NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

There has been no official confirmation from the team, but the Steelers reportedly have come to an agreement on a three-year contract extension with Coach Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin’s new contract will carry him through 2014. His previous contract, signed when the Steelers hired him in ‘07, had one year and an option left. The five-year deal was worth an average of $2.5 million annually.

Tomlin’s record as coach is 31-17 in three regular seasons. He lost in his first playoff game in the 2007 season against the Jaguars at home, then the following year took the team to and won Super Bowl XLIII as they topped the Cardinals 27-23.

Now that Tomlin is done, next on the list will be football operations director Kevin Colbert. His status as of today seems a lot more clear since he is in the final year of his contract. Colbert is expected to receive a new contract as well.

The Lions have extended the contract of their backup QB Shaun Hill. Pro Football Talk.com reports that Hill inks a one-year extension, making him the primary backup for Matt Stafford.

The article from the Associated Press is misleading, to say the least. The Lions have “agreed to terms” with quarterback Shaun Hill. It suggests that he previously wasn’t on the team.

But he was already on the team, under contract at a salary of $1.5 million for 2010. He simply signed a one-year extension, making him the primary backup to Matt Stafford through 2011. The 49ers traded Hill to Detroit in March, for a rusty bucket and half a bottle of Gatorade.

The Texans passing game took form last season as QB Matt Schaub finally played up to the level he was expected to. With it came a huge season from star wide out Andre Johnson, who on many peoples fantasy boards comes in as the #1 wide out.

2009 Season: Johnson shined, catching 101 passes for 1569 yards and 9 touchdowns. He has over 3,000 yards receiving over the last two seasons to go along with 17 touchdowns. Johnson averaged 98.1 yards per game receiving last season, and went over 100 yards six times, with the high point being back to back weeks of 193 yards and 196 yards in weeks 14 and 15.

What to Expect in 2010: Johnson is entering the prime of his career. He’s 29 years old, playing with a team that seems to be committed to opening up the offense, and he’s the prime player in the offense. As long as Schaub stays clear of the injury bug, and Johnson as well, there’s no reason to believe he can’t be the best wide out in fantasy or in football overall in 2010.

As training camp creeps closer for the Bills, the coaching staff is not only keeping a sharp eye on the talent they currently have on the field, but also on a talented veteran that they hope will be returning to the field.

Two-time Pro Bowler, Aaron Schobel, has made it clear during mini camps that he was leaning on calling it a career. "At this point I doubt I'm coming back," Schobel told Buffalobills.com last month. " I'm not ready to say I'm retiring yet, but if Buffalo needs to move on without me they sure can. I would understand. Don't wait on me."

Schobel admits that being part of a losing program for the past nine years has played a role on whether or not to join the team for the 2010-11 season. But as the team comes together to prepare for the season, Schobel is now giving mixed signals, "If September rolls around and Buffalo wants me then maybe I'll play,” said Schobel. “But I doubt it."

While Coach Gailey isn’t pushing the issue with Schobel, it will definitely take a team effort to overcome the presence Schobel had on the field. Over his first seven seasons with the Bills, Schobel has led the team in sacks and currently ranks second on the Bills’ all-time sack list with 68.0, behind Hall of Famer Bruce Smith. Schobel has also shown no signs of slowing down, totaling ten sacks last season (his 9th season with the Bills).

Filling in for an absent Schobel will be Aaron Maybin, the 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft. While Aaron Maybin didn’t record a single sack during his rookie campaign, it would only to be fair to point out that he was given little to no playing time under the Dick Jauron regime. This year, Maybin will be given every chance to be successful under the new 3-4 defensive scheme.

Several media outlets in recent days have reported the the Eagles brain trust is seriously considering cutting Michael Vick. Jonathan Tamari of the Philadelphia Enquirer, however, reports that this option is not on the table.

According to Tamari, the Eagles are counting on Vick to back up Kevin Kolb this year. Despite missing the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to his arrest and subsequent incarceration in the dog fighting case, Vick remains the most experienced quarterback on the Eagles roster.

The No.3 quarterback is Mike Kafka, a rookie out of Northwestern drafted in the fourth round this year. Tamari quotes a high-ranking official in the Eagles organization as saying “any report or speculation that suggests the Eagles are considering cutting Vick are not true”.