When Training Camp begins for the Indianapolis Colts on July 24th, it will do so without three of it's starters, two of which are keystone pieces to a Defence that can blow hot and cold against the run.
Safety Bob Sanders, End Dwight Freeney, and Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler will all likely miss Camp, according to the Indianapolis Star. Hagler's situation, a torn pectoral muscle, could well keep him out deep into the season, but it is the injuries to Sanders and Freeney that will concern coach Tony Dungy the most. Freeney is one of the most feared pass rushers in the game, and his Lisfranc injury last season was one of the reasons that the Colts struggled to put pressure on opposing Quarterbacks last year. Without him and Sanders, the Colts look one dimensional in Defence, and have traditionally given up huge numbers on the ground when the duo have been missing.
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Forte, Williams to complete Bears Rookie clas by weeks end.
The Chicago Tribune has revealed that the last two rookies that remain unsigned - First rounder Chris Williams, and second rounder Matt Forte - are expected to sign deals by the end of the week.
Traditionally, Chicago have been quick off the mark signing rookies. In both 2005 and 2006, the team was the first to sign all of it's draft picks, and were one of just five teams last season who had all their picks signed by Training Camp.
Forte enters camp as the favourite to start at Running Back this season. With the release of Cedric Benson, and Adrian Peterson's emergency appendectomy last month, it is likely that Forte and second year player Garrett Wolfe will share the Traing Camp snaps. Wolfe is considered undersized, and not a true contender for the number one job by many observers.
Traditionally, Chicago have been quick off the mark signing rookies. In both 2005 and 2006, the team was the first to sign all of it's draft picks, and were one of just five teams last season who had all their picks signed by Training Camp.
Forte enters camp as the favourite to start at Running Back this season. With the release of Cedric Benson, and Adrian Peterson's emergency appendectomy last month, it is likely that Forte and second year player Garrett Wolfe will share the Traing Camp snaps. Wolfe is considered undersized, and not a true contender for the number one job by many observers.
Upshaw opposed to Rookie pay reforms
When we wrote last week regarding Roger Goodell's criticism of Rookie contracts, we mentioned Gene Upshaw being the only potential problem in getting a deal done that - on paper - would suit everyone.
And, right on cue, Upshaw has thrown his proverbial spanner into the works:
Upshaw goes on to point out that "...You would think it was every rookie that ever played got huge contracts. That's just not true", and that it's only the top ten picks in the draft that are the issue. Of course, the fact that even Upshaw recognises that those top ten are being paid obscene money for their unproven talents, slightly undercuts his position.
The problem with Rookie contracts is that of those top ten picks, roughly 4-5 of them will turn out to be major busts, going by historical patterns. Jerry Jones chose to pay $63m to Tony Romo this year, based on nearly two years of play at the top level. Do you hear people up in arms about that? No, and that's because Romo arguably deserved that, and Jones knows that this is not a gamble.
Compare that with Matt Ryan, a guy who has played precisely zero snaps in the NFL, and his $70m contract that he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Nobody is saying that Ryan shouldn't get paid. He's earned that right as a top draft pick. It's his reward for playing well in college, but it's an NFL team that will carry the can if he proves unable to make it at the pro level. In fact, a top draft prospect going wrong can financially cripple a franchise in the long run, and even when they go right (a la Larry Fitzgerald), can severely impair that team's ability to re-sign veterans. Hell - even Ryan himself can see the point.
To put it bluntly, the NFLPA would be ten times better off without Gene Upshaw. Unfortunately some of the players seem to believe that Upshaw did a good job negotiating the previous CBA, despite the fact that the owners have taken the first available avenue out of it. Until players like Walt Harris work out that their own interests are better served with a more moderate stance than Upshaw will give, we are going to face the prospect of a work stoppage every 3-4 years.
This could be the issue that turns opinion against him though. Sooner or later the NFLPA will wake up and realise that the main obstacle between the two sides can be removed...
And, right on cue, Upshaw has thrown his proverbial spanner into the works:
"If the owners want to stop paying the rookies, all they have to do is stop, nobody puts a gun to their head and forces them to pay what they pay."-NFLPA Head Gene Upshaw on Bloomberg Radio
Upshaw goes on to point out that "...You would think it was every rookie that ever played got huge contracts. That's just not true", and that it's only the top ten picks in the draft that are the issue. Of course, the fact that even Upshaw recognises that those top ten are being paid obscene money for their unproven talents, slightly undercuts his position.
The problem with Rookie contracts is that of those top ten picks, roughly 4-5 of them will turn out to be major busts, going by historical patterns. Jerry Jones chose to pay $63m to Tony Romo this year, based on nearly two years of play at the top level. Do you hear people up in arms about that? No, and that's because Romo arguably deserved that, and Jones knows that this is not a gamble.
Compare that with Matt Ryan, a guy who has played precisely zero snaps in the NFL, and his $70m contract that he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Nobody is saying that Ryan shouldn't get paid. He's earned that right as a top draft pick. It's his reward for playing well in college, but it's an NFL team that will carry the can if he proves unable to make it at the pro level. In fact, a top draft prospect going wrong can financially cripple a franchise in the long run, and even when they go right (a la Larry Fitzgerald), can severely impair that team's ability to re-sign veterans. Hell - even Ryan himself can see the point.
To put it bluntly, the NFLPA would be ten times better off without Gene Upshaw. Unfortunately some of the players seem to believe that Upshaw did a good job negotiating the previous CBA, despite the fact that the owners have taken the first available avenue out of it. Until players like Walt Harris work out that their own interests are better served with a more moderate stance than Upshaw will give, we are going to face the prospect of a work stoppage every 3-4 years.
This could be the issue that turns opinion against him though. Sooner or later the NFLPA will wake up and realise that the main obstacle between the two sides can be removed...
Monday, 30 June 2008
Joe Delaney: A tribute
It's been 25 years since Joe Delaney lost his life. Though his death was felt keenly by many at the time, he is hardly a household name these days. In an era where young guys such as Pacman Jones, Chris Henry et al tarnish the reputation of their fellow players, now is a good time to reflect on someone who's life took a very different road.For those who don't know the name, we forgive you. His contribution to the NFL was cut short after just two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs - one of which was strike shortened. That he made the Pro Bowl as a Rookie is testament to Delaney's athletic ability, but it was his character that will be the enduring memory of the man.
On June 29th, 1983, Joe Delaney, while resting in a park, Joe Delaney heard screams. When he reached the source of those screams, he found that three young children had fallen into a water hole on a recently excavated construction site. Despite having, according to wife Carolyn 'never having stuck a toe in the water', Delaney dived in. The water was 20 feet deep, and despite saving one of the boys, Joe Delaney never re-surfaced after diving a second time for the two others. He was just 24 years old.
In today's NFL, perhaps we get so used to those who have wasted natural talent, those who's only desire is money, and of course, those who indulge in the kind of extra-curricular activities that incur the wrath of the local law, that we forget there are plenty of players who are doing justice to Joe Delaney's memory in their own ways.
In his last interview, Delaney told the Ruston Daily Leader that he wanted "...to be remembered as a good person, a family man."
Hopefully this article goes some way to helping Joe achieve his goals, and if it brings his name into the conciousness of a few more fans, it is the least that Joe deserves.
Mooch agrees with us on Millen
You may remember this article we posted last week. If not, hey, may want to see a Doctor about the old short term memory.
But we digress...
Steve Mariucci, former coach of the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and lately an analyst on NFL's 'Gameday' program, has spoken out regarding Matt Millen, and his fruitless attempts to rejuvenate one of the NFL's worst franchises.
- Steve Mariucci
In an interview with the Marquette Mining Journal, a Michigan based paper, Mooch lets fly, breaking what has been a relatively dignified silence since he was sacked after a Thanksgiving day defeat against Atlanta three years ago. "Sure I've stayed in touch with some of (the players) and some of the coaches, and on occasion Bill Ford Jr. I respect the heck out of Bill, he'll take that team over some day." says Mariucci, who also reveals that his future in coaching will be limited to the Bay Area - even though he is aware that could mean he never works in the NFL again.
We (obviously) agree with Mooch. Matt Millen is onto his fifth coach in seven years as Lions President - yes, he's even worse at picking Head Coaches as he is picking players in the draft.
But we digress...
Steve Mariucci, former coach of the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and lately an analyst on NFL's 'Gameday' program, has spoken out regarding Matt Millen, and his fruitless attempts to rejuvenate one of the NFL's worst franchises.
"Matt Millen has changed 58 coaches already, and he's now finally changing players,"
- Steve Mariucci
In an interview with the Marquette Mining Journal, a Michigan based paper, Mooch lets fly, breaking what has been a relatively dignified silence since he was sacked after a Thanksgiving day defeat against Atlanta three years ago. "Sure I've stayed in touch with some of (the players) and some of the coaches, and on occasion Bill Ford Jr. I respect the heck out of Bill, he'll take that team over some day." says Mariucci, who also reveals that his future in coaching will be limited to the Bay Area - even though he is aware that could mean he never works in the NFL again.
We (obviously) agree with Mooch. Matt Millen is onto his fifth coach in seven years as Lions President - yes, he's even worse at picking Head Coaches as he is picking players in the draft.
Report: NFL has tickets of mass destruction, but only for 90 minutes.
The league announced yesterday that 15,000 extra tickets that went on sale last week sold out in just 30mins. Coupled with the 40,000 sold in May, this means that the vast majority of tickets available publicly have now been snapped up for the San Diego Superchargers @ New Orleans Saints @ Wembley game this October. You can expect a very small final sale of any confiscated or unsold tickets as we head towards the home stretch.
We have one gripe with the league on this one, and that was the original claim that those 40,000 tickets sold out in just 90mins. Whilst we are right behind NFLUK's efforts to promote the London series, and we'll come out and say it right now:
It's questionable at best.
If 40,000 tickets went on sale at 10am, and were sold out by 11:30am, then why were we able to buy tickets at 12:30pm?
The NFL released a further 5000 tickets sometime on the 29th May. If that is the reason, then it is interesting that tickets were still being sold at around 22:30pm on that night, according to many customers. Some have expressed the feeling that because the extra tickets were not publicised as well, people were not trying to buy the extra tickets, but that doesn't make any sense at all, and here's why:
Consider that between 11:30am and 22:30pm, just 5000 tickets were sold. Many fans purchased multiple tickets too, so, to put a conservative estimate on it, around 2-3,000 people bought tickets in a 12hr span, during which the NFL sent out emails to all members, and released a press statement at 1pm.
It's that fact that makes us doubt the original claim of 90mins. If that was the case, why, then, were we able to purchase four on a whim, after the 90mins, but before the extra 5000 were released? We imagine that there were plenty of people who did likewise, and forums were inundated with people
What annoys us most about this, is that there is no shame in selling out your ticket allocation over the course of a whole day. The sport is thriving in Britain, and frankly, the ability to pretty much guarantee that you'll sell all available tickets is all the NFLUK team need to be able to present to the NFL when they make their case to host a third consecutive game next season.
We think that this is a carefully planned strategy by the NFLUK marketing team to exaggerate popularity and convince those in two minds about purchasing tickets to splash the cash. Again, we really don't want to knock the NFL, nor the chances of the UK staging future games, but it's important to retain integrity and honesty - especially with the fans.
We have one gripe with the league on this one, and that was the original claim that those 40,000 tickets sold out in just 90mins. Whilst we are right behind NFLUK's efforts to promote the London series, and we'll come out and say it right now:
It's questionable at best.
If 40,000 tickets went on sale at 10am, and were sold out by 11:30am, then why were we able to buy tickets at 12:30pm?
The NFL released a further 5000 tickets sometime on the 29th May. If that is the reason, then it is interesting that tickets were still being sold at around 22:30pm on that night, according to many customers. Some have expressed the feeling that because the extra tickets were not publicised as well, people were not trying to buy the extra tickets, but that doesn't make any sense at all, and here's why:
Consider that between 11:30am and 22:30pm, just 5000 tickets were sold. Many fans purchased multiple tickets too, so, to put a conservative estimate on it, around 2-3,000 people bought tickets in a 12hr span, during which the NFL sent out emails to all members, and released a press statement at 1pm.
It's that fact that makes us doubt the original claim of 90mins. If that was the case, why, then, were we able to purchase four on a whim, after the 90mins, but before the extra 5000 were released? We imagine that there were plenty of people who did likewise, and forums were inundated with people
What annoys us most about this, is that there is no shame in selling out your ticket allocation over the course of a whole day. The sport is thriving in Britain, and frankly, the ability to pretty much guarantee that you'll sell all available tickets is all the NFLUK team need to be able to present to the NFL when they make their case to host a third consecutive game next season.
We think that this is a carefully planned strategy by the NFLUK marketing team to exaggerate popularity and convince those in two minds about purchasing tickets to splash the cash. Again, we really don't want to knock the NFL, nor the chances of the UK staging future games, but it's important to retain integrity and honesty - especially with the fans.
Weekend News Roundup
The Bucs gave Earnest Graham a new deal, thus enduring that Earnest goes to camp. Here all week folks.
Pittsburgh released backup RB Najeh Davenport. The writing was on the wall for Davenport when the Steelers drafted Illinois back Rashard Mendenhall in the first round of this year's draft.
New England's Wes Welker took a shot at departed CB Asante Samuel:
- Wes Welker during a football camp at Oklahoma University
Interesting, but perhaps it's easier for Welker - who would have had a one year deal with Miami had New England not stepped in last year - to talk about such things, because New England was essentially his only option when he was in the same situation.
Kevin Jones update: Despite reports to the contrary late on Friday, Jones worked out for four teams (The Dolphins, Steelers, Packers and, of course, the team that knew best what he could do, the Lions) on Saturday afternoon. The Cleveland Browns also asked for a video of the workout, which suggests at least a partial interest.
Following the off-season pattern, the Titans signed Tackle David Stewart to a long term deal. The money being thrown at the offensive lines of many franchises (The Bills and Jets for example) is indicative of a shift in strategy around the league. We think that many teams are now focusing not just on the glamour Left tackle position, but on cohesion. Linemen depend on each other, and many teams now seem to recognise that having a consistent group of starters is better than 1-2 great players.
Shaun Alexander claims to be in contact with seven different teams. For now at least, the main starting gig going seems to be in Detroit. At least, it's the only one going for someone who goes down as easily as Shaun Alexander.
Pittsburgh released backup RB Najeh Davenport. The writing was on the wall for Davenport when the Steelers drafted Illinois back Rashard Mendenhall in the first round of this year's draft.
New England's Wes Welker took a shot at departed CB Asante Samuel:
"Asante's a great player, so it hurts not to have a guy like that. But then again, it's part of the business of the game... He chose money over championships, and that's the way it goes sometimes."
- Wes Welker during a football camp at Oklahoma University
Interesting, but perhaps it's easier for Welker - who would have had a one year deal with Miami had New England not stepped in last year - to talk about such things, because New England was essentially his only option when he was in the same situation.
Kevin Jones update: Despite reports to the contrary late on Friday, Jones worked out for four teams (The Dolphins, Steelers, Packers and, of course, the team that knew best what he could do, the Lions) on Saturday afternoon. The Cleveland Browns also asked for a video of the workout, which suggests at least a partial interest.
Following the off-season pattern, the Titans signed Tackle David Stewart to a long term deal. The money being thrown at the offensive lines of many franchises (The Bills and Jets for example) is indicative of a shift in strategy around the league. We think that many teams are now focusing not just on the glamour Left tackle position, but on cohesion. Linemen depend on each other, and many teams now seem to recognise that having a consistent group of starters is better than 1-2 great players.
Shaun Alexander claims to be in contact with seven different teams. For now at least, the main starting gig going seems to be in Detroit. At least, it's the only one going for someone who goes down as easily as Shaun Alexander.
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