The NFL has formally began investigating tampering charges surrounding the signing of Albert Haynesworth by the Redskins. The Titans claim that their negotiations since the end of last season were hindered by illegal outside interference.
Ohh Peter King, I'm sure it's hard to think things through when you're on Brett Favre's lap, so let me break this down for you [emphasis added]:
4. I think I don't expect the NFL to find the Redskins guilty of tampering with Albert Haynesworth -- Jason Cole of Yahoo! reported the investigation Saturday -- because I believe much of the investigation will center on the very public displays of affection Washington owner Dan Snyder had with Haynesworth's agent, Chad Speck, in Indianapolis at the scouting combine. Snyder and Speck had dinner in full view of half the coaches and scouts in the city. You'd be naïve to think they weren't discussing Haynesworth; that's one of the reasons the league's owners are considering a new rule that will make it legal for teams to speak with agents and looming free-agents in the week before the free market opens.
I understand the Titans think Washington poisoned the water for Haynesworth and made it impossible for him to even consider coming back to Tennessee, but the flaw in that logic is that the Titans were never, ever going to pay Haynesworth the landmark contract he got from Washington.
You see Peter, the point is that during the period where he was only allowed to negotiate with the Titans, Albert should have never KNOWN that he was pretty much guaranteed a ludicrous contract 2 minutes after free agency started. Can you see where that would pose a problem? If your ill-thought out point was the rule of law there wouldn't be any need for rules against tampering because the best contract would always win no matter when it was offered or by whom. There would be a constant open market. Why even have franchise rights or restricted free-agency then?
Last friday wrapped up the OTA's for May, and Fisher tells Terry McCormick that this is when the rookies really start to show their commitment to winning:
"We will learn a lot about them when they come back for the June OTAs to see who has gotten in the books and who didn’t," he said. "We threw a lot at them because they knew coming in that by the time the June OTAs are over that everything is going to be in and they will have experienced everything that they are going to experience at training camp."
The Titans coaches seem to agree on two things when it comes to back-up guard/center Leroy Harris: He's ready to start in the NFL, and there's little chance he's going to start for the Titans anytime soon unless there's an injury.
Joe Biddle puts in a very good read on Bud Adams, the founding of the AFL and the concurrent evolution of Nashville.
Ryan Fowler is trying to win the MLB job back after losing it to Tullloch last year, and I don't know that admitting that you loafed last off-season is the best way to get back on the coaching staffs' collective good side.
Now that the slower period of the off-season is upon us your help in finding out of the way Titans stories is more important than ever. If you have a link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com! (Be sure to include your commenting handle so I can give you glowing, semi-anonymous credit.)