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The Philadelphia Eagles are close to a deal for free-agent Asante Samuel, with at least one media outlet reporting a deal is in place. But negotiations haven't concluded, and sources close to the club said there is no deal in place ... yet. Samuel is scheduled to meet the media later in the afternoon, and, typically, that follows a news of a new contract. But players have gone through Philadelphia before and met the media without joining the club so be careful here. Sources indicate the Eagles should sign Samuel -- and we all know the club targeted him prior to today -- but haven't wrapped up the package yet. My question: If the Eagles get him what does that mean for Lito Sheppard?

We have our first surprise of the free-agent season, though it's not exactly on par with Villanova over Georgetown or Eli over New England. Anyway, the Redskins' re-signing of Todd Collins is a shocker for two reasons: 1) He's not going to be the starter there and 2) his offensive coordinator, Al Saunders, just moved to St. Louis. It figured that Collins would follow, and sources close to the Rams said they were interested in signing him as the backup to Marc Bulger. In fact, when Gus Frerotte was released I figured the next move would be Collins to St. Louis. But the Redskins intervened, and good for them: He's a security blanket against an injury to starter Jason Campbell. Besides, there's no guarantee that Campbell can take the club to the playoffs; Collins just demonstrated he can. 

Derek Anderson is returning to Cleveland, and it's a good move for the Browns. Had they lost Anderson they would've picked up a first-and-third-round draft choice as compensation, but they would have lost a starting quarterback. I know, they have Brady Quinn, but there's no guarantee he makes it. This reminds me a little of the Drew Brees-Philip Rivers situation after the 2004 season when the Chargers franchised Brees to keep him off the market. They had a quarterback-in-waiting in Rivers, but they weren't going to take a look at him until or unless Brees played himself out of a job. So he got hurt the last gameof the 2005 season, the Chargers made him an offer he could refuse and he wound up in New Orleans. In Anderson, the Browns have a quarterback who came this close to taking them to the playoffs a year ago and who produced the team's best record since returning to the NFL in 1999. They know what they have in Derek Anderson; they THINK they know what they have in Brady Quinn. It's the ol' bird-in-the-hand philosophy, and I'll take my chances with Anderson. Good thing he's returning.

The more you hear the more you hear that Justin Smith will be going to San Francisco. He's supposed to stop by there Friday, and the smart money has him leaving with a contract. The 49ers are making quick strikes in free agency, and the feeling is that Smith will be their big-ticket free agent.

One of the hottest topics of conversation at this week's scouting combine was the future of Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, in his last year with the Seahawks. First, most persons agreed the Seahawks will be one of the most intriguing clubs to watch this year, not so much for what they do on the field as to what happens off it. Holmgren's successor, Jim Mora, is the team's secondary coach and trying everything he can do to stay out of the line of fire -- referring all questions about his future and the future of the