Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 507 of 1503)

      Taylor Mays improving his draft stock?

      March 2, 2010 /

      Entering Senior Bowl week, Taylor Mays was drawing comparisons of Panthers’ defender Thomas Davis, which is both good and bad.

      The good is that Davis has developed into one of the better outside linebackers in the NFL. He can play the pass just as well as the run and he’s a solid all-around playmaker and tackler.

      The bad is that Davis was a safety in college, which is the position Mays played at USC. Mays would like to stay at safety, but reports have surfaced that pro teams view him as an outside linebacker or even a hybrid OLB/S in a 3-4 scheme. The reason for the potential position change is because Mays displayed poor ball skills in college and has trouble matching up with receivers in man coverage. He also plays too tall, doesn’t move his hips well and struggles in space.

      That said, Mays is turning heads at the scouting combine. He ran an unofficial forty time of 4.24 on Tuesday, which would make him the fastest player at this year’s workout. He also turned in a 41-inch vertical and 10’5-inch broad jump, which are equally impressive. If he wanted to prove to teams that he can play safety at the next level, he’s certainly making a strong case at the combine.

      Of course, the combine can only help a player so much. Once teams review film on him at Southern Cal, they’ll still see Mays’ weaknesses and might draft him as an OLB regardless of how he performs this week. Still, his numbers are impressive and he certainly didn’t hurt his draft stock in Indianapolis.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      College Football, NFL, NFL Draft

      Bears to spend big this offseason?

      March 2, 2010 /

      Bear fans may finally get something they’ve been dying to see for almost a decade now: GM Jerry Angelo opening the team’s wallet.

      According to a report by Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times, Angelo has been authorized to spend up to $25 million in guaranteed money this offseason. That kind of loot would certainly be enough to lure Julius Peppers to Chicago, if the free agent defensive end wants to play for the Bears that is.

      Angelo has a history of being thrifty in free agency and building his roster almost solely via the draft. But after trading their first round pick in this year’s draft to Denver for Jay Cutler and their second round pick to Tampa Bay for the late Gaines Adams, the Bears don’t have a selection in this year’s draft until the third round. It’s hard for a team to fill voids along the offensive and defensive lines when they don’t make a selection until midway through the third round.

      The problem for Angelo is that even though he’ll have the money to spend in free agency, there aren’t many attractive offensive line options. Bobbie Williams (Bengals), Kevin Mawae (Titans) and Chad Clifton (Packers) are all 33 years or older and wouldn’t offer Chicago long-term solutions. The real value at the position lies in the restricted free agent department. Jahri Evans (Saints), Logan Mankins (Patriots) and Jared Gaither (Ravens) are all young and productive players, but depending on what each player was tendered at, the Bears won’t be able to put a decent trade package together because they don’t have any draft picks.

      Angelo has a long history of shopping in the clearance section during free agency and until he proves otherwise, I’m not buying that he’ll all of a sudden become Daniel Snyder of the 2010 offseason. That said, it’ll be interesting to see if the Bears do make a strong run at Peppers and what they’ll do to address their needs along the offensive line. Either way, it looks like it’ll be an interesting offseason in Chicago.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL

      Cromartie deal off the table between Chargers and Lions?

      March 2, 2010 /

      Lions beat writer Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports that a trade between Detroit and San Diego involving cornerback Antonio Cromartie is now unlikely to happen.

      Yesterday, Chargers’ beat writer Kevin Acee reported that Cromartie could be traded to the Lions “soon” and that the 25-year-old cornerback had played his last down in San Diego. But as Kowalski reports, Detroit balked when the Bolts asked for Maurice Morris in return.

      The Lions don’t have an abundance of depth at the running back position and Morris proved to be valuable last year when Kevin Smith tore his ACL and battled shoulder problems. Morris would be Detroit’s every down back if the season started today, so the Lions don’t want to create a bigger hole at running back, even if it would mean acquiring a young corner in the process.

      So where will San Diego turn now? They probably haven’t found any shortage of teams that need a young cornerback, but the problem is that Cromartie carries plenty of baggage. His contract also expires at the end of the year, so the team acquiring him won’t be willing to give up more than a mid round draft pick in case they can’t sign Cromartie to a long-term deal.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL

      2010 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Catchers

      March 1, 2010 /

      All 2010 Fantasy Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

      If you’re like most guys, you hate shopping. You’ll wait until one of the sleeves is coming off your shirt before you even think about heading to the mall to buy new clothes. And even then, it takes your significant other to say, “Are you seriously going out in public like that?” before you actually turn the keys in the ignition and embark on one of the most annoying days of the year.

      Once you’ve pinpointed where you want to shop, the clearance rack usually calls out to you like that 50-inch plasma at Best Buy. It draws you in and once you’ve selected six shirts for a grand total of $22.50, you’ve completed your clothes shopping for the year.

      Drafting a catcher in fantasy baseball is sort of like when guys go shopping for clothes. Once you finally come to realization that you need them, shopping in the bargain bin (or the clearance rack, or whatever other analogy you prefer) isn’t a bad way to go.

      Unless your opponents fall asleep on Joe Mauer and he drops in your draft, nabbing one of these seven catchers is a good way to fill category voids that were created in earlier rounds. By the end of the year, there probably won’t be a huge gap between one of these catchers and one of the top 3 (Mauer, Brian McCann and Victor Martinez) that your buddy just had to have. (He’s probably the same guy that likes dropping $100 on a new shirt and buys another once the color starts to fade.)

      Matt Wieters, Orioles
      There’s a good chance that you’ll miss out on Wieters because there will be someone in your league that has an infatuation with youngsters that have extreme upside and will take him a round or two early. That’s okay. But if he does happen to fall, grab him because 2010 might wind up being the 23-year-old’s breakout season. After hitting .259 in a little over a month before the All-Star break, Wieters finished his rookie season on a tear while hitting .288 with nine dingers and driving in 43 RBI in 96 games. In September, he hit .362 with three homers and drove in 14 RBI while hitting in the No. 3 spot of Baltimore’s improving lineup. Assuming his success at the end of the 2009 season carries over, Wieters is the one player in this group that is worth taking a round before you’re ready to select a catcher (assuming he’s still available, that is).

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      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Rams’ second round pick could be extremely valuable

      March 1, 2010 /

      The SI.com duo of Don Banks and Peter King make a great point about the Rams’ second round pick being the most valuable first pick of a second round in NFL history.

      Here’s why:

      Think about being the Rams: In a very good year for draft prospects, teams will reset their draft boards after the first round, look up and see that one of their top 12 or 14 players is still on the board. Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen. Cal running back Jahvid Best. Texas pass-rusher Sergio Kindle. Idaho guard Mike Iupati. One of the leftover good tackles — maybe Anthony Davis of Rutgers.

      The desperado Rams will need the pick, obviously, because they need players. But some teams will want that pick badly; I’m sure of it. And some team just might pay through the nose to get it. You only have to look at last year to see how this could develop.

      King goes on to write that the Jets paid dearly (a third, fourth and seventh) to move up 11 spots in order to select running back Shonn Greene with the first pick in the third round last year. The Rams hold the first pick in the second round, which is obviously more valuable and thus, should be more sought after.

      As King points out, the Rams would certainly love to hold onto the pick and select a future starter at No. 33. But most teams that have had success in the NFL have done so by moving down in the draft, not up. Assuming they won’t be in love with a prospect at No. 33, the Rams could move down in the second round and pick up multiple selections from a team desperate to move up. After all, St. Louis would still be able to get a good player at some point during the second round.

      This could be an interesting development on the second night of the draft.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL, NFL Draft

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