Bretsky
06-04-2007, 06:12 PM
Bills RB coach Eric Studesville told PFW that he’s encouraged by what he has seen from rookie RB Marshawn Lynch. “He’s got a lot of speed, and he’s got a lot of vision. He is really quick and aggressive in both the run and the pass. I think right now we don’t know about the other stuff he has, but certainly those things flash at you right away. … Anytime we can get him in space, he does catch the ball really well, and he obviously has speed and elusiveness in the open, so if we can get him the ball in space one-on-one with somebody, we like our chances with that.” As for the attitude of Lynch, who was one of the more popular players among his peers at the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles in late May, Studesville added, “He’s outstanding. He’s got a great attitude, great personality, and he is fun to work with. He is great that way.”
Would have loved to see him slip to 16
With talented speed receivers like Randy Moss and Donté Stallworth — the likes of whom the Patriots have not had during Bill Belichick’s reign — we hear that it won’t be a surprise to see the Pats utilizing more of a downfield passing game in 2007. Considering that the Patriots weren’t afraid to throw deep post passes to journeyman speedster André Davis when he was on the team a couple of years ago, Belichick will be even more likely to attempt the same type of deep passes to Moss and Stallworth. Speaking of Moss, we hear that he has made a favorable impression on his new teammates and coaches thus far. Although he wasn’t expected to be present for organized team activities, he showed up in Foxborough a week before the team’s passing camp. Word is he’s motivated to do everything he can to win and has already started working out with QB Tom Brady to establish a rapport.
ANYBODY ELSE THING BRADY'S FANTASY FOOTBALL STATS WILL BE MUCH MUCH BETTER ??
It’s just June, and the football being played is of the T-shirts-and-shorts variety, but we’re hearing that WRs Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams have made strong impressions in the team’s offseason workouts. We’re told Clayton, who caught 67 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns in 2006, could be even more productive this season. Williams, Baltimore’s No. 3 receiver, is also progressing nicely. Another Raven to keep an eye on is second-year CB Ronnie Prude, a former undrafted free agent who contributed as a rookie and could be a bigger part of the defense in 2007. Prude appears to have benefited from that first year of experience and could push Corey Ivy to be the No. 3 cornerback.
Familiar name; I recall draft day two years ago when Mr Wallbanger and B were pounding for Demetrius Williams when Green Bay selected Cory Rodgers
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh told PFW he expects “great things” from QB Carson Palmer in his second season removed from a serious knee injury. “That’s what he expects,” Houshmandzadeh said of the Bengals’ starting quarterback, who threw 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2006 despite having to spend much of the offseason rehabilitating and recovering from the injury. “No one expects more out of him than he expects out of himself, so that’s the good thing about it, but we’re looking to do big things. Houshmandzadeh, who attended the opening-night festivities of the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, added that reserve WRs Antonio Chatman and Tab Perry will be able to pick up the slack for the suspended Chris Henry. “Both of those guys can play,” Houshmandzadeh said. “I don’t know how much you’ve heard of Antonio or Chad, but (there’s) no drop-off. They bring things to the table that Chris couldn’t bring, but they’ll have things they can’t do that Chris can do. So it’s tit for tat. They’re both players; we won’t miss a beat, that’s it.”NOTE: Chatman does NOT have the talent of Chris Henry
While LenDale White continues to underwhelm the coaching staff with absences (excused or otherwise), a tender hamstring and showing up at the team’s first minicamp grossly out of shape, rookie RB Chris Henry quietly has impressed, along with 2006 seventh-rounder Quinton Ganther. “I just have to get used to the intensity of practice,” Henry told PFW in May. “That has been the biggest thing, that and showing the veterans some respect.” The coaching staff told Henry to dial it back just a tad after a few overanxious moments in early practices, but it hardly has been a problem. “Coach (Jeff) Fisher seems like a pretty laid-back dude when he talks to you (one-on-one),” Henry said. “He just tells you what he expects. I respect that a lot.” The team’s RB situation will be the most closely watched battle in training camp, especially considering Fisher’s offseason comments about returning to more of a power-run game and based on the O-line’s strong performance in ’06.
Lendale White has been a huge disappointment; should bw interesting to see if the workout warrior Chris Henry works out
The Bears have already shipped out team offensive MVP Thomas Jones this offseason and are currently embroiled in a ongoing dispute with franchised LB Lance Briggs. You can now add DRE Alex Brown to the list of Bears veterans looking for a ticket out of Chicago. Brown’s agent, Joel Segal, confirmed that he and his client have requested a trade, one that would usher in a new contract for the six-year veteran. “We’re looking for a new deal,” Segal told PFW, noting the desire for a trade is on their end and not driven by the Bears’ front office. “We think Alex has outplayed his contract.” Whether he has or not is in the eye of the beholder. Sources close to the team tell us that if Brown remains the starter at right end — and some reports had him running with the second team in the Bears’ first full-squad minicamp — that may only be due to his ability vs. the run on first down, and that he will continue to lose snaps to explosive pass rusher Mark Anderson in 2007. On the other hand, Brown’s 241⁄2 sacks and 64 starts over the last four seasons would have indeed earned him a hefty payday if he’d been a free agent this offseason. In any case, Segal told us not to expect the usual trade-demand antics from his client. “Alex is a team guy. Alex is a high-character guy. The fact that he needs a new deal is one thing, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need to get in shape and be a good teammate. … There’s no reason to hold out right now. He needs to get in shape and get ready for football either way.”People rip the Bears for letting Thomas Jones go; and IMO he was a better RB than Cedric Benson. But Jones was a me first guy and the atmosphere in Chicago will be better as a result of his loss. The Bears are one of the two most talented teams in the NFC and one of the top teams in the NFL
With the tasty carrot of NFL playing time dangling right in front of him, rookie RB Brandon Jackson was prohibited from attending his first full-team minicamp and instead forced to participate in the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere. However, the way we hear it, Jackson has likely not fallen very far behind in his position battle with veteran holdover Vernand Morency, among other candidates. First, Jackson has several offseason opportunities still in front of him, including a full-team workout in early June. Additionally, Jackson is no stranger to backfield competition, having battled several colleagues for playing time throughout his collegiate career at Nebraska. “That put me in a situation where I know the situation and I know how to handle that situation where two or three backs share the ball,” Jackson told PFW. Perhaps most significantly, though, Jackson does not face as big a challenge as most rookies digesting an NFL playbook for the first time; the Packers’ rushing attack closely resembles the Cornhuskers’. “I feel great about the offense, the inside-zone, the outside-zone (styles) and the blocking scheme, the protections, everything,” Jackson said. “I feel great about it. The only thing different about it is a little terminology, and (RB) Coach (Edgar) Bennett has helped me pick that up.”
I really like Edgar the Mudder Bennett as our RB coach
If the rest of WR Robert Meachem’s rookie year mirrors WR Marques Colston’s start, then Meachem’s forgettable minicamp debut will be worth it. Meachem, the Saints’ top pick, arrived at the rookie minicamp out of shape and overweight. To add insult to injury, Meachem tweaked his ankle on the final day of camp. “It was a little tougher than I expected,” Meachem told PFW. “I made progress, and then I tweaked my ankle and had to sit out. It didn’t go like I wanted it to go, but if I keep working hard, everything will be all right.” Colston, a seventh-round pick in 2006, also showed up out of shape and played poorly at his rookie minicamp before eventually earning a starting job in training camp and finishing as runner-up to Vince Young for NFL Rookie of the Year. We hear Colston pulled Meachem aside after his disastrous debut and told him how Colston used the Saints’ organized team activities to get in shape and make a name for himself. As if on cue, Meachem, whom the Saints expect to replace Joe Horn as their No. 2 receiver, arrived at the Saints’ OTAs slimmer and ready to compete, though his ankle was still bothering him.
Meachem is going to be a player; Saints have some scary talent as well
All of a sudden, the Niners’ seemingly suspect receiving corps is raising some eyebrows. Not only have we heard that experienced newcomer Darrell Jackson has wasted little time establishing himself as a positive force, but team sources also tell us second-year WRs Brandon Williams and Marcus Maxwell have been the beneficiaries of glowing reports lately. Word is Williams might have been the most impressive performer at the Niners’ first minicamp, and Maxwell has been doing a dead-on impersonation of a younger Terrell Owens in NFL Europa play. Nonetheless, third-round pick Jason Hill is far from shaking in his boots over the heightened competition at his position. “There are a lot of guys who can play, and everyone’s got to find their niche, but I think my niche is right up there along with theirs,” Hill told PFW. “I think I’ve got a fair shot, (as long as I) learn the playbook a little more and make some more plays.” It’s worth noting that one Niners receiver who hasn’t made a lot of plays yet is free-agent addition Ashley Lelie. Lelie injured his leg a couple of minutes into the first mandatory minicamp, and word is he spent the remainder of the camp limping around the locker room like an 80-year-old.
All of the Turtle Apologists will cheer for the 49ers and their aggressive pursuit of improving their roster through free agency to fail.
Would have loved to see him slip to 16
With talented speed receivers like Randy Moss and Donté Stallworth — the likes of whom the Patriots have not had during Bill Belichick’s reign — we hear that it won’t be a surprise to see the Pats utilizing more of a downfield passing game in 2007. Considering that the Patriots weren’t afraid to throw deep post passes to journeyman speedster André Davis when he was on the team a couple of years ago, Belichick will be even more likely to attempt the same type of deep passes to Moss and Stallworth. Speaking of Moss, we hear that he has made a favorable impression on his new teammates and coaches thus far. Although he wasn’t expected to be present for organized team activities, he showed up in Foxborough a week before the team’s passing camp. Word is he’s motivated to do everything he can to win and has already started working out with QB Tom Brady to establish a rapport.
ANYBODY ELSE THING BRADY'S FANTASY FOOTBALL STATS WILL BE MUCH MUCH BETTER ??
It’s just June, and the football being played is of the T-shirts-and-shorts variety, but we’re hearing that WRs Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams have made strong impressions in the team’s offseason workouts. We’re told Clayton, who caught 67 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns in 2006, could be even more productive this season. Williams, Baltimore’s No. 3 receiver, is also progressing nicely. Another Raven to keep an eye on is second-year CB Ronnie Prude, a former undrafted free agent who contributed as a rookie and could be a bigger part of the defense in 2007. Prude appears to have benefited from that first year of experience and could push Corey Ivy to be the No. 3 cornerback.
Familiar name; I recall draft day two years ago when Mr Wallbanger and B were pounding for Demetrius Williams when Green Bay selected Cory Rodgers
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh told PFW he expects “great things” from QB Carson Palmer in his second season removed from a serious knee injury. “That’s what he expects,” Houshmandzadeh said of the Bengals’ starting quarterback, who threw 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2006 despite having to spend much of the offseason rehabilitating and recovering from the injury. “No one expects more out of him than he expects out of himself, so that’s the good thing about it, but we’re looking to do big things. Houshmandzadeh, who attended the opening-night festivities of the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, added that reserve WRs Antonio Chatman and Tab Perry will be able to pick up the slack for the suspended Chris Henry. “Both of those guys can play,” Houshmandzadeh said. “I don’t know how much you’ve heard of Antonio or Chad, but (there’s) no drop-off. They bring things to the table that Chris couldn’t bring, but they’ll have things they can’t do that Chris can do. So it’s tit for tat. They’re both players; we won’t miss a beat, that’s it.”NOTE: Chatman does NOT have the talent of Chris Henry
While LenDale White continues to underwhelm the coaching staff with absences (excused or otherwise), a tender hamstring and showing up at the team’s first minicamp grossly out of shape, rookie RB Chris Henry quietly has impressed, along with 2006 seventh-rounder Quinton Ganther. “I just have to get used to the intensity of practice,” Henry told PFW in May. “That has been the biggest thing, that and showing the veterans some respect.” The coaching staff told Henry to dial it back just a tad after a few overanxious moments in early practices, but it hardly has been a problem. “Coach (Jeff) Fisher seems like a pretty laid-back dude when he talks to you (one-on-one),” Henry said. “He just tells you what he expects. I respect that a lot.” The team’s RB situation will be the most closely watched battle in training camp, especially considering Fisher’s offseason comments about returning to more of a power-run game and based on the O-line’s strong performance in ’06.
Lendale White has been a huge disappointment; should bw interesting to see if the workout warrior Chris Henry works out
The Bears have already shipped out team offensive MVP Thomas Jones this offseason and are currently embroiled in a ongoing dispute with franchised LB Lance Briggs. You can now add DRE Alex Brown to the list of Bears veterans looking for a ticket out of Chicago. Brown’s agent, Joel Segal, confirmed that he and his client have requested a trade, one that would usher in a new contract for the six-year veteran. “We’re looking for a new deal,” Segal told PFW, noting the desire for a trade is on their end and not driven by the Bears’ front office. “We think Alex has outplayed his contract.” Whether he has or not is in the eye of the beholder. Sources close to the team tell us that if Brown remains the starter at right end — and some reports had him running with the second team in the Bears’ first full-squad minicamp — that may only be due to his ability vs. the run on first down, and that he will continue to lose snaps to explosive pass rusher Mark Anderson in 2007. On the other hand, Brown’s 241⁄2 sacks and 64 starts over the last four seasons would have indeed earned him a hefty payday if he’d been a free agent this offseason. In any case, Segal told us not to expect the usual trade-demand antics from his client. “Alex is a team guy. Alex is a high-character guy. The fact that he needs a new deal is one thing, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need to get in shape and be a good teammate. … There’s no reason to hold out right now. He needs to get in shape and get ready for football either way.”People rip the Bears for letting Thomas Jones go; and IMO he was a better RB than Cedric Benson. But Jones was a me first guy and the atmosphere in Chicago will be better as a result of his loss. The Bears are one of the two most talented teams in the NFC and one of the top teams in the NFL
With the tasty carrot of NFL playing time dangling right in front of him, rookie RB Brandon Jackson was prohibited from attending his first full-team minicamp and instead forced to participate in the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere. However, the way we hear it, Jackson has likely not fallen very far behind in his position battle with veteran holdover Vernand Morency, among other candidates. First, Jackson has several offseason opportunities still in front of him, including a full-team workout in early June. Additionally, Jackson is no stranger to backfield competition, having battled several colleagues for playing time throughout his collegiate career at Nebraska. “That put me in a situation where I know the situation and I know how to handle that situation where two or three backs share the ball,” Jackson told PFW. Perhaps most significantly, though, Jackson does not face as big a challenge as most rookies digesting an NFL playbook for the first time; the Packers’ rushing attack closely resembles the Cornhuskers’. “I feel great about the offense, the inside-zone, the outside-zone (styles) and the blocking scheme, the protections, everything,” Jackson said. “I feel great about it. The only thing different about it is a little terminology, and (RB) Coach (Edgar) Bennett has helped me pick that up.”
I really like Edgar the Mudder Bennett as our RB coach
If the rest of WR Robert Meachem’s rookie year mirrors WR Marques Colston’s start, then Meachem’s forgettable minicamp debut will be worth it. Meachem, the Saints’ top pick, arrived at the rookie minicamp out of shape and overweight. To add insult to injury, Meachem tweaked his ankle on the final day of camp. “It was a little tougher than I expected,” Meachem told PFW. “I made progress, and then I tweaked my ankle and had to sit out. It didn’t go like I wanted it to go, but if I keep working hard, everything will be all right.” Colston, a seventh-round pick in 2006, also showed up out of shape and played poorly at his rookie minicamp before eventually earning a starting job in training camp and finishing as runner-up to Vince Young for NFL Rookie of the Year. We hear Colston pulled Meachem aside after his disastrous debut and told him how Colston used the Saints’ organized team activities to get in shape and make a name for himself. As if on cue, Meachem, whom the Saints expect to replace Joe Horn as their No. 2 receiver, arrived at the Saints’ OTAs slimmer and ready to compete, though his ankle was still bothering him.
Meachem is going to be a player; Saints have some scary talent as well
All of a sudden, the Niners’ seemingly suspect receiving corps is raising some eyebrows. Not only have we heard that experienced newcomer Darrell Jackson has wasted little time establishing himself as a positive force, but team sources also tell us second-year WRs Brandon Williams and Marcus Maxwell have been the beneficiaries of glowing reports lately. Word is Williams might have been the most impressive performer at the Niners’ first minicamp, and Maxwell has been doing a dead-on impersonation of a younger Terrell Owens in NFL Europa play. Nonetheless, third-round pick Jason Hill is far from shaking in his boots over the heightened competition at his position. “There are a lot of guys who can play, and everyone’s got to find their niche, but I think my niche is right up there along with theirs,” Hill told PFW. “I think I’ve got a fair shot, (as long as I) learn the playbook a little more and make some more plays.” It’s worth noting that one Niners receiver who hasn’t made a lot of plays yet is free-agent addition Ashley Lelie. Lelie injured his leg a couple of minutes into the first mandatory minicamp, and word is he spent the remainder of the camp limping around the locker room like an 80-year-old.
All of the Turtle Apologists will cheer for the 49ers and their aggressive pursuit of improving their roster through free agency to fail.