Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 10, Issue 47 (Friday, June 5th)
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Hi Folks,
Good Saturday to you. Hope you're ready for a great weekend. I'm heading that way but first the important stuff - your Daily Update. As we'll do every day from now until the Week 1 kickoff, we'll bring to you all the stories you'll need to stay on top of everything. Sit back and enjoy. And be sure to check out the FREE 2009 Footballguys Strategy Guide Magazine and the exclusive Rate My Team App. Thanks for reading and have a great Saturday. JSITE NEWS
A.
New way to view the FREE 2009 Footballguys Magazine
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. PHI - No true time table on RB Brian Westbrook's return2. IND - K Adam Vinatieri undergoes hip surgery
3. PHI - RB Lorenzo Booker seeing most time with first team
4. SF - QB Alex Smith works with first team Friday
5. CHI - Plan to hold RB Matt Forte out of next few OTAs
6. BUF - WR Terrell Owens not present at OTA Friday
7. TB - QB Josh Freeman a long way from starting
8. NFL - Agent says QB Brett Favre remains retired
9. BAL - HC Harbaugh believes Ray Rice could be an every-down back
10. PHI - Other RBs could rotate with Brian Westbrook
11. PHI - HC Reid says RB LeSean McCoy has done well
12. PHI - No public sense of urgency to add another running back
13. DET - QB Matt Stafford now competing for starting job
14. NYG - RB Danny Ware ready for a bigger role with the team
15. NFL - Attorney trying to allow Burress to play in 2009
16. DEF - MIA - LB Joey Porter believes they are team to beat in AFC East
PHI - No true time table on RB Brian Westbrook's return
Source: Rick Burkholder
Updating previous reports, Philadelphia Eagles head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said RB Brian Westbrook (ankle) was operated on Friday, June 5, and the surgery was a success.
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Burkholder said the surgery was not a scope, as that portion of the ankle cannot be scoped. Westbrook had scar tissue removed, as well as two bone fragments. 'Both of these fragments were in the back of the ankle and on the inside of the ankle,' Burkholder said. 'One of those fragments came from the ankle sprain that he had last year.' They were not sure if the other came from the sprain or if was previously there and not bothering Westbrook. Westbrook had inflammation in the tendon that moves his big toe, because it was laying against the loose bone fragment in the back. 'Brian is doing well,' Burkholder added. Westbrook will not be able to put any weight on his right ankle for two weeks and then will be checked out again. From there, the team will take a week-by-week approach with him. Burkholder said the team does not know when Westbrook will be back because they have never put a timetable on it. However, he said everyone feels pretty comfortable Westbrook will be able to return by the beginning of the season but it's too early to tell if he will return in time for training camp.
IND - K Adam Vinatieri undergoes hip surgery
Source: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis Colts PK Adam Vinatieri (hip) underwent surgery on his right hip to relieve nagging discomfort.
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The condition existed for more than a year, but recently became more bothersome. The surgery is not expected to cause any problems regarding Vinatieri's availability for the 2009 season.
PHI - RB Lorenzo Booker seeing most time with first team
Source: Bob Brookover, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Bob Brookover, of the Philadelphia Inquirer, reports Philadelphia Eagles RB Lorenzo Booker got the majority of the snaps with the first-team offense during practice Thursday, June 4.
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LeSean McCoy is getting some positive press lately - even before the Westbrook injury, but we can't forget about veteran Lorenzo Booker. The Eagles traded for him last season after the Dolphins drafted him in 2007, right before Philly was set to select him. He was thought of as a Westbrook-Lite in this offense, but failed to impress when he was on the field. He's holding off the rookie for now, and if he was named the starter in the absence of Westy the Eagles would use a RBBC with McCoy and FB Leonard Weaver as well.
SF - QB Alex Smith works with first team Friday
Source: Matt Maiocco, The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Matt Maiocco, of The Santa Rosa Press Democrat, reports San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith worked with the first-team offense during practice Friday, June 5.
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Head coach Mike Singletary said people should not read anything into Smith playing with first team in terms of the quarterback competition. Many are expecting Shaun Hill to win the starting job for the 49ers but if Smith plays well he has an outside chance of being named the starter.
CHI - Plan to hold RB Matt Forte out of next few OTAs
Source: Vaughn McClure, The Chicago Tribune
Vaughn McClure, of the Chicago Tribune, reports the Chicago Bears plan to hold RB Matt Forte (hamstring) out of their next three organized team activities, according to a source.
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He will be re-evaluated Monday, June 8, but may not participate in any practices next week.
BUF - WR Terrell Owens not present at OTA Friday
Source: Chris Brown, BuffaloBills.com
Chris Brown, of BuffaloBills.com, reports Buffalo Bills WR Terrell Owens was not present during the team's organized team activity Friday, June 5. Head coach Dick Jauron said Owens is expected to return to practice next week.
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“He wasn't here today, but it's good that he does keep us in the loop and he'll be back early next week,” said Jauron. ”But it has been great that he's been here every day, most of them." It's always smooth sailing for T.O. in Year One.
TB - QB Josh Freeman a long way from starting
Source: Stephen Holder, The St. Petersburg Times
Stephen Holder from the St. Petersburg Times reports Freeman will sit in 2009 unless the season goes south, which in this year of transition is certainly plausible. If the Bucs are in the thick of things and remain healthy at quarterback, Josh Freeman will have to wait quite some time to get consistent practice reps with the team's best playmakers.
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We've been saying this for a while now. The Bucs starter will either be Byron Leftwich or Luke McCown so Freeman will most likely hold a clipboard his rookie season. QB Josh Johnson is a long shot to make the final roster unless the Bucs decide to carry 4 QBs.
NFL - Agent says QB Brett Favre remains retired
Source: Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
Dave Campbell, of The Associated Press, reports Bus Cook, agent for retired QB Brett Favre (Jets), said Favre is still retired and that he is unaware of any pending change in Favre's plans.
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Nothing new in Favre Watch 2009 for a while now, so Bus Cook felt it necessary to proclaim that he is unaware of anything and everything.
BAL - HC Harbaugh believes Ray Rice could be an every-down back
Source: Mike Duffy, BaltimoreRavens.com
Mike Duffy, of BaltimoreRavens.com, reports Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he believes RB Ray Rice could be an every-down back this season because he added bulk to his upper body during the offseason.
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'Not that he wasn't a tackle-breaker last year - he was a tackle-to-tackle runner at Rutgers, that was what he did - but he's come a long way,' Harbaugh said. 'Now, people see him as a third-down back because of the success he had last year, but I don't think we have any question that he can be an every-down back.' If Ray Rice reaches his potential he has Curtis Martin-like ability.
PHI - Other RBs could rotate with Brian Westbrook
Source: Andy Reid
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said the team has to wait to see how RBs Lorenzo Booker and LeSean McCoy (thumb) progress before the team alters their approach with how they use RB Brian Westbrook (ankle) in 2009.
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'If the other guys are capable of getting in there and doing their thing, then that's what we'll do. We'll rotate them in there,' Reid said. We imagine the Eagles will use a 2 or 3-headed RBBC with LeSean McCoy, Lorenzo Booker, and FB Leonard Weaver.
PHI - HC Reid says RB LeSean McCoy has done well
Source: Andy Reid
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said backup RB LeSean McCoy (thumb) has a great change of direction and the ability to catch the football.
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'We're asking him to do a lot of things formation-wise; he's able to handle that,' Reid said. 'He's really done well, and it looks like he does a nice job in the blitz pick-up part of it. Again, it's not live. We're just asking him to recognize it and step in there and do that, so he's done well with that.' Reid said they'll put a split on McCoy's injured thumb and he'll return to action next week.
PHI - No public sense of urgency to add another running back
Source: Andy Reid
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said he does not feel a sense of urgency to bring in additional running backs even though RBs Brian Westbrook (ankle) and LeSean McCoy (thumb) are banged up.
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He may be saying that publicly, but privately we imagine the Eagles have considered a back like Edgerrin James. McCoy's injury is not serious and that has Reid thinking that he can get by with what he's got.
DET - QB Matt Stafford now competing for starting job
Source: John Clayton, ESPN.com
John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz likes QB Matthew Stafford's arm so much that he is allowing Stafford to compete with QB Daunte Culpepper for the starting job now.
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Tom Kowalski from MLive.com had an earlier report that proclaimed Stafford could be a better QB than advertised. He is already impressing teammates with his leadership abilities, and the coaches love the way he can make plays with his feet when the play breaks down. Some had thought Stafford would start after the Lions week 7 bye, but now it appears that he could be in line for the starting job in the 1st week of the season.
NYG - RB Danny Ware ready for a bigger role with the team
Source: Tom Rock, Newsday
Tom Rock from Newsday reports that for the first time in his career, Danny Ware can see the field from where he's standing. He started as an undrafted practice squad player for the Jets in 2007 and was acquired by the Giants late in that season. Last year, his first full one with the Giants, he made a splash in the preseason but spent the season on the bench behind a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Now, entering his third year in the NFL, Ware has a chance to really contribute.
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The Giants are going to keep using a 3-headed RBBC even though Derrick Ward has gone on to Tampa. They selected Andre Brown in the 4th round of the 2009 NFL Draft to take the place of Ward, but Danny Ware could win that spot instead. Ware is a talented, but oft-injured RB from Georgia, that was once ahead of Knowshon Moreno on the depth chart in college. This is a battle to keep a close eye on if you're a Brandon Jacobs or Ahmad Bradshaw owner.
NFL - Attorney trying to allow Burress to play in 2009
Source: Sal Paolantonio, ESPN.com
Sal Paolantonio, of ESPN.com, reports the attorney for unrestricted free-agent WR Plaxico Burress (Giants) is working to find a negotiated settlement that would allow Burress to play in 2009 be either by reaching a plea deal with minimal jail time or postponing a possible trial until after the 2009 season, according to a source.
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This is what those in the Burress camp have been hoping for. Plaxico could either do jail time in the offseason, or the trial could be postponed until after the season. When a decision is made about his legal situation we'll see a few teams like the Bears and Bucs come forward with interest in the big wideout.
DEF - MIA - LB Joey Porter believes they are team to beat in AFC East
Source: David J. Neal, The Miami Herald
David J. Neal, of the Miami Herald, reports Miami Dolphins LB Joey Porter said he believes the Dolphins are the team to beat in the AFC East this season.
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'I don't understand how you put someone in front of us. We're the AFC East champions. You've got to beat somebody to be the champion. We had to beat somebody,' Porter said.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Saturday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J
