successfully completed his one-year suspension for repeated violations of the NFL's substance abuse program and is eligible for reinstatement. Williams, who turns 30 next month, must go before the Commish after his files are reviewed before anything can be happen. Hmmm, if the Cowboys were willing to work out Trung Canidate, who has not played the past two seasons, would they even consider . . . naw, they wouldn't, or, uh, would they? . . . .
And let's see, one trade rumor just won't die: Houston, which denies having any interest in this, trading the 10th pick to Denver for the 21st spot in the first round and then some . . . . Neither will the notion of Washington swapping picks in the first round with Chicago, the Redskins' sixth for the Bears' 31st and linebacker Lance Briggs. Sources are now saying there is a 50-50 chance of the deal being consummated on draft day . . . . Now we're hearing how Detroit might be trading out of the No. 2 spot so Tampa Bay can move up from No. 4, presumably for Calvin Johnson. Probably means the Bucs don't feel comfortable about staying put to land the Georgia Tech wide receiver at No. 4 for fear of someone else trading with the Lions to land Johnson . . . .
Now here is a name to remember over the weekend: Walter Thomas, and if you catch yourself saying, "Who?" don't feel bad. Ol' Walter, from Galveston, Texas, played for Les Miles at Oklahoma State as a freshman, but apparently didn't study much, flunking out before his sophomore season began. He went off to Northwest Mississippi Junior College in Senatobia, Miss., but played in only two games there before getting arrested on a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and never played another down of football. But get this, Walter is 6-5, 370 pounds. Yes, a nose tackle. He can bench 475 and squats 800. He ran a workout 40 recently in 4.9. And the dude can do a standing front flip - and land on his feet - thank goodness. In a recent NY Times piece, the head coach at Northwest Mississippi says, "The guy is a dadgum Russian gymnast." Hey Jerry, take a shot. You got three sevenths . . . .
And let's conclude with more trade talk. Maybe Buffalo indeed wants out of No. 11 if guys it covets are gone. One would be linebacker Patrick Willis. The other? Well, if Peterson slips by Houston. Imagine that, the Texans passing on Vince Young one year and Adrian Peterson the next? Nawwww . . . . Might the Raiders really be shopping Randy Moss? Wonder what you would get for him? Maybe they are, too . . . . And then there is Minnesota, which everyone figures will take Peterson, talking to teams about trading out of No. 7. Could the Cowboys . . . look, here's the deal. The No. 7 pick is worth 1,500 points on the value chart. The Cowboys' 22nd pick is worth 780. My subtraction tells me that's 720 points the Cowboys would have to compensate the Vikings, and maybe some more for good measure if anyone remembers the Herschel Walker deal up there. If the Cowboys gave them their second, third, fourth and fifth, they'd still be 75 points short - like a mid-fourth. Maybe next year's? That would be a heavy bundle now . . . . Lot cheaper to stay put.
OK, have fun Saturday, and don't get your feet wet.
