Dan Posts

The Buffalo Bills released tight end Kevin Everett this morning, but that does mean the two sides will be parting ways.

"Kevin will always remain a Buffalo Bill in the same way that Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and so many others before him are held in the highest regard by our franchise," the team said in a statement Tuesday.

Everett's release opens the door for him to receive several NFL disability benefits, including a one-time payment under the player health reimbursement plan. He will also be able to apply for additional long-term injury benefits, and should be well taken care of for the foreseeable future.

Although Everett may never return to 100%, his recovery is nothing short of remarkable. Not only did doctors believe he would never walk again, initial reports indicated that the severity of his injuries were considered life-threatening. Yet, less than a year later, Everett has regained most of the feeling from his neck down and has also learned to walk on his own once again.

"The Buffalo Bills continue to be moved by Kevin Everett's heartwarming story of his recovery," the team's statement read. "His progress from September 9 of last year through today is nothing short of a miracle, and is a tremendous example of faith, family and hard work."

Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants certainly do have an interesting dilemma facing them this offseason. For the first time in many years, they won't be struggling to find quality depth at the wide receiver position. Instead, they'll be struggling to find enough room on their roster for the impressive amount of depth they suddenly do have.

And although it's only been one day since rookie mini-camp opened, that task appears to have become a little bit harder.

According to Ralph Vacchiano of The Blue Screen, undrafted rookie free agent D.J. Hall from Alabama stole the show with several impressive catches and an amazing display of natural athleticism.

Hall made several outstanding catches, including one leaping, fully stretched grab along the sidelines in the afternoon. A few times he had to leap to make the catch and not only did, but seemed to hit the ground and keep moving without missing a stride. He was smooth, he had good hands and at 6-2, 195, has decent size. On any other team, I'd say he was a free-agent steal.

With all the talk about Mario Manningham and his great value in round three, many people overlooked the signing of D.J. Hall. But if value picks and value signings really are what makes a team great, then it looks like General Manager Jerry Reese has hit the jackpot again.

Kansas City Chiefs 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (5): Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
Round 1 (15): Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
Round 2 (35): Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
Round 3 (73): Jamaal Charles, RB, Texas
Round 3 (76): Brad Cottam, TE, Tennessee
Round 3 (82): DaJuan Morgan, S, North Carolina State
Round 4 (105): Will Franklin, WR, Missouri
Round 5 (140): Brandon Carr, CB, Grand Valley State
Round 6 (170): Barry Richardson, OT, Clemson
Round 6 (182): Kevin Robinson, WR, Utah State
Round 7 (210): Brian Johnston, DE, Gardner-Webb
Round 7 (239): Mike Merritt, TE, Central Florida

The Good: See all 12 picks above -- that's the good. Kansas City added value with every single selection they made, and addressed nearly every need they had. Glenn Dorsey was considered by some to be the number one player available, while Albert, Flowers, Cottam and Robinson (special teams) all add significant talent to positions in need. And what about the other nine players selected? They all have tremendous upside as well and each represented solid value at the position they were taken.

The Bad: Is there any? The Chiefs made 12 picks this past weekend and on paper, it looks like they made every single one of them count. If there's one knock on anyone, it's that Braden Albert will be a "work in progress." Still, that's hardly a negative for someone who figures to be a quality NFL starter for a very long time. Beyond that, the only other negative that presents itself was the failure to draft another quarterback.

The Grade: A. In comparison to the other 31 teams, Kansas City left Radio City Music Hall on top. They had a fantastic draft and appear to have secured a bright future. Although they may not make it to the playoffs this coming season, they've certainly given their fans something to be excited about.

Click here to read other draft grades.

Buffalo Bills 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (11): Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Round 2 (41): James Hardy, WR, Indiana
Round 3 (72): Chris Ellis, DE, Virginia Tech
Round 4 (114): Reggie Corner, CB, Akron
Round 4 (132): Derek Fine, TE, Kansas
Round 5 (147): Alvin Bowen, OLB, Iowa State
Round 6 (179): Xavier Omon, RB, Northern Missouri State
Round 7 (219): Demetrius Bell, OT, Northwestern State (LA)
Round 7 (224): Steve Johnson, WR, Kentucky
Round 7 (251): Kennard Cox, CB, Pittsburgh

The Good: Not only was Buffalo able to land the cornerback they so desperately needed, they were also able to land the big-time wide receiver they coveted as well. Both Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy will come in and have an immediate impact for the Bills, giving them two dimensions they were lacking last year. Additionally, Derek Fine was a tremendous value pick in round four and will likely add some quality depth to Buffalo's currently shallow tight end position.

The Bad: Outside of McKelvin and Hardy, many of the players Buffalo drafted have several question marks. Can Ellis become a more consistent player at the next level? Is Corner's size (or lack thereof) a major concern? Is Bowen big enough to play every down? And does Bell have enough game experience to offer any significant value? Those are some rather concerning questions ...

The Grade: B-. At the very least, Buffalo got two solid starters out of the draft and a lot of depth. Some of the other players will most likely realize their talent and reward the Bills, while the rest will eventually fade away into nothing. It wasn't an outstanding draft by any means, but it certainly wasn't a poor one either.

Click here to read other draft grades.

Arizona Cardinals 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (16): Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
Round 2 (50): Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
Round 3 (81): Early Doucet, WR, LSU
Round 4 (116): Kenny Iwebema, DE, Iowa
Round 5 (149): Tim Hightower, RB, Richmond
Round 6 (185): Chris Harrington, DE, Texas A&M
Round 7 (225): Brandon Keith, OT, Northern Iowa

The Good: Going into the draft, Arizona had quite a few needs to fill. There were several defensive positions that needed someone who could come in and start immediately, while others were lacking quality depth. And with the first two selections, coupled with the late-round pick of Chris Harrington (rotational pass rusher), they were able to fill all of those needs.

The Bad: The Cardinals weren't able to secure the big time running back most analysts believed they needed, but they were able to lock down Tim Hightower in round five. And while he may not be a Darren McFadden or even a Ray Rice, he's a Marion Barber-like running back who could give Arizona exactly what they need anyway. In addition to their failure to land a game-breaking back, Arizona missed out on a solid safety and additional depth at linebacker.

The Grade: B+. People may not be very high on Tim Hightower right now, nor very high on the 2007 version of Calais Campbell, but both of those players have a tremendous upside. I'm not a scout by any means, but I fully expect Campbell to return to his 2006 form, with Hightower providing all the help Arizona could possibly need behind Edgerrin James.

Click here to read other draft grades.

New York Giants 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (31): Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
Round 2 (63): Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
Round 3 (95): Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan
Round 4 (123): Bryan Kehl, OLB, BYU
Round 5 (165): Jonathan Goff, LB, Vanderbilt
Round 6 (198): Andre' Woodson, QB, Kentucky
Round 6 (199): Robert Henderson, DE, Southern Miss

The Good: What can you say? On paper, it looks like Jerry Reese has done it again. The Giants needed a safety, so they selected the best one in the draft. They needed a cornerback, so they snatched up the very talented Terrell Thomas in round three. They also needed help at linebacker, so they grabbed two very capable ones in rounds four and five. And with several questions about their backup quarterback situation and the long-term problems they may face there, they went out and hauled in Andre Woodson in round six. All in all, New York did a very good job improving an already talented team.

The Bad: Unlike most questionable selections, the Giants decision to draft Mario Manningham in round three could have a tremendous upside. At the same time, if "Super Mario" doesn't turn his act around, it will ultimately end up being a wasted pick. The 21-year-old has battled many questions about his character over the last few years, and coupled with a score of six on his Wonderlic test, it resulted in him falling down most teams draft charts.

The Grade: B/B+. The actual grade really depends on Manningham. If the Giants get the player - and only the player - they saw at Michigan, their paper grade is easily a B+. However, if they get the same person who scored a six on his Wonderlic and repeatedly failed drug tests, their paper grade is a B ... at best.

Click here to read other draft grades.

There has been a significant amount of speculation over the last few days about New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey and his status with the team. Several reports have indicated that the often out-spoken, tattoo bearing Oklahoma native had grown tired of his role in New York and wanted a trade, while others have continued to insist it's nothing more than mass speculation.

Somewhere amidst all the hoo-ha is the truth and it appears that someone may have finally found it. According to Pro Football Weekly, Shockey will soon call New Orleans home.

Maybe. Possibly. Could be.

PFW believes that Giants TE Jeremy Shockey has been traded to the Saints for multiple draft picks, including the team's second-rounder (No. 40). We'll try to confirm this as soon as we can.

For what it's worth, my cousin's third uncle twice removed heard from his step-daughter that some guy in a bar in Miami had a gardener who heard from his sister's boyfriend that Shockey's dentist said he was going to play for the Nigerian national football team next year.

There are also rumors floating around that Shockey will soon land on the moon.

Previously on FanHouse:
The Seahawks Have Unofficially Entered the Jeremy Shockey Sweepstakes
Jeremy Shockey Would Like a Role That Doesn't Involve Backing Up Kevin Boss
Jeremy Shockey OK With Trade Talk; Giants General Manager Won't Rule It Out
Jeremy Shockey Searches for New Real Estate, Saints Might Have Moved On
New York Post Refutes WWE Announcer's Claim That Jeremy Shockey Will Be Traded

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

Can Jerry Reese and the New York Giants strike gold twice?

The defending Super Bowl Champions will head into draft weekend looking to do exactly what they did last year: select several players that will have an immediate impact on the team. It's a formula that obviously worked well for them and something they'll look to duplicate.

With so many pressing needs, New York will have several options when their turn finally rolls around. They could trade down for additional picks, draft a linebacker, cornerback or safety, or just go with the best player available.

Based on FanHouse's mock draft, Jerry Reese will actually get to do two of those things at once. Not only will he be able to draft the best player still available, he'll also be able to fill an area of need.

Kenny Phillips is considered by many to be a top-20 player in this year's draft and by far the best safety available. With the departure of Gibril Wilson to Oakland, New York desperately needs a young talent to help anchor that secondary. It's obvious that Sammy Knight is not the long-term answer, and despite an adequate Super Bowl performance, the organization cannot feel too comfortable with James Butler.

Phillips is a very physical and instinctive player with great hands. He plays well in both man and zone coverage's and does a good job against the run. He seems like a perfect fit for a Tom Coughlin run team and Steve Spagnuolo defense.

The Skinny:
Team Needs - CB, LB, S, OT
Player Selected - Kenny Phillips, S, Miami (FL.)
Also Considered - Dan Connor, LB, Penn State

Previous Pick: No. 31, Cheating, New England Patriots

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

Earlier in the offseason, there was some speculation in Arizona regarding the future of Edgerrin James. Although an official stance was never actually given, there was clearly some sort of misunderstanding that had James questioning his future with the club.

Although those tempers eventually cooled, the Cardinals interest in finding a second running back did not. And with four of top cornerbacks already off the board, coupled with Aqib Talib's failed drug test, the selection of Rashard Mendenhall seems like the perfect fit.

Mendenhall gives Arizona exactly what they were looking for when they drafted J.J. Arrington -- an explosive back that has the ability to break a long run every time he touches the ball. And although he's often knocked for putting the ball on the ground, he's far too great a talent to pass up at number 16.

For the time being, Mendenhall will fill an important change-of-pace role for the Cardinals. Eventually, however, the James era will come to an end and he'll get to step up and grab the reigns for Arizona.

The Skinny:
Team needs - RB, CB, OT, S, OLB
Player Selected - Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
Also Considered - Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas

Previous Pick: No. 15, Branden Albert, Detroit Lions

Next Pick: No. 17, Minnesota Vikings

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

The Buffalo Bills have several needs, but a quality wide receiver to line-up across from Lee Evans is certainly at the forefront. And with the team now looking to use a more high-tempo type offense, a 6'4'' play-maker like Limas Sweed certainly fits the bill.

But is it too early to draft a wide receiver?

One of the major problems facing the Bills this year is the quality and depth at the wide receiver position. There are a handful of players that appear to have legitimate talent, but none that seem to warrant such an early pick. However, given the current nature of Buffalo's offense and the potential for missing out on one of them, the Bills may have to reach in round one.

The next question is, why Sweed?

Many people believe Malcolm Kelly is establishing himself as the number one wide receiver in this year's draft and it's hard to dispute that. He's a tall, physical receiver like Sweed, but he comes with a variety of injury concerns. And although his agent is quick to pass them off, they are legitimate concerns. For that reason, Sweed seems like the safer bet for Buffalo.

While Sweed also comes with injury concerns, they are not nearly as troublesome as Kelly's. And on the plus side, Sweed is considered a Plaxico Burress-type receiver with unparalleled motivation and an impressive work ethic. By all accounts, he has the intangibles to become a legitimate number one in the NFL.

The Skinny:
Team Needs - WR, CB, OLB, DT, DE
Player Select - Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Also Considered - Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma; Leodis McKlevin, CB, Troy

Previous Pick: No. 10, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Saints

Next: No. 12, Denver Broncos