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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
The Saints have yet to contact free agent Marques Colston about a contract extension.
Given the Saints' cash outlay, they'll likely have to choose between re-signing Colston or free agent LG Carl Nicks. GM Mickey Loomis has a history of managing the salary cap and keeping home-grown talent, so it's not unrealistic to think Loomis could find a way to bring one or both back.
Saints RE Will Smith has a $1 million roster bonus due on March 27.
Smith is also due a $7 million base salary, and his 2012 cap number is over $10 million. Now entering his age-31 season, Smith registered 6.5 sacks, 35 tackles, and two forced fumbles in 2011. The numbers aren't terrible, but certainly fall well short of elite and New Orleans was gashed by the run throughout the season. We wouldn't be surprised if Smith was a cap casualty.
The Cincinnati Enquirer suggests Robert Meachem and Mario Manningham as free agent receivers likely to be on the Bengals' radar.
Beat writer Joe Reedy doesn't see free agent Jerome Simpson returning "unless he wants to be the fourth receiver." Meachem and Manningham will draw plenty of interest as second-tier vertical threats for teams that can't afford high-end receivers such as Vincent Jackson or DeSean Jackson.
ESPN's Bill Williamson speculates that the Raiders will show interest in free agent CB Tracy Porter this offseason.
Porter had his best years in the league when current Raiders head coach Dennis Allen was coaching DBs in New Orleans. Oakland had all kinds of trouble at right cornerback this past season, rotating Chris Johnson, rookie Demarcus Van Dyke, and finally Lito Sheppard at the position. It's the same spot Porter played in New Orleans. He also has the ability to cover the slot.
ESPN's John Clayton reports Drew Brees' agent Tom Condon is "baffled" by how slowly long-term contract negotiations have been going with the Saints.
The talks have been moving at a snail's pace ever since they began in August, but will have to pick up soon if the Saints hope to avoid wasting the franchise tag on Brees when it could be better used on someone like LG Carl Nicks or Marques Colston. Whether it's under the franchise tag or a new long-term deal, it remains a certainty Brees will be back with the Saints in 2012.
Drew Brees was voted as the Associated Press' 2011 NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
In addition to breaking Dan Marino's single-season passing record, Brees set league records for completions (468) and completion rate (71.2 percent) in 2011. Of the Associated Press' 50 total votes, Brees earned 43, with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers finishing a distant second with seven. Rodgers, of course, made up for the "loss" by smoking Brees 48-2 in MVP voting.
Saints FB Jed Collins finished the 2011 season as Pro Football Focus' top-rated lead blocker in the league.
Collins is best known to fantasy leaguers for vulturing four short-yardage touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) from Mark Ingram et al, but he was a battering ram for New Orleans. The Saints' team yards-per-carry average leaped from 4.0 (22nd in the NFL) in 2010 to 4.9 (fourth) in 2011. In terms of all-around performance, Pro Football Focus rated only Vonta Leach higher among fullbacks. Leach got an All-Pro nod. Collins got nada.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.