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NFL Insider
McNabb not only QB who was shocked by Eagles' pick
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Henry
Donovan McNabb said he was "shocked" when the Eagles used a second-round pick on University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb. Kolb felt the same way.
"That didn't hurt my feelings at all," Kolb said of McNabb's comments. "I was a little shocked. Why wouldn't he be? It's going to happen to me one day, too. You just have to be able to see it coming and handle all the circumstances the right way. Hopefully, it'll all work out the best for everybody."
The Stephenville product had expected to go to Jacksonville in the second round. Or maybe Green Bay. He knew the Eagles liked him, but they told Kolb they weren't interested in spending a high pick on a quarterback.
Whether McNabb likes it or not, they did. Andy Reid is big on planning for the future, and the Eagles now have their heir apparent.
McNabb is not getting any younger, turning 31 in November, and he has missed time three of the past five seasons with major injuries. McNabb has joked that Kolb could have his job in "15-20 years," but it isn't going to take Kolb that long to learn the offense.
Kolb, who has been in Philadelphia since May 11, estimates that a year from now he will know the "complex" offense inside-out. As to when Kolb will be ready to play, UH coach Art Briles predicts sooner rather than later.
"He's very focused, very intelligent and very humble," Briles said in a telephone interview. "Those are three qualities to have at the quarterback position. He's a guy who is going to stay in tune and stay in rhythm and not do anything to cause any disruptions to himself or anybody else. He's just going to go forward in a focused manner and get the job done. That's how you can survive and start 50 straight games like he did."
Kolb joins a team that has had only two losing seasons in eight under Reid, with six playoff appearances and an 88-54 record, including the postseason. And Kolb gets to learn at the hand of McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowler who has made 98 career starts, and veteran backup A.J. Feeley, who has 13 career starts.
"I knew it was a great organization, but I didn't know it was this good until I got here," Kolb said.
Overhyped Romo?
One thing we know for sure: Keyshawn Johnson isn't going to be shy about speaking his mind on ESPN. He created controversy the day he announced his retirement.
When asked who the most overhyped player in the league is, Johnson, who played two seasons with the Cowboys, told the Los Angeles Times, "Tony Romo. He's with the Dallas Cowboys. He's played five games. He's an overhyped deal."
Johnson never did let facts get in the way of a good quote. Romo played in 12 games. He was 6-5 as a starter, including the playoff loss to the Seahawks. Romo also went to the Pro Bowl, though that speaks more to how poorly the quarterbacks in the NFC played last season.
Ferguson due a break
The Packers failed to trade for Randy Moss. They didn't sign Keyshawn Johnson. Koren Robinson's future still is in doubt. So Robert Ferguson gets another chance.
The former Texas A&M standout has had his past three seasons end with a major injury. In six seasons, he has played in all 16 games only once.
Last year, it was a serious foot injury in a game against the Eagles on Oct. 2 that landed him on injured reserve three weeks later.
"Guys go through injury periods in their careers," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "The way I've looked at it is, if you see the commitment and see the guy doing it in the off-season, then you have to believe he can come out of it."
THE BLITZ
Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Ryan Tucker, who missed five games last season with a mental disorder, showed up to off-season workouts in great physical shape. But the former TCU standout said his mental problems aren't totally behind him. "I'll just take it day by day," Tucker told The Plain Dealer. "Anything can happen tomorrow."
Washington Commanders running back Clinton Portis, who played with a separated shoulder last season until a broken hand landed him on injured reserve, has developed patella tendinitis in his knee. The injury does not appear to be serious. Commanders director of sports medicine Bubba Tyer told Washington reporters that Portis should be fine after some minor therapy.
T.J. Duckett, who scored 29 rushing touchdowns in four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, is looking for a second chance in Detroit after riding the bench last year in Washington. Tatum Bell, acquired in a trade with Denver, is the favorite to win the starting job. Duckett will compete for time with Kevin Jones, Shawn Bryson and Brian Calhoun, all three of whom had season-ending injuries in 2006.
MY FIVE CENTS
1 The Carolina Panthers were asking too much for defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, demanding a first-round pick, so now they're stuck with an overweight, overrated player. Jenkins, a three-time Pro Bowler, briefly was one of the top players at his position before missing 27 of 32 games in 2004 and 2005 with injuries. He reportedly recently weighed in at 380 pounds, 40 pounds overweight.
2 The Cleveland Browns are hoping Charlie Frye beats out Brady Quinn for the starting quarterback job in training camp. They would rather not start a rookie quarterback for the fourth time in nine seasons since returning to the NFL as an expansion team. But it's probably a pretty good bet that Quinn makes his first start at some point in 2007.
3 The Tennessee Titans drafted Texas safety Michael Griffin and promptly moved him to cornerback, even though free safety Lamont Thompson is a liability. Tennessee, though, appears serious about replacing Thompson. Calvin Lowry, Vincent Fuller and Bryan Scott are being given chances to win the starting job.
4 Trent Green still hopes to be traded to Miami, where he has ties with coach Cam Cameron and quarterbacks coach Terry Shea. He already has agreed to contract terms with the Dolphins. Compensation, though, continues to be the hangup, and Kansas City appears to be in no hurry to deal Green.
5 The Jags are growing tired of Matt Jones' health problems. If it's not one injury, it's another with Jones, a former college quarterback who was drafted in the first round in 2005. Jones has missed several recent practices with a sore quadriceps. He has had groin and hamstring problems the past two years.
WHO'S HOT
Bears receiver Devin Hester, above: The Bears couldn't be happier with Hester's transition from cornerback. He is proving to be a good route runner, sure-handed, and, after the catch, he has made defenders miss. Chicago is satisfied it has found a new weapon.
WHO'S NOT
Browns center LeCharles Bentley: Bentley is contemplating a third surgery on the patella tendon he ruptured during training camp last year. That would force him to miss his second consecutive season, which he probably will do anyway. Bentley has not commented since developing a serious staph infection after his initial surgery.
THE NUMBER
$3.5 million to $4 million The salary Keyshawn Johnson left on the table to join ESPN. The Titans had offered a two-year deal worth between $7 million and $8 million. Johnson finished his career with 814 receptions, 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns.
"The one thing I notice is they're going to run the out zone play all day. Outside zone. Inside. And I like the fact that they give me one one-cut read, and I'm downhill. That's my forte."
New Broncos running back Travis Henry to the Rocky Mountain News
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760
McNabb not only QB who was shocked by Eagles' pick
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Henry
Donovan McNabb said he was "shocked" when the Eagles used a second-round pick on University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb. Kolb felt the same way.
"That didn't hurt my feelings at all," Kolb said of McNabb's comments. "I was a little shocked. Why wouldn't he be? It's going to happen to me one day, too. You just have to be able to see it coming and handle all the circumstances the right way. Hopefully, it'll all work out the best for everybody."
The Stephenville product had expected to go to Jacksonville in the second round. Or maybe Green Bay. He knew the Eagles liked him, but they told Kolb they weren't interested in spending a high pick on a quarterback.
Whether McNabb likes it or not, they did. Andy Reid is big on planning for the future, and the Eagles now have their heir apparent.
McNabb is not getting any younger, turning 31 in November, and he has missed time three of the past five seasons with major injuries. McNabb has joked that Kolb could have his job in "15-20 years," but it isn't going to take Kolb that long to learn the offense.
Kolb, who has been in Philadelphia since May 11, estimates that a year from now he will know the "complex" offense inside-out. As to when Kolb will be ready to play, UH coach Art Briles predicts sooner rather than later.
"He's very focused, very intelligent and very humble," Briles said in a telephone interview. "Those are three qualities to have at the quarterback position. He's a guy who is going to stay in tune and stay in rhythm and not do anything to cause any disruptions to himself or anybody else. He's just going to go forward in a focused manner and get the job done. That's how you can survive and start 50 straight games like he did."
Kolb joins a team that has had only two losing seasons in eight under Reid, with six playoff appearances and an 88-54 record, including the postseason. And Kolb gets to learn at the hand of McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowler who has made 98 career starts, and veteran backup A.J. Feeley, who has 13 career starts.
"I knew it was a great organization, but I didn't know it was this good until I got here," Kolb said.
Overhyped Romo?
One thing we know for sure: Keyshawn Johnson isn't going to be shy about speaking his mind on ESPN. He created controversy the day he announced his retirement.
When asked who the most overhyped player in the league is, Johnson, who played two seasons with the Cowboys, told the Los Angeles Times, "Tony Romo. He's with the Dallas Cowboys. He's played five games. He's an overhyped deal."
Johnson never did let facts get in the way of a good quote. Romo played in 12 games. He was 6-5 as a starter, including the playoff loss to the Seahawks. Romo also went to the Pro Bowl, though that speaks more to how poorly the quarterbacks in the NFC played last season.
Ferguson due a break
The Packers failed to trade for Randy Moss. They didn't sign Keyshawn Johnson. Koren Robinson's future still is in doubt. So Robert Ferguson gets another chance.
The former Texas A&M standout has had his past three seasons end with a major injury. In six seasons, he has played in all 16 games only once.
Last year, it was a serious foot injury in a game against the Eagles on Oct. 2 that landed him on injured reserve three weeks later.
"Guys go through injury periods in their careers," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "The way I've looked at it is, if you see the commitment and see the guy doing it in the off-season, then you have to believe he can come out of it."
THE BLITZ
Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Ryan Tucker, who missed five games last season with a mental disorder, showed up to off-season workouts in great physical shape. But the former TCU standout said his mental problems aren't totally behind him. "I'll just take it day by day," Tucker told The Plain Dealer. "Anything can happen tomorrow."
Washington Commanders running back Clinton Portis, who played with a separated shoulder last season until a broken hand landed him on injured reserve, has developed patella tendinitis in his knee. The injury does not appear to be serious. Commanders director of sports medicine Bubba Tyer told Washington reporters that Portis should be fine after some minor therapy.
T.J. Duckett, who scored 29 rushing touchdowns in four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, is looking for a second chance in Detroit after riding the bench last year in Washington. Tatum Bell, acquired in a trade with Denver, is the favorite to win the starting job. Duckett will compete for time with Kevin Jones, Shawn Bryson and Brian Calhoun, all three of whom had season-ending injuries in 2006.
MY FIVE CENTS
1 The Carolina Panthers were asking too much for defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, demanding a first-round pick, so now they're stuck with an overweight, overrated player. Jenkins, a three-time Pro Bowler, briefly was one of the top players at his position before missing 27 of 32 games in 2004 and 2005 with injuries. He reportedly recently weighed in at 380 pounds, 40 pounds overweight.
2 The Cleveland Browns are hoping Charlie Frye beats out Brady Quinn for the starting quarterback job in training camp. They would rather not start a rookie quarterback for the fourth time in nine seasons since returning to the NFL as an expansion team. But it's probably a pretty good bet that Quinn makes his first start at some point in 2007.
3 The Tennessee Titans drafted Texas safety Michael Griffin and promptly moved him to cornerback, even though free safety Lamont Thompson is a liability. Tennessee, though, appears serious about replacing Thompson. Calvin Lowry, Vincent Fuller and Bryan Scott are being given chances to win the starting job.
4 Trent Green still hopes to be traded to Miami, where he has ties with coach Cam Cameron and quarterbacks coach Terry Shea. He already has agreed to contract terms with the Dolphins. Compensation, though, continues to be the hangup, and Kansas City appears to be in no hurry to deal Green.
5 The Jags are growing tired of Matt Jones' health problems. If it's not one injury, it's another with Jones, a former college quarterback who was drafted in the first round in 2005. Jones has missed several recent practices with a sore quadriceps. He has had groin and hamstring problems the past two years.
WHO'S HOT
Bears receiver Devin Hester, above: The Bears couldn't be happier with Hester's transition from cornerback. He is proving to be a good route runner, sure-handed, and, after the catch, he has made defenders miss. Chicago is satisfied it has found a new weapon.
WHO'S NOT
Browns center LeCharles Bentley: Bentley is contemplating a third surgery on the patella tendon he ruptured during training camp last year. That would force him to miss his second consecutive season, which he probably will do anyway. Bentley has not commented since developing a serious staph infection after his initial surgery.
THE NUMBER
$3.5 million to $4 million The salary Keyshawn Johnson left on the table to join ESPN. The Titans had offered a two-year deal worth between $7 million and $8 million. Johnson finished his career with 814 receptions, 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns.
"The one thing I notice is they're going to run the out zone play all day. Outside zone. Inside. And I like the fact that they give me one one-cut read, and I'm downhill. That's my forte."
New Broncos running back Travis Henry to the Rocky Mountain News
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760
