Category: NFL (Page 665 of 1282)

      Patriots ruin Richard Seymor’s life, trade him to Oakland

      September 7, 2009 /

      The New England Patriots obviously have no soul.

      There’s just no other explanation as to why they traded defensive end Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a first round pick in 2011.

      From the Boston Globe:

      The stunning trade came just eight days before the Patriots open their season against Buffalo on “Monday Night Football.’’ The trade of the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end leaves just four players that have been with New England for all three of its Super Bowl championship seasons (2001, 2003, and 2004) – Tom Brady, Matt Light, Kevin Faulk, and Stephen Neal – while, in the short term, weakening the team’s pursuit of another title by breaking up one of the NFL’s elite defensive lines.

      This was the final season of the lucrative, $30-million-plus contract extension Seymour received in 2006, the last time he was entering the last year of his contract. He was set to make $3.685 million in base salary and carry a cap charge of $9.79 million this season.

      While my joking in the intro of this post would make it seem like I disagree with this move, I actually think it’s a brilliant trade for the Patriots. Seymour is still incredibly effective, but he can’t seem to stay healthy and his play has fallen off in recent years. Plus, he’s in the final year of his contract and there was no guarantee that a) Seymour would re-sign with the Pats and b) New England would even want him back at an inflated price.

      For as bad as the Raiders have been since their Super Bowl trip in 2002, the Pats could wind up picking in the top 10 come 2011. So not only did New England wind up getting a first round pick in exchange for Seymour, but they also found a trade partner that is notorious for picking high in drafts. (I realize there’s no guarantee that the Raiders will be bad in 2011, but if recent history is any indication, they should be picking near the top of the draft in two years.)

      For Oakland, Al Davis definitely upgraded his talent on the defensive side of the ball. But Seymour won’t be a difference maker on a team that is incredibly devoid of defensive playmakers outside of Nnamdi Asomugha and Kirk Morrison.

      NFL

      Shawne Merriman arrested for choking Tila Tequila

      September 6, 2009 /

      You read that right. Shawne Merriman is (or was) dating reality TV star Tila Tequila and was arrested on Sunday for assaulting her.

      Per ESPN…

      San Diego Chargers star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested Sunday and accused of choking and restraining his girlfriend, reality TV star Tila Tequila, as she tried to leave his suburban home.

      Tequila, 27, signed a citizen’s arrest warrant, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment, San Diego County Sheriff’s Lt. Gary Steadman said.

      Deputies responded about 3:45 a.m. to Merriman’s house in Poway, north of San Diego, after a woman called to say she was choked by the player and thrown to the ground when she tried to leave, Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jan Caldwell said at a news conference.

      Tequila, whose real name is Tila Nguyen, is best known for “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila,” which ran for two seasons on MTV. The bisexual dating show featured men and women vying for Tequila’s affections. She has also modeled for Playboy and other men’s magazines.

      A few words of free, unsolicited advice for Mr. Merriman: 1) stop choking people, and 2) stop dating bisexual reality TV stars.

      If this incident doesn’t quickly “go away,” then Merriman could face another suspension for violating the NFL’s conduct policy.

      9/7 Update: Merriman denies any wrongdoing.

      News, NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      Chris Henry, a sleeper no longer

      September 4, 2009 /

      Over the course of his tumultuous four-year career, Chris Henry has caught a TD every 5.6 passes. That’s a better ratio than Randy Moss (6.2), Terrell Owens (6.8) and Jerry Rice (7.3), in his 49er days. There has never been any doubt that the lanky 6’4″ Henry had all the tools to be a star, but he just couldn’t stay out of trouble.

      According to ESPN, it was the NFL’s disciplinary policy that helped Henry see the light. He should know — he has been suspended for 14 games over the last three seasons.

      “Yeah, it helped me,” Henry said, according to USA Today. “It helped me focus up, and it made me realize that if I continually wanted to play, I had to do right and be a professional.”

      Since the Bengals drafted him in 2005 out of West Virginia, he’s faced charges of marijuana possession, carrying a concealed weapon, drunken driving, providing alcohol to minors and assault.

      Through four preseason games, Henry has 14 catches for 224 yards and four TD. Even though he’s playing limited snaps, if he keeps that pace up, he’s on his way to a 56-catch, 896-yard, 16-TD season. Obviously, it’s tough to expect him to catch that many touchdowns, but double digits are certainly attainable given his TD-to-catch ratio. The receptions and yards are doable, and a 56-896-10 season would result in Top 20 fantasy numbers.

      There are a few things standing in Henry’s way: 1) Chad Ochocinco, who is hell bent on having a bounce-back year, 2) Laveranues Coles, who still has enough ability to earn snaps by catching all the underneath stuff, and 3) Henry’s own demons, who may resurface at any time.

      Still, with the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the (possible) decline of Ochocinco, the Bengals’ WR pecking order is as fluid now as it’s ever been, and if the immensely talented Henry has truly turned over a new leaf, he has the chance to break out in a big way.

      From a fantasy perspective, it’s hard not to like this guy in the late-middle rounds. In my drafts, it seems like he’s the best WR on the board as early as the 8th or 9th in some cases, but owners can usually wait a bit longer to pull the trigger.

      But don’t wait too long.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      2009 NFL Preview: #19 Washington Redskins

      September 4, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Albert Haynesworth (DT); Derrick Dockery (G); Jeremy Bridges (G).

      Offseason Losses: Jason Taylor (DE); Pete Kendall (G); Demetric Evans (DE); Ethan Albright (C).

      Player to Watch: Albert Haynesworth, DT.
      The Redskins paid a hefty price ($100 million over seven years, including $41 million in guarantees to be exact) for Haynesworth, who was the biggest catch on the free agent market this offseason. Haynesworth is a massive (figuratively and literally) upgrade over Kedric Golston and Anthony Montgomery, who split time last year next to Cornelius Griffin. Haynesworth is a ferocious pass-rusher who constantly demands double-teams and who is a beast against the run. He’ll free up fellow Griffin and Andre Carter to make plays because they’ll see a significant amount of one-on-one matchups. The former Titan might take the Skins’ defense to another level this season.

      Team Strength: Washington’s secondary stands to be a strength in 2009. While the team overpaid for his services, corner DeAngelo Hall is solid when he’s not in man-to-man. He’s at his best when he plays in space and can react to the ball, which is what Washington will allow him to do. As long as he stays motivated, the Redskins will cash in on Hall’s terrific athleticism. On the other side, Carlos Rogers continues to battle a calf injury and was benched after the team rushed him back from ACL surgery last season, but he’s an instinctive player when healthy. At safety, Landry is a flat out playmaker and while he still is learning how to read offenses, he’s always going at full tilt and is a missile against the run and in coverage. While some expected Horton to be pushed by Reed Doughty, head coach Jim Zorn anointed Horton the starter at strong safety back in OTAs. He might not be the most athletic player on the field, but he’s incredibly smart and always gets the most out of his abilities.

      Continue reading »

      NFL

      Vick eligible to play in Eagles’ third game

      September 3, 2009 /

      NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has announced that Michael Vick will be eligible to play in the Eagles’ third regular season game in 2009.

      From ESPN.com:

      Goodell and Vick had met Thursday morning for 45 to 50 minutes in New Jersey to discuss when Vick might be reinstated. After that, Goodell said, he consulted with Vick’s mentor, former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, for another 45 minutes.

      “Hopefully we can have a success story here, which would be good for society in general,” Goodell said. “He’s realistic about the challenges ahead. And anxious to play football.”

      During their meeting Thursday, the topic of Vick’s past experiences and why he got involved in dogfighting came up. One of Vick’s representatives was explaining it, when Vick stepped in and took responsibility. “He was genuinely remorseful,” Goodell said.

      Goodell said he did discuss with Vick the report that he was seen drinking an alcoholic beverage in a restaurant at the hotel where he was staying. Goodell said it was not a violation of his probation.

      Just because he’ll be allowed to play in Week 3 doesn’t mean that Goodell won’t watch Vick like a hawk. He’ll be on an extremely short leash and he better be on his absolute best behavior.

      It’ll be interesting to see how Vick does tonight in the Eagles’ final preseason game. He’s supposed to see extended snaps while Donovan McNabb sits in preparation for the regular season opener.

      NFL

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