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| Polamalu watches practices | Sunday 5/4, 11:47 PM CT |
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Troy Polamalu hung around the minicamp this weekend, but he won't practice with the team until training camp, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms. He is coming off a right knee injury that required minor surgery and rehab to repair a torn PCL. Polamalu will once again spend his offseason in California, where he uses some non-traditional training methods rather than weights and machines.
Our View: The Steelers defense fared well last year despite Polamalu's knee injury, and we suspect they'll be a force for fantasy teams to rely on again this year. As for Troy, we'll have to check on him again once camp begins. He should be good to go for IDP leagues. |
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| Nothing new on Warner deal | Sunday 5/4, 11:42 PM CT |
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Kurt Warner says no new deal is imminent with the Cardinals, the East Valley Tribune reports. The veteran is in the final season of his deal and aims to play through the 2010 season.
Our View: If the Cards truly think Matt Leinart is the man, then they'd be wise to hold off. Warner will command much more than your average backup, especially since he played so well in 2007. |
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| Stanton shows improvement | Sunday 5/4, 10:49 PM CT |
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Offensive coordinator Jim Colletto is pleased with Drew Stanton's progress. The quarterback's rookie season ended quickly last August due to a knee injury. "He's gotten better, technique-wise," Colletto informs the Detroit News. "(Quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler has) been out here with him all the time. It looks like he's throwing the ball better."
Our View: Jon Kitna is currently the starter, but he turns 36 this September and the Lions drafted Stanton for a reason. Drew will battle Dan Orlovsky for the No. 2 job in camp and possibly for the title of future starter. |
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| LT won't play in the preseason | Sunday 5/4, 10:43 PM CT |
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LaDainian Tomlinson has changed his mind about the preseason. The superstar previously stated he'd think about playing in a preseason contest, but that idea has been erased. "I just told him we weren’t going to do it," head coach Norv Turner tells the team's official web site. "There wasn’t a lot of discussion involved. He doesn’t need to carry the ball in the preseason." Tomlinson hasn't appeared in an August contest since 2005.
Our View: LT will be the No. 1 fantasy pick no matter what he does this August. |
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| Benson denies any wrongdoing | Sunday 5/4, 10:38 PM CT |
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Cedric Benson is offering a different view of Saturday's events. The running back tells NBC5.com that he wasn't drunk, his boat passed all tests, and he didn't have trouble with the sobriety tests. Benson says he counted forward and backward "at least 20 times." He adds that he never cursed or yelled, but the officer suddenly pepper-sprayed him. Benson explains that he was only dragged to the squad car because his feet were kicked out from under him. "I did nothing wrong; I didn't resist arrest, didn't curse and wasn't drunk," he notes. Benson is threatening a lawsuit.
Our View: We imagine the Bears are waiting to sort out all the details, and, frankly, we're not sure what to think in what is currently a he-said, he-said case. We'll undoubtedly hear more about this is the days to come. |
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| Forte impresses during minicamp | Sunday 5/4, 8:46 PM CT |
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Running back Matt Forte may have been the Bears most impressive player during the team's rookie minicamp. "Matt Forte, since Day 1, since the first practice, stood out," head coach Lovie Smith tells the team's official web site. "You noticed him catching the ball and running. It looked like it wasn’t too big for him. It looked like he’s been here before and that’s what you want to see."
Our View: We want to wait and see how Forte looks once he's wearing pads and working against veterans. Cedric Benson didn't do himself any favors this weekend, and Forte could be a threat to his job. |
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| Quarterback position a three-man race | Sunday 5/4, 8:32 PM CT |
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Head coach Mike Nolan reiterated on Sunday that the 49ers have an open battle for the starting quarterback job. In fact, it's a three-way battle. "You know what, I’ll say this, probably the biggest impression that I got out of the quarterback position is that it is probably going to be a three-man race rather than just two. I think J.T. O’Sullivan as it goes is going to be in the thick of it," Nolan tells the team's official web site. Alex Smith and Shaun Hill are thought to be the frontrunners.
Our View: We have to believe Smith will have every chance to win the job, but the 49ers aren't going to hand it to the former first overall pick. |
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| Boley arrested for battery | Sunday 5/4, 8:19 PM CT |
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Linebacker Michael Boley was arrested and charged with battery on Saturday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution confirms. He has been released on a $1,200 bond. Details of the arrest and incident are not known, and the team issued a brief note saying, "The Falcons' organization is aware of the situation and will have no comment at this time."
Our View: This is obviously bad news for the rising star. Boley is a solid young linebacker, but the Falcons can't have much tolerance for off-field incidents. We'll continue to follow this story. |
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| Jarrett looking good | Sunday 5/4, 6:26 PM CT |
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Dwayne Jarrett has looked good during the team's weekend minicamp, the Charlotte Observer observes.
Our View: The second-year receiver faces an uphill battle for playing time and will need to display a better grasp of the offense in the coming months. D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad are likely ahead of him on the depth chart opposite Steve Smith. |
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| Perry on the mend | Sunday 5/4, 6:23 PM CT |
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Head coach Marv Lewis expects Chris Perry to be on the field when the Bengals begins a voluntary minicamp on May 13, the team's official web site reports. He hasn't played since breaking his right fibula in November of 2006.
Our View: Perry is a former first-round pick who was supposed to be a better version of Kenny Watson. Instead, Perry will need to battle for a roster spot this summer and fall. |
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| Leinart garners praise | Sunday 5/4, 6:19 PM CT |
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Coach Ken Whisenhunt says Matt Leinart handled the offense well and looked confident during the weekend minicamp, the team's official web site reports. Leinart has already been named the starter for 2008, and he is coming off a broken left collarbone.
Our View: We already knew Leinart's shoulder felt good enough to party, but throwing footballs is a different thing. We're still waiting to see how he looks when taking hits. This is a good start, though. |
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| Udeze won't play in 2008 | Sunday 5/4, 6:15 PM CT |
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The Vikings placed defensive end Kenechi Udeze on the reserve-non-football-illness list over the weekend. The move means he will not play in 2008, but the Vikings will pay him his $807,500 salary. "He can focus on getting well. He's done a great job with that so far. He's been positive. He's been upbeat," head coach Brad Childress tells NFL.com. Udeze was diagnosed in February with an acure form of leukemia.
Our View: Udeze offered some positive news in late April, and we continue to hope for a strong recovery. We can't care about football when a player is fighting a battle like this. |
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| Sheppard can play on the right | Sunday 5/4, 6:09 PM CT |
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Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson isn't worried about Lito Sheppard potentially having to line up on the right side of the field. "He's been both sides. When he went against (Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens) last year, he played the left and the right. He might be a little more comfortable (on the left), but there are times when we have to flop corners when they put two wideouts on the same side. He can play both sides," Johnson tells the team's official web site.
Our View: We still believe Lito will be traded before the start of the season, but it's good to know he's comfortable swapping sides. Asante Samuel is locked in on the left side. |
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| Parmele impresses | Sunday 5/4, 5:56 PM CT |
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Running back Jalen Parmele has stood out during the team's weekend minicamp, and it's believed he will be the No. 3 back behind Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams in 2008, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
Our View: Parmele is coming off two good years at Toledo, and the Dolphins like his mixture of size and speed. Given that Brown is coming off a torn ACL and Williams is a tricky guy to gauge, it's worth noting Parmele's position on the depth chart. |
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| Abiamiri working with first unit | Sunday 5/4, 5:49 PM CT |
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Victor Abiamiri lined up at left defensive end with the first-string defense over the weekend, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Our View: Abiamiri didn't play much as a rookie, but the Eagles made it known he would have a role in year two. He's a bit undersized for end and could rotate with Juqua Thomas. We'd be surprised if Victor has much IDP value in 2008. |
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| Rodgers-Cromartie trying to gain weight | Sunday 5/4, 5:47 PM CT |
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The Cardinals have asked cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to gain weight, and he left the recent minicamp with a strength and diet plan. "It's kind of hard to maintain it," he explains to the Arizona Republic. The rookie weights 182 pounds, and they'd like him to get up to 195.
Our View: Many of our writers will challenge the rookie and gain a good 10 pounds before training camp. Rodgers-Cromartie will likely enter the year as a nickel back and should move up to starter before too long. |
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| Carpenter trying new spot | Sunday 5/4, 5:38 PM CT |
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The Cowboys are trying out Bobby Carpenter at the "Mo" (weak-side inside) linebacker spot this summer, the Dallas Morning News reports. The former first-round pick previously worked at the "Mike" (strong-side inside) spot. Carpenter is a backup.
Our View: Carpenter has been a bust since joining the Cowboys. We still can't believe he dragged Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and Jessica Simpson to Mexico prior to last year's playoff game. |
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| Davis was absent from practice | Sunday 5/4, 2:28 PM CT |
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Rookie second-round draft pick Fred Davis did not show up for minicamp practice Sunday, prompting the Redskins to send security officials to find him, according to the AP. Coach Jim Zorn said, "Everybody was scouring. Nobody heard from him, so there was one of two scenarios. Either there was some real trouble and we needed to find him, or he screwed up. I haven’t even got to talk to him yet. I know he has been found. I believe it is more in the ‘I screwed up’ category."
Our View: The team was expected to give more details on Davis’ absence later Sunday. If he can stay out trouble, he has a good chance to make an impact as a complementary tight end to starter Chris Cooley, as Davis has great hands and thrives on making tough catches in traffic. He also runs well after the catch. |
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| Henne struggles | Sunday 5/4, 1:46 PM CT |
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Chad Henne struggled in the final day of rookie mini-camp on Sunday, according to the Sun Sentinel. He seemed to be confused and overwhelmed, and he admitted that he didn't have a favorable practice, and at one point was told to run a lap after blowing an assignment. Henne said, "I forgot the snap count. I went on one instead of our second sound. I deserved it." Henne was overthrowing most of his receivers Sunday, but some of that had to be related with learning 150 pages of the playbook in four days and then trying to translate it on the field with rookie receivers he's never thrown to before. Henne added, "I was kind of inconsistent with my throws, missed some assignments, but other than I felt pretty good, just getting my feet wet. It's tough as a quarterback you have to know what everybody is doing, know your checks, where your progressions are, your footwork. Once I get back here again I'll feel more comfortable and do better."
Our View: Henne will be given a fair shot to be the starter in Miami, but still has a long way to go, evidenced by today's practice. |
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| Bell could push Andra Davis? | Sunday 5/4, 1:36 PM CT |
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The Browns think rookie linebacker Beau Bell (UNLV) is good enough to push Andra Davis for his job on the inside, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He may not play a lot early, but should be in the mix by mid-season.
Our View: The Browns believe Bell is the kind of fierce tackler with strong hands who won't be driven back five yards when trying to bring down a runner. They expect him to immediately make an impact on special teams. Leon Williams pushed Andra Davis for playing time in 2007, and Bell has more upside than Williams. Bell could emerge as an IDP sleeper as a rookie this season. |
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| Ward has chip on shoulder? | Sunday 5/4, 12:13 PM CT |
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Hines Ward is going to play with a chip on his shoulder this season, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ward said, "I'm always going to be that guy who played with a chip on his shoulder. I want to prove to everybody. I don't even know what I have to prove, but I want to prove somebody something. Even though we drafted (Limas Sweed), there's no hard feelings. I'm not mad at the organization or anything. They felt this guy could help us get to the next level and win a championship. If that can happen, why would I be mad at that? At the end of the day, Sweed is not going to change how Hines Ward plays. It doesn't bother me who they bring in. If he helps bring depth to our receiving corps and we go out there with a solid four wides, if he helps us that way to bring a championship here, hey I'm going to teach him all I can because I want him to go out and make plays."
Our View: Ward has not yet practiced. He had knee surgery after playing on torn ligaments (the PCL and MCL), that occurred in the third game against the 49ers. In the past, he said he might have been on the field in similar circumstances because he would have worried about his job. Coach Mike Tomlin talked to him long before the spring workouts began and told Ward to take his time, that he did not have to practice, that his job was safe.
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| Henne will get fair shot at starting spot | Sunday 5/4, 11:41 AM CT |
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There is going to be an open competition at quarterback this season, and rookie Chad Henne will get a fair shot at the starting job, according to the Sun-Sentinel. Henne said, "It's definitely different, especially at rookie camp, just going out there doing the best I can, learning the playbook. You never know what's going to happen. John's a great quarterback, and Josh McCown is here, so everybody's going to compete at their best and hopefully make each other better." Coach Tony Sporano said, "We have a quarterback competition. At the end of training camp we're going to find out who the best quarterback is. I was happy with what Chad did, especially from a mental standpoint. From a quarterback, it's all about what he does in the huddle. It's how he takes control. Chad managed the team fine at the line of scrimmage."
Our View: Henne will compete with second year pro John Beck and veteran Josh McCown for the starting role. Henne has a good arm but makes poor decisions, namely while under pressure. His accuracy also needs work. If Henne does start, he will be hard-pressed to make a solid impact as a rookie. |
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| Benson arrest update | Sunday 5/4, 10:49 AM CT |
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Cedric Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, according to the Chicago Tribune. The police reportedly pepper sprayed Benson to get him down on the ground.
Our View: The Bears are pleased with what they have seen from rookie rusher Matt Forte, and there is speculation that Benson could be ultimately cut by the team. |
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| Benson arrested | Sunday 5/4, 9:17 AM CT |
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Cedric Benson has reportedly been arrested early this morning by the Travis County Sheriff’s department, according to ProFootballTalk. The report does not give a reason for the arrest, but does say Benson is out on bond.
Our View: Benson continues to inch closer to the exit door in Chicago following today's news. We will keep you posted when more details are known regarding the arrest. |
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| McFarland on Steelers' radar? | Sunday 5/4, 9:11 AM CT |
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Anthony McFarland is reportedly on the Steelers' radar, according to FanNation.com. He missed last season due to a knee injury.
Our View: He would serve as depth for Casey Hampton at nose tackle, and won't hold any fantasy value if the Steelers decide to add him. |
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| Jenkins trying to fit in with Dallas | Sunday 5/4, 8:43 AM CT |
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Rookie first-rounder Mike Jenkins is trying to fit in with Dallas, according to the AP. Jenkins said, "I’m just trying to get in and help the team the best I can. I’m trying to learn the playbook. If it’s meant for me to get on the field early, I can do that. But right now I’m just trying to get in there and learn behind the guys that they have here. Defensive backs coach Dave Campo said, "We’re going to throw him right in there and start right away coaching him. Where he finishes, time will tell. I think he’s capable of playing either corner. He just has got to fine tune a lot of stuff and we’ll just see what happens."
Our View: Owner Jerry Jones commented after the draft that Jenkins is expected to contribute right away. The Cowboys traded for suspended cornerback Pacman Jones, but its uncertain whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will reinstate him this season. Jenkins allowed few big plays at South Florida, and has a knack for hauling in tough interceptions. He is also developing his skills in run support, and should become an asset in that area as well. He has a chance to make a favorable fantasy impact as a rookie.
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| Williams doesn't mind sharing | Sunday 5/4, 8:32 AM CT |
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DeAngelo Williams doesn't mind sharing the Panthers' workload at running back with rookie Jonathan Stewart, according to the AP. The team released DeShaun Foster, but replaced him with Stewart with the 13th overall pick in the draft. Williams knows he will split time with Stewart like he did with Foster and commented, " It didn’t bother me at all. I still have the same mind-set whether I’m the starter or not the starter. I was thinking everybody is going to the two-back system, so whether he starts the game off or I start the game off, we’ll both get the same amount of carries, give or take a few."
Our View: John Fox is leaning on the formula that led the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003, when Stephen Davis grinded out yards to chew up the clock as the workhorse, with the explosive Foster spelling him with big-play potential. The Panthers hope the 5-foot-10, 233-pound Stewart will add a smash-mouth style that has been missing in consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs. Williams will be the smaller, shiftier back in the offense. The pair will likely need to be "handcuffed" this season.
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| Harrison not a suspect? | Sunday 5/4, 8:10 AM CT |
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Marvin Harrison's agent stated that the Colts' receiver is not the target of an investigation into a shooting in Philadelphia earlier this week, according to FanNation. Tom Condon (his agent) said, "I've spoken with Marvin and I've spoken with his attorney, and they say the reports are erroneous. Marvin was not involved in any shooting, and he is not the subject of this investigation."
Our View: We will keep you posted on further details. |
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| Mare has competition at kicker | Sunday 5/4, 7:39 AM CT |
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Olindo Mare is going to compete with seventh- round draft pick Brandon Coutu (Georgia) for the placekicking job in Seattle, according to ProFootballTalk.
Our View: Coutu has a strong leg and has a knack for making clutch kicks under pressure. Mare still has a good leg, but his accuracy has slipped, as he only hit 10-of-17 field goal attempts in 2007. Mare has an edge in experience, but Coutu has more upside to be Josh Brown's replacement. |
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