Even amid rumors that Bill Parcells might have one foot out the door, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he wants his coach to return in 2007 and will do what he can to make it happen.

Word out of Tampa is that DE Simeon Rice has played his final game with the Buccaneers. Rice was placed on the injured-reserve list last week because of an ailing shoulder that kept popping out of its socket. We hear Rice, whose contract is up after the 2007 season, is scheduled to count nearly $10.5 million against the salary cap next year and that the Bucs have too many other areas of concern on defense to pay Rice’s expensive salary. We’re told the Bucs will try to trade Rice in the offseason, but if they don’t find any suitors, they could just release him.

It's easy to get frustrated as a Raiders fan, but league scouts insist that the Raiders’ young defense is showing plenty of promise and is battling hard each and every play for coordinator Rob Ryan — a trait that wasn't so apparent for previous coordinators in years past.

Bears DT Tommie Harris hasn’t recorded a sack since Week Four, but we’re told he has seen a steady diet of double-teams and has watched a number of opponents shift to very quick drops.

Buccaneers RB Cadillac Williams, who earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors last season while chalking up six 100-yard games, totaled his second 100-yard effort of this season in Week 11. Sources tell us Williams admitted after the contest he had been pressing in recent games, which partly can explain his lackluster results.

Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich had successful ankle surgery last week, and he is done for the rest of the season. We hear Leftwich has likely played his last game with the Jaguars because he is a free agent after the 2007 season and the Jaguars are expected to try to trade him this offseason.

One positive note on the injury front for the Jaguars: DT Marcus Stroud returned to action in Week 11. Stroud had missed the previous five games with an ankle injury that some insiders thought could be season-ending. Instead, Stroud was a key factor in holding Giants RB Tiki Barber to 27 rushing yards in Stroud’s first game back.

Jets NT Dewayne Robertson is upset with the criticism he has received from the media much of this season. In fact, we hear it took some prodding for him to agree to a recent interview session with the Jets’ beat writers. Jets OLG Pete Kendall said that Robertson is still a disrupter and a penetrator who has been forced to play almost the opposite role in the team’s 3-4 defensive scheme. Despite that, Robertson has impressed his teammates and coaches with the way he has played hard and quietly worked to improve, without complaint.

We hear that Patriots TE Benjamin Watson is still struggling to read zone defenses. Watson has the speed to run past man coverage, but when going against a zone, he ­hasn’t figured out how to settle into the open spots, forcing QB Tom Brady to throw passes at Watson’s feet so they would not be intercepted.

Mark Bradley’s high-stepping exhibition on his way to a 57-yard touchdown in Week 11 drew the ire of the Bears’ coaching staff because it began long before Bradley crossed the stripe.

Don’t be surprised to see Brooks Bollinger get a look when the Vikings elect to bench Brad Johnson. We hear Minnesota would like to see if Bollinger can push second-round rookie Tarvaris Jackson this offseason.

We hear a healthy Bernard Berrian isn’t at risk of losing his job to Mark Bradley, presuming he doesn’t make a habit of dropping balls, such as a critical third-down attempt vs. the Jets in Week 11.

Trailing by 11 points in Week 11 vs. Miami, Vikings head coach Brad Childress bypassed multiple opportunities to kick a field goal in the waning 90 seconds despite needing two scores. Instead, he opted to continue the drive, scoring a meaningless touchdown as time expired to finish with a 24-20 loss. We’re told he dismissed all inquiries about the undeniably questionable line of thinking.

Sources in Green Bay tell us that Brett Favre’s groin injury was a factor in his awful first half (5-of-15, 73 yards) against the Patriots in Week 11, even before he sustained the elbow injury that knocked him out of the game. He was having trouble and felt a pull while stepping to his left.

With 10 days off between the Thanksgiving debacle and Week 13 vs. the Patriots, Pro Bowl DT Shaun Rogers should have enough time to get his scoped knee ready and his conditioning back in order to suit up for the first time since Oct. 15.

There are rumblings in the desert that Bill Bidwill Jr., who has maintained a low profile and  taken a backseat to younger brother Michael Bidwill in the Cardinals’ organization, is not happy with the direction of the club and could be positioning himself to have a say in the likely hiring of a new head coach to replace Dennis Green next season. As for the recent rumor that the Cardinals have already decided to dump Green after the season and replace him with Steve Mariucci, we hear there’s no concrete evidence to support the rumor.  

As a result of the fallout from the Niners’ shoddy handling of their stadium situation with the city of San Francisco, we hear special-projects manager Jed York, the son of owner John York, has received death threats and was accompanied by a security detail at recent meetings with the city.

Word is veteran Niners S Tony Parrish, who was a healthy inactive for the first time in his nine-year career in Week 11, is not likely to be back with the team after this season.

Seahawks insiders contend that perhaps the biggest reason behind the team’s subpar run blocking in recent weeks is the absence of space-eating DT Marcus Tubbs, who was recently placed on injured reserve with a bad knee.

Don’t be surprised if Rams rookie OG Mark Setterstrom, who saw his first game-day action of the season in the recent loss to Carolina and was the team’s starting left guard vs. the Niners last week, remains in the starting lineup the rest of the year. Setterstrom had a surprisingly strong training camp, and team insiders tell us there is a growing feeling at Rams Park that Setterstrom could possibly replace veteran Adam Timmerman at right guard as early as next season.

The way we hear it, the Texans are pleased with what they have seen of rookie ORT Eric Winston, but they believe his future is inside because of his relatively short arms.

Bengals rookie WR-S Ethan Kilmer’s versatility, athleticism and work ethic are continuing to draw raves. Kilmer, a former walk-on at Penn State, has a big supporter in head coach Marvin Lewis, who likes Kilmer’s willingness to do anything he’s asked.

Don’t be surprised if the Steelers address the offensive line in the offseason. ORT Max Starks hasn’t improved as much as the Steelers would have liked, and the depth and talent at right guard and center could be bolstered. 

There is a sense around the Browns that WR Braylon Edwards has been a little too vocal of late. Last week, Edwards criticized teammate Brian Russell for his hit on Bengals WR Chad Johnson in Cincinnati’s 34-17 Week Two win. He also criticized the team’s play-calling in the red zone. Edwards and QB Charlie Frye got into an apparent argument during Cleveland’s 30-0 loss to Cincinnati in Week 12. Head coach Romeo Crennel believes Edwards has a lot of growing up to do. Said Crennel: “I think he’s going to be a good team guy. I had experience with a guy (Keyshawn Johnson) in New York during his rookie year. I think he wrote a book titled “Just Give Me the Damn Ball!” Braylon could probably write a sequel to that one. That guy turned out to be a good receiver and team player. Hopefully, we’ll get Braylon on the right track and make him a productive guy for this team.”

The Chiefs have attempted only 38 passes in the two games since QB Trent Green's return from a serious concussion, and head coach Herman Edwards said opponents and fans should expect to see more of the power-running game from here on out. “We’re going to try to run the football,” Edwards said following a 19-10 victory over Denver on Thanksgiving night. “I believe in running, and I believe when you say you’re a physical team, you have to run the ball. Two things always come to mind: You throw passes to score, and you run to win. That’s always been my mindset.”

The loss of S Nick Ferguson for the year to a torn knee ligament will hut the Broncos from a leadership standpoint, but it will give them a chance to see what they have in backup Curome Cox, whom they have been high on for some time and who has a lot of the same physical characteristics as Ferguson.

Teams continue to go after Broncos CB Darrent Williams, in part because they know Champ Bailey is on the other side but also because receivers are consistently getting open. Coaches and scouts remain sold on Williams' potential, confidence and feistiness, but sources in Denver question why the club won't let him play more bump-and-run coverage up at the line of scrimmage, which is what he would prefer.

Scouts continue to be pleasantly surprised by Erik Pears, the undrafted first-year player who has been filling in for injured Broncos OLT Matt Lepsis. “He is not a great athlete or a mauler and can get overextended at times vs. speed rushers, but he shows patience and has done quite a job over there,” said one personnel director. “I’m impressed every time I watch him.”

Shelved for the remainder of the season with a torn knee ligament, Raiders RB LaMont Jordan has openly wondered if he'll be in Oakland next season, and sources close to the team are curious to see if they'll do a better job of incorporating his strengths into the offensive game plans.

When Randy Moss suggested recently that it might be time for him to leave town to get a fresh start, veteran DT Warren Sapp took exception. “Guess what, fellas?” Sapp said. “One guy doesn't win, make, nor do anything to a football team unless you’re Peyton Manning. One guy don’t make my world go round. You’re not going to get him to understand that there's 57 other guys in here trying to get this job done, so if you have an issue with upstairs or whatever the (heck) it may be, you have a month and a half. … Then go talk to those people about whatever you got going. But you're not going to get that, so, so be it.”

It’s all but certain that WR David Patten will be gone this offseason, having failed to live up to the contract the Redskins gave him two years ago, and it’s possible he doesn’t play another game even after he comes back from a hamstring injury.

It’s no coincidence that the Giants’ run defense broke down after rookie DT Barry Cofield left the Jaguars game. The team has struggled to dominate the interior when Cofield hasn’t been on the field this season.

Though Eagles SS Michael Lewis lost his starting spot to Sean Considine, the team has liked what it has seen from Lewis in a LB spot in the dime defense and is experimenting with him in a similar role in the nickel.