Could Hillis be a Cowboy? (photo by: Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT)

With the NFL trading deadline just around the corner (Oct. 18), the Dallas Cowboys have an opportunity to upgrade their under performing running game. Rumors out of Cleveland suggest that RB Peyton Hillis could be on the trading block. But should the Cowboys “pull the trigger” on Hillis given the opportunity?

Hillis exploded onto the scene last year after being traded from the Denver Broncos. He replaced an injured Jerome Harrison in Week Three of the 2010 NFL season and never looked back. Hillis recorded 1,177 rushing yards and 11 touchdown as a member of the Cleveland Browns. He is also a terrific pass catcher recording 61 receptions for 477 yards and two touchdowns last year.

Hillis has had a slow start to this season racking up just 197 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground in three games. He’s also recorded 15 receptions for 76 yards in the air. Hillis missed the game in Week Four with strep throat. And Cleveland just had it’s bye-week over the weekend. But rumors out of Cleveland are suggesting that the game missed for illness two weeks ago may have had more to do with Hillis’ current contract situation. (more…)

Since the Washington Redskins traded for Donovan McNabb, things have been shaking up around DC.

First, in making this move, the Redskins have created a logjam at quarterback. McNabb is the obvious starter, but there are five quarterbacks on the roster right now. The Redskins are letting Jason Campbell look around for a trade, but Mike Shanahan has made it clear that he’d like to have Campbell return as a backup. Whoever the backup ends up being-either Jason Campbell or Rex Grossman-it doesn’t leave a lot of room on the team for Richard Bartel or Colt Brennan.

(Thank goodness Brennan is looking like he won’t pan out. As some of you may know, I’m a journalist and I got to go to Redskins training camp in the summer of 2008, the same year the Skins took Brennan in the sixth round of the draft. Fans were going nuts for this guy, completely ignoring the pummeling Georgia gave him in the Sugar Bowl that year. He’s a poor man’s Matt Leinart-he had an impressive college career, but his arm strength will keep him from being very successful in the NFL. At best, he’ll be third on the Redskins’ depth chart.)

That didn’t stop them from having Colt McCoy come for a visit yesterday. I guess they’re hoping that he’ll still be around in the draft’s third round so the Skins can bring him in and develop him.

So, the Redskins are facing a tough decision. Do they do Jason Campbell a solid and let him go for a late-round pick? Or do they screw him and bench him behind McNabb?

Either way, I wouldn’t be too surprised. Campbell has been screwed over by the Skins plenty of times before with new offensive coordinators nearly every season he’s been in Washington and a remarkably porous offensive line. Would the Redskins really take a 5th, 6th or 7th round pick for a guy who would be a very competent backup to do him a favor? I doubt it.

Another tough decision comes after news that Albert Haynesworth’s name came up as a possible makeweight in the McNabb trade and with the rumor that the Skins were shopping him around. The Redskins were going to have to face the tough decision of whether or not to trade this guy, their biggest signing and biggest flop last year. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has said that’s no longer the case, as Haynesworth is no longer on the trading block, but ESPN’s John Clayton isn’t buying it.

Check out this interesting paragraph towards the end of Clayton’s column:

“Now, one of the most expensive defenders in NFL history is available for a bargain. He has six years and $68 million remaining on his deal, but there is a $20 million option that will come due between 2012 and 2013. Minus the option bonus, Haynesworth could be had for the next three seasons for $16.2 million.”

Haynesworth is not untradeable. But the Redskins have already dumped $32 million into Haynesworth and, if they trade him after only one season, he’d jump to the top of the list of free agency busts despite being a good player. Move over, Deion Sanders and Adam Archuleta. The Redskins have been willing to move players to suit coaches (see: Lavernaues Coles), but I think the Skins will try to save face here.

(Thank goodness I’m not a Redskins fan. Can you imagine all the money they spend on jerseys with all these big signings? I got to go to a Redskins game this past year (against the Saints-watching that game was the longest, most drawn-out agony I’ve ever seen, and it was beautiful) and I saw so many jerseys of people who weren’t there anymore. And I saw way too many Colt Brennan jerseys. Way, way too many Colt Brennan jerseys.)

But the Skins have one more tough decision involving Haynesworth-do they make the switch to the 3-4 defense?

Haynesworth, when happy last year, was not worth his price tag. In a 3-4 scheme, he’d be taking on two blockers more routinely and he’d be sacrificing himself for the good of the team.

The same team, mind you, that tried to trade him off this year.

If Haynesworth sticks around and the Redskins make the switch to a 3-4, pencil in Haynesworth for the worst free agency signing of all time. If you think you’ve seen Haynesworth be lazy, expect him to hit new lows for lazy this year if the Redskins switch to the 3-4.