Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 9, Issue 19 (Monday, May 12th)
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Hi Folks,
Hope you're doing well on a Tuesday. We're rocking along here sorting the news for you. We'll assemble what you need to know and weed out the fluff for you. Let's get to it. JSITE NEWS
A.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. CHI - Bears Ink PK Gould To Five Year Deal2. BAL - Ravens Could Start Three Receivers
3. DAL - WR Owens Prefers Dallas To Free Agency
4. ATL - WR Horn Requests Trade
5. NYG - QB Woodson Strains Quad
6. STL - WR Caldwell Impresses
7. STL - Rams RB Jackson Excited With New OC; Returning OL
8. CIN - Bengals RB Perry Appears Ready-To-Go
9. CHI - Bears QB Orton Confident In Winning Starting Job
10. CHI - Bears Not Planning On Releasing RB Benson
11. BAL - Ravens HC Harbaugh Complimentary Of QB Smith
12. CLE - Browns HC Crennel Sees Opportunity For WR Wilson
13. NE - Walsh To Meet With Specter And Goodell
CHI - Bears Ink PK Gould To Five Year Deal
Source: Associated Press, ESPN
The Chicago Bears inked PK Robbie Gould to a 5 year deal on Monday that runs through 2013. "This is one of those opportunities that's once-in-a-lifetime and life-changing, and I'm just excited to have it. I'm excited that my hard work has paid off, but I'm definitely not done working hard and making field goals and kicking kickoffs. That's what I get paid to do," Gould said.
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Nice to see an unheralded guy make it like this. Gould was an undrafted free agent out of Penn State in 2005. He first signed with New England, then spent time with Baltimore before going to the Bears in October of that year.
"It gives undrafted free agents an opportunity to step back and say, 'I can make it' and 'One day I can get to that point where I can get a new contract,'" Gould said. "You're just looking to get an opportunity, and it made my hungry. I knew that when I was cut from two teams that I would eventually get an opportunity. Would I have ever thought that I would have lasted this long with the Chicago Bears? Probably not, because it was supposed to be a week-to-week deal that turned out to be, hopefully, a long career in Chicago."BAL - Ravens Could Start Three Receivers
Source: Jamison Hensley, Baltimore Sun
New OC Cam Cameron plans to change things up in Baltimore, adding a dose of unpredictability to the offense. For starters, the base offense could feature three receivers on the field at the same time. "If we had to start a game today, three wide receivers might be our starting group," Cameron said. "We always like to mix it. But our best 11 players will be our primary personnel group." As of now, the three would consist of receives Derrick Mason, Demetrius Williams and Mark Clayton. "It's not a possibility. It will happen," Mason said, "Using three wides is not far-fetched with the three guys that we have." It is being speculated that Williams is ahead of Clayton on the depth chart when the team lines up two wide outs.
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If you're going to make a change you might as well make some changes. And offensive coordinator Cam Cameron doesn't seem shy about shaking this new offense up a bit. To be fair though, the system has to fit your personnel. And I'm not sure the Ravens have the receivers to make a consistent three wide set work. But it looks like they're going to give it a shot and see.
DAL - WR Owens Prefers Dallas To Free Agency
Source: Albert Breer, Dallas Morning News
Cowboys WR Terrell Owens spoke publicly about his contract recently and said he wants to remain in Dallas until he retires. "I definitely want to end my career with the Dallas Cowboys, and go into the Hall of Fame as a Dallas Cowboy," Owens said. "There was a situation where the contract didn't work out in Philly. With this, I'm going to let it play out and not try to be a distraction." Owens, who believes he has 3-5 years left in him, says he'll be in attendance at the team's OTAs next week.
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That's my man. Good old team guy, not getting arrested or beating up his girlfriend Terrell Owens. Let's see if he sticks to his word there but I think he will. He can play. He knows it and the coaching staff and Tony Romo knows it. So look for them to continue to put the ball in the hands of one of their best players.
Source: Steve Wyche, Atlanta Journal Constitution
Veteran receiver Joe Horn has asked to be traded from the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl contender. Horn was replaced in the starting lineup by WR Laurent Robinson during minicamp and is sensing the team going in a younger direction with receivers Roddy White, Michael Jenkins and rookie Harry Douglas. "They're going with the younger guys and I don't have a problem with that, if that's the course they've chosen," Horn said. "When I came here last year I was promised I'd be on the field and it turned out I was a just-in-case guy with the situation that went on. So far this year, it seems like that's the case again." Horn said he had not approached the coach or management privately, but that him and/or his agent would in the near future.
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Horn sees the writing on the wall. But the reality is that when you can longer start for the Falcons, your options are pretty limited...
Source: Ralph Vacchiano, NY Daily News
Giants rookie QB Andre Woodson strained his left quad in minicamp practice this weekend, and could be sidelined until next month's minicamp. He is competing for the third-string position with either QB David Carr, Anthony Wright or Jared Lorenzen whichever of the three does not land the backup spot behind starter Eli Manning.
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Interesting that the Giants seem to have a thing for Kentucky quarterbacks adding Woodson to go with Lorenzen. Woodson can play and I hope he gets healthy and has a chance to show what he can do.
Source: Steve Korte, Belleville News-Democrat
Rams WR Reche Caldwell stood out during minicamp with good hands and a knack for the new offense coached by Al Saunders, who presided over the Redskins offense, and Caldwell, last season. Caldwell, who caught only 15 passes last year, can line up on either side of the field in Saunders' offense. "His background in the offense is really going to help him," HC Scott Linehan said.
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File this one away in the "keep an eye on" stack. The tendency for many fantasy owners is to chase the latest and greatest hot rookie and dismiss guys like Caldwell that haven't hit it big yet. Very often, it's a guy like this though that just needs the right situation and his experience will break through. I don't know that'll be the case with Caldwell. But he fits the profile. So keep an eye on him.
STL - Rams RB Jackson Excited With New OC; Returning OL
Source: Bill Coats, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The three-day minicamp at Rams Park, which concluded Sunday, is the first on-field primer in adjusting to the scheme brought in by new offensive coordinator Al Saunders for the St. Louis Rams. Running back Steven Jackson is excited. "My goal right now until training camp in July is to learn this offense, so I can play fast," Jackson said. "When I'm playing fast, I know what I'm doing. It's exciting to have Al; he's a big-name guy and he's proven himself around the league with different teams," Jackson said. "But what I'm more excited about is my offensive line coming back. That's really what I missed."
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Jackson is a guy that is starting to "get it". He's saying all the right things about the new offense but he realizes fully well that a healthy offensive line is going to be the key to his season. So far so good.
CIN - Bengals RB Perry Appears Ready-To-Go
Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer
The reason the Cincinnati Bengals didn't take a running back in last month's NFL draft wasn't because they wanted to sign Shaun Alexander, who had been released by Seattle. The reason is that running back Chris Perry, their oft-injured 2004 first-round pick, appears to be healthy and ready to play this year. Head coach Marvin Lewis said Sunday that Perry will be available Tuesday when the team begins voluntary on-field work. Perry was placed on season-ending injured reserve in 2007 after sustaining a serious ankle injury Nov. 26, 2006.
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Who am I to question Marvin Lewis but if it were me, I'd be less excited about seeing Perry healthy right now and more focused on wanting to see him stay healthy for more than a few games. He just seems to have trouble doing that. Will this year be the year?
CHI - Bears QB Orton Confident In Winning Starting Job
Source: Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Bears quarterback Kyle Orton said if given a fair chance at the starting quarterback position, he's confident the job will be his. The Bears begin OTA's May 19 and while Orton doesn't know exactly how the competition between him and Rex Grossman will be designed starting then and heading into training camp and preseason, he's sure it will be a competition. "All I care about is if I get my chance," said Orton Saturday. "If I get my chance, I'm confident that I will win the job and play well."
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This isn't cocky. He's just being realistic. Besides, that's the kind of thing you want any QB to say. All QBs should want to start. Granted, when you're holding a clip board behind Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, you're not playing. But a guy backing up Rex Grossman should be expecting to grab the starting job.
CHI - Bears Not Planning On Releasing RB Benson
Source: Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said the Bears have no plans to release running back Cedric Benson in the wake of his arrest last weekend in Texas. But no matter how the case plays out, Angelo said Benson was guilty of poor judgment. ''The thing that I am most disappointed in is the fact that he put himself in a position to be the victim,'' Angelo said. ''He's done a real fine job in the offseason. Obviously, this makes big story lines. That's not good for business.''
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Interesting words from Angelo. If Benson is telling the truth, Angelo is just wrong as Benson couldn't do anything about putting himself in a position "to be the victim". Now if Benson is not telling the truth, that's a different story. Either way, remember to keep your eye on new Bears RB Matt Forte. We like him a lot and given how soft Benson has played, I think we're likely to see Forte on the field.
BAL - Ravens HC Harbaugh Complimentary Of QB Smith
Source: Aaron Wilson, Carroll County Times
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was complimentary of 2nd year quarterback Troy Smith, who's competing with incumbent Kyle Boller and this year's 1st round draft pick Joe Flacco for the starting job. "You can see he can play quarterback in the NFL, without question," he said. "He's got the arm strength. He can move around and operate the offense. Now under pressure, proving himself in games, that's going to be up to him, but he's got the ability to be a starting quarterback in this league."
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It's hard to know with Harbaugh how much of this is sincere and how much is trade talk posturing. Between Boller, Flacco and Smith, the Ravens will try to find a starter but it's not like choosing between Montana or Young.
CLE - Browns HC Crennel Sees Opportunity For WR Wilson
Source: Zac Jackson, ClevelandBrowns.com
As the Cleveland Browns begin OTAs today, coach Romeo Crennel sees an opportunity for 3rd year wide receiver Travis Wilson to take advantage, saying "Travis Wilson is a guy that will have an opportunity to get a lot of reps in OTA's. Joe (Jurevicius) is working through a knee situation and Steve Sanders broke a bone in his foot, so that opens the door for Travis to get a lot more work. I talked to him about taking advantage of that opportunity. We'll see him maybe step up and be able to do more."
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The name of the game in the NFL is seizing opportunity. Wilson will have a very small window where he will be able to showcase his abilities while some other players are out. Will he take advantage? We'll see.
NE - Walsh To Meet With Specter And Goodell
Source: Rachel Cohen, AP
Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh will meet separately with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Sen. Arlen Specter on Tuesday to discuss New England’s videotaping of opposing coaches’ playcalling signals in violation of league rules.
Walsh is scheduled to meet with Goodell at the NFL offices in New York at 7:30 a.m. Afterward, he will travel to Washington to meet with Specter. Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been critical of the NFL’s handling of the investigation. Goodell and Specter each plan to hold a news conference after meeting with Walsh.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
I'll be shocked if this is much more than a dismissal.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Tuesday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J