AFC East: Ellis Hobbs
AFC East links: Leigh Bodden set to return
Buffalo Rumblings continues its countdown of the 10 Bills who will impact what happens in 2011. Coming in at No. 7 is running back C.J. Spiller. Brian Galliford: "Opposing defenses paid more attention to Spiller last season than any other Bill aside from Lee Evans. Speed alone makes Spiller a player that teams must account for on every snap, and his versatility makes that all the more difficult."
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback Tyler Thigpen hasn't ruled out a possible return to Miami.
Former Dolphins linebacker Bryan Cox is ready to make an impact as an assistant coach.
New England Patriots
ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss caught up with safety Brandon Meriweather on Tuesday at former teammate Ellis Hobbs' football camp.
After missing all of last season, Leigh Bodden is anxious to start hitting. "I’m ready for contact. No red jersey. I don’t plan on wearing that when I get there,” Bodden said last week when asked about the state of his shoulder. “I’m definitely ready. I’ve been working out. I feel great. I’m just ready to play."
New York Jets
If the Jets want to be active in free agency, they are going to have to create some room to get under the salary cap.
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie made it clear Tuesday that he plans to test the free-agent waters. "I'm not giving anybody a hometown discount," Cromartie said during an interview with Sirius XM Radio. "I'm definitely going to see what the organization says and also let them know I want to go out and test the market and see where my value is."
Bart Scott isn't a fan of the reported elimination of two-a-day practices during training camp.
Video: Setting the scene in Foxborough
ESPN reporter Wendi Nix sets the scene at Gillette Stadium for Thursday, the first media access to the New England Patriots since trading Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings.
New England Patriots cutdown analysis
Biggest surprise: Outside linebacker Derrick Burgess kept the Patriots waiting while he contemplated retirement at the start of training camp. The Patriots probably helped push him back toward a pensive mood when they dropped the two-time Pro Bowler. The Patriots have pass-rush concerns, and Burgess tied for second with five sacks last year. The development of second-round draft choice Jermaine Cunningham certainly played a role in New England's decision. Also notable that second-year offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger was dropped despite the Patriots' interior issues and the fact they aggressively drafted him from Penn State in the fourth round last year. The Patriots traded cornerback Ellis Hobbs for a pair of fifth-round picks and then turned those assets into the fourth-round pick they used on Ohrnberger. He dressed for only three games last year.
No-brainers: The Patriots chose to keep five running backs, which is what they did last year. Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. With safety Brandon McGowan placed on injured reserve with a chest injury, they made a nice trade with the Kansas City Chiefs and old friend Scott Pioli for safety Jarrad Page.
What's next: Bill Belichick never stops tweaking, particularly at the bottom of the roster. So this list of 53 probably will change before opening day. The Patriots, in need of support at defensive end, could bring back Jarvis Green, cut by the Denver Broncos on Saturday. Green played all eight of his NFL seasons with the Patriots and started 13 games at left end before signing with the Broncos as a free agent. Right defensive end Ty Warren is out for the year with a hip injury. The Patriots also released veteran defensive end Damione Lewis on Friday.
Over half of Pats D will be new to open '09
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
Four days ago, I put together an item with the help of ESPN's research crew that showed the New England Patriots' opening-day defense could be their youngest since Pete Carroll's first year as head coach.
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On Sunday, it got even younger.
Although the Patriots probably aren't done tinkering with their lineup, the trade of nine-year veteran defensive lineman Richard Seymour means the Patriots will have that much less experience when they take the field Sept. 14 against the Buffalo Bills on "Monday Night Football."
The Patriots will start the game with at least six new defenders on the field than last year's opener.
They traded Seymour, linebacker Mike Vrabel and cornerback Ellis Hobbs. Strong safety Rodney Harrison and linebacker Tedy Bruschi retired.
Left cornerback Lewis Sanders was not re-signed and is unattached. Sanders started only in Week 1, but his replacement, Deltha O'Neal, is gone, too. O'Neal signed with the Houston Texans but didn't make the squad.
Hobbs says Brady 'looked 100 percent to me'
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| Jim McIsaac/Getty Images | |
| Tom Brady threw for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns Thursday night. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
PHILADELPHIA -- The biggest NFL story of the summer sent me straight to the Philadelphia Eagles' locker room Thursday night.
Never mind that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady looked fabulous in a 27-25 victory, his first game action since having two knee ligaments sewn back together. Michael Vick had signed with the Eagles, and I was at Lincoln Financial Field.
But my impromptu trip into the Eagles den didn't stop me from getting some Brady insight.
Former Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs, traded to the Eagles in April, wasn't the least bit surprised to see Brady complete 10 of 15 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Chris Baker. Brady did throw one interception, but he looked sharp.
His 97.2 passer rating would have been even better had Randy Moss not dropped a 46-yard bomb down the right sideline (Asante Samuel was flagged for interference, but Moss still should have made the grab) and Joey Galloway not dropped a quick touchdown toss.
"I pretty much expected what I saw, accurate throws, taking calculated risks downfield," Hobbs said. "I expect to see him get better and better each week.
"He was fortunate that it happened so early to recover and get back to the way he's feeling. It was funny because all those times when they were saying all that stuff about an infection and bacteria, he's actually working out in front of us. So what are they talking about?
"He didn't look any different. He had the brace on, but he looked 100 percent to me."
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| Charles Small/US Presswire | |
| Eagles players were excited to hear about the addition of Michael Vick. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
PHILADELPHIA -- In the locker room, dog killings apparently won't matter.
Neither will the protests nor the media horde nor the fan backlash over Michael Vick.
His new teammates intend to wrap him in a cocoon, defend him, welcome him not only as a Philadelphia Eagle, but also as a returning member of the NFL brotherhood.
V-Day finally dropped Thursday, when word finally broke that the disgraced former Atlanta Falcons quarterback had been granted another chance in the NFL after serving a 23-month sentence for his role in a dogfighting enterprise.
"He's definitely going to be embraced," Eagles cornerback Ellis Hobbs said. "The NFL is a fraternity of brothers. When you bring in a guy who's been through the things that he's been through, you want to surround him and protect him as much as possible because everybody's out there throwing stones at him.
"We want to be the protector, to let him know that once he comes in here it's safe havens. No one's going to judge you in here because any one of us can stumble. When somebody does fall like that, you bring him back in and you embrace him. You're still a person. You're still our brother."
Buffalo Bills
Training camp site: St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, N.Y.
Campfires: All eyes will be on Terrell Owens, but he's not the most significant storyline at St. John Fisher. The Bills' offensive line is a jumbled unit and needs to emerge from camp with proficiency. None of the projected starting five will play the same position as last year. Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters is gone. Right tackle Langston Walker is flipping over to the other side. Right guard Brad Butler is replacing Walker. Geoff Hangartner is the new center. Rookies are expected to play guard.
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| AP Photo/David Duprey | |
| All eyes will be on Terrell Owens during the Bills' training camp. |
A lot of parts must come together, but if they do, then the Bills' offense could be dangerous. They're adopting a no-huddle approach that will be fun to watch with a cast that includes Owens, Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch. The Bills have been installing the offense for months, but the coaching staff's confidence in it will be dictated by how well Trent Edwards commands the no-huddle in camp and preseason games.
On defense, Buffalo's success may hinge on the defensive line. Pro Bowl defensive end Aaron Schobel is coming off a foot injury that rendered him essentially useless last year. The Bills drafted Penn State pass-rusher Aaron Maybin 11th overall. They also are hoping to get some production finally out of fourth-year defensive tackle John McCargo, who the Bills traded up to draft in the first round but so far has been a slug.
Camp will be a downer if ... the offensive line suffers an injury that prevents chemistry from forming. The main question about the Bills' front five is not that it's incapable. While there are doubts about Walker and Butler, many believe first-day draft picks Eric Wood and Andy Levitre have bright futures, and all of them can play multiple positions.
But nobody can dispute the value of cohesion and consistency along the offensive line. The sooner they learn to play their positions at a high level together, the less harassed Edwards will be. Any preseason volatility here would be harmful.
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Camp will be a success if ... the defensive front shows signs it can be a positive influence. Buffalo defensive linemen recorded 12.5 sacks last year. Right end Ryan Denney led the way with four. Buffalo ranked 22nd in rushing yards allowed per game and 21st in yards per carry.
Buffalo is the only AFC East team that runs a 4-3 defense. If the Bills don't stop the run and can't sack quarterbacks, what's the point?
Project to monitor: Some Bills fans are enamored with the possibilities of sophomore tackle Demetrius Bell, a seventh-round draft pick from Northwestern State who didn't play a game last year. Bell has a good frame (6-foot-5, 307 pounds) and is the son of former NBA star Karl Malone.
Bell is viewed as a potential discovery in the making, the second coming of Peters, who the Bills signed as a rookie free-agent tight end and converted into a Pro Bowl left tackle. Bell spent the offseason getting reps as the second-team left tackle.
Miami Dolphins
Training camp site: team facility in Davie, Fla.
Campfires: Dolfans are eager to see how old friend Jason Taylor fits into defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni's 3-4 scheme, and a substantial factor is whether Cameron Wake will resemble the player who dominated in Canada the past two years. Joey Porter, the reigning AFC sack leader, will remain on the right side. That leaves Taylor (who has played almost his entire career on the right side), Wake and incumbent Matt Roth to divvy up the snaps at left outside linebacker. That battle will be interesting to monitor.
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| Jamie Mullen/US Presswire | |
| Jason Taylor (99) returns to Miami after spending last season with the Washington Redskins. |
Second-round draft pick Pat White has generated plenty of excitement for what he could provide the Wildcat offense. Training camp will be the West Virginia quarterback's proving ground. He looked raggedy as a passer in minicamp. Chad Henne certainly will remain the No. 2 quarterback behind Chad Pennington, but White's value will be as a threat to throw out of the trendy direct-snap offense.
One of the Dolphins' big areas of need heading into the offseason was at receiver. They don't have a clear-cut, go-to target. Rather than obtain one, they tweaked. They drafted Southern California's Patrick Turner as a third-down and red zone option and Ohio State's Brian Hartline as another possession receiver. Ted Ginn is entering his third year and needs to show he was worth the ninth overall pick Miami used to draft him.
Camp will be a downer if ... Taylor's homecoming doesn't pan out. Despite fan enthusiasm for his return after a bitter, one-year exile, there are no guarantees. Taylor probably won't hold down an every-down role. He will be playing on the side opposite of his career success.
Acid reflux will be a common ailment for Dolfans if injury-prone center Jake Grove can't stay healthy. Grove, a free agent from the Oakland Raiders, was the Dolphins' top offseason acquisition after the staff identified stout blocking at center as their greatest need. It's the only major offensive upgrade the Dolphins made, but he has missed 26 games since he was drafted in 2004.
Camp will be a success if ... one of the rookie corners steps into the starting role on the right side. The Dolphins drafted Vontae Davis in the first round and Sean Smith in the second.
It takes a while for rookie cornerbacks to gain the coaches' trust, but the Dolphins lost last year's starter, Andre' Goodman, to free agency. They signed Eric Green, but he lost his starting job with the Arizona Cardinals last year. What a boon it would be if Davis or Smith show he's ready right away.
Newcomer to watch: Even his new teammates are keen on finding out whether Wake is the real deal. He dominated Canadian Football League offensive linemen, piling up 39 sacks in two seasons.
But he hasn't worn full pads in the NFL. The former Penn State captain went undrafted. The New York Giants signed him in 2005 but cut him before training camp began. Many Dolphins players have been impressed with Wake's raw athleticism but haven't been able to definitively state what they think of his chances until they see him in full-contact situations.
New England Patriots
Training camp site: Gillette Stadium complex in Foxborough, Mass.
Campfires: Tom Brady's left knee not only is the top story of Patriots camp, but perhaps the NFL preseason, too. How Brady responds from having two ligaments reattached will determine whether the Patriots return to their familiar status as Super Bowl contenders. He looked impressive during minicamp, but what everybody wants to see is Brady against a live pass rush. One of his biggest assets is his pocket presence. We'll see if oncoming defenders affect him.
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| AP Photo/Stephan Savoia | |
| Tom Brady has looked solid during offseason workouts as he recovers from knee surgery. |
Vince Wilfork's contract situation could be a problem. The Patriots drafted Boston College defensive tackle Ron Brace, but he's no Wilfork, the behemoth who anchors Bill Belichick's 3-4 defense. Wilfork is entering the final year of his contract and wants security. He skipped offseason workouts and his displeasure could impact his participation in training camp.
A couple of intriguing positions to watch will be outside linebacker and running back. The Patriots didn't bring in anybody to replace respected veteran Mike Vrabel, a Pro Bowler two seasons ago. Pierre Woods, Shawn Crable and Tully Banta-Cain don't make quarterbacks quake in their cleats, but maybe somebody will emerge. In the offensive backfield, Laurence Maroney is coming off a shoulder injury and, entering his fourth season, needs to produce. The Patriots also signed free agent Fred Taylor.
Camp will be a downer if ... Brady suffers a setback in his recovery. The Patriots won 11 games with unheralded reserve Matt Cassel last year, but does second-year backup Kevin O'Connell (without offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, no less) engender enough confidence to withstand Brady tweaking his knee?
If Brady encounters some turbulence, it's foreseeable the Patriots still could pull through as they did last year. But any Brady struggles will make Patriot Nation squirm.
Camp will be a success if ... somebody emerges as Vrabel's replacement and the Patriots come away pleased with their cornerbacks. New England's defense has some uncertainties, but finding reliable help at these spots will be huge.
The Patriots emerged from last year's camp unstable at cornerback. They cut Fernando Bryant just before the season and signed Deltha O'Neal, who was lackluster. This offseason they welcomed veterans Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden and second-rounder Darius Butler. They traded right-side starter Ellis Hobbs.
Tough cuts to come? The Patriots will have some decisions to make at running back. Maroney is a first-round pick entering just his fourth season. They identified Taylor as somebody they needed. Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk are old dependables. BenJarvus Green-Ellis showed he could play in the NFL when given the chance. It will be interesting to see how this position sorts out.
New York Jets
Training camp site: State University of New York in Cortland, N.Y.
Campfires: As much as rookie coach Rex Ryan's revamped defense will shape the Jets' season, quarterback battles always steal the headlines. When one of the candidates is the highest-paid player in franchise history and the highest-drafted quarterback since Joe Namath, you know it will be a molten topic. The Jets traded up to draft Mark Sanchez fifth overall. He's getting paid $28 million in guarantees. Unless he flops or veteran Kellen Clemens is brilliant, the rookie should start.
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| Rich Kane/Icon SMI | |
| Vernon Gholston had a disappointing rookie season. |
The Jets, however, likely will go as far as their defense takes them. It's difficult to tell how an aggressive, blitz-oriented defense is coming together when nobody's wearing pads or hitting. Training camp conditions will be the first real sense we'll get about how Ryan's methods will translate from Baltimore.
Ryan's defense will be aided substantially if he can get pass-rusher Vernon Gholston to contribute. Last year's sixth overall pick from Ohio State had an undetectable rookie campaign. The Jets need to get some kind of return on their investment, but the urgency is greater with outside linebacker Calvin Pace's four-game suspension at the start of the season. Gholston's opportunity couldn't be more obvious. He must have a terrific camp.
Camp will be a downer if ... Ryan's much-ballyhooed defense doesn't hum by the end of preseason. With all of the bluster, the signings of Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard and the Lito Sheppard trade, the Jets better be good on defense.
Purely from an entertainment perspective, camp will be a bummer if Ryan doesn't keep yapping like he did during OTAs and minicamp.
Camp will be a success if ... either Sanchez or Gholston emerges as a credible player. They don't have to be Pro Bowlers, but if one or the other demonstrates a level of competence to build from, then fans -- and general manager Mike Tannenbaum -- can breathe a little easier about the immediate future.
Sanchez, of course, is who the Jets need to come into his own more than any other player. They have the most invested in him. He might be the franchise's front man for the next decade. But if Sanchez sputters in camp and Gholston's game materializes, organizational confidence still would be buoyed.
Catch and release: The Jets haven't made the move fans hoped. They haven't landed an experienced receiver to play with Jerricho Cotchery. They lost Laveranues Coles but have opted to find a starter among last year's reserves and by turning over the bottom of the roster.
Chansi Stuckey and speedster David Clowney look like the best bets to emerge from this crew. Brad Smith and Wallace Wright also could end up with bigger roles, but the auditions will last right up until the regular season begins.
Trey Wingo, Darren Woodson and Tim Hasselbeck preview the AFC East.
stops by the Herd to talk about what it was like playing for Bill Belichick and the Patriots, how talented Randy Moss is, his relationship with Tom Brady and what he expects from Philadelphia.Dolphins among clubs supersizing cornerbacks
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| Andy Lyons, Paul Jasienski and Marc Serota/Getty Images | |
| With the prevalence of wideouts over 6 feet tall, teams are seeking similar-size cornerbacks such as Nnamdi Asomugha, Darrelle Revis and Sean Smith to match up. |
DAVIE, Fla. -- In a land of munchkins, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens -- already giants in their field -- stand even taller.
Towering receivers make it seem so easy when they leap into the air and come down with the ball for a touchdown. They're tall. They can sky. They're often unchallenged.
The NFL has enough short cornerbacks to fill a forest of Keebler trees. That's the way it has been for years. By football standards, the cornerbacks are uncommonly good for men standing 5 foot 8 or 5 foot 9. You won't see quarterbacks or linebackers that size. Or punters, for that matter.
Cornerbacks are wiry bundles of fast-twitch muscles. What they give up in physicality they compensate with zippiness and vertical leaps.
But cornerback size has become an issue in some front offices.
Teams, including the Miami Dolphins, have made an effort to grow. There's a greater emphasis being placed on matching up physically, whether it be on jump balls in the end zone or press coverage at the line of scrimmage.
"When you have 6-5 against 5-8, you have some discrepancies there," Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles said.
Cornerbacks have experienced an acute growth spurt in recent years.
The Elias Sports Bureau found that 31 percent of cornerbacks who started at least eight games in 2004 were listed at 6 feet or taller.
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| Tom Hauck/Getty Images | |
| Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was one of four 6-foot-2 starting cornerbacks last season. |
Last year, the number was 41 percent.
No regular starter was taller than 6 foot 2 last year, but the four listed at that height were Nnamdi Asomugha, Antonio Cromartie, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Ike Taylor. So that's the best in the business (Asomugha), the 2007 interception leader (Cromartie), a top rookie last year (Rodgers-Cromartie) and two Super Bowl starters (Rodgers-Cromartie, Taylor).
In previewing the 2006 draft, ESPN's John Clayton noted there also were four 6-foot-2 starting cornerbacks the year before. That quartet was considerably less impressive: Julian Battle, Gary Baxter, Mike Rumph and Andre Woolfolk.
Apparently, finer tall athletes are playing the position now.
"The receivers are getting a lot bigger, the Calvin Johnsons, Randy Mosses and Terrell Owenses of the world," said Bowles, who played eight seasons at safety for the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers. "You can get a 5-8, 180-pound corner with all the quickness and skill in the world, but you get third-and-2, third-and-3, the [receivers are] running slants and pushing them out of the way and bodying them out in the red zone."
In Clayton's story from 2006, he quoted then-Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese as saying the "optimum height [for a cornerback] is about 5-11." Reese cited a 10-year study that suggested taller cornerbacks don't last as long because they tend to be more physical.
Reese, now a senior football adviser with the New England Patriots, has watched his new club grow at cornerback. This offseason, the Patriots traded 5-foot-9 starter Ellis Hobbs and picked up 6-foot Shawn Springs and 6-foot-1 Leigh Bodden.
Elsewhere in the AFC East, the New York Jets have 6-foot Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis and 5-foot-10 Lito Sheppard. The Buffalo Bills have the shortest projected starters. Terrence McGee is listed at 5 foot 9, and Leodis McKelvin at 5 foot 10. But free-agent acquisition Drayton Florence is 6 feet tall.
The Dolphins were concerned with their size at cornerback even before the Bills welcomed Owens to the AFC East.
The Dolphins sometimes felt overmatched last year against a series of big receivers: Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Bowe.
Miami kept Marshall and Bowe in check, but surrendered 153 yards to Fitzgerald, 178 yards to Johnson and 125 yards and three touchdowns to Moss.
"You better have some big, strong people that can compete against these guys," Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano said, "because they're big, strong, physical receivers that can take over a game in those situations. I think that you need to be prepared when you're playing against them."
Miami's starting cornerbacks last year were
Will Allen and Andre' Goodman. Both are listed at 5 foot 10, an inch below the league average for an NFL starter.
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| Gene Lower/Getty Images | |
| The Dolphins got bigger at CB this offseason through the draft and by signing 5-foot-11 Eric Green. |
Goodman departed via free agency. The Dolphins signed Eric Green, a 5-foot-11 former Arizona Cardinal, and selected two more corners early in the draft. They chose Vontae Davis (5 foot 11) of Illinois in the first round and Sean Smith (6 foot 3) of Utah in the second round.
"We like big corners," Sparano said. "In fact, we'll take smaller corners in some situations off the [draft] board, and they might just be good players for other people, just maybe not for us."
Smith received first-team reps at right corner during organized team activities.
"It definitely makes it more difficult for receivers to catch the ball and ball placement for quarterbacks," Smith said. "With my reach and size, you definitely have to keep the ball away from me. With that in my mind, my size helps me out a lot."
Sparano's former team, the Dallas Cowboys, is among those not motivated to get taller at cornerback.
The Cowboys, in fact, have gotten shorter. They traded Anthony Henry and moved Alan Ball to safety. Each is listed at 6-foot-1.
"Our top three corners right now are 5-10 or less, and we're pretty satisfied with that because they all can run," Cowboys assistant secondary coach Brett Maxie said. "They all can play the ball down the field, and they're physical."
Maxie noted the NFC East doesn't have the same physical receivers to worry about as other divisions, especially now that the New York Giants have ejected Plaxico Burress.
"We face faster, smaller guys," said Maxie, who played safety for 13 years in the NFL. "You've got to be able to match up with those guys. You can't sit there and press all day. You've got to be able to play off, react quickly, change it up.
"Some teams would rather go after a tougher 5-foot-9 corner that can play Cover 2 and jam and tackle and be physical at the point of attack rather than go out and get a 6-foot corner who's a cover guy and not real physical."
Maxie also explained the taller a cornerback is, the more difficulty he will have recovering when beat at the line. Once the receiver gets a step, it's tougher for a defender with size to quickly change direction and cover him.
"If you go out and get that bigger corner, he better be able to press at the line of scrimmage," Maxie said. "Secondly, he's got to be able to run."
Those players are difficult to find, but they're out there. One team has two of them. Green Bay Packers cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson are 6 foot 1 each and made the Pro Bowl last year.
The Dolphins are confident bigger will be better for them.
"You probably lose a little bit of niftiness, but speed and physicalness makes up for that," Bowles said. "With the receivers as big as they are nowadays, you don't see the niftiness in them anymore anyways. That's why we thought it was important."
Around the AFC East: Dolphins still rebuilding
Miami Dolphins
- Miami Herald columnist Greg Cote writes the Dolphins obviously still are rebuilding because they're clearly not in "win now" mode.
- Palm Beach Post reporter Brian Biggane catches up with cornerback Will Allen about a variety of offseason topics.
Buffalo Bills
- KC Joyner of "The Fifth Down" blog is skeptical of Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert's philosophy to spread the ball around.
New England Patriots
- WEEI.com's Christopher Price takes a look at why the Patriots drafted long-snapper Jake Ingram.
- Boston Herald reporter Karen Guregian talks with Matthew Slater about the Patriots' need for a kick returner now that Ellis Hobbs is gone.
- Boston Globe reporter Mike Reiss is conducting a poll to find out who fans consider the NFL's best 1-2 receiver punch.
New York Jets
- The New York Post's Mark Cannizzaro reports the Jets have re-signed tight end Bubba Franks to address a shallow position.
- New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden writes "The truth is that Favre did not want to be in New York."
ESPN's Dana Jacobson speaks with cornerback Ellis Hobbs about being trading from the New England Patriots to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Scouts Inc. sizes up AFC East cornerbacks
There has been a fair amount of movement at the cornerback position in the AFC East this offseason. With Terrell Owens now in the division, it is an opportune time to more closely examine those comings and goings and the overall state of the cornerback position with each team.
Buffalo
The Bills added Drayton Florence, who was abused repeatedly in Jacksonville last year, to their cornerback corps in free agency. While they could use a draft pick on the position, surely it will not be a prominent selection even though they did lose Jabari Greer, who signed with the Saints after playing very well for the Bills last season.
The reason for optimism at this position mostly has to do with the emergence of last year's first-round selection, Leodis McKelvin. Coming from a small school like Troy, it understandably took some time for this ultra-talented young man to acclimate himself to the league. But the best appears to be in front of McKelvin and we should expect production going forward that warrants Pro Bowl consideration.
Terrence McGee remains the starter opposite McKelvin. He is reliable, tough and a playmaker. For depth along with Florence, there is hope for youngsters Reggie Corner and Ashton Youboty. Either player could easily unseat Florence as the first corner off the bench. However, it should be noted that the Bills desperately need to add one more prominent pass-rusher up front to further give this group of corners an even better chance to succeed.
Miami
The Dolphins have a considerable need at cornerback and this could potentially be a much more potent defense overall with a true No. 1 corner on the roster. Although it went very much under the radar, Andre Goodman put together an excellent season for the Dolphins in 2008 -- but he has moved on to Denver. Will Allen is a little better than a middle-of-the-road starter, but clearly is the best player in this group. Nate Jones was serviceable last year and exceeded expectations overall. But with Owens now in the division and the ever-dangerous Patriots group of wideouts, it is a stretch to think that Jones can be counted on as an every-down starter. Former first-round selection Jason Allen has improved under this coaching staff, but he remains a cornerback/free safety tweener and just a depth player at this point -- though he is capable of surprising.
To help bolster this unit, the Dolphins did recently sign Eric Green, although his performance in Arizona made him expendable to the Cardinals. More help is needed -- but getting ahold of a true No. 1 cornerback isn't easy to accomplish.
New England
Cornerback was clearly a huge weakness for the Patriots in 2008, but it also should be noted that New England's pass rush was nowhere near its usual standards. With an extreme wealth of early draft picks and Adalius Thomas returning from injury, the pass rush will be improved. But Asante Samuel was missed last year. While they didn't add anyone in Samuel's class, New England is much better at the position now than when the season ended.
Shawn Springs played at a high level last year, though the Redskins, who released him, apparently disagree with that assessment. Of course, he isn't a long-term answer, but he could make a smooth transition to free safety at some point, much as Rod Woodson did late in his career. Springs is a tremendous signing and his presence should be especially beneficial to a pair of cornerbacks from New England's 2008 draft class, Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, who should learn from his professionalism. Wheatley and Wilhite are undersized, but both have the feistiness and short-area burst that Bill Belichick covets. Both should be better in their sophomore seasons.
While Springs played at a high level in 2008, the same cannot be said of fellow cornerback signee Leigh Bodden. His play began to slide during his final season in Cleveland and it didn't get any better with the lowly Lions. However, Bodden has all the physical abilities that you look for in the position and had stints of excellent play with the Browns. To his credit, Bodden has never had a consistently strong pass rush at his disposal either. This foursome shows promise and when you mix in Ellis Hobbs, who has been up and down throughout his Patriots career, it is clear that what was possibly New England's greatest need when last season ended has now become more than adequate, especially considering the pass rush is due to improve dramatically.
It once looked as though the Patriots would be forced to draft a cornerback high, but now they have positioned themselves to grab one if they feel that specific player presents excellent value or to pass on the position altogether if no one suits their fancy.
New York
Rex Ryan is an aggressive defensive playcaller who will challenge his cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage. He also stresses pressure on the quarterback, and few defensive minds are his equal in creating consistent heat on the quarterback, which obviously makes cornerbacks' coverage responsibility easier. Ryan does have a great one in the making in Darrelle Revis. While recently acquired Lito Sheppard is a big-name corner and he certainly performed well at times during his career with the Eagles, it would be a mistake to etch him in as a clear-cut starter opposite Revis. There was no shame in being relegated to the bench behind Sheldon Brown and Samuel in Philadelphia, but Sheppard gives up plenty of big plays and will be tested. The No. 2 cornerback in this defense is sure to see an awful lot of attention, as opposing offensive coordinators have wised up in trying to thro
w in Revis' direction. The Jets do have Dwight Lowery, who showed some playmaking ability as a rookie, but he isn't ideally suited to what Ryan asks from this position and would be better off in a predominantly Cover 2 scheme.
With the Patriots as the team to beat in the AFC East, the Jets need to find one more cornerback to push and compete with Sheppard. Don't be surprised if the Jets pull the trigger on a cover man with one of their first two draft picks. Vontae Davis' potential as a man-to-man corner could be too enticing to pass up in the first round.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.
Pats won't have trouble spending their $19M
New England Patriots fans must have had two immediate, positive reactions when they learned their club on Saturday dealt Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs:
- A strong assurance that Tom Brady's surgically repaired left knee must be fine, or the Patriots wouldn't have made the trade.
- Exhilaration over suddenly having about $19 million to spend in the early stages of the free-agency period.
Two of the ways they can spend it immediately are by signing more free agents or extending contracts of players already on their roster.
A lot of talent still is available on the open market. I hesitate to cobble together a list of the more prominent players still out there because it probably will be outdated within minutes.
Feel free to share your ideas of who you think the Patriots should sign. Enter those names in the comments section below.
Here are some of the Patriots who are entering the final year of their contracts:
- Running back Kevin Faulk
- Left guard Logan Mankins
- Right guard Stephen Neal
- Tight end David Thomas
- Tight end Benjamin Watson
- Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork
- Defensive end Richard Seymour
- Defensive end Jarvis Green
- Linebacker Tedy Bruschi
- Cornerback Ellis Hobbs
- Kicker Stephen Gostkowski
The annual Indianapolis poke-and-ogle known as the NFL scouting combine begins Wednesday.
I'll be headed to Lucas Oil Stadium for the job fair/meat market, where I'll try to provide as many AFC East angles as humanly possible.
With that in mind, here are the top story lines for each AFC East club heading into the combine:
Miami Dolphins' free-agency decisions
The Dolphins have several significant free agents to address and could place the franchise tag on one of them before Thursday's deadline. More than any other AFC East team, how the Dolphins' free-agency moves shake out will affect what it does in the draft.
Dolphins who could hit the open market Feb. 27 include right tackle Vernon Carey, inside linebacker Channing Crowder and three-quarters of the starting secondary: Safeties Yeremiah Bell, Renaldo Hill and cornerback Andre Goodman.
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| Bob Donnan/US Presswire | |
| James Laurinaitis may be available when the Dolphins pick at No. 25. |
Scouts Inc. ranks all the free agents. Carey rates as the second-best free-agent tackle, Bell the second-best safety and Crowder the eighth-best linebacker (inside or outside).
Carey and Bell are candidates for the franchise tag at $8.45 million and $6.34 million, respectively.
Bell's franchise tag is more palatable not only because it's cheaper, but also because he played up to that standard last year. Bell led the Dolphins with 120 tackles. He also had a sack, three forced fumbles and 10 passes defensed.
Although Carey played well after being switched from the left side to make way for No. 1 pick Jake Long, there are plenty of quality tackles in this year's draft class.
All reports suggest the Dolphins are through with Crowder. Contract negotiations haven't gone well. The Dolphins aren't all that eager to re-sign a player with zero sacks, zero interceptions and one forced fumble last season from such a critical position.
Given football operations boss Bill Parcells' affinity for linebackers, Miami's reluctance to re-sign a 25-year-old with 50 NFL starts probably means they already have a decent idea who Crowder's replacement will be. Perhaps they have their eyes on Ohio State's James Laurinaitis with the No. 25 selection.
If the Pats could add any player, it would be ...
On Thursday, I asked New England Patriots fans to take part in a bit of offseason whimsy by responding to the following question:
If money, contracts and salary-cap restraints were no object, and you could choose any player in the NFL to add to your team, whom would you acquire?
I solicited nominations from the fans of all four AFC East clubs, and Patriot Nation came out strong. A solid majority went defense, with Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha eliciting the most attention.
Here is a sampling of the responses that were left in the comments section and in my AFC East mailbag:
Ed in Ohio writes: As a patriot fan, and one living is Steeler country, I would have to go with Troy Polamalu. He would toughen up the secondary, and I'd love to see the ways that Bill would use him.
Allie in Fredericksburg, Va., writes: Hey Mr. Graham, I love your blog on the AFC East, it is the greatest. Well, if price were not an obstacle, I think that the Patriots would need to look at their defense. The offense is productive, even if Ben Watson is not the best. I liked the suggestion of Troy Polamalu. Or what about Ed Reed? I think he'd be a great addition as well.
th0mas33 writes: Asomugha is a FA, the Pats should make a serious run at him. He is a classy, smart guy and fits the "Patriots" mold. Plus Asomugha is tough, physical corner like they use to have.
(flashbacks of Ty Law pushing Marvin Harrison around)Los in Boston writes: Id definately say Asomughua. Put Hobbs back at 2 where hes more solid, and let Asomughua shut down ANYONE one on one. Then we can really get our pass rush on. Our offense is set anyway.
merlion_8 writes:
Semi-finalists:Offense: Adrian Peterson
Defense: Mario Williams, Ed Reed, DeMarcus Ware, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu and Nnamdi Asomugha,
Special Teams: Leon Washington
Finalists: Adrian Peterson, Mario Williams and DeMarcus Ware
Winner: DeMarcus Ware (slightly over Mario Williams)
Most realistic for Pats: Nnamdi Asomugha
Top needs are the defensive secondary and applying pressure to the QB. I think if they could get more sacks and pressure, that would help their secondary. Unfortunately, I would not be surprised if they can only pick up a corner, perhaps Nnamdi Asomughabeachbumjk writes: Julius Peppers. The pass rush would be awesome plus he drops back in coverage really well. Offensively were fine over powering when healthy. The D needs help Mid line backer or corner but if you have tht pass rush off both ends with speed how much corner do you need and remember the rookies are another year wiser. Peppers would be nice.
The Patriots' defense never filled the void created by Asante Samuel's free-agency departure. A lockdown cornerback to start opposite Ellis Hobbs clearly was how the readers wanted to go in our little daydream scenario.
In the AFC East Blog's Plus One, the Patriots select Nnamdi Asomugha.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
James Walker
Walker joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the NFL and NBA for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. He's a Temple graduate and Hyattsville, Md. native who lives in Miami.
