There’s no questioning the Miami Dolphins have added some nastiness to their offensive line with Wednesday’s signing of guard Richie Incognito.



They’ve also injected a healthy dose of confusion into the locker room.

Jerome Davis/Icon SMICertain Dolphins players are confused why the team brought in a player with penalty issues like guard Richie Incognito.

Three Dolphins players I’ve spoken with since the team signed Incognito to a one-year contract expressed intrigue over the move. In general, they like his ability and versatility. But the players claim Incognito’s arrival undercuts what football operations boss Bill Parcells and head coach Tony Sparano have preached about character since they took over the team.



“I think he’ll make our line better,” one Dolphins player said. “But I don’t get it. What he represents goes against everything they’ve been telling us.”



Not acting like a buffoon long has been a hallmark of a Parcells organization. Sparano doesn’t put up with on-the-field shenanigans either. Players who can’t control themselves are asked to turn in their playbooks.



Yet the Dolphins are introducing a player onto their roster whose career is infamously based on personal fouls, blowups and fines.



Incognito committed 11 personal fouls in less than four seasons with the St. Louis Rams. They waived him in December after a game in which he committed two personal fouls and got into a sideline confrontation with head coach Steve Spagnuolo.



The NFL fined Incognito $50,000 for his actions in that game. League disciplinarian Ray Anderson sent a letter to Incognito to inform him the next transgression could lead to a suspension.



Remember how Buffalo Bills linebacker Kawika Mitchell reacted via Twitter when they claimed Incognito off waivers in December?

“BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT THIS YR. THE GUYS A BUM. DIRTY AND ALWAYS WILL BE. REALLY WISH I WAS PLAYIN RITE NOW. SERIOUSLY… I KNO WE’RE N NEED OF OLINE BUT THIS GUY …”

The reaction of Dolphins players I spoke with wasn’t nearly that strong, but it was in the zip code.



The Dolphins have prided themselves on being a clean team. The Dolphins committed 68 accepted penalties for 640 yards last year. Only three teams had fewer accepted penalties and were assessed fewer penalty yards.



Incognito was whistled for 10 accepted penalties for 115 yards. His accumulated transgressions would be 18 percent of the Dolphins’ entire team.



The Dolphins need help on their interior line. They’ve been on the lookout for depth at guard for two years.



Left guard Justin Smiley is a clear-cut starter when healthy, but he has missed 13 games over the past three seasons with leg and shoulder injuries. Right guard Donald Thomas has immense potential but lost his starting job to Nate Garner with the season on the line in Week 14, days before the Dolphins put in the waiver claim for Incognito but lost him to the Bills.



Incognito didn’t ingratiate himself to the Bills in his short time with them. Their new front office declined to tender a qualifying offer, forfeiting their restricted free agency rights to him.



The Dolphins must believe they can keep Incognito in check.



Personnel men and coaches routinely are convinced, even though others failed previously, that they can fix a problem player. Parcells and Sparano have a better shot than most. Parcells has a track record, and Sparano’s roots are as an O-line coach.



Incognito has been apologetic about his past misdeeds and has professed a desire to keep his emotions under control.



In the locker room, however, players are skeptical about the decision and wonder about the mixed message.

If there is a bigger X factor on offense in the AFC South for 2010 than Titans tight end Jared Cook, I’m not sure who he’d be.



As a rookie, Cook dazzled us with his post-draft, training camp and preseason work. His height, speed and athleticism made him look to be an impossible matchup as a route runner. He looked like he would plug in and be the team’s second most dynamic offensive weapon, behind only Chris Johnson.



Then he suffered an ankle sprain and disappeared. Tennessee got nine catches for 74 yards out of him in 14 games, and the word out of team headquarters was his confidence plummeted and he did nothing to force the Titans to get him on the field.



“He needs to become much more consistent week to week if he’s going to play for us,” offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said this week. “He has to be more consistent in everything before he can play.”



And how much do you need to know what a consistent Jared Cook can bring?



“Oh, a tremendous amount,” Heimerdinger said. “Hell, I don’t even know who our team is besides C.J.”



It’s unsurprising that a gruff coach like Heimerdinger would be unenthusiastic about his group in March as he prepares to prod them into improving and sets about refining the schemes in which people are deployed.



But Cook has the potential to make Heimerdinger a happier man. He also has the potential to make the Titans look bad. They traded their second-round pick this season, No. 48 overall, to New England in order to snare Cook with an extra third-rounder, No. 89, last year.



And Tennessee has a lot of needs, so a lot of people, Cook included, will be acutely conscious of how the trade will ultimately measure out. Some want to jump the gun and judge Cook a failure after one season, but it’s far too early for such conclusions.



“I’m aware,” Cook said. “I know I just have to do what I do best. Definitely it’s a chip on my shoulder, so as long as I put in hard work, everything is going to be all right.”

(Read full post)

Falling



Sabby Piscitelli, safety, Buccaneers. Last season, the Bucs went out of their way to clear the way for Piscitelli to move into a starting role. After a year-long view of that, they’ve got Piscitelli on the move again. This time, he’s headed for a backup role and a job as a regular on special teams. The recent signing of veteran Sean Jones pretty much guaranteed that. Jones has been a dependable and productive starter elsewhere and the Bucs didn’t bring him in to be a backup. Piscitelli will be fine, running down kicks and punts. The guy has great raw athletic skills and that’s why the Bucs got the idea last year he could play. Problem is, the athletic skills were overshadowed by the fact Piscitelli has virtually no football instincts and that’s why he was beaten repeatedly as a safety.



Rising



Tyler Brayton, defensive end, Panthers. Carolina let Brayton hang out there in free agency for nearly two weeks. He got a few nibbles, but Wednesday he re-signed with the Panthers in a move that made a lot of sense for the player and the team. With Julius Peppers gone, the Panthers are counting on young defensive ends Everette Brown and Charles Johnson to step. Each has the potential to do that, but there are likely to be some bumps along the road. That’s where Brayton comes in. He’s never been a dominant player, but he’s solid and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He can help mentor Brown and Johnson. In a best-case scenario, they both play well and Brayton is used as the third end in the rotation. In a worst-case scenario, one of them stumbles and Brayton has to start. Brayton’s as good as a lot of starters out there.

Falling



Baltimore Ravens defensive line: Two key free-agent losses in the past week have drastically hurt depth on Baltimore’s defensive line. Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards signed deals recently with the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills, respectively. The two were key reserves in the rotation with Baltimore’s stout unit. Without them, the Ravens are currently looking very thin behind starters Trevor Pryce, Kelly Gregg and Haloti Ngata. Look for Baltimore to replenish its depth via the NFL draft, where there are a lot of quality prospects on the defensive line who can fill the roles Bannan and Edwards left.



Rising



Pittsburgh Steelers special teams: Pittsburgh went on an unusual signing spree last week in free agency and most of it was aimed at improving special teams. The Steelers’ return and coverage teams were below average last season, and it was an under-the-radar reason the team fell to 9-7. Enter receiver Arnaz Battle, safety Will Allen and receiver Antwaan Randle El. This trio should help Pittsburgh’s special teams in 2010. Battle and Allen were solid in coverage and Randle El, a former Steeler, may help with punt returns. With a top-five defense and an explosive offense, improving special teams would patch one of Pittsburgh’s few glaring weaknesses.

Falling



Small offensive linemen in Indianapolis: The Colts have added guard Andy Alleman and tackle Adam Terry, two players who weren’t tendered as restricted free agents by their teams. The bulking up on the line is probably not complete, and that means shuffling and potential benching of guys who don’t run-block as well as the Colts would like. Things look particularly grim for Mike Pollak and Tony Ugoh, second-round picks who weren’t starting and now see newcomers with more size arriving.



Rising



Jason Babin, DE, Titans/Eagles: No, he’s never been consistently productive. But here he is with a one-year, $1 million offer sheet from the Titans, awaiting word on whether Philadelphia will match. If it doesn’t, he gets to work with one of the league’s better defensive line coaches, and Jim Washburn helped turn Kyle Vanden Bosch, Tony Brown and Dave Ball from reclamation projects into productive players. This is likely the last chance for the journeyman, and it’s got to feel good to be wanted.

Falling



Starting quarterbacks. Expect the Seahawks, Cardinals and 49ers to say good things about their starting quarterbacks this offseason. But also understand that Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Leinart and Alex Smith face increased competition after their teams acquired Charlie Whitehurst, Derek Anderson and David Carr. Hasselbeck and Smith are entering the final year of their contracts. Leinart’s contract balloons in value after the upcoming season, so his future will need to be addressed as well. In each case, these teams have taken steps to protect themselves at the most important position. It doesn’t mean their current starters are on their way out. It does mean the current starters need to be looking over their shoulders.



Rising



Backup quarterbacks. Whitehurst, Anderson and Carr all have contracts for the 2011 season. That is more than their teams’ starters can say (Leinart’s deal does extend to 2011, but the Cardinals will likely have to rework it or release him after the 2010 season). What the Seahawks paid for Whitehurst says they want him to become their starter for the 2011 season, or possibly sooner. Hasselbeck’s recent injury problems — nine games missed in 2008, followed by an injury-altered season in 2009 — put Whitehurst in good position to claim playing time this season. Anderson and Carr have played more extensively than the starters ahead of them. Anderson could need some decompression time after a rough run in Cleveland. Carr has already had time to regroup. He played relatively well in spot duty for the Giants.

Falling



Favre conspiracy theories: Can we all agree it’s pointless to suggest that quarterback Brett Favre somehow dropped the ball on recruiting free-agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson? And that the uncertainty of Favre’s future actually played a role in Tomlinson’s decision to sign with the New York Jets? In my mind, it’s simple: Tomlinson went to New York because he’s going to play more there. If anything, I’m betting Tomlinson is guessing Favre will play in 2010. Because if he doesn’t, the Vikings are likely to revert to their run-heavy scheme — one that almost certainly would have a significant role for a backup tailback. “Favre’s indecision hurts Vikings” makes for a good headline, but there’s no meat on those bones.



Rising



Matthew Stafford, Detroit quarterback: Stafford is close to being fully healed from the knee and shoulder injuries that limited him to 10 games in his rookie season. He reported to the Lions’ offseason conditioning program as the team’s unquestioned starter and has also taken up residence as a locker room leader and representative. Team officials have looped him into their offseason plans, asking him for opinions and even inviting him to make recruiting calls to free agents. “I think they know that I know a lot of guys in the league and personnel pretty well,” Stafford said. “It’s fun to be able to help out a little bit.”

Falling



Donald Thomas, Dolphins right guard: He lost his starting job to Nate Garner in Week 14. A few days later, the Dolphins put in a waiver claim for right guard Richie Incognito but were trumped by the Buffalo Bills. On Wednesday, the Dolphins signed Incognito to a one-year deal. Incognito is versatile enough to play other spots, but his presence doesn’t seem to bode well for Thomas.



Rising



LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets running back: The former face of the San Diego Chargers went from unemployed and coming off his worst season to landing in the backfield of the NFL’s top rushing team. Tomlinson will line up behind an exceptional offensive line that has started the same quintet 37 games in a row and features Pro Bowlers at center, left guard and left tackle. It’s a glorious opportunity for Tomlinson to show he still can be a force.

Falling



Kyle Orton, Denver quarterback: The Broncos’ trade for Brady Quinn doesn’t mean Orton’s run as the team’s quarterback is over. But it isn’t a vote of confidence for Orton, either. The Broncos obviously would like to see Quinn, who struggled in three seasons in Cleveland, figure it out and become a solid quarterback. There is no timeline for Quinn to take over, but Denver clearly sees something in the 25-year-old slinger. Again, Orton is not in immediate trouble, but teams who are completely sold on their 27-year-old quarterbacks usually don’t trade for younger ones.



Rising



Bruce Gradkowski, Oakland quarterback: Gradkowski is going to battle JaMarcus Russell to be the Raiders’ starting quarterback. Gradkowski signed his restricted free-agent tender Monday (during a time in which many restricted free agents are staying away from their teams) and was in attendance for the first day of the team’s offseason workout program. Russell was not there Monday, but he showed up Tuesday in better shape than he was last year. Still, Russell has a lot of work to do to catch up to Gradkowski. He was preferred by Oakland offensive players last year when he replaced Russell and the fact that he signed his tender and will be with the team all offseason shows he ready to pick up where he left off last season. While other restricted free agents are staying away around the league, Gradkowski is determined to beat out Russell.

Falling



Marcus Spears, Cowboys defensive end: If he signs his tender, he’ll make less money in 2010 than two backups at defensive end, Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher. The Cowboys only gave Spears a first-round tender and it doesn’t look like they’re interested in giving him a contract extension. If Spears had been an unrestricted free agent, I think he would’ve generated some interest on the open market. He actually played well for the Cowboys in 2010. But he’s obviously discouraged at this point and I think the Cowboys would be willing to trade him for a third-round pick. Spears has been a solid presence in the locker room, but apparently Wade Phillips thinks that Bowen and Hatcher are about to surpass him. We’ll continue to monitor Spears’ situation throughout the offseason.



Rising



Howie Roseman, new Eagles’ general manager: I think it was smart to lock up fullback Leonard Weaver and wide receiver Jason Avant early in free agency. Why take a chance on someone trying to sign them to an offer sheet. I also think that Saints restricted free agent Mike Bell could be an excellent change-of-pace back to LeSean McCoy. The Eagles need someone who can convert in goal-line situations. The Super Bowl aside, Bell has been a solid runner at the goal-line and he could help the Eagles in other short-yardage situations. I also think Marlin Jackson was a good risk at free safety. He’s a 26-year-old player coming off an ACL injury. There’s certainly a risk involved, but he’ll end up being a steal if he can restore order to the position opposite Quintin Mikell. And no matter who made the decision, it was time to move on without former Pro Bowler Shawn Andrews. Now we’ll continue the quarterback watch. If the right deal comes along, I think Roseman will want to take a long look. With Andy Reid having final say, it’s hard to know who’s pulling the trigger on these deals. But from what I’m hearing, Roseman’s been very assertive in his new role.