The Redskins haven't made an effort to sign free agent RT Eric Winston this offseason.

Winston has been linked to the 'Skins in each of the last two offseasons because he played for Kyle Shanahan in Houston. Now Shanahan is running the same blocking scheme in Washington. The Washington Post says that Winston's price tag seems to have a lot to do with their lack of interest right now.


(rotoworld.com)

With a trade for Kansas City Chiefs franchise player Branden Albert on the backburner -- perhaps permanently -- the Miami Dolphins continue to explore their options at offensive tackle.

NFL.com's Albert Breer reported Tuesday that free-agent offensive tackle Eric Winston will work out for the Dolphins on Wednesday, according to a source.

Winston is just one of several possible options for the Dolphins, who have been searching for an offensive tackle since Jake Long signed with the St. Louis Rams in March.

Bryant McKinnie visited with Miami on Monday. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that former Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Tyson Clabo is scheduled to meet with the Dolphins Tuesday night. Winston Justice also is reportedly scheduled for a visit.

Given the options, Albert still is the most logical fit, especially if the Dolphins don't feel comfortable permanently moving second-year right tackle Jonathan Martin to Ryan Tannehill's blindside.

Are the Dolphins legitimately interested in outside options, or are they simply posturing in a continued dance with the Chiefs? We'll find out soon enough.


(nfl.com)

The Titans started the process of filling in some post-draft gaps by bringing in three veteran free agents.

In addition to visiting with former Bears defensive end Israel Idonije, former Bengals cornerback Jason Allen visited with the team Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

Adam Schefter of ESPN followed shortly thereafter with word that former Chiefs an Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston was there also.

The Titans have moved aggressively all offseason, and adding Winston would be another big step toward fortifying their offensive line, after signing guard Andy Levitre and drafting Chance Warmack.


(profootballtalk.com)

A Miami Dolphins trade for Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Branden Albert never materialized, so the organization might have moved on to another tackle listed on the 2012 Chiefs roster. A source told the Miami Herald's Adam Beasley that the Dolphins have had consistent conversations with Eric Winston, and action might be taken soon.

The Dolphins still are in the market for a tackle after 2008 No. 1 overall pick Jake Long signed with the St. Louis Rams. They're happy with 2012 second-rounder Jonathan Martin, but they still need another starter. The Dolphins drafted Tennessee offensive tackle Dallas Thomas in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock called him a better prospect at guard, where he played in 2012. Thomas was the lone lineman the Dolphins picked in the draft.

The Chiefs released Winston in March and saved $3.5 million in salary cap space. The Chiefs drafted Eric Fisher with the No. 1 overall pick this year, and they plan to plug him in at left tackle. Winston signed a four-year, $22 million free-agent contract with the Chiefs before the 2012 season.


(nfl.com)

There was a recent report the Dallas Cowboys were in talks with free agent right tackle Eric Winston and then that was shot down.

But where there is smoke, well, there might just be a fire. Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones told KRLD-FM on Tuesday that the club is indeed looking at Winston, who was released by the Kansas City Chiefs and is one of several experienced and skilled right tackles on the market with Andre Smith and Tyson Clabo.

“He’s obviously somebody that we’re taking a look at,” Jones said, according to the Dallas Morning News. “We certainly haven’t dismissed Doug (Free). We really felt like when we went to rotating him and Jermey Parnell that he really picked up his game in terms of the competition, not to mention the fact that I think he got some clarity as to what (offensive line coach) Bill Callahan was after.

“I think there’s some interest and prospects there between what we have and what we could get. Obviously on the interior part of our line the same thing holds true. I think we had some injuries there. Another year under Bill and more work, and not to mention what might happen in the draft. We’ll just have to see how that goes.”

These experienced right tackles are looking for solid pay, though, and this has been primarily a buyers’ market. Winston and Co. might not find a team willing to pay $4 million or even $3 million per year. Before the Cowboys add a tackle, though, they have to figure out what they want to do with Free, who has long been rumored to be in line for a pay reduction. Free is due to earn $7 million this season coming off a rough 2012 season. This might be a situation that unfolds following the draft.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

The Dallas Cowboys could certainly afford to upgrade their offensive line and free agent right tackle Eric Winston is on their radar.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones talked about the team’s interest on Tuesday.

“He’s obviously somebody that we’re taking a look at,” Jones told the Elf & Slater show on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “We certainly haven’t dismissed Doug [Free]. We really felt like when we went to rotating him and Jermey Parnell that he really picked up his game in terms of the competition, not to mention the fact that I think he got some clarity as to what [offensive line coach] Bill Callahan was after.

“I think there’s some interest and prospects there between what we have and what we could get. Obviously on the interior part of our line the same thing holds true. I think we had some injuries there. Another year under Bill and more work, and not to mention what might happen in the draft. We’ll just have to see how that goes.”

Winston, who has played for the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, has started 103 games over his seven seasons in the NFL. That has included six consecutive seasons without missing a start. Winston, 29, is looking for a deal that will pay him between $3 and $4 million annually.

Free, the Cowboys’ current starting right tackle, is due to receive $7 million in 2013, making him the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL. The 29-year-old turned in a disappointing 2012 season and the Cowboys are likely looking for him to take a pay cut.


(dallasnews.com)

ESPN Dallas gets the sense that free agent RT Eric Winston is "too pricey" for the Cowboys.
"[His] price needs to come down," tweets beat writer Calvin Watkins. The Cowboys' interest in Winston seems genuine, but the 29-year-old is still not budging from his asking price of a multi-year deal at $3-4 million per year. Winston likely won't have a home until after the draft.


(rotoworld.com)

The Cowboys have been in contact with free agent RT Eric Winston, though no signing is imminent.

Reports that the Cowboys were in contract discussions with Winston weren't true, but the club has been in contact with the right tackle, and is using his situation as leverage in talks with current starter Doug Free. The second best tackle on the market, Winston is willing to play for $3-4 million -- half of the $7 million Free is scheduled to make. The Dolphins also remain interested, but are believed to be waiting until after the draft to make a decision.


(rotoworld.com)

Free agent right tackle Eric Winston says he just wants to be paid a fair wage for a starting offensive lineman, and he’s getting frustrated that no NFL teams are willing to pay him what he thinks he’s worth.

Winston said on Sirius XM NFL Radio that he knows he won’t get the kind of money he got last year from the Chiefs, when he signed a four-year, $22 million contract that included a $4 million signing bonus. The Chiefs cut him to avoid paying a $4.9 million base salary for 2013, and now Winston is just hoping some team will pay him more than $3 million in salary this year.

“In the $3-4 million range is something that I think is more than fair for a starter who has played pretty well throughout his career,” Winston said.

Although Winston had an offer from the Chargers and has talked to the Cowboys, his sense so far is that teams are being extremely careful with money this offseason.

“It’s also frustrating in the sense that there are still a lot of teams with money to spend, but it doesn’t seem like anyone wants to spend it,” Winston said.

The one right tackle who made good money from a new team this offseason was Gosder Cherilus, who left the Lions for the Colts on a five-year, $35 million contract with a $10 million signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $5.5 million salary this year. Winston laughed when he was asked about the huge contract that Cherilus got, although he declined to say whether he thinks he deserves more money than Cherilus.

“No comment on that one,” Winston said.

What Winston will comment on is this: If you’re a right tackle and your name is not Gosder Cherilus, the free agent market stinks.


(profootballtalk.com)

Eric Winston is looking for work, and the San Diego Chargers need to upgrade their offensive line, so it makes sense the two have spoken.

The free-agent right tackle said Monday that he discussed salary with the Chargers last month, "but things kind of fell through," Winston told SiriusXMSports, via U-T San Diego.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the Dallas Cowboys also are interested in Winston, who said he's looking to make between $3 million and $4 million annually after being released by the Kansas City Chiefs in March. The market for right tackles is soft, and finding a new home hasn't been easy.

"It's frustrating, because I've never really been in this situation," Winston said. "I try to look at myself fairly. I don't ever want to be one of those guys that looks at themselves and thinks they hung the moon. I still feel like I'm still playing at a pretty high level, and I feel I can contribute to a team."

Winston hasn't missed a start since 2006, but tackle-needy teams like the Chargers widely are expected to target answers in the deep NFL draft class. While Winston isn't a roaring upgrade over Chargers right tackle Jeromey Clary, he would, of course, help the Dallas Cowboys end the Doug Free experiment, so somebody should come calling soon enough.


(nfl.com)

Tackle Eric Winston continues to look for a job.  He could be finding one in Dallas.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Cowboys and Winston currently are in talks regarding a possible contract.

If Winston joins the Cowboys, that could seal the fate of Doug Free in Dallas.  Free’s future has been the subject of much speculation, and having Winston under contract would allow the Cowboys to either dump Free or squeeze him into doing a much less favorable deal.

Winston surprisingly was released by the Chiefs, with whom he signed last year after surprisingly being released by the Texans.


(profootballtalk.com)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have expressed interest in free agent offensive tackle Eric Winston, according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus on the Joe Rose Show on 560AM WQAM (h/t @DomWorld_Peace).

Whether this is just Winston's agent drumming up interest or not, he's someone who could help the Jaguars immediately going forward. Winston, 29, was released by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the free agent period and has had minimal activity on the free agent market.

He's a right tackle with lots of experience in a zone blocking scheme. Originally drafted in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft, WInston spent his first six seasons in the NFL on the Houston Texans playing right tackle in their zone blocking scheme. Winston was released in 2012 by the Texans and quickly picked up by the Chiefs.

Since the 2007 season, Winston has started 96 straight games and played all 16 games six seasons in a row.


(bigcatcountry.com)

Per the Miami Herald, the Dolphins' interest in free agent RT Eric Winston has "otherwise waned somewhat."

Beat writer Armando Salguero thinks the Dolphins are only interested in signing Winston if the 29-year-old decides he'll play for Miami "very, very cheaply." After drawing a boatload of perceived interest shortly after his release, Winston's market has gone ice cold. Salguero adds that recently released RT Tyson Clabo could be a possibility for the Fins.


(rotoworld.com)

The Miami Dolphins are not interested in giving free-agent OT Eric Winston (Chiefs) the long-term deal is he looking for this offseason. The team is also not interested in giving Winston $5 million per season.



(kffl.com)

Free agent RT Eric Winston's player rep confirms he's been in contact with the Dolphins.

"I have talked to the Dolphins, and that is a fluid situation," Winston's rep said. "I don’t really know what direction that’s going to go yet. There are a number of teams interested in Eric. I don’t think a deal is imminent." As a released player, Winston is already free to sign with any team, but it sounds like his agent is planning to slow play the market. Winston will only end up in Miami if the Dolphins are convinced a new deal with Jake Long isn't possible.


(rotoworld.com)

After dumping Jared Gaither on Wednesday, the San Diego Chargers are paper thin along the offensive line. Help might be on the way.

A team source told Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego that the team still has interest in free agent Eric Winston, the former Kansas City Chiefs right tackle who was released earlier this month.

Winston visited the Chargers three weeks ago and has been linked to the Miami Dolphins, but the "door remains open" in San Diego, according to the source. Winston, who started 16 games with the Chiefs last season, would loom as a right-side replacement for tackle Jeromey Clary. Gaither's fill-in figures to come in the 2013 NFL Draft, possibly with the Chargers' No. 11 pick.

Winston has taken his time in free agency. His agent said this week he would "really like" to play for the Dolphins after almost signing with the team last offseason. And another report on Thursday said the Philadelphia Eagles -- one of the first teams to show interest in Winston -- recently checked back in with his agent.

ProFootballFocus ranked Winston as the ninth-best right tackle in 2012, and he won't be out of work for long.


(nfl.com)

Eric Winston is one of the best offensive tackles available in free agency, but that doesn’t mean he has teams beating down his door with big-money offers.

In fact, Winston acknowledged on NFL AM that he’s one of the many players finding this offseason a bit frustrating.

“I’m just kind of looking for the right fit right now, so hopefully that presents itself sooner than later,” Winston said. “I’m eager to get to a team and start the offseason process, but it’s been a weird market. It’s been a weird year for everybody, I think, in free agency. So now it’s just a matter of trying to find the right fit and find a home.”

Winston said there is some mutual interest with the Dolphins, but he didn’t seem to think anything is imminent in Miami. Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that the Eagles have some interest, and Winston has visited the Chargers, but it doesn’t sound like any team is planning to offer anything close to the contract he signed with Kansas City a year ago.

Winston is one of the many free agents finding this offseason that enormous contracts just aren’t on the table.


(profootballtalk.com)

One by one, veteran offensive tackles are disappearing from the open market. And yet the Miami Dolphins, who hope to upgrade at the position, remain patient.

With Sebastian Vollmer resigning with the Patriots, the assumption is the run on the few remaining available starters will begin shortly.

That’s the hope of Eric Winston, the one-time Miami Hurricane lineman who is firmly on the Dolphins’ radar, but as of Monday, remained unsigned.

The Dolphins are one of a handful of teams Winston has visited since being released by the Chiefs three weeks ago. And while he declined to get into contract specifics, he did say he would be open to returning to South Florida.

“Playing in the NFL is a privilege,” Winston said, who was at UM from 2003 through 2005. “Being anywhere would be nice.

“But I know South Florida well,” he added. “I have friends down there. It’s a beautiful place to live. It would be pretty awesome to go back. Not going to say it’s the end-all to be in Miami. But it would be a great place to be for my personal experience.”

After hosting Winston last week, the Dolphins remain interested – but at their price. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on his weekly WSVN Channel 7 segment Sunday that the situation is “fluid.”


(miamiherald.com)

The Miami Dolphins are hosting free agent offensive tackle Eric Winston on Wednesday hoping to hammer out a deal, according to Adam Schefter. Winston was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the offseason, marking the second time in two years he was released. He was sent packing by the Houston Texans in 2012. Miami could use the help on the offensive line after watching Jake Long walk out the door, as he signed with the St. Louis Rams a four year, $36 million contract. Second-year tackle Jonathan Martin is expected to fill Long's shoes on the left side, but things are also uncertain on the right. Last year, Martin played there, leaving the door wide open at that position.


(fannation.com)

If the 2013 season started right now, third-year tackle Marcus Cannon would be the starter on the right side for New England.

It looks like the Patriots may be interested in some competition for the TCU product. New England has shown interest in Eric Winston, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Winston is a seven-year veteran out of Miami. He spent the first six years of his career with the Texans before signing a four-year, $22 million deal with the Chiefs last offseason.

Kansas City released him on March 6. The 6-foot-7, 310-pounder has played on the right side of the line his whole career, and the Patriots’ starting right tackle, Sebastian Vollmer, is also a free agent. If Winston signs on with New England, it could mean the end of Vollmer’s career with the Patriots.

New England has some competition for Winston’s services. He visited the Dolphins on Wednesday, while the Eagles, Chargers and Cowboys have also shown interest.


(nesn.com)

According to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego, Eric Winston visited the Chargers this weekend.

The Chargers have needs across the offensive line, and Winston would be an upgrade over Jeromey Clary, the incumbent with a $5.7 million cap number.

There were reports of interest from the Eagles and Texans shortly after Winston’s release, though no other reported visits. And in a few hours, the market will be full of other starting tackle options, which might make this the time to strike.


(profootballtalk.com)

Andy Reid’s new team said goodbye to right tackle Eric Winston on Wednesday, a move that piqued the interest of Reid’s old team.

Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Eagles were one of the first two teams to reach out to Winston after his announcement of his departure from the Chiefs hit the wires. Winston’s durability is likely part of the reason for the team’s interest. Winston has started all 96 games over the last six seasons while the Eagles were playing a season-long game of musical chairs in 2012 thanks to a slew of serious injuries to their projected starting offensive linemen.

Bowen reports that the other team to show interest in speaking to Winston was the Texans, who drafted him in 2006 and employed him until his release last March. Derek Newton started at right tackle for Houston in 2012.

When Winston was released last year, he was out of work for less than a week before landing in Kansas City. Given the early interest in his services, it may be another short spell on the unemployment line for Winston again this year.


(profootballtalk.com)

When Chiefs right tackle Eric Winston recently lamented the looming departure of quarterback Matt Cassel, we suggested that Winston could still suffer the same fate.

And now he is.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Chiefs are releasing Winston.  He’ll hit the free agent market immediately, a few days before it opens.
Winston was due to earn a base salary of $4.9 million in 2013.  He signed with the Chiefs after being cut last year by the Texans.

Because he received an $8.4 million signing bonus, the acceleration results in a $6.3 million cap charge.  That’s still $700,000 lower than it would have been if Winston had stayed — and also $4.9 million cheaper.

With an $8.4 million signing bonus and a $900,000 salary in 2012, Winston earned $9.3 million in one year with the Chiefs.

The move gives the Chiefs the flexibility to take Luke Joeckel with the first pick in the 2013 draft, and then to move Joeckel or Branden Albert to the right side.


(profootballtalk.com)

Last year, Chiefs tackle Eric Winston called out Chiefs fans who cheered an injury suffered by quarterback Matt Cassel.  Now, Winston is rolling out the red carpet for Cassel’s replacement.

“I know I’m going to do everything I can to help him,” Winston told USA Today on Wednesday after news broke of the Chiefs’ trade for Alex Smith.

“It’s about winning,” Winston said.  “Alex is a guy who’s been there and has what it takes.  Alex can beat you a lot of different ways.  He’s a lot more athletic than people give him credit for.  It’s an exciting time with all the new people coming in.  It was definitely a change of direction the organization felt we needed to go in.”

Winston was careful to point out that he’s not throwing his former quarterback under the proverbial bus.

“I have a friendship with Matt Cassel,” Winston said.  “Obviously, you had the sense they were probably going to go in a different direction just because of the totality of all that’s happened.  But at the same time, you realize it’s going to cost some of your friends their jobs.  Obviously, the organization wanted to bring in new blood. You know that going in.  You know everybody is up for review and that’s just how it is.  For me, it’s personally bittersweet because I believe in Matt.  I think Cassel can get it done.  Maybe it will be a great change for him and he can go somewhere else where he can get a fresh start as well.”

Of course, Winston could be in the same boat as Cassel, when the dust settles.  The former Texan has only one season in Kansas City, and the new regime could decide to go in a different direction at right tackle, too.


(profootballtalk.com)

When an elderly woman got after Dexter McCluster this week about the struggles of the 1-9 Kansas City Chiefs, it was just the latest example of a frustrated fan base lashing out.

Chiefs right tackle Eric Winston heard about fans dressing in black to attend a game this month. He probably heard about the fan whose obituary cited Chiefs heartbreak as a contributing cause of death, too.

Winston spoke out in October when fans cheered as quarterback Matt Cassell was taken off the field with a concussion. Winston told NFL Network's Michelle Beisner there's only one way to quiet the masses.

"Look, if they need to act out and wear black to games or whatever it is, if they feel they need to do that, then so be it," he said. "My goal is to win. And when you can start winning, then that stuff kinda setttles itself. When you don't win, then this is the kind of stuff that can happen. I don't pay attention to be quite honest with you.

"I've been here for eight years and I think we have great fans," he told Beisner. "There's been ups and downs here and some things have happened this year that we're not proud of, but through thick and thin, I think they'll rise to the top."

The Chiefs have yet to win at Arrowhead Stadium this season, which doesn't help in matters of fan relations. It won't get any easier with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos coming to town on Sunday.


(nfl.com)

After Sunday's loss to the Ravens, Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Winston unloaded on those fans at Arrowhead Stadium who cheered when quarterback Matt Cassel was down on the turf with a concussion.

"Boo him all you want; boo me all you want," Winston said Sunday via CBSSports.com's C.J. Moore. "Throw me under the bus. Tell me I'm doing a bad job. Say I got to protect him more. But if you're one of those people that were out there cheering or even smiled when he got knocked out, I just want to let you know and I want everybody to know that I think it's sickening and disgusting."

A day later, Winston stood by the criticism that he leveled at those fans cheering Cassel's injury.

“I meant what I said. I didn't say it off the cuff,” Winston said, via the the Kansas City Star's Adam Teicher (by way of PFT). “I look back on it, and I'm happy with what I said.”

Not everybody felt that way. Former Chiefs offensive lineman Rich Baldinger thinks Winston needs to apologize to the people of Kansas City.
"Needless to say, you cannot, after a game in a highly emotional situation, take your rant that way," Baldinger said. "It came off wrong. You embarrassed a lot of great people in the city of Kansas City that have been so supportive of this team. You go to any other city, and it's worse. These fans have been here through thick and thin.

"I was here in the '80s. It was bad, it got good and these fans have stayed here forever. Eric Winston, I think you owe these fans an apology because you cannot lump together everyone with a few you-know-what's out there -- a few jerks that might've had maybe one too many in the stands. So let's not put all these Kansas City fans together … Sometimes it's better to stop, take a breath, think about think about what you [say] before you say it."

Then the discussion promptly turned to Philly fans because, well, they always seem to come up whenever the topic is unruly crowd behavior. Incidentally, Baldinger's brother, Brian, serves as the Eagles' color commentator during preseason games.

Winston, meanwhile, offered this clarification on Monday: “I didn't mean all 70,000 [fans] were cheering. It might have been 7,000. It might have been 700. It's still too many.”


(cbssports.com)

Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel may not be very popular in the stands, but he still has support in the locker room.

Chiefs right tackle Eric Winston took fans to task for cheering when Cassel left the game with a head injury.

The veteran blocker called a group of reporters over, and said the following words, via Arrowhead Pride:

“We are athletes, OK? We are athletes. We are not gladiators. This is not the Roman Coliseum. People pay their hard-earned money when they come in here and I believe they can boo, they can cheer and they can do whatever they want, I believe that. We are lucky to play this game. People, it’s hard to economic times, and they still pay the money to do this.

“But when somebody gets hurt, there are long lasting ramifications to the game we play, long lasting ramifications to the game we play. I’ve already kinda come to the understanding that I won’t live as long because I play this game and that’s OK, that’s a choice I’ve made and a choice all of us have made.

“But when you cheer, when you cheer somebody getting knocked out, I don’t care who it is, and it just so happened to be Matt Cassel — it’s sickening. It’s 100 percent sickening. I’ve been in some rough times on some rough teams, I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life to play football than in that moment right there.

“I get emotional about it because these guys, they work their butts off. Matt Cassel hasn’t done anything to you people, hasn’t done anything to you people. Hasn’t done anything to the media writers that kill him, hasn’t done anything wrong to the people that come out here and cheer him. Hey, if he’s not the best quarterback then he’s not the best quarterback and that’s OK. But he’s a person. And he got knocked out in a game and we have 70,000 people cheering that he got knocked out?

“Boo him all you want. Boo me all you want. Throw me under the bus. Tell me I’m doing a bad job. Say I gotta protect him more. Do whatever you want. Say whatever you want. But if you are one of those people, one of those people that were out there cheering or even smiled when he got knocked out, I just want to let you know, and I want everybody to know that I think it’s sickening and disgusting. We are not gladiators and this is not the Roman Coliseum. This is a game.

“I’ll sit here and I’ll answer all your questions for the next 30 minutes if you want to ask them and I’ll take all the responsibility I can take because I deserve it but don’t blame a guy, and don’t cheer for a guy who has done everything in his power to play as good as he can for the fans.

“It’s sickening. And I was embarrassed. I want every single one of you people to put this on your station and in your newspapers because I want every fan to know that. This is a game that’s going to cost us a lot down the road. That’s OK. We picked it, we deserve it and I don’t want your pity. But we have a lot of problems as a society if people think that’s OK.

“I’ll get off my soap box and you guys can ask any football question you want.”

No, Eric, that pretty much covers it.

The Chiefs have played poorly. Frankly, they are a disaster. Cassel leads the parade.

But for too many fans, their passion for the team leads them to forget that the laundry they’re cheering for has a human being inside it.


(nbcsports.com)

Eric Winston's NFL career was spent in Houston in a division where the rivalries were relatively new.

The Texans compete in the AFC South and the games with Tennessee, Jacksonville and Indianapolis were heated, especially the games with the Titans.
But as Winston embarks on his first season with the Kansas City Chiefs he's already seeing how much different it is to play in a division -- the AFC West -- where the rivalries are long-standing and in some cases a little nasty.

The Chiefs, Oakland, Denver and San Diego are all original American Football League franchises, and are all in the same division and when they play it sometimes just isn't another NFL game.

"It's pretty neat and I'm looking forward to that," Winston said last week. "I always thought the game with Tennessee was big, and Indy was always a good game and Jacksonville always played us tough as well. But you have that long standing, maybe just hatred for one another and the organizations in the process it does make it a little different.

"Those games are fun, and they have a little extra pop to them."

The different uniform and playing different teams is just part of the change for Winston, a seventh-year pro and Lee grad, as he will play his first game with the Chiefs at noon today at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City against Atlanta.

Winston said his transition to a new organization and new city has been relatively smooth. He said there is always some change when you go to a new team with a new coach, and moving into a new town.

When Winston was released in March by the Texans, the Chiefs were one of the first teams to court him and bring him to Kansas City. Kansas City even took Winston to one of the city's famous barbecue restaurants.

But he said the transition to a place such as Kansas City has been good because he said other than its location it's a similar city to Houston. Winston said he moved his family up there with him as well.

"Kansas City is a really good place," Winston said. "I think if we were up in the Northeast where the way of living is a little different it might be a little harder. But Kansas City is like Houston in a lot of ways."

Meanwhile on the field, Winston has been able to fit into a Chiefs team that has high hopes of navigating its way through the AFC West into the postseason after a year hiatus.

The Chiefs finished a disappointing 7-9 last season and went through a coaching change. Winston will be part of a revamped offensive line that will be blocking for a solid 1-2 punch at running back.

Kansas City picked up Peyton Hillis in the offseason and he will be back there with the speedy Jamaal Charles.

"I'm real excited about both of those guys because they can go," Winston said. "It's not just them but we've got a really good set of backs."

It's been a few months since Winston was released from the only professional team he's played for, and even today he still gets asked questions about his surprising release by the Texans.

Winston said he's moved on and is ready for what awaits with a new team in a new city and in a new division.

"It's just the way it goes and you can't harp on it and let it consume you," Winston said. "I'm here now and I'm just going to make the best of it. I happy to get to know my teammates and get all in with them."


(mywesttexas.com)

Kansas City Chiefs OT Eric Winston has shored up the right side of the offensive line with athleticism and quickness. The team has been able to use more zone-base schemes as a result. Our View: Winston could help the HIllis/Charles backfield look like the Jones/Charles backfield of 2010. The Texans and Arian Foster will miss him.


(ewallstreeter.com)

In nearly every critique of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s punishment of the Saints players involved in an alleged bounty system, you’re apt to hear the phrase “judge, jury and executioner.”

Another player’s now saying it’s their own fault Goodell has all those titles. Chiefs right tackle Eric Winston told Jim Corbett of USA Today he regretted the fact the NFLPA didn’t push harder against it during CBA negotiations.

“Obviously we don’t want Roger Goodell having absolute power,” Winston said. “In a lot of this process, it seems like he does. It’s unfortunate. It seems like he’s running amok with it and deciding to do what he wants and it really doesn’t matter what the evidence says. Unfortunately, we don’t have an alternative option to appeal to.

“In that CBA bargaining process, you’re not going to get everything you want. That’s not to say we weren’t trying to curb some of that (power). To say we weren’t trying to do something about that is false. Just from what’s been told to me, there were attempts made. And there’s a tradeoff. To do that, we probably looked at sacrificing playing less games, so you always look at the risk and reward. And try to juggle that.”

So Winston thinks taking away some power from Goodell would have resulted in more regular season games? Linking those two directly seems like a stretch, but there is the fact that the players had the opportunity to curb some of that authority and chose not to push it.

Cardinals kicker Jay Feely, the team’s union rep, said in a text to Corbett the issue wasn’t considered a deal-breaker at the time.

“Yes, the players wish he didn’t have that power, but it wasn’t worth sacrificing CBA [over],” Feely said.

Roddy White might have been among the first to complain about the failure to negotiate some of that power away, but he apparently won’t be the last.


(nbcsports.com)

We are continuing our divisional position ranking with the offensive linemen. Overall, it is a young group with many players who have potential to move up in future years.

1. Eric Winston, T, Kansas City: Arguably the best right tackle in the NFL. The Chiefs scored major with this free-agent signing.

2. Ryan Clady, T, Denver: Clady’s sack and penalty numbers are up, but he is still an above-average player who should benefit from playing with Peyton Manning.

3. Nick Hardwick, C, San Diego: A strong, reliable player whom the Chargers absolutely had to re-sign.

4. Chris Kuper, G, Denver: Ask any scout about underrated players and Kuper is probably on every list.

5. Jared Veldheer, T, Oakland: The list is getting difficult here. I’m going with Veldheer as the second-best left tackle based on potential. It’s sky-high.

6. Jared Gaither, T, San Diego: If healthy, he can be dominant -- as he showed with the Chargers late last season.

7. Branden Albert, T, Kansas City: Solid, not spectacular, but you can do a lot worse and I wouldn’t be shocked if the Chiefs gave him an extension this season..

8. Stefen Wisniewski, C, Oakland: I like this second-year guard-turned-center a lot. A future star.

9. Mike Brisiel, G, Oakland: Tough, gritty player who is perfect for the zone-blocking offense.

10. Louis Vasquez, G, San Diego: A quiet, solid contributor.

11. Jeromey Clary, T, San Diego: A lot of Chargers fans don’t like him, but he gets the job done.

12. Jon Asamoah, G, Kansas City: This second-year starter looks solid.

13. Ryan Lilja, G, Kansas City: A tough vet who is probably entering his final season as a starter in Kansas City.

14. J.D. Walton, C, Denver: A tough, young starter who still needs to find consistency.

15. Zane Beadles, G, Denver: He has potential, but still needs to grow.

16. Orlando Franklin, T, Denver: He struggled some as a rookie, but there is big potential there.

17. Cooper Carlisle, G, Oakland: He keeps hanging around. The end may be near, but he can zone-block.

18. Rodney Hudson, C, Kansas City: He is poised to start for the first time, taking over for Casey Wiegmann. He could be very good.

19. Tyronne Green, G, San Diego: He is taking over for the great Kris Dielman, who retired. Green has been good as an injury replacement in the past.

20. Khalif Barnes, T, Oakland: He could lose his job to Joe Barksdale if he slips.


(espn.com)

RT Eric Winston said this week's OTAs are a good way to start the important process of installing a new offense and building a cohesive unit. “There are going to be some tough days ahead and I think you have to prepare for that,” Winston said. “I think we have the right personnel, we have the right coaches and we have the right scheme to be successful.”


(cbssports.com)

Eric Winston is the new guy on the Chiefs’ offensive line, but he’s already working on a side role as the group’s social director.

Winston came to the Chiefs from Houston, where the Texans had one of the league’s best offensive lines. He credits not only the ability of the five starters but the off-field togetherness of the whole group.

“We were successful in Houston because a lot of those guys not only practiced together, but we did a lot of stuff off the field,’’ said Winston, signed by the Chiefs last month as a free agent to be their starter at right tackle. “We did a lot of dinners together. We did a lot of things, just little events. We’d go bowling, whatever it was.

“That’s important because there are going to be times where you’ve got to tell the guy next to you something he probably doesn’t want to hear, and vice versa, they’re going to have to tell me stuff I don’t want to hear. It’s hard to do that if you’re not close, if you’re not friends, if you don’t have that personal relationship. That’s something I’m trying to cultivate here.’’

The Chiefs led the NFL in rushing in 2010, a testament in part to the play of their offensive line. But the group’s performance fell off last year.
The Chiefs are hoping to revitalize their line by adding Winston, 28, and promoting Rodney Hudson, their second-round draft pick last year, to replace retiring veteran Casey Wiegmann at center.

That leaves left guard Ryan Lilja, 30, as the old man of the bunch.

“I’ll try to be what Jeff Saturday was for me with the Colts and what Casey and what Brian Waters were for me here,’’ Lilja said. “That’s the guy that helps guys try to be better. Better players, better workers, better studiers. I’m not saying I’m the best at all those things, but I can help guys with all those things. I can tell the young guys how long the season is and how important it is to take care of your body. Guys need to hear that stuff, and I can pass along those nuggets of information.’’

Winston is the newest member of the line, but he’s second in NFL experience behind Lilja. The other starters are Branden Albert at left tackle and Jon Asamoah at right guard.

So there’s not a lot of experience on the line. Winston and Hudson will be in their first season as starters for the Chiefs, Asamoah his second.

“Ryan Lilja is going to be our leader in that room,’’ Winston said. “He’s a veteran guy. He’s won a Super Bowl before. He knows how to do it. But you’ve also got guys like Jon Asamoah and Branden Albert who are young players but I think are going to be really good players. Obviously, (Rodney) Hudson is going to have to fill some big shoes for (Casey) Wiegmann. I see no reason we can’t build that same kind of continuity and that same kind of leadership and everything that goes into being a top offensive line in this league.

“Already, in a week, you can already kind of see that forming.’’

Winston has to find his place in that beyond leading outings to restaurants and bowling alleys. In Houston, he was frequently quoted in the media but said he wasn’t always the loudest in the offensive line meetings.

“I might have been the mouthpiece, but I don’t know if I was the vocal leader,’’ he said. “For me, it’s just getting to know them and for them getting to know me. You don’t handpick leaders. You’ve always got a clown, always got a guy that keeps the room light. You’ve always got the guys that are going to do 100 percent all the time. Everyone has their roles. I don’t look at it like this guy has to be the leader in everything.

“Everyone is going to fit in where he’s going to fit in. That’s the best way to go about it. If you start forcing guys into roles, you won’t have that same mesh that you need to.’’


(kansascity.com)

The Dolphins will check out UM draft prospects on Wednesday and Thursday, which reminds us that they have selected only two Hurricanes in the past 20 drafts (Yatil Green in 1997 and Vernon Carey in 2004). “It’s mind-boggling,” Ed Reed said at UM’s Hall of Fame inductions Thursday. “We’re right here!” Bryant McKinnie said. “You would think they would know us better than anybody.”

If the Dolphins sign McIntosh, he would be the only Hurricanes player on the roster - for now - because Carey is not expected to return.
The Dolphins insist they have no objection to drafting UM players, and they are believed to like a few departing Canes, including receiver Tommy Streeter.

Keep in mind this is a franchise that took John Jerry at 73 over Jimmy Graham (who went 95th) in 2010 when Bill Parcells mistakenly thought he could draft Graham in the fourth round; Jamar Fletcher (26) over Reggie Wayne (30) in 2001; selected Jason Allen 16th and traded the 51st pick for Daunte Culpepper in 2006 (instead of signing Drew Brees), thus eliminating any chance of drafting Devin Hester (57) or Eric Winston (66); and took Anthony Alabi over Chris Myers in 2005, among other moves. Choosing solid pro Daryl Gardener at 20 instead of Ray Lewis (26) in 1996 would have been regrettable if Jimmy Johnson hadn’t found a gem in Zach Thomas at No. 154 that year.

McKinnie said he, Reed and Jeremy Shockey used to talk about finishing their careers with the Dolphins, but “the Dolphins wouldn’t do that. In college, we all said we would take pay cuts to come to the Dolphins.”

McKinnie said he doubts that would happen now. "I don't know what direction this team is going in," McKinnie said.

Miami didn’t try to sign McKinnie or Shockey when they were free agents last year, opting for Marc Colombo and Jeron Mastrud. Wayne would have considered the Dolphins last month, “but it didn’t seem like they wanted me.”


(miamiherald.com)

The Texans might want to work on better communication between their front office and their ticket sales staff.

If they do, they’ll probably avoid sending recently cut players marketing come-ons to buy suites for the coming season at Reliant Stadium. That’s exactly what happened to Eric Winston, who got axed by the Texans earlier this month before landing in Kansas City as the Chiefs’ new right tackle. Winston shared a photo of the promotional materials on Twitter, quipping that “somebody didn’t get the memo.” It’s a safe bet that Winston’s going to pass on this offer.

As the Houston Chronicle points out, this was surely a marketing blitz targeting plenty of people in the Houston area as opposed to one with the very strange focus on players recently pink slipped by the team. That doesn’t make it any less humorous, however.

Winston agrees, although he says that his wife wasn’t quite so amused by the team’s inability to check their mailing list twice. Let’s hope they remembered to at least forward DeMeco Ryans‘ copy to Philadelphia.




(profootballtalk.com)

What it feels like to have your world turned upside down.

I asked new Kansas City tackle Eric Winston, who was unexpectedly cut by Houston and signed a four-year deal with the Chiefs, to write a short piece about what happens when a veteran player gets whacked and has to find a new home. His thoughts:

"The general manager needs to see you" is about the worst thing any professional athlete can hear. Very seldom does any good, at least in the short term, come of it. Around this time of year, as well as the end of August, pro football players hear it too much. When it happened to me the day before free agency began, a few things ran through my mind. They can't be calling to cut me, I thought. But I also doubt that they would call me to the stadium to ask me how my trip overseas to see the troops went.

So I became a statistic. One day before my wife and I were set to leave on an anniversary vacation -- and three days after my return from Afghanistan visiting the troops -- I was called into coach Gary Kubiak's office so he could tell me that they were experiencing problems with the salary cap, had to make some tough decisions, and were therefore releasing me. After that meeting, I got to go see Texans general manager Rick Smith. In all fairness, I appreciate the way the Texans' organization handled it. They didn't tell me over the phone, let me find out through a media release, or hand me off to one of their subordinates to deliver the bad news.

So I was off to free agency for the first time in my career, to Miami and Kansas City. Fortunately for me, I have put together quality tape, and my agent started receiving calls as soon as I was officially available. We immediately started whittling down the list to teams that wanted to bring me in for visits.

These visits for teams are used primarily to give the player a physical and for you to sign off on the team so they can get your medical records and also for you to meet the coaches and see the facility. For obvious financial reasons these teams want to know about every injury and take new X-rays of nearly your entire body just to make sure there isn't anything new to find. After the half-day worth of doc visits, an intern drives you to the facility to follow up with the coaches and to see the facility. It doesn't quite compare to college recruiting; there's not nearly as much hand-holding and kissing up. While all of this is going on, your agent and the GM or team negotiator are talking numbers and seeing about a deal.

Kansas City was aggressive from the start. When a team schedules a visit, you usually receive a call from the general manager, head coach or position coach telling you how excited they are that you are coming in and how interested they are in you. With the Chiefs, I received calls from all three of them. They made it clear that I was a priority and that I needed to make sure that I got on the plane from Miami and make it to Kansas City.
When I met with Chiefs GM Scott Pioli, I got a little surprise. I had mentioned at dinner the previous night that when I came out in the draft in 2006, I didn't think the Patriots (where he was working at the time) liked me when I was entering the draft. Scott started laughing out loud and said, "No way, we liked you a lot.'' So the next day he showed me my Patriots psychological evaluation from 2006. To my surprise, it was very complimentary of me and was actually pretty spot on. I thought it was kind of crazy that someone could talk to me for 30 minutes and in that short time sum up what kind of player, worker and overall teammate I would be. Scott said that this is just one of the reasons why he wanted me. He went on to say that winning wasn't just about getting guys that could play, it was about getting high-character guys who come to work every day and were willing to grind.

Obviously that is always nice to hear, but more importantly for me, it let me know that the Chiefs were going to follow a formula that I believe is the only way to be successful for a long time in the NFL. Draft guys who can do it on the field, but also guys who are fun to be around, work hard and care about things like practice and trying to get better every day. Needless to say, I was sold on the fact that the Chiefs not only had a good chance to be a strong team next year, but for years to come.

But I needed to know where I'd fit in the offense. When I spoke with the coaches I was pleasantly surprised. The head coach, Romeo Crennel, has a great reputation around the league. Knowing that a new offense was being installed had me wondering what kind of offense would be coming in. The offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, has traditionally run more of a "power or gap" blocking scheme and the line coach, Jack Bicknell Jr., who just came over from the Giants, has done the same. Now, I feel like I could be successful in any scheme, but I really have grown to love running the zone scheme and understand it well. So going in I wasn't expecting to hear that the Chiefs would run a zone-blocking scheme, but that's exactly what I heard. That was like icing on the cake to what had been an already positive visit. I spent one more night in Kansas City and we worked out a contract to make me a Chief for the next four years.

Single guys can make a move like this easily. But having a family, and moving a wife, a 10-year-old daughter with plenty of friends and a 6-month-old son is another matter. To make it easy to understand for my daughter, I told her I had gotten traded to the Chiefs. She said, "Really?" (Which, of course, if you have kids, you know that's not a rhetorical question.)

"Who did you get traded for?'' my daughter asked.

I laughed, then came clean about getting released. She had a better understanding about the NFL than I thought, and certainly better than when I was her age.

In many ways, football's the easy part when it comes to switching teams. The life stuff is more difficult. Do we sell our house in Houston that we spent so much time making our own? Rent or buy in KC? How long will we really be there for? Will my kids adjust to the new part of the country? Will my wife have good friends on the new team? The questions linger.

I'm definitely not asking you to feel sorry for me. We get paid a lot of money to play a great game, but I am just trying to bring you into what is presently going on in my uncertain world right now. Plenty of guys around the league didn't get a four-year contract. Many of them got a one-year deal and will be facing the same visits and the same questions again -- if they're lucky. Each player's career is so fragile. Just look at Peyton Manning, maybe the best ever, is now on a different team after not playing last year when he injured his neck. The roller coaster ride that is the NFL doesn't stop at the end of the season. For most players, it's just begun.


(cnnsi.com)

Newly signed offensive tackle Eric Winston pronounced his ankle healthy, and he'll be on the practice field when off-season activities begin.
Houston released Winston, a six-year starter, in part because of salary cap issues and also because the Texans were concerned about his ankle.
But Winston, who has made 87 starts in his six years, said he had an ankle scope that cleaned up any problems.

"The problem is I didn’t have it until the end of the year," said Winston, who signed a contract for four years worth up to $21 million "I kind of waited to see what it was going to do … I had the typical sprained ankles from a youth playing basketball … and football and all kinds of other sports.
"Just got a little clean out, and now I’m fine. I just hasve to get my final release from the doctor, and we’ll be good to go.”

Winston, 28, had not considered signing with the Chiefs after his released, but he appreciated the fullcourt press put on by Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli, coach Romeo Crennel and others on the staff.

"Kansas City was a place I wasn’t familiar with, I came in with open eyes …" Winston said. "To tell you the truth, I thought it was more of a rust-belt city … when you get there, you learn it’s far from it, it’s a beautiful city, a beautiful place, I was blown away with the overlall atmosphere of Kansas City."

Winston, part of an offensive line that helped the Texans finish second in the NFL in rushing yards and paved the way for the first postseason appearance and win in franchise history last year as disappointed to have to leave Houston.

"When you’re part of a building project, I got here in '06, same time coach (Gary) Kubiak did. We were 6-10 that first year, 8-8 a bunch of years, and last year we broke through. Of course it’s frustrating, you establish a base and a lot of friends and you want to see it through.

"I wanted to see it through from the sense of how much work I put into it, and from the sense I feel like there’s some unfinished business. But that’s modern NFL, that’s salary cap, and that’s the way things go."

But he saw some parallels to the Chiefs.

"I’ll be in a similar situation with a team that is on the brink of breaking through, so I feel like I’m going to a really good situation where it’s not that much different," Winston said of Kansas City.

"It’s a city that wants to win and wants to win badly. And it’s a team that is on the brink of doing it. I wouldn’t have come to Kansas City for any other reason than to win … and looking at the roster, and looking at the moves that have been made, we’re going to have the pieces.

"I looked at their season last year, an d it reminded me of the Texans season in 2010, that there were some high hopes going into the season, you thought you had all the pieces in place, and things happened … we had several injuries and lost a lot of close games, and you look at that and you look at what happened in Kansas City … where Matt Cassel was hurt, and Eric Berry … Jamaal Charles, who I think might be one of the most explosive backs in the league … you look at everything that happened, and they’re still a play away from being in the playoffs.

"That says something about the resiliency of the team that is already there. I know how tough that is, and looking at that, and saying, maybe I can be a big part of a come back and getting over the hump.”


(chiefsblog.com)

Two former Texans – offensive tackle Eric Winston and cornerback Jason Allen – signed with new teams on Saturday.

After visiting Miami and Kansas City, Winston cancelled other visits to sign with the Chiefs.

Winston, who never missed a start for the Texans after he worked his way into the lineup, was a casualty of the salary cap. The Texans saved $4.5 million by releasing him. When they re-signed Chris Myers, his cap figure this year was $4.5 million.

“The Chiefs showed me how much they really wanted me,” Winston said. “I had offers, but at the end of the day, it came down to what they can be and me wanting to be a part of it.”

The Chiefs have been looking for a player to solidify right tackle for years, and few have been as durable or as good as Winston.
Rashad Butler inherits Winston’s starting job.


(chron.com)

The Chiefs hosted offensive tackle Eric Winston for a free agent visit on Thursday.

NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reported last night that Kansas City was “pretty serious” about keeping Winston at club headquarters, intending to make the Chiefs his final free agent visit.

Winston is scheduled to visit Rams Park on Friday, however, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

So if the Chiefs let Winston get out of town, he might not come back.


(profootballtalk.com)

Former Texans' RT Eric Winston will meet with Lions' officials in the near future, according to multiple reports. Winston's proficiency as a run blocker would be a welcome addition to a Lions' O-line that struggled in that area during the 2011 season. The six-year veteran started 87 of 92 career games played before being released by Houston on Monday. Winston is also expected to meet with the Rams, Chiefs and Ravens.

Winston (Texans) left the Dolphins' facility without a contract Wednesday, and the free agent OT pool is getting thinner by the day. Miami could opt to draft OT Riley Reiff (Iowa) with the No. 8 selection. But the trading of WR Brandon Marshall to the Bears creates another gaping hole, seemingly making drafting an OL unlikely.


(cbssports.com)

The wooing of LT Eric Winston added two more suitors, as the Ravens and Lions have shown interest, according to the Houston Chronicle. Released by the Texans on Monday, Winston will visit the Chiefs on Thursday and also has the Rams in play.



(cbssports.com)

Winston, who went to the University of Miami, started all 16 games last season and ranked 11th among all NFL tackles, according to profootballfocus.com. He ranked fourth as a run blocker. Winston, cut by the Texans on Monday, is the best free agent right tackle on the market. He told me he will visit the Dolphins in the next couple days but does not yet have an offer from Miami.

The Dolphins want to save much of their cap space until they receive an answer from Peyton Manning, or potentially, backup plan Matt Flynn. But Winston would clearly be the best right tackle available unless the Dolphins use the eighth pick of the draft on Iowa's Riley Reiff. Problem is, bidding will be high for him.


(miamiherald.com)

In the shadow of a nasty defense and the brilliance of Arian Foster, the offensive line of the Houston Texans may have been overlooked last season. It was one of the league's best units, especially in the running game, and Monday, the Texans said goodbye to one of the line's anchors. Eric Winston was released.

It came as a surprise to everyone, including Winston. The guy had started 87 straight games at tackle for the Texans, and was one of the reasons that Houston ‒ when Matt Schaub missed games, when Andre Johnson missed games, and when Arian Foster missed games ‒ could stay competitive offensively. They could still block.

It's a salary cap move, of course, and the Texans need to create a little wiggle room under the cap if they want to keep Mario Williams or some of their other free agents. Here's Winston, via John McClain at chron.com:

"Basically, they told me they were up against it (the salary cap) and didn't want to insult me by asking me to take a pay cut," he said. "They said they hated to do it and maybe we could work something out down the road, but, well, I'm just stunned. I didn't want to leave. This just sucks." [...]

"I still think the Texans are going to be great. They don't need me to be great. I think they're going to have a big-time team next season, and I'm sorry I'm not going to be part of it."

Sounds like a sweet guy.

I just wonder if the Texans, with Mario Williams about to get a fruit basket from every GM in the league, wouldn't have been better off hanging on to Winston. Someone's going to make Williams a massive offer ‒ something that, if the Texans could afford, they'd have paid by now.

Yes, they were up against the cap, but they weren't over it. They're probably going to lose Williams no matter what, and after that, I don't know what free agent they have that's more worth keeping than Eric Winston. Having a cohesive, reliable offensive line was so important to the Texans' success last year. I don't know why they'd want to mess with that.


(yahoo.com)

I don’t believe that cutting Eric Winston was a good “football decision”…. at least not entirely.  Clearly, the Texans needed to shave salary to get underneath the salary cap. By cutting Winston, they accomplished that.  However, I’m not sure why the Texans didn’t go to Winston to restructure his deal.  They wouldn’t have saved as much with a restructure, but they could have kept their offensive line together.

Continuity on the offensive line is key.  The best run blocking units are the ones who play together the longest, and the Texans unit has been together for consecutive years.  Good zone-scheme teams work as one fluid unit with five, six or seven players up front working as one.  When you get a running back like Arian Foster who runs with elite tempo and vision, that running game unit is a sight to behold.

So with Eric Winston gone, there has to be a concern about continuity on the offensive line along with timing.  Will the running game be as good?  How long will it take a new right tackle to get into a groove at that position?  Or worse yet, what if cutting Winston doesn’t ensure that Mike Brisiel and Chris Myers are still Houston Texans?  What will happen to the Texans offensive line if they lose two or more starters?

Why Was Eric Winston Cut?

Let’s take a look at some potential theories as to why Eric Winston was cut.

The Mario Factor?: There is still a theory out there that the Texans continue to make room under the cap so that they can re-sign Mario Williams.  Winston had only two years left on his deal so the Texans wouldn’t have been able to restructure the deal to their liking without more years available to spread a prorated signing bonus over.  While Winston’s cut clears a decent amount of space, sources have told me that they aren’t close on a deal with Chris Myers or Mike Brisiel.  If the Texans lose the right side of their line and their center along with the cap cuts they have already made, they could be putting together enough space to get Mario Williams done….. but at what cost to the team?

Stabilizing Offensive Line Prices?: Duane Brown is one of the top offensive tackles in football and will command that type of salary next year when he is a free agent.  If you pay Duane Brown top dollar, then you would have a fairly expensive running game when you factor in Chris Myers, Eric Winston and Arian Foster.  The Texans have already spent on Foster so they may be deciding that they need to preemptively attack the amount of money they want to pay to their running game which includes offensive linemen.

Better Value To Be Had?: Maybe the Texans simply thought Eric Winston wasn’t as good as he needed to be relative to his salary.  If that were the case, they could have decided to cut him in favor of the less expensive Rashad Butler who has longer arms and maybe a shade more athleticism.
Are The Manning Rumors True?: This one is a long-shot, but what if the Texans are clearing out space for Peyton Manning?  If they also dealt Matt Schaub, they could save even more cap space and potentially have enough room for a 2nd-tier wide receiver as well as Manning if they structured the salaries appropriately.  I don’t see this as a viable option, but at least it is on the table.


(chron.com)

After starting 87 consecutive games and helping the Texans win the AFC South for the first time, right tackle Eric Winston became a shocking victim of the salary cap on Monday.

Winston was surprised when coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith called him in, gave him the bad news and explained their reasoning.

“Basically, they told me they were up against it (the salary cap) and didn’t want to insult me by asking me to take a pay cut,” he said. “They said they hated to do it and maybe we could work something out down the road, but, well, I’m just stunned. I didn’t want to leave. This just sucks.”

Winston, who returned this weekend from a USO trip to Afghanistan with other players from around the NFL, is regarded as one of the best in the league at his position. It could turn into a bittersweet situation because productive offensive tackles are going to be scarce in free agency.

“It’s kind of exciting, too, not knowing what’s going to be out there,” he said. “I know there’s not going to be a lot of right tackles out there, so it’s going to be exciting to see how it shakes out.

“Unless somebody blows my socks off (with an offer), I won’t be in a rush to sign. I definitely want to be in a good situation like we had here.”
Winston, a third-round pick in 2006, leaves a hole in the starting lineup.

The only remaining tackles on the team besides starter Duane Brown on the left side are Rashad Butler and Derek Newton. Butler spent last season on injured reserve. Newton was a seventh-round pick last year. He played on special teams and in short-yardage situations.

“It’s frustrating in a sense because we went through so much to get to where we finished the season,” Winston said. “I wanted to be a part of what’s ahead.

“I still think the Texans are going to be great. They don’t need me to be great. I think they’re going to have a big-time team next season, and I’m sorry I’m not going to be part of it.

“But one door closes, and it’s a little exciting to see what door opens.”


(chron.com)

Texans right tackle Eric Winston announced on Twitter that he’s being released by the Texans in a move that’s got to be coming to help give the team enough money to make bids to keep outside linebacker Mario Williams and center Chris Myers.

Winston was slated to make a $5.5 million base salary in 2012.

Four tweets from Winston:

Unfortunately I have bad news. The Texans have decided to release me today. Although it is a surprise, I have nothing but positive memories

And great relationships that I have built over the years. While my future seems uncertain, I am confident I will land on my feet.

Let me say thank you to Mr. McNair and the whole Texan organization. They have had big role in the player and person I have become.

And last but not least to my fans and teammates. You guys are the absolute best! I will miss all of you more than you know.

It’s a classy exit following surprising news.

The Texans' offensive line has been a team strength and Winston has been an effective player in helping spring Arian Foster for an awful lot of yards. When an O-line is a team strength, continuity is usually a big part of it.

The Texans now need a starting right tackle, and their center (Myers) and right guard (Mike Brisiel) are on the eve of becoming free agents.

Houston fans are surely hoping news of new contracts is coming before then.

As for Winston, Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said he could see him landing in Washington, Seattle, Miami or with the Jets.

"Winston came to THE U as a TE, but just kept growing," Williamson wrote me. "Before blowing out his knee, many considered him a truly elite LT prospect. He fell in the draft a bit after his injury, but remains long, athletic and very mobile. Perfect for the system he was in with the Texans, and I thought he had a very good year. I bet the Skins would kill to get him."


(espn.com)

Texans right tackle Eric Winston is visiting U.S. military troops in Afghanistan as part of the 2012 NFL-USO Tour.

Other players on the trip are Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack, former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones, Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker and San Diego Chargers linebacker Takeo Spikes.

“It’s definitely great to see all the troops and everyone that’s over here defending our country and sacrificing so much so we can do whatever we want back home,” Winston said Tuesday via telephone from an undisclosed military base in Afghanistan. “It’s been real neat.”

Winston and the other players have been in the Middle East since Sunday morning, visiting multiple bases each day since. They stay at different bases each night and travel in Blackhawk helicopters and other military vehicles.

“Mostly it’s just meeting with guys, meeting with the troops and seeing people, trying to get to as many people as we can,” Winston said. “That’s what this is all about is seeing the guys and trying to take their mind off of everything – even if it’s a handshake or a five-minute conversation, talking to them about anything that they want to talk about, the football season, how the Texans did, where you think Peyton (Manning) is going to go. Whatever it might be, we hope that we might be able to take their mind off the hardships they’re going through out here.”

Winston joins head coach Gary Kubiak (2011) and linebacker Mario Williams (2009) as the latest member of the Texans to participate in an NFL-USO Tour. Over the course of the NFL and USO’s 45-year partnership, more than 200 active and former players and coaches have traveled to more than 20 countries.

After asking about doing the tour a couple years ago, Winston was thrilled to be selected this year.

“It’s something that’s very special,” Winston said. “These (troops) obviously are part of a family, and you can tell that they all treat other like that. It’s pretty neat to see.

“Honestly, meeting the guys and just getting a chance to talk to ’em whether it’s over some lunch or just meeting some of those officers out here, whatever it might be, everyone is just incredibly professional, incredibly dedicated. It’s really neat watching everyone work toward the same goal in whatever duty they might have.

“It blows your mind how well-constructed some of these bases are and how well laid out and all the hard work that had to go into building something like this in such a short period of time. It just goes to show you how talented the men and women of our services are. Seeing things from up close, going around and seeing the countryside and seeing kind of what the country’s like, it’s been a great learning experience for me.”

Winston has interacted with servicemen and women from the Houston area, and a good number of Texans fans, so far during the tour.

“I’ve met a lot of Fort Hood guys,” he said. “I met a Special Forces Marine that’s from Kingwood just yesterday. It’s been neat. You definitely get a big welcome, and you hear from them that they’ve been sitting up watching the games at 4 a.m. sometimes on a Monday morning to watch the noon games.

“Everyone’s pumped about last year, and everyone’s just excited as can be. A lot of these guys, they can’t stop telling you how much football means to them, how much they love watching the games. They all get up at 3 a.m. knowing that they might not sleep that much that night, but they’re willing to do it because they want to watch football. The passion they have for it and how big of a fans they are, it doesn’t stop just because they’re halfway around the world. They love it just like a typical fan, so it’s been neat being here and just being able to say hi to ‘em.”


(thebustv.com)

LT Eric Winston started each game for the Texans, the fifth straight season he achieved the feat. In his best season yet, Winston served as the primary protector of QBs Matt Schaub and rookie T.J. Yates and played a major role in helping the 10th highest-scoring team in the league.



(cbssports.com)

The spotlight for the Texans will be on QB Matt Leinart as he tries to pick up where Matt Schaub left off and guide Houston to its first-ever postseason berth. If all goes well, Leinart could sway another team to give him an opportunity to start in 2012. The superb play of the Texans' offensive line can only help his cause, although one noticeable difference with the left-handed Leinart stepping into the starting job will be ORT Eric Winston, not OLT Duane Brown, protecting Leinart's blind side. Brown and C Chris Myers have been Houston's best blockers this season, but Winston also has played well. A former left tackle in college, Winston should be able to handle the added responsibility, particularly with his strength being sliding to the right. Other factors to keep an eye on with Leinart at the helm include his cadence, exchanges between Leinart and Myers and the likelihood of more dump-offs and plays designed to move the pocket to the left.

Click here to order Eric Winston’s proCane Rookie Card.


(profootballweekly.com)

Peter King of Sports Illustrated named his midseason All-Pro NFL team and four proCanes made the squad.

TE Jimmy Graham, Saints
MLB Ray Lewis, Ravens
RT Eric Winston, Texans
PR/KR Devin Hester, Bears

See the rest of the All-Pro team here

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cnnsi.com)

Ask Eric Winston about the state of sports broadcasting and the Houston Texans right tackle doesn't hesitate. "It's the same old commentary," Winston tells CultureMap. "It's kind of boring. It's tiring really. I think a lot of people are sick of hearing the same things every single game and they're looking for something else."

Winston is hardly the first athlete to rail against the voices calling sports. But Winston isn't just a big man mouthing off. He's doing something about it, attacking the problem with the same focus he displays in protecting Matt Schaub or opening up holes for Arian Foster (or in the case of Sunday's season opener against the Colts, Derrick Ward and Ben Tate).

The Texans' unconventional offensive lineman has a plan. So the day after Houston opens a season of supersized promise at Reliant Stadium, Winston will launch a new online sports TV network dubbed THEBUS (pronounced Thee-bis). The network's first offering — Not Your Ordinary Sports Show — will live stream during every Monday Night Football game, offering a running conversation about everything from the game to current events to who knows what between an eclectic cast of guests and Winston.

The idea is for people to turn on the game, turn off the sound and pull up the broadcast of Not Your Ordinary Sports Show on a computer or smartphone, and listen to Winston and his high-profile Houston guests (former Olympic gold medal speed skater Chad Hedrick, outspoken PGA Tour veteran Steve Elkington and astronaut Scott Kelly are the guests for the first show Monday night) as they watch the game and get into it. (CultureMap Houston will show Not Your Ordinary Sports Show in the video module on its front page every Monday night, but the company does not have a financial stake in the show or Winston's new network).

And you thought athletes tweeting was a big deal? How about starting a sports TV network while still playing?

"Eric is probably interested in things that the average NFL player isn't," Kelly, the twin brother of Mark Kelly, Gabrielle Giffords' astronaut husband, says, laughing. "I think that's a lot of this. He's a maverick."

Spend any time talking to Winston and the rest of THEBUS team (Shawn Bouley and Chris Hayden, who used to work in operations at Reliant Stadium, are behind the scenes) and it quickly becomes apparent that this is anything but a lark. Not Your Ordinary Sports Show will be filmed by four cameras in a professional TV studio. Robert Henslee, the sports director at 610 AM, has been enlisted to be the show's moderator.
The whole thing's being undertaken with a professional approach. Winston isn't taking this on as some kind of hobby. He's committed to making it a success as a business. No matter how crazy it might sound to some.

"Who knows maybe everyone will be broadcasting shows like this 10 years from now," Winston says. "And we'll just have been the first."
Not Your Ordinary Sports Show will attempt to be something of a cross between Mystery Science Theater 3000, Real Time with Bill Maher and Best Damn Sports Show Period. And yes, it will only be shown online.

"The expectation is it's going to be Wayne's World," Bouley says, citing SNL's fictional spoof of a low-production value, train wreck of a public access show. "We have to give people a whole lot more."

Playing pioneer isn't easy though. It may even shake up your guests. Especially when they hear that Not Your Ordinary Sports will run throughout the entire Monday Night Football game. That's three hours plus of conversation from people sitting around a table, watching the game. Or in the case of Monday's opening show, six to seven hours of conversation.

ESPN kicks off Monday Night Football with a doubleheader and Not Your Ordinary Sports Show is intent on broadcasting throughout both games this Monday.

"What do you mean it's three hours?" Kelly says when asked about the time. "No one does a three-hour TV show."

When told that his show is actually seven hours, Kelly pauses. "Seven hours," he shoots back. "No, really. Seriously. How long is it? Who does a TV show for seven hours? What is this the Jerry Lewis telethon?"

Kelly's joking. Sort of. I think.

Tackle Who Loves Technology

It's all part of the fascination of a show the likes of which no one's ever seen before. It's a live wire act. Live TV on the Internet. Every Monday night. (Just wait until the Texans media relations department hears that MRI-tweeting Arian Foster is going to be on live TV for three hours one show. Think anything interesting's going to be said?)

"That's the whole show," Winston says. "It's having the guests from all different backgrounds looking at sports and football, and life, from different perspectives. We want to be centered around the football game, but they'll be plenty of conversation that takes us in different directions."
Winston is something of a football nut, even for an NFL player. He laughs when asked if he thinks he'll need a lot of prep time for his three-hour show. "I know the league pretty well," he says.

You could say that. During a test run for the show done off a preseason game, Winston rattled off the Colts' record in the preseason the last four years. Without referring to any notes.

Not Your Ordinary Sports Show will have a number of elements geared to keep things moving and interesting. A Referee Girl, something of an anti Mike Pereria, will be off on the side, ready to step in with a "ruling" in the case of an instant replay challenge on the Monday Night Game. Only Katie, the Referee Girl, will not be giving lectures on the intricacies of taking a catch to the ground a la Pereria. Instead, she might rule that the Bears deserve the call because she appreciates their old school socks.

If you love Ron Jaworski, this show probably isn't for you. If you'd often like to stick one of those old school socks in Jaworski's mouth . . . well, you're Winston's prime audience.

In many ways, Not Your Ordinary Sports Show will be about avoiding the painfully obvious lectures that dominate many traditional network sports broadcasts. That's the idea anyway. One that Winston admits he and his team couldn't have even imagined just a few years ago.

"In a weird way, the technology is what's made this possible," Winston says of an active NFL player deciding to start a fledgling TV network (THEBUS is already working on additional programming ideas). "Four of five years ago, I don't know that could have even tried to pull this off. It's a lot more level playing field now. It's a tribute to the technology."

And a professional athlete who doesn't fit into any of the traditional boxes. Will Winston's new online sports TV network be revolutionary or a colossal bust? Who knows?

But Winston won't be timid in trying to find out.


(houston.culturemap.com)

Three Texans starters who played at the University of Miami — receiver Andre Johnson, center Chris Myers and offensive tackle Eric Winston — were critical of the former Hurricanes booster who is at the center of a scandal that could bring down one of college football’s most successful programs.

Johnson accepted drinks and VIP accommodations at Miami-area clubs, according to Nevin Shapiro, a former Hurricanes booster who told Yahoo! Sports he lavished as many as 72 Miami players and coaches with cash, prostitutes, jewelry, travel and parties at his mansions, on his yacht and at local nightclubs.

Johnson didn’t deny knowing Shapiro, who was one of Miami’s most prominent boosters.

“I wasn’t in the clubs too much when I was in college, so I don’t know about that,” Johnson said about Shapiro claiming he hosted Johnson in VIP sections and bought him drinks, a violation of NFL rules. “He knows what happened, and I know what happened. I’m not really worried about it.”

Shapiro, who is in a New Jersey prison for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, also told Yahoo! Sports that between 2002 through 2010 he paid players to attend Miami and, on one occasion, paid for an abortion.

“I don’t know about everybody else,” Johnson said. “I can only speak for myself. The guy’s in trouble, and he’s trying to take everybody down with him. You kind of get upset about it, but at the same time, you can’t control what anybody says.

“It’s over. It’s done with. The NCAA is handling it, and we’ll just move on.”

Johnson said no one connected to the scandal has contacted him. He made it clear, though, he doesn’t like what Shapiro is doing to his college, where he expects to earn his degree next summer.

“I think that’s bad,” he said. “It’s something you don’t want to see.

“Being down there this offseason and working out with so many guys and seeing the team improve and seeing that team on the rise, you hate to see something like this happen.”

Yahoo! Sports had a picture of Johnson posing with Shapiro at the Hurricanes’ 2002 all-sports banquet. Johnson said he took a lot of pictures with a lot of fans while he played at Miami and doesn’t remember that one.

Shapiro also said Texans second-year linebacker Darryl Sharpton partied at one of his mansions and accepted VIP access at clubs, where he also was bought drinks.

Counting veteran defensive lineman Damione Lewis and rookie cornerback Brandon Harris, the Texans have seven players who played for the Hurricanes.

Myers, Winston and backup tackle Rashad Butler played on the same offensive line at Miami. Myers left for the NFL after the 2004 season and was drafted by Denver in 2005.

“To be honest with you, it was a surprise to me,” Myers said about Shapiro’s allegations. “I was there five years. I knew the guy was around, but I didn’t know all that stuff was going on.

“Every story I read is new stuff to me. It’s a shame, but it’s a one-sided story right now. I’m anxious to see how it all pans out. He’s in prison. He can say anything he wants to say. It’s a real shame, dragging down a program right now. There’s always two sides to every story.”

Winston earned All-American recognition with the Hurricanes before the Texans drafted him in the third round in 2006.

“I heard the name (Shapiro), but I didn’t know him, and I couldn’t pick him out of a lineup,” Winston said. “Anytime you have a guy who, obviously, has the character he has and gets that close to the program it’s worrisome.

“Sure, you’re surprised when something like this comes out. It’s unfortunate that a guy like that got as close as he did with the program, but, a lot of colleges are dealing with the same kind of thing.

“It’s unfortunate, but we have to deal with it as a program, as a family and keep pushing forward.”

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.


(chron.com)

Today kicks off a week that promises to be hectic. Draft picks and unsigned college free agents can sign beginning at 9 a.m. today. Teams may start negotiating with free agents - their own and others - at the same time, but deals and terms can't be finalized until 5 p.m. Friday. Beginning at 3:01 p.m. Thursday, teams may terminate contracts.

"I'm excited to get back to work," Texans quarterback Matt Schaub said. "I'm eager to see everybody and settle into business as usual. It'll be good to get everybody on the field. It's pretty shocking that, through all the turmoil, it came down to missing one preseason game (the Aug. 7 Hall of Fame Game between the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears) before we got a deal done."

Added Texans right tackle and co-player representative Eric Winston: "I think this is awesome. Our goal was to get on the field. I'm excited about it. I have to admit that, at one point, I thought we were going to miss some of camp and preseason because there was no movement."

According to Winston, the players will vote to recertify as a union after they report to camp. He said the process should be completed during the first couple of days, when final details of the labor deal such as benefits and player discipline can be hammered out.

Click here to order Eric Winston’s proCane Rookie Card.


(chron.com)

Reactions from players are pouring in after Monday’s ruling in favor of the owners from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and it’s no surprise that the players aren’t happy about it.

One player, Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston, says the fans shouldn’t be happy about it, either.

“It’s every player’s fear and should be the fans’ fear, too, because if the judges rule in favor of the owners, there’s no telling how long the lockout will last,” Winston told the Houston Chronicle. “I’m not surprised by this decision, but I hope it’s not a preview of what’s coming down the pike.”

What won’t be coming down the pike any time soon are organized team activities, and that has one of Winston’s teammates, tight end Joel Dreessen, disappointed.

“I’m one of those players who enjoys OTAs,” Dreessen said. “I think they’re kind of fun. You get to be with your teammates, and you start to build that competitiveness we need for the season.”

Clearly Dreessen hasn’t been talking to Stevie Johnson.

Click here to order Eric Winston’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

HOUSTON - Houston Texans right tackle Eric Winston, one of the team's co-player representatives, told FOX 26 Sports he plans to go to Reliant Stadium on Friday.

Winston is headed back to the Texans' headquarters because the NFL told its teams to get back to normal football operations on Friday after the league was told twice this week by a federal judge to end its lockout.

The NFL is appealing and his hoping for a favorable ruling from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

Meanwhile, NFL players like Winston are planning to go back to work.

"I will probably go in (Friday), at the very least just to talk to some of the medical guys," Winston said.

"Maybe grab a (weight) lift there, since I was scheduled to do one anyway. I'm definitely not telling the all the guys just drop everything you're doing and make sure you get up there as fast as possible. I just don't think that's necessary.

"The fact is the NFL has to open their doors and has to conduct business as usual and now the players will continue on with their business as usual."

And that is just fine with Texans coach Gary Kubiak.

"Just very excited," Kubiak said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "Hope to see a bunch of the players (Friday).

"We'll have a team meeting on Monday. We have to get 14 weeks of work into 10 weeks and we have a lot of work to do putting in a new defense.

The Texans have a new defensive coordinator in Wade Phillips. His defense, the 3-4, becomes the base defense for the Texans

Click here to order Eric Winston’s proCane Rookie Card.



(myfoxhouston.com)

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

25. Jeremy Shockey TE New Orleans Saints/Carolina Panthers: In Shockey’s nine-year career he has not once been able to play all 16 games in a single season and unfortunately 2010 was no different. Shockey was only able to play in 13 games which ultimately led to the emergence of fellow proCane TE Jimmy Graham and Shockey’s release in the offseason and signing with the Panthers. Shockey accumulated a career low 408 yards receiving, and career lows in receptions (31) and yards per reception (31.2). Shockey will be reunited for the 2011 season with proCane offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski in Carolina. If he can stay healthy and the Panthers can find a quarterback, Shockey could have a big season because Chudzinski’s offenses emphasize the TE.

24. Bryant McKinnie LT Minnesota Vikings: After making the Pro Bowl in 2009, but not being voted to the Pro Bowl in 2010, most would think McKinnie did not have as good of a 2010 campaign, but on the contrary McKinnie according to himself and coaches played more consistently in 2010 while protecting Favre’s backside as well as Tarvaris Jackson’s. McKinnie still needs to lose some weight this offseason to improve his quickness versus edge rushers and vowed to do that with a personal trainer, especially since he will be seeing Julius Peppers twice again this season.

23. Willis McGahee RB Baltimore Ravens: McGahee the last two seasons has been stuck behind Ray Rice as the number two back for the Ravens. As a result in 2010 McGahee had his worst year statistically with only 380 yards rushing and 5 TDs on the ground and 1 TD through the air on only 100 rushing attempts. McGahee in 2009 had totaled 14 TDs as he was the main red-zone threat for the Ravens, but wasn’t featured as much inside the 20-yard line in 2010. McGahee can still be a starter in the NFL and is approaching free agency this year where it looks like he will not be resigned by the Ravens. Look for him to have a bigger impact in 2011.

22. Jimmy Graham TE New Orleans Saints: After not appearing in the first two games of his rookie season, Jimmy Graham slowly made his presence known for the Saints as he topped 70 yards receiving in two games and finished the 2010 season with five touchdowns as he subbed for fellow injured proCane Jeremy Shockey. Graham performed so well in 2010 and showed so much potential that the Saints released Shockey this offseason and plan on using Graham as their feature TE in 2011.

21. Rocky McIntosh LB Washington Redskins: McIntosh had his best season statistically with 73 tackles despite playing for the first time in his career in a 3-4 defense as the RILB. McIntosh has had a solid and somewhat underrated career and turned many heads by showing his versatility and playing so well in a 3-4 defense as well as versus the pass. Most seem to think he won’t be with the Redskins next year, but look for him to have no trouble signing with another team and picking up where he left off.

20. Kenny Phillips S NY Giants: Phillips played in only two games in 2009 because of the need of microfracture surgery on one of his knees. Many at the time said Phillips’ career was over and he would never be able recover after such a serious injury and surgery. Not only did Phillips come back, but he had a solid season in his first season playing beside fellow proCane Antrel Rolle. Phillips played in all 16 games and started 15 of them. Though he only recorded one interception he had career highs in tackles (77) and pass deflections (5). Phillips did admit that it took him a while to feel 100% physically and mentally but he did stay healthy and put up good numbers which leads us to believe he is in for a big 2011 season.

19. Antrel Rolle S NY Giants: In his first season with the Giants, Rolle was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and had a solid though not spectacular season for the Giants. Rolle started all 16 games and the fact that he had only one interception may be misleading as he played a lot closer to the line of scrimmage than most safeties. Look for Rolle to become more comfortable in the Giants’ defense and as long as he continues to play well on the field and create less headlines off of it, he and Phillips could become one of the best safety tandems in the NFL.

18. Eric Winston RT Houston Texans: The only explanation we can come up with for Winston not making a Pro Bowl yet, is that he plays for the small market Texans. Winston has been stellar at RT for the Texans and 2010 was no exception. Winston played at an All-Pro level during 2010 with one exception versus the Tennessee Titans where he was beat for two sacks. Look for 2011 to be an even better season for Winston and the Texans, and look for him to make his long overdue first Pro Bowl.

17. Brandon Meriweather S New England Patriots: Meriweather made his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a good 2010 season, though he was inconsistent at times. Meriweather started 13 of the 16 games and in three games only record one tackle while versus the Colts, for example, recorded 7 tackles and an interception. His inconsistency led to him sharing time with the other Patriot safeties as his numbers did slip from his 2008 and 2009 seasons. The Patriots do expect more from Meriweather, and look for him to step up in the 2011 season with the increased competition at the safety position.

16. Chris Myers C Houston Texans: Despite having a solid 2009 season Myers did take a lot of heat in the offseason from Texan fans mainly because of the lasting image of Kris Jenkins throwing him to the turf towards the end of that season. Myers followed up his solid 2009 campaign with a stellar 2010 season where he was ranked as the #3 center in the league by ProFootballFocus.com and anchors a Texans offensive line which at one point featured three proCane starters; Myers, Eric Winston, and Rashad Butler. Look for Myers to continue his stellar play in 2011 and hopefully make his Pro Bowl debut.

Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 15th through 8th!

Four the Texans' five starting offensive linemen finished in the top six at their respective positions in Pro Football Focus' player ratings for 2010.

Eric Winston was sixth at right tackle, Chris Myers was third at center, Wade Smith was second at left guard, and Mike Brisiel finished sixth at right guard. Thanks to improved run blocking, left tackle Duane Brown even finished with his first positive rating. The Texans' elite offensive line is another reason that Arian Foster will garner legit consideration as the No. 1 fantasy pick this year.

Click here to order Eric Winston’s or Chris Myers’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

The longer the big issues sit out there, the better chance there are for good alternatives to emerge.

Houston Texans right tackle Eric Winston just did a thoughtful segment on “Rome is Burning” and has good ideas for where the league can find more revenue without bulking the regular season up to 18 games.

“You’re asking every team to play two more games, that’s two more games of risk for an estimated $500 million. In this grand scheme of $9 billion, $500 million doesn’t seem like it’s worth it. I’d rather see the NFL bid out Thursday Night Football on NFL Network. Let’s put that out for bid, let’s see what that’s going to generate on the most watched night of TV. I guarantee you that would bring in over $500 million, way more, probably close to $1 billion if Monday Night Football is worth $1.9 billion.

“I’d also like to see maybe two more teams make the playoffs instead of an 18-game season. So you’d have eight teams and eight teams and no byes. That’s four more playoff games that the NFL can sell to the TVs instead of having each team play two more regular-season games for $500 million. I think those two alternatives are a lot better than asking each team to play two more games.”

I like the Thursday night idea a lot, and believe players have a legitimate question there. If the NFL Network still isn’t available in some big markets on some big cable systems, isn’t a giant contract with a network a more lucrative alternative?

I don’t like the increased playoff field idea. Watered down playoffs are the worst. It’s the worst thing about the NBA and NHL. It’s not been good, in my opinion, for baseball.

Winston also offered the first hint I’ve seen of any movement on the owner’s demand for an additional $1 billion off the top before they begin dividing money with the players.

"I think it's come down a little bit," he said.

Click here to order Eric Winston’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

Texans tackle Eric Winston doesn’t think that adding two games to the regular season is the best way for the NFL to grow revenue.

He understands how important television contracts are for the league, and wonders if adding playoff games or changing the league’s Thursday night package would be a better way to go.

“If you are the NFL and we are looking for new revenue, why don’t we bid out the Thursday night game?” Winston asked.  “Thursday is supposed to be the most popular night for everyone to watch TV.  They have a game that has become more and more popular.

“Maybe some of these other networks would like to get into NFL football.  I guarantee that game would bring in more than $500 million alone just from playing half a season.”

It’s a terrific point by Winston and one we haven’t heard before.   (It’s also one that will make the league feel uncomfortable.)

We understand the business strategy of putting Thursday Night Football on NFL Network.  But five years after the package was awarded, it’s still not shown in New York City or on other cable packages.

Think about that for a second: The most popular television property in the country — the NFL — is aired on the most popular television night of the week, and parts of the country still can’t see it?

Television, like football, is a results business.  Every year that the NFL passes up money to keep a television package that isn’t shown nationwide is a failure.   The man in charge of that failure is the league’s highest paid employee.

I love the quality of NFL Network in general — it’s a great product.  But they have run out of time to reasonably blame Time Warner or anyone else for not being able to get better distribution.

It’s like a coach blaming a bad call or injuries for a costly loss.  It’s an excuse.

It has been widely assumed that, once a lockout commences, players will organize informal workouts in order to stay ready for football.

But here’s the problem, as pointed out today by Eric Winston of the Houston Texans.  If a player suffers a serious injury while working out on his own, he can be placed on the non-football injury list once the lockout ends — and not paid a dime for the 2011 season.

Coupled with the fact that plenty of players won’t want to do anything to help the NFL field a watchable product absent a full slate of offseason workouts and minicamps and training camp, it looks like player-conducted practices could be the exception, not the rule.

That said, some teams could try to make it known to players on a wink-nod basis that any injuries suffered while working out on their own will be covered, and that players won’t be frozen out of their salary.  Such an approach would provide players with a blank check for attempting to get paid after getting hurt by doing something other than working out.

Click here to order Eric Winston’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)