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Who is the other fullback going to be? Did they pick anyone up as a free agent?

For camp I mean, or when Kleco fails miserably...

They signed a FB from Washington State- Jed Collins.

He's actually a guy who played LB, TE and FB in college but likely (obviously?) is looked at as an NFL FB i guess??

Good size (im biased)- 6'2, 250.

Other than that- i know squat.

Read an article about guys not invited to the combine (great!) and he was on the top 10 list of best guys not invited (you know my fetish for FBs and LBs) and it was easy to pull back up. Found it and its linked, bitches....





click here

From John Nalbone- NJONLINE.COM:

the selection of Laws is significant in that there may be some concern about 2005 first-round pick Mike Patterson.

Originally charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana) under 50 grams in February, Patterson only was found guilty of careless driving in a manner likely to endanger another person April 3.

First-time offenders of the NFL's substance-abuse program are supposed to remain confidential, so it is not known whether Patterson was enrolled after the initial drug charge against him was filed (then later dismissed at sentencing).

Any player in the program found to be in violation a second time would draw an automatic four-game suspension. The addition of Laws would help cushion such a blow.

You know what. It makes a lot of sense. For all we know, MP could already be in the program (a la Dante Stallworth).

The Cooley Zone: NFL needs to change how rookies are paid

By Chris Cooley

Rookies in the NFL make too much money. As a player I should be excited for anyone making a big contract. Good for them, right? For the top 20 draft picks it sounds great to sign a larger contract than guys that have played in the league for 10 years -- larger contracts than players that have been in the Pro Bowl at the same position. What's more is they don't have to lace up a cleat in the NFL and they are already getting guaranteed bonuses of $15, $20, even $30 million. Right, Rosenhaus?

It's amazing that in such a lucrative business the owners are willing to pay so much for potential. The average guaranteed bonus of the first 32 picks of 2007 was $10.86 million. Of course, some of the players getting paid are going to become great football players. What becomes the biggest concern year in and year out is how many players really do become great, and how soon.

"It's crazy to guarantee money to people who have never played a down in the NFL," says Todd Yoder (pictured), my teammate and eight-year veteran. "That's the way the system has gotten. If someone has potential to become an elite player you're gonna get more in the first contract than the average Joe Schmoe makes in his entire career."

Potential is where this all begins. Can someone jump a 40-inch vertical, or how many times can they push a bench press? A 4.4 40 can elevate the draft status of someone maybe in the second or third round straight to the top 20 picks. But can it translate to millions of dollars worth on the football field?

The NFL Combine is comparable to a strip club with owners and coaches for customers. The better the man looks running around in his spandex the more dollar bills end up on his stage. The funny thing is the onlookers at the combine are probably more excited than the creepy old man in the corner at the strip bar.

I mean, can anyone honestly explain how Vernon Davis adds more value to a football team than Jeremy Shockey or Antonio Gates. His contract certainly says that he does, because he is averaging more money than both of them every year. If Davis can continue becoming a better football player then it might be agreed that he was worth the money.

In Jason Witten's second year he caught 87 balls for 980 yards. Davis caught 52 balls for 509 yards. Both are good statistics for a tight end, but Davis is currently making $500,000 more a year than Witten. Even better, Davis made close to $4 million more in his second year than Witten did. A player making that kind of money should be a Pro Bowl-type player.

I fell in the same boat as Witten with my rookie contract -- $600,000 signing bonus and the league minimum for three years. It took me those three years to establish myself as a solid football player in the NFL. Not until then did I receive a large contract -- six years, $30 million. So when someone can jump into the league and earn more than that without playing a single play, it’s hard to stomach.

The point here is that if a rookie in any other profession could step on to the scene and make more than someone with a proven track record, the business would turn upside down. Imagine a first year staff accountant making more money than a senior partner simply because his 10 key skills were top in his class. This is basically what's happening in the NFL. Players are making money simply based on the number they were taken. Something with this system needs to change.

Chris Cooley is a Pro Bowl tight end for the Redskins and blogs every Wednesday here on Shutdown Corner. Read more from Cooley on his personal blog, where he gets awesome all the time.

It's hard to disagree with a word he wrote.

Gotta blame the owners and scouts as well. Although overwhelmingly the system is fucked up for the reasons mentioned above.

Good read NCSF and I agree 100%

Guy developed his own draft ranking system. I'm not posting it for the system, exactly. I found the draft year by position ranking to be pretty interesting (strongest year of draft by position).

The 91 RB draft:

Emmitt Smith 1 17 172
Larry Centers 5 115 92
Terry Allen 9 241 74
Chris Warren 4 89 70
Rodney Hampton 1 24 64
Leroy Hoard 2 45 53
Brian Mitchell 5 130 49
Harold Green 2 38 46
Johnny Johnson 7 169 40
Anthony Johnson 2 36 39
Barry Foster 5 128 37
Reggie Cobb 2 30 31
Steve Broussard 1 20 26
Blair Thomas 1 2 21

And the 1996 WR class:

Marvin Harrison 1 19 157
Terrell Owens 3 89 143
Keyshawn Johnson 1 1 104
Eric Moulds 1 24 98
Muhsin Muhammad 2 43 94
Eddie Kennison 1 18 88
Joe Horn 5 135 87
Amani Toomer 2 34 85
Terry Glenn 1 7 84
Bobby Engram 2 52 70
Yo, click it

Here is why the Birds are doomed and the Gold Missed Standard exists:

Sudden Impact

I really like the group of players the Eagles added. One of the things I like most is that the players who were drafted offer some immediate help. Huh? Didn't they trade back? How could those guys add impact? The players we took fit into the lineup as role players.

Trevor Laws has a chance to play right away. I fully expect him to challenge for the No. 3 defensive tackle spot this summer. DeSean Jackson should be the primary punt returner from the minute he hits the practice field. Bryan Smith can be a situational rusher. Quintin Demps could play his way to being the No. 3 safety early on. He also could be the primary kickoff returner.

The draft picks have the skill set and experience to handle the roles I mentioned. Laws is a high-motor defensive tackle. He will go 100 mph on every snap. That is perfect for a backup lineman. Jackson returned six punts for a touchdown at Cal. He was the most dynamic returner in the whole draft. Smith had 31 career sacks. He is a pure pass rusher. Put him at end and tell him to go get the quarterback. Demps has experience at corner and safety. He has experience returning kickoffs and punts. Expect immediate impact from this draft class

Let's see, two "starters" that are THIRD on the rotation. Um yeah. And an immediate #1 at PR instead of Reno.....that's like saying the intern is going to take care of the patient instead of a medical student.

Jebus H Christ!

Well, that didn't take long...


Yo, click it

Jules- where's that from?

Almost all of it was from ESPN, Seth. They have a complete log of all the articles that they published on Spygate from September last year through now.

Which part of it were you asking about?

GRRRRR....didn't pay attention. That was from either the Inky or Daily News. Just went through philly.com/sports and that was several days ago.

NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT FOR HARDY
Posted by Mike Florio on May 13, 2008, 9:49 a.m.
In response to the news that Bills receiver James Hardy, a second-round pick in last month’s draft, allegedly pulled a gun on his father on Mother’s Day (his mom would be wise to avoid Hardy on Father’s Day), a league source has alerted us to the fact that this wasn’t the first domestic incident involving the former Indiana standout.

Two years ago, Hardy spent three nights in jail after allegedly committing battery against his girlfriend. He was charged with domestic battery and interfering with the reporting of a crime. Hardy eventually was released on bond.

When his girlfriend called 911, an operator heard the woman say that Hardy had “hit her and her baby.” The line then disconnected, apparently because Hardy had yanked the phone out of the wall.

The source described Hardy to us as a “scary dude,” and said that the reports of Hardy striking a baby scared many teams away from him.

But not the Bills.

Oh yeah, Hardy was well known for his past demons. Here's a brief rundown in the obligatory "Hardy actually a nice guy" article that appeared in the Buffalo papers a few weeks ago:


Yo, click it

Shame he couldn't have been more like Frank and Joe, spening time solving the Mystery of Pirates' Hill and what not

This was just a draft related though, but why does it always seem like the drafts supposedly "loaded" at one position don't seem to ever turn out that way?

I mean, thinking back to the 1999 draft, it was supposed to be the best QB draft since 1983, I think. Of those guys, McNAbb is the only left standing.

If you go back to 2001, it was supposed to be the WR draft that ended all WR drafts. of the 6 first rounders, only Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss are still in the league...the rest were complete busts.

If you look at the great RB draft of 2005, 3 were taken in the top 5 selections and 5 were taken over the first two frames. Benson and Cadillac have been busts for different reasons, but busts. Ronnie Brown was disappointing, before amazing, before in limbo due to the ACL. Arrington and Eric Shelton from the 2nd round were massive busts.

It got me thinking about the great O-line draft of 2008. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few years, but it just seems odd that the drafts have played out like they have when they appear to be "loaded" with a particular position in the elite rounds.

I think you at least need to go to the 2nd round of the 2001 Draft before you start discounting the depth and "Loaded"ness of WR.

This will also allow you to remind yourself of the Enormity of the Fredex Debacle.

No doubt about it...

Chris Chambers (I'd call him a really good #2) and Chad Johnson went in the 2nd round. Steve Smith, who wasn't high touted, ended up coming out of the 3rd round.

The thing I was looking at was the 5 WRs in the top 25 picks with 4 being out of football already (Terrell, Robinson, Gardner, and FrexEx). Santana Moss was the only one who survived and he's serviceable, with one above average season.

After that you did have Wayne, Ocho, and Chambers coming in picks 30- 52. In the second round, you also had Quincy Morgan and Robert Furguson, though.

Overall, it yielded some good players, but I think that if someone told you 4 of those first rounders would be out of the league before they turn 30 (some sooner) without a major injury, I think they'd be surprised.

I mean, with the benefit of hindsight, you'd probably call that a DT loaded draft.

Richard Seymour, Shaun Rogers, Marcus Stroud, Casey Hampton, and Kris Jenkins all went in the first two frames. All have been to at least one Pro Bowl and 4 of those guys have been called "The best DT in football" at some point in their careers.

Jesus...just looked it up and those tackles have been to a collective 17 pro Bowls and have been selected as "All-Pro" 10 times.

Good observation. I'm not sure Jesus had anything to do with it, however, since none of the players mentioned played for Green Bay.

F-d, I disagree with you about Chambers.

He's got #1 skills, but was trapped in Miami for so long he's still got that monkey on his back. He's more than just a secondary option. At this point in his career though, I wouldn't want to give up anything substantial for him. But he's good.

With Chambers, I think he's among the 32 best WRs in the league, he's a "#1", bu that classification.

I think I could probably name 20 WRs I'd take over him right now, though, and I think there are probably less than 20 legit #1 WRs in football right now.

When I think #1, I think of a guy who draws a lot of double coverage and a guy who the offense runs through for extended periods of time.

I think Chambers is somewhere between Kevin Curtis and Marques Colsten, but not a guy who keeps you up at night. Maybe a little like Darrell Jackson when he was going strong?

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