NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The worst kept secret in the NFL has finally been reveled, and that is Scot McCloughan won’t be back as the Niners GM in 2010. Today Niners president/CEO Jed York confirmed the news at a press conference, this days after it was basically known that McCloughan had been relieved of his duties.

York said that director of player personnel Trent Baalke would be the club's decision maker in the draft next month, with the assistance of director of pro personnel Tom Gamble. "Trent is leading us into the draft," York said during a conference call from the NFL owners' annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. "Trent is the point person in the draft. He is making draft decisions. … I have full confidence in him."

York said the only reason that McCloughan was let go was a "private personnel matter," but he wouldn't go into great details about the matter. York said he waited five days to publicly discuss the dismissal because he had given his word to McCloughan that he wouldn't comment during that period.

McCloughan cannot join another NFL team until after the draft, as specified in his contract. When asked what McCloughan's legacy would be, York responded, "You'd have to ask him."

McCloughan was hired by the 49ers as director of player personnel in February 2005 shortly after Mike Nolan had been named head coach. He was promoted to general manager in January 2008, being given authority over personnel matters ahead of Nolan, who had been in danger of being fired at the time and ultimately was canned seven games into the 2008 season.

The Bleacher Report has a hypothetical plan of action if the Redskins acquire Tim Tebow. The full story can be read here, but this is the important bit of it:

This is what the ‘Skins do when they take Tebow: we start Jason Campbell for one year, training Tebow intensively that whole season, teaching him with world class trainers how to throw in pocket without his questionable release. During this future season, we use Tebow repeatedly in a wild cat that would show immense promise and progress Tebow’s NFL debut.

The following season, we determine who we want starting. If Campbell has made the rise expected in him, no punishment and we start him. If Campbell continues to struggle under pressure, though, you look at our bench and you find one of the best college quarterbacks of all time, who has just deemed a whole season working with the team, and improving his NFL game.

Furthermore, in future references, if we decide on keeping just one, both should make fantastic trading bait to improving teams in need of a decent starter, or a really good reserve.

My take: with the signing of Rex Grossman and the hopeful drafting of a stud OT, the Redskins do not need to focus as heavily on the QB position. There is also no guarantee that Washington is interested in heavily utilizing a “Wildcat” scheme in the near future. Focusing on “Big plays” in no way refers to gimmicks in a West Coast offense. In fact the most recent iterations of gimmicky plays run under Jim Zorn have left me so jaded about trying to get away from a smash mouth style run /play-action and slant/sluggo based offense that I would have to think “Big play” refers more to finding tried and true ways of getting the ball down field using simple scheme deceptions. At some point, you have to stop the meandering and go with what works consistently. Returning to a run / counter / playaction scheme with Portis and Johnson in the backfield with Malcolm Kelly getting deep down field should perk everyone’s ears up.

Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who received the high tender, has signed his $6.1 Million deal and is attending workouts, the New York Daily News reports. The Jets tendered Edwards at the highest level (first- and third-round picks as compensation), and the reason his salary is so high is because it’s 120% of his 2009 salary.

Free agent linebacker Akeem Jordan has signed his tender for $1.684 million for the upcoming 2010 season.

It seems like there has been a lot of shifting going on with the personnel in the Eagles front seven. We’ve seen some faces go on the line and new faces come in. We’ve also seen some faces go with the linebackers and may see even more changes as time goes on.

We know that the Eagles have to make some moves in the draft to improve their front seven, but it is a bit hard to see how things might shape up right now. You could definitely see the Eagles drafting a guy in the first round with full intentions of him starting the opener, but only time will tell if this is true. Until then, we will keep an eye on the moves the Eagles make and get acquainted with the new faces.

Don’t you want to stand out from the crowd? Then ditch the jersey and create your own custom t-shirts! CafePress lets you create your own shirts, hoodies, hats, coffee mugs, etc. It’s pretty crazy how many different items you can brand. We created a bunch of t-shirts for a speaking engagement last summer, and people really liked the shirts..

Don’t have your own “brand” to promote? Doesn’t matter – They have a HUGE selection of creative sports t-shirts. Just look at their football section, where they offer 44,800 football designs on 583,000 products!

It’s like one of those t-shirt shops you see at the Jersey Shore, only for sports fans..

There’s talk about the future of GM Kevin Colbert, and what may happen with him in the future and if he’ll bail on the team to go join Bill Cowher on where he may end up.

Head coach Mike Tomlin is not the only key organizational figure that the Steelers figure to engage in serious contract negotiations during the offseason. Director of football operations Kevin Colbert is in the final year of a deal he signed after the Steelers won the 2005 Super Bowl. There has been speculation that Colbert will go with Bill Cowher whenever the former Steelers coach resurfaces on an NFL sideline but when asked about that prospect Sunday, Colbert said: “My reaction is I’m perfectly happy working with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the future will take care of itself.”

Colbert has been a solid GM with the club, and while Cowher sits on the sidelines deciding what he’s going to do next, it’s time for the Steelers to step up and get a deal done with him so his future with the team isn’t in question any longer.

The National Football Post reports the Ravens have inked former Lion DL Cory Redding to a two-year contract:

Ravens have signed veteran defensive lineman Cory Redding to a two-year contract. The Ravens envision Reeding operating as the replacement for Dwan Edwards at left defensive end. Edwards recently signed a four-year, $18 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.

Redding, 29, recorded 20 tackles and two sacks last season. He played in 15 games with three starts. The 6-foot-4, 292-pounder has registered 220 career tackles and 18 sacks.