NFC North: Copeland Bryan
We're Black and Blue All Over:
Chicago Bears
ChicagoBears.com started a video series covering the team’s rookie minicamp. The first installment features rookies Corey Wootton, Zeke Markshausen, Josh Moore and J’Marcus Webb.
Detroit Lions
The Lions placed defensive end Copeland Bryan on the injured reserve list with a knee injury.
Coach Jim Schwartz liked what he saw from versatile first-round pick Jahvid Best at a recent minicamp. Schwartz: "We've used him as a wide receiver. We've used him in the slot. We've used him as a running back. We've ran the ball, thrown the ball. He's been exposed to everything. He's a good, smart player. That's why we drafted him."
Green Bay Packers
Charles Woodson thinks Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the best in the league.
The man convicted of robbing and beating former Packers receiver Javon Walker was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole.
ESPNMilwaukee's Jason Wilde talks with offensive lineman Allen Barbre, who lost his job in the starting lineup and will be in a battle just to make the Packers' roster this summer.
Minnesota Vikings
Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald fully expects Brett Favre to return this season, but he wouldn't mind if he didn't.
Chicago Bears
ChicagoBears.com started a video series covering the team’s rookie minicamp. The first installment features rookies Corey Wootton, Zeke Markshausen, Josh Moore and J’Marcus Webb.
Detroit Lions
The Lions placed defensive end Copeland Bryan on the injured reserve list with a knee injury.
Coach Jim Schwartz liked what he saw from versatile first-round pick Jahvid Best at a recent minicamp. Schwartz: "We've used him as a wide receiver. We've used him in the slot. We've used him as a running back. We've ran the ball, thrown the ball. He's been exposed to everything. He's a good, smart player. That's why we drafted him."
Green Bay Packers
Charles Woodson thinks Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the best in the league.
The man convicted of robbing and beating former Packers receiver Javon Walker was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole.
ESPNMilwaukee's Jason Wilde talks with offensive lineman Allen Barbre, who lost his job in the starting lineup and will be in a battle just to make the Packers' roster this summer.
Minnesota Vikings
Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald fully expects Brett Favre to return this season, but he wouldn't mind if he didn't.
Stafford throwing but not running full speed
March, 16, 2010
3/16/10
5:43
PM ET
By
Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com
We’ve had a relative flurry of activity Tuesday afternoon here in the NFC North. Let’s start in Detroit and work our way out.
Speaking to reporters in Detroit on the second day of the Lions’ offseason program, quarterback Matthew Stafford said he is throwing at full strength but acknowledged his surgically repaired knee is not yet 100 percent. He had arthroscopic surgery Dec. 29.
“I wasn’t running full speed with the guys,” Stafford said, according to a transcript provided by the Lions. “I was doing a separate conditioning thing, but other than that I was going.”
Stafford said he should be ready for the Lions’ veteran minicamp later this spring. If this were training camp, I would be alarmed. But dialing down a March conditioning run is pretty typical for players returning from surgery.
The Lions also re-signed three players Tuesday. Safety Marquand Manuel signed a one-year contract, according to John Niyo of the Detroit News. Meanwhile, Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports the Lions also agreed to terms with defensive end Copeland Bryan and cornerback DeAngelo Smith.
Speaking to reporters in Detroit on the second day of the Lions’ offseason program, quarterback Matthew Stafford said he is throwing at full strength but acknowledged his surgically repaired knee is not yet 100 percent. He had arthroscopic surgery Dec. 29.
“I wasn’t running full speed with the guys,” Stafford said, according to a transcript provided by the Lions. “I was doing a separate conditioning thing, but other than that I was going.”
Stafford said he should be ready for the Lions’ veteran minicamp later this spring. If this were training camp, I would be alarmed. But dialing down a March conditioning run is pretty typical for players returning from surgery.
The Lions also re-signed three players Tuesday. Safety Marquand Manuel signed a one-year contract, according to John Niyo of the Detroit News. Meanwhile, Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports the Lions also agreed to terms with defensive end Copeland Bryan and cornerback DeAngelo Smith.
Detroit has not officially announced its decisions on restricted free agents, but the Detroit News and Mlive.com report all players have been informed of their status.
Of all the RFAs listed in the post immediately preceding this one, only two did not receive a tender: Linebacker Cody Spencer and defensive end Copeland Bryan. According to the News' John Niyo, defensive end Jason Hunter is the only RFA who got an elevated tender. That means the Lions would receive a second-round pick in compensation if they decided against matching an offer Hunter might receive.
Guard Daniel Loper received a low tender. The remaining RFAs received original-round tenders.
Of all the RFAs listed in the post immediately preceding this one, only two did not receive a tender: Linebacker Cody Spencer and defensive end Copeland Bryan. According to the News' John Niyo, defensive end Jason Hunter is the only RFA who got an elevated tender. That means the Lions would receive a second-round pick in compensation if they decided against matching an offer Hunter might receive.
Guard Daniel Loper received a low tender. The remaining RFAs received original-round tenders.
OK class, it's time for one of our final lessons in the new world of an uncapped NFL. Before the free-agent market opens Friday morning, each team must first address its entire list of restricted free agents in one of two basic ways:
Remember, a restricted free agent (RFA) is a player with four or five years of experience whose contract has expired. Those players are free to seek offers elsewhere, but current teams at least have the right to match that offer and keep the player. Depending on the level of contract tender, the team could also receive draft-pick compensation.
If the player doesn't sign an offer sheet elsewhere, and can't agree on a long-term contract, he plays at the salary in the chart below. (There are slightly higher values for players in their fifth seasons.)
Because of the addition of a fifth year to the RFA list in the uncapped year, an additional 212 players are scheduled to be restricted free agents this offseason. Below is a list of the primary RFAs for each NFC North team.
There have been some reports about individual tenders, but no team has officially released its decisions. That will happen sometime between now and Thursday night. When it does, we'll analyze how easy or difficult it will be for those tendered to move on to another team.
Chicago Bears: Defensive end Mark Anderson, safety Josh Bullocks, safety Danieal Manning, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Jamar Williams.
Detroit Lions: Defensive end Copeland Bryan, offensive lineman Dylan Gandy, defensive lineman Jason Hunter, offensive lineman Daniel Loper, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, safety Ko Simpson, linebacker Cody Spencer.
Green Bay Packers: Safety Atari Bigby, defensive back Will Blackmon, offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Johnny Jolly, running back John Kuhn, offensive lineman Jason Spitz, cornerback Tramon Williams, running back DeShawn Wynn.
Minnesota Vikings: Offensive lineman Ryan Cook, defensive end Ray Edwards, defensive tackle Fred Evans, safety Eric Frampton, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, cornerback Karl Paymah, fullback Naufahu Tahi.
To read all of our award-winning CBAWatch discussion, click here.
1. Tendering a 1-year contract, OR
2. "Non-tendering" the player, essentially cutting ties.
Remember, a restricted free agent (RFA) is a player with four or five years of experience whose contract has expired. Those players are free to seek offers elsewhere, but current teams at least have the right to match that offer and keep the player. Depending on the level of contract tender, the team could also receive draft-pick compensation.
If the player doesn't sign an offer sheet elsewhere, and can't agree on a long-term contract, he plays at the salary in the chart below. (There are slightly higher values for players in their fifth seasons.)
Because of the addition of a fifth year to the RFA list in the uncapped year, an additional 212 players are scheduled to be restricted free agents this offseason. Below is a list of the primary RFAs for each NFC North team.
There have been some reports about individual tenders, but no team has officially released its decisions. That will happen sometime between now and Thursday night. When it does, we'll analyze how easy or difficult it will be for those tendered to move on to another team.
Chicago Bears: Defensive end Mark Anderson, safety Josh Bullocks, safety Danieal Manning, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Jamar Williams.
Detroit Lions: Defensive end Copeland Bryan, offensive lineman Dylan Gandy, defensive lineman Jason Hunter, offensive lineman Daniel Loper, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, safety Ko Simpson, linebacker Cody Spencer.
Green Bay Packers: Safety Atari Bigby, defensive back Will Blackmon, offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Johnny Jolly, running back John Kuhn, offensive lineman Jason Spitz, cornerback Tramon Williams, running back DeShawn Wynn.
Minnesota Vikings: Offensive lineman Ryan Cook, defensive end Ray Edwards, defensive tackle Fred Evans, safety Eric Frampton, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, cornerback Karl Paymah, fullback Naufahu Tahi.
To read all of our award-winning CBAWatch discussion, click here.
Black and Blue all over: It's 'Lion Season'
February, 15, 2010
2/15/10
11:17
AM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Chicago Bears
The Vikings would like to keep Chester Taylor, but Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times thinks the running back would look good in Mike Martz's offense.
The Bears came in sixth in The Dallas Morning News' annual analysis of the league's special teams.
Detroit Lions
Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press says it's officially "Lion Season."
Wide receiver Dennis Northcutt, guard Dylan Gandy and defensive end Copeland Bryan are among the league's players taking part in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program.
Green Bay Packers
Running back Ahman Green is looking forward to returning to the Packers for the 2010 season.
ESPN Milwaukee's Jason Wilde starts his offseason look at each position, beginning with the quarterbacks.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota is hoping linebacker E.J. Henderson, who fractured his left femur in December against the Cardinals, can begin working out this spring.
Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman discussed a number of issues regarding the team during the annual Arctic Blast snowmobiling event.
The Vikings would like to keep Chester Taylor, but Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times thinks the running back would look good in Mike Martz's offense.
The Bears came in sixth in The Dallas Morning News' annual analysis of the league's special teams.
Detroit Lions
Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press says it's officially "Lion Season."
Wide receiver Dennis Northcutt, guard Dylan Gandy and defensive end Copeland Bryan are among the league's players taking part in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program.
Green Bay Packers
Running back Ahman Green is looking forward to returning to the Packers for the 2010 season.
ESPN Milwaukee's Jason Wilde starts his offseason look at each position, beginning with the quarterbacks.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota is hoping linebacker E.J. Henderson, who fractured his left femur in December against the Cardinals, can begin working out this spring.
Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman discussed a number of issues regarding the team during the annual Arctic Blast snowmobiling event.
Dirty Laundry: 'Cheating' the line
October, 21, 2009
10/21/09
3:00
PM ET
By
Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
I’ll admit it: I did a double-take this week while watching Green Bay’s 26-0 victory over Detroit. Twice in the first half, once in the first quarter and once in the second, Packers left tackle Chad Clifton was penalized for not being on the line of scrimmage at the snap.
Sometimes you see a tackle penalized for illegal formation when it’s not his fault. Most often, that happens when a wide receiver mistakenly gets set behind the line and leaves the tackle as an ineligible “receiver.” But in both cases Sunday, Clifton got caught using the veteran strategy of purposely lining up behind the line to give himself more space -- and time to react -- to the oncoming pass-rusher.
NFL rules require the offense to have seven players on the line of scrimmage; in effect, that counts all five linemen because their jersey numbers make them ineligible to line up anywhere else without first declaring themselves. I suspect Clifton isn’t the only veteran tackle who uses this technique; when you watch the replays, his position was more pronounced by the fact that tight end Donald Lee was next to him and noticeably closer to the line.
The penalties were technically correct, but you rarely see them called. For it to happen twice in the first 20 minutes of the game suggests the Lions might have brought it to the attention of referee Jerome Boger. (Each head coach meets with the referee before the game.)
More than anything, I think this is a commentary on Clifton’s confidence as a pass protector Sunday. No NFL left tackle should feel compelled to cheat the line of scrimmage against Lions defensive end Copeland Bryan, a waiver-wire pickup who has two sacks in his NFL career.
Now, on to our updated Challenge Tracker:
I’ll admit it: I did a double-take this week while watching Green Bay’s 26-0 victory over Detroit. Twice in the first half, once in the first quarter and once in the second, Packers left tackle Chad Clifton was penalized for not being on the line of scrimmage at the snap.
Sometimes you see a tackle penalized for illegal formation when it’s not his fault. Most often, that happens when a wide receiver mistakenly gets set behind the line and leaves the tackle as an ineligible “receiver.” But in both cases Sunday, Clifton got caught using the veteran strategy of purposely lining up behind the line to give himself more space -- and time to react -- to the oncoming pass-rusher.
NFL rules require the offense to have seven players on the line of scrimmage; in effect, that counts all five linemen because their jersey numbers make them ineligible to line up anywhere else without first declaring themselves. I suspect Clifton isn’t the only veteran tackle who uses this technique; when you watch the replays, his position was more pronounced by the fact that tight end Donald Lee was next to him and noticeably closer to the line.
The penalties were technically correct, but you rarely see them called. For it to happen twice in the first 20 minutes of the game suggests the Lions might have brought it to the attention of referee Jerome Boger. (Each head coach meets with the referee before the game.)
More than anything, I think this is a commentary on Clifton’s confidence as a pass protector Sunday. No NFL left tackle should feel compelled to cheat the line of scrimmage against Lions defensive end Copeland Bryan, a waiver-wire pickup who has two sacks in his NFL career.
Now, on to our updated Challenge Tracker:
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Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
OK, let’s clean up the rest of Detroit’s busy day on the waiver wire. (See this post for earlier details.)
In all, the Lions claimed four players off waivers Sunday: defensive end Copeland Bryan (Buffalo), receiver/returner Yamon Figurs (Baltimore), defensive back Kevin Hobbs (Seattle) and defensive back Marcus McCauley (Minnesota). That group brings the Lions back to the NFL limit of 53 players.
I would expect the Lions to claim players on a weekly basis during the first few weeks of the season. Detroit has top priority at least through the end of September, according to NFL rules, and the state of their roster suggests they need to use every advantage they can to find talent.
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Kevin Seifert
Seifert joined ESPN.com in 2008 after covering the Minnesota Vikings for the Minneapolis Star Tribune for eight years. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and children.
