NFL Nation: Bobby Wade
A player, coach or issue that should be on your radar as training camp approaches.
In case you've been trapped under a rock or some other impediment recently, you know that Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss has been connected to a Canadian doctor charged with supplying and smuggling human growth hormones. Moss hasn't addressed the topic publicly, but his teammates and head coach seem convinced that he'll be cleared of any wrongdoing. But while it looks like there's no threat of criminal charges, we all know about the swift hand of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's justice. If he determines that Moss did anything wrong, the receiver could face a suspension.
Larry French/Getty ImagesDevin Thomas started to produce in the second half of last season, including a seven-catch, two-TD game against the Saints.The good news is that McNabb has had some success when surrounded with pedestrian receivers. In his pre-Terrell Owens years in Philly, he threw to the likes of Freddie Mitchell and the immortal Todd Pinkston. So chucking the ball to Bobby Wade, Thomas and Kelly might not look that bad to him. Plus, he'll have the talented combo of Chris Cooley and Fred Davis at tight end.
But even if Moss clears the Dr. Anthony Galea hurdle, the Redskins still need for Thomas and Kelly to emerge. I think fans are sick of hearing about their potential. Kelly won the starting job at the start of last season, but Thomas was the better receiver down the stretch. Thomas only had 25 catches, but three of them went for touchdowns and 16 went for first downs.
"Devin Thomas has been hurt through most of the minicamps and OTAs," Mike Shanahan told reporters last week. "It's good to get Devin back and watch him in these OTAs because I didn't get a chance to watch him except for the first day in our minicamp. Malcolm, it's like all of the receivers, learning the system, getting the chance to show their skills. It's going to be an interesting question here over the next two months, three months. We got a number of wide receivers that are competing for a position. I like what I have seen thus far."
If the commissioner decides to suspend Moss, don't be shocked if Shanahan looks to T.O. for help. We simply don't have enough drama in the NFC East, so it's important to reunite McNabb and his old buddy. As you know, their appearance together on a recent reality show laid the foundation for reconciliation. I have to stop now because I'm getting emotional.
Potential unrestricted free agents: P Mitch Berger, S Vernon Fox, T Brandon Gorin, Nick Greisen, G Ben Hamilton, G Russ Hochstein, DE Vonnie Holliday, CB Ty Law, WR Brandon Lloyd
Potential restricted free agents: LB Elvis Dumervil, OL Chris Kuper, WR Brandon Marshall, QB Kyle Orton, TE Tony Scheffler, DT Le Kevin Smith
Franchise player: None.
What to expect: The Broncos’ restricted class is talented. That will be the focus. It has been reported that Marshall, Orton, Dumervil, Scheffler and Kuper will all get one-year tenders. Marshall very well could be traded. It wouldn’t be a shock if Dumervil gets some action on the restricted market. Miami could be interested.
Kansas City
Potential unrestricted free agents: OL Andy Alleman, S Mike Brown, WR Chris Chambers, WR Terrance Copper, TE Sean Ryan, C Wade Smith, LB Mike Vrabel, WR Bobby Wade
Potential restricted free agents: RB Jackie Battle, QB Brodie Croyle, LB Derrick Johnson, LB Corey Mays, OL Ikechuku Ndukwe, OL Rudy Niswanger, OL Ryan O'Callaghan, S Jarrad Page
Franchise player: None.
What to expect: The Chiefs are interested in keeping some of their unrestricted free agents. General manager Scott Pioli said at the combine the team has been in contact with several of their free agents. Chambers is the focus. The team is trying to keep him. Brown and Vrabel could also return with new deals.
Oakland
Potential unrestricted free agents: S Hiram Eugene, G Cornell Green, T Langston Walker, LB Sam Williams
Potential restricted free agents: LB Jon Alston, OL Khalif Barnes, LB Ricky Brown, LB Jon Condo, QB Charlie Frye, QB Bruce Gradkowski, LB Thomas Howard, RB Luke Lawton, OL Chris Morris, LB Kirk Morrison, CB Stanford Routt, RB Gary Russell
Franchise player: DE Richard Seymour.
What to expect: The Raiders franchised Seymour and signed kicker Sebastian Janikowski to a record deal, so they’ve already been busy. It will be interesting to see how they tender Howard and Morrison. The Raiders could use some new life at linebacker and this could be the start of it.
San Diego
Potential unrestricted free agents: DT Alfonso Boone, TE Brandon Manumaleuna, C Dennis Norman, WR Kassim Osgood. T Jon Runyan, DT Ian Scott, TE Kris Wilson
Potential restricted free agents: OL Jeromey Clary, LB Tim Dobbins, WR Malcom Floyd, DT Antonio Garay, OL Eric Ghiaciuc, LB Marques Harris, WR Vincent Jackson, DT Travis Johnson, OL Marcus McNeill, LB Shawne Merriman, RB Darren Sproles, QB Charlie Whitehurst
Franchise player: None
What to expect: The Chargers have their hands full. It’s been reported they will give high tenders to Jackson, Merriman, McNeill and Floyd. Jackson and McNeill could still attract some interest on the restricted market. Sproles is not expected to be tendered, making him a free agent. The Chargers want him back. But if Sproles hits the open market, the multifaceted weapon could be scooped up quickly.
An early look at the free-agent situation in the AFC West.
Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.
AP Photo/Charlie RiedelKansas City wide receiver Chris Chambers had 608 yards on 36 receptions after being acquired off waivers in November.Unrestricted free agents: P Mitch Berger, S Vernon Fox, T Brandon Gorin, Nick Greisen, G Ben Hamilton, G Russ Hochstein, DE Vonnie Holliday, CB Ty Law, WR Brandon Lloyd.
Key figures: There isn’t much here. The team could bring back Hochstein, Holliday and Law, but they are all complementary pieces. It’s all about the restricted free-agent class in Denver. The Broncos have to figure out what they are going to do with receiver Brandon Marshall, defensive end Elvis Dumervil, quarterback Kyle Orton and tight end Tony Scheffler.
Kansas City Chiefs
Unrestricted free agents: S Mike Brown, WR Chris Chambers, WR Terrance Copper, TE Sean Ryan, C Wade Smith, LB Mike Vrabel, WR Bobby Wade,
Key figures: Chambers will be Kansas City's priority. He gave the Chiefs’ offense a big spark after he was claimed off waivers in November. The team’s brass really likes what Brown and Vrabel bring to the team and both could be back in Kansas City at the right price. Wade also could be brought back.
Oakland Raiders
Unrestricted free agents: Hiram Eugene, G Cornell Green, K Sebastian Janikowski, DE Richard Seymour, T Langston Walker, LB Sam Williams
Key figures: It’s all about Seymour and Janikowski. The Raiders are trying to get long-term deals with both players done. If new deals aren’t struck, watch for Oakland to put the franchise and transition tags on them. Oakland will do anything it can not to lose either player.
San Diego Chargers
Unrestricted free agents: DT Alfonso Boone, TE Brandon Manumaleuna, C Dennis Norman, WR Kassim Osgood. T Jon Runyan, DT Ian Scott, TE Kris Wilson
Key figures: The team would like to bring back Osgood, one of the best special-teams players in the NFL. But Osgood wants a chance to be a receiver and the opportunity might not be in San Diego. The Chargers will spend most of their energy on their restricted class. The priorities are receiver Vincent Jackson, tackle Marcus McNeill, linebacker Shawne Merriman, running back Darren Sproles and receiver Malcom Floyd.
A homecoming for 'Mayor of Houston'
AP Photo/David J. PhillipNearly three years after scoring an overtime touchdown to beat Houston, Vince Young hopes for similar success Monday night.But when Vince Young burned a big blitz on a third-and-14 from the Houston 39-yard line on Dec. 10, 2006 for an overtime touchdown, he pulled off a play that symbolized how things can work for him.
The rookie made an electric play and got great blocks from Chris Brown and Bobby Wade, who paved the way to the end zone. Part of the reason that path opened, however, was Young had called a route wrong in the huddle.
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• Monday Night HQ
Center Kevin Mawae worries about the protections, not the routes.
But if it happened that way then, he said he wouldn’t have been surprised. And if it happens that way now, he won’t either.
“What I do remember is they had everybody coming and we knew if we just picked it up and he hit the hole, there is nobody,” Mawae said. “Because if they’re bringing seven guys, three guys are covering receivers, you’ve got one guy out there. And that’s what happened. ...
“He’s that kind of a guy, that’s the thing he brings to us. He has the ability to make everybody look silly on a play that should have never worked in the first place just because of his athletic ability. He’s got the ability to make everybody right when something’s gone wrong.”
Surely the fervor for Young at Reliant Stadium will be different Monday night than it was that day -- those Texans were 4-8, these are 5-4 with a chance at a playoff spot.
Still, he will have plenty of support.
His family will be in a luxury box, some wearing throwback Houston Oilers jerseys with his No. 10. Plenty of Texas alumni and/or fans will still look at him and be reminded of the Rose Bowl performance and resulting national championship for the Longhorns. Others have been following him longer than that, back when he was a kid drawing attention in Houston.
Texans linebacker Brian Cushing told me Friday he hadn’t heard much VY buzz in town but expects some, which is understandable based on what the quarterback did for the city and state.
Fans may be more partial to the home team, but a lot will hope Young does well in a loss.
“VY is the mayor of Houston,” Titans fullback Ahmard Hall said. “He thrives in big moments and he’ll have another big moment on Monday night. He’s definitely excited to be the starting quarterback going back there.”
Young played down the mayor idea, saying only that he’s a Houstonian.
That game-winning touchdown sprint at Reliant Stadium ranks behind only the Rose Bowl for him, he said.
“That’s a fairy tale, a dream come true,” he said.
He’s 3-0 since taking over for Kerry Collins, and these Titans feel like a completely different team than the one that lost to the Texans in Week 2.
"Him getting out of the pocket, running an option, running a boot, anything he does, his ability to make big plays running the football adds a big-time dimension that you have to worry about defensively," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "They’ve been exceptional at what they’ve been doing ... and protecting the ball extremely well along the way.
Young’s always been a prime-time guy. Can he help mess things up for his hometown team in his first chance under the spotlight in a long time?
Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
As Larry David might say, I’m feeling pretty, pretty good about my decision to leave the nest this weekend.
While I watched Green Bay and St. Louis slug it out at the Edwards Jones Dome, Detroit played its most significant game in two years. Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre added another chapter to his legend and Chicago kept pace with an important victory in Seattle. (More on the Bears in a bit.)
Favre turned up the hype level on what was already going to be a dramatic "Monday Night Football" matchup Oct. 5 with the Packers. If there were any questions about whether he still has magic in his right arm, I think Favre answered them Sunday with an 80-yard game-winning drive. His 32-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg Lewis is one that recent Vikings quarterbacks would not have attempted, much less completed.
In my book, the Vikings have already gotten their money's worth -- to the tune of $12 million -- out of Favre. There’s no way they beat San Francisco with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels as their quarterback.
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But the most compelling part of the day’s events was that Lewis, of all people, was on the receiving end of the play. (In truth, Lewis’ catch was far more difficult than Favre’s throw.) Talk about chance.
Lewis, you might recall, signed Sept. 10 to provide the Vikings depth at their slot and outside positions. He had played for coach Brad Childress in Philadelphia (2003-05) and was unexpectedly released earlier this month by New England.
Lewis was inactive for the Vikings’ first two games and was in uniform Sunday only because rookie Percy Harvin was suffering from migraines for several days last week. In fact, Lewis was on the field for the touchdown play only because Harvin was winded and Darius Reynaud was injured.
The touchdown catch was Lewis’ fourth play of the game. That’s right, his fourth. Favre literally didn’t know who he was throwing to. He said he had thrown a few practice passes to Lewis and that’s it. “A couple of hitches,” Favre said.
“I didn’t know who caught it,” he added. “I just saw one of our guys streaking across.”
Lewis made the type of catch that hasn’t been seen at the Metrodome since the days of Cris Carter and Randy Moss. Many of us laughed when Childress signed Lewis to replace Bobby Wade, assuming he was another in a line of marginal players Childress has plucked from his days with the Eagles. But Childress said he told receivers coach George Stewart not to be “afraid to put Greg Lewis in the game. He will do just fine.”
Score one for Childress. His decision to pursue Favre, and to a lesser extent Lewis, has already netted one victory this season.
And along the way, he’s given us ESPN types a few more nuggets for Minnesota-Green Bay I. The hype machine will officially start Tuesday here on the NFC North blog.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
Three quick hits on the Minnesota Vikings:
1. The biggest question among the Vikings’ final cuts is which -- if any -- quarterback will be released. There have been arguments made for all three of Brett Favre’s backups to go. Tarvaris Jackson probably needs a fresh start. Sage Rosenfels has been inconsistent during training camp and the preseason. John David Booty hasn’t outplayed either Jackson or Rosenfels this summer. But there are also reasons to argue that each should stay. Jackson is most familiar with the Vikings' scheme and had a good preseason. Rosenfels cost a fourth-round pick and signed a contract extension a few months ago. Booty is still very much in the development phase. But you wonder if the Vikings won’t ultimately try to sneak Booty onto the practice squad.
2. Amazingly, the Vikings are still waiting to find out if they’ll have the services of defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams early this season. A federal appeals court has yet to rule on the latest twist in their legal challenge to their four-game suspensions. The court has indicated it will rule before the start of the regular season, but until then the Vikings know a suspension is still a possibility, depending upon the legal ruling. Fred Evans and Letroy Guion would be the likely starters in their absence.
3. The Vikings suddenly have the deepest group of receivers in the NFC North, so much so that their leading receiver from the past two years -- Bobby Wade -- accepted a demotion and pay cut to stay with the team. Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin figure to get most of the playing time this season, if everyone is healthy. Wade will provide insurance for three players who have been limited by injuries at various times in recent years. Youngsters Darius Reynaud and Jaymar Johnson also have playmaking ability.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
MINNEAPOLIS -- I think it’s fair to say Minnesota coach Brad Childress isn’t entirely comfortable with the quarterback depth on his roster even after the arrival of new starter Brett Favre.
Childress was steamed late Friday night about the play of backups Sage Rosenfels and John David Booty, each of whom had interceptions returned for touchdowns in the third quarter of a 35-31 loss to Dallas. Childress admitted he intentionally benched both of them for the transgression -- a rarity in the scripted world of the preseason -- and didn’t sound like a coach who has decided on the final configuration of the position.
Asked to assess the team’s quarterback play on a night Favre watched from the sidelines, Childress said, “At times it was embarrassing. And I’ll end up putting that on myself some, not having them ready to come out of the locker room at halftime. [But] all of the quarterbacks I’ve ever coached have some regard for the football and you can’t throw it them.”
Tarvaris Jackson started the game and played four series, completing 2 of 4 passes for 42 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown to tight end Jeff Dugan.
But on the first play of the third quarter, Rosenfels threw a short out pass into the hands of Dallas safety Patrick Watkins, who returned the interception 23 yards for a touchdown. Booty replaced Rosenfels for the next series. One the fifth play of that possession, however, he forced a pass to receiver Vinny Perretta. Dallas linebacker Steve Octavien grabbed it and dashed 44 yards for a score.
Then we were back to Rosenfels. Asked why he flipped quarterbacks the first time, Childress said: “Because he threw an interception for a touchdown.” Asked if that also explained why Booty sat down after one series, Childress said: “Pretty much, yep.”
Rosenfels seemed much less disturbed after completing 7 of 15 passes for 115 yards, noting that even Favre has thrown an interception or two (or 310) in his career.
“It always seems like you want to take back one play,” Rosenfels said. “I wish I could get that play back. Just a bad play by me. Other than that, I felt comfortable out there and did a pretty good job of executing the offense, other than that one play. So I’m going to keep firing. I talked to Brett. Brett’s overcome his fair share of interceptions. I think he has the NFL record. And he just keeps firing. So just keep firing and keep plugging away.”
Entering the game, we wondered which of the Vikings’ four quarterbacks would be spending his last day on the roster. After watching Childress’ reaction to Friday night’s game, it’s hard to imagine it being Jackson. For one night, at least, Jackson appeared to be the Vikings’ second-best quarterback. The team reportedly has been trying to trade him, but at this point I don’t believe Childress would feel comfortable with what he would be left with.
Jackson finished the preseason with a 118.4 passer rating, having completed 23 of 36 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns.
“I’ve been having fun the past few weeks and that’s really all I can say,” Jackson said. “I feel like regardless of what happened here, my future is still bright in the NFL. I can’t control exactly what happens here. I can only control what happens on the field.”
Childress doesn’t seem to have the same comfort level with Rosenfels, but it would be foolish for the Vikings to release him four months after trading a fourth-round draft pick for him. That leaves Booty, who is still developing but could find his way to the practice squad.
I asked Childress about the possibility of keeping four quarterbacks on the active roster. He didn’t seem enthused by the idea.
“The No. 3 only plays a very, very small percentage of the time,” Childress said. “We’ve done some studies about that. Unless you think you have somebody that somebody else covets and might be able to get something for, that would be a reason to hold on to somebody. [You’re] hoping that you’re not getting to No. 4 during the season.”
We’ll know more Saturday. NFL rosters must be pared to 53 by 6 p.m. ET.
A few other points before we call it a night:
- Childress managed to sit all 22 starters. (Fullback Naufahu Tahi played on special teams only.) Also held out were backup receivers Percy Harvin and Bobby Wade, reserve linebacker Heath Farwell and backup tailback Chester Taylor. My instinct is to make a sarcastic remark about Childress taking it easy on so many players, but after watching Chicago and Green Bay on Thursday night, I suppose I understand. The Bears lost tailback Kevin Jones (ankle) for the season, while Green Bay rookie B.J. Raji limped off the field with an ankle injury.
- Receiver Darius Reynaud might have locked up a roster spot by returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown.
- A sight to see: Defensive tackle Letroy Guion fumble while trying to move the ball to his left hand as he returned a second-quarter interception. Linebacker Kenny Onatolu recovered to maintain possession for the Vikings.
- Not sure what this means, but every time I noticed Favre on the sideline, he was talking to left guard Steve Hutchinson. Like Forrest and Jenny, they were two peas in a pod.
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| AP Photo/Jim Mone | |
| With Brett Favre out of the picture, the Vikings' quarterback competition comes down to Tarvaris Jackson (7) and Sage Rosenfels (2). |
Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert
MANKATO, Minn. -- The scene was set for a rock concert. Now, temporary bleachers sit empty at one end of the practice fields at Minnesota State University, Mankato. A super-sized interview tent now seems out of place. One lowly blogger sits in the overflow media room.
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Vikings training camp opened to a quiet and anticlimactic scene, one that once seemed destined to be dominated by the arrival of quarterback Brett Favre. Instead, the Vikings have been left with Plan B and C at quarterback as they prepare to defend their NFC North title. And a largely veteran roster has been left to pick up the pieces and steer clear of the letdown that surrounds it.
"That's our job as adults," defensive end Jared Allen said. "We're not in high school. You don't need to carry little grudges with you. It's professional football. [We're] professionals. Let's go do our job. Our job is to win games, defend our division championship and hopefully win the Super Bowl."
Key questions
1. Can Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels be a competent starting quarterback?
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Christopher Harris analyzes Bernard Berrian and the Vikings receivers from a fantasy perspective now that Brett Favre is in town. It's a fair question. After all, in a combined 11 NFL seasons, neither player has proved worthy of a full-time starting job. For what it's worth, camp hardly started in ideal fashion. Rosenfels appeared still to be growing comfortable with the offense while a sprained knee felled Jackson in the third practice.
Jackson's injury is not serious, but his long injury history illustrates the perils of counting on him to be a full-time starter. Rosenfels, meanwhile, is a career backup who now realizes the Vikings' offense isn't as familiar as he previously believed. His transition from Houston's version of the West Coast scheme will take some time.
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| Tom Dahlin/Getty Images | |
| Rookie Phil Loadholt is the early favorite to win the starting right tackle spot. |
But at this point, the Vikings have given themselves no choice but to count on one of them to step up after Favre turned down their overtures last month. In the competitive NFC North, that gambit could mean the difference between the division title and missing the playoffs.
2. Can the offensive line withstand the addition of two new starters?
Rookie Phil Loadholt appears set to take over the right tackle position, and his sheer girth -- 6-foot-8, 343 pounds -- will make it difficult for most defensive ends to get around him. Loadholt also looked relatively smooth as a run-blocker early in camp, and it's hard to imagine him losing a competition for the starting job.
The prognosis for new center John Sullivan, however, is not as certain. He is universally recognized as a smart player, but his ability to match up with the NFL's top defensive tackles has not been measured yet. From a physical standpoint, Sullivan might be at a disadvantage. The Vikings list Sullivan at 6-foot-4, but he has an odd build -- short legs and a long torso -- that make him look and play much shorter.
I asked Pro Bowl nose tackle Pat Williams if he thought Sullivan was ready.
"He doesn't have a choice," Williams said. "That's all we've got. He's still learning, but I think he'll be a good center for us."
Williams, however, also noted the long list of big defensive tackles Sullivan will have to match up against this year -- starting with Cleveland's Shaun Rogers in the Sept. 13 season opener.
"He's got to be strong," Williams said. "The guys he is going to be playing are some big dudes."
3. Are the Vikings prepared for the possibility of losing the Williams Wall?
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The team is developing a contingency plan in the event that defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are forced to serve their four-game suspensions. (A Minnesota judge will decide by Aug. 7 whether the players' legal case can proceed in state court.) Few teams have starting-caliber defensive tackles in reserve, but the Vikings are hoping to patch together a decent lineup if they have to.
Fred Evans, Jimmy Kennedy and Letroy Guion have been working as the second-team defensive tackles during practice. Guion also has been working with the first-team nickel defense when Pat Williams takes a breather.
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier acknowledged it will be "a bit of a drop-off" if Evans, Kennedy and/or Guion is forced into the starting lineup. But Frazier added: "We feel confident we will still be able to play good defense with those other guys in the lineup."
I think that's a fair way of looking at it. The question will be whether the replacements can hold their own, not whether they can maintain the NFL's top-rated run defense. That's an unrealistic expectation.
Market watch
You have to wonder where veteran receiver Bobby Wade will fit in after the Vikings drafted receiver Percy Harvin and welcomed back a healthy Sidney Rice. Even with Harvin unsigned at the beginning of training camp, it seemed clear that Wade will lose some playing time after leading the team in receptions the past two seasons.
If everyone stays healthy, early indications are that Bernard Berrian, Rice and Harvin are first in line for snaps this season. Wade could share some slot responsibilities with Harvin, but the Vikings want the exciting rookie on the field as often as possible.
It's hard to imagine Wade not making the team after catching 107 passes since 2007. But he does appear to be in a fight for playing time that also includes youngsters Jaymar Johnson and Darius Reynaud. Depending on how many receivers they carry on the roster, the Vikings might have to decide whether to keep a reliable veteran or an intriguing up-and-comer.
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Newcomer to watch
Harvin missed the first three days of training camp, but it wasn't difficult to see the multi-faceted role the team has mapped out for him.
Reynaud played Harvin's role during practice, roving all over the field -- much like Harvin did while playing at the University of Florida. It's also possible the Vikings will use Harvin as a punt and kickoff returner if he gets into camp soon enough.
Harvin is the kind of open-field runner who can change the dynamic of a game on one play. He'll give the Vikings the best weapon they've ever had in taking defensive attention away from tailback Adrian Peterson. If he and Peterson stay healthy, Harvin is an early candidate for rookie of the year.
Observation deck
Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson is back after a pair of dislocated toes caused him to miss the final 12 games last season. In his first practice this summer, Henderson brought the entire defense together to discuss his goals for this season. "You could hear a pin drop in our huddle," Frazier said. Henderson is normally a quiet leader. "For him to do that," Frazier said, "it makes everyone feel as if this is for real. No more playing around." ... The Vikings signed free agent Karl Paymah ostensibly as their nickelback, but early in camp he was playing with the third team. Benny Sapp, Marcus McCauley and rookie Asher Allen were rotating at nickel. ... Coaches would like to get Peterson more involved in the passing game, but so far tailback Chester Taylor has gotten most of the third-down snaps. "We have a Chester Taylor and we might as well use him," offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. ... Peterson on rushing for 2,000 yards in a season: "It is something I think about and dream about." ... With Loadholt the likely starter at right tackle, Ryan Cook is getting a chance to win a backup center/tackle job.
MANKATO, Minn. -- Moments after punching the "publish" button on our previous post, Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher denied making derogatory comments about Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Such is life in the Internet Age.
Earlier Wednesday, Minnesota receiver Bobby Wade said Urlacher painted Cutler in an unflattering light during a conversation last weekend. Urlacher, however, told the Chicago Tribune that he likes Cutler and "I don't think I would ever say that about one of my teammates."
Urlacher added: "That's just Bobby being Bobby. I'm pretty sure Jay knows I wouldn't say that about him. ... I have no problem with Jay, I think we're all excited about Jay. That's why we made the trade. He's obviously one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I think we have a better chance to win the Super Bowl with him at quarterback."
Urlacher suggested Wade was simply trying to start a friendly feud during the radio appearance. He said Wade called to apologize for the comments and even offered to call Bears coach Lovie Smith to set the record straight.
Again, we're hoping to catch up with Wade later Wednesday and hopefully put this story to bed.
MANKATO, Minn. -- You've got to watch yourself here in the Black and Blue. I packed up the NFC North Winnebago at about 1:30 p.m. ET, and by the time I arrived at Minnesota State, Mankato, we had a new national controversy on our hands.
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As you might have heard, Minnesota receiver Bobby Wade went on a Twin Cities radio station Wednesday and suggested that Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher isn't a big fan of new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.
The specific wording was crude enough that KFAN-1130 hit the mute button before it got on air, but you can hear the whole thing about halfway through in this podcast.
Wade, who played for Chicago from 2003-05, said he ran into Urlacher last weekend in Las Vegas and had "a long conversation." Wade said he didn't want to get Urlacher "in trouble" but said Cutler "wasn't what they expected."
Wade added: "It's tough. If you've got a little bit of that going on, and you're playing Chicago, and not only that, but this NFC North, it's just not acceptable."
Wade is a bright and media-savvy player. Having interviewed him many times, I don't think there's any chance this was an accident or a joke. We have yet to hear from Urlacher, but at this point I'm assuming Wade didn't make up the conversation, either. You do have to wonder how Urlacher could have already drawn any dramatic conclusions about Cutler, but you never know.
We have access to some Vikings players here a little later Wednesday. If Wade is among them, we'll be sure to seek clarification. Wade, who is fighting for a roster spot after the Vikings drafted Florida receiver Percy Harvin, might have done the team a favor by giving us media jackals something else to talk about besides Hewhoshallnotbenamed.
Stay tuned.
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| AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh | |
| Quarterback Jay Cutler and the Bears will need a young receiver to step up in camp. |
Chicago Bears
Training camp site: Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais, Ill.)
Campfires
The only Bears receiver with a guaranteed job is Devin Hester. Otherwise, the position is wide open. Veterans Earl Bennett and Rashied Davis will compete with rookies Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox for the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 receiver positions. If general manager Jerry Angelo doesn't like what he sees, the Bears could pursue a proven veteran later this summer.
The free safety position is also wide open as the Bears replace the departed Mike Brown. Craig Steltz ended spring practice atop the depth chart, but he'll have to battle converted cornerback Corey Graham. Former New Orleans starter Josh Bullocks is also on the roster as a third, if distant, option.
Although the Bears hope it never matters, they'll have to sort out their depth behind new quarterback Jay Cutler. Unproven Caleb Hanie is set to battle free agent Brett Basanez in a competition that, like receiver, could ultimately give way to a veteran from outside the organization. Hanie, however, is a favorite of coach Lovie Smith and will get every opportunity to win the job.
Camp will be a downer if ...
... the Bears realize this summer that they haven't given Cutler enough weapons. While young players don't always develop on a convenient timetable, it should be pretty clear by mid-August if the Bears have enough mature depth at the receiver position. Adding a veteran at the end of the summer is an imperfect solution and would limit his chances to develop a rapport with the new quarterback.
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The best-case scenario is if Bennett can parlay his familiarity with Cutler -- they were college teammates at Vanderbilt -- into a quick claim on the No. 2 job. That would lessen the pressure on the rookies and relieve the need to rely on Davis, who isn't a starting-caliber receiver. But if Bennett stumbles, the domino effect could significantly diminish the Bears' passing attack early in the season.
Camp will be a success if ...
... Smith can lay the groundwork for a revived defense. Smith has taken over as the de facto defensive coordinator and will call most defensive signals during games. He'll need to restore the Bears' core values -- producing a pass rush with the front four and making big plays in the secondary -- in order to meet the standard his defenses set earlier this decade.
It might be difficult to judge the success of this venture during camp and even in the preseason; Smith isn't likely to give away too much from a schematic standpoint before the regular season begins. But make no mistake: The origin of any improvement must come during technique and drill work in training camp.
O-verhaul
Quietly, the Bears shook up 60 percent of their offensive line this offseason. Center Olin Kreutz and right guard Roberto Garza are the only returning starters. Chicago is hoping that left tackle Orlando Pace, left guard Frank Omiyale and right tackle Chris Williams can breathe some life into a group that grew stale last season.
Pace is the short-term key. Injuries have caused him to miss 25 games over the past three seasons. His health and conditioning will be monitored carefully in training camp. It will be interesting to see if the Bears also work Williams at left tackle -- his natural position -- as a contingency should Pace suffer another injury.
Detroit Lions
Training camp site: Team facility in Allen Park, Mich.
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| Rashaun Rucker/zuma/Icon SMI | |
| The Lions would like Daunte Culpepper to earn the starting quarterback job ahead of Matthew Stafford to start the season. |
Campfires
No Black and Blue battle will be more scrutinized than the competition between Lions quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford. Conventional wisdom suggests Culpepper will win the job as long as he maintains his offseason conditioning level. But coach Jim Schwartz has said Stafford will start as soon as he meets two criteria: when he is ready and when he surpasses Culpepper as the team's best option.
Stafford's status as an underclassman suggests he faces a steep learning curve this season. That, along with Culpepper's familiarity with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's scheme, imposes a two-pronged challenge for Stafford to win the job in training camp.
Another rookie, safety Louis Delmas, appears to be one of the few locks to start in the secondary. You would assume Phillip Buchanon will win one cornerback spot, but the other two starting roles seem wide open.
Anthony Henry could start at cornerback, or he could move to safety. Other safety candidates include Daniel Bullocks, Marquand Manuel, Kalvin Pearson and Stuart Schweigert. The competition will be wide open as the Lions look for defensive backs who are aggressive and eager for contact.
Camp will be a downer if ...
... every player on the roster suffers a season-ending injury on the first day of camp. Otherwise, there is nowhere to go but up for a team that went 0-16 last season.
Seriously, there is one position where Detroit is keeping its fingers crossed. The Lions signed 36-year-old nose tackle Grady Jackson to help tighten their run defense and also keep offensive linemen off their talented trio of linebackers. But Jackson missed all of spring practice after undergoing knee surgery in February. Jackson is as important as any player the Lions acquired this winter and he needs to get at least some practice time in training camp to ensure he will be ready for the season.
Camp will be a success if ...
... Culpepper can win the job outright, rather than become the starter simply because Stafford isn't ready. If Culpepper can recapture some of his previous magic with Linehan, the Lions will have a much better chance to be credible in Schwartz's first season.
And despite the protestations of modern-day thinkers, Stafford can only benefit from some time on the sidelines. That doesn't mean he should sit for three years. But rare is the quarterback who can start -- and succeed -- on day one. A rejuvenated Culpepper is the first step in the Lions' rebuilding project.
Linebacker city
Through trade and free agency, the Lions have put together a competent group of linebackers in Julian Peterson, Larry Foote and Ernie Sims. It will be interesting to watch defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham experiment with ways to utilize their playmaking skills.
Cunningham has said he plans to blitz 40 percent of the time this season. Peterson could make some big plays if he has maintained the athletic skills of his prime. The same goes for Foote. We'll get a good idea of how much each player has left in the tank this summer.
On Sunday, Breana of Chicago prompted this debate: If you had to pick, would you prefer a great quarterback with average receivers or vice versa? After all, that pretty much describes the situations in Chicago and Minnesota, respectively. What's the preferable arrangement?
About 500 of your closest friends jumped into the fray, with a clear majority favoring a superior quarterback over top receivers in the abstract. But there were a number of you who pointed out the limitations facing any quarterback with inferior receivers, while some noted specific instances of an otherwise middling quarterback lifted to prominence by a stellar group of pass-catchers.
Off the top, several people dismissed the premise of a deep Vikings receiving corps. Tony of Seoul wrote: "I would be ecstatic if the Vikings had elite receivers, but we do not." Nick of Portland added:
"I think it's important to note that the Vikings WR corps isn't even that good. Bernard Berrian is a serviceable No. 1, but no other WRs on that team have proven anything. Sidney Rice got 15 receptions last year, Percy Harvin has proved nothing and Bobby Wade is ... Bobby Wade. In this situation, I'd have to pick the Bears passing corps, because they have an elite player (Jay Cutler) whereas the Vikings best player has never had a 1,000-yard season, and would be the third WR in Green Bay."
But if you accept the notion that the Vikings at least have a deep group of receivers, you can continue on. Nate of Lexington, Va., put an eloquent voice to a quarterback's ability to lift an offense:
"I played wide receiver in college and the quarterback that I played with ended up winning the Gagliardi Trophy (essentially the D-III Heisman) and I was an all-conference wideout. While I was no slouch, I would have to say that without question it was because of [the quarterback] and his ability that made me and us as a group better. A good quarterback and his timing, arm strength and accuracy can make up for a lack of separation and overall talent in general. No matter how good a receiver is, if a bad quarterback can't get him the ball he is no good to an offense.
As a lifelong Bears fan it pained me to see Kyle Orton (who I like on the whole) underthrow Hester on a deep ball or miss an open receiver by just that little bit. A guy like Jay Cutler surrounded by Devin Hester, Greg Olsen, Rashied Davis and Desmond Clark will be more successful than Tarvaris Jackson throwing to Berrian, Wade, Rice and Harvin."
Tim of Kansas City notes the early success of New England quarterback Tom Brady -- before his receiving corps included Randy Moss and Wes Welker. "The Patriots had only average receivers and won three Super Bowls," Tim wrote. Akio of Tokyo concludes: "Proven quarterbacks will make receivers shine. A chicken (QB) or an egg (WR)? My vote is that a chicken comes first."
Fire up the grill!
On the other side of the debate, Brian of Sturgis, S.D., points out how a good receiver can make a quarterback look better. "I would prefer to have receivers who can catch the bad pass as well as the good ones from the suspect QB rather than receivers who miss the good ones on occasion and CAN'T catch the bad pass."
David of Austin recalls the 1998 season, when Vikings quarterback Randall Cunningham came out of nowhere to have a Pro Bowl season. The Vikings surrounded him with a deep group of skill players and a dynamic scheme, factors we haven't really accounted for in a strict debate between quarterbacks and receivers. But David makes some good points:
"Cunningham's 1998 season with Minnesota, when he had Cris Carter, Jake Reed, Robert Smith, and Randy Moss (whose explosiveness was as yet largely unanticipated and unplanned for by defenses) as offensive weapons, and a decent offensive scheme, speaks volumes about how good offensive weapons and game planning was able to turn an 81.5 lifetime average QB into a wunderkind, at least for one season. His 106 QB rating that season was 14 points higher than his next best season, eight years earlier, and 24 points higher than his lifetime average."
My take? I figured you would ask. I have always felt that quarterback is the most important single position in all of sports. It's much more difficult to find a good quarterback than it is to assemble a group of competent receivers.
But just for kicks, I looked at the top two receivers for each of the NFL's five highest-rated quarterbacks in 2008. Then I did the reverse: Who was the primary quarterback for the five most productive receivers in 2008?
Here are the highest-rated quarterbacks' top wide receivers:
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And here are the quarterbacks for the top five receivers by yards:
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And by receptions:
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Because this is only a one-year sample, I don't know that we should draw too many conclusions from these charts. You can see that the NFL's five highest-rated quarterbacks last season had the benefit of working with four 1,000-yard receivers. You can also see that it's possible for a receiver to have a good year with a low-rated quarterback, but it wasn't frequent last season. (Detroit's Calvin Johnson and Cincinnati's T.J. Houshmandzadeh were the only ones to make the cut.)
Finally, four of the five highest-rated quarterbacks made the playoffs last season. Three of the top receivers in yardage advanced to the postseason, but only one from the group organized by receptions. This tells us that in 2008, at least, you were better off with an elite quarterback than an elite receiver -- but we probably knew that anyway. For me, however, it also shows there is enough gray area in this question to make for reasonable disagreement in this debate.
In the specific question of Chicago vs. Minnesota, there are some mitigating factors that we avoided for the purposes of this debate. How does the relative quality of each team's running game impact the debate? And what about their defenses?
From a big-picture perspective, however, I'll always choose the quarterback ahead of the receivers. A really good group of receivers can bail out an average quarterback at times, but not to the extent that an elite quarterback can lift an average group of receivers. I'll take Tom Brady with Troy Brown and David Patten over Ryan Fitzpatrick with Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh any day.
Sorry. I'm not going to dish out draft grades. Don't like 'em. Rarely look at 'em. Seems like a waste of time to slap an overall grade on a body of work that won't be reconciled for at least two years.
So what can we say about the NFC North's draft? Why don't we take a look at its impact on each team's roster? What's changed? Where are the new battles? What does it tell us about the status of veteran players and other elements the teams haven't overtly acknowledged? Let's jump in:
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| James Lang/US PRESSWIRE | |
| How soon quarterback Matthew Stafford sees the field remains to be seen. |
After signing No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford, Detroit now has an important decision to make for its quarterback depth chart. Stafford has joined a group that includes Daunte Culpepper and Drew Stanton. (ESPN's John Clayton reports the Lions waived quarterback Drew Henson on Monday.) It's generally assumed the Lions prefer to start Culpepper while Stafford develops on the bench. But the team must decide whether it wants Stafford to be the No. 2 quarterback or No. 3 when the season opens.
It's an important distinction. If Culpepper is injured, are the Lions prepared to push Stafford onto the field? If not, do they trust Stanton to play in the short term? The answer to the latter question appears to be "no," giving the Lions these options:
- Signing a veteran backup for Culpepper.
- Making Stafford the No. 2 and crossing their fingers.
- Elevating Stanton to the backup spot and crossing their fingers.
Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said before the draft that he preferred to sign a veteran. If that's still the case, look for some movement soon. It will be interesting to see if the Lions place a claim on ex-Miami quarterback John Beck, who was waived Monday.
Detroit surrendered an NFL-high 172 rushing yards per game last season, but to this point the Lions have added only one new player to the traditional run-stopping positions of an interior defense. Nose tackle Grady Jackson will help clog the middle, and better coaching could also elicit improvement. But the Lions still have some ground to cover after drafting only one defensive tackle and one potential middle linebacker.
Third-round pick DeAndre Levy will get a chance to play middle linebacker, but that could be more out of necessity than design. Will the Lions re-sign Paris Lenon? Will they pursue former Seattle linebacker Leroy Hill, who had his franchise tag rescinded over the weekend? You would think the Lions will keep searching unless Levy puts on a show at rookie minicamp this weekend.
I have to admit I was surprised that Minnesota aggressively pursued free agent receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who agreed to terms Monday with Seattle.
Under vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman, the Vikings have almost exclusively targeted free agents coming off their rookie contracts -- 26-year-old up-and-comers with limited NFL wear and tear. Houshmandzadeh, on the other hand, is entering his ninth NFL season and will turn 32 in September. Moreover, the Vikings have a clear No. 1 receiver in Bernard Berrian, a good slot man in Bobby Wade and a young player with decent upside in Sidney Rice.
Yet owner Zygi Wilf sent his private plane to ferry Houshmandzadeh to the Twin Cities over the weekend. The Vikings put on the full-court press during a nearly six-hour visit Sunday, and it's hard to imagine the free-spending Wilf getting outbid if it came to that. This situation seemed to be a case of the rich trying to get richer.
Ultimately Houshmandzadeh picked Seattle, where he will be paired with a more established quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck and has a chance to be the team's top receiver. The Vikings could offer neither opportunity, but they deserve credit for making an ambitious run to augment their offensive firepower.
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| Elsa/Getty Images | |
| Ryan Longwell's field goal gave Minnesota a 20-19 win over New York. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert
MINNEAPOLIS -- Multiple layers of emotion converged at the 35-yard line Sunday afternoon.
There was the initial joy of a game-winning field goal, a 50-yard boot from Ryan Longwell that gave Minnesota a 20-19 victory over the New York Giants.
"Best feeling I've ever had," said owner Zygi Wilf, still catching his breath after a celebratory sprint onto the field.
Then came this realization: Longwell's kick had clinched Minnesota's first division title since 2000. The Vikings will take on Philadelphia next weekend in the first playoff game at the Metrodome in eight years.
"That's the reason I came here," safety Darren Sharper said, "and it's the reason a lot of guys in this locker room came here. To win the NFC North and have a chance to win the Super Bowl."
And at the core was this: The kick sent the Vikings into the postseason with a boost that could carry them for weeks.
As it turned out, because of the Bears' 31-24 loss to the Texans, the Vikings would have won the NFC North even if Longwell's kick had failed -- but they would have taken a two-game losing streak into the NFL's postseason tournament. From this vantage point, you can't underestimate the institutional importance of clinching with a victory for an organization that has choked in big games for most of this decade.
"When you win like that, you get a confidence that you just can't get otherwise," defensive end Jared Allen said. "If we lost, you just carry a disappointment into the playoffs with you. So we won and we feel like we earned it. We didn't have to worry or care about what anyone else did. I think this game is going to build character and give us something to reflect back on.
"We know now that we're a good football team," Allen added. "And we know that when the game is on the line and the season is on the line, we can forge ahead and win the game. The playoffs are about who is playing good at the right time. Now, we can say we've won five of our last six games. If we go into the playoffs with another loss, we go in with a mindset that we're struggling."
And for much of Sunday, it appeared the Vikings were on course to deal with just that. Behind backup quarterback David Carr, the Giants scored 10 unanswered points to take a 19-10 lead with 11:22 left. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson had scuttled one drive by throwing an interception in the end zone, and tension was mounting as everyone -- including more than a few Vikings players -- kept track of Chicago's game. (Several players, including Sharper, admitted that non-field personnel gave them regular updates of the Bears' progress during the fourth quarter.
The Bears trailed by 14 points as the Vikings moved into position for Longwell's field goal, but the Vikings managed to create far more drama than the Bears could provide.
Coach Brad Childress pulled Longwell off the field to run more time off the clock with nine seconds remaining, effectively forcing Longwell to sit through three timeouts before finally delivering the kick. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time this season an NFL kicker had brought his team from behind with a 50-plus yard walk-off field goal.
