John Paulsen and I were recently interviewed for Hey! Nielsen’s “Ask A Blogger” feature. If you care to read our opinions (and really, why wouldn’t you care to read our opinions?) on this year’s Olympics, Manny Ramirez’s haircut fiasco and what we would do to add or change current sports network programming, then click on the link below.
Read Hey! Nielsen’s “Ask A Blogger” feature on The Scores Report.
Rotoworld.com (via Chris Mortensen on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown) states that the Miami Dolphins could part ways with running back Ronnie Brown before the start of the regular season.
Huh? Mortensen is probably Bill Parcells’ mouthpiece here, and the Tuna may be trying to drum up interest. Brown has struggled in the preseason after ACL surgery, but is only 26. While Ricky Williams supplanting Brown as a starter is possible, we wouldn’t expect any trade. We would expect Brown’s precarious fantasy value to take a hit as his stock in the organization is dimming.
I would be shocked as well. It’s never an ideal situation when a running back has to bounce back from ACL surgery, but given Brown’s age and productivity before his injury, there’s no reason for the Dolphins to dump him now. It’s an interesting rumor though.
Update: Coach Sparano said there was no chance that the Dolphins would trade Ronnie Brown.
According to the Arizona Republic, the Cardinals have denied wide receiver Anquan Boldin’s request for a trade.
Drew Rosenhaus made the first request in the spring, although Boldin denied asking for a trade. Team officials, however, confirmed that request, and sources close to the situation said Rosenhaus recently asked them again to trade Boldin or allow Rosenhaus to shop for a deal.
The Cardinals’ stance remains unchanged, according to a team spokesman. They have no intention of trading Boldin and are hopeful of signing him to a contract extension.
Rosenhaus declined comment, but a source close to negotiations said Boldin is unhappy, does not talk to coach Ken Whisenhunt and wants out of Arizona. It’s possible Boldin could walk out of training camp, the source said, even though he is under contract for three more years and subject to fines of $15,000 a day.
Boldin said he believes Whisenhunt became too involved in negotiations.
“At this point we have no relationship, and I don’t see that changing,” Boldin told NFL Network on Monday. “It’s just gotten to a point where I think lines were crossed. If you ask me, coaches should be coaches, management should be management, and I don’t think those lines should be crossed. But when you cross those lines, you put yourself in position for things like this to happen.”
Even though he’s dealing with a hamstring injury, Boldin’s situation might open the door for rookie Early Doucet, who runs excellent routes and has good hands. Of course, Doucet would be more effective in the slot with Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald on the outsides.
It’ll be interesting to see what the conclusions will be to Boldin and Rams’ running back Steven Jackson’s contract situations. Both cases look rocky right now.
Bengals.com thinks there’s reason to believe that Chad Johnson’s shoulder injury is worse than first believed after the team re-signed troubled receiver Chris Henry.
A signing indicates that Chad Johnson’s sprained shoulder is serious enough that they look to be preparing for the possibility that Johnson could be sidelined for several weeks. Although Johnson insisted Monday night he’ll be back for the opener.
But that’s not the only injury that has clouded the receiver picture in the last 48 hours. There is also rookie receiver Andre Caldwell’s sprained foot and T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s hamstring. He’s 50-50 at best to play in his first preseason game Saturday night against the Saints, and the Bengals could be forced to sign a receiver in addition to Henry.
Not good. The usually explosive Bengals’ offense not only has injury concerns at wide receiver, but the running back position is also unsettled with Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry and Kenny Watson all battling for the starting job. Throw in a below average defense and the Bengals could be in for another down year.
In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at how the Atlanta Falcons built their receiving corps through the draft.
Before Michael Vick traded in his football uniform for penitentiary garb, pundits loved to state on a yearly basis how the Atlanta Falcons needed better weapons for Vick to throw to.
Those pundits don’t have to worry about the Falcons not supplying No. 3 overall pick Matt Ryan with enough weapons, because the receiving corps is now arguably the strength of Atlanta’s offense. (Although a running game that now features Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood isn’t too shabby either.)
In his first two years with the Falcons, Roddy White was developing into surefire first round bust with every pass he let drop through his fingertips. But after hauling in 83 receptions for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns in 2007, White proved that he could be a capable No. 1 receiver in the NFL. He not only has the size and quickness to create separation from defenders, but he also attacks the ball in the air and has demonstrated supreme confidence (two things he lacked in his first two seasons). Even with the rookie Ryan or Chris Redman starting, many expect White to at least match his production from last season.
Joining White is former 2007 third round pick Laurent Robinson. Even though an injury has sidetracked his progress, the former Iowa State star has received rave reviews this summer and flashed potential in the final games of the 2007 season. Like White, Robinson has excellent speed and quickness, and can create plays in space. He’s expected to start once he’s healthy and playing opposite White might net him plenty of opportunities to make plays.
While he’s been a bit of a disappointment thus far in his career, former first rounder Michael Jenkins gives the Falcons a nice, big target in the red zone. Rookie third round pick Harry Douglas has also been incredibly impressive in camp and thus far in preseason, while Brian Finneran gives Atlanta a sure handed veteran if he can bounce back from having two knee surgeries the past two years. (The Falcons also have Joe Horn on their roster, although he’s likely to be traded or cut given how he’s expressed that he wants out of Atlanta.)
Granted, the Falcons offense is expected to struggle behind a rookie starter in Ryan and a suspect offensive line. And while there are high expectations for Robinson and Douglas, it might take a season or two for them to fully develop. Still, no longer is wide receiver a pressing issue in Atlanta.
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