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Jason Powell

Dogged Down?

July 13, 2007 8:54pm CDT

Michael Vick's fantasy value is in a holding pattern following his indictment by a federal grand jury on charges relating to his role in a dogfighting operation that was run on his property in Virginia. "We are disappointed that Michael Vick has put himself in a position where a federal grand jury has returned an indictment against him," NFL director of communications Brian Murray said in a statement published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday.

If convicted, Vick could face up to six years in prison. However, the legal process takes time. It will be months and possibly even years before Vick stands trial. And while published reports indicate that federal prosecutors have a 95 percent conviction rate, there's always a chance the two sides could reach a plea bargain agreement and avoid a lengthy trial. In the meantime, Vick will almost certainly be free, at least in the eyes of the government, to play football.

The big question now becomes whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will suspend Vick before he has his day in court. There is some speculation that the league will stand by Vick and let him play because they consider him a first-time offender of the personal conduct policy. Apparently, the Ron Mexico embarrassment and the infamous airport water bottle incident don't qualify. Goodell has already cracked down on players such as Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, and Tank Johnson. Whether anyone wants to admit it, the difference between Vick and those players is that he is the face of a franchise and a poster boy for the NFL.

On the other side of the coin, Goodell is trying to send the message that there's a new sheriff in town. That message came through loud and clear with the Jones, Henry, and Johnson suspensions, but Goodell could cement it by suspending one of the most high profile players. If he chooses not to suspend Vick, critics will be all over the sophomore commissioner for going soft on a superstar.

At this point, fantasy owners have no choice but to wait for Goodell to make his move. In a sense, the timing couldn't be better for those who are slated to hold their drafts in mid-August or later because they should have a sense by then of whether the commissioner will issue a suspension before or after Vick stands trial.

If it's any consolation, various reports suggest that Vick had his best offseason to date. His teammates have praised him for taking on a leadership role and for becoming a better student of the game. He seems to have picked up new head coach Bobby Petrino's offense and has won over some critics who thought he was coddled by owner Arthur Blank and former head coach Jim Mora.

Unfortunately, none of this will matter if Vick is hit with a lengthy suspension. Until then, however, fantasy owners should not hit the panic button, as there is still a chance that he could play a full season if Goodell chooses to let the legal process play out before he gets involved. Stay tuned.

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