Bleacher Report - Articles by Matthew Bowen

NFL notebook: Big corners have a place

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:17:00 -0400

I’m excited to see Sean Smith play corner for the Dolphins this preseason. Our own Brad Biggs commented this morning on Smith—who is now running with the first unit—and I like the idea of the Dolphins having a corner who is physical at the point of attack.

We tend to believe that every corner is this league should run a 4.4 40-yard dash, but we need to understand that physical, long corners like Smith are just as effective because of what they can do to receivers at the line of scrimmage. When a corner can use his long arms to jam at the line—and thus keep receivers off his body—he can gain control of the player and force him to release to the strength of the defense (usually an inside release to safety help in Cover 1 situations).

Smith may not have the top-end speed that some corners possess, but he makes up for it with his physical tools. He’s definitely a rookie to keep an eye on this month and is a player who can combat the size of a Randy Moss or a Terrell Owens in the AFC East come the regular season.

APKellen Clemens, Mark Sanchez and Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer

I wouldn’t read too much into Kellen Clemens Jets-preseason-opener.html" target="_blank">starting over Mark Sanchez for the Jets in their first preseason game. I still believe that Sanchez is the right choice at quarterback for the Jets, but what Rex Ryan is doing is showing Clemens some respect for being a veteran.

Sure, Clemens has had mixed reviews in camp so far, but he has still done more in this league than Sanchez has, and by showing Clemens some respect, Ryan will also gain the respect of the veterans on the Jets roster. You “earn” jobs in this league, and no matter how much hype Sanchez has coming from USC, he still has to show Ryan, his coaching staff and the rest of the players that he can win the job on the field—and not on payday.

We all expect Sanchez to be the guy come September, but Ryan doesn’t give away jobs.

The Michael Vick talk seems to get more confusing with every day the former Falcons quarterback remains a free agent. Our own Michael Lombardi broke this down for us today in the Diner Morning News when he talked about teams trying to inquire about Vick in the coming days.

If I’m representing Michael Vick, I think about holding an audition similar to what rookie hopefuls do in the spring on campuses, allowing teams to come in and watch workouts. Because as much as we talk about his talents, teams still need to see it before they give him an opportunity. There are still plenty of question marks surrounding this guy as we head into the middle of the month—and the middle of camp for NFL teams. Is time running out?

We all can agree that Roddy White isn’t the third best receiver in the NFL (even though he is now being paid like it), but this is a classic case of White being in the right city and the right time—and he cashed in. Sure, the injury to Harry Douglas helped in his negotiations, but the bottom line is that he’s in camp, and the Falcons can move forward with their offensive preparation for the ’09 season.

I expect it will take White at least two weeks to get up to speed and condition his legs for football again, but this deal had to be done. And as we look to the future, the Falcons are set up with White, quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner.

APBrady Quinn

With preseason action heating up starting Thursday night, it should be interesting to see the quarterback battles play out—with Cleveland at the top of the list in my opinion. We can speculate all we want about Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, but until we see them perform under new head coach Eric Mangini—and put their talents on game tape—this is far from decided.

I saw plenty of players in my career, including quarterbacks, excel in a practice setting during camp and absolutely self-destruct when some pressure was added under the lights of a preseason game. These next two weeks—in the games—will decide who plays in September for the Browns.

The Michael Crabtree saga in San Francisco becomes a bigger story with each day that passes, and our own Andrew Brandt did an excellent job breaking down why the rookie from Texas Tech might be a holdout until Labor Day. But what Crabtree and his camp don’t realize is that the Niners are making roster decisions and setting depth charts with each practice and each preseason game. And when you aren’t on the field, you don’t matter in those decisions.

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Preseason Notes: Buffalo Bills-Tennessee Titans

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:24:00 -0400

The Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, always seems to welcome us to the NFL season in a variety of ways—penalties, long, worn out offensive drives against tired defenses and big plays that inject some energy into an otherwise typical summer night.

Last night was no different when the Bills and Titans played in the heat of Canton after 2 1/2 weeks of two-a-days practices in camp.

Sure, it’s a preseason game, but I’m telling you this now: They matter.

Coaches, scouts, and personnel men treat these games like gold because the players are in a competitive setting against players they haven’t seen for the past two weeks. Jobs are on the line, and jobs are won and lost based on players’ performances in these games in August.

Plus, coaches know that players are tired and beat up from weeks of contact in practice. It’s a perfect setting to see how they respond when they’re not 100 percent.

Some thoughts about Sunday night’s action…

The fake punt that the Titans ran to perfection was run for one reason—to get it on tape. For the rest of the preseason, teams will run “gadget” plays in the kicking game to force opposing teams to practice against it in the regular season. If you don’t think the Pittsburgh Steelers—the Titans’ first regular-season opponent—won’t spend at least 10 minutes a day working against this play come September, you’re kidding yourself.

Get it on tape and make people spend valuable practice and meeting time coming up with a plan to stop it. And when it works like it did last night, it carries even more weight in regular-season meetings.

You usually don’t pull one off like that against Bills special teams coach Bobby April.

Vince Young looked average at best. He didn’t look comfortable to me, while third string QB Patrick Ramsey—who has starting experience in the league—looked the part.

Sure, you can say Ramsey was working against third- and fourth-string guys, but he was also playing with a third- and fourth-string offensive line and third- and fourth-string wide receivers.

This preseason is huge for Young, and he must get better on the field. Yes, he did some good things, but at the quarterback position in the preseason, you need to be better than average to keep your job. He has four more games to improve, but I would give the nod to Ramsey right now in the battle for the No. 2 role.

Terrell Owens did exactly what was asked of him in the Bills’ offense. Although both of his catches came against off-man coverage—a slant and a comeback—he did his job.

He’ll see more and more press coverage in the regular season, but you have to take what the defense gives to you as a receiver.

Early in the preseason, defensive backs will play a lot of off-man coverage because the coaching staff wants to see how they play their technique and, to be honest, they want to see their players put in the toughest situations possible to see how they perform.

Owens is too good against off-man, but expect cornerbacks to walk up and challenge him at the line of scrimmage by the third or fourth games.

Why is Marshawn Lynch running with the first unit? That took me by surprise when he started the game in the backfield. Lynch will be suspended for the first three games, and Fred Jackson needs to get his preseason work with the starters.

I understand keeping Lynch fresh, but Jackson is the back who needs the work since he’ll line up with the Bills when they open against the Patriots. Lynch, on the other hand, put himself before the team this offseason. He needs to sit in August and get his work in during the second half of ballgames.

I like the Bills’ no-huddle offensive scheme. The offensive line in Buffalo is a work in progress, and any advantage they can create to counter this will work in their favor. You could see the effect on the Titans’ defensive line—they were gassed.

But is Trent Edwards talented enough to produce in this scheme?

Chris Johnson of the Titans looks more explosive to me than he did last season. I expect this guy to have another huge season because, despite the additions Tennessee made to the wide receiver position, this team is still built offensively on the running game.

I love the AFL throwback uniforms, and I want to see them all season long. Add in black shoes and I feel like I’m watching football.

Follow me on Twitter: MattBowen41

The Misery Of Training Camp

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:56:00 -0400

National Football Post

We talk all the time about the physical impact of NFL training camps. It starts with special teams drills at the beginning of practice all the way through individual drills, inside run period, 7-on-7 and finally, the team period to wrap up the morning session.

Only to be followed by a quick lunch, a short nap (if you can manage it) and then a jaunt over to the training room to get taped and put back on the practice field — to do it all over again.

APMarshall Faulk

It’s brutal in every sense of the word for players now that camps are in full swing around the league.

But as much of a pounding as your body takes on the field, the mental strain that you go through is just as detrimental to your success as a player -- if you don’t know how to manage it.

As a rookie on the Rams, I committed the ultimate sin by hanging a calendar on the wall of my dorm room at Western Illinois University (a lovely place in August with some great drinking spots) and proceeding to cross off the days until we broke camp and head home to St. Louis.

Bad move, rookie.

I was like a 7-year-old with an Advent calendar in front of me during the month of December — taking a small, hard, processed piece of chocolate from behind the little swinging doors of each day on the calendar leading up to the 25th — when Santa would finally come down the chimney.

It was painful waiting for Christmas back then as a child. It was tough work, and I just didn’t understand why the days moved so slowly.

Training camp is no different. Instead, you are a grown man living in a dorm room.

So how do you do it? For me, or for any young player out there, you watch the veterans — the great veterans — and learn.

APKurt Warner

In Macomb, Ga., that was Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner and cornerback Todd Light for me. They never got too high and they never got too low — no matter what type of practice they had. And they were always prepared to practice, no matter how humid the conditions were.

Yes, they were tired and near exhaustion, and probably wanted to be somewhere else. But every play was important, as was every drill and every meeting.

As a player, you can only focus on the next practice, the next meeting or the next meal — because when you look ahead, your mind begins to wander and turn to mush, and you find yourself stuck in days that never end.

The hardest part is not looking forward to that afternoon nap or the end of practice. Your focus has to be on the next play because that’s how you survive. In the film room, you have to focus on what you’re doing wrong because that’s more important than what you’re doing right.

And at meals, you have to focus on what you put into your body because it will help you get through practice in the afternoon or the next morning.

But most of all, you have to keep the focus straight ahead — and think about football.

Sure, if your body feels good, you can trot out to practice and go through two hours of violent contact and come off the field smiling. Well, that only happens on the first morning of camp because after that, you feel like you’ve just been in a car accident — except that there’s no one to take care of you.

And that’s why most rookies struggle. Mentally, they can’t get through the next practice or film session. They lose focus because they’re tired or sore or hurt (because everyone plays hurt in August), and they get beat — play after play.

Doubts start to creep into their heads, and they begin to fall behind, slide down the depth chart and disappear in the coaches’ minds — because camp eats them up.

It happens to veterans, too, because, well, what the players are going through right now is miserable. The alarm clock rings, you feel like you just went to bed and you can barely get out of the army-style cot in your room.

It’s time to practice — again.

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Eight in the Box: "Baywatch' Babes"

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:31:00 -0400

National Football Post

EIGHT: Pam Stops By—Hey, we couldn’t talk about weekly themes here at the NFP without hanging out with the girls of “Baywatch”—and we all know where this is going, right? Yes, the queen of a show about babes in red swimsuits and David Hasselhoff (in red Mark Sanchez shorts) stops by Eight in the Box. Hello, Pamela Anderson, and welcome.

SEVEN: Take That, Denver—Not that Jay Cutler could anger Denver fans more, but it seems the new Bears QB likes his new surroundings down at Bears camp in Bourbonnais, Ill., saying, “Denver’s like a six and Chicago’s like a nine.”

Hey, Broncos fans, it could be worse. Just imagine what Brandon Marshall would say if he were asked the same question.

SIX: Ted and Mike- This week, Green Bay GM Ted Thompson sent shock waves through the national media when he said the Packers “look at everything” when asked about free-agent quarterback Michael Vick. Hey, someone may want to tell Ted that now is not the time to talk about the quarterback position in Green Bay—because it didn’t work out so well last summer either.

FIVE: Carmen—She dates rock stars (just like Pamela), she’s had some work done (just like Pamela), and a poster of her is hanging on the bedroom wall of NFP Fantasy expert Joe Fortenbaugh (just like Pamela). Yes, Carmen Electra—a Baywatch babe—is now also on the NFP, and we couldn’t be happier.

FOUR: The Crab—We all know the story of Michael Crabtree, and his threat to sit out the entire 2009 season, and we all know that Crabtree’s “adviser” is his cousin (which makes perfect business sense, right?).

But the last time I checked, the NFL is still going to have a season this year, with or without Crabtree. I’m sure tickets would sell to watch the J.P. Losman-to-Crabtree connection in the UFL. Now that’s great theater. Have fun, rookie.

THREE: Rexy is Back—You all remember Rex Grossman, right? Well, he’s now in Houston, and according to the Houston Chronicle, Grossman—currently listed third on the depth chart—told reporters, “If they have me at third string, I’m going to be the best third-string quarterback in the league.” Way to set the bar high, Rex.

TWO: Happy Philip—After news broke about the Eli Manning deal in New York, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers should have gone out and bought a Bentley or two to drive down to Pacific Beach.

If Manning can throw two interceptions and finish the day with a QB rating hovering around 40 in a home playoff loss—and still get over $97 million—imagine what Rivers will get this season. We’re talking P. Diddy cash, folks.

ONE: The Hoff—We were supposed to bring you Yasmine Bleeth—a classic Baywatch babe—in this spot, but Fortenbaugh wouldn’t have it. So, we compromised, and since Joe has a David Hasselhoff Fathead in his office (right next to his framed Freddie Mitchell autographed jersey), we gave Joe what he wanted—The Hoff.

If someone can find a more brutal picture than this, please send it our way, because I don’t see it happening—ever.

Sign up to play fantasy football with Pro Bowl QB Drew Breees here at the NFP: insider analysis and the most in-depth draft guide on the market. He gone.

Chiefs Receivers Put on Alert

Matthew Bowen — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:04:00 -0400

National Football Post

Today, the Kansas City Chiefs signed receiver Amani Toomer, a veteran who may still have some production left in his legs, but as a player—especially at wide receiver—this is just another lesson about the business of the league.

Because when a player like Toomer—a New York Giants castoff—is brought in, worked out and subsequently signed, it means one thing for the K.C. wide receiver corps: You aren’t good enough.

And this will open their eyes.

Trust me, this will happen daily around the league this month. Players will walk off the field after practice—tired, sore, thirsty, exhausted—and watch as guys (some of whom they’ve never seen) trot out to the practice field wearing team-issued shorts, T-shirts and gloves.

Scouts will gather, along with a position coach or two and maybe the head coach and the GM—a sign that the team is not only working out players but also looking to bring one of them in.

And if it’s your position coach who stays behind, it might be time to worry because the guys they’re bringing in play your spot—and might take your spot.

Our own Michael Lombardi commented on this in his Diner morning news today, and we have to agree with his analysis of the receiver position in Kansas City. Because if these guys—Dwayne Bowe, Mark Bradley and Bobby Engram—were tearing up in the first week of camp, Toomer wouldn’t now be going to practice with the Chiefs.

But they weren’t, or Todd Haley, who talked to our Brad Biggs on Monday about veteran players, wouldn’t have been looking to add some leadership that comes with a player who can also be counted on to produce.

I saw it a lot in my own career. Guys are replaced right after a practice. It just happens. That’s why August is so important to a team like the Chiefs. Yes, they can run around all spring in shorts and T-shirts and complete tons of passes, but when camp rolls around, it’s time to get physical, and time for defensive backs to challenge receivers.

Dwayne Bowe

A young team like Kansas City that’s rebuilding while trying to improve every day in August can’t afford to take a step back—and can’t afford not to look at the free-agent pool.

And it will continue, just as it does in every other city.

You have a poor showing one day, well, expect the team to bring in some competition the next day for workouts. That’s how this league works. Everyone can be replaced, and in K.C., this is going to be the norm for a while.

Teams will always look for better talent, and they will always look for players who will not only produce in their system but also buy into the system—guys who want to be there.

And right now, those receivers have just been put on alert that they’re going to have to compete.

Because the Chiefs just signed a player who isn’t simply coming in to act as a leader in the locker room—he’s also coming to take someone’s job.

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Plaxico Burress' NFL Career Might Be Over

Matthew Bowen — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:58:00 -0400

National Football Post

Is this the end for Plaxico Burress?

That’s the question I’m asking after Monday’s news that Burress was indicted by a grand jury in New York on two criminal weapons charges.

Robert Boland, our own legal expert, did an excellent job clarifying the laws that might allow Burress to actually play in the NFL in 2009—baring a ruling from commissioner Roger Goodell. But even after clearing all these hurdles, which seems unlikely, does anyone really want the former Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl hero?

Because that’s the real question from a football standpoint.

Sure, we all know that Plax is a Pro Bowl talent. He can stretch the field. He can use his body—especially in the red zone—to put himself between a defender and the football, making it nearly impossible for the defensive back to make a play on the ball. And maybe more importantly, he provides an offense with a decided advantage when it comes to game planning on Sundays.

But from what we’ve heard at the NFP, nobody wants to touch this guy.

If you think about it, Plax has been a name that suddenly went silent over the summer months. Sure, it was drowned out in part thanks to the daily NFL storylines of Brett Favre and Michael Vick, but still, this isn’t a guy who would be fighting for a roster spot. He’s a ballplayer.

And he could provide a team such as Chicago or the New York Jets, or anyone really—outside of New England, Arizona and Buffalo—with at worst a sold No. 2 that could go up and get the football.

From my point of the view, the red flags and possible trial and downright uncertainty of Burress’ playing future have forced every team to move on. There isn’t a personnel man in the league right now waiting on the edge of his seat for Goodell to speed up the process and come out with a ruling on Plax so he can be brought in for a workout and a contract.

No, this is much different than the Michael Vick situation because Vick is done with his legal obligations. He’s a free agent is every sense of the word, and that’s why there are rumors, stories, and countless columns being written about the former Falcons quarterback. He’s an option, someone you can bring in for a workout and sign to a deal knowing that he will eventually play football for you in ’09.

Plax, on the other hand, will probably not. Yes, as Boland wrote this morning, Plax and his camp could face trial at a later date next spring, making him a one-year rental of sorts for a club. But I still don’t see it happening.

I’ve talked to enough personnel men in this league to know that, although his skills are still valued in the NFL, he isn’t viewed as a guy that you would want to take a risk on at this point in time.

And in saying that, don’t mistake this as teams judging his character, because we all know that production on Sundays outweigh any off-the-field situation or baggage that a player may bring.

The bottom line: It’s August, and there are too many question marks about Burress’ future, with no real answers.

It's time to move on, and maybe for good. Because we might have seen the last of Plaxico Burress in an NFL uniform.

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Derrick Mason's Return Critical to the Baltimore Ravens

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:47:00 -0400

The return of Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason over the weekend was lacking in overall drama and star appeal, but it’s a move that will pay dividends for Baltimore in 2009, and I’m not just talking about the regular season.

What worried me about the loss of Mason, who had announced his retirement in July, was the development of second-year quarterback Joe Flacco, because I felt that moving Mark Clayton into the No. 1 role might lead to a possible setback for Flacco.

Did Clayton provide enough on the outside for Flacco to move the ball down the field?

As much as I love this team’s ability to run the football and play great defense, every offense still needs a threat on the outside, and Clayton isn’t that guy, in my opinion. Sure, he’s a former first round pick, but his numbers haven’t lived up to that.

But Mason’s return from his brief hiatus allows this team to move forward. They don’t have to worry about bringing in countless guys off of the waiver wire during August to audition between practices or hope that a guy on their list doesn’t make the final roster of an opposing team.

No, Mason is the guy.

He isn’t the type of No. 1 guy that you’d see in New England or Indy, but that’s the point—he doesn’t have to be.

He is perfectly capable of playing in this offense, and what impresses me more is his ability to be a complete football player. He plays hurt, he catches the ball in traffic, and like the rest of his teammates, he will sacrifice his body for a win.

Sounds simple, right?

Well, not exactly, because not every team has a football culture like the Ravens. Think of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and their downhill running game—because that’s Ravens football. They aren’t a team that tries to beat you with gimmicks or window dressing. They line up and play football on both sides of the ball, and that includes the wide receiver position—highlighted by Mason.

Maybe Mason needed time to evaluate where he was at this point in his career, or maybe he just needed time to see if he really had the passion to play—because when that’s gone, the player can’t be counted on.

But the bottom line is that Mason is back, his retirement is over, and now the Ravens can focus on football and challenging the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North title.

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The Loneliest Place in Training Camp

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:48:00 -0400

National Football Post

Training camp injuries are tough for any player—but they’re disastrous for guys who are trying to win roster spots, or worse, guys who are competing for starting jobs.

APChris "Beanie" Wells

The training room during camp is the loneliest place on earth in the NFL. You wake up early, go to bed late and spend any amount of free time that’s allotted by the coaching staff in an ice tube, or in the weight room trying to recover and strengthen the muscles around your injury—or just laying there on a training-room table willing it to miraculously disappear.

But that never happens, and the one that disappears is you—like a ghost.

You don’t exist anymore, you aren’t part of the routine and you find yourself in the film room trying to stay awake because, well, you don’t appear on the big screen at the front of the room.

Maybe, just maybe, if there’s a play that ends up near the sideline, you might appear—standing there in a hat or visor. But that’s it.

Yes, training camp is hard, it’s tough and, in fact, it might just define the word “brutal” when you think about practicing twice a day and growing a beard because you just can’t find five minutes to shave off the scruff that has now turned into something you would see on someone in northern Wisconsin in January.

But that’s just it because when you’re hurt in camp, you aren’t part of the routine. You become just another guy who can’t practice, and the coaching staff doesn’t have time to wait around for you—or your injury that they probably already doubt—to get back on the field.

You become close friends with the training room staff, and although they’re some of the best guys in the league, they don’t make the decisions when it comes to game plans in the fall or whether you should make the final roster.

I know because I was there. In my last season as a pro, I became great friends with Bud Carpenter and his staff in Buffalo really quick—because I was in the training room for the majority of camp.

And because of that, there was no way I was going to see the field for a long time.

Who is the training room already swallowing up?

APJohn David Booty

How about Tarvaris Jackson in Minnesota, or Beanie Wells in Arizona?

Both guys went down over the weekend, and although Jackson will be back soon, he has already fallen behind in the quarterback competition with Sage Rosenfels.

Instead of trying to impress the coaching staff, working on his blitz reads and getting his body into proper playing shape, he’s watching—and John David Booty is now in his place.

Sure, it’s a great opportunity for Booty—who looked to be the odd man out with the Brett Favre drama this summer—but for the time being, he’s now the backup quarterback as far as the Vikings are concerned.

Is he better than Jackson? Who knows, and who really cares, because he’s on the field and Jackson isn’t. That’s the bottom line when it comes to training camp. Yes, Jackson will still have a shot to compete, but he is already at a disadvantage.

We don’t know how the MCL sprain will affect Jackson, or if he’ll rush back knowing what’s at stake, but he wasn’t on the field Sunday, and that day is lost—only to be run and owned by Rosenfels. All eyes were on him, while Jackson watched.

In ‘Zona, Beanie Wells, who needs to practice against NFL talent, went down in his first practice. And Wells isn’t a fifth-round running back trying to make the roster, he’s a first-round pick who’s being counted on to carry the football a lot in 2009.

But he’s on the shelf. And nothing rubs vets the wrong way like a high-priced rookie in a T-shirt and shorts during two-a-days, especially one who was supposed to compete with Tim Hightower for crucial carries in the regular season.

Those are just two, but they’re two who are being counted on to compete. Sure, it’s part of the game, but it isn’t surprising that the top players in the regular season are the ones who stay healthy in August.

Follow me on Twitter: MattBowen41

Weekend Notes: Good Reviews For Sanchez

Matthew Bowen — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:51:00 -0400

National Football Post

APMark Sanchez

Mark Sanchez’s first day as a New York Jet was productive, according to reports from the team’s training camp, but what stuck out to me was what head coach Rex Ryan said when he talked about the rookie’s ability to throw the deep comeback and the deep out—the two toughest throws for an NFL quarterback.

If we think about it, every quarterback in this league can throw the deep ball—and usually with some accuracy—but the deep out and comeback, two throws that need to be thrown with power and accuracy at the same time, are essential to the success of the quarterback position.

NFL cornerbacks react fast, and come out of their breaks with quickness—and a throw to the sidelines that’s late, or behind the receiver, will lead to an interception.

Yes, Kellen Clemens is listed as No.1 on the depth chart right now, which he should be given the time he has already put in the league over Sanchez. But in my opinion, it’s only a matter of time before Sanchez moves ahead of him—although he will have to earn it.

Ryan isn’t the type of coach who’s going to play guys based on where they were drafted, but being consistent and practicing at a high level is the first step for Sanchez. Next, he will have to show it in preseason games, make those throws and protect the football.

Remember, Ryan is a defensive coach. Turnovers from the quarterback in August can lose you the job.

Four-time Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters arrived with the Chiefs on Thursday in River Falls, Wis., and reportedly didn't speak to reporters. Waters made it known he wants to be traded after a run-in with first-year coach Todd Haley.

The Chiefs have already looked to rid themselves of some players who aren't with the program. Meeting Waters' demands won't help Haley's first season. Waters boycotted the offseason program, arriving only for the mandatory mini-camp.

"I’m looking forward to training camp [with Waters]," Haley told the NFP. "He was in here for the mandatory mini-camp. He was on time, he paid attention, he practiced hard. I’ve got nothing but optimism."

Word out of Bears camp is that Jay Cutler is as good as advertised when it comes to arm strength and the ability to get the ball down the field with accuracy and placement. Friday, in the Bears’ first full practice, Cutler hit WR Devin Hester down the field as well as TE Greg Olson—both in tight coverage.

But what caught my attention was how the Bears utilized Olson in his first day with Cutler.

APJay Cutler

We were told that the Bears used Olson in a variety of alignments, but the majority of balls he caught from Cutler came when he was aligned out wide, away from the formation, matched up against linebackers and safeties—which should be part of the Bears’ game plan every week this fall and could put Olson is favorable matchups against teams that play Cover One.

When the Bears align Olson as a wide receiver, a safety will be put over him—usually in off-coverage—on Olson’s outside shoulder, as his help will be toward the middle of the field. What this does for the Bears is allow Olson to run a multiple of inside breaking routes and use his big body to shield the defender from the football.

We saw some of this last season in offensive coordinator Ron Turner’s weekly game plans, but with Cutler now at quarterback, the ball will come out faster and it will be on target. Expect Olson to be Cutler’s No. 1 option in 2009.

The Michael Vick rumors spiraled out of control Friday with reports of sightings at airports, in workouts and on the practice fields of the New England Patriots. It got to the point where I didn’t know what to believe with so many conflicting reports and some media outlets going so far to state reports as facts.

The questions still remain where Vick will sign and when it will all go down. But from my point of view, the team that comes out with Vick in uniform at some point this season is the team that offers Vick, and his agent Joel Segal, the opportunity to play quarterback.

Sure, I like the idea of aligning Vick in the wildcat formation, or even used in creative ways in the passing game, but Vick—the former Falcons QB—is coming back to the NFL with eventual hope of playing quarterback again.

The Andre Smith holdout in Cincy, in full effect now that the rookie from Alabama missed Friday’s practices, is a bad sign for this football team if it continues for an extended period of time.

I’ve talked before about the effect of rookies missing time in training camp, but there is a major difference between a wide receiver holding out and Smith, who is expected to start for the Bengals this season. This Cincinnati team gave up 51 sacks in 2008 and drafted Smith with the No. 6 overall pick for that exact reason.

APAndre Smith

But the more time he misses, the farther he falls behind. Plus, his conditioning has always been a concern, and when he’s not at practice, he’s not getting into the proper shape it takes to compete at this level.

Talk of a contract extension for Vikings coach Brad Childress doesn’t seem to be a major concern for Vikings owner Zygi Wilf as Minnesota opens training camp, and after a summer that was met with broken hope over the Brett Favre situation, I have to believe that the seat that Childress is sitting on is getting pretty warm.

Add in the fact that Percy Harvin is a holdout and we have to believe that this is not the way Childress wanted to start off the month of August—which could be the most important training camp of his coaching career.

He now has to pick an option to start at quarterback between Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson (which are both backup plans to Favre), his coaching staff is going to have to spend extra time after practice and in the film room working with Harvin when he shows up to get him up to speed and he has to find a way to bring this team together before September.

A much different football team that we expected just weeks ago.

The Roddy White holdout in Atlanta, which started last night when the wide receiver missed the first meeting of camp, is something that can’t cause a distraction for this team—but it will if it continues to linger into next week.

I understand why White is holding out—he’s in the last year of his rookie contract and just had a Pro Bowl season (88 receptions, 1,382-yards, seven TDs) for the Falcons, who made the postseason.

But this team added another Pro Bowler in TE Tony Gonzalez in a trade with Kansas City, and although Matt Ryan was the NFL’s Rookie of the Year, he still needs the month to develop as he goes into his second season.

Without White at practice, this offense isn’t complete, and that’s not the way to go into the huddle for the first time—which the Falcons will do today.

If I’m the Falcons, I'd find a solution to this issue as soon as possible. There are far more expectations in Atlanta this season, and they all include Ryan hooking up with White in the passing game.

Eight in the Box: Reality Babes

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:16:00 -0400

National Football Post

Eight: Reality Starlet

Last week, we brought you the girls of 007, and due to the response from our loyal readers at the NFP (yes, that’s you, B Roo), we’re staying with a theme this week and bringing you the babes of reality TV.

And why not start with Shannon Elizabeth from Dancing with the Stars? Yes, she’s done something since that one scene from American Pie.

Seven: More Childress

Vikings head coach Brad Childress is having a rough week. First, Brett Favre told him to beat it, and now rookie first-round pick Percy Harvin is a training camp no-show.

Not the best way to open camp and start the season, but it will be okay, Brad.

Now all you have to do is pick either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson as your QB—fun times.

Six: High School Drama

Earlier this week, it was reported that Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher called quarterback Jay Cutler a nasty word (we try to stay classy here at Eight in the Box), according to Vikings WR Bobby Wade.

Nothing like a divisional opponent throwing you under the bus, huh? Oh well, it could be worse for Urlacher because Kyle Orton could still be playing quarterback for the Bears. At least Cutler and Urlacher have made up.

FIVE: Breakup City

A couple of weeks ago, it was Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson breaking our hearts.

Staying with our theme, this week it’s Saints RB Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian of Keeping up with the Kardashians—a show about a family with a ton of money and no real jobs.

Sorry, Reggie.

Four: Jersey Ceremony

Even though Brett Favre wanted to come back just to beat the Packers, the club still plans on retiring his No. 4 jersey in the future, which is sure to be pushed to next season, probably some time after Favre decides to sign with the Vikings in November. Just to piss off the Packers again.

Three: Run, Cowboys, Run

Wade Phillips has publicly stated that the Cowboys will focus on the running game this season in Dallas—going so far to say the club needs to be “in the top 10” when it comes to the ground game.

Man, there’s plenty more to the game when you don’t have to keep Terrell Owens happy and throw him the ball.

Two: Hard Knocks

The Bengals will open their training camp with the HBO cameras rolling.

So, in contrast to following the gibberish we see from Chad Ochocinco on Twitter, we’ll get to watch him in front of the cameras.

How long until HBO realizes that this was a terrible idea?

ONE: Hollywood Couple

Does anyone watch The Hills besides NFP fantasy expert Joe Fortenbaugh?

Well, in case you don’t, Heidi Montag—who’s married to Spencer Pratt (who might be the biggest tool on TV)—is one of its stars.

There have been rumors that she’s had some “work” done, but we will let you be the judge.

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NFL Notebook: Michael Vick Heading to Seattle Seahawks?

Matthew Bowen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:14:00 -0400

National Football Post

The idea that Michael Vick could land in Seattle has been mentioned to me by multiple league sources over the past couple of days.

From what I’ve heard, new Seahawks head coach Jim Mora had a great relationship with Vick while the two were in Atlanta—despite the negative reports circulating through the rumor mill right now—and that he actually “cares” about the former Falcon and his future.

I’ve also been told that, from a public relations standpoint, Seattle would offer Vick some protection from the media since it isn’t a city that draws the kind of overwhelming national attention as a Dallas or a Pittsburgh.

Time to throw the Seahawks into the ring for Vick’s services? Today, Vick said he’s “close” to signing with a team, so we should soon know where this story leads.

I talked to a source close to the Bears the other day about the injury to starting cornerback Charles Tillman. He told me that although there’s always going to be a drop-off when a starter goes down, the Bears still think they have enough depth at the position for the month of August—when the young players on this roster can get some much needed work.

His main worry was the health of the Bears’ secondary in camp. With Tillman already on the shelf—and no exact timetable for his return—Chicago can ill afford to watch defensive backs pile up in the training room because the backups need to take advantage of the extra reps provided by the Tillman injury.

In my opinion, Tillman’s health is a major concern for this defense once the regular seasons comes around. The Bears open up under the lights at Lambeau Field, and they’ll need plenty of healthy bodies to run with Greg Jennings and Donald Driver—and they need Tillman out on that island.

The Darrius Heyward-Bey signing in Oakland, announced this morning, is a good thing for quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Yes, he’s going to have to hold off veteran Jeff Garcia — who is coming to camp expecting to win the starting job—but by getting DHB into camp on time, the Raiders can start to develop the rookie over the month of August.

I talk about it all the time here—rookie receivers in the NFL are a risk. Most of the time, their production is far less than the expectations, but at least Heyward-Bey will be able to progress and learn with Russell and Garcia every day. This is a good sign for Raiders fans.

Now, on to the quarterback battle.

If the Jets decide to hand out a contract extension to running back Leon Washington, who was a no-show at camp this morning, it can’t be a good sign for the future of Thomas Jones in a New York uniform.

If we think about it, the idea of having Washington—whom I see as a dual-threat back in that offense—paired with rookie Shonn Greene from Iowa severely lessens the need for Jones.

I’m sure Jones will see the football this season, but if Greene progresses and continues to impress the coaching staff—which we’ve already heard is happening—then Jones could be the odd man out and on his way out of New York in the offseason.

More and more, teams are using a combination of different styles in their backfields, but having three backs who want the ball doesn’t make sense.

I don’t fault Packers safety Nick Collins for looking for a new contract this offseason after he went to the Pro Bowl last year, and I like hearing that he’ll report to camp on time this weekend in Green Bay.

But I’m anxious to see how he responds and practices, and if the time he missed during the offseason is detrimental to his progress in Dom Capers’ new defensive scheme.

The bottom line is that the Packers did not offer Collins a new deal and also brought in safety Anthony Smith from Pittsburgh this offseason. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Collins’ job is at risk, but he should feel some heat from Smith—which is good for every player, especially one trying to impress a new coach who saw him boycott the offseason.

It’s easy to paint Brett Favre as the villain in the circus that went on between the former Packers and Jets quarterback and the Vikings, but shouldn’t we place a lot of the blame on Minnesota and head coach Brad Childress?

As our own Michael Lombardi wrote on Wednesday, Childress created the mess by allowing this to drag on. Sure, Favre wavered and eventually turned down the offer (probably because he didn’t want to go through training camp, in my opinion), but let’s not let the Vikings off that easily.

This entire story is like going to a movie that has no climax—and, in fact, you’d probably want your money back after the show. But the Vikings allowed it to drag on and let Favre play them.

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NFP Late Hits: Brett Favre Balked at Training Camp

Matthew Bowen — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:19:00 -0400

National Football Post

Brett Favre’s decision to stay retired doesn’t surprise me at all, because I don’t think the former Packers and Jets QB wanted to go to training camp—and that just wouldn’t fly with the Vikings.

In a perfect world, Brett would have signed near the end of the month—after two-a-days were over—and walked into the huddle, practiced for a week or two, then gone into the regular season and played football.

He would have missed the misery that is the first three weeks of NFL training camp, the late-night meetings and the early morning wakeup calls. But who wouldn’t?

Like I’ve said before, veterans don’t have an issue with gearing up their bodies for a 16-game season. That’s the easy part because there’s always a way to find enough strength and energy to play on Sundays.

But on that third day of camp, when you wake up feeling like you’ve been in a car accident, making it through two practices and four hours of meetings at night can be a daunting task.

And I honestly don’t think Brett wanted to go through that again, even with the reward of playing football again this September. Favre most likely had the desire to play again, but just like every other player in this league, the idea of training camp approaching is enough to make even superstars cringe at the idea of putting on a helmet twice a day and going through the monotony of camp.

But as our own Andrew Brandt said this morning, never count out Favre. If someone calls in late October or early November, don’t bet against seeing No. 4 on your television—and then we can start this discussion all over again.

The idea of Michael Vick going to the Seahawks has been floated our way by multiple league sources the past two days, citing Vick’s relationship with new Seattle coach Jim Mora, who we were told "cares" about Vick, and the fact that the national attention—and possible distractions or public backlash—would be far smaller in a city such as Seattle.

Another possible name to throw in the hat?

I talked with a source close to the Bears on Tuesday about the injury to starting cornerback Charles Tillman, and he told me that if the young players in the Bears’ secondary continue to develop, Chicago should be fine without Tillman.

With any injury to a starter, you expect there to be some drop-off, but my source didn’t expect it to be too significant, or for the Bears to "fall off a cliff." His major concern was the rest of the secondary staying healthy until Tillman returns, because they need all the work they can get.

I have to agree. Tillman’s injury—although tough when you consider the timing—does provide extra reps for players like Zack Bowman and Trumaine McBride, but he still needs to be healthy for September. This defense will suffer without him.

I like hearing Raiders QB Jeff Garcia talking with confidence about Oakland’s upcoming training camp and potential quarterback competition—because at worst, it puts JaMarcus Russell on alert that his job isn’t as secure as he thinks.

I’ve heard several times from various sources this offseason that Garcia had an impressive spring and that the coaching staff is unusually high on him heading into August. But it’s still Russell’s job to lose. Lots of pressure for a young QB, but that’s what the position is all about.

However, don’t count out Garcia because he’s faced this his entire career. He will come to camp prepared to win the job.

The CAA is causing major issues right now in negotiations for first round picks, and it looks like it will be a long August in the NFL for high-priced rookies waiting to get their deals done.

Our own Jack Bechta did a great job discussing rookie holdouts Tuesday, and I fully expect there to be more this season than ever. Not good for clubs who are counting on production soon.

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Matt Bowen's Tribute to Jim Johnson: His Eagles Defence Always Played With Pride

Matthew Bowen — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:35:00 -0400

National Football Post

Last evening, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle with cancer, passing away at the age of 68-years-old. I can only imagine the pain his current and former players, coaches, friends and family are going through this morning as we all reflect on his life and coaching career in Philadelphia.

I never met coach Johnson, but during my three seasons as a Washington Redskin, we faced the Eagles twice a season, and I can’t help but give you my take on him from an opposing player’s perspective, because I respected his work, I respected the way his defenses played and I respected the innovation he brought to the game of football.

Most of the time, when we talk about the Philadelphia Eagles, the conversation drifts toward Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and the offense that has made winning a normal occurrence out east.

But from my point of view, it was Johnson and his defense that always made the difference during my career in Washington and all the way to the NFC championship just last season.

You see, as a player it was fun to watch his defense play because you respected the passion they played with. Just imagine that for a moment, passion from an entire unit in a league that can sometimes become focused on individuals and contracts.

Sure, Johnson had great players to work with and great leaders like Troy Vincent and Brian Dawkins, but as a player, we all know that the leadership and the desire to succeed comes from the coaching, from the teaching and from the inspiration that some coaches, even at this level, provide.

Johnson was one of those men.

We can talk about his schemes and his ability to have his defenses attack with pressure, but what always impressed me most was the actual style of play that his players brought to the stadium on Sundays.

They played nasty. They got to the quarterback and arrived angry. They tackled well and played fundamentally correct, and when they hit, it sometimes looked like a clinic.

To put it in simple terms, they played defense and took pride in it.

I saw it from the opposing sideline, I saw it in meeting rooms, and I saw it after my career was over and I watched the Eagles play, and I couldn’t get enough.

But it still comes down the man himself. I have a great relationship with Saints' defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and part of that is because of the way he coached me to play the game of football.

I would bet that most of the Eagles players feel the same way about Johnson.

Pro players, contrary to popular belief, want to be coached and want to be coached hard. Because we all want to succeed as players on Sundays, and no matter how much talent you have at this level, it still takes a coach to get it done.

That’s no different than the men you play for in high school or college. These men—these great coaches—provide more than a game plan or a blitz drawn up in the sand. They provide you with that desire to succeed and win, and that usually stays with you through life. It’s something you can always call on because of the men who taught you.

Let’s be honest here. Jim Johnson was a great football coach, and he will always be remembered for the many lives he affected in positive ways.

Players always remember the great ones, even if they never played for them.

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Join me today at 3:30 EST here at the NFP for a live chat to discuss and answer your questions heading into NFC training camps.

NFP late hits: Crabtree Needs to Sign/Other Stories From Around the League.

Matthew Bowen — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:50:00 -0400

For the sake of the 49ers, I really hope the report about rookie WR Michael Crabtree wanting top-three money isn't true...because a holdout could ruin this guy’s first season.

I’ve mentioned before that rookies need to be in camp, and although I’m the first guy who wants players to get as much as they can in this league, missing time can set first-year players so far back—and draw the ire of vets who are practicing and making half the pay—that they have a hard time getting on the field.

And once they do get on the field, they have a hard time producing—especially at the wide receiver position.

Crabtree didn’t participate this offseason due to his foot injury, and for him to sit at home while his team is practicing is not a good thing for the ballclub. I expect him to have a hard enough time adapting to the pro game after living in the spread offense at Texas Tech.

Don’t be surprised if the Niners move on and treat him like an afterthought if his holdout becomes lengthy. The time in NFL training camp is precious, and missing one day sets you back three in terms of practice, meetings, and learning to become a pro.

Plus, Crabtree was the 10th pick in the draft. The Niners don’t have a single reason to meet his demands of top-three money. It isn’t their fault that he slid down the board on draft day.

The Redskins seem to be a hot name in all the talk about Michael Vick, and I have a hard time believing his name won’t at least be discussed in owner Daniel Snyder’s office over the next couple of days.

Vinny Cerrato—Snyder’s right-hand man—denied that the 'Skins were interested in Vick, but this is the same team that denied it was interested in Jay Cutler earlier this offseason. Don’t count them out, and don’t believe everything you hear that comes out of Washington.

The idea that Todd Haley is relinquishing the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is a smart move in Haley’s transition from coordinator to head coach. The best coaches I was around during my career ran the entire team, and didn’t focus all of their energy on one aspect of the game.

But Haley is still a rookie in this business, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take over the play-calling early in the season if the Chiefs, and quarterback Matt Cassel, start off slowly. After all, he’ll still be judged by the production of the offense, whether he’s calling the plays or not.

The news surrounding Josh Cribbs in Cleveland seems to get stranger by the day. Now there are reports that although Cribbs will report for training camp on time—and participate—he will not play a game in the regular season without a new deal, or at least a deal in the works.

What? This doesn’t make sense to me, because to threaten a holdout is one thing, but to actually show up to camp, practice, risk injury every day, and then shut it down for the regular season doesn’t sound right.

If I’m the Browns, I call his bluff. Make him go through camp, then see if he’s willing to miss out on a game come this fall—which I have yet to see a player do. This is not the right way to start off a relationship with a new coaching staff in town.

There are already plenty of injuries to report from Bills camp, and that’s to be expected during the first week of practice—more so when the pads are put on for the first time— but one team that can’t afford to go down this road is the Green Bay Packers, especially on defense.

New defensive coordinator Dom Capers has a month to get his team ready for the regular season—plus make some roster decisions—and the last thing he wants to see are guys piled up in the training room.

If this team wants to go into the regular season playing at a high level on defense, it will need to avoid injuries in camp. You can’t put a new system into place without your players on the field.

Join me here tomorrow for a live chat at 3:30 p.m. EST to discuss NFC training camps and answer your questions.

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Problems in Bears' Secondary

Matthew Bowen — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:12:00 -0400

National Football Post

The Chicago Bears will head into training camp later this week in Bourbonnais, Ill., with a big question mark at the free safety spot—and now they might have one at the cornerback position as well.

Monday, the club announced that starting corner Charles Tillman would be sidelined anywhere from 4-10 weeks after undergoing a surgery on his lower back. The timing of this surgery probably couldn’t have been worse for Chicago—or a defense that I believe will have a comeback season—but that doesn’t hide the fact that their best player in the secondary could go through the entire camp without getting a single rep.

And that’s not good news for Bears fans.

Remember, training camp is just as important to veterans as it is to rookies because you play football in pads. And when you practice in pads, your body adjusts and starts to transition into football shape.

But for Tillman, the first rep he could see is when he’s lined up across from Greg Jennings and the Packers under the lights at Lambeau Field in Week 1, and I’m trying to figure out what impact this will have on a defense that will have to carry this team, Jay Cutler or not.

I mentioned the free safety spot above because as I started to look more closely at the Bears’ defense this offseason, that position seemed like the only one up for grabs—or the only question mark I had.

Craig Steltz looks to be the favorite, but I still see him as a special teams guy. The club signed Josh Bullocks from the Saints this offseason, but he’s more of a strong safety in my eyes. And then there’s Corey Graham, a converted corner, who might have had a chance to compete for the spot.

But as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun Times wrote, the injury to Tillman may derail that project, as the Bears are suddenly hurting for quality depth at corner. Does Graham move back to corner for camp, leaving the battle at free safety?

So where does this leave the Bears?

I’ve mentioned before that I love their linebackers and think they could be a top five unit in the league. Rod Marinelli is in the building now as a defensive line coach, and his impact on the pass rush and DT Tommie Harris will be noticeable this fall.

But this injury to Tillman has me thinking hard about the secondary.

I like Tillman’s game. He can set the edge against the run in the Bears’ Tampa 2 scheme, and he usually draws the toughest matchup when the Bears play Cover 1. He has shown us before that he can play hurt (two shoulder surgeries in the past four seasons), but will he be ready to play at an elite level this fall?

Back injuries are tricky, especially for defensive backs. They affects everything, from your plant and drive to your ability to turn your hips and run with a receiver, and I’m wondering when Tillman will be back in game shape.

Because that’s the real question here. Rest and rehab are in Tillman’s immediate future, but when will he be ready to run down the field with a Jennings or a Donald Driver, and when will he be ready to come in hard at a 45-degree angle at take on a fullback in the run game from the corner spot?

Those are the questions I have, and if he’s not ready, will Nathan Vasher—a corner the Bears paid a lot of coin—stay healthy himself and return to the form that got him the big contract in the first place? What about Zack Bowman, a second-year man from Nebraska who had only nine starts in college and was on the shelf after one game as a pro? Trumaine McBride? Lots of names, but no answers.

The Bears hosted corners Ken Lucas and Rod Hood this offseason, but both left without deals. Now the Bears might be wishing that wasn’t the case, because they have two spots to fill to get through camp.

Playing Tampa 2 is still about the pressure you can get from your front four, but it helps to have a secondary that can drive on the football and make plays.

For the Bears’ sake, let’s just hope that their front four is ready to go, because right now, their secondary is not.

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Vick Needs Time and a Team

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:15:00 -0400

National Football Post

Late this afternoon, the NFL-reinstates-Michael-Vick.html" target="_blank">NFL announced that former Falcons QB Michael Vick — who served 23 months in a federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation — has been conditionally reinstated and could play football by Week 6, or sooner, if he does what Commissioner Roger Goodell has outlined for him.

In an official release from the league office sent to the NFP, Goodell told Vick, “My decision at that time will be based on reports from outside professionals, your probation officer, and others charged with supervising your activities, the quality of your work outside football, the absence of any further adverse involvement in law enforcement, and other concrete actions that you take that are consistent with your representations to me.”

The release also said that former Colts head coach Tony Dungy has agreed to continue to mentor Vick.

Yes, there will be still be plenty of eyes on Vick from the league office to see how he progresses off the field — and if he should be fully reinstated — but as of now, Vick is a true free agent in the NFL and can sign with any team that is willing to wait. How long? Goodell said he would make a decision “by Week Six,” meaning he could decide sooner, based on Vick’s actions, whether to allow him to return.

Now, who wants him?

Before we start throwing out names, there’s something here that strikes me as beneficial from Vick’s perspective and his ability to play football — because right now, he is still an unknown in that we don’t know for sure what he’s capable of.

But by waiting until October to fully reinstate him to the league, a team could come in, sign Vick and see how he does in a camp. And the more I think about it, why not? Why wouldn’t you take that chance if you were interested and if you weren’t worried at the possible public backlash by having Vick in your uniform during camp?

The way I see it, Vick is in no way ready to walk onto a football field and play. He’s just not, and you can say all you want about his athletic ability, his cannon arm and his abnormal talent with a ball in his hands. But that takes time to redevelop. Sure, it isn’t gone by any means, but it has to be polished, it has to be worked on and, at this level, it has to be perfected to work.

And now, if given that opportunity, he has time to do that.

Time to build his conditioning, time to get into a new playbook (which will be huge for his comeback) and time to prove all of us wrong — and I’m including myself here — that he’s still capable of leading an offense from the quarterback position.

Trust me, I played against Vick in my career and was on the losing end of a absolute disaster of a beating his Falcons gave to my Packers in the first-ever home playoff loss at historic Lambeau Field once upon a time. He was, to put it mildly, unstoppable that night.

And that’s the point here. He had those skills, and he will have them again, just not today or tomorrow, or even a week from now. Time — valuable time that Vick hasn’t had for the past two years — is the key issue. And now he has it.

But is there a team willing to take that risk, which, if we think about it, may not be that big of a risk? I can’t imagine that he would demand top dollar on the open market — unless multiple teams get involved — and I can’t see a team actually handing out a deal that spans more than one season.

He will be on a trial basis with the commissioner and a team if he does end up in a camp this summer — almost on a trial basis to see what comes next.

Make no mistake about it: Vick is going to have to prove himself all over again in this league, but that is exactly the opportunity he’s getting by this recent news.

Now we just sit back and wait to see who that team is. Yes, he can play football again, but just like any free agent who’s sitting at home today, the phone still has to ring.

Would you call him? Because that’s exactly what 32 teams in the NFL are faced with right now.

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Without Bennett, Ravens are stuck - by Matt Bowen

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:34:00 -0400

National Football Post

The Baltimore Ravens seem to be in a pinch at wide receiver, and with camp opening for veterans in two days, we have to wonder what the plan is at the position—especially after the club was shocked by its Ravens-stunned-by-Masons-retirement.html" target="_blank">second sudden retirement this month.

I wrote on Saturday that the move by Baltimore to sign Drew Bennett—who is only 30 years old—was good from a football standpoint because I still thought the former Titans and Rams receiver could get down the field and use his straight-line speed to stretch the defense outside the numbers and become a decent threat inside the red zone for quarterback Joe Flacco.

But Bennett changed his mind over the weekend, citing concerns about his physical health and his ability to endure another season of NFL football.

And we have to believe him.

Sure, I can understand the shock of the announcement to Ravens fans, but we have to understand that training camp in the NFL is, well, an absolutely miserable experience. For Bennett, who obviously was concerned about his health, this has to be an issue, because every player (regardless of experience) has a knot in his stomach in the days leading up to camp.

The regular season is a breeze compared to camp. There are days off, travel days that are treated with care, time to actually get in the weight room and meetings that aren’t spent chugging fluids so you can make it through the afternoon session.

And if Bennett did indeed have concerns about his health, they were about camp, not October.

Because this is how veterans think. To get to the regular season—and the paychecks—you have to survive camp, practice every day and, in Bennett’s case, show the coaching staff and GM Ozzie Newsome that he still had enough left in his body, and his legs, to eventual make the opening-day roster.

And it’s all gravy after that.

But you still have to get there. For that reason, I don’t fault Bennett at all. He had a good career, made a good chunk of cash and now he gets to move on to real life.

Unfortunately, the Ravens don’t. They’re still stuck without a receiver heading into Wednesday, and that concerns me from a football standpoint.

Look, I’m all for the Ravens and their style of football. They play great defense, cause turnovers, treat special teams with importance and run the ball downhill to move the chains. Add in Flacco—and some calculated risks in the passing game—and we are looking at a team that not only can challenge the Steelers for the AFC North, but also make a deep run into January.

But even so, this team is lacking in weapons on the outside.

Sure, we can point to that exact style of play and say it doesn’t matter in Baltimore—that the Ravens win despite their deficiencies in vertical weapons at receiver, or that TE Todd Heap can carry the load in the intermediate-to-deep passing game. And that’s fine, but this is the same team that lost three times to Pittsburgh in 2008—and that was with Derrick Mason.

Now this team heads into camp with Mark Clayton as its No. 1 option. Clayton has yet to develop into the first-round talent the team envisioned when it drafted him—and there’s not much else in terms of game planning or matchup advantages on the outside.

Does this hinder the development of Flacco? And how does the lack of weapons affect teams’ game planning for the Ravens? Could we see eight- or even nine-man fronts, forcing the Ravens to throw the ball downfield?

The bottom line is that the Ravens went out and signed Bennett for a reason, because if they were satisfied with their roster, they wouldn’t have held a workout in the first place. Maybe D.J. Hackett, the former Panther and Seahawk who also worked out for the team, will now be the choice to bring into camp.

But whatever direction Newsome and this team go, they have a hole to fill on offense — still.

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Weekend Notes: What's Cribbs Worth?

Matthew Bowen — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:32:00 -0400

National Football Post

Josh Cribbs adds value to the Browns, but I don’t know what his true value is at the negotiating table—because I still don’t know if he has a position.

APJosh Cribbs

Representatives for Cribbs discussed a contract extension with the Browns this week, and although I think his value is on special teams, I don’t see the need to overpay for Cribbs if he struggles to become a position player under new head coach Eric Mangini. We tend to discuss Cribbs in the same regard as Chicago’s Devin Hester, but I still don’t see the comparison when it comes to their value on their respective teams. Cribbs is player who might be tried out on defense—or used in various creative ways on offense—while Hester is the unquestioned No. 1 receiver on the Bears’ roster.

Cribbs is without a doubt one of the best returners in the league as well as one of the best cover men on kicking units, but I would be hesitant to pay him like a position player until I see it in camp under Mangini.

If I’m the Ravens, I like the signing of former Rams wide receiver Drew Bennett, who agreed to a one-year deal after a workout with the team on Friday. Bennet—who missed all of the ’08 season after breaking his foot in the opener—joins a receiving corps in Baltimore that’s depleted after the sudden retirement of last year’s leading receiver, Derrick Mason.

APDerrick Mason

The Ravens hope Bennett can provide some of the flash and big-play ability that made him a threat when he was as a Tennessee Titan—before the Rams gave him a six-year, $30-million deal that brought him to St. Louis.

Even if Mason does return to the team at some point before or during camp, Bennett could give Baltimore a long, athletic receiver who can go up and get the football. I like the idea of adding a weapon like Bennet for QB Joe Flacco to use in the red zone and in the deep passing game outside the numbers.

Now he just has to show the team that he has enough talent at this stage of his career to make a difference in the regular season—and it is at no risk to the Ravens with a one-year deal.

Word out of San Fran is that everyone inside the building is pulling for quarterback Alex Smith to win the starting job in camp. Publicly, it’s being called an open competition, but a source close to the Niners told us that he believes Smith will win the job.

But Smith will still have to hold off Shaun Hill throughout August in what should be his last chance as a starter in the league—and most likely his last chance to show 49ers management that he’s part of their future plans.

The Bills open camp today in Rochester, N.Y., and I can’t think of another team in the league that starts practice with as many expectations or as much pressure to win as Buffalo. I still know a lot of the guys on that squad, and I wish them luck and hope they stay healthy during the month of August.

Head coach Dick Jauron is a good man—one of the best I met in the league—and his back is against the wall as far as his future on the Buffalo sidelines.

We talk about Michael Vick daily in the sports media world, but what’s the real story here and who’s going to take a shot on the former Falcons QB? Because as much as we want to talk about it, he still has to show a team that he’s ready to play at the elite level it takes to compete in this league, and a team still has to find a spot for him on its roster.

Once Commissioner Roger Goodell makes a decision on the Vick case, we can all start throwing out names of teams that could make a play for Vick, but until then, everything we hear is just speculation.

APAntoine Winfield

Signing Antoine Winfield to a contract extension was a good move by the Vikings. He’s still one of the best Tampa 2 corners in the league and a solid tackler in the open field—and his age isn’t a concern for me. Corners who play in the Tampa 2 scheme last longer and are an essential part of the success of the entire unit.

The timing almost seems perfect because the Vikings already will have a media circus at camp if quarterback Brett Favre decides to sign. And not signing Winfield—and risking a possible holdout—would have just led to another distraction that this team doesn’t need.

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Eight in the Box: Bond Babes

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:04:00 -0400

National Football Post

Eight: Bond Babe

With our babes, we thought we’d stay with a theme this week, and we’ve decided—after some heated deliberations—to go with the women of 007 and put the “Bond girls” on the map. And why not start with Olga Kurylenko? She just might be the best.

Seven: Bengal Stripes

The Bengals' rookie running back Bernard Scott said he has “a lot to prove” after being selected in the sixth round by Cincy despite being arrested five times while in college—which is normal, right? It’s a good thing that the Bengals have starting tailback Cedric Benson to mentor him and show Scott how to stay out of trouble.

Six: Prime-time Draft

NFL-Draft-moving-to-primetime.html" target="_blank">The NFL announced a change in its schedule regarding the 2010 draft—and now we’ll have to sit through three days of coverage instead of two. That should prompt all Raiders fans to get off work early so they don’t miss the first pick.

Five: Bond Babe No. 2

We couldn’t run through the Bond girls without mentioning one of our all-time favorites, Halle Berry, who makes her second appearance at the NFP. That just wouldn’t be right.

FOUR: Favre Wavers

I don’t know about you, but the idea that Brett Favre is torn over his decision whether to play for the Vikings this season sounds familiar to me. But what would an offseason be without diva receivers wanting new contracts, White Sox pitchers throwing perfect games, and Favre yanking us along and turning the league into a bad episode of “Saved by the Bell?"

Three: L.A. Bound

It looks like there’s enough funding—from some Cali billionaire—to pay for a new stadium in Los Angeles and bring football back to Hollywood. Now, the league just needs the Jags to play badly enough to so they can make them—and their Arena League unis—neighbors with the Lakers.

Two: Sorry, Pac

It turns out that no one is calling former Titans and Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones to offer a job—unfortunately ending all hope that Pac could contend for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award, which would have warmed our hearts.

One: Bond Babe No. 3—We here at the NFP are always looking out for our very own fantasy guru, Joe Fortenbaugh, when it comes to finding a girl. We think Joe’s expertise in the NFL is the perfect match for Charlie Sheen’s old flame, Denise Richards—who just happens to be a Bond girl with an awful reality show. Go for it, Fortenbaugh.

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Is Michael Vick's Return Near?

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:55:00 -0400

National Football Post

Is this it? Is Michael Vick now up for hire in the NFL?

Because last night, after SI.com reported that Vick had a private meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell in what sounds like a secret location in New Jersey, we have to believe that this process is for real—and that Vick will be playing football this season in the NFL.

After SI’s story hit the wires, ESPN then reported that the suspension would likely be for the first four games of the 2009 season, pushing the notion further that after all the drama that has surrounded Vick, he’s coming back.

Michael Vick

But where, and when?

If these reports hold true, we will finally see not only what Vick’s worth is on the open market as a free agent, but what his worth is in terms of public relations to the team—or teams—that make a play for the former Falcons QB.

And that will be fun to watch.

Last week, we learned that Vick hired renowned NFL trainer Tom Shaw, someone who has been in the business a long time and has trained many of the guys I played with in my career.

But Vick has been away from the actual game of football for two years, and those two years weren’t spent working another job, selling insurance or trying out something different in life while trying to get back into the league.

He was in federal prison, and from my point of view, it’s going to take more than a couple of weeks to get back into football shape.

But if or when the NFL makes an official statement that Vick is indeed reinstated, it’s up to him to use his time and dedicate himself to training his body not only for playing football, but also for auditions, because that will be the first step.

I expect Vick to travel to camps or hold private workouts of some sort for teams to come and watch him run, do football-specific drills and throw—because that’s what everyone will want to see.

In this league, no street free agent—and that’s what Vick has become after his prison stay—can sign with a team without being judged by coaches, scouts and, given Vick’s celebrity, most likely members of the front office of the teams that are interested.

Roger Goodell

Sure, there’s still plenty to play out before we can look at Vick as an NFL player again, but the meeting with Goodell is the first, if not the biggest, step in this process to at least get a chance to come back and compete.

Now we can sit back and see who has the need for Vick and who has the courage to take a chance on him and face the public backlash that’s sure to come along with it.

And don’t kid yourselves, because all it takes is one team to sign a player, just as it only takes one person to buy a house that’s been sitting on the market for months.

It will happen, and when it does—when Michael Vick is actually playing in an NFL game—then we can see what’s left of the former superstar.

Until then, we’ll just watch it like a movie and wait for the next interesting turn.

The National Football Post is a unique and premier on-line source of quality and credible news, information and insight about all sides of football featuring professionals with experience in all facets of the NFL.

Steelers Must Focus on Football

Matthew Bowen — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:04:00 -0400

National Football Post

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger read a prepared statement today in his first comments since reports surfaced this week of an alleged sexual assault, and from my perspective as a former player in the NFL, it is only the beginning of a major distraction for the club heading in to training camp—if the team allows it to be.

And one thing about distractions in August—they can be team killers.

Instead of football, there's a story—about one of their own—that never seems to die, never seems to go away, and if it lasts into the regular season, it takes the focus off the team, off the season. In Pittsburgh, that's not a good thing.

But it can be avoided. I saw plenty of off-the-field issues with teammates go straight from newspaper headlines into the locker room, and we all know that’s what the members of the media are paid to do.

They want a story, and to get that story, they will put a microphone in every player's face—from the superstars to the 53rd guy on the roster who covers kicks and attacks wedges for a living.

They will find anyone who's willing to talk, willing to fan the flames and, in reality, willing to throw one of their teammates under the bus.

It's a nuisance, it's annoying and it feels like the idea of the actual "team' is being replaced by something that lives and breathes on Internet blogs.

The good teams—the ones that succeed despite adversity—avoid this. They don't answer questions; they stick up for their teammates. They treat the locker room like the family dinner table on Sunday nights.

Can the Steelers do this?

As much as we want to talk about the allegations that now surround Roethlisberger, from my point of view, it still comes down to how this affects the team, and more importantly, how this effects this team in August—when teams are made.

The Steelers have leadership, and that goes without question. From Head Coach Mike Tomlin to players such as Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward, Ryan Clark and so on. The veterans on this team, the players with Super Bowl rings, are the guys who will have to step up and keep this team focused on football—and only football.

Because at this point in the summer, that's all that matters—and all that should matter for the Steelers.

I've said before that training camp is essential to the development of football teams in this league, but it is also essential to their chemistry. As a player, you get lost in the days of training camp. It's practice, meetings, meals, and sleep—an endless cycle that racks your brain with football 24/7. And you do it all as a team.

And maybe this is the remedy the Steelers will use as they prepare to open camp. Slide the distractions to the back and just play football—because this is a very good team that has a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champs.

But that will only happen if the team is the main story in August, and not Roethlisberger.

AFC West: Camp Countdown

Matthew Bowen — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:46:00 -0400

The National Football Post’s Matt Bowen wraps up his series today about the top storylines heading into NFL training camps.

Kansas City: The Cassel Show

Now that Matt Cassel is the unquestioned quarterback of the future in Kansas City, it’s time for us to dig deeper and decide if he’s the quarterback his new contract reflects.

We all know that Cassel benefited from the supporting cast he had in New England, especially wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker. But does he have the talent to come into K.C. and lead an offense with Larry Johnson—whose entire game is in question—and Dwayne Bowe, a No. 1 option in wide receiver who in reality is a possession receiver?

Sure, those are questions we can ask, but we won't know their answers until the season starts. What we do know is that GM Scott Pioli, who saw Cassel every day of the 2008 season, liked enough of the quarterback to trade for him and give him a new contract. Plus, new head coach Todd Haley brings an offense to Kansas City that produces big plays in the vertical passing game and fits Cassel’s style.

The bottom line is that this training camp will be Cassel’s first as a starter, and everyone will be looking to him to make the plays that provide wins for this young, rebuilding team. It will take time, but we expect to see the same Matt Cassel who was slinging the ball around in New England. Otherwise, this move will be questioned.

I’ve said before that my verdict is still out on Cassel without the All-Star cast he had in New England. But once camp starts, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to prove me—and everyone else—wrong.

Denver: The Marshall Drama

Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall is one of the best young playmakers in the game. But is he mentally ready to take on the challenge—after an up-and-down offseason—and become the playmaker for new head coach Josh McDaniels?

The offense in Denver caters to wide receivers, just as it did in New England under McDaniels. If I’m Marshall, I can’t wait to get into camp, put on the pads, and watch the offense evolve in August so this team can hit the ground running in September.

But to do that, Marshall needs to be focused on football and not his contract demands. The job of a rookie head coach will be hard enough in his first camp without distractions. Add in another Marshall media storm, and things could go south quickly for the Broncos.

Kyle Orton is more than capable of succeeding in this offense. So all Marshall has to do is run his routes within McDaniels’ system, and he’ll see plenty of balls thrown his way.

As I wrote Wednesday when I talked about Anquan Boldin, August is all about football, and Marshall needs to take the same approach. Produce, and he’ll get paid. But now is not the time for individuals. It’s all about the team—if you want to win.

Oakland: Russell vs. Garcia

Is there a real quarterback competition in Oakland? Or was Jeff Garcia brought in just in case starter quarterback JaMarcus Russell disappoints?

If the Raiders want to be serious contenders in the AFC West, then this needs to be an open competition in August.

Let’s be honest, the Raiders didn’t sign Garcia to hold a clipboard and clap his hands on the sidelines. He’s a quarterback who’s proven he can win. He can lead a team to the postseason, and I still believe he has plenty to offer—if the Raiders allow that to happen.

Russell has a lot of talent, but he has never had to compete against a veteran like Garcia before. If he’s the choice, he will have won a valid competition and fought his way into the huddle—which is something that could bring rewards in his career as a Raider. But it won’t be easy.

We’ve heard that the coaching staff was impressed by Garcia this offseason, and at worst, it provides the Raiders with a fallback plan if Russell starts slowly, and the team finds itself deep in a hole in the division race after September.

The bottom line is simple for every position in training camp: The more competition, the better the effort, the play, and the production you get from every player on the team.

In Oakland, the quarterback position is no different. The Raiders need to allow these guys to battle on the field.

San Diego: The Return of the Defense

Last season, the Chargers made a postseason appearance because their offense and quarterback Philip Rivers had impressive seasons.

But what about that defense—the one we all thought would be among the AFC’s best? Because the way I see it, if this defense plays up to its abilities, the Chargers are a complete football team—and a very dangerous one.

Yes, the return of a healthy Shawne Merriman at outside linebacker will help, as will the addition of rookie edge rusher Larry English from Northern Illinois, who has had an impressive offseason. I also like their secondary, and if Merriman is healthy and productive, he adds a dimension that was missing from this unit in 2008—one that fell all the way to 25th in the league in total defense (349.9 yards a game).

The Chargers have the talent, and they have an attacking 3-4 scheme that should produce pressure and turnovers (only 15 picks as a defense in ’08), giving Rivers and his offense easy scoring opportunities.

It’s no secret that the Chargers are the favorites to win the AFC West heading into camp, but for that to come true, this defense has to be among the league’s best. If it is, this team could go deep into January.

You can follow Matt on Twitter at MattBowen41.

Camp countdown: NFC West—by Matt Bowen

Matthew Bowen — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:42:00 -0400

National Football Post

This week, the National Football Post’s Matt Bowen continues his series on the top storylines at NFL training camp.

Arizona: The Boldin Distraction

The Anquan Boldin story died once the Pro Bowl WR let go of headline-seeking agent Drew Rosenhaus, but that doesn’t mean it won’t return. And for the sake of the Cardinals, it’s essential that it doesn’t happen in August.

We tend to forget that Boldin, when paired with Larry Fitzgerald, forms one of the best receiving combos in the league (along with Randy Moss-Wes Welker in New England, and Terrell Owens-Lee Evans in Buffalo), and that can’t be disrupted by a holdout or by the many off-the-field distractions that a contract situation can provide.

Plus, this isn’t the same team without him. Sure, we can look at the addition of rookie RB Beanie Wells, the solid play of their young defense, and even the emergence of WR Steve Breaston, but we all know better. This team wins and loses depending on the production of Boldin and Fitzgerald.

I’ve said this before...training camp has a way of swallowing up players. They forget about distractions because they focus on football every single day of the month. My hope is that Boldin follows this line, because he’ll get paid in time if the Cardinals are smart.

There’s a reason the Super Bowl loser struggles the following year, and it usually comes down to players putting themselves before the team by asking for that big payday because they just played on the biggest stage in all of sports.

Boldin needs to just play football next month if this team wants to repeat as NFC West champs—and wait for the big check to follow.

San Francisco: Smith’s Last Stand

From my perspective, this is Alex Smith’s last chance to win a starting job in the NFL. To do that, he must have his best training camp as a pro, because Shaun Hill has shown he can produce scoring drives in this league.

Outside of San Fran, there are many doubters about the 49ers’ quarterback position, and the rumors seemed to spiral out of control before the draft about USC’s Mark Sanchez and the possibility of Michael Vick.

But the Niners obviously see something in Smith to give him that final shot at the job. Now, we get to see how the former No. 1 overall pick responds to the greatest pressure he has faced in his career.

Smith was never a proper fit for former offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s offense, but is he still a fit in San Francisco? Is there still value to his game, and can he lead this team on scoring drives and put them in position to win games?

This Niners team is still young, it still has question marks, and Singletary has publicly stated that he wants to name a starter heading into the third preseason game. That gives Smith two preseason games, and about four weeks of practice, to prove himself.

Most players in the league respond well to adversity, and the type of adversity Smith is facing as we head into August has everything to do with the rest of his career as an NFL quarterback. How he responds will tell the story.

Seattle: The Return of Hasselbeck

We can all agree that the Seattle Seahawks will win football games if quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is healthy and plays at a high level, but can we count on that heading into training camp?

Hasselbeck had a disastrous season in ’08. Of the seven games he started and played in, his rating dropped to a career-low 57.8 with 10 interceptions (compared to five TDs), and the team suffered because of it.

The West Coast system in Seattle is perfect for Hasselbeck’s style of play, and I can tell you from my own experiences playing against him and that offense, there isn’t a better option to run the West Coast system in the league, along with Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.

It’s essential for Hasselbeck, who will be 34-years-old in September, to build an on-field relationship with new WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh during the month of August, because I believe he’s the type of receiver who can produce big numbers in this scheme.

It’s based on timing and throwing to a certain position on the field, and it involves short, underneath routes that get the ball to wide receivers in the open field.

But for Hasselbeck to return to the top-tier of QBs in the league, he needs help from the running game, and his other receivers—Nate Burleson and Deion Branch—need to stay healthy and contribute.

All eyes should, and will, be on Hasselbeck when training camp opens, and if the Seahawks get off to another slow start, expect this club to start looking toward the future—and that means preparing to draft a QB in 2010.

St. Louis: Spags’ Defense

The Rams hired former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo this offseason as their new head coach, and whenever a club hires a defensive head coach, it signifies a change in culture.

The Rams have been known this decade for one thing—their productive offense—but that’s expected to change under Spagnuolo.

Our own Michael Lombardi did an excellent job breaking down the challenges that Spags will face in his first season in St. Louis. What he can do is teach, install, and start to build a brand of defense that will be synonymous with the Rams for some time—just as he did in New York with the Giants. But where does he start?

In my opinion, every good defense starts up front, and the Rams have some players who can come off the edge in DEs Chris Long and Leonard Little.

However, this defense will be in a transition period in August, as players learn new techniques and learn to practice with new habits.

Defense at this level goes a lot deeper than scheme, and it’s the men in charge who have the most influence over the players. Expect to see the defense make gains throughout August, and play competitive football in the regular season.

This franchise is basically starting over—and Spags has to get his defensive players to buy into the way his defense is played.

Next: AFC West

The National Football Post is a unique and premier online source of quality and credible news, information, and insight about all sides of football—featuring professionals with experience in all facets of the NFL.

Camp countdown: AFC South

Matthew Bowen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:09:00 -0400

National Football Post

This week, the National Football Post’s Matt Bowen continues his series on the top storylines of NFL training camps.

Houston: The evolution of the defense

We can’t talk about the Houston Texans without wondering when they’ll start to play a brand of defense that will allow them to compete in the AFC South. On offense, there’s no question they have enough playmakers at the skill positions to put points on the board, but without a defense, it will be the same football team we’ve seen the past couple of years—and that isn’t good enough.

It’s natural for defenses to be ahead of offenses in terms of development in August and the first couple of weeks of the regular season. But in Houston, this defense has been known to start slowly and take time to develop throughout the regular season. Then the Texans usually find themselves fighting uphill to get back in the division race. Can they start fast, and can some of the big-name players—Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, Dunta Robinson and DeMeco Ryans—step up and help this defense become a playmaking defense?

The Texans have the players to get the job done, but they have to force turnovers and put QB Matt Schuab and his offense in scoring position to have a shot at the division title—and that development starts in August.

Indianapolis: The post-Dungy era begins

APJim Caldwell and Peyton Manning

I still believe that the absence of Tony Dungy is Indy is one of the bigger stories as we prepare to kick of training camp because it signals change for the Colts—and that always comes with plenty of questions.

I’m sure Jim Caldwell is a good coach, and someone promoted within the system—the same system that has made the Colts contenders for years—but that doesn’t hide the fact that this is still a transition year. As a player, how is it different? Are meetings longer, shorter? Do they lift at the same times during camp? Do the veterans get days off? Is there more hitting or less? These seems like minor details to you, but as a player, change is usually an unwelcome aspect of the game—because players are used to a certain routine, and in Indy, the veterans are use to the Tony Dungy routine. I have said this before, and I doubt that guys like Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday will miss a beat, but for the younger guys, Dungy’s leadership will be missed.

This should be an interesting camp and learning experience for the Colts because even though Caldwell was with the team, it will still be different. August and September will tell us a lot in terms of how the Colts are doing with the transition.

Jacksonville: The Jones-Drew Show

Maurice Jones-Drew is the offense of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The club rewarded him with a new contract, Fred Taylor is now in New England, and looking at the rest of the positions on this offense, it’s no secret that the Jags will win or lose based on the play of Jones-Drew. But how much of a load can he handle?

Franchise running backs have small windows in this league when it comes to top production, and for the Jags, this should be on their minds when camp opens up. Jones-Drew’s workload needs to be monitored during practice, during preseason games and into the season—because when or if his legs begin to tire, this offense will sputter. If I’m the Jags, I get former USC running back Chauncey Washington involved early in camp, limit the number of touches for Jones-Drew in the preseason and then give Washington some touches in the regular season. Outside of Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, there’s no one in the league I would rather give the ball to out of the backfield than Jones-Drew, but the Jags want that in November and December as well.

This guy is a special talent. I played against him in my career, and trying to tackle him is like trying to tackle a bowling ball rolling downhill, covered in grease. But the Jags can’t wear him down, and that starts on the first day of camp.

Tennessee: Collins’ squad

APKerry Collins

The Tennessee Titans are Kerry Collins’ football team. Period. And although this is something we’ve known since he took over for Vince Young early in the 2008 season, Collins walks into camp on the first day and has command of the huddle from the start—and that puts an end to any sort of distractions.

NFL teams that head into camp without controversy at the quarterback position usually hit the ground running. The offense is installed, the players know who their unquestioned leader is and a team can start to form on those hot, muggy August days on the practice field.

I really like the way the Titans play football, and because of that, Collins is the best choice for the job. He has the arm strength to throw the ball with anyone in the league, and now that the Titans added some talent and depth at WR with Nate Washington and rookie Kenny Britt, I fully expect this offense to expand. We all know that Tennessee can run the ball, but when you add some explosive talent outside the numbers to go along with a big-play WR such as Justin Gage, the playbook gets bigger, and you can take more chances in the vertical passing game and on third downs.

Yes, this is still a team that’s led by its attacking defense, but with Collins under center from day one, we can all watch this offense become more prolific, and that’s something that should make the Titans even more dangerous on Sundays—and avoid the drama of Vince Young.

Next: NFC West

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NFP late hits: Vick far from NFL Ready

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:38:00 -0400

National Football Post

Everyone has a theory on where Michael Vick should play football this year, and those theories can be expected to spiral out of control now that he’s officially a free man and has reportedly hired a trainer to get back into football shape.

Roger Goodell

But let’s all catch our breath for a moment when it comes to Vick and football — especially the quarterback position — this fall. I find it hard to believe that an NFL team is going to expect Vick (if he’s reinstated) to walk into a camp, pick up a football, learn a playbook, and be ready to compete and win by the time the regular season comes around. Sure, we could probably say the same thing about Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, but Favre played in the NFL last year, knows the playbook in Minnesota and didn’t spend the last season in prison.

If—and we all know it’s a big if—Commissioner Roger Goodell does allow Vick to play in 2009, I don’t see a roster where he can win a competition at quarterback. He’s been away too long, and no trainer is going to prepare him to play at the high level required to compete in just two weeks.

There’s still a ton of red tape to cut through before we even get to the surface of this situation, but from a football perspective, Michael Vick isn’t an NFL quarterback right now. Down the road? Maybe, but NFL teams at this point in the summer aren’t planning for the future.

One interesting position battle will be taking place in Philly, where Sean Jones and Quintin Demps look to compete for the vacant safety spot left by the departed Brian Dawkins. Jones was brought in during free agency from the Browns to compete for the job—and it’s a valuable one in Philly.

One thing about all successful pressure defenses is the play of the safeties. They’re expected to tackle in the open field, get home on blitzes and be able to play man-to-man coverage in pressure packages—sometimes with no middle-of-the-field help. It’s a job that carries a ton of responsibility, and the Eagles can only hope that this competition forces Jones and Demps to be on top of their games every day in camp.

The Ravens are beginning to work out receivers, and reports are saying that former Seahawk and Panther D.J. Hackett will be in town on Friday to audition for the squad after the sudden retirement of Derrick Mason. I expect the Ravens to bring in as much competition as they can, search the wires and watch for players to get released early during camp to find the best replacement for Mason—if he stays retired.

AP Aaron Maybin

With the Bills opening camp this weekend in Rochester, N.Y., the news around the team is starting to heat up, and like we should expect, it centers on the defense’s ability to make plays and create turnovers. I think rookie DE Aaron Maybin is still a couple of years away from being a three-down lineman, but if the Bills can use him in the their sub packages—especially when they call Cover 2 — and allow him and a healthy Aaron Schobel to rush off the edge, this team could see more plays made in the secondary.

However, Maybin will be going up against starting tackles for the first time as a rookie, and he won’t be able to use speed on every play to get around the corner. This training camp will be crucial for him to develop his power and quickness. The great rushers in this league can get to the quarterback a variety of ways.

Safety Roy Williams is trying to revive his career in Cincy, where he’ll be reunited with his former defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, who coached Williams in Dallas. The reports from offseason camps were high on Williams, but the former Cowboy has to make plays in the passing game and become a better tackler.

We all know he can hit, but there’s a difference between delivering a big hit and being a fundamentally sound tackler at the NFL level—as well as when it comes to being a big hitter in the secondary and a guy who makes plays on the football. The NFL has become a league that looks for playmakers at every position, and that’s no different at the safety spot. But in return, more and more players are losing the ability to tackle well in the open field. Williams must become a better tackler in camp and show this coaching staff that he deserves a starting job—because this could be his last chance.

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Camp Countdown: NFC South

Matthew Bowen — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:49:00 -0400

National Football Post

This week, the National Football Post’s Matt Bowen continues his series on the top storylines of NFL training camps.

Atlanta: The Rise of the Defense

We all know that the Atlanta Falcons can run the football with Michael Turner, and that QB Matt Ryan and his weapons—WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez—will score points. But is there a defense down in Atlanta that the rest of the division is impressed with?

The Falcons’ defense wasn’t a story in 2008 because it didn’t have to be. The offense stole the headlines and won games. Expect that to change, and if you’re a Falcons fan, you want that to change because this division is loaded with offensive talent, and there will be times in 2009 when the Atlanta defense—not the big-name offense—will have to step up and win games for this club.

Where does it start in Atlanta? Most likely up front, where DE John Abraham needs help getting to the QB. This unit finished 24th in the league last season in total defense (348.2 yards a game) and was even worse against the run, finishing 25th (127.9).

Abraham had a monster season coming off the edge (16 sacks), but where is Jamaal Anderson, and where is the front four against the run? As long as Abraham is the only threat to make a play in the front four, this defense will continue to be average, if not below average. The club drafted DT Peria Jerry in the first round to add some depth and playmaking ability, but we still have to see it on the field.

The Falcons won’t surprise anyone this season, and if they can’t stop the run against Carolina and Tampa, or get to Drew Brees in New Orleans, they’ll continue to be a team that relies on the offense to save them—and that only goes so far.

Carolina: Delhomme’s Consistency

The Carolina Panthers put an end to questions about QB Jake Delhomme when they signed him to a contract extension after the season—while some thought they would start preparing for the future with a young arm at the position. But we need to understand that Delhomme has a role in Carolina, and that role must be played correctly in ’09.

I don’t believe we can judge Delhomme’s season based off one playoff performance (17-34, 205 yards, 1 TD, 5 INTs) because he helped get the Panthers into the postseason and secure a first-round bye. But if this team wants to repeat as NFC South champs, he has to be more consistent and he has to continue to play his role—which means handing the ball off to RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and getting the ball down the field to WR Steve Smith.

It’s easy to look at Delhomme’s numbers and call him average (3,288 yards, 15 TDs, 12 INTs), but all you have to do when talking about this team is look at Smith’s impact (78 receptions, 1, 421 yards, 6 TDs) to see Delhomme’s value. He’s never going to put up numbers like a Brees or a Manning because that’s not the way this teams plays football on offense. It’s a run-first team that uses Smith in the vertical passing game in game-changing plays.

Delhomme is still the leader of this offense, but he has to cut down on the mistakes and he has to avoid games when he comes apart at the seams. He knows his role, the team knows his role, and this is why he heads into camp with a new contract.

New Orleans: The Return of the Defense

New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is in New Orleans for one reason, to teach the Saints how to play an attacking brand of defensive football. That’s it. His job is to make the New Orleans Saints a complete football team.

I talk about Gregg a lot here at the NFP because I played two seasons under him at Washington, and I have a high amount of respect for his coaching. But more important, I believe in his scheme—and that’s sometimes the biggest factor when installing a new system.

If you can get the players to buy into the scheme, they will be more prepared and more willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the entire unit—and he will get that out of these players starting in training camp.

I like the additions the Saints made to their secondary, which is an integral part of this scheme, with CB Jabari Greer, safety Darren Sharper, and rookie CB Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State. But just as with any defensive scheme in the NFL, the production must come from up front.

DEs Will Smith and Charles Grant will be held accountable for making this happen, but don’t count out the pressure packages that Williams will dial up because he will come after offenses.

And it will start in camp, where Williams is at his best. His training camps are tough and demanding, and he’ll find out who wants to play for him come September.

Tampa: The QB Decision

There are several quarterback battles that will take place this summer at training camps in the NFL, but the competition in Tampa might be the most interesting to watch because it involves three guys who could win the job.

Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown have to be sick of waiting for camp to start because both of them—veterans looking for an opportunity—have to hold off not only each other but rookie first-round pick Josh Freeman as well.

And that’s why this job is so intriguing to me, because the Bucs and rookie head coach Raheem Morris have some options. Do they go with Leftwich or McCown, two quarterbacks who were backups in recent years, or the rookie?

They have a running game with Derrick Ward and a solid option on the outside in WR Antonio Bryant, but this team still needs a quarterback to lead the huddle and direct scoring drives.

To me, Freeman is the wild card, because we know what McCown and Leftwich can do. But Freeman’s performance in camp will most likely be the determining factor in this competition. If he shows he can handle the offense and make good decisions with the ball, then we could see him on opening day.

Remember, he was drafted as the QB of the future, but as with any rookie, it depends on their learning curve and their ability to adapt to the pro game.

My bet is that either McCown or Leftwich will come out on top, but don’t be surprised to see the Bucs give Freeman plenty of chances to win the job.

Next: AFC South

Follow me on Twitter: MattBowen41

NFP Late Hits: Chicago Bears Might Be Sleepers

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:10:00 -0400

National Football Post

If I’m the Bears right now, I really like the look of my linebackers heading into camp—especially with the addition of former Rams starter Pisa Tinoisamoa, who was let go purely based on scheme when new head coach Steve Spagnuolo took over in St. Louis.

He’s a classic version of the Tampa 2 linebacker—built on speed and lateral quickness—and should settle in nicely at the Sam linebacker spot.

Add in the playmaking of Will linebacker Lance Briggs and the hopeful return of Mike ‘backer Brian Urlacher, and the Bears are looking like one of the top units not only in the NFC North but the entire conference—if not the NFL.

But what’s most important, and something I’ve discussed here before, is the defensive line play of the Bears. I doubt they’ll disappoint with new D-line coach Rod Marinelli, who’s gotten rave reviews from former players I’ve talked to as well as Bears GM Jerry Angelo. “The best teaching coach in the league,” I’ve heard more than once.

Most of the attention this offseason has been on the offense and QB Jay Cutler, but if the D-line plays solid football, watch for the Bears linebackers to be playmakers—something expected in the Tampa 2 defensive scheme. Is this team a sleeper to win the NFC North?

The Derrick Mason retirement has to go deeper than Ravens-stunned-by-Masons-retirement.html" target="_blank">the headlines say. There’s a reason that Ravens head coach Jim Harbaugh is getting involved, and most veterans who are thinking about retirement do it in March—not two weeks before camp opens. Something to keep an eye on because, from a football standpoint, it doesn’t make sense.

Do we all agree that Packers QB Aaron Rodgers must be sick of answering questions about Brett Favre? The only solution I see is for Favre to come back and for Rodgers to outplay him twice this season—and win both games. That should put an end to the discussions that have been going on since last summer.

Or, until Favre is completely done with the NFL.

The best thing for Brandon Marshall is to show up for training camp and just play football. I like to joke around about guys in the league when it comes to contract demands, but in all honesty, the best thing for a player who’s upset—or wants a new deal—is to get into training camp and let football take over.

NFL players get lost from the real world once camp begins, and a routine starts that’s all football almost 24 hours a day. There’s no time to sit around and think about how much you’re being paid because practices, weights, and meetings fill up almost all of your day—outside of meals and the occasional 45-minute nap between practice sessions.

Sure, this issue could very well resurface if the media keeps asking about it, but the best bet for Marshall is to keep quiet, practice within the system of his new offense and then produce in the regular season. There is no way Marshall shouldn’t put up numbers in coach Josh McDaniels’ offense.

I’m curious to see how the Falcons play in the first month of the season. They are now expected to win games—unlike the 2008 season—and with the addition of TE Tony Gonzalez, this offense under QB Matt Ryan is not only expected to produce a ton of points but also challenge for the division title in the NFC South.

I love this offense, but I also want to see how the defense progresses over the next month of camp—because the team that plays the best defense in the NFC South should walk away with the division. Everyone can score points down there.

Follow me on Twitter: MattBowen41

Eight In the Box: Tweet Me, Ocho

Matthew Bowen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:03:00 -0400

National Football Post

EIGHT: Miss Monaco—We aren’t big fans of “Dancing with the Stars” here at the NFP, but after finding out that Kelly Monaco was previously on it and actually won—instead of a former NFL star looking for more TV time—we plan on becoming regular viewers.

Can you blame us?

SEVEN: Ocho Tweets—Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco still wants to use Twitter during games, and again we’re being subjected to useless nonsense from a guy who didn’t do anything on the field last year.

Tell me again why Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald don’t want to “tweet” during games? Oh yeah, because they actually make plays on Sundays.

SIX: Chilly Waits—Well, Vikings coach Brad Childress is going to wait for Brett Favre to make a decision—no matter what the cost to the team. So we get two more weeks of the Favre drama, and Childress gets two weeks to make sure Favre’s house is ready, his dry cleaning is done, and the playbook is exactly what the former Jets QB wants.

Good times in Minneapolis.

FIVE: More Celebrity Power—First it was Jimmy Buffett, then Gloria Estefan, and now pop singer Marc Anthony is next in line to buy a piece of the Dolphins.

Hey, at worst you go to a Dolphins game, see Pat White snapped in half trying to run the wildcat, pound down Land Shark Beer, and maybe get a seat next to Anthony and his wife, Jennifer Lopez.

Gotta love South Beach.

FOUR: Cell Phone Ticket—Now you’ll be able to get Direct TV’s Sunday Ticket directly to your mobile phone—for a massive fee, of course—but why would you do that?

Is it that important to whip out your phone over the holidays in December so you can catch the second half of the Chiefs-Bengals game on Dec. 27? That should go over well at the family dinner table.

THREE: Marshall to Show—Great news out of Denver, as headline WR Brandon Marshall is going to show up for camp. Still not sure why this is news, other than the Broncos actually calling the receiver’s bluff.

Now he has to walk back into the locker room and actually work for his new contract—just like everyone else on that team, or the entire league for that matter.

Poor guy.

TWO: Moving Time—“Eight in the Box” is slowly packing up and making a permanent home in the Daily Jolt over the next couple of weeks—and the babes are coming with us.

And to be honest, despite reports, Packers GM Ted Thompson had nothing to do with it.

ONE: See Ya, Jess—Oh well, the romance between Cowboys QB Tony Romo and Hollywood starlet—and former reality TV star—Jessica Simpson is reportedly over. This once again opens the door for NFP fantasy guru Joe Fortenbaugh to sneak in and be the “rebound guy.”

You think he has a shot? I don’t.

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Camp Countdown: AFC North

Matthew Bowen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:29:00 -0400

For the next two weeks, the National Football Post’s Matt Bowen is previewing the top storylines for each team heading into training camp.

Baltimore: The search for a receiver

Veteran receiver Derrick Mason dropped a bomb on the team earlier this week when he announced his retirement from the NFL. Now there’s a major hole opposite No. 1 WR Mark Clayton in Baltimore.

I think it’s pretty obvious from my writing that I’m a big fan of this franchise and the style of football the Ravens play, but now they go into another season with a question mark on offense. For me, the worry falls on the shoulders of second-year QB Joe Flacco, who has lost a valuable weapon in the passing game just weeks before camps starts. Does this hinder his development, or can the Ravens find someone on the roster who can step up in what should be an open competition for the No. 2 role?

The Ravens have some names like Kelley Washington on the depth chart, but would any of these guys cause problems for defensive coordinators or cornerbacks in the AFC North? Or does this team already have enough in a power running game, Mark Clayton, Todd Heap, and one of the best defenses in recent memory?

Expect this to be a collective effort to fill that No. 2 role, and daily battles in camp and during preseason games will decide who emerges as the opening day starter. But is it too late for GM Ozzie Newsome to pull off a deal for a Brandon Marshall or an Anquan Boldin? That's something to think about as we move forward.

Cincinnati: Marvin’s last stand

There isn’t a coach in the NFL who’s had as many free passes as the Bengals’ Marvin Lewis, and I have to believe that the 2009 season will be his last in Cincy unless he can find a way to lead this team into the postseason. Can he do it?

The Bengals go into camp with a healthy Carson Palmer at quarterback, and this fact alone gives them a shot to compete in the division. They addressed their offensive line—which gave up 51 sacks in ’08—by taking a risk and going after Alabama OT Andre Smith with the No. 6 pick (despite his off-the-field red flags). They also brought in one of my favorite guys in wide receiver Laveranues Coles from the Jets—whom I expect to replace T.J. Houshmandzadeh in terms on production.

The club put its faith in RB Cedric Benson, and WR Chad Ochocinco wants us to believe he’s back—via Twitter, of course—but what about the defense? Do they have enough playmakers to compete with the rest of the division? Can they get a pass rush out of their front, maybe from rookie Michael Johnson, and can they make plays in the secondary that can win games?

I doubt the Bengals are going to be picked to do much of anything this season, but as long as Palmer is under center, and they can play some defense in the second half of ballgames, then I can’t count them out. But for Lewis’ sake, this team needs a strong camp—and an injury-free camp—to hit the ground running. They can’t afford a slow start.

Cleveland: The quarterback battle

All eyes will be on the quarterback position every day in camp when it comes to evaluating the Browns, and Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson better be ready to battle because every throw counts.

Most clubs in the NFL chart each and every throw a QB makes during practice, and this will be no different in Cleveland. Every time Quinn and Anderson drop back to pass, they will be evaluated, whether they’re in 7-on-7 passing drills, one-on-one drills with receivers and defensive backs, or in the team periods to close out practice.

But what might be a key factor is how each quarterback responds in the situational aspects of practice. Who can handle the red zone period and produce? Who can handle the pressure of the two-minute period, and who can make the proper checks at the line versus the defense in the blitz periods?

As I said, everything will come into play because this is a major decision for this franchise. Both quarterbacks are from previous coaching regimes in Cleveland, and both need to prove to head coach Eric Mangini that they’re the best option to lead the team.

I expect both to get a start in the first two preseason games, but if I’m the Browns, I make my decision after that. By the third preseason game, this offense needs to move forward and start game planning for the regular season—and you need to name a starting QB to do that.

Pittsburgh: The rebirth of the running game

Not much you can say about a team that just won the Super Bowl, but if the Steelers want to repeat — and hold off the Ravens in the division — then the running game has to be better in Pittsburgh.

We all know that QB Ben Roethlisberger can make plays in the passing game, but the Steelers still need to use their ground game to establish ball control and grind out victories in the fourth quarter—without counting on Big Ben to pull wins out of a hat.

Willie Parker still is a threat any time he has the ball in his hands. However, he needs to stay healthy, and the Steelers’ offensive line—which puts Roethlisberger at risk every time he drops back to pass—needs to be better at the point of attack, as Parker only averaged 3.8 yards per carry in ’08, the lowest of his career.

Getting second-year back Rashard Mendenhall back in the mix will help take some of the load off Parker, keeping both backs fresh for another expected deep playoff run. Plus, it will make Roethlisberger a better quarterback and open up more options down the field in the passing game.

The Steelers finished 23rd in the NFL last season in total rushing yards per game (105.6), and for us to see them in Miami this February, it has to improve. This should be a top priority when this club puts on the pads in camp.

Monday: NFC South

Follow me on Twitter at MattBowen41

Examining the Terrell Suggs, Matt Cassel Deals

Matthew Bowen — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:46:00 -0400

National Football Post

I’m a big fan of the Terrell Suggs deal with the Baltimore Ravens that was announced today, giving the linebacker a contract reportedly worth $63 million.

Our own Andrew Brandt broke down the deal earlier, and for a variety of reasons, I think the Ravens made the right choice in offering the extension.

For starters, the Ravens play a certain brand of football. They win—and have always won—games by playing a certain style of attacking defense that produces turnovers and points, and to be honest, Suggs is the future of this defense.

We all know that Ray Lewis—the unquestioned leader of the franchise—can still play at a high level, but he’s lost a step and will soon have to turn over his leadership role. And what better player to hand it to than Suggs?

In this regard, the Ravens just spent money that will produce a quick return in terms of production and leadership. There was a reason Baltimore let Bart Scott walk and sign with the Jets earlier this offseason, and in my opinion, it was because they were sold on the fact that Suggs—not Scott—was the eventual replacement as the team’s cornerstone.

Because that’s what wins in Baltimore.

Few teams still do it outside of New England, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh in the AFC, but all of those teams—including the Ravens—have a certain style they play, a certain culture they live, and a certain accountability they place on all of their players.

By signing Suggs to a deal that will most likely keep him in Baltimore for the rest of his career, the Ravens can continue to build their franchise on strong defensive talent from within.

That’s something that gets overlooked in cities like Washington and Dallas, which scour the free-agent market every offseason looking for a quick fix.

Real good move by the Ravens and GM Ozzie Newsome.

I’m not a big fan of the Matt Cassel deal that was announced Tuesday with the Kansas City Chiefs and that— like Suggs’ deal—is reported to be valued at $63 million. I still see it as a leap of faith on the part of the Chiefs.

Now a member of the Chiefs, Cassel is making more money than Tom Brady.

Brandt did an excellent job today breaking down the deal, and despite the fact that all starting quarterbacks in this league are paid top dollar—or should be—I’m wondering if the Chiefs really know what they have.

It’s easy for us to put Cassel into the upper echelon of quarterbacks because he played in a big market last season, was a top story after replacing the face of the league in Tom Brady, and won some games.

But the bottom line is that Cassel didn’t win enough games to get the Patriots into the playoffs. Those are just the facts.

Now Cassel is in K.C. with a new deal that pays him enough money up front that the Chiefs are committed to him for the foreseeable future. And he steps under center without Randy Moss or Wes Welker—and without Tony Gonzalez for that matter.

Yes, I agree that the Chiefs are a in a building process right now. They have one weapon on the outside in wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and are lucky enough to play in the AFC West, which puts them in some matchups that they could win. But how much do we believe in Cassel?

Is he a product of the Patriots’ team or is he the next big thing at the quarterback position like, well, Brady was before Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury all those years ago?

This remains to be seen, but this kind of commitment speaks volumes for the faith that Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and new head coach Todd Haley have in Cassel. They know you need a quarterback to win in this league, and they’ve watched him all offseason, while we haven’t.

For the sake of Chiefs fans, I hope Cassel proves me wrong.

Follow me on Twitter: MattBowen41.

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