OU LOSES LEADING TACKLER FOR 2 MONTHS, CRABTREE MIA.....YET AGAIN, JERRY TRASHES RANDY & THE 1ST DEPTH CHARTS CAUSE ANXIETY ALL OVER THE NFL
The Oklahoma Sooners lost their defensive leader when linebacker Travis Lewis suffered a broken foot today in practice. It won't require surgery but he will miss about 8 weeks. Lewis led the Sooners in tackles the past three seasons, totaling 362. Tough guy to lose. He also intercepted 8 passes & recorded 6 sacks, easily OU's best defensive player. He will miss the trip to Tallahassee to play Florida State & could also be sidelined for the Red River Shootout versus Texas. Tough, tough loss.
Sooner OLB Travis Lewis
Once again today, the NFL office reiterated their stance on the August 18th Supplemental Draft. The league confirmed again Georgia running back Caleb King was the only player eligible for the draft. The problem they're having with Terrelle Pryor is they don't want to set a precedent by allowing a player who quit his team & hired an agent to be a part of this draft. The previous rules of eligibility did not include circumstances like Pryor has put himself in since he walked away from the Ohio State program & NCAA investigators. Could it be the NFL is trying to make brownie points with the NCAA by preventing Pryor from entering the supplemental draft? Absolutely, but is it legal? I expect a final ruling from the league by week's end.
I told you yesterday of the big hit Detroit took to it's offensive backfield with the season-ending injury sustained by rookie Mikel LeShoure. He ruptured his Achilles tendon. Today the Lions moved quickly to pump up their depth chart at the position by signing Jerome Harrison & Mike Bell. Harrison ran for nearly 900-yards in 2009 for the Eagles. This pair played in the PAC-10, both entered the league in 2006 & strangely enough, were traded for each other last season. Jahvid Best remains Detroit's starter, but Harrison should definitely be the #2 option & Bell could make the regular season roster as well.
The Rams picked up an excellent veteran when they signed linebacker Ben Leber today. The 9-year vet played the past four seasons with Minnesota & he has been a starter for the past 7 seasons. The former Kansas State standout gives Rams' boss Steve Spagnuolo options & experience. The Rams also signed former LB Packer Brady Poppinga earlier. I like what the Rams have done in free agency.
Linebacker Ben Leber, now with the Rams
San Francisco wide receiver Michael Crabtree will miss his third consecutive preseason. Once again he has issues with his left foot, he's in a walking boot. This has been an on-again, off-again injury problem since before Crabtree was even drafted. New coach Jim Harbaugh needs every man on deck & Crabtree's absence will not only hurt the Niners' offense, but it limits QB Alex Smith. Fewer weapons, fewer options, less production. Crabtree has been in the league three seasons, a foot injury & a contract holdout caused him to miss the entire preseason & 8 regular season games. Last year he missed all of training camp & the preseason with a neck injury. This year he missed all of the off-season work because of the lockout & now sidelined with another foot injury, he will miss all of training camp & the exhibition season. For a guy who hasn't lived up to expectations, his act is getting old with Bay Area fans.
The Ravens will finally see what their #2 draft pick from the 2010 draft is capable of when Sergio Kindle takes the field. The former Texas Longhorn fell down a flight of stairs right after the draft & suffered a skull fracture. He was unable to play last season because of the injury. Kindle was an excellent pass rusher at Texas & the Ravens need to see that flash of outside speed to bookend with Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs. Kindle has the physical tools but he's been an underachiever in the past & has had several off-field problems. Ray Lewis & Suggs have promised to show him how they want it done, you know the Raven way. Having this pair always looking over your shoulder should help Kindle on & off the field.
Ravens linebacker Sergio Kindle
Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib said yesterday of his head coach Raheem Morris, "that's my dog, he's the only person who got the honest story on what went on at home." He's talking about the charges he's facing for allegedly shooting at his sister's boyfriend as he fled Talib's mother's home. She shot at him as well. You've heard "the family that shoots together, stays together" right? Since this happened during the lockout, Commissioner Roger Goodell didn't suspend or fine Talib. But since this is his third run-in with the law since the Bucs drafted him #1 in 2008, I expect Goodell will get another chance to deal with Talib, he's been trouble for years going back to his years at Kansas.
ESPN has hired Jerry Rice. The NFL's all-time leading receiver & touchdown scorer will appear on Sportscenter & NFL Countdown. It will be interesting to see if Rice is as candid talking about players other than Randy Moss. The recently retired Moss is Rice's favorite target. He trashes Moss every chance he gets. "It was hard for me to swallow because I was not as talented & I had to work harder. To see a guy with that much talent not give 100%, it was almost like a little slap in the face. But Randy was Randy" Rice said on Tuesday. I believe Rice was the greatest NFL player ever, he had the greatest impact while he was playing. But his obsession with Randy Moss is really getting old. Move on Jerry, not everything is about you & Randy Moss.
Most NFL teams posted their first depth charts on Tuesday. Let the whining & criticism begin. Jeez, people lost their minds Tuesday. They're only training camp depth charts, nothing is set in stone, so relax already. It isn't just fans either, football writers & bloggers got all worked up over Thomas Jones still being listed in front of Jamal Charles. Hey I don't get it either, but lets worry about what's really important. Tim Tebow was listed as the number two quarterback in Denver & not only were the fans upset, Tebow started whining. This was pretty much league-wide for the teams releasing a depth chart. These teams have been practicing less than 2-weeks & the first depth chart means little, it never does. So for the emailers who expressed their outrage this evening, rest easy, the depth chart of every team will go thru significant changes between now & opening day.
Sooner OLB Travis Lewis
Once again today, the NFL office reiterated their stance on the August 18th Supplemental Draft. The league confirmed again Georgia running back Caleb King was the only player eligible for the draft. The problem they're having with Terrelle Pryor is they don't want to set a precedent by allowing a player who quit his team & hired an agent to be a part of this draft. The previous rules of eligibility did not include circumstances like Pryor has put himself in since he walked away from the Ohio State program & NCAA investigators. Could it be the NFL is trying to make brownie points with the NCAA by preventing Pryor from entering the supplemental draft? Absolutely, but is it legal? I expect a final ruling from the league by week's end.
I told you yesterday of the big hit Detroit took to it's offensive backfield with the season-ending injury sustained by rookie Mikel LeShoure. He ruptured his Achilles tendon. Today the Lions moved quickly to pump up their depth chart at the position by signing Jerome Harrison & Mike Bell. Harrison ran for nearly 900-yards in 2009 for the Eagles. This pair played in the PAC-10, both entered the league in 2006 & strangely enough, were traded for each other last season. Jahvid Best remains Detroit's starter, but Harrison should definitely be the #2 option & Bell could make the regular season roster as well.
The Rams picked up an excellent veteran when they signed linebacker Ben Leber today. The 9-year vet played the past four seasons with Minnesota & he has been a starter for the past 7 seasons. The former Kansas State standout gives Rams' boss Steve Spagnuolo options & experience. The Rams also signed former LB Packer Brady Poppinga earlier. I like what the Rams have done in free agency.
Linebacker Ben Leber, now with the Rams
San Francisco wide receiver Michael Crabtree will miss his third consecutive preseason. Once again he has issues with his left foot, he's in a walking boot. This has been an on-again, off-again injury problem since before Crabtree was even drafted. New coach Jim Harbaugh needs every man on deck & Crabtree's absence will not only hurt the Niners' offense, but it limits QB Alex Smith. Fewer weapons, fewer options, less production. Crabtree has been in the league three seasons, a foot injury & a contract holdout caused him to miss the entire preseason & 8 regular season games. Last year he missed all of training camp & the preseason with a neck injury. This year he missed all of the off-season work because of the lockout & now sidelined with another foot injury, he will miss all of training camp & the exhibition season. For a guy who hasn't lived up to expectations, his act is getting old with Bay Area fans.
The Ravens will finally see what their #2 draft pick from the 2010 draft is capable of when Sergio Kindle takes the field. The former Texas Longhorn fell down a flight of stairs right after the draft & suffered a skull fracture. He was unable to play last season because of the injury. Kindle was an excellent pass rusher at Texas & the Ravens need to see that flash of outside speed to bookend with Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs. Kindle has the physical tools but he's been an underachiever in the past & has had several off-field problems. Ray Lewis & Suggs have promised to show him how they want it done, you know the Raven way. Having this pair always looking over your shoulder should help Kindle on & off the field.
Ravens linebacker Sergio Kindle
Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib said yesterday of his head coach Raheem Morris, "that's my dog, he's the only person who got the honest story on what went on at home." He's talking about the charges he's facing for allegedly shooting at his sister's boyfriend as he fled Talib's mother's home. She shot at him as well. You've heard "the family that shoots together, stays together" right? Since this happened during the lockout, Commissioner Roger Goodell didn't suspend or fine Talib. But since this is his third run-in with the law since the Bucs drafted him #1 in 2008, I expect Goodell will get another chance to deal with Talib, he's been trouble for years going back to his years at Kansas.
ESPN has hired Jerry Rice. The NFL's all-time leading receiver & touchdown scorer will appear on Sportscenter & NFL Countdown. It will be interesting to see if Rice is as candid talking about players other than Randy Moss. The recently retired Moss is Rice's favorite target. He trashes Moss every chance he gets. "It was hard for me to swallow because I was not as talented & I had to work harder. To see a guy with that much talent not give 100%, it was almost like a little slap in the face. But Randy was Randy" Rice said on Tuesday. I believe Rice was the greatest NFL player ever, he had the greatest impact while he was playing. But his obsession with Randy Moss is really getting old. Move on Jerry, not everything is about you & Randy Moss.
Most NFL teams posted their first depth charts on Tuesday. Let the whining & criticism begin. Jeez, people lost their minds Tuesday. They're only training camp depth charts, nothing is set in stone, so relax already. It isn't just fans either, football writers & bloggers got all worked up over Thomas Jones still being listed in front of Jamal Charles. Hey I don't get it either, but lets worry about what's really important. Tim Tebow was listed as the number two quarterback in Denver & not only were the fans upset, Tebow started whining. This was pretty much league-wide for the teams releasing a depth chart. These teams have been practicing less than 2-weeks & the first depth chart means little, it never does. So for the emailers who expressed their outrage this evening, rest easy, the depth chart of every team will go thru significant changes between now & opening day.
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