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John Clayton emails his report that "the Washington Redskins have terminated the contract of center Casey Rabach, a source said. Rabach, 33, was scheduled to make $3 million this season."

I've heard from some Redskins fans who were hoping for this, as Rabach has obviously slipped in recent years. He's well liked and respected in the locker room and around the team. But as they position themselves for other moves, such as a run at defensive end Cullen Jenkins, the Redskins decided the $3 million savings would be worth more to them. Will Montgomery or Kory Lichtensteiger can slide in as Rabach's replacement, but then only one of those guys can play guard, so the Redskins could still be on the hunt for a new interior offensive lineman, be it a guard or a center. They also need a right tackle, as Jammal Brown is a free agent and we've heard no news yet on whether he'll be re-signed. So still more work to do as the Redskins continue their rebuilding project on their offensive line.

They're working on defensive line, too, even with Barry Cofield in the fold. I am hearing lots of talk out there today among NFL folks that they're working hard on trying to bring in Jenkins, which would really be a nice move. With Cofield and Jenkins playing in front of linebackers Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, the Redskins could have a somewhat fearsome pass rush. They do appear to be clearing some room for such a pursuit, as defensive end Phillip Daniels tweeted this morning that he's been released.

Oh, and on an unrelated note, the agent for receiver Brandon Stokley, who tweeted Wednesday that his client had signed with the Redskins, now says he tweeted too soon and Stokley won't be a Redskin after all. So just Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney and Donte' Stallworth added to the receiving corps so far.

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

We've devoted at least 3,000 words to Mike Shanahan's benching of quarterback Donovan McNabb for "cardiovascular endurance" reasons, so let's look at another defining moment in the Redskins' 37-25 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. With 8:50 left in the third quarter, the Skins stopped Lions running back Jahvid Best for no gain on third-and-1 from their 7-yard line.

The Lions set up for a short field goal attempt that would have cut the Skins' lead to 13-10. Instead, Phillip Daniels was called for jumping offside against the field goal unit. Daniels wasn't the only Redskins player who jumped early, as documented in the Washington Post. I've watched the replay several times and you can see Lions deep snapper Don Muhlbach flinch his left hip, which appeared to draw the Skins offside. But the officials didn't detect Muhlbach's flinch and penalized the Redskins. The Lions scored a touchdown two plays later and took a 14-13 lead.

It was a defining moment in Sunday's game that was overshadowed by what happened late in the fourth quarter. In case you missed it, Daniels addressed this call via Twitter following Sunday's loss. If the Skins had held the Lions to a field goal, it would've been a confidence booster for the team. Alas, the Muhlbach flinch will get you every time.

Now that Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss has told teammates he was treated by a Canadian doctor charged with smuggling human growth hormone, he'll face even more scrutiny. Redskins defensive lineman Phillip Daniels said that Moss told him that he met with Dr. Anthony Galea on three occasions, but that he did not use any banned substances.

Daniels said he believes his teammate is "telling the truth" and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday that he does not think Moss will be suspended. On Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell vowed to investigate the situation but he didn't specifically comment on Moss' involvement. Now that Moss has admitted being Galea's patient, Goodell can probably afford to be a little more specific.

It wouldn't surprise me if Moss is asked to visit with Goodell in New York soon. It doesn't appear that the feds are interested in prosecuting any of the NFL players involved with Galea, but that won't prevent Goodell from potentially punishing players if he concludes that they used a banned substance.

The league isn't allowed to administer blood testing, which is the only way to detect HGH. On Monday, Cowboys veteran Keith Brooking told me that he'd have no problem with players having to undergo blood tests for HGH.

Of course, the players' union doesn't share that opinion at this point and you can bet that all of this will come up during CBA negotiations.

» NFC Big Question: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

What would the Redskins’ defensive line look like without Albert Haynesworth?

Haynesworth doesn’t want to play in a 3-4 scheme, which is exactly what is being implemented in Washington as we speak. It still remains a real possibility that the Redskins will move their star defensive lineman. If that happens -- and no defensive players are received in the deal -- who will line up in the Redskins’ front three and what will be the impact of his departure?

There isn’t a more disruptive player in the league than Haynesworth when he is on his game and he is capable of doing more or less whatever he wants on a football field. If motivated, he could be a fantastic nose tackle, or better yet, a 3-4 end for Washington. But enough about his abilities. For the sake of this piece, Haynesworth is elsewhere.

At nose tackle, the Redskins were shrewd in signing Maake Kemoeatu. Health could be a concern, but he is custom-made to man the nose in this scheme with his bulk, power and run-stuffing abilities. Still, the fact that Kemoeatu missed all of 2009 with an Achilles tendon injury has to give you pause. I am not a doctor, but I am guessing that his extreme mass puts a lot of stress on a recovering Achilles and this injury surely hasn’t helped this massive human being’s conditioning in the meantime.

Kedric Golston is the other candidate for nose tackle. He is more of an upfield player than Kemoeatu, but he isn’t as massive or stout. These two should be solid in a rotation, but if Kemoeatu’s health becomes a major problem, I would worry about Golston’s ability to hold down the spot full time. He plays hard, though, and has starting experience. Still, you need more than that to excel at nose tackle in the NFL, even on a two-down basis.

With the current group of nose tackles, it is feasible that Haynesworth could be a disruptive end in this scheme, a la Richard Seymour. To me, that is the way to best utilize his skills, while also making him happier with the scheme change. Of course, he also could play nose tackle and on throwing downs would be a beast as an interior pass-rusher. But without him, the Redskins are very light at the end position.

Phillip Daniels looks pretty set as a starter. He is a bigger base end in the 4-3 whose abilities should translate well to the new scheme. And this switch should extend his career, but he is 37, so who knows how long he can contribute. If he can hold up, Daniels should be solid enough as a run stopper. But how many snaps can he play?

Two others whom I see potentially making an impact are Adam Carriker and Jeremy Jarmon. Both have ability. When they were running a 4-3, the Redskins used a third-round supplemental pick on Jarmon, but he probably would have been drafted higher than that in the typical draft format. But now he is playing in a 3-4, where his upfield abilities will not be utilized as much and he will be asked to anchor into the ground and stack and shed against bigger men. I am not writing him off for this detail -- he has the size to adapt, he is very young and improved as his rookie season went along -- but it is not what he was drafted to do.

In the 2007 draft, St. Louis used the 13th overall pick on Carriker to play in its 4-3 scheme. But he was miscast in that role and is clearly better suited to play end in an odd front. Injuries have been the big problem for Carriker and even when healthy, he has yet to show much in the NFL in any capacity. But I was extremely high on Carriker coming out of Nebraska as a 3-4 end prospect, so it wouldn’t shock me if he revitalized his career to some degree in Washington.

Recognizing the problem at defensive end, the Redskins signed Vonnie Holliday on Monday. Much like Daniels, he is a veteran without upside, but he does have the grit and experience needed to hold his own in the trenches. In fact, he played quite well for the Broncos last season and might still be the best pass-rusher of the current group of defensive ends in Washington. Still, keeping his snaps low would be wise at his age (34).

Trust me, I am not a believer in keeping unmotivated players who do not want to be with the team. And in the 3-4, you can often get by with tough, try-hard guys who do their job without a lot of fanfare. But if Haynesworth leaves town, the Redskins’ defensive line looks pretty atrocious to me.

The Washington Redskins and defensive end Phillip Daniels have agreed to a two-year contract extension, according to the Post. The 14-year NFL veteran became an unrestricted free agent this morning, but he made it clear he wanted to remain with the Redskins.

"I had a good birthday," Daniels, who turned 37 on Thursday, told the Post. "They gave me a gift and I gave them a gift to come back to them, so it was good all the way around for everybody."

Daniels received a signing bonus of $250,000 and he'll make $912,000 in 2010 and $1 million in 2011. Coach Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett were impressed that Daniels played through a painful arm injury last season and they're convinced he can be effective as a 3-4 defensive end. It was Daniels' knee injury in 2008 that caused the Redskins to trade for Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor.

So yes, it looks like Bruce Allen and Shanahan won't purge the entire roster. I was starting to wonder Thursday afternoon.

The NFL's list of projected unrestricted free agents for 2010 included one column showing agents and another showing starts.

This made it easy to see which agents had the most projected UFA clients, and how many starts those clients averaged in 2009.

The result is the chart below. Drew Rosenhaus has more than 100 clients across the league, more than any agent. The NFL lists 15 of them on its projected UFA list, including Terrell Owens and three NFC West players (Randy McMicahel, Anthony Becht and Olindo Mare).

Agents Peter Schaffer and Brian Mackler are next on the list with seven projected UFA clients apiece, but no agent with at least four players listed can match Tony Agnone for players with lots of 2009 starts. Agnone's list features 16-game starters Casey Rabach, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Bobbie Williams, plus seven-game starter Michael Gaines.

The NFL has no agents listed for Phillip Daniels, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Mike Furrey, Damion Cook, Tank Johnson and Matt Ware.

Jeff Feagles, Jeff Zgonina, Daunte Culpepper, Paul Spicer, Clinton Hart and Vernon Fox are listed as representing themselves.

» AFC Free Agency: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

An early look at the free-agent situation in the NFC East.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Dallas Cowboys

Unrestricted free agents: G Montrae Holland

Key figures: The Cowboys don't have a huge interest in retaining Holland, a man who's never really challenged for playing time. But Dallas has a long list of restricted free agents because of the likely scenario of an uncapped 2010 season. Wide receiver Miles Austin is obviously the biggest name on the list. The Cowboys would like to get a long-term contract done, but Austin's going to be asking for big money after his breakout season. For now, the Cowboys will likely sign Austin to the highest tender, which would pay him roughly $3 million in 2010. There's also a chance Dallas will try to work something out with restricted free agent Marcus Spears. Owner Jerry Jones has been very complimentary of Spears' work in '09, so we'll see if he receives an extension. It will also be interesting to see whether the Cowboys reward safety Gerald Sensabaugh for a fine '09 season. He's seeking a multiyear extension. But with the potential of a lockout in 2011, negotiations are up in the air.

New York Giants

Unrestricted free agents: QB David Carr, LB Danny Clark, P Jeff Feagles, DT Fred Robbins

Key figures: The Giants would like an upgrade at the backup quarterback position, but it's not like there are a bunch of reliable candidates floating around. It will be interesting to see how much progress Rhett Bomar makes this offseason. Coach Tom Coughlin loves what Clark brings to the locker room, but the player looked slow in coverage and he's a progress stopper at this point in his career. It's time to let him move on. Feagles can punt until he's 50 -- and he might give it a try. Robbins was benched late in the season, so the writing's on the wall with him. His production has tailed off the past two seasons because he's been asked to stay on the field too much.

Philadelphia Eagles

Unrestricted free agents: DE Jason Babin, S Sean Jones

Key figures: The man who's missing a major payday (for a fullback) is Leonard Weaver. He was an All-Pro for the Eagles and he would be an unrestricted free agent if not for the uncapped season in 2010. The Eagles now hold the hammer in negotiations -- and they've been known to use it at times. Babin is a decent pass-rush specialist, but he sort of faded down the stretch. Jones is a capable backup, but he should not be in the starting mix. Philadelphia would be wise to work something out with restricted free-agent guard/center Nick Cole. He's a versatile player who bailed out Andy Reid when the Stacy Andrews experiment didn't pan out in '09. And no matter his status as a restricted free agent, it's time to get something done with Jason Avant. He's quietly carved out a very important niche in this offense.

Washington Redskins

Unrestricted free agents: LS Ethan Albright, OT Levi Jones, DE Phillip Daniels, C Casey Rabach, P Hunter Smith, G Mike Williams, DE Renaldo Wynn, P Todd Yoder

Key figures: Cornerback Carlos Rogers is a restricted free agent, but he's looking for a new destination. It will be interesting to see what Mike Shanahan and Jim Haslett choose to do with Rogers. Will they try to get him back on the right path or see if they can deal him for a mid-round draft pick? This unrestricted list doesn't have a lot of juice. Rabach could certainly help a team at center, but he didn't set the league on fire in '09. It's probably time to move on without aging players such as Wynn and Daniels. I enjoyed the Williams weight loss story, but it's hard to imagine him being part of the rebuilding process at Redskins Park.

This we'll be the dullest free-agency period in years, but we'll be here to cover all the non-action.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Cowboys

• David Thomas of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram knows exactly what the Cowboys were trying to accomplish in this draft.  

• Jacques Taylor said the Cowboys followed a 'flawed' draft plan. 

• Kevin Ogletree out of UVA do anything for ya? 
  

Eagles

• Ron Jaworskl thinks the Eagles have already shown a lot of improvement. 

• Reuben Frank takes a look at the Eagles' offseason.

• Sheldon Brown isn't planning to cause a ruckus this weekend. 
  

Giants

•   Rookie WR Ramses Barden is ready to put on a show for the Giants. 

• Eli Manning endorsed the Giants' rookie receivers.

• According to a report in the Star-Ledger, the Giants were prepared to trade up for Jeremy Maclin on Saturday.
  

• The Giants' new defensive coordinator visited with reporters. 
  

Redskins

• DE Phillip Daniels doesn't mind backing up Brian Orakpo. 

• The Redskins have invited another quarterback to this weekend's minicamp.
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

By this time next Thursday (it's officially 3 p.m. ET), I'll be boarding a flight to New York for the NFL draft. Through the magic of live-blogging, my plan is to take you to Radio City Music Hall with me. With that in mind, it's time to address Five Burning Draft Questions in The Beast:

1. Will Redskins owner Dan Snyder select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez?

Sanchez

Mosley: With the 13th pick overall, the Redskins should only take Sanchez if they've truly given up on Jason Campbell. And based on their recent attempt to land Jay Cutler, some of you probably think Washington has already turned its back on Campbell. Well, I think we have a split vote on that one at Redskins Park. And unfortunately for Campbell backers (me), head coach Jim Zorn can't win a contest against the formidable duo of Snyder and Vinny Cerrato. It was Zorn who moved quickly to reassure Campbell even while desperate attempts were being made to land Cutler several doors down.

Snyder and Cerrato met with Campbell, but that was simply window dressing. The club decided to take Campbell's trade value for a spin -- and it didn't like the results. After investing all this time (and a first-round pick) in Campbell, it's looking like the Redskins are ready to start all over with Sanchez, who dazzled scouts and innocent bystanders at his recent pro day. I think Snyder-Cerrato are suffering from a condition we're calling "RyanFlacconitis," which has caused front office types around the league to mistakenly think that pretty much any rookie quarterback with a solid background (Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco) can lead them to the playoffs. The best result for Redskins fans would be for Sanchez to go off the board before No. 13. I may be in the minority (shocker), but I'd love to see what Campbell could do in his second season with Zorn. Who knows? Maybe the Redskins let Sanchez learn for a season behind Campbell. On second thought, that will never happen.

2. What will the Giants and Eagles do at wide receiver?

Boldin

Wouldn't you like to know? I thought the timing of Ken Whisenhunt's "we're all ears on Anquan Boldin" comment was pretty interesting. Did it just happen to immediately follow a report that a Braylon Edwards to the Giants trade was imminent? I think not. If the Browns truly want to move Edwards, they may have lost a little leverage. Now that the Cardinals have gone public, Giants general manager Jerry Reese could play their situation against any potential Browns' offers. As Scouts Inc. stalwart Matt Williamson pointed out Wednesday on the NFC West blog, the Eagles appear to be a better fit for Boldin than the Giants. Boldin would the perfect complement to speedsters DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis. In New York, he might not be quite as effective. But if Reese thinks he can get a better deal from the Cards, then more power to him. Heard Boldin do a local radio show in Dallas recently and he indicated once again that he loves his teammates, he just doesn't care for management. If the Giants end up with Edwards and the Eagles trade for Boldin, I might have to redo my NFL schedule analysis. Surely no one wants that to happen.

3. What will the Cowboys do with the No. 51 pick?

Let's be honest. Not having a first-round pick makes the draft far less interesting. It's also made talk radio in Dallas much more of a challenge. In my Dallas Morning News days, I would've had seven mock drafts by now. But with the proliferation of mock drafts -- my pastor has one -- I've decided to take a year off. But anyway, the Cowboys aren't going to feel pressured to take any specific position at No. 51. The only way they take a quarterback is if Josh Freeman ends up in a free-fall. I'm hearing the Cowboys are in love with Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas, who is one of the best free safeties in this draft. He's 5-11, 202 pounds, but scouts say he plays much bigger than that. He's a tough run defender and his athletic ability (4.5 in the 40 and 37-inch vertical) is pretty impressive. The Cowboys signed Gerald Sensabaugh in free agency, but I think Delmas would be starting by midseason -- if not before. The other safety they really like is Darcel McBath out of Texas Tech. Excellent ball skills (eight interceptions) and he grew up in nearby Gainesville, Texas. Jerry Jones loves the homegrown kids. I'm not saying McBath's going at No. 51, but he's certainly a name to remember. In terms of receivers, the Cowboys think Brian Robiskie could be an effective receiver in the league for the next 10 years. If he's there at No. 51, they'd have a hard time passing him up.

4. Don't the Redskins need a pass-rusher?

Could all this talk about Mark Sanchez be a huge smokescreen? If so, t
he Washington Post has bitten hard. That's why I think there's definitely some interest in Sanchez, but it won't happen in the end. The 'Skins desperately need a right tackle and a defensive end. I certainly respect the work of grizzled veterans such as Phillip Daniels, Andre Carter and the immortal Renaldo Wynn. That said, Redskins fans are suffering from a condition widely known as "Haynesworth fever." There's a thought that you pay the guy $41 million in guaranteed money and he suddenly makes old men young again. Folks, Phil Daniels isn't going to return from a serious knee injury and suddenly have 10 sacks. The Redskins need to surround Haynesworth with talent in order to get their money's worth. That's why Snyder has to forget about a quarterback and find a way to get his hands on Brian Orakpo. Yes, I know some scouts struggle with recommending University of Texas kids because they've been pampered so much, but Orakpo is the real deal. I've been watching him manhandle Big 12 blockers for years. Snyder and Cerrato have to find a way to move up and get him.

5. So what do the Eagles do with those two first-round picks?

Well, you could always send that No. 28 pick over to the Cardinals for Anquan Boldin. I don't think the Cardinals will come close to getting a Roy Williams deal, which is to say they won't get a first- and third-round pick for Boldin. And I think Boldin is much better receiver than Williams. Of course, there's always the chance the Eagles actually make those first-round picks. If Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher is there at No. 21, that's the direction Andy Reid will go. At No. 28, drafting Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew wouldn't surprise me at all. So what about running back, you ask? Well, I don't think the Eagles have to take someone in the first round -- especially when there are guys like Rashad Jennings out there in the second or third rounds. You can find productive backs in later rounds. Ask the Cowboys and Giants about that. And I seem to recall a man by the name of Westbrook who wasn't taken in the first round. This flies in the face of what Philly writers are saying, but you have to go out on a limb every now and then -- or every day for that matter.

If you have questions regarding this column, please feel free to utilize the Mailbag. I'm planning to spend a lot more time reading your mail in the coming days. Thanks for your continued support of The Beast.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Teams needs: Defensive end, offensive tackle, linebacker, guard

	Joe Robbins/Getty Images
	One player the Redskins are looking at is Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers.

Dream scenario: The Redskins were ready to mortgage their 2009 and 2010 drafts in order to land Jay Cutler. But it wasn't enough. Now, they'll stay at No. 13 overall and try to find more help on defense. Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers is a player the Redskins have fallen in love with since he had a breakout performance during Senior Bowl week. He has a little baggage (a 2005 arrest), but he's coming off an excellent 2008 season in which he made 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage and took over several games. The Redskins desperately need help at left end, and Ayers would be a Day 1 starter. Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn are serviceable, but at this point in their careers you don't want to lean on them heavily. There's also a chance that Vinny Cerrato tries to trade out of that 13th pick and make a run at Ayers or even offensive tackle Michael Oher. The Redskins don't have much ammunition in the draft (five picks), so a trade could put them in a better situation. Actually, the dream scenario is Brian Orakpo slipping to 13, but that's a stretch. There's some thought that the Raiders might take him at No. 7. Also keep your eye on LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson

Plan B: The Redskins are high on USC linebacker Brian Cushing. They need to surround Albert Haynesworth with disruptive players, and Cushing has the build (255 pounds) and the athleticism to be an effective pass-rusher. And don't forget that the Redskins aren't exactly stacked at strongside linebacker.

PollCenter: On the Clock What is the Washington Redskins' biggest positional need? VOTE

Scouts Inc. take: "After going with skill in the first three rounds of the draft last season, I expect the Redskins to stay on offense if and only IF one of the offensive tackles happens to be on the board. I think Ole Miss OT Michael Oher will be the pick if he is there. Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith is also a possibility. The Redskins also need to address their pass rush so if defensive end Everette Brown from Florida State or Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin were available they would be considered. The bottom line is they need to address their line play on both sides of the ball, but I think they would go OT over DE. Regardless, the Redskins are in a very good spot and will find a very good player who will fit a huge need on their roster." -- Jeremy Green, Scouts. Inc.

Who has final say? Ultimately it's owner Dan Snyder, but executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato is running the room. If the Redskins trade out of the pick, Cerrato will be the reason why.

Now On the Clock: Denver Broncos, April 5.

Previous On the Clock: New Orleans Saints. The team-by-team series.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Cowboys

• Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports that Jerry Jones had no comment regarding T.O.'s recent comments about his release.

• Clarence E. Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has more on the T.O. story.

• Former Cowboys linebacker Zach Thomas has some experience with the Dallas cop who detained Ryan Moats.

• Todd Archer of the DMN takes a look at what it will be like for Wade Phillips to serve as his own defensive coordinator.

• Jerry Jones gave national lawmakers a tour of his new stadium over the weekend.

Eagles

• Here's Les Bowen's reaction to Andy Reid's comments at the NFL owners' meeting.

• Larry O'Rourke says it's been a busy offseason for several former Eagles.

• It looks like UConn RB Donald Brown will be visiting the Eagles on April 7.

Giants

• Even if he reaches a plea agreement with the Manhattan district attorney, it looks like Plaxico Burress will spend some time behind bars.

• Ralph Vacchiano of The Blue Screen blog has some names you might be interested in.

Redskins

• Did you know that the players' new union chief was once a college mascot?

• Looks like Phillip Daniels will be back with the Redskins soon.

• Jason LaCanfora continues his "position battles" series. Today he's talking strong-side linebacker. Fincher or Blades?

• Dan Steinberg breaks down some interesting Jason Taylor quotes.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Daniels

Wynn

The Washington Redskins could reunite defensive ends Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn in '09, according to David Elfin of the Washington Times. Since Jason Taylor was released this week, the Redskins have been a little more focused on signing the 36-year-old Daniels. He was scheduled to start last season, but suffered a left knee injury in training camp, which prompted the club to sign Taylor.

Daniels is saying that the Redskins have approached the 34-year-old Wynn, who played a bit part for the Giants last season. The plan would be for Wynn and Daniels to rotate at left end.

But with all due respect to those players, it's not like they'll be feared by opposing quarterbacks. We'll see right away just how valuable defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is. If the season started now, he'd be surrounded by far less talent than he had in Nashville.

The good news for Redskins fans is that Washington could land an elite pass-rusher with the No. 13 pick in the draft. Much, much more to come.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Cowboys

• Drew Rosenhaus says Terrell Owens is "fond" of his coaches. He apparently said it with a straight face, too.
• My former colleague Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News has always done a great job covering free agency. Here's his take on the Cowboys' free agents.
• Ray Buck of the Star-Telegram talked to NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock about the Roy E. Williams trade.
• The convention and visitors bureaus from Dallas and Arlington will have nice seats at JerryWorld.

Eagles

• T.J. Houshmandzadeh doesn't think the Bengals will franchise him.
• Did everyone see Rich Hofmann's column on this topic earlier in the week?

Giants

• Drew Rosenhaus says Plaxico Burress is in a 'very difficult situation' with the Giants. And whose fault is that?
• Tom Rock of Newsday has more on this topic.

Redskins

• Here's that Ryan O'Halloran story on Phillip Daniels we linked to earlier.
• Jason La Canfora has an update on the release of punter Ryan Plackemeier and restructured contracts for Antwaan Randle El and Andre Carter.
• The Washington Times also had a story on Plackemeier's release.

As expected, the Redskins placed defensive ends Phillip Daniels and Alex Buzbee on injured reserve earlier today and re-signed defensive end J.T. Mapu, who had originally joined the team as a rookie free agent out of Tennessee on May 15.

Mapu (6-4, 290) had 65 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles during his four years with the Volunteers. He was classified as a "tryout" player at the club's minicamp in early May.

Now, let's return to our coverage of disgruntled Giants players. Wide receiver Plaxico Burress will show up for camp Thursday, but he's not happy about it. Check back at 6:35 p.m. ET for my take on the situation.

Oh, and if you're just joining us, welcome to the new NFC East blog. Hashmarks died peacefully in the night. Seats still available at the funeral.

Thanks for everyone who e-mailed this morning to ask what happened to the blog. It's basically been replaced by eight seperate blogs that will comprise the NFL Blog Network. I've really enjoyed visiting with you guys over the past year, and I hope some of you will hang around the NFC East blog.

Thanks!

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Jason Taylor broke Michael Irvin's single offseason news conference record Monday afternoon in Ashburn, Va. Counting his work on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," I have Taylor down for seven news conferences since the end of the 2007 season. Unfortunately, Steve Guttenberg was unable to attend due to a prior commitment.

Taylor was gracious to mention how his heart went out to Redskins defensive end Phillip Daniels, whose season ended because of a knee injury Sunday. But it's Daniels' injury that allowed Taylor to escape an awkward situation in Miami. The good folks on the Redskins' crack PR staff, which had some major turnover during the offseason, were kind enough to forward several transcripts following today's news conference. Here are some excerpts that I've selected followed by my editorial comments:

Head coach Jim Zorn: "The tragedy that happened on the first day of training camp has turned out to make for a very special day today. Unfortunately we lost two fine football players in defensive ends Phillip Daniels and Alex Buzbee, and I was stuck thinking about what I should say after my first day of training camp.

"As the late afternoon and early evening wore on, we got a hold of the Miami Dolphins and earned the opportunity to have the right to have Jason Taylor. It is due to Vinny Cerrato and Daniel Snyder taking the risks and once again being aggressive. The same type of aggressiveness that was shown during the draft also took place yesterday afternoon."

• First of all, the Redskins have far too much experience with what the word "tragedy" means. What happened to Daniels was unfortunate, but it was not a tragedy. That said, Zorn is wise to praise his employers in a public setting. It's something I'm considering.
  

Jason Taylor: "I was ready to play football in Miami. I was not disgusted to go and play football for the Miami Dolphins. I was ready to go. We had five more days, so I was not quite ready to jump into training camp, but everything accelerated in the last 24 hours, which is fine."

• He definitely took the high road regarding his long goodbye with the Dolphins, but saying you wouldn't be "disgusted" to play somewhere is a pretty half-hearted sentiment.
  

Phillip Daniels: "It was great to hear that [Taylor] was coming in here and helping us out. He is a great pass rusher and was the NFL Player of the Year a couple of years ago. For him to be sitting out there was perfect, really. If I had to have anybody to come take my place I would want a guy like him who is proven and has done some great things in this league. He can get us to the Super Bowl. I told the guys, 'Don't feel sorry for me. The one thing you can do for me is get us to the Super Bowl and win it and I will be happy.'"

• Pretty refreshing to read something like that after watching how Jeremy Shockey handled his situation with New York. It's likely that Daniels will never play again, but you get the sense that he would still take a lot of pride in being on a team that had some playoff success.