Tag: Anthony Stalter (Page 107 of 133)

      For the Raiders and Davis’ sake, Russell must be released

      April 26, 2010 /

      There is no quarterback controversy in Oakland. There is no, “let’s see how things go” or “let the best man win” philosophies being taken by the Raiders.

      Make no mistake about it: Jason Campbell is the Raiders’ starting quarterback. But just because he’s the new front man in Oakland doesn’t mean that Al Davis’ love affection for JaMarcus Russell’s raw skills aren’t still there. Even though reports have surfaced that Russell is tipping the scales at 300 pounds, as long as he and his big arm remain on the roster then Davis will always be intrigued.

      That’s why Davis should release Russell immediately. Why should he tempt himself by keeping the No. 1 overall bust on the roster? As soon as Campbell loses a couple games, Davis could get the JaMarcus Russell itch and demand that head coach Tom Cable put him back in their lineup.

      That said, Cable is the X factor in this situation. He proved last year that he was willing to bury Russell under Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye and an old Nintendo controller on the Raiders’ depth chart. Therefore, chances are if Campbell doesn’t pan out it will be Gradkowski that gets the nod over JaMarcubust.

      But that’s just one more reason to flat out release him and move on. Davis put together a nice draft for the Raiders and managed to acquire a starting quarterback with experience for practically nothing. He should continue moving his team forward by releasing one massive mistake and putting it behind him.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Will Ryan Howard be worth the money?

      April 26, 2010 /

      Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that the Phillies are close to signing slugger Ryan Howard to a new five-year, $125 million extension. Howard’s current salary is $19 million and he’s set to make $20 million in 2011 before he becomes a free agent in 2012.

      Howard has 16 RBI and three home runs in 18 games this year and showed his commitment to staying in shape by dropping weight in the offseason. He used the same trainer that Derek Jeter did before the shortstop went on to produce a career year in 2009 and the extra agility training has done wonders for Howard’s defense. (He’s not quite J.T. Snow at the one-bagger, but his defense has certainly improved.)

      As long as he stays committed to working out in the offseason, the Phillies won’t be burned by this deal. That said, it’s a little perplexing that they didn’t wait to sign him to the extension next year, seeing as how they already have him locked up for the next two seasons. Sluggers’ power numbers have a tendency to drop once they reach their mid 30s and thus, the Phillies could have waited to see how Howard (30) performs this season before committing to him long term.

      But again, with Howard’s new approach to offseason conditioning, this should be a deal that works out well for both sides. (Especially Howard, who will sign one of the few $100-plus million deals in baseball.)


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      The Packers would be a great fit for Thomas

      April 26, 2010 /

      It was only a matter of time before the Patriots gave outside linebacker Adalius Thomas the boot. He was already stealing money from them with his poor play before he became a distraction last season, thus leading to his release on Monday.

      One team’s trash is sometimes another team’s treasure, as the Packers could emerge as serious contenders for Thomas’ services. Even though GM Ted Thompson insists that the left outside linebacker position in Dom Capers’ 3-4 defense isn’t a dire need, it is.

      2009 seventh round pick Brad Jones saw a fair amount of playing time last year when Aaron Kampman went down with an injury. But while he was decent against the run, he’s not the pass-rusher that Clay Matthews is on the other side. And in Capers’ system, both outside linebackers have to be able to get after the quarterback.

      That’s where Thomas comes in. While the 33-year-old has lost a step over the past couple of years, Thomas can still get after the quarterback when he’s motivated. And seeing as how Thompson did nothing to upgrade the outside linebacker position during the draft, the Packers could use someone to push Jones for the starting job.

      The Packers could upgrade their LOLB spot by adding Thomas to a one-year deal and still groom Jones for the future if they wanted. If Thomas turns out to be a bust, then Jones has already shown that he’s a capable starter and the team could rid themselves of Thomas after the season.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Chiefs to take Clausen in Round 2?

      April 23, 2010 /

      The buzz heading into Round 2 of the NFL draft seems to be centered around the Chiefs possibly moving up to take Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis will spend tonight trying to convince the rest of Kansas City’s staff to take his former QB when the draft resumes at 6:30PM ET.

      This news might be surprising to some, seeing as how the Chiefs committed a six-year, $63 million contract to Matt Cassel last season. But the feeling in Kansas City is that 2010 will be a make or break season for the 27-year-old Cassel, who struggled running Todd Haley’s offense last year.

      Weis had a fair amount of success (at least statistically) with Clausen at Notre Dame, as the QB racked up 3,722 yards, 28 touchdowns and just four interceptions last season. If anything, Clausen could provide insurance in case Cassel struggles again.

      The problem, however, is that GM Scott Pioli has already stated that the Chiefs aren’t in the market for a quarterback. And when the team is on the clock in the second round, it’ll be Pioli and not Weis that makes the final decision. Plus, let’s not forget that it was Pioli that orchestrated the trade to acquire Cassel from New England, so he’s going to give the former Patriot every opportunity to succeed before throwing another quarterback into the mix.

      Schefter is always reliable with his information, so we’ll see what transpires tonight when Kansas City is on the clock.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL, NFL Draft

      Raiders Draft Talk: Rolando McClain

      April 22, 2010 /

      As expected, Al Davis screwed up several draft boards with his selection in the first round.

      With the eighth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Raiders selected Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain, despite the general consensus that the team would take an offensive tackle. While it was a small reach, McClain is by far the best middle linebacker prospect in the draft. He was extremely productive at ‘Bama for Nick Saban and proved to be a solid run defender. He also has a high football IQ, which makes him a misfit for Oakland.

      The Raiders have been reportedly shopping Kirk Morrison, which would leave a gaping hole in the middle of Oakland’s defense. Even though nobody had McClain mocked to the Raiders, the pick makes sense if the team parts with Morrison at some point this offseason.

      Crazy Al surprised us again, but it wasn’t a bad pick.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL, NFL Draft

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