It’s amazing how time flies. We’re already beginning the 2nd half of our beloved NFL season,  So of course, it’s time to see how your favorite team fared midway through the 2011 season. Only, instead of giving actual grades, I’m breaking them up in categories. Same analysis as ESPN, but better because it’s not so formal. So without further ado…. the midseason report cards.

F*ck It, I’m On One!: Green Bay Packers

The Packers deserve a column of their own. As far as NFL class goes, there’s the Packers and then there’s everyone else. No one is touching them right now and to be honest, I don’t know who will. Aaron Rodgers is playing like he’s possessed right about now. I like Green Bay but the little hater in me says they need to sit their bragging asses down somewhere. No reason why I feel that way, I’m just a little green and tired of seeing them win.

They Are Who We Thought They Were:  Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots

The Steelers started out old and slow, but they’ve finally got the ball rolling. They’ve been on fire the past few weeks, and have picked up from last season, thanks to the emergence of guys like Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders. The Patriots make this list because they’re still a team of concern if they’re on your schedule, but they can’t stop a nose bleed (Bart Scott voice) so unless they figure out to stop good teams, they may be in trouble….

Well I’ll Be John Brown (c/o @DragonflyJonez): Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills

I dedicate this category to my Twitter buddy, who always uses this term at the right time and better than anybody I know. Most of us looked at contenders for 2011 and didn’t think about any of these teams, for a lot of reasons. New players, lockout hangover, inconsistent or not good in years past…. for whatever reason, unless you were a fan of these teams, they simply weren’t on your radar. Well I’ll be John Brown if they aren’t now. The Bengals are 5-2 with a Top 5 defense and have shown success with Andy Dalton and AJ Green. The 49ers changed their coaching staff and brought in Jim Harbaugh and have only lost one game so far, even giving Alex Smith some life. And the Bills, who had every bounce against them in 2010 despite playing hard, are finally getting the ball in their court. The Lions are probably the least bit shocking, since they finished 2010 strong. But it’s the Lions…. you still haven’t forgotten about 0-16 and Matt Stafford gets hurt if you blow on him hard enough. Alas, no bad karma and all teams are doing big things

They’re Good, BUT……..: Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons 

These teams have a winning record so they’re good based on record but we really have no idea what to expect for the 2nd half of the season. The Ravens have beaten quality opponents in Pittsburgh, Houston and the Jets, but have crapped the pot against teams they should have beaten in Tennessee and Jacksonville…… The Giants are decent, but their schedule the next 6 weeks is beyond brutal and one has to wonder will the injuries they have finally start to catch up….. The Chargers are actually starting out with a winning record for once, but QB Philip Rivers (my boo!) hasn’t looked like the Rivers of old, and fumbled control of the AFC West away last Monday night……. The Texans are good, but losing Mario Williams for the year and Andre Johnson for some time may hurt them in the long run…..The Jets have seemed to regress a little on defense, and Mark Sanchez not getting much help from his run game is an issue…..The Saints WERE in my “They are who we thought they were” column, but they lost to the Rams, The WINLESS ST. LOUIS RAMS, WITHOUT SAM BRADFORD! Yeah, they go down a notch after that one….. The Bucs have youth on their side, but their lopsided loss to San Francisco puts them in this category….. Atlanta always leaves me scratching my head at the end of their games. With all of the offensive weapons they have, I don’t see how they don’t put up 30 points easily, each week. They have some inexperience on defense that holds them to this category.

Ehhhhh……………..: Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans

It’s not that I don’t think these teams are good or can’t be good… it’s just that I couldn’t add them in the “They’re good but” category because they’ve done something not worthy of that category. The Bears’ offensive line blocks like Cutler stole their girl……The Eagles started out slow, and with the “Dream Team” talk prior to the season, expectations were above normal so their 3-4 record is underachieving at best… The Cowboys need a TV time out with the way they’ve played football lately. I thought they’d be better than this at this point. I haven;t totally written them off, tho. They have talent….. The Chiefs started off rough (remember Matt Cassel’s blow up with HC Todd Haley on the sidelines??), but they’ve rebounded well. It’s the AFC West so it’s hard to be impressed just yet…..The Raiders looked like they were gonna have a good season before Jason Campbell went down. Oakland traded their 2012 #1 pick and a conditional pick to Cincy for Carson Palmer, but all Palmer did was stink it up in his debut. He’s not the same QB he was before 2005 and quite frankly, I wonder if Al Davis came back from the dead to make one last WTF personnel decision… Despite Carolina’s record, I’m gonna put them in this column because I seriously believe they try hard each and every week, yet fall short. This team reminds me a lot of Buffalo’s team last season. They hang in there, but can’t get the “W” in the end. I can’t be mad at that. They should be added in my next group but I love their resilience. The Titans are here by default, because they have a good record. But Chris Johnson got paid and told the Titans, “Fcuk your couch”. He’s still holding out but we didn’t know until now. With Kenny Britt going down, that hurt big time for Tennessee. Good thing is, the AFC South could be a 2-man race, and they’re still in it.

“Insert Comment Here”: Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins

Face it- these teams’ style of play are boring and uninspiring more times than not (minus the Vikings the past 2 weeks. But that’s because Ponder now has the keys). Put yourself in my shoes…. What could you possibly say about any of these teams individually that doesn’t sound like the others in this group? Can’t figure it out? Me neither. So feel free to insert your own comment here.

Bad…. Real Bad Michael Jackson: Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos

I guess this group could be called the “Suck For Luck” lottery, but that’s unoriginal and overused at this point. These 4 teams stink and I’d bet my money on LSU or Alabama if they played any of these teams at this point. Probably the worst team of them all is Indy. Never have I seen a franchise fall so fast from one key player going down. That’s a direct reflection of the GM and ownership and it’s inexcusable. The Rams have some good pieces and aren’t AS bad as Indy (not saying much), but their defense isn’t that good, particularly their secondary (although they did hold NO to one offensive TD in Sunday’s win) and there isn’t a true #1 WR on the team. The Dolphins need a new makeover, period. Not only did you celebrate the FLORIDA GATORS championship in MIAMI HURRICANES-land, you let Tim Tebow beat you in the Final 5 minutes of the same game. Yeah, you suck, Miami…….. Speaking of Tebow, he is getting KILT in the media (yeah, I said it… not killed, but KILT!) on what most of us already knew: Great college player, lots of heart and passion, not going to translate into the NFL. It’s been a while since I’ve seen so much attention lay on one guy like this. Denver officially came into the Top 5 pick race as of Sunday.

Yesterday’s game was overwhelming for me for so many reasons. We recognized the 10th anniversary of September 11th which was extremely patriotic, as the fans chanted, “USA” often. It was opening day from a LOOOOOOOOONG offseason full of lockout talk and off-the-field drama. And it was against the Ravens most bitter rival in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Going into this game, I admit I had my doubts. The offensive line hadn’t played fully this preseason and the defense was pretty slow in that same span. But the Ravens were tired of all of the trash talk and mental edge the Steelers had over them, and it showed. Not only did the Ravens come out to play, they came out with a plan to show them how serious they were on the disrespect. All of the offseason changes they made paid off, at least for Week 1. They beat the Steelers like they stole something. Final score Ravens 35, Steelers 7.

The best part about yesterday’s game was how happy my son was. He was celebrating a milestone birthday (don’t ask!) And going to the game was a birthday gift. When he said that he had the best birthday ever, I knew yesterday was special. That’s what football does, especially after a win like that. His happiness means the world to me, and we have the Ravens to thank.

OT: I’ve said this over and over like a broken record, but I’ll say it one last time. Joe Flacco is a GOOD quarterback. Is he a great one? Nope. He still has some things he can change to better his game. But he’s efficient.. efficient enough to win football games for the Baltimore Ravens.

I don’t think there’s a question on who’s better between Flacco and Roethlisberger. Big Ben is a 2-time Super Bowl winning QB who knows how to make plays when he needs to. But yesterday, Joe Cool was the better guy. And while he’ll have struggles this season, he’s growing and maturing. I like it and I believe this is the start of finally getting the respect he’s long overdue for.

Double OT: “God can have his soul, but his ass belongs to me”- Terrell Suggs on Ben Roethlisberger after his 3-sack performance. Best quote I’ve ever heard!

The Colts are bad… real bad, Michael Jackson (hell, add the rest of the Jacksons too!). We knew the Colts would struggle without Peyton Manning, but if yesterday is what’s to come for the Colts without Pey-Pey, this is gonna get ugly QUICK! It kind of amazes me how the franchise had put so much stock into one guy with no insurance policy. The Irsays should learn from this.

On Saturday, I was on a local TV show talking football and one of the topics we discussed were injuries. I predicted that this season we would see an abundance of injuries, mainly due to the lockout. And so far that looks to be true. The Rams were plagued with injuries by key players yesterday, Bengals QB Andy Dalton went down, Charger RB Mike Tolbert got banged up..and the list goes on and on from yesterday’s games. Its alarming, especially when you have skill players taking the hit. As a fan, its a huge concern, but I’m sure as a player/coach that concern is 10x worse.

Isn’t it funny how we witnessed a near-perfect QB play in the Green Bay-New Orleans game last Thursday, only to see a Romo/Sanchez slop fest last night? The Cowboys-Jets game was the exact opposite of Thursday’s show down, but the excitement was all the same. Mistakes clouded last night’s game big time, but those very same mistakes kept the game interesting. Down 24-10 in the 4th quarter, the Jets found a way to not screw it up when it counted to beat the Cowboys, 27-24. That’s the beauty of football. You can see a squeaky clean game and then see a sloppy, mistake laden game but the awesome levels are still the same. One of the reasons why football is so great.

OT: Tony Romo can’t catch a break.. mainly from the fans and the media. I’m not saying its not warranted, he’s given folks plenty of reason to criticize him. But the QB is always a position that gets held at a higher regard than any other position. The fact that he plays for the Cowboys makes it worse because his stage is much bigger than other teams. It’s recipe for disaster. As long as he continues to make critical mistakes, how good he is will be debated. Its the nature of the beast, whether you like it or not.

Donovan McNabb, SMH………… My, how the mighty have fallen.

Someone posted this on Twitter yesterday. In less than 140 characters it was quite simple yet the truest tweet of the day. In a sentence, it said, “The Harbaugh’s>>>>>> The Manning’s”. And as of right now, that’s exactly right.

I’m not a Bills fan, but I empathize with what they’ve been through the past few years, mainly because of my football sister Pigskin Loving Lady. I was happy for them in yesterday’s 41-7 shellacking over the Chiefs. Maybe my empathy is more so pity, because the Bills should have won at LEAST 2 more games last year (Ravens, Steelers). I’m not picking them to go to the playoffs or anything, but I do believe they’ll be better than we expect.

OT: this is only Week 1 but I’m gonna say it. Kansas City is overrated. Not that they can’t be good, they have a core group of youth on their team. But they continue to show me that they aren’t ready to take over the drivers seat in the AFC West. You have to dethrone the Chargers, who are a penciled in pick every year as long as my boo (Philip Rivers) is running the team. The Chiefs are young, so the experience will come. I just don’t see them repeating as AFC West champs.

Until the Falcons win a playoff game, they’ll always be regular season champs to me. Outside of Michael Turner, they didn’t show me much yesterday. I realize they’re a very good team on paper. People LOOOOOOOVE Matty Ice, so I get it. But until they can show me they are consistent and able to win playoff games (which they have yet to do since Ryan was drafted), they gets no love from me…. sorry.

Cam Newton looks like the real deal. Even in a losing effort, he did the damn thing, passing for 422 yards in his NFL debut. His confidence and poise is impecable, and that is the key to how far Carolina can go this season. I used to think Newton was a bit cocky, especially after seeing his smirks and facial responses at the draft this past April. Now I see it’s a bit deeper than that. He believes in himself and what he can do for his football team. And I can’t be mad at that!

And last but not least, the Redskins beat the New York Giants yesterday… the DC/MD/VA area is about to explode with Super Bowl talk….. pray for me!

The NFL recently canceled their supplemental draft due to the uncertainty of former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor’s eligibility status being uncertain. Yesterday we learned that the NFL not only rescheduled their draft, but that Pryor would now be considered eligible… only to be suspended for 5 games, due to his involvement in getting discounted and free items during his time as the Buckeye’s signal caller.

I found this to be weird and definitely unheard of. While I’m a college football fan, I’m far from an expert and don’t covet the extensive knowledge that I do on the NFL. So I decided to ask my good friend Michael Felder from In The Bleachers to give his take from the college side of this mess.

“Terrelle Pryor is one of the hot button issues in the college football world but, he is not just a lightning rod he is a guy that can be kicked by anyone with a half decent reason.

This move by Roger Goodell is opening up the NFL to more damage than good. Sure there are some people who adopt the “gotta catch ‘em all” mentality when it comes to NCAA violators but the fact is with Goodell making this move it adds to the plate of what the NFL will or will not police. Will every kid who draws an NCAA suspension be subject to the “Wrath of Roger?”

Folks think Roger Goodell is taking his power overboard. But I think otherwise. In his mind, he thinks he’s helping the NCAA with their problems. With scandals in college sports being at all-time high this year, including new details on a University of Miami booster going above and beyond for Hurricane players, the NCAA is looking more and more like a laughing stock. They look like that, though, not because of the athletes or the boosters that entice them. It’s because of themselves.

The NCAA has a lot of it’s own mess it needs to clean out. The rules of the guidelines are very nostalgic, something that I would assume safely that majority of Division I athletes ignore. To say it’s a bit outdated is an understatement. Furthermore, the NCAA has certain rules that are contradicting to the very problems they are trying to fix (for instance, allowing players to live with alums…. that you can probably bet are big time boosters). In order for things to change, the NCAA must change. For the NFL to try and play clean up because college football is their version of minor league ball is foolish. Should we strip Reggie Bush of his Super Bowl ring, too? Should we suspend Pete Carroll’s salary for 3 years? If the answer is no, then why is Terrelle Pryor the scapegoat?

Felder brings up a point regarding a North Carolina player facing a more harsh penalty from the NCAA issues,

“In practical application here we see a kid, in Michael McAdoo from UNC, who has a “permanently ineligible” tag slapped on him in the very same supplemental draft as Terrelle Pryor. Pryor is suspended five games in the NFL because he was suspended 5 games in college. Does this mean Michael McAdoo is going to be permanently ineligible for the NFL? Surely if they’re about upholding college punishments and “sending a message” that is what they have to do.”

It’s a valid point that begs for a rebuttal. But it goes beyond that. Does McAdoo go in without punishment from the NFL because people know nothing about his situation like they do Pryor’s? Or do they forever ban him from the league because they want to play big brother protector to the NCAA and their shortcomings? Either way, it’s not wise for the NFL to try to play clean up on Aisle 5. Let the NCAA clean their mess up, or else they’ll be doing a WHOLE lot of cleaning, from here on out.

Eagles QB Michael Vick did an interview with GQ magazine to discuss life as a changed man since going to prison, and how he wanted to be a Bill or a Bengal instead of an Eagle? Considering his career with Philly now, it sounds crazy. But it’s something Vick actually thought about. In the interview with the mag, this is what Vick said,

“I think I can say this now, because it’s not going to hurt anybody’s feelings, and it’s the truth. I didn’t want to come to Philadelphia. Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options.” Vick says that he talked with commissioner Roger Goodell and other reps from the NFL. He was then convinced and granted league approval to sign with Philly.”And I commend and thank them, because they put me in the right situation.”

Vick going to Philly was definitely the best move for him. Being able to sit on the bench probably continued his haul-over process on being a better QB. If Vick goes to a place that he had a better chance at starting like Buffalo or Cincy, chances are his studying habits don’t change much and he’s still winging it based on his talent alone. Philly has a great mentor in Andy Reid so that was the perfect opportunity to learn how to put in the work needed to be a great QB.

Sorry Bills/Bengals fans………

Vick’s article also talks about his conviction and what situation scared him all the way straight. You can read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Redskins QB Rex Grossman doesn’t think the Redskins are as bad as folks think. In fact, he thinks they are pretty good. Enough to win the NFC East this season.

No, I’m not lying and yes you read that correctly. Grossman did an interview with CSNWashington.com and told a reporter his bold prediction.

“We’re fine being the sleepers right now. We’re just waiting in the wings ready to take over the NFC East.  Nobody’s talking about us, it’s right where we wanna be.  You look at us from top to bottom out here, there’s a bunch of great players.   And we don’t need people saying we’re the best right now.  But when it’s all said and done, I really feel like this team’s gonna win the [NFC] East.”

Wait for it……. wait for it………..

In today’s NFL, it’s hard to write any team off, especially with the lockout hendering teams from gelling early. But the Redskins haven’t done much to make people think they are going to top the Giants, Cowboys and especially the Eagles, who signed every free agent and my momma the past 2 weeks.

Anything can happen in the NFL, but I wouldn’t bet $5 on that prediction (I don’t like giving money away). This tweet from @fauxjohnmadden pretty much says exactly what many probably think regarding Sexy Rexy’s thoughts:

I absolutely LOVE the Hall Of Fame ceremony. Not just because we get to see our favorite player get inducted to football’s highest honor, but because oft times we get to hear how our favorite players became who they are today.

Shannon Sharpe and Deion Sanders did not let anyone down yesterday. Both gave excellent speeches that gave us a history lesson of how they became the great players that we saw honored last night.

While all of the speech’s were good last night, Sharpe and Sanders stood out because they decided to tell captivating stories that you wished could go on a little longer. If you missed it last night, please take some time to check them out… and make sure you have tissue by your computer… you’re gonna need it.

Deion Sanders 2011 Hall of Fame Speech by BlackSportsOnline

Between free agency and training camp, the NFL has been non-stop since the lockout was lifted. That’s a GREAT thing when you’re an avid football fan, like myself. That’s a bad thing when you’re a football blogger who is fighting a MEAN summer cold. But I can’t let the day go by without a recap and my thoughts on the top stories of the weekend.

News Story: The Eagles have been BUSY the past few days. In a surprising twist, Philly landed the hottest free agent in the market in CB Nnamdi Asomugha. In addition to that, they traded for CB Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie, signed Vince Young to a 1-year deal and DL Cullen Jenkins to a multi-year deal

My thoughts: The Eagles mean BUSINESS this time. I truly believe this is a desperation free agency for them, of sorts. The Eagles should have about 2 Super Bowls at this point, and with the Phillies and Flyers having major success, they were slowly becoming the 3rd fan fave in their town. These moves bring them back to the top and gives them a better chance and finally bringing home a Lombardi trophy. Sometimes desperation is good, because desperate measures can bring better results. We’ll find out starting Sept. 11th.

News Story: The Jets allegedly had comedian Adam Sandler call Asomugha to try and lure him to the Big Apple. Yeah, you read that right… Adam Sandler!

My Take: LMFAOOOOOO!

News Story: Speaking of the Jets, they inked a deal with WR Plaxico Burress for one year, and agreed to terms with Antonio Cromartie with a 4-year deal.

My Take: Plax back in NY could be a good thing. I think he fits in well with the team. How he will do on the field, is hard to say. Jamal Lewis and Michael Vick both had slow seasons when coming from incarceration, so it will be interesting to see how Plax responds. The deal was low risk, so it works great for both sides.

As for Cromartie, this was the right choice by NY all along. Asomugha was an upgrade, but an unnecessary one. Because the way I remembered it, poor tackling from the front 7 was the reason why the Jets didn’t advance from the AFC Championship Game last year.

News Story: Peyton Manning re-signs with the Colts on a 5-year, $90 million deal. The deal allegedly was undervalued for Manning’s resume, yet the cap-friendly deal helped the team re-sign Joseph Addai

My Take: I’d be a liar and a hater if I said I didn’t like Manning. Another classy move to show he’s a stand up guy. Very rarely do you see a man of his football caliber try and make a move for the betterment of the entire team. Kudos to him.

News Story: In more serious news, Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall told the media yesterday that he’s been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, which has been known to stem from things such as unstable personal relationships, a negative self-image and a fear of failure. Marshall said no one has ever helped him since being in the NFL, and that he’s paid about $60K for treatment.

My Take: This is a HUGE step in the right direction for Marshall. Mental illness is very real, and a lot of times left untreated (particularly in the Black community). Marshall says he wants to lobby Congress for funding of the illness and I’m with him 110%. Too many times people leave their sickness unattended and allow it to consume them. I hope Marshall gets the help he needs.

The NFL has WAY too much going on right now, due to the long lockout. While teams are starting training camps as I type this, they are also cutting and adding new players to their rosters. It’s a madhouse in the NFL right now, with big names being shifted around to their new homes.

I could break down EVERY transaction done in the last few days, but that would take up too much time. Instead, I’ll break down for you the biggest names that have made moves (or stayed put), since free agency started.

Patriots acquire WR Chad Ochocinco from Bengals for 2012, 2013 late-round picks, also acquire DE/DT Albert Haynesworth from Redskins for 2013 5th-rounder – Biggest acquisitions to date. NE always has something up their sleeve.

Eagles sign QB Vince Young (1 year)

Dolphins acquire RB Reggie Bush from Saints for late-round pick

Cardinals acquire QB Kevin Kolb from Eagles for CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and 2nd-round pick

Texans sign CB Johnathan Joseph (5 years, $48.75 million; $23.5 million guaranteed)

Panthers acquire TE Greg Olsen from Bears for 3rd-round pick- Not feeling this move here

Bears sign WR Roy Williams (Cowboys)

Saints sign RB Darren Sproles (4 years, $14 million)

Texans sign SS Danieal Manning (4 years, $20 million; $9 million guaranteed)

Seahawks sign WR Sidney Rice (5 years, $41 million; $18 million guaranteed)

Redskins sign CB Josh Wilson (3 years, $13.5 million; $6 million guaranteed)

Vikings acquire QB Donovan McNabb from Redskins for 2012 6th-rounder, 2013 conditional 6th-rounder

Panthers re-sign RB DeAngelo Williams (5 years, $43 million; $21 million guaranteed)

Chargers re-sign S Eric Weddle (5 years, $40 million; $19 million guaranteed)

Jets re-sign WR Santonio Holmes (5 years, $50 million; $24 million guaranteed)

Titans sign QB Matt Hasselbeck (3 years, $21 million)

Cowboys re-sign OT Doug Free (4 years, $32 million; $17 million guaranteed)

Steelers re-sign CB Ike Taylor (4 years)

Jaguars sign LB Paul Posluszny (6 years, $42 million)

49ers re-signed QB Alex Smith (1 year, $5 million), release CB Nate Clements

Ravens re-sign OT/G Marshal Yanda (5 years, $32 million), release WR Derrick Mason, TE Todd Heap, RB Willis McGahee and NT Kelly Gregg

Seahawks sign QB Tarvaris Jackson (2 years, $8 million)

Source

In classy form, the NFLPA have released a video thanking us, the fans, for our patience and loyalty during the tough times of the NFL lockout.

Players involved in the video include Cowboys TE Jason Witten, Colts LB Gary Brackett and free agent LB Takeo Spikes. With a lot of fans still not receptive to football, post-lockout (the whole millionaires vs billionaires debate), this is a good way to try and smooth everything over and move on.

All is forgiven by me. I love the sport too much to stay mad long, anyway. I’m just glad football is back.

Welcome back, football. We’ve complained, argued and have been completely frustrated with you. But that doesn’t mean we gave up our love for you. The love is in fact still there.

While everyone is high 5ing the NFL’s return, the downside of football is the business side of it. Not long after the lockout was lifted, teams already started making plans. While cuts aren’t official until Thursday and free agency to start thereafter, teams are already starting to inform their players they will be cut.

The Ravens made surprising announcements yesterday, citing that they have informed RB Willis McGahee, NT Kelly Gregg, TE Todd Heap and WR Derrick Mason that they would be cut. All 4 players are in the 30 and over club.  Heap, McGahee and Mason all had over $4 million owed to them in 2011 before being cut.

There is speculation that the Ravens will attempt to bring back Mason, Heap and Gregg, but some believe they are clearing cap space for something bigger and better via free agency. We shall see what happens.

According to Josina Anderson’s Twitter, The Broncos have informed RB Correll Buckhalter that they would be releasing him, though they expect to bring him back for a lesser deal. One player not expected to come back? Kyle Orton, who Denver would like to unload ASAP. Tebow Time is officially on the clock once Orton finds a new home.

The Eagles have lifted the transition tag on K David Akers, making him a free agent. Akers has been with the Eagles since 1999 and one of the most reliable kickers in Eagles history. The Eagles are preparing to unload QB Kevin Kolb, due to the resurgence of Michael Vick.

Day One of the lockout lifted, and we have yet to begin to see the half. Teams dealing with cap issues include the Cowboys and Steelers. With free agency ready to get rolling and undrafted free agents finding out who their new homes are with, this looks to be an interesting week. Buckle up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.