Hostile
The Duke
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I spoke with Kansas City GM Carl Peterson last week about the issue of signing ability for running back Larry Johnson and defensive end Jared Allen. Peterson would obviously love to have both under long-term contracts, but I got the impression there will be an order to the contract negotiations. Johnson, the workhorse ball carrier, has been in attendance all spring and it would appear he will be first on the list. Peterson is comfortable that a deal could be worked out. Others with limited knowledge of the situation believe Johnson is only going to settle for a contract that is better than the one signed by LaDainian Tomlinson. No one is suggesting Johnson is a better player, but he's close enough that a deal to make him the highest paid running back is possible. ... As for Allen, the caution flag is up for now. But he should eventually be a Chief for a long time. As Peterson said, Allen is serving a four game suspension and one more issue he could be gone for a long time.
The Carolina Panthers have expressed some interest in signing free agent safety Donovin Darius, who was recently released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to sources. However, it's uncertain if the team has made him a concrete offer at this point or if talks are still in the preliminary stages. Either way, there has been some contact made. Oakland and Buffalo are also interested, but you'd have to think Darius, who is 32, would want to come to a team that gives him a shot to win the Super Bowl -- and certainly Carolina appears much closer than Oakland and Buffalo. The problem with Darius is he's coming off two severe injuries.
Although it was hardly a surprise, one player who did not attend the Bucs mandatory minicamp was Broncos free agent quarterback Jake Plummer, who has announced his retirement. Plummer could be subject to fines, but the team won't comment on whether he would face sanctions. Since trading for Plummer in March, the Bucs have not been able to convince the 32-year-old quarterback to report. "We're talking about Jake Plummer here, " Gruden said. "So we'll reserve a roster spot for the Snake a little while longer. If it were Jake Jones or Jake Johnson or Jake Gruden, we'd probably bypass the holding pattern that we're in right now. ... At this point, he's retired, and hopefully at some point, he changes his mind or reconsiders."
What are the chances the Cowboys go after Carolina nose tackle Kris Jenkins? He's still fairly young, and he would be a big upgrade over what we have. He may be an upgrade over Jay Ratliff, but it won’t matter because he’s always hurt. If he’s not in shape now when he needs a job, there’s no reason to think he’ll get in shape or stay in shape once he has a job. I don’t think he’s a good fit.
It's hard out here for a troubled Adam "Pacman" Jones. The suspended Tennessee Titan sought for questioning in an early morning shooting Monday on Atlanta's southside "just can't catch a break," said his lawyer Manny Arora. "You can't do anything," Arora complained Tuesday. "Anything that comes up within a two-mile perimeter [of Jones and his] name comes up in it." Arora confirmed he has met with DeKalb police and is working out an arrangement for his client to speak to investigators looking into the shooting on Moreland Avenue that left a man with minor injuries. Arora wouldn't say when and where Jones' meeting with police might happen, but insisted that when it does it will be outside the glare of the media to protect his client and the integrity of the police investigation. Jones, a College Park native and Westlake High alum, isn't a suspect, but authorities believe that members of his entourage may have been involved. Charges have yet to be filed in the incident. "We intend to fully cooperate with police," Arora said. "We'll get it all done. I don't want to comment on when. We'll do it privately."
It's not his fitness level the Bucs are worried about, it's that shoulder. For Simeon Rice to be Rice - to be effective and create the sack-fumbles that change games - it has to be right. That's why he spent Tuesday morning working inside while everyone else worked outside, and why he spent the afternoon working outside on his own. It's about getting things right and keeping them that way. "Why put Simeon Rice out here in a minicamp and take a chance on an injury?" Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. "Let's just get him to 100 percent and make sure, and then we'll hit Orlando running." That's the goal - Orlando, training camp. That's when the Bucs will find out once and for all whether Rice is capable of regaining his old form. Until then, they wait, seemingly with their fingers crossed.
Until the Patriots resolve the Asante Samuel situation, the team will carry a hole in its loaded-up roster. And a guy who might be able to fill it will be on display today. Cornerback Paul Oliver will work out for NFL scouts, coaches and personnel officials this morning on the Georgia campus he’s called home for the past four years in advance of the July 12 supplemental draft. Oliver was a starter the past two years for the Bulldogs, and planned to return as a fifth-year senior in the fall. He did consider declaring for the draft in January but decided against it, despite being on shaky academic ground. After the spring semester, the university declared Oliver academically ineligible for the fall.
Chris Brown reclaimed a couple of things that had once belonged to him when he re-signed with the Tennessee Titans and made his way back to the practice field Tuesday. Brown’s deal apparently was officially finalized around 11:15 Tuesday morning, as that is when he took the field. He was donning his familiar No. 29, with rookie Chris Henry, who had been wearing it, taking No. 42 instead. Also, Brown’s locker — which had been occupied by undrafted rookie Danny Ware — was back in his possession as well. But the most important possession Brown will try to recover — his starting running back job — will have to wait until training camp. Brown will compete with second-year man LenDale White and Henry for the lion’s share of the carries entering the 2007 season.
In the next five weeks, Brodie Croyle will get married in Mississippi and begin in earnest the process of trying to win the starting quarterback’s job at Chiefs training camp in Wisconsin. Compared to the wedding, he said, “football is a piece of cake.” That’s no reflection on his July 14 nuptials but more on Croyle’s offseason, which has gone about as smoothly as the Chiefs could hope. With only today’s practice remaining among their offseason work, Croyle has shown the Chiefs nothing that would shake their view that he’s the top candidate to replace the departed Trent Green. Croyle may have in fact raised himself in the eyes of the Chiefs and coach Herm Edwards with some sharp throws and intelligent decision-making. If he continues to play well in camp and the preseason, the job is probably his no matter how well the other candidate, veteran Damon Huard, fares.
When it's your time to go, it's your time to go. Yesterday, Eagles long snapper Mike Bartrum acknowledged it was his, retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons. "I can't say enough to show how much I appreciate being able to play in the NFL for so many years," Bartrum said.
Pacman Jones can't seem to stay out of strip clubs or trouble, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says it is too soon to say if the Tennessee Titans cornerback violated the terms of his season-long suspension. DeKalb County police want to question Jones about an incident at an Atlanta-area gentleman's club that ended in gunfire early Monday morning. Investigators do not believe the troubled player was present when shots were fired, but a police report says Jones was involved in a confrontation that may have led to the shooting. At the NFL player health and safety conference on concussions yesterday, Goodell said it was premature for him to comment on the case. "I don't have the facts yet," Goodell said.
Falcons Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall has driven rookie cornerback Chris Houston around town and to the team facility a few times. He is sending a subtle message by the gesture: Accept his extension of friendship and the ride will be smooth – but make no mistake who's behind the wheel. Hall wants to be the player young defensive backs aspire to be, especially those who make him and the rest of the defense look good by doing their jobs to standard, if not better. To help Houston reach his potential, Hall isn't stressing the ins and outs of playing cornerback. He has chosen to help the second-round pick from Arkansas maximize his potential by minimizing potential off-field trappings. The rationale: If a player isn't distracted with the abundance of potential pitfalls that accompany an NFL lifestyle, he'll be better at everything he does.
Wide receiver Laurent Robinson, the Falcons' third-round pick, is close to agreeing to terms with the team. He said a deal could be done by the end of the week.
''One thing I've found very interesting is how knowledgeable the people [of London] are about the Miami Dolphins and the NFL,'' Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said by phone from London. ``They know in detail about Trent Green and were interested in David Martin.'' Cameron fielded questions about the free agent tight end Tuesday during the first day of a three-day hopscotch among London's media and NFL fans to promote the Dolphins' Oct. 28 game against the Giants. Doing the tour along with Cameron were defensive end Jason Taylor, owner H. Wayne Huizenga, general manager Randy Mueller, CEO Joe Bailey and chief operating officer Bryan Wiedmeier. The group met with several print media members in the morning, then Taylor and Cameron did a half-hour on a call-in radio show. While Cameron talked on the phone with The Miami Herald late Tuesday afternoon (in Britain), Taylor was doing a television interview. More of the same follows for the next two days.
The Carolina Panthers have expressed some interest in signing free agent safety Donovin Darius, who was recently released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to sources. However, it's uncertain if the team has made him a concrete offer at this point or if talks are still in the preliminary stages. Either way, there has been some contact made. Oakland and Buffalo are also interested, but you'd have to think Darius, who is 32, would want to come to a team that gives him a shot to win the Super Bowl -- and certainly Carolina appears much closer than Oakland and Buffalo. The problem with Darius is he's coming off two severe injuries.
Although it was hardly a surprise, one player who did not attend the Bucs mandatory minicamp was Broncos free agent quarterback Jake Plummer, who has announced his retirement. Plummer could be subject to fines, but the team won't comment on whether he would face sanctions. Since trading for Plummer in March, the Bucs have not been able to convince the 32-year-old quarterback to report. "We're talking about Jake Plummer here, " Gruden said. "So we'll reserve a roster spot for the Snake a little while longer. If it were Jake Jones or Jake Johnson or Jake Gruden, we'd probably bypass the holding pattern that we're in right now. ... At this point, he's retired, and hopefully at some point, he changes his mind or reconsiders."
What are the chances the Cowboys go after Carolina nose tackle Kris Jenkins? He's still fairly young, and he would be a big upgrade over what we have. He may be an upgrade over Jay Ratliff, but it won’t matter because he’s always hurt. If he’s not in shape now when he needs a job, there’s no reason to think he’ll get in shape or stay in shape once he has a job. I don’t think he’s a good fit.
It's hard out here for a troubled Adam "Pacman" Jones. The suspended Tennessee Titan sought for questioning in an early morning shooting Monday on Atlanta's southside "just can't catch a break," said his lawyer Manny Arora. "You can't do anything," Arora complained Tuesday. "Anything that comes up within a two-mile perimeter [of Jones and his] name comes up in it." Arora confirmed he has met with DeKalb police and is working out an arrangement for his client to speak to investigators looking into the shooting on Moreland Avenue that left a man with minor injuries. Arora wouldn't say when and where Jones' meeting with police might happen, but insisted that when it does it will be outside the glare of the media to protect his client and the integrity of the police investigation. Jones, a College Park native and Westlake High alum, isn't a suspect, but authorities believe that members of his entourage may have been involved. Charges have yet to be filed in the incident. "We intend to fully cooperate with police," Arora said. "We'll get it all done. I don't want to comment on when. We'll do it privately."
It's not his fitness level the Bucs are worried about, it's that shoulder. For Simeon Rice to be Rice - to be effective and create the sack-fumbles that change games - it has to be right. That's why he spent Tuesday morning working inside while everyone else worked outside, and why he spent the afternoon working outside on his own. It's about getting things right and keeping them that way. "Why put Simeon Rice out here in a minicamp and take a chance on an injury?" Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. "Let's just get him to 100 percent and make sure, and then we'll hit Orlando running." That's the goal - Orlando, training camp. That's when the Bucs will find out once and for all whether Rice is capable of regaining his old form. Until then, they wait, seemingly with their fingers crossed.
Until the Patriots resolve the Asante Samuel situation, the team will carry a hole in its loaded-up roster. And a guy who might be able to fill it will be on display today. Cornerback Paul Oliver will work out for NFL scouts, coaches and personnel officials this morning on the Georgia campus he’s called home for the past four years in advance of the July 12 supplemental draft. Oliver was a starter the past two years for the Bulldogs, and planned to return as a fifth-year senior in the fall. He did consider declaring for the draft in January but decided against it, despite being on shaky academic ground. After the spring semester, the university declared Oliver academically ineligible for the fall.
Chris Brown reclaimed a couple of things that had once belonged to him when he re-signed with the Tennessee Titans and made his way back to the practice field Tuesday. Brown’s deal apparently was officially finalized around 11:15 Tuesday morning, as that is when he took the field. He was donning his familiar No. 29, with rookie Chris Henry, who had been wearing it, taking No. 42 instead. Also, Brown’s locker — which had been occupied by undrafted rookie Danny Ware — was back in his possession as well. But the most important possession Brown will try to recover — his starting running back job — will have to wait until training camp. Brown will compete with second-year man LenDale White and Henry for the lion’s share of the carries entering the 2007 season.
In the next five weeks, Brodie Croyle will get married in Mississippi and begin in earnest the process of trying to win the starting quarterback’s job at Chiefs training camp in Wisconsin. Compared to the wedding, he said, “football is a piece of cake.” That’s no reflection on his July 14 nuptials but more on Croyle’s offseason, which has gone about as smoothly as the Chiefs could hope. With only today’s practice remaining among their offseason work, Croyle has shown the Chiefs nothing that would shake their view that he’s the top candidate to replace the departed Trent Green. Croyle may have in fact raised himself in the eyes of the Chiefs and coach Herm Edwards with some sharp throws and intelligent decision-making. If he continues to play well in camp and the preseason, the job is probably his no matter how well the other candidate, veteran Damon Huard, fares.
When it's your time to go, it's your time to go. Yesterday, Eagles long snapper Mike Bartrum acknowledged it was his, retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons. "I can't say enough to show how much I appreciate being able to play in the NFL for so many years," Bartrum said.
Pacman Jones can't seem to stay out of strip clubs or trouble, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says it is too soon to say if the Tennessee Titans cornerback violated the terms of his season-long suspension. DeKalb County police want to question Jones about an incident at an Atlanta-area gentleman's club that ended in gunfire early Monday morning. Investigators do not believe the troubled player was present when shots were fired, but a police report says Jones was involved in a confrontation that may have led to the shooting. At the NFL player health and safety conference on concussions yesterday, Goodell said it was premature for him to comment on the case. "I don't have the facts yet," Goodell said.
Falcons Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall has driven rookie cornerback Chris Houston around town and to the team facility a few times. He is sending a subtle message by the gesture: Accept his extension of friendship and the ride will be smooth – but make no mistake who's behind the wheel. Hall wants to be the player young defensive backs aspire to be, especially those who make him and the rest of the defense look good by doing their jobs to standard, if not better. To help Houston reach his potential, Hall isn't stressing the ins and outs of playing cornerback. He has chosen to help the second-round pick from Arkansas maximize his potential by minimizing potential off-field trappings. The rationale: If a player isn't distracted with the abundance of potential pitfalls that accompany an NFL lifestyle, he'll be better at everything he does.
Wide receiver Laurent Robinson, the Falcons' third-round pick, is close to agreeing to terms with the team. He said a deal could be done by the end of the week.
''One thing I've found very interesting is how knowledgeable the people [of London] are about the Miami Dolphins and the NFL,'' Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said by phone from London. ``They know in detail about Trent Green and were interested in David Martin.'' Cameron fielded questions about the free agent tight end Tuesday during the first day of a three-day hopscotch among London's media and NFL fans to promote the Dolphins' Oct. 28 game against the Giants. Doing the tour along with Cameron were defensive end Jason Taylor, owner H. Wayne Huizenga, general manager Randy Mueller, CEO Joe Bailey and chief operating officer Bryan Wiedmeier. The group met with several print media members in the morning, then Taylor and Cameron did a half-hour on a call-in radio show. While Cameron talked on the phone with The Miami Herald late Tuesday afternoon (in Britain), Taylor was doing a television interview. More of the same follows for the next two days.
