Dantzler takes another route: OT

[dmq]

Man and to think he could have been our 5th wide receiver.


Dantzler takes another route

By IBRAM ROGERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 6/13/04

Woodrow Dantzler said it's fun. No kidding, just absolute fun.

After last week's minicamp Dantzler was all smiles. One could never tell the Falcons' do-it-all player is about to do even more.

The quarterback, safety and running back is now trying to make the Falcons roster at wide receiver, a position he's never played before.

Coach Jim Mora said he plans on keeping probably five wide receivers. Peerless Price, Dez White, Brian Finneran and rookie Michael Jenkins will more than likely take four of the five spots.

That leaves Dantzler competing for one spot with Jimmy Farris and Terrence Edwards, Willie Quinnie and rookies Chris Curd and Kendrick Mosley.

"I'm a guy who loves challenges," Dantzler said. "I just like to go out there and do something that people say I can't do."

Cornerback Jason Webster, who covered him at minicamp, thinks he has a good chance.

"Why not? He's been working hard and it looks like he knows what he's doing out there," Webster said. "I know when I'm out there covering him, I know I have to be ready."

Price said that wide receiver in the West Coast offense is one of the hardest positions to switch to because there are so many checks and coverage reads. Still, Price said Dantzler is making a smooth transition.

"I think that he's been doing well considering that this is the first time he's ever played the position," Price said. "I think he needs to still learn some of the nuances and the 'cheat' techniques of the position. But he's a great athlete and I think he has a good shot at making this club as a receiver."

Dantzler has an even better shot at being that potential fifth receiver because he has a history of success in the NFL in special teams, where the fifth receiver is the most likely to see playing time.

He returned seven kickoffs for 137 yards (19.4 average) and one punt for 6 yards in nine games last season while being listed as a running back after the Falcons claimed him off waivers from Dallas in September. In five games for the Cowboys in 2002, he had 602 yards on 27 kickoff returns with a touchdown.

Joe DeCamillis, the Falcons' special teams coach, said Dantzler has a good chance of being on the special teams for the second straight season.

"He's catching the ball better as a punt returner and he's learning some of the other things that he's going to need to know to make our football team," DeCamillis said.

[dmq]

Man, think of what our Pass rush would be like if we had only kept him!!!!!!! :rolleyes:


Time off energizes Pittman

PAT YASINSKAS


Nearly nine months have passed, but Kavika Pittman's anger hasn't faded.

After completing a voluntary workout Wednesday, Pittman became emotional when asked about the play that ended his season in the second game last year.

Pittman tore his anterior cruciate ligament on a hit from Tampa Bay receiver Keenan McCardell, who was fined by the NFL for an illegal chop block.

"I know it was a cheap shot," Pittman said. "The play went to the opposite side of the field. I was tied up with a guard and somebody hit me outside. It was a cheap shot. The guy still has never apologized, but I'm not looking for one. I'll just get him back on the field next year. I'll get him clean though, not dirty."

Pittman will get his chance Nov. 28 when the Panthers host the Bucs and Dec. 26 when they play at Tampa Bay.

"It shouldn't have happened, but it happened for a reason," Pittman said. "I learned a lot in my time off and I'm ready to play again."

The Panthers hope Pittman can fill the role they projected him in last season. Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker are the starters, but the Panthers want to rotate in Al Wallace and Pittman, a former starter in Dallas and Denver. Pittman said the time off had made him more committed to football.

"I grew in a lot of ways," Pittman said. "First of all, I realized how much I really love this game. After playing for eight years and making quite a bit of money, I started thinking about retirement. But, after sitting out for a year, I realized that is not what I want."

Adamson on Delhomme plan

Quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and Kurt Warner went from NFL Europe to the Super Bowl. Rob Adamson wants to follow in their footsteps. Adamson joined the Panthers on Wednesday after having played for the Cologne Centurions."Jake and I have talked a lot," Adamson said. "I hope to do exactly what he did, obviously. It's good to know that there were guys that went over there their first year and didn't get to play that much and they still succeeded. "

In his first stint in Europe, Delhomme was stuck behind Warner. Adamson spent this season as a backup to Ryan Van Dyke, who was allocated by the New York Giants.

The Panthers have Delhomme as their starter, and backups Rodney Peete and Chris Weinke also return. That could leave Adamson competing with rookie Rod Rutherford for a possible spot on the practice squad.

Davis to host Big Country events

Running back Stephen Davis will host the Big Country Foundation Weekend in Spartanburg, his hometown, Friday and Saturday. The foundation benefits cancer research.

A football camp for ages 7 to 15 will be held Friday at Wofford; a cheerleading camp for ages 3 to 17 also will be held. Information on both camps is available at bigcountryfoundation.org.

Davis will host the Luncheon of Champions at the Spartanburg Marriott on Friday. For tickets, call (864) 809-4885. On Saturday, Davis will host the Back Home Barbecue from 2 to 6 p.m. at Barnet Park.

Notes

• Linebackers coach Sam Mills continues to do well as he battles cancer of the small intestine. Mills has been on the field during June workouts. He also was the individual winner in a bowling tournament for players and coaches last week.

• Offensive tackle Dave Kadela, who will be with the Panthers in training camp, was selected to the All-NFL Europe team. Kadela helped Berlin reach Saturday's World Bowl.

[Juke99]

Ya know, one could read the title of this thread as, "Dantzler tries another route: Offensive Tackle"

You scared me for a minute. :)

[Erik_H]

Ya know, one could read the title of this thread as, "Dantzler tries another route: Offensive Tackle"

You scared me for a minute. :)

i saw that to!
lol

[Yeagermeister]

Ya know, one could read the title of this thread as, "Dantzler tries another route: Offensive Tackle"

You scared me for a minute. :)
He'd better bulk up in a hurry :D

[RXP]

It just shows that Dantzler may be a good athlete, but he needs to find another profession.

He's not good enough to stick at QB.
He's not good enough to stick at RB.
He's not good enough to stick at safety.

Now they will try him at WR.

At some point someone will figure out that, while he has some ability and a willingness to try different things, he simply cannot play at an NFL level.

He belongs in the CFL, IMO.

[Rack Bauer]

I hope the falcons cut him. I'd love to bring him back on the roster. I don't care if he has a "True" position or not, he'd do more for the team then someone like Zuriel Smith so it would be just fine as far as I'm concerned.

[BrAinPaiNt]

It just shows that Dantzler may be a good athlete, but he needs to find another profession.

He's not good enough to stick at QB.
He's not good enough to stick at RB.
He's not good enough to stick at safety.

Now they will try him at WR.

At some point someone will figure out that, while he has some ability and a willingness to try different things, he simply cannot play at an NFL level.

He belongs in the CFL, IMO.


Bingo.

Bill did everything to try and keep him but he just did not warrant taking a roster spot as just a ST player.

The falcons are basically doing the same thing we did because the kid has ability but in the end he is a jack of all trades...but far from being a master of one.

Tough luck for him as he really seems like a good kid.

[big dog cowboy]

Nearly nine months have passed, but Kavika Pittman's anger hasn't faded.

My anger hasn't faded after years and years ago from when we completely wasted a perfectly good draft pick on this stiff.

[Doomsday]

It just shows that Dantzler may be a good athlete, but he needs to find another profession.


Hes making a living doing something he loves, I respect him for sticking with it. I would keep trying until no one wanted to give me any ore chances.

[Dale]

The problem with Dantzler is that he's not such an exceptional kick returner that he can land on a team for just that role. Heck, in Atlanta, he's not even the team's primary kickoff returner. And in the few chances he did receive, it wasn't like he lit things up with a 19-yard average. Heck, even in 2002 when he played well for us, his season wasn't as good as Swinton's last year with the Lions.

[EGG]

Man and to think he could have been our 5th wide receiver.


Dantzler takes another route

By IBRAM ROGERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 6/13/04

Woodrow Dantzler said it's fun. No kidding, just absolute fun.

After last week's minicamp Dantzler was all smiles. One could never tell the Falcons' do-it-all player is about to do even more.

The quarterback, safety and running back is now trying to make the Falcons roster at wide receiver, a position he's never played before.

Coach Jim Mora said he plans on keeping probably five wide receivers. Peerless Price, Dez White, Brian Finneran and rookie Michael Jenkins will more than likely take four of the five spots.

That leaves Dantzler competing for one spot with Jimmy Farris and Terrence Edwards, Willie Quinnie and rookies Chris Curd and Kendrick Mosley.

"I'm a guy who loves challenges," Dantzler said. "I just like to go out there and do something that people say I can't do."

Cornerback Jason Webster, who covered him at minicamp, thinks he has a good chance.

"Why not? He's been working hard and it looks like he knows what he's doing out there," Webster said. "I know when I'm out there covering him, I know I have to be ready."

Price said that wide receiver in the West Coast offense is one of the hardest positions to switch to because there are so many checks and coverage reads. Still, Price said Dantzler is making a smooth transition.

"I think that he's been doing well considering that this is the first time he's ever played the position," Price said. "I think he needs to still learn some of the nuances and the 'cheat' techniques of the position. But he's a great athlete and I think he has a good shot at making this club as a receiver."

Dantzler has an even better shot at being that potential fifth receiver because he has a history of success in the NFL in special teams, where the fifth receiver is the most likely to see playing time.

He returned seven kickoffs for 137 yards (19.4 average) and one punt for 6 yards in nine games last season while being listed as a running back after the Falcons claimed him off waivers from Dallas in September. In five games for the Cowboys in 2002, he had 602 yards on 27 kickoff returns with a touchdown.

Joe DeCamillis, the Falcons' special teams coach, said Dantzler has a good chance of being on the special teams for the second straight season.

"He's catching the ball better as a punt returner and he's learning some of the other things that he's going to need to know to make our football team," DeCamillis said.

Whenever one of your peers comments on your new venture as a "Why not" scenario that is the same same as saying "Fat Chance". Dantzler's days are numbered to the day his pro base salary for a special teams player demands a significant jump.

[jay cee]

It just shows that Dantzler may be a good athlete, but he needs to find another profession.

He's not good enough to stick at QB.
He's not good enough to stick at RB.
He's not good enough to stick at safety.

Now they will try him at WR.

At some point someone will figure out that, while he has some ability and a willingness to try different things, he simply cannot play at an NFL level.

He belongs in the CFL, IMO.


I don't think anyone in the NFL has even tried him at QB. I never saw him play in college, just highlights. So I don't know what he could do. But I thought he put up pretty good passing stats. They don't think he could be a 2nd or 3rd string qb for his entire career like a jason garett?