Preseason - August
8/26/05
- Let's be the first to nominate Bears general manager Jerry
Angelo for the NFL's Executive of the Year award. Last year,
the Bears were forced to start four different players at quarterback
after failing to sign a veteran backup to starter Rex Grossman,
who went on injured reserve after the team's third game. Fresh
from that experience, it seemed readily apparent that Angelo
would enter 2005 with a veteran backup for the injury prone
Grossman. Of course, Angelo failed to sign a veteran and the
team entered training camp with Chad Hutchinson, rookie Kyle
Orton and retread Kurt Kittner competing for the chance to be
Grossman's backup. When Grossman broke his ankle, the team signed
another retread in Jeff Blake. With the quarterback situation
in shambles, the team's off-season acquisition of wide receiver
Muhsin Muhammad has been somewhat negated and the development
of the team's young receivers will suffer. Throw in the fact
Angelo has been unable to get running back Cedric Benson, the
team's 1st round pick, under contract and it's looking like
it's going to be a long year in Chicago and, for Bears fans,
let's hope it's Angelo's last.
- The silence from Cincinnati management regarding where wide
receiver Peter Warrick fits in the team's offence should be
sending plenty of signals to the veteran wideout. After being
sidelined for the beginning of training camp while recovering
from last year's knee injury, Warrick watched as Kelley Washington
finally showed the promise expected of him after the team selected
him in the 3rd round of the 2003 draft. In addition, rookies
Chris Henry, 3rd round, and Tab Perry, 6th round, have secured
roster spots while Jamal Broussard, Kevin Walter and Cliff Russell
have the ability to contribute on special teams as does Perry.
Given his $2.2-million salary for 2005, Warrick is basically
forced to beat out Washington for the third receiver position.
Don't look for it to happen and it says here it will be a surprise
if the team plays Warrick in their exhibition game against Philadelphia
on Friday night, instead preferring to keep him on the sideline
rather than accept the risk of Warrick getting injured, forcing
the team to pay his 2005 salary.
- With the development of 2004 1st round pick Marcus Tubbs
and the surprising training camp performance of free agent acquisition
Chartric Darby, the Seahawks made decided to release veteran
Cedric Woodard. Having missed most of training camp while recovering
from off-season knee surgery, Woodard apparently rejected a
request to accept a lower salary more becoming of his expected
role as a backup. Lay the blame for this debacle on former Seahawks
management that signed Woodard to a five-year, $15-million contract
prior to the 2004 season.
- Here's some notes for Greg Wesley, the Chiefs safety charged
with one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct a couple of
weeks ago. The team signed veteran Sammy Knight to start at
one safety position, has moved another player from cornerback
to safety (William Bartee), has a couple of young players at
your position and wasn't happy with your or Jerome Woods' play
in 2004, after signing lucrative long-term extensions. You can't
afford to embarrass the organization when your play has declined
and you're making more money than you're worth. Sometimes you
have to wonder if these guys ever bother to read the depth chart.
- Although the Dolphins have plenty of options along the offensive
line, the team has been unable to find the right combination
and it's becoming apparent the unit will struggle again in 2005,
at least in the early part of the season. With right tackle
Stockar McDougle struggling, the team has moved Vernon Carey,
last year's 1st round pick, from the left side to start on the
right side and inserted Damion McIntosh as the starter at left
tackle. Left out of the shuffle was the team's starter at right
tackle for much of 2004, John St. Clair. So, where does that
leave the line? Almost exactly the same as last season, with
the exception of Carey taking over for St. Clair, which means
the line can expect to be marginally better in 2005.
- During last year's training camp, cornerback Ahmad Carroll
came to blows with Joey Thomas, his main competition for a spot
in the starting line-up, a job Carroll ended up winning and
then showcasing to the league his ability to draw frequent pass
interference penalties. During this year's training camp, Carroll
got into a fight with receiver Javon Walker after being demoted
to the 2nd unit behind Thomas. Word is the coaches feel Carroll
doesn't listen to coaching and the players are sick of Carroll's
cocky attitude, something that's put up with only when you achieve
a respectable level of performance.
- Keeping with the Packers, it was somewhat surprising when
the team released veteran safety Arturo Freeman. Freeman was
expected to hold down a starting position until rookie 2nd round
pick Nick Collins was ready to take over as well as be an on
the field coaching given Freeman's knowledge of defensive coordinator
Jim Bates schemes from their time together in Miami. However,
the performance of veteran Earl Little, Collins and rookie 4th
round pick Marvel Underwood led to Freeman's release.
- Given Colin Branch's under whelming performance last season,
the Panthers signed veteran free agents Idrees Bashir and Marlon
McCree to compete with Branch this season. Branch was holding
onto the job during training camp but is now out for the season
because of torn ligaments in his right knee. However, rather
than promote Bashir or McCree to the starting lineup, the Panthers
have moved rookie 1st round pick Thomas Davis from strongside
linebacker to strong safety and inserted former Falcon Chris
Draft into a starting position, although Brandon Short may claim
this spot when he returns from his foot injury. Davis started
training camp at safety, was moved to linebacker when Short
was hurt and is now back at safety - a series of changes that
does not bode well for his early season performance. Expect
to see Davis at the strongside linebacker position in 2006.
- Keeping with the Panthers, don't expect rookie running back
Eric Shelton to see much action with the offense early in the
season. The rookie 2nd round pick has yet to play a down with
the first team offense during the preseason and it's for the
same reason many rookie running backs don't get on the field
- Shelton hasn't figured out how to pass block. At over 240
pounds, Shelton has the size to be successful in this area but
the team is reluctant to use him because of the increased risk
to starting quarterback Jake Delhomme.
- Patriots rookie guard Logan Mankins, the team's 1st round
pick, has overtaken veteran Russ Hochstein as the team's starter
at left guard. However, the surprise along the offensive line
has been the play of rookie 3rd round pick, Nick Kaczur. A guard
in college, Kaczur has seen time at right tackle and the feeling
is the team wants to increase their flexibility along the time
by having Kaczur able to play at guard or tackle. The team only
dresses two backup offensive linemen so these players need to
have the ability to play more than one position along the line.
- The Chargers have cornerback Jamar Fletcher listed as fourth
on the depth chart, however look for this to change in the near
future. Quentin Jammer will start at one spot while it was expected
Drayton Florence and Sammy Davis would battle for the other
starting spot. However, Davis has moved behind Florence and
has gone into a bit of a funk and is now in danger of losing
his nickel back position to Fletcher.
- It appears that Packers rookie guard William Whitticker will
open the season as the team's starter at right guard. Veteran
Matt O'Dwyer hasn't done enough to nail down the position and
the team may have reservations about handing the job to the
10-year veteran because of concerns about his durability (he
played in four games last season).
- Don't discount the impact Jerametrius Butler's season-ending
knee injury will have on the Rams secondary. Although hardly
a Pro Bowl performer, Butler was the team's best cornerback
in 2004 as well as the only player in the secondary capable
of making any big plays (he had five of the team's league low
six interceptions). With Butler out, 3rd year player DeJuan
Groce moves into the starting lineup and a host of retreads
and rookies will now battle for the remaining spots at cornerback.
Tampa Bay castoff Corey Ivy appears to be the frontrunner for
the nickel spot, at least until rookie 2nd round pick Ronald
Bartrell is ready, which won't until mid-season at the earliest.
Former Lion 1st round pick Terry Fair is also in the mix but
he has played only three games in the last two years.
- The Bills have been pleasantly surprised by the play of rookie
7th round pick Lionel Gates. Gates has vaulted himself into
contention for the backup running back spot to Willis McGahee
and has almost certainly earned a spot on the team's opening
day roster. With ReShard Lee having the ability to return kicks,
it appears that one of or both Joe Burns and Shaud Williams
will be left out of the mix.
- Sometimes it's better to take the money and run. After starting
a career best 13 games in 2004 with the Dolphins and Rams, safety
Antuan Edwards overplayed his hand in negotiations with St.
Louis, rejecting a two-year contract offer for a little more
than $1-million a season. After receiving no interest on the
free agent market, Edwards signed a one-year, minimum salary
deal with the Patriots and was released this week.
- In what has to be classified as a surprise, Jets tight end
Chris Baker has held off the challenge of Doug Jolley for the
team's starting position. The 2002 3rd round pick has been a
bust to this point, with 34 career receptions and just one start.
However, Baker is a better blocker than Jolley and has shown
some receiving ability as well. Let's not discount the impact
of new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger on this situation,
given his ability to get production out of the tight ends in
Tennessee.
- Look for running back Lamar Gordon to be dealt for the 2nd
consecutive preseason. The Dolphins picked up Gordon for a 3rd
round pick from the Rams last offseason and now it appears the
Dolphins don't have a spot for him. When rookie Ronnie Brown
gets up to speed and Ricky Williams returns from a four-game
suspension, they are expected to occupy the top two spots on
the depth chart. With versatile Sammy Morris also available
and given this team isn't going to the playoffs this year, there's
little reason for the team to keep Gordon around to start him
early in the season. Look for him to be dealt to the Eagles
for a low round draft pick (5th to 7th) as coach Nick Saban
attempts to collect draft choices to re-stock a depleted Dolphins
roster.
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