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Email Update 6/16/02 Volume 3 Issue # 2
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Projections Published
2. Footballguys.com Now accepts PayPal
3. Saints Looking For a Back
4. McCarein impressive at Tennessee minicamp
5. Ryan Longwell's Training Approach
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After 36 hours of grueling work, I am happy to announce that our
first set of projections for the 2002 season have been posted. These
feature both a position view and team view so that you can check our
math. As always, these are 100% sortable.
Check them out here:
QB Projections
WR Projections
RB Projections
TE Projections
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In an effort to streamline processing, we have switched our
subscription credit card processing to Pay Pal. We had a lot of
problems integrating the 2checkout.com service into our website and
that prompted the switch. For those interested in the subscription,
follow this link:
Buy Subscription
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Saints Looking for a Back
Clipped from the Times-Picayune article:
The Saints' search for a backup running back begins in earnest this
week, when the club plans to bring in veteran free agent Terry Allen
for a visit Monday.
The club had a visit scheduled with Ki-Jana Carter on Wednesday, but
the former Bengals and Redskins running back signed with Green Bay on
Friday.
The Saints also are trying to schedule a visit from quarterback
Charlie Batch.
Batch was released by Detroit in a salary-cap move June 3. He was the
Lions' regular starter for the past five seasons but lost his
starting job to rookie Mike McMahon after separating a shoulder in
December. Batch visited Pittsburgh on Friday and reportedly is
leaning toward signing with the Steelers.
Allen, 34, rushed for 658 yards and three touchdowns in Baltimore
last season. The 11-year veteran rushed for 179 yards and two
touchdowns in three starts for the Saints in 2000.
"We just want to take a look at them and see if they can help us,"
Saints coach Jim Haslett said. "We'd like to add a veteran running
back before training camp, if it's possible."
Besides starter Deuce McAllister, the only running back with an NFL
carry on the Saints roster is veteran special teams standout Fred
McAfee. The rest of the depth chart consists of James Fenderson, Jeff
Chaney and Ricky Williams, an undrafted rookie free agent.
If the club can't work out a deal for a veteran back, the Saints
could pursue a trade. The club has discussed a deal for Buffalo's
Shawn Bryson, a talented young reserve who is expendable in a
backfield that includes 2001 second-round pick Travis Henry, free
agent Richard Huntley and 2000 fifth-round pick Sammy Morris.
The asking price for Bryson is believed to be a third-round draft
pick. The Eagles, who lost starter Correll Buckhalter to a season-
ending knee injury in May, are considered the front-runners for
Bryson.
Bryson, 25, gained 341 yards and scored two touchdowns on 80 carries
last season. He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after
this season.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
You knew the Saints couldn't seriously be thinking about playing
the season with just Deuce McAllister at RB. Personally I still
think Watters would be a good fit here, but the Saints don't look
like they want to pay the kind of money that Watters wants. Terry
Allen does not excite me, but Shawn Bryson could be a good addition.
It amazes me that he is worth a third round pick though since
Marshall Faulk was traded for a number two a few years back (still
scratching my head over that). Don't expect any RB signing to
devalue Deuce McAllister. He will be the workhorse out of the gate.
The signing is a precautionary move in case Deuce were to get hurt
this season.
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McCarein impressive at Tennessee minicamp
Clipped from the story at Tennessean.com:
Minicamps of May and June gave Titans rookies a chance to get a feel
for the NFL while also providing newcomers like safety Lance
Schulters and fullback Greg Comella an opportunity to get comfortable
in a new system.
The 14 days of practice allowed second-year receiver Justin McCareins
a chance to re-introduce himself to teammates and coaches as well.
His second impression was even more eye-opening than his first. He
was easily one of the best players on either side of the ball over
the past two months.
McCareins, who missed the final 12 games last season with an ankle
injury, now weighs 218 pounds � 13 pounds heavier than last year.
The extra size and strength is clearly paying off on the field.
''He's strong, he's running as well as he did last year, and he's
confident,'' Coach Jeff Fisher said. ''His contribution at the
receiver position is going to be unlimited.''
McCareins appeared on his way to big things last season before
fracturing his left ankle in his first NFL start, Week 4 against
Tampa Bay. He had two receptions for 70 yards in the game before the
injury and was set to return later in the season, but injured the
ankle again.
McCareins said he's spent a lot of time in the weight room. But he's
also maintained his speed, which is somewhere around a 4.4. Defensive
backs had a tough time against him during the minicamps.
''I feel more explosive now from some of the things I've worked on.
My legs and rear end got a lot stronger and more explosive,''
McCareins said. ''I have always played with a physical style, and I
think the added strength and size may give me more of an advantage
against smaller defensive backs.
''... Getting hurt last year, that was my first time ever being
injured so it was hard. But I feel a lot hungrier now than I've ever
felt before. I am really excited more than I've ever been to get back
into it.''
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Not much to ponder just yet as Derrick Mason and Kevin Dyson
certainly look like they have the WR positions locked up. But this
is a guy who will likelt go undrafted in many leagues. We'll
make sure to keep a close eye on this and see if anything
materializes throughout the preseason.
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Ryan Longwell's Training Approach
Clipped from the story at Packersnews.com:
When Ryan Longwell is kicking the football well, he feels like he can
close his eyes and let muscle memory take over.
That's the way it's been for the Green Bay Packers kicker for
most of his five-year NFL career.
But it was just the opposite for a disappointing and alarming stretch
last season, when Longwell seemingly couldn't make anything.
He missed four straight field goals in three games last October and
November. Then he missed three tries in two games in early December.
Longwell and Packers special teams coach Frank Novak have carefully
studied everything Longwell did last year, and they've concluded
that it would be best for Longwell to slightly alter his offseason
training regimen.
"I've changed some things since last year," Longwell said
after the Packers' minicamp ended last week. "I've worked
out a lot smarter this year."
Last year, Longwell worked out with the intent to build muscle mass.
He worked out with heavier weights at lower repetitions, but it
didn't give him the power and endurance he needed.
This year, his workouts consist of higher repetitions with less
weight and a lot of running and conditioning.
"I don't think I necessarily overtrained last year,"
Longwell said. "I just trained the wrong way."
The Packers also plan to have another kicker in training camp �
something they didn't do last year � to ease some of
Longwell's workload. They signed rookie free agent Rob Bironas of
Georgia Southern.
"We'll just cut him back," Novak said of Longwell.
"He thinks that will help him. If he thinks that will help him,
then that's what we'll do."
It's all designed to help Longwell rebound from his worst year as
a pro.
His 11 missed field goals last season almost doubled his previous
career high of six misses during his rookie year of 1997. Though he
set a career best by making a 54-yard field goal against Tennessee in
December, he struggled on kickoffs for most of the season.
At one point last year, the Packers brought in a kickoff specialist,
James Tuthill, but never used him.
"We started out with some bad fields and got behind the
8-ball," Longwell said. "We had that stretch in there, like
for four weeks, where they just weren't going through."
Before last year, Longwell was the most accurate kicker in NFL
history � at 84.73 percent � and he was rewarded with a
five-year, $7.5 million contract that included a $2 million signing
bonus.
With the 11 misses last year, he's dropped to 80.86 percent and
fifth on the career list among kickers with at least 100 field goals
made.
"It was a tough year for Ryan," Novak said. "We've
talked a lot about the year. He just unfortunately got off to a bad
start. Hopefully, we can correct some of those things.
"It's on him. He's got to do it. I think he's back in
a good frame of mind right now. He's healthy. He's strong.
He's kicking pretty well.
We've got the same holder (Doug Pederson) back, and that's a
big help. Hopefully, he can get off to a good start."
Longwell believes he began to work out his troubles late last season.
He was more consistent at the end of the regular season, making seven
of his last nine field-goal attempts.
He also made the go-ahead field goal � a 45-yarder � in the
fourth quarter of the Packers' wild-card playoff victory over San
Francisco.
"We changed some things halfway through the year and finished the
season really good," Longwell said. "So we'll stick with
that."
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
We expect Ryan to be a great value this season based on his problems
of last year. The fact that he is working to improve is a very good
sign that he was also disappointed in his performance last season.
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That's all for tonight.
David Dodds
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