This NFL offseason has been anything but uneventful

All together, McCown's career winning percentage as a pro is a putrid 28 percent. He's the Jamal Crawford of the NFL. And now? McCown, he of 35 career touchdowns and 40 career interceptions, signed with the rebuilding Miami Dolphins, a squad that is fresh off a horrendous 1-15 campaign in 2007. McCown will play the role of veteran quarterback on a team that also features second-year signal caller John Beck and rookie Chad Henne on its depth chart.

Here's the thing, though: I like McCown. I always have. I think he's gritty, has willed his team to victory on more than a few occasions, and has good mobility and a fairly decent arm. I'd just love to see what he could do as a backup on a somewhat competitive team at some point. I understand you can't always just pick which team you want to play for in the free-agency game. Not everyone can start at quarterback for the New England Patriots. But after dreadful back-to-back years in Detroit and Oakland, I was a bit surprised to see McCown sign a deal with Miami. Of course, something tells me this isn't the guy's last stop.

The Johnny Damon Award: For the player who signed with a hated division rival in the off-season, adding even more fuel to the fire:

Jake Scott (left) fled Peyton Manning and the Colts for Tennessee. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

Winner: Jake Scott, G, Tennessee

Last year it was Nick Harper jumping from Indy to Tennessee. This year, it was Scott. After starting 55 straight games for the perennial AFC South champion Colts, the 6-foot-5, 295-pound guard signed with the hated Titans back in March. Scott, a fifth-round pick of the Colts in 2004, has never not won an AFC South championship. He now joins the Tennessee offensive line, where he'll likely replace the departed Jacob Bell and will help protect Titans quarterback Vince Young. Mark your calendars, folks. The Titans play the Colts on Monday Night, Oct. 27th. Scott was beloved by the Indy fans during his time with the Colts. It's safe to say those days are over.

The Saturday Night Live Award: For the team that added next to nothing in the off-season, and likely won't be any better or worse in 2008.

Winner: Chicago Bears

Sorry, Bears fans. But aside from re-signing Lance Briggs and acquiring journeymen third-tier receivers Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker, it was an awfully quiet winter in the Windy City. The most notable off-season moves, of course, were the decisions the team made at the quarterback position. With a few decent quarterbacks available on the free-agent market and several worth considering via the NFL Draft, Chicago decided to go back to the well again by re-signing holdovers Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton to one-year deals on consecutive days in February.

Then, with Brian Brohm and Chad Henne amazingly still on the board with Chicago on the clock in the second round, the Bears opted to draft a running back, Matt Forte out of Tulane, with the 44th pick in April's draft. With 11 picks, the Bears selected zero quarterbacks on draft weekend. Is it stubbornness? Blind faith? Who knows? Whatever the reason, Chicago's front office refuses to give up on the two quarterbacks they spent draft picks on way back when, giving them each yet another year to get things right. Perhaps Nick Hill, the recently signed, rookie free agent out of nearby Southern Illinois, can make the squad and give Grossman and Orton a run for the job.

Mike Martz in San Francisco? We have no idea what to expect. (Jeff Gross / Getty Images)

The Don Nelson Award: For the Recycled Coach Hiring that Intrigues Me Most:

Winner: Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator, San Francisco

This one could truly be boom or bust. My gut feeling? Well, I have absolutely no idea what to expect, which makes this all the more exciting. Martz joins a San Francisco team that was ranked very last in the league in total offense last season and is handed one of the great enigmas of the NFL, 2005's top overall draft pick in Alex Smith. Is this guy one of the worst quarterbacks ever to be selected first overall (Move over, Tim Couch), as he exhibited through much of his first and third years in the league? Or is he a potential superstar with nimble feet and an accurate arm, as he exhibited in the latter half of the 2006 season?

Smith flourished under Norv Turner's guidance, and floundered without him in '07. He played with an injured shoulder for much of last season, getting mangled behind San Fran's porous offensive line. He also had various negative comments in the media about his coach, Mike Nolan. The Niners have upgraded their offense this off-season, bringing in additional playmakers like Bryant Johnson, Isaac Bruce and DeShaun Foster. All of their young guns — Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Joe Staley, and Smith — are now a year older and wiser, as well. Everyone thought the Niners were the NFC's "sleeper" team entering last season. Ultimately, they fell flat on their faces after a tease of a 2-0 start. No one's talking about San Francisco this season. Perhaps Martz makes some magic happen on the Bay.

The Larry Brown Award: For the Recycled Coach Hiring Kinda Sorta Intrigues me, too:

Winner: Cam Cameron, Offensive Coordinator, Baltimore

The Brian Billick Era is officially a thing of the past in Baltimore. Ravens fans are hoping that with its culmination, so goes the past decade of offensive mediocrity. Cameron had great success with the 14-2 AFC West Champion Chargers offense in '06, but struggled as head coach of the 1-15 Dolphins in '07. That said, the Dolphins offense was downright ravaged by injuries last season, with Trent Green and Ronnie Brown both going down early in the year. Cameron's top receiver — Chris Chambers — was then traded away mid-season, as well. You hate to make excuses for any guy who's career coaching record is 1-15, but what exactly was Cameron working with on O in Miami?

Whether it's Kyle Boller, Troy Smith or rookie Joe Flacco under center for the Ravens come opening day, Cameron should play a major role in their performance. Four of his last five starting QBs earned Pro Bowl or All-American recognition: Philip Rivers and Drew Brees in San Diego; Antwaan Randle El at Indiana; and Gus Frerotte, who he coached with the Redskins. Cameron's time in Miami was brief and forgettable. Can he upgrade Baltimore's long anemic offense? I'm curious to see.

The Ravens took a bit of a risk making Delaware's Joe Flacco the second quarterback selected in April's draft. (Dave Martin / Associated Press)

The Kyle Boller Award: For the tall, big-armed college quarterback that Ozzie Newsome took with the 18th overall pick of the draft.

Winner: Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware

Despite both Chad Henne and Brian Brohm still being available, the Ravens made the golden-armed Flacco the second quarterback taken in April's draft. Baltimore brass saw the Delaware kid as their man, grabbing him at 18th overall. Trading back to 26, then trading up to 18, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was ecstatic to get the kid from Philly. With just two years of extensive college experience — at Delaware, no less — Flacco's a bit of a wild card.

The Fool Me Once, Shame on You; Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me Award: For the team that seems to just never learn.

Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

You've gotta hand it to the Bengals. Just when you think they're going to change their ways — they boom! Do it again! They really never cease to amaze us. The same off-season that Chris Henry and Ahmad Brooks were involved in off-the field incidents — adding to what's now an endless list of such incidents for the Bungles — Cincinnati went ahead and selected Fresno State defensive end Jason Shirley with the 145th pick in last weekend's draft. What's the big deal? Well, let's take a quick scan of Shirley's resume … er, rap sheet. He was kicked off the Fresno State squad three times for off-the-field incidents, and was ultimately suspended from the team indefinitely in early ‘07. Yep, and now he's a Bengal.

The Shaquille O'Neal Award: For the acquisition of a veteran player with a recent history of injuries for big, big money.

Winner: Javon Walker, WR, Oakland

For a guy who's played more than eight games in just one of the past three seasons, the Oakland Raiders sure are spending a lot on Walker. The deal — announced in early March — netted Walker an $11 million signing bonus, and will earn him $20 million in the first two years of his Raiders contract; $27 million in the first three, and $35 million in the first four. That's A LOT of money for a guy who had just 26 catches and did not score a touchdown in his eight games with Denver last season.

The Mitchell Report Award: To the off-season story that fascinates the media so much that it has taken on a life of its own.

We're tired of your trade demands, Chad. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

Winner: Chad Johnson's Trade Demands

If and when Chad Johnson gets traded, let's scroll the news on one of the bottom line tickers on ESPN for a day, and then move on with our lives. The media's invested way too much time into this non-story. Chad Johnson has zero career playoff wins. Zero. He's not a future Hall of Famer, despite what his self-made jackets say.

The Latrell Sprewell Award: To the best player that's currently not on a team.

Winner: Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State

Jason Horowitz, host of the MSG network's nightly "MSG/NY" sports wrap-up show, is a draft junkie like me. Late in the first round, Horowitz, seated next to me at Radio City, asked which round I thought Bowman, the superstar wide receiver out of Oklahoma State, was going to be selected. "None. He won't be drafted," was my response. Horowitz was shocked, listing gaudy stats and anecdotes from games during the 2006 and 2007 seasons in which the Cowboys wideout flat out dominated his opponents. I nodded and listened, but knew none of it mattered.

Sadly for Bowman, I was right ... 252 picks came and went on draft weekend and Bowman's name was never announced. What's even crazier, though, is that as of May 6, the kid hasn't even been signed to an undrafted rookie free-agent contract. Why? Well, the perfect (imperfect) storm, really. After a terrible week of Senior Bowl practices, a horrendous few days at the Combine, and a handful of sub-par individual workouts — Bowman sealed his fate with the kiss of death in early April.

Just two weeks before the NFL Draft, the 6-foot-4 target with hands of glue was arrested for marijuana possession. And like that, his draft stock plummeted. In a two-month span, Bowman went from being a second- or third-round prospect to not being drafted at all. And then to not even being signed to a rookie free-agent deal. Hey, Bowman will end up somewhere. I'm certain a team will sign him before training camps begin. He's simply too good not to get a shot somewhere. But his case is a curious one; one college prospects should hear about the day the college season ends.

The A-Rod Award: For the player who, in the end, is back with the same exact team he was with last year.

Winner: Joey Harrington, QB, Atlanta

On March 5, Harrington was released by the Falcons. Seven days later, he re-signed with Atlanta. It was a salary cap move that made sense fiscally, as bizarre as it read in the transaction section of the AJC.

The SEC Award: To the team that's been dealt the hardest schedule.

Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

Have you taken a look at the Steelers' 2008 schedule yet? It's not a pretty sight. The Steelers face only two teams that had losing records last season, their non-division opponents had a combined record of 109-51 in 2007, and there's a brutal seven-week stretch that includes games against the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, the AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts, the AFC West champion San Diego Chargers, the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys, the AFC East champion New England Patriots, and an NFC Wildcard team in the Washington Redskins. In a word — yikes.

Former Titans DE Travis LaBoy has joined the Cardinals and could surprise in 2008. (Chris Graythen / Getty Images)

The Elite Eight: Eight Under-the-Radar Off-Season Acquisitions I Really Liked:

The Fab Five: Five Teams That Improved This Off-Season:

Oakland: Sure, the Raiders spent an arm and a leg to do so. But they'll be a much improved squad heading into next season. At least on paper, they will. The defense was bolstered with the signing of Gibril Wilson, the trading for D'Angelo Hall, and the long- term deal given to up-and-coming defensive lineman Tommy Kelly. Nnamdi Asomugha was given the franchise tag and will be back for at least one more season, too. On offense, Darren McFadden's presence adds a much-needed gamebreaker to the fold, and though I can argue all day and night over the money given to him — Javon Walker is a significant upgrade from what was starting alongside Ronald Curry last season. And if Walker stays healthy? Well, then he may just be worth it.

Minnesota: The Vikings are going to be everyone's NFC "sleeper" team come August. Mark my words. Minnesota went out and traded for the top sack man in the league in Jared Allen, got two tremendous safeties in former Bengal Madieu Williams and second-round pick Tyrell Johnson out of Arkansas State, and signed a much-needed deep threat at receiver in Bernard Berrian from the rival Bears. Add in an exciting rookie quarterback in John David Booty and a stellar blocking fullback in Thomas Tapeh, and that's a pretty darn good off-season for Brad Childress' squad. Packers, watch your backs.

New York Jets: The Jets went on a spending spree this off-season, scooping up Alan Faneca, Damien Woody, Calvin Pace, and Bubba Franks via free agency. They then went out and drafted Vernon Gholston, a guy I think will be a fantastic player in the 3-4, and playmakers Dustin Keller and Dwight Lowery. Perhaps my favorite move, though, was the signing of former Dolphins running back Jesse Chatman. You forget this now, but heading into last season, there was a lot of buzz during the preseason about Chatman actually getting the starting tailback spot over Ronnie Brown down in Miami. Joining Thomas Jones and Leon Washington in that backfield, Chatman could end up being a big contributor for Gang Green next season.

Miami Dolphins: Well, it's nearly impossible to not improve after a 1-15 campaign. But from top to bottom, it looks like Parcells, Ireland, and Co. have completely cleaned house and are ready for a new era of Dolphins football. After seven straight years of missing the postseason, Miami fans are ready for the change. In rookie Chad Henne and the aforementioned McCown, you have healthy competition at the quarterback spot for John Beck. In Jake Long and Phillip Merling you have stud draft picks on both sides of the line. And in Ernest Wilford, you have a veteran receiver with some playoff experience to pair alongside Ted Ginn, Jr. Miami's not going to make the playoffs this year, but they should win a few games. This off-season was a solid base for better times down the road.

Cleveland Browns: You've got to love what Cleveland did this off-season, going out and addressing needs and simply doing whatever was necessary to get better. In trading for both Corey Williams and Shaun Rodgers, the defensive line was significantly upgraded. Signing Donte Stallworth as a No. 2 receiver was huge, and bringing in center Rex Hadnot added some much-needed depth on the offensive line. Though some Browns fans were confused with the decision, I support the Derek Anderson re-signing, as well. Is it Brees-Rivers Part II? Perhaps. But what's wrong with that? Two starting quarterbacks isn't exactly a bad problem to have.

Five Teams That Did Not Improve this Off-Season:

New England Patriots: Some key losses across the board for the defending AFC champion Patriots, including cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Randall Gay and receiver Donte Stallworth. Eugene Wilson's signing with Tampa Bay didn't help much either. The Pats' current cornerback situation is not exactly a thing of beauty.

New York Giants: The defending Super Bowl champions lost two key defensive contributors in Kawika Mitchell and Gibril Wilson. Reggie Torbor, a do-everything guy who played linebacker and special teams, signed with Miami. Though New York brought in Sammy Knight and picked up some nice pieces in the draft, their roster took a bit of a hit in the free-agency period.

Chicago Bears: Who's going to play receiver for the Bears? With both Muhsin Muhammad and Bernard Berrian signing with other NFC teams, the Bears are left with a 1-2 of Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd. That's downright gross. Devin Hester is not ready to be a first or second receiver, and probably not a No. 3 either. The Chicago quarterback situation wasn't exactly upgraded. As mentioned earlier, it's more Orton and Grossman for Bears fans. Blah.

Cincinnati Bengals: FOXSports.com colleague Randy Hill listed the Bengals as a team on the rise in his Monday column. I'm still scratching my head from that one. The Bengals lost one of their top receivers in Chris Henry, passed on two first-round picks in a trade offer for Chad Johnson by the Redskins, saw Justin Smith leave and sign with San Francisco, and failed to make a big splash signing on defense. Madieu Williams, one of the few bright spots from last year, is playing for the Vikings now. Antwan Odom and Keith Rivers should help the unit — but neither will suddenly make this squad a playoff contender. Who are the Bengals going to stop?

Green Bay Packers: Brett Favre's gone, Corey Williams is gone, and the Vikings gained significant ground. Of all the moves Green Bay made over the off-season, perhaps the one I liked most was the second-round selection of Kansas State receiver Jordy Nelson in April's draft. The Post-Favre era should be an interesting one, to say the least.