Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 9, Issue 45 (Saturday, June 7th)
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Hi Folks,
Good Sunday to you. Hope you're doing better than Cedric Benson and Marshawn Lynch. What is it about RBs this week? We've got the News and Notes you'll need to know so let's get to it. JINSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. CHI - RB Benson Arrested For Drunken Driving2. NYG - TE Shockey Makes Promo Appearance - Uncertain About Mini Camp
3. BUF - DA Says RB Lynch Was Driver In Hit And Run
4. NYJ - Jets Sign Rookie WR Henry
5. NYJ - QB Pennington Favoring Ankle
6. NYJ - Jets Could Trade TE Baker?
7. MIA - Dolphins Coaches Rave About QB Beck's Work Ethic
8. NE - Brady Ankle Feels Great?
9. JAC - WR Williamson Looking Good
10. DEF - HOU - DT Okoye Showing Improvement
CHI - RB Benson Arrested For Drunken Driving
Source: Patrick George, Austin American-Statesman
Chicago Bears and former University of Texas running back Cedric Benson was arrested and charged with drunken driving in downtown Austin, police said.
Austin police spokeswoman Veneza Aguinaga said Benson was driving his BMW at 5th and Colorado Streets between 3 and 4 a.m. when he was pulled over for a running a red light. After an officer had him perform a series of sobriety tests, Benson was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, Aguinaga said. After his arrest, he refused a breathalyzer and blood test. ... The arrest comes a month after Benson was arrested on Lake Travis on charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, both class B misdemeanors. Those cases are still pending. "I don't know enough to comment on the latest case," Benson's attorney, Sam Bassett said. "It's obviously not good to be arrested so soon after [the boating incident]."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Adrian Peterson is the Bears veteran backup RB but the upside money in this scenario in my opinion is Matt Forte. If you can add him to your team, I'd do it now. Benson just isn't long for this league in my opinion. I don't think he's got the physical skills needed, I don't think he's tough enough, I don't think he's got the mentality and I don't think he's got the ability to stay out of trouble. Granted, the boating incident had some very different versions of how things went down from Benson's side compared to the police version. This incident may be the same. But I still don't like it. I've had a terrible feeling about Benson for a while and this just confirms it. If it were me, I'd be grabbing Matt Forte as quickly as a could. Adrian Peterson is also a guy to target but I really like the upside of Forte.
NYG - TE Shockey Makes Promo Appearance - Uncertain About Mini Camp
Source: Mike Garafolo - Newark Star-Ledger
Mike Garafolo reports that Giants TE Jeremy Shockey made a promotional appearance in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. He made two points clear:
1. Despite already being in the area, he may or may not report to the mandatory Giants' mini-camp which begins Wednesday. 2. He feels as though the Giants organization shared too much about his situation this offseason. Here is the full text of the opening statement Shockey made to reporters: "I'm here for POWERade, and the statement I would like to make about the Giants and speculation in the offseason is that whatever happens between the upper management, the lower management, the owners, any management, is going to keep between ourselves. Unlike the Giants, I'm going to be quiet. They've released multiple things about myself. If you look back into the media, theres always a source; well, I'd like to know who the source is, we'll go over here and deal it out ourself. Because I haven't said one negative thing towards the Giants in the newspapers, I have never expressed feelings about the things you guys made up, I'm here doing a great deal with POWERade and that's it. You guys will be able to talk to me if I make it to mini-camp, so you guys have a chance to interrogate me a little bit more."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Shockey is an unusual guy. But despite reports that he'd be at minicamp, it sounds like that's far from settled right now. We'll see soon enough.
BUF - DA Says RB Lynch Was Driver In Hit And Run
Source: Associated Press, NFL.com
The Erie County District Attorney now believes that it was Buffalo Bills RB Marshawn Lynch behind the wheel of the vehicle that stuck a female pedestrian last weekend. He also said the case was nearing completion and should be wrapped up by next week. The woman was treated and released. If convicted, Lynch would face a maximum of a year in prison and a $100 fine.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
The DA has said that he'd be open to a plea deal. I'm pretty surprised we haven't seen Lynch make a move here by now. Expect that to happen soon.
NYJ - Jets Sign Rookie WR Henry
Source: Erik Boland, Newsday.com
The New York Jets signed rookie WR Marcus Henry, formerly of Kansas, to a multi year contract. Henry was a 6th round choice of the Jets in May's draft.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
It's a pretty crowded group at WR for New York but Henry will do his best to jump in and get acclimated to life at this level. We'll see.
NYJ - QB Pennington Favoring Ankle
Source: Rich Cimini, New York Daily News
New York Jets QB Chad Pennington has been favoring his right ankle at Jets practice. This is the same ankle he injured last year in the season opener. At other times in the practice though, he seemed to be running as well as he ever has.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
When there are two QBs battling like this, every throw and every sprint out seems to be analyzed. Pennington's ankle doesn't seem to be an issue as he ran fine. But he was favoring it when walking it appeared according to Rich Cimini who attended practice.
NYJ - Jets Could Trade TE Baker?
Source: Rich Cimini, New York Daily News
Some expect that the Jets could attempt to trade disgruntled TE Chris Baker if things do not improve. After missing all of the voluntary workouts, Baker was in attendance for a mandatory three day mini-camp, but has voiced his displeasure loudly and often. The Jets traded OL Pete Kendall last year when he put them in a similar situation. There are several teams in need a TE, but Baker would demand a new contract from any team.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
The Jets seem pretty pleased with how free agent acquisition Bubba Franks looks and also with the receiving ability of rookie TE Dustin Keller. If Baker continues to be a distraction over his lack of a new contract, this could be a situation where they deal him.
MIA - Dolphins Coaches Rave About QB Beck's Work Ethic
Source: Kyle Whitehead, Sun-Sentinel.com
Coming off a disappointing rookie season and an offseason that saw the Miami Dolphins sign a veteran QB and draft a rookie in round two, John Beck has come back strongly. "I guarantee it, nobody in the league has worked any harder than John Beck," offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. The Dolphins have yet to name a front runner for the starting QB job. All three players will compete for the spot in training camp.
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Two man QB battles are interesting enough but the Dolphins are really making it fun with three players going at it. Expect this to narrow down to two fairly quickly and then we'll see who they put out there. The attention always seems to go to this year's rookie but Beck is a guy with a year of experience under his belt now and that's something that has to be factored in.
Source: Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
Patriots QB Tom Brady was asked about the status of his ankle in an interview with the Boston Globe:
Q: How is the ankle and were you able to participate in the off season program as much as you have in the past? Brady: "The ankle feels great. Yeah. It feels really good. I've been able to do pretty much everything. I'm still slow. I still can't jump. I still don't lift very much. That hasn't changed."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
That's a pretty weird quote. We think he'll be / is fine.
JAC - WR Williamson Looking Good
Source: AP
Receiver Troy Williamson was the last player on the field during minicamp Saturday, spending extra time with his position coach.
He wasn't doing any speed drills. He wasn't working on getting off the line of scrimmage. And he wasn't running routes. He was catching passes -- the thing that haunted him in Minnesota and caused him to seek a fresh start with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But guess what? Williamson caught them all. In fact, he has caught just about everything thrown his way during Jacksonville's two-day camp and since the team began offseason workouts last month. "It's just a big weight lifted off him, all that pressure," receivers coach Todd Monken said. "It's still early, but we've been pleasantly surprised."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
QB David Garrard had good things to say as well: "We heard through the offseason that he was a little suspect with his hands and he really has not been this whole camp. He's catching everything. He's been doing a great job. He's so smooth and fluid that he barely looks like he is running, but he's always running right by somebody."
There are lots of WRs in Jacksonville with potential. Maybe Williamson is one of the guys to rise from the pack. We'll be watching him this summer.DEF - HOU - DT Okoye Showing Improvement
Source: Megan Manfull, Houston Chronicle
So far at Houston Texans training camp, DT Amobi Okoye has been the most improved player, according to HC Gary Kubiak. The Texans are hoping that Okoye can make the same type of leap in his second season that teammate Mario Williams had last year, his second campaign.
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Expectations are usually too high for these young players. The reality is that just about all of them face a pretty steep learning curve. Williams was a good example of that and it looks like Okoye may be on the same path.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great rest of your weekend and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J