Category: NFL (Page 769 of 1282)

      Hochuli blown call could alter replay rule next season

      March 19, 2009 /

      Thanks to Ed Hochuli’s blown call during a Chargers-Broncos game last season, the NFL is considering implementing a change in the replay system that would allow an official to determine whether or not a fumble or incomplete pass occurred on a given play.

      Ed HochuliThe competition committee will propose that when the ball comes loose when a quarterback is throwing, replay can be used to determine if it is a fumble or an incomplete pass. Such a change would resemble the rules alteration made for down-by-contact plays two years ago.

      In the final minute of a game at Denver in Week 2, Hochuli ruled a ball that slipped from Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler’s grasp was an incomplete pass instead of a fumble. The ball was recovered by the Chargers and Hochuli later acknowledged his decision was wrong.

      It would be a great change to the rule, although I’m sure Ed Hochuli is saying, “WTF? If the NFL had this rule in place last year, then I wouldn’t have been showered with an enormous amount of hate mail…so thanks NFL.”

      NFL

      Kurt Warner has surgery on his hip

      March 19, 2009 /

      Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner underwent arthoscopic surgery on his left hip to repair a torn labrum.

      Kurt WarnerKurt Warner had surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his left hip, but the Cardinals quarterback is expected to recover quickly enough to return for most of the team’s offseason workouts.

      Warner played with the injury most of the 2008 season. The arthroscopic surgery, performed by Dr. Marc Philippon of the Steadman Hawkins clinic in Vail, Co., also allowed for the cleaning out of loose fragments in the area.

      Dr. Philippon called the surgery a success and Warner’s range of motion in the hip was immediately improved. Warner’s rehabilitation began quickly in Colorado.

      Warner will likely sit out the team’s mandatory minicamp May 1-3. The hope is he can begin on-field work when the Cardinals begin their voluntary organized team activities beginning May 19.

      Cardinal fans can breathe easy because this was a minor surgery. It’s actually good that Warner got it out of the way now so he has plenty of time to recover before next season.

      Granted, this surgery could hinder his blazing speed next season…now that would be a shame.

      NFL

      King: Broncos not entertaining trade offers for Cutler

      March 18, 2009 /

      SI.com’s Peter King notes in his Tuesday edition of “Monday Morning Quarterback” that the Broncos aren’t currently entertaining any trade offers at this time for Jay Cutler.

      Jay CutlerHold off on the Jay Cutler trade talk — for now. A source close to one team that has inquired with the Broncos about the unhappy quarterback tells me the Broncos have told them they’re hanging on to Cutler and won’t entertain discussions for him at this time.

      That’s a natural thing for the Broncos to say. They can’t give Cutler or his agent, Bus Cook, a shred of evidence that they want to move him until coach Josh McDaniels is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt the relationship with Cutler is not fixable. But it’s probably more likely than unlikely the Broncos will find the situation can’t be remedied, in my opinion. So I do expect Denver’s tune to change sometime between now and the April 25 draft, and I do expect Cutler to be traded.

      I expect the usual suspects to line up for Cutler — Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, Tennessee and perhaps Carolina, though the Panthers, without a first-round pick in the 2009 draft, will be at a severe disadvantage. But I don’t think he’ll end up in one of those spots unless Detroit offers the 20th and 33rd picks of the draft, and a player sweetener, straight up for him.

      I expect the most fervent suitors to be Tampa Bay and the New York Jets.

      I still think Detroit has the most to offer with two first round picks. Then again, they have a ton of holes to fill and giving up multiple draft picks for Cutler could be too much in the end when they could select Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick.

      My best guess is that Cutler gets dealt on one of the days leading up to the draft. But there’s a fair amount of time between now and then so maybe McDaniels can pull a rabbit out of his hat and remedy the situation before then.

      NFL, NFL Draft

      Bengals to take a look at Beanie Wells in first round?

      March 18, 2009 /

      According to the Dayton Daily News, the Bengals are believed to be high on Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells and could take him with the sixth overall pick.

      One impact player ranked high on the team’s list is Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells. The Bengals have a need for a playmaker at the running back position behind starter Cedric Benson and Wells is scheduled to visit the organization in Cincinnati the first week of April.

      Wells may have put himself back in the running as a potential Top 5 pick after an explosive performance at the school’s pro day on March 13, rebounding from a so-so showing at the Scouting Combine last month.

      The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Wells was clocked as low as 4.34 and as high as 4.42 in the 40-yard dash. I’m told that he also fared well during position drills, grabbing the attention of all 32 team representatives in attendance.

      The Seattle Seahawks with the No. 3 pick and Cleveland Browns at No. 5 have expressed interest in the running back. Other teams at top of the draft board expressing interest include Green Bay, Jacksonville, Denver and Cincinnati of course.

      Wells worked out privately for the Broncos on Tuesday, March 17. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the workout went extremely well.

      Wells hasn’t showed any lingering affects from the injury he had early in the ’08 college season and he has absolutely blown away scouts in private workouts. He’s a big, strong back that can not only run effectively through the tackles, but also shows great speed in the open field.

      Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a lot of talk surrounding Wells so far. One reason could be the amount of depth there is at the running back position in this year’s draft. Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno, Pittsburgh’s LeSean “Shady” McCoy, Connecticut’s Donald Brown, N.C. State’s Andre Brown and Iowa’s Shonn Greene are all talented prospects that teams could land in any of the top three rounds.

      But out of that group, Wells still has the best combination of size, strength and speed. He shouldn’t be overlooked.

      NFL, NFL Draft

      Bears need dramatic upgrade at wide receiver

      March 18, 2009 /

      Earl BennettAccording to the Chicago Sun Times, the Bears are giving former third round pick Earl Bennett every opportunity to start at wide receiver opposite Devin Hester this season. Bennett, mind you, is the same dropped-prone receiver who didn’t catch one pass last year because he was inactive for seven of the 16 games and couldn’t beat out stalwarts Marty Booker, Rashied Davis and Brandon Lloyd on the depth chart.

      The Bears need to do something about their receiving corps and soon. Torry Holt has lost a step, but he would be an instant upgrade at the position and could serve as a tutor for guys like Hester and Bennett. Holt is apparently out of the country right now on vacation and won’t be visiting teams for the next couple days, but the Bears would be wise to get the 32-year old’s agent on the phone, like, now.

      The draft is also littered with receivers and while I certainly don’t advocate the Bears taking one in the first round (everything GM Jerry Angelo touches in the first round turns to rabbit turd anyway), prospects like Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina) and Brian Robiskie (Ohio State) should be there in the second.

      I had a chance to watch the scouting combine on the NFL Network in February and Robiskie was impressive. Out of all the receivers who worked out, Robiskie seemed to run the smoothest routes and was very fluid in his motions. He’s not the fastest prospsect (his 40 is a good but not great 4.51), but Robiskie is the son of an NFL assistant (Falcons’ wide receiver coach Terry Robiskie), so you know he’s received a fair amount of coaching throughout his playing career. The Ohio State product looks like one of the more polished receiver prospects in the draft.

      Whatever route the Bears want to take in acquiring a receiver doesn’t matter. But they dramatically need to upgrade the position this offseason because I highly doubt Hester and Bennett give quarterback Kyle Orton the best chance of succeeding.

      NFL, NFL Draft

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