Golden Bears in the Pros: NFL Preseason Thread

LINK

It was unusual to see Joe Thomas absent from the field this morning. No worries for our star left tackle though — apparently he received a non-transferable “day off from practice” card for exceptional work in offseason conditioning programs. Thomas cashed in this morning. It actually gave Mangini the opportunity to move some players around for experience purposes. Eric Steinbach worked at left tackle while Alex Mack worked at left guard and Hank Fraley worked at center for the first team.

LINK

Slowly Progressing? Rapid Reports suggests that the number of mistakes in practice are starting to go down for first-round center Alex Mack. Either way, Hank Fraley looks to be a roster lock at this point.

LINK

Heading into the dress-rehearsal game Saturday night against Tennessee at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Browns are still deciding between 2009 first-round pick Alex Mack and incumbent Hank Fraley at center. Fraley started in Green Bay and alternated series with Mack, and it was vice versa against Detroit.

Question is, will the rookie – and 21st overall pick – be ready for full-time duty come Sept. 13 against the Vikings?

“We’ll see,” coach Eric Mangini said. “I thought we saw some good steps from [Mack] the second game, not that he played poorly in the first game, but some things that, maybe some of the finer points, we started seeing a little bit this past game, which was nice.”

Mangini is also encouraged that Mack is running far fewer penalty laps now than he did the first few weeks of camp. “He’s a well-conditioned athlete right now,” Mangini joked.

Saturday night’s game – against a Titans defense that surrendered the second-fewest points in the NFL last season – may determine if Mack can handle the starting job.

“Every game has been a big game,” said Mack. “We have two more weeks before the first game, so it just comes down to getting better every day. That’s all I’m really concerned about. I think the coaches are smart and they’ll use whoever they need to win games.”

Despite not having injured nose tackle Shaun Rogers to go up against the past few weeks, Mack appears to have made great strides since the start of camp.

“I think it’s gone pretty well,” Mack said. “I think I got better over the whole course of the thing. Luckily I’ve come through it without being hurt or anything. I’m better than I was when I entered, so that’s kind of the thing that you look for.”

Fraley, the Browns’ starting center the past three seasons and a 10th-year pro, has been instrumental in helping Mack learn the game. Fraley’s also worked at both guard spots.

NICE! Very good…

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation/0-10-290/Aaron-Rodgers-and-the-value-of-experience.html

As Cutler works to learn the nuances of his receivers and Favre attempts to learn the names of his, Rodgers quietly has taken his development to the highest levels. He has a 142.3 preseason passer rating, having converted three of his 19 passes for touchdowns. But more importantly, Rodgers has proved to be a case study in the benefits of knowing your receivers.

Both of his touchdown passes to receiver Donald Driver, for instance, required adjustments that wouldn’t have occurred if Rodgers didn’t know how Driver would react to the coverage and situation.

Rodgers: “The communication has been definitely the best that it’s been the past two years that I’ve been playing. Just come off on the sidelines, and Greg [Jennings] coming over, Donald coming over, and having some real good dialogue about what they’re seeing out there. Just the confidence that they have in myself, and the confidence I have in them when they tell me, ‘Hey, I saw this out there. If we come back to this play, think about this.’ It just gives you the confidence that we’re on the same page. I think we’re getting real close.”

Hat-tip, HolmoePhobe.

LINK

How special? “I think he might be one of the two or three best quarterbacks under 30, and there are some good ones in that group,” the executive said. “I’d take him before [Jay] Cutler, who went to a Pro Bowl last year. Give him another season and I might even take him before Eli [Manning]. And that’s a 100-million-dollar guy with a [Super Bowl] ring – good company.” That’s a rapid ascent for a player who is only heading into his second starting campaign. However, Rodgers has wasted no time refining his game and defining his image, something that might be even more impressive considering it comes in the NFL cradle of Green Bay. What was once a fiefdom lorded over solely by his predecessor, Brett Favre(notes), Rodgers has finally gained the embrace of the community and fan base. That might only make this preseason even sweeter, with Favre’s moniker dangerously close to becoming “He Who Shall Not Be Named If He Plays In Minnesota.”

Here’s a snippet. Click the link for the rest. Thanks Hydro!

KD: Do you come back to Berkeley at all?

AR: I was back this spring actually for a charity event in San Francisco … I stopped by Cal the next day and saw some of the guys. I’m buddies with Kevin Riley so I saw Kevin.

I dropped by the facility for a little bit. I actually got yelled at. They were finally able to do that project there (Renovating Memorial Stadium and constructing the Student-Athlete High Performance Center), and I haven’t been back in like a year, so I went to the gate I’ve always gone in, and this guy just was giving me the business. Calling me every dirty name in the book. ‘Get out of my work site, where’s your hard hat?’ And I’m like, ’I’m just trying to get into the football office.’ And the guy was not happy. Needless to say, it wasn’t a great reunion back at Cal but once I got inside, things were good.

Video highlights of Rodgers vs Arizona

LINK

Rodgers finished 14-of-19 to improve to 28-of-37 in the pre-season for 458 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. Green Bay has outscored its opponents 76-10 in the first half of the three pre-season contests.

LINK

As the season approaches, with just over a week until the opener, teams must now make some difficult decisions about players’ futures. As the Chargers are stacked most everywhere there were precious few open spots so undrafted free agent linebacker Anthony Felder was the lone soul let go.

Against a Beaver, no less.

Newton, in his third year out of Oregon State, caught a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Seneca Wallace in third quarter of the team’s 27-13 victory.

Newton is competing with rookie Cameron Morrah for the third tight end spot. Morrah caught one pass for seven yards. Newton finished with two catches for 10 yards.

Sigh.

Cameron Morrah: Morrah is a player who also appears destined for the practice squad. Drafted late in the seventh round, he probably could’ve benefited from an additional year in college. He definitely has the potential to be a threat at tight end, but so far, he has appeared clueless and lost on the field. Morrah has yet to prove himself a playmaker as he falls further behind Joe Newton on the depth chart.

Desean hyperextends his right knee.

Jackson fell awkwardly Saturday after getting tangled up with cornerback Asante Samuel during a full-squad drill.

The second-year pro walked the length of the field with head trainer Rick Burkholder before being carted to the locker room. Jackson was able to put weight on his leg after practice, but the knee was heavily wrapped.

Hat-tip, HolmoePhobe.

Second-year receiver DeSean Jackson has been dominant in camp.
…
Right now, though, it’s Jackson who’s drawing the most attention in camp. He’s so quick off the line that no one can get a jam on him.

Hat-tip, Bleeding Green Nation.

I’m a big Desean fan now. He seems to really have grown up. In fact the way he has handled himself in Philly really makes me wonder about the way the coaching staff handled him at Cal. He seems like a genuinely good person determined to succeed on the football field. I still have to wonder ‘what if’ Rodgers and Jackson have played together. Both would have gone number 1 overall. That’s no joke…

LINK

Jackson was asked yesterday about perceptions and proving people wrong, which always seems to be the great motivator in sports.

“People have their opinions on certain things. That’s something I can’t control,” Jackson said. “I’m very comfortable and confident in my work ethic.”

The most entertaining thing in camp has been Jackson’s back-and-forth with cornerback Asante Samuel, often matched against him in drills.

“The biggest thing about me and Asante is, we have a great friendship,” Jackson said. “Before coming out on this field, we hang out, we chill, we have a great time . . . He’s a great corner and I’m a great receiver, so we just get out there and go at it, just have a great time doing it. We’re out here in 90-degree [heat and] humidity. We got to have fun someway, somehow. That’s all it is, just talking mess with each other. He’s one of those corners that does a lot of yapping out there, so any way that I can shut him up, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Preseason recap of game 2.

DeSean Jackson- As the first quarter was winding down, the play we had all been waiting for finally happened. Jackson streaked past two Colts defenders, caught a 39-yard pass from Donovan McNabb and breezed into the endzone for a touchdown. The young receiver’s blazing speed will continue to be a major asset for him as he continues to develop and mature. Jackson finished the night with two catches for 46 yards.

LINK

Carolina signed Kelvin Smith on Friday and released long-snapper Nick Sundberg. The move comes with Thomas Davis sidelined with a sprained right knee and Jon Beason out with a sore left hamstring.

Smith was drafted by Miami in the seventh round in 2007. He played in four games as a rookie before spending last season on injured reserve with a knee injury. Smith was waived last week by the New York Giants.

Sundberg is an undrafted rookie who fell behind J.J. Jansen in the competition for Carolina’s long-snapping position.

Nnamdi is the greatest.

Asomugha is still being bothered by a sore heel, the San Jose Mercury News reports. (Aug 20)

Hat-tip, danzig.

Asomugha’s left wrist is fractured and has cartilage damage, but he will not miss the Sept. 14 season opener against the Chargers.

He will resume practicing next week with a soft cast and hopes to ditch the protective gear by game day.

“I’ll play in the opener, no problem,” Asomugha said after an ESPN report said he’d be out two weeks. “This isn’t that bad.”

Asomugha won’t play in Thursday’s final exhibition game at Seattle. But then, as a starter, he was barely going to play anyway. He was injured on the second play of Saturday’s 45-7 loss to the Saints.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/02/SP7719H35R.DTL#ixzz0PyoqBfOX

LINK

The Denver Broncos on Monday acquired defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith from the New England Patriots in a trade that included undisclosed draft choices, it was announced.

The club also on Monday signed free-agent running back Marcus Thigpen and waived defensive lineman Rulon Davis along with guard Pat Murray.

Is he already a fan favorite?

With as many double TE sets the Bears incorporate there really isn’t a need to carry more than one FB. I think Davis will be the one left unemployed, with the Bears tyring to get Ta’ufo’ou on the practice squad. I wonder if after his one preseason game, has Will Ta’ufo’ou reached the legendary status of Mike Hass yet?

LINK

http://www.freep.com/article/20090830/SPORTS01/908300461/1049/SPORTS01/Recap—Lions-18—Colts-17

Special-teams highlights: Two rookies shined. Aaron Brown returned a kickoff 29 yards in the first quarter, and linebacker Zack Follett made good on his big-hit reputation when he laid the wood on Taj Smith’s kickoff return.

LINK

Colin Cole might not be the abject liability I feared he would be. With Brandon Mebane drawing attention, teams have had less opportunity to tee of on Cole. Good offensive lines, lines that can single block Mebane, or lines that can single block Cole but match him against a good drive blocker, are going to own Cole.

LINK

As a blocking tight end for the Tennessee Titans, Craig Stevens’ work often goes unnoticed except maybe on a coaches tape.

But in Wednesday afternoon’s practice, Stevens was noticed plenty, getting into four different scraps on the practice field against three different players.

At first, it was defensive end Dave Ball and Stevens who got into a shoving match and would not let go of each other during team drills.

Shortly thereafter, linebacker Stanford Keglar scuffled with Stevens, a second-year tight end from California at the end of a pitch play around the end.

And finally, there was Stevens mixing it up with defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch on consecutive plays late in practice, with Vanden Bosch punching Stevens toward the end of the fracas. At that point, Titans coach Jeff Fisher intervened and told the players to cut out the extracurricular activities.

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2009/8/15/990291/what-others-be-sayin-vikings-13

4. I thought Dante Hughes looked good. Not used to typing that sentence.

That’s a sick picture.

Who the F said he hasn’t shown promise? How old is that? He is the rage of the town these days. While Coach McCarthy is backpedaling on the issue, many are calling for him to start. No wonder with AJ Hawk, a high paid disappointment in the starting slot, and Nick Barnett coming back from injury. Bishop is better than both IMO.

http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2009/8/21/997159/thursday-practices-matthews-vs

LB Desmond Bishop has been one of the stars in training camp. Something was bothering him during practice, but apparently it was nothing serious.

LINK

Does Bishop, who has been a backup during his first two NFL seasons, have a chance to crack the Packers’ starting lineup?

No one, including Bishop, has the answer. When asked this week if he deserves to start, Bishop responded with a question of his own: "I don’t know, everybody keeps asking me that, like, what do you think?"

I think Bishop, a lightly regarded sixth-round draft choice out of California in 2007, has been such a consistent playmaker that the Packers must find a way to keep him on the field.

Thanks Twist. LINK

    The temptation is to say this is Justin Forsett’s time to shine, to open eyes, to prove his worth to the Seahawks’ coaching staff as preseason games begin Saturday in San Diego.

But Forsett is looking beyond the exhibition season this year, beyond training camp, beyond the practice games where he made his mark last year as a rookie out of Cal.

Forsett doesn’t want to just build a reputation as a speedy little running back who can rack up yards when it doesn’t count, but isn’t big enough to lean on when the NFL regular-season begins.

At 5-foot-8, he is short in stature. But don’t make the mistake of thinking Forsett is a little guy. At 198 pounds, he packs some punch.

Esp. with the signing of Edge: http://www.fieldgulls.com/2009/8/24/1000862/seattle-seahawks-sign-edgerrin

Seattle fans should take this for what it is. At best, James gives Seattle some starting depth behind Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett. Justin Forsett is a third-down back and Devin Moore is unlikely to make the roster. Seattle is thin at starting running back because it employs two starting running backs, but has only one player to back up both.

Forsett keeps on making plays.

Justin Forsett is too small to play in the NFL.

I mean, look at him. He’s 5 feet 8. Weighs maybe 185 pounds. When he runs behind his offensive line, he looks like a citizen of Lilliput from “Gulliver’s Travels.”

He’s too small for the big time.

The thing is, too-little Justin Forsett keeps making plays. In his second season, he keeps doing things that defy the league’s logic. He does enough to make the right people think there is a place for him.

“Hey, in the year 2009, 5-8 is the new 6-4,” Forsett said as he stood grinning in front of his locker after the Seahawks’ Saturday exhibition win over Denver. “I’m fine with being 5-8.”

In Saturday’s second quarter, on the go-ahead drive, he was the featured performer. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck converted three third downs and one fourth down in the beat-the-clock, 80-yard, 14-play drive.

On a third-and-three, Forsett took a screen pass 30 yards. On a third-and-10, inside the red zone, he ran another screen for 11 yards to the Broncos’ 2-yard line.

LINK

Justin Forsett rushed seven times for 18 yards and added seven receptions for 58 yards against the Broncos Saturday.

Neither Forsett nor T.J. Duckett were successful on the ground, but Forsett made his presence felt in the passing game. The Seahawks have talked up a committee attack, and Forsett has the best third-down/change-of-pace skill-set on the roster

Kill the bad habits!

Then it was Young’s turn. His first throw was behind White and his second was intercepted when it appeared intended target Lavelle Hawkins ran the wrong route.

“I told Vince that was my bad,‘’ Hawkins said. "It was a miscommunication by me. I feel bad, and put that in the paper. That wasn’t Vince. That was my bad.’’

LINK

What’s your profession after football?
"Working with kids. I love kids and I’d like to give back.’’

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090825/SPORTS01/908250354/2072/SPORTS

Lavelle Hawkins and Paul Williams, along with rookie Dominique Edison, should get additional opportunities as well. Chris Davis, who had missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, was waived Monday.

Just another day’s work for the Hawk.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins needs a breakout game to solidify himself as the team’s fourth receiver, but the Edison High graduate may have secured his place on the roster simply by staying out of jail last week.

Chris Davis missed the Titans’ preseason game against the Cowboys because of a hamstring injury and was arrested for driving under the influence while the team was in Dallas.

Hawkins, a second-year pro out of Cal, was battling Davis and Paul Williams for two roster spots behind Nate Washington, Justin Gage and Kenny Britt. The Titans released Davis on Monday. Washington will miss the rest of the preseason with a hamstring injury, which should give Hawkins additional opportunities after recording two catches for 22 yards in the first two preseason games. The Titans will visit Cleveland on Saturday.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/coleman-assumes-112596.html

Erik Coleman, the Falcons’ top returning tackler, has been moved over to Lawyer Milloy’s old strong safety spot on the defensive unit.

Thomas DeCoud, the second-year safety, is being groomed to assume Coleman’s old free safety spot.

The amount of research and time you put into this is really impressive. It’s great to be able to get all these updates in one place. Rec’d!

Just got smacked in the backfield. He’s probably done for tonight.

thanks for this link!!

Fake statue of liberty punt for a TD. Trent Edwards getting picked after Levitre (the Oregon State rookie O-lineman) got manhandled by a backup DL, kept Edwards from throwing the ball. Marshawn getting creamed.

Pretty much the only attraction left is seeing if Stevens and Hawk get touches.

But yeah, thanks as always man.

The other elitist school—Harvard.

Haha, dude, it’s the Hall of Fame game!

Knocked one guy over on the way down!

Yeah, that was a great pass!

Also, I didn’t know the Titans drafted Javon Ringer! It’ll be interesting to see what he can do tonight.

Practice squad at best, esp. with Jackson and Rhodes in front of him.

Xavier Omon
Last year’s sixth-round pick was a highly productive Division II running back, but failed to make any sort of impact in limited playing time last season. With Rhodes on board, Omon has an uphill climb to make the roster, even if Buffalo’s coaching staff likes his upside. He might get a look at fullback.

Just got rung up.

I don’t remember – he didn’t run very far against us!

Zing!!

Must be the Big 10 effect.

What do you think about Hester not returning punts anymore?

Not a great pass, but yes, definitely a nice jump on the route as well.

Yesterdays DBD??

bastard, i was right about to post this