Preseason - May
5/30/05
- The Giants are telling anybody who will listen they are content
with their quarterback depth chart entering training camp and
are not interested in adding a veteran free agent at the position.
This is the same team that stressed the need for a veteran presence
behind Eli Manning and signed Jim Miller to fill the role, only
to release Miller with an injury settlement. The same team that
quickly installed Tim Hasselbeck as the team's backup after
picking him up on waivers from Washington, despite having re-signed
Jesse Palmer to a two-year, $1.5-million contract with a signing
bonus. Hasselbeck does have five career starts to Palmer's three,
but it says here that a guy with Hasselbeck's skill shouldn't
even have a guaranteed roster spot let alone a guarantee to
be a backup.
- Despite all the talk of ReShard Lee being a good pickup for
the Bills in case they trade Travis Henry, don't expect Lee
to be Willis McGahee's backup at the end of training camp. Lee
lost out on playing time in Dallas last year because of his
poor blocking skills and it's unlikely the Bills will want to
risk injury to J.P. Losman by using Lee in passing situations.
Lee clearly has the skills to play in the league but must improve
his skills at recognizing which defender to pick up in blitzing
situations before he earns significant playing time.
- Rams safety Adam Archuleta says his back has improved considerably
from last season thanks in large part to extensive rehabilitation
on the herniated disc in his back. That's big news to a Rams
team that will take 15 or more defensive backs to training camp,
a myriad collection of mostly mid-round draft picks that haven't
stepped up (DeJuan Groce, Kevin Garrett), retreads from other
teams with decent skills that haven't been able to hold onto
starting jobs (Michael Hawthorne, Michael Stone, Corey Ivy)
and rookies that aren't likely ready to contribute immediately
(Ronald Bartrell, O.J. Atogwe, Jerome Carter). Not to mention
a player being converted from wide receiver (Mike Furrey) and
a player who's played three games in three years (Terry Fair).
Suffice it to say that Archuleta needs to play up to his 2003
form if this unit is to reach a respectable level of play in
2005.
- Look for the Bucs to axe offensive tackle Todd Steussie in
June. With Steussie not expected to reclaim the starting right
tackle job he lost to Kenyatta Walker early last season, his
involvement in the Panthers steroid scandal and a $2-million
salary in 2005, it appears Steussie will only make it to training
camp if he accepts a pay cut to the veterans minimum, not that
the Bucs will give him the choice because his release will clear
almost enough cap space for the team to sign their rookie draft
class.
- Another player whose fate will be decided in early June is
Chiefs wide receiver Johnnie Morton. Morton declined to accept
a pay cut last year and the team somewhat surprisingly did not
cut him then. However, he has resisted a pay cut again this
season and the team has raised the stakes this year by instructing
him to stay away from off-season activities, thereby ensuring
he does not get injured which would force the team to guarantee
his 2005 salary of $3-million. The message is clearly take the
pay cut or we'll move on without you.
- Keeping with the Chiefs wideouts, the team was thrilled to
when Craphonso Thorpe was available in the 4th round of this
year's draft. Thorpe was available that late in the draft because
he slumped last year after coming back from a broken leg. However,
Thorpe displayed very inconsistent hands during the team's recent
mini-camp, a trend that can't continue if he expects to move
ahead of Samie Parker, Marc Boerigter, Dante Hall and Chris
Horn on the depth chart.
- It's taken longer than anyone expected but it looks like
David Boston is finally tasting some humble pie this off-season.
After consecutive disappointing seasons with the Cardinals and
Chargers and missing all of last season with the Dolphins, Boston
was waived by the team this off-season. Despite his impressive
physical credentials, Boston was an afterthought in the free
agent market, getting only tepid interest from a 49er squad
desperate for help at wide receiver. Now Boston will return
to the Dolphins, for the veterans minimum, with only the promise
of competing with Marty Booker for a starting spot opposite
Chris Chambers.
- A quick look at the Seahawks depth chart at wide receiver
reveals a not so rosy outlook for troubled Koren Robinson. With
Darrell Jackson the team's best wideout and Jerome Pathon, Joe
Jurevicius and Alex Bannister receiving signing bonuses during
the off-season, four roster spots are likely taken. Bobby Engram
has value as a punt returner and the team has youngsters Taco
Wallace, D.J. Hackett and Jerheme Urban available. Now comes
word Robinson was charged with DUI and reckless driving in early
May. It says here if Robinson does not showed marked improvement
from his performance in 2004, the team will cut him loose prior
to opening day, if not prior to training camp.
- Titan receiver Tyrone Calico's recent arrest for public indecency
won't win him any favors from an organization that places a
premium on players staying out of trouble. Because the team
lacks any kind of proven depth at the position, Calico's arrest
is unlikely to result in a reduction in playing time. However,
that may change is the team adds a wide receiver that becomes
available post-June 1st.
- Keeping with the Titans, the team has to be concerned about
where the pass rush will come from in 2005. The defensive line
accounted for 24.5 sacks in 2004, with the departed Kevin Carter
and Carlos Hall accounting for 8.5 of those sacks. More will
be expected from five 2nd year players (Bo Schobel, Travis LaBoy,
Randy Starks, Antwan Odom and Jared Clauss) and 3rd year defensive
tackle Rien Long. However, look for the Titans pass defense
to struggle because the team's defensive backs are not talented
enough to compensate for a poor pass rush.
- Having been rebuffed in their attempt to sign Troy Brown
and apparently unwilling to enter 2005 with 2004 2nd round pick
Devery Henderson as the team's third receiver, the Saints next
target for a veteran wide receiver is Az-Zahir Hakim. Released
by the Lions after three mostly disappointing, injury plagued
seasons in Detroit, Hakim still possesses excellent speed and
could thrive in a system designed to take advantage of his quickness
out of the slot. The team's search for a veteran presence at
the third receiver position has been necessitated by Henderson's
lack of development and the torn ACL injury 2005 4th round pick
Chase Lyman incurred at the team's recent minicamp.
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