  
 AFC Mini-camp Notes: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly June 21st, 2002 To speak metaphorically, now is that time of year in the NFL which can be called the calm before the storm, or the lull before the battle, or maybe even the deep breath before the plunge. It is the summer break between mini-camps and training camp. Most teams are finished with their passing camps, their rookie orientations, and their “voluntary” workouts. Between now and late July, there will be a few free agent moves, a lot of rookies negotiating contracts, and the occasional player who runs afoul of the law. What have we learned about the 2002 editions of the 16 AFC teams, so far? Read the below mini-camp news compendium, and find out who’s been good, who’s been bad, and which teams got a lump of coal in their draft-day stockings. Buffalo Bills The
Buffalo Bills have a huge task in front of them in training camp – continuing
to integrate the influx of new players into their offensive and defensive
systems. Eric Moulds and Peerless Price were probably turning handsprings when
the Drew Bledsoe trade was consummated earlier this off-season. But there are
many more new faces in addition to Bledsoe. In fact, according to Rodney
McKissic of buffalonews.com (http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20020612/1018239.asp),
the Bills have over 40 new faces on the roster – only four of them have 10 or
more years of NFL experience and only 16 have more than five years. The speed at which these many new,
relatively inexperienced players learn the team’s offensive and defensive
schemes will determine how much success the Bills enjoy – and how successful
fantasy owners who draft Bill’s players are going to be. Travis
Henry, the young man penciled in as the starting running back prior to training
camp has plenty of competition pushing him (Sammy Morris, Richard Huntley), but
he has been limited in the mini-camp sessions by a bruised thigh (http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20020610/3021400.asp).
Head Coach Gregg Williams seems warmly
enthusiastic about Henry’s progress in the off-season, but there are a lot of
backs fighting for repetitions during training camp. Stay
tuned to the Bills during pre-season and gauge how well the offensive and
defensive units jell before counting on any of their players to be a mainstay
of your fantasy football team. Miami Dolphins: Head
coach Dave Wannstedt finally has what Jimmy Johnson never acquired in Miami – a
bona fide, top shelf running back. The arrival of Ricky Williams in Miami has a
lot of people excited about the 2002 Miami Dolphins. The legal tangle created
by his speeding ticket in Louisiana was resolved by a plea bargain and a
$500.00 fine, and has been quietly laid to rest. So
what will William’s presence mean to the other players on the team? According
to Miami.com’s Edwin Pope (http://www.miami.com/mld/miami/sports/football/nfl/miami_dolphins/3339018.htm)
Jay Fiedler is ready to have a breakout season. But it’s not only Pope’s
opinion – new offensive coordinator Norv Turner calls Fiedler “a very, very accurate passer who can put
the ball where he wants to put the ball . . . a real athlete”. And consider this statistic that Pope
highlights – “The only active pro QB with a better record than Fiedler (22-10)
for his first 32 regular-season starts is . . . yes! . . . Kurt Warner (26-6).” A
strong supporting cast of wide receivers, headlined by sensation Chris
Chambers, along with rock-solid Oronde Gadsden and veterans Dedric Ward and
James McKnight will also benefit from the looser coverages Ricky Williams will
force on opposing defenses. The team has suffered no major injuries during the
2002 mini-camps, and looks razor sharp heading into training camp. New England
Patriots: The
Patriots, fresh off a Super Bowl championship season, head into 2002 with the
mantra “We aren’t getting any respect!”. And they may be right – most NFL fans
still can’t believe that the Patriots beat the juggernaut machine that is the
St. Louis Rams. Anyway,
the June mini-camp began to answer some of the questions that Nick Cafardo of
the Boston Globe posed in his June 6th column (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/157/sports/Coming_attractions+.shtml)
– among them, how well will Tom Brady throw the long ball in 2002? Who besides
Troy Brown will be under Brady’s passes to catch them? Which of the tight ends will emerge as the
starter in 2002? According
to the Globe’s Michael Smith, (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/159/sports/Unit_receives_much_attention+.shtml),
it looks like Brady’s long ball has plenty of zip, and that Donald Hayes, David
Patten and Deion Branch will snag their share of balls to complement Troy
Brown. Rookie Daniel Graham played hard at tight end, and seemed in sync with
Brady. Antowain
Smith is the entrenched starter at running back, and was paid like it in the
off-season. Behind Smith, the picture isn’t so rosy, with scat-back J.R. Redmond
the #2 option. Belichick’s
defense is stout, but may suffer from the lack of veterans Bryan Cox and Roman
Phifer. Stay tuned to see how the defense fares in the preseason without their
experience and leadership. The bonehead of the off-season award goes to
defensive end Chris Sullivan (http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20020615_15sully.10b71.html),
for racking up a DUI
following the team’s Super Bowl ring party. Get a limousine, why don’tcha?! New York Jets: The
Jets come out of the mini-camp season with almost as many unanswered questions
as when they embarked upon it. The readiness of their pair of quarterbacks for
the 2002 season remains an open question, and the injury bug reared it’s ugly
head, striking down guard Dave Szott for the season (http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/102300915580951.xml).
The loss of Szott will result in a shuffling
of the offensive line during training camp. Coach Edwards has indicated the
team may pursue a veteran free agent to address the hole left by Szott. The word on Chad Pennington is that he continues to be inconsistent. According to newsday.com (http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets292687955apr29.story?coll=ny%2Djets%2Dheadlines) on 4/29/02, during the first mini-camp (which concluded 4/28) he had serious trouble executing the offense and held onto the ball too long much of the time. In the June camp, according to Ken Berger of newsday.com (http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets132745510jun13.story?coll=ny%2Djets%2Dheadlines), Pennington looked much better, throwing with authority and less hesitation. Testaverde also threw for the first time since his foot surgery at this camp, and appeared on track to return for the start of training camp. The Jets seem pleased with their wide receiver corps as is, reports bergen.com’s Randy Lange (http://www.bergen.com/page.php?level_3_id=119&page=3871175). Santana Moss is back strong after the knee and quadriceps injuries of 2001, and fourth receiver Kevin Swayne has bulked up nicely since the end of 2001. Laveranues Coles and Wayne Chrebet project to start, along with rock-solid running back Curtis Martin.
Baltimore Ravens: The biggest question marks for the Ravens in 2002 include the status of their star running back, Jamal Lewis, and quarterback Chris Redman. If the Ravens are going to get anywhere this season, these two need to be in top form. Jamal Lewis led off the mini-camps worrisome performances, and widespread reports of a serious limp. However, the leg has improved as the off-season progressed, and is now reported to be 90% recovered. On 6/14/02 Jamison Hensley of sunspot.net (http://www.sunspot.net/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens14jun14.story?coll=bal%2Dsports%2Dfootball) wrote , “…many of the Ravens coaches have had a hard time recently remembering that Lewis had surgery last year. He will run with a slight hitch at times, but then he'll follow that up with the same burst that helped him set the franchise's single-season mark in 2000 with 1,364 yards rushing.” Lewis believes he will be ready for full contact by the time training camp commences. Redman
has impressed his teammates with his toughness, and his completion percentage
was right where coaches wanted it to be during the mini-camps. If Lewis can
carry a full load, Redman’s chances of performing well in his first year as the
starter increase dramatically. On
the other side of the ball, defensive lineman Michael McCrary is returning from
a season-ending knee injury that occurred in the opener last year. All-world
linebacker Ray Lewis has not attended the passing camps, while bargaining for a
contract extension. Lewis does intend to attend the upcoming mandatory camps and
training camp. This
club is a team in transition – but it is not clear whether they are headed back
to the top of their conference, or to the cellar. Stay tuned during training
camp to assess the progress of Redman and Lewis, which will heavily impact the
productivity of every other player on the offensive side of the ball. Cincinnati Bengals: The 2002 season is beginning with – surprise! – optimism in Cincinnati. The Bengals appeared to be improving steadily during mini-camps, and enthusiasm is high. According to Kevin Goheen of cincypost.com (http://www.cincypost.com/2002/may/31/beng053102.html) on 5/31/02, “…the
Bengals are well ahead of the learning curve of a year ago.” Of
course, not everyone in stripes is happy – Takeo Spikes said on 5/16/02 that
attendance for the veteran voluntary workouts should have been higher (http://bengals.enquirer.com/2002/05/16/ben_spikes_criticizes.html).
None-the-less,
the Bengals have several key components of their 2002 team in place. Bob
Bratkowski has anointed Jon Kitna the starting quarterback (for now), and Kitna
is more comfortable in the offense this season. All-world running back Corey
Dillon will keep lots of defenders close to the line, which should open up
passing lanes for Kitna (or Gus Frerotte). Youngsters Chad Johnson and Peter
Warrick look ready to play hard at the wide-out positions.
Until we see the Bengals actually executing their offense in pads against live defenders, fantasy owners should be wary of putting their season into the hands of Kitna (Frerotte) or the receivers. If they play well, though, Corey Dillon may have an absolutely monster year, depending on the play of rookie Levi Jones and the rest of the offensive line. Cleveland Browns: The Browns have been talking about playing in the postseason since April, and they are serious. On 4/29/02, Tim Couch acknowledged to cantonrep.com (http://www.cantonrep.com/cantonrep01/menus.php?ID=42757&r=6&Category=11) that “He recognizes the obvious, that his having a big year is a key to the team doing the same. ‘My main goal is getting to the playoffs,’ he said. ‘If we win games, my personal goals, like going to the Pro Bowl, are gonna take care of themselves.’ ” All in all, Couch looks like he is well on his way to his goals during the final minicamp, when he showed good chemistry with Kevin Johnson, Quincy Morgan and rookie Andre Davis, according to dispatch.com’s Bill Rabinowitz (http://www.dispatch.com/browns/browns.php?story=dispatch/news/sports02/jun02/1309278.html).
William Green, the team’s rookie running back, is doing well learning the team’s offense, according to cleveland.com (http://www.cleveland.com/browns/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/sports/1023960931279590.xml) on 6/13/02. And the offensive line, a mess in 2001, looks much improved, according to a 6/13/02 report by Steve Doerschuk of cantonrep.com (http://www.cantonrep.com/cantonrep01/menus.php?Category=17&ID=49405&r=3). The combination of defensive linemen Gerard Warren and Courtney Brown, who should (finally) be on the field at the same time in 2002, looks very exciting. In the Doerschuk report cited above, Davis said “Courtney Brown’s recovery from last year’s knee and ankle injuries is more mental than physical at this point. ‘Courtney Brown is healthy,’ Davis said of his right defensive end. ‘For everybody who has spent time on injured reserve, the biggest hurdle is psychological and emotional.’” Good news for the defensive front of the Browns. The one fly in this ointment is Jamir Miller’s contractual demands. Terry Pluto of ohio.com (http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/football/nfl/cleveland_browns/3201389.htm) pointed out 5/5/02 that Miller still has 2 years remaining on his contract, and that he received a $6 million dollar signing bonus in 1999. Needless to say, management appears reluctant to renegotiate his deal this season. Davis refuses to speculate on when Miller may be in camp, saying to Doerschuk and cantonrep.com (http://www.cantonrep.com/cantonrep01/menus.php?Category=17&ID=48364&r=5) on 6/6/02 that “I don’t know what his plans are. If he decides he’s going to hold out all the season, half the season, all of training camp, or whatever ... I’m not a fortune teller on that.” Pittsburgh Steelers: The
Pittsburgh Steelers begin the 2002 season with their eyes trained on the prize:
a Super Bowl appearance. After their ignominious playoff defeat at the hands of
the Patriots – a contest in which they managed a mere 58 yards rushing – the
Steelers have pulled together as a team. No finger pointing or blame-laying –
just a quiet determination to go all the way this year. The dream of a Super Bowl victory lies in the hands of starting quarterback Kordell Stewart. One observer who believes that Stewart is ready to lead the Steelers to glory is Tom Donahoe, general manager of the Buffalo Bills. He is quoted by Jerry DiPaola of pittsburghlive.com (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/steelerslive/s_75551.html) on 6/9/02 – "Based on what he did last year, statistically and in terms of growing as a leader, you'd have to put him in the top 10 at this point," said Donahoe, who was the Steelers' director of football operations from 1992-99 and is now president and general manager of the Buffalo Bills. "And he has room to grow. He has room to get better, which he will." Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress and recently-acquired Terance Mathis will provide sure hands for Stewart’s passes while rookie Antwaan Randle El learns the ins and outs of the pro game. Veteran backups Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch are waiting in the wings, just in case the unfortunate occurs and Stewart goes down to injury. The backfield is set with aging but formidable Jerome Bettis rehabbing his groin injury and newly-resigned Amos Zereoue (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/steelerslive/s_76213.html). They are running behind an offensive line re-committed to excellence after the Patriots playoff debacle, according to a 6/12/02 report by pittsburgh.com’s (http://www.pittsburgh.com/sports/football/wexell/20020612oline.html) Jim Wexel. The
defense is superb, and suffered little attrition in the off-season (inside linebacker Earl Holmes departed from the league's top-ranked
unit, but Pittsburgh replaced him with James Farrior, a definite upgrade). Not
everything is coming up roses for the Steelers, though. Talented wide receiver
Plaxico Burress has tangled with the law on two occasions over five months
during the off-season. According to
post-gazette.com’s (http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20020515steelers0515p3.asp)
5/15/02 report by
Ed Bouchette, both
incidents were alcohol related disturbances. Grow up, Burress! Houston Texans: You’ve got to hand it to Charley Casserly and Dom Capers – the Houston Texans look pretty darn good (for an expansion franchise). The intensity of Caper’s approach is part of the franchise’s character – consider his attitude on 6/15/02, as the team headed into the break between mini-camps and training camps, as reported by chron.com’s (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/fb/nfl/1456459) Carlton Thompson. Capers said “There's still plenty of work to be done before we're ready to go out and compete,”, as his players departed after 29 practices and 40 meetings over two plus months of preparation. Intriguing
rookie prospect David Carr has wowed the home-town crowd during mini-camps, and
looks like a keeper, according to chron.com’s
(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/robertson/1437771)
6/3/02 report by Dale
Robertson. Beyond
the star rookie quarterback, though, are many question marks on the Texan’s
depth chart. Perhaps as many as six of the teams 11 rookies will challenge for
starting positions – if the team can complete their contracts before training
camp. Offensive line anchor Tony Boselli may be severely limited in training
camp, according to chron.com’s (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/fb/nfl/1401611) Carlton Thompson’s 5/7/02
report. Vic Fangio is hoping and praying that Pro-Bowl defensive lineman Gary Walker (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/fb/nfl/1456459)can recover from a groin injury in time to be an effective part of the defense. Projected starting wide receiver Jermaine Lewis injured his hamstring in a late April mini-camp practice.They have a great coaching staff, and loads of potential on their roster, but it still looks like a rough ride ahead for the Texans in 2002. Indianapolis Colts The
$10,000,000 dollar question for the Indianapolis Colts – has Edgerrin James
adequately rehabilitated his injured knee? Since James skipped the team’s
mandatory April minicamp, and then the team’s June summer school, there is no
way for the Colts to evaluate his readiness to play until training camp begins.
In
the off-season, the Colts have taken steps to improve the team on both sides of
the ball. The biggest move was bringing in spurned Tampa Bay head coach Tony
Dungy to replace departed Jim Mora. Dungy’s defensive knowledge should serve
the team well, and help develop the young, inexperienced players into a better
unit. The
team was also active in the free agent market, as pointed out by the
indystar.com (http://www.indystar.com/article.php?jcol30.html)on 5/30/02. Wide receiver Qadry Ismail came over from
Baltimore, in the continuing search to put a credible threat on the field
across from super-star Marvin Harrison, in order to draw off some of the constant
double-coverage Harrison receives. Peyton Manning looked less than superhuman
last season, but he’s still one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. Jermaine
Wiggins, Ben Gay and Brock Huard are all capable, veteran backups who can serve
in a pinch. Still,
the whole season and the overall explosiveness of the offense as a whole rests
on one item – the health (or lack thereof) of Edgerrin James. Jacksonville Jaguars The
once-dominant Jaguars are in a familiar place in 2002 – near the bottom of
their talent barrel along the offensive line, and thin at wide receiver
(thinner than ever, in fact.). The questions coming out of mini-camps for Tom
Coughlin and crew are these – who is going to protect Mark Brunell when he
drops back to pass, and who’s going to be on the receiving end of his passes.
Oh, and who will run the ball in 2002? The
offensive line is thin, and already losing personnel to injuries. Chris Ziemann
is gone for the season, according to a Len Pasquarelli ESPN report (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1388408.html)from
5/29. Aaron Koch, a guard, has also gone down to a knee injury and is out for
the season. Zach Weigert (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061502/jag_9676815.html) is angry about his
contract, and held out of the “voluntary” camps to protest – much like the
now-departed Mike Hollis in 2001. The team hopes that rookie Mike Pearson can
contribute immediately, but his level of preparedness for the pros is still an
open question. The
club continues to add new personnel to replace the fallen linemen – the latest
signee is Raleigh Roundtree – but the
line’s chemistry and execution will be hampered by a lack of practice/playing
time as a unit. Keenan McCardell was released in a salary cap move earlier in the off-season, and R. J. Soward is a total bust who is suspended for all of 2002. Bobby Shaw is currently projected as the starter opposite Jimmy Smith, his career best year coming in 2000 while playing with Pittsburgh – 40 receptions for 672 yards and 4 td’s. Look for Jacksonville to try and sign another receiver before camp begins. Fred Taylor and Stacey Mack will try to find a few holes to run through, but they will be few and far between. For now, rookie David Garrard is the #2 quarterback behind Mark Brunell, but the team is courting available veterans, according to a 5/28/02 report by jacksonville.com’s (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/052802/jag_9515427.html) Vito Stellino. The
defense is now led by John Pease, but they have few playmakers and will
probably be on the field a lot. Tennessee Titans Tennessee
is looking up in 2002, with a healthy Eddie George who coach Fisher plans to
feed the ball 25 times a game, according to a tennessean.com (http://www.tennessean.com/sports/titans/archives/02/06/18312879.shtml?Element_ID=18312879) report from 6/2/02. Other than determining George’s
backup, which remains an open question according to numerous reports, the team
is fairly well set at all positions on the offensive side of the ball for 2002.
Either Skip Hicks or Robert Holcombe will be the #2 man, with Dan Alexander and
Mike Green battling to stay on the roster at #4. Steve
McNair is the starting quarterback, and Neil O’Donnell remains the stalwart
backup. Derrick Mason and Kevin Dyson are the starting wideouts, with second
year man Justin McCariens moving up the depth chart to third on the merits of
an outstanding two months of mini-camp work, according to a 6/16/02 report by
Jim Wyatt of tennessean.com (http://www.tennessean.com/sports/titans/archives/02/06/18843243.shtml?Element_ID=18843243).
Rock-solid veteran Frank Wycheck is signed until 2006 to be McNair’s favorite
short-range target. New comer Greg Comella will lead-block for George and snag
the occasional pass from the full back position. Two major areas of
concern for the Titans are the offensive line, and the defensive unit. With the
retirement of iron man center Bruce Matthews, there is a big void to fill in
the middle. Keep an eye on how the unit jells and adjust your rankings of
George and McNair accordingly. The 2001 defensive
unit was constructed from big name, high dollar players who under-whelmed
opponents throughout the season. Kevin Carter did not play well at all, and
Jevon Kearse had his worst season as a pro. Watch the defense in training camp
and the preseason to see if they have improved before investing picks in this
unit. The team attempted to address the loss of Greg Favors and Eddie Robinson
in the mini-camps (see Jim Wyatt’s 6/9/02 tennessean.com (http://www.tennessean.com/sports/titans/archives/02/06/18535613.shtml?Element_ID=18535613) ) but only time will tell how
successful those efforts will be. Rookie defensive
lineman Albert Haynesworth has been involved in several scuffles during the
mini-camps, but he appears to be maturing as the summer rolls along. Denver Broncos The
2002 mini-camps have been a tale of two positions on the offensive team –
mostly good news from the wide receivers, and lots of bad news on the running back/Terrell Davis front. As Ray Thorburn
suggested in a 5/6/02 bouldernews.com (http://www.bouldernews.com/sports/football/06sbron.shtml) the defensive team led by
Ray Rhodes is in fine shape. “…without a lot of help from Brian Griese (19
interceptions), the defense was ranked eighth in the NFL at the conclusion of
the season, giving up only 298.4 yards and 21.2 points per game. Rhodes
was the best free agent Mike Shanahan signed last year. Having a defensive
coordinator who doesn't believe in excuses has allowed the head coach to focus
on his end of the bargain this offseason — improving the offense. “ So what did Shanahan do to improve the offense? Well, first of all, he brought back Shannon Sharpe to play TE for the Broncos. That move solidified the TE position significantly. As
Lee Rasizer pointed out on 6/15/02 in a column for rockymountainnews.com (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/broncos/article/0,1299,DRMN_17_1209915,00.html), Shanahan
simply waited for Ed McCaffrey to recover. His patience is being well paid, as McCaffrey
looks well on his way to a 100% recovery in time for training camp. On the same
date, denverpost.com (http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E86%257E674973%257E,00.html) noted that Rob Moore is
also making strides towards a full recovery. Shanahan believes that Moore
should be ready for the start of training camp. Rod
Smith is still battling a lingering stress fracture problem, and his readiness
for training camp remains unclear.
Ashley Lelie, who had played well in the early part of camps, injured a
hamstring on 6/14/02 and now faces rehabilitation before training camp,
according to Joe Mahoney of rockymountainnews.com (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/broncos/article/0,1299,DRMN_17_1207761,00.html). Along with Smith and Lelie, running back
Terrell Davis is hobbled by yet another arthroscopic knee surgery on his left
knee. Backups Mike Anderson (currently at full back), Olandis Gary and rookie
Clinton Portis all wait in the wings if Davis isn’t ready to go by regular
season, or in the event of an injury in the course of the season. Quarterback
Steve Beuerlein is once again throwing well, according to denverpost.com’s (http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E86%257E665488%257E,00.html) Patrick Saunders 6/10/02
report, and looks like a quality insurance policy for Brian Griese and his
fragile shoulders. Competing
to protect Griese, Beuerlein and company up front are free agent acquisitions
Blake Brockermyer and Ephraim Salaam, according to Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1393897.html),
writing on 6/12/02. Kansas City Chiefs There are reasons to be excited about the 2002 edition of the Kansas City Chiefs. They have returning to their backfield explosive running back Priest Holmes, who put up monster numbers in 2001 – over 2100 yards and 10 td’s! Trent Green is (finally!) healthy (http://chiefszone.com/stories/050602/foo_kclead.shtml) and has a full off-season of mini-camps under his belt heading into training camp and the regular season. Tony Gonzalez is pure gold, the best tight end in the NFL. The release of veteran wide receiver Derrick Alexander (http://www.kcchiefs.com/latest/mainnews.asp?storyID=3059&cat=1) and the Chief’s inability to sign an experienced player in his place opens the door to a bunch of eager young players. As reported by Jonathan Rand of kansascity.com (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/football/nfl/kansas_city_chiefs/3489094.htm), the Chiefs will take 14 wide receivers to camp in an all-out competition for playing spots. Johnnie Morton and Eddie Kennison are the starters, and Marvin Minnis appears the favorite to lock down #3, even with his recovery from a broken hand still in progress. Several interesting dark-horses (including Marc Boerigter, from small town Hastings, Nebraska and an alumnus of tiny Hastings College – Go Marc! I’m a Hastings native, and an alum too! – MW) will battle it out for a shot at NFL glory. The
Chief’s defense is their Achilles heel – it wasn’t too hot last year and they
released Donnie Edwards in the off-season. They need to get help from
somewhere, whether it be an emergent star from the rookie class, some
journeymen who mature in 2002, or free agent help during training camp. An
example of what I mean – Jonathan Rand’s 6/15/02 report on kansascity.com (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/football/nfl/kansas_city_chiefs/3472652.htm)
about cornerback Eric Warfield. “Every year, on every team, players with
NFL-caliber ability drift in and out of training camps and off-season programs.
Some keep drifting because they can't learn the system or wilt once they try
performing in pads. But
others blossom, given enough time and opportunity. That's why Warfield last
season progressed from a so-called underachiever to a likely blue-chip free
agent before the Chiefs re-signed him to a 7-year contract, including a $5
million signing bonus. For the first time since he joined the Chiefs as a seventh-round draft choice from Nebraska in 1998, Warfield doesn't have to prove he belongs on the field. Now, he wants to prove he belongs among the NFL's more consistent cornerbacks.” Oakland Raiders Oakland
Coach Bill Calahan has an enormous opportunity, and an enormous amount of
pressure, in 2002. This Raider’s team is talented, experienced, and on the cusp
of a championship – if they don’t fall apart due to old age, first. The Raiders
are the case study of a team built to win now. Unfortunately,
their quarterback, Rich Gannon, is disgruntled with his contract status and
skipped all of the team’s voluntary mini-camps. According to an ESPN report (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1394393.html) by Len Pasquarelli on 6/13/02, Gannon is unhappy that
his three consecutive Pro-Bowl appearances do not net him a larger salary than
$2 million a year, and that he feels the Raiders are not living up to promises
that they would upgrade his contract in 2002. Apparently,
the Raiders have little cap room with which to accommodate Gannon’s demands. The
upside to the situation is that Marques Tuiasosopo gained
significant playing time during the voluntary minicamps, and showed progress
while under center, according to David Bush of sfgate.com (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2002/04/29/SP75483.DTL). Luckily
for Callahan and the Raiders, Gannon showed up in time to begin installing the
new coach’s offensive tweaks for 2002, according to pressdemocrat.com (http://www.pressdemocrat.com/raiders/stories/14raid.html). Many of the team’s veterans expressed relief and
exhilaration that Gannon had returned to the fold, including future hall of
famer Jerry Rice. Aside
from the flap about Gannon’s contract, the team is set on the offensive side of
the ball, with Jerry Rice and Tim Brown teaming up at wide receiver, Charlie
Garner/Tyrone Wheatley
splitting time at running back, and Roland Williams starting at tight end. One serious blow fell on the defensive side of the line during mini-camp, when Regan Upshaw (http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/3482059.htm)went down for the season with a torn knee ligament on Thursday, June 13th. Tony Bryant is his likely replacement . Trace Armstrong returns to the lineup in 2002 as a pass-rush specialist.
Other changes on defense are occuring at the linebacker position, as the Raiders have added several new faces through the draft (Napoleon Harris) and free agency (Bill Romanowski, Mike Jones, and Gerald Dixon) and the slots on either side of Greg Biekert are open, and look like they will be contested throughout training camp, according to John Ryan of bayarea.com’s (http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/3476235.htm) 6/15/02 report. Also locked in competition are Rod Woodson and Anthony Dorsett, check out Jerry McDonald’s 6/16/02 column (http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~10835~677874,00.html). San Diego Chargers Fresh
off his Marty-Schottenheimer-retirement-fund stint with Danny Snyder’s
Washington Redskins, the new head coach of the Chargers finds himself coaching
a team well stocked with quarterbacks, a bruising young running back, and
possessing a strong defense. Now, the question is, who will be the starting
quarterback? Flutie-Brees
or Brees-Flutie? That is the question that shall be resolved in 2002 training
camp. Steve Scholfield of nctimes.net explored this question in his 4/28/02
column (http://www.nctimes.net/news/2002/20020428/62806.html). Whoever
the starter is, he will be throwing to the tandem of Curtis Conway and Tim
Dwight, who are penciled in at the starting slots. Don’t ignore Trevor Gaylor (http://www.profootballweekly.com/content/waywehearit/wwhi_set.asp?main=sdg.asp), though, as Dwight is injury prone and may go down at
any time. Gaylor is the person who would step in if Dwight can’t play on
Sundays. Reche Caldwell will likely spend the season learning the NFL ropes in
the fourth slot. Early in the mini-camps, fifth round pick Terry Charles tore
up a knee and is out for the season. New
at tight end is Stephen Alexander, late of the Washington Redskins. He’s a risk
(Alexander missed most of 2001 with injuries), but Schottenheimer liked him
enough to bring him along from Washington. LaDainian
Tomlinson got a gift during the 2002 rookie draft in the form of giant guard
Toniu Fonoti (6-4, 349!), and additional help through free agency (Corey
Raymar, Bob Hallen) – those moves should upgrade the offensive line in 2002.
Look for LaDainian to be a dominant force with the run-first philosophy of
coach Schottenheimer. The defense continues to be one of the best
in the NFL, though future hall of famer Junior Seau is starting to show his
age, and isn’t the dominant force he once was. Rookie Quentin Jammer should
help out in the secondary immediately. Conclusion As
you can see, the mini-camps have answered some of our off-season questions
about the various teams, while causing us to ask new ones looking forward to
the training camps. Nonetheless, the best place to begin a yearly analysis of
the many NFL prospects is where and when they begin to train – the mini-camps. Up
next, the NFC mini-camps! Mark Wimer Exclusive to Footballguys.com |