NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The Houston Texans told Chron.com that defensive end Mario Williams will be standing up next season in Wade Phillip's 3-4 defensive front.  Williams, who has been the right end for the Texans since he was picked number one overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, will be likely placed at weakside linebacker opposite either third-year Connor Barwin or rookie Brooks Reed.  The Texans will likely do all they can to avoid him playing in coverage (i.e. standing up in rushing situations and playing down in passing situations).

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Mega-agent Drew Rosenhaus is quoted in a CBSSportsline report as saying that when the CBA is resolved, both Philly QB Kevin Kolb and Bengals malcontent Carson Palmer.  This comes on the heels of reports that Seattle, Miami, and Arizona are all at least tacitly interested in the player once affectionately known as Nine.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus believes QB Carson Palmer will be traded for a first-round pick. He told WQAM Palmer and Philadelphia QB Kevin Kolb will warrant a top pick when the lockout lifts.

It is speculated that this type of value might soften Mike Brown's hard line stance on trading him.  We tend to agree, particularly now that Andy Dalton is a Bengal.  It seems clear to us that the team has officially moved past the Carson Palmer era.  The Bengals brought in Jay Gruden and a west coast offense.  They then managed to give Gruden his first choice of the 2011 QB class.

Even if Palmer changed gears and came back, who would really want him in the building?  No one in the locker room will respect him, and the coaches obviously cannot trust him anymore.  Add to that the fact that Palmer would have to learn a whole new offense just like Dalton, and you begin to wonder what the point would be.  After all, Palmer threw 20 interceptions last year playing in an offense he knew and used for 8 years.  If Dalton throws 20 in 2011, at least he'll have a viable excuse.

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Rashard Mendenhall has been putting himself in more and more hot water with his Twitter comments since the season ended, and his latest antics have cost him his deal with the athletic apparel company Champion.

The company has announced it has decided it no longer wants to be associated with Mendenhall, just days he wrote on Twitter that he didn't believe hijacked planes caused the collapse of the World Trade Center, and that people shouldn't celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden.

"Earlier this week, Rashard Mendenhall, who endorses Champion products, expressed personal comments and opinions regarding Osama bin Laden and the September 11 terrorist attacks that were inconsistent with the values of the Champion brand and with which we strongly disagreed," the company said in a statement, via Michael McCarthy of USA Today. "In light of these comments, Champion was obliged to conduct a business assessment to determine whether Mr. Mendenhall could continue to effectively communicate on behalf of and represent Champion with consumers. While we respect Mr. Mendenhall's right to express sincere thoughts regarding potentially controversial topics, we no longer believe that Mr. Mendenhall can appropriately represent Champion and we have notified Mr. Mendenhall that we are ending our business relationship."

Maybe finally taking money out of his pocket will teach Mendenhall to think before he types, and to stop trying to, as he put it, “generate conversation.”

It appears that Ray Edwards is not planning on being a Viking for another season of football and perhaps for good reason.

For well over a year, the Atlanta Falcons have been rumored to be interested in Edwards, as defensive end is one of their biggest needs as they aim for a Super Bowl.  The Falcons didn't address the need in the 2011 Draft but instead sold the farm (and then some) to obtain wide receiver Julio Jones.

They gave up their first rounder, second rounder, and fourth rounder from 2011 and their first rounder and fourth rounder in 2012.  Keep that in mind… they do not have a first round pick in 2012.

So, back to Edwards, he has made it clear he will not play for the 1-year, $2.521 million offer he received when the Vikings tendered him as a restricted free agent.

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Heading into last season it looked like the AFC West would be one of the weaker divisions in the NFL, but once the league got going that was far from the case. The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the biggest surprises and they never really looked back after jumping out of the gate to a 3-0 start.

They won the division with a 10-6 record and made the playoffs with the NFL's best rushing offense. The young defense wasn't bad either and the Chiefs will probably be favored to win the division next season. However, they made an early exit in the playoffs after being humbled 30-7 by Baltimore in the wild card round.

The Chiefs have some fine players in Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster, Derrick Johnson, Javier Arenas, and Tamba Hali, but need a push from their draft picks to get over the hump and go further into the playoffs next season.

The club's 2011 picks could be the answer they're looking for as they landed a good mix of players with character, production and an up-side to them.

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Panthers coach Ron Rivera is going to have a lot of pressure to put #1 overall pick Cam Newton in the lineup day one as the teams starting QB. He on the other hand wants to make sure that the newest Panthers toy is not feeling too much pressure when he takes the field for the first time.

“He’s not drafted to be a franchise savior,” Rivera said. “He’s drafted to be a part of what we do and how we do it. If this football team is going to win a championship we’re going to get back to running the football the way we did and the way this team can.”

Rivera said the Panthers did extensive research on Newton, more than he’d done in the past on any other college player, because of his troubled background, but he came away satisfied with him after a meeting the weekend before the draft in Atlanta.

“The thing that stood out is he had the situation at one point that could have tore him down but he rose above it and become a champion on the junior college level and became a champion on the NCAA Division I level and won the Heisman Trophy,” Rivera said. “So in spite of all of the distractions and the turmoil, the young man rose above it and that spoke very highly of his character being able to learn and grow from his situation and become the player and person that he is right now.”

The Titans made a pretty bold move when they drafted 22-year-old quarterback Jake Locker out of Washington with the eighth pick overall at the recent NFL draft. They may make an even bolder one by starting him on opening day of the 2011 season. Locker's the Titans' highest draft choice since quarterback Vince Young was taken third overall back in 2006. Young's days look to be over in Tennessee though as the club plans on releasing or trading him.

It appears the Titans think a lot of Locker as they bypassed every other quarterback available in the draft, including Missouri's Blaine Gabbert. Coach Mike Munchak is definitely impressed with his new player's potential, skills, and determination.

"I think he has something special in that he'll bring out the best in other players," Munchak said. "I think they'll play hard for him and he's one of those guys who will find a way to win for us."

Rushton Webster, the club's VP, added that Locker was picked because of his talent, smarts, toughness, and leadership.

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After a couple years of tinkering with the booth, the NFL Network’s Thursday and Saturday Night Football tandem has been set according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com.

Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock will call the network’s eight-game Thursday Night Football package. SI.com reported last month that Mayock had been tapped to replace analysts Matt Millen and Joe Theismann on the broadcast. Nessler, the longtime ESPN announcer, will be the play-by-play voice of the new two-person team.

"My favorite aspect of this industry is to do live games," Mayock said in NFL Network's statement. "You are able to get up close to the coaches and players and the environment is electric. To have the opportunity to call NFL games in primetime on NFL Network is like a dream come true."

Added Nessler, "The NFL has always been a big part of my life and my career. To join NFL Network and the great team they've assembled is an honor. Primetime football on Thursday nights is an event. It's an exciting new challenge and I can't wait to be part of it all."

Toronto councilor Doug Ford says he was told last week by NFL Canada that Toronto is "right up there on the list" of cities awaiting NFL teams according to Brad Gagnon of Thescore.com.

"They have to take care of the problem in Los Angeles first," said the candid Ford, who is the brother of Toronto mayor Rob Ford. "Two teams are kind of in play here: Jacksonville's number one; New Orleans is the other. So there's two teams. Once they take care of Los Angeles, we're going to fly over to New York, set up a meeting with [NFL commissioner Roger] Goodell and give him our pitch."

One problem, Mr. Councillor. The city lacks an NFL-ready venue, according to Goodell. But last month, Ford explained his vision of a waterfront stadium to The Globe and Mail's Marcus Gee.

He expanded on the stadium issue in an interview with me at his office Wednesday, stating that he's talked to Rogers Communications about adding seats to Rogers Centre.

Steelers superstar Hines Ward was removed from a vehicle at gunpoint by LAPD officers and placed in handcuffs this morning in L.A. — but he was NOT arrested … TMZ has learned.

The “Dancing with the Stars” contestant was a passenger in a Honda Civic around 2 AM … when LAPD officers flipped on their lights and sirens and pulled the car over.

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