Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 10, Issue 26 (Friday, May 15th)
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Hi Folks,
Good Saturday to you and I hope you're ready for a nice weekend. Fire up that grill and practice for the big Memorial Day cook off coming up. Won't be long. We've got plenty of news and notes for you so let's get to it. JSITE NEWS
A.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. BUF - WR Terrell Owens expected to participate in OTAs2. IND - Offensive coaching staff vacancies filled
3. OAK - QB Jeff Garcia discusses team's quarterback situation
4. ATL - QB Michael Vick to begin workouts after prison sentence
5. NYJ - Agent for RB Leon Washington says CBA obstacle in negotiations
6. NFL - QB Favre experimenting with an exercise to help tendon
7. NFL - Agent Rosenhaus claims several teams interested in WR Plaxico Burress
8. MIN - WR Sidney Rice still feels pain in injured knee
9. ARZ - PHI - CHI - Details on rejected recent offers for WR Anquan Boldin
10. DEN - Broncos want to focus on running the ball
11. SD - WR Malcom Floyd signs tender
12. DET - HC Schwartz likes what he sees from OT Gosder Cherilus
13. BUF - OG Eric Wood likely will line up at right guard during OTAs
14. OAK - WR Chaz Schilens stands out in minicamp
15. DEF - HOU - LB Brian Cushing to be used on strong side
BUF - WR Terrell Owens expected to participate in OTAs
Source: Chris Brown, BuffaloBills.com
Chris Brown, of BuffaloBills.com, reports Buffalo Bills WR Terrell Owens is expected to attend the Bills' upcoming organized team activities.
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The VH-1 cameras will be following his every move and documenting his day to day activities. I wonder what new T-shirt designs T.O. will have for sale this season.
IND - Offensive coaching staff vacancies filled
Source: Mike Chappell, The Indianapolis Star
Mike Chappell, of the Indianapolis Star, reports that Colts team president Bill Polian said that WR coach/assistant head coach Clyde Christensen has taken over as the offensive coordinator and assistant OL coach Pete Metzelaars has been promoted to OL coach in an interview with 1070 The Fan this morning.
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Continuity through promotion from within was the best approach to fill the holes left by the retirement of Tom Moore and Howard Mudd. Both Christensen and Metzelaars have been with the Colts for more than five years. This will help lessen effect of the changes to the coaching staff on the Colts offensive game plan but these guys are not Tom Moore and Howard Mudd. Don't panic but at the same time be aware that Peyton Manning is going to have a drastically different coaching support system than he's had.
OAK - QB Jeff Garcia discusses team's quarterback situation
Source: David White, San Francisco Chronicle
David White, of the San Francisco Chronicle, reports Oakland Raiders QB Jeff Garcia said during a radio interview that he believes the team should start whichever quarterback gives them the best chance to win. 'I think there has to be some realization at some point as to putting the best players on the field that are going to give you the best chance to win. Now, if [QB JaMarcus Russell] is that guy, then he definitely deserves to be on the field and should be on the field. But, if for some reason with what I bring as a player, from a competitive nature, and just the intensity and emotion that I bring to the field, and the knowledge of the game that I have -- if that gives us a better chance to win football games, then that decision is going to have to be left up to the coach and hopefully he can make the right decision for the team,' Garcia said.
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I said the other day not to sleep on Jeff Garcia. And this sounds more like the Jeff Garcia we know. He has never been one to hold his tongue and we're curious if he'd be a team player if JaMarcus Russell struggles early in the season. The reality is that he's right - at some point, it becomes about putting the best players on the field.
ATL - QB Michael Vick to begin workouts after prison sentence
Source: Steve Wyche, NFL.com
Steve Wyche, of NFL.com, reports Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick will begin working with a trainer and start football-related workouts soon after his release from prison next week, according to a source.
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The Falcons still own the rights to Vick and have been unable to trade him so far. Vick will have to prove that he's remorseful to commissioner Roger Goodell before he is reinstated. That may prove to be difficult because Vick lied to the commissioner's face when this dog fighting incident first hit the news wire.
NYJ - Agent for RB Leon Washington says CBA obstacle in negotiations
Source: Dave Hutchinson, The Newark Star-Ledger
Dave Hutchinson, of the Newark Star-Ledger, reports Alvin Keels, agent for New York Jets RB Leon Washington, said during a radio interview that the uncertainty of the Collective Bargaining Agreement is making the negotiations with the Jets about a new contract for Washington difficult. 'I think one of the biggest obstacles we have to get through is the landscape of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Players in Leon's situation, he's one of 116 players this year that would be free at the end of the season under the normal Collective Bargaining Agreement but being that the rules have changed a little bit this year those guys that would have been free, with contracts expiring, will not be free,' Keels said. Keels said he is confident an agreement will be reached.
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Washington wants as much money as possible and the Jets don't want to overpay. That is the main obstacle here, but we anticipate that a deal will get done shortly.
NFL - QB Favre experimenting with an exercise to help tendon
Updating a previous report, Ed Werder and Chris Mortensen, of ESPN.com, report retired QB Brett Favre (Jets) experimented with Dr. James Andrews on one of several exercises that could accelerate the process of the tendon releasing on its own, according to a source. It is not known if Favre would decide to undergo surgery if the exercise does not work.
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Favre initially retired (again) because he didn't want to have surgery on his bicep. He has reportedly confided to friends that he will not come out of retirement if he has to go under the knife.
NFL - Agent Rosenhaus claims several teams interested in WR Plaxico Burress
Source: Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus, agent for unrestricted free-agent WR Plaxico Burress (Giants), reports on his Twitter page that at least two teams are very serious about signing Burress.
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Obviously, take anything positive that Rosenhaus says about his client with a giant dose of salt. He has a very vested interest in drumming up demand for his guy. It's certainly believable, but Burress will have to wait until his legal situation clears up before getting too excited about teams interest.
MIN - WR Sidney Rice still feels pain in injured knee
Source: Chip Scoggins, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Chip Scoggins, of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, reports that Sidney Rice said he still feels "a little pain when he gets up to full speed or close to it" in the knee that he injured in week 2 of the 2008 season (sprained PCL). Rice added that he should be 100% for training camp. He also said he wants to connect with fans at his site, sidneyrice18.com.
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It's clear now that Rice's lingering knee injury was more to blame for his disappointing 2008 than a lack of development, but Rice has a lot to prove now that the Vikings drafted Percy Harvin in the first round. He still has a chance to be the Vikings main red zone weapon in the passing game and he'll be worth a late round pick as long as the knee injury doesn't linger through training camp.
ARZ - PHI - CHI - Details on rejected recent offers for WR Anquan Boldin
Source: Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic
Kent Somers, of The Arizona Republic, reports the Philadelphia Eagles offered CB Sheldon Brown and a third-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for WR Anquan Boldin, according to an NFL source.
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The Cardinals quickly rejected this offer, and according to reports turned down a 2nd round pick from the Bears as well.
DEN - Broncos want to focus on running the ball
Source: Bill Williamson, ESPN.com
Bill Williamson from ESPN.com reports it is clear Denver is going to be a running team after the Jay Cutler trade. It looks like Kyle Orton, acquired in the Cutler trade, will lead the offense, but the run will set up the pass in Denver.
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Denver needs their ground game to take the pressure off of the defense - and limit the number of times Kyle Orton will have to bail out the team. Knowshon Moreno was drafted to be their lead back and he can be an every down player. He's a quick and instinctive runner, a natural hands catcher, and (perhaps most importantly for a rookie RB) he is very good in pass protection. He may be taken out at the goalline for LaMont Jordan or Peyton Hillis but the Broncos are going to work Moreno as much as possible in 2009.
SD - WR Malcom Floyd signs tender
Source: Casey Pearce, Chargers.com
Casey Pearce, of Chargers.com, reports restricted free-agent WR Malcom Floyd (Chargers) has signed his one-year tender offer from the San Diego Chargers. Financial terms were not disclosed.
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With Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson ahead of him on the depth chart Malcom Floyd is sometimes a forgotten man in San Diego. Savvy fantasy owners know that Floyd has a great on field relationship with Philip Rivers and would be more than capable if he had to fill in for Chambers or Jackson.
DET - HC Schwartz likes what he sees from OT Gosder Cherilus
Source: Tom Kowalski, MLive.com
Tom Kowalski, of MLive.com, reports Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said he likes what he has seen from OT Gosder Cherilus but knows Cherilus still has room to grow. 'He's still working his technique, he's still a young player, he's still got a long way to go, but we're seeing a lot of things we like from him,' Schwartz said.
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Gosder Cherilus is so mean that he makes Jon Runyan look like Miley Cyrus. He plays with that mean streak and can be a crushing run blocker. With size and strength to spare Cherilus should develop into a road-grading Right Tackle.
BUF - OG Eric Wood likely will line up at right guard during OTAs
Source: Chris Brown, BuffaloBills.com
Chris Brown, of BuffaloBills.com, reports Buffalo Bills OG Eric Wood likely will line up at right guard with the first-team offense during the Bills' organized team activities.
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Eric Wood is extremely versatile and could play center or guard in the pros. He is a very gritty, intelligent, and tough player that can pull and strike a moving target. He gives great effort on every play and can get to the 2nd level of the defense effectively.
OAK - WR Chaz Schilens stands out in minicamp
Source: Jerry McDonald, InsideBayArea.com
Jerry McDonald, of InsideBayArea.com, reports that second year WR Chaz Schilens ran with the first team and he was the "best and most consistent receiver on the field" during the recent mandatory minicamp. Schilens also shared that he has been running routes with the Raiders QBs for "six or seven weeks" to "get our timing down".
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Schilens made an impact when he started mid-season, and again at the end of the season after he got over his ankle injury. He has the size, speed, and athleticism to emerge as the Raiders #1 WR while Darrius Heyward-Bey learns the ropes and Johnnie Lee Higgins plays the slot.
DEF - HOU - LB Brian Cushing to be used on strong side
Source: Brooke Bentley, HoustonTexans.com
Brooke Bentley, of HoustonTexans.com, reports Houston Texans defensive coordinator Frank Bush plans to start LB Brian Cushing at strongside linebacker.
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Cushing loves to hit and plays with a natural violence. He lined up as a DE and LB in college but should mostly play strongside LB for the Texans. He is fearless when taking on blockers and is quick to react to what he sees as the play is unfolding in front of him.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Saturday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J