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| Bears ink rookie Baldwin | Friday 5/30, 8:10 PM CT |
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The Bears have signed seventh-round draft pick Ervin Baldwin, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He signed a four-year deal, but financial terms were not disclosed.
Our View: Baldwin isn't likely to see much action while fighting for time in a deep and talented Bears' roster at defensive end. |
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| Thurman will garner interest | Friday 5/30, 7:38 PM CT |
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Odell Thurman's agent said that he plans to have talks with around a half dozen teams next week regarding his client, according to the Oakland Tribune.
Our View: The agent did not disclose which teams he will be talking to. Thurman was released by the Bengals, but could still make an impact in 2008 if he is given a fair shot to compete for a starting job with another team. He made 105 tackles back in 2005, with two sacks, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles with Cincinnati. |
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| Bell out with pulled hamstring | Friday 5/30, 7:28 PM CT |
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Mike Bell missed the final day of the Broncos' passing camp due to a pulled hamstring, according to the Denver Post.
Our View: The severity of the ailment was not disclosed. Bell will have a hard time making the Broncos' roster this season while competing with Travis Henry, Selvin Young, and Andre Hall. |
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| Hamilton signs with Washington | Friday 5/30, 7:17 PM CT |
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Free agent safety Justin Hamilton has signed with the Redskins, according to the AP. Hamilton made 15 tackles (13 solo) while a member of the Browns in 2006. He was then cut loose by Cleveland on September 1, 2007, and did not play in the NFL last season.
Our View: He will compete for a backup role in the Redskins' secondary, and should see time on special teams as well. His fantasy value will remain limited. |
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| Urlacher reports to minicamp | Friday 5/30, 6:50 PM CT |
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Brian Urlacher reported to the Bears' mandatory minicamp on Friday, according to ESPN.com. He is still displeased with his contract, but stated, "When it says mandatory, you're supposed to be at those things, so that's why I'm here. I'm supposed to be here. It's a mandatory team function and we're supposed to be here." Coach Lovie Smith also commented that Urlacher is 100% healthy and ready to go, and even stated that the team is expecting his to have his best season in 2008.
Our View: This is good news that he reported to camp, and even better news that he is believed to be back to full health following his neck surgery. |
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| Gradkowski released | Friday 5/30, 6:44 PM CT |
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Bruce Gradkowski has been released by the Buccaneers, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Our View: The team had six quarterbacks with Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, Luke McCown, rookie Josh Johnson, and Chris Simms, and Gradkowski was the first to be trimmed from the roster. Gradkowski held a poor 52.4 efficiency rating over 24 brief pass attempts in 2007. |
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| Stevens re-signed | Friday 5/30, 6:38 PM CT |
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The Buccaneers have re-signed tight end Jerramy Stevens, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Further details of the signing are yet to be disclosed.
Our View: Stevens hauled in 18 receptions for 189 yards and four touchdowns over six games in 2007. The Buccaneers like Stevens, namely as a goal-line weapon, evidenced by his four scores in only six outings last season. He will compete with Alex Smith, John Gilmore, and the newly acquired Ben Troupe for the starting gig at tight end through training camp. |
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| Rookie Murphy signs with Dolphins | Friday 5/30, 4:53 PM CT |
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The Dolphins have signed rookie offensive lineman Shawn Murphy to a multi-year deal on Friday, according to the Sun-Sentinel. Further details of the signing are yet to be disclosed.
Our View: Murphy is the son of baseball great Dale Murphy. The fourth-round pick out of Utah State will battle for a spot along the Dolphins' offensive line, and could ultimately develop into a strong starter. |
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| Mustard to have surgery | Friday 5/30, 4:02 PM CT |
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Backup tight end Chad Mustard's strained hamstring has turned into a tear, this according to the Denver Post. Mustard will be out 8-to-10 weeks following surgery.
Our View: The Broncos had several other players miss the final day of passing camp today with pulled hamstrings, including receiver Keary Colbert, fullback-tailback Mike Bell and rookie fullback-linebacker Spencer Larsen. |
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| Idonije bulks up | Friday 5/30, 3:00 PM CT |
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The Chicago Sun Times reports that minicamp was preceded by physicals and weigh-ins on Thursday and defensive lineman Israel Idonije came in at a weight that should please head coach Lovie Smith.
Idonije, who is expected to move inside on a more permanent basis, is listed at 297 pounds, up 22 from last year. It’s by far the biggest change on the roster.
Our View: Smith told the the Chicago Tribune before the NFL Draft that they wanted Idonije play more tackle. "He can be a 275-pound guy or a 300-pound player with [low] body fat. So we need to get him involved a little bit more, said Smith" Idonije is currently buried on the defensive end depth chart behind Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown and Mark Anderson. |
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| Benson slims down | Friday 5/30, 2:47 PM CT |
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Bears' running back Cedric Benson has slimmed down. The former Texas All American weighted in for mini-camp at 216 pounds. This is down down four pound from last year’s list, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Our View: Benson and rookie Matt Forte will battle for the starting job this summer. |
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| Jacobs needs to stay healthy | Friday 5/30, 1:39 PM CT |
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Brandon Jacobs suffered through a season full of nagging injuries. The big back missed five games and part of a sixth because of a variety of injuries. If the Giants want to repeat as Super Bowl champs, Jacobs must stay healthy.
Our View: In his first year as a starter Jacobs gained 1,009 yards with a 5.0 yards per carry average. If he stays healthy he will challenge 1300-1400 yards with a number of receptions that will bolster his all-purpose status. |
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| Will Shockey attend mandatory mini? | Friday 5/30, 1:36 PM CT |
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The Giants mandatory mini-camp on June 11-13 will say a lot about Jeremy Shockey commitment this season. Up until now, Shockey has stayed away from the offseason workout program, as he prefers to work out in Miami.
Our View: This is the M.O for most of the Miami alum, but this season is different. The trade talks surrounding the Giants tight end could be snuffed if he would attend the "supposed" mandatory workouts. |
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| Bradshaw breakout candidate | Friday 5/30, 1:30 PM CT |
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Giants' running back Ahmad Bradshaw emerged late in the season and added the lighting to the New York backfield thunder. He figures to affect the number of touches that starting tailback Brandon Jacobs receives this season.
Our View: Bradshaw showed that he was more than a third down option. His strength is his elusiveness, but the rookie also showed he could shed tacklers and run behind the bulk of the offensive line. At this point he is a deep league option that will provide owners 8-10 touches per game. |
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| Eli set to excel | Friday 5/30, 1:26 PM CT |
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Eli Manning and a solid Giants defense played a perfect postseason schedule on the way to a world championship.
The entire offensive unit returns intact, and absent a linebacker (Kawika Mitchell) all of the key defensive players are back.
Our View: The Giants have the weapons to allow Manning to excel this season and provide fantasy owners more consistency from week to week. |
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| Parker to fight for snaps | Friday 5/30, 9:22 AM CT |
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Samie Parker, a former starter for the Chiefs, could provide the one element that seemingly is lacking in the Broncos offense: deep speed, this according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Yes, Parker has speed, but his hands are suspect and he doesn't have the necessary skills to become a fantasy asset -- regardless of Brandon Marshall's health. Avoid Parker in all formats. |
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| Marshall's knee mending | Friday 5/30, 9:17 AM CT |
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Brandon Marshall is the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in Denver, this according to the Rocky Mountain News. He continues to rehabilitate his right forearm after surgery and will begin catching passes in a few weeks.
Our View: There are many that don't buy into Marshall's 1325 yards from a year ago, but with Brandon Stokley unable to stay healthy and Rod Smith now in the Broncos' front office, there is little (absent his health) stopping him from repeating his 2007 numbers. |
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| Clemens outperforming Pennington | Friday 5/30, 9:17 AM CT |
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Quarterback Kellen Clemens outplayed veteran Chad Pennington for the second straight day during passing drills at the New York Jets organized team activities, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
Our View: Clemens was working with the second team in a practice devoted mostly to situational work including the hurry-up, goal line and red zone offenses. It appears Clemens has the early advantage to start for the Jets in 2008, though the quarterback competition will likely remain fierce through training camp. |
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| Royal impressive at passing camp | Friday 5/30, 9:07 AM CT |
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During the Denver Broncos passing camp, rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal has stood out to some of his teammates, both in his maturity and skill level, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Darrell Jackson talked about how quickly Royal, a second-round draft pick from Virginia Tech, has ingested and applied the playbook, while quarterback Jay Cutler said he has great hands. Nice to hear positive comments during the offseason, but we prefer to see how the rookie performs once the pads are strapped on at training camp. Brandon Marshall and Jackson are expected to start with Stokley lining up in the slot, so playing time will likely be limited for Royal, whose primary impact will probably be on special teams returning kicks. |
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| McCown, Gradkowski competing for roster spot | Friday 5/30, 8:59 AM CT |
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Quarterbacks Luke McCown and Bruce Gradkowski once were competing for the opportunity to back up Jeff Garcia. Now both are fighting to remain on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: Jeff Garcia is entrenched as the starter, and Brian Griese is provides a veteran option at backup quarterback. The team likes rookie Josh Johnson, leaving McCown and Gradkowski on the roster bubble. The forgotten man, Chris Simms, will likely be moved prior to the trade deadline. |
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| Bears ink rookie TE Davis | Friday 5/30, 8:51 AM CT |
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The Chicago Bears have reached a contract agreement with rookie tight end Kellen Davis, according to Pro Football Talk.
Our View: Davis, who is a fifth-round pick from Michigan State, reportedly agreed to terms on a four-year contract. He faces an uphill battle for playing time in 2008 with Greg Olson and Desmond Clark ahead of him on the depth chart. |
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| Young never considered retirement | Friday 5/30, 8:45 AM CT |
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A recent NFL.com report suggesting that quarterback Vince Young considered retirement after one season was blown out of proportion, according to The Tennessean. “I was never going to quit football,’’ Young said. “Football, that is my pride and joy, it is my dream. I am playing my dream. And I don’t plan on giving that up any time soon.’’
Our View: We suspect the earlier report was taken out of context, as it’s not very likely that a 25 year old NFL quarterback is going to walk away from millions of dollars on the table, regardless of how much pressure their job entails. |
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| Connor working in the middle | Friday 5/30, 8:31 AM CT |
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Rookie linebacker Dan Connor is working at middle linebacker during the Carolina Panthers organized team activities, though the coaching staff thinks he can man the weak side down the road as well, according to the Rock Hill Herald.
Our View: Connor will likely start his NFL career on special teams, as the Panthers are pretty deep at linebacker. Jon Beason is a stud in the middle, while Landon Johnson and Na’il Diggs are competing for the weakside role. |
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| Bengals release WR Gabriel | Friday 5/30, 7:33 AM CT |
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The Cincinnati Bengals have announced that they have terminated the contract of wide receiver Doug Gabriel, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Our View: Gabriel, who had signed with the Bengals earlier in the offseason, is a journeyman type player who just can’t seem to latch on with a team. |
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| Williams working with first team | Friday 5/30, 7:25 AM CT |
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Wide receiver Reggie Williams is working with the first team at the Z receiver slot at organized team activities, while Jerry Porter is manning the X slot, or the spot that Jimmy Smith used to fill in the Jacksonville Jaguars offense, according to the Florida Times Union.
Our View: It appears that Williams has completely worked his way out of head coach Jack Del Rio’s doghouse, and he could improve on last year’s 38 receptions, though the 10 touchdowns will be difficult to duplicate. We also expect a spirited competition in training camp between Dennis Northcutt and Troy Williamson for the slot role. |
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| Sheppard could get shot at receiver | Friday 5/30, 7:10 AM CT |
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The Philadelphia Eagles are considering experimenting with cornerback Lito Sheppard at wide receiver during upcoming voluntary workouts, according to ESPN 950.
Our View: The Eagles aren’t sure Sheppard will report to the organized team activities, which commence on June 3. However, Sheppard has voiced his desire to be included in the offense for quite some time, so this could be a way for the organization to pacify a player looking for a new contract. |
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