Training Camp Update Volume 3, Issue 1 8/02/07
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- Raiders Depth Chart QB
- Eagles Depth Chart QB
- Steelers Depth Chart QB
- Rams Depth Chart QB
Special Teams: Kicker Sebastian Janikowski is coming off a mediocre 2006, although that was an improvement over his poor 2005. At present he is the only kicker on the Raiders’ roster. One change to which he’ll need to adjust is that long time long snapper Adam Treu was recently released. CB Chris Carr has been the teams’ return specialist the last two years, and had a heavy workload doing so. Rookie WR Johnnie Lee Higgins from UTEP was a talented returner in college, and should either backup Carr, join him in two deep sets, or possibly replace him as the return specialist. Chances are that both will be utilized in the regular season. WR Doug Gabriel will once again serve as an experienced backup. Raiders Depth Chart QB: Josh McCown, JaMarcus Russell, Andrew Walter, Daunte Culpepper, Cody Pickett, Josh Booty RB: LaMont Jordan (inj), Dominic Rhodes (susp), Justin Fargas, Michael Bush (PUP), ReShard Lee, Joe Echemandu, DeJuan Green FB: Justin Griffith, Zack Crockett, Joe Hall (inj), Oren ONeal WR: Jerry Porter, Ron Curry (PR), Doug Gabriel, Travis Taylor, Mike Williams, Alvis Whitted, Johnnie Morant, Johnnie Lee Higgins (PR), Carlos Francis (inj), Johnathan Holland (inj) TE: Zach Miller, Randal Williams, Tony Stewart, John Madsen, James Adkisson, Jake Nordin K: Sebastian Janikowski DT: Warren Sapp, Tommy Kelly (DE), Terdell Sands (NT), Jay Richardson (DE), Anttaj Hawthorne, Michael Quarshie (inj) DE: Derrick Burgess (PUP), Tyler Brayton (DT), Kevin Huntley, Quentin Moses, Bill Swancutt MLB: Kirk Morrison (I/W), Isaiah Kacyvenski OLB: Thomas Howard (W), Sam Williams (S), Robert Thomas (S/W), Isaiah Ekejiuba (inj), Keith Charlton, Ricky Brown, Chris Clemons CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington, Stanford Routt, Duane Starks, John Bowie, Chris Carr (PR) S: Donovin Darius (SS), Michael Huff (FS/CB), Stuart Schweigert (FS), Colin Branch, Eric Frampton, B.J. Ward (inj) Philadelphia Eagles QB: Donovan McNabb is back practicing, albeit with a knee brace. The self-assured franchise passer has been all smiles, but puts his recovery at 75% up to this point. For someone only running a 3/4ths of his peak, McNabb has looked every bit the player who led the fantasy rankings before tearing his ACL last year. "It's just going out and executing," McNabb said. "I've gotten the opportunity to do it for months, getting back, moving in the pocket, getting out of the pocket. So in this situation, it's just going out and being able to put the ball in a position for guys to make plays for us." Any talk that rookie Kevin Kolb would challenge for playing time seems silly just a few days into practice. Kolb has looked like a rookie, showing flashes of the accuracy and athleticism that led to his selection in the 2nd round, but at other times looking lost and making improper decisions. A.J. Feeley is positioned as the perfect backup for McNabb; he knows the Philly offense and has experience executing it at a high level, but he understands this isn’t his team to lead. Feeley said on Saturday, "You have ambitions. You want to play. But like I've said all along, sometimes you have to put them on the back burner for the betterment of the team. That's why you're a backup quarterback. That's why I signed back, to be a backup quarterback. If the other guy's not ready to go, then I'm ready to go. But I'm not the guy." RB: In perhaps a symbolic move, the first offensive play of training camp was a handoff to Brian Westbrook for a power rush up the heart of the defense. Westbrook enjoyed a breakout rushing season last year, thanks to improved health and the coaches’ willingness to call a more balanced run/pass attack. Westbrook is the clear cut RB1 and will probably be treated with kid gloves in camp; he’s too valuable to lose in a scrimmage or contact drill. The battle for RB2 is shaping up as one of the most interesting at Lehigh University. Correll Buckhalter, who surprised many by staying healthy last year after his 2,712th knee surgery is being challenged in the early going by rookie power runner Tony Hunt. "Obviously, we liked what we saw in college," coach Andy Reid said of Hunt. "If he can translate that to this league, he's going to be very successful. If he can do it sooner rather than later, he's going to have an opportunity to get in there and play." Ryan Moats seems to be persona non grata, and has voiced displeasure over Hunt’s position ahead of him on the depth chart. WR: The receiving corps is largely set, with Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis slated to start, while Hank Baskett, Jason Avant and Greg Lewis backing them up. Curtis, a free agent addition from St. Louis, must adjust to a new offense and loftier expectations as an NFL starter. Lewis may be the odd man out if Jeremy Bloom secures the KR job and also shows enough to fill in as the team’s 5th WR. Avant is the biggest mystery of the group, barely playing a year ago but coming into camp with a 50/50 chance to beat Baskett out for the slot position. Unfortunately, Avant has battled cramps in the first few days of practice, while Baskett appears stronger and faster than he was during his surprisingly productive rookie season. TE: Many Eagles fans gasped when L.J. Smith underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia (the same kind of injury that sidelined McNabb in 2005). But he participated fully in the two-a-days over the weekend, and seems ready to resume his role as the team’s key playmaker over the middle. Smith has been wildly inconsistent, particularly in the red zone, which may explain why the Eagles haven’t signed him to a contract extension. Defense: The defense was the weak link last year but don’t expect that to be the case in 2007. Jevon Kearse is back healthy and added 10 pounds this offseason. Jeremiah Trotter showed up 10 pounds lighter and has been dominant in practice, also providing his usual vocal leadership as the team acclimates a group of young players into key roles. The Chris Gocong experiment at strongside linebacker remains in flux, with rookie Stewart Bradley a potential displacement. The big news out of camp thus far has to be the play of DT Brodrick Bunkley; who seems eager to put his disappointing rookie season to rest. The vaunted competition between Sheldon Brown and Williams James got underway as both CBs have shared first team snaps. While James will get a fair shot at the job, Brown has looked like the better player (big surprise), and James appears headed to the nickel back position; still a vital role in Jim Johnson’s defense. Special Teams: Kicker David Akers will be keeping a close eye on the punting competition this preseason between veteran Dirk Johnson and Australian Sav Rocca. The winner will very likely also be the holder. The camp leg will be provided by E.J. Cochrane. The Eagles drafted WR Jeremy Bloom last year with the hope that he would become their return specialist. Despite not playing last year due to a hamstring injury, the job is his to lose this year. The dark horse candidate is WR Bill Sampy, who spent last year on the practice squad. If neither of them earns the job, head coach Andy Reid notes that he can resort to some veterans, “We'll see how it works out. I always know in my back pockets that I've got Lito [Sheppard] and Brian [Westbrook] if I need them. We'll see how Jeremy does. We're expecting him to do a nice job there." Eagles Depth Chart QB: Donovan McNabb (inj), A.J. Feeley, Kevin Kolb, Kelly Holcomb RB: Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Ryan Moats, Tony Hunt, Antoine Bagwell FB: Thomas Tapeh, Jason Davis (inj), Nate Ilaoa WR: Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, Hank Baskett, Jason Avant, Greg Lewis, Jeremy Bloom (KR/PR), Zac Collie, Dereck Faulkner, Michael Gasperson TE: L.J. Smith, Matt Schobel, Brent Celek, Mike Bartrum, Kyle Hunt K: David Akers, E.J. Cochrane DT: Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, Monte Reagor, Ian Scott, LaJuan Ramsey, Jeremy Clark, Mauricio Lopez DE: Jevon Kearse (inj), Darren Howard, Trent Cole, Juqua Thomas, Victor Abiamiri, Jerome McDougle, Marcus Murrell MLB: Jeremiah Trotter OLB: Takeo Spikes (W), Chris Gocong (S), Omar Gaither (W/M), Stewart Bradley (S), Matt McCoy (W), Dedrick Roper, Torrance Daniels, Akeem Jordan CB: Sheldon Brown, Lito Sheppard (PR), Joselio Hanson, William James, Rashad Barksdale, C.J. Gaddis, Nick Graham S: Brian Dawkins (FS), Sean Considine (SS), Quintin Mikell (FS), Marcus Paschal, Chris Smith Pittsburgh Steelers QB: The Steelers are looking for Ben Roethlisberger to bounce back after a season that saw him throw the most interceptions of any quarterback in the league (23). Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt is now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, and has been replaced by Bruce Arians, who is installing a more wide-open passing offense. The Steelers have also hired a new QB coach, Ken Anderson – the first change Roethlisberger has seen at that position. Roethlisberger is adjusting well, and he should, since he helped Arians rewrite the playbook in March and April. He will have more freedom to audible, pass from spread formations with extra WRs, change protection schemes, and even run some no huddle. Arians has been happy with Roethlisberger throughout the transition, calling the work he has been putting in “beautiful” and predicting a breakout season. Ben has already had his moments in the first week of camp. He beat the defense for three touchdowns in five tries during a red zone drill under the lights in front of 12,000 fans. After the practice Arians said, "I was real pleased. He knows what he's doing right now." Charlie Batch’s job as the backup and Brian St. Pierre’s job as the #3 are still safe after the Steelers talked to, but did not sign, Aaron Brooks. It’s fair to say his job wouldn’t have been in danger if Brooks had been signed, but even the interest in another veteran QB is curious given how well Batch has played when called upon. RB: Willie Parker is the clear featured back in this offense on 1st and 2nd down, but the 3rd down back/backup role is up for grabs. Najeh Davenport is still the leader in that battle, although standout rookie LB LaMarr Woodley did put him on his back in a pass protection drill. Davenport has consistently been the first back to replace Parker in the first team offense. The news about free agent pickup and hometown boy Kevan Barlow has been almost universally negative. His performance in pass blocking drills has been subpar, and he hasn’t shown a decisive burst on his carries. Those carries have also been few and far between. Barlow isn’t getting any carries with the first team, and he was the sixth in the pecking order at running back in Sunday’s practice. Verron Haynes started camp on the PUP. He has since been put on the active roster and is just about practicing at full-go after his 2006 ended with a serious knee injury, although he reportedly still does not look 100%. Don’t rule Parker out of the third down back battle – he has been strong in pass protection drills and has expressed his desire to be on the field for every down. Parker’s effort drew praise from new RB coach Kirby Wilson and head coach Mike Tomlin. John Kuhn’s pass blocking was also singled out by Wilson, but there are hungry players breathing down his neck for a roster spot. Two guys to keep an eye are Carey Davis and Gary Russell. Davis has been a standout on special teams and as a blocker in pass protection. He has the versatility to play both fullback and tailback, which could help him make the team. Russell is in much better shape than he was at the combine. Wilson said the undrafted free agent, who looked great in 2005 sharing the University of Minnesota backfield with Laurence Maroney, has “an appetite for violence”, which can only be interpreted as a good thing. WR: The biggest news in the WR corps was that Santonio Holmes started camp on the PUP because of a non-football related surgical procedure. Holmes would not divulge the nature of his injury, but one report said it was “embarrassing”. Holmes has since come off the PUP and he’s almost up to full speed after missing the first four days of practice. Willie Reid is healthy, saying his speed and quickness are “fine” and that he’s happy with his progress after suffering a lisfranc foot injury last year, but the defensive backs are treating him like a piñata, teeing off on Reid on multiple occasions. Reid held on to the ball every time, something that was not lost on Tomlin, “It's also showing your ability to take some blows and catch balls and bounce up. Willie Reid has proven to us that he doesn't have any fear.” Hines Ward thought the defensive backs taking cheap shots at the wide receivers. He compared the hits to something smelly that chickens leave in the barnyard and reportedly aired his concerns to the defense, because the coaching staff did not tell them to tone it down. Nate Washington caught a 35-yard touchdown pass while Holmes was out, and also converted a 4th and 10 that eventually led to a scrap between Tyrone Carter and Washington, but the tension between the WRs and DBs seemed to ease by the end of the weekend. Cedrick Wilson also caught one of the Roethlisberger TDs in the red zone drill under the lights. Dallas Baker had a diving catch that merited a mention in one local rag in his quest to make the team. In a typical Steelers move, they have brought Pittsburgh native and former West Virginia quarterback Rasheed Marshall in to add to the wide receiver mix. Marshall’s “slash” profile gives him an outside shot to make the team because he can fill the roles of WR, QB, and returner. TE: Heath Miller was part of the no-huddle package, which is a good sign for his involvement in the new looks Bruce Arians will bring to the offense. Some of the no huddle looks also included Jerame Tuman, a 2nd TE. Miller also caught a fade from Roethlisberger in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown during the red zone drill under the lights. Third round pick Matt Spaeth recorded an impressive catch over the middle in 11-on-11s early in camp, but suffered a shoulder injury, and was day to day heading into the second week of camp. Tomlin said his injury was not serious. Defense: The biggest news for the Steelers defense happened before camp opened. Troy Polamalu signed an extension that will keep him in black and gold through 2011. The linebackers the Steelers took in the first two rounds are on opposite ends of the spectrum. First round pick Lawrence Timmons re-injured the groin that kept him out of minicamp and OTAs, and is out indefinitely as the team will surely take it slow with a recurring injury. LaMarr Woodley, on the other hand, has been outstanding. Woodley is taking well to the conversion from DE to OLB. James Harrison is nursing sore ribs, so Woodley is even getting reps with the first team defense. The coaches have said Woodley is ahead of schedule compared to others who have made the transition in the past. He has also flattened many RBs during the linebacker drills. Anthony Smith and Ryan Clark are in an intense battle for the safety spot opposite Polamalu. Both landed big hits on Willie Reid, and Smith has generally been playing a very physical game in practice. They are rotating in practice, but Smith has to be considered the favorite after his strong finish to 2006 in place of an injured Clark. In the most interesting twist for the defenders, Casey Hampton got a snap at fullback (which he said is “over” after getting stoned by Clint Kriewaldt), and Brett Keisel caught a pass in the end zone as a tight end. Special Teams: With the change in coaching staff, the Steelers have seen a huge increase in the amount of practice time devoted to special teams. Kicker Jeff Reed has been practicing with the recently acquired narrow goalposts for which he’d been begging. Camp leg Connor Hughes was one of the higher ranked kicker prospects in 2006, and looked good in camp with New Orleans last year. WR Willie Reid was yet another talented returner in last year’s draft class that saw his rookie year waylaid by injury. Early indications are that he is now fully healthy. He’ll get the first shot at the punt returner role, with WR Santonio Holmes next in line. Both players will also be in the mix for kickoff returns, along with RB Najeh Davenport. Steelers Depth Chart QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Brian St. Pierre RB: Willie Parker, Najeh Davenport, Kevan Barlow, Verron Haynes (PUP), John Kuhn, Gary Russell, Larry Croom FB: Dan Kreider WR: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes (PUP), Cedrick Wilson, Nate Washington, Willie Reid (KR/PR), Dallas Baker, Eric Fowler, Dan Sheldon, Gerran Walker TE: Heath Miller, Jerame Tuman, Matt Spaeth, Cody Boyd K: Jeff Reed NT: Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke DE: Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, Ryan McBean, Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason, Derrick Jones ILB: James Farrior, Larry Foote, Rian Wallace, Clint Kriewaldt OLB: Clark Haggans (S), James Harrison (W), Lawrence Timmons (W)(inj), LaMarr Woodley (S), Arnold Harrison (inj), Marquis Cooper, Derek Rehage (PUP), Marcello Church CB: Deshea Townsend, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Ricardo Colclough (inj), William Gay, Chidi Iwouma, Anthony Madison S: Troy Polamalu (SS), Anthony Smith (FS), Ryan Clark (FS), Tyrone Carter (SS/CB) St. Louis Rams QB: Marc Bulger got his contract settled prior to camp – a contract that places him among the upper echelon of NFL QBs. The two-time Pro Bowler inked six-year, $65 million contract extension on Friday making Bulger the highest-paid player in Rams history. The contract calls for $27 million in guaranteed money and places Bulger among the top six quarterbacks making $10 million a year. "The whole time we knew it was going to get done, it was just a matter of logistics," Bulger said. "The numbers are one thing. It's huge. The first contract was a life-changer, and this is a life-changer." Gus Frerotte is a seasoned veteran of Head Coach Scott Linehan’s system, and provides a better-than-average backup option. Ryan Fitzpatrick will battle Brock Berlin for the emergency QB duties, with a clear edge to the incumbent Fitzpatrick. RB: Can Steven Jackson improve on his career year? He has set his goals on breaking the NFL record for total yards and surpassing the 2,500 yard mark in the process. Whether he breaks that record will depend on staying healthy, and to do that, the team hopes rookie 2nd round pick Brian Leonard can contribute immediately as a fullback, backup and receiver out of the backfield. Last year, the Rams wanted someone to emerge to help Jackson carry the load and Leonard appears to be much better positioned to do what Tony Fisher, Moe Williams and Stephen Davis couldn’t accomplish. HC Scott Linehan said earlier in the summer that he wants Leonard to get his touches and that he’ll contribute to the Rams filling a similar role the one he had at Rutgers. How well Leonard does in the preseason may well help define his eventual fantasy prospects as well. Barring injury, of course, Leonard should still have a nice role running and catching the football when Jackson isn’t. ”First of all, I think Steven Jackson is a great guy... He is helping me out a lot. I just want to get in there and help him out. He had over 1,500 yards rushing and over 800 yards receiving. That's a lot of hits. Hopefully, I can get in there and take a couple of his reps and take some hits off his body, “said Leonard. “He is really doing a nice job, and the thing I'm real happy about is how he doing mentally,” Linehan said. At Rutgers, Leonard started 45 of 47 games and set a Big East record by catching at least one ball in every game. He amassed a school-record 5,961 all-purpose yards, 207 receptions and 272 points. WR: The Rams WR corps is mostly set with Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Drew Bennett and Dante Hall all locks for the first four spots. That leaves seven other players jockeying for what might be one or two roster spots. On Saturday, Dominique Thompson, who spent last year on the practice squad, got a long look taking snaps with the first team as Holt and Bruce took limited snaps. Thompson, 5-11 and 205 pounds, made several catches, including an impressive sliding grab in the end zone during red-zone drills. "He deserves (the reps) from how he started and where he's come since he's been here," Linehan said. He had a great offseason, and this is a great time to give Thompson plenty of work. The competition for the No 6 spot includes Thompson as well as Marques Hagans, a 6th round pick a year ago, and Derek Stanley, a 7th round pick in this year’s draft. TE: On Saturday, Randy McMichael made a spectacular grab during 11-on-11 drills, turning back and going over S Corey Chavous to snare the ball. His familiarity with Linehan’s scheme should make the adjustment to his new surroundings easier than most free agent transitions. It’s unclear how frequently McMichael will be targeted given the other options on the roster, but he should clearly increase the value of the TE position in St. Louis where TEs have been a forgotten factor offensively for a few years. Defense: The Rams were happy to have first round pick DE Adam Carriker signed before camp. Carriker inked a 5-year deal and practiced in full pads for the first time on Saturday afternoon. He was impressive, to say the least. On one play, he tossed center Andy McCollum to the ground and he bulldozed guard Richie Incognito to the turf later on. He appeared comfortable playing NT, despite having played DE at Nebraska. HC Scott Linehan’s assessment of Carriker’s showing was measured, “It was a good first day for him. I knew he wouldn’t disappoint us. He looked that way on film when he played in college.” Privately, the coaches were pretty jacked, as one coach said, “He’s just a beast out there.” The LB corps was thinner than usual due to illness, injury and heartache. The team only had six LBs in uniform on Saturday: starters Brandon Chillar, Pisa Tinoisamoa and Will Witherspoon, along with Jon Alston, Raonall Smith and undrafted rookie Quinton Culberson. Chris Draft was hospitalized with swelling in his throat (asthma). Tim McGarigle, a second-year pro, pulled a hamstring on Friday night. He could be sidelined for a week or so. Kevin McLee, an undrafted rookie "has had a lot of personal issues and has decided to hang it up," said Linehan. McLee's father died earlier this week, so condolences to McLee and his family. Jamal Brooks, a fifth-year pro who played briefly with the Rams last year, will take McLee's spot (if he passes a physical exam). In the secondary, Lenny Walls has been working as the nickel back, coming in on passing downs to cover wide while Ron Bartell slides inside to pick up the slot receiver. Special Teams: In recent years, veteran kicker Jeff Wilkins has scaled back his offseason and preseason work to save his leg for the regular season. It appears that he knows what he is doing. While he is resting, camp leg Kevin Lovell, a rookie out of Cincinnati, will be busy. After years of futility on returns, the Rams traded for one of the top return specialist in the history of the NFL…WR Dante Hall. As long as he remains healthy, he should handle nearly all the kickoff and punt returns this year. There are two big related questions. First, how much have his skills declined in recent years? Second, can his teammates provide adequate blocking and open up lanes for him? Potential backups on returns include RB Kay-Jay Harris, WR Marques Hagans and WR Dane Looker. Rams Depth Chart QB: Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brock Berlin Directory: 2007 2007 -> Bbc archives: Beyond the programme download 2007 -> The environment in the news 2007 -> - 2007 -> Out On The Prairie Cowboys fall for each other in Ang Lee’s riveting, landmark “Brokeback Mountain.” 2007 -> An Extension Cord to mars 2007 -> Pricing Closing Price $3,578 (June 22) 52-Wk High $3,825 52-Wk Low $2,982 Market Data 2007 -> Weather Research Center 2007 -> Student enquiry teacher background information 2007 -> The environment in the news tuesday 31 July, 2007 unep and the Executive Director in the News 2007 -> Student enquiry hurricanes in the caribbean Download 0.56 Mb. Share with your friends:
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