If Michael Vick Can’t Play in the NFL, How Can He Become a “Different Person”?

Disgraced football superstar Michael Vick completed his prison sentence under house arrest Monday at his home in Hampton, VA.

 

Vick, 29, who had been caged in a federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas since December of 2007 for serving as the kingpin of an illegal dog fighting operation, was released by the Atlanta Falcons this past June. He is currently a free-agent suspended from playing in the NFL.

 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that he will consider reinstating Vick provided he exhibits “genuine remorse” for brutally slaughtering and torturing canines for his own entertainment purposes.

 

The NFL’s head honcho labeled Vick’s actions, “Not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible.”

 

“He’s going to have to demonstrate to the larger community, not just to the NFL community and me, that he has remorse for what he did and he recognizes the mistakes that he made,” Goodell informed USA Today last month.

 

Vick, who received treatments for herpes under the alias “Ron Mexico” and still decided to bang women and share the disease anyway, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy protection in July 2008.

 

It has been reported that Vick, who lost both his NFL and product endorsement incomes because of the pooch scandal, has $20.5 million in liabilities and assets of only $16 million.

 

One of “Mexico’s” bankruptcy attorneys was quoted as saying that “Mr. Vick has every reason to believe that upon his release, he will be reinstated into the NFL, resume his career, and be able to earn a substantial living.”

 

Vick, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and the only quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards during the regular season, was raised in an utter war zone called Newport News, Virginia.

 

The first overall selection in the 2001 NFL Draft for the Atlanta Falcons told Sporting News that same year, “Sports kept me off the streets. It kept me from getting into what was going on, the bad stuff. Lots of guys I knew have had bad problems.”

 

Andrew Young, a black member of the Falcon’s board of directors and an ordained minister, claims he was long worried about how much time Vick spent with his flunkies from the old neighborhood.

 

Young told Sports Illustrated that he offered Vick advice and guidance, but “everything (he) tried failed.”

 

The cleric labeled most of Vick’s friendships and bonds as “ghetto loyalty.”

 

Falcons owner Arthur Blank told ESPN he would like to see Vick play in the NFL again and that, “Hopefully, after spending a couple of years in jail, he’ll come out a different person.”

 

Michael Vick was a spectacular athletic talent who committed horrific and sadistic crimes against animals.

 

In light of his wrongdoings, Michael Vick lost his freedom, his finances, and his livelihood.

 

The fallen hero has paid his debt to society, and he deserves a chance to correct his life and career.

 

If Vick isn’t afforded that opportunity, how can he be expected to become a “different person?”

 

http://www.newyorkyankeesnews.com/colin815/weblog/8104/if-michael-vick-cant-play-in-the.html

 

R-I-P-C-N-G-N-S-P

Former Denver Broncos That Are So “Good” Nobody Wants Them

Going into training camp this year, fans of the Denver Broncos find themselves looking at a completely different team than they beheld just one year ago. 

Many players who were household names to the Broncos faithful are either with another team or are still looking for work this offseason.

With all the change that has occurred in the Broncos’ roster, I find it encouraging that Denver has cut the fat that was holding the team back.

Taking a look at the long list of players no longer in Denver, there seems to be a trend. 

Many of them are still unemployed. 

The following is a list of 2008 starters that nobody wants. These players are so “good,” nobody wants them. After starting last year for Mike Shanahan’s poor excuse for a defense (save Selvin), these guys aren’t even good enough to attend OTA’s with another NFL team.

 

Defensive Tackle Dewayne Robertson (Cut)

Robertson was supposed to be the answer to Denver’s problem of stuffing the run. 

Unfortunately, his nagging knee injury never allowed him to be anything more than a rotational player who was far from the force in the middle that Denver fans were expecting.

His 22 total tackles and 1.5 sacks were just not enough for McDaniels and Co. to keep him around. 

And surprise, surprise. Robertson is such a good player, nobody wants him.

 

Linebacker Boss Bailey (Cut)

Champ Bailey’s brother, Boss, has had an unfortunate career. 

When he is on the field, he has played very well. But he has been struck with the injury bug and has not been able to shake it for a number of years now. 

It is hard to know how good a player is if he is never actually able to play. 

Boss’ nagging injuries have kept him off the field for too long, and his reputation precedes him. Injuries have kept Boss from being able to find employment on another NFL team, despite being a season opening starter in 2008.

 

Defensive End John Engelberger (Cut)

I never understood why this guy ever became a starter in the NFL. He played for the 49ers when they were terrible, so maybe that was it. 

Engleberger never put up great numbers and has always been too small (260 pounds) to be an effective defensive end.

He may have had desire and heart, as he was known to play through injury, but his skills have always been second string at best. It just goes to show how terrible Denver’s defense was last year.

 

Running Back Selvin Young (Cut)

Mike Shanahan’s offensive system with Bobby Turner’s and Rich Dennison’s coaching allowed him to plug anyone into Denver’s backfield and have success. This was proved time and again.

Selvin Young went undrafted in 2007, but he proved to be a capable back in the zone blocking one-cut system Denver runs. 

Young probably could not have started on any other NFL team, yet he started for the Denver Broncos in 2008. But he was one of many who got injured early in the season and never recovered. 

His “skills” were not good enough to keep him around Denver in McDaniels’ Offense, and he too is looking for a job.  

 

Linebacker Nate Webster (Free Agent)

Despite being a career backup, Nate Webster got a chance to start in Denver after Al Wilson went down with a career-ending back injury. 

Webster played fairly well in 2008, cleaning up many tackles missed by the anemic defense, but he also got beat quite often and looked out of control on the field. 

He too struggled with injuries and in the end was not worth keeping around. 

 

Linebacker Jamie Winborn (Cut)

Stepping into place after Boss went out with an injury, Winborn started most of the season as the strong side outside linebacker.

In fact, Winborn led the team in tackles for the 2008 season. 

Winborn turned 30 and doesn’t fit the 3-4 system Mike Nolan is implementing in Denver, so he was cut, and he has yet to get an offer to play for another NFL team.

The following are more 2008 players who have yet to sign with another team after being released by the Denver Broncos.

Fullback Andrew Pinnock (cut)

Running back P.J. Pope (cut)

Tight end Nate Jackson (cut)

Linebacker Louis Green (cut)

Safety Herana-Daze Jones (cut)

Cornerback Rashad Moulton (cut)

Tight end Chad Mustard (cut)

Running back Alex Haynes (cut)

Running back Cory Boyd (cut)

Wide receiver Cliff Russell (cut)

Defensive tackle John Shaw (cut)

All of these players were so “good” no other NFL team will have them. 

Maybe they will get picked up as players get injured during camp or the regular season, but it is mind-boggling that so many guys who played for Denver last year are such dead-weights and have failed to attract interest from any of the other 31 NFL teams.

There were only nine players out of the 27 who were released from last year’s roster that have been able to join a team for training camp with a shot at maybe making the team.

Running back Anthony Aldridge (waivers, Washington)

Wide receiver Jayson Foster (cut, Pittsburgh)

Linebacker Niko Koutouvides (cut, Tampa Bay)

Tight end Mike Leach (cut, Arizona)

Safety Marquand Manuel (cut, Detriot)

Safety Marlon McCree (FA, Jacksonville)

Cornerback Karl Paymeh (FA, Minnesota)

Quarterback Patrick Ramsey (FA, Tennessee)

Cornerback Dré Bly (cut, San Francisco)

All of these guys will have a difficult time making their new teams as anything more than a special teams player or a backup. That is just how “good” these players are.

Note the picture I chose for this article. It took Robertson, Engleberger, and Webster to try to tackle Ronnie Brown. You can blame Slowik and his terrible defensive scheme, but it also goes to show the talent these players possess.

McDaniels and Co. wasted no time cleaning house in Denver, and I am glad that they did. It wasn’t as if there was untapped talent among the players that Denver released, but rather, dead weight that needed to be purged.

Everything has changed in Denver this offseason, and the Broncos have shed the players who were substandard, injury-ridden, and didn’t fit the system. 

To these players, I say “thank you for your service and good luck,” but I am glad to see them replaced with promising talents and players who can step in and win.

Denver is a team with new players and a new identity going into the 2009 season. It is streamlined and ready to surprise a lot of people.

Brett: It’s OK If You Can’t Decide; the NFL Has Bigger Problems

The one reason I am grateful for the story about Big Ben and the allegations of sexual assault is that it has taken some of the spotlight off of Brett Favre.

Michael Vick’s situation is the same. Today, on a quick ESPN News they spent the first 3/4 talking about Michael Vick, no time on Ben (what’s up ESPN?), and then a very short amount of time on Brett deciding if he will play for the  Minnesota Vikings.

What does interest me is that there is no bandwagon vilifying Ben for the reports coming out of Nevada. Lots of insults have been hurled at his accuser, but much protection has been given Ben.

The nice thing is all the insults hurled at Brett Favre for NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE UP HIS MIND have died down a bit as name-calling is blanketed on the accuser of Big Ben and towards Michael Vick.

Criminal allegations are something fans do debate and have strong opinions. They should pay attention to these.

What’s disturbing is that readers have treated Brett Favre to the same name calling that criminals have gotten, or women’s accusations against athletes.

I don’t know what he will decide on Friday (Or That he WILL decide Friday).

I hope we can all come to realize that choosing to play for a rival team when you have no chance for employment with your old team is not of the same magnitude as being accused of rape, being jailed for dog-fighting and gambling, testing positive for illegal substances, or killing someone when driving drunk.

Can we let Brett Favre off the hook now and see him just as a player wanting to play?

Can we stop calling him names? Can we appreciate the positive he has done in the NFL? Can we be glad he is just confused, not a criminal?

We can if we are ready to think rationally. I know we are passionate about our heroes. but if anyone deserves a break, especially in these tempestuous times, it’s Brett Favre.

New Orleans Saints: Here’s the Key to Winning the Division

In the NFL, every game counts.

Some just count more.

Just ask the Arizona Cardinals. Or the San Diego Chargers.

It is no coincidence that every team that at least tied for the best record within their own division won the division.

The Cardinals were a sub-par 3-7 outside the NFC West. Yet, they went 6-0 against their division rivals and won the division.

What was lost in Denver’s much-talked about historic collapse in the final three games of the season was the fact that they only went 3-3 within the AFC West while San Diego boasted a 5-1 division record.

The bottom line is this:

If you can’t beat the teams within your own division, don’t expect to win it. Or even to make the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles were the only team last year to sport a losing record within their division (2-4) and still make the playoffs.

The six most important games this season on the Saints’ schedule are home dates against Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa Bay and road games against Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa Bay.

You can circle games against the New York Giants or New England Patriots all you want.

If the Saints don’t take care of business against the division, those other games don’t mean diddly.

 

Breaking Down the NFC South

One thing that the Saints’ three division opponents did significantly better than the Saints was was run the football.

Atlanta and Carolina ranked second and third in the league, respectively, averaging over 150 yards per game on the ground.

Tampa Bay was 15th as they averaged about 115 yards per game on the ground.

The Saints couldn’t quite hit 100 yards per game as they ranked 28th in the NFL.

Amazingly enough, the Saints’ run defense was the best in the division (117.8 yards per game). They ranked 17th, the Bucs 19th, the Panthers 20th, and the Falcons 25th.

While the Saints anemic rushing attack held to form against the division (599 yards in six games), the rush defense was a different story.

In six games against the Falcons, Bucs, and Panthers, the Saints allowed 147.3 yards on the ground per game.

Only once did they out-rush a division opponent. The Saints out-gained the Falcons 184-99 in a 29-25 victory.

In that game, the Saints took the lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the four-point win.

They held onto the lead because of their running game. Pierre Thomas gained 23 yards and a critical first down on the final drive.

Had Thomas not had that success on the ground, Atlanta would have gotten the ball back with enough time to score the winning touchdown.

The Saints were twice out-gained on the ground by over 100 yards to a division opponent.

In a 23-20 loss in week 13 to the Bucs, Tampa Bay out-gained New Orleans on the ground 149-44.

Carolina ran the ball down the Saints’ throats in week 17. They out-gained the Saints on the ground 234-50.

Now I know the Saints were out of the playoffs by week 17, and they were going for Dan Marino’s passing record, but your pride should never allow you to give up 234 yards on the ground.

If the Saints can corral their division’s running games, then punch your tickets for a home playoff game or two.

If not, then the Saints will be sitting at home in January watching Carolina and Atlanta in the playoffs again.

Seattle Seahawks 2009 Team Preview

The Seattle Seahawks of 2009 will have a new look. It all starts with new head coach Jim Mora Jr., who takes over for longtime coach Mike Holmgren. Mora also brings in several new positional coaches, including defensive back Coach Tim Lewis, defensive line coach Dan Quinn, and wide receiver coach Robert Prince. He also brings in a pair of new coordinators in offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, formerly of the Raiders, and former Bucs linebcker coach Gus Bradley as the Defensive Coordinator.

Mora and Knapp will go back to traditional football and implement a rushing attack that should open it up in the passing game. However, fresh off a 4-12 season, any sort of new look is probably positive for the Seahawks.

The team begins and ends with Matt Hasselbeck. The unspoken leader of the team, Hasselbeck was injured with a bulging disk in his back for much of 2009, leaving backup Seneca Wallace to carry the reins. However, Hasselbeck is 100 percent and should be on the field when the team opens the ’09 season. Hasselbeck can’t do it alone, however. And despite the optimism on offense, there are still a lot of question marks. Is the running back duo of Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett going to be effective enough to at least keep defenses honest? Is Walter Jones, fresh off microfracture surgery on his knee, ready to go? These are the questions Seattle has to resolve come training camp. To help out the receiving core, the team signed big name free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh from Cincinnati.

The Defense, depsite finishing 30th in total defense last year, should be much improved. They get a healthy Patrick Kerney back on the defensive line, and they signed Ken Lucas from Carolina to help out in the secondary, which was atrocious last year.

Defenisve tackle will be an upgraded position, as the team signed Colin Cole and traded for Cory Redding, and they still have a young promising player in Brandon Mebane, who produced 6.5 sacks last year. The linebacker core will be strong as usual, with premier starter sin Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill. The team traded Julian Peterson to Detroit, but replaced him with Aaron Curry in the draft. Curry should be a top Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate in 2009.

The secondary is a bit of a question mark. They have a solid starting cornerback in Marcus Trufant, but Lucas and Josh Wilson will platoon at corner and one or the other will play in the nickel. The safety position is unsettled. Brian Russell was atrocious in pass coverage last year, partially because of former defensive coordinator John Marshall’s awful schemes. Russell also prevents natural free safety Deon Grant from playing his natural position, and his unfamiliarity with his spot showed. Safety is no question Seattle’s biggest need on defense, something they could address in the 2010 NFL Draft, with premier safeties in Eric Berry and Taylor Mays.

Special teams will be solid. Kicker Olindo mare was very solid in place of struggling rookie Brandon Coutu, and punter Jon Ryan did solid. Long snapper will be improved with new snapper Bryan Pittman, and will provide stability with the snapping situation.

Final Analysis:

The Seahawks were unlucky in ’08, due to a massive amount of injuries. However, the players are back, and this team should be in the running for the NFC West Crown. With teams like Arizona and San Francisco pretty equal to Seattle’s talent, it’ll be a close race. Nevertheless, Seattle will be a sleeper team in the NFC next year.

Record: 9-7, 2nd in NFC West, Wildcard.

The Return of Michael Vick: Should We Just Forgive and Forget?

I would like to start this entry by informing you that it will be hard to find someone who cares less about character issues than me. I love watching sports and enjoy everything that goes along with it. But do I care that A-Rod was caught hanging out with Madonna? Not at all. I care about on-field production.

 

However, there are exceptions. I don’t care about character unless it interferes with team chemistry or with the player’s ability to avoid suspension (or in this case jail time).

 

For example, I would much rather have a player with a shady character if they’re a great team leader and have never done anything to warrant a suspension from the league as opposed to a player who stays out of trouble, but destroys the team’s chemistry (like T.O.) or takes illegal substances.

 

This brings us now to the case of Michael Vick.

 

My inspiration for writing this article is the constant babbling taking place (probably as you are reading this) about how Vick has paid his debt to society and any team would be wise to consider signing him.

 

I just wish that for once someone would man up and speak the truth. I would like for someone to throw out the possibility that maybe everything Vick has done or said has been to get back on the field and he really hasn’t changed.

 

I want just one commentator to mention that this is not an isolated incident, that Vick has been a character risk since the day he signed his first NFL contract.

 

And that is perhaps the main point I am trying to get at: That the dog-fighting scandal oversimplified the character problem that is Michael Vick. Even if you believe that he is done dog-fighting, there are piles of evidence to suggest that he will find some other way to get into trouble.

 

Michael Vick has been involved in numerous incidents with marijuana, including pictures that got leaked online and the airport incident in which he allegedly hid the drug in a water bottle (which is also not allowed on an airplane).

 

Vick was also caught on camera at an airport stealing an expensive watch. In 2005, a woman sued him for giving her genital herpes, claiming that Vick did it knowingly as he had previously received treatment under the name “Ron Mexico.”

 

This, of course, led to fans buying jerseys with Vick’s number and the name “Mexico” on the back. Of course, both of these incidents were settled out of court.

 

And we all remember how Vick flipped off all his fans, right?

 

All this happened despite repeated attempts by others to get him to stop hanging out with shady characters. Every incident happened even though the one before it happened and people are supposed to learn from their mistakes. So how are we to believe that he’s really learned his lesson this time around when he never did before?

 

And even though it’s easy to refer to the dog-fighting incident, many of the details get lost in the mess. Vick started this operation before he was even in the NFL. When caught, he lied and lied to the point that it took his friends being offered increasingly amazing plea deals in order to get the truth about what actually happened. He then violated his probation with a positive drug test while the trial was going on.

 

So again, why exactly should we believe that he won’t get in trouble again?

 

We make jokes about the Bengals having more arrests than wins and we all mourned the passing of the Jail Blazers. So why is Michael Vick so special? And why is every commentator on ESPN so spineless?

 

Is it not politically correct to point out that someone simply has poor character and that there is no reason to believe he will change? If you need a precedent, refer to Pacman Jones.

 

We live in a society that is quick to accuse, but just as quick to forgive and forget when it comes to our celebrities. While I do believe that Vick should be given the chance to live a normal life, I also believe that he is using the NFL to get back on his feet, and that without the inordinate amounts of money we give to our athletes as well as the unwarranted fame they so easily achieve, he’d still be in jail right now.

 

So here’s to hoping that 31 teams (I’ve given up on giving the Bengals any credit) are wise enough to stay away, to hoping that for once we will not all fall victim to the pitfalls of political correctness, and to hoping that the NFL does not again allow Michael Vick to use the league to fund his vices. And all this coming from a guy who doesn’t care what a player does off the field.

 

Here’s to hoping.

Curry Added to Rams Receiving Corps

Ronald Curry has been added to the Rams receiving corps according to the St. Louis Times Dispatch. Curry was added in a trade with the Detroit Lions for Orien Harris.

Curry, a 7^th round draft pick from North Carolina in 2002, played for the Oakland Raiders from 2002 until his release this past February. He was signed by the Detroit Lions this off-season. After hauling in 62 passes for 727 yards in 2006 and 55 catches for 717 yards in 2007, his performance dropped in 2008 to a pedestrian 191 catches for 181 last season. Although, last season’s performance can be largely attributed to the Raiders nonexistent passing attack.

Despite his numbers last season, the addition of Curry does present some interesting points to consider as the Rams enter training camp. First, Curry will be the most experienced receiver in the Rams receiving corps in years and games played. Second, Curry is a big receiver. At 6’-2” and 210lbs he is the heaviest receiver currently in the running for a starting or back-up position on the final roster and with regards to height, he is only matched by Laurent Robinson.

Currently, the Rams have four receivers competing for the second receiver position behind Avery who would be consider the lead receiver; Keenan Burton, Laurent Robinson, Derek Stanley, and Tim Carter. Burton would have been considered the front runner for the number two receiver position but has seen little time on the field during the OTA’s because of hamstring injury. 

When Laurent Robinson was acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in a draft day trade, he was seen as the primary competitor for Burton during the offseason training. Although he has missed the off season workouts, Curry could find himself in the second receiver position at the start of the season.

Curry’s fantasy value in St. Louis is better than Detroit where he would have been behind Calvin Johnson and Dennis Northcutt. He should be watched in the earlier games on season and will probably be available on the waiver wire in leagues that are not deep.

Orien Harris was recently acquired from the Rams in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals for Brian Leonard. Personally, I thought the Bengals got the better end of that deal.  Harris provided some depth at the defensive tackle but didn’t look like he was going to be an improvement of Adam Carriker or Clifton Ryan. 

Kevin Demoff, the VP Football Operations must have seen something in Harris, or it was the best deal he could manage with Leonard. I thought Brian Leonard could be a contributor to the Rams organization if they ever decided if he was a running back or fullback. However, I see value in the eventual outcome with the addition of Curry for Leonard (via Orien Harris).

Fantasy Football Profile: Matt Cassel

Maybe Matt Cassel was a product of the New England system last year.  To do what he did under those circumstances showed moxie, especially when you consider how long it’s been since he was a starting quarterback.  Fortunately for Cassel, he will be operating another pass-friendly system.  Losing Tony Gonzalez is a blow, but Dwayne Bowe is one of the best young WRs in the game.  Mark Bradley showed signs last year and Bobby Engram was brought in to work the slot.  If Larry Johnson can return to some form of his old self, he’ll take some of the pressure off of Cassel.

He could have a rough go of it from the beginning facing Baltimore, Oakland, Philly, NY Giants, Dallas, Washington, San Diego, Jacksonville, Oakland again, Pittsburgh, and San Diego again.  Don’t give up on him though as he faces Denver in Week 13 and has a soft fantasy playoff schedule of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.  After that tough start, Cassel could be a buy low candidate.  Clearly he’s a backup fantasy QB this year unless he proves otherwise.  I would expect him to be drafted somewhere in the 9th-12th round.  I’m expecting 3400 yards and 18 TDs from Cassel in 2009.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Clearing Out the Vikings’ Impending Quarterback Logjam

With a glut of out-of-work veterans flooding the job market, it’s tough for the unproven young guns out there to impress employers.

Just ask Tarvaris Jackson.

Six months ago, T-Jack was starting under center for the Vikings in a home playoff game.

Today, he’s sitting around wondering when his graybeard replacement will roll into town.

If there’s someone in Minnesota who isn’t going ga-ga over Brett Favre this summer, odds are it’s Jackson.

Rumor has it that Jackson will ask for a trade when the Favre signing becomes official. At this point, we don’t know if that’s true—and certainly don’t know if it’s prudent, given that Jackson still enjoys a “pet project” status in Minnesota under Brad Childress that wouldn’t travel with him if he sought greener pastures.

But we do know that by July 30, when Favre tells the world he’s suiting up in purple (or July 31, when he decides for real, or Aug. 1, when he really decides for real, or Aug. 2, when he really for sure decides for real), the Vikings will be carrying an overload of passers in Jackson, Favre, and Sage Rosenfels (we’ll get to John David Booty later).

The latter two expected a shot at a starting job that assuredly will belong to the former come training camp. Unless the Vikes are keen on stockpiling bruised egos under center, something’s gotta give.

What exactly is that someting going to be? Here’s a look at a few scenarios that could shape the Vikings’ quarterback depth chart this season.

Jackson Gets Moved If…

…the Vikings have already decided they prefer Rosenfels and want to get some value out of a deal.

From my vantage point, Jackson’s experience in Minnesota’s offense and support from the coaching staff gave him the edge over Rosenfels before Favre came into the picture, so I’m not sold on the idea that the team is eager to ship Jackson out.

But some forces in the football universe—including fantasy wonks, who, in their drive to seek out the best information on a team’s projected starters as early as possible, are not unlike gamblers—gave the nod to Rosenfels.

After all, the Vikes didn’t bring Sage into the mix because they thought he was cute. Jackson’s lackluster playoff outing inspired enough doubts that the team grabbed a second quarterback to compete for the job, and spent the offseason chasing a third one.

If either Jackson or Rosenfels has the inside track on what should now be the No. 2 job behind Favre, the front office has been quiet about it. But if the team has had Rosenfels penciled in ahead of Jackson all along, they might see if Jackson—who is still just 26 and boasts plenty of physical tools—can fetch a mid-round pick or a role player in return.

If he’s moved in time, Jackson likely could compete for a No. 1 or No. 2 position on a club with needs at quarterback.

Of course, any such move would leave Minnesota without a long-term plan at the position, but at this point, it’s not clear that Jackson still fits that description.

Rosenfels Gets Moved If…

…the team doesn’t think it can get him the preseason action he needs to back up Favre effectively.

Before the Favre courtship began, there were plenty of training camp snaps available to get Rosenfels acclimated in the offense and to hold a quarterback derby with Jackson if necessary.

But Favre will have plenty of work to do in camp himself. As often as we’ve heard him say he knows the offense he’ll be stepping into, Childress’ West Coast variant is two generations removed from the system Mike Holmgren ran in Green Bay.

Favre also needs to develop timing with a first-team offense that includes two new linemen (John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt) and a rookie receiver in Percy Harvin.

Rosenfels and Jackson need that work, too, and with Favre around, both of them aren’t going to get it. If Favre gets hurt or runs out of gas midseason, the Vikings need a backup who is ready to step in and contribute right away. That might be enough to tip the scales in Jackson’s favor.

The trouble with shipping out Rosenfels before he gets a close-up is that a Favre injury would put the team right back where it started: Relying on Jackson to come through.

The team also is unlikely to get equal value on the fourth-round pick it paid to get Rosenfels, so this move would be of the cut-your-losses variety.

Both Stay Put If…

…Favre drags his feet getting to camp, or needs more time to recover from surgery.

This scenario would say as much about the team’s assessment of Favre’s health as it would about Jackson and Rosenfels. If the Vikings are confident that they’ll get 16-plus games from Favre, they should feel fine about moving one of the other two and taking their chances.

But the longer it takes Favre to get rolling in Mankato—or the longer it takes for his surgically repaired bicep to return to full strength—the better the odds that Minnesota will give both Jackson and Rosenfels a long look during camp, in case one of them ends up under center midway through the season.

If Favre limits his action during the first few weeks of camp while his arm rounds back into shape, the team could find the time it needs to hold an earnest Jackson-Rosenfels showdown (and to get Rosenfels up to speed in the offense, as mentioned earlier).

The real value in carrying both Jackson and Rosenfels into the season, however, is that the team would have the chance to see both in action against real opponents before choosing one or the other. Keeping both quarterbacks would let the Vikings put those all four of those otherwise tedious preseason outings to good use.

Together, Jackson and Rosenfels will make around $2 million this season, so keeping both isn’t cost-prohibitive.

After Favre crashed and burned two-thirds of the way through last season, one has to imagine that the Vikes have a keen interest in slotting a quality backup behind him on the depth chart. This scenario would allow them to take their time in doing so.

The casualty here would be 2008 fifth-round pick John David Booty, the former USC passer (and current owner of Favre’s No. 4) who has yet to see the field for the Vikings.

Booty, the presumed third-stringer if Jackson or Rosenfels departed, would be cut or stashed on the practice squad (and free to depart as a free agent) if the team kept both.

Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: Linebackers

Chicago is known for its linebackers.  Names like Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Doug Buffone remind us of the great tradition that the Bears have at the position. 

Right now, the Bears have someone who may end up as a future hall of famer in middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who, after signing a contract extension last offseason, still needs to prove that he is worth his large contract.  Playing next to him, perennial Pro Bowler Lance Briggs is one of the best players at his position in the NFL, while on the opposite side, three players will battle it out for that starting spot making things interesting in training camp this summer.

The following is a look at the players at the linebacker position currently on the Bears roster as they head into training camp this summer.  There is some insight into how they played in 2008, how they have looked so far this offseason, and where they stand for the 2009 season.

Lance Briggs- The only Pro Bowler in this group of linebackers last season, Briggs had his signature outstanding season with the Bears after signing a long-term deal which should keep him in Chicago for the rest of his playing career. 

Briggs has had a steady and relatively uneventful offseason (save for the cut he got on his hand with a razor) and looks poised to help lead this defense to greatness in 2009.  He needs to take more of a leadership role on this team in 2009, but he is poised to easily have a great season this year.

Brian Urlacher- After signing an extension during training camp last year, Urlacher managed to stay “ordinary” and some are questioning whether or not he is reaching the end of his career.  He does still have some playing time left in him but he will have to bring it up a notch or two to help a Bears defense that has struggled at critical moments in the past. 

He will be called upon to be an even stronger leader this year than in the past thanks to the departure of safety Mike Brown, and he is always up for this challenge (in being the leader of the defense).  Look for Urlacher to have a great 2009 season and quite possibly even make the Pro Bowl in helping to lead the Bears defense to a much better season than they did last year.

Nick Roach- Along with newly acquired linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and Hunter Hillenmeyer, Roach will battle it out for the spot that has been held by Hillenmeyer over the past few seasons.  He may not have the edge in this battle however and really isn’t the best choice for the Bears at this position.

Roach did get some playing time in last season and played decent but not as well as the coaching staff would like to see a player play at that position.  If Tinoisamoa stays healthy and has a good training camp, Roach will probably make the squad as his backup.  Look for Roach to continue on with the Bears at the end of training camp backing up Tinoisamoa at that linebacker position.

Pisa Tinoisamoa- Tinoisamoa was signed during the offseason after being cut by the St. Louis Rams after they had decided he didn’t fit their new defensive scheme.  Tinoisamoa has some experience in head coach Lovie Smith’s defense having played in it when he was in St. Louis and should be able to contribute right out of the gate. It appears as if he will most likely win the battle that he faces against Roach and Hillenmeyer and could be installed opposite Briggs and Urlacher as the starter when the season begins. 

The biggest knock on Tinoisamoa is his size.  He has the size of a safety more than a linebacker but he is able to get it done at linebacker and could be an improvement over what the Bears have had there the past few seasons with Hillenmeyer.

Hunter Hillenmeyer- Hillenmeyer’s career with the Bears may be coming to an end now as Chicago has made the competition for his tough.  With Hillenmeyer going up against Roach and Tinoisamoa, it’s almost assured that he is going to lose the battle and could even wind up off the team in 2009. 

He had an injury-filled 2008 season and may not stay healthy enough to last a full season at the position.  He is also not as mechanically sound as Tinoisamoa is and will probably get beaten out in training camp.  If he does, there may not be a roster spot for him at the end of training camp.  Look for Hillenmeyer to be off the team at the start of the 2009 season.

Marcus Freeman- Drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, Freeman is a promising young talent that could develop into a strong backup in the Bear’s system.  In order to make the team, he is going to have to prove his value on special teams first and then prove that he is a viable backup at the linebacker position. 

He will have competition as some of the other linebackers (guys like Joey LaRocque and Jamar Williams) have been there for a while and know the system but Chicago appears to be pretty high on Freeman so he has as good of a shot as any to make the team.  Look for him to make the final roster as a backup and contribute heavily on special teams.

Jamar Williams- Groomed to be the replacement for Briggs, Williams found himself on the outside looking in last season as Briggs signed and he was basically out of a starting job.  Williams did contribute on special teams and saw a few plays here and there on defense and he remains one of the best backups on the team.  Look for Williams to remain a backup and a great special teams performer in 2009.

Joey LaRocque- LaRocque may be seeing his final few weeks in a Bears uniform as he heads into training camp this summer.  The depth and talent at the linebacker position may not allow the Bears to keep LaRocque so he might be on his way out.  Look for him to battle it out for a backup spot with Williams and Freeman but in the end, LaRocque will probably be the odd man out.  Look for LaRocque to be looking for another job at the end of training camp this summer.

Kevin Malast- Malast, an undrafted free agent out Rutgers, gives the Bears some competition in training camp but that’s about it.  He isn’t a threat to make the active roster but could find himself on the practice squad at the end of training camp.

Mike Rivera- This undrafted rookie out of Kansas will fall into the same category as Malast and become a candidate for the practice squad at the end of training camp.  Rivera has a lot of talent but won’t be able to match the talent of the players ahead of him at the position.

The most interesting thing to happen to this group in the offseason, the signing of Tinoisamoa, may be the one thing that was needed to help solidify this group.  Getting a productive season out of Urlacher will also be big and if he can revert back to something close to his 2005 form, this group could end up being one of the best in the NFL.

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