The ripest fruit doesn't always grow on your neighbor's tree. Sometimes it's best to pick from your own vines.

On the opening day of free agency last week, while the Bears signed former Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers, the Lions corralled former Tennessee defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, the Jets traded for San Diego cornerback Antonio Cromartie, the Colts quietly held a news conference to announce the re-signing of middle linebacker Gary Brackett.

In years past, the Colts have allowed their linebackers to leave. Mike Peterson, David Thornton and Cato June all exited as free agents. This time, Indianapolis took care of its own by locking up Brackett with a five-year contract reportedly worth $33 million, of which $12 million was guaranteed.

The NFL has entered into what it likes to call uncharted waters. This is the first year since 1994 that there is no salary cap, which has made this class of free agents (they must have at least six years' experience to qualify) mostly average.

So it makes a lot of sense for teams to retain their own core players rather than seek out the company of strangers. Or, as former NFL personnel man Bill Kuharich put it: "The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know."

A scrappy 5-11, 235-pound player in the middle of the Colts' defense, Brackett has been devilish for opponents. He has totaled more than 100 tackles in each of his five seasons as a starter, including a team-leading 149 in '07.

"He's built for their defense—a guy who can diagnose, know where to be and run to the ball," Kuharich said.

Brackett is one of the leaders of an underrated defense that usually is overshadowed by Peyton Manning and the offense. He had 13 tackles in Super Bowl 43 and made one of the biggest plays of the game when he and fellow linebacker Clint Session teamed up to stop Saints running back Pierre Thomas at the 1-yard line on a fourth-and-goal play in the second quarter.

The Colts ended up losing that game, which is one reason Brackett wanted to stay in Indianapolis.

"I really felt that we had some unfinished business," he said at his press conference. "We went to the Super Bowl this year, but didn't get the job done. I feel like we're right there, we're very competitive, and next year I think it is the same thing over again."

The Colts were one of several teams that made smart moves with a stay-at-home signing during the first week of free agency. Here are four others:

"He does a great job running routes, is easy to find over the middle and is a great blocker," former Seahawks coach Jim Mora said.

• Ryan Clark, FS, Steelers (four years/$14 million). Although fellow safety Troy Polamalu gets more attention and lines up in myriad places, Clark provides a strong presence in the deep middle of coordinator Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense. Clark is an instinctive player and one of the hardest hitters in the game. Just ask former Ravens running back Willis McGahee, who fumbled after getting smashed by Clark in the AFC championship game a year ago.

"The Steelers are a team that prides itself on its toughness, and this guy is tough," Mora said. "He knows the complexities of the system and allows Polamalu to free-lance."

• Chad Clifton, OT, Packers (three years/$19.8 million/$6.375 million bonus). He'll turn 34 in June and was nicked up a bit last season, but Clifton was as much of a proven commodity as any of the left tackles that were on the market. He has been a longtime pillar for the Packers at one of the most important positions on offense—and one of the key reasons for the rapid development of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

"In a left tackle market that was lean in depth and front-line starting options among unrestricted free agents, Clifton was one of the better solutions despite his age," an AFC scout said. "He gives the Packers short-term stability at a critical spot."

"He is a different spin on their offense as a fullback who became more involved as the season went along in receiving and running the ball," Kuharich said.   

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

Jamie Dukes, a former NFL offensive lineman who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, played for the Falcons, Packers and Cardinals in a 10-year career (1986-95). Now working as an analyst for the NFL Network, Dukes is passionate about an issue that affects him and many other retired players—battling obesity and the major health issues it can cause. Dukes, 45, talked to Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer about the problem, the solution he found for himself and how he's spreading the word about this issue.

Sporting News: How does obesity develop into a problem for retired NFL linemen?

Jamie Dukes: As a lineman, you're trained to maintain body mass, so you gorge yourself to stay at 290 or more pounds over the course of your career. When you're retired, not working out as much as you used to, taking on responsibilities like being a father, you realize your weight is getting progressively worse. There are no six and seven hours in the gym anymore. For me, 12 years after I finished playing, I was a biscuit away from 400 pounds.

SN: How did you overcome the problem?

JD: I had some teammates who passed away—Reggie White from sleep apnea, Ricky Bryan from a heart attack—that were directly related to being overweight. I tried all the diets, and I would lose 15 pounds here and there, but then would come a family vacation and I put it all back on again. I then heard about the gastric band procedure, and since July 16, 2008, it's helped me lose 110 pounds.

SN: How does the gastric band work?

JD: It's a numbers game, really. The procedure sets up a plastic band around the stomach, so it closes up more quickly. I used to consume 10-12 ounce portions, and now they're much smaller. It sends a sensation to your brain that you're full, so you're unable to consume large quantities. You can still eat all the foods you like, just less of them. You don't have issues with feeling hungry. It's just a 30-minute procedure, and I've had no medical issues.

SN: How have you spread the word about your success?

JD: Many former players contacted me after watching me on television, melting away the pounds right in front of their eyes. There's a lot of disability that comes with being obese, and a lot of guys have knee or other joint replacements. Literally, they want help taking off the weight that their lower body is carrying.

SN: Is there something players can do to prevent this during their active career?

JD: We all make a deal to play this game. It's not when they're playing or right when guys retire—that's when they're most physically fit. It's after that when those muscles turn into fat.

SN: Have a good story on how you've inspired another former player?

JD: I was at the Super Bowl, and the Saints were honoring one of their great former linebackers, Rickey Jackson. New Orleans is about to celebrate this victory, and he asked me "Tell me, what you done to lose all that weight?" It speaks volumes. It was so stunning to me, with his team right there, winning a championship, that was the first thing we talked about.

SN: Do you consider yourself the leader of this cause?

JD: I'm not the first player to recognize this problem. I'm just trying to do my part. With my Put Up Your Dukes foundation, it's there to help those who haven't connected the dots that a lot of what they're going through comes from what I call a disease of excess.

SN: So is it more wishful thinking with other weight-loss solutions?

JD: It's all about going from supersized consumption to eating in moderation. There are different ways to go about just shutting it off and keep from being overweight.

SN: How about fighting this problem from a young age?

JD: Childhood obesity is big issue, and through the NFL's Play 60 program, we're trying to get kids more involved in getting in enough physical activity every day. It's not good that P.E. is being pulled out of a lot of schools. With Xbox and other video games, more kids are on the couch moreoften. We've got to work to get them back outside.

Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Houston All-Star first baseman Lance Berkman will have minor surgery on his left knee Saturday and miss two-to-four weeks, a recovery period that could sideline him for opening day.

The 34-year-old injured knee during a baserunning drill at spring training on March 1. Tests showed that Berkman bruised his knee, and he played five games after skipping the Astros' spring training opener.

Berkman's knee continued to swell, and team doctor Dr. David Lintner decided on Friday that the five-time All-Star slugger should have arthroscopic surgery.

Astros general manager Ed Wade said the team is confident the injury won't be a lingering problem.

"We certainly don't encourage players to have surgery, but if this is an easy fix, it removes the uncertainty that it could occur again," Wade said. "We think that once it gets addressed, that it's a dead issue and we won't have to worry about it anymore."

Wade said the initial bruise ruled out the option of surgery earlier.

"He had a strawberry on that knee, and Dr. Lintner told us that even if surgery had been prescribed, they wouldn't have been able to do it until that strawberry healed because of the concern for an infection," Wade said. "So we'll address it now, get him moving in a straight line and, hopefully, not have to worry about it for the rest of the season."

Berkman had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee in 1999. He missed 18 games last year with a strained left calf and hit .274, a career low for a full season. He is entering the final season of an $85 million, six-year contract extension.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Three quesions

Can Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman contribute like they have in the past?

Because Wandy Rodriguez was the only other Astros starter with an ERA under 4.50 last season, the team needs Oswalt to return to pre-2009 form -- or as close to it as possible. Newcomer Brett Myers is a question mark at No. 3, and the final two spots in the rotation are up for grabs, with Brian Moehler, Bud Norris and Felipe Paulino the top candidates.

2. Will this be Lance Berkman's final season in Houston?
The last remaining Killer B is under contract through the 2011 season, but the Astros hold a $15 million option for next season. Berkman recently said he would be inclined to sign elsewhere if the Astros don't exercise that option and allow him to become a free agent. His future could depend on whether he is able to bounce back from what statistically was the worst season of his career.

Limited to 136 games because of biceps and calf injuries, Berkman hit .274 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs in 2009. Not terrible numbers, but not up to par with his usual production. In 2006, Berkman hit .315 and established new career highs with 45 homers and 136 RBIs. At one point last season, Berkman had a 33-game homerless drought.

3. Will there be enough offense?
Houston finished 27th in the majors in runs scored and 25th in OPS last season, and it lost its second-best RBI man from last season when Miguel Tejada signed with the Orioles in the offseason. In addition to Berkman's down season, Carlos Lee's homer total dropped for a second consecutive year. As a result, leadoff man Michael Bourn failed to score 100 runs despite his career-best .354 on-base percentage and an NL-leading 61 steals.

Taking over for Tejada at shortstop will be defense-first Tommy Manzella, whose five career major league at-bats came late in 2009. "(Manzella has) done a great job through the minor leagues, and he's been exceptional on the defensive end," Mills said.

Projected lineup
1. CF Michael Bourn: Must cut down on K's (140 in '09).
2. 2B Kaz Matsui: Just a .302 OBP last season.
3. 1B Lance Berkman: Switch hitter hit .231 vs. lefties.
4. LF Carlos Lee: .831 OPS was lowest since '05.
5. RF Hunter Pence: .298 AVG, 11 HRs before break; .263 AVG, 14 HRs after.
6. 3B Pedro Feliz: .301 AVG, 18 RBIs in 25 career games at Minute Maid Park.
7. SS Tommy Manzella: 52 SBs, 19 triples in 5 minor league season.
8. C J.R. Towles: .188 AVG in 84 MLB games the past 3 seasons.

Projected rotation
1. RHP Roy Oswalt: 4.12 ERA at home and on road in '09.
2. LHP Wandy Rodriguez: 9-3, 2.08 ERA at home; 5-9, 4.05 on road.
3. RHP Brett Myers: 6.43 ERA as RP after returning from hip surgery last season.
4. RHP Felipe Paulino: 4-12, 5.74 ERA in 20 career starts.
5. RHP Bud Norris: 3-0, 1.57 ERA in final 4 starts of '09.

PROJECTED CLOSER
RHP Brandon Lyon: 2.86 ERA in setup role with Tigers last season.

Offense: D. Despite playing in one of the majors' most hitter-friendly parks, Houston was outscored by every NL team except the Pirates and Padres last season. And Houston finished 25th in homers. At least the Astros make contact; only the Mets finished with fewer strikeouts.

Pitching: D. Only six major league teams had a staff ERA worse than Houston's 4.54 last season. The back end of the rotation has holes, and the bullpen lost closer Jose Valverde (25 saves, 2.33 ERA last season) and setup man LaTroy Hawkins (2.13 ERA). The bright spot is Rodriguez, an emerging ace.

Bench: C. With the addition of Pedro Feliz, Geoff Blum will return to a reserve role and add a powerful bat to the bench. Jeff Keppinger, who had a career-high seven homers in 2009, will serve as the middle-infield backup. Jason Michaels, a .228 hitter the past two seasons, is the fourth outfielder.

Manager: C. An incomplete might be more accurate, given that Mills' has yet to manager his first major league game. Although he won't have the talent he did while serving as Boston's bench coach, Mills will have plenty of veterans to lean on in Houston. It remains to be seen, however, whether those veterans are in decline.

Sporting News prediction: With lingering questions about both the offense and the pitching staff, Houston is unlikely to improve upon its fifth-place finish from last season.

Coming Monday: Pirates preview.

Chris Bahr is a senior editor for Sporting News. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could be facing a serious dilemma, and soon. If quarterback Ben Roethlisbeger is charged with sexual assault in Georgia, the team might need to make alternative plans at the position for 2010 -- and possibly beyond.

Even if Roethlisberger isn't charged, one more false move could prompt the Steelers to pull the plug on a franchise quarterback who has given the franchise a few too many headaches.

So what would the Steelers do if they suddenly didn't have Roethlisberger at their disposal? Let's consider the possibilities.

Dennis Dixon could get his shot at starting if the Steelers need to replace Ben Roethlisberger.

And while many are troubled by the fact that Tebow has a release slower than Byron Leftwich's, Leftwich did well with the Steelers. Indeed, the Steelers generally have been able to "coach up" their quarterbacks successfully, finding ways to get the most out of a player's skills while also minimizing his weaknesses.

Though Tebow lacks the downfield burst that will make him another Steve Young or Mike Vick, Tebow is sufficiently mobile to buy more time horizontally, like Roethlisberger does. Then there's the fact that the coaching staff and front office will likely be in place long enough for the payoff, if/when Tebow finally becomes a solid NFL quarterback.

Given the headaches that Roethlisberger has caused for the franchise, Tebow would be an anti-Ben -- a guy who says and does all the right things, and who never would be accused of anything other than being a little bit too blatant about his benevolence.

Still, we'll take allegations of self-righteousness over allegations of sexual assault any day. The Steelers undoubtedly would agree.

Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.

Ben Roethlisberger's legal trouble has captured much of the sports world's attention the past week. There still isn't much information about what happened leading up to a woman accusing Roethlisberger of assault, so media outlets are scrambling to find anyone who can shed more light on the situation.

Enter Kaylie Reeves, a server at a Milledgeville, GA, bar where Roethlisberger stopped before going to the establishment where the alleged assault took place. Reeves joined Joe Bendel on 970 The Fox in Pittsburgh to talk about what it's been like in Milledgeville since then, and what she saw that night.

To listen to Kaylie Reeves talk about the Ben Roethlisberger incident, go to Sports Radio Interviews.

Ben Roethlisberger was recently accused of assaulting a woman in Milledgeville, GA.

Reeves: They were all really large guys. You could tell they were probably athletes. People recognized who he was in the bar, then somebody said one of his linebackers was with him, but I don't know anything about professional football players except they're very large.

Is the town shaken up over this? Will the community struggle to rebound from the alleged incident?

Reeves: A lot of people thought it was actually comical, laughing about how Milledgeville has become this big deal just because of this one little incident.

I don't think people are upset. We have been busier in our restaurant than we were previously, before the incident. So that's helped our business. That's been a plus side of it.

More from SRI
Jamie Moyer says young starting pitchers today are babied
Shawne Merriman says he wants to remain a Charger

Rockies first baseman Todd Helton has agreed to a two-year, $9 million extension with the team, according to The Denver Post.

The newspaper speculated the contract will allow Helton to retire with the organization that drafted him eighth overall in 1995.

Helton, a five-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner and the 2000 N.L. batting champion, hit .325 with 15 homers, 86 RBIs and a .416 on-base percentage in 151 games with Colorado last season.

In his 13-season major league career, Helton has a .328 batting average, 325 homers and 1,202 RBIs. His career .427 on-base percentage is the best among active players.

And the biggest question: Can the Reds be surprise contenders in the NL Central? If they get positive results to even half of their questions, the answer is yes.

Joey Votto has power, but can he stay healthy?

1. What happened in the offseason?
General manager Walt Jocketty didn't make a lot of moves, but the ones he made bode well for the future. For the long term: The Reds pulled off the surprise of the offseason by outbidding the big-money clubs for 22-year-old Aroldis Chapman. The Reds could feature a rotation of Chapman, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez as soon as next season. For the short-term: Jocketty dumped Willy Taveras and his contract on the A's, which allowed the Reds to sign shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a one-year deal. Cincinnati also brought back Johnny Gomes -- an underrated move because of his power.

As a result, the Reds are better. They will replace Taveras, who disappointed in his only season in Cincinnati, with Drew Stubbs. And Cabrera provides an upgrade over Paul Janish at shortstop. The rest of the lineup returns intact.

2. Where's the offense?
The Reds play in a hitter-friendly park and have a potentially strong middle of the lineup. However, health is a concern. Votto, Rolen and Jay Bruce all have the power to hit 25 homers, but they need to stay in the lineup for more than 131 games. None of the three did so last season. Neither did Ramon Hernandez, another player capable of reaching double figures in homers.

The Reds need their thumpers to thump because they don't have a lot of speed. Their cleanup hitter, Brandon Phillips, tied Taveras for the team lead in steals with 25 last season.

Will Aroldis Chapman earn a spot on the Reds' opening day roster?

Manager Dusty Baker said Chapman throws his fastball with such ease that it is difficult to tell how fast it is (it has touched triple digits). "He's a tremendous athlete with a great arm, great pitching body and great aptitude for baseball," Baker said. If he proves as capable at adapting to a new country, Chapman could be starting in the majors next month.

Projected lineup
CF Drew Stubbs: Team-best 8 HRs after Aug. 19 call-up.
SS Orlando Cabrera: Led AL SSs with 77 RBIs in '09 with A's/Twins.
1B Joey Votto: .981 OPS was third in NL last season.
2B Brandon Phillips: Only NL 2B projected to hit cleanup.
3B Scott Rolen: .305 AVG, .368 OBP in 128 games in '09.
RF Jay Bruce: Lowest AVG (.223) among 20-plus-HR hitters in NL.
C Ramon Hernandez: Knee limited him to 81 games in '09.
LF Chris Dickerson: .383 OBP in 2 seasons could make him leadoff option.

Projected rotation
1. RHP Aaron Harang: 12-31, 4.52 ERA over past 2 seasons.
2. RHP Bronson Arroyo: Team-best 30 W's and 420 1/3 IP over past 2 seasons.
3. RHP Homer Bailey: 7.53 ERA first 11 starts; 1.70 in final 9.
4. RHP Johnny Cueto: 61 career starts; has lasted 8 IP only once.
5. RHP Justin Lehr: One of the candidates to hold the spot for Chapman.

Projected closer
RHP Francisco Cordero: 2.16 ERA was third-best among NL closers.

Offense: C. For the team's power production to improve, Votto and Bruce must stay on the field. The Reds play in one of the NL's most hitter-friendly parks, but they finished eighth in the NL in homers and 15th in average (.247).

Pitching: C. The continued development of Bailey and Cueto, plus the expected arrival of Chapman, bodes well for the future. For the present, however, the Reds need Harang to return to his 2007 form. They will be without Volquez (elbow) for most, if not all, of the season.

Bench: C. Gomes brings power and depth to an outfield that needs both. Rookie Chris Heisey should help, too, but he could start the season in the minors. Janish is a plus defender at shortstop but isn't a proven hitter. Aaron Miles brings a veteran presence to infield but hit only .185 last season with the Cubs.

Manager: B. In his third season with the Reds, Baker has yet to reach the postseason -- something he did with the Giants and Cubs in his pervious managerial stops. He is in the final season of his three-year contract and still is looking for his first winning season in Cincinnati.

Sporting News prediction: The Reds have the makings to surprise in the mediocre NL Central if some of their under-25 core -- Bruce, Bailey, Cueto -- step up. But their lack of power should keep them in the lower half of the division.

Coming Friday: Astros preview

Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.