| ProFootballWeekly.com asked
contributing editor Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the news around the NFL. 
Green re-signs with Packers
RB Ahman Green, Green Bay’s leader in rushing (1,175 yards) and receiving (73
catches) last season, signed a one-year deal worth $1.1 million to remain with the
Packers.
Profootballweekly.com: Can you break down Green Bay’s running back battle?
Buchsbaum: Basically, it’s Ahman’s job to lose. Green has great speed, seems
to be on the way up and closed last year strong. Dorsey Levens can’t seem to stay
healthy anymore. Since he got his new contract, all he does is get hurt.
Redskins sign Donnell Bennett
Former Chiefs FB Donnell Bennett agreed to a one-year deal with the Redskins for the
veteran minimum of $477,000. Bennett played in just seven games last year and started only
twice, but he figures to have a good shot at winning the starting job in Washington.
Buchsbaum: Bennett is a guy who may be their fullback and played for Marty
(Schottenheimer) in Kansas City. Marty let (FB) Larry Centers go, and (backup) Mike
Sellers signed with the Browns as a free agent.
Vikings compete at RB
Profootballweekly.com: Can you analyze the competition for the starting RB job
in Minnesota between rookie Michael Bennett, Doug Chapman and Moe Williams?
Buchsbaum: It’s just a question of when Bennett gets it because he’s the guy
they have picked for that job. Moe Williams is just a journeyman. Chapman’s a
versatile, all-purpose guy who was injured most of his rookie year. But Bennett’s the
one with special qualities.
Lane released by Patriots
Buchsbaum: The Patriots’ release of OL Max Lane was no big deal. He’s a
journeyman offensive lineman who can play guard and tackle. He’s versatile enough
that a club may pick him up as an eighth lineman at a minimum cost. However, the fact the
Patriots are going to have to still pay him close to $2 million against the cap for this
year indicates how absurd the contracts that the previous regime gave the players they had
were. In his best days, Lane was an average starter. He’s more a guy you were always
trying to replace, and yet they were paying this guy a contract that was averaging around
$2 million a year and still has years to run. This shows you why they’re in the mess
they’re in.
Modrak's future
With regard to (director of football operations) Tom Modrak’s future in
Philadelphia, he still has not heard anything from (Eagles owner) Jeffrey Lurie. He wants
very much to stay in Philadelphia, he likes the area, he likes the team, he likes most of
the people he’s working with and he feels they really have the program going in the
right direction. All those things seem to be very true, and it’s just incredible that
a guy can turn a team around in two years and possibly be on the way out while still
wanting to be there. It seems incredible to me that the Eagles could ever let that happen.
People say that Lurie and (executive vice president) Joe Banner have made their mistakes
and learned from them, but letting Modrak go would be an indication that they haven’t
learned and still think they are the geniuses that know everything.
Early reports on Vick's minicamp performance
In the Falcons’ minicamp, Michael Vick really did run under 4.4 on some watches.
Some had him slightly over. He was a little bit heavy and wasn’t in really good
shape, yet his athleticism was the talk of the camp. As a passer, he’s got a gun for
an arm, but his mechanics were poor and his accuracy was poor. He really struggled, and
the general feeling now is they’ll use him a lot like Kordell Stewart was used his
first couple of years in the league.
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