Aug/04/07 06:04 AM Filed in:
Phillip
Buchanon
Cornerback Phillip
Buchanon played offense during 11-on-11 drills.
Lining up at wide receiver, he caught a short hitch
route before returning to defense on the next play.
"He's a guy we're going to work into our offensive
plans a little bit," Gruden said. "He's a really
athletic guy who can make plays. He's fast and he's
got creativity after the catch, so there will be some
things that we continue to look at with Phillip."
(sptimes.com)
Aug/04/07 06:03 AM Filed in:
Nate Webster
Webster was with the
starters at strongside linebacker. The competition is
wide-open, but Webster has received a lot of
repetitions with the starters.
(gazette.com)
Aug/03/07 03:43 PM Filed in:
Greg Olsen
It seems that everybody
has their own opinion on how Devin Hester being on
offense is going to change things. Be it
Berrian and Hester having a good ol fashion foot race
to the endzone, the one I am fond of, or running a
double reverse or just being a decoy everybody
expects that defenses will have to game plan him.
In truth though if they will need to game plan for a
player who will see the field more, Bears first round
draft pick, Greg Olsen is the guy.
G-Reg is already drawing some comparisons to Mike
Ditka's work ethic and will give offensive
coordinator Ron Turner a lot more options.
Turner can pair Olsen in a double-tight-end formation
with Clark, who is coming off a career year, and
force defenses to make a decision. If teams view
Olsen as a receiving threat and insert an extra
defensive back, that opens up opportunities for the
Bears' running game.
If teams keep a linebacker on the field in the hope
he can cover Olsen, good luck. There are wide
receivers in the Bears' camp who would lose a foot
race to the 6-foot-5-inch, 254-pounder. One result
should be Rex Grossman improving his third-down
completion percentage (52 percent) and passer rating
(66.4) from 2006.
In a division in which every defense primarily plays
the Cover-2, which leaves the deep middle of the
field vulnerable, having the second-fastest tight end
in the league matters.
"I'm eager to see how teams will handle that," coach
Lovie Smith said. "After you see him out running
routes outside, you can easily treat him like a wide
receiver. He has those kinds of skills."
There are going to be some defensive coordinators
spending more time in the film room then they hoped
to, now having to insert schemes for when Olsen is on
the field as well as Hester.
And if they manage to stop them, I am sure Berrian
will be somewhere near the endzone and Muhammad will
be his usual steady self waiting for the ball.
(windycitygridiron.com)
Aug/03/07 11:07 AM Filed in:
Clinton
Portis
ASHBURN, Va. - It is
only pre-season and it is only a scrimmage, so
Redskins running back Clinton Portis will be a
spectator on Saturday when the Redskins and Ravens
get together at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Portis has been bothered by tendonitis in his right
knee and he has not practiced since the beginning of
the week. He has been limited to strength building
activities and riding a stationery bike.
"If we had a game I could play. I am not injured,"
Portis said. "My knee is not even swelling up, it
just gets tender. It's fine it just bother me when I
make a cut or a sudden move."
While the injury is not serious, the right knee did
bother Portis during off season work outs. With
Portis out it will allow more time for Ladell Betts
who emerged last year when Portis was limited to only
eight games because of injuries.
(wtopnews.com)
Aug/03/07 09:06 AM Filed in:
Robert Hite
Aug/03/07 08:12 AM Filed in:
Bubba Franks
Ten veterans were
excused and at least nine players sat out most drills
in Thursday's morning practice, leaving the Packers
with about three-fourths of a roster.
Coach Mike McCarthy said it's the only time he plans
to excuse any veterans during training camp. They had
two days off last year, but next Thursday's early
practice will be dedicated to game-planning for the
preseason opener two days later at Pittsburgh.
"A few guys were disappointed that they weren't on
the (excused) list," McCarthy said. "It's not based
on their status on the football team. It's clearly
based on how many years (six or more) they played in.
It's where their bodies are at in their career."
All the veterans except tight end Bubba Franks
practiced in the night session.
Franks, on a one-a-day practice schedule because of a
troublesome knee, was scratched in the eye during a
team drill Tuesday night. An exam Thursday showed the
injury is 90 percent healed, McCarthy said, and the
team hopes he'll practice today.
(packersnews.com)
Aug/03/07 08:11 AM Filed in:
Robert Hite
The Nets will sign free
agent guard Robert Hite to a partially guaranteed
deal, league sources said. The 6-2 Hite played 12
games for Miami last season and made an impression as
a member of the Nets' summer league team.
(northjersey.com)
Aug/03/07 08:07 AM Filed in:
Jeremy
Shockey
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Pro
Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey missed two practices
with sore legs at the New York Giants training camp
on Thursday.
Shockey had complained that his legs were bothering
him on Wednesday. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said
after the morning practice on Thursday at the
University at Albany that the six-year veteran had
upper leg soreness and would sit out both workouts.
Cornerback Kevin Dockery continues to be sidelined
with a concussion sustained over the weekend.
"Last night the doctor said it is probably going to
be day-to-day," Coughlin said. "It could be a while
or it could be that he wakes up and feels better. But
even when he does say he feels better, he is going to
have to go through those tests to prove that he is
ready to go."
(sportingnews.com)
Aug/03/07 08:06 AM Filed in:
Edgerrin
James
Coach Ken Whisenhunt
isn't sure how much running back Edgerrin James will
play in the preseason. James, who prefers to play as
little as possible until the regular season, likely
will carry the ball more than he usually does because
the offense is new and the line has been revamped.
But Whisenhunt emphasized that James has been getting
plenty of work in practice, too
(azcentral.com)
Aug/03/07 08:05 AM Filed in:
Rashad Butler
With starting left
tackle Travelle Wharton getting so much time off to
rest his recovering knee, it's a little surprising
that second-year tackle Rashad Butler hasn't gotten
significant work with the first unit. Butler was a
third-round pick last season, and the Panthers are
said to think highly of him. It seems the depth on
the offensive line might be costing him a closer
look.
(charlotte.com)
Aug/02/07 08:39 AM Filed in:
Santana Moss
Also, WR Santana Moss
is being watched ever so closely (I blogged about
this a while back when they signed Corey Bradford).
There is some concern about lingering groin/hip
problems and his workload is being curtailed a bit.
Bubba said that Santana has been experiencing
discomfort in his groin, based on him compensating.
Moss missed much of the offseason with the groin/hip
problem. "He feels like he's compensating a little
bit on his leg, so he's got a soreness in his groin
instead of the hip flexor/abdominal area (which he
hurt this offseason. I asked specifically if Santana
had been compensating for discomfort in his hamstring
- a problem with him going back several years - and
Bubba said that Santana was compensating for "his leg
in general, the other part, the hip flexor." Could be
a case where they rest him in the scrimmage as well.
(blog.washingtonpost.com)
Aug/02/07 08:38 AM Filed in:
Clinton
Portis
Portis will be working
on his conditioning and strengthening the area around
his swollen right knee for the time being. Would be
very surprising if he were to practice anytime before
next Monday and Bubba Tyer, director of sports
medicine, laughed when someone suggested Clinton
might participate in the scrimmage Saturday in
Baltimore.
No way they're going to risk anything there.
So it's a setback, but, the Redskins say, a minor
setback and something not uncommon for a football
player trying to get back into full playing shape
after a lengthy absence due to tendinitis. Once
Portis started cutting and turning and exposing the
knee to contact, the knee was aggravated and
discomfort set in.
There is no set timetable for a return, Bubba said,
but he expects it to be a matter of "days" for
Clinton to get back, and not "weeks."
(blog.washingtonpost.com)
Aug/02/07 08:37 AM Filed in:
Najeh
Davenport
Parker's replacement at
tailback is Najeh Davenport, who's looking more fit,
powerful and agile than he did a year ago.
Davenport had some quality years with the Green Bay
Packers before they let him go. Tomlin remembers him
from his days on the defensive staff at Tampa Bay,
and said this Davenport looks like that Davenport.
"He does," Tomlin said. "They just came at you in
waves over there at Green Bay back at that time -
Ahman Green, Najeh and (Tony) Fisher. You had to get
ready for all of them. And he looks like that guy. He
gutted us pretty good down in Tampa one year, about
75 yards on 14 carries. I've got a sick memory. I
don't know why I remember that."
Close, coach. Davenport gained 70 yards on 13 carries
in that 2003 game. He also returned a kickoff 56
yards.
(heraldstandard.com)
Aug/02/07 08:37 AM Filed in:
William
Joseph
William Joseph, moved
to defensive end because of Strahan's absence, said
he probably will play both tackle and end if Strahan
returns. "I don't mind that," Joseph said.
(timesunion.com)
Aug/02/07 08:32 AM Filed in:
Bryant
McKinnie
Offensive tackle Bryant
McKinnie returned to camp. He missed all 9 of the
previous practices with hamstring issues. "I worked
hard to get back, but it's hard when you see
someone else play your position when you
feel you can help out," McKinnie said. Head coach
Brad Childress noted that McKinnie got beat by
defensive end Ray Edwards on a bull rush, and also
praised Edwards for having a good camp. Childress
didn't seem too worried about McKinnie, however,
who clearly needs to shake off the rust, which
is normal for any player missing significant camp
time.
(kstp.com)
Aug/01/07 04:59 PM Filed in:
Kellen
Winslow
Best Player: There are
people in camp that are just going out there and
playing tremendous, and one of those men is Kellen
Winslow. Amidst all of the drops in camp, Winslow is
catching every single ball that is thrown to him,
including some of the ones that originally appear out
of his each. On Tuesday, he was able to haul on a
pass from Frye down the sideline, catching over
defensive back Jereme Perry.
(dawgsbynatue.com)
Aug/01/07 04:58 PM Filed in:
Leon Williams
Mean Leon: Linebacker
Leon Williams will probably continue to replace
D'Qwell Jackson this year in nickel and dime
packages, as that's what he's been doing in camp so
far.
(dawgsbynature.com)
Aug/01/07 08:23 AM Filed in:
Willis
McGahee
Willis McGahee's
ability to revive the Ravens running game will be one
of the bigger stories of this summer's training camp.
After spending the first four years of his career
with the Buffalo Bills, McGahee opened his first day
of training camp by fumbling after a tackle by rookie
linebacker Prescott Burgess. Were there any
surprises from the first two days of camp?
No surprises. Just
trying to get the little jitters out of me, that's
all. [It's a] new team. I have to get used to new
blocking schemes and all that. So the only thing is
the little bit of jitters I've got.
Were you annoyed
by Burgess' hit during Monday's practice?
No, it didn't annoy me.
It taught me a lesson, that's all. Just have to be
better prepared. He's just doing his job, so you
can't fault him for that. How does training
camp in Buffalo compare with training camp
here? It's a
smarter training camp. [Coach Brian Billick] focuses
on making sure we learn. Everyone can go out there
and hit, but he wants to make sure we learn and get
all the little things down.
(baltimoresun.com)
Jul/31/07 09:14 AM Filed in:
Devin Hester
RECEIVING LOVE: Bears
fans are flocking to Bourbonnais in huge numbers, and
the one guy they seem to love the most is Devin
Hester.
And what’s not to love?
While returning an NFL-record six kicks for
touchdowns last season (and another in the Super
Bowl), he was the most exciting rookie athlete to hit
Chicago since Michael Jordan. And now, coach Lovie
Smith wisely has turned Hester over to offensive
coordinator Ron Turner, who so far in training camp
is having fun getting the ultra-quick kid.
Hester is lining up in the slot and catching slant
passes. He’s lining up wide and beating
defensive backs deep. He’s running reverses.
Can Hester pass the football?
I’m guessing Turner will find out before the
Bears break camp.
Meanwhile, every time Devin touches the football, the
fans go wild. During Saturday night’s practice
at Ward Field on the Olivet Nazarene campus, Hester
actually made a grab while sitting on his keister
after slipping. The ensuing ovation was so loud one
would have thought he had ridden Evel Knievel’s
motorcycle through a ring of fire.
The previous day, he caught a short pass and then
juked out safety Mike Brown, who could only shrug and
shake his head. That drew cheers and laughter from
the crowd.
Don’t worry, folks. Hester is still fielding
lots of punts and kickoffs. He knows where his bread
is buttered. So does Lovie Smith.
(sj-r.com)
Jul/31/07 04:59 AM Filed in:
Jon Beason
SPARTANBURG --The agent
for rookie linebacker Jon Beason said Monday the
Panthers are refusing to give his client a reasonable
contract.
"If ever a player
wanted to be practicing in training camp, it's Jon
Beason," Michael Huyghue said. "But there's a
business side to it, and I don't think our requests
are at all unreasonable.''
Beason, the 25th overall pick in this year's draft,
has missed five practices. Huyghue said the sides
remain in contact, but there has been no progress in
talks. The Panthers do not comment on negotiations.
Beason is in Jacksonville, Fla., and working out with
a personal trainer.
Huyghue said the sticking point isn't about money,
but the way cash is distributed. The agent said the
Panthers have refused to include a second-year option
as part of Beason's guaranteed money. Huyghue said
almost all other first-round picks who have signed
have been given second-year options. Instead, he
said, the Panthers are offering a bonus in the third
year that would not be guaranteed and would be based
on Beason reaching certain incentives.
The seven players drafted immediately after Beason
have signed and the picks closest to Beason have
received five-year deals worth an average of slightly
more than $2.2 million a season with about $6 million
in guaranteed money.
(charlotte.com)
Jul/31/07 04:58 AM Filed in:
Kareem Brown
After serving his
suspension for reportedly breaking team rules,
fourth-round draft pick Kareem Brown is on the
practice field. Brown is hanging out talking with
some of the other defensive linemen. Brown is much
taller and lankier than guys like Vince Wilfork,
Kenny Smith, Rashad Moore and LeKevin Smith.
With his frame, I could certainly see Brown playing a
Mike Wright role where he splits his time between
tackle and end, assuming he makes the team.
(officialnewenglandpatriots.com)
Jul/31/07 04:50 AM Filed in:
Pat Burrell
At Philadelphia, Pat Burrell homered and had three
RBIs and Jamie Moyer allowed one run in seven innings
in Philadelphia's rain-shortened win over Pittsburgh.
The Phillies learned before the seven-inning victory
that Chase Utley, their All-Star second baseman,
could miss three-to-four weeks after undergoing
surgery to have a pin placed in his broken right
hand. Utley was hit by a pitch on Thursday.
The game was called after a 61-minute delay following
the seventh inning.
Burrell homered in a six-run third when the Phillies
sent 12 batters to the plate. Michael Bourn had hits
in each of the first three innings and went 4-for-4.
Greg Dobbs drove in two runs.
Ronny Paulino had three hits and an RBI for the
Pirates.
(iht.com)
Jul/30/07 03:45 PM Filed in:
Kareem Brown
Kareem Brown, the
Patriots fourth round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, was
suspended until Monday for violating team rules
according to a report in the Boston Globe. While no
further details of Brown's suspension were available,
it could not have been a worse start for the rookie
to begin his first professional training camp in the
dog house.
Brown is vying for a reserve role on a line filled
with first round talent. Although Brown has the same
pedigree as nosetackle Vince Wilfork – both
attended University of Miami – don't expect any
favoritism from the coaching staff just because of
Miami's football powerhouse reputation.
(scout.com)
Jul/30/07 03:33 PM Filed in:
Clinton
Portis
In 31 NFL training
camps, the reporters show up looking for something to
write and hoping they can get at least one player to
say something more interesting than, "We're just
going to take this season one game at a time."
At the Redskins' camp it's different because Clinton
Portis is around. Dan Steinberg has a post at D.C.
Sports Bog on what Portis said to the media Friday,
and it includes more interesting quotes than most NFL
players give the media in their entire careers. This
is my favorite and, I think, Steinberg's:
"My idea of improving
training camp is turning this into a resort, and
that's going into the season healthy. I think the
more guys you can get into the season healthy, the
better chance you have, but Coach Gibbs and them's
idea is totally different than mine, and they the
rulers of this team. They the people who run this
team, so whatever it is, I've just got to buy into
it. I can't be an outcast any more, I can't stand up
and speak on behalf of the team.
The whole thing is
worth reading because Portis has the extraordinarily
rare quality of being simultaneously articulate and
incomprehensible.
(aolsportsblog.com)
Jul/30/07 03:24 PM Filed in:
Brett Romberg
Training camp is
finally here and FanHouse breaks down the most
important position battles heading into the season,
team by team.
Talk about your
superstar power. Your household names. I think the
question is: who in the world isn't watching the
battle for the Rams' starting spot at center?
Sarcasm aside, the
showdown between Donut Brother Andy McCollum and
Brett Romberg is probably the most important position
battle to the team's success this year. McCollum will
be without his partner in baked goods, Adam
Timmerman, and is coming back from a knee injury that
handed Romberg the starting spot for three games at
the end of last year. He's fully healthy, and players
aren't supposed to lose their job to injury, but
there's one problem in McCollum's case: the offense
performed much better with Romberg snapping to Marc
Bulger.
Romberg's also almost
10 years younger than McCollum. And the Rams can't
afford another potential injury on the offensive line
-- especially when the defense, with nine starters
returning, looks poised to give up close to 25 points
a game again. The offense will most likely have to
carry the Rams this year, and the perceived stability
Romberg brings could be the difference here,
especially when so much of the Rams success hinges on
the two guys -- Steven Jackson and the newly-minted
$65 million Bulger -- that stand directly behind
center.
(sports.aol.com)
Jul/30/07 03:21 PM Filed in:
Kevin Everett
Kevin Everett, tight
end - Despite his solid blocking and good production
late last season in limited opportunities, there are
many in Buffalo who aren't enthralled by starting
tight end Robert Royal. That's where Everett, the
team's third-round pick in 2005, comes in. The 6-4,
253-pounder didn't have much of a career with the
Miami Hurricanes, but he entered the NFL with plenty
of potential. However, after missing his first season
because of a knee injury, Everett was healthy in time
for 2006 but finished the year with just one
reception.
If the athletic 25-year-old finally starts to turn
the corner this summer, it would provide yet another
offensive weapon and a multidimensional threat for
Losman (Everett has the speed to get downfield). In
the process, Everett would form a very good one-two
punch at TE with Royal, who is primarily a
short-yardage man. Should Everett remain in neutral,
though, he'll likely get his walking papers from
Jauron soon enough, thus paving the way for Brad
Cieslak and Ryan Neufeld to serve as Royal's backups.
(realfootball365.com)
Jul/30/07 03:20 PM Filed in:
Ryan Braun
Rising star Ryan Braun
of the Brewers is positively killing it in July.
Braun's batting .340 (16-for-47) with seven home
runs, 13 RBI and two stolen bases. This rookie star
boasts a robust .339 batting average for the season
and a stellar 1.062 OPS. He's been a five-category
stud for fantasy owners, far exceeding the production
of most third basemen this year.
(msn.foxsports.com)
Jul/30/07 03:19 PM Filed in:
Baraka Atkins
KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) -
The Seattle Times reports that defensive end Baraka
Atkins, the first of the Seattle Seahawks' 2007 two
fourth-round draft choices, has agreed to terms.
The newspaper says Atkins, from the University of
Miami, is expected to sign a multi-year deal today.
Atkins joins veteran ends Patrick Kerney, Bryce
Fisher and Darryl Tapp as the top four players at
right and left defensive end currently on the
Seahawks depth chart.
The Seahawks released center Nick Jones last week and
kicker Tyler Jones today to make room on the roster
for defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and Atkins.
Mebane, the Seahawks' third-round pick from
California, signed with the Seahawks today.
Maryland cornerback Josh Wilson, Seattle's
second-round pick, is unsigned.
The Seahawks' rookies are scheduled to report for
training camp on Thursday. The team's veterans will
report for camp on Saturday, with the first practice
scheduled for Sunday morning.
Training camp is being held at the team's
headquarters in Kirkland for the first time since
1996, after the players and coaches traveled to
Eastern Washington University in Cheney the past 10
summers.
(kndo.com)
Jul/30/07 03:17 PM Filed in:
Kellen
Winslow
League sources have
informed The Orange and Brown Report that the team
has officially changed Kellen Winslow's roster status
to "Active/Physically Unable to Perform".
According to Scout.com's Adam Caplan, Winslow can be
removed from this status at any time up until the
point that final rosters are set. At that point, the
team would have to remove him from PUP status, or he
would not be able to play for the first six weeks of
the season.
At present, though, the designation opens up an
additional roster spot on the team.
Speculating, the roster status change likely means
that Winslow won't be used in the opening days of
training camp, and the Browns wish to use another
roster spot either to evaluate a player or bring in
another tight end to run plays starting on Friday.
The OBR's Lane Adkins comments that the status change
"comes as no surprise, as Winslow was to be limited
at best in the beginning stages of training camp".
(scout.com)
Jul/30/07 03:15 PM Filed in:
Kareem Brown
The Patriots and
fourth-round draft choice Kareem Brown have finalized
a contract agreement today. Brown's deal is a
four-year package.
"We’re happy we got it done," said his agent,
Peter Schaffer of Colorado-based All Pro Sports &
Entertainment. "Working with the team, we found ways
to get him into camp on time, and get the contract we
were looking for. It’s a win-win situation."
On a lighter note, the Patriots might have set an
unofficial NFL record by signing a Brown in each of
the last three weeks. First, Troy Brown. Then, Chad
Brown. Now, Kareem Brown.
In addition to Brown, the Patriots announced the
signing of seventh-round pick Mike Elgin.
That leaves first-round pick Brandon Meriweather as
the lone unsigned draft pick at this time.
(boston.com)
Jul/30/07 03:13 PM Filed in:
Sinorice Moss
Sinorice Moss –
So much was expected from last year’s
second-round pick. The speed, the explosiveness, the
famous older brother that’s already
accomplished so much in the NFL… But then a
quad injury knocked Moss out of the box for basically
the whole season. All eyes are going to be on him to
see what he can do – and if he can stay on the
field. As much as the Giants drafted Steve Smith as
insurance against Amani Toomer, you have to figure
Moss was part of that decision as well.
(scout.com)
Jul/30/07 03:10 PM Filed in:
Sinorice Moss
If Sinorice Moss could
follow his brother's lead after injuries dogged him
as a rookie, the Giants would be ecstatic. After an
injury-plagued rookie season, Santana Moss became a
solid third receiver in his second season with the
Jets, before catching 74 passes a year later.
Sinorice Moss must stay healthy this summer and show
he can make big plays, both as a receiver and a
returner.
(www.app.com)
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