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Yeremiah Bell will not be the one who provides depth to the Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the safety has signed with the New York Jets. Bell visited the Chiefs on Wednesday, and they were one of four teams he was considering.

The Chiefs were interested in Bell as a third safety. The Chiefs also looked at veteran O.J. Atogwe.

In other AFC West news:

Here is a call for the Raiders to cut troubled middle linebacker Rolando McClain. He was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 draft. He has been a disappointment on the field and a distraction off it.

Once again, in a radio interview, LaDainian Tomlinson, said he’d consider playing for the Chargers again. And, once again, I just can’t see that happening.

New Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, in radio interview, said he expects his unit to be a top-10 defense. For that to be possible, the defensive tackles would have to mesh quickly.

Thursday was not a good day for Oakland middle linebacker Rolando McClain.

However, his legal fate in an Alabama assault case has not been sealed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He reports that after being sentenced to 180 days in jail, McClain's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, said McClain has filed a request for a jury trial and now, under state law, "the process starts all over again." Steinberg said McClain will be notified at a later date as to when the jury trial will begin.

McClain was arrested in November on misdemeanor assault, firearms and other charges after police said he fired a gun during a fight in his hometown of Decatur. He was home during a game week to attend a family funeral.

The fact that McClain will get a jury trial gives him a second chance. However, McClain will likely face a strong case against him. His co-defendant has already testified against McClain and there is a video of the alleged assault.

If convicted in the jury trial, McClain would likely have to serve some jail time. He could also face NFL discipline.

A huge thanks to the Oakland Raiders’ PR department for sending out a transcript of coach Dennis Allen’s media session on Tuesday morning from the owners meetings. Let’s look at some of the highlights:

On Peyton Manning joining the division: “I think obviously, Peyton is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, so he creates a big challenge for all of us. One of the things, when you look at the quarterbacks in this division, you think about Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers, this is one of the better divisions in football as far as the quarterback position goes. So, I think it’s an awesome challenge for all of us in the division. I think every defensive-minded coach in this division is excited about the challenge.

My take: Allen makes a good point. This is a strong quarterback division, assuming Palmer gets comfortable in the Raiders’ system, and Matt Cassel makes strides in Kansas City with his big basket of offensive weapons.

On putting his own stamp on the program, and still respecting the past: “I think with every great program in the National Football League, I think you really have to respect the history and tradition within the organization. The Oakland Raiders. It’s one of the most storied franchises in all of sport, not just the NFL. We want to embrace those, embrace the past, and the history of the organization. But yet, we want to do it our way. Reggie and I are going to work together to do it the way we want to do it, and put the best team out on the field we can put out there. You have to embrace the tradition of the Raiders and what Mr. Davis was able to build there. But at the same time, Reggie and I have to do it our way. We’re committed to doing that. Reggie’s done an outstanding job since he’s been there, of putting his own stamp on the organization. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with the players and putting my stamp on the team.”

My take: I love the handle Allen and McKenzie have on this deal. They know the history (McKenzie is a former Raiders player), but they also know they need to be in charge of taking this team in their own direction in the post-Al Davis world. I think they are approaching it the right way.

On Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie: “What you find out about Reggie, he does let the process play out. He’s not going to be swayed in any way by public perception. He’s going to do what he thinks is right for himself, for the organization, and he’s not really going to look back.”

My take: Allen nailed it. Every time I’ve been around McKenzie (dating back 13 years ago in Green Bay), he appeared never to have a worry in the world. He is approaching this job with a calmness that only should help the Oakland organization.

On young players on the roster: “We’ve got some young players on our team that I’m excited about. I’m excited about the receiving corps. I’m excited about Tyvon Branch at the safety position. I’m excited about the opportunity to get to work with Rolando McClain as a middle linebacker. There’s a reason why he was drafted so high. I think Darren McFadden is someone I’m excited about, still a developing player. When you look at our team, we really have some young talent that has a chance to grow. How you can sustain success in this league is to develop young players. That’s critical.”

My take: Yes, the Raiders have taken some major hits in the offseason, but they also have some solid, young talent. That is their chance to be competitive.

On Oakland’s top defensive assets: “Our strongest area, I think defensively, is we’re going to be good up front. I think that’s been a key asset to the team over the last couple years. We’re big, we’re physical up front. And then I think we’ve got team speed all over the field. I think where we need to get is, we have to be able to develop some of the young players, some of the young talent. You look at DeMarcus Van Dyke, Chimdi Chekwa and some of the draft choices last year that we’ve got to develop. Rolando McClain is one of those guys we’ve got to develop. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get to work with those guys. We do have talent. We’ve got to bring them along.”

My take: There is no doubt, the Raiders’ defensive assets are on the front line. It all starts there. Oakland must have good health up front as it continues to develop in the back seven.

On free agency: “Here’s the first thing: There’s good players out there. They really form most of your team. We weren’t able to go out there and make the big splash, the big name, through free agency. We won’t be able to go out and make the big splash, the big name through the draft, because we don’t have a first- or second-round draft choice. What we’ve got to be able to do, we have to find those value picks that fit what we want to do, offensively, defensively and in the kicking game, that allow us to do that. Then, we’ve got to develop of them as coaches.”

My take: It’s the right attitude. He has no other choice.

On whether the Raiders will play a 4-3 or 3-4 defensive scheme: “No, we haven’t decided any of that yet. We’re still going through the process of acquiring talent, looking into who we’re going to have on the team next year. Once we get through the draft, we’ll have a better feel [for] what we want to do there.”

My take: I think Allen has to be already leaning toward a particular scheme. I don’t think there are many players who will be available at No. 95 who can sway his opinion on whether to run a 4-3 or a 3-4. The existing talent is flexible enough to play both schemes, and I think we will see, as Allen has said in the past, Oakland use multiple sets.

Here are some thoughts on the San Diego Chargers signing former Kansas City Chiefs' fullback Le'Ron McClain to three-year deal and on the team setting up a visit with Denver Broncos free agent receiver Eddie Royal:

• The McClain addition could be a sign that the Chargers are out of the Mike Tolbert talks. He is visiting in Kansas City. Tolbert wouldn’t necessarily be replacing McClain in Kansas City and the same could be true with McClain in San Diego. UT San Diego reported this week that practice squader Frank Summers would replace free agent fullback Jacob Hester. If Hester is brought back it would be as a backup and as a special teamer.
• McClain, who is a cousin of Oakland middle linebacker Rolando McClain, is a tough leader and a good blocker. He played in all 16 games last season as a Chief. He had 15 carries and 14 catches. The former Raven had 902 yards on 232 carries in Baltimore in 2008. But he has had a total of 89 carries in the past three seasons combined.
• Either way, McClain is a solid, tough addition to San Diego’s offense.
• As for Royal, I can see why San Diego is interested. It needs another receiver and the pickings are getting slim. Royal, who was reportedly close to signing with Washington to reunite with former Denver coach Mike Shanahan earlier in free agency, can help as a slot player and as a returner.
• Royal excelled under Shanahan as a rookie and I think Norv Turner would find a way to make him useful. A rotation of Malcom Floyd, Robert Meachem, Vincent Brown and Royal would be a pretty nice group for Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers to work with.

Here are three Oakland players who could be affected by the hiring of Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as head coach:


Michael Huff, defensive back: It was reported right after the season that the Raiders would move Huff from safety to cornerback. However, that was when Hue Jackson was the coach; all bets are off now. Allen was a standout safety at Texas A&M and was a secondary coach during his stint with the New Orleans Saints. I could see Huff staying at safety, but it will be interesting to see what Allen does with him.


Kamerion Wimbley, linebacker: Denver pass-rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil excelled under Allen. Wimbley has a lot of ability and he can take over games, but the Raiders need to see him do it more often than he did last season. Wimbley had seven sacks in 2011, but four of them came in one game at San Diego. It’s inexcusable that someone with Wimbley’s ability had sacks in just four games last season.


Rolando McClain, linebacker: Allen needs to take McClain under his wing. The No. 8 overall pick in 2010 has potential — but he has a long way to go to become a consistent player. McClain is not terrible, but he needs some good coaching and it will be worth Allen’s time to work with McClain.

Years from now, Detroit Lions fans will remember where they were and how they felt when Matthew Stafford capped a 98-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson -- the game-winning score in Sunday's 28-27 victory over the Oakland Raiders. But the "Megadrive," as I agree we should call it, never would have happened were it not for the most subtle and arguably most surprising play of Stafford's young career.

Back up and recall that the Lions trailed by 13 points with 5 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the game. It was fourth-and-2 at the Raiders' 8-yard line, and a field goal would have provided little boost to their comeback efforts.

The Lions arranged themselves in an empty backfield with Stafford in the shotgun. They had two receivers lined up on the left and two on the right. Both groupings had a safety over top, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew had safety Mike Mitchell aligned in man coverage.

Stafford surveyed the defense and made a silent decision before the play began.

"They had three down linemen and a linebacker," Stafford said, "and everybody else was double-covered. I'm sitting there thinking, 'I'm about as good of an option as anybody else.'"

Not only were the Lions in a three-man front, but nose tackle Desmond Bryant was offset to the right of center Dominic Raiola. Middle linebacker Rolando McClain was lined up 6 yards off the line of scrimmage. The Raiders were practically begging Stafford to pull down the ball and run to his left.

I don't blame them, not when the alternative was Stafford looking for Johnson in the end zone. And while Stafford is an athletic runner, he rarely scrambles. In 26 previous starts, in fact, Stafford had 43 carries and converted a first down on 10 of them.

In this case, however, there was no hesitation. He took two steps back after grabbing the snap, allowing the pass rush to advance, and then took off behind left guard Rob Sims. Bryant further opened the hole by stunting toward the right side of the line, and Stafford cut inside of McClain at the 8-yard line before gaining the first down and falling at the 3.

"It was a pass play," Stafford said. "Big number 55 [McClain] was the only guy I had to get past. I didn't tell anybody I was going to run. I jus went up to the line of scrimmage and figured I had to make a play. Put my foot in the ground and went north."

Were it not for that decision, we aren't talking this week about the Lions' first opportunity to clinch a playoff berth in 12 seasons. Instead, we'd be figuring out longshot tiebreaker scenarios and shifting our gaze to the offseason. A seemingly simple 5-yard run was confirmation of an observation that had been brewing for years: The Lions have the coolest, most collected 23-year-old quarterback in the NFL.

Johnson has received plenty of credit, all of it deserved, for his role in Sunday's victory. But the quarterback is almost always the key player in a comeback victory, and as the chart shows, Stafford has already directed six efforts to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit in less than three seasons.


Stafford has thrown a stunning 22 touchdown passes in those six games. The Lions trailed by at least 13 points in five of them, and it's worth noting that half of them came on the road. Quarterbacks with strong arms and high character enter the NFL every season. Only a fraction of them play their best in adverse situations.

"He's young but he's seasoned," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's played a lot football in his life. High school, college. He started as a true freshman at the University of Georgia in the Southeast Conference. I mean, there's some big games involved there, too. He's been on track for this for a long time. He didn't switch positions and start playing quarterback when he came into the NFL. He's been in a lot of these situations before and that's why we drafted him. He's going to lead this team to a lot of wins."

To be sure, Stafford and the Lions still trailed by two scores even after the conversion. But he threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Titus Young on the next play, and on the "Megadrive," Stafford completed 5 of 7 passes for 91 yards and also threw a ball that resulted in a 17-yard pass-interference penalty. Most notably, Stafford understood the Lions needed downfield completions and managed to complete two -- for 21 and 48 yards to Johnson -- without forcing one pass.

"You need to [get] some chunks in there somewhere," Schwartz said. "You can't just check the ball down every single time. You're going to have to really zip some balls in. … There are not a whole lot of safe decisions when you're down six with no timeouts and 98 yards in front of you."

But on a half-dozen occasions already in his career, Stafford has demonstrated perhaps the rarest of qualities among NFL quarterbacks. He makes sound decisions under pressure -- even if they're sometimes a surprise.

A look at a terrible day for the Raiders, who lost 34-14:

What it means: Oakland was uncompetitive and badly outplayed by the 4-8 Dolphins. Miami led 34-0 until late in the game. Oakland dropped to 7-5 and now is tied with Denver for first place in the AFC West. Oakland is 4-2 on the road this season.

Palmer struggles: Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer wasn’t overly impressive Sunday. Yes, he ended up with 273 passing yards and two touchdown passes, but he had his issues. Palmer is going to need to take the next step if the Raiders are going to reach the playoffs.

McClain plays: Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain played Sunday three days after being arrested in his hometown in Alabama on assault charges. McClain did not start. McClain had a team-high eight tackles.

Missing firepower: The Raiders need to get healthy. They were missing running backs Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones and receiver Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore. That is a lot of speed on the sidelines. The team is hopeful McFadden will return next week for the first time since Oct. 23.

Seymour ejected: Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour was ejected for throwing a punch at a Miami offensive lineman. It was the third time in three years with Oakland that Seymour has been ejected from a game. He will likely face a stiff fine, if not a short suspension.

Penalties a problem again: Oakland was penalized 10 times for 91 yards. The Raiders are the most penalized team in the NFL. They improved in that area last week when they were flagged just six times for 44 yards.

Run attacked stopped: Oakland couldn’t do much against Miami’s stout run defense. It had just 46 yards on 14 carries. Michael Bush had just 18 yards on 10 carries. Because the Dolphins jumped so far ahead, the Raiders had to abandon the run.

What’s next: Oakland plays at unbeaten Green Bay as it begins the final quarter of the season.

Von Miller is out, while Rolando McClain is in.

Denver deactivated Miller for Sunday’s game at Minnesota because of a thumb injury. Miller had surgery to repair ligaments he damaged last week in San Diego.

Miler said he would try to play since he practiced Friday with a cast on his hand. However, Denver coach John Fox told the NFL Network on Sunday that there was concern of an infection. Miller will likely try to play next week.

Miller has been the anchor of an improved defense in Denver. He has 10.5 sacks and is four off the rookie record.

McClain is active after missing the entire week of practice after being arrested on assault charges in his hometown in Alabama. McClain caught up with the team Friday and Oakland coach Hue Jackson has said McClain is remorseful.

Kansas City coach Todd Haley said Tyler Palko will start Sunday at quarterback at Chicago instead of Kyle Orton.

I think the only reason this makes sense is if Orton just doesn’t have the Chiefs’ offense down yet. Orton has said he is ready; he has been with the Chiefs for a week after being claimed off waivers from Denver.

I think if Orton is ready, he needs to play. The Chiefs picked up the remaining $2.5 million on his contract; Orton is a free agent at the end of the year. Orton should be in Kansas City to play, not back up Palko. Palko has thrown six interceptions in two starts playing for Matt Cassel, who is out with a broken hand. Haley said Orton could play against the Bears, but he was far from committal about it.

“We’ve had to prepare Orton to get ready to play and he may have to, but he may not,” Haley told reporters. “We’re really focused on how we want to start this game and we know what we need to do.”

Meanwhile, Kansas City offensive coordinator Bill Muir said Jared Gaither wasn’t as physical or as explosive as he was with the Ravens. The Chiefs cut the offensive lineman – who missed all of last season with a back injury – this week. San Diego claimed him. Gaither could play for the Chargers on Monday night at Jacksonville.

In other AFC West news:

Rolando McClain’s high school does not want him to attend its basketball game Friday night. The Oakland linebacker was arrested this week on assault charges in his hometown of Decatur, Ala. I wonder if the Raiders will feel the same way about their game in Miami on Sunday?

Here are some updates on two key linebackers in the AFC West

Denver

Star rookie linebacker Von Miller is practicing with a cast on his right hand. Miller had surgery Tuesday to repair ligaments on his thumb that he injured against San Diego on Sunday. It was the first time this week Miller has practiced. While he will likely be a game-time decision, this development is a good sign that Miller will try to play Sunday at Minnesota.

Oakland

Middle linebacker Rolando McClain was not at practice Friday. He has missed the entire week of practice. McClain was arrested in Alabama on assault charges. He was been released from jail on bail. McClain is also dealing with an ankle injury. This is just a guess, but I would be surprised if McClain plays Sunday at Miami.

I willl have updates on both situations later Friday.

The Oakland Raiders have to be concerned about the details of the arrest of starting linebacker Rolando McClain in his hometown of Decatur, Ala.

After he was given permission to go home to Decatur for the funeral of his grandfather, McClain, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2010 draft, was arrested on firearms, assault and other charges after being involved in a fight Wednesday night.

Lt. John Crouch of the Decatur Police Department released a statement Thursday saying McClain allegedly fired a gun beside a man's head. The statement says the man begged McClain not to shoot him.

This obviously will be disturbing for the team and for the NFL to digest.

McClain was taken into custody on Thursday and held on $2,000 bond. Before McClain’s arrest, Oakland coach Hue Jackson told reporters Thursday he was in contact with McClain and he was confident the matter would be resolved favorably.

“I can tell you we understand and know exactly what’s going on, and we feel very comfortable with our information and we don’t have any further comment at this time,” Jackson told reporters.

Now, that he has been arrested, you have to wonder if McClain – who has 57 tackles this season – will play at Miami for the first-place Raiders. Also, McClain may eventually face league discipline for the arrest as well.

While McClain is innocent until proven guilty, McClain and the Raiders will have to deal with this distraction in the interim.

An Alabama television station is reporting Oakland Raiders’ middle linebacker Rolando McClain was at the scene, in Decatur, Ala., of a fight Wednesday night in which gunfire was involved. It is not known if McClain was involved in the incident.

McClain was out of practice Wednesday with an ankle injury. He reportedly was not at practice in Oakland on Thursday, either. The team is aware of the incident. It is not known if McClain was cleared to leave the team Wednesday. Usually, injured players go through rehabilitation at the team facility.

Police in McClain’s hometown of Decatur said they responded to a call at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday.

When officers arrived, they reportedly found one person who had been injured in a physical altercation. The incident is currently under investigation, and McClain reportedly has not been arrested or charged in the disturbance. Earlier this year, in Decatur, shots were reportedly fired at McClain’s vehicle in a separate incident, according to the news report.

McClain, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2010 draft, has 57 tackles in 10 starts this season. He had six tackles in the Raiders’ win over the Bears on Sunday. There is no word on his availability for Sunday’s game at Miami.

OAKLAND -- Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer is active. The Raiders have not announced who will start.

Palmer has been on the field warning up since shortly after 1 p.m. ET. ESPN’s Colleen Dominquez has reported that the decision if Palmer plays will be up to him. The Oakland coaching staff is going to let Palmer decide if he is comfortable enough physically and emotionally to play. He hasn’t played since Jan. 2. Oakland gave up a first-round pick in 2012 and a conditional first-round pick in 2013 to Cincinnati for Palmer on Tuesday, two days after starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone.

If Palmer doesn’t play Sunday, Kyle Boller will start. Rookie quarterback Terrelle Pryor is active for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski is inactive with a hamstring injury. Oakland signed Dave Rayner to kick.

Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain is active after missing all week of practice with a foot injury.

Kansas City rookie receiver Jonathan Baldwin is expected to make his debut Sunday.

Campbell is on the Oakland sideline. He had surgery Monday.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 7:

Chargers could go after Cromartie: Much has been made of the Chargers facing former star running back LaDainian Tomlinson for the first time since his 2010 release. Sunday’s game at the New York Jets represents another reunion for San Diego. It traded cornerback Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a couple of draft picks in 2010. Many in the Chargers’ organization felt Cromartie was overrated and he didn’t always play with toughness. Expect the San Diego to challenge him often Sunday.

Tebow has hand in Luck sweepstakes: If Tim Tebow wants to be the Broncos’ starting quarterback in 2012, he needs to win his first start of 2011. The Broncos are 1-4 and the Dolphins are 0-5. If the Broncos win at Miami, their chances of ending up with the No. 1 pick and the right to unite John Elway and Andrew Luck -- Stanford star quarterbacks past and present -- would lessen considerably. Thus, Tebow can seriously help his future cause with a win.

Watch the Chiefs to be prepared to face Kelly: Don’t be surprised if a few Kansas City Chiefs have something to say to Oakland defensive tackle Tommy Kelly. Prior to Oakland’s Week 2 loss at Buffalo, Kelly’s message to the Bills was “we ain't the Chiefs.” It was in response to the Bills’ 41-7 win at Kansas City in Week 1. I’m sure his words were documented in Kansas City’s locker room.

A McClain family reunion: For the first time, the McClain family will be NFL adversaries. Kansas City veteran fullback Le'Ron McClain and Oakland middle linebacker Rolando McClain are cousins. When McClain signed with the Chiefs as a free agent this summer, they became twice-a-year divisional foes.

Rivers has an unusual problem: San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers has thrown seven interceptions in five games, which is unlike him. What is particularly unusual for Rivers is he is seeing short tosses get picked off. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Rivers has thrown five interceptions this season on passes within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. It is tied for most in the NFL with Carolina rookie Cam Newton. In the past two seasons combined, Rivers threw three interceptions on such throws. Let’s see if his issues continue against the Jets.

Tim Tebow’s coach at Florida, Urban Meyer, has long defended his former quarterback.

Now, that Tebow is the starting quarterback in Denver, Meyer is putting the pressure more on the Broncos as a team than on Tebow himself.

In a radio interview with a Tampa station, Meyer said the Broncos must improve so Tebow has a chance to succeed.

“I just hope that the Denver Broncos have enough firepower and they just get better as a team,” Meyer said. “I’m a Broncos fan now and I want to see those guys do well and one guy doesn’t change a team.”

When asked if Tebow can fix the issues with his throwing motion, Meyer went right back to the team concept.

“It’s a question if the team will. I think Tim will,” Meyer said. “This whole thing that one guy in one phase of the game is all of the sudden is going to put the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, it’s always going to be this way that the quarterback gets far too much criticism and too much glory when they win. He’ll manage whatever deficiency he has in throwing the ball, it’s just a matter of if the Broncos can improve their play enough to win.”

In other AFC West nuggets Thursday afternoon:

Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain was back at practice Thursday after missing Wednesday’s workout. He suffered an ankle injury at Houston. If McClain doesn’t suffer a setback, he should be able to play against Cleveland this Sunday.

Linebacker Aaron Curry has reportedly not shown up in Oakland yet. The Raiders acquired him from Seattle on Wednesday. The Oakland Tribune believes Curry likely won’t be ready to play until next week against Kansas City.

The Chiefs headed into their bye-week break with a spirited practice.

A San Francisco columnist looks at how the Raiders will operate with the son of the late Al Davis running the team.

The mayor of San Diego has hired a consultant to help get the Chargers a new stadium.

Oakland coach Hue Jackson talked about the trying week for the team since the death of Davis in an interview with a Sacramento radio station.

In an Insider piece, ESPN.com looks at who has the toughest remaining schedule. The Chargers have a much tougher remaining slate than the Raiders do as they try to hold on down the stretch.