Team-by-team look at who would/could/should be tagged

AP

On Monday, the two-week window for using the franchise tag opens.  Every team can use the franchise tag (or the rarely-used transition tag) on one player.

Last year, 21 teams took advantage of the franchise tag, which no longer is based on the five highest-paid players at the position but on a far more convoluted (and club friendly) formula.

It’s not a coincidence.  The new formula makes it much cheaper to keep a player off the open market than it would to pay him a multi-year market contract.

Here’s a look at the team-by-team candidates for the 2013 tag, in alphabetical order.

Arizona Cardinals:  The Cardinals need to keep hard-nosed cover corner Greg Toler, but not at anything close to the eight-figure franchise number.  No other pending free agents have the talent or potential to justify franchise money.  Last year, the Cardinals used the tag on defensive end Calais Campbell; they eventually signed him to a long-term deal.

Atlanta Falcons:  Left tackle Sam Baker, drafted in round one the same year as the man whose blind side he protects, has had good years and bad years.  After starting 16 games in 2012, Baker hits the market on a high note.  Still, the glut of tackles in free agency and the draft will make it hard to justify tagging Baker; if he leaves, the Falcons can find a capable replacement after the market softens.  In 2012, the Falcons used the tag on cornerback Brent Grimes, who tore an Achilles tendon in Week One.  Tagging him would cost $12.48 million for 2013.  It would cost nearly half that amount to tag safety William Moore.

Baltimore Ravens:  It’s not a question of if the Ravens will tag quarterback Joe Flacco.  The only remaining unknown is the level of the tag.  And while a lazy look at the situation would lead to conclusively presuming that there’s no way Flacco leaves Baltimore, there’s a chance (slim, but a chance) that the player and the team could be destined for a game of chicken that would result in both cars flying off the cliff.  The Ravens could opt to go non-exclusive, daring Flacco to sign an offer sheet with another team — and assuming that he never would.  Another team with plenty of cap space could easily craft a front-loaded offer sheet that the Ravens wouldn’t be able to match.  It’s not likely, but anyone who thinks there’s no way Flacco leaves the Ravens hasn’t been paying close enough attention to the far crazier things the NFL has seen in recent years.

Buffalo Bills:  Jairus Byrd has become one on the best free safeties in the league.  With George Wilson gone in a cap move, the Bills need to keep Byrd.  Absent a long-term deal, the tag is the only way to make it happen.  If a long-term deal can be negotiated, guard Andy Levitre becomes a candidate for the tag.  The only impediment would be the fact that interior offensive linemen get the same franchise tender as tackles.

Carolina Panthers:  Their list of potential free agents contains no names that cry out for use of the tag, especially since the Panthers are still dealing with the sins of salary caps past.

Chicago Bears:  The Bears need to keep defensive tackle Henry Melton, but they’ve already got plenty of cap space tied up with defensive players like sackmaster Julius Peppers, cornerback Charles Tillman, and linebacker Lance Briggs.  With Melton regarding himself as the best defensive tackle in the league, a long-term deal could be hard to come by.  Despite his name recognition, linebacker Brian Urlacher isn’t a serious candidate for the tag.

Cincinnati Bengals:  The Bengals are extremely careful with money.  On defense, lineman Michael Johnson is the most obvious candidate to be tagged.  It’s just as likely that the Bengals will be content to go bargain shopping (again) for defensive players to replace their bevy of free agents on that side of the ball, and then hope that defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer can whip up another batch of chicken salad.  On offense, the tag could be used to keep Andre Smith, who quietly has overcome his notorious Jello run to develop into an elite right tackle.  Last year, the tag was used on kicker Mike Nugent; tagging him again would cost only $3.48 million.  Which could make him the most likely candidate.

Cleveland Browns:  Kicker Phil Dawson was tagged in 2011 and 2012.  Using it a third time would entitle him to quarterback money.  So if it’s used, it won’t be used on him.  Punter Reggie Hodges is hitting the market after three years with the team.  Though his performance doesn’t cry out “franchise tag,” it could be cheaper to squat on him for a year than to sign a replacement on the open market; that’s why so many punters and kickers have been tagged in recent years.

Dallas Cowboys:  Tagged last year at $10.5 million, linebacker Anthony Spencer still hasn’t had the kind of impact that he should, given that he plays across from DeMarcus Ware.  Spencer isn’t worth $12.4 million for one more year.

Denver Broncos:  V.P. of football operations John Elway has said that the tag will be used on left tackle Ryan Clady, and for good reason.  Last year, Clady turned down a five-year, $50 million deal.

Detroit Lions:  It’ll take $12.4 million to use the tag for a second straight year on defensive end Cliff Avril, and it won’t be easy for the Lions to round up the kind of cap space necessary to keep him around.  Safety Louis Delmas doesn’t like being labeled as injury prone, but he is.  And the Lions will have to decide whether they want to make a long-term or short-term (via the tag) investment in the guy who could be this decade’s Bob Sanders.  Tackle Gosder Cherilus also could be tagged, but in a buyer’s market for tackles it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to do it.

Green Bay Packers:  Receiver Greg Jennings turns 30 in September.  In other words, the Packers won’t be using the tag on Greg Jennings.  The Packers learned while he was injured in 2012 that they can live without him, and they won’t be inclined to invest $10 million in cap space to a guy who plays a position that, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, is virtually interchangeable.  If the Packers wanted to keep Jennings, they’d be trying to sign him.  They’re not, which likely means he won’t be tagged.

Houston Texans:  Last year, the Texans passed on tagging linebacker Mario Williams because of the exorbitant tender that the final year of his first-overall rookie contract would have generated.  With linebacker Connor Barwin, much less cap space would be consumed.  After seeing former Texans receiver Jacoby Jones deliver an MVP-caliber performance in the Super Bowl, G.M. Rick Smith may be a little less willing to let quality players walk away in 2013.  Another possible (and cheaper) candidate for the tag is punter Donnie Jones.

Indianapolis Colts:  The man with the self-styled boomstick can be kept off the market for the low, low price of the punter/kicker franchise tag ($2.9 million).  Absent a long-term deal, it’s hard to envision the Colts moving forward without punter Pat McAfee.

Jacksonville Jaguars:  A roster thin on star power naturally doesn’t create many franchise-tag candidates, especially with a new G.M. and (another) new coaching staff.  If linebacker Daryl Smith didn’t miss most of the season, he’d be a potential candidate.  Fullback Greg Jones would be a candidate, if fullbacks weren’t lumped in with running backs for franchise tag purposes.

Kansas City Chiefs:  The Chiefs are trying to work out a long-term deal with receiver Dwayne Bowe; if they don’t, it would cost $11.4 million to keep him around for a second season via the tag.  But receivers are more plentiful than competent offensive linemen, and new Chiefs coach Andy Reid witnessed the hard way in 2012 the consequences of not having competent blockers.  This reality makes tackle Branden Albert a more likely candidate to be tagged.  Then there’s punter Dustin Colquitt, who like most punters and kickers could be cheaper to keep via the one-year franchise tag.

Miami Dolphins:  Tackle Jake Long’s rookie deal makes the cap number for tagging him way too high to justify, especially in light of the gradual decline in his play.  With cornerback Sean Smith looking for big money, the best move could be to tag him instead of Long.

Minnesota Vikings:  G.M. Rick Spielman wants to keep road-grading right tackle Phil Loadholt.  With left tackle Matt Kalil tied up via an affordable rookie deal, the Vikings can afford to pay Loadholt a large chunk of money for at least the next two seasons, before Kalil will be looking for his second contract.  Whether that large chunk of money equates to the franchise tag for Loadholt is a decision the Vikings have to make in light of the realities of the tackle market — and within the context of the impact of the use of the tag on the expectations of receiver Percy Harvin.  They’d also like to keep fullback Jerome Felton, but there’s no fullback franchise tag; they’d have to tender him at the running back level.

New England Patriots:  The Patriots have a trio of players who are potential candidates for the tag.  Whether it’s receiver Wes Welker, tackle Sebastian Vollmer, cornerback Aqib Talib, or no one, it won’t be an easy decision.  Welker would command $11.4 million, given that he was tagged in 2012.  It would be a shock if they tag him.  Vollmer has Marcus Cannon behind him on the depth chart, plus plenty of other tackles available in free agency.  The Pats could be inclined to let Vollmer leave if someone else is willing to overpay him.  Talib presents the biggest conundrum, given his positive impact on the team’s so-so defense.  They need him, but he present plenty of risk given his history of off-field incidents.

New Orleans Saints:  Left tackle Jermon Bushrod is the most obvious candidate for the tag.  But the Saints don’t have the cap space to spare.  They easily replaced guard Carl Nicks with Ben Grubbs last year, and the tackle market is far more plentiful in 2013 than the market was for guards last season.  Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis doesn’t project to nose tackle in the team’s new 3-4 defense, but he could be a candidate to play defensive end in Rob Ryan’s defense, if the Saints want to fork over the money necessary to keep him around.  Things would get interesting if the Saints tag Ellis as a tackle despite a desire to move him to end, since there’s a $2.6 million gap between the two tenders.

New York Giants:  But for the likely existence of collusion in the restricted free agency market, the Giants should be thinking about tagging receiver Victor Cruz.  Since teams have abandoned in recent years the pursuit of RFAs, there’s no reason for the Giants to double the compensation they’d get if someone else swipes Cruz.  Left tackle Will Beatty becomes a candidate for the tag, along with safety Kenny Phillips.  The cheapest of all would be tight end Martellus Bennett, who didn’t get the long-term deal he wanted a year ago in free agency, opting instead for a one-year stay in New York and another shot at the market.

New York Jets:  Safety LaRon Landry is the only guy who merits the tag, but his one-year deal from last year expressly prevents the team from using it.  No one else who is due to become a free agent deserves it.

Oakland Raiders:  There’s a major problem with using the franchise tag on punter Shane Lechler, apart from the fact that the Raiders have landed in a salary cap black hole.  While the franchise tag for punters and kickers will be an affordable $2.9 million in 2013, Lechler’s cap number last year was $4.9 million.  Under the CBA, he’s entitled to a 120 percent raise over that number, which translates to a cap number of $5.88 million.  It could be time for the much cheaper Marquette King, a converted receiver who has drawn comparisons to the monster-legged Reggie Roby.  Either way, it’s hard to imagine that the cap-strapped Raiders would pay a punter twice the amount of the base franchise tag for punters.

Philadelphia Eagles:  The Eagles don’t have many looming free agents, which means that they don’t have many candidates for the franchise tag.  Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would be one, if he was, you know, better.

Pittsburgh Steelers:  The Steelers have said they won’t use the franchise tag.  Which means that receiver Mike Wallace will hit the open market.  Which means that someone will overpay him on the first day of free agency.

San Diego Chargers:  Look at their free agents.  Though cornerback Quentin Jammer has been a mainstay in San Diego since 2002, he’s not worth what it would cost to keep him via the franchise tag.  No one else with an expiring contract justifies the tag, which is one of the reasons why there’s a new G.M. and head coach.

San Francisco 49ers:  Safety Dashon Goldson doesn’t want to be tagged again, but what he wants and what he gets could be two different things.  Absent a long-term deal, the Niners have to keep Goldson around — even if using the tag for a second time virtually guarantees he’ll hit the market in 2014.  If Goldson gets a new deal, it’ll be interesting to see whether the Niners would use the tag on their second-string but highly versatile tight end, Delanie Walker.

Seattle Seahawks:  The ultra-low kicker tag of $2.9 million could be used to keep the strong-legged Steven Hauschka.

St. Louis Rams:  Receiver Danny Amendola has become one of the best slot receivers in the NFL, but his injury history and the eight-figure franchise tender for wideouts likely will scare the Rams away.  Still, if Amendola hits the market, he won’t be there long.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  The Bucs plans to spend on keeping their own guys.  When it comes to using the tag, it’s a toss-up between tackle Jeremy Trueblood and defensive end Michael Bennett, or neither.

Tennessee Titans:  The Titans reportedly are expected to use the tag on tight end Jared Cook, absent a multi-year deal.  Kicker Rob Bironas also is a possibility, but he had a cap number of $3.675 million in 2012.  Which means that the tag would cost the Titans $4.41 million in 2013, $1.5 million more than the base tag for kickers and punters.

Washington Redskins:  With $18 million in missing cap space, the Redskins can’t afford to use the tag.  Especially since tagging tight end Fred Davis again would bump his 2012 tender by 20 percent — a year after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon.  Punter Sav Rocca is a slim possibility, but even the $2.9 million will be more than the Redskins can justify with their cap situation.

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As everyone was focused on when and if unsigned Giants receiver Victor Cruz will rejoin the team, the other big-name player at that same position who has a contract opted to skip OTA practice on Wednesday.

The situation, and the head coach’s reaction, create some potential problems for the Giants.

Throughout the offseason, we’ve pointed out the link between Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.  Cruz has no contract now, Nicks will have no contract in a year.  If Cruz ultimately signs his one-year restricted free agency tender, both will be hitting the market in 2014 — and the team will have only one franchise tender to apply.

It has been believed in some circles that Nicks’ demands will be driven by what Cruz gets.  As one league source with knowledge of the situation has explained it to PFT, Nicks doesn’t care what Cruz gets, because Cruz is a slot receiver.  Nicks, an outside receiver, had his value set by Mike Wallace’s contract in Miami.

While this doesn’t mean Nicks will be looking for $12 million per year, it does mean that Nicks doesn’t regard Cruz’s deal as being relevant to his.

Nicks’ absence from practice on Wednesday undoubtedly means that Nicks isn’t happy with the team’s efforts, or lack thereof, to address his contract with one year remaining on his rookie deal.  With Nicks saying nothing to dispel that notion, it’s safe to assume Nicks was sending a clear message to the team.

The other problem for the Giants comes from the message coach Tom Coughlin sent in response to Nicks’ decision to skip practice.

“He should be here,” Coughlin said.  “I expect everybody here. We’re trying to get our team better.”

Under the pre-2011 labor deals, coaches routinely made public comments suggesting that voluntary workouts aren’t truly voluntary, and the NFL and the union rarely if ever did anything about it.  As time went by, with more coaches saying things like “he should be here” and the league and the NFLPA doing nothing, coaches were emboldened to keep doing it.

The new CBA, however, added significant restrictions to offseason workouts, along with a clear commitment to eradicate contact from offseason drills.  The CBA also repeated the unequivocal statement that “[n]o Club official may indicate to a player that the Club’s offseason workout program or classroom instruction is not voluntary.”

Last week, Jets coach Rex Ryan danced toward that line by calling out linebacker Quinton Coples for his perceived lack of effort at voluntary lifting sessions.  This week, Coughlin jumped over the line by saying that Nicks and every other player “should be here.”  If the league and union allow those comments to stand uncorrected, other coaches will follow suit, either this year or in the future.

The fact that the comment came from the coach of the team co-owned by John Mara adds some intrigue to this specific situation.  For more than a year, Cowboys and Redskins fans have been riled up by Mara’s role in the stripping of $46 million in total salary-cap space from two of the Giants’ NFC East rivals.  The Cowboys and Redskins, however, broke no rules.

Here, Coughlin clearly did.  The only question is whether the rule will be enforced.  Cowboys and Redskins fans, whose teams were punished for rules they didn’t break, surely will be watching closely.

AP

Former Bills (and Oklahoma State) running back Thurman Thomas is making plans to go back to Oklahoma to help recovery efforts after this week’s tornado.

For all the money the Dolphins spent this offseason, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald still sees plenty of questions.

Area business leaders are fired up about the mere suggestion the Patriots could host a Super Bowl.

New Jets RB Chris Ivory showed some moves in practice Thursday.

Several injured Ravens are showing signs of progress, including Lardarius Webb and Jameel McClain.

The Bengals have an interesting competition building for their backup QB job, and by interesting we mean Andy Dalton has never been so prayed-for.

Beware the premature signing reports on undrafted rookies, as one Browns prospect found out.

Steelers veteran OLB LaMarr Woodley declared himself “good to go” after a disappointing 2012 season.

The Texans’ and Houston’s successful Super Bowl bid was helped by the area’s Hispanic ties.

Colts QB Andrew Luck got his first taste of OTAs, after missing them his rookie year.

After the Jaguars signed Jeremy Ebert yesterday and cut Jeris Pendleton, only 46 of the 90 players on the roster were there last year.

Titans LB Colin McCarthy says he’s “about 80 percent” back from ankle surgery.

All four Broncos in the Pro Football Hall of Fame gathered for the first time to honor owner Pat Bowlen.

Chiefs DE Tamba Hali thinks there are plenty of sacks to go around for himself and Justin Houston.

For Charles Woodson, the outpouring from Raiders fans was “overwhelming.”

The return of injured WR Vincent Brown could give the Chargers a boost.

Cowboys rookie TE Gavin Escobar knows he has a lot to learn.

The Giants have a three-way competition for the vacant MLB job.

A multitude of options will make the Eagles RB position one to watch in camp.

All eyes and ears will be on Robert Griffin III at Redskins OTAs, as he’s expected to talk to reporters afterward.

Former Bears teammates lined up to praise retired LB Brian Urlacher.

The Lions claimed DE Braylon Broughton off waivers from the Saints.

Packers CB Tramon Williams is ready to take leadership of the secondary.

The Urlacher retirement should quiet the talk of him joining the Vikings (though we suspect it will come up again, thanks Brett).

Falcons rookie S Kemal Ishmael has made a good first impression (But not by saying “Call me, …”).

The Panthers have also agreed to terms with fourth-round G Edmund Kugbila, giving them their top three picks taken care of.

Saints coach Sean Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis talk about the beginning of OTAs.

Buccaneers TE Tom Crabtree has a chance to grow into a bigger role.

Cardinals RB Ryan Williams said he was playing scared at times last year.

Rams rookie LB Ray Ray Armstrong is trying to make the most of his chance at a new position.

The 49ers were short nine players for OTAs, plus Michael Crabtree.

Seahawks WR Percy Harvin’s making a good first impression.

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Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is in the final year of his contract, a deal that will pay him more than $14 million for the 2013 season.

Allen’s cap number is $17 million, which led some to wonder if the Vikings might try to find some way to make Allen’s number lower for this season so that they could use some of that cap space in other ways. That could be accomplished through an extension that guarantees Allen stays in Minnesota for several years or some other kind of restructuring of the current deal, but Allen says that neither option has been on the table this offseason.

“You use the word restructure and that to me makes it feel like they’d want me to take a pay cut. And if anybody asked me to take a pay cut, I’d be through the first door out of there. So no. We haven’t talked one iota. It is what it is,” Allen said, via Dan Wiederer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “And we’re going to go about our business and play good ball and try to win a Super Bowl. And like I said the business stuff? We take care of that in the offseason. I have people to do that. That’s why I don’t get into it. You’re not going to hear it from me. I won’t complain. I go about my business.”

We can’t argue with Allen when it comes to the idea of somehow taking less money from the Vikings. His play has done nothing to warrant any such approach and he’d be correct to reject it out of hand.

An extension seems much more sensible, although the Vikings may have been cautious about it thanks to Allen’s knee and shoulder surgery early in the offseason or the fact that he just turned 31. Unless the two sides plan to start talking in the next couple of months, it looks like Allen’s status will be one of the big stories come the start of next offseason.

AP

Lions running back Reggie Bush is setting the bar high with his new team.

Bush said at the Lions’ Organized Team Activities on Wednesday that while he may have lived in more glamorous places than Detroit in the past (having played his college football in Los Angeles and his pro football in New Orleans and Miami), that doesn’t matter because he’s all business with the Lions. And he thinks the Lions are ready to get down to business.

“I came here to work,” Bush said, via the Detroit News. “I didn’t come here to vacation. I came here to win championships, to win football games, and that’s what I look forward to doing.”

Bush hinted that he’s happier with the Lions than he had been with the Saints and Dolphins.

“Some guys have been asking me, ‘How was Miami? How was South Beach,’” he said. “I tell them, you know, it’s nice but if the football isn’t right, it doesn’t matter where you are at. If your work isn’t right, you are not going to be happy. As long as we take care of business here, this can be an amazing place. I think it has a lot to offer. I look forward to getting into that stadium and hearing those fans be as loud as ever.”

If Bush really can help the Lions become a championship-caliber team, Lions fans will be louder than ever.

AP

Some players are held up from joining their NFL team until their college class graduates.

But for Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly, the degree he received yesterday is far more important.

According to Chris Roth of WBAY in Green Bay, Jolly was in a Houston courtroom Wednesday, receiving a diploma for completing a drug treatment program, which was the final step in his attempted return to the Packers.

“I know I’ve seen a change, and I know your family has seen a change, and we are just so darn proud of you today just for the progress that you’ve made,” said judge Denise Bradley, who originally sentenced him. “I didn’t know if we would see this day happen.”

Jolly hasn’t played since 2009, when he was suspended for multiple drug arrests. The Packers have been willing to give him a chance, but the progress he’s made off the field is the only reason.

“[Judge Bradley] seen something in me,” Jolly said. “Even though she gave me the sentence, she saw something in me. Today I stand here a free man.

“My life is going great. I’m back with my team, the Packers. I just want to thank her. She’s done a really good thing for me. That was a blessing.”

The Packers sent director of player development Rob Davis and senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith to Houston for the ceremony, another sign they’re backing his attempt.

He’s rejoining the team for OTAs next week, with no illusions about his chances.

“I don’t know anyone who sat out three years and was able to go back to the same team,” Jolly acknowledged. “I met with the Packers a couple of weeks ago. They understand my situation and they are willing to be there for me, so I’m just doing everything I can to be in shape and do everything I need to do for my team.

“They have been there, and I’m going up there to do my best to show them what they want to see this year. So I’ll be doing everything in my power to get ready.”

If he gets back on the field, it will be impressive. But not as much as the comeback he just authored.

AP

Despite a roll back in the amount of offseason work and the amount of contact allowed during OTAs as dictated by the new collective bargaining agreement, the past couple weeks have already produced a handful of serious injuries.

The San Francisco 49ers lost wide receiver Michael Crabtree to a torn Achilles on Tuesday. Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Greg Scruggs tore his ACL during routine drills prior to the NFL Draft and San Diego Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram tore his ACL as well.. Now New York Giants fullback Henry Hynoski is the next up to be dealt a potentially serious blow.

According to Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger, Hynoski injured his left knee during the Giants first OTA workout on Wednesday and will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

Hynoski collided with running back Andre Brown and fell to the turf during a full team drill before being carted off the field.

“He kind of got (his leg rolled up on) and so we are taking a look at that,” head coach Tom Coughlin said. “I said a few prayers and I’ll continue until I hear what it is.”

Hynoski appeared in all 16 games for the Giants last season. He carried the ball five times for 20 yards and caught 11 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Bear Pascoe will likely pick up the duty in the backfield if Hynoski is going to miss a significant portion of time.

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The Carolina Panthers added another linebacker to their roster Wednesday by claiming Ryan Rau off waivers from the Cleveland Browns.

Rau was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Portland State University by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012. He was released by the Eagles at the end of training camp but re-signed to the team’s practice squad, where he spent most of the season. He was elevated to the active roster in December and appeared in four games for the Eagles and made three tackles.

He was released by the Eagles in April before being claimed by the Browns the next day. The Browns then placed Rau on waivers Wednesday. The Panthers also waived/injured tight end Logan Brock.

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Back in February, the thought of wide receiver Ramses Barden remaining with the New York Giants appeared to be a long-shot. Barden, a third-round pick of the Giants in 2009, was vocal about his desire to find a different opportunity after four years in New York and still struggling to find a role.

However, the open market appears to have not been as kind to Barden as he may have hoped.

According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Barden is scheduled to undergo a physical with the Giants on Thursday. If all goes the plan, he could re-sign with the team by the end of the day.

Barden said “it’s probably best for me to start looking other places” during an interview with Sirius XM Radio in late-February. After limited interest, discussions with the Giants picked up again within the last week, per Vacchiano. Barden has struggled to find playing time with the Giants. He’s managed to catch just 29 passes for 394 yards in four seasons with the team.

AP

With receiver Michael Crabtree out indefinitely due to a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered on Tuesday, the 49ers now must decide how to replace him.

Coach Jim Harbaugh has opted not to disclose whether they team will consider adding players not currently on the team.

“We don’t comment on anybody but the players that we have here on this team,” Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday, via quotes distributed by the 49ers.

It sounds like the 49ers initially will hope that players currently on the roster will step up.

“You look at the young receivers on our team that will emerge, because they have to emerge,” Harbaugh said.  “So, [I'm] excited to watch them compete for that spot.”

Asked specifically whether Randy Moss could return to the team, Harbaugh reiterated his non-response response.

“We’re excited for the young receivers that we have,” Harbaugh said.  “Really feel that somebody’s going to emerge there because they have to.  And competition will create that.  And we’ll look forward to watching that.”

At least Harbaugh used more than a few words to evade the question.  Asked about the possible return of Moss, quarterback Colin Kaepernick simply said, “That’s not my decision.”

Harbaugh explained how the injury happened, and he emphasized that the 49ers don’t anticipate the injury will end Crabtree’s season.

“He was coming in motion and just was planted and started a route,” Harbaugh said.  “And [it] felt like somebody kicked him in the Achilles, which sometimes people say it feels like.  But, good news is he woke up from the surgery and first thing he asked [the doctor] how it went.  So, he talked about the success of the surgery and that didn’t anticipate that he’d be out for the year.  And his comment to that was he’s got no choice but to be back.  So, every day now is a healing day.  And that starts today.”

The effort to find an internal replacement starts today, too.  And possibly the effort to find an external replacement.

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With defensive back Charles Woodson returning to the Raiders, there’s a minor problem.  Cornerback Tracy Porter had been assigned No. 24, the jersey number Woodson wore during his first stint with the Raiders.

The problem is expected to be solved.

In a Wednesday appearance on PFT Live, Paul Gutierrez of CSNBayArea.com expressed confidence that Woodson will get No. 24 back from Porter.  And in an unverified Twitter account that appears to be legitimate, Woodson declares that he once again will be wearing No. 24.

It’s unclear what if anything Woodson has offered in order to make that happen.

For Gutierrez’s take on Woodson’s return (including video of the fans who turned out in droves to welcome him to the team’s facility), he’s the relevant slice of PFT Live.

AP

Last week, the Vikings unveiled the design for their new stadium.  Since PFT Live was on a temporary hiatus last week, we weren’t able to talk about it.

This week, we’re back, and Vikings president Mark Wilf (pictured with Vikings chairman Zygi Wilf) joined the program to talk about the new venue, which opens in 2016.

The revolutionary design creates a place that fans will want to visit, encouraging other teams building new stadiums to look for ways to create structures that have desirable and unique features, like a transparent roof that Wilf believes will become a common replacement for the more costly retractable roof.

He also touched on the expectations for the team in 2013, a year removed from an unlikely playoff appearance, and whether the Vikings will be attempting to extend coach Leslie Frazier’s contract before the 2013 season.

AP

When NFL spokesman Greg Aiello takes issue with something we write on PFT, he calls us out via Twitter.  When he doesn’t like something written by the Associated Press, Aiello breaks out the typewriter.

Aiello has written a lengthy response to a column from Jim Litke of the AP.  The Litke column is, basically, a sawed-off shotgun blast of various and in spots inaccurate contentions regarding the NFL’s ongoing quest for dominance of the American sports landscape.

Litke’s cynicism is sort of cute, in that it implies he’s only realizing now that the NFL has pitched a tent at the top of the mountain and is building a moat around the perimeter.  That’s what successful businesses do.  They keep looking for ways to improve and to grow.  The improvements are limited only by the ingenuity and drive of the business; the growth is limited only by consumer demand.

Apart from the factual errors in Litke’s column (e.g., he claims Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants taxpayers to “foot the bill” for renovations to Sun Life Stadium, which as Aiello points out implies incorrectly that the project includes no private money), it arises from the premise that, in a capitalistic economy, it’s somehow wrong for the NFL to capitalize on its success.

At a time when strangers happily are buying up the items on Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III’s wedding registry at Bed, Bath & Beyond, there’s nothing wrong with the NFL doing whatever the NFL can do to take advantage of the enormous power and popularity it has amassed.  As long as the NFL uses that power and popularity in legal and ethical ways, the more power and popularity to it.

Still, Litke whines about the NFL rewarding cities that have contributed public funds to stadium projects with Super Bowls.  Should the cities that have contributed public fund to stadium projects be excluded from hosting Super Bowls?

Litke whines about a potential three-week delay in the draft, and the “scheduling conflicts” conflicts it will potentially create with Mother’s Day and NHL and NBA playoff games.  As to the former, the draft isn’t held on a Sunday.  As to the latter, if consumers choose to watch and follow the NFL draft instead of hockey or basketball playoffs, why should Litke or anyone else (other than hockey and basketball owners) care?

Litke whines about the extra work that the expanded calendar will create for NFL employees.  First, free agency, the Scouting Combine, and the draft will still happen, only at different times.  Second, if more work truly is created, teams can hire more help or pay the current employees more money or risk having employees who don’t want to work a little harder leaving for other jobs.

Litke also whines that “many clubs are likely to cut out minicamps” if the draft is delayed, revealing that he has no understanding of how the NFL works.  The coaches will ensure that every practice permitted by the labor deal is conducted.  Besides, if Litke is worried about people working too hard, shouldn’t he applaud a change that results in less work for players and coaches?

With all due respect (i.e., here comes the insult), Litke just wants to whine about the NFL, and to do so he has slapped together some flimsy gripes and complaints without regard to whether they hold water.

The far better point is that, by constantly expanding and growing, the league risks saturating the marketplace, and in turn seeing its power and popularity diminish.  Moreover, it’s human nature to resent (or at least to be leery of) anything that gets too big, too strong, and/or too rich.

Perhaps that mindset spawned Litke’s column.  Perhaps the league is inching toward the point of diminishing returns.  Even if that’s the case (and we think this could indeed happen if the NFL forces an 18-game season onto the American public), the NFL has every right to keep looking for ways to expand its influence and to enhance its balance sheet.

The NFL has plenty of flaws and problems, and it seems at times to thrive despite them.  But the goal of any worthwhile business is to get bigger, and no company  ever should say, “OK, that’s enough.  We’re good right here.”Those that do risk not being “right here,” or anywhere else, for very long.

AP

Last year, then-49ers quarterback Alex Smith caused a stir by pointing out that stats don’t supersede wins.  While that concept isn’t controversial standing alone, Smith’s decision to point to the Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton gave it a little extra edge.

This year, Smith at least can say he’s consistent.

On Wednesday, the new Chiefs quarterback was asked about receiver Dwayne Bowe’s recent boast that he’ll lead the NFL in receiving.

“I’m not worried about that,” Smith said, via quotes distributed by the team.  “I’m really trying to lead the team in wins.  It would be great, but that’s such a long way off.  I’m not thinking about that to be honest.  Not at all.  Jacksonville is the date we’re all looking at.  It’s all we care about.  We have a lot of practices to get ready, and we need a lot of practices to get ready for that game.  We have to play a lot of catch up.  We don’t have the luxury of having been together for years and been in the same system.  We’re playing catch up right now.  We have to make up a lot of ground.”

It’s the right attitude, and the proper urgency.  Every NFL season is a separate entity, and the Chiefs are trying with a new coach, new G.M. and new quarterback to turn the page on a 2-14 season.  Many assume they’ll improve; what we know for now is that, if the choice comes down to improving statistically or via victories, Smith will take the latter.

AP

The Browns have waived quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, a league source told PFT’s Mike Florio on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Lewis started the 2012 season finale for Cleveland, completing 22-of-32 passes for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

A Duke product, Lewis entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2010 with St. Louis. After the Rams let him go in 2011, he landed with the Browns, who were then coached by Pat Shurmur, the Rams’ former offensive coordinator. Shurmur is now the Eagles’ offensive coordinator.

Lewis’ departure leaves Brandon Weeden, Jason Campbell and Brian Hoyer as the Browns’ quarterbacks.

AP

One-fourth of the NFL’s head coaches have salaries of more than $6 million, and coaches in professional football earn incomes that far exceed their counterparts in other pro sports.

That’s the word from Forbes, which is out with its latest ranking of the highest-paid coaches in North American professional sports. As we noted when he signed his new contract in December, Saints coach Sean Payton now makes $8 million a year, making him the highest-paid coach anywhere.

Of the nine pro coaches who make more than $6 million, eight of them are in the NFL: Payton, Patriots coach Bill Belichick ($7.5 million), Chiefs coach Andy Reid ($7.5 million), Seahawks coach Pete Carroll ($7 million), Rams coach Jeff Fisher ($7 million), Redskins coach Mike Shanahan ($7 million), Giants coach Tom Coughlin ($6.67 million) and Eagles coach Chip Kelly ($6.5 million).

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers is the highest-paid coach outside the NFL, at $7 million a year.

Unlike players’ contracts, coaches’ contracts are usually kept private, so it’s possible that some of the reported numbers are off. But suffice to say, the coaches at the top of the NFL pay scale are doing pretty well for themselves. With Payton doing better than any of them.