Around the NFL

Will Plax be in uniform for the 2009 NFL Season?

It appears as though Plaxico Burress and his legal team have exposed some loopholes that could allow Plax to play in 2009.  It's such a predictable travesty and only further displays the sad exemption of athletes from the standard legal process.  We can only hope that NFL Executives conspire to not sign Plax and make an example of him; however, that's not likely to happen and there are probably a slew of teams waiting with their fingers crossed for Plax's status for the '09 season to be confirmed.  Although Plax expressed desire to play for the Dolphins, Miami kindly said no-effing way, and it now appears as though the Bears may be the frontrunner for his services.  Obviously, any team who signs him will boost their receiving corps, but will also take on plenty of media heat.  Plax also has a long, storied history of not practicing and disappearing in games; however, a team like the Bears on the cusp of becoming a contender need to take the risk, especially with a talent like Burress.

Brian Westbrook underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle yesterday, but is expected to be ready for the regular season.  A specific date for Westbrook's return is unknown, and while missing training camp might not be a catastrophe for a seasoned veteran like Westbrook, there's no doubt it will hurt the Eagles' offense and it could create some bumps in the road early in the regular season.  2nd-round draft pick LeSean McCoy should take over for Westbrook during his absence, but this is not good news for Andy Reid who could be fighting for his job this season.

To no surprise of anyone, Joey Porter has opened his mouth.  Feeling a bit disrespected by all of the "Patriots' Talk", Porter sent a reminder out to the rest of the AFC East stating that "the AFC East comes through Miami" and "we're the champs until proven otherwise".  It's nice to see some offseason fire coming from, well, anywhere, and especially Joey Porter.  It should be interesting to see how the AFC East plays out this year with 3 and possibly 4 (if you want to consider the Bills a legitimate contender) contenders showcasing Tom Brady's return, Mark Sanchez's debut, and the Dolphin's overlooked roster.