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| New Orleans defensive end Charles Grant has been indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter stemming from a February altercation at a nightclub, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Grant was stabbed in the neck during the incident and now stands charged with a felony. This same jury also charged Laquient Macklin with felony murder and feticide in the shooting death of Korynda Reed who died after being taken to the hospital following the incident. At the time of the incident, Sheriff's Captain Will Caudill stated there was no known connection between Grant and Reed. The fight had started inside the club and then moved outside, and police believe Grant was attacked after shots were fired. Grant was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft. He had 2 1/2 sacks in 2007 while starting 14 games for the Saints and has 38 1/2 over his six-year career.
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| It appears, based on the events that took place at the Giants' team workouts today, that Mathias Kiwanuka will be lining up at linebacker and linebacker only, as opposed to his normal position as a hybrid defensive end, until further notice, according to Giants official website. |
Our View: Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke on the subject stating Kiwanuka is going to be treated as a linebacker in their new approach to defense, and he does not foresee a change in that decision. With Michael Strahan pondering retirement and a clear need to be filled at the position, Kiwanuka has the speed and power to fill the spot well.
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| The Arizona Cardinals have been battling to appease wideout Anquan Boldin with hopes of getting him on the field for off-season workouts, but the Pro Bowl receiver failed to show for the team's voluntary organized team activities today, according to the East Valley Tribune. |
Our View: The workouts are considered voluntary but the hope is to see veteran stars on hand to mentor the incoming young prospects. Boldin has been miffed since fellow receiver Larry Fitzgerald was granted a sizable new contract and now is seeking to renegotiate a deal of his own. General manager Rod Graves has told reporters Boldin's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has been pushing the Cardinals to trade his client, but Boldin has expressed a desire to stay in Arizona in his own discussions with the press.
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| The Dallas Cowboys have signed two offensive linemen to the roster for 2008, including tackle Cory Lekkerkerker and guard Adam Stenavich, according to the San Antonio Express-News. |
Our View: Lekkerkerker is a three-year veteran who entered the league as a rookie free agent with the Chargers. Stenavich entered the NFL with the Carolina as a rookie free agent and spent the bulk of the season on Green Bay's practice squad.
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| Atlanta has signed their newly-drafted arm of the future, quarterback Matt Ryan , to a lucrative new contract, according to ESPN.com. |
Our View: Ryan was the third overall pick of this year's NFL Draft and has accepted a six-year, $72 million contract agreement, a deal that includes $34.75 million in guaranteed rewards. As a point of comparison, the 1st-overall pick, tackle Jake Long, agreed to a deal with Miami for five years, $57.75 million with $30 million in guarantees. The Falcons have a news conference schedule for this evening to make the official announcement.
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| Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Tuesday that the club has agreed to terms of two-year contracts with six rookie free agents. G L.J. Anderson, S Khayyam Burns, LB Weston Dacus, G Edwin Harrison, LB Lerue Rumph and RB Dantrell Savage all agreed to terms. Savage is hoping to make the team as the No. 3 running back behind Larry Johnson and Kolby Smith -- and play a significant role as a special teamer. |
Our View:
Savage (5-8, 182) appeared in 22 contests over two seasons at Oklahoma State after transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He carried the ball 349 times for 2,092 yards (6.0 avg.) with 17 TDs and caught 35 passes for 307 yards (8.8 avg.) with two TDs for the Cowboys. His 11 offensive TDs led the team in 2007. Savage concluded his impressive prep career at Jordan High School in Columbus, Georgia.
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| The Raiders released veteran safety Stuart Schweigert on Tuesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Schweigert lost his starting job to injury in midseason last year and never got it back from Hiram Eugene. |
Our View: He became expendable when the Raiders signed Giants strong safety Gibril Wilson and shifted Michael Huff to free safety.
Schweigert had 69 tackles and two interceptions last season, and finished with 268 tackles and four interceptions in four years with the team.
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| As expected, Terence Newman has signed a new six-year extension with the Cowboys, worth $50.2 million, according to the Dallas Morning News. He will receive $22.5 million guaranteed over the first three years of the contract. |
Our View: Newman has 16 interceptions over 77 career games, with four coming in 2007. If everything works out for Pacman Jones in Dallas, he and Newman could form one of the top cornerback duos in the NFL.
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| Marion Barber and the Cowboys have agreed to terms on a new seven-year, $45 million deal, with $16 million guaranteed, as reported by agent Drew Rosenhaus, according to the Dallas Morning News. Barber will earn $21 million over first three years of the deal. Rosenhaus said, "I gotta credit the Cowboys, they do a great job of getting players signed. Representing Marion's been a pleasure, on and off the field, he's a champ."
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Our View: Barber earned his lucrative new deal, as he rushed for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2007, and added another 282 yards and two scores on 44 receptions.
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| Marcus Pollard lacked mobility during the Patriots' four-day passing camp, and seemed stiff, and there was a hitch in his walk, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Pollard underwent surgery on his knee last season, and the 36-year veteran tight end may not have fully recovered.
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| Fullback B.J. Askew inked a new four-year, $8.8 million contract extension that included a reported $2 million signing bonus, according to the Orlando Sentinel. |
Our View: Askew did not register any rushing attempts over 10 games in 2007, but he did catch 18 passes for 175 yards. He will start this season, and is worth targeting in PPR leagues that require a fullback as part of the lineup.
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| Earnest Graham has now missed his sixth OTA with the team, according to the Orlando Sentinel. |
Our View: He is skipping the activities as part of his protest to management regarding his wishes for a new deal. Jeff Garcia is also displeased with his current deal, but was in attendance at the OTA. Graham broke out with 1,222 total yards in 2007, and he should be a top priority for the team to sign.
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| Safety coach Dave Merritt praised rookie defensive back Kenny Phillips (Miami), according to Newsday. Merritt said, "This kid, in the classroom, has shown unbelievable recall for the defense. We put in things back early in the rookie minicamp and he’s able to recall it here it is a week or two later. I’m very excited about that. As far as his God-given ability mentally, this kid is very good. Kenny going back and playing the middle post, I would have no problem with that. As far as a box safety, he’s got the size of a linebacker. He’s not as heavy as some of the linebackers, but the kid has a nice bone structure to him. I think he’s gonna be able to play both. I know he is. He’s gonna have to."
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Our View: Phillips should develop into a ball-hawk for the Giants. He will compete for the free safety spot with Michael Johnson, who is currently working as the starter.
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| Safety coach Dave Merritt said that Michael Johnson is currently the starter at free safety, according to Newsday. Merritt also said new additions Sammy Knight and Kenny Phillips will be learning both positions.
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Our View: Johnson is fast with good range and hits hard, but this is only his second season in the NFL and he is still vulnerable to mistakes. Both safety positions will be heavily contested, and Johnson has a long way to go before he claims the starting spot at free safety for Week 1.
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| William James had a good outing on day two of the Bills' OTA, according to BuffaloBills.com. He was effective in coverage throughout the day, and his best play made came on a lunging pass breakup to defend a comeback route. |
Our View: He will be given a fair chance to compete for the starting right cornerback job, and will provide a solid veteran presence in whatever role he ultimately serves. His fantasy value shall remain low, however.
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| Chris Carr will reportedly have competition for the punt returner role in Tennessee this season, according to the Nashville City Paper. He should win the kick returning job but will compete with Chris Davis for the punt return gig. |
Our View: Carr did not have any interceptions in 2007, and his fantasy value will come primarily on special teams.
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| Chester Taylor skipped the Vikings' voluntary workouts, according to ProFootballTalk.com. |
Our View: Taylor often works out on his own in the off-season, but may feel like he is being phased out of the Vikings' offense for 2008. Adrian Peterson made a significant impact in Minnesota as a rookie in 2007, and may not split as many carries with Taylor in his sophomore campaign. Taylor rushed 157 times for 844 yards (5.4 YPC average) last season.
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| Scott Shanle is projected to start at weak-side linebacker this season following the retirement of the often-injured Dan Morgan, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. |
Our View: Shanle is expected to win the job, but will compete with Mark Simoneau, Troy Evans, and Marvin Mitchell. Shanle led the Saints with 77 solo tackles back in 2006, and his fantasy stock will be back on the rise if he holds on to the starting spot on the weak-side. He would potentially hold solid value as a mid-to-late round pick as an IDP in 2008.
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| Billy Volek reportedly looked very good over the weekend during minicamp, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. He led the first team offense as Philip Rivers did not work in team drills. |
Our View: Volek decided not to leave as a free agent in the off-season and will be content serving as Rivers' top backup. He has generated great numbers when given a chance to start in Tennessee, but his fantasy value will remain limited this season in San Diego.
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| Kassim Osgood was not in attendance for the Chargers' first round of OTA, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Osgood stated he would stay away and remain working out in Florida because there was no point wearing his body down running routes when the Chargers don't use him as a receiver. Coach Norv Turner doesn't seem to mind and said, "Kassim is going to be in good shape."
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Our View: Osgood holds little value as a receiver, and his most value to the Chargers comes on special teams.
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| Travis Johnson is out of action due to a pelvic injury, according to the Houston Chronicle. Coach Gary Kubiak said, "Well, I'm concerned. He's missed a lot of time. He's got the inflammation in the pelvic area, is the best way I can describe it. He's way behind the team from a physical standpoint. Nothing he can do, they've had him resting. Before I put him on the football field, I want to make sure he catches up with his teammates conditioning-wise, so you'll just see him conditioning at the time."
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Our View: It is uncertain how long he will be sidelined. Johnson has failed to make an impact and live up to high expectations of being a former first round draft pick, namely due to his poor track record with durability.
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| Selvin Young is working as the Broncos number one running back while Travis Henry sits out with a pulled hamstring he sustained on Friday, according to the Rocky Mountain News. He is being backed up by Andre Hall.
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Our View: Young racked up 729 yards on 140 attempts in 2007, with a solid 5.2 average. He also hauled in 35 receptions for 231 more yards. Young cannot handle 20 or more carries a game, but could see plenty of action if he can hold on to the top backup role in Denver, especially when you consider Travis Henry's poor track record with durability.
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| Coach Mike Shanahan is certain Brandon Marshall will be ready for training camp, according to the Rocky Mountain News. He is recovering from arm surgery and Shanahan said, "June 22 will be the first day he'll be able to catch the football, so that will give us plenty of time, obviously, before our summer ball. He's running routes like he normally would. So for him to be able to do that at this time, barring any setback, he should be able to go full speed."
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Our View: Marshall noted that his recovery is going well. This is good news, as Marshall emerged as one of the top young receivers in the NFL in 2007 with 102 receptions for 1325 yards and seven touchdowns.
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| Niko Koutouvides will compete with Nate Webster for the starting job at middle linebacker, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Coach Mike Shanahan likes Koutouvides as the favorite for the job, and said, "I've watched him play for four years. I've watched him play in preseason. I think he brings a lot to the table. He's a guy that was either first or second or third in the NFL in special teams tackles. A guy who can tackle in the open field and plays the 'Mike' linebacker position. I like what we evaluated in the preseason. It gives us a lot of confidence that he'll come in and play well."
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Our View: Koutouvides excelled on special teams, but was not given a chance to prove his worth as a middle linebacker in Seattle while stuck behind Lofa Tatupu on the depth chart. He could generate a lot of tackles if he wins the job in the middle with Denver this season, and his fantasy stock is on the rise.
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| The Bears and Mike Brown have agreed to a restructuring of his contract for the final year of the $17 million, five-year extension he agreed to in 2003, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Brown can still earn the $2.44 million he was on the ledger for, but he has to play to claim it. His base pay has been reduced to $950,000 with the remaining $1.49 million now in the form of a not-likely-to-be-earned incentive. There is a split in Brown's contract too. If he's injured prior to the start of the season and forced onto injured reserve, the club can reduce his base pay to $320,000.
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Our View: The team loves Brown and what he brings to the defense when healthy, but they needed to restructure his deal for insurance, given his history of breaking down.
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| Damon Huard could potentially be traded or released if the Chiefs are pleased with the progress of their two young quarterbacks, Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen, according to the Kansas City Star. |
Our View: The Chiefs previously said they would be committed to Brodie Croyle this season, and he would be the likely starter over Thigpen if Huard is sent out of town. The Chiefs' aerial attack would be inconsistent with the inexperienced Croyle or Thigpen under center, and Dwayne Bowe's fantasy value would take the biggest hit.
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| Brandon McGowan lined up as the starter at strong safety during the Bears' first OTA, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Mike Brown lined up across from him at free safety. |
Our View: McGowan racked up 68 tackles (58 solo), one fumble recovery, and two interceptions in 2007, and could rank as a solid sleeper as an IDP this season if he ultimately holds on to the starting spot.
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| Terrence Metcalf is in the running for the starting job at left guard, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. John St. Clair started there the last three games of last season, but Lovie Smith views St. Clair more as a tackle. Josh Beekman will compete with Metcalf. |
Our View: Metcalf is merely adequate and won't make a big impact if he nails down the starting job, hence the Bears will likely still have a weakness at left guard.
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| Kyle Orton took the majority of the reps at quarterback during the Bears' first OTA, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Lovie Smith mentioned that he and Rex Grossman are both on equal ground in competition for the starting job. Grossman could receive most of the work with the first-team on Tuesday. |
Our View: Orton could win the job, but would be hard-pressed to make a fantasy impact this season, especially following the departure of big-play threat Bernard Berrian to Minnesota.
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| Terence Newman and the Cowboys are reportedly close to a new deal for him, according to FanNation.com. He is entering the final year of his contract, and they are working on a new multi-year deal, but it must be completed soon. If NFL owners opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement at their spring meeting today in Atlanta, contracts done afterward would have to follow more stringent salary-cap rules set up for 2010 and beyond.
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Our View: Newman racked up 50 tackles (44 solo) and four interceptions in 2007, with one defensive touchdown. If everything works out in Dallas, Newman and Pacman Jones could form one of the top cornerback tandems in the NFL.
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| Eli Manning expects Jeremy Shockey to return to the Giants this season, according to FanNation.com. Manning said, "I've been in touch with Jeremy. We've just gotta get everybody back."
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Our View: Kevin Boss was a key contributor during the Giants' magical Super Bowl run last season, and he would still be involved if Shockey remains in New York. Shockey is recovering from a broken ankle.
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