NFL

Favre has surgery and plays with kids. His annual signal that he’ll be back.

As if we didn’t know this already, Brett Favre is coming back. No, he hasn’t announced it yet. But he has announced it if you speak Favre-glish.  It’s the language that only Favre knows how to speak since – after all- it is his language.  And he doesn’t need to say a word. 

If you do listen to what he speaks, you’d believe that this is a man in limbo pondering his future.  All he will say is that he is considering it and talking it over with his family.  That’s Favre-glish for “I’m pretending to be undecided until maybe the last 2 weeks of training camp, maybe later to avoid going through ‘two a days’.”

Favre has given his sign for the year (as if we needed one) that he will indeed be back for a 20th NFL season.  He first had surgery on his left ankle to clean up some scar tissue and bone spurs.  Now, he’s back to practicing football with high school kids at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Favre will continue to ‘decide’ for at least the next 2 weeks.  After that, he will officially announce to all people who do not understand Favre-glish that he will be returning.

Brad Childress and the Minnesota Vikings, myself, and every other NFL writer out there have known this for months.

ESPN: Jackson suspended for 3 games

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Chargers WR Vincent Jackson will be suspended for 3 games in 2010 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Jackson pleaded guilty in February to driving while intoxicated. This is Jackson’s second conviction for the same charge.

No word on whether or not he will appeal.

Panthers WR Steve Smith breaks arm; will miss start of training camp

By Bob Metz

WR Steve Smith, Carolina branch (Panthers) has a broken arm he suffered in a flag football game according to Mike Cranston, AP sports writer.

Smith had surgery Sunday night on the same arm he broke against the New York Giants last season, though not in the same place. The team does not have a timetable for his return.

However, all may not be lost, fantasy owners because though Smith will miss the start of training camp for certain, the reports at this early stage sound optimistic about Smith possibly being able to play by week 1 of the regular season.

Either way, I wouldn’t count on Smith being a top notch WR this season.

ATTENTION TITANS: PAY CHRIS JOHNSON NOW!

By Bob Metz

Sometimes we all wonder what people are thinking. Here are some examples: Why did George W. Bush attach Iraq after we were attacked by terrorists from Afghanistan? Why do most people only care about a charity after it affects them personally, when the problem for others has been there all along? Why is abortion legal, but assisted suicide illegal?

Thankfully, what I am talking about today isn’t that heavy a subject. I’m wondering why owner Bud Adams and the Titans’ suits aren’t re-doing Chris Johnson’s contract. What are they thinking? While the Titans aren’t known for paying players more than they’re worth (see: Albert Haynesworth, Steve McNair, and Kyle Vanden bosch) they cannot actually think that a talent like Chris Johnson, in only his third season as a pro would be a bad investment. Sure, running backs wear down and some might have one injury and never play the same again, but Johnson became the 6th player in NFL history to get over 2,000 yds in a season last year.

Now he’s not in camp because he’s scheduled to make a base salary of only $550,000 this season, per his rookie contract. I know some are thinking ‘I’d sure like to have his problem’. Yes, I get it. I feel the same way. I’d love to make that kind of money. But this is the NFL today, and in the NFL that is a very low salary for someone of Johnson’s accomplishments especially given his speed, age, and talent. Not since Barry Sanders have we seen someone with so much talent and potetial.

Let’s look at Johnson’s peers. Reggie Bush, a role player who doesn’t even start will make a reported $13.5 million in base salary this season. Larry Johnson signed a deal with the Redskins that will give the 30 year old RB who isn’t expected to start a base of $3.9 million. Looking at these numbers, it really makes us scratch our collective heads. Why would the Titans want to mess up a good thing when they’ve got it?

VY was finally clicking last year, the Titans finished strong, Johnson was a record breaker and a money maker for the Titans, and there is optimism for the upcoming season. TITANS: PAY THE MAN NOW! If something doesn’t happen soon to get Johnson into camp and get the Titans ready for the season, this could be another very disappointing seson for the Tennessee Titans.

Albert Haynes-worth? A lot of cash, but nothing else.

By Bob Metz

So Albert Haynesworth took the check. The $21 million dollars that was offered to him on April 1 to do just one thing: Show up and do his best. That apparently wasn’t what Haynesworth had in mind when he accepted the check instead of the other offer. Freedom.

Haynesworth met with new ‘Skins head coach Mike Shanahan and the latter offered him a way out. A way out of a $100 million contract and the rest of the $40 million guaranteed money that Haynesworth signed on for under then-head coach Jim Zorn.

Why would he want out? Because Shanahan runs a 3-4 defense and Haynesworth is more comfortable in a 4-3. Apparently Haynesworth has a big problem with it. So big in fact, that Haynesworth has made a spectacle of the situation, and is not showing up for offseason workouts.

Haynesworth has even alienated his teammates. His selfishness has turned off everyone within the organization and many outside of it. “He didn’t turn down the money, but he never intended to show up.” sites one source.

The only thing it appears the Redskins can do at this point is trade him. After all, he is worthless to his team now that nobody wants him there and he doesn’t want to be there. But right now they are more concerned with getting some or all of the $21 million back that he accepted only 2 1/2 months ago.