ALL ACCESS: DAILY DOSE

SB CHAMPION RETIRES
Quarterback Trent Dilfer, who played the last of his 13 NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers last year, announced Wednesday he is retiring from football. The former Fresno State player who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens said a recent injury to his Achilles helped make up his mind. "I was going to retire anyway. This just gives clarity to the situation," he told reporters on a conference call promoting the 19th annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship that begins Friday at Lake Tahoe.

Mancini's Take: The man has had a remarkable career to say the least when you consider the fact that he's played for 13 years despite his shortcomings as a passer. Dilfer was never a bad player, but he wasn't very good especially when you take into account that he was drafted sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft. His arm was nothing special, his accuracy was subpar and his mobility was also lacking, but Dilfer knew how to lead and he was fearless. His passes weren't always a pretty sight, but he made the right decisions. In summary, you'd have to say he's had a pretty successful run.

Mogollon’s Take: Successful is a relative term. Dilfer is the epitome of mediocre quarterback. Even during his Super Bowl run with the Baltimore Ravens, the career 55 percent passer completed more than half his passes only once in four playoff games. I’ll agree with the good reverend on this…give the Fresno St. product kudos for mental toughness…most top ten picks that flop as NFL quarterbacks go away rather quietly. Dilfer has already dipped his toe into the announcing waters providing color analysis for the NFL Network on the Senior Bowl.

S-JAX UPDATE
St. Louis Rams RB Steven Jackson says he is "100 percent healthy" and ready for the start of training camp. He will be in the final year of the five-year contract. "A contract year is big for anyone, but especially for the last year of a rookie deal," Jackson said. "I'm looking to have a great year and lengthen my career with St. Louis. Hopefully, I'll retire as a Ram."

Mancini's Take: Retire as a Ram? That's a pretty lofty statement from SJax, who has all the talent in the world to earn that new contract he's seeking...but. Action Jackson's not exactly a finesse runner. His upright, take-no-prisoners technique has led to a number of injuries throughout his pro career. A partially torn groin cost him four games last season, and it took him a while to regain his usual form, but once he did the 25-year-old was tremendous by surpassing 100 yards in seven of his last eight games and hitting pay dirt five times during that stretch. All things considered, this player is a difference maker and deserves to get paid. Are you with me on this one, Mogo?

Mogollon’s Take: On all accounts Mancini. Contract year or not, Jackson is primed for an All-Pro caliber season, as long as he is healthy. His breakout year came in 2006 when he put up 2,300 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns. At 6’2, 230 pounds with excellent speed and ability as a receiver, the former Beaver has turned out to be the ideal replacement for future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk. As for retiring a Ram, sounds nice and naive, I’m sorry Mr. Jackson, but it ain’t always your call…unless you’re Brett Favre of course.

JOHNSON FAST LEARNER
Long before the NFL Draft, the Titans knew Chris Johnson had quick feet. Now they know he's a quick study. Before, during and after minicamp practice sessions, Johnson has looked the part of a first-round draft choice. He accelerates through traffic. He cuts on a dime. He catches passes effortlessly. Just as important, he has grasped the nuances of Mike Heimerdinger's offense. "Everything they're throwing at me, I've got down," he said. "If I execute everything they've given me, that will let them go ahead and start adding more ways to get the football in my hands." This is encouraging on several fronts. Rookies usually face a serious learning curve. Johnson has digested everything and is asking for more.

Mancini's Take: Johnson will be called upon early and often on an offense short on playmakers. Look for the rookie to be lined up in a variety of different ways, including split out wide. Johnson's blistering speed makes him the most electrifying back in this year's rookie class. He may very well become the back that Reggie Bush was supposed to be. It wouldn't hurt him, however, to add a few extra pounds.

Mogollon’s Take: All his abilities as a student aside, what makes Johnson a difference maker is he can do things you cannot teach – like be the fastest man in the NFL. His 4.24 40-time at the NFL Scouting Combine was almost a full tenth of a second faster than Run DMC. I like the Bush analogy—Johnson will be an impact player as a runner, receiver and returner. He may not be the receiver the Titans desperately crave, but is dynamic player who was a steal in the bottom third of the first round.

DUNGY SPEAKS ON HARRISON
Colts head coach Tony Dungy said Marvin Harrison, who's coming off knee surgery, "is doing really well" and reiterated the receiver is not a suspect in an April 29 Philadelphia shooting about which he was questioned. "Right before we closed out our OTAs he was there and he was running," Dungy said. "For the first time in a long time I saw a smile on his face because he was running pain free. So we feel good about where he's going to be physically opening up this year. Everything we've heard and communicated from the Philadelphia police department, he's not a suspect in what's going on there. So again, we feel pretty good about where he's going to be."

Mancini's Take: He may be pain free now, but there are too many question marks involved in assessing the 36-year-old. In addition to undergoing knee surgery in the offseason, Harrison suffered a mysterious knee ailment last season that plagued him all year. There are no guarantees that his ruptured bursa sack is completed healed to the point where he won't experience any pain. I can defintely see number 88 fading back into a lesser role as Anthony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark step to the forefront. Am I overreacting here, Danny Boy?

Mogollon’s Take: Marvin Harrison smiles? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that, even when the Syracuse product was on his way to a whopping 143 receptions in 2002, the first of four straight 100-grab campaigns for the Colt. His off the field issues came as a surprise, while 17 straight years playing on turf (13 as a pro) may be finally catching up to him. I’m not a doctor or an attorney and I don’t play one on the web, but it’s safe to say his days as a number one option are over. With Clark and Gonzalez stepping up, not to mention Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai, Peyton Manning’s clubhouse is well stocked with weapons, so Harrison is more of a complimentary player, the icing not the cake. No overreaction Rev.

DUNGY ON FREENEY
Colts head coach Tony Dungy said he is hopeful that defensive end Dwight Freeney (foot) will be back on track soon. "We've got, fortunately, one of the best foot doctors in the country, Dr. Dave Porter, who's working on this," he said. "He tells us Dwight should make a complete recovery. But it's always kind of scary with a guy like that whose speed is his big asset. He needs to come back full strength, but everything right now indicates that he's going to do that." Freeney probably won't be ready at the start of training camp but the team's been told he should be good to go for the regular season opener against Chicago Sept. 7.

Mancini's Take: It is vital for Indy to get Freeney back at all full stregth. The Syracuse product IS their pass rush. Without him, the Colt defense looked rather ordinary versus the Chargers in the playoffs, as a hobbled Philip Rivers carved up the unit for 264 yards and three TDs. Freeney is a force that every offense has to scheme around.

Mogollon’s Take: There is little doubt that Freeney’s return to dominance is far more critical than that of his fellow Orangeman Harrison. They have a plethora of playmakers on offense, but not so much on the defensive side of the ball. After putting up 51 sacks in his first four seasons, Freeney has been limited to nine over the past two, due in part to his seven missed games in 2007. A return to form is necessary if Peyton is to regain his Super Bowl lead on little bro Eli.

TRAINING CAMP BATTLE TO WATCH
The Tampa Tribune does not expect rookie Aqib Talib or Eugene Wilson to overtake Phillip Buchanon as the Bucs' starting left cornerback.

Mancini's Take: Buchanon resurrected his career by doing an excellent job of digesting D-coordinator Monte Kiffin's Cover-2 scheme. Wilson is a versatile player who can be used at both safety and corner, while Talib is a Cover-2 prototype with outstanding size, hands and anticipatory skills. The rub with him is his attitude. The young corner has a reputation for being a bit on the cocky side. This concern has already come to light as Talib reportedly engaged in a scuffle with fellow rookie Cory Boyd at a recent NFL symposium.

Mogollon’s Take: I can’t tell if this is about Phillip Buchanan finally living up to his potential or as the good Reverend hinted, rookie Aqib Talib coming in assuming that getting drafted in the first round means an automatic invitation into the starting lineup. Of course this is just speculation, it could be Talib is still learning the nuances of the Cover-2 or the Bucs are using this as motivation for the former Jayhawk. Either way I expect Talib to learn from Ronde Barber, whom he most reminds of, and have an impact in year one.