NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Free agent running back Justin Fargas is on his way to take a physical and possibly finalize a deal with the Broncos, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Fargas, 30, has run for 3,369 yards and 10 touchdowns during his seven-year career in the NFL, the entirety of which spent with the Oakland Raiders, who chose Fargas in the third-round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of USC.

Fargas has added 77 receptions for 523 yards as a receiver out of the backfield. The Raiders released Fargas in March, claiming he had failed a physical. Denver is in need of running back depth with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter sidelined with injuries.

ESPNNewYork.com reports that while the Jets moving Darrelle Revis is close to 100 percent not happening, it has at least been talked about between Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan:

In an interview Tuesday evening on 1050 ESPN Radio, Bonnie Bernstein asked Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum if he’d consider trading holdout CB Darrelle Revis. Tannenbaum admitted he discussed it with coach Rex Ryan. “We’ve discussed that and we don’t have any interest in trading the player,” Tannenbaum said.

So, no, they’re not interested in dealing Revis, but it’s interesting to know that the topic was broached behind closed doors.

It may have been a brief conversation, but it was a conversation. Owner Woody Johnson was aske dropped an interesting nugget. Asked by co-host d the same question in an earlier interview on 1050, and he told a different version. “We haven’t made that decision,” he said of a possible trade, “but I doubt it.”

The transcript of an interview Raiders owner Al Davis did with Sirius Satellite Radio host and friend Gil Brandt Tuesday:

Q: Why are the Raiders called the team of the decades?

Davis: Well, that's because there are five decades in which the American Football League and the National Football League have played professional football. And during those five decades, there's only one team that has played in the Super Bowl four of those decades. And that's the Raiders. They played in the Super Bowl four of the five decades. They played in the 60s, they played in the 70s, they played in the 80s and in 2000 (actually 2002), they played in the Super Bowl, and No. 2, Gil, in each decade, beginning in 1970, the first 10 years of the decade, the Raiders played in the championship game. In 1980, the Raiders played the San Diego Chargers in the championship game.

In 1990, the Raiders played the Buffalo Bills played in the championship game and in the year 2000, the Raiders played the Baltimore Colts (Ravens) in the championship game. So in every decade, beginning in 1970, 80, 90, 2000, we played in the championship game and it's our hope that in the year 2010, which we're getting ready to start, repeat the Raiders hope that they do again what they've done in the last four decades, play in the championship game.

Q: Tell me about the 50 years you talk about, tell us about your feelings now that it has been 50 years since the NFL-AFL merger . . .

Davis: Well, they were exciting years for me, as you know, I was the head coach and general manager of the Raiders. I was asked to be commissioner of the American Football League against the venerable traditions of the great National Football League. We were in competition, and then because of strict competition and because of the rules and the regulations of player allocation, we were forced into a merger.

Click Here to read the rest of the transcript.

After two straight losing seasons, the National Football League's schedule makers gave the Seattle Seahawks a present in 2010.

The 2010 slate features five teams that were below .500 compared to just three that made it to the playoffs.  Collectively, Seattle's opponents went 116-140 last year.

In this edition of SeahawksGab's preseason preview, Editor Devon Heinen begins a four-part series looking at Seattle's 2010 schedule. 

WEEK ONE: San Francisco at Seahawks
(Last year's record and finish for SF: 8-8, second place in NFC West)
Last year the 49ers had an identity crisis.

While knowing who they were defensively, a blue-collar, smash-mouth unit, it was the team's offense that changed nearly by the week.  The team went through two quarterbacks and multiple philosophies for when it had the ball.  From time-to-time, running back Frank Gore was the focal point as San Francisco tried to run the ball down opposing defenses' throats.  Other times, the 49ers took the look of a college team by breaking out the shotgun spread offense.

The main problem with San Francisco was its offensive line.  Not being able to hold up against pressure, the 49ers had to abandon the run and drop quarterback Alex Smith back with the shotgun just so the young signal caller could have enough time to get rid of the ball.

The team looks to have fixed their offensive line woes by spending two first-round picks on the position, getting tackle Anthony Davis from Rutgers and guard Mike Iupati.

With an improved offensive line, Smith should have more time to throw to big-play threats Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree.  The bolstered line will also allow the team to run the ball more effectively, which, in turn, will also help the team's passing game. 

Look for San Francisco to be the frontrunner of the division.

**Result: San Francisco beats Seattle** 

WEEK TWO: Seahawks at Denver
(Last year's record and finish for DEN: 8-8, second place in AFC West)
For the first half of last season, Denver was America's surprise team.  For that matter, Denver was America's surprise team for the second half as well.  Going 6-2 to start the 2009 campaign, nobody could have foretold the apocalypse that was the Broncos' final eight games.

In year two under head coach Josh McDaniels, the Broncos made the splash of the offseason by trading back into the first round of April's NFL Draft to get quarterback Tim Tebow.  Whether Tebow provides the 2010 Broncos with much on-field substance remains to be seen.

What's already clear though is how injury-riddled the team already is.  Twelve players, many of them being possible starters, are injured in Denver.  The injuries have been so troublesome that the team has had to alter its training camp plans to accommodate for the lack of sheer players on the field.

Out of all the positions, the team's running back corps has been hit the hardest by the injury bug.  Currently sidelined for the next three, but possibly six, weeks is starter Knowshon Moreno with what is being called a 'frayed' right hamstring.  Also out is Moreno's backup, Correll Buckhalter.  Buckhalter has a back injury that will reportedly require a specialist's examination and that could force the 10-year veteran into missing the start of the season.

While many of the injuries should be cleared up by the time Seattle heads to Denver for the Week Two matchup, Denver's offense could still very well be in flux.  The Broncos have their immediate starter at quarterback in Kyle Orton, but there could a revolving door on the receiving end of his passes.  Denver has two rookies at wide receiver in first-round choice Demetrius Thomas and third-round pick Eric Decker joining returning veteran Eddie Royal and incoming veteran Jabar Gaffney.

Keeping Denver in football games will be the responsibility of the team's defense.  Finishing seventh overall in total defense last season and third in passing yards per game allowed, the Broncos return All-Pro cornerback Champ Bailey and free safety Brian Dawkins to anchor the unit's secondary.

**Result: Seattle beats Denver** 

WEEK THREE: San Diego at Seahawks
(Last year's record and finish for SD: 13-3, first place in AFC West)
With or without star wide receiver Vincent Jackson, the San Diego Chargers will be a playoff team in 2010.

Jackson will serve a three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy and could miss additional games by holding out for a larger contract; however, San Diego's cupboard is anything but empty.

Gone is the aging LaDainian Tomlinson and in his place is rookie running back Ryan Matthews.  A big, physical back out of Fresno State, Matthews will adjust well to the NFL in the San Diego offense.

Helping Matthews' acclimation is Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers and Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates.  Rivers accounted for 29 of the team's 48 touchdowns while encompassing 4,254 yards through the air and 50 more on the ground.  In 2009 Gates hauled in 79 catches, upping his total from 2008 by 19, while recording his second 1,100-yard season in his career.

While San Diego's offense shined, its defense was porous at times, which placed the Chargers in several shoot outs.

**Result: San Diego beats Seattle** 

WEEK FOUR: Seahawks at St. Louis
(Last year's record and finish for STL: 1-15, fourth place in NFC West)
The team with 2009's worst record and the most needs comes into 2010 with important questions that need to be addressed.

How soon will rookie quarterback Sam Bradford run the team's offense is the biggest question mark.  The April Draft's first overall pick, Bradford was brought to St. Louis to help rebuild the team's woeful offense, a unit that finished 28th in the league last year in passing yards per game, and return the Rams to their postseason days of yesteryear.  The issue though with trotting him out from Day One as the team's starter is the chance of him getting injured.  He missed the majority of his final collegiate season at Oklahoma due to shoulder issues that stemmed from getting hi.  What's to say that won't happen again in St. Louis behind an offensive line that allowed its quarterbacks to be sacked 44 times?

Injuries decimated the St. Louis roster in 2009 and how the Rams rebound from that is another particularly big issue.  The team's skill positions were impacted dramatically.  St. Louis cycled through three quarterbacks, wide out Donnie Avery missed time as well and the Rams saw their only Pro Bowler – running back Steven Jackson – have back surgery.

Whether or not the Rams' defense will be able to stop opposing offenses is also of concern.  Nine games showcased the St. Louis giving up 28 points or more, with six of those contests resulting in final scores of over 30 points for opposing teams.

**Result: Seattle beats St. Louis**

Can't get enough NFLGridironGab?  Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

The talk about Bill Leavy’s admission about his errors in Super Bowl XL continues. In today’s twist, Mike Pereira, who was the head of officials at the time, says that Leavy’s calls DID NOT decide the outcome of the day, despite what crying Hawks fans continue to say.

“Did Leavy’s calls determine the winner of Super Bowl XL? Absolutely not!” Pereira writes at FoxSports.com. “In truth, there were missed calls that went against both teams. Let’s all put aside our allegiances and go back four years and look at the game objectively. If we do, we will see that the Seahawks did not play well and neither, actually, did the Steelers.”

Pereira goes on to write that “The officials also did not have a great game,” but he thinks Leavy is actually wrong about one of the “kicked calls” he owned up to. Leavy regrets flagging offensive tackle Sean Locklear for a holding penalty that negated a big play for the Seahawks, but Pereira says Leavy actually got that call right.

This story needs to just go away. The Steelers have gone on to win another Super Bowl, and the Hawks have done nothing. Leavy should have kept his mouth shut, and even if he thinks he was wrong, it’s been four years and no one cares at this point – except Leavy that is.

The issues between the Jets and CB Darrelle Revis are getting more ugly, as neither side wants to budge whatsoever. As far as trading him goes, the Jets say that is not going to happen.

The Jets have no intention of trading Darrelle Revis, nor should they; entering only his fourth season, he has many years ahead of him as an elite player. But that doesn't make the predicament any less complicated, and it's beginning to look as if Revis will not give in unless the Jets significantly up the ante. And the Jets don't appear ready to veer too far from their offer, especially with Nick Mangold , David Harris , Santonio Holmes , Antonio Cromartie and Braylon Edwards each hoping for his pot of gold in the next year.