ESPN NFL

It's clear Plaxico Burress wants to play in the NFL in 2012.

And it’s also clear that he’d play anywhere. The receiver, who will turn 35 in August, appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio with hosts Adam Schein and Rich Gannon.

Gannon asked Burress his thoughts on Carolina, Oakland and Miami as possible destinations. Burress said yes, yes and yes.

Here is his response: “You just ran off some good teams. I spoke with Cam [Newton] a few times this offseason when he was down here working out in South Florida. I didn’t get a chance to work out with him but I know he’s a very hard worker. Steve Smith is obviously, in my book, one of the top five receivers in all of football. He has been that kind of player for some time now. … Oakland, I’ve always thought that Carson Palmer has been one of the best deep-ball throwers in all of football since I can remember. … They do have some great talent over there in Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy. I think those guys are only going to get better with Carson. … The Miami Dolphins. I ran into Reggie Bush a few weeks ago at the Heat-Celtics game and he was just saying, ‘Man, please, just come down here and make some plays, and we’re going to have the receiver to go up and get the ball in the red zone and things like that.’ I said, ‘Hey, man, you know, when my phone rings, hey, you never know.’”

My thoughts on Burress’ idea of playing in Oakland? Just because the Raiders were one of the team’s Gannon mentioned doesn’t mean it is a good fit.

Burress had 45 catches for the Jets last season, his first back in the league after missing two years while he was in prison.

The thought of adding Burress, in my mind, is a lot like the idea of the Raiders signing Terrell Owens. I just think the Raiders would be better off developing their young stable of receivers than adding one of these two aging players.

The Oakland Raiders will now play five games in 2012 that start at 10 a.m. PT.

The Raiders’ Week 2 game at Miami has been switched from a 4:15 ET p.m. kickoff to 1 p.m. on Sept. 16. The time was changed to accommodate fans who celebrate the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

This is the first time in team history that Oakland will play in the Eastern Time zone five times. For years, West Coast teams have said playing games that start at 10 a.m. PT are quite challenging because of the early time adjustment.

In other AFC West news:

Steve Muench of Scouts Inc. writes in an Insider piece that Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore could be a late-round fit for Denver, and Chattanooga quarterback B.J. Coleman could be a late-round find for San Diego.

There is late buzz surrounding Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry. I could see him on the Charger’s radar at No. 18, or if they make a trade down.

The murder trial of former Raiders’ defensive lineman Anthony Smith ended in a mistrial.

Chicago signed Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes. He visited Denver several weeks ago.

In an Insider piece, Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. looks at the draft challenges that face the Raiders.

There is increasing buzz that the Kansas City Chiefs might try to find a way to draft Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Tannehill is considered a draft riser. The Chiefs have closely investigated him in recent weeks, and because the team doesn’t think it has many pressing holes, the time might be right to grab a quarterback. I think the Chiefs will draft a quarterback early in the draft, but Tannehill is the only attainable quarterback available who could challenge to take Matt Cassel’s job away. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. thinks Tannehill could eventually make the Chiefs a special team .

Getting Tannehill might not be easy. The Chiefs would be extremely lucky if he fell to them at No. 11. The more likely scenario would require the Chiefs moving up to get him.

There has been a lot of speculation that the quarterback-needy Dolphins will take Tannehill at No. 8. New Miami offensive coordinator Mike Sherman was Tannehill’s college coach.

So, if the Chiefs really want to get Tannehill, they might have to jump up to No. 7. However, Cleveland could also take Tannehill at No. 4. Last week, Colts’ owner Jim Irsay tweeted that Tannehill is a draft gem, and teams might have to trade up to No. 3 with Minnesota to get him. The Eagles and Seahawks might be among the teams interested in trading up to take Tannehill.

I’m not sure the Minnesota scenario will be necessary to get Tannehill, but quarterbacks create unique scenarios.

Moving from eight spots from No. 11 to No. 3 would cost multiple first-round picks, and that might be too pricey. However, if Tannehill is on the board at No. 7, Kansas City could try to move ahead of the Dolphins and take him for a much more reasonable price. The Jaguars have the No. 7 pick.

There is apparently solid interest in Tim Tebow around the NFL.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has just reported that Jacksonville, Green Bay, Miami and the Jets have all either internally discussed acquiring Tebow or have discussed it with the Broncos. Schefter described the Jets as being a long shot.

He’d probably have the best chances to play in Jacksonville (his hometown) and Miami. He’d be a backup with the Packers, but the Packers are known for developing quarterbacks and it could be a good spot for him.

Denver is bent on trading him and doing it soon. It seems like they have a market.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported the Denver Broncos have already received calls from teams about quarterback Tim Tebow.

Schefter said it is a sign the Broncos should be able to move him while ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Tebow will likely be released if the Broncos can’t find a trade partner.

Jacksonville, Miami and New England are among the teams interested in Tebow. He will likely be brought in as a backup anywhere he goes. Denver could get a mid-round pick in return, but don’t think the Broncos will sweat the compensation much. I think they just want to move on.

The Dolphins have an extra-round round pick it acquired from Chicago for Brandon Marshall, so it could give Denver a solid offer. Ironically, the Broncos drafted Tebow with their No. 25 pick after they traded Marshall to Miami two years ago. Tebow succeeded Marshall as No. 15 in Denver.

Schefter made a point that I agree with. He said several owners in the league may be interested in acquiring Tebow because of ticket sales and the popularity it could create. Tebow sells and the Broncos are hoping they find a buyer as they hand their offense to Peyton Manning.

Hall of Fame quarterbacks rarely lose in the clutch.

The Duke did it again in Denver.

On the biggest day in Denver Broncos history since John Elway won his second straight Super Bowl 13 years ago, Elway displayed his acumen as an NFL executive by landing perhaps the biggest free-agent prize in NFL history.

Peyton Manning is going to be a Denver Bronco. Just as important, Tim Tebow is likely going to be a former Denver Bronco.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen have reported that Manning has instructed his agent to complete a deal with the Denver Broncos, and Manning told the San Francisco 49ers and the Tennessee Titans of his decision to play elsewhere. Mortensen reports that working out the contract details is a formality.

According to Schefter, Manning’s head was leading him to San Francisco, but his heart was with Elway and the Broncos. The relationship between Elway and Manning is a major reason Manning is going to play in the Rocky Mountains. Legendary quarterbacks like to hang out with one another.

When he arrives in Denver, Manning -- who the Broncos are confident will be able to bounce back from a neck injury that cost him the 2011 season -- will enjoy the presence of a kindred spirit unlike any he’s had before in an NFL building. Manning knows Elway will understand everything he is thinking, and Elway will do everything it takes to make Manning successful in Denver.

Landing Manning became a quest for Denver’s organization last month when it became clear that Manning would be released by the Colts. It was obvious Elway was never completely comfortable moving forward with Tebow as the starter even though Elway and head coach John Fox said Tebow earned the right to go to training camp as the starter.

One of the reasons the Broncos had planned to stick with Tebow was they didn’t have any other viable options. The Broncos are not in the position to draft Stanford’s Andrew Luck or Baylor’s Robert Griffin III, and no other rookie prospect appears ready to take over a team. The free-agent class offered no major upgrades.

Then Manning became available, and everything changed.

Manning offered Denver the perfect escape route from Tebow-mania. Because Tebow was a huge fan favorite, the Broncos knew it would be difficult to part ways with him. But who can argue with the Manning-Tebow swap? Tebow-mania is dead in Denver. Manning-mania is taking over.

Expect the Broncos to try to trade Tebow. The Florida legend could attract interest in Jacksonville or Miami. Mortensen also said New England (where former Denver coach Josh McDaniels, who drafted Tebow, is the offensive coordinator) could be interested. Mortensen said Tebow could be released if Denver can’t find a trade partner.

Even though Manning, who turns 36 on Saturday, is not going to be a long-term fixture in Denver -- I’d expect three solid seasons from him -- the Broncos are more than comfortable going all in on Manning and moving away from Tebow.

The Broncos tired of the weight of the focus being solely on Tebow. They also were weary of his inability to become a pure pocket passer. Now, instead of having to wait on and answer questions about Tebow’s development, Denver can toss Manning a ball and let him take over.

While Elway was a huge factor in Denver's landing Manning, do not underestimate the role of Fox. He is a player-friendly coach who will allow Manning the freedom to do what he likes. Fox and Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy proved last year with Tebow they are flexible enough to allow the quarterback to dictate the offense.

The option offense is out. The line-of-scrimmage artistry of Manning is in.

Expect the Broncos to aggressively add some pieces who will fit with Manning. Denver’s offense was more run-oriented with Tebow. Now, it will be more passing-oriented. Expect the Broncos to reach out to Manning’s former center, Jeff Saturday, and perhaps tight ends Dallas Clark or Jacob Tamme. I wouldn’t be surprised if another receiver was added even though Manning was intrigued by the idea of working with young receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker.

Fox needs to continue to improve the young defense. The Broncos have been in talks with several defensive free agents, and with Manning all but secured, Fox can focus on beefing up that side of the ball.

The Broncos were often the center of the NFL universe last season with Tebow, and they should be again for a completely different reason. Expect Denver to get a full allotment of prime-time games in 2012 as the football world wants to see whether Manning and Elway can chase a combined fourth Super Bowl ring.

There’s a new franchise star in Denver, and it's only fitting that the greatest Bronco of them all is the reason why.

The Denver Broncos arrived in North Carolina on Friday to find out there is another player in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter report that the San Francisco 49ers have emerged as a player in the Manning chase and that San Francisco officials have already seen Manning throw. Denver’s brass will watch Manning throw Friday.

The Titans are also in the mix. Schefter reports that Miami is already out and that the Cardinals are expected to move on.

Earlier in the process, Schefter reported that Manning would prefer to stay in the AFC. Manning’s younger brother, Eli, is the quarterback of the New York Giants. The Giants beat the 49ers in the NFC title game.

If Manning is picking his next team based solely on talent, the 49ers may have the edge on Denver and Tennessee. Schefter reports that the 49ers may be a long shot, but their interest shows that this process is still fluid.

As the Denver Broncos’ brass flies to North Carolina to see Peyton Manning throw, their competition for him has lessened.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter just reported that the Miami Dolphins are officially out of the running for Manning. Miami was initially considered a front-runner for Manning, partly because he owns a home there. Schefter reported the Dolphins were told they are no longer in the mix.

The three known finalists for Manning are Denver, Tennessee and Arizona. But the Cardinals could bow out of the Manning race Friday, because they owe quarterback Kevin Kolb a major bonus Friday, and Manning does not appear close to making a decision.

The Broncos appear to be in the Manning chase for the long haul, as their workout with him Friday indicates. Schefter reports Denver is bringing a big crew to North Carolina to watch Manning throw, including leader John Elway, coach John Fox, key offensive coaches and its medical team.

The Denver Broncos are taking the next step in the Peyton Manning process.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting the Broncos brass is flying to North Carolina on Friday to meet with Manning and to watch him work out. Schefter said this is simply the next step in the process and it doesn't mean Denver is the favorite to land Manning.

But it is significant for two reasons -- Denver will get the opportunity to see Manning work out and to see if he is recovering from a neck injury that kept him out for the 2011 season and because Manning and the Broncos will see if they are comfortable with taking the next step with each other.

Schefter said other teams will likely work out Manning. The four finalists have been considered Denver, Tennessee, Miami and Arizona. The Dolphins and Cardinals may be falling out of the race. The Dolphins are pursuing Green Bay’s Matt Flynn and the Cardinals have to make a final decision on a big bonus for quarterback Kevin Kolb on Friday. Because the Manning process is ongoing, the Cardinals have to make a fast decision.

Thus, Denver and Tennessee appear to be the teams in for the long haul for Manning. Schefter said another team can enter the fray, but that appears to be a long shot.

For now, the Broncos are preparing for their second meeting with Manning and the team has to feel good about its place in this chase.

While ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has reported that Peyton Manning has not eliminated any of the four teams he has visited with, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on ‘SportsCenter’ on Thursday morning that the sense is the finalists might be Denver and Tennessee.

Manning has also visited Arizona and Miami. Before Tennessee entered the picture (Manning played at the University of Tennessee, and is a legend in the state), the Broncos and the Cardinals were considered the favorites to land Manning in most circles. So, perhaps the Broncos should feel good that Schefter is reporting they are hanging in the race.

ESPN analyst Bill Polian (who brought Manning to Indianapolis, and who remains close with Manning) said on ‘SportsCenter’ that football-wise, the Broncos and Titans are “almost a dead heat” in his opinion. Polian said perhaps Tennessee’s “home-field advantage” will be the deciding factor for Manning.

Polian also said the decision by Manning might take awhile. The Broncos remain committed to staying in this race, but if Manning doesn’t choose them, they could be in a bad spot. Denver entered free agency with $38 million in cap room, but hasn’t done anything yet, because Manning would change their free-agency plan.

In a news conference to introduce Robert Meachem, Chargers coach Norv Turner said the former New Orleans Saint is a No. 1 receiver and that’s the plan in San Diego. Meachem was signed to a four-year, $25.9 million deal on Tuesday night, hours after former San Diego No. 1 receiver Vincent Jackson bolted for Tampa Bay on the strength of a five-year, $55.5 million deal.

Meachem was a rotational player in New Orleans, but he has 4.3 speed and he is strong in the vertical game which is a focus in San Diego with Norv Turner and quarterback Philip Rivers. If Meachem can stay healthy, he should make an impact. He is not Jackson, but he can help this team. It's clear Turner is expecting big things from Meachem.

Another cornerback is off the market when Richard Marshall signed with Miami. Opportunities for Oakland are getting fewer. The Raiders do have interest in St. Louis’ Ronald Bartell.

Former San Diego left tackle Marcus McNeill will visit the Lions on Thursday. He was cut because the team owed him a large roster bonus and there were concerns about his neck injury that ended his season prematurely in 2011.

After being wooed in Nashville -- including receiving a call from the governor of Tennessee -- Peyton Manning departed his meeting with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday night still considering all four of the teams he has visited, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

Manning has visited Denver, Arizona and Miami and Tennessee. Mortensen reported that Manning is open to talking to other teams but is expected to make his decision soon. The Broncos -- who got the first crack at Manning on Friday -- are patiently waiting and they have yet to use any of their $38 million in salary cap room.

Meanwhile, if Manning wants to wear No. 18 as a Denver Bronco he can. The man who owns the retired number has given his blessing for it to be unretired for Manning. There has been talk Manning might opt to wear his college jersey, No. 16, in his next NFL city. That number is free and open in Denver.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said he wants to see Manning in Denver because he wants a chance to try to beat the best.

As the Denver Broncos continues to wait for Peyton Manning to decide if he will sign with the team, they may have seen the door close on a potential trade partner for Tim Tebow.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed former Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne to back up 2010 No. 10 overall pick Blaine Gabbert. Tebow is from Jacksonville and the team’s new owner, Shahid Khan, has said he would have drafted Tebow in 2010 had he owned the team.

The Jaguars may not have any room for Tebow now. It would be surprise if there was much interest in him on the trade market elsewhere around the league. If Manning does sign, Tebow may have to be kept to season behind Manning.

In other AFC West news:

Oakland linebacker Kamerion Wimbley has yet to hear from the Raiders. More than $17 million in salary and bonuses will kick in by the weekend if the Raiders don’t cut or restructure the deal. Odds are Wimbley will be cut, because there has been no communication. Wimbley is open to doing a new deal, but is not taking a pay cut.

Maybe the Raiders are resigned to keeping the strong pass-rusher, since they won’t get better by cutting him. Again, the odds are Wimbley will be cut, but Oakland’s silence makes one wonder what its plans are.

The agent for former Oakland guard Robert Gallery said the Seahawks will cut him. San Diego could be a possible destination if the Chargers want a veteran left guard and he conceivably could go back to Oakland if the Raiders want to move Stefen Wisniewski to center. Both teams could do a lot worse.

The Dolphins are bringing back Paul Soliai, his agent David Canter confirmed. The Broncos were planning to bring the defensive tackle to Denver for a visit.

The Broncos will likely try to re-sign defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley and they could use the No. 25 pick in the draft on a defensive tackle. Despite entering free agency Tuesday with $38 million in salary-cap room, the Broncos have been quiet. They are waiting on the decision of Peyton Manning.

Their course in free agency will depend on Manning’s decision. He is currently with Tennessee officials and his decision could come in the next couple of days. Regardless of what Manning decides, the Broncos have some work to do.

The inevitable has happened: Brandon Carr is a former Kansas City Chief.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the cornerback has signed a five-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys worth $50.1 million. There was a lot of talk at the NFL combine last month that Dallas would make a run at Carr.

Carr’s departure from Kansas City was a foregone conclusion when the Chiefs signed former Oakland Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt on Feb. 20. After Routt was signed, the Chiefs said they had interest in retaining Carr, but it didn’t make any financial sense for Kansas City and it didn’t make any sense for Carr.

The Chiefs essentially chose to go with Routt because he was cheaper (he signed a three-year, $18 million deal in Kansas City) and he gave the Chiefs clarity at the position prior to free agency. Routt and Carr are considered comparable players. Both would be the No. 2 cornerback in Kansas City behind Brandon Flowers, who signed a big deal in Kansas City last year. Carr was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in 2008.

In other AFC West news:

Don’t be surprised if the Raiders get in play for former St. Louis cornerback Ron Bartell. He’d be the Raiders' top cornerback. Oakland is desperately trying to get in the cornerback game in free agency now that they finally have some room to maneuver.

The Denver Broncos are visiting with Cleveland Browns veteran safety Mike Adams.

Denver has a visit planned with Miami defensive tackle Paul Soliai. However, the Dolphins are still interested in retaining him.

Kansas City backup running back Jackie Battle has interest from three teams. There is a chance he does not return to Kansas City.