I AM BACK!

A year ago, the Patriots decided Ty Law was overpaid and he ended up leading the AFC in interceptions with 10, earning $6 million in the process. The Patriots paid a combination of Duane Starks, Chad Scott, and Tyrone Poole nearly as much to play not half as well. As business decisions go it wasn't a good one, which is why they're trying to woo Law to return for short money. Unless Ellis Hobbs's exemplary play as a rookie improves, they don't have a shutdown corner. One hope is that Randall Gay, coming off an ankle injury, turns promise into consistent production. Law is leaning toward Kansas City but he's a bottom-line guy, so the best offer will decide where he lands...

The NFL will be holding its annual summer supplemental draft on Thursday later this week. Its been acknowledged for a while that former star Virginia LB Ahmad Brooks, Iowa State DE Jason Berryman and junior college LB David Dixon had applied for entry to this week’s draft, however, long-time NFL draft guru Gil Brandt is reporting over at NFL.com that there are actually 7 players entered in this week’s special player lottery. Joining the original three are two former Texas Longhorns, FB Ahmard Hall and DT Marco Martin, along with UConn DT Craig Berry and North Carolina State WR Richard Washington. Former Cavalier Brooks, though, is the prize in this week’s supplemental draft. Indeed, at this time last year, Brooks was being talked about as a potential top 5-10 pick at the 2006 draft if he were to leave school early. Brooks, though, suffered through an injury-plagued 2005 season and then was booted from the team this winter for repeated violations of team rules. Nobody has said anything publicly, but there have been rumors that Brooks tested positive for marijuana on a number of occasions. Brooks reportedly had also ballooned up to close to 290 pounds this winter, but was reportedly down to around 260 when he worked for NFL teams last month and intends to play in the 255 range this fall. Despite the myriad of red flags, the very athletic Brooks- he has actually run kickoffs back for the Cavaliers on occasion – has attracted plenty of attention from pro teams with San Francisco and Miami reportedly the most intrigued. Brooks, though, has also recently interviewed with a number of other teams including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Green Bay and the Giants. As such, there is speculation that Brooks could go as early as the second round of this week’s draft. Unlike the regular NFL draft, the selection order for the supplemental draft is determined by a weighted lottery. Teams are grouped into three groups: teams that won less than 6 games in 2005; other non-playoff teams; and the playoff teams. The order within each group is then determined by a weighted lottery with teams with the worst records having the best chance of having the first pick in each group. The draft is then conducted by teams interested in a player indicating which round they would take that player. The player is awarded to the team indicating the highest pick in the highest round. That team then forfeits its pick in that round at the 2007 draft. There should also be more than passing interest in several of the other players at this year’s supplemental draft. ISU’s Berryman, for example, is a potentially explosive tweener edge rusher; the 6-1, 235-pound Berryman, who 7.5 sacks last fall, also leads the league in off-field troubles; indeed, he spent a year in jail a couple of seasons ago. For his part, LB David Dixon is a very good athlete with sub-4.5 speed, but he never played D1 football because of academic limitations. Meanwhile, UConn’s Berry, at 6-5, 325, has NFL size, although he lacks the athleticism to figure as a more than a RT prospect; while Texas FB Ahmard Hall is a potentially useful lead blocker, although he’s not overly big at just 5-11, 235. On the other hand, DT Martin, the other former Longhorn in this week’s draft, has all the tool’s that NFL teams are looking for in a stud DT including size (6-3, 300) and 4.7 speed, but the one-time star recruit never played much at Texas. Same for NC State WR Washington who isn’t very big (5-10, 170) or fast....

Raven stable after stabbing
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens10jul10,0,2380239.story?coll=bal-sports-football