Archives
This Saturday at 8:00 PM the Panthers will head back home to take on the New York Jets.
The Panthers are coming a disappointing loss versus the Baltimore Ravens. Their receivers had trouble catching passes, and their offensive line had trouble protecting the quarterback.
There were a couple of bright spots, however. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen played exceptionally well in his NFL debut. Defensive end Greg Hardy, a sixth-round pick out of Ole Miss also showed a lot of potential.
Presumed starting quarterback Matt Moore did not look too good against Baltimore, but his performance can be taken with a grain of salt, as it was the first preseason game of a long season.
But If Moore doesn’t show up, and Clausen has another impressive game, Moore could be in danger of losing his starting job.
Pro-Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith returned to the practice field this week. It seemed like his left arm, that he broke earlier this summer playing flag football, felt better. He even dared players to hit his arm.
Smith’s status for this Saturday is unclear, but if he does play, that would be a huge boost to a Panthers squad that desperately needs its number one receiver.
Quarterback Tony Pike is the Panther with the most to lose.
We didn’t get to see much of Pike last Thursday as he is currently fourth on the QB depth chart. If he does not to prove that he is a better option as a third string quarterback, he might end up on the practice squad.
Carolina’s opponent, the New York Jets, are coming off a disappointing performance of their own as they were beat down by the Giants on Monday. They will look to redeem themselves against the Panthers this Saturday.
The Jets made a lot of offseason moves that should put them in Super Bowl contention, yet they still have a lot to prove.
Cornerback Darelle Revis will most likely hold out some of the regular season, which means Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson will be the two starting cornerbacks. As long Rex Ryan is coaching Jets, they should be fine with or without Revis.
Donovan Warren is the New York player with the most to lose:
Warren, a cornerback, was undrafted out of Michigan. Some projected Warren to be a 1st round pick while some projected him to be a 2nd to 3rd round pick. The Jets eventually signed him as a free agent.
If Warren doesn’t prove that he is good enough to be on the Jets roster, then he will likely be cut.
Prediction: Jets 45, Panthers 31
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Let’s get this out of the way: I’m addicted to the NFL Draft. More so than the actual NFL season. Why haven’t I written in awhile? The draft is over. So what now? How about looking at the 2011 NFL Draft?
I bet there are some people out there who are like me: College football takes a major backseat to the NFL. Like, third row middle seat in a Suburban to the NFL in the drivers seat. You pay most of your attention to college football between the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft.
Well with the training camp so close, it’s time to look at where the holes that the Packers will be trying to fill next offseason will be. I’ll take a look at a potential position of need, who needs to perform well at that position, and who may be taking their place come next April.
Cornerback
Player(s) on the Hot Seat: Tramon Williams, Pat Lee, Brandon Underwood.
On April 22 of this year, Ted Thompson decided that the cornerback position in Green Bay was not much of a need, not drafting a single corner. He apparently had enough faith in these three young players’ ability to replace the 34 year old reigning DPoY Charles Woodson, and the injured Al Harris.
Williams has shown he can at least be one of the guys, filling in admirably for Harris after the Tampa Bay game. But that leaves the future other corner spot and the nickel slot to be filled.
Lee, a 2008 second round pick, has shown promise of developing into a solid player, but played only five games in mostly special teams last year before being placed on injured reserve.
Underwood was a sixth round pick last year, but also showed some potential. He has been labeled a distraction, especially after the Wisconsin Dells prositiution scandal this offseason, but the talent is there.
If any of these players falter, look for a strong 2011 cornerback class to come in.
College Prospects to Watch:
Ras-I Dowling: A 6’2″ corner out of Virginia best projects as a zone corner in the NFL. He has the aggressiveness to make tackles behind the line of scrimmage or take on a block, and the straight-line speed to match most WRs. 1st round pick.
Davon House: A small-school prospect to consider, his stock could soar this year much like Kyle Wilson did playing for New Mexico State. Has good size (6′, 178) and speed (4.44 second 40 yard dash). 2-3 round.
Chykie Brown: Will get lost behind top 40-prospects Aaron Williams and Curtis Brown at Texas, but is as physically gifted as either of those two. Mentality needs work, but playing for Dom Capers and learning from Woodson and Harris will do him wonders. 4-5 round.
Offensive Tackle
Player on the Hot Seat: Bryan Bulaga
This position isn’t so much as who needs to play well, it’s where will Bulaga play? Is he a LT? Will hsi short arms restrict him to RT? Will he end up at LG like former Iowa standout lineman Robert Gallery? This season will tell. Whatever happens, the Pack need another lineman.
College Prospects to Watch:
LT: Nate Potter: Athletic player for Boise State who’s started every game since signing there. could use some more bulk, with “only” 296 lbs on his 6’6″ frame. 1st round pick.
LT: Anthony Costanzo: Could also use some bulking up at Boston College at 6’7″ 295. If he maintains his athleticism, he’ll also require a 1st round pick.
LT: Nate Solder: a 6’9″ 305 giant who runs the 40 yard dash in 4.84 seconds, has perhaps the most athleticsm of any tackle on the board. However his technique could use some work, making him a 3rd round pick. Improvements in technique could elevate him to an early 2nd rounder.
RT: Matt Reynolds: Projecting as a pure RT in the NFL, Reynolds weighs in a bit bigger than the first three prospects at 6’6″, 325. Would be a great heir to Tauscher. Could get him in round 3 because of inability to play LT.
RT: Kyle Hix: has started 40 games in the college career for Texas, the last 28 of them at RT. Mauler in the run game at 6’7″ 325. 4-5 round.
Outside Linebacker
Player on the Hot Seat: Brad Jones
Jones possibly has the hottest seat on this list. While he was productive in his few starts, he needs to show explosiveness and playmaking ability that had fans screaming for Jerry Hughes this April. If he can emerge as an 8-10 sack guy who can drop into coverage opposite Matthews, he could eliminate this position as a need completely.
College Prospects to Watch
Von Miller: The NCAA Leader in sacks last year with 16.5, Miller brings an explosive first step and elite speed to the table. Already is appearing in mock drafts to the Packers. Broke up 5 passes last year for Texas A&M, so he can even drop into coverage. Compares to Elvis Dumervil. 1st round pick.
Dontay Moch: If you want speed, look no further. This Nevada product used his sub 4.4 speed to rack up 20 TFL last year and was an All-WAC First Team choice last year. Lack of elite competition drops his grade to a 3-4 rounder.
3rd Down Back
Player on the Hot Seat: Brandon Jackson
The Packers remain one of the only teams still using a primary running back. While Ryan Grant is a solid option, being pretty much a lock for 1200 yards and 8 TDs with few to no fumbles, it seems to be working so far. However, both Super Bowl teams this year ran a 2 back system, and it seems to be a key to success.
Jackson has emerged as a great blocking back to protect Aaron Rodgers, but has been less impressive when asked to actually do something with the ball. If he shows he was worth a 2nd roun dpick and can be a solid recieving option out of the backfield as well as being able to run a bit, he will, like Jones above, eliminate this as a position of need.
College Prospects to Watch:
Noel Devine: My favorite player on the list, I think Devine would be the perfect fit in the Packers pass-first offense. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry and 8.2 yards per catch. His 5’8″ frame has some scouts saying don’t even look at the guy before the third round, and others are saying that his skills make him a borderline first rounder. His size is less of a concern when you consider that he benches 435 lbs and his three-drill total weight is 1,235 lbs . He ran for over 1400 yards with 13 TDs last year.
He’s got a chance to run a 4.2 at the combine, which would lock him into the first two rounds. If he falls to the Packers in round 2, taking him would really open up the offense, as well as ignite the struggling return game.
DeMarco Murray: If Thompson decides Devine’s size is too much of a risk, the Oklahoma product’s 6’1″, 214 frame would do the trick. Murray ran a 4.42 at Texas’ winter workouts in 2007, so he’s got speed to burn as well. While he only averaged 4.1 YPC last year on 171 carries, he also caught 41 passes for 522 yards (12.7 YPC) and 4 TDs. 2nd round pick.
Brandon Batch: Dual threat RB who rushed for 5.3 YPC last year but also brought in 57 passes at Texas Tech. Solid frame at 5’11″, 205 lbs.
Wide Reciever
Player(s) on the Hot Seat: James Jones and Jordy Nelson
With Donald Driver getting up there in years, it’s time to find out who the third option in the passing attack is going to be, behind Jennings and Finley. Either of these guys could take the spot and run with it, as they have the talent but it hasn’t translated into production. If neither improve, the Pack could be looking at a WR in the next draft, preferably one with size to complement Jennings, Jones, and Nelsons smaller figures.
College Prospects to Watch
Jonathan Baldwin: Baldwin has been described as a taller, faster second coming of former Pittsburgh Panther Larry Fitgerald. At 6’5″, 225 lbs Baldwin has the size to be the next Vincent Jackson and a real threat in the Packers offense. While he most likely won’t make it this far, if he does drop, the things he would do for this offense would make him the perfect BPA pick for Ted Thompson. 1st round pick.
DeAndre Brown: This Southern Miss junior brings similar size (6’6″, 228) that Baldwin does, and similar speed (4.48 to Baldwin’s 4.50). Coming off of a broken leg last winter (check this out) he racked up 47 receptions for 785 yards and 9 scores. Lack of elite competition drops him to a 4-5 round projection, where he’d be a major steal.
First Green Bay Packer Mock Draft
Round 1: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
Round 2: Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia
Round 3: Nate Solder, LT, Colorado
Round 4: Chykie Brown, CB, Texas
Round 5: DeAndre Brown, WR, Southern Miss
OR
Round 1: Jonothan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
Round 2: Devon House, CB, New Mexico State
Round 3: Matt Reynolds, RT, BYU
Round 4: Dontay Moch, OLB, Nevada
Round 5: Brandon Batch, RB, Texas Tech
What do you think the Packers biggest need will be going into next offseason?
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
With Darrelle Revis’ contract talks moving on at a snail-like pace, the Jets are moving on without their star corner.
Monday night’s game against the New York Giants featured two new Jets cornerbacks in Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson. Both looked solid without Revis in the lineup.
Their performance and potential provide some leverage for the Jets as these talks continue. In reality, how much worse is New York without Revis?
Yes, there’s no doubt that Revis is almost the league’s undisputed top corner. He didn’t earn the nickname “Revis Island” for nothing as he shut down top receivers time and time again last season.
But he’s just one guy on a very talented Jets team. In the end, the Jets can succeed without him. Here are five reasons why.
The NFL preseason continues this Thursday when the New England Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons. Although it’s preseason, this game is important for these teams as they still have some unanswered questions.
Here are five reasons to tune into the game.
1. Crazy like a Fox
Fox will televise the game. If you know how to bet football then you know there is nothing better than betting on a televised game. NFL Odds makers at Bet Mania have pegged the Falcons as 2.5 point favorites over the Patriots.
This is the first chance to see how the guys at Fox Sports will cover NFL games this year. Will Terry and the gang be the best coverage on TV this year?
2. The Welker Watch
Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has not played in a game since being injured in a meaningless game against Houston at the end of last year.
ESPN reports that Welker said the team’s approach remains to “take it slow,” so it would be surprising if he’s on the field Thursday against the Falcons in New England’s second preseason game.
Patriot fans seem to be happy with the progress of Julian Edleman, who is catching passes in place of Welker. He played well in his absence last year and put up some solid numbers against the Saints in the preseason opener. If these numbers continue the Patriots may play it safe with the return of Welker.
3. A Young QB not named Tebow or Bradford
In the first preseason game against the Chiefs, it was quarterback John Parker Wilson that recorded the best performance out of all the Falcons quarterbacks completing 7 of 15 passes for 64 yards.
Wilson received the bulk of the plays against the Chiefs and it will be interesting to see how he handles the blitzes that the Patriots serve up.
Matt Ryan is the Falcons starting quarterback, and barring injury he will be for a long time, but Falcon fans should be excited about the depth at the position.
4. Patriots are Red, White, and Black and Blue
The Patriots are banged up and the injuries seem to be a cause for concern.
Tom Brady injured his finger in the Saints game when he accidentally hit an opposing player’s helmet. When Bill Belichick was asked about Brady’s taped fingers prior to the afternoon practice session, he expressed, with a smile, his concern with the “injury.”
“I don’t think it’s life-threatening, no.”
That is good news for Patriot nation, but it may change the amount of paying time for Brady on Thursday.
It was announced that Ty Warren would be out for the season. Warren is a mainstay on the Patriots defensive line and replacing him will not be an easy task. Gerald Warren and Damione Lewis will get first crack at taking over on the line, but other players like Tully Banta-Cain will be asked to pick up some of his sack numbers.
Finally, Tory Holt was placed on the injured reserve list and his season and maybe his career, could be over. This game could be an audition for other wide receivers that can try and fill the void that was left by the injured Holt.
5. Can Falcons secondary “pass” the test?
In one of the combined practices with the Patriots, the Falcons secondary was exploited all day long by Tom Brady and Randy Moss.
However, it should be noted that the Falcons were missing the two top corners for the practice. Dunta Robinson has been out with a hamstring injury, and Brent Grimes did not practice because of a groin injury.
The Falcons finished 28th against the pass last year and they spent the offseason trying to improve the player personnel in the secondary. It will be fascinating to see if practice translates to game time and how the secondary will match up.
Just because it is the preseason in the NFL does not mean there is no reason to watch the games. This Thursday’s game should answer plenty of questions for both teams as they head towards the kickoff of the 2010 season.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Antonio Cromartie, Kyle Wilson, and Dwight Lowery currently rank as three of the top four cornerbacks on the New York Jets depth chart. The fourth? None other than Darrelle Revis.
In the showdown with the New York Giants, Eli Manning went four for eight with 77 yards as the Giants steamrolled the Jets by the score of 31-16. The Jets’ three top cornerbacks combined for a measly three tackles, with an assisted tackle going to Lowery as well.
Interceptions? Non-existent.
Last season, all-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis grabbed down an impressive six interceptions, 37 passes defensed, and logged 54 tackles despite the opposition’s reluctance to throw his direction. Revis Island quickly became an island that no quarterback wanted to vacation on.
In Monday night’s contest, however, Antonio Cromartie appeared to struggle, getting beat on multiple occasions and giving Revis even more leverage in the ongoing contract negotiations.
Since last season’s AFC Championship finale, head coach Rex Ryan has had his sights firmly on taking home a Super Bowl ring this season, but how possible is it now without their shutdown corner? According to Ryan, he stated that he sub-par corner play late in Monday’s contest may be due to Revis’ absence, because it stretched the depth at the position.
With Cromartie, Wilson, and Lowery now left to fill two starting corners and the nickel back position, depth becomes a high priority. Considering Lowery’s been bothered by an ankle injury, one can only imagine that the agents of Revis are sitting back, waiting, and smiling, knowing it’s a matter of time before they have Jets’ management rushing back to the negotiation table.
While both sides are still trying to renegotiate Revis’ contract, which notably still has three years remaining on it, they’re far away from a decision.
It’s no secret that Revis wants to be the highest-paid corner in the NFL, which means at least $16 million a year, higher than the Raiders’ Nnamdi Asomugha. Current rumors are that New York’s ballpark is only $10 million a year, and with no guaranteed money, apparently the clincher to a “no deal” for Revis.
While it’s only one preseason game, the Jets look to be in dire need of their two-time Pro Bowler who anchored the No. 1 ranked defense in football last season. With so many injury-prone veterans starting on the Jets’ first string, it’s a bad sign when their depth players get torched by the combination of Jim Sorgi to Victor Cruz.
The Jets need Darrelle Revis back in a big way. Without him, the AFC is full of quarterbacks with absolute cannons for arms. What does all of that mean? It means for General Manager Mike Tannenbaum, like it or not, it’s put up or shut up time.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
