Because he is a big, dependable receiver, Plaxico Burress still has an NFL future, but his options are on hold until his gun case is resolved.
If he does not come away with jail time that conflicts with the 2009 schedule, Burress might be able to salvage a 12- to 14-game schedule for a team. Released Friday by the Giants, he should expect to be suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for several games. Burress was suspended by the Giants for four games last season.
Some teams in need of receivers will clearly shy away from Burress. He'd be a nice fit for the Chicago Bears, but Burress' off-the-field concerns will probably prevent them from doing anything with him. The Jaguars are in dire need of receivers, but it might be hard for them to justify signing Burress after having off-the-field issues with Matt Jones, the former first-round choice who was released during the offseason.
Still, there will be a market if Burress is available. The Raiders could be a spot for him, but not just because Al Davis is willing to take chances on players with troubled pasts. Burress could be as big an aid to the development of JaMarcus Russell as he was for Eli Manning. Teams in the NFC East will tell you that Manning wasn't the same without Burress, especially when the quarterback was blitzed. Currently, Russell's most dependable receiver is tight end Zach Miller. Burress could be the receiving option Russell needs.
The Rams could take a look at him because Steve Spagnuolo was on the Giants' staff during their Super Bowl run in 2007. The Rams once had an experienced receiving crew. Because Spagnuolo knows Burress, he might be willing to convince management to take a chance on him. The Jets also might be willing to take a chance. They are in transition at receiver, and Burress could help their young receivers.
John Clayton, a recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's McCann Award for distinguished reporting, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.