Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell practiced in a limited capac ity Thursday, according to the team's official website. He has missed the last two games after suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain against Denver in Week 5. Campbell, who practiced for the first time since the injury, told reporters earlier in the week that he's hopeful of playing Week 8 against Philadelphia.



(cbssports.com)

When the Colts held wide receiver Reggie Wayne out of practice on Wednesday, it was difficult to know how much of a role his injured elbow played in their decision.

Wayne typically gets a veteran’s rest day on Wednesday and both he and coach Chuck Pagano downplayed the significance of the injury after he sat out the session. Still, the team was concerned enough to send Wayne for an MRI early on the week and even a relatively insignificant injury can be enough to keep a player out for one week.

The possibility of that outcome seems a bit likelier now that Wayne has missed practice on Thursday as well. Tom James of the Terre Haute Tribune-Star reports that Wayne watched his teammates go through practice from the field and that he didn’t have a wrap or anything other than a compression sleeve on the injured elbow.

If Wayne doesn’t play, it could mean an expanded role for Hakeem Nicks. Nicks signed as a free agent in the offseason after a disappointing year with the Giants in 2013 and has 17 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns so far this season.


(profootballtalk.com)

BAGSHOT, England -- Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell has been so impressed with Atlanta Falcons returner Devin Hester throughout his career that he has changed the way returns and returners are viewed in football.

"He's made it an art form and cut a niche in there like no one else in the game," Caldwell said Friday. "There's been some great returners in the game, there's no question about that. Deion Sanders was one that was one of the guys that was dangerous in that regard.

"[Hester] is equally so and I think he will be one of the first guys to ever carve that niche out."

That niche, according to Caldwell, is a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The 31-year-old Hester holds the NFL records for most special teams touchdowns in a career (20) and most punt return touchdowns (14). He also helped revolutionize the position in the NFL.

Caldwell should also know his abilities well from Super Bowl XLI, when Caldwell was part of the Indianapolis Colts staff. Hester ran the opening kickoff back 92 yards for a touchdown against the Colts in a game Indianapolis won, 29-17.

"Any time he gets the ball in his hands he's a threat to go all the way," Caldwell said. "Very difficult guy to handle. We've faced some very good ones prior to this weekend and he's no exception.

"He's probably going to the Hall of Fame because he's a cut above maybe the rest."


(espn.com)

Andre Johnson was the less productive of the Texans wide receivers Week 7 at Pittsburgh, but he still tied for the team lead with nine targets and caught five passes for 77 yards. Only once this year has another Texan gotten more targets than him in a game, and it was Arian Foster, not DeAndre Hopkins.

That's an ideal role for a wide receiver in Fantasy, and though it's led to only one touchdown for Johnson this season, he's too promising from week to week for you to consider sitting him. He's 12th in receiving yards, for crying out loud.

So why do Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard rank him 24th and 32nd, respectively, at wide receiver for Week 8 at Tennessee? You got me. If it was the Lions, I could understand, but the Titans rank 21st against the pass, allowing 247.9 yards per game.

I'm sticking to my guns on this one. Johnson is a must-start in Fantasy.


(cbssports.com)

After Mike Rumph’s five-year NFL career as a defensive back came to an end in 2007, he thought he knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

“It was one of the most difficult things I had to do,” said Rumph, who won a national title in 2001 with the Miami Hurricanes after playing high school football at Atlantic. “I kind of had a plan, but I didn’t. It was very difficult because I wanted to do so much.”

Rumph started life after football by opening a business selling puppies that later closed. He also spent some time as a personal trainer. But when he agreed to become the defensive backs coach at Miramar-Everglades High in 2010, life began to improve for Rumph.

It got even better after Rumph joined Plantation-American Heritage’s coaching staff in 2011. After two seasons as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, he replaced Jeff Dellenbach as the team’s head coach in 2013.

“I went through four years kind of figuring out exactly what I wanted to do,” said Rumph, who grew up in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. “The minute I started coaching, it took the place of all the different things I failed at.”

Rumph, 34, succeeded immediately in his new position, leading Plantation-American Heritage to its first state football title in school history in his first season as the team’s head coach.

On Friday, Rumph returns to Delray Beach, as Plantation-American Heritage (5-2) travels to take on its sister school, No. 1 American Heritage (5-1). It will mark the first time Rumph has returned to Palm Beach County as the Patriots’ head coach.

Although the success was immediate, there was a learning curve that came along with being a first-year head coach. Rumph worried about implementing structure and earning the respect of his assistant coaches.

“But early in the spring, the practices ran very fast and efficient like I envisioned and my staff responded well to me,” said Rumph, who has former NFL players like Patrick Surtain and Oronde Gadsden on his coaching staff.

The rest is history, as the Patriots finished with a 14-1 record on their way to winning the Class 5A state title in 2013.

It marked the first time Rumph had been part of that level of success at the high school level, as he never advanced to the playoffs during his playing career at Atlantic before graduating in 1998.

“It’s one of my top accomplishments,” Rumph said of leading Plantation-American Heritage to a state title. “We can go years and years without winning a state championship. I’ve been around a lot of coaches that have never won a state title, so to get it in my first year was an honor.”

But Rumph wasn’t able to experience that moment in front of his father, Mike Rumph Sr.

“I couldn’t make it to the game and I hated it,” Rumph Sr. said of missing last year’s state championship game.

But this week, Rumph will be able to coach in front of about 250 family and friends that are expected to be on hand to support him in his homecoming. His father will be one of them.

“I hear it’s going to rain,” Rumph Sr. said. “But I’ll be out there with a poncho.”


(pbgametime.com)

Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard both love Dolphins running back Lamar Miller at Jacksonville this week, and it makes sense. It's the Jaguars, after all. They lose all the time, often by a lopsided score, which gives opposing running backs plenty of chances to carry the ball in the second half.

Of course, the same logic applied for the Browns last week, and you see what happened with Ben Tate. He had only 36 yards on 16 carries. Granted, the Jaguars ended up winning that game, so it didn't follow the usual script. But looking back further, the Titans' Bishop Sankey had 61 yards on 18 carries in Week 6, the Steelers' Le'Veon Bell had 82 yards on 15 carries in Week 5, and the Chargers' Branden Oliver and Donald Brown combined for 42 yards on 19 carries in Week 4. Some of those performances were OK, but you have to go back to Week 2, when the Redskins' Alfred Morris ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns, to find a time when a running back really lit it up against the Jaguars. Not surprisingly, they rank a respectable 15th against the run, allowing 110.3 yards per game and just 3.8 yards per carry.

Of course, in standard 12-team leagues, you've been content with 60 yards and a touchdown from Miller, and he's probably still good for that. I just wouldn't expect more based on the matchup.


(cbssports.com)

ASHBURN, Va. -- He’s played with many quarterbacks, some of whom weren’t very good. That’s partly why Santana Moss also played on some bad teams. However, he’s also played with a number of quarterbacks who fared well.

And Moss thinks Kirk Cousins will end up in that category, which is why he wishes no change had been made at quarterback.

Cousins was benched at halftime of the Washington Redskins' 19-17 win over Tennessee after two more turnovers. That’s an issue he hasn’t been able to solve: He’s committed 23 turnovers in his 14 NFL games.

“I feel we’re in a tough situation as a team,” Moss said. “People are tired of what we’re going through so changes had to be made. … I understand turnovers are big and I don’t feel giving Colt [McCoy] a chance is wrong. But when you have a guy you’ve been trusting the last few years with this role and he’s coming up big for us, you just can’t turn on him because of a couple miscues.

“I feel he made a lot of great plays in the time he’s been in there to show us why he’s been the go-to guy when [Robert Griffin III] is not around. You don’t want to hurt his progress from saying, ‘OK, he’s been relied on the last few weeks and now we’re turning stray on him. I understand this game, it’s all about what have you done for me now, it’s all about winning, all about not turning it over. So when all that comes together, you lean the other way because you don’t want to see it anymore.”

Moss, echoing comments he made to 106.7 The Fan’s Chad Dukes earlier in the week, remains a big fan of Cousins. He makes throws that Moss views as excellent -- the touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson against Arizona, where he stuck the ball just inside corner Patrick Peterson; the lofted pass to tight end Niles Paul for a 50-yard gain last week. Those throws could no longer trump the turnovers for the coaches, but Moss sees it as a preview on his career. Moss, 35, is basing it on Cousins' game, plus what he's seen in a career that includes 722 receptions. But more than a shot at the coaches' decision, his words were as much about a belief in Cousins.

“I see he knows how to run the offense well,” Moss said. “He knows where to throw the ball. When you give him time, he can pick defenses apart. Those are some of the things I rave about because I’ve been in offenses like that, been around guys who know where to throw the ball and when. Mark Brunell was like that. Vinny Testaverde. Chad Pennington. I’ve been around great quarterbacks who show me that.

“When you have that in a young guy like Kirk, who really hasn’t had a year that he can say has been his -- it’s always been a backup role. This year is almost like his first fresh year, even though he came in as a backup. He’s still young. He’s like a rookie. If I was in those shoes I wouldn’t want to break his mental of what he’s been working to be. I would try to work with him and get him out of that.”

Even late last week, before the Titans game, coaches remained confident in Cousins’ ability, so I doubt a whole lot has changed. Cousins needed to respond better to his mistakes. They appear to weigh too heavily on him. But he proved to one player that he’s worthy of another chance.


(espn.com)

Shane Larkin started at point guard against the Wizards on Wednesday, posting a line of five points, four boards, four assists and two turnovers in 24 minutes.

John Wall made him look pretty bad and Larkin's lack of size was a factor tonight. Still, coach Derek Fisher likes his speed and ability to penetrate, so he should be in the rotation. Unless Jose Calderon (calf) misses time, Larkin won't be worth owning in most leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

The Titans have added tight end Richard Gordon to their 53-man roster.

Gordon (6-4, 265) has played three seasons, primarily with the Raiders and Chiefs. In 29 career games, he's totaled four receptions and one touchdown. He was a sixth-round selection by the Raiders in the 2011 NFL Draft.

The Titans have also added linebacker Nate Askew and receiver Derek Moye to their practice squad.

Askew (6-4, 235) was an undrafted college free agent who signed with the Buccaneers, and was waived following training camp. Moye (6-5, 210) was an undrafted college free agent in 2012, who spent time with Miami, New Orleans and Pittsburgh over the last three seasons.


(tennessean.com)

There was a time when no praise was too strong for Seantrel Henderson.

Then there was a time when no scorn was too strong.

These days, Henderson gets little of either. And it might be the best thing for him.

People knew Henderson's name before he was old enough to drive. He got a scholarship offer to Notre Dame when he was in ninth grade. He was named Rivals' No. 1 prospect for 2010 while it was still 2008 and still finished at No. 2. He was 6-foot-8, 337 pounds at age 17.

He was strong enough to play in the NFL before he was old enough to play varsity football and he was agile enough to play prep hoops along with it. His high school position coach once said he could "dance on a light bulb." If there was one high school player in 2010 who was most likely to get his name announced on the first day of the 2014 NFL draft, it was Seantrel Henderson.

Then everything began to slowly unspool.

Henderson played well as a true freshman at Miami, but over the next three years he was suspended three times for violating team rules. He also got into a car accident while driving with an expired license and missed time with a concussion. Eventually he was moved out of the starting lineup altogether: the can't-miss kid missed badly. He admitted to NFL teams earlier this year that his suspensions were because of marijuana use. There were also questions about his desire.

"Being ranked so highly, so early in age," Henderson said by phone last week. "The expectations and what everybody expected of me – they expected to me to be perfect. It was pretty hard."

The pressure of being the next Jonathan Ogden had crushed Henderson, and so he spiraled to a place where there would be almost no pressure. He reportedly failed a drug test at the scouting combine. He quit on his pro day workout. He was lucky to be picked in the seventh round by the Bills.
"That was a big disappointment," he said. "I knew I was better than that. It was very motivating."

The expectations were gone. The star rookie in Buffalo was Sammy Watkins. The face of the team was E.J. Manuel. There was more attention on Bon Jovi's ownership bid than on the opening day roster. In Buffalo, Henderson could fail without fans even learning his name.

And then he didn't fail.

Henderson won a starting job at right tackle and he has kept it. He has not missed a snap all season – one of only four offensive players on the team who can say that. This is where Henderson should have been headed all along – a starting spot in the NFL – but the fact that he's such a low-round pick makes him one of the biggest steals of the draft.

He's managed his new role better than he did the hype of his younger years.

"I'm still far away from where I want to be," he said. "One week at a time. Getting better each week. Get more comfortable each time."

Henderson hasn't been superlative. He has allowed four sacks. He hasn't done much better at protecting Manuel or replacement Kyle Orton than the other linemen. But there have been flashes of greatness. There has been promise. In the Bills' signature win, on the road against the Detroit Lions, Henderson held his own against Ziggy Ansah and the rest of Detroit's ferocious front. He is believing in himself more.

"It was more me having the confidence in myself that I could do it," he said. "I always knew I could play. It was more mentally going out there and playing.
"I've gone against some of the best players in the league now. I've seen what they've done against other opponents. I just prepared and made sure I'm ready. I tell myself I'm ready."

Just as important, the Bills have had faith. Even before the season started, head coach Doug Marrone – himself a former offensive lineman – suggested Henderson could be a long-term answer at right tackle.

"He's been everything that people obviously didn't say about him when he was coming out," Marrone told a local radio station in August. "I think he understands that and there are periods in time when people can change and one of them is when you go from college into this league. We have to do everything we can to not only keep him progressing on the field, but off the field."

One of the blessings of a small-market team is the shelter it provides for someone like Henderson. "He has a new family here," said offensive line coach Pat Morris. "We can provide the support. Basically it boils down to him."

Henderson said he has been clean, and he's sensed the difference in his life. "It was better right away," he said. "Way better right away. I was taking care of my business on and off the field."

The best thing that can happen is the worst thing that can happen: more pressure and expectations. If Henderson keeps his job – and Marrone said this week there's no immediate sign he won't – he'll be expected to keep getting better. He'll be more of a name, and more vulnerable to blame. Then comes the true test of how he handles the kind of praise and scorn that landed on him before.

"He has a whole career to get better," Morris said.

And that is enough of a victory for now.


(yahoosports.com)

Recently, Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss decided that he wanted to get a new tattoo for the first time in about ten years. So he reached out to his Miami-based tattoo artist TattzbyD and arranged to get a mural—a huge mural—done on his legs. And that mural includes the faces of a handful of Cherokee Indians.

Moss' decision to get Cherokee Indians tattooed on his legs has raised a few eyebrows, because the Redskins are currently embedded in a controversy concerning their team name and logo. There are a handful of Native American groups who have petitioned the team to change both in recent years. But as he told 106.7 The Fan this week, Moss decided to get the tattoos to honor his mother's Cherokee heritage and not for any other reason.

"I've been wanting to do another tattoo for like the last 10 years," he said. "And one day it just clicked. You know, I've heard so much about my mom's side—she [has] a lot of Cherokee Indians in the family, starting back with my grandmother and her mom and their mom—so I just wanted to do something honoring them. And it came about, and I told [TattzbyD] what I wanted—look up some chiefs, look up this and that. And he just put a little mural together for me and he went to work on my leg."

Moss also delivered a message for anyone who doesn't like the mural: "Don't bother me," he said, "I won't bother you."




(complex.com)

Lawrence Thomas let his heart speak when drawing the above picture of former Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor.

“My inspiration for this drawing was truly from sadness and from the heart. It took about a week to do and get Sean’s stats and past info,” he said in an accompanying letter.

Thomas continued by saying Taylor’s memories will always be remembered.

“Wanted to give the organization and the fans a copy. One of the team’s greatest players. He will never be forgotten. #21.”




(redskins.com)

LONDON — During the Falcons’ open portion of practice, offensive lineman Harland Gunn was working on his snaps at center with starting quarterback Matt Ryan at the Arsenal Football Club training ground on Wednesday.

Gunn was inactive last week against Baltimore.

With Peter Konz (knee) on injured reserve, Gunn gives the Falcons a veteran option to play center. Undrafted rookie James Stone finished the Baltimore game, playing 56 of the 66 offensive snaps.

“I think James is a very good young football player that understands the game,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “He impressed us early on with his ability to identify fronts and change protections. He’s an intelligent young guy, but he just doesn’t have any experience.”

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said he’s glad the team is away and in a hotel because he’s had extra time to watch film with Stone in order to make sure they are on the same page.

“James has done a great job since the first day he walked into the building,” Ryan said. “He’s a smart guy and has picked up our offense very quickly. I think (line coach) Mike Tice and (assistant line coach) Wade (Harman) have done a good job of working with our young guys.”

Gunn has played in just four NFL games, with one start. With Justin Blalock out with a back injury, he started at left guard earlier this season against the Giants.
Gunn wasn’t drafted out of the University of Miami in 2012 and was signed by the Cowboys. After Dallas cut him Gunn ended up on the Saints’ practice squad until the Falcons signed him to their 53-man roster for the final six weeks. Gunn didn’t play in a game that season, played in three games for the Falcons in 2013 and began this season on the practice squad.

The center will play a key role against Detroit’s stout defensive front.

“We are going to have to be solid up front,” Ryan said. “We really are. We are going to have to play well up front and account for where those guys are at. That’s what we are working on right now.”


(ajc.com)

Packers starting cornerback Sam Shields, who missed the Week 7 win over Carolina with an ankle injury, did not practice Wednesday as the team prepared for Sunday night's visit to New Orleans. Shields has 14 tackles and two interceptions in six games.




(cbssports.com)

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell may still return to the field sometime later this week, but he spent Wednesday sidelined for another practice.

That puts a larger emphasis on Thursday’s and Friday’s sessions should should his strained right MCL feel well enough for Campbell to engage in a full practice.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said about Campbell practicing later this week. “But he’s making good progress.

“There’s a big difference between jogging and running around a hoop, and taking on guys 300 pounds and pushing on him.”


(raisingzona.com)

INDIANAPOLIS – The MRI done on Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne’s left elbow didn’t show significant damage, coach Chuck Pagano said Wednesday.

Wayne didn’t practice Wednesday because that’s his normal rest day and the Colts are calling him day-to-day when it comes to his availability for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pagano said they’ll be fine if Wayne, who missed the final nine games of the 2013 season with a torn ACL, is forced to miss any time.

“I feel great,” Pagano said. “You have a guy like [Hakeem] Nicks who has been on a Super Bowl championship team. Caught a lot of passes in his career. We all know what Donte [Moncrief] is capable of doing. I feel really good.”

Nicks, who has gotten off to a slow start in his first season with the Colts, would slide into the No. 2 receiver role if Wayne doesn’t play.

“He comes here every day with his hat on, lunch pail, ready to work,” Pagano said about Nicks. “He’s a competitive guy. We have a ton of competitive guys in that locker room. They all want to contribute and they all want to make plays. He understands that. He’ll be ready no matter when his number is called. He knows his stuff; he practices hard, prepares hard.”


(espn.com)

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham wound up in the lineup against the Lions last week after several days of uncertainty because of his shoulder injury, but he only played a limited number of snaps and didn’t have a catch as the Saints blew a lead in the fourth quarter.

The Saints got back to practice on Wednesday to start their preparation for facing the Packers on Sunday Night Football and Graham remained a limited participant in the action for New Orleans. Barring a setback, his presence last week suggests he’d be in the lineup again this week in a game that the Saints could really use to give themselves boost in the struggle for playoff spots in the NFC. The question will be how effective Graham can be, but it’s not one that will be answered on the practice field.


(profootballtalk.com)

Eric Dickerson, Keyshawn Johnson, Ray Lewis and NFL Network's Warren Sapp are among the 193 candidates on the 2015 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

There are 75 players and six coaches from the FBS ranks and 87 players and 25 coaches from the small-school ranks on the ballot.

Joining Sapp, Dickerson, Lewis and Johnson as FBS candidates are Brian Bosworth, Randall Cunningham, Kirk Gibson (a star at Michigan State before choosing baseball), Cade McNown, Zach Thomas, Ricky Williams and Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who was a star linebacker at California. Among the candidates in the small-school group are former NFL players Marlin Briscoe, Mark Cotney and Don Griffin, as well as Gary Wichard, a former high-profile agent. The entire list of the 193 candidates is here.

The announcement of the 2015 class will be made Jan. 9, in advance of the Jan. 12 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

From the National Football Foundation website: "To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a first-team All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years and cannot be currently playing professional football. Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach; won at least 60 percent of their games; and be retired from coaching for at least three years. If a coach is retired and over the age of 70, there is no waiting period. If he is over the age of 75, he is eligible as an active coach. In both cases, the candidate's post-football record as a citizen may also be weighed."


(nfl.com)

Green Bay — The toughest question the Green Bay Packers face this week as they prepare for the New Orleans Saints defense is whether tight end Jimmy Graham will be just a decoy again this week or his old self.

Graham suffered a shoulder injury against Tampa Bay in Week 5 and hasn't been close to himself since.

The Saints were lucky enough to have a bye the week after Graham bowed out in the second quarter against the Buccaneers, but when Graham returned Sunday against Detroit, he was a non-factor. It was apparent he was being used more as a decoy than anything.

He was targeted twice by quarterback Drew Brees but did not have a reception. On Wednesday, Graham was listed as a limited participant in practice.
"He looks better this week than he did last week," Brees said in a conference call. "The shoulder will continue to get better. I'm not worried or concerned in that regard. Jimmy is a tough guy.

"He's had to play through a lot in just his short career. He's battled multiple injuries over the course of many seasons. I know he's going to give us whatever he can. We'll see what that is."

Before he got hurt, Graham was off to another good start. Despite no catches last week and just two against Tampa Bay, he ranks third among all tight ends in the NFL with 34 catches for 376 yards and three touchdowns.

Since 2011, no other tight end can match Graham's numbers. He has 304 receptions for 3,883 yards and 39 touchdowns. The reception total ranks fourth among all players in the NFL during that span.

If the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Graham, who played in 120 games for the University of Miami basketball team before giving football a try, is doing better, the Packers have themselves a matchup problem. They can try to match Morgan Burnett, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix or Micah Hyde against him, but all three would need help to match Graham's speed.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers will have to be ready to defend the healthy Graham and then see which Graham materializes once the game starts.

"Jimmie Graham is a tough matchup, no doubt," coach Mike McCarthy said. "How you play him, that's really what the game is for. But he's a very talented individual just as far as the way he attacks the middle of the field.

"They use him down the boundary and on the corner routes, too. But he's definitely someone that you have to be smart with."


(jsonline.com)

The skeptics are not new, and Diamondbacks prospect Peter O'Brien has heard what they have to say. They don't think he can catch in the major leagues. O'Brien answers their doubts with an anecdote from his past.

"You're talking to the same guy that didn't have a Division I scholarship anywhere up until two weeks before the college season started," O'Brien said.

In four years, he went from going undrafted out of high school to being a second-round selection of the New York Yankees. He then developed into one of the better power-hitting prospects in baseball and is now playing in the talent-heavy Arizona Fall League, smashing home runs that leave vapor trails and showing why the Diamondbacks wanted him in exchange for Martin Prado at the trade deadline.

More: Diamondbacks coverage from Nick Piecoro

But he's perhaps also shown why the Yankees were willing to part with him. He has struggled with his throws from behind the plate, and scouts have also raised questions about his blocking and receiving skills.

O'Brien doesn't deny he has improvements to make. He also doesn't doubt he'll be able to make them.

"I definitely view myself as a catcher," he said. "I'm going to work as hard as I can and do everything I can to be back there."

In many ways, this is a familiar script for the Diamondbacks. Since Miguel Montero reached the big leagues in 2006, the organization has struggled to develop another frontline catcher despite spending several high draft picks on them and targeting them in trades.

Stryker Trahan, the team's top pick from 2012, has a similar back story to O'Brien. Few have doubted Trahan's offensive potential, but his ability to stick behind the plate is in doubt. This season, he bounced from catcher to the outfield and back to catcher.

O'Brien did the same during his time with the Yankees. With an advanced bat and others in the organization ahead of him at catcher, O'Brien was introduced to first base, third base and right field over the past two years.

Like Trahan, O'Brien sounds determined to reach the majors as a catcher, and the Diamondbacks sound willing to give him every chance to do so.

"He just needs to catch more," Diamondbacks farm director Mike Bell said. "He needs more consistent reps behind the plate. With his bat, that would be a nice weapon to have (playing catcher)."

At a time when offense is down throughout the game, O'Brien stands out. In just 399 at-bats this season, he hit 34 home runs, the sixth-highest total in the minor leagues, and he already has three homers in 31 at-bats in the fall league.

He credits the hard work he put during the summer after his sophomore year of high school, a time when he said he fully bought into the idea of being a baseball player.

But not everyone bought into him. Lightly recruited out of high school in Miami, he secured a baseball scholarship at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., in a tryout only weeks before school started.

So this idea that people don't believe in him? It's nothing new, and it's something he's learned to embrace.

"I've always felt that even though I've done everything that the big guys have done and put up numbers, I've always felt like the underdog," said O'Brien, who played three years at Bethune-Cookman before transferring to Miami. "I think that's what has given me my work ethic and the drive I have to reach my goals and be where I want to be."


(azcentral.com)

Dolphins running back Lamar Miller practiced Tuesday wearing a brace on his right knee, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Miller has been on the injury report lately with a knee injury, but it's not believed to be serious. He has not missed a game.




(cbssports.com)

Giants linebacker Jon Beason told WFAN that it's 50-50 whether he tries to play again this season or has surgery on his injured toe, reports the New York Daily News. Beason, who visited a foot specialist Tuesday, said in the interview that he's playing "without a critical ligament" in his big toe.

Beason returned to action Week 7 but aggravated the injury in the loss at Dallas.


(cbssports.com)

Rookie punter Pat O’Donnell, also known as “Mega-punt,” had the highest gross average by a Bears punter in a game since Todd Sauerbrun back in 1997. O’Donnell averaged 53 yards per punt with a net average of 45.7. O’Donnell has improved the Bears punt game vastly after Adam Podlesh struggled last year and seems to have clicked the past couple of weeks.



(isportsweb.com)

Apparently, the “adult beverage” wasn’t enough to take the edge off Reggie Wayne’s elbow.

According to Mike Chappell of RTV6 in Indianapolis, the Colts wide receiver is expected to miss a game or two because of an elbow injury suffered early in Sunday’s win over the Bengals.

He fell after a play, bracing himself with his left arm as he fell. He had an MRI yesterday, but no results were announced.

Wayne suggested he wasn’t that concerned after the game.

“I’m good now,” he said. “I just kind of fell on it, fell on my arm. Go home, have an adult beverage and see how it feels in the morning.”

The veteran receiver’s numbers have been down in recent weeks (eight catches for 50 yards the last two games), but he was playing well prior to that (14 for 196 against the Titans and Ravens), an impressive comeback for a 35-year-old who tore his ACL last year.

But if he’s not back for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh, Hakeem Nicks will have to take on a bigger role.


(profootballtalk.com)

The Miami Dolphins are signing wide receiver LaRon Byrd to the practice squad, according to a report from the National Football Post's Aaron Wilson. No corresponding move has been announced to open the space on the practice squad.

Byrd was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He appeared in four games his rookie season, but landed on injured reserve for the 2013 season due to concussion symptoms. This season, he has spent time with the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns, making one appearance with the Browns. He played seven snaps in the season opener for Cleveland against the PIttsburgh Steelers.

He has one career reception for eight yards.

At 6-foot-4, Byrd is the tallest wide receiver on the roster or practice squad for Miami. He is two inches taller than starter Brian Hartline and is tied with Dion Sims as the tallest of the receivers and tight ends.

Byrd played four years for the University of Miami from 2008 to 2011. He caught 106 passes for 1,254 yards and seven touchdowns.


(thephinsider.com)

Texans receiver Andre Johnson had one 4-yard reception through three quarters Monday night at Pittsburgh. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick finally looked Johnson's way in the fourth quarter, and the 33-year-old wideout finished with five catches for 77 yards.

In the process, Johnson moved past Steve Largent for 14th place in career receiving yards. Johnson has 14,057 receiving yards.

Johnson shared the team lead with nine targets, his average this season. He'll visit the Titans in Week 8.


(cbssports.com)

Colts wideout Reggie Wayne, who had an MRI on his elbow Monday, could miss one or two games, reports WRTV in Indianapolis. Wayne sustained the injury in the first quarter of Sunday's win over the Bengals.

The MRI results have not been released.



(cbssports.com)

A frustrating season has continued for Giants linebacker Jon Beason.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters that Beason was going to see foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson after leaving yesterday’s game against the Cowboys.

Beason’s been bothered by a toe problem all season, and may have aggravated it yesterday. He’s missed three games, and hasn’t been able to stay well this season.

If anything, there’s familiarity there, as Anderson knows Beason’s (growing thicker) medical file well since he’s the Panthers’ team doctor as well.

When Beason’s on the field, he’s a difference-maker for the Giants defense. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to this season.


(profootballtalk.com)

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said he is hoping defensive end Calais Campbell, who has missed the last two games due to a knee injury, will return to practice later in the week.

Campbell has totaled 16 tackles, one sack and one interception in four games. The Cardinals play the Eagles in Week 8.


(cbssports.com)

GREEN BAY – Sam Shields’ injured left knee is improving, but the Green Bay Packers starting cornerback won’t know when he will be able to play again until he tests his knee by running on it.

Shields said Monday that he suffered a strained patellar tendon when he went down while backpedaling to his pre-snap position before a play against Miami on Oct. 12. The bizarre injury caused him to miss Sunday’s 38-17 victory over the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field.

Whether Shields could return for next Sunday night’s game at New Orleans depends on if he’s able to test the knee this week and can run pain-free on it – something he didn’t sound overly optimistic about.

“I’m feeling better. As far as time, I don’t know right now because I haven’t ran,” Shields said Monday. “But the pain is slowly going away, so that’s good.”
Shields, who missed six games in 2012 with an ankle injury and two games last season with a hamstring injury, said he would make himself available for interviews again on Thursday with the hope of progressing by then.

With Shields out, Davon House started in his place and allowed only one 5-yard reception. House also had a pass breakup on which he suffered a dislocated right ring finger

“I think I did my job,” House said. “It was a solid game. No impact plays, though. Guarding a really good receiver in (Kelvin) Benjamin, I did my job, so that was a good job, but in my mind, if I was to get a pick, to me that’s an impact play. But to the coaches, they might’ve thought I did awesome because their best receiver didn’t have any catches on me.”


(espn.com)

When the Patriots restructured the contract of Vince Wilfork in March, they secured him for this season with an option for two more seasons. The 32-year-old Wilfork has been a mainstay of the New England defense for 11 seasons and figures to be for the foreseeable future as well. That he missed all but four games with a torn Achilles’ tendon last season suggested that they might ease his workload this season.

But that doesn’t mean the Patriots are easing off on their use of their 325-pound nose tackle.

Wilfork has played 78 percent of snaps this season, sixth-most on the New England defensive line. Darrelle Revis (92.2 percent), Rob Ninkovich (89.1 percent), Devin McCourty (88.1 percent), Jerod Mayo (86 percent) and Chandler Jones (84.2 percent) are the only defenders who have seen more time on the field than Wilfork — and Mayo is out for the season with a knee injury.

Last Thursday against the New York Jets, Wilfork was on the field for 64 of 69 defensive snaps — and eight more special-teams snaps. He saw more total snaps than any other New England defensive lineman or linebacker.

“Vince is a tremendous leader for us,” Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said in a conference call on Monday. “He does a great job every day with his approach to the game both through practice, through meetings and then obviously on game day. He’s a tremendous leader that our players can look up to, just really a hard-working individual that brings his lunch pail to work every day as far as getting in there and grinding it out and really trying to understand what our opponents are doing.

“Obviously, we look to him in that capacity from a very strong leadership aspect. For anything that we do on defense here as a team, we’re just trying to put the best players out there in the best position possible to win the game.”


(providencejournal.com)

It certainly didn’t show while he was on fire during the playoffs, but Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay had a left wrist injury that required surgery and the recovery timetable is 6-8 weeks.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that Jay played through the injury since July, yet he hit .325 in August and September before going 14-for-29 (.483) in the postseason.

It was quite a change from last year, when Jay struggled offensively and defensively in the playoffs, and according to Goold the Cardinals plan to keep him as their starting center fielder for 2015 after bringing in Peter Bourjos as competition last offseason.


(hardballtalk.com)

Warren Sapp’s days at the University of Miami ended 1995. 

Despite the fact that it’s been nearly 20 years since the NFL Hall of Famer was a student-athlete for the Hurricanes, the former All-American still has his Miami college ID in his wallet. It’s awesome. 

Check it out: 

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Awesome -- @warrensapp still has his college ID from the 'U' in his wallet.

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Panthers tight end Greg Olsen led the way in the aerial attack, cracking the century mark for the first time this season in a Week 7 defeat to the Packets on Sunday.

Olsen came down with a 23-yard grab in the third quarter, and on the ensuing drive he caught passes for 20, 8 and 10 yards. He was held without a grab in the fourth quarter. He caught all eight of his targets for 105 yards in a 38-17 defeat. He has 493 yards and five touchdowns on the year.

The Panthers will host the Seahawks in Week 8.


(cbssports.com)

Dolphins running back Lamar Miller found the end zone for the third straight game in Week 7 against the Bears, as he continues to operate as the top option in the running game.

Sunday's was probably Miller's least impressive game so far, as he rushed for a season-low 3.4 yards per carry. Miller ripped a 2-yard run to get in the end zone in the third quarter. He registered 83 yards of total offense, rushing for a team-high 61 yards and a score on 18 carries, averaging 3.4 yards per attempt. He was thrown to three times and finished with two catches for 22 yards. There was nearly even more for his Fantasy owners to cheer about, as he had a touchdown wiped out by a holding penalty.

The Dolphins' revamped offensive line has made life much easier for Miller, and he has become a reliable Fantasy option as a result. With few contenders for playing time, there is little reason to think he will be unable to keep this kind of production up. Consider Miller a strong Fantasy option in all formats for Week 8 against the Jaguars.


(cbssports.com)

Frank Gore was held to 20 yards on nine carries in the 49ers' Week 7 loss to the Broncos.

Gore was held in check by the Broncos run defense and couldn't get anything going behind an offensive line that was missing three starters. The 49ers abandoned the run in the second half, with Carlos Hyde getting the majority of work over Gore late in the game. Gore is averaging just 4.1 YPC and has one touchdown in seven games. The 49ers could look to get Hyde more involved coming out of their Week 8 bye.


(rotoworld.com)

Reggie Wayne planned to use an old-fashioned remedy Sunday evening to get a sense of how his injured arm was doing.

"I'm good right now," Wayne said after the Colts' 27-0 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. "Just kind of fell on it. I'll go home, have an adult beverage and see how it feels in the morning."

Coach Chuck Pagano said that Wayne wrenched his left elbow after falling awkwardly on it and Wayne was seen wearing a bandage around it late in the game. But he said afterwards that "it's a little bit of everything. We'll see how I feel tomorrow."

It was a big day historically for Wayne, who became the ninth receiver in NFL history to surpass 14,000 yards. But due in part to his injury and in part to the fact quarterback Andrew Luck has so many other receivers to throw to, it was a quiet day statistically.

Wayne finished with four catches — and two drops — for just 15 yards (3.8 average). He extended his streak of games with three or more receptions to 78, but it didn't happen until midway through the fourth quarter. The 14-year veteran has at least one reception in 126 consecutive games.

He wasn't complaining about it one bit after such a dominating performance against the Bengals. The Colts' defense got the shutout, but the offense was pretty good as well, rolling up 506 total yards and picking up 27 first downs.

"We've got something special," Wayne said. "We felt that way going into the season. Got a lot of guys back healthy and these last five games are an indication of what we can do. Like I said earlier, I'm sure there's a lot of corrections to be made, but if we continue to ride this wave, we can keep this streak going.

"This is what we envisioned. Hopefully, we can keep guys as healthy as possible. ... We're pretty loaded offensively."

Wayne wasn't about to be draw into comparisons. He demurred when asked if this was the most loaded the Colts have been offensively since the mid-2000s — when Wayne was part of a legendary offense that included quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, tight end Dallas Clark and running backs Edgerrin James and later Joseph Addai, among others.

"I'll let you decide that," he said. "I'm here to play with this team right now. Once I hang up my cleats, I'll think about that. But right now, this team is starting to gel pretty well and go out and play Colts football, which we did today."


(indystar.com)

Steelers rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier was feeling good about his chances of playing on “Monday Night Football” when he returned to the practice field last week.

Even though he's listed as questionable against the Houston Texans, Shazier isn't likely to line up at Heinz Field. Instead, Sean Spence again will be challenged when the Steelers face one of the league's best running teams.

Admittedly, Spence and outside linebacker Arthur Moats are feeling the heat. While neither has played poorly, they haven't distinguished themselves, especially against the run.

That, of course, has to change if the Steelers are to slow down Texans running back Arian Foster.

“A lot of people are questioning me and Sean,” Moats said. “We know they're asking if we're good enough, but we get a chance to prove ourselves on “Monday Night Football.”

Spence, though, said it will take a team effort to shut down Houston's running game. The goal, he added, is to force quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to lean more on an erratic passing game that features wide receiver Andre Johnson.

“Houston has a great receiver, but this is a run-first team,” Spence said. “If we get them one-dimensional, it's to our advantage.

“As a defense, we have to be gap sound. Everyone from the defensive line to the safeties have to fit into their gaps because Foster is one of the best backs in the league. He has great vision, and if guys get out of their gaps, he'll find it.”

In 2011, Foster exploited nearly every gap, seam and crease. Ultimately, he wore down a leg-weary defense as he rushed for 155 yards, including a game-clinching 42-yard run in a 17-10 victory.

“I heard about that,” said Spence, a third-round draft pick in 2012. “The (coaches) talk about it all the time.

“The speed you see on film is not equivalent to Foster's game speed. On film he floats. In real action, he's running by you. So, we have to get more than one hat on him.”

In other words, the defense must get physical with Foster.

Spence acknowledged that while most everyone ignored former Steelers receiver Hines Ward's criticism that the defense is soft, there is pressure to prove that getting run over twice by Cleveland's ground game is a mere aberration, not the norm.

“The whole defense takes exception to those comments,” Spence said. “The Steelers defense has never been called soft. With that perception out there, we have to change it immediately.”

Yet, the defense is ranked 15th against the run and 23rd in rushing yards per attempt. The Steelers allowed 406 combined rushing yards in three games: Cleveland twice and Baltimore. But they limited Carolina, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay to 161 rushing yards.

The Texans aren't likely to deviate from a game plan that worked three seasons ago. They might be even more persistent with the ground game, considering Spence and Moats are still trying to fit into a rather complex defense.

“The biggest thing is stopping the run,” said Moats, who will split time with James Harrison. “When they're forced to pass, they can be rattled as they were against Indianapolis (in a 33-28 loss).

“We've had our ups and downs, but we're jelling. The communication has been much better this week than it has been in previous weeks.”

“We can talk about what we have to do, but we have to make plays,” Spence said. “If you do your job, the plays will come to you. We can't force it because that's how Cleveland hurt us with the run game.”


(triblive.com)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs have been missing four defensive starters because of injuries since early in the season, so they needed help from unexpected places to keep things from collapsing on that side of the ball.

One player who has done that is end Allen Bailey. Mostly a situational pass rusher in his first three seasons with the Chiefs, Bailey is not only a starter but doesn’t come out of the lineup much. He has played almost as many snaps this season as Pro Bowl nose tackle Dontari Poe.

“He made a big jump a year ago I thought in football and knowing what’s going on,’’ defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said of Bailey. “He’s obviously a very gifted guy athletically. He could play 80 plays a week and never get tired. He and Poe are very similar that way. Where’s he’s started to develop is he’s getting all the other things that come really from just playing. The last two years is the first time he’s really played a lot of snaps and this year obviously he’s playing almost all the snaps.’’

The Chiefs lost starting end Tyson Jackson during the offseason as a free agent but signed Vance Walker as his replacement. Bailey instead won the starting job and is now playing well enough that he has a strong grasp on it.

The Chiefs have played most of the season without the other regular starting end, Mike DeVito. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in the season opener and is out for the season.

Though Bailey isn’t DeVito’s replacement, his solid play has eased the loss. Bailey has 2.5 sacks, putting him on a pace for more than 7.5 for the season. That would be the highest total for a Chiefs defensive lineman since Jared Allen had 15.5 in 2007.

“One of the things that’s really great for us is that those two inside guys can make plays for us chasing things down,’’ Sutton said of Bailey and Poe. “That doesn’t happen a lot. A lot of times you’re not fortunate enough to have that kind of player. You maybe have a big, sturdy guy in there who maybe can’t make the plays outside. These two guys can chase screen plays down, wide plays, and they really help your defense.’’

Bailey is in the final season of the contract he signed with the Chiefs as a third-round draft pick in 2011. He’s playing well enough to deserve a new contract from the Chiefs at the end of the season.


(espn.com)

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham played through a shoulder injury Week 7 at Detroit but did not record a catch. Graham was not targeted in the first half and drew two targets after halftime.

Early in the fourth quarter, Graham ran a deep sideline route but Drew Brees overthrew him. Graham's health will be a big topic of discussion as the Saints prepare to host the Packers on Sunday Night Football in Week 8.


(cbssports.com)

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Giants starting middle linebacker Jon Beason had a line of cleats in his locker this week at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Not all of them were usable at this point and time.

Beason needs special double-carbon-fiber-plated footwear to get on the field these days because of a right foot injury suffered in the spring and aggravated earlier this season. Carbon fiber is stronger than steel.

"That is what I'm giving up to play," Beason said earlier this week as he tried to bend the sole of his shoes without any success.

It's the result of a broken sesamoid bone and torn ligaments in his foot/toe during an Organized Team Activities (OTAs) workout in June, and an aggravation of the injury in a Week 2 loss to the Cardinals. Beason returned for the season opener, but missed three games because of the injury.

He unveiled the "secret weapon" upon his return last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Both his head coach and defensive coordinator called called him "rusty" in the contest.

The reality is Beason (like most players during a grueling NFL season) is not going to be 100 percent the remainder of this year. He intends to play through the discomfort with the help of his new cleats and a custom-made orthotic.

It's not ideal, but it's better than the alternative -- missing more time and more games.

"This is what got me back," Beason said, pointing to the shoe (see slideshow above from the version he wore in Sunday game in Philadelphia). "If it's too pliable, then my toe just keeps going. It has to stop so I can eventually push off. So it's kind of finding that perfect balance."

Beason needs some flexibility from his footwear so he can explode. If it's too stiff, it would be like trying to run with a wooden block attached to his foot.

It's all taking some getting used to. You could see, particularly on his first few plays against the Eagles, that Beason is getting acclimated to the stiffer feel. He stumbled and almost fell over on one play. He had trouble changing directions on another.

As the game progressed, it was evident he was becoming more comfortable. Beason finished with three tackles and a pass defended on 56 snaps.

There was clearly some progress being made. Even after coach Tom Coughlin expressed concerns in previous weeks about Beason playing on turf, he was out of the field with his teammates on Thursday when the Giants practiced indoors.

Beason's been working tirelessly to make sure his healthy improves, both for the short term and the season. The toe is vital to his success. He still works to strengthen the big toe using Thera-Bands. He described it as the equivalent of weight-lifting for your toe.

"Once you have that injury to the toe, you realize how important it is," Beason said.

Cleats too. They go a long way in determining what you can do on the field and, in Beason's case, whether he can get on the field.


(nj.com)