NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Months ago, this would have been a no brainer. Even with Adrian Peterson having another solid year, it seemed very apparent that Johnson would be almost everyone's number one overall pick. However, with the holdout situation lasting longer and longer, would you take Johnson with the number one pick?

Being a Johnson owner last year, I am very aware of the ridiculous points put up by speedy Gonzalez nearly every game. His big play ability makes him a huge threat in any league giving bonuses for long TD's. Also, his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield will add easy points to point per reception leagues.

However, fantasy football is all about consistency. Big points are nice, but if you are unsure whether Johnson will be starting the season, or even playing, it's tough to draft him with the number one selection. Personally, I wouldn't be drafting Johnson if I had the first choice. These two sides are way too far away from an agreement to risk the first pick on an uncertainty.

Let's do a small comparison on the two players. Last year, Johnson eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark for only the sixth time in the history of the NFL. Peterson, 1,389 yards. Carries? Johnson – 358. Peterson – 315. It's very unlikely that Johnson will see that many carries this year, especially with the holdout situation. Also, the Vikings will likely return to the ground game more this year as they fell into spurts of being a pass first offense last year. Peterson scored four more times on the ground, yet, failed to score any receiving scores.

The curse of 400 has been noted throughout the fantasy season, as Johnson was the 35th most in NFL history, according to ESPN.com. Eclipsing 400 touches in a single season is a lot of time carrying the pigskin. Which only leads to injuries, fatigue, and in Johnson's case, maybe a little bit of arrogance. Peterson has been consistent over the last few years and was down in touches last year, which I expect to produce a monster year for AD.

My number one pick? Peterson all day. While his fumbling can create a small problem, he has worked hard over the offseason to improve on it, and likely will have some quarterback named Brett Favre (pronounced Far-ve) returning.

According to PFT, this Vincent Jackson story about the Redskins truly being interested in acquiring his services is really gaining steam. The latest news is that Mike Shanahan wanted to draft Jackson to the Broncos and missed out on the opportunity by selecting DB Darrent Williams, and was then livid when the Chargers selected Jackson before Denver had another opportunity.  Now here we are, 5 years later and Shanahan has an opportunity to a get a true #1 receiver for his new QB who loves to throw the deep ball.

Somewhat buried at the end of a Tuesday blog post by ESPN's Bill Williamson is some juicy information on Mike Shanahan's background with Vincent Jackson, for whom Shanahan's Redskins are rumored to be contemplating a trade.

According to Williamson, Shanahan has been "a big fan" of Jackson dating back to the 2005 NFL Draft, when Shanahan's Broncos reportedly considered selecting the eventual Pro Bowl receiver.  Williamson was covering the Broncos for the Denver Post at the time, so he's a credible source. Williamson says Jackson was next on Shanahan's draft board when the Broncos selected the late Darrent Williams with the 56th overall pick.  Jackson, who played at Northern Colorado, was drafted 61st overall by San Diego, "and the Broncos were not happy about it."

Jackson was relatively slow to develop in San Diego, but went on to post games of 95, 73, and 77 yards against Shanahan's Denver teams during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Interestingly, Williamson also "heard" that left tackle Marcus McNeill "may not be as dead set as Jackson on holding out for the long haul."  Both players have threatened to sit out through Week Ten of the regular season.

But what's so great about Jackson in the first place? — you might be thinking to yourself.  Just think about this, Randy Moss is 6?4? 205lbs. Vincent Jackson is 6?5? 230 and makes Randy Moss look like he's 5?10? string bean with a bum leg. Vincent Jackson is one of the most imposing receivers in the league, he's nearly impossible to cover.  And of course this shouldn't be ignored… he's the best overall receiver in the NFL based on pure production.

So let me just say this — if the Redskins somehow get Vincent Jackson committed to the team and in the door by any means necessary, this team goes deep into the playoffs in 2010.  I'm dead serious. (At which point maybe Albert Haynesworth actually shows up to take part in his team activities). The problem is that Vincent Jackson is holding out — and that's the last kind of personality you want adding fuel to the fire in D.C. right now.

Excessive egos do not a championship win, Yoda might say.  He's not necessarily a distraction the likes of T.O. or Haynesworth, but bringing guys in who you know at the outset want to have their way with the front office does not bode well for the organization.

In all seriousness — the Redskins have an obvious need at WR right now. Vincent Jackson could certainly fill that need, and more.  The question of course is, can they afford to take a chance and spend more money on another ego expecting different results? And what is your definition of insanity… securing Jackson or letting him slip by yet again in one lifetime?

It appears that Michael Vick will likely be off the hook for any of the major issues surrounding a shooting at his birthday party, as the spokesman for the nightclub where the party was says that the QB left in a car minutes before the shooting.

Larry Woodward, Vick's attorney, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his client left the club at least 10 minutes, and perhaps as many as 20, before the shooting, but the owner says it was just a few minutes, but the bottom line was he was gone from the scene.

Allen Fabijan, spokesman for Guadalajara Mexican restaurant and nightclub, says a surveillance camera video shows a car with a man he says is Vick inside leaving at 2:07 a.m.—about 4 minutes before the shooting a block away.

The Associated Press viewed the grainy footage, and Vick's face is not discernible. Police say Vick is not a suspect in the shooting.

It sounds like you can count the Lions out as a team that may have interest in Redskins unhappy DT Albert Haynesworth. Jason LaCanfora of NFL.com reports that the Lions are out of the handful of 3-4 teams that might take a shot at Hayneswoth:

The Detroit Lions, once believed to be interested in trading for Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, no longer consider that an option, a team source said Wednesday. The Lions had internally discussed trading for Haynesworth before April’s draft, but that’s not an option now after the team used its first-round pick on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew has serious concerns about the kind of influence that Haynesworth could become, according to the source. “Even though Suh is his own man, we don’t want any negative influences around him,” the source said.

It never did make a ton of sense to see Haynesworth in Detroit, after all, he is a locker room cancer, whines when things don’t go his way, and makes outlandish demands when he wants out of a city. The Lions are a young team that cannot afford a cancer like Haynesworth, and it’s the right move for them to move on without him.

Below are the 2010 training camp schedules for all 32 NFL teams:

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills
Site: St. Fisher College
City: Rochester, N.Y.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 29

Miami Dolphins
Site: Team practice facility
City: Davie, Fla.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

New England Patriots
Site: Gillette Stadium
City: Foxborough, Mass.
Rookies report: July 25*; Veterans report: July 28*

New York Jets
Site: SUNY Cortland
City: Cortland, N.Y.
Rookies report: July 30*; First practice for veterans: Aug. 2

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens
Site: McDaniel College
City: Westminster, Md.
First practice for rookies, select veterans: July 27; First practice for veterans: July 30

Cincinnati Bengals
Site: Georgetown College
City: Georgetown, Ky.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 29

Cleveland Browns
Site: Team training facility
City: Berea, Ohio
Rookies report: July 23*; First practice for veterans: July 31

Pittsburgh Steelers
Site: Saint Vincent College
City: Latrobe, Pa.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 31

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans
Site: Methodist Training Center
City: Houston, Texas
Rookies and veterans report: July 30

Indianapolis Colts
Site: Anderson University
City: Anderson, Ind.
First practice for rookies and veterans: Aug. 2

Jacksonville Jaguars
Site: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
City: Jacksonville, Fla.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

Tennessee Titans
Site: Baptist Sports Park
City: Nashville, Tenn.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 31

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos
Site: Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Centre
City: Englewood, Colo.
Rookies report: July 26*; First practice for veterans: Aug. 1

Kansas City Chiefs
Site:Missouri Western State University
City: St. Joseph, Mo.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

Oakland Raiders
Site: Napa Valley training complex
City: Napa, Calif.
Rookies and veterans report: July 28*

San Diego Chargers
Site: Chargers Park
City: San Diego, Calif.
Rookies report: July 26; Veterans report: July 30

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys
First site: Alamodome (July 24-Aug. 6)
City: San Antonio, Texas
Second site: Oxnard training complex (Aug. 13-27)
City: Oxnard, Calif.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 24

New York Giants
Site: University of Albany
City: Albany, N.Y.
First practice for rookies and veterans: Aug. 1

Philadelphia Eagles
Site: Lehigh University
City: Bethlehem, Pa.
Rookies report: July 27; First practice for veterans: July 30

Washington Redskins
Site: Redskins Park
City: Ashburn, Va.
Rookies and veterans report: July 29

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears
Site: Olivet Nazarene University
City: Bourbonnais, Ill.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

Detroit Lions
Site: Team practice facility
City: Allen Park, Mich.
Rookies and veterans report: July 31

Green Bay Packers
Site: St. Norbet College
City: DePere, Wis.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 31

Minnesota Vikings
Site: Minnesota State University
City: Mankato, Minn.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Site: Team training facility
City: Flowery Branch, Ga.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

Carolina Panthers
Site: Wofford College
City: Spartanburg, S.C.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 29

New Orleans Saints
Site: Team training facility
City: Metairie, La.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 30

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Site: One Buccaneer Place
City: Tampa, Fla.
Rookies and veterans report: July 30*

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals
Site: Northern Arizona University
City: Flagstaff, Ariz.
First practice for rookies and veterans: July 31

St. Louis Rams
Site: Russell Training Facility
City: Earth City, Mo.
Rookies report: July 29*; First practice for veterans: July 31

San Francisco 49ers
Site: Marie P. DeBartolo Sports Center
City: Santa Clara, Calif.
Rookies report: July 30* Veterans report: July 31*

Seattle Seahawks
Site: Virginia Mason Athletic Center
City: Renton, Wash.
Rookies report: July 29* Vets report: July 30*

Source: NFL.com, Yahoo! Sports

Dwayne Bowe says that he was misquoted in ESPN the Magazine over the comments that some of his teammates were out partying the night before a game in San Diego his rookie year.

It was a big wake up call, and there was thoughts that Bowe would be slammed by some of his teammates for making such comments.

Now Sporting News reports that ESPN is firing back, saying that what they printed was exactly what Bowe said, and even some of the comments they kept out of the magazine could have really gotten the WR is some hot water.

ESPN the Magazine fired back at Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe on Tuesday. Its editor in chief said Bowe made comments that were even racier than those that were published in a controversial story that involves Bowe. The magazine also said it chose not to print quotes in which Bowe implicated teammates in questionable off-field activities.

Bowe is trying to deflect the heat he has received after being quoted discussing the practice of “importing” women to a team's hotel prior to a game. Bowe said Chiefs' players brought women to their hotel before a game in San Diego three years ago.

Magazine editor in chief Gary Belsky issued a statement in the wake of Bowe's latest claims of being misquoted:

“As we have said, we will happily allow Mr. Bowe the chance to listen to our recording of his interview, in the event he forgot that he made these comments. He has not asked to do so. Despite his persistence in denying having made these comments — unfairly damaging the reputation of one of our best writers (Eddie Matz) — we have consistently avoided releasing the audio from his interview to spare him and others further embarrassment, specifically because on the recording he offers more lurid details than we published and because he named several teammates as having participated in the off-hours activity in question.

“We do not know why Mr. Bowe persists in denying having made the comments, but out of respect for him, his teammates and the Chiefs we will maintain our position, which we think is the honorable choice. We believe The Magazine's reputation for honesty and integrity speaks for itself.”

An accident in a hot tub has claimed the life of the 2-year-old son of former NFL star quarterback Randall Cunningham. The Clark County coroner’s office identified the child as Christian Cunningham, and said the cause of death was pending.

Las Vegas police Officer Marcus Martin, a department spokesman, said the death appeared to have been an accidental drowning, but authorities were still investigating.

Cunningham, who is now 47 years old, is an ordained minister and pastor of a church six blocks off Las Vegas Boulevard that he runs with his wife, Felicity. Christian Cunningham was the youngest of their four children.

Martin said police were called late Tuesday afternoon to Cunningham’s home in southeast Las Vegas after an adult at the house with several other children found the boy in the hot tub and began trying to resuscitate him.

The child was pronounced dead less than an hour later at St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena campus in nearby Henderson, Nev. Cunningham played for 16 years in the NFL for the Eagles, Vikings, Cowboys and Ravens. He was a Pro Bowl pick four times. He also starred at UNLV.

Cunningham retired in 2002 as the career leader in rushing yards among NFL quarterbacks with 4,928. The Eagles last year added him to the team’s honor roll.