- YARDBARKER (via NO GUTS, NO GLORY) notes that it was a tough first night in jail for former Giants’ receiver Plaxico Burress. Apparently one of the other inmates yelled out, “The Giants suck!” Inmates, they have no regard for anyone’s feelings…

- DRAFT ZOO highlights the Week 4 games to watch in college football, while also breaking down the keys to victory for certain teams.

- UNCOACHED noticed that the University of Tennessee dance team likes to party.

- REAL CLEAR SPORTS lists the top 10 surprises of the 2009 MLB season.

- THE BLEACHER REPORT writes that in the race for quarterback supremacy, the NFC is closing in fast with signal callers like Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Jay Cutler and Matt Ryan.

Around this time last year, I compiled a top 10 list of Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates and ranked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan No. 1. He went on to throw for 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns and led Atlanta to a remarkable playoff appearance, all while making me look like some kind of OROY-predicting genius.

Of course, I also listed Titans running back Chris Johnson at No. 7 behind less-productive names like Darren McFadden (No. 4), Kevin Smith (No. 5) and Rashard Mendenhall (No. 6), hence making me look like some kind of OROY-predicting moron.

To see my top 10 ranking from last year, click here. And for my top 10 ranking of the offensive rookie of the year candidates for this season, see below.

1. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos
While the knee injury he suffered in Denver’s preseason opener is a concern, Moreno is expected to be ready for Week 1 and will be given every opportunity to shine in ’09. Granted, he’s stuck in a crowded backfield and could be eased into the season after hurting his knee, but he has the potential to be an every-down back at some point this year. He was the most complete back in April’s draft, has outstanding vision and should get plenty of opportunities to make plays in Josh McDaniels’ shotgun-heavy offense. He’ll also benefit from running behind the Broncos’ stellar O-line. Expecting him to put up rushing numbers similar to those of Chris Johnson (1,228 rushing yards) last year might be a little ambitious. But if Moreno stays healthy, a 400-plus yard receiving season in McDaniels’ system is certainly doable.

2. Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings
The Vikings’ coaching staff has raved about Harvin’s potential so much so that it’s hard not to buy into the hype. Receivers usually don’t make much of an impact until their second or third years, but it’s hard to ignore all of the glowing reports coming out of Vikings’ camp these days. Harvin is quick off the ball, can stretch a defense will his speed and is dangerous in the open field. Head coach Brad Childress has reportedly been working on finding ways to get Harvin the ball in his offense and Minnesota seemingly wants to give the rookie wideout as many opportunities as possible. That said, he’s on the smaller side and was held out of the Vikings’ preseason opener due to a shoulder injury (which is not considered to be serious). Will durability be a concern? If not, he appears to be the popular choice to emerge as this year’s OROY.

3. Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets
We should know more about whether or not Sanchez will have the opportunity to start this season after the Jets take on the Ravens tonight in their second preseason game. But all indications are that he’s the favorite to beat out Kellen Clemens after his impressive preseason debut in which he completed 3-of-4 passes for 88 yards against the Rams. Granted, he’s reportedly struggled in scrimmages since that series against St. Louis, but has no less turned heads since the Jets drafted him with the fifth overall pick in April. There were concerns about whether or not he had enough collegiate experience to start as a rookie in the NFL, but he’s made strides as a passer all summer and has showed more arm strength and accuracy than Clemens. Considering the Jets have one of the better O-lines in the league and have surrounded him with quality backs, Sanchez could have a Matt Ryan-type rookie season. Then again, Ryan had Roddy White to throw to and while he has always been an underrated and highly productive receiver, nobody is going to confuse Jerricho Cotchery (the Jets’ No. 1 wideout) for White.

4. LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles
I struggled on whether or not to list “Beanie” ahead of “Shady,” but I ultimately went with McCoy given that the Eagles have a better O-line and Wells can’t seem to stay healthy. McCoy will get plenty of opportunities to be a playmaker in Philadelphia’s offense and there’s always a chance that Brian Westbrook will miss time throughout the season. McCoy has tremendous playmaking ability, is shifty, and is gaining valuable experience with Westbrook sidelined with knee and ankle injuries. But what has impressed his coaches and teammates the most so far has been his toughness and blitz-pick up ability. One of the knocks on him coming out of PITT was that he might not be able to survive running in between the tackles in the NFL. But so far, he is dispelling that notion and has been awfully impressive.

5. Chris Wells, RB, Cardinals
“Beanie” is certainly behind the 8-ball compared to his fellow OROY candidates. He has been in and out of practice virtually all camp and continues to battle an ankle injury. That said, he first reported to camp in early August weighing 22 pounds lighter than his draft-day weight and when he’s healthy, he can be the complete package as a runner. Granted, he doesn’t have much experience playing on third down and therefore isn’t much of a pass-catching threat. But he’s a bulldozer with 4.5-speed and is a terrific athlete. If he can get healthy and unseat starter Tim Hightower, Wells has a chance to surprise and win this year’s OROY.

6. Shonn Greene, RB, Jets
Greene’s situation in New York is kind of hard to figure out at this point, given the contract situations of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. If the Jets wind up re-signing Washington, then Jones could be traded and thus, Greene’s roll will expand. But if the team hangs on to all three backs, then obviously Greene’s carries will be limited and he may only receive looks in short-yardage situations. Still, he has reportedly been impressive in camp and could emerge as the Jets’ goal line back at some point this season.

7. Donald Brown, RB, Colts
The 2008 Division-I rushing leader has a chance to become a weapon in the Colts’ passing attack this season. So far in preseason, he’s showed off his quickness as both a runner and receiver, and Indy will certainly find ways to get him on the field as a rookie. That said, he’s at a disadvantage playing in the same backfield as Joseph Addai, who will likely remain the Colts’ top short-yardage back. So unless Brown racks up a ton of yards and scores through the air, he probably won’t post OROY-worthy numbers. Although, if Addai suffers an injury, Brown will become the primary back and then the sky is the limit.

8. Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions
After going 5-of-13 for 34 yards and an interception against the Browns, there’s a good chance that Stafford will lose his starting job to Daunte Culpepper. But that doesn’t mean he can’t bounce back with a solid effort in Detroit’s next two preseason games and redeem himself. Stafford looked comfortable and poised in the pocket in the Lions’ preseason opener against the Falcons, completing 7-of-14 passes for 114 yards and one touchdown. Chances are that the Lions will probably take it slow with Stafford and even if he does get the opportunity to start, the Lions won’t be good enough for him to win OROY. Still, crazier things have happened, which is why I ultimately decided to rank this year’s top overall pick.

9. Pat White, RB/QB, Dolphins
White has a tremendous learning curve coming from a “college offense” at West Virginia. He doesn’t figure to get on the field much as a passer, although that’s not to say he won’t have the opportunity to put the ball in the air. The Dolphins are installing a “Pat Package” in which they will try and take advantage of White’s running and passing abilities. He’ll get some opportunities to make plays in the Wildcat formation, although it’s unclear at this point how many opportunities he’ll inevitably get. If Ronnie Brown is more productive in that role, than White’s chances to play will be limited. That said, Miami didn’t take him in the second round so that he could hold a clipboard.

10. Glen Coffee, RB, 49ers
It’s kind of hard not to rank Coffee on this list after he rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries in the Niners’ preseason opener and then followed up that performance with a 16-carry, 129-yard effort in San Fran’s second preseason game. Thus far, the hard-running Coffee has shown great speed, good vision and excellent pass-blocking abilities. The only problem is that he has Frank Gore ahead of him on the depth chart, which will likely derail his bid to win OROY. Still, Coffee has been impressive so far and is playing his way into getting opportunities come the regular season.

Players like Matt Ryan, Chris Johnson and Joe Flacco have already pulled a seat up to the proverbially NFL dinner table after turning in solid rookie seasons. But which second-year players (who didn’t have great success in their rookie campaigns) are set for breakout seasons in 2009?

Here are 10 that jump out to me:

(Note: I consider players like Ryan, Johnson, Flacco, Jonathan Stewart, Matt Forte and Steve Slaton as already having breakout seasons, so you won’t find them on this list.)

In no particular order:

1. Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders
Justin Fargas is a favorite of head coach Tom Cable’s in Oakland, but the Raiders didn’t select McFadden with the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft not to take full advantage of his talents. Thus far this summer, the Raiders have lined McFadden up not only at running back, but also at receiver and even quarterback. With Cable calling the offensive plays this season, McFadden is set to see plenty of opportunities to excel in Oakland’s offense and as long as he can stay healthy (a turf toe injury slowed him down last season) the former top 5 pick could emerge as the Raiders’ most potent offensive weapon. The one part of his game that he’ll need to improve on, however, is his ability to run between the tackles. If he can’t, the hard-running Fargas will steal plenty of McFadden’s touches this season.

2. Leodis McKelvin, CB, Bills
McKelvin already broke onto the scene as a kick returner in 2009, racking up the most return yardage in the AFC with 1,468. But this is the year McKelvin could turn heads as a cornerback. After emerging as a playmaker down the stretch last season, the Bills decided to make McKelvin a starter opposite Terrence McGee for 2009. McKelvin received plenty of criticism for having poor ball skills while coming out of college, but anyone who watched Buffalo’s 54-31 romp of the Chiefs in Week 12 last season knows that he’s up for the challenge of playing DB in the NFL. In that game, McKelvin intercepted Tyler Thigpen twice, including on a 64-yard touchdown after reading what Thigpen wanted to do with the ball, jumping the slant route and getting underneath the receiver to make the pick. Now that he’s a starter and playing opposite McGee, McKelvin will have plenty of opportunities to show we can do in ’09.

3. Sedrick Ellis, DT, Saints
Ellis finished with four sacks, 30 tackles and four pass breakups in 13 games as a rookie last season, but he did so while having to learn both the three-technique, and the nose position. This summer, the Saints want Ellis to focus solely on the three-technique position, which would make him the primary interior pass-rusher on their defense. With him concentrating more on providing a push up the middle and less on occupying multiple offensive linemen in run defense, Ellis could double his sack output from a year ago and start to emerge as one of the better interior pass-rushers in the NFL.

4. Keith Rivers, LB, Bengals
If it weren’t for Hines Ward’ jaw-breaking crackback block in Week 7 of last season, Rivers wouldn’t be on this list because he was already having what appeared to be a breakout year as a rookie. Rivers has fully recovered from the jaw injury, as well as offseason arthroscopic ankle surgery, and could lead the Bengals in tackles this season if he stays healthy. He was one of the few bright spots on Cincinnati’s defense last season and with the addition of Roy Williams, Abram Elam, Tank Johnson, Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson this offseason, Rivers might be freed up to make plenty of plays in ’09.

5. Branden Albert, OT, Chiefs
After reporting to OTAs in March weighing a hefty 341 pounds, Albert quickly got into shape after new head coach Todd Haley cracked the whip on his left tackle. Albert is reportedly down to 305 pounds, which is the lightest he’s been since high school. Assuming his strength won’t be zapped due to the weight loss, Albert should excel by being in better shape and having more experienced than a year ago. While it’s tough to measure whether or not offensive linemen can have breakout seasons, maybe one sign that Albert is on his way to becoming a quality tackle is how well Larry Johnson and Matt Cassel fare this season. Personally, I think both players are in store for solid ’09 seasons and Albert will likely be a big reason why.

6. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Cardinals
This is an easy one; Rodgers-Cromartie was named a started in November last season and quickly made an impact by intercepting four passes in the final seven games of 2008 and two more in the playoffs. Given the opportunity to start for an entire 16-game season, DRC could easily amass 10 inceptions in his second season. He’s incredibly talented and is a gifted athlete. He also has enough ability to shadow the opposition’s number one receiver, as he did with the Falcons’ Roddy White and the Panthers’ Steve Smith in the postseason last year.

7. Kenny Phillips, S, Giants
After coming out of Miami early following a somewhat down junior season, a lot of teams passed on Phillips in the first round last year. The Giants snatched him with the No. 31 overall pick and while he didn’t set the stat sheet ablaze last season, he did show signs of why he was once considered a top 15 pick. Since last season, Phillips put on 16 pounds of muscle and is expected to start this year at one of the two safety positions. He’s physically gifted and certainly has enough tools to succeed in the NFL, so if he can prove that he can become a vocal leader in New York’s secondary, then Phillips could make a huge impact for the G-Men this season.

8. Donnie Avery, WR, Rams
Avery just suffered a stress facture in his foot and will be sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks. The injury certainly puts a damper on the start of his ’09 campaign, but that doesn’t mean he can’t recover to turn in a breakout season. He caught 53 receptions for 674 yards and three touchdowns last season and could explode in the Rams’ newly installed West Coast Offense. The injury, Marc Bulger’s lousy play and/or an inexperienced offensive line could hinder Avery’s breakout status. But he certainly has the speed and playmaking ability to build off the success he had last season.

9. Curtis Lofton, LB, Falcons
Some may label what Lofton did in 2008 as a breakout season considering he totaled 94 tackles and forced a fumble while starting 15 games for the Falcons as a rookie. But there’s reason to believe that he’ll make an even bigger impact in his second season, gain more national attention and thus, turn in a true “breakout” season. Lofton started in the middle of the Falcons’ defense last year, but was replaced in nickel situations because Atlanta was concerned about his pass coverage abilities. But Lofton shed eight pounds this offseason and is expected to be a three-down ‘backer this year. Considering the amount of opportunities he’ll have being on the field at all times, Lofton could become Atlanta’s team-leader in tackles and maybe even make his first Pro Bowl appearance.

10. Martellus Bennett, TE, Cowboys
Bennett has had a tumultuous offseason after receiving criticism for filming a profanity-laced YouTube video (which he was fined for), but his desire to become an Internet sensation shouldn’t sidetrack what he could do on the field this season. At 6’6”, 265 pounds, Bennett is so talented that the Cowboys are implementing more two tight end packages this season to take advantage of his playmaking ability. His development in the passing game could also be another reason why Dallas decided to cut T.O. in the offseason. While some don’t like his cockiness and feel that he lacks focus, there’s no denying Bennett’s talent.

Rick Reilly puts together a top 10 list of the best sporting events to see live and I couldn’t disagree more with his top 5.

5. Tour de France — Like trying to get to 20 Super Bowls in 23 days, but worth it. Pick a climbing stage, bring friends and a bike, ride the course in the morning before the race (you’re allowed), have lunch in a hamlet atop some exquisite Alp, watch the heart-skipping finish, have a bottle of Bordeaux, spend the night, bike down in the morning. Rinse and repeat.

4. North Carolina vs. Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium — Fans pulling the hair of Tar Heels players as they inbound the ball; students camping out for months in K-Ville for tix; the hilarious chants from the Crazies, who once yelled at Grant Hill’s parents, “One more kid!”; public school vs. private; an electricity that makes the Final Four and its corporate crowd seem like a three-day seminar on bunions.

3. Wimbledon — There’s nothing in America within a par-5 of it. It’s a Windsor Castle garden party with grunting. It’s queens and cobblers, cheek to cheek, over grounds so huge it would take you and your Toro a month to mow. It’s a phantasmagoria of color — greens and purples and yellows — and that’s just Bud Collins’ pants.

2. Kentucky Derby — My life’s aspiration was to be Damon Runyon, and the Derby is as close as I’ll get. With its wooden stands, elegant barns, men in seersucker suits and women in hats you could land an F-14 on, it’s 1927 everywhere you look. Don’t miss the fillies the day before in the Kentucky Oaks or the Barnstable Brown Gala or the awful race-day breakfast at Wagner’s Pharmacy, across from Gate 3. If you hear a tip there, book it, because everyone around you is a trainer, an owner or a groom.

1. Masters — Sneak into the clubhouse for the peach cobbler and steal into the Eisenhower Cabin, where some paintings are actually by Eisenhower. Do the par-3 tourney Wednesday and Arnie’s first tee shot Thursday; see the droop-shouldered cut players driving out Magnolia Lane Friday, Amen Corner Saturday and golf history Sunday. Because Augusta already has most of the money printed in America, it has not sold out an inch. There are no ads, just flowers. No luxury boxes, just $1.50 egg salad sandwiches. Timeless.

You know that friend that we all have? You know the one – the guy/girl that only likes things that are not in the mainstream? All of his or her favorite bands are underground and all the movies that he or she likes are ones that nobody else enjoyed because they, “just didn’t get it.” We’re okay with these friends, but we know damn well that the only reason they like certain things is because they’re not in the mainstream.

Yeah, that’s Reilly in this piece.

I’ve never been to the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Wimlbedon or Tour de France, so as far as I know they’re the most thrilling events of all-time to see live. But I’m more focused on Reilly here. Was he just trying to be different with this list? Is he trying to separate himself from other top 10 lists? Because I find it incredibly odd that he left out the main four (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL) out of his top 5.

If he did so just to be different, I find him more annoying than every before.

Here are the site’s top 3:

1. Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks in “Miracle”

2. Al Pacino as Tony D’Amato in “Any Given Sunday”

3. Gene Hackman as Norman Dale in “Hoosiers”

I love Russell’s speech in “Miracle” for the obvious reasons, but something about Pacino’s monologue in “Any Given Sunday” hits me hard every time I watch it. Maybe it’s because of the movie or because Pacino is one of the greatest actors to ever grace the big screen, but that “inches speech” is the best in my opinion. No actor can say the word “f**king” better than Pacino.

Training camp is still a month away but you don’t need daily reports from the grueling two-a-day sessions to see what players are going to have the heat turned up on them this season. I’ve complied a list of 10 players (in no particular order) who, not necessarily the same reasons, face make or break seasons in ’09.

1. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
If Romo doesn’t get the Cowboys to the playoffs in 2009 will Jerry Jones look for other options at quarterback in 2010? No. But if you read between the lines, the Cowboys jettisoned Terrell Owens this offseason so that Romo will have every opportunity to be the team’s most influential leader and hopefully go from being a great quarterback to one of the elite. While it might not technically be a make or break season for Romo, his career is certainly at a crossroads. Romo’s numbers last year were solid – 3,448 yards, 26 TDs, 91.4 QB Rating – but his play faded over the last month of the season and the Cowboys imploded. Since then, Romo’s work ethic, offseason dedication and leadership skills have been questioned and it appears as though the QB’s career has come to a fork in the road. If he continues on the path his currently on, he might put up decent numbers and lead the Cowboys to the playoffs a couple more times before his days are done. That’s certainly not bad, but Jones and the rest of the Cowboy faithful want Romo to be extraordinary and if he completely dedicates himself to the game, maybe he can take this talented team to the next level. One thing’s for sure – with T.O. out of the way, this is now Romo’s team and it’s up to him where he and the Cowboys go from here.

2. Laurence Maroney, RB, New England Patriots
Maroney has a ton of factors working against him as he enters his fourth year and tries to bounce back from an injury-riddled ’08 season in which he rushed for just 93 yards on 28 carries. First, the Patriots have roughly 67 running backs already on the roster and Bill Belichick will be damned if he’s not going to use all 67 at some point this year. Maroney is also expected to have more return duties this year, which is a clear indication that New England isn’t counting on him to be its primary back. When he was selected in the first round of the 2006 draft, many pundits thought the Pats had found their running back of the future. But in three seasons, Maroney has rushed for just 1,673 yards on 388 carries (4.3 AVG) and 12 touchdowns. He obviously has a ton of talent, but he needs to get more opportunities. He doesn’t become a free agent until 2011, so it’ll be interesting to see if he emerges as a focal point in New England’s offense or if he continues his path to NFL obscurity over these two next years.

3. Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona Cardinals
It’s kind of hard to label this a make or break year for Leinart when he’s not even going to get the opportunity to start. But for Leinart, this season is all about proving to the franchise that he can still be their long-term answer at quarterback. So far, the offseason reviews on him have been positive. He’s been training harder than any other offseason, has been working out with Tom Brady, and has showed maturity since the Cards re-signed Kurt Warner and delegated Leinart the backup once again. Warner can’t play forever and chances are this will be his final season. Leinart needs to soak up all the knowledge he can, work hard and prove to Arizona that he can be the franchise quarterback when his number is called again in 2010. If not, the Cards will eventually have to cut their losses and move on. And most NFL teams usually don’t jump at the chance to sign a quarterback with bad workout habits and motivational issues.

4. Willis McGahee, RB, Baltimore Ravens
If it weren’t for an $11 million cap hit, the Ravens would have probably already cut ties with McGahee, who showed an obvious lack of effort under Baltimore’s new coaching staff last season. He had his knee scoped and also had surgery on his ankle this past offseason and so far in OTA sessions, he’s been working with the second team behind Ray Rice. McGahee is signed through 2012, but there’s a good chance Baltimore could release him after the season. If he still wants to get paid like a No. 1 back, McGahee is going to have to stay healthy and give a better effort than he did in ’08. Whether it’s for the Ravens or another team, 2009 will be an audition year for McGahee.

5. Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Miami Dolphins
In two seasons since being selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft, Ginn has just 90 receptions for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns. Some may call Ginn’s limited production a lack of opportunities, but if that’s the case, his lack of chances reflects his inability to create separation off the line and in coverage. Ginn needs to get stronger so that he can get out of jams quicker and get into his routes. Once he gets his hands on the ball (barring he doesn’t drop it), he has outstanding speed in the open field and he’s a threat to take it to the house every time. But he needs to become a more complete receiver – not just a speedster. The Miami coaching staff has marveled at his development this summer, so ’09 could be a break out year for Ginn. Most receivers don’t reach their potential until year three (see Roddy White and countless others), so it’s not a stretch to think that Ginn just needed a couple years to get accustomed to how the pro game is played. But he needs to improve on all facets of his game before he starts living up to his draft status.

6. JaMarcuss Russell, QB, Oakland Raiders
Much like Tony Romo in Dallas, the Raiders probably aren’t going to kick Russell to the curb if he doesn’t perform well in 2009. But the team would like to see something out of the third year quarterback to justify their decision to take him with the first overall pick in the 2007 draft. Russell’s numbers from ‘08 weren’t horrible (2,423 yards, 13 TDs, 8 INTs), but he had massive trouble moving the offense at times and he has to do better than the 53.8 completion percentage he posted last year. The report on Russell was that he looked awful in May OTA sessions, but has looked better since then. With the signing of free agent Jeff Garcia in the offseason, Russell better put together a good training camp and preseason if he wants to be the team’s Week 1 starter. Granted, the offensive line is still a work in progress, but with Darren McFadden and first round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey at his disposal, Russell needs to make strikes this season or else he’ll be on the fast track to bustville.

7. Trent Edwards, QB, Buffalo Bills
Edwards made a pitch to Buffalo’s front office to sign Terrell Owens after the talented, yet combustible receiver was released in Dallas. Well Trent, you got him – now what? Edwards still has two more years left on his contract, but the Bills would love to see more out of their third year QB than they did last season when he threw for just 2,699 yards, 11 TDs and 10 INTs. After leading Buffalo to a 5-1 start, Edwards and the Bills fell apart and wound up finishing 7-9. The lowlight for Edwards was a 29-27 loss to the Browns on Monday Night Football in which he was visibly petrified to throw downfield after throwing three early interceptions. With T.O. now on board, Edwards can’t look to the check down when things start going wrong, because Owens won’t stand for not getting enough looks in the passing game.

8. Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Anyone who plays fantasy football on a yearly basis understands the massive potential that Davis hasn’t cashed in yet. Davis has racked up just 103 receptions and nine touchdowns in three seasons, but he did have some factors working against him. He missed six games his rookie year because of a leg injury and last season he played in Mike Martz’s offense, which needless to say absolutely loathes the tight end position. Davis has reportedly slimmed down this offseason in preparation of becoming more of a pass-catching TE in new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye’s offense, so he could be set up for big things in ‘09. Of course, we’ve heard this all before. Martz praised Davis’ playmaking potential last year and then largely used him as a blocker, which in turn irritated Davis, who then irritated head coach Mike Singletary by his lack of effort. If Davis can keep the whining to a minimum and work hard this season, he still has a chance to be a great tight end in this league. But excuse fantasy owners if they remain doubtful that this is finally Davis’s year.

9. Jamaal Anderson, DE, Atlanta Falcons
The former eighth overall pick from the 2007 draft needs to have a great training camp and carry that effort into the regular season. The Atlanta coaching staff likes the way Anderson plays against the run and his ability to play multiple positions on the defensive line, but he only has two sacks in 31 career starts and was drafted to be a pass-rushing force opposite John Abraham. Despite a lot of fans eagerness to label Anderson a bust, the team hasn’t given up on him and still believes he can blossom in his third season. He has the size to be a dominant end, but he lacks explosiveness out of his stance and lacks aggressiveness. The Falcons made it a point to re-sign fellow DE Chauncey Davis this offseason and that could be a sign that they’re prepared to dump Anderson if he doesn’t pan out soon.

10. Michael Huff, S, Oakland Raiders
There was a time (like, 2006) when Huff was considered as the next great young safety. But since being taken with the seventh overall pick in the ’06 draft, Huff has been a massive disappointment. Part of the problem is that Oakland viewed him as a strong safety when he first entered the league and he struggled mightily. By the time they moved him to free safety (a more natural position for him since he excelled in pass coverage while at Texas) last year, his confidence was already gone and he was brutal both against the run and in coverage. He was eventually benched for Hiram Eugene last season and the Raiders unsuccessfully tried to trade Huff this offseason. What he needs most is a change of scenery, but the Raiders will have a hard time eating his salary if they decide to release him outright. He doesn’t have much hope of succeeding in Oakland, but at only 26-years old, it seems premature to write Huff off entirely. Maybe he’ll get a few opportunities to shine this year and finally turn some heads. If not, he better hope that some Cover 2 team views him as a corner and scoops him up if/when the Raiders eventually decide to cut ties.

- Sophia Rossi was on the Howard Stern show this morning and admitted to doing the horizontal polka with Rays’ DH Pat Burrell. And according to SPORTSbyBROOKS.com, she didn’t necessarily have great things to say about the former Phillies’ outfielder.

- The Love of Sports.com ponders the question, what if athletes weren’t athletes? What would they be doing now?

- AWFUL ANNOUNCING has the lowdown on why Cubs’ manager Lou Pinella is so angry these days.