Has Kerry Rhodes Gone “Hollywood?”

Kerry Rhodes broke out in 2006, his second year in the league, becoming one of the stars of the Jet’s defense. He was a big pay machine recording five sacks, four interceptions, and three forced fumbles. He was deserving of the Pro Bowl, but missed out due to his relative unknown status outside of New York.

He followed up that season with a nice 2007 year as he gained recognition around the league. Renowned NFL writer, Peter King, ranked Rhodes 29th on his list of the top 500 players in the league.

Rhodes then inked a nice contract extension in the off season from Jets, totaling five years and $33.5 million, with $20 million guaranteed. It was on par with Bob Sanders’ deal.

However, since signing his extension before the 2008 season, Rhodes has only recorded one sack and two interceptions compared to the seven sacks and nine interceptions he had in the ‘06 and ‘07 campaigns. And this season he has not recorded any sacks or interceptions.

This is coming to the guy who was suppose to be the Jet’s version of  Ed Reed in Rex Ryan’s defense.

Rhodes’ has earned the nickname “Hollywood” over his career and appropriately so. He has appeared in two movies and has done a lot of modeling work. He has also joined Twitter and frequently tweets, updating his page numerous times per day.

Perhaps Rhodes has let his ego get in the way of his play. Maybe he prefers the movie screen and runway over the football field. He signed his big money deal and now may not be putting in the same kind of effort as before. While I’m just speculating, and may be way off, there are connections.

Watching the game on Sunday I barely even noticed he was on the field. The one time I did see him was when he allowed a Marcedes Lewis reception on a crucial third down down on the Jaguars game-winning drive.

Whatever Rhodes’ problem may be, he needs to start picking up his play. He is one of the most talented players on the Jets’ team and needs to play like it before the ship sets sail on the Jets’ playoff hopes.

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Where Will Larry Johnson Sign?

On Monday, the Chiefs ended Johnson’s seven-year tenure in Kansas City by releasing the veteran.  Johnson’s time in Kansas City was rocky to say the least. 

Early in his career he was in coach Dick Vermeil’s doghouse and Vermeil said he needed to “take the diapers off.”  Johnson then went on to have two Pro Bowl seasons before landing a monster contract before the 2007 season.  

His play dropped off after that, and he was suspended by the commissioner in 2008 due to off-the-field incidents and was just recently suspended by the team for using gay slurs and ripping the coaching staff. 

His most recent antics were his last in a Chiefs uniform and now is currently unemployed after not getting picked up via waivers.

 

The Long Shots

New England Patriots

The Patriots have had a history of bringing in players who have had off the field issues (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) and L.J. could be the next.  The Patriots don’t have a true lead back and have lost Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris to injuries. 

The Patriots always perform their due diligence on every player but I wouldn’t count on seeing L.J. in a Patriot uniform.  Bill Belichick said, “I would doubt it,” referring to Johnson.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

According to Adam Schefter, Johnson wants to sign with the Steelers.  Hey, who wouldn’t?  I want to as well, but I’m not crossing my fingers and Johnson shouldn’t either. 

The Steelers backfield is simply too full.  Rashard Mendenhall has been great as a starter and they don’t even have enough touches to get Willie Parker.

 

The Contenders

Washington Redskins

Clinton Portis went down with a concussion on Sunday and looks likely to miss next week and possibly more.  The Redskins have discussed bringing in Johnson and the urgency to win in D.C. could force the Redskins to make a move.

Remember they did sign Shaun Alexander mid season last year, granted he didn’t have the baggage that Johnson comes with.  However, coach Jim Zorn did have this to say about Johnson: “I suspect he’ll be somewhere quickly anyway.”

 

Houston Texans

There have been conflicting reports on the Texans interest in Johnson.  Adam Schefter has reported the Texans are completely out of the running for Johnson, while NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora says the Texans “appear to be Johnson’s most likely landing spot.” 

The Texans already have a number of running backs and adding another one to mix isn’t the best idea.

 

Seattle Seahawks

Julius Jones hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire this year and they could look to add some competition for him.  They thought Edgerrin James could provide that, but after he struggled, they released him last week. 

Coach Jim Mora wasn’t endorsing a move though, saying “No,” he said. “Right now, we’ll just stick with what we’ve got.”

 

The Sleeper

Chicago Bears

Matt Forte is entrenched as the starter in Chicago, but there is little behind him.  Kevin Jones went down with injury right before the season started and just this past week Garret Wolfe goes down and will miss a few weeks. 

The Bears are in a little funk right now and adding Johnson could give them a spark to get them back in the playoff picture.

 

The Favorite

Unemployment

After looking at all the possible targets for Johnson, the logical conclusion is that no one will pick up Johnson.  As of now, €no one seems truly interested in Johnson and honestly who can blame them? 

He’ll be turning 30 next week, the dreaded age for all running backs, and comes with a ton of baggage.  His talent has fallen off drastically the past few years and isn’t worth the trouble. 

Players with the talent of T.O., and Randy Moss can be worth the baggage, but this isn’t the Larry Johnson of 2006. 

A injury can change his fortune in an instant, but for the foreseeable future it looks like L.J. will be similar to a number of Americans: unemployed.

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Five Players that Should have been Traded

The NFL trade deadline passed rather quietly on Tuesday with only one deal, the Rams traded Will Witherspoon to the Eagles. While Witherspoon should be an impact player on the Eagles, taking over at middle linebacker, it wasn’t the big name deal we all were hoping for.

With that being said, here are five players that should have been dealt before the deadline.

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Braylon Edwards Traded To The Jets: The Missing Piece?

We awoke this morning to be greeted with the news that Braylon Edwards had been traded to the New York Jets from the Cleveland Browns.

In return for the disgruntled WR, the Browns received WR Chansi Stuckey, LB Jason Trusnik, and two draft picks; a third (which can escalate into a second) and a fifth round pick.

This marks the second time the Jets have done business with their former coach Eric Mangini, who they traded up with in the draft to acquire Mark Sanchez. After acquiring their franchise QB via the Browns, the Jets have landed a number one target for him.

Edwards, 26, is in the midst of a second straight disappointing campaign after a breakout 2007 season which saw him catch 16 TD passes. 

Edwards was clearly in need of a change of scenery as he became a locker room distraction for the Browns. He never really fit in, in Cleveland and had been labeled a diva. He gets a fresh start now in New York and will look to take advantage.

After making the trade it is clear that the Jets think they can win now. They had the opportunity to trade for Edwards in the offseason but balked. They didn’t know what kind of a team they had and didn’t want to risk giving up a high draft pick.

Four games into the season, the Jets are looking like legitimate contenders but their offensive needed another weapon. GM Mike Tannenbaum realized he had to strike while the iron was hot. In doing so he has put the Jets in prime position to contend for a Super Bowl this year.

However, the deal also comes as a mild risk for the Jets, but a receiver with Edwards talent is always worth the risk. Everyone knows about his issues and his most recent run in with the law involving one of Lebron’s friends.

However, if there is anyone that can whip a guy into shape, it’s Rex Ryan. Rex doesn’t play games and will not tolerate Braylon’s crap.

In getting Edwards, the Jets get the number one receiver they have been clamoring for. He represents the best receiver the Jets have had since Keyshawn Johnson was still wearing the green and white. 

Edwards size, 6′3” 215, gives the Jets a legitimate red zone target, something they have been lacking for years. While Jerricho Cotchery has been great so far this season he is not a go-to-guy and Chansi Stuckey wasn’t intimidating defenses on the other side.

Now the Jets, who have a Super Bowl caliber defense, have an offense that can compete with the rest of the league.

The Jets have struggled to run the ball this year, mostly because defenses have stacked the box. They’re not scared of the Jets’s air attack. With Edwards in the fold, defenses will have to respect the passing game as well, and hopefully that will start to open up some holes for Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

While the addition of Edwards will help the running game, the guy this trade helps the most is Mark Sanchez. The “Sanchize” has been as advertised so far, save for the Saints game, but is now in an even better situation to succeed. 

The Jets have run mostly short to intermediate routes so far this season and have not gone deep often. Edwards gives Sanchez a vertical threat to complement the possession threat that Cotchery presents. At the very least, even if he doesn’t revert to his 2007 form, he still represents an upgrade from Chansi Stuckey.

Edwards is in a contract year. That doesn’t mean he will bolt after the season. As it stands, it is looking like 2010 will be an uncapped year, and if that’s the case Edwards would be a restricted free agent and the Jets would retain his rights for at least another season.

If a new collective bargaining agreement is reached, Edwards would remain an unrestricted free agent. That said, I imagine the Jets would place the franchise tag on him if they are unable to hammer out a long term deal.

The Jets didn’t give up much for the talented WO. Stuckey will be replaced by Edwards and the Jets are plenty deep at LB to shoulder the loss of Trusnik, who mainly played special team anyway.

The draft picks hurt a little but the Jets will enter then 2010 NFL Draft still armed with their first two picks and their number one need, receiver, filled. If the third rounder escalates to a second rounder, it means Edwards tore it up and Jets fans will not be complaining.

Thanks again Mangini for not only giving the Jets their franchise QB, but now also for his go to guy.

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Braylon Edwards Traded To The Jets: The Missing Piece?

We awoke this morning to be greeted with the news that Braylon Edwards had been traded to the New York Jets from the Cleveland Browns.

In return for the disgruntled WR, the Browns received WR Chansi Stuckey, LB Jason Trusnik, and two draft picks; a third (which can escalate into a second) and a fifth round pick.

This marks the second time the Jets have done business with their former coach Eric Mangini, who they traded up with in the draft to acquire Mark Sanchez. After acquiring their franchise QB via the Browns, the Jets have landed a number one target for him.

Edwards, 26, is in the midst of a second straight disappointing campaign after a breakout 2007 season which saw him catch 16 TD passes. 

Edwards was clearly in need of a change of scenery as he became a locker room distraction for the Browns. He never really fit in, in Cleveland and had been labeled a diva. He gets a fresh start now in New York and will look to take advantage.

After making the trade it is clear that the Jets think they can win now. They had the opportunity to trade for Edwards in the offseason but balked. They didn’t know what kind of a team they had and didn’t want to risk giving up a high draft pick.

Four games into the season, the Jets are looking like legitimate contenders but their offensive needed another weapon. GM Mike Tannenbaum realized he had to strike while the iron was hot. In doing so he has put the Jets in prime position to contend for a Super Bowl this year.

However, the deal also comes as a mild risk for the Jets, but a receiver with Edwards talent is always worth the risk. Everyone knows about his issues and his most recent run in with the law involving one of Lebron’s friends.

However, if there is anyone that can whip a guy into shape, it’s Rex Ryan. Rex doesn’t play games and will not tolerate Braylon’s crap.

In getting Edwards, the Jets get the number one receiver they have been clamoring for. He represents the best receiver the Jets have had since Keyshawn Johnson was still wearing the green and white. 

Edwards size, 6′3” 215, gives the Jets a legitimate red zone target, something they have been lacking for years. While Jerricho Cotchery has been great so far this season he is not a go-to-guy and Chansi Stuckey wasn’t intimidating defenses on the other side.

Now the Jets, who have a Super Bowl caliber defense, have an offense that can compete with the rest of the league.

The Jets have struggled to run the ball this year, mostly because defenses have stacked the box. They’re not scared of the Jets’s air attack. With Edwards in the fold, defenses will have to respect the passing game as well, and hopefully that will start to open up some holes for Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

While the addition of Edwards will help the running game, the guy this trade helps the most is Mark Sanchez. The “Sanchize” has been as advertised so far, save for the Saints game, but is now in an even better situation to succeed. 

The Jets have run mostly short to intermediate routes so far this season and have not gone deep often. Edwards gives Sanchez a vertical threat to complement the possession threat that Cotchery presents. At the very least, even if he doesn’t revert to his 2007 form, he still represents an upgrade from Chansi Stuckey.

Edwards is in a contract year. That doesn’t mean he will bolt after the season. As it stands, it is looking like 2010 will be an uncapped year, and if that’s the case Edwards would be a restricted free agent and the Jets would retain his rights for at least another season.

If a new collective bargaining agreement is reached, Edwards would remain an unrestricted free agent. That said, I imagine the Jets would place the franchise tag on him if they are unable to hammer out a long term deal.

The Jets didn’t give up much for the talented WO. Stuckey will be replaced by Edwards and the Jets are plenty deep at LB to shoulder the loss of Trusnik, who mainly played special team anyway.

The draft picks hurt a little but the Jets will enter then 2010 NFL Draft still armed with their first two picks and their number one need, receiver, filled. If the third rounder escalates to a second rounder, it means Edwards tore it up and Jets fans will not be complaining.

Thanks again Mangini for not only giving the Jets their franchise QB, but now also for his go to guy.

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If You Want to Win, Put Vince Young In: A Cure for the Tennessee Titans

Sitting at 0-3 the Titans are in a very precarious spot.  They are three games behind the division leading Colts and their playoff hopes are fading fast.  Only six teams in history have made the playoffs since starting 0-3, the last team being the 1998 Bills. 

They have lost all three of their games by seven points or less so they’re clearly not in the same league as some of the other 0-3 teams, like the Browns or the Chiefs, but good teams find ways to win close games and they need to start now if they want to be a contender.

Dating back to last season they have lost five games in a row and have a 3-7 record since starting last season at 10-0.  This Titans team needs a spark, and that spark is Vince Young.

Now, Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher has had Collins back as has said he will not replace him as the starter now or anytime soon.  Fisher said “Kerry is not the reason. He is certainly not the reason for the situation we’re in.”

While I agree with Fisher that Collins isn’t the main reason the Titans are where they are now, the Titans are a different team from last year.  They lost Albert Haynesworth and while their run defense is around the same where they miss him is in the pressuring the quarterback. 

Haynesworth would push the offensive lineman back into the backfield and not allow the quarterback to step up in the pocket and make throws.  Without a consistent pass rush it has put more pressure on their secondary, which hasn’t stepped up.

Despite sporting two Pro Bowlers in Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin, the secondary is playing terrible.  They have been torched, averaging 275 yards allowed through the air and have given up 11 plays of over 20 yards, both ranking in the bottom three in the league. 

To make matters worst they just lost Vincent Fuller for four-to-six weeks and it will force rookie Ryan Mouton into the lineup and by judging by his special teams performance on Sunday (two lost fumbles) it isn’t looking pretty.

Back to Collins, he was a good fit for last year’s Titans, a team that played great defense and controlled the clock only needing Collins to manage the game.  With their defensive woes this season they need some more fire power in the offense and that’s what Vince Young can bring. 

We seem to forget that Vince Young was offensive rookie of the year and actually went to the Pro Bowl that year.  Putting him and Chris Johnson in the same backfield gives them the fastest and most potentially dangerous backfield in the league.

Granted, Vince has had more than his fair share of rough times this past year, but he seems to have his head on his shoulders now.  If you didn’t hear about what he did for the late Steve McNair’s sons recently you have to check it out.  That really showed some maturity on Vince’s part.

The Titans have a big decision to make on Vince in the offseason as his salary jumps to more than $14 million.  They need to find out if he can be their quarterback of the future or if they need to find someone else. 

Give him the opportunity to prove his worth and if it works out great and if it doesn’t well at least they know.

But with the way Kerry Collins is playing right now (13 straight incompletions at the end of the Jets game) the Titans aren’t going anywhere.  Also the last year the Titans started 0-3 was 2006, Vince Young’s rookie season.

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Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Week Two is in the books, and what a week it was. 

The Cowboys opened up their brand new stadium, the Jets and Patriots squared off and Chad Ochocinco did the Lambeau Leap! What else can you ask for?

After another week, we start to draw some more conclusions and see that Week One doesn’t mean everything (Bears), but we still have to wait another week or two before we’re sure of what we see. With that said, here are my thoughts and ramblings on Week Two of the NFL.

 

Giants ruin Cowboys’ Stadium Opening

A last-second field goal spoiled the opening of the Cowboys’ new stadium, giving the Giants a 33-31 win. The Cowboys have now closed Texas Stadium with a loss and opened Cowboys Stadium with one.

 

Eli is worth the Contract

We saw Sunday night why the Giants payed Eli Manning all that money. He looked phenomenal as he shredded the Cowboys secondary all night. By the way, who needs Plaxico? Steve Smith and Mario Manningham each caught 10 passes and looked like go-to receivers for Manning.

 

Can Romo in the big one?

Last night’s game was just another one of many disappointing performances by Tony Romo in a big game. Granted it was only Week Two, but it was a statement game for Romo. He looked dreadful and those interceptions were terrible. It does say a lot about the Cowboys that they did manage to almost win the game despite of his performance. I still like Romo as a quarterback, I’m just not sure if he’s ever gonna win a Super Bowl. 

 

What a difference a week makes in Chicago

After everyone was calling for Jay Cutler’s head after last week’s performance, they are now singing his praises. Cutler was great as the Bears took down the world champs, with Cutler leading a late drive to win it. So all is well in Chicago, but Matt Forte struggled again, making it two straight games for him.

 

The Saints are the class of the NFC

My predicted NFC champions are looking great so far. The offense looks unstoppable. It doesn’t matter who is running the ball or who Brees throws it to, they can all get it done. But the real story is the defense. They look much improved, but they will face tougher foes soon.

 

Shootout in Tennessee

The Titans and Texans were engaged in a shootout on Sunday and the Texans came from behind to win 34-31. So much for the Matt Schaub haters. Schaub looked like a completely different player this week than he did against he Jets. 

Andre Johnson looked like the beast he is and made some spectacular catches, including a juggling catch in the end zone.

Chris Johnson was electric, scoring three touchdowns of more than 50 yards and gaining 284 total yards. Adrian Peterson may be the only better home run hitter in the league right now.

But for the Texans, what’s up with Steve Slaton? He looks nothing like he did last year.  Perhaps he’s fallen victim to the dreaded sophomore slump. He isn’t showing any of the explosiveness he showed last year, so will the real Steve Slaton please stand up?

Tennessee now falls to 0-2 and it has to sting, because they should be 2-0. It doesn’t get any easier for the Titans as they visit the Jets next week.  

The main concern for the Titans has been the secondary. They have been repeatedly burned the first two weeks, giving up more than 350 yards passing in both games. They have some good payers back there in Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin, but they need to improve fast if this team wants to play in January.

 

So much for the vaunted Green Bay D

A tale of two weeks for the Green Bay defense. They looked terrific in Week One, bottling up Jay Cutler and the Bears, only to get trounced by the Bengals. This goes to show you that you can’t be making judgments after Week One. 

But the real problem for the Packers in this game was the offensive line. They gave up six sacks on Sunday, bringing the season total to 10, and Chad Clifton went down. This could be a big problem for the Packers all season long.

 

Is Denver for Real?

I wasn’t a believer in Denver before the season but they’ve proved me wrong so far. Granted, the Browns and Bengals aren’t the class of the AFC, but they won both games. 

The offense hasn’t really been there yet, but what has really surprised me is the defense. The switch to the 3-4 has gone over very well under Mike Nolan’s tutelage and Elvis Dumervil is tearing it up at outside linebacker.

 

Jason Campbell is bad

Now we know why the Redskins desperately wanted Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez in the offseason. He doesn’t make many mistakes, but the guy makes no plays whatsoever. He couldn’t even lead to ‘Skins to a touchdown against the Rams, who were abused by Matt Hasselbeck the week before.

 

…but not as bad as JaMarcus Russell

I think it may be time to officially label this guy as a bust. This is his third year and he has shown absolutely nothing to prove he can be an NFL-caliber quarterback. He has a 35 percent completion percentage and is averaging 5.9 yards per attempt. The scary thing is that the Raiders are 1-1 and easily could be 2-0.

 

Other Quick Notes

• Darren Sproles looked great, but the Chargers do not think he is a feature back and won’t play him like one.
• The demise of Jake Delhomme for one week looks like it was exaggerated.
• Kurt Warner was extremely sharp in the Cardinal’s win, but didn’t go down field again.
• Watch out for the 2-0 49ers behind Frank Gore.

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Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets Beat Brady and the Pats

The J-E-T-S do it again!

The Jets, behind Mark Sanchez, upset the Patriots on Sunday after upsetting the Texans last week. The Jets simply outplayed the Pats and perhaps we are witnessing a changing of the guard in the AFC East, although that is still a bit premature. 

For the second straight week the Pats played a close game but Brady couldn’t deliver the magic this week.

The Jets harassed him all game long making him uncomfortable in the pocket and forcing early and errant throws. Although they didn’t sack him, the constant pressure lead to a 49 percent completion rate for Brady. 

Now compare this game to the last time the Pats lost with Brady at quarterback, the Super Bowl in February 2008, and you see the same thing: If you pressure Brady he’s not the same quarterback. He didn’t look it in the Super Bowl and didn’t yesterday, either.

It’s clear the Pats’ defense isn’t the same as well. Guys like Harrison, Bruschi, and Vrabel were expendable because their play was declining, but New England really miss es Jerod Mayo and Richard Seymour. 

Most people praised the Pats for the Seymour trade, but it hasn’t looked so smart so far.  In the future it may pay off but the Pats are feeling his loss right now. 

They felt comfortable getting rid of guys like Vrabel and Bruschi because of young studs like Mayo, but his injury has put their depth to the test and they could use some veteran experience.

You have to give credit to Rex Ryan and the Jets’ defense. Ryan out-schemed the Pats and the defense played phenomenal. Ryan talked a big game in off-season and leading up to the game, but he backed it up and you got to love that. 

Through the first two games of the year they have not allowed an offensive touchdown. Pretty darn impressive considering they have played two of the top offenses in the league in Houston and New England. 

Kris Jenkins is clogging up the middle allowing David Harris and Bart Scott to roam free and make plays.

The other stud on the defense in cornerback Darrelle Revis. Revis shadowed Moss all day and held him in check, only allowing him four catches for 24 yards while intercepting a Brady pass. 

This comes one week after holding Andre Johnson to four catches and 35 yards. Those are two of the top three receivers in the league and combined Revis held them to eight catches for 59 yards. 

Compare that to what Johnson and Moss have done in their other games this year: 22 catches for 290 yards. Flat out: Revis is the best corner in the game. 

He’s better than Nnamdi Asomugha, better than Charles Woodson—you get the point.  He is a true shutdown corner and as good as Champ Bailey was a few years back.

You also have to give a lot of credit to Mark Sanchez. The rookie quarterback has come in with tons of pressure and an insane amount of media hype and all he’s done is exceed those expectations. 

He is playing like a seasoned veteran right now. After a first half which only saw him throw for 15 yards, he came out and threw for 148 and a score and could have had another if Chansi Stuckey had not tripped in the end zone. 

But there was one play that really impressed me by Sanchez. On a 3rd-and-3 with 2:35 remaining the Jets ran a pass trying to ice the game and Sanchez rolled right.

He didn’t see much at first and could have forced the ball in there, but decided against it and took a sack. You don’t normally see rookie quarterbacks make that decision but Sanchez has the mind of a veteran and took the sack, which kept the clock running and the ball in the Jets’ hands.

The final series for the Pats really showed why I like Rex Ryan so much. The Pats completed their first pass for 18 yards to get to the Jets’ 28 and at that point, I’m sure all Jets like myself were expecting a classic Brady drive to send it into overtime, with the Jets changing their strategy to a prevent defense. 

Instead, they stuck with what had worked for them the entire game, sending five and six and, on the final fourth down play, they sent seven at Brady leaving only four in coverage. 

If Eric Mangini were still coach there is no doubt in my mind that he would have played a prevent defense and the Pats would have scored. If you don’t believe me that’s exactly what he did last year against the Pats which led to a last second touchdown, forcing overtime, when luckily the Jets pulled out the win.

That’s the difference between Rex Ryan and Eric Mangini. I feel bad for you Cleveland, I really do.

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2009 NFC Breakout Players

Every year there are countless breakout players. Some are young players who finally get a chance to play, high draft picks who finally live up to their potential, contract year players, and some come out of nowhere. Last years breakout players included DeAngelo Williams, Aaron Rogers, and Antonio Bryant. Now onto this years candidates from the NFC.

 

Dallas Cowboys—Martellus Bennett

Bennett has made a lot of noise this off season for his off the field antics but is also impressing on the field.  The talented tight end’s immaturity may be the only thing holding him breaking out.  With the rapid development of Bennett the Cowboys will use a two tight end  set as their base formation this season. 

Combine that will the departure of Terrell Owens and Bennett will be looking at a lot more targets.  Even with Jason Witten ahead of him on the depth chart I wouldn’t be surprised if Bennett finished third on the team in receiving.

 

New York Giants—Terrell Thomas

Thomas has a nice season as a rookie last year and will look to build off that this season.  Playing mostly in a nickel and dime role Thomas impressed and even started two games due to injuries.  With Aaron Ross currently nursing a nagging hamstring injury Thomas has an opportunity to seize the starting job.  Playing opposite Corey Webster  will not hurt as well as having perhaps the best pass rush in the game.  A complete corner, Thomas could have a big season this year.

Philadelphia Eagles—DeSean Jackson

Jackson was electrifying as a rookie igniting the Eagles offense.  He finished the season just short of 1000 yards and looks like the No.1 receiver the Eagles have been searching for ever since Terrell Owens left town.  As good as he was last season he still made rookie mistakes, most noticeably prematurely dropping the ball before he crossed the end zone which could have been very costly.  With another year of seasoning Jackson should be even better this year as he becomes Donovan McNabb’s clear No.1 target.

Washington Redskins—Jason Campbell

This pick is the most surprising of the bunch but I believe Campbell has a good chance to break out this year.  In the off season the Redskins attempted to trade for Jay Cutler and draft Mark Sanchez but failed on both attempts leaving Campbell in a precarious situation. Campbell has kept his cool throughout the entire situation not lashing out to the media about the situation. 

Knowing this is his last chance to impress Campbell will give it his all this season.  Another year in Jim Zorn’s system can’t hurt either. The possible emergence of second year wide outs Devin Thomas and/or Malcolm Kelly would only help. This also happens to be Campbell’s contract year.

 

Chicago Bears—Greg Olsen

Olsen has improved in his two years in the league and looks poised to have a breakout year this season. He has shared time with Desmond Clark but is now firmly the starter. Chicago also acquired this guy called Jay Cutler who is a hell of a lot better than Kyle Orton. Olsen will be the primary target in the passing offense which will pass more this season with Cutler at the helm.

 

Detroit Lions—Cliff Avril

Avril was one of the few bright spots on a win less Lions team. The rookie from Purdue was a constant force in rushing the passer and notched five sacks despite starting only four games. Now Avril will be starting from week one giving him a full season to wreck havoc. If the Lions improve this season he will be a big part of the success.

 

Green Bay Packers—Jermichael Finley

Finley didn’t play much as a rookie as he was considered raw coming out of college. Finley though, has improved his blocking dramatically and it has earned him more playing time. He has drawn rave reviews for his play in training camp and has torn it up in the preseason. Finley will start the season splitting time with veteran Donald Lee but don’t be shocked when Finley takes over early in the season.

 

Minnesota Vikings—Tyrell Johnson

Johnson started seven games at free safety as a rookie due to an injury to Madieu Williams and was impressive.  The coaches thought so much of him that they decided to let defensive leader Darren Sharper walk in free agency.  Following Sharpers release Johnson will slide into his spot at strong safety.  Johnson is more of a strong safety than free as he is a better in the box player and this year he will be able to play to his strengths.

 

Atlanta Falcons- Curtis Lofton

Lofton came in and started at middle linebacker as a rookie last year but looked like a seasoned veteran out there.  Now entering his second year Lofton will take on a greater role on defense.  With the departure of longtime starter Keith Brooking, Lofton will be the leader on the defense and wear the defensive headset. 

He will also now be playing all three downs as opposed to two, which he did lats year.  He is a tackling machine who racked up 94 last year and playing all three downs this year will only increase that number.  He has shown dedication by shedding eight pounds to improve his coverage skills which would make him a complete linebacker.

 

Carolina Panthers—Richard Marshall

Marshall is entering his fourth year in the league and this year appears to be the year where he will finally breakout.  He has flashed in his three years amassing seven interceptions and returning two for touchdowns but has not had the opportunity to start.  The Panthers released Ken Lucas in the off season paving the way for Marshall to step up.  New defensive coordinator Ron Meeks likes his corners to play very physical, which is an area Marshall excels in.  Marshall will be highly motivated as he in entering a contract year and knows with solid play he will cash in big in the free agent market.

 

New Orleans Saints—Tracy Porter

Porter was off to a nice rookie campaign before an injury shelved him for the season after only five games.  In those five games though, Porter had emerged as the Saints top corner back.  He returns this season as a starter in an improved Saints secondary which will benefit him.   Porter possess excellent speed and in a play maker in the secondary.  Expect porter to be a key component on a much improved Saints defense this season.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Gaines Adams

The former fourth overall pick has been solid but not spectacular in his first two seasons in the league.  He has collected 12.5 sacks and was off to a nice start last season before fading down the stretch.  He certainly has some motivation as his head coach publicly said that if he doesn’t record double digit sacks he will be considered a bust.    He will also be helped by the defensive system under Jim Bates.  Adams used to line up head on against the left tackle but now will line up wide of the tackle giving him an angle and allowing him to use some of his freakish athleticism.  I expect Adams to meet his coach’s goal of double digit sacks.

 

Arizona Cardinals—Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Cromartie had a great rookie year capped by an excellent postseason which saw him emerge as the Cards best corner.  He picked off four passes in the regular season and then added two more in the playoffs.  Coming out of small school Tennessee State, not much was expected of Cromartie but he proved the naysayers wrong.  He possess a rare combination of size (6’2″) and speed (4.33) and also has great ball skills as evidenced by his performance last season.  Cromartie is on his way into becoming an elite shutdown corner, which are few and far between nowadays in the NFL.

 

Saint Louis Rams—Donnie Avery

As a rookie wide receiver Avery impressed last season.  Although it was viewed as a reach when the Rams selected him as the first wide receiver last year in the draft Avery lived up to the hype.  His emergence made longtime veteran Torry Holt expendable for the Rams in the off season.  He enters the year as the No.1 target for Marc Bulger, who is looking to rebound after a couple of rough years.  The speedy Avery was hurt earlier in camp but now is fully recovered and ready to go for the opener.  A 1,000 yard campaign is certainly in reach for the sophomore wide out.

San Francisco 49ers—Josh Morgan

As a sixth round pick last season Morgan was the star of training camp and looked like he was going to make a big impact.  Then right before the season he got a staph infection and lost 15 pounds.  Morgan returned during the season and had two nice games in a row before getting injured again. 

Heading into this season Morgan impressed at OTAs.  He has also benefited from the Michael Crabtree holdout and will start the season as the starter and will remain one as Crabtree is likely to have no impact this season if any at all.  Although the 49ers want to run a run orientated offense when they pass Morgan will be the go to guy.

 

Seattle Seahawks—John Carlson

Carlson had a very impressive rookie season for the Seahawks as he led the team in receiving.  He was the lone bright spot on  a Seahawk offense that was decimated by injuries last year.  While that won’t be the case this year with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in town he will be the No.2 target in the offense.  Carlson will be helped greatly by a healthy Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback after having to suffer through Seneca Wallace and Charlie Frye last year.  He will also benefit by playing in Greg Knapp’s offense which has been very friendly to tight ends in the past.

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

AFC East 2009: Breakout Players

Every year there are countless breakout players. Some are young players who finally get a chance to play, high draft picks who finally live up to their potential, contract year players, and some come out of nowhere. Last years breakout players included Matt Cassel, DeAngelo Williams, Aaron Rogers, and Antonio Bryant. Now onto this years candidates from the AFC East.

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