With the 2007 NFL season officially ending on Sunday with the Pro-Bowl, today is the start of the 2008 season as teams prepare for free agency and the draft, April 26-27.

The first order of business for the league is the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which gets underway Feb. 20 through 26. Over three hundred college prospects are invited to participate in the event and will be interviewed, tested, timed and evaluated on their athletic ability by top executives, coaching staffs, player personnel departments and medical personnel from all 32 NFL teams. We will be there to bring you the 411.

Let's get started with the Cincinnati Bengals. Players are calling for a change within the organization and rightfully so. Decisions made on offseason moves and this year's draft will no doubt have a profound effect on how well the team does this season.

Who's calling the shots on draft day?

The Bengals organization is notorious for making boneheaded decisions on draft day. Maybe the worst draft day decision ever made by the club came in 1999 when the Bengals turned down a trade from the New Orleans Saints, who were offering their entire draft and picks the following year, in order to move up to the No. 3 spot to select RB Ricky "I got five on a twenty sack" Williams. Instead, the Bengals drafted QB Akili Smith. Remember him?

According to former Saints coach Mike Ditka, the Bengals were offered more than what the team gave up to the Redskins to move into the No. 5 spot were Williams was selected.

I know. It's like beating Mr. Ed. Hello, Willlbur!

Brown has final say

The organization addresses the draft in collective effort with owner Mike Brown having the ultimate say. However, there is at least one player on the team who would like to see the owner hand over the reigns to head coach Marvin Lewis this year on draft day. After all, he is the one who has to coach these players.

I know what you're thinking, and don't want to hear any talk of Lewis drafting players with character issues. If the league was built solely on character, the NFL would be the National Foosball League. I for one trust Marvin's judgment when it comes to evaluating talent.

I don't know what they're doing up in Cleveland, but it seems to be working. Browns coach Romeo Crennel and GM Phil Savage work well together and it couldn't hurt the Bengals to adapt whatever procedure they have in place. Hint, hint!

Franchise Tag

Many folks believe that the Bengals blew it last year when they made DE Justin Smith their franchise player instead of STUD OL Eric Steinbach, who signed a big money contract with division rival Cleveland Browns. Steinbach was worth every penny helping lead the Browns to their first winning season since coming back to the league while Smith and the Bengals defense played out like an old Michael Jackson thriller jacket.

Smith has never lived up to being the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft, but the organization felt the need to slap a franchise tag on the defensive end in '07, paying him $8,644,000 for the season.

Hello! Should history repeat itself in '08, Smith would receive a slight bump in pay to $8,879,000 for his accomplishments this past season.

He had 78 tackles and two sacks. Whoo hoo! If that turns out to be the case, Dayton Daily News Dean of Bengals Beat Writers, Chick Ludwig, has vowed to shave his head Kojak style should the Bengals tag Smith for a second straight year. Ludwig believes that the Bengals won't make the same mistake twice. Stay tuned!

Smith would draw some interest on the open market and the one team who could come calling is Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm told that Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is a big fan of Smith and has always thought that he would be a better pass-rusher in a 3-4 defense which they run in Blitzburgh.

The Steelers are looking to improve their pass-rush up front on defense and Smith would fit in the rotation nicely. The Steelers could also have their eyes on another Bengal S Madieu Williams. Williams is set to become an unrestricted free agent when the free agency signing period begins in March. He drew rave reviews from a top Steeler scout during the 2004 draft and the interest is believed to still exist considering the team's need for help at the safety position.

So, who will receive the Bengals' franchise tag this year? I say, Who Dey the mascot!

Follow our complete draft coverage starting today to find out what's in store for the Bengals and Browns as well as other NFL teams as we countdown to draft day.