Mar

27

Spikes Set to Fly in Philly After Trade from Bills

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The Bills and Eagles pulled off a rare trade on Monday, as the Eagles grabbed backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb and linebacker Takeo Spikes. Spikes, who was to lead a new era of defense in Buffalo, has been limited to 15 games over the last two seasons with a hamstring and an Achilles tendon injury. Holcomb, who was a starter part of the season in 2005, but didn’t see any action last season.

“This is something that has been brewing,” Bills general manager Marv Levy said. “Takeo is a good person, but we wanted to strengthen our defensive tackle. They’ve been looking for a linebacker and I think they wanted an experienced backup quarterback.” The Bills get Eagels veteran defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional draft pick in 2008 to complete the deal. Part of the deal also went along with the fact that Spikes has been grumbling about getting a contract extension. He is set to make $9.5 million over the last two years of his current deal, $4.5 mil this year.

This is a big move for Philly if Spikes can stay healthy enough to stay on the field. The team is weak at the linebacker spot, and the team is really in a flux in that position. They currently have Dhani Jones, Matt McCoy, and Omar Gaither. The team lost Shawn Barber via free agency to the Houston Texans. “Takeo Spikes is a proven playmaker in the National Football League,” Eagles general manager Tom Heckert said. “He has the ability to play all three linebacking positions and were happy to add him to our defense.”

Walker started 15 games and was tied for second on the Eagles with six sacks, and had 56 tackles. He had three sacks in the teams October 8th win in Philly over the Dallas Cowboys, and should give a boost to the Bills D-line. It’s a young line that the team really wanted to upgrade with a vet, and Walker fits the bill.

 

 

Mar

27

2007 Season to Open with Saints at the Champion Colts

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Are you ready for some football? Well, we all know that the regular season is some six months away, but it’s never too early to get ready, and the league gave a sampling of that on Monday when it announced some early week one games and Thanksgiving games at the owner’s meetings in Phoenix. League commish Roger Goodell announced that the opening of the NFL Season will take place on Thursday, September 6th in Indy, the site of the Champion Colts as Indy will play host to the New Orleans Saints.

The league has done a good job over the past few seasons of show casing the champs on opening night, and this year a matchup of Peyton Manning vs Drew Brees and Reggie Bush should be a fun one to watch. Last year the defending champion Steelers were close to getting upset on opening night by Miami, but found a way with some late scores to secure one of their just 8 wins last season.

Sunday Night Football opens up with the New York Giants meeting the Dallas Cowboys, a NFC East matchup with two of the favorites of the division along with the Eagles. Both Dallas and NY were playoff teams a year ago, both getting knocked out in the first round. The Giants will have a new look without Tiki Barber, and will likely have former Bronco and Browns RB Ruben Droughens carrying the load. Dallas will look different with Wade Phillips standing on the sidelines instead of the “Tuna” Bill Parcells.

As they did a season ago, Monday Night Football begins this year with a doubleheader. First, the Baltimore Ravens face the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by the Arizona Cardinals colliding with the San Francisco 49ers. Last years Monday night doubleheader was a bit of a snoozer, as the Vikings-Redskins then Chargers-Raiders games were blah at best. Hopefully this years two MNF openers will be better. The full schedule is set to be released within the next 2-3 weeks.

Mar

23

Deal to Get Green to Miami Still in Limbo

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While the deal to send Matt Schaub to the Texans has changed the landscape a bit in the world of NFL QB’s, the one deal that still is in the works to get done is the Chiefs sending Trent Green to the Dolphins.  The writing has been on the wall for Green since the team decided to re-up QB Damon Huard, and since the Chiefs are now of the opinion that Green can only take them so far.  Last season Green came back off a serious head injury in week one, only to have a subpar season and then falter in the teams playoff game vs the Colts.

The Dolphins are in an interesting situation, with needing someone to come in and be 100 percent at quarterback.  Last season Daunte Culpepper started off healthy, but his play was not very good as the team limped to yet another slow start.  Then the team decided that Culpepper was not all the way back from a major knee injury, and they decided to shelf the former Viking in favor of former Lion Joey Harrington.  While Harrington was okay at best, again, he’s not the answer long term.

Now Miami and KC are talking about Green, with the major holdup at this point being Green’s pay, which is slated to make him $7.2, $7.7 and $9.2 million over the next three seasons–the final three years on his current contract.  At 36 years old, Green will be unlikely to have three good seasons left under center.  That’s why the Dolphins want him to redo his deal, and until that gets done, he will continue to wear the red of KC.

No doubt that the deal will get done.  The Dolphins need a QB, Green is available, and the money will take care of itself.  Green will be a fin eventually, now the only question will be what type of QB will he be and will he be able to be successful playing in South Florida.    

Mar

23

Vick Continues with Excuses in Water Bottle Saga

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Now that the Michael Vick “water bottle” saga is behind us, all I can say is – WOW, that must be some special water bottle. In case you missed it, Vick recently told the “Atlanta Journal-Constitution” that the bottle, which was thought to have a hidden compartment that was stashing pot, was really a compartment stashing….jewelry. Yes, that’s right, Vick evidently can’t put the jewelry in his pocket, suitcase, or even wear it, instead he has to put it in….his water bottle?

I have been in plenty of pro locker rooms over the years, and yes, I can say that players will usually have a safe that teams install in their lockers for their valuables, such as their watches, earrings, or wallets. Or in the NBA, its usually the ball boys duty to put the players goods in a hiding spot till after the game is over and the player is getting dressed. But I have never heard of something as dumb as a water bottle being used for jewelry.

This sounds like a classic case of Vick, who actually was cleared of any wrongdoing in the whole case, trying to back peddle and continue to come up with a reason as to why he would have a suspicious water bottle in the first place. Instead of just letting the whole thing go, he continues to come up with reasons behind the whole deal, now with this latest statement that makes the whole thing seem almost like a joke at this point.

Vick instead should be counting his lucky stars that the Falcons are basically telling him its his ship to steer or sink in 2007. With the trade on Wednesday to the Texans of Matt Schaub, Vick really has no competition at the QB spot, despite the fact that there are plenty of fans and media in Atlanta that felt that Schaub should have gotten a true spot to challenge Vick in training camp. Now with him gone, it’s time for Vick to be quiet, put the Batman-like water bottle away, and get back to football and trying, once again, to become a passable NFL quarterback.

Mar

21

Swap Gives Schaub Starting Spot with Texans

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The Houston Texans finally decided on Wednesday that they had it watching David Carr regress instead of progress as a NFL starting quarterback. That is the tone as the team went out and made a swift trade with the Atlanta Falcons to acquire Michael Vick backup and sometime starter Matt Schaub. The Texans are taking a chance with Schaub, as he has not had nearly the starting experience of even a guy like Carr, and while he has been solid in relief of Vick, there is no guarentee that he is going to be the next great NFL QB.

Maybe Carr got a bad rap in Houston, after all, what quarterback could be successful if everytime he goes back to pass he is being rushed like bees on honey? In his tenure in Houston, Carr was sacked 249 times, and the mental beatings were just as bad. Never blessed with much of a running game, the Texans never have been able to get on track, and even when they were within one game of .500 three seasons ago, the team fell in their last game of the season to the Browns to end the year 7-9.

Carr is 22-53 as a starter with the Texans, and while not all of that is his fault, there is enough blame their to send him packing. He is being replaced by a quarterback that many do think has the potential to be a solid NFL starter. He already will have a stud wide out in Andre Johnson, and will be given every chance to succeed with head coach Gary Kubiak giving the offense a few tweaks to make sure that Schaub stays upright.

As for Carr, he will find employment elsewhere. While I am sure that he didn’t want his time in Houston to end the way its going to, heading to another team as a backup is maybe the best thing for him. He can give his body a rest from the beatings its taken the last few seasons, and with a better team with an offensive line, he can maybe stay on his feet and start to complete some passes. Its a move that makes sense now for Houston, Carr needs to go elsewhere, and Schaub deserves a shot. That’s what he’ll get in the Lone Star State.

Mar

21

The Quiet Storm Makes a Silent Departure

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Remembering what it was like in those days leading up to the 2000 NFL Draft, it was not a stretch to think that Courtney Brown was going to be the next superstar defensive player in the National Football League. Now, just seven years later, Brown is thinking about life after football, mostly due to the fact that his body could just not handle what the game had to offer. The Broncos ended their relationship with Brown just a few days ago, and now facing yet another attempt to make it, Brown seems to realize that his playing days may be over. “If the knee comes around, I’m willing,” Brown told the Denver Post. “But if the knee doesn’t, then my options are narrowed quite a bit.”

In other words, what Brown is saying is that his short-lived NFL career is over. Sure seven years in a league that is not exactly known for playing for a long time may seem like awhile, but Browns track record with staying on the field has not exactly been stellar. He was the first overall pick in the draft by the Cleveland Browns back in 2000, a team that had already drafted quarterback Tim Couch #1 the season before, and coming off a 2-14 season in 1999, the team was ready to draft an impact player on defense. That’s when they went with Brown, who was a stud at lineback with Penn State, and a player many thought was going to be a big time player in the NFL.

Instead, starting with his second season, Brown was known more for his time missed, then his time on the field. He started getting the reputation as being a player that couldn’t make adjustments, and a player that was soft when it came to stopping the run, and overrated when it came to rushing the passer. He did show glimpses, but overall was considered a bust by many around the league. The 29-year-old will be remembered most for the 51 games that he missed in his six year career, and not the 45 in which he actually played in.

Before you go feeling sorry for Brown, don’t forget that he was paid very well for the little time that he actually played. The Browns, a team that seems snakebitten by number one picks, paid Brown alone $25 million over the five quiet years that he played there. His nickname was “The Quiet Storm,” and now it is without much noise that the soft spoken Brown leaves the game with the label of first round bust.

Mar

20

Hothead Porter Gets Into it with Bengal Linemen in Vegas

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Evidently Joey Porter has forgotten that he’s only allowed to go after fellow players in pregame warm-ups, not when out in the general public. Porter, recently released by the Steelers and signed by Miami, has been cited for misdemeanor battery after going after and punching Bengals offensive linemen Levi Jones at a blackjack table in Las Vegas. Porter and Jones never did have Christmas dinner together, as it was well known that players from the Steelers and Bengals were never all that friendly with one another, on or off the field.

One has to wonder though about what started this little rift, or if Jones just threw a friendly “good-bye” Porter’s way since they will no longer see each other twice a season since Porter is now in Miami and gone from the wars of the Steelers-Bengals twice a year. Or it could be that Porter reminded Jones that it was the Steelers who basically ended the last two Bengal’s seasons, the 2005 season with a playoff loss in Cincy, and last year the Steelers beat Cincy in the regular season finale to knock them out of the playoffs.

One would have to believe that whatever was said, it was Porter that started and threw the punches that eventually landed him in trouble. Always known as a trash talker, Porter has also been known to take his mouth and put it into action, both before and during games. It was just three years ago that Porter and former Browns running back William Green got into it during pregame warmups, and after both threw punches they were ejected before the game even started. Then last year Porter and Browns TE Kellen Winslow traded barbs during warmups in the two teams first game in Cleveland, then when Winslow went up to Porter before the rematch in Pittsburgh, Porter basically shoved Winslow away.

So while Porter’s history of temper tantrums continue, no longer does he have the rest of his Steelers defense around him to back him up. He had better be careful as to what paths he chooses to take, as someday someone is going to shut him up once and for all, and that goes for on and off the field.

Mar

19

More Players Find New Homes in Free Agency

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Now that the big signing period of free agents in the NFL has come and gone, teams are still out there talking to some players left without a team, and trying to make their teams better. Here are some of the latest moves made:

Cato June signs with the Buccaneers – I love this move for Tampa Bay, which is not being shy about going out and reloading a defense that simply was not as good has it had been in the past few years. The signing of June shows that the team is ready to go a bit younger on defense, but also they should be faster and more aggressive. June spent his first four years with the Colts, starting 45 of 56 games, with 10 int’s and 162 tackles in 2006. He also was a Pro Bowl LB in 2005. Great move for Tampa Bay, as June was about the best player still remaining on the FA board.

Justin Gage signs with the Titans – Tennessee needs some playmakers around Vince Young, and while Gage is not the second coming of Jerry Rice, he is a player that was undervalued, and could have a big impact on the improving Titans. Last season he started 16 games for the NFC Champion Bears, catching 64 passes for 908 yards and four TD’s. The Titans had a hole at the wide out spot after releasing Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade at the start of free agency. Gage should fit nicely and be a solid player with Jeff Fisher’s group.

Robaire Smith signs with the Browns – Cleveland continues to spend money to try and improve on their 4-12 mark from last season, with their latest signing being Smith, who started 12 games last year with the Titans. The seven-year pro can play either end of tackle in the Browns 4-3 defense. He is known as a run stopper, a stat the Browns have to improve on to get better in the AFC North, as last season they were 29th in that department. He gets a four-year deal.

Shaun Smith signs with the Browns – Smith fell out of favor in Cincy last year, as the 25-year-old was inactive for the teams last three games. He did play in 13 games, with just 14 tackles and a pass defensed. He will be a backup in the Browns defense, and the fact that the Bengals did not match the Browns offer for him says a lot.

Correll Buckhalter resigns with the Eagles – A backup to Brian Westbrook, Buckhalter finally was healthy last season, and provided some spark to the Eagels offense with 345 yards on the ground and two TD’s. He can get you some yards when needed, and in his injury-filled carrer has averaged 4.4 yards per carry. The team decided to go with Buckhalter after deciding to pass on former Giant and Bronco RB Ron Dayne, who they spoke with last week.

Mar

15

Titans Corner Harper Away From Champion Colts

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The Titans got a bit stronger on Wednesday and made their top rival a bit weaker, as the team announced they have signed free-agent cornerback Nick Harper to a deal. Terms of the three-year deal were not disclosed. Harper leaves the Super Bowl Champion Colts after six seasons, last year recording 73 tackles and three interceptions. He also had 14 tackles and an interception during the playoffs, and was deemed on his way out after the Colts made it known it would go with younger players at the corner position.

The six-year veteran has 383 tackles and 15 interceptions in 89 career games. The signing for Tennessee was smart from the standpoint that they are still in the unknown when it comes to corner Adam “Pacman” Jones, who may miss training camp due to suspension for all his off the field antics. Harper comes to the Titans to play alongside Jones, when he finally can get on the field, as well as corner Reynaldo Hill.

Harper at 32 years old also brings some leadership to a young Titans team that last season made a late playoff run with the stellar first-year play of quarterback Vince Young. Other than being a solid corner, Harper is also known as a player that can step up against the run. He started his career in the CFL in 2000, and signed as a free agent with Indy in 2001.

Mar

14

Patriots Looking Strong Following Free Agent Moves

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If you love em’ or hate em’ you have to give the New England Patriots credit for going out this offseason and making some monster moves that in my opinion quickly makes them the favorite to win the AFC in 2007.  Last season New England’s defense was getting a little older, a little slower, and this offseason they got themselves the best free agent defensive player out there in linebacker Adalius Thomas.

Thomas is a stud that quickly makes the Pats defense dangerous once again.  He has recorded more sacks over the last three seasons than any other linebacker in the league, and is sure to make some big plays as a member of the Pats D.  He adds not only some play-making ability, but some much needed speed to the defense as well.

While the defense got an upgrade, the offense is really the thing that got the shot in the arm for the Pats.  With the wide out core hurt with the departure of Deion Branch last season, the team really needed to upgrade in that department, and they did.  The big pickup was former Saints and Eagles wide out Donte’ Stallworth, who last season hauled in 725 yards and five touchdowns.  The other pickup was wide out Kelly Washington, who was underused with the Bengals over the past four seasons.  Washington caught 72 passes for 893 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons with Cincinnati.

New England was on the doorstep a season ago, losing in the AFC Title game in Indianapolis to the Colts after holding a 21-3 lead in the second quarter.  Now with making agressive moves and grabbing some top free agents, the Pats are on the verge of knocking down the door again in 2007.      

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