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NFC Whispers
The Eagles have put Winston Justice on the block. The fact that he’s available speaks volumes about what they think of Justice, considering that the team sorely needs to develop a tackle with both Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan hitting free agency and Runyan out 4-6 months following microfracture surgery. The Eagles’ coaches never found a good home for Justice, and he might never be more than a backup left guard or emergency tackle for another team.
The Commanders are concerned that WR Malcolm Kelly’s knee is going to be an annual problem. Kelly is continuing to rehab following a mostly lost rookie season, which was slowed by said knee, but despite head coach Jim Zorn’s optimism about his young wideout, we hear that team officials worry that the injury will be a source of concern and unsteadiness for the foreseeable future.
Don’t look for the Packers to move Charles Woodson to strong safety as they did late last season. “I foresee Charles staying on the corner,” Packers head coach Mike McCarthy told PFW at the Combine. “He’s obviously played the nickel for us, too. I think the defensive change will definitely help him. A player with Charles’ experience and understanding of how the opponent is trying to attack him, the ability to play with more vision to the football, I think will definitely allow him to get more opportunities to get his hands on the ball.”
Don’t be surprised if the Lions consider free-agent MLB Mike Peterson, who won’t return to the Jaguars. Peterson’s stock is a bit down after clashing with head coach Jack Del Rio and seeing a dip in his production, but the Lions need major help on the defensive end, including some hitters at linebacker, and Detroit might be a decent option for Peterson to revive his career at age 32.
We hear the Bears will probably decide to hang on to veteran CB Nathan Vasher, even though his status has diminished after a subpar 2008 campaign. In addition to the Bears having to take a cap hit of more than $4.76 million if they released Vasher, it’s also worth noting that his exit would leave the team’s CB ranks dangerously thin, with Zack Bowman, Trumaine McBride and Rudy Burgess being the only other corners under contract aside from Charles Tillman, who is coming off of reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder, and Corey Graham.
After unloading big bucks to re-sign OLT Jordan Gross and designate DE Julius Peppers as their franchise player, the Panthers will make some cuts before the start of free agency on Feb. 27 to clear cap space, we’re told. The most likely cap casualties include LB Landon Johnson, WR D.J. Hackett, OT-OG Jeremy Bridges and CB Ken Lucas. Releasing those four players would clear more than $7 million in cap space, sources say.
While adding pieces to the defense will be the Saints’ main focus this offseason, head coach Sean Payton said he’ll be looking to for a power running back in free agency or the draft to be used in 3rd-and-short situations. He admitted to having some concerns about the durability of his top two rushers, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, and will pursue a back with “some size” and “staying power inside (the tackles).”
Considering his track record, you can never rule out Seahawks team president Tim Ruskell as an active participant in the free-agent market. But the way we were hearing it at this year’s Combine, it has become more and more unlikely that he will come anywhere close to considering any high-profile free agents such as Titans DT Albert Haynesworth and Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, both of whom would be decent fits in Seattle. Ruskell told a team insider in Indianapolis that franchising Leroy Hill will be by far the most significant free-agent move the team will make this year.
It appears Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo isn’t quite ready to officially move LB Will Witherspoon from the middle to the weak side, as most daily team observers expect him to do. “A final decision hasn’t been made on that,” Spagnuolo told PFW at this year’s Combine. “But you’ve got to remember, Kenny Flajole, our defensive coordinator, worked with Will (in Carolina), so he has a pretty good idea of his abilities. As we see it all unfold with the other players around him, we’ll make that call.”
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+Way+We+Hear+It/Whispers/2009/wrapup022209.htm
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+Way+We+Hear+It/Whispers/2009/wrapup022209.htm
