NFL Free Agent Travel Plans

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Category : Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins

NFL Free Agent Travel Plans

  • The Seahawks are not expected to tender an offer sheet to restricted free agent Brandon Marshall during his Saturday visit, but after the long history of bust receivers in the first round coughing up a 1st round pick for this talented wide-out would be like doubling down while playing Online Blackjack, the risk is worth the reward. Free agent CB Will James has scheduled a visit with the Seattle Seahawks, James has bounce around the league in the last 3-4 years but can be a solid 3rd corner. The Seahawks also have scheduled a visit with free agent TE Chris Baker and restricted free agent RB Mike Bell.
  • DE Aaron Kampman is one of the Jaguars’ “top priorities” in free agency and is scheduled to visit Jacksonville this week.
  • Free agent running back Willie Parker is scheduled to visit the Redskins on Monday.
  • David Carr is reportedly drawing a lot of interest from the Giants, Browns, and Cardinals but a top player is the 49er’s, would love to add another QB into the mix. Carr has been holding a clip board for a couple seasons now, but after being forced into a starting role so early into his career, teams are willing to take a shot on Carr’s comeback
  • Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed Friday that the Bengals have shown interest in free agent Terrell Owens, this could combine for a lethal duo of wide receivers if #85 and #81 could keep their egos in check.
  • In a surprise move the Philadelphia Eagles have released LB Will Witherspoon after trading for him last season. Witherspoon had a good season but the Eagles must have felt $5 million was to0 heavy of a price tag. Panthers beat writer Steve Reed thinks the Panthers could be interested in bringing him if the price is right.
  • CB Leigh Bodden has drawn interest from the Texans and Patriots, but Bodden seems to be a player that

Online Roulette

Quick NFL Notes

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Category : Around the League, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles

Quick NFL Notes

  • Julius Peppers – DE, Carolina Panthers
    Julius Peppers would make $21.8196 million next season if the Panthers choose to franchise him once again.
  • Devin Aromashodu – WR, Chicago Bears
    Bears coach Lovie Smith admitted that Devin Aromashodu deserves starting consideration in the future.
  • Antoine Winfield – CB, Minnesota Vikings
    Vikings LCB Antoine Winfield said he is going to keep playing even though his foot isn’t 100 percent.
  • DeSean Jackson – WR, Philadelphia Eagles
    DeSean Jackson is believed to be the first player in NFL history selected for the Pro Bowl as both a position player and a kick returner.
  • Cedric Benson - RB, Cincinnati Bengals
    Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson speculates that Cedric Benson and Carson Palmer will “hardly play, if they play at all” Sunday against the Jets.
  • Visanthe Shiancoe – TE, Minnesota Vikings
    Coach Brad Childress indicated that Visanthe Shiancoe, who left Monday’s game with an ankle injury, should be just fine this week.
  • JaMarcus Russell – QB, Oakland Raiders
    Coach Tom Cable may have sealed his fate with owner Al Davis when he suggested Monday that the Raiders could have made the playoffs if not for JaMarcus Russell’s early-season play.
  • Brian Westbrook - RB, Philadelphia Eagles
    The Eagles gave Brian Westbrook 23 snaps (11 touches), Leonard Weaver 33 (seven touches) and LeSean McCoy 28 (seven touches) in

NFL Headlines

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Category : Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans

NFL Headlines

  • buccaneers-cheerleadersChris Johnson – RB, Tennessee Titans
    Chris Johnson assured Thursday that his ankle is not an issue despite missing practice time this week.
  • JaMarcus Russell - QB, Oakland Raiders
    JaMarcus Russell said Thursday that he would be opposed to restructuring his contract this offseason.
  • Albert Haynesworth - DT, Washington Redskins
    Albert Haynesworth (ankle) remains a protective boot and is in danger of missing Sunday’s game at Oakland.
  • Marion Barber – RB, Dallas Cowboys
    Coach Wade Phillips has given no thought to putting the struggling Marion Barber in a strict “closing” role.
  • Percy Harvin - WR, Minnesota Vikings
    The Vikings confirmed that Percy Harvin has missed the past two days of practice with migraine headaches.
  • Matt Moore – QB, Carolina Panthers
    According to beat writer Steve Reed, sources close to the Panthers have indicated that Matt Moore will start at quarterback again this week.
  • DeAngelo Williams – RB, Carolina Panthers
    DeAngelo Williams (ankle) and Jonathan Stewart (heel) both participated in full practices for the second straight day.
  • Brian Westbrook – RB, Philadelphia Eagles
    Brian Westbrook (concussion) was officially limited in Wednesday’s practice.
  • Isaac Bruce – WR, San Francisco 49ers
    Beat writer Matt Maiocco would “not be surprised” if the next and last time Isaac Bruce (ankle) plays is Week 17 at St. Louis.

The Once Reliable Fantasy WR

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Category : Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Fantasy Football Strategies, Sleepers & Player Rankings

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The Once Reliable Fantasy WR

Amongst many other things, one of my favorite keys to success in fantasy football is an intentional selection of reliable receivers. Knowing that your WR’s will be able to pick up the slack when your RB’s or QB’s have less than favorable match-ups is a luxury and always quick to put my mind at ease. Yet this year, if you adopted that strategy and invested heavily in the WR position at the draft, you may now find yourself scrambling as some of the pre-draft big name guys just aren’t as reliable as you thought they’d be. Here are just a few examples:

Calvin “Megatron” Johnson was arguably one of the hottest names at WR pre-draft. He had an incredible sophomore season (78 receptions, 1331 yards, 12 TDs) and most of these yards came with Daunte Culpepper at the helm. With the addition of 1st overall QB selection Matthew Stafford, Johnson’s value skyrocketed and so did his potential for the season. Alas, this season Johnson has only recorded 32 receptions for 436 yards with 1 touchdown.calvin-johnson

Standard Scoring Leagues: 49 Points.

Fantasy Football Toolbox Average Draft Position: 4th WR, 16th Player Overall.

Greg Jennings is an extremely talented WR with an extremely talented QB throwing to him in Aaron Rodgers. Jennings and Rodgers established wonderful chemistry together last season. Jennings recorded 80 receptions for 1292 yards with 9 touchdowns, so naturally most of us couldn’t wait for this season. Unfortunately, the majority of the Packers pass offense this season is running through Donald Driver. Of Rodgers 17 TD’s so far Jennings only has 2, on 38 receptions with 543 yards. Not terrible numbers, but he is definitely not as reliable as he has been over the past two seasons.

Standard Scoring Leagues: 66 Points.

Fantasy Football Toolbox Average Draft Position: 6th WR, 22nd Player Overall.

Anquan Boldin has been stellar for the past few seasons, a player you could truly rely on to help your squad to fantasy victory. This season however Boldin can’t seem to find the end-zone. He’s recorded 43 catches for 509 yards, with one measly touchdown. Come on Quan, get into the game already.

Standard Scoring Leagues: 56 Points.

Fantasy Football Toolbox Average Draft Position: 9th WR, 26th Player Overall.

It’s almost unfair to put this guy in the mix, but we have to. Terrell Owens has been virtually unbearable to watch this season.

Thursday Night Preview: Dolphins at Panthers

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Category : Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Previews & Forecasts

MIA_CAR

MIAMI DOLPHINS VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS-3

Injured running backs on both sides of the ball might make for a sloppy quarterback attack Thursday night. The Miami Dolphins had to put Ronnie Brown on IR, making their playoff chances that much more difficult. The Panthers also have both of their two-headed monster runners less than 100% for this match-up, but with so much on the line, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will likely suit up and play hard. Other key injuries for the Panthers: LT Jordan Gross, Charles Godfrey.

Panthers Quarterback Jake Delhomme has played three somewhat mistake-free games after throwing 13 interceptions in the first six, and will look to test the Dolphins defense early. Steve Smith shines in prime time and should have a good game in what could save the Panthers season. Believe it or not, but the Panthers are one of the hotter NFL teams these days; winning 4 of their last five including 3 in a row.

For the Dolphins, Chad Henne will have to up his game now that the Wildcat will have to be re-tooled. Not just anyone can run the Wildcat and we might see more standard formations from the Dolphins tonight until a replacement is found. Henne is raw but has huge upside; this game will be an excellent test for the young talent. With Ricky Williams’ best years behind him, expect to see a couple new faces throughout the game. As far as fantasy football goes, this game might create a few new hot pick-ups in next weeks waiver wire.

The way we see it

Unlike last Thursday nights game (which we nailed) this game should be exciting and full of entertainment. If D.Williams plays you could see a high scoring game, but it will be the defenses that will really shine tonight. We expect both teams to apply a ton of pressure which should create at least one turnover each. In the end, home field advantage and the more experienced, healthier Panthers will take this one at home. CAROLINA 24-20

Record overall 94-51  | ATS: 78-67

Thursday Record: 1-0 |  ATS: 1-0

Terrell Owens and Steve Smith Over the Hill?

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Category : Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, The Lighter Side

Does T.O. Stand For Too Old? What About Steve Smith?Terrell Owens
Upon accepting this assignment, I immediately drifted to La-La land and dreamt of the following scenario:
Somehow, T.O. gets wind of my Grid-X assignment and reads my post calling him “over the hill” and “past his prime.” Always looking for media time, Mr. Owens antagonizes me via Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, ESPN radio and on his reality show. He pokes fun at my posted name, WAG, and prods me to reveal my actual name. I oblige him via a Twitter message.
Thinking I made a mistake in revealing my identity to T.O. — surely he’s going to blast me in the media — he surprises me by giving me tickets to the Bills’ upcoming game at Carolina, a la Ochocinco and his “Lambeau Leap” fans. Then, confirming my suspicions, Owens’ last Twitter post before gameday reads, “Getcha popcorn ready, WAG.”
Not one to back down from a battle, I sit in my endzone seats with a sign that reads, “T.O. stands for Too Old.” In turn, the sign makes a fool of me, as Owens catches three touchdown passes against the Panthers. Even worse, after catching the third of those TD’s, he pulls the same Sharpie he used in San Francisco, handing me a signed ball reading, “Too Old? Child please.” (Again, an Ochocino reference).
TerrellOwensStill attempting to gain the upper hand, I sell the game ball on Ebay, netting $2500. So, I win, right?
Parlaying my perceived success over T.O., I write a similar column about Carolina WR Steve Smith. He’s another wideout beyond his years as a playmaker, I argue.
Are you kidding me? Steve Smith then sends me a ticket to his game. Even better, he sends me a ticket to his Nov. 8 game, when he plays my beloved Saints. Yes, I think to myself, a Superdome ticket! I make a sign for this game too, saying, “S. Smith- The Oldest Decoy In Show Business.”

NFL Chopping Block

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Category : Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans

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NFL Chopping Block- Who’s on the way out?

The trade deadline is the 20th, and there is a lot of speculation surrounding several bottom-of-the-barrel teams, and for good reason.

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly at least discussing trading Terrell Owens, their one-year free agent splash, while the Browns have had to fight off rumors about parting ways with former franchise quarterback Brady Quinn, and star return man Josh Cribbs.

There are eight teams that are close to throwing their season away.

Here’s a look at all eight of those teams, a trade-bait suggestion or two, and some analysis to think about as we head toward the October 20th NFL trade deadline.

Carolina Panthers (2-3)steve-smith

They finally got a win last week against the Washington Redskins, but even that wasn’t very convincing. They’re in a division with two very solid teams in front of them, and don’t have much breathing room. Like it or not, it’s probably best to start thinking about 2010.

Trade Julius Peppers and/or Steve Smith.

They franchised Peppers, so they know he’s as good as gone either way; now is the time to get what they can for him. Just about any contending team out there will at least express some interest. However, considering the franchise tag, everyone knows the asking price can’t be as high as Carolina wishes it could be. Look for the Denver Broncos to be involved, as well as anyone who wouldn’t mind giving up a high pick or a possible future Jake Delhomme replacement.

As for Steve Smith, even he has been open about the fact that he’s basically a decoy now, due to the ineffectiveness of the passing game. Carolina would get rid of Jake Delhomme if they could, but they may have to settle for making Smith happy and getting as much value in return as possible.

Buffalo Bills (2-4)

Head coach Dick Jauron is almost certainly out the door by mid-season, while many are beginning to question if quarterback Trent Edwards has what it takes to be a successful franchise quarterback.

Trade Terrell Owens, Marshawn Lynch, and/or Fred Jackson.

Sound FX: Steve Smith Mic’d Up

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Category : Carolina Panthers, The Lighter Side

Carolina Panthers 2009 Preview

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Category : Carolina Panthers, Previews & Forecasts

Carolina Panthers’ 2009Steve Smith Preview
The Carolina Panthers are quite favorable this season when it comes to NFL betting odds. They have finished either first or second in their division in five of the last six years, and have had no real off-season shake ups.


The Panthers had the 10th ranked offense in the NFL last year, being led once again by quarterback Jake Delhomme. Delhomme, who earned a five-year contract extension in the off-season, threw five picks in a 33-13 playoff loss to Arizona, and only threw 15 touchdowns all season. It’s safe to say the Panthers are expecting a little more out of their newly paid up veteran leader. The main weapons of choice are running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, who make for a solid and young dual threat. However, more will need to come from their quarterback if Carolina wants to take advantage of all their weapons, especially with Steve Smith at receiver.
Smith is pound-for-pound one of the top three receivers in the league, and he can score on any play. His season started off with a two game suspension after he punched a teammate in the face during training camp.
Muhsin Muhammad is going into his 15th NFL season, and will likely feel pressure from some of the younger wide receivers to move aside. Dwayne Jarrett has been a ghost in Carolina, but has people excited and expecting good things out of him in ‘09.

Carolina Panthers


The Panthers were ranked 18th overall in defense in 2009, but had problems on the ground stopping the run, which is ironic when you consider how good the Carolina rushing attack was. However, one saving grace is that Julius Peppers decided to come back to Carolina after saying he wanted to leave to play in a 3-4 defense. Jon Beason and Thomas Davis return to marshal an adequate linebacking corps, while Chris Gamble is coming into his prime as a cornerback. Although, the Panthers could have added help to their secondary, which had only 12 interceptions in 2008, and three of those came from Beason at middle linebacker. In a division that includes New Orleans and Atlanta, this could sway some players from making the Panthers one of their NFL betting picks this season.

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The Panthers are rated behind the Saints and Falcons at +220 to win the division, and it figures to be a three-horse race due to Tampa Bay’s rebuilding. Given that head coach John Fox was a defensive back and entered the league as a secondary coach, it’s amazing that the Panthers don’t upgrade their secondary in the pass-happy NFC South, and this could be their Achilles Heel. Also, Delhomme needs to get back to his Pro Bowl form of 2005, which would make their rushing attack even more potent. The Falcons should be the class of the division, leaving Carolina and New Orleans to battle it out. When it comes to Super Bowl odds, however, don’t take the Panthers as one of your sports picks.