Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 10, Issue 41 (Saturday, May 30th)
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Hi Folks,
Good day to you. Hope you're having a great Sunday. We're rocking along here as we've got the News and Notes you need today to stay on top of all things NFL. Let's get to it. JINSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. DAL - WR Roy Williams building chemistry with QB Romo2. DEN - Team says starting quarterback won't be named soon
3. MIN - Team adding new plays just to get WR Percy Harvin involved
4. CIN - QB Carson Palmer: 'We still need Chad'
5. IND - Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon candidates for No. 3 receiver job
6. DEN - TE Tony Scheffler clears the air with HC McDaniels
7. MIN - Several WRs will compete for final spot
8. MIN - Team experimenting with Wildcat
9. ATL - QB Michael Vick's father believes son is a better man
10. PHI - Brian Stewart to join coaching staff
11. DEF - BUF - CB Leodis McKelvin discusses finger injury
12. DEF - TB - New defensive system could help DE Gaines Adams
DAL - WR Roy Williams building chemistry with QB Romo
Source: Jeffri Chadiha, ESPN.com
Jeffri Chadiha, of ESPN.com, reports Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams and QB Tony Romo started working together shortly after the offseason began and Williams said he can already see the benefits.
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'I just feel more comfortable,' Williams said. 'And I'm not the only one who's feeling that way. Tony is more comfortable with me. (Offensive coordinator) Jason Garrett is more comfortable calling plays for me. We're all developing that trust, and that's something we didn't have last season. Unfortunately, I was the one who wound up looking bad because of it.'
DEN - Team says starting quarterback won't be named soon
Source: Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
Jim Armstrong, of The Denver Post, reports although Denver Broncos QB Chris Simms has been working extensively with the first-team offense during the team's passing camp, both he and QB Kyle Orton figure to get long looks into the preseason before any decision is made about the starter.
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'Same thing,' McDaniels said when asked if there were any new developments at the position. 'Both of them will take reps with the 1s, and we're going to keep doing that until it becomes clear and apparent, and it's not yet. They're both doing some good things, and they're both making some mistakes.'
Chris Simms has been looking good and has the better arm. Kyle Orton ran a similar system when he was in college at Purdue, and has more experience than Simms. This is a battle that could last a couple of weeks into training camp.MIN - Team adding new plays just to get WR Percy Harvin involved
Source: Judd Zulgad, The Minneapolis Star Tribune
Judd Zulgad, of The Minneapolis Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said the team has probably put in 20 or 30 plays just to get the football in the hands of rookie WR Percy Harvin.
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While some of the plays were already in the playbook, the team has probably put in 10 to 15 new ones just for him. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier also spoke highly of Harvin. He is happy Harvin is with the Vikings, as Frazier noted he would not like to come up with a defensive game plan to account for Harvin. We like Harvin as a playmaker, but have wondered if Childress would be creative enough to use him the right way. So far, so good on that front.
CIN - QB Carson Palmer: 'We still need Chad'
Source: Joe Reedy, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Joe Reedy, of The Cincinnati Enquirer, reports Cincinnati Bengals QB Carson Palmer has been vocal about the team's wide receivers that are working out with the team and of WR Chad Ochocinco not being there. However, Palmer was quick to point out the team still needs Ochocinco. 'He's a damn good receiver - that's obvious, everybody knows that,' Palmer said. 'I never once said anything about not wanting him here and not needing him. ... We would love to have him when he comes here, but he's not here right now.'
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No surprise here. Palmer has been talking up the other Bengals WRs but he clearly understands who his best receiver is.
IND - Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon candidates for No. 3 receiver job
Source: Mike Chappell, The Indianapolis Star
Mike Chappell, of The Indianapolis Star, reports Indianapolis Colts WR Roy Hall and WR Pierre Garcon are candidates for the team's No. 3 wide receiver job.
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Roy Hall was a college teammate of Anthony Gonzalez at Ohio State. He is a big and strong receiver, but he is still raw as a route runner. Pierre Garcon can help out on special teams if he doesn't get on the field much as a receiver. He has good quickness in and out of his breaks, plus he's a hustle player. The receiver to watch out for here is rookie Austin Collie. He's not the biggest or the fastest WR in the game, he just makes plays. Collie has glue like hands, and knows several subtle ways to get open against tight coverage. However, remember the 3rd WR in Indy is often the 4th target when Manning goes through his progressions. TE Dallas Clark will get plenty of looks - and more than the 3rd WR in this offense.
DEN - TE Tony Scheffler clears the air with HC McDaniels
Source: Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
Jim Armstrong, of The Denver Post, reports Denver Broncos TE Tony Scheffler, who heard his name in trade rumors following the trade of former QB Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears, recently had an air-clearing meeting with head coach Josh McDaniels.
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'It's definitely something we sat down and talked about,' Scheffler said. 'Nothing happened. It's in the past. In this league, you've got to move forward to the next day and keep moving or you'll get left behind. I'm on board with Josh. It's been a lot of fun.' It seems like coach McDaniels is warming up to his playmaking TE. The Broncos are going to try and be more run heavy than people expect - but if they need to air it out Tony Scheffler will provide a reliable target over the deep middle.
MIN - Several WRs will compete for final spot
Source: Chip Scoggins, The Minneapolis Star Tribune
Chip Scoggins, of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings WRs Aundrae Allison, Glenn Holt, Darius Reynaud and Jaymar Johnson will compete for the final wide receiver spot on the roster.
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Just because these guys are battling for the final WR spot on the roster doesn't mean that they don't have talent. One player to watch in this battle is WR Jaymar Johnson. A sixth-round pick out of Jackson State last year, Johnson spent most of the year on the Vikings practice squad. He is lightning quick, and has great footwork. He uses these attributes to get open against good coverage because he can break off a route before the defender can react. The battle for the final WR spot should go all the way through the preseason.
MIN - Team experimenting with Wildcat
Source: Judd Zulgad, The Minneapolis Star Tribune
Judd Zulgad, of The Minneapolis Star Tribune, reports the Minnesota Vikings experimented with the Wildcat offense during practice Saturday, May 30.
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Rookie WR Percy Harvin lined up at quarterback at times, while RB Chester Taylor and WR Darius Reynaud also are seeing looks in the formation. We've called Harvin a "player without a position" many times because he can line up - and be dangerous - at any number of positions.
ATL - QB Michael Vick's father believes son is a better man
Source: ESPN.com
ESPN.com reports the father of suspended Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick, Michael Boddie, said he believes his son is a 'better man' now than when he went to federal prison camp for 19 months, according to the Newport News Daily Press.
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'You ever been locked up?' Boddie said. 'You have a lot of time to reflect. Looks like he came through it in one piece. I think he'll be a better man because of it.' Boddie said he and his son, who have been estranged, exchanged letters while Vick was in prison and they have reconciled. 'I'm glad he's home with his fiance and his children,' Boddie said. 'I know he's paid the price for that (dogfighting). Now it's time for him to move on.'
PHI - Brian Stewart to join coaching staff
Source: Matt Mosley, of ESPN.com
Matt Mosley, of ESPN.com, reports former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart will join the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff in the near future, according to league source.
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Stewart was set to join head coach Dennis Green with the San Francisco team in the United Football League, but he'll now remain in the NFL. It is not known what coaching position he will be given.
DEF - BUF - CB Leodis McKelvin discusses finger injury
Source: Chris Brown, BuffaloBills.com
Chris Brown, of BuffaloBills.com, reports Buffalo Bills CB Leodis McKelvin (finger) said his middle finger is not broken but would not go into detail about the injury.
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McKelvin said "no comment" when asked how the injury occured. He said he expects to return to practice soon.
DEF - TB - New defensive system could help DE Gaines Adams
Source: Pat Yasinskas, ESPN.com
Pat Yasinskas, of ESPN.com, reports the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Jim Bates should help improve the production of DE Gaines Adams this season, according to defensive line coach Todd Wash.
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'We've changed some approach angles from the Tampa 2 and Coach Kiff,' Wash said. 'What we do now is really defensive-end friendly. I think it's going to allow Gaines, and all our ends, to rush the passer more and be more effective. He's not going to be hunkered down on any big defensive tackles in the tight five. He's playing real wide and he's always going to be playing pass first, which is obviously Gaines' strength.'
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Sunday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update. Thanks for reading.
J