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| Suggs' grievance creates new NFL Position | Tuesday 5/13, 8:00 PM CT |
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With Baltimore DE Terrell Suggs and his newly-reviewed franchise tag grievance, the NFL has come to the decision that a new category for the personnel classification will be put in place, a definition aimed at appeasing the needs of both the team and player, according to ESPN.com.
Our View: In this case, the Ravens submitted league paperwork to designate Suggs as their franchise tagged player, agreeing to retain the player for a one-year contract agreement that will pay him the average of the top five players at the position. However, the problem arose when Baltimore submitted the paperwork and attempted to designate Suggs as a linebacker. Suggs is best classified as a "hybrid," used both at defensive end and linebacker depending on the formation. Suggs filed grievance, asking the NFL to determine the true definition of his position due to the severe different in pay ($8.065 million for linebacker, $8.879 million for defensive end). As a result, the NFL and the NFL Players Association is in the midst of legal proceedings that will create a new position in franchise designation, to be known as the defensive end-linebacker. The value of the position will be the average of the two positions, thus resulting in Suggs' new one-year compensation of $8.50 million. |
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| Spires signs with Raiders | Tuesday 5/13, 6:19 PM CT |
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The Oakland Raiders have signed veteran free agent DE Greg Spires, according to Raiders.com.
Our View: Spires has 147 NFL games on his resume, including 94 starts, since entering the NFL in 1998. He has 38.5 career sacks and 11 forced fumbles. He has spent the last six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, having spent time in Cleveland and New England earlier in his career. |
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| Suggs finally franchised | Tuesday 5/13, 5:50 PM CT |
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Terrell Suggs will be designated the Ravens Franchise Defensive End-Linebacker in an agreement reached between Suggs, the Ravens and the NLF Players Association, according to ESPN.
Our View: Suggs challenged the teams designation of linebacker by claiming he was a defensive end, a difference that would have resulted in a salary of about $800,000 in salary. As a result of the compromise, he will be paid about $8.5 million, just about the average of the two positions. |
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| White recovering from surgery | Tuesday 5/13, 4:31 PM CT |
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LenDale White is doing quite well in his recovery from off-season knee surgery, according to NFL.com. Turns out he needed surgery because he had a torn meniscus, a fact not previously reported. "This happened last year in preseason. I tore my meniscus," White said. "I played on it all season. Contrary to what people believe, I am a soldier. I played on it all year and I didn't complain, not once. I waited until the season was over to get it fixed and now I'm feeling good."
Our View: Does this explain White's struggles last season? Well, it's a nice crutch to fall back. White was productive last season rushing for over 1,100 yards, so perhaps a healthy knee will allow him to put up even bigger numbers this year despite the infusion of talent the team brought in with first round pick Chris Johnson. |
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| Cadillac working way back | Tuesday 5/13, 4:20 PM CT |
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Cadillac Williams continues to work his way back from his patellar tendon surgery, according to the St. Petersberg Times. "It's a long progress, but I've come a long way," he said. "Earlier on, there were bumps in the road. But now, things are starting to smooth out. I'm starting to do things on the field, a little cutting here and there. I'm just taking it day by day, just continuing to work and seeing how the process goes. We're going to make a decision in July and take it from there."
Our View: Williams could easily end up on the PUP list but beyond that the path is less clear. If placed on the PUP list before camp he could return at any point in camp. If he is on the list when the season starts, the team will have six games to 10 games to decide whether or not to activate him. |
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| Tatupu arrested for DUI | Tuesday 5/13, 3:02 PM CT |
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Lofa Tatupu has reportedly been arrested for a DUI, according to ESPN.com (and Seattle radio station KJR-AM 950). Tatupu blew .155 percent and .158 percent in his breath tests. The legal limit in Washington state is .08 percent.
Our View: Tatupu is the leader of the Seahawks' defense, and he tallied 109 tackles (83 solo) in 2007, with one sack, and four interceptions. No further details regarding the arrest are available at this time. |
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| McFarland to hold private workout | Tuesday 5/13, 2:49 PM CT |
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Anthony McFarland will hold a private workout on June 4 in Florida, according to BehindTheSteelCurtain.com. He is recovering from a torn patella, and wants to prove to teams that he is fully healthy and ready to be a solid contributor in 2008.
Our View: He was reportedly on the Steelers' radar. He would serve as depth for Casey Hampton, and won't hold much fantasy value if the Steelers decide to add him. |
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| Flacco begun contract negotiations | Tuesday 5/13, 2:38 PM CT |
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Joe Flacco and the Ravens have begun contract negotiations, according to ESPN. Agent Joe Linta arrived in Baltimore Sunday night and spent Monday with the team setting up parameters of what is expected to be a five-year deal for Flacco. The intent from both sides is to make sure Flacco arrives in training camp on time this summer, so he could compete with Kyle Boller and Troy Smith for the Ravens' starting job at quarterback. Linta added, "They want him in and he wants to be in. So the sooner that you start talking, the better chance you have of finishing before the deadline."
Our View: Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell were both involved in lengthy negotiations as rookies in 2007, and both missed the chance to start, which hurt more for Quinn, as Derek Anderson enjoyed a breakout campaign and will be tough to unseat as the starter in Cleveland. Flacco, who was the 18th overall pick in the draft, made a solid debut in minicamp, and he and the team want to avoid what happened to the two aforementioned signal callers last season. |
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| Rory Johnson waived | Tuesday 5/13, 2:24 PM CT |
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Rory Johnson has been waived by the Giants, according to CBSsports.com.
Our View: He had little chance to make the defending champs roster this season, and it was best for him to be waived now. |
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| Hardy's father does not press charges | Tuesday 5/13, 2:08 PM CT |
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As a follow-up to a previous story, a woman called police saying James Hardy was beating up his father and had pulled a gun when she yelled for him to stop, according to the AP. The witness told officers she yelled out for Hardy to stop after hearing a loud disturbance in the back yard at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Fort Wayne police spokesman Michael Joyner stated on Tuesday that no charges were filed because James Hardy was gone when officers arrived and Hardy’s father did not want to press charges. The police report quoted Hardy's father as saying his son has a lot of anger toward him because he was in prison when his son was young.
Our View: Hopefully this will be the end to this incident, and Hardy can move on and focus on football. As previously stated, Hardy was off to a good start with the Bills prior to this news, as he was believed to have a good shot to start opposite Lee Evans this season. |
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| Peterson talks about season | Tuesday 5/13, 1:21 PM CT |
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Mike Peterson is expected to return to his starting post at middle linebacker this season following a wrist injury that caused him to miss the 2007 playoffs, and he commented on the new season, according to Jaguars.com. Peterson said, "This is the NFL. You have to prove yourself every time you strap up. I’ve never been handed anything. Competing for a job, reassuring the coaches. I don’t have a problem with that at all. The ball is not in my court (for a potential new contract). I’m trying to do everything the right way. I’m trying to stay positive. Hopefully, they’ll step up to the plate and take care of the deal. Anybody associated with me knows I want to be here. There’s going to be a time and a place that business is going to take precedent over my football family. It is a business. I’m a grown man. I can handle it either way. I’ve seen it all in this league. I can swallow either pill. I know I have a lot of football left in me. My approach is I’m going to handle my business on the field. I don’t want to get into the whining thing."
Our View: This season will be Peterson’s 10th in the NFL. It will also be his last with the Jaguars, unless he gets a new contract. He has missed 17 games over the past two seasons due to various injuries. He will turn 32 next month, and Justin Durant has fared very well while replacing him when needed in the middle. He has plenty to play for this season, but it remains to be seen if the motivation leads to another strong statistical season for him. |
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| Falcons plan to pound the rock in 08 | Tuesday 5/13, 12:58 PM CT |
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The Falcons plan to have a running offense in 2008, which should satisfy first year starter Michael Turner, according to ESPN Insider.
Our View: This will be Turner's fifth NFL campaign, but he only has 228 career carries of punishment under his belt, and should be primed for a strong season in Atlanta as the workhorse of their new offense, assuming his shoulder checks out fine. FYI, he averaged 5.5 yards over the aforementioned 228 carries. Turner has good size at 5-10 235 as well. |
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| Walsh has no new evidence | Tuesday 5/13, 12:48 PM CT |
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced that former Patriots' video employee Matt Walsh has provided him with no new evidence of cheating by the team, beyond the information that already has been known and disclosed regarding the taping of coaching signals, according to ProFootballTalk.com. Goodell said that Walsh states there is no evidence of any videotape of the Rams’ walk-through prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. Walsh told Goodell that Walsh didn’t tape it, that he was not aware of anyone who might have taped it, that he hasn’t seen it, and that he knows of no one who taped it. Walsh also said that he was in the Superdome at the time of the walk-through, that he was going about his required busines, and that he was on the sidelines in Patriots gear while the Rams were practicing. Goodell said that Walsh also is aware of no other violations of league rules of policies by New England. Goodell ruled out evidence of bugging of locker rooms, manipulation of communications systems, augmenting of crowd noises, and placing microphones on players to pick up opponents’ audibles or signals by the Patriots. Walsh supplied only two new pieces of information, that the Pats used a player on injured reserve during a practice in 2001, and that Walsh was involved in the scalping of eight to ten Super Bowl tickets. As to the former, Goodell claimed that the penalty for using a player in practice who is on IR is subject to a fine. But Goodell commented that there will be no additional penalty, given the $750,000 in fines previously imposed on the team.
Our View: Walsh told Goodell that he wasn’t looking for publicity, and that when Walsh hinted that there was more evidence of cheating to the New York Times, Walsh was under the impression that it wasn’t well known that the practice dated back to the 2000 season.
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| Bills talked to Hardy | Tuesday 5/13, 12:40 PM CT |
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The Bills have talked to rookie wideout James Hardy following the news that he pulled a handgun on his father, according to BuffaloBills.com. The team released a statement that read, "We have spoken to law enforcement officials and they have informed us that they looked into this and have no plans to pursue the matter any further. We also spoke to James last night and will continue to speak with him today, but indications are that this matter has been resolved."
Our View: Hardy was off to a good start with the Bills prior to this news, as he was believed to have a good shot to start opposite Lee Evans this season. |
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| Haye to remain with Buccaneers | Tuesday 5/13, 12:32 PM CT |
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Jovan Haye inked a one-year tender worth a little more than $2 million to remain with the Buccaneers, according to the Tampa Tribune. He was a restricted free agent.
Our View: Haye is coming off a strong season as he racked up 68 tackles (48 solo), six sacks, and four fumble recoveries. |
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| Graham absent from workout | Tuesday 5/13, 12:28 PM CT |
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Earnest Graham did not attend Tuesday's voluntary team workout, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: His absence today could be a sign that he is unhappy with the state of contract talks. He was reportedly close to signing a new deal back in April, but it is still yet to happen. Graham broke out with 1,222 total yards in 2007, and he should be a top priority for the team to sign.
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| Garcia may hold out? | Tuesday 5/13, 12:24 PM CT |
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Jeff Garcia hinted that he may hold out if his contract demands are not met, according to the Tampa Tribune. Garcia said, "There might come a time when I might have to stand up. I hate to do that to jeopardize my teammates because they’re out here, and I don’t want to let them down in any sort of way. But at some point you just want to see the respect from up top." He is entering the final year of a two-year deal worth $7 million and is reportedly seeking an extension that will bring his total payout to the league average for starters, which is around $7 million.
Our View: Garcia will be 39 at the start of the 2009 season, and the team could be hesitant to shell out a new deal for him. Garcia held a solid 94.6 efficiency rating in 2007, but is close to the end of the line in his NFL career. |
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| Thurman could be at Bengals' practice | Tuesday 5/13, 12:03 PM CT |
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Odell Thurman may participate in the Bengals' voluntary organized team practice activity sessions, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. He was home in Georgia on Monday for his grandmother's funeral but was expected back. He had been suspended for two full seasons by the NFL for multiple violations of the league substance abuse policy. If he participates today, Thurman is expected to make his first public comments since his reinstatement to the league in April. Thurman has declined all previous interview requests.
Our View: Thurman was a rookie standout in 2005 before falling on the wrong side of the law, as he racked up 98 tackles (64 solo) over 16 games, with 1.5 sacks and five interceptions. If he can stay out of trouble and work his way back into the organization as a starting linebacker, he could potentially make a solid fantasy impact in 2008. |
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| Urlacher to skip mandatory minicamp? | Tuesday 5/13, 11:55 AM CT |
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Brian Urlacher may skip the Bears' mandatory minicamp, in protest of his contract situation, according to ProFootballTalk.com. Urlacher said, "I would bet I won't be there. My agents and the team had some good dialogue early on, but nothing’s happened lately. It’s been almost two months since there’s been any action on their end, and it’s a waiting game right now." When asked about missing training camp, Urlacher said he hasn't thought about that, and hopes it doesn't get that far.
Our View: Urlacher wants to tear up his contract (and work out a new deal), which has four years left on it. He is obligated to honor his contract, if he likes it or not. Urlacher is currently recovering from neck surgery and reportedly has a degenerative condition in his back, and should leave well enough alone. |
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| Harrison told Colts he is innocent | Tuesday 5/13, 10:10 AM CT |
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Marvin Harrison has assured the Colts that he was not involved in the shooting last month in his home town of Philadelphia, according to the IndyStar.com. Owner Jim Irsay said, "We look at everything seriously if we have an incident with any of our players. At the same time we want to make sure that we know what the facts are." In conversations with coach Tony Dungy and team president Bill Polian, Harrison insisted he was not involved in an April 29 incident in Harrison's Philadelphia neighborhood ending with a man suffering a gunshot wound to his hand and a two-year-old boy suffering a cut under his eye when a stray bullet shattered a car's windshield. Philadelphia police have confirmed that a gun owned by Harrison was used in the shooting. They interviewed Harrison shortly after the incident but do not consider Harrison to be a suspect. Irsay said, "At this point I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We've done everything we could do in our diligence to try to discern what happened. He said he was not involved in that shooting and the authorities have said there is nothing imminent. You hope these things hold up to be true, that there won't be any charges and there wasn't any involvement. Until we hear more, this isn't even a case of innocent until proven guilty because there hasn't been a charge yet."
Our View: Harrison is in rehab after injuring his left knee last season and undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Hopefully this incident will be resolved by the start of the new season.
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| McCareins is working as a starter | Tuesday 5/13, 9:57 AM CT |
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Justin McCareins, who returned to the Titans in March, is currently working as a starter alongside Justin Gage, according to the Nashville City Paper. McCareins is pleased to be back in Tennessee and stated, "It feels great. It feels like I never left. There’s a lot of new faces, but in terms of the coaching staff and Coach Mike Heimerdinger being back in the building, it’s just a good feeling. It’s a rejuvenating feeling." Roydell Williams remains out with an ankle ailment.
Our View: McCareins memorably broke out with 47 receptions for 813 yards and seven scores in his third season back in 2003 while under the direction of Heimerdinger. That was also McCareins' last season in Tennessee, and his numbers declined in each of his last four campaigns with the Jets. He should benefit from a from start while re-united in Tennessee, and get his career back on the right track. He has sleeper potential for 2008, even if he is reduced to a slot role. |
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| Kolb continues his development | Tuesday 5/13, 8:46 AM CT |
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Kevin Kolb has been promoted ahead of AJ Feeley as the top backup in Philadelphia and continues to progress, according to PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Kolb said, "Obviously you want to progress up the ladder because I want to be a starter in this league. The reason it really means a lot to me is because it seems that I get more reps. The more reps I get, the better I feel that I'm going to get. I need a lot of them as a young quarterback. I go back there in a drop, play-action, whatever, and it just feels comfortable. When that happens, then obviously the other things start to slow down and you can start focusing on details. And that's what makes you a better player."
Our View: Kolb displays a strong arm and generally makes good decisions with his passes. He is being groomed to be the eventual replacement for Donovan McNabb, who will turn 32 in November. He is making favorable progress in his second season, and we may see him on the field sooner rather than later, when you consider McNabb's track record with durability. |
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| Baker remains a no-show | Tuesday 5/13, 8:39 AM CT |
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Chris Baker didn't participate in the Jets' voluntary workouts on Monday, according to the NY Daily News. The sessions run through mid-June. Baker is boycotting the offseason program because he feels the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contract. Baker is entering the third year of a four-year, $6.6 million contract. He is also upset that newly acquired tight end Bubba Franks is making the same amount as him on a one-year deal. Even worse, Baker will make less than first-round rookie Dustin Keller.
Our View: Baker has asked to be traded, and can't be fined by the Jets unless he misses the mandatory minicamp next month. If Baker remains with the Jets, his fantasy value will be compromised by promising rookie Keller.
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| Hardy pulls gun on father? | Tuesday 5/13, 8:09 AM CT |
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Rookie wide receiver James Hardy (Indiana) allegedly pulled a handgun on his father on Sunday, according to ProFootballTalk.com. Hardy’s name has been removed from a police report regarding the incident, but other evidence pointed to Hardy pointing the gun at his father. Fort Wayne, Indiana police chief Rusty York confirmed that Hardy was the man who allegedly pointed the gun. But York said that the matter isn’t being pursued, because Hardy’s father wasn’t hurt.
Our View: The NFL could still decide to discipline Hardy for the incident. Hardy was off to a good start with the Bills prior to this news, as he was believed to have a good shot to start opposite Lee Evans this season. |
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| Rice to be involved on third downs | Tuesday 5/13, 7:38 AM CT |
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Ray Rice is working to be the primary backup behind starter Willis McGahee in Baltimore, and is also going to be involved on third downs, according to the Carroll County Times. He is learning the Ravens' playbook quickly, and is also pleasing the team with his speed and ability to change direction in the open field. GM Ozzie Newsome also commented, "We like the way he runs. He has a very low center of gravity, so he doesn’t take a lot of hits. He mainly delivers a blow instead of taking a blow."
Our View: He is expected to provide a third down presence as a receiver out of the backfield, but will need to beat out PJ Daniels and Cory Ross for the lead third down back role. |
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| Everett released by Bills | Tuesday 5/13, 7:28 AM CT |
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The Bills have placed injured tight end Kevin Everett on the NFL’s waived/failed physical list, according to the AP. As a result of his release from the team, Everett becomes eligible to seek benefits to ensure his future financial stability.
Our View: Everett suffered a near-fatal spinal cord injury in September’s season opener, which initially left him paralyzed from the neck down. The 26-year-old has made a remarkable recovery since sustaining the injury, and is walking on his own, though his rehab continues.
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