LENDALE WHITE IN ROUND TWO ????

[Bretsky]

I'm going to post an ESPN INSIDER BLOG from John Clayton. Note point one.

So if Green Bay is on the clock and Lendale White is still there, do we take him ? This is a guy who was once thought of as a top 15 and possibly even top 10 draft pick. And there is a good chance due to his hammy tear, rumors that he doesn't have a great work ethic, and is a bit lazy weight wise, he could plummet.

So if you are the Turtle, and White sits there in round two, do you take him if he seems to be the best available player, or get a very good player to fill one of our several needs.

[Bretsky]

White likely slips to second roundposted: Wednesday, April 12, 2006
filed under: Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Giants

LenDale White probably feels vindicated, but the revelation that he has a hamstring tear near the pelvic area could cost him any chance of getting selected in the first round. White learned this week that he has the hamstring tear and won't be able to run until mid-May. But no team has a legitimate 40-yard time on the 244-pound former USC running back, and with four other backs who are first-round considerations, White probably will be a second-round bargain for a team.
White is the best of the big backs in the draft. He played the Rose Bowl weighing close to 250 pounds. He was 244 at the recent USC workouts and 238 at the scouting combine in Indy. More details on the injury will come out over the next couple of days, but it's going to be hard for any team to invest a first-round pick on a back who doesn't have a legitimate 40 time.


Bears still looking at Manning: Panthers cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. left Chicago without a restricted free agent offer sheet, but don't be surprised if he gets one soon. Manning is targeted by the Bears because they don't have a third cornerback, and he would be able to compete against Charles Tillman. Tillman struggled at cornerback last season and could eventually end up at safety. Strategically, the Bears may want to wait until the draft gets closer before signing Manning to an offer sheet. If the Bears get Manning, the Panthers would get a third-round draft choice.

Another reason the Bears didn't sign Manning now is because talks have picked up regarding a contract extension for linebacker Lance Briggs, who is entering the final year of his contract. He's become one of the better playmaking outside linebackers in the game, and the Bears clearly don't want to lose him. Re-signing him is one of their priorities. Don't be surprised if a deal gets done soon.


Carolina beefs up LBs: Even though the Panthers added outside linebacker Keith Adams via a two-year deal, don't think they are done looking at linebackers. They could bring back Brandon Short or get a linebacker in the first couple rounds of the draft. They haven't replaced outside linebacker Will Witherspoon, and they have no plans to bring back Mark Fields, who is considering playing this season after missing last year with cancer. Depth is still an issue with the Panthers' linebacker corps, but Adams was a good addition. He's been a solid backup for the Eagles and Cowboys and is also a great special-teams player.


Sweet deal: Defensive tackle Richard Seymour's deal is strong. The Patriots made him the highest-paid defensive player in the league. Seymour will make $28 million over three years, and $24 million of it is guaranteed. The weird part of the deal, though, is that only $6 million is being paid this year. There is an $18.6 million option bonus in 2007. The Patriots have about $17 million of cap room, and their payroll is only about $70 million this year. That saves plenty of cash and cap room to do a deal this year with wide receiver Deion Branch.


Feagles rewarded: To make punter Jeff Feagles feel comfortable about continuing his career, the Giants rewarded Feagles with a $450,000 roster bonus. He was scheduled to make $810,000 on his contract, which runs through 2007. Feagles contemplated retirement but now he's on board for this season and maybe next year.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Calhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon! !

[b bulldog]

White is much more of a player than Calhoun. Did you watch the Rose Bowl??

[falco]

White is much more of a player than Calhoun. Did you watch the Rose Bowl??

Calhoun would be a great 3rd down back and huge improvement over Fisher.

All of this stuff coming out on White tells me he's not worth the gamble.

[billy_oliver880]

Fat and lazy huh?? Soon he will be livin' with Cledious!

[CyclonePackFan]

White is much more of a player than Calhoun. Did you watch the Rose Bowl??

I did watch the Rose Bowl, every second. I could have driven a Mack truck through the holes Tutusi Latui was opening for White. USC had one hell of an offensive line. I watched Calhoun three years ago when Colorado came to Ames, he was good then, and he was even better after transferring to Wisconsin. He's fast and has great hands, just what we'd want in a 3rd-down back (which is what Calhoun's role would be in GB, at least at first).

[Harlan Huckleby]

the offense has ZERO playmakers right now. ZERO. Calhoon would be a shot in the arm.

Lendale White looks like a fine pro, but not a creator. He's a power back, and I'm not sure the upgrade over Ahman Green or Samkon Gado would be so significant.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I doubt Polar Bear would draft a RB this year. Pack have Green, Davenport, Gado, and Herron on the roster. With Henderson back, that means Davenport won't play fullback since that spot belongs to Leach. I think it will be Green, Davenport and Gado, 1 2 3, respectively on the depth, with Gado being the third down back.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Gado is no third down back.

I will be surprised. No, shocked, if all three of Green, Gado and Davenport make the final roster. They are all the same player. (I think Green is bound to have lost half a step.)

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Gado is no third down back.

I will be surprised. No, shocked, if all three of Green, Gado and Davenport make the final roster. They are all the same player. (I think Green is bound to have lost half a step.)

I disagree. When healthy Green is the best rb in the NFL, better than even Tomlinson. Last year the opportunity for Davenport to show his stuff as a feature back was there; unfortunatly, he went on the IR soon after Green. Had he not gotten hurt, Davenport would be the Colts starting RB right now. Gado still has a lot to prove; he doesnt have good breakaway speed, and if you take away his 70 or so yds run against Det, he would be averaging less then 4 yds a carry. If he work on this catching, he'll be a good 3rd down back.

[Bretsky]

Tank,
When you say things like Green > Tomlinson it completely discredits you. There is not a football coach or football scout in the world that would agree with that statement. Ahman Green, when healthy, isn't even in the same neighborhood as Tomlinson.

[billy_oliver880]

Tank,
When you say things like Green > Tomlinson it completely discredits you. There is not a football coach or football scout in the world that would agree with that statement. Ahman Green, when healthy, isn't even in the same neighborhood as Tomlinson.

Green when he was healthy was a top tier back. Tomlinson on the other hand is a freak and very athletically gifted.

[swede]

Blue Dawg is right. Slow guys who can hit holes with power are always out there.

Hell, I'd take Matt Bernstein before Lendale White. When is Bernstein projected to go anyways? He has to be one of the top four or five fb prospects, wouldn't you think?

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Tank,
When you say things like Green > Tomlinson it completely discredits you. There is not a football coach or football scout in the world that would agree with that statement. Ahman Green, when healthy, isn't even in the same neighborhood as Tomlinson.

Bretsky, Ahman Green is the prototypical RB: possessing that rare combination of size and speed and power. You have RBs who are undersized but fast (Tomlinson, Barber, Dunn); then you have RBs who have ideal size but doesnt have great speed (Johnson in KC); then theres RBs with ideal size and speed but lacked power (Portis, Alexander).

Only Green and perhaps a few others, can claim they are the complete back.