Family Matters
Footballguy
My comments are in blue:
With Ricky Williams out of the picture for the 2006 season, word from South Florida is that Ronnie Brown has added bulk — about 10 pounds more than he weighed during his rookie season — in order to carry the load as the unquestioned lead back. Brown now weighs 235 pounds, in the belief that will help him be more durable. Brown acknowledged as much to the Miami media, “Yeah, I have been working hard in the offseason. I have that in the back of my mind that I will have to take on the duty of carrying the load a little bit more, but I am excited about it.” Meanwhile, we hear that Williams’ desire to play for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts this summer was money-driven, as he needs to support his three children, with a fourth on the way.
Brown fans like this. He should be a stud with Williams out of the way.
It wasn’t a coincidence that the Patriots used their first four draft picks on offensive skill-position players. We hear that the team expects to be in more high-scoring battles this season and will have to rely on its offense to win games. With one of the NFL’s top players in QB Tom Brady, word is New England realized that it needed to bolster the weapons surrounding him. The Pats believe they did that, particularly after watching their top four picks — RB Laurence Maroney, WR Chad Jackson and TEs David Thomas and Garrett Mills — excel in the rookie minicamp. We hear that Maroney impressed the team with his speed hitting the hole inside and turning the corner outside. Jackson caught everything thrown to him and showed he has the strength and speed to get downfield. Thomas also displayed great hands and could fill ex-Pat Christian Fauria’s role, while Mills is expected to be a special-teams standout.
It's beginning to look like Maroney is the real deal. Dynasty folks should be all over this guy. Jackson is another pick that should do well in NE. This year will not likely yield great numbers as he learns the offense playing behind Cladwell but give him 2-3 years and he should be a nice player.
QB Patrick Ramsey told PFW that he’s excited about his new team and is encouraged about his future in New York despite the fact that former starter Chad Pennington is still in the mix and the fact that the Jets drafted the player perceived to be their quarterback of the future, Oregon’s Kellen Clemens, in the second round of April’s draft. “I would certainly hope that it’s an opportunity to get back on my feet and get back in the league as a (starting) player,” said Ramsey, who’s entering his prime at age 27. “But at the same time, I would love to be here long-term. I like the team. In the short time I’ve been here, I see that it’s going in a good direction, and I like the guys that Coach (Eric Mangini) is choosing to surround us with, to make up our football team. In no way do I view it as a stepping-stone. Hopefully, you know, if they still want me around, I can still be here.”
As Cincinnati crosses its collective fingers and hopes franchise QB Carson Palmer will be ready to start the 2006 season, the Bengals must go about the business of selecting Palmer’s backup — and potential fill-in starter if the Pro Bowl quarterback can’t go in Week One. Reserve QBs Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson and Dave Ragone will be competing for roster spots. Though Wright would seem to have the edge for the No. 2 role because of his starting experience with the Ravens, Bengals QB coach Ken Zampese told PFW that there is an open competition for the position. Zampese is looking for at least one quarterback to take a big step forward, “because we’re going to hand the keys to the Ferrari to a student driver,” as he put it. Wright’s knowledge of the AFC North is a plus, as is his arm. Wright led the Ravens to the division title in 2003, another notch on his belt. Said Zampese: “He’s played on teams that won. He knows what that feels like.” Johnson, who played with the Browns a season ago, has impressed with his attention to detail. Ragone is far from a finished product (“Technique-wise, we need to make some adjustments,” Zampese said), but the Bengals claimed him off waivers after he was cut by the Texans in May.
The May arrest of RB Reuben Droughns on domestic violence charges raised eyebrows, especially after the Browns made a major financial commitment to Droughns in the offseason by signing him to a three-year contract extension. Droughns was recently cleared of drunken-driving charges stemming from an incident last fall. If Droughns is found guilty in the domestic violence case, he would be subject to league discipline under the NFL’s personal-conduct policy. Droughns would likely face a fine or a suspension. At a minimum, a player who violates the policy has to undergo a clinical evaluation, per league rules. The depth behind Droughns at running back is something of a concern, with inconsistent William Green, injury-prone Less Suggs and fifth-round rookie Jerome Harrison as the options.
Keep an eye on this. With all the "we want Christian players on our team" talk Droughns is in a bit of hot water. Harrison might be a nice surprise.
QB Steve McNair should be credited with taking the high road following an ugly and strange dispute with the Titans that went all the way to an arbitrator. Once it was ruled that the team must allow its current employee to work out and use the facilities at Baptist Sports Park, McNair declined comment on the ruling initially, appearing relaxed at his annual football camp at Goodpasture Christian School the first week in June. But that doesn’t mean McNair won’t be released in the upcoming days. It appears that talks about a contract extension between agent Bus Cook and GM Floyd Reese have gone, and are going, nowhere, and that a release will be worked out in the next few weeks, even though the Titans have said publicly that they’d welcome back McNair to the team this season.
McNair would never take a TO move because he has too much class. But after seeing what TO was fighting for you can see how bad it gets for players when good guys like McNair are given the screw you treatment over a contract. Sure it's a business but good business means building good will too. Clearly the Titans are looking bad on this one.
In a matter of days, PK Adam Vinatieri emerged as one of the Colts’ team leaders. Vinatieri has been a consistent presence at the team facility and worked almost constantly during those sessions with LS Justin Snow and holder Hunter Smith in an attempt to perfect timing on placement kicks. Head coach Tony Dungy acknowledged Vinatieri was a breath of fresh air. His impressive regimen could very well earn him a captaincy when the Colts vote later this summer. Other kickers, including former Colts PK Mike Vanderjagt, are more prone to offseason hibernation in an effort to avoid overworking their legs. Not Vinatieri, who is lifting weights and taking a hands-on role during minicamps in an attempt to be perfect by the end of August.
WR Matt Jones doesn’t want to replace Jimmy Smith, but the Jaguars need Jones to pick up some of the production the offense lost when Smith retired in May. Offensive coordinator Carl Smith brought along Jones, a first-round pick in 2005, at a rookie pace last season. Jones was transitioning from college quarterback to pro receiver, and the team didn’t ask much of him. Jones worked almost exclusively out of the slot, where his 6-foot-6 frame and sub-4.5 speed made life miserable for diminutive nickel cornerbacks. To prep Jones for an expanded role, head coach Jack Del Rio asked Jones to watch film of Randy Moss. Del Rio compared Jones to Moss athletically and said Jones has been a standout during the offseason.
Everyone wants to know where the recptions will fall now that Smith is retiring. I don't know but I expect to see a 50-50 type mix between Jones and Wilford. I know mnay feel Jones will be the man but don't count out Wilford. He's made some nice plays so far and he can be a nice player to have on your team later in drafts.
Art Shell didn’t wait very long to reach out to temperamental WR Randy Moss, placing a phone call to Moss the day he was introduced as the Raiders’ new head coach. Shell had talked with Moss in the past and wanted to let the receiver know his goals and how he was looking forward to working with Moss. League scouts have indicated that Moss, while battling injuries in 2005, seemed disinterested at times and wasn’t playing as hard as he could have after the Raiders fell out of contention. In a recent conversation with PFW, however, Shell expressed confidence that he would see the best in Moss this fall. “I’d say 99 percent of the people that worked with him in Minnesota were positive about him,” Shell told PFW. “They said, ‘You’re going to like working with Randy Moss. He’s a great guy, a great guy in the locker room, and he wants to win.’ And in my time around him, it hasn’t been anything but that. I feel very good about him being a leader on this football team.”
And we hear Moss is already missing Culpepper and reaching out to him. I think Moss is wishing for a Moon over Miami instead of Green Bay. LOL
With Mike Anderson moving on to Baltimore, Tatum Bell has not been shy this spring about voicing his desire to be the lead back in Denver, even after the depth chart listed Ron Dayne in the top spot during a recent May minicamp. “When I heard the news about Mike, and then when we didn’t get another running back (in the draft), I was like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s on. That’s all I need,’ ” Bell said recently. “But then comes the start of quarterback camp, and Dayne goes out with the first group, and I’m like, ‘Ahh, here we go again.’ ” Although the Broncos generally feel he’s tougher than his injury-plagued history would suggest and is a wonderful weapon to have in the backfield, the team may have moved past the idea of Bell serving as the featured back. He’ll have a shot to win the job, being that his competition (Dayne, Cedric Cobbs and rookie Mike Bell) hasn’t played much. However, the fact his production wanes dramatically after he reaches the 10-carry mark doesn’t bode well for him having a substantially larger role than he did last year.
I have no clue what will happen here. Expect the unexpected. One note to consider, when Cobbs was drafted Denver wanted him bad. You have to wonder how they feel about him now. Maybe he's the sleeper pick here?
It may be only a few months since Herman Edwards took over for the retired #### Vermeil, but already the energy he brings to the practice field has been difficult to ignore. As a former NFL cornerback and a defensive-minded coach, his focus has been heavily slanted toward the Chiefs’ defense thus far in minicamps. That definitely isn’t a bad thing, according to insiders, who have noted an improved swagger on that side of the ball as the coaching staff is busy installing the popular cover-2 scheme Edwards ran with the Jets. “He’s definitely brought that (competitiveness to the defense),” QB Trent Green explained. “I don’t think it’s a negative for the offense. Offensively, we’re a very veteran group, and everybody is very focused and determined on what we want to get done and what we want to accomplish. We’re just excited to see the improvements that the defense has made. … They know they haven’t done it yet on the field, and by no means are they overconfident, but they feel really good about the system that’s being implemented.”
With 24 starts under his belt, including one in the playoffs, and an offense that appears built to flourish again, QB Eli Manning has all the tools to have a monster season. Clearly, pedigree and talent are on his side, as well. But is he ready to become one of the game’s elite? It’s a fair question considering that the last time we saw him, Manning was suffering through one of his worst performances — throwing three interceptions, taking four sacks and losing a fumble in a 23-0 loss to Carolina. Despite that disappointing finish, one pro personnel director said Manning has shown all the goods to be special. “I think the package is there,” he told PFW. “I think he needs more time on the job. When Tiki (Barber) has good games, so does he. In pressure situations where the onus is on him, he struggles. They have to hope they get the running game going and don’t have to throw it to move the ball. (Eli) is very talented — the full package is there — but when you are talking ‘elite,’ there are only a handful of them.” The offense has suffered no major losses this offseason and added second-round WR Sinorice Moss, who could be a dangerous No. 3 in the slot, with speed to burn. Yet, another player personnel director isn’t sure Manning is on the verge of elite status yet. “A lot has to come together for him to take the next step,” he said. “He has the physical ability — that’s never been a question. Mentally, this is the time he will start closing the gap with his brother.”
Personally, I'm not too worried about Eli. I think he'll be fine. And so will Moss.
Unhappy with his contract and frustrated by persistent trade rumors, RB Thomas Jones stayed away from voluntary workouts, prompting speculation that Jones was digging in for a lengthy holdout. But he arrived at Halas Hall as scheduled on June 1 to undergo a physical before the start of a three-day minicamp. Jones still wants his contract addressed. He switched agents after the season, from Tom Condon to Drew Rosenhaus, and was not taking part in the offseason program. However, he feared that staying away from the minicamp would open the door for second-year RB Cedric Benson to claim the starting job Jones has held for the past two seasons. Jones is scheduled to earn $2.25 million this year and $2.225 million next year under the terms of the four-year, $10 million contract he signed in 2004. Benson, the fourth overall pick in ’05, will have an expanded role in the offense. He’s due more than $10 million in total compensation and opened the eyes of some teammates and coaches this offseason. RB coach Tim Spencer has spent a lot of time shoring up Benson’s weaknesses — blitz pickup and reading complex defenses — this offseason. So, is Jones available? The Bears tell us he’s not on the trading block, and they merely listen if someone calls. Our sources say Chicago would want a high second-round pick to deal Jones.
Not sure Jones handled this the best way possible but I understand his frustration.
Head coach Rod Marinelli was noncommittal in tentatively listing Jon Kitna as his starting quarterback at a recent minicamp, but we’re told Kitna has a sizable lead over Josh McCown in the QB derby. Kitna sounded as if he was declaring himself No. 1 at the minicamp that began on May 31, saying, “I’m not looking at it as a QB competition. I’m approaching it as (if) I’m the starter until somebody tells me differently.” Marinelli refused to endorse a starter and declined to give a timetable to do so. However, team sources told PFW that Kitna was treated as the starter during a “passing camp” in early May and also during the most recent minicamp. His experience, we’re told, is giving him a strong leg up on McCown, who has never been a season-long starter. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz installed 240 passing plays over the course of the past group session. Martz said McCown had made “great strides” in recent weeks but said Kitna’s experience was what the team decided would be a starting point in choosing a No. 1 quarterback.
We hear second-year WR Roddy White was the star of the Falcons’ minicamp late last month. White opened the camp with three straight drops but then proceeded to haul in spectacular catch after spectacular catch for the remainder of the three-day session. White struggled during his rookie campaign, first with injuries — he suffered a high ankle sprain during training camp that nagged him for most of the season — and later with inconsistent play. But we’re told the former first-round pick looks noticeably more muscular and has a whole new attitude: White wants to be the No. 1 wideout in Atlanta. Third-year WR Michael Jenkins, also a first-round pick, holds the top receiving spot because of his experience and consistency, but we hear he will likely find more success as a No. 2 target because he has the size and skill-set of a possession receiver. White is a gamebreaker, especially dangerous after the catch with his speed and elusiveness. Our sources indicate it won’t be a surprise if White supplants Jenkins as Atlanta’s No. 1 sometime during training camp.
That's all fine and dandy but who will throw them the ball?
While the Saints’ relocation to San Antonio in the wake of Hurricane Katrina last August played an enormous role in the team’s dismal 3-13 finish, injuries also were a huge part of their demise. The Saints placed 10 players on the injured-reserve list, including RB Deuce McAllister, RS Michael Lewis, SS Jay Bellamy, OT Jon Stinchcomb and TE Ernie Conwell. Head coach Sean Payton’s squad took a big step on the road to recovery as the quintet was on the field at the team’s minicamp during the first weekend of June. The Saints are counting on McAllister to return to his starting role, though he’ll be sharing carries with rookie Reggie Bush. Lewis’ absence for the final 14 games really hurt the Saints’ return game, and Bellamy’s season-long shoulder injury forced rookie Josh Bullocks into the lineup ahead of schedule. Stinchcomb’s and Conwell’s healthy returns are vital for the Saints to protect their $60 million investment, QB Drew Brees. Brees is recovering from a shoulder injury, but his rehab is ahead of schedule and he’s on pace to start in Week One.
WR David Boston has been a forgotten man around the NFL the past few years. Despite playing just five games in the last two seasons, Boston still has a fan in Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden. We’re told Gruden was intrigued by Boston, a first-round pick in 1999 and one-time Pro Bowler who is recovering from his second knee injury in as many years, because he still remembers Boston’s glory days. In his first three years in the league, Boston averaged 70 catches, 1,076 receiving yards and six touchdowns before injuries and off-the-field issues derailed his success. We hear the Buccaneers were the only team showing interest in the seven-year veteran. With his options limited, Boston signed a one-year deal with Tampa late last month at the veterans’ minimum salary. Boston’s contract is very low-risk from Tampa’s perspective, and we hear it even includes an out clause if his injured knee doesn’t heal. If healthy, Boston will compete with Michael Clayton (who was mired in a sophomore slump last year), Ike Hilliard and rookie Maurice Stovall for playing time behind No. 1 WR Joey Galloway.
Could Boston be this year's Galloway? It's possible and if Clayton continues to struggle who knows?
There’s strong reason to believe that, with newcomer Larry Allen lining up at left guard and OLT Jonas Jennings and C Jeremy Newberry feeling much healthier, the 49ers’ offensive line could be a force to reckon with this coming season. We hear Allen, whose work ethic was a bone of contention with Bill Parcells in Dallas, has been an enthusiastic participant in all the Niners’ offseason camp activities, gearing up for the long season ahead by frequently doing wind sprints on his own after practices. Although he’s not as explosive as he was in his prime, Allen’s renowned strength and power have been very much in evidence, so much so that head coach Mike Nolan has had to ask him to back off on occasion to keep from injuring fellow players in scrimmages. Jennings, the team’s most notable free-agent addition last offseason, felt no ill effects after his first full-fledged practice, in a late-May offseason team activity, since having surgery to repair his torn right labrum, injured in the third game last season. Team insiders believe Jennings and Allen could make for a downright nasty left side in 2006. Speaking of nasty, the odds have improved slightly that the perpetually intense Newberry will be able to hold down the center job, despite his chronically ailing right knee, which was operated on in December. Newberry is saying he could start tomorrow if there were a game, but if he can’t participate in the majority of practices — something we hear Nolan is pretty adamant about because of the head coach’s desire to maintain continuity on the line — Eric Heitmann is more likely to be the starting center.
Don’t be surprised if former Bengals first-round pick Peter Warrick fills a much more prominent role for the Seahawks this season, both as a receiver and return specialist. Perhaps the most telling observation by our sources at the team’s early minicamps was how much more freely Warrick seemed to be running and how much more confident he appeared than last season, when he was still feeling the effects of a knee injury suffered late in the 2004 season while still with the Bengals. It was much the same way our sources remembered WR Bobby Engram looking in his second training camp in Seattle after a tentative first season as a Seahawk, when he was still getting over an injury he had suffered in his final year with the Bears. Engram broke out big-time after that camp and never looked back.
In the Rams’ first two minicamps this offseason under new head coach Scott Linehan, our sources made note of the fact that the tempo was extremely quick, much in the same way it was under previous head coach Mike Martz. What definitely was not the same, however, was the input Linehan openly encouraged from the Rams’ offensive players, who were asked if there were particular terminology and plays that were worth keeping from the previous regime to facilitate the learning process — an indication that he plans to incorporate a much more player-friendly system. One example is Linehan’s intention to let QB Marc Bulger call his own audibles, which is something Martz, who called all the shots for better or worse, would never have stood for.
If Bulger can stay healthy he's going to be a steal in many drafts.
With Ricky Williams out of the picture for the 2006 season, word from South Florida is that Ronnie Brown has added bulk — about 10 pounds more than he weighed during his rookie season — in order to carry the load as the unquestioned lead back. Brown now weighs 235 pounds, in the belief that will help him be more durable. Brown acknowledged as much to the Miami media, “Yeah, I have been working hard in the offseason. I have that in the back of my mind that I will have to take on the duty of carrying the load a little bit more, but I am excited about it.” Meanwhile, we hear that Williams’ desire to play for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts this summer was money-driven, as he needs to support his three children, with a fourth on the way.
Brown fans like this. He should be a stud with Williams out of the way.
It wasn’t a coincidence that the Patriots used their first four draft picks on offensive skill-position players. We hear that the team expects to be in more high-scoring battles this season and will have to rely on its offense to win games. With one of the NFL’s top players in QB Tom Brady, word is New England realized that it needed to bolster the weapons surrounding him. The Pats believe they did that, particularly after watching their top four picks — RB Laurence Maroney, WR Chad Jackson and TEs David Thomas and Garrett Mills — excel in the rookie minicamp. We hear that Maroney impressed the team with his speed hitting the hole inside and turning the corner outside. Jackson caught everything thrown to him and showed he has the strength and speed to get downfield. Thomas also displayed great hands and could fill ex-Pat Christian Fauria’s role, while Mills is expected to be a special-teams standout.
It's beginning to look like Maroney is the real deal. Dynasty folks should be all over this guy. Jackson is another pick that should do well in NE. This year will not likely yield great numbers as he learns the offense playing behind Cladwell but give him 2-3 years and he should be a nice player.
QB Patrick Ramsey told PFW that he’s excited about his new team and is encouraged about his future in New York despite the fact that former starter Chad Pennington is still in the mix and the fact that the Jets drafted the player perceived to be their quarterback of the future, Oregon’s Kellen Clemens, in the second round of April’s draft. “I would certainly hope that it’s an opportunity to get back on my feet and get back in the league as a (starting) player,” said Ramsey, who’s entering his prime at age 27. “But at the same time, I would love to be here long-term. I like the team. In the short time I’ve been here, I see that it’s going in a good direction, and I like the guys that Coach (Eric Mangini) is choosing to surround us with, to make up our football team. In no way do I view it as a stepping-stone. Hopefully, you know, if they still want me around, I can still be here.”
As Cincinnati crosses its collective fingers and hopes franchise QB Carson Palmer will be ready to start the 2006 season, the Bengals must go about the business of selecting Palmer’s backup — and potential fill-in starter if the Pro Bowl quarterback can’t go in Week One. Reserve QBs Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson and Dave Ragone will be competing for roster spots. Though Wright would seem to have the edge for the No. 2 role because of his starting experience with the Ravens, Bengals QB coach Ken Zampese told PFW that there is an open competition for the position. Zampese is looking for at least one quarterback to take a big step forward, “because we’re going to hand the keys to the Ferrari to a student driver,” as he put it. Wright’s knowledge of the AFC North is a plus, as is his arm. Wright led the Ravens to the division title in 2003, another notch on his belt. Said Zampese: “He’s played on teams that won. He knows what that feels like.” Johnson, who played with the Browns a season ago, has impressed with his attention to detail. Ragone is far from a finished product (“Technique-wise, we need to make some adjustments,” Zampese said), but the Bengals claimed him off waivers after he was cut by the Texans in May.
The May arrest of RB Reuben Droughns on domestic violence charges raised eyebrows, especially after the Browns made a major financial commitment to Droughns in the offseason by signing him to a three-year contract extension. Droughns was recently cleared of drunken-driving charges stemming from an incident last fall. If Droughns is found guilty in the domestic violence case, he would be subject to league discipline under the NFL’s personal-conduct policy. Droughns would likely face a fine or a suspension. At a minimum, a player who violates the policy has to undergo a clinical evaluation, per league rules. The depth behind Droughns at running back is something of a concern, with inconsistent William Green, injury-prone Less Suggs and fifth-round rookie Jerome Harrison as the options.
Keep an eye on this. With all the "we want Christian players on our team" talk Droughns is in a bit of hot water. Harrison might be a nice surprise.
QB Steve McNair should be credited with taking the high road following an ugly and strange dispute with the Titans that went all the way to an arbitrator. Once it was ruled that the team must allow its current employee to work out and use the facilities at Baptist Sports Park, McNair declined comment on the ruling initially, appearing relaxed at his annual football camp at Goodpasture Christian School the first week in June. But that doesn’t mean McNair won’t be released in the upcoming days. It appears that talks about a contract extension between agent Bus Cook and GM Floyd Reese have gone, and are going, nowhere, and that a release will be worked out in the next few weeks, even though the Titans have said publicly that they’d welcome back McNair to the team this season.
McNair would never take a TO move because he has too much class. But after seeing what TO was fighting for you can see how bad it gets for players when good guys like McNair are given the screw you treatment over a contract. Sure it's a business but good business means building good will too. Clearly the Titans are looking bad on this one.
In a matter of days, PK Adam Vinatieri emerged as one of the Colts’ team leaders. Vinatieri has been a consistent presence at the team facility and worked almost constantly during those sessions with LS Justin Snow and holder Hunter Smith in an attempt to perfect timing on placement kicks. Head coach Tony Dungy acknowledged Vinatieri was a breath of fresh air. His impressive regimen could very well earn him a captaincy when the Colts vote later this summer. Other kickers, including former Colts PK Mike Vanderjagt, are more prone to offseason hibernation in an effort to avoid overworking their legs. Not Vinatieri, who is lifting weights and taking a hands-on role during minicamps in an attempt to be perfect by the end of August.
WR Matt Jones doesn’t want to replace Jimmy Smith, but the Jaguars need Jones to pick up some of the production the offense lost when Smith retired in May. Offensive coordinator Carl Smith brought along Jones, a first-round pick in 2005, at a rookie pace last season. Jones was transitioning from college quarterback to pro receiver, and the team didn’t ask much of him. Jones worked almost exclusively out of the slot, where his 6-foot-6 frame and sub-4.5 speed made life miserable for diminutive nickel cornerbacks. To prep Jones for an expanded role, head coach Jack Del Rio asked Jones to watch film of Randy Moss. Del Rio compared Jones to Moss athletically and said Jones has been a standout during the offseason.
Everyone wants to know where the recptions will fall now that Smith is retiring. I don't know but I expect to see a 50-50 type mix between Jones and Wilford. I know mnay feel Jones will be the man but don't count out Wilford. He's made some nice plays so far and he can be a nice player to have on your team later in drafts.
Art Shell didn’t wait very long to reach out to temperamental WR Randy Moss, placing a phone call to Moss the day he was introduced as the Raiders’ new head coach. Shell had talked with Moss in the past and wanted to let the receiver know his goals and how he was looking forward to working with Moss. League scouts have indicated that Moss, while battling injuries in 2005, seemed disinterested at times and wasn’t playing as hard as he could have after the Raiders fell out of contention. In a recent conversation with PFW, however, Shell expressed confidence that he would see the best in Moss this fall. “I’d say 99 percent of the people that worked with him in Minnesota were positive about him,” Shell told PFW. “They said, ‘You’re going to like working with Randy Moss. He’s a great guy, a great guy in the locker room, and he wants to win.’ And in my time around him, it hasn’t been anything but that. I feel very good about him being a leader on this football team.”
And we hear Moss is already missing Culpepper and reaching out to him. I think Moss is wishing for a Moon over Miami instead of Green Bay. LOL
With Mike Anderson moving on to Baltimore, Tatum Bell has not been shy this spring about voicing his desire to be the lead back in Denver, even after the depth chart listed Ron Dayne in the top spot during a recent May minicamp. “When I heard the news about Mike, and then when we didn’t get another running back (in the draft), I was like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s on. That’s all I need,’ ” Bell said recently. “But then comes the start of quarterback camp, and Dayne goes out with the first group, and I’m like, ‘Ahh, here we go again.’ ” Although the Broncos generally feel he’s tougher than his injury-plagued history would suggest and is a wonderful weapon to have in the backfield, the team may have moved past the idea of Bell serving as the featured back. He’ll have a shot to win the job, being that his competition (Dayne, Cedric Cobbs and rookie Mike Bell) hasn’t played much. However, the fact his production wanes dramatically after he reaches the 10-carry mark doesn’t bode well for him having a substantially larger role than he did last year.
I have no clue what will happen here. Expect the unexpected. One note to consider, when Cobbs was drafted Denver wanted him bad. You have to wonder how they feel about him now. Maybe he's the sleeper pick here?
It may be only a few months since Herman Edwards took over for the retired #### Vermeil, but already the energy he brings to the practice field has been difficult to ignore. As a former NFL cornerback and a defensive-minded coach, his focus has been heavily slanted toward the Chiefs’ defense thus far in minicamps. That definitely isn’t a bad thing, according to insiders, who have noted an improved swagger on that side of the ball as the coaching staff is busy installing the popular cover-2 scheme Edwards ran with the Jets. “He’s definitely brought that (competitiveness to the defense),” QB Trent Green explained. “I don’t think it’s a negative for the offense. Offensively, we’re a very veteran group, and everybody is very focused and determined on what we want to get done and what we want to accomplish. We’re just excited to see the improvements that the defense has made. … They know they haven’t done it yet on the field, and by no means are they overconfident, but they feel really good about the system that’s being implemented.”
With 24 starts under his belt, including one in the playoffs, and an offense that appears built to flourish again, QB Eli Manning has all the tools to have a monster season. Clearly, pedigree and talent are on his side, as well. But is he ready to become one of the game’s elite? It’s a fair question considering that the last time we saw him, Manning was suffering through one of his worst performances — throwing three interceptions, taking four sacks and losing a fumble in a 23-0 loss to Carolina. Despite that disappointing finish, one pro personnel director said Manning has shown all the goods to be special. “I think the package is there,” he told PFW. “I think he needs more time on the job. When Tiki (Barber) has good games, so does he. In pressure situations where the onus is on him, he struggles. They have to hope they get the running game going and don’t have to throw it to move the ball. (Eli) is very talented — the full package is there — but when you are talking ‘elite,’ there are only a handful of them.” The offense has suffered no major losses this offseason and added second-round WR Sinorice Moss, who could be a dangerous No. 3 in the slot, with speed to burn. Yet, another player personnel director isn’t sure Manning is on the verge of elite status yet. “A lot has to come together for him to take the next step,” he said. “He has the physical ability — that’s never been a question. Mentally, this is the time he will start closing the gap with his brother.”
Personally, I'm not too worried about Eli. I think he'll be fine. And so will Moss.
Unhappy with his contract and frustrated by persistent trade rumors, RB Thomas Jones stayed away from voluntary workouts, prompting speculation that Jones was digging in for a lengthy holdout. But he arrived at Halas Hall as scheduled on June 1 to undergo a physical before the start of a three-day minicamp. Jones still wants his contract addressed. He switched agents after the season, from Tom Condon to Drew Rosenhaus, and was not taking part in the offseason program. However, he feared that staying away from the minicamp would open the door for second-year RB Cedric Benson to claim the starting job Jones has held for the past two seasons. Jones is scheduled to earn $2.25 million this year and $2.225 million next year under the terms of the four-year, $10 million contract he signed in 2004. Benson, the fourth overall pick in ’05, will have an expanded role in the offense. He’s due more than $10 million in total compensation and opened the eyes of some teammates and coaches this offseason. RB coach Tim Spencer has spent a lot of time shoring up Benson’s weaknesses — blitz pickup and reading complex defenses — this offseason. So, is Jones available? The Bears tell us he’s not on the trading block, and they merely listen if someone calls. Our sources say Chicago would want a high second-round pick to deal Jones.
Not sure Jones handled this the best way possible but I understand his frustration.
Head coach Rod Marinelli was noncommittal in tentatively listing Jon Kitna as his starting quarterback at a recent minicamp, but we’re told Kitna has a sizable lead over Josh McCown in the QB derby. Kitna sounded as if he was declaring himself No. 1 at the minicamp that began on May 31, saying, “I’m not looking at it as a QB competition. I’m approaching it as (if) I’m the starter until somebody tells me differently.” Marinelli refused to endorse a starter and declined to give a timetable to do so. However, team sources told PFW that Kitna was treated as the starter during a “passing camp” in early May and also during the most recent minicamp. His experience, we’re told, is giving him a strong leg up on McCown, who has never been a season-long starter. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz installed 240 passing plays over the course of the past group session. Martz said McCown had made “great strides” in recent weeks but said Kitna’s experience was what the team decided would be a starting point in choosing a No. 1 quarterback.
We hear second-year WR Roddy White was the star of the Falcons’ minicamp late last month. White opened the camp with three straight drops but then proceeded to haul in spectacular catch after spectacular catch for the remainder of the three-day session. White struggled during his rookie campaign, first with injuries — he suffered a high ankle sprain during training camp that nagged him for most of the season — and later with inconsistent play. But we’re told the former first-round pick looks noticeably more muscular and has a whole new attitude: White wants to be the No. 1 wideout in Atlanta. Third-year WR Michael Jenkins, also a first-round pick, holds the top receiving spot because of his experience and consistency, but we hear he will likely find more success as a No. 2 target because he has the size and skill-set of a possession receiver. White is a gamebreaker, especially dangerous after the catch with his speed and elusiveness. Our sources indicate it won’t be a surprise if White supplants Jenkins as Atlanta’s No. 1 sometime during training camp.
That's all fine and dandy but who will throw them the ball?
While the Saints’ relocation to San Antonio in the wake of Hurricane Katrina last August played an enormous role in the team’s dismal 3-13 finish, injuries also were a huge part of their demise. The Saints placed 10 players on the injured-reserve list, including RB Deuce McAllister, RS Michael Lewis, SS Jay Bellamy, OT Jon Stinchcomb and TE Ernie Conwell. Head coach Sean Payton’s squad took a big step on the road to recovery as the quintet was on the field at the team’s minicamp during the first weekend of June. The Saints are counting on McAllister to return to his starting role, though he’ll be sharing carries with rookie Reggie Bush. Lewis’ absence for the final 14 games really hurt the Saints’ return game, and Bellamy’s season-long shoulder injury forced rookie Josh Bullocks into the lineup ahead of schedule. Stinchcomb’s and Conwell’s healthy returns are vital for the Saints to protect their $60 million investment, QB Drew Brees. Brees is recovering from a shoulder injury, but his rehab is ahead of schedule and he’s on pace to start in Week One.
WR David Boston has been a forgotten man around the NFL the past few years. Despite playing just five games in the last two seasons, Boston still has a fan in Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden. We’re told Gruden was intrigued by Boston, a first-round pick in 1999 and one-time Pro Bowler who is recovering from his second knee injury in as many years, because he still remembers Boston’s glory days. In his first three years in the league, Boston averaged 70 catches, 1,076 receiving yards and six touchdowns before injuries and off-the-field issues derailed his success. We hear the Buccaneers were the only team showing interest in the seven-year veteran. With his options limited, Boston signed a one-year deal with Tampa late last month at the veterans’ minimum salary. Boston’s contract is very low-risk from Tampa’s perspective, and we hear it even includes an out clause if his injured knee doesn’t heal. If healthy, Boston will compete with Michael Clayton (who was mired in a sophomore slump last year), Ike Hilliard and rookie Maurice Stovall for playing time behind No. 1 WR Joey Galloway.
Could Boston be this year's Galloway? It's possible and if Clayton continues to struggle who knows?
There’s strong reason to believe that, with newcomer Larry Allen lining up at left guard and OLT Jonas Jennings and C Jeremy Newberry feeling much healthier, the 49ers’ offensive line could be a force to reckon with this coming season. We hear Allen, whose work ethic was a bone of contention with Bill Parcells in Dallas, has been an enthusiastic participant in all the Niners’ offseason camp activities, gearing up for the long season ahead by frequently doing wind sprints on his own after practices. Although he’s not as explosive as he was in his prime, Allen’s renowned strength and power have been very much in evidence, so much so that head coach Mike Nolan has had to ask him to back off on occasion to keep from injuring fellow players in scrimmages. Jennings, the team’s most notable free-agent addition last offseason, felt no ill effects after his first full-fledged practice, in a late-May offseason team activity, since having surgery to repair his torn right labrum, injured in the third game last season. Team insiders believe Jennings and Allen could make for a downright nasty left side in 2006. Speaking of nasty, the odds have improved slightly that the perpetually intense Newberry will be able to hold down the center job, despite his chronically ailing right knee, which was operated on in December. Newberry is saying he could start tomorrow if there were a game, but if he can’t participate in the majority of practices — something we hear Nolan is pretty adamant about because of the head coach’s desire to maintain continuity on the line — Eric Heitmann is more likely to be the starting center.
Don’t be surprised if former Bengals first-round pick Peter Warrick fills a much more prominent role for the Seahawks this season, both as a receiver and return specialist. Perhaps the most telling observation by our sources at the team’s early minicamps was how much more freely Warrick seemed to be running and how much more confident he appeared than last season, when he was still feeling the effects of a knee injury suffered late in the 2004 season while still with the Bengals. It was much the same way our sources remembered WR Bobby Engram looking in his second training camp in Seattle after a tentative first season as a Seahawk, when he was still getting over an injury he had suffered in his final year with the Bears. Engram broke out big-time after that camp and never looked back.
In the Rams’ first two minicamps this offseason under new head coach Scott Linehan, our sources made note of the fact that the tempo was extremely quick, much in the same way it was under previous head coach Mike Martz. What definitely was not the same, however, was the input Linehan openly encouraged from the Rams’ offensive players, who were asked if there were particular terminology and plays that were worth keeping from the previous regime to facilitate the learning process — an indication that he plans to incorporate a much more player-friendly system. One example is Linehan’s intention to let QB Marc Bulger call his own audibles, which is something Martz, who called all the shots for better or worse, would never have stood for.
If Bulger can stay healthy he's going to be a steal in many drafts.
