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Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: decision-makers.

Buffalo Bills

This will be the second draft for general manager Buddy Nix, assistant general manager Doug Whaley and head coach Chan Gailey. Vice president of college scouting Tom Modrak is back for his 11th draft. Bills founder Ralph Wilson has been known to get involved on draft day, but Gailey recently said he hasn't seen the Hall of Fame owner meddle. "He is the boss," Gailey said. "He has all influence, every bit of influence. He says 'Take this guy,' we take him. But he's smart enough not to do that. He hired people to do a job. He lets them do their job. He's letting us do our job. That's what I've seen."

Miami Dolphins

For the first time since general manager Jeff Ireland joined the club in 2008, he will run the show without Bill Parcells watching over his shoulder. Parcells stepped away from the Dolphins a few days before the 2010 season opener, leaving his hand-picked GM at the controls. Head coach Tony Sparano also would appear to have a bigger voice with his contract extension. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross made the move to make amends after an embarrassing flirtation with Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh.

New England Patriots

Bill Belichick is entering his 12th draft with New England. He remains in control of every personnel move and hasn't missed without Scott Pioli, who departed for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009. Belichick receives help from senior football adviser Floyd Reese and director of player personnel Nick Caserio. The Patriots' draft room must be a sight to behold. On the first two days of last year's draft, they made a series of trades in which they acquired 10 picks (including a 2011 second-rounder) with an average value of the 69th pick and peddled eight picks with an average value of the 85th pick. So these minds somehow accumulated more picks and higher in the order.

New York Jets

General manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan enter their third draft together. Top college scout Joey Clinkscales is highly respected in the business, but Ryan has considerable say on whom the team selects, especially when it comes to defensive players. Tannenbaum isn't afraid to make moves on the fly, executing several trades to move up and select key players: quarterback Mark Sanchez, running back Shonn Greene, cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris.

What if Bill Belichick hadn't scribbled his resignation on a napkin and remained the head coach of the New York Jets?

New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro explores that daydream with the Jets about to play the New England Patriots in the playoffs.

The Jets and Patriots form one of the NFL's most intense rivalries, and Belichick's stunning decision to jilt the Jets is a prominent reason.

Belichick was supposed to succeed Bill Parcells as head coach 11 years ago last week, but his introductory news conference turned into a resignation. He joined the Patriots quickly thereafter.

Vaccaro writes:

The underlying, overriding issue was always the looming specter of Parcells. By the time Belichick held his "Blair Witch" press conference, he had clearly grown tired of his Parcellian link. Eleven years later, we know why: Parcells has never been to a Super Bowl without Belichick; Belichick has won three without Parcells. But in 2000, that notion would've seemed ludicrous. He had to strike out on his own.

Vaccaro notes Belichick's staff would have been in place with the Jets. Assistant coaches Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Al Groh and Eric Mangini followed him from the Jets to the Patriots. So did personnel executive Scott Pioli.

That's quite an infrastructure the Jets would've had in place.

But would the Jets have had the fortune of drafting Tom Brady?

The Patriots selected him 199th overall in 2000. The Jets had four first-round picks that year. They had three choices between the third and sixth rounds and another in the 218th slot. Based on Brady's profile leaving Michigan, there's a good chance he still would have been on the board then.

What do you think would have happened?

I realize there's one game remaining on the schedule.

After four months of football, Week 17 shouldn't determine the year's best.

Many of the top teams will bench their players for significant portions -- if not all -- of the regular-season finales. There's a reason smart fantasy leagues held their Super Bowls last week.

So with that in mind and 2010 about to expire, here's my ballot for the Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association annual awards:

Overall NFL MVP: Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback. He's one of the greatest of all-time, and he's putting together one of the finest seasons of his career. You can argue he never has been better.

Offensive MVP: Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback. Some outlets will break up this award, listing different players for overall MVP and offensive or defensive MVP. In those instances, you'll probably see Brady for one and Michael Vick for the other. We don't do that here.

Defensive MVP: Julius Peppers, Bears defensive end. His sack numbers aren't inspiring, but his presence in Chicago's defense has forced other teams to game plan specifically to stop him, creating opportunities for teammates. He finished with eight sacks, three forced fumbles and 11 passes defensed. Nobody else among the top 85 sackers had more than eight passes defensed.

Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick, Patriots. The Patriots revamped their offense, traded Randy Moss and used several rookies on defense. And they own the NFL's best record.

Comeback Player of the Year: E.J. Henderson, Vikings linebacker. Vick will be a popular choice here, but I have two problems with choosing him over Henderson: 1) Vick's off-field actions are what removed him from the game to begin with; 2) Vick played last year. Henderson wasn't supposed to return at all from a broken femur in December 2009. He amassed over 100 tackles and three interceptions with a titanium rod in his leg.

Overall NFL Rookie of the Year: Sam Bradford, Rams quarterback. You can't dispute his impact on the Rams. Even if they don't go to the playoffs, Bradford has played like a seasoned veteran and posted respectable stats despite a raggedy receiver corps.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Sam Bradford, Rams quarterback. Same policy as noted above for offensive MVP.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ndamukong Suh, Lions defensive tackle. Some think he should be considered overall defensive player of the year. He has been that dominant.

Most Improved Player of the Year: Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker. Two months after being publicly ridiculed by then-teammate Joey Porter for not being good enough to take reps away from the veteran pass-rusher, Wake leads the NFL with 14 sacks. Porter has five for the Cardinals.

Executive of the Year: Scott Pioli, Chiefs general manager. He assembled a collection of coaches and players that quickly turned the Chiefs into a formidable franchise.

Assistant Coach of the Year: Charlie Weis, Chiefs offensive coordinator. His offense ranks ninth overall and first in rushing. He has put quarterback Matt Cassel in situations that make him look like a star.

As part of its annual package on NFL team valuations, Forbes magazine rated the top 10 general managers.

The AFC East has no representatives, but three were spawned from the division. Buffalo Bills fans should be frustrated to see that two among the top five were run out of the organization.

Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian topped the Forbes list. San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith was fifth. First-year Bills GM Buddy Nix worked under Smith -- and former Bills GM John Butler -- in San Diego.

Second on the list is former New England Patriots personnel executive Scott Pioli, now of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick should be on the Forbes list because he's the overlord of football operations, but he doesn't hold the title. Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland will be overshadowed as long as Bill Parcells remains his boss.

New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has been one of the NFL's most daring executives and has helped mold the Jets into a Super Bowl contender this year. But the Jets have gone 32-32 with him in the role.

Forbes explained its methodology:

Won-lost record vs. payroll rank over the past three seasons, with bonus points awarded for playoff appearances, Super Bowl appearances and championships. With NFL payroll disparities somewhat limited by salary cap rules, the formula tends to place more weight on winning than on payroll.

Forbes added a caveat, however, to account for the high rate of turnover. For teams that have brought in a new GM within the past three years, that executive's role at his previous stop was considered.

1. Bill Polian Colts

2. Jerry Reese, Giants

3. Scott Piloi, Chiefs

4. Kevin Colbert, Steelers

5. A.J. Smith, Chargers

6. Ted Thompson, Packers

7. Jerry Jones, Cowboys

8. Mike Reinfeldt, Titans

9. Mickey Loomis, Saints

10. Rob Brzezinski, Vikings

» NFC decision-makers: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: The decision-makers.

Buffalo Bills

Several key members of the Bills' front office will be in unfamiliar roles for the draft. Rookie general manager Buddy Nix has been a consigliere for decades, but he has never overseen a draft. Assistant general manager Doug Whaley will be in Buffalo's war room for the first time after handling pro personnel for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chan Gailey hasn't gone into a draft as the head coach for 11 years. The most prominent holdover is vice president of college scouting Tom Modrak. The Bills fired pro personnel chief John Guy after last season.

Miami Dolphins

This will be the third Dolphins draft for football operations boss Bill Parcells, general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano. There's little doubt whose voice is most authoritative in the command center. Parcells handpicked Ireland and Sparano. Each is beholden to him. But that doesn't mean they're "yes" men. One of the qualities Parcells values most from his support staff is the ability to proffer a dissenting opinion. With that in mind, it's interesting Miami's director of college scouting is Chris Grier, son of former Patriots and Texans executive Bobby Grier. Parcells eventually left the Patriots after a disagreement with Bobby Grier about drafting receiver Terry Glenn. Parcells didn't want Glenn. Grier did. Patriots owner Robert Kraft sided with Grier, instigating Parcells' infamous "buy the groceries" lament.

New England Patriots

Patriots overlord Bill Belichick is entering his second draft without right-hand man Scott Pioli, who is now running the show in Kansas City. Belichick manages every personnel move within the organization. He receives help from senior football adviser Floyd Reese (the former Tennessee Titans general manager) and director of player personnel Nick Caserio, but Belichick has the first, second and final say. We've already noted Kraft reserves the right to get involved. But he won't go against a coach who has brought him three Lombardi trophies.

New York Jets

Parcells protégé Mike Tannenbaum is entering his fifth draft as general manager and his second with Rex Ryan. The opinionated coach has considerable say on whom the team selects, especially when it comes to defensive players. Tannenbaum isn't afraid to make moves on the fly, executing several trades to move up and select key players: quarterback Mark Sanchez, running back Shonn Greene, tight end Dustin Keller, cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris. Tannenbaum and Ryan lean on top college scout Joey Clinkscales, who interviewed to be Dolphins general manager before Ireland got the gig.

This was inevitable.

ESPNNewYork.com and ESPNBoston.com are about to come to blows.

We tried to keep them separated for as long as possible, but like two children sitting in the backseat on an interstate road trip, sniping was impossible to avoid.

The quarrel began Monday morning, when ESPNNewYork.com columnist Johnette Howard, in a wickedly funny piece, proclaimed the Patriots' divisional reign was over. The Jets, having made yet another substantial acquisition by trading for Santonio Holmes, had accumulated too much talent.

Good night, New England. It was a nice run while it lasted, right? Tom Brady likely got a Hall of Fame plaque and got Gisele Bundchen. Bill Belichick cemented his genius label and perfected the dead-fish handshake. The Patriots got a few championships. But it's over now. Done. Thanks for the memories. What the Giants started with their Super Bowl XLII upset of the Patriots' 18-0 team, another New York club -- the Jets -- is about to finish.

Howard added the Patriots are in a rebuilding mode already.

ESPNBoston.com reporter Mike Reiss begged to differ with Howard's stance and fired back with a levelheaded and methodical counterpoint column to declare the Patriots aren't dead yet.

Reiss remembers a conversations he had with former Patriots personnel chief Scott Piloi about the media being too easily smitten with springtime transactions.

Pioli once challenged me to match the newspaper headlines from March and April with results in December and January. It wasn't pretty, and my work was right there at the top of the underperforming list. If my opinions were evaluated as harshly as Pioli himself was, I would have been looking for a new job.

That's one reason conceding the AFC East to anyone on April 12 is a dubious proposition, especially when Tom Brady is the quarterback of the Patriots and Mark Sanchez is entering his second season with the Jets.

Reiss, preaching cautiousness, pointed out the Patriots will open the season with players who aren't on their roster right now. Others will have their nameplates removed from locker stalls in Gillette Stadium.

Normally, I hate when family members fight.

But when they're debating the Jets and the Patriots, I'd rather just let them go at it. Hopefully for several months.

No matter what happens to the New England Patriots the rest of the year, even if they go down in a screaming ball of fire and don't win another game, they still will be remembered as the best team of the 2000s.

Sports Illustrated has released its choices for the best teams, players, games, moments and everything else of the decade. Patriots are all over the place.

They were named the best organization. Bill Belichick was named best coach. Scott Pioli was named best personnel man. The 2007 team had the best season. Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders was selected as the best trade and Tom Brady the biggest draft steal.

On Don Banks' list of top 10 signature moments of the 2000s, Mo Lewis' hit on Drew Bledsoe that opened the door for Brady was No. 1. The Tuck Rule play was No. 7.

Of course, the Patriots also were involved in the biggest upset of the decade, losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, and the greatest scandal, Spygate.

There were a couple mentions for the other AFC East teams, too.

The Jets were tabbed for the worst trade, sending two first-round draft picks and a fourth-round pick to Chicago Bears so they could select defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson.

Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens was named villain of the decade. Former Bills defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau was selected coordinator of the decade.

Here are the men with AFC East ties who landed on Peter King's all-decade team:

• Receiver: Moss (Patriots).
• Center: Kevin Mawae (Jets).
• Guard: Alan Faneca (Jets).
• Defensive end: Jason Taylor (Dolphins).
• Linebacker: Mike Vrabel (Patriots), London Fletcher (Bills).
• Cornerback: Antoine Winfield (Bills).
• Kicker: Adam Vinatieri (Patriots).
• Head coach: Belichick (Patriots).
• Coordinator: LeBeau (Bills).
• General manager: Bill Polian (Bills, but in the 1990s).
• Personnel: Pioli (Patriots).

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

The Miami Dolphins have found a primary backup for Chad Henne, and his name is not Pat White.

Thigpen

Two days after losing Chad Pennington to a season-ending shoulder injury, the 0-3 Dolphins dealt an undisclosed draft choice to the Kansas City Chiefs for Tyler Thigpen.

Dolphins football operations boss Bill Parcells is Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli's father-in-law.

"We appreciate the opportunity the Chiefs gave us and we’re excited about this opportunity in Miami," Thigpen’s agent, Joel Turner, told AFC West blogger Bill Williamson. "Bill Parcells is the godfather of NFL personnel to me. For him to want Tyler shows he sees something in him as a quarterback."

Thigpen, a third-year pro from Coastal Carolina, started 11 games last season but became the third quarterback behind Matt Cassel and Brodie Croyle.

Thigpen last year completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 2,608 yards and 18 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He also ran for 386 yards and three touchdowns.

Could that sort of mobility add an element to the Wildcat that White hasn't been able to?

White has been a disappointment. The Dolphins drafted the scrambler in the second round out of West Virginia and, while other teams scouted him as a receiver, insisted he would be a quarterback.

Throughout the summer, White showed little indication he could be a threat in the passing game.

White, whose spindly body type is typical of a kicker, completed 6 of 16 preseason passes for 31 yards and zero touchdowns with one interception. He ran 11 times for 38 yards.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Before the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons kick off in Gillette Stadium, I wanted to make sure you were aware of an insightful piece NFC South baron Pat Yasinskas put together.

Yasinskas takes a look at the team Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff is putting together in the Patriots' likeness.

Demitroff was New England's college scouting director from 2003 through 2007, earning two Super Bowl rings working with vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli and football ops overlord Bill Belichick.

Dimitroff notes two major lessons he learned in the Patriots' front office.

First was organizational unity:

"Bill and Scott had a tacit understanding that if there was a difference of opinion, they would hash it out together behind closed doors and would come to the decision that was best for the franchise. I really wanted something like that when I was hiring Mike. I truly believe it’s paramount to the success of your franchise to have a coach and general manager who are always working in lock step together.

Second was to know your role and execute it:

"There was an indisputable understanding of roles from Bill. He wanted everyone to be able to do what they do best and not be spread too thin. That’s something we believe here in Atlanta. That and the fact that we believe that everyone in the building needs to contribute, have fun, work hard and you’ll be rewarded with success."

Dimitroff also explains why the Falcons are more accessible to the media and exhibit more engaging personalities compared to the reticent Patriots' bunker mentality.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Sporting News has revealed its all-decade lists for the four major leagues, NASCAR and college football and basketball.

The AFC East is well-represented.

The New England Patriots were named the best NFL team. Bill Belichick was voted best coach, and former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli was selected best executive.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning beat out Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for player of the decade.

Patriots fans will wince at the thought of Super Bowl XLII being named the game of the decade. The New York Giants spoiled perfection with a monumental upset.

Sporting News' all-decade team features with seven AFC East connections: receiver Randy Moss, guard Alan Faneca, fullback Lorenzo Neal, defensive end Jason Taylor, defensive tackle Richard Seymour, linebacker Joey Porter and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

The all-decade college team also has some AFC East flavor: tackle Jake Long, linebacker Paul Posluszny, cornerback Lito Sheppard and kick returner Ted Ginn.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

The NFL's two biggest offseason trades were facilitated through old associates.

New England Patriots overlord Bill Belichick didn't hesitate to swing a trade with former player personnel man Scott Pioli, sending quarterback Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs in February.

The New York Jets dealt with their freshly fired coach, Eric Mangini, in the blockbuster draft-day trade that landed quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick. The trade reunited Mangini with three of his former players.

On Monday, Belichick bartered with another ex-Patriot on a smaller-scale swap.

Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, the former Patriots offensive coordinator, knew enough about defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith to acquire him and a seventh-round draft choice for a fifth-round pick.

Belichick explained trades with coworkers-turned-opponents often are easier to make.

"It's a situation where they know the player," Belichick said at his Monday news briefing. "When you trade for somebody, you want to know what you're getting. So I'm sure that's part of it for them.

"We've been on the other end of that, too, and that's important. But I certainly have a high level of trust with both Scott and Josh."

While Belichick has made several trades, he plays no favorites. He obtained receiver Greg Lewis from Philadelphia, tight end Alex Smith from Tampa Bay and defensive end Derrick Burgess from Oakland.

"There's no real 'It's got to be this team or that team,' " Belichick said. "You just never know where those opportunities are going to be, and you never know who's going to be interested in working with you.

"So we try to keep all the doors open other than just probably one or two teams I doubt we'd be having a lot of trade talks with."

Such as the teams within in the division -- and perhaps wherever Mangini's working.

	AP Photo/Mary Schwalm
	New England coach Bill Belichick will get what he wants with the Patriots' 11 draft picks.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

If you dislike the New England Patriots, then you really must be dreading what they can accomplish this weekend.

The Patriots hold 11 selections in the draft. Four of them are among the first 58. Six of them are in the top 97.

The New York Jets, by comparison, own six picks in the whole 256-slot shooting match.

Seems unfair, doesn't it? When you consider how well the Patriots evaluate prospects -- they've selected eight All-Pros through Bill Belichick's nine drafts -- this year's holdings must seem borderline obscene to opposing fans.

"You're talking about the best 100 players," ESPN analyst and former NFL head coach Herm Edwards said. "Regardless of how you have them graded, you're doing pretty good if you have a chance to get two of them. Now you have a chance to get six of them? Well, a lot of things are sitting on your plate."

While the rest of the AFC East has dealt with humility off and on for the past decade, the Patriots work the system to remain perennial Super Bowl contenders.

The Patriots won 11 games last year without all-everything quarterback Tom Brady. He's on his way back, making his services the NFL's greatest offseason acquisition. The Patriots also found enough room to add running back Fred Taylor, tight end Chris Baker and cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs.

Now they have more picks than they can use. There's no way 11 draftees will make the 53-man roster of a team that expects to play in the Super Bowl each winter.

Maybe the St. Louis Rams could accommodate 11 rookies. Not the Patriots.

So what will the Patriots do with their precious assets?

Almost certainly, they will trade some of their picks. They will either move up to pounce on a player they want, spin them off into 2010 or both.

"If Belichick trades three or four picks, he still has eight guys coming out of the draft," retired NFL executive Ken Herock said. "That's pretty damn good. And it's probably the eight he wants."

Here's the rundown of where New England's picks are slotted and how they obtained the extras:

• First round: 23rd overall.
• Second round: 34th (from the Kansas City Chiefs for quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel), 47th (from the San Diego Chargers at last year's draft) and 58th.
• Third round: 89th and 97th (compensatory).
• Fourth round: 124th.
• Fifth round: 170th (compensatory).
• Sixth round: 199th and 207th (compensatory).
• Seventh round: 234th.

So many selections will affect the Patriots in multiple ways.

Their roster has the chance to get appreciably younger, and youth is critical in helping a front office manage the salary cap. Their developmental players should get better. Their special teams should improve, especially since those units are populated with young defensive players, and the Patriots carry mobile 3-4 linebackers and extra defensive backs.

More importantly, that kind of stockpile affords the Patriots considerable flexibility this weekend. Their first appointment is scheduled 2 1/2 hours after the draft begins at 4 p.m. But they won't have to wait for the 23rd choice if they don't want to.

"You get the opportunity to move up," said Herock, who handled player personnel for the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers before he retired in 2001.

"That's the big thing with all the draft picks. If you really like somebody and you know he can play and you know he fits your system, and he's a guy you want and he's 10 picks away, you can go get him instead of worrying 'Will he last until I pick?' "

"If Belichick wants a player, he's going to go get him, believe me, in this draft."

What helps give the Patriots a commanding outlook this weekend is their roster. They don't have significant needs two years removed from the Super Bowl and coming off an injury-plagued 11-win season.

A more attractive Vrabel replacement at outside linebacker is on the short list. The Patriots reportedly have been interested in trading for Carolina Panthers pass rusher Julius Peppers, and owner Robert Kraft hasn't hidden his adoration of free agent Jason Taylor.

New England, therefore, has the luxury of bolstering any position it chooses with the highest-rated player on the draft board. Needs won't dictate selections as they will for most clubs.

"They're not going to be pressured to do anything," said Edwards, the former Jets and Chiefs head coach. "Other people are going to call them. When they're picking in the second round, teams are going to say 'We've got to get our guy now because if we don't then we'll miss out. Let's trade with New Engla
nd.'"

New England has a proven evaluation system in place, but an important draft accomplice won't be there for the first time in Belichick's tenure. Former vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli left the Patriots to become Kansas City's general manager.

Herock and Edwards suggested Pioli's absence would be virtually undetectable.

"Bill has been a survivor prior to Pioli," Herock said. "When Scott Pioli came in, he was a novice. Where did he get his ultimate training from? From Bill Belichick. So Bill will train the next guy that comes in.

"Bill will see the players. Bill will study them. Bill will know all the players. He goes at it and knows what's going on. The handprint has always been Belichick's."

The Patriots replaced Pioli with Floyd Reese, who drafted three rookies of the year as Tennessee Titans general manager. Reese was named senior football advisor. They also promoted Nick Caserio to director of player personnel.

"Bill knows what he wants on offense and defense," said Edwards, who was fired by Pioli in Kansas City. "They'll be well-organized in their room. Their philosophy is their philosophy, and they'll go after the players they've identified that can play for them."

Edwards sounded convinced it wouldn't matter a smidgeon if Belichick had hired Waylon Smithers to be his new sidekick.

"They drink different water up there than everybody else," Edwards said. "Whatever they give those guys, they end up being pretty good."

Give the Patriots 11 opportunities to fortify their roster, and it's easy to be envious of their continued wealth.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Jason Taylor reaffirmed his aversion to the New York Jets last week.

But his brother-in-law and former longtime Miami Dolphins teammate apparently had no problem switching allegiances.

Zach Thomas was in talks to join the Jets before he finally settled on the Kansas City Chiefs for a one-year contract, agent Drew Rosenhaus told Fox affiliate WSVN in Miami.

"We had been talking to the Jets as well, and we had the option of waiting even until after the draft or before training camp," Rosenhaus said. "But the truth of the matter is Zach was excited about the chance."

Thomas, like Taylor, spent last season in the NFC East after more than a decade as a fixture on the Dolphins' defense. They combined for 13 Pro Bowls while playing together.

Taylor last year was traded to the Washington Redskins, who cut him last month. Thomas was released and signed with the Dallas Cowboys, who didn't want him back.

Taylor is waiting to sign. He probably won't have a new employer until after the NFL draft in two weeks, but it almost certainly won't be the Jets based on what he had to say last week.

"It'd be very, very, very difficult. Very difficult," Taylor said at a youth football camp. "But at the end of the day, if you can't find a job anywhere else and the Jets call, I guess you've got to retire or go play.

"The Jets are the Jets. I've had a lot of history saying bad things about Jets fans. The fireman hat guy [Fireman Ed], and all of the people in New York that are Jets fans are not the ones that are working on Wall Street. I've said all of those things. So I've got to leave it at that."

Taylor would appear to have more attractive options than his wife's brother did. Taylor could land with the New England Patriots, a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

The Chiefs went 2-14 last year, but Rosenhaus ticked off a number of reasons Thomas was interested: new general manager Scott Pioli, new head coach Todd Haley, new quarterback Matt Cassel and the fact Thomas likely will be the starter.

"Zach really likes the opportunity in that defense," Rosenhaus said. "They play a 3-4. He's going to get a chance to start inside. He's going to be 36 years old in September. To have an opportunity to start for a quality franchise, you can't turn that own."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was a guest on Boston sports-radio station WEEI on Thursday afternoon and rebuffed some trade rumors that recently have been swirling around his team.

Belichick, speaking by phone while on a scouting trip, denied there have been any trade talks between the Patriots and Carolina Panthers for defensive end Julius Peppers and fielded questions about why the Patriots sent quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs when better proposals reportedly were out there.

"With the Julius Peppers situation, I've read things out there about, 'Well, there's trade talks going on.' There's no trade talks going on with Carolina," Belichick said in a partial transcript put together by the Boston Globe's Chad Finn. "They don't have a signed contract [because Peppers has not signed his franchise-tag tender]. They can't talk about trading a player who's not signed."

For the first time, Belichick addressed the widely reported three-way proposal that would've sent Cassel to the Denver Broncos and Jay Cutler to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a first-round pick going to New England.

Belichick didn't deny such a scenario had been broached but suggested teams had plenty of opportunity to get involved in the Cassel derby and didn't emerge.

"We pretty much had the deal done with Kansas City because there really wasn't any interest," Belichick said. "And some of the teams said a three-way trade and that kind of thing, and those teams -- and I don't want to get into specifics -- but believe me, those teams I had contact with 24 to 48 hours before confirmation of the trade with Kansas City and those teams said they had no interest in the player.

"And you know, all of a sudden, we've got a situation at the last minute, 'Well, we would have done this, we would have done that.' There was no offer. I think there's speculation as to what a team might have been willing to trade. ...

"A lot of the talk I've heard out there about what would or wouldn't have been done is; a) after the fact, and b) conditional on a lot of other things working out. And there's no guarantee all of that would have come together.

"The bottom line is it was never really there, presented. It was like, 'yeah, maybe this could happen,' but it was never presented like here's a firm offer."

Belichick also addressed the notion he accepted less from the Chiefs because of his relationship with their new general manager, Scott Pioli, who had been the Patriots' player personnel chief for nine seasons.

"Look, I have all the respect in the world for Scott Pioli," Belichick said. "He's a great friend, and he's a terrific executive and personnel manager, but I work for the Patriots. I have no loyalty to anybody or any team other than the New England Patriots. Everything I do is for our team to win and be successful. And that's what my commitment is."

The entire Belichick interview can be found on WEEI.com.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Reader reaction was passionate and plentiful to my Sunday afternoon post about the controversial Matt Cassel trade.

The New England Patriots sent their backup quarterback and linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 34th overall selection in this year's draft.

But ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported the Patriots could have struck a much sweeter deal.

Mortensen explained the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to swing a three-way trade in which the Broncos sent their 12th overall pick to the Patriots and quarterback Jay Cutler to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers would send their first- and third-round picks to the Broncos. The Patriots would send Cassel to the Broncos.

But the Patriots did business with the Chiefs.

Based on subsequent reports, it appears the Buccaneers and Broncos got into the mix too late.

Even so, the Patriots still missed out on a better deal. It's incumbent upon the selling team to maximize its asset. If they didn't know the Buccaneers and Broncos were that interested, then the Patriots misread the market.

Readers also declared the 34th pick is more appealing to the Patriots than the 12th pick would because of the salary-cap hit that goes along with it. If so, then why were the Patriots happy to draft a franchise player 10th overall last year? Linebacker Jerod Mayo was defensive rookie of the year and could anchor their defense for a decade.

And even if the Patriots didn't want to draft at No. 12, turning that commodity into multiple later-round picks wouldn't have been unfathomable.

But enough musing from me. Take a look at what the readers had to say:

Mike from Parts Unknown writes: Tim, I think you are an idiot. Anyone who suggests in his best Oliver Stone that this decision has anything to do wtih what BB thought was best for the Patriots has not been paying attention. Undoubtedly, Belichick saw execution risk in doing the more complicated three team deal, and decided to take the bird in the hand with the Chiefs. You don't want to hear that and just want the sensational, freaking idiotic angle. The notion that BB would take a worse deal and not appreciate that he could use the number 12 pick as a chip, at worse, and would instead prefer the 34th pick is laughable. You are lucky to have a job in this economony.

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