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June 6, 2009 5:35 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Thanks once again for planning your weekend around the Mailbag. It's a labor of love -- especially for those of you who read the whole thing. I've been asked to limit the Bag to 3,000 words this weekend. We have lots of ground to cover, so let's cut the monologue short and go right to your questions.
RodeoJones000 left this question in the "comments" section Friday afternoon: Matt, thanks for the blog. It's the first thing (and usually the second through 12th thing) I check online each day. In regards to Westbrook, assuming it's not as serious as some are implying, do you think this could actually be a blessing in disguise for Philly? Westbrook gets another thing done to help ensure his heath, and he gets to rest up for the season. And [LeSean] McCoy then gets to spend training camp running with the first team and learning the offense. Again, this is assuming Westbrook's procedure was just a simple "cleaning" and not a sign of something serious.
And also regarding Westbrook, do you think the Eagles go out and sign someone as insurance just in case he's hurt more than he's saying? If so, any idea who?
Mosley: RodeoJones, we really appreciate your efforts. You doubled our numbers last week with all those clicks. And no, I don't think it's necessarily a good thing for Westbrook to go through yet another surgery. No matter what spin the Eagles on it, Westbrook's been cut on twice this offseason. And he's nearing that stage of his career when running backs often seen their numbers start to fall off. McCoy would've received plenty of reps whether or not Westbrook was out. And none of the guys out there really do much for me. The Giants have an embarrassment of riches at tailback, but they probably don't want Danny Ware turning into the next Ryan Grant. Lorenzo Booker's still on the roster, but he hasn't been able to get on the field. And that was the case for him in Miami, too. As NFC Beast senior correspondent Sal Paolantonio wrote Thursday, Edgerrin James and Rudi Johnson are names to consider. I don't think James really fits what the Eagles are trying to do. Johnson might be a little better fit. And Warrick Dunn might be a better fit than either one of those guys.
Pete R. is worried about Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett: I'm wondering if Garrett did the right thing staying in Dallas. If they do well, Phillips gets the credit. If they do poorly, most likely they'll both get the axe. I can't see Jerry Jones deciding that after a bad season, he needs to get rid of Wade, but keep his OC. Should Jason have pursued the opportunities that were out there last year?
Mosley: Garrett did pursue the opportunities that were out there after the '08 season. But he did turn down the opportunity to coach the Ravens or Falcons following the '07 campaign. I wouldn't worry about Garrett too much. He's the highest paid assistant coach in football at $3 million last time I checked. And if the Cowboys' offense succeeds without T.O., Garrett's star will be on the rise again. In fact, he'd probably receive more credit than Phillips. If the Cowboys have another poor season, neither guy will be back.
Gilldog41 says it's foolish to be concerned about the Cowboys' secondary: Matt, you ranked the Cowboys' secondary third in the NFC East? They were fifth in pass defense in the NFL and [Terence] Newman wasn't healthy until midseason and he's the best corner in the NFC. [Orlando] Scandrick and [Mike} Jenkins are going to be better than [Anthony] Henry. [Gerald] Sensabaugh will be better than Roy Williams/Pat Watkins/Keith Davis. And Ken Hamlin couldn't play any worse than he did last year. I'm loving their secondary right now. Its comical when fans are concerned about Dallas' secondary.
Mosley: When healthy, Newman is an elite corner. But he's struggled with injuries for two years running and he's in his early 30s. The Cowboys have asked Newman to back off some of his workouts this offseason in an effort to keep him fresh for the season. He's a finely tuned machine, but if one little thing goes wrong, he tends to break down all over. And I think you can make the argument that Corey Webster and Asante Samuel are both better corners than Newman right now. I agree that Sensabaugh's an upgrade, but it has to concern you a little bit that he was allowed to hit the free-agent market. He's an amazing athlete, but I'm not convinced he's the long-term solution. I expect Hamlin to improve this season, in part, because he'll trust Sensabaugh.
Bcohn17 has asked to make a statement: Matt, I just want to thank you for not having my account shut down for all the [grief] I give you. It can't be easy satisfying such voracious fans that are all in competition.That's it...no questions from me.
Mosley: Bcohn, I finally figured out how to pull the plug on your account. Consider this your final comment -- in this mailbag.
Skflogan has a question about the position battle going on at right tackle for the Commanders: With Jon Jansen gone, do you think that anyone that we have will be a good fit? To tell the truth, I'm not sold on [Stephon] Heyer. All signs point to him being the starter since that's what they had planned for last year.
Mosley: It's Heyer's job to lose, Skflogan. I think the Mike Williams comeback story is pretty compelling, but there's no way (in my mind) that he'll be in game shape early in the season. I think his best-case scenario is to make the team as a backup. And don't forget about Jeremy Bridges. He's a guy who's had some off-field issues, but he still has some ability. If Heyer falters, Bridges might be the guy waiting in the wings. Too many of you have bitten hook, line and sinker on this Williams storyline. There's almost no way he sees the field in '09.
MJC121 wants to discuss a certain Cowboys wide receiver: Mr. Mosley, I want to know the role of WR Miles Austin this season. He showed signs of greatness last year. Is he going to be a major target for [Tony] Romo this year? And if he is, what kind of impact does he bring to an already diverse offense?
Mosley: At this point, Austin's actually Romo's favorite recevier. I'm serious. The two bonded big time in last year's training camp, and Romo has a lot of confidence in him. Romo and Roy Williams still don't appear to be on the same page in the OTAs I've observed. And Williams' insistence on talking about how Romo and him have "broken down boundaries" is sort of embarrassing. There's a chance that Austin is one of the Beast's breakout stars in '09. I had a chance to talk to him for a little while Friday. Everyone keeps asking him if he's going to be the No. 2 receiver. And you can tell it sort of frustrates him. In his mind, he has a chance to be the No. 1 receiver.
ProbablyJason is making things personal: Personal questions on the life of a blogger: Ever gotten to sit down with any of the owners? If so, who's the chillest to be around? Does the new Cowboys Stadium blow everything away or is it pretty standard, just really big? Did you go to school for journalism? Ever think you'd get such a cool job at ESPN?
Mosley: PJ, I've had the opportunity to sit down with several owners over the past seven or eight years. My first NFL gig was covering the Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News/***BANNED-URL***, so I've had a chance to spend a lot of time with Jerry Jones over the years. I don't know if I'd call him the "chillest" owner I've been around, but he's had a pretty remarkable career. In my mind, his best trait is his thick skin. He never takes anything personal. and that's why we've continued to have a solid rapport over the years. I've had good visits with Dan Snyder, the late Lamar Hunt and Dan Rooney over the years. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way Mr. Rooney approaches things...Cowboys Stadium is the biggest venue I've ever been in. Until you see it close, it's impossible to describe the size. I certainly wouldn't call it "pretty standard." It's about what you'd expect from Jones...I only took one journalism class at Baylor (Gould's travels), but I did a lot of writing in my English and History courses. I majored in speech communications with a minor in history. I actually attended law school, but decided pretty quickly that I didn't want to be a lawyer. Most of my professors supported that decision. I never really thought about working for ESPN.com. I grew up in the Dallas area, so the Dallas Morning News was my dream job. But my editor at the DMN took a job with ESPN.com -- and he took me with him. OK, that's enough personal stuff for one mailbag.
Jwuer has a Giants question -- thank goodness: Matt, I hope I can get a question in. I've never been able to. The Giants have something new in their WR corps that they have not had in the past, and it seems to be overlooked by the "No Plax/No Toomer" crowd. They have a ton more speed in their WR group this year. Hixon, Smith, Manningham are all quick guys and Nicks seems to have quick game speed. Do you think [Kevin] Gilbride will be able to effectively deploy this new explosive combination, and will Eli [Manning]be able to be accurate enough to deal with it? Also, do you see [Sinorice] Moss being a Giant at the end of training camp?
Mosley: Jwuer, congrats on your first mailbag appearance. Something you'll be able to tell the grandkids about. Regarding your question, I'm not sure it's breaking news that the Giants have some speed. Manningham, Moss and Hixon were all on the roster last year. I wouldn't put Steve Smith in the "speed" category. He's able to get open because of his route-running and he certainly has good hands. But no matter what he says, he doesn't have the speed to play wideout at this level. Nicks will remind you of Anquan Boldin. Big, thick guy who will do a nice job of running after the catch. He'll also work the middle of the field. So I don't think the departure of Burress means a whole new emphasis on speed. I think what will happen, though, is Manning will have an entire offseason to work exclusively with these guys. Manningham might be the biggest wildcard of all the guys. I think the Giants love his potential, but they don't trust him yet. And you're right to ask about Moss. This is sink or swim season for him. He's obviously limited because of his lack of size. If he doesn't shine in preseason, it wouldn't surprise me to see him get cut. I think Smith and Hixon will start. And Nicks might crack the starting lineup midway through the season. Sorry we waited so long to talk Giants. That's my fault.
Jiggybree wants to go back to Westbrook: Are the Eagles hiding the fact that Westbrook's injury is more serious then originally thought? If so, will they look to the free agent market for a replacement, with so many veterans available? (IE- E.James, R.Johnson, W.Dunn)
Mosley: When you isolate the surgery that Westbrook had to remove bone spurs in his right ankle, it's not that serious. And no, I don't think the Eagles have a huge secret with Westbrook that they're "hiding." But the problem is that Westbrook's had a history of knee and ankle injuries. Those things add up. If he didn't have an history of ankle issues, we wouldn't give the bone spurs surgery a lot of attention. But this is a guy who makes his living on being able to cut on a dime and make people miss. We've seen what Westbrook looks like when he's not quite right (see '08), and it's sort of naive to believe that separate knee and ankle surgeries in the same offseason aren't cause for concern. And yes, I think the Eagles need insurance at tailback. They need an instinctive runner who will perform well in the team's zone-blocking scheme. As I said earlier, I don't think James is the right fit at all. If you determine that Dunn still has a little something left, that's the direction I'd go. Rudi Johnson needs a fresh start, but I'm not sure Philly's a great fit for him either, Truthfully, there's no one out there who excites me. I'd give it some time and see what happens in the other training camps.
OK, we've surpassed 2,100 words. Alarms going off in Bristol. Thanks for your time.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Thanks once again for planning your weekend around the Mailbag. It's a labor of love -- especially for those of you who read the whole thing. I've been asked to limit the Bag to 3,000 words this weekend. We have lots of ground to cover, so let's cut the monologue short and go right to your questions.
RodeoJones000 left this question in the "comments" section Friday afternoon: Matt, thanks for the blog. It's the first thing (and usually the second through 12th thing) I check online each day. In regards to Westbrook, assuming it's not as serious as some are implying, do you think this could actually be a blessing in disguise for Philly? Westbrook gets another thing done to help ensure his heath, and he gets to rest up for the season. And [LeSean] McCoy then gets to spend training camp running with the first team and learning the offense. Again, this is assuming Westbrook's procedure was just a simple "cleaning" and not a sign of something serious.
And also regarding Westbrook, do you think the Eagles go out and sign someone as insurance just in case he's hurt more than he's saying? If so, any idea who?
Mosley: RodeoJones, we really appreciate your efforts. You doubled our numbers last week with all those clicks. And no, I don't think it's necessarily a good thing for Westbrook to go through yet another surgery. No matter what spin the Eagles on it, Westbrook's been cut on twice this offseason. And he's nearing that stage of his career when running backs often seen their numbers start to fall off. McCoy would've received plenty of reps whether or not Westbrook was out. And none of the guys out there really do much for me. The Giants have an embarrassment of riches at tailback, but they probably don't want Danny Ware turning into the next Ryan Grant. Lorenzo Booker's still on the roster, but he hasn't been able to get on the field. And that was the case for him in Miami, too. As NFC Beast senior correspondent Sal Paolantonio wrote Thursday, Edgerrin James and Rudi Johnson are names to consider. I don't think James really fits what the Eagles are trying to do. Johnson might be a little better fit. And Warrick Dunn might be a better fit than either one of those guys.
Pete R. is worried about Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett: I'm wondering if Garrett did the right thing staying in Dallas. If they do well, Phillips gets the credit. If they do poorly, most likely they'll both get the axe. I can't see Jerry Jones deciding that after a bad season, he needs to get rid of Wade, but keep his OC. Should Jason have pursued the opportunities that were out there last year?
Mosley: Garrett did pursue the opportunities that were out there after the '08 season. But he did turn down the opportunity to coach the Ravens or Falcons following the '07 campaign. I wouldn't worry about Garrett too much. He's the highest paid assistant coach in football at $3 million last time I checked. And if the Cowboys' offense succeeds without T.O., Garrett's star will be on the rise again. In fact, he'd probably receive more credit than Phillips. If the Cowboys have another poor season, neither guy will be back.
Gilldog41 says it's foolish to be concerned about the Cowboys' secondary: Matt, you ranked the Cowboys' secondary third in the NFC East? They were fifth in pass defense in the NFL and [Terence] Newman wasn't healthy until midseason and he's the best corner in the NFC. [Orlando] Scandrick and [Mike} Jenkins are going to be better than [Anthony] Henry. [Gerald] Sensabaugh will be better than Roy Williams/Pat Watkins/Keith Davis. And Ken Hamlin couldn't play any worse than he did last year. I'm loving their secondary right now. Its comical when fans are concerned about Dallas' secondary.
Mosley: When healthy, Newman is an elite corner. But he's struggled with injuries for two years running and he's in his early 30s. The Cowboys have asked Newman to back off some of his workouts this offseason in an effort to keep him fresh for the season. He's a finely tuned machine, but if one little thing goes wrong, he tends to break down all over. And I think you can make the argument that Corey Webster and Asante Samuel are both better corners than Newman right now. I agree that Sensabaugh's an upgrade, but it has to concern you a little bit that he was allowed to hit the free-agent market. He's an amazing athlete, but I'm not convinced he's the long-term solution. I expect Hamlin to improve this season, in part, because he'll trust Sensabaugh.
Bcohn17 has asked to make a statement: Matt, I just want to thank you for not having my account shut down for all the [grief] I give you. It can't be easy satisfying such voracious fans that are all in competition.That's it...no questions from me.
Mosley: Bcohn, I finally figured out how to pull the plug on your account. Consider this your final comment -- in this mailbag.
Skflogan has a question about the position battle going on at right tackle for the Commanders: With Jon Jansen gone, do you think that anyone that we have will be a good fit? To tell the truth, I'm not sold on [Stephon] Heyer. All signs point to him being the starter since that's what they had planned for last year.
Mosley: It's Heyer's job to lose, Skflogan. I think the Mike Williams comeback story is pretty compelling, but there's no way (in my mind) that he'll be in game shape early in the season. I think his best-case scenario is to make the team as a backup. And don't forget about Jeremy Bridges. He's a guy who's had some off-field issues, but he still has some ability. If Heyer falters, Bridges might be the guy waiting in the wings. Too many of you have bitten hook, line and sinker on this Williams storyline. There's almost no way he sees the field in '09.
MJC121 wants to discuss a certain Cowboys wide receiver: Mr. Mosley, I want to know the role of WR Miles Austin this season. He showed signs of greatness last year. Is he going to be a major target for [Tony] Romo this year? And if he is, what kind of impact does he bring to an already diverse offense?
Mosley: At this point, Austin's actually Romo's favorite recevier. I'm serious. The two bonded big time in last year's training camp, and Romo has a lot of confidence in him. Romo and Roy Williams still don't appear to be on the same page in the OTAs I've observed. And Williams' insistence on talking about how Romo and him have "broken down boundaries" is sort of embarrassing. There's a chance that Austin is one of the Beast's breakout stars in '09. I had a chance to talk to him for a little while Friday. Everyone keeps asking him if he's going to be the No. 2 receiver. And you can tell it sort of frustrates him. In his mind, he has a chance to be the No. 1 receiver.
ProbablyJason is making things personal: Personal questions on the life of a blogger: Ever gotten to sit down with any of the owners? If so, who's the chillest to be around? Does the new Cowboys Stadium blow everything away or is it pretty standard, just really big? Did you go to school for journalism? Ever think you'd get such a cool job at ESPN?
Mosley: PJ, I've had the opportunity to sit down with several owners over the past seven or eight years. My first NFL gig was covering the Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News/***BANNED-URL***, so I've had a chance to spend a lot of time with Jerry Jones over the years. I don't know if I'd call him the "chillest" owner I've been around, but he's had a pretty remarkable career. In my mind, his best trait is his thick skin. He never takes anything personal. and that's why we've continued to have a solid rapport over the years. I've had good visits with Dan Snyder, the late Lamar Hunt and Dan Rooney over the years. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way Mr. Rooney approaches things...Cowboys Stadium is the biggest venue I've ever been in. Until you see it close, it's impossible to describe the size. I certainly wouldn't call it "pretty standard." It's about what you'd expect from Jones...I only took one journalism class at Baylor (Gould's travels), but I did a lot of writing in my English and History courses. I majored in speech communications with a minor in history. I actually attended law school, but decided pretty quickly that I didn't want to be a lawyer. Most of my professors supported that decision. I never really thought about working for ESPN.com. I grew up in the Dallas area, so the Dallas Morning News was my dream job. But my editor at the DMN took a job with ESPN.com -- and he took me with him. OK, that's enough personal stuff for one mailbag.
Jwuer has a Giants question -- thank goodness: Matt, I hope I can get a question in. I've never been able to. The Giants have something new in their WR corps that they have not had in the past, and it seems to be overlooked by the "No Plax/No Toomer" crowd. They have a ton more speed in their WR group this year. Hixon, Smith, Manningham are all quick guys and Nicks seems to have quick game speed. Do you think [Kevin] Gilbride will be able to effectively deploy this new explosive combination, and will Eli [Manning]be able to be accurate enough to deal with it? Also, do you see [Sinorice] Moss being a Giant at the end of training camp?
Mosley: Jwuer, congrats on your first mailbag appearance. Something you'll be able to tell the grandkids about. Regarding your question, I'm not sure it's breaking news that the Giants have some speed. Manningham, Moss and Hixon were all on the roster last year. I wouldn't put Steve Smith in the "speed" category. He's able to get open because of his route-running and he certainly has good hands. But no matter what he says, he doesn't have the speed to play wideout at this level. Nicks will remind you of Anquan Boldin. Big, thick guy who will do a nice job of running after the catch. He'll also work the middle of the field. So I don't think the departure of Burress means a whole new emphasis on speed. I think what will happen, though, is Manning will have an entire offseason to work exclusively with these guys. Manningham might be the biggest wildcard of all the guys. I think the Giants love his potential, but they don't trust him yet. And you're right to ask about Moss. This is sink or swim season for him. He's obviously limited because of his lack of size. If he doesn't shine in preseason, it wouldn't surprise me to see him get cut. I think Smith and Hixon will start. And Nicks might crack the starting lineup midway through the season. Sorry we waited so long to talk Giants. That's my fault.
Jiggybree wants to go back to Westbrook: Are the Eagles hiding the fact that Westbrook's injury is more serious then originally thought? If so, will they look to the free agent market for a replacement, with so many veterans available? (IE- E.James, R.Johnson, W.Dunn)
Mosley: When you isolate the surgery that Westbrook had to remove bone spurs in his right ankle, it's not that serious. And no, I don't think the Eagles have a huge secret with Westbrook that they're "hiding." But the problem is that Westbrook's had a history of knee and ankle injuries. Those things add up. If he didn't have an history of ankle issues, we wouldn't give the bone spurs surgery a lot of attention. But this is a guy who makes his living on being able to cut on a dime and make people miss. We've seen what Westbrook looks like when he's not quite right (see '08), and it's sort of naive to believe that separate knee and ankle surgeries in the same offseason aren't cause for concern. And yes, I think the Eagles need insurance at tailback. They need an instinctive runner who will perform well in the team's zone-blocking scheme. As I said earlier, I don't think James is the right fit at all. If you determine that Dunn still has a little something left, that's the direction I'd go. Rudi Johnson needs a fresh start, but I'm not sure Philly's a great fit for him either, Truthfully, there's no one out there who excites me. I'd give it some time and see what happens in the other training camps.
OK, we've surpassed 2,100 words. Alarms going off in Bristol. Thanks for your time.
