NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/6/06

[Hache Man]

New Thread Since Some Had Trouble Getting Into Other One

(Just want to share some of these columns/sections on ESPN Insider for those that don't have access since it's a pay section - Hache)

[Hache Man]

Updated: July 6, 2006


Unheralded Parker has high value




By KC Joyner
ESPN Insider
Archive

Who was the best wide receiver in the NFL last season? When I rank receivers, I am looking for pass catchers with well-rounded skill sets. I want players who are both productive and efficient, but I place more emphasis on efficiency. I use this approach because to be both highly efficient and productive, you must have a wider variety of talents. In ranking wide receiver efficiency, I use the same three criteria I used for tight ends in last week's rankings. The first two are TYPCA (total yards per catchable attempt) and success percentage. The third metric is derived by multiplying TYPCA by the wide receiver's success percentage. This combination metric provides the best overall balance between production and efficiency and is the one I used to determine who was the most efficient wide receiver. There is a 40-catch minimum to qualify. I'll detail the top five receivers in this category, starting from the No. 5 spot and counting up to No. 1. 5. Joe Jurevicius, 7.0 yards. Everyone knows Jurevicius has good hands, so it would come as no shock that he ranked No. 1 in the success percentage category according to Scientific Football 2006 (now available for preorder at www.TheFootballScientist.com). Success percentage alone won't place a receiver high in this category, though. A receiver usually also has to have a high yards per attempt on deeper passes, which was the really surprising part of Jurevicius' statistics. He had the seventh-highest yards per attempt on deep passes (20-plus yards) and had the 13th-highest yards per attempt on medium passes (11-20 yards). 4. Eric Parker, 7.2 yards. When you play on an offense that has LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates and Keenan McCardell, it can be awfully hard to get noticed, but Parker's numbers deserve some attention. Parker had the second-highest success percentage last year, but a large portion of that success came on vertical passes. Parker had the third-highest pass success percentage at both the medium and the deep pass levels. He also had a very high short pass success percentage, ranking seventh in that category. 3. Eddie Kennison, 7.3 yards. Kennison is proof that a receiver doesn't have to rank near the top of the league in success percentage to be listed high in this metric. Kennison ranked second in the NFL in yards per attempt despite having only the 20th-highest success percentage. Kennison was especially deadly on deep passes, gaining an eye-popping 40.8-yard average on his successful deep pass plays. 2. Santana Moss, 7.6 yards. Moss was the deadliest deep threat in the NFL by far last year, averaging an astounding 26.4 yards per deep pass attempt. What makes this number even more impressive is that Moss did this despite being the Redskins' only deep threat. Moss was also successful on 63 percent of his deep passes, so it easily can be said he was the most efficient deep threat in the NFL last year. 1. Steve Smith, 7.7 yards. Smith was a viable MVP candidate for much of the season, as he was the epitome of an efficient and productive receiver. The best illustration of this was that Smith ranked first in the league in yards per attempt at both the short and medium pass depths. It is rare to have a receiver who can be just as effective running a hitch route as a deep in route, and Smith wasn't just effective at both. He was explosive. Here are the top five receivers in each of the metric categories: Yards Per Attempt 1. Santana Moss -- 11.4 2. Eddie Kennison -- 10.9 3. Steve Smith -- 10.7 4. Ernest Wilford -- 10.2 5. Terry Glenn -- 9.8 Success % 1. Joe Jurevicius -- 75.6% 2. Eric Parker -- 75.3% 3. Bobby Engram -- 73.1% 4. Steve Smith -- 72.4% T5 Derrick Mason -- 71.9% T5 Rod Smith -- 71.9% Success % x Yards Per Attempt 1. Steve Smith -- 7.7 2. Santana Moss -- 7.6 3. Eddie Kennison -- 7.3 4. Eric Parker -- 7.2 5. Joe Jurevicius -- 7.0

[Hache Man]

NFL Rumor Central: Lelie playing hardball

Other Rumors: MLB | NBA

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Thursday, July 6
WHO	WHAT	THE SKINNY
Ashley Lelie Broncos	Trade	Lelie playing hardball Lelie doesn't plan to take part in Denver's mandatory three-day minicamp (July 6-8), and the wide receiver appears to be holding firm on his threat to sit out the season unless he's traded. The Broncos shopped Lelie during April's draft but could not find a satisfactory deal. It's believed Denver is trying to secure a tight end in return for Lelie, but contrary to published reports, the team has not offered the 26-year-old to the Patriots for Daniel Graham, according to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. The Broncos have made it clear to potential Lelie suitors that they want more than a late-round draft pick or a backup player for Lelie. Lelie, who is entering the final year of his contract, forfeited a $100,000 bonus by not participating in Denver's offseason conditioning program. If he follows through on his threat to sit out the season, he'll lose another $1.3 million in salary and bonuses. He also faces possible fines by the team.
Friday, June 30
WHO	WHAT	THE SKINNY
Priest Holmes Chiefs	Return?	Holmes planning to play Holmes, who is recovering from a neck injury, reitorated his desire to play next season, the Washington Times reports. "Why wouldn't I?" the three-time Pro Bowl pick said when asked if he wanted to keep playing. "I feel great. Medically, what I've been told is that I need to wait and not make a quick decision based on the feeling [that] I can get out there. I believe at the end of the day, it's my final decision. Will I take what [the doctors] say to heart and really think about it? I will once the time comes." The 33-year-old has been seeing spinal specialist Robert Watkins, and still hasn't been cleared for contact. Injuries kept him out of 17 of 32 games the past two seasons.

[Reggie Dunlop]

thanks for the info Hache.

How bout just giving us your ESPN log-in and password so we can check this out anytime.....

[Hache Man]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

thanks for the info Hache.

How bout just giving us your ESPN log-in and password so we can check this out anytime.....

I believe if I did that Reggie we probably wouldn't have access to it very long...lol

[Hache Man]

Updated: July 7, 2006


Broncos seeking creative ways to pressure QBs




By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Archive

Despite notching 30 sacks in the final two seasons of his career at the University of Louisville, and establishing a Division I-A record with 11 forced fumbles in 2005, Elvis Dumervil spiraled into the fourth round of this year's draft before the Denver Broncos tossed the defensive end a life preserver after 125 names had been called. The primary reasons for the tumble: Dumervil's size -- or, more aptly, the lack thereof (5 feet 11 3/8, 257 pounds) -- and a pedestrian 40-yard time nearly into the 4.6s. But rushing the passer, for some players, is a knack, one that supersedes "measurables." And that is why one of the more notable items elicited from the Broncos' three-day minicamp this week was that Dumervil was aligned inside at tackle, not end, in some of the nickel pass-rush combinations with which defensive coordinator Larry Coyer experimented. Andy Lyons/Getty Images Elvis Dumervil leads the nation with 20 sacks in 2005. Never mind that Dumervil, despite a thick physique, wasn't even considered big enough to play end, let alone tackle, by a lot of scouts who assessed him in the months before the draft. Increasingly, it seems, as teams seek new ways to create pressure strictly from the front four, speed is the premium, even at the tackle spots. And although Dumervil's stopwatch times might not be great, he possesses competitive closing speed when chasing down quarterbacks. For any defense, especially one that struggled to put quarterbacks on the ground the way the Denver unit did in 2005, that's a skill set that can't be ignored. More teams around the league are moving ends inside on nickel downs, turning the pass rush into a track meet, one in which defenders who get out of the blocks quickly are highly valued. If the trend continues to evolve, teams might field nickel front fours that are more like relay teams. It's not a new gimmick, of course, because almost nothing ever is in the NFL. A considerable portion of Reggie White's 198 career sacks came when he moved inside to tackle and was able to go against an overmatched guard. The New York Giants used to slide Michael Strahan inside on occasion earlier in his career. But White and Strahan (at least a few years ago, before he dropped some weight) were big men. Dumervil, by comparison, is pretty much a Munchkin. It doesn't matter, though, if you can rush the passer. The past several years, the Indianapolis Colts have nudged starting left end Raheem Brock to tackle in nickel situations even though he weighed just 270 pounds. This season, Brock will start at tackle even in the "base" defense, on what is one of the least bulky front four units in the league. Signed in free agency to play left end, Tony Weaver will move to tackle for the Houston Texans, in part because of the selection of Mario Williams with the top pick in the draft but also because the coaching staff seems to like the matchup possibilities that can be created inside. When he was the New Orleans head coach, Jim Haslett regularly dropped right end Darren Howard inside on nickel downs and frequently played four ends in his pass-rush front four. Expect similar alignments from the St. Louis Rams this year now that Haslett is the coordinator there. The Giants have worked this offseason on a nickel package that features four ends, in an effort to get quicker players such as Justin Tuck and rookie Mathias Kiwanuka onto the field. The aim, especially for the Broncos, is to ramp up pressure without having to bring extra rushers. In the AFC Championship Game loss to Pittsburgh six months ago, the Denver rush scheme was badly exposed when the Steelers consistently brought a tight end or wide receiver back in motion toward the formation, then kept that player in as an extra blocker against the blitz. Because the Broncos really had no big-time pass-rush threat -- all those former Cleveland Browns defensive line rejects, lauded for their solid play against the run in 2005, totaled 10 sacks -- they were forced to manufacture pressure. Even then, the Broncos finished with a mere 28 sacks, the NFL's fourth-lowest total. Like the staffs of all the other franchises that didn't garner a Super Bowl ring in 2005, the Denver coaches went back to the drawing board in the offseason. Whatever changes were considered, none is probably rock-solid yet, but it's a good bet we'll see fewer blitzes in 2006 from Denver, less size up front in most nickel situations and more of pure pass-rushers like Dumervil. Around the league Koren Robinson Wide Receiver Minnesota Vikings Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Rec Yds TD Avg Long YAC 22 347 1 15.8 80 110 • If the reports are true that Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Koren Robinson voluntarily checked into a South Carolina treatment clinic, as agent Alvin Keels has indicated, kudos to the Pro Bowl return specialist for taking steps to bolster his aftercare following a longtime problem with alcohol. At the Pro Bowl in January, Robinson spoke candidly, even eloquently at times, about his demons and acknowledged the need to keep confronting them and to keep girding himself with coping mechanisms. "Whatever I've done to get things turned around in my life," Robinson said at the time, "I've got to keep doing it." Hopefully, that's exactly what Robinson is doing now. • Released by the Miami Dolphins this spring, after injuries limited him to only 15 appearances in the past two seasons combined, linebacker Junior Seau apparently wants to try to squeeze one more year out of a career that likely will land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. There have been unsubstantiated reports that Seau or his representative spoke with Oakland Raiders officials. but the consensus in most league circles is that the 12-time Pro Bowl performer stayed a year or two too long at the dance and should waltz gracefully into retirement. Seau is 37, and the 16-year veteran hasn't played a full season since 2001 and has averaged just 10.8 appearances since then. In 2004, his season was ended by a torn pectoral muscle; last year, it was an Achilles injury. But even before the injuries began to mount, Seau's game was in serious decline. Consider this: Since the beginning of the 2000 season, Seau totaled 11 sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. That's just 20 big plays in 75 appearances, or one every 3.75 games. In his prime, Seau was an incredible freelancer, a defender who often played more on instinct than in the scheme but who was good enough to cover his own mistakes. But that prime seems like a long time ago, most personnel guys around the NFL agree. • Offensive line depth in the NFL is an aim achieved by few teams. But few teams are as thin behind the starters as the Washington Redskins, and Job No. 1 in training camp for renowned offensive line coach Joe Bugel, arguably one of the best ever at that staff position, will be developing some backups. The five Washington starters -- left tackle Chris Samuels, left guard Derrick Dockery, center Casey Rabach, right guard Randy Thomas and right tackle Jon Jansen -- average 75.6 career starts. Thomas, Samuels and Jansen have more than 90 starts each, and only Rabach (39) has fewer than 40. After that, however, the depth chart gets a little murky. Arguably the top two candidates for backup tackle spots, Jim Molinaro and Tyson Walter, have started nine games between them. Walter hasn't started a game since 2002 and didn't play a snap last season. The top inside candidate, Mike Pucillo, has 18 starts. Of the 15 blockers on the current depth chart, six haven't played in an NFL game and one has appeared in just two contests. There are some promising blockers among the group of youngsters on the roster, and Bugel is going to have to develop a few of them fairly quickly. Dewayne White Defensive End Tampa Bay Buccaneers Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Tot Ast Solo FF Sack Int 33 28 5 2 3 0 • In three seasons, Tampa Bay defensive end Dewayne White has started just five games, but look for his playing time to increase dramatically in 2006. The coaching staff thinks White, a second-round pick in 2003 who by all accounts had a terrific offseason, is poised for a breakthrough year. With starters Simeon Rice and Greg Spires in front of White, the coaches will have to divine a way to get him increased snaps, so he might be used more inside at tackle, where his quickness could create some interesting matchup advantages. White is a "long" athlete, a guy who plays taller then he really is, and seems to understand key nuances such as leverage and technique. He has nine sacks in fairly limited playing time in three seasons and could approach that total this year alone if the Bucs get him on the field. • The Chicago Bears defense, which ranked second in the NFL in 2005, has a chance to be a pretty good unit for a few more years. Nine of the 11 starters are signed through 2007, and seven are under contract through 2008. The two pending unrestricted free agents for next spring are Pro Bowl weakside linebacker Lance Briggs and underrated tackle Ian Scott. Perhaps the most notable potential defection Chicago officials might have to fret about is that of Ron Rivera. The defensive coordinator was a candidate for three head coach openings after the 2005 season and will continue to draw notice. • Stat of the week: The adage that teams "run to win" in the NFL might hold true, but they certainly don't run to win Super Bowl titles. Since the league adopted the 12-team playoff format in 1990, no franchise that led the NFL in rushing yards during the regular season has captured a Super Bowl championship. The Buffalo Bills, who led the NFL in rushing in 1991 and 1992, are the only rushing champions since 1990 to advance to a Super Bowl in that stretch. Three times since 1990, the NFL's top rushing team failed to even qualify for postseason play. • The last word: "We are getting ready to install the wishbone [formation]." -- starting quarterback Billy Volek, reacting to the pronouncement by coach Jeff Fisher that the Tennessee Titans intend to be a run-first offense in 2006.

[Hache Man]

NFL Rumor Central: Seau not ready to call it quits

Other Rumors: MLB | NBA

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Sunday, July 9
WHO	INTERESTED	THE SKINNY
Junior Seau Dolphins	Raiders?	Seau not ready to call it quits Released by the Miami Dolphins this spring, after injuries limited him to only 15 appearances in the past two seasons combined, Seau apparently wants to try to squeeze one more year out of a career that likely will land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports. There have been unsubstantiated reports that Seau or his representative spoke with Oakland Raiders officials.

[Hache Man]

Updated: July 10, 2006

Whispers from around the NFL



Pro Football Weekly

• RB Willis McGahee wouldn't reveal his weight, but he looked noticeably slimmer and more toned at the Bills' June minicamp than he was at the end of last season. Word is McGahee believes that carrying less weight will bring back some of the explosiveness he lacked last season. • Sources close to the Raiders indicate that WR Jerry Porter isn't the happiest camper with the way new head coach Art Shell has pushed for more discipline. Sources cite the sometimes tenuous relationship Porter had with Jon Gruden, who, like Shell, was more heavy-handed than Bill Callahan or Norv Turner. The Raiders have dangled Porter as trade bait in the past, so it wouldn't come as a complete surprise for Oakland to shop him if things don't go well early on. • Sources say Broncos QB Jake Plummer has been sharp throughout summer workouts and appears to be as confident as ever despite Jay Cutler looking over his shoulder. Though the real bullets have yet to start flying, we're hearing that Cutler looks like the real deal to this point. • Our sources in New Orleans tell us that newly acquired WR Bethel Johnson and underachieving third-year WR Devery Henderson will compete in training camp for the No. 3 WR role behind Joe Horn and Donte' Stallworth. We hear that the loser of the competition likely will be traded or released because the Saints are only going to keep one deep threat on the roster. Fred Taylor Running back Jacksonville Jaguars Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Att Yds Avg Long TD 194 787 4.1 71 3 • Jaguars RB Fred Taylor has somewhat smoothed over his disagreement with team management by keeping his word to participate in mandatory workouts. He chose to skip the offseason conditioning program to work out on his own in South Florida against the advice of head coach Jack Del Rio. Taylor has been injured in training camp two of the past three years, and the Jaguars wanted to keep a close watch on the training habits of their offensive cornerstone. In 2005, Taylor failed to rush for 800 yards for the first time in any season in which he had 10 starts, and he had just one carry of more than 20 yards. • Vikings C Matt Birk is right on schedule in his recovery from hip surgery that cost him the 2005 season. Birk did participate in the offseason program without recurrence of pain or discomfort in his hip or abdomen. The team expects him to further solidify a new-look offensive line charged with paving the way for the Vikings' new ball-control West Coast offense. • Sources in Jacksonville say the 2006 season is extremely critical for QB Byron Leftwich, who'll be in line for a new contract in the next two years. Leftwich has missed seven of the last 24 regular-season games because of injuries and could take the blame if the passing game falters without Jimmy Smith. Leftwich consistently missed the mark at a recent minicamp but said he wasn't worried about his accuracy or timing with his new starting receivers, Matt Jones and Reggie Williams. • Despite signing free agent Nick Greisen and drafting Clint Ingram to replace OLB Akin Ayodele, we're told the Jaguars will open training camp with Pat Thomas as the first-string strongside linebacker. • Several players with ties to Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz are moving their way up the depth chart. ORT Rex Tucker supplanted last year's starter (Kelly Butler) in minicamp, and RB Arlen Harris, a solid receiver with good speed, has ascended to No. 2 behind starter Kevin Jones. A third ex-Ram, WR Mike Furrey, remains very much in the mix for a reserve WR spot. • The Colts closed their "summer school" practices to the media for the first time in years, leading to rumor and debate about what kind of experiments the team might have tried with the doors closed. One that might be revisited is moving CB Marlin Jackson to free safety. If FS Mike Doss falters, or a third cornerback emerges behind Nick Harper and Jason David, Jackson could get the call inside. • Don't expect the Colts to be as reliant on the running game early this season as they were last year. Without Edgerrin James, offensive coordinator Tom Moore will anchor the team with a spread formation, using multiple receivers to protect Peyton Manning and create wide running lanes for RBs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. Mewelde Moore Running back Minnesota Vikings Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Att Yds Avg Long TD 155 662 4.3 33 1 • The door isn't wide open for Vikings RB Ciatrick Fason to steal work from Mewelde Moore as the backup to Chester Taylor, but Moore hasn't slammed it shut to date. Still bothered by a wrist injury, Moore must answer the same question he faced from the Mike Tice regime: Can he stay healthy? He appeared to be coming around at the most recent minicamp. If Moore doesn't stay healthy, Fason is one of several backs head coach Brad Childress said he's confident will pick up the slack. • We're told the Bears don't expect much of a QB controversy between Rex Grossman and Brian Griese. Grossman has the full backing of the coaching staff, but his injury history necessitated the Griese signing. • With Jets C Trey Teague on crutches with a reported ankle injury, rookie C Nick Mangold has been inserted into the starting lineup. Word is, Teague may be out for a significant amount of time. • Word from South Florida is that the Dolphins are satisfied, for the time being, with their current crop of nose tackles and will only look to add a player like veteran free agent Dan Wilkinson later in training camp if rookie Fred Evans, second-year player Manny Wright and aging veteran Keith Traylor aren't getting the job done. • Word out of Atlanta is the Falcons no longer plan to trade backup RB T.J. Duckett before training camp begins. But we hear if rookie Jerious Norwood has an outstanding camp, he could take carries away from Duckett and even starter Warrick Dunn, and in the process, put Duckett back on the trading block. • Our Falcons sources tell us starting DE Patrick Kerney, FB Justin Griffith and backup WLB Demorrio Williams should be receiving contract extensions in the next few months. All three players are in the final year of their current deals. • We're told there is still no progress on a potential contract extension for Buccaneers CB Ronde Barber. Barber, who is entering the final year of his contract, has said he would like to have a new deal in place by the start of training camp, but we hear GM Bruce Allen won't even return his agent's phone calls. • Panthers offensive coordinator Dan Henning told PFW why Carolina was so aggressive in signing former Titans C Justin Hartwig to replace veteran Jeff Mitchell: "Justin Hartwig is a younger, stronger guy than we've had there. … We felt like we needed to get better. Back 10-11 years ago, the philosophy emerged that when you need a player at a specific position, you get one in free agency and don't wait for the crapshoot of the draft and then wait for the maturity of a player you don't know about until you are into the season. We take that approach." • The Saints have reshuffled the deck at safety, and we hear last season's Week 1 starters -- FS Dwight Smith and SS Jay Bellamy -- will both enter training camp working with the second unit. FS Josh Bullocks, who started 13 games as a rookie last year in place of an injured Bellamy, and free-agent acquisition Omar Stoutmire are penciled in as the starters. We also hear Smith, who was on the trading block earlier in the offseason, is no longer being shopped around because the new coaching staff has been impressed with how he handled his demotion. • With 2005 third-round draft pick Richie Incognito looking impressive in the Rams' last full-squad minicamp and '05 fourth-round pick Claude Terrell still looking chunkier than the Rams would like, we hear Incognito could have a decent shot at replacing Terrell as the team's starting left guard. After missing his rookie season with a kneecap injury, Incognito's mobility and strength drew high marks at the last minicamp, but the fact the Nebraska product hasn't played an actual game since the fall of '03 is a bit worrisome. Jerametrius Butler Cornerback St. Louis Rams Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Tot Solo Ast Sack FF Int 78 75 3 0 0 5 • The hamstring that Rams CB Jerametrius Butler tweaked a couple of weeks before the team's last minicamp could be considered a significant setback, especially taking into account how much 2006 first-round pick Tye Hill appeared to improve from the previous minicamp. Conversely, we hear CB Travis Fisher, who, like Butler, was plagued by injuries last season, looked very good in the last minicamp. • Although new Rams VP of player personnel Tony Softli will oversee both the Rams' pro and college scouting departments, which will be headed by holdovers Charley Armey and Lawrence McCutcheon, respectively, we're told the former head of college scouting for the Panthers still must answer to both head coach Scott Linehan and president of football operations Jay Zygmunt. In addition, the new setup is definitely a demotion for Armey, who just turned 67 and wasn't interested in setting up shop elsewhere at this stage in his career. • The Cardinals still have some interest in free-agent CB Ty Law, but after spending a fortune on RB Edgerrin James earlier this offseason, it would have to be at a price that's likely to be significantly less than what Law continues to be after. • Keep a close eye on Cardinals second-year S Aaron Francisco, who we hear has put on decent weight and is being groomed to replace current FS Robert Griffith as early as next season. Our sources tell us the Cardinals believe they can probably get by with the aging Griffith in a starting role for one more season. • We hear the Niners have been impressed enough with free-agent addition Walt Harris to consider him the starting left corner over Mike Rumph heading into training camp. The Niners also consider FS Mike Adams to be much improved from last year and no longer think of him as a backup playing a starter's role. • Word is, the Niners were upset that backup QB Cody Pickett decided not to play in NFL Europe this season. There's talk of moving the athletic Pickett to the team's motion-fullback position, which could enable him to salvage a roster spot. • Our Seahawks sources tell us the team was impressed with the way 2005 first-round pick Chris Spencer, who up to now has been backing up veteran Robbie Tobeck at center, performed when pressed into duty at right guard in the last minicamp. On the downside, the team is somewhat worried about the condition of top OLG candidate Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack, who was bothered during the minicamp by sore triceps. • The Raiders would love to add a running back for depth behind LaMont Jordan and may look to the early round of training-camp cuts for just such a candidate. Justin Fargas, No. 2 on the depth chart, is considered little more than a special-teams guy, and part-time FB Zack Crockett, while reliable in the past, is not someone you want to hand your offense over to. • Word out of Oakland is that the development of rookie LBs Thomas Howard and Darnell Bing could ultimately determine how many three- or four-LB looks the Raiders use this season. The Raiders are believed to be at least mildly interested in the services of Junior Seau because they'd like to add a veteran presence defensively. • The player who most took advantage of Chiefs DE Eric Hicks being limited in minicamps while recovering from shoulder surgery was first-round pick Tamba Hali, who displayed a quick first step and the ability to sense throwing lanes and knock down passes at the line of scrimmage. • At first glance, the inexperienced Ronnie Cruz stepping in at fullback for the departed Tony Richardson would seem to be an issue in Kansas City, but it should be noted that Richardson's role had diminished with age and the Chiefs have utilized more two-TE, single-back sets recently. • Massive TE Brandon Manumaleuna may have been acquired by the Chargers more for blocking purposes, but it's his soft hands that have caught the eye of new QB Philip Rivers and the coaching staff. • Ravens QB Steve McNair showed consistent improvement throughout his first minicamp in Baltimore. The way we hear it, McNair and WR Derrick Mason picked up right where they left off from their time together in Tennessee, and their exceptional chemistry was apparent. • A source familiar with the Steelers' decision-making process says character is weighed heavily in the draft process, which makes WR Santonio Holmes' recent off-field problems that much more surprising. The way we hear it, there is concern that Holmes might have trouble maintaining focus, given his offseason and that he'll soon be signing his rookie contract. • Some Texans observers don't share the team's optimism about RB Domanick Davis being ready for the start of training camp as he recovers from the effects of knee surgery. • Of the Browns' rookies, there's a feeling RB Jerome Harrison is most ready to contribute, likely on third downs. • Expect the Browns to split out TE Kellen Winslow at wide receiver at times, particularly if Braylon Edwards misses the start of the season. • Don't count out Erik Meyer, an undrafted free agent, in the competition to be Cincinnati's No. 3 quarterback. Word is that Meyer has caught the eye of QBs coach Ken Zampese. • Though Titans WR Bobby Wade struggled famously as a punt returner in Chicago with the swirling winds in Soldier Field, he might start the season with that duty. Though the WR position is crowded in Tennessee, expect Wade to make the roster -- the coaches appear to like him a great deal. • It appears the Titans are slipping out of the Ty Law running, but that doesn't mean they aren't looking for a cornerback. If a veteran comes available before or during training camp, don't be surprised if they make a big push. • New Redskins offensive coordinator Al Saunders gushed about backup RB Ladell Betts in the team's final minicamp, and Saunders pledges to find more ways to get both Betts and Clinton Portis on the field at the same time. Expect Betts to be used more as a receiver and keep his job as kick returner. • Though he was beaten out for the Rams' VP of player personnel job by Tony Softli, Cowboys chief college scout Tom Ciskowski is considered a rising star and legitimate GM candidate in the near future. • Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter, who is coming off his third season-ending knee injury in five years, likely won't be ready for the start of camp and faces long odds to make the roster despite being a personal favorite of the coaching staff. • There's a chance that both Rob Johnson and Jared Lorenzen could beat out Tim Hasselbeck for the Giants' backup QB job. Johnson must prove he has shed the rust from a two-year layoff, but Lorenzen has impressed the staff with his throwing this offseason. • With the Cowboys phasing the fullback out of the offense, Lousaka Polite -- who got most of the work there last season -- is fighting for his roster life. He has been working at running back and tight end, but both positions are crowded.