Rookies already making noise
While it's too early to tell how much of an impact will be made by big-name rookies such as quarterback Alex Smith (who begins the season as Tim Rattay's backup in San Francisco), running back Cedric Benson (who has yet to report to the Bears), and running back Cadillac Williams (who has been decent for the Bucs), some have made emphatic first impressions.
Here's a look at a few:
Demarcus Ware and Rob Petitti, Dallas: Looks like Bill Parcells has an outstanding draft class, and though he won't give Ware a lot of praise (despite a sack, an interception, two forced fumbles, and three tackles vs. Seattle last week), he has to be gushing inside over this playmaker. Parcells is using the kid much the way he used Lawrence Taylor. Petitti is a sixth-round pick who at the moment is starting at right tackle. ''He reminds me of younger linemen I've had, like Jumbo Elliott, Jason Fabini, Max Lane," said Parcells. ''Guys who didn't have it all together at the start, but their game came together very early into the regular season."
Lofa Tatupu, Seattle: This 6-foot, 238-pound middle linebacker out of Southern Cal, the son of former Patriot running back Mosi Tatupu, has been stellar so far. He has not officially won the job over Niko Koutouvides, but he appears to have the edge. Tatupu is showing the same intensity he did in college, giving the Seahawks' linebacking corps a huge infusion of youthful exuberance.
C.C. Brown, Houston: This sixth-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette is neck-and-neck for the starting safety job with Glenn Earl, who has missed time with a separated right shoulder. Brown thought he'd be just a special teams player, but according to coach Dom Capers, ''I think it's a very good competition. C.C. has stayed on the field, he's worked, and he's made a lot of improvement." Though he was beaten on a 70-yard bomb against Oakland in an exhibition game, he's also given Capers a lot of reasons to trust him.
Barrett Ruud, Tampa Bay: Jon Gruden is enamored with this second-round pick out of Nebraska, who has done a nice job in exhibition games at middle linebacker. Ruud won't likely be among the top three starters, but Gruden said, ''You never know what can happen during the course of a season."
Matt Jones and Chad Owens, Jacksonville: Most of the attention is on Jones, who made a sensational one-handed grab over the middle with the first team in a 23-7 loss to the Falcons. Jones, who is 6-6, has seven catches for 148 yards (21.1-yard average) and has come on after some questions about his speed. Owens, who at 5-7 is almost a foot shorter than Jones, has opened eyes with his speed and quickness as a receiver. Owens made a big special teams error when a ball bounced off him inside the 5-yard line and went out of bounds in a loss Thursday, but he can catch the ball.
Brandon Jones, Tennessee: This receiver is excelling in Norm Chow's new offense. He's working well with Steve McNair and looks to be the real deal.
Darrent Williams, Denver: The Oklahoma State product is one of three cornerbacks picked by the Broncos at the top of their draft. So far, he has been better than Karl Paymah of Washington State and Domonique Foxworth of Maryland. Williams started in place of the injured Champ Bailey in the first two exhibition games and acquitted himself quite well. He appears headed for a role in the nickel package.
Logan Mankins and Ellis Hobbs, New England: Mankins, the last pick of the first round, seems to have taken well to the right guard job. His ferocity hasn't come out yet, but as he develops more confidence and gets into the heat of regular-season games, that will happen. Hobbs has been impressive on kick returns but has given up some plays as a corner.
Marlin Jackson, Indianapolis: This speedy, physical cornerback gets plenty of practice against some of the best receivers in the game (Marvin Harrison, Brandon Stokley, and Reggie Wayne). The kid has been sensational, which bodes well for the Colts, who hope to build their defense through the draft. A minor hip injury kept him out of last night's game against Denver.
Derrick Johnson, Kansas City: Scouts who have seen the former Texas Longhorn middle linebacker feel he's on his way to being an All-Pro. He has great quickness and covers the entire field.
Marcus Johnson, Minnesota: The 6-6, 321-pound guard from Ole Miss has already been named a starter.
Odell Thurman, Cincinnati: The second-round pick out of Georgia, who is starting at middle linebacker, has been very impressive blitzing the quarterback and stopping the run.
Seymour will see more money
There's been a lot of speculation about exactly what enticed Richard Seymour to end his holdout. According to NFL management documents, the Patriots were a little more generous than has been reported.
The Patriots basically tore up Seymour's old contract and gave him a deal that includes a $1.7 million signing bonus while keeping his salary at $2.8 million for 2005 and $5 million for 2006. Those salaries were enhanced by escalators totaling $5.5 million that Seymour earned in his rookie contract that will be disbursed over the final two years.
The signing bonus, for cap purposes, was prorated over two years and added to the remaining proration of his original signing bonus. All told, Seymour's total pay this season will be $4.5 million.
Seymour said his agent, Eugene Parker, has not begun any talks with the Patriots on a long-term deal. Seymour appears content with the deal for the time being, but if he makes the Pro Bowl again, next season's $5 million salary might not be enough.
Seymour doesn't believe the layoff from minicamp to the opening week of training camp set him back far.
''I'm just trying to get myself in game shape," Seymour said. ''I feel like I'm in good shape and by the time the season rolls around, I think I'll be just fine. It's a matter of getting out there and playing and getting a feel for it again to get ready for what we hope is a long season."
Ex-Patriot DBs seem to have the division covered
Tebucky Jones was amused when it was mentioned to him that three former secondary mates in New England are now dispersed around the AFC East: Lawyer Milloy in Buffalo, Ty Law in New York, and Jones in Miami.
''I don't think we ever saw that coming," Jones said. ''I saw Ty and Lawyer at my house down here over the winter. Ty lives right around the corner from me, and Lawyer happened to be over and we all hung out for a day.
''It's always great to see those guys. We were all pretty close when we played up there. I think we all found out that the NFL is a business and we ended up other places. But we're all pretty happy to be playing in the NFL. We all won Super Bowls and we all want to win one for our new teams."
Jones doesn't speak much about his New Orleans experience. He led the Saints with 115 tackles last year (according to the coaching stats) but was traded to Miami, where new coach Nick Saban wanted someone who could adapt to his defense.
''There are similarities with Nick and Bill Belichick, but there are a lot of differences too," Jones said. ''This defense is really complex like New England's, where players do a lot of different things, but the terminology is different here than what it was in New England.
''I think the guys who have played here are excited about it because they get to do different things.
''I think our defense is jelling. I think the guys on defense are excited about it. There are a lot of new players here trying to mix in with the players who were here and a new coaching staff. This is such a football-crazy area. We can create some excitement around here. I think it's going to be a lot of fun."
Etc.
Silence is golden
Chad Brown is now up to snuff on how things work with the Patriots. After spending a generous amount of time with a few reporters during last Tuesday's locker room session, Brown suddenly popped up from his seat and said, ''I think you guys know how it is media-wise around here, so I think I've already said enough for the day. He [Bill Belichick] doesn't want to read any more quotes from me."
A Pittsburgh stealer?
Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton found it amusing that he got his new long-term deal while receiver Hines Ward staged a 15-day holdout before returning to camp with a promise only of more negotiating. Hampton signed a five-year, $22.75 million contract that includes a $6.975 million signing bonus. ''Everybody worried about him and I just snuck in through the back door and got mine," Hampton joked. ''There wasn't a lot of attention on it. That made it easier to get because all the concentration was on him." Hampton, a Pro Bowler in 2003, missed six weeks of last season with a torn ACL.
Mourning a friend
Steelers rookie guard Chris Kemoeatu was a Utah teammate of the late Thomas Herrion in 2002 and 2003. He received news of his friend's death with a text message from one of the Utah coaches. Herrion, 23, collapsed after a game in Denver last weekend. The cause of death has not been determined for the 6-foot-3-inch, 310-pound guard. ''This is hard, but now it's in God's hands," said Kemoeatu. ''I don't know what happened. He was pretty healthy. I don't think he was on anything medical-wise. He wasn't the type to go out. He didn't drink or smoke or anything like that. It's just hard, you know."
Policies are hazy
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL does not have an anti-hazing policy, even after the ugly incident with the Saints in 1998 when Cam Cleeland suffered a serious eye injury when he was struck in the face by a bag of coins and Jeff Danish crashed through a window. Aiello said individual teams have their own policies. In the case of the Patriots, we know that rookies submit to crazy haircuts but we don't know if anything else goes on behind closed doors. Reading High School principal Tom Ryan and athletic director Phil Vaccaro expressed concern in this space last week over the publicity the Patriots received for their antics, because hazing is illegal at the high school and college level in Massachusetts. Forty-four states, including all six in New England, have laws against hazing. We doubt that rookie hazing has helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls, and they could set a great example by putting an end to it.
No guarantees
It goes to show you how heavily slanted the league is in ownership's favor when Minnesota's Matt Birk is willing to play in pain all season if the team guarantees his $4 million salary for 2006 -- and the Vikings say no. Birk instead will have hip surgery, even though he had been cleared to play with just painkillers. The Vikings' answer shouldn't surprise anyone, even though Birk is a guy who has left it all on the field throughout his career. Smart guy that he is (he went to Harvard), Birk decided he might as well take care of himself and not risk a future debilitating condition.
Long and short of it
Betus.com lists Oakland's Norv Turner (3 to 1), the Jets' Herm Edwards (5 to 1), and Kansas City's Dick Vermeil (6 to 1) as the favorites to be fired in the AFC, while Belichick, Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher, and Miami's Nick Saban are the long shots at 25 to 1.
Party time
ESPN's Chris Berman will MC the Patriots' Charitable Kickoff Gala at the Fidelity Investments Clubhouse at Gillette Stadium Tuesday. The Ron Burton Community Service Awards, presented to a player who has done the most in philanthropic endeavors, will go to Troy Brown and Cleveland Browns guard Joe Andruzzi.
Back in the Pack
When Green Bay's Mike Sherman signed his two-year extension last week, it made him the 12th-highest-paid coach in the league, according to management sources. Sherman, 53-27 in the regular season, basically retained his $3.2 million yearly salary, though he lost his GM duties last season.
Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report. 
