The NY Jets and LaDainian Tomlinson agreed Sunday to a two-year, front-loaded deal worth $5.1 million with an escalator that could push the value to $5.6 million.

Well boys and girls, it's official, this is definitely NOT "The Same Old Jets." A successful 2009 playoff run, including getting some breaks that went there way (that never happened with the old Jets) and Woody Johnsons' willingness to be aggressive and bring high profile players is not something the conservative Leon Hess would have ever done.

The Jets signed high profile Brett Favre in '08, traded for troubled but talented Braylon Edwards in mid-season '09, traded for the ultra troubled and ultra talented Antonio Cromartie this offseason and have now signed future Hall of Famer and high profile LaDainian Tomlinson.

He picked the Jets over the Minnesota Vikings, whom he also visited last week.

Tomlinson's agent, Tom Condon had this to say on Sunday:

‘‘He wanted to go to a team that he thought had a chance to compete for the championship. He wanted to go somewhere where he had a chance to have a significant role, and so with the Jets he also was going to be very familiar with the offensive system.''

Tomlinson, who'll complement bruising second-year man Shonn Greene, will be reunited with Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who was the quarterbacks coach in San Diego and runs a similar offense to the one in San Diego. The idea of playing with second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez, and behind an experienced offensive line that was the engine for the league's top-ranked rushing offense last season, may also appeal to Tomlinson.

The uncertainty of whether veteran quarterback Brett Favre will return in 2010 may have hurt the Vikings' cause, as well as the likelihood of Tomlinson getting fewer carries backing up Pro Bowler Adrian Peterson.

Tomlinson was tentatively scheduled to visit the Saints and Eagles this week, obviously those meetings have been cancelled.

The move to sign Tomlinson raises questions about the future of Jets restricted free-agent running back Leon Washington, who was given a second-round tender that may entice teams to sign him to an offer sheet. Washington and Tomlinson are similar players in style, and the Jets may deem Washington, who is coming off a compound fracture of his right leg, expendable.

Ironically, the Vikings could conceivably be interested in Washington after losing out on Tomlinson.

There are many questions about this signing that won't get answered until the games are played. Did the Jets get the LaDainian Tomlinson of old, or an old LaDainian Tomlinson? Will he add more to the offense than the departed Thomas Jones (now with the KC Chiefs), who had a career-best year last season?

Larry Johnson

Now the Redskins have not just one running back with attitude problems, but two. Johnson has had plenty of issues outside of football and Portis' head has been hit too many times. Even if this combination works out 2010 and the Redskins improve, what happens in the future? Does Shanahan really think this is going to be an efficient duo for multiple years? I just don't see that happening. It was time to cut ties with Portis, but now they are stuck with a troubled running back with a huge ego, and another who is aging with a bad past off of the field.

Ladanian Tomlinson: It's no secret that Ladanian Tomlinson's production has gone downhill since 2006 when he scored 28 rushing touchdowns. In 2006, he averaged 5.2 yards per carry and rushed for 1,815 yards. L.T also had 56 receptions for 508 yards. Now compare that to his 2009 numbers: 3.3 yards per carry, 20 receptions for 154 yards, 12 rushing touchdowns and a career-low 730 rushing yards. That's a statistical plummet. But that's what has been happening as star running backs age - they deteriorate. They reach their prime for two, maybe three years and then that's it.

But that doesn't mean teams shouldn't consider him as a backup. L.T, on the right team, could prove to be useful. The Vikings, Eagles, Saints and Jets have all expressed some interest. L.T as a secondary running back on any of those teams could be a good fit. But it's not like L.T makes any of those teams that much better. Let's say the Saints sign him so they have L.T, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Yes, that sounds amazing. But would it really make a huge difference with all of the weapons already in New Orleans. No chance. The same goes for the other three teams. Signing L.T is basically saying - "Sure. Why not?"

Willie Parker: It was recently reported that Tampa Bay has no interest in free agent running back Willie Parker. The Redskins seemed interested in Parker last week, but not as much as Larry Johnson. So I started thinking: Why would any team be interested acquiring Parker as a starter? The former Steeler hasn't really been relevant in the NFL since 2007 when he rushed for 1,316 yards, but fractured his right fibula on the first carry of the last game of the season against the St. Louis Rams.

Parker has been extremely inconsistent ever since then. In 2008, he only scored five touchdowns and three of them were in the first game of the season against the Texans. He also missed five games and only rushed for over 100 yards four times in the regular season. He turns 30 in the middle of the 2010 season and he was rarely used in 2009. Since when do running backs get better as they get older? His only real claim to fame was his historical touchdown-run in Super Bowl victory over Seattle. One play. That's it.

It's not like he has a lot of potential anymore. Parker has never been a major impact player. People have always said he will eventually be amazing, but his time ran out. He is a backup at best at this point in his career. Sorry Willie. At least he has two Super Bowl rings.

The Jets may have made the AFC Championship Game this past season, but their regular season record was 9-7. If they want to take the next step they have a number of holes to fill on the team.

They started off the off-season by trading for Antonio Cromartie, filling their need of a number two corner to play opposite Darrelle Revis. However, there is still plenty of work to be done.

Primary Needs

Defensive End

Shaun Ellis is no spring chicken and will turn 33 before next season starts and Marques Douglas, also 33, is currently an unrestricted free agent, who is drawing some interest around the league. Mike DeVito is a nice backup, but would be stretched as a starter.  Even if they do end up bringing Douglas back, the Jets need to get younger along the defensive front.  I expect them to give Jared Odrick a long look in the first round.

Outside Linebacker

Calvin Pace is locked into one of the starting jobs, but the Jets are in need of a pass rushed to play opposite of him.  They thought they had one in Vernon Gholston, who they drafted with the 6th pick in 2008, but he has shown nothing in his two years.

The Patriots are expected to release Adalius Thomas soon and many expect the Jets to sign him.  He and Rex Ryan go back to Baltimore, where Thomas posted his best numbers.

Safety

The trade of Kerry Rhodes left a hole at safety for the Jets.  Eric Smith is a good third safety and spot starter, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with him starting 16 games. The Jets could look at free agency to fill the hole with targets being O.J. Atogwe and Brodney Pool among others.  They could also address the need via the draft.  If they drafted a safety, I would prefer they use a middle round pick because spending a first or second round pick on a safety after trading away your starter for a fourth round pick seems counterproductive.

Secondary Needs

Wide Receiver

The Jets are set at their starting wide outs with Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery.   They could use a good slot receiver though. Adding another receiver will only help the development of Mark Sanchez as the Jets start to open up the playbook more.

There are rumors of the Jets bringing back Laveranues Coles and also many mock drafts have had the Jets taking a receiver, most notably Golden Tate or Jordan Shipley, who I think would be a great fit as a slot receiver.

Cornerback

While the Jets did trade for Antonio Cromartie, you can never have too many good cornerbacks.  The Jets learned this first hand in the AFC Championship Game, when the Colts receivers repeatedly burned their backup corners.

Adding a cornerback to play in dime packages to keep Drew Coleman off the field and possibly challenge Dwight Lowery for nickel duties should be a priority for the Jets.

Running Back

While the release of Thomas Jones paves the way for Shonn Greene to take over as the feature back the Jets still could use another running back. Leon Washington is coming off a serious leg injury and Shonn Greene got nicked up a few times during his rookie season. You need two backs in today's NFL and if either Greene of Leon go down the Jets are in trouble.

Offensive Line

The Jets have one of the best offensive lines in the league, but a few of the starters are getting up there in age. Alan Faneca and Damien Woody can't be counted on to keep up their level of play for much longer and the Jets don't have adequate replacements on their roster.

What is it with the BURGERS this week?......are there any other BURGERS that got into a taste of trouble this week in the State of Georgia?

Come on there Big Ben.... First it was driving a motorcycle with NO HELMET and running into a vehicle, then getting charged civilly with sexual assault in Lake Tahoe. NOW you get you pop up in the news with an incident involving a 20 year old girl in a dirt floor bar (just kidding about the dirt floor).

Did you really think that the South Georgia girls weren't smart enough to bust you? Hope you learned your lesson this time. This ole Southern girl even says she has evidence against you. I wonder what that could be.... Did you spill a little mayo..... while having dinner? I bet you just couldn't help yourself from having a happy ending to your fun evening out with the boys.

We all know you have a beautiful home not far from Milledgeville, Ga. in nearby Lake Oconee and I am sure they have some nice plush hang outs for all the responsible people living in the million dollar community. But....just every once in a while you get the urge to let your hair down, put on a t-shirt that reads, 'Drink like a champion today', round up the boys and hit a small town teenage bar that allows 18 year old girls in...... I understand, it's hard to be a millionaire celebrity and act with the responsibility that comes with it all the time.

I guess it is a good thing you hired Attorney Ed Garland. He is great at his job. He should have everyone telling you they are sorry in a couple of months. Look at what he did for his former clients that had a taste of trouble...

Ray Lewis....when there was blood left on the sidewalks in Georgia and he was accused of being involved he hired Garland and in the end came out smelling like a rose in the courts eyes. Lewis received one year of probation.

Or how about the NHL's Dany Heatley.... He was going in excess of 100 mph in his high tech Ferrari with friend and team mate (after drinking excessively) and wrapped it around a tree killing his friend and teammate. He hired Garland as well and ended up getting 100 hours of community service and even got to perform the community service in Canada.

My guess is that you will have to talk to Tiger Woods or Steve Philips and get some advice on which rehab is best for sexual addiction.

Is Roethlisberger any kin to Mettenberger? Zach Mettenberger is attending the University of Georgia and was in position to be the starting QB this year. Probably not after getting charged with underage drinking, two false Id's and disorderly conduct in another South Georgia town. That's actually 5 misdemeanors.

Most people don't make the best decisions when they are intoxicated but Mettenberger took this one to a new level. He should understand his goals in life and do everything he can to accomplish them. If being the starting QB for a team in the SEC is your goal, you shouldn't get drunk in public and do stupid things; especially don't lie to a police officer. This is not going to sit well with coach Mark Richt who is big on setting examples and understands what leadership is all about.

Memo to all Quarterbacks:

You are the leader of your team.
You are supposed to set the example for your team mates on and off the field
Like it or not, you are held to a higher standard on and off the field
Anything and everything you do will be public knowledge
Do not embarrass your team, University, team, your family or yourself

The college football season is over; withdrawals, depression, misery. Before you slip into an apathetic stupor for eight months, remember that the NFL Draft is just around the corner! From now until April's NFL Draft, I will be profiling some of the more interesting prospects. I can't promise that I'll get to your favorite player, but if you'd like to see a certain player profiled, shoot us an email and let us know.  Here's who we've covered so far.

Now that the Combine is over and we're a few pro days deep, I thought this would be a good time to release the first mock draft of the season. Keep an eye out over the weeks leading up to the draft as things are sure to change...and as always, don't be bashful in expressing your own thoughts about the draft.

Updated 3/11/10

1. St. Louis Rams (1-15) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Personally, if I'm the Rams, I'm taking Ndamukong Suh. And if I'm taking a quarterback, I'm taking Jimmy Clausen. But ESPN's Adam Schefter, after considering all that he's heard around the league and everybody he's spoken to, was willing to say this on February 24: "I believe ultimately, when all is said and done, that the Rams' number one pick on April 22nd, two months from now, will be Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. I'm willing to take all bets on that one right now."

Of course, Schefter is not a part of the Rams organization, but things seem to be leaning towards St. Louis taking the shot that Bradford can be their franchise quarterback. Stay tuned for Bradford's workout on March 25 in Norman, Oklahoma. (He did not participate in Oklahoma's pro day on March 9.)

2. Detroit Lions (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

A lot of people see the Lions' offseason run on defensive linemen (Corey Williams, DT and Kyle Vanden Bosh, DE) as an indication that they will look elsewhere in the draft. Not so. As hard as it is to take seriously anything that NFL coaches or GMs say before the draft, I do tend to believe that Detroit will continue to look at both Suh and Gerald McCoy with this pick. Vanden Bosh seems to like the idea of adding another Cornhusker to the defensive line. He called Suh the "best college tackle I've ever seen."

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Eric Berry is hard to pass up here, but the Bucs, who reverted to a 4-3 defense, will have a harder time passing up on McCoy. Had the Bucs stayed with their 3-4 scheme, it would be difficult to imagine them drafting McCoy as a NT. They may have put him at end in a 3-4 scheme, but McCoy is unproven at the position. Things just seem to work out sometimes, huh?

4. Washington Redskins (4-12) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

There's also the possibility that the Redskins will address their needs along the offensive line by taking Russell Okung. Jason Campbell didn't have adequate time to throw the ball in 2009, but most saw this past season as his last chance to claim the keys to the offense. With a new head coach in Mike Shanahan, look for the Redskins to go another direction at quarterback.

BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock then received a letter dated March 9, 2010 from Hatch and Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) in reference to the legality of the BCS. The letter requests information about the inner-workings of the BCS such as what criteria is used in the computer rankings and what is used to determine which conferences receive automatic bids to play in a BCS game.

The letter also references the BCS's new $500 million television deal and points out that it is "a significant increase over the BCS's recently expired contract." It also points out that under the current contract, teams from privileged, BCS conferences "received more than $600 million over the course of the previous BCS contract, while teams from non-privileged conferences collectively received just over $80 million."

The senators want to know if, since the college football landscape has changed and greater parity exists today than in years past, "distribution under the new contract will reflect these changes in the competitive landscape and whether it will be flexible enough to reflect any such changes during the course of the agreement."

But the dynamic, bipartisan senator duo's written smack down isn't done just yet. They go on, "in an article published in the Fort Worth Texas Star-Telegram, on December 24, 2009, you stated, under the BCS agreement, '[t]he gross revenue for each conference that sends one team to the BCS is approximately $18.5 million.'"

The duo continues, "However, news accounts indicate that both the Mountain West Conference and Western Athletic Conference, both of whom are non-privileged conferences which sent one team to the BCS received only a fraction of the revenue paid to the six privileged conferences that also sent one team. It is also our understanding that this disparate distribution of revenues between privileged and non-privileged conferences sending one team to a BCS game has occurred in each of the four previous instances in which a team from a non-privileged conference has qualified for a BCS game."

Does your team need a Quarterback?

There were twenty-eight free agent quarterbacks and so far only four have signed on with a team. David Carr signed with the 49ers, A.J. Feeley signed with the Panthers, Chad Pennington resigned to back-up in Miami, and Jim Sorgi signed with the Giants after being released by the Colts to back up yet another Manning.......

A reminder about what the designations are and how they work:

UFA (Unrestricted free agent) - Player in uncapped year with six or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired.

RFA (Restricted free agent) - Player in uncapped year with at least three accrued seasons whose contract has expired.

EFA (Exclusive restricted FA) - Player whose contract expires at a time when he has fewer than three accrued seasons.

Franchise - Free agent who has been designated as a franchise player.

Transition - Free agent who has been designated as a transition player.

Released - Vested veteran whose contract has been terminated and can sign with any club.

Here's who is left.....

Looking at some of the Free Agent wide receivers, it's certainly an interesting group.

Terrell Owens - Terrell Owens' tenure in Buffalo is over and just like last year, it is unclear which team is going to take a chance on him. Nobody could have predicted T.O would ever play in a Bills uniform; nobody. Now a familiar question is surrounding him once again. So who the hell would sign him at this point in his career? Bengals wide receiver and founder of OCNN Chad Ochocino has been working hard, trying to persuade his franchise to sign Owens. Via twitter and his brand new news network, he has started an aggressive pursuit for another gigantic ego. Even Carson Palmer has said that signing T.O would make him happy.

It wouldn't be very surprising to see the Bengals interested in T.O. or other receivers in the free agency pool. They just cut Laveranues Coles and now Cincinnati needs a solid receiver to help quarterback Carson Palmer. But T.O paired with Ochocinco? Really?

The way I see it is that there wouldn't be a happy medium in that situation, it would either go very well or horribly wrong. I could easily see Owens battling with Ochocinco on and off the field and I can see him being extremely detrimental to Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer.

On the other side of the coin it could also work out surprisingly well. Ochocinco could be the playmaker and T.O could be used as a solid possession receiver. Both can make plays downfield and both can draw plenty of attention. This is certainly one to watch.

Derrick Mason - Now this is a mystery. Before the Baltimore Ravens acquired receiver Anquan Boldin via trade, they had offered a Mason a two-year deal, but he declined. Apparently Mason wants more money. If I was Mason, I would take what I can get, especially with a winning team that is only getting better.

The 5-10, 36-year-old receiver has been linked to the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans thus far. Mason can still be a solid receiver despite his age and made big plays for the Ravens throughout the 2009 season. I think the Ravens would be wise to try to keep Mason, adding some depth to the position.

Baltimore would then have Boldin, Mason, Mark Clayton and Donte Stallworth - four receivers that would make it much easier for quarterback Joe Flacco to develop faster. He would have plenty of weapons and along with running back Ray Rice. This could truly be a high-scoring offense in 2010. The Ravens haven't had amazing talent at wide receiver in a long time so this is the time to seize the opportunity to greatly help the young quarterback.

The college football season is over; withdrawals, depression, misery. Before you slip into an apathetic stupor for eight months, remember that the NFL Draft is just around the corner! From now until April's NFL Draft, I will be profiling some of the more interesting prospects. I can't promise that I'll get to your favorite player, but if you'd like to see a certain player profiled, shoot us an email and let us know.

Even with all of the hype, Heisman talk and expectations surrounding Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh, Oklahoma's own big man in the middle has not been forgotten. Gerald McCoy is widely considered the second best player in this year's draft and is expected to be drafted sometime in the top five, if not the top two or three.

McCoy may not have Suh's strength, or that of other defensive tackles (23 reps at Combine...I know, I know it's just the Combine and he has long arms), but he makes up for it with impressive block-shedding ability and explosiveness off of the line. He's very aggressive in fighting off blocks which will help him rushing against some of the bigger interior linemen in the NFL.

Don't be fooled, though. McCoy possesses exceptional strength and won't get pushed around at the next level. There may not be anybody in this year's draft who can anticipate the snap and deliver an initial hit like McCoy. His explosion off the snap puts a lot of offensive linemen on their heels right away.

His 6 sacks this past year and 6.5 sacks the year before are impressive for a defensive tackle. Even when he isn't sacking the quarterback he can disrupt the pocket and affect the play.

McCoy won't be a run stuffer at the next level, but he doesn't give up ground in the middle of the line easily and he can get off his blocks to make the play. He has trouble with shiftier running backs, though, and while he has been heralded for his balance and athleticism, he doesn't excel at making cuts to close angles on speedier backs.

McCoy is not a 3-4 nose tackle and won't be used as a two-gap defender. Both McCoy and Suh should play well at end in a 3-4 scheme or at tackle in a 4-3. At 295 pounds (about 10 pounds lighter than Suh) and with an athletic frame, bulk is an issue for some. NFL teams may have him add 10 or 15 pounds if they plan on putting him at tackle in a 4-3 scheme, but he should do just fine at just shy of 300 pounds as a 3-4 end.

Now to McCoy's draft position on April 22. Suh's performance at the Combine has many in agreement that he has solidified his position as the top player in this year's draft. Whether he is taken #1 overall is another story, but most agree that he's passed McCoy as the top DT this year. Still, Scout's Inc. has McCoy as the top prospect in this year's draft so you be the judge.

500 Words Or Less has been on hiatus as we're in the slow season of college football news. Trust me, you know you're in the slow season when THIS is news about coach Jim Tressel..

But I guess you could more accurately describe this period as a transition for seniors and a group of juniors as they prepare to make the leap from amateur to professional. So while this is a time when NFL free agency, the NFL Combine and the NFL Draft dominates headlines, you could say that college football has its hand in the latter two.

Recapping the month in 500 words or less, this is what we learned about the approaching 2010 season:

• The NFL Scouting Combine continues to draw mixed reviews. On the one hand, some despise it. While on the other hand, others don't really care. Nobody seems too thrilled about it. It's been well-documented that success, or lack thereof, at the Combine does not necessarily translate into success on the field. Hell, Taylor Mays may have even been clocked incorrectly in the 40 so how can you trust the spectacle? Anyway, if nothing else, it's a good way to see who stayed in shape after the season and talk to players before the draft.

• In Draft/Combine news, Ndamukong Suh climbed ahead of Gerald McCoy on most draft boards following the Combine (McCoy isn't convinced). Suh was the consensus top prospect before the draft in many minds, but after McCoy managed just 23 reps on the bench press, some are concerned with his strength (even if he does have long arms). McCoy topped Suh in other categories like the 40 and the broad jump. I do tend to agree with XPF's Michael Klopman that the Combine is a bit tired, but it would trouble me just a little that my defensive tackle could manage just 3 more reps than the 170 lbs Dexter McCluster. Maybe it's nothing...McCoy will still go top five and should.

• Lane Kiffin really is making it a family affair at USC. 28 year-old Chris Kiffin will join his brother and father in Los Angeles as a defensive administrative assistant. Kiffin was an offensive intern at Nebraska (Monte Kiffin's alma mater and the school that gave him his coaching start as a graduate assistant and later as defensive coordinator) last season, but he apparently jumped at the chance to work with his father. The Los Angeles Times quotes C. Kiffin as saying, "The No. 1 thing for me was going to work for my father. That's what made it an easy decision for me."

• The Oregon football program is in turmoil, albeit off the field, following a string arrests this calendar year and a couple unflattering accusations. (AS I TYPED THE LAST SENTENCE ANOTHER STORY OF AN ARRESTED DUCK POPPED UP! I WISH I WAS KIDDING/EXAGERATING.) The latest now is Josh Kaddu, a sophomore, who was cited with minor in possession of alcohol early Saturday morning. Apparently things could have been much worse for Kaddu, as he was spotted by police trying to get into a GMC Yukon. The driver of the vehicle arrived a short while later and declined to press charges.

• Kaddu became just the latest Duck arrested in 2010. Linebacker Kiko Alonso was charged with DUI, running back LaMichael James was arrested for domestic violence, kicker Rob Beard was charged with assault, defensive end Matt Simms was charged with simple assault, while quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and wide receiver Garrett Embry were accused of robbery. Neither has been charged. And don't forget wide receiver Jamere Holland's dismissal from the team after a Facebook slight to the coaching staff following Alonso's suspension.

I'd be remiss not to mention running back LeGarrette Blount's meltdown following opening night last season. I'm not one to blame Chip Kelly for his team's off-the-field woes. He's so far handled each incident accordingly: Simms was dismissed from the team, as was Embry (on Jan. 8, two weeks before the alleged incident, for violating team rules according to the team). And, as I've mentioned, Alonso was suspended for the season.