NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

I recently had the pleasure of getting an exclusive interview with Jaguars TE Zach Miller. Miller was a 6th round pick in 2009 out of the Nebraska Omaha.

Zach appeared in 15 games last year starting in five of those games. Zach had 20 receptions for 216 yards. I asked him questions ranging from what he has done to keep busy during the off season to how he feels he could help expand the Jags offense. Here is my interview with Zach Miller in its entirety.

How have you kept busy during the off season with the lockout in effect? — just keeping busy with workouts and taking advantage of the extra family time.

Has there been any team workouts organized during the lock out? – we have got together a number of times throughout the summer. For workouts in the weight-room and for drills on the field. I feel like they were productive.

What are your hopes for the upcoming season, as far as what you would like to accomplish? – I just need to focus on staying healthy. When I do that I believe I can open the game up a little bit. Just because I can play a handful of different positions. I feel way more comfortable now that I have played TE/WR for 2 years and I think the staff is getting more comfortable with my abilities as well. But I need to be available, so staying healthy is key.

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The rumors floating around during this hellish lockout are that the eventual agreement will include a salary cap somewhere in the $120 million range.

If the cap is at $120 million then both the Vikings and the Packers will be amongst seven teams that are over the cap when free agency begins, according to ESPN's John Clayton.  Here is what Clayton wrote about the Vikings situation under a $120 million cap is installed:

"The Vikings are $5.148 million over, which will make it tough for them to keep Bernard Berrian. Releasing him would save around $3.7 million. Adrian Peterson is in the final year on his contract with a salary of $10.72 million. He wants a long-term deal, and if the Vikings accommodate it would free up a lot of cap room."

In addition to Berrian's potential release and Peterson's contract extension, Chad Greenway's cap hit could come way down for 2011 if an extension is agreed upon.  Also, Madieu Williams won't escape any conversations about the salary cap.

Here is the other thing, Clayton (nor anybody, for that matter) knows what is really going to happen.  The previous CBA was a maze of salary calculations, including incentives that did not count against a cap until it was met, and parts of the salary that were pushed into the following year's cap.

The bottom line?  The salary cap is highly unlikely to be a cut-and-dried $120 million and Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings cap guru, knows what he is doing.

With that being said, the Vikings need some cash available for spending in free agency in order to plug some holes on the roster, so this is no minor issue.

Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber decided to return for a 15th season in the NFL, signing a one-year deal in February. At 36-years-old, Barber is the oldest player on the NFL’s youngest roster. With age comes wisdom, and Barber has some advice for talented, but troubled cornerback Aqib Talib.

“If I had any guidance for Aqib it would be to make him focus on football,” Barber said according to Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times. “Everybody has priorities, and I’m not one to tell anybody what to do with their lives, but we all know that football has got to be something that defines him, not all this other stuff.

“Aqib is a person that should be…the confident Buc,” said Barber. “But he’s got to embrace Tampa the way Tampa as the team wants to embrace him. Warren (Sapp) was great with that. He knew the team atmosphere was better when everybody is around. There’s a culture, a spirit, and nowadays (players) want to go back and train wherever they are.

“That’s different than from when I was coming up. We always wanted to be around.”

Barber isn’t so sure the Buccaneers will sign his brother, Tiki, who is making an NFL comeback this offseason after retiring following the 2006 season.

“I don’t know how realistic it is now,” Barber said of playing with his brother, who has listed the Buccaneers on hi short-list of teams he’d want to play for.

Sunday morning Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was taken into custody after an incident at a Cincinnati bar, WLWT reports.

According to the report, an intoxicated Jones had become disruptive. After getting into an argument at the bar, the 27-year-old was asked to leave. When he refused, police were called and Jones resisted attempts by officers to place handcuffs on him.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has a booking photo of Jones, and reports that he has been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

"I have a right to my opinion and the bad part I don’t drunk," he tweeted @realpacman24, stating that he wasn’t causing an issue.

The sixth overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Titans, multiple arrests and suspensions have limited the former West Virginia standout to just 44 games with the Titans, Cowboys, and Bengals.

Jones signed a two-year deal with the Bengals last season after spending the 2009 season out of football. Jones made 14 tackles, recorded an interception, averaged 6.6 yards on five punt returns and 19.1 yards on seven kick returns before a herniated disc in his neck landed him on season-ending injured reserve.

Jones is signed through the 2011 season at the league minimum ($640,000) base salary.

His career has been marred by off-the-field troubles, including at least six arrests and a dozen instances that involved police intervention.

A Bengals spokesman said the team had no comment.