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With Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain set to appear in court on Thursday as he faces charges of third-degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm within city limits, things only appear to be getting worse for the University of Alabama product.

According to Seth Burkett of the Decatur Daily, alleged victim Rishard Tapscott has filed a police report saying that McClain threatened him after he filed charges against the NFL star. Tapscott has accused McClain of putting a pistol to his head and firing it near his ear during an altercation on Nov. 30, 2011.

Tapscott told the officers that McClain made threats against Tapscott concerning what would happen to Tapscott once the case was over, (police spokesman John) Crouch said. Tapscott told the officers that he felt threatened and said that he wanted to make a report.

The second alleged incident reportedly took place in the Austin High School gym in Decatur, Ala. on March 18. Tapscott maintains that he was playing basketball in the gymnasium when McClain told him that he was coming after him following the May 17 hearing.

The Decatur Daily has also obtained a video that shows McClain's friend, Jadoriaus Willingham, apparently beating Tapscott on Nov. 30. McClain isn't shown in any physical altercations in the video, but it does seem to validate part of Tapscott's report.

Willingham and McClain are facing separate trials, but both are set to begin on Thursday, according to WAAY TV. Both Willingham and McClain have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

 

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Read the original Rolando McClain: Raiders LB Allegedly Threatened Accuser Before Trial Article Here

It goes without saying that Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez will be a quarterback competition this training camp, regardless of who recognizes it or not.

Sanchez has only seen minimal improvement during his career, while Tebow took the NFL by storm in 2011 and displayed a higher level of potential. Now, even if Sanchez enters the regular season as the No. 1 quarterback, Tebow will certainly see the field as his versatility is going to benefit the Jets anyway.

Not to mention that offensive coordinator Tony Sparano ran the wildcat in Miami, and Tebow had an eerily similar offense with the Denver Broncos last season.

The more controversial decision, however, will be the long-term solution for the No. 1 spot as the locker room could potentially divide before the 2012 season kicks off. In an article by Rich Cimini of ESPN New York, Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis appears to be on the Tebow bandwagon.

"He's a born leader, he really is," Revis said Wednesday. "Very few athletes have the gift he has. He tries to lead by example all the time. He tries to be positive, which is awesome, and that (has resulted) in his success on the field."

Now take into account Revis' credibility on and off the field and that's impressive praise for a quarterback that completed just 46.5 percent of his throws last season (40.4 percent in the postseason).

Still, Tebow did win games and completely turned the Broncos' 2011 campaign around by winning the AFC West and defeating the 2010 defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round.

One fascinating note, though, is that Sanchez led Gang Green to two consecutive AFC championship games in 2009 and 2010. Was it really that long ago?

No, but it sure seems like it after a disappointing 2011 season—although Sanchez improved statistically, and the Jets were sitting 8-5 before losing three straight to close out the year.

If anything, the heat Sanchez has received from all over is just further proof of how much pressure a quarterback endures while playing in New York. Two consecutive AFC title game appearances was by far the most success any Jets quarterback has enjoyed since Joe Namath.

That appears to now matter little, unfortunately, as the Jets locker room will divide at some point this season. Sanchez has the additional pressure of potentially losing his starting job, and Tebow is going to find out how difficult playing in the Big Apple really is.

And the beginning of the season will be quite telling as well. Four of the Jets' first five games are against Buffalo, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Houston, all of which have legitimate postseason and realistic Super Bowl odds for 2012.

So, by early October we'll know which direction the Jets are headed at quarterback because each of those defenses have top-five potential. The preseason is when to really watch, though, as it will be eerily similar to what happened in Denver, with Kyle Orton remaining the starter and Tebow the backup.

The difference in New York, however, is that it will also give us a small taste of Tebow's offensive package from Tony Sparano because running a new system for the offensive line will need real-game practice.

Expect Sanchez to be under center Week 1 and Week 2, but his production during those games will enhance the pressure to consistently perform by Week 3. Plus, Sanchez now has a backup quarterback capable of competing for the No. 1 spot, so his true ability will be unveiled early on.

At that time (most likely before October begins), we'll then see the disharmony of a divided locker room.

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Read the original Tim Tebow: Darrelle Revis’ Comments Prove New York Jets Locker Will Be Divided Article Here

In the wake of the suspensions handed out by the NFL to New Orleans Saints players and coaches for their involvement in the three-year bounty program, the true indicator of just how devastating the suspensions will be won’t be known until we see how the Saints deal with this adversity.

First impressions show that the Saints players, coaches and executives still able to participate are failing miserably at coping.

Mark Ingram tweeted a picture of a “Free Sean Payton” wristband, which isn’t even close to the worst idea to come out of New Orleans this week.

The team decided that during head coach Sean Payton's year-long suspension, his seat in team  meetings, on the team bus and on the team plane will be left vacant.

Did Payton die or has he just been suspended? No, don't answer. I already know Payton lives because he's not living smart right now, either (more on that later).

I'm half expecting the next item to come from Who Dat Nation to be a "WWSPD" wristband. What Would Sean Payton Do?

Good question.

He's adding to the distraction of being suspended, that's what Payton is doing.

According to The Times-Picayune, Payton got league approval to rent an office in the downtown Benson Tower. Yes, the same Benson that owns the team.

According to the stipulations of Payton's suspension, Payton is not allowed to be in contact with anyone from the Saints organization while he's suspended. It's understandable that he would want an office to stay apprised of the NFL while he's suspended, but does it have to be in New Orleans? Does it have to be in a building owned by the Saints owner?

All these shenanigans are going on in New Orleans while quarterback Drew Brees is holding out for a long-term contract that most feel he richly deserves (pun intended). Brees was even on WWl radio in New Orleans Wednesday talking about his feelings.

"What's frustrating on my end is the lack of communication. I know that we've reached out on quite a few occasions, and at times, I know I've been frustrated by the lack of response," Brees said.

"I don't think the negotiation should have been this difficult."

It's easy to sit back and say that the most important thing for the Saints to do is get the Brees deal done—quite honestly, because it's the truth.

Brees, in his radio interview, stated that these negotiations weren't easy and they were not as simple as people think. That's likely an understatement.

It's also absurd to believe that the Saints can drop everything else and focus solely on the Brees contract.

But what the Saints can do, both players and the organization—especially the organization—is stop trying to sway public opinion towards an “us against the world” mentality and focus more on making the most important Saints commodity—Brees—realize just how much this team needs him.

Players can reach out, I’m sure they already have.

The Saints organization can pay the man.

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Read the original Pro-Sean Payton Shenanigans Prove Saints Can’t Handle Adversity Well Article Here

It didn't take long for the New York hype machine to go overboard in its love and devotion to Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow. 

In a report from TMZ, the clothing website CubbyTees.com has designed a t-shirt that uses the Jets' green and white oval logo with the phrase "My Jesus" instead of "NY Jets" inside. 

Needless to say, Tebow and his camp were not happy to find out about this particular piece of clothing. According to the TMZ report, Tebow's attorneys sent a cease and desist letter to the company in April. 

While this was just one instance of someone going overboard with Tebow and his religious beliefs, you know that New York is going to play off his faith and try to profit with it as much as humanly possible while he is playing in that city. 

When Tebow was in Denver, he was able to profess his faith on a national level. There was no real indication that anyone was going to exploit it for personal gain, simply because the national media doesn't really care about what happens in Denver. 

However, when you take a personality like Tebow and put it in the biggest media market in the world, the sharks are going to smell blood in the water. They will do whatever they can in order to use that faith for their personal reasons. 

That's why the move to New York never made sense. Besides the fact that adding Tebow to the roster puts more undue pressure on Mark Sanchez, Tebow is the kind of person that will see his beliefs exploited at every turn. 

Fair or unfair, Tebow is in the worst possible spot right now. He is going to see more things like this shirt popping up all over the city, especially if he starts playing and playing well, and it is going to take its toll on him emotionally. 

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Read the original Tim Tebow: Distasteful T-Shirts Prove New York Is Bad Spot for Jets QB Article Here

The 2012 NFL free-agent market has been mostly picked clean, but there are a few names still unsigned that could have an impact next season in the right situation. Below, we break down a few of the free agents still on the market that fit that profile.

 

LB Gary Brackett

Brackett is undersized (5'11", 235 lbs) and missed most of the 2011 season with a shoulder injury. But when he's been on the field, the former Colts middle linebacker was productive. In nine seasons in Indianapolis, Brackett tallied over 700 total tackles and 12 interceptions.

He needs to find the right defensive system to have an impact. 

 

WR Plaxico Burress

More than likely, Burress's age (35) has kept him from seeing much interest on the open market. But for a team that needs help in the red zone, I don't see how there's much risk in adding Burress. He's 6'5" and 230 lbs and caught eight touchdowns last season in a run-first offense.

A team like Houston, Carolina or Philadelphia could find a way to use him productively. 

 

G Vernon Carey

Carey is approaching his 31st birthday and has become a liability in the passing game, but he's still a veteran of the offensive line that has experience playing both guard and tackle. He's unlikely to get a look as a starter this deep into free agency, but Carey makes sense for an offensive line in need of depth, especially inside.

His best bet might be to take whatever low-ball offer his hometown Miami Dolphins could put on the table.

 

WR Braylon Edwards

Knee injuries sent Edwards' 2011 campaign in San Francisco crashing down, and it remains unsure how stable the knee currently is. But if the knee checks out, Edwards is a tall (6'3") and relatively young (29 years old) receiver that showed in New York two seasons ago that there is still some production left.

A return back to the Big Apple to reunite with the Jets might be his best course of action, although Cincinnati and Houston also offer interesting possibilities. 

 

DL Aubrayo Franklin

A summer ago, Franklin was one of the hotter defensive names on the free-agent market. A disappointing season with the New Orleans Saints, however, has drained Franklin of much of his value this offseason.

A classic two-down run-stuffer, Franklin needs to get back to a 3-4 defense or with a coordinator that knows how to use his unique skill set. Mike Nolan may know how to do just that in Atlanta.

 

RB Ryan Grant

The long-time lead back in Green Bay, Grant was forced into a platoon role with the Packers in 2011. While James Starks was featured more often early on, Grant came on strong late and was the team's most productive runner over the second half of the season.

The burst is still there, but teams are obviously scared off by that magic age of 30 that Grant is quickly approaching. 

 

LB Rocky McIntosh

McIntosh started almost 70 games over six seasons with the Washington Redskins, but 2011 was a mess for the former second-rounder. He was benched for poor play in Week 10, and breaking curfew during the last week of the season drew a suspension.

He needs a fresh start, but McIntosh can still be a starting-quality player on the right roster. 

 

T Kareem McKenzie

The right tackle for the New York Giants' Super Bowl-winning team has heard mostly crickets during free agency. While he struggled mightily at times during 2011, he's still battle-tested and experienced playing both guard and right tackle.

McKenzie obviously wouldn't be a long-term fix at any position on an offensive line, but he's a player you could trust as a plug-in at either guard or on the right side.

 

WR Terrell Owens

Finally, we get to Owens.

While I remain unsure if there is a decision maker capable of bringing Owens back into the NFL ranks, I can't discount the possibility that Owens could still be an impact player at the game's highest level.

He's a physical marvel despite approaching 40 years old, and the production was there over his final seasons. Keep in mind, Owens went over 800 yards receiving in both 2009 and 2010. Would it be a huge stretch to think he could approach that kind of production again in 2012, given the right situation?

There's very little chance that Owens even has a conversation about a return to the NFL this season, but it's hard to say he couldn't have an impact for one of the 32 franchises. 

 

DE Matt Roth

Roth suffered a concussion midway through the 2011 season and was later put on IR with lingering symptoms. In today's NFL, where concussion awareness is at its height, Roth's end to '11 has been worrisome. 

But if a team can clear Roth's head injury, there is a solid situational pass-rusher available for cheap. He won't ever be a 10-sack guy, but four to six sacks over 400-500 snaps isn't out of the question. 

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Read the original Terrell Owens and Unsigned Free Agents with Impact Potential Article Here