The Mini-camp/Preseason NFL Thread

[Cartman 0]

Oh I know, just stating an opinion of the matter is all

[Gert T 0]

There's NO room at WR for Tim Brown here in New England.

 

As it is we have a glut of talented recievers, a few of which will have to be cut unfortunately.

 

Right now it looks like:

 

Deion Branch

David Givens

Troy Brown

Bethel Johnson

David Patten

PK Sam

 

Depending on whether they carry 5 or 6 recievers of course.

Is that basically what the depth chart is at New England? I never can really tell between the No.'s 1-3 spots.

[Cartman 0]

As of right now yes...

 

But you never really know with this team.

 

Note: Patriots signed veteran Lineman Dana Stubblefield today.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

As of right now yes...

 

But you never really know with this team.

 

Note: Patriots signed veteran Lineman Dana Stubblefield today.

Again, someone who couldn't cut it with the worst run defnese in the league. Why would the Pats even waste their time? Oh well, what do I know? I haven't won 2 championships in 3 season.

[Cartman 0]

Basically he's just filling a backup hole left by injured Rodney Bailey.

[Gert T 0]

Well the Bengals had their first major injury yesterday as backup LB and special teams monster Khalid Abdullah broke his ankle in a goal line scrimmage.

 

This sucks as everybody can point to the D-Line as being weak, but two of the three backups at LB are rookies.

[Gert T 0]

Rams DT Jimmy Kennedy may also miss the entire season after breaking his foot today. Interesting as the Rams allowed him to go back up to the 335 lbs. he weighed in college after wanting him to get down to 310 at the start of last season.

[Guest Redhawk]

By Len Pasquarelli

ESPN.com

 

HOUSTON -- In what could be the latest catastrophe for the star-crossed Miami Dolphins, wide receiver David Boston suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury during a Friday afternoon practice with the Houston Texans.

 

The five-year veteran will undergo an MRI exam of his left knee on Friday night to help determine the severity of the injury. Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said the injury is to the patella tendon. If the tendon is torn, such injuries are typically season-ending.

 

Boston, who was acquired this offseason in a trade with the San Diego Chargers, was running a fade route during the "team" portion of the practice, when his left knee seemed to buckle under him. There was no contact on the play, as Boston was covered by rookie cornerback Dunta Robinson, the Texans' first-round draft choice.

 

Robinson said Boston planted to make a cut and then went down, screaming. Boston, 25, was taken from the field on a cart. He was lying on a trainer's table in the Texans' complex, with a soft cast from his hip to his ankle, but declined to discuss the injury when approached by a reporter.

 

Wow, the Dolphins are gonna SUCK this year.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

By Len Pasquarelli

ESPN.com

 

HOUSTON -- In what could be the latest catastrophe for the star-crossed Miami Dolphins, wide receiver David Boston suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury during a Friday afternoon practice with the Houston Texans.

 

The five-year veteran will undergo an MRI exam of his left knee on Friday night to help determine the severity of the injury. Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said the injury is to the patella tendon. If the tendon is torn, such injuries are typically season-ending.

 

Boston, who was acquired this offseason in a trade with the San Diego Chargers, was running a fade route during the "team" portion of the practice, when his left knee seemed to buckle under him. There was no contact on the play, as Boston was covered by rookie cornerback Dunta Robinson, the Texans' first-round draft choice.

 

Robinson said Boston planted to make a cut and then went down, screaming. Boston, 25, was taken from the field on a cart. He was lying on a trainer's table in the Texans' complex, with a soft cast from his hip to his ankle, but declined to discuss the injury when approached by a reporter.

 

Wow, the Dolphins are gonna SUCK this year.

Hahaha. I drafted Williams and Boston in the Smart Marks League. Dear god. If anyone is a fan of Terrell Owens or Chad Pennington, they might retire/rip up their knee sometime soon.

[the pinjockey 0]

Nice, it is looking more and more like the Eagles will be getting a top 10 pick in the second round for AJ freaking Feeley.

 

Looking at it from the Dolphins POV, since this season is basically a wash if he is out, do you sign and trade Ogunlaye now and obtain pieces for the future or hold out and hope you get him long term? I am thinking that he has more value in what he can bring via trade than what he can contribute to this team on the field.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

By Len Pasquarelli

ESPN.com

 

HOUSTON -- In what could be the latest catastrophe for the star-crossed Miami Dolphins, wide receiver David Boston suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury during a Friday afternoon practice with the Houston Texans.

 

The five-year veteran will undergo an MRI exam of his left knee on Friday night to help determine the severity of the injury. Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said the injury is to the patella tendon. If the tendon is torn, such injuries are typically season-ending.

 

Boston, who was acquired this offseason in a trade with the San Diego Chargers, was running a fade route during the "team" portion of the practice, when his left knee seemed to buckle under him. There was no contact on the play, as Boston was covered by rookie cornerback Dunta Robinson, the Texans' first-round draft choice.

 

Robinson said Boston planted to make a cut and then went down, screaming. Boston, 25, was taken from the field on a cart. He was lying on a trainer's table in the Texans' complex, with a soft cast from his hip to his ankle, but declined to discuss the injury when approached by a reporter.

 

Wow, the Dolphins are gonna SUCK this year.

It really couldn't get any worse except if Surtain or Taylor went down too..

[KingPK 0]

Uh oh, Salisbury just said on SportsCenter that the Patriots will repeat, and Corey Dillon will rush for over 1,500 yards.

 

We're SO fucked now.

[Guest Redhawk]

So Salisbury made room in his mouth for Bill Parcells and Bill Belicheck? Impressive. They should have let Salisbury do color commentary for that Cowboys-Pats game last year. He would have been in heaven.

[MrRant 0]

Jet's signed Pete Kendall. Which is a good move since outside of missing 11 games with an injury over the last 2 1/2 seasons or so he is a decent to very good guard. Mostly a depth move though from what I read.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

By Len Pasquarelli

ESPN.com

 

HOUSTON -- In what could be the latest catastrophe for the star-crossed Miami Dolphins, wide receiver David Boston suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury during a Friday afternoon practice with the Houston Texans.

 

The five-year veteran will undergo an MRI exam of his left knee on Friday night to help determine the severity of the injury. Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said the injury is to the patella tendon. If the tendon is torn, such injuries are typically season-ending.

 

Boston, who was acquired this offseason in a trade with the San Diego Chargers, was running a fade route during the "team" portion of the practice, when his left knee seemed to buckle under him. There was no contact on the play, as Boston was covered by rookie cornerback Dunta Robinson, the Texans' first-round draft choice.

 

Robinson said Boston planted to make a cut and then went down, screaming. Boston, 25, was taken from the field on a cart. He was lying on a trainer's table in the Texans' complex, with a soft cast from his hip to his ankle, but declined to discuss the injury when approached by a reporter.

 

Wow, the Dolphins are gonna SUCK this year.

Aw, jeez, the punches just keep coming. On the bright side, at least I won't have to be teased all season only to be punched in the gut in December.

 

Looking at it from the Dolphins POV, since this season is basically a wash if he is out, do you sign and trade Ogunlaye now and obtain pieces for the future or hold out and hope you get him long term? I am thinking that he has more value in what he can bring via trade than what he can contribute to this team on the field.

Unless they can work a great deal, I'd prefer they hold on to him. His being on the field ensures Jason Taylor won't get double-teamed all the time, and a pass-rushing stud isn't something you should casually toss aside. Chances are, the Dolphins are gonna blow this year, so a good draft pick should be coming. Sign Edgerrin next year, draft smart, dump Wannstedt, and hopefully things are looking up for next year.

[2GOLD 0]

John Clayton reported Brock Lesnar had a very strong day in his first day of training camp and is apparently learning the game and defense extremely well.

 

Interesting.

[razazteca 0]

Unless they can work a great deal, I'd prefer they hold on to him. His being on the field ensures Jason Taylor won't get double-teamed all the time, and a pass-rushing stud isn't something you should casually toss aside. Chances are, the Dolphins are gonna blow this year, so a good draft pick should be coming. Sign Edgerrin next year, draft smart, dump Wannstedt, and hopefully things are looking up for next year.

Will the Dolphins pull a Redskins publicity stunt and get the whole Shula family to be the coaching staff next season?

[MrRant 0]

Tim Brown signed with the Bucs according to the ESPN scroll.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I actually have an idea since recently I just heard about the Dolphins being interested in Green Bay's Najeh Davenport.

 

So since I've heard that Mike McKenzie is STILL uninterested in reporting to training camp and is still demanding a trade, how about the Packers trade McKenzie and Davenport for one of the Dolphins' prized cornerbacks (perhaps Patrick Surtain) and maybe a low draft pick? A bit of a dropoff in quality at cornerback, but halfback is a much more important position, and Davenport (who is from Miami and is a former Hurricane) figures to be a star in this league, and has a running style quite similar to Ricky's and built like a ton of bricks (6'1, 250 lbs.). He's also in the last year of his contract, so Green Bay won't be able to keep him after this year anyways, and they've got Tony Fisher to spell Ahman Green anyways.

 

Green Bay desperately needs help in their secondary, and the Dolphins desperately need help at running back, so there's no reason why this trade shouldn't go through, since it'd be best for both clubs.

[MrRant 0]

CARSON, Calif.-- LaDainian Tomlinson is about to become the highest-paid running back in the NFL.

 

Tomlinson said after Thursday's practice he has agreed in principle to a deal with the San Diego Chargers that will eclipse the eight-year, $50.5 million contract signed by the Redskins' Clinton Portis in the offseason.

 

Asked if his deal will be worth more than that given Portis, Tomlinson replied, "Absolutely. I don't think it will even be close."

 

Few players have matched Tomlinson's three years in the NFL, a span in which he's rushed for 4,564 yards and 37 touchdowns.

 

Tomlinson, the fifth player in NFL history to rush for more than 200 yards in four games, last year became the first to rush for 1,000 yards and catch 100 passes.

 

"Good for him," quarterback Drew Brees said of Tomlinson's deal. "It's awesome and he deserves it."

 

Tomlinson's contract will be an extension to the two years he has remaining. He's scheduled to earn $5.5 million this year and $6.5 in 2005.

 

When Tomlinson signs, he'll be tied to the Chargers through the 2011 season, which he likes.

 

"Because I want to be here to make the change," said Tomlinson, who's seen the Chargers go 17-31 since being the fifth overall pick in 2001. "I want to be here when people say what the organization used to be when they were down, and now these guys are up and they are winning.

 

"And I want to be a part of that group."

 

Tomlinson said he's never considered playing out his current deal or leaving the Chargers, a team that hasn't had a winning record or made the playoffs since 1995.

 

"In my opinion, that is what losers do," he said. "They bail out on a team. [They say] 'So this team is not winning, it's not going anywhere, I got to get out of here.'

 

"I've never been that way, so why change now?"

 

Coach Marty Schottenheimer hasn't changed his mind about Tomlinson.

 

"He's the best running back I've every seen," Schottenheimer said. "He's a terrific, terrific player, and all the superlatives about him as a player I think are exceeded by the fact that he is a greater person."

 

Chargers general manager A. J. Smith wouldn't confirm the Chargers agreed to terms with Tomlinson. Tom Condon, Tomlinson's agent, wasn't available for comment. But Tomlinson said it all.

 

"I didn't want to linger on into the season," he said. "I didn't want to be thinking about it. It's a relief and now I can just play football."

 

The contract is expected to be signed over the weekend.

 

Smith said there was nothing to report on the stalled negotiations with quarterback Philip Rivers, their top pick who has missed 20 practices.

 

Defensive tackle DeQuincy Scott, who had a team-high 8½ sacks last year, could be facing surgery for a hernia. If he's operated on, he would miss a month. Fullback Andrew Pinnock is out for about two weeks after straining his calf in Wednesday night's practice.

[Guest El Satanico]

Tomlinson should've took the first boat out of that joke of a franchise. When you struggle to get your first round pick signed for 4 straight years, there's a problem with the franchise. Not even Arizona has that much trouble signing their first rounders.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

I actually have an idea since recently I just heard about the Dolphins being interested in Green Bay's Najeh Davenport.

 

So since I've heard that Mike McKenzie is STILL uninterested in reporting to training camp and is still demanding a trade, how about the Packers trade McKenzie and Davenport for one of the Dolphins' prized cornerbacks (perhaps Patrick Surtain) and maybe a low draft pick? A bit of a dropoff in quality at cornerback, but halfback is a much more important position, and Davenport (who is from Miami and is a former Hurricane) figures to be a star in this league, and has a running style quite similar to Ricky's and built like a ton of bricks (6'1, 250 lbs.). He's also in the last year of his contract, so Green Bay won't be able to keep him after this year anyways, and they've got Tony Fisher to spell Ahman Green anyways.

 

Green Bay desperately needs help in their secondary, and the Dolphins desperately need help at running back, so there's no reason why this trade shouldn't go through, since it'd be best for both clubs.

No, no, no. McKenzie isn't anything special, and I don't see Davenport as a feature back. The Dolphins are better off writing this season off and trying to sign Edgerrin next year.

 

Besides, if the Dolphins decide to part w/ any of the CB's, it'd be Madison as opposed to Surtain.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I actually have an idea since recently I just heard about the Dolphins being interested in Green Bay's Najeh Davenport.

 

So since I've heard that Mike McKenzie is STILL uninterested in reporting to training camp and is still demanding a trade, how about the Packers trade McKenzie and Davenport for one of the Dolphins' prized cornerbacks (perhaps Patrick Surtain) and maybe a low draft pick? A bit of a dropoff in quality at cornerback, but halfback is a much more important position, and Davenport (who is from Miami and is a former Hurricane) figures to be a star in this league, and has a running style quite similar to Ricky's and built like a ton of bricks (6'1, 250 lbs.). He's also in the last year of his contract, so Green Bay won't be able to keep him after this year anyways, and they've got Tony Fisher to spell Ahman Green anyways.

 

Green Bay desperately needs help in their secondary, and the Dolphins desperately need help at running back, so there's no reason why this trade shouldn't go through, since it'd be best for both clubs.

No, no, no. McKenzie isn't anything special, and I don't see Davenport as a feature back. The Dolphins are better off writing this season off and trying to sign Edgerrin next year.

 

Besides, if the Dolphins decide to part w/ any of the CB's, it'd be Madison as opposed to Surtain.

McKenzie is one of the top ten corners in the league, and Davenport is a future star at running back. Good luck trying to sign Edgerrin James, he's one of the Colts' most important facets of their offense, no way in hell Miami could compete with Indy on that deal. Davenport is the closest thing to Ricky Williams available, and it would be a sensible trade, as the Packers would get a reliable corner and get rid of a headache, whereas the Dolphins have someone maybe not quite as good, but can definitely handle the receivers out in the AFC East (there's noone real intimidating out there anyways, the best receivers are in the NFC) and give them a chance to stay competitive now rather than start all over and possibly still suck.

 

The running game is infinitely more important than losing a cornerback, no matter how good he is, and both Miami and Green Bay would benefit from the deal.

[Guest Redhawk]

In Miami's case, however, the CBs may be just as important -- or more important -- than the running game. I heard Sam Madison in a radio interview last season and he was saying the reason Miami's defense works is because the coaches know they can leave Madison and Surtain in one-on-one coverage and take chances with everyone else. Take one of them away and their whole scheme has to change.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

But Edgerrin reportedly *wants* to come to Miami. If he wants to come so badly, he may accept a little less from Miami. I don't buy Najeh as a "future star", and he certainly won't put Miami into the playoffs by replacing Ricky.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I don't know where exactly this is coming from, but I've been hearing on ESPN radio that Travis Henry is now demanding a trade from Buffalo because he doesn't want to split time with Willis McGahee. Anyone else hear this? I doubt a trade would come in for him because first it's the NFL and big trades don't happen(other than Portis for Bailey) and second teams have already done a ton of work with their systems.

[Guest El Satanico]

If Buffalo put Henry on the trading block they'd recieve phone calls from a good number of teams. Late into the preseason or not teams would be interested in a young back with several 1000+ yard seasons to his name. Sure he has a bad rep for fumbling, but so did Ahman Green before going to Green Bay.

 

Buffalo won't trade him and they won't start McGahee this season. You don't throw away a more than capable starter when the guy behind him is unproven and coming off major knee surgery.

[Guest Vitamin X]

By "several" of course, you mean "three". Which isn't a whole lot, especially considering what it takes to hit 1,000 yards rushing (62.5 yards a game?). Henry is a more than capable back, and I felt it was silly for Buffalo to take McGahee in the first place.

[GreatWhiteNope 0]

Running back Travis Henry stepped back from a story in a national publication last week in which he said he would seek a trade if he wasn't the Bills' featured back.

 

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm the starter, man," he said. "We're focused on this team. It ain't about me and Willis. It's a team effort. I want to get that clear. We're focused on trying to win a championship. I'm a starter, he's a good complement to come in. We're going to be the greatest 1-2 punch in the league."

 

I was at the game yesterday. McGahee was great and Henry was respectable.

 

Bledsoe was the drizzling shits, however.

 

Hopefully Brown or Lossman will takeover if he stinks up the place like he did last season.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Steelers suffered a major blow today when they learned RG Kendall Simmons went down with a torn ACL and is done for the year.

 

This one hurts. A lot. The O-Line was starting to gel for the first time in over 2 years, and one stroke of bad luck sends them scrambling. Keydrick Vincent is the backup and has a lot of potential, but virtually no experience. Meaning, we really don't have a clue what he can do.

 

Ugh!