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Here's what the folks at Pro Football Weekly have been hearing around the league:
Word has it Bengals QB Akili Smith was so excited by the drafting of offensive powerhouses Peter Warrick and Ron Dugans that he could hardly wait to place a call to Corey Dillon and urge the unhappy running back to sign a new deal. Smith also made a point of making a congratulatory call to Warrick during the No. 1 pick's plane ride to officially meet the local media.
|  | | Peter Warrick has something in common with Akili Smith: a beef with the Browns. |
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has declared that anything short of winning a Super Bowl title this season is unacceptable. Are you listening, Norv Turner? Meanwhile, Snyder is intent upon getting draft picks LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels signed before training camp. Snyder's big phrase during the draft weekend was, "Redskins don't hold out."
Don't rule out the possibility of the Buccaneers signing a veteran quarterback after June 1. Two names to keep in mind: Randall Cunningham and Shane Matthews.
We hear the Broncos would have loved to select Southern Mississippi WR Todd Pinkston with their first No. 2 pick but switched gears to Ian Gold after the Eagles stole Pinkston away with the 36th overall pick.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is reportedly very high on WR Billy Miller, a No. 7 pick last season who he feels could be a very solid No. 3 wideout this season behind Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey.
If either the Eagles or Bears had decided to select Florida WR Travis Taylor with their first-round pick -- as had been rumored in some circles - we hear the Ravens were prepared to use their second No. 1 pick to select Miami (Fla.) TE Bubba Franks.
Due to the close friendship of Eagles coach Andy Reid and Ravens coach Brian Billick, we're told the Eagles were promised the chance to match any offer the Ravens would have gotten from a team wanting to use Baltimore's fifth overall pick on DT Corey Simon, who Philly was eventually able to get with its own No. 1 pick later.
At presstime, the Panthers were talking about letting their top two draft picks, Rashard Anderson and Deon Grant, duke it out for the starting FS spot with Mike Minter moving to strong safety. Carolina was still seriously thinking about signing veteran free-agent S Tim McDonald.
Based on the way he performed in the Saints' pre-draft minicamp, CB Alex Molden could be on the verge of a vastly improved season in 2000. The camp's offensive star was free-agent WR Joe Horn, who looked like a very legitimate deep threat.
The Chiefs have done some re-tooling along the interior of their offensive line, and we hear it may be in anticipation of this possibly being Dave Szott's final season in Kansas City. Szott, who is signed only through the 2000 season, has battled some injuries in recent seasons and has a family issue that he may want to resolve. Szott has a son with cerebral palsy and is interested in returning to the East Coast because there are better schools suited for his son's needs. There have been rumors that he has requested a trade to one of the New York teams. So far, the Chiefs have re-signed Jeff Smith and signed former Cardinal C-OG Aaron Graham.
The Raiders are excited about the prospects of starting young DT Grady Jackson next to Darrell Russell in 2000. They were so comfortable with Jackson that they released Russell Maryland after the former No. 1 overall pick refused to restructure his current pact, something he had done in the past. Maryland's release will save about $2 million in cap space this season. The transaction left the team with just two defensive tackles on the roster, so they signed Shawn Lee, who was out of football last year, and drafted Junior Ioane in the fourth round. The Raiders may also re-sign restricted free agent Chuck Osborne.
WR Peter Warrick, the fourth overall pick selected by the Bengals, is apparently a little bitter over being snubbed by the Browns, who made Courtney Brown the No. 1 pick. Warrick lost money by slipping three spots to No. 4, and he intends to make the Browns pay on the field. Considering that Bengals QB Akili Smith is still fuming over being played by the Browns in pre-draft negotiations in 1999, a bitter rivalry may be developing.
We hear that some folks around the Cowboys' training facility are a little disappointed that they haven't seen more of WR Wane McGarity, a fourth-round pick last year. He was used sparingly last year because of injuries and then had shoulder surgery after the season.
The Browns believe that WR Dennis Northcutt, the 32nd overall pick, is more accomplished at this point than WR Kevin Johnson was when he was picked 32nd overall last season. Johnson went on to lead the Browns in receiving last season after developing a good rapport with QB Tim Couch.
Bert Emanuel and the Buccaneers had an unceremonious parting of ways. After head coach Tony Dungy wondered why Emanuel never showed up for the Bucs' offseason workouts, Emanuel lashed out at the team on a local radio show, saying GM Rick McKay told him not to bother coming in. Emanuel also felt he had been unfairly criticized until Dr. James Andrews recently discovered that Emanuel's 1998 ankle injury, diagnosed by the Bucs as a sprain, was in fact a fracture.
Unless Ben Coates' price comes down, Tennessee is content to go with second-round pick Erron Kinney as its No. 2 tight end behind Frank Wycheck.
The Packers believe that CB Fred Vinson, traded to Seattle with a draft pick for RB Ahman Green and a draft pick, was too small and timid to defend the big receivers of the NFC Central. Green will back up Dorsey Levens and give the team a speedy complement. His fumbling history, though, is a concern.
Unable to come away from free agency and the draft with another WR option, the Titans will likely try to find one after June 1 cuts are made.
As of presstime, the Steelers were trying to re-sign RB Jerome Bettis to a long-term, cap-friendly contract extension. If the two sides can't agree, 2000 could be Bettis' last year in a Pittsburgh uniform.
In order to ease his concerns about first-round pick Plaxico Burress' maturity and reliability, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher gave Burress a cell phone before the draft and asked him to call him at specific times. Burress called within a minute each time.
After the Jets drafted Marshall QB Chad Pennington, head coach Al Groh phoned current No. 2 QB Ray Lucas to reassure him that the organization still thinks highly of him. Lucas' contract is up after the 2000 season.
In order to sign all four of their first-round picks, the Jets may have to release OLB Roman Phifer. The team has other cap concerns on the horizon, as QB Vinny Testaverde and RB Curtis Martin will count more than $20 million combined against the cap in 2002.
Jets head coach Al Groh on whether the team's interest in Bengals WR Carl Pickens is dead: "How can something be dead that was never alive?"
Look for the Seahawks to sign a low-priced veteran to replace DT Sam Adams, who signed with Baltimore. We hear Seattle could be interested in Gilbert Brown if he's healthy.
Bills defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell says the team needs to find a way to get rookie Corey Moore on the field. Moore was an undersized defensive end in college, where he earned numerous All-America honors. Moore will be a rush outside linebacker in Buffalo's 3-4 scheme.
The Colts believe they could have a sleeper in second-year WR Chad Plummer, a converted QB with good size and athletic ability.
Dolphins special-teams coach Mike Westhoff believes recently traded P Brent Bartholomew, if healthy, is better than any of the punters available in this year's draft. After acquiring veteran P Matt Turk, the Dolphins dealt Bartholomew to the Bears for a pair of seventh-round picks.
Material from Pro Football Weekly.
Visit PFW's web site at http://www.profootballweekly.com
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