SB Nation - Jason Trusnik

Jets Flight Connections 121309

dvdvil — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:34:12 -0000

First of all, don't forget to check out "Jets 24/7" "Jets Flight Plan" on WCBS-TV New York at 11:30am.

Brian Schottenheimer explains why Kellen Clemens looked so bad against Buffalo.

Kellen is eager to start again at quarterback.

His coaches and teammates say they have total trust in the back-up.

Will Tampa Bay hurt our post-season push?

This article says bet on the Jets, while this one says bet on the Bucs.

With Robert Turner out and Alan Faneca recovering from illness, the Jets activated OT Ryan McKee from the practice squad.

Former Army HC and current Jets LB Coach Bob Sutton was at the Army-Navy game.

Buccaneers HC Raheem Morris and Jets Strength and Conditioning Coach Sal Alosi were teammates at Hofstra.

More connections after the jump.

Read about how well former Jets Jason Trusnik and David Bowens are doing with the Browns.

What's going wrong in New England is not Tom Brady's fault.

Maybe it's Adalius Thomas's fault, who will not play today.

Matt Moore will be the quarterback for the Panthers against the Patriots.

Do you remember when Carolina went to the Super Bowl? What if Kris Jenkins and the Panthers had won then?

The Dolphins will be playing without Jake Grove again, while the Jaguars will be without Mike Sims-Walker, John Henderson and Rashean Mathis.

Lastly, please keep voting for you favorite Jets to go to the Pro Bowl.

Here are some highlights of the last one, where we voted in seven Jets players:

Report: Shaun Rogers Out for Season

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:56:27 -0000

More photos » by Tony Tribble - AP

17 days ago: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, right, is dragged down by Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

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The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that according to a league source, Cleveland Browns DT Shaun Rogers will miss the remainder of the season due to either an ankle or Achilles injury. Rogers was reportedly on crutches in the Browns locker room after the game with a distraught look on his face. Ahtyba Rubin will likely take Rogers' place for the remainder of the season.

Rogers wasn't the only player to leave with an injury Sunday against the Bengals. The following three players also left the game with injuries:

DL Kenyon Coleman (knee)
LB Kamerion Wimbley (knee)
DB Brodney Pool (head injury)

The most concerning injury among those three has to do with Pool, who already has a history of concussions. With the league's recent added emphasis on protecting players who have concussions, you wonder if Pool is getting to the point where he might need to retire early.

"Of course, I'm worried about him," said Eric Wright. "I didn't know until just now he had a head injury."

If Wimbley can't go next week against the Chargers, the team's linebacker unit will feature Jason Trusnik and Matt Roth on the outside and Kaluka Maiava and David Bowens on the inside.

Any way you look at it, this defense isn't going to get any better in an already dismal 1-10 season.

Browns Need Efficient Play from Brady Quinn Moving Forward

Chris Pokorny — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:38:30 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Brady Quinn took some shots earlier this season, but he needs to trust his protection moving forward.

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Besides the two-game stretch against the Bills and the Bengals earlier this season, the Browns have been destroyed in pretty much every game. The blame can be laid on many different players or coaches (receivers dropping balls, cornerbacks getting burned, no pressure on the quarterback, poor use of the Wildcat).

Despite the problems listed above, the Browns have shown the ability to be effective on the defensive side of the ball. There are instances in which the Browns are torched (against Aaron Rodgers), but then there are instances in which Rex Ryan fires back with gems (against Trent Edwards and Jay Cutler). We've lost both of our starting middle linebackers for the season, but veterans David Bowens and Jason Trusnik appear capable of picking up the slack while Kaluka Maiva and David Veikune hopefully start to develop more over the second half of the season.

The Wildcat hasn't been used enough, but we have the right player to run it (Joshua Cribbs - 19 carries, 131 yards). RB Jamal Lewis has a 3.6 yards-per-carry average this season, and he's made it clear over the past two weeks that he's frustrated. Considering how poorly our quarterbacks have played, Lewis has made the most of his opportunities. He clearly doesn't hit the hole very fast anymore and seldom breaks tackles as he used to, and maybe that is because he's tired throughout the Browns' "physically-demanding practice week." That's where Jerome Harrison should be the team's starting back, with Lewis seeing plenty of action as well (8-10 carries per game).

At the receiver position, there are no excuses for dropped passes that are in your breadbasket. When you're wide open for a touchdown and drop it (Robert Royal), or when you're coming free across the middle and you let it bounce right out of your hands (Chansi Stuckey), that's the receivers' fault. For the most part though, more of the blame falls on the inefficient play of our quarterbacks. Quinn generally went with a "safe" approach in his first few games and would fold unbelievably quick any time any form of pressure surrounded him. For the rocket arm that Anderson had, he couldn't even use it to his advantage. Any time he went deep the pass was over- or under-thrown. Any laser over the middle was read easily by the defense for a break-up or an interception. And forget the short passes -- let's wind up and throw a rocket short to a receiver, also leaving them exposed to the defender who is keying in on him.

Besides Derek Anderson's one "miracle" game (which wasn't all that great to begin with) against the Bengals, the Browns have failed to see efficiency at the quarterback position this season. If Brady Quinn can play efficient the second half of this season, then maybe, just maybe, the rest of the pieces to the puzzle won't appear so "weak." The quarterback could be the first domino that causes everything else to come crashing down.

Here are three keys that the Browns need Quinn (and Brian Daboll) to follow to have efficiency at the quarterback position against the Ravens this Monday and the rest of the season:

Trust the Protection: In Quinn's 2.5 games, he was sacked 10 times. Granted, he faced tough defenses (Minnesota, Denver, Baltimore), but his issues weren't a result of the pressure getting to him to early. If Quinn saw any form of pressure, he seemed to panic and fall to the ground or get rid of the ball too quickly (to the inappropriate receiver).

This remained Anderson's only bright spot -- he trusted the protection. Of course, he ended up trusting it so much that he felt he could roll out in Shotgun to Joe Thomas' side for some reason without telling anyone, but that's beside the point.

John St. Clair seemed to struggle a lot more with Quinn under center, whether it be false starts or letting a free man get to the quarterback. Most of those problems came when we were already so behind that the defense knew we had to throw the football. Since Quinn's departure, St. Clair's play has improved dramatically. Hopefully that has more to do with getting comfortable than it does with the person under center.

If Quinn trusts his protection, he will be protected. This is not a Tim Couch offensive line; this is a line that could probably give a few of the contending teams' lines a run for their money.
First Down Passing: A big reason for the Browns' struggles is that the formula on offense is usually the same. Run it with Jamal Lewis on first down. Incomplete pass on second down. Incomplete pass on third down.

Quinn's game supposedly takes advantage of what the defense gives him on short routes. Set up the a single back formation on first down with Lewis in the backfield and pass it on first down for 6-7 yards every so often. The first-down runs haven't been amounting to much, so even if we do have an incompletion on first down, I'd feel more comfortable feeling that we took the chance to set up a second-and-short run play for Lewis to run effectively. Later on in a game, those types of plays can take advantage of the playaction pass, and with Quinn's mobility, he can find the open receiver that rolls with him. It might seem too hopeful, but mixing the play calling up can go a long way no matter who the receivers are, as long as the protection is decent.
The Screen Play: Again, this plays into Quinn's short passing attack. The Browns screened teams to death in the preseason with success. In the regular season, the screen plays have been far and few between. It doesn't matter who we run the plays with -- Lewis, Harrison, or even Lawrence Vickers -- the screen pass should be an integral part of the gameplan week in and week out. For all of the times we have Robert Royal and Joshua Cribbs in the game, the Browns should be taking advantage of their blocking abilities.

Sound simple? It is. With the pathetic excuse of a playbook that Brian Daboll seems to have had all season though, "simple" is what the Browns need to try to manage a score or two and then play defense en route to hoping for a close game in the fourth quarter. Maybe quarterbacks coach Carl Smith will help implement some of the basics, or maybe we'll see the same product we've seen all season. With the serious heat that the coaching staff was under heading into the bye week though, it would take some serious guts to go out there and willingly have the same exact method of playcalling that led to the team's 1-7 start. Something should change this Monday against the Ravens, for the better.

I tried to stay simple in my "three keys" for more efficiency at the quarterback position. Do you agree with my assessment? Do you have different "keys" to the Quinn's success (deep ball, Wildcat, running game, etc)? If so, sound off in the comments section!

Hooray for the Promotion of Youth! Marcus Benard Added to 53-Man Roster

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:11:36 -0000

The Cleveland Browns signed rookie LB Marcus Benard to the 53-man roster on Monday, according to the OBR. If you recall, Benard was the linebacker who shined twice during the preseason -- once against the Green Bay Packers and once against the Chicago Bears. He actually made the 53-man roster to start the season, but was released prior to the season opener. He's been on the Browns' practice squad ever since. The other candidate to take a roster spot was LB Titus Brown. He will remain on the team's practice squad for the time being.

After waiving K Billy Cundiff and DB Anthony Madison last week, the Browns had two open roster spots. After signing Benard, one roster spot still remains open. That number could jump back up to two if the team decides to place veteran LB Eric Barton on the injured reserve in the coming days.

The OBR also reports that moving forward, it appears that LB David Bowens will continue to start at inside linebacker with LB Jason Trusnik starting at outside linebacker. The combination doesn't sound very flashy, but Rob Ryan's system worked against the Chicago Bears in using the tandem to help generate pressure.

Kamerion Wimbley and Browns Defense Play With Fire Despite 30-6 Loss to Bears

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:49:25 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

about 1 month ago: Chicago Bears safety Danieal Manning (38) picks up the loose ball after a fumble by Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. At left is Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (92), who forced the fumble. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-7)	WEEK 8	CHICAGO BEARS (4-3)
	VS.
6		30

As far as I'm concerned, the Chicago Bears played no better against the Cleveland Browns than they did against the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks ago when they lost 45-10. QB Jay Cutler supported my point that he's a tad overrated, but he was rewarded nonetheless with a rather easy 30-6 victory over the Browns.

Has a Browns team ever been so helpless on offense? I guess you could technically say we're at the same level as the Oakland Raiders, but that's not the type of competitive comparison I want to be making on gameday. The funny thing is that if our offense would've just taken a knee on every series this week, we probably only would have lost by a score of 10-3 (note: I realize that is not a reality, since the space-time continuum obviously would've resulted in different production for the Bears). Our defense played much better than last week and weren't rewarded for it; as far as the rest of the league is concerned, our defense is still a joke.

Let's get to the sad review of the game...

WEEK 8 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. CHICAGO BEARS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

GOAT OF THE GAME:

Steve Heiden & Mohamed Massaquoi: Obviously QB Derek Anderson could go here every week, but it's only fair to spread the wealth. In the second half, when the Browns were actually showing some form of a threat, there were two cases in which Anderson made some of his best throws of the game -- one on a small pass to Steve Heiden, and another on a timing pattern to Mohamed Massaquoi.

For whatever reason, both players coughed up the football. It wasn't even like they were hit by a blindsided poke at the football either; Heiden even seemed to wrap both arms tightly around the ball and it just...fell out. That's extremely frustrating, because Heiden is supposed to be our only "Mr. Reliable" left on offense. He also dropped a pass earlier in the game. For as in-sync as Massaquoi and Anderson looked against Cincinnati, that "chemistry" no longer exists.

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

Kamerion Wimbley: Credit to defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for helping turn Kamerion Wimbley around. He's no DeMarcus Ware, but he's getting to the quarterback a lot more than his last two years under Crennel. With his sack Sunday, he surpassed his sack total from last season. He also delivered a punishing shot on QB Jay Cutler as he released a pass, resulting in a bloody mouth for Cutler (and probably a fine).

GENERAL THOUGHTS

Bears QB Jay Cutler was hit hard all day by the Browns defense, including here by LB Kamerion Wimbley.

In Stride: (Marks calendar) We are 8 games into the 2009-2010 NFL season, and for the first time this season, we finally saw a smart play design for Joshua Cribbs as a receiver (although the execution of it could have been accidental). Derek Anderson was pressured and then stepped up in the pocket.

Before he got to the line of scrimmage, he turned and threw a route nearly parallel to the line of scrimmage at Cribbs, who had motioned out of the backfield and into the flat. Cribbs caught the pass in stride and ran up the sideline for a gain of 23 yards.
By the Numbers: The final line for Anderson is as follows: 6-of-17 for 76 yards and 2 interceptions. His QB rating was a lowly 10.5. Anderson's production level is getting worse and worse by the week. At this point, I think I'd be content going back to watching Quinn get sacked every play.
Applaud the Play Call, Hate the Statistic: The Browns scored their only touchdown of the game near the start of the second half. Taking advantage of a horrible punt by the Bears, Jamal Lewis pounded his way down to the one-yard line. The Browns failed to punch it in on 1st-and-goal from the one, so on second down, Anderson sneaked forward and used his tall frame to stretch the ball over the goal line for the score.

I like the call on second down because we won't lose yardage on it, and if we fail to get in, we'd still have two downs remaining to go back to Lewis or do a small pass play. Afterward though, I was a little sick knowing that I'd still have to hear all of the play-by-play announcers say "the Browns do not have a single rushing touchdown from their running backs this season!"
Injuries Galore: There has to be a correlation between a losing season and the number of injuries that start piling on. After already losing LB D'Qwell Jackson for the season, LB Eric Barton and DB Eric Wright suffered shoulder injuries. Wright returned, but Barton will likely undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury.
Rob Ryan Fired Up: I appreciate the enthusiasm that Rob Ryan shows each week, and unlike our offensive coordinator, Ryan seems to know how to make adjustments after a letdown. Whereas the defense was brutal in giving up 31 points to the Packers, they had one of my favorite performances of the season in giving up 30 points to the Bears (23 when you don't include Anderson's pick six). After the Browns stopped Cutler on a 4th-and-1 from the 1-yard line, Ryan was out on the field jawing at Jay Cutler. I believe the defense is still playing hard because of him.
Wimbley's Knockdown: When Wimbley knocked down Cutler's fourth-down pass at the goal line, it was obviously a bad decision because an interception would've brought the ball out to the 20-yard line. Then, our offense wouldn't have been backed up into seeing Anderson throw a pick six from his own goal line. Granted, it's better that he knocked the ball down than let the receiver catch it, but he knocked it down as if it was a Hail Mary pass attempted from mid-field.
A Little Scared? I think punter Brad Maynard was a little scared of Joshua Cribbs. On 5 punts, Maynard averaged a quite pathetic 30.4 yard average. On the other side of the field, props to punter Dave Zastudil for recording a touchdown-saving tackle on punt returner Devin Hester early on.
Staying With the Play: Kudos to DL Kenyon Coleman for staying home when the Bears tried a reverse with Devin Hester. As Hester was handed the ball, Coleman shot at him like a cannon and took him down. How many times have we seen our defensive players be in position for a play like that, but end up whiffing?

When you see this on TV, chances are the pass is going to be picked.

Francies Sees Action: Finally, we got to see a little bit of Coye Francies. He was subbed in after Eric Wright went down with an injury. On Francies' first play (I think), the Bears ran the ball with Matt Forte, who sprinted to the edge for a 10-yard touchdown. Soon after that, Francies left with an injury of his own, forcing Hank Poteat into the game. (Sigh).
It's About Time: One-third of our payoff for the Braylon Edwards trade finally showed up today, as WR Chansi Stuckey made his first catch of the season as a member of the Browns. He made a few nice moves after the catch to stretch the play to an 11-yard gain.
The Other Third: With the more exotic blitz packages thrown at Cutler, the other third of the Edwards deal was more productive this week. Jason Trusnik sacked Cutler once and also led the team with 7 tackles.
Should've Been a Fumble: When Jay Cutler was hit and the ball came loose for about a 15+ yard loss, the play should've stood. I didn't see any indication that Cutler's arm was moving forward; it was moving laterally at best. His arm was angled that way due to a hit from a Browns defender too. Even with the overturn, who was Cutler throwing the ball to? It might have even hit his offensive lineman, which would be an illegal touch. In the end, the Bears had a comfortable 2nd-and-10 to work with.
Adams and Pool: Whatever the combination was, it seemed to work this week. It seemed like Mike Adams was in mostly on first- and second-downs, with Brodney Pool coming in on obvious passing downs. Pool recorded an interception when he dove to the ground after a tipped pass. As he tried to get up, he was rewarded by being drilled by two or three Bear linemen.
Inserting Quinn Late: The decision is still baffling to put Brady Quinn into the game when he did. We had literally no chance of coming back, and the substitution was made in a half where several offensive players had fumbled the ball. Why not make the change at half-time when Anderson was awful as usual?
Evaluating "the Other Guy": There's not much to fo on. His first pass was located well. He had the right idea on the second play -- getting rid of the ball quickly when they brought the house. A week ago, that's the similar adjustment that Aaron Rodgers made to Donald Driver for a long touchdown. The third down play was another dropped pass. Then, we punted. Booooooooo.
Lerner's Staredowns: I think fans would've rather watched Randy Lerner stare down and scold the players and coaches all game than watch the actual game. If someone has footage of Lerner doing this, it must be seen!
Bad Timing of Wildcat Plays: Yeah, let's run the Wildcat on a 3rd-and-19 play. There just doesn't seem to be a "method to the madness" of running the Wildcat formation. I agree with running it, but we never build off of it or use the formation to our advantage the following play.
Brownies: Welcome back Phil Dawson; you get to join the sad state of the team by having your extra point blocked...Joe Thomas registered two tackles in the game...safety Ray Ventrone had two special teams tackles...former Glenville High School and Ohio State product Ted Ginn Jr. had two kick returns for touchdowns to beat Braylon Edwards and the New York Jets.

Up next, the Browns have a Bye week before coming back home the following week against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. It should be an interesting two weeks though; let's hope that Randy Lerner comes through with some form of positive news, whether it be the firing of Brian Daboll or the hiring of a team president.

The 2010 Draft - Where We Stand in Chart Form

Jeremy Bolander — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:37:57 -0000

[Editor's Note: This is a draft order chart based completely off of the current standings. Tiebreak rules were used to establish order of playoff teams, and then playoff "wins" were awarded to the team with the best record, or whomever came out ahead in tiebreaks. For those who are wondering, Denver topped Indy in the #4 tiebreak scenario, "strength of victory" (.504 to .305). Obviously, this chart will change drastically from week to week, and I will update it as time permits to keep us abreast of developments.]

#	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	TEN	STL	TB	¹⁰TEN	STL	TB	TEN
2	TB	⁷NE	STL	TB	TEN	STL	TB
3	STL	TB	TEN	STL	¹⁷CLE	TEN	STL
4	KC	CLE	KC	CLE	KC	CLE	²⁶MIA
5	CLE	KC	CLE	KC	CLE	KC	CLE
6	DET	DET	DET	DET	DET	DET	DET
7	WAS	OAK	¹⁰~~WAS~~	OAK	WAS	²¹CAR	WAS
8	OAK	WAS	OAK	WAS	OAK	²³MIA	OAK
9	SEA	CAR	MIA	SEA	¹⁸KC	MIA	SEA
10	MIA	SEA	CAR	MIA	SEA	CAR	MIA
11	¹SF	MIA	⁹PHI	CAR	¹⁹KC	SEA	CAR
12	BUF	BUF	BUF	BUF	BUF	BUF	BUF
13	SF	BAL	CHI	JAX	SD	SF	BAL
14	SD	SF	BAL	CHI	JAX	SD	SF
15	JAX	SD	SF	BAL	CHI	JAX	SD
16	²DEN	⁶NE	SD	SF	BAL	CHI	JAX
17	BAL	⁵TB	JAX	SD	SF	BAL	CHI
18	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU
19	DAL	PHI	DAL	PHI	^13,11NE	²²BUF	DAL
20	PHI	DAL	PHI	DAL	PHI	DAL	²⁸NE
21	NYJ	NYJ	NYJ	NYJ	¹⁶CLE	NYJ	NYJ
22	ARI	GB	ARI	GB	ARI	GB	ARI
23	GB	ARI	GB	ARI	GB	ARI	²⁵GB
24	NE	NE	⁸OAK	NE	¹⁴TB	NE	²⁷NE
25	ATL	⁴KC	ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL	²⁴STL
26	NYG	PIT	CIN	NYG	PIT	CIN	NYG
27	CIN	NYG	PIT	CIN	NYG	PIT	CIN
28	PIT	CIN	NYG	PIT	CIN	NYG	PIT
29	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN
30	IND	IND	IND	IND	IND	²⁰PHI	IND
31	NO	NO	NO	NO	¹⁵PHI	NO	NO
32	³SEA	DEN	DEN	DEN	¹²DET	DEN	DEN

First round

1. Carolina to San Francisco. Carolina traded its 2010 first-round selection for San Francisco's 2009 second-round selection (43rd overall, used to select Everette Brown) and its 2009 fourth-round selection (111th overall, used to select Mike Goodson).

2. Chicago to Denver. Chicago traded its 2010 first-round selection, its 2009 first- and third-round selections, and quarterback Kyle Orton to Denver for quarterback Jay Cutler and a 2009 fifth-round selection.

3. Denver to Seattle. Denver traded its 2010 first-round selection for Seattle's 2009 second-round selection (37th overall, used to select Alphonso Smith).

Second round

4. Atlanta to Kansas City. Atlanta traded its second-round selection to Kansas City for tight end Tony Gonzalez.

5. Chicago to Tampa Bay Chicago traded its second-round selection to Tampa Bay for defensive end Gaines Adams.

6. Jacksonville to New England. Jacksonville traded its 2010 second-round selection and its 2009 seventh-round selection to New England for the first of New England's 2009 third-round selections (73rd overall, used to select Derek Cox).

7. Tennessee to New England. Tennessee traded its 2010 second-round selection to New England for the third of New England's 2009 third-round selections (89th overall, used to select Jared Cook).

Third round

8. New England to Oakland. New England traded its third and a conditional pick to Oakland for defensive end Derrick Burgess.

9. Seattle to Philadelphia. Seattle traded its third-round selection in 2010 and its fifth- and seventh-round selections in 2009 (137th and 213th overall) for Philadelphia's third-round selection in 2009 (91st overall, used to select Deon Butler).

10. Washington (forfeit). Washington will not have a third-round selection in 2010, as it used a third-round pick in the 2009 Supplemental Draft to choose defensive end Jeremy Jarmon.

Fifth round

11. Dallas to Denver. Dallas traded its fifth-round selection to Denver for guard Montrae Holland.

12. Denver to Detroit. Denver traded its 2010 fifth-round selection and a 2009 seventh-round selection (#235 overall, used to select Zack Follett) to Detroit for a 2009 sixth-round selection (1st selection in round six, #174 overall, used to select Tom Brandstater).

13. Denver to New England. Denver traded its fifth-round selection to New England for defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith and New England's seventh-round selection, which was later traded back to New England.

14. New England to Tampa Bay. New England traded its fifth-round selection to Tampa Bay for tight end Alex Smith.

15. New Orleans to Philadelphia. New Orleans traded its 2010 fifth-round selection and a 2009 seventh-round selection (#222 overall, later traded to Indianapolis) to Philadelphia for a 2009 fifth-round selection (#164 overall, used to select Thomas Morestead).

16. New York Jets to Cleveland. New York traded its fifth round pick, as well as a conditional third-round pick, WR Chansi Stuckey, and LB Jason Trusnik, to Cleveland for WR Braylon Edwards.

17. Tampa Bay to Cleveland. Tampa Bay traded its 2010 fifth-round selection and its 2009 second-round selection to Cleveland for tight end Kellen Winslow II.

18. Carolina to Kansas City. Carolina traded its 2010 fifth-round selection to Kansas City for defensive end Tank Tyler.

19. Miami to Kansas City: Miami traded its 2010 fifth-round selection to Kansas City for quarterback Tyler Thigpen.

Sixth round

20. Indianapolis to Philadelphia. Indianapolis traded its 2010 sixth-round selection to Philadelphia for a 2009 seventh-round selection (#222 overall, used to select Pat McAfee).

21. Oakland to Carolina. Oakland traded its 2010 sixth-round selection and a 2009 seventh-round selection (#216 overall, used to select Captain Munnerlyn) to Carolina for a 2009 sixth-round selection (#202 overall, used to select Brandon Myers).

22. Philadelphia to Buffalo. Philadelphia traded its 2010 sixth-round selection and 2009 first- and fourth-round selections to Buffalo for tackle Jason Peters.

23. Washington to Miami. Washington traded its 2010 sixth-round selection and 2009 second-round selection to Miami for defensive end Jason Taylor.

Seventh round

24. Atlanta to St. Louis: Atlanta traded its 2010 seventh-round selection to the Rams for Tye Hill.

25. Green Bay to New York Jets (returned): Green Bay traded its 2010 seventh-round selection and quarterback Brett Favre to the Jets for the Jets' 2009 third-round selection. The Jets acquired this pick as part of the conditional agreement of the trade in which Favre's performance resulted in the Packers receiving the Jets' 2009 third-round selection, coupled with Favre retiring after the 2008 season. However, this pick has been returned to the Packers.

26. Kansas City to Miami: Kansas City traded its 2010 seventh-round selection to Miami for Miami's 2009 seventh-round selection.

27. New England to Denver (returned): New England traded its 2010 seventh-round selection and Le Kevin Smith to the Broncos for their 2010 fifth-round selection. Denver then traded the selection back to New England for offensive lineman Russ Hochstein.

28. Philadelphia to New England. Philadelphia traded its 2010 seventh-round selection and wide receiver Greg Lewis to New England for New England's 2009 fifth-round selection.

Conditional/Undetermined

29. Carolina to Cleveland: Carolina traded a conditional 2010 selection to Cleveland for DT Louis Leonard.

30. Jacksonville to Tampa Bay: Jacksonville traded an undisclosed 2010 draft choice to Tampa Bay for quarterback Luke McCown.

31. Kansas City to Miami: Kansas City traded an undisclosed 2010 draft choice to Miami for offensive linemen Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe.

32. New England to Baltimore: New England traded a conditional 7th round 2010 draft choice to Baltimore for LB Prescott Burgess. Burgess was placed on the Patriots' practice squad, but was claimed by Baltimore after their game against the Patriots, thus nullifying the trade as Burgess did not meet the condition for playing time.

33. New York Jets to Philadelphia: New York traded a 2009 fifth-round selection and a conditional 2010 selection to Philadelphia for CB Lito Sheppard. Depending on Sheppard's playing time in 2009, the selection could be in the second, third, or fourth round.

34. New York Jets to Cleveland. New York traded a conditional third round pick, as well as a fifth round pick, WR Chansi Stuckey, and LB Jason Trusnik, to Cleveland for WR Braylon Edwards. The third-round pick can become a second-round pick based on Edwards' performance with New York.

35. San Diego to Houston: San Diego traded an undisclosed 2010 draft choice to Houston for defensive lineman Travis Johnson.

LB D'Qwell Jackson Goes on Injured Reserve

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:54:35 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

4 months ago: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Paul Hubbard (89) catches a pass as Cleveland Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (52) defends at the Cleveland Browns NFL football training camp Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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The Cleveland Browns placed LB D'Qwell Jackson on the injured reserve Tuesday due to a shoulder injury. Jackson suffered the injury during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With Jackson being the team's defensive captain and Mangini's highest-coveted played on defense, the loss is a big blow to the defense. In a positive light, it should provide some first-year experience to either David Veikune or Kaluka Maiava. Considering Jackson is in line to be one of our starting middle linebackers for the foreseeable future though, it would've been ideal to have Veikune or Maiava be able to work alongside Jackson. Another option at inside linebacker is Jason Trusnik, who started in place of Wimbley against the Steelers.

Eric Barton now takes on a bigger role, as it would seem to make sense for him to take over some of Jackson's responsibilities. Jackson already had 57 tackles this season.

Assuming Kamerion Wimbley returns from the flu this weekend, this is my guess for the starting linebacker unit that will be on the field against the Green Bay Packers:

David Bowens - Eric Barton - Jason Trusnik - Kamerion Wimbley

I think Maiava will split reps with Trusnik, but I don't think Mangini will throw him into the starting unit just yet, especially with the "respect" he showed to Trusnik last week by starting him over Alex Hall.

Defense and Special Teams: All You Need to Win a Football Game as Browns Prevail 6-3

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:09:09 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

2 months ago: Cleveland Browns kicker Billy Cundiff, right, is congratulated by Browns punter Dave Zastudil after his winning field goal against the Buffalo Bills late in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-4)	WEEK 5	BUFFALO BILLS (1-4)
	VS.
6		3

Who says you need an offense to win a football game? That in itself is not necessarily a true statement, as the Cleveland Browns did have a fairly good day on the ground with Jamal Lewis in their 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Around the league, the media made a joke of this game, but I think the joke was more so on the state of the Buffalo Bills. After how dismal the first three weeks of the season were, the fact is that the Browns challenged a now 4-1 Bengals team two weeks ago and took care of business against the Bills on the road. Let's get to the review of the game...

WEEK 5 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. BUFFALO BILLS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

Dave Zastudil: I probably sound like a broken record since everyone is well aware that Zastudil had a fantastic game en route to being the Special Teams Player of the Week. As bad as Trent Edwards is, we probably couldn't have come away with a victory had we not dominated the field position game.

Zastudil had seven punts downed inside the 20, with three of them being at the 1-, 1-, and 4-yard lines. Zastudil gave credit to players like Mike Adams for helping to stop those balls from going into the end zone, but the punts were so beautifully placed that it made the gunners' jobs a lot easier.
~~Derek Anderson:~~ Sike.
Eric Wright: After Derek Anderson threw an interception, the Bills had an opportunity at gaining some momentum. The Browns were able to move Trent Edwards out of the pocket, but with a lot of time to throw, I believe it was Terrell Owens who became open deep. Edwards' throw was terribly underthrown, and Eric Wright took advantage by intercepting it at the same time he turned himself around. Wright's pick canceled out Anderson's pick, allowing the game to continue being a special teams battle.

GOATS OF THE GAME:

Robert Royal: The Browns had an opportunity to put the game away when Derek Anderson lofted his only good throw and one of his few deeper throws of the game over the left middle of the field to Royal. Without a defender near him and playing in the stadium he had been in for several years, Royal simply dropped the ball. Please give these reps to Steve Heiden, as Royal, as a receiver, is starting to make me miss Darnell Dinkins. DINKINS!
Derek Anderson: There are a lot of valid excuses that can be made for Anderson's 2-of-17 completion rate. With that said, there are also a lot of things that Anderson clearly could've done better. Anderson rarely throws the ball into a receiver's comfort zone, especially with the running backs.

GENERAL THOUGHTS

The running of Jamal Lewis set the Browns up for a game-winning field goal.

Give it Up to the Defense: I thought the Bills were going to run the ball all over the Browns, but we clearly made an improvement Sunday. The run defense has shown signs of brilliance in which they'll give up nothing, but then give up several consecutive big runs late in the game. If the Bills ripped a decent-sized run on Sunday, the Browns usually followed it up with a stuff.
Stopping the Duo: A big key was holding Fred Jackson, a key contributor to the Bills the first four weeks of the season, to just 30 yards on 13 carries. That killed the "dynamic duo" threat the Bills tried to present us with.
One Big Problem Remains: All of a sudden, we can't stop the quarterbacks from running with the football -- and I'm talking about quarterbacks who usually do not take off and run. Edwards had an unacceptable 40 yards rushing on 4 attempts against the Browns. Surely, the Browns will be more aware of Ben Roethlisberger this Sunday, but how will that hinder the other aspects of our defense in exchange?
Established an Identity: I had a lot of problems with Brian Daboll's inability to call a passing play on first- and second-downs. With so many running plays, where was the playaction fake too? I don't even know if I saw one playfake in the game from Cleveland. I do give credit to Daboll for at least having a comprehensible gameplan though, which was clearly to run the ball down the Bills' throat no matter what the situation.
Lewis Returns: For those of you who thought Jamal Lewis was done (in terms of playing time), think again. A week after Jerome Harrison had over 30 carries, this week it was Lewis' turn, who touched the ball 31 times for 117 yards (a 3.8 average). Overall, there were some plays where I thought a better running back would've gotten more, but he still made the proper moves to get the maximum yardage he could. And, I can't complain when the guy is hurdling over defenders in the fourth quarter.
Harrison's Line is Low: It was a rather uneventful game for Jerome Harrison, who had 8 runs for 21 yards. Props to the coaching staff for giving Harrison more than the regulated four-carries-or-less he's been accustomed to with Lewis in the lineup. Keep giving the ball to Harrison, because eventually, he'll make the defense pay. More of an effort should've been made to get the ball to Harrison on some of Anderson's 17 pass attempts though.
An Update Look as Massaquoi: So, how did Mohamed Massaquoi handle his first game as the No. 1 receiver? Not too well, with about three passes that he should've been able to haul in. I'm going to give all of the receivers somewhat of a "bye" for the Bills game though since everyone seemed to struggle. If those struggles continue, then I'll re-evaluate.
Looks to RoBo: I saw the jersey of Brian Robiskie in motion a few times, but I don't recall any passes being thrown his way. Maybe next week against Pittsburgh? Chansi Stuckey just needs some more with with Anderson. Where was Mike Furrey throughout the game?
Costanzo Rules Again: I think Blake Costanzo is going to set a special teams record or something with the amount of fumbles he is recovering. When most players dive at a loose football, the ball bounces elsewhere. When Costanzo dives at it, it's like the ball gravitates right to him. Does he have some secret type of magnetic attraction device planted?
Bigger Plans for Trusnik: It was certainly a surprise to see Alex Hall on the inactive list and new special teamer Jason Trusnik seeing pretty important reps at linebacker. I guess Mangini has bigger plans for Trusnik than we originally envisioned. Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer says that one of the reasons Hall was inactive was because the team wants him to learn his assignments better. Maybe that's true, because Hall has been a disappointment this season with his lack of impact.

The interception by Eric Wright kept the Bills' offense silent.

Good Game for Corey Williams: Before the game, I pleaded for a defensive lineman besides Shaun Rogers to step up. That player was Williams, who even received props from Rogers after the game. Rogers was his usual self, pushing offensive linemen into Edwards throughout the game. I also thought Kenyon Coleman stepped it up a notch.
Roughing the Passer: Give me a break. Corey Williams made a great hit on Edwards, a clean one in my book, and it nearly cost us the game because the Bills had several big plays afterwards. The officials have lost the concept of "roughing the passer" league-wide.
Motioning Cribbs: Part of the commitment to the running game? The number of pre-snap motions/fake handoffs we did to Cribbs the whole game. Cribbs didn't get many opportunities to return kicks, but he had to of been tired after the game trying to sell the fake on almost every play. The one time we did hand it off to him? A 31-yard burst that led to a field goal. I think we can get away with giving it to him a few more times too.
Fair Job to Cundiff: I don't know how much more of Billy Cundiff we'll be seeing, as Phil Dawson's return has to be on the horizon. Cundiff has made all five of his kicks since joining the team, with his only blemish being the kick out of bounds near the end of the game. It could've been costly, but with Edwards at quarterback, I real wasn't sweating it. Interesting note to read that Matt Stover originally turned down an offer to join the Browns once Dawson got hurt.
Wimbley Matches: Through five games, LB Kamerion Wimbley has four sacks. That equals the total number of sacks he had all of last season. He doesn't look like a Pro Bowler by any means, but the Rob Ryan has done a better job with timing the blitzes, and bringing pressure from more than just Wimbley's side to keep the offensive line off-guard.
Ugly Penalties: Dick Jauron should be fired. There is no excuse for that many penalties, especially that many false starts in your own stadium!
Brownies: How cool would it have been to see the Browns snap the ball before the Bills' timeout on the punt to end the third quarter...despite being doubtful, D'Qwell Jackson played and led the team in tackles...Mike Adams continues to be a great utility player...Trent Edwards is no Carson Palmer.

Up next, the Browns have the Pittsburgh Steelers. The rivalry doesn't seem as strong with our current losing streak against them, but I think all it will take is one win over them to finally get the blood boiling again. Who knows -- maybe a win against the Steelers will help define the "legacy" of Eric Mangini in Cleveland.

Cotchery Could Miss Monday Night’s Game At Miami

Xander Diaz — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:41:47 -0000

More photos » by Tim Larsen - AP

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New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan says WR Jerricho Cotchery may not play on Monday night against the Miami Dolphins.

Cotchery missed Friday’s practice with a hamstring injury.

Cotchery has been terrific so far this season, with 23 catches for 356 yards and a touchdown. Having Cotchery watching from the bench Monday night, could be a major blow to the offense. Especially now, when this team is trying to rebound from a pretty bad loss to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez had a woeful day at the hands of the New Orleans defense, tossing 3 interceptions including one that was returned 99 yards for a touchdown. Sanchez would also lose a fumble in the endzone surrendering an additional 7 points to the Saint defense.

With Cotchery out the Jets would have to depend on WR’s David Clowney, Brad Smith and Wallace Wright. No official word has been given yet who it would be. My money would be on either Wright or Clowney. I’m not so sure Smith has shown the hands yet to get the nod, but I could be totally wrong. I admit that it won’t surprise me a bit to see all three used to fill in the role.

"That’s a possibility, I’m expecting him to play, but that’s a definite possibility… The hamstring’s still bothering him some, so we’ll see, I’m definitely not ruling him out, but he’s not 100 percent right now."
- New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan

The timing of this couldn’t be worse. The Jets having just pulled the trigger on a major trade with Cleveland for WR Braylon Edwards; giving up wide receiver Chansi Stuckey, linebacker Jason Trusnik and two draft picks in the process.

A move that is sure to spread things out on the field, help open up the running game and give our young QB, a little more breathing room in the pocket to make better decisions from.

Of course, this plan depends on Cotchery as much as it does Edwards. Cotchery has proven that he can not be ignored by opposing defenses. Edwards represents the deep threat that will help relieve Cotchery and TE Dustin Keller of some of the double teams they have been seeing. The combination of Edwards, Cotchery and Keller on the field should prove to be explosive.

Certainly looks great on paper!

There is no doubt that both the Jets and Jets fans are eager to see Cotchery lined up opposite Edwards. Everyone is waiting and hoping for those fireworks to start.

Hopefully all this speculation is just folly and Cotchery will play. Let’s see what Monday night brings.

Poll

Will Cotchery Sitting Out The Miami Game Be A Big Deal For The Jets?

Heck No! With Edwards coming in and already looking comfortable, this won't be anything at all to worry about.

47 votes

Oh You Betcha! Edwards isn't so comforatble that you can go out there with nothing but a backup to backup him up!

130 votes

177 votes | Poll has closed

Preview: Bears (3-1) BYE WEEK

SackMan — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:24 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

When will Juaquin Iglesias finally step onto the playing field?

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The Bears will be sitting on their couches, and checking their fantasy teams like the rest us this Sunday. Although, that shouldn't be anything new for Juaquin Iglesias. So, while we're on the bye, let's:

1. Recap last week
2. Look at some key numbers
3. Talk about wide receivers, and
4. Take a look at the division

Week 4 Recap

The Bears completed Lovie Smith’s 1^st quarter of the season with a convincing 48-24 victory at home over the Detroit Lions. It was a tale of two halves. The Lions came into Soldier Field on a high note, after winning for the first time in their last 20 games, and picked up were they left off in the first half. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford looked pretty sharp picking away at the Bears soft secondary, but Jay Cutler answered him, and the first half ended in a 21-21 tie. The game shifted on Johnny Knox’s TD return to open the second half, and the Bears pulled away to a large margin of victory.

Among the positives of the game were Matt Forte’s two big runs (61 and 37T), as the running game had not made much impact in the first 3 weeks of the season. On the flip side, the Bears still struggled in pass coverage, and saw many of their blitzes get stonewalled once again. They’ll have the bye week to remedy some of the problems and get healthy for a trip to Atlanta on Sunday Night Football next week.

By the numbers:

14.0: The Bears current sack total, ranking them 3^rd in the league behind the Vikings (16.0) and Broncos (15.0). Last season the Bears finished with just 28 sacks. In four games this year, they’ve already reached half that total. Adewale Ogunleye leads the Bears with 4.5, and only 4 of the sacks were recorded by non lineman (Manning, Briggs, Roach, and Afalava).

104.7, 126.4, & 100.4: Jay Cutler’s QB rating in each of the last 3 weeks. The last Chicago Bear QB to have a rating over 100 in 3 consecutive weeks was Jack Concannon in 1970.

3.8: The Bears current team rushing average per carry, a point down from last year’s final average of 3.9.

News around the league (six degrees of separation from Juaquin Iglesias).

This weeks NFL headliners were both WR related. 1^st round pick Michael Crabtree finally signed a contract with the 49ers. It’s hard to say if Crabtree will have any significant impact for the 49ers this year, after such a late start. The other big news: the Cleveland Browns traded Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets.for special teams player Jason Trusnik, WR Chansi Stuckey and a pair of draft picks.

Edwards caused some problems in a Cleveland night club this weekend, punching Lebron James' friend... and that seems to be his plane ticket out of town (who knew the King really is the King of Cleveland?). However, last Sunday Derek Anderson threw the ball to rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi a whopping 13 times, finishing with 8 catches for 148 yards. With Edwards now out of the picture, Massaquoi is now the Browns default #1 WR.

Massaquoi was one of the names that draft experts were linking to the Bears last April. However, with Massaquoi off the board and unable to work a deal with Arizona for Anquan Boldin, the Bears traded out of the 2nd round entirely, and eventually selected Oklahoma WR Juaquin Iglesias (pick #99) in the 3rd round.

Fellow rookie WRs like Massaquoi (CLE pick #50), Percy Harvin (MIN pick #22), Kenny Britt (TEN pick #30), Mike Wallace (PIT pick #84), Louis Murphy (OAK pick #124), and Johnny Knox (CHI pick #140) are all having immediate impacts on their teams. However, Iglesias hasn't even been activated on a game day yet, and has been absolutely buried on the depth chart below Rashied Davis and former practice squadder Devin Aromashodu. This is not exactly a good indicator for the future.

I normally would give a rookie WR more leeway, especially since trends in the NFL lean towards the "magical 3rd year." Heck, last year we saw Earl Bennett be a total non factor, while he got acclimated to the league. However, the Bears, Titans, and Jaguars presented perhaps the easiest opportunity you'll ever see for a rookie WR to earn playing time in this league. Just ask Johnny Knox, Kenny Britt, and second year man Mike Sims-Walker. But, thus far... Iglesias has completely dropped the ball… literally.

Side notes from the NFC North:

So far the Vikings haven’t allowed a rushing TD yet*… only the 49ers can share that honor. However, the Vikings are allowing 3.7 yards per carry and 89.5 yards per game this year (vs the Browns, Lions, 49ers, and Packers). While those numbers are very nice, it’s up from 3.3 and 76.9 last year. Expect those numbers to increase when they face the Ravens and Steelers in back to back weeks (6 & 7).

The Packers offensive line continues to get thrashed, allowing 20 sacks in 4 games. At this rate, Aaron Rodgers might not survive the season in one piece. The bye week couldn’t come at a better time, and I’m sure Rodgers will spend much of it in a hot tub.

Matthew Stafford update*: After a horrendous start for the Lions in his 1^st two games (1 TD to 5 INTs and a QB rating of 40.5), the #1 pick has turned the corner with a win vs Washington (87.8 QB rating), and a 296 yard day against the Bears (89.6 QB rating). With targets like Calvin Johnson and rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew, Stafford should settle in nicely, as long as he stays healthy. He left the Bears game late in the second half with a knee injury, and hopefully will not miss too much time.

*I’ve been forecasting that the Vikings days of dominant run D are nearing an end, mainly due to Pat Williams turning 37 years old.
*I'll keep tabs on Matthew Stafford all season, as I eventually try to draw a comparison to Troy Aikman, who started every game for the 1-15 Cowboys in 1989, after also being the #1 pick in the draft.

SB Nation - Jason Trusnik

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Report: Shaun Rogers Out for Season

Browns Need Efficient Play from Brady Quinn Moving Forward

Hooray for the Promotion of Youth! Marcus Benard Added to 53-Man Roster

Kamerion Wimbley and Browns Defense Play With Fire Despite 30-6 Loss to Bears

The 2010 Draft - Where We Stand in Chart Form

Fifth round

Seventh round

Conditional/Undetermined

LB D'Qwell Jackson Goes on Injured Reserve

Defense and Special Teams: All You Need to Win a Football Game as Browns Prevail 6-3

Cotchery Could Miss Monday Night’s Game At Miami

"That’s a possibility, I’m expecting him to play, but that’s a definite possibility… The hamstring’s still bothering him some, so we’ll see, I’m definitely not ruling him out, but he’s not 100 percent right now."- New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan

Will Cotchery Sitting Out The Miami Game Be A Big Deal For The Jets?

Heck No! With Edwards coming in and already looking comfortable, this won't be anything at all to worry about.

Oh You Betcha! Edwards isn't so comforatble that you can go out there with nothing but a backup to backup him up!

Preview: Bears (3-1) BYE WEEK

"That’s a possibility, I’m expecting him to play, but that’s a definite possibility… The hamstring’s still bothering him some, so we’ll see, I’m definitely not ruling him out, but he’s not 100 percent right now."
- New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan