A FEW PRO DAY NOTES, LJ FINDS A NEW HOME, DUCK DISCIPLINE & K.C. SIGNS A FORMER CHIEF
Sorry I wasn't here yesterday, it was Linda's birthday & I had a lot to do so she could have the night she deserved. It was nice, great dinner, some nice gifts & an excellent movie. Back to it today tho, a lot to talk about.
Perish Cox, Oklahoma State cornerback, is still in coach Mike Gundy's doghouse. The night before their Cotton Bowl appearance, Cox missed curfew for the 2nd time during the week of bowl preparation. Gundy suspended Cox for the game & sent the senior home to Stillwater. Yesterday was OSU's pro day for pro scouts & Gundy forbid Cox from participating with the rest of the team. Cox took ownership of his screwup during combine interviews, but that wasn't enough for Gundy. So Cox was banished to another site off campus for his workout. Trouble is, about a third of the scouts didn't go from the on campus workout to Cox's private affair. See what happens when you make bad decisions at crucial times? Teams lose interest to the point they drop you from their draft boards altogether. Cox felt spending an extra hour with his girlfriend on those evenings was more important than conforming to teams rules, the rules everybody else on the Oklahoma State squad was abiding by during bowl week. These decisions show you think you're better than the rest of the team, why else would you let something like this to happen? Cox is a highly-touted prospect but now he's been scratched off a few draft boards around the league & that could cost him money in the end.
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, try saying that one three times quickly, a cornerback from Division II Indiana of Pennsylvania, is moving up draft boards after the combine & his pro day workout. He was allowed to participate in Ohio State's workout since he is the only one from his school the pros are interested in. The only thing scouts question at this point is the level of competition he played against the past four seasons. He was hand-timed twice with sub-4.4 clockings. The 6' 0" 207 pound speedster dominated at the Div. II level. I read one scouts report that claimed he "wasn't elusive as a punt returner." Who was he watching? Does scoring four touchdowns on punt returns qualify as 'elusive'? He also returned 3 kickoffs for scores & had 10 interceptions. His back peddle, hip turn & run was excellent at the combine. His closing speed was legit & with the return capabilities, he can contribute right away.
Another pair who have been flying below the radar in their college careers because of the schools they attended, Joe Webb of UAB & Deji Karim of Southern Illinois, had excellent pro days on Thursday. Webb, a quarterback for the Blazers, knows his shot in the NFL will be as a wide receiver. He worked out in WR specific drills in addition to the usual tests. He benched 225-pounds 21 times, jumped 42.5" in the vertical, ran 4.45 & 4.48 forties & his 3-cone & short shuttle was in the top three at the position. He ran the gauntlet flawlessly, catching everything in his hands & ran it in a straight line. In fact I read that his performance in the wide receiver drills was amazing, especially since he's always played QB. Karim ran for nearly 1,700 yards & a 7-yard per carry average last season while at SIU. His pro day was impressive with a 43" vertical & twin sub-4.4 hand timings in the 40-yard dash. The 5' 8" 197-pound speedster is also a pretty decent kickoff returner. He is solidly built with a low center of gravity making it tough to knock him off his feet. Karim was probably an undrafted free agent before the workout, now he should get drafted in the last two rounds.
TCU linebacker Daryl Washington decided to run the 40-yard dash again yesterday at the Horned Frogs pro day. I can tell you he was glad he did. At 229-pounds, Washington ran 4.46 & 4.51, a full tenth off his combine clockings. He also ran a 4.07 short shuttle, the fastest at his position. Washington can back up these numbers with game film as well. He really raised the level of his play as a senior. His lateral movement & sideline-to-sideline pursuit is superior. Washington can drop into pass coverage as well as anyone at his position. I think he could play inside in a 3-4 if he has a dominant nose tackle sucking up all the blockers or he could play the weakside in a 4-3 with ease. He doesn't knock anyone's block off, but he is a dependable tackler. What he doesn't have is a pair of reliable hands, I saw him drop at least 4 interceptions, he has hands of stone. His frame should allow another 10 lbs without sacrificing any quickness, a pro strength & conditioning coach can achieve that in 4 months.
The gall of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones apparently has no limit. On Sunday, April 11th, the old Texas Stadium in Arlington is going to be imploded at dawn. If you want to drive out from Dallas or Fort Worth to watch it, it will cost you $25. That's right, $25 to park your car so you can watch what should be a 10-second implosion of the old stadium. Un-freakin'-believable.
Speaking of owners with rather large egos, Daniel Snyder, Redskins owner, is said to be the driving force behind the signing of Larry Johnson. I believe it, no way this was Mike Shanahan or GM Bruce Allen move. By signing LJ, Washington now has twin head case running backs on their roster. Clinton Portis, a former Bronco who was traded to Washington by Shanahan, is currently #1 on the depth chart. Thanks, but no thanks.
Now that the Raiders have been spurned by Larry Johnson, they will turn their focus to another head case, Terrell Owens. He was given an interview by the Bengals earlier in the week, but no deal was offered. Chad Ochocinco & QB Carson Palmer both remain T.O. supporters in Cincinnati, unfortunately the Bengal hierarchy isn't as enthused apparently. Owens knows his options are limited, so he'll make the trip out west to see if he can become a part of the greatest circus in the league with owner Al Davis as the ringmaster.
The other shoe dropped in Eugene Oregon yesterday afternoon. After Duck quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, an all-Pac 10 first teamer, plead guilty to 2nd degree burglary. He was accuses of stealing 2 laptop computers & an electric guitar from an on-campus frat house. He repeatedly told police & Oregon head coach Chip Kelly he didn't take the items & Kelly believed him. But when it came to stating the facts under oath, Masoli told the truth. Kelly was apparently taken by the surprise plea & stormed out of the courtroom. Later in the evening, Kelly announced Masoli would be suspended for the entire 2010 season. This is a game-changer in the Pac-10 conference. Also in court yesterday was freshman-of-the-year running back, LaMichael James, who worked out a plea bargain in a case of domestic violence with his girlfriend. He was sentenced to 2-years probation & 10 days in jail. The jail time will most like be waived in favor of community service because of overcrowding in the Eugene jail. Kelly also suspended James for the opening game this season. Placekicker Rob Beard plead guilty to assault but wasn't sentenced. On the night James was choking his girlfriend outside a party, a stranger pulled James off his girlfriend. Beard jumped on the stranger for grabbing his teammate & punched him a few times. The stranger then proceeded to wipe the floor with Beard, beating him so severely he required surgery. Not a smart move stop someone who's trying to stop some animal from beating a woman, especially if you're a kicker. Beard was also suspended for opening day this year. In the past six weeks, Kelly has dismissed a player from the program altogether, suspended two for the entire 2010 season & suspended two for opening day. What a mess for Duck fans.
For the people sending me comments & emails about recently released guard Ryan Lilja, relax, he may get an audience with the Pope, errrr I mean Todd Haley. I'm still not sold on Lilja for the type of offense the Chiefs want to run. He has never been a great run blocker, he's not at all physical & he's undersized, I question whether he even weighs 290. Colts' GM Bill Polian was unhappy with their offensive line's inability to run-block. That's part of why Lilja was released. Thursday the Colts signed Andy Alleman, the former Chief benchwarmer, to a 3-year deal. Is Polian trying to replace Lilja with Alleman? Doesn't speak very highly of Lilja does it? With the signing of Casey Wiegman, a 37-year old undersized, underpowered center, I just don't see Haley loading up with similar type linemen. It's expected they will invite Hank Fraley, former Browns starting center, for a visit as early as Tuesday. He is a bigger, more physical player. It also tells me Brian Waters will not be moved to center. Lastly, it tells me we won't have to watch Rudy Niswanger get blown up play after play anymore.
Would you Kansas City fans be willing to trade Glenn Dorsey to the Saints for their 3rd round pick(last in the round, 96th overall)? Would you be willing to kick-in one of Kansas City's three 5th round picks to seal the deal? The Saints have an extensive shopping list defensively, just trying to help out ya know? Dorsey will never flourish in this defensive scheme, he needs to be in a 4-man front like the Saints play. The Chiefs need a player better suited to their 3-4 defense, someone taller than the 6' 3/4" Dorsey with longer arms. Someone who might actually be a threat to record 5 sacks in a season. Dorsey might do that & more in a different scheme, but not in this one. Time to cut our losses & move on with Alex Magee or someone new.
I'll give the Chiefs fans something to think about tomorrow as I analyze their free agent & draft options as we go forward. Might even get a mock draft out of it as well.
Perish Cox, Oklahoma State cornerback, is still in coach Mike Gundy's doghouse. The night before their Cotton Bowl appearance, Cox missed curfew for the 2nd time during the week of bowl preparation. Gundy suspended Cox for the game & sent the senior home to Stillwater. Yesterday was OSU's pro day for pro scouts & Gundy forbid Cox from participating with the rest of the team. Cox took ownership of his screwup during combine interviews, but that wasn't enough for Gundy. So Cox was banished to another site off campus for his workout. Trouble is, about a third of the scouts didn't go from the on campus workout to Cox's private affair. See what happens when you make bad decisions at crucial times? Teams lose interest to the point they drop you from their draft boards altogether. Cox felt spending an extra hour with his girlfriend on those evenings was more important than conforming to teams rules, the rules everybody else on the Oklahoma State squad was abiding by during bowl week. These decisions show you think you're better than the rest of the team, why else would you let something like this to happen? Cox is a highly-touted prospect but now he's been scratched off a few draft boards around the league & that could cost him money in the end.
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, try saying that one three times quickly, a cornerback from Division II Indiana of Pennsylvania, is moving up draft boards after the combine & his pro day workout. He was allowed to participate in Ohio State's workout since he is the only one from his school the pros are interested in. The only thing scouts question at this point is the level of competition he played against the past four seasons. He was hand-timed twice with sub-4.4 clockings. The 6' 0" 207 pound speedster dominated at the Div. II level. I read one scouts report that claimed he "wasn't elusive as a punt returner." Who was he watching? Does scoring four touchdowns on punt returns qualify as 'elusive'? He also returned 3 kickoffs for scores & had 10 interceptions. His back peddle, hip turn & run was excellent at the combine. His closing speed was legit & with the return capabilities, he can contribute right away.
Another pair who have been flying below the radar in their college careers because of the schools they attended, Joe Webb of UAB & Deji Karim of Southern Illinois, had excellent pro days on Thursday. Webb, a quarterback for the Blazers, knows his shot in the NFL will be as a wide receiver. He worked out in WR specific drills in addition to the usual tests. He benched 225-pounds 21 times, jumped 42.5" in the vertical, ran 4.45 & 4.48 forties & his 3-cone & short shuttle was in the top three at the position. He ran the gauntlet flawlessly, catching everything in his hands & ran it in a straight line. In fact I read that his performance in the wide receiver drills was amazing, especially since he's always played QB. Karim ran for nearly 1,700 yards & a 7-yard per carry average last season while at SIU. His pro day was impressive with a 43" vertical & twin sub-4.4 hand timings in the 40-yard dash. The 5' 8" 197-pound speedster is also a pretty decent kickoff returner. He is solidly built with a low center of gravity making it tough to knock him off his feet. Karim was probably an undrafted free agent before the workout, now he should get drafted in the last two rounds.
TCU linebacker Daryl Washington decided to run the 40-yard dash again yesterday at the Horned Frogs pro day. I can tell you he was glad he did. At 229-pounds, Washington ran 4.46 & 4.51, a full tenth off his combine clockings. He also ran a 4.07 short shuttle, the fastest at his position. Washington can back up these numbers with game film as well. He really raised the level of his play as a senior. His lateral movement & sideline-to-sideline pursuit is superior. Washington can drop into pass coverage as well as anyone at his position. I think he could play inside in a 3-4 if he has a dominant nose tackle sucking up all the blockers or he could play the weakside in a 4-3 with ease. He doesn't knock anyone's block off, but he is a dependable tackler. What he doesn't have is a pair of reliable hands, I saw him drop at least 4 interceptions, he has hands of stone. His frame should allow another 10 lbs without sacrificing any quickness, a pro strength & conditioning coach can achieve that in 4 months.
The gall of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones apparently has no limit. On Sunday, April 11th, the old Texas Stadium in Arlington is going to be imploded at dawn. If you want to drive out from Dallas or Fort Worth to watch it, it will cost you $25. That's right, $25 to park your car so you can watch what should be a 10-second implosion of the old stadium. Un-freakin'-believable.
Speaking of owners with rather large egos, Daniel Snyder, Redskins owner, is said to be the driving force behind the signing of Larry Johnson. I believe it, no way this was Mike Shanahan or GM Bruce Allen move. By signing LJ, Washington now has twin head case running backs on their roster. Clinton Portis, a former Bronco who was traded to Washington by Shanahan, is currently #1 on the depth chart. Thanks, but no thanks.
Now that the Raiders have been spurned by Larry Johnson, they will turn their focus to another head case, Terrell Owens. He was given an interview by the Bengals earlier in the week, but no deal was offered. Chad Ochocinco & QB Carson Palmer both remain T.O. supporters in Cincinnati, unfortunately the Bengal hierarchy isn't as enthused apparently. Owens knows his options are limited, so he'll make the trip out west to see if he can become a part of the greatest circus in the league with owner Al Davis as the ringmaster.
The other shoe dropped in Eugene Oregon yesterday afternoon. After Duck quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, an all-Pac 10 first teamer, plead guilty to 2nd degree burglary. He was accuses of stealing 2 laptop computers & an electric guitar from an on-campus frat house. He repeatedly told police & Oregon head coach Chip Kelly he didn't take the items & Kelly believed him. But when it came to stating the facts under oath, Masoli told the truth. Kelly was apparently taken by the surprise plea & stormed out of the courtroom. Later in the evening, Kelly announced Masoli would be suspended for the entire 2010 season. This is a game-changer in the Pac-10 conference. Also in court yesterday was freshman-of-the-year running back, LaMichael James, who worked out a plea bargain in a case of domestic violence with his girlfriend. He was sentenced to 2-years probation & 10 days in jail. The jail time will most like be waived in favor of community service because of overcrowding in the Eugene jail. Kelly also suspended James for the opening game this season. Placekicker Rob Beard plead guilty to assault but wasn't sentenced. On the night James was choking his girlfriend outside a party, a stranger pulled James off his girlfriend. Beard jumped on the stranger for grabbing his teammate & punched him a few times. The stranger then proceeded to wipe the floor with Beard, beating him so severely he required surgery. Not a smart move stop someone who's trying to stop some animal from beating a woman, especially if you're a kicker. Beard was also suspended for opening day this year. In the past six weeks, Kelly has dismissed a player from the program altogether, suspended two for the entire 2010 season & suspended two for opening day. What a mess for Duck fans.
For the people sending me comments & emails about recently released guard Ryan Lilja, relax, he may get an audience with the Pope, errrr I mean Todd Haley. I'm still not sold on Lilja for the type of offense the Chiefs want to run. He has never been a great run blocker, he's not at all physical & he's undersized, I question whether he even weighs 290. Colts' GM Bill Polian was unhappy with their offensive line's inability to run-block. That's part of why Lilja was released. Thursday the Colts signed Andy Alleman, the former Chief benchwarmer, to a 3-year deal. Is Polian trying to replace Lilja with Alleman? Doesn't speak very highly of Lilja does it? With the signing of Casey Wiegman, a 37-year old undersized, underpowered center, I just don't see Haley loading up with similar type linemen. It's expected they will invite Hank Fraley, former Browns starting center, for a visit as early as Tuesday. He is a bigger, more physical player. It also tells me Brian Waters will not be moved to center. Lastly, it tells me we won't have to watch Rudy Niswanger get blown up play after play anymore.
Would you Kansas City fans be willing to trade Glenn Dorsey to the Saints for their 3rd round pick(last in the round, 96th overall)? Would you be willing to kick-in one of Kansas City's three 5th round picks to seal the deal? The Saints have an extensive shopping list defensively, just trying to help out ya know? Dorsey will never flourish in this defensive scheme, he needs to be in a 4-man front like the Saints play. The Chiefs need a player better suited to their 3-4 defense, someone taller than the 6' 3/4" Dorsey with longer arms. Someone who might actually be a threat to record 5 sacks in a season. Dorsey might do that & more in a different scheme, but not in this one. Time to cut our losses & move on with Alex Magee or someone new.
I'll give the Chiefs fans something to think about tomorrow as I analyze their free agent & draft options as we go forward. Might even get a mock draft out of it as well.
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