Month: August 2012

Dolphins’ Chad Johnson arrested on domestic violence charges

stevenlourie Dolphins, News

Chad Johnson was arrested Saturday night on domestic violence charges after allegedly head-butting his wife in a dispute over a condom receipt found in her car. Though he’s caused plenty of controversy in his career, this is actually his first arrest. Still, he could be subject to discipline from the NFL, regardless of whether or not he is convicted. This also hurts his chances as he tries to make the Dolphins’ roster, after catching just 15 passes last season. And if he can’t make the Dolphins, who might have the thinnest receiving corps in the NFL, it could be curtains for Chad Johnson’s NFL career.

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Former Charger Marcus McNeill retires

stevenlourie Chargers, News

One of the most prominent names remaining on the open market has retired. That player is Marcus McNeill, formerly of the Chargers. McNeill is a former two-time Pro Bowler who was only heading into his age 29 season, but he was cut by the Chargers this offseason to save 10 million in cap space, after signing a 6 year, 48.9 million dollar extension in October of 2010.

He drew interest in free agency by several teams, including the Falcons, Lions, Chiefs, and Eagles. However, neck and spine injuries derailed his once promising career and were the primary reasons for his early retirement. Hopefully, McNeill has not suffered any sort of permanent damage and can live a long and healthy life after football.

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Ed Dickson and Torrey Smith both leave Ravens’ first preseason game with injuries

stevenlourie News, Ravens

The Ravens had two key members of their receiving corps go out with injuries in their first preseason game, as Ed Dickson left with a shoulder injury and Torrey Smith left with an ankle injury. Both are expected to miss most of the preseason and, while they are expected to be back for week 1, this will mean that Joe Flacco will be without 3 of his top-4 receivers for most of the Preseason as Dennis Pitta will also miss all of the preseason and possibly week 1 with a broken hand. The only one healthy currently is Anquan Boldin, who is heading into his age 32 season and has declined noticeably over the last 2 seasons.

This could hurt Joe Flacco’s timing with his receiving early in the season, which won’t help him bounce back from a season in which he had his career worst completion percentage, 57.6%, and YPA, 6.7 YPA, along with 20 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. There will be more pressure on the offense this year, with what should be an inferior defense (as compared to 2011) behind them, thanks to an injury to Terrell Suggs, the losses of Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding, and Ray Lewis and Ed Reed aging. The Ravens could have a down year this season.

As for Dickson and Smith, missing time could hurt their timing once the season starts. This is disappointing for Smith, who looked poised to have a breakout year, after catching 50 passes for 841 yards and 7 touchdowns last year, despite playing most of the season with a hernia, including 27 catches for 416 yards and 3 touchdowns in his final 7 seasons. In his first full offseason, Smith was impressing and looked like someone who could have a 1000 yard season in 2012. With this latest injury, expectations should be tempered slightly.

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Vontae Davis shows up out of shape to Dolphins’ Training Camp

stevenlourie Dolphins, News

Vontae Davis, a 2009 1st round pick, finally came into his own last season, allowing just 36 completions on 66 attempts (54.5%) for 496 yards (7.5 YPA), 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, while deflecting 6 passes and committing 4 penalties. However, he could regress this season. Reports say that Davis showed up to Training Camp out of shape and has not done much to win over his new coaching staff so far, reports which were confirmed by HBO’s Hard Knocks. He was also listed as a 2nd stringer on the Dolphins’ first official depth chart.

Davis is still getting some reps with the first team, splitting reps with Sean Smith and Richard Marshall, all of whom are competing for positioning on the depth chart. Sean Smith has reportedly done the opposite of Davis this offseason, showing up to camp slimmed down 24 pounds to 6-3 190, making a strong impression, and looking poised to bounce back from a down season.

In 2011 he allowed 61 completions on 104 attempts (58.7%) for 793 yards (7.6 YPA), 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, while deflecting 5 passes and committing 2 penalties. In 2010, he allowed 24 completions on 45 attempts (53.3%) for 325 yards (7.2 YPA), 1 touchdown and 1 interception, while deflecting 8 passes and committing 1 penalty in 11 starts at cornerback.

Richard Marshall, meanwhile, is looking continue his strong play from 2011. He allowed 28 completions on 54 attempts (51.9%) for 394 yards (7.3 YPA), 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, while deflecting 5 passes and committing 6 penalties last season. He ranked 3rd in the league in receptions per coverage snap, 7th in yards per coverage snap, and 2nd in targets per coverage snap. Between the three, the Dolphins should be able to field two talented starting cornerbacks in 2012.

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Chargers’ Jared Gaither sidelined by back spasms

stevenlourie Chargers, News

This is not what you want to see. Jared Gaither, who missed all of the 2010 season and most of the 2011 season with back problems, is currently suffering from back spasms and has missed the majority of Training Camp so far and is expected to be held out until late August. While they’re probably just holding him out for precautionary reasons, it’s definitely not a good thing.

Gaither was amazing in 5 starts last season for the Chargers, after being cut midseason by the Chiefs. He didn’t allow a sack or quarterback hit and only allowed 3 quarterback pressures, while committing just 3 penalties. The Chargers rewarded him with a 4 year, 24.6 million dollar deal with 13.5 million guaranteed this offseason.

That seems like a lot to give a guy after 5 games, but when healthy, Gaither is an elite left tackle and those guys don’t grow on trees. With the Ravens, in 2009, he allowed just 4 sacks, 3 quarterback hits, and 6 quarterback pressures, while committing 10 penalties in 13 games and in 2008, he allowed just 2 sacks, 2 quarterback hits, and 22 quarterback pressures, while committing 15 penalties in 19 games.

The Chargers desperately need him to be healthy because they have no depth at the position. Their 2nd string left tackle is Mike Harris, an undrafted rookie free agent. Their only veteran depth at the position is Brandyn Dombrowski, who was horrible last season, making 4 starts. He allowed 6 sacks, 3 quarterback hits, and 17 quarterback pressures, including 4 sacks, a hit, and 9 quarterback pressures in one game against Oakland. Somewhere, Kamerion Wimbley is still blowing past him and driving Philip Rivers into the dirt. On a line that already figures to get subpar play at the left guard and right tackle position, they can’t afford to get subpar play at the left tackle position.

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Carolina Panthers extend RB Jonathan Stewart

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Off-Season, Offseason Moves 2012, Panthers

Between the Panthers’ 5 year extension to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, the Panthers have committed a combined 43.5 million guaranteed to two different running backs, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, in the last 2 offseason. Last offseason, Williams got 5 years, 43 million with 21 million guaranteed and Jonathan Stewart now has received 5 years, 36.5 million with 22.5 million guaranteed in an extension, heading into a contract year.

Both are talented backs capable of being #1 backs, but that’s way too much money to commit to any one position other than quarterback. It makes no sense to essentially pay 7.3 million and 8.6 million per year respectively and commit 22.5 million and 21 million respectively to two players who will split carries at not even that important of a position

That’s especially true for the Panthers since Cam Newton is essentially their goal line back, gets about a 3rd of their carries, and is the guy who opens things up on the ground and allows both backs to average 5.4 YPC like they did last season. Stewart and Williams combined for just 297 carries last season. That’s not nearly worth the kind of money they’re paying them in what’s becoming less and less a running league.

However, I already bashed the Panthers for giving DeAngelo Williams that ridiculous extension last offseason, essentially giving him the kind of money that LeSean McCoy, Ray Rice, Matt Forte, and Arian Foster got this offseason even though he’s older than those two (already heading into his age 29 season), less talented, less durable, and splits carries.

The Panthers’ extension to Stewart is actually pretty well deserved as he heads into his age 25 season. This extension will take him through his age 30 season. He’s more than capable of carrying the load if given the opportunity. In 2009, his only real chance to be a lead back, he rushed for 1133 yards and 10 touchdowns on 221 carries, including 749 yards and 6 touchdowns on 134 carries in the final 8 games of the season, when a broken down Williams missed 3 games and managed just 349 yards on 67 carries and didn’t score. Also, while he has a rep for being injury prone, Stewart has only missed 2 games in 4 seasons. It is fair, however, fair to question if his durability would be the same if he were getting more carries.

Since the Panthers were very backed up against the cap this offseason, they figure to be even more backed up against it next offseason after this extension, so they could try to trade DeAngelo Williams, but I don’t think a lot of teams are going to want to take on his contract at his age. Cutting him, meanwhile, would lead to a 4.85 million dollar cap hit, which wouldn’t really help them out cap wise. These two deals will put them in a very bad cap situation for at least one offseason and restrict their ability to upgrade other parts of the team, which really need at coming off a 6-10 season.

They should have just let Williams go last offseason, made Williams the lead back and found a complimentary back. If they had done that, this extension would have made sense (assuming he proved he could carry the load without getting hurt), but they didn’t, so it’s a bit head scratching, but I don’t completely hate it, even if it is a ton of guaranteed money to commit to someone who has never carried the ball more than 221 times in a season. I mostly just hate the Williams extension even more. For reference, here’s my grade of the Williams signing from last offseason.

Grade: C

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Dolphins’ David Garrard has knee surgery

stevenlourie Dolphins, News

The Dolphins received bad news when they found out that David Garrard would need knee surgery. Garrard, a free agent acquisition who missed all of last season with a back injury, was considered the favorite for the starting job and looked very good in Training Camp. However, Garrard will miss 2-4 weeks with the injury, which makes it much more likely that Matt Moore or Ryan Tannehill will be the starting quarterback, even though Garrard probably could play week 1 if needed.

However, this probably won’t be a huge hit to the Dolphins. Matt Moore proved himself to be capable last season, going 6-6, as he completed 210 of 347 (60.5%) for 2497 yards (7.2 YPA), 16 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions and he probably was the better choice for the job all along. Moore could, of course, regress, which would force Ryan Tannehill out into action before he’s ready and that could lead to this being a lost season for the Dolphins. However, if Moore keeps it up, they could follow the solid quarterback, good running game, good defense, easy schedule model and sneak into the playoffs in the inferior AFC at 9-7 or so.

As for Garrard, it’s likely he gets cut. Owed a non-guaranteed 2.25 million if he makes the final roster, he’s too expensive to be just a 2nd or 3rd string quarterback. The Dolphins won’t pay Moore, Garrard, and Tannehill and it’s been a known fact pretty much all along that the loser of the Moore/Garrard battle would be cut or traded. It’s unlikely anyone would trade for Garrard now though.

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Chargers’ Ryan Mathews out 4-6 weeks with broken collarbone

stevenlourie Chargers, News

The Chargers took a big hit when running back Ryan Mathews went down with what was later found to be a broken collarbone during the Chargers’ 1st preseason game. Mathews was set to be the Chargers’ “everything back” in Norv Turner’s offense, in his 3rd year in the league after going 12th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. With a career 4.7 YPC and above average pass catching skills (50 catches in 2011), Mathews looked poised to have a breakout year and become a star in this league.

However, the one issue that has always been present with Mathews has been durability so many were skeptical about his ability to carry the load and be a 300+ carry back. I kept my estimations for him fairly conservative in my fantasy football projections, projecting him to get 280 carries. I will have to lower those expectations now that he’s expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

However, this injury is really more of a freak injury that anything and while he should miss a game or two, it’s not likely to be something that lingers and he’s not necessarily any more likely to get hurt again this season than he was before the injury. He’s still a 1st round pick value, though Mathews owners should target Ronnie Brown late in the draft as a handcuff as he figures to get the start in the absence of Mathews. Brown is pretty washed up, heading into his age 31 season, after averaging 3.2 YPC last season, but he’ll get you volume yardage.

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Browns’ Trent Richardson will undergo knee surgery

stevenlourie Browns, News

More bad news for the Browns, at the same time they found out that star cornerback Joe Haden could be suspended for 4 games, Trent Richardson will have to undergo surgery on his left knee. That surgery is just a scope so it’s as minor as it comes, but this is the 2nd time that knee has been operated on this year, so it’s not what you want to see from the player you just spent the 3rd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft on.

The Browns expect Richardson to be back for the opener, but that’s not certain and it’s definitely possible he’ll miss a couple games at some point this season with lingering knee pain. The Browns could also scale back his workload early in September. As talented as Richardson is, rookie running backs have had trouble adjusting to a 16-game NFL season in recent years as 1st round pick running backs have averaged just have just averaged 165 carries as rookies since 2007. It’s important to keep fantasy predictions for him conservative as a rookie. Montario Hardesty, who is reportedly finally healthy, makes for an interesting handcuff and potential late round sleeper.

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Browns’ Joe Haden could be suspended 4 games

stevenlourie Browns, News

Joe Haden, the 7th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, is reportedly in danger of being suspended for 4 games, according to ESPN Cleveland, after testing positive for Adderall during a routine drug test. Adderall is a classified as a performance enhancing “stimulant” by the NFL. The NFL has reportedly told Haden he tested positive and that they are reviewing the drug test. Haden will be able to appeal the failed drug test after it’s reviewed and possibly avoid suspension or get a reduced suspension.

If Haden were to miss any time, it would be a huge blow to a team with so little talent. Haden has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL over the last 2 seasons and was a major Pro Bowl snub in 2011. He’s really been the only bright spot on an overall disappointing Browns team.  He’s allowed just 83 completions on 162 attempts (51.2%) for 1165 yards (7.2 YPA), 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, while deflecting 28 passes and committing 12 penalties in the last 2 seasons. Any suspension would not begin until after an appeal, if there is one, and the process sometimes takes months.

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