Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 9, Issue 25 (Sunday, May 18th)
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Hi Folks,
Welcome to another week. It's that weird time of the year following the draft where players are trying to get their last bit of vacation in before camps start but there is still a trickle of news from a few mini camps here and there. As always, we'll do everything we can to bring you all the news that's out there. Let's get to it. JINSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. TEN - Titans WR Williams Still Recovering From Broken Ankle2. TEN - Expectations Growing For Titans WR Gage
3. STL - WR Holt On WR Avery
4. IND - Colts QB Manning More Concerned About WR Harrison's Health
5. IND - Colts C Saturday Uncertain Of Future
6. TB - Bucs RB Dunn Expecting To Play Large Part
7. DEF - IND - Colts S Sanders, DE Freeney Continue To Recover From Surgery
8. DEF - CHI - Bears LB Okwo Fully Recovered From Shoulder Injury
9. DEF - MIA - DE Taylor Has Opportunities After Dancing With Stars
10. DEF - DAL - DB Jones To Call Commissioner
TEN - Titans WR Williams Still Recovering From Broken Ankle
Source: Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Roydell Williams is still recovering from the broken ankle he suffered at the end of last season and isn't sure when he'll be back on the field. Williams just started running two weeks ago. As a result of inactivity, he's gained 7 pounds and is up to 197 but said he plans on losing the weight. For now, he's learning offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger's offense from the sideline. "It is tough, especially with the new coordinator,'' he said. "It is a whole new offense and I learn best by going out and (working).''
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We said it the other day but it still rings true - the fact that the Titans are counting on Roydell Williams is somewhat telling. The fact they're putting in a new offense that Williams is missing practice time with is certainly not helping things.
TEN - Expectations Growing For Titans WR Gage
Source: Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean
Coming off the best season of his NFL career, if Tennessee Titans wide receiver Justin Gage is feeling pressure these days, it's for an entirely different reason. He now knows expectations are much higher for him to produce, arguably as the team's No. 1 receiver. "I know things are going to be different. Defenses will focus on me more, and it's going to make it tougher,'' Gage said. "But at the same time, it is not as much pressure as trying to make a roster spot, wondering, 'If I mess up, are they going to cut me?' "Now I can just go out there and have fun.''
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Gage will be expected to help make Mike Heimerdinger's new offense shine. And he'll do that by being a productive target for Vince Young. We'll be watching how he performs in camp this spring and summer but right now, expectations are high.
Source: Bill Coats, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Asked his early impressions of rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery, veteran wide receiver Torry Holt said tersely, "Right now, I don't have any impressions of Donnie Avery. ... Hopefully, during training camp he'll show me something." It's not that Holt is unhappy with Avery; he just wants to let him know that he has to prove himself before he can run with the big dogs. Which is fine with Avery. "I like that," he said. "When other people are strict on me, it brings the best out of me."
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Interesting exchange there with Holt. But one that makes sense. Holt isn't giving Avery much credit yet as Avery hasn't earned much yet. It's all part of making the transition to the next level.
IND - Colts QB Manning More Concerned About WR Harrison's Health
Source: STLtoday.com
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning isn't so much worried about wide receiver Marvin Harrison's potential legal matters than he is his health. Manning is more concerned about Harrison's bad knees, which caused his top receiver to miss most of last season. Harrison eventually had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January and has been rehabilitating an inflamed capsule in his left knee. "I don't think there's any question he can still do it," Manning said. "Obviously, that's our hope - that he'll be 100 percent healthy to be able to play against Chicago in the season opener."
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Not surprising that Manning wouldn't comment on the legal issues. With the way that's dragging along, I'm not expecting much of anything to come up there. The knees are a different issue though and are a legitimate cause for concern. Harrison isn't getting any younger and his body simply doesn't recover like it once did. We'll see if he's able to get back on the field here but obviously, caution is advised.
IND - Colts C Saturday Uncertain Of Future
Source: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star
Three-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday's future with the Indianapolis Colts is unsettled. He turns 33 next month, is entering his 10th season and is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $3 million in 2008. "You always want to know what your future holds, but I'm sure they have thoughts about what they're going to do,'' Saturday said. Saturday said his agent, Ralph Cindrich, has had preliminary discussions with Colts officials on a new contract. He has informed the Colts of his desire to remain in Indy, and the team has made it clear the feelings are mutual.
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Jeff Saturday is obviously a key part of the Colts offense and someone that Peyton Manning feels comfortable with. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Colts work something out here but I also wouldn't be surprised if they see how he performs this season before offering an extension.
TB - Bucs RB Dunn Expecting To Play Large Part
Source: Joe Henderson, Tampa Tribune
Running back Warrick Dunn, who returned to his former team (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) this offseason, is anticipating a larger role than some may think, saying "I would never consider myself a third-down back. It's not my mentality. I don't play the game that way," he said. "I don't think Coach Jon Gruden brought me here just to play on third down. He believes in me, and I just have to go out and prove it." He will get his chance. "I see him as being a front-line guy," Gruden said. "He is going to play a lot."
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First off, it's always dangerous to trust an athlete on the downhill side of his career to be objective about what his role will be and what he can still do. They all think they can still play. But Dunn seems to also have the support of the one guy that really does matter on this issue - his coach. If Gruden sees him as a front line guy, then that's what we may see. Not unlike he did with Jeff Garcia, Gruden seems to enjoy taking veteran guys that are just tough football players and letting them do what they know how to do. Dunn is a guy like that.
DEF - IND - Colts S Sanders, DE Freeney Continue To Recover From Surgery
Source: Associated Press, ESPN
Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders (right shoulder) and defensive end Dwight Freeney (left foot) were held out of the team's three-day mini-camp last week as they continue to recover from surgical procedures. Both players are expected to potentially not return to the practice field until after the opening of Training Camp. "It's tough because football players always want to be on the field," Sanders said. "When you're on the field, you can get better. Right now, though, I'm trying to get healthy."
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File both these guys away as guys to watch for camp. They don't sound too optimistic that either will be ready right for the start of camp which is a little troubling. Stay tuned.
DEF - CHI - Bears LB Okwo Fully Recovered From Shoulder Injury
Source: Larry Mayer, ChicagoBears.com
Chicago Bears linebacker Michael Okwo is now fully recovered from a shoulder injury which he sustained during the 2007 regular season. He is expected to be participating in an open competition with LB Jamar Williams and LB Hunter Hillenmeyer for the starting strongside linebacker position with the team this off-season.
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Add Okwo to the mix for the LB battles in camp this summer.
DEF - MIA - DE Taylor Has Opportunities After Dancing With Stars
Source: Steven Wine, AP
An Associated Press article had these quotes and comments on Dolphins DE Jason Taylor and his Dancing With The Stars experience.
"This has afforded us a lot of opportunities people would be surprised at," Taylor said from Los Angeles in a phone interview. "It has obviously opened a lot of doors for me and allowed me to get in front of the camera without the helmet and shoulder pads on-and outside my comfort zone-to show what I can do and show a little personality." Taylor has long been a favorite with football fans, thanks to his knack for sacking quarterbacks. He also possesses plenty of personality and looks good in a sleeveless shirt, as "Dancing" viewers can attest. Hollywood likes what it sees. He turned on the charm for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Larry King Live," and by the time Taylor returns to Miami, he will have met with executives for 20th Century Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. "Jason has the football audience and the people who watch ESPN," says his Los Angeles-based agent, Gary Wichard. "But now he also has women, which is a rarity for a guy from the sports world to come into Hollywood with. That's something people out here are very excited about."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
It was interesting to me as this was the kind of thing I'd think the Dolphins would be concerned about. Much more than missing some OTAs. Taylor is working hard. Being in shape isn't an issue. But having a zillion opportunities and distractions away from football might be something that could affect his play. We'll see.
DEF - DAL - DB Jones To Call Commissioner
Source: Albert Breer, Dallas Morning News
DB Adam "Pacman" Jones plans on calling the commissioner early this week to seek permission to work out with the team and participate in OTAs, which begin on Tuesday.
"I still have to go through the process, and I'm just waiting, waiting every day," Jones said. "I'm ready to get in there and learn the defense. And I've been out of the game for a year, so I need to shake off all the rust to get ready to play. ... I'm going to put in a call to the commissioner some time soon and hope he at least lets me work out with the team. "I should be settled in, in the next week," he said. "I'm just happy to be here and hopefully I can get around my new teammates and start doing OTAs and working out with them."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
We'd been hearing June for a date when the Commissioner wanted to meet with Jones so this is pretty much in line with that. Roger Goodell was very clear that he'd made no promises to anyone about Jones' playing status when the Cowboys made their move for the troubled DB. I'd be pretty surprised though if Jerry Jones doesn't have a pretty clear indication that Jones will be allowed to be on the field this year.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Monday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J