -- Charlie Whitehurst -- and reevaluate things after the season.

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Posted by Will Brinson

In Minnesota, Christian Ponder has become the unquestioned future at quarterback, and even if the Vikings end up pursuing and/or signing a veteran free agent, it will be in a "mentor" role.

What about the past, though?

We know Tarvaris Jackson isn't coming back to Minnesota, and we know that there's a need for quarterbacks around the NFL. But could there be a market for a guy like Jackson, who's got potential but has struggled so often to succeed at the NFL level?

Well, the NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora certainly thinks so and notes that he foresees "a nice market" for Jackson in free agency.

Specifically, LaCanfora cites the Redskins, the Seahawks and the Dolphins as "strong possibilities" to sign the former first-rounder.

Those teams make a lot of sense, too, because they've got uncertain quarterback situations with incumbent veterans that need to be pushed.

The Redskins will, in all likelihood, end up with Rex Grossman and John Beck competing for the starting job (we're assuming here, of course, that despite love from Mike Shanahan, Donovan McNabb gets the boot) and Tarvaris would make a good third wheel to push the other guys and give Mike Shanahan a second option. Plus, he can roll out and throw on the run, so he must be just like Jake Plummer!

In Seattle, Matt Hasselebeck is supposed to come back, but no one's really all that sure -- one week he's guaranteed to be back, the next week it's no more than a 50-percent chance. Since anyone can beat out Charlie Whitehurst for a job, Jackson's a good candidate there as well.

And in Miami, there's been a lot of chatter about Vince Young as a possible addition to the Dolphins roster. Jackson might not have the same résumé as Young but he also doesn't bring to the table the same dramatic downside that VY does.

Factor in that Jackson will be cheaper and more durable over the course of a contract than most "veteran" quarterback options out there, and it's not unreasonable to see why teams might be interested.

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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 Josh Katzowitz

We mentioned a few days ago in Hot Routes that the Vikings didn’t offer a tender to QB Tarvaris Jackson, because the coaching staff apparently was satisfied with the play of second-year player Joe Webb and was willing to let Jackson walk away.

Well, that might not totally be the case.

In a little snippet in this St. Paul Pioneer Press notebook, Charley Walters writes that a source told him Minnesota considered trading for Broncos QB Kyle Orton but then “backed off.” The original idea came because, the newspaper explains, Webb is “nowhere close to being an effective starter.”

You’ll recall that we saw a little bit of Webb last season, and he was up and down. But he showed potential* as well – which, honestly, is more than Jackson has shown in a Minnesota uniform – and though it seemed clear he wasn’t immediately ready to jump into Brett Favre’s position, you could see that Webb has talent and could eventually grow into an effective starter.

*In fact, I wrote in December that Webb, playing against Philadelphia, showed he belonged in the conversation, because of his poise and multi-dimensional skills under center. In fact, this is what coach Leslie Frazier had to say after Webb led the Vikings to an upset of the Eagles: “It'd be hard for me to say that I knew that Joe would play at such a high level so consistently.”

So, yeah, it’s hard to figure how the coaching staff views Webb since we’re receiving such contrasting messages. Some say the coaches like him, some say they think he’s not ready.

Trying to trade for Orton would make sense on some levels for the Vikings. Even if he was nothing more than a one-year stopgap until Webb really is ready, Orton could have contributed to Webb’s growth as a quarterback (remember, Webb was expected to be a WR after Minnesota drafted him in the sixth round in 2010, and it was surprising that he beat out Sage Rosenfels for the third QB spot at the beginning of last season).

But since that trade for Orton didn’t work out, the Vikings staff will have to figure out what to do about Webb. Considering his backups would be Patrick Ramsey and/or Rhett Bomar, maybe Webb is the guy right now, whether or not he actually IS ready.

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

• If you’re bored (and it IS noon on a Friday afternoon, after all) and you need to kill time while waiting to see what happens with the labor negotiations, Foxsports.com has the drinking game for you. If you participate, though, you’ll probably have to hit up the local liquor store. Unless you’re the kind of person who has both Cristal AND Schlitz at your home. In which case, you’re kind of awesome.

• An interesting look by Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel at one of the most important power players in the labor negotiations: Judge David Doty.

• The Giants are putting on the hard-sell to get you to buy Personal Seat Licenses. Curious timing, wouldn’t you say? It’ll cost you between $7,500 and $20,000.

• Retiring Patriots G Stephen Neal thought there was a chance he could play next season. But he also knew if he injured himself again, he might be putting himself in real danger. So, he retired.

• At this time last year, Texans TE Owen Daniels – the recipient of a brand-new contract – worried that his career might be over.

• Even after the Browns re-signed QB Seneca Wallace to a three-year, $9 million deal to back up Colt McCoy, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Jake Delhomme could return to Cleveland as well. Or to use GM Tom Heckert’s term, “it’s not that super far out.”

• Cardinals S Matt Ware – the team’s Ed Block Courage award winner – has been battling Type I diabetes since the spring of 2009. He’s an impressive dude.

• One reason the Vikings did not tender QB Tarvaris Jackson and likely will watch him walk away is because the coaching staff has been impressed with Joe Webb.

• So, is Da’Quan Bowers 100 percent healthy or not 100 percent? Because he’s acting very much like a person who is not 100 percent healthy.

• I’m sorry, this has nothing to do with football, but man, it’s always awesome watching a baby hysterically laugh uncontrollably. And if the labor negotiations go bad today, you can keep replaying this video. It will make you feel better. Seriously, this video is the best thing I’ve seen all week.

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