Whispers from around the NFL
Insider
Pro Football Weekly
• MLB Dan Morgan missed Carolina's third preseason game because he was suffering from a "minor head injury." While the Panthers aren't officially calling it a concussion, our sources tell us to keep a close eye on the situation because of Morgan's injury history. Morgan, the Panthers' most indispensable linebacker, has suffered multiple concussions in his five-year career and has never stayed healthy for all 16 games in the regular season.
• Chicago has interest in Patriots WR Deion Branch but isn't willing to part with a high draft pick. Branch, a refined route runner with a flair for the dramatic, was given permission to seek a trade as negotiations remain stalled on a long-term extension. Bears observers believe Branch, if acquired, would quickly become the No. 1 receiver and a reliable target for QB Rex Grossman.
• Thanks to strong play in training camp and preseason -- and with veteran RB Mike Anderson not faring as well as the team had hoped -- we hear Ravens RB Musa Smith could earn the top backup role behind Jamal Lewis soon.
• We hear that the lengthy holdout of WR Deion Branch and the slow-healing hamstring of rookie Chad Jackson, coupled with the depth of talent at the TE position, will lead the Patriots to heavily utilize their tight ends this season. In fact, look for some four-TE sets -- likely the first time those will be used by an NFL team since the Redskins of the early 1980s.
• Our sources in Atlanta tell us diminutive starting RB Warrick Dunn might get a few more carries in short-yardage situations now that bruising backup T.J. Duckett is in Washington. But we hear the biggest beneficiary of the Duckett trade is FB Justin Griffith, who will line up in the backfield in single-back sets and will get most of Duckett's short-yardage touches.
• While he should hardly be viewed as a disappointment, we hear that there are some in the Niners' organization who expected first-round TE Vernon Davis to catch on to the offense a little quicker than he has up to now.
• Greg Ellis in the Pro Bowl as a linebacker? Cowboys teammates have been amazed at the quick transition the nine-year defensive end has made to an up position. Although Ellis has yet to be tested thoroughly in coverage, which opponents are sure to do, he and DeMarcus Ware figure to be one of the best pass-rushing OLB pairs in the NFL.
• Chiefs OG Will Shields was wearing a walking boot on his badly sprained ankle in late August, but sources say we should expect him to keep his streak of 207 consecutive starts alive when the regular season opens. "He doesn't talk much about the streak, but he takes a lot of pride in it," said one observer close to the team. "He'll play when most people won't."
• Word is veteran Martin Gramatica held his own with fourth-round pick Stephen Gostkowski in the battle for the Patriots' PK job. However, Gramatica needed to thoroughly outperform the promising rookie and fell short of that task, getting released after two preseason games. However, we hear that Gramatica showed enough to get back on the NFL radar screen and is likely on the short list for teams that are looking for a dependable veteran kicker.
• We hear there's an outside chance that Cardinals DE Bertrand Berry's injured left knee could force him to miss the regular-season opener vs. the Niners.
• DE Alex Brown (shoulder) could miss the first game of the season or more, further challenging the Bears' front-line depth. DTs Ian Scott (knee) and Tank Johnson (quadriceps) have missed several weeks of workouts but are close to returning. The veterans on the club believe the defense will be far better than it had been through three preseason games as soon as the D-line is at full strength.
• Word from Jets camp is that veteran free-agent pickup Anthony Clement may have the inside track on the ORT spot over former starter Adrian Jones, who has been used more as a swing tackle and has even seen some action inside at guard. Clement's size (he's three inches taller than Jones and weighs 20 pounds more) looks to be a better fit for the Jets' new offensive scheme.
• Chiefs GM Carl Peterson said he is still holding the door open for retired OLT Willie Roaf to return, and will do so throughout the season. But we're told that's wishful thinking, as Roaf doesn't believe he can play with his lingering hamstring problems and has quietly moved on. Some teammates, however, are believed to be disappointed that Roaf hasn't returned their calls and that they didn't hear the sudden retirement news directly from him back in July.
• Just one day after returning from the physically-unable-to-perform list, Raiders WR Ronald Curry was already working ahead of the disgruntled Jerry Porter on the depth chart. Curry admitted to being frustrated by the cautious approach the team took with him since the start of camp while he rehabbed from a torn Achilles tendon for the second year in a row. We're told he was making sharp cuts right out of the gate and has shown no ill effects from the injury. Although Porter's attitude has been a sore subject in camp, to his credit, he has not sulked one bit during practice and is working extremely hard.
• Lions DT Shaun Cody had two sacks at Oakland and continued an impressive summer of workouts. Cody is replacing DT Dan Wilkinson and, while he doesn't have Wilkinson's bulk, size or girth, his quickness and agility make Cody a difficult matchup for guards asked to single-block him inside.
• We hear that Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio now says he has three starting wide receivers, only weeks after demoting former first-round pick Reggie Williams to the second unit. Our Jaguars sources tell us Williams' impressive performance in the second preseason game elevated him to starting status along with Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford.
• The way we hear it, the Ravens believe rookie OG Chris Chester needs some work in the weight room to reach his potential. Nevertheless, Chester, currently a backup, is capable of holding his own as a rookie just on his talent alone.
• New Redskins LB Jeff Posey has shown far more versatility than Chris Clemons, who was released after injuring his knee. Gregg Williams believes Posey can back up at both OLB spots and be a situational rusher as a former defensive end.
• Lions FS Daniel Bullocks, a second-round pick, is close to locking up the starting spot. He didn't stand out in his first start (Aug. 25) at Oakland, but Bullocks has been a practice all-star and one of defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson's pet projects throughout summer practices. Bullocks, more of a strong safety to some, has been praised for his instincts and hard-hitting style.
• We hear one Rams D-lineman who has definitely responded better to new D-line coach Brian Baker than his predecessor, Bill Kollar, is new starting NT Jimmy Kennedy, who never felt comfortable with Kollar's abrasive tough-love coaching style.
• According to sources in the Twin Cities, the Vikings are fully committed to RB Chester Taylor as the centerpiece of the offense. The Vikings acquired Taylor because of his toughness, pass-catching skills and versatility, but he has had a tough go of it in the preseason. As the Vikings see it, Taylor's adversity behind a still-meshing offensive line is all part of an adjustment period.
• Giants QB Jared Lorenzen appears to have locked up a roster spot and is a good candidate to open the season as the No. 2 behind Eli Manning. So far, Rob Johnson and Tim Hasselbeck, the other quarterbacks on the roster, have done little.
• Always intrigued by receivers with size and speed, the Colts decided to take a flier on ex-Chief Marc Boerigter, whom, we're told, they went after unsuccessfully back in 2002. Another Colt receiver worth keeping an eye on is first-year pro Dan Sheldon, whose odds of winning the return job have improved with rookie competitor T.J. Rushing being limited by groin and leg injuries.
• Word out of Saints camp is that WR Donte' Stallworth has worked his way back into the starting lineup after injuries and clashes with the new coaching staff in the offseason. We hear the coaches finally realized they need Stallworth, who had four catches for 49 yards in the third preseason game, to play with the first unit if they want to win. Devery Henderson, who was working with the starters during Stallworth's stint as a backup, had a terrible training camp.
• Second-year CB Fabian Washington continues to impress in Oakland with his attitude, technique and physical play. After dealing with the massive ego and inconsistent play of former first-round pick Phillip Buchanon, now with the Texans, insiders say the Raiders look at Washington as a sight for sore eyes, especially considering he works so hard at correcting his few flaws.
• Seemingly constant injury issues are holding Green Bay RB Najeh Davenport back. Out with a hip flexor prior to the team's preseason game vs. Cincinnati, Davenport might now be in direct competition with rookie Arliss Beach. Beach impressed in training camp and has a running style that offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski really likes. Beach also has been a willing and able participant on kick-coverage teams. Beach, a bigger runner with special-teams value, might have the inside track.
• Sources close to the Saints tell us RB Deuce McAllister, who sat out the first preseason game before starting in Weeks 2 and 3, has not experienced any setbacks in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Despite the smooth recovery, we're told McAllister may not be as explosive a runner as he was pre-injury, but he will be as competent a runner as ever.
• Steelers FS Ryan Clark, competing with Tyrone Carter to be the starter opposite Troy Polamalu, recently had this to say to PFW about how his role is different in Pittsburgh as opposed to Washington: "I am back more. When you have a guy like Troy, you know he's going to be up there, wreaking havoc, so the schemes call for me to be back a lot. But that doesn't mean I won't be used in run support and that; it's just that I have had to work on coverage."
• Bengals RB Chris Perry is likely to miss the start of the regular season with knee and ankle injuries that he claims were initially misdiagnosed by the team. The effect of Perry's absence would be particularly noticeable if QB Carson Palmer also misses the first couple of weeks; Perry is an excellent check-down option as a receiver, and he would have been a major help to Anthony Wright.
• We hear it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Packers make a run at another kicker before the start of the regular season. The strong-legged Dave Rayner is the only place-kicker on the roster after Billy Cundiff was released on Aug. 16. Rayner's performance since Cundiff was cut has been a mixed bag. He continues to boom kickoffs into the endzone, but his accuracy, from 40 yards and out, is an issue.
• Don't be surprised if Seahawks second-year man Leonard Weaver gets a lot more playing time this season. We hear the team loves the versatility Weaver has shown swinging between tailback and fullback, while improving on special teams, a role he struggled with a year ago.
• We hear rookie WR Marques Colston, a seventh-round pick from Hofstra, has moved up the Saints' depth chart and should make the roster. The 6-foot-4, 223-pound Colston was viewed as a tight end by some clubs, but we're told the Saints saw him as a receiver all along. They are excited by his potential as a red-zone target -- he had a 15-yard TD catch in the Saints' third preseason game.
• Instead of more recognizable names like Ryan Sims, John Browning and Junior Siavii, the Chiefs are going with free-agent additions Ron Edwards and James Reed with the first team at the DT position. Reed, who spent five seasons with the Jets, has already shown the ability to generate more of a push than Sims, a former first-round pick who has underachieved and was seen having a heart-to-heart conversation with head coach Herman Edwards after a recent practice.
• Fourth-round pick Elvis Dumervil, who led the nation in sacks last year as an edge rusher at Louisville, has spent a lot of his time on the interior of the Broncos' defensive line in the preseason, which is a bit surprising considering his 5-11, 250-pound frame. The thinking is that having him inside gives the team more flexibility on passing downs. Meanwhile, DE Corey Jackson, a young player whom Mike Shanahan was very high on earlier this summer, has failed to distinguish himself and isn't likely to have a role on an otherwise average D-line.
• We hear the battle for the Chargers' backup QB job remains up in the air between A.J. Feeley, who has started 13 NFL games, and rookie Charlie Whitehurst, and it could go down to the final practices before Week 1.
• Look for the Cardinals to rotate their defensive tackles more frequently this season, with backup Langston Moore, in particular, seeing a lot more action.
• The Bengals are pleased with the stability and leadership that veteran S Dexter Jackson has brought to the team.
Insider
Pro Football Weekly
• MLB Dan Morgan missed Carolina's third preseason game because he was suffering from a "minor head injury." While the Panthers aren't officially calling it a concussion, our sources tell us to keep a close eye on the situation because of Morgan's injury history. Morgan, the Panthers' most indispensable linebacker, has suffered multiple concussions in his five-year career and has never stayed healthy for all 16 games in the regular season.
• Chicago has interest in Patriots WR Deion Branch but isn't willing to part with a high draft pick. Branch, a refined route runner with a flair for the dramatic, was given permission to seek a trade as negotiations remain stalled on a long-term extension. Bears observers believe Branch, if acquired, would quickly become the No. 1 receiver and a reliable target for QB Rex Grossman.
• Thanks to strong play in training camp and preseason -- and with veteran RB Mike Anderson not faring as well as the team had hoped -- we hear Ravens RB Musa Smith could earn the top backup role behind Jamal Lewis soon.
• We hear that the lengthy holdout of WR Deion Branch and the slow-healing hamstring of rookie Chad Jackson, coupled with the depth of talent at the TE position, will lead the Patriots to heavily utilize their tight ends this season. In fact, look for some four-TE sets -- likely the first time those will be used by an NFL team since the Redskins of the early 1980s.
• Our sources in Atlanta tell us diminutive starting RB Warrick Dunn might get a few more carries in short-yardage situations now that bruising backup T.J. Duckett is in Washington. But we hear the biggest beneficiary of the Duckett trade is FB Justin Griffith, who will line up in the backfield in single-back sets and will get most of Duckett's short-yardage touches.
• While he should hardly be viewed as a disappointment, we hear that there are some in the Niners' organization who expected first-round TE Vernon Davis to catch on to the offense a little quicker than he has up to now.
• Greg Ellis in the Pro Bowl as a linebacker? Cowboys teammates have been amazed at the quick transition the nine-year defensive end has made to an up position. Although Ellis has yet to be tested thoroughly in coverage, which opponents are sure to do, he and DeMarcus Ware figure to be one of the best pass-rushing OLB pairs in the NFL.
• Chiefs OG Will Shields was wearing a walking boot on his badly sprained ankle in late August, but sources say we should expect him to keep his streak of 207 consecutive starts alive when the regular season opens. "He doesn't talk much about the streak, but he takes a lot of pride in it," said one observer close to the team. "He'll play when most people won't."
• Word is veteran Martin Gramatica held his own with fourth-round pick Stephen Gostkowski in the battle for the Patriots' PK job. However, Gramatica needed to thoroughly outperform the promising rookie and fell short of that task, getting released after two preseason games. However, we hear that Gramatica showed enough to get back on the NFL radar screen and is likely on the short list for teams that are looking for a dependable veteran kicker.
• We hear there's an outside chance that Cardinals DE Bertrand Berry's injured left knee could force him to miss the regular-season opener vs. the Niners.
• DE Alex Brown (shoulder) could miss the first game of the season or more, further challenging the Bears' front-line depth. DTs Ian Scott (knee) and Tank Johnson (quadriceps) have missed several weeks of workouts but are close to returning. The veterans on the club believe the defense will be far better than it had been through three preseason games as soon as the D-line is at full strength.
• Word from Jets camp is that veteran free-agent pickup Anthony Clement may have the inside track on the ORT spot over former starter Adrian Jones, who has been used more as a swing tackle and has even seen some action inside at guard. Clement's size (he's three inches taller than Jones and weighs 20 pounds more) looks to be a better fit for the Jets' new offensive scheme.
• Chiefs GM Carl Peterson said he is still holding the door open for retired OLT Willie Roaf to return, and will do so throughout the season. But we're told that's wishful thinking, as Roaf doesn't believe he can play with his lingering hamstring problems and has quietly moved on. Some teammates, however, are believed to be disappointed that Roaf hasn't returned their calls and that they didn't hear the sudden retirement news directly from him back in July.
• Just one day after returning from the physically-unable-to-perform list, Raiders WR Ronald Curry was already working ahead of the disgruntled Jerry Porter on the depth chart. Curry admitted to being frustrated by the cautious approach the team took with him since the start of camp while he rehabbed from a torn Achilles tendon for the second year in a row. We're told he was making sharp cuts right out of the gate and has shown no ill effects from the injury. Although Porter's attitude has been a sore subject in camp, to his credit, he has not sulked one bit during practice and is working extremely hard.
• Lions DT Shaun Cody had two sacks at Oakland and continued an impressive summer of workouts. Cody is replacing DT Dan Wilkinson and, while he doesn't have Wilkinson's bulk, size or girth, his quickness and agility make Cody a difficult matchup for guards asked to single-block him inside.
• We hear that Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio now says he has three starting wide receivers, only weeks after demoting former first-round pick Reggie Williams to the second unit. Our Jaguars sources tell us Williams' impressive performance in the second preseason game elevated him to starting status along with Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford.
• The way we hear it, the Ravens believe rookie OG Chris Chester needs some work in the weight room to reach his potential. Nevertheless, Chester, currently a backup, is capable of holding his own as a rookie just on his talent alone.
• New Redskins LB Jeff Posey has shown far more versatility than Chris Clemons, who was released after injuring his knee. Gregg Williams believes Posey can back up at both OLB spots and be a situational rusher as a former defensive end.
• Lions FS Daniel Bullocks, a second-round pick, is close to locking up the starting spot. He didn't stand out in his first start (Aug. 25) at Oakland, but Bullocks has been a practice all-star and one of defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson's pet projects throughout summer practices. Bullocks, more of a strong safety to some, has been praised for his instincts and hard-hitting style.
• We hear one Rams D-lineman who has definitely responded better to new D-line coach Brian Baker than his predecessor, Bill Kollar, is new starting NT Jimmy Kennedy, who never felt comfortable with Kollar's abrasive tough-love coaching style.
• According to sources in the Twin Cities, the Vikings are fully committed to RB Chester Taylor as the centerpiece of the offense. The Vikings acquired Taylor because of his toughness, pass-catching skills and versatility, but he has had a tough go of it in the preseason. As the Vikings see it, Taylor's adversity behind a still-meshing offensive line is all part of an adjustment period.
• Giants QB Jared Lorenzen appears to have locked up a roster spot and is a good candidate to open the season as the No. 2 behind Eli Manning. So far, Rob Johnson and Tim Hasselbeck, the other quarterbacks on the roster, have done little.
• Always intrigued by receivers with size and speed, the Colts decided to take a flier on ex-Chief Marc Boerigter, whom, we're told, they went after unsuccessfully back in 2002. Another Colt receiver worth keeping an eye on is first-year pro Dan Sheldon, whose odds of winning the return job have improved with rookie competitor T.J. Rushing being limited by groin and leg injuries.
• Word out of Saints camp is that WR Donte' Stallworth has worked his way back into the starting lineup after injuries and clashes with the new coaching staff in the offseason. We hear the coaches finally realized they need Stallworth, who had four catches for 49 yards in the third preseason game, to play with the first unit if they want to win. Devery Henderson, who was working with the starters during Stallworth's stint as a backup, had a terrible training camp.
• Second-year CB Fabian Washington continues to impress in Oakland with his attitude, technique and physical play. After dealing with the massive ego and inconsistent play of former first-round pick Phillip Buchanon, now with the Texans, insiders say the Raiders look at Washington as a sight for sore eyes, especially considering he works so hard at correcting his few flaws.
• Seemingly constant injury issues are holding Green Bay RB Najeh Davenport back. Out with a hip flexor prior to the team's preseason game vs. Cincinnati, Davenport might now be in direct competition with rookie Arliss Beach. Beach impressed in training camp and has a running style that offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski really likes. Beach also has been a willing and able participant on kick-coverage teams. Beach, a bigger runner with special-teams value, might have the inside track.
• Sources close to the Saints tell us RB Deuce McAllister, who sat out the first preseason game before starting in Weeks 2 and 3, has not experienced any setbacks in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Despite the smooth recovery, we're told McAllister may not be as explosive a runner as he was pre-injury, but he will be as competent a runner as ever.
• Steelers FS Ryan Clark, competing with Tyrone Carter to be the starter opposite Troy Polamalu, recently had this to say to PFW about how his role is different in Pittsburgh as opposed to Washington: "I am back more. When you have a guy like Troy, you know he's going to be up there, wreaking havoc, so the schemes call for me to be back a lot. But that doesn't mean I won't be used in run support and that; it's just that I have had to work on coverage."
• Bengals RB Chris Perry is likely to miss the start of the regular season with knee and ankle injuries that he claims were initially misdiagnosed by the team. The effect of Perry's absence would be particularly noticeable if QB Carson Palmer also misses the first couple of weeks; Perry is an excellent check-down option as a receiver, and he would have been a major help to Anthony Wright.
• We hear it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Packers make a run at another kicker before the start of the regular season. The strong-legged Dave Rayner is the only place-kicker on the roster after Billy Cundiff was released on Aug. 16. Rayner's performance since Cundiff was cut has been a mixed bag. He continues to boom kickoffs into the endzone, but his accuracy, from 40 yards and out, is an issue.
• Don't be surprised if Seahawks second-year man Leonard Weaver gets a lot more playing time this season. We hear the team loves the versatility Weaver has shown swinging between tailback and fullback, while improving on special teams, a role he struggled with a year ago.
• We hear rookie WR Marques Colston, a seventh-round pick from Hofstra, has moved up the Saints' depth chart and should make the roster. The 6-foot-4, 223-pound Colston was viewed as a tight end by some clubs, but we're told the Saints saw him as a receiver all along. They are excited by his potential as a red-zone target -- he had a 15-yard TD catch in the Saints' third preseason game.
• Instead of more recognizable names like Ryan Sims, John Browning and Junior Siavii, the Chiefs are going with free-agent additions Ron Edwards and James Reed with the first team at the DT position. Reed, who spent five seasons with the Jets, has already shown the ability to generate more of a push than Sims, a former first-round pick who has underachieved and was seen having a heart-to-heart conversation with head coach Herman Edwards after a recent practice.
• Fourth-round pick Elvis Dumervil, who led the nation in sacks last year as an edge rusher at Louisville, has spent a lot of his time on the interior of the Broncos' defensive line in the preseason, which is a bit surprising considering his 5-11, 250-pound frame. The thinking is that having him inside gives the team more flexibility on passing downs. Meanwhile, DE Corey Jackson, a young player whom Mike Shanahan was very high on earlier this summer, has failed to distinguish himself and isn't likely to have a role on an otherwise average D-line.
• We hear the battle for the Chargers' backup QB job remains up in the air between A.J. Feeley, who has started 13 NFL games, and rookie Charlie Whitehurst, and it could go down to the final practices before Week 1.
• Look for the Cardinals to rotate their defensive tackles more frequently this season, with backup Langston Moore, in particular, seeing a lot more action.
• The Bengals are pleased with the stability and leadership that veteran S Dexter Jackson has brought to the team.
