SB Nation - Cory Withrow

San Diego Chargers' Roster: 2009 vs. 2008

John (obviousman) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:02:57 -0000

3 months ago: San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (21) and quarterback Philip Rivers (17) watch from the sidelines during their NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Saturday Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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With the San Diego Chargers' 53-man roster set, I want to compare where the team is today compared to where they were one year ago. How do the position groups match up to each other? On talent alone, has the team gotten better or worse?

QB (2009): Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst

QB (2008): Rivers, Volek, Whitehurst

Verdict: Equal. There's been no change, but Rivers enters 2009 with no questions about his health (as he did in 2008) and a year of learning how to carry an NFL team on his back. Volek looks more polished as he gets even more comfortable with Norv Turner's offense. Still, any improvements here have more to do with time and chemistry rather than any talent improvement.

See the comparisons and verdicts of the rest of the position groups after the jump.

HB (2009): LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Michael Bennett, Gartrell Johnson, Jacob Hester, Mike Tolbert

HB (2008): LT, Sproles, Hester, Tolbert, Andrew Pinnock

Verdict: Better in '09. The Chargers went into 2008 thinking that Hester could fit the role of power RB and backup to LT. He has shown himself to be a fine FB, but not an NFL-caliber running back. So, based on the fact that there is at least one decent backup to LT in 2009 (Bennett) and possibly another (Johnson), 2009 wins.

WR (2009): Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Buster Davis, Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood

WR (2008): Chambers, Jackson, Davis, Floyd, Naanee, Osgood

Verdict: Equal. Same players, same result. Jackson, Floyd and Naanee may be better than they were at the start of 2008, but there's really no way of predicting that. The expectations for Chambers and Davis have dropped in the last year.

TE (2009): Antonio Gates, Brandon Manumaleuna, Kris Wilson

TE (2008): Gates, Manumaleuna

Verdict: Better in '09. Kris Wilson offers great blocking and good hands out of the 3rd TE position. Having a player like that on the end of the line (possibly next to Manu), offers a great improvement for goal line packages. Expect a lot of "Off Tackle" runs to his side when the Chargers are inside the opponents' 5 yard line.

OT (2009): Jeromey Clary, Marcus McNeill, Brandyn Dombrowski

OT (2008): Clary, McNeill, L.J. Shelton, Corey Clark

Verdict: Better in 2008. Although I really like Dombrowski, I'd certainly prefer to have 2 legitimate backup Tackles and a veteran mixed in there (like Shelton) makes me more comfortable as well. Shelton did a decent job filling in for McNeill in 2008, and it's always nice to have a proven commodity sitting on the bench should anything happen.

G (2009): Kris Dielman, Louis Vasquez, Tyronne Green

G (2008): Dielman, Mike Goff, Scott Mruczkowski

Verdict: Better in '09. Dielman is healthier than he was going into 2008, Goff was a train-wreck last season and has since flopped in KC, and Mooch is still on the team. Louis Vasquez brings a massive presence to the right side of the line that should eventually help balance it out.

C (2009): Nick Hardwick, Mruczkowski

C (2008): Hardwick, Jeremy Newberry, Cory Withrow

Verdict: Better in '09. Hardwick is healthy, which is the biggest improvement here, and Mooch is a better blocker than Newberry and Withrow combined. The reason the Chargers were able to go with only 8 offensive linemen is because Mruczkowski and Green can both play Center and Guard. Dombrowski can also play either Tackle or Guard.

Defense

DT (2009): Jamal Williams, Ogemdi Nwagbuo

DT (2008): Williams, Brandon McKinney

Verdict: Equal. Both McKinney and Nwagbuo are young and have shown themselves to be capable in the preseason. Regular work in the season will let the team know if Nwagbuo is ready to fill that backup NT slot long-term.

DE (2009): Luis Castillo, Travis Johnson, Vaughn Martin, Jacques Cesaire

DE (2008): Castillo, Igor Olshansky, Cesaire, Ryon Bingham

Verdict: Incomplete. For as bland as Igor was as the Chargers' DE, he stayed healthy and was consistent enough to almost never get bowled over. Cesaire's health will help determine if this group has been improved over 2008, as well as how well Travis Johnson can transition back to the 3-4 and if he's improved work ethic. Since neither is a starter, I'll call Martin and Bingham a tie.

ILB (2009): Kevin Burnett, Stephen Cooper, Tim Dobbins, Brandon Siler

ILB (2008): Dobbins, Siler, Matt Wilhelm, Derek Smith, Anthony Waters

Verdict: 2009, better by a long shot. Cooper wasn't on the initial 53 man roster from 2008 because he was serving a 4 game suspension, so that's a big improvement. Burnett has shown himself to be a major playmaker in the Chargers defense, which puts him leaps and bounds ahead of Wilhelm, Smith and Waters.

OLB (2009): Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips, Larry English, Jyles Tucker, Antwan Applewhite

OLB (2008): Merriman, Phillips, Marques Harris, Jyles Tucker

Verdict: 2009 wins. A healthy Merriman (remember, the Chargers knew he was planning on playing 2008 on a bad knee), plus a first-round draft pick, makes this an easy choice.

CB (2009): Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromartie, Antoine Cason

CB (2008): Jammer, Cromartie, Cason, Cletis Gordon, DeJuan Tribble

Verdict: Tie. Gordon and Tribble don't bring anything to the 2008 group. Figuring that out helped the Chargers to take the risk and go with only 3 CBs in 2009.

FS (2009): Eric Weddle, Paul Oliver, C.J. Spillman

FS (2008): Weddle, Oliver

Verdict: 2009, but just barely. I don't know that Spillman will see a lot of time as a FS in '09, but he should be a force on special teams and could eventually develop into the backup FS or a starting SS.

SS (2009): Clinton Hart, Steve Gregory, Kevin Ellison

SS (2008): Hart, Gregory

Verdict: 2009, but just barely. Ellison brings something to the table in goal line situations (where he can't get burned deep), and I hope he can do something for special teams, but that's about it right now. If he continues to develop, keeping him this season will pay dividends in the future.

Special Teams (LS/K/P): David Binn, Nate Kaeding and Mike Scifres are rocks in this group. The Chargers, and their fans, are hopeful that this trio stays together for another five seasons.

Do you have a question for next week's mailbag? Don't hesitate to e-mail me directly with your question and I'll make sure to answer it before next week's game.

Seattle Seahawks Sack Oakland Raiders 31-21 to Sweep Preseason

John Morgan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:01:02 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Ben Obomanu ruled Qwest.

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Winners, Losers and Projecting
the Final 53 Man Roster

Winners

Dan Quinn: A great position coach finds hidden talent. It's perhaps the single greatest impact a position coach can have. In one draft, Quinn has found, coached up and scheme matched Nick Reed, Michael Bennett and Derek Walker. Quinn deserves some credit for Cory Redding too. Classes like this put position coaches in line for defensive coordinator positions--and head coaching positions.

Losers

Secondary: The front seven looked terrific throughout the game, but the secondary was sloppy, slow and not opportunistic. Seattle might lean on Jordan Babineaux to play two positions and keep seven defensive backs.

Courtney Taylor: Not sure he's cut, but it's very possible. I'd love to credit him for his sweet RAC on the Morrah moving pick, but we can't be sure he would have been open if not for the penalty. If he is cut, I expect him to make another team. Some receivers coach will see his athleticism and desire and give the kid a call.

Curt Menefee: It takes a special kind of genius to make sideline interviews more awkward and irritating, but Curt Menefee is that genius. Instead of sticking to pleasantries and platitudes, Menefee put on his reporter cap and got controversial. Asking Deon Butler about the poor quarterback play at Penn State or Darryl Tapp about how he feels about not starting does not inspire honest, insightful answers. It causes an athlete to bristle and be more guarded.

Seattle Seahawks 53 Man Roster

Deon Butler

Ben Obomanu

Tight End

John Carlson

John Owens

Joe Newton

Offensive Line

Kyle Williams

Defensive Tackle

Michael Bennett

Defensive End

Patrick Kerney

Cory Redding

Lawrence Jackson

Darryl Tapp

Nick Reed

Baraka Atkins

Linebackers

Leroy Hill

Corners

Kelly Jennings

Ken Lucas

Josh Wilson

(Free Agent or Trade)

Safety

Brian Russell

Deon Grant

Jordan Babineaux

C.J. Wallace

Specialist

Olindo Mare

Jon Ryan

Kevin Houser

PUP: Marcus Trufant

IR: Jordan Kent..Cory Withrow

Practice Squad

Derek Walker

(Acquired)

Winners, Losers and Projecting Seattle's 53 Man Roster

John Morgan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:35:12 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Ben Obomanu ruled Qwest.

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Winners

Losers

Seattle Seahawks 53 Man Roster

Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck

Seneca Wallace

Mike Teel

Running Back

Julius Jones

Edgerrin James

Justin Forsett

Fullback

Justin Griffith

Owen Schmitt

Wide Receiver

Deon Butler

Tight End

John Carlson

John Owens

Joe Newton

Offensive Line

Kyle Williams

Defensive Tackle

Michael Bennett

Defensive End

Patrick Kerney

Cory Redding

Lawrence Jackson

Darryl Tapp

Nick Reed

Baraka Atkins

Linebackers

Leroy Hill

Corners

Kelly Jennings

Ken Lucas

Josh Wilson

(Free Agent or Trade)

Safety

Brian Russell

Deon Grant

Jordan Babineaux

C.J. Wallace

Specialist

Olindo Mare

Jon Ryan

Kevin Houser

PUP: Marcus Trufant

IR: Jordan Kent..Cory Withrow

Practice Squad

Derek Walker

(Acquired)

Seattle Seahawks Place Cory Withrow on IR; Sign Safety Nate Ness

John Morgan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:45:09 -0000

by Tony Dejak - AP

Nate Ness appears in Josh Cribbs' photo.

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The Seattle Seahawks have placed center Cory Withrow on injured reserve and signed former Brown, Jet and Wildcat safety Nate Ness. Here's the breakdown for Ness.

Birthday: 9/5/1986

Position: S

Height/Weight: 6' / 193

Games and Starts: 25 and 19

Honors: Team Captain (Senior)

Stats: 107 tackles...3 tackles for a loss...10 passes defended...7 interceptions...1 pick six...3 fumble recoveries

Comp: David Bruton

Pro Day: 40 Yrd Dash: 4.46...20 Yrd Dash: 2.57...10 Yrd Dash: 1.53...225 Lb. Bench Reps: 17...Vertical Jump: 36...Broad Jump: 10'03"...20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.16...3-Cone Drill: 6.63

Notable: Courtesy Big Cat Country

Collin Streetman: Since Antoine Cason left for the NFL, you've been a major leader on defense and have served as a Defensive Captain this season. What did taking on this responsibility teach you?

Nate Ness: You know that being accountable is important as a man. It gave me a sense of accountability. I have to be a role model for younger freshmen DBs and just being respectful and showing them the ropes. You have to show them how to live your right life as a man first and it transitions onto the field.

Seattle Seahawks Starters and Reserves for Saturday's Game Against San Diego

John Morgan — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:22:09 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

William Robinson, center, hopes to be the next Kyle Williams, left. Williams hopes to be the next Donald Penn. Sean Locklear hopes an echo Sean Locklear hasn't seduced his mother and erased him from existence.

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With much of training camp accounted for, it's time we turn our attention to the preseason. The preseason is as rich as the knowledge of the fan watching it. The first thing to watch is who starts and how long they start. Below is a projection. One-series does not mean literally one series, but only a reasonable minimum depending on the coach's preferences. I know that Mike Holmgren would sometimes pull vulnerable players if the team wasn't playing well. Other coaches might play them more.

One-series Starters

Matt Hasselbeck: Seattle wants Hasselbeck to orchestrate the offense in a game situation and then retire to Dick Cheney's private bomb shelter.
Chris Spencer: Seattle needs Spencer to get game experience in its new system, but however minor his ankle injury, expect him to be protected.
Deion Branch: Too valuable and too injury prone to risk too many snaps.
Patrick Kerney: Seattle might not start him at all, but I think it will risk a series to get him game action.
Lofa Tatupu: If training camp is any indication, Tatupu isn't just the quarterback of the defense, he's getting quarterback treatment, too.

Most of the starters will play for most of or all of the first half. There's not a lot to say about some, but a few involve interesting angles.

Aaron Curry: Curry should start and play through the half at strongside linebacker.
Kelly Jennings: Marcus Trufant's injury has been the best thing to happen to Jennings professionally since lucking onto the most talented secondary in Hurricanes' history. Jennings is frustrating, but the team is committed to Josh Wilson at nickelback and doesn't see Kevin Hobbs as a starter. So Jennings is primary depth at starting cornerback. He's still going to need to show something to stick.
Cory Redding: Redding is returning from what murmurs suggest is a very serious knee injury. He hasn't looked or been especially limited, and so a strong showing throughout the preseason could help put doubts behind him.
Owen Schmitt: If he starts. Quietly, Justin Griffith has reasserted himself. Or, maybe, Schmitt just hasn't gotten up to speed as quickly as Knapp would like.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Housh doesn't seem the type you protect, but he's very expensive and may not need the snaps.
Nate Burleson: Coming off injury, Seattle might err on the side of caution.
T.J. Duckett and Julius Jones: Should play through the first half, but how many snaps each player receives and in what situations should be interesting.

The second half is the more provocative. It's when players play for their jobs and draft fans see the guys they've read so much about. It's also a telling indication of a player's position on the depth chart. Watch for these players and positions in the second half.

Quarterback: Seneca Wallace will get most of the snaps, but see if Mike Teel or Jeff Rowe get a series. It would be nice to see Teel even if he struggles.
Strong safety: The team could just play C.J. Wallace and not shake things up, but with Courtney Greene practicing well and Jamar Adams being the best talent and entering his second season with the team, both deserve some snaps to show off their ability.
Kevin Hobbs: Kid might want to share his talents with the rest of us, because I've read his name for so long without actually seeing him, I wouldn't be surprised if he had eyestalks and tentacles.
Justin Forsett: Short story: Had a good game once. Was cut. Might have a good game again.
Max Unger: Unger has been quiet at practice, but it's in the game where his skills should show.
Red Bryant: It's time Bryant stops toying around with second-stringers and dominates.
Will Herring: Herring is moving up the pecking order. He offers a skill-set unlike any of Seattle's other linebackers. I am curious not just how much Herring is used, but how Herring is used.
Kyle Williams: Capable depth or liability yet to be actualized?
Right tackle: Ray Willis might be in for only a series at right tackle, and that means someone is going to get a lot of snaps in his place. Actually, two players are likely to play extensively. Watch Andre Ramsey and Na'Shan Goddard and have a list of available free agents handy.
Travis Fisher: Where he plays, how much he plays and how well he plays interest me. I want Seattle to retain this guy, but he's currently on the outside looking in.
Wide receiver second wave: This is what everyone else will be talking about. And, heck, it will make for an interesting and hotly contested battle.

The final list is players that I am interested in seeing if they play at all. This is the fringe.

*Fun fact. No one is quite sure if it's Tereshinski or Tereshinksi.

Seattle Seahawks Training Camp Report: 8/1/2009

John Morgan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:59:11 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Rookie Max Unger was one of Red Bryant's many victims. Unger is exactly the type of guard Bryant could chew up and spit out. And there's plenty of Ungers in the National Football League.

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Update 2:23

Farnsworth informs us of a position switch for Patrick Kerney:

Mora said if the defense had to lineup and play a game right now, Redding would be on he left side (backed up by Lawrence Jackson in the rotation), with Kerney on the right side (backed up by Darryl Tapp).

This reflects the abuse Kerney's taken over the years, and, to spin it a less discouraging way, that Redding is now Seattle's most powerful end and better suited to the natural strong side. Strong side is interchangeable of course, but because most quarterbacks are right handed, the right, their visible side, is the preferred position for outlet receivers and the quarterback's hot read.

. . .

Big Red Bryant getting it done:

Bryant sniffed out a screen pass during team drills, and also knocked down a Seneca Wallace pass attempt at the line of scrimmage.

And he owned the offensive line during pass rush drills, making easy work of Max Unger and Cory Withrow. On the Withrow matchup, the new pickup lifted off Bryant’s helmet as he was getting beat, which didn’t sit well with Bryant, although he didn’t retaliate.

It's no mystery I want Bryant to step up in a big way. I considered Bryant the best talent at defensive tackle Seattle could draft in the third round. When Seattle selected him in the fourth, I nearly plotzed. And by plotzed I mean ran around like Matt Renny after spitting out his clozapine. But Bryant has been almost all training camp story and no production to date. He wasn't a world beater at Texas A&M and he was awful during last season's preseason game against Oakland. It was his only preseason game after missing most of training camp because of a knee injury. Bryant stepped up in week 1 and looked good for most of the season -- the season he was healthy for.

A healthy, developed Bryant is everything the most deluded fanboy thinks Colin Cole can be and more. He's huge, physically dominant and quick as sin. Apart from the major storylines, Seattle may not have a greater wildcard than Bryant. The second he starts tapping into this potential is the second Seattle starts having an inside presence that strikes fear into the hearts of opposing offensive coordinators.

Ken Lucas sought redemption:

CB Ken Lucas is much more aggressive in a second practice than you'd expect from an NFL veteran with eight years of experience. He made a strong impression in the morning workout.

I'm not going to postulate what "much more aggressive" entails, but lets hope it means something like "not getting beat by Seattle's Z-string wideout". Barbs aside, it's good to read a veteran knows how to set the tone. Embarrass me once, Lucas says, and I'll up my intensity ten fold.

Seattle Works Out Centers Cory Withrow and Grey Ruegamer

John Morgan — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:57:12 -0000

Adam Caplan is reporting that Seattle is hosting centers Cory Withrow and Grey Ruegamer today. This is mostly interesting because both are centers, and at 287 and 299 respectively, neither are ideal candidates for other positions. Seattle is stacked at center. Chris Spencer is a former first round pick and now a seasoned veteran. Max Unger is this year's second round pick and considered a top prospect. The team also has Steve Vallos as depth and Mansfield Wrotto as emergency depth. Withrow and Ruegamer are career journeymen with 17 career starts apiece. Each could probably play guard in a pinch, but less capably than most of Seattle's roster.

Bottom line is that these tryouts are most likely indicative of the instability in Seattle's offensive line. The team wants to push its young guys, but understands the unit has holes and needs some veteran stability. Seattle did something similar to this last season at defensive tackle, but when the regular season started, it kept its players and shed Larry Tripplett.

Dissecting the latest Rams roster moves

VanRam — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:06:13 -0000

Another week, another batch of roster moves for the beleaguered Rams. We knew C Nick Leckey was going to IR. The surprise is that they cut fullback Dan Kreider.

After stupidly cutting Madison Hedgecock prior to the 2007 season, the Rams needed a fullback and that became apparent in the blocking mess we witnessed last year. Last spring they signed Kreider, which seemed like a good move at the time. The FB earned his stripes opening lanes for Pittsburgh running backs prior to an ACL tear.

Unfortunately, Kreider failed to live up to the standard he set with the Steelers. He missed crucial blocks in pass protection and the running game and was easily pushed aside by oncoming defenders. The PD article linked here points out one of Kreider's costly missed blocks. What happened? Kreider's knee was still hurting in training camp, causing him to miss lots of time in August. He probably just lost step, never getting back to his previous level after his injury. Or maybe the curse that seems to plague recent Rams free agent additions just got to him.

What about a replacement FB? Undrafted rookie FB Russ Weil turned some heads in training camp with some nice plays, and that earned him a spot on the practice squad. He was cut from the practice squad earlier this month. Could he be back?

The Rams also signed a couple new guys. C Cory Withrow seems small at 6'2" 290 lbs, but he did an admirable job filling in as the Chargers starting center for four games last season. He was cut by the Chargers prior to the season when they addded former Pro Bowl center Jeremy Newberry to backup Nick Hardwick. Given the play at center the Rams have had this season, can't hurt to see what he's got.

LB Larry Grant was a 7th round pick by the 49ers this season assigned to their practice squad after camp. He could bolster special teams right away, and though he's an outside LB by trade, he has the ability to play all three positions. Scouting report highlight (from the draft): "He can play all three linebacker positions and could be a very good special teams player. He has blocked 15 kicks in his college career. With his versatility and special teams contributions, he could stick on an NFL team and be a contributor." Here's more on Grant from Niners Nation. Grant also got into a fist fight with 49ers TE Vernon Davis.

SB Nation - Cory Withrow

San Diego Chargers' Roster: 2009 vs. 2008

Seattle Seahawks Sack Oakland Raiders 31-21 to Sweep Preseason

Winners, Losers and Projecting the Final 53 Man Roster

Winners

Losers

Seattle Seahawks 53 Man Roster

Quarterback

Running Back

Fullback

Wide Receiver

Tight End

Offensive Line

Defensive Tackle

Defensive End

Linebackers

Corners

Safety

Specialist

Practice Squad

Winners, Losers and Projecting Seattle's 53 Man Roster

Winners

Losers

Seattle Seahawks 53 Man Roster

Quarterback

Running Back

Fullback

Wide Receiver

Tight End

Offensive Line

Defensive Tackle

Defensive End

Linebackers

Corners

Safety

Specialist

Practice Squad

Seattle Seahawks Place Cory Withrow on IR; Sign Safety Nate Ness

Seattle Seahawks Starters and Reserves for Saturday's Game Against San Diego

One-series Starters

Seattle Seahawks Training Camp Report: 8/1/2009

Seattle Works Out Centers Cory Withrow and Grey Ruegamer

Dissecting the latest Rams roster moves

Winners, Losers and Projecting
the Final 53 Man Roster