Shutdown Corner - NFL

The Atlanta Falcons announced this week that they were looking to trade the rights to Michael Vick, who is indefinitely suspended from the NFL and currently imprisoned for his role in a dogfighting operation. In essence, they want somebody to give them something in return for their massively overvalued, damaged product. Good luck with that.

It's not even a guarantee that Vick will be back in the NFL in 2009. Roger Goodell has said he won't consider reinstatement until Vick's legal obligations are settled, and that might not be until July. Plus, it's Goodell and he likes to drag things out, so don't expect a quick decision on Vick's future.

If Vick does get reinstated, it is still difficult to imagine that there will be too many teams lining up to give away draft picks in order to get a guy who's been in prison for the past 18 months and is due to get $15 million in 2009 from his current contract. More likely, teams will wait for Atlanta to release Vick, thus enabling them to sign him to a new, more logical deal.

Assuming that all these things happen, what's the most likely destination for Vick in 2009? Shutdown Corner lists the five most likely spots:

1) Oakland -- Other locales might make more football sense, but Vick landing in Oakland make the most overall sense. The Raiders are irrelevant, Al Davis won't care about the negative press and a good number of Oakland fans can relate to Vick's status as an ex-con. JaMarcus Russell is already there at QB, but that's just semantics.

2) Seattle -- Former Falcons coaches Jim Mora and Gregg Knapp are now running the show in Seattle. With Matt Hasselbeck possibly on his way out, this could be a good fit for Vick.

3) San Francisco -- Shaun Hill and J.T. O'Sullivan may not be the answers.

4) Minnesota -- The Vikings are a quarterback away from being a true contender in the NFC, so they seem like the most logical landing spot for Vick. But Vick isn't a Drew Brees-type who can be easily dropped into a pre-existing system, he's the kind of guy whom the system has to be built around. Also, the team is in a battle to get public funding for a new stadium and bringing in a social pariah like Vick may not be the best way to win support for a stadium plan that's already questionable in this economy.

5) New York Jets -- The Jets have said they aren't interested in acquiring Michael Vick. They weren't interested in trading for Brett Favre either.

Honorable Mention: Washington -- If you think Dan Snyder hasn't called up Jim Zorn in the middle of the night at least once this month to bounce off some ideas about how Michael Vick could help the Redskins, then you don't know Danny. 

Not listed: Detroit (even Michael Vick has standards), Tampa Bay (unlikely that a new coach and GM would begin careers with Vick at QB) and Kansas City (ditto). 

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  1. Derek M
    1. Posted by Derek M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Oakland Raidas!!! Go Packers!! WOOO
  2. Derek M
    2. Posted by Derek M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    But yeah it will be dual quarterbacks in Oakland. Think of Florida Gators with Leak and Tebow, with Russell and Vick. Oh wait, I forgot that Al Davis belongs in an asylum.
  3. Tony
    3. Posted by Tony Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

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    Detriot: "Even Vick has standards." Lol!! Comments like this are why I love Shutdown Corner.
  4. happye
    4. Posted by happye Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    If detroit was smart they would jump on this opportunity
  5. Cee
    5. Posted by Cee Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

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    i cant see minnesota wanting vick. they already have a somewhat accurate quarterback and they dont want him as the starter it seems.
  6. nikki118
    6. Posted by nikki118 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:00 pm EDT

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    michael vick should never be allowed to play football again for anyone. what an evil role model. should have gotten at least 5 years in prison for his deeds. look what he done to mans best friend which spelled backwards is god.
  7. WESLEY B
    7. Posted by WESLEY B Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    The kid made a mistake, hell dog fighting did'nt become a felony untill 2006 and I doubt very seriously that imprisoning Michael Vick has stopped one single pitbull fight. SO EVERYONE STOP BEING SO SELF RIGHTEOUS ABOUT THESE F------IN DOGS. i BET YOU EAT STEAK!!!!!!!!!, oh yeah and did'nt Sarah shoot animals from a helicopter?
  8. happye
    8. Posted by happye Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    china eat dods let eat them too
  9. rebelfan
    9. Posted by rebelfan Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:13 pm EDT

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    Vick sucks!! He is a thug his little bro. is a thug. He's probably a better dog fighter than QB anyway. Anyone who will give his fans the finger for booing him should never play in the NFL again!!
  10. sbjnyc
    10. Posted by sbjnyc Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:06 pm EDT

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    michael vick will be allowed to play football when pete rose is allowed in the hall of fame. the reason is gambling. vick didn't go to prison for dog fighting but for running an interstate gambling ring. that's the big no- no that the nfl is concerned about. you think goodell gives a crap about the dogs? he'll get at least another year or 2 out of his suspension.
    and stop talking about vick as if he's some dumb kid. he'll be 30 when the season starts.
  11. Anton
    11. Posted by Anton Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:48 pm EDT

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    happye - you're right!! There are still some people in the world that eat people. Let eat people too!! (sarcasm in case it isn't clear).
  12. WESLEY B
    12. Posted by WESLEY B Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    First of all WTF is a dod (Department of Defense)! I have never seen them on a menu LOL and 30 yrs old is not old
  13. Dean V
    13. Posted by Dean V Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:32 pm EDT

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    What about Chicago?
  14. Bob N
    14. Posted by Bob N Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    are you kidding?..seattle doesn't want that thug! we have standards!
  15. brancabiggs
    15. Posted by brancabiggs Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm EDT

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    Vick is a thug, what team would want to take a chance on him or pay the money that would buy out is cont.. He can run, but he cant throw. CK. his stats, enough with the thugs in the NFL, NBA, get the thugs out of the game!!
  16. happye
    16. Posted by happye Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    yeah lets put them on the menue too haha
  17. Warren
    17. Posted by Warren Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    you know whats bull [profane]..... even tho Vick is just a thug... he still deserves another shot with some team at least..... hey if they let PACMAN still play after having involvment in SHOOOOTINGS that left a man paralyzed for life..... then VICK should get his shot too
  18. Josh C
    18. Posted by Josh C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    IF Michael Vick isn't released for his behavior from Atlanta or Goodell, let's look at it from a strictly football perspective. With the drafting of Matt Ryan, the Falcons have finally found their answer at QB they hoped to find in Vick, but unlike Vick, MATT RYAN CAN ACTUALLY THROW THE BALL! So, unless it's as a glorified, overpaid placeholder or a second-string running back with an attitude, I really don't see Vick taking another snap for the Falcons for the rest of his career. And IF some desperate team is crazy enough to put him under center, Vick should accept any deal he can get, clean up his act and learn how to be a decent quarterback so he doesn't get booted from city to city like PacMan, TO and Randy Moss until his career ends.
  19. Jordan S
    19. Posted by Jordan S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    sbjnyc is right. its not all about the dogs, the thing that the government cares most about is the illegal gambling ring that vick was running. the dogs were just the facilitator. as far as i'm concerned, anybody who abuses animals should be subject to the same cruelty that they displayed. that being said, send him to detroit. that will certainly be punishment enough.
  20. Petey Wheatstraw
    20. Posted by Petey Wheatstraw Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    He paid his debt to society, let the man earn a living. Leonard Little got in a car drunk, and killed somebody, yet I have yet to see any negative remarks about him. So what's the real reason yall? Jealousy, envy, or are you just that unforgiving that you're holding a grudge for something that has absolutly, positively NOTHING to do with you? Let he who is free of sin cast the first stone.
  21. brancabiggs
    21. Posted by brancabiggs Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm EDT

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    TO: #10 The KID MADE A MISTAKE ------- Come on #1 he's a THUG,another example that you can give a thug money but you can't make him a man. As for Chicago, they don't want another QB that can't throw, Vick has been and always be a thug that can run but will never be a QB to take a team all the way.
  22. DJ Ajax
    22. Posted by DJ Ajax Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:27 pm EDT

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    vick and the jets sounds about right ! and why is it when a brother does something his a thug but when his white and breaks the law his and hero ,?
  23. TROT980
    23. Posted by TROT980 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:12 pm EDT

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    lovie smith would never bring vick to chicago. hes to good of a coach and the bears players will not want him leading the team as the field general opposite urlacher
  24. Goodtimes
    24. Posted by Goodtimes Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:25 pm EDT

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    What!! whatever team he goes to he will fail
    karma from a animal killer
  25. Primo
    25. Posted by Primo Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:19 pm EDT

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    Yow srtaight up? vick is going to New York. NY teams do anything to get attention and sell product. Wouldnt u tune in 2 see dat?

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