NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

What happens if in fact Ben Roethlisberger is charged with sexual assault? The league and the Steelers are going to have to take action if the QB ends up getting charged, meaning that the Steelers could start the year without their franchise QB.

Last year’s offseason incident in Las Vegas at the end of the day got pushed under the rug. It might not be so easy this time around. First of all there is the Steeler fans that may turn on the QB, as this team can’t afford to have a QB that can’t stay out of trouble, and the fans know that.

Then there is the distraction that comes along with such a high profile case. This is now the third offseason the team has had to deal with a situation involving Roethlisberger. You had the accident a few years back, and now back to back offseasons with a sexual assault charge thrown at him.

Roethlisberger just got a monster deal last season, he’s a $100 million dollar QB, and you have to wonder the long term future of the club if he’s suspended or flat out not around. Dennis Dixon stepped up and had a nice game in Baltimore when called upon last season, but is he really the future at the QB spot? That remains to be seen.

Bottom line on everything here – if Roethlisberger is charged, the Steelers could be in huge trouble heading into 2010. They very well may have to face a portion of the year without their start QB. Even if he’s allowed to play though, his future has to be in great question following this second incident that has fans, management and probably his own teammates wondering his future.

LaDainian Tomlinson has been out on the open market since his release from the Chargers, and now it looks as if there’s one team already with a premiere running back that has interest – the Vikings. The Star Tribune says that Tomlinson could be a Viking if playing time and money can be agreed upon:

Longtime San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson is expected to visit with the Vikings on Thursday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, and if an agreement on playing time and money can be reached, he could be a Viking shortly thereafter. Tomlinson, who will turn 31 on June 23, has been identified as the Vikings’ top choice to take over the third-down role that Chester Taylor held until he signed with the Chicago Bears last week. Tomlinson was let go by the Chargers after nine seasons late last month and this will be his first known visit.

Tomlinson could be a big asset to the Vikings, as the team lost running back Chester Taylor to the rival Bears on the first day of free agency.

Newly acquired free safety Kerry Rhodes may be trouble. Since signing with the Cardinals, Rhodes said more about his old team than his new team. Specifically, he stated that he was highly dissatisfied with his role in Rex Ryan's defense, the Jets sabotaged his New York career, and he should have been as important to the Jets as Mark Sanchez.

Rhodes told Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN New York that, "The D coordinator and the rest of the staff didn't feel like I was the focal point, or one of the focal points, of the defense. It was more like, 'Okay, we brought in [former Ravens Darrelle Revis and Bart Scott] and our guys know the system, so we're going to let them run things and you guys just learn and fill in with them.' To me, it didn’t work that way. Not to sound arrogant, but I've always been the guy that coaches told, 'Okay, you run the defense, you help them get lined up and make plays.' It was kind of a slap in the face."

C'mon man. The defense runs the way the coach tells you it runs. Nothing says team player like insisting you're the focal point. In addition, the words "not to sound arrogant" never have its intended effect. Further, it doesn't bode well that Rhodes was apparently nicknamed "Hollywood" due to his lime-light seeking behavior while being accused of "soft play." All this paints a pretty unflattering picture of the Cardinals new free safety.

Unfortunately, Rhodes didn't stop there. He also accused the Jets organization of harpooning his career in New York by unduly questioning his commitment to the NFL in light of his off-field pursuits, modeling and acting. Rhodes insisted that any accusation that he was not focused on football is "ridiculous." Rhodes added, "I guess it was an easy scapegoat for somebody to say, 'He's worried about other stuff, he's not putting his all into it and doing what he's supposed to do.' It gave those guys an easy way out, just to blame it on that." Conspiracy theories aside, a mature leader, as Rhodes claims to be, would not take shots at a former franchise. Consider Kurt Warner's stoicism after the Rams and Giants dumped him; that's a leader.

Jets' GM Mike Tannenbaum stated that they traded Rhodes because the team wanted draft picks, which the Cardinals provided. Rhodes doesn't buy that reasoning; here's why. Rhodes blurted, "They told me I was the only player they could use to get picks, but I take that as an excuse. You can get picks from anybody. You can get picks for Mark Sanchez if you want them, but he's still there."

It's scary that Rhodes apparently believes that the Jets should have valued him as much as they value Mark Sanchez, the future of their organization. While Kerry Rhodes is certainly talented and may very well turn out to be a productive and positive influence on the Cardinals, his first few days have been overwhelmingly negative. You would think Rhodes' focus would be on fitting in with his new teammates and projecting a positive image. Instead, Rhodes has only fed into the rumors that he's a jealous, spotlight seeking cry-baby. Hopefully those are just rumors.

The Jets may have made the AFC Championship Game this past season, but their regular season record was 9-7.

If they want to take the next step they have a number of holes to fill on the team.

They started off the off-season by trading for Antonio Cromartie, filling their need of a number two corner to play opposite Darrelle Revis.

However, there is still plenty of work to be done.

Primary Needs

Defensive End

Shaun Ellis is no spring chicken and will turn 33 before next season starts and Marques Douglas, also 33, is currently an unrestricted free agent, who is drawing some interest around the league.

Mike DeVito is a nice backup, but would be stretched as a starter.  Even if they do end up bringing Douglas back, the Jets need to get younger along the defensive front.  I expect them to give Jared Odrick a long look in the first round.

Outside Linebacker

Calvin Pace is locked into one of the starting jobs, but the Jets are in need of a pass rushed to play opposite of him.  They thought they had one in Vernon Gholston, who they drafted with the 6th pick in 2008, but he has shown nothing in his two years.

The Patriots are expected to release Adalius Thomas soon and many expect the Jets to sign him.  He and Rex Ryan go back to Baltimore, where Thomas posted his best numbers.

Safety

The trade of Kerry Rhodes left a hole at safety for the Jets.  Eric Smith is a good third safety and spot starter, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with him starting 16 games.

The Jets could look at free agency to fill the hole with targets being O.J. Atogwe and Brodney Pool among others.  They could also address the need via the draft.  If they drafted a safety, I would prefer they use a middle round pick because spending a first or second round pick on a safety after trading away your starter for a fourth round pick seems counterproductive.

Secondary Needs

Wide Receiver

The Jets are set at their starting wide outs with Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery.   They could use a good slot receiver though.

Adding another receiver will only help the development of Mark Sanchez as the Jets start to open up the playbook more.

There are rumors of the Jets bringing back Laveranues Coles and also many mock drafts have had the Jets taking a receiver, most notably Golden Tate or Jordan Shipley, who I think would be a great fit as a slot receiver.

Cornerback

While the Jets did trade for Antonio Cromartie, you can never have too many good cornerbacks.  The Jets learned this first hand in the AFC Championship Game, when the Colts receivers repeatedly burned their backup corners.

Adding a cornerback to play in dime packages to keep Drew Coleman off the field and possibly challenge Dwight Lowery for nickel duties should be a priority for the Jets.

Running Back

While the release of Thomas Jones paves the way for Shonn Greene to take over as the feature back the Jets still could use another runningback.

Leon Washington is coming off a serious leg injury and Shonn Greene got nicked up a few times during his rookie season.

You need two backs in today's NFL and if either Greene of Leon go down the Jets are in trouble.

Offensive Line

The Jets have one of the best offensive lines in the league, but a few of the starters are getting up there in age.

Alan Faneca and Damien Woody can't be counted on to keep up their level of play for much longer and the Jets don't have adequete replacements on their roster.

They drafted Matt Slauson in the sixth round last year and should look to add another lineman through the draft this year.

Quarterback

Kellen Clemens hasn't shown much of anything in his four seasons in the league and Eric Ainge and Kevin O'Connell are both developmental projects.

Mark Sanchez could benefit from a veteran backup, who can mentor the young quarterback.

It’s been thought for the longest time that the Jags and their fans wanted a fresh start at QB, and that the player to get them there would be Florida QB Tim Tebow.

Not so fast.

At least the Jag fans are not all in favor of getting Tebow, as today’s Times-Union reports that fans have spoken out, and they DON’T want the Jags to spend a pick on the hometown QB:

The conventional wisdom that Jaguars fans want the team to draft former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow might not be accurate. During the team's first telephone Fan Forum with general manager Gene Smith on Tuesday night, an event limited to season-ticket holders, fans were asked if the team should draft Tebow.

Of the 800 fans who voted by phone, the answer was no by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin.

Vic Ketchman, the senior editor of jaguars.com who gave the fans' questions to Smith, said he was "stunned" by the result. In the past, Ketchman has suggested that Tebow would have a better future in the NFL as a tight end than as a quarterback.

It will be interesting to see if the team follows along with what the fans want, or if they draft for another need position since David Garrard is a guy they had banked their future on in the past at the QB spot.

The attorneys for the alleged victim in the Ben Roethlisberger case has released a statement about the situation involving the star QB:

Attorneys hired to represent a young woman who claims Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was involved in a sexual assault committed against her early Friday morning have issued a statement on behalf of their client. Attorneys Lee Parks and David Walbert of Parks, Chesin & Walbert said their client was a victim in the alleged assault and that Roethlisberger was involved. The legal team urged the media to keep the victim’s name out of the press and give the victim and her parents space and time to heal. “Their daughter has done the right thing and reported this matter to the police,” the release reads. “She has been, and will be, available to the authorities to assist them in the criminal investigation. While the matter is under investigation, we ask you to respect her privacy, keep her name out of the press and allow the family space and time to heal.”