Broadside Sports

Chris Demarco, Staff Writer

5. The Uncapped Year
The National Football League and the NFL Player Association’s Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in March, and with that comes an uncapped year. What this means is that there will be absolutely no salary cap, much like what Major League Baseball has. What could come of this problem is many top-tier free agents will demand more money than they probably deserve because they know they can get it with no salary cap.

What we could see is a team that is not afraid to spend a lot of money (a la the Washington Redskins) on these free agents. Some teams, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, have already stated that they will use a self-imposed salary cap so they can keep a level playing field.

Hopefully, some sort of agreement will be made to prevent an uncapped year from happening.

4. What Will Mike Shanahan and the Redskins Do?
The Redskins are coming off another horrible season in which they went a pathetic 4-12. They fired Head Coach Jim Zorn and hired Mike Shanahan, assuming that he will be their savior. With a possible uncapped year, will owner Daniel Snyder open up the checkbook and spend his team’s problems away, which he seems to believe actually works? Will they keep or cut quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Clinton Portis? In what direction will Shanahan want his team to go in the draft? Maybe they will use the number four pick on quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford of the Oklahoma Sooners and essentially start over.

3. Big Names, Different Places?
A lot of premier players could possibly find themselves in different situations next year. Defensive end Julius Peppers, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, is the prized free agent who could end up anywhere from the Redskins to the New England Patriots. Home-wrecking wide receiver Terrell Owens will be looking for a new home, and could end up with the Cincinnati Bengals. If the San Diego Chargers decide to part ways with future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, where will he possibly go? Teams like the Redskins could come calling. Could the Philadelphia Eagles part ways with running back Brian Westbrook after eight injury-plagued seasons? With other top free agents, like linebackers Karlos Dansby and Keith Bullock, the league is in for a very aggressive offseason.

2. The Eagles’ Quarterback Situation
The Eagles have a problem that all the other teams in the league wish they could have. In Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and the unproven Kevin Kolb, they have three quarterbacks who could start. Many NFL insiders believe that the Eagles will listen to any offer, and will probably trade away at least one or two of their quarterbacks. Vick wants to start, and the Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams have expressed interest in his services. Kolb is believed to be the heir-apparent in Philadelphia, but could end up being the quarterback of the future somewhere else, with the Cleveland Browns aggressively pursuing. Then there is the greatest quarterback in Eagles history, McNabb. Head Coach Andy Reid says that McNabb will be the starter next year, and all signs at this point seem to be staying that way.

1. Will He Stay or Will He Finally Go?
The annual “Will Brett Favre Retire or Continue Playing” saga, part 10, has begun. It is the same old story every offseason. It seems like Favre is going to come back, but he probably will not come to a decision until, at the earliest, before the April draft. He also may keep us in suspense until the beginning of the preseason. We can only wait, and with ESPN running out of content, it is going to be a top story for the next couple months.