tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183465412024-03-06T22:08:46.413-08:00National Football League - NFL UpdateNational Football League - NFL UpdateFiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1144556030975397562006-04-09T21:07:00.000-07:002006-04-08T21:18:57.540-07:00Former Steelers, Giants lineman Jim Clack dies at 58Jim Clack, a guard on two Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers teams in the 1970s, died of heart failure. He was 58.<br /><br />Clack had fought neck and throat cancer for about four years before his death at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, wife Susan Clack said.<br /><br />Clack, who helped the Steelers win Super Bowls following the 1974 and 1975 seasons, played in 146 NFL games between 1971 and 1981. He played for Pittsburgh for seven season before joining the New York Giants in 1978 and playing for four more years.<br /><br />Born in Rocky Mount, Clack attended Wake Forest and entered the school's hall of fame in 1991. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.<br /><br />He returned to North Carolina after his football career, developing commercial and residential real estate and owning a restaurant. He started a sales training business and worked as a motivational speaker.<br /><br />Clack also is survived by his stepchildren, Joseph and Lindsay Curtis, both of Wilmington.<br />A funeral is scheduled for April 10 at Cornerstone Baptist Church with burial at Westminster Gardens in Greensboro. A memorial service in scheduled for April 11 at Lakeside Baptist Church in Rocky Mount.Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1144555618208853962006-04-08T21:05:00.000-07:002006-04-08T21:06:58.210-07:00CB Clements a no-show at Bills minicampNate Clements was a no-show when the Buffalo Bills opened a voluntary minicamp because he failed to accept a one-year contract as the team's franchise player.<br /><br />New coach Dick Jauron said it was important for the star cornerback to attend camp to learn the new defensive system Jauron and coordinator Perry Fewell are implementing.<br /><br />"We'd like to have him in, but we also understand his position in this thing," said Jauron, who took over after Mike Mularkey's abrupt resignation in January. "It'll straighten itself out over time one way or the other. We obviously value his abilities a great deal."<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />The Bills designated Clements their franchise player in February. The move means the Bills are committed to paying him about $7.2 million next season. The two sides are attempting to negotiate a long-term contract.<br /><br />Clements' agent, Todd France, said there were "no new developments at this time," in an e-mail to The Associated Press.<br /><br />Clements doesn't have to accept the offer, and the Bills can withdraw the deal at any time.<br />Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2001 draft, Clements is a five-year starter who leads the team with 20 interceptions, four of which he's returned for touchdowns.<br /><br />The three-day minicamp ends April 9.<br /><br />Two other players -- running back Willis McGahee and linebacker Takeo Spikes -- also were absent.<br /><br />Jauron said McGahee had a scheduling conflict, but it's possible he will attend the final two days of camp. Spikes continues to recuperate after having surgery to repair an Achilles' tendon he tore in Week 3 of last season.<br /><br />Spikes isn't expected to fully recover until the start of training camp in July.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1144555472622893512006-04-08T21:02:00.000-07:002006-04-08T21:04:33.016-07:00avre still undecided about 2006 seasonBrett Favre still is unsure if he will play another year with the Green Bay Packers.<br /><br />"No change. I don't know, once again," he said during a brief news conference from the site of his charity golf tournament. "I don't know why you guys wasted a trip down here. The Packers and I will make a decision at some point soon."<br /><br />The 36-year-old Favre -- whose grit, durability and cannon arm have become his trademark -- is the NFL's only three-time MVP (1995-97).<br /><br />"I know people are getting impatient," he said. "But enjoy baseball right now."<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />Favre acknowledged that football is "in my blood," but he insisted he has not made up his mind, and he is not withholding his decision.<br /><br />"No, I don't think that's fair to the Packers," he said. "If I knew one way or the other, for sure, and I wouldn't tell the Packers or not tell the media, that's unfair."<br />"I think the Packers have to go in a certain direction at some point," he added. "When I do know, I would tell them as soon as possible -- maybe within the next week. It has been a strain on the family as well."<br /><br />Favre was joined by his agent, Bus Cook, and a representative for the Mississippi Delta casino where the tournament is being held. Wearing shorts and a golf cap, Favre concluded the news conference about an hour before playing golf. The tournament is about 400 miles, at the opposite end of the state, from his hometown of Kiln.<br /><br />The former Southern Mississippi quarterback ranks second behind Dan Marino on the NFL's career list in touchdown passes (396), yards passing (53,615) and completions (4,678). He holds the NFL record for most consecutive starts for a quarterback with 221 (241 including the playoffs).<br /><br />Favre has led the Packers to six division crowns, restoring success to one of the NFL's most famous franchises. The Packers won Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans, a 35-21 victory against New England, returning the Lombardi Trophy to Green Bay for the first time in 29 years.<br />"Maybe we don't get back to the Super Bowl, I don't know that, but I'd like to think we can compete for it," Favre said. "I want to feel like we can compete for the Super Bowl, not just say that to say it."<br /><br />Last season, he suffered a career-high 29 interceptions and failed to throw for more than 20 touchdowns for only the second time since 1993. The Packers finished 4-12 for their first losing season since he joined the team in 1992.<br /><br />"When I left after the season, yeah, it was tough to be excited about football. But it's in my blood," Favre said. "As time has passed, I have forgotten a little about the 4-12 season and think more about the good times. If I decide to come back and play, that's really what I'm deciding to come back to -- the fun."<br /><br />There are concerns about the team's offensive line, which struggled last season after the departure of stalwart guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera to free agency. Favre also wants to make sure the Packers are going to be competitive after a dreadful 2005 season.<br />Speculation about Favre's future has become an annual rite of winter in Wisconsin. He has spoken of retirement in years past, only to return.<br /><br />"I'm sure I would miss it, but at some point it has to end," Favre said. "At some point, you have to give it up."<br /><br />Through it all, there has been a string of family troubles. His father died in December 2003. His wife, Deanna, survived breast cancer and mourned the death of her brother in an all-terrain vehicle accident. Several members of Favre's family in Mississippi were displaced because of Hurricane Katrina.<br /><br />Favre memorably threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders one day after his father's death.<br /><br />"There are other things to do and focus on right now (besides football)," Favre said, referring to his charity. "And I say do that, because that's what I'm trying to do. I want to make the right decision, but I have other things on my plate as well."<br /><br /></span >Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1144079903430633462006-04-03T08:55:00.000-07:002006-04-03T08:58:23.433-07:00Hawk: All part of the processI'm back at school now and spring quarter started on Monday (March 27) so things have been very busy. I have one last class to take before graduating in June with my degree in criminology. Classes are four days a week so it's a full schedule. I also am interviewing with teams on the phone and in person. Between that and working out, my day actually gets pretty full. I don't want to make it sound like my schedule is any busier than any other college athletes though. Any college athlete goes through this; just instead of practice I do interviews and work out. Everybody is busy when you are in college; it's just a difference of activities.<br /><br />Preparing for the NFL draft has been a full-time activity. First, there was the Scouting Combine, then Pro Day and now there are individual team workouts and interviews. Some are in person and some interviews are on the phone. It's fun thinking about playing in the NFL, but I don't want to get too ahead of myself. I know it's a cliché, but I'm just taking things one step at a time. I grew up a Bengals fan, but I'd honestly be happy to play anywhere. Playing at Ohio State makes playing in cold weather a non-factor and I really don't mind moving to any part of the country.<br /><br />I started to think about the NFL some time around my junior year. That is probably when I first realized that I could end up being a player in the NFL and hoping it would happen. I went to high school and played college football with Mike Nugent, who was drafted by the Jets last year as their kicker. He's given me some good advice about how to manage everything and some of the other guys on OSU and I talk often about it, so hopefully we are staying grounded through the process. There are a lot of Ohio State players in the NFL, so I know a little about what to expect. But you really need to do these things yourself to figure it all out.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />I'm planning on heading up to Notre Dame on April 22nd for their spring game. Brady Quinn and I are friends now and I want to go see the game. I was at Notre Dame once when my brother was being recruited there, but I don't remember it well. I'm looking forward to seeing the campus and the stadium up close.<br /><br />I've always been a fan of the draft so I can't wait for April 29th. I'm going to be watching it with my family at home. This year's draft will be a great one. There are so many great players in it at all positions -- (Reggie) Bush and (Matt) Leinart and (Vince) Young and (D'Brickashaw) Ferguson. It's such a deep class that watching as a fan will be great, let alone as someone who could be drafted.<br /><br />The next few weeks should be pretty exciting and I look forward to the excitement of graduating and moving on to the next stage of my life.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1144079713520132882006-04-03T08:52:00.000-07:002006-04-03T08:55:13.523-07:00Packers not pressuring Favre for decisionThe Green Bay Packers aren't pressuring Brett Favre to make a retirement decision by the April 1 due date for a $3 million roster bonus. And even if they were, the quarterback doesn't think he owes the team a decision this weekend anyway.<br /><br />In his most recent comments about his murky football future, Favre made one thing clear: If he does return, he told a newspaper in his native Mississippi there is "no doubt" it will be his last season.<br /><br />Favre's retirement saga has turned into pro football's version of Groundhog Day, as fans and the media try to predict the future based upon brief public glimpses of the iconic QB during the winter.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />The April 1 bonus due date recently has been interpreted as a deadline from the team's management for Favre to make a decision. But Favre doesn't seem inclined to meet it, and the Packers aren't going to hold him to it.<br /><br />"If I don't tell them by Saturday, what will they do, cut me?" Favre told the Sun Herald in Gulfport, Miss.<br /><br />Packers general manager Ted Thompson already has moved the roster bonus deadline back to accommodate his star quarterback, and he seems willing to do so again.<br />"No, it never has been (a deadline)," Thompson told The Associated Press. "It's just another date in the spring."<br /><br />Thompson, who has remained in contact with Favre during the offseason, said he hasn't heard anything that would indicate a decision is imminent.<br /><br />"We've talked to Brett and (wife) Deanna, and I've said all along that they'll decide when they decide," Thompson said.<br /><br />Favre said he wants to play again but will return only if the Packers can assemble a winning team.<br /><br />"Last season, expectations were high and it was a bad situation," Favre said of the team's 4-12 season, his only losing one in Green Bay. "If we can't compete at a high level, I can walk away and my legacy will speak for itself."<br /><br />Thompson said Favre's unclear future isn't having a negative effect on the team's preparations for next season. But the sooner Favre decides, the better.<br /><br />"It's OK now," Thompson said. "I think everybody would like to know. I think Brett would like to know."<br /><br />The Packers did not pursue experienced quarterbacks such as Aaron Brooks and Brian Griese in free agency, but Thompson said that was not an indication that the Packers are assuming Favre will return.<br /><br />Aaron Rodgers, the team's first-round draft pick last season, is presumed to be in line to take over the starting role if Favre retires. But Thompson said the team would look to add a more experienced quarterback, possibly through a trade, if Favre does retire.<br /><br />"Obviously, with Brett not in the equation, we might have to add another type of player," Thompson said.<br /><br />But Thompson hopes it doesn't come to that.<br /><br />Favre, who was in Gulfport, Miss., to award grants to help youth football groups rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, said he has been talking to the team for the past month and there are things that both parties have to sort out.<br /><br />"If they don't come together, I guess I won't play," Favre said. "I don't know if my decision will be made by Saturday (April 1)."<br /><br />Favre said some days he wants to play and other days he wants to retire. Knowing he can still compete at a high level is making the decision tough, he said.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143936403656973792006-04-01T16:04:00.000-08:002006-04-01T16:06:43.656-08:00Giants, Jets get revised deal for new stadiumThe New York Giants and Jets moved a step closer to their new home in the Meadowlands.<br />Officials from New Jersey, the Giants and the Jets said March 31 they've made several changes to an agreement signed last fall that will create a new, $1 billion football stadium in East Rutherford.<br /><br />Under the updated stadium agreement, the state would not be required to pay for $30 million of infrastructure costs around the stadium, said Gary Rose, chief of the governor's office of economic growth.<br /><br />The stadium is expected to open for the 2010 season and will seat about 81,000.<br />The new stadium agreement comes after Gov. Jon S. Corzine earlier this month questioned the financial terms of the original deal, brokered by his predecessor, former Gov. Richard J. Codey.<br />The teams would also be allowed to collect money for naming rights to the stadium and the complex as a whole, with the exception of the Continental Airlines Arena and a new entertainment and retail development that is being built there.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />The state also would drop its pursuit of a retractable dome for the new arena, Rose said. Team owners had said they would kill the earlier agreement if the state forced them to pay for a roof.<br />"Governor Codey made a tremendous effort to keep the Giants and Jets in New Jersey and today's announcement confirms the partnership that has been fostered between New Jersey and the teams," Corzine said in a statement. "The stadium that will be built will be a world-class facility that will set a new standard for football venues."<br /><br />The owners of the teams said in a joint statement that they are pleased with the updated agreement.<br /><br />"We are very grateful to the governor for recognizing the importance of this project," said Woody Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of the Jets. "We are looking forward to moving ahead and beginning work on the new stadium as planned."<br />In September, the Giants and Jets agreed to jointly finance the new stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.<br /><br />While the Giants will build their own training facility on a site within the Meadowlands, the Jets will move their headquarters and practice facility to Floral Park from Hempstead, N.Y., in the summer of 2007. <br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143936210980080882006-04-01T16:00:00.000-08:002006-04-01T16:03:32.420-08:00Burleson a Seahawk after Vikings don't matchA unique fight over restricted free agents between Seattle and Minnesota ended when the Vikings chose not to match the Seahawks' contract offer to receiver Nate Burleson.<br />Vikings vice president for football operations Rob Brzezinski confirmed the decision, which allowed Burleson to join his hometown team.<br /><br />"This is a dream come true for Nate," his agent, Ken Sarnoff, said. "That seven years after being named the Seattle High School athlete of the year, he now plays for the Seahawks."<br /><br />Burleson signed an offer sheet last week for a seven-year contract worth up to $49 million, including $5.25 million guaranteed. In response to a similar tactic Minnesota used to sign All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson to an offer sheet earlier this month, Seattle put a pair of provisions in the deal that would make it impractical for the Vikings to match.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />If Burleson plays at least five games in the state of Minnesota or if his annual salary average is more than the average of his team's highest-paid running back, then the entire $49 million would be guaranteed.<br /><br />The Vikings signed Hutchinson to an offer sheet that the Seahawks didn't match, after an arbitrator ruled that their contract didn't violate the collective bargaining agreement. Hutchinson's seven-year, $49 million deal becomes guaranteed if he's not his team's highest-paid offensive lineman. He had previously been named Seattle's transition player.<br />These poison pills caused some consternation at the league meetings this week, and outgoing commissioner Paul Tagliabue said such loopholes were "not in the spirit" of the NFL's agreement with the players' union.<br /><br />But Burleson, who caught 30 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown last season while bothered by multiple injuries, is moving on.<br /><br />Minnesota is left with Koren Robinson, Troy Williamson, Marcus Robinson and Travis Taylor at receiver, after nobody emerged as a top target in 2005 following the trade of Randy Moss to Oakland. Burleson was expected to be that, after accumulating 1,006 yards receiving and nine touchdowns in 2004.<br /><br />The Seahawks owe the Vikings a third-round pick, based on Burleson's draft position in 2003. Minnesota now has two third-rounders and two second-rounders.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143769482844067682006-03-30T17:42:00.000-08:002006-03-30T17:44:42.846-08:00Moss' agent arrested again in FloridaThe agent for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss was arrested last weekend for failing to appear at a hearing stemming from his March 14 arrest on crack cocaine charges.<br /><br />Dante DiTrapano was arrested March 25 in Clearwater, Fla., sheriff's department spokesman Mac McMullen said. DiTrapano posted bond and was released.<br /><br />Robert Heyman, DiTrapano's attorney, and Tim DiPiero, a partner in DiTrapano's law firm in Charleston, didn't immediately return telephone messages.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />DiTrapano, wife Teri and three others were arrested this month at a St. Petersburg, Fla., hotel. Police say they recovered 73 pieces of crack cocaine and 21 grams of powder cocaine. All five were charged with felony possession of crack cocaine.<br /><br />Florida officials issued a warrant for DiTrapano after he failed to attend a March 21 court hearing in St. Petersburg.<br /><br />DiTrapano has said he's enrolled in a treatment center for an addiction to the painkiller OxyContin.<br /><br /></span >Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143768935134550602006-03-30T17:26:00.000-08:002006-03-30T17:35:47.583-08:00Jets sign ex-Seahawks DB Dyson<p>The New York Jets announced Thursday the signing of unrestricted free agent cornerback Andre Dyson. Terms of the contract were undisclosed. The announcement was made by Jets’ General Manager Mike Tannenbaum.</p><p><br />"Andre is a good, young player who has extensive playing experience at the highest levels in the NFL," said Tannenbaum. "One of our priorities heading into the off-season was to acquire a cornerback that had valuable playing experience. In addition, he has played in two championship games and a Super Bowl and that experience will be an asset to the Jets."</p><p><br />Dyson, 26, joins the Jets following one season with the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks and a start in Super Bowl XL against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 5-10, 183-pound native of Clearfield, Utah began his professional career as a second-round selection of the Tennessee Titans in 2001 (60th player selected overall) out of the University of Utah. He played for the Titans for the first four seasons (2001-2004) of his career before moving on last season via unrestricted free agency.</p><p><span class ="fullpost"></p><p><br />Through his first five professional seasons, Dyson has 17 interceptions, 69 pass breakups and five touchdowns in 72 regular-season games, 64 of them starts. In Seattle's 42-0 Monday night rout at Philadelphia last season, Dyson scored after an interception and a fumble recovery, becoming the first NFL player since 1999 to score on two defensive returns in the same game. He has accumulated 243 career tackles, as well as four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.<br />In 2005 with Seattle, Dyson appeared in 10 regular season games, missing six with various injuries. Going into 2005, he had missed only two games. He was back in the starting lineup for all three postseason games, including the Super Bowl. </p><p><br />In 2004 with Tennessee, Dyson set a career-high with six interceptions and led the team with 15 passes defensed to go along with 40 tackles (34 solo). He also set career-highs in tackles (64) and passes defensed (16) in the 2003 season. Of his 17 career interceptions, four have been returned for touchdowns.</p><p><br />A three-year starter at Utah, Dyson played in 43 games with 29 starts. He returned four of his 12 career interceptions for touchdowns, which is a school record. He majored in sociology at Utah. Dyson, whose older brother, Kevin, is a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, weighing only 1 lb., 9 oz. at birth, garnering the nickname “Miracle Baby.”<br />Preseason Opponents Announced</p><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143677202812154662006-03-29T16:04:00.000-08:002006-03-29T16:06:42.813-08:00Raiders/Eagles to kick off NFL preseasonThe Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles will open the NFL preseason schedule on Sunday, August 6 in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.<br /><br />The game will also mark the return of NBC as a broadcast partner of the NFL. NBC will televise the premier Sunday night package for the upcoming season.<br /><br />The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers will be featured in one nationally televised preseason game on Friday, August 25 at Philadelphia.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />The preseason will feature four full weeks of play, ending the weekend of August 31-September 2.<br /><br />The NFL's regular season is slated to kick off on Thursday, September 7 when the defending champion Steelers host the Miami Dolphins.<br /><br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143677009586050662006-03-29T16:00:00.000-08:002006-03-29T16:03:29.590-08:00Packers notes: A hole in the middleWhile the Green Bay Packers try to figure out who will replace departed Mike Flanagan as their starting center, the Houston Texans couldn't be happier about having stolen Flanagan away to fill that role for them.<br /><br />The Texans signed Flanagan, the Packers' starter the past five seasons, to a three-year, $8.9 million free agent deal ($3 million signing bonus) Thursday night. And while they think the 32-year-old can still play, they like even more the leadership he'll provide on a line that has allowed quarterback David Carr to be sacked an NFL-high 208 times over the past four seasons, including 68 times last year.<br /><br />"His presence, if he sat here at this table, (you'd see) he's a leader," new Texans coach Gary Kubiak said during Tuesday morning's annual media breakfast with the AFC coaches. "And we felt our guys up front needed a leader to come in at the center position."<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />As one would expect, Kubiak said the recommendation ex-Packers coach Mike Sherman, who is the Texans' assistant head coach/offense and will be working with offensive line coach John Benton, played a major role in the team's decision to sign him.<br /><br />"It's easy for us to see (Flanagan) as a player, but Mike knew him as a person. So really Mike was, I want to say the closer in the deal," said Kubiak, adding that Flanagan's addition will allow him to move Steve McKinney to left guard. "He was the one with the relationship that gave us the best opportunity to get the kid. No doubt about that."<br /><br />The Packers, meanwhile, appear content to allow youngsters Scott Wells and Chris White to battle it out for the right to replace Flanagan. Flanagan's primary backup, Grey Ruegamer, is not in the Packers' plans, and coach Mike McCarthy said he wants to keep second-year lineman Junius Coston at guard "right now."<br /><br />"We think those guys (Wells and White) can play," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. "We'll see how it works out. We've got some young guys, but that's what you have to do in the NFL. You have to move on sometimes."<br /><br />Thompson said the Packers tried to re-sign Flanagan, but "Houston stepped up to the plate pretty good (financially) and he decided to do that. You can't get too worked up about it."<br />Sounding board<br /><br />Kubiak said his decision to hire Sherman, whom he worked with at Texas A&M in the 1990s, has been "awesome" because Sherman is helping him through the adjustment of being a first-time NFL head coach. Sherman spent six years as the Packers head coach and four as the team's general manager.<br /><br />While Sherman's primary responsibility with the Texans is the offensive line, "he helps me in just about everything I do, to be honest with you," Kubiak said. "There's probably not a day that goes by that I'm not in there asking him about various situations going on and asking his opinion.<br />"It's nice to have somebody who's been there, where you can do down the hallway and say, 'I'm fixing to do this, what do you think?' You have so much respect for his opinion because he's had to make those decisions on a daily basis."<br />A lot to like<br /><br />Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron said ex-Packers backup quarterback Craig Nall will be given every chance to win the team's starting job in a three-way competition with J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb.<br /><br />"We wanted a three-man push there, thinking that the three of them would bring the level of play up of all of them a little bit higher and then one of them will surface (as the starter)," Jauron said. "At some point, we'll have to start changing the reps, because somebody hopefully will take the job. It'll be interesting."<br /><br />Asked what he likes about Nall, who received a $1.3 million signing bonus despite having thrown just 33 regular season passes in his four-year NFL career, Jauron said, "He didn't get a lot of playing time, as we all know. But he's not a guy that we have to train to play in the league. And, we liked his demeanor when we interviewed him. He's a confident guy; he believes that he can start. He just wanted to come some place where he'd have the chance to just compete for the starting job."<br /><br />Schedule on horizon<br /><br />The Packers will open the preseason at San Diego and play a nationally televised game at home in Week 3 of the exhibition schedule, Packers president Bob Harlan said. The full preseason schedule will be released by the league today.<br /><br />The league has told owners that the regular season schedule will be released April 6, Harlan said.<br />On the Web<br />Packers<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143676469777048682006-03-29T15:51:00.000-08:002006-03-29T15:54:29.783-08:00NFL Features : Trade values have extenuating circumstancesIn recent years, trades in the NFL appear to be on the rise. Contract pressures, losses in free agency, health and lack of quality depth in the draft leave teams no choice but to acquire talent through a trade.<br /><br />We witnessed Daunte Culpepper go from the Vikings to the Dolphins for a mere second-round pick. If he was healthy, the Vikings probably could have received two first-round picks for a young quarterback that threw for over 4,700 yards just two years ago. Next we watched a three-team deal that sent defensive end John Abraham to the Falcons in exchange for a late first-round selection. Patrick Ramsey only had sixth-round value as he left Washington for the Jets, and safety Chris Crocker is now a Falcon. This all leads me to players that are supposedly on the trading block right now.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />Quarterback Joey Harrington, center Jeff Faine, receiver Eric Moulds and possibly receiver Javon Walker are being discussed around the NFL personnel offices right now. It is important to keep in mind that the players with big contracts and large roster bonuses coming due this spring control more of the "trade" process than players with lower salaries. For example, in the cases of Harrington and Moulds, the players will have to agree to restructured deals before a trading club will pull the trigger on a deal. If either player doesn't want to go to the teams interested in them, they simply don't renegotiate their contracts and the trade most likely goes away. The better the renegotiation talks go with the high-priced players, the more the value of the trade goes up for the trading team.<br /><br />While I was at the owners meetings, I asked two GMs what Moulds was worth if he agreed to a deal like the one Keyshawn Johnson took in Carolina. The opinion was that if Moulds was willing to take that deal then he would be worth a third-round pick. If he required money in line with Terrell Owens and a club was willing to pay it, then the compensation might only be a fourth-round pick.<br /><br />As for Harrington, there already appears to be a number of teams "interested" in his services. The real level of interest can't be determined until Harrington declares what he wants in compensation. Here's a guy with 60 touchdown passes since he was drafted in 2002, and most personnel directors around the league had a high first-round grade on him coming out of college. With that said, it will be hard to think of a team giving up more than a fourth- or fifth-round draft pick for him now. If I were the Lions, I might be more interested in a 2007 pick based on 2006 performance. If he starts a few games or throws a certain number of touchdowns, then the value goes up.<br /><br />The guy who might warrant the most compensation right now is Faine. There is only one center with a first-round grade in the draft, and that is Nick Mangold from Ohio State. Faine has a modest salary at just over $500,000 and has two years left on his original deal. He has some medical history, but he also has 27 starts in the last two seasons. Faine could easily justify a third-round pick for his services. Is he a better player than Harrington or Moulds? Probably not, but he has the criteria for a better trade value.<br /><br />It's not even substantiated that the Packers are interested in trading Walker. Remember the golden rule of moving talent off your roster. You must replace talent for talent or you hurt your club. The reason teams would be interested in Walker -- even though he missed 15 games last year and wants a lot of money right now -- is the lack of talent left on the open market and a weak draft class. When GMs look at 2004 when Walker caught 89 balls for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns, they see a No. 1 receiver. When the same GMs look at the free-agent pool and the draft for this year, they only see No. 2 and No. 3 receivers. As one head coach said to me this week in Orlando, "If I'm going to have to draft Santonio Holmes or Chad Jackson and pay them first-round money, I might want to look at Walker if he became available." All things considered, if Walker's financial demands were realistic and Green Bay decided to part ways with him (which I wouldn't recommend), then he could bring a first-day draft pick. But that would put the Packers in the same boat teams interested in Walker are now, and it surely couldn't be music to Brett Favre's ears as he ponders retirement or a return.<br /><br />Finally, it is good for the fans and the media to have some trade speculation floating around at the owners meetings, and as Matt Millen said to me on Tuesday, "It's a lot easier to get a trade done when you are looking right into the eyes of the guy asking about a trade then it is over the phone."<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143676237989955932006-03-29T15:46:00.000-08:002006-03-29T15:50:38.126-08:00NFL is still eyeing L.A.Before he retires as commissioner, Paul Tagliabue would like to see the NFL get closer to placing a team back in Los Angeles.<br /><br />While Tagliabue plans to be gone from the league in July -- if the owners can get together and find a successor by then -- a solution to the situation doesn't figure to come that soon.<br />Two sites are being considered, in Anaheim and at the current location of the Coliseum, each with cost estimates at $800 million, considerably higher than previous price tags. Tagliabue is eager to see a franchise return to Los Angeles, which was abandoned by the Raiders and the Rams after the 1994 season -- then failed to come up with public financing for an expansion team, which went to Houston beginning in 2002.<br /><br />The subject is being discussed this week at the NFL meetings in Orlando, Fla., although it will be at the spring meetings in May that any concrete plans are developed.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />"My guess is that we will be going forward with those presentations on behalf of the Coliseum and Anaheim so that we can make some decisions in Denver, to select one of the stadium projects and to go forward with the process of identifying a team and building a stadium," Tagliabue said.<br /><br />Tagliabue has told the 32 team owners that unless a plan for Los Angeles is formulated soon, getting a team back into the nation's second-largest market won't occur by the end of the decade. For now, a six-man committee is handling the issue.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the competition committee presented its proposals to the ownership Tuesday and votes will be taken today on the issues. They include:<br /><br />• Cracking down on end-zone celebrations. Players won't be allowed to do anything while on the ground and also can't use props such as end-zone pylons. They can spike, dunk or spin the ball as long as they are standing in the end zone, and it is not a group thing.<br />• Allowing video reviews of down-by-contact plays; this proposal was defeated in an owners vote a year ago. Currently, a play is dead once the whistle blows and the ballcarrier is ruled down by the officials.<br />• Toughening enforcement on pass rushers who hit quarterbacks below the knees.<br />Harrington seeks job<br /><br />Detroit quarterback Joey Harrington, who is helping his team try to find him a new job, is scheduled to meet in South Florida today with Dolphins coach Nick Saban, a source said.<br /><br />Saban said at the NFL owners' meetings that he hoped to sign a backup quarterback as soon as possible. A few hours later, he left for home.<br /><br />Harrington, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2002 but a bust with the Lions, remains under contract to Detroit, which would like to trade him instead of releasing him. A trade seems likely because several teams -- Miami, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Baltimore -- appear to be intrigued. <br /><br />"I have talked to quite a few teams that have shown interest in me, and I am narrowing my list of teams to a few and then probably will visit them in the next week," Harrington said on his family foundation Web site.<br />Around the league<br /><br />• 49ers: Tight end Terry Jones re-signed with San Francisco, who claimed him off waivers from Baltimore last season. Jones caught nine passes for 76 yards for the 49ers last season after being dropped by the Ravens, who drafted him in 2002.<br /><br />• Panthers: Carolina re-signed punter Jason Baker and brought back cornerback Reggie Howard, who started on their 2003 Super Bowl team. Baker, who set a team record last season with a 38.9-yard punting average, agreed to a two-year deal. Howard, meanwhile, received a one-year contract.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143248913153752712006-03-24T17:06:00.000-08:002006-03-24T17:08:33.156-08:00KING 5 to broadcast Seahawks pre-season games, new weekly football showSEATTLE - Seahawks fans can now get more of a good thing next football season.<br /> <br />The Seattle Seahawks and KING 5 announced Wednesday that all Seahawks pre-season games will now be broadcast on KING 5. The station will also air a new weekly game review and coach’s show following NBC’s Sunday night NFL games.<br /> <br />The NFL regular season kicks off September 7 with a Thursday night primetime game.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /> <br />The weekly program will be taped in a new KING 5 studio perched atop the south end of Qwest Field.<br /> <br /> The program will rebroadcast Sunday evenings both on Northwest Cable News and KONG 6/16. Pre-season games will also be re-broadcast on KONG 6/16.<br /> <br />“This partner ship ensures Seahawks fans from throughout the region can enjoy the team featured on the number-one rated television station in Western Washington,” said Tod Leiweke, Seattle Seahawks CEO.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143248575361325192006-03-24T16:58:00.000-08:002006-03-24T17:02:55.363-08:00Seahawks sign Tafoya, Keyshawn signs with CarolinaThe Seattle Seahawks re-signed defensive end Joe Tafoya on Thursday.<br />He will earn $585,000 in base salary in 2006.<br /><br />The five-year veteran, acquired off waivers from Tampa Bay last March, played in 15 regular-season games and all three of the team's postseason games as a backup end and special teams player. He finished fourth on the NFC champions with 15 tackles on special teams, including one fumble recovery.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />Tafoya will continue to back up starters Bryce Fisher and Grant Wistrom.<br />Johnson signs with Panthers<br /><br />The Carolina Panthers have reached agreement on a four-year, $19 million deal with wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson. He's expected to sign the contract Friday.<br /><br />Johnson was released last week by the Dallas Cowboys and turned down an offer from the New York Giants. He had planned to visit Seattle after meeting with the Panthers, but stayed all of yesterday in Charlotte meeting with Panthers officials.<br />The deal includes a $5 million signing bonus.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143248222608656782006-03-24T16:54:00.000-08:002006-03-24T16:57:02.610-08:00Pirates stomped by SeahawksEast Carolina won't be heading to Rice exactly on a high note.<br /><br />UNC-Wilmington (17-6) snapped the Pirates (16-7) four-game winning streak with a 14-6 victory in front of 2,822 fans Wednesday evening at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Seahawks, which avoided a season sweep by the Pirates, banged out 21 hits against eight ECU pitchers. Every starter for Wilmington had at least one hit.<br /><br />The Pirates hurt their own chances with five costly errors.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />ECU, which opens Conference USA play this weekend at No. 4 Rice, was held to two runs on five hits by Wilmington starter Jeff Hatcher (2-1). The sophomore, who made his second start of the season, fanned six and walked two in a career-high seven innings of work.<br /><br />The Pirates were down 11-0 before scratching across four runs in the eighth. After Wilmington went up 14-4, the Pirates managed two more runs in the ninth.<br /><br />“It was a rough night,” ECU coach Billy Godwin said. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know that you have nights like this. Fortunately, I haven’t been on this side of them too many times.<br /><br />“We’re going to be fine. I was real proud of the players at the end. It was just a little too late.”<br />The Seahawks knocked starter Scott Andrews (1-1) out in the second inning. The senior southpaw, making his first start of the year, allowed three runs on six hits in just 1 2/3 innings of work.<br /><br />Wilmington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jason Appel reached on an infield hit and eventually scored on an RBI-single by John Raynor.<br /><br />The Seahawks tacked on two more runs off four hits in the second. Daniel Hargrave doubled into left to get things started. Hargrave scored on a throwing error by shortstop Dale Mollenhauer, the first of two in the inning by the sophomore. Kenny Smith, who reached on an error, later scored when Appel reached on a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.<br /><br />The damage could have been worse, but left fielder Stephen Batts threw out Appel at the plate on a hit by John Raynor to end the inning.<br /><br />ECU reliever Josh Dowdy did a solid job keeping it a 3-0 game until he had to leave because of an injury. The freshman, who gave up three hits and struck out three in 1 2/3 innings, came up lame after fielding a bunt by Chris Hatcher in the fourth.<br /><br />Jason Neitz followed with 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball. The junior gave up one hit and struck out two.<br /><br />Wilmington increased its lead to 5-0 off two relievers in the sixth. Hargrave hit a leadoff double against sophomore Chris Powell. Senior Carter Harrell came on and allowed an RBI-double to Chris Hatcher and an RBI-single to Appel.<br /><br />ECU used a couple strong defensive plays to keep it 5-0, as catcher Jake Smith tagged out Appel on a double-steal attempt and Batts made a diving catch to rob Raynor of a hit.<br /><br />Steve Halford's RBI-single in the seventh extended Wilmington's lead to 6-0 and ended the night for Harrell (three runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning). Hargrave greeted ECU's sixth pitcher, senior Kevin Rhodes, with an RBI-double to make it 7-0. It was Hargrave's third double of the game, which tied a school record.<br /><br />A passed ball, error, RBI-double by Halford and RBI-single by Hargrave off reliever Cody Leggett, ECU's seventh pitcher, produced four more runs in the eighth for an 11-0 advantage.<br />The Pirates avoided the shutout in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Tousley and Chris Buss had pinch-hit RBI-singles and Harrison Eldridge smacked a two-run double to make it 11-4.<br />A two-run double by Raynor and an error allowed Wilmington to tack on three more runs in the ninth.<br /><br />Tousley had an RBI single and Buss brought in another run on a ground out to close out the scoring.<br /><br />Hargrave and Raynor banged out four hits apiece for Wilmington, while Chris Hatcher and Appel had three each.<br /><br />Jay Mattox had three hits for the Pirates.<br /><br />The Pirates begin C-USA play Friday against the Rice Owls, with the first pitch at Reckling Park scheduled for 8 p.m. The teams will play Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.<br />T.J. Hose, Dustin Sasser and Brody Taylor will start for the Pirates on those respective days.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143247930147146362006-03-24T16:46:00.000-08:002006-03-24T16:52:10.316-08:00Seahawks find a new starter for offensive lineThe Seahawks might have found their replacement for the departed Steve Hutchinson, and he's a guy with Super Bowl credentials.<br /><br />If nothing else, Tom Ashworth figures to be a starter on Seattle's offensive line.<br />Ashworth, formerly with the New England Patriots, agreed Thursday to sign a five-year, $13 million contract.<br /><br />Ashworth, 28, has been a right tackle for most of his four-year NFL career, blocking for quarterback Tom Brady in back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 2003 and 2004. He made a free-agent visit to Seahawks headquarters earlier this week, and his agent said he came away excited, especially about his meeting with offensive-line coach Bill Laveroni.<br /><br />The Seahawks' philosophy of employing athletic offensive linemen who are often put on the move fits well with Ashworth, who was a tight end briefly at Colorado. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Ashworth could slide to left guard, where Hutchinson played the past five seasons before signing with the Minnesota Vikings. That would allow Seattle to keep Sean Locklear at right tackle, where he started every game last season.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />Locklear also could move inside to keep Ashworth at his typical spot.<br /><br />Ashworth was expected to sign his contract today. He'll receive $4.5 million this year.<br /><br />One more hurdle for Hamlin<br /><br />Free safety Ken Hamlin has been cleared to play football by his physician. Hamlin suffered severe injuries in a fight outside a downtown Seattle nightclub last October. But the Seahawks aren't saying yet whether Hamlin will play.<br /><br />Lawrence Temple, Hamlin's agent, said his client has been cleared to play by his personal physician, but Temple said he did not know whether the Seahawks' doctors have given Hamlin the go-ahead to resume playing.<br /><br />Without that clearance, Hamlin still is officially out of action. Hamlin was under the supervision of Dr. Stan Herring, one of the Seahawks' doctors, after his injuries.<br /><br />Team medical staff had not made a decision on Hamlin as of the NFL scouting combine last month. The team did not comment Thursday on Hamlin's state of readiness.<br /><br />The football staff is apparently not completely convinced, either, as the Seahawks had free agent Lance Schulters in for a visit that concluded Thursday. The Seahawks are already down a safety after losing Marquand Manuel to the Green Bay Packers earlier this month.<br />Hamlin has been working out since before the season ended.<br />Notes<br /><br />• Tight end Chris Baker, a former New York Jet, concluded his visit with the Seahawks on Thursday. The team is seeking a replacement for Ryan Hannam, who signed with the Cowboys last week. Baker, 6-3 and 258 pounds, started eight games last season and caught 18 passes for 269 yards. Baker, 26, has four years of NFL experience.<br /><br />• Seattle also met with TE Will Heller on Wednesday. Heller (6-6, 265) spent his first three pro seasons in Tampa Bay, where he was a backup.<br /><br />• The Seahawks announced that DE Joe Tafoya has signed his contract to return to the team for the 2006 season.<br />José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or <a href="mailto:jromero@seattletimes.com">jromero@seattletimes.com</a><br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143054593013418292006-03-22T11:06:00.000-08:002006-03-22T11:09:53.016-08:00Top picks not always worthy of savior statushere is no doubt that the fast-approaching NFL draft brings a buzz to the media and the fans that is second only to playoff games.<br /><br />For some reason, the top 32 players selected from the college ranks make a lot of money and the dreams and hopes of the franchise rest squarely on the shoulders of these young men.<br />Who gets Reggie Bush? Is Matt Leinart the next great quarterback? How far up does a team have to go to get Jay Cutler? Who can resist the athleticism of Vince Young? Is D'Brickashaw Ferguson the next Willie Roaf? Has anyone looked better coming out of college as a defensive end than Mario Williams? You get the picture!<br /><br />Well, before we get too caught up in the hype, I thought it would be a good idea to go back and look at last year's top pick for each club. (I included the second-round selection of teams that didn't have a first-round pick, and four teams had two first-round selections.) The top 36 players, if you will, and how much bang for the buck the teams got for their picks.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />In the past two years, this "elite" group of program-savers averaged about a $3 million signing bonus and a salary of about $500,000. In plain English, NFL teams will spend about $100 million in bonus money and another $20 million in salary on the top 36 players drafted this year, just like they did last year. In fact, with the new CBA, teams might spend even more money.<br /><br />Forgetting production, which takes time to develop, here's a look at the amount of time the top players were on the field learning how to play the pro game. A few years from now, a number of this year's top draft picks will claim they are underpaid but they will conveniently forget how much money they made back in their rookie year and what the club got in return for the cash.<br />The average top pick from the 2005 draft started seven games last season. There were only three 16-game starters: New England's Logan Mankins, Kansas City's Derrick Johnson and Dallas' DeMarcus Ware. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay), Chris Spencer (Seattle) and Jason Campbell (Washington) didn't start a game.<br /><br />When it came to the number of plays in a game, 20 of the 36 played more than 50 percent of the plays in each game and the average percentage of plays for these top 2005 draft picks was 49 percent. Got the picture? An average signing bonus of $3 million, an average salary of $500,000 and less than half the plays: overpaid or underpaid?<br /><br />Since they averaged less than half the snaps on offense and defense, you would think they must have been on most of the special teams. Seven of these high-priced players did not play one snap of special teams. The average number of special-teams plays per player for the 16-game schedule was 62 plays, or slightly under four plays per game.<br /><br />Thomas Davis of the Panthers contributed the most with 257 special-teams plays. The next closest rookie was Steelers tight end Heath Miller with 162 plays. The average NFL team has close to 500 special-teams per season. NFL special-teams coaches can look forward to the top rookies contributing on about 12 percent of the special-teams plays, but they also know some of their better veteran special-teams players get released or not re-signed to accommodate the big rookie salaries.<br /><br />So, who got their money's worth in sweat last year from their top pick? Keyshawn Johnson made a point to me the other day when I asked him the question, "Now that you are free to talk to any team, who would want you?" The first thing he said was a team that wants a guy who plays over 1,000 plays a season every year. That point stuck with me all week.<br /><br /> Cedric Benson made just one start for Chicago despite being picked fourth overall. The top 36 players in the draft last year produced only one player with 1,000-plus plays -- Logan Mankins. There were some other rookies that combined their special-teams plays with their regular offense or defense plays to give their team its money's worth: Derrick Johnson (1,113 plays), Mankins (1,114), Pacman Jones (954), Heath Miller (945), Jammal Brown (893) and Fabian Washington (890).<br /><br />I understand and agree with the fact that quarterbacks take time to develop, and sitting the first season is part of the process. I also understand that injuries play a big part in playing time.<br />But something just doesn't sit right with me when the money doesn't equal the work. If the average top pick averages seven starts, less than 50 percent of the snaps, and 12 percent of the special-teams plays, then maybe there should be an adjustment in how much these players in training make.<br /><br />A very successful Wall Street broker told me that at his firm, the young brokers don't really have a change in base pay for three years, but the bonuses go up as the brokers become more competent. That sounds like a good formula to me.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1143054351734560842006-03-22T11:02:00.000-08:002006-03-22T11:05:51.826-08:00Prospects measuring up for success<p> If you are the kind of NFL fan who really wants to dig down into all the numbers being broadcast to us about the draft class -- the measurables if you will -- then you may find my take on some of these numbers interesting. Teams are still gathering 'measurable' numbers at Pro Day workouts, so this study is incomplete. But I thought it would be a good time to explain how I look at some of the test scores, and more importantly, how I combine certain test scores to get a better feel for an athlete. </p><p><br />Stop and think about what happens in a football game every single play right after the ball is snapped. The players in the box on both sides of the ball try and explode into the opposing player, attempt to dominate the opponent physically and in the case of the defensive players, get off blocks and get to the ball. The offensive players want to sustain a block, make the defender miss if they are the ball carrier or simply dictate where they want to go.</p><p> </p><p><span class ="fullpost"></p><p> </p><p>From the initial snap of the ball, all the way through the five seconds of violence, the elements of strength, power, explosion, agility and body control are the key elements for success. The strongest man in the world isn't worth a damn if he can't step over a pile of bodies down by his feet, the quickest guy on the field can't even get to use his best tools if he is physically dominated by the opponent in front of him. The ability to jump and launch his body become critical factors in blocking passes, making a tackle from an awkward position, or going up in the air to make a catch or defend a pass. </p><p><br />The 40-yard dash seems to steal the show as the marquee measurable and it is the most advertised score to interpret. It has its place in the final grade for an NFL prospect, but I prefer to look at a combination of three measurables to get a sense of a prospect's ability to win in the 'combat' of football. I take the vertical-jump score and add it to the standing broad-jump score, which is added to the number of repetitions on the bench-press test. These three scores are combined to give me a benchmark score, which gives me a good feel for a player's ability to win the mini battle he will engage in while trying to finish a play. </p><p><br />I have been adding these three scores for a long time now and I am always looking for athletes who can score a 70 or better. Some positions naturally score higher than others and they need to by the nature of what is required for these positions on the field. Defensive ends and linebackers will generally score higher than wide receivers or cornerbacks. And since these positions are played in space where collisions are not as frequent, it is not as important to score a 70, but nonetheless, I am intrigued by perimeter players who score well on this combination score. </p><p><br />This year, we have a number of players who crossed the 70 mark and we have the rare few that have crossed the 80 mark. Believe me, not many NFL draft-eligible players ever get an 80-plus score. Here's a look at the top guys in this year's draft that have the combination of strength, power, explosiveness and agility to excel. Mario Williams, the top defensive end in the draft class, is off the charts when it comes to this combo score and has one of the highest scores I have ever seen.</p><p>There were a few other athletes who broke the 70 barrier like UTEP's Thomas Howard, Colorado's Joe Klopfenstein, Virginia's Kai Parham, and Alabama's Mark Anderson. But their football grades were not as high as the top 15 listed above. I would say that as a team gets into the third round and lower, it may be a good idea to take a look at players with a grade as close to 70 as possible to take a chance on a guy with the tools to work with over the next few years.<br />How impressive is it that a safety (Michael Huff) and a running back (DeAngelo Williams) and a cornerback (Antonio Cromartie) scored as well as they did among the defensive linemen and linebackers. As for the other positions, here's a look at some of the top scorers that at least get a third-round grade.</p><p> </p><p>At no time do I believe any measurable or a combination of measurables replace what I can watch on tape when the athlete performs in a football game. But when it comes to putting the puzzle together and separating packs of players with similar production and grades, I do like to take a look at this combo score.</p><p> </p><p></span></p>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1142946590176878502006-03-21T05:07:00.000-08:002006-03-21T05:09:50.176-08:00Seattle loses hearing, lets Hutchinson goThe Seahawks were told they needed to match the guarantee provision in the seven-year Minnesota offer to their All-Pro guard if they wanted to keep him.<br /><br />A team official for the NFC champions confirmed they let the league's midnight ET deadline pass without doing anything, making one of the keys to their Super Bowl season now the highest-paid Vikings lineman.<br /><br />In fact, Hutchinson's agent, Tom Condon, said the Seahawks never contacted him about possibly matching the offer after Hutchinson signed the unprecedented offer sheet March 12.<br />When asked if Hutchinson wanted to leave the team that drafted him 17th overall out of Michigan in 2001, Condon said: "Not at all. I think that there wasn't any reason for him to leave Seattle.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />"Nevertheless, Minnesota really stepped out for him."<br /><br />The Vikings' seven-year contract became binding at 12:01 a.m. ET on March 21. It is the richest deal ever given to a guard.<br /><br />A league spokesman and an attorney for the NFL players' union confirmed that a special master ruled against Seattle, saying a provision guaranteeing all of the money in the offer sheet Hutchinson signed with Minnesota should he not be the team's highest-paid offensive lineman is valid.<br /><br />"The Seahawks lost," NFL Players Association general counsel Richard Berthelsen said.<br />The two teams had declined comment on the ruling.<br /><br />Berthelsen attended the two-hour hearing in Philadelphia before special master Stephen Burbank, who ruled on the matter.<br /><br />The Seahawks had argued that because they recently re-negotiated Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones' seven-year contract by adding an eighth, voidable year, Jones' team-best lineman deal now has an annual value below that of Hutchinson's offer.<br /><br />After the re-negotiation, Jones' annual base salary would dip to $6.81 million -- just below Hutchinson's $7 million annual average had Seattle matched Minnesota's offer. Thus, the Seahawks argued they should not have to guarantee the rest of Hutchinson's new deal.<br />Berthelsen said Burbank did not elaborate in his ruling.<br /><br />But Berthelsen said the decision validated the NFLPA's stance that the conditions at the time Hutchinson signed the offer sheet with the Vikings are the conditions Seattle must match -- meaning Hutchinson wasn't the highest-paid Seahawks lineman then, so Seattle must guarantee all of the Vikings' deal to match it.<br /><br />"They wanted to put in additional language to make it from any point from now until the end of the 2006 league year," Berthelsen said. "That is contrary to the intent of the wording that was in the contract.<br /><br />"And the special master agreed."<br /><br />The Seahawks now have $6.39 million more to spend on potential free agents -- money they had been obligated to tender to Hutchinson once they made him their transition player last month.<br /><br />Seattle has offered a first-round draft pick for Jets defensive end John Abraham, who wants a long-term deal. The Jets are still mulling that offer for their franchise player.<br />Some of the money freed by Hutchinson leaving could be used to sign his replacement. Versatile veteran Floyd Womack, who started 22 games at tackle and guard in his first four Seattle seasons before he lost his right-tackle job, currently is in line to replace Hutchinson.<br /><br />AP NEWS<br />The Associated Press News Service<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1142946045086694552006-03-21T04:58:00.000-08:002006-03-21T05:00:45.086-08:00Dolphins corner a DB, bring in Giants' AllenCornerback Will Allen signed a four-year contract with the Miami Dolphins after spending the last five seasons with the New York Giants.<br /><br />The Dolphins also signed tight end Justin Peelle to a three-year deal.<br /><br />Allen is expected to replace Sam Madison, a longtime Miami starter whom the Giants signed as a free agent this month. Allen started 71 of the 72 games he played with the Giants, who drafted him in the first round in 2001. He had eight interceptions with the Giants.<br /><br />Peelle was San Diego's fourth-round draft choice in 2002. He has 40 catches for 270 yards and four touchdowns in his career.Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1142945878857597072006-03-21T04:51:00.000-08:002006-03-21T04:57:58.900-08:00Seahawks nab Peterson, lose Hutchinson<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1128/1700/1600/hjk.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1128/1700/320/hjk.jpg" border="0" /></a> One of the busiest teams of the offseason struck again when the Seattle Seahawks reached agreement with former San Francisco linebacker Julian Peterson on a blockbuster seven-year, $54 million deal. <p><br />The deal, which the Seahawks and agent Kevin Poston spent today finalizing, includes $18.5 million worth of guarantees, including $10 million this season.</p><p></p><p>The San Francisco 49ers designated Peterson their franchise player one year ago. Peterson spent six seasons with the team.<br />Even with Peterson's mega-contract, the Seahawks still had the wherewithal to match the $49 million offer sheet Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson signed with the Vikings, but the Seahawks chose not to match it. </p><p> </p><p><span class ="fullpost"></p><p><br />But Seattle might not be done. Still in place is a contingent deal for defensive end John Abraham, whom the Seahawks have the exclusive negotiating rights for from the New York Jets in exchange for Seattle's first-round pick. </p><p><br />Already this offseason, the Seahawks have re-signed NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard. </p><p><br />But now, the Seahawks are bolstering their defensive line, landing Peterson tonight and former Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Russell Davis over the weekend. </p><p><br />Peterson now is expected to start ahead of D.D. Lewis, and the Seahawks also could use him as a pass-rushing end. But the NFC champion Seahawks have options for the 28-year-old Peterson, whom the Miami Dolphins also pursued until he reached agreement with Seattle. </p><p><br />With Peterson off the market, former Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington now will be the most coveted defensive player available. His decision should come soon.</p><p> </p><p></span ></p>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1142816111792733792006-03-19T16:48:00.000-08:002006-03-19T16:55:11.796-08:00NFL? Not yetOhio George Mason senior center Jai Lewis has plans quite different than the rest of the players participating in the NCAA basketball tournament.<br /><br />The Pittsburgh Steelers in- vited him to work out for them, which Lewis intends to do. There may be other NFL teams that want to take a first-hand look at the 6-7 275-pounder.<br />Lewis, who will lead the 11th-seeded Patriots (24-7) against third-seeded North Carolina (23-7) this afternoon in a second-round NCAA game, last played football as a tight end and defensive end at Aberdeen (Md.) High School. But his size and athleticism intrigues NFL scouts, who see some Antonio Gates in Lewis.<br /><br />Gates, 6-4 and 260 pounds, is an All-Pro tight end for the San Diego Chargers. He played basketball, not football, at Kent State before signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003. A Steelers scout watched Lewis play in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament earlier this month at the Richmond Coliseum and left impressed by Lewis' dimensions, coordination and mobility.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />"I'd love to play football, and the NFL is always trying to find athletes," said Lewis, who likely will get an opportunity to play pro basketball overseas. He averages 14 points and eight rebounds for the Patriots, who eliminated sixth-seeded Michigan State 75-65 on Friday night in the first NCAA win for a Colonial Athletic Association team since 2002 (UNC Wilmington beat Southern California).<br /><br />At Aberdeen, Lewis drew football recruiting interest from Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and East Carolina, he said yesterday. But insufficient standardized test scores for freshman eligibility influenced Lewis, who averaged 18.3 rebounds as a prep senior, to seek another path to a scholarship. He spent a postgraduate year playing basketball at Maine Central Institute before becoming a four-year regular at GMU.<br /><br />Lewis, 23, against a physical Michigan State team scored 13 and had eight rebounds.<br />"Jai Lewis is huge, and if you double-down [on him], he's also a very good passer," UNC coach Roy Williams said.<br /><br />Lewis averages two assists, is second among Patriots in steals (1.4 spg), and made 16 3-pointers this season. His athletic versatility, Lewis believes, comes from his uncommon sports background. In addition to football and basketball, Lewis played soccer as a youth and lacrosse through high school.<br /><br />"Can you imagine a guy his size running down the field with the ball in lacrosse?" GMU coach Jim Larranaga said.<br /><br />Or as a tight end, after making a catch?<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1142815574718723602006-03-19T16:36:00.000-08:002006-03-19T16:46:14.816-08:002006 NFL Draft Blog Days 1-6<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1128/1700/1600/258824.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1128/1700/320/258824.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Sunday, March 19th, 2006<br /><br />Michigan defensive tackle Gabriel Watson is an intriguing player. He is a two gap DT that dominates from time to time. He was absolutely unblockable at the Senior Bowl. He gets off the ball well, fills space, and does a good job of sealing off the inside run. While some question his effort, I do not think that is nearly the problem after watching him closely for four years. In my opinion, he simply is not in the type of condition to maintain his stamina and he becomes a completely different player when he is tired. He is not a pass rusher, but he has enough athleticism to be decent in that role. The plain and simple fact is that if Gabe Watson becomes serious and gets in condition, he has Jamal Williams type potential. Based on his career at Michigan, I question whether he will display that type of conditioning.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />Saturday, March 18th, 2006<br /><br />Florida wide receiver Chad Jackson was underrated throughout the year. When I watched him, I saw a fluid WR with good hands that ran solid routes. Unlike most Florida WR’s of the past, he showed pretty good strength and the ability to fight off jams. Despite the fact that he looked like a great athlete, you did not see a big play player. Then the combine happened and he had a lights out workout. At 6-foot-1, 213-pounds, Jackson ran a mind boggling 4.32. Now, he has NFL teams salivating. He is a guy with possession receiver skills and great speed. He should be the number one WR in the draft and could go higher than anticipated.<br /><br />Friday, March 17th, 2006<br /><br />In my opinion, DeAngelo Williams is a very intriguing player in this draft. He is talented and has that “it factor” that most marketing people love. He is charismatic and will immediately become one of the most quotable players around. He is simply a highly intelligent, class kid. That said, there are other RB’s I like more than him. For as talented as he is, DeAngelo has been snake bitten with injuries and will need a lot of work on his pass protection. He is a very instinctive RB who runs with speed and power. He has great cutback skills with superb change of direction, body control, and balance. He runs low, can really hurt LB’s who misjudge his speed, and has decent hands.<br /><br />Thursday, March 16th, 2006<br /><br />Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler has become a media darling after choosing to work out at the combine and some people are actually comparing him to Brett Favre. Outside of being a reckless QB with some questionable decision making skills, I fail to see the comparison. While he lacks glaring weaknesses and I admire his toughness, he is more like Jake Plummer than Brett Favre. He is a good athlete with good size and a pretty quick, fundamentally sound release. He shows solid accuracy and timing. My biggest problem is that he tries to do too much and throws off his back foot way too often. Maybe that is a byproduct of playing with inferior talent, but the team that gets him will need to be patient. Good QB prospect, but a little overrated. I would rate him higher than Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith, but lower than Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Matt Leinart, and Philip Rivers.<br /><br />Wednesday, March 15th, 2006<br /><br />Anyone who watched NC State play defense saw two players creating a ton of havoc. I know Mario Williams gets all the publicity and it is well deserved, but NC State had another great pass rusher in Manny Lawson. They are different players. Lawson is a terrific athlete showing good instincts and taking great angles. In many ways, he will remind you of Jason Taylor coming out of Akron. He is not great against the run, but put him outside in a 3-4 WOLB and he might not be better suited to play against the run. With 10.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, Lawson was an extremely underrated player before the combine. After measuring in at 6-foot-5, 241-pounds with a 4.45 speed at the combine, he is no longer underrated.<br /><br />Tuesday, March 14th, 2006<br /><br />The first time I saw USC OT Winston Justice play was in High School. I was amazed at how much talent was in this big, 17-year old kid. In many ways, he will remind you of former Arizona State and current Cincinnati left tackle Levi Jones. At 6-foot-6, 320-pounds, he is an excellent overall athlete, solid competitor, and plays with good toughness. He is a strong run blocker for a LT with good initial quickness and the ability to get to the backside cut off block. The primary problem is that he is still a very raw pass protector who can get his feet tangled when going against a superior athlete. The promising component is that he takes pretty good angles in pass protection.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18346541.post-1142734245716360912006-03-18T18:08:00.000-08:002006-03-18T18:10:45.716-08:00NFL, Seahawks challenge Hutchinson contract<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1128/1700/1600/daa.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1128/1700/320/daa.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Seahawks' hopes of keeping All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson could be decided by an arbitration process.<br /><br />The NFL has filed a claim on behalf of the Seahawks contending a clause in the offer sheet Hutchinson signed with the Minnesota Vikings circumvents the league's collective-bargaining agreement.<br /><br />The NFL and Seahawks believe the provision does not need to be included in the contract for the Seahawks to retain their three-time Pro Bowl guard and transition player.<br /><br /><span class ="fullpost"><br /><br />The Vikings signed Hutchinson to a seven-year, $49 million offer sheet on Monday, and the Seahawks had a week to match or let Hutchinson become a Viking without receiving any compensation.<br /><br />The deal, which contains $16 million in guarantees and would count $13 million against the $102 million salary cap, includes a clause that would guarantee the entire $49 million if Hutchinson is not his team's highest-paid offensive lineman at any time after the first year.<br /><br />Hutchinson would be the highest-paid lineman for the Vikings. But his deal — the richest for a guard in NFL history — would be second among Seahawks linemen to All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones, who signed a seven-year, $52.5 million contract last year.<br /><br />On Saturday, a special master will determine whether the CBA gives him jurisdiction in the case. If so, he will hold a hearing on Monday in Philadelphia.<br /><br />If the special master declines, the case will fall to a non-injury grievance arbitrator.<br />Richard Berthelsen, general counsel for the NFLPA, said the union will argue against the Seahawks' claims.<br /><br />The Seahawks had no comment Friday night, telling The Seattle Times it's a league matter.<br />Berthelsen said the union's interpretation is that the disputed clause is permitted by the CBA because it is a "principal term" of the contract. A "principal term" is defined as salary, bonuses and incentives, plus "any modifications of and additions to the terms ... requested by the free agent and acceptable to the new club, that relate to non-compensation terms (including guarantees, no-cut and no-trade provisions)."<br /><br />The Seahawks and league are challenging the last part, likely arguing that guaranteeing Hutchinson's entire contract would not be a "non-compensation" term.<br /><br /></span>Fiqihhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12822108978691090188noreply@blogger.com0