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Hi Folks,
Good Tuesday to you. We've got another day with lots of new content. New Detailed Stat Projections, new Staff Cheatsheet Rankings, plus a new episode of Footballguys TV and two new episodes of the Audible Podcast.
Plus the news and notes you need so let's get to it.
J
One of the advantages to Footballguys Insiders is having the very lates projections based on all the current news. We've got a new set ready for you here.
We've also asked our Staff to update their cheatsheet rankings. Here are the latest.
Cecil Lammey breaks down some of the latest news and notes from around the NFL. Topics Include - Adrian Peterson arrested, why Jay Cutler could be a top 10 fantasy QB, a sleeper WR in Seattle, plus more!
In This Episode: The 2012 Beat Writer Tour continues with a discussion about the Ravens with Aaron Wilson from the Carroll County Times. Topics Include - can QB Joe Flacco take his game to the next level, how does WR Jacoby Jones fit in the offense, will we see more from TEs Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, plus more!
In This Episode: The 2012 Beat Writer Tour continues with a discussion about the Browns with Aaron Goldhammer from ESPN Cleveland. Topics Include - can supplemental draft pick WR Josh Gordon make an impact this year, when/where does QB Colt McCoy get traded, how great can RB Trent Richardson be, plus more!
In This Episode: The 2012 Beat Writer Tour continues with a discussion about the Bengals with Joe Reedy from the Cincinnati Enquirer. Topics Include - can second-year QB Andy Dalton avoid the sophomore slump, who wins the WR2 job opposite A.J. Green, how does RB Benjarvus Green-Ellis fit, plus more!
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with franchise free-agent RB Ray Rice on a multi-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Footballguys' view: Huge 11th hour move for the Ravens here. Many thought a deal would not get done, but in the last hour of negotiations things came together. It's not quite the upfront money Rice wanted, but for a veteran RB it's a very good deal. Rice will once again be the centerpiece of the Ravens offense in 2012.
The Chicago Bears and franchise free-agent RB Matt Forte have agreed to a four-year deal. The deal will average about $8 million per year.
Footballguys' view: Forte's patience pays off here. He's wanted a new long-term deal for the last two years and finally came to an agreement with the Bears. If he can stay healthy we believe Forte should easily finish as a top 10 fantasy RB in 2012. Now that any holdout possibility is out the window we expect his ADP (RB11 - 2.02) to rise.
Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant, as an update to a previous report, was arrested Monday, July 16, on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. This is the second time in six months that Bryant has had a run-in with the law. In January, he was involved in an altercation in Miami outside a nightclub. While he was detained by police during that incident, he was not arrested.
Footballguys' view: And the hits just keep rolling for Dez Bryant...
The New England Patriots will not sign WR Wes Welker to a long-term contract extension before the deadline.
Footballguys' view: Welker squashed his leverage by signing his franchise tender so early in the offseason. He will play this season under the one-year $9.5MM tender. This may be the last season we see Welker in a Patriots uniform.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to terms on a four-year deal with franchise free-agent PK Josh Scobee. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Footballguys' view: Scobee's four-year contract is worth as much as $13.8 million in base salary. The contract includes $4.75 million in guaranteed money and a $3.75 million signing bonus.
Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III has yet to arrive for the start of the team's training camp for rookies Monday, July 16. Team officials said that most every other rookie that was expected to arrive for camp showed up.
Footballguys' view: Griffin has not come to a contract agreement with the team, and time is running out as training camp is nearly a week away. We don't feel Griffin will miss any time in camp, and expect the two sides to feverishly work on getting a rookie contract hammered out.
Updating a previous item, Miami Beach Police detective Vivian Hernandez confirmed Denver Broncos DL Elvis Dumervil was in fact charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Saturday, July 14, in Miami Beach. Dumervil reportedly approached a car and lifted up his shirt to show a gun in his waistband during the traffic dispute.
Footballguys' view: Dumervil has had run ins with the law before and could be in trouble with the league even if this legal matter goes away. There's a chance the legal process could take a long time to find a resolution. That could mean Dumervil won't get any suspension until the 2013 season.
Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said the team's quarterback competition between QBs Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker remains even heading into training camp. 'I am really proud of both quarterbacks. We are very pleased with both of them,' Palmer said. 'They're even. It is a competition right now. Coach Munchak has made that statement and when the time comes and everyone is comfortable with who the starting quarterback is, then Coach Munchak will announce it.'
Footballguys' view: Munchak has already said the tough early season schedule will factor into the starting QB decision. We feel Hasselbeck could begin the season as the starter, but at some point this season we feel Locker will take over. Locker is the team's future and flashed big time ability in limited duty last year.
Detroit Lions RB Mikel Leshoure (Achilles') said on his Twitter page that his surgically repaired Achilles' tendon is feeling better than ever and he will be going into training camp at 100 percent.
Footballguys' view: Achilles' injuries are very serious so if Leshoure can be back at full strength this quickly it's nothing but good news for the Lions. He's behind Jahvid Best on the depth chart right now but will at least serve as a short yardage and goalline runner for the Lions. Leshoure has the ability to be a featured back if Best is banged up again this year.
The New England Patriots have told TE Rob Gronkowski to tone down his off-field activities, according to a league source. In addition to posing for ESPN The Magazine's 'Body Issue' and partying at events for the issue and the ESPYs, Gronkowski also co-hosted an entertainment show.
Footballguys' view: We haven't seen a TE this productive, bold, and brash since the days of Shannon Sharpe. The Patriots are a little more buttoned up than other franchises so it's not surprising to hear they told Gronkowski to tone it down.
Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald will turn 29 in the preseason and he acknowledges that he is on the downside of his career. As a result, Fitzgerald sees his window of opportunity to win closing. 'I don't have another eight, nine years to play. I would love to, but realistically, that's not going to happen. So the window of opportunity is short, and that's another reason why I talked to Michael (Floyd), why I talk to Andre (Roberts),' Fitzgerald said. 'I tell them, 'Before you know it, you're going to look down and find gray hair in your beard. You're going to be sore in parts that were never sore before. It changes that fast, and I never realized that before. So I need your best right now.' Adrian (Wilson) is telling the defense the same thing, getting everyone to buy in because we need to make it happen now.'
Footballguys' view: Fitzgerald is not on the decline. He's still one of the best WRs in the game today, and could produce even better if a serious threat at WR2 (Floyd) emerges for the Cardinals. His current ADP has him going off the board in the early second-round.
The Pittsburgh Steelers believe they will get a deal done with restricted free-agent WR Mike Wallace in time for training camp.
Footballguys' view: Some feel the lack of offseason work with the new offense will hold Wallace back. We don't agree with that sentiment. Wallace should be able to get up to speed quickly in Todd Haley's new offense. In fact, he's already received his playbook and has likely been studying this offseason.
the Cleveland Browns have agreed to terms with supplemental draft choice WR Josh Gordon on a four-year deal worth just over $5.3 million. The deal includes $3.8 million in guaranteed money.
Footballguys' view: The Browns want Gordon to get up to speed quickly in their West Coast offense. He hasn't played football in 18 months and will have a steep learning curve.
Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy issued a warning to players, telling them that training camp practices will have a high tempo under QB Peyton Manning. 'We've said it during minicamps, during our (organized team workouts), and the same will be true in training camp: We're going to go at the quarterback's speed,' McCoy said. 'And everyone knows our quarterback has played a long time and understands a great deal of things. Everybody is going to have to keep up with him. That's how it has to be.'
Footballguys' view: Our very own Cecil Lammey will be out there every day reporting from Dove Valley. The Broncos are one of the team's to watch this year as they hope to contend for a Super Bowl with Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning under center.
NCAA head coach Charlie Weis, who coached Kansas City Chiefs QB Brady Quinn at Notre Dame, said he still believes Quinn can become a starting quarterback in the NFL. 'Brady could have been a starting quarterback for me in the NFL,' Weis said. 'Go back and look at those numbers for the two years he played for me. He was great. He wasn't good. And I know if I had him as a quarterback, I would have felt very comfortable that I could have won no matter where we were.'
Footballguys' view: Quinn's chances of becoming a starting QB in this league are slim and none. He flashed some ability in the preseason for the Broncos, but failed to beat out Tim Tebow for the backup job behind Kyle Orton last year. Quinn has good talent around him in Kansas City but won't see the field unless Matt Cassel is hurt.
Indianapolis Colts WR Reggie Wayne said he appreciates new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' candid coaching style. 'He's not going to B.S. you,' Wayne said. 'He's not going to sugarcoat anything. He's going to try to correct you and make you the best you can be. If you're a veteran guy, you've got to understand that and take the good with the bad. I appreciate that. I can handle that. I'm glad he's here.'
Footballguys' view: Arians is going to bring a balanced offense to the Colts this season. He'll help rookie QB Andrew Luck this year by running the ball effectively. Watch out for RB Donald Brown this season. He's seen as their best RB and new head coach Chuck Pagano feels Brown is an every down back. Brown should easily outperform his current ADP (RB30) and could finish as a top 20 fantasy RB in 2012.
Baltimore Ravens FS Ed Reed would not comment about his plans for this season but did say his mind is nowhere near football at this time.
Footballguys' view: Another day and more veiled threats from Reed. He may want to get a new contract but that seems highly unlikely. The team has more important priorities to work out, and the veteran Safety is not near the top of the list.
New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis could be a holdout from training camp as he is unhappy with his contract. Revis is scheduled to make $13.5 million over the next two years, which is considered a bargain for a player of his caliber; however, Revis has been one of the NFL's highest-paid players over the first two years of the contract, which is why the team believes Revis should play out at least one more season. 'That one, he's kept everybody guessing,' ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen said of Revis. 'I'm almost surprised if he's there on Day 1.'
Footballguys' view: Revis held out in 2010 and was bothered by hamstring issues after that. He's hinted at holding out this year too and has not participated in the Jets offseason program.
Updating previous reports, the Detroit Lions were not able to agree to a long-term contract with franchise free-agent DE Cliff Avril before the deadline.
Footballguys' view: Many felt it would take a miracle for Avril to get a new deal from the Lions. Even though the two sides failed to negotiate a new contract Avril says he has no hard feelings against the team.
The Detroit Lions are not sure if franchise free-agent DE Cliff Avril will sign his tender offer in time to report to training camp Thursday, July 26.
Footballguys' view: We don't think Avril will miss any time in the regular season. He's set to make $10.6MM under the franchise tag this year and won't jeopardize that big paycheck by sitting out games.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Thanks for reading and thanks for being a part of what we're doing at Footballguys. Have a great day and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
Peace,
J