It wouldn’t seem right, having the Pro Bowl teams announced without more than a few players getting the cold shoulder, so it goes without saying that this year was no different than the previous ones in that regard.

There were plenty of no brainer picks to go along with all the snubs delivered this evening, and while it’s impossible to invite everyone who deserves it to the dance, the NFL once again left a multitude of players scratching their heads and wondering just what the hell they have to do to don their conference’s colors in February.

With that in mind, here’s how the roster turned out this season… we’ll break down all the players that deserved to get in and didn’t, along with those that did get an invite but don’t belong in a follow up tomorrow.

Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts in the comments thread!

Starters at each position are in bold

As of right now, it’s looking as though the league and the player’s association are set to enter next season without negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, which would entail an uncapped season and many potential free agents having to stick around with their current club.

That said, all of our free agent analysis content is based on both sides coming to an agreement at some point prior to the free agency period beginning, and once that is no longer possible, we will update the lists to reflect the situation.

Top Free Agent Defensive Ends

1. Elvis Dumervil – Denver (UFA)

Dumervil has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers this season, leading the league in sacks with 17 headed into the final week of the season. Because of that, there is almost no chance that the Broncos will even allow him to sniff free agency, either by locking him up long term with a major deal, or by using their franchise tender on him. That said, the possibility of him escaping to another club is certainly there, however slim, and as such he earns the top spot on this list.

Likely destinations: Denver, Kansas City, Green Bay, New England, Baltimore, New York Jets, Cleveland

2. Julius Peppers – Carolina (UFA)

Peppers was close to hitting the open market last year, but the Panthers miraculously found a way to sign their other key free agents and use their franchise tender on him to keep him in the fold. This year could be different though, especially in light of the needs Carolina has to fill, and having the extra cash to do it will be a priority. If Peppers does find himself free to shop himself around to teams, there’s little doubt he’ll be a hot commodity, with an outstanding career and plenty of talent to back his reputation up. He has expressed a desire to switch to a 3-4 defensive scheme, which opens the door for a team in search of a rush linebacker.

Likely destinations: Carolina, New England, Kansas City, Cleveland, Green Bay

3. Ray Edwards – Minnesota (UFA)

With big money in short supply, Minnesota could potentially have some difficulty keeping Edwards around this off-season, as he is young and capable of playing at a high level in the right situation. The sack totals haven’t been as spectacular as most fans would prefer, but much of that is due to the Vikings having so much talent along the defensive line that everyone ends up sharing in the success. Teams in need of a solid 4-3 DE should be interested in acquiring his services and he could be a nice bargain in comparison to the other premier players likely to be available.

Likely destinations: Minnesota, Philadelphia, New York Giants, Oakland, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Chicago

4. Kyle Vanden Bosch – Tennessee (UFA)

The Titans would be wise to keep Vanden Bosch in the fold this off-season, as they truly have no one capable of stepping into his shoes next year if he leaves town. That said, they may decide to go with a cheaper and younger option via the draft, and another team could swoop in to claim Vanden Bosch instead. His sack totals have been lackluster this season, but there’s no denying the talent is there and if he can play next to a solid defensive tackle, there’s little doubt that he’ll return to playing at a high level.

Likely destinations: Tennessee, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington, New York Giants, Seattle

5. Aaron Kampman – Green Bay (UFA)

Kampman struggled tremendously this season with the switch from his natural 4-3 DE position to the new 3-4 rush LB spot he was asked to undertake by defensive coordinator Dom Capers. As such, Kampman may find his value to be less than he would prefer, and a big contract isn’t likely to be forthcoming. Then again, teams may look at this past season as an aberration of sorts, and take a risk on bringing Kampman in by paying him a healthy salary, especially if they’re in need of an upgrade in their pass rush from the traditional defensive end position.

Likely destinations: Chicago, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington, Seattle, Green Bay

Other Notable UFA Defensive Ends

• Johnny Jolly – Green Bay
• Marcus Spears – Dallas
• Adewale Ogunleye – Chicago
• Mark Anderson – Chicago
• Derrick Burgess – New England
• Philip Daniels – Washington
• Ryan Denney – Buffalo
• Jarvis Green – New England
• Leonard Little – St. Louis
• Reggie Hayward – Jacksonville
• Jevon Kearse – Tennessee
• Travis Kirschke – Pittsburgh
• Anthony Montgomery – Washington
• Chike Okeafor – Arizona
• Darryl Tapp – Seattle

With the regular season coming to a close next week, I wanted to take a look at how the strength of schedule for this season breaks down, especially with several teams vying for playoff positioning and several others in line for top five draft picks.

The percentages are calculated by adding up the total wins and losses for each team’s opponents through week 16 of this season. I will update this list next week following all of the week 17 contests, and then use it to finalize the main portion of the draft order for 2010. The order will be finalized prior to the Super Bowl in February.

When asked, many players will tell you that having a first round BYE in the playoffs means a lot after slogging through 17 weeks of football. The rest and extra practice can often make a difference in how well a team plays in the post-season.

But if given the choice, those same players would be almost unanimous in their preference for having home field advantage throughout the playoffs and getting the coveted rest during the first round. The only problem is that there’s just one team that gets that right and after Chicago pulled off the unthinkable tonight in their 36-30 overtime victory over the Vikings, New Orleans took home the honor.

Minnesota had plenty of opportunities to win the game last night, with quarterback Brett Favre putting on an aerial display yet again, in spite of the frigid conditions. But unfortunately for the Vikings, their special teams and defense let them down once again, and instead of preparing for a huge game next week where a win would guarantee home field advantage, Minnesota is now forced into hoping for an Eagles loss in Dallas to ensure a first round BYE with the #2 seed.

As for the Saints, they couldn’t be more ecstatic right now, given the horrible way they’ve handled their business over the past two weeks, and should rest their starters next week for most of the game in Carolina. Having a chance to play two games at home in front of a raucous crowd in New Orleans for a Super Bowl trip is huge for this team, as they feed heavily off the energy their fans give them in the Superdome.

The stage is set for Philadelphia to snatch some much needed rest and practice time if they can take care of business on the road in Dallas on Sunday, which is likely to be a fairly daunting task in light of what’s on the line for the Cowboys. A win for Dallas gives them the NFC East crown and a home game in the playoffs, plus the potential for a BYE if several elements fall into the place. A loss pushes them to the bottom of the heap in the playoff picture and a major challenge to win three straight playoff games on the road to get to the Super Bowl. The Eagles on the other hand, have their future in their hands and can guarantee a BYE with just one more victory, so they’ll likely be firing on all cylinders from the start.

Having an exciting end to the regular season is what every fan wants this time of year and all in all, it’s beginning to look like the NFC side of things will not fail to impress anyone with several high powered offenses geared up for a run towards the all important #2 seed.

Technology has made it easy on everyone these days, with phones that do almost anything and news at our fingertips 24/7 thanks to the power of the internet.

That notion apparently isn’t lost on Baltimore quarterback Troy Smith, who took trade requests to a new high (or low depending on how you see it) today with a post to his agent’s Twitter account stating in no uncertain terms that they have demanded that Smith to be traded this off-season. Smith is currently stuck on the Ravens bench behind the team’s franchise QB Joe Flacco, and seeing as that isn’t likely to change anytime soon, the former Ohio State product wants out in the near future.

Smith has done well in the limited playing time he’s received, and given his collegiate resume, which includes a Heisman Trophy, it’s understandable that he would want to be playing for a team that can give him a legitimate shot at the starting role. That said, using a tweet to convey your demands isn’t exactly the most professional way of doing business, and while it is likely that a  more traditional method of communication has been used as well, letting the whole world know what’s going on won’t exactly endear them to the powers that be in Baltimore.

Smith could be of interest to teams in need of a quarterback this off-season and with the potential he’s shown thus far, someone may even be willing to cough up a draft pick to get him. Then again, with an uncapped year looming and the free agent market looking to be one of the slimmest in recent memory, teams are likely to hold on to their draft selections tightly, and a trade for Smith may not be forthcoming anytime soon.

After his less than surprising dismissal from his job at Notre Dame last month, Charlie Weis was seemingly a hot commodity around the NFL, with rumors flying all over the place putting him in jobs from Chicago to Kansas City and back again. As of late though, the opposite has been true, with Weis staying quiet on any potential landing spots and teams refusing to discuss the possibility of bringing him in next season.

All of that changed this morning, after WIVB-TV in Buffalo, NY reported that the Bills have contacted Weis in an effort to see what his interest would be in taking the team’s head coaching position this off-season. The team apparently initiated the contact discreetly through back-channel methods as opposed to calling Weis directly, so it remains to be seen if the interest in him is actually sincere.

That said, there is little doubt that Weis would listen intently to any offer the Bills have for him, as he is not likely to receive a head coaching opportunity elsewhere in the league any time soon after his disastrous run with the Irish in South Bend.

The interest in a coach like Weis with an excellent offensive pedigree would seemingly indicate that the powers that be in Buffalo are intent on focusing their efforts towards that side of the ball first, and could be enticed into bringing in a quarterback during the off-season that has worked with Weis before. The most likely candidate for that approach would be Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn, who is a candidate for a trade or release in the off-season after several disappointing seasons with the Browns.

Just minutes after his team had finished off one of the most shocking comebacks of the season in beating the Saints in overtime 20-17, Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris did his best to quash any talks of him being fired in the off-season and replaced by former Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher.

We brought you that story earlier today, discussing the possibility of Cowher heading south to coach the Buccaneers.

According to Jim Flynn of the Pewter Report, Morris was asked almost immediately about the Cowher rumors upon entering the press conference in New Orleans, and quickly made it clear that he feels he will be the coach in Tampa Bay next season.

“I have a great relationship with my owners. The thing I know about those guys is they didn’t hire me last year in a meeting. The thing I know about these guys is I’ve had a seven-year relationship with them. They interviewed me for seven years, and I’ve been around these guys. So, I’m pretty sure if I was getting popped, fired or whatever you want to call it, my owners would come tell me like men because that’s who they are and that’s what they want to be. I’m sure Bill Cowher [wants this job]. Everybody wants this job – it’s the best in football. I want it, too.”

– Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris

Obviously the decision on who will be roaming the sidelines next fall in Tampa will not be made by Morris, but rather by the Buccaneers ownership group and front office, and it is entirely possible that they could decide to pull the plug on Morris in favor of bringing a superstar coach in like Cowher. But given the relationship with the powers that be in Tampa that Morris mentioned, the chances of a firing anytime soon seems to be  remote, at least for the time being.

As always, we’ll keep you posted when more information becomes available.

For some time now, former Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher has been rumored to be headed back to the sidelines next fall. Those rumors were kicked up a notch today, as multiple sources are reporting that Cowher’s interest in becoming a head coach once again are sincere, and he has been piecing together a potential staff to call on when he does find a new home.

Cowher has been out of the NFL since 2007, retiring from the Steelers one year after their surprising Super Bowl run during the 2005-2006 season. The current head coach in Pittsburgh is Mike Tomlin, who delivered a second championship this decade to the Steel City last January.

Many have speculated that a run towards the head coaching job in Carolina would be Cowher’s preference, but with the Panthers making a late push this season against several quality opponents, the current resident in that position, John Fox, seems to be a likely candidate to return next season. That has left the door open for Cowher to take a job with the Panthers division rival in Tampa Bay, as rookie head coach Raheem Morris may not have a chance to coach beyond this season.

Nothing seems to be certain at this point, and given Cowher’s enjoyment of his current gig with the NFL Today show on CBS it is possible that he could stay off the field next year and in the broadcast studio instead. That said, the pieces are beginning to fall into place for Cowher to make his triumphant return to the league next season and whether it’s in Tampa Bay or somewhere else, the team that is lucky enough to lure him into their organization will benefit from his excellent coaching ability from day one.

All of us here at NFLNR would like to wish you a happy and safe Christmas this year… we couldn’t do this without you, our loyal readers, and while we’re on a break right now, enjoying the holiday season with our friends and families, we’ll be back very soon to bring you all of the latest news and rumors you crave.

Until then, enjoy the snow falling on the site… here in Minnesota we have plenty of it outside, so sharing it seemed like the best thing to do today!

Thanks again and happy holidays… cheers

The NFLNR staff – Chris, Kris, and Phil

Over the past two seasons, Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams has asserted himself as one of the league’s premier offensive weapons, rushing for over 2,600 yards and 25 touchdowns. He’s also become a leader in the locker room, pushing his teammates to be better and leading them by example on the field.

But all of that could become a moot point if the Panthers decide that their other needs are too great to address without parting with one of their star players in an effort to obtain the draft picks necessary to upgrade other positions. According to Darin Gantt of the Rock Hil Herald, Carolina is likely to discuss this topic in depth over the coming weeks leading up to the free agency period and eventually the draft, setting the stage for a potential deal to be made next spring.

The most important of those needs is clearly at quarterback, where Jake Delhomme has aged rapidly and deteriorated even faster. His backup Matt Moore seems to be a nice player, but there are still significant questions as to whether he’s capable of being the permanent starter in the future. And seeing as the Panthers are currently lacking their first round pick after trading it away last season to San Francisco for the right to select defensive end Everette Brown, getting a good quarterback in next year’s draft seems unlikely at this point.

Trading away Williams would not be without its pitfalls, as he is a proven commodity at the running back spot, and losing him may cause a drop in production for the Panthers offense. That said, any trade of Williams would be mitigated by the presence of fellow running back Jonathan Stewart, who is equally dangerous and capable of handling the lead rusher role by himself if need be.

Any deal involving Williams would likely have to bring back a solid return, given his age (26) and production, eliminating many teams from consideration. A trade of a mid to late first round pick and a third round selection would probably be enough for the Panthers to move Williams, as that would give them the ability to obtain multiple players to fill positions of need without having to sacrifice any of their remaining picks.

All things considered, a trade of Williams this off-season isn’t in the cards just yet, but depending on the Panthers evaluation of Moore and Delhomme going forward, they may choose to move fast in using Williams to obtain the chips they’ll need to upgrade their depth chart, and move on with Stewart in the leading role.

What do you think? Should the Panthers trade Williams for picks? React in the comment section!

Over the past three weeks, it’s become fairly obvious that the relationship between Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre and head coach Brad Childress has started to deteriorate, seemingly reaching a low point at the end of last Sunday’s game in Carolina when Childress lashed out verbally at Favre in the locker room.

But much to the dismay of many a Vikings fan, the dispute between the two sunk even lower this morning, with a new report from ESPN’s Ed Werder hitting the wire. Citing sources close to the team, Werder paints a less than rosy picture of the current situation in Minnesota, with the foundation of the Childress-Favre spat coming from a disagreement on the use or non-use of audibles on the field.

Favre has made it clear over the span of his 19 year NFL career that he prefers having the ability to check in or out of any play as he sees fit, and while Favre’s track record would seemingly indicate that success tends to follow, Childress apparently disagrees, so much so that he purposefully leaves Favre out of offensive game planning during the week leading up to games.

For his part, Favre has thus far refused to get into a war of words with Childress via the media in Minnesota, choosing instead to stay focused on defeating a terrible Chicago Bears squad next week in the cold at Soldier Field. A win would go a long way towards locking up the #2 overall seed in the NFC playoffs, which ensures a first round bye and a home game in the divisional round.

It remains to be seen if Childress will back down somewhat to keep his quarterback happy throughout the remainder of the season, but he would be wise to do so, as the fortunes of his team are tied for better or worse to Favre’s arm, and a Super Bowl run could be in the balance.

The Philadelphia Eagles clinched a playoff spot with their win last Sunday, but they know they still have work to do. Their running game is currently ranked 19th in the league, and while running backs LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver have done an admirable job over the past few weeks, having Brian Westbrook back would be huge for this offense.

Both Weaver and McCoy are averaging over four yards per carry, and have done a nice job picking up the slack since Westbrook suffered his first concussion against the Washington Redskins on October 26th. Another key injury is to rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who has four touchdowns and is averaging over 13 yards a reception.

“My feeling when you have great players is that helps you a little bit more. We’re not going to get worse with Brian Westbrook coming back. He adds to that flexibility.”

– Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid

The Eagles remaining schedule includes Denver and Dallas, which if they can win both, will give them great momentum into the playoffs. If the playoffs started today, the Eagles would be playing the Cowboys at home in a wild card game. However, to clinch the NFC East, the Eagles need a win and a Dallas loss or tie, or a tie and a Dallas loss. In the first Eagles/Cowboys matchup, the Eagles lost 16-20.

Donovan McNabb has become a quarterback that has proven he is capable of winning a Superbowl, but he has yet to have a team around him that has enough to get him there. He came close back in 2005 when the Eagles lost a heartbreaker in the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots, and propelled his team to the NFC Championship last year, only to lose to Arizona.

Given the way they’re playing right now, anything is possible for the Eagles, and it may be McNabb’s best shot at taking home a ring in his illustrious career. Having all of his weapons intact and ready to play will only better his chances of making it happen.