At the very least, Junior Seau's death might be a watershed moment for the way the NFL helps players transition to the next phase of their lives. 

At the very most, the tragic incident might be a watershed moment for the way the league's coaches, players and -- maybe most importantly -- fans feel about the impact of head trauma on the game at all levels. 

I know that Seau's fans, friends, former teammates and family want to focus on mourning at this early stage, but the ramifications of a 12-time Pro Bowler and potential first-ballot Hall of Famer apparently shooting himself dead at 43 could be massive. 

Take another future Hall of Famer, Kurt Warner, who told the Dan Patrick Show this morning that, at this point, the thought of his own sons playing football scares him. 

"They both have the dream, like dad, to play in the NFL," Warner said. "When you hear things like the bounty and when you understand the size, the speed, the violence of the game, and you couple that with Junior Seau and was that a [ramification] of all the years playing … it's a scary thing for me."

Warner, a man who made millions and gained legendary status playing football, said that he'd prefer his kids not play the game.

How sad is that?

But more importantly, how many American parents will follow? Considering the fate of men like Dave Duerson and Junior Seau -- both of whom are only the defining examples of the potential downfalls of playing a sport in which smashing heads is part and parcel -- I'd have to imagine that the NFL fears a crisis at the grassroots level, which in less than a generation could lead to a seemingly infallible pro sports league losing its luster from a variety of standpoints (marketability, depth of talent pool, TV viewership, you name it).

It came in the first sentence of one of the most shocking and important press releases the NFL had ever issued: "A lengthy investigation by the NFL’s security department has disclosed that between 22 and 27 defensive players on the New Orleans Saints, as well as at least one assistant coach, maintained a “bounty” program funded primarily by players in violation of NFL rules during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons."

That 1,050-word document, sprung on unsuspecting football fans on a dull Friday afternoon, detailed exactly how the Saints were dirtier than, I dunno, a potent combination of John Edwards, Ke$ha and Capone.

The investigation, the league said, "included the review of approximately 18,000 documents totaling more than 50,000 pages, interviews of a wide range of individuals and the use of outside forensic experts to verify the authenticity of key documents." Further, it added that, again, "between 22 and 27 defensive players contributed funds to the pool over the course of three NFL seasons."

And yet on Wednesday, only four of those players were punished for the roles they played in the pay-for-performance program in New Orleans. Assuming the Saints don't make the playoffs this season, and assuming nothing changes on appeal, that quartet will be forced to miss a combined 31 games. That number could grow as high as 35, as alleged ringleader Jonathan Vilma is out for the entire year, including the playoffs.

Further evidence is likely forthcoming when appeals are filed, but the league's case against all four players, and especially Vilma, appears to be quite strong. "Multiple independent sources" claim the team's defensive captain helped former defensive coordinator-turned-pariah Gregg Williams establish and fund the bounty program. Those sources also have him putting thousands of dollars on heads belonging to future Hall of Famers Brett Favre and Kurt Warner.

As for the three other guilty parties: Scott Fujita (now with the Browns) and Will Smith get three and four games, respectively, for pledging large sums of money as cash rewards for "cart-offs" and "knockouts." Smith probably gets the extra game due to the fact that he allegedly helped Williams organize the fund during his run as defensive captain. Finally, Anthony Hargrove (now with the Packers) loses eight games for a) his participation, and b) "actively [obstructing] the league’s 2010 investigation into the program by being untruthful to investigators."

The league office claimed to have evidence that as many as 23 other players were involved in the shenanigans, and yet they're only frying the four biggest fish.

Cleveland Browns: C

I've said multiple times throughout this week that I just don't like the Browns first two picks, but if you missed it, I'll restate my argument. Trent Richardson is solid, but he wasn't worth a top 5 pick, and taking a quarterback is not what the Browns needed. They need someone to come in and help Colt McCoy succeed, not somebody to come in and replace him altogether.

The Browns recovered somewhat in my eyes with their 2nd and and 3rd round picks of T Mitchell Schwartz and DT John Hughes respectively, but their first round kills what should have been the best part of their draft. That's why the Browns earned just a "C."

Cincinnati Bengals: A-

The Bengals had 5 picks in the first 3 rounds, and I loved 4 of the 5 picks. The only one I wasn't sold on was DT Brandon Thompson, but the consensus is that Thompson is a solid pick as well.

The only real reason I didn't give the Bengals an "A" was that I don't know if Dre Kirkpatrick can be an elite cornerback in the NFL. He can definitely start, but he never had the "wow" factor in college. All in all, the Bengals had one of the best perceived drafts in 2012, and it should help build up what I believe is a quickly rising team.

Pittsburgh Steelers: B

The Steelers didn't draft for glamour this season, they just drafted solid players through and through. It wasn't a special draft for them, but it was focused on building up their core group of players, and I think they succeeded in that regard perfectly.

David DeCastro, the Steelers' first round pick, will be able to jump in as a starter on that offensive line immediately. Ben Roethlisberger hangs onto the ball too long, and the Steelers have to deal with that by giving him more time in the pocket. Any added time DeCastro provides makes the Steelers' offense far more dangerous. They should remain near the top of the division, and conference, once again in 2012.

Baltimore Ravens: B

The Ravens traded out of the first round, but they were still able to get Courtney Upshaw, a guy many thought would easily be a 1st round pick, but his draft stock tumbled over the past couple of weeks. Make no mistake about it, the Ravens are glad to snag upshaw with just a 2nd round pick.

The rest of the Ravens' draft focused on non-premium positions that will continue to strengthen the Ravens' core group of players as they make an effort to stay atop the AFC North. They'll have a tough time doing that, even with a solid draft, because the Steelers are always after them, and the Bengals have quickly built one of the best young teams in the league.

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Indianapolis Colts: B+

The Indianapolis Colts came into the draft knowing exactly who their selection would be. Essentially, there was only ever two potential picks that the Colts would make, and they stuck with the early consensus pick, taking Andrew Luck and anointing him as their next franchise quarterback.

After picking Luck, Ryan Grigson went to work, trying to give Luck some weapons to work with in an effort to ensure his success as a rookie. Those weapons included TE Coby Fleener who is also from Stanford, TE Dwayne Allen, WR T.Y. Hilton, and WR LaVon Brazill.

The Colts have a lot of young pieces on their team, but they all revolve around Andrew Luck. His level of success will determine how successful the above mentioned draftees will be in the NFL which is why I only gave the Colts a B+. You may say that Andrew Luck was the obvious pick for the Colts, but that doesn't change the fact that he was the right pick. The only major downside to Grigson's inaugural draft is that it puts all of the Colts' eggs in the Andrew Luck basket. There's a lot riding on Luck's success in Indianapolis.

Jacksonville Jaguars: A-

Using baseball terms, the Jaguars hit a homerun, a triple, and a solid double with their first three picks of the 2012 draft. The Jaguars sacrificed their 4th round selection to move up two spots in the first round to snag Justin Blackmon, the first true #1 receiver they've had in Jacksonville since the days of Jimmy Smith. That pick should allow Blaine Gabbert to spread the ball around to his other receivers as well as Blackmon, leading to more success from the Jaguars' passing attack.

From there, the Jaguars drafted DE Andre Branch in the second round and P Bryan Anger in the 3rd round. Branch is a pass rusher that the Jaguars will put to work immediately. The hope is that he's the final piece in what could be one of the better defensive units in the NFL. Bryan Anger is a pick the Jaguars have caught a lot of flak over, but I really like the pick. Taking a punter is a safer pick than taking virtually any other position in the draft, and if he can indeed change field position as well as many think he can, he's definitely worth a 3rd round pick.

Sad news to report in the NFL. TMZ and various media outlets are reporting that former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau has been found dead in his home in Oceanside, Calif.

According to the TMZ report, police are investigating a shooting, according to several of their law enforcement sources. According to those same sources Seau died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

Seau played for 20 seasons in the NFL, 13 of those with the San Diego Chargers.

Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowler and 6-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 retires after that season, only to come back and play 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 say, honestly say, that that probably was my last game."

Seau is the eighth member of the Chargers 1994 Super Bowl team to pass. We will keep you updated on this story as more news is confirmed.

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Today the NFL handed down its long anticipated punishments of Saints players involved in "bountygate." As was widely believed, Jonathan Vilma was the player hit heaviest, getting a one year suspension. Here's exactly how the suspensions break down.

• LB Jonathan Vilma is suspended for 2012 NFL season, effective immediately.
• LB Scott Fujita (now with the Browns) is suspended without pay for the first 3 games of the 2012 season.
• DE Anthony Hargrove (now with the Packers) is suspended without pay for the first 8 games of the 2012 season.
• DE Will Smith is suspended without pay for the first 4 games of the 2012 season.

It's still unclear whether the players will appeal their punishments, but they have only three days to do so.

The most peculiar thing about the suspensions handed down today was the timing. This round of suspensions was expected well before the draft, and the timing hurts the teams those players are now part of. It's possible that Roger Goodell didn't want the Browns, Packers, and especially the Saints to know those players' fates before the draft. Maybe there's some other reasons for the delay, but it certainly hasn't been made clear yet. That's just my speculation though.

The next major question to be answered in the "bountygate" saga is whether the NFLPA will go to bat for the suspended players, or will the NFLPA shy away from any appeals that could come in the next 3 days. I would expect Vilma and Hargrove to appeal their suspensions, although considering Roger Goodell's track record with disciplinary action, I wouldn't be too hopeful if I was one of those players. As for the NFLPA, it's probably wiser for them to just stay away from any appeals that may follow these suspensions.

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Chicago Bears: C+

The Bears met one of their most important needs before the draft began by reuniting Jay Cutler with wideout Brandon Marshall thanks to a trade with the Miami Dolphins. With Marshall in the fold, wide receiver went from a near "must have" to a "would be nice to have," especially if Johnny Knox is misses some or much of the regular season. Beyond receiver, more quality bodies on the offensive line looked like a priority, as did potentially a starting defensive end, and better defensive back depth.

The result of Phil Emery's first draft was a bunch of "ifs." First-round pick Shea McClellin could nail down the starting defensive end spot opposite Julius Peppers if he adjusts to playing defensive end full-time and holds up okay in run defense. Second-round pick Alshon Jeffery could be another big-target for Culter if he keeps his weight closer to 215 than 250. Third-round pick Brandon Hardin could be a big-time safety if the shoulder injury that cost him all of the 2011 season doesn't provide any lingering effects.

If, if, if. The uncertain fates of the top three picks emphasize the deep uncertainty inherent in grading a draft before any of the players have a chance to play. It's possible all three could become stars and also possible none is in the NFL in five years. Bet on one stud, one starter, and one scrub, in which case the fate of this class rests as much on the long-term contributions of late-round corners Isaiah Frey and Greg McCoy as much on the early players.

Detroit Lions: B+

The Detroit Lions were in an interesting position heading into the draft. An unexpected playoff appearance in 2011 came largely on the strength of Matt Stafford's over 5,000 passing yards. The conventional wisdom was the Lions needed a better running game and more importantly better top-end defensive talent. After all, a shaky secondary shredded by the Saints in the postseason lost perhaps its best player in Eric Wright.

The Lions instead chose to buttress their explosive offense with their first two picks then add bodies and more bodies to the defensive back seven in the rest of the draft. First-round pick Riley Reiff should be either an upgrade on Gosder Cherilus at right tackle or Jeff Backus's long-term replacement at left tackle, or perhaps the former immediately and the latter after a year or two. Second-round pick Ryan Broyles is coming off an ACL injury, but projects as the long-term replacement for Nate Burleson.

Beyond that, it was defense, defense, defense. Third-round corner Dwight Bentley will probably contribute as a rookie, while fifth-rounder Chris Greenwood has athletic upside. Broyles' fellow Oklahoma Sooners linebackers Ronnell and Travis Lewis should provide immediate special teams contributions, while Ronnell has long-term starting potential. Later-round defensive players, especially in the secondary, are more of a risk, so the Lions are probably counting on at least one corner and at least one linebacker to develop into a long-term starter. They'll probably get it, but it's not guaranteed.

According to the Associated Press the St. Louis Rams have submitted plans to upgrade the Edward Jones Dome, a key step to making sure the team doesn’t leave town.

The team turned in its counterproposal on Tuesday, declining to release details. The plan was given to the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, the operator of the dome that announced its own plan in February. The CVC said it will begin the review process, but spokeswoman Donna Andrews declined further comment.

The Rams can legally break its 30-year lease after the 2014 season if the dome is not deemed to be among the top tier of NFL stadiums.

The rejected CVC plan included $124 million in improvements, featuring a massive scoreboard measuring 96 feet long, new club seats, windows to add natural light and even a 50,000-square-foot attachment with a “Geek Suite” area for electronic buffs and fantasy football players.

But the CVC plan called for the team to pay 52 percent of the cost, or about $64.5 million Taxpayers in St. Louis city and county would have been asked to pick up the rest of the cost or some $60 million.

The Rams offered no details on why the plan was rejected.

Under the lease, the two sides now have until June 15 to try and reach an agreement. Otherwise, arbitration begins. The arbitration process could last through the end of the year.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke has been non-committal about the team’s future in St. Louis if the dome is not upgraded, creating concern that St. Louis could lose an NFL team for the second time in a quarter of a century. The football Cardinals left for Arizona after the 1987 season in large part because of stadium issues. Owner Bill Bidwill wanted a stadium of his own rather than sharing Busch Stadium with baseball’s Cardinals.

Former Rams owner Georgia Frontiere brought the team from Los Angeles to her hometown of St. Louis prior to the 1995 season. The dome, built with taxpayer funds, opened that season. Frontiere died in 2008 and Kroenke, who had a 40 percent share, bought the remaining stake from her children.

Since the dome opened, several NFL teams have opened new open-air or retractable-roof stadiums. The St. Louis stadium is smaller than many and lacks some of their amenities.

The lease has built-in intervals when the team can break the lease if the dome is not deemed to be among the top 25 percent of all 32 NFL stadiums based on various criteria. The next interval is 2014.

There is concern in St. Louis that Kroenke could move the team back to Los Angeles. Kroenke, a real estate mogul whose wife is a Wal-Mart heir, is a Missouri native but has ties to California, too. He owns an estate in Malibu, Calif., and recently made an unsuccessful bid to purchase baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers.

The dome was financed largely with taxpayer money — $256 million in bonds repaid by the state of Missouri and St. Louis city and county in a 30-year debt that will total $720 million.

The CVC is a public agency, though the lease says the CVC and the Rams can keep some information confidential except under certain circumstances — such as when the law or NFL policies require information to be released, or if all parties give permission to making information public. It wasn’t clear if that provision conflicts with the Missouri Sunshine Law, which requires governments and public agencies to keep most records and meetings open to public view.

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The Vikings still don't know if they'll be getting a new stadium in Minnesota. They don't even know if such a stadium would have a roof or not. As the stadium debate rages on in Minnesota, I can't help but think this is the type of situation that ends with a lot of hurt feelings and people asking why.

Earlier today Mark Dayton, the democratic governor of Minnesota heard that Republicans were trying to get authorization to potentially build a stadium without a roof. Dayton, along with the mayor of Minneapolis, quickly shot down the possibility of a roofless stadium pointing out that such a plan defeats the ability of the stadium to host non-football related events.

To be sure, the continued struggles of the Vikings and the state of Minnesota to come to an agreement on a plan to get the Vikings a new stadium is disappointing. The Vikings have a long, proud tradition in the NFL that is inseparably tied to the state of Minnesota. How this problem ever got to this point is beyond me, but the Vikings have options.

As of today, the Vikings don't fulfill the NFL's criteria for relocating outlined here, but that doesn't mean the Vikings can't eventually fulfill those requirements.

The biggest hurdle for relocation for the Vikings may be the effect that such a move would have on the NFL's divisions. Assuming the Vikings moved to a certain west coast city, the NFL would almost certainly have to realign a couple of its divisions. Because of the proximity of the Rams to the rest of the NFC North teams, it would seem logical that the Rams would become part of the NFC North, and the Vikings would move to the NFC West, but that's purely speculation on my part. Here's to hoping it doesn't come to that.

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Carolina Panthers – Overall grade B+

After getting their franchise pivot last year, it was time to build around Cam and get him some guys to protect him, some weapons to work with and some stability on the other side of the ball to give him a chance to win.

Value Pick – 2^nd round pick: Aminu Silatolu - Tackle, Midwestern St.

Silatolu was moving up the boards leading up to the draft and the Panthers were surely happy to have him available on day two. He is a small school player so he did not have a chance to play against elite competition, but he can play either tackle position and even bump inside to play some guard.

He will likely start out playing inside with Gross and Otah on the ends of the line and Kalil in the middle. Silatolu will start from day one barring an injury, and should start for the next decade.

Sleeper Pick – 4^th round pick: Joe Adams - WR, Arkansas

Adams is a solid SEC product that will instantly add some explosiveness to a passing attack that turned one dimensional at times last year. Brandon LaFell has not been able to be that solid number two man behind Steve Smith, and Adams could swoop in and take that roll if all goes according to plan.

Surprise Pick - 4^th round pick: Frank Alexander - DE, Oklahoma

Alexander is a bit of a tweener without a true position of defined set of skills. A two year starter for the Sooners, he can rush the passer with marginal success, and lacks coverage skills in the flat. He was a late-round prospect that the Panthers felt that he was worth taking in the mid-rounds.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Overall Grade B

It was a down years for the Buccos last year after Josh Freeman burst onto the scene a year prior. The young pivot could not get back on track with Mike Williams, and the team found themselves near the bottom of the league. They cracked out the check book for Vinny Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright, and continued to improve through the draft.

Value Pick – 2^nd round pick: Lavonte David – OLB, Nebraska

The Bucs front seven is one of the youngest in the league, and they added a stud to that core in David. He will be able to step in for Adam Hayways on the right side of the 4-3 and provide a solid mixture of pressure and run stuffing.

He has a solid mix of size, speed and strength, and if he can shed blockers off of his 6-foot-1 frame, then he should be able to step in from day one and succeed.

Sleeper Pick - 7^th round pick: Drake Dunsmore – TE, Northwestern

More and more teams are going towards spread sets with double tight, and Dunsmore might be able to provide that. Winslow is obviously the main man, but Dunsmore could bring a Cooley/Aaron Hernandez type look to the mix down the road.

He is still raw, but he has impressive 4.64 speed that could give him the ability to separate from safeties down the field. If the Pirates can get anything out of the 7^th round pick, call it a success.

Surprise pick – 1^st round pick: Mark Barron – SS, Alabama

The Bucs were positioned at 5 to get Claiborne, but they decided that Wright, Talib and Barber was enough on the corner for now. So instead they traded down for the Bama safety. After releasing Tanard Jackson, they clearly had a need for a safety, but if was mighty early in the draft for a player that may not be a Eric Berry/Earl Thomas game breaker.