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The crew debates if Cam Newton will have a sophomore slump, Mark Schlereth has the Colts should use Big Ben as the model for developing Andrew Luck, and who is the best offensive lineman in the NFL?

Things didn't work out exactly the way I planned for the Dallas Cowboys in the ESPN blogger mock draft Monday. Yes, the Eagles traded up to No. 7 to take Fletcher Cox, a player the Cowboys like a lot. But for the Cowboys I decided not to get into such excitement. First of all, they don't have the cushion the Eagles have with two second-round picks. And second of all, they need to add depth all along the roster, so I decided that if they traded they'd come away with more picks rather than fewer.

As the draft wound on into the middle of the first round, I was thinking my top Cowboys target, Alabama safety Mark Barron, would be there at No. 14. So when James Walker of the AFC East blog called on behalf of the Patriots and offered a first-round pick (No. 27 overall) and a second-round pick (No. 48), I said no. James pointed out that each side of the deal added up to exactly 1,100 points on the NFL draft trade value chart, and for a second I thought we should make the deal just based on that coincidence alone. But I held off, thinking Barron would fall to 14.

Little did I know, James was also talking to Mike Sando about the Seahawks' No. 12 overall pick. James offered Mike both of the Patriots' first-round picks (No. 27 and No. 31) for the No. 12 pick and a fourth-rounder (N0. 106). Guess I should have asked James for more, because that's a steal for Sando, who happily gave up the No. 12 and began making plans for what to do with his two first-rounders. James moved up to 12 and took Barron for the Patriots, and I started fielding offers for the No. 14 pick.

No one was interested, though, so when 14 rolled around, I took the player I believed would be the highest on the Cowboys' board at that point -- LSU defensive lineman Michael Brockers. What I like about Brockers for the Cowboys is that he's a more polished, NFL-ready prospect than is Dontari Poe (who would fall all the way to the Steelers at No. 24!) and that he's versatile enough to play any spot on the Cowboys' defensive line. He can play inside as a defensive tackle alongside Jay Ratliff when they line up in 4-3 sets. He can play end in a 3-4 (and allow them to move on from Kenyon Coleman or Marcus Spears if they so choose). He can spell Ratliff at the nose when and if they decide to move Ratliff outside. I just felt as though he'd appeal to Rob Ryan as a guy who could do a lot for him -- and do it right away -- in a defense that relies on constantly changing looks and fronts.

I thought about Poe, and Quenton Coples, and Stephon Gilmore, and Dre Kirkpatrick, and Courtney Upshaw. But in the end, I believe that, of the post-Barron choices, Brockers was the one that fit the Cowboys the best.

(NOTE: Stanford guard David DeCastro was also gone, at 11 to the Chiefs, but as you know I believe the Cowboys should be focused on defense in this round. And probably all of them.)

So what do you think, Cowboys fans? Did I get it right? Did I pick the wrong guy? Was I wrong to turn down the Patriots' offer? I eagerly await your feedback.

At least four teams have called the Cleveland Browns about the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft, sources told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

One of the teams believed to be in the mix is the St. Louis Rams. That would mean dropping to No. 6. Just say no. Why? The Browns can say goodbye to an elite offensive playmaker in running back Trent Richardson if they trade down. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would immediately grab Richardson at No. 5.

Another potential trade partner is the Philadelphia Eagles. This would require the Browns to fall to No. 15. Cleveland really has to say no to this one. Why? It's a pipe dream to think wide receiver Michael Floyd is going to be available at this spot. He's going to get drafted by Buffalo (No. 10) or Arizona (No. 13).

The top offensive prospects who should be on the board in the middle of the first round are guard David DeCastro and wide receiver Kendall Wright. Two additional second-round picks are not worth this dropoff. Plus, general manager Tom Heckert indicated 17 days ago that the Browns would consider falling back as far as No. 8. The Eagles' spot is out of that range.

As I mentioned earlier this week, the Browns shouldn't trade back. They need playmakers, not picks. Their draft should be based on quality, not quantity.

Still, there's a good chance that the Browns will trade back. Heckert's track record shows he likes to acquire extra picks. And, as ESPN Insider Bill Polian pointed out, Mike Holmgren's teams often find their running backs later in the draft or through free agency.

But Richardson is one of those special types of backs. He has the toughness to excel in a division like the AFC North and he has the potential to immediately affect an offense like Adrian Peterson did.

If Holmgren doesn't believe me, he should consult with his good friend and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden before thinking of trading back.

“The easiest thing to do is turn around and hand the ball to somebody 300 times a year,” Gruden said in a conference call. “Everybody says, ‘Don’t take a running back. You can get those guys in the fifth, sixth or seventh round.' You go try to find Trent Richardson in the fifth, sixth or seventh round."

Gruden added, “He’s a beast. He broke all of Emmitt Smith’s high school rushing records in Florida. I’ve seen him run over people, run around people, he protects the ball, he can catch it, can pick up blitzes. He might be the strongest human being on the planet."

Just because teams are interested in the No. 4 pick doesn't mean the Browns should be interested in giving it up. Just say no.

Wendi and Herm discuss Sean Payton's appeal to the commissioner, Brandon Carr answers a Facebook question, and the Eagles are struck by the injury bug.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Philadelphia Eagles are willing to trade star receiver/returner DeSean Jackson. Let’s see if he fits in the AFC West:

Denver: Mike Shanahan nearly took Jackson in 2008, but opted for Eddie Royal instead at No. 42. I don’t think Jackson will be coming to Denver in the John Fox era, either. The Broncos have other needs, and until the Broncos have complete clarity at quarterback, spending big at receiver might not be prudent.

Kansas City: If Dwayne Bowe leaves in free agency (I don’t think he will), I could see the Chiefs considering Jackson. He’d be a nice fit, but I’m not sure the Chiefs would give the Eagles what they would want in return for Jackson.

Oakland: The Raiders have plenty of young, fast receivers. The Raiders are going to work on getting better on defense. This paring won’t happen.

San Diego: Like in Kansas City, a need could develop in free agency. If No. 1 receiver Vincent Jackson leaves in free agency (the Chargers likely won’t give him the franchise tag, but they would like to sign him on the open market), they could be interested in DeSean Jackson. There will be several receivers on the open market, so the Chargers might opt not to give up a premium pick for a receiver. But if Vincent Jackson leaves, there’s no doubt the game-breaking DeSean Jackson would fit in with the Chargers on offense and on special teams.

Wendi and Mort discuss the legacy Ricky Williams leaves behind, Darren wonders if the Eagles can follow the Giants' path, and in Did You Hear That?, Gronk puts on his dancing shoes.

The Browns made the right call when they decided to add an offensive coordinator, and they needed to hire someone with experience.


But hiring Brad Childress -- who was named offensive coordinator, according to a league source -- is not the answer. The Browns really needed to push to get Mike Sherman, who appears to be headed to the Miami Dolphins to be their offensive coordinator.

The problem with Childress is his track record with offenses. In the eight years that Childress has been a head coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL, his offenses have ranked in the bottom half of the league five times.

The disturbing part is he's only been an NFL playcaller for one season. The result? The Vikings finished 23rd in yards and 26th in points (17.6 per game) in 2006 before Childress passed those duties over to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell the next season. Childress didn't call the plays in his three seasons as the Eagles' offensive coordinator (Andy Reid held that role) and he didn't call the plays in his final four seasons with the Vikings.

That resume doesn't inspire confidence that he will turn around a Browns offense that scored more than 17 points twice last season. Then again, it's hard to imagine any coordinator could really affect an offense that has major question marks at quarterback and running back as well as a void of playmakers at wide receiver.

Hiring Childress isn't the worst move. The team could have simply promoted quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple, but that wouldn't have accomplished anything.

Pat Shumur was overwhelmed in his first season as the Browns head coach, and he needed to have the responsibility of running the offense taken away. The only way an inexperienced head coach will succeed is if he has experienced coordinators supporting him. The Browns will have veteran voices with Childress and defensive coordinator Dick Jauron.

If I were Shurmur, I would rely on Childress' advice but not his play-calling ability.

NFL.com is reporting that the Indianapolis Colts want to interview former Minnesota coach Brad Childress for their head-coaching opening. Here’s another name the Colts should consider: Hue Jackson.

If Childress is on the Colts’ list, Jackson – who was fired last week after one year at the helm in Oakland – should be, too.

Jackson wasn’t fired in Oakland because he can’t coach. I think Jackson, 46, is one of the bright, young offensive coaching minds in the league. His work with Oakland’s offense the past two years shows how capable a coach he is.

His problem in Oakland was that he took on too much power after the death of owner Al Davis — and that he talked too much. But those are issues he can quickly resolve. The Colts have a strong power structure in which Jackson would simply be asked to coach. And whether the Colts’ quarterback in 2012 is Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning, Jackson would be a good leader for either.

Jackson is a candidate to be the offensive coordinator in St. Louis. If he gets that job and the Rams offense rebounds in 2012, Jackson will likely be a hot head-coaching candidate next year. Still, if the Colts are looking at a retread like Childress, they might as well take a gander at Jackson, who’d still be the head coach in Oakland under the right circumstances.

In other AFC West news:

The San Diego Union Tribune is reporting that former Carolina secondary coach Ron Meeks has been offered the Chargers’ secondary coaching job and he is expected to decide by the end of the weekend. Meeks would replace Steve Wilks — who went to Carolina to work for former Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, who is now Carolina’s head coach.

The Raiders denied a report that new Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie has hired former Raider Sean Jones as assistant general manager. The team's search for a new head coach continues, meanwhile; Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was reportedly set to interview Friday.

The new coach in Miami could further increase the chances of Dolphins offensive coordinator Brian Daboll ending up in that role with Kansas City. Daboll worked in New England with new Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel.

Reggie McKenzie is turning many stones.

It seems, at least once a day, a new name emerges in the new Raiders general manager's search to find a head coach in Oakland. Tuesday night, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Raiders have sought permission to interview Mike Tice — only recently promoted to the Bears' offensive coordinator position after a stint as the team’s offensive line coach.

Like Philadelphia offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg – whose name has surfaced as another candidate McKenzie will interview – Tice is a former NFL head coach. He led the Vikings from 2002-05.

Below is a list of the six candidates who have reportedly had or will have interviews. Keep in mind that several Green Bay assistants, including linebackers coach Winston Moss, may surface as well.

Coach	Position	Comment
Dennis Allen	Broncos defensive coordinator	Did a tremendous job with the Broncos defense in 2011.
Todd Bowles	Former Dolphins interim coach	Considered a young defensive coaching star.
Pete Carmichael	Saints offensive coordinator	He’s 40, but considered a future coaching star.
Mike McCoy	Broncos offensive coordinator	A prime candidate in Miami.
Marty Mornhinweg	Eagles offensive coordinator	He’s from the Mike Holmgren coaching tree.
Mike Tice	Bears offensive coordinator	Considered a premier offensive line coach

Jon Ritchie and Eric Mangini discuss Week 15's biggest shocker; "The Caveman" reveals his key to the Giants-Jets matchup; and in "Did You Hear That?" Brent Celek says the Eagles are still alive.

Here are seven notes an observations on the AFC East in Week 15:

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Ron Chenoy/US PresswirePatriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, 81, had nine catches for 129 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.
• With Rob Gronkowski's emergence with the New England Patriots, you almost forget how good fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez is. The Denver Broncos certainly forgot about Hernandez in coverage. He led the game with nine receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown. It was clear Denver's strategy was to stop Gronkowski, who is having a monster season. That didn't bother Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who went away from "Gronk" and targeted Hernandez a team-high 11 times. Gronkowski only caught four passes for 53 yards and had his touchdown streak end at six games. But Hernandez also is a top-10 tight end. He's just not as consistent as Gronkowski and had a few drops this season. But Hernandez needs to stay ready, especially in the playoffs, if future opponents decide to put most of their attention on Gronkowski.
• The Patriots won convincingly, but their run defense in the first quarter was atrocious. The holes, missed tackles and not getting off blocks Sunday was the worst I’ve seen from New England all season. Fortunately, quarterback Tom Brady and the offense scored enough points to force Denver to throw the ball in the second half. The Broncos rushed for 252 yards, including 167 in the first quarter. If it was a closer game, New England’s defense could have allowed 300-plus yards on the ground.
• The New York Jets clearly missed injured safety Jim Leonhard in Sunday's 45-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. New York blew a lot of coverages over the middle and could not guard Eagles tight end Brent Celek. Philadelphia’s tight end had a monster game, with five receptions for 156 yards and one touchdown. Celek’s longest catch was for 73 yards. Teams have been attacking New York’s defense over the middle this season, because its corners are so good. But there is a big drop off at safety, especially when Leonhard is out of the game. The Jets need to consider this in the offseason when Leonhard becomes a free agent.
• Right tackle is definitely a spot the Jets need to upgrade next season. Right tackle Wayne Hunter has struggled in nearly every Jets game I’ve seen in person. Philadelphia defensive end Jason Babin took Hunter to school Sunday to the tune of three sacks. Hunter does not have quick feet and gets pushed around too often. New York drafted Vladimir Ducasse in the second round in 2010 with hopes that he could develop into a starter. But Ducasse remains a raw project, and the team cannot afford to wait another year. The Jets need to find someone on that side of the offensive line to protect Sanchez.
• The Buffalo Bills' were horrendous on third downs in a 30-23 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Bills were 0-for-11 on third-down conversions. Buffalo also was 0-for-12 on third downs against Miami in its first meeting in Week 11. It's scary to think the Bills couldn’t get a third-down conversion all season against the Dolphins.
• The Buffalo News reported this weekend that Bills receiver Steve Johnson could be seeking a contract worth $8.5-$9 million per season. If that's the case, the Bills should let Johnson test the open market. I expect Buffalo to make a push to keep Johnson this offseason but only at a price the team is comfortable with. The Bills know Johnson's strengths and weaknesses, and they most likely agree he's not a $9-million-a-year player. Johnson is a good player and a good teammate. But he's not an elite No. 1 receiver who can single-handedly take over games. Johnson only has one 100-yard game all season. Plus, receiver is one of the easiest positions in the NFL to replace.
• If the season ended today, both the Dolphins (5-8) and Bills (5-8) would have top-10 picks. Buffalo would own the 10th overall pick. The Dolphins would draft ninth, despite sweeping Buffalo this season, because they had the easier schedule. Both teams would be in position to land a top prospect. But Miami is starting to hurt its chances of landing a top quarterback.

PHILADELPHIA -- The usually outspoken Rex Ryan walked to the podium Sunday night at a loss for words.

"I don't know what to say," an aghast New York Jets head coach mumbled.

Was that the Jets or the "Bad News Bears" that showed up to Lincoln Financial Field? It was difficult to tell the difference in New York's 45-19 blowout loss Sunday to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The efficient, hard-nose Jets we've seen the past three weeks stayed at the Meadowlands. The Jets team that traveled to Philadelphia was the bumbling, turnover-prone, almost-comical team we remember from Weeks 3-5.

New York committed four turnovers, couldn't protect the quarterback and failed to stop Philadelphia's offense. The Jets were basically helpless for four ugly quarters, even though the Eagles tried everything in their power to keep the Jets in the game. Philadelphia had four turnovers themselves and still won by 26 points.

That's how bad things were for the Jets. It was easily their most embarrassing performance of the season -- and that's saying a lot considering New York has had several clunkers.

Remember when New York was ransacked, 34-17, by the Baltimore Ravens in October? This was much worse.

Remember the Jets' 37-16 loss to the New England Patriots in November? This was uglier.

"That was about as bad as it gets, especially in the first half and early in the third quarter," Ryan said.

But the "Bad News Bears" never get as lucky as the Jets.

Despite the blowout loss, New York (8-6) is still in control and has a chance to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Jets own the common opponent and strength of victory tiebreakers over the Bengals, who have the same record. New York also got lucky twice when the Oakland Raiders (7-7) and Tennessee Titans (7-7) both suffered defeats to the Detroit Lions and previously winless Indianapolis Colts, respectively.

The Jets' postseason formula in the final two games is simple: Win and they're in.

"We are capable of so much more," Jets offensive lineman Matt Slauson said. "Unfortunately we keep putting ourselves in these scenarios where we have to take the toughest road possible. Maybe that's how we have to do it. But as long as we get in [the playoffs] that's all that counts."

The Jets haven't play this poorly since their 45-3 defeat to the New England Patriots on Dec. 6, 2010. There were many similarities in those two games, including turnovers and an uncharacteristically awful performance by New York's defense.

You knew this game would get ugly fast when Jets receiver Santonio Holmes, who usually takes care of the football, fumbled on his first reception and it was returned by Philadelphia 47 yards for a touchdown. Holmes would later drop a pass on the next drive that led to a Philadelphia interception and also cost his team a 15-yard penalty for excessively celebrating a touchdown.

If it was that kind of day for New York's best offensive player, the rest of the group didn't have a chance.

Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter gave up three sacks to Eagles defensive end Jason Babin. Philadelphia had four sacks and several additional hits on Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who was roughed up and suffered a shoulder or neck injury that he played through in the second half.

"I'm feeling all right," Sanchez said afterward. "Just took some good hits ... physical game."

New York's defense gave up 420 total yards, including 160 on the ground. The Jets' defense disappears too often on the road this year, which is one reason they are 2-5 away from MetLife Stadium. That's not a good sign. Even if the Jets make the playoffs, they'll have to win on the road.

Ryan suggested burying the football this week, which was a superstitious ploy he used following last year’s aforementioned loss to the Patriots. It worked, as the Jets went on to qualify for the playoffs and advance to the AFC title game for the second straight year.

But none of that matters at the moment. The Jets have to beat the cross-town rival New York Giants (7-7) in Week 16 before they even think about the postseason. The Jets keep fumbling away chance after chance, and now the team is down to its last strike.

"I know we have that resolve," Ryan said of bouncing back from an awful performance. "You know, we have to win these next two, period, plain and simple, or we won't earn the right to find out. But we have to go out and win these next two games and then we’ll find out how far we can go."

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles lead the New York Jets, 28-13, in a wild first half.

Here are some notes at intermission:

• This is an ugly game involving teams that still have hopes for the playoffs. The Eagles were drilling the Jets, 28-0, before making costly mistakes. New York ended the half with 13 straight points to get back into the game. The final 10 points were scored off a pair of Philadelphia turnovers. There have been seven turnovers total in this game.
• Jets receiver Santonio Holmes had two costly mistakes in the first quarter that stalled New York’s offense. Holmes fumbled on his first reception and it was returned 47 yards for a touchdown by Philadelphia defensive end Juqua Parker. Holmes also dropped a pass in the red zone that was intercepted by Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel. Holmes also got a taunting call after scoring a touchdown before halftime.
• New York's pass protection has been shaky. The Eagles are coming off a nine-sack performance last week against the Miami Dolphins and have three sacks Sunday against Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. Philadelphia defensive end Jason Babin (two sacks) is having his way in the first half with New York right tackle Wayne Hunter.
• Win or lose, the Jets (8-5) got some unexpected help from the Indianapolis Colts, who picked up their first win by upsetting the Tennessee Titans (7-7). But the Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) beat the St. Louis Rams and will be tied with the Jets if this game continues the path it is going.

Here are some thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles' 26-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins:

What it means: There wasn't anything at stake in terms of playoff implications. But with the loss, the Dolphins (4-9) are guaranteed their third consecutive losing season under embattled head coach Tony Sparano. The Dolphins were playing well under Sparano for the past month. But laying an egg at home doesn't help his already slim chances of returning next season.

What I liked: Dolphins veteran defensive end Jason Taylor did have his best game of the season with a pair of sacks. Miami starting tailback Reggie Bush also rushed for 103 yards on 14 carries. Other than that, there wasn't much to like from Miami's perspective.

What I didn’t like: This looked like the 0-7 Miami team from the first half of the season. The defense suddenly lost its way against Philadelphia and the offense turned over the football. Miami was playing too well to get blown out at home by a team with a similar record. The effort just wasn't there. The Dolphins didn't show up and fell behind to Philadelphia, 24-7, at halftime. I expected more from the Dolphins, especially at home.

Injuries galore: The Dolphins suffered some big injuries. Starting quarterback Matt Moore (head), left tackle Jake Long (back) and cornerback Vontae Davis (neck) were all knocked out of the game. Miami will have a tough time winning without these players going forward. We will keep an eye on these injuries next week.

What’s next: The Dolphins will travel to play the Buffalo Bills in an AFC East battle. Miami won the first meeting convincingly, 35-8, in Week 11 at Sun Life Stadium.

Wendi and Mort discuss their sleeper matchup of the week; Jon Ritchie discusses Andy Reid’s job security, and in Did You Hear That?, Donovan McNabb's career could be coming to an end.