Happy another locked Friday, y'all. Once again hopefully this is the last one, and by all accounts it will be. I can't wait. The explosion of football action is going to be orgasmic. That said, that explosion is most certainly not here yet. At least now this really feels like the calm before the storm.
Check out our few items of booty after the jump....
The Lamarr Houston Love Train Knows No End
AFC West's biggest future stars - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Lamarr Houston, Raiders defensive lineman: I’m taking Matt Williamson’s lead here. The Scouts Inc. brainiac is extremely high on the Raiders’ second-season defensive lineman. In fact, Williamson believes Houston could be one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen soon. He thinks Houston, a second-round pick from Texas, has no ceiling. Houston has the look of an impact player who plays with a mean streak. He was easy to notice in the preseason last year, and he made one big play after another as a rookie. He looks like he’ll be in the NFL for the next dozen years. He is versatile and can play in virtually every defensive situation. The Raiders have a host of young, intriguing players, including Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy, Matt Shaughnessy, Rolando McClain and Tyvon Branch. But Houston seems like he can be special.
Lamarr Houston Poised To Become NFL Elite | Football News Now
The second-year defensive lineman is thought to become one of the best at his position according to Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. Further, ESPN AFC West blogger Bill Williamson (no relation. . . I don’t think) pegged Houston as one of the biggest future stars in the division. The latter Williamson categorizes Houston as a versatile player who can play in virtually every defensive situation.
Raiders Roster Ramblings
Baltimore Ravens Highly Unlikely To Sign Nnamdi Asomugha | Football News Now
National Football Post and Carroll County Times report Aaron Wilson who feel the team will not go after this year’s most coveted free agent. I had the opportunity to interview the longtime Ravens beat writer on Friday morning’s broadcast of The Morning Spin radio show. "It’s unlikely," Wilson quickly responded when I asked him about the odds of Asomugha joining the Ravens.
Around the AFC West
NFL.com offers their take on the needs of all the west teams. Below is what they fell is the biggest need for each team.
NFL.com news: AFC West hopefuls face big decisions at some pivotal positions
Oakland Raiders
Bring in at least on offensive lineman: At this point, the Raiders would be starting two rookies on the offensive line, Stefan Wisniewski at center and Joe Barksdale at right tackle. They also plan to replace guard Robert Gallery with untested Bruce Campbell. Those three things can't happen if the Raiders are going to move forward as a team. The Raiders believe in these young players, so they probably head to free agency looking for a few veteran bargains to come in and hold the fort down.
Denver Broncos
Trade Orton: Sooner or later, the Broncos have to find out if Tim Tebow is the franchise quarterback. That time might as well be now. New coaches should not waste their honeymoon year trying to win eight games with a bunch of older veterans. Kyle Orton could bring a solid player or a good draft pick to Denver. It will not be hard to find a veteran to backup Tebow and help him learn the pro game. Sooner or later, the Browns should release Jake Delhomme and he can put on a baseball hat for a year and mentor Tebow. Keep in mind, John Elway and John Fox didn't draft Tebow and there is no emotional tie. If Tebow can't do it, the Broncos can draft a new quarterback next year.
Kansas City Chiefs
Find a nose tackle: The Chiefs drafted Jerrell Powe in the sixth round out of Mississippi, and the 330-pound plugger will help in the rotation. However, if Kansas City could get its hands on a guy like the San Francisco 49ers' Aubrayo Franklin, then that would give the Chiefs a better defense. Re-signing Ron Edwards wouldn't be all bad and a heck of a lot cheaper.
San Diego Chargers
Re-sign Weddle and Burnett: Kevin Burnett has quietly become a very good linebacker for San Diego after coming over from the Cowboys in 2009. Last year, Burnett was in on 95 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions and forced two fumbles. There will be teams interested in him, but San Diego needs to keep Burnett. He will be 29 in December, so the contract length could be a bit tricky. However, when you realize James Holt and Kion Wilson are penciled in as starters, it's a no-brainer to get a deal done with Burnett. As for Eric Weddle, his name pops up all over the league as a guy teams want. He's from San Diego and told me he would like to stay, but I got the sense he's ready to test the market. Weddle played for Ron Rivera over the past few seasons and really likes his old coordinator, who is now the coach in Carolina. The Chargers added often-injured Bob Sanders in the offseason and might be preparing for life without Weddle.
Around the Lockout
It's all good in the lockout hood:
NFL Lockout: The Lockout is Almost Over, and They Really Mean it This Time - Silver And Black Pride