Sunday, February 28, 2010

Raiders QB Russell will have to compete for starting job

According to the Oakland Raiders Coach Tom Cable, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who was formerly the No. 1 overall pick of 2007 draft, will not be guaranteed with a starting job as the team considers the best thing for all quarterbacks in Raiders jerseys is a competition. That is to say, Russell will have to compete with some other quarterbacks for the starting job in 2010 season.

"I have not put a lot of thought into this at this point," Cable said when asked about naming Russell the starter. "JaMarcus is working and doing the things he should be doing right now. He’ll get himself prepared to compete for the job. I think that’s the only way to look at it. That would help our football team right now, getting into more of that competition. I’m for having guys go at it and battle for the job."

Currently the Raiders have three other quarterbacks on their roster: Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski and J.P. Losman. And there are still possibility that the team may acquire quarterback outside the team.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Former Eagles RB Westbrook confirmed Eagles won’t keep QB Vick

Now running back Brian Westbrook was a free agent after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles. He began to understand more about NFL business and believes that the Eagles will not keep quarterback Michael Vick.

Westbrook seemed a bit disappointed with the decision made by the Eagles, who drafted him but released him after nine seasons.

"I was a little bit surprised. Thinking they maybe would give me an opportunity to renegotiate things," Westbrook said. "For [the Eagles], it’s always business, it’s always money. … We left it on good terms. I wouldn’t say they were bad terms at all."

As they did not hesitate to release a nine-year Eagle, it is almost sure that the Eagles will think less in getting rid of a one-year guy, who did not show much value during the only season in Philadelphia. So Westbrook said “definitely” Vick will put on another team’s NFL jerseys and predicted that the quarterback would be traded as that could not only save the Eagles a lot of money but also could bring them some wanted player as the price for Vick.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Lions are open to everything that helps improve team

The Detroit Lions finished the past 2009 season 2-14 and had totally 30 losses in the previous two seasons. They were bad enough and eager to have improvements. So it’s no surprise that they are willing to offer the No. 2 pick in the draft as the price for a trade and they have intention to pursuit free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

“We’re open to just about everything,” Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said Thursday at the NFL scouting combine. “Whether you keep the second pick or whether you trade down, it doesn’t change what you have to do—that’s make good decisions in the draft. There are blue chip players available a lot of different spots in the draft.”

Ranking 24th in the league with 101 yards per game and improving from 0-16 in 2008 to only 2-14 last year, the Lions are in need of upgrading their running back. Having Tomlinson put on Lions jersey is not a bad idea, so we can expect the two sides to start negotiation in near future.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Former Patriots FB Tatupu passed away at 54

Although he was never a superstar as an NFL player, he has been liked and will be remembered by many New England Patriots fans. 54-year-old Mosi Tatupu, father of Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu, died Tuesday at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro.

“I know that I share a heavy heart today with Patriots fans everywhere who have learned of Mosi Tatupu’s passing,” team owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. He was a dominant special teams player and a punishing rusher who loved the Patriots as much as the fans did.”

Tatupu was an eighth-round pick by the Patriots in 1978 and played 13 of his 14 NFL seasons in the Patriots jerseys, with last season being spent with the then Los Angeles Rams. Rushing for 2,415 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career, Tatupu had his best season in 1983 with 578 rushing yards.

Tatupu was beloved by Patriots fans for his play on kickoff and punt teams and even had his own cheering section known as “Mosi’s Mooses.” He made to Pro Bowl in 1986 as a special teams player and was also on the Patriots 50th anniversary team last season.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Panthers will let DE Peppers go free

As defensive end Julius Peppers expected, the Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday that they have no plan to place franchise tag on him, letting Thursday’s deadline pass by and Peppers make his own choice about his future career as an unrestricted free agent.

“With the magnitude of the contract, the tender that it would take to franchise him and how it fits into the big picture with our team, we made the decision to not franchise him,” Panthers GM Marty Hurney said. “Obviously, it’s a very difficult decision because he’s a tremendous player.”

Thus after March 5, Peppers will have the right to sign with any team he likes to play for. Seeming happy to learn that the Panthers would not tag him, Peppers released a statement through his agent on the same day, saying that he felt good to have the opportunity to visit with other teams and his next goal will be to find the right match for his skill set. Forget the eight seasons he played in Panthers jerseys, and try to believe his new phase of career will be better, or at least as good as he has expected.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Becoming free agent again, WR Owens becomes friends with QB McNabb

It had been known for years that there are feuds between wide receiver Terrell Owens and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. But recently Owens, becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason, said that he is friends with McNabb now.

"I can honestly say I appreciate those years and Donovan and I are friends and, actually we were just hanging out last night as a matter of fact," McNabb said. "So it was one of those things where, again, it started off well, it didn’t end well. Sometimes, I wish it could have ended on a positive note."

During the two seasons Owen played in Eagles jerseys, he was unhappy with his contract, with management, coaches and former Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas and eventually chose to leave the City of Brotherly Love. Well, after three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and one uneventful, unproductive season with the Buffalo Bills, he becomes a free agent again and need to get along well with any possible chance to a new deal. Possibly he could be an Eagle again, and then good terms with the team’s star quarterback are absolutely necessary.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Questions to be answered this week

Usually, a lot of questions would be asked about the NFL and their players during the offseason. When there is no game, some begin to rest, some are to reconsider their choices and some get ready to compete for their chances.

The first of all questions to be answered: who will be the most impressive at the Combine that begins Wednesday in Indianapolis? Draft prospects are timed, measured, tested, interviewed, and thoroughly scrutinized. And quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford are now the hottest topics.

The next question is about franchise tag and the answer will come out no later than Thursday. Whether Saints safety Darren Sharper, Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour and Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork will be tagged or enter free agents market? Both teams and players need to make imminent decision. Also, Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers and Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby is likely to be free agents but there are still other possibilities.

Then there are questions about who are to leave their current teams. As teams are looking to avoid paying imminent roster bonuses, some prominent veterans could be released and some others may put on new teams’ NFL jerseys after being traded.