With Deion Branch and Wes Welker set to become free agents and a disappointing Chad Ochocinco on the roster, the Patriots have some serious choices to make about the WR spot for 2012.

It’s uncertain what, if any, impact Chad Ochocinco will make for the Patriots in his first-ever Super Bowl appearance, but he left nothing on the field in the style department.

Josh Cribbs has seen a lot of Cleveland Browns fans walking around Indy this week. He’s seen fans from a lot of times, actually, learning that the city is essentially an NFL melting pot.

From where I’m standing, at the perimeter of the human mass surrounding Chad Ochocinco, a boom microphone is more valuable than gold.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak assured fantasy enthusiasts when he said that WR Dre Johnson was going to miss “some time.” And by assuring us, I mean he could not have been more vague. Oh well, hopefully Dre will start tweeting out MRI photos like his teammate Arian Foster did.

Let’s try to get through the top stories of the morning without tearing a groin. That seems to be going around this week.

Turns out we weren’t the only ones perplexed by the heat Chad Ochocinco took from Tedy Bruschi and other ex-Patriots last week.

Which results from the NFL’s kickoff weekend were a fluke, and which ones were signs of things to come? This weekend’s games should go a long way toward answering that question.

That collective thud you hear? It’s the masses jumping off the Steelers’ bandwagon after Sunday’s lashing at the hands of the Ravens. NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp stopped by “The Dan Patrick Show” to provide his take on Pittsburgh’s rough start.

The way things are unfolding, it seems as if former Patriots of the world are uniting against the evil, destructive force that is Chad Ochocinco.

Anybody out there believe Tedy Bruschi’s harsh criticism of Chad Ochocinco was a bit much?

When this season started, Falcons signal caller Matt Ryan was one of the NFL’s glamour boys, while Redskins QB Rex Grossman was mostly the butt of jokes. How quickly things can change. Tune into NFL Network’s “Around the League” Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. ET to hear from Grossman live, then catch Ryan on “NFL Total Access” tonight at 7 p.m. ET.

Eagles coach Andy Reid and star quarterback Michael Vick will meet the press today to discuss Vick’s new six-year, $100 million contract, and what it means for the rest of Philadelphia’s “Dream Team.”

Now with the Patriots, the value of Chad Ochocinco Is destined to rise. Just don’t expect him to re-emerge into an elite fantasy wideout.

Plaxico Burress is in our studios today, and I can tell you he immediately passed the eye test. Brian Baldinger and Solomon Wilcots immediately noted and commented on his physical appearance, and Burress told me he’s sticking to a strict regimen in South Florida, and his legs feel as strong and explosive as ever. “This is best I’ve felt in years,” he said. Burress is spending his days at Bommarito Performance Systems, an elite training facility, and has been joined there by other top receivers such as Chad Ochocinco and Sidney Rice. He said the ankle issues that bogged him down in the past are long gone, and he will be ready to go whenever the lockout ends. Baldinger asked [...]