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Chris Mortensen and Suzy Kolber discuss which team had the best offseason, Tim Hasselbeck advises NFL rookies trying to make the roster and then debates Tedy Bruschi over the Washington Redskins drafting quarterback Kirk Cousins.

After reading the transcript from John Elway’s press briefing Thursday night, it is clear to see why the Broncos traded down twice and eventually out of the first round.

They didn’t think anybody was worthy of a first-round pick where they were picking and they wanted to add picks. Denver now has the No. 36 pick in the second round and added No. 101, in the fourth round. Denver has two picks in the second round, one in the third round and three in the fourth round. I would be surprised if the Broncos don’t try to add another third-round pick and get four picks on Friday.

I think Denver decided to trade down once defensive tackles Dontari Poe, Fletcher Cox and Michael Brockers were off the board by the 14th pick. Denver originally had the No. 25 pick, then traded to No. 31 before going to No. 36.

“Everyone else saw the talent that we saw too,” said Elway, Denver’s top decision-maker. “When those guys started going like that, they went in a hurry. We thought we were going to have to get a little bit lucky for them to fall to us anyways. They’re good football players and when they didn’t get to us that gave us the opportunity to start moving back a little bit.”

Elway made it clear that the Broncos would rather stockpile picks than make a reach, thus the trades with the Patriots and the Buccaneers.

“When we looked at where we were, obviously we had some guys targeted that didn’t quite make it to us in 25, so we had some opportunities to move back with New England to pick up a fourth. We liked that, thought that was great,” Elway said. "Then, when we had a chance to move back from 31 to 36 with Tampa again, our board looked the same. We thought we’d be able to get the same people at 36 that we could at 31 -- or have the same pool of players there at 36 as we did at 31. By doing that we moved up 25 spots to the top of the fourth, which we really believe this is a deep draft. It’s not real thick at the top, but it’s pretty deep through the middle rounds. We thought by adding another good pick it gives us more options going into tomorrow. Plus, we’ll still be able to get the same people that we had targeted that made it to us at 25 at 36. We’re excited about the day. Obviously it’s a little bit of a downer when you don’t have a new player. But, we’re excited about where we sit and the next two days are going to be exciting.”

Among the players Denver could target at No. 36 with their top pick Friday are Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes, Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill, LSU receiver Rueben Randle, North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins, Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe and Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David. I think we could see Denver try to get a quarterback Friday as well.

The 32 crew debates which team is most likely to trade up to the No. 3 pick in the draft, Wes Welker on the best wide receiver in the NFL, and where Luke Kuechly is most likely to land in the first round.

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.

Interesting roster move down in Tampa Bay today, as the Buccaneers cut 26-year-old safety Tanard Jackson. They said it was because he failed a physical, but indications are that last year's shoulder injury won't keep him from helping someone in 2012. There's a new coach in Tampa Bay, and as Pat Yasinskas suggests in that link, it's possible that Jackson, who comes with plenty of issues, was cut to send a message to other players on the roster. But he's good enough and young enough that he's likely to find a home somewhere, and don't be surprised if you hear the Washington Redskins mentioned as a possible suitor.

The Redskins have major needs in the secondary, even after signing Brandon Meriweather and Cedric Griffin already this offseason. And their new secondary coach, Raheem Morris, was Jackson's head coach in Tampa Bay for the past three seasons. Morris and Jackson had a very strong relationship and Morris believes in him and has stood by him through his drug suspension. Surely, Morris believes he could keep Jackson in line and coach productivity out of him should the Redskins decide to give him a chance.

It's no slam dunk, though. Mike Shanahan has preached the value of character on his roster, and if he's got concerns about off-field issues or work ethic, he's not likely to bring in Jackson just because Morris likes the guy. It's Shanahan's team, not Morris' team, after all. But a drug suspension doesn't always equate to low character. It can, in certain circumstances, equate merely to immaturity or poor judgment. The 2012 Redskins will count, after all, on major contributions from Trent Williams and Fred Davis, each of whom missed the final four games of 2011 due to drug suspensions. Shanahan doesn't question their character -- merely their judgment. If he's convinced Jackson can help the team and won't hurt the locker room, he could pursue him. And it's a fair bet that Morris will at least try to convince him.

There are numerous reports that the Raiders will cut linebacker Kamerion Wimbley on Friday. The move has been expected for several weeks.

Wimbley was not interested in a pay-cut. Keeping him on the roster through Saturday would have triggered $17.5 million in bonuses. Wimbley will be paid $6.5 million by the Raiders anyway for this year, but it will save Oakland $4.5 million. He will draw interest on the open market. While the Chargers have already spent a lot in free agency (they have re-signed two players, and added four outside contracts), they need a pass-rusher and might be interested. Chicago is another team to keep an eye on.

Oakland now has more money to spend. It is looking at cornerbacks, including Ronald Bartell and Tracy Porter, and guard Mike Brisiel. Wimbley is poised to be Oakland’s seventh salary-cap dump. So, the Raiders have more roster holes than expected with limited cap room and a small draft class.

In other AFC West news:

Here are the Chiefs’ reactions -- via a team statement -- about the signing of tight end Kevin Boss:

Coach Romeo Crennel: “We are excited about the opportunity to make Kevin a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kevin has been a part of successful teams in the past, and knows what it takes to win. I am eager to add him to our offense.”

General manager Scott Pioli: “We felt that signing Kevin continued our free agent plan of adding good players to our roster. Kevin has a track record of personal and team success in this league, and he is a good fit for us.”

The Chiefs are visiting with right tackle Eric Winston, and are trying to sign him. He has a visit set with St. Louis after the Chiefs.

NFL Network is reporting the Broncos will visit with Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes. Denver is looking at several defensive players.

In an Insider piece , Mel Kiper looks at how free agency has affected the Chargers’ draft plans.

As soon as free agency began Tuesday afternoon, the Buffalo Bills had a plane waiting for New Orleans free agent receiver Robert Meachem.

The Bills flew him north and dined with him Tuesday night. The Bills had a full itinerary waiting for Meachem on Wednesday. Then, Vincent Jackson left the Chargers. All Buffalo bets were off.


With Jackson and several other receivers off the market quickly Tuesday, the San Diego Chargers -- who NFL.com reports showed late interest in Pierre Garcon before he signed with the Redskins -- went from showing no interest in Meachem early in free agency to becoming his most ardent pursuer. In addition to Buffalo, the Chargers blew away two other teams with a huge offer for Meacham.

And now the speedster is going to be Philip Rivers’ newest toy.

Meachem agreed to a four-year, $25.9 million deal with $14 million guaranteed in the first two years of the deal. His deal came hours after Jackson signed with the Buccaneers for five years and $55.5 million.

There is no doubt Meachem is not as accomplished as Jackson and the Chargers would be best served to add another receiver in free agency. The best options are Brandon Lloyd, Laurent Robinson and Mario Manningham. They could also use their first-round pick on someone such as Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd. I think Lloyd could be an interesting option.

Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace would cost a first-round pick as a restricted free agent if the Steelers didn’t match a deal. I think the Meachem agreement ends that possibility. Perhaps San Diego could look at Oakland’s Chaz Schilens, who played at San Diego State. He’d fit the Chargers’ mold of big receivers.

Meachem does give the Chargers a terrific vertical threat. He has 4.3 speed. He will be a good fit with Rivers and No. 2 starter Malcom Floyd, who is also a field stretcher. Like Floyd, Meachem has had some durability issues. Vincent Brown will likely be the No. 3 receiver in his second season.

Meachem had 40 catches for 620 yards for the Saints, where he was often lost in a strong receiving crew. Meachem, the Saints’ first-round pick in 2007, had 129 catches and 20 touchdowns in the past three seasons and he has averaged 16.1 yards per catch in his career. There is no doubt Meachem has big-play flair and he will fit in Norv Turner’s system, but I still believe the Chargers need to add to their receiving crew.

UPDATE: I caught up with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. on Wednesday morning. Here are his thoughts on the Chargers’ day at receiver:

“Meachem isn’t Vincent Jackson. He is very talented, though, and I do think his most productive football might be in front of him. He also is a deep threat, which is absolutely key in San Diego’s deep passing attack. But, to me, there was only one No. 1 receiver on the market and he just signed with Tampa Bay.”

This is not a good day in San Diego.

Vincent Jackson has walked away.

While there were indications in recent days that the Chargers were not prepared to match an enormous deal for Jackson, there has long been the thought that the Chargers -- who are heavily pursuing New Orleans’ Robert Meachem on Tuesday night -- couldn’t afford to let Jackson leave.

This is a critical offseason in San Diego and it has not started well. In addition to Jackson leaving, the Chargers saw longtime standout guard Kris Dielman retire because of a severe concussion he suffered last season, the team cut left tackle Marcus McNeill because of a neck injury and valuable running back Mike Tolbert is poised to visit AFC West rival Kansas City on Wednesday. The Chargers also have priority free agents in left tackle Jared Gaither and defensive tackle Antonio Garay. San Diego’s lone bright spot, thus far, was the re-signing of standout center Nick Hardwick on Tuesday to a three-year deal.

The Chargers must get better. They must do some things in free agency.

Owner Dean Spanos upset the fan base when he brought back coach Norv Turner and GM A.J. Smith in January.

Fans expected Spanos to show a commitment to them by getting better in free agency, and the Chargers still could get better.

But seeing Jackson leave is not going to convince the San Diego fan base the Chargers are truly committed to getting back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2009 season.

Jackson is a premier receiver and he was a great fit for quarterback Philip Rivers, who has to be wondering what is going on with his offensive line and receiving crew.

The Chargers gambled by not giving Jackson the franchise tag for a second year because it jumped to more than $13 million this season. He is averaging just more than $11 million per season with Tampa Bay. The Chargers took a shot at Jackson, but they likely never got close to what Tampa Bay offered.

Now, the Chargers have to go find a top receiver. The only receivers on the roster are No. 2 starter Malcom Floyd (who is injury prone) and second-year player Vincent Brown.

The free-agent class is drying up. The best options may be Brandon Lloyd, Meachem, Mario Manningham and Laurent Robinson. Meachem may soon sign with the Bills even though the Chargers are pushing for him. Robinson flourished in Dallas last season after not making the Chargers’ roster last September. I’m not sure any of those players will make anyone forget about Jackson. The Chargers, who badly need a top pass-rusher, may have to consider taking someone such as Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd with the No. 18 overall pick in the draft.

Here is one way I think the Chargers can regain the trust of fans, but it’s a long shot. They could step in front of Buffalo and sign monster pass-rusher Mario Williams and then sign Pittsburgh receiver Mike Wallace to an offer sheet the Steelers couldn’t match. The restricted free agent would cost the Chargers their first-round pick if he signed. But adding Williams (the best free agent on the market) and having Wallace replace Jackson would show San Diego’s fans the team is serious about getting better.

Again, don’t expect it to happen, but the Chargers must improve and getting creative may be necessary.

Adam Schefter is reporting Vincent Jackson has left the San Diego Chargers to go to Tampa Bay on a five-year deal. He will be paid $55.5 million.

This is a blow to the Chargers who gambled by not giving Jackson the franchise tag. The Chargers need to win now under Norv Turner and A.J. Smith and this is not a good start. Those close to Jackson have maintained that he would have gone back to San Diego had the Chargers' deal been competitive.

The Chargers will now look for a new receiver. Among the name to consider are Reggie Wayne, Brandon Lloyd, Laurent Robinson and Robert Meachem.

I be back later with some more thoughts on Jackson’s departure.

It’s starting to be mock draft season.

There have been several early efforts, including this one from Fox Sports.

I enjoy looking at mocks to see if I agree with the thinking for each AFC West team. Sometimes, I’m surprised by the selection and other times, I’m simply fascinated by the choices.

Fascination was the word when I scrolled down and saw who Fox Sports had penciled in for the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 11 -- Alabama running back Trent Richardson. If Richardson is the pick of the Chiefs (who will take part in a coin flip for the No. 11 or No. 12 pick with Seattle next month), it will be the story of the draft for the AFC West.

Richardson is considered a potentially game-changing tailback.

The first question is could Richardson tumble to No. 11. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., in an Insider piece, put out his first mock draft Wednesday. He has Richardson going to Tampa Bay at No. 5. Richardson is considered a top-flight prospect, so seeing him falling to No. 11 could be a stretch. However, we have seen running backs fall past their value spot because running backs aren’t often taken in the top 10.

If Richardson is available when the Chiefs pick, would they take him?

Kansas City has needs on the defensive line and on the offensive line. Jamaal Charles, who was the second leading rusher in the NFL in 2010, is expected to be healthy this season. He was lost for the season when he tore the ACL in his knee in Week 2.

Richardson would be a luxury pick in Kansas City. However, a backfield featuring Richardson and Charles would be one of the most dangerous running-back tandems in the NFL. It would also take immense pressure of quarterback Matt Cassel and an underrated passing game in Kansas City.

What do you think? Do you think Kansas City should take Richardson if he falls to him, or do you think the Chiefs have too many other pressing needs? Fill up the comment section below with your thoughts.

A look at the picking order for the 2012 NFL draft, which begins with the first round on Thursday, April 26, and continues through Saturday, April 28.

He has surely had more spectacular games in his career, but if you're a fan of the Dallas Cowboys the game Tony Romo played Saturday night was an absolute thing of beauty. Romo was 23-for-30 for 249 yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in a nearly uncontested 31-15 victory over a dead Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. He was efficient. He was in control. He was ruthless and reliable and made sure that the Cowboys put one of their easiest wins of the season in their pocket when they needed a win in the worst way.

The Cowboys move to 8-6, temporarily a half-game in front of New York pending the Giants' game Sunday afternoon. If the Giants win, Dallas will have done little Saturday night but hold serve. The victory doesn't dramatically help their playoff chances, but a loss would have damaged them severely. Romo deserves credit for making sure it was never a reasonable possibility.

He wasn't perfect, of course. No one is. The fumble on the first possession of the second half was careless. And I didn't think he made the wisest choice on his first touchdown throw to Miles Austin in traffic at the goal line. But Austin caught the ball for a touchdown, which made the throw look great. And Romo responded to the fumble by engineering a 12-play, seven-minute field-goal drive that denied the Bucs any shot at momentum.

Sure, Felix Jones had 108 rushing yards. But the Cowboys played ball-control all game, even when they were throwing it. Romo took no irresponsible shots downfield. He played completely under control. He took sacks when he should have, and he did a great job of extending plays with his feet until receivers got open. He completed passes to seven different targets, with no one making more than five catches and no receiver gaining more than Jason Witten's 77 yards. It was a clinic in levelheaded quarterback play, and while a Tampa Bay team that has now lost eight in a row might not have been much of a challenge, Romo's been playing like this against everyone lately. He has thrown 18 touchdown passes and two interceptions in his past seven games, and the Cowboys are 5-2 in those games.

Talk that coach Jason Garrett and the Cowboys don't trust Romo is ridiculous. Watching Romo on Saturday night, you saw a guy who was in complete control of his offense. A guy who was picking among fantastic targets and had the confidence and competence to find the right one. Heck, all three of his touchdown passes came from inside the 10-yard line. You don't keep throwing the ball from the 8 and 9 if you don't trust your quarterback.

Romo's reputation is a tough one to shake, but he's done nothing wrong in the second half of this season. He is not the reason Dallas lost to Arizona and New York in the two games before this one. And as the Cowboys look ahead to their final two games of the season, knowing they win the division if they can win them both, they do so with a great deal of well-deserved confidence in their starting quarterback.

Some more observations from the Cowboys' Saturday night victory:

• Jones looks great running the ball, and maybe more importantly Sammy Morris looks like a guy who can reasonably spell Jones and keep the Cowboys from having to overwork him during the next couple of weeks. We'll see how they perform against a defense that doesn't allow 5 yards per carry, but the signs from the run game were encouraging for the Cowboys.
• I thought the defense was encouraging too, at least while DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff were in there. The unit pressured Josh Freeman and were able to run a lot of those moving, confusing fronts to rattle the Bucs' offense into mistakes. And I had no problem with Garrett holding Ware and Ratliff out in the second half to rest them and decrease the risk of further injury. That game was over at halftime, no matter how scared Cowboys' fans were about their team's second-half issues. And if it had become legitimately close, they could always have put Ware and Ratliff back in, right? I think the Cowboys managed that situation intelligently.
• The difference between this game and the Detroit game (other than the vast differences between Detroit's offense and Tampa Bay's) was that, when Romo made the costly turnover right after halftime to give the other team points, he didn't make another. Sounds simple, but it's important. The way you recover from your mistakes says much more about you than whether or not you make one.
• The sight of right tackle Tyron Smith on the ground at the end of the game had to be upsetting for Cowboys fans. He walked off on his own power and seemed fine, but Smith would be a devastating loss for an already-shaky line on which he's been far and away the best player. Smith has played tackle at an elite level this year, and would be irreplaceable.
• Next up for Dallas is a crucial home game next Saturday against the Eagles, who beat them 34-7 in Philadelphia in Week 8.

As you get ready for Saturday night's game against the Buccaneers in Tampa, here's one reason for Dallas Cowboys fans to feel good and one reason for concern:

Feeling good: If ever there was a good game in which to re-establish the ground game with Felix Jones as the lead back in place of the injured DeMarco Murray, this is the one for Dallas. The Bucs allow 4.6 yards per rush attempt and 139.7 rush yards per game, making them one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. Dallas would do well to commit to the run early and get Jones into a rhythm. They won't be able to use him the same heavy way they used Murray, and they will have to throw more the rest of the way. But they should be able to make themselves multidimensional on offense against a Tampa Bay team that's lost seven games in a row.

Cause for concern: Tampa Bay is pretty good at protecting the passer, having only allowed 24 sacks this year. The Cowboys were unable to get a sack last week against Eli Manning and the Giants, and they're surely planning to run some creative blitzes against the Buccaneers to try to rattle quarterback Josh Freeman. If they can't get to Freeman -- especially on the blitz -- they're going to leave themselves exposed in the secondary, where they've had some real problems over the past month.

Albert Haynesworth didn't want to play for the Washington Redskins but complained he didn't play enough with the New England Patriots.

Come again?

The mercurial defensive tackle was cut by the Patriots this week. New England head coach Bill Belichick said "it didn't work out" and wanted to move on when describing the abrupt release.

But Haynesworth, in his first comments since joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, provided more insight. Haynesworth told the St. Petersburg Times Thursday that he didn't get enough playing time as a rotational player with the Patriots.

"I just want to prove myself," Haynesworth said. "[New England] was a great place. Coach Belichick is a great guy... But I just wanted to play more."

Haynesworth also said he should have signed with Tampa three years ago, when he picked the Redskins after they offered $100 million. Notorious for his questionable work ethic, Haynesworth was never the same player after that contract.

The Patriots acquired Haynesworth in a trade to be a complementary player this season. But Haynesworth's comments suggests he thinks he's still a star. He will get the chance to prove it in Tampa, where the team is thin at defensive tackle after losing starter Gerald McCoy to a bicep injury.

LONDON -- Here's a quick look Chicago’s 24-18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium:

What it means: The Bears finished their first seven games in 2010 with a 4-3 record, and ended up advancing all the way to the NFC title game. So in addition to giving themselves an opportunity to potentially gain a game in the divisional standings on Detroit, the Bears surely see this victory as a positive omen of what could come after the bye.

No jet lag: The Bears didn’t necessarily put forth a vintage performance, but the team didn’t appear to show any signs of suffering from jet lag.

The Buccaneers arrived early on Monday to get themselves acclimated to the time difference. The Bears, meanwhile, didn’t show up until Thursday night.

It didn’t matter.

Led by a strong performance from Forte, the Bears built a 14-5 halftime lead. Quarterback Jay Cutler completed 8-of-14 for 95 yards in the first half with a touchdown and an interception.

Strong start for OL: The Bears continued their tactics of shorter drops, tight-end help and running backs staying in on passes to chip block, with the team benefitting in the first half.

The Buccaneers significantly pressured Cutler in the first half, but the quarterback used his mobility and throwaways to avoid sacks.

Tampa Bay’s Adrian Clayborn zipped into the backfield in the third quarter to finally sack Cutler for a 2-yard loss. The Bears have allowed just one sack in each of the last two games. The team has also given up only one sack in three of the last four outings.

Unlucky 14th: Kicker Robbie Gould came into Sunday’s game having made all 13 of his field goal attempts on the season, but missed a 41-yard try in the third quarter.

Gould is now 50-of-69 in his career on field-goal attempts from distances of 40 to 49 yards.

Williams finds end zone: Bears receiver Roy Williams made up for dropping a ball early in the game when he hauled in a 25-yard pass with 7:49 left to play in the opening half. The touchdown was Williams’ first as a Bear, and broke a lengthy scoring drought for the receiver.

Before the game Sunday, Williams hadn’t caught a touchdown pass in 371 days. Williams’ last scored a touchdown on Oct. 17 of 2010, (as a Dallas Cowboy) the receiver pulled in two scoring grabs against the Minnesota Vikings.

What’s next: The Bears take the week off and are idle next Sunday before travelling to Philadelphia for a Nov. 7 clash against the Eagles on "Monday Night Football."