Although the NFL Lockout is the big story of the summer, we've got another story that will likely develop into an interesting one once the CBA is figured out and transactions begin. Later today, former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress will be released from prison after serving a two year prison sentence on a weapons charge stemming from his ill-conceived decision to carry a gun in his sweatpants when he went into a club.
Naturally rumors have been swirling in recent weeks over Burress and where he might end up if he does in fact play football in 2011. The most notable team involved in rumors is the Philadelphia Eagles. They've got wide receivers DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant, alongside tight end Brent Celek. Throw in LeSean McCoy (their third leading receiver in 2010) and they're not short of receivers. However, it might be worth a flyer to see if Burress if Burress has retained a sufficient amount of his former athleticism.
In the NFC West, the St. Louis Rams have been added to the short list of teams thanks to Burress indicating he wouldn't mind playing for Steve Spagnuolo. The Rams currently have Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson as their top two receivers. Again, if Burress retained any of his athleticism, he could make for an intriguing third or fourth option.
As for our 49ers? The team has plenty of question marks at the wide receiver position so I suppose Plaxico isn't the worst option in the world. I don't expect the 49ers to make a run at him in part because they've got a lot of young receivers they want to work into the system. And of course, there will be enough questions about how ready Burress is for football. I think some teams can afford to take a flyer on him, but I don't know if I see the 49ers in that group.