Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 9, Issue 7 (Wednesday, April 30th)
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Hi Folks,
Welcome to Thursday as we get you caught up with all the News and Notes you'll need to stay on top of the NFL game. Let's get to it. JSITE NEWS
A.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. SD - Assistant GM Nix Retires - MIA GM Mueller Added2. HOU - Texans sign OL Weary
3. SD - Chargers Add OL Shelton To Shore Up Line
4. NYG - President Bush Welcomes Giants - Believes In Jessica Simpson Curse
5. SEA - WR Branch Making Progress But Likely Won't Be Ready For Opener
6. NYG - TE Shockey and DE's Strahan and Umenyiora Skip White House Visit
7. SEA - Holmgren Says Seahawks To Likely Go With RB By Committee
8. CIN - Shaun Alexander Considering Bengals?
9. OAK - Raiders Searching For Veteran Backup QB
10. OAK - Raiders Looking To Trade RB Jordan
11. DET - Lions Sign RB Pinner - RB Corps In Flux
12. DEF - SEA - Seahawks DT Tubbs Could Be Out Through August
13. DEF - MIA - Parcells and DE Taylor Not Seeing Eye To Eye
SD - Assistant GM Nix Retires - MIA GM Mueller Added
Source: Sports Ticker
Buddy Nix retired as assistant general manager and director of player personnel for the San Diego Chargers, the team announced Tuesday.
It was part of an organizational restructuring by San Diego, which included the promotion of six front-office executives as well as adding former Miami Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller to the staff. The 68-year-old Nix spent 15 seasons in the NFL, including the last seven with the Chargers. "Buddy has had a long, distinguished career in coaching and scouting," San Diego GM A.J. Smith said. "I have had the privilege of working alongside him for 15 years in Buffalo and San Diego. He did an outstanding job. We appreciate his contributions and wish him well."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Randy Mueller was part of the Bill Parcells housecleaning in Miami and should be a good addition to the Chargers. Hats off to Mr. Nix on a nice career and best wishes in all he's doing.
Source: John McClain, Houston Chronicle
The Texans have agreed on a one-year contract with guard Fred Weary, who started 12 games on the right side last season until he suffered a season-ending injury during a Dec. 2 loss at Tennessee.
Weary, an original Texan, suffered a fractured tibia and fibula. The Texans say he made great progress in his recovery and will be 100 percent before the start of training camp.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Weary will likely enter camp as the starting right guard. And that's a good thing to have the position nailed down in April as the team heads toward camps this spring.
SD - Chargers Add OL Shelton To Shore Up Line
Source: AP
Unable to land a tackle early in last weekend's draft, the San Diego Chargers signed veteran L.J. Shelton to a two-year deal Tuesday.
Shelton, entering his 10th NFL season, was released by the Miami Dolphins in February. He's started 125 of 130 games during his career. He started all 16 games at right tackle last year. In 2006 with the Dolphins, he started five games at left tackle before moving to right guard for the final 11 games.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Chargers GM AJ Smith sounded pretty happy to have Shelton. "We had the opportunity to add an experienced, good player to the mix at offensive tackle," general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. "L.J. has played both left and right tackle during his career. We were thin at the position and we were determined to find a talented player. We believe we've addressed the need with L.J. Shelton."
Shelton is a veteran player and should add both experience and depth to a position where the Chargers can use it.NYG - President Bush Welcomes Giants - Believes In Jessica Simpson Curse
Source: Ben Feller, AP
Add this to the lore of championship ceremonies at the White House: President Bush believes in the Jessica Simpson jinx.
Bush, a Texas guy, lauded the New York Giants on Wednesday for winning the Super Bowl. Any football championship is big to the team and its fans, but this one was all the sweeter because it required a riveting, comeback effort against the New England Patriots, who were heavily favored and had not lost all year. The president noted that along the way the Giants vanquished a team from his home state, the Dallas Cowboys. Many Dallas fans pinned their team's surprise playoff loss not on the Giants, but on Simpson. Seems the singer-actress was accused of being a distraction to her boyfriend, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo. Apparently, Bush bought in. "I'm a good sport," Bush said at the South Lawn ceremony. "We're going to send Jessica Simpson to the Democrat National Convention."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Because I know you guys need to know this kind of stuff...
SEA - WR Branch Making Progress But Likely Won't Be Ready For Opener
Source: Frank Hughes, Tacoma News Tribune
According to Frank Hughes of the News Tribune, the rehab on Deion Branch is going well but coach Holmgren does not expect him to be there at the beginning of the year.
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Just something to file away for this summer as we watch Branch try to make his way back onto the field.
NYG - TE Shockey and DE's Strahan and Umenyiora Skip White House Visit
Source: Mike Garafolo, Star Ledger
There were a few key players not in attendance when the Giants were honored at the White House Wednesday. Among them were: TE Jeremy Shockey, DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora and LB Antonio Pierce. Former Giants S Gibril Wilson, now with the Raiders, was there.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
I'm sure this isn't a popular stance for me to take but I don't care what you think of the President, when you're invited to be honored by the President of your country in your nation's capital, you go. Lame move by Shockey, Strahan and Umenyiora in my opinion.
SEA - Holmgren Says Seahawks To Likely Go With RB By Committee
Source: Frank Hughes, Tacoma News Tribune
Coach Mike Holmgren said Rob Sims will be the starting right guard, the running game will be by committee, which means that Mo Morris will be on the roster, and he does not expect one back to ever get 25 carries in a game.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
With Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett and Maurice Morris on the roster, it's probably good news for Seahawk fans as that's a talented trio. But probably bad news for anyone owning one of the backs as it's looking like they'll share time. It's still a long ways until September though.
CIN - Shaun Alexander Considering Bengals?
Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer
Mark Curnutte of the Cincinnati Enquirer asks:
OK, what about adding a former league MVP to the mix in Shaun Alexander? The former Boone County star and Florence resident was terminated by the Seahawks this offseason after eight years in Seattle. "Making calls to teams. Bengals are on our list!" Jim Steiner, Alexander's agent, told The Enquirer in an e-mail this morning.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Rudi Johnson is a player but if the Bengals and Marvin Lewis are waiting on Chris Perry to get healthy, I'm afraid they might be waiting a while. Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey and Kenny Irons are all in the mix but it's hard to get overly excited about those guys too. Alexander has ties to the Cincinnati area and it could make some sense. Although there are real concerns in my mind about how much he has left in the tank. I know he was banged up last year but he just looked like a guy that had lost his heart at times.
OAK - Raiders Searching For Veteran Backup QB
Source: David White, San Francisco Chronicle
The Oakland Raiders will resume their search for a backup to QB JaMarcus Russell. They have said that they want to go into training camp with at least one proven arm to compete with QB Andrew Walter. White speculates that free agent QBs Trent Dilfer and Daunte Culpepper could be targets.
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Dilfer and Culpepper could both be interesting guys here. Whoever it is, we couldn't agree more that they need a backup with experience if they plan on counting too much on JaMarcus Russell.
OAK - Raiders Looking To Trade RB Jordan
Source: David White, San Francisco Chronicle
Running back Lamont Jordan is still an Oakland Raider, but it is not because they want him for the 2008 season. The Raiders are holding onto Jordan, a league source said, because some in the organization believe they can still get trade value for Jordan.
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More fallout from the Darren McFadden pick so this isn't surprising at all. But just because the Raiders would like to trade him doesn't mean they'll see any realistic offers. They're not exactly dealing from a position of power here.
DET - Lions Sign RB Pinner - RB Corps In Flux
Source: Tom Kowalski, Mlive.com
The signing of Artose Pinner by the Detroit Lions on Wednesday likely means that rookie third-round pick Kevin Smith is the only running back on the roster with a lock on a roster position. The Lions didn't bring in Pinner to carry the ball in preseason mop-up time. He's there to compete for a job and that means that Tatum Bell and Brian Calhoun are on shaky ground.
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Doesn't Barry Sanders seem like eons ago? When Artose Pinner makes news for the Lions, that's a pretty strong statement about where they are today. While we're at it, can Tatum Bell finally deliver? I'm not counting on it.
DEF - SEA - Seahawks DT Tubbs Could Be Out Through August
Source: Frank Hughes, Tacoma News Tribune
Seattle Seahawks HC Mike Holmgren said today that DT Marcus Tubbs had follow-up surgery on his knee to clean it out. Holmgren said Tubbs may not be available until the regular season.
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Tough news for Seattle and Tubbs. Although it's better to make this decision now instead of later. Wishing him a fast recovery.
DEF - MIA - Parcells and DE Taylor Not Seeing Eye To Eye
Source: Bob Wolfley, Milwaukee Jounal Sentinel
Jason Taylor, the Miami Dolphins defensive end, and Bill Parcells, who is now running Miami's football operation, are not speaking to one another.
According to the Miami Herald, the two men have had, at most, a 30-second conversation since December, when Parcells took the job in Miami. According to the Herald, Parcells is displeased because Taylor's dancing keeps him from participating in the Dolphins' voluntary off-season conditioning program. "Parcells was displeased because, in his eyes, Taylor should be a leader on this team and skipping work is not the kind of leadership anyone wants," according to the Herald. A few weeks ago, Taylor was in Miami and dropped in to see his teammates at the Dolphins' facility. During the visit he went into a room where Parcells was watching tape. "Parcells ignored him," reported the Herald. "He looked at Taylor and went back to his work without saying a word. That incensed Taylor."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
I've heard this in a couple of different places now about Parcells ignoring Taylor. I guess this is Parcells being Parcells but it seems like a dumb thing to do with the best player on your team. Why he seems to go out of his way to alienate guys like Terrell Owens or Jason Taylor seems puzzling at best.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Thursday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J