Cut His Mic Off Award # 5

"My father got more credentials than most of these pro coaches....Google my father!!!....My father played for the coach from 'remember the titans'. Our coach played golf. My father played for the redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn."

"I'm not talking til Thursday. Get your faggot asses out of here."

I must confess, I've been waiting for months to bring the Cut His Mic Off Award back out again, so I'm glad that washed up Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson provided enough moronic musings to help accomplish this goal. First, let me address the latter comment. Much like Hawaii coach Greg McMackin(our last Mic Cut recipient), anytime you use the word "faggot" with the media present, you're pretty much asking for a shit storm of epic proportions. This holds especially true for a man like Larry Johnson, who spent the last few years facing questions about his alleged abusive run-ins with various members of the opposite sex. So it's a bit humorous that a man who gets his jollies by putting his hands on women would question SOMEONE ELSE'S masculinity. That being said, the quote was believed to be mumbled under LJ's breath(which, granted, doesn't excuse it) and there is no audio of the comment as of yet(though word around town is it's coming). For now, we'll just take it as just an ironic appetizer to what was a main course of ignorant bullshit spewing from the mouth of a former star running back who may or may not have died three years ago.

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That brings me to Johnson's first comment. Taking LJ's advice, I searched Larry's pops(Larry Johnson Sr.), who is the defensive line coach for Penn St. University(which is the younger Johnson's alma mater, for those who don't know).

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As far as Larry Sr's credentials, he's been the DL coach for the Nittany Lions since 2000. The most notable linemen to enter the NFL under Papa LJ's reign? Former #1 overall pick and draft bust Courtney Brown, fellow first round busts Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Haynes as well as current Bills rookie Aaron Maybin(who isn't exactly setting the world on fire in his first season). Also, Penn St. hasn't exactly been racking up the BCS championships this decade. Their most recent resurgence was quelled by a clearly superior Iowa team that seems poised to take the Big Ten.

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Then, there's Haley's credentials. Haley's been an assistant since 1995, starting with the Jets as a wide receivers coach where his tutelage led to Keyshawn Johnson's first Pro Bowl season. In 2001 in the same position with the Bears, he breathed life into the career of Marty Booker and helped him get to the Pro Bowl as well. From 2004 to 2006, he was the passing game coordinator and receivers coach for Dallas Cowboys team that was leading an aerial assault thanks to an upstart QB named Tony Romo and a couple receivers you may have heard of in Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens. Most recently(and perhaps most notably), he spent last season as the orchestrator of an Arizona offense that carried the Cardinals to the Super Bowl. Not too shabby, if you ask me. As for LJ Jr. and Sr.? Hardly headed to Canton anytime soon.

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Speaking of pro careers, Yes, Great Grandmama did play in the pros with the Washington Redskins. For one season. For those scoring at home, that's a shorter career than Charles Rogers. As for Haley? LJ's right, he never played a down in the pros. You know else didn't? Bill Belichick, who has 3 Super Bowl rings in 4 Super Bowl appearances and, even if he was found to be the leader of the Ku Klux Klan, would still be heading to the Hall of Fame well before any member of the Johnson family. Another notable coach who never sniffed the pros as a player? Current Broncos wunderkind Josh McDaniels, who is only 6-0 in his first year as head coach with Denver.

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Want a list of some guys who were players and went on to be coaches? How about LJ's old buddy, Herm Edwards, who helped cast the death knell on LJ's career by riding him harder than Secretariat? You can currently find him on ESPN as an analyst after he stunk up both New York as coach of the Jets and Kansas City as coach of the Chiefs. Last I checked, LJ wasn't exactly best buds with Herm either. How about current Redskins coach Jim Zorn, who was great quarterback with the Seahawks back in the day? How's he doing as a head coach? Last I looked, Redskins Nation are willing to drive Zorn to the airport if it meant he'll never step foot in the Nation's capital.

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Of course, Larry, it's understandable to be frustrated after a curb-stomping like the one the Chargers gave you yesterday, but if you're going to open your mouth(or in this case, tweet), perhaps you should at least be, oh I don't know, PRODUCTIVE! Through 7 games so far this season, Larry Johnson has the fourth most carries of anyone in the league with 132. He currently has 358 yards, good for 19th in the NFL. He is averaging 2.7 yards per carry. He's also averaging 51 yards per game and hasn't sniffed the end zone once this season. Now, if this recent outbursts of ignorance(including a childish back and forth with a fan on Twitter in which LJ maturely called the man a fag and boasted about how he is "richer" than his blue collar counterpart) is public outcry for LJ to get on the first thing smoking out of KC, then perhaps he'll get his wish. My question is, where exactly does he think he's going afterward? You think teams are lined up for a childish, immature brat who is unable to keep his hands to himself when it comes to the ladies, and is averaging less yards per carry than Jerome Harrison?

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A piece of advice, Mr. Johnson, before you try to pull a play out of the Jay Cutler playbook on how to whine your way out of town, perhaps you should talk to Duece McAllister about what the job market is like for slow-footed running backs who are on the wrong side of 30?

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Until then, consider your mic cut off.

Coulda Been Contenders

The NFL trading deadline has come and gone. Your big winner of Trade Deadline '09? Linebacker Will Witherspoon, who was traded from the lowly Rams to the not-nearly-as-good-as-we-thought Eagles in exchange for a 5th round pick and receiver you probably don't care about. NFL bloggers and insiders from SI's Peter King to ESPN's Adam Schefter have been vehement in their declaration to fans that this year's deadline, like most years' deadlines, isn't going to have a lot of headline-grabbing moves. Granted, we saw guys like Braylon Edwards, Gaines Adams and Richard Seymour move in the season's first 6 weeks. The NFL, as Schefter and King kept telling us, isn't baseball or basketball, where big names are moved around midseason annually.

My question? Why the hell not? I know, I know, 6 weeks into a season is a bit early for fire sales to commence and if bad teams start feeling pressured to sell off their most valuable assets before the season's halfway point, then the NFL will end up like the NBA and MLB where the cellar dwellers act as feeder teams for the perennial upper echelon. I get that. But, how about a little more sizzle? Why make mention of a trade deadline if the only guys finding new homes are journeymen linebackers like Witherspoon? Of course, the evolution of social networking has allowed a vast majority of idiot fan boys to either blog about or ask about moronic, non-sensical trades that are more self-serving rumor mill gossip than anything newsworthy. For instance, on Twitter, you can find numerous re-tweets from Schefter of idiot fans asking about trades such as Steven Jackson for Ryan Grant or Brady Quinn for Tony Romo or well, you get the picture.

So, in an effort to stick up for the minority of bloggers with at least some common sense and football knowledge, I compiled a list of guys who probably SHOULD have been dealt before today's 4 PM deadline and where I thought they should go.

1. Brady Quinn, QB, Browns

Where he should have went: Seattle-I suggested the Seahawks go after Quinn on SportsTalkBuzz, and I stand by that suggestion. Look, some first round QBs take time to develop. Guys like Matt Ryan or Big Ben or Dan Marino are a rare breed. Quinn's problems in Cleveland were plentiful. One, he came into camp late thanks to a contract squabble and inevitably fell behind then-surprise sensation Derek Anderson for the starter gig. That's not to say that Quinn should have started had he reported on time, but you have to remember this about Quinn: He was a Notre Damn product, whom the Browns had just sold the farm for and gave a big contract to and by missing time in camp, he added more weight onto his shoulders. We all know how the story eventually shook out for Quinn. Anderson shook up the world, then came back to Earth, Quinn took over, got hurt, Romeo Crennel gets fired, Eric Mangini comes in, there's a competition between Quinn and Anderson, Quinn wins and before the sun can shine on October, Mangini benches him and has shown no sign in pulling Anderson despite the fact he's been abysmal. That means only one thing: Quinn's played his last days in Cleveland.

So why Seattle, you ask? The Seahawks need a young QB behind Matt Hasselbeck, who's 33 and becoming more and more fragile. Current backup Seneca Wallace will be 30 next season. Quinn's 25. That's pretty simple math. Theoretically, Hasselbeck plays one, maybe two more seasons before hanging it up. With Quinn on the roster, he would have learned behind an experienced veteran for two years(as opposed to learning from Anderson, a Ravens throw-away who unbelievably had everything bounce his way in his first season as starter) and would allow the Seahawks to build up enough talent elsewhere so that Quinn doesn't have to do everything himself when his time came to take over(a problem that surfaced in Cleveland once the Browns traded Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards couldn't chisel the stone off his hands). Plus, Mangini clearly wants to get rid of Quinn, which means he'll deal him for cheap. If you can get a 25-year old QB with considerable tools for a Day 2 pick, you do it, right? It's better than taking a rookie in the first round and paying him some ridiculous contract. So Quinn would go to Seattle, sit a couple years, let the O-Line build up, learn from Hasselbeck and in a year or two, he's ready to go. If he fails, so what? It only cost you a 3rd or 4th.

2. Steven Jackson, RB, Rams

Where he should have went: New England-I understand the Rams not wanting to pay the big cost of moving Jackson midseason(around 5.5 million dollar cap hit), but this team is going nowhere and eventually, you have to think Jackson's going to get pissed and force their hand. Sure, at 26, Jackson is the type of back you'd like to build your team around, but this team is 3 or 4 years away from even being considered a contender and by then, Jackson will be 30 and damaged goods. Why not strike while the iron is hot? If you can snatch a 1st, 3rd and disgruntled linebacker Adalius Thomas away from the Pats in exchange for the running back you've been looking for since Curtis Martin left, I say you do it. The Rams could use the extra picks in what looks like a very deep draft and Belichick can quit trying to get by with journeymen like Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris. Jackson's big, fast and can catch out of the backfield, and while being a bit injury-prone, he's definitely worth the gamble for the Pats.

3. Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs

Where he should have went: Houston-LJ was once a promising, young franchise back like Steven Jackson. Now he's a washed-up power back with a big contract. The Chiefs would probably take 10 cents on the dollar for Johnson, who is averaging a pitiful 2.7 yards per carry. At 230 lbs with a little bit of zip left, he'd be a solid short-yardage back for a team that's already lost two games this season because of their inability to punch it in on the goal line. Look, Chris Brown isn't cutting it and the combination of Johnson's power with Steve Slaton's speed makes the Texans much more dangerous on the ground and, in turn, more dangerous on offense. As for the Chiefs, it relieves them of one of their biggest headaches and let's face it, they can get 2.7 yards per carry just as easy from Jamaal Charles or even free agent RB Duece McAllister. If you can snatch away a 5th rounder to shed some payroll and build chemistry, I say do it.

4. Shawne Merriman, LB, Chargers

Where he should have went: Green Bay-At first glance, this seems like one of those self-serving prophecies I was criticizing earlier, but hear me out. The Packers showed in the Vikings Monday night game that they lack a pass-rush as former Pro Bowl DE Aaron Kampman(whose name will come up here soon enough) isn't getting it done in his new role as an OLB in Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme. The Packers also have something the Chargers desperately need: a spare nose tackle. DT Ryan Pickett has done well in clogging the middle as the nose tackle, but he's approaching 30 and in a contract year and we all know that job will be go to first rounder B.J. Raji before the season ends. With Pickett not likely to get re-signed, he could be a nice rental for a Chargers team that needs a fill-in for Jamal Williams, who is on the IR. Merriman, like Pickett, is also looking for a new deal and if he can prove worthy in Green Bay, the Packers certainly have the cap room to pay up for Lights Out(since Kampman probably won't be re-signed). Of course, the Packers have bigger issues, which brings me to....

5. Aaron Kampman, DE/LB, Packers

Where he should have went: Cincinnati-In the wake of the loss of current NFL sack leader Antwan Odom to injury, I'm surprised the Bengals didn't make a move for another pass rusher before the deadline. Kampman, a pass rush machine with his hand on the ground as a DE, would have been the perfect fill-in for Odom and would have allowed Kampman to be in a scheme he's more comfortable in. In exchange for Kampman, the Bengals could have sent promising left tackle Anthony Collins, who was pushed aside for first rounder Andre Smith at left tackle. Collins could step in for the recently injured Chad Clifton on the left side and then slide to the right once Clifton comes back and fill in for Mark Tauscher, who is still recovering from knee surgery. Kampman, on the other hand, is in the last year of his deal, but now that's back in the 4-3, he can use the last 10 games as motivation to improve on his numbers to get his price tag up for the offseason. Look, I love Aaron Kampman. He has a tireless work ethic and he's a nightmare to offenses, but the team knew going in that he wasn't a fit for the new 3-4 and Kampman has done nothing to quell those doubts. If the Packers wanted to contend this season, it would have been more aggressive in improving the offensive line and used a premier pass rusher like Kampman as a solid trade chip.

6. Terrell Owens, WR, Bills

Where he should have went: Baltimore-The Bills season died when they fired the offensive coordinator midway into preseason. That move stalled the offense which essentially started the timer on the T.O. Ticking Time Bomb. Now, Owens has been relatively quiet in terms of throwing his teammates under the bus as refuge for his terrible start, but it's only a matter of time before Mount Terrell erupts. The Owens signing made sense until the team traded away left tackle Jason Peters on draft day and basically assuring QB Trent Edwards that he will not be having time to throw this season. Then came the firing of OC Turk Schonert and it's been downhill ever since. So why not cut your losses and get at least a little something for T.O.? Granted, the Baltimore offense isn't what is hurting the team and the Ravens might be better suited going after a Shawne Merriman or a corner like Sheldon Brown, but T.O.'s presence on offense demands attention(both good and bad) and with Ray Lewis still in that locker room, T.O.'s antics won't fly for very long. While no longer the threat he once was, Owens can still be productive in an offense with a strong offensive line and run game that can help boost the passing game, which the Ravens have and for a 3rd or 4th round pick, that's not a bad deal for 10 games of T.O.'s service.

That's it. That's the list. Now, you'll notice I didn't have guys who have been dominating the trade rumor circus like Brandon Marshall, Anquan Boldin, Darnell Dockett, Glenn Dorsey, or Dwayne Bowe on there. That is for various reasons.

In the case of Marshall, the Broncos are 6-0 and he finally seems to be genuinely happy in Denver and the Broncos seem much more willing to work on an extension with him than they were two months ago.

As for Boldin and Dockett, it seems unlikely that the Cards will pay both men as well as linebacker Karlos Dansby, but if the team wants to make another run while QB Kurt Warner is still playing at a high level, they'll need continued production from both men. Besides, Warner came back to Arizona under the assumption that Boldin would be sticking around, so dealing him midseason would only disrupt the trust between Warner and the team.

For the Chiefs, it's too early to cut the cord on Dorsey. Yes, he hasn't been productive thus far and, Yes, he's not a good fit in the 3-4, but at this rate, what are you going to get for a injury-prone DT with weight issues who hasn't done anything in the pros as of yet? Dorsey's got a few more years on his deal, which means he has more opportunity to prove his worth and get his value up. As for Bowe, he's in coach Todd Haley's doghouse, but if the team is going to make a franchise QB out of Matt Cassel, they'll need a solid WR like Bowe to be on the receiving end of Cassel's throws. Unless you're getting a good young receiver back in exchange(like Haley's old buddy, Boldin), you're not sending a good message to the fans by dealing away one its most promising talents.

Enough Already!

The excitement of the NFL's offseason can be bittersweet. Thanks to the overabundance of media coverage on 24/7 sports channels, the internet, and the blogosphere, the otherwise ho-hum downtime of America's new favorite pasttime has transformed into Rumor Central. Now, rather than taking a break from a chaotic five months of football, we get trade speculation, free agency and draft hyperbole jammed down our throat on a non-stop basis. The biggest problem with all this is that all the speculation leads to nothing, leaving ravenous fan bases with the worst case of blue balls this side of the Smurf Village. Last year, Bengals wideout Chad Johnson did everything short of tying two Dixie cups together with a string to get word out that he wanted to trade out of Cincinatti. The buzz led to a cocophony of trade rumors and ficticious deals proposed by beat writers and bloggers and inevitably culminated in a Godfather offer of two first round picks from Washington......which Cincinatti foolishly turned down. The result was Ocho Cinco trotting out on the field annoyed and uninspired, like the feeling your dog gets when you taunt him with a leash on a nice spring afternoon, only to slam the door in his face as he charges toward you.

This year, we have more of the same. As NFL GMs sit on their hands waiting for the ultimate offer, the sports media has been forced to kill time with a mind-numbing array of "What Ifs" in hopes that the buzz will spark a fire under a team's ass. With a draft chock full of good-but-not-great prospects, focus has shifted from this year's crop of rookies to disgruntled stars like Cardinals' WR Anquan Boldin, Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, Browns' "stars" Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards and, our returning champion, Mr. Ocho Cinco himself.

(uses Stephen A. Smith voice)....How-EVA!, we here at Boom Roasted Sports fancy ourselves as The People's Website and if it's closure you people seek on these here trade embargos, then wait no further. I took it upon myself to conjure up the best deals I could think of in a final attempt to end this Acquisition Cold War. So here goes:

1. The Browns trade WR Braylon Edwards AND QB Brady Quinn to the 49ers in exhange for San Francisco's 1st round pick(10th overall).

Why it works for Cleveland: If you tab someone as your "QB of the future" and, three years into selecting him, he's entering an open competition with a guy who did everything he could to lose his job the year before, then it doesn't say much for your "QB of the future". Alas, that's the story of Brady Quinn, who spent 5 hours on Draft Day waiting for someone to want him only to come full circle three years later and wait for a seal of approval from his hometown team. Edwards, on the other hand, was never really excepted by the Dawg Pound because of his stone hands and Michigan roots. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Edwards has less of a chance of returning to Cleveland than Manny Ramirez. While you can probably get some nice booty in seperate deals, the Browns can get a bigger prize if they just package them together. If Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree falls to the Browns at 5(a solid possibility, given the hype surrounding USC QB Mark Sanchez), they could use the pick from San Francisco on a top defensive stud like LSU's Tyson Jackson or Penn St's Aaron Maybin. Crabtree would replace Edwards as the Browns # 1 option and Cleveland already has Derek Anderson, who would have beaten out Quinn in training camp anyway. Sure, the price of two top 10 picks is a bit high, but isn't it worth it to relieve yourself of two headaches?

Why it works for San Francisco: While head coach Mike Singletary will try to tell you he's content with the two-headed monster of Alex Smith and Shaun Hill at QB, the truth is, he could use an upgrade. The Niners were aggressive in their pursuit of aging two-time MVP Kurt Warner at the beginning of free agency, and you had to believe they had their eyes on Sanchez, who played college ball an hour away at USC. While Quinn is unproven, he has the tools to be a star if he can just get some backing by his higher-ups. By pairing him with a target he's familiar with in Edwards, it makes things a bit easier on Quinn. Edwards, of course, will require a new contract at the end of the season, but the price for a wideout who once grabbed 16 TDs not too long ago will probably be cheaper than taking an unproven rookie in a not-so-deep draft class and paying him top 10 money.

2. Bengals trade WR Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson to Raiders for RB Darren McFadden

Why it works for the Bengals: My tag team partner, Gabe, proposed a three-way trade to me three weeks ago that would have sent D-Mac to Cincy, Ocho Cinco to the Giants and Plaxico Burress to Oakland. I loved it then, and even though Plax and the Giants are no longer in the equation, I love it now. The Bengals RB situation is currently being manned by former Bears bust Cedric Benson, who has proven to be unable to withstand both a 16 game workload and a policeman's pepper spray. While McFadden didn't set the world on fire like many hoped last year, he still showed flashes of being a dominant running back with his great size and greater speed. By combining D-Mac and Benson, the Bengals could focus more on being a grind-it-out running team instead of attempting to air it out behind that pourous offensive line. Also, there's the old addage of "addition by subtraction" and while Ocho Cinco isn't the type of locker room cancer that a T.O. or Plaxico was, it goes without saying that the Bengals would be a bit relieved without his whining.

Why it works for Oakland: It might be early to give up on McFadden after only one injury-riddled season, but the Raiders currently have Michael Bush and Justin Fargas on the roster and GM Al Davis is more likely to attract a good offer with an unproven star with upside like D-Mac than he would with the oft-injured Fargas and Bush. It also goes without saying that the Raiders haven't had much success finding a legit wideout since Tim Brown left. Acquring Randy Moss flamed out, as did signing Javon Walker and the draft hasn't yeilded anyone of note. While Johnson can be a Grade A pain in the ass, here's something that keeps getting left out of his resume: He's really good. While it will be tough for Johnson to get motivated in a black hole(pun intended) like Oakland, a change of scenary to a weaker division could do him some good. If the Raiders do go through with using the 7th pick on Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey(whom Al Davis supposedly is in love with), the pairing of Johnson and DHB could make things interesting in the AFC West.

3. The Chiefs trade RB Larry Johnson to the Texans for a 3rd round pick(77th overall)

Why it works for Kansas City: There's a new regime in KC and they aren't respecting any old arrangements. GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley wasted no time in bringing in a new face of the franchise(QB Matt Cassell) and the revamping will not stop there. After going from Dick Vermiel's doghouse to the top of the running back food chain and then to the back of a squad car, LJ has become and unwanted man in Kansas City, despite his best efforts to bring peace by actually showing up for OTAs. The Chiefs seem content with trotting out last year's 2nd rounder Jamaal Charles as their new guy at running back and are supposedly finally serious about giving LJ what he used to want, which is to get out of town. While it's hard to get a good offer for a RB with a lot of mileage and nearly as many arrests, the Chiefs can take advantage of a draft that has a dearth in power backs such as Johnson. With that additional pick, Pioli could look to find Grandmama's replacement amongst guys like Pitt's LeSean McCoy, Iowa's Shonn Greene or Clemson's James Davis.

Why it works for Houston: It's no secret the Texans are looking for a big back to complement speedy sophomore Steve Slaton, who was outstanding as the starter last year but lacks the bulk to be an every-down back. They could tab Ohio St's Chris "Beanie" Wells as their guy with the 15th pick or try for someone later in the draft. However, there isn't many big backs in the draft with the reputation(both bad and good) and skills of LJ. Having spent the first couple of years warming the bench, Johnson still has enough left in him to be an effective short-yardage/goal-line back for an emerging Texans team. While Johnson's contract will no doubt require some restructuring, but the combination of speed and power with Slaton and Johnson on top of continuing to build through the draft would make the Texans a sexy pick next season.

4. Chiefs trade TE Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons for a 2nd round pick(55th overall)

Why it works for Kansas City: OK, so this trade has been rumored for weeks and only really needs Tony G's seal of approval, but one way or the other, I can't see Gonzalez still a Chief by Monday. The Chiefs want to get younger and Gonzalez wants a ring, which is he's not getting in KC anytime soon. Having dealt it's 2nd rounder to New England for Cassell, the Chiefs could take advantage of Atlanta's desperation for a tight end(Reportedly, they wanted Gonzo bad last year and are supposedly really interested in Okalahoma St's Brandon Pettigrew) to get back in the 2nd frame, where they could fill any number of holes as they continue to rebuild.

Why it works for Atlanta: They don't have many recieving options behind WR Roddy White. Michael Jenkins has been inconsistant and, while they have drafted a reciever the last couple years, none seem ready for prime time. Besides being one of the best ever at his position, Gonzalez is also a great leader and big-time community guy(which is huge, in the wake of the Mike Vick fiasco). His presence as a safety valve for ROTY Matt Ryan only makes the Falcons' chances of going back to the postseason stronger, which will help Gonzalez shake off any reluctance he used to have about being Falcon(Apparently, Atlanta isn't exactly what he had in mind when Gonzalez said he wanted a chance to win a ring).

5. The Cardinals trade WR Anquan Boldin to the Giants for their 1st round pick(29th overall) and a 3rd round pick(91st overall)

Why it works for Arizona: Beyond the obvious "addition by subtraction" which is pretty much the theme in all of these trades, removing Boldin helps in a more fiscal sense. With the defending NFC champs only $2 million or so under the cap, it goes without saying that they need to shed some payroll if they hope to re-sign franchised LB Karlos Dansby to a long-term deal. The first rounder is only a couple of spots ahead of 'Zona's own top pick(31st overall) but it becomes more valuable if Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman is somehow still on the board. As the signal QB with the biggest upside, Freeman is bound to draw interest from a team like, say, Carolina, who want to jump back into the first round to snag their QB of the future. If the Cards can parlay Boldin into either later round picks this year or, better yet, a first rounder next year, it would be looked at as a significant score for a player they had no plans on paying anyway. Boldin's spot would be filled by Steve Breaston, who went for 1,000 yards last year while Boldin was busy getting his face rearranged like Castor Troy.

Why it works for the Giants: Picking at the bottom of the 1st round doesn't offer much hope in terms of finding a viable replacement for ex-Giant-turned-professional-leg-shooter Plaxico Burress. Faced with unproven prospects like Hakeem Nicks, Percy Harvin and local star Kenny Britt, the Giants would benefit better by taking Boldin off Arizona's hands. With two 2nd rounders and two 3rd rounders, the Giants could afford to package some picks if they felt they will get a more proven commodity. While Braylon Edwards is the name more commonly linked with Big Blue, Boldin would be the better option simply because, well, his hands aren't made of concrete. Making this trade also helps the Giants significantly just by keeping Boldin out of Philadelphia, who also have a huge interest in the disgruntled Cardinal.

Quick closing note: Of the guys mentioned here, I expect maybe two of them to actually be dealt either before or during this weekend's draft: Tony Gonzalez and Anquan Boldin. Gonzalez has done enough in Kansas City to earn the right to pursue a championship elsewhere. As for Boldin, the Cardinals will attempt to get some cap relief with the inevitable release of Edgerin James, but the notoriously cheap Bidwells know that they inevitably have to get rid of Boldin and soon. As for the others, I give Edwards a 50-50 shot of being dealt, only if they can snag Crabtree at # 5. The Brown will probably hold on to Quinn to either raise his trade stock for next year or push Anderson in camp. The Chiefs will probably cut Johnson if they can't deal him by the end of the draft. As for Chad Johnson, head coach Marvin Lewis has been come out recently to announce that the team has no plans to move its star reciever now or ever, thus leading us to yet another year of headlines in the spring's never ending circus.