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Wes Welker signs his franchise tender, Suzy and Adam discuss which player-team contract issue will present the biggest problem, and Jeff Fisher wants a clean slate for Sam Bradford.

Monday, Denver executive VP John Elway said the Broncos weren’t as worried about their situation at defensive tackle as folks on the outside.

Well, there had to be some concerns because the Broncos made sure they got better at the position during the weekend.

The Broncos targeted the position and are in better shape with two sharp picks. Early in the fifth round on Saturday (via a pick obtained for receiver Brandon Lloyd in a deal with the Rams last year) Denver took underrated Tennessee defensive lineman Malik Jackson.

He is a versatile player who can play both inside and outside and he may end up being an end. He is a disruptive force who should help against the run. Expect Jackson and Derek Wolfe, taken with the No. 36 pick out of Cincinnati, to help Denver immensely and expect both to be instant parts of the defensive line rotation in Denver.

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.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Jacksonville Jaguars are trying to steal Tim Tebow now that the Broncos-Jets’ trade has hit a snag. The Rams are also in the mix. I think, regardless of what happens, Tebow will be traded.

Jacksonville is Tebow’s hometown and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Tebow asked Broncos VP John Elway to try to deal him to the Jaguars. He may get his wish.

Tim Tebow's trade to the New York Jets has hit a snag, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

The hang up involves contract language. If the two sides can’t resolve the issues, Schefter reports the St. Louis Rams could come in play.

I would think the Broncos would get this figured out in some form and will soon officially part ways with Tebow. It is clear they want to move on from him.

Dennis Allen has finally landed Ronald Bartell.

Three years ago, when Bartell was last a free agent, he visited the Saints and struck up a relationship with Allen, then New Orleans' secondary coach. Bartell ended up re-signing with the Rams.

Friday, however, Allen and Bartell united. The Raiders signed Bartell to a one-year deal. Bartell, 30, will be one of Oakland’s starting cornerbacks. The Raiders will continue to look in free agency for another starting cornerback and have been in the mix for the Saints' Tracy Porter, who has played for Allen.

Bartell said he is looking forward to playing for the new Oakland coach. Bartell also played for Oakland defensive backs coach Clayton Lopez in St. Louis.

I caught up with Bartell on Friday evening; he said is excited about the opportunity to work with familiar faces.

“This is the perfect match for me,” Bartell said. “I know some of these guys and I fell comfortable with what they are doing. I really look forward to the opportunity to playing in Oakland.”

Bartell, who has 66 NFL starts, missed all but one game last season with a neck injury. He said he is completely healthy.

“I’m looking forward to stabilizing the position for Oakland and showing everybody how effective I can be when I’m healthy,” Bartell said.

I play fantasy football. I know a lot of you guys do, too. You ever have a trade go down in your league that really ticked you off because you thought you'd made a better offer and the guy just wanted to make a deal with his friend or his brother or his cousin or something like that?

Yeah, that's pretty much what Cleveland Browns team president Mike Holmgren says happened with the trade between the St. Louis Rams and the Washington Redskins that allowed the Redskins to move up to the No. 2 pick in this year's draft. Jamison Hensley has the rundown on the AFC North blog:

In a conference call with Browns season-ticket holders today, Holmgren said "a very close relationship" between the Rams and Redskins prevented Cleveland from moving two spots up in the draft. Holmgren didn't go into specifics about the relationship, but it's well-known that Rams coach Jeff Fisher and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan are close friends.

Click through to that Cleveland.com link, and you'll see Holmgren further explain that he's "not sure any offer was going to be good enough. We were very aggressive and it didn't work. Rest assured, we were aggressively involved in that."

Couple of issues with this. First of all, Holmgren won't elaborate on what his offer was, which is silly if he really thinks it was better. Presumably, it was an offer of picks and not players, so he doesn't have to be worried about any of his players being upset that he tried to trade them. If you really think your offer was better, let's hear what it was and we can judge for ourselves. If you're right, it'll only help make your case.

Second, what are we here? Six years old? You didn't get the deal, Mike. It happens. I can understand that you need to sell the idea to your fans that you tried as hard as you could to solve your glaring quarterback problem by moving up to get Robert Griffin III. But there were other teams interested, and you didn't get it. Sometimes in life, things don't work out the way we want them to. Doesn't do much good to whine about it.

And third, even if what he says is 100 percent accurate, so what? Aren't personal relationships a reasonable and acceptable tool to assist in business transactions? If Shanahan has a close relationship with Fisher and the people who run the Rams, and as a result he knows how to appeal to them or is otherwise more likely to convince them to do a deal, then good for him. It means that, somewhere along the line, he did something that laid the groundwork to allow him to get business done down the road. Happens in sports and any other business in the world, and there's nothing wrong with it.

The Rams got an absolute haul from the Redskins -- three first-round picks and a second-round pick for one first. If Holmgren was going to beat that, it wasn't going to be by much. And even if he did, the Rams got more than fair value for their pick. Good for them, good for the Redskins and too bad for the Browns, who are just going to have to look elsewhere for a quarterback. Because those are the breaks.

We have our first reported visit by the Oakland Raiders as they clear cap room to pursue free agents.

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans’ guard Mike Brisiel is visiting Oakland. It makes total sense. Former Houston offensive line coach Frank Pollack has taken over as the Raiders’ offensive line coach and former Houston quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp is Oakland’s offensive coordinator.

The Raiders will move back to a zone-blocking scheme, and Brisiel is skilled in that area. Brisiel has started 47 games in six NFL seasons. He’s been a part-time starter the past three seasons after starting all 16 games in 2008.

He would be a candidate to start in Oakland. The Raiders cut Cooper Carlisle in a salary-cap move Wednesday. He could potentially come back at a lesser price, but he will look at other options.

Another name to keep on eye an in Oakland is St. Louis cornerback Ronald Bartell. The Raiders badly need cornerbacks and he is on the team’s list.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting San Francisco is battling Dallas for Kansas City cornerback Brandon Carr. There is little chance Carr will return to Kansas City. The Chiefs chose instead to sign former Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt last month.

If Carr goes to San Francisco, perhaps Oakland could get in on 49ers’ free agent cornerback Carlos Rogers. The Rams are talking to Saints cornerback Tracy Porter. He has been considered a possible candidate for Oakland, because he played for new Raiders coach Dennis Allen in New Orleans.

In other AFC West news:

Oakland free-agent Michael Bush tweeted that he has just arrived in Arizona. He did not indicate whether he is visiting with the Cardinals. However, with free agency open, it’s a possibility.

NFL.com is reporting Kansas City quarterback Kyle Orton is getting interest from Washington and Dallas. The Redskins are expected to draft Robert Griffin III, so Orton would likely be a backup in both spots. Kansas City has said it would like to see Orton return and compete with Matt Cassel. If Orton doesn’t opt to stay, perhaps it is because he thinks Cassel will be the starter in Kansas City.

NFL.com is reporting Oakland receiver Chaz Schilens will visit Arizona and the Jets. Schilens is from the Phoenix area.

ESPN's John Clayton is reporting Washington is talking to Denver receiver Eddie Royal. That makes total sense. Washington coach Mike Shanahan drafted Royal in 2008, and Royal excelled under Shanahan as a rookie.

Peyton Manning's visit to Denver is complete, but the pursuit of Manning continues. He is expected to head to Arizona. The Chiefs have also expressed interest, though Miami, where Manning owns a home, is considered the favorite to land the mega-star quarterback in some league circles.

"There is absolutely no preferred choice at this time,” a source told ESPN. “This is typical [Manning] doing his own research because it's a first-time and only-time process from a free-agent vantage point. Physically seeing facilities and the geography of cities that he is not acquainted with is part of his own research."

The Broncos and Chiefs have less competition for Manning after Friday night.

The blockbuster trade between St. Louis and Washington -- the Redskins will send three No. 1 picks and a 2012 second-round pick to the Rams for the No. 2 overall pick in April's draft -- means the Redskins are all but out of the Manning chase.

The Jets have extended the contract of quarterback Mark Sanchez, thus they too are no longer in the hunt for Manning.

I think the fact that the Redskins won the right to draft whichever quarterback the Colts do not at No. 1 may make Denver push for Manning even harder. The Broncos liked Baylor's Robert Griffin III and they could have been tempted to make a move for him. (They could never have beaten Washington’s offer, though).

Meanwhile, does the Redskins’ move mean they will make a huge push for San Diego free-agent receiver Vincent Jackson on Tuesday?

Officially, the trade that will send three first-round draft picks and a second-rounder from the Washington Redskins to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for this year's No. 2 pick can't be announced or finalized until the new league year opens Tuesday. But it has been agreed upon several days early, and there are some good reasons for that from the Redskins' standpoint.

With that pick, and assuming the Colts draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck at No. 1, the Redskins are expected to draft Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. And the fact that the rest of the NFL knows or assumes that is vital to the Redskins as they begin their plans for free agency.

The Redskins have upwards of $40 million in projected salary-cap room, so they'll be able to make very competitive offers for high-profile free agents. But with this deal done before any of those, they'll also be able to answer a lot of the questions those prospective free agents were going to be asking them. Chief among those questions is "Who's your quarterback?"

Coach Mike Shanahan wants to go out and get a No. 1 wide receiver -- someone like Vincent Jackson of the Chargers. And while a big pile of money surely would have been an enticement, the Redskins are not the only team that's going to be offering Jackson a big pile of money. Now they can go to him with the money and the promise of Griffin -- a player who generates a great deal of positive buzz. Not only do the Redskins have their answer at quarterback, they have an answer that's liable to get prospective free agents excited.

The Redskins also have been trying to re-sign veteran linebacker London Fletcher. They consider him a top priority and would love to get him signed before the free-agent market opens Tuesday. Fletcher likes it in Washington but was probably justifiably curious about what the team was doing at quarterback for next season. This deal is an easy one to sell to Fletcher. He's about to turn 37. He doesn't care about the Redskins' 2013 and 2014 draft. He's thinking about the 2012 season, and this deal makes it look a lot brighter for Washington than it did 24 hours ago. Maybe this is the kind of thing, along with some of that big money, that helps bring back this vital veteran piece.

Washington needs to do a lot yet to build around Griffin, for now and for the future. But it has the means with which to do that. If the Redskins hadn't done this deal when they did it, every free-agent signing (heck, every draft pick) they made would have been accompanied by cries of "Yeah, great, but who's the quarterback?" Having done this when they did it, they no longer have to worry about that. They have solved their greatest need early in their offseason, and they still have plenty of money with which to play in the market.

Get the helicopter warmed up, Miami Dolphins.

The moment has arrived. It's time for the Dolphins' organization to make their best pitch to soon-to-be free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Indianapolis Colts will release Manning and hold a news conference on Wednesday. The deadline to pay Manning a $28 million roster bonus is Thursday, and there was zero chance the Colts would fork over that kind of money for a quarterback who missed the entire 2011 season.

But that won't stop the Dolphins and several other teams for knocking down Manning's door any day now. Miami is projected as one of the favorites. Other teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins and New York Jets also are rumored to have interest.

The Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross want to make a splash this offseason. They tried everything from helicopter rides to offering big money to head coach Jeff Fisher, who spurned Miami to join the St. Louis Rams. Ross and Co. will try to put their best foot forward again with Manning.

The timing is perfect for Miami. Free agency doesn't start until next Tuesday, which gives the Dolphins time to gauge whether Manning is legitimately interested in coming to Miami. We listed all the reasons why the Dolphins are a great fit here. But if it doesn't work out, Miami still has enough time to transition to Plan B and go after former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn in free agency.

Manning, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, is one of the biggest names ever to reach free agency. Business is about to pick up.

Here are the most interesting stories Sunday morning in the AFC East:

• The time for talk is over. The New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens look to seize this opportunity to go to the Super Bowl.

Morning take: Both teams have been respectful and cordial all week in the media. But expect championship-level play and intensity in what should be a competitive AFC title game.

• New Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin will have full control over his coaching staff.

Morning take: This is often the case and good for Philbin. I sense there will be a clear delineation in Miami of who coaches (Philbin) and who picks the players (Jeff Ireland). Early hints are there won't be a lot of overlap.

• Former New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will take the same post with the St. Louis Rams.

Morning take: Schottenheimer failed to develop Mark Sanchez in New York. Can he develop another young quarterback -- Sam Bradford -- in St. Louis?

• Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Aaron Williams grows into his role on the defense.

Morning take: I liked Williams coming out of the draft and he proved me correct by showing flashes as a rookie. Williams, a second-round pick, could be a starter at some point next season.

The New England Patriots will take their game overseas to the United Kingdom next season. The team announced it will play the St. Louis Rams at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 28.

For the Patriots, this will be considered a road game. The Rams agreed to a three-year series in the United Kingdom and will be the hosting team. The NFL is working to grow its international fan base.

"The response to NFL games in the U.K. among our British fans has been exceptional," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "We are confident that having the Rams host one game in the U.K. in each of the next three seasons will allow us to better serve the growing popularity of our sport beyond the borders of the United States."

The Patriots last played at Wembley Stadium in 2009. There is a chance New England could return to the United Kingdom as defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens Sunday in the AFC Championship Game for a chance to play in the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

"We are honored to be selected for this year's game and eager to return," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "We had such a great experience during our last visit to London. We are proud to have great support from our fans when we are on the road."

Guess what, Miami Dolphins fans? You may want to stop being so mean to new St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher in the coming months.

Yes, the veteran coach kept the Dolphins waiting, only to spurn them and take the same job with the Rams. Fisher is not very popular in South Florida for that. But there’s another way he could make an impact in Miami.

Fisher has a lot of power in St. Louis -- something he couldn’t get in Miami -- and most likely will get final say in what the Rams do with the No. 2 overall pick. The Dolphins desperately need that pick if they want to draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Miami currently has the No. 8 or No. 9 pick and would be open to trading up to land a potential franchise quarterback.

Meanwhile, the Rams are not drafting a quarterback. They are going forward with 2010 No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford. Expect St. Louis to field offers from various quarterback-needy team, including Miami.

Fisher is the biggest offseason story so far for the Dolphins. But Fisher possibly helping Miami land "RGIII" in April would be just as big.