NFL Notes: Seattle Weighing Brandon Marshall Conundrum

When the Denver Broncos attached a first-round tender to Brandon Marshall (and not the more expensive first- and third-round compensation price), they basically were announcing to the rest of league, "Come and get him!"

Considering the number of Round 1 receivers that have been busts, a first-round draft choice to avoid investments (both organizational and financial) like David Terrell, Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, Reggie Williams, Michael Clayton and Troy Williamson seems beyond reasonable. Especially for a player with three straight 100-catch seasons -- which is nearly 100 more than the aforementioned dirty half-dozen, all high first-round selections, have combined for the last three years. The front offices of established teams that have a need at receiver and are picking late in the first round (Cincinnati, Dallas or the New York Jets come to mind for a example) should be having the Marshall discussion.

But personnel types and coaching staffs are talking about some statistics that don't appear on the back of Marshall's football card, also. His track record as a malcontent has been well-documented in the media. His track record for arrests on disorderly conduct, drunken driving and domestic violence issues (with two different women, by the way) has been well documented by the authorities.

This risk-reward with Marshall is something teams, specifically the Seattle Seahawks, are toying with right now. The Seahawks have two first-round picks, the sixth and 14th, in the April 22 draft and need a big-time wideout.

Signing Marshall, who turns 26 this month, to a RFA offer sheet would require surrendering that sixth choice, but the Broncos might be willing to talk about a deal for the 14th (which was theirs to begin with, by the way); maybe even less. New Seattle head coach Pete Carroll, who has a reputation for dealing well with players, might provide the kind of environment conducive to keeping Marshall reigned in. Plus, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates worked with Marshall in Denver before joining Carroll at USC. The Seahawks, though, don't figure to be very good next season, and divas like Marshall don't handle losing very well.

Decisions, decisions.

Standing pat and getting a receiver high in the draft is certainly an option. Take last year's highly touted rookie wideouts. There's got to be another a Darrius Heyward-Bey or Michael Crabtree waiting, right?

SETTING UP KAMP(MAN) IN FLORIDA

Jacksonville's newest Jaguar arrived in town Monday. The first question at Aaron Kampman's news conference focused on how the defensive end ended up there.

"Look outside," Kampman said. "It's 70 degrees."

Better answer: "Look at the tape. They run a 4-3."

The hiring of Dom Capers as defensive coordinator in Green Bay last year basically greased the departure of Kampman, the Packers' best pass rusher since Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. Kampman, who had 54 sacks over the last five seasons, including a NFC-best 15 1/2 in '06, was moved from rush end in a 4-3 to outside linebacker in Capers' 3-4 scheme. The fit, particularly in pass coverage, was not good. Kampman's production fell to 3 1/2 sacks in '09 before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in late November.

Kampman, 29, is progressing nicely in his rehab and figures to be full go by training camp. Given a chance to criticize the Packers' use of him, Kampman took the high road and focused on his opportunity to return to the position he's most comfortable as a Jag.

"I like to look forward," he said. "There are a lot of nuances at outside linebacker. I'm a guy who likes to work on his craft and hone it down to the minutest detail. I was doing seven-on-seven in practice rather than one-on-ones. Normally when I break down film, I look at offensive tackles and I study them to the T, but [at outside linebacker] I had to break down receivers and running backs. It was a more difficult transition in that sense, and then just being out there in a two-point rather than a three-point stance; different launch angles and how you rush, where you load from, these type of things.

"So I'm excited to put my hand back on the ground; very excited. I have a fire burning to do that."

QUICK SLANTS

-- The Packers reportedly offered OT Chad Clifton a deal that included a $5 million bonus to keep him out of the free-agency pool last week. That number quickly ballooned to $7 million once the open bidding began. Some figured it was because Washington jumped into the sweepstakes, but it may have had just as much to do with Green Bay brass seeing Julius Peppers (Chicago) and Kyle Vanden Bosch (Detroit) suddenly appear in the NFC North. Those two, plus Jared Allen (Minnesota), make blindside protection for Aaron Rodgers all the more pivotal. ...

-- David Carr to the 49ers. Watch out NFC West. ...

-- Speaking of the Bears and their headfirst dive into free agency, they've already laid claim to the coveted "Lombardo Trophy." It's the offseason version of the winning the big one (that usually goes to the Redskins), which also translates to being champions of nothing. The $121 million in contracts that went to Peppers, RB Chester Taylor and TE Brandon Manumaleuna, in time, may prove significant. For now, they warrant the prize named after Guy rather than Vince. ...

-- If Michael Vick, somehow, ends up in St. Louis in the next five weeks, it'll restore some normalcy to draft speculation. The Rams would have their quarterback and pick of the two marquee defensive tackles, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy, and resume in earnest the debate on where the first quarterback will be taken. Washington (No. 4)? Seattle (No. 6)? Cleveland (No. 7)? Buffalo (No. 8)? ...

-- On the subject of those quarterbacks -- specifically, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen -- we're still several weeks away from seeing their first passes (in public) since undergoing surgery. They better be worth waiting for. ...

-- Ben Roethlisberger meet Tiger Woods. OK, so it's not that bad -- yet -- but even one of his hometown sponsors is worried about the image hit Big Ben has taken with his latest off-field incident; a second charge of sexual assault in less than two years. "It's troubling," Ty Ballou, president and chief executive officer of Pittsburgh-based PLB Sports, told USA Today. "You want the offseason to be quiet. You have to put yourself in good positions. And Ben unfortunately hasn't." Ouch. ...

-- And one final word on diva receivers. It comes from Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson, who asked Cincinnati QB Carson Palmer to weigh in on his team's purported interested in Terrell Owens. Palmer checked back via text: "If any qb can deal with extravagant wrs, it's me."