The New Orleans Saints will honor Sean Payton this season by leaving an empty seat for the suspended head coach in their locker room and on team buses and planes.

Payton, who is in exile in a downtown New Orleans skyscraper after his season-long ban, won't rejoin the team until after next year's Super Bowl. The Saints will compensate for his absence by acting like he died, rather than looked the other way during a pay-for-play bounty system. This is sort of like leaving an empty chair for grandma at Thanksgiving because it's her year to eat at your uncle's house.

[Related: Saints rookie CB Corey White gets reality check from Drew Brees]

This information comes from Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. We've pulled some of the quotes from his article to highlight the Saints deep love of their banned coach.

"How would Pittsburgh react if Chuck Knoll was gone? Or how would Dallas react if Tom Landry wasn't there? Or San Francisco without Bill Walsh? Sean's put those kinds of numbers up. He has that kind of recognition in the league." -- Joe Vitt, interim head coach

Super Bowl victories

4 -- Chuck Noll

3 -- Bill Walsh

2 -- Tom Landry

1 -- Sean Payton

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There are people in or around the town of Oceanside, Calif., who just got an express trip to the place where the red guy with the horns and pitchfork does his business. There are few things more disgusting than a robbery that affects the family of a man who just died, but that's what happened last week to the family of Junior Seau.

Just five days after the great linebacker took his own life, some sorry excuses for humanity broke into Seau's home, went through cabinets in the garage, and stole a bicycle that belonged to a friend of Seau's.

Oceanside police Lt. Leonard Mata said that the stolen bike is gray with chrome fenders and a black seat, and there are 143 spokes in each wheel. Whoever broke in didn't enter the house -- just the garage. Nothing else was taken. The estimated value of the bike is approximately $500.

[Related: Junior Seau was gregarious, ebullient, hilarious and immensely popular]

On May 2, at approximately 9:35 a.m., Seau's girlfriend placed a 911 call indicating that she had found the body of the future Hall of Fame linebacker in a spare bedroom of his home. The death was suspected to be, and was later ruled, a suicide.

Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-Team All-Pro, was selected fifth overall in the 1990 NFL draft after an outstanding collegiate career at USC. He played with the San Diego Chargers through the 2002 season, spent 2003-2005 with the Miami Dolphins, and then signed with the New England Patriots in time for the 2006 season. In New England's perfect regular season of 2007, he played in all 16 games and started four. Seau first retired after that season, only to come back and play for the Patriots in 2008 and 2009 before finally leaving the NFL for good.

"I'm going to go surf," he told Showtime upon his January 2010 retirement announcement. "Whatever happens, I can honestly say, that that probably was my last game."

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Sometimes, the best way to deal with a problem is to pretend that it doesn't exist. At least, that's the impression put across by former NFL running back Ricky Williams when he discussed the recent concern about concussions in football with ESPN's Dan Le Batard. Williams, who played for the New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens during an 11-year career in which he gained over 10,000 rushing yards, retired in February. And when it comes to the possible effects of the game as he enters a new phase of his life ... well, Williams can't really be bothered.

"I have no idea, and I'm not a really big fan of the way the NFL is handling concussions," Williams said on Tuesday. "Maybe I'm stupid or whatever, but if I got a concussion, and I could see straight and I could carry a football, I'm not telling anybody ... From what I've seen, [the NFL is] all about prevention -- but can you prevent a concussion? I mean, you can definitely have safer helmets, and I had what I think was the safest helmet when I played, and I think you can definitely pay more attention. But ultimately, it's about the players. And I think all this attention given to prevention -- it seems like they haven't done anything, because they don't believe they can actually treat a concussion."

[Related: Concussion worries lead Andrew Sweat to choose law school over NFL]

When Le Batard said that he didn't understand Williams' statement (put us in that camp as well), Williams elaborated.

"Most of the research around concussions is to find that 100 percent of football players have brain trauma. Well -- I don't want someone to tell me that, right? I don't want someone to tell me that, because if it's a 'doctor' [Williams used air quotes when he said the word 'doctor'], I don't buy it."

The now incredulous Le Batard asked Williams to clarify his stance -- did he believe that there is not a link between football and concussions?

"I don't buy it. I'm only speaking from my personal experience, because I haven't allowed myself to buy it, and I haven't been affected. Yes, I'm aware that football is a rough sport, but instead of saying, 'Oh -- I'm doomed to brain trauma,' I said, 'What can I do about it?' And I just started taking care of my body. I found people, places and things that really helped me -- again, I don't know what's going to happen to me in 10 years, but I look at the other things I've learned about, and the way I see the world.

"And to me, it's like -- OK, yes. If we're going to spend six months brutalizing our bodies, I said, 'That makes sense. I'm going to spend six months taking care of my body.' I started to equip myself with tools. I started practicing yoga, and I started learning some hands-on healing stuff. I found really good chiropractors and massage therapists, and I found that I was able to peel off layers of trauma on my body. I actually move better now than I did [when I played]."

When asked about the science of brain trauma, Williams passed it off. "Science is the deity, but should it be?"

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Given today's economy, any recent college grad would consider themselves lucky to have two viable options. Andrew Sweat, former linebacker at Ohio State, does have two options, and he's choosing to be a 1L instead of an LB.

He had a chance to make the Cleveland Browns roster as an undrafted free agent, but instead declared on Twitter that he was heading to law school.

Fair enough. Sweat did sustain a concussion in college and if that, plus the ongoing concern surrounding football-related head injuries, has persuaded him that the NFL isn't a good option, then it doesn't seem like it's an unreasonable decision. Not that it would be my place to call it reasonable or unreasonable.

Some did criticize, though. Eli Mystal, a former lawyer and current editor of legal blog Above the Law, took Sweat to task over bailing on the NFL, saying the decision was "the biggest mistake of his life." Deadspin followed suit.

Sweat responded, again via Twitter.

I suppose that does add another layer of sense to things. His dad can get him a job in the legal field, so unless Andrew Sweat was raised in an "Andrew has two daddies" situation and the other one is Pat Shurmur, then the law thing is probably more of a slam dunk. It would be hard to fault a guy for taking the sure thing.

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Since he came to the New England Patriots in 2007, Wes Welker has been about as productive as a receiver can be. In five seasons, he's caught 554 passes for 6,105 yards (an 11.0 yards-per-catch average) and 31 touchdowns. He's redefined the role of possession receiver in some of the most productive offenses in league history, and he's far from done. In 2011, Welker caught 122 passes -- the second most in his career, and good enough to lead the NFL in receptions for the third time in the last five seasons.

So, it was a bit surprising when the New England Patriots decided to place the franchise tag on Welker instead of signing him to a new long-term contract. "I'm pretty certain I'll be playing there this next year, and I'm looking forward to that," Welker told Shutdown Corner in April. "Like everybody else, I'd like a long-term deal, but at the same time, I'm just focused on going out there and playing the best I can."

After biding his time, Welker signed his tender on Tuesday, and announced it on Twitter.

Confident that a new deal is around the corner, and unwilling to  create distractions as organized team activities begin soon, Welker is now looking forward to what he perceives to be a willingness on both sides to get that new contract hammered out.

"I think we are all on the same page," he told WEEI on Monday. "We're all trying to collectively come together and make something happen. I think everybody just seems to know we're all on the same page and we're trying to work towards something.

"I think anybody that plays for any organization that has done a good job over the years wants to be rewarded for it. I think I'm no different from any other guy that's in the league. The main thing is just trying to keep a level head about it and make sure you're making the best decisions for yourself, but at the same time put yourself in a position where you can play for a great team and hopefully do some great things in the future."

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One of the more far-reaching ramifications of America's increasing concern with football safety is the increasing percentage of parents -- including former NFL players -- who would hesitate to let their sons play football. As we discussed in February, the fact that there could be millions of young men suffering from concussions at the sub-college level may erode the sport by providing a diminishing talent base as more potential young stars are driven to other sports by the inherent risks of the game.

[Related: Ohio State linebacker Andrew Sweat chooses torts over tackles]

Though the NFL has been reactionary at best on this subject, a new initiative put forth by the league, the Players Association, and other organizations provides a source of reason and hope. As the NFL Communications press release states:

The initiative will remove helmets that are 10 years old or older and replace them with new helmets at no cost to the beneficiary leagues and will provide coaches with the latest educational information to help keep their young athletes safer and healthier.

In its first year, the program is being piloted in four markets: the California Bay Area, Gulf Coast region, Northern Ohio, and the tri-state region around New York City.  The NFL, NFLPA, NCAA and NOCSAE have committed a combined total of approximately $1 million to the program in its first year. The pilot program is designed to provide valuable information on the state of youth football helmets, including the number of helmets 10 years old or older in use.  As of 2012, NAERA members will no longer recondition or recertify any helmet that is 10 years of age or older.  NOCSAE will collect the helmets when removed and use them for ongoing research programs.

The program, initiated by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum, will educate thousands of coaches on concussion awareness, and distribute more than 13,000 helmets to low-income areas.

"The time has come to accelerate the culture change needed to improve the health and safety of youth football players," Tenenbaum said.  "Even with our push for improved safety equipment, it is vital that parents, coaches and players understand that there is no such thing as a concussion-proof helmet.  The best answer is safer and smarter play, which is why this game-changing program is aimed at reducing hits to the head and trauma to the brain.  I want to thank everyone involved in this initiative for joining together in a common commitment to youth player safety."

In addition to the NFL, NFLPA and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, involvement comes from USA Football, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association, the NCAA, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), and equipment manufactures Rawlings, Riddell, Schutt and Xenith.

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Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. The latest entry: Brandon Boykin, the Georgia cornerback selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 28th pick in the fourth round (123rd overall).

Overview: Just before the draft, the Eagles traded disgruntled cornerback Asante Samuel to the Falcons for a seventh round pick. Samuel made the Pro Bowl three times in four years with the Eagles, but many fans were happy to see him go. Philadelphia Daily News columnist Marcus Hayes called Samuel "a fraud, wrapped in a mirage, inside an illusion," in a hyperbolic preach-to-the-base post-trade column that reflected the ultimate Philly bias: if you don't hit like a freight train, then you stink. And Samuel, for all his coverage skills, hit like a baby wipe.

Boykin will not replace Samuel in the starting lineup — that will be Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's job — but he will get first dibs on the slot corner role. And Boykin, for all his athleticism, cannot tackle. Somebody get Marcus Hayes a scented candle.

Boykin played cornerback, returned kicks, and had a small role in the Georgia offense. According to the team website, he majored in magazines. Magazines? Writing for them? Selling them? Cutting pictures of celebrities from them? Or maybe he majored in ammunition supply shacks. Whatever he learned in college, Boykin must become a more reliable tackler to earn a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Strengths: Boykin can fly. He has recovery speed in the open field and can track the deep ball. He often runs down screens from behind and can make the touchdown-saving stop.

Boykin has three years of starting experience and is very aware in zone coverage. He frequently played "off" at Georgia and was good at reading and reacting to plays in front of him. He also moved to the slot at times and demonstrated quick reactions in underneath zones. He has potential as a route-jumper.

Boykin will be able to contribute in the return game and will be very dangerous with an interception in his hands.

Weaknesses: Oh, the tackling. Boykin lunges at the ankles of ballcarriers in the open field. His angles are bad. He gets wired to blocks. He is soft and tentative in run support. He can drag down receivers after the catch, but that is about it. He is small, and he plays small. His tackling issues may make it hard for him to contribute on special teams.

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Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. Our next entry: Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns.

Overview: As you may have heard, Weeden played baseball for a while and came to college football a bit late, which means that he was a 28-year-old senior draft prospect. You will hear that Weeden's age is a positive, because it gives him a maturity other rookies don't have. You will hear that Weeden's age is a negative, because he'll be 29 when his first NFL season starts, and if he's not ready right away, the clock is already ticking at an accelerated rate. The data on quarterbacks entering the league at a later age is about as conclusive -- Chris Weinke (29) and John Beck (26) were past the aggregate when they started their NFL careers, and the results were not spectacular. Warren Moon started his NFL career at that age due to the idiocy of scouts and personnel executives in the late 1970s, and he tore it up in the NFL after winning five straight Grey Cups in Canada.

So, age ain't nothin' but a number with Weeden -- most likely, it's not a decisive indicator of success or failure. A hard look at his senior tape is far more revealing, but we'll start with the stats, because they're pretty darned impressive. In 2011, Weeden blasted through the Oklahoma State record books with 4,727 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and a completion percentage north of 72 percent. Add in his performance in the Cowboys' win over Stanford in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl, and an impressive Senior Bowl week, and it would appear that Weeden is ready to beat the age curve and hit the big time. What does the film say?

Strengths: Weeden has great command of the offense out of shotgun right after the snap -- he sells play action well, rolls out from different backfield sets, and targets one-read half-side passing schemes with great consistency. Reads blitzes well and gets the ball out quickly under pressure. Good touch thrower in the abstract -- he isn't always accurate when he takes a little off the ball, but he gets the concept. Good enough arm to zing it downfield on posts and go routes, and will place the ball well against wider zones. Sells play action well enough out of the shotgun to have defensive backs cheating up or looking back, which allows him to further exploit this strength. Gets set quickly to fire out in shorter patterns.

Weaknesses: The most glaring issue with Weeden's play overall could really set him back at the NFL level is that he's what I call a "zone thrower," which means that he's often throwing to gaps and areas without a great deal of anticipation or adjustment. That's fairly common with spread quarterbacks, but Weeden's problem is that he will tend to throw to that area even after his primary receiver (usually Justin Blackmon) has been redistributed by aggressive press coverage. You will also see him struggle against more advanced defenses (Stanford, for example) who disguise their coverages.

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The three biggest reasons that Donovan McNabb is not employed as an NFL quarterback right now are 1) his age, 2) the fact that he hasn't performed that well in recent years, and 3) he's not willing to play anywhere that won't give him a chance to be a starting quarterback.

If there's a fourth reason, maybe it's the perception that he's not in great shape. But since he can't do anything about the first two reasons, and seems unwilling to do anything about the third, it's that fourth thing that he's rectifying.

The before and after pictures aren't dramatic, but, according to McNabb, it was more about perception than reality anyway. McNabb talked to ESPN, via The Huddle:

"I'm in great shape, dropped 15-20 pounds," he said. "But again, it's not really about that. Because for me, people may have seen how strong I looked, and they kind of (assumed I was) maybe out of shape or whatever. But now that I'm lighter, people all of a sudden (are saying), 'Well, he's in shape.' I've been in shape."

OK, so now he's definitely in shape. I'm going to wager that his phone is still not ringing off the hook.

That's not to say that he can't help a team ‒ I believe he still can. But given how he looked in Washington and Minnesota, has McNabb gotten to the point where the productivity boost he'll give a team in place of a rookie is no longer worth the cost of having that rookie sit on the bench?

[Also: QB Kellen Moore trying to prove himself at Detroit Lions minicamp]

That's pretty much what happened with McNabb in Minnesota last year. He opened the season as a starter and went 1-5 while playing just OK. His quarterback rating was 82.9. But at 1-5, what's the point at sticking with the veteran, when you can give that time to someone who might be able to help you for the next 10 years? So the Vikings put Christian Ponder in the lineup ahead of McNabb. And no, Ponder wasn't an improvement ‒ but he'll be better in 2012 because he played in 2011.

That's what McNabb couldn't offer.

[Related: Olympian Shawn Johnson lost 25 pounds after 'hurtful' weight criticism]

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Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris lost his wife Ashley unexpectedly in February. Instead of dwelling on what is gone from his life, Harris told the Chicago Sun-Times that he is working to honor her memory by building a school in the Sudan.

Harris wants the school to serve girls who have been abused or enslaved by Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army. He will name it the Ashley Harris Sunshine School, and he hopes to build many more across the continent.

He and Ashley took two trips to Africa through Pros for Africa, a not for profit that describes its mission, "connecting professionals of all fields with the children of Africa." She was affected by the people she met in Tanzania and Uganda, and PFA appreciated her work so much that they dedicated this year's medical expedition through northern Uganda and South Sudan to her.

PFA has experience in school building, and Harris has enlisted friends from the NFL to donate. Matt Forte, who was Harris' teammate when he was with the Chicago Bears, has already signed on as a donor. Considering the large NFL contingent that reached out to Harris after her death, and his many fans in Chicago and San Diego, Harris shouldn't have a hard time getting enough money to build the school.

To help Harris with his mission, visit Pros for Africa.

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