FanHouse

LenDale White: I Won't Be Fat Again

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-30T21:15:00 00:00

LenDale White doesn't look like the LenDale White we're used to seeing. White told The Tennessean that he's weighing in at only 229 pounds this offseason, way short of the 260 he's weighed at times throughout his pro career.

A 230-pound White should still be big enough to move the pile, but he may actually be able to make a couple of guys miss for a change, too. But there is the question of White's motivation, which is brought up in Jim Wyatt's story.

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Vick's No Longer Working in Construction

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-30T21:01:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFL Police Blotter

Michael Vick's construction job didn't last for long.

Needing a job to meet his house arrest requirements and with the NFL currently blocked as an option, Vick had started working construction last month in Hampton, Va. But he's left that job to start working for the local Boys and Girls Club. Although it's not exactly clear what he'll be doing with the Boys and Girls Club, they said he'll be working on health and fitness with the kids.

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Are the Steelers Being Underrated?

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-30T09:13:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North

With the season just two months away, the Patriots seem to once again be the clear favorite to win the AFC, but the Football Scientist K.C. Joyner makes a pretty compelling argument that the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers are being underrated.

Joyner cites a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers defense bringing back nearly everyone from last year's historic unit, an easier schedule and an improved running game.

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Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress Could Be Sitting for Quite a While

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-29T21:43:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Buccaneers, Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Giants, NFL Police Blotter, NFL Rumors

While there is speculation of Michael Vick eventually becoming a Dolphin, Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole has a pretty firm story that says Vick won't be playing in the NFL anytime soon. Cole also says that wide receiver Plaxico Burress is facing an indefinite suspension as well, which would put a giant bucket of cold water on any hopes he has of landing a solid free agent deal.

Cole cites three sources with knowledge of the situation. According to them, commissioner Roger Goodell will continue to throw his weight around when it comes to suspensions. He's already slapped wide receiver Donte Stallworth with an indefinite suspension after Stallworth pled guilty to DUI manslaughter. One of Cole's sources says its likely that Vick will be suspended for the entire 2009 season as well, which would mean he would be out of football for three seasons, making any return even tougher in 2010.

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Former NFL Coach Dennis Green Thinks Michael Vick Will Likely Be a Dolphin

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-29T21:30:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, NFL Fans, NFL Coaching, NFL Rumors

It's impossible to find an NFL head coach or general manager who is willing to say that he wants to sign Michael Vick, but former NFL coach Dennis Green, now coaching for the start-up UFL, thinks he knows where Vick will end up.

As he sees it, Bill Parcells wants Vick, and if Parcells wants something, he's going to get it. So he thinks Vick will end up as a Dolphin.

"I have a hard time believing that Michael Vick is not going to wind up with Bill Parcells, simply because he has that creativeness that says that no matter what it takes, he's going to find a way to get Michael Vick," Green told Sirius NFL Radio. "Now, whether it means convincing the commissioner or whatever it takes, Michael Vick is probably going to wind up at Miami because of the fact that Bill Parcells is Bill Parcells."

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Percy Harvin Is Fast, but He Can't Outrun the Common Cold

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-29T20:09:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Vikings, NFC North

For the second time this offseason, Percy Harvin has had to skip out on a required function because he's been too sick to participate.

The first time, Harvin landed in an Atlanta hospital with severe dehydration that forced him to miss a Vikings minicamp. This time he was sent home from the NFL's rookie symposium. In both cases, Harvin did everything right -- he notified everyone who needed to be told and was excused --- but it's a little worrisome that the Vikings' first-round pick seems to be felled by the sniffles multiple times during the spring and summer. The ex-Florida Gator hasn't even started to see what a flu season during a Minnesota winter can be like.

Harvin apparently is the only NFL draftee who's not at the rookie camp, although he did report before being sent home.

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Could Bulluck Be Saying Goodbye?

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-28T21:47:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Titans

Keith Bulluck sat down with the Tennessean for a Q&A this week that covered a lot of topics: his favorite Titans team, his best teammates, his toughest loss and his best game. It's not meant to be, but it almost read like a farewell speech.

Bulluck is heading into the final year of his contract. The Titans have not made any moves to re-sign him. He has already said that he expects to be playing elsewhere next year, although his wish is to remain with the Titans. And when you consider the Titans track record, that's not surprising.

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Starks' Contract Means Another Redshirt For Hills

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-28T19:11:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North

When the Steelers drafted Tony Hills in the fourth round of the 2008 draft, there was some thought among Steelers fans that he might be the team's starting left tackle in 2009. Max Starks was playing under a one-year transition-tag contract while his backup, Trai Essex, was also in the final year of his deal.

So the thought was: Starks and Essex may leave in free agency while Hills moves into the starting lineup after a one-year apprenticeship. It was the same path that Willie Colon took as a 2005 fourth-round pick.

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Don't Expect Too Much From Kenny Britt Too Soon

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-27T22:26:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Titans

Rookie receivers traditionally have one of the toughest transitions to life in the NFL, topped only it seems by quarterbacks. With that in mind, it seems pretty clear that Kenny Britt, the Titans' first round pick, will not start the season as a key part of the team's offense.

That will be Justin Gage and Nate Washington's job, and even they will have to fight for attention with tight ends Alge Crumpler and Bo Scaife snagging a lot of the move the chains stuff.

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Peterson's Dad: Give My Son Some Help

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-27T21:52:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Vikings, NFC North

Back when Tarvaris Jackson was assumed to be the long-term quarterback of the Vikings, his teammates talked around any question of whether Jackson was the right man for the job.

But now that we're just waiting for Brett Favre to make it official that he's going to be a Viking, and Sage Rosenfels is set to be the backup, it's pretty much open season for players (or player's dads) to explain what it's been like in recent years.

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Steelers Talking About Extending Veteran Ryan Clark

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-27T13:02:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Steelers, AFC South, NFL Free Agency

A couple of months ago, the list of Steelers free agents after the 2009 season looked downright frightening. But slowly and surely, Pittsburgh is whittling down its collection of potential departures.

First the Steelers re-signed left tackle Max Starks to a four-year extension, now there's word that they are working on a long-term deal with free safety Ryan Clark. The news comes from the NFL Network's Jason La Canfora (as relayed by Pro Football Talk).

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'Every Coach's Dream' Johnson Says He's Just Playing

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-26T20:37:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Titans

At this time last year Chris Johnson was a rookie who was keeping his head down and hoping to just get noticed for his speed on the field.

But with a 1,228-yard rushing season under his belt, Johnson is ready to make a name for himself, as he showed when he announced he has a new nickname -- "Every Coach's Dream."

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Haynesworth: Bucs Would Have Given More Money

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-25T22:47:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Buccaneers, Redskins, Titans

When Albert Haynesworth signed his seven-year, $100 million contract with the Redskins he immediately became the highest paid defensive player in the league.

But now he's told Sirius radio (as relayed by the Bucs Beat) that he could have actually earned a lot more if he was willing to become a Tampa Bay Buc. Instead, he wanted to go to Washington because he wanted to be part of a team in a big market--something that disqualified both the Titans and Bucs in his mind.

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William Clay Ford Speaks, but Still Clueless

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-24T23:12:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Lions

Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford admits that maybe in hindsight hiring Matt Millen as general manager wasn't the best call he's ever made.

"He really didn't have much experience as far as being a general manager goes. He knows the game, obviously, and knew talent. Maybe he was a little precipitous on some of his judgments -- I'm second-guessing him -- but it didn't work out. He understood completely. There was no bitterness or rancor on his part. He said, 'No, I can see why you're doing it and I don't blame you.'

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Starks Decides to Stick with Steelers

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-23T23:01:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North

The Steelers have never seemed to fully know what to do with Max Starks, but it seems clear that Starks has always wanted to be a Steeler.

Two years ago, Pittsburgh slapped Starks with a transition tag--guaranteeing him a contract worth nearly $7 million even though he was considered a backup. It took an injury to Marvel Smith to finally get Starks into the lineup on an everyday basis.

A year later, Starks was slapped with the franchise tag, as Pittsburgh once again decided that it both couldn't part with Starks, but also wasn't willing to work out a long-term deal immediately. But Starks has now gotten his long-term contract. although the terms seem more favorable to the Steelers than to Starks.

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Glover Hangs 'Em Up

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-22T09:46:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Cowboys, Rams, Saints

After six Pro Bowl appearances and 13 seasons, well-traveled defensive tackle LaRoi Glover has decided to put away his jockstrap.

At his best, Glover was one of the better defensive tackles in the game thanks to a quick first step that allowed him to beat bigger and stronger offensive linemen (he was only 6-foot-2, 290 pounds). With the Saints in 2000, he led the NFL with 17 sacks, starting a string of six straight Pro Bowl appearances.

He carried that success over to the Cowboys, but Dallas' switch to a 3-4 defense left him trying to play nose tackle in a system that didn't fit him nearly as well. Eventually the Cowboys pushed him aside, bringing in Jason Ferguson to provide more bulk in the middle.

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MMQB: Williams Didn't Lift As a Lion

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-22T09:25:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Lions, NFC North, NFL Rumors

There are whole lot of people who deserve blame for the Lions' ineptness.

It starts with owner William Clay Ford--teams that are bad this long never have a competent owner. If filters down to former GM Matt Millen, who left a swath of destruction as a GM that may never be topped. But apparently you have to point the finger at the Lions training staff as well, if Peter King's most recent Monday Morning Quarterback can be believed.

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Falcons Go Extra Mile for Nicholas

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-21T21:23:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

ESPN's Pat Yasikinas has a solid story today about Falcons linebacker Stephen Nicholas and his infant son's heart transplant. It's a great story for Father's Day and well worth the read.

But beyond Nicholas and his wife Irene's emotional journey of dealing with a sick child that thankfully has a happy ending now that Stephen Jr. is doing well, something else jumped out from Yasikinas' story: the Falcons as an organization got it right.

It's easy to make jokes about the Falcons' history of ineptitude on the field, but what struck me is that the team got every detail right off the field with Nicholas.

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Arians: Only 19 of Steelers Sacks Were O-Line's Fault

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-21T10:40:00 00:00

by JJ CooperThere's been no bigger defender of the Steelers' offensive line than offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

Even after the Steelers went into the draft hoping to draft a center in the first round, Arians seems to at least publicly believe that the Steelers' offensive line is good enough--and he has the Super Bowl ring to make his argument.

When asked about the Steelers' pass protection problems by a reporter for the Cumberland County Sentinel, Arians seemed to indicate that he blamed the wide receivers and Ben Roethlisberger as much as he did the linemen.

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How Good Will This Falcons' Offense Be?

JJ Cooper — 2009-06-20T22:22:00 00:00

by JJ Cooper

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

There are some very legitimate questions about how good the Falcons' defense will be. Atlanta will be relying on a largely new set of linebackers, a much younger set of safeties and a still-potentially thin defensive line.

But offensively, is there a Falcons fan who doesn't think the Falcons will be even better than they were last year? They replaced the league's worst set of tight ends (combined 19 catches for 211 yards) with Tony Gonzalez (96 catches for 1,058 yards). The running game of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood is back, the wide receivers should be even better as Harry Douglas enters his second year, and the offensive line returns intact.

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