Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 9, Issue 14 (Wednesday, May 7th)
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Hi Folks,
Good Thursday to you. This was one of those light news days but you'll still want to make sure you have the latest on Dominic Rhodes back in Indy and take your guess as to where Shaun Alexander winds up. Have a great day. JINSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. IND - Colts Reunite With RB Rhodes2. WAS - Several Redskins Miss Practice With Injuries
3. DET - Several Lions Limited In Team Workouts
4. CIN - Bengals Planning For Future Without WR Houshmandzadeh?
5. SEA - Seahawks Won't Renegotiate With WR Engram
6. CIN - Shaun Alexander In A Backup Role?
7. WAS - WR Randle El Confident Of Return
8. SF - QB Smith Looks Sharp - QB Hill Looked Sloppy
9. DEF - MIA - HC Sparano Says Jason Taylor Situation Overblown
10. DEF - TEN - Titans To Open Mini Camp Without DT Haynesworth
11. DEF - CLE - LB McGinest To Retire After 2008 Season
IND - Colts Reunite With RB Rhodes
Source: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star
Free agent RB Dominic Rhodes is going back to the team that he won a Super Bowl ring with. Rhodes has rejoined the Indianapolis Colts, signing a one-year deal that will approximately pay him $650,000.
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Things change fast. In the Colts' Super Bowl win over Chicago, Rhodes rushed 21 times for 113 yards and one touchdown.
After moving on to Oakland, he managed just 75 carries for 302 yards and one touchdown for the whole 2007 season. Now he's back to Indy which should be a positive for both sides there.WAS - Several Redskins Miss Practice With Injuries
Source: Jason La Confora, Washington Post
Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell has what the team described as a minor hamstring injury. "He just felt it grab, it didn't pull all the way," HC Jim Zorn said after the last of the team's three organized team activities. "He was feeling his hamstrings all along, and I think it's because I have him bending his knees more to stay at one level while dropping back." RB Clinton Portis (minor hip injury) also sat out practice. Zorn said that the injury could have occurred when Portis and S LaRon Landry raced against each other Sunday.
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Probably nothing to worry about in May. But worth filing away for July...
DET - Several Lions Limited In Team Workouts
Source: Tom Kowalski, MLive
Detroit Lions DB Daniel Bullocks (knee), LB Ernie Sims and DL Cory Redding were all limited to individual drills and didn't take part in any group or team activities at Lions minicamp. Sims and Redding's ailments are unknown. TE Dan Campbell and WR Shaun McDonald, who is recovering from knee surgery, were on the field, but didn't take part in any drills.
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We told you the other day that Shaun McDonald was returning to Detroit for camp. Apparently, he's not ready for drills yet but was on the field. Stay tuned.
CIN - Bengals Planning For Future Without WR Houshmandzadeh?
Source: Peter King, Sports Illustrated
The Cincinnati Bengals may have had another reason that they drafted three wide receivers last week. The known reason was the Chad Johnson holdout and the Chris Henry firing. HC Marvin Lewis says that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a reason also. "T.J.'s at the end of his contract this year," Lewis said, "and I don't know if it's possible to re-sign him. Chad says he won't play without a trade. We just have to be prepared for anything this year, and for the future." This is the last year of a four-year contract for Houshmandzadeh.
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It's one thing to be without Chris Henry but it's hard to imagine the Bengals without Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Some of this is posturing for sure on the Bengals' part but there's definitely some truth behind the concern here.
SEA - Seahawks Won't Renegotiate With WR Engram
Source: Frank Hughes, Tacoma News-Tribune
The Seattle Seahawks will not renegotiate a new deal with WR Bobby Engram, despite Engram's displeasure with his current salary. The Seahawks are insisting that Engram plays out the final season of his two-year, $3.4 million contract, after which they would be willing to negotiate with Engram as a free agent.
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The NFL is a tough business and WR's entering their 13th season don't get to renegotiate after a good year...
CIN - Shaun Alexander In A Backup Role?
Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer
Bengals Insider Mark Curnutte wrote this regarding the possibility of RB Shaun Alexander's possible role if he were to wind up in Cincinnati: "From what I'm hearing, the Bengals' interest in Shaun Alexander is for Alexander to be a backup to Rudi Johnson and an insurance policy if Chris Perry can't play. This did not come from the team."
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We can see this. Rudi Johnson has shown too much. Alexander also met with the Saints and is now reportedly heading back to Seattle to mull over his situation according to Adam Schefter of the NFL Network. Schefter reported that Denver had at one time appeared to be interested but they are looking as if they're backing off. It may be between Cincinnati and New Orleans.
WAS - WR Randle El Confident Of Return
Source: AP
Washington Redskins receiver Antwaan Randle El, with crutches under both arms, said Wednesday the surgery on his right knee went as expected and that he hopes to return to the field for offseason practices next month.
Randle El said the knee was swollen after minicamp practice Saturday. An MRI found loose cartilage, possibly the residual effects of getting the knee banged in a couple of games last season, and he had arthroscopic surgery Monday. "The big thing is get it done now and not have it happen during training camp," Randle El said.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
It would have been better to have this done in February but May is better than August. It sounds like it was a pretty minor deal and we have no reason to believe he won't be ready to go for camp.
SF - QB Smith Looks Sharp - QB Hill Looked Sloppy
Source: Kevin Lynch, SFgate.com
According to reports out of 49er mini camp, QB Alex Smith looked sharp while Shaun Hill looked "sloppy" in his last practice.
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Granted, this is one reporter talking about one practice. Some feel that Alex Smith has the lead in this competition but I think it's too early to tell right now. Coach Mike Nolan has said it might be possible a starter would be named early but it wouldn't surprise me to see it drag out at least a little.
DEF - MIA - HC Sparano Says Jason Taylor Situation Overblown
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Q: Has the Jason Taylor situation been overblown?
Coach Sparano Answered: "I think it's been overblown. I've said this before; I said it several weeks ago. I understand what Jason is doing. Jason and I have spoke and that's really all that matters. Jason and I stay in contact. As long as I know what's going on with Jason and he knows what's going on with me, I think we're in good shape."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
This makes sense. While everyone would rather focus on Bill Parcells being miffed that Taylor is doing Dancing With The Stars instead of off season workouts, Sparano has consistently given off the vibe that all is well.
DEF - TEN - Titans To Open Mini Camp Without DT Haynesworth
Source: AP
The Tennessee Titans will be holding a minicamp without defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.
The Titans are due to hit the field Thursday and Friday as part of their on-field training, but they will not have arguably their best defensive player with them. "Albert is continuing to work out on his own," agent Chad Speck said in an e-mail. The Titans tagged Haynesworth as their franchise player in February to keep him from leaving as an unrestricted free agent. Tennessee must reach a long-term contract deal with Haynesworth by July 15. If that doesn't happen, the team can only sign him to a one-year deal worth $7.8 million.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
This is the least appealing part of football to me. But it's not going away anytime soon. As important as Haynesworth has proven to be to this defense, one would have to think the Titans will figure out how to get something positive done here long term.
DEF - CLE - LB McGinest To Retire After 2008 Season
Source: Ticker
Cleveland Browns linebacker Willie McGinest said he will retire after the upcoming season, according to a Sports Illustrated report Wednesday.
McGinest will be entering his 15th season in the NFL, the first 12 of which were spent with the New England Patriots - where he was a part of three Super Bowl winning teams. "This will be it," McGinest told Sports Illustrated. "I've worked hard, I think I've done everything I set out to accomplish. I've been blessed to play with some of the best players in the world and play against some of the best in the world."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Sounds like McGinest is leaving the game with no regrets and going out on his terms. Good for him.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Thursday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J