Category: NFL (Page 444 of 1282)

Osi Umenyiora trade rumors heating up

The National Football Post reported over the weekend that the Giants are open to trading Osi Umenyiora during this week’s draft if they select South Florida’s Jason Pierre-Paul.

Umenyiora, who struggled while trying to rebound from a torn ACL injury suffered during the 2007 season, was upset with the way former defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan (who only lasted one year in the Big Apple) used him last year. While he was open to staying with the Giants, the relationship between him and the team has been strenuous since the end of last season.

There’s a good chance Pierre-Paul will be available when the Giants pick at No. 15. He’s a raw prospect, but he seems to have a higher ceiling than Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan, who is regarded as the top defensive end in this year’s draft. While it the situation makes sense on the surface, New York has a more pressing need to fill at middle linebacker and thus, even if Pierre-Paul is available at 15 it doesn’t mean that they’ll take him. And obviously if they don’t take a DE in the first round, then Umenyiora is unlikely to be traded.

This story will likely pick up steam heading into the draft, but is one that could fizzle very quickly.


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Eagles fleece Lions in three-team trade that sends LB Ernie Sims to Philly

ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms that the Lions have acquired tight end Tony Scheffler and a 2010 seventh-round pick from the Broncos, as part of a three-team trade that also sent linebacker Ernie Sims to the Eagles in exchange for a 2010 fifth-round pick. (The Broncos get the fifth round pick from this deal.)

There are some concerns that 2009 first rounder Brandon Pettigrew isn’t recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last season and that’s why Detroit needed Scheffler. But to give up a solid playmaker in Sims in order to acquire a semi-productive Scheffler and a seventh round pick is questionable to say the least.

Sims is coming off his worst year as a pro after only recording 49 tackles in 11 games during an injury-plagued season. But in his three previous seasons, he produced an average of 124 tackles without missing a game due to injury. When healthy, the 25-year-old can be extremely productive and therefore was a great catch for an Eagles team that desperately needed help at the linebacker position.

Maybe Detroit GM Martin Mayhew knew that the Lions weren’t going to re-sign the former first overall pick, which is why he decided to fill his need at tight end and get something for Sims now. But in terms of value, only Matt Millen could appreciate a deal like this (which is maybe why they made the move in the first place – to wash their hands of anything Millen ever touched). The Eagles essentially traded a fifth round pick for Sims, while the Lions traded Sims for Scheffler. That’s what this trade boils down to, which is an awful deal if you’re a Detroit fan.


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Roethlisberger suspension coming soon

Yahoo! Sports reports that the NFL will suspend Ben Roethlisberger on either Monday or Tuesday of this week.

While NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said he has been given no timetable for a decision, the question remains whether Goodell will keep the suspension to one or two games or make it four games or longer. It is also unknown whether the Steelers will levy an additional penalty upon Roethlisberger or if a punishment will be factored into the league’s suspension. Over the weekend, two league sources said Goodell was growing angrier by the day as more information from the investigation became public.

“After you read the file and you listen to the player, the only conclusion you can come to is that what he did is unbelievably stupid,” one of the league sources said. “How could he have really thought this was a good idea?”

The article notes that Roethlisberger probably won’t fight the suspension, even though he wasn’t charged with committing a crime. It would probably be a wise move on his part, seeing as how he was accused of committing the same crime last year and he never faced punishment from the league. It’s also worthy to note that Goodell came out today and said that Big Ben violated the league’s conduct code, so there’s little doubt that a suspension is forthcoming.

If he is suspended, this has to be the final wake up call for him. Women will always throw themselves at him because he’s a celebrity athlete that makes tons of money. But maybe after this, he’ll think about the ramifications of his actions and choose to remove himself from the situation before he winds up in more serious trouble.

Basically, he should try and keep his plane in the hanger for the time being. Maybe find a nice girl to bring home to mom, one that doesn’t mind his banana hands being all over her.


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Are the Redskins still in the market for a QB at No. 4?

The Redskins are trying hard to convince teams that they plan on taking a quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick in next week’s draft, says NBCSports.com. But with Donovan McNabb on the roster, that’s going to be a tough sell for Washington.

After acquiring McNabb, the Redskins’ biggest need became offensive tackle. (If you want to get technical, offensive tackle has always been their biggest need.) And with Russell Okung, Trent Williams, Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis all receiving first round grades, Washington will have plenty to choose from as long as it stays within the first 10-12 picks.

The hope for the Redskins is that some team is in love with Jimmy Clausen and wants him bad enough to trade up to the No. 4 spot to get him. It would be an ideal situation for Washington if it could trade down and still wind up selecting one of the top tackles, all while acquiring more draft picks in the process. Of course, if they miss out on taking one of the four tackles mentioned above, guys like Vladimir Ducasse and Bruce Campbell (two players with late first round, early second round grades) should still be available depending on how far the Redskins trade back.

Presumably, the Raiders, Bills and Jaguars would all be interested in Clausen. But whether or not any of them would be willing to trade up to get him is the question. The Raiders hold the eighth overall pick, while the Bills have the ninth and the Jags have the 10th. Unless the Browns surprise everyone and snag him at No. 7, Clausen should be there for the Raiders at No. 8 and they don’t have to trade up to get him. Of course, that’s where the gamble comes in, because either the Bills or the Jaguars could trade up to No. 4 in order to get ahead of Oakland.

If the Redskins can’t find a trade partner, then they’re not fooling anybody by saying they intend to draft a quarterback with the fourth pick. They’re currently trying to sign McNabb to an extension and therefore, taking Clausen at No. 4 would be a waste.

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