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Justin Houston's holdout is over.

It’s about time the team and Houston came to terms.

The Kansas City Star reported the defensive end/linebacker from Georgia has agreed to terms with the team. He was a third-round pick. Houston was one of the last two draft picks in the NFL to sign. He missed a week of training camp.

It is rare for third-round picks to be one of the last holdouts in the league. Houston has a chance to contribute as a pass-rusher as a rookie. He will have to make up for some lost time, but I could see Houston quickly earning playing time if he performs well in the preseason.

In other AFC West notes:

San Diego free-agent receiver Legedu Naanee has signed with Carolina. The Chargers want to add at the position, but never made an attempt to keep Naanee.

Teams now have until 4 p.m. ET Friday to clear cap room.

The Oakland Tribune says Kevin Boss’ signing is Oakland is not a sure thing.

UPDATE: Oakland coach Hue Jackson said top Oakland running back Darren McFadden has a broken orbital bone. He is expected to miss two weeks. While it’s never good for a top player to be injured, I won’t expect this to hamper McFadden in the regular season at all. Restricted free agent running back Michael Bush has not signed his tender. I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs after the Raiders resolve their cap issues Friday. I wouldn’t worry about Bush unless next week rolls around and he still isn’t with the team.

Malcom Floyd’s expected deal with Baltimore reportedly could come Friday.

Former San Diego first-round pick Buster Davis signed with the Bills. He has a chance to stick if he can stay healthy.

Pass rusher Matt Roth is reportedly getting interest from the Broncos.



The San Diego Chargers have released six players. There are no surprises.

Here is the list: receiver Buster Davis, linebacker Brandon Lang, cornerback Donald Strickland, linebacker Jyles Tucker and tight end Kris Wilson. The Chargers also withdrew their qualifying offer from linebacker Antwan Applewhite. All six players are now free agents.

The Chargers finally ran out of patience with Davis, a first-round pick in 2007. He has skills, but he just can’t stay healthy.

Let’s look at some early morning notes before we gear up for another busy day on Wednesday. You know, later today.

• The Raiders aren’t just talking to San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson. They are also in talks with Baltimore tackle Jared Gaither. He is a talented player who could help Oakland’s young offensive line. He’d be the Raiders’ best offensive lineman. Gaither played for Hue Jackson and Al Saunders in Baltimore. Gaither would be pricey, but he’s needed in Oakland.

• The San Diego Union Tribune reported the Chargers cut linebacker Jyles Tucker and receiver Buster Davis and that linebacker Antwan Applewhite will soon join Tucker on the outside. Tucker was given a contract extension three years ago and the Chargers thought he would become a premier pass rusher. But he couldn’t stay healthy. That’s been the case with Davis, a former first-round pick. It’s been expected that he will be cut. The moves will be made official Thursday.

• It’s being reported that Washington is close to dealing quarterback Donovan McNabb to Minnesota for a sixth-round pick and a conditional future sixth-round pick. This would take the Vikings out of the mix for Denver quarterback Kyle Orton. I don’t think, however, it would affect Orton’s value. McNabb and Orton are in different situations and Orton has more value at this point.

• Now that San Diego has signed Takeo Spikes, Green Bay inside linebacker Nick Barnett likely is out of the picture there. Barnett could attract interest in Kansas City, though.

• The Denver Post reports the Broncos are trying to re-sign defensive tackle Marcus Thomas. He’d help a thin position.

• The Chiefs agreed to terms with backup defensive back Travis Daniels.

• Here are San Diego’s 19 undrafted free agents: Arizona C Colin Baxter, Texas Tech LB Bront Bird, Auburn DE Mike Blanc, Arkansas CB Ramon Broadway, Maryland WR Adrian Cannon, South Carolina FB Patrick DiMarco, Georgia LB Darryl Gamble, TCU DT Kelly Griffin, Washington T Cody Habben, Kansas State CB Stephen Harrison, Cincinnati WR Vidal Hazelton, Oklahoma WR Cameron Kenney, Minnesota-Duluth RB Isaac Odim, Colorado WR Travon Patterson, Boston College DE Damik Scafe, Whittier WR Giovanni Stanley, Baylor TE Brad Taylor, Oregon T Bo Thran and Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien.

Despite the fact that he has not won a Super Bowl, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers is generally considered an elite NFL quarterback. Baltimore’s Joe Flacco, however, isn’t. Flacco is widely respected, but he is more known as a gritty game manager.

In an ESPN.com Insider piece, though, KC Joyner writes that Flacco is in Rivers’ company. Crunching the numbers in the way only he can, Joyner makes the argument that Flacco is in Rivers’ league as a deep passer. Rivers is considered by many NFL observers to have the prettiest deep ball in the league.

Here is some of Joyner’s thinking on the subject: Last year, the San Diego receiving corps suffered through a slew of injuries and suspensions that cost the team the services of starting wideouts Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd and starting tight end Antonio Gates for a total of 22 games.

Those losses meant that Rivers ended up throwing a total of 189 pass attempts to the following receivers: Seyi Ajirotutu, Patrick Crayton, Buster Davis, Randy McMichael, Legedu Naanee and Kelley Washington. Those six players would be lucky to crack the starting lineup of any NFL team, yet Rivers ended up committing 34.9 percent of his targets to them last season.

For most quarterbacks, a situation of this nature would cause a significant drop-off in yards per attempt (YPA) production in the areas of vertical (aerials thrown 11 or more yards downfield) and stretch vertical (20 or more yards) passing, but that didn't happen with Rivers. He ranked fourth in the league in vertical YPA (12.1) and seventh in stretch vertical YPA (14.8).

One of the ways he was able to do this was by getting quality YPA figures from both the big name and non-big name pass-catchers. His 13.0 vertical YPA on passes to Floyd, Gates and Jackson alone would have been good enough to rank second in the league in that category, but his 11.2 YPA on vertical targets to other pass-catchers would have been good enough to rank 13th in that same category.

This shows that Rivers is capable of finding a way to get above-average vertical performance from backups. That ability kept the Chargers' downfield passing offense moving even when injuries and suspensions could have hamstrung it.

Flacco was faced with a somewhat different situation in that his wideouts and tight ends were healthy, but they all had vertical receiving limitations.

Anquan Boldin has a very limited history of being a vertical threat and he was paired up with Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, a tandem of aging possession receivers.

Flacco was able to do more than just work around these limitations. He actually excelled with this trio, evidenced by 1,472 yards on the 133 vertical targets aimed at these three.

That equates to an 11.1 vertical YPA overall, but what is more impressive is that each of the three ended up posting a double-digit vertical YPA mark (11.3 for Boldin, 11.9 for Houshmandzadeh, 10.4 for Mason). To put that into perspective, consider that only five other teams ended up with three qualifying pass-catchers in double digits in vertical YPA (47 total targets needed to qualify).

Flacco's downfield passing expertise did not stop there. He posted a 12.5 vertical YPA and 15.1 stretches vertical YPA on throws to targets other than the aforementioned three. Both of those figures are more than a yard higher than what the possession trio posted, and they should increase further with a legitimate deep-threat possibility this year in second-round pick Torrey Smith.

My thoughts: It’s difficult to argue with Joyner and his numbers. He’s a mad scientist when it comes to NFL statistics. And I do like Flacco. The guy is a winner. Still, for my money, I’d rather have Rivers on my team. His pure ability, gumption and leadership make him special.

Who would you rather have quarterback your team, Rivers or Flacco? Fill up the comment section below with your thoughts.

This is the third in our series of position-by-position rankings. It is a little different this season because we’re ranking the players before free agency starts and before rosters are set. We will adjust accordingly as we go along. Onto a mostly unproven group of receivers:

1. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City: Bowe had a stellar season in 2010. He took over games at times and showed he’s a top-notch receiver.

2. Vincent Jackson, San Diego: Yes, 2010 was nearly a wasted season for this talented player, but he made his presence known in a limited role. Expect him to come back strong.

3. Brandon Lloyd, Denver: Lloyd came out of nowhere and had a special, Pro Bowl-season in 2010. Can he do it again?

4. Malcom Floyd, San Diego: Floyd dealt with a lot of injuries in 2010, but he can make spectacular catches look routine. The team has to hope he’s not an unrestricted free agent.

5. Jacoby Ford, Oakland: This might be a bit of a projection, but I’m a believer in Ford and think he can become one of the best of the young receivers in this division.

6. Louis Murphy, Oakland: I like Murphy, but he has to show he can take the next step and become a reliable player who can catch 60-70 passes.

7. Jon Baldwin, Kansas City: We’re putting the rookie here, but none of the players listed below will surely be starters. The Chiefs’ No. 1 pick is going to get the chance and help right away.

8. Jabar Gaffney, Denver: He had a solid season in 2010. He is a journeyman, but he’s crafty and he is capable of producing some big games.

9. Eddie Royal, Denver: Royal bounced back some in his third season, but he has to show his rookie season in 2008 wasn’t a fluke.

10. Chaz Schilens, Oakland: Schilens has a chance to get much higher on this list, but will he ever stay healthy? Oakland has wanted him to be its No. 1 receiver. Yet, Schilens has played in just in 13 games in the past two seasons and has just 49 career catches.

11. Patrick Crayton, San Diego: Crayton might not have much of a role, but he could end up being the No. 3 receiver depending on free agency. He’s crafty. He made a solid impact before getting injured last season. He’s a pro.

12. Darrius Heyward-Bey: Oakland: We haven’t given up on DHB … yet. But the fact that he has just 35 catches and two touchdowns in 26 games is worrisome. It’s not like he hasn’t had a chance.

13. Dexter McCluster, Kansas City: If he stays healthy, I expect McCluster to rocket up this list in 2012 if he doesn't end up playing some more running back this season.

14. Eric Decker, Denver: The Broncos have high hopes for this youngster, who could end up being a possession receiver this season.

15. Vincent Brown, San Diego: If the Chargers’ 2010 receiver issues continue, this third-round pick will be counted on to contribute right away.

Footnote: This task was difficult because there are some unusual situations. San Diego’s Legedu Naanee and Buster Davis could have made the list, but they aren’t expected to be back. Denver 2010 first-round pick Demaryius Thomas is talented, but he is expected to miss at least half the season with a torn Achilles.

Power Rankings: Preseason: No. 8. This week: No. 16.

2010 schedule/results

Where they stand: The San Diego Chargers are 4-5 and that is a disappointment. But the Chargers can’t feel badly about where they are as they head into their bye week. It is, at least, familiar. San Diego has won two straight games after starting 2-5 overall and 0-4 on the road. The Chargers have become famous for starting slow and finishing red hot under coach Norv Turner. In 2007, San Diego won its final six games. In 2008, it won its final four games, and last season, it won its final 11 games. Each season ended with San Diego winning the AFC West title. So the Chargers should be optimistic, even though they trail 5-3 Kansas City and 5-4 Oakland. The Chargers have lost to both the Chiefs and Raiders.

Falling: Special teams. I hate to be redundant, but I’m sure the San Diego special-teams unit hates it even more. This is quite likely the worst special-teams performance of all time. San Diego finds new ways to bungle on special teams every week. It has betrayed the Chargers in many different ways. The punting game is the center of San Diego’s special-teams woes as it has had four punts blocked. There’s been a fifth, but since it traveled 1 yard it doesn’t officially count as a block. There have been five other blocked punts in the NFL this season.

Rising: Passing game. You have to wonder how dangerous the San Diego passing game is going to be in a few weeks when Vincent Jackson is eligible to play and the two starters who replaced him -- Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee -- return from hamstring injuries that have kept them out in recent weeks. Quarterback Philip Rivers has been operating without his top four receivers (including Buster Davis, who is on injured reserve) for the past two games. In Week 9 at Houston, Rivers was also playing without top target Antonio Gates. Still, Rivers threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Rivers is playing at an incredibly high level. He has thrown for 2,944 yards and is on pace to set the all-time single-season passing yardage record.

Midseason MVP: Rivers. If the Chargers would have a slightly better record, he’d be the runaway leader in the MVP chase.

Outlook: The Chargers have to leapfrog two teams, but they are not in terrible shape. If the Chargers continue their late-season trend and get rolling, they could be the team to beat. This team is very talented. The key is to stop killing itself on special teams. If that is finally addressed after the bye, San Diego will be a factor. The Chargers have home games against Oakland and Kansas City and two games against cellar-dwelling Denver. San Diego shouldn’t be counted out yet.

In the end, I am not surprised that neither Randy Moss nor former San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman were claimed by an AFC West team, although I thought Merriman could help Denver. But, in the end, none of the teams in the division thought it was worth picking up the price tag of either player.

Merriman’s new team, Buffalo, doesn’t play any AFC West teams the rest of the season. Moss’ new club, Tennessee, plays at Kansas City in December.

• As expected, San Diego starting receivers Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee didn’t practice because of hamstring injuries. They are not expected to Sunday at Houston. Tight end Antonio Gates didn’t practice because of a toe injury, but he has played the past two games with the injury. Guard Kris Dielman has a neck injury and he did not practice. Kicker Nate Kaeding didn’t practice with a groin injury. He has missed the past two games and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he missed Sunday’s game and then returned after the team’s Nov. 14 bye. Linebacker Larry English is back to practice for the first time more than a month because of a foot injury. His return may be on the horizon.

• The San Diego Union Tribune opines that the Buster Davis days in San Diego are over because of his inability to stay healthy. He was put on the injured reserve this week with a groin injury.

The San Diego Chargers made two moves Tuesday. One has been expected. One wasn’t.

San Diego officially turned out the lights on the Shawne Merriman era and put receiver Buster Davis on the injured reserve.

The Merriman move was expected since last week when the Chargers announced they’d do it when he was healthy. Here are my initial thoughts on Merriman’s departure.

While the Merriman move was coming, Davis’ groin injury was not expected. It’s too bad for Davis. The 2007 No. 1 pick was finally showing his potential and he was finally healthy.

Davis is a very earnest guy who wants to succeed. He was on his way this season. He had 21 catches for 259 yards as the team’s No. 3 receiver. He and quarterback Philip Rivers were building a nice chemistry together.

Davis was inactive for 15 games last season and he was put on the IR in 2008. Now, Davis will have to wait until 2011 to try to reach his potential. But at least he showed he’s capable.

The Chargers also expected to be without starters Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee on Sunday in Houston because of hamstring injuries. Floyd has missed two games and Naanee has missed the past three games. Vincent Jackson has to miss two more games before being eligible to play after ending his holdout. Rivers was without his top four receivers last week as well in a 33-25 win over Tennessee.

I don’t expect the news on Davis to change San Diego’s interest level on Randy Moss, who is now eligible to be claimed off waivers.

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Chargers will be without their top three receivers Sunday against Tennessee.

Starters Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee (both have hamstring injuries) are out as is No. 3 receiver Buster Davis (ribs). Patrick Crayton, the team’s No. 4 receiver, and undrafted rookie free agent Seyi Ajirotutu will start. It will be Ajirotutu’s second NFL game. Gary Banks, who was signed this week, will be the No. 3 receiver. Top San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson ended his holdout Friday, but he is not eligible to play until Nov. 28.

Star tight end Antonio Gates is active and he will play. He practiced fully Friday for the first time in two weeks because of a toe injury. He did play last week. Expect San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers to try to hit Gates as much as possible with his top receivers out.

Kicker Nate Kaeding will miss his second game with a groin injury. His replacement, Kris Brown, has an ankle injury. He could be limited Sunday. If Brown has a setback, punter Mike Scrfres would attempt field goals. He was practicing field goals this week.

The Vincent Jackson holdout is officially over and he’s back with the Chargers, for now.

The only reason why Jackson signed his tender Friday is because he needed to accrue a season toward free agency. Jackson’s camp announced last week that he’d report Friday. Jackson will now be set to be an unrestricted free agent in March. Then, Jackson will almost certainly leave as a free agent unless the Chargers give him the franchise tag, which could open a whole new can of worms.

The odds are Jackson is coming back to San Diego to say good-bye. After he serves three games on the roster exempt list, he will be eligible to play in Week 12 at Indianapolis on Nov. 28.

Expect Jackson to become a contributor as soon as he’s eligible to play. San Diego coach Norv Turner loves Jackson and will be thrilled to add him to an offense that is ranked No. 1 in the NFL. There is still room for Jackson, especially in the deep passing game.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, in the past two seasons, Jackson led the NFL with 16 catches for 729 yards on pass plays of 31-plus yards. He was targeted 36 times on passes of 31-plus yards. Quarterback Philip Rivers has a great connection with Jackson, and I think the two will enjoy instant chemistry again.

For the time being, the team and Jackson will play nice.

“I’m happy Vincent is here,” San Diego general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement released by the team. “I have no doubt he will go to work, work hard and quickly get into game-shape. Once he starts playing in games, I don’t think it will take him long for him to be a contributor and help us.”

In the same release, Jackson also appeared ready to move on.

“It feels good to be with my teammates. I’ve missed football more than you can imagine,” Jackson said. “Right now I’m just looking forward to being able to practice and get back on the field. My only concern is doing whatever I can to contribute and help the team win. The future will take care of itself.”

San Diego could use Jackson now. Starting receivers Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee are both doubtful to play Sunday against Tennessee with hamstring injuries. Neither player played last week. Receiver Buster Davis, who is expected to start at receiver along with Patrick Crayton, is questionable with a rib injury. He was limited in practice Friday in his only work of the week.

Tight end Antonio Gates, Rivers' top target, practiced Friday fully for the first time in two weeks because of a toe injury. He played last week and he is expected to play Sunday, even though he is listed as questionable.

Kicker Kris Brown is questionable with an ankle injury. He is replacing Nate Kaeding, who is out for a couple of weeks with a groin issue.

Key members of the San Diego Chargers’ passing game did not make progress toward playing Sunday against Tennessee.

Starting receiver Legedu Naanee didn’t practice Thursday after practicing Wednesday. He has a hamstring injury that kept him out of the past two games. Fellow starting receiver Malcom Floyd didn’t practice for the second straight day with a hamstring injury. It appears Naanee has a better chance of playing. Buster Davis, who likely will start in place of Floyd, didn’t practice for the second straight day with a rib injury.

Tight end Antonio Gates hasn’t practiced this week because of a toe injury. He played Sunday against New England even though he didn’t practice all week. I expect the same scenario this week. San Diego’s injury issues don’t stop with its receivers, Kicker Kris Brown was limited with an ankle injury. He is a temporary replacement for Nate Kaeding, who is out with a groin injury.

Sunday’s game will be San Diego’s third local television blackout in four games. The team announced there are still 8,000 tickets available for Sunday’s game against Tennessee. The Chargers, 2-5, sold out last week’s game against New England, but couldn’t continue its ticket-selling momentum.

Meanwhile, I have been told Pro Bowl receiver Vincent Jackson still plans to report to the Chargers on Friday, ending his holdout to accrue a season toward free agency. He will be eligible to play in Week 12.

San Diego starting receiver Legedu Naanee took a step toward returning to the lineup after missing two games with a hamstring injury. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday in preparation of Sunday’s home game against Tennessee.

Tight end Antonio Gates didn’t practice because of a toe injury. However, he played Sunday against New England after not practicing all week. I could see a similar plan this week. Naanee’s fellow starter Malcom Floyd did not practice because of a hamstring injury. He missed the New England game. Receiver Buster Davis, who started along with Patrick Crayton in place of Floyd and Naaane, didn’t practice Wednesday because of a ribs injury, but he missed some time last week as well.

Unless there are setbacks, I think the only of the above-mentioned players who is in danger of not playing against Tennessee is Floyd, who may need another week to recover. Kicker Nate Kaeding didn’t practice again with a groin injury and it looks like he may be replaced by Kris Brown for the second straight game.

• Denver receiver Eddie Royal continued to be out with a groin injury. Safety Brian Dawkins and cornerback Andre Goodman practiced fully for the second straight day after they each missed the past two games. They look like they should be able to face San Francisco at London on Sunday if they don’t suffer setbacks. Denver rookie cornerback Perrish Cox didn’t not practice Wednesday because of a concussion he suffered Sunday. He said this week that he didn’t remember the game, which is probably for the best.

• In Kansas City, rookie rusher/receiver/returner Dexter McCluster was limited in practice Wednesday with an ankle injury.

• Titans quarterback Vince Young practiced lightly Wednesday as he tries to come back from an ankle injury. It is still not known if Young or Kerry Collins will play at San Diego on Sunday.

• Buffalo coach Chan Gailey said he had no ill will toward Kansas City coach Todd Haley, who fired him as offensive coordinator in August, 2009. Gailey is now the head coach in Buffalo. The winless Bills visit Kansas City on Sunday.

San Diego tight end Antonio Gates is active and expected to start against New England. He missed the entire week of practice with a toe injury he suffered at St. Louis.

The Chargers will need Gates, even if he’s not at full strength.

San Diego starting receivers Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee are inactive with hamstring injuries. Buster Davis and Patrick Crayton will start for the Chargers.

Naanee is listed as the third quarterback and he could only quarterback if starter Philip Rivers and backup Billy Volek were injured. The team cut No. 3 quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan to make room for kicker Kris Brown.

He will kick for a game or two while kicker Nate Kaeding is out with a groin injury.

In other AFC West related news and notes:

The Kansas City Chiefs promoted receiver Verran Tucker from the practice squad. He is a rookie free agent. To make room for Tucker, Kansas City cut undrafted rookie Jeremy Horne. He was a preseason star, who didn’t make an impact in the regular season. Horne could end up on the Chiefs’ practice squad.

The San Francisco Chronicle has an interesting look at the slow start by No. 8 overall pick Rolando McClain. It’s early, but McClain has not made many big plays.

Apparently, former Kansas City czar Carl Peterson does not have a future with the Dolphins. That marriage has been speculated about since Peterson was shown the door by the Chiefs nearly two years ago.

As expected, the San Diego Chargers promoted receiver Seyi Ajirotutu from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. He will likely be active Sunday against New England. He is a rookie free agent.

The Chargers will likely be without starting receiver Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee. They both have hamstring injuries and are both listed as doubtful on the injury report. Buster Davis and Patrick Crayton are expected to start at receiver. The Chargers also may be without star tight end Antonio Gates. He has a toe injury that kept him out of practice all week. Gates is listed as questionable and he is expected to be a game-time decision.

To make room for Ajirotutu on the roster. San Diego placed linebacker Kion Wilson on the injured reserve with an ankle injury. He is the fifth linebacker San Diego has put on the injured reserve this season.

As expected, the San Diego Chargers will be strapped in the passing game because of injuries in a big game against visiting New England on Sunday.

But the big question remains: Will star tight end Antonio Gates play? Gates missed all week of practice after suffering a toe injury in a loss at St. Louis on Sunday. He is listed as questionable. It’s believed that he will try to play, but he will likely be a game-time decision.

Gates is the favorite target of quarterback Philip Rivers. San Diego will need him, especially considering starting receivers Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee are doubtful to play. Neither player practiced all week, and Naanee missed last week’s game. Buster Davis and Patrick Crayton are expected to start for the 2-4 Chargers.