Preseason - August
8/31/06
- How does it feel to be Texans head coach Gary Kubiak or general
manager Rick Smith today? Sure, it looked completely ridiculous
when the Texans, under Kubiak and Smith's direction, passed
over running back Reggie
Bush with the first selection in this year's draft to select
defensive end Mario Williams, particularly considering the team's
incumbent starting running back, Domanick Davis, had missed
eight games over his first three seasons in the league and played
hurt in many others. But Williams was going to be Reggie White
we were told and the Reggie White's of the world are much harder
to come by than running backs in today's NFL. After Bush looked
dynamic early in the pre-season and it appeared Williams was
struggling, it looked a bit more ridiculous. And now that it
appears Davis will miss the early part of the season and may
be placed on injured reserve with the team having only rookie
6th round pick Wali Lundy and 3rd year disappointment Vernand
Morency in reserve, the decision to bypass Bush is looking more
and more like the colossal blunder everybody felt it was back
in April. Not surprising considering the Texans are on pace
to have the worst record of any expansion team over a five year
period.
- Speaking of looking ridiculous, how does it feel to be Vikings
head coach Brad Childress today? Childress, the disciplinarian
that he is, decided this off-season it was a good idea to reward
problem child wide receiver Koren
Robinson a three-year, $12.7-million contract that included
$1.1-million in signing bonuses and workout bonuses before the
season would start. Given Robinson's history of drug and alcohol
abuse and overall irresponsible behavior, it was clear to all
he was deserving of nothing more than a Lawrence Phillips style
contract. You may recall the Rams 1st round pick in the 1996
draft signed a contract that did not contain a signing bonus,
the result of his numerous off the field issues. The Vikes chose
to release Robinson after his latest DUI charge, compounding
their mistake because the only reasonable reason the team has
for releasing Robinson is by claiming he was not among the players
expected to be amongst the team's top 53 players, a dubious
claim given Childress has indicated Robinson was the team's
number one receiver numerous times. By releasing him for this
reason, the team has no ability to recoup the $1.1-million Robinson
has been paid. The other option is to claim Robinson engaged
in conduct detrimental to the team. However, this isn't a realistic
option because if Robinson were to be found innocent of all
charges, the team would likely be on the hook for the entire
value of the contract. Not a nice way for Childress to start
his career in Minnesota.
- Although Packers running back Sam
Gado spent the entire off-season as the team's starting
running back due to injuries to Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport,
it appears the second-year player is in jeopardy of falling
to third on the team's depth chart at the position. Green has
rebounded from his injury and earned the starting role and,
while Davenport has been mediocre in the pre-season, Gado has
not impressed, in part because he has missed time due to a pulled
groin muscle. With the team not wanting to have Green shoulder
the entire load, his backup will likely receive 6-10 carries
per game and Gado needs to impress in the team's final exhibition
game if he expects to get those carries.
- Another backup running back situation that bears watching
is in Philadelphia, where the Eagles backfield situation may
be in transition. Entering camp, most observers felt Ryan Moats
would enter the season as Brian Westbrook's backup with Reno
Mahe and Bruce Perry contributing on an emergency basis and
on special teams. Although head coach Andy Reid has not made
any declarations as to who stands where behind Westbrook, it
appears Moats has fallen out of favor with a subpar performance
in the pre-season and fifth-year player Correll
Buckhalter is likely to be Westbrook's main back-up entering
the season. Despite not playing a regular season game since
2003 and having missed three entire seasons of his five in the
league, it appears Buckhalter has recovered from his various
injuries and is ready to spell Westbrook when needed and provide
a strong alternative in short yardage situations. That being
said, it says here Moats will move into Westbrook's role if
he suffers an injury given the similarities in their skills
coupled with the fact Reid would have to drastically change
his offensive approach if Buckhalter were to move into the starting
line-up.
- With the Saints recent trade of former 1st round pick Donte
Stallworth to Philadelphia, it is time to review their draft
record over the past several years and it isn't pretty. In 1999,
then coach Mike Ditka traded all of the team's draft picks and
their 2000 1st and 3rd round selections for Ricky Williams.
In 2000, they hit on defensive linemen Darren Howard in the
2nd round and fullback Terrelle Smith in the 4th round. Marc
Bulger, their 6th round selection, didn't make the team and
went to the Pro Bowl for the Rams. Their 7th round selection
was long snapper Kevin House, the only player from that draft
still on the team's roster. From the 2001 draft through until
this year's draft, the team has selected between seven and nine
starters depending on whether 2003 selections Jon Stinchcomb
and Montrae Holland and 2005 selection Alfred Fincher earn starting
positions. The six selections that are assured of starting in
2006, barring injury or suspension, are Deuce McAllister, Charles
Grant, Will Smith, Mike Karney, Jammal Brown and Josh Bullocks
with Karney expected to start only when the team doesn't have
2006 1st round pick Reggie Bush on the field. Either Devery
Henderson or Marques Colston will line up as a starting wide
receiver opposite Joe Horn. Truly pitiful and one reason why
new coach Sean Payton won't turn things around quickly in New
Orleans.
- Keeping with Stallworth,
why all the fuss over the Eagles acquiring him? Isn't this the
team that regularly trots out the old "he didn't contribute
much but it was his first year as a receiver in our complicated
system" excuse? Sure, Terrell Owens contributed a great deal
in his first season but he gets a pass due to his talent level.
Does this mean that all the excuses we heard from Eagles management
on why Freddie Mitchell, Todd Pinkston, Reggie Brown, Greg Lewis,
etc. weren't contributing were an exercise in PR? Or does Eagles
management not really expect much from Stallworth but they are
trotting out how much he's going to do for them because they
are embarrassed by the pathetic talent level they entered training
camp with at wide receiver? You know, where undrafted rookie
free agent Hank Baskett has emerged as a starter opposite Brown
on a team that is expected to compete for a playoff spot. Of
course, this is another PR exercise. My money's on Stallworth
contributing 750 yards and six touchdowns. Nothing more.
- Cowboys coach Bill Parcells has a strong reputation as a
personnel evaluator, however it might be time to review his
work in this department. Although The Big Tuna has hit on his
high draft picks since taking over the Cowboys two years ago,
he has also missed on some high selections. The team dumped
2004 2nd round pick offensive tackle Jacob Rogers in 2005 after
determining he couldn't play even during the rare times he was
healthy. The team also dumped their 3rd and 4th round selections
from that draft (guard Stephen Peterman and cornerback Bruce
Thornton). Now it appears Parcells may be forced to dump this
year's 4th round selection, wide receiver Skyler
Green. The diminutive Green is currently listed 7th or 8th
on a decidedly mediocre wide receiver depth chart behind starters
Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn, meaning Green will have to earn
a roster spot as a returner because he doesn't contribute on
the coverage units. With Tyson Thompson coming off a solid season
of returning kickoffs and Patrick Crayton and Terrence Newman
available for punt return duties, Green may be on the outside
looking in on cutdown day.
- With the trade of T.J. Duckett to the Redskins, some felt
the team would use Warrick Dunn in short yardage situations
or perhaps rookie Jerious Norwood, the impressive rookie picked
in the 3rd round of this year's draft because he has a bit more
size than Dunn. However, it says here that job will fall to
fullback Justin
Griffith. With backup fullback Fred McCrary also expected
to make the roster, the team has the option of lining Griffith
up at tailback with McCrary at fullback.
- Don't be surprised if new Chiefs coach Herm Edwards drops
former 1st round pick Ryan
Sims when the team gets down to 53 players. The defensive
tackle has been a major underachiever since being selected in
the 2002 draft, never registering more than 35 tackles or three
sacks in a season. Edwards has already moved newcomers Ron Edwards
and James Reed into the starting line-up ahead of holdovers
Sims, John Browning and Junior Siavii, indicating he plans on
changing the mix at defensive tackle to improve production there.
- So much for Billy
Volek's opportunity to finally become a starting quarterback
after six years as Steve McNair's backup. First, the team drafts
Vince Young and now they have signed Kerry Collins to compete
with Volek for the starter's position. Here's what you need
to know about this situation. Collins was contemplating retirement
so he's not leaving his comfy confines to become a backup to
a guy who's a career backup when he's never been a backup himself.
Basically, Volek has lost his opportunity for two reasons. He
didn't show enough in the pre-season to be a competent starter
and Young didn't show enough to be a competent backup. The Titans
might be willing to live with one of those situations but not
both of them. And don't expect Volek to be on the team's roster
come opening day because he makes too much money to be a third
string quarterback. The Chargers, Vikings, Browns and Bills
all could use help at the backup quarterback position.
- The Steelers signed former Redskins safety Ryan
Clark to replace the departed Chris Hope during the off-season
but it appears Clark may start the season on the bench. Perennial
tease Tyrone Carter appears to have the edge on Clark as the
pre-season winds down, perhaps benefiting from knowing the defense
better than Clark. Carter is a quicker player and better suited
to pass coverage whereas Clark is more physical and the better
player close to the line of scrimmage. However, with Troy Polamalu
handling most of those duties, the Steelers may decide Carter
is the better fit opposite Polamalu.
- Rams cornerback Jerametrius
Butler appears to be the odd man out in the team's defensive
backfield. Butler was expected to be team's best cornerback
last season but missed the entire season due to injury. The
team signed former Saint Fakhir Brown in the off-season and
used a 1st round selection on Tye Hill. With Travis Fisher having
a strong camp, earning him a spot in the starting line-up alongside
Brown, Hill, Butler and DeJuan Groce were left to battle for
the nickel and dime spots. Hill appears to have beaten Butler
out for the nickel role and, although it is unlikely, the team
may decide he is too expensive to retain as their dimeback,
leaving that role to Groce or one of their backup safeties,
Jerome Carter or Ronald Bartell.
- Sometimes it just pays to keep your mouth shut. Here's to
Jerry Porter, Ashley Lelie and Thomas Jones for reminding us
of this rather simple philosophy. Porter's reward for unnecessarily
criticizing head coach Art Shell and requesting a trade has
been to be buried on the depth chart behind Randy Moss, Doug
Gabriel and Ronald Curry. Lelie's reward for getting ticked
off when the team acquired Javon Walker to start alongside Rod
Smith and requesting a trade because he felt he was a number
one receiver and not a backup was to get fined for most of his
2006 salary and get traded to Atlanta where he will be a third
receiver behind Michael Jenkins and Roddy White. Not to mention
the Broncos may yet ask Lelie to return a portion of the signing
bonus he received when he signed his rookie contract. Jones
reward for asking for more money and then a trade and skipping
off-season workouts was a spot on the depth chart behind Cedric
Benson, a player the team invested the fourth selection in the
draft and many millions on. Read the writing on the wall, Thomas.
Jones promptly popped his hammy, missed a pile of time, looked
less than impressive when he returned and now is fighting to
reclaim his starting spot from Benson, who suffered his own
shoulder injury. Sometimes it pays to ratchet down the testosterone
a wee bit.
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