SB Nation - Cornelius Griffin

The Linc - Will Brees do his best Warner impression?

JasonB — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:55:34 -0000

More photos » by Barbara Johnston - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks Jeff Garcia (9) and Kevin Kolb (4) chat during practice at the team's NFL football training facility in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Barbara Johnston)

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Eagles Hoping Brees Doesn't Emulate Warner
This Sunday, we’ll see just how much the Eagles have learned from their NFC Championship loss to Arizona. That afternoon the savvy Kurt Warner defused their blitz by making quick decisions and accurate passes. Warner winged darts through the Eagles’ D, completing 14 of 17 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Cardinals to a 24-6 halftime lead.

NFC East: Final Word - NFC East - ESPN
Why am I the only guy in the country who thinks Kevin Kolb will play well against the Saints? It's not like the Saints have a juggernaut defense. - Matt Mosely

NFL Football Betting, Bet on NFL Odds, Lines at Bodog Sportsbook
Kevin Kolb - Total Passing Yards Week 2 vs. the New Orleans Saints Over/Under 165.5

Les Bowen: Eagles' Cole faces more difficult test this week vs. Saints | Philadelphia Daily News | 09/18/2009
THE LIST OF things the Carolina Panthers weren't prepared to do in last Sunday's opener - along with taking care of that slippery ball, and tackling DeSean Jackson - included figuring out the game of "Where's Waldo?" that new Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was playing with Trent Cole.

More after the jump including an update on Cornelius Griffin, Saints' coordinators, Stacy Andrews on Shawn Andrews, and more

Expectations for Maclin; Saints' coordinator knows Birds | Philadelphia Daily News | 09/18/2009
Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg didn’t want to venture a guess as to how many snaps from scrimmage wideout Jeremy Maclin got at Carolina in his NFL debut. No passes were thrown to Maclin. "He got some plays," Mornhinweg said. "Now, every game will be different, but hopefully, as we go over a big space of time, that will keep picking up just a little bit for him."

New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles: Interview with the Enemy - Canal Street Chronicles
New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles: Interview with the Enemy

Second knee surgery doesn't surprise Eagles rookie Ingram | Philadelphia Daily News | 09/18/2009
ou can add Cornelius Ingram to the list of people who weren't surprised the Eagles' rookie tight end needed a second ACL repair. "No, not really, sad to say," Ingram, a fifth-round pick from Florida, said yesterday.

PhillyBurbs.com: Stacy Andrews defends brother
Despite speculation, the elder Andrews said Shawn is genuinely injured and wants to play.

Hogs Haven Predicts Redskins Final 53

Ken Meringolo — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:32:30 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Robert Henson and Cody Glenn may both benefit from being drafted by Vinny Cerrato. He HATES to cut players he drafts!

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First, the obvious: Sugar has been shelved for the time being. I will be tackling a new writing assignment within SB Nation and I was asked to come up with a cooler name to write under. The best I could come up with was "Ken Meringolo". I know what you're thinking...sounds too much like an undercover secret agent of international intrigue. I guess you could say I followed the lead of one my heroes, Lt. Frank Drebin, and decided to use my maiden name.

Not that many tears (besides mine) will be shed over it, but Sugar will most assuredly be back. I will keep you guys posted on when and where my other writing assignments will end up. But on to the issues of the day.

Here is our crack at predicting the Redskins "Final 53". We have all been watching the preseason closely--there won't be many surprises. But we are picking a couple. Have at it (after the jump):

QB (3): Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt Brennan

RB (5): Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, Mike Sellers, Anthony Alridge

WR (5): Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, Marko Mitchell

TE (3): Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Todd Yoder

OL (9): Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Stephon Heyer, Chad Rinehart, Mike Williams, Jeremy Bridges, Will Montgomery

DL (9): Phillip Daniels, Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston, Lorenzo Alexander, Andre Carter, Jeremy Jarmon, Rob Jackson

LB (7): London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh, Brian Orakpo, H.B. Blades, Chris Wilson, Cody Glenn, Robert Henson

DB (9): Carlos Rogers, DeAngelo Hall, Fred Smoot, Kevin Barnes, Justin Tryon, LaRon Landry, Chris Horton, Reed Doughty, Kareem Moore

P: Hunter Smith

LS: Ethan Albright

K: Dave Rayner

I put Rob Jackson in over Renaldo Wynn, Robert Henson in over Robert Thomas, Rayner over Suisham, and Anthony Alridge in over whomever you want to call the 53rd man to make it.

Why do I continue to keep Renaldo Wynn off my final 53 list? If you think like me, then you think Wynn is not really a guy who is going to get a lot of snaps anyway unless there is an injury. Rob Jackson is still a little young and raw, and I have not heard his name a ton but if you are going to keep a guy around to caddy for the rest of the defensive linemen, why not keep a young guy who has a shot to develop into a serviceable backup instead of a guy at the end of his rope who has played all of his best football already? This is the pick I will most likely be wrong about, as Renaldo Wynn is a pro who knows how to play the game, and was brought in for his leadership and experience this offseason. But I had to stay true to what I have been saying this summer.

The Robert Henson/Cody Glenn/Robert Thomas decision at linebacker is a little more straight-forward. I think Cody Glenn is at the head of the 3-pack. The decision between Henson and Thomas is not so hard when you remember one thing: Vinny drafted Henson. He hates to be wrong about his draft picks. And lucky for him, he is in the position to pronounce his rightness! Henson has made a few mental blunders during games this preseason, and dropping that sure interception against the Ravens hurt him (coming out of TCU, he was actually graded as a sure-handed linebacker.) But in the end, the team will keep the guy they picked in the draft, and drop the guy they signed off the street. Regardless of who is better--though let's not make that out to be a huge deal. Neither Henson nor Thomas factors huge for us this season, and if Henson can figure out to stay on the field for special teams by mid-season, he will be worth the investment. Finally, it says here that Robert Henson will pull off an Alfred Fincher kind of performance against the Jags and earn the spot.

Anthony Alridge...really? Vinny brought him in this offseason and the word from the inside of the building is that Vinny loves him too much to let him go. What's not to love? He is one of those "yards-per-touch" guys. He is going to get the ball in the flat on screens, pitches, and dump-offs and he is going to get upfield in a hurry. I know Marcus Mason has been a fan favorite to make this squad multiple times, but the fact of the matter is he does not give us something we don't already have. Alridge gives us a scatback, speed option off the bench that will prove very useful this season.

I went with Rayner over Suisham even though there seems to be a resounding consensus that Suisham will retain his position. I FEEL LIKE I AM TAKING CRAZY PILLS! How do you hold any benefit of the doubt in a kicking competition when you were last in the league in field goal percentage? Rayner has had the better kickoff leg and neither has blown the roof off with their field goals. If anything, I would be tempted to keep Rayner and then bring in either Mike Nugent (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) or Brandon Coutu (Seattle Seahawks)--helps to watch every preseason game!--to compete with Rayner in the week leading up to the regular season. Coutu has a good chance to make the Seahawks' roster, but if he doesn't, we wouldn't be the only ones trying to sign him.

Practice Squad Predictions: Edwin Williams, Scott Burly, Keith Eloi, Robbie Agnone, Chase Daniel, Eddie Williams

WaTimes 53-man roster [Redskins 360]
WaPost 53-man roster [Redskins Insider]
Redskins Blog [Terl took his link down...I swore it was there?]

What do you guys think?

Poll

Which player that I put in do you think is most likely NOT to make the team?

Robert Henson

113 votes

Anthony Alridge

226 votes

Rob Jackson

263 votes

602 votes | Poll has closed

Ask a Redskin: 3 Random, Tough Questions and Their Replies

KevinE — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:33:29 -0000

August 8, 2009: Carlos Rogers with his daughter after practice Fan Appreciation Day.

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Fan Appreciation Day was this past weekend, and given the light mood after practice, I thought it'd be fun to ask the players non football related questions for a change. First things first, the offensive line did look better. The quarterbacks did not throw well, which was disappointing, but there was only a few number of sacks and the QBs did have time to throw the ball. Coach Zorn in his intro speech raved of Hunter Smith. I clocked his last 5 punts, which had the hang-times: 4.05, 4.39, 4.18, 4.81, and 5.?. (I received a text message as I was clocking the last punt, but it was a massive 60-yard punt that was well over 5 seconds). When asked in the post-practice interview about Hunter, Zorn said that when Hunter the Punter misses a kick, it's still in the 4+ seconds range versus last year where the punters mis-kicks were in the 3.1 and 3.2 seconds range. That certainly is a huge difference and should go a long way for field battle positions. Anthony Alridge and Byron Westbrook were getting time as the punt runners on my side of the field.

I spoke with Renaldo Wynn about the offensive line, and he had this to say:

The key is how they gel together. It's like the Giants' offensive line. They're not the most talented, but they work together. If we can get these guys to pull together and come together as a unit, I think they can be pretty great. Keep guys healthy number two. That was a huge problem last year. Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen were hurt. Most of the guys in there were battling some type of injury.

That seems fair enough to me. Let's see how they do Thursday before completely throwing them under the bus. I also asked several of the players who of the young guys are standing out most in camp. Jeremy Jarmon is in the huge lead (Orakpo is already a given at this point).

Wynn: "Jeremy Jarmon. Edwinn Williams, the center from MD. He's having a heck of a camp."
Portis: "[Marques ]Hagans at receiver. [Robert ] Agnone. Fred Davis...I think he's had the best camp out of anyone."
Randle-El: "Marko Mitchell, Trent Shelton, and that cat we got in the supplemental draft Jeremy Jarmon. He's nasty."
London Fletcher: "Reed Doughty looks good."
Todd Yoder: "Orakpo. He is strong as a bull and fast. I'm expecting big things out of him...he's got great strength for his size and a real quick first step.

As of right now it is looking like Jeremy Jarmon was a STEAL with next year's 3rd round pick...not to mention the added benefit that we get having Jarmon on the roster this year. I don't see how he doesn't make the 53-man roster.

So onto the fun questions. I asked the following questions to 17 players (and Dan Steinberg):

1.) If Hollywood was making a movie of your life, who would you want to play you?
2.) Who would you rather spend a weekend in Vegas with: Shaun Suisham or Ethan Albright?
3.) Who would win a QB accuracy contest today: Zorn or Brunell?

Can you guess for #1 who picked Johnny Drama and who Fred Smoot and Jim Zorn picked? Answers after the jump...

I think it'd be close. I honestly can't give away either one. They're both friends. Brunell is probably a little less rusty so I'll go with him."

	Actor to play their life story	Vegas	Zorn or Brunell Contest
Fred Smoot	"TI!"	"Albright!. He's my boy! He's Irish ... I'm Dutch, we're gonna roll together!"
Carlos Rogers	"Smoot!"	"Suisham."	"Zorn."
DeAngelo Hall	"Me"	"Neither."
Todd Yoder	"Me. Can I be in a movie? Or maybe I can get Cools and then maybe I can star in a movie playing him."	"Albright because he's the Red Snapper."
Antwaan Randle-El	"Cuba!"	"Suisham"	"Brunell" (with confidence)
Clinton Portis	"Jamie Foxx"	"Albright"	"I don't know, you're talking about 2 old arms that got it done at their time. Brunell at this point since he's still in the league."
Marko Mitchell	"hmm..Will Smith!!"	"Suisham. He's a funny, cool guy and down to Earth."
London Fletcher	"Me! [laughing]"	"Probably Albright. Ethan's old school so I'm sure we'll have a good time."
Cornelius Griffin	"Denzel Washington"	"Neither one."
Renaldo Wynn	"[laughing] Someone with some good looks. Probably have to say Denzel."	"Man...I have to go with Albright. I have to go with Albright. I'd just like to see what he does for fun. Suisham, he's a regular guy, but Albright, he'll be like Chevy Chase waering the plaid pants."
Chris Samuels	Chris: "I don't know, that's tough." Kevin: "Gary Coleman?" Chris: "No...haha, not at all. Samuel L...I need someone big. Oh! The guy that played Deebo...even though my eye is straight!"	"Ethan Albright. I like him..old wise veteran."	"Zorn because he's my coach...even though I love Brunell."
Chris Cooley	"That's a good question man. I'd go with Johnny Drama.He'd be good."	"Suisham"	"I think it'd be close. I honestly can't give away either one. They're both friends. Brunell is probably a little less rusty so I'll go with him."
Jason Campbell	"Denzel"	"Suisham"	"Brunell"
Shaun Suisham	"Matt Damon"	(I asked Shaun to make his case for players to choose him)" "Me. Because I'm lucky."
Mike Sellers	"The dude they call 'Tiny' in the movies."	"Albright. He's funny. That's my buddy."
Jim Zorn	"Hmm..that's a good question. You know who I like...Robert Duvall. . He's really good. I like Matt Damon. I like Tom Criuse. I like those guys. They make fun movies. They're good actors."	"Neither!!"
Dan Steinberg [Bog]	"I'd have to say Moby."	"Suisham...he loves me."	"I'll take Zorn."

August 4: Our Recap from Training Camp Today

KevinE — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:05:04 -0000

Another sweltering hot day. The practice started for QBs with Zorn throwing the ball on the ground and each Qb having to fall on it in a spooning/sliding fashion. Colt did it the best of the three. Todd Collins seemed to run up to it, squat, and fall on it which drew laughter from the crowd. Campbell also had an awkward fall on it which resulted in a quick lecture from Zorn.

Next up was practicing 15 yard screen passes. The QB would drop back and then Zorn would yell which square he wants the QB to throw in. Campbell's first pass was a direct shot, but he got a quick lecture on Zorn on footwork. The drill reminded me of a dunk-tank at a county fair. The crowd would go crazy any time the ball caught into one of the squares.

Next, the Qbs ran this drill on the run. Todd Collins looked a lot more consistent than the previous day I saw him (Saturday). The subsequent drill removed the net and insert in tight ends (no coverage). Fred Davis made a nice grab and his turn and momentum up-field is very impressive. As Sugar said before, Fred Davis is going to make himself known this year.

Hunter Smith was doing a few drills today. He was catching some Ethan Albright snaps for place kicking...one-handed. Everything Terl covered with Hunter being the best holder of all time appears to be true. I asked Suisham if Hunter has made a big difference. "Yes" he replied. "How is it different than Durant's hold", I asked. Suisham thought for a few seconds, laughed, and replied, "It just is." Seems to go with what Hunter said that every ball he puts down is the exact same, smooth motion.

At 9:30AM the horn sounded and the 11-11 drills commenced. I took notes of every single play, so here they are in sequential order:

- Fincher comes straight through into the backfield

- London Fletcher came in untouched and Campbell throws an INT. Zorn shouts "You got to earn it offense!"'

- JC fumbles snap

- Heyer slightly false started, Sellers held, but JC finished the play and connected on a long bomb to Randle-El to the crowd's delight.

- Todd Collins completes a nice throw over the middle to Trent Shelton

- False start

- Todd Collins 5-yard slant complete pass.

- Sweep to Alridge for no gain.

- Fred Davis goes in motion and stops as fullback. Colt hikes and looks for a screen to Fed which is well-covered, so Colt scrambles out of bounds.

- Jeremy Jarmon burns Jeremy Bridges and is able to bat down Colt's screen attempt

- Campbell quick slant to Randle-El for short gain (I got a flashback to 2008)

- Campbell overthrows Fred Davis. Cornelius Griffin got to the QB first.

- Betts run left for a few yards.

- Quick pass for 3-yards to Hagans. Will Montgomery playing Center and lost his battle.

- Anthony Alridge bobbles the handle off and fumbles. Kareem Moore scoops it up. Fan screams "Cut his ass!" which drew a laugh

- Dominque Dorsey runs left for a 5 yard gain before defense gets to him

- Todd Collins screen to Marcus Mason who runs down the sideline and takes a full hit from Robert Henson

--- Drills now switch to Red Zone ---

- Antonio Dixon gets in the backfield. Portis stopped for a loss.

- Campbell has lots of protection and scrambles up the middle for a TD

- Collins nice fade pass to Marko Mitchell for a TD

- Betts runs left for a TD. No LBs were there to cover that side and Robert Thomas was the closest one.

- Colt has a really nice play-action fake bootleg and throws a pass to Fred Davis in the end-zone. Zorn throws his hands up in the air in celebration.

- Pitch to Marcus Mason which is broken up by Rocky McIntosh behind the line of scrimmage.

- Colt Brennan can't find an open WR...looks around and runs out of bounds. Gets some coaching from Zorn.

- Dominique Dorsey run up the middle. Albert Haynesworth is an absolute wall on this play. No gain.

--- Back to normal field plays ---

- Offense is clicking now. Todd Collins completing passes. Blache is using prevent defense.

- Next 2 plays are Todd Collins interceptions.

I was able to talk to several players post practice which I'll write up shortly once I get my audio converted over (Moss, Cooley, Daniels, Henson). Overall, the offense did look better. They weren't getting run-over like I saw on Saturday. Phillip Daniels confirmed this when I asked him about it. Other notes: Orakpo continued to shine burning Samuels on one play (oohs and aaah's from crowd). Fincher was also very disruptive. It is still way too early to pass judgement on playes. Once they see some real game time can we make evaluations. Roydell Williams is out 3-6 weeks so the door seemed to have opened for Hagans, who looked strong, and Marko Mitchell.

Minicamp Coverage: Observations and Interviews from Redskins Park

KevinE — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:26:53 -0000

Well, Sugar and I have arrived at Redskins Park. It is wet as can be but practice is still on. We're blogging from the media room now adjacent to the main complex. Jason LaCanfora and David Elfin are here. We're about to head out to the field now so we'll keep you posted on the action with this thread.

Update 11:43am - So the day just ended and we got to talk to several players after practice including Heyer, Randy Thomas, Mike Williams, Brian Orakpo, and Renaldo Wynn. Zorn spoke to the media for 5 minutes afterwards. We'll post the full details with audio and pictures tonight. I am still soaking wet at this point and have yet to eat.

Sugar:

Seen and heard on the sidelines in our waterlogged media group: I spoke to Homer McFanboy's Brian Murphy about who has been standing out among the non-roster guys invited to participate in this session. Kelley Washington was mentioned by all as a guy who has been standing out, perhaps even as a guy who could finally unseat James Thrash on this roster. We shall see. JLC and I spoke about James Thrash also, as I wondered aloud if Justin Tryon would make this team, and if his spot would come down to a choice between him and Thrash. Matt Terl (Redskins blogger) is the man by the way. He doesn't big-time anyone, and he was one of the more soaked individuals on the sidelines this morning.

As for the actual practice, who did I see that stood out: No doubt...it was Fred Davis. I swear it seemed like he was a man among boys out there on some plays. He caught everything I saw thrown his way, and he worked with the first-teamers in 11-on-11 drills. If we can get him and Cooley on the field together in the red zone, I just don't know who is built to stop that kind of firepower. Kevin Barnes, our new rookie corner, did not look that great in a few one-on-one matchups. He seemed to be getting burned by some no-name guys too. Ultimately, you would expect a guy in his spot to open rough I guess, but it was probably not one of his finer days in cleats.

I was looking for Colt and in 11-on-11 drills he delivered two sidearmed throws in a row, to the ground. He made some other good throws underneath, but I wonder what the coaches think about his delivery. When Zorn was asked about Colt later, he said he had a "MUCH stronger arm already than last year," and indicated that last year at this time, he was still dealing with the labrum injury, so he is much farther now than he was last season.

Coach Zorn also said that he liked the flash that Robert Henson showed today and this weekend (Henson is an early Hogs Haven favorite). Otherwise, he said the veterans are much farther along in general this time around in his second year and that the coaches seemed a little more comfortable, too.

We had a chance to get some facetime with a few players, and here are some of the things we got from them:

Andre Carter, on playing linebacker: "Been there, done that..." Didn't sound like he was going to be volunteering for any snaps at LB anytime soon.

Chris Samuels, on how healthy he is: "Almost 100%, not there yet."

Randy Thomas, on Jason Campbell's offseason saga and how he has handled it: "Stayed poised. You would never know anything was going on. Not one time was I thinking someone else was the quarterback. That's all media talk. "

Randy Thomas on free-agent and draft speculation: "Well, we're always involved in everything right?"

Randy Thomas, on the age of the offensive line: "They say we're old. They will keep saying it until we win a ring. We've been together for a while...we were old when we were 28. We gonna stay old until we win a championship."

Mike Williams, on what he missed most about being out of football. "Competition. I'm a competitive guy." He did not look 400 lbs...I'll be honest, he was working hard and he looked like a tank.

Brian Orakpo, on playing linebacker vs defensive end: "Space. You play in more space as a linebacker." He talked about playing linebacker at Texas and he was practicing with the linebacker group today.

I think the other real notable event of the day was a play in which Fred Smoot, in NO pads, laid out Marques Hagans. They were both going for the ball and I think Hagans even caught it, but Smoot knocked him down pretty hard. From the other side of the field, we could all hear Smoot hooting and howling, as he made his way back to the defensive huddle.

Kevin:

Coach Zorn said Devin Thomas' hamstring injury is nothing to worry about, and he'll be fine.

Just to continue on the Colt topic, Zorn added that he still has a decent amount of learning to do with the playbook/system. JC was definitely the most accurate passer out there today, which without doubt quells any "start Colt now" feelings.

Fred Davis did stand out, and Coach Zorn was all giddy about him in the post-practice interviews. I asked Zorn about Jansen, and he said positive things mentioning how they worked him out as Center today, which David Elfin covered. I have the impression that Heyer will win the competition; however, I asked Zorn this direct question and he humbled me replying that the competition does not begin until they get into pads and can really compete. Makes sense.

We talked to Stephon Heyer after practice, and he was confident he would be a major contributor this year. I asked him specifically how is the offensive line going to improve when the Redskins are basically fielding the same guys as last year (who gave up the 10th most sacks)? He replied that they need to focus on their technique and running plays that benefit their strengths.

Multiple people were talking about how great shape Phillip Daniels is in. You can tell by this picture (next to Andre Carter) he is the biggest guy out there. The roster we received has him listed as 6'4" 276 lbs, which is definitely not accurate since Albert is listed as 6'6" 320 lbs. (Phillip is clearly taller than Albert). If I had to guess now, the Skins' starting front four will be Phillip, Andre, Hanyesworth, and Griffin. Very impressive. Orakpo when we talked to him said he's already learning a lot from London. He's worked all minicamp with the LB crew so his role is becoming clearer. Orakpo is listed on the roster as 6'4 which isn't accurate either. I'm 6'2 and he was the same height as me at most. His build isn't suited for a full-time DE, so the Skins are going about this the best way I feel.

Another player that stood out was Domnique Dorsey, the RB the Redskins signed from the CFL. He showed great hands and in multiple plays showed a stellar burst through the secondary. Sellers and Rock also were showing good hands in the bad weather.

Mike Williams is absolutely a guy you want to root for. I tried to get out of him what his exact diet is, but he wouldn't go into specifics. The most important thing was eating at the right times (ie - no late night snacks). Kelli Johnson asked about Mike Williams, and Coach Zorn replied that he was working by himself today on the sleds. Zorn drew a laugh stating, "We were doing our things on the field when we heard this really loud noise coming from his area...he was crushing the sled." A handful of players hit the weight room after practice, and Mike Williams was one of them.

Randy Thomas is another great personality. I asked him multiple questions on how much JC audibles, and I did not get much of a direct answer. From what I gathered, for the most part, the play comes in and they run it.

The kickers did not work out at all really given the pourous conditions. When I looked over to their side of the field, this is what I saw:

I could not stop laughing at this view. I was like, "Who is this midget coach?" Turns out it is Coach Danny Smith's kid, who got some field time today. Look how all the players are so focused on whatever he's saying! Good times.

As Sugar mentioned, the media folks that have been in camp all weekend were impressed with Kelly Washington. The Skins offered him a contract, but he is going to wait until after the Ravens camp hoping to get a better offer. The Washington Times found this fantastic TD celebration he did as a Bungle.

Hold On a Second

Jim Vance — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:03:06 -0000

What do Anthony Fasano, Dwayne Goodrich, Quincy Carter, Tony Dixon, Antonio Bryant, Al Johnson, Julius Jones and Jacob Rogers have in common? All were second round draft picks of the Cowboys this decade and none are still with the club. Since the Cowboys first selection in this draft is in the second round I wanted to see how successful the team has been at choosing players in that round.

Martellus Bennett, Andre Gurode and Kevin Burnett are the only second rounders still wearing the star, and that may change this week if Burnett decides to leave. A second round pick should be a contributing player after a couple of years - 3 out of 11 (27%) in nine drafts is a poor average when you consider one of the 3 was selected last year and another may be gone soon, dropping the Cowboys to (18%). This doesn't bode well for the Boys in this draft.

The Giants second rounders for this decade are - Cornelius Griffin, Tim Carter, Osi Umenyiora, Chris Snee, Corey Webster, Sinorice Moss, Steve Smith and Terrell Thomas. All but Griffin and Carter are still listed on the team roster giving the Giants 6 out of 8 second rounders for a (75%) success rate in the that round.

The Redskins Taylor Jacobs and Fred Davis are the only second round selections not still on their roster out of the following - Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, Rocky McIntosh, LaDell Betts and Fred Smoot. Having 5 out of 7 second round picks still playing for the ‘Skins makes their draft success for that round at (71% ).

Listed on the current Eagles roster from this decades second round draft selections are - Trevor Laws, Desean Jackson, Kevin Kolb, Victor Abiamiri, Winston Justice, Reggie Brown , L.J. Smith and Sheldon Brown. The following were drafted by the Redskins in the second but are no longer with the club - Matt McCoy, Michael Lewis, Quinton Caver, Todd Pinkston, Bobbie Williams. 8 out of 13 second round keepers gives the Eagles a (62%) success rate.

I understand this is not exactly apples to apples and is far from scientific but take a look at the keeper rate. A high percentage of second round players who stay on the roster would indicate better draft research and a better selection process. This should translate into fewer needs at future drafts and an opportunity for the team to draft players for development and not be in a do or die scenario when your QB injures his throwing hand.

Could ranking dead last in your division in this category have anything to do with failing in the playoffs? You bet it does. Is the Cowboys poor history of drafting second round players a cause for concern this year? It is for me. Our top pick is currently in the second round at #51.

Jason Taylor's Replacement: Big Al

Ken Meringolo — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:52:54 -0000

Why not? Maybe not 100% of the time, but I really like the idea of this big guy blowing up the left and right sides of the line. If you were an offensive line, how would you feel about a defensive front that went Haynesworth, Griffin, Montgomery, Golston? The LB's in this package would be Carter, Fletcher and McIntosh. That is a hell of a front 7, right? Depending on who we draft, there could be a rookie stud DE/OLB to mix into this as well. Who is going to run on this front? (don'tsaybrandonjacobsdon'tsaybrandonjacobsdon'tsaybrandonjacobs)

When you watch tape of Haynesworth, do you get the impression there are many offensive linemen that can nullify this guy? He needs to move around the defensive line, similar to the way the Packers moved Reggie White around the line. He can't just be camped out in the middle all season. By the end of last year, it became painfully obvious to our opponents that the path to beating us was around the end. Dallas showed the world this with what seemed like 5 or 6 straight off-tackle and sweep plays in one game-defining series. Carter specifically got man-handled at the line by bigger and stronger offensive linemen. I just don't see the same thing happening to Big Al. On any given play, you want to see the offense trying to find where Haynesworth is, and trying to adjust themselves appropriately, possibly causing them to overcompensate and allow for someone else to come uncovered into the backfield. So a lot will and SHOULD be asked of Big Al.

***Is he going to be up to it? That all feeds into the other big story of the last week.

In today's USA Today (as pointed out in the Daily Slop), Dan Snyder insists that the Haynesworth signing is not an indication the team is slipping into old habits. Of course, the rest of the world points to 100 million reasons that might signal they are. When Snyder points out this is a 27 year old defensive lineman that was clearly the top guy available, I think he makes a valid point about some actual learning taking place. How many 7-year deals did he give dudes who were not just 30, but well into their 30's? I would not suggest any of us hold our breath waiting for Haynesworth to play out this contract under the current salary cap rules...but these rules may very well not apply by the time this contract gets into its back-loaded period. And if that is the case, then the second part of this contract is essentially a second contract. So for all of those out there complaining that Haynesworth only plays for contracts, take a closer look at this deal--he will be playing to not get cut before he makes the second half of his money.

So we have a 27 year old player playing for big bucks now, but also trying to ensure he sees the second half of this deal when he turns 31. I am thinking he has plenty to play for and plenty of motivation. You might even give Snyder a nod on this one, if the salary cap goes away of course.

Losing Jason Taylor sucks, but not because he was so great for us. It sucks because we got one year out of him for the 2nd and 6th round picks we gave up. That is just a KILLER! We do get a little younger by releasing Taylor and adding Haynesworth to the d-line. And we do get a lot meaner and physical with the addition of #92. But losing those picks for 3.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble is unacceptable...unforgiveable.

Which is why we need Haynesworth to man up and play every position of the defensive line this year, and in future years. He needs to bring production from the end position as well as the inside tackle position. For us to salvage any sense out of the mess Vinny and Danny got us into, as well as to salvage any hope that Danny is right and he is turning the page, we need Haynesworth to wear multiple hats. No matter where he lines up, it should stay simple for Big Al:

Is Dan Snyder Making a Calculated Bet on an Uncapped Year?

Ken Meringolo — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:48:00 -0000

Not too long ago, I exchanged emails with Michael Lombardi, who is at the National Football Post, though I was responding at the time to an article he had written for CNNSI.com.

It was last May, and that week we happened to be hearing grumblings of the impending CBA collapse and its consequences. I asked Lombardi what he thought about an owner that might take a stab at working the cap for the next 2 seasons and using an uncapped year to erase all the cap hell and essentially create a "Get Out of Cap Jail Free" card. My thinking was that Dan Snyder would be just the guy to do such a thing. After all, not only are there obvious reasons why an owner who overspends would benefit on a year with no salary cap, but he could actually CREATE a higher stake in getting that uncapped year by operating in a way that pushes a bunch of money into that first year.

The restructurings of Andre Carter and Antwaan Randle-El reminded me immediately of my correspondence with Mike Lombardi. This is what he said:

Ken;

He can clearly come clean with his cap in 2010. If he cuts players in 09, he can book the charge in 2010, or he can simply cut a vested vet (that would be a player that has four or more years of service in the league) in 2010 and then resign him immediately. All the cap charges would shift into the 2010 season. Is that clear?

Hope this helps…

Michael

I think the Carter and Randle-El deals fall into the category of cutting players in 2010 (their contracts are designed in fact for us to do just that and absorb a "dead cap" hit in 2010). It remains to be seen who will or won't be cut before or after June 1st, but this will be another telltale sign of the strategy.

I find it extremely easy to believe that Snyder could find some guys willing to work with him on the "cut and immediately re-sign" leg of the strategy next year. After all, this guy hands out big-money contracts like they're candy.

Once the details of the Samuels and Griffin restructurings are announced (assuming Cornelius is restructured), we will have another piece of this puzzle. My guess: the deals will provide something in the way of a decision-to-be-made for the 2010 season giving the team the ability to sock away cap money into a year where it will do no harm to a team that has been living on the edge for years.

I don't sit in on the owers' meetings, but the growing rift between the big money guys (Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder, Kraft, etc) probably isn't getting any better if they also think guys like Snyder are lining up to capitalize on an uncapped year. As a Redskins' fan, I think this might be a genius move on Snyder's part. And if this is what he intends to do (or is already doing), expect to see some bigtime contracts fly out the door to guys like Haynesworth. Because it just won't matter. That is...if you're a betting man.

State Of The Steelers Roster: The Defensive Line

Blitzburgh — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:25:34 -0000

Like I did last year on BTSC, I again plan to take a crack at breaking down the state of the Steelers roster heading into the free agency period and the build up to the NFL Draft. The objective is to take a look back at the most recent play by position, the ages and contract statuses of the relevant players at that position, and then make some reasonable evaluations of what the Steelers front office may do moving forward in the immediate and intermediate future. Let's start it out with a look at the unheralded but consistently impressive defensive line.

TOP 5 STEELERS DL IN 2008

Player	Age	2008 Cap Hit	2009 Cap Hit	Years Remaining
Casey Hampton	31 (Sept)	$ 5,378,043	$ 6,652,000	1
Aaron Smith	32 (Apr)	$ 4,755,760	$ 3,950,000	3
Brett Keisel	30 (Sept)	$ 3,151,340	$ 4,998,000	1
Chris Hoke	32 (Apr)	$ 1,481,240	$ 1,675,000	3
Travis Kirschke	34 (Sept)	$ 983,360	$ 1,300,000	1

There's more...quite a bit in fact...after the poll and the jump. Hold off on voting until you read on however. Seriously. Mike Tomlin disapproves of short-cuts. So should you.

Yikes. I'll take some Infusion Of Youth for $500, Alex.

In all actuality though, we're in pretty darn good shape in 2009. Provided the DL doesn't get ravaged by the injury bug any more so than it did early on in the 2008 season, this DL is a very safe bet to anchor another top 5 rush defense and again pave the way for special statistical seasons for our attackers on the outside - Wood and Deebo.

Let's see...Keisel's got a good year in him in 2009, regardless of his future after that. When healthy he's still got a motor that runs with the best of them and can disrupt some things in the passing game with his vertical leap and above average sense of timing. Aaron Smith again proved his truly special durability and value in 2008. Casey Hampton recovered from an abysmal start to his year after showing up to camp out of shape. By year's end, after coming back from injury and benefiting from some needed rest at the end of the season, Hampton again helped anchor one of the NFL's very best rush defenses - not to mention occupied blockers alongside Smith so that James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley could do their thing against single coverage most of the time.

Still, you can count on replacements being secured for Kirschke, Keisel, and as we'll debate later, even Hampton in this coming Free Agency period and in the Draft. And of course, there will be intense competition for one of the final 53 roster spots and practice squad spots amongst a crop of undrafted free agents and former practice squad journey men that our scouts feel are worth keeping an eye on. That will all play out as it will. But by looking at the top 5 on our depth chart above, it sure looks like the Steelers will use two of their top five picks on defensive linemen, be it at DT or DE.

2008 KEY DL RESERVES - Age; 2009 Cap Hit; Years Remaining; 2008 Cap Hit

Nick Eason - 28 years old; $678,000; 1 year remaining; $667,300

Orpheus Roye - 36 years old; 2009 Free Agent; $485,000

Reserves Analysis:

A special shout out to Nick Eason, who played in 15 games this year and did all that was asked of him, beginning with a highlight game in Week 1 against the Texans registering 4 tackles and 1/2 a sack. Obviously I don't see the Steelers extending Eason for multiple years, but who knows exactly what might happen to him in 2009 and 2010 more notably. It depends on a myriad factors, including but not limited to our Draft decisions this year; the development (or lack of) from 'project' type young'ns, what he'd be willing to sign for, etc. We'll see. After seemingly being frequently frustrated with Eason in 2007, I distinctly remember Eason doing much better in 2008, as well as reading several reports about how he had impressed his coaches with his progress this past year. So hopefully he'll be ready to go again in 2009 if called upon. And if that's all we can count on from him, I'd be more than content and satisfied with his tenure in Pittsburgh.

(When you're coming off a Super Bowl victory, it's so much easier to give a salute to guys like Eason than when your team came up short, is it not? Ha! Kidding aside, he was a contributor in many ways to this Super Bowl, even if those ways were smallish in magnitude. Eason played some ST as well don't forget. But yeah, point stands..much easier to be pleased with reserve contributions when you win!)

As for Roye? Good signing. Good risk-reward play by the Steelers brass. Surely some younger player will at least have the chance to knock him out of the mix in 2009, but if Roye decides to stay in shape and play again in 2009, he'll surely find an opportunity to do so on someone's depth chart, be it in Pittsburgh in an emergency role or elsewhere.

Not yet mentioned: Scott Paxson. A DT that the Steelers acquired undrafted out of Penn State. Hopefully a year with the Steelers strength and conditioning coaches has helped Paxson put on some serious weight and strength to that 290 pound frame of his that he entered the league in.

<aside>Wow, just realized that I referred to a 290 pound person as undersized. RIDICULOUS</aside>

There's no way to really know just yet, but what the organization thinks of Paxson could have some bearing on the ranking of the Steelers numerous contingency plans that they head to the war room with when the 2009 Draft is held in New York City a few months from now.

SALARY COMPARISON ACROSS NFL

The following is an ordered list of DTs ranked by their 2008 cap hit. This is just me providing you with consolidated information to get a better idea of what kind of scratch we're talking about market value wise when evaluating the likelihood of certain Steelers players being extended. Their ages are included as well. There are no clear as day patterns here or anything like that - there's a wide mix of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd contract type players here and lots of different conclusions can be drawn.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES / NOSE TACKLES

Dan Klecko (PHI) - $10,651,720 (28 years)
Pat Williams (MIN) - $8,400,124 (36 years)
Albert Haynesworth (TEN) - $7,250,003 (27 years)
Cornelius Griffin (WAS) - $6,166,333 (32 years)
Tommie Harris (CHI) - $6,031,862 (~26 years)
Kris Jenkins (NYJ) - $5,900,000 (29.5 years)
Marcus Stroud (BUF) - $ 5,668,706 (30.5 years)
CASEY HAMPTON (PIT) - $ 5,378,043 (31.5 years)
Rocky Bernard (SEA) - $ 5,066,626 (~30 years)
Gerard Warren (OAK) - $5,000,000 (30.5 years)

I don't even want to know whyy Dan Klecko earned close to $10 in bonuses last year, so let's consider that an insane outlier and just look at the rest of the list. Pat Williams is getting paid because all he does is clog gaps. Just like Casey Hampton. Even at the tender age of 36 though. Williams signed that big deal with Minny when he was 33 years old, which would roughly be the same for Hampton when he becomes a free agent in 2010. What it's really going to come down to is two things: 1) Will Hampton accept a deal that continues to pay him in the top 10 at his position, rather than the top 5 or top 3 even? If the answer is a yes then it may just come down to 2) If he shows up to camp in shape. If he does..as in like, really in shape and eager to pull his weight in a run at a repeat, then it very well could happen.

Onward.

DEFENSIVE ENDS

Julius Peppers (CAR) - $ 14,137,500 (28 years)
Aaron Schobel (BUF) - $ 8,723,555 (~31.5 years)
John Abraham (ATL) - $ 8,501,920 (30.5 years)
T-Sizzle Suggs (BAL) - $ 8,475,000 (26 years)
Jared Allen (MIN) - $ 8,002,531 (~27 years)
Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (GB) - $ 7,726,828 (~31.5 years)
Jason Taylor (WAS) - $ 7,500,000 (34.5 years)
Luis Castillo (SDG) - $ 6,989,380 (25.5 years)
Mario Williams (HOU) - $ 6,881,720 (24 years)
Richard Seymour (Pats) - $ 6,836,720 (~29.5 years)

23rd. Aaron Smith (PIT) - $ 4,755,760

41st. Brett Keisel (PIT) - $ 3,151,340

Well, first of all, let me acknowledge that we're talking about a bunch of players playing in different schemes - some in the 3-4; some in the 4-3. Their perceived value as measured by contract$ is consequently different, with 4-3 DEs being the guys who get the kind of pub that the LaMarr Woodley's and James Harrison's of the 3-4s get.

Nevertheless, we can still all agree on these two things - Aaron Smith's a total bargain. He's infinitely more durable than Richard Seymour, who's basically considered the gold standard for 3-4 DEs. And he makes less money. And oh yeah, he's better than him too.

As for Brett Keisel. While valuable and an integral part of our defense in his peak years of 27-30, I don't think he's worth the coin to keep into his 30s given what we know about the Steelers scouting personnel and their ability to find outstanding talent. Hey, Brett Keisel was a 7th rounder himself don't forget.There's one possibility that hasn't yet really been discussed amongst Steelers Nation and that's this: it's not likely, but we may start seeing players taking less money, slightly that is, to go to teams with dynamic young coaches that are creating environments that players want to be a part of. Money talks, BS walks. I hear ya, believe me, but with the economic climate the way it is and with the uncertainty surrounding the Collective Bargaining Agreement's pending expiration...well, let's just say expecting recent years' trends to hold is not the safest of bets in my opinion.

CONCLUSIONS:

Let's count our lucky stars that DE Aaron Smith is locked up through the 2011 season, when he'll 35 years of age. I honestly wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Smith remains productive until he's closer to 40 than 35. He's so durable. 2007 was the first year of his career that he missed even one game after tearing his biceps against New England.

What about Casey Hampton? Well, let me just say this first. I think that it's too frequently that we immediately discount the possibility of guys in their 30s coming off their second contract to get extensions. 'The Steelers just don't do that' is what's usually said. Well, that's true but not universally. There's another myth out there that the 'Steelers are cheap and don't pay their older players.' Also not true. Here are the Steelers league rank in terms of payroll the past five years: 2008: 6th; 2007: 9th : 2006: 23rd ; 2005: 10th ; 2004 22nd.

The reality is the Steelers seem to be flexible with their spending limits. We've seen that with James Farrior, who signed a long term deal with substantial guarantees. And we're about to see it with James Harrison, who most would have said a year ago at this time was likely to be headed elsewhere after the 2009 season. Myself included. I'll hold off on fleshing this out, but let's just say I believe we're entering a four year window where the Steelers can legitimately achieve dynastic greatness. As in perhaps two more Super Bowls; and being a touch more conservative, let's just say the opportunity to host playoff games and make a run for the next four years as Ben enters his prime years, Santonio takes his game to the next level, Woodley and Deebo continue to reign terror on the league, our offensive line gets cleaned up, etc. etc. There's one area on the team where there's less certainty about 2-4 years down the road and that's the defensive line. We've got Aaron Smith for the run at greatness. I'd imagine that someone will get drafted on Day 1 this year to fill in for Brett Keisel in 2010, as well as a 2nd Day selection or two to compete for jobs with guys like Kirschke, Eason, Paxon.
Shoring up the offensive line, finding a replacement for Keisel, and since so many of you want to see B-Mac let go, a CB to fill in for him, AND for DeShea as he gets well into his mid 30s..well, there's only so many picks we have. (This is why we need to re-up either B-Mac or Big Snack..period. Can't let both walk and expect to accomplish our other goals this Draft.) So as it relates to Big Snack Hampton, I'll stop here and just say that I hope we find a way to keep him around to help us achieve those lofty goals floating out there in our most optimistic of projections. Guys like Snack don't grow on trees. In fact, they don't even come around every year; or five years really. He's that good when healthy. And at just 31 years of age, I hope like hell we at least keep the door open for re-signing him late this summer. What I'd do? See what kind of shape he shows up to Latrobe in after a summer of basking in Super Bowl glory. He was embarrassed last camp. Show up ready to eat, figuratively speaking on the field, then sign the dude and let him retire a Steeler and make a run at Canton having worn just one jersey.

Thoughts?

-MB (Blitz)-

behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com

Poll

Casey Hampton gets re-upped before Week 1 of the 2009 NFL season, assuming he shows up to camp in much better shape than last year.

True

573 votes

False

248 votes

821 votes | Poll has closed

Status Report: Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals

Kirkendall — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:13:49 -0000

The Bengals have 23 players on IR. Palmer is out (#24). Levi Jones (#25), Chinedum Ndukwe (#26), Chris Perry (#27), Ben Utecht (#28), and Kenny Watson (#29) are officially out, or considered doubtful, and all of them missed at least two days worth of practice.

That's 23 players on IR and six players not on IR, but likely out this Sunday.

Bengals

OUT: DE Eric Henderson (neck), QB Carson Palmer (elbow)
DOUBTFUL: T Levi Jones (hamstring), S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot), RB Chris Perry (groin), TE Ben Utecht (foot), RB Kenny Watson (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: CB David Jones (knee)
PROBABLE: S Kyries Hebert (neck), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand), LB Rashad Jeanty (shin), DE Antwan Odom (shoulder)

Redskins

OUT: LB Marcus Washington (ankle)
DOUBTFUL: S Chris Horton (shoulder), T Jon Jansen (knee)
QUESTIONABLE: LB London Fletcher (foot), DT Kedric Golston (ankle), DT Cornelius Griffin (shoulder, abdomen), CB Shawn Springs (calf)
PROBABLE: G Pete Kendall (knee), CB Carlos Rogers (illness), DE Jason Taylor (not injury related), G Randy Thomas (knee, neck), TE Todd Yoder (knee)

Practices

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
QB Carson Palmer (elbow)	OUT	OUT	OUT
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Rashad Jeanty (shin)	DNP	LP	FP
RB Chris Perry (groin)	DNP	DNP	DNP
TE Ben Utecht (foot)	DNP	DNP	DNP
RB Kenny Watson (hamstring)	DNP	DNP	DNP
CB David Jones (knee)	LP	DNP	FP
T Levi Jones (hamstring)	LP	DNP	DNP
S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot)	LP	DNP	DNP
DE Antwan Odom (shoulder)	LP	FP	FP
S Kyries Hebert (neck)	FP	FP	FP


REDSKINS	WED	THUR	FRI
LB London Fletcher (foot)	DNP	DNP	DNP
DT Kedric Golston (ankle)	DNP	LP	LP
DT Cornelius Griffin (shoulder, abdomen)	DNP	DNP	DNP
S Chris Horton (shoulder)	DNP	DNP	DNP
T Jon Jansen (knee)	DNP	LP	DNP
G Pete Kendall (knee)	DNP	FP	FP
CB Carlos Rogers (illness)	DNP	FP	FP
CB Shawn Springs (calf)	DNP	DNP	LP
G Randy Thomas (knee, neck)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Marcus Washington (ankle)	DNP	DNP	DNP
TE Todd Yoder (knee)	DNP	LP	FP
DE Jason Taylor (not injury related)	--	--	DNP

DNP - Did Not Practice
LP - Limited Participation in Practice
FP - Full Participation in Practice