James re-signed with the Cavs to a three-year $60 million dollar extension.  Both he and Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat were set to sign 5 year, $80 million dollar deals like Carmelo Anthony, but their agents’ were very smart here.  The salary cap goes up every year, thus in four years they will be able to be offered alot more cash than they would have been paid.

It’s still fantastic news for Cavs fans, as the King will be around to get the Cavs a championship…..or four!

Jackson is pushing Northcutt for a starting position this off-season.  Jackson has looked really good and has the size the Browns have been looking for as they re-build their team with a more physical style.  At 6’3″, 217 pounds, Jackson gives Frye another huge target until Braylon Edwards returns.  Jackson also has a big arm, as he was a QB at Western Illinois.

Jackson has played 31 games in 4 years.  He has caught 40 passes for 490 yards and one TD.

The Browns really have a lack of experience at the quarterback position.  The whole roster only has 18 games of NFL experience, and 15 starts.  First on the depth chart is local hero Charlie Frye from the University of Akron.  In his five starts last season, he led the Browns to a 2-3 record and kicked Trent Dilfer out of town.  Frye completed 59.8% of his passes for 1,002 yards with four TDs and five interceptions.  His 72.8 quarterback rating will need to improve in order for the Browns to remain competitive.  In signing LeCharles Bentley and Kevin Shaffer to help the pass protection, it should give Frye enough time to survey the field as he was sacked 22 times last season.

Ken Dorsey, acquired from the SF 49ERS for Trent Dilfer, was an outstanding college QB at the University of Miami…..but that hasn’t converted into much success at the NFL level.  Dorsey has appeared in 11 games and started 10 of them.  He has completed 54.1% of his passes for 1,712 yards.  Dorsey has 8 TD passes and 11 interceptions in his career.  Dorsey also has been known to have a weak arm, which can really hurt him late in the season in the AFC North.

Derek Anderson, signed from Baltimore’s practice squad last season, is a very green NFL QB.  He has no experience and will experience a battle in Training Camp with undrafted rookie Darrell Hackney from UAB.  Hackney was projected by many to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round of the draft.  Hackney has a very strong arm and has put up huge numbers in college.  Hackney played in 41 games at UAB, 38 of them he started.  He threw for 9,886 yards in college with 71 TD passes and 33 interceptions.  He could be quite a find and push his way onto the roster.

so far so keep your fingers crossed.  Winslow is running so well that the Browns are considering using Heiden and Winslow at the same time with Winslow playing receiver.  Winslow is developing a good bond with QB Charlie Frye both on and off the field.  Winslow is such at difference maker that I’m calling for him to be playing in the Pro Bowl this season.

For his comeback from a serious knee injury last season.  I find it curious that it’s going to take Edwards almost a whole season to recover, but Carson Palmer is trying to do it in nine months.

The Indians of 2006 might be looking on giving up this season and looking to have a fire-sale.  Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Indians should have re-signed Bobby Howry and Kevin Millwood.  With the Tribe sitting at 37-43, 18 games behind the TIGERS and 15 1/2 games out of the wildcard….it may be time to trade everyone whose last name begins with a B.  Belliard (.291, 7 HR, 37 RBI), Aaron Boone (.253, 4HR, 32 RBI), Casey Blake (.304, 10 HR, 36 RBI), Ben Broussard (.329, 10 HR, 38 RBI) and Paul Byrd (6-5, 4.10 ERA) seem to be the most likely players to be traded. 

This is very depressing for an Indians fan after last season when the team showed so much promise.  Hopefully if the Indians go the re-building route they can make up for some horrible trade they made when they were contending…..namely……Kevin Seitzer for Jeromy Burnitz, Ricardo Rincon for Brian Giles, Bob Wickman for Richie Sexson, Dave Burba for Sean Casey.  All of those trades give me a gigantic headache, because the Indians gave up all that talent and still didn’t win a World Series.  If they would have won at least once those trades wouldn’t hurt so bad…..but they didn’t.