The 49ers have a few options. They could be nice guys, thank Smith for all his hard work over the years and release him, allowing him to cut the best deal with a team of his choosing. There were reports this week that Smith has asked for his release, but he denies that, saying he didn't know where or how that story originated..They meet in San Diego this Sunday. Then you have the Eagles and Cardinals, who also play each other this week. They have secured two of the most fortunate 20 starts in NFL history.

There are 121 union referees in the NFL, and they share a total annual salary pool of $18 million. That shakes out to about $150,000 per year, on average a number the NFL Referees' Union would like to see increase. "The two sides have narrowed the gap on overall compensation.What a difference a year makes. The Browns had won only 19 games over four years prior to last season and coach Romeo Crennel was on the hot seat. Despite a rabid fan base, ticket prices were se