[sportscurmudgeon]

Just because a guy is a veteran does not mean he is - - or could be - - a mentor. Some people take to that role; others do not. Trading to acquire a vet who is not a mentor-at-heart and expecting him to play that role is as bad as signing a veteran free agent safety who can't cover a corpse and then realizing it's not gonna work out when you ask him to play a cover position. [cough**AA**cough].

Some young players will take advice from a mentor; others will not. If you have a rookie on your squad who is convinced that he knows it all and that he is God's gift to the NFL, you can have all the mentors and position coaches on the planet on your payroll, that kid is gonna do it his way.

Some players will take - or even seek - advice from another player that they will not take from a coach. That doesn't make a lot of sense, but it happens.

By all accounts, Derrick Brooks is the kind of player who would be a mentor to younger players. If a team needs a part-time linebacker and has young players who might be amenable to some veteran leadership, Brooks would be a good fit with that team.