Cardinals Release Disgruntled Running Back Edgerrin James

In Edgerrin James’ mind, in Ken Wisenhunt’s mind, hell, in everyone’s mind—it’s about time.

We all know by now that Edgerrin James status on the Cardinals’ roster was simply a facade—that Wisenhunt was just keeping him around as an insurance policy.

After seeing Tim Hightower rise and fall faster than a child television star, as well as J.J. Arrington bolt for Denver, wouldn’t he play the caution card, too?

Regardless, Edgerrin James is gone and on the verge of being forgotten as a Cardinal, despite being a huge reason why their offense finally found some balance during their historic run to the Super Bowl.

After voicing his displeasure with his contract, and then with his status with the team, it was truly only a matter of time before it happened. And that “time” came Tuesday, just days after the Cardinals snagged Ohio State’s Chris “Beanie” Wells in the NFL Draft.

While the Cardinals seem to have found not only their replacement for the departing James, they also appear to have found a gem late in the first round-a bruiser with good speed that could terrorize opposing defenses for years to come, while contributing to a supposed well-balanced attack.

However, while both the Cardinals and Edgerrin James part ways and begin new journeys, one has to wonder which side wins in this battle. Who will walk away from this divorce and go into next season with a sigh of relief, possibly a smile, and with endless possibilities awaiting them?

Honestly, quite possibly both of them.

But if we’re being realistic, as fans, as writers, and as people that, just like James, have had to move on from jobs or difficult situations, it’ll be hard to find a better home.

It will be even harder to find a starting gig.

Despite rushing for over 1,100 yards in his first two seasons as a Cardinal, James lost his starting job to rookie Tim Hightower, which in turn brought on the demand to be released.

Late in the season, when Hightower and the rest of the offense was ineffective, James was inserted back into the line-up, and finished the regular season with a 100-yard game on only 16 carries against the Seattle Seahawks.

He then took that momentum, as did the entire team, into the playoffs, and ran for at least 57 yards in three of four games, including two 73-yard efforts.

He may not have been dazzling, or even close to what he used to be, but at 30-years old, James showed he still could get the job done-despite being upset.

Now comes the tough part: Proving to one of the 31 other teams that he can still do what he did in the post-season over a 16-game season.

Eagles and Ravens Prove Losing Key Players Early Means Nothing

Brian Dawkins (pictured) has been an emotional leader throughout the years for the Philadelphia Eagles. In my honest opinion, he’s a future Hall of Famer. What he means to the Philadelphia Eagles as a franchise can’t be measured. On top of that, he’s productive with 545 career tackles, 76 pass deflections, 21 sacks and 34 interceptions.

Unfortunately, “Dawk” won’t be a Philadelphia Eagle anymore.

On February 28th, 2009 at 1:56 PM, the Eagles were blindsided. Dawkins opted to leave Philly, signing a two year, $17 million contract with the Denver Broncos. At 35, he may be on the decline. However, his leadership qualities haven’t lost a step.

After the Eagles lost him, Eagles fans were firing off tributes to him and it seemed like the team was on a decline.

Not so fast.

Key signings have lifted the Eagles’ spirits, such as Stacy Andrews, Leonard Weaver, Sean Jones and Rashad Baker, not to mention trading three draft picks for Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters.

Also, the Eagles got three huge steals in the Draft, adding Jeremy Maclin (WR, Missouri), LeSean McCoy (RB, Pittsburgh) and Cornelius Ingram (TE, Florida). In addition to that, they added Ellis Hobbs in a trade. Oh, by the way. The Eagles added some undrafted free agents including Marcus Thigpen (RB, Indiana), Sam Swank (K, Wake Forest) and Reshard Langford (S, Vanderbilt).

 

Stacy Andrews, OT

Last year, the Eagles had no push from the run—game. After a solid 2007—08 season, Brian Westbrook struggled in 2008-09, averaging just four yards per carry—down 0.8 from his 4.8 YPC in 2007—08.

The Eagles will definitely benefit from the signing of Andrews. The Eagles signed the 27—year old offensive tackle to a long term contract, one that spans over six seasons and is worth approximately $42 million. While it may seem risky to sign him for that long, you can never have enough offensive line help.

 

Leonard Weaver, FB

A fullback? Philadelphia Eagles? This can’t be right!

An undrafted free agent in 2005 out of Carson-Newman College, Weaver had a chip on his shoulder. Weaver worked to make a good Seahawks squad and became a mainstay in the Seahawks backfield. As a blocking back, he paved the way for Shaun Alexander during his legendary 2005 season in which Alexander gained 1,880 yards and scored a whopping 27 touchdowns.

Eagles fans can’t expect those kind of numbers from Westbrook, but more than the 936 that he did last year is a reasonable expectation.

 

Sean Jones, S

After losing Brian Dawkins and also losing running back Correll Buckhalter, the Eagles would need to add a safety. They would definitely not be able to get one of Dawkins’ stature, but one with 14 interceptions the last three seasons wouldn’t hurt.

Jones, 27, has been productive for the Cleveland Browns in recent years, including last season when he had 56 tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble. Jones won’t fill Dawkins’ role as a leader, hitter, and playmaker, but  he will as a very good safety. Yes, he will.

 

Rashad Baker, S

No, Baker and Jones don’t even come close to Brian Dawkins. However, if Jones and Baker can have some success in places horrible to play in (Cleveland and Oakland, respectively), then imagine the success they can have with Philadelphia, who have a defensive system that will be ideal for them to play in.

Baker had 24 tackles and three interceptions for the Oakland Raiders last season and we have seen in recent years how guys play when they leave Oakland (See: Randy Moss, Fabian Washington, DeAngelo Hall). After the season, we’ll put Baker on that list.

 

Jason Peters, OT

Despite adding a good offensive tackle in Andrews, the Eagles decided to make a big move trading three draft picks, including one of their first round picks for former Bills offensive tackle Jason Peters. While Peters allowed the most sacks for any left tackle last year, he wasn’t helped by an immobile Trent Edwards.

It would be disappointing if Peters allows that many sacks this year, as Donovan McNabb is much more mobile and will be able to get the ball off on short passes to new threats like Maclin and McCoy.

 

Jeremy Maclin, WR

The Eagles needed a big—play wide receiver. Enter Jeremy Maclin into the equation.

Maclin was projected as a top ten pick, likely to the Oakland Raiders or San Francisco 49ers. However, he kept on falling, and the Eagles made a trade to land him with the 19th overall pick.

Maclin is an underclassmen, and isn’t very big (6’0″, 198 lbs.), but has all the potential in the world. As a sophomore at Missouri last year, he caught 102 passes for 1,260 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He projects like a guy who can make a Chris Johnson-like impact on the field as a rookie.

 

LeSean McCoy, RB

Eagles fans are huge fans of Knowshon Moreno, and wanted him drafted by Philadelphia with the 21st overall pick. Instead, the Denver Broncos drafted him 12th—one of the reaches of the draft.

The Eagles decided to draft McCoy, who ran for more yards and scored more touchdowns in the first two years of his Pitt career than Larry Fitzgerald did in his.

McCoy amassed a total of 2,816 yards and 35 touchdowns. But what stands out is his receiving capabilities. McCoy will play the role Correll Buckhalter did, but get a lot more carries to take some work off of Westbrook.

 

Cornelius Ingram, TE

The Eagles grabbed another steal. This one was late in day two of the NFL Draft. Ingram, a Florida Gator alum, missed all of 2008.

So why is he a steal?

In the Scouting Combine, he proved his health, showing the injury didn’t affect him all too much. When he is healthy, Ingram is productive as he proved in 2007, when he caught 34 passes for 508 yards and scored seven touchdowns. While Brent Celek is a good, reliable tight end, he doesn’t have the blocking skills Ingram has. It’s a great steal and wraps up a fantastic draft.

 

Ellis Hobbs, CB

With Eagles corner Sheldon Brown demanding a trade, the Eagles would need to either restructure his contract or trade him and find a new replacement.

It looks as if the Eagles have found their newest replacement.

After signing former Patriot Asante Samuel to a long—term deal last offseason, the Eagles pass defense was very good. It got even better on Sunday when the Eagles traded draft picks for former Patriot Ellis Hobbs. Hobbs, 25, had a bright year in 2008, compiling 47 tackles, three interceptions and 1.5 sacks. He also bolsters an already strong return game.

 

Marcus Thigpen, RB

With the clump of running backs getting drafted in the first two rounds, it’s a wonder a guy like Thigpen didn’t get drafted. While he stands at just 5’8″, guys who stand around that height, like Ray Rice and Darren Sproles, have proven size doesn’t necessarily matter.

Thigpen averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns last season for the Indiana Hoosiers. He’s an athletic guy, can make an impact in the return game, and runs good routes.

 

Sam Swank, K

We saw the run David Akers went on in the postseason. After struggling from long distance throughout the season, the 34-year old placekicker went 9-of-10 in the playoffs, including one from 51 yards away.

However, as stated, Akers is 34. While most kickers do last long, you can’t count on it, and it’s a wonder Swank didn’t get drafted. He had an off year in 2008, going just 11-for-17, but was 18-of-21 the year before and even made a 53-yard boot as a sophomore.

Reshard Langford, S

At 6’2″, 210 lbs., Vanderbilt safety Reshard Langford has ideal build. Some scouting publications projected him as a fourth— or firth—rounder, but the Philadelphia Eagles landed him as an undrafted free agent.

In a week and—a—half of steals, this may be one of the biggest. The Eagles have some depth at safety, so Langford may not get the time he wants to play. Still he’s a leader and commands respect on the field. I love his signing. I think he’ll make the team and can be a backup. If Quintin Mikell or Demps gets hurt, no worries.

 

The Baltimore Ravens were also hit by free agency early, losing Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard and Jason Brown. However, the team has signed Matt Birk, Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr. In addition to that, they got some good early draft picks, like Michael Oher, Paul Kruger, Lardarius Webb.

They also added some key undrafted free agents, including Graham Gano, Eron Riley and Dannell Elerbe. Scott and Leonhard both made tremendous impacts last season, as Scott was a big hitter at linebacker and Leonhard had a nose for the ball at safety while also a constant in the punt return game. Yet, the Ravens made up for it.

 

Matt Birk, C

The Ravens received great play from Jason Brown last year at center, but he opted to leave and sign a five year, $37.5 million contract with the Rams. The Ravens decided to play it cheap, adding six—time Pro Bowler Matt Birk.

Not only is Birk more experienced and accomplished, Birk signed a minuscule three—year, $12 million contract. At 32, he is definitely on the decline. However, Birk can, without a doubt, still play.

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said something nice when first round pick Michael Oher was introduced.

“We take care of Joe, Joe takes care of us.” It started with Birk.

 

Domonique Foxworth, CB

The Ravens had two aging corners lined up to start going into the offseason in Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister. Wisely, the Ravens traded for Fabian Washington, 25, before the season.

This definitely isn’t enough.

Samari Rolle is still a decent cover corner, but has his fair share of bad games. So the day free agency began, the Ravens signed Domonique Foxworth to a four year, $28 million contract. Foxworth is a hometown guy, as he played his high school ball 15 minutes away from M&T Bank Stadium. Foxworth, also 25, is a key component of the Ravens future.

 

Chris Carr, CB

After signing Foxworth, it looked as if the Ravens were done signing corners. But there is no such thing as too many cornerbacks. The Ravens decided to draft Chris Carr, the Titans nickel back/return specialist.

Last season, Carr was a key component to Tennessee’s magical season, compiling 32 tackles and one interception. In 2006 with Oakland, he returned an interception 100 yards against Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

While he is a good third corner, the reason the Ravens signed him was to get some return presence. He owns the Raiders franchise record for kick return yards and after joining the Titans in 2008, the Titans special teams went from 27th in the NFL to first.

On top of that, he’s 25.

 

Michael Oher, OT

The Ravens looked as if they would draft Brandon Pettigrew, Rey Maualuga or quite possibly, Hakeem Nicks in the first round before the craziness started.

However, the Ravens shocked everyone on draft day—trading up to grab Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher. Oher, 6’5″, 309 lbs., has rare versatility as he can play right or left tackle, has a great personality, and may get the chance to start right away opposite Jared Gaither—one of the best left tackles in all of football.

Oher was definitely a good selection, and being that he’s the tenth best prospect in the draft, it was a steal at No. 23.

 

Paul Kruger, DE

The Ravens bolstered their defense even more (if even possible) by adding Utah defensive end Paul Kruger. Kruger was the 48th best draft prospect and the Ravens got him with the 57th overall pick.

The Utah alum racked up 61 tackles, 16.5 for loss and had 7.5 sacks last year, which would equal 75 tackles, 20 for loss and nine sacks in a 16 game NFL season. When the NFL implements their 17-18 game schedule, which is possibly the future, those statistics would be even better.

To tell you the truth, I think it’s a great steal.

 

Lardarius Webb, CB

After Chris Carr, you’d think the Ravens would be done getting corners. They had signed three corners—all 25—in the last two offseasons.

Wrong.

Webb is quite small, at 5’9″, 179 lbs., but makes up for it in speed (4.46 40-yard dash) and playmaking ability (26.4 yards per INT return and was the only college football player ever to win player of the week on defense, offense and special teams).

Webb is a physical guy and Mel Kiper, Jr. even compared him to Bob Sanders. That may be a huge stretch for now, but his size and hitting ability is very similar. I’m not going to say that Webb becomes a Bob Sanders, but he can become the best Lardarius Webb he can be.

 

Graham Gano, K

The Ravens have always been good finding undrafted free agents.

Bart Scott signed a contract as an undrafted free agent and turned into one of the better linebackers in football. Jameel McClain was one of the undrafted free agents last season and is developing into one of the more promising linebackers.

The Ravens yesterday signed Gano, the No. 1 ranked kicker, as an undrafted free agent. Gano nailed 60 yarders with ease at the college football challenge and was 24-of-26 in the regular season. One word: steal.

 

Dannell Elerbe, LB

When the undrafted free agent process began, team GM Ozzie Newsome challenged Raven executives Eric DeCosta and Joe Hortiz to find the new Jameel McClain. They did in Elerbe.

Elerbe was the sixth—rated inside linebacker going into the draft, and the Ravens got him as an undrafted free agent. He isn’t the most productive with 32 tackles and two sacks, but he’s an impressive player and was even on the Butkus Award watch list.

 

Eron Riley, WR

While the Ravens, surprisingly enough, did NOT draft a wide receiver, the Ravens decided to nab one in the free agent process. They signed Duke wideout Eron Riley. Riley, 6’3″, 205 lbs., is a very productive guy.

Despite playing for a lackluster Duke football program, he averaged 16.7 yards per catch and even had 40 catches for 830 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. The wide receiver corps at the moment consists of Derrick Mason (35 years old), Mark Clayton (just 5’10”), Demetrius Williams (injury prone) and Marcus Smith (zero career catches), so Riley has a legit shot to make it as a No. 4 receiver.

2009 NFL Draft: Lions Fans, Stop The Hate

By Cory DeCoursey

One of the most fun things I do with my pathetic little NFL Draft-obsessed life is to go back in time.

Sorta.

Like many of you, I love the NFL Draft and will occasionally (or fanatically) make mock drafts.  But there is nothing sweeter than going back and laughing at my selections. 

I will compare my picks to The Gurus’ mocks, and be like, “Yeah!!  I scored because I had the Giants taking Andre Brown!!!” I had him in the second, they actually took him fourth.  But these are the victories in my life.

Then I sit back after the draft and say, “I am not a professional NFL scout, and these guys are smarter than me.”  No matter if a pick fails or not, these guys are doing more homework than the casual fan. 

This doesn’t absolve the decision-makers, but it does paint a clearer picture as to why teams do what they do on draft day.

However, today I had the idea to look back at mock drafts from ages past.  I decided on 1998. As a Tennessee boy, this was a big year for me and Volunteer fans who to this day love Peyton Manning like a brother.  Or uncle.  Or something. 

I also chose it because of the Manning/Ryan Leaf drama as well as the fall of The Great Randy Moss—although then he was just called “That Tall Skinny Troubled Super-Athletic Country-Boy Wide Receiver from a Small School”.  Anyway I decided to use this draft to see what The Gurus were saying about the prospects and try to apply that to the 2009 draft.  

What I came away with was that mock drafts are never close, Al Davis and Jerry Jones are as crazy now as they were 11 years ago, and that nobody on this planet knows for sure how good these players will be.

I tell this story as a Lions fan who is sick and tired of Lions fans’ grotesque hatred and mistrust of whoever is in charge.  They swear that bums off the street can do better than whoever is doing the picking, and it makes me sick. 

Inexact science, meet fan-boy know-it-alls. Product?  Failing logic and massive headaches.

Back to the 1998 Draft.  I won’t give away the specifics—look it up and enjoy yourself—but suffice it to say that nothing changes in sports. 

People love them some potential, and baggage is only a minor deterrent.  Ryan Leaf was loaded with potential (as well as hidden baggage), so much so that then-Chargers GM Bobby Beathard said he would rather have him than Manning. 

Al Davis wanted to trade out of the Charles Woodson pick (he preferred the faster Duane Starks, I presume).  Andre Wadsworth was called a young Bruce Smith. 

Randy Moss had more potential than all of them, but his baggage caused him to drop to the Vikings. Jerry Jones liked Moss at pick 8, but Moss’ baggage kept Jones from taking him because—get this—the Cowboys were trying to clean up their act.

The 2009 NFL Draft also had uber-quarterback drama, a dropping super-wideout, potential galore, and fans nit-picking every move (a given for draft-day).  The talent that came out of the 1998 class was enormous, and we can only hope that 2009 lives up to it as a whole. 

Michael Crabtree hopes his career mirrors that other falling receiver’s and Stafford hopes he possesses the same inner strength Peyton used to turn the league’s worst franchise into a perennial Super Bowl contender.

But what confuses me is the backlash I have seen from fans who can’t believe their team didn’t take “their” players.

The Lions said all along that they were going to pick their best players available.  This was no secret. 

What fans didn’t know was what order new GM Martin Mayhew had his list, or how blindly he would follow said list.  The selections of Brandon Pettigrew and Louis Delmas didn’t merely raise eyebrows, they enraged Lions fans who were dreaming of Rey Maualuga and some offensive or defensive line help.  Count me in that estimation. 

But upon further analysis, I produce the same verdict: “I am not an NFL scout, and these guys are smarter than me.” 

Pettigrew will be a massive force for the Lions, hopefully for the next decade.  Delmas is a headhunter and a terrific football player who will help solidify our weak secondary. 

In effect, Mayhew provided a major boost to the running game and the passing game with Pettigrew, and the pass defense and run defense with Delmas.  It’s actually brilliant how much those two positions can improve a team if they are utilized correctly.  And the Lions need help on all phases.

The Lions’ later selections also proved another thing to me: special teams will not be ignored.  Derrick Williams and Aaron Brown are questionable as position players, but dangerous return men. 

Zack Follett and DeAndre Levy will contribute on special teams, regardless of whether either is man enough to start at middle linebacker immediately.  Mayhew also tabbed two great project players in Sammie Lee Hill and Lydon Murtha. 

And don’t write off final pick Dan Gronkowski, who has the all-around game to stick with the Lions.  He has a great NFL body, blocking skills, and he ran a 4.68 at the combine to go with 26 reps.  He is James Casey with better size and blocking skills, but lesser hands.

Did we fill our holes with precision?  Not really. Were we going to compete for the Super Bowl in 2009 anyway?  Not a chance, but we have laid a great foundation.

The trick to being a good fan is to trust that the evaluators are smarter than you.  After that, it becomes easier to understand their methods. 

With Lions fans, I know that is difficult after Millen became our worst nightmare, but already writing them off as a disaster and predicting three wins is extremely harsh at this point.  Give them a couple more years before you bang on their moves.  Hell, give them a couple weeks.

I know the stakes are higher in today’s NFL draft, where a busted top-5 pick will set your team back five years, but this is not as easy as it looks.  I understand Lions fans wanted Aaron Curry or Jason Smith, but in five years we can look back and make that assessment.  Going out and lambasting the new front office over prospects who may or may not succeed is not the way to go. 

Give it some time, I beg, before you tear this new staff down. Remember, we loved a lot of Matt Millen’s selections when they were made, and look where that got us. 

NFL Draft Recap: The Winners and The Raiders

The NFL Draft is a renowned inexact science; therefore, any article recapping it will be doubly inexact.  Any math major will tell you that two negatives will equal a positive as well as the sum of 41.7 million is a large guarantee.  So, having said all of that, let’s take a look at the 2009 draft.

The Lions were off and running by signing Matthew (don’t call him Matt) Stafford before Saturday’s main event.  With his enormous amount of guaranteed money, the league really needs to look into a rookie salary scale. 

With the amount of cash being guaranteed increasing every year, financial responsibility must show its head sooner rather than later or we might see bad teams literally go bankrupt when saddled with the first pick of the draft.

The Lions picked up the best tight end of the draft in Brandon Pettigrew with the 20th pick.  If the Lions do this thing right, which is not their style (sorry to all ten of you Lions fans that are still out there) then Pettigrew will be an outlet receiver for Culpepper this year as Stafford sits on the sidelines, holds a clipboard and thinks about what he can spend all of his cash on.

Word to the wise, Matthew, don’t invest it in the stock market.  The rest of their draft filled needs on defense and they couldn’t resist drafting another receiver but at least they waited until the third round.

The Lions might have drafted another disaster but for right now, I am going to call them a winner.

The Eagles were again close enough to the Super Bowl last season to make their loss in the NFC title game (to the Cardinals—it still looks funny) all the more heart breaking.  They addressed their offensive shortfalls with their first three picks, highlighted by Jeremy Maclin. 

By adding LeSean McCoy they hope to have a back who will take carries away from Westbrook.  Cornelius Ingram is a big tight end that gives McNabb another option. 

It would have been nice to see them draft a safety to replace Brian Dawkins but they did pick up a couple of offensive linemen. The Eagles are close to getting back to the Super Bowl and this winner of a draft helps them.

The Jets are another team that is close and they might have picked up a franchise QB in Mark Sanchez.  With their two other picks, they stayed on the offensive side of the ball so that tells me that Coach Rex Ryan is pretty happy with his defense and this winner of a draft should keep them as a playoff contender.

I am a homer as a Browns fan and I liked what they did with their picks.  They traded non-stop in the first round to pick up more picks and even a few players that Coach Mangini liked from the Jets. 

They are a team full of needs and they were able to address offensive line needs with Alex Mack and defensive needs with David Veikune and Kaluka Maiava.  They didn’t create a need by trading away Braylon Edwards either and did strengthen their offensive skill positions in their winner of a draft.

The Packers struggled last year with their defense as they lost many close games to go 6-10.  They addressed that with their picks of BJ Raji and Clay Matthews so they should be back to drafting late in the first round with thier winner of a draft.

The Seahawks were beset with injuries last year but shored up their defense by getting what many believed was the best player in the draft in Aaron Curry.  They should be meeting the Packers in the playoffs next year and it will look strange without Favre or Holmgren around.

I love the Dolphins pick of Pat White in the second round but am skeptical of their first round pick of Vontae Davis.  Pat White fits the wildcat offense they run so well and he might end up being an elite QB in a few years.  He might allow them to move Chad Henne so they can make more questionable first round picks in the future and stop drafting QB’s in the second round.

Teams like the Colts, the Steelers, the Giants, the Titans, the Chargers and the Panthers all seem to be drafting in the back of the first round every season so you have to think they found another core of winners to keep their organizations ahead of the curve.

The Buccaneers made the most interesting pick when they traded up to get Josh Freeman. I put them square in the middle between the winners and the Raiders because this guy might be the best QB in the draft. 

He might end up being a career back-up and not worth a first round pick as well.  Josh Freeman is essentially what makes the draft an inexact science.

The Bengals did draft some talent, especially Andre Smith with the sixth pick, but they should look into character more and Nick Saban vouching for you is not a credible endorsement.  They might have figured it out and not Raidered their draft all up but for right now, their tiger stripes are looking silver and black to me.

The Cowboys star took a silver and black tinge as well just by drafting a kicker alone.  Without any first or second round picks, they might have done well by themselves by adding depth to a talented roster.  Or they might have Raidered it all up and drafted a bunch of special teamers (including a kicker—I might have already mentioned that).

The Bills seemed to have reached on their first round pick of Aaron Maybin but there have been undersized players who have excelled in the NFL after only one solid season of college. 

The team that Raidered the draft the most is (everyone please make sure you are sitting down) the Raiders.  One year they picked a kicker in the first round so they did better than that this season. 

They will soon rue the day they passed on Michael Crabtree for Darrius Hayward-Bey and they are in luck since they will be able to track his career from right across the bay.  Their second round pick, Mike Mitchell, wasn’t even invited to the combine. 

The Raider brass did come out to defend their picks but what else were they going to do?  Tell everyone that they are horrible, have been horrible and always will be horrible?

Of the teams I didn’t mention, I think the Texans are close to making their first playoff run and they did help themselves.  The Ravens will be solid again and have added good depth and maybe even a starter or two. 

The Broncos and Cardinals both picked up stud running backs. The Falcons picked up Tony Gonzalez before the draft to help their offense.  The Vikings picked up Percy Harvin but who is going to throw the ball to him? 

Teams like the Chiefs and Rams are having trouble competing in bad divisions so they can only go up.  The 49ers still need a QB so maybe the kid out of Ball State will be throwing the ball to Crabtree, I mean, would anyone even notice if it was Nate Davis, Shaun Hill or the former number one overall pick Alex Smith at this point?

The Saints helped their defense so look for them to rebound and make a playoff run.  The Redskins seem to be stuck in mud and didn’t get a new QB so, are they now happy with Campbell? 

The Jags were injured last season so the draft might add depth to their roster when they get their pieces back, Eugene Monroe might be one of those pieces though as he could start right away for that banged up offensive line.

I think I mentioned all 32 of the NFL teams now but if I missed one I have this to fall back on: this is an inexact article about an inexact science.

Now that the draft is over, other than the NFL replays on Sundays, there is no new NFL news until Brett Favre gets his itch in two to three months.  After that, the season will be starting and that can’t get here soon enough.

The Best of the 2008 NFL Draft

Who had the best NFL draft ? 

It wasn’t one of the prognosticators who spent hundreds of hours preparing tens of mock drafts.

They were all wrong. Most of them were wrong numerous times. It wasn’t the teams; all of them came away saying “We were hoping he’d slide to us and we’re just lucky to blah, blah, blah” at some point. 

It was probably Matthew Stafford and the other underclassmen. The NFL again opted for potential over dedication. The experts cheered. The teams cheered. The agents cheered, and the young got richer. There’s nothing wrong with that. 

I have a couple of questions for NFL General Managers, draft experts, and anyone else who cares to chime in. 

1. How does a player drop from a sure first-round pick to a third pick from January to April?  

I’m pretty sure Michael Johnson didn’t play any games during that time. No one can blame his combine workout. Maybe it was because he was a senior—too old. I heard the esteemed analysts say it was because Johnson took plays off.

Give me a break; the guy played outside in the ACC. It’s hot and muggy most of the season. He played at Georgia Tech, and there was no one really rotating in at his spot. As a team captain, maybe Johnson stayed on the field and tried even when exhausted, maybe not. 

And let us not forget another important fact: Michael Johnson blocked kicks. The All-American with nine sacks and 17.5 tackles for losses was playing special teams.

He dropped in selection for taking plays off.  Brilliant. 

 

2. How did we not hear the names Brian Toal and Ian Johnson called as teams were filling out the bottom thirds of their rosters on day two ? 

I kept hearing every expert refer to things like versatility, special teams, leadership, character and blah, blah, blah. Then on day two, when all of those things supposedly mattered, we saw more players chosen with legal issues (note to Percy Harvin whether I agree or not testing positive for marijuana is a legal issue) than degrees, or captains C’s. 

Sure, both Toal and Johnson have had injuries. They’ve both come back from injuries. McGahee got drafted coming out early, Adrian Peterson too, but guys who stayed in school for four years—forget about that. There seems to be something suspect about that. 

Versatility?

Toal was frosh defensive player of the year at BC ahead of Raji. They called him “First and Toal” for his ability around the goal line. I never saw him miss a tackle. 

Character? There’s a picture of Johnson that defines character in one way: he’s the kid making beanies and selling them to fill in the gaps of his scholarship. That’s character.

Then there’s the picture of Johnson that defines character in another way: he’s kneeling in the end-zone proposing to a cheerleader. That Johnson, what a character! (hopefully, Johnson makes the Vikings and he can tell Adrian Peterson what it was like winning that Fiesta Bowl game). 

Finally, my favorite picks. 

 

Round No. 1 – Alex Mack, Cleveland Browns

For months—beginning in January or earlier—I’ve been calling Mack the best offensive lineman in the draft. He fills a need for the Browns (sorry, Hank Fraley), and Mangini seems to like the idea of building around a center. 

 

Runner-Up – Michael Oher, Baltimore Ravens

I watched tape on Oher. He seemed like a good player. Very athletic for a tackle, but in the run game, Ole Miss’ other tackle, John Jerry, always got better push.

So I down graded Oher. (I love the Maclin pick in Philly at the spot too, but Oher won me over.) 

I was wrong. When a man comes out of the green room last, and among his first words are “I need to work on…” there’s room for growth. 

 

Round No. 2 – Ron Brace, New England 

There weren’t many nose tackles in the draft, and there were a lot of 3-4 teams. One of those teams probably should have gone ahead and taken a chance on Brace earlier. He’s the perfect fit behind Vince Woolfork. Imagine 650-700 pounds of nose tackle rotating in on AFC east centers. 

New England wins for another reason, too. Brace was one of four second round picks fr the Pats. He won’t be counted on to start like some of those first round picks. The Patriots passed on the flashy, expensive, and unproven.

They’ll probably pay about one-half of a Stafford-contract for all 12 of their picks, then spend the money on some proven free agent—they wing. Brace is another reason why they win, even if he never plays a down.

 

Runner-Up – William Beatty, New York Giants

Beatty jiggles a little. He’s not perfect. He doesn’t have to be. He has to be better than Kevin Boothe or Guy Whimper. He just has to step in for a Dave Diehl or a Kareem McKenzie often enough to keep them fresh and let the Giants keep running the ball now that Plax is gone. 

Round No. 3 – Michael Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals

If the Bengals stay in a 4-3 scheme—with Maulaga at ILB and Johnson at DE they should—then he could be the best pick of the draft.

Runner-Up – Kraig Urbik, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers needed help on the O-line. Urbik is my favorite guard, and standing at 6’5″ and weighing in at 320-pounds, he can line up at tackle, too.

He’s also familiar with playing a power running game, which should suit a more Mendenhall-oriented offense. Over 300 knock-down blocks in his career should also be a selling point to consider. 

This round was tough; I love the Bears’ selection of Jarron Gilbert—high risk, high reward—the Lions’ choice of Derrick Williams, who will only need to be a slot WR/RS in Detroit, and the Giants’ choice of Wisconsin TE Travis Beckum.

 

Round No. 4 – Gerald McGrath, Tennessee Titans

There’s something about Southern Miss linebackers: they get to the ball. McGrath has a lot of Michael Boley in him. 

 

Runner-Up – Vaughn Martin, San Diego Chargers

I never heard of Vaughn Martin prior to the draft, but he’s 6’3″, 330-pounds, runs under a 5.0 40-yard dash, and threw up 44 reps at Michigan’s pro day. He can play end in a 3-4. San Diego lost Igor Olshansky, and Vaughn fills a need. 

(I like DJ Moore, who was listed as a first-round pick based on game film, but a fourth-round pick on his 40 time and Lions pick Sammie Lee Hill. The Lions had to do something about that huge hole at DT.)

 

Round No. 5 – Marcus Freeman, Chicago Bears

I hate the idea that the Bears will be the only team still running the Tampa Two, but if you’re gonna run it, get players that fit. Marcus Freeman fits the system perfectly. 

 

Runner-Up – Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears

Full disclosure: I AM A BEAR FAN. I AM NOT a Jerry Angelo fan, nor am I a Lovie Smith fan, nor am I a fan of the Tampa Two. Knox, I could grow to be a fan of because he’s one of the fastest wide recievers in the draft. He catches with his hands. I watched the Texas vs All-Star game and Knox blew away some more higher-drafted competition. 

 

Round No. 6 – Matt Slauson, New York Jets 

Slauson can play anywhere on the line. His college coach for thee years is the new line coach in New York. He’s a versatile-character guy. Let’s hear it for the J-E-T-S! 

Runner-Up – Ra’Shon Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

Harris  may never play a down, but he’s 6’4″ and 300-pounds and quick enough to play end in a 3-4 set. Travis Kirschke is 35, Aaron Smith is 33, and Brett Keisel is 31. Seems like a good gamble. 

Round No 7 – AQ Shipley, Pittsburgh Steelers

He’s too short. So WHAT? Shipley can play football. He’s got some attitude. He’d probably fight through the Bengals, Browns, and Ravens just to get suited up. 

 

Runner-Up – Rickey Jean Francois, San Francisco

College wasn’t for Rickey—seventh round.

We’re talking about a guy who’d been the MVP of a Bowl Game. Long arms, strong enough to play DT, and quick enough to be a 4-3 end. The thing I like best about Jean-Francois is his background as a shot putter. You have to have great strength and explosion to put the shot. Jean-Francois is a very good shot putter. As a seventh-round pick, he was worth it.

Yup, my draft is a little heavy. It’s full of maulers. Big D-linemen—bigger O-linemen. Not a lot of flash.

Get the trenches taken care of and those free agents will want to play behind the big guys. Get them taken care of in the middle of the draft and you’ll have the money to spend on those free agents. 

 

 

 

 

 

Which Minnesota Vikings’ Free Agents Will Make the Team?

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After an encouraging 2009 draft, the Vikings have turned their focus to signing free agents. At first glance one may think it’s just another process to fill the field with practice players.

However, several of the 14 players recently signed by the Vikings have a great chance of being on the roster come September. Below are eight players that I believe has a good chance of making the roster as the Vikings are quietly building a super bowl contender.

Ian Johnson RB, Boise State, 5’11 212

Clocked 4.46 at the combine: His 4,183 yards and 58 career touchdowns equals one word – productive. Johnson is a shifty runner with good speed, hands and vision. He can also contribute as a kick returner.

Scouting reports credit a lackluster 2008 season as the main reason he went undrafted. He has all the physical skills to be the Vikings third running back. He only has to beat out former Iowa running back Albert Young.

Johnson is most famous for scoring the two-point conversion that upset heavy favorite Oklahoma in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. He has had some injuries, but barring anything major, I think he’s the blue collar guy that Brad Childress covets.  

He’ll be a great safety valve in case Chester Taylor gets tired of playing second fiddle to the great Adrian Peterson and wants out.

 

Safeties Colt Anderson (5’9 195) of Montana and Utah State’s Devon Hall (6’2 212) are interesting prospects.

 

Safety Devon Hall is 6’2, 212, runs a 4.45 forty and has a 39 inch vertical. Oh, My! A two-year starter in the Utah State secondary, the only knock in the scouting report is that he has a tendency to bite on pass fakes.

Ok, I admit we’ll have to fix that; but with 4.4 speed, he can probably recover pretty well.  Bottom line—he is a hard-hitting sure tackler that plays well in the box. I like Hall’s chances to make this roster at safety behind projected starters Madieu Williams and Tyrell Johnson.  Other safeties include Eric Frampton, Husain Abdullah and seventh round draft pick Jamarca Sanford

After watching safety Colt Anderson on YouTube, I came away with one conclusion—this guy can flat out play. He run a 4.54 in the 40 and makes up for his lack of height by utilizing great ball awareness and an ability to lay the wood on receivers coming across the middle.

The Vikings can use an intimidating force in the secondary or another torpedo to break up wedges on kickoffs. Anderson wraps up in space and shoots the gaps to make plays. I love his intensity.

As for his chances of sticking, the competition in the secondary will be intense. Although his height will hurt him, he has some value as a strong safety and special team’s player. He’s a long shot, but nevertheless deserves a good look.

Several other signees that pique my interest include wide receiver Nick Moore, linebacker Robert Francois, guard Andy Kemp and center Jon Cooper.

Toledo’s Nick Moore (6’3 193), lit up Michigan last October with 20 receptions and 167 yards! He runs a 4.53 forty yard dash and has a 35″ vertical. This guy knows how to get open and has great hands. After Berrian, Harvin, Wade and Rice, Moore could slice in for quality playing time.

He will be a good player to keep close in case of injury to any of the top four wide outs. The Vikings picked up Glen Holt as a free agent earlier to join speedsters Aundrae Allison, Jaymar Johnson and Darius Reynaud as other receivers vying for a roster spot. However, Nick Moore may be more complete than any of them.

 

Oklahoma center Jon Cooper (6’3 290) is the 2008 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year. That has to count for something. Cooper’s scouting report calls him a smart technician who makes intelligent line calls; something the Vikings can use after losing Matt Birk.

The report by Consensus Draft Services goes on to read that Cooper is “very quick off the ball and into his blocks. Good cut blocker who can get to the second level and excels in combination blocks.

Very strong hands and sticks to his man. Good pass blocker who uses leverage to his advantage, and is aware of stunts and blitzes.” Sounds like the Vikings may have found a true gem at a need position. I’m guessing this guy makes the team.

 

Boston College linebacker Robert Francois (6’2 245) is an impressive physical specimen with 4.6 speed. He had 82 tackles, (9 for losses) and 2 sacks in 2008.  The knock on him is he does not play up to expectation. Imagine what he can do if he gets the right motivation.

According to the scouting report, “(Francois) looks the part off the bus. Nice OLB size. Straight line fast. Decent lateral quickness and agility. Plays like Godzilla in spurts. Test very well athletically.” If he truly plays like Godzilla, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier will find room for him on the depth chart.

 

Andy Kemp 6’6 315 Guard, Wisconsin rated as one of the top undrafted players. Kemp could add value to the Vikings because the team is thin at guard and he can play both sides, if needed. Scouts love his strength in the run game, but also rated him a little slow on pulling plays.

Monday Night Football: San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

There are exactly 139 days until the Oakland Raiders host the San Diego Chargers on prime time television in front of the whole world on September 14, 2009 on ESPN Monday Night Football.

In those 139 days, the Oakland Raiders will hold mini-camps, training camps, practices, go from Napa to Alameda, formulate there roster and depth charts, and will have four preseason games to prepare for the upcoming season.

The last time the Oakland Raiders won a opening regular season game was in 2002, under coach Bill Callahan when the Raiders defeated the Seattle Seahawks 31-17.

Since then for the last six seasons in a row, the Oakland Raiders have lost there opening regular season game, which in return has been a preview on how the rest of the season played out.

The importance of winning Week One needs to be the main focus of the 2009-2010 Oakland Raiders football team. This trend of losing needs to end September 14, 2009. The Raiders need to have a positive and good start, something the Raiders haven’t had in a long time.

There will be no greater test for the Oakland Raiders then there divisional rivals, the San Diego Chargers who hold a current 11-game winning streak that dates back to Week 17 of the 2003-2004 regular season.

Monday Night Football, in which the world will get a peek into the black hole.

For one day out of 365 days of the year. Oakland, California will be in the limelight of ESPN. The whole world will be watching the Oakland Coliseum. Just thinking about the energy inside the stadium gives me goosebumps, on how exciting this game will be.

On stage will be our great fan-base the Raider Nation, ESPN will show the Bay Bridge, Downtown Oakland, Jack London Square, the history of the Raiders, ESPN will discuss the draft picks, Al Davis, etc.

Anything to do with Oakland, ESPN will cover.

This will be the Oakland Raiders time to shine, this will be our chance to prove to everyone that the culture has changed, that the Raiders have been making positive improvements to becoming the franchise that we once where.

Since 2003, the Oakland Raiders have been involved in seven Monday Night Football games in which they have lost all seven, with the hate that the media gives Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders, and the horrible showing on prime time games, it is all but true the perception of the Oakland Raiders is a joke franchise.

When September 14 comes around and it’s time for the NFL Broadcasters to make their picks on who they think will win the game, Oakland or San Diego, I’m willing to bet that not a single one of them from any television network (FOX, CBS, ESPN, NFL NETWORK) will pick the host Oakland Raiders to win.

I, for one, feel that these broadcasters don’t know what there fully talking about when they discuss Raiders football. They see the Raiders as a franchise they don’t like, see there record, and just make statements in which they laugh and poke fun at us in the Raider Nation.

This has been going on for the last seven seasons for us Raiders fans here in Northern California and Raiders fans around the world, and like Obama it’s time for a change.

People are quick to forget what it means to be an Oakland Raider, what it means to wear Sliver and Black.

September 14 will be our chance to prove everyone in the world wrong.

September 14 will be our chance to earn respect.

September 14 will be the day Oakland Raiders fans celebrate

This is a must win game for the Raiders franchise, there are only 139 days, the countdown begins.

Final Thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens Draft

When Oklahoma State TE Brandon Pettigrew went off the board at 20th pick to the Lions, Ozzie Newsome’s most coveted player was gone. Rather than trading back to gain more picks, Newsome and the Ravens moved up to take Ole Miss tackle Michael Oher, whose story is now the subject of a book and a future film.

Oher started 47 straight games in the SEC, and was rated as a top 15 pick by most experts, so his experience and pedigree is not in question. If all goes according to plan, Oher will grow with this young offensive line, featuring Jared Gaither and former number-one pick Ben Grubbs. 

The next choice by the Ravens, Paul Kruger, is an interesting one. He was a 4-3 defensive end in college, and will most likely be used in pass rushing situations next year. He’s a “high motor” guy, which makes me think of Jarrett Johnson who starts opposite Terrell Suggs.

Both of these players should be able to play and contribute as rookies. 

Third-round pick Ladarius Webb seems to be a versatile player with a lot of spunk, but will have a lot of competition to play in a defensive backfield that already contains Samari Rolle, Fabian Washington, Ed Reed, Tom Zbikowski, Haruki Nakamura, Dawan Landry, Frank Walker, Chris Carr, and Dominique Foxworth.

Although the talent has been stockpiled by Newsome and Eric DeCosta, the saying in the NFL is that you can never have too many corners. The Ravens saw that in 2007, when they were decimated by opposing passing attacks after Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle got injured.

There is also a question about how well Dawan Landry will return from the scary spinal chord injury he suffered against Cleveland last season. Webb will be able to contribute on the kick and punt coverage units, both of whom struggled last year.

Sixth round pick Cedric Peerman doesn’t fill a need, but he was a good player who I saw a lot while he played at UVA. His numbers weren’t jaw dropping, but he was. If he is given a chance, he could be a productive player at times, especially if McClain has to play more fullback next year with Lorenzo Neil apparently not in the fold. 

Overall, I like Baltimore’s draft. However, the question now becomes: How did we improve our team? Oher will come in and compete with Willie Anderson for the right tackle spot. But even if he wins the position he would not be expected to perform at a Pro Bowl level, although he is apetizing solution to a position that has been manned by players such as Adam Terry and Ethan Brooks in recent seasons.

So called “experts” have said Kruger won’t make anyone forget about Bart Scott, but as they don’t play the same position there is no comparison. Most likely, Kruger will only play in pass rushing situations.

While many of these players drafted can, and will, contribute, we are still lacking a receiver for Joe Flacco to grow with. A franchise WR is the one position now missing from Baltimore.

Derrick Mason has been productive, receiving over 1,000 yards the last two seasons, but he is aging. He was also Flacco’s main target on third down plays last year, as Mark Clayton fails to live up to his first round draft pick status.

One can only hope that Mason remains productive, Clayton continues to improve, and that Demetrius Williams stays healthy. The rest of the pieces are there, that group needs to step up for the Ravens to de-throne Pittsburgh. 

The Razor’s Edge: Edgerrin James Released

In a move that was very much long anticipated, the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals have released ill-tempered running back Edgerrin James.  He was entering his final year of a four-year/$30 million deal.

James had been extremely unhappy with Cardinals management as well as talent, feeling that he was being forced into becoming a “blocking back.”  He demonstrated his unhappiness when in the midst of a deep playoff run in 2008, he claimed he would not be returning with the team regardless of their postseason outcome. 

Edgerrin would go on to continuously share time with J.J. Arrington, and despite heating up rather quickly on the field, still displayed he was upset.

This past Sunday, the Cardinals drafted running back Chris “Beanie” Wells out of Ohio State, thus signifying the end of “The Edge” in Arizona.  While this was all occurring, it was revealed that James himself was even unaware of the draft status, and was actually attending a Miami Heat playoff game in Florida.

James stands as first in all rushing yards amongst active players, but only rushed for 514 yards with three touchdowns in 2008.

The former Miami Hurricane alumnus was drafted in 1999 with the fourth overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts.

Check out www.sportsfullcircle.com for more information as it is released.

Arizona Cardinals Release Edgerrin James

In what really comes as no surprise to anyone who follows the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals have confirmed they have released Pro-Bowl running back Edgerrin James.

This comes just a few days after the Cardinals used their first-round draft pick to pick up Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells.

James and the Cardinals have been at odds with each other since the midway point of last season. Edgerrin saw his carries per game drop significantly as they season progressed, and he was willing to let any and everyone know he was not happy.

James was entering the final year of his contract with the Arizona Cardinals and he had ask the team to either be traded or let go so he could persue another team.

At 30 years of age, it is possible that James still has some good years of football left in him. James made a name for himself in the NFL while playing with the Indianapolis Colts. However, like so many other players his time out in the desert of Arizona has not been kind to him.

Where James will go no could be an interesing question. While he may not be a feature back anymore there is no doubt he could help any team that is looking for an extra pop coming out of their backfield.

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