If there really is an offseason in the NFL, it's the month of June. There isn't much real football happening right now outside of the OTAs. Still, there's always something to talk about ...
Tight squeezes in NY
New York tight ends seem to find themselves in the news. Jeremy Shockey (Giants) and Chris Baker (Jets) are getting local face time as if they just clinched a Super Bowl win for their respective clubs. But, of course, they didn't do such a thing; rather, they are supposedly upset with their situations. Both guys have some medical history that has to be resolved, which always complicates a situation. And it doesn't help that both teams have fortified the roster with other candidates.
When Shockey was a child, he must have learned the saying "actions speak louder than words." His actions include skipping last month's trip to the White House, skipping the team's Super Bowl ring ceremony, skipping the voluntary offseason program (nothing new there), and, of course, that view of him up in the box at Super Bowl XLII, which looked like he was doing a beer commercial.
Shockey is a very good player with special skills, an excellent competitive nature and the ability to make the Giants a better team if he acts like a team player. This team belongs to Eli Manning now and there's little room for Shockey to do much more than perform on the football field. He needs to embrace the idea of being a great blocker -- a more frequent blocker if the coaches ask him to do that. He needs to run the proper option routes when called upon and he needs to check his ego at the door. That may be too much to ask and a trade may be the only alternative for a solid player who wasn't part of the playoffs or Super Bowl.
The Giants should give his agent one month to seek a trade that brings the Giants a sliding-scale draft compensation starting with a second-round pick and escalating to a first-round selection if Shockey catches 40 balls or 8 touchdowns (and the trading team should throw in their tight end to close the deal). If the agent can't deliver a team willing to come up with that compensation, then Shockey should simply come back to work with his mouth shut and make the Pro Bowl. Then he will have real leverage.
Jets tight end Chris Baker is not Jeremy Shockey -- he does not possess the speed, vertical threat or athletic ability. But he is a serviceable tight end in the NFL. He has elected to use the "Pete Kendall" technique -- criticizing the front office while boycotting team activities -- to either get a new contract or get out of the Jets organization.
Again, the plan here should be for the agent to get a month to bring back a deal that delivers the proper compensation. Otherwise, Baker needs to shut his mouth and play. Baker is worth a third-round pick which could go to a second-round pick if he catches 40 balls or 8 touchdowns. I believe Baker has less chance to find a team interested because his apparent salary demands plus compensation will be hard for any club to swallow.
In the end, neither player has much leverage at this point, and they would be wise to play 16 games without injury, have the best year in their respective careers and then find out what the market holds for the future. People in New York think teams such as the Saints would jump all over these guys. But don't expect either New York team to just give them away.
Conduct-related roster moves?
There's something about the month of June that spells trouble in the NFL. A small number of players seem to find themselves in the thick of off-the-field issues. Keep in mind that Commissioner Roger Goodell gave everyone a pass on problems before June 1 ... but not after that date.
Teams have to keep in mind that, as of June 1, there will be league penalties imposed on clubs whose players violate the conduct policy. The 80-man roster also applies pressure, considering that keeping a player through June and July could also eat up a roster spot.
Clubs will act swiftly when low-round draft picks, undrafted free agents, or older veterans who now serve as backups make an off-the-field mistake. The clubs will probably take the risk when a starting talent finds himself in a bad spot, but there's no doubt teams have a lot less tolerance right now and as soon as the commissioner comes down on one club with draft pick penalties, players will get dumped.
Think of the potential mounting issues facing teams right now: Cedric Benson in Chicago, Nick Kaczur in New England, Ahmed Brooks in Cincinnati, Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo, to name a few. As one GM said, "I wish the new rules corrected behavior before things happen, but so far it looks like some of the players haven't learned and the clubs may have to learn first."
I don't know if I would release any of the players mentioned above, but -- if allegations prove true -- it now will be a consideration for some NFL people. It should be an interesting month in the NFL.
As I once said: Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue built the NFL, and Roger Goodell will save it.
