Nine nuggets for the NFL offseason

by Adam Schein

Updated: May 14, 2008, 5:23 PM EST 58 comments

1. I have one request for Matt Walsh: Please go away.

My take on Walsh and his infamous tape collection remains the same as it was the Friday before the Super Bowl when the New York Times first introduced Walsh to the world. This story is much-a-do about nothing.

Commissioner Roger Goodell told me then that the NFL investigated Matt Walsh. He echoed the same thing when I saw Goodell at the Pro Bowl. And once again, he repeated it at the NFL draft.

There was no tape of the Rams walk-through before the Super Bowl. The tapes Walsh turned in revealed exactly what Bill Belichick informed Goodell about when "Spygate" originally broke. There should be no more penalties, fines, or a loss of draft picks.

What the Patriots did was wrong. Goodell punished them. The story was over — in September.

Walsh needs to go back to the beautiful beaches of Lahaina and never be heard from again.

As one NFL executive familiar with Walsh told me, "He's an attention-grabbing, self- serving clown who's a disgruntled former employee with an ax to grind."

I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.

2. I think mid-May is the right time to start jotting down potential playoff teams for an upcoming season, right after free agency, the draft and rookie minicamps.

It's a fun time to search for a potential playoff shocker.

As of right now, I believe the Buffalo Bills will be the surprise postseason team in the AFC.

Trent Edwards has experience under his belt. Marshawn Lynch is a budding star. The offensive line is very strong. The defense is supremely coached under the vastly underrated Dick Jauron. The special teams are incredibly strong.

And I think Buffalo, in relatively quiet fashion, cleaned up this offseason. The Bills had needs at cornerback, linebacker, defensive tackle and wide receiver. They filled them all.

Jauron was borderline giddy when I talked to the Buffalo coach after the Bills smartly plucked cornerback/return specialist Leodis McKelvin in the first round. He will make an immediate impact in both phases. Trading for defensive tackle Marcus Stroud was the savviest deal of the offseason. Stroud, teamed with John McCargo inside and Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel on the outside, will form a dominant defensive line. While Buffalo overpaid for Kawika Mitchell, he is an upgrade at linebacker. And Paul Posluszny is back at linebacker, returning from his injury that curtailed his rookie season. Plus, Jauron and the Bills stole James Hardy in Round 2. The tall receiver with fly-paper hands has a great knack for scoring touchdowns and compliments Lee Evans incredibly well.

Aaron Rodgers is the man under center in Green Bay, according to coach Mike McCarthy. ( Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

3. Packers coach Mike McCarthy told us on Friday that the team is not in the market for a veteran quarterback.

This is Aaron Rodgers' team and he will be backed up by two neophytes in Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn. Brohm is a perfect fit in McCarthy's system.

Even sans Brett Favre, the Packers remain the most complete team in the NFC North.

And you just get the feeling from talking to people around the team the 2008 Packers aren't exactly thrilled that they have to deal with a Brett Favre retirement ceremony on the night they usher in the Rodgers era.

4. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told us that he "threw a party in the war room" when Rashard Mendenhall was available at pick No. 21. This is great value.

So now Pittsburgh has Mendenhall, Pro Bowl pick Willie Parker, newly-signed Mewelde Moore and Najeh Davenport on the roster at running back. Moore is going to help sure up Pittsburgh's sub-par special teams.

That could leave Davenport as the odd man out.

Davenport told us he has talked to Tomlin and director of football operations Kevin Colbert about his roster status. He believes he'll be in Pittsburgh with his "ability to move the chains, score touchdowns, catch passes, pass protect and play special teams." But he realizes he is not a lock to stay.

If Davenport hits the open market, he could be a valuable commodity to a team like New Orleans or Detroit.

5. The Lions really can't start a season with Tatum Bell at running back, can they?

Jon Kitna didn't really go back to the "10 wins" for the Lions theory again, did he?

Once again, it's Groundhog Day in Detroit, with the Lions destined to fall short of the playoffs.

6. Kenny Phillips is going to wear Tiki Barber's No. 21 in New York.

This isn't a slap in the former running back's face. Phillips, the former University of Miami star, is honoring Sean Taylor.

I think Phillips was a steal for New York at pick No. 31. He is physical and a ball hawk. When asked by the New York media this weekend how he can contribute in year one, the first thing Phillips mentioned was special teams. Phillips simply gets it.

Tom Coughlin is going to love this guy. He can be an impact rookie.

Minicamp may not be a priority for Bobby Engram, but he'll be on the field come training camp. ( Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

7. If I'm a Seahawk fan, the last thing I'd worry about is Bobby Engram not being at minicamp.

There's a time for play and a time for pay. Engram knows the difference. He'll be on the field come training camp.

Remember, when the veteran receiver signed a two-year extension with Seattle, he was coming off of a season in which he battled a thyroid condition. Engram took less than market value. Last year, he was even more valuable than being Matt Hasselbeck's safety valve — he was a borderline Pro Bowl player. It's the final year of that aforementioned extension, and Engram doesn't need to be in minicamp to work on timing with Hasselbeck. The pair has an uncanny knack for first downs and touchdowns. Engram will get more money from the Seahawks. While other receivers have gotten more attention and money from the organization with less than stellar results (Deion Branch and Nate Burleson come to mind), it's Engram who remains Hasselbeck's security blanket.

8. Even with the Raiders picking Darren McFadden, look out for a productive season from Michael Bush.

The second-year back told us he's healthy and has been assured he is in Oakland's plans. I think he can score touchdowns and move the pile for Lane Kiffin's offense this year. A trio of Justin Fargas, McFadden and Bush is going to be very formidable.

9. Houston won eight games a year ago. The Texans were a team to watch this offseason to see if they could get over the hump and make a true push in perhaps the toughest division in the NFL.

I really think, though, the Texans missed the boat this offseason.

The Texans needed another shut down cornerback to go along with Dunta Robinson, who is coming off of a major injury. If Jacques Reeves is the answer, I'd love to know the question. Houston paid way too much for a cornerback who got burnt more in Dallas than a bad piece of toast.

Houston needed a running back. Chris Brown doesn't exactly excite me.

And I have no idea what Houston was thinking in the first round. The Texans traded down and didn't select Mike Jenkins, who would've been perfect at corner. They needed a left tackle, and they grossly reached second-round talent Duane Brown in Round 1.

While I think they stole Steve Slaton and Xavier Abibi on Day 2 of the draft, this was not what you were looking for from Houston at all.

Reminder ...

The Schein-box (video-style) returns this week with a slew of reader e-mails, so keep sending them in!

Interviews with Goodell, Jauron, Bush, McCarthy, Davenport and Tomlin were done live with Adam Schein on Sirius NFL Radio.