BigDFan5
Cowboys Make me Drink
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- The Titans have reached out with an initial offer to free-agent DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and appear to be making re-signing him a priority this offseason.
- The Bears expect to have the entire starting defense intact for this week’s playoff game. SS Mike Brown (calf) and SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer (thumb) could have played last week had Chicago been involved in the wild-card round. Hillenmeyer will wear a soft cast but had a pin in his thumb removed.
- A national television report that indicated there is virtually no communication between Chargers general manager A.J. Smith and head coach Marty Schottenheimer was overstated, according to our sources in San Diego. But that does not mean there is a smooth relationship there. We’re told the two don’t get along well, and if Smith had executive power, Schottenheimer probably would not be the coach. Team president Dean Spanos made it clear recently that Schottenheimer’s job is not in jeopardy, but he did offer a warning shot of sorts, indicating that the playoffs are a must for 2006.
- Bringing in Brad Childress might have helped save Michael Bennett from shopping for a new address. Bennett, an unrestricted free agent in March, was recruited by Childress to Wisconsin and appears to fit Childress’ style of offense. Also, Childress said RB Onterrio Smith had a “clean slate” with the new coaching staff.
- Sources in Minnesota tell PFW that the Vikings are unlikely to hire either of their in-house candidates, Scott Studwell or Jeff Robinson, as personnel chief. Even though both had roles in the Vikings’ committee approach within the front office and lack the type of egos that would undermine shared authority, the Vikings want a more experienced evaluator. The qualified candidate has to have also proven capable of operating in a democratic front office. One name to watch, we’re told, is Eagles assistant director of player personnel Jason Licht.
- Bears coaches insist WR Muhsin Muhammad gave the team everything it expected this season, even though he had just 750 receiving yards on the year. Muhammad, observers said, had several drops that cannot be blamed on others, but his production decline was a reflection of the passing offense as a whole.
- Lions team president Matt Millen won’t rule out keeping WR Charles Rogers, but team sources say a decision in the team’s grievance against Rogers — Detroit seeks a return of $10.1 million of Rogers’ $14.4 million signing bonus — might ultimately dictate the direction this relationship takes.
- The Vikings would not confirm or deny that QB Brad Johnson demanded the team assure him the starting job in 2006 or make him available to other teams via trade. Johnson’s agent, Phil Williams, said Johnson did not “demand” a trade.
- A friend of Brett Favre’s from Biloxi, Miss., said he was unsure where Favre stood with regard to playing for the Packers next season. He did say, though, that nobody should expect to hear a peep from Favre until after Feb. 15, the end of deer-hunting season in that region.
- The majority of assistant coaches in Minnesota remain under contract until Jan. 31 and have been asked by the front office to do player evaluations. The team, however, is giving permission to any team that wants to talk to one of Mike Tice's former assistants.
- Early reports are that starting CB Brian Kelly, who finished with four interceptions for the second year in a row, might be a cap casualty in the offseason for the salary-cap-challenged Buccaneers.
- Word out of Tampa is that the Buccaneers aren’t sold on OLT Anthony Davis. The second-year lineman started all 16 regular-season games for the first time in his career after not being expected to be more than just a backup when he arrived at training camp. But a season-ending injury to veteran Derrick Deese thrust Davis into the starting lineup. We hear the Buccaneers could move Davis to right tackle if they lose starting ORT Ken­yatta Walker in free agency.
- Veteran WR Brian Finneran will be a free agent in the offseason because he appeared in enough of the Falcons’ offensive plays this season to trigger a clause that voids the remainder of his contract. Finneran finished second to TE Alge Crumpler for the team lead in receptions. Word out of Atlanta is that the team won’t break the bank to re-sign Finneran unless it can get him at a reduced rate. That probably won’t happen because Finneran is expected to draw plenty of interest on the open market.
- Panthers RB coach Jim Skipper on how RB DeShaun Foster has handled his promotion to the starter’s role in the last month of the regular season: “It’s no big deal because he’s been given a lot of playing time. It’s just now he goes in at the first snap of the game,” Skipper told PFW. “It’s not like he hasn’t been playing, and he’s all of a sudden getting a lot of playing time. He’s been carrying his load all year. He’s comfortable with it.”
- We hear Panthers RB Stephen Davis, who was placed on I.R. heading into Week 15, has been lending his Pro Bowl expertise to Carolina’s group of young running backs at practice and on the sideline during games since reinjuring his surgically repaired knee. Panthers RB coach Jim Skipper tells PFW: “Stephen is a great influence. The guys have a lot of respect for him, and he’s a positive individual to have around.”
- Two players the Cowboys expect to step up next season are injured LBs Kalen Thornton and Kevin Burnett. Thornton appeared to be a good fit for the 3-4 and could help replace OLB Al Singleton, who might not return. Burnett was in the process of moving inside before getting hurt. He could take over for Dat Nguyen, who might retire because of lingering neck injuries.
- It’s looking more and more as if Eagles KR-S J.R. Reed, who suffered a freak knee injury and missed the 2005 season, will miss all of next year, too. Reed’s career is in serious jeopardy.
- Though Commanders DE Demetric Evans played well last week in replacing Renaldo Wynn (broken arm), Wynn’s loss is a big one.
- Giants rookie CB Corey Webster played well enough down the stretch to prove to the Giants’ brass that he can be a full-time starter in 2006.
- We hear that among those who have interviewed for an opening in the Rams’ personnel department are former Falcons vice president of football operations Ron Hill, former Seahawks GM Bob Ferguson and ex-Dolphins GM Rick Spielman.
- Don’t be surprised if the Rams try to bolster the TE position via the draft or free agency, considering how disappointing Brandon Manumaleuna was this season, catching only 13 passes while regressing as a pass blocker.
- It had yet to be determined at this writing whether or not the Seahawks would start Kelly Herndon or Andre Dyson at left corner against the Commanders this Saturday, but we hear the team was leaning toward Herndon, who recovered enough from a late-season knee injury to see action in Week 17 but did not start.
- It’s quite possible that Dennis Green isn’t through revamping his staff after quickly hiring three new assistants last week. Other than coordinators Keith Rowen (offense) and Clancy Pendergast (defense) and DB coach Richard Solomon, the rest of the assistants still need new contracts.
- Far from thrilled with the play of third-round rookie Darryl Blackstock this season, the Cardinals will look for another outside linebacker in the upcoming draft, the way we hear it.
- Look for fourth-year pro Brandon Moore to play an integral role in the Niners’ defense next season. Considered primarily a special-teams player going into the season, Moore thrilled the 49ers with his versatility in their new system, especially as the defensive end in nickel packages. Assistant head coach/LB coach Mike Singletary refers to Moore as the defense’s “X-factor.”
- With Niners rookie RB Frank Gore expected to have surgery on both shoulders this offseason, the word is it will take at least four weeks of recovery for each shoulder. Also facing surgery is RB Kevan Barlow, who will have an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.
- Now that Texas QB Vince Young has decided to turn pro, look for teammate ORT Justin Blaylock to follow suit, which could really frustrate a school that has prided itself on holding on to its players. A talented player, Blaylock could be a late first-rounder.
- While there’s no doubt junior USC RB Lendale White earned himself some money with a stellar Rose Bowl performance (20 carries for 124 yards and three TDs) should he decide to declare his eligibility for the draft, we hear there are still some real concerns about his character that could have a bearing on where he’s picked.
- The Broncos look to be a pretty healthy club heading into their first playoff game this weekend. RB Mike Anderson’s sprained ankle is healed, and the groin injury for starting CB Darrent Williams is progressing nicely. Williams, who missed the final three-plus games of the regular season, may not be 100 percent, but his playmaking presence would be welcomed in Denver, even if in a reduced nickel role. MLB Al Wilson will be wearing a protective cast over his surgically repaired broken right thumb.
- Although the talk persists, no one in the Chargers’ organization has ever hinted about possibly moving CB Quentin Jammer to safety. Scouts and head coach Marty Schottenheimer agree that Jammer had a solid second half of the season at corner, and sources question whether he has the natural instincts necessary to play safety.
- When asked by the San Diego media whether his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2005 surpassed his own expectations, Chargers OLB Shawne Merriman had this to say: “When the water is cold, before you put your whole body in, you put your toe in the water. That’s the way I describe my game right now. That’s all people are seeing is my toe.”
- Randall Godfrey is seriously contemplating putting off his retirement plans. Based on how he played, such a decision would benefit the Chargers, in the minds of sources close to the team. He gives way to younger LBs Stephen Cooper and Shaun Phillips in passing situations but can still hold his own vs. the run.
- The encouraging aspect of ORT Robert Gallery’s broken fibula, suffered in Oakland’s season finale, was that it was a clean break and will only require 6-8 weeks of recovery time. With all the problems the offensive line had in 2005, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see the Raiders finally switch Gallery to the left side and possibly slide OLT Barry Sims inside to guard.
- Sources close to the team were surprised to see Raiders owner Al Davis ignore defensive coordinator Rob Ryan in regard to the interview process for the head-coaching vacancy, considering the late-season endorsements he got from players who felt they were improving in his system. There is a possibility, however, that Ryan will keep his job in Oakland once the new coach is hired.
- We hear that Patriots RB Corey Dillon’s leg injuries have limited his effectiveness to such a degree that it has led New England to use its spread offense — with scatback Kevin Faulk as the lone running back — more often.
- Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s critique of head coach Brian Billick at the team’s season-ending press conference surprised team observers. Bisciotti wants Billick to change the way he relates to people throughout the organization, something Billick has vowed to do.
- The Ravens will seek a quarterback to compete with Kyle Boller in the offseason. “It would not be fair to the process — to this team, the organization, and really the fans — for the ease of simply sitting here and anointing Kyle Boller the starter going forward,” Ravens head coach Brian Billick said. “And that’s not what we're going to do. Competition is good.”
- How popular is Texas QB Vince Young with Houston Texans fans? The way we hear it, the day after Young’s magnificent performance in the Rose Bowl, the Texans took more than a few phone calls from fans imploring the team to draft Young with the No. 1 overall pick.
- When analyzing the success of Steelers OLBs Clark Haggans and Joey Porter, don’t overlook the contributions of Aaron Smith and Kimo von Oelhoffen, both of whom are playing as well as ever in the thankless roles of defensive ends in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme.
You are probably a better pure pass rusher from the LB position than Al S. I like the guy, but a pass rusher he ain't.