9/3/04
- With the trade of Marty Booker to Miami, the Bears are desperately
thin at wide receiver. On top of that, the team's wideouts are
more possession type receivers that lack the big play ability
necessary to make new offensive coordinator Terry Shea's offense
effective. The team's top seven players at the position have
combined for 122 career receptions, with 2001 1st round pick
David Terrell accounting for 66 of that total. Unless running
back Thomas Jones performs well enough to force opposition defenses
to play eight men in the box, look for this group to struggle
in 2004.
- It looks like a number of teams are going out of their
way to showcase their backup running backs to the Dolphins. The
Rams Lamar Gordon not only returned to action from ankle surgery
in three weeks, he carried the ball nine times after replacing Marshall
Faulk (ahead of Steven Jackson, we might add). The Jets started
Lamont Jordan ahead of Curtis Martin in their final pre-season game
despite there being plenty of speculation Jordan had been surpassed
by Johnathon Reese as the team's primary backup. Inconceivable as
it might seem for the Jets to deal Jordan to a division rival, Jordan
has been such a bust and a headache, it could happen.
- Amid all the hoopla in Detroit about 2003 and 2004 1st
round picks Charles Rogers and Roy Williams, the re-emergence of
Az-Zahir Hakim has gone largely unnoticed. The word is he has recovered
the speed and cutting ability that made him such a dangerous weapon
in St. Louis. Hakim's return plus the addition of solid possession
receiver Tai Streets, should take pressure off the Lions two young
receivers and provide quarterback Joey Harrington with enough weapons
for him to finally emerge as a bonafide starter.
- The Brooks Bollinger-Ricky Ray experiment ended with the
Jets signing of Quincy Carter to backup Chad Pennington. Although
the commentary on Carter's signing has been very positive, it says
here this move was largely public relations oriented. With Pennington
going down last pre-season, the team would have taken plenty of
criticism for not having an experienced backup if he went down again.
However, Carter is anything but a solid candidate for the role.
Offensive coordinator Paul Hackett's offense requires an accurate
quarterback capably of making quick reads but Carter was criticized
in Dallas for his poor decision-making and he has a career completion
percentage of 56.2%. Interestingly enough, Ray completed close to
67.6% of his passes in leading the Edmonton Eskimos to the Grey
Cup in 2003.
- The emergence of Dante Brown and Willie Parker has left
the Steelers with a bit of a dilemma in terms of what to do with
the running backs on their roster. Duce Staley will start with Jerome
Bettis backing him up and Verron Haynes getting some time as the
third down back. Coach Bill Cowher usually keeps four running backs
on the roster but may be forced to keep five this year because Brown
or Parker will be picked off waivers by another team if they are
released. Of course, a trade would alleviate this problem.
- Given his injury history and pattern of inconsistent play,
it is no surprise Minnesota wide receiver Marcus Robinson has lost
his starting position to Nate Burleson. Robinson has been out with
what coach Mike Tice has termed a mild hamstring strain and Tice
has said Burleson has won the job outright.
- Raiders tight end Teyo Johnson, a 2nd round pick last year,
is in serious danger of losing his roster position. Doug Jolley
will start and be the team's main receiving option at the position
and Roland Williams will be the backup because of his blocking ability.
In new coach Norv Turner's offense, the team will employ plenty
of two tight end formations to run the ball and the coach wants
his third string tight end to be a competent blocker. Rookie 7th
round pick Courtney Anderson, at 6'7" and 270 pounds, is a
more attractive option in this regard than Johnson, who is more
of a receiving threat.
- Look for the Cowboys to decide soon whether to place safety
Darren Woodson on injured reserve. Woodson had back surgery before
training camp and the team must decide whether he can return in
time to contribute this season.
- There has been plenty of speculation about how the Browns
running back William Green would react to losing his starting position
to Lee Suggs. However, Green has handled the situation well and
even advised Suggs to calm down a little before the team's preseason
game against Kansas City, advise Suggs claims helped his performance
in the game. Green's positive attitude has to be seen as a surprise
and is based on his belief he owes the team for helping him through
his personal problems.
- Jaguars running back Chris Fumatu-Ma'afala appeared to
be in danger of his losing his roster position but has been given
a reprieve because of the injury problems to other backs on the
roster. Shifted to fullback because of the presence of 2nd round
pick Greg Jones and LaBrandon Toefield, it was thought Fumatu-Ma'afala
had to beat out starting fullback Marc Edwards to make the roster.
However, ankle sprains suffered by Toefield, Joe Smith and David
Allen, fighting to be the team's main return option, have allowed
Fumatu-Ma'afala to showcase his versatility and it now appears likely
he will make the final roster.
- Keeping with the Jags, with Allen likely out an extended
period due to his high ankle sprain, Jermaine Lewis appears to have
made the team. However, Lewis has not performed well as a returner
since 2001, partly because of injury troubles, so it won't be a
surprise if the team may scours the waiver wire for a better option.
- Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt hasn't come out and said
it so we will. The team has to be deeply disappointed in the play
of left tackle Wade Smith and guard-tackle Vernon Carey. Smith,
a 16-game starter the team traded a 2004 2nd round pick in order
to draft in the 3rd round in 2003, is likely to be displaced by
Damion McIntosh when McIntosh returns from injury while Carey was
expected to win starting right tackle position but was beat out
by Rams reject John St. Clair. Carey has now been shifted to guard
where he has been less impressive than 2003 3rd round pick Taylor
Whitley 2004 6th round pick Rex Hadnot. Ominous signs for these
players, and the team, considering the Dolphins have one of the
weakest offensive lines in the league.
- Lions kicker Chris Snyder doesn't have any chance of beating
out Jason Hanson but may find a job in the league before the end
of the season if not sooner. Snyder has a strong leg and a preseason
50-yard field goal to his credit and could land a job if the kicking
situations with the Jaguars, Vikings or Giants don't pan out.
- Hard to believe a team as inept as the Chargers would have
difficulty deciding on a 53-man roster but there will be some tough
decisions as to which defensive backs to retain. Young cornerbacks
Quentin Jammer, Sammy Davis and Drayton Florence are locks as is
strong safety Terrence Kiel. After that, things get interesting.
Cornerback Jamar Fletcher looks like the fourth corner but would
be unhappy in that role. Jerry Wilson and Kwaime Lassiter are competing
at free safety but the team doesn't want to lose Hank Milligan at
the position so the Wilson or Lassiter could be on the outside looking
in if they aren't named the starter.
- Browns safety Michael Jameson is receiving plenty of praise
from coach Butch Davis. The 4th year player, picked in the 6th round
of the 2001 draft, has played well enough it's possible he could
unseat starting strong safety Robert Griffith. With Earl Little
the starter at free safety backed up by 2003 3rd round pick Chris
Crocker and 2004 2nd round pick Sean Jones expected to contribute
at strong safety, Griffith's roster spot could be in jeopardy.
- Although it was considered somewhat of a shock the Cardinals
placed starting fullback James Hodgins on injured reserve when it
appeared he could come back in a few weeks from his shoulder injury,
it isn't a surprise at all. New head coach Dennis Green's offense
doesn't call for a blocking specialist at the fullback position
and Green had little praise for Hodgins since taking the position.
With Obafemi Ayanbadejo's presence on the roster, a Green favorite
from their time in Minnesota, Hodgins days were numbered.
- When the Lions signed offensive left guard David Loverne
and installed him as their starting during the offseason, it was
widely anticipated the team would shore up the position and Loverne
would shift to a backup role. However, he performed well enough
the team cut Solomon Page and with no veteran backups on the roster,
it appears Loverne will retain the role barring injury.
- The Rams have been very disappointed in the play of outside
linebacker Tommy Polley. Polley has displayed flashes of brilliance
in previous seasons and was even considered on the verge of becoming
a Pro Bowl calibre player. Entering a contract year, the team expected
Polley to come on strong but he was demoted to second string in
favor of journeyman Tony Newson and then 2004 4th round pick Brandon
Chillar.
- Keeping with the Rams, the team should be very concerned
about their cornerback situation after the recent injury to starter
Travis Fisher. Fisher is expected to miss at least three months
with a fractured forearm, leaving 2003 4th and 5th round picks DeJuan
Groce and Kevin Garrett to battle for the starting job. However,
neither has taken hold of the position and it's a telling sign the
team has been using backup safeties Rich Coady and Justin Lucas
as their 5th and 6th defensive backs.
- Picked in the 1st round of last year's draft, Arizona Cardinals
defensive end Calvin Pace is so far buried in coach Dennis Green's
doghouse there is a good chance he won't dress for the team's opener.
Considering the team's pathetic pass rush, Fred Wakefield being
placed on injured reserve and 3rd round pick Darnell Dockett being
shifted to end, Pace has a long way to go to impress Green. Free
agent addition Bertrand Berry will start on one side with Dockett
likely on the other and Kyle Vanden Bosch serving as the third end.
At the moment, Pace is running third string, all but assuring he
won't dress in the opener.
- It appears Ravens return specialist Lamont Brightful will
soon be out of a job. Brightful has struggled catching the ball
on returns and the coaching staff is convinced he has lost his confidence.
Look for rookie B.J. Sams to open the season as the team's return
specialist.
- Despite paying cornerback Ralph Brown a $250,000 signing
bonus in the offseason, the Redskins released Brown. Expected to
challenge Walt Harris to be the team's nickel back or worst dime
back, Brown was unimpressive and the play of rookie free agents
Rufus Brown and Garnell Wilds led to his release.
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