What to Expect From The Steelers Running Backs After This Year.

I wrote an article the other day about the state of the Steelers receivers after this year.  I’ve decided to expand that to the state of the rest of the team, starting with running backs.

Fast Willie Parker.

Fast Willie broke into Steelers fans hearts in 2004 as an undrafted free agent.  Although he did not get a lot of playing time. 

In the final game of the season, against the Buffalo Bills, the only game which he started (Bill Cowher was resting Jerome Bettis and Deuce Staley) Parker rushed for 102 yards, including one rush for 58 yards up the left sideline.

In 2005, Fast Willie grabbed the reigns of the starter.  When Jerome Bettis and Deuce Staley were both injured in the pre-season, Parker took off, never to look back.

Parker rushed for just over 1,200 yards, finishing sixth all time for a Steelers.  That puts him in pretty good company.

In the Super Bowl that year, Parker started off the second half with a 75 yard run, the longest play from scrimmage in the history of the game, to that point.

Rashard Mendenhall.

When Rashard Mendenhall fell to the Steelers with the 23rd pick in the 2008 draft, the Steelers had to take him.  Many people believed that he would eventually be Parkers replacement.

After a broken shoulder in week four against the Baltimore Ravens, Mendenhall was placed on injured reserve, ending his rookie season four games in.

Kevin Colbert later said, Mendenhall recovered quickly enough that he could have been active in the playoffs, but not knowing how he would recover, the Steelers couldn’t wait to see.

Mewelde Moore.

Moore was a surprise last year, filling in very nicely while Parker and Mendenhall were injured.  He started four games in the middle of the season and played the role of third down back perfectly.

After signing with the Steelers from the Minnesota Vikings, Moore has adapted very well to the third down back.

Frank “The Tank” Summers.

The rookie from UNLV is coming to the Steelers with the goal of spending his rookie season as a special teams animal and a short-yardage battering ram.

In his freshman season at UNLV, “Tank” tried to leap over the pile and was stuck in mid air for no gain.  When he got to the sideline, his coach told him, you have to know who you are, and you are not a jumper.

Summers took that as it was and has not tried to leap over a pile since.  Now he puts his shoulder down and plows straight ahead.

The course of the future for our running back situation will be decided over the 2009 season.  If Willie Parker can stay healthy, and have a good year, he very likely will be resigned. 

Mike Tomlin is probably hoping that Mendenhall will take over the starters role this year.  If Mendenhall can show he has the ability to, he will become the starter, and Parker will be used as a change of pace guy.

Mewelde Moore is in a position where he can play his heart out, but his future will not be determined by him.  If Willie Parker is resigned, Moore will be let go.

The citizens of Steelers Nation are hoping that Summers is going to be the next Jerome Bettis.  He has the size, and seems to have the quick feet, but will that carry over to the NFL as it was in college?

If it does, everyone mentioned above better watch out.  Another Bettis could spell the end of the line for everyone else.

Fantasy Football Roundtable: AFC North Edition

It’s already late June, which means time to really start gearing up for the fast-approaching 2009 fantasy football season.

Over here at Bruno Boys headquarters that means discussions of events happening around the NFL are in full-force. Today, Bruno Boys Larry and Bruno Boys Ziza are breaking down the AFC North.

——————–

AFC North Burning Questions!

1. With all of the injury concerns revolving around Carson Palmer, not to mention downgrading from T.J. Houshmandzadeh to Laveraneus Coles at the wide receiver postion, what type of year do you expect from the quarterback?

Bruno Boys Ziza:  Larry, the most important thing at this point is to make sure that Carson Palmer remains healthy. According to reports, Palmer is gaining strength and has rediscovered the zip on his passes. If he continues to progress like that until training camp, he will be a very solid quarterback; one that you can trust as a QB1 option in deeper leagues.

He definitely still has some legitimate talent around him, headlined by star wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. He should be just fine.

Bruno Boys Larry: Ziza, you couldn’t be more right. The most important thing will be making sure that Carson Palmer remains healthy in 2009, but if he does (and I believe he will) I look for Palmer to return to form quickly.

This is a quarterback who heading into last season had three consecutive seasons with over 3,800 passing yards with at least 26 touchdowns in each season. As you said, Ziza, he is progressing well and he should be ready to start training camp on time. Barring any setbacks, Palmer could vault back into the top ten in quarterbacks in 2009.

2. After a pretty successful 2007 season as a group, the Cleveland Browns offense completely flopped in 2008. During the offseason, they traded tight end Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What do you see from the offense this season?

Bruno Boys Larry:  I have to say there was not a more disappointing team to me in 2008 than the Cleveland Browns and, Ziza, that includes our beloved Detroit Lions who went 0-16.

The Lions did not have high expectations heading into last season, but after finishing 10-6 in 2007 expectations were soaring for the Browns. They finished the season 4-12 and were just plain awful at times.

Their offense which exploded in 2007 went stagnant last season. And what might be even more puzzling is what this team did in the offseason: After bringing in a new coaching staff with Eric Mangini at the helm, they trade one of their best offensive players in tight end in Kellen Winslow.

I have to say I am completely baffled by this team, and I do not have high expectations for any of the Browns players from a fantasy football standpoint for 2009.

Bruno Boys Ziza:  In all honesty, this offense went through a horrible funk last season and is entering 2009 having traded away their star tight end in Kellen Winslow and is still willing to trade Braylon Edwards if they get the right package deal for him. That is not encouraging considering that their running back Jamal Lewis is getting older.

I don’t see much that is positive to elaborate on, but I do see plenty of negative. That is why I would not touch any of the Cleveland Browns this year.

Fantasy Football Preferences – AFC North (Based on 12 team, standard scoring leagues)

1. Ray Rice vs. Willis McGahee vs. LeRon McClain

Bruno Boys Larry:  RICE. The easy answer would be to go with the veteran McGahee here or even McClain who was the team’s best back in 2008, but I believe when all is said and done, it will be the second-year man Rice who this team will rely on at running back.

McClain is expected to be used more as a fullback this season and Rice is younger and faster than McGahee and, I believe, better suited to be the team’s primary back.

The only drawback with Rice is the fact that McClain and McGahee will likely see the bulk of short yardage and goal line situations, which may limit Ray’s touchdowns.

Bruno Boys Ziza: RICE. All three of these backs have talent and, in a way, all three will be stealing carries from one another this season. But if it were to come down to one back that I would like to have off of this roster, it would most definitely be Ray Rice.

According to his offensive coordinator, Rice has improved all over the board. Further more, he is entering his second season, meaning he has had the opportunity to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. I, for one, believe Rice is going to have an excellent 2009 campaign.

2. Willie Parker vs. Jamal Lewis

Bruno Boys Ziza: PARKER. It isn’t that I am blown away by Willie Parker’s talent as he has not lived up to the expectations that were bestowed on him after a great start to his career. But, Parker is still young enough to make an impact whereas Jamal Lewis is getting older and is definitely on the downturn of his career.

Even with Rashard Mendenhall getting some of the playing time this year, Parker should produce adequately enough to be a solid RB3 option in deeper leagues.

Bruno Boys Larry:  PARKER. This wasn’t even close for me. Sure, Lewis actually had more yardage than Parker in 2008, but fast Willie did miss five games due to injury.

Lewis turns 30 this season and appears to be heading to the downside of his career. Plus, Lewis plays for the Browns who, compared to the Steelers, are offensively challenged. If Parker can stay healthy this season, he should improve on his yardage totals.

The addition of Rashard Mendenhall, who missed most of his rookie season with injuries, should help keep some of the wear and tear off of Parker’s 29-year-old body.

3. Pittsburgh DEF vs. Baltimore DEF

Bruno Boys Ziza: PITTSBURGH. There is a mixture of solid veterans with younger players in Pittsbugh that I just love. Honestly, though, both defenses are great and both team’s deploy a solid ground attack, which only helps keep opposing offenses off of the field.

You really can’t go wrong with either as I like them both pretty evenly. But when it comes down to it, I would put the Pittsburgh Steelers defense under my name during draft day. Expect big things from both defenses, though, this year.

Bruno Boys Larry: PITTSBURGH. This was another easy choice for me, Ziza. The Steelers did not lose much from the dominant defense that helped lead them to the Super Bowl in 2008. The Ravens, also, had a dominant defense in 2008, but they had some significant losses during the offseason.

The most notable losses for the Ravens were linebacker Bart Scott and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Both Scott and Ryan were key cogs in the Ravens defensive machine in 2008, and I believe they will be greatly missed this season. The Steelers, on the other hand, will likely finish the season as a top three defense once again.

Bruno Boys’ Quick Hits (Opinions Delivered Harder than Ray Lewis Tackles!)

1. Best addition by a team in the AFC North?

Bruno Boys Larry:  The best addition to an AFC North team during the offseason to me has to be wide receiver Laveranues Coles to the Cincinnati Bengals. Coles isn’t likely more than a low-end WR2 or even a WR3 from a fantasy standpoint, but his value to the Bengals may be greater than any other AFC North offseason move.

Coles should help make up for the loss of free agent wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to the Seattle Seahawks. He will be a reliable veteran for Carson Palmer to lean on, and he should help take pressure off both Chad Ochocinco and Chris Henry.

Bruno Boys Ziza:  While he was with the team last year, Rashard Mendenhall missed most of the season because of injury. In a lot of ways, this will qualify as his rookie year, which is why I am choosing him.

As long as he is healthy this year, I see him becoming the goal line back as well as getting a solid amount of carries behind Willie Parker to garner him as a solid RB4. The potential lies there as well for him to see an even bigger role in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense should Parker get hurt.

2. Biggest sleeper from the AFC North?

Bruno Boys Ziza:  We talked about him earlier; my biggest sleeper for 2009 out of this division is quarterback Carson Palmer. He has just enough question marks surrounding him to where plenty of fantasy owners will be scared off in selecting him. However, he does have potential and some serious talent around him that if he does continue to heal from his elbow injury, he will qualify as a QB1 in deeper leagues.

Considering that quarterback is an important position in fantasy football and that his draft value will be low while his potential remains high, I see no one that even nears his possible impact this season as a solid sleeper.

Bruno Boys Larry: Ziza, I don’t necessarily disagree with you about Carson Palmer. Though, I do believe he will be drafted as a QB2 in many drafts this summer, and he has a chance to finish the season as a QB1. But I will go with Rashard Mendenhall as the biggest sleeper in the AFC North this season.

Mendenhall will enter the season with low expectations and minimal value, but in the Steelers’ ball-control offense Mendenhall has a chance to shine. He is a big strong runner who will likely move into the role of the Steelers’ short yardage back.

With Willie Parker as the team’s primary back, Mendenhall might not have huge yardage totals, but I believe he has a chance to approach double digit touchdowns and could make a nice RB3 in this offense by the end of the season.

3. Biggest possible bust for the AFC North?

Bruno Boys Larry:  I will go with the Baltimore Ravens D/ST as the biggest bust in this division in 2009. Now, I am not saying that the Ravens aren’t going to be a starting fantasy D/ST this season, because they are. What I am saying is that many owners will draft Baltimore’s defense earlier than they should and this could make them a bust.

This is a defense that is getting older and with the key losses I stated earlier in the discussion in linebacker Bart Scott and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan (who are both now with the New York Jets) I believe this team will fall outside the top five or six defensive units in fantasy football.

If you spend an early pick on the Ravens as a top two or three defense this season, I believe you are setting yourself up for a bust.

Bruno Boys Ziza:  This one is an easy one. Whoever starts for the Cleveland Browns at quarterback, between Derek Anderson and likely starter Brady Quinn, will be thrown into a bad situation.

They traded tight end Kellen Winslow and have been trying to move wide receiver Braylon Edwards. That alone is going to bring an iffy atmosphere into the locker room.

While everything went right in 2007, nothing will be going right in 2009. Stay away and let one of your opponents select one of these quarterbacks.  

For more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below…

Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

2009 NFL Position Battles to Watch: Quarterbacks

The NFL’s Actual Top Five Teams of the Decade

I just came across an article on ESPN.com, where the teams are rated, since the beginning of the decade.
Rather than dispute the entire list, I have decided to create my own list top five.

You will see first my ranking, and then where ESPN has them ranked. I will explain to you why I felt they were wrong, and I was right.

The Green Bay Packers’ Best Running Back Is Not Who You Think…

In any discussion I have seen of the current Green Bay Packers running backs, the theme is the same: Can Ryan Grant return to the form of his rookie year and if not, will they finally give Brandon Jackson a chance to start?

In a recent interview, former Packers executive Andrew Brandt was asked why Brandon Jackson did not get more of an opportunity to play last year, Brandt stated without hesitation that there were people in the Packer organization that wanted Ryan Grant to be the starter last year, even as he was struggling on the field and battling a hamstring injury.

Packers beat writer Greg Bedard seconded that feeling when told of Brandt’s comment. All indications are that it was not the coaches, but the Packers front office pushing Grant as the starter to justify the new contract he was given.

So as Packer fans continue arguing Grant vs. Jackson, I am here to throw a monkey wrench into the debate. Neither one of them is the best running back on the Packers. Lurking in the wings and waiting for his chance could very well be the best running back on the Green Bay Packers roster—Kregg Lumpkin.

As a running back from the University of Georgia, Kregg Lumpkin is in good company. Herschel Walker, Terrell Davis, Rodney Hampton, Garrison Hearst and other top NFL running backs have all came out of “Tailback U”.

Lumpkin was expected to have as good a college career as any of them. But that did not happen. Lumpkin made the Packers roster as an undrafted rookie, and then ended up spending most of the season on injured reserve.

So what has he done for me to say he is the Packers’ best running back? Why would I go out on such a precarious limb? What evidence is there to support this hypothesis?

Well, a lot of it may be circumstantial, but let me present my case.

Kregg Antonio Lumpkin was born in Albany, Georgia, about 60 miles North of Talahassee, Florida. His family later relocated to Stone Mountain Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Lumpkin played High School football there  at Stephenson HS.

He started all four year at running back, and rushed for 2,088 yards during his junior season and 1,456 yards with 15 touchdowns as a senior.

Lumpkin was a Parade All-American and named the number one overall HS recruit from the State of Georgia. He was also ranked as the second best running back prospect in the entire nation, second only to some kid named Reggie Bush.

With those credentials and a 4.4 40-yard dash time, Lumpkin was recruited by top football programs like the University of Miami and the University of Florida. But those programs had little chance of landing him. Lumpkin chose to stay close to home and committed to the University of Georgia, less than an hour away.

In 2003, as a true freshman at Georgia, Lumpkin played in 12 games and finished as the team’s second leading rusher with 523 yards on 112 carries. But he missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, and fought it the rest of the year, starting a pattern of physical problems.

That pattern continued the next year. After being name “Most Improved Running back” at Spring practice, Lumpkin came to training camp ready to win the starting tailback position. That quest lasted about an hour, as he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the first practice and was put on medical red-shirt for 2004.

Lumpkin battled back from that serious injury to play in the 2005, season, albeit in a part-time role. He appeared in 13 games, but was used carefully and sparingly, gaining 335 yards on the season, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

In 2006, his 3rd year of college football, Lumpkin started nine games at tailback, rushing for 800 yards and 6 TDs, while averaging 4.9 yards per carry. This was also the year he started to show his soft hands and pass-catching skills, pulling in 17 passes on the year.

Lumpkin was primed and ready for his senior season. Listed as the No. 1 Tailback, Lumpkin played in only five games due to a broken right thumb, the arrival of Knowshon Moreno and then another serious injury to his left knee, once again requiring season-ending injury.

Lumpkin evidentally made the most of all his time on the injury list. He concentrated on his studies and graduated with dual B.S. degrees in consumer economics and housing.

With his inability to stay on the field as well as a poor 40 time at the NFL Combine (4.64), Luimpkin’s name was not called in the 2008 NFL Draft. But the Packers’ southeast scout, Brian Gutekunst, college scouting director John Dorsey and general manager Ted Thompson all liked what they had seen of him. After the draft,  quickly signed Lumpkin to the team as an undrafted free agent.

During preseason, Lumpkin got an opportunity to show what he could do and made the most of it. He finished the preseason as the Packers leading rusher (38 carries, 153 yards, 4.0-yard average, one touchdown) and also added seven receptions for 59 yards and another TD. 

The Packers were so impressed with Lumpkin that they cut three veteran running backs (Noah Herron, DeShawn Wynn and Vernand Morency) and kept Lumpkin as the No. 3 Running Back. The Packers coaches were sure they had themselves a real find.

Head coach Mike McCarthy said, “He runs physical. He continues to improve. He breaks tackles. He’s a better player when he gets past the line of scrimmage than I originally thought. As he gets more comfortable, you see the physicality of his play has increased. I thought he did some good things.”

McCarthy later added, “Lumpkin is a perfect example of what you’re looking for in a rookie. I think talent-wise, he brings a lot to the table, and he’s improved every week. That’s what you’re looking for in rookies, to take advantage of their opportunity. He’s put together a nice training camp.”

Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said the 5-foot-11, 228-pound Lumpkin is “a pretty good fit for this system, with his style of running. He’s not a real dancer, he’s got a little bit of straight-line (speed), which I think fits us well. He’s got nice size, he’s a good-looking guy in pads. He looks like a running back. He’s got some good attributes, no question… He’s certainly produced when he’s been in there.”

Lumpkin was ecstatic to make the Packers roster, but expected it. “I don’t think I’ve surprised myself,” said Lumpkin, “I feel confident in what I’m doing.”

With Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson nursing injuries going into game two vs. Detroit, Lumpkin got a lot of work in practice that week with the No. 1 offense. While both Grant and Jackson were expected to play, the Packers were not worried if Lumpkin had to be pressed into service.

“I think he could handle it all,” coach Mike McCarthy told reporters in Green Bay. “He’s done a very good job with his opportunities.”

Grant and Jackson did play, but the Packers still got Lumpkin some playing time and he did well. He carried the ball once for nineteen yards and caught 3 passes for 22 yards. After the game Coach McCarthy said that Kregg Lumpkin “absolutely” earned more playing time going forward with his Week 2 effort.

But alas, the injury bug would hit once again. Lumpkin suffered a hamstring injury in practice and spent the next three weeks trying to come back, but to no avail. The Packers finally decided they need a healthy No. 3 running back on the roster, so they put Lumpkin on the injured reserve list and called up DeShawn Wynn from the Practice Squad. Once again, Lumpkin’s season came to an early end.

So now that you know the Kregg Lumpkin story, you can see it is one of disappointment and unrealized potential. Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of cold hard evidence to go by. But I do remember watching him in pre-Season last year and being really impressed. I remember thinking at that time, without knowing a thing about him, “this kid is going to make the team”.

What did I like about him? He is a North-South runner that runs hard, low to the ground and is tough to bring down. Unlike Ryan Grant, runs with his head up and has great vision.

Unlike Brandon Jackson, he picks his hole quickly and has the ability to drive the pile. He also has soft hands as a receiver and has proven he has the ability to pass protect. The only thing he lacks is breakaway speed, but the Packers do not exactly design their offense for the 60 yard run anyway.

As described earlier in this article, the Packers coaches like what they’ve seen of Lumpkin. They see him as the move-the-chains type running back their offense calls for.I have also studied video of him at Georgia. He always seems to make the most of every run, and has been a consistant 5 yard-per-carry guy.

The big question of course, is, can he stay healthy? While there is no historical evidence to make you think he will, there is reason for hope. That hope lies in the Packers’ Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame coach, Dave “Red-Man” Redding.

Red-Man is an old-schooler, prefers the free weights over machines, is a motivator and is most concerned with keeping players on the field. Here is how Redding describes his philosophy:

“I don’t care what they can max out at,” he said. “I don’t care what they can do 10 times at a max load. I’m here to weight train them to make them better football players. This is not about how much we lift. It’s about how healthy we can stay and how well we can play throughout the year.”   

Beautiful.

While the Packer Organization would prefer Ryan Grant to live up to the big contract they awarded him, a healthy Lumpkin has consistently caught the eye of the Packers coaches.

If he can stay healthy, perhaps as the year progresses he will earn a share of the carries, especially if Grant struggles once again. At the very least, he may steal some snaps from Brandon Jackson.

Kregg Lumpkin could be the best running back on the Green Bay Packers. I know, it is a big leap of faith, a roll of the dice and a lot of “IFs”. But it is my feeling and I am sticking with it.

In his appropiately-named poem “IF”, Rudyard Kipling writes:

“If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too.”

If you think I’m crazy, Packer fans, it’s okay, I’ll understand.

——————

You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: NFL Touchdown, Packers Lounge, Packer Chatters , Jersey Al’s Blog and, of course, Bleacher Report.

How Long before the Parcells Regime Puts a Gag on Dolphin Tweeters?

Twitter. By now, you have likely heard of it. By the name of it, you would think it was a hot new toy for toddlers, or a new female pop group. However, names can be deceiving. In actuality, Twitter is a communication platform so powerful that it has the potential to topple kingdoms.

Drew Brees: Why the Underrated Quarterback Will Solidify Elite Status in ’09

Drew Brees entered the National Football League in 2001.

He was drafted in the second round by the San Diego Chargers, who did need help at the quarterback position.

In his rookie season, he did not get a shot of running the offense, appearing in only one game that season.

However, his work ethic landed him the starting gig in 2002 and he would never look back.

He threw for 3,284 yards, 17 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, a year which you could compare to the Ravens Joe Flacco that he had when taking his first snaps as quarterback.

The 2003 season worsened, as he threw for only 2,108 yards, 11 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and he had a passer rating of 67.5.

The organization began to think a new quarterback was needed and they went on to draft Philip Rivers.

The pressure was on Brees, and he performed up to task in his next two seasons.

In 2004, he won Comeback Player of the Year honors, passing for 3,159 yards, 27 touchdowns on only seven interceptions, which led to a 104.8 passer rating.

The 2005 season led to his career year in passing yards with 3,576, along with 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in that season.

However, a season-ending injury in 2005 ended his stint with the Chargers, who made Rivers their quarterback.

Brees went big financially in the off season, finding his new home named the New Orleans Saints, and signed for a six year, $60 million contract.

His first season in New Orleans exceeded expectations, as he led the league with 4,418 yards, was third in the league with 26 touchdown passes, while only throwing 11 interceptions.

Brees was the runner up in the MVP voting, which helped the Saints surge to the playoffs.

In his first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he didn’t put up the high stats as in previous games, yet they advanced to the NFC Championship Game against the Chicago Bears, where they did come up short.

He had similar stats in the 2007 season, with 4,423 yards, 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Yet, he established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the league after his 2008 performance.

He passed for a league high 5,069 yards, just 15 yards short of the single-season passing record held by Dan Marino. This season also included 34 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

The Saints failed to make the playoffs in 2008, one that was led with woes on the defensive side on the ball, which was one of the more in-consistent groups in the league.

There were also questions on the offense. Reggie Bush was set-back again with an injury, while the receiver group didn’t play up to the potential in seasons past.

Even with those issues, Brees still found the way to be the top quarterback in the NFL last season, and joins the elite class of quarterbacks.

Wait a minute there.

Actually, there are people who still don’t consider Brees a top five quarterback, and I still find it hard to find why.

His career stats post as 26,258 yards, 168 touchdowns, 99 interceptions, with a 89.4 passer rating.

Yes, the interceptions have gotten in his way, nor has he thrown over 40 touchdowns once in his career.

However, only once in his career in a 16 game season has he thrown for under 3,000 yards passing.

He has one playoff win to his credit, led his team to the NFC title game, and came up short of a Super Bowl run.

You also need to consider that Brees never had a top target to throw to like the other quarterbacks.

Marques Colston is the most talented receiver that comes to mind, but just being a one to crack a top 25 list, he can not always be counted on as a big threat.

He has put up enough quality numbers to be listed as a top five quarterback, and deserves to be in the discussion of the elite class.

Drew Brees will statistically be one of the top quarterbacks in the league again, nearing 4000 yards, 30 touchdowns, and around 15 interceptions.

Matt Miselis is a writer for BleacherReport.com.

Cleveland Browns Preview: What To Watch During Training Camp

There are several teams in the NFL that have many questions surrounding the team, and one of those teams has got to be the Cleveland Browns.

After the last game of the 2008 season, owner Randy Lerner pretty much fired everyone on the coaching staff and his general manger.

Rebuilding for the fourth time since their return 10 years ago, the Browns have many question marks heading into training camp.

Oakland Raiders, Linebacker Edition: Who’ll Start at Stronside LB?

With the exception of Nnamdi Asomugha, the Oakland Raiders Linebackers have been the lone bright spot on a dismal defense the past few seasons.

The past three seasons Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard have provided excitement and big plays almost on a regular basis.

However, the duo of Morrison and Howard need to find one more guy to complete their trio.

This past season the Raiders rotated between Ricky Brown, Sam Williams and Jon Alston. Which one of these guys will step up and provide Howard and Morrison with the help they’ve been needing? Or, will it be rookie Frantz Joseph? 

Let’s take a look at the second level of the Raiders defense.

OLB, weakside, Thomas Howard: Howard will be entering his 4th season with the Raiders. So far, he’s shown the ability to make tackles in the open field and an even greater ability in coverage.

In 2008, Howard had 97 tackles and one interception. In his three seasons with Oakland Howard only has two sacks due to Rob Ryan only blitzing once in a blue moon. In 2007, Howard was snubbed from the Pro Bowl when he had 95 tackles, 11 passes defended, and six interceptions. Two of which he returned for touchdowns.

MLB, Kirk Morrison: Kirk Morrison has been the motor for the defense since arriving in Oakland in 2005. The only criticism Morrison gets is that he isn’t able to shed blockers as well as you would want him to. You could also attribute some of that to the poor play of the front four in recent years. But, make no mistake, if Morrison gets his hands on the ball carrier he will make the tackle.

Morrison has started all but one game in his four previous seasons with the Raiders. In those four seasons he has accumulated 498 tackles, three sacks, and seven interceptions. With all of Morrisons stellar play he has yet to see a Pro Bowl.

OLB, strongside, ??? I’m gonna leave this one up to debate. Who do you think should start for the Raiders at OLB. Should it be one of the guys from last season, Sam Williams, Ricky Brown, or Jon Alston? Does anyone think that the “Feel Good Story” of Frantz Joseph will have a chance at cracking the starting roster?  That’s who I’m pulling for.

Let me know what you think,  who should the Raiders other starting linebacker be?

Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: Wide Receivers

2008 was a great year to be a wide receiver with the Denver Broncos, as former head coach called on his quarterbacks to drop back and pass the ball 620 times, a franchise record and good for second in the NFL.

Still, the Broncos’ group of receivers was very young, and while they were extremely talented, they made their share of mistakes.

Each receiver had his share of key drops, fumbles, or missed blocking assignments, all which cost the Broncos significantly last year, being that their offense had to play near perfect football to win games.

While the Broncos continued to gain yardage through the air (they ranked second in the NFL), they had a very rough time putting the ball in the end zone.

Heading into 2009, the Broncos’ receiving group has high expectations, even though Kyle Orton has taken over at quarterback for Jay Cutler.  Who will be his top targets?

1.  Brandon Marshall

Since the start of the 2007 season, no wide receiver in the National Football League has been thrown at more times than the former fourth round pick out of Central Florida.  Also in that timeframe, only one receiver (Wes Welker, Patriots) has more receptions than Marshall’s 206.

Still, Marshall has had his share of off-field issues, and heading into the final year of his rookie contract he finds himself holding out and requesting a trade from the Denver Broncos.

Of everything Marshall has gone through with the Broncos, this is one thing he truly did not think through. 

Is Marshall expendable?  Are his legal issues too much for the Broncos to even consider re-signing him?

If Marshall wants a new contract, the way to do so is very simple:  stay out of trouble for a year, and report to training camp.

So far, Marshall has missed every offseason activity due to a bum hip, and most recently because of his displeasure with the Broncos’ front office.  His injury is supposed to be almost fully recovered by the time training camp starts on July 30th, and head coach Josh McDaniels has said publicly that he expects Marshall to report.

If he opts to hold out and not report to training camp, not only will Marshall lose more than the 2.198 million dollars he will earn in 2009, but he will lose valuable practice time with a new system he has yet to fully come to grips with.

On the field, there is no question Marshall deserves to be paid like the top ten wide receiver he is.  Off the field, Marshall acts like a troubled “thug” and if he was not in the NFL, he would probably be living week to week on his paycheck from White Castle.

There is no question his numbers will take a hit in 2009, but it is not because Kyle Orton is the quarterback.  Last season, the Broncos threw the ball 620 times, and over 15 percent of those passes were thrown Marshall’s way.  The Broncos enter 2009 with far too many playmakers for Marshall to be thrown at so many times, and of course his reception total could take a hit, but that does not mean he has to be less effective.

In the end, Marshall can hold out and request as many trades as he wants, but unless a team like Baltimore offers Haloti Ngata, nobody is getting Brandon Marshall away from the Broncos.  Not until after the 2010 season most likely, seeing as the Broncos can still franchise tag him the next two offseasons.

Oh and by the way, if Marshall decides to not attend any training camp session, he will forfeit a year of free agency eligibility on his contract, and will owe the Broncos yet another year of his services. 

The Broncos hold all of the cards in Marshall’s ridiculous situation, and I fully expect him to not only report to camp, but play for the Broncos in 2009 and beyond.

2.  Eddie Royal

Eddie Royal was the exclamation point on the most stellar first day of a draft the Broncos have had this decade.

When he was drafted, Royal was expected to contribute immediately as a kick returner, but little else.  Virginia Tech is not a throwing offense, and thus, his numbers were not very “gawdy” as one can imagine. 

During 2008 Denver Broncos training camp, Royal opened the fans’ eyes completely to the receiver he could potentially become.  I can still remember sitting there and admiring every catch he made while others around me scrambled to figure out “Who is number 19?!” on their media guide.

From that point on, it was clear that Royal was going to make an immediate impact on this team.

He led all rookie receivers with 91 receptions, and finished the season with 980 receiving yards and five touchdowns.  The former Hokie ended up leading the Broncos in all-purpose yardage with his return abilities as well as finishing the season with 109 rushing yards.

In the Broncos’ new offense, Royal appears to be a carbon copy, albeit faster version of New England Patriots’ receiver Wes Welker. 

If Royal can become a more consistent target inside the red zone, he will be one of the most dangerous receivers in the entire NFL. 

Last season, he and Marshall combined for 195 receptions, which was the best in the NFL.

3.  Brandon Stokley

When the Broncos signed Stokley in the summer of 2007, he was expected to be a minimal contributor and nothing more because of an Achilles injury he suffered in 2006.

The two-time Super Bowl champion has since re-claimed his title as the NFL’s best slot receiver (behind Welker), and the 10 year veteran has caught 89 passes the last two seasons for Denver.

Perhaps the most important part of Stokley’s game is his route running, which teammates consistently rave about. 

Thanks to his ability to separate from defenders, Stokley has been the Broncos’ most dangerous third down target, catching 69 of his 89 passes over the last two seasons for first downs.

Stokley also averages nearly 14 yards per reception the last two years, giving Orton a safety valve he really needs.

4.  Jabar Gaffney

Gaffney was a free agent acquisition this offseason from the New England Patriots, and he figures to bring good veteran leadership to this young unit thanks to the fact that he has been working in McDaniels’ offense the past three years.

Throughout the course of his career, Gaffney has had his share of ups and down’s, but overall he has been a solid, consistent performer in his time with Houston and New England.

He enters his eighth year in the NFL with the Broncos, and figures to give them some much needed help inside the 20, where he did a lot of damage with the Patriots. He also has the ability to take over as the number two receiver if Brandon Marshall decides to hold out.

5.  Kenny McKinley

Kenny McKinley was regardled as “the best receiver” legendary football head coach Steve Spurrier has ever had the privilege of coaching.

The former South Carolina product was taken by the Broncos in the fifth round of this year’s draft, and his immediate contributions seem to be coming with the special teams, potentially as a punt or kick return man.

McKinley is a very quick receiver with good route running skills, but how significant will his playing time be with the Broncos’ receiver depth as good as it is?

Is he the heir apparent to Brandon Stokley?  If he is going to replace the best, it helps to learn from the best.  McKinley should see time as the third and fourth receiver this season.

6.  Chad Jackson

Jackson is the receiver pictured with Jabar Gaffney on the right in this article’s photo.  At 6’1″ 215 pounds, he undoubtedly looks the part of an NFL receiver.  He also runs the 40-yard dash at a sub 4.40 second time. 

Why has he not been able to find his groove in the NFL?

Coming out of Florida in 2006, I projected Jackson to be picked by the Denver Broncos with the 15th overall pick in the draft, so you can understand why I think the world of this kid. 

He has been derailed by injuries in his career, and when the Patriots’ receiving core became so deep after their stellar 2007 campaign, he was cut loose.

I wrote an article shortly after he was cut how I would love for the Broncos to sign him, and the rest is history.

While many are not familiar with Jackson due to the fact that he had only one reception last season, I truly believe that he could be a star in this league. 

He has big play potential, and he is very familiar with McDaniels’ system coming from New England.

Is he a diamond in the rough?  Can he rebound from his slow start in the NFL?

7.  Brandon Lloyd

On the day disgruntled receiver Brandon Marshall requested a trade, the Broncos coincidentally signed former 49ers, Redskins, and most recently Bears receiver Brandon Lloyd. 

Lloyd is the sixth or seventh receiver on the Broncos’ depth chart, which really is an indication of how deep Denver is at the position given he was arguably the best receiver on the Bears in 2008.

The former Fighting Illini star has great big play ability, but is his work ethic going to be his demise in Denver?  Does the fact that he is familiar with Kyle Orton bode well for his potentially making the final roster?

8.  C.J. Jones

Jones was recently acquired by the Broncos via waivers from Kansas City, and he figures to eventually end up on Denver’s practice squad. 

Jones has spent the past three seasons in New England, so like a few of the other Denver receivers, he is familiar with the system.

The former Iowa star is a good blocking receiver, and he has great return skills.  He will be a solid competitor in training camp.

9.  Nate Swift

Swift has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to the fact that he reminds many fans of former Broncos great Ed McCaffrey.

The undrafted free agent out of Nebraska may have come to the Broncos a year too late, and the receiving group may already be a bit too crowded.

He will make it tough for the coaches to let him go because of his work ethic and versatility as a return man and special teamer. 

Projected Starter:  Brandon Marshall (Acquired via 2006 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:   Rec.   Yds.   Avg.   TD  

                          88    1,100   12.5   8

Projected Starter:  Eddie Royal (Acquired via 2008 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:    95    1,045   11.0   6

Projected No. Three:  Brandon Stokley (Acquired via Free Agency in 2007)

Projected Stats:    40    520      13.0   3

Projected No. Four:  Jabar Gaffney (Acquired via Free Agency in 2009)

Projected Stats:    35    440      12.5   3

Projected No. Five:  Kenny McKinley (Acquired via 2009 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:    20    240      12.0   1

Projected No. Six:  Chad Jackson (Acquired via Free Agency in 2008)

Projected Stats:    15    225      15.0   1

Practice Squad additions:

Nate Swift

CJ Jones

Wide Receivers Coach:  Adam Gase

2008 receivers grade:  A-

Roster Spots filled by WR:  6/54

Total Roster Spots filled:  14/54

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010