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Email Update 6/23/02 Volume 3 Issue # 9
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Jeff George to tryout with the Saints?
2. Salary cap status
3. McAllister adds beef
4. Donte' Stallworth showing skills
5. New Look Browns
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Jeff George to tryout with the Saints?
Clipped from the Times-Picayune story:
Haslett said he is exploring the possibility of bringing veteran free-
agent quarterback Jeff George in for a physical and workout. "Jeff
called me, and we've talked," Haslett said. "We're going to talk
again. We'll see." George, 34, played briefly with the Washington
Redskins last season before his release. Besides Washington, his NFL
experience includes stops at Indianapolis, Atlanta, Oakland and
Minnesota.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[ OUR VIEW ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
This actually makes a lot of sense to attempt to get Jeff George (his
value is the lowest it's ever been)..but so many of us have been
burned by Jeff George in the past, we were all secretly hoping he was
done with football. There is no questioning Jeff's physical talents
(combine stud, impressive during workouts), but it remains to be seen
if there is enough between the ears to do it consistently on the
field. Regardless, this would be to just add some depth on the
bench.
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Salary Cap Status
Clipped from the website theredzone.org:
Money left under the cap:
1 Philadelphia ($9,900,000)
2 Minnesota ($6,640,000)
3 Houston ($6,450,000)
4 Chicago ($6,260,000)
5 Arizona ($6,150,000)
6 Jacksonville ($5,530,000)
7 Cincinnati ($5,206,000)
8 San Francisco ($5,190,000)
9 Detroit ($4,839,000)
10 Cleveland ($4,670,000)
11 Buffalo ($4,200,000)
12 Atlanta ($3,360,000)
13 Washington ($3,340,000)
14 Green Bay ($3,290,000)
15 Dallas ($3,260,000)
16 New Orleans ($2,860,000)
17 NY Giants ($2,750,000)
18 Miami ($2,620,000)
19 Pittsburgh ($2,610,000)
20 Kansas City ($2,350,000)
21 Tampa Bay ($2,280,000)
22 Indianapolis ($2,180,000)
23 Tennessee ($2,130,000)
24 New England ($2,000,000)
25 Saint Louis ($1,960,000)
26 Oakland ($1,610,000)
27 Seattle ($1,304,000)
28 Baltimore ($1,260,000)
29 Denver ($1,170,000)
30 San Diego ($1,120,000)
31 Carolina ($976,000)
32 NY Jets ($855,000)
[[[[[[[[[[[[[ OUR VIEW ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
This is a very helpful list as it shows the teams that still have
cash should they decide to add key players. This list is current as
of 6/20. In keeping with knowing what we know, checkout
theredzone.org (http://theredzone.org) - This site does an excellent
job covering the NFL news.
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McAllister adds Beef
Clipped from the Advocate Online:
Apparently, New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister didn't
take anything for granted when he was handed the starting job
following the trade that sent Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins on
March 8.
McAllister added 12 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot, 1-inch frame
during the off-season and still showed off the speed this week that
coaches and scouts saw when they made him the team's first-round
draft pick in 2001. The former Ole Miss star will play at about 230
pounds this season.
"I'm proud of what Deuce has accomplished this off-season," Saints
coach Jim Haslett said during the three-day minicamp that ended
Saturday. "He's stronger and he looks like an NFL running back.
"Even though he put on more than 10 pounds, he looks just as fast,"
Haslett said. "I'm more proud of what he's done in the weight room
than what he's done on the field."
In April, McAllister vowed that he would be better prepared to tackle
the challenge of being the main man in the Saints running attack
after being plagued by injuries in college.
"It's not a position I haven't been in before," he said. "I did it in
college and I prepared myself to be the No. 1 guy last year even
though it didn't happen."
SEARCH CONTINUES: The Saints are still looking for a running back to
back up McAllister, but they probably won't intensify the search
until just before the start of training camp.
"We're still looking," Haslett said. "I don't think we're comfortable
yet. Most of our young guys have been hurt the whole off-season, so
we really haven't had a chance to look at them. We're going to keep
our eyes open."
The backups right now are first-year players Jeff Chaney and James
Fenderson and undrafted free agents Ricky Williams and Jonathan
Adams. Chaney and Williams didn't participate in this week's minicamp
because of injuries and Fenderson was hurt earlier in the spring in
NFL Europe.
Veteran Terry Allen, who filled in when former running back Ricky
Williams broke his ankle in the 10th game of the 2000 season, was in
town this week for a visit. Ricky Watters and Dorsey Levens are among
the other veterans available.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[ OUR VIEW ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
You will be hearing a lot about Deuce McAllister this preseason. He
has the difficult job of replacing Ricky Williams in New Orleans. In
our opinion he is off to the right start by coming into camp with
added weight and showing the dedication that he wants to be very good
in this league. Because of Deuce's soft hands and no competition for
the RB position, we expect him to be an outstanding player this
season for the Saints. Terry Allen would be a serviceable backup
should Deuce get hurt, but it's doubtful Terry would cut into Deuce's
production at all.
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Donte' Stallworth showing skills
Clipped from the Times-Picayune article:
In Dont� Stallworth's case, believe the hype.
Two minicamps and nine weeks of workouts have done nothing to
diminish the hoopla surrounding the New Orleans Saints' rookie wide
receiver. If anything, they've enhanced it.
Since arriving at camp in late April, Stallworth has made an
immediate impact and justified the decision by club officials to make
him the first wide receiver selected in the NFL draft in April.
"He's been everything we thought he'd be," Saints director of player
personnel Rick Mueller said.
Traditionally, players and coaches are hesitant to dole out praise to
rookies for fear of raising unfair expectations or inflating the
player's ego. But Stallworth is an exception.
The Saints can't say enough good things about the former University
of Tennessee standout. The coaches laud his work ethic and positive
attitude. His fellow receivers praise his discipline and eagerness to
learn. The defensive backs who work against him in practice rave
about his explosiveness and breakaway speed.
"He's going to be a great player," wide receiver Joe Horn
said. "Dont� listens to everything. That's why I know he'll be
very
good in the NFL -- in his first year."
For his part, the easy-going Stallworth is taking it all in stride.
He admitted to going "brain-dead" on a couple of routes during
Saturday's two-hour workout and confessed that he still has much to
learn before mastering the offense. But he's confident he can get
there by the start of the regular season.
"I'm getting more comfortable," said Stallworth, who was the last
Saint to leave Saturday's autograph session for fans, 20 minutes
after the practice.
"The first minicamp was horrible. I was running around like a chicken
with my head cut off. Everything is starting to slow down and be a
lot more natural to me now."
To expedite the learning process, Horn asked Stallworth to be his
roommate during training camp next month in Thibodaux. The rookie
jumped at the opportunity.
"Joe is a cool guy," said Stallworth, 6-foot, 197 pounds. "I'm really
looking forward to it a lot. I'll never be bored with him. He's
always got something to say. Obviously he's been here a while. He
knows the offense and everything. I've got a lot to learn from him."
Stallworth is also learning from his daily practice battles with
cornerbacks Dale Carter and Fred Thomas. Carter has given Stallworth
a lesson in how to beat physical corners at the line in man-to-
man, "press" coverage. Thomas is schooling him in the critical art of
hand-to-hand combat at the line of scrimmage.
"Those are two pretty good corners," Saints coach Jim Haslett
said. "If he can beat those guys, he can beat anybody in the league."
Stallworth hasn't backed down.
"His demeanor is so impressive," Mueller said. "You wouldn't know
he's a 20-year-old kid by looking at him. You'd think he's a veteran.
I don't think Dale Carter scares him."
Carter wins most of the battles. But Stallworth gains a little more
confidence each day. Saturday, he beat Carter for a 40-yard score
during team drills, to the delight of the 2,000 fans in attendance.
"Dale Carter is one of the greatest corners to ever play the game,"
Stallworth said. "You can get some confidence when you're going
against him and you're doing well. You get frustrated at times, but
you just come back on the next play and try to get better."
Saints wide receivers coach Hubbard Alexander has coached some of the
best receivers in the NFL during his 23 years in the league. At age
63, he isn't prone to hyperbole, but he can't stop speaking about
Stallworth's potential.
"Speed-wise, I put him right up there with Randy (Moss)," Alexander
said. "This guy can flat-out run. He can outrun the coverage, and he
can outrun the ball."
And strength? "He's right there with Michael (Irvin) and Cris
(Carter)," Alexander said.
Explosiveness? "He's got what Joe's (Horn) got," Alexander said.
"All that wrapped up into one, you've got a pretty good receiver."
One Saints veteran predicted Stallworth would be an annual Pro Bowl
player if he maintains his attitude and work ethic. Another predicted
a monster year for Horn because defenses won't be able to concentrate
their coverages on him with the explosive Stallworth and the steady
Jerome Pathon on the other side.
"(Stallworth) reminds me of how (former Seattle Pro Bowler) Joey
Galloway was when he came out, (with) the speed and the burst,"
Thomas said. "And Dont�'s just in the learning phase. I can't
imagine
what he's going to do when he gets everything down and just lets his
natural ability take over. That's going to be amazing to see."
[[[[[[[[[[[[[ OUR VIEW ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Yes it's early and Donte has yet to play a real game, but you have to
like what you are hearing here. The comparisons are of very good
players (Horn, Galloway, Carter, Irvin). Since teams generally want
their rookies working hard, you usually don't see this kind of
gushing hype about rookie WRs. It's a hard position to break into in
the NFL as most of these kids have not seen the kind of defensive
speed and bump and run coverage that they will experience in the
NFL. Since Joe Horn should get a lot of double teams (at least early
in the NFL season), Donte will have every opportunity to show the
league what he has got.
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New Look Browns
Clipped from the Cantonrep.com article:
In a century long ago, Dwight Clark, Chris Palmer, Chris Spielman,
Orlando Brown and Lomas Brown were prominent faces on the cover of
the Browns press guide.
The year was 1999. The coming-out party was Aug. 8 at Fawcett
Stadium, where a shockingly large crowd saw the faces come to life in
a public practice the day before the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
Palmer's heart was thumping when somebody gave him a microphone.
"This," he said to all those people, "shows why Cleveland
Browns fans are the best fans in the world."
For a moment ... maybe for a few days days ... Palmer was the most
popular coach in America. His ragtag expansion team went on to beat
the Cowboys in a Monday night game.
"This," said Al Lerner, around midnight in the Fawcett
Stadium locker room, "is the way it's supposed to be."
Supposition met reality. The Browns got clobbered in Tampa Bay five
days later.
By now, there aren't many survivors.
Tim Couch and Tyrone Rogers represent the opposite end of the
spectrum among players who are still with the Browns as they approach
their fourth expansion-era season. Couch was the first overall pick
of the 1999 NFL draft. Rogers made the 1999 team as an undrafted free
agent out of Alabama State.
"I was here for the hard times," Couch said. "I'm
definitely ready for the good times."
Most of the original offense, however, saw only the hard times. The
fraternity of offensive players who were Browns in Canton in '99
would fit in a euchre game. And their cards are shaky.
Center Dave Wohlabaugh is the only offensive lineman left. The Browns
drafted his eventual replacement, Melvin Fowler, in the third round
this year.
Mark Campbell is the only remaining tight end. He missed the 2001
season with a knee injury and might be nudged out of work by 2002
fifth-round pick Darnell Sanders.
Kevin Johnson is the only wide receiver still around. He is eligible
for unrestricted free agency after the 2002 season.
The running backs from the summer of '99 � Terry Kirby,
Sedrick Shaw and Madre Hill, among others � are long gone.
Couch makes it a foursome.
"I've seen a lot of guys come and go," the 24-year-old
quarterback said. "Guess I'm getting old."
The fraternity of defensive players is larger. It might take a Lerner
limo to accommodate them.
Rogers keeps beating the odds and growing as a Dawg Pound favorite.
Injuries led to his starting 10 games and ranking second on the team
with six sacks last year. Head Coach Butch Davis said Rogers will not
willingly give back playing time.
"That's definitely true," Rogers said. "When you get
a taste of it, it's like a hungry dog. You taste that blood, and
you want it from then on."
From then on may not last long for some remaining defenders from the
summer of '99.
Marcus Spriggs, a sixth-round pick in 1999 who missed 2001 with a
broken arm, will press for a roster spot as a backup. Arnold Miller
� signed as undrafted free agent in April 1999 � seems a
longshot to stick at end after losing last season to a foot injury.
Linebacker Jamir Miller, signed away from Arizona as a free agent on
May 3, 1999, in February became the only expansion-era Brown to play
in the Pro Bowl. He will be around unless his contract situation
blows up. Linebackers Lenoy Jones and Marquis Smith might not be.
Remember Marty Schottenheimer giving a blow-by-blow description from
Canton Memorial Civic Center as the Browns picked 37 players in the
Feb. 9, 1999 expansion draft? Jones is the only one left.
Smith was a third-round draft pick in '99 who lost his starting
strong safety job to Earl Little last year. He was switched to
linebacker, but both he and Jones are threatened by three new
linebackers picked in the recent draft.
Two defensive backs from the summer of '99 are still around.
Corey Fuller, 31, likely would have been cut had he not restructured
a contract that expires after the 2003 season. Daylon McCutcheon,
like Smith a third-round pick in '99, has a new contract that runs
through 2004.
Punter Chris Gardocki, place-kicker Phil Dawson and long snapper Ryan
Kuehl all were signed as free agents before the '99 draft. In the
shrinking fraternity of Class of '99 survivors, they pass as a
piece of Plymouth Rock on Lake Erie.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[ OUR VIEW ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
The people that remember the Browns as a bad football team are going
to be surprised this season. They have an outstanding pressure
defense and have slowly been adding the offense too. They clearly
are not the team that was once looked forward to on the NFL schedule.
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That's all for today. We have a lot of web material in the queue
coming your way very soon.
Expert's Rankings, Individual Defensive Player (IDP) Projections,
More articles.
David Dodds
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