I think, talent-wise, it's hard to argue against the Cowboys being the most talented team. But they were the most talented team last season in the NFC, and look where it got them. I don't care much about the fact that they haven't won a playoff game since Bill Cinton's first term. I just think this club has a potential combustability about it that scares the daylights out of me.

There's no doubt they are going to wallop some opponents this season, and if they get by a tough early slate -- at Cleveland, vs. Philly, at Green Bay, vs. Washington -- they will get a lot of sentiment as the NFL's best team. They'll get a cover story in our magazine, and their fans will be on Cloud 9 as they slice through a very lean middle part of the schedule.

But right now, I am just not buying.

Again, let me say this: One through 53, I have a hard time picking anyone but the Patriots as their rival. And sometimes the most talented team does win it all. Heck, you don't have to leave the city of Dallas to see that ... the early 1990s were pretty good proof that having the most ability can do wonderful things for you.

And this should have been a marvelous offseason. As esteemed PFW correspondent Mickey Spagnola, a man who knows this team pretty well, I might suggest, points out in his latest column, the Cowboys have made a host of wonderful and important moves this spring, not the latest of which were the Terrell Owens extension and the news that Pacman can join his teammates -- for now.

But Mickey also makes the bigger point, and I agree with him, that there is just way too much riffraff going on at Valley Ranch right now. Wow. And we're still three months away from the games! The good news is that it's not coming from Owens, and it's not related to Tony Romo's tabloid life in a jar, and (so far) Pacman has been on acceptable behavior.

Perhaps come July, Greg Ellis will be cool with his situation (he always seems to simmer down when the action heats up) and Terry Glenn will be a non-issue. And maybe the former bad boys and lightning rods will avoid becoming an issue. But I just get the feeling that something will happen, perhaps unrelated to the actual game on the field, that will sidetrack this team. Or, better yet, how could it not? The X-factor is Wade Phillips. Is he the right guy to be coaching this group of characters? I happen to think he's an excellent football coach who knows how to call a game and draw up a plan. I just don't think that his laissez-faire style, which worked so well early last season, can hold up.

Like I said, turmoil might just trump talent again. We'll see.

Other than Deion Sanders, even based on his limited amount of work, Pacman Jones might be one of the best interception returners of this generation. Ronde Barber is another. Darren Sharper, the NFL's active leader in that category, is underrated (just ask the Giants).

But I feel that Pacman could make a career of this skill -- provided he stays clean. His return skills on punts and kickoffs are also terrific, but I think he might have two or three pick-sixes this year. Heck, he has two in two days of practice with the Cowboys, even if it is the estimable Richard Bartel pulling the trigger, not Tony Romo.

Hard not to say that this is a very intriguing start for Pac and the 'Boys.

Programming note: I will be out of town for the next week, and though I will be down in Foxboro, Mass. on Friday for Patriots minicamp, I might not be able to file much of a detailed report until Sunday sometime. After that until next Thursday (6/12), the filings will be scant since I am on vacation. Thanks for understanding. See you soon.

I am a couple of days late on this -- I am on vacation, after all -- but I wanted to throw a few items in about my trip down to Foxborough on Friday for the first veterans minicamp this summer. Tom Brady stayed silent until Saturday (I was not there). Randy Moss asked not to speak (granted). Otherwise, most of the Patriots were fairly accessable and talkative, though they downplayed what the wretches wanted to know most about: their atypically bad offseason.

"That's way in the past," Rodney Harrison said of the Super Bowl loss, followed by Spygate fallout and some of his teammates (Kevin Faulk, Nick Kaczur, Willie Andrews) getting into some legal entanglements. "I put (the loss) behind me a few weeks after the season.

"Look at me. Don't I look great?"

Indeed, the 35-year-old Harrison looks very strong, and he worked mostly opposite James Sanders at safety. Harrison's most interesting statement was hardly one at all. When asked about Brandon Meriweather's progression in Year Two, Harrison said, "I am not the coach." But he turned coach later, raving about new acquisition Tank Williams, who has become a mini-star in these sessions and might be carving out a role for himself on this club. Williams has worked at safety, his natural position, plus linebacker in nickel packages, and he wasn't far from Harrison's mouth in the two-hour practice I watched.

Also spoke with Sammy Morris, who looked good. He ran well and more importantly, cut well, leaving little doubt about his ability to come back from ACL surgery. A few other players were missing, including one semi-star, whose injury and offseason surgery I am not supposed to know about (have to protect my sources, right?). Let's just say that the player in question has played some golf this summer and should be back when the practices and games start meaning a little more. 

As for an overall view, the Patriots ask the media not to report on formations, trick plays and personnel groupings and the like, but I will say this: I think you'll see a more diverse Patriots club this offseason. Look, they were the best at what they did last year -- they ran the four- and five-WR sets mostly early in games and sat back and rushed the passer out of cover-2 last year. It won't be that formulaic in 2008 I don't think, so I expect a more thorough running approach and a more diverse defensive approach. It's going to be interesting to watch, but I think we'll see more coaching from Bill Belichick during games, if that makes sense.

Speaking of his coaching, it was very interesting to watch Belichick spend a lot of time watching the defense, and more specifically the linebackers, and more specifically, Jerod Mayo. Belichick I thought spent an inordinate amount of time around Mayo during the drills, talking through stuff with him (again, the Pats ask us not to report what he said, but even if they didn't, they were too far for me to hear) and showing him technique. Mayo seemed upbeat and responsive, so the coaching and teaching looked to be positive. I don't think they'll be spoon-feeding this rookie. My bet is he cracks that starting lineup, or at least the regular rotation, by October.

I might have one or two more entries in the next day or two, but I will not be back to full-time duty until Thursday. Thanks for hanging in. I miss you guys, too.

And a quick shout out to the Kazman, who just had his second child, six-pounder, Brian Kazanjian. Second choice was Leon Powe Kazanjian, but mom nixed that one. Congrats, Jon and Claire! 

Amid the news that Michael Strahan has decided to retire, which is no surprise, it's important to look at how the Giants stand without his services.

Though Giants officials denied that the Renaldo Wynn signing recently was any indication that Strahan would leave, it was a clear sign that the team either was expecting this outcome or it was informed ahead of the public.

Now, it appears that Mathias Kiwanuka, who had an eye-opening rookie season as an end, will move back to that spot after starting at strong-side linebacker last season before going down with a broken leg. Kiwanuka had a few boneheaded plays his first season, but chalk that up to rookie mistakes; his skill was quite apparent in rushing the passer, stopping the run and dropping into coverage.

Justin Tuck will continue to act as the third end, but he'll get plenty of snaps -- behind Kiwanuka and Osi Umenyiora, and inside on passing downs. He becomes that much more valuable. In case you forgot Tuck's importance to the team, be kind and rewind his Super Bowl performance. He was a force in the first half. Scouts say they never have seen Patriots OG Logan Mankins get burned the way he was by Tuck. OLT Matt Light, too.

Wynn will be the fourth end, playing mostly on run downs, if he makes the team. 

Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield start inside at tackle, and Jay Alford showed flashes. The depth is OK there, especially when you consider Tuck's versatility.

Strahan added nine sacks, plus one in the Super Bowl, but it's not his pass rush the Giants will miss the most. It's his run defense. He's perhaps overlooked as one of the best run-stopping ends in recent NFL history, and it's an area the Giants must pick up the slack.

The other shortcoming now might be at linebacker. Zak DeOssie now has a chance to start, pushed by rookie Bryan Kehl on the strong side. The weak side already was up for grabs, with Danny Clark trying to hold off Gerris Wilkinson. Nothing is set in stone there, other than MLB Antonio Pierce. Everything is up for grabs. Heck, don't rule out Tank Daniels or rookie Jonathan Goff (though Goff now is backing up Pierce).

Linebacker -- not end -- will be the position to watch for the Giants when they reach Albany with a Super Bowl title to defend. 

I just got off the phone with Scott Manning, who was doing the public relations for author Mark Bowden's newest book, "The Best Game Ever," and he was glad to read my review of the book at what he thought was a perfect time -- right before Father's Day.

My Dad is not much of a football fan, but I suspect even he would like to read Mark's book, which puts the famous 1958 NFL title game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts into proper historical perspective and gives some fresh touches to an old classic. But even calling it an old classic might be inaccurate in some regards because, let's face it, without most of us having seen more than a few still shots of the game, what do we know about it?

After reading it, I feel far better equipped to talk NFL history, and specifically that game. So few people realize, I think, just how important that game was at the dawn of NFL coverage on TV and in a league that was just beginning to blossom into the giant it is today.

So if you want to give a good gift to Dad on his day, I think Bowden's book would make a fine choice. It has been on shelves for a few weeks now and is a worthy read.

In the past, NFL teams that have coached the two Senior Bowl squads, the North team and the South team, have gained a distinct advantage in terms of scouting the players up close and personal for a week's time. They not only get to see players work in their drills and in their offensive and defensive systems, but they also see how hard they work and what kind of teammate they are.

Well, these must have been some uninspiring players this year, or the Draft Gods were working against them, or something. Whereas guys like Patrick Willis and Cadillac Williams have ended up going to the teams that coached them in Mobile in past years, only one player ended up being drafted from either Senior Bowl roster by either the Raiders of 49ers.

Care to guess?

Too late.

Cody Wallace.

Who? Wallace, to be quite frank, was one of the players who I thought looked the worst, or at least hurt himself with his performance, among the interior offensive linemen I saw. In the daily drills against his teammates (guys like Dre Moore, Athyba Rubin, Kendall Langford and others), he struggled, just as he did in the game itself by my watch. But Wallace stood out at the Combine, showing himself as an excellent athlete in a class almost devoid of quality centers after Round Two.

So we'll see if Wallace becomes anything. It'll be interesting in 2-3 years to look at what players the 49ers and Raiders passed on. 

When in doubt, fantasy GMs always make this kind of a deal -- one disgruntled star getting traded for another, right?

Oh, it crossed my mind for a nanosecond. Why not? Chad Johnson is a supremely talented receiver who has been extremely consistent (season to season, not game to game) for the past five years. Look it up; his numbers are uncannily steady and productive. And Jeremy Shockey certainly isn't paving his way back to the Giants, not after the reported shouting match with GM Jerry Reese. 

And there was a time when the Giants needed a top-flight receiver and the Bengals a big-production tight end. But there are several hangups to this deal. First, Johnson is worth more in a trade, troubles and all, for Shockey. Other considerations would have to be thrown in, and the Giants aren't likely to do it. Second, they already have an unhappy wideout. His name is Plaxico Burress, and he wants a raise. Plus, the team is high on Steve Smith and Mario Manningham and want Amani Toomer to be their mentor. Something tells me Chad is not the fathering, nurturing type to young wideouts.

On the Bengals' side, they'd no doubt take a player like Shockey, but it would bring even more negative attention to a team that's full of it. Sure, he'd work in their offense, but the coaches appear to want to give Ben Utecht a legitimate chance to be a 40-50-catch guy.

It's bound to happen. Someone will suggest this trade should happen, based on recent events. (Wait, I didn't just do it, did I?) I have the over-under at 13 hours. I'll check back with a full scouring of the web later. 

There's an undercurrent of excitement for the Cardinals this offseason. Yeah, they have been a popular "underdog" team to back this time of year, and recently the results haven't been so good (28 wins in five years, or the same the Patriots have had the past two seasons). But there's a stronger feeling that the Cards, who improved to 8-8 this past season, really might be on the verge of something interesting.

But first they have to get their players in line with the team.

Anquan Boldin has hinted he might not report to training camp in July on time because he is -- surprise, surprise -- looking for a new contract. It used to be that you missed a little camp, as Boldin is threatening. But now the chic move is to skip both mandatory and non-mandatory offseason training activities. Boldin could choose to do all of the above. He missed the duration of the Cardinals' four-week sessions as he waits for a new deal.

He's not the only Cardinal who might do the same. Darnell Dockett is threatening similar action. Shocker: Both men are represented by Drew Rosenhaus. More shocking news: So are the Giants' Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey, and so is the Bengals' Chad Johnson. Those three men largely have stayed away from their teams' respective camps.

For the Cardinals, though, these men are vital components. They do not have the luxury of having just won something big this past offseason, as the Giants have. The Cardinals offseason has been relatively subpar. First, the Mart Leinart thing, which is mostly ado about nothing. In free agency, they did little, locking up Travis LaBoy as their best addition. They lost Calvin Pace, a good pass rusher, and Bryant Johnson, who was coming on as a valuable third receiver. Johnson might look awfully more valuable if Boldin sits out for any extended time. And as it stands, I don't think any of their rookies will start, but Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie could play a big role.

Point being, they need these two guys out of camp like they need a quarterback controversy, which is to say, not so much. Bad news happens to every team, good or bad. It's how the teams deal with this type of stuff that separates the good from also-rans. 

Old PFW friend Ernie Accorsi, it appears, can't stay on the golf course. He has been hired by the NFL. Here's the press release from the league:

Former New York Giants General Manager ERNIE ACCORSI has been hired as a consultant to the NFL office and will co-chair a new General Managers Advisory Committee, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations RAY ANDERSON announced today.

In his new role, Accorsi will focus on assisting the NFL in monitoring compliance with rules and policies and achieving better and more consistent communication with senior club football personnel.

Accorsi retired from the Giants after the 2006 season following a 35-year career in the NFL, the last 14 with the Giants, including nine as general manager.  He also served as general manager of the Cleveland Browns (1985-92) and Baltimore Colts (1982-83).

The General Managers Advisory Committee will provide advice and other feedback to the NFL Football Operations department headed by Anderson.  Areas of focus for the committee will include:

• Protecting and supporting the integrity of the game
  Expanded use of technology
  
• Player development and scouting opportunities
  
• Development of innovative ideas to improve the Pro Bowl, Scouting Combine, NFL Draft, and preseason

“With our emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and accountability of all personnel in protecting the integrity of the game, the General Managers Advisory Committee gives our clubs a new mechanism for consistent communication with the league office and will result in better information for our office,” Anderson said.

The General Managers Advisory Committee will be co-chaired by Anderson and Accorsi.

Other members of the committee are Jerry Angelo (Chicago Bears), Kevin Colbert (Pittsburgh Steelers), Rod Graves (Arizona Cardinals), James Harris (Jacksonville Jaguars), Tom Heckert (Philadelphia Eagles), Marty Hurney (Carolina Panthers), Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints), Carl Peterson (Kansas City Chiefs), Jerry Reese (New York Giants), Tim Ruskell (Seattle Seahawks), Rick Smith (Houston Texans), and Mike Tannenbaum (New York Jets).

No update on the Javon Walker situation as of yet, but it's clear this was a very, very serious attack. And it's a clear indication that athletes, no matter how invincible they might think they are, are more of a target than 99 percent of society. Fame and money can be great things, but with that notoriety comes a face that people recognize, and unfortunately they are are predators out there who equate that face to a target.

Without knowing the details of the Walker robbery, I feel I safely can say his attacker either knew who Walker was or knew that he had a lot of money and was a celebrity of some kind. There were reports that Walker was whopping it up at a Vegas nightclub and likely was flashing some cash. That might have alerted some people to Walker's presence and perhaps led to his attack.

All speculation, of course. But it shows just how dangerous it can be out there when you're famous, especially as an athlete. You might be bigger or stronger than most people, but if you have money and are in a situation where you don't have help, anyone can be a victim.

I have talked to players about this. They say you can't live your life looking over your shoulder, but at the same time you also have to be mindful of who you are sitting near, who you are talking to and most importantly, what positions you put yourself in.

Let's be fair and not blame the victim here. Walker might have been having a perfectly acceptable night of fun; we don't know. I certainly don't want to say that he should have been more careful in terms of flashing cash or whatever, but it raises the serious issue of exposure -- especially in a place like Las Vegas -- and how athletes need to protect themselves.

My guess is that this incident will be mentioned ad nauseum at the NFL's Rookie Symposium at the end of the month in San Diego (June 29-July 2). NFL security only can do so much. You can't hire full-time protection for players, obviously, so players are going to have to be mindful of their surroundings more than ever in light of this attack.

Scary stuff.