INJURY WOES CONTINUE IN OAKLAND & NEW YORK, HEEEE'S BACK, MANDATORY PAD RULE TABLED UNTIL 2012, PLUS TODD HALEY & LIL' WAYNE - WHO KNEW?
There's little doubt the Oakland Raiders & New York Giants are leading the league in one very dubious category, injuries. Both teams have had a bunch & it's reaching dangerous levels. Dangerous as in zero depth at a position or two. I told you yesterday of Giant's cornerback Terrell Thomas who tore an ACL in Monday Night's game. He wasn't alone. Fellow CB Brian Witherspoon was found to have the same injury from Monday night after an MRI on Tuesday. Both are finished for the season. With number one pick Prince Amukamara already on the shelf with a broken foot, he may miss all of September, the corner depth is really slim. Aaron Ross, a 2010 starter at CB, was scheduled to move to safety, but that's out the window now. Ross told the coaching staff he didn't want to move, now he won't have to. It also appears 2nd round pick, DT Marvin Austin, will miss the season after tearing a pectoral muscle on Tuesday. Austin already missed his senior year at North Carolina after being declared ineligible for taking stuff(cash, trips) from an agent. He could miss two consecutive seasons now. With Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora sidelined for 3-4 weeks from an arthroscopic knee procedure, the New York defense has taken quite a hit since camp started.
The Raiders lost another player for the season when linebacker Travis Goethal tore up his knee Tuesday. At last count Oakland had 14 players sidelined for all or part of training camp. Some of them will carry over into the regular season. The Raiders need an injury-free week, their depth chart is a mess as well.
After the disappointing play of both right tackles, the Baltimore Ravens made a major move on Tuesday to rectify the problem. They signed former Minnesota left tackle Bryant McKinnie to a 2-year deal. After Oniel Cousins & rookie Jah Reed, failed to make the grade in camp, John Harbaugh & GM Ozzie Newsome grabbed McKinnie. He was waived the first day of Vikings' camp when he showed up 30-pounds overweight & out of shape. At $5.4 million, his big ass was no longer going to be tolerated in Minnesota. There's no word if he is closer to his playing weight & in any better shape, but if he's to make the 53-man roster, which is undoubtedly the plan, he better get on it. Current left tackle Michael Oher will most likely move back to the right side where he played when the Ravens started Jared Gaither at left tackle.
If you saw the Carolina-Miami game over the weekend, you saw a very tentative Daniel Thomas trying to run the ball in from inside the 5-yard line. He hesitated twice & twice was repelled. He finally scored from 4-yards out in the 2nd quarter, but once again, he hesitated. Tuesday the Dolphins made a very bold move, one they could truly regret, they signed Larry Johnson. L.J. said all the right things to the Miami press, how he doesn't have a lot of miles on him, what a thrill it was to be in South Florida etc. etc. When they aren't winning or he's not getting any carries, we'll see how thrilled he is to be a Dolphin.
New Dolphin Larry Johnson
The Bills still haven't cured their left tackle problem. It has existed ever since they traded Pro Bowler Jason Peters to the Eagles. If you don't have a suitable replacement or don't plan to draft a left tackle high in an ensuing draft, why trade Peters? The Bills are so down on Demetrius Bell, they've moved left guard Andy Levitre out to tackle the past two days. Levitre is a very good guard but he has limitations that will never work in the long haul playing the blindside. He's short, 6' 2" & has very short arms, a terrible combination for a tackle, especially a left tackle. He played left tackle for two seasons at Oregon State, but in the NFL, this won't work.
For you fantasy football players who are behind the curve with free agency & a shortened training camp, do what 75,000 fellow fantasy footballers have already done, get the best advice you can find. On the internet, it's Fantasy Football Mastermind, quite simple the best. Check them out.
In a move I really don't care for, the NFL has tabled a rule change discussion that last year, I thought would be a slam dunk. The league wanted to make thigh & knee pads mandatory for all players. The possibility of adding a mandatory mouthpiece rule was also on the docket. Not anymore, not until 2012 at the earliest. The mouthpiece rule seemed inevitable since it has been proven a mouthpiece can prevent a concussion. Thigh & knee pads can prevent bruised knees & thighs. These type of nagging injuries are sometimes serious enough to sideline a player for a game or two. It is the players who don't want this rule instituted, mouthpieces are optional now & look how many players refuse to wear them. All the talk about concussions & player safety sorta disappeared once the CBA was signed eh?
I gave you some incorrect information recently when I said I thought Jared Gaither was a candidate for the PUP(Physically unable to perform) list to start the season. He is ineligible, any player who takes part in training camp cannot be placed on the PUP list. They either go on the active 53-man roster or the injured reserve list, where they miss the entire season. So as Gaither limps thru camp, doing position drills but not participating in any full team activities, his chances of making the 53-man roster gets tougher each day. What may save him a roster spot is Ryan O'Callaghan isn't practicing either. He's been sidelined for over a week with an unknown injury. The only other tackles in camp are undrafted free agents David Mims, Butch Lewis & Mike Ingersoll. This position was an issue last year & as of right now, nothing has changed.
Tuesday's practice was yet another example of just how far ahead the defense is right now. Too many dropped passes, too many errant throws & an offensive line that just isn't getting the push they got last season when the Chiefs led the NFL in rushing.
Todd Haley & rapper Lil' Wayne, who knew? Haley moved Monday's practice to a morning session so he could attend Lil' Wayne's concert at the Sprint Center that evening. Haley was questioned about the concert & he admitted he was a huge fan of the rapper. Lil' has been convicted on numerous drug & gun charges, but Haley puts him "right near the top" when asked about his all-time favorite. He also mentioned Barbara Streisand & the Foo Fighters as all-time favs. That's a pretty broad spectrum eh music lovers?
The Raiders lost another player for the season when linebacker Travis Goethal tore up his knee Tuesday. At last count Oakland had 14 players sidelined for all or part of training camp. Some of them will carry over into the regular season. The Raiders need an injury-free week, their depth chart is a mess as well.
After the disappointing play of both right tackles, the Baltimore Ravens made a major move on Tuesday to rectify the problem. They signed former Minnesota left tackle Bryant McKinnie to a 2-year deal. After Oniel Cousins & rookie Jah Reed, failed to make the grade in camp, John Harbaugh & GM Ozzie Newsome grabbed McKinnie. He was waived the first day of Vikings' camp when he showed up 30-pounds overweight & out of shape. At $5.4 million, his big ass was no longer going to be tolerated in Minnesota. There's no word if he is closer to his playing weight & in any better shape, but if he's to make the 53-man roster, which is undoubtedly the plan, he better get on it. Current left tackle Michael Oher will most likely move back to the right side where he played when the Ravens started Jared Gaither at left tackle.
If you saw the Carolina-Miami game over the weekend, you saw a very tentative Daniel Thomas trying to run the ball in from inside the 5-yard line. He hesitated twice & twice was repelled. He finally scored from 4-yards out in the 2nd quarter, but once again, he hesitated. Tuesday the Dolphins made a very bold move, one they could truly regret, they signed Larry Johnson. L.J. said all the right things to the Miami press, how he doesn't have a lot of miles on him, what a thrill it was to be in South Florida etc. etc. When they aren't winning or he's not getting any carries, we'll see how thrilled he is to be a Dolphin.
New Dolphin Larry Johnson
The Bills still haven't cured their left tackle problem. It has existed ever since they traded Pro Bowler Jason Peters to the Eagles. If you don't have a suitable replacement or don't plan to draft a left tackle high in an ensuing draft, why trade Peters? The Bills are so down on Demetrius Bell, they've moved left guard Andy Levitre out to tackle the past two days. Levitre is a very good guard but he has limitations that will never work in the long haul playing the blindside. He's short, 6' 2" & has very short arms, a terrible combination for a tackle, especially a left tackle. He played left tackle for two seasons at Oregon State, but in the NFL, this won't work.
For you fantasy football players who are behind the curve with free agency & a shortened training camp, do what 75,000 fellow fantasy footballers have already done, get the best advice you can find. On the internet, it's Fantasy Football Mastermind, quite simple the best. Check them out.
In a move I really don't care for, the NFL has tabled a rule change discussion that last year, I thought would be a slam dunk. The league wanted to make thigh & knee pads mandatory for all players. The possibility of adding a mandatory mouthpiece rule was also on the docket. Not anymore, not until 2012 at the earliest. The mouthpiece rule seemed inevitable since it has been proven a mouthpiece can prevent a concussion. Thigh & knee pads can prevent bruised knees & thighs. These type of nagging injuries are sometimes serious enough to sideline a player for a game or two. It is the players who don't want this rule instituted, mouthpieces are optional now & look how many players refuse to wear them. All the talk about concussions & player safety sorta disappeared once the CBA was signed eh?
I gave you some incorrect information recently when I said I thought Jared Gaither was a candidate for the PUP(Physically unable to perform) list to start the season. He is ineligible, any player who takes part in training camp cannot be placed on the PUP list. They either go on the active 53-man roster or the injured reserve list, where they miss the entire season. So as Gaither limps thru camp, doing position drills but not participating in any full team activities, his chances of making the 53-man roster gets tougher each day. What may save him a roster spot is Ryan O'Callaghan isn't practicing either. He's been sidelined for over a week with an unknown injury. The only other tackles in camp are undrafted free agents David Mims, Butch Lewis & Mike Ingersoll. This position was an issue last year & as of right now, nothing has changed.
Tuesday's practice was yet another example of just how far ahead the defense is right now. Too many dropped passes, too many errant throws & an offensive line that just isn't getting the push they got last season when the Chiefs led the NFL in rushing.
Todd Haley & rapper Lil' Wayne, who knew? Haley moved Monday's practice to a morning session so he could attend Lil' Wayne's concert at the Sprint Center that evening. Haley was questioned about the concert & he admitted he was a huge fan of the rapper. Lil' has been convicted on numerous drug & gun charges, but Haley puts him "right near the top" when asked about his all-time favorite. He also mentioned Barbara Streisand & the Foo Fighters as all-time favs. That's a pretty broad spectrum eh music lovers?
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