Tuesday afternoon news roundup.

Warren Off the Market

The Broncos traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Raiders yesterday. Warren was a starter both years for the Broncos, but with them changing to a two-gap system, Warren was the odd man out. Denver had been shopping him around, and was going to release him had a deal not been made.

The pick in the deal is a fifth-rounder, and is contingent on whether Warren actually makes the team. And, considering Oakland’s depth at DT, that’s not a certainty, and even if he does, he may be buried on the depth chart unless he can really impress.

Warren would have been a nice option to help fill the Cowboys’ depth needs at DT, because he’s a tackle that likes to penetrate and get to the ball. But, a trade would have been a hard sell, given both the Broncos’ needs and what Dallas would likely want to hold on to. If he’d been released, then there’s a good chance Dallas would have pursued him, though Washington and Indianapolis were mentioned as the teams that were definitely interested in signing him.

But, there’s no telling how his mindset is after the way things ended with the Broncos, so it may well have worked out for the best.

Crybaby?

Following some comments by Broncos safety John Lynch that the Cowboys supposedly broke the preseason code of ethics by playing too aggressively, there’s been a response from a fellow safety, as reported here.

“”He has his thoughts on things, but it’s football and that’s how it’s played: at full speed,” Cowboys free safety Ken Hamlin said. “We’re going out to get ourselves and this defense better. We’re going out like it’s the real deal.”

And, Jason Ferguson echoed his teammate’s sentiments.

“Sometimes you have to see how those blitzes look,” Ferguson said. “[Lynch] saw a lot of guys flying around blitzing, but all you have to do is look at Wade Phillips’ defense — period.”

You could understand Lynch’s comments, to a point, but only a small one. But, come on John, you can’t get mad just because your opponent’s just trying to run their scheme and do what they have to do to get ready for the season, just like your team is (or at least should be). I’d expect the same from Denver. There are, of course, certain things that you shouldn’t do in a preseason game that could potentially hurt someone, but the Cowboys didn’t cross the line in that respect.

Besides, coming from a guy who’s made his living playing without limits (and has gotten in trouble for it on more than a couple of occasions), it seems pretty silly to even say anything.

RB Controversy?

Based on Marion Barber III’s impressive performances in the first two preseason games, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is running a poll today on whether Barber or current starter Julius Jones should start, or if it should be a combination of the two. Right now, the voters seem to think that it should continue to be a steady diet of both, with that accounting for nearly half of the votes. It is worth mentioning though, that of those who have voted for one of the two, Barber has more votes.

More on Vick

Opinions are differing on Michael Vick’s post-prison situation. Some, like MSNBC.com’s Michael Ventre, say that Vick deserves a lifetime ban. Others, like the DMN’s Jean Jacques Taylor, say that Vick deserves another shot at the NFL once he gets out of the pen.

I said yesterday that there’s a pretty good chance Vick will return to the NFL, given how forgiving it has been in the past. But, in the end, it’s up to commish Roger Goodell to make that decision. At this point, we don’t really know how forgiving of a person Goodell is, or what the initial punishment from the NFL will be. It could be that Goodell will have his suspension run along with his prison sentence, or he may hold off on starting his suspension until after he’s out. And, while that suspension, whatever, and whenever it is, won’t be any less than a year or more, and there’s the chance that Vick could be banned for life. It might sound excessive and unforgiving, but it’s not out of the question.

We’ll know more after Vick’s plea hearing and sentencing, which will take place next Monday in Richmond, VA.

Also, the Chiefs and RB Larry Johnson have finally ended their stalemate by agreeing on a five-year extension. Johnson will now be paid $45 million over six years, including a guaranteed $19 million. I’ll take a few mil of that, thank you very much, Larry.

And, the Eagles have cut LB Jeremiah Trotter. He’ll find a home before long, I’m sure. He’s only 30, and is still racking up tackles like he has been all of his career, so some team with a need is going to pick him up.