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| Troy Polamalu hung around the minicamp this weekend, but he won't practice with the team until training camp, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms. He is coming off a right knee injury that required minor surgery and rehab to repair a torn PCL. Polamalu will once again spend his offseason in California, where he uses some non-traditional training methods rather than weights and machines. |
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| Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals | Sunday 5/4, 11:42 PM CT |
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| Kurt Warner says no new deal is imminent with the Cardinals, the East Valley Tribune reports. The veteran is in the final season of his deal and aims to play through the 2010 season. |
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| Offensive coordinator Jim Colletto is pleased with Drew Stanton's progress. The quarterback's rookie season ended quickly last August due to a knee injury. "He's gotten better, technique-wise," Colletto informs the Detroit News. "(Quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler has) been out here with him all the time. It looks like he's throwing the ball better." |
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| LaDainian Tomlinson has changed his mind about the preseason. The superstar previously stated he'd think about playing in a preseason contest, but that idea has been erased. "I just told him we weren’t going to do it," head coach Norv Turner tells the team's official web site. "There wasn’t a lot of discussion involved. He doesn’t need to carry the ball in the preseason." Tomlinson hasn't appeared in an August contest since 2005. |
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| Cedric Benson is offering a different view of Saturday's events. The running back tells NBC5.com that he wasn't drunk, his boat passed all tests, and he didn't have trouble with the sobriety tests. Benson says he counted forward and backward "at least 20 times." He adds that he never cursed or yelled, but the officer suddenly pepper-sprayed him. Benson explains that he was only dragged to the squad car because his feet were kicked out from under him. "I did nothing wrong; I didn't resist arrest, didn't curse and wasn't drunk," he notes. Benson is threatening a lawsuit. |
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| Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears | Sunday 5/4, 8:46 PM CT |
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| Running back Matt Forte may have been the Bears most impressive player during the team's rookie minicamp. "Matt Forte, since Day 1, since the first practice, stood out," head coach Lovie Smith tells the team's official web site. "You noticed him catching the ball and running. It looked like it wasn’t too big for him. It looked like he’s been here before and that’s what you want to see." |
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| Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers | Sunday 5/4, 8:32 PM CT |
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| Head coach Mike Nolan reiterated on Sunday that the 49ers have an open battle for the starting quarterback job. In fact, it's a three-way battle. "You know what, I’ll say this, probably the biggest impression that I got out of the quarterback position is that it is probably going to be a three-man race rather than just two. I think J.T. O’Sullivan as it goes is going to be in the thick of it," Nolan tells the team's official web site. Alex Smith and Shaun Hill are thought to be the frontrunners. |
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| Linebacker Michael Boley was arrested and charged with battery on Saturday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution confirms. He has been released on a $1,200 bond. Details of the arrest and incident are not known, and the team issued a brief note saying, "The Falcons' organization is aware of the situation and will have no comment at this time." |
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| Dwayne Jarrett has looked good during the team's weekend minicamp, the Charlotte Observer observes. |
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| Chris Perry, RB, Cincinnati Bengals | Sunday 5/4, 6:23 PM CT |
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| Head coach Marv Lewis expects Chris Perry to be on the field when the Bengals begins a voluntary minicamp on May 13, the team's official web site reports. He hasn't played since breaking his right fibula in November of 2006. |
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| Coach Ken Whisenhunt says Matt Leinart handled the offense well and looked confident during the weekend minicamp, the team's official web site reports. Leinart has already been named the starter for 2008, and he is coming off a broken left collarbone. |
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| The Vikings placed defensive end Kenechi Udeze on the reserve-non-football-illness list over the weekend. The move means he will not play in 2008, but the Vikings will pay him his $807,500 salary. "He can focus on getting well. He's done a great job with that so far. He's been positive. He's been upbeat," head coach Brad Childress tells NFL.com. Udeze was diagnosed in February with an acure form of leukemia. |
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| Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson isn't worried about Lito Sheppard potentially having to line up on the right side of the field. "He's been both sides. When he went against (Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens) last year, he played the left and the right. He might be a little more comfortable (on the left), but there are times when we have to flop corners when they put two wideouts on the same side. He can play both sides," Johnson tells the team's official web site. |
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| Running back Jalen Parmele has stood out during the team's weekend minicamp, and it's believed he will be the No. 3 back behind Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams in 2008, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. |
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| Victor Abiamiri lined up at left defensive end with the first-string defense over the weekend, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. |
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| The Cardinals have asked cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to gain weight, and he left the recent minicamp with a strength and diet plan. "It's kind of hard to maintain it," he explains to the Arizona Republic. The rookie weights 182 pounds, and they'd like him to get up to 195. |
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| The Cowboys are trying out Bobby Carpenter at the "Mo" (weak-side inside) linebacker spot this summer, the Dallas Morning News reports. The former first-round pick previously worked at the "Mike" (strong-side inside) spot. Carpenter is a backup. |
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| Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins | Sunday 5/4, 2:28 PM CT |
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| Rookie second-round draft pick Fred Davis did not show up for minicamp practice Sunday, prompting the Redskins to send security officials to find him, according to the AP. Coach Jim Zorn said, "Everybody was scouring. Nobody heard from him, so there was one of two scenarios. Either there was some real trouble and we needed to find him, or he screwed up. I haven’t even got to talk to him yet. I know he has been found. I believe it is more in the ‘I screwed up’ category."
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| Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins | Sunday 5/4, 1:46 PM CT |
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| Chad Henne struggled in the final day of rookie mini-camp on Sunday, according to the Sun Sentinel. He seemed to be confused and overwhelmed, and he admitted that he didn't have a favorable practice, and at one point was told to run a lap after blowing an assignment. Henne said, "I forgot the snap count. I went on one instead of our second sound. I deserved it." Henne was overthrowing most of his receivers Sunday, but some of that had to be related with learning 150 pages of the playbook in four days and then trying to translate it on the field with rookie receivers he's never thrown to before. Henne added, "I was kind of inconsistent with my throws, missed some assignments, but other than I felt pretty good, just getting my feet wet. It's tough as a quarterback you have to know what everybody is doing, know your checks, where your progressions are, your footwork. Once I get back here again I'll feel more comfortable and do better."
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| Beau Bell, LB, Cleveland Browns | Sunday 5/4, 1:36 PM CT |
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| The Browns think rookie linebacker Beau Bell (UNLV) is good enough to push Andra Davis for his job on the inside, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He may not play a lot early, but should be in the mix by mid-season. |
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| Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sunday 5/4, 12:13 PM CT |
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| Hines Ward is going to play with a chip on his shoulder this season, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ward said, "I'm always going to be that guy who played with a chip on his shoulder. I want to prove to everybody. I don't even know what I have to prove, but I want to prove somebody something. Even though we drafted (Limas Sweed), there's no hard feelings. I'm not mad at the organization or anything. They felt this guy could help us get to the next level and win a championship. If that can happen, why would I be mad at that? At the end of the day, Sweed is not going to change how Hines Ward plays. It doesn't bother me who they bring in. If he helps bring depth to our receiving corps and we go out there with a solid four wides, if he helps us that way to bring a championship here, hey I'm going to teach him all I can because I want him to go out and make plays."
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| Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins | Sunday 5/4, 11:41 AM CT |
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| There is going to be an open competition at quarterback this season, and rookie Chad Henne will get a fair shot at the starting job, according to the Sun-Sentinel. Henne said, "It's definitely different, especially at rookie camp, just going out there doing the best I can, learning the playbook. You never know what's going to happen. John's a great quarterback, and Josh McCown is here, so everybody's going to compete at their best and hopefully make each other better." Coach Tony Sporano said, "We have a quarterback competition. At the end of training camp we're going to find out who the best quarterback is. I was happy with what Chad did, especially from a mental standpoint. From a quarterback, it's all about what he does in the huddle. It's how he takes control. Chad managed the team fine at the line of scrimmage."
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| Cedric Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, according to the Chicago Tribune. The police reportedly pepper sprayed Benson to get him down on the ground.
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| Cedric Benson has reportedly been arrested early this morning by the Travis County Sheriff’s department, according to ProFootballTalk. The report does not give a reason for the arrest, but does say Benson is out on bond.
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| Anthony McFarland is reportedly on the Steelers' radar, according to FanNation.com. He missed last season due to a knee injury. |
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| Rookie first-rounder Mike Jenkins is trying to fit in with Dallas, according to the AP. Jenkins said, "I’m just trying to get in and help the team the best I can. I’m trying to learn the playbook. If it’s meant for me to get on the field early, I can do that. But right now I’m just trying to get in there and learn behind the guys that they have here. Defensive backs coach Dave Campo said, "We’re going to throw him right in there and start right away coaching him. Where he finishes, time will tell. I think he’s capable of playing either corner. He just has got to fine tune a lot of stuff and we’ll just see what happens."
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| DeAngelo Williams doesn't mind sharing the Panthers' workload at running back with rookie Jonathan Stewart, according to the AP. The team released DeShaun Foster, but replaced him with Stewart with the 13th overall pick in the draft. Williams knows he will split time with Stewart like he did with Foster and commented, " It didn’t bother me at all. I still have the same mind-set whether I’m the starter or not the starter. I was thinking everybody is going to the two-back system, so whether he starts the game off or I start the game off, we’ll both get the same amount of carries, give or take a few."
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| Marvin Harrison's agent stated that the Colts' receiver is not the target of an investigation into a shooting in Philadelphia earlier this week, according to FanNation. Tom Condon (his agent) said, "I've spoken with Marvin and I've spoken with his attorney, and they say the reports are erroneous. Marvin was not involved in any shooting, and he is not the subject of this investigation."
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| Olindo Mare is going to compete with seventh- round draft pick Brandon Coutu (Georgia) for the placekicking job in Seattle, according to ProFootballTalk. |
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