FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL STUFF

April 19th, 2009 7:37pm PST


Sunday Night Football Stuff

This Weekend's Talk

Broncos Being Linked to Sanchez...
With the NFL draft less than a week away, many teams will be turning their focus towards this Saturday's Main event. One team many folks will be watching come this Saturday will be the Denver Broncos and in particular the team's new head coach Josh McDaniels. Former head coach Mike Shanahan had not had recent success in the "W" column, but over the past couple of seasons he had enjoyed quite a bit of success on draft day finding gems like Eddie Royal, Ryan Clady, Peyton Hillis, Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, and Tony Scheffler (all since 2006). You can expect the Bronco faithful to be watching McDaniels closely this Saturday.

With all the dust starting to settle following the Cutler fiasco and eventual trade, fans will have to wonder what will be the Broncos first move in the upcoming draft. In Denver the recent talk following the infamous Cutler-Orton trade has been the speculation of the team possibly making a move for quarterback Mark Sanchez. It does sound logical considering everything that has happened, but then you have to wonder if it's time to bring some stability to what has been an otherwise home for chaos and commotion.

Recent sound bites from the Bronco's camp would indicate just that. Head coach Josh McDaniels has indicated that the team will focus on the defense in the draft and SI's Peter King is also noted as saying "McDaniels likes Kyle Orton a lot." The trade with Chicago gave the Broncos a second first round pick (number 18) to go along with their number 12 pick overall. Considering how McDaniels has handled matters thusfar in Denver, who can really tell what he is thinking or what he'll do on Saturday. While Sanchez might make sense on the surface with the trading of Cutler, it stands to reason that the Broncos did not lose as much as first perceived. Orton seems to be a favorite and with the additional pick in the first round, defense would make better sense for a team that struggled near the bottom a year ago.

Bronco fans can only hope that McDaniels will do the right thing, whatever that may be!

Larry Johnson Not Gone Yet...
Although the team opened its’ first offseason minicamp this past week and Johnson was inserted as the team's number one tailback, there seems very little chance that LJ will remain in Kansas City after this weekend's draft. With that said, I would have to believe there does remain one outside possibility for the Chiefs troubled star to stay in town, if he's willing to restructure his contract. There's been no indication or such talk, but just do the math.

Johnson is set to make almost $4-million in 2009. Now is the time for LJ to make an impression with new head coach Todd Haley (who could give him a clean slate) if he hopes to have a place on the roster this summer, but it's not likely the team would keep him with his current contract.

Because the team does lack depth and size behind Johnson, if the former Nittany Lion can make good during the minicamps, I don't think it would be a far reach to expect the Chiefs to offer him a restructured deal to stay on with the team. Saturday will not only be a big day for the Chiefs, but Johnson as well. If the team is too release LJ following this weekend's event at Radio City Music Hall in New York, it would make sense that they draft a running back to compliment that roster of undersize scat-backs. Not only will Chiefs fans be watching intently as the team's brass makes those key decisions, but there's little doubt that LJ's camp will be glued to the events that unfold as well.


Check back every Sunday for more Football Stuff!

FSH: ON THE TICKER

April 18th, 2009 11:17pm PST

14 DAYS TO THE NFL DRAFT

NFL Draft Preview:
On The Ticker

On the Board: Denver Broncos....
Even with the draft yet to arrive, new head coach Josh McDaniels has been creating plenty of turbulence and waves in the Mile High country since his arrival.

After trading away arguably the team’s best player, McDaniels is not making many friends in Denver fast. While some have might mixed emotions about the new coach after some of his recent hirings; Brian Dawkins (Eagles), Andra Davis (Browns) and Correll Buckhalter (Eagles), McDaniels will have a chance on April 25 to win more favor with two draft picks in the top 20.

Sitting at number 12, the Broncos will likely be targeting a top defensive prospect to help continue the overhaul of the leagues 29th defense. Initially following the infamous Cutler-Orton deal, it would have made sense for the Broncos to package a few picks and move up the tree to target one of the young arms in the draft. After consideration and evaluation, the team may be better off holding serve with their current hand under center and continue to make the defense the priority.

The popular talk for the Broncos first pick has been defensive tackle B.J. Raji (Boston College). There’s no question the team will need to look for help in the middle up front on defense and the draft will be a major source in their search, but talent can’t be overlooked either. With defense the priority, inside linebacker Ray Maualuga (University of Southern California) is going to be hard to pass over.

(Photo by Getty Images)

The team has added quite a number of players via free agency to the defense, but Maualuga looks like a solid selection for the McDaniels and company at number 12. At SC Maualuga was a two-time First Team All-Pac 10, finished his career as a Trojan with 194 total tackles, and a winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award.

With the number 18 selection remaining in the first round, it is expected that the team could also use their second first round pick for defense as well. If the team passes on Raji, it could come back later in the round with a pick to fill the need.

Saturday (April 25) will be a big day in the Mile High City for Broncos fans, but it will be even bigger for McDaniels as a new era begins in Denver. His first three months have been anything but quiet, so I wouldn’t expect anything less than lots of excitement come draft day.


Check back every day for more "On the Ticker!"

FSH: ON THE TICKER

April 18th, 2009 11:07pm PST

15 DAYS TO THE NFL DRAFT

NFL Draft Preview:
On The Ticker

On the Board: Buffalo Bills....
With the recent trading of offensive tackle Jason Peters, the Bills clearly have a decisive need to fill in this year’s draft and with two picks in the first round it’s certain they will.

With the eleventh pick in the draft the Bills may have to settle with the fourth or even fifth best tackle available in the draft. It’s not likely they’ll see Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe, or even Andre Smith make it this far, but Michael Oher (University of Mississippi) should still on the board. With a late first round pick still available, it makes sense for the Bills to grab one of this year’s best offensive lineman prospects.

(AP Photo)

Oher is an ideal 6’6” and 325-lbs at left tackle and with 34 consecutive starts in the SEC, he is more than ready to make the transition to the NFL. Oher could have made the move a year ago and was set to enter the 2008 draft as a top 20 pick, but a change of mind kept him at Ole Miss for his senior season.

The Bills recently signed free agent running back Dominic Rhodes to add some temporary help in the backfield. This will be one need they can address later in the draft, but defense will still remain a concern. There are some people pegging the Bills to target a top defensive prospect like Aaron Maybin (Penn State) or Everette Brown (Florida State).

With an added pick (number 28 overall) in the draft, it makes sense for head coach Dick Jauron to invest in his newly revamped offense (with T.O.). In 2009, this is the side of the ball where the Bills figure to make the most impact. The loss of Peters hurts, but at number 11 on April 25, the team can fill that void immediately.


Check back every day for more "On the Ticker!"

FSH: WEDNESDAY WATERCOOLER

April 15th, 2009 10:15pm PST

WEDNESDAY WATERCOOLER

So who will be the real winner in the "Cutler-Orton Deal?"....

While there has been plenty written about the trading of Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton, one thing I have noticed is there isn't a lot of optimism being shared. Sure, on the surface this deal does not look much like a win-win situation for the Broncos. All everyone sees is that Denver has traded away its’ 2006 first round pick (number 11 overall) and pro bowl quarterback. It makes sense to ask "what are they thinking?"

I would like to say that I do live in reality and tend to keep my feet on the ground, so when I offer this perspective, please take with a grain of salt (or maybe slightly bigger than a pebble). When I look at this trade, it doesn't appear at first glance that the Broncos made an even swap, but then I have to really look and ask "who is the real winner?"

(Photo by Bill Sikes/AP Photo)

With Josh McDaniels bringing in a system that has surely proven to be quarterback friendly and very much capable of making a journey-man look like a stud (just ask the Chiefs, they bought into it), should Denver fans really be counting Orton out? While McDaniels was the offensive coordinator in New England, Patriots quarterbacks threw 95 touchdown passes and eclipsed 12,000-yards passing in three seasons. Okay, he had lots of help with Brady and Moss, but one can hardly argue the performance of Matt Cassel last season.

It's hard to argue that the Bears made good in this deal with the acquisition of Cutler. His 4,500-yards passing and 25 touchdowns say enough about his talent, but one concern fans will have in the windy city; who will he throw to?

The Broncos on the other hand, just what did they pick up? While in Chicago, Orton was not much of a playmaker throwing only 30 touchdowns and passing for just 5,300-yards in the four years he played for the Bears, but he was a successful leader compiling a record of 21-12. So what makes Orton so special or the quarterback that McDaniels "wanted."

And how did the Broncos win in this deal? When you take a closer look at what they really got, it's a little clearer to see that they got more than meets the eye. Sure it's argumentative, but Orton was a quarterback in a run-first system that did not have any playmakers (Hester is still a work in progress) in the passing game. When you examine what he had to work with, where he had to work, and what he was asked to do, he never had a chance to produce big numbers.

So why should anyone expect things to be different in Denver? In the Mile-High country, Kyle will have the tools to make plays and run a system that will not be reliant on him to make all of the plays. With weapons like Marshall, Royal, Stokley and Hillis, Bronco's quarterback Kyle Orton should easily rise among the ranks of fantasy quarterbacks in 2009. Remember, Orton is a by-product from the University of Purdue (same place that produced quarterback Drew Brees), where he threw 31 touchdowns during his senior campaign.

(Photo by University of Purdue Sports Information)

As a senior at Purdue in 2004, the former Boilermaker opened up the season with three 300-yard passing games in his first four starts and threw no less than four touchdowns in each of those contests (17 total in the first four games). Injuries mid-season slowed down his Heisman-like season, but Orton finished strong with 522-passing yards (tying a record set by Drew Brees) and six touchdowns in the teams regular season finale..

Yes that was then and this is now, but if anyone ever doubted Orton's ability to play quarterback you only need to look closer at his resume. He can chuck the rock. In Chicago he was not asked to throw the ball, evident by his 465 passing attempts in 2008 (Cutler threw 616 passes). Under the Bronco's new head coach, quarterbacks averaged 549 passes over the past three seasons.

We are only in April, but considering the additional draft picks the Bronco's picked up in the deal for Orton, it may be too early to concede which team actually got the better in this deal. The Bears are going to bank on Cutler's big arm, but they had better find him some targets soon. The the Bronco faithful should have a little more faith in the new system that has been brought over from Foxboro and the talent that was already in place.

I won't make any bold predictions here, but if you're a Bronco fan you have to like the prospects of what could be in 2009, just don't look too closely at their schedule.


Keep checking back for more football....

By David G. Ortega

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

April 14th, 2009 11:30pm PST


David's Daily Digest
[My Take]

The countdown has already started and we are only 10 days away from "D" day. There's going to be plenty of rumors to note, news to follow, and plenty of fantasy to talk about as draft day gets closer. This week has been plenty active with no shortage of information to share. Here's "My take" on some of the recent happenings around the league....

My Take...

TE TONY GONZALEZ RUMORED TO BE LEAVING KC?
Surprisingly there are rumors floating around indicating that the 33-year old All-pro tight end could be traded. It sounds a little far-fetched considering the recent moves the team has made and the direction they seem to be headed. Gonzalez was the league’s best receiving tight end in 2008 and should be once again among the top options whether in KC or anywhere else.

WR MILES AUSTIN TO STAY PUT IN DALLAS
There was talk that the Jets had interest, but it sounds like the Cowboys made it clear that Miles fits into the team’s future plans. Miles has great speed and show big play ability last season, but disappeared down the stretch in 2008. Consistency will be the focus for the Cowboys 4th year receiver. With Williams and Crayton currently projected as the teams starters it will be an uphill battle for Miles to emerge as a reliable fantasy option, but he is expected to have a chance to compete for the number two spot.

QB ALEX SMITH DOES NOT LOOK SHARP IN OFFSEASON
The Niners may need to look to the draft for their future if Alex Smith is any indication of what the bay area has to look forward to. It may be a wee-bit too early to pass judgement just yet, but Smith has been with the team for four years now. If he doesn't start showing the team something soon, it's not likely they're ever going to see anything worth watching. Fantasy owners can consider him an unworthy fantasy option.

RB DESHAUN FOSTER STILL LOOKING FOR A HOME
The free agent running back is still looking for a place to play in 2009 and recent word has indicated the Bills could offer a temporary home. With Marshawn Lynch serving a three-game suspension to start 2009, the team is going to be pressed for help in the backfield.

WR TORRY HOLT STILL NOT SIGNED
With things seemng to be moving slowly in the Holt-camp, it doesn't seem likely that the former Ram will sign with anyone prior to the draft. With certain teams having very specific needs at the wideout position, depending on how they all fare in the draft will determine which teams may come calling after the draft. Teams like Jacksonville, Oakland, Cleveland (if they trade Edwards), and Cincinnati will be front runners to target some of the big name wideouts in the draft, but look for Chicago and Tennessee to consider a receiver later in the draft. Holt has lost his elite status in fantasy, but it's too early to know whether he can be a reliable option in 2009.

TE DUSTIN KELLER LOOKING TO STAY ON THE FIELD
The Jets tight end has plans to bulk up this offseason, so he can be an everydown player. This would be a big benefit to not only the Jets, but fantasy owners alike. Keller had a pretty good rookie campaign in 2008 with 48 receptions, including three for touchdowns. Keller is already expected to be a little better in 2009, but the more he plays, the more productive he'll be (and his numbers could prove it). Even if he's on the field more, he's still a low-end tight end option for now (he's only in his second year folks).

RB FELIX JONES APPEARS HEALTHY AGAIN
According to the sources close to the team, running back Felix Jones is running with his trademark explosiveness. Last November Jones had surgery to repair his turf toe and it now sounds like he's completely healthy and ready to resume a big role in 2009. Jones showed flashes of brilliance in 2008 and figures to be a very productive fantasy option, even sharing the stage with Marion Barber.

OT ORLANDO PACE LOCKED FOR THE NEXT TWO SEASONS
The Bears added a new quarterback (Jay Cutler) and have now locked up some protection for him, at least for the next two seasons. Pace is still a very good NFL offensive tackle, but at 33 his age and health will be the team's main concern. If he can stay injury free, the Bear's quarterback should have penty of time to make plays in the windy city.

OT JASON PETERS A DRAFT DAY TRADE CANDIDATE?
It sounds like the Bills and Peters are nowhere near getting a new deal signed. Peters is one of the leagues premiere talent at the offensive tackle position, with the Bills unable to agree to terms, it's likely he could be traded on draft day to one of those teams targeting an O-lineman. Expect the Bills to be one of those teams that shake things up come April 25th.


IDP Notes:

The clock keeps ticking and draft day keeps approaching. There's going to be plenty of movements as the days get shorter and closer to the April 25th draft. Here's some more activity to mull over as I offer "my take" and we football fans patiently wait for "D" day......

LB DERRICK JOHNSON TO MOVE INSIDE
The Chiefs are expected to move Johnson inside to play alongside of Zach Thomas. He'll be a key playmaker on defense and should be a solid IDP play in 2009. Over the past four seasons the Chief's linebacker has averaged 87 tackles per season and under Clancy Pendergast's new 3-4 defense he'll still be very productive.

CB LEON HALL AT RISK FOR SUSPENSION
The Bengal's best corner has managed to find some offseason trouble and could see the first half of his 2009 season at risk. There's been no word yet, but it almost certain given the circumstances (arrested for DUI). Hall has eight interceptions and has averaged 71 tackles in his first two seasons. He could be a risky pick in any fantasy drafts, but once he returns (if suspended), he'll be worth adding.

DB DONTE WHITNER THE LATEST NFL CASUALTY
It seems the NFL can't go more than a couple of days without someone making the news and not necessarily good. The Bills safety Donte Whitner was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. There have been some mixed messages coming from some of the reports, but it sounds like Whitner could be facing some sort of disciplinary action from the league when all is said and done. Whitner has been a very good fantasy option for IDP owners, but his stock will drop some if he misses time for suspension.

DL JASON TAYLOR LIKELY TO SIGN AFTER DRAFT
The former Redskin will likely stay a free agent until after the draft. He likely decided on a suitor based on how the Patriots and Dolphins draft. If he's offered only the league minimum in New England, expect to see Taylor return to Miami. Taylor is still athletic and a talent on the edge, but at 34 his tank is no longer full. If he signs with another team, fantasy owners could see his role limited as a pass rusher and see his value drop some.


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